bargaine I see her running to the Prophets doore and gratefully acknowledging the fauour and humbly depending on his directions as not daring to dispose of that which was so wondrously giuen her without the aduice of him by whose powerfull meanes shee had receiued it Her owne reason might haue sufficiently suggested what to doe she dares not trust it but consults with the Oracle of God If we would walk surely we must doe nothing without a word Euery action euery motion must haue a warrant We can no more erre with this guide than not erre without him The Prophet sets her in a right way Goe sell the oyle and pay thy debt and liue thou and thy children on the rest The first care is of her debts the next of her maintenance It should be grosse iniustice to raise meanes for her selfe and her charge ere she haue discharged the arerages of her husband None of the oyle was hers till her creditors were satisfied all was hers that remained It is but stealth to inioy a borrowed substance Whiles shee had nothing it was no sinne to owe but when once her vessels were full she could not haue beene guilt lesse if she had not paid before she stored God and his Prophets were bountifull after the debts paid they prouide not onely against the thraldome of her charge but against the want It is the iust care of a religious heart to defend the widow and children of a Prophet from distresse and penurie Behold the true seruant and successour of Elijah What hee did to the Sareptan widow this did to the widow of a Prophet That increase of oyle was by degrees this at once both equally miraculous this so much more charitable as it lesse concerned himselfe He that giues kindnesses doth by turnes receiue them Elisha hath releeued a poore woman is releeued by a rich The Shunamite a religious and wealthy matron inuites him to her house and now after the first entertainment finding his occasions to call him to a frequent passage that way moues her husband to set vp and furnish a lodging for the man of God It was his holinesse that made her desirous of such a guest Well might she hope that such an Inmate would pay a blessing for his house-rent Oh happy Shunamite that might make her selfe the Hostesse of Elisha As no lesse dutifull than godly she imparts her desire to her husband whom her suit hath drawne to a partnership in this holy hospitalitie Blessed of God is that man whose bed yeelds him an help to heauen The good Shunamite desires not to harbour Elisha in one of her wonted lodgings she solicites her husband to build him a chamber on the wall apart she knew the tumult of a large family vnfit for the quiet meditations of a Prophet retirednesse is most meet for the thoughts of a Seer Neither would she bring the Prophet to bare walls but sets ready for him a bed a table a stoole and a candlesticke and what euer necessary vtensils for his entertainment The Prophet doth not affect delicacy shee takes care to prouide for his conuenience Those that are truly pious and deuout thinke their houses and their hands cannot be too open to the messengers of God and are most glad to exchange their earthly commodities for the others spiritual Superfluity should not fall within the care of a Prophet necessitie must hee that could prouide oyle for the widow could haue prouided all needfull helpes for himselfe What roome had there beene for the charitie and beneficence of others if the Prophet should haue alwaies maintained himselfe out of power The holy man is so far sociable as not to neglect the friendly offer of so kinde a benefactor Gladly doth he take vp his new lodging and as well pleased with so quiet a repose and carefull attendance hee sends his seruant Gebezi with the message of his thankes with a treatie of retribution Behold thou hast beene carefull for vs with all this care What is to bee done for thee Wouldst thou be spoken for to the King or to the Captaine of the Host An ingenuous disposition cannot receiue fauours without thoughts of returne A wise debtor is desirous to retribute in such kinde as may be most acceptable to his obligers without this discretion we may offer such requirals as may seeme goodly to vs to our friend worthlesse Euery one can choose best for himselfe Elisha therefore who had neuer beene wanting in spirituall duties to so hospitall a friend giues the Shunamite the election of her suit for temporall recompence also No man can be a looser by his fauour to a Prophet It is a good hearing that an Elisha is in such grace at the Court that hee can promise himselfe accesse to the King in a friends suit It was not euer thus the time was when his master heard Hast thou found me O mine enemy Now the late miracle which Elisha wrought in gratifying the three Kings with water and victorie hath endeared him to the King of Israel and now Who but Elisha Euen that rough mantle findes respects amongst those silkes and tissues As bad as Iehoram was yet he honour'd the man of God Hee that could not preuaile with an Idolatrous King in a spirituall reformation yet can carrie a ciuill suit Neither doth the Prophet in a sullen discontentment flie off from the Court because he found his labours vnprofitable but still holds good termes with that Prince whom he cannot reclaime and will make vse notwithstanding of his countenance in matters whether of