Lia.XVJII. Elijah rPith the 'Baalites. A caking the oppo;tunity bothofthe,time,(the)uft houre ofthe e~ening facrificc)and ofthe place, • rumed altar ofGod, now by h1m repa.red, convmces Ifrael with his mir.tcle, and more cuts thefe Baalices with envy,then they had cut themfelves with their lancers. OholyProphet,why didftthou not fave this Iabor~what needed rhefe unfeafonable reparations~ Was there not an a!car,wos there not a facrifice ready prep.red to thine hand ~th~t which the Prophets of BA4l had addrelfed,fiood frill waiting for that fire frpm thee,whichthe founders chreacned in vaine:the fiones were not more impure, either for their couch, or their incenti6s:yet fuch was rhy derefiati6ofldolatry,chac thou abhorredfi to meddle with ought, which their wickednelfe had defiled: Even that altar, whofe ruines thou didftthus repaire, wasmiferel!led though to the name B ofche True God; yet didfi thou find it better to make up the breaches ofthat altar, which was mif-confecrared to the fervice of thy C';od, then eomake ufeofthat pile, which was Idolatroufly devoted to a falfegod: It cannot bebut fafe to keep aloofe from participationwith Idolaters, even in chafe things which not onely in nature, but in ufe are uncleane. Elijah I•yes twelve fi.~nes in his repaired &!tar, accordingeo the number of the Tribes ofthe fons of f.coh: Alas tenofthefe were perverted to Baal. The Prophet regards not their prefent Apoftafie; he regards the ancient covenant, chat was mlde with their father Ifrad; he regards their firfi fillion, to which he would reduce the: he knew that the unworthinelfe of Ifrad could not make God forgctfull: he would by this monument put l{rA<l in mind oftheir ownedegeneration, and forgetfulnes, C Heimploies thofe many hands forthe making a large trench round aboutthe altar; and caufes it to be filled with thofeprecious remainders ofwater, which the people would have grudgedto their ownmourhes;neither would eafily have parted With, but (as thofe that poure down a pailfull into • drie pump) in the hope of fetching more.Thealtar,the trench is full: A barrel! full is poured out for each ofthe Tribes, chat every Tribe might be afterwards replenilhed. Ahab and Ifrael areno lelfe ful of expefution; and now, vvhen Gods appointed houre ofthe evening facrifice vvas come, Elijah comesconfidcntlyto his altar, and looking up into heaven faies, L~rd God 1f AbT4ham,lf4•c,andI{rA<l, Ltt it he knowm thu da1,1halthou .,tGodin I{rael,and that 1am th1 Servwt,A»dthat I havedonoUthefe things 41 thy word: H<are me,o Lord, heare me, that thupeople may kn~M tbatth•u artlhe LordGod, •ndthattho• h-Jl turned D their he.rts haeke •g•ine. The Baalites prayers were not more tedious,then Elijahs vvas fl1ort; aod yet more pithy then lhort;chaq:ing Godwith the careofhiscovcnant,ofhisrruch,ofhis glory.It vvas Elijabthat [poke loud; Oh firongcries offaich,that pierce the heavens,& irrefillibly make theirway to the throne ofgrace: I(raelfl1al we! fee that Elijaln God who they have forfakc, is neither ralking,nor purtuing,norrravelling,nor fleeping: Inllaotly,the fire ofthe Lord fals from heaven,and c~nfumes the burnt lacrifice,the vvood,the ftones ,the duft,& licks up the water thl! vvas in the trench: With vvhat terror muilAbab ond IfrA<l needs fee this fire rolling downeout of the •kie, and alighting vvich fuch fury [o neere their heads; heads no leffe fit for this flame then . the [acrifice of Elijah: Well mightthey have thought, How cafily,might this fire E have dilated it fdfe, and have confumedour bodies, as well as the wood and fionc, andhave Iickt up our bloud,as well as that warer!l know not whetherthey had the grace to acknowledge the mercy ofGod; they could doe no lelle then confelfe his power, The LmJ i; GoJ, Tbt Lmi is God. The iron was now hot with this heavenly lire:Eiijah !la yes nottillit cooleagain; but ftrikes immcdiately:Takethe Prophets ofBaal,let Rotone ifthemefrape.This ~ager was for Iife:Hadthey prevailed in procuring this fire,and Elijah failed ofeffetl; his he•d had beene forfeited unto them : now in the contrary fuccelfe, their are Iofito him.Lct noman complain that chafe holy hwds wer< bloudy:This facrifice was no lelfe pleafing to God,thenthat other.Both theman and theati were extraordinary, and led by a peculiar infiintl : Neither doth the Prophet t his without the alfent of he fupreme Magifirate, wh.o was.now fo affel!ed with thismiraculous wbrke,that he 1197
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