Works of Joseph Hall, Part 58
ELISHA raiſing the iron, blinding the Aſſyrians.
THere was no loſſe of Gehezi; when he was gone, the Prophets increaſed: an ill man in the Church, is but like ſome ſhrubbie tree in a Garden, whoſe ſhade keeps better plants from growing: A blanke doth better in a roome, then an ill filling: The view of Gods iuſt iudgements doth rather draw clients vntounto him, then alienate them. The Kings of Iſrael had ſucceeded in Idolatry, and hate of ſincere Religion, yet the Prophets multiply: Perſecution enlargeth the bounds of the Church. Theſe very tempeſtuous ſhowres bring vp flowers and berbs in abundance. There would hauehave beene neither ſo many, nor ſo zealous Prophets in the languiſhments of peace: Beſides, What maruell is it, if the immediate ſucceſſion of two ſuch noble Leaders, as Elijah, and Eliſha, eſtabliſhed, and augmented religion; and bred multitudes of Prophets: Rather who cannot maruell, vponupon the knowledge of all their miracles, that all Iſrael did not propheſie? It is a good hearing that the Prophets want elbow-roome; out of their ſtore, not out of the enuy of neighbours, or incompetency of prouiſion: Where viſion failes, the people periſh; they are bleſſed, where it abounds.
When they found themſelues ſtraitned, they did not preſume to carue for themſelues, but they craued the leaue, the counſell of Eliſha: Let vsus goe, we pray thee, vntounto Iordan, and take thence eueryevery man a beame, and let vsus make vsus a place where wee may dwell: And he ſaid, Goe ye: It well becomes the ſonnes of the Prophets, to enterpriſe nothing, without the allowance of their Superiours. Here was a building towards, none of the curiouſeſt; I doe not ſee them making meanes for the procurement of ſome cunning artificers, nor for the conquiſition of ſome coſtly marbles, and Cedars; but eueryevery man ſhall hew, and ſquare, and frame his owne beame. No nice termes were ſtood vponupon by theſe ſonnes of the Prophets: Their thoughts were fixed vponupon the perfection of a ſpirituall building: As an homely roofe may ſerue them, ſo their owne hands ſhall raiſe it: The fingers of theſe contemplatiue men did not ſcorne the Axe, and Mallet, and Cheſell: It was better being there, then in Obadiahs Caue; and they that dwell now contentedly vnderunder rude ſticks, will not refuſe the ſquared ſtones, and poliſhed contignations of better times. They ſhall be ill teachers of others, that hauehave not learned both to want, and to abound.
The maſter of this ſacred Society, Eliſha, is not ſtately, not auſtere: he giues not onelyonly paſſage to this motion of his Collegiates, but aſſiſtance: It was fit the ſonnes of the Prophets ſhould hauehave conuenience of dwelling, though not pompe, not coſtlineſſe. They fall to their worke; No man goes ſlackly about the building of his owne houſe: One of them, more regarding the tree then the toole, lets fall the head of his axe into the riuer: Poore men are ſenſible of ſmall loſſes: He makes his mone to Eliſha; Alas Maſter, for it was borrowed; Had the axe been his owne, the trouble had been the leſſe to forgoe it; therefore doth the miſcariage afflict him, becauſe it was of a borrowed axe: Honeſt minds are more carefull of what they hauehave by loane then by proprietie: In lending there is a truſt, which a good heart cannot diſappoint without vexation: Alas poore nouices of the Prophet, they would be building, and were not worth their axes; if they would giuegive their labour, they muſt borrow their inſtruments.
Their wealth was ſpirituall: Outward pouertie may well ſtand with inward riches: He is rich, not that hath the world, but that can contemne it.
