Contemp1atioT/I. ~Healing theWaterr. ~lifha Curjing theChildren. ~/ie'}ling the l(jpgr. T is good making ufe ofa Prophet whiles we have him.E/ifo• fiayed fome while at Itri&ho; The Citizens refonto himwith a common luit: TheirfiruClure was notmore pleafant,then their waters unwholfome, B andtheirfoyle bythofecorrupt waters: They fue to Elifha for the re- ' medie. Why had they nor aU this while, made thejrmoane ro Elij•h ~ Was itthar they were more awed with his greater aufiericy-~ Or was it that they metnot with folit anopportunityofhis commorationamongfi them ~ It was told t~em what power Elifha had exercifed upon the waters of Iordan,and now they ply hsm for them: Examples ofbeneficenceeafily move us to a requell, andexpe<!tacion offavours. What ailed the waters of Ieri<ho~ Surely, originally they were not ill affeCled: No men could be fo foolifhas to build a city, where neithereanh nor water were ufeful. Meete profpeCl could not carie men ro the negleCl: ofhealth, & profit. Hitl the Bethelitt \'lould never have reedified it with diger ofa curfe,{o lately as in the C daies of Ahab,ifit had been ofold notorious for fo foule an annoyance:Not therefore the ancientmaledillion of Iof"ua,not the neighbourhoodoftha(noyfome lake ofSodome, was guilty ofthis difea[e ofthefoyle,and waters,butthe latefinsof the inhabitants. He ltlrntth the rivers intoawilderne((e, and wattr-/}rings into • Jry ground,afruitful/land into barrenne(Je,for the wicktd;,effr ofthem that dwell therein : Howoft have vve feene the fame field both full & famifhing ~ Hovv oft the fame vvaters both (afe,&by fomeirruption or nevv tinClure hunlul ~ Hovvfoever naturall cau!es may concurre, heaven and earth, and ayre, and vvaters foltovv the temper ofour foules,ofour lives,and are therefore indifpofed becaufe vve are [o:Itri&IHJ began novv to make it felfcapable ofa better !late,fince it vvas novv become a receptacleofProphets: Elifh•is vvillingtogratifie his halls;it is rea[on that any place D fhould fare the better for the prefence ofDivines. The medicine is more firange thenthe difeafe.Bring mt a new Croft, andputfolt thtrtin: Why a Crufe~why new~ why Salt in that new Crufc ~ How fhould Salt make water potable~ Orifthere were any fuch venue in it, what coulda Crufe-full doe to awhole current~ Or, if that meafurewere fufficient,what was theageofthe Crufe to the force ofthe Salt~ Yet Elifoa cals for Salt in a new Crufe. God(who wrought this by his Prophet)is a free agent;as he will not bind his power tomeanes; fa will heby his power bind unlikelymeanes to performe his will. Naturall proprieties have no place in miraculous wotkes:No lelfe ealie isit for God to work by contrary,then fubordinate powers. The Prophet cloth not call theSalt:intothe channel, but into the fpring ofthe E waters;ifthe fountain be redreffed,the fireames cannot be faulty; as contrarily, the parity and foundnetfe ofthe fireamavails nothing to the redrelfe of the fountain: Reformation mull begin at the well-heod of the abufe: The orderof beeing is a goodguide to the method ofamending.Yertue cloth not run backward:Had £/ifb• call the Salt into the brookes and ditches, the remedy mull: have firivcn againft the fireamc,to reach up to t)le fpring:now it isbut one labourcocure the fountain. Our bean is aWell of bitter :md venomous water, our actions are the fireames:In ·vaine £hall we cleanfeour hands,whiles our hearts are evill. · The Crufe and the Salt mull be their own:The aCl:mufi be his,the power Gods: He &Ajlthe Salt intotheJPring,and faid; Thusfaith the Lord,/ have healedtheft wAters; thtrejhallnot befrom then&e any m~re death,or hArrtnntJ[e. Farre was it from Elift• to challen e
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