!lOO Contemplations. Lia.XVIII. ( evalions torhis Prophet,in her greaceft fecrefie: but now,he needs no other meanes A ofrefcue,but her owne lips' She isno leffevaine,thenthe Gods 1he fweares by: in fpight ofher fury,and her oath,andher gods, Elijah 1hallive: At once 1ha11he find her felfe fru!lrate,& forfworn. Shee is now ready to bite hertongue,toeat herhart for anger,atthe difappointment of her cruel Vow.It were no living for godly men ifthe hands ofTyrants were allowed to be as bloody as their beans. Men and Devilsare under the reftraint ofthe Almighty; neither are their delignes more lavi1h then their executions 1hort. Holy Elijah Sees from his life; we heare not of thecommand ofGod, but w<e wouldwillinglyprefuppofeit: So divine a Prophet /hould doe nothing without God: His heeles were no new refuge; As no where fafe within the tenne Tribes he Sees to Betrf/Jtba, in the territories of Iu,ah; as notthere fafe from themachi: '8 nations of Jezebel, he flees alone (one days journey) into the wilderneffe; there he fits himdowne under a Juniper Tree, and (as weary oflife,noleffe then of his way )wilhes to rife no more. It it enough norv,o Lord, take arvay m] lift, for I am not better then my fatlms ' 0 ftrange and uncouth mutation ! What is this wee heare~ Elijah fainting and giving up~ that heroicall fpirit dejeded, and proftrate~ He that durft fay to Ahabs face,It is thou,•nd thy fAthers houfo t!w mNblttb Ifr.ul; he that could raife the dead, open and 1hut the heavens, fetch downe both fire, and water with his prayers;he thatdurft chideand conteft with all Ifrael,thatdurft kill the foure hundred and fifty Baalits, with the fword;doth helhrinke at the frownes and threats ofa woman~doth he wilh to be rid ofhis life becaufe he fear"d to lofe it ~ Who can expeClan undaunted conftancy from flelh and blood, when Elijah failes~ The ftrongeft and holieft Saint upon earth is fubjed to fome qualmes C of feare, and infirmity: To be always and unchangeably good, is properonely to the glorious Spirits in heaven: Thus the wife and holy Godwill hove his power petfited in our weakneffe: It is in vaine for us whiles we carry this fle1h about us, to hope for fo exa& health, as not to be call: downe fometimes with fits offpi· ritual! diftemper .It is no new thing for holy men to wilh for death:Who caneither marvel ac,or blame the delire of advantage~Forthe wearytraveller to long for refr the prifonerfor liberty, the banifhed for home,it is fo naturall,thar the contrarydif. po!ition.were monftrous: The benefit ofthe change isa juft motive to our appetition:but to call for death out of a facicty oflife,out ofan impatience offulfering, in weakne!fe unbefeeminga Saint: It is not enough 0 Elifah, God bath more worke D yet for thee: thy God bathmore honouredtbee,thenthy fathers, and thou 1halt live to honour him. Toyle and farrow have lulled the Prophet aflcepe, under his Juniper rree 1 that wholfome lhade was well chofen, for his repofe: whiles death was called for, the couzenofdeath comes unbidden :The Angel ofGodwaits on himin that hardlodging:nowilderneffe is toofolicary forthe attendance ofthofe bleffed fpirits: As he is guarded, fo is he awaked by that Meffenger of GOD, and ftirred up from his reft, to his repaft;whiles heflept,his breakfaft is made ready for him, by chofe fpirituall hands; There was a{aktbaktdDllthe {.. Its, andacrufo ofrvAitr at his ht4d.- 0 h the neverceafing care and providenceoftheAlmighty, notto bee barred byany place, by any condition, when meanes are wantingcous,when wecare E wanting to our fclves, whento God,even then doth he follow us with his mercy and call: favours uponus, beyond, againft expedation What variey ofpurveyance doth he make for hisfervant~ One while the Raven•,thenthe Sareptan, now the Angellhal be his Cator:none ofthem without a miracle.Thofe other provided for him waking ,this fleeping : 0 GO D,thc eye ofthy providence is not dimmer, the hand of thy power is not 1horter; onely teach thou us to ferve thee, to truft thee. Needs mull: the Prophet eate, and drinke, and fleepe with much comfort, whiles he faw that he had fuch aguardian, attendance, purveyour;and now thefecond time is he raifed,by that happy couch,to his meale,and his way: A.rife a•dtAle, beca•fo th, journey is too greatfor thee. What needed he to travcllfurthcr, fit~ <!'at d1V1ne
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=