CONTEMPLATIONS.

BOOK XX.

THE SHUNAMITE SUING TO JEHORAM; ELISHA CONFERRING WITH HAZAEL.

How royally, hath Elisha paid the Shunamite for his lodging! To him already she owes the life of her son, both given and restored; and now again, after so many years as might well have worn out the memory of so small a courtesy, herself, her son, her family owe their lives, to so thankful a guest. That table, and bed, and stool, and candlestick, was well bestowed: that candlestick repaid her the light of her future life and condition; that table, the means of maintenance; that stool, a seat of safe abode; that bed, a quiet rest from the common calamities of her nation. He is a niggard to himself, that scants his beneficence to a prophet; whose very cold water shall not go unrewarded.

Elijah preserved the Sareptan from famine; Elisha, the Shunamite: he, by provision of oil and meal; this, by premonition; Arise, and go, thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn. The Sareptan was poor, and driven to extremes; therefore the prophet provides for her, from hand to mouth the Shunamite was wealthy, and therefore the prophet sends her to provide for herself. The same goodness, that relieves our necessity, leaves our competency to the hand of our own counsel: in the one, he will make use of his own power; in the other, of our providence.

The very prophet advises this holy client, to leave the bounds of the Church; and to seek life, where she should not find religion. Extremity is, for the time, a just dispensation with some common rules of our outward demeanour and motions, even from better to worse. All Israel and Judah shall be affamished: the body can be preserved no where, but where the soul shall want. Sometimes the conveniences of the soul must yield to bodily necessities. Wantonness and curiosity can find no advantage from that, which is done out of the power of need.

It is a long famine, that shall afflict Israel. He, upon whom the spirit of Elijah was doubled, doubled the judgment inflicted by his master. Three years and a half, did Israel gasp under the drought of Elijah; seven years dearth shall it suffer, under Elisha. The trials of God are, many times, not more grievous for their sharpness, than for their continuance.

This scarcity shall not come alone. God shall call for it: whatever be the second cause, he is the first. The executioners of the

Almighty (such are his judgments) stand ready waiting upon his just throne; and do no sooner receive the watchword, than they fly upon the world, and plague it for sin. Only the cry of our sins moves God, to call for vengeance; and if God once call, it How oft, how earnestly, are we called to repentance, and stir not! The messengers of God's wrath fly forth, at the least beck; and fulfil the will of his revenge upon those, whose obedience would not fulfil the will of his command.

must come.

After so many proofs of fidelity, the Shunamite cannot distrust the prophet; not staying therefore to be convicted by the event, she removes her family into the land of the Philistines. No nation was more opposite to Israel, none more worthily odious; yet there, doth the Shunamite seek and find shelter. Even the shade of those trees that are unwholesome, may keep us from a storm. Every where will God find room for his own.

The fields of Philistines flourish, while the soil of Israel yields nothing but weeds and barrenness: not that Israel was more sinful, but that the sin of Israel was more intolerable. The offers of grace are so many aggravations of wickedness. In equal offences, those do justly smart more, who are more obliged. No pestilence is so contagious, as that which hath taken the purest air.

These Philistine neighbours would never have endured themselves to be pestered with foreigners, especially Israelites; whom they hated, besides religion, for their usurpation. Neither were they, in all likelihood, pressed with multitude. The rest of Israel were led on with hopes; presuming upon the amends of the next harvest, till their want grew desperate and irremediable. Only the forewarned Shunamite prevents the mischief. Now she finds what it is, to have a prophet her friend. Happy are those souls, that, upon all occasions, consult with God's seers: they shall be freed from the plagues, wherein the secure blindness of others is heedlessly overtaken.

Seven years, had this Shunamite sojourned in Palestine: now she returns to her own; and is excluded. She, that found harbour among Philistines, finds oppression and violence among Israelites : those of her kindred, taking advantage of her absence, had shared her possessions. How oft doth it fall out, that the worst enemies of a man are those of his own house!

