riches of a Saviour's love. Time has not seen, and time shall never see the hour when that well shall fail you, when that fountain shall run dry, so long as there is one thirsting heart to be satisfied, one empty soul to be filled, one penitent and believing sinner to be saved.

53

LECTURE III.

2 KINGS IV. 26.

"RUN NOW, I PRAY THEE, TO MEET HER; AND SAY UNTO HER, IS IT WELL WITH THEE? IS IT WELL WITH THY HUSBAND? IS IT WELL WITH THE CHILD? AND SHE ANSWERED, IT IS WELL."

In the last discourse, we took occasion to remark upon the advantages of religious seclusion, to qualify us for the more ostensible duties of public usefulness; of the truth of this, the life of our blessed Lord, of Elijah the Tishbite, and of the prophet, whose history we are now considering, afford us many and striking examples. Elisha's time, indeed, appears to have been chiefly divided between the solitudes of Mount Carmel, and the thickly-thronged capital of Israel. Upon his road between the

two, and about five miles from Mount Tabor, stood the city of Shunem, in the tribe of Issachar, through which, therefore, he was obliged continually to pass, as he journeyed from his scene of public occupation, to his refuge of retirement and repose.

"And it fell on a day," says the inspired historian, "that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great" or wealthy" woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that, as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God which passeth by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither."

How simple and beautiful a picture 1 2 Kings iv. 8.

of ancient manners! Often, as it appears, had the prophet in his toilsome journey, partaken of the Shunammite's hospitality, although known only to them as a traveller and a pilgrim; and as often, had he repaid their kindness by his devout and holy conversation, cheering and refreshing their souls, perhaps as palpably by all that he could tell of Israel's God, as they were enabled to recruit his wayworn frame, by the provision they so liberally tendered. Anxious, therefore, to secure the longer tarrying of so holy a guest, the woman proposed to build him a private chamber, that when he pleased to retire from the noise and bustle of so large an establishment, he might still remain beneath their roof.

“And it fell on a day," continues the history, "that Elisha came thither, and he turned into the chamber," probably after partaking of the hospitality of the house," and lay there." Pleased with

so kind and unexpected an attention, "He said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. And he said unto him, Say unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?" After the miracle, of which Elisha had been the instrument, and by which the lives of the three kings and their armies were preserved, as we saw in the last lecture, it is probable that, for a time at least, the prophet's interest was great at court, and that any request of his, might meet with unusual respect and attention, even from Jehoram. It was therefore no slight favour which he proffered to this wealthy matron, for there are few, whatever be their possessions, who have not some desire, even as regards this world and its advantages, very near their hearts. Not so, however, the Shu