[ontemflations. Lrn. XIX. Elifbaknew fomething that w~s hid fro his Mafrer,nowupon the threfhold of hca- A ven:No meere creature was ever made ofthe wholecoun!ell ofthc Hiaheft, Some things have been difclofed to babes&novie<s,that have been cl <>fed up to the moft wife & judicious:In natural fpeculations the greater wir,and deeper judgement !I ill caries it;but inthe revelations ofGod, the favour of his choice fwaies all, not the powerofour apprjhen!ion:TheMa!lermaybothcommandand intreat his fervants !lay,in vaine: Elijha mull be pardoned this holy and zealous difobedience, As the Lordlivtth,and tU thy (o11le liveth,Iwillnot leave thee: His Ma!lermay be withd~awn from him,he wil not be 1Vithdr£wn from his Ma!ler.He knew toot the blefling was at the parting; and ifhe had diligently attended all his life, and now !lacked in the !aft a&, he had loll the reward ofhis ferv.ice. The evening praifes the day, and tbe chiefegrace ofthetheateris in the !all Scene: Befaithf11iltolhe dtafh, and I willgive B thee a Crorfl11to{ lift. That Elijah fhould be tran!lated,&what day he fhouldbe tran!lated,God would have no fecret:The fonnes ofthe Prophets at Bethel,atfericho,both know it,& ask ·Elifba ifhe knew it not : Kn01vej/ thon th41 the Lordwill take away thy Majler from thy h.-d th11 day~ and he anfwered, rea,t know it,hoiJyeeyo11r peace. How familiarly .;loe thefe Prophets inter-knowone another~ How kindly doe they communicate their vi !ions~ Se!dome ever was any knowledge given to keep,but to impm:The grace ofthis rich Jewel! is loll in concealement. The removal! of an Elijah is fo important a bu!ines,that it is not lit to be done without noife:Many Out hav-e their flJare in his loffe: he mull be miffed on the flldden: it was meetthereforethatthe world fuould know his raptute fhould be divine and glorious. I doe not finde where the C day ofany naturall death is notified to fomany: by how moch more WQnder there was inthis Affumption,by fo much more fha\1 it be fore· revealed. It is enough for ordinary occurrents to be known by their event: fupernltura\1 thlngs have need of premonition,that mens hearcs may be both prepared for theirreceit,and confirme<l in their certainty. Thrice was ElijiJA intreated, thrice hath he denied to flay behind his now-departingMafler; on whom both his eyes and his thoughts :ne fo fixed,that he cannot give allowance fomuch as to the in~erpellation ofaque!lion of his fellow-Prophets: Togethenherefore are this wonderfull paire come to the !all ftageoftheirfeparation,the.bankesof f.rdan . Thofe that vvere not admittedeo be attendants ofthe journey, yet will not be debarred from being fpe&ators of fo marvellous an iiTue. Fiftymen of the fonnes of the Prophets, vventand flood to view afarre off;! marvel! there vvere no more:How could any fon ofthe Prophets D flay within the Colledge vvalsthat day:when he knewwhat was meant to Elijahi' Perhaps,though they knew that to be the Prophets !all day; yet they might thinke hisdifparition fhould be fudden,and infen!ible; be!ides,they found how much hee affeCted fecrecy in this intended departure: yet the fifty Prophets of :Jericho vvill make proofe of theireyes, and with much intention affay vvho !hall have the l•fl light of Elijah. Miracles are not purpofed to !ilenceand obfcutity: God will not vvorkvvonders vvithout vvime!fes; !ince he doth them on purpofe to win glory to his name,his end were fru!lrace withom their noti,e. Even fo, 0 Saviour, when thou had!lraifedthy!elfe from the dead, thou would!! be fecn of more then five hundred brethrenat once; andwhen thou wouldftraife up thy glorified body from E earth into Eeaven, thoudid!l not afcend from fome clofe valley, but from the Mount ofOlives. not in the night, not alone, but in the cleare day, inthe view of many eyes; whiJh were fo fixed upon that point of thine heaven that they could fcarce be removed by the check ofAngels. fordan mull be croffed by Elija/; in his way to heaven:There muft be ameet parallel betwixt the twogreat Prophets,that !hall meet Chn!l uponT•bor;Mofts and Ellas,Both received vi!ionson Hortb, to both God appeared there in fire, and other formes otterrour;both were fent tO Kings,one to PharaDh, the other to A!Jah: Both prepJted miraculous Tables,the one of~ailesand Manna in the Defe:c,~he other ofmeale and oyle in S•rtpta: Both opened heaven,the one for t~at no.unfhm~ dew, the other forchofe refrefhing fhowers : Both revenged ldolames wuh the I word, the
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