AN EMPTY HOUSE AND AN EMPTY HEART THE BEST RECOMMENDATION TO AN INEXHAUSTIBLE STOREHOUSE! "NOT ANYTHING IN THE HOUSE SAVE A POT OF OIL."- Ir seems, from the history before us, that a certain woman, the widow of one of the sons of the prophets, was in deep distress. Not only had she lost her husband, but he had been taken from her under circumstances of peculiar trial. He had died in debt! To a man of the world, as an honourable man, nothing is so burdensome as debt; to a child of God, who is compelled so materially to differ from the world—its avarice-its craft-its falsehood-the grappling with the world, and the constant aim to "owe no man anything," form no small part of the daily cross; but to a prophet of the Lord-to one of his own divinely-commissioned servants-the thus being responsible to his fellowman is additionally afflictive. Perhaps it is so ordered of God, that he may be kept more humble, and that he might have a keener sense of the varied positions-the trials, the sorrows, the deep heart-wrestlings-of his fellowmembers in the same household. Moreover, it may be intended as an incentive to watch more closely the hand of a delivering God, and as a tie to bind him more willingly to earth until Jehovah shall have accomplished his purposes. Be this as it may, certain it is, from the very passage before us, that God's dear ministers have been thus circumstanced; nor has the Lord vouchsafed to them, in their own individual persons, that boon of freedom which doubtless they have so often and so earnestly craved at His hands. We should judge from the words of this widow, that not only had her husband been known to the prophet-for her language is very significant, "Thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord"-but also that he was familiar with the trial that lay so near his heart; for, without further comment, she says, "The creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen." As much as to say, That which my dear husband so greatly feared is come upon me.-You knew his case; doubtless you have both talked the matter over; he long and anxiously sought deliverance, but such was not the will of his Lord and Master; and now not only is he gone, but my two sons are upon the point of being taken from me also." A climax this, beloved! Ah, these are blessed times for the dear children of Gul. When matters have got to their worst, then our wonder-working God appears! Never too soon, but never a moment behind-time! Not since the creation was" Too late" inscribed upon one of Jehovah's sovereign acts! Were it so, it could not be a deliverance. And not only is it " in time,” but also most effectual. H "And Elisha said unto her, "What shall I do for thee?" Perhaps the prophet was for the moment at a loss. May be, he was as yet in the dark, the same as in the case of the woman of Shunem, when he said, “Her soul is vexed within her; and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me." "Tell me," said he, "what hast thou in the house ?" Surely he had not very large expectations when he put the question. Perhaps inability to labour and protracted sickness had wasted what little store there might have been, nor would the keen eye of "the creditor" have overlooked anything of value. "And she said, Thine handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil." How wonderful it is in the history of the Lord's children, that there should always be a something in reserve; be it ever so small, even with respect to their most direful condition, they must add, "Save so and so." They may be either with respect to their state of mind, or their circumstances, upon the very verge of despair, they are almost-yet not altogether-without hope; still there is a little secret something to which hope clings, and on account of which faith cannot give up the ghost. Nothing tangible to flesh and blood, no more for sense to calculate upon than yon distant cloud "not bigger" upon the vast horizon " than a man's hand;" yet there it is. Is it not so, poor soul? Come now, speak; give 'God the glory. Has He ever left thee in a single trial, or in any of those distressing circumstances through which thou hast been called to pass, without this little secret something? Always some friend at hand-not, it may be, he or she whom thou hast looked to, or expected from, but one of the Lord's selection and appointment; yea, and so much so, that thou hast been compelled to say, "This is of the Lord." And the help afforded having come in such a remarkable and unthought-of way, human wisdom has been most blessedly baffled. We say most blessedly, for so it is. You have rejoiced in its defeat, and given God the glory of his own work. The dear child of God loves in this way to become a perfect nonenity, that his Father and Friend may be exalted and glorified. Oh, how sweet it is, after toiling and contending-after all our hard thoughts of God and of one another-for our "hearts to be brought down with labour," and to lie passive in the hands of Him whom at such times we feel, as well as know, to be "too wise to err, and too good to be unkind." Oh, what a privilege to lay low at his footstool; to esteem others better than one's-self; feelingly to be "less than the least," and to regard everything short of hell a mercy!