t^.'li.foA 
 
 ^  tip  Qtyalagitiu  # 
 
 PRINCETON,  N.  J.  ** 
 
 dram  -VY^<^  cSx  \\dx^cav\a  o\ 
 
 Division..., 
 
 Section 
 
 11030 
 
 v-l 
 
I3h.  JOSEP1     IFTATiT' 
 
 ( \'/c/i 
 
 vme&ine,  0^/u?A  ^tJSum^U^ 
 
CONTEMPLATIONS 
 
 ON       THE 
 
 HISTORICAL   PASSAGES 
 
 OF       THE 
 
 OLD     and     N  E  W 
 
 TESTAMENTS. 
 
 b  y 
 
 The  Right  Reverend  Father  in  God, 
 
 J  0  S  E  T  H    HALL, 
 
 Late  Lord   Bifhop   of    Norwich. 
 
 IN    THREE    VOLUMES, 
 
 VOL.     I. 
 
 V 
 
 ^nn^ 
 
 ;*     DEC  221910 
 
 35 
 
 4*fir    ~-i**;~ 
 
 %/WL  SE¥W$ 
 
 EDINBURGH 
 
 Printed  by  Willison  &  Darling; 
 
 And  fold  at  the  fliop  of  W.  Darling,  eaft  fide  of  Bridge - 
 ftreet,  and  by  all  the  bookfellers  in  town  and  country. 
 
 M.DCC.LXX. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 AS  the  very  learned  and  pious  author  of 
 thefe  divine  Meditations  was  one 
 of  the  mod  diftinguifhed  prelates  of 
 le  laft  century,  we  prefume  a  few  memoirs 
 concerning  him  will  not  be  unacceptable  to 
 the  reader.  He  had  the  experience  of  many 
 viciffitudes  of  fortune  in  his  life ;  of  fome  of 
 which  he  has  given  an  account  himfelf.  i  His 
 modefty,  and  love  of  retirement,  prevented 
 his  appearing  often  in  the  bufy  world;  in 
 which  his  fine  parts  and  genius  would  have 
 qualified  him  for  a&ing  in  a  diftinguifhed 
 character.  But  this  is  a  lofs  fufficiently  com- 
 penfated  by  his  excellent  writings ;  of  which 
 that  part  has  generally  obtained  the  preference, 
 whereof  a  new  edition,  carefully  collated  with 
 different  copies,  is  now  offered  to  the  public. 
 
 Joseph  Hall  was  born  July  ift,  1574,  in 
 the  Englifh  county  of  Leicejler ;  while  his  fa- 
 ther, then  an  officer  under  the  Earl  of  Huni- 
 ington,  had  the  governm^nr  of  Huntington,  the 
 chief  feat  of  that  earldom.  His  parents,  ha- 
 ving early  devoted  him  to  the  fervice  of  the 
 church,  fent  him,  at  the  age  offifteen,  to  Em- 
 manuel College,  Cambridge,  where  he  made  fuch 
 uncommon  proficiency,  that  in  three  years  he 
 took  the  degree  of  bachelor  of  arts.  Here 
 the  promotion  due  to  his  merit  was  like  tq 
 have  been   obftru&ed;    becaufe   the   college 
 
 a  rules 
 
iv  PREFACE. 
 
 rules  allowed  only  of  one  fellow  for  his  coun- 
 ty, and  one  already  had  got  into  pofleffion. 
 However,  he  was  diverted  from  a  refolution 
 to  go  to  London,  by  the  Earl  of  Huntington^ 
 his  friend  and  patron,  who  fo  far  prevailed,  as 
 to  get  the  fingle  fellowfhip  to  be  left  to  a  free 
 election,  into  which  Mr.  Hall  was  unanimouf- 
 ]y  chofen ;  and,  for  two  years,  he  difcharged 
 the  office  of  rhetoric  profeflbr,  in  that  univer- 
 sity, with  great  applaufe.  Soon  after,  being 
 perfifaded  to  accept  of  the  redtory  of  Hal/led, 
 he  continued  there  feveral  years :  but,  on  ac- 
 count of  fome  indifferent  ufage  he  met  with 
 from  the  patron,  his  fuperior,  he  was  obliged 
 to  leave  the  country,  and  to  enter  into  a  more 
 public  fcene. 
 
 On  his  coming  up  to  London,  his  brilliant 
 parts  introduced  him  into  the  acquaintance  of 
 perfons  of  the  firft  quality,  particularly  of  the 
 Earl  of  Effex :  he  was  invited  to  preach  before 
 Prince  Henry  at  Richmond,  in  which  he  f6  well 
 approved  himfelf,  that  he  was  honoured  with 
 his  Royal  Highnefs's  favour,  and  command- 
 ed into  his  fervice.  Having  taken  his  degree 
 of  doctor  of  divinity,  he  was  prefented  to  the 
 living  of  Waltham  in  EJfex,  the  labours  where- 
 of he  underwent  for  two  and  twenty  years. 
 Being  called  to  attend  the  'embafly  of  Lord 
 Vifcount  Doncajler  to  France,  he  was  nomina- 
 ted in  his  abfence  to  the  deanery  of  Worcejler ; 
 and,  upon  his  return,  appointed  by  the  King 
 
 to 
 
PREFACE.  v 
 
 to  be  one  of  his  facred  domeftics,  to  wait  up- 
 on him  in  his  journey  to  Scotland. 
 
 In  the  year  1618,  he  was  judged  a  perfon 
 highly  qualified,  as  one  of  the  Englijh  repre- 
 sentatives to  the  celebrated  fynod  of  Dart,  to 
 aflift  in  eftablifhing  thofe  Protectant  doctrines 
 which  were  fo  violently  controverted  by  Ar- 
 minius,  and  feveral  other  divines  in  the  Loiv 
 Countries.  Upon  his  arrival  there,  that  illu- 
 ftrious  affembly  pitched  upon  him  to  preach 
 before  them  in  Latin;  and  when  he  was  con- 
 flrained,  by  reafon  of  bodily  weaknefs,  to  afk 
 his  difmiffion,  before  the  proceedings  of  the 
 fynod  were  entirely  concluded,  he  received 
 fignal  marks  of  their  efteem,  and  was  prefent- 
 by  the  ftates  of  Holland  with  a  gold  medal. 
 
 At  his  return  to  England  ^  he  was  offered 
 the  bifhopric  of  Gloucefter,  which,  not  accept- 
 ing, he  was  in  a  little  time  promoted  to  that 
 of  Exeter ;  and  from  thence  removed  to  the 
 fee  of  Norwich,  where  he  continued,  till  his 
 lad  and  beft  tranflation.  The  latter  part  of 
 his  life  was  much  involved  in  the  troubles 
 that  arofe  about  the  end  of  King  Charles  I.'s 
 reign.  He  was  confined  for  forne  time  in  the 
 tower,  with  the  reft  of  the  bifhops ;  and  fuf- 
 fered  more,  through  the  fury  and  confuGon 
 of  the  times,  than  a  man  of  his  known  mode- 
 ration could  deferve :  all  which  he  bore  with 
 a  truly  chriftian  fpirit  of  patience,  and  exem- 
 plary devotion.     He  died  at  Higham  in  Nor- 
 
 a  2  folk, 
 
vi  PREFACE. 
 
 folk,  8th  September  1656,  in  the  eighty-third 
 year  of  Jais  age. 
 
 .  In  the  numerous  pieces  with  which  he  ob- 
 liged the  world,  fuch  is  the  purity  and  ele- 
 gance of  his  ftyle,  fo  various,  and  fpirited  his 
 thoughts,  that  he  was,  by  way  of  excellence, 
 
 1  called  the  English  Seneca.  The  unravel- 
 ling of  controversies,  commenting  upon,  and 
 explaining  the  fcriptures,  his  characters  and 
 practical  difcourfes,  are  fo  many  fpecies  of 
 writing  wherein  he  excelled  ;  but,  if  we  might 
 be  allowed  to  copy  after  the  judgment  of  a 
 late  author,  he  was  by  far  the  happieft  in  his 
 meditations.  There  runs  through  thefe  fuch 
 an  uncommon  vein  of  invention  and  genius ; 
 there  is  fuch  a  fund  of  folid  and  ufeful  thought 
 in  them ;  fomething  fo  lively  and  beautiful, 
 joined  with  what  is  mod  ferious  and  pious, 
 that  they  muft  for  ever  do  honour  to  the  au- 
 thor's memory,  and  anfwer  the  great  purpofe 
 of  at  once  inftru<5ting  and  entertaining  the 
 reader. 
 
 So  vehement  was  his  inclination  to  fludy, 
 that  he  frequently  forgot  the  attention  due  to 
 his  health,  and  fuffered  himfelf  to  cultivate  it 
 even  to  the  brink  of  excefs*  Thus  he  fays,  in 
 an  epiftle  to  a  friend,  who  would  diffuade 
 him  from  too  clofe  application:  "  Fear  not 
 "  my  immoderate  ftudies  ;  I  have  a  body  that 
 '  controls  me  enough  in  thefe  courfes,  my 
 :  friends  need  not.     There  is  nothing  where- 
 
 M  of 
 
PREFACE.  vii 
 
 of  I  could  fooner  furfeit,  if  I  durft  negledl 
 my  body  to  fatisfy  my  mind.  But  while  I 
 affedt  knowledge,  my  weaknefs  checks  me, 
 and  fays,  Better  a  little  learning,  than  no 
 health.  I  yield,  and  patiently  abide  my- 
 felf  debarred  of  my  chofen  felicity ." 
 
 His  works  fliew  him  extremely  warm  a- 
 gainft  the  tenets  of  the  Romifh  communion, 
 which  is  eafily  accounted  for  at  a  time  when 
 the  difputes  on  that  fubjedl  were  at  the  height. 
 Nor  was  he  lefs  zealous  againft  thofe  who  af- 
 fected to  feparate  from  the  eftablifhed  church, 
 without  the  greateft  neceflity,  as  appears  from 
 his  anfwer  to  two  gentlemen,  who  attempted 
 a  feceffion  upon  Arminian  principles,  wherein, 
 with  great  ftrength  of  expreffion,  he  defcribes 
 the  unhappy  effe&s  of  tearing  afunder  a  na- 
 tional body  of  chriftianSj  upon  fuperficial  and 
 flender  motives. 
 
 One  of  his  letters,  wherein  he  deplores  the 
 divifions   among  the  divines  at  Leyden,  con- 
 tains fome  remarkable  expoftulations,  which 
 we  beg  leave  to  tranlcribe :  "  If  I  might  chal- 
 u  lenge  any  thing  in  that  your  acute  and 
 i  learned   Arminius,  I  would   thus  folicit  and 
 "  conjure  him:    Alas!    that  fo   wife  a  man 
 "  fhould  not  know  the  worth  of  peace;  that 
 "  fo  noble  a  ion  of  the  church  ihould  not  be 
 '  brought  to  light,  without  ripping  the  womb 
 1  of  his  mother !  What  mean  theie  fubtle  no- 
 6  velties  I  if  they  make  thee  famous,  and  the 
 
 "  church 
 
viii  PREFACE. 
 
 <C 
 
 "  church  miferable,  who  fhall  gain  by  them  ? 
 "  — By  that  mod  precious  and  bloody  ranfom 
 "  of  our  Saviour,  and  by  that  awful  appear- 
 ance we  fhall  once  make  before  the  glorious 
 tribunal  of  the  Son  of  God,  remember  thy- 
 "  felf,  and  the  poor  diflradled  limbs  of  the 
 "  church  ;  let  not  thofe  excellent  parts,  where- 
 *  with  God  hath  furniGied  thee,  ly  in  the 
 "  narrow  way,  and  caufe  any  weak  one  to 
 "  fall,  or  (tumble,  or  err." 
 
 The  editor  has  nothing  further  to  add,  but 
 his  hearty  thanks  to  the  encouragers  of  this 
 work ;  and  that,  as  he  is  not  confeious  of  the 
 lead  inclination  to  give  offence  to  any  body  of 
 chriftians,  he  is  full  of  good  hopes,  that  the 
 difperfion  and  general  perufal  of  thefe  volumes 
 will  conduce  mightily  to  promote  union,  and 
 flrengthen  the  principles  of  genuine  piety. 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 0  F    TH  E 
 
 Historical  Passages 
 
 1  N    T  H  E 
 
 FIRST    VOLUME. 
 
 BOOK    I. 
 
 BOOK    V. 
 
 Contemplation 
 
 I. 
 
 I.  The  waters  of  Marah 
 
 118 
 
 fT^HE  Creation          Page  I 
 
 II.  The  quails  and  manna 
 
 124 
 
 X        II.  Man 
 
 8 
 
 HI.  The  rock  of  Rephidim 
 
 132 
 
 III.  Paradife 
 
 M 
 
 IV.  The  foil  of  Amalek,  or 
 
 IV.  Cain  and  Abel 
 
 *9 
 
 Mofes's    hand   lifted 
 
 V.  The  Deluge 
 
 24 
 
 up 
 
 139 
 
 V.  The  law 
 
 145 
 
 BOOK    II. 
 
 VI.  The  golden  calf 
 
 152 
 
 I.  Noah 
 
 II.  Babel 
 
 29 
 
 33 
 
 BOOK    VI. 
 
 III.  Abraham 
 
 37 
 
 I.  The  veil  of  Mofes 
 
 165 
 
 IV.  Ifaac  offered 
 
 4l 
 
 II.  Nadab  and  Abihu 
 
 173 
 
 V.  Lot  and  Sodom 
 
 47 
 
 III.  Aaron  and  Miriam 
 
 179 
 
 IV.Thefearchers  of  Canaan  186 
 
 BOOK     III. 
 
 V.  Koran's  confpiracy 
 
 192 
 
 I.  Jacob  and  Efau 
 
 II.  Jacob  and  Laban 
 
 53 
 59 
 
 BOOK     VII. 
 
 III.  Dinah 
 
 64 
 
 I.  Aaron's  cenfer  and  rod 
 
 199 
 
 IV.  Judah  and  Thamar 
 
 68 
 
 II.  The  brazen  ferpent 
 
 206 
 
 V.  Jofeph 
 
 72 
 
 III.  Balaam 
 
 211 
 
 IV.  Phineas 
 
 223 
 
 BOOK     IV. 
 
 V.  The  death  of  Mofes 
 
 229 
 
 I.  The  affliction  of  Ifrael 
 
 8£ 
 
 II.  Birth  and  breeding  of 
 
 BOOK     VIII. 
 
 Mofes 
 
 92 
 
 I.  Rahab 
 
 236 
 
 III.  Mofes  called 
 
 100 
 
 11.  Jordan  divided 
 
 242 
 
 JV.  The  pi  agues  of  Egypt  106     III.  The  fiege  of  Jericho     2/18 
 
 IV.  Achan 
 
The    CONTENTS. 
 
 IV.  Achan 
 
 V.  The  Gibeonites 
 
 BOOK     IX. 
 
 I.  The  refcue  of  Gibeon 
 
 II  "he  altar  of  the  Reu- 
 
 ses 
 I J  -md  Eglon 
 
 I  slandSifcm 
 
 V.  Gideon's  calling 
 
 VI.  Gideon's  preparation 
 and  victory 
 
 VII.  The  revenge  of  Suc- 
 coth  and  Penuel 
 
 VIII.  Abimelech's  ufurpa- 
 tion 
 
 BOOK     X. 
 
 I.  Jephthah 
 
 II.  Samfon  conceived 
 
 III.  Samfon's  marriage 
 
 IV.  Samfon's  victory 
 
 V.  Samfon's  end 
 
 VI.  Micah's  idolatry 
 
 BOOK    XI. 
 
 I.  The  Levite's  concubine  369 
 
 II.  The  defolation  of  Ben- 
 
 jamin 377 
 
 III  Naomi  and  Ruth  384 
 
 IV.  Boaz  and  Ruth  390 
 
 V.  Hannah  and  Peninnah  399 
 
 VI.  Eli  and  Hannah  402 
 
 VII.  Eli  and  his  fons  407 
 
 255 
 
 262 
 
 269 
 
 274 
 280 
 286 
 291 
 
 300 
 
 307 
 
 3*4 
 
 321 
 329 
 337 
 345 
 354 
 361 
 
 BOOK  XII. 
 
 I.  The  Ark  and  Dagon       418 
 
 II.  Ark's  revenge  and  return  425 
 
 III.  The  remove  of  the  ark  432 
 
 IV.  Meeting  of  Saul  and 
 
 Samuel  437 
 
 V.  Inauguration  of  Saul      447 
 
 VI.  Samuel's  conteftation  453 
 VII  Saul's  facrifice  457 
 VIII.  Jonathan's  victory, 
 
 and  Saul's  oath  463 
 
 BOOK    XIII. 
 
 I.  Saul  and  Agag 
 
 II.  The  rejection  of  Saul, 
 
 and  choice  of  David 
 
 III.  David  called  to  court 
 
 IV.  David  and  Goliah 
 
 V.  Jonathan's  love,   and 
 
 Saul's  envy 
 
 VI.  Michal's  wile 
 
 VII.  David  and  Ahimelech  510 
 
 47* 
 
 476 
 
 483 
 486 
 
 498 
 504 
 
 BOOK  XIV. 
 
 I.  Saul  in  David's  cave 
 
 II.  Nabal  and  Abigail 
 
 III.  David  and  Achifh 
 
 IV.  Saul  and  the  witch  of 
 
 Endor 
 
 V.  Ziklag  fpoiled  and  re- 
 
 venged 
 
 VI.  The  death  of  Saul 
 
 VII.  Abner  and  Joab 
 
 5*5 
 
 521 
 529 
 
 537 
 
 543 
 55o 
 
 557 
 
 Con. 
 
CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 BOOK    FIRST. 
 
 Co nt em.  I.      The  Creation. 
 
 WHAT  can  I  fee,  O  God,  in  thy  creation,  but 
 miracles  of  wonders?  Thou  madefl  forne- 
 thing  of  nothing,  and  of  that  fomething  ail 
 things.  Thou,  which  wall  without  a  beginning,  ga- 
 veft  a  beginning  to  time,  and  to  the  world  in  time. 
 It  is  the  praife  of  us  men,  if,  when  we  have  matter, 
 we  can  give  fafhion  :  thou  gaveft  a  being  to  the  matter, 
 without  form;  thou  gaveft  a  form  to  that  matter,. and 
 a  glory  to  that  form.  If  we  can  finifh  but  a  flight  and 
 imperfect  matter  according  to  a  former  pattern,  it  is 
 the  height  of  our  fkill :  but  to  begin  that  which  never 
 was,  whereof  there  was  no  example,  whereto  there 
 was  no  inclination,  wherein  there  was  no  pofiibility 
 of  that  which  it  mould  be,  is  proper  only  to  fuch  pow- 
 er as  thine  :  the  infinite  power  of  an  -infinite  Creator ! 
 With  us,  not  fo  much  as  a  thought  can  arife  without 
 fome  matter  :  but  here,  with  thee,  all  matter  arifes 
 from  nothing.  How  eafy  is  it  for  thee  to  repair  al! 
 out  of  fomething,  which  couldft  thus  fetch  all  out  of 
 nothing  ?  Wherein  can  we  now  diftruft  thee,  that  haft 
 proved  thyfelf  thus  omnipotent  ?  Behold !  to  have 
 made  the  leaft  clod  of  nothing,  is  more  above  wonder, 
 than  to  multiply  a  world !  But  now  the  matter  doth 
 not  more  praife  thy  power,  than  the  form  thy  wif- 
 dom.  What  beauty  is  here !  what  order !  What  order 
 in  working  !  what  beauty  in  the  work  ! 
 
 Thou  mightft  have  made  all  the  world  perfect  in 
 
 an  inftant,  but  thou  wouldft  not.     That  will,  which 
 
 caufed  thee  to  create,  is  reafon  enough  why  thou  didft 
 
 Vol.  I.  A  thus 
 
2  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 thus  create.  How  fhould  we  deliberate  in  our  Anions, 
 which  are  fo  fubject  to  imperfection  ;  fmce  it  pleafed 
 thine  infinite  perfection  (not  out  of  need)  to  take  lei- 
 lure  ?  Neither  did  thy  wifdom  herein  proceed  in  time 
 only,  but  in  degrees  :  At  firft  thou  madeft  nothing  ab- 
 folute ;  firft,  thou  madeft  things  which  mould  have  be- 
 ing without  life ;  then,  thofe  which  mould  have  life 
 and  being ;  laftly,  thofe  which  have  being,  life,  reafon : 
 So  we  ourfelves,  in  the  ordinary  courfe  of  generation, 
 firft  live  the  life  of  vegetation,  then  of  fenfe,  of  rea- 
 fon afterwards.  That  inftant  wherein  the  heaven  and 
 the  earth  were  created  in  their  rude  matter,  there  was 
 neither  day  nor  light ;  but  prefently  thou  madeft  both 
 light  and  day.  Whiles  we  have  this  example  of  thine, 
 how  vainly  do  we  hope  to  be  perfect  at  once !  It  is 
 well  for  us,  if,  through  many  degrees,  we  can  rife  to 
 our  confummation. 
 
 But,  alas !  what  was  the  very  heaven  itfelf,  without 
 light  ?  how  confufed  !  how  formlefs !  like  to  a  goodly 
 body  without  a  foul,  like  a  foul  without  thee.  T^ou 
 art  light,  and  in  thee  is  no  darknefs.  Oh !  how  in- 
 comprehenfibly  glorious  is  the  light  that  is  in  thee, 
 fmce  one  glimpfe  of  this  created  light  gave  fo  lively  a 
 glory  to  all  thy  workman  (hip !  This  even  the  brute 
 creatures  can  behold ;  that,  not  the  very  angels :  that 
 Alines  forth  only  to  the  other  fupreme  world  of  immor- 
 tality ;  this  to  the  bafeft  part  of  thy  creation.  There 
 is  one  caufe  of  our  darknefs  on  earth,  and  of  the  ut- 
 ter darknefs  in  hell ;  the  reftraint  of  thy  light.  Shine 
 thou,  O  God,  into  the  vail  corners  of  my  foul,  ancj 
 in  thy  lieht  I  mall  fee  light. 
 
 But  whence,  O  God,  was  that  firft  light?  The  fun 
 was  not  made  till  the  fourth  day,  .light  the  firft.  If 
 man  had  been,  he  might  have  feen  all  lightfome; 
 but,  whence  it  had  come,  he  could  not  have  feen :  as,  in 
 fome  great  pond,  we  fee  the  banks  full ;  we  fee  not 
 -     ^-ni  whence  that  water  arifeth.     Thou 
 
BOOK   I.      Contem.   I.  3 
 
 madefl  the  fun  ;  madefl  the  light,  without  the  fun,  be- 
 fore the  fun,  that  fo  light  might  depend  upon  thee, 
 and  not  upon  thy  creature.  Thy  power  will  not  be 
 limited  to  means.  It  was  eafy  to  thee  to  make  an 
 heaven  without  fun,  light  without  an  heaven,  day 
 without  a  fun,  time  without  a  day.  It  is  good  reaion 
 thou  fhouldfl  be  the  Lord  of  thine  own  works.  All 
 means  ferve  thee :  why  do  we,  v/eak  wretches,  di- 
 flruft  thee,  in  the  want  of  thofe  means,  which  thou 
 canit  either  command  or  forbear  ?  How  plainly  wouldil 
 thou  teach  us,  that  we  creatures  need  not  one  ano- 
 ther, fo  long  as  we  have  thee  ?  One  day  we  (hall 
 have  light  again,  without  the  fun  :  Thou  (halt  be 
 our  fun ;  thy  prefence  fhall  be  our  light :  light  is 
 fown  for  the  righteous.  The  fun  and  light  is  but  for 
 the  world  below  itfelf ;  thine  only  for  above.  Thou 
 givefl  this  light  to  the  fun,  which  the  fun  gives  to  the 
 world :  that  light,  which  thou  {halt  once  give  us, 
 fhall  make  us  mine,  like  the  fun,  in  glory. 
 
 Now  this  light,  which  for  three  days  was  thus  dif- 
 perfed  through  the  whole  heavens,  it  pleafed  thee,  at 
 lafl,  to  gather  and  unite  into  one  body  of  the  fun. 
 The  whole  heaven  was  our  fun,  before  the  fun  was 
 created :  but  now  one  flar  mufl  be  the  treafury  of  light 
 to  the  heaven  and  earth.  How  thou  lovefl  the  union 
 and  reduction  of  all  things  of  one  kind  to  their  own 
 head  and  centre  !  fo  the  waters  muft,  by  thy  command, 
 be  gathered  into  one  place,  the  fea :  fo  the  upper  wa- 
 ters mull  be  fevered  by  thefe  airy  limits  from  the 
 lower :  fo  heavy  fubftances  haften  downward,  and 
 light  mount  up :  fo  the  general  light  of  the  firft  days, 
 muft  be  called  into  the  compafs  of  one  fun :  fo  thou  wilt 
 once  gather  thine  elect  from  all  eoafts  of  heaven,  to 
 the  participation  of  one  glory.  Why  do  we  abide  our 
 thoughts  and  affections  fcattered  from  thee,  from  chy 
 faints,  from  thine  anointed?  Oh!  let  :his  light,  which 
 thou  hall  now  fpread  abroad  in  the  hearts  of  all  thine, 
 
 A  2  once 
 
4  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 once  meet  in  thee.  We  are  as  thy  heavens,  in  this 
 their  firft  imperfection ;  be  thou  our  fun,  unto  which 
 our  light  may  be  gathered. 
 
 Yet  this  light  was  by  thee  interchanged  with  dark- 
 nefs,  which  thou  mightfl  as  eafily  have  commanded  to 
 be  perpetual.  The  continuance,  even  of  the  befl 
 things,  cloyeth  and  wearieth :  there  is  nothing  but 
 thyfelf,  wherein  there  is  not  fatiety.  So  pleafing  is  the 
 vicuTitude  of  things,  that  the  intercourfe  even  of  thofe 
 occurrents,  which  in  their  own  nature  are  lefs  worthy, 
 gives  more  contentment  than  the  unaltered  eftate  of 
 better.  The  day  dies  into  night,  and  rifes  into  the" 
 morning  again,  that  we  might  not  expect  any  {labili- 
 ty here  below,  but  in  perpetual  fucceffions.  It  is  al- 
 ways day  with  thee  above :  the  night  favoureth  only 
 of  mortality.  Why  are  we  not  here  fpiritually,  as 
 we  ftiall  be  hereafter  ?  Since  thou  haft  made  us  chil- 
 dren of  the  light,  and  of  the  day,  teach  us  to  walk 
 ever  in  the  light  of  thy  prefence,  not  in  the  darknefs 
 of  error  and  unbelief. 
 
 Now,  in  this  thine  enlightened  frame,  how  fitly,  how 
 wifely  are  all  the  parts  difpofed  ;  that  the  method  of 
 the  creation  might  anfwer  the  matter,  and  the  form 
 both  !  Behold  all  purity  above  ;  below,  the  dregs  and 
 lees  of  all.  The  higher  I  go,  the  more  perfection  ; 
 each  element  fuperior  to  other,  not  more  in  place  than 
 dignity  ;  that,  by  thefe  ftairs  of  afcending  perfection, 
 our  thoughts  might  climb  unto  the  top  of  all  glory, 
 and  might  know  thine  imperial  heaven,  no  lefs  glorious 
 above  the  vifible,  than  thofe  above  the  earth.  Oh !  how 
 miferable  is  the  place  of  our  pilgrimage,  in  refpect  of 
 our  home !  Let  my  foul  tread  a-while  in  the  fteps  of 
 thine  own  proceedings ;  and  fo  think  as  thou  wrought- 
 eft.  When  we  would  defcribe  a  man,  we  begin  not 
 at  the  feet,  but  the  head.  The  head  of  thy  crea- 
 tion is  the  heaven;  how  high!  how  fpacious!  how 
 glorious !  It  is  a  wonder  that  we  can  look  up  to  fo 
 
 admirable 
 
BO0KI.     Co  nt  em.  i.  5 
 
 admirable  a  height,  and  that  the  very  eye  is  not  tired 
 in  the  way.  If  this  afcending  line  could  be  drawn 
 right  forwards,  fome,  that  have  calculated  curioufly, 
 have  found  it  five  hundred  years  journey  unto  the 
 ftarry  heaven.  I  do  not  examine  their  art ;  O  Lord, 
 I  wonder  rather  at  thine,  which  hail  drawn  fo  large 
 a  line  about  this  little  point  of  earth :  for,  in  the  plain- 
 eft  rules  of  art  and  experience,  the  compafs  muft  needs 
 be  fix  times  as  much  as  half  the  height.  We  think 
 one  ifland  great,  but  the  earth  unmeafurably.  If  we 
 were  in  that  heaven,  with  thefe  eyes,  the  whole  earth 
 (were  it  equally  enlightened)  would  feem  as  little  to 
 us,  as  now  the  leaft  flar  in  the  firmament  feems  to  us 
 upon  earth :  and,  indeed,  how  few  ftars  are  fo  little 
 as  it  ?  And  yet,  how  many  void  and  ample  fpaces  are 
 there  befide  all  the  ftars  ?  The  hugenefs  of  this  thy 
 work,  O  God,  is  little  inferior  for  admiration  to  the 
 majefty  of  it.  But,  oh,  what  a  glorious  heaven  is  this 
 which  thou  haft  fpread  over  our  heads !  With  how 
 precious  a  vault  haft  thou  walled  in  this  our  inferior 
 world  !  What  worlds  of  light  haft  thou  fet  above  us  ? 
 Thofe  things  which  we  fee  are  wondrous ;  but  thofe, 
 which  we  believe  and  fee  not,  are  yet  more.  Thou 
 doft  but  fet  out  thefe  unto  view,  to  ftiew  us  what  there 
 is  within.  How  proportionable  are  thy 'works  to  ihf- 
 felf !  Kings  erect  not  cottages,  but  fet  forth  their  ma- 
 gnificence in  fumptuous  buildings ;  fo  haft  thou  done, 
 O  King  of  glory !  If  the  loweft  pavement  of  that  heaven 
 of  thine  be  fo  glorious,  what  ftiall  we  think  of  the  bet- 
 ter parts  yet  unfeen  ?  And  if  this  fun  of  thine  be  of 
 fuch  brightnefs  and  majefty,  oh !  what  is  the  glory  of 
 the  Maker  of  it  ?  And  yet  if  fome  other  of  thy  ftars 
 were  let  down  as  low  as  it,  thofe  other  ftars  would  be 
 funs  to  us ;  which  now  thou  hadft  rather  to  have  ad- 
 mired in  their  diftance.  And  if  fuch  a  iky  be  pr  pa  ed 
 for  the  ufe  and  benefit  even  of  thine  enemies  alfo  upon 
 
 earth, 
 
6  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 earth,  how  happy  {hall  thofe  eternal  tabernacles  be, 
 which  thou  hail  fequeftred  for  thine  own  ? 
 
 Behold  then,  in  this  high  and  (lately  building  of 
 thine,  I  fee  three  ftages :  this  lowed  heaven  for  fowls, 
 for  vapours,  for  meteors :  the  fecond,  for  the  ftars : 
 the  third,  for  thine  angels  and  faints.  The  firft  is 
 thine  outward  court,  open  for  all :  the  fecond  is  the 
 body  of  thy  covered  temple,  wherein  are  thofe  candles 
 of  heaven  perpetuajly  burning  :  the  third  is  thine  holy 
 of  holies.  In  the  firft  is  tumult  and  vanity  :  in  the  fe- 
 cond, immutability  and  refl :  in  the  third,  glory  and 
 blefTednefs.  The  firft  we  feel,  the  fecond  we  fee,  the 
 third  we  believe.  In  thefe  two  lower  is  no  felicity ; 
 for  neither  the  fowls  nor  ftars  are  happy.  It  is  the 
 third  heaven  alone,  where  thou,  O  bleffed  Trinity ! 
 enjoyeft  thyfelf,  and  thy  glorified  fpirits  enjoy  thee. 
 It  is  the  manifeftation  of  thy  glorious  prefence,  that 
 makes  heaven  to  be  itfelf.  This  is  the  privilege  of 
 thy  children,  that  they  here,  feeing  thee  (which  art  in- 
 visible) by  the  eye  of  faith,  have  already  begun  that 
 heaven,  which  the  perfeft  fight  of  thee  fliall  make  per- 
 fect above.  Let  my  foul  then  let  thefe  heavens  alone, 
 till  it  may  fee  as  it  is  feen.  That  we  may  defcend 
 to  this  loweft  and  meaneft  region  of  heaven,  where- 
 with our  fenfes  are  more  acquainted ;  what  marvels 
 do  even  here  meet  with  us  ?  There  are  thy  clouds, 
 thy  bottles  of  rain,  veffels  as  thin  as  the  liquor  which  is 
 contained  in  them :  there  they  hang  and  move,  though 
 weighty  with  their  burden  :  how  they  are  upheld,  and 
 why  they  fall,  here,  and  now,  we  know  not,  and  won- 
 der. Thefe  thou  makefl  one  while,  as  fome  airy  feas, 
 to  hold  water :  another  while,  as  fome  airy  furnaces, 
 whence  thou  fcattereft  thy  fudden  fires  unto  all  the 
 parts  of  the  earth,  aftonifhing  the  world  with  the  fear- 
 ful noife  of  that  eruption :  out  of  the  midft  of  water 
 thou  fetcheft  fire,  and  hard  ftones  out  of  the  midft  of 
 thin  vapours:    another  while,   as  fome  fteel-glafles, 
 
 wherein 
 
BOOK   I.      Con  t  em.  i.  .7 
 
 wherein  the  fun  looks  and  mews  his  face  in  the  va- 
 riety of  thofe  colours  which  he  hath  not ;  there  are 
 thy  ftreams  of  light,  blazing  and  falling  flars,  fires 
 darted  up  and  down  in  many  forms,  hollow  openings, 
 and  (as  it  were)  gulfs  in  the  fky,  bright  circles  about 
 the  moon,  and  other  planets,  fnows,  hail :  in  all  which 
 it  is  enough  to  admire  thine  hand,  though  we  cannot 
 fearch  out  thine  action.  There  are  thy  fubtile  winds, 
 which  we  hear  and  feel,  yet  neither  can  fee  their  fub- 
 ftance,  nor  know  their  caufes  :  whence  and  whither 
 they  pafs,  and  what  they  are,  thou  knoweft.  There 
 are  thy  fowls  of  all  fhapes,  colours,  notes,  natures : 
 whilft  I  compare  thefe  with  the  inhabitants  of  that 
 other  heaven,  I  find  thofe  ftars  and  fpirits  like  one 
 another ;  thefe  meteors  and  fowls,  in  as  many  varie- 
 ties, as  there  are  feveral  creatures.  Why  is  this?  Is 
 it  becaufe  Man  (for  whofe  fake  thefe  are  made)  de- 
 lights in  change,  thou  in  conftancy  ?  or  is  it,  that  in 
 thefe  thou  mayft  fhew  thine  own  fkill,  and  their  im- 
 perfection ?  There  is  no  variety  in  that  which  is  per- 
 fect, becaufe  there  is  but  one  perfection  ;  and  fo  much 
 fhall  we  grow  nearer  to  perfectnefs,  by  how  much  we 
 draw  nearer  to  unity  and  uniformity.  From  thence, 
 if  we  go  down  to  the  great  deep,  the  womb  of  moi- 
 fture,  the  well  of  fountains,  the  great  pond  of  the  world ; 
 we  know  not  whether  to  wonder  at  the  element  itfelf, 
 or  the  guefts  which  it  contains.  How  doth  that  fea 
 of  thine  roar  and  foam,  and  fwell,  as  if  it  would  fwal- 
 low  up  the  earth  ?  Thou  flayefl  the  rage  of  it  by  an 
 infenfible  violence  ;  and,  by  a  natural  miracle,  confineft 
 his  waves ;  why  it  moves,  and  why  it  flays,  it  is  to 
 us  equally  wonderful :  what  living  mountains  (fuch 
 are  thy  whales)  rowl  up  and  down  in  thofe  fearful  bil- 
 lows :  for  greatnefs  of  number,  hugenefs  of  quantity, 
 ftrangenefs  of  ftiapes,  variety  of  fafhions,  neither  air 
 nor  earth  can  compare  with  the  waters.  I  fay  nothing 
 of  thy  hid  treafures,  which  thy  wifdom  hath  repofed 
 
8  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 in  the  bowels  of  the  earth  and  fea :  how  fecretly,  and 
 how  bafely  are  they  laid  up !  fecretly,  that  we  might 
 not  feek  them ;  bafely,  that  we  might  not  over-eft eem 
 them :  I  need  not  dig*  fo  low  as  thefe  metals,  mineries, 
 quarries,  which  yield  riches  enough  of  obfervation  to 
 the  foul.  How  many  millions  of  wonders  doth  the 
 very  face  of  the  earth  otfer  me  ?  which  of  thefe  herbs, 
 flowers,  trees,  leaves,  feeds,  fruits,  is  there,  what 
 beaft,  what  worm,  wherein  we  may  not  fee  the  foot- 
 fteps  of  a  Deity,  wherein  we  may  not  read  infinite- 
 nefs  of  power,  of  fkill,  and  mull  be  forced  to  confefs, 
 that  he  which  made  the  angels  and  flars  of  heaven, 
 made  alfo  the  vermin  on  the  earth  ?  O  God,  the 
 heart  of  man  is  too  ftrait  to  admire  enough  even  that 
 which  he  treads  upon !  What  fhall  we  fay  to  thee,  the 
 Maker  of  all  thefe  ?  O  Lord,  how  wonderful  are  thy 
 w/)rks  in  all  the  world  !  in  wifdom  haft  thou  made  them 
 all :  and  in  all  thefe  thou  fpakeft,  and  they  were  done. 
 Thy  will  is  thy  word,  and  thy  word  is  thy  deed.  Our 
 tongue,  and  hand,  and  heart,  are  diiferent :  all  are  one 
 in  thee,  which  are  fimply  one,  and  infinite.  Here  need- 
 ed no  helps,  no  inftruments :  what  could  be  prefent 
 with  the  Eternal  ?  What  needed,  or  what  could  be 
 added  to  the  Infinite  ?  Thine  hand  is  not  fhortened, 
 thy  word  is  ftill  equally  effectual :  fay  thou  the  word, 
 and  my  foul  fhall  be  made  new  again ;  fay  thou  the 
 word,  and  my  body  fhall  be  repaired  from  his  duft : 
 for  all  things  obey  thee.  O  Lord,  why  do  I  not  yield 
 to  the  word  of  thy  counfel ;  fmce  I  muft  yield,  as  all 
 thy  creatures,  to  the  word  of  thy  command  ? 
 
 Con t  em.    II.      Of  Man. 
 
 BUT,  O  God!  what  a  little  lord  haft  thou  made 
 over  this  great  world  ?  The  ieaft  corne  of  fand  is 
 not  fo  fmall  to  the  whole  earth,  as  man  is  to  the  hea- 
 ven.    When  I  fee  the  heavens,  the  fun,  moon,,  and 
 
 ftars, 
 
BOOK  I.      Contem.  if.  9 
 
 ftars,  O  God,  what  is  man  ?  Who  would  think  thou 
 fhouldft  make  all  thefe  creatures  for  one,  and  that  one 
 well-near  the  lead  of  all  ?  Yet  none,  but  he,  can  fee 
 what  thou  haft  done ;  none  but  he  can  admire,  and 
 adore  thee  in  what  he  feeth :  how  had  he  need  to  do 
 nothing  but  this,  fmce  he  alone  muft  do  it  i  Certainly 
 the  price  and  virtue  of  things  confift  not  in  the  quan- 
 tity:  one  diamond  is  more  worth  than  many  quarries 
 of  ftone ;  one  loadif  one  hath  more  virtue  than  moun- 
 tains of  earth.     It  is  lawful  for  us  to  praife  thee  in 
 ourfelves.     All  thy  creation  hath  not  more  wonder  in 
 it,  than  one  of  us :  other  creatures  thou  madeft  by  a 
 fimple  command;  Man,  not  without  a  divine  conful- 
 tation :  others  at  once ;  man,  thou  didfl  firft  form? 
 then  infpire :  others  in  feveral  fhapes,  like  to  none 
 but  themfelves ;  man,  after  thine  own  image :  others 
 with  qualities  fit  for  fervice  ;  man,  for  dominion.    Man, 
 had  his  name  from  thee  ;  they  had  their  names  from, 
 man.     How  mould  we  be  confecrated  to  thee  above 
 all  others,  fmce  thou  haft  bellowed  more  coll  on  us 
 than  others !  What  fliall  I  admire  firil  ?  thy  provi-* 
 dence  in  the  time  of  our  creation  ;  or  thy  power  and 
 wifdom  in  the  a&  ?  Firft,  Thou  madeft  the  great  houfe 
 of  the  world,  and  furnifhedft  it :  then  thou  broughtft 
 in  thy  tenant  to  poffefs  it.     The  bare  walls  had  been,, 
 too  good  for  us,  but  thy  love  was  above  our  defert : 
 thou,  that  madeft  ready  the  earth  for  us  before  we 
 were,  haft,  by  the  fame  mercy,  prepared  a  place  in 
 heaven  for  us,  whiles  we  are  on   earth.     The  ftage 
 was  firft  fully  prepared,  then  was  man  brought  forth 
 thither,  as  an  aftor,  or  fpeclator,  that  he  might  nei-* 
 ther  be  idle  nor  difcontent.     Behold,  thou  hadft  ad- 
 dSreffed  a»n  earth  for  ufe,  an  heaven  for  contemplation.. 
 After  thou  hadft  drawn  that  large  and  real  map  of  he 
 world,  thou  didft  thus  abridge  it  into  this  little  table  of 
 man :  he  alone  confifts  of  heaven  and  earth,  foul  and 
 body.     Even  this  earthly  part,  which  is*  vile  in  com- 
 
 B  parifon 
 
io  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 parifon  of  the  other,  as  it  is  thine,  O   God,  I  dare 
 admire  it,  though  I  can  neglect  it"  as  mine  own  ;  for 
 lo !  this  heap  of  earth  hath  an  outward  reference  to 
 heaven.     Other  creatures  grovel  down  to  their  earth, 
 and  have  all  their  fenfes  intent  upon  it :  this  is  reared 
 up  towards  heaven,  and  hath  no  more  power  to  look 
 befide  heaven,  than  to  tread  befide  the  earth.     Unto 
 this,  every  part  hath  his  wonder.    The  head  is  neareft 
 to  heaven,  as  in  place,  fo  in  refemblance,  both  for 
 roundnefs  of  figure,  and  for  thofe  divine  gueils  which 
 have  their  feat  in  it :  There  dwell  thofe  majeflical 
 powers  of  reafon,  which  make  a  man  ;  all  the  fenfes 
 as  they  have  their  original  from  thence,  fo  they  do  all 
 agree  there  to  manifefl  the  virtue.    How  goodly  pro- 
 portions hail  thou  fet  in  the  face !  fuch  as,  tho*  oft- 
 times  we  can  give  no  reafon  when  they  pleafe,  yet 
 tranfport  us  to  admiration.     What  living  glaffes  are 
 thofe  which  thou  haft  placed  in  the  midft  of  this  vifage, 
 whereby  all  "objects  from  far  are  clearly  reprefented  to 
 the  mind  !  and  becaufe  their  tendernefs  lies'  open  to 
 dangers,  how  haft  thou  defenced  them  with  hollow 
 bones,  and  with  prominent  brows,  and  lids !    and  left 
 they  fhould  be  too  much  bent  on  what  they  ought  not, 
 thou  haft  given  them  peculiar  nerves  to  pull  them  up 
 towrards  the  feat  of  their  reft.     What  a  tongue  haft 
 thou  given  him  ;  the  inftrument  not  of  tafte  only,  but 
 of  fpeech !  How  fweet  and  excellent  voices  are  formed 
 by  that  little  loofe  film  of  flefh!  What  an  incredible 
 ftrength  haft  thou  given  to  the  weak  bones  of  the  jaws ! 
 What  a  comely  and  tower-like  neck,  therefore  moft 
 finewy  becaufe  fmalleft !  And  left  I  be  infinite,  what 
 able  arms  and  active  hands  haft  thou  framed  him, 
 whereby  he  can  frame  all  things  to  his  own  conceit ! 
 In  every  part,  beauty,  ftrength,  convenience,  meet  to- 
 gether.    Neither  is  there  any  whereof  our  weaknefs 
 cannot  give  reafon,  why  it  fhould  be  no  otherways. 
 How  hail  thou  difpofed  of  all  the  inward  veffels,  for  all 
 
 offices 
 
BOOK    I.         CONTEM.     II.  II 
 
 offices  of  life,  nourifhment,  digeftion,  generation!  No 
 vein,  finew,   artery  is  idle.     There  is  no  piece  in  this 
 exquifite  frame,  whereof  the  place,  ufe,  form,  doth 
 %not  admit  wonder,  and  exceed  it.    Yet  this  body,  if  it 
 be  compared  to  the  foul,  what  is  it,  but  as  a  clay- 
 Wall  that  encompaiTes  a  treafure  ;  as  a  wooden  box  of 
 a  jeweller  ;  as  a  coarfe  cafe  to  a  rich  inftrument ;  or 
 as  a  mafk  to  a  beautiful  face?  Man  was  made  laft, be- 
 cause he  was  worthieft.     The  foul  was  infpired  laft, 
 becaufe  yet  more  noble.    If  the  body  have  this  honour 
 to  be  the  companion  of  the  foul,  yet  withal  it  is  the 
 drudge.     If  it  be  the  inftrument,  yet  alfo  the  clog  of 
 that  divine  part,  the  companion  for  life,  the  drudge 
 for  fervice,  the  inftrument  for  action,  the  clog  in  re- 
 fpect  of  contemplation.      Thefe  external  works  are 
 effected  by  it ;  the  internal,  which  are  more  noble,  hin- 
 dered ;  contrary  to  the  bird  which  fmgs  moil  in  her 
 cage,  but  flies  moft  and  higheft,  at  liberty.     This  my, 
 foul  teaches  me  of  itfelf,  that  itfelf  cannot  conceive, 
 how  capable  how  active  it  is.     It  can  pafs  by  her 
 nimble  thoughts  from  heaven  to  earth  in  a  moment : 
 it  can  be  all  things,  can  comprehend  all  things ;  know 
 that  which  is,    and   conceive  that  which  never  was, 
 never  fhall  be.     Nothing  can  fill  it,  but  thou  which 
 art  Infinite  ;    nothing  can  limit  it,  but  thou  which 
 art  every-where.    O  God,  which  madeft  it,  replenifli 
 it,  pofTefs  it,  dwell  thou  in  it,  which  haft  appointed 
 it  to  dwell  in  clay.     The  body  was  made   of  earth 
 common  to  his  fellows ;  the  foul  infpired  immediately 
 from  God.     The  body  lay  fenfelefs  upon  the  earth 
 like  itfelf :  the  breath  of  lives  gave  it  what  it  is ;  and 
 that  breath  was  from  thee.    Senfe,  motion,  reafon,  are 
 infufed  into  it  at  once.     From  whence  then  was  this 
 quickening  breath  ?  No  air,  no  earth,  no  water  was 
 here  ufed  to  give  help  to  this  work.      Thou  that 
 breathedft  upon  man,  and  gaveft  him  the  Holy  Spi- 
 rit, didft  alfo  breathe  upon  the  body,  and  gaveft  it  a 
 
 B  2  living 
 
\ 
 
 12  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 living  fpirit.  We  are  beholden  to  nothing  but  thee  for 
 our  foul.  Our  flefh  is  from  fiefh ;  our  fpirit  is  from 
 the  God  of  fpirits.  How  fhould  our  fouls  rife  up  to 
 thee,  and  fix  themfelves  in  their  thoughts  upon  thee, 
 *who  alone  created  them  in  their  infufion,  and  infufed 
 them  in  their  creation !  How  mould  they  long  to  re- 
 turn back  to  the  fountain  of  their  being,  and  author  of 
 being  glorious !  Why  may  we  not  fay,  that  this  foul,  as 
 it  came  from  thee,  fo  it  is  like  thee  ?  As  thou,  fo  it  is 
 one,  immaterial,  immortal,  underftanding  fpirit,  diflin- 
 guiflied  into  three  powers,  which  all  make  up  one  fpirit. 
 So  thou,  the  wife  Creator  of  all  things,  wouldft  have  fome 
 things  to  referable  their  Creator.  Thefe  other  creatures 
 are  all  body ;  man  is  body  and  fpirit.  The  angels  are  all 
 fpirit,  not  without  a  kind  of  fpiritual  compofition ;  thou 
 art  alone  after  thine  own  manner,  fimple,  glorious,  in- 
 finite :  no  creature  can  be  like  thee  in  thy  proper  be- 
 ing, becaufe  it  is  a  creature.  How  mould  our  finite, 
 weak,  compounded  nature,  give  any  perfect  refem- 
 "blance  of  thine  ?  Yet  of  all  vifible  creatures  thou 
 vouchfafefl  man  the  neareft  correfpondence  to  thee : 
 not  fo  much  in  the  natural  faculties,  as  in  thofe  di- 
 vine graces,  wherewith  thou  beautified  his  foul. 
 