courtesie or iustice We may not cast off our due respects euen to faultie authoritie but must still submit and persist where we are repelled Not to his owne aduancement doth Elisha desire to improue the Kings fauour but to the behoofe to the releefe of others If the Shunamite haue businesse at the Court she shall need no other Solicitor There cannot bee a better office nor more beseeming a Prophet than to speake in the cause of the dumbe to befriend the oppressed to win greatnesse vnto the protection of innocence The good matrone needs no shelter of the great I dwell among mine owne people as if she said The courtesie is not small in it selfe but not vsefull to me I liue here quietly in a contented obscuritie out of the reach either of the glories or cares of a Court free from wrongs free from enuies Not so high as to prouoke an euill eie not so low as to be trodden on I haue neither feares nor ambitions my neighbours are my friends my friends are my protectors and if I should be so vnhappy as to bee the subiect of maine iniuries would not sticke to be mine Aduocates This fauour is for those that either affect greatnesse or groane vnder oppressions I doe neither for I liue among my owne people O Shunamite thou shalt not escape enuy Who can heare of thine happy condition and not say Why am not I thus If the world affoord any
God is more tender than in approuing the veracity of himselfe in his ministers Leud Ahab hath an holy Steward As his name was so was he a seruant of God whiles his Master was a slaue to Baal Hee that referued seuen thousand in the kingdome of Israel hath reserued an Obadiah in the Court of Israel and by him hath reserued them Neither is it likely there had beene so many free hearts in the countrey if Religion had not beene secretly backed in the Court It is a great happinesse when God giues fauour and honour to the Vertuous Elijah did not lie more close in Sarepta than Obadiah did in the Court He could not haue done so much seruice to the Church if he had not beene as secret as good Policy and religion doe as well together as they doe ill asunder The Doue without the Serpent is easily caught the Serpent without the Doue stings deadly Religion without policy is too simple to be safe Policy without religion is too subtile to be good Their match makes themselues secure and many happy Oh degenerated estate of Israel any thing was now lawfull there sauing piety It is well if Gods Prophets can finde an hole to hide their heads in They must needs be hard driuen when fifty of them are faine to croud together into one caue There they had both shade and repast Good Obadiah hazards his owne life to preserue theirs and spends himselfe in that extreme dearth vpon their necessary diet Bread and water was more now than other whiles wine and delicates Whether shall we wonder more at the mercy of God in reseruing an hundred Prophets or in thus sustaining them being reserued When did God euer leaue his Israel vnfurnished of some Prophets When did he leaue his Prophets vnprouided of some Obadiah How worthy art thou ô Lord to be trusted with thine own charge Whiles there are men vpon earth or birds in the aire or Angels in heauen thy messengers cannot want prouision Goodnesse carries away trust where it cannot haue imitation Ahab diuides with Obadiah the surucy of the whole land They two set their owne eyes on worke for the search of water of pasture to preserue the horses and mules aliue Oh the poore and vaine cares of Ahab He casts to kill the Prophet to saue the cattle he neuer seeks to saue his owne soule to destroy Idolatry he takes thought for grasse none for mercy Carnall hearts are euer either groueling on the earth or deluing into it no more regarding God or their soules than if they either were not or were worthlesse Elijah heares of the progresse and offers himselfe to the view of them both Here was wisdome in this courage First he presents himselfe to Obadiah ere he will be seene of Ahab that Ahab might vpon the report of so discreet an informer digest the expectation of his meeting Then he takes the oportunitie of Ahabs presence when he might be sure Iezebel was away Obadiah meets the Prophet knowes him and as if hee had seene God in him falls on his face to him whom he knew his master persecuted Though a great Peere he had learned to honour a Prophet No respect was too much for the president of that sacred colledge To the poore boarder of the Sareptan here was no lesse than a prostration and My Lord Elijah from the great High Steward of Israel Those that are truly gratious cannot be niggardly of their obseruances to the messengers of God Elijah receiues the reuerence returnes a charge Goe tell thy Lord Behold Elijah is here Obadiah finds this lode too heauy neither is he more striken with the boldnesse than with the vnkindnesse of this command boldnesse in respect of Elijah vnkindnesse in respect of himselfe For thus he thinks If Elijah doe come to Ahab he dies If he doe not come I die If it be knowne that I met him and brought him not it is death If I say that he will come voluntarily and God shall alter his intentions it is death How vnhappy a man am I that must be either Elijahs executioner or my owne Were Ahabs displeasure but smoking I might hope to quench it but now that the flame of it hath