-Lord, Lord, give us more of this blessed feeling. Make us willing to be as it were the very footstool, not of Thyself merely, but of thy dear children also, so that thou art but glorified. Alas! alas! how often do we know not what spirit we are of; and oh how astounding is the patience the forbearance—the mercy of our God! Reader, excuse this digression. It is a word from the heart. "Not anything in the house, save a pot of oil." And with this self-same insignificant, all-but-forgotten "pot of oil" faith is to trade. Beloved, we do not wish to be fanciful, nor to attempt to make Scripture speak that which was never intended; but, if we look not beyond the mere literal facts which are left upon record especially in the Old Testament Scriptures, we lose much of the fulness and the preciousness of the Gospel which they proclaim. The Lord, by the prophet Hosea, says, "I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets." Moreover, the Lord Himself was constantly during his sojourn upon earth illustrating Divine truths by neighbouring scenes and passing objects. One passage of Paul out of a multitude which we might quote by way of confirmation will suffice. "They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ" (1 Cor. x. 4). A passing observer of the wanderings of Israel, or merely literal reader of the Scriptures, would see nothing beyond the simple fact that Moses smote a certain rock, and that from it waters gushed out, which followed them through their wilderness-journeyings. But to the spiritually-enlightened, how blessedly is the Gospel preached by this circumstance. How sweetly is the mind drawn forth in contemplation of the Rock Christ being smitten by the hand of faith, and thenceforth and for ever the waters of salvation flowing forth in one ceaseless stream, to the refreshment, comfort, and spiritual well-being of the Lord's poor and needy children. Now this pot of oil, we conceive, sets forth free and sovereign grace, or a Gospel promise connected with, and based upon, that grace. And with regard to its supply, how precious is that declaration by the Apostle James, " He giveth more grace. How sweetly was this truth confirmed in the history before us, as we hope presently to consider. His We said this pot of oil might be indicative of a promise. The debtor was dead; and, as before intimated, it is more than likely his debt lay near his heart, and perhaps led to ardent wrestling at the throne. He might at first have asked to be restored to health. He wanted, it may be, himself to labour, and by his own effort discharge the debt. He marked out a way, and, as he conceived, the only reasonable way, by which to expect deliverance. disease progresses. Death approaches. There is but a sorry prospect for those he is about to leave behind him. There is not only no human prospect of provision for them, but a certain stigma will rest upon his character. For be it known to you, reader, that God's estimate of men and the world's estimate are two totally different things. "Man looketh upon the outward appearance, God looketh at the heart." The world would treat the case upon its broad basis-here is a man dying in debt. The cause they attempt not. to define. They pry not, in this case-though in other cases the world would but be too happy to do so-beneath the surface. We know not how matters were in those primitive times; but had the poor man lived in our day, we should like to have ascertained the cause of his calamity. That he was an honourable man is clear, for the Holy Ghost hath left upon record an honourable testimony of him, "Thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord.” And, because he 66 feared the Lord," he could not do as the world did. could not lie, nor cheat, nor steal. He could not " oppress the hireling in wages;" he could not, as the buyer, say, "It is nought, it is nought, and when (the seller) is gone his way, then boast;"* he could not give scant his He * As an illustration, we may quote from a deeply-interesting work we have lately been reading, entitled, "Chapters on Prisons and Prisoners," by the Rev. J. Kingsmill, M. A. To the iniquitous system which some men (and, alas! a large proportion too) pursue in business-the tricks in trade-one young man (out of a hundred cases which Mr. Kingsmill quotes) ascribes that evil course which ended in a prison. "I can safely say this," he remarks, "that I never lived at a situation that they did not try and get as much for an article as they possibly could; and they would practise deceit and deception where they could; and they would never lose the opportunity of taking the advantage of another man's ignorance; and they never went to church, though they kept large shops and warehouses, most of them so that by my having such bad masters, I did not think I should be doing wrong by following those examples; and the first temptation that presented itself, I yielded to it, and now am dearly suffering for it. A poor woman went into a draper's shop, and asked the prices of some shawls. Being shown one marked 7s. 6d., she said she should like one the same pattern as the 7s. 6d. one, but higher in price, as she wanted it for the winter. The 7s. 6d. shawl was taken, and put into a parcel of shawls, price 14s. 6d. The first shawl that met her eye in this fresh bundle was the 7s. 6d. shawl. Ah!' says the poor woman, I will have this one, sir. What is the price of it ?'-Shopman: 14s. 6d. So she paid 14s. 6d. for the shawl that she was once told she might have for 7s. 6d. It was no mistake of the shopman; for he knew her heart was set on that pattern, and so took man. measure nor short weight; though a prison or a poorhouse stared him in the face, he must, regardless of all results, act as in the sight of a heart-searching, rein-trying God. But whatever his previous position, or the more immediate cause of his difficulties; it may have been protracted bodily affliction; but whatever it was, his end draweth nigh. Perhaps many a dark hour he spent upon that lowly bed. Many a groan had burst from his bosom; many a tear trickled down his wan cheek; many a look heavenward had, as it were, darted through that humble roof within the portals of heaven, and to the very throne of the Majesty on high. "Lord, Lord, think upon my poor wife and fatherless children. Thou knowest that I have long feared thy great and holy name. I have dared to advocate thy cause. I have been a marked Men have jeered me because I could not do as they did. And now they say, 'Ah, ah! so would we have it Where is thy God now?' Lord, it is thy righteous prerogative 'to show Thyself strong on behalf of those that fear thee.' Thou knowest that I do love thy great and holy name. I do fear thee. I would walk in all thy ordinances blameless. I would give none occasion for the enemy to blaspheme. I would in every single iota follow precept by practice. I would in my conduct and conversation show whose I am and whom I serve. I would pay to the uttermost farthing that which I owe; but, alas! Lord, thy hand is heavy upon me. I am prostrated. I am bound hand and foot. Wisdom and strength fail. I am more than ever a pauper upon thy bounty. Wilt thou not appear for me? Is there anything too hard for the Lord? Thou who didst maintain such a mighty multitude during their forty years' travel; Thou who didst so lately send to thy servant the prophet bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, whilst he drank of the brook. Art thou not able to deliver me?