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thou bald-head." Even the very boys of Bethel have learned to scoff at a prophet; the spite of their idolatrous parents is easily propagated: children are such as their institution; infancy is led altogether by imitation, it hath neither words nor actions, but infused by others; if it have good or ill language, it is but borrowed, and the shame or thank is due to those that lent it them.

What was it that these ill-taught children upbraided to the prophet, but a slight natural defect, not worthy the name of a blemish, the want of a little hair; at the best a comely excrement, no part of the body. Had there been deformity in that smoothness of the head, which some great wits have honoured with praises, a faultless and remediless eye-sore had been no fit matter for a taunt. How small occasions will be taken to disgrace a prophet! If they could have said ought worse, Elisha had not heard of this; God had crowned that head with honour, which the Bethelitish children loaded with scorn. Who would have thought the rude terms of waggish boys worthy of any thing but neglect! Elisha looks at them with severe brows, and, like the heir of him that called down fire upon the two captains and their fifties, curses them in the name of the Lord; two she-bears out of the wood, hasten to be his executioners, and tear two-andforty of them in pieces. O fearful example of divine justice! This was not the revenge of an angry prophet, it was the punishment of a righteous judge. God and his seer looked through these children at the parents, at all Israel; he would punish the parents' misnurturing their children, to the contemptuous usage of a prophet, with the death of those children which they had mistaught. He would teach Israel what it was to misuse a prophet; and, if he would not endure these contumelies unrevenged in the mouths of children, what vengeance was enough for aged persecutors ?

Doubtless some of the children escaped to tell the news of their fellows: what lamentation do we think there was in the streets of Bethel! how did the distressed mothers wring their hands for this woeful orbation! And now, when they came forth to fetch the remnants of their own flesh, what a sad spectacle it was to find the fields strewed with those mangled carcasses! It is an unprofitable sorrow that follows a judg

I ment.

Had these parents been as careful to train up their children in good discipline, and to correct their disorders, as

they are now passionate in bemoaning their loss, this slaughter had never been. In vain do we look for good of those children, whose education we have neglected. In vain do we grieve for those miscarriages which our care might have prevented.

Elisha knew the success, yet doth he not balk the city of Bethel. Do we not wonder that the furious impatience of those parents, whom the curse of Elisha robbed of their children, did not break forth to some malicious practice against the prophet? Would we not think the prophet might misdoubt some hard measure from those exasperated citizens? There lay his way; he follows God without fear of men, as well knowing that either they durst not, or they could not act violence. They knew there were bears in the wood, and fires in heaven, and, if their malice would have ventured above their courage, they could have no more power over Elisha in the streets, than those hungry beasts had in the way. Whither dare not a prophet go when God calls him? Having visited the schools of the prophets, Elisha retires to Mount Carmel, and, after some holy solitariness, returns to the city of Samaria. He can never be a profitable seer, that is either always or never alone. Carmel shall fit him for Samaria, contemplation for action: that mother city of Israel must needs afford him most work; yet is the throne of Ahaziah succeeded by a brother less ill than himself, than the parents of both. Ahab's impiety hath not a perfect heir of Jehoram: that son of his hates his Baal, though he keeps his calves. Even into the most wicked families it pleaseth God to cast his powerful restraints, that all are not equally vicious. It is no news to see lewd men make scruple of some sins; the world were not to live in, if all sins were affected by all it is no thank to Ahab and Jezebel that their son is no Baalite. As no good is traduced from parents, so not all evil: there is an almighty hand that stops the foul current of nature, at his pleasure; no idolater can say, that his child shall not be a convert.

The affinity betwixt the houses of Israel and Judah, holds good in succession; Jehoram inherits the friendship, the aid of Jehoshaphat; whose counsel, as is most likely, had cured him of that Baalism. It was a good war whereto he solicits the good king of Judah. The king of Moab, who had beer an ancient tributary from the days of David, falls now from

his homage, and refuses to pay his hundred thousand lambs, and hundred thousand rams with fleeces, to the king of Israel; the backs of Israel can ill miss the wool of Moab, they will put on iron to recover their cloth. Jehoshaphat had been once. well chid, well frighted, for joining with Ahab against Aram; yet, doth he not stick now again to come into the field with Jehoram, against Moab: the cause is more favourable, less dangerous. Baal is cast down; the images of the false gods are gone, though the false images of the true God stand still; besides, this rebellious Moab had joined with the Syrians formerly against Judah, so as Jehoshaphat is interested in the

revenge.