 Our  knowledge,  holinefs,  righteoufnefs,  was  like 
 the  firft  copy  from  which  they  were  drawn.  Behold, 
 we  were  net  more  like  thee  in  thefe,  than  now  we  are 
 unlike  ourf elves  in  their  lofs.  O  God,  we  now  praife 
 ourfelves  to  our  ftiame,  for  the  better  we  were,  we 
 are  the  worfe;  as  the  fons  of  fome  prodigal  or  tainted 
 ancellors,  tell  of  the  lands  and  lordfhips  which  were 
 once  theirs.  Only  do  thou  whet  our  defires,  anfvver- 
 ably  to  the  readinefs  of  thy  mercies,  that  we  may  re- 
 deem wrhat  we  have  loft ;  jhat  we  may  recover  m 
 thee,  what  we  have  loft  in  ourfelves.  The  fault  mall 
 be  ours,  if  our  damage  prove  not  beneficial. 
 
 I  do  not  find,  that  man,  thus  framed,  found  the 
 want  of  an  helper.     His  fruition  of  God  gave  him 
 
 fulnefe 
 
BOOK  L      Contem.  fi.  13 
 
 fulnefs  of  contentment  :  the  fweetnefs  which  he 
 found  in  the  contemplation  of  this  new  workmanfhip, 
 and  the  glory  of  the  Author,  did  fo  take  him  up,  that 
 ,he  had  neither  leifure  nor  caufe  of  complaint.  If  man 
 had  craved  an  helper,  he  had  grudged  at  the  condition 
 of  his  creation,  and  had  queflioned  that  which  he  had, 
 perfection  of  being.  But  he  that  gave  him  his  being, 
 and  knew  him  better  than  hirnfelf,  thinks  of  giving 
 him  comfort  in  the  creature,  whiles  he  fought  none 
 but  in  his  Maker.  He  fees  our  wants,  and  forecafts 
 our  relief,  when  we  think  ourfelves  too  happy  to  com- 
 plain. How  ready  will  he  be  to  help  our  neoeffities, 
 that  thus  provides  for  our  perfection ! 
 
 God  gives  the  nature  to  his  creatures,  man  mult 
 give  the  name :  that  he  might  fee  they  were  made  for 
 him,  they  ill  all  be  to  him  what  he  will.  Inflead  of 
 their  firft  homage,  they  are  prefented  to  their  new 
 lord,  and  muff  fee  of  whom  they  hold.  He  that  was 
 fo  careful  of  man's  fovereignty  in  his  innocence,  how 
 can  he  be  carelefs  of  his  fafety  in  his  renovation  ? 
 
 If  God  had  given  them  their  names,  it  had  not  been 
 fo  great  a  praife  of  Adam's  memory  to  recal  them, 
 as  it  was  now  of  his  judgment  (at  firft  fight)  to  impofe 
 them :  he  faw  the  infide  of  all  the  creatures  at  firll, 
 (his  poilerity  fees  but  their  fkins  ever  fince ;)  and  by 
 this  knowledge  he  fitted  their  names  to  their  difpoii- 
 tions.  All  that  he  faw  were  fit  to  be  his  fervants, 
 none  to  be  his  companions.  The  fame  God  that 
 finds  the  want,  fupplies  it.  Rather  than  man's  inno- 
 cency  (hall  want  an  outward  comfort,  God  will  begin 
 a  new  creation :  not  out  of  the  earth,  which  was  the 
 matter  of  man ;  not  out  of  the  inferior  creatures, 
 which  were  the  fervants  of  man ;  but  out  of  hirnfelf, 
 for  dearnefs,  for  equality.  Doubtlefs  fuch  was  man's 
 power  of  obedience,  that  if  God  had  bidden  him  yield 
 up  his  rib,  waking,  for  his  ufe,  he  had  done  it  cheer- 
 fully :  but  the  bounty  of  God  was  fo  abfolute,  that  he 
 
 would 
 
14  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 "would  not  fo  much  as  confult  with  man's  will,  to  make 
 him  happy.  As  man  knew  not  while  he  was  made, 
 fo  mall  he  not  know  while  his  other  felf  is  made  out 
 of  him  :  that  the  comfort  might  be  greater,  which 
 was  feen  before  it  was  expected. 
 
 If  the  woman  mould  have  been  made,  not  without 
 the  pain  or  will  of  the  man,  fhe  might  have  been  up- 
 braided with  her  dependence  and  obligation.  Now  fhe 
 owes  nothing  but  to  her  Creator :  the  rib  of  Adam 
 fleeping  can  challenge  no  more  of  her  than  the  earth 
 can  of  him.  It  was  an  happy  change  to  Adam  of  a 
 rib  for  an  helper ;  what  help  did  that  bone  give  to  his 
 fide  !  God  had  not  made  it,  if  it  had  been  fuperf  u- 
 ous  :  and  yet  if  man  could  not  have  been  perfect 
 without  it,  it  had  not  been  taken  out. 
 
 Many  things  are  ufeful  and  convenient,  which  are 
 not  neceffary :  and  if  God  had  feen  man  might  not 
 want  it,  how  eafy  r&d  it  been  for  him,  which  made 
 the  woman  of  that  bone,  to  turn  the  flefli  into  another 
 bone !  but  he  faw  man  could  not  complain  of  th,e 
 want  of  that  bone,  which  he  had  fo  multiplied,  (q 
 animated. 
 
 O  God,  we  can  never  be  lofers  by  thy  changes ;  we 
 have  nothing  but  what  is  thine.  Take  from  us  thine 
 own,  when  thou  wilt;  we  are  fure  thou  canfl  not  but 
 give  us  better. 
 
 Contem.    III.     Of  Paradise. 
 
 MA N  could  no  fooner  fee,  than  he  faw  himfelf 
 happy :  his  eye-iight  and  reafon  were  both 
 perfect  at  once,  and  the  objects  of  both  were  able  to 
 make  him  as  happy  as  he  would.  When  he  firft  open- 
 ed his  eyes,  he  faw  heaven  above  him,  earth  under 
 him,  the  creatures  around  him,  God  before  him  ;  he 
 knew  what  all  thefe  things  meant,  as  if  he  had  been 
 long  acquainted  with  them  all.     He  faw  the  heavens 
 
 glorious 
 
BOOK   I.      Contem.  in.  15 
 
 glorious,  but  far  off:  his  Maker  thought  it  requifite 
 to  lit  him  with  a  paradife  nearer  home.  If  God  had 
 appointed  him  immediately  to  heaven,  his  body  had 
 been  fuperfluous ;  it  was  fit  his  body  mould  be  an- 
 fwered  with  an  earthen  image  of  that  heaven,  which 
 was  for  his  foul.  Had  man  been  made  only  for  con- 
 templation, it  would  have  ferved  as  well  to  have  been 
 placed  in  fome  vail  defart,  on  the  top  of  fome  barren 
 mountain ;  but  the  fame  power  which  gave  him  a 
 heart  to  meditate,  gave  him  hands  to  work,  and  work 
 fit  for  his  hands.  Neither  was  it  the  purpofe  of  the 
 Creator,  that  man  mould  but  live.  Pleafure  may 
 ftand  with  innocence.  He  that  rejoiced  to  fee  all  he 
 had  made  to  be  good,  rejoiceth  to  fee  all  that  he  hath 
 made  to  be  well.  God  loves  to  fee  his  creatures 
 happy ;  our  lawful  delight  is  his :  they  know  not 
 God,  that  think  to  pleafe  him  with  making  them- 
 felves  miferable. 
 
 The  idolators  thought  it  a  fit  fervice  for  Baal,  to 
 cut  and  lance  themfelves:  never  any  holy  man  looked 
 for  thanks  from  the  true  God,  by  wronging  himfelL 
 Every  earth  was  not  fit  for  Adam,  but  a  garden,  a 
 paradife.  What  excellent  pleafures,  and  rare  varieties 
 have  men  found  in  gardens,  planted  by  the  hands  of 
 men !  and  yet  all  the  world  of  men  cannot  make  one 
 twig,  or  leaf,  or  fpire  of  grafs.  When  he  that  made 
 the  matter  undertakes  the  fafhion,  how  muft  it  needs 
 be,  beyond  our  capacity,  excellent!  No  herb,  no 
 flower,  no  tree  was  wanting  there,  that  might  be  for 
 ornament  or  ufe ;  whether  for  tight,  or  for  fcent,  or  for 
 tafte.  The  bounty  of  God  taught  further  than  to 
 necefiity,  even  to  comfort  and  recreation :  Why  are 
 we  niggardly  to  ourfelves,  when  God  is  liberal  ?  but 
 for  all  this,  if  God  had  not  there  converfed  with 
 man,  no  abundance  could  have  made  him  Hefted. 
 
 Yet,  behold !  that  which  was  man's  ftore-houfe,  was 
 alfo  his  work-houfe  -,  his  pleafure  was  his  talk  :  para- 
 dife 
 
16  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 dife  ferved  not  only  to  feed  his  fenfes,  but  to  exer- 
 cife  his  hands.  If  happinefs  had  confided  in  doing  no- 
 thing, man  had  not  been  employed;  all  his  delights' 
 could  not  have  made  him  happy  in  an  idle  life.  Man 
 therefore  is  no  fooner  made,  than  he  is  fet  to  work : 
 neither  greatnefs,  nor  perfection  can  privilege  a  fold- 
 ed hand  ;  he  mufl  labour,  becaufe  he  was  happy  ; 
 how  much  more  we,  that  we  may  be !  This  firfl  la- 
 bour of  his  was,  as  without  neceffity,  fo  without 
 pains,  without  wearinefs :  How  much  more  cheerfully 
 we  go  about  our  bufmeffes,  fo  much  nearer  we  come 
 to  our  paradife. 
 
 Neither  did  thefe  trees  afford  him  only  action  for 
 his  hands,  but  inftruc'tion  to  his  heart:  for  here  he 
 faw  God's  facraments  grow  before  him ;  all  other  trees 
 had  a  natural  ufe,  thefe  two,  in  the  midfl  of  the  gar- 
 den, a  fpiritual.  Life  is  the  act  of  the  foul,  know- 
 ledge the  life  of  the  foul ;  the  tree  of  knowledge,  and 
 the  tree  of  life,  then  were  ordained  as  earthly  helps 
 of  the  fpiritual  part.  Perhaps  he  which  ordained  the 
 end,  immortality  of  life,  did  appoint  this  fruit  as  the 
 means  of  that  life.  It  is  not  for  us  to  inquire  after 
 the  life  we  had,  and  the  means  we.  mould  have 
 had.  I  am  fure  it  ferved  to  nourifti  the  foul  by  a 
 lively  reprefentation  of  that  living  tree,  whofe  fruit 
 is  eternal  life,  and  whofe  leaves  ferve  to  heal  the  na- 
 tions. 
 
 O  infinite  mercy !  man  faw  his  Saviour  before  him, 
 ere  he  had  need  of  a  Saviour :  he  faw  in  whom  he 
 fliouid  recover  an  heavenly  life,  ere  he  loft  the  earth- 
 ly. But  after  he  had  tafled  of  the  tree  of  knowledge, 
 he  might  not  tail e  of  the  tree  of  life;  that  immortal 
 food  was  not  for  a  mortal  flomach :  yet  then  did  he 
 moft  favour  that  invifible  tree  of  life,  when  he  was 
 mod:  reftrained  from  the  other. 
 
 O  Saviour!  none  but  a  finner  can  relifh  thee:  my 
 tafte  hath  been  enough  feafoned  with  the  forbidden 
 
 fruit, 
 
BOOK   I.      Contem,  in.  17 
 
 fruit,  to  make  it  capable  of  thy  fweetnefs ;  fharpea 
 thou  as  well  the  ftomach  of  my  foul  by  repenting,  by 
 believing,  fo  mall  I  eat,  and,  in  defpite  of  Adam^ 
 live  for  ever.  The  one  tree  was  for  confirmation,  the 
 other  for  trial :  one  mewed  him  what  life  he  fhould 
 have,  the  other  what  knowledge  he  fhould  not  defirc 
 to  have :  alas !  he,  that  knew  all  other  things,  knew 
 not  this  one  thing,  that  he  knew  enough:  how  divine 
 a  thing  is  knowledge,  whereof  even  innocency  itfelf  is 
 ambitious!  Satan  knew  what  he  did:  if  this  bait  had 
 been  gold,  or  honour,  or  pleafure,  man  had  contem- 
 ned it :  who  can  hope  to  avoid  error,  when  even  man's 
 perfection  is  miftaken?  He  looked  for  fpeculative  know- 
 ledge, he  mould  have  looked  for  experimental :  he 
 thought  it  had  been  good  to  know  evil:  good  was 
 large  enough  to  have  perfected  his  knowledge,  and 
 therein  his  blefTednefs. 
 
 All  that  God  made  was  good,  and  the  Maker  of 
 them  much  more  good ;  they  good  in  their  kinds,  he 
 good  in  himfelf.  It  would  not  content  him  to  know 
 God  and  his  creatures ;  his  curiofity  affected  to  know 
 that  which  God  never  made,  evil  of  fin,  and  evil  of 
 death,  which  indeed  himfelf  made,  by  defiring  to 
 know  them ;  now  we  know  well  evil  enough,  and 
 fmart  with  knowing  it.  How  dear  hath  this  leflbu 
 coft  us,  that  in  fome  cafes  it  is  better  to  be  ignorant ! 
 and  yet  do  the  fons  of  Eve  inherit  this  fancy  appetite 
 of  their  grand-mother :  how  many  thoufand  fouls  mif- 
 carry  with  the  prefumptuous  affectation  of  forbidden 
 knowledge ! 
 
 O  God,  thou  haft  revealed  more  than  we  can  know, 
 enough  to  make  us  happy ;  teach  me  a  fober  know- 
 ledge, and  a  contented  ignorance. 
 
 Paradife  was  made  for  man,  yet  there  I  fee  the 
 ferpent :  what  marvel  is  it,  if  my  corruption  find  the 
 ferpent  in  my  clofet,  in  my  table,  in  my  bed,  when 
 our  holy  parents  found  him  in  the  midft  of  Paradife  I 
 
 Vol.  I.  C  No 
 
IS  CONTEMPLAT10  N  3. 
 
 No  fooner  he  is  entered,  bm  he  tempteth:  he  can  nd 
 more  be  idle,  than  harmlefs.  I  do  not  fee  him  at  any 
 other  tree  ;  he  knew  mere  was  no  danger  in  the  reft  ; 
 I  fee  him  at  the  tree  forbidden.  How  true  a  ferpent 
 is  he  in  every  point!  in  his  inlmuation  to  the  place, 
 in  his  choice  of  the  tree,  in  his  affault  of  the  won 
 in  hisplauiiblcnefs  of  fpeech  to  avoid  terror,  in  his 
 queilion  to  move  doubt,  ill  his  reply  to  work  diftruftj 
 in  his  protection  of  fafety,  in  his  iuggeition  to  envy 
 and  difcontent,  in  his  promife  of  gain. 
 
 And  if  he  were  fo  cunning  at  the  firft,  what  fhall 
 "We  think  of  him  now,  after  fo  many  thoufand  years 
 experience  ?  Only  thou,  O  God  i  and  thefe  a 
 that  fee  thy  face,  are  wifer  than  he.  I  do  not  alk 
 why,  when  he  left  his  goodnefs,  thou  didft  not  be- 
 reave him  of  his  fkill  ?  Still  thou  wouldft  have  him 
 an  angel,  though  an  evil  one  :  and  thou  knoweft  how 
 to  ordain  his  craft  to  thine  own  glory.  I  do  not  de- 
 fire  thee  to  abate  of  his  fubtilty,  but  to  make  me  wife: 
 let  me  beg  it,  without  prefumption,  make  me  \ 
 than  Adam  ;  even  thine  image,  which  he  bore,  made 
 him  not  (through  his  own  weaknefs)  wife  enough  to 
 obey  thee;  thou  offered!!  him  all  fruits,  and  reftrain- 
 edfl  but  one ;  Satan  offered  him  but  one,  and  retrain- 
 ed not  the  reft.  When  he  chef ex  rather  to  be  at  Sa- 
 tan's feeding  than  thine,  it  was  juft  with  thee  to  turn 
 him  out  of  thy  gates  with  a  curie :  why  fliouldit  thou 
 feed  a  rebel  at  thine  own  board  ? 
 
 And  yet  we  tranfgrefs  daily,  and  thou  {hutteft  not 
 heaven  againfl  us :  how  is  it  that  we  find  more  mercy 
 than  our  forefather?  His  ftreagth  is  Worthy  of  feveri- 
 ty,  our  weaknefs  finds  pity.  That  God,  from  whofe 
 face  he  fled  in  the  garden,  now  makes  him  with  (hair.e 
 to  flee  out  of  the  garden :  thofe  angels  that  (h, 
 have  kept  him,  now  keep  the  gates  of  Faradife  againft 
 him.  It  is  not  fo  eafy  to  recover  happinefs,  as  to  keep 
 it  or  iofe  it :  yea  the  fame  caufe  that  drave  man  from 
 
 Faradife 
 
I 
 
 BOOK   I.      Con  t  em.  iv.  19 
 
 Paradife  hath  alio  withdrawn  Paradife  from  the  world. 
 That  fiery  fword  did  not  defend  it  agamfl  thole  wa- 
 ters wherewith  the  iins  of  fmu  drowned  the  glory  of 
 that  place :  neither  now  do  I  care  to  leek  where  that 
 Paradife  was  which  we  loll :  I  know  where  that  Pa- 
 radife is,  which  we  muil  care  to  leek,  and  hope  to 
 find.  As  man  was  the  image  of  God,  fo  was  than 
 earthly  Paradife  an  image  of  heaven ;  both  the  ima- 
 ges are  defaced,  both  the  firil  patterns  are  eternal : 
 Adam  was  in  the  Srft,  and  ilaid  not :  in  the  fecond, 
 is  the  fecond  Adam,  which  faid,  This  day  fiali  ikon 
 be  with  me  in  Far  a  life.  There  was  that  chofen  vef- 
 fd,  and  heard,  and  faw  what  could  not  be  expreffed  : 
 by  how  much  the  third  heaven  exceeds  the  richest 
 earth ;  fo  mnch  doth  that  Paradife,  whereto  we  a- 
 fpire,  exceed  thai  which  we  have  loll. 
 
 'r 
 
 Contem.   iv.      Of  C a i n  and  Abel. 
 
 OOK  now,  O  my  foul !  upon  the  two ^irft  bre- 
 -^— '  thren,  perhaps  twins,  and  wonder  at  their  con- 
 trary difpolitions  and  eilates.  If  the  privileges  of  na- 
 ture had  been  worth  any  thing,  the  firil-born  child 
 fliould  not  have  been  a  reprobate- 
 Now,  that  we  may  afcribe  all  to  free  grace,  the  el- 
 der is  a  murderer,  the  younger  a  faint ;  though  good- 
 nefs  may  be  repaired  in  ourfelves,  yet  it  cannot  be 
 propagated  to  ours :  now  might  Adam  fee  the  image 
 of  himfelf  in  Cain,  for  aftet  his  ov/n  image  begot  he 
 him;  Adam  flew  his  poflerity,  Cain  his  brother.  We 
 are  too  like  one  another,  in  that  wherein  we  are  un- 
 like to  God :  even  the  cleared  grain  fends  forth  that 
 chaff  from  which  it  was  fanned  ere  the  fowing  :  yet 
 is  this  Cain  a  pofTeiTion.  The  fame  Eve  that  miilook 
 the  fruit  of  the  garden,  -miftook  alfo  the  fruit  of  her 
 own  body,  her  hope  deceived  her  in  both ;  fo,  ma- 
 Tfj  good  names  are  ill  bellowed  -}  and  pur  comfortable 
 C  2  expectations 
 
'2o         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 expectations  in  earthly  things  do  not  feldom  difappoint 
 us. 
 
 Doubtlefs  their  education  was  holy;    for   Jdam, 
 though  in  Paradife  he  could  not  he  innocent,  yer  was 
 a  good  man  out  of  Paradife  ;  his  fin  and  fall  now  made 
 him  circumfpect ;  and  fmce  he  faw  that  his  act  had  be- 
 reaved them  of  that  image  of  God,  which  he  once 
 had  for  them,  he  could  net  but  labour,  by  all  holy 
 endeavours,  to  repair  it  in  them,  that  fo  his  care  might 
 make  amends  for  his  trefpafs.     How  plain  is  it,  that 
 even  good  breeding  cannot  alter  del  liny !  That  which 
 is  crooked  can  none  make  ftraight ;  who  would  think 
 that  brethren,  and  but  two  brethren,  mould  not  love 
 each  other  :   Difperfed  love  grows  weak,  and  fewnefs 
 of  objects  ufeth  to  unite  affections :  if  but  two  brothers 
 be  left  alive  of  many,  they  think  that  the  love  of  all 
 the  reft  fhould  furvive  in  them  ;  and  now  the  beams 
 of  their  affection  are  fo  much  the  hoter,  becaufe  they 
 reflect  mutually  in  a  right  line  upon  each  other :  yet 
 behold,  here  are  but  two  brothers  in  a  world,  and 
 one  is  the  butcher  of  the  other.     Who  can  wonder  at 
 diffentions  amongft  thoufands  of  brethren,  when  he 
 fees  fo  deadly  oppofition  betwixt  two,  the  firft  roots 
 of  brotherhood  ?     Who  can  hope  to  live  plaufibly  and 
 .fecurely  amongft  fo  "many  Cains,  when  he  fees  one 
 Cain  the  death  of  one  Abelf    The  fame  devil  that  fet 
 enmity  betwixt  man   and   God,  fets   enmity  betwixt 
 man  and  man  :  and  yet  God  faid,  /  will  put  enmity 
 bet -ween  thy  feed  and  her  feed.     Our  hatred  of  the  fer- 
 pent  and  his  feed  is  from  God :  their  hatred  of  the 
 holy  iced  is  from  the  ferpent :  behold  here  at  once, 
 in  one  perfon,  the  feed  of  the  woman  and  of  the  fer- 
 pent :  Cain's  natural  parts  are  of  the  woman,  his  vi- 
 cious qualities  of  the  ferpent :  the  woman  gave  him 
 to  be  a  brother,  the  ferpent  to  be  a  man-ilayer ;  all 
 uncharitablenefs,  all  quarrels  are  of  one  author :  we 
 cannot  entertain  wrath,  and  not  give  place  to  the  de- 
 vil. 
 
BOOK    L        CONTEM.    IV.  21 
 
 Til.     Certainly  fo  deadly  an  act  mull  needs  be  deeply 
 grounded. 
 
 What  then  was  the  occafion  of  this  capital  malice  ? 
 Abel's  facrifice  is  accepted ;  what  was  this  to  Cain  f 
 Cain's  is  rejected  ;  what  could  Abtl  remedy  this  ?  Oh 
 envy !  the  corrofive  of  all  ill  minds,  2nd  the  root  of  all 
 defperate  actions.  The  lame  canfe  that  moved  Satan 
 to  tempt  the  firft  man  to  deflroy  himfelf  and  his  po- 
 fterity,  the  fame  moves  the  fecond  man  to  deilroy  the 
 third. 
 
 It  ihould  have  been  Cain's  joy  to  fee  his  brother  ac- 
 cepted ;  it  ihould  have  been  his  farrow,  to  fee  that 
 himfelf  had  deferved  a  rejection  ;  his  brother's  example 
 mould  have  excited  and  directed  him.  Could  Abel 
 have  ft  aid  God's  fire  from  descending?  orfhould  he  (if 
 he  could)  reject  God's  acceptation,  and  difpleafe  his 
 Maker,  to  content  a  brother?  Was  Own  ever  the  far- 
 ther from  a  biefTmg,  becaufe  his  brother  obtained 
 mercy?  How  proud  and  foolifh  is  malice!  which 
 grows  thus  mad,  for  no  other  cacfc,  but  becaufe  God, 
 or  Abel  is  not  lefs  good.  It  hath  been  an  old  and  hap- 
 py danger  to  be  holy ;  indifferent  actions  mud  be  care- 
 ful to  avoid  offence ;  but  I  care  not  what  devil  or 
 what  Cain  be  angry  that  I  do  good,  or  receive  good. 
 
 There  was  never  any  nature  without  envy:  every 
 man  is  born  a  Cain,  hating  that  goodnefs  in  another, 
 which  he  negleclted  in  himfelf.  There  was  never  en- 
 Ty  that  was  not  bloody ;  for  if  it  eat  not  another's 
 heart,  it  will  eat'  our  own  ;  but  unlefs  it  be  reftrained, 
 it  will  furely  feed  itfelf  with  the  blood  of  others,  oft- 
 times  in  act,  always  in  affection.  And  that  God, 
 which  (in  good)  accepts  the  will  for  the  dcQd9  con- 
 demns the  will  for  the  deed  in- evil.  If  there  be  an 
 evil  heart,  there  will  be  an  evil  eye ;  and  if  both  thefe, 
 there  will  be  an  evil  hand. 
 
 How  early  did  martyrdom  come  into  the  world ! 
 The  firft  man  that  died,  died  for  religion  5  who  dare 
 
 meafurc 
 
22  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Jiieafbre  God's  love  by  outward  events,  when  he  fees 
 wicked  Cain  Handing  over  bleeding  Abel,  whofe  fa- 
 criilce  was  flrit  accepted,  and  now  himfelf  is  facri- 
 fced !  Death  was  denounced  to  man  as  a  curfe  ;  ye:, 
 behold,  it  firft  lights  upon  a  flint :  how  foon  was  it 
 altered  by  the  mercy  of  that  juft  hand  which  irifl 
 it!  If  death  had  been  evil,  and  life  good,  Cain  had 
 been  {Iain  and  Abel  had  (arrived.  Now  that  it  be- 
 gins with  him  that  God  loves,  0  death,  ivhcre  is 
 thy  fling  ! 
 
 Abel  fays  nothing,  his  blood  cries.  Every  drop  of 
 innocent  blood  hath  a  tongue,  and  is  not  only  vocal,  but , 
 importunate.  What  a  noife  then  did  the  blood  of  my 
 Saviour  make  in  heaven,  who  was  himfelf  the  fliep- 
 herd  and  the  facrince,  the  man  that  was  o.Tered, 
 and  the  God  to  whom  it  was  offered.  The  Spirit 
 that  heard  both,  fays,  It  /pake  better  things  than  the 
 blood  of  Abel,  Abets  blood  called  for  revenge,  his 
 for  mercy:  Abel's  pleaded  his  own  innocency,  his 
 the fatisfaction  for  all  the  believing  world:  Abel's  pro- 
 cured Cain's  punilhment,  his  freed  all  repentant  fouls 
 from  punimment ;  better  things  indeed  than  the 
 blood  of  Abel ;  better,  and  therefore  that  which  A- 
 bePs  blood  faid  was  good.  It  is  good  that  God 
 fhculd  be "  avenged  of  fmners.  Execution  of  juflice 
 upon  offenders  is  no  lefs  good  than  rewards  of  good- 
 ne'fs. 
 
 No  fooner  doth  AbePs  blood  fpeak  unto  God,  than 
 God  /peaks  to  Cain.  There  is  no  wicked  man  to  whom 
 God  fpeaks  net,  if  net  to  his  ear,  yet  to  his  heart.  What 
 .fpeech  was  this  ?  Not  an  accufation,  but  an  inquiry; 
 yet  fuch  an  inquiry  as  would  infer  an  accufation.  God 
 loves  to  have  a  /inner accufe  himfelf;  and  therefore 
 .hath  he  fet  his  deputy  in  the  breaft  of  man  :  neither 
 doth  God  love  this,  more  than  nature  abhors  it.  Cam 
 anfwers  Stubbornly  :  The  very  name  of  Abel  wounds 
 him  wo  lefs,  than  his  hand  had  wounded  Abel :  con- 
 
 fciences 
 
BOOK   I.      Contem.  IV.  2$ 
 
 fcierces  that  are  without  remcrfe,  are  not  without 
 norror  :  wickedneis  makes  men  deipera.e.  The  mur- 
 derer is  angry  with  God,  as  of  late,  for  accepting  his 
 trozher's  oblation,  fo  now,  for  liflening  y$  his  blood. 
 -  rid  now  he  dares  aniwer  God  ymh  a  qiieiiiok, 
 Am  I  my  brother  s  keeper  f  where  he  fliould  have  laid, 
 Am  not  I  my  brother's  murderer  ?  Behold,  he  fcora- 
 eth  to  keep  whom  he  feared  not  to  kill.  Good  du-> 
 ties  are  bafe  and  trcubleibme  to  wicked  minds,  whiles 
 even  violences  of  evil  are  pleafant.  Yet  this  mif- 
 .  it,  which  neither  had  grace  to  avoid  his  fin,  nor 
 to  confefs  it,  now  that  he  is  convinced  of  im.  and 
 curfed  for  it,  how  he  howleth,  how  he  exc'a'meth ! 
 jjtfe  that  cares  not  for  the  z€t  of  his  f  n,  iha!l  care 
 for  the  fmart  of  his  puniiliment.  The  damned  are 
 Weary  of  their  torments,  but  in  vain.  How  great  a 
 ziefs  is  it  to  complain  too  late  !  Pie  that  would 
 not  keep  his  brother,  is  call  out  from  the  protection 
 of  God  ;  he  that  feared  not  to  kill  his  brother*  fears 
 now,  that  whofoevc-r  meets  him  will  kill  him.  The 
 troubled  ccnfcience  prdjefteth  /earful  things,  and  fin 
 maizes  even  cruel  men  cowardly.  God  law  it  was 
 too  much  favour  for  him  to  die  ;  he  therefore  wills 
 that  which  Cain  wills.  Cain  would  live  ;  it  is  yield- 
 ■m,  but  for  a  curfe.  How  often  dozh  God  hear 
 Jftiners  in  anger?  He  ill  all  live,  baniihed  from  God, 
 carrying  his  hell  in  his  befom,  and  the  brand  of 
 God's  vengeance  in  his  forehead  :  God  rejects  him, 
 the  earth  repines  at  him,  men  abhor  him  ;  himfelf 
 now  wifh.es  that  death  which  he  feared,  and  no  man 
 dare  pleafure  him  with  a  murder.  Row  bitter  is  the 
 end  of  fin,  yea,  without  end !  Still  Cain  finds  that  he 
 killed  himfelf  more  than  his  brother.  We  mould  ne- 
 ver fin,  if  our  fbrefight  were  but  as  good  as  our  fenfe; 
 the  iilue  of  fin  would  appear  a  thoufand  times  more 
 horrible  than  the  acl:  is  pieafant. 
 
 Con- 
 
24         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Costem.  v.      0//^  Deluge. 
 
 *"!  ^HE  world  was  grown  fo  foul  with  fin,  that  God 
 -■-  faw  it  was  time  to  wafli  it  with  a  flood  :  and 
 fo  clofe  did  wickednefs  cleave  to  the  authors  of  it, 
 that  when  they  were  warned  to  nothing,  yet  it  would 
 not  off;  yea  fo  deep  did  it  flick  in  the  very  grain  of 
 the  earth,  that  God  faw  it  meet  to  let  it  foke  long  un- 
 der the  waters.  So,  under  the  law,  the  very  vefTels 
 that  had  touched  unclean  water,  rauft  either  be  rinfed, 
 or  broken.  'Mankind  began  but  with  one  ;  and  yet 
 he,  that  faw  the  firfr.  man,  lived  to  fee  the  earth  peopled 
 with  a  world  of  men ;  yet  men  grew  not  fo  faft  as 
 wickednefs.  One  man  could  foon  and  eafily  multiply 
 a  thoufand  fins,  never  man  had  fo  many  children : 
 fo  that  when  there  Were  men  enow  to  (lore  the  earth, 
 there  were  as  many  fins  as  would  reach  up  to  heaven ; 
 whereupon  the  waters  came  down  from  heaven,  and 
 fwelled  up  to  heaven  again.  If  there  had  not  been  fo 
 deep  a  deluge  of  fin,  there  had  been  none  of  the  wa- 
 ters; from  whence  then  was  this  fuperfiuity  of  ini- 
 quity ?  "Whence,  but  from  the  unequal  yoke  with  in- 
 fidels. Thefe  marriages  did  not  beget  men,  fo  much 
 as  wickednefs ;  from  hence  religious  hufbands  both 
 loll  their  piety,  and  gained  a  rebellious  >  and  godlefs 
 generation. 
 
 That  which  was  the  firft  occafion  of  fin,  was  the 
 occaficn  of  the  increafe  of  fin :  A  woman  feduced 
 Adam,  women  betray  the  fons  of  God :  the  beauty 
 of  the  apple  betrayed  the  woman,  the  beauty  of  thefe 
 Women  betrayed  this  holy  feed:  Eve  faw,  and  lulled, 
 fo  did  they ;  this  alfo  was*  a  forbidden  fruit,  they  luft- 
 ed,  tailed,  finned,  died.  The  moll  fins  begin  at  the 
 eyes ;  by  them  commonly  Satan  creeps  into  the  heart : 
 that  foul  can  never  be  in  fafety,  that  hath  not  cove- 
 nanted with  his  eyes. 
 
 God 
 
BOOK   I.      Conte  m.  v.  25 
 
 God  needed  not  have  given  thefe  men  any  warning 
 of  his  judgment ;  they  gave  him  no  warning  of  their 
 fins,  no  reipite  :  yet  that  God  might  approve  his  mer- 
 cies to  the  very  wicked,  he  gives  them  an  hundred 
 •and  twenty  years  refpite  of  repenting .  How  loath  is 
 God  to  ftrike,  that  threats  fo  long  !  He  that  delights 
 in  revenge,  furprifes  his  adverfary  ;  whereas  he  that 
 gives  long  warnings,  deiires  to  be  prevented.  If  we 
 were  not  wilful,  we  mould  never  fmart. 
 
 Neither  doth  he  give  them  time  only,  but  a  faith- 
 ful teacher.  It  is  an  happy  thing,  when  he  that  teach- 
 eth  others  is  righteous.  Noah's  hand  taught  them  as 
 much  as  his  tongue.  His  bufmefs  in  building  the  ark 
 was  a  Peal  fermon  to  the  world,  wherein  at  once  were 
 taught  mercy  and  life  to  the  believer,  and,  to  the  re- 
 bellious, deftruclion. 
 
 Methinks  I  fee  thofe  monftrous  fons  of  Lantech 
 coming  to  Noah,  and  afking  him  what  he  means  by 
 that  ftranpe  work ?  whether  he  meant  to  fail  uoon  the 
 dry  land?  To  whom  when  he  reports  God's  purpofe 
 and  his,  they  go  away  laughing  at  his  idlenefs,  and  tell 
 one  another  in  fport,  that  too  much  holinefs  hath 
 made  him  mad  ;  yet  cannot  they  all  flout  Noah  out 
 of  his  faith :  he  preaches,  and  builds,  and  finifhes. 
 Doubtlefs  mere  hands  went  to  this  work  than  his. 
 Many  a  one  wrought  upon  the  ark,  which  yet  was 
 not  faved  in  the  ark.  Our  outward  works  can- 
 not fave  us,  without  our  faith  :  we  may  help  to  fave 
 others,  and  perlfh  ourf elves.  What  a  wonder  of 
 mercy  is  this  that  I  here  fee  !  One  poor  family  called 
 out  of  a  world,  and  as  it  were  eight  grains  of  corn 
 fanned  from  a  whole  barn-fuil  of  chaff.  One  hypo- 
 crite was  faved  with  the  reft,  for  Noah's  fake  ;  not 
 one  righteous  man  was  fwept  away  for  company :  for 
 thefe  few  was  the  earth  preferved  itill  under  the  wa- 
 ters, and  all  kinds  of  creatures  upon  the  waters ; 
 which  elfe  had  been  all  deftroyed.     Still  the  world 
 
 Vol.  L  D  ftands, 
 
i6  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 flands,  for  their  fakes  for  whom  it  Was  preferred, 
 elfe  fire  fhould  confume  that  which  could  not  be 
 cleanfed  by  water. 
 
 This  difference  is  flrange ;  I  fee  the  fava^efl  of  all 
 creatures,  lions,  tygers,  bears,  by  an  inilmft  from 
 God,  come  to  feek  the  ark,  (as  we  fee  fwine  forefee- 
 ing  a  florm,  run  home  crying  for  fhelter)  men  I  fee 
 not :  reafon  once  debauched  is  worfe  than  brutifhnefs. 
 God  hath  ufe  even  of  thefe  fierce  and  cruel  beads, 
 and  glory  by  them ;  even  they,  being  created  for  man, 
 mud  live  by  him,  though  to  his  punifhment.  How 
 gently  do  they  offer  and  fubmit  themfelves  to  their 
 preferver  .;  renewing  that  obeifance  to  this  repairer  of 
 the  world,  which  they,  before  fin,  yielded  to  him 
 ihat  firfl  flared  the  world.  He  that  fhut  them'  into 
 the  ark  when  they  were  entered,  (hut  their  mouths 
 alfo  while  they  did  enter.  The  lions  fawn  upon  Noah 
 and  Daniel.  What  heart  cannot  the  Maker  of  them 
 mollify ! 
 
 The  unclean  beafls  God  would  have  to  live,  the 
 clean  to  multiply  ;  and  therefore  he  fends  to  Noah 
 feven  of  the  clean,  of  the  unclean  two.  He  knew  the 
 one  would  annoy  man  with  their  multitude,  the  other 
 would  enrich  him.  Thofe  things  are  worthy  of  mod 
 refpe&j  which  are  of  moll  ufe. 
 
 But  why  feven  ?  Surely  that  God  that  created  fe- 
 ven days  in  the  week,  and  made  one  for  himfelf,  did 
 here  preferve,  of  feven  clean  beafls,  one  for  himfelf 
 for  facrifice.  He  gives  us  fix  for  one  in  earthly 
 things,  that  in  fpiritual  we  fhould  be  all  for  him. 
 
 Now  the  day  is  come,  all  the  guefts  are  entered, 
 the  ark  is  fhut,  and  the  windows  of  heaven  opened. 
 I  doubt  not  but  many  of  thofe  Scoffers,  when  they 
 faw  the  violence  of  the  waves  descending  and  amend- 
 ing, according  to  Noah's  prediction,  came  wading 
 middle-deep  unto  the  ark,  and  importunately  craved 
 that  admittance,  which  they  once  denied  -}  but  now, 
 
 as 
 
BOOK   I.      Contem.  v.  27 
 
 as  they  formerly  rejected  God,  fo  are  they  juftly  re- 
 jected of  God.  Ere  vengeance  begin,  repentance  is 
 feafonable  ;  but  if  judgment  be  once  gone  out,  we  cry 
 too  late.  While  the  gofpel  folicits  us,  the  doors  of 
 the  ark  are  open ;  if  we  neglect  the  time  of  grace,  in 
 vain  (hall  we  feek  it  with  tears.  God  holds  it  no  mer- 
 cy to  pity  the  obftinate.  Others,  more  bold  than 
 they,  hope  to  over-run  the  judgment ;  and  climbing 
 up  to  the  high  mountains,  look  down  upon  the  wa- 
 ters with  more  hope  than  fear.  And  now  when  they 
 fee  their  hills  become  iflands,  they  climb  up  into 
 the  tailed  trees ;  there  with  palenefs  and  horror  at 
 once  look  for  death,  and  ftudy  to  avoid  it,  whom  the 
 waves  overtake  at  lad  half  dead  with  famine,  and  half 
 with  fear.  Lo,  now  from  the  tops  of  the  mountains 
 they  defcry  the  ark  floating  upon  the  waters,  and  be- 
 hold with  envy  that  which  before  they  beheld  with 
 fcorn. 
 
 In  vain  doth  he  fly  whom  God  purfues.  There  is 
 no  way  to  fly  from  his  judgments,  but  to  fly  to  his 
 mercy  by  repenting.  The  faith  of  the  righteous  can- 
 not be  fo  much  derided,  as  their  fucccfs  is  magnified. 
 How  fecurely  doth  Noah  ride  out  this  uproar  of  hea- 
 ven, earth  and  waters !  He  hears  the  pouring  down 
 of  the  rain  above  his  head ;  the  forfeiting  of  men,  and 
 roaring  and  bellowing  of  beads  on  both  fides  him ;  the 
 raging  and  threats  of  the  waves  under  him :  he  faw 
 the  miferable  diifts  of  the  diftreffed  unbelievers  ;  and., 
 in  the  mean  time,  fits  quietly  in  his  dry  cabin,  nei- 
 ther feeling,  nor  fearing  evil.  He  knew  that  he 
 which  owed  the  waters,  would  deer  him  ;  that  he 
 who  (hut  him  in,  would  prefer ve  him.  How  happy 
 a  thing  is  faith !  what  a  quiet  fafety,  what  an  hea- 
 venly peace  doth  it  work  in  the  foul,  in  the  midfb  of 
 all  the  inundations  of  evil ! 
 
 Now,  when  God  hath  fetcht  again  all  the  life  which 
 
 ne  had  given  to  his  unworthy  creatures,  and  reduced 
 
 D  2  the 
 
28  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 -the  world  unto  his  firft  form,  wherein  waters  were 
 over  the  face  oi  the  earth,  it  was  time  for  a  renova- 
 tion of  ail"  things  to  fucceed  this  deftrucdon.  To 
 have  continued  this  deluge  long,  had  been  to  pur^u 
 Noah  that  was  righteous.  After  forty  days  therefore 
 the  heavens  clear  up ;  after  an  hundred  and  fifty* 
 the  waters  {ink  down.  How  foon  is  God  weary  of  pu- 
 niihing,  which  is  never  weary  of  blefling !  Yet  may 
 not  the  ark  reft  fuddenly.  If  we  did  not  ftay  fome- 
 while  under  God'g  hand,  we  fliould  not  know  how 
 fweet  his  mercy  is,  and  how  great  our  thankfulness 
 fliould  be.  The  ark,  though  it  was  Noah's  fort  a- 
 gainft  the  waters,  yet  it  was  his  prifen ;  he  was  fafe 
 in  it,  but  pent  up :  he  that  gave  him  life  by  it,  now 
 thinks  time  to  give  him  liberty  out  of  it. 
 
 God  doth  not  reveal  all  things  to  his  beft  fervants. 
 Behold,  he  that  told  Noah  an  hundred  and  twenty 
 years  before,  what  day  he  ftiould.  go  into  the  ark, 
 yet  foretels  him  not  now  hr  the  ark,  what  day  the 
 ark  fhould  reft  upon  the  hills,  and  he  fliould  go  forth. 
 Noah  therefore  fends  cut  his  intelligencers,  the  raven 
 and  the  dove,  whofe  wings  in  that  vapourous  air  might 
 eafily  defcry  further  than  his  fight.  The  raven  of 
 quick  fcent,  of  grofs  feed,  of  tough  conftitution ;  no 
 fowl  was  fo  £t  for  difcovery ;  the  likelieft  things  al- 
 ways fucceed  not.  He  neither  will  venture  far  into 
 that  folitary  world  for  fear  cf  want,  nor  yet  come  in- 
 to the  ark  for  love  of  liberty,  but  hovers  about  in  un- 
 certainties. How  many  carnal  minds  fly  out  of  the 
 ark  of  God's  church,  and  embrace  theprefent  world; 
 Rather  chafing  to  fted  upon  the  unfavoury  carcales  of 
 finful  pleafures,  than  to  be  reftrained  within  the 
 ftraigltt  lifts  of  chriftian  obedience! 
 
 o 
 
 The  dove  is  feat  forth,    a  fowl  both  fwift  and 
 ~  Ample.     She,  like  a  true  citizen  of  the  ark,  return:., 
 and  brings  faithful  notice  cf  the  continuance  of  the 
 •waters,  by  her  reftlefs  and  empty  return  \  by  her  olive- 
 leaf. 
 
BOOK  II.      Contem.  i.  29 
 
 leaf,  of  the  abatement.  How  worthy  are  thofe  met 
 fengers  to  be  welcome.,  which,  .with  innocence  in  their 
 lives,  bring  glad  tidings  of  peace  and  faivation  ia 
 their  mouths ! 
 