—and wilt Thou not, as the same Almighty and gracious God, do so?" The sick man looks round his lone apartment; very scantily furnished it is. Little indeed can be turned to account. But on yonder shelf or casement stands a little vessel. What is it? He remembers 'tis a pot of oil. "Oil! Ah, Elijah, and that dear widow, too! How often has the prophet mentioned her words, 'As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal, and a little oil in a cruise: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.' And did she die? Ah, no. For the Lord God of Israel had said, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruise of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.' A cruise of oil! and is He not able to deliver me and mine also? Could He not as readily multiply that little pot of oil?' Is there anything too hard for the Lord? I leave myself and mine, dear Father, in thy blessed hands. I close my eyes on time, and fall asleep in thy arms, reminding Thee of thine own words, Leave thy fatherless children, and let thy widows trust in me.' her in, and was praised by the masters for his cleverness, and got a reward. I might mention several others, but this will show you, sir, the nature of my temptations, and how young-men drapers are led into sin." When passing through the streets of Manchester the other day, we were struck at seeing a large placard in a grocer's window, "Fall-weight candles!" "This is extraordinary," thought we. Upon mentioning the circumstance to a friend in trade, he said, “I invariably pay a certain sum over and above the market-price to ensure full-weight. And (he added) a young man whom I lately engaged as a shopman, assured me that in a former establishment their custom was to weigh but 14 ounces to the P." How, we ask, can an honest man cope with such a state of things as this? With such examples, is it any marvel that our youth and our young men become so insured to dishonest practices, as to pave the way to their own destruction? Their masters-in too many cases the first to allure-are the first to accuse; and, in the eye of Omniscience, the accuser is the most guilty of the two. And thus this dear man died!-died in debt too! but we believe that he had the Lord's assurance-and perhaps that little pot of oil was made an earnest of it-that that debt should be paid. A promise had been sealed home upon his heart; the Lord had given him his note of hand. It was enough! "Now Lord (said he), lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for (by faith) mine eyes have seen thy salvation." Oh, how blessed to be able to leave one's self-one's family-the church-the world, in the hands of a faithful, covenant, all-sufficient God! "Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his stature ?" Reader, do you know anything of the mercy, feelingly and experimentally? How sweet that expression of Jacob's, and what volumes does it contain to the believing head of a family, “With my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands." Oh, what mercy! what mercy! And can it be that we shall be privileged to continue thus to testify through all the wilderness to the very river-in the swellings of Jordan-and as one enters the pearly gates of the New Jerusalem! Oh, blessed! blessed! unspeakably blessed! same 66 “Thine handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil." But that was there. This little love-memento remained; known perhaps only as such to him who was gone, but perhaps from which he had been able to speak words of comfort and assurance to her who was about to be bereaved. "Then (Elisha) said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few." Perhaps the mere mention of this pot of oil" had helped to inspire the prophet. He, it would seem, had just previously been at a loss. He felt for the poor widow, but knew not how to help her. He perhaps had had some sharp struggles with unbelief, and some gloomy apprehensions about how matters would go; when the "pot of oil" rouses him from his faithless reverie. He suddenly remembers his master, and the widow and her son; and, divinely inspired under the warmth and savour of the remembrance, he exclaims, " Go, borrow thee vessels ;" poor woman! things had come to such a pass-and the prophet knew it too -that she had not even a few empty crocks in the house; and now the prophet's heart is so enlarged, that he exclaims, "Borrow not a few." Do not mince the matter. Fear not. Don't be faint-hearted. "Thou art coming to a King, Large petitions with thee bring." But they were to be "empty vessels." Ah, reader, there is something so sweet in this. We are such fools-so poor-and withal so proud; so anxious to be independent of the Lord, that we overlook the one great fact that it is at once our highest mercy, and redounds most to his glory, that we should come with vessels not half nor quarter filled, but absolutely empty. The more completely we are run out of both stock and strength in coming to the throne, the better. Empty vessels! empty hearts! cold and barren frames! dismal, dead, and death-like feelings! anything and everything but as we would have it! as miserable in our poor fleshly selves as sin, satan, and the world can make us! emptiness itself, of everything but misery! Ah, these are blessed times to go to Jesus! A full Christ and a poor empty sinner are blessedly met. What a mistake it is, when we say to ourselves and do we not say so, dear reader?" Oh, I am so dreadfully cold, it is of no use to try to pray! It is but mockery! I want to be warm and comfortable my feelings, and then I'll go upon my knees. The Bible! oh I have read it so often, and got nothing. What's the use? Besides, I am really not in a fit state just now to sit down to God's word. My heart and mind are in such in |