After Elijah's God. IV. That God who fo miraculoully tookhim up to himfelf at.laft, Hob. xi. 6. That God that fitted him for Heaven, and made him value faithfulnefs, and glory, more than any thing, at length remov'd him to himfelf, and plac'd him where he long'd and laboured to be. We are told; that God has a de ire to the works of his oven hand, Job xiv. t S. Which 'mirage Teems to intimate, as if God long'd to fee hisWorks in their determined perfeaion ; efpeciallyhis Favourites, 'wrought with filch skill and power, z Cor.'e. g. to Etch a glorious hate as Heaven. And what morecongruous, and expehable by Divine Contiitution and Indulgence, than that Elilab's God who was his end, lhould be his reE, and his Eternal Joy ? Pfad. xvi. 8. - --t i. How much of Miracle was in this thing, noMan can tell. This weare faire of, no one, but God, coulddo this for any ; and none but Eliah'sGod would do it for him, Heb. xi. tr , 16. III. The Inqúifstive Prophet after Elijah's God. I. It wasElßa. One whom Elijah found at the Plow ; and whom God or- dered to fucceed his Matter in his Prophetick Work, i King. xix. 16,iy. Whence Several things may be obferved ; as, ( t . ) Men lofe nothing by diligent attending upon their Calling. David was minding Sheep , when he was fent for to he Anointed King : The Shepherds were in the Fields, when the Angelick Hoff fainted them with filch joyful ty,- dings, and were diligently looking after their Flocks there. ,lmos the Prophet was among the Herdmen of Tel when God reprefented to him °ferufalem's Doom. The Eunuch was on his way returning to his Miltrefs the Ethiopian Queen, when Philip met him, by the Spirit's order, Convinc'd,Converted, and Baptiz'd him. And this Prophet was about his bnfinefswhen God conferr'd this honour upon him, to fucceed his Matter in his Prophetick llníhion and Employ- ment. ( a.) God chufes whomhe pleafesto ferve the purpofes ofhis Church andKing- dom. All are alike to him, who needeth none. All the Accomplilhments Men have ( though wonderfully various and great) they have from him. He doth not find his Instruments fit, but makes them fo, to Peron his mind and purpofe. Wit- nefs his After-Prophets, Apoilles and other Minihers. He can clear the dullett Eye ; open the clofeft Ear ; and Set at liberty the Stammering Tongue ; and or- dain great Strength for Babes and Sucklings. Mofes his backwardnefs to his ap- pointed Embafi;y, was founded upon but a trivial extufe, when hepretended that he was not Eloquent, but floss of Speech and Tongue : nor could his excufe abide the TeE, nor fatisfie himfelf ; when he was told who it was that made Man's Mouth ; and that the Lord that Pent him' was he that makes the Dumb, theDeaf, the Seeing, and the Blind; and when he was Allred that God himfelf would be with his Mouth, and teach him what he was to fay, he then provoked God to anger, by being too folicitous about his own inabilities, whenhe had been Commiflionated to go, by God, Fxod.iv. in. ---16. And when another Prophet complained that he could not fpeak, in that he was a Child ; God told him how unfit it was, for him to fay fo, feting Godal-rural him of his own prefencewithhim, jer. i. 6. ---8. (3.) God takes great care to Gill up all the Vacancies which he makes by Pro- vidence, when it maybe ferviceable to his own Deigns. Elijah goes. to Heaven, but Elsa rifes up, to do the Tranliated Prophet's Work. Thus Motes dies, but there rifes up a'fofhua to fucceed him. Nadab and 11biint are carried off, but Elea- zar and Ithamar come up in their Read. Whillt God has work to do for Pro- phets ; when Sins are neceflirily tobe reproved, and Souls to be inform'd con- verted, edifyed, andPaved ; when Solemn Worlhip is tobe preferved inExercife; and when People need their Guides ; God takescare in all SucceQeve Ages ; to fend forth Labourers ( yea, to thruft them forth ) into the Marveh. II. It was endear'd Elifhá to bis Matter, by that Mantle which fell from Elijah upon him, according to his hearts defire, a King. ii. y.---t4 Elifha lov'd him dearly, and expefed great things fromhim: Whence we may further note, ß (t.) Any
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