 Noah  rejoices  and  believes ;  yet  ftiil  he  waits  feve$ 
 days  more.  It  is  not  good  to  devour  the  favours  of 
 God  too  greedily ;  but  fo  take  them  in,  that  we  may 
 digeft  them.  O  fcrong  faith  of  Noah,  that  was  not 
 weary  with  this  delay !  Some  man  would  have  fo  long* 
 ed  for  the  open  air,  after  fo  long  clofenefs,  that,  upon 
 the  firit  notice  of  fafety,  he  would  have  uncovered, 
 and  voided  the  ark.  Noah  flays  feven  days  ere  he 
 will  open,  and  well-near  two  months  ere  he  will  for- 
 fake  the  ark ;  and  not  then,  unlefs  God,  that  com- 
 manded to  enter,  had  bidden  him  depart.  There  is 
 no  action  good  without  faith  ;  no  faith  without  a  word,, 
 Happy  is  that  man,  which  in  all  things  (neglecting  th$ 
 counfels  of  fiefti  and  blood)  depends  upon  the  com* 
 /nhTion  of  his  Maker. 
 
 BOOK    SECOND, 
 
 Coxtsm.  i.     Noah. 
 
 NO  fooner  is  Noah  come  out  of  the  ark,  but  he 
 builds  an  altar ;  not  an  houfe  for  himfelf,  but 
 an  altar  to  the  Lord.  Our  faith  will  ever  teach 
 us  to  prefer  God  to  ourfelves ;  delayed  -tharskfulnefs 
 is  not  worthy  of  acceptation.  Of  thofe  few  crea- 
 tures that  are  left,  God  mull  have  fome  ;  they  are  all 
 his ;  yet  his  goodnefs  will  have  man  know  that  it  was 
 he,  for  whofe  fake  they  were  preferved.  It  was  a 
 privilege  to  thofe  very  brute  creatures,  that  they  were 
 raved  from  the  waters,  to  be  offered  up  in  fire  unto 
 God.  What  a  favour  is  it  to  men,  to  be  referved  from 
 common  deductions,  to  be  facrificed  to  their  Maker 
 and  Redeemer ! 
 
 Loj 
 
30  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Lo,  this  little  fire  of  Noah,  through  the  virtue  of 
 his  faith,  purged  the  world,-  and  afcended  up  into 
 thofe  heavens  from  which  the  waters  fell,  and  caufed 
 a  glorious  rain-bow  to  appear  therein  for  his  fecuri- 
 ty :  all  the  fins  of  the  former  world  were  not  fo  un- 
 fa voury  unto  God,  as  this  fmoke  was  pleafant.  No 
 perfume  can  be  fo  fweet  as  the  holy  obedience  of  the 
 faithful.  Now  God  that  was  before  annoyed  with 
 the  ill  favour  of  fin,  fmells  a  fweet  favour  of  red.  Be- 
 hold here  a  new  and  fecond  reft!  Firft,  God  refted 
 from  making  the  world,  now  he  reils  from  deftroy- 
 ing  it ;  even  while  we  ceafe  not  to  offend,  he  ceafes 
 from  a  public  revenge.  His  word  was  enough  ;  yet 
 withal  he  gives  a  fign,  which  may  fpeak  the  truth  of 
 his  promife  to  the  very  eyes  of  men.  Thus  he  doth 
 ftill  in  his  bleffed  facraments,  which  are  as  real  words 
 to  the  foul.  The  rain-bow  is  the  pledge  of  our  fare- 
 ty,  which  even  naturally  fig-nines  the  end  of  a  fhower : 
 all  the  figns  of  God's  inflitution  are  proper,  and  fig- 
 nificant. 
 
 But  who  would  look,  after  all  this,  to  have  found 
 Tighteous  Noah,  the  father  of  the  new  world,  lying 
 drunken  in  his  tent!  Who  could  think  that  wine 
 fhould  overthrow  him  that  was  preferred  from  the 
 waters !  that  he,  who  could  not  be  tainted  with  the 
 fmful  examples  of  the  former  world,  mould  begin  the 
 example  of  a  new  fin  of  his  own!  What  are  we  men 
 if  we  be  but  ourielves !  While  God  upholds  us,  no 
 temptation  can  move  us :  when  he  leaves  us,  no 
 temptation  is  too  weak  to  overthrow  us.  What  li- 
 ving man  had  ever  fo  noble  proofs  of  the  mercy,  of 
 the  juftice  of  God  ?  Mercv  upon  himfeif,  juftice  upon 
 others.  What  man  had  fo  gracious  approbation  from 
 his  Maker?  Behold,  he  of  whom  in  an  unclean 
 world  God  faid,  Thee  only  have  I  found  righteous i 
 proves  now  unclean,  when  the  world  was  purged. 
 The  preacher  of  righteoufnefs  unto  the  former  age, 
 
 the 
 
BOOK  II.      Co  nt  em.  i.  '31 
 
 the  king,  prieft  and  prophet  of  the  world  renewed, 
 is  the  firft  that  renews  the  fins  of  that  world  which  he 
 had  reproved,  and  which  he  faw  condemned  for  fin. 
 God's  bell  children  have  no  fence  for  fins  of  infirmi- 
 ty. Which  of  the  faints  have  not  once  done  that, 
 whereof  they  are  amamed  ?  God  that  lets  us  fall, 
 knows  how  to  make  as  good  ufe  of  the  fins  of  his  holy 
 ones,  as  of  their  obedience.  If  we  had  not  fuch  pat- 
 terns, who  could  chufe  but  defpair  at  the  fight  of  his 
 fins  ? 
 
 Yet  we  find  Noah  drunken  but  once.  One  act  can 
 no  more  make  a  good  heart  unrighteous,  than  a  trade 
 of  fin  can  ftand  with  regeneration.  But  when  I  look 
 to  the  effect  of  this  fin,  I  cannot  but  blufh  and  won- 
 der ;  lo,  this  fin  is  worfe  than  fin  :  other  fins  move 
 fliame,  but  hide  it ;  this  difplays  it  to  the  world.  A- 
 dam  had  no  fooner  finned,  but  he  faw  and  abhorred 
 his  own  nakednefs,  feeking  to  hide  it,  even  with 
 bullies. 
 
 Noah  had  no  fooner  finned,  but  he  difcovers  his 
 nakednefs,  and  hath  not  fo  much  rule  of  himfelf,  as  to 
 be  afhamed.  One  hour's  drunkennefs  bewrays  that,\ 
 which  more  than  fix  hundred  years  fobriety  had  mo- 
 deftly  concealed.  He  that  gives  himfelf  to  wine  is 
 not  his  own  :  what  fhall  we  think  of  this  vice,  which 
 robs  a  man  of  himfelf,  and  lays  a  beafl  in  his  room  ? 
 Noah's  nakednefs  is  feen  in  wine.  It  is  no  unufual 
 quality,  in  this  excefs,  to  difclofe  fecrets.  Drunken- 
 nefs doth  both  make  imperfections,  and  fliew  thofe 
 we  have  to  others  eyes ;  fo  would  God  have  it,  that 
 we  might  be  double  afhamed,  both  of  thofe  weaknef- 
 fes  which  we  difcover,  and  of  that  weaknefs  which 
 moved  us  to  difcover.  Noah  is  uncovered;  but  in  the 
 midft  of  his  own  tent ;  it  had  been  finful,  though  no 
 man  had  feen  it.  Unknown  fins  have  their  guilt  and 
 ihame,  and  are  juftly  attended  with  known  punifh- 
 ments.     Ungracious  Cham  faw  it  and  laughed :  his 
 
 father's 
 
32  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 father's  fiiame  fhonld  have  been  his  ;  the  deformity' 
 of  thofe  parts  from  which  he  had  his  being,  fhoukl 
 have  begotten  in  him  a  fecret  horror  and  dejection. 
 How  many  gracelefs  men  make  fport  at  the  caufes  of 
 their  humiliatipn !  Twice  had  Noah  given  him  I 
 yet  neither  the  name  of  a  father  and  preferv^r,  nor' 
 age,  nor  virtue,  could  ftiield  him  from  the  contempt 
 of  his  own.  I  fee  thst  even  God's  ark  may  nourifh 
 monfters.  Spme  filthy  toads  may  ly  under  the  ilones 
 of  the  temple:  God  preferves  fome  men  in  judgment.-' 
 Better  had  it  been  for  Cham  to  have  periihed  in  the 
 waters,  than  to  live  unto  his  father's  curfe.  Not  con- 
 tent to  be  a  witnefs  of  this  filthy  fight,  he  goes  on  to 
 be  a  proclaimer  of  it.  Sin  doth  ill  in  the  eye,  but 
 worfe  in  the  tongue.  As  all  fin  is  a  work  of  dark- 
 nefs,  fo  it  fliould  be  buried  in  darknefs.  The  report 
 of  fin  is  oft-times  as  ill  as  the  commiifion  ;  for  it  can 
 never  be  blazoned  without  uncharitablenefs,  feldom 
 without  infection.  Oh  the  unnatural,  and  more  than 
 Chamijb  impiety  of  thofe  fons,  which  rejoice  to  pu- 
 blifii  the  nakednefs  of  their  fpiritual  parents,  even  td 
 their  enemies ! 
 
 Yet  it  was  well  for  Noah  that  Cham  could  tell  it  to 
 none  but  his  own  ;  and  thofe  gracious  and  dutiful 
 fons-  Our  fhame  is  the  lefs,  if  none  know  our  faults 
 but  our  friends.  Behold,  how  love  covereth  fins! 
 thefe  good  fons  are  fo  far  from  going  forward  to  fee 
 their  father's  fiiame,  that  they  go  backward  to  hide  it. 
 The  cloak  is  laid  on  both  their  ihoulders,  they  both 
 go  back  with  equal  paces,  and  dare  not  fo  much  as 
 look  back,  left  they  fhould  unwillingly  fee  the  caufe  of 
 their  fiiame,  and  will  rather  adventure  to  ftumble  at 
 their  father's  body,  than  to  fee  his  nakednefs.  How 
 did  it  grieve  them  to  think,  that  they,  which  had  fo  oft 
 come  to  their  holy  father  with  reverence,  mull  now 
 in  reverence  turn  their  backs  upon  him!  and  that  they 
 xnuft  now  clothe  him  in  pity,  which  had  fo  often  clo- 
 thed 
 
BOOK   II.      Co  nt  em.  ii.  33 
 
 tlied  them  in  love  !  And,  which  adds  more  to  their 
 duty,  they  covered  him,  and  faid  nothing.  This  mo- 
 deii  forrow  is  their  praife,  and  our  example.  The  fins 
 of  thofe  we  love  and  honour,  we  muff  hear  of  with 
 indignation,  fearfully  and  unwillingly  believe,  acknow- 
 ledge witji  grief  and  fhame,  hide  with  honefl  ex- 
 cufes,  and  bury  in  iilence. 
 
 How  equal  a  regard  is  this  both  of  piety  and  difo- 
 bedience  ?  Becaufe  Cham  finned  againfl  his  father, 
 therefore  he  mall  be  plagued  in  his  children  :  fapheth 
 is  dutiful  to  his  father,  and  finds  it  in  his  pofterity. 
 Becaufe  Cham  was  an  ill  fon  to  his  father,  therefore 
 his  fons  (kali  be  fervants  to  his  brethren :  becaufe  %a- 
 fheth  let  his  moulder  to  She?nf$,  to  bear  the  cloak  of 
 ihame,  therefore  (hall  ^aphcth  dwell  in  the  tents  of 
 Shem,  partaking  with  him  in  blefhngs,  as  in  duty. 
 When  we  do  but  what  we  ought,  yet  God  is  thankful 
 to  us  ;  and  rewards  that,  which  wTe  mould  f  n  if  we 
 did  not.  Who  could  ever  yet  (hew  me  a  man  rebel- 
 lioufly  undutiful  to  his  parents,  that  hath  profperedin 
 himfelf,  and  his  feed  ? 
 
 Co  nt  em.   ii.     Of  Babel. 
 
 TTOw  foon  are  men  and  fins  multiplied  !  within 
 -*  -*  one  hundred  years,  the  world  is  as  full  of  both, 
 as  if  there  had  been  no  deluge.  Though  men  could 
 not  but  fee  the  fearful  monuments  of  the  ruin  of 'their 
 anceftors,  yet  how  quickly  had  they  forgotten  a  flood! 
 Good  Noah  lived  to  fee  the  world  both  populous  and 
 wicked  again:  and  doubtlefs  oft-times  repented  to 
 have  been  preferver  of  fome,  whom  he  faw  to  tra- 
 duce the  vices  of  the  former  world  to  the  renewed. 
 It  could  not  but  grieve  him  to  fee  the  deilroyed  giants 
 revive  out  of  his  own  loins,  and  to  fee  them  of  his 
 fiefh  and  blood  tyrannize  over  themfelves.  In  his 
 fight  Nhnrod  calling  off  the  awe  of  his  holy  grand- 
 voii  I.  E  father, 
 
34  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 father,  grew  imperious  and  cruel,  and  made  his  own 
 kinfmen  fervants.  How  eafy  a  thing  it  is  for  a  great 
 fpirit  to  be  the  head  of  a  faction,  when  even  brethren 
 will  (loop  to  fervitude !  And  now,  when  men  are 
 combined  together,  evil  and  prefumptuous  motions 
 find  encouragement  in  multitudes  ;  and  each  man  takes 
 a  pride  in  feeming  forwarded :  we  are  the  cheerfuller 
 in  good,  when  we  have  the  afiiftance  of  company ; 
 much  more  in  finning,  by  how  much  we  are  more 
 prone  to  evil  than  good.  It  was  a  proud  word  ;  Come, 
 let  us  build  us  a  city  and  a  tdwer,  whofe  top  may  reach 
 to  heaven. 
 
 They  were  newly  come  down  from  the  hills  unto 
 the  plains,  and  now.  think  of  railing  up  of  an  hill  of 
 building  in  the  plain.  When  their  tents  were  pitch- 
 ed upon  the  mountains  of  Armenia,  they  were  as  near 
 to  heaven  as  their  tower  could  make  them  ;  but  their 
 ambition  mud  needs  afpire  to  an  height  of  their  own 
 raifmg.  Pride  is  ever  difcontented,  and  dill  feeks 
 matter  of  boailing  in  her  own  works. 
 
 How  fondly  do  men  reckon  without  God,  Come, 
 let  us  build  ;  as  if  there  had  been  no  flop  but  in  their 
 own  will  ;  as  if  both  earth  and  time  had  been  theirs. 
 Still  do  all  natural  men  build  Babel,  forecafling  their 
 own  plots  fo  refolutely,  as  if  there  were  no  power  to 
 countermand  them.  It  is  juil  with  God,  that  pe- 
 remptory determinations  feldom  profper ;  whereas, 
 thofe  things,  which  are  fearfully  and  modeflly  under- 
 taken, commonly  fucceed. 
 
 l>et  us  build  us  a  city.  If  they  had  taken  God  with 
 them,  it  had  been  commendable  ;  eftabliftiing  of  fo- 
 cieties  is  pleafmg  to  him  that  is  the  God  of  order ; 
 but  a  tower  whofe  top  may  reach  to  heaven,  was  a 
 ihameful  arrogance,  an  impious  prefumption.  Who 
 would  think,  that  we  little  ants,  that  creep  upon  this 
 earth,  mould  think  of  climbing  up  to  heaven,  by 
 multiplying  of  earth ! 
 
 Pride 
 
BOOK   II.      Co  nt  em.  ii.  35 
 
 Pride  ever  looks  at  the  higheft.  The  firfc  man 
 would  know  as  God,  thefe  would  dwell  as  God  :  co- 
 vetoufnefj  and  ambition  know  no  limits.  And  what 
 if  they  had  reached  up  to  heaven  ?  Soine  hills  are  as 
 high  as  they  could  hope  to  be,  and  yet  are  no  whit 
 the  better ;  no  place  alters  the  condition  of  nature. 
 An  angel  is  glorious,  though  he  13e  upon  earth  ;  and 
 man  is  but  earth,  though  he  be  above  the  clouds. 
 The  nearer  they  had  been  to  heaven,  the  more  fub- 
 jeft  mould  they  have  been  to  the  violences  of  heaven, 
 to  thunders,  lightnings,  and  thofe  other  higher  in- 
 flammations :  what  had  this  been,  but  to  thruil  them- 
 felves  into  the  hands  of  the  revenger  of  all  wicked 
 inlolencies  ?  God  loves  that  heaven  iiiould  be  looked 
 at,  and  affected  with  all  humble  defires,  with  the  ho- 
 ly ambitions  of  faith,  not  with  the  proud  imaginations 
 of  our  own  at  enlevements. 
 
 But  wherefore  was  all  this  ?  not  that  they  loved  {q 
 much  to  be  neighbours  to  heaven,  as  to  be  famous 
 upon  earth.  It  was  not  commodity  that  was  here 
 fought,  not  fafety,  but  glory.  Whither  doth  not 
 thirit  of  fame  carry  men,  whether  in  good  or  evil  ? 
 It  makes  them  feek  to  climb  to  heaven,  it  makes  them 
 not  fear  to  run  down  headlong  to  hell.  Even  in  the 
 bell  things,  deilre  of  praife  ftands  in  competition  with 
 confeience,  and  brags  to  have  the  more  clients.  One 
 builds  a  temple  to  Diana,  in  hope  of  glory,  intending 
 it  for  one  of  the  great  wonders  of  the  world  ;  ano- 
 ther, in  hope  of  fame,  burns  it.  He  is  a  rare  man 
 that  hath  not  fome  Babel  of  his  own,  whereon  he  be- 
 llows pains  and  coft,  only  to  be  talked  of.  If  they 
 had  done  better  things  in  a  vain-glorious  purpofe, 
 their  aft  had  been  accurfed  :  if  they  had  built  houfes 
 to  God,  if  they  had  facriflced,  prayed,  lived  well ; 
 the  intent  poifons  the  action  :  But  now  both  the  aft 
 and  the  purpofe  are  equally  vain,  and  the  iffue  is  a$ 
 vain  as  either, 
 
 E  2  God 
 
D 
 
 6  CONTEMPLATIONS, 
 
 God  hath  a  fpecial  indignation  at  pride  above  all 
 fms,  and  will  crofs  our  endeavours,  not  for  that  they 
 are  evil,  (what  hurt  could  be  in  laying  one  brick  upon 
 another?)  but  for  that  they  are  proudly  undertaken. 
 He  could  have  hindered  the  laying  of  the  iirfl  (tone ; 
 and  might  as  ealily  have  made  a  trench  for  the  foun- 
 dation, the  grave  of  the  builders :  but  he  loves  to  fee 
 what  wicked  men  would  do ;  and  to  let  fools  run 
 themfelves  out  of  breath.  What  monument  mould 
 they  have  had  of  their  own  madnefs,  and  his  power- 
 ful interruption,  if  the  walls  had  rifen  to  no  height  ? 
 To  flop  them  then  in  the  midfl  of  their  courfe,  he 
 meddles  not  with  either  their  hands  or  their  feet,  but 
 their  tongues ;  tot  by  pulling  them  out,  not  by  loofmg 
 their  firings,  not  by  making  them  fay  nothing,  but  by 
 teaching  them  to  fay  too  much.  Here  is  nothing  va- 
 ried but  the  found  of  letters ;  even  this  fruilrates  the 
 work,  and  befools  the  workmen.  How  eafy  is  it  for 
 God  ten  thoufand  ways  to  correct,  and  fore-flail  the 
 greatefl  projects  of  men  !  fie  that  taught  Adam  the 
 firfl  words,  taught  them  words  that  never  were.  One 
 calls  for  brick,  the  other  looks  him  in  the  face,  and 
 wonders  what  he  commands,  and  how  and  why  he 
 fpeaks  fuch  words  as  were  never  heard  ;  and  inilead 
 thereof  brings  him  mortar,  returning  him  an  anfwer 
 as  little  underflood  :  each  chides  with  other,  expref- 
 iing  his  choler,  fo  as  he  only  can  underiland  himfelf. 
 From  heat  they  fall  to  quiet  entreaties,  but  (till  with 
 the  fame  fuccefs.  At  firfl  every  man  thinks  his  fel- 
 low mocks  him ;  but  now  perceiving  this  ferious  con- 
 fiifion,  their  only  anfwer  was  fiknee*  and  ceafmg  ; 
 they  could  not  come  together,  for  no  man  could  call 
 them  to  be  understood ;  and  if  they  had  aiiembled,  no- 
 thing could  be  determined,  becaufe  one  could  never 
 attain  to  the  others  purpofe  ;  no,  they  could  not  have 
 the  honour  of  a  general  difmhTion,  but  each  man  leaves 
 his  trowel  and  ftation,  more  like  a  Fool  than  he  under- 
 took 
 
B  O  O  K  II.     Contem.  in.  37 
 
 took  it :  fo  commonly  actions  begun  in  glory  (hut 
 up  in  fliame.  All  external  actions  depend  upon  the 
 tongue.  No  man  can  know  another's  mind,  if  this 
 be  not  the  interpreter.  Hence,  as  there  were  many 
 tongues  given  to  flay  the  building  of  Babel,  fo  there 
 were  as  many  given  to  build  the  new  ^erufalem,  the 
 evangelical  church.  How  dear  hath  Babel  cod  all 
 the  world !  At  the  foil,  when  there  was  but  one 
 language,  men  did  fpend  their  time  in  arts  ;  (fo  was 
 it  requiiite  at  the  foil  fettling  of  the  world,  and  fo 
 came  early  to  perfection)  but  now  we  flay  fo  long 
 (of  neceility)  upon  the  fhell  of  tongues,  that  we  can 
 hardly  have  time  to  chew  the  fweet  kernel  of  know- 
 ledge. Surely  men  would  have  grown  too  proud, 
 if  there  had  been  no  Babel.  It  falls  out  oft-times  that 
 one  fin  is  a  remedy  of  a  greater.  Divinon  of  tongues 
 mud  needs  flacken  any  work.  Multiplicity  of  lan- 
 guage had  not  been  given  by  the  Holy  Ghcfl,  for  a 
 bleilmg  to  the  church,  if  the  world  had  not  been  be- 
 fore poffeffed  with  multiplicity  of  languages  for  a  pu- 
 nishment. Hence  it  is,  that  the  building  of  our  Sunt 
 riles  no  fader,  becaufe  our  tongues  are  divided.  Hap- 
 py were  the  church  of  God,  if  we  all  fpake  but  one 
 language  :  whiles  we  duTer,  we  can  build  nothing  but 
 Babel ;  difference  of  tongues  caufed  their  Babel  to 
 ceafe,  but  it  builds  curs. 
 
 CONTZM.    III.       O/AbRAHAM. 
 
 FT  was  fit  that  he  which  mould  be  the  father  and 
 -*-  pattern  of  the  faithful,  ihould  be  throughly  tried  ; 
 for  in  a  fet  copy  every  fault  is  important,  and  may 
 prove  a  rule  of  error.  Of  ten  trials  which  Abraham 
 paifed,  the  lad  was  the  fored.  No  fon  of  Abraham 
 can  hope  to  cfcape  temptations,  while  he  fees  that 
 bofom  in  which  he  defires  to  red,  fo  adaulted  with 
 difficulties.     Abraham   mud    leave   his    country    and 
 
 kindred, 
 
38  CONTEMPL  AT  IONS. 
 
 kindred,  and  live  amongft  flrangers.  The  calling  of 
 God  never  leaves  men  where  it  finds  them.  The 
 earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  all  places  are  alike  to  the 
 wife  and  faithful.  If  Qhaldea  had  not  been  grofsly 
 idolatrous,  Abraham  had  not  left  it ;  no  bond  muft. 
 tie  us  to  the  danger  of  infection. 
 
 But  whither  muft  he  go  ?  To  a  place  he  knew  not, 
 to  men  that  knew  not  him.  It  is  enough  comfort  to 
 a  good  man,  wherefoever  he  is,  that  he  is  acquainted 
 with  God :  we  are  never  out  of  our  way,  while  we 
 follow  the  calling  of  God.  Never  any  man  loll  by 
 his  obedience  to  the  Highefl.  Becaufe  Abraham  yield- 
 ed, God  gives  him  the  poffeffion  of  Canaan.  I  won- 
 der more  at  his  faith  in  taking  this  poffefflon,  than  in 
 leaving  his  own.  Behold  Abraham  takes  poiTeiiioa 
 for  that  feed  which  he  had  not ;  which  in  nature  he 
 was  not  like  to  have  ;  of  that  land  whereof  he  mould 
 not  have  one  foot,  wherein  his  feed  mould  not  be 
 fettled  of  almoft  five  hundred  years  after.  The  power 
 of  faith  can  prevent  time,  and  make  future  things 
 prefent.  If  we  be  the  true  fons  of  Abraham,  we  have 
 already  (while  we  fojourn  here  on  earth)  the  polTdhon 
 of  our  land  of  promife ;  while  we  feek  our  country, 
 we  have  it. 
 
 Yet  even  Canaan  doth  not  afford  him  bread,  which 
 yet  he  muft  believe  (hall  flow  with  milk  and  honey- 
 to  his  feed.  Senfe  mull  yield  to  faith.  -Wo  were  us, 
 if  we  mull:  judge  of  our  future  eftate  by  the  prefent. 
 Egypt  gives  relief  to  Abraham,  when  Canaan  cannot, 
 In  outward  things,  God's  enemies  may  fare  better 
 than  his  friends.  Thrice  had  Egypt  preferved  the 
 church  of  God,  in  Abraham,  in  ^acob,  in  Chrift. 
 God  oft-times  makes  ufe  of  the  world  for  the  behoof 
 of  his,  though  without  their  thanks ;  as  contrarily  he 
 ufes  the  wicked  for  fcourges  to  his  own  inheritance, 
 and  burns  them  \  becaufe  in  his  good  they  intended 
 
 evil. 
 
 But 
 
BOOK  II.      Contem,  in.  39 
 
 But  what  a  change  is  this  ?  Hitherto  hath  Sarah  been 
 Abraham's  wife,  now  Egypt  hath  made  her  his  lifter ; 
 Fear  hath  turned  him  from  an  hufband  to  a  brother : 
 no  ftrength  of  faith  can  exclude  fome  doubtings.  God 
 hath  faid,  I  will  make  thee  a  great  nation :  Abraham 
 faith,  the  Egyptians  will  kill  me.  He  that  lived  by 
 his  faith,  yet  flirinketh,  and  finneth.  How  vainly 
 fhall  we  hope  to  believe  without  all  fear,  and  to  live 
 without  infirmities !  Some  little  afperfions  of  unbelief 
 cannot  hinder  the  praife  and  power  of  faith.  Abra- 
 ham  believed,  and  it  was  imputed  to  him  for  righte- 
 tDufnefs.  He  that  through  inconfideratenefs  doubted 
 twice  of  his  own  life,  doubted  not  of  the  life  of  his 
 feed,  even  from  the  dead  and  dry  womb  of  Sarah  ; 
 yet  was  it  more  difficult  that  his  pofterity  mould  live 
 in  Sarah ,  than  that  Sarah's  hufband  mould  live  in 
 Egypt:  this  was  above  nature,  yet  he  believes  it. 
 Sometimes  the  believer  Hicks  at  eafy  trials,  and  yet 
 breaks  through  the  greatefl  temptations  without  fear. 
 Abrahain  was  old,  ere  this  promife  and  hope  of  a 
 fon ;  and  ftill  the  older,  the  more  uncapable,  yet 
 God  makes  him  wait  twenty-five  years  for  perform- 
 ance. No  time  is  long  to  faith,  which  hath  learned 
 to  defer  hopes  without  fainting  and  irkfomenefs. 
 
 Abraham  heard  this  news  from  the  angel,  and 
 laughed  :  Sarah  heard  it,  and  laughed  :  they  did  not 
 more  agree  in  their  defire,  than  differ  in  their  affection. 
 Abraham  laughed  for  joy  ;  Sarah  for  diftruft.  Abra- 
 ham laughed,  becaufe  he  believed  it  would  be  fo ; 
 Sarah,  becaufe  fhe  believed  it  could  not  be.  The  fame 
 a£  varies  in  the  manner  of  doing,  and  the  intention  of 
 the  doer.  Yet  Sarah  laughed  but  within  herfelf,  and 
 is  bewrayed.  How  God  can  find  us  out  in  fecret 
 fins !  How  eafily  did  fhe  now  think,  that  he,  which 
 could  know  of  her  inward  laughter,  could  know  of 
 her  conception !  and  now  fhe  that  laughed,  and  be- 
 lieved not,  believeth  and  feareth. 
 
 What 
 
40  CONTEMPLATIONS, 
 
 What  a  lively  pattern  do  I  fee  in  Abraham,  and 
 Sarah,  of  a  ftrong  faith,  and  weak  ;  of  ftrong  in  Abra- 
 ham, and  weak  in  Sarah!  She,  to  make  God  good 
 of  his  word  to  Abraham,  knowing  her  own  barren- 
 nefs,  fubftitutes  an  Hagar ;  and,  in  an  ambition  of 
 feed,  perfuades  to  poligamy.  Abraham  had  never 
 looked  to  obtain  the  promife  by  any  other  than  a  bar- 
 ren womb,  if  his  own  wife  had  not  importuned  him 
 to  take  another.  When  our  own  apparent  means  fail, 
 weak  faith  is  put  to  their  fhifts,  and  projects  ftrange 
 devices  of  her  own,  to  attain  her  end.  She  will  ra- 
 ther conceive  by  another  womb,  than  be  childlefs. 
 When  flie  hears  of  an  impoiTibfrty  to  nature,  fhe 
 doubteth,  and  yet  hides  her  diffidence ;  and,  when 
 flie  mufl  believe,  feareth,  becaufe  fhe  did  diftruft.  A- 
 braham  hears  and  believes,  and  expects  and  rejoices  j 
 he  faith  not,  I  am  old  and  weak  ;  Sarah  is  old  and  bar- 
 ren ;  where  are  the  many  nations  that  fliall  come  from 
 thefe  withered  loins  ?  It  is  enough  to  him  that  G  od. 
 hath  faid  it :  he  fees  not  the  means,  he  fees  the  pro- 
 mife. He  knew  that  God  would  rather  raife  him  up 
 feed  from  the  very  ft  ones  that  he  trode  upon,  than 
 himfelf  fhould  want  a  large  and  happy  iifue. 
 
 There  is  no  faith  where  there  is  either  means  or 
 hopes.  Difficulties  and  impolBbilities  are  the  true  ob- 
 jects of  belief.  Hereupon  God  adds  to  his  name,  that 
 which  he  would  fetch  from  his  loins,  and  made  his 
 name  as  ample  as  his  pofterity.  Never  any  man  was 
 a  lofer  by  believing  :  faith  is  ever  recompenced  with 
 glory. 
 
 Neither  is  Abraham  content  only  to  wait  for  God, 
 but  to  fmart  for  him.  God  bids  him  cut  his  own 
 fiefh  ;  he  willingly  facrinces  this  parcel  of  his  fkin  and 
 blood  to  him  that  was  the  owner  of  all.  How  glad 
 he  is  to  carry  this  painful  mark  of  the  love  of  his 
 Creator!  How  forward  to  feal  this  covenant  with 
 blood,  betwixt  Gcd  and  him!  not  regarding  the  fore- 
 
 nefs 
 
BOOK  II.      CoNTEta.  iv.  41 
 
 nefs  of  his  body,  in  companion  of  the  confirmation  of 
 his  fouL  The  wound  was  not  fo  grievous,  as  the 
 the  ngnification  was  comfortable.  For  herein  he  law, 
 that  from  his  loins  Ihould  come  that  bleffed  feed, 
 which  ihould  purge  his  foul  from  all  corruption. 
 Well  is  that  part  of  us  loft,  which  may  give  aifurance^ 
 of  the  falvation  of  the  whole.  Our  faith  is  not  yet 
 found,  if  it  have  not  taught  us  to  neglect  pain  for 
 God,  and  more  to  love  his  facraments  than  our  own 
 flelh, 
 
 CoNtem.   IV.  ,  Qf  I  s  a  a  c  facrifced. 
 
 BU  T  all  thefe  are  but  eafy  tafks  of  faith :  all  ages 
 have  flood  amazed  at  the  next ;  not  knowing 
 whether  they  ihould  more  wonder  at  God's  com- 
 mand, or  Abraham's  obedience.  Many  years  had  that 
 good  patriarch  Waited  for  his  Ifaac ;  now  at  laft  he 
 hath  joyfully  received  him,  and  that  with  this  graci- 
 ous acclamation,  In  Ifaac  /ball  thy  feed  be  called^ 
 and  all  nations  bleffed.  Behold  the  fon  of  his  age, 
 the  fon  of  his  love,  the  fon  of  his  expectation,  he  that 
 might  not  endure  a  mock  from  his  brother,  muft  now 
 endure  the  knife  of  his  father ;  Take  thine  only 
 Jon  Ifaac  whom  thou  loveft,  and  get  thee  to  the  land  of 
 Mori  ah,  and  offer  him  there  for  a  burnt -offering. 
 
 Never  any  gold  was  tried  in  fo  hot  a  fire.  Who 
 but  Abraham  would  not  have  expoftulated  with  God  ? 
 What !  doth  the  God  of  mercies  now  begin  to  de- 
 light in  blood  ?  Is  it  poffible  that  murder  ihould  be- 
 come piety?  Or  if  thou  wilt  needs  take  pleafure  in 
 an  human  facrifice,  is  there  none  but  Ifaac  fit  for 
 thine  altar  ?  none  but  Abraham  to  offer  him  ?  Shall 
 thefe  hands  deftroy  the  fruits  of  mine  own  loins  ?  Can 
 I  not  be  faithful,  unlefs  I  be  unnatural  ?  Or  if  I  muft 
 needs  be  the  monfter  of  all  parents,  will  not  Ifmael 
 
 Vol.  L  F  yet 
 
42         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 yet  be  accepted?  O  God!  where  is  thy  mercy? 
 where  is  thy  juftice  ?  Haft  thou  given  me  but  one 
 only  fon>  and  muft  I  now  flay  him  ?  Why  did  I  wait 
 {o  long  for  him  ?  Why  didft  thou  give  him  me  ?  Why 
 didft  thou  promife  me  a  blefling  in  him  ?  What  will 
 the  Heathen  fay,  when  they  {hall  hear  of  this  in- 
 famous maflacre  ?  How  can  thy  name,  and  my  pro- 
 feffion  efcape  a  perpetual  blafphemy  ?  With  what  face 
 Ihall  I  look  upon  my  wife  Sarah,  whofe  fon  I  have 
 murdered  ?  How  mall  (he  entertain  the  executioner 
 of  Ifaac  f  Or  who  will  believe  that  I  did  this  from 
 thee  ?  How  fhall  not  all  the  world  fpit  at  this  holy 
 cruelty,  and  fay,  There  goes  the  man  that  cut  the 
 throat  of  his  own  fon  !  Yet  if  he  were  an  ungracious 
 or  rebellious  child,  his  deferts  might  give  fome  colour 
 to  this  violence  :  but  to  lay  hands  on  (o  dear,  fo  du- 
 tiful, fo  hopeful  a  fon,  is  incapable  of  all  pretences. 
 
 But  grant  that  thou,  which  art  the  God  of  nature, 
 mayft  either  alter  or  neglect  it ;  what  fhall  I  fay  to 
 the  truth  of  thy  promifes  ?  Can  thy  juftice  admit  con- 
 tradictions ?  Can  thy  decrees  be  changeable  ?  Canft 
 thou  promife  and  difappoint  ?  Can  thefe  two  ftand 
 together,  lfaac  fhall  live  to  be  the  father  of  nations, 
 and  Ifaac  ihall  now  die  by  the  hand  of  his  father  ? 
 When  Ifaac  is  once  gone,  where  is  my  feed,  where 
 is  my  Hefting  ?  O  God,  if  thy  commands  and  pur- 
 pofes  be  capable  of  alteration,  alter  this  bloody  fen- 
 tence,  and  let  thy  firft  word  ftand. 
 
 Thefe  would  have  been  the  thoughts  of  a  weak 
 .heart.  But  God  knew  that  he  fpake  to  an  Abraham, 
 and  Abraham  knew  that  he  had  to  do  with  a  God  : 
 faith  had  taught  him  not  to  argue,  but  obey.  In  an 
 holy  wilfulness  he  either  forgets  nature,  or  defpifes 
 her :  he  is  fure  that  what  God  commands  is  good, 
 that  what  he  promifes  is  infallible  ;  and  therefore  is 
 carelefs  of  the  means,  and  trufts  to  tie  end. 
 
 In. 
 
BOOK  II.      Con  t  em.  iv.  N         45 
 
 In  matters  of  God,  whofoever  conmlts  with  flefh 
 and  blood,  (hall  never  offer  up  his  Ifaac  to  God. 
 There  needs  no  counfeilor  when  we  know  God  is  the 
 commander ;  here  is  neidier  grudging  nor  deliberating, 
 nor  delaying ;  his  faith  would  not  fufFer  him  fo  much 
 as  to  be  forry  for  that  he  muft  do.  Sarah  herfelf  may 
 not  know  of  God's  charge,  and  her  hufband's  pur- 
 pofe,  left  her  affection  mould  have  overcome  her 
 faith ;  left  her  weaknefs,  now  grown  importunate, 
 mould  have  faid,  Difobey  God,  and  die.  That  which 
 he  muft  do,  he  will  do :  he  that  hath  learned  not  to 
 regard  the  life  of  his  fon,  had  learned  not  to  regard 
 the  forrow  of  his  wife.  It  is  too  much  tendernefs  to 
 refpect  the  cenfures  and  conftruclions  of  others,  when 
 we  have  a  direct  word  from  God.  The  good  pa- 
 triarch rifes  early,  and  addreffes  himfelf  to  his  fad 
 journey.  And  now  muft  he  travel  three  whole  days 
 to  this  execution  ;  and  ftill  muft  Ifaac  be  in  his  eye, 
 whom  all  this  while  he  feems  to  fee  bleeding  upon 
 the  pile  of  wood  which  he  carries.  There  is  nothing 
 fo  miferable  as  to  dwell  under  the  expectation  of  a 
 great  evil.  That  mifery  which,  muft  be,  is  mitigated 
 with  fpeed,  and  aggravated  with  delay.  All  this 
 while,  if  Abraham  had  repented  him,  he  had  leifure 
 to  return.  There  is  no  fmall  trial,  even  in  the  very 
 time  of  trial.  Now,  when  they  are  come  within  fight 
 of  the  chofen  mountain,  the  fervants  are  difmiffed* 
 What  a  devotion  is  this  that  will  abide  no  witneffes  I 
 He  will  not  fuffer  two  of  his  own  vaiTals  to  fee  him 
 do  that,  which  foon  after  all  the  world  muft  know  he 
 hath  done ;  yet  is  not  Abraham  afraid  of  that  piety, 
 which  the  beholders  could  not  fee  without  horror, 
 without  refiftance,  which  no  ear  could  hear  of  with- 
 out abomination.  What  ftranger  could  have  endured 
 to  fee  the  father  carry  the  knife  and  fire,  inftruments 
 of  that  death  which  he  had  rather  fuffer  than  inflict ; 
 
 F  2  the 
 
44  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 the  fon  fecurely  carrying  that  burden   which  mud 
 carry  him? 
 
 But  if  Abraham's  heart  could  have  known  how  to. 
 relent,  that  queftion  of  his  dear,  innocent,  and  reli- 
 gious fon  had  melted  it  into  companion  ;  My  fat  her \ 
 Behold  the  fire  and  the  woody  but  where  is  the  facri- 
 jftcef  I  know  not  whether  that  word  (my  father) 
 did  not  ftrike  Abraham  as  deep,  as  the  knife  of  Abra- 
 ham could  fir  ike  his  fon :  yet  doth  he  not  fo  much  as 
 think,  O  miferable  man,  that  may  not  at  once  be  a 
 fon  to  fuch  a  God,  and  father  to  fuch  a  fon !  Still 
 he  perfifts,  and  conceals ;  and,  where  he  meant  not, 
 prophefies,  My  Jon,  Cod  /hall  provide  a  lamb  for  the 
 burnt-offering. 
 
 The  heavy  tidings  were  loath  to  come  forth.  It  was 
 3  death  to  Abraham  to  fay  what  he  mud  do.  He 
 knows  his  own  faith  to  ael  this ;  he  knows  not  Ifaac's 
 to  endure  it.  But  now  when  Ifaac  hath  helped  to 
 build  the  altar,  whereon  he  muft  be  confumed,  he 
 hears  (not  without  aflonimment)  the  ftrange  command 
 of  God,  the  final  will  of  his  father :  my  fon,  thou  art 
 the  lamb,  which  God  harh  provided  for  this  burnt- 
 pfFering.  If  my  blood  would  have  excufed  thee,  how 
 jnany  thoufand  times  had  I  rather  to  give  thee  my 
 own  life,  than  take  thine  1  Alas !  I  am  full  of  days, 
 and  now  of  long  lived,  not  but  in  thee.  Thou  mightefl 
 have  preferved  the  life  of  thy  father,  and  have  com- 
 forted his  death ;  but  the  God  of  us  both  hath  chofen 
 thee.  He,  that  gave  thee  unto  me  miraculoufly,  bids 
 me,  by  an  unufual  means,  return  thee  untp  him.  I 
 need  not  tell  thee,  that  I  facrifice  all  my  worldly 
 joys,  yea  and  myfelf,  in  thee  ;  but  God  muft  be  obey- 
 ed :  neither  art  thou  too  dear  for  him  that  calls  thee. 
 Come  on,  my  fon,  reflore  the  life  that  God  hath  given 
 thee  by  mer  Offer  thyfeif  willingly  to  thefe  flames  ; 
 •  fend  up  thy  foul  cheerfully  unto  thy  glory ;  and  know, 
 
 that 
 
BOOK  II.     Co  nt  em.  iv.  45 
 
 that  God  loves  thee  above  others,  fince  he  requires 
 thee  alone  to  be  coniecrated  in  facrifice  to  himfelf. 
 
 Who  cannot  imagine  with  what  perplexed  mixtures 
 of  paiiions,  with  what  changes  of  countenance,  what 
 doubts,  what  fears,  what  amazement,  good  Ifaac  re- 
 ceived this  hidden  meflage  from  the  mouth  of  his  fa- 
 ther !  how  he  queilioned,  how  he  pleaded  I  But  when 
 he  had  fomewhat  digefled  his  thoughts,  and  conilder- 
 ed  that  the  author  was  God,  the  aftor  Abraham,  the 
 a£tion  a  facrifice,  he  now  approves  himfelf  the  fon  of 
 Abraham :  now  he  encourages  the  trembling  hands 
 of  his  father,  with  whom  he  ilrives  in  this  praife  of. 
 forwardnefs  and  obedience :  now  he  offers  his  hands 
 and  feet  to  the  cords,  his  throat  to  the  knife,  his  bo- 
 dy to  the  altar  ;  and,  growing  ambitious  of  the  fword 
 and  fire,  entreats  his  father  to  do  that,  which  he  would 
 have  done,  though  he  had  difluaded  him.  O  holy  e- 
 mulation  of  faith !  O  bleffed  agreement  of  the  facri- 
 ficer,  and  oblation !  Abraham  is  as  ready  to  take,  as 
 Ifaac  to  give :  he  binds  thofe  dear  hands  which  are 
 more  flraitly  bound  with  the  cords  of  duty,  and  refo- 
 lution ;  he  lays  his  facrifice  upon  the  wood,  which 
 now  before-hand  burnt  inwardly  with  the  heavenly 
 fire  of  zeal  and  devotion. 
 
 And  now  having  kilTed  him  his  laft,  not  without 
 mutual  tears,  he  lifts  up  his  hand  to  fetch  the  ftroke 
 of  death  at  once,  not  fo  much  as  thinking,  perhaps, 
 God  will  relent  after  the  firll  wound.  Now  the  flay 
 of  Abraham,  the  hope  of  the  church,  lies  bleeding 
 under  the  hand  of  a  father  ;  what  bowels  can  chufe 
 but  yearn  at  this  fpe&acle  !  Which  of  the  favagefl 
 Heathens,  that  had  been  now  upon  the  hill  of  Moriah, 
 and  had  k^n  (through  the  bufhes)  the  fword  of  a  fa- 
 ther hanging  over  the  throat  of  fuch  a  fon,  would  not 
 have  been  more  perplexed  in  his  thoughts,  than  that 
 unexpected  facrifice  was  in  thofe  briars !  Yet  he,  whom 
 it  neareft  concerned,   is  leaft  touched  :    faith  hath 
 
 wrought 
 
4<S  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Wrought  the  fame  in  him,  which  cruelty  would  in  o- 
 thers,  not  to  be  moved.  He  coniemns  all  fears,  and 
 overlooks  all  impofTibilities.  His  heart  tells  him, 
 that  the  fame  hand,  which  raifed  Ifaac  from  the  dead 
 womb  of  Sarah,  can  raife  him  again  from  the  afhes 
 of  his  facrifice.  With  this  confidence  was  the  hand 
 of  Abraham  now  falling  upon  the  throat  of  Ifaac,  who 
 had  given  himfelf  for  dead,  and  rejoiced  in  the  change ; 
 when  fuddenly  the  angel  of  God  interrupts  him,  for- 
 bids him,  commends  him. 
 
 The  voice  of  God  was  never  fo  welcome,  never 
 fo  fweet,  never  fo  feafonable  as  now :  it  was  the  trial 
 that  God  intended,  not  the  fact ;  Ifaac  is  facrificed, 
 and  is  yet  alive  ;  and  now  both  of  them  axe  more  hap- 
 py in  that  they  would  have  done,  than  they  could 
 have  been  diftreffed  if  they  had  done  it.  God's 
 charges  are  oft-times  harm  in  the  beginnings  and  pro- 
 ceeding, but  in  the  conclufion  always  comfortable. 
 True  fpiritual  comforts  are  commonly  late  and  fud- 
 den.  God  defers  on  purpofe,  that  our  trials  may  be 
 perfect,  our  deliverance  welcome,  our  recompence 
 glorious.  Ifaac  had  never  been  fo  precious  to  his  fa- 
 ther, if  he  had  not  been  recovered  from  death  ;  if  he 
 had  not  been  as  miraculoufly  rellored,  as  given.  A* 
 braham  had  never  been  fo  blefled  in  his  feed,  if  he 
 had  not  neglected  Ifaac  for  God. 
 
 The  only  way  to  find  comfort  in  any  earthly  tiling, 
 is  to  furrender  it  (in  a  faithful  carelefmefs)  into  the 
 hands  of  God.  Abraham  came  to  facrifice  ;  he  may 
 not  go  away  with  dry  hands.  God  cannot  abide  that 
 good  piirpofes  mould  be  fruitrate,  left  either  he  mould 
 not  do  that  for  which  he  came,  cr  mould  want  means 
 of  fpeedy  thankfgiving  for  fo  gracious  a  difappoint-; 
 ment.  Behold,  a  ram  fbnds  ready  for  the  facrificey 
 and,  as  it  were,  proffers  himfelf  to  this  happy  exchange. 
 He  that  made  that  bead,  brings  him  thither,  fallens 
 him  there.     Even  in  fmall  things  there  is  a  great  pro* 
 
 vidence. 
 
