herfelf and her fon-fhe must shorten her life, in hopes of its protraction. "Bold "Ifraelite," might she have faid, "waft "thou even a friend, or brother, would "fuch a request beseem thee? Had I fuperfluity of provifion, thou mightest "have fhared it with me-now, that I

have only one morfel for my child, "what can induce me to listen to an un"known traveller? Thou fayeft the "meal fhall not wafte, nor the crufe of oil "fail. At this moment let thy word come

to pass. When thou haft exhaufted the "remainder of my ftore, in vain fhall "I challenge the performance of thy promife. If thou canst thus multiply "food, why art thou in want of fufte<< nance ?"

BUT the pious Sareptan was taught by GoD not to diftruft his prophet. Without one murmur or complaint, fhe obeys his commands, and hopes for the accomplishment of his prediction. "He I 2 "that

"that faveth his life, fhall lofe it; and " he that lofeth his life for my fake, "the fame fhall fave it." Surely her faith was no lefs efficacious than the prayers of Elijah. The mercy of GOD crowns her liberality with an abundant reward. Who fhall fear to extend relief to the neceffitous, when the Father of Heaven has declared, that he will hold in everlafting remembrance the Chriftian's work, and labour that proceedeth of love?

THE barrel of meal waftes not, the crufe of oil doth not fail. With what thankful devotion must the Sareptan have partaken of that food, which the providence of GOD bestowed in fo fupernatural a manner! How welcome a gueft was Elijah, who was thus the minifter of GOD to her for god! No longer apprehensive of famine, fhe now looks on her fon with all thofe exquifite feelings of hope, and love, and rapture,

which none but parents can conceivewhich not even parents can exprefs!

ALAS, at what moment can we pronounce ourselves fecure from evil? The youth, who had been thus rescued from famine, is fuddenly attacked by fickness. While her roof is yet honoured with the presence of Elijah, the Sareptan beholds the beloved of her heart, torn by the irrefiftible arm of death from her embraces.

How ready are we to miftake the grounds of our affliction, and attribute them to imaginary caufes! The paffionate mother imputes the death of her fon to the prefence of Elijah. In the distraction of her grief, fhe fpares not her beft benefactor. "What have I

to do with thee, O thou man of GOD? "Art thou come hither to call my fins to remembrance, and to flay my

" fon ?" fon?"

I 3

THE

THE prophet, instead of chiding the afflicted parent, humbly expoftulates with his GOD. Though he was fervent in fpirit, his pity extinguishes all anger at this unjust accufation-it rather ferves to increase the ardour of his application to the Almighty. His only remedy is prayer. That which fhut heaven from rain, feeks to open it for life. He pleads his intereft with GoD-the distress of the fufferer-her infupportable calamity, in being deprived of her last remaining comfort-and he prefumes to urge the confequences which would befal himself. "See what a return Elijah has made for hofpitality-furely he must be devoid "either of power, or of gratitude!"

HAVING thus made interceffion with

his GOD, the prophet, in an extafy of fpirit, approaches the lifelefs remains. Thrice does he ftretch himself upon the body, as if he would tranfinit into the child a portion of his own exiftence—

thrice does he call on the Almighty to restore the departed foul. The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous, in all cafes of difficulty and danger, has recourse to the divine omnipotence. What can Elijah afk, that God fhall deny? The LORD heard the voice of his fervant-the foul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

"CALL upon me in the time of trou"ble-fo will I hear thee, and thou "fhalt praise me." With what delight doth the man of GOD take the living child in his arms, and prefent him to his mother, a glorious proof of the power, the mercy, and the peculiar favour of Heaven!

Now, when the astonished parent grafps the warm hand of her fon-fees his eyes once more fixed on hers-beholds life, health, and activity in every action, in every geftuie-now the exclaims, By this I know that thou art I 4

a man