broken forth to the notice to the search of all the kingdomes and nations round about it may consume me I cannot extinguish it This message were for an enemie of Elijah for a client of Baal As for me I haue well approued my true deuotion to God my loue to his Prophets What haue I done that I should be singled out either to kill Elijah or to be killed for him Many an hard plunge must that man needs be driuen to who would hold his conscience together with the seruice and fauour of a Tyrant It is an happy thing to serue a iust master there is no danger no straine in such obedience But when the Prophet bindes his resolution with an oath and cleares the heart of Obadiah from all feares from all suspicions the good man dares be the messenger of that which hee saw was decreed in heauen Doubtlesse Ahab startled to heare of Elijah comming to meet him as one that did not more hate than feare the Prophet Well might hee thinke thus long thus farre haue I sought Elijah Elijah would not come to seeke mee but vnder a sure gard and with some strange commission His course mantle hath the aduantage of my robe and Scepter If I can command a peece of the earth I see hee can command heauen The edge of his reuenge is taken off with a doubtfull expectation of the issue and now when Elijah offers himselfe to the eies of Ahab He who durst not strike yet durst challenge the Prophet Art thou he that troubleth Israel Ieroboams hand was still in Ahabs thoughts hee holds it not so safe to smite as to expostulate Hee that was the head of Israel speakes out that which was in the heart of all his people that Elijah was the cause of all their sorrow Alas what hath the righteous Prophet done He taxed their sinne he foretold the iudgement hee deserued it not he inflicted it not yet he smarts and they are guilty As if some fond people should accuse the herald or the Trumpet as the cause of their warre or as if some ignorant peasant when he sees his fowls bathing in his pond should cry out of them as the causes of foule weather Oh the heroicall Spirit of Elijah he stands alone a mids all the traine of Ahab and dares not only repell this charge but retort it I haue not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers house in that yee haue forsaken the commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim No earthly glory can daunt him who hath the cleere and heartning visions of God This holy Seer discernes the true cause of our sufferings to be our sinnes Foolish men are plagued for their offences and it is no small part of their plague that they see it not
the agent Yet Israel and Iuda were now peeced in friendship Iehosaphat the good King of Iuda had made affinity with Ahab the Idolatrous King of Israel and besides a personall visitation ioynes his forces with his new Kinsman against an old confederate Iuda had calld in Syria against Israel and now Israel calls in Iuda against Syria Thus rather should it be It is fit that the more pure Church should ioine with the more corrupt against a common Paganish enemy Iehosaphat hath match't with Ahab not with a diuorce of his deuotion Hee will fight not without God Inquire I pray thee at the Word of the Lord to day Had hee done thus sooner I feare Athaliah had neuer call'd him father This motion was newes in Israel It was wont to bee said Inquire of Baal The good King of Iudah will bring Religion into fashion in the Court of Israel Ahab had inquired of his Counsellors What needed he be so deuout as to inquire of his Prophets Onely Iehosaphats presence made him thus godly It is an happy thing to conuerse with the vertuous their counsell and example cannot but leaue some tincture behind them of a good profession if not of piety Those that are truly religious dare not but take God with them in all their affaires with him they can be as valiant as timorous without him Ahab had Clergy enough such as it was Foure hundred Prophets of the groues were reserued from appearing to Elijahs challenge these are now consulted by Ahab they liue to betray the life of him who saued theirs These care not so much to inquire what God would say as what Ahab would haue them say they saw which way the Kings heart was bent that way they bent their tongues Goe vp for the Lord shall deliuer it into the hands of the King False Prophets care onely to please a plausible falshood passes with them aboue an harsh truth Had they seene Ahab fearfull they had said Peace Peace now they see him resolute war victory It is a fearfull presage of ruine when the Prophets conspire in assentation Their number consent confidence hath easily won credit with Ahab We doe all willingly beleeue what we wish Iehosaphat is not so soone satisfied These Prophets were it is like obtruded to him a stranger for the true Prophets of the true God The iudicious King sees cause to suspect them and now perceiuing at what altars they serued hates to rest in their testimony Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord besides that wee might inquire of him One single Prophet speaking from the Oracles of God is more worth than foure hundred Baalites Truth may not euer be measured by the poll It is not number but weight that must carry it in a Councell of Prophets A solid Verity in one mouth is worthy to preponderate light falshood in a thousand Euen King