L1n.XVIII. Elijah runnmg before, &c. A divine power couldas well prvtetl him in theWildernelfe,as inHorcb?what needed he tocate,fince hethat meant to fu(laine him forty dayes with one meale, might as well have fu(lained himwithout it~ God is amo(l free Agent, neither will he be tyed to the termes ofhumane regularities: It is enough that he knowes and approves the reafons ofhis owne choyce and commands: o~ce in forty dayes and nights lhall Elijaheu, to teach us what God can doe with little meanes; :mdbut once, to teach us what hecandoe \~ithoutmeanes: once lhallthe Prophet eate, Man livts bJ 6nad; and but once, Man II'VtJ not by breadontly, b•t bJ every word that promds out of tht mouthofGod: M>fis, Elijah,our Saviour,fu(ledeach ofthem fortydayes,•nd f<my nights : the three great fa(lers met glorioufiy in Tabor: I doe not find where God everhonoured any man for fea(\ing: It is abfiinencc, not fulnelfe, that makes a man B capableof heavenly vilions, ofdivine glory. ' The journey was not ofit felfe fo long; the Prophet tooke tlrofe wayes, thofe houres which his heart gave him:In thevery fame Mount where.Mo{tdir(lfawGod, {bdl Elijah fee him: one and the fame cave (as is very probable) was the receptacle to both : It could not be but a greu confirmation of Elijah, to renue the fight of · thofc fenfible monuments ofGods favour,and protetlion, to his fuithfull predeceffor. Mofrs cameto fee God in the bu01 of Hmb: God came to linde Elijah in the Cave of limb: What doel\thou here Elijah~ The place was diretled by aprovidence, not bya command: Heeis hidfureenouuh from Jtztbtl: heecannot bee hid from the all-feeing eye ofGod. Whither [hat'Igoefrom thy ·'spirit? or whither fl"/1 IfiJefom thy prtftnct? If /aftendupintoHtaven, thlll4rttlmt; If/ rnake "'J be/. C in HeU, behold thou art fhtrt : If I takerhe rvings of themorninganddwell in the11trnoji parts •f tht Se., tvtn therejhalltbineband Jindt mt, andth] right ha»djhaUbold lne.- Twice bath God propounded the famequel\ion to Elijah : Once in the heart, once in the mouth of the Cave: Twice doth the Prophet anfiver, in the fame words: Had the firllanfwer fatisfied,the quc(lion had not beene re-demanded. Now; that fullen anfwer which Elijah gavein the dorkenelfe oftheCave is challenged intothe Li•hr, not without an awfull prefaee. The E.ord fir{! paffeth!Jybimwith the ierrible demon(\rations ofhis power.Agreat and (lrongwindd rent theMountaines, and brake the Rockes in pieces : Therearing bla(lwas from God, God was not in it: So was he in it, as in his other extraordinary workes; not fo in it, as by it to impart himfdfe to Elifah .- it was1'he Ulhier not the cariage 'Of God: Afm· the D winde, car,ne an Eatth-quake, more fearefull then it: That di~ but mov; the ayre, this the earth; that beat upon fomc prommences of earth, thiS lhooke 1t from the Center.AfteNheearth·quake camea liii: more fearelilll then either.Theother affetled the eare,the feeling: bt<t this lersinhorror into tlje foule,by the eye,the quickcl\ andmo(l apprchenfive ofthe fenfes. Elij•h {ball fee Godsmighty power in the e'arth, aire,firc, before he heare him in the foli voice: all1hefeare gut boHirous harliingers ofo meek, and (!ill word: lh that Go!! vas; Behold,in ihat gentle-andmilde breath there was omnipotency1 ; there was but-powerfulneffe ln ehofo fierce reprefentations:There is not alwdyes the greare(l efficacy where is the greatel\ rioife:God loves tomake way for himlelfe by ten;ouf, but he conveyes himfelretous in fweetnelfe : .It is happy for us if after the gu(ls.•nd Aafhes of the llaw, we liave heardthe [oft E voice ot Evangelicallmercy. '' 1, ·• , . "..;1, In this v~ry mount, with the fanle horror God had delivered his Law to i.f1[ts and Ifrael : It is nomarvell if Elij•l! wrapt his face in his mantle:" His Obedience drawes hinl fonh to themouth ofthe ):ave, his feare (!ill hides his bead : Had there n<lt 'beene tnuch courage in the Pr<>phets faith, he hod not 1\ood out thefe alfrightfi,ll fore-ruliners~fthe divineprelence, though with his face covered :The very Angelsdonoleife, before that-al-glorious Majel!y,then vaile themfelves with their wings: Farre b~ it from us once to thinke of that infinice, and omnipotent Deity,wichoutan humbleawfulnelfe. ' Feare changes not the tenou• of Elijahs anfwer : He bath notleft one word bebinde him in the Cave: I havebttntvery jealo114 for the L"dGod ofHofls,becmifi1ht childrm of l{rael h•veforfaken thy Covm•nt, thrown< downt thi»< Altars,•ndflaint thy I i i i i Prop/Jets, 12<01
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=