BOOK  II.      Contem,  v,  47 
 
 vidence.  What  myfteries  there  are  in  every  a&  of 
 God !  The  only  Son  of  God,  upon  this  very  hill,  is 
 laid  upon  the  altar  of  the  crofs,  and  fo  becomes  a  true 
 facrifice  for  the  world ;  that  yet  he  is  raifed  without 
 impeachment,  and  exempted  from  the  power  of  death. 
 The  Lamb  of  God,  which  takes  away  the  fins  of  the 
 world,  is  here  really  offered  and  accepted.  One  Sa- 
 viour in  two  figures ;  in  the  one  dying,  reflored  in 
 the  other.  So  Abraham^  whiles  he  exercifes  his  faith, 
 confirms  it ;  and  rejoices  more  to  forefee  the  true 
 Ifaac  in  that  place  offered  to  death  for  his  fins,  than 
 to  fee  the  carnal  Ifaac  preferved  from  death  for  the 
 reward  of  his  faith.  Whatfoever  is  dear  eft  to  us  up- 
 on earth,  is  our  Ifaac ;  happy  are  we,  if  we  can  facrifice 
 it  to  God.  Thofe  mall  never  reft  with  Abraham , 
 that  cannot  facrifice  with  Abraham, 
 
 Contem.   v.      O/Lot  WSodom, 
 
 TD  Efore  Abraham  and  Lot  grew  rich,  they  dwelt  to- 
 *-* ■  gether  \  now  their  wealth  feparates  them  :  their 
 fociety  was  a  greater  good  than  their  riches.  Many 
 a  one  is  a  lofer  by  his  wealth.  Who  would  account 
 thofe  things  good  which  make  us  worfe !  It  had  been 
 the  duty  of  young  Lot  to  offer  rather  than  to  chufe, 
 to  yield  rather  than  contend.  Who  would  not  here 
 think  Abraham  the  nephew,  and  Lot  the  uncle  !  It  is 
 no  difparagement  for  greater  perfons  to  begin  trea- 
 ties of  peace.  Better  doth  it  befeem  every  fon  of 
 Abraham  to  win  with  love,  than  to  fway  with  power. 
 Abraham  yields  over  this  right  of  his  choice,  Lot  takes 
 it :  and  behold,  Lot  is  crofted  in  that  which  he  chofe, 
 Abraham  was  bleiled  in  that  which  was  left  him.  God 
 never  fuffers  any  man  to  lofe  by  an  humble  remiffion 
 of  his  right  in  a  defire  of  peace. 
 
 Wealth  hath  made  Lot  not  only  undutiful,  but  co- 
 vetous :  he  fees  the  goodly  plains  of  Jordan,  the  rich- 
 
 nefs 
 
4«  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 nefs  of  the  foil,  the  commodity  of  the  rivers,  the  fi* 
 tuation  of  the  cities  ;  and  now,  not  once  inquiring  into 
 the  conditions  of  the  inhabitants,  he  is  in  love  with 
 Sodom,  Outward  appearances  are  deceitful  guides 
 to  our  judgment  or  alfe&ions.  They  are  worthy  to 
 be  deceived  that  value  things  as  they  fcem.  It  is  not 
 long  after,  that  Lot  pays  dear  for  his  raihnefs.  He 
 fled  for  quietnefs  with  his  uncle,  and  finds  war  with 
 ftrangers.  Now  is  he  carried  prifoner,  with  all  his 
 fubftance,  by  great  enemies :  Abraham  mufl  refcue 
 him,  of  whom  he  was  forfaken.  That  wealth,  which 
 was  the  caufe  of  his  former  quarrels,  is  made  a  prey 
 to  mercilefs  Heathens :  that  place,  which  his  eye  co- 
 vetoufly  chofe,  betrays  his  life  and  goods.  How  ma- 
 ny Chriflians,  whiles  they  have  looked  at  gain,  have 
 loll  themfelves! 
 
 Yet  this  ill  fuccefs  hath  neither  driven  out  Lot,  nor 
 amended  Sodom;  he  dill  loves  his  commodity,  and 
 the  Sodomites  their  fins.  Wicked  men  grow  worfe 
 with  afHic~Hons,  as  water  grows  more  cold  after  an 
 heat :  and  as  they  leave  not  finning,  fo  God  leaves 
 not  plaguing  them,  but  ftill  follows  them  with  fuccef- 
 fion  of  judgments.  In  how  few  years  hath  Sodom  for- 
 got me  was  fpoiled  and  led  captive !  If  that  wicked 
 city  had  been  warned  by  the  fword,  it  had  efcaped 
 the  fire ;  but  now  this  vifitation  hath  not  made  ten 
 good  men  in  thofe  five  cities.  How  fit  was  this  heap 
 for  the  fire,  which  was  all  chaff!  Only  Lot  vexed  his 
 righteous  foul  with  the  fight  of  their  uncleannefs ;  he 
 vexed  his  own  foul,  for  who  bade  him  flay  there !  Yet 
 becaufe  he  was  vexed,  he  is  delivered.  He  efcapeth 
 their  judgment,  from  whofe  fins  he  efcaped.  Though 
 he  would  be  a  gueft  of  Sodom,  yet,  becaufe  he  would 
 not  entertain  their  fins,  he  becomes  an  hofl  to  the  an- 
 gels. Even  the  good  angels  are  the  executioners  of 
 God's  judgment.  There  cannot  be  a  better  or  more 
 noble  acl,  than  to  do  juftice  upon  obftinate  malefactors. 
 
 Who 
 
BOOK   II.      Con  t  em.  v.  49 
 
 Who  can  be  afhamed  of  that  which  did  not  mif-be- 
 feem  the  very  angels  of  God !  Where  fhould  the  an- 
 gels lodge  but  with  Lot!  The  houfes  of  holy  men  are 
 full  of  thefe  heavenly  fpirits,  when  they  know  not : 
 they  pitch  their  tents  in  ours,  and  vifit  us  when  we 
 fee  not ;  and,  when  we  feel  not,  protect  us.  It  is  the 
 honour  of  God's  faints  to  be  attended  by  angels.  The 
 filthy  Sodomites  now  flock  together,  ftirred  up  with 
 the  fury  of  envy  and  luft,  and  dare  require  to  do  that 
 in  troops,  which,  to  aft  fmgie,  had  been  too  abominable 
 to  imagine  natural.  •  Continuance  and  fociety  in  evil 
 makes  wicked  men  outragious  and  impudent.  It  is 
 not  enough  for  Lot  to  be  the  witnefs,  but  he  mud  be 
 the  bawd  alfo  :  Bring  forth  thefe  men  that  we  may  know 
 them. 
 
 Behold,  even  the  Sodomites  fpeak  modeflly,  though 
 their  acts  and  intents  be  villanous.  What  a  fliame  is 
 it  for  thofe  which  profefs  purity  of  heart,  to  fpeak  fil- 
 thily !  The  good  man  craves  and  pleads  the  laws  of 
 hofpitality ;  and,  when  he  fees  head-ftrong  purpofe9 
 of  mifchief,  chafes  rather  to  be  an  ill  father  than  an 
 ill  hoft.  His  intention  was  good,  but  his  offer,  was 
 faulty.  If,  through  his  allowance,  the  Sodomites  had 
 defiled  his  daughters,  it  had  been  his  fm:  if  through- 
 violence  they  had  defiled  his  guelts,  it  had  been  only 
 theirs.  There  can  be  no  warrant  for  us  to  fm,  left 
 others  fhould  fin.  It  is  for  God  to  prevent  fins  with 
 judgments ;  it  is  not  for  men  to  prevent  a  greater  fin 
 with  a  lefs.  The  befl  minds,  when  they  are  troubled, 
 yield  inconfiderate  motions,  as  water,  that  is  violently 
 flirred,  fends  up  bubbles :  God  meant  better  to  Loty 
 than  to  fuffer  his  weak  offer  to  be  accepted.  Thofe 
 which  are  bent  upon  villany,  are  more  exafperated  by 
 diffuafion,  as  fome  ftrong  dreams,  when  they  are  re- 
 fitted by  flood-gates,  fwell  over  the  banks. 
 
 Many  a  one  is  hardened  by  the  good  word  of  God, 
 and,  inftead  of  receiving  the  counfel,  rages  at  the  mef- 
 
 Vol.  I,  G  fenger. 
 
50  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fenger.  When  men  are  grown  to  that  pafs,  that  they 
 are  no  whit  better  by  afflictions,  and  worfe  with  ad- 
 monitions, God  finds  it  time  to  ftrike.  Now  Lot's 
 guefts  begin  to  mew  themfelves  angels,  and  iirfh  deli- 
 ver Lot  in  Sodom,  then  from  Sodom:  Firfl  flrike  them 
 with  blindnefs,  whom  they  will  after  confume  with  fire. 
 How  little  did  the  Sodomites  think  that  vengeance  was 
 fo  near  them !  While  they  went  groping  in  the  ftreets, 
 and  curfmg  thofe  whom  they  could  not  find,  Lot  with 
 the  angels  is  in  fecure  light,  and  fees  them  miferable, 
 and  forefees  them  burning.  It  is  the  ufe  of  God,  to 
 blind  and  befot  thofe  whom  he  means  to  deftroy.  The 
 light  which  they  mail  fee  mall  be  fiery,  which  fhall  be 
 the  beginning  of  an  everlafting  darknefs,  and  a  fire  un- 
 quenchable. Now  they  have  done  finning,  and  God 
 begins  to  judge.  Wickednefs  hath  but  a  time  ;  the 
 punimment  of  wickednefs  is  beyond  all  time.  The  re- 
 fidue  of  the  night  was  both  fhort  and  dangerous ;  yet 
 good  Lot,  though  fought  for  by  the  Sodomites,  and 
 newly  pulled  into  his  houfe  by  the  angels,  goes  forth 
 of  his  houfe  to  feek  his  fons-in-law.  No  good  man 
 would  be  faved  alone.  Faith  makes  us  charitable  with 
 neglect  of  all  peril.  He  warns  them  like  a  prophet,  and 
 advifes  them  like  a  father,  but  both  in  vain :  he  feems 
 to  them  as  if  he  mocked,  and  they  do  more  than  feem 
 to  mock  him  again.  Why  mould  to-morrow  differ  from 
 other  days  ?  Who  ever  faw  it  rain  fire  ?  Or  whence 
 fliould  that  brimflone  come  ?  Or  if  fuch  fhowers  mull 
 fall,  how  fhall  nothing  burn  but  this  valley  ?  So,  to  car- 
 nal men,  preaching  is  fooliflinefs,  devotion  idienefs,  the 
 prophets  madmen,  Paul  a  babbler.  Thefe  mens  incre- 
 dulity is  as  worthy  of  the  fire,  as  the  others  unclean- 
 nefs.     He  that  believes  not  is  condemned  already. 
 
 The  mefiengers  of  God  do  not  only  haflen  Lot,  but 
 pull  him  by  a  gracious  violence  out  of  that  impure 
 city.  They  thirfted  at  once  after  vengeance  upon 
 Sodo?n,  and  Lrfs  fafety ;  they  knew  God  could  not 
 
 itrike 
 
BOOK  II.      Co  nt  em.  v.  51 
 
 ftrike  Sodom  till  Lot  was  gone  out,  and  that  Lot  could 
 not  be  fafe  within  thofe  walls.  We  are  all  naturally 
 in  Sodom:  if  God  did  not  haul  us  out,  whiles  we 
 linger,  we  fhould  be  condemned  with  the  world.  If 
 God  meet  with  a  very  good  field,  he  pulls  up  the 
 weeds,  and  lets  the  corn  grow ;  if  indifferent,  he  lets 
 the  corn  and  weeds  grow  together ;  if  very  ill,  he  ga  ; 
 thers  the  few  ears  of  corn,  and  burns  the  weeds. 
 
 Oh  the  large  bounty  of  God,  which  reacheth  not 
 to  us  only,  but  to  ours !  God  faves  Lot  for  Abraham's 
 fake,  and  Zoar  for  Lot's  fake.  If  Sodom  had  not  been 
 too  wicked,  it  had  efcaped.  Were  it  not  for  God's 
 dear  children,  that  are  intermixed  with  the  world,  it 
 could  not  fland.  The  wicked  'owe  their  lives  unto 
 thofe  few  good,  whom  they  hate  and  perfecute.  Now 
 at  once  the  fun  rifes  upon  Zoar,  and  fire  falls  down 
 upon  Sodom.  Abraham  ftands  upon  the  hill,  and  fees 
 the  cities  burning.  It  is  fair  weather  with  God's  chil- 
 dren, when  it  is  foulefl  with  the  wicked.  Thofe 
 which  burned  with  the  fire  of  lull,  are  now  confu- 
 med  with  the  fire  of  vengeance.  They  finned  againfl 
 nature ;  and  now,  again!!:  the  courfe  of  nature,  fire 
 defcends  from  heaven  and  confumes  them.  Lot  may 
 not  fo  much  as  look  at  the  flame,  whether  for  the 
 ftay  of  his  paiTage,  or  the  horror  of  the  fight y  or  trial 
 of  his  faith,  or  fear  of  commiferation.  Small  precepts 
 from  God  are  of  importance.  Obedience  is  as  well 
 tried,  and  difobedience  as  well  puniihed,  in  little  as  in 
 much.  His  wife  doth  but  turn  back  her  head;  whe- 
 ther ,in  curiofity,  or  unbelief,  or  love  and  compafTion 
 of  the  place,  fhe  is  turned  into  a  monument  of  difobe- 
 dience. What  doth  it  avail  her  not  to  be  turned  into 
 afhes  in  Sodom,  when  fhe  is  turned  into  a  pillar  of 
 fait  in  the  plain  ?  He,  that  faved  a  whole  city,  cannot 
 fave  his  own  wife.  God  cannot  abide  fmall  fins  in 
 thofe  whom  he  hath  obliged.  If  we  difpleafe  him, 
 God  can  as  well  meet  with  us  out  of  Sodom.     Lot, 
 
 G  2  now 
 
52  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 now  come  into  Zoar,  marvels  at  the  flay  of  her,  whom 
 he  might  not  before  look  back  to  call ;  and  loon  after, 
 returning  to  leek  her,  beholds  this  change  with  won- 
 der and  grief.  He  finds  fait  inftead  of  flefli,  a  pillar 
 inflead  of  a  wife.  He  finds  Sodojn  confumed,  and  her 
 {landing  ;  and  is  more  amazed  with  this,  by  how  much 
 it  was  both  more  near  him,  and  lefs  expected. 
 
 When  God  delivers  us  from  deflruclion,  he  doth 
 not  fecure  us  from  all  afflictions.  Let  hath  loft  his 
 wife,  his  allies,  his  fubflance,  and  now  betakes  him- 
 felf  to  an  uncomfortable  folitarinefs. 
 
 Yet  though  he  fled  from  company,  he  could  not  fly 
 from  fin.  He  who  could  not  be  tainted  with  unclean- 
 nefs  in  Sodom,  is  overtaken  with  drunkennefs  and  in- 
 ceft  in  a  cave.  Rather  than  Satan  (hall  not  want  baits, 
 his  own  daughters  will  prove  Sodomites,  Thofe  which 
 fhould  have  comforted  betrayed  him.  How  little  are 
 fome  hearts  moved  with  judgments !  The  allies  of  6V 
 dom,  and  the  pillar  of  fait,  were  not  yet  out  of  their 
 eye,  when  they  dare  think  of  lying  with  their  own  fa- 
 ther. They  knew,  that  whiift  Lot  was  fober,  he  could 
 not  be  unchafte.  Drunkennefs  is  the  way  to  all  be- 
 ftial  affections  and  acts.  Wine  knows  no  difference 
 either  of  perfons  or  fins.  No  doubt,  Lot  was  after- 
 wards afhamed  of  his  inceftuous  feed,  and  now  wifh- 
 ed  he  had  come  alone  cut  of  Sodom;  yet  even  this 
 unnatural  bed  was  bleffed  with  increafe  ;  and  one  of 
 cur  Saviour's  worthy  anceftors  fprung  after  from  this 
 line.  God's  election  is  not  tied  to  our  means,  neither 
 are  bleiTm?s  or  curfes  ever  traduced.  The  chafte  bed 
 of  holy  parent's  hath  oft-times  bred  a  monftrous  gene- 
 ration; and,  contrarily,  God  hath  raifed  fometimes  an 
 holy  feed  from  the  drunken  bed  of  inceft,  or  fornica- 
 tion. It  hath  been  feen,  that  weighty  ears  of  corn 
 have  grown  out  of  the  compafs  of  the  tilled  field  :  thus 
 will  God  magnify  the  freedom  of  his  own  choice,  and 
 let  us  know  that  we  are  not  born,  but  made,  good. 
 
 BOOK 
 
BOOK  HI.      Con  t  em.  r.  53 
 
 BOOK      THIRD. 
 
 Con  t  em.  1.     Of  Jacob  and  Esau. 
 
 OF  ail  the  patriarchs  none  made  fo  little  noife  in 
 the  world  as  Ifaac ;  none  lived  either  fo  pri- 
 vately, or  fo  innocently :  neither  know  I  whe- 
 ther he  approved  himfelf  a  better  fon  or  an  hufband ; 
 for  the  one,  he  gave  himfelf  over  to  the  knife  of  his 
 father,  and  mourned  three  years  for  his  mother ;  for 
 the  other,  he  fought  not  to  any  hand-maid's  bed,  but, 
 in  a  chafte  forbearance,  referved  himfelf  for  twenty 
 years  fpace,  and  prayed.  Rebecca  was  fo  long  barren. 
 His  prayers  proved  more  effectual  than  his  feed.  At 
 laft  flie  conceived,  as  if  me  had  been  more  than  the 
 daughter-in-law  to  Sarah,  whofe  fon  wras  given  her,  not 
 out  of  the  power  of  nature,  but  of  her  hufband's  faith. 
 God  is  oft  better  to  us  than  we  would.  Ifaac  prays 
 for  a  fon  ;  God  gives  him  two  at  once.  Now  me  is 
 no  lefs  troubled  with  the  ftrife  of  the  children  in  her 
 womb,  than  before  with  the  want  of  children.  We 
 know  not  when  we  are  pleafed :  that  which  we  defire 
 oft-times  difcontents  us  more  in  the  fruition :  we  are 
 ready  to  complain  both  full  and  failing.  Before  Re- 
 becca conceived,  fiie  wras  at  eafe.  Before  fpiritual 
 regeneration  there  is  all  peace  in  the  foul :  no  fooner 
 is  the  sew  man  formed  in  us,  but  the  flefli  conflicts 
 with  the  fpirit.  There  is  no  grace  where  is  no  un- 
 quietnefs.  Efiu  alone  would  not  have  driven.  Na- 
 ture will  ever  agree  with  itfelf.  Never  any  Rebecca 
 conceived  only  an  Ffau ;  or  was  fo  happy  as  to  con- 
 ceive none  but  a  $accb :  flie  mud:  be  the  mother  of 
 both,  that  flie  may  have  both  joy  and  exercife.  This 
 ftrife  began  early.  Every  true  Ijraelite  begins  his  war. 
 with  his  being.  How  many  actions,  which  we  know 
 not  of,  are  not  without  prefage  and  nullification ! 
 
 Thefe 
 
54  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Thefe  two  were  the  champions  of  two  nations :  the 
 field  was  their  mother's  womb  ;  their  quarrel,  pre- 
 cedency and  fuperiority.  Efau  got  the  right  of  na- 
 ture, Jacob  of  grace :  yet  that  there  might  be  fome 
 pretence  of  equality,  left  Efau  mould  out-run  his  bro- 
 ther into  the  world,  Jacob  holds  him  fail  by  the 
 heel ;  fo  his  hand  was  born  before  the  other's  foot. 
 But,  becaufe  Efau  is  fome  minutes  the  elder,  that  the 
 younger  might  have  better  claim  to  that  which  God 
 had  promifed,  he  buys  that  which  he  could  not  win. 
 If  either  by  ftrife,  or  purchafe,  or  fuit,  we  can  attain 
 fpiritual  blefTmgs,  we  are  happy.  If  Jacob  had  come 
 forth  firfl,  he  had  not  known  how  much  he  was  bound 
 to  God  for  the  favour  of  his  advancement. 
 
 There  was  never  any  meat,  except  the  forbidden 
 fruit,  fo  dear  bought  as  this  broth  of  Jacob  :  in  both, 
 the  receiver  and  the  eater  is  accurfed.  Every  true 
 fon  of  Ifrael  will  be  content  to  purchafe  fpiritual  fa- 
 vours with  earthly :  and  that  man  hath  in  him  too 
 much  of  the  blood  of  Efauy  who  will  not  rather  die 
 than  forego  his  birth-right. 
 
 But  what  hath  carelefs  Efau  loft,  if,  having  fold  his 
 birth-right,  he  may  obtain  the  bleffmg  r  Or  what 
 hath  Jacob  gained,  if  his  brother's  venifon  may  coun- 
 tervail his  pottage  ?  Yet  thus  hath  old  Ifaac  decreed, 
 who  was  now  not  more  blind  in  his  eyes,  than  in  his 
 affections.  God  had  forewarned  him,  that  the  elder 
 mould  ferve  the  younger,  yet  Ifaac  goes  about  to 
 blefs  Efau, 
 
 It- was  as  hard  for  Abraham  to  reconcile  God's  pro- 
 rnife  and  Ifaac' 's  facrifice,  as  for  Ifaac  to  reconcile  the 
 fuperiority  of  Jacob  with  Efau's  benediction ;  for 
 God's  hand  was  in  that,  in  this  none  but  his  own. 
 The  dearell  of  God's  faints  have  been  fometimes 
 tranfported  with  natural  affections.  He  faw  himfelf 
 preferred  to  Ifmael,  though  the  elder.  He  faw  his  fa- 
 ther wilfully  forgetting  nature  at  God's  command,  in 
 
 binding 
 
BOOK   III.      Co  NT  EM.   I.  SS 
 
 binding  him  for  facrifice.  He  faw  Efau  lewdly  match- 
 ed with  Heathens ;  and  yet  he  will  remember  no- 
 thing, but,  Efau  is  my  iirit-born.  But  how  gracious 
 is  God,  that  when  we  would,  will  not  let  us  fin !  And 
 fo  orders  our  actions,  that  we  do  not  what  we  will, 
 but  what  we  ought. 
 
 That  God,  which  had  ordained  the  lordfhip  to  the 
 younger,  will  aifo  contrive  for  him  the  blefTmg ;  what 
 lie  will  have  effected,  fhall  not  want  means.  The 
 mother  fhall  rather  defeat  the  fon,  and  beguile  the 
 father,  than  the  father  fhall  beguile  the  chofen  fon  of 
 his  bleiTmg.  What  was  Jacob  to  Rebec  ca^  more  than 
 Efau  f  or  what  mother  doth  not  more  affect  the  el- 
 der ?  But  now  God  inclines  the  love  of  the  mother 
 to  the  younger,  againft  the  cuftom  of  nature,  becaufe 
 the  father  loves  the  elder,  againft  the  promife.  The 
 affections  of  the  parents  are  divided  ;  that  the  promife 
 might  be  fulfilled,  Rebecca's  craft  fhall  anfwcr  Ifaac9  s 
 partiality :  Ifaac  would  unjuflly  turn  Efau  into  Ja- 
 cob^ Rebecca  doth  as  cunningly  turn  Jacob  into  Efau  : 
 her  defire  was  good  ;  her  means  were  unlawful.  God 
 doth  oft-times  effect  his  juft  will  by  our  weakneffes ; 
 yet  neither  thereby  juflifying  our  infirmities,  nor  ble- 
 ■mifhing  his  own  actions. 
 
 Here  was  nothing  but  counterfeiting ;  a  feigned  per- 
 fon,  a  feigned  name,  feigned  venifon,  a  feigned  anfwer, 
 and  yet  behold  a  true  blefTmg  ;  but  to  the  man,  not 
 to  the  means.  Thofe  were  fo  unfound,  that  Jacob 
 himfelf  doth  more  fear  their  curfe,  than  hope  for 
 their  fuccefs.  Ifaac  was  now  both  fimple  and  old  ; 
 yet,  if  he  had  perceived  the  fraud,  Jacob  had  been 
 more  fure  of  a  curfe,  than  he  could  be  fure  that  he 
 mould  not  be  perceived. 
 
 Thofe  which  are  plain-hearted  in  themfelves,  are 
 the  bitterefl  enemies  to  deceit  in  others.  Rebecca , 
 prefuming  upon  the  oracle  of  God,  and  her  hufband's 
 fimplicity,  dare  be  his  furety  for  the  danger,  his  coun- 
 
 fellor 
 
56  CONTE  MP  LATIONS. 
 
 fellor  for  the  carriage  of  the  hufmefs,  his  cook  for 
 the  diet,  yea  dreiies  both  the  meat  and  the  man  ;  and 
 now  puts  words  into  his  mouth,  the  dim  into  his 
 hand,  the  garments  upon  his  back,  the  goat's  hair 
 upon  the  open  parts  of  his  body,  and  fends  him  in 
 thus  furnilhed  for  the  blefling,  landing,  no  doubt,  at 
 the  door 5  to  fee  how  well  her  leiTon  was  learned,  how 
 well  her  device  fucceeded.  And,  if  old  Ifaac  Ihould 
 by  any  of  his  fenfes  have  difcerned  the  guile,  fhe  had 
 foon  inept  in  and  undertaken  the  blame,  and  urged 
 him  with  that  known  will  of  God  concerning  Jacob's 
 dominion,  and  Efau's  fervitude,  which  either  age  or 
 affection  had  made  him  forget. 
 
 And  now  me  wifhes  fhe  could  borrow  Efau'% 
 tongue  as  well  as  his  garments^  that  fhe  might  fecurely 
 deceive  all  the  fenfes  of  him,  which  had  fuffered  him- 
 felf  to  be  more  dangeroufly  deceived  with  his  arfection. 
 But  this  is  paft  her  remedy  :  her  fon  muff  name  him- 
 felf  Efim  with  the  voice  of  Jacob,  It  is  hard  if  our 
 tongue  do  not  bewray  what  we  are,  in  fpite  of  our 
 habit.  This  was  enough  to  work  Ifaac  to  a  fufpicion, 
 to  an  inquiry,  not  to  an  incredulity.  He  that  is  good 
 of  himfelf,  will  hardly  believe  evil  of  another  ;  and 
 will  rather  diftruft  his  own  fenfes,  than  the  fidelity  of 
 thofe  he  truiled.  All  the  fenfes  are  fet  to  examine  ; 
 none  flicketh  at  the  judgment,  but  the  ear :  to  de- 
 ceive that,  Jacob  mull  fecond  his  diiTimulation  with 
 three  lies  at  one  breath  :  I  am  Efau  ;  As  thou  badfl 
 me  ;  My  venifon.  One  fin  entertained,  fetcheth  in 
 another ;  and  if  it  be  forced  to  lodge  alone,  either  de- 
 parted!, or  dieth.  I  love  Jacob's  blefhng,  but  I  hate 
 his  lie.  I  would  not  do  that  wilfully,  which  Jacob  did 
 weakly,  upon  condition  of  a  blefling.  He  that  par- 
 doned his  infirmity,  would  curfe  my  obflinatenefs. 
 
 Good  Ifaac  fets  his  hands  to  try,  whether  his  ears 
 informed  him  aright ;  he  feels  the  hands  of  him  whole 
 voice  he  fufpecVd :  that  honefl  heart  could  not  think, 
 
 that 
 
BOOK  III.     Contem,  u  57 
 
 that  the  fkin  might  more  eafily  be  counterfeited,  than 
 the  lungs.  A  fmall  fatisfaction  contents  thofe  whom 
 guiltinefs  hath  not  made  fcrupulous.  Ifaac  believes, 
 and  bleffes  the  younger  fon  in  the  garments  of  the 
 elder.  If  our  heavenly  Father  fmell  upon  our  back£ 
 the  favour  of  our  elder  brother's  robes,  we  cannot  de- 
 part from  him  unbleffed. 
 
 No  fooner  is  %acob  gone  away,  full  of  the  joy  of 
 his  blefftng,  than  Efau  comes  in,  full  of  the  hope  of 
 the  blefiing  :  and  now  he  cannot  repent  him  to  have 
 fold  that  in  his  hunger  for  pottage,  which  in  his  plea- 
 fure  he  mail  buy  again  with  venifon.  The  hopes  of 
 the  wicked  fail  them  when  they  are  at  higheft ;  where* 
 as  God's  children  find  thofe  comforts  in  extremity, 
 which  they  durft  not  expect. 
 
 Now  he  comes  in  blowing  and  fwcating  for  his  re- 
 ward, and  finds  nothing  but  a  repulfe.  Lewd  men, 
 when  they  think  they  have  earned  of  God,  and  come 
 proudly  to  challenge  favour,  receive  no  anfwer,  but, 
 Who  art  thou  f  Both  the  father  and  the  fon  wonder 
 at  each  other ;  the  one  with  fear,  the  other  with 
 grief.  Ifaac  trembled,  and  Efau  wept ;  the  one  upon 
 confcience,  the  other  upon  envy.  Ifaac's  heart  now 
 told  him,  that  he  mould  not  have  purpofed  the  bleffing 
 where  he  did ;  and  that  it  was  due  to  him  unto  whom 
 it  was  given,  and  not  purpofed.  Hence  he  durft  not 
 reverfe  that  which  he  had  done  with  God's  will,  bef 
 fides  his  own :  for  now  he  faw  that  he  had  done  un- 
 willing juftice.  God  will  find  both  time  and  means  to 
 reclaim  his  own,  to  prevent  their  fins,  to  manffeft  and 
 reform  their  errors.  Who  would  have  looked  for 
 tears  from  Efau  f  Or  who  dare  truft  tears,  when  he 
 fees  them  fall  from  fo  gracelefs  eyes  ? 
 
 It  was  a  good  word,  Blefs  me  alfo,  my  father.  E- 
 very  mifcreant  can  wifli  himfelf  well ;  no  man  would 
 be  miferable,  if  it  were  enough  to  defire  happinefs. 
 Why  did  he  not  rather  weep  to  his  brother  for  th$ 
 
 Vol.  I.  H  pottage, 
 
58  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 pottage,  than  to  Jfaac  for  a  bfcffing  ?  If  he  had  not 
 then  fold,  he  had  not  needed  now  to  beg.  It  is  juft 
 with  God  to  deny  us  thofe  favours  which  we  were 
 earelefe  in  keeping,  and  which  we  undervalued  in 
 enjoying.  Efau's  tears  find  no  place  for  Ifaa<fs  re- 
 pentance ;  except  it  were  that  he  hath  done  that  by 
 wile,  which  he  fhould  have  done  upon  duty* 
 
 No  motive  can  caufe  a  good  heart  to  repent  that  he 
 hath  done  well.  How  happy  a  thing  it  is  to  know 
 the  feafons  of  grace,  and  not  to  neglect  them  !  How 
 defperate  to  have  known  and  neglected  them !  Thefe 
 tears  were  both  late  and  falfe,  the  tears  of  rage,  of 
 envy,  of  carnal  defire.  Worldly  forrow  caufeth  death. 
 Yet  whiles  Efau  howls  out  thus  for  a  bleffing,  I  hear 
 him  cry  out,  of  his  father's  ilore,  Haft  thou  but  one 
 hlejfihg,  my  father  f  Of  his  brother's  fubtilty,  Vias 
 he  not  rightly  called  Jacob  ?  I  do  not  hear  him  blame 
 his  own  deferts.  He  did  not  fee,  while  his  father  was 
 deceived,  and  his  brother  crafty,  that  God  was  jufl, 
 and  himfelf  incapable.  He  knew  himfelf  profane, 
 and  yet  claims  a  blefhng. 
 
 Thofe  that  care  not  to  pleafe  God,  yet  care  for 
 the  outward  favours  of  God,  and  are  ready  to  mur- 
 mur if  they  want  them ;  as  if  God  were  bound  to  them  j 
 and  they  free.  And  yet  fo  merciful  is  God,  that  he 
 hath  fecond  bieffings  for  thofe  that  love  him  not,  and 
 gives  them  all  they  care  for.  That  one  bleffing  of 
 fpecial  love  is  for  none  but  Ifael;  but  thofe  of  com- 
 mon kindnefs  are  for  them  that  can  fell  their  birth- 
 right :  this  bl effing  was  more  than  Efau  could  be  wor- 
 thy of ;  yet,  like  a  fecond  Cain,  he  refolves  to  kill 
 his  brother,  becaufe  he  was  more  accepted.  I  know* 
 that  whether  he  were  a  worfe  fon  or  brother,  hs 
 hopes  for  his  father's  death,  and  purpofes  his  brother's* 
 and  vows  to  (hed  blood  inftead  of  tears.  But  wicked 
 men  cannot  be  (o  ill  as  they  would  ;  -that  itrong 
 Vviclller  agaiml  whom  %acob  prevailed,  prevailed  with 
 
 Efau, 
 
BOOK    III.      Con  t  em.  n.  59 
 
 Efau,  and  turned  his  wounds  into  khTes.  An  hod 
 of  men  came  with  Efau ;  an  army  of  angels  met  Jac.ob. 
 Efau  threatened,  Jacob  prayed :  his  prayers  and  pre- 
 fents  have  melted  the  heart  of  Efau  into  love.  And 
 now,  inftead  of  the  grim  and  ftern  countenance  of  an 
 executioner,  Jacob  fees  the  face  of  Efau,  as  the  face 
 of  God.  Both  men  and  devils  are  (tinted ;  the  ftouteft 
 heart  cannot  ftand  out  againft  God.  He  that  can 
 wreftle  earneftly  with  God,  is  fecure  from  the  harms 
 of  men.  Thole  minds  which  are  exafperated  with 
 violence,  and  cannot  be  broken  with  fear,  yet  are 
 bowed  with  love :  when  the  ways  of  a  man  pleaie  God, 
 he  will' make  his  enemies  at  peace  with  him, 
 
 C  o  n  t  e  m.    ii,     0/ Jacob  and  Laban. 
 
 TSaac's  life  was  not  more  retired  and  quiet,  than 
 -*-  Jacob's  was  bufy  and  troublefome.  In  the  one 
 I  fee  the  image  of  contemplation,  of  action  in  the 
 other.  None  of  the  patriarchs  faw  fo  evil  days  as  he  ; 
 from  whom  juftly  hath  the  church  of  God  therefore 
 taken  her  name.  Neither  were  the  faithful  ever  ilnce 
 called  Abrahamites,  but  Jfraelltes.  That  no  time 
 might  be  loft,  he  began  his  (Irife  in  the  womb ;  after 
 that,  he  flies  for  his  life  from  a  cruel  brother  to  a 
 cruel  uncle.  With  a  ftaff  goes  he  over  Jordan  alone, 
 doubtful  and  comfortlefs,  not  like  the  fon  of  Ifaac* 
 In  the  way  the  earth  is  his  bed,  and  the  (lone  his 
 pillow  j  yet  even  there  he  fees  a  vifion  of  angels. 
 
 Jacob's  heart  was  never  fo  full  of  joy,  as  when  his 
 head  lay  hardelt.  God  is  moil  prefent  with  us  in  our 
 great eft  dejection,  and  loves  to  give  comfort  to  thofe 
 that  are  forfaken  of  their  hopes. 
 
 He  came  far  to  find  out  an  hard  friend  ;  and  of  a 
 nephew  becomes  a  fervant.  No  doubt  when  Laban 
 heard  ofv  his  filler's  fon,  he  looked  for  the  camels, 
 and  attendance  that  came  to  fetch  his  lifter  Rebecca  ; 
 not  thinking  that  Abraham's  fervant  could  come  better 
 
 H  z  furnifhed 
 
60  CONTEMPLATIONS, 
 
 furnifhed  than  Ifaac's  Ton :  but  now  when  he  faw  no- 
 thing but  a  itaff,  he  looks  upon  him,  not  as  an  uncle 
 but  a  mailer.  And,  while  he  pretends  to  offer  him  a 
 wife  as  the  reward  of  his  fervice,  he  craftily  requires; 
 his  fervice  as  the  dowry  of  his  wife. 
 
 After  the  fervice  of  an  hard  apprenticefhip  hath 
 earned  her  whom  he  loved,  his  wife  is  changed,  and 
 he  is  in  a  fort  forced  to  an  unwilling  adultery.     His 
 mother  had  before,  in  a  cunning  difguife,  fubflituted 
 him,  who  was  the  younger  fon,  for  the  elder  ;  and 
 now,  not  long  after,  his  father-in-law,  by  a  like  fraud* 
 fubftitutes  to  him  the  elder  daughter  for  the  younger. 
 God  comes  oftentimes  home  to  us  in  our  own  kind  ; 
 and  even  by  the  fin  of  others  pays  us  our  own,  when 
 we  look  not  for  it.     It  is  doubtful  whether  it  were 
 a  greater  crofs  to  marry  whom  he  would  not,  or  to  be 
 difappointed  of  her  whom  he  deiired.     And  now  he 
 mu(l  begin  a  new  hope,  where  he  made   account  of 
 fruition.     To  raife  up  an  expectation  once  fruftrate, 
 is  more  difficult,  than  to  continue  a  long  hope  drawn 
 on  with  likelihoods  of  performance :  yet,  thus  dear,  is 
 yaccb  content  to  pay  for  Rachel  fourteen  years  fervi- 
 tude.     Commonly  God's  children  come  not  eafily  by 
 their  pleafures.     What  miferies  will  not  love  digeft 
 and  overcome  ?    And  if   %acob  were  willingly  con- 
 fumed  with  heat  in  the  day,  and  froft  in   the  night, 
 to  become  the  fon-in-law  to  Laban,  what  mould  we 
 refufe  to  be  the  fpns  of  God  ? 
 
 Rachel^  whom  he  loved,  is  barren :  Leah,  which 
 was  defpifed,  is  fruitful.  How  wifely  God  weighs 
 out  to  us  our  favours  and  croifes  in  an  equal  balance ; 
 fo  tempering  our  forrows  that  they  may  not  opprefs, 
 and  our  joys  that  they  may  not  tranfport  us !  Each 
 one  hath  fome  matter  of  envy  to  others,  and  of  grief 
 -to  himfeif. 
 
 Leah  envies  Rachel's  beauty  and  love :   Rachel  en- 
 vies Leah's  fruitfulnefs :  yet  Leah  would  not  be  bar- 
 ren, 
 
BOOK    III.       Co  NT  EM.  II.  6t 
 
 ren,  nor  Rachel  blear-eyed."  I  fee  in  Rachel  the 
 image  of  her  grandmother  Sarah,  both  in  her  beauty 
 of  perfon,  in  her  actions,  in  her  fuccefs.  She  alfo 
 will  needs  fuborn  her  handmaid  to  make  her  a  mother, 
 and  at  laft,  beyond  hope,  herfelf  conceiveth.  It  is 
 a  weak  greedinefs  in  us  to  afFect  God's  bleflings  by 
 unlawful  means.  What  a  proof  and  praife  had  it  been 
 of  her  faith,  if  me  had  ftaid  God's  leifure,  and  would 
 rather  have  endured  her  barrennefs,  than  her  huf- 
 band's  polygamy  ?  Now  me  mews  herfelf  the  daugh- 
 ter of  Laban :  the  father  for  covetoufnefs,  the  daugh- 
 ters for  emulation,  have  drawn  fin  into  Jacob's  bed :  he 
 offended  in  yielding,  but  they  more  in  foliciting  him, 
 and  therefore  the  fact  is  not  imputed  to  facob,  but  to 
 them.  In  thofe  fins  which  Satan  draws  us  into,  the 
 blame  is  ours :  in  thofe  which  we  move  each  other 
 unto,  the  mod  fault  and  punifhment  lies  upon  the 
 tempter.  None  of  the  patriarchs  divided  his  feed  in- 
 to fo  many  wombs  as  $acob  ;  none  was  fo  much  crof- 
 fed  in  his  feed. 
 
 Thus,  rich  in  nothing  but  wives  and  children,  was 
 he  now  returning  to  his  father's  houfe,  accounting  his 
 charge  his  wealth.  But  God  meant  him  yet  more 
 good.  Laban  fees  that  both  his  family  and  his  flocks 
 were  well  increafed  by  Jacob's  fervice.  Not  his  love 
 therefore,  but  his  gain  makes  him  loath  to  part.  Even 
 Laban's  covetoufnefs  is  made  by  God  the  means  to 
 enrich  Jacob, 
 
 Behold,  his  flrait  matter  entreats  him  to  that  re- 
 compenee,  which  made  his  nephew  mighty,  and  him- 
 felf  envious.  God,  confidering  his  hard  fervice,  paid 
 •  him  wages  out  of  Laban's  folds.  Thofe  flocks  and 
 herds  had  but  few  fpotted  flieep  and  goats,  until  Ja- 
 cob's covenant ;  then  (as  if  the  fafliion  had  been  al- 
 tered) they  all  ran  into  parted  colours ;  the  moll  and 
 beft  (as  if  they  had  been  weary  of  their  former  owner) 
 
 chang 
 
 ea 
 
62  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 changed  the  colours  of  their  young,  that  they  might 
 change  their  mailer. 
 
 In  the  very  lhapes  and  colours  of  brute  creatures 
 there  is  a  divine  hand,  which  difpofeth  them  to  his 
 own  ends.  Small  and  unlikely  means  mall  prevail 
 where  God  intends  an  effect.  Little  peeled  Micks  of 
 hazel  or  poplar  laid  in  the  troughs,  mall  enrich  Jacob 
 with  an  increafe  of  his  fpotted  flocks ;  Laban's  fons 
 might  have  tried  the  fame  means,*  and  failed.  God 
 would  have  Laban  know,  that  he  put  a  difference  be- 
 twixt Jacob  and  him  ;  that  as  for  fourteen  years  he 
 had  multiplied  Jacob's  charge  of  cattle  to  Laban^  fo 
 now,  for  the  lait  fix  years,  he  would  multiply  Laban** 
 flock  to  Jacob ;  and  if  Laban  had  the  more,  yet  the 
 better  were  Jacob's.  Even  in  thefe  outward  things, 
 God's  children  have  many  times  fenfible  tafles  of  his 
 favours  above  the  wicked. 
 
 I  know  not  whether  Laban  were  a  worfe  uncle,  or 
 father,  or  mafter  :  he  can  like  well  Jacob's  fervice, 
 not  his  wealth.  As  the  wicked  have  no  peace  with 
 God,  fo  the  godly  have  no  peace  with  men  ;  for  if 
 they  profper  not,  they  are  defpifed  ;  if  they  profper, 
 they  are  envied.  This  uncle,  whom  his  fervice  had 
 made  his  father,  muff  now,  upon  his  wealth,  be  fled 
 from  as  an  enemy,  and  like  an  enemy  purfues  him  : 
 if  Laban  had  meant  to  have  taken  a  peaceable  leave, 
 he  had  never  fpent  feven  days  journey  in  following 
 his  innocent  fon,  Jacob  knew  his  churliihnefs,  and 
 therefore  refolved  rather  to  be -unmannerly  than  in- 
 jured. Well  might  he  think,  that  he,  whofe  oppref- 
 iion  changed  his  wages  fo  often  in  his  flay,  would  alfo 
 abridge  his  wages  in  the  parting  :  now  therefore  he 
 wifely  prefers  his  own  eflate  to  Laban  s  love.  It  is 
 not  good  to  regard  too  much  the  unjuft  difcontent- 
 rnent  of  worldly  men,  and  to  purchaie  unprofitable 
 favour  with  too  great  lofs. 
 
 Behold 
 
BOOK  III.      Contem.  ii.  s         63 
 
 Behold,  Laban  follows  Jacob  with  one  troop,  Efau 
 meets  him  with  another,  both  with  hoftile  intentions: 
 both  go  on  to  the  utmoft  point  of  their  execution :  both 
 are  prevented  ere  the  execution.  God  makes  fools 
 of  the  enemies  of  his  church  ;  he  lets  them  proceed, 
 that  they  may  be  fruftrate ;  and,  when  they  are  gone 
 to  the  utmoft  reach  of  their  tether,  he  pulls  them  back 
 to  their  talk  with  fhame.  Lo  now,  Laban  leaves  Ja- 
 cob with  a  kifs ;  Efau  meets  him  with  a  kifs  :  of  the 
 one  he  hath  an  oath,  tears  of  the  other,  peace  with  both. 
 Who  mail  need  to  fear  man,  that  is  in  league  with  Godl 
 
 But  what  a  wonder  is  this !  Jacob  received  not  fo 
 much  hurt  from  all  his  enemies*  as  from  his  bed:  friend. 
 Not  one  cf  his  hairs  perifhed  by  Laban  or  Efau,  yet 
 he  loft  a  joint  by  the  angel,  and  was  fent  halting  to 
 his  grave.  He  that  knows  our  ftrength,  yet  will 
 wreftle  with  us  for  our  exercife,  and  loves  our  vio- 
 lence and  importunity. 
 
 O  happy  lofs  of  Jacob  !  he  loft  a  joint,  and  won  a 
 b! effing.  It  is  a  favour  to  halt  from  God,  yet  this 
 favour  is  feconded  with  a  greater.  He  is  bleffed,  be- 
 caufe  he  would  rather  halt,  than  leave,  ere  he  was 
 bleffed,  If  he  had  \tk  fooner,  he  had  not  halted,  but 
 he  had  not  profpered.  That  man  fliail  go  away  found, 
 but  miferable,  that  loves  a  limb  more  than  a  bleiling. 
 Surely,  if  Jacob  had  not  wreftled  with  God,  he  had 
 been  foiled  with  evils.  How  many  are  the  troubles 
 of  the  righteous  1 
 
 Not  long  after,  Rachel,  the  comfort  of  his  life,  dieth. 
 And  when  ?  but  in  her  travel,  and  in  his  travel  to  his 
 father.  When  he  had  now  before  digePted  in  his 
 thoughts  the  joy  and  gratulation  of  his  a^ed  father, 
 for  fo  welcome  a  burden,  his  children  (the  ftafF  of 
 his  age)  wound  his  foul  to  the  death.  Reuben  proves 
 inceftuous,  Judab  adulterous,  Dinah  ravifhed,  Sime- 
 on and  Levi  murderous,  Er  and  Onan  ftricken  dead, 
 Jofeph  loft,  Simeon  imprifoned,  Benjamin,  the  death 
 
 of 
 
64         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 of  his  mother,  the  father's  right-hand,  endangered  ^ 
 himfelf  driven  by  famine,  in  his  old  age,  to  die  amongft 
 the  Egyptians,  a  people  that  held  it  abomination  to 
 eat  with  him.  If  that  angel  with  whom  he  drove, 
 and  who  therefore  (trove  for  him,  had  not  delivered 
 his  foul  out  of  all  adverfity,  he  had  been  fuppl anted 
 with  evils,  and  had  been  fo  far  from  gaining  the  name 
 of  Ifrael,  that  he  had  loft  the  name  of  Jacob.  Now, 
 what  fon  of  Ifrael  can  hope  for  good  days,  when  he 
 hears  his  father's  were  fo  evil?  It  is  enough  for  us,  if, 
 when  we  are  dead,  we  can  reft  with  him  in  the  land 
 of  promife.  If  the  angel  of  the  covenant  once  blefs 
 us,  no  pain,  no  forrows  can  make  us  miferable. 
 