Ahab as bad as hee was kept tale of his Prophets and could giue account of one that was missing There is yet one man Michaiah the sonne of Imlah by whom we may inquire of the Lord but I hate him for hee doth not prophecy good concerning mee but euill It is very probable that Micaiah was that disguised Prophet who brought to Ahab the fearefull message of displeasure and death for dismissing Benhadad for which he was euer since fast in prison deepe in disgrace Oh corrupt heart of selfe condemned Ahab If Micaiah spake true to thee how was it euill If others said false how was it good and if Micaiah spake from the Lord why doest thou hate him This hath wont to be the ancient lot of Truth censure and hatred Censure of the message hatred of the bearer To carnall eares the message is euill if vnpleasing and if plausible good If it be sweet it cannot bee poison if bitter it cannot bee wholsome The distemper of the receiuer is guilty of this mis-conceit In it selfe euery truth as it is good so amiable euery falshood loathsome as euill A sick palate cries out of the taste of those liquors which are well allowed of the healthfull It is a signe of a good state of the soule when euery verdure can receiue his proper iudgement Wise and good Iehoshaphat disswades Ahab from so hard an opinion and sees cause so much more to vrge the consultation of Michaiah by how much he findes him more vnpleasing The King of Israel to satisfie the importunitie of so great and deare an allie sends an Officer for Michaiah He knew well belike where to finde him within those foure walls where vniust cruelty had disposed of that innocent Seer Out of the obscuritie of the prison is the poore Prophet fetcht into the light of so glorious a Confession of two Kings who thought this Conuocation of Prophets not vnworthy of their greatest representation of State and Maiestie There he finds Zedekiah the leader of that false crue not speaking onely but acting his prediction Signes were no lesse vsed by the Prophets than words this arch-flatterer hath made him hornes of iron the horne is forceable the iron irresistible by an irresistible force shall Ahab push the Syrians as if there were more certaintie in this mans hands than in his tongue If this sonne of Chenaanah had not had a forehead of brasse for impudency and an heart of Lead for flexiblenesse to humours and times hee had neuer deuised these hornes of iron wherewith his King was goared vnto bloud Howsoeuer it is enough for him that he is beleeued that he is seconded All the great Inquest of these Prophets gaue vp their verdict by this foreman not one of foure hundred dissented Vnanimitie of opinion in the greatest Ecclesiastical assemblies is not euer an argument of truth There may be as common and as firme agreement in error The messenger that came frō Micaiah like a carnall friend sets him in a way of fauour tels him what the rest said how they pleased how vnsafe it would be for him to varie how beneficiall to assent Those that adore earthly greatnesse thinke euery man should dote vpon their Idols and hold no termes too high for their ambitious purchases Faithfull Micaiah scornes the motion hee knowes the price of the world and contemnes it As the Lord liueth what the Lord saith vnto me that will I speake Neither feares nor fauours can tempt the holily resolute They can trample vpon dangers or honours with a carelesse foot and whether they bee smiled or frowned on by the great dare not either alter or conceale their errand The question is moued to Micaiah He at first so yeelds that he contradicts yeelds in words contradicts in pronunciation The syllables are for them the sound against them Ironies deny strongest in affirming and now being pressed home hee tels them that God had shewed him those sheepe of Israel should ere long by this meanes want their Shepheard The very resemblance to a good Prince had beene affectiue The sheepe is an helplesse creature not able either
taken her part of so prodigious a banquet with-drawes her childe and hides him from the knife Hunger and enuy make the Plaintiffe importunate and now she craues the benefit of royall iustice She that made the first motion with-holds her part of the bargaine and flies from that promise whose trust had made this mother childlesse Oh the direfull effects of famine that turnes off all respects of nature and giues no place to horror causing the tender mother to lay her hands yea her teeth vpon the fruit of her owne body and to receiue that into her stomacke which she hath brought forth of her wombe What should Iehoram doe The match was monstrous The challenge was iust yet vnnaturall This complainant had purchased one halfe of the liuing childe by the one halfe of hers dead The mother of the furuiuing Infant is pressed by couenant by hunger restrained by nature To force a mother to deliuer vp her childe to voluntarie slaughter had beene cruell To force a Debtor to pay a confessed arerage seemed but equall If the remaining childe be not dressed for food this mother of the deuoured childe is both robbed and affamished If he bee innocent bloud is shed by authoritie It is no maruell if the question astonished the Iudge not so much for the difficultie of the demand as the horror of the occasion To what lamentable distresse did Iehoram finde his