the Power of his Prayers, in
answer to which the Child had been given; and 'tis extremely probable,
that she also recollected the Miracle which _Elijah_ had wrought a few
Years before, tho' till that Time the like had not been known in
_Israel_, or on Earth; I mean, in raising from the Dead the Child of
that Widow of _Sarepta_[p], who had nourished him during the Famine.
She might therefore think it a possible Case, that the Miracle might
be renewed; at least, she knew not how to comfort herself better, than
by going to so good a Friend, and asking his Counsels and his Prayers,
to enable her to bear her Affliction, if it must not be removed[*].

ACCORDINGLY she hasted to him; and he, on the other side, discovered
the Temper of a real Friend, in the Message with which he sent
_Gehazi_ his Servant to meet her, _while she was yet afar off._ The
Moment she appeared, the Concerns of her whole Family seem to have
come into his kind Heart at once, and he particularly asks, _Is it
well with thee? Is it well with thine Husband? Is it well with the
Child?_ A beautiful Example of that affectionate Care for the Persons
and Families of their Friends, which Christian Ministers (who, like
the Prophets of old, are called _Men of GOD_[q]) should habitually
bear about in their Hearts; which should be awakened by every Sight of
them, and expressed on every proper Occasion.

HER Answer was very remarkable: _She said, It is well._ Perhaps she
meant this, to divert the more particular Enquiry of the Servant; as
she had before made the same Answer to her Husband, when he had
examined into the Reason of her intended Journey, as probably not
knowing of the sad Breach which had been made: _She said, It is
well_[r]; which was a civil way of intimating her Desire that he would
not ask any more particular Questions. But I cannot see any Reason to
restrain the Words to this Meaning alone: We have ground to believe,
from the Piety she expressed in her first Regards to _Elisha,_ and the
Opportunities which she had of improving in Religion by the frequent
Converse of that holy Man, that when she used this Language, she
intended thereby to express her Resignation to the Divine Will in what
had lately pass'd: And this might be the Meaning of her Heart, (tho'
one ignorant of the Particulars of her Case, might not fully
understand it from such ambiguous Words; ) "_It is well_ on the whole.
Though my Family be afflicted, we are afflicted in Faithfulness; t