each other; but still this did not constitute the and exclaimed to him, "Thy name shall be called greatest evil: the disorder within was a thousand no more Jacob but Israel, for as a prince hast thou times worse. Jeroboam commenced his reign by power with God and with men, and hast prevailed ? " * establishing new religious rites in his kingdom, and Knowest thou the appearance in the burning thornthis from political motives; for he feared, if the bush at the foot of Horeb, and that wondrously people should still remain in connexion with the bright Presence of which the Father spoke to Moses temple and rights at Jerusalem, that they would be in the wilderness: "I will not go up in the midst of very likely to rebel against him by degrees, and to thee, but my Presence shall go with thee, and I will return under the sceptre of the house of David. He give thee rest?" Knowest thou the living Rock therefore caused an imitation to be made of the which sojourned through the wilderness towards golden cherubims of the temple, changed the fixed Canaan, and the Prince over the host of God, period of some of the festivals, and chose priests out adorned with shining armory, who appeared to of all the tribes of the people at his pleasure, without | Joshua by Jordan, and was the sword of his victory confining himself to the tribe of Levi. These rites, and the shield of his help? Knowest thou him? contrary to the law, grew into an open idolatry, when, His name is Christ. He is the Lord God of Israel. in the year 900 before Christ, King Ahab, the Before him stand the thousands of thousands, before cowardly and inconsistent slave of his blood-thirsty him the angels whom he makes like the winds, the wife, Jezebel, ascended the throne of the kingdom of servants whom he makes like flames of fire, before Israel. Upon the instigation of this impious daughter him stood Elijah. of heathenism from Sidon, the worship of Baal became fully established as the religion of the country, and the worshippers of the true God were persecuted with fire and sword.

Alas, the sad and evil times which now came in apace! Alas, the dismal night which spread itself around the country! Alas, the wickednesses and abominations which sprung up on every side! Gloomy temples of idolatry reared their structures in all parts and places; heathenish altars, red with the blood of massacred prophets and children of God, scoffed at the MOST HIGH, and challenged him to wrath and vengeance. The grossest injustice sat upon the throne, the most infamous arbitrariness was adopted as policy and constitutional maxim. All the mountains and hills, woods and groves, houses and huts, were polluted with the most revolting practices of pagan immorality and shamelessness. The devil seemed to have removed his residence out of hell to the earth with the view of obscuring the sun of heaven with the smoke and vapour of the most detestable idolatry. And now, behold, such are the times, such the dreadful combination of things under which we meet Elijah, the man of God, as if set in a dark frame. The realm of Ahab and Jezebel is the gloomy stage upon which he enters in the name of God, and where we shall see him act. A tyrannical prince, a blood-thirsty despot of a woman, a people grown insane, and a great number of haughty priests of falsehood, form the field which he shall cultivate.

How will the man of God act amongst such a depraved and perverse generation? What trials will he meet upon this turbulent ocean? How will he surmount such walls, bulwarks, and mountains? All this we shall learn subsequently, and each moment shall feel ourselves called upon, strengthened in faith, to exclaim with joy, "The Lord is God, the Lord is God."

"Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee." Thus spake the Queen of Sheba to Solomon. But here is a greater one than Solomon. And how much more happy are the servants who stand before the God of Israel unshaken. But none stands before him in his own strength. Those whom he permits to stand before him stand upon his footing, stand in his strength, stand in his righteousness and beauty. For he bears an iron rod, and strikes to the ground all who dare attempt to appear before him on their own grounds, to look up to him in their own strength, to lift up the head in their own righteousness and power. He likes it not. But to the worm in the dust, to the poor stripped sinner lying in his blood, he says, 66 Arise, stand before me, look boldly into my face, and be thou not afraid." Whoever desires to stand before him, and to lift up head and front towards him, must first have lain in the dust before him, and must have writhed and wrung himself. How often may Elijah have lain on the ground among the mounts of Gilead; how many tears may he have shed in solitary caves and caverns, before he could say, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth before whom I stand!" Elijah was a man reconciled to God in Christ Jesus the Messiah, and vested with his righteousness. This is given in his words, "I stand before the Lord God of Israel."