people driuen Not without cause did the King of Israel rend his garments and shew his sack-cloth well might he see his people branded with that ancient curse which God had denounced against the rebellious The Lord shall bring a Nation against thee of a fierce countenance which shall not regard the person of the old nor shew fauour to the young And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine owne body the flesh of thy sonnes and of thy daughters The tender and delicate woman her eies shall be euill towards her young one that commeth out from betweene her feet and towards the children which she shall beare for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitnesse Hee mournes for the plague hee mournes not for the cause of this plague his sin and theirs I finde his sorrow I finde not his repentance The worst man may grieue for his smart onely the good heart grieues for his offence In stead of being penitent Iehoram is furious and turnes his rage from his sins against the Prophet God doe so to me and more also if the head of Elisha the sonne of Shaphat shall stand on him this day Alas what hath the righteous done Perhaps Elisha that wee may imagine some colours of this displeasure fore-threatned this iudgement but they deserued it perhaps he might haue auerted it by his prayers their vnrepentance disabled him Perhaps hee perswaded Iehoram to hold out the siege though through much hardnesse he foresaw the deliuerance In all this how hath Elisha forfeited his head All Israel did not afford an head so guiltlesse as this that was destin'd to slaughter This is the fashion of the world the lewd blames the innocent and will reuenge their owne sinnes vpon others vprightnesse In the midst of all this sad estate of Samaria and these stormes of Iehoram the Prophet sits quietly in his owne house amongst his holy Consorts bewailing no doubt both the sinnes and misery of their people and prophetically conferring of the issue when suddenly God reueales to him the bloudy intent and message of Iehoram and he at once reueales it to his fellowes See yee how this sonne of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head Oh the vnimitable libertie of a Prophet The same God that shew'd him his danger suggested his words He may bee bold where we must bee awfull Still is Naboths bloud laid in Iehorams dish The foule fact of Ahab blemisheth his posteritie and now when the sonne threats violence to the innocent murder is obiected to him as hereditary He that foresaw his owne perill prouides for his safetie Shut the doore and hold him fast at the doore No man is bound to tender his throat to an vniust stroke This bloudie commission was preuented by a propheticall fore-sight The same eye that saw the executioner comming to smite him saw also the King hasting after him to stay the blow The Prophet had beene no other than guiltie of his owne bloud if he had not reserued himselfe a while for the rescue of authoritie Oh the inconstancie of carnall hearts It was not long since Iehoram could say to Elisha My father shall I smite them now he is readie to smite him as an enemie whom hee honoured as a father Yet againe his lips had no sooner giuen sentence of death against the Prophet than his feet stirre to recall it It should seeme that Elisha vpon the challenges and expostulations of Iehorams messenger had sent a perswasiue message to the King of Israel yet a while to wait patiently vpon God for his deliuerance The discontented Prince flies off in an impotent anger Behold this euill is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer Oh the desperate resolutions of impatient mindes They haue stinted God both for his time and his measure if he exceed either they either turne their backs vpon him or flie in his face The position was true the inference deadly All that euill was of the Lord they deserued it he sent it What then It should haue beene therefore argued Hee that sent it can remoue it I will wait vpon his mercie vnder whose iustice I suffer Impatience and distrust shal but aggrauate my iudgement It is the Lord let him doe what he will But now to despaire because God is iust to defie mercy because it lingers to reiect God for correction it is a presumptuous madnesse an impious pettishnesse Yet in spight of all these prouocations both of King and people Elisha hath good newes for Iehoram Thus saith the Lord To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flowre bee sold for a Shekell and two measures of Barley for a Shekell in the gate of Samaria Miserable Israel now sees an end of this hard triall One daies patience shall free them both of siege and famine Gods deliuerances may ouer-stay our expectation not the due period of his owne counsels Oh infinite mercy when man saies No longer God sayes To morrow As if hee would condescend where hee might iudge and would please them who deserued nothing but punishment The word seemed not more comfortable than incredible A Lord on whose hand the King leaned answered the man of God and said Behold if the Lord would make windowes in heauen might this thing be Prophesies before they be fulfilled are riddles no spirit can areed them but that by which they are deliuered It is a foolish and iniurious infidelity to question a possibilitie where wee know the message is Gods How