Lm. XIX. Elifha with.the Shunamite. ----- A wilofe bed yeelds him an helpto heaven. The good shunAmJft dcfircs nonoharl boor Elifba inone ofher wonted lodgings, lhe follicites ber husband.to buildhim a chamber on the wal apart:fhc knew the tumult ofa large f.lmily unfit forthe qui- « meditationsofa Prophet : retiredneffe is moft meet for the thoughts ofa Seer: Neirher would the bring him to bare walls, but fets ready for him & bed, acable, a ftoole, and a Candleftick, and what ever neceffary urenfils for his encenainmenc: The Prophet doth not affect delicacy, fl1e cakes care to provide for his convenience;Thofe chat are truly pious,and devour,think their houfes and their hands cannot be too open to rhe meffengers ofGod;&aremoft glad to excl)ange theircanhly commodities for the others fpirituall.Superfluity lhould not fill within the care ofaProphet,necellity muft, he char could provide.oyle for the widow,could have B provided all needfull he!pes fm: himfelfe:What roome had there beenfor thecharity and beneficence ofothers, ifthe Prophet lhould have alwaies maintainedhim· felfe out of power~ The holy man is fo farre fociableasnotto neglect the friendlyofferof fo kind a benefactor: Gladly doch he take up his new lodging :lnd, as well pleafed with fo quiet a repofe,and carefulattendance,he fends his (ervant Gthezi with themeffage of his thanks, with a treaty of retriburion : Behold, thou haft buneeare[RUfor us, !Vith a!lthuc.re : What istobedo11e for thee! Wou!tlejl tho11be ffoken fortuhe King, or to the Captain ofthe Hofl~ An ingenuous difpofitioncannot receive favours without thoughtS of rerurne : A wife debtor is defirous to retribute in fome kinde, as m&y be rnoft acceptable to his obligers: without this difcretion, we may offer fuch r<quitals,as may leeme goodly to us,to our friends,wonhleffe: Every one can C choofe bell: for himfelfe; Elifba therefore(who had never been wanting in fpirituall duties tO fo hofpitalla friend) givesche shuNamitt the election ofherfuit, for cemporall recompencealfo; No man can be a lofer by his favour to a Prophet .It is a good hearing thatan Elifba is in fuch gr~ce at the Court,that he can promife himlelfacce!fe tO the King,ina friends fuit: It was not ever thus; the time was, when his Mafter heard,H •.fl thoufosmd me, o mine ewem1~ Now the late miraclewhich E· tijba wrought ingratifying the three Kings,with water,and vi6tory,bath endeared him tO the King of Ijrael; and noiv, Who b11t Elifba! 1: vcn that rou?h mantle finds refpe6t omong!l: thofe filkes,and tiffues:As bad as Ichoram was,yet ne honored the man ofGod; He that could not prevail with an IdolatrousKing, in a fpirituall re· D formation,yet can cary a ci vi! fuit;Neither cloth the Prophet in a fullendifcontentmem,fly offfrom the Coun,becaule he foiid hislabours unprofitable,butftil holds good tearmt's with that Prince,whom he cannot reclaim,& wil make ufe notwith· ftanding ofhis countenanceinmatters,whedter of;:ourtefie,or juftice;We may not ca!l: off our due refpe6ts even to faulty authority; but muft frill fubmit and perfift, where we are repelled: Not to his own advancement doth Elijba deftre to improve the Kings favour,but to the behoofe,to the reliefe of othet~ 1 Ifthe shunamitt have bufineffe ><the Courc,lhe !hall need no other Solicitor;therecannot be a better office,nor more beleeming aProphet,then to fpeakein the caufeofthe dumb<;, to befriend the opprelfed,cowin greatnelfe unto the protetlion of innocence. The good macron needs n<>lhelter ot the great1 I dwell among mine ownt pe~ple ,as if the faid1 The courtefie is not [mall in it felfe,but not ufefull tome;llive herequi· E erly inacontentedobfcurity, out ofthe reach either ofthe glories, or cares ofa Court.free from wrongs,free fro envies:Not fo high,as toprovoke an evil eye;not fo low,as to be trodden on;! have neither feares,nor ambitions~my neighbours are my fricnds;my friends are my prote6to";&(ifl !hould be fo unhappy, as to be the fubjea ofmaine injuries)wouldnot !lick to be mine Advocates1 This favour is for thofethoteirher aJfe6t greatneffe, or groane under opprelfwns; I doe neither, for I live am011gmy owm people. 0 Shunamitt,thou !h.It not efcape envy ! Who can hear of thine happy condition,and not fay ,Whpm not I tiJNs ~ Ifthe world affotd any perfeCt contentment, it is in amiddlee!late, equally di!lant from pen11ry, from exceiT<·it is in a calme freedome, a fecure cranquillity,a fweet fruition ofour felvs,of ours:But what hold is there of thefeearthly things~ How long isthe Shun.unittthus · ' Mmmmm blelfed
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