u.So Contemplations. Lxa. XX. ving becncftranged fro~~hc._Prophet Elifh•, and lharply r~bukcd for rhe li~e A offence, makes fove to has dymg r<provcr, •nd be-dewes Ius pale face with h1s teares: Both were bad enoogh,but this of lfrael was,however vicious, yet good• narw•d : That of Iudah added to his wick'edneff'e, an ill difpofition, a dogged humour, There are varieties eyen of evill men; fome are worfc ar rhe root, others at the branch; fome more civilly harmleff'e , others fouler in morality. Accordin~ ro rhe excrcifc of the reftraining grace, narurall men doe either rife,or fall in rhe1rill. The longeft day muft have his even!bg:Good Elifh•, that had lived fome ninety yeares,a wonder of Prophers,and had our-worn many fucceffions in rhe thrones of Ifracl,an~ludah,is now caft upon thebed ofhis fickneff'e, yea, ofhis death: Thar veryagemighrfeemadifeafel which yer isfeconded witba lan~uilhing ditlem- B per. It is notin the power ofany holineff'e to priviledge us from infirmity of body, from finall diff'olurion. He. chat ftrercbed himfclfe upon his bed, over the dead carkaffeofthe Shunamiw fon,and re•ived ir; muft now ftretch our his own limbes upon his fick bed,and dkaHe faw his Matler E1/jah rapt up fuddenly from theearth and fetchr by afiery chariot from this vale ofmortality; himfclfe muft leifurely wait for his laftpangs,in a lingring paff'agetothe fame glory. There is not one way appointed to us, by the divine providence, unto one common bleff'edneff'c: One hath more pain, another bath morefpeed: Violence fnarcheth away one , another by an infenfible pace drawes every day neerer to his terme: The wifedome and go?dn:ffe ofGod magnifios it fclfe in both: Happy is bee that. afrer due preparauon,•s paft through the gates ofdearh,ere be be aware; Happy 1S he char by che c holy ufe oflong fickne!fe is taught to Ieo the gates of death afarre off, and addr<ffed for a refolute pa!fage : The one dies like Elij•h, the other like Elifh•, born blclfedly. The rime was,when a great King fent to Elifha to knowifhe lhould recover; now rhe King of Ifrael,as knowing that Elifha lhall nor recover (fo had his conli1mprion fpenr him) comes eo vilitthedying Prophet; and when histcareswoul<l give him leave, breaks forth into a paffionateexclamation, o "'J [Athtr, "'J f•tber1 tbt th,rtll oflfr•ti•»tilht hm[tmtn tbtmf. Yet the Calves of D•» and Bllhtl have left fome ~oodneff'einloafo; As thebeftmanhathfomerhing in him worthy ofreproofe1 fo the faulrieft bath fomething commendable. Had not the Spirit of God himfetf told us,that Ioafh did that wh1ch was evil! in the light ofrhe Lord, we had admired D ehis picry,this reverenrrefpe6l to rho Prophet. The holieft man could not have faid more : It is pollibleforthcclienrs ofa falfe worlhip, to honour (our of another regard) the profelforsofTruth 1 From the hand of Elifo• had Ithts the Grand· fa. ther ot I14fo received his unction to the Kingdome : this favour might not be forgotten. Viliracion ofthe lick is a duty required both by the law of humanity, and of Religion ; Bodily infirmity is lad, and comfortle!fe ; and therefore needs the prefence,and counfdl offriends eo relieve it 1 Althosgh, when wee draw the curtains of thofe that arc eminently gracious, wee doe rarh~ fetch (with lllfl) then bring a blclling. How fenfiblefhoul<l we be ofthe loff'e ofholymen, when a I••fb fpends his rears E upon ElijbA? If we bemore affectedwirh the forgoing ofa naturall friend, or kinf. man, then of a noted and ufcfull Prophet, ir argues more love to our fd•os, thento -the Church ofGod,thentoGod himfelfr. -"· What ufe there was ofchariots and hotfemeo in chore warres of the Ancient, all Hiftories can tell us: Allrhe ftrengrh ofthe batrcll ftood in rhefe: There could be neithcrdefence,nor o)frnce,bur by them: fuch was Elifo• unto Ifrael; The greatcft fafegard ro any nation is the f~ndiry and fairhfulnclf~ of their Prophets; without which the Church and Starehes open to utter defolauon. The fame words that Elifh• faid of his.mafter Elij.b, when he faw him taken up from the earth, dothli•fh now fpeak of E/lfi•, ncere his difrolurion : 0 "'1 forhtt,"'J fothtr, the •/mtll 1{ tfml, •wti tbt h•rfimtlllhtmf. The words were ~:ood;
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=