if I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea; even there shall thine hand find me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Twice hath God propounded the same question to Elijah: once in the heart, once in the mouth of the cave: twice doth the prophet answer, in the same words. Had the first answer satisfied, the question had not been redemanded. Now, that sullen answer, which Elijah gave in the darkness of the cave, is challenged into the light, not without an awful preface.

The Lord first passeth by him, with the terrible demonstrations of his power; A great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake the rocks in pieces. The tearing blast was from God; God was not in it: so was he in it, as in his other extraordinary works; not so in it, as by it to impart himself to Elijah. It was the usher, not the carriage, of God.

After the wind, came an earthquake; more fearful than it. That did but move the air; this, the earth: that beat upon some prominences of earth; this shook it from the centre.

After the earthquake, came a fire; more fearful than either. The other affected the ear, the feeling; but this lets in horror into the soul, by the eye, the quickest and most apprehensive of the senses. Elijah shall see God's mighty power in the earth, air, fire, before he hear him in the soft voice.

All these are but boisterous harbingers of a meek and still word. In that, God was. Behold, in that gentle and mild breath, there was omnipotency; there was but powerfulness, in those fierce representations. There is not always the greatest efficacy, where is the greatest noise. God loves to make way for himself, by terror; but he conveys himself to us, in sweetness. It is happy for us, if, after the gusts and flashes of the law, we have heard the soft voice of evangelical mercy.

In this very mount, with the same horror, God had delivered his law to Moses and Israel. It is no marvel, if Elijah wrapt his face in his mantle. His obedience draws him forth, to the mouth of the cave; his fear still hides his head. Had there not been much courage in the prophet's faith, he had not stood out these affrightful forerunners of the divine presence, though with his face covered. The very angels do no less, before that all-glorious Majesty, than vail themselves with their wings: far be it from us, once to think of that infinite and omnipotent Deity, without an humble awfulness.

Fear changes not the tenor of Elijah's answer. He hath not left one word behind him in the cave; I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

I hear not a direct answer from the prophet, to the demand of God: then he had said, "I run away from the threats of Jezebel ; and here I hide my head from her malicious pursuit." His guilti

ness would not let him speak out all. He would rather say, I have been jealous for the Lord God of Hosts, than, "I was fearful of Jezebel." We are all willing, to make the best of our own case. But what he wants of his own accusation, he spends upon the complaint of Israel. Neither doth he more bemoan himself, than exclaim against them, as apostates from God's covenant, violaters of his altars, murderers of his prophets. It must needs be a desperate condition of Israel, that drives Elijah to indict them before the throne of God. That tongue of his was used to plead for them, to sue for their pardon; it could not be but a forcible wickedness, that makes it their accuser.

Those idolatrous Israelites were well forward to reformation. The fire and rain from heaven, at the prayers of Elijah, had won them to a scorn of Baal: only the violence of Jezebel turned the stream; and now, they are resettled in impiety, and persecute him for an enemy, whom they almost adored for a benefactor; otherwise, Elijah had not complained of what they had been. Who would think it? Jezebel can do more than Elijah! No miracle is so prevalent with the vulgar, as the sway of authority, whether to good or evil.

Thou art deceived, O Elijah. Thou art not left alone; neither is all Israel tainted. God hath children and prophets in Israel, though thou see them not. Those clear eyes of the seer discern not the secret story of God. They looked not into Obadiah's caves; they looked not into the closets of the religious Israelites. He, that sees the heart, can say, I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. According to the fashion of the wealthy, God pleaseth himself in hidden treasures. It is enough, that his own eyes behold his riches. Never did he, never will he leave himself unfurnished with holy clients, in the midst of the foulest depravations of his Church. The sight of his faithful ones hath sometimes been lost; never the being. Do your worst, O ye gates of hell, God will have his own. He, that could have more, will have some. That foundation is sure, God knoweth who are his.

It was a true cordial for Elijah's solitariness, that he had seven thousand invisible abettors; neither is it a small comfort to our weakness, to have companions in good.

For the wickedness of Israel, God hath another receipt; the oil of royal and prophetical unction. Elijah must anoint Hazael king of Syria, Jehu king of Israel, Elisha for his successor. All these shall revenge the quarrels of God and him: one shall begin, the other shall prosecute, the third shall perfect, the vengeance upon Israel.

A prophet shall avenge the wrongs done to a prophet. Elisha is found, not in his study, but in the field; not with a book in his hand, but a plough. His father Shaphat was a rich farmer, in Abel-Meholah: himself was a good husband; not trained in the schools of the prophets, but in the thrifty trade of tillage: and behold, this was the man, whom God will pick out of all Israel, for

a prophet. God seeth not as man seeth; neither doth he choose men before they are fit, but therefore he fits them, because he hath chosen them: his call is above all earthly institution.

I hear not of ought that Elijah said: only he casts his cloke upon Elisha, in the passage. That mantle, that act was vocal. Together with this sign, God's instinct teacheth this amazed son of Shaphat, that he was designed to a higher work, to break up the fallow grounds of Israel, by his prophetical function. He finds a strange virtue in that robe; and, as if his heart were changed with that habit, forgets his team, and runs after Elijah; and sues for the leave of a farewell to his parents, ere he had but a any dumb command to follow. The secret call of God offers an inward force to the heart, and insensibly draws us beyond the power of our resistance. Grace is no enemy to good-nature. Well may the respects to our earthly parents, stand with our duties to our Father in Heaven.

I do not see Elisha wring his hands and deplore his condition, that he shall leave the world and follow a prophet, but, for the joy of that change, he makes a feast. Those oxen, those utensils of husbandry, whereon his former labours had been bestowed, shall now be gladly devoted to the celebration of that happy day, wherein he is honoured with so blessed an employment. If with desire, if with cheerfulness, we do not enter into the works of our heavenly Master, they are not like to prosper in our hands. He is not worthy of this spiritual station, who holds not the service of God his highest, his richest preferment. 1 Kings xviii, xix.

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

C. WHITTINGHAM, Printer, Dean Street.