This is confirmed by the circumstance that it was he whom Christ, after a lapse of almost a thousand years, honoured, with Moses, to be a witness of his transfiguration on mount Tabor. But the standing before the Lord expresses yet somewhat else than the condition of being reconciled in general. It signifies also a particular relation to God. The expressions, "I stand before the Lord," and "the Lord standeth before me," signify a double condition. It is requisite that both may be said of all the children of God. But with some the former, II. Let it suffice, for the present, of Elijah's ex-with others the latter, has become a more predomiternal circumstances and position; and let us now cast a glance also into his internal life, namely, his relation to God. This he points out himself in the words of our text, saying, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand." Elijah stood before the God of Israel: this was his spiritual tendency and position, this the character of his inward life. Who is the God of Israel-dost thou ask? Knowest thou the Angel who comforted Abraham in the plain of Mamre, and the mysterious Man who wrestled with Jacob until break of morn,

nant feature. For this reason, the ancient mystics frequently discern between the apostolic Christian, namely, he who is outwardly more zealous for the honour of the Lord, and the contemplative Christian, who lives more within himself. The Lord standeth before me when his blessed form and being enter into my inward soul, when I bear his cross and wounds before the eyes of my faith, and, as it were, imbibe into me his affability-when I lose myself

* Gen. xxxii. 28.

in blissful contemplation of his excellency and grace, are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain :" of his works and miracles, and in silence enjoy the and "Amen!" was pronounced from above into view of his sacrifice, and the merit of his blood; en- his soul. "Amen, so be it, and be it given into joy and refresh myself by the cool brink of his per- thy hands to shut up and to open the heavens." petual concessions and promises. Then the Lord This amen of the living God Elijah seized like a standeth before me, and, if this has become the pre-sword into his hand. Relying upon this amen, he dominant tendency of my inward life, I may in pre-announces dearth upon the land with the assurance of ference be called a contemplative and an inward Chris- a god. The whole nature of Samaria seemed to tian. On the other hand, I stand before the Lord, shake her head at it, and to laugh at his denunciawhen I desire above all things that the will of the tion. The luxuriant fields and meadows, and the Lord be at all times clearly manifested unto me, and rich pastures, moistened by springs all around, exfrom one moment to another I may not do anything claimed with one voice, “Elijah, thou shalt not sucbut what may please him, and serve to promote his ceed!" The many hundreds of purling brooks and honour. When I keep my eyes firm, and put them rivulets flowing through the country, and the humid on the watch to explore the signals of my king, and mountains which form and attract the clouds, everyprick up the ears of my spirit to hear his voice and thing seemed to have combined to convert his words commands, within myself and without me. When I into a falsehood. But Elijah was not confounded; long after his intimations in order to run the course he held the amen of his God in the hand of faith; of his commandments, and my soul, zealous for the and what farther had he to trouble himself with nacause and the honour of the Lord, is ready without ture, semblance, and reason. He silenced the "no" ceasing to repeat the words, "Lord, declare thy will of the springs, brooks, and clouds, with his "yes;" unto me. Thou hearest my calls and cries, O Lord, and, where every thing pointed to luxuriance, there, by day and night; what willest thou, O Lord, that I he said, "As the Lord liveth, it shall be dearth." should do?" Then I stand before the Lord. And, if this be my predominant character, I belong to the Chritisans who are generally called the apostolic, the actively effective Christians.

Both could be said of Elijah, as of all the children of God; but his prevailing feature was that which he points out himself in our text. He stood before the Lord. To be an instrument of divine will, to the sanctification and glorification of his name, was his ardent desire; and his spiritual eye, as well as his ear, could, with the watchman in Isaiah, say, "My Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the day-time, and I am set in my ward whole nights." His life was a lying in wait for the voice of God, which he sought in the thunder and in the storm as well as in the gentle breezes of the air. He listened to it in the vicissitudes of his life, as well as in the inward emotions of his soul; and, if he even walked and travelled, his travelling notwithstanding was a stopping and watching. He pursued his course under the open canopy of heaven, he passed his days in the presence of his Eternal King, and his watchword was, "Lord, speak! thy servant heareth!" Such was Elijah, by the grace of God, and thus he stood before the Lord God of Israel.

III. Now let us cast our view over to Samaria, the idolatrous city. Here stands the man of God in the midst of his enemies, facing the tyrant Ahab, and opens his mouth, and, bold and free in God, exclaims that the ears of the people ring again, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word." Elijah, what art thou about? What a daring! Is not this hazarding the honour of God? Will not people scoff at Him, and thee also, if what thou hast announced, should be withheld? Indeed, Elijah is not afraid of this. He is sure of what he is doing.

