latry, but for their inconftancy, and irrefolution. "How long halt ye be"tween two opinions? If the LORD "be GOD, follow him-but if Baal, "then follow him!" Indifference, and neutrality in religious matters is of itself a grievous crime-it is in fact the worst of all hoftility against GOD.

WHETHER from guilt, or fear, or uncertainty, Ifrael is filent-and Elijah addreffes them once more. "I only am a prophet of the LORD, while Baal's "prophets are four hundred and fifty

men. Let us each prepare a facrifice— "their devotion shall be combined, mine fingle-the God that anfwereth by "fire, let him be GOD." The propofition is fair, and open, and incapable of evafion. Ifrael cannot but approve it. The prophets of Baal dare not fignify difapprobation. The GoD who commanded this trial, prepared confufion

for

for the authors of idolatry, and triumph for his heavenly truth.

THE prophets of Baal embrace the condition in all the terrour of guiltinefs. They prepare the facrifice-they lay the victim on the wood-they cry unto their idol from morning until noon, "O Baal, "hear us!" They rend the skies with clamour-they leap upon the altar, as if they would ascend to meet those fires which delayed to come down-mount Carmel echoes with their fhrieks-but the heaven is filent. Elijah himself forgets his aufterity, and derides their mockery of devotion. "Cry aloud"for he is a god-either he is talking, "or he is pursuing, or he is on a jour

ney, or peradventure he fleepeth, and "must be awakened."

THE idolaters renew their horrid cries-they seize in frantic rage on the inftruments of facrifice, and fhed their own blood upon their altar. How cruel,

how

how tyrannous, is fuperftition! The true GOD abhors thofe felf-inflicted tortures. He wills us rather to mortify our corruptions-to fubdue our irregular defiresto worship Him in spirit and in truthto present our bodies a living facrifice, holy, acceptable to himself, which is our reasonable service.

How gladly would the apoftate fpirit, who once fell like lightning from heaven, have now come down in that form on the altar of his votaries! But God forbids it. All the powers of hell are unable to convey one spark of fire into the air. The evening draws on-the hope of idolatry is turned into confufion. The prophets of Baal, difmayed at the ill fuccefs of their fhrieks and wounds, and frantic gesticulations, maintain the conteft no longer-they fit down, overwhelmed with fhame, and wearinefs, and anguish-tormenting themselves

with

with their own defpair, and dreading the fuccefs of their adversary.

Now does the prophet of Jehovah call the people to witness his fincere proceedings. He avails himself of the opportunity of time and place-at the hour of evening-facrifice, he repairs the altar of GOD, which the degeneracy of Ifrael had fuffered to fall into ruin. O holy man, what means this labour? What need is there of these unfeasonable reparations? Was there not an altar, was there not a facrifice now ready? Did not the victim which the worshippers of Baal had prepared, await the descent of that fire, which thy prayers fhould bring down from heaven?-It was thy just deteftation of idolatry, which made thee refufe to avail thyfelf of their profanations. The altar, which in better times had been confecr ted to thy God, is more dear to thee in its ruins, than all the pride and magnificence of pagan worship! ELIJAH

ELIJAH lays twelve ftones on this hallowed pile, according to the number of the tribes of Ifrael. Ten of these were perverted to Baal. He regards not their present apoftafy-he has respect unto the ancient covenant, made with the holy patriarchs-he would, if poffible, bring them back to their primitive fimplicity of worship. He well knew, that the past unworthinefs of Ifrael would not blot them out from the book of remembrance, if they returned from their delufions to the ways of truth.

WHILE thus he reminds his people of their degeneracy, he bids them prepare a trench round his altar. He fends meffengers to the fea*, which flowed at the

* There is no doubt that this was the cafe. Mount Carmel is fituated near the Mediterranean Sea, between Dora and Ptolemais. "Surely as "Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by "the SEA, fo fhall he come." Jeremiah xlvi, 18. See alfo I. Kings xviii. 43, 44.

VOL. II.

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