Ver. 18.-'' Wrapped his/ace in his mantle." He wa.e afraid to look upon God (Exod. iii. 6; of. Gen. iii. 10, "I hid myself"). "Conscier.ce makes cowards of us e.11." Besides, no man can see His face and live (Exod. xxxiii. 20). The beatific vision is too much for our poor mortality, too mnch for the angelic powers (Isa. vi 2). It is in mercy that God is veiled from our view. The seeing God as He is belongs to the times of restitution (Matt. v. 8; Heb. xii. 14; Rev. i. 7; xxii. 4; 1 Cor. xiii. 12). Ver. 14.-" I have been "e't"!I jealous," &c. The same question, e.nd precisely the same words in reply. But everything was _not the same. The man a.nd the manner were alike changed (cf. 1 Sam. x. 6). He has heard the "still small voice,'' and it has hushed his own. How true it is, "It is not the words we sa.y, but the manner and spirit in which we say them, gives them their force and significance." Ver. 15.-" Go, return.'' This is God's answer to the question," What doest thou here?" "Thou hast now no business here. Thou hast a work to do elsewhere. Thou art not left alone, nor ha.a God ceased to watch over and care for His Church. His ministers of wrath are already nominated ; it is for thee to call them to their work." Which of God's servants has not desponded like Elijah 'l Who has not been tempted to think his work a failure? Who has not had to complain of a gain-· saying and disobedient people 'l How many have been induced to desert their posts ? But no man's work can be a failure unless he is a failure himself. Our work is to witness, whether men will hear or whether they will forbear. If they forbear, who shall say that that work is not successful? And it may be suggested here that work is often the very best remedy for despondency and doubt. The diligent soul has no time for self-torture. Its eye is fixed on others. There is a quaint legend which tells how, some years after the event, St. Thomas was again troubled with agonizing doubts as to our Lord's resurrection. He sought the apostles, and began to pour his soul's troubles into their ears. But first one, then the other, looked at him in astonishment, and told the unhappy doubter that he was sorry for him, but really he had so much to do he had no time to listen to his to.le. Then he was fain to impart his woes to some devout women. But they, as busy as Dorcas and in like employment, soon made him understand that they had no leisure for such thoughts as these. At last it dawned upon him that perhaps it was because they were so bnsy that they were free from the doubts by which he was tortured. He took the hint; he went to Parthia ; occupied himself in preaching Christ's gospel, and was never troubled with doubts any more. Ver. 18.-" Yet hONe I left me Be'Ven thousand." There is always a remnant (Rom. xi 4, 6). The gates of hell cannot prevail ago.inst the Church. God has His secret ones, unknown to men. The number of the elect must be accomplished. ~ev. vii 4). The prophets have been too much given to pessimist view&. " God's faithful ones o.re often his hidden ones" (Psa. lxx:xiii. 8). "Yet in fall'n Israel are there hearts and eyes, That day by day in prayer like thine a.rise, Thou know'st them not, but their Crea.tor knows." Arch?ishop U ssher used to say to say that in the great Assize, if the King should set hun on His right hand, three things would surprise him. First, to find himsell there ; secondly, to find that numbers of whose salvation he had always been confi- dent were not there ; thirdly, to find that thousands of whose sa.lvation he ho.cl always despaired were there after all. Ver. 19.-" Found Elisha ... ploughing." God never calls nn idle man. "If ye have not be~n fait~ful in the unrightAons mammon, who will commit to your trust the true nches 'l (Luke xvi. 11.) The man who will not plough by reason of the cold (Prov. xx. 4), if he put his hand to the gospel plough, will presently look back (Luke iL 62), and go not to the work (Acts xv. 88). The apostles were called from their ships, their nets, the receipt of custom, &c., none from the market-place or the street corners. They only exchanged one department of God's work for another, for" the man who makes two blailes of gra:.s grow whore only one grew \iefore M 470 'l'IIE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [ou. xrx. l.-.c.21.
a fellow-worker with God." Labor/1/f'e est or/lll'e. "An honest calling in the world does not at all put us out of the way of our heavenly celling." "In all labour is profit." yer. 20.-" He left the oz1m." No service without sacrifice. Sometimes it is only ships and nets (Mark i 20), sometimes it is houses and lands, fe.ther and mother, wife and child (Matt. xix. 29). " Go back again.'' Why should he not kiss his father and mother? "For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother," anu it is not for the greatest of the _p~·ophets to make th~ com_mandment of God of none effect (Matt. xv. 4-6). Religion developes and mtensifies the domestic affections. Ties of flesh become ~tronger a~1~ closer when cemented and consecrated by grace. It. would be strange if the rebg10n of love made husband or wife, parent or child, love each other less. Ver. 21.-" Took a yoke of ozen and slew them.'' He has done with earthly pursuits. He barns his ships behind him. It would be well for the Church of ~hri.et if her ministers acted in like manner. The temptation to eke out a scanty mcome by trade, especially among missionaries, must be great; but a man cannot be hnlf a clergyman, and mnst not be entangled with the affairs of this life. Some of th~ ~wiss pastors have become hotel-~~epers, but if they have been the gainers, religion has not. Of all masters, religion and business are the two which can least be served together.