standard-bearer must have little regard for himself in concern for the standard. When God gives a testimony, it surely will bring into prominence before others those who are witnesses for Him. But this is far different to self-importance because of such prominence. When men have to witness to the failure of others, it is not a time to seek respect for themselves. How full of instruction is the failure of Elijah! The Lord enable us, whilst meditating upon it, to profit thereby!

“And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers."

Here, indeed, is a strange contrast from the Elijah of to day with Elijah of yesterday. Fear had taken hold upon him, where no fear was. The words of Jezebel

appalled the man who had slain the four hundred prophets of Baal, and stood alone confronting the whole nation of Israel. He arose and went for his life, who the day before had put "his life in his hand" as a witness for God. How are the mighty fallen! Left to himself for a season, his weakness is manifest. And in him we may see ourselves when out of communion with the living God. Unbelief for a moment in the protection of God -and to what a sad state of soul is Elijah brought. He left his servant in Beer-sheba and went a day's journey into the wilderness, and sat down under a juniper tree, and requested for himself that he might die; and prayed to God to take away his life for he was "no better than his fathers."

The signal election of God to His service, the three years' and a half of testimony, the victory over the false prophets, the answer to his prayers in abundance of rain, the sign of God's mercy to Israel—all were forgotten. He was no better than his fathers. Ill at ease with him

self, he falls out with his master, and his life, the gift of God, he requests may be taken from him. "Lord what is man? that thou art mindful of him," God's grace to himself is forgotten under the presence of a danger which only existed when he looked at himself, and would cease the moment his eye was directed to God. But he should learn himself and for our profit, "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning." Well for us that we have such a God, gracious and full of compassion. "He remembereth our frame, m knoweth we are but dust." "A wind passeth over us and we are gone.

Striking is His grace towards his runaway servant forgetful of God's ways in the past, and perverting his sense of them in the present. "Take away my life," was his prayer to Him who lived to sustain it.

I am

no better than my fathers," is his language to Him who would not see iniquity in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel.

The heart of Elijah was overwhelmed. His own sin and weakness the cause of it. Yet God in his pity looked only at his sufferings, and yearned over the sufferer. "And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat."

How touching this kindness! How seasonable the refreshment! Words of welcome, and deeds of love, aroused Elijah, who had fallen asleep, out of love with himself and the kindest of Masters. "Arise and eat" sounded in his ears, and he looked; how vacant his gaze, how half-wakened his attention; and "behold there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again."

Sullenly he partook of his refreshment, and as gloomily he went to rest again. Such attention, at such a time, should have been doubly welcome, and called forth double gratitude; but not a word of response: his heart was too full of himself and his troubles. But the Father's eye was upon him, that eye so tender and pitiful. He knew what was in man, and his weakness could only

be met out of His strength, and his wants from the storehouse of His abundance. Needy we are, and our God has grace and ability to supply all our need.

"And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for thee." How well is our nature understood. He who gave us our sympathies, how aptly can He strike the chord which awakens them "The journey is too great for thee."

Wonderful grace! Elijah and his labours filled the heart of Elijah, and here was one admitting the weight of his burden, and soothing the sorrowing one with sympathy under it." The journey is too great for thee." Who would not praise Thee, thou King of saints? Who is a God like unto our God? "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." "And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights, unto Horeb, the mount of God."

And not until he was strengthened to stand before Him, would the Lord plead with Elijah. He would speak to him about his failure in the light of the grace which could pass it by. "And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life to take it away." Surely we have in these words the secret of his failure disclosed. "I have been very jealous; I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life to take it away." One is not surprised that the servant in service should be wholly taken up with it, when we remember our weakness and folly; but we may well wonder at the grace of God in bearing with such. "And he said, Go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the

wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice."

How frail and insignificant is man in the presence of the power of God. How striking His omnipotence. "Fire and hail; snow and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word" (Ps. cxlviii. 8). But it is not the way of God to strike terror alone by the display of his greatness. Almighty he is, yet so gracious to his children as to speak in a whisper. His power can only be delighted in when manifested for protection, as the heart of the child in the presence of danger delights in the consciousness of the ability of its father to protect it. Surpassingly gracious was this still small voice to Elijah: wonderful too its effects upon him. "It was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life to take it away."

Still himself in contrast with others, and himself surrounded with dangers, occupies Elijah. The wind, earthquake, and fire, had not shaken it out of him, nor the still small voice as yet fully humbled him. But the purpose of God to Elijah is fraught with blessing, and his way of doing it should be the comfort of after-generations, for children as yet unborn:

"And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay."

The servant who ran away from his service, and repined at his Master; who wished that he might die and have done with it, this servant should still be re

tained in his place; honourable commissions were entrusted to him; two kings should be anointed for the sceptre by him, and a prophet sealed for his mission also. How wondrously gracious is this! Not one word has reached his ear of reproof, not one hint of his failure, until, in the recognised character of his service, and set apart for great works, in the consciousness that he was still the called of God, and approved of by his Master, with his heart full of the blessedness of his station, then, and not till then, does the word of reproof fall upon his ears, so gentle in the manner, yet so pregnant with meaning. When Elijah is setting off for the further manifestation of the power and will of the Lord, the Lord arrests his attention, and gives him ballast for his journey: "Yet I have left seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him." How potent the communication. "I, even I," is amongst the seven thousand, levelled down with the rest in his standing, but exalted by the grace of God to be a sign-post of His gentleness, and to kindle in the hearts of others a longing for the service of Him who swayed by His grace, and that so touchingly, the weakness and self-will of Elijah.

"So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again : for what have I done to thee? And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him." (ver. 19-21).

eat.

A FRAGMENT.

"Surely, it is as much of God that our lot is cast in these days, as that Paul's lot was cast in his days. And the works prepared for us to do are as much prepared of God, as were the works prepared for Paul. Let us take heart; strengthen ourselves in God, and do His present will."-I.