That

and let us fet for him there a bed, and a table, and a ftool, and a candlestick; and it shall be when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither."-She perceived he was a holy man, -she had had many opportunities,as he passed by them continually, of obferving his behaviour and deportment, which she had carefully remarked, and faw plainly what he was. the fanctity and fimplicity of his manners,— the severity of his life,—his zeal for the religion of his GOD, and the uncommon fervency of his devotion, when he worshipped before him, which feemed his whole business and employment upon earth;—all bespoke him not a man of this world, but one whose heart and affections were fixed upon another object, which was dearer and more important to him. But as fuch outward appearances may, and often have been counterfeited, fo that the actions of a man are certainly the only interpreters to be relied on, whether fuch colours are true or falfe;fo fhe had heard that all was of a piece there, and that he was throughout.confiftent: that he had never, in any one instance of his life, acted as if he had any views in the affairs of this world, in which he had never interested himself at all, but where the glory.

of

of his God, or the good and prefervation of his fellow creatures at firft inclined him:

that in a late inftance, before he came to Shunem, he had done one of the kindeft and moft charitable actions that a good man could have done, in affifting the widow and fatherlefs; and as the fact was fingular, and had juft happened before her knowledge of him, no doubt fhe had heard the ftory with all the tender circumstances which a true report would give it in his favour; namely, that a certain woman, whofe husband was lately dead, and had left her with her children in a very help, lefs condition-very deftitute-and what was ftill worse, charged with a debt she was not able to pay, that her creditor bore.exceeding hard upon her, and finding her little worth in fubftance, was coming to take the advantage which the law allowed of feizing her two fons for his bondsmen;fo that she had not only loft her husband, which had made her miserable enough already, but was going to be bereaved of her children, which were the only comfort and fupport of her life; that upon her coming to Elisha with this fad ftory, he was touched with compaffion for her misfortunes, and had used all the power and interest which he had

with his GOD to relieve and befriend her, which in an unheard of manner, by the miraculous encrease of her oil, which was the only fubftance she had left, he had so bouifully effected, as not only to difintangle her from her difficulties in paying the debt, but withal, what was ftill more generous, to enable her to live comfortably the remainder of her days. She confidered, that charity and compaffion was fo leading a virtue, and had fuch an influence upon every other part of a man's character, as to be a fufficient proof, by itself, of the inward difpofition and goodness of the heart; but that fo engaging an ipftance of it as this, exercised in so kind and seasonable a -and manner, was a demonstration of his,that he was in truth what outward circumftances bespoke, a holy man of God.——As the Shunamite's principle and motive for her hospitality to Elisha was juft, as it fprung from an idea of the worth and merit of her guest, fo likewife was the manner of doing it kind and confiderate. It is obfervable, she does not folicit her husband to affign him an apartment in her own house, but to build him a chamber in the wall apart :-fhe confidered,-that true piety wanted no witneffes, and was al

ways

ways most at ease when most private ;—that the tumult and diftraction of a large family were not fit for the filent meditations of fo holy a man, who would perpetually there meet with fomething either to interrupt his devotion, or offend the purity of his manners ;

that,moreover,under fuch an independent roof, where he could take fhelter as often as his occafions required, fhe thought he might tafte the pleasure which was natural to man, in poffeffing something like what he could call his own, and, what is no fmall part of conferring a favour, he would fcarce feel the weight of it, or at least much feldomer in this manner, than where a daily invitation and repetition of the kindness perpetually put him in mind of his obligation. If any thing could ftill add to this-it was-that it did not appear to be the dry offer of a faint civility, but that it came directly from the heart. There is a nicety in honeft minds, which will not accept of a cold and fufpected offer,- and even when it appears to be fincere and truly meant, there is a modefty in true merit which knows not how to accept it; and no doubt she had one, if not both these difficulties to conquer in their turns. For we read, that she constrain

VOL. II.

ed him, and in all likelihood forced his acceptance of it with all the warmth and friendly openness of a humane and hofpitable temper.

It is with benefits as with injuries in this respect, that we do not fo much weigh the accidental good or evil they do us, as that which they were defigned to do us. -That

is, we confider no part of them so much as their intention; and the prophet's behaviour confequent upon this, fhews he beheld it through this medium, or in some fuch advantageous light as I have placed it.

There is no burthen fo heavy to a grateful mind, as a debt of kindness unpaid;-and we may believe Elifha felt it fo, from the earneft defire which he had, upon the immediate receipt of this, to difcharge himself of it, which he expreffes in the text in the warmest manner;" Behold, thou haft been careful for us with all this care: what fhall be done for thee? Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or the captain of his hoft ?"-There is a degree of honeft impatience in the words, fuch as was natural to a good man, who would

not