All went by contraries, with this Shunamite. In the famine, she had enough; in the common plenty, she was scanted: Philistines were kind unto her; Israelites, cruel. Both our fears and our hopes do not seldom disappoint us. It is safe trusting to that stay, which can never fail us; who can easily provide us, both of friendship in Palestine, and of justice in Israel.

We may not judge of the religion by particular actions. A very Philistine may be merciful, when an Israelite is unjust. The person may be faulty, when the profession is holy.

It

was not long, since the prophet made that friendly offer to the Shunamite, out of the desire of a thankful requital; What is to be done for thee? Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the

captain of the host? and she answered; I dwell among my bre thren. Little did she then think of this injurious measure; else she might have said, "I dwell among mine enemies; I dwell among robbers." It is like they were then friendly, who were now cruel and oppressive. There is no trust to be reposed in flesh and blood. How should their favours be constant, who are, in their nature and disposition, variable? It is the surest way, to rely on Him, who is ever like himself; the measure of whose love is eternity.

Whither should the Shunamite go, to complain of her wrong, but to the court? There is no other refuge of the oppressed, but public authority. All justice is derived from sovereignty, Kings are not called gods, for nothing: they do both sentence and execute for the Almighty.

Doubtless, now the poor Shunamite thought of the courteous proffer of Elisha; and, missing a friend at the court, is glad to be the presenter of her own petition.

How happily doth God contrive all events, for the good of his! This suppliant shall fall upon that instant for her suit, when the king shall be talking with Gehazi; when Gehazi shall be taiking of her to the king. The words of Gehazi, the thoughts of the king, the desires of the Shunamite, shall be all drawn together, by the wise providence of God, into the centre of one moment, that his oppressed servant might receive a speedy justice, Oh the infinite wisdom, power, mercy of our God, that insensibly orders all our ways; as to his own holy purposes, so to our best advan tage!

What doth Jehoram the king, talking with Gehazi the leper ? That very presence was an eyesore. But if the cohabitation with the infectious were forbidden, yet not the conference,

Certainly, I begin to think of some goodness in both these, Had there not been some goodness in Jehoram, he had not taken pleasure to hear, even from a leprous mouth, the miraculous acts and praises of God's prophet: had there not been some goodness in Gehazi, he had not, after so fearful an infliction of judgment, thus ingenuously recounted the praises of his severe master.

He, that told that dear-bought lie to the prophet, tells now all truths of the prophet to the king. Perhaps, his leprosy had made him clean; if so; happy was it for him, that his forehead was white with the disease, if his soul became hereupon white with repentance.

But we may well know, that the desire or report of historical truths doth not always argue grace. Still Jehoram, after the inquiry of the prophet's miracles, continues his idolatry. He, that was curious to hearken after the wonders of Elisha, is not careful to follow his doctrine. Therefore are Gehazi and the Shunamite met before him, that he may be convicted, who will not be reformed. Why was it else, that the presence of the persons should thus unexpectedly make good the relation, if God had not meant the inex cuseableness of Jehoram, while he must needs say within himself;

"Thus potent is the prophet of that God, whom I obey not. Were not Elisha's the true God, how could he work such wonders? And if he be the true God, why is he not mine? But what? Shall I change Abab's God, for Jehoshaphat's? No: I cannot deny the miracles; I will not admit of the author. Let Elisha be powerful, I will be constant."

O wretched Jehoram! How much better had it been for thee, never to have seen the face of Gehazi and the son of the Shunamite, than to go away unmoved, with the vengeance of leprosy in the one, with the merciful resuscitation of the other! Therefore is thy judgment fearfully aggravated, because thou wouldst not yield, to what thou couldst not oppose. Had not Ahab's obdurateness been propagated to his son, so powerful demonstrations of divine power could not have been ineffectual. Wicked hearts are so much worse, by how much God is better. This anvil is the harder, by being continually beaten upon; whether with judg

ments or mercy.