 Co  nt  em.  in.     Of  Dinah. 
 
 IFind  but  one  only  daughter  of  Jacob,  who  mult 
 needs  therefore  be  a  great  darling  to  her  father  5 
 and  flie  fo  mifcarries,  that  (he  canfes  her  father's  grief 
 to  be  more  than  his  love.  As  her  mother  Leah,  fo 
 flie  hath  a  fault  in  her  eyes,  which  was  curiofity.  She 
 will  needs  fee,  and  be  feen ;  and  whiles  flie  doth  vain- 
 ly fee,  flie  is  feen  luftfully.  It  is  not  enough  for  us 
 to  look  to  our  own  thoughts,  except  we  beware  of  the 
 provocations  of  others.  If  we  once  wander  out  of 
 the  lifts  that  God  hath  fet  us  in  cur  callings,  there  is,, 
 nothing  but  danger.  Her  virginity  had  been  fafe,  if 
 ihe  had  kept  home  ;  or  if  Shechem  had  forced  her  in 
 her  mother's  tent,  this  lofs  of  her  virginity  had  been 
 without  her  fin  ;  now  flie  is  not  innocent  that  gave 
 the  occafion. 
 
 Her  eyes  were  guilty  of  the  temptation  ;  only  to 
 fee,  is  an  inefficient  warrant  to  draw  us  into  places 
 of  fpiritual  hazard.  If  Shechem  had  feen  her  bufy 
 at  home,  his  love  had  been  free  from  outrage  ;  now 
 the  lightnefs  of  her  prefence  gave  encouragement  to 
 his  inordinate  defires.  Immodefty  of  behaviour  makes 
 way  to  luft,  and  gives  life  unto  wicked,  hopes :  yet 
 
 Shechem 
 
BOOK  III;     Contem  in.  63 
 
 Shechem  bewrays  a  good  nature,  even  in  filthinefs. 
 He  loves  Dinah  after  his  fin,  and  will  needs  marry  her 
 whom  he  had  defiled.  Commonly  luft  ends  in  loath- 
 ing. Amnon  abhors  Thamar  as  much  after  his  act, 
 as  before  he  loved  her  ;  and  beats  her  out  of  doors, 
 whom  he  was  fick  to  bring  in.  But  Shechem  would 
 not  let  Dinah  fare  the  worfe  for  his  fin.  And  now 
 he  goes  about  to  entertain  her  with  honed  love,  whom 
 the  rage  of  his  luft  had  difhoneftly  abufed.  Her  de- 
 flowering (hall  be  no  prejudice  to  her,  fmce  her  fhame 
 fhall  redound  to  none  but  him  5  and  he  will  hide  her 
 difhonour  with  the  name  of  an  hufband.  What  could 
 he  now  do  but  fue  to  his  father,  to  hers,  to  herfelf, 
 to  her  brethren  ;  entreating  that,  with  humble  fub- 
 miflion,  which  he  might  have  obtained  by  violence  ? 
 Thofe  actions  which  are  ill  begun,  can  hardly  be 
 falved  up  with  late  fatisfactions ;  whereas  good  en- 
 trances give  ftrength  unto  the  proceedings,  and  fuc- 
 cefs  to  the  end. 
 
 The  young  man's  father  doth  not  only  confent, 
 but  folicit ;  and  is  ready  to  purchafe  a  daughter  ei- 
 ther with  fubftance  or  pain.  The  two  old  men  would 
 have  ended  the  matter  peaceably  ;  but  youth  com- 
 %monly  undertakes  rafhly,  and  performs  with  pafhon. 
 The  fons  of  'Jacob  think  of  nothing  but  revenge,  and 
 (which  is  worft  of  all)  begin  their  cruelty  with  craft, 
 and  hide  their  craft  with  religion.  A  fmiling  malice 
 is  mod  deadly  \  and  hatred  doth  moft  rankle  the  heart, 
 when  it  is  kept  in  and  diffembled.  We  cannot  give 
 our  fifler  to  an  uncircumcifed  man.  Here  was  God  in 
 the  mouth,  and  Satan  in  the  heart.  The  bloodied  of 
 all  projects  have  ever  wont  to  be  coloured  with  reli- 
 gion ;  becaufe  the  worfe  any  thing  is,  the  better  fhew 
 it  defires  to  make  5  and,  contrarily,  the  better  colour 
 is  put  upon  any  vice,  the  more  odious  it  is )  for  as  e- 
 very  Emulation  adds  to  an  evil,  fo  the  bell  adds  mod: 
 evil.     Themfelves  had  taken  the  daughters  and  fillers 
 
 Vox..  LI'  of 
 
66         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 of  uncircumcifed  men ;  yea,  Jacob  himfelf  did  (o,  why 
 might  not  an  uncircumcifed  man  obtain  their  filler  ? 
 Or,  if  their  be  a  difference  of  giving  and  taking,  it 
 had  been  well,  if  it  had  not  been  only  pretended.  It 
 had  been  an  happy  ravifhment  of  Dinah,  that  mould 
 have  drawn  a  whole  country  into  the  bofom  of  the 
 church.  But  here  was  a  facrament  intended,  not  to 
 the  good  of  the  foul,  but  to  the  murder  of  the  body. 
 It  was  a  hard  talk  for  Hamor  and  Shechem,  not  only 
 to  put  the  knife  to  their  own  forefkins,  but  to  per- 
 fuade  a  multitude  to  fo  painful  a  condition. 
 
 The  fons  of  Jacob  diffemble  with  them,  they  with 
 the  people i  Shall  not  their  flocks  and  fub  fiance  be 
 ours?  Common  profit  is  pretended  ;  whereas,  only 
 S  bee  hem's  pleafure  is  meant.  No  motive  is  fo  power- 
 ful to  the  vulgar  fort,  as  the  name  of  commodity :  the 
 hope  of  this  makes  them  prodigal  of  their  fkin  and 
 blood  ;  not  the  love  to  the  facrament,  not  the  love 
 to  Shechem :  finifter  refpe&s  draw  more  to  the  pro- 
 feffion  of  religion  than  conference.  If  it  were  not 
 for  the  loaves  and  fifties,  the  train  of  Chrifl  would  be 
 lefs.  But  the  facraments  of  God,  mifreceived,  never 
 profper  in  the  end*  Thefe  men  are  content  to  fmart, 
 fo  they  may  gain. 
 
 And  now,  that  every  man  lies  fore  of  his  own  wound/ 
 Simeon  and  Levi  rufh  in  armed,  and  wound  all  the 
 males  to  death  :  Curfed  be  their  wrath  for  it  was 
 fierce ;  and  their  rage,  for  it  was  cruel.  Indeed, 
 filthinefs  mould  not  have  been  wrought  in  Ifrael ;  yet 
 murder  mould  not  have  been  wrought  by  Ifrael ;  if 
 they  had  been  fit  judges,  (which  were  but  bloody  ex- 
 ecutioners) how  far  doth  the  punifhment  exceed  the 
 fault  ?  To  punifli  above  the  offence,  is  no  lefs  inju- 
 stice, than  to  offend.  One  offendeth,  and  all  feel  the 
 revenge  :  yea  all  (though  innocent)  fuffer  that  re- 
 venge, which  he  that  offended  deferved  not.  She- 
 chem fmneth,  but  Dinah  tempted  him.     She  that  was 
 
 Id 
 
BOOK  III.     Contem.  in.  67 
 
 fo  light,  as  to  wander  abroad  alone,  only  to  gaze,  I 
 fear  was  not  over-difficult  to  yield  ;  and  if,  having 
 wrought  her  fhame,  he  had  driven  her  home  with  dis- 
 grace to  her  father's  tent,  fuch  tyrannous  luft  had 
 juftly  called  for  blood  :  but  now  he  craves,  and  offers, 
 and  would  pay  dear  for  but  leave  to  give  fatisfa&ion. 
 To  execute  rigour  upon  a  fubmifs  offender,  is  more 
 mercilefs  than  juit.  Or  if  the  punifhment  had  been 
 both  juft  and  proportionable  from  another,  yet  from 
 them  which  had  vowed  peace  and  affinity,  it  was 
 fliamefully  unjuft.  To  difappoint  the  trull  of  another, 
 and  to  neglect  our  own  promife  and  fidelity  for  pri- 
 vate purpofes,  adds  faithlefnefs  unto  our  cruelty,. 
 That  they  were  impotent,  it  was  through  their  ch- 
 cumcifion  :  what  impiety  was  this,  inftead  of  honour- 
 ing an  holy  fign,  ;o  take  an  advantage  by  it !  What 
 fhrieking  was  there  now  in  the  ftreets  of  the  city  of 
 the  Hivites  !  And  how  did  the  beguiled  Shecbemites^ 
 when  they  faw  the  fwords  of  the  two  brethren,  die 
 curfing  the  facrament  in  their  hearts,  which  had  be- 
 trayed them  !  Even  their  curfes  were  the  fins  of  Sir 
 meon  and  Levi,  whofe  facl,  though  it  were  abhorred 
 by  their  father,  yet  it  was  feconded  by  their  brethren. 
 Their  fpoil  makes  good  the  others  flaughter.  Who 
 would  have  looked  to  have  found  this  outrage  in  the 
 family  of  ^acob  !  How  did  that  good  patriarch,  when 
 he  faw  Dinah  come  home  blubbered  and  wringing  her 
 hands,  Simeon  and  Levi  fprinkled  with  blood,  v.%fh 
 that  Leah  had  been  barren  as  long  as  Rachel!  Good 
 parents  have  grief  enough  (though  they  fuftain  no 
 blame)  for  their  childrens  fins.  What  great  evils  a? 
 rife  from  fmall  beginnings  !  The  idle  curiofity  of  D/- 
 nah  hath  bred  all  this  mifchief ;  ravifhment  follows 
 upon  her  wandering  ;  upon  her  ravifhment,  murder  ; 
 upon  the  murder,  fpoil.  It  is  holy  andfafe  to  be  jea- 
 lous of  the  firit  occafions  of  evil,  either  done  or  fuf- 
 fered. 
 
 \     2  CON- 
 
68  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Contem,   iv.     Of  Judah  and  Thamar. 
 
 f  Find  not  many  of  Jacob's  fons  more  faulty  than 
 -*■  Judah  ;  who  yet  is  fmgled  out  from  all  the  reft, 
 to  be  the  royal  progenitor  of  Chrift,  and  to  be  honour- 
 ed with  the  dignity  of  the  birth-right,  that  God's  e- 
 le&ion  might  not  be  of  merit,  but  of  grace :  elfe,  how- 
 foever  he  might  have  fped  alone,  Thamar  had  never 
 been  joined  with  him  in  this  line.  Even  Judah  mar- 
 ries a  Canaan'ite ;  it  is  no  marvel  though  his  feed  pro- 
 fper  not.  And  yet,  that  good  children  may  not  be  too 
 much  difcouraged  with  their  unlawful  propagation, 
 the  fathers  of  the  promifed  feed  areTaifed  from  an  in- 
 ceicuous  bed.  Judah  was  very  young,  fcarce  from 
 under  the  rod  of  his  father,  yet  he  takes  no  other 
 cpunfel  for  his  marriage,  but  from  his  own  eyes, 
 which  were,  like  his  lifter  Dinah's,  roving  and  wan- 
 ton. What  better  ilfue  could  be  expected  from  fuch 
 beginnings?  Thofe  proud  Jews,  that  glory  fo  much  of 
 their  pedigree  and  name  from  this  patriarch,  may  now 
 chufe  whether  they  will  have  their  mother  a  Canaan- 
 'ite, or  an  harlot :  even  in  thefe  things  oft-times  the 
 birth  follows  the  belly.  His  eldefl  fon  Er  is  too  wic- 
 ked to  live  ;  God  ftrikes  him  dead  ere  he  can  leave 
 ■ddw  iiiue,  not  abiding  any  fcions  to  grow  out  of  fo  bad 
 a  itock.  Notorious  (rimers  God  referves  to  his  own 
 vengeace.  He  doth  not  inflict  fenfible  judgments 
 upon  all  his  enemies,  left  the  wicked  mould  think 
 there  were  no  puniihment  abiding  for  them  elfewhere. 
 He  doth  inflict  fuch  judgments  upon  fome,  left  he 
 fhould  feem  carelefs  of  evil.  It  were  as  eafy  for  him 
 to  ftrike  all  dead,  as  one:  but  he  had  rather  all  mould 
 be  warned  by  one ;  and  would  have  his  enemies  find 
 him  merciful,  as  well  as  his  children  juft.  His  brother 
 Onan  fees  the  judgment,  and  yet  follows  his  fms. 
 Every  little  thing  difcourages  us  from  good :  nothing 
 
 can 
 
BOOK  III.     Conte  M.  iv.  69 
 
 can  alter  the  heart  that  is  fet  upon  evil.  Er  was  not 
 worthy  of  any  love ;  but,  though  he  were  a  mifcreant, 
 yet  he  was  a  brother.  Seed  fhould  have  been  raifed 
 to  him :  Onan  juftly  lofes  his  life  with  his  feed,  which 
 he  would  rather  fpiil,  than  lend  to  a  wicked  brother. 
 Some  duties  we  owe  to  humanity,  more  to  nearnefs 
 of  blood.  Ill  defervings  of  others  can  be  no  excufe 
 for  our  injuflice,  for  our  uncharitablenefs.  That 
 which  Thamar  required,  Mofes  afterward,  as  from 
 God,  commanded,  the  fucceihon  of  brothers  into  the 
 barren  bed.  Some  laws  God  fpake  to  his  church, 
 long  ere  he  wrote  them :  while  the  author  is  certain- 
 ly known,  the  voice  and  the  finger  of  God  are  worthy 
 of  equal  refpect.  %udah  hath  loft  two  fons,  and  now 
 doth  but  promife  the  third,  whom  he  fins  in  not  gi- 
 ving. It  is  the  w7eaknefs  of  nature,  rather  to  hazard 
 a  fin  than  a  danger,  and  to  neglect  our  own  duty,  for 
 wrongful  fufpicion  of  others :  though  he  had  lofl  his 
 fon  in  giving  him,  yet  he  fhould  have  given  him.  A 
 faithful  man's  promife  is  his  debt,  which  no  fear  of 
 damage  can  difpenie  with.  > 
 
 But  whereupon  was  this  flacknefs  ?  %udab  feared 
 that  fome  unhappinefs  in  the  bed  of  Thamar  was  the 
 caufe  of  his  fon's  mifcarriage  ;  whereas  it  was  their 
 fault,  that  Thamar  was  both  a  widow  and  childlefs. 
 Thofe  that  are  but  the  patients  of  evil,  are  many  times 
 burdened  with  fufpicions  \  and  therefore  are  ill  thought 
 of,  becaufe  they  fare  ill.  Afflictions  would  not  be  fo 
 heavy,  if  they  did  not  lay  us  open  unto  uncharitable 
 conceits. 
 
 What  difference  God  puts  betwixt  fins  of  wilfulnefs 
 and  infirmity  !  The  fon's  pollution  is  punifhed  with 
 prefent  death,  the  father's  inceit  is  pardoned,  and  in 
 a  fort  profpereth. 
 
 Now  Thamar^  feeks  by  fubtilty,  that  which  flie 
 could  not  have  by  award  of  juftice.     The  neglect  of 
 due  retributions  drives  men  to  indirect  courfes ;  nei- 
 ther 
 
70  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ther  know  I  whether  they  fin  more  in  righting  them- 
 felves  wrongfully,  or  the  other  in  not  righting  them. 
 She  therefore  takes  upon  her  the  habit  of  an  harlot, 
 that  me  might  perform  the  aft :  if  me  had  not  wifhed 
 to  feem  an  whore,  fhe  had  not  worn  that  attire,  nor 
 chofen  that  place.  Immodefty  of  outward  fafhion  or 
 geiture  bewrays  evil  deiires.  The  heart  that  mer.ns 
 well,  'will  never  wifh  to  feem  ill ;  for  commonly  we 
 aifeft  to  mew  better  than  we  are.  Many  harlots  will 
 put  on  the  femblances  of  chaftity,  of  modefty  ;  never 
 the  contrary.  It  is  no  trufting  thofe,  which  do  not 
 wifh  to  appear  good.  Judah  efleems  her  by  her  ha^ 
 bit ;  and  now  the  fight  of  an  harlot  hath  Itirred  up 
 in  him  a  thought  of  lull.  Satan  finds  well,  that  a  fit 
 object  is  half  a  viftory. 
 
 Who  would  not  be  afhamed  to  fee  a  fon  of  Jacob 
 thus  tranfported  with  filthy  aifeftions !  At  the  firft 
 fight  he  is  infiamed ;  neither  yet  did  he  fee  the  face 
 of  her  whom  he  lufced  after :  it  was  motive  enough 
 to  him  that  fhe  was  a  woman  ;  neither  could  the  pre- 
 fence  of  his  neighbour,  the  AduUamite,  compofe  thofe 
 wicked  thoughts,  or  hinder  his  unchafle  acts. 
 
 That  fin  mult  needs  be  impudent  which  can  abide' 
 a  witnefs :  yea,  fo  hath  his  lull:  befotted  him,  that  he 
 cannot  difcern  the  voice  of  Thamar,  that  he  cannot 
 forefee  the  danger  of  his  fhame  in  parting  with  fuch 
 pledges.  There  is  no  paffpn,  which  doth  not  for  the 
 time  bereave  a  man  of  himfelf.  Thamar  had  learned 
 not  to  truft  him  without  a  pawn  :  he  had  promifed  his 
 fon  to  her  as  a  daughter,  and  failed  ;  now  he  promifed 
 a  kid  to  her,  as  an  harlot,  and  performeth  it.  Whe- 
 ther his  pledge  conftrained  him,  or  the  power  of  his 
 word,  I  inquire  not.  Many  are  faithful  in  all  things, 
 fave  thofe  which  are  the  greateft,  and  deareit.  If 
 his  credit  had  been  as  much  endangered  in  the  former 
 promife,  he  had  kept  it.  Now  \ic\t\\Thamar  requited 
 him.     She  expefted  long  the  enjoying  of  his  promifed 
 
 fan, 
 
BOOK  III.     Contem.  IV.  71 
 
 fon,  and  he  performed  not.  But  here  he  performs 
 the  promife  of  the  kid,  and  (lie  flays  not  to  expect  it. 
 Judah  is  forry  that  he  cannot  pay  the  hire  of  his  lull, 
 and  now  feareth,  left  he  ftiall  be  beaten  with  his  own 
 itaff,  left  his  fignet  mall  be  ufed  to  confirm  and  feal 
 his  reproach ;  refolving  not  to  know  them,  and  wifh- 
 ing  they  were  unknown  of  others.  Shame  is  the 
 eafieft  wages  of  fin,  and  the  furefl,  which  ever  be- 
 gins firft  in  ourfelves.  Nature  is  not  more  forward 
 to  commit  fin,  than  willing  to  hide  it. 
 
 I  hear  as  yet  of  no  rerriorfe  in  Judah,  but  fear  of 
 fhame.  Three  months  hath  his  fin  flept ;  and  now, 
 when  he  is  fecurefl,  it  awakes  and  baits  him.  News 
 is  brought  him  that  Thamar  begins  to  fwell  With  her 
 conception,  arid  now  he  fwells  with  rage,  and  calls 
 her  forth  to  the  flame  like  a  rigorous  judge,  without 
 fo  much  v  as  flaying  for  the  time  of  her  deliverance,* 
 that  hjs  cruelty,  in  this  juilice,  mould  be  no  lefs  ill, 
 than  the  injuflice  of  occafiOning  it.  If  Judah  had 
 not  forgotten  his  fin,  his  pity  had  been  more  than  his 
 hatred  to  this  of  his  daughter's.  How  eafy  is  it  to  de- 
 tefl  thofe  fins  in  others,  which  we  flatter  in  ourfelves ! 
 Thamar  doth  not  deny  the  fin,  nor  refufe  punifh- 
 ment ;  but  calls  for  that  partner  in  her  punifhment, 
 which  was  her  partner  in  the  fin.  The  flaff,  the  fignet, 
 the  handkerchief,  accufc  and  convince  Judah  ;  and 
 how  he  bluflies  at  his  own  fentence,  much  more  at 
 his  acl:,  and  cries  out,  She  is  more  righteous  than  I ! 
 God  will  find  a  time  to  bring  his  children  upon  their 
 knees,  and  to  wring  from  them  penitent  confeflions. 
 And,  rather  than  he  will  not  have  them  foundly  a- 
 fhamed,  he  will  make  them  the  trumpets  of  their 
 own  reproach. 
 
 Yet  doth  he  not  offer  himfelf  to  the  flame  with  her, 
 but  rather  excufes  her  by  himfelf.  This  relenting  in 
 his  own  cafe,  fliairied  his  former  zeal.  Even  in  the 
 befl  men,  nature  Is  partial  to  itfelf.     It  is  good,  fa  to 
 
 fentence 
 
72  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fentence  others  frailties,  that  yet  we  remember  our 
 own,  whether  thcfe  that  have  been,  or  may  be. 
 With  what  fhame,  yea  with  what  horror,  mud  Judah 
 needs  look  upon  the  great  belly  of  Tbamar,  and  on 
 her  two  fons,  the  monuments  of  his  filthinefs ! 
 
 How  mull  it  needs  wound  his  foul,  to  hear  them 
 call  him  both  father  and  grandfather  ;  to  call  her  mo- 
 ther and  filler !  If  this  had  not  coft  him  many  a  figh, 
 he  had  no  more  efcaped  his  father's  curfe,  than  Reu- 
 ben did :  I  fee  the  difference,  not  of  fins,  but  of  men. 
 RemhTion  goes  not  by  the  meafure  of  the  fin,  but 
 the  quality  of  the  fmner ;  yea,  rather,  the  mercy  of 
 the  forgiver.  Blejfed  is  the  man  (not  that  fins  not, 
 but)  to  whom  the  Lord  imputes  not  his  fin. 
 
 Contem.  v.     Of  Joseph. 
 
 f  Marvel  not  that  Jofeph  had  the  double  portion  of 
 -*■  Jacob's  land,  who  had  more  than  two  parts  of 
 his  forrows.  None  of  his  fons  did  fc\truly  inherit  his 
 afflictions ;  none  of  them  was  either  yq  miferable,  or 
 fo  great :  fuffering  is  the  way  to  glory.  I  fee  in  him 
 not  a  clearer  type  of  Chrift,  than  of  every  Chriftian. 
 Becaufe  we  are  dear  to  our  Father,  and  complain  of 
 fins,  therefore  are  we  hated  of  our  carnal  brethren. 
 If  fofeph  had  not  meddled  with  his  brother's  faults, 
 yet  he  had  been  envied  for  his  father's  affection ;  but 
 now  malice  is  met  with  envy.  There  is  nothing 
 more  thanklefs  or  dangerous,  than  to  fland  in  the 
 way  of  a  refolute  fmner.  That  which  doth  correct 
 and  oblige  the  penitent,  makes  the  wilful  mind  furi- 
 ous and  revengeful. 
 
 All  the  fpite  of  his  brethren  cannot  make  jofeph 
 caft  off  the  livery  of  his  father's  love.  What  need 
 we  care  for  the  cenfures  of  men,  if  our  hearts  can  tell 
 us,  that  we  ?,re  in  favour  with  God  ? 
 
 But 
 
BOOK  III.      Con  t  em.  v.  73 
 
 But  what  meant  young  Jofeph  to  add  unto  his  own 
 envy,  by  reporting  his  dreams  ?  The  concealment  of 
 our  hopes  or  abilities  hath  not  more  model iy  than 
 fafety.  He  that  was  envied  for  his  dearnefc,  and 
 hated  for  his  intelligence,  was  both  envied  and  hated 
 for  his  dreams.  Surely  God  meant  to  make  the  re- 
 lation of  thefe  dreams,  a  means  to  effect  that  which 
 the  dreams  imported.  We  men  work  by  likely 
 means ;  God  by  contraries.  The  main  quarrel  was, 
 Behold,  this  dreamer  comet h.  Had  it  not  been  for 
 his  dreams,  he  had  not  been  fold  :  if  he  had  not  been 
 fold,  he  had  not  been  exalted.  So  Jofeph* §  Hate  had 
 not  deferved  envy,  if  his  dreams  had  not  caufed  him 
 to  be  envied.  Full  little  did  Jofeph  think,  when  he 
 went  to  feek  his  brethren,  that  this  was  the  laft  time 
 he  mould  fee  his  father's  houfe.  Full  little  did  his 
 brethren  think,  when  they  fold  him  naked  to  the 
 If.naelites,  to  have  once  feen  him  in  the  throne  of 
 Egypt.  God's  decree  runs  on  ;  and,  while  we  either 
 think  not  of  it,  or  oppofe  it,  is  performed. 
 
 In  an  honeft  and  obedient  fimplicity,  Jofeph  cornea 
 to  enquire  of  his  brethrens  health,  and  now  may  not 
 return  to  carry  news  of  his  own  mifery :  whilil  he 
 thinks  of  their  welfare,  they  are  plotting  his  deitruc- 
 tion ;  Come,  let  us  flay  him.  Who  would  have  ex- 
 petted  this  cruelty  in  them,  which  fhould  be  the  fa- 
 thers of  God's  church !  It  was  thought  a  favour,  that 
 Reuben's  entreaty  obtained  for  him,  that  he  might  be 
 cail  into  the  pit  alive,  to  die  there.  He  looked  for 
 brethren,  and  behold  murderers :  every  man's  tongue, 
 every  man's  fifl  was  bent  againit.  him.  Each  one  Itrives 
 who  (hall  lay  the  firft  hand  upon  that  changeable 
 coat  which  was  dyed  with  their  father's  ilove,  and 
 their  envy:  and  now  they  have  (Iript  him  naked, 
 and  hauling  him  both  arms  as  it  were,  cail  him  alive 
 into  his  grave.  So,  in  pretence  of  forbearance,  they 
 refolve  to  torment  him  with  a  lingering  death.     The 
 
 Vol,  L  K  favage.it 
 
74         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 favageft  robbers  could  not  have  been  more  mercilefs  i 
 for  now,  befides,  (what  in  them  lies),  they  kill  their 
 father  in  their  brother.  Nature,  if  it  once  degene- 
 rate, grows  more  monfirous  and  extreme,  than  a  dif- 
 pofition  born  to  cruelty. 
 
 All  this  while  Jofeph  wanted  neither  words  nor 
 tears ;  but,  like  a  paffionate  fuppliant,  (bowing  his  bare 
 knees  to  them  whom  he  dreamed  fhould  bow  to  him), 
 entreats  and  perfuades,  by  the  dear  name  of  their  bro- 
 therhood, by  their  profeflion  of  one  common  God, 
 for  their  father's  fake,  for  their  own  fouls  fake,  not 
 to  fin  againft  his  blood.  But  envy  hath  fhut  out  mer- 
 cy, and  makes  them  not  only  forget  themfelves  to  be 
 brethren,  but  men.  What  flranger  can  think  of  poor 
 innocent  Jofeph,  crying  naked  in  that  defolate  and 
 dry  pit,  (only  faving  that  he  moiflened  it  with  tears), 
 and  not  be  moved  !  Yet  his  hard-hearted  brethren  lit 
 them  down  carelefiy,  with  the  noife  of  his  lamenta- 
 tion in  their  ears,  to  eat  bread,  not  once  thinking,  by 
 their  own  hunger,  what  it  was  for  Jofepb  to  be  fa- 
 mifhed  to  death. 
 
 Whatfoever  they  thought,  God  never  meant  that 
 Jofepb  fhould  perifh  in  that  pit ;  and  therefore  he 
 fends  very  Ifmaelites  to  ranfom  him  from  his  brethren: 
 the  feed  of  him  that  perfecuted  his  brother  Ifaac, 
 ihall  now  redeem  jofeph  from  his  brethrens  perfec- 
 tion. When  they  came  to  fetch  him  out  of  the  pit, 
 he  now  hoped  for  a  fpeedy  difpatch ;  that  fince  they 
 feemed  not  to  have  fo  much  mercy,  as  to  prolong  his 
 life,  they  would  not  continue  fo  much  cruelty,  as  to 
 prolong  his  death. 
 
 „A.nd  now,  when  he  hath  comforted  himfelf  with 
 hope  of  the  favour  of  dying,  behold  death  exchanged 
 for  bondage  !  How  much  is  feryitude,  to  an  ingenuous 
 nature,  worfe  than  death!  For  this  is  common  to  all; 
 that,  to  none  but  the  miferable :  Judah  meant  this 
 well,  but  God  better :    Reuben  faved  him  from  the 
 
 fword, 
 
BOOK   III.      Co  nt  em.  v.  75 
 
 fword,  fadah  from  famifhing.  God  will  ever  raife 
 up  fome  fecret  favourers  to  his  own,  amonglt  thofe 
 that  are  molt  malicious.  How  well  was  this  favour 
 bellowed !  If  %ofepb  had  died  for  hunger  in  the  pit, 
 both  %acob  and  fudah,  and  all  his  brethren,  had  died 
 for  hunger  in  Canaan,  Little  did  the  Ifmaelitijh  mer- 
 chants know  what  a  treafure  they  bought,  carried, 
 and  fold;  more  precious  than  all  their  balms  and 
 myrrhs.  Little  did  they  think  that  they  had  in  their 
 hands  the  lord  of  Egypt,  the  jewel  of  the  world. 
 Why  mould  we  contemn  any  man's  meannefs,  when 
 we  know  not  his  deftiny  ? 
 
 One  fin  is  commonly  ufed  for  the  veil  of  another  : 
 fofeph's  coat  is  fent  home  dipped  in  blood,  that,  whiles 
 they  mould  hide  their  own  cruelty,  they  might  af- 
 flict their  father,  no  lefs  than  their  brother.  They 
 have  dcvifed  this  real  lie,  to  puniih  their  old  father, 
 for  his  love,  with  fo  grievous  a  monument  of  his  for- 
 row. 
 
 He  that  is  mourned  for  in  Canaan,  as  dead,  pro- 
 fpers  in  Egypt  under  Potiphar  ;  and  of  a  Have,  is  made 
 ruler.  Thus  God  meant  to  prepare  him  for  a  greater 
 charge ;  he  mud  firft  rule  Potip  bar's  houfe,  then 
 Pharaoh's  kingdom :  his  own  fervice  is  his  lead  good, 
 for  his  very  prefence  procures  a  common  blefiing :  a 
 whole  family  mail  fare  the  better  for  one  Jofeph. 
 Virtue  is  not  looked  upon  alike  with  all  eyes :  his  fel- 
 lows praife  him,  his  mailer  trufts  him,  his  miflrefs  af» 
 feels  him  too  much.  All  the  fpite  of  his  brethren  was 
 not  fo  great  a  crofs  to  him,  as  the  inordinate  affection 
 of  his  miflrefs.  Temptations  on  the  right  hand  are 
 now  more  perilous,  and  hard  to  reiift,  by  how  much 
 they  are  more  plaufible  and  glorious ;  but  the  heart 
 that  is  bent  upon  God,  knows  how  to  walk  fleadily, 
 and  indifferently  betwixt  the  pleafures  of  fin,  and 
 fears  of  evil.  He  faw  this  pleafure  would  advance 
 him  :  he  knew  what  it  was  to  be  a  minion  of  one  of 
 
 K  2  the 
 
76  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 the  greatefl  ladies  in  Egypt;  yet  re folves  to  contemn. 
 A  good  heart  will  rather  ly  in  the  dull,  than  rile  by 
 wickednefs ;  how  frail 1  do  this,  and  fin  againjl  Godf 
 
 He  knew  that  all  the  honours  of  Egypt  could  not 
 buy  off  the  guilt  of  one  fin  ;  and  therefore  abhors  not 
 only  her  bed,  but  her  company.  He  that  will  be 
 fafe  from  the  a&s  of  evil,  muil  wifely  avoid  the  oc- 
 caiions.  As  fin  ends  ever  in  ihame,  when  it  is  com- 
 mitted, fo  it  makes  us  paft  ihame,  that  we  may  com- 
 rnit  it.  The  impudent  {trumpet  dare  not  only  foiicit, 
 but  importune,  and  in  a  fort  force  the  mpdefly  of  her 
 good  fervant :  flie  lays  hold  on  his  garment ;  her  hand 
 feconds  her  tongue. 
 
 Good  Jofeph  found  it  now  time  to  fly,  when  fuch 
 an  enemy  purfucd  him  :  how  much  had  he  rather 
 leave  his  cloak,  than  his  virtue !  And  to  fairer  his 
 miftrefs  to  fpoil  him  of  his  livery,  rather  than  he  fhcuid 
 biemiih  her  honour,  or  Jiis  mailer's  in  her,  or  God 
 in  either  of  them ! 
 
 This  fecond  time  is  Jofeph  flript  of  his  garment ; 
 before,  in  the  violence  of  envy,  now,  of  lull ;  before, 
 of  neceffity,  now,  of  choice :  before,  to  deceive  his 
 father,  now,  his  mailer :  for,  behold,  the  pledge  of  his 
 fidelity,  which  he  left  in  thoic  wicked  hands,  is  made 
 an  evidence  againil  him.  of  that  which  he  refufed  to 
 do  :  therefore  did  he  leave  his  cloak,  becaufe  he 
 .would  not  do  that  of  which  he  is  accufed  and  con- 
 demned, becaufe  he  left  it.  What  fafety  is  there  a- 
 gainil  great  adverfaries,  when_even  arguments  of  in- 
 nocence are  ufed  to  convince  of  evil  ?  Luft  yielded 
 unto  is  a  pleafant  madnefs ;  but  is  a  defperate  mad- 
 nefs,  when  it  is.  oppofed :  no  hatred  burns  fo  fuii- 
 otifiy,  as  that  which  arhes  from  the  quenched  coals 
 of  love. 
 
 Malice  is  witty  to  devife  accufations  of  others,  out 
 of  their  virtue,  arid  pur  own  guiltinefs :  Jofefb  either 
 pleads  not,  or  is  not  heard. 
 
 Doubtlefs 
 
BOOK  III.      Co  nt  em,  v.-  77 
 
 Doubt! efs  he  denied  the  faft,  but  he  dare  not  accufe 
 th?  oiFender.  There  is  not  only  the  praife  of  patiertce, 
 but  oft-times  of  wifdom,  even  in  unjuft  luilerings.  lie 
 knew  that  God  would  find  a  time  to  clear  his  inno- 
 cence, and  to  regard  his  chaile  faithfulnefs. 
 
 No  prifon  would  ferve  him,  but  Pharaoh's.  Jofeph 
 had  Jain  obfcure,  and  no.:  been  known  to  Pharaoh,  if 
 he  had  not  been  call  into  Pharaoh's  dungeon.  The 
 aii'lktions  of  God's  children  turn  ev?r  to  their  advan- 
 tages. No  looner  is  Jofeph  a  pritoner,  than  a  guar- 
 dian of  the  prifoners.  Truft  and  honour  accompany 
 him  wherefoever  he  is :  in  his  father's  houle,  in  Poti- 
 fbar%  in  the  jaii,  in  the  court :  ftili  he  hath  both  fa- 
 vour and  rule. 
 
 So  long  as  God  is  with  him,  he  cannot  but  mine,  in 
 fpite  of  men.  The  walls  of  that  dungeon  cannot  hide 
 his  virtues^  the  irons  cannot  hold  them.  Pharaoh's 
 officers  are  fent  to  witnefs  his  graces,  which  he  may 
 not  come,  forth  to  (hew.  The  cup-bearer  admires 
 him  in  the  jail,  but  forgets  him  in  the  court.  How 
 eafily  doth  our  own  prosperity  make  us  either  forget 
 the  defervmgs,  or  miferies  of  others!  But  as  God  can- 
 not neglect  his  own,  fo  leaft  of  all  in  their  forrows. 
 After  two  years  mere  of  Jofeph' s  patience,  that  God, 
 which  caufe d  him  to  be  lifted  out  of  the  former  pit,  to 
 be  fold,  now  calls  him  out  of  the  dungeon  to  honour. 
 He  now  puts  a  dream  into  the  head  of  Pharaoh  ;  he 
 puts  the  remembrance  of  Jofeph' s  fkill  into  the  head 
 of  the  cup-bearer  ;  who,  to  pieafure  Pharaoh,,  not  to 
 requite  Jofeph,  commends  the  prifoner  for.  an  inter- 
 preter. He  puts  an  interpretation  in  the  mouth  of  Jo- 
 feph :  he  puts  this  choice  into  the  heart  of  Pharaoh,  of 
 a  referable  prifoner,  to  make  him  the  rnler  of  Pgypt* 
 Behold  one  hour  hath  changed  his  fetters  into  a  chain 
 of  gold,  his  rags,  into  fine  linen,  his  flocks  into  a  cha- 
 riot, his  jail  into  a  palace,  Potlphar's  captive  into  his 
 mailer's  lord,  the  noife  of  his  chains  into  Ab  us  c  h  .   He, 
 
 whofe 
 
78  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 whofe  charity  refufed  the  wanton  allurements  of  the 
 wife  of  Pot  if  bar,  had  now  given  him  to  his  wife  the 
 daughter  of  Potipherah.  Humility  goes  before  ho- 
 nour ;  ferving  and  futFering  are  the  bed  tutors  to  go- 
 vernment. How  well  are  God's  children  paid  for 
 their  patience !  How  happy  are  the  iflues  of  the  faith- 
 ful !  Never  any  man  repented  him  of  the  advancement 
 of  a  good  man. 
 
 Pharaoh  hath  not  more  preferred  Jofeph,  than  Jo- 
 feph  hath  enriched  Pharaoh  :  if  Jofeph  had  not  ruled, 
 Egypt  and  all  the  bordering  nations  had  perifhed. 
 The  providence  of  fo  faithful  an  officer  hath  both  gi- 
 ven the  Egyptians  their  lives,  and  the  money,  cattle, 
 lands,  bodies  of  the  Egyptians  to  Pharaoh.  Both  have 
 reafon  to  be  well  pleated.  The  fubjects  owe  to  him 
 their  lives ;  the  king  his  fubjecls,  and  his  dominions. 
 The  bounty  of  God  made  jofeph  able  to  give  more 
 than  he  received.  It  is  like,  the  feven  years  of  plen- 
 ty were  not  confined  to  Egypt ;  other  countries  ad- 
 joining, were  no  lefs  fruitful ;  yet,  in  the  feven  years 
 of  famine,  Egypt  had  corn  when  they  wanted. 
 
 See  the  difference  betwixt  a  wife  prudent  frugality, 
 and  a  vain  ignorant  expence  of  the  benefits  of  God. 
 The  fparing  hand  is  both  full  and  beneficial ;  whereas 
 the  lavifh  is  not  only  empty,  but  injurious. 
 
 Good  Jacob  is  pinched  with  the  common  famine. 
 No  piety  can  exempt  us  from  the  evils  of  neighbour- 
 hood. No  man  can  tell,  by  outward  events,  which 
 is  the  patriarch,  and  which  the  Canaanite. 
 
 Neither  doth  his  profefhon  lead  him  to  the  hope  of 
 a  miraculous  prefervation.  It  is  a  vain  tempting  of 
 God,  to  call:  ourfelves  upon  an  immediate  provilion, 
 with  neglect  of  common  means.  His  ten  fons  muft 
 now  leave  their  flocks,  and  go  down  into  Egypt,  to 
 be  their  father's  purveyors.  And  now  they  go  to  buy 
 of  him  whom  they  had  fold ;  and  bow  their  knees  to 
 him,  for  his  relief,  which  had  bowed  to  them  before 
 
 for 
 
BOOK   III.      Co  nt  em.  v-  79 
 
 for  his  own  life.  His  age,  his  habit,  the  place,  the 
 language,  kept  Jofeph  from  their  knowledge ;  neither 
 had  they  called  off  their  minds  from  their  folds,  to  in- 
 quire of  matters  of  foreign  flate,  or  to  hear  that  an 
 Hebrew  was  advanced  to  the  higheft  honour  of  Egypt. 
 But  he  cannot  but  know  them,  whom  he  left  at  their 
 full  growth,  whofe  tongue  and  habit,  and  number 
 were  all  one ;  whofe  faces  had  left  fo  deep  an  impref- 
 fion  in  his  mind,  at  their  unkind  parting.  It  is  wif- 
 dom  fometimes  to  conceal  our  knowledge,  that  we 
 may  not  prejudice  truth. 
 
 He  that  was  hated  of  his  brethren,  for  being  his 
 father's  fpy,  now  accufes  his  brethren  for  common  fpies 
 of  the  weaknefs  of  Egypt :  he  could  not,  without 
 their  fufpicion,  have  come  to  a  perfect  intelligence  of 
 his  father's  eflate  and  theirs,  if  he  had  not  objected  to 
 them  that  which  was  not.  We  are  always  bound  to 
 go  the  nearefl  way  to  truth.  It  is  more  fafe,  in  cafes 
 of  inquifition,  to  fetch  far  about :  that  he  might  feem 
 enough  an  Egyptian,  he  fwears  heathenifhly  :  how 
 little  could  they  fufpect,  this  oath  would  proceed  from 
 the  fon  of  him,  which  fwore  by  the  fear  of  his  father 
 Ifaac !  How  oft  have  Unifier  refpects  drawn  weak 
 goodnefs  to  difguife  itfelf,  even  with  fins ! 
 
 It  was  no  fmall  joy  to  Jofeph,  to  fee  this  late  ac- 
 complifhment  of  his  ancient  dream  ;  to  fee  thefe  fup- 
 pliants  (I  know  not  whether  more  brethren  or  ene- 
 mies) grovelling  before  him  in  an  unknown  fubmiflion  ; 
 and  now  it  doth  him  good  to  feem  mercilefs  to  them, 
 whom  he  had  found  wilfully  cruel ;  to  hide  his  love 
 from  them  which  had  (lie wed  their  hate  to  him,  and 
 to  think  how  much  he  favoureth  them,  and  how  little 
 they  knew  it :  and  as,  fporting  himfelf  in  their  feem- 
 ing  mifery,  he  pleafantly  imitates  all  thofe  actions  re- 
 ciprocally unto  them,  which  they  in  defpite  and  ear- 
 ned had  done  formerly  to  him  ;  he  fpeaks  roughly, 
 rejects  their  perfuaiions,  puts  them  in  hold,  and  one 
 
 of 
 
So  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 of  them  in  bonds.  The  mind  mufl  not  always  be 
 judged  by  the  outward  face  of  the  actions.  God's 
 countenance  is  oft-times  as  fevere,  and  his  hand  as 
 heavy  to  them  whom  he  bed  loveth.  Many  a  one, 
 under  the  habit  of  an  Egyptian,  hath  the  heart  of  an 
 Ifraelite.  No  fong  could  be  fo  delightful  to  him,,  as 
 to  h~ar  them,  in  a  late  remorfe,  condemn  themfelv.es 
 tefore  him,  of  their  old  cruelty  towards  him,  who 
 was  now  their  unknown  witnefs  and  judge. 
 
 Nothing  doth  fo  powerfully  call  home  the  confci- 
 cnce  as  affliction,  neither  need  there  any  other  art  of 
 memory  for  fin,  befides  mifery.  They  had  heard  Jo- 
 feph's  deprecation  of  their  evil  with  tears,  and  had 
 not  pitied  him  ;  yet  Jofeph  doth  but  hear  their  men- 
 tion of  this  evil  which  they  had  done  againit  him,  and 
 pities  them  with  tears  :  he  weeps  for  joy  to  fee  their 
 repentance,  and  to  compare  his  fafety  and  happinefs 
 with  the  cruelty  which  they  intended,  and  did,  and 
 thought  they  had  done. 
 
 Yet  he  can  abide  to  fee  his  brother  his  prifoner, 
 whom  no  bonds  could  bind  fo  ftrong,  as  his  aifectiori 
 bound  him  to  his  captive.  Simeon  is  left  in  pawn,  in 
 fetters ;  the  reft  return  with  their  corn,  with  their 
 money,  paying  nothing  for  their  provif on  but  their 
 labour  ;  that  they  might  be  as  much  troubled  with  the 
 beneficence  of  that  ilrange  Egyptian  lord,  as  before 
 with  his  imperious  fufpicion.  Their  wealth  was  now 
 more  irkfome  to  them  than  their  need:  and  they  fear 
 God  means  to  punifh  tliem  more  in  this  fuperfluity  of 
 money,  than  in  the  want  of  victuals.  What  is  this 
 that  God  kaih  done  to  us  f  It  is  a  wife  courfe  to  be 
 jealous  of  our  gain  ;  and  more  to  fear,  than'  deiire 
 abundance. 
 
 Old  Jacob,  that  was  net  iifed  to  fimple  and  abfolute " 
 contentments,  receives  the  bleflmg  of  feafonable  pro- 
 vifion,  together  with  the  affliction  cf7  that  heavy  mef- 
 fage,  the  lofs  of  one  fori,  and  the  danger  of  another ; 
 
 and 
 
BOOK    III.     Contem.  v.  8r 
 
 and  knows  not  whether  it  be  better  for  him  to  die  with 
 hunger,  or  with  grief,  for  the  departure  of  that  fon  of 
 his  right-hand.  He  drives  off  all  till  the  laft.  Pro- 
 tra&ion  is  a  kind  of  eafe  in  evils  that  mud  come. 
 
 At  length  (as  no  plea  is  fo  importunate  as  that  of 
 famine)  Benjamin  mud  go :  one  evil  muft  be  hazarded 
 for  the  redrefs  of  another.  What  would  it  avail  him, 
 to  fee  whom  he  loved  miferable  ?  How  injurious  were 
 that  affection,  to  keep  his  fon  fo  long  in  his  eye,  till 
 they  fhould  fee  each  other  die  for  hunger ! 
 
