Works of Joseph Hall, Part 48
ELIJAH with the Baalites.
THree yeares and an halfe, did Iſrael lie gaſping vnderunder a patrhing drought, and miſerable famine: No creature was ſo odious to them, as Elijah, to whom they aſcribed all their miſery; Me thinkes I heare how they railed on, and curſed the Prophet; How much enuy muſt the ſeruants of God vndergoe for their maſters? Nothing but the tongue was Elijahs, the hand was Gods; the Prophet did but ſay what God would doe: I doe not ſee them fall out with their ſins, that had deſerued the iudgement, but with the meſſenger that denounced it; Baal had no fewer ſeruants then if there had beene both raine, and plenty: Elijah ſafely ſpends this ſtorme vnderunder the lee of Sarepta, Some three yeares hath he lien cloſe in that obſcure corner, and liued vponupon the barrell, and cruſe which he had multiplied: At laſt, God cals him forth, Goe ſhew thy ſelfe to Ahab, and I will ſend raine vponupon the earth; no raine muſt fall till Elijah were ſeen of Ahab; Hee caried away the clouds with him, he muſt bring them againe: The King, the people of Iſrael, ſhall bee witneſſes that God will make good the word, the oath of his Prophet; Should the raine hauehave falne in Elijahs abſence, who could hauehave knowne it was by his procurement? God holds the credit of his meſſengers precious, and neglects nothing that may grace them in the eyes of the world; Not the neceſſity of ſeuen thouſand religious Iſraelites could cracke the word of one Elijah; There is nothing wherin God is more tender, then in approuing the veracity of himſelfe in his miniſters.
Lewd Ahab hath an holy Steward; As his name was, ſo was hee, a ſeruant of God, whiles his Maſter was a ſlaue to Baal. Hee that reſerued ſeuen thouſand in the Kingdome of Iſrael, hath reſerued an Obadiah in the Court of Iſrael: and, by him, hath reſerued them: Neither is it likely there had been ſo many free hearts in the countrey, if Religion had not beene ſecretly backed in the Court; It is a great happineſſe when God giues fauour, and honour to the Vertuous. Elijah did not lie more cloſe in Sarepta, then Obadiah did in the Court; Hee could not hauehave done ſo much ſeruice to the Church, if he had not beene as ſecret, as good; Policy and religion doe as well together, as they doe ill aſunder: The Doue without the Serpent is eaſily caught; the ſerpent without the Doue ſtings deadly; Religion without policy is too ſimple to be ſafe: Policy, without religion, is too ſubtile to be good; Their match makes themſelues ſecure, and many happy.
Oh degenerated eſtate of Iſrael; any thing was now lawfull there, ſauing piety; It is well if Gods Prophets can find an hole to hide their heads in; They muſt needes bee hard driuen when fifty of them are faine to croud together into one caue; There they had both ſhade and repaſt: Good Obadiah hazards his owne life to preſerue theirs; and ſpends himſelfe in that extream dearth, vponupon their neceſſary diet; Bread and water was more now, then other whiles wine, and delicates; Whether ſhall we wonder more at the mercy of God in reſeruing an hundred Prophets, or in thus ſuſtaining them being reſerued; When did God euer leaue his Iſrael vnfurniſhed of ſome Prophets? When did he leaue his Prophets vnprouided of ſome Obadiah? How worthy art thou, O Lord, to be truſted with thine owne charge? whiles there are men vponupon earth, or birds in the aire, or Angels in heauen, thy meſſengers cannot want prouiſion.
Goodneſſe caries away truſt, where it cannot hauehave imitation. Ahab diuides with Obadiah the ſuruey of the whole land; They two ſet their owne eyes on work, for the ſearch of water, of paſture, to preſerue the horſes, and mules aliue: Oh the poore and vaine cares of Ahab; He caſts to kill the Prophet, to ſaue the cattle; he neuer ſeekes to ſaue his owne ſoule, to deſtroy Idolatry; he takes thought for graſſe, none for mercy: Carnall hearts are euer either groueling on the earth, or delving into it; no more regarding God, or their ſoules, then if they either were not, or were worthleſſe.
