Elijah. But Elisha's vocation was essentially different from that of his majestic predecessor; and the whole of the man's intellectual organization, as well as the manner of his entrance upon his office, and his mode of acting, most beautifully harmonized with his peculiar calling. What an incorrect and perverted estimate of character would be the result, if a person in judging of Melancthon were to proceed upon the supposition that Melancthon was called to be another Luther! In what a false light would the life of an Arndt, a Spener, or a Tersteegen be placed, were they to be tried by a criterion taken from the spiritual endowments and labours of a Knox, a Calvin, or a Zuinglius! Let each be estimated by the standard of his particular calling; we shall then not go beyond the truth; the one will not be found to obscure the other, but, like the stars in the heavens, each will retain his individual brightness.

We have hinted, on former occasions, at that which is peculiar and distinctive in the vocation and character of Elisha. You remember the still small voice on Mount Horeb. This gentle whisper pointed typically and prophetically to the appearing of Elisha, and to that new period which should commence in Israel with and through the labours of the son of Shaphat. Elisha was ordained to appear in Israel as an evangelist, as one whose feet are beautiful upon the mountains; whilst Elijah had to manifest himself as another Moses, and, by his efforts, restore becoming reverence to those laws which had been trampled under foot. Elisha, as a herald of the divine loving-kindness, was sent to bind up those hearts, and allure them to the Lord's paternal arms, which his severe predecessor had broken with the hammer of the law, and had roused by the thunder of his dreadful and mighty deeds, out of the deadly sleep of a long-continued and delusive security.

For this lovely vocation Elisha had not only been long before divinely appointed, but also imperceptibly

trained up and prepared by the Lord. The whole of his spiritual endowments were calculated for this purpose; and not only so, but his outward course of life, from his youth up, and numberless seemingly accidental and trivial circumstances in it, contributed to fit him for his future official station, without his being conscious of it. The harp of his affections had been early tuned to gentle harmony. It was destined to resound to songs of love, and not to thrill with the harsh notes of a flaming zeal. He grew up under circumstances which were particularly favourable for the development of the more tender feelings of the soul. Surrounded by the calmness and serenity of blooming scenery, and confined within the narrow but social limits of a quiet country life, his mind experienced, for many a year together, no other influence besides that of the blue heaven, or the verdant meadow, but such as was exercised upon him by the mild sunshine of a sanctified maternal affection, and the plain unvarnished piety of a father. At the time when the worthy couple rocked their new-born son in their arms, and joyfully said, He shall be called Elisha," they had probably no presentiment that in this name they had uttered, at the same time, the boy's future calling. For "Elisha," interpreted, means, God is salvation," or, "God is my Saviour," and the son of Shaphat was destined to magnify him as such by word and deed in Israel; whilst Elijah, whose name signifies "God is strength," was ordained to place the judicial severity and dreadful majesty of the Most High in a more unveiled manner before the eyes of a dissolute people. The whole of Elisha's subsequent history stood in the most beautiful and perfect accordance with this, his peculiar vocation. His presence had in it nothing terrific, nothing painfully imposing, nothing oppressive. Every one might venture fearlessly to approach him, and the most timid feel comfortable and at home in his society.

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That mysterious obscurity did not rest upon Elisha's descent, which so impenetrably veiled the commencement and the early part of the life of his great master. If Elijah entered upon the scene of his labours as one who, without genealogical connection with the rest of mankind, was sent immediately from heaven upon earth; his successor, though destitute of this halo, so productive of veneration, was surrounded in its stead by the more lovely radiance of fraternal affability and openness. His life, from its very beginning, lay unveiled before the eyes of all. The pious and amiable son of the farmer Shaphat was no mere acquaintance of yesterday. He had often been seen in the field behind the plough and the harrow; and his family were connected by relationship, or had been long upon friendly terms with others. At the same time, there was something in his figure and deportment which greatly facilitated confidential access to him, and immediately gave the people an idea that he was an ambassador of an entirely different calling and spirit to the man from Mount Gilead, with his majestic and repelling appearance. Elisha, as it would seem, had neither the gigantic dimensions nor, generally speaking, the nervous and kingly figure of his mighty predecessor. His features reflected only mildness and humility, instead of the consciousness of his dignified station; and even his head, deprived of the ornament of manliness, acted as a symbolical expression of the truth that the strength of God is mighty in the weak, and aided in interpreting that which was peculiar in his vocation. The Lord, who dwells in the high and the holy place, kindly and graciously condescends to the poor and the needy. This was the great and blessed truth which Elisha, in his discourses and actions in Israel, was to place as it were on a lofty candlestick; and this truth found its hieroglyphic in the whole personal appearance of the prophet, from whence it beamed clearly

into the eyes of the more thoughtful, even when unaccompanied by his words and actions.

You know, my dear friends, that the great and mighty of the earth are wont to conceal their hearts from their inferiors, and to make, more or less, a secret to them of those feelings of gratitude, love, and friendship, which they may feel towards them; at least they seldom suffer what we call cordiality to be perceived by those that are subordinate to them; and if ever it is the case, they do not give the feeling its full and perfectly corresponding exhibition. They express themselves more sparingly and coldly than they feel. They economize with the manifestations of their favour as with gold. They hold themselves indebted to their royal dignity to act in this reserved and estranged manner, being apprehensive lest it should be endangered by a too great unreservedness and ingenuousness. But how very different is the procedure of the King of kings! He makes no difficulty of unfolding his inmost heart to sinners. He manifests openly, freely, and clearly, the whole of his tender mercy, paternal kindness, and love towards them: and he does so without infringing upon his majesty and glory; for in this his condescension and confidential intercourse with the little and the lowly, his divine dignity shines the most illustriously.

II.

We now turn to our history. The narrative which lies before us makes us acquainted with Elisha's entrance upon his prophetic career. Observe whether what we have just said of the peculiar nature of his vocation is not fully confirmed by it.

His first act appears as a distinguishing symbol of the whole of his labours. He is at Jericho, and commences his sacred vocation in that city, upon which Joshua, in the name of God, had pronounced a curse. He does not begin it with a menace, a judgment, or a

malediction; but with an act of benevolence and blessing, in the removal of the curse. How significant ! Immediately after the departure of his master, he had fixed his residence in that city. There he intended to await the first commission of Jehovah, in the peaceful circle of the sons of the prophets. The pleasing repose he there enjoyed was, however, of short duration. After the lapse of only a few days, he saw himself called out to the field of public labour. The inhabitants of Jericho had heard what an individual dwelt within their walls, and were of opinion they ought to avail themselves of such a favourable circumstance. They knew Elisha; they had often seen him at the side of the Tishbite. Many of them had also probably witnessed his wondrous passage through the bed of the river Jordan. It was known to them that he was ordained to be Elijah's successor; and they did not doubt that the Lord had also endowed him with miraculous powers. They therefore came to him to lay before him a subject with which they would never have dared to approach the Tishbite. Sooner would they have expected him to renew the curse of Joshua, than that he would remove it from them and turn it into a blessing. But they expect all that is good from Elisha. Hope smiles upon them in the affability of this friendly messenger. Fear and timidity depart from his presence, which promises help and deliverance.

Happy would it be, my brethren in the Lord, if we also shone as such benignant stars in the firmament of the earth. This would be the case if we were resolved to be only vessels of mercy, and dew-drops in which Jesus reflected himself. There are a few amongst us (unconscious of it themselves) who sparkle as such friendly and lovely constellations. They are those who, nothing in their own esteem, and emptied of themselves, have renounced their own life that Christ may become their life, in the enjoyment and believing