Elisha has neither leifure nor inclination to hold converfe with his brethren-his whole thoughts, as well as his eyes, are fixed on his departing mafter. Together do this wonderful pair arrive at the banks of Jordan-while, at an awful diftance, fifty of the confecrated band purfue their footsteps, and gaze on them with respectful veneration. Miracles are not defigned for obfcurity: GoD will have witneffes to his marvellous acts. When the Saviour of mankind arofe from the dead, he was feen of more than five hundred brethren at once: when he afcended into heaven, he arofe from the mount of Olives in the view of many eyes-eyes which were fixed on that astonishing fight with fuch intenseness, as not to be recalled from it even by the approach of angels.

How exact was the parallel between thofe mighty prophets, who were afterwards feen in glory with their Lord upVOL. II.

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on Mount Tabor!

Both received vi

fions on Horeb-to each of them GoD appeared there in fire, earthquakes, and other forms of terrour. Both reforted to the wilderness-were fent on embaffies from Heaven to rebellious kingsdifpenfed miraculous food-were zealous for the extermination of idolatryquenched the drought of Ifrael-divided the waters-finished their glorious labours near the banks of Jordan. The body of Elijah is tranflated-that of Mofes is hidden-what one effects by his rod, the other can accomplish by his mantle. With this he fmites the river, and bids its waves retire before his feet, that he may without delay afcend his celeftial chariot.

Now, when Elijah feels himself treading on his laft earth, he no longer addreffes his faithful affociate with words of difcouragement. "Afk what I fhall "do for thee, before I be taken from

"thee."

"thee." The holy prophet waits not long for a reply-out of the abundance of the heart the mouth fpeaketh. "I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit fall upon me." Elifha demands neither wealth, nor fafety, nor ease, nor honour-he holds no bleffing comparable with his master's fpirit. No ambition mingled itself with the fervent requeft. He knew that the times into which he was fallen required no common exertions-he knew that the fucceffor of Elijah must be endued with the fpirit of miracles, as well as that of prophecy. We cannot be too defirous of fpiritual gifts, efpecially fuch as enable us to promote the glory of GoD in our refpective ftations. Our wifhes are the touchftone of our hearts-fuch as we feek to be, we are. The worldling covets earthly things; the Chriftian, those which are . divine.

ELIJAH acknowleges the difficulty of the request, yet on one condition promifes its completion-" If thou fee me, "when I am taken from thee, it fhall "be fo unto thee-if not, it shall not "be fo." The eye of Elisha must be fixed in attention, that his faith may be confirmed by the miracle he fhall behold. If his thoughts are remifs, if his eye-lids flumber, his hopes are cancelled-there must be more than common vigilance, in thofe who defire a double portion of heavenly graces.

Lo, while thefe fervants of GOD are thus employed, the chariot of fire appears. Elijah is fummoned from the world at a moment when he is instructing another, not praying for himself. There can be no better state in which the minifter of CHRIST can be found by the meffenger of diffolution, than that of diligence in his facred calling. Attendance on these duties is no lefs pleafing

to GoD, than immediate devotion. Bleffed is that fervant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, fhall find fo doing.!

O MARVELLOUS difplay of celestial fplendour! Who, fave Enoch and Elijah, was vifibly taken up to eternal reft? What glory exceeded theirs, fave that of HIM, who by his own immediate power, and not by the miniftry of angels, raised himself far above the heavens? He afcended as the Son-they as fervants. He afcended as GOD-they as creatures. By their reception into heaven we are affured, that even our eartoly tabernacle may be admitted into the regions of joy-in their cafe instantaneously,.by the command of GODin ours, after that myfterious exchange, when this corruptible fhall put on incorruption, and this mortal fhall put on immortality. Hereafter a day shall come, when the Son of man will defcend from heaven with a fhout, with the voice of.