Elijah heares of the progreſſe, and offers himſelfe to the view of them both; Here was wiſdome in this courage; Firſt, hee preſents himſelfe to Obadiah, ere he will bee ſeene of Ahab; that Ahab might vponupon the report of ſo diſcreet an informer, digeſt the expectation of his meeting; Then he takes the opportunity of Ahabs preſence, when he might be ſure Iezebel was away.
Obadiah meets the Prophet, knowes him, and (as if he had ſeene God in him) fals on his face to him, vvhom he knew his maſter perſecuted: Though a great Peere, hee had learned to honor a prophet. No reſpect was too much for the preſident of that ſacred colledge; To the poore boarder of the Sareptan, here was no leſſe, then a proſtration, and My Lord Elijah, from the great High Steward of Iſrael; Thoſe that are truely gracious cannot be niggardly of their obſeruances to the meſſengers of God.
Elijah receiues the reuerence, returnes a charge; Goe tell thy Lord, Behold Elijah is here: Obadiah finds this lode too heauy; neither is he more ſtriken with the boldnes, then with the vnkindneſſe of this command; boldneſſe in reſpect of Elijah; vnkindneſſe in reſpect of himſelfe: For, thus he thinkes, If Elijah do come to Ahab, he dies; If he doe not come, I die; If it bee knowne that I met him, and brought him not, it is death; If I ſay that he will come voluntarily, and God ſhall alter his intentions, it is death: How vnhappy a man am I, that muſt be either Elijahs executioner, or my own: were Ahabs diſpleaſure but ſmoking, I might hope to quēch it, but now that the flame of it hath broken forth to the notice, to the ſearch of all the Kingdomes and Nations round about, it may conſume me, I cannot extinguiſh it; This meſſage were for an enemy of Elijah; for a client of Baal; As for me, I hauehave well approued my true deuotion to God, my louelove to his Prophets: What hauehave I done, that I ſhould be ſingled out either to kill Elijah, or to be killed for him? Many an hard plunge muſt that man needs be driuen to, who would hold his conſcience together with the ſeruice, and fauor of a Tyrant: It is an happy thing to ſerue a iuſt maſter; there is no danger, no ſtraine in ſuch obedience.
But, when the Prophet bindes his reſolution with an oath, and cleares the heart of Obadiah from all feares, from all ſuſpicions, the good man dares bee the meſſenger of that, which he ſaw was decreed in heauen? Doubtleſſe Ahab ſtartled to heare of Elijah comming to meet him; as one that did not more hate, then feare the Prophet. Well might he thinke, thus long, thus far hauehave I ſought Elijah, Elijah would not come to ſeeke me, but vnderunder a ſure guard, and with ſome ſtrange commiſſion; His courſe mantle hath the aduantage of my robe and Scepter; If I can command a peece of the earth, I ſee hee can command heauen: The edge of his reuenge is taken off with a doubtfull expectation of the iſſue: and now when Elijah offers himſelfe to the eies of Ahab, He who durſt not ſtrike, yet durſt challenge the Prophet, Art thou hee that troubleth Iſrael? Ieroboams hand was ſtill in Ahabs thoughts; he holds it not ſo ſafe to ſmite, as to expoſtulate: He, that was the head of Iſrael, ſpeakes out that which was in the heart of all his people, that Elijah was the cauſe of all their ſorrow: Alas, what hath the righteous Prophet done? He taxed their ſin, he foretold the iudgement; he deſerued it not, he inflicted it not; yet he ſmarts, and they are guilty: As if ſome fond people ſhould accuſe the Herald or the Trumpet as the cauſe of their warre; or as if ſome ignorant peaſant, when he ſees his fowles bathing in his pond, ſhould cry out of them, as the cauſes of ſoule weather.
Oh the heroicall Spirit of Elijah! he ſtand alone amids all the traine of Ahab, and dares not onelyonly repell this charge, but retort it; I hauehave not troubled Iſrael, but thou and thy fathers houſe, in that yee hauehave forſaken the Commandements of the Lord, and thou haſt followed Baalim. No earthly glory can daunt him who hath the cleere and heartning viſions of God; This holy Seer diſcernes the true cauſe of our ſufferings, to bee our ſinnes; Fooliſh men are plagued for their offences; and it is no ſmall part of their plague that they ſee it not; The onelyonly common diſturber of men, Families, Cities, Kingdomes, worlds, is ſinne; There is no ſuch traitor to any ſtate, as the wilfully wicked; The quieteſt and moſt plauſible offender is ſecretly ſeditious, and ſtirreth quarrels in heauen.