Yet, this good use will God have made of this report and this presence, that the poor Shunamite shall have justice. That son, whose life was restored, shall have his inheritance revived: his estate shall fare the better, for Elisha's miracles. How much more will our merciful God second his own blessings, when the favours of unjust men are therefore drawn to us, because we have been the subjects of divine beneficence!

It was a large and full award, that this occurrence drew from the king; Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field, since the day that she left the land, even until now. Not the present possession only is given her, but the arrearages.

Nothing hinders, but that outward justice may stand with gross idolatry.

The widow may thank Elisha for this. His miracle wrought still; and puts this new life in her dead estate. His absence did that, for the preservation of life, which his presence did, for the restoring it from death. She, that was so ready to expostulate with the man of God upon the loss of her son, might perhaps have been as ready, to impute the loss of her estate to his advice: now, that for his sake she is enriched with her own, how doth she bless God for so happy a guest! When we have forgotten our own good turns, God remembers and crowns them. Let us do good to all, while we have time; but especially to the household of faith.

Could Israel have been sensible of their own condition, it was no small unhappiness, to lose the presence of Elisha. Whether, for the idolatries, or for the famine of Israel, the prophet is gone into Syria. No doubt Naaman welcomed him thither; and now would force upon him thanks for his cure, which the man of God would not receive at home.

How famous is he now grown, that was taken from the team! His name is not confined to his own nation: foreign countries take notice of it; and kings are glad to listen after him, and woo him with presents. Benhadad, the king of Syria, whose councils he

had detected, rejoiceth to hear of his presence; and now, as having forgotten that he had sent a whole host to besiege the prophet in Dothan, sends an honourable messenger to him, laden with the burden of forty camels, to consult with this oracle, concerning his sickness and recovery.'

This Syrian, belike, in distress dares not trust to his own gods; but, having had good proof of the power of the God of Israel, both in Naaman's cure and in the miraculous defeats of his greatest forces, is glad to send to that servant of God, whom he had persecuted. Wicked men are not the same, in health and in sickness : their affliction is worthy of the thanks, if they be well minded; not themselves.

Doubtless, the errand of Benhadad was not only to inquire of the issue of his disease, but to require the prayers of the prophet for a good issue. Even the worst man doth so love himself, that he can be content to make a beneficial use of those intruments, whose goodness he hateth,

Hazael, the chief peer of Syria, is designed to this message. The wealth of his present strives with the humility of his carriage and speech; Thy son, Benhadad, king of Syria, hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? Not long since, Jehoram, king of Israel, had said to Elisha, My father, shall I smite them? and now, Benhadad, king of Syria, says, "My father, shall I recover?"

Lo how this poor Meholathite hath kings to his sons! How great is the honour of God's prophets with pagans, with princes! Who can be but confounded, to see evangelical prophets despised by the meanest Christians?

It is more than a single answer, that the prophet returns to this message. One answer he gives to Benhadad, that sent it; another he gives to Hazael, that brings it: that to Benhadad, is, Thou mayest surely recover: That to Hazael, The Lord hath shewed me, that he shall surely die. What shall we say then? Is there a lie, or an equivocation, in the holy mouth of the prophet? God forbid. It is one thing, what shall be the nature and issue of the disease; another thing, what may outwardly befal the person of Benhadad. The question is moved of the former; whereto the answer is direct; the disease is not mortal: but withal an intimation is given to the bearer, of an event beyond the reach of his demand; which he may know, but either needs not, or may not return; The Lord hath shewed me, that he shall surely die; by another means, though not by the disease.

The seer of God descries more in Hazael, than he could see in himself: he fixes his eyes therefore stedfastly in the Syrian's face, as one that in those lines read the bloody story of his life.

Hazael blushes; Elisha weeps. The intention of those eyes did not so much amaze Hazael, as the tears. As yet, he was not guilty to himself, of any wrong that might strain out this juice of sorrow; Why weepeth my lord?

The prophet fears not to foretel Hazael, all the villainies which