'The ~pture of Elijah. A offered) over-awed him; orwhether now at !aft, upon the light and hearingofthis nun ofGod,the Kings heart began to relent, and checke it (elfe for that linne, for which heewas iuftly reproved, I know not; bur fure I am, the Prophecgoesaway uncouched,ndcherthc furious purpofesof Ahaziah,nor thcexafperationsofa Ier.e6el can hurt that Prophet, whom God bath intended to a fiery Chariot: The hearts ofKings are not their owne: Subjects are not fo much in their hands,asrhey are in their Makers: how eafily can God came the fiercene!fe of any creature, and in the midft of their moll heady carcere, !lop them on the fudden, and fetch them upon the knees of their humble fubmiffion~ lt is good trufting God with theevents of his owne commands; who can at pleafure eitheravert evills, or improve them to good. ' B According to the word of the Prophet, Ahar.iah dies : not two whole yeares dmh hee lie in the Throneoflfrael; which he now mull yeeld(in thewant ofchildren) to his brmher.Wickedne!fdhorcens his reigne;he h•dtoo much of Ahab,and 'fezt6el, to expect the bteffing, either of kngch,or profperity of government: As alwayes in the other, fo oft-times in this world dothGod teftify his anger to wick· rd men: Some live long, that they may aggravate their judgement;othersdie foon, that<heymay haften ir. CJ""he ~pture ifELIJ A H. iJOngand happily bath Elijah fought theW3ts ofhis God;and nowafter his noble,and glorious victories, God will fend him a chanot of Triumph: Not !uddenly would God fnatch away his Prophet without w:uning,withomexpetbtion; buc acquaints himbefore·hand wich che detennination ofhis glory. How full of heavenly joy was the foule of Elijah, whileshe fore-knew, and lookt forthis inftant happineffe?Wich wlm con· «mpt did he call his eyes upon that earth, which he was now prefently to leave~ With what ravifhment ofan inward pleafure did he look ~pontha.' heaven which he was to enjoy~ Fora meet farewell totheearth,Eiijah will goevtfit the fchooks of the Prophets before his departure: Thefewere in his way: Of any part ofthe earth they were neareft unto heaven: In an holy progreffe therefore he walkes his b!l round,from Gilgal(neare::f.rdan)to Bethe: fro B<thel,to fericho,from 'fmcho to D 'ford.,, againe.ln a! thefe facred Colleges of Divines,he meant to leave the legacy ofhis love,counfel, confirmotion,bleffing.How happy a thing it is, whileswe are uponearth co improveour time and gifts to the bell behoofe of Gods Church~and after the affurance ofour own ble!Thdneffe,to helpothers to the fame heaven~ But, 0 God,who can but wonder at the courfe ofthy wife and powerfulladminiftrations;Even inthe midft ofthe degeneration, and ldolatries of lfracl haft thoureferved to thy felfe whole focieties of holy Prophets ; and out ofchafe finfull & revolted Tribes,haft raifcd the cvvogreatmiracles ofProphets,Eiijah & Elifo•, in an immediatefucceflion:'ft~dah it felfunder a religious ::fehofhaphat ,yeelded not fo emi• nent & cleerely illuminated fpirits:The mercy ofour provident God wil neither be confined nor excluded: neither confined to the places of publike profeffion, nor exE eluded from the depraved Congregations of his own people; where he hathloved, he cannot eafily be eftranged:Rather,where fin abounds,his grace•boundechmuch more; and raifeth fa much ftronger he!pes, as he fees the dangers greater. Happy was Elifo• in the attendance offogracious aMafter, and the more happy that he knowes it:Faine would Elijah fhake himoffatGilgal,ifnot there,at B<th<l;if not yet there,ac:fericho. A privatemeffage(onwhich Elijdhmull goalone)is pretended, from the Lord: whether fhall we fay the Prophet did this forthe<ryall ofthe con.ftant affe~lion of his careful! and diligent fervant;or,thatit was concealed from Eltjah that hts departure was revealed ro Elifha : Pethaps he that knew ofhis own recxption intoheaven,didnot knowwhat wicne!fes would be allowed that miraculous act : and now his humblemodefty affected a filent and un·noted paffage; Even . Lllll · ]Jiifoa
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