foot of Carmel, and commands them to fill the trench with water-to pour it on the facrifice, and on the wood. Ahab and all Ifrael are full of anxious expectation, and wait the event in folemn filence. And now, when GOD's appointed hour of the evening facrifice was come, Elijah reverently approaches his altar, and, looking up to Heaven, thus addreffes the Almighty: "LORD GOD of Abraham,

Ifaac, and Jacob, let it be known "this day, that thou art God in Ifrael, " and that I am thy fervant, and that I "have done all these things by thy "word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me"that this people may know that thou "art the LORD GOD, and that thou haft "turned their hearts back again."

THE invocations of the idolaters were tedious-thofe of Elijah were short, but effectual. He committed to GOD the charge of his divine truth, his covenant, his glory. Behold, the prayer of faith pierces

the

the heavens, and irresistibly afcends to the throne of grace. Ifrael fhall fee that the God whom they had forfaken doth not flumber nor fleep. In an instant the fire defcends from heaven-confumes the facrifice, the wood, the ftones, the duft, and licks up the water that was in the trench. With what terrour must an idolatrous king and people have beheld this amazing spectacle! How must they have trembled, left thofe devouring flames fhould light on their guilty heads, as well as on the sacrifice of Elijah ! How ever they might reject the mercy of their Creator, they could not but confefs and ad re his power. When all the people faw it, they fell on their faces and faid, "The LORD, HE is the GOD"the LORD, HE is the GOD.

XXXIX.

NABOTH.

THE vineyard of Naboth was near adjoining to the palace of Jezebel-happier would he have lived, if it had been fituated in the wilderness. How often is wealth a fnare both to the foul, and to the life! The poffeffions of this Jezreelite are a perpetual cause of jealousy and envy to Ahab, and to the inhuman partner of his throne. The vicinity of Naboth's vineyard makes it an object, on which an evil eye fails not to reft, and awakens thofe covetous defires, which can neither admit of fatisfaction, nor brook controul.

TWICE had the king of Ifrael been victorious over the Syrians-he returns home, to be oppreffed and vanquished by the wayward defire of his neighbour's inheritance. In vain fhall Ahab boast of fubduing a foreign enemy, while a domeftic foe remains triumphant within his own breast.

THE propofition, whether of purchase or exchange, was fpecious and plausible. Even the tyrant himself dares not invade those rights, which long prescription had fanctioned, and which gave Naboth a more just title to this vineyard, than himself had to the throne. Yet dares not Naboth comply with the wishes of his mafter-the LORD forbade him to alienate the inheritance of his fathers. The command of GOD was more binding to the confcientious Ifraelite, than the requests, or injunctions, of Ahab. An equivalent was eafy to be obtainedbut what is. a man profited, if he gain

the whole world, and lose his own foul? or even wound his own confcience? The divine ordinances took efpecial care to preferve for individuals and families their respective proportions in the land of promife. Nothing but extreme neceffity allowed them to confign the inheritances to others; and even then, at the great year of Jubilee, they reverted to the original owners. It was not without a fpiritual import, that whofoever had once his part in the heavenly gift, was directed to keep that fafe, which was committed to his trust. Ahab well knew the pofitive nature of the reftriction, and yet he fcrupled not to fay, "Give me thy vineyard!"

THE innocent Naboth must now either displease his king, or difobey his GOD. He prefers confcience to policyhe fears not them that kill the bodywhether in death or life, he refolves to hold faft his integrity. Ahab cannot

fee, that the divine prohibition alone inter