But, how could Elijah predict these things? Elijah, replete with holy zeal for the honour of his God, was inwardly convinced that such a judgment of correction and chastisement upon the eclipsed country might melt again the hardened souls, and be able to re-establish the glory of the Lord. He brought this affair before the Lord, as we are told by St. James, at the conclusion of his epistle: "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we

Thus, also, believe thou in the amen which thou hast once received in thy heart from God concerning thy state of grace, and his adoption of thee. Do not be baffled either by thy doubting nature, or by the weakness of thy flesh; either by thy hesitating conscience, or by the devil, the spirit that constantly denieth. Remain firm in thy faith in the amen once given to thee by God; and persist in it, as the Lord God of Israel liveth and existeth for ever, nothing can condemn me any longer, nor sever me from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

"As the Lord liveth before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word!" Elijah said it, and heaven and earth changed their form. Heaven grew like unto brass and iron, and its efficacy was withdrawn. Like a fever, the word of the prophet fell into the bowels of the earth, withering and singeing; and every thing that was in bloom and verdure faded away, and every thing that purled and flowed evaporated into nothing, and every thing that possessed breath was bent to the ground, panting and languishing. There was neither dew nor rain for the space of three years and six months, This was effected by the word of a miserable human being; but certainly of a being who stood in alliance, and in unity of will, with the Omnipotent. And I say unto you, you might do these works also, and greater works than these, provided you have faith. The children of God govern, reign, judge, and rule, with Jehovah. This will be made perfectly clear in the next world, where we shall have the power with but a single word to extinguish constellations, and to create new worlds, and to do whatever we please. Whatever we please? Yes, certainly, because then we shall desire nothing but what the Lord willeth!

Let us conclude. O thou congregation, blessed by the Lord, verily, verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt fare no better than the countries Samaria and Israel if the heights are not removed, the groves extirpated, and the Baalim crushed by times, before whom, even thou, alas! still, for the greater part, in secret or openly, bendeth thy knee. Ah, does it not seem as if heaven had already begun to close also upon us. How sparingly falls the spiritual dew; how few do arise from the dead; and a right fall of heavenly rain has not been heard for a long time

now in our valley. What means this? Has, perhaps, an Elijah appeared among us with his, "As the Lord liveth, there shall not be dew nor rain these years." Or does Elijah sleep, forgetting to re-open that which is closed? Congregation of God, flock of Israel, people of his possession, ye are Elijah? Your tongue is also formed to create clouds and rain, and is a staff that bursts open gates of iron. Oh, do not sleep, for the prayer of the righteous avails much if it be an earnest prayer. Go, pray, pray for dew and water upon the dearth, and then announce it from the amen of your heart. "The dearth will soon be at an end; get ye up, and eat and drink, and be merry, for there is a sound of abundance of rain." The Lord grant it in mercy! Amen.

forward."*

mine unbelief!" the Lord was, with a Father's care about to appease the storm in his heart, and it was appeased by the call, "Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward."

We have a God, my beloved, who is perfectly at home in the depths of our heart: his eyes, with illuminating power, constantly traverse the chambers of our souls, and penetrate into the most secret recesses of our being. Even before we have ourselves discovered and complained of our distresses and misery to him, he is already preparing our help and rescue. He looks upon our misery as if it were a prayer, and hearkens-not unto us; no, but-unto our misery. For, what his children stand in need of, what is useful and necessary to them, is strictly known to him at all times, and far better known to him than it is to themselves; and truly he never guides them otherwise than they themselves would implore to be guided by him, were they able to appreciate their own hearts and wants, as he does. But we know in a very few cases only what is beneficial to us, and, therefore, are the ways which the Lord leads us for the most part mysterious and obscure from the very reason, because the "why are hidden from us. Yet, however and wherefore" hard and cruel, and however purposeless, our guidances may appear to us at times, still they are in reality nothing less than evident answers, if not to our immediate prayer, at least to our distress and to our yet unperceived wants. They are all in all the ways of mercy, and their design is purely salvation and blessing.

How astonished must the man of God have been at this call; and how much greater must their astonishment have been, when the people also heard it. Neither crying nor sighing proceeded from the mouth of the prophet; but, on the contrary, firm "Moses, wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak and collected, he zealously engaged in comforting to the children of Israel that they go forward!" and encouraging Israel with earnest effort, forcibly Thus the Lord. What a charge! "Lord, seest holding out to them the promises with which the thou not the sea at our feet, and how fiercely the Great God who is the "Amen," blessed for ever, breakers roar?" "They shall go forward!" "Lord, had solemnly bound himself to be their protection can our feet traverse waves also, and pass over and their succour. "Fear ye not," he exclaimed to whirlpools?" "They shall go forward!" "Lord, the collected masses. "Stand still, and see the salva- Lord, where then is the bridge thou hast construction of the Lord, which he will show to you to-day;ted, or where are the boats? Willest thou, O Lord, for the Egyptians whom ye have seen this day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." And, while he thus spake to the multitude, himself apparently so strong, so heroic, and so blessed in his God, the word, came from the Lord, "Moses, wherefore criest thou unto me?"