Eliſha loues and cheriſhes this iuſt ſimplicitie; rather will hee worke a miracle, then a borrowed axe ſhall not bee reſtored: It might eaſily bee imagined, hee that could raiſe vp the iron out of the bottome of the water, could tell where it fell in; yet euen that powerfull hand cals for direction: In this one point, the ſonne of the Prophet knowes more then Eliſha: The notice of particularities is neither fit for a creature, nor communicable: a meane man may beſt know his owne caſe: this Nouice better knowes where his axe fell, then his Maſter: his Maſter knowes better how to get it out, then he. There is no reaſon to bee giuen of ſupernaturall actions: The Prophet borrowes an axe to cut an helue for the loſt axe: Why did hee not make vſe of that handle which had caſt the head? Did hee hold it vnworthy of reſpect, for that it had abandoned the metall wherewith it was truſted? Or did hee make choice of a new ſticke, that the miracle might bee the more cleare, and vnqueſtionable? Diuine power goes a contrary way to Art: Wee firſt would hauehave procured the head of the axe, and then would hauehave fitted it with an helue: Eliſha fits the head to the helue; and cauſes the wood, which was light, and knew not how to ſinke, to fetch vp the Iron, which was heauy, and naturally vncapable of ſupernatation. Whether the metall were ſtripped of the naturall weight, by the ſame power which gaue it being; or whether retaining the wonted poiſe, it was raiſed vp by ſome ſpirituall operation, I inquire not: OnelyOnly, I ſee it ſwimme, like Corke, vponupon the ſtreame of Iordan, and moue towards the hand that loſt it: What creature is not willing to put off the properties of nature, at the command of the God of Nature: Oh God, how eaſie is it for thee, when this hard and heauy heart of mine is ſunke downe into the mud of the world, to fetch it vp againe by thy mighty Word, and cauſe it to float vponupon the ſtreames of life; and to ſee the face of heauen againe?
Yet ſtill doe the ſides of Iſrael complaine of the thornes of Aram; The children of Ahab rue their fathers vniuſt mercy: From an enemy, it is no making queſtion whether of ſtrength, or wyle: The King of Syria conſults with his ſeruants, where to encampe for his greateſt aduantage; their opinion is not more required, then their ſecreſie: Eliſha is a thouſand Scouts; hee ſends word to the King of Iſrael of the proiects, of the remoues of his enemie: More then once hath Iehoram ſaued both his life, and his hoaſt, by theſe cloſe admonitions. It is well that in ſomething yet a Prophet may bee obeyed: What ſtrange State-ſeruice was this, which Eliſha did, beſides the ſpirituall? The King, the people of Iſrael owe themſelues, and their ſafety to a deſpiſed Prophet. The man of God knew, and felt them Idolaters: yet how carefull, and vigilant is he, for their reſcue: If they were bad, yet they were his own: If they were bad, yet not all; God had his number amongſt their worſt. If they were bad, yet the Syrians were worſe. The Iſraelites miſ-worſhipped the True God: The Syrians worſhipped a falſe: That (if it were poſſible) he might win them, he will preſerue them; and if they will needs be wanting to God, yet Eliſha will not be wanting to them; their impiety ſhall not make him vndutifull.
There cannot bee a iuſter cauſe of diſpleaſure, then the diſcloſing of thoſe ſecret counſels, which are laid vp in our eare, in our breſt. The King of Syria, not without reaſon, ſtomacks this ſuppoſed treacherie. What Prince can beare that an aduerſe power ſhould hauehave a party, a Penſionarie in his owne Court? How famous was Eliſha, euen in foraine Regions? Beſides Naaman, others of the Syrian Nobilitie take notice of the miraculous faculties of this Prophet of Iſrael: He is accuſed for this ſecret intelligence: No words can eſcape him, though ſpoken in the bedchamber: O Syrian, whoſoeuer thou wert, thou ſaidſt not enough: If thy maſter doe but whiſper in thine eare, if he ſmother his words within his owne lips; if he doe but ſpeake within his owne boſome, Eliſha knowes it from an infallible information: What counſell is it, O God, that can be hid from thee? What counſell is it, that thou wilt hide from thy Seer? Euen this very word that accuſeth the Prophet is knowne to the accuſed: He heares this tale, whiles it is in telling; hee heares the plot for his apprehenſion: How ill doe the proiects of wicked men hang together? They that confeſſe Eliſha knowes their ſecreteſt words, doe yet conferre to take him. There are Spies vponupon him, whoſe eſpials hauehave moued their anger, and admiration: Hee is deſcried to be in Dothan, a ſmall towne of Manaſſes; A whole Armie is ſent thither to ſurpriſe him: The opportunitie of the night is choſen for the exploit. There ſhall bee no want either in the number, or valour, or ſecrecie of theſe conſpired troupes: and now when they hauehave fully girt in the village with a ſtrong and exquiſite ſiege, they make themſelues ſure of Eliſha; and pleaſe themſelues to thinke, how they hauehave incaged the miſerable Prophet, how they ſhould take him at vnawares in his bed, in the midſt of a ſecure dreame; how they ſhould carie him fettered to their King; what thankes they ſhould hauehave for ſo welcome a priſoner.