 The  ten  brothers  return  into  Egypt,  loaded  with 
 double  money  in  their  facks,  and  a  prefent  in  their 
 hands :  the  danger  of  rniftaking  is  requited,  by  honefl 
 minds,  with  more  than  refutation.  It  is  not  enough 
 to  find  our  own  hearts  clear  in  fufpicious  actions,  ex- 
 cept we  fatisfy  others.  Now  hath  Jofeph  what  he 
 would,  the  fight  and  prefence  of  his  Benjamin,  whom 
 he  therefore  borrows  of  his  father  for  a  time,  that  he 
 might  return  him  with  a  greater  intereft  of  joy :  and 
 now  he  feafts  them  whom  he  formerly  threatened, 
 and  turns  their  fear  into  wonder.  All  unequal  love 
 is  not  partial ;  all  the  brethren  are  entertained  boun- 
 tifully, but  Benjamin  hath  a  fivefold  portion.  Bj 
 how  much  his  welcome  was  greater,  by  fo  much  his 
 pretended  theft  feemed  more  heinous ;  for  good  turns 
 aggravate  unkindneffes,  and  our  offences  are  increa- 
 (ed  with  our  obligations.  How  eafy  is  it  to  find  advan- 
 tages, where  there  is  a  purpofe  to  accufe !  Benjamin's 
 fack  makes  him  guilty  of  that  whereof  his  heart  was 
 free.  Crimes  feem  ftrange  to  the  innocent.  Well 
 might  they  abjure  this  fa&,  with  the  oifer  of  bondage 
 and  death  :  for  they,  which  carefully  brought  again 
 that  which  they  might  have  taken,  would  never  take 
 that  which  was  not  given  them.  But  thus  %ofeph 
 would  yet  dally  with  his  brethren,  and  make  Benja- 
 min a  thief,  that  he  might  make  him  a  fervant,  and 
 fright  his  brethren  with  the  peril  of  that  their  charge, 
 
 Vol  L  \u  that 
 
82  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 that  he  might  double  their  joy  and  amazednefs,  in 
 giving  them  two  brothers  at  once.  Cur  happinefs  is 
 greater  and  fweeter,  when  we  have  well  feared  and 
 fmarted  with  evils. 
 
 But  now  when  %udah  feriouily  reported  the  dan- 
 ger of  his  old  father,  and  the  fadnefs  of  his  laft  com- 
 plaint, companion  and  joy  will  be  concealed  no  longer, 
 but  break  forth  violently  at  his  voice  and  eyes.  Ma- 
 ny paffions  do  not  well  abide  witneffes,  becaufe  they 
 are  guilty  to  their  own  weaknefs.  %ofeph  fends  forth 
 his  fervants,  that  he  might  freely  weep.  Be4cnew 
 he  could  not  fay,  /  am  fofefh,  without  an  unbe- 
 seeming vehemence. 
 
 Never  any  word  founded  fo  ftrangely  as  this  in  the 
 ears  of  the  patriarchs.  Wonder,  doubt,  reverence, 
 joy,  fear,  hope,  guihinefs,  (truck  them  at  once.  It 
 was  time  for  jfofeph  to  fay,  Fear  not :  no  marvel 
 if  they  flood  with  palenefs  and  filence  before  him, 
 looking  on  him,  and  on  each  other.  The  more  they 
 confidcred,  rhey  wondered  more ;  and  the  more  they 
 believed  the  more  they  feared.  For  tbofe  words, 
 /  am  jfofeph,  feemed  to  fourd  thus  much  to  their 
 guilty  thoughts,  You  are  murderers,  and  I  am  a 
 pru  ce  in  fpite  of  you.  My  power,  and  this  place, 
 g;ve  me  all  opportunities  of  revenge  :  my  glory  is  your 
 fhame,  my  life  yur  danger,  your  fin  lives  together 
 \vit\-  me.  Eur  now  thr  tears  and  gracious  words  of 
 %ofeph  have  foon  allured  them  of  pardon  and  love, 
 and  have  bidden  them  turn  their  eyes  from  their  fin 
 againfl  their  brother,  to  their  bappinek  in  him,  and 
 have*  changed  their  doubts  into  hopes  and  joys,  cau- 
 fing  them  to  lock  upon  him  without  fear,  though  not 
 without  frame."  Kis  loving  embracements  cl^ar  their 
 hearts  of  all  jealoufies,  and  haden  to  put  new  thoughts 
 jiuo  t^em  of  favour,  and  of  greameis ;  fo  that  now, 
 forgetting  what  evil  they  did  to  their  brother,  they 
 are  thinking  of  what  good  their  brother  may  do  to 
 
 them., 
 
BOOK    III.       CoNTE2vf.     V,  83 
 
 them.  Anions,  falved  Up  with  a  free  forgivenefs,  are 
 as  noc  done  :  and  as  a  bone  once  broken  is  itronger  af* 
 ter  well  fetting.  fo  is  love  after  reconcilement. 
 
 But  as  wounds  once  healed  leave  a  icar  behind 
 them;  fo  remitted  injuries  leave  commonly  in  the  ac- 
 tors a  guilty  remembrance,  which  hindered  thefe  bre-^ 
 thren  from  that  freedom  of  joy,  which  elfe  they  had 
 conceived.  This  was  their  fault,  not  fofepffs,  who 
 drives  to  give  them  all  fecurity  of  his  love;  and  will 
 be  as  bountiful,  as  they  were  cruel.  They  fend  him 
 naked  to  if  rangers,  he  fends  them  in  new  and  rich  live- 
 ries to  their  father ;  they  took  a  fmall  fum  of  money 
 for  him,  he  gives  them  great  treafures;  they  fent  his 
 torn  coat  to  his  father,  he  fends  variety  of  coftly  rai- 
 ments to  his  father,  by  them ;  they  fold  him  to  be  the 
 load  of  camels,  he  fends  them  home  with  chariots. 
 It  mult  be  a  great  favour,  that  can  appeafe  the  con- 
 fcience  of  a  great  injury/  Now  they  return  home  rich 
 and  joyful,  making  themfelves  happy  to  think,  how/ 
 ■glad  they  fhould  make  their  father  with  this  news. 
 
 That  good  old  man  would  never  have  hoped,  that 
 Egypt  could  have  afforded  fuch  provilion  as  this; 
 $ofeph  is  yet  alive.  This  was  not  food,  but  life  to 
 him.  The  return  of  Benjamin  was  comfortable ;  but 
 that  his  dead  ion  was  yet  alive*  after  fo  many  years  la- 
 mentation, was  tidings  too  happy  to  be  believed,  and 
 was  enough  to  endanger  that  life  with  excefs  of  joy, 
 which  the  knowledge  thereof  doubled,  Over-excel- 
 lent  objects  are  dangerous  in  their  fudden  apprehen- 
 sions. One  grain  of  that  joy  would  have  fafely  cheef,- 
 ed  him,  whereof  a  full  meafure  over-lays  his  heart 
 with  too  much  fweetnefs.  There  is  no  earthly  plea- 
 fure  whereof  we  may  not  furfeit :  of  the  l^irituai  we 
 can  never  have  enough. 
 
 Yet  his  eyes  revive  his  mind,  which  his  ears  had 
 thus  aftonifhed.  When  he  few  the  chariots  of  his  fon, 
 he*  believed  fofefhh  life,  and  refrefhed  his  own.     He 
 
 L  2  had 
 
84  CONTEMPLATIONS.' 
 
 had  too  much  before,  fo  that  he  could  not  enjoy  it : 
 now  he  faith,  /  have  enough ;  Jofeph  my  fon  is  yet 
 alive. 
 
 They  told  him  of  his  honour,  he  fpeaks  of  his  life: 
 life  is  better  than  honour.  To  have  heard  that  Jo- 
 feph  lived  a  fervant,  would  have  joyed  him  more,  than 
 to  hear  that  he  died  honourably.  The  greater  blef- 
 fing  obfcures  the  lefs.  He  is  not  worthy  of  honour, 
 that  is  not  thankful  for  life. 
 
 Yet  ^ofephh  life  did  not  content  ffacob,  without  his 
 prefence  :  /  will  go  down,  and  fee  him,  ere  I  die. 
 The  fight  of  the  eye  is  better  than  to  walk  in  defires. 
 Good  things  pleafure  us  not  in  their  being,  but  in  our 
 enjoying. 
 
 The  height  of  all  earthly  contentment  appeared  in 
 the  meeting  of  thefe  two,  whom  their  mutual  lofs  had 
 more  endeared  to  each  other.  The  intermiffion  of 
 comforts  hath  this  advantage,  that  it  fweetens  our  de- 
 light more  in  the  return,  than  was  abated  in  the  for- 
 bearance. God  doth  oft-times  hide  away  our  jofeph 
 for  a  time,  that  we  may  be  more  joyous  and  thankful 
 in  his  recovery.  This  was  the  fincereft  pleafure  that 
 ever  %acob  had,  which  therefore  God  referved  for  his 
 old  age. 
 
 And  if  the  meeting  of  earthly  friends  be  fo  unfpeak- 
 ably  comfortable,  how  happy  (hall  we  be  in  the  light 
 of  the  glorious  face  of  God  our  heavenly  father !  of 
 that  our  blefled  Redeemer,  whom  we  fold  to  death  by 
 our  fins !  and  which  now,  after  that  noble  triumph, 
 hath  all  power  given  him  in  heaven  and  earth  ! 
 
 Thus  did  %acob  rejoice,  when  he  was  to  go  out  of 
 the  land  of  promife  to  a  foreign  nation,  for  ftfeph's 
 fake ;  being  glad  that  he  mould  lofe  his  country  for 
 his  fon.  What  (hall  our  joy  be,  who  mutt  go  out  of 
 this  foreign  land  of  our  pilgrimage,  to  the  home  of  our 
 glorious  inheritance,  to  dwell  with  none  but  our  own, 
 in  that  better  and  more  Mohtfome*  GoJ&en,  free  from 
 
 aU 
 
BOOK    1IT.         Co  NT  EM.     Y.  85 
 
 all  the  incumbrances  of  this  "Egypt,  and  full  of  all  the 
 riches  and  delights  of  God  1  The  guilty  confcience 
 can  never  think  irfelf  fofc  :  (o  many  years  experience 
 of  fofep.b's  love  could  not  fecure  his  brethren  of  re- 
 teiffioD.  Thrfe  that  know  they  have  deferved  ill,  are 
 wonr  to  tnifint&rpret  favours,  and  think  they  cannot 
 be  beloved.  All  that  while,  his  goodnefs  feerned  but 
 concealed  and  ileeping  malice  which  they  feared  in 
 their  father's  lait  deep  would  awake,  and  bewray  it- 
 (df  in  revenge :  Hill  therefore  they  plead  the  name 
 of  their  father,  though  dead,  not  daring  to  ufe  their 
 own.  Good  meanings  cannot  be  more  wronged  than 
 with  fufpicion.  It  grieves  %cfeph  to  fee  their  fear, 
 and  to  find  they  had  not  forgotten  their  own  fin,  and 
 to  hear  them  fo  paffionately  crave  that  which  they 
 had. 
 
 Fbrgive  the  treffafs  of  the  fervants  of  thy  fa- 
 therms  God.  What  a  conjuration  of  pardon  was 
 this!  What  wound  could  be  either  fo  deep,  or  fo 
 fevered,  as  this  plaifler  could  not  cure  !  They  fay  not, 
 the  fons  of  thy  father,  for  they  knew  faceb  was 
 dead,  and  they  had  degenerated  ;  but  the  fervants  of 
 thy  father's  God.  How  much  flronger  are  the  bonds 
 of  religion  than  of  nature  !  If  %cfeph  had  been  ran- 
 corous, this  deprecation  had  charmed  him ;  but  now 
 it  diffolves  him  into  tears:  they  are  not  fo  ready  to 
 acknowledge  their  old  offence,  as  he  to  protcft  his 
 love ;  and  if  he  chide  them  for  any  thing,  it  is  for  that 
 they  thought  they  needed  to  entreat ;  fince  they  might 
 know,  it  could  not  (land  with  the  fellow- fervant  of 
 their  father's  God  to  harbour  malicioufnefs,  to  pur- 
 pofe  revenge.  Am  not  I  under  God?  And,  fully 
 to  fecure  them,  he  turns  their  eyes  from  themfelves 
 to  the  decree  of  God,  from  the  acls  . .  *o  the  event; 
 as  one  that  would  have  them  think,  there  was  no 
 caufe  to  repent  of  that  which  proved    -  ill 
 
 Etcd 
 
86         CONTEMPLATION  & 
 
 Even  lare  confeffion  finds  fornvencfs.  Jofepb  had 
 long  ago  feen  their  forrow,  never  bin  now  heard  he 
 their  humble  acknowledgment.  Mercy  ftays  not  for 
 outward  folemnities.  How  much  more  ihali  that  in- 
 finite goodnefs  pardon  our  fins,  when  he  finds  rhe 
 truth  of  our  repentance ! 
 
 BOOK    FOURTH. 
 
 Contem.    i.    The  "AJESiin  ^Israel. 
 
 EG  y  p  t  was  long  an  harbour  to  the  Israelites  ,- 
 now  it  proves  a  jail :  the  posterity  of  $acob  finds 
 too  late,  what  it  was  for  their  forefathers  to  fell 
 $ofeph  a  Have  into  Egypt.  Thofe  whom  the  Egypti- 
 ans honoured  before  as  lords,  now  they  contemn  as 
 drudges.  One  Pharaoh  advances,  whom  another  la- 
 bours to  deprefs.  Not  feldora  the  fame  man  changes 
 copies :  but  if  favours  out-live  one  age,  they  prove 
 decrepit  and  heartlefs.  It  is  a  rare  thing  to  find  pofte- 
 rity  heirs  of  their  father's  love.  How  fhonld  mens 
 favour  be  but  like  themfelves,  variable  and  inconflant ! 
 There  is  no  certainty  but  in  the  favour  of  God,  in 
 whom  can  be  no  change,  whole  love  is  iutailed  upon  a 
 thoufand  generations. 
 
 Yet  if  the  Ifraelites  had  been  treacherous  to  Pha* 
 raohy  if  difobedient,  this  great  change  of  countenance 
 had  been  juft :  now  the  only  offence  of  Ifrael  is,  that 
 he  profpereth.  That  which  fhould  be  the  motive  of 
 their  gratulation  and  friendfhip,  is  the  caufe  of  their 
 malice.  There  is  no  more  hateful  fight  to  a  wicked 
 man,  than  the  profperity  of  the  confcionable.  None, 
 but  the  Spirit  of  that  true  harbinger  of  Chrift,  can 
 teach  us  to  fay  with  contentment,  He  muft  increafe, 
 but  I  mufl  decreafe. 
 
 And  what  if  Ifrael  be  mighty  and  rich  ?  If  there 
 be  wary   they   may  join   with   cur   enemies,    and  get 
 
 them 
 
BOOK  IV.  Contem.  i.  87 
 
 them  out  cf  the  land.  Behold,  they  are  afraid  to 
 part  with  thofe  whom  they  are  grieved  to  entertain  : 
 either  (laying,  or  going,  is  oifence  enough  to  thofe 
 that  feek,  quarrels :  there  were  no  wars,  and  yet  they 
 ray,  If  there  be  wars.  The  Ifraelites  had  never  gi- 
 ven caufe  of  fear  to  revolt,  and  yet  they  fay,  Left 
 they  join  to  our  enemies,  to  thofe  enemies  which  we 
 may  have  :  (o  they  make  their  certain  friends  flaves, 
 for  fear  of  uncertain  enemies.  Wickednefs  is  ever 
 cowardly,  and  full  of  unjuft  fufpicions;  it  makes  a 
 man  fear,  where  no  fear  is ;  fly,  when  none  purfues 
 him.  What  difference  there  is  betwixt  David  and 
 Pharaoh/  The  faith  of  the  one  fays,  /  will  not  bs 
 afraid  for  ten  thoufand  that  fbould  befet  me :  the  fear 
 of  the  other  fays,.  Le/I,  if  there  be  war,  they  join 
 with  our  enemies ;  therefore  fhould  he  have  made 
 much  of  the  Ifraelites,  that  they  might  be  his :  his 
 favour  might  have  made  them  firm.  Why  might  they 
 not  as  well  draw  tneir  fwords  for  him  ? 
 
 Weak  and  bafe  minds  ever  incline  to  the  worfe,  and 
 feek  fafety,  rather  in  an  irapoffibility  of  hurt,  than  in 
 the  likelihood  of  juft  advantage.  Favours  had  been 
 more  binding  than  cruelties:  yet  the  foolidi  Egyptian 
 had  rather  have  impotent  fervants,  than  able  friends. 
 For  their  welfare  alone,  Pharaoh  owes  Ifrael  a  mif- 
 chief ;  and  how  will  he  pay  it? 
 
 Come  let  us  work  wifely.  Lewd  men  call  wicked 
 policies  wifdom,  and  their  fuccefs  happinefs.  Here- 
 in Satan  k  ivifer  than  they,  who  both  lays  the  plor, 
 and  makes  them  inch  fools,  as  to  miftake  villany  and 
 rnadnefs  for  the  belt  virtue. 
 
 Injuftice  is  upheld  by  violence,  whereas  juft  go- 
 vernments are  maintained  by  love.  Talk-matters 
 muft  be  ht  over  Ifrael;  they  fhould  not  be  the  true 
 feed  of  ifrael,  if  they  were  not  ftill  fet  to  wreftle  with 
 God  in  a  Mictions :  heavy  burdens  muft  be  laid  upon 
 them.  '  Ifrael  is  never  but  loaded :  the  deftiny  of  one 
 
 of 
 
88         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 4 
 
 of  %acob\  fons  is  common  to  all,  10  ly  down  betwixt 
 their  burdens.  If  they  had  leerned  to  breathe  them 
 in  Gofhen  iometimes,  yet  even  there  it  was  no  fmall 
 mifery  to  be  foreigners,  and  to  live  among  idolaters ; 
 but  now  the  name  of  a  flave  is  added  to  the  name  of 
 a  flranger.  Ifrael  hath  gathered  fome  rufl  in  idolatrous 
 Egypt*  and  now  he  mult  be  fcoured  :  they  had  bora 
 the  burden  of  God's  anger,  if  they  had  not  born  *he 
 burdens  of  the  Egyptians. 
 
 As  God  afflicted  them  with  another  mind  than  the 
 Egyptians \  (God  xo  exercife  them,  the  Egyptians  to 
 fuppreis  them)  (o  caufes  he  the  event  to  differ.  Who 
 would  not  have  thought,  with  thefe  Egyptians,  that 
 fo  extreme  mifery  ihould  not  have  made  trre  Ifraelites 
 unfit,  both  for  generation  and  refinance?  Moderate 
 exercife  lirengtheas,  extreme  deflroys  nature :  that 
 God,  which  many  times  works  by  contrary  means, 
 caufed  them  to  grow  with  depreffion,  with  perfecution 
 to  multiply.  How  can  God's  church  but  fare  well, 
 flnce  the  very  malice  of  their  enemies  benefits  them  ! 
 Oh  the  fovereign  goodnefs  of  our  GcxJ,  that  turns  all 
 bur  poifons  into  cordials!  God's  vine  bears  the  better 
 with  bleeding. 
 
 And  now  the  Egyptians  could  be  angry  with  their 
 own  malicioufnefs,  that  this  was  the  occafion  of  mul- 
 tiplying them  whom  they  hated,  and  feared ;  to  fee" 
 that  this  fervice  gained  more  to  the  workmen,  than 
 to  their  mailers:  the  fir onger  therefore  the  Ifraelites 
 grew,  the  mere  impotent  grew  the  malice  of  their 
 perfecutors.  And  fmce  their  own  labour  firengthens 
 them,  now  tyranny  will  try  what  can  be  done  by 
 the  violence  of  others.  Since  the  prefect  ftrength  can- 
 not be  fubdued,  the  hopes  of  fuccellion  mull  be  pre- 
 vented :  women  mufl  be  fubornea4  to  be  murderers ; 
 and  thofe,  whofe  office  is  to  help  the  birth,  muff  de- 
 flroy  it. 
 
 •There 
 
BOOK   IV.      Con  t  em.   i.  89 
 
 There  was  lefs  fufpicion  of  cruelty  in  that  fex,  and 
 more  opportunity  of  doing  mifchief.  The  male  chil- 
 dren mail  be  born,  and  die  at  once.  What  can  be 
 more  innocent,  than  the  child  that  hath  not  lived  fo 
 much  as  to  cry,  or  to  fee  light  ?  It  is  fault  enough 
 to  be  the  fon  ot  an  IfracUie :  The  daughters  may  live 
 for  bondage,  for  Jul! ;  a  condition  fo  much  (at  the  lead) 
 worfe  than  death,  as  their  fex  was  weaker.  O  mar- 
 vellous cruelty,  that  a  man  mould  kill  a  man,  for  his 
 fex's  fake  1  \Vhpfoever  hath  loofed  the  reins  unto  cru- 
 elty, is  eafiiy  carried  into  incredible  extremities. 
 
 From  burdens,  they  proceed  to  bondage,  and  from 
 bondage  to  blood  :  from  an  unjuit  vexation  of  their 
 body,  to  an  inhuman  deftruftion  of  the  fruit  of  their 
 body.  As  the  fins  of  the  concupifcible  part,  from 
 flight  motions,  grow  on  to  foul  executions,  fo  do  thofe 
 of  the  irafcible.  There  is  no  fin,  whofe  harbour  is 
 more  imfafe,  than  that  of  malice :  but  oft-times  the 
 power  of  tyrants  anfwers  not  their  will.  F/<il  com- 
 manders cannot  always  meet  with  equally  mifchievous 
 agents. 
 
 The  fear  of  God  teaches  the  midwives  to  difobey 
 an  unjuft  command ;  they  well  knew,  how  no  excufe 
 it  is  for  evil,  I  was  bidden.  God  faid  to  their  hearts, 
 Thou  Jh alt  not  kill.  This  voice  was  louder  than  Pha- 
 raoJy$.  I  commend  their  obedience  in  difobeying  ; 
 I  dare  not  commend  their  excufe.  There  was  as 
 much  weaknefs  in-  their  anfwer,  as  ftrength  in  their 
 practice :  as  they  feared  God  in  not  killing,  fo  they 
 feared  Pharaoh  in  diffembling*  Oft-times  thofe  that 
 make  confeience  of  greater  (ins,  are  overtaken  with 
 lefs.  It  is  well  and  rare,  if  we  can  come  forth  of  a 
 dangerous  action  without  any  foil ;  and  if  we  have  e- 
 fcaped  the  florm,  that  fome. after- drops  wet  us  not. 
 
 Who  would  not  have  expected  that  the  midwives 
 fhould  be  murdered,  for  not  murdering?  Pharaoh 
 could  not  be  fo  fimple  to  think  tfiefe  women  trufty ; 
 
 Vol.  I.  M  yet 
 
oo  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 yet  his  indignation  had  no  power  to  reach  to  their 
 punifhment.  God  profpered  the  midwives ;  who  can 
 harm  them  ?'  Even  the  not  doing  of  evil  is  rewarded 
 with  good.  And  why  did  they  profper?  Becaufethey 
 feared  God;  not  fpr  their  diffimulation,  but  their  piety : 
 fo  did  God  regard  their  mercy,  that  he  regarded  not 
 their  infirmity.  How  fondly  do  men  lay  the  thank 
 upon  the  fin,  which  is  due  to  the  virtue.  True  wifdom 
 teaches  to  dtftingujih  God's  actions,  and  to  afcribe 
 them  to  the  right  caufes :  pardon  belongs  to  the  lie 
 of  the  midwives,  and  remuneration  to  their  gocdnefs ; 
 profperity  to  their  fear  of  God. 
 
 But  that  which  the  midwives  will  not,  the  multi- 
 tude (hall  do.  It  were  flrange,  if  wicked  rulers 
 fliould  not  find  fome  or  other  inftruments  of  violence : 
 all  the  people  muff,  drown  whom  the  women  faved : 
 cruelty  hath  but  fmoked  before,  now  it  flames  up; 
 fecret  pracfifmg  hath  made  it  (hamelefs,  that  now  it 
 dare  proclaim  tyranny.  It  is  a  miferable  ftate,  where 
 every  man  is  made  an  executioner.  There  can  be 
 no  greater  argument  of  an  ill  caufe,  than  a  bloody 
 pcrfecution  ;  whereas  truth  upholds  herfelf  by  mild- 
 nefs,  and  is  promoted  by  patience.  This  is  their  acl, 
 what  was  their  iflue  ?  The  people  muft  drown  their 
 males,  themfelves  are  drowned :  they  die  by  the  fame 
 means,  by  which  they  caufed  the  poor  Ifraelirifli  in- 
 fants to  die.  That  law  of  retaliation  which  God  will 
 not  allow  to  us,  becaufe  we  are  fellow-creatures,  he 
 juftly  practifeth  in  us.  God  would  have  us  read  our 
 fins  in  our  judgments,  that  we  might  both  repent  of 
 our  fins,  aud  give  glory  to  his  juftice, 
 
 Pharaoh  raged  before ;  much  more  now,  that  he 
 received  a  meffagc  of  difmiffion.  The  monitions  of 
 God  make  ill  men  worfe  :  the  waves  do  not  beat,  nor 
 roar  any  where  fo  much,  as  at  the  bank  which  re- 
 ftrains  them.  Corruption,  when  it  is  checked,  grows 
 mad  with  ragej  as  the  vapour  in  a  cloud  would  not 
 
 make 
 
BOOK  IV.      Contem.  I.  pi 
 
 make  that  fearful  report,  if  it  met  not  with  oppoil- 
 tion.  A  good  heart  yields  at  the  ftiileft  voice  of  God: 
 but  the  mart  gracious  motions  of  God  harden  the 
 wicked.  Many  would  not  be  fo  deiperately  fetded 
 in  their  fins,  if  the  world  had  not  controlled  them. 
 How  mild  a  rrieffage  was  this  to  Pharaoh,  and  yet 
 how  galling?  We  pray  thee  let  us  go.  God  com- 
 mands him  that  which  he  feared.  He  took  pleafurc 
 in  the  prefent  Servitude  of  Ifrael :  God  calls  for  a  re- 
 leafe.  If  the  fuit  had  been  for  mitigation  of  labour, 
 for  prefervarion  of  their  children,  it  might  have  car- 
 ried fome  hope,  and  have  found  fome  favour:  but 
 now  God  requires  that  which  he  knows  will  as  much 
 difcontent  Pharaoh,  as  Pharao/Ys  cruelty  could  dis- 
 content the  Ifraelltes ;  Let  us  go.  How  contrary 
 are  God's  precepts  to  natural  minds  ?  And  indeed,  as 
 they  love  to  crofs  him  in  their  practice,  fo  he  loves  to 
 crofs  them  in  their  commands  before,  and  his  puoifli- 
 ments  afterwards.  It  is  a  dangerous  fign  of  an  ill  heart 
 to  feel  God's  yoke  heavy* 
 
 Mofes  talks  of  facrifice,  Pharaoh  talks  of  work,, 
 Any  thing  feems  due  work  to  a  carnal  mind,  faving 
 God's  fervice  ;  nothing  fuperfluous,  but  religious  duties. 
 Chrifl  tells  us,  there  is  but  one  thing  necefTary;  na- 
 ture tells  us,  thetre  is  no'.hin^  but  that  neediefs :  Mo* 
 fes  fpeaks  of  devotion,  Pharaoh  of  idlenefs.  It  hath 
 been  an  old  ufe,  as  to  call  fair  colours  upon  cur  own 
 vitious  anions,  fo  to  cad  evil  aiperfions  upon  the  good 
 aclions  of  others.  The  fame  devil  that  fpoke  in  Pha- 
 raoh, fpeaks  flill  in  our  fcoGFers,  and  calls  religion 
 hypocrify,  confcionable  care,  Singularity.  Every  vice 
 hath  a  title,  and  every  virtue  a  difgrace. 
 
 Yet  while  poilible  tafks  were  impofed,  there  was 
 fome  comfort :  their  diligence  might  fave  their  backs 
 from  (tripes.  The  Conceit  of  a  benefit  to  the  com- 
 mander, and  hope  of  impunity  to  the  labourer,  might 
 give  a  good  pretence  to  great  difficulties.     But  to  re- 
 
 M  2  quire 
 
92  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 quire  ta/ks  not  feafihle  is  tyrannical,  and  doth  only 
 pick  a  quarrel  ro  punifh.  They  could  neither  mafcfc 
 flraw,  nor  find  it,  yet  they  ftiuft  have  it.  Do  what 
 may  be,  is  tolerable ;  but  do  what  cannot  be,  is  cruel. 
 Tbofe  which  ar«3  above  others  in  place,  muft  meafure 
 their  commands,  not  by  their  own  wills,  but  by  the 
 flrength  of  their  inferiors.  To  require  more  of  a 
 bead  than  he  can  do,  is  inhuman.  The  lafk  is  not 
 done;  the  taik-mafters  are  beaten:  the  puniihment 
 lies  where  the  charge  is ;  they  mud  exacr  it  of  the 
 people,  Pharaoh  of  them.  It  is  the  mil  try  of  thofe 
 which  are  trufled  with  authority,  that  their  inferiors 
 faults  are  beaten  upon  their  backs.  This  was  not  the 
 fault  to  require  it  of  the  task-mailers,  but  to  require 
 it  by  the  task-mailers  of  the  people.  Public  perfonS 
 do  either  good  or  ill  with  a  thoufand  hands,  and  with 
 no  fewer  fliall  receive  it. 
 
 Contem,     II.       Of   the   birth   and  breeding   of 
 Moses. 
 
 IT  is  a  wonder  that  Amram,  the  father  of  Mofes, 
 would  think  of  the  marriage- bed  in  fo  trouble- 
 fome  a  time,  when  he  knew  he  fhould  beget  children 
 either  to  ilavery  or  {laughter.  Yet  even  now,  .in  the, 
 heat  of  this  bondage,  he  marries  Ichahcd.  The  drown- 
 ing of  his  fons  was  not  fo  great  an  evil,  as  his  own 
 burning;  the  thraldom  of  his  daughters  not  fo  great 
 an  evil,  as  the  fubjeclion  unto  (infill  defires.  He 
 therefore  ufes*  God's  remedy  for  his  fin,  and  refers 
 the  fcquel  of  his  danger  to  God.  How  neceflary  is 
 this  imitation  for  thofe  which  have  not  die  power  of 
 containing?  Perhaps  he  would  have  thought  it  better 
 to  live  childlefs :  but  A?nra?n  and  Ichabod  duril  not 
 incur  the  danger  of  a  fin,  to  avoid  the  danger  of  a 
 imifchief.  No  doubt  when  Ichabod,  the  mother  of 
 Mofes,  faw  a  man-child  born  of  her,  and  him  beauti- 
 ful 
 
BOOK  IV.    Comtem.  ii.  >3 
 
 ful  and  comely,  fte  fell  into  extreme  paflion,  to  think 
 that  the  executioner's  hand  mould  fucceed  the  mid* 
 wife's.  All  the  time  of  her  conception,  (he  could  not 
 but  fear  a  foil ;  now  (he  fees  him,  and  thinks  of  his 
 birth  and  death  at  once  :  her  fecond  throws  are  more 
 grievous  than  her  firft*  The  pains  of  travel  in  others 
 are  fomewhat  mitigated  with  hope,  and  countervailed 
 .with  joy,  that  a  man-child  is  born;  in  her  they  are 
 doubled  with  fear.  The  remedy  of  others  is  her  com- 
 plaint. Still  file  looks  when  fome  fierce  Egyptian 
 would  come  in,  and  fnatch  her  new-born  infant  out  of 
 her  bofom,  whofe  comelinefs  had  now  aifo  added  to 
 her  affection. 
 
 Many  times  God  writes  prefaces  of  majefty  and  ho- 
 nour, even  in  the  faces  of  children.  Little  did  (lie 
 think,  that  ihe  held  in  her  lap  the  deliverer  of  Ifraell 
 It  is  good  to  hazard  in  greateft  appearances  of  danger. 
 If  Ichabod  had  faid,  If  1  bear  a  fon,  they  wi!l  kill 
 bim;  where  had  been  the  great  refcuer  of  lfraelf 
 Happy  is  that  refolution  winch  can  follow  God  hood- 
 winked, and  let  him  difpofe  of  the  event.  When  die 
 tan  no  longer  hide  him  in  her  womb,  ihe  hides  him 
 in  her  houfe,  afraid  left  every  of  his  cryings  ihould 
 guide  the  executioners  to  his  cradle.  And  now  ihe 
 fees  her  treafure  can  be  no  longer  hid,  ihe  fhips  him 
 in  a  bark  of  bulrufhes,  and  commits  him  to  the  mercy 
 of  the  waves,  and  (which  was  more  mercilefs)  to  the 
 danger  of  an  Egyptian  paffenger,  yet  doth  flie  not 
 leave  him  without  a  guardian. 
 
 No  tyranny  can  forbid  her  to  love  him,  whom  flie 
 is  forbidden  to  keep.  Her  daughter's  eyes  mud  fup* 
 ply  the  place  of  her  arms.  And  if  the  weak  aiFeclion 
 of  a  mother  were  thus  effectually  careful,  what  fhali 
 we  think  of  him,  whofe  love,  whofe  compaiTion  is 
 (as  himfelf)  infinite  ?  His  eye,  his  hand  cannot  but 
 be  with  us,  even  when  we  forfake  ourfelves.  Mofes 
 had  never  a  flronger  protection  about  him,   no  no* 
 
 when 
 
5>4         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 when  all  his  Israelites  were  pitched  about  his  tent  ifl. 
 ihe  wildemefs,  than  now  when  he  lay  fprawling  alone 
 upon  the  waves :  no  water,  no  Egyptian  can  hurt 
 him.  Neither  friend  nor  mother  dare  own  him,  and 
 now  God  challenges  his  cudody.  When  we  feem 
 me>ft  neglected  and  forlorn  in  ourfelves,  then  is  God 
 moil  prefent,  mod  vigilant. 
 
 His  providence  brings  Pharaoh\  daughter  thither 
 to  wafh  herfelf.  Thofc  times  looked  for  no  great  date  : 
 a  princefs  comes  to  bathe  herfelf  in  the  open  dream. 
 She  meant  only  to  wafh  herfelf:  God  fetches  her 
 thither  to  deliver  the  deliverer  of  his  people.  His  de- 
 figns  go  beyond  ours.  We  know  not  (when  we  fet 
 cur  foot  over  our  threfnold)  what  he  hath  to  do  with 
 us.  rJ  his  event  feemed  cafual  to  this  princefs,  but 
 'predetermined  and  provided  by  God,  before  Ihe  was. 
 How  wifely  and  fweetly  God  brings  to  pafs  his  own 
 purpofes,  in  our  ignorance  and  regardlefnefs !  She 
 faw  the  ark,  opens  it,  finds  the  child  weeping  :  his 
 beauty  and  his  tears  had  God  provided  for  the  drong 
 perfuafions  of  mercy.  This  young  and  lively  oratory 
 prevailed.  Her  heart  is  druck  with  companion,  and 
 >et  her  tongue  could  fay,  It  is  an  Hebrew  child. 
 
 See  here  the  merciful  daughter  of  a  cruel  father. 
 It  is  an  uncharitable  and  injurious  ground,  to  judge 
 of  the  child's  difpofition  by  the  parent's.  How  well 
 doth  pity  befeem  great  perfonages,  and  mod  in  extre- 
 mities. It  had  been  death  to  another  to  refcue  the 
 child  of  an  Hebrew ;  in  her  it  was  fafe  and  noble.  It 
 is  an  happy  thing,  when  great  ones  improve  their  pla- 
 ces to  fo  much  more  charity,  as  their  liberty  is  more. 
 
 Mofes  his  fider,  finding  the  princefs  companionate, 
 offers  to  procure  a  nurfe,  and  fetches  the  mother: 
 and  who  can  be  fo  fit  a  nurfe  as  a  mother?  She  now 
 with  glad  hands  receives  her  child,  both  with  autho- 
 rity and  reward.  She  would  have  given  all  her  fub- 
 flance  for  the  life  of  her  fon  j  and  now  ihe  hath  a  re- 
 ward 
 
BOOK  IV.     Con t em.    n.  95 
 
 Ward  to  nurfe  him.  The  exchange  of  the  name  of  a 
 mother,  for  the  name  of  a  nurfe,  hath  gained  her  both 
 her  fon,  and  his  education,  and,  with  both,  a  recom- 
 pence.  Religion  doth  not  call  us  to  a  weak  fimplici- 
 ty,  but  allows  us  as  much  of  the  ferpent  as  of  the 
 dove.  Lawful  policies  have  from  God  both  liberty  in 
 the  ufe,  and  bleiTmg  in  the  fuccefs. 
 
 The  good  lady  did  not  breed  him  as  fome  child  of 
 alms,  or  as  fome  wretched  outcaft,  for  whom  it  might 
 be  favour  enough  to  live ;  »but,  as  her  own  fon,  in  all 
 the  delicacies,  in  all  the  learning  of  Egypt.  Whatfo- 
 cver  the  court,  or  the  fchool  could  put  into  him,  he 
 Wanted  not ;  yet  all  this  could  not  make  him  forger 
 that  he  was  an  Hebrew.  Education  works  wondrous 
 changes,  and  is  of  great  force  either  way.  A  little 
 advancement  hath  fo  puffed  fome  up  above  themfelves, 
 that  they  have  not  only  forgot  their  friends,  but  fcorn- 
 ed  their  parents.  All  the  honours  of  Egypt  could  not 
 win  Mo/es,  not  to  call  his  nurfe  mother,  or  wean  him 
 from  a  willing  mifery  with  the  Ifraelites.  If  we  had 
 Mo/esh  faith,  we  could  not  but  make  his  choice. 
 It  is  only  our  infidelity  that  binds  us  fo  to  the  world, 
 and  makes  us  prefer  the  momentary  pleafures  of  fin, 
 unto  that  everiafting  recompence  of  reward.    ■ 
 
 He  went  forth,  and  looked  on  the  burdens  of  IfraeL 
 What  needed  Mo/es  to  have  afflicted  himfelf  with  the 
 afSiclions  of  others  ?  Himfelf  was  at  eafe  and  pleafure 
 in  the  court  of  Pharaoh.  A  good  heart  cannot  endure 
 to  be  happy  alone ;  and  muff  needs,  unbidden,  fhare 
 with  others  in  their  miferies.  He  is  no  true  Mo/est 
 that  is  not  moved  with  the  calamities  of  God's  church. 
 To  fee  an  Egyptian  finite  an  Hebrew,  it  fmote  him, 
 and  moved  him  to  fmite.  He  hath  no  I/raelih/h  blood 
 in  him,  that  can  endure  to  fee  an  I/raelite  ftricken  ei- 
 ther with  ha&d  or  tongue. 
 
 Here  was  his  zeal :  where  was  his  authority  ? 
 Doubdefs,  Mo/es  had  an  inftincl  from  God  of  his  ma- 
 
 giitracy 
 
96         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 giftracy,  e!fe  how  (hoiild  he  think  they  would  have 
 underftood  what  himfelf  did  not  ?  Oppreffions  may 
 not  be  righted  by  violence,  but  by  law.  The  redrefs 
 of  evil,  by  a  perfon  unwarranted,  is  evil.  Mofes  knew 
 that  God  had  called  him,  he  knew  that  Pharaoh  knew 
 it  nor,  therefore  he  hides  the  Egyptian  in  the  land. 
 Thofe  aclions  which  may  be  approved  unto  God,  are 
 not  always  fafe  with  men  :  as  contrarily,  too  many 
 things  go  current  wiih  men,  which  are  not  approved 
 of  God. 
 
 Another  Hebrew  is  fincken,  but  by  an  Hebrew: 
 the  acl  is  the  fame,  fhe  agents  diner ;  neither  doth 
 their  profeffion  more  dialer,  than  Mofes  his  proceed- 
 ings. He  gives  blow^  to  the  one,  to  the  other,  words. 
 The  blows  to  the  Egyptian  were  deadly  j  the  words 
 to  the  Hebrew,  gemie  and  plaufible.  As  God  makes 
 a  difference  betwixt  ehailifements  of  his  own,  and  pu- 
 nidiraents  of  ftrange  children,  (o  mufr,  wife  governors 
 learn  to  diftinguilh.  of  fms  and  judgments,  according 
 to  circum (lances.  How  mildly  doth  Mofes  admo- 
 nifli !  Sirs,  ye  are  brethren.  If  there  had  been 
 but  any  dram  of  good  nature  in  thefe  Hebrews,  they 
 had  relented :  now  it  is  ft  range  to  fee,  that,  being  {q 
 univerfaily  vexed  with  their  common  adverfary,  they 
 (hould  yet  vex  one  another.  One  would  have  thought 
 that  a  common  oppofuion  (hould  have  united  them 
 more ;  yet  now  private  grudges  do  thus  dangeroufiy 
 divide  them.  Blows  enow  were  not  dealt  by  the 
 Egyptians,  their  own  rnuft  add  to  the  violence.  Still 
 Satan  is  thus  bufy,  and  Chriftians  are  thus  malicious, 
 that  (as  if  they  wanted  enemies)  they  fly  on  one  ano- 
 thers  faces.  While  we  are  in  this  Egypt  of  the  world, 
 all  unkind  ftrifes  would  eafily  be  compofed,  if  we  did 
 not  forget  that  we  are  brethren. 
 
 Behold  an  Egyptian  in  the  skin  of  an  Hebrew  :  how 
 dogged  an  anfwer  doth  Mofes  receive  to  fo  gentle  a 
 reproof?  Who  would  not  have  expected  that  this  He- 
 brew 
 
BOOK    IV.     Contem.   n.  97 
 
 brew  had  been  enough  deje&ed  with  the  common  ai> 
 fliction  ?  But  vexations  may  make  fome  more  mife^ 
 rable,  not  more  humble ;  as  we  fee  ficknefTes  make 
 fome  tradable,  others  more  fro  ward.  It  is  no  eafy 
 matter  to  bear  a  reproof  well,  if  never  fo  well  temper- 
 ed. No  fugar  can  bereave  a  pill  of  his  bitternefs. 
 None  but  the  gracious  can  fay,  Let  the  righteous 
 /mite  me.  Next  to  the  not  deferving  a  reproof, 
 is  the  well  taking  of  it.  Eat  who  is  fo  ready  to  ex- 
 cept and  exclaim  as  the  wrong  doer  ?  The  patient  re- 
 plies not.  One  injury  draws  on  another,  firft  to  his 
 brother,  then  to  his  reprover.  Guiltinefs  will  make 
 a  man  flir  upon  every  touch.  He  that  was  wronged, 
 could  incline  to  reconciliation.  Malice  makes  men 
 incapable  of  good  counfel ;  and  there  are  none  fo 
 great  enemies  to  juftice,  as  thofe  which  are  enemies 
 to  peace. 
 
 With  what  impatience  doth  a  galled  heart  receive 
 an  admonition  !  This  unworthy  Ijraelite  is  the  pattern 
 of  a  ftomachful  offender  :  firft  he  is  moved  to  choler 
 in  himfelf,  then  he  calls  for  the  authority  of  the  ad- 
 monifher.  A  fmall  authority  will  ferve  for  a  loving 
 admonition.  It  is  the  duty  of  men,  much  more  of 
 Chrillians,  to  advife  againft  fin  ;  yet  this  man  asks, 
 Who  made  thee  a  judge  f  for  but  finding  fault  with 
 liis  injury.  Then  he  aggravates,  and  mifconftrues, 
 Wilt  thou  kill  me  f  when  Mofes  meant  only  to  fave 
 both.  It  was  the  death  of  his  malice  only  that  was 
 intended,  and  the  fafety  of  his  pcrfoa.  And.  laflly, 
 he  upbraids  him  with  former  actions ;  Thou  killedjl 
 the  Egyptian.  What  if  he  did  ?  what  if  unjuflly  ? 
 What  vvus  this  to  the  Hebrew  ?  Another  man's  fin  is 
 no  excufe  for  ours.  A  wicked  heart  never  looks  in- 
 ward to  itfelf,  but  outward  to  the  quality  of  the  re- 
 prover :  if  that  afford  exception,  it  is  enough ;  as  a 
 dog  runs  firft  to  revenge  en  the  flone.  What  matter 
 is  it  to  me,  who  he  be  that  admoniiheth  me  ?  Let  me 
 
 Vol,  L  IN  look 
 
5>S         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 look  home  into  myfelf :  let  me  look  to  his  advice.  If 
 that  be  good,  it  is  more  jhame  to  me  to  be  reproved 
 by  an  evil  man.  As  a  good  man's  allowance  cannot 
 warrant  evil,  fo  an  evil  man's  reproof  may  remedy* 
 evil.  If  this  Hebrew  had  been  well  pleated,  Mofes 
 had  not  heard  of  his  daughter;  now  in  choler  all  will 
 out ;  and  if  this  man's  tongue  had  not  thus  call  him 
 in  the  teeth  with  blood,  he  had  been  furprifed  by 
 Pharaoh,  ere  he  could  have  known  that  the  fact  was 
 known. 
 
 Now  he  grows  jealous,  flees,  and  efcapes.  No 
 friend  is  fo  commodious,  in  fome  cafes,  as  an  adver-? 
 fary.  This  wound,  which  the  Hebrew  thought  to  give. 
 Mofes,  faved  his  life.  As  it  is  good  for  a  man  to  have 
 an  enemy,  fo  it  fhall  be  our  wifdom  to  make  ufe  of 
 his  moft  choleric  objections.  The  worft  of  an  ene- 
 my may  prove  moft  fovereign  to  ourielves,  Mofes 
 flees.  It  is  no  difcomfort  for  a  man  to  flee,  when  his 
 confcience  purines  him  not.  Where  God's  warrant 
 will  not  protect  us,  it  is  good  for  the  heels  to  fupply 
 the  place  of  the  tongue. 
 
