Contemplations. Lra. XVHI. ftill to latch dangers, tempteth God inllead l)f trulling'him. A The Prophet mull be gone,not without order taken for his purveiance· Oh the firange Cators for Elijah, I havecommand!dth! 11-av!-s tofud thmhm; 1knownot whether had beenemore miraculous,to preferve him without ·meat, orto provide meat by fuch mouthes: The Raven, a devouring and ravenous fowle, that ufes to fnatch away mm fro others,brings it to him: he that could have fed Elij•h by Angels, will feed him i>y Ravens; There was then in Jfrael an hofpitall obadiah. tlm keptafecret Table in twofeverall Caves,foran hundred prophets ofGod; ·here were [even thoufand faithfull Ifraelites (ih fpight of the D.evill) who had never bowed knee to Baai;Doubtleffe, any olthefe would have had a uencher ready for E lijah, and have thought himfelfe happy tohave defrauded his owne maw, for fo noble a Prophet; God rather chufes to make ufeofthe moll unlikely fowles of the B ayre, than their bounty.that he might give both to his Proph«,and us a pregnant proofe ofhis abfolute command over all his creatures,and winne ourcrull in all e~ tremities.Who can make quellionofthe provifions ofGod, when he fees the very Ravens fhall for_gettheir owne hunger,and purvey for Elij•h~O God, thou that provide£! meat forthefowles ofthe ayre, wilt make the fowles ofthe ayre provide meat forman,rather then this dependance on thee fhalll:fe difappointed;Oh let not our faith be wanting to thee,thy care cannever be wantingtous. Eltjah might have lived forthe time with bread and water, neither had his fare beene worfe then his fellows in the caves of ob.JiAh; but the munificence of Gdd will have his meales better furnifhed; The Ravens fhall bring him l:foth bread, tnd flefh,twicein the day; It is not for a perfecuted Prophet to longafter deli<ates;God C gives order for competency, not for wantonneffe; Not out ofthe dainty compofitions in r,z,bds kitchen;notout ofthe pleafantwines inher cellar,wouldGod provide for E/ijah,b'!-t th~ Ravens fhall bring him_plaine,and.homelyvid:uals,and the river fhal afford htmdnnk; Ifwe have wherewtth to fullame nature(though nor to pamper it)weeowe thanks to the giver; Thofe ofGods family may not be curious, not difdainfull: Ill doth it become~ ferv:tnt oftheHighell, to be a Oave to his palate. Doubtletfe,one bit from the mouth ofthe Ravenwasmore pleating to Elij.ih,then a whole Table·full of A.hab: :Nothing is more comfonable toGods children,then to fee the fenfible demonllrations ofV!e divine care, and providence. The brooke Cherith cannot!all always;that llreame fhal not for Elijahs fake be exempted from the univerfall exficcation; yea the Prophet himfelfe feels the fman D ofthis drought, which he had denounced;It isno unufual thingwith God tofulfer his own deare children to be inwrapped in the common calamities ofolfenders:He makes difference in the ufe,and iffueof their llripes,not in the infl!tfion;The corne is cutdowne with theweeds, but to a better purpofe. When the brook failes, God hath a Zmphath for Elijah; In !lead ofthe Ravens aWidowfhall there feed him;yea her felfe by him:Who can enoughwonderauhe pitch ofthis fcleClive providenceofthe Almighty~ Zartphath was a townofSidon, and therefore without thepale ofthe Church;Povertywas the bell ofthisWidow, fhe was a Paganby birth,heathenifhlyfuperllitious by inllitution;ManyWidowes were in Ifrae! in thedayes of Elijahwhen the heaven was fhut up three yeares, and fix months,when great famine was throughout all the Land,but u.nto none of the~ E was Eliasfent,favennto this Sartpta,a CityofSidon,unto awomanthat was aWtdow;Hethat fir£! fed the Prophet by the momh ofuncleane fowles, will now feed him by thehand ofanHeathenifh Holletfe;Hisonlycommand fanClifies thofe creatures which bya generallcharge were legally impure. There were other birds befides Ravens,other Widowes befides this Sartpt<»; none butthe Ravens, none butthe Sartptan fhall nourifit Elijah. Gods choice is not led in the firing of humane reofons, hisholy wi! is the guide, and the ground of all hiseleClions. It is not in him that wi!s,nor in him that runs,but in God that fhews mercy. The Prophet follows the c:1ll ofhis God; the fame hand thot brought him to the gate of Sarept~>, led alfo this poore Widow out ofher doores,fhe lhall then gocto feeke
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