The ſucceſſor of Gehezi riſeth early in the morning, and ſees all the Citie encompaſſed with a fearfull hoſt of foot, horſe, charets. His eye could meet with nothing but woods of pikes, and wals of harneſſe, and luſtre of metals, and now hee runnes in affrighted to his Maſter: Alas, my Maſter, what ſhall wee doe? Hee had day enough to ſee they were enemies that inuironed them, to ſee himſelfe helpleſſe, and deſperate; and hath onelyonly ſo much life left in him, as to lament himſelfe to the partner of his miſerie. He cannot flee from his new maſter, if he would; he runnes to him with a wofull clamour, Alas, my Maſter, what ſhall we do?
Oh the vndanted courage of faith! Eliſha ſees all this and ſits in his chamber ſo ſecure, as if theſe had onelyonly beene the guard of Iſrael, for his ſafe protection. It is an hard precept that hee giues his ſeruant, Feare not; As well might hee hauehave bid him not to ſee, when he ſaw, as not to feare when he ſaw ſo dreadfull a ſpectacle; The operations of the ſenſes are not leſſe certaine, then thoſe of the affections, where the obiects are no leſſe proper: But the taske is eaſie, if the next word may find beleefe [For there are moe with vsus, then with them;] Multitude and other outward probabilities do both lead the confidence of naturall hearts, and fix it: It is for none but a Dauid, to ſay, I will not be afraid of ten thouſands of people, that hauehave ſet themſelues againſt me round about. Fleſh and blood riſeth, and falleth, according to the proportion of the ſtrength, or weakneſſe of apparent meanes.
Eliſhaes man lookt about him; yet his Maſter prayes, Lord open his eyes that they may ſee; Naturally we ſee not, whiles we doe ſee; EueryEvery thing is ſo ſeene, as it is: Bodily eyes diſcerne bodily obiects, onelyonly ſpirituall can ſee the things of God: Some men want both eyes, and light; Eliſhaes ſeruant had eyes, wanted illumination; No ſooner were his eyes open, then he ſaw the mountaine full of horſes, and charets of fire round about Eliſha. They were there before, (neither doth Eliſha pray that thoſe troups may be gathered, but that they may be ſeene) not till now were they deſcried. Inuiſible armies guard the ſeruants of God, whiles they ſeeme moſt forſaken of earthly ayd, moſt expoſed to certaine dangers; If the eyes of our faith be as open as thoſe of our ſenſe, to ſee Angels as well as Syrians, we cannot be appalled with the moſt vnequall termes of hoſtilitie: Thoſe bleſſed Spirits are ready either to reſcue our bodies, or to carie vp our ſoules to bleſſedneſſe; whether euer ſhall bee enioyned of their Maker: there is iuſt comfort in both, in either.
Both thoſe Charets that came to fetch Elijah, and thoſe that came to defend Eliſha, were fiery: God is not leſſe louely to his owne, in the midſt of his iudgements, then hee is terrible to his enemies, in the demonſtrations of his mercies. Thus guarded, it is no maruell if Eliſha dare walke forth into the midſt of the Syrians. Not one of thoſe heauenly Preſidiaries ſtrucke a ſtroke for the Prophet; neither doth hee require their blowes; onelyonly hee turnes his prayer to his God, and ſayes, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindneſſe: With no other then deadly intentions did theſe Aramites come downe to Eliſha, yet doth not he ſay, Smite them with the Sword, but, Smite them with blindneſſe: All the euill he wiſhes to them, is their repentance; There was no way to ſee their errour, but by blindneſſe: He that prayed for the opening of his ſeruants eyes, to ſee his ſafe-gard; prayes for the blinding of the eyes of his enemies, that they might not ſee to doe hurt.