 Mofes,  when  he  may  not  in  Egypt,  he  will  be  do? 
 ingjuftice  in  Midian.  In  Egypt,  he  delivers  the  op- 
 prefled  Ifraelite  ;  in  Midian,  the  wronged  daughters  of 
 Ifethro.  A  good  man  will  be  doing  good,  wherefoe- 
 ver  he  is:  his  trade  is  a  compound  of  charity  and  jur 
 flice.  As  therefore  evil  difpofitions  cannot  be  changed 
 with  airs,  no  more  will  good.  Now  then  he  fits  him 
 down  by  a  well  in  Midian.  There  he  might  have  to 
 drink,  but  where  to  eat  he  knew  not.  The  cafe  was 
 altered  with  Mcfes  ;  to  come  from  the  dainties  of  the 
 court  of  Egypt,  to  the  hunger  of  the  fiekis  of  Midian. 
 It  is  a  leflon  that  all  God's  children  mud  learn  to  take 
 out,  to  want,  and  to  abound.  Who  can  think  ft  range 
 of  penury,  when  the  great  governor  of  God's  people 
 once  hath  nothing  ?  Who  w7ould  not  have  thought, 
 in  this  cafe,  Mofes  fhould  have  been   heartlefs   anc} 
 
 full  en  -, 
 
BOOK    IV.      Co nt em.    ir.  £0 
 
 fulleh ;  fo  caft  down  with  his  owti  complaints,  that 
 lie  fliould  have  had  no  feeling  of  others  :  yet  how  hoc 
 is  he  upon  juftice  ?  No  advedity  can  make  a  good 
 man  neglect  good  duties;  He  fees  the  opprefTion  of 
 the  fhepherds,  the  image  of  that  other  he  left  behind 
 him  in  Egypt,  The  maids  (daughters  of  io  great  a 
 peer)  draw  water  for  their  flocks ;  the  inhumane  (hep- 
 herds  drive  them  awav.  Rudenefs  hath  no  refpeft,  ei- 
 ther to  fex  or  condition.  If  we  lived  not  under  laws, 
 this  were  our  cafe  :  might  would  be  the  meafure  of 
 juftice.  We  fliould  not  fo  much  as  enjoy  our  own 
 water.  Unjuft  courfes  will  not  ever  profper.  Mofei 
 (hall  rather  come  from  Egypt  to  Midian  to  beat  the 
 fhepherds,  than  they  mail  vex  the  daughters  of  %ethro* 
 This  act  of  juftice  was  not  better  done  than  taken. 
 Reuel  requites  it  kindly  with  an  hofpitable  entertain- 
 ment. A  good  nature  is  ready  to  anfwer  courtefies : 
 We  cannot  do  too  much  for  a  thankful  man.  And  if 
 a  courteous  Heathen  reward  the  watering  of  a  fheep 
 in  this  bountiful  manner,  how  fhall  our  God  recom- 
 pence  but  a  cup  of  cold  water  that  is  given  to  a  dif- 
 ciple  ?  This  favour  hath  won  Mc/es,  who  now  con- 
 tents to  dwell  with  him,  though  out  of  the  church* 
 Curiofity,  or  whatfoever  idle  occafions,  may  not  draw 
 us  (for  our  refidence)  out  of  the  bounds  of  the  church 
 of  God ;  danger  of  life  may.  We  love  not  the 
 church  if  we  eafily  leave  it  i  if  in  a  cafe  of  life,  we 
 leave  it  not  (upon  opportunity)  for  a  time  of  refpite, 
 we  love  not  ourfelves.  The  firft  part  of  Mbfesh  re- 
 quital was  his  wife,  one  of  thofe  whom  he  had  for- 
 merly protected. 
 
 I  do  not  fo  much  marvel  that  ^ethrb  gave  him  his 
 daughter,  (for  he  faw  him  valiant,  wife,  learned,  no- 
 bly bred)  as  that  Mofes  would  take  her ;  a  flranger 
 both  in  blood  and  religion.  1  could  plead  for  him  ne- 
 ceffity  :  his  own  nation  was  fhut  up  to  him.  If  he 
 Would  have  tried  to  fetch  a  daughter  of  Ifrael,  he 
 
 N  2  had 
 
ioo        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 had  endangered  to  leave  himfelf  behind.  I  could 
 plead  fome  correfpondence  in  common  principles  of 
 religion ;  for  doubtlefs  Mofes  his  zeal  could  not  fuf- 
 fer  him  to  f mother  the  truth  in  himfelf:  he  fliould 
 have  been  an  unfaithful  fervant,  if  he  had  not  been 
 his  mafter's  teacher.  Yet  neither  of  thefe  can  make 
 this  match  either  fafe  or  good.  The  event  bewrays 
 it  dangeroufly  inconvenient.  This  choice  had  like  to 
 have  cod  him  dear :  flie  flood  in  his  way  for  circum- 
 cifion  ;  God  (lands  in  his  way  for  revenge.  Though 
 he  was  now  in  God's  meifage,  yet  might  he  not  be 
 forborn  in  this  neglecl.  No  circumflance,  either  of 
 the  dearnefs  of  the  folicitor,  or  our  own  engage- 
 ment, can  bear  out  a  fin  with  God.  Thofe,  which  are 
 unequally  yoked,  may  not  ever  look  to  draw  one 
 way.  True  love  to  the  perfon  cannot  long  agree 
 with  diflike  of  the  religion.  He  had  need  to  be  more 
 than  a  man,  that  hath  a  Zipporab  in  his  bofom,  and 
 would  have  true  zeal  in  his  heart.  All  this  while 
 Mofes  his  affection  was  not  fo  tied  to  Midian,  that  he 
 could  forget  Egypt,  He  was  a  ft  ranger  in  Midian : 
 what  was  he  elfe  in  Egypt  f  Surely  either  Egypt  was 
 not  his  home,  or  a  miserable  one ;  and  yet,  in  refe- 
 rence to  it,  he  calls  his  fon  Gerft>om>  a  (Iranger  there. 
 Much  better  were  it  to  be  a  ftranger  there,  than  a 
 dweller  in  Egypt.  How  hardly  can  we  forget  the 
 place  of  our  abode  or  education,  although  never  fo 
 homely  :  and  if  he  fo  thought  of  his  Egyptian  home, 
 where  was  nothing  but  bondage  and  tyranny,  how 
 fliould  we  think  of  that  home  of  ours,  above,  where 
 is  nothing  but  reft  and  bleffednefs  ? 
 
 Contem.    in.    Of  Moses  calling. 
 
 "pOrty  years  was  Mofes  a  courtier,  and  forty  years 
 -**  (after  that)  a  fhepherd.  That  great  men  may 
 not  be  afhamed  of  honefl  vocations,  the  greateft  that 
 
 ever 
 
BOOK  IV.      Contem.    lit*  101 
 
 ever  were  have  been  content  to  take  up  with  mean 
 trades.  The  contempt  of  honed  callings,  in  thofe 
 which  are  well-bon*,  argues  pride  without  wit.  How 
 conftantly  did  Mofes  (lick  to  his  hook  ?  and  yet  a  man 
 of  great  fpirits,  of  excellent  learning,  of  curious  edu- 
 cation; and  if  God  had  not  (after  his  forty  years  fer- 
 vice)  called  him  off,  he  had  fo  ended  his  days. 
 Humble  resolutions  are  fo  much  more  heroical,  as 
 'they  fall  into  higher  fubjecls. 
 
 There  can  be  no  fitter  difpofition  for  a  leader  of 
 God's  people,  than  conftancy  in  his  undertakings, 
 without  either  wearinefs  or  change.  How  had  he 
 learned  to  fubdue  all  ambitious  defires,  and  to  reft 
 content  with  his  obfcurity!  So  he  might  have  the  free- 
 dom of  his  thoughts,-  and  full  opportunity  of  holy  me- 
 ditations, he  willingly  leaves  the  world  to  others,  and 
 envies  not  his  proudeft  acquaintance  of  the  court  of 
 Pharaoh.  He  that  hath  true  worth  in  himfelf,  and 
 familiarity  'with  God,  finds  more  pleafure  in  the  de- 
 farts  of  Midiariy  than  others  can  do  in  the  palaces  of 
 kings. 
 
 Whiles  he  is  tending  his  fheep,  God  appeared  un- 
 to him.  God  never  graces  the  idle  with  his  vifions. 
 When  he  finds  us  in  our  callings,  we  find  him  in  the 
 tokens  of  his  mercy.  Satan  appears  to  the  idle  man 
 in  manifold  temptations ;  or  rather  prefents  himfelf,. 
 and  appears  not.  God  was  ever  with  Mofes,  yet  was 
 he  not  feen  till  now.  He  is  never  abfent  from  his ; 
 but  fometimes  he  makes  their  fenfes  witneffes  of  his 
 prefence.  In  fmall  matters  may  be  greater  wonders. 
 That  a  bufh  fliould  burn,  is  no  marvel ;  but  that  it 
 fnould  not  confume  in  burning,  is  juftly  miraculous. 
 God  chufeth  not  ever  great  fubjecls  wherein  to  exer- 
 cife  his  power  :  it  is  enough  that  his  power  is  great 
 in  the  fmalleft.  When  I  look  upon  this  burning  bufh, 
 with  Mofes,  methinks  I  can  never  fee  a  worthier  and 
 more  lively  emblem  of  the  church :  that  in  Egypt  was 
 
 in 
 
102         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 in  the  furnace,  yet  wafted  not.     Since  then,  how  oft 
 hath  it  been  flaming,    never  confumed  ?    The  fame 
 power  that  enlightens  it,  preferves  it ;  and  to  none 
 but  his  enemies   is  he  a  confuming  fire.     Mofes  was  a 
 great  philofopher :  but  fmall  ikill   would  have  ferved 
 to  know  the  nature  of  fire,  and  of  the  bufh ;  that  fire 
 meeting  with   combuftible  matter,  could  not  but  con- 
 fume.     If  it  had  been  fome  folid  wood,  it  would  have 
 yielded  later  to  the  flame;  but  buflies  are  of  fo  quick 
 difpatch,  that  the  joy  of  the  wicked  is  compared  to  a 
 fire  of  thorns.     He  noted    a  while,  faw  it  continued, 
 and  began   to  wonder.      It  was  fome    marvel    how 
 it  fhould  come   there :    but    how  it  fliould  continue 
 without  fupply,    yea  without   diminution    of    matter, 
 was  truly  admirable.     Doubtlefs  he  went  oft  about  it, 
 and  viewed  it  on  all  fides ;  and  now,  when  his  eye  and 
 mind  could  meet  with  no  likely  caufes  fo  far  off,  re- 
 folves,  I  will  go  fee  it.     His  curiofity  led  him  nearer ; 
 and  what  could   he  fee  but  a  bufti  and  a  flame,  which 
 lie  faw  at  firft  unfatisfied  ?  It  is  good  to  come  to  the 
 place  of  God's  prefence,  howfoever :  God    may  per- 
 haps fpeak  to  thy  heart,  though  thou  come  but  for 
 novelty.     Even  thofe  which  have  come  upon  curiofi- 
 ty, have  been  oft  taken.     Abfence  is  without  hope. 
 If  Mofes  had  not  come,  he  had  not  been  called  out  of 
 the  bufh. 
 
 To  fee  a  fire  not  confuming  the  bufh,  was  much  : 
 but  to  hear  a  fpeaking  fire,  this  was  more  ;  and  to 
 hear  his  own  name  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  fire,  it 
 was  mod:  of  all.  God  makes  way  for  his  greateft  mef- 
 fages  by  aftonifhment  and  admiration ;  as,  on  the  con- 
 trary, carelefnefs  carries  us  to  a  mere  unproficiency 
 under  the  bed:  means  of  God.  If  our  hearts  were 
 more  awful,  God's  meflages  would  be  more  effectual 
 to  us. 
 
 In  that  appearance,  God  meant  to  call  Mofes  to 
 come;   yet,  when   he   is   come,    inhibits   him,    Come 
 
 not 
 
BOOK  IV.      Contem.  in.  103 
 
 not  hither.  We  mud  come  to  God;  we  mud  not 
 come  too  near  him.  When  we  meditate  of  the  great 
 myfteries  of  his  word,  we  come  to  htm.  We  come 
 too  near  him,  when  we  fearch  into  his  counfels.  The 
 fun  and  the  fire  fay  of  themfelves,  Come  not  too 
 near;  how  much  more  the  light,  which  none  can  at- 
 tain unto  ?  We  have  all  our  limits  fet  us.  The  Gen- 
 tiles might  come  into  fome  outer  courts,  not  into  the 
 inmoft ;  the  $ews  might  come  into  the  inner  court, 
 not  into  the  temple;  the  priefls  and  Levites  into 
 the  temple,  not  into  the  holy  of  holies :  Mofes  to 
 the  hill,  not  to  the  bulli.  The  waves  of  the  lea  had 
 not  more  nead  of  bounds,  than  man's  preemption, 
 Mofes  rauft  not  come  cloie  to  the  bufli  at  all ;  and, 
 where  he  may  (land,  he  may  not  (land  with  his  fhoes 
 on.  There  is  no  unholinefs  in  clothes,  God  prepared 
 them  for  man  at  fiiTc,  and  that  of  /kins,  left  any  ex- 
 ception fhould  be  taken  at  the  hides  of  dead  hearts. 
 This  rite  was  fignificant.  What  are  the  fnoes  but 
 worldly  and  carnal  affections  ?  If  thefe  be  not  cafl  off, 
 when  we  come  to  the  holy  place,  We  make  ourfelves 
 unhcVy.  Plow  much  lefs  ftiould  we  dare  to  come  with 
 refolutions  of  fin  ?  This  is  not  only  to  come  with 
 /hoes  on,  but  with  fhoes  bemired  with  wicked  filthi-? 
 nefs ;  the  touch  whereof  profanes  the  pavement  of 
 God,  and  makes  our  prefence  odious. 
 
 Mofes  was  the  fon  of  Ann  am,  Amram  of  Kobath, 
 .Kobath  of  Levi,  l^vi  of  facob,  facob  of  Ifaac  >  Ifaac 
 of  Abraham.  God  puts  together  both  ends  of  his  pe- 
 digree; I  am  the  God  of  thy  father,  and  of  Abra- 
 ham, Ifaac,  fa  cab.  If  he  had  faid  only,  /  am  thy 
 God,  it  had  been  Mofes  his  duty  to  attend  awfully ; 
 but  now,  that  he  fays,  /  am  the  God  of  thy  fa- 
 ther,  and  of  Abraham,  &c,  he  challenges  reverence 
 by  prefer iption.  Any  thing  that  .was  our  anceftors 
 pleafes  us;  their  houfes,  their  veffels,  their  coat- 
 armour;  how  much  more  their   God?  How  careful 
 
 fhould 
 
io4         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fhould  parents  be  to  make  holy  choices  ?  Every  pre* 
 cedent  of  theirs  are  to  many  monuments  and  motives 
 to  their  pofterity.  What  an  happinefs  it  is  to  be 
 born  of  good  parents  i  Hence  Goci  claims  an  imereit 
 in  us,  and  we  in  him,  for  their  fake.  As  many  a 
 man  fmarteth  for  his  father's  f;n,  fo  the  goodnefs  of 
 others  is  crowned  in  a  thoufand  generations.  Neither 
 doth  God  fay,  1  was  the  God  of  Abraham,  Ifaac, 
 ^Jaccb ;  but  I  am.  The  patriarchs  (til!  live  after 
 (o  many  thoufand  years  of  diiTolution.  No  length  of 
 time  can  feparate  the  forils  of  the  juR  from  their 
 Maker*  As  for  their  body,  there  is  ft  ill  a  real  rela- 
 tion betwixt  the  duft  of  it,  and  the  foul ;  and  if  the 
 being  of  this  part  be  more  defective,  the  being  of  the 
 other  is  more  lively,  and  doth  more  than  recorirpence 
 the  wants  of  that  earthly  half. 
 
 God  could  not  defcribe  himfelf  by  a  more  fweet 
 name  than  this,  I  am  the  God  of  thy  father,  and  of 
 Abraham,  &c.  yet  Mofes  hides  his  face  for  fear. 
 If  he  had  faid,  I  am  the  glorious  God  that  made  hea- 
 ven and  earth,  that  dwells  in  light  inacceflible,  whom 
 the  angels  cannot  behold  ;  or,  I  am  God  the  av*nger 
 juft  and  terrible,  a  consuming  fire  to  mine  enemies ; 
 here  had  been  juft  caufe  of  terror. 
 
 But,  why  was  Mdfis  fo  frighted  with  a  familiar 
 compilation  ?  God  is  no  lefs  av/ful  to  his  own  in  his 
 very  mercies,  (Great  is  thy  mercy  that  thou  mayfr, 
 be  'feared  !)  for  to  them  no  lefs  majefty  fhines  in  the 
 favours  of  Gcd,  than  in  his  judgments  and  juitice. 
 The  wicked  heart  never  fears  God,  but  thundering 
 or  fhaking  the  earth,  or  raining  fire  from  heaven; 
 but  the  good  can  dread  him  in  his  very  fun-ihine  :  his 
 loving  deliverances  and  bkffipgs  affecl  them  with  a\v- 
 fulnefs.  Mofes  was  the  true  fon  of  %acqt>,  who,  when 
 he  faw  nothing  but  virions  of  love  and  mercy,  could 
 fay,  How  dreadful  is  this  tilact ! 
 
 I  fee 
 
BOOK  IV.    Contem.  in.  105 
 
 I  fee  Mo/es  now  at  the  buffi  hiding  his  face  at  fo 
 mild  a  reprefcntarion  :  hereafter  we  (hall  fee  him  in 
 this  very  mount,  betwixt  heaven  and  earth,  in  thunder, 
 lightning,  finoke,  earthquakes,  fpeaking  mouth  to 
 mouth  with  God,  bare-faced,  and  fearlefs.  God  was 
 then  more  terrible,  but  Mo/es  was  lefs  flrange.  This 
 was  his  firfr.  meeting  with  God :  further  acquaintance 
 makes  him  familiar,  and  familiarity  makes  him  bold. 
 Frequency  of  converfation  gives  us  freedom  of  accefs 
 to  God,  and  makes  us  pour  out  our  hearts  to  him  as 
 fully  and  as  fearlefsly  as  to  our  friends.  In  the  mean 
 time,  now  at  firfr.  he  made  not  fo  much  hafle  to  fee, 
 but  he  made  as  much  to  hide  his  eyes.  Twice  did 
 Mc/es  hide  his  face ;  once  for  the  glory  which  God 
 put  upon  him,  which  made  him  fo  mine,  that  he 
 could  not  be  beheld  of  others ;  once  for  God's  own 
 glory,  which  he  could  not  behold.  No  marvel.  Some 
 of  the  creatures  are  too  glorious  for  mortal  eyes  : 
 how  much  more,  when  God  appears  to  us  in  the  eafieft 
 manner,  mud  his  glory  needs  overcome  us !  Behold 
 the  difference  betwixt  our  prefent  and  future  eilate. 
 Then  the  more  majefly  of  appearance,  the  more  de- 
 light. When  our  fin  is  quite  gone,  all  our  fear  at 
 God's  prefence  fliall  be  turned  into  joy.  God  ap- 
 peared to  Adam  before  his  On  with  comfort,  but  in 
 the  fame  form,  which,  after  his  fin,  was  terrible.  And 
 if  Mo/ s  cannot  abide  to  look  upon  God's  glory,  when 
 he  defcends  to  us  in  mercy,  how  fhall  wicked  ones 
 abide  to  fee  his  fearful  prefence,  When  he  fets  upon 
 vengeance!  In  this  fire  he  flamed,  and  con  fumed  not; 
 but,  in  his  revenge,  our  God  is  a  confirming  fire. 
 
 Fir  ft,  Mo/es  hides  himfelf  in  fear,  now  in  modefty. 
 Who  am  I  f  None  in  all  Egypt  or  Midian  was 
 comparably  fit  for  this  embaffage.  "Which  of  the 
 J/aelites  had  been  brought  up  a  courtier,  a  fcholar, 
 an  I/raelite  by  blood,  by  education  an  Egyptian, 
 learned,     wife,     valiant,     experinced  ?      Yet,    Who 
 
 O  am 
 
io6         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 am  If  The  more  fit  any  man  is  for  whatfover  vo- 
 cation, the  lefs  he  thinks  himfelf.  Forwardnefs  ar- 
 gues infufHciency.  The  unworthy  thinks  {till,  Who 
 am  1  not  ?  Modeft  beginnings  give  hopeful  proceed- 
 ings, and  happy  endings.  Once  before,  Mofes  had 
 taken  upon  him,  and  laid  about  him  ;  hoping  then 
 they  would  have  known,  that  by  his  hand  God  meant 
 to  deliver  Ifrael :  but  'now,  when  it  comes  to  the 
 point,  Who  am  If  God's  bed  fervants  are  not  ever 
 in  an  equal  difpofition  to  good  duties.  If  we  find 
 differences  in  ourfelves  fometimcs,  it  argues  that  grace 
 is  not  our  own.  It  is  our  frailty,  that  thofe  fervices 
 which  we  are  forward  to  aloof  off,  we  flirink  at 
 near  hand,  and  fearfully  milgive.  How  many  of 
 us  can  bid  defiances  to  death,  and  fuggeft  aniwers 
 to  abfent  temptations,  which  when  they  come  home 
 to  us,  we  fly  off,  and  change  our  note,  and,  inftead 
 of  action,  expoitulate ! 
 
 C  o  n  t  e  m.    iv.      Of  the  plagues  of  Egypt. 
 
 IT  is  too  much  honour  for  flefh  and  blood  to  receive 
 a  meffage  from  heaven ;  yet  here  God  fends  a 
 meflage  to  man,  and  is  repulfed.  Well  may  God  aik, 
 "Who  is  man  that  1  mould  regard  him?  But  for  man 
 to  ask,  Who  is  the  Lord  ?  is  a  proud  and  bold  blaf- 
 phemy.  Thus  wild  is  nature  at  the  firil ;  but  ere 
 God  hath  done  with  Pharaoh,  he  will  be  known  of 
 him,  he  will  make  himfelf  known  by  him  to  all  the 
 "world.  God  might  have  iwept  him  away  fuddenly. 
 How  unworthy  is  he  of  life,  who,  wiih  the  fame 
 breath  that  he  receives,  denies  the  giver  of  it !  But 
 he  would  have  him  convinced,  ere  he  were  punifhed. 
 Firfl  therefore  he  works  miracles  before  him,  then 
 upon  him.  Pharaoh  was  now,  from  a  ffaff  of  pro- 
 tection »and  iuflentation  to  God's  people,  turned  to  a 
 ferpent  that  flung  them  to  death.  God  {hews  him- 
 felf, 
 
BOOK  IV.    Co  nt  em.  iv.  107 
 
 felf,  in  this  real  emblem,  doing  that  fuddenly  before 
 him,  which  Satan  had  wrought  in  him  by  leifure : 
 and  now,  when  he  crawls,  and  winds,  and  hiiTes, 
 threatening  peril  to  IfraeU  he  fhews  him  how  in  an 
 inftant  he  can  turn  him  into  a  fenfelefs  (tick,  and  make 
 him,  if  not  ufeful,  yet  fearlefs.  The  fame  God, 
 which  wrought  this,  gives  Satan  leave  to  imitate  it. 
 The  firfl  plague  that  he  meant  to  inflidtupon  Pharaoh, 
 is  delufion.  God  can  be  content  the  devil  fhould 
 win  himfelf  credit,  where  he  means  to  judge;  and 
 holds  the  honour  of  a  miracle  well  loft,  to  harden  an 
 enemy :  yet,  to  (hew  that  his  miracle  was  of  power, 
 the  others  of  permiffion,  Mofes  his  ferpent  devours 
 theirs.  How  eaiily  might  the  Egyptians  have  thought, 
 that  he,  which  caufed  their  ferpent  not  to  be,  could 
 have  kept  it  from  being :  and  that  they,  which  could 
 not  keep  their  ferpent  from  devouring,  could  not  fe- 
 cure  them  from  being  confumed  !  But  wife  thoughts 
 enter  not  into  thofe  that  mult  perifh.  All  God's 
 judgments  (land  ready,  and  wait  but  till  they  be  called 
 for.  They  need  but  a  watch-word  to  be  given  them. 
 No  fooner  is  the  rod  lift  up,  but  they  are  gone  forth 
 into  the  world  :  prefently  the  waters  run  into  blood  ; 
 the  frogs  and  lice  crawl  about,  and  all  the  other  troops 
 of  God  come  milling  in  upon  his  adverfaries.  All 
 creatures  confpire  to  revenge  the  injuries  of  God.  If 
 the  Egyptians  look  upward,  there  they  have  thunder, 
 lightning,  hail,  tempefts :  one  while  no  light  at  all"; 
 another  while  fuch  fearful  flafhes,  as  had  more  terror 
 than  darknefs.  If  they  look  under  them,  there  they 
 fee  their  waters  changed  into  blood,  their  earth 
 fwarming  with  frogs  and  graihoppers :  if  about  them, 
 one  while  the  flies  fill  their  eyes  and  ears ;  another 
 while  they  fee  their  fruits  deftroyed,  their  cattle  dy- 
 ing, their  children  dead.  If,  laftly,  they  look  upon 
 themfelves,  they  fee  themfelves  loathfome  with  lice ; 
 painful  and  deformed  with   fcabs,  biles  and  botches. 
 
 O  2  Firft, 
 
io8         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Firft,  God  begins  his  judgments  with  waters.  A3 
 the  river  of  Njfus  was  to  Egypt,  in  (lead  of  heaven, 
 to  moiften  and  fatten  the  earth ;  fo  their  confidence 
 was  more  in  it  than  in  heaven.  Men  are  fure  to  be 
 punifhcd  mod:,  and  fooneft,  in  that  which  they  make  a 
 corrival  witl}  God.  They  had  before  defiled  the 
 river  with  the  blood  of  innocents ;  and  now  it  ap- 
 pears to  them  in  his  own  colour.  The  waters  will 
 no  longer  keep  their  counfel.  Never  any  man  de- 
 lighted in  blood,  which  had  not  enough  of  it  ere  his 
 end  :  they  ihed  but  fome  few  dreams,  and  now  be- 
 hold whole  rivers  of  bleed.  Neither  was  this  more  a 
 monument  of  their  flaughter  pad,  than  an  image*  of 
 their  future  deflruction.  They  were  afterward  over- 
 whelmed in  the  red-fea:  and  now,  before-hand,  they 
 fee  the  rivers  red  with  blood.  How  dependent  and 
 ferviie  is  the  life  of  man,  that  cannot  either  want  ons 
 element,  or  endure  it  corrupted  !  It  is  hard  to  fay, 
 whether  there  were  more  horror,  or  annoyance  in 
 this  plague.  They  complain  of  thirft,  and  yet  doubt 
 whether  they  ihould  die,  or  quench  it  with  blood. 
 Their  fifh  (the  chief  part  of  their  fuftenance)  dies 
 with  infection,  and  infecteth  more  by  being  dead. 
 The  flench  of  both  is  ready  to  poifon  the  inhabitants  • 
 yet  Pharaoh's  curiofity  carries  him  away  quite  from 
 the  fenfe  of  the  judgment.  He  had  rather  fend  for 
 his  magicians  to  work  feats,  than  to  humble  himfelf, 
 under  God,  for  the  removal  of  this  plague ;  and  God 
 plagues  his  curiofity  with  deceit :  thofe  whom  he 
 trufts,  (hall  undo  him  with  prevailing.  The  glory  of 
 a  fecond  miracle  fhall  be  obfeured  by  a  falfe  imitation, 
 for  a  greater  glory  to  God  in  the  fequel. 
 
 The  rod  is  lift  up  again.  Behold,  that  Nitus,  which 
 they  had  before  adored,  was  never  fo  beneficial  as  it 
 is  now  troublefome ;  yielding  them  not  only  a  dead, 
 but  a  living  annoyance  :  it  never  did  fo  ftore  them 
 with  fifh,  as  it  now  plagues  them  with  frogs.     What- 
 
 foever 
 
BOOK    IV.      Contem.    IV.  t6y 
 
 sr  any  man  makes  his  god,  befides  the  true  one3 
 {lull  be  once  his  tormentor.  Thofe  loath fome  crea- 
 tures leave  their  own  element,  to  puniih  them  which 
 rebelliouily  detained  Ifrael  from  their  own.  No  bed; 
 no  table  can  be  free  from  them  :  their  dainty  ladies 
 cannot  keep  them  out  of  their  bofoms ;  neither  can 
 the  Egyptians  fooner  open  their  mouths,  than  they 
 are  ready  to  creep  into  their  throats :  as  if  they  would 
 tell  them,  that  they  came  on  purpofe  to  revenge  the 
 wrongs  of  their  Maker.  Yet  even  this  wonder  alfo  is 
 Satan  allowed  to  imitate.  Who  can  marvel  to  fee  the 
 belt  virtues  counterfeited  by  wicked  men,  when  he 
 (ccs  the  devil  emulating  the  miraculous  power  of 
 God  ?  The  feats  that  Satan  plays  may  harden,  but 
 cannot  benefit.  He  that  hath  leave  to  bring  frogs, 
 hath  neither  leave,  nor  power  to  take  them  away, 
 nor  to  take  away  the  flench  from  them.  To  bring 
 them,  was  but  to  add  to  the  judgment;  to  remove 
 them  was  an  act.  of  mercy.  God  doth  commonly  ufe 
 Satan  in  executing  of  judgment,  never  in  the  works 
 of  mercy  to  men. 
 
 i  Yet  even  by  thus  much  is  Pharaoh  hardened,  and 
 the  forcerers  grown  infolent.  When  the  devil  and 
 his  agents  are  in  the  height  of  their  pride,  God  {names 
 them  in  a  trifle.  The  rod  is  lift  up.  The  very  dull 
 receives  life.  Lice  abound  every  where,  and  make  no 
 difference  betwixt  beggars  and  princes.  Though  Pha- 
 raoh and  his  courtiers  abhorred  to  fee  themfeives  loufy, 
 yet  they  hoped  this  miracle  would  be  more  eafily 
 imitable:  but  now  the  greater  poffibilitv,  the  greater 
 foil.  How  are  the  great  wonder-mongers -of  Egypt 
 abafhed,  that  they  can  neither  make  lice  of  their  own, 
 nor  deliver  themfeives  from  the  lice  that  are  made ! 
 Thofe  that  could  make  ferpents  and  frogs,  could  no: 
 either  make,  or  kill  lice ;  to  mew  them  that  thofe  frogs 
 and  ferpents  were  not  their  own  workmanfhip.  Now 
 Pharaoh  mud   needs  fee  how  impotent  a  devil  he  fer- 
 
 yed, 
 
no        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ved,  that  could  not  make  that,  vermin,  which  every 
 day  rifes  voluntarily  out  of  corruption,  pannes  and 
 ^ambres  cannot  now  make  thofe  lice,  (fo  much  as  by 
 deiufion)  which,  at  another  time,  they  cannot  chufe' 
 but  produce  unknowing,  and  which  now  they  cannot 
 avoid.  That  fpirit,  which  is  powerful  to  execute  the 
 greater!:  things  when  he  is  bidden,  is  unable  to  do  the 
 lead  when  he  is  reflrained.  Now  thefe  corrivals  of 
 Mcfes  can  fay,  This  is  the  finger  of  God.  Ye 
 foolilli  inchanters,  was  God's  finger  in  the  lice,  not 
 in  the  frogs,  not  in  the  blood,  not  in  the  ferpent  ? 
 And  why  was  it  rather  in  the  lefs,  than  in  the  greater  ? 
 becaufe  ye  did  imitate  the  other,  not  thefe,  as  if  the 
 fame  finger  of  God  had  not  been  before  in  your  imi- 
 tation, which  was  now  in  your  reflraint ;  as  if  ye 
 could  have  failed  in  thefe,  if  ye  had  not  been  only 
 permitted  the  other.  Whiles  'wicked  minds  have  their 
 full  fcope,  they  never  look  up  above  themfelves ;  but 
 when  once  God  crolfes  them  in  their  proceedings, 
 their  want  of  fuccefs  teaches  them  to  give  God  his 
 own.  All  thefe  plagues,  perhaps,  had  more  horror 
 than  pain  in  them.  The  frogs  creep  upon  their 
 clothes,  the  lice  upon  their  fkins :  but  thofe  flinging 
 hornets,  which  fucceed  them,  (hall  wound  and  kill. 
 The  water  was  annoyed  with  the  firfl  plague,  the 
 earth  with  the  fecond  and  third ;  this  fourth  fills  the 
 air,  and,  befides  corruption,  brings  fmart.  And  that 
 they  may  fee  this  winged  army  comes  from  an  angry 
 God,  (not  either  from  nature,  or  chance)  even  the 
 very  flies  fhall  make  a  difference  betwixt  Egypt  and 
 Gojbcn.  He,  which  gave  them  their  being,  fets 
 them  their  flint.  They  cannot  more  fling  an  Ifrael- 
 ite,  than  favour  an  Egyptian.  The  very  wings  of 
 flies  are  directed  by  a  providence,  and  do  acknow- 
 ledge their  limits.  Now  Pharaoh  finds  how  impof- 
 fible  it  is  for  him  to  Hand  out  with  God,  fince  all  his 
 power  cannot  refcue  him  from  lice  and  flies. 
 
 And 
 
BOOK  IV.    CoNTEM.   IV.  Ill 
 
 And  now  his  heart  begins  to  thaw  a  little :  Go, 
 do  facrifice  to  your  God  in  this  land ;  or,  (fince  that 
 will  not  be  accepted)  go  into  the  wildernefs,  hut  not 
 far.  But  how  foon  it  knits  again !  Good  thoughts 
 make  but  a  thoroughfare  of  carnal  hearts,  they  can 
 never  fettle  there;  yea,  his  very  mifgiving  hardens 
 him  the  more,  that  now  neither  the  murrain  of 
 his  cattle,  nor  the  botches  of  his  fervants  can  ftir 
 him  a  whit.  He  faw  his  cattle  {truck  dead  with  a 
 fudden  contagion;  he  faw  his  forcerers  (after  their 
 conteftation  with  God's  meflengers)  ftruck  with  a 
 fcab  in  their  very  faces,  and  yet  his  heart  is  not  ftruck. 
 Who  would  think  it  poflible,  that  any  foul  could  be  fe- 
 cure  in  the  midft  of  fuch  variety  and  frequence  of 
 judgments  I  Thefe  very  plagues  have  not  more  won- 
 der in  them,  than  their  fuccefs  hath.  To  what  an 
 height  of  obduration  will  (in  lead  a  man,  and,  of  all 
 fins,  incredulity  1  Amidft  all  thefe  itorms  Pharaoh 
 flfeepeth,  till  the  voice  of  God's  mighty  thunders,  and 
 hail  mixed  with  fire,  roufed  him  up  a  little. 
 
 Now,  as  betwixt  ileeping  and  waking,  he  ftarts  up, 
 and  fays,  God  is  righteous,  I  am  wicked;  Mofes, 
 fray  for  us  ;  and  prefently  lays  down  his  head  a- 
 gain.  God  hath  no  fooner  done  thundering,  than  he 
 hath  done  fearing.  All  this  while  you  never  find  him 
 careful  to  prevent  any  one  evil,  but  defirous  ftill  to 
 fliift  it  off,  when  he  feels  it ;  never  holds  conffant  to 
 any  good  motion  ;  never  prays  for  himfelf,  but  care- 
 lefsly  wills  Mofes  and  Aaron  to  pray  for  him  ;  never 
 yields  God  his  whole  demand,  but  higgleth  and  dodg- 
 eth,  like  fome  hard  chapmen,  that  would  get  a  re- 
 leafe  with  the  cheapeft.  Firft,  They  (hall  not  go; 
 then,  Go,  and  facrifice,  but  in  Egypt ;  next,  Go  facri- 
 fice in  the  wildernefs,  but  not  far  off;  after,  Go  ye 
 that  are  men  ;  then,  Go  you  and  your  children  only ; 
 at  lad,  Go  all  fave  your  flieep  and  cattle.  Wherefo- 
 ever  mere  nature  is,  ihe  is  ftiil  improvident  of  future 
 
 good, 
 
M2         CONTE  MP  LATIONS, 
 
 good,  fenfible  of  prefent  evil,  inconftant  in  good  pur- 
 poles,  unable  through  unacquaintance ,  and  unwiU 
 ling  to  fpeak  for  herfelf ;  niggardly  in  her  grants,  and 
 uncheerful.  The  plague  of  the  grafhoppcrs  flartled 
 him  a  little,  and  the  more  through  the  importunity  of 
 his  Tenants ;  for  when  he  ccnfidered  the  fi(h  deftroyed 
 with  the  firft  blow,  the  cattle  with  the  fifth,  the  corn 
 with  the  feventh,  the  fruit  and  leaves  with  this  eight, 
 and  nothing  now  left  him  but  a  bare  fruitlcfs  earth  to 
 ]iTe  upon,  (and  that  covered  over  with  locufts)  ne- 
 ceility  drove  him  to  relent  for  an  advantage :  Forgive 
 me  this  once ;  take  from  me  this  death  only. 
 
 But  as  conft  rained  repentance  is  ever  ihort  and  un- 
 found,  the  weft- wind,  together  with  the  graihoppers, 
 blows  away  his  rcmorfe;  and  now  is  he  ready  for  an- 
 other judgment.  As  the  graihoppers  took  away  the 
 Tight  cf  the  earth  from  him,  fo  now  a  grofs  darknefs 
 takes  away  the  fight  of  heaven  too.  Other  darknciTes 
 were  but  privative,  this  was  real  and  fcnfible.  The 
 Egyptians  thought  this  night  long,  (hew  could  they 
 thufe,  when  it  was  fix  in  one  ?)  and  fo  much  the  more, 
 for  that  no  man  could  rife  to  talk  with  other,  but  was 
 recelfarily  confined  to  his  own  thoughts.  One  thinks 
 the  fault  in  his  own  eyes,  which  he  rubs  oftentimes  in 
 vain.  Others  think,  that  the  fun  is  loft  out  of  the  fir- 
 mament, and  is  new  withdrawn  for  ever :  others, 
 that  all  things  are  returning  to  their  firft  confufion  : 
 all  think  themfelves  miferable,  paft  remedy,  and  wifti 
 (whatsoever  had  befaln  them)  that  they  might  have 
 had  but  light  enough  to  fee  themfelves  die. 
 
 Now  Pharaoh  proves  like  to  fome  beads  that  grow 
 mad  with  baiting.  Grace  often  refifted  turns  to  def- 
 peratenefs.  Get  thee  from  me,  lock  thou  fee  my 
 face  no  more ;  nvhenfoever  thou  ccmejl  in  my  fight, 
 thou  fialt  die.  As  if  Mofes  could  not  plague  him 
 as  well  in  abfence ;  as  if  he  that  could  not  take 
 *tway    the  lice,    flies,    frogs,   graflioppers,   could,   at 
 
 his 
 
BOOK  IV.  Contem.  iv.  113 
 
 his  pleafure,  take  away  the  life  of  Mofes  that  procu- 
 red them.  What  is  this  but  to  run  upon  the  judgments, 
 and  run  away  from  the  remedies  ?  Evermore,  when 
 God's  meffengers  are  abandoned,  deftruction  is  near. 
 Mofes  will  fee  him  no  more,  till  he  fee  him  dead  upon 
 the  fands ;  but  God  will  now  vifit  him  more  than  ever. 
 The  fearfulleft  plagues  God  ftill  referves  for  the  up- 
 fhot :  all  the  former  do  but  make  way  for  the  laft. 
 Pharaoh  may  exclude  Mofes  and  Aaron,  but  God's 
 angel  he  cannot  exclude.  Infenfible  meffengers  are 
 ufed,  when  the  vifible  are  debarred. 
 
 Now  God  begins  to  call  for  the  blood  they  owed 
 him  :  in  one  night  every  houfe  hath  a  carcafe  in  it, 
 and,  which  is  more  grievous,  of  their  firft-born,  and, 
 which  is  yet  more  fearful,  in  an  infrant.  No  man 
 could  comfort  another;  every  man  was  too  full  of  his 
 own  forrow,  helping  rather  to  make  the  noife  of  the 
 lamentation  more  doleful  and  afr.omihmg.  How  foon 
 hath  God  changed  the  note  of  this  tyrannical  people ! 
 Egypt  was  never  fo  ftubborn  in  denying  paffage  to  If 
 rael,  as  now  importunate  to  entreat  it.  Pharaoh  did 
 not  more  force  them  to  (lay  before,  than  now  to  de- 
 part :  whom  lately  they  would  not  permit,  now  they 
 hire  to  go.  Their  rich  jewels  of  filver  and  gold  were 
 not  too  dear  for  them,  whom  they  hated  ;  how  much 
 rather  had  they  to  fend  them  away  wealthy,  than  to 
 have  them  ilay  to  be  their  executors !  Their  love  to 
 themfelves  obtained  of  them  the  enriching  of  their  e- 
 nemies ;  and  now  they  are  glad  to  pay*tbem  well  for 
 their  old  woric,  and  their  prefer. t  journey.  God's 
 people  had  (laid  like  {laves ;  they  go  away  like  con- 
 querors, with  the  fpcil  of  thofe  that  hated  them,  arm- 
 ed for  fecurity,  and  wealthy  for  maintenance. 
 
 Old  JacoFs  feventy  fouls  which  he  brought  down 
 into  Egypt,  in  fpite  of  their  bondage  and  bloodihed, 
 go  forth  fix  hundred  thoufand  men,  befides  children. 
 The  world  is  well  mended  with  Ifrael,  lince  he  went 
 
 Yol.  I.  P  with 
 
1 1 4         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 with  his  ftafF  and  his  fcrin  over  Jordan.  Tyranny  13 
 too  weak,  where  God  bids  Increafe  and  multiply. 
 I  know  not  where  elfe  the  good  herb  over-grows  the 
 weeds;  the  church  out-ftrips  the  world.  I  fear,  if 
 they  had  lived  in  eafe  and  delicacy,  they  had  not  been 
 fo  ftrong,  fo  numerous.  Never  any  true  Ifraelite  loifc 
 f>y  his  afflf&ion.  Not  only  for  the  action,  but  the 
 time,  Pharaoh's  choice  meets  with  God's.  That  very 
 night,  when  the  hundred  and  thirty  years  were  ex- 
 pired, If-ael  is  gone  :  Pharaoh  neither  can,  nor  can 
 will  ro  keep  them  any  longer;  yet  in  this,  not  fulfil- 
 ling God's  will,  but  his  own.  How  fweetly  doth  God 
 difpofe  of  all  fecond  caufes,  that,  whiles  they  do  their 
 own  will,  tbey  do  his ! 
 
 The  Ifraelites  are  equally  glad  of  this  hafte.  Who 
 would  not  be  ready  to  go,  yea  to  fly  out  of  bondage  ? 
 They  have  what  they  wifhed ;  it  was  no  (laying  for 
 a  fecond  invitation.  The  lofs  of  an  opportunity  is 
 many  times  unrecoverable.  The  love  of  their  liberty 
 made  the  burden  of  their  dough  light.  Who  knew 
 whether  the  variable  mind  of  Pharaoh  might  return  to 
 a  denial,  and,  after  all  his  ftubbornnefs,  repent  of 
 his  obedience  ?  It  is  foolifh  to  hazard,  where  there  is 
 certainty  of  good  oilers,  and  uncertainty  of  continu- 
 ance. They  go  therefore ;  and  the  fame  God  that 
 fetcht  them  out,  -is  both  their  guide  and  protector. 
 How  carefully  doth  he  chufe -their  way  !  not  the  near- 
 er, but  the  fafer.  He  would  not  have  his  people  fo 
 fuddenly  change  from  bondage  to  war. 
 
 It  is  the  wondrous  mercy  of  God,  that  he  hath  re- 
 fpect,  as  to  his  own  glory,  fo  to  our  infirmities.  He 
 intends  them  wars  hereafter,  but  after  fome  longer 
 breathing,  and  more  preparation ;  his  goodnefs  fo  or- 
 ders all,  that  evils  are  not  ready  for  us,  til!  we  be 
 ready  for  them.  And  as  he  chufes,  fo  he  guides  their 
 way.  That  they  might  not  err  in  that  fandy  and  im- 
 trafted   wildernefs,   himfelf  goes  before  them :    who 
 
 could 
 
BOOK  IV.    Contem.  iv.  115 
 
 could  but  follow  cheerfully,  when  he  fees  God  lead 
 hiii!  He  that  led  the  wife  men  by  a  ftar,  leads  Ifraet 
 by  a  cloud.  That  was  an  higher  obj  <St,  therefore  he 
 gives  them  an  higher  and  more  heavenly  co.iducl :  this 
 was  more  earthly,  therefore  he  contents  himfeif  with 
 a  lower  reprefentation  oi  his  prefence ;  a  pillar  of 
 cloud  and  fire  :  a  pillar  for  tirmnefs,  of  cloud  and  fire 
 for  vifibility  and  ufe.  The  greater  ii  ;ht  exringuifhes  the 
 kfs ;  therefore  in  the  day  he  (hews  them  not  fire,  but 
 a  cloud.  In  the  night  nothing  is  fecn  without  light; 
 therefore  he  lb  ws  the  n  not  the  cloud,  but  fire,  f  he 
 cloud  (helters  the  m  from  heat  by  day ;  the  fire  digefts 
 the  rawneis  of  the  night.  i  he  fame  God  is  both  a 
 cloud  and  a  fire  to  his  children,  ever  putting  himidf 
 into  thofe  forms  of  gracious  refpcc'ts  that  may  belt  fit 
 their  neceilities. 
 
 As  good  motions  are  long  ere  they  can  enter  into 
 hard  hearts,  fo  they  feidom  continue  long.  No  foon- 
 cr  were  the  backs  of  Ijrael  turned  to  depart,  than 
 Pharaoh**  heart  and  face  is  turned  after  them,  to  fetch 
 them  back  again.  It  vexes  him  to  fee  fo  great  a  com- 
 mand, fo  much  wealth,  call  away  in  one  night,  which 
 now  he  refolves  to  redeem,  though  with  more  plagues. 
 The  fame  ambition  and  covetouinefs,  that  made  him 
 wear  out  fo  many  judgments,  will  not  leave  him,  till 
 it  have  wrought  out  his  full  deftrucYion.  All  God's 
 vengeances  have  their  end,  the  final  perdition  of  his 
 enemies,  which  they  cannot  reft  till  they  have  attain- 
 ed. Pharaoh  therefore,  and  his  Egyptians,  will  needs 
 go  fetch  their  bane.  They  well  knew  that  Ifrael  was 
 fitter  to  ferve  than  to  fight ;  weary  with  their  fervi- 
 tude,  not  trained  up  to  war,  not  furniihed  with  pro- 
 vifion  for  a  field  <  themfelves,  captains  and  foldiers 
 by  profeffion,  furnifhed  with  horfes  and*  chariots  of 
 war.  They  gave  themfelves  therefore  the  victory 
 before-hand,  and  Ifrael  either  for  fpoil  or  bandage. 
 Yea,  the  weak  Ifraeiites  gave  up  themfelves  for  deada 
 
 P  z  an4 
 
n6        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 and  are  already  talking  of  their  graves.  They  fee 
 the  fea  before  them,  behind  them  the  Egyptians : 
 they  know  not  whether  is  more  mercilefs,  and  are 
 ftricken  with  the  fear  of  both.  O  God,  how  couldft 
 thou  forbear  fo  diftruflful  a  people!  They  had  feen 
 all  thy  wonders  in  Egypt,  and  in  their  Gojben ;  they 
 faw  even  now  thy  pillar  before  them,  and  yet  they 
 did  more  fear  Egypt  than  believe  thee.  Thy  pati- 
 ence is  no  lefs  miracle  than  thy  deliverance.  But 
 inflead  of  removing  from  them,  the  cloudy  pillar  re- 
 moves behind  them,  and  (lands  betwixt  the  Ijraelites 
 and  Egyptians  ;  as  if  God  would  have  faid,  they  fhall 
 firfl  overcome  me,  O  Ijrael,  ere  they  touch  thee. 
 "Wonder  did  now  juflly  ilrive  with  fear  in  the  IJrael- 
 ites ;  when  they  faw  the  cloud  remove  behind  them, 
 and  the  fea  remove  before  them.  They  were  not 
 ufed  to  fuch  bulwarks.  God  flood  behind  them  in 
 the  cloud,  the  fea  reared  them  up  walls  on  both  fides 
 of  them.  That,  which  they  feared  would  be  their  de- 
 itruction,  protected  them.  How  eafiiy  can  God  make 
 the  cruelieil  of  his  creatures  both  our  friends  and  pa- 
 trons ! 
 
