Lr a. XIX. Eliiha VPith Naaman. A of his life: Never did his heart find fuch warmth ofinward gladne!fe, as in this ftrcame. Upon the fight ofhis recovery,he cloth not pofie home tO the Coun,ortohis fa. mily,to ral for wime!fes,for pmners ofhis joy;but thankfully returns to the Prophet,by whofe meancs he received this mercy:He comes back with more content· ment then he parted with rage: Now will the man ofGod be feen ofthat recovered Syrian, whom he would not fee leprous : His prefence !hall be yeelded to the gratulation which wasnot yeelded to thefuir:Purpofely did Eli[ha forbearc before, tlm he might !hare no pm ofthe praife ofthiswork with his Maker; that Qld might be fo much more m1gnified,as the meanes were more weake ~nd defpicable. The miracle hath his due work. Firfl, doth Naamanacknowledge the God that B wrought it; then the Prophet,bywhom he wrought it: Bth•ld,norP I knorP there is no God in all theearth,but in Ifrael. 0 happy Syrian,that was at once cured ofhis leprofie,andhis mif-prifon ofGod: N•aman was to wife,wothink that eitherthewater had cured him,orthe m~n : hefawadivine powerworking inboth:fuch as he vainly fought from his heathen Deities: with the hem therefore he bdeeves, with the mouth he confc!fes. Whiles he is thus thankful to the author ofhis cure, he is not unmindful ofthe infi:rurnem. Now tberefore,l pray thee,take a6lelfing ~1 thy forvant.NAtt111An came richly furni01ed with ten talents of filver, fix thoufand peeces ofgold, ten changes of raiment: All thefeand many more would the Syrian Peere havegladly given to be delivered from fo noyfome a difeafe:no marvel ifhe importunatelyoffor fome part C ofthem ro the Prophet,now that he is delivered; fome teflimony of thankfulne!fe did well,where all earthly recompence wasroo fhort : The hands ofthism•n were no le!fe full ofthanks,thcn his mouth. Dry and barren profeffions ofour obligati· ons where is power tO requite,are ul\fit for noble and ingenuous fpirirs. NAaman is not more franke inoffering his gratuity;then EliPM vehement in refufing it,AstheLordliveth,bifore •vhii Ijland,I,vil receivenom. Notthathethought the Syrian gold impure: Not that he though< it unlawfull to. take up a gift, where he hath laid downe a benefit.- But the Prophet wil remit of Naamam purfe,that he may win ofhis foul:The man ofGod would have his new Convert feecaufeto be more enamoured oftrue plety;w' ' teachethher Clients to conremne thofe worldly riches and glories,which bafe worldlings ~dore.-and would havehimthink,that D thefe miraculous powers are fo far rranfcending the valuati6 ofa! earthly pelf,that thofe glittering tre•fures are worthy of nothing, but contempt, in refpett thereof: Hence is it,that he who refufed not the Shunamires table,and floole,&candleflick, will not take Naanum prefent: there is much ufe ofgodly difcretioo in direCling us when to open,when to Omt our hands. He that will not be allowedrogive,defires yet to take it: ShaD there not, lfr4J tlm,be givt» IOthy (erv~nt two"'"'" loAdof earth r For thy firvant rPill hencero~th offer neithtr bflrnt-offmng, nor facrijict to 01hergods, b11t untotht Lord. Ifraehulh mold lay open to his catiage,without leave of Elifha .-but Naaman regards not to takeit,unleffe it may be given him,and given him by the Prophets hand: We! did this Syrian find thar themanofGod had given a fupcrnaturall vertue to the water E ofiJrael,and therefore fuppofed he might give the like to his earth:Neither would any earth ferve him but Elifhaes; e1re the mold ofiJratl had been more properly cr~ved ofthe King then the Prophet ofi(Jael. Doubtleffe it was devotion that moved this fuic : The Syriln faw God had a propriety in lfrael, and imagines that hewill be befl pleafed with his owne; On thefudden was Naamanhalfea Profclyre, flillherewasa weak knowledge with flrong intentions : Hewill facrificc to the Lord;butwhere ~ in Syria,not in Hierufalem; Not the mold,but the Alter is that God rcfpeCls; which hehath allowed no where but in his chofeSion.This honefl Syrianwil be removingGod home to his Country;he ihould have refolved to remove hishonae,to God; i\nd though he vows to offer no facrifice to any other God,yet he craves leave to offeran outward courrefie to Rimmon;though not for the ~dols fakc,yet for hisMaflcrs: I11 thisthing thf
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