After resolution of the end, wisely do these kings deliberate of the way. It is agreed to pass through Edom; that kingdom was annexed to the crown of Judah; well might Jehoshaphat make bold with his own. It was, it seems, a march far about in the measure of the way, but nearest to their purpose; the assault would be more easy, if the passage were more tedious. The three kings of Israel, Judah, Edom, together with their armies, are upon foot; they are no sooner come into the parching wilds of Edom, than they are ready to die for thirst. If the channels were far off, yet the waters were farther the scorching beams of the sun have dried them up, and have left those rivers more fit for walk than entertainment. What are the greatest monarchs of the world, if they want but water to their mouths? What can their crowns, and plumes, and rich arms avail them, when they are abridged but of that which is the drink of beasts? With dry tongues and lips, do they now confer of their common misery. Jehoram deplores the calamity into which they were fallen, but Jehoshaphat asks for a prophet; every man can bewail a misery, every man cannot find the way out of it: still yet I hear good Jehoshaphat speak too late; he should have inquired for a prophet ere he had gone forth: so had he avoided these straits. Not to consult at all with God is Jehoram's sin, to consult late is Jehoshaphat's; the former is atheous carelessness, the latter forgetful oversight. The best man may slacken good duties, the worst contemns them.

Not without some speciality from God, doth Elisha follow the camp; else, that had been no element for a prophet little did the good king of Judah think that God was so near him; purposely was this holy seer sent for the

succour of Jehoshaphat and his faithful followers, when they were so far from dreaming of their delivery, that they knew not of a danger. It would be wide with the best men, if the eye of divine Providence were not open upon them, when the eye of their care is shut towards it. How well did Elisha in the wars! the strongest squadron of Israel was within that breast: all their armour of proof had not so much safety and protection, as his mantle. Though the king of Israel would take no notice of the prophet, yet one of his courtiers did; "Here is Elisha, the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah ;" this follower of Jehoram knows Elisha by his own name, by his father's, by his master's. The court of Israel was profane and idolatrous enough; yet, even there, God's prophet had both knowledge and honour; his very service to Elijah was enough to win him reverence. It is better to be an attendant of some man, than be attended by many; that he had poured water on Elijah's hands was insinuation enough, that he could pour out water for those three kings. The three kings walked down, by the motion of Jehoshaphat, to the man of God: it was news to see three kings going down to the servant of him who ran before the chariot of Ahab. Religion and necessity have both of them much power of humiliation, I know not whether more; either zeal, or need, will make a prophet honoured.

How sharply dares the man of God to chide his sovereign, the king of Israel! The liberty of the prophets was no less singular than their calling; he that would borrow their tongue, must shew their commission. As God reproved kings for their sakes, so did not they stick to reprove kings for his sake. Thus much freedom they must leave to their successors, that we may not spare the vices of them, whose persons we must spare.

Justly is Jehoram turned off to the prophets of his father, and the prophets of his mother. It is but right and equal, that those, which we have made the comfort and stay of our peace, should be the refuge of our extremity. If our prosperity have made the world our God, how worthily shall our death-bed be choked with this exprobration! Neither would the case bear an apology, nor the time an expostulation; Jehoram cannot excuse, he can complain; he finds that now three kings, three kingdoms are at the mercy of one prophet; i was time for him to speak fair; nothing sounds

from him but lamentations and intreaties; "Nay, for the Lord hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab." Jehoram hath so much grace as to confess the impotency of those he had trusted, and the power of that God whom he had neglected; every sinner cannot see and acknowledge the hand of God in his sufferings, Already hath the distressed prince gained something by his misery: none complain so much as he, none feel so much as he; all the rest suffer for him, and therefore he suffers in them all.

The man of God, who well sees the insufficiency of Jehoram's humiliation, lays on yet more load; "As the Lord liveth before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee." Behold the double spirit of Elijah! the master was not more bold with the father, than the servant was with the son. Elisha was a subject and a prophet; he must say that as a prophet, which he might not as a subject; as a prophet he would not have looked at him, whom as a subject he would have bowed to. It is one thing when God speaks by him, another when he speaks of himself; that it might well appear his dislike of sin stood with his honour of sovereignty, Jehoshaphat goes away with that respect which Jehoram missed; no less doth God and his prophet regard religious sincerity, than they abhor idolatry and profaneness. What shall not be done for a Jehoshaphat? for his sake shall those two other princes, and their vast armies, live and prevail. Edom and Israel, whether single or conjoined, had perished by the drought of the desart, by the sword of Moab; one Jehoshaphat gives them both life and victory. It is in the power of one good man to oblige a world; we receive true, though insensible favours, from the presence of the righteous. Next to being good, it is happy to converse with them that are so; if we be not bettered by their example, we are blest by their protection.

Who wonders not to hear a prophet call for a minstrel in the midst of that mournful distress of Israel and Judah! who would not have expected his charge of tears and prayers, rather than of music! how unreasonable are songs to an heavy heart! It was not for their ears, it was for his own bosom, that Elisha called for music; that his spirits, after their zea

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