Moses alone was capable of comprehending this divine call. And he did comprehend it. It is true no cries had escaped his mouth, but his heart cried the louder, and though outwardly he was energetic, courageous, and intrepid like a young hero for the people's sake that they do not despair; but, alas, how different was the man of God within. There was storm and danger, perplexity, and great fear. His faith struggled in hot conflict with the waves of the sea, which impetuously broke in upon him, threatening to overwhelm and bury him in their gulfs. Though the promises of his God seemed like a rock beneath his feet, and a sceptre in his right hand, they fell, alas, into his soul like beams of the moon into the greatly agitated mirror of an ocean, broken and unsettled, without any fixed shape. The Lord indeed saw how Moses felt; and, ere Moses had found time or space to complain to his God, and to address him with, "I believe, O Lord; help thou

Ex. xlv. 15,

shall thy people perish in the raging elements, and Mizraim blaspheme thy name?" "Speak to them that they go forward!" says the Almighty; but, as yet, he does not touch a single wave to curb or rebuke it; he does not, as yet, uncover the bottom of the sea, but lets the waters roar over it at will, and, pointing to the wild commotion, he exclaims, "Go forward! go forward!" They shall venture upon his word, they shall believe before they see, and proceed in security. They venture it; and, behold, at the very moment when they prepare to go forward in the name of their God the billows, stricken by the staff of the prophet, divide and separate, heaping themselves on both sides like walls, leaving a dry passage in the midst, and Israel, shouting with joy, marches over. This is the way of our loving God. We have to venture upon his word; and, truly, there is no risk in aught we venture in his name. Should he command us to go forward, were it even into the midst of fire, tempest, and ocean, let us proceed in confidence; every thing shall have a glorious end. Truths of the most consoling kind, such as these, we shall find also confirmed to-day in the history of our Prophet.

1 KINGS, XVII. 2-6.

"And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, 'Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook

Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be that thou and was buried with the Philistines under one shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens word of the Lord; for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the brook."

crush. Verily, it was no easy matter to remain firm in faith in such a situation, and under such circumstances. How may not his inward man have been agitated in the midst of the universal misery around him? How natural compassion, human fear, and O, what a sweet and cooling spring it is that purls despairing, may not have cried by turns within him, in this part of history, for all who have to tread the "Elijah, wherefore hast thou prayed for this?" paths of Elijah, and to bear his cross. Come and Yes, we can, indeed, easily imagine what perplexity approach then, ye that live in the desert and in soli- and bewilderment the prophet may have endured. tude, under the shadows and horrors of the wilder- His exalted joy was probably well nigh at its close, ness. Bring with you pitchers; fill and drink, that and he had no other prop left him save the naked there be an end to your wants and sorrows. The faith in the "Amen" of his God, and the consciousperplexity of Elijah, the command of God, the faithness that "It is done in the name of God, and God of the prophet, and the reward of his faith, are the objects to which we will at present direct our attention.

christ that the last pillars of their ancient ecclesi-
astical constitution were to be shaken, in order to
convert the church of Jesus into a political establish-
ment. Even some of the worthy pastors forgot
themselves so far, and gave such unlimited bounds
to the Spirit of God, that they freely and frankly con-
fessed they could no longer conscientiously continue
members of such a church. The word was uttered,
and the brand thrown into the mine. Who could
fetch it back? The people were in the greatest ex-
citement. Many, when the sermon was ended, has-
tened straightways to their preachers, and declared
their determination to separate themselves from such
a church.
Others were undecided and .perplexed.
The greatest part however cursed, abused, and
threatened to stone, the brave witnesses. The secular
tribunal came upon them at last, with exclusion,
imprisonment, and exile. Such consequences the
worthy men did not anticipate.

