before her knowledge of him, no doubt she had heard the story with all the tender circumstances which a true report would give it in his favour, namely, that a certain woman, whose husband was lately dead, and had left her with her children in a very helpless condition,-very destitute,-and, what was still worse, charged with a debt she was not able to pay ;-that her creditor bore exceeding hard upon her, and, finding her little worth in substance, was going to take the advantage which the law allowed of seizing her two sons for his bondsmen; so that she had not only lost her husband, which had made her miserable enough already, but was going to be bereaved of her children, who were the only comfort and support of her life :-that upon her coming to Elisha with this sad story, he was touched with compassion for her misfortunes, and had used all the power and interest which he had with his God to relieve and befriend her, which, in an unhcard-of manner, by the miraculous increase of her oil, which was the only substance she had left, he had so bountifully effected, as not only to disentangle her from her difficulties in paying the debt, but withal, what was still more generous, to enable her to live comfortably the remainder of her days. She considered that charity and compassion was so leading a virtue, and had such an influence upon every other part of a man's character, as to be a sufficient proof by itself of the inward disposition and goodness of the heart; but that so engaging an instance of it as this, exercised in so kind and so seasonable a manner, was a demonstration of his, and that he was in truth what outward circumstances bespoke, a holy man of God.As the Shunamite's princi

ple and motive for her hospitality to Elisha was just, as it sprung from an idea of the worth and merit of her guest, so likewise was the manner of doing it kind and considerate. It is observable, she does not solicit her husband to assign him an apartment in her own house, but to build him a chamber on the wall, apart;-she considered,—that true piety wanted no witnesses, and was always most at ease when most private;-that the tumult and distraction of a large family were not fit for the silent meditations of so holy a man, who would perpetually there meet with something either to interrupt his devotion, or offend the purity of his manners;—that, moreover, under such an independent roof, where he could take shelter as often as his occasions required, she thought he might taste the pleasure which was natural to man in possessing something like what he could call his own,-and, what is no small part of conferring a favour, he would scarce feel the weight of it, or at least much seldomer in this manner than where a daily invitation and repetition of the kindness perpetually put him in mind of his obligation. If any thing could still add to this, it was that it did not appear to be the dry offer of a faint civility, but that it came directly from the heart. There is a nicety in honest minds, which will not accept of a cold and suspected offer; and even when it appears to be sincere and truly meant, there is a modesty in true merit which knows not how to accept it; and no doubt she had one, if not both these difficulties to conquer in their turns;-for we read that she constrained him, and in all likelihood forced his acceptance of

it, with all the warmth and friendly openness of a humane and hospitable temper.

It is with benefits as with injuries in this respect, that we do not so much weigh the accidental good or evil they do us, as that which they were designed to do us; that is, we consider no part of them so much as their intention: and the prophet's behaviour consequent upon this, shews he beheld it through this medium, or in some such advantageous light as I have placed it.

There is no burthen so heavy to a grateful mind, as a debt of kindness unpaid ;-and we may believe Elisha felt it so, from the earnest desire which he had, upon the immediate receipt of this, to discharge himself of it; which he expresses in the text in the warmest manner :-" Behold, thou hast been careful for us, with all this care, what shall be done for thee? Wouldst thou be spoken for to the king, or the captain of the host ?"-There is a degree of honest impatience in the words, such as was natural to a good man, who would not be behind-hand with his benefactor.But there is one thing which may seem strange at first sight, that as her station and condition of life was such, that she appeared rather to have abounded already, than stood in want of any thing in this world which such an application could supply, why the prophet should not rather have proposed some spiritual advantage, which, as it would better have become the sanctity of his character on the one hand, so, on the other, it would have done a more real and lasting service to his friend.

But we are to reflect, that, in returning favours, we act differently from what we do in conferring

them in the one case we simply consider what is best ;-in the other, what is most acceptable. The reason is, that we have a right to act according to our own ideas of what will do the party most good, in the case where we bestow a favour ;—but where we return one, we lose this right, and act according to his conceptions who has obliged us, and endeavour to repay in such a manner as we think it most likely to be accepted in discharge of the obligation. -So that, though we are not to imagine Elisha could be wanting in religious duties, as well as wishes, to so hospitable a friend, we may yet suppose he was directed here by this principle of equity;—and that in reflecting in what manner he should requite his benefactress, he had considered, that to one of her affluent condition, who had all the reas onable comforts of an independent life, if there was any passion yet unsatisfied, it must certainly be ambition that though in general it was an irregular appetite, which, in most cases, 'twas dangerous to gratify, yet in effect 'twas only so far criminal as the power which is acquired was perverted to bad and vitious purposes, which it was not likely to be here, from the specimen she had already given of her disposition, which shewed that if she did wish for an increase of wealth or honour, she wished it only as it would enable her more generously to extend her arm in kind offices, and increase the power as well as the opportunities of doing good.

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In justice to Elisha's motive, which must have been good, we must suppose he considered his offer in this light; and what principally led him to propose it, was the great interest which he had with the king of Israel at that time, which he had merited by

a signal service; and as he had no views for himself, he thought it could not be employed so well as in establishing the fortune of one, whose virtue might be so safely trusted with it. It was a justifiable prepossession in her favour,-though one not always to be relied on; for there is many a one who in a moderate station, and with a lesser degree of power, has behaved with honour and unblemished reputation; and who has even borne the buffetings of adverse fortune well, and manifested great presence and strength of mind under it, whom nevertheless a high exaltation has at once overcome, and so entirely changed, as if the party had left not only his virtue, but even himself behind him.

Whether the Shunamite dreaded to make this dangerous experiment of herself ;-or, which is more likely, that she had learned to set bounds to her desires, and was too well satisfied with her present condition to be tempted out of it, she declines the offer in the close of the text:-"I dwell amongst "mine own people;" as if she had said, 'The intend'ed kindness is far from being small, but it is not useful to me; I live here, as thou art a witness, in peace, in a contented obscurity ;-not so high as to provoke envy, nor so low as to be trodden down and despised. In this safe and middle state, 6 as I have lived amongst my own people, so let me die out of the reach both of the cares and glories of the world.-'Tis fit, O holy man of God! that I learn some time or other to set bounds to my desires; and if I cannot fix them now, when I have already more than my wants require, when shall I hope to do it?-Or how should I expect, that even this increase of honour or fortune would