Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

The brief summary whereof is this; The poor, little Girl, waiting on her Lady, dropped a few words, [Would God, my Lord were with the Prophet in Samaria! for he would recover him of his Leprosy.] Another takes up those words, and reports them to Naaman. Many such Discourses are breathed, and expire in the same moment. The more wonderful is the conduct of Gods Providence, who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will. I may accommodate to this case, what was spoken upon a very different account, James iii. 5. Behold, how great a matter, a little spark kindled! For, by various steps, the Conversion of Naaman was, at last, accomplished; and, considering his Character, and Interest, we may probably conjecture, that his Example, and Counsel might prevail with others also, to turn from Idols, and to serve the living and true God. We cannot well pass by this strange, and remarkable Instance, without staying so long as to observe, (1.) That this little Girl appears to have been seasoned with the knowledge of the True God, and to have been acted, in what she said, by a principle of Faith. This she showed by her confidence, That God would work a miracle, by his own Prophet, and Servant Elisha; for it was He whom she intended, as the sequel discovers. Samaria was then, like Athens, a City wholly given to Idolatry; therein had Ahab built an Altar, and an House for Baal, and he had four hundred, and fifty Priests to attend his Worship. The Inhabitants may well be supposed to have been, generally, of the Court-Religion, only some few resorted ⟨image 131⟩to Elisha, and they, it's likely, in a more private way. We read of the good Woman of Shunem, 2 King. iv. 22, 23. that was one of his Disciples; and this Girl seems to have been of that way. Happy are those young ones, upon whom the Fear of God, makes early impressions. (2.) God opened the way to Naamans Conversion, by a little Maid. The weaker the Means, the more is Gods Power glorified. (3.) A few good words dropped occasionally, may operate very successfully, especially when they are suitable, and seasonable, Prov. xxv. 11. Let private Christians mind this. (4.) A poor, little Maid carried into captivity, opened the way to the Conversion of one of the greatest Personages in the Country. It is very lamentable to hear so frequently of Men, and Women, Boys, and Girls, carried away captives, by Turks, and Tartars.