The true meſſengers of God cary authority euen where they are maligned; Elijah doth at once reproue the King, and require of him the improuement of his power, in gathering all Iſrael to Carmel, in fetching thither all the Prophets of Baal. Baal was rich in Iſrael, whiles God was poore; Whiles God hath but one hundred Prophets, hid cloſely in Obadiahs caues, Baal hath eight hundred and fifty; foure hundred and fifty diſperſed ouen the villages and townes of Iſrael, foure hundred at the Court; Gods Prophets are glad of bread and water, whiles the foure hundred Trencher Prophets of Iezebel feed on her dainties: They lurke in caues, whiles theſe Lord it in the pleaſanteſt groues. Outward proſperity is a falſe note of truth: All theſe with all Iſrael, doth Elijah require Ahab to ſummon vntounto Carmel. It is in the power of Kings to command the Aſſembly of the Prophets; the Prophet ſues to the Prince for the indiction of this Synode: They are iniurious to Soueraignty who arrogate this power to none but ſpirituall hands. How is it that Ahab is as ready to performe this charge, as Elijah to moue it? I dare anſwer for his heart, that it was not drawne with louelove: Was it out of the ſenſe of one iudgement, and feare of another? hee ſmarted with the dearth and drought, and well thinkes Elijah would not be ſo round with him, for nothing: Was it out of an expectation of ſome miraculous exploit which the Prophet would doe in the ſight of all Iſrael? Or, was it out of the ouer-ruling power of the Almighty; The heart of Kings is in the hand of God, and he turnes it which way ſoeuer he pleaſeth.
Iſrael is met together, Elijah rates them, not ſo much for their ſuperſtition, as for their vnſetledneſſe, and irreſolution: One Iſraelite ſerues God, another Baal; yea the ſame Iſraelite perhaps ſerues both God and Baal. How long halt yee betweene two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him; Nothing is more odious to God then a prophane neutrality in maine oppoſitions of religion: To go vpright in a wrong way, is a leſſe eie-ſore to God, then to halt betwixt right & wrong; The Spirit wiſheth that the Laodicean were either hot or cold; either temper would be better borne, then neither, then both; In reconcileable differences nothing is more ſafe then indifferency both of practice and opinion; but in caſes of ſo neceſſary hoſtility, as betwixt God, and Baal, hee that is on neither ſide is the deadlyeſt enemy to both; Leſſe hatefull are they to God that ſerue him not at all, then they that ſerue him with a riuall.
Whether out of guiltineſſe, or feare, or vncertainty, Iſrael is ſilent; yet whiles their mouth was ſhut, their eares were open: It was a faire motion of Elijah; I am onelyonly remaining a Prophet of the Lord, Baals Prophets are foure hundred & fifty; Let them chooſe one bullocke, let me chooſe another; Their deuotion ſhall be combined, mine ſingle; The God that conſumes the ſacrifice by fire from heauen, let him be God; Iſrael cannot but approue it; the Prophets of Baal cannot refuſe it; they had the appearance of the aduantage, in their number, in the fauor of King and people. Oh ſtrange diſputation, wherein the argument which muſt be vſed is fire; the place whence it muſt be fetcht, heauen; the mood and figure, deuotion; the concluſion, death to the ouercomne.
Had not Elijah, by diuine inſtinct, beene aſſured of the euent, he durſt not hauehave put religion vponupon ſuch hazard; That God commanded him this tryall, who meant confuſion to the authors of Idolatry, victory to the truth; His power ſhall be approued both by fire and by water; firſt by fire, then by water; There was no leſſe terror in the fire, then mercy in the raine; It was fit they ſhould be firſt humbled by his terrors, that they might bee made capable of his mercy; and by both, might be wonne to repentance. Thus ſtill the fears of the law make way for the influences of grace, neither do thoſe ſweet and heauenly dewes deſcend vponupon the ſoule, till way bee made for them by the terrible flaſhes of the law.