As the eyes of Eliſhaes ſeruant were ſo ſhut that they ſaw not the Angels, when they ſaw the Syrians: ſo the eyes of the Syrians ſhall bee likewiſe ſhut, that when they ſee the man, they ſhall not ſee the Prophet: To all other obiects their eyes are cleare, onelyonly to Eliſha they ſhall bee blind, blind not through darkneſſe, but through miſknowledge: they ſhall ſee, and miſtake both the perſon, and the place. Hee that made the ſenſes, can either hold, or delude them at pleaſure: how eaſily can hee offer to the ſight other repreſentations, then thoſe which ariſe from the viſible matter, and make the heart to beleeue them?
Iuſtly now might Eliſha ſay, This is not the way, neither is this the Citie, wherein Eliſha ſhall bee deſcried. He was in Dothan, but not as Eliſha; hee ſhall not be found but in Samaria; neither can they hauehave any guide to him, but himſelfe. No ſooner are they come into the ſtreets of Samaria, then their eyes hauehave leaue to know both the place and the Prophet. The firſt ſight they hauehave of themſelues, is in the trap of Iſrael, in the iawes of death: thoſe ſtately Palaces, which they now wonder at vnwillingly, carie no reſemblance to them, but of their graues: EueryEvery Iſraelite ſeemes an executioner; eueryevery houſe a Iayle; eueryevery beame a Gibbet; and now, they looke vponupon Eliſha tranſformed from their guide, to their common murderer, with horror and paleneſſe: It is moſt iuſt with God to intangle the plotters of wickedneſſe, in their owne ſnare.
How glad is a mortall enemy to ſnatch at all aduantages of reuenge? Neuer did the King of Iſrael ſee a more pleaſing ſight, then ſo many Syrian throats at his mercy: and, as loth to loſe ſo faire a day, (as if his fingers itched to bee dip't in blood) hee ſaies, My father, ſhall I ſmite, ſhall I ſmite them? The repetition argued deſire, the compellation, reuerence: Not without allowance of a Prophet, would the King of Iſrael lay his hand vponupon an enemy, ſo miraculouſly trained home: His heart was ſtill foule with idolatry, yet would he not taint his hand with forbidden blood: Hypocriſie will bee ſtill ſcrupulous in fomething: and in ſome awfull reſtraints is a perfect counterfeit of conſcience.
The charitable Prophet ſoone giues an angry prohibition of ſlaughter; Thou ſhalt not ſmite them: Wouldeſt thou ſmite thoſe whom thou haſt taken captiue, with thy ſword, and with thy bow? As if he ſaid, Theſe are Gods captiues, not thine; and if they were thine owne, their blood could not bee ſhed without cruelty: though in the hot chaſes of warre, executions may be iuſtifiable; yet in the cooleneſſe of deliberation, it can bee no other then inhumane, to take thoſe liues which hauehave beene yeelded to mercy: But here, thy bow and thy ſword are guiltleſſe of the ſucceſſe; onelyonly a ſtrange prouidence of the Almighty hath caſt them into thine hands, whom neither thy force; nor thy fraud could hauehave compaſſed: If it bee victory thou aimeſt at, ouercome them with kindneſſe: Set bread and water before them, that they may eate and drinke: Oh noble reuenge of Eliſha, to feaſt his perſecutors! To prouide a Table for thoſe, who had prouided a graue for him: Theſe Syrians came to Dothan full of bloody purpoſes to Eliſha: he ſends them from Samaria full of good cheare, and iollity. Thus, thus ſhould a Prophet puniſh his purſuers: No vengeance but this is heroicall, and fit for Chriſtian imitation: If thine enemy hunger, giuegive him bread to eate; if hee thirſt, giuegive him water to drinke: For thou ſhalt heape coales of fire vponupon his head; and the Lord ſhall reward thee: Be not ouercome with euill, but ouercome euill with good.
The King of Iſrael hath done that by his feaſt, which hee could not hauehave done by his ſword: The bands of Syria will no more come by way of ambuſh, or incurſion, into the bounds of Iſrael. Neuer did a charitable act goe away without the retribution of a bleſſing: In doing ſome good to our enemies, wee doe moſt good to our ſelues: God cannot but louelove in vsus this imitation of his mercy, who bids his Sunne ſhine, and his raine fall where he is moſt prouoked; and that louelove is neuer fruitleſſe.