b In way of acknowledgment and adoration of the True God E He alone ; and Baal is a dull and ſenſcleis Idol. And they double the words, to note their abundant fatisfaftion and aſſurance of the Truth of their Aſſertion.
40 And Elijah ſaid unto them 4, || Take the prophets
of Baal.let not one of them eſcape: and they took them, and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kijhon e,
and ſlew them there f.
d He takes the opportunity, whilft the Peoples Hearts were warm with the freth ſenſe of this great Miracle: e Thar their Biood might be poured into that River, and thence conveyed into the Sea, and might not defile the Holy Land. f Queſt. How could E/ja/ do this, ſeing he was but a private Perſon ? 4rſw. Firſt, He had no doubr the Conſent of all rhe Hcads of the People, who were here ailemb- Jed ; and of the King too, who duiſt nor reſiſt the univertaj Tor- rent, and co.11d nor deny that they were Impoſtors, and wortiy of Death ; and probably was by the prophet affured of Rain when this was done. Anſw.Secondiy,As thele Idolatrous Prieſts were ma- nifeſtly under a Sentence of Death, paſſed vpon tuch by the Sove-
Heb.
| Ents
[| Or, ap- prehend,
Authority to execure it, as being a Prophet, and an ext1aordina y Miniſter of God's Vengeance againſt Sinners, now eſpecially when the Magiſtrate ſo grolly neglected his Duty therein. 41 4 And Eljjah faid unto Ahab, Ger thee up g, ear | Or, = & drink b,for there is || a ſound of abundance of rain z. Jound of® # From the River,where the King and he had been preſent ar the | moiſe of laughter of Bas!'s Prieſts,to thy Tent: which probabiy was pitched 7818. on the ſide of Carmel. þ Take Comfort, and refieth thy {cif: for neither the King nor any of the People could have any leiſure to eat,being wholly intent upon the decihon of the great Controverſie. 5 The Rain is as certainly and ſpeedily coming,as if I did actually ; fee it, or hear the Noiſe which it makes God's Wrath is now ap- / peaſed, and thou ſhalt have no cauſe to repent of this days Work. 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink, and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel &, and he caſt himſelf
down upon the earth, and put his face berween his
knees +.
k Where he might ſecretly & ardently pour out his Prayers unto God;and whence he might look towards the Sca,and Giicein when the Rain was coming. 1 He either 1ate,or rather ,kneeled upon his knees, and then caſt down his Face to the Ground between his Knees; either,in roken of profound Reverence and Humility ;or,out of Fer- vency. of Spirit, which oft diſpoſeth Men ro uncouth Geſtures,which at other times,or in other Men, would be ridiculous; but in them and in thar caſe, are uſual and allowed ; or, that rurning away his Eyes from all outwardObje&s,he might be more intent and earneſt
' upon his Work, or pray to God without Diſtrattion.
And faid co his ſervant, Go up now », look to- wards the ſea». And he went up, and looked, and faid, There #s nothing. And he ſaid, Go again ſeven times 0.
-m Whilſt I continue praying. » Whence Clouds and Vapours uſually ariſe. E/7jah defired to have timely notice of the very fult ap- pearance and fignification of Rain,not our of Vanity or Ambition, bvttharA4hab & the People might know that it was obtained from Je- bxvahk by the Prophets Prayers, & thereby be confirmed in the T'ruc
:
ETNGLE
reign Lord of Lite and Death,Dewr.13 and17 io E!-jah had ſufficierr f
Chap. XIx, Religion. 0 Letus not be dejeRed fer ſome Diſappointments, but continue to wait upon God, ho will anfwer me,and thar ſpeedily.
44 And it came tO pats at the leve;ith ume, that he
ſaid, Beho!d, there ariſeth a little cloud out of the ſeq
1ke a mans hand. And hefaid, Go up, {ay-unto ahab:
+ Prepare thy chario?, and ger thee down, that the rain t Heb. [top thee not. Je, Or 45 And it came to paſs in the mean while, that the wy heaven was black witch clouds and wind, and there was
a great rain, Ard Ahab rode and went to Jezreel p.
? Not that in Judah, Joſ: 15: 56. but another City in the border
of Iſſachar and Manaſſeh, Joſ: 19. 18.
46 And the haiid of the LORD was on Eiijah q,and
he girded up his loyns 7, and ran before Ahab {; + ro t Heb
the entrance of Jezreel. hog come q God gave him more than natural and ordinary ſtrength, where. fo Jexreel, by he was enabled to outrun Ahab's Chariot, and that for fo many Miles together. rThat his Garments, which were then long, mighe nor hinder him. See 2 Kings 4+ 29: and 9:1 / Partly,to ſhew how ready he was to honour and ſerve the King,if he did not exalt hime {ſelf above or againſt God:partly,that by this humble & {elt-denying Carriage,it might appear,that what he had done was not from En- vy, or Ambition, or Humane Paſſion,bur only from a juſt Zeal for Gods Glory : partly, that by his Preſence with the King, and hig Courtiers who attended upon him, he might animate and oblige them to proceed in the well-begun Reformation of Religion : and partly,to demonſtrate,thar he was neirher aſhamed of, nor afraid for what he had done, tho' he knew how J7:zabel would reſent it, but durſt venture himſelf in the midit of his Enemies,as being confident of the divine Power-and Prytcttion. CHAEFP AA Elijah threatned by Jezebel flecth to Beer-ſheba ; Is comforted by an An- gel, 1 -— 8. At Mount Horeb complaining to God, he is ftrengthned by a ſpecial Rewelation, 9 - 14. 1s jent to anoint Hazael,Fehu,and Elijha, 15 —— 18. Eliſha followeth Elijah, rg mn. 2, A N D Ahab told Jezebel & ail chat Elijah had done, and wichal how he had ſlain all the prophets with
the iword.
a For his Vindication, and her Satisfaftion. b To wit,of Baal. not of the Groves, who were not preſent,as my be gathered from chap. 18, 19, 22. and 22. 6G.
2 Then Jezebel ſent a meſſenger unto Elijah e, ſay-
ing, * So ler the gods do rs me, and more allo, if x make not thy life as the lite of one of them by to mor- ' *
row at tris time d.