Iuſtly doth Elijah vrge this triall: Gods ſacrifices were vſed to none but heauenly fires; whereas the bale and earthly religion of the heathen contented it ſelfe with groſſe and naturall flames.
The Prophets of Baal durſt not (though with faint and guilty hearts) but imbrace the condition; they dreſſe their bullocke, and lay it ready vponupon the wood; and ſend out their cries to Baal from morning vntill mid-day; O Baal heare vsus: What a yelling vvas here, of foure hundred and fifty throats, tearing the skies for an anſwer? What leaping was here vponupon the altar, as if they would hauehave climbed vp to fetch that fire, vvhichwhich would not come downe alone? Mount Carmel might giuegive an Eccho to their voice, heauen gaue none; In vaine doe they roare out, and vveary themſelues in imploring a dumbe a deafe deitie; Graue and auſtere Elijah holds it not too light to flout their zealous deuotion; he laughes at their teares, and plaies vponupon their earneſt; Cry aloud, for he is a God, either be is talking, or he is purſuing, or hee is trauelling, or he is ſleeping, and muſt be awaked.
Scornes and taunts are the beſt anſwers for ſerious Idolatry; Holineſſe will beare vsus out in diſdainfull ſcoffes, and bitterneſſe againſt vvilfull ſuperſtition; No leſſe in the indignation at theſe inſulting frumps, then zeale of their owne ſafety, and reputation, doe theſe Idolatrous Prophets now rend their throats with inclamations, and that they may aſſure the beholders, they were not in ieſt, they cut, and ſlaſh themſelues, vvith kniues, and lancers, and ſolicit the fire with their blood; How much painfulneſſe there is in miſ-religion? I doe not finde that the true God euer required or accepted the ſelfe-tortures of his ſeruants, He loues true inward mortification of our corruptions, he loues the ſubduing of our ſpirituall inſurrections, by due exerciſes of ſeuere reſtraint; he takes no pleaſure in our blood, in our carcaſſes: They miſtake God that thinke to pleaſe him by deſtroying that nature, vvhichwhich hee hath made; and meaſure truth by rigour of outward extremities; Elijah drew no blood of himſelfe, the Prieſts of Baal did: How faine would the Deuill (vvhom theſe Idolaters adored) hauehave anſwered the ſuit of his ſuppliants? What vvould that ambitious ſpirit hauehave giuen, that as he was caſt downe from heauen like lightning, ſo now he might hauehave falne downe in that forme vponupon his altar?
God forbids it: All the powers of darkneſſe can no more ſhew one flaſh of fire in the ayre, then auoid the vnquenchable fire in hell: How eaſie vvere it for the power of the Almighty to cut ſhort all the tyrannicall vſurpations of that vvicked one; if his vviſdome and iuſtice did not finde the permiſſion thereof vſefull to his holy purpoſes.
Theſe Idolaters now towards euening, grew ſo much more vehement, as they vvere more hopeleſſe; and at laſt when neither their ſhrikes, nor their vvounds, nor their mad motions could preuaile, they ſit downe hoarſe and vveary; tormenting themſelues afreſh vvith their deſpaires, and with the feares of better ſucceſſe of their aduerſarie; vvhen Elijah cals the people to him, (the vvitneſſes of his ſincere proceedings) and taking the opportunity both of the time, (the iuſt houre of the euening ſacrifice) and of the place, a ruined Altar of God, now by him repaired, conuinces Iſrael vvith his miracle, and more cuts theſe Baalites with enuie, then they had cut themſelues with their lancers.
Oh holy Prophet, why didſt thou not ſaue this labor? what needed theſe vnſeaſonable reparations? Was there not an altar, was there not a ſacrifice ready prepared to thine hand? that which the Prophets of Baal had addreſſed, ſtood ſtill waiting for that fire from thee, which the founders threatned in vaine: the ſtones were not more impure, either for their touch, or their intentions: yet ſuch was thy deteſtation of Idolatry, that thou abhorredſt to meddle with ought, which their wickednes had defiled: Euen that altar, whoſe ruines thou didſt thus repaire, was miſ-erected; though to the name of the True God; yet didſt thou finde it better to make vp the breaches of that altar, which was miſ-conſecrated to the ſeruice of thy God, then to make vſe of that pile, which was idolatrouſly deuoted to a falſe god: It cannot bee but ſafe to keepe aloofe from participation with Idolaters, euen in thoſe things which not onelyonly in nature, but in vſe are vncleane.
