And the abiding sense of this may possibly become a prayer in the ears of the Most High; -- a prayer not resulting from a set of speculative notions, but from the real, undissembled state of all that is within me; nor, indeed, so explicit a prayer as to describe the thing I want, but, considering how strange a want mine is, as explicit a one as I can make. Since, then, suffering opens me a door of hope, I will not put it from me as long as I live: It helps me to a true discovery of one period of my existence, though it is a low one; and bids fairer for having some connexion with a more glorious period that may follow, than the arts of indulgence, the amusements of pride and sloth, and all the dark policy of this world, which wage war with the whole truth, that man must know and feel, before he can look towards God.
Kwenye 1 Wafalme sura ya 13, Mungu anamtuma nabii kwenda Betheli kutoa unabii huko dhidi ya madhabahu ya Jeroboam. Mungu pia alishamwambia nabii huyo kwamba asile chakula wala kunywa maji na wala asirudi kwa njia ileile aliyoijia wakati anaenda kutoa unabii huko Bethel. Baadaye mara tu baada ya nabii kufanya unabii, nabii mzee moja aliyekuwa akiishi katika mji uleule wa Bethel akamwendea nabii huyo na akamwomba arudi aje nyumbani kwake akapate kula chakula. Lakini nabii kijana akasema hawezi kufanya hivyo kwa sababu Mungu amemkataza. Yule nabii mzee naye akasema Mungu amesema naye pia kupitia malaika na kumwagiza kuwa nabii yule kijana arudi na kwenda nyumbani kwa huyu nabii mzee kula chakula.