Where it is possible first to sit down and weigh the result, do so by all means. But who will attempt it where it is impossible? It cannot, therefore, be reduced to a general rule. The lion roars; and who shall not be afraid? The Lord, the Lord speaketh; and who shall not prophecy? The stream rushes along; and who shall impede its course? The love. of Christ impels; and who shall prevent it? The Spirit carries away; and who shall check it? Whatever we must do, we must; and, even should evil follow, "we know that we were bound to do it; God hath commanded it, and not our flesh." And with this faith many things are already overcome. And you may depend upon it that, if the arm of God be at the service of any, they are assuredly those who, upon his, " Come here," go overboard with a willing and obedient spirit, without consulting their flesh and blood, but upon his word thrust themselves into Consternation sur-the turbulent waves. This we learn from the example of our prophet.

prised them like an armed man. The fervent zeal which had impelled them in their pulpits, in which they regarded God only, and his cause, without thinking of themselves or their own lives, soon became as if it had been extinguished in the turbulence of these waves of affliction, so that they could only say, "If we had but foreseen the consequences we had rather remained quiet." They had nothing left them but the conviction, "It was God that commanded us, for our prudence intended it otherwise." And this belief that God had willed it thus is the pilgrim staff on which they rest in confidence and security in their travels through foreign countries, though sorrow and sighing may assail them at times. And they have been most wonderfully preserved through all their troubles even to this day, neither shall this preservation fail them for the future. What has occurred to these men in a general way happens to thousands of Christians in a more limited one, thus or otherwise. Here a person is urged by the spirit of love to carry, without farther reflection, for Christ's sake, his whole possession unto a brother in difficulty; but when, on his return home, the consequences of his action manifest themselves either in his own hunger, or that of his children, or in other embarrassments, the joy departs, and the heart is stricken.

Another, impelled by holy zeal, comes forth, at length, after a long restraint, amongst his relations and friends, with an open and free confession of Jesus the crucified, and sometimes with an earnest call to repentance. But, when it is done, and he perceives what a fire of enmity his word has kindled around him, and that he has even disturbed the peace and unity of his house, his zeal disappears, and he becomes wretched at heart. Yet, what is to be done? Shall he recall? That he neither can nor dare, for the sake of his Lord; he must suffer the fire to burn.

II. Elijah did not remain long thus abandoned and left to himself with his oppressed heart. At the very moment when he was quite destitute of counsel, the counsel appeared; and, when he saw no outlet, the gates were opened. This is the common course of events. "The word of the Lord," we hear, "came unto him, saying."-O how pleasing a call in the land of devastation and misery! For if the word of God visit us, it is the visit of God's eternal love and mercy; for the word of God is Christ. Nothing is more agreeable at any time than the manifestation and visit of Christ. But agreeable and welcome beyond measure is it, when we have undertaken something in his name; and, lo! through it, may have kindled a fire which threatens to consume ourselves as well as others; when we have ventured a step upon his bidding, the consequences of which are of such a nature as to induce doubt as to whether it be done really according to his will. Uncertainty in such a case is unspeakably tormenting, and heightens our distress and perplexity to the utmost extreme. But how do we not welcome him when, under such circumstances, he knocks unawares again at our door, and lets us again hear the sweetness of his voice; when by some means he gives us again to understand that we have done right, and works something for us which removes every doubt concerning his full consent to our deed, and, either by a visible evident assistance, or by an inward favour and encouraging assurance of our adoption, giving an unequivocal sign that he is not angry with us, but disposed towards us with the full affection of his heart, and shows that what we have undertaken is praiseworthy, and deserves his approbation. O, the joy then surpasses every thing; and, should the external distress still remain as before, this joy enables us to bear it.

We read, "the word of the Lord came unto Elijah," and not that Elijah applied to the Lord. A third is urged, in overflowing joy, to pray the Yes, his loving kindness does indeed extend so far Lord to unite him more closely with himself; and, as to call upon his children even uninvited, and if it cannot be done by gentle means, to send him with his counsel to anticipate their petitions; for sufferings. The sufferings arrive, the waters of afflic-he does not always wait for their prayer, nor is the tion come roaring upon him; but, alas! affliction, when it is present, no longer seemeth to him joyous, but grievous. The joyful fervour with which he prayed is spent now, and he would willingly withdraw his supplication, and his heart is complaining and sorrowful.

Shall, then, nothing be undertaken without having first considered the consequences? My answer is,

saying always correct, that distress induces man to pray. Alas! what confusion often arises when the floods of affliction rush suddenly over our heads, or threatening dangers environ us. Then one looks to the wind, another to the billows, a third seizes the rudder of his own strength, and a fourth the brittle anchor of human hope; but the "Lord, awake!" is almost forgotten; and, should the Lord