Elijah layes twelue ſtones in his repaired altar, according to the number of the Tribes of the ſonnes of Iacob: Alas, ten of theſe were peruerted to Baal: The Prophet regards not their preſent Apoſtacie; hee regards the ancient couenant, that was made with their father Iſrael; he regards their firſt ſtation, to which he would reduce them: he knew that the vnworthineſſe of Iſrael could not make God forgetfull: he would by this monument put Iſrael in minde of their owne degeneration, and forgetfulneſſe. He employes thoſe many hands for the making a large trench round about the altar; and cauſes it to be filled with thoſe precious remainders of water, which the people would hauehave grudged to their owne mouthes; neither would eaſily hauehave parted with, but (as thoſe that poure down a paile full into a dry pump) in the hope of fetching more. The altar, the trench is full: A barrell full is poured out for each of the Tribes, that eueryevery Tribe might be afterwards repleniſhed. Ahab and Iſrael are no leſſe full of expectation; and now, when Gods appointed houre of the euening ſacrifice was come, Elijah comes confidently to his altar, and looking vp into heauen, ſayes, Lord God of Abraham, Iſaac, and Iſrael, Let it be knowne this day, that thou art God in Iſrael; and that I am thy Seruant, and that I hauehave done all theſe things at thy word: Heare me, O Lord heare me; that this people may know that thou art the Lord God; & that thou haſt turned their hearts backe againe.
The Baalites prayers were not more tedious, then Elijahs was ſhort; and yet more pithy then ſhort; charging God with the care of his couenant, of his truth, of his glory. It was Elijah that ſpake loud; Oh ſtrong cryes of faith, that pierce the heauens, and irreſiſtably make their way to the throne of grace: Iſrael ſhall well ſee that Elijahs God whom they hauehave forſaken, is neither talking, nor purſuing, nor trauelling, nor ſleeping: Inſtantly, the fire of the Lord fals frō heauen & conſumes the burnt ſacrifice, the wood, the ſtones, the duſt, & licks vp the water that was in the trench: With what terror muſt Ahab and Iſrael needs ſee this fire rolling downe out of the sky, and alighting with ſuch fury ſo neere their heads; heads no leſſe fit for this flame, then the ſacrifice of Elijah: Well might they hauehave thought, How eaſily might this fire hauehave dilated it ſelfe, and hauehave conſumed our bodies, as well as the wood and ſtone, and hauehave lickt vp our blood, as well as that water? I know not whether they had the grace to acknowledge the mercy of God, they could doe no leſſe then confeſſe his power, The Lord is God, The Lord is God.
The iron was now hot with this heauenly fire; Elijah ſtayes not till it coole againe, but ſtrikes immediately: Take the Prophets of Baal, let not one of them eſcape. This wager was for life: Had they preuailed in procuring this fire, and Elijah failed of effect; his head had been forfeited to them: now, in the contrary ſucceſſe, theirs are loſt to him. Let no man complaine that thoſe holy hands were bloody: This ſacrifice was no leſſe pleaſing to God, then that other. Both the man and the act were extraordinarie, and led by a peculiar inſtinct: Neither doth the Prophet this without the aſſent of the ſupreme Magiſtrate; who was now ſo affected with this miraculous worke, that hee could not in the heat of that conuiction, but allow the iuſtice of ſuch ſentence. Farre be it from vsus to accuſe Gods commands or executions of cruelty: It was the ancient and peremptory charge of God, that the authors of Idolatry and ſeduction ſhould dye the death; no eye, no hand might ſpare them: The Prophet doth but moue the performance of that Law, which Iſrael could not without ſinne hauehave omitted. It is a mercifull and thanke-worthy ſeuerity to rid the world of the Ring-leaders of wickedneſſe.