Contemp'faticns. LIB. XIX. payall: Poverty had not (o difcredited her with her neighl>ours, thauhey thould A doubt to lend herthofe veifds empty, which theyhad grudged full: Herwant was toowell knowne; it could not but Ceeme lhange to the neighbours,to fee this poore widow fo bulily pefiring her houfe with empty tubs; which they knew fhee had nothing tO fill; they kne\V well enough fhe bad neither field nor vineyard,nor orchard, and therefore mufi needsmarvell at fuch unprofitable diligence: Iftheircuriofity would be inquiring after her intentions, fhee is commanded fecrecy. The doores mufi be fhut upon her felfe, and her fonnes;whiles the oyle is increaling;No eye fhall feethe miracle in working,enowfhallfee it oncewrought;This ace wasno leife a proofofher fairh,then an improvement ofherefiatelit was an exercife of her devotion, as well as ofherdiligence;it was fit her doores fhould be !hut,whiles her heart a.nd lips were opened in an holy invocation;Out ofone fmall Jarre was pow- B red out fo much oyle, as by miraculous multiplication filled all that empty caske : Scarcehad that pot any bottome : At leaftthe bottome that it had, was to bemeaCured by the brims ofall thofe veffds; this was fo deepe, as theywere high; Could they have held more, this pot had not been empty : Even fo the bounty of our Godgives grace,& glory,according to the capacityofthe receiver;when he ceafeth to infufe,it is for want of roome in the beartthat takes it in; Could we hold more, 0 God,thouwouldeft give more;Iftbere be anydefect,it is inourveifels,not inthy beneficence; Howdid the heart ofthis poore widow runne over, as with wonder, fo with joyand thankfulneffe to fee fucba river ofoyle rife out offo (mall a fpring; to fee all berveifels fwimming full with fo beneficiall a liquor;Juftlyisfhealfected with this fight,fhe is not traniported from her duty; I doe not fee her run forth into the llreet,and proclaimeher !lore, nor calling in herneighbours, whether to ad- C mire or b•rgaine; I fee her running to the Prophets doore, and gratefully acknowledging the favour, and humbly depending on hisdireGlions, as not daring to difpofe ofthat,which was fo wondroufly given her, without the advice of him, by whofe powerfull meanes {he had received it; her owne reafon might have fufficiently fuggefied what to doe; fhe dares not trufi it, but confults with the Oracle of God; If we would walkfurely, we mull doe nothing without a word ; Everyatlion, every motionmufi have a vvarrant; We can no more erre vvith this guide,then noterre vvithout him. The Propher fers her in a right vvay; GeeJtU theoylt, Andpay thedeht, and live, thou,and th1 chi/dren,on the reft; The firfi care is ofber debts, the next,ofhermaintenance,It fhould be groife injufiice to raifemeanes for herfelfe,andher charge,ere D fhe have di(charged the amrages of her husband; None ofthe oyle vvas hers, till her creditorsvvere fatifficd; all vvas hers that remained; It is but fiealrh to enjoy a borrowed fubfiance1Whiles fhe had nothing,itvvas no fin toowe;but vvhen once her veifels vvere fuli,OJe couldnot have beenguiltleffe,if01e had not paid,before fhe llored. God and his Prophets w<re bountifull; after the debts paid, they pro· vide not onelyagainfi the thraldome ofher charge, but againfi the vvant. It is, the jufi care of a religious heart todefend the vvidow and childrenofa Prophet from difirefl'e and penury. Behold the true fervant, and fucceffor of Elijah; What he did to the Sareptan vvidow, this did to the vvidowofa Prophet; That increafe; of oyle was by degrees, this at once;bothequally miraculous; this, fo much more charitable, as it E leffe concerned bimfelfe. He that gives kindneffcs, cloth by turnes receive them; Elifha bath relieved a poore vvoman, is releeved by a rich. The Shunamiu, a religious and vvealthy ma:. tron, invites him to her houfe,and now after the firfi emerrainment,finding his OC· calions to call him to a frequent paffage,that vvay,moves her husband to fet up, & furnifh a lodaingforthe man ofGod;lt was his bolineffe thatmade her defirous of fuch aguefi;Well might fhe hope that fucb an Inmate vvould pay ableffing for his houfe-rent : Oh happy Shunamiu that might make her felfethe Hofieffe of Ell{ha! Asno leifedutifulthengodly,fheimparts her defire to her husband,wh.om berfute bath drawne to a parrnerfhip in this holy hofpitality; Bleffed ofGod ts that mw, wbofe
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