 \et  here  was  faith  mixed  with  unbelief.  He  was 
 a  bold  IfraeUte  that  fet  the  firil  foot  into  the  channel 
 of  the  fea :  and  every  ftep  that  they  fet,  in  that  moifl 
 way,  was  a  new  exercife  of  their  faith.  Pharaoh  fees 
 all  this,  and  wonders ;  yet  hath  not  the  wit  or  grace 
 to  think,  (though  the  pillar  tells  him  fo  much)  that 
 God  made  a  difference  betwixt  him  and  lfrael.  He 
 is  offended  with  the  fea,  for  giving  way  to  his  ene- 
 mies, and  yet  fees  not  why  he  may  not  trufl  it  as  well 
 as  they.  He  might  weil  have  thought,  that  he  which 
 gave  light  in  Gofien,  when  there  was  darknefs  in 
 Egypt,  couid  as  well  diilinguifh  in  the  fea ;  but  he 
 cannot  now  either  conuder,  or  fear :  it  is  his  time  to 
 perifli.  God  makes  him  fair  way,  and  lets  him  run 
 fmoothly  on,  till  he  be  come  to  the  midft  of  the  fea ; 
 
 not 
 
BOOK  IV.  Ccntem.  rv.  117 
 
 not  one  wave  may  rife  up  againif  him,  to  wet  io  much 
 as  the  hoof  of  his  horfe.  Extraordinary  favours  to 
 wicked  men  are  the  forerunners  of  their  tuin. 
 
 Now,  when  God  fees  the  Egyptians  too  far  to  re- 
 turn, he  finds  time  to  flrike  them  with  their  lair,  terror. 
 They  know  not  why,  but  they  would  return  t.  o  late. 
 Thole  chariots,  in  which  they  truited,  now  tail  them  ; 
 as  having  done  fervice  enough,  to  carry  them  into 
 perdition.  God  purfues  them,  and  they  cannot  flee 
 from  him.  Wicked  men  make  equal  halte,  both  to 
 fin,  and  from  judgment :  but  they  fhall  one  day  find, 
 that  it  is  not  more  eafy  to  run  into  (in,  than  impoflible 
 to  run  away  from  judgment :  The  fea  will  (hew  them, 
 that  it  regards  the  rod  of  Mofes,  not  the  fceptre  of 
 Pharaob  ;  and  now  (as  glad  to  have  got  the  enemies 
 of  God  at  fuch  an  advantage)  (huts  her  mouth  upon 
 them,  and  fwallows  them  up  in  her  waves ;  and,  after 
 ihe  hath  made  iport  with  them  a  while,  calls  them 
 upon  her  fand,  for  a  fpeclacle  of  triumph  to  their  ad- 
 veriaries. 
 
 What  a  fight  was  this  to  the  Ifraelltes,  when  they 
 were  now  fafe  on  the  more,  to  fee  their  enemies 
 come  floating  after  them  upon  the  billows,  and  to 
 find,  among  the  carcafes  upon  the  lands,  their  known 
 oppreffors,  which  now  they  can  tread  upon  with  in- 
 fultation !  They  did  not  cry  more  loud  before,  than 
 now  they  fmg.  Not  their  faith,  but  their  fenfe, 
 teaches  them  now  to  magnify  that  God.  after  their 
 de!ivcrance,  whom  they  hardly  truiied  for  their  de- 
 liverance. 
 
 BOOK 
 
1 1 8        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 BOOK    FIFTH. 
 
 Contem.   i.     The  waters  of  Marah. 
 
 ISrael  was  not  more  loath  to  come  to  the  red- 
 fea,  than  to  part  from  it.  How  foon  can  God  turn 
 the  horror  of  any  e\il  into  pleafure!  One  more 
 refounded  with  fhrieks  of  fear ;  the  other  with  tim- 
 brels, and  dances,  and  fongs  of  deliverance.  Every 
 main  affliction  is  our  red-fea,  which,  while  it  threats  to 
 fwailow,  p'retefves  us.  At  lad  our  iongs  {hall  be 
 louder  than  our  cries.  The  IJ'raelitiJb  dames,  when 
 they  faw  their  danger,  thought  rhry  might  have  left 
 their  timbrels  behind  them.  How  unprofitable  a  bur- 
 den feemed  thofe  inftruments  of  mufic  !  Yet  now 
 the)  live  to  renew  that  forgotten  minftrelfy  and  dan- 
 cing, which  their  bondage  had  lo  long  diicontinur.d  : 
 and  well  might  thofe  feet  dance  upon  the  lhore,  which 
 had  walked  through  the  fea.  The  land  of  Go/ben 
 was  not  fo  bountiful  to  them,  as  thefe  waters :  that 
 afforded  them  a  fervile  life;  this  gave  them  at  once 
 freedom,  victory,  riches,  be! cowing  upon  them  the 
 remainder  of  that  wealth  which  the  Egyptians  had 
 but  lent.  It  was  a  pleafure  to  fee  the  floating  car- 
 cafes  of  their  adverfaries ;  and  every  day  offers  them 
 new  booties :  it  is  no  marvel  then  if  their  hearts  were 
 tied  to  thefe  banks.  If  we  find  but  a  little  pleafure 
 in  our  life,  we  are  ready  to  doat  upon  it.  Every 
 fmall  contentment  glues  our  affections  to  that  we  like  ; 
 and  if  here  our  imperfect  delights  hold  us  fo  fa  ft  that 
 we  would  not  be  loofed,  how  forcible  ftiail  thole  in- 
 finite joys  be  above,  when  our  fouls  are  once  poffeffed 
 of  them ! 
 
 Yet,  if  the  phce  had   pleafed   them  more,  it  is  no 
 marvel   they  were  willing   to  follow  Mofes ;  that  they 
 durft  follow  him  in  the  wiidernefs,  whom  they  follow- 
 ed 
 
BOOK    V.      Contem.    I.  119 
 
 ed  through  the  fea.  It  is  a  great  confirmation  to  any 
 people,  when  they  have  feen  the  hand  of  God  with 
 their  guide.  O'Saviour,  which  halt  undertaken  to 
 carry  me  from  the  fpi ritual  Egypt,  to  the  land  of  pro- 
 mife,  how  faithful,  how  powerful  have  1  found  thee ! 
 how  fearlefly  ihould  I  truft  thee!  how  cheerfully 
 fliould  I  follow  thee  through  contempt,  poverty, 
 death  itfelf !  Miller,  if  it  be  thou,  bid  us  come  unto 
 thee. 
 
 Immediately  before,  they  had  complained  of  too 
 much  water;  now  thev  go  three  days  without.  Thus 
 God  meant  to  puni  h  their  infidelitv,  with  the  defect 
 of  that,  whofe  abundance  made  them  to  diftruft.  Be- 
 fore, they  faw  all  water,  no  land  ;  now,  all  dry  and 
 dufty  land,  and  no  water.  Extremities  a/e  the  bed 
 trials  of  men  ;  as  in  bodies,  thofe,  that  can  bear  fud- 
 den changes  of  heats  and  cold  without  complaint,  are 
 the  ftrongeft.  So  much  as  an  evil  touches  upon  the 
 mean,  fo  much  help  it  yields  towards  patience.  Eve- 
 ry degree  of  forrowjs  a  preparation  of  the  next :  but 
 when  we  pafs  to  extremes  without  the  mean,  we 
 want  the  benefit  of  recollection,  and  muft  truft  to  our 
 prefent  ftrength.  To  come  from  ali  things  to  nothing, 
 is  not  a  defcent,  but  a  downfal ;  and  it  is  a  rare 
 ftrength  and  conftancy,  not  to  be  maimed  at  lead. 
 Thefe  headlong  evils,  as  they  are  the  foreft,  fo  they 
 muft  be  moft  provided  for;  as,  on  the  contrary,  a  fudden 
 advancement,  from  a  low  condition  to  the  height  of 
 honour,  is  moft  hard  to  manage.  No  man  can  marvel 
 how  that  tyrant  blinded  his  captives,  when  he  hears 
 that  he  brought  them  immediately  out  of  a  dark  dun- 
 geon, into  rooms  that  were  made  bright  and  glorious. 
 We  are  not  worthy  to  know  for  what  we  are  referved. 
 No  evil  can  amaze  us,  if  we  can  overcome  fudden  ex- 
 tremities. 
 
 The  long  deferring  of  a  good,  though  tedious,  yet 
 makes  it  the  better  when  it  comes.     Weil  did    the 
 
 Ifraelites 
 
120         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 lfraelrtes  hope,  that  the  waters,  which  were  fo  long  in 
 finding,  would  be  precious  when  they  were  found  : 
 yet  behold  they  are  crofled,  not  only  in  their  defires, 
 but  in  their  hopes;  for,  after  three  days  travel,  the 
 firft  fountains  they  find  are  bitter  waters.  If  thefe 
 wells  had  not  run  pure  gall,  they  could  not  have  lb 
 much  complained.  Long  thirft  will  make  bitter  wa- 
 ters fweet.  Yet  fuch  were  thefe  fprings,  that  the  If- 
 radites  did  not  fo  much  like  their  moifture,  as  abhor 
 their  reliih.  I  fee  the  fir  ft  handfel  that  God  gives 
 them,  in  their  vovage  to  the  land  of  promife,  thirft 
 and  bitternefs.  Satan  gives  us  pleafant  entrances  in- ' 
 to  his  ways,  and  referves  the  bitternefs  for  the  end. 
 God  enures  us  to  our  worft  at  firft,  and  fweetens  our 
 conclufion  with  pleafure. 
 
 The  fame  God,  that  would  not  lead  Ifrael  through 
 the  Fhiliftines  land,  left  ihey  fhould  (hrink  at  the  fight 
 of  war,  now  leads  through  the  wildernefs,  and  fears 
 not  to  try  their  patience  with  bitter  potions.  If  he 
 had  not  loved  them,  the  Egyptian  furnace,  or  fword, 
 had  prevented  their  thirft,  or  that  fea  whereof  their 
 enemies  drunk  dead  ;  and  yet  fee  how  he  diets  them  ! 
 Never  any  have  had  fo  bitter  draughts  upon  earth,  as 
 thofe  he  loves  beft.  The  palate  is  an  ill  judge  of  the 
 favours  of  God.  O  my  Saviour,  thou  didft  drink  a 
 more  bitter  cup  from  the  hands  of  thy  Father,  than 
 that  which  thou  refufedft  of  the  fews,  or  than  that 
 which  I  can  drink  from  thee  ! 
 
 Before,  they  could  not  drink  if  they  would  ;  now, 
 they  might  and  would  not.  God  can  give  us  bleffmgs 
 with  fuch  a  tang,  that  the  fruition  mall  not  much  dif- 
 fer from  the  want.  So  many  a  one  hath  riches,  not 
 grace  to  ufe  them ;  many  have  children,  but  fuch  as 
 they  prefer  barrennefs.  They  had  faid  before.  Oh 
 that  we  had  any  water  !  Now,  Oh  that  we  had  good  wa- 
 ter !   It  is  good  fo  to  defire  bleftlngs  from  God,  that 
 
 we 
 
BOOK    V.       CONTEM    I.  121 
 
 we  may  be  tjie  better  for  enjoying  them  ;  fo  to  crave 
 water,  that  it  may  not  be  fauced  with  bitternefs. 
 
 Now,  thefe  fond  Ifraelites,  inftead  of  praying,  mur- 
 mur ;  inftead  of  praying  to  God,  murmur  againft  Mo- 
 fes. What  hath  the  righteous  done?  He  made  not 
 either  the  wildernefs  dry,  or  the  waters  bitter  ;  yea, 
 if  his  conduct  were  the  matter,  what  one  foot  went 
 he  before  them  without  God  ?  The  pillar  led  them, 
 and  not  he ;  yet  Mofes  is  murmured  at.  It  is  the  hard 
 condition  of  authority,  that  when  the  multitude  fare 
 well,  they  appl?ud  themfelves  ;  when  ill,  they  repine 
 againft  their  governors.  Who  can  hope  to  be  free, 
 if  Mofes  efcape  not  ?  Never  any  prince  fo  merited  of 
 a  people.  He  thruft  himfelf  upon  the  pikes  of  Pha- 
 raoh's tyranny.  He  brought  them  from  a  bondage 
 worfe  than  death.  His  rod  divided  the  fea,  and  (ha- 
 red  life  to  them,  death  to  their  purfuers.  Who 
 would  not  have  thought  thefe  men  fo  obliged  to  Mo- 
 fes, that  no  death  could  have  opened  their  mouths, 
 or  railed  their  hands  againft  him  ?  Yet  now,  the  firfl 
 occafion  of  want  makes  them  rebel.  No  benefit  can 
 ft  op  the  mouth  of  impatience.  If  our  turn  be  not 
 ferved  for  the  prefent,  former  favours  are  either  for- 
 gotten or  contemned.  No  marvel  if  we  deal  fo  with 
 men,  when  God  receives  this  meafure  from  us.  One 
 Jrar  of  famine,  one  funnier  of  peftilence,  one  moon 
 of  unfeafonable  weather,  makes  us  over-look  all  the 
 bleffings  of  God  ;  and  more  to  mutiny  at  the  fenfe  of 
 our  evil,  than  to  praife  him  for  our  varieties  of  good: 
 whereas,  favours  well  beftowed  leave  us  both  mind- 
 ful and  confident,  and  will  not  fuffer  us  either  to  for- 
 get or  diftruft.  O  God,  I  have  made  an  ill  ufe  of 
 thy  mercies,  if  I  have  not  learned  to  be  content  with 
 thy  corrections. 
 
 Mofes  was  in  the  fame  want  of  water  with  them, 
 in  the  fame  diftafte  of  bitternefs ;  and  yet  they  fay  to 
 Mofes,  What  (hall  we  drink  ?     If  they  had  feen  him 
 
 Vol.  I.  (^  furnifhed 
 
i2i         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 furniflied  with  full  veffels  of  fweet  water,  and  them- 
 felves  put  over  to  this  unfavoury  liquor,  envy  might 
 have  given  fome  colour  to  this  mutiny ;  but  now  their 
 leader's  common  mifer.y  might  have  freed  him  from 
 their  murmurs.  They  held  it  one  piece  of  the  lare 
 Egyptian  tyranny,  that  a  talk  was  required  of  them 
 (which  the  impofers  knew  they  could  not  perform)  to 
 make  brick  when  they  had  no  draw  ;  yet  they  fay  to 
 Mofes  9  What  ihall  we  drink?  Themf elves  are  grown 
 exactors,  and  are  ready  to  menace  more  than  ftripes, 
 if  they  have  not  their  ends  without  means.  Mofes 
 took  not  upon  him  their  provifion,  but  their  deliver- 
 ance ;  and  yet,  as  if  he  had  been  the  common  victual- 
 ler of  the  camp,  they  aik,  What  fliall  we  drink  ? 
 When  want  meets  with  impatient  minds,  it  tranfports 
 them  to  fury  ;  every  thing  difquiets,  and  nothing  fa- 
 tisfies  them. 
 
 What  courfe  doth  Mofes  now  take  ?  That  which 
 they  mould  have  done,  and  did  not.  They  cried  not 
 more  fervently  to  him,  than  he  to  God.  If  he  were 
 their  leader,  God  was  his.  That  which  they  unjuftiy 
 required  of  him,  he  juftly  requires  of  God  that  could 
 do  it.  He  knew  whence  to  look  for  redrefs  of  all 
 complaints:  this  was  not  his  charge,  but  his  Maker's, 
 which  wTas  able  to  maintain  his  own  act.  I  fee  and 
 acknowledge  the  harbour  that  we  muft  put  into,  in 
 all  our  ill  weather.  It  is  to  thee,  O  Gcd,  that  we 
 muft  pour  out  our  hearts,  which  only  canil  make  our 
 bitter  waters  fweet. 
 
 Might  not  that  rod,  which  took  away  the  liquid 
 nature  from  the  waters,  and  made  them  folid,  have 
 alfo  taken  away  the  bitter  quality  from  thefe  waters, 
 and  made  them  fweet,  fmce  to  How  is  natural  unto 
 the  water,  to  be  bitter  is  but  accidental  ?  Mofes  durft 
 not  employ  his  rod  without  a  precept ;  he  knew  the 
 power  came  from  the  commandment.  We  may  not 
 prefume  on  likelihoods,  but  depend  upon  warrants : 
 
 therefore 
 
BOOK  V.     Conte  m.  i.  123 
 
 therefore  Mofes  doth  not  lift  up  his  rod  to  the  waters, 
 but  his  hand  and  voice  to  God. 
 
 The  hand  of  faith  never  knocked  at  heaven  in  vain. 
 No  fooner  hath  Mofes  ihewed  his  grievance,  than 
 God  (hews  him  the  remedy  ;  yet  an  unlikely  one, 
 that  k  might  be  miraculous.  He  mat  made  the  wa- 
 ters, could  have  given  them  any  favour.  How  eafy 
 is  it  for  him  that  made  the  matter,  to  alter  the  quality  I 
 It  is  not  more  hard  to  take  away  than  to  give.  Who 
 doubts  but  the  fame  hand  that  created  them,  might 
 have  immediately  changed  them  ?  Yet  that  almighty 
 power  will  do  it  by  means.  A  piece  of  wood  muft 
 fweeten  the  waters.  What  relation  hath  wood  to 
 water  ?  or  that  which  hath  no  favour,  to  the  redrefe 
 of  bitternefs  ?  Yet  here  is  no  more  poffibility  of  fail- 
 ing, than  proportion  to  the  fuccefs.  All  things  are 
 fubjeft  to  the  command  of  their  Maker.  He  that 
 made  all  of 'nothing,  can  make  every  thing  of  any 
 thing.  There  is  fo  much  power  in  every  creature,  as 
 he  will  pieafe  to  give.  It  is  the  praife  of  Omnipotency 
 to  work  by  improbabilities ;  Elijhu  with  fait,  Mofes 
 with  wood,  fhall  fweeten  the  bitter  waters.  Let  no 
 man  defpife  the  means,  when  he  knows  the  author. 
 
 God  taught  his  people  by  actions,  as  well  as  words. 
 This  entrance  mewed  them  their  whole  journey, 
 wherein  they  mould  tafle  of  much  bitternefs  ;  but  at 
 lad,  through  the  mercy  of  God,  fweetened  with  com- 
 fort :  Or  did  it  not  reprefent  themfeives  rather  in  the 
 journey,  in  the  fountains  of  whofe  hearts  were  the 
 bitter  waters  of  manifold  corruptions  ?  yet  their  un- 
 favoury  fouls  are  fweetened  by  the  graces  of  his  Spirit. 
 O  bleiTed  Saviour,  the  wood  of  thy  crofs,  that  is, 
 the  application  of  thy  fufferings,  is  enough  to  fweeten 
 a  whole  fea  of  bitternefs !  I  care  not  how  unpleafant 
 a  potion  I  find  in  this  wildernefs,  if  the  power  and  be- 
 nefit of  thy  precious  death  may  feafon  it  to  my  foul. 
 
 (^2  Con- 
 
I24         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Contem.  ii.     Of  the  Quails  and  Manna. 
 
 HT^HE  thirfl  of  Ifrael  is  well  quenched;  for,  be- 
 -*■  fides  the  change  of  the  waters  of  Marah,  their 
 flation  is  changed  to  £///»,  where  were  twelve  •foun- 
 tains for  their  twelve  tribes.  And  now  they  complain 
 as  much  of  hunger. 
 
 Contentation  is  a  rare  bleiling  ;  becaufe  it  arifes  ei- 
 ther from  a  fruition  of  all  comforts,  or  a  not  defiring  of 
 fome  which  we  have  not.  Now,  we  are  never  fo 
 bare,  as  not  to  have  fome  benefits;  never  fo  full,  as 
 not  to  want  fomething,  yea  as  not  to  be  full  of  wants* 
 God  hath  much  ado  with  us.  Either  we  lack  health, 
 or  quietnefs,  or  children,  or  wealth,  or  company,  or 
 ourfelves  in  all  thefe.  It  is  a  wonder  thefe  men  found 
 not  fault  with  the  want  of  fauce  to  their  quails,  or 
 with  their  old  clothes,  or  their  folitary  way.  Nature 
 is  moderate  in  her  deiires ;  but  conceit  is  unfatiable. 
 Yet  who  can  deny  hunger  to  be  a  fore  vexation  ?  Be- 
 fore, they  were  forbidden  four  bread  ;  but  now,  what 
 leaven  is  fo  four  as  want  ?  When  means  hold  out,  it 
 is  eafy  to  be  content.  Whiles  their  dough,  and  other 
 cakes  lafted,  whiles  they  were  gathering  of  the  dates 
 of  Elhn,  we  hear  no  news  of  them.  Who  cannot 
 pray  for  his  daily  bread,  when  he  hath  it  in  his  cup- 
 board ?  But  when  our  own  proviiion  fails  us,  then 
 not  to  diflrud:  the  provifion  of  God,  is  a  noble  trial 
 of  faith.  They  fhould  have  faid,  He  that  ft  opt  the 
 mouth  of  the  fea,  that  it  could  not  devour  us,  can  as 
 eafily  Hop  the  mouth  of  our  ftomachs.  It  was  no  eafier 
 matter  to  kill  the  firft-born  of  Egypt,  by  his  imme- 
 diate hand,  than  to  preferve  us.  He  that  commanded 
 the  fea  to  (land  ftill  and  guard  us,  can  as  eafily  com- 
 mand the  earth  to  nourifh  us.  He  that  made  the  rod 
 a  ferpent,  can  as  well  make  thefe  flones  bread.  He 
 that  brought  armies  of  frogs  and  caterpillars  to  Egypt, 
 
 can 
 
BOOK   V.      Co nt £M.  ir.  125 
 
 ean  as  well  bring  whole  drifts  of  birds  and  beads  to 
 the  defart.  He  that  fwectened  the  waters  with  wood, 
 can  as  well  refrefh  our  bodies  with  the  fruits  of  the 
 earth.  Why  do  we  not  wait  on  him,  whom  we  have 
 found  fo  powerful  ?  Now  they  fet  the  mercy  and  love 
 of  God  upon  a  wrong  laft,  whiles  they  meafure  it 
 only  by  their  prefent  fenfe.  Nature  is  jocund  and 
 cheerful,  while  it  profpereth :  let  God  withdraw  his 
 hand,  no  fight  no  trait.  Thofe  can  praife  him  with 
 timbrels,  for  a  prefent  favour,  that  cannot  depend 
 upon  him  in  the  want  of  means  for  a  future.  We 
 all  are  never ,  weary  of  receiving,  foon  weary  of  at- 
 tending. 
 
 The  other  mutiny  was  of  fome  few  malecontents, 
 perhaps  thofe  flrangers,  which  fought  their  own  pro- 
 tection under  the  wing  of  Ifrael ;  this,  of  the  whole 
 troop.  Not  that  none  were  free :  Caleb,  Jq/Jjua, 
 Mofes,  Aaron,  Miriam,  were  not  yet  tainted.  Ufu- 
 ally  God  meafures  the  ftate  of  any  church  or  coun- 
 try by  the  moil ;  the  greater  part  carries  both  the 
 name  and  cenfure.  Sins  are  fo  much  the  greater,  as 
 they  are  more  univerfal :  fo  far  is  evil  from  being  ex- 
 tenuated by  the  multitude  of  the  guilty,  that  nothing 
 can  more  aggravate  it.  With  men,  commonnels  may 
 plead  for  favour ;  with  God,  it  pleads  for  judgment. 
 Many  hands  draw  the  cable  with  more  violence  than 
 few.  The  leprofy  of  the  whole  body  is  more  loath- 
 fome  than  that  of  a  part. 
 
 But  what  do  thefe  mutineers  fay  ?  Oh  that  we  had 
 died  by  the  hand  of  the  Lord !  And  wliofe  hand  was 
 this,  O  ye  fond  Ifraelites,  if  you  mud  peri  Hi  by  fa- 
 mine!  God  carried  you  forth;  God  retrained  his 
 creatures  from  you ;  and,  while  ye  are  ready  to  die 
 thus,  ye  fay,  Oh  that  we  had  died  by  the  hand  of  the 
 Lord! 
 
 It  is  the  folly  of  men,  that  in  immediate  judgments 
 they  can  fee  God's  hand ;  not  in  thofe  whofe  fecond 
 
 caufes 
 
126        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 caufes  are  fenfible:  whereas  God  holds  himfeif  eqii al- 
 ly interefled  in  all,  challenging,  that  there  is  no  evil 
 in  the  city  but  from  him.  It  is  but  one  hand,  and 
 many  inftruments,  that  God  ftrikes  us  with.  The 
 water  may  not  lofe  the  name-  though  it  comes  by  chan- 
 nels and  pipes  from  the  fpring.  It  is  our  faithleffoi 
 that,  in  vifible  means,  we  fee  not  him  that  is  invifible. 
 
 And  when  would  they  have  wiihed  to  die  ?  When 
 they  fat  by  the  fiefli-pots  of  Egypt?  Alas,  what  good 
 would  their  nefh-pots  have  done  them  in  their  death ! 
 If  they  might  fuflain  their  life,  yet  what  could  they 
 avail  them  in  dying  ?  For,  if  they  were  unpleafant, 
 what  comfort  was  it  to  fee  them  ?  if  pleafant,  what 
 comfort  to  part  from  them  ?  Our  greatefl  pleafures 
 are  but  pains  in  their  lofs.  Every  mind  affects  that 
 which  is  like  itfelf.  Carnal  minds  are  for  the  flefh- 
 pots  of  Egypt ,  though  bought  with  fervitude  :  fpiri- 
 tuaj  are  for  the  prefence  of  God,  though  redeemed 
 with  famine  ;  and  would  rather  die  in  God's  prefence, 
 than  live  without  him,  in  the  fight  of  delicate  or  full 
 dimes. 
 
 They  loved  their  lives  well  enough.  I  heard  how 
 they  fhrieked,  when  they  were  in  danger  of  the  E- 
 gyptians ;  yet  now  they  fay,  Oh  that  we  had  died ! 
 Not,  Oh  that  we  might  live  by  the  nefli-pots ;  but, 
 Oh  that  we  had  died !  Although  life  be  naturally  fweet, 
 yet  a  little  difcontentment  makes  us  weary.  _  It  is  a 
 bafe  cowardlinefs,  fo  foon  as  ever  we  are  called  from 
 the  garrifon  to  the  field,  to  think  of  running  away. 
 Then  is  our  fortitude  worthy  of  praife,  when  we  can 
 endure  to  be  miferable. 
 
 But,  what,  can  no  'fleih-pots  ferve  but  thofe  of  E" 
 gypt  f  I  am  deceived,  if  that  land  afforded  them  any 
 nefh-pots  fave  their  own.  Their  landlords  of  Egypt 
 held  it  abomination  to  eat  of  their  dimes,  or  to  kill 
 that  which  they  did  eat.  In  thofe  times  then  they 
 did  eat  of  their  own  ;  and  why  not  now  ?     They  had 
 
 droves 
 
BOOK  V.      Co nt em.  ii.  127 
 
 droves  of  cattle  in  the  wildernefs ;  why  did  they  not 
 take  of  them?  Surely,  if  they  would  have  been  as 
 good  hufbands  of  their  cattle  as  they  were  of  their 
 dough,  they  might  have  had  enough  to  eat,  without 
 of  murmuring :  for,  if  their  back-burden  of  dough 
 lafted  for  a  month,  their  herds  might  have  ferved 
 them  many  years.  All  grudging  is  odious,  but  moil 
 when  our  hands  are  full.  To  whine,  in  the  midfl  of 
 abundance,  is  a  ihameful  unthankfulnefs. 
 
 When  a  man  would  have  looked  that  the  anger  of 
 God  mould  have  appeared  in  fire,  now,  behold,  his 
 glory  appears  in  a  cloud.  Oh  the  exceeding  long-fuf- 
 g  of  God,  that  hears  their  murmurings ;  and,  as 
 if  he  had  been  bound  to  content  them,  inltead  of  pu- 
 ■g,  pleafes  them! .  As  a  kind  mother  would  deal 
 with  a  crabbed  child,  who  rather  {tills  him  with  the 
 brealt,  than  calls  for  the  rod.  One  Would  h:*ve 
 thought,  that  the  fight  of  the  cloud  of  God  fhould 
 have  difpelied  the  cloud  of  their  diftrufl ;  and  this 
 glory  of  God  mould  have  made  them  afiiamed  of 
 thenlielves,  and  afraid  of  him :  yet  I  do  not  hear  them 
 once  fay,  What  a  mighty  and  gracious  God  have  we 
 diftrufted  ?  Nothing  will  content  an  impotent  mind 
 but  fruition.  When  an  neart  is  hardened  with  any 
 pfctffion,  it  will  endure  much,  ere  it  will  yield  to  relent. 
 
 Their  eyes  faw  the  cloud ;  their  ears  heard  the 
 prom iie  ;  the  performance  is  fpeedy  and  anfwerable. 
 -Needs  muft  they  be  convinced,  when  thay  faw  God 
 as  glorious  in  his  work  as  in  his  prefence ;  when 
 they  faw  his  word  juftified  by  his  aft.  God  tells  them 
 afore-hand  what  he  will  do,  that  their  expectation 
 might  Hay  their  hearts.  He  doth  that  which  he  fore- 
 told, that  they  might  learn  to  trufl  him  ere  he  per- 
 form. They  defired  meat,  and  receive  quails ;  they 
 defired  bread,  and  have  manna.  If  they  had  had  of 
 the  coarfeft  flefti,  and  of  the  bafeft  pulfe,  hunger 
 wqjlld  have  made  it  dainty :  but  now  God  will  pam- 
 per 
 
123         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 per  their  famine  ;  and  gives  them  meat  of  kings,  and 
 bread  of  angels.  What  a  world  of  quails  were  but 
 fufHcient  to  ferve  fix  hundred  thoufand  perfons  ?  They 
 were  all  flrong,  all  hungry ;  neither  could  they  be 
 fatisfied  with  Jingle  fowls.  What  a  table  hath  God 
 prepared  in  the  defart,  for  abundance,  for  delicacy ! 
 Never  prince  was  fo  ferved  in  his  greateft  pomp,  as 
 thefe  rebellious  Ifmelites  in  the  wildernefs.  God 
 loves  to  over-deferve  of  men,  and  to  exceed,  not  only 
 their  fms,  but  their  very  defires,  in  mercy.  How  good 
 fliall  we  find  him  to  thofe  that  pleafe  him,  fince  he  is 
 fo  gracious  to  offenders  !  If  the  moll  gracelefs  Israel- 
 ites be  fed  with  quails  and  manna,  O  what  goodnefs 
 is  that  he  hath  laid  up  for  them  that  love  him!  As,  on 
 the  contrary,  if  the  righteous  fcarce  be  faved,  where 
 will  the  finners  appear !  O  God,  thou  canft,  thou 
 wilt  make  this  difference.  Howfoever,  with  us  men, 
 the  mofl  crabbed  and  flubborn  oftentimes  fare  the 
 bell ;  the  righteous  Judge  of  the  world  frames  his  re- 
 muneration as  he  finds  us :  and  if  his  mercy  fometimes 
 provoke  the  worfl  to  repentance  by  his  temporal  fa- 
 vours, yet  he  ever  referves  fo  much  greater  reward 
 for  the  righteous,  as  eternity  is  beyond  time,  and 
 heaven  above  earth. 
 
 It  was  not  of  any  natural  inftincl,  but  from  the  o- 
 ver-ruling  power  of  their  Creator,  that  thefe  quails 
 came  to  the  defart.  Needs  mull  they  come  whom 
 God  brings.  His  hand  is  in  all  the  motions  of  his 
 meanefl  creatures.  Not  only  we,  but  they  move  in 
 him.  As  not  many  quails,  fo  not  one  fparrow  falls 
 without  him.  How  much  more  are  the  aclions  of  his 
 befl  creature,  man,  direcled  by  his  providence  !  How 
 afhamed  might  thefe  Jfraeliies  have  been,  to  fee  thefe 
 creatures  fo  obedient  to  their  Creator,  as  to  come  and 
 offer  themfelves  to  their  {laughter ;  whiles  they  went 
 fo  repiningly  to  his  fervice  and  their  own  preferment! 
 Who  can  diilrufl  the  provifion  of  the  great  Houfe- 
 
 keeper 
 
BOOK   V.      Contem.  n,  129 
 
 keeper  of  the  world,  when  he  fees  how  he  can  furnifh 
 his  tables  at  pleafure  ?  Is  he  grown  now  carelefs,  or 
 we  faithlefs  rather  ?  Why  do  we  not  repofe  upon  his 
 mercy?  Rather  than  we  (hall  want,  when  we  milt 
 him,  he  will  fetch  quails  from  all  the  coafls  of  heaven 
 to  our  board.  O  Lord,  thy  hand  is  not  fliortened 
 to  give;  let  not  ours  be  fliortened,  or  fhut  in  recei- 
 ving^ 
 
 Eliah's  fervitors,  the  ravens,  brought  him  his  full 
 fervice  of  bread  and  flefh  at  once,  each  morning  and 
 evening.  But  thefe  Ifraelites  have  their  flefh  at  even, 
 and  their  bread  in  the  morning.  Good  reafon  there 
 fliouhlbe  a  difference.  £Iiah*s  table  was  upon  God's 
 direft  appointment ;  the  Ifraelites  upon  their  mutiny. 
 Although  God  will  relieve  them  with  provifion,  yet 
 he  will  punifh  their  impatience  with  delay ;  fo  (hall 
 they  know  themf elves  his  people,  that  they  fhall  I  nd 
 they  were  murmurers.  Not  only  in  the  matter,  but 
 in  the  order,  God  anfwers  their  grudging ;  firft,  they 
 complain  of  the  want  of  flefh-pots,  then  of  bread.  In 
 the  firft  place  therefore  they  have  flefh,  bread  after. 
 When  they  have  flefh,  yet  they  muft  flay  a  time  ere  they 
 can  have  a  full  meal,  unlefs  they  would  eat  their  meat 
 breadlefs,  and  their  bread  dry.  God  will  be  waited 
 on,  and  will  give  the  confummation  of  his  blefiings  at 
 his  leifure.  In  the  evening  of  our  life,  we  have  the 
 firft  pledges  of  his  favour ;  but  in  the  morning  of  our 
 refur reftion,  muft  we  look  for  our  perfect  fatiety  of 
 the  true  manna,  the  bread  of  life. 
 
 Now  the  Ifraelites  fped  well  with  their  quails ;  they 
 did  eat  and  digeft,  and  profper :  not  long  after,  they 
 have  quails  with  a  vengeance  ;  the  meat  was  pleafant, 
 but  the  fauce  was  fearful.  They  let  down  the  quails 
 at  their  mouth,  but  they  came  out  at  their  noftrils. 
 How  much  better  had  it  been  to  have  died  of  hunger, 
 through  the  chaftifement  of  God,  than  of  the  plague 
 of  God,  with  the  flefh  betwixt  their  teeth !     Behold, 
 
 Vol,  I  -  R  they 
 
130  ■      CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 they  perifh  of  the  fame  difeafe  then,  whereof  they 
 now  recover.  The  fame  fin  repeated  is  death,  whofe 
 firft  act  found  remiflion.  Relapfes  are  defperate, 
 where  the  ficknefs  itfelf  is  not.  With  us  men,  once 
 goes  away  with  a  warning,  the  fecond  is  but  whip- 
 ping, the  third  is  death.  It  is  a  mortal  thing  to  abufe 
 the  lenity  of  God.  We  mould  be  prefumptuoufly  mad? 
 to  hope  that  God  will  (land  us  for  a  fmning-ftock,  to 
 provoke  him  how  we  will.  It  is  more  mercy  than 
 lie  owes  us,  if  he  forbear  us  once ;  it  is  his  juftice  to 
 plague  us  the  fecond  time.  We  may  thank  ourf elves, 
 if  we  will  not  be  warned. 
 
 Their  meat  was  flrange,  but  nothing  fa  much  as 
 their  bread.  To  find  quails  in  a  wildernefs  was  un- 
 ufual ;  but  for  bread  to  come  down  from  heaven  was 
 yet  more.  They  had  feen  quails  before,  though  not 
 in  fuch  number ;  manna  wras  never  feen  till  now. 
 From  this  day,  till  their  fettling  in  Canaan,  God 
 wrought  a  perpetual  miracle  in  this  food.  A  miracle 
 in  the  place :  other  bread  rifes  up  from  below,  this 
 fell  down  from  above ;  neither  did  it  ever  rain  bread 
 till  now ;  yet  fo  did  this  heavenly  iliower  fall,  that  it 
 is  confined  to  the  camp  of  Ifrael.  A  miracle  in  the 
 quantity ;  that  every  morning  fhould  fall  enough  to 
 fill  fo  many  hundred  thoufand  mouths  and  maws.  A 
 miracle  in  the  compofition ;  that  it  is  fweet  like  honey- 
 cakes,  round  like  corianders,  tranfparent  as  dew.  A 
 miracle  in  the  quality ;  that  it  melted  by  one  heat,  by 
 another  hardened.  A  miracle  in  the  difference  of  the 
 fall ;  that  (as  if  it  knew  times,  and  would  teach  them 
 as  well  as  feed  them)  it  fell  double  in  the  even  of  the 
 Sabbath,  and  on  the  Sabbath  fell  not.  A  miracle  in 
 the  putrefaction  and  prefervation ;  that  it  was  full  of 
 worms,  when  it  was  kept  beyond  the  due  hour  for 
 diftrufl :  full  of  fweetnefs,  when  it  was  kept  a  day 
 longer  for  religion ;  yea,  many  ages,  in  the  ark,  for  a 
 monument  of  the  power  and  mercy  of  the  Giver.     A 
 
 miracle 
 
BOOK  V.     Qontem.  ii.  131 
 
 miracle  in  the  continuance  and  ceafmg;  that  this 
 mower  of  bread  followed  their  camp  in  all  their  re- 
 movals, till'they  came  to  tafte  of  the  bread  of  Canaan  ; 
 and  then  withdrew  itfelf,  as  if  it  mould  have  faid,  Ye 
 need  no  miracles,  now  ye  have  means. 
 
 They  had  the  types,  we  have  the  fub (lance.  In 
 this  wildcrnefs  of  the  world,  the  true  manna  is  rained 
 upon  the  tents  of  our  hearts.  He  that  fent  the  man 
 na,  was  the  manna  which  he  fent.  He  hath  faid, 
 /  am  the  manna  that  came  down  from  heaven.  Be- 
 hold, their  whole  meals  were  facramental.  Every 
 morfel  they  did  eat  was  fpiritual.  We  eat  Hill  of  their 
 manna  :  ftill  he  comes  down  from  heaven.  He  hath 
 fubftance  enough  for  worlds  of  fouls,  yet  only  is  to 
 be  found  in  the  lifts  of  the  true  church  ;  he  hath  more 
 fweetnefs  than  the  honey,  and  the  honey-comb.  Hap- 
 py are  we,  if  we  can  find  him  fo  fweet  as  he  is. 
 
 The  fame  hand  that  rained  manna  upon  their  tents, 
 could  have  rained  it  into  their  mouths,  or  laps.  God 
 loves  we  mould  take  pains  for  our  fpiritual  food. 
 Little  would  it  have  availed  them,  that  the  manna  lay 
 about  their  tents,  if  they  had  not  gone  forth  and  ga- 
 thered it,  beaten  it,  baked  it.  Let  falvation  be  never 
 fo  plentiful,  if  we  bring  it  not  home,  and  make  it  ours 
 by  faith,  we  are  no  whit  the  better.  If  the  work 
 done,  and  means  ufed,  had  been  enough  to  give  life, 
 no  Ifraelite  had  died.  Their  bellies  were  full  of  that 
 bread,  whereof  one  crumb  gives  life ;  yet  they  died 
 many  of  them  in  difpleafure.  As  in  natural,  fo  in  fpi- 
 ritual things,  we  may  not  truft  to  means.  The  car- 
 cafe  of  the  facrament  cannot  give  life,  bur  the  foul  of 
 it,  which  is  the  thing  reprefented.  I  fee  each  man 
 gather,  and  take  his  juft  meafure  out  of  the  common 
 heap.  We  mufi  be  induflrious,  and  helpful  each  to 
 other  ;  but,  when  wTe  have  done,  Chrift.  is  not  partial. 
 If  our  fan&ification  differ,  yet  our  juftification  is  equal 
 in  all.  * 
 
 R  2  He 
 
ip        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 He  that  gave  a  homer  to  each,  could  have  given  an 
 ephah.  As  eafily  could  he  have  rained  down  enough 
 for  a  month,  or  a  year  at  once,  as  for  a  day.  God 
 delights  to  have  us  live  in  a  continual  dependence  up- 
 on his  providence,  and  each  day  renew  the  a£te  of  our 
 faith  and  thankfulnefs.  But  what  a  covetous  Jfraelite 
 was  that,  which,  in  a  fooliih  diftruft,  would  be  fpa- 
 ing  the  charges  of  God,  and  referving  that  for  morn- 
 rin^,  which  he  fhouid  have  fpent.  upon  his  fupper?  He 
 fhall  know,  that  even  the  bread  that  came  down  from 
 heaven  can  corrupt.  The  manna  was  from  above, 
 the  worms  and  fiink  from  his  diffidence.  Nothing  is 
 (o  fovereign,  which  being  perverted  may  not  annoy, 
 inflead  of  benefiting  us?" 
 
 Yet  I  fee  fome  difference  between  the  true  and  ty- 
 pical manna ;  God  never  meant  that  the  fhadow  and 
 the  body  mould  agree  in  ail  things.  The  outward 
 manna  referved  was  poifon :  the  fpiritual  manna  is 
 to  us,  as  it  was  to  the  ark,  not  good,  unlets  it  be  kept 
 perpetually.  If  we  keep  it,  it  {hall  keep  us  from  pu- 
 trefaction. *The  outward  manna  fell  not  at  all  on 
 the  Sabbath  The  fpiritual  manna,  though  it  baulks 
 no  day,  yet  it  falls  double  on  God's  day  ;  and  if  we 
 gather  it  not  then,  we  famifh.  In  that  true  Sabbath 
 of  our  glorious  reft,  we  mall  for  ever  feed  of  that 
 manna  which  we  have  gathered  in  this,  even  of  our 
 life. 
 
 Contem.  tii.     Of  the  Rock  of  Rephidim. 
 
 BEfore,  Jfrael  thirfled  and  was  fatisfied  ;  after  that, 
 they  hungered  and  were  filled  ;  now  they  third 
 again.  They  have  bread  and  meat,  but  want  drink. 
 It  is  a  marvel  if  God  do  not  evermore  hold  us  mort 
 of  fomething,  becaufe  he  would  keep  us  frill  in  exer- 
 cife.  We  mould  forget  at  whofe  coll  we  live,  if  we 
 wanted  nothing.     Still  God  obferves  a  viciflitude  of 
 
 evil 
 
BOOK  V.     Contem,  m.  133 
 
 evil  raid  good  ;  and  the  fame  evils  that  we  have  patted 
 return  upon  us  in  their  courfes.  CrolTes  are  not  of 
 the  nature  of  thofe  difeafes  which  they  fay  a  man 
 can  have  but  once.  Their  firft  leifure  doth  but  make 
 way  for  their  re-entry.  None  but  our  lafl  enemy 
 comes  once  for  all :  and  I  know  not,  if  that ;  for 
 even  in  living  we  die  daily.  So  mull  we  take  cur 
 leaves  of  all  afra&ions,  that  we  referve  a  lodging  for 
 them  and  expert  their  return. 
 
 All  Ifrael  murmured  when  they  wanted  bread, 
 meat,  water;  and  yet  all  Ifrael  departed  from  the 
 wildernefs  of  Sin,  to  Rephidim,  at  God's  command. 
 The  very  woril  men  w7ill  obey  God  in  fomething  ; 
 none  but  the  good,  in  all.  He  is  rarely  defperate,  that 
 makes  an  univeiiji  oppoiition  to  God.  It  is  an  un- 
 found  praife  that  is  given  a  man  for  one  good  action. 
 It  may  be  fafely  faid  of  the  very  devils  themfelves, 
 that  they  do  fomething  well :  they  know  and  believe, 
 and  tremble.  If  we  follow  God,  and  murmur,  it  is  all 
 one  as  if  we  had  {laid  behind. 
 
 Thofe  diflrufl  his  providence  in  their  neceffity, 
 that  are  ready  to  follow  his  guidance  in  their  welfare. 
 It  is  an  harder  matter  to  endure  an  extreme  want, 
 than  to  obey  an  hard  commandment.  Sufferings  are 
 greater  trials  than  anions.  How  many  have  we  feen 
 jeopard  their  lives,  with  cheerful  refolution,  which 
 cannot  endure  in  cold  blood  to  lofe  a  limb  with  pa- 
 tience !  Becaufe  God  will  have  his  thoroughly  tried, 
 he  puts  them  to  both  ;  and  if  we  cannot  endure  both, 
 to  follow  him  from  Sin,  and  to  thirfl  in  Rephidim,  we 
 are  not  found  Ifraelites. 
 
 God  led  them  on  purpofe  to  this  dry  Rephidlw, 
 He  could  as  well  have  conduced  them  to  another 
 Eiimy  to  convenient  waterings.  Or  he,  that  gives 
 the  waters  of  all  their  channels,  could  as  well  have 
 derived  them  to  meet  Ifrael:  but  God  doth  purpofe- 
 !y  carry  them  to  thirfl.     It  is  not  for  neceffity  that 
 
 we 
 
134  -      CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 we  fare  ill,  but  out  of  choice.  It  Were  all  one  with 
 God  to  give  us  health,  as  ficknefs ;  abundance,  as 
 poverty.  The  treafury  of  his  riches  hath  more  (lore 
 than  his  creature  can  be  capable  of.  We  Ihould  not 
 complain,  if  it  were  not  good  for  us  to  want. 
 
 This  ihould  have  been  a  contentment  able  to  quench 
 any  third: ;  God  hath  led  us  hither.*  If  Mofes  out 
 of  ignorance  had  mifguided  us,  or  we  by  chance  had 
 fallen  upon  thefe  dry  defarts,  though  this  were  no  re- 
 medy of  our  grief,  yet  it  might  be  fome  ground  of 
 our  complaint.  But  now  the  counfel  of  fo  wife  and 
 merciful  a  God  hath  drawn  into  this  want ;  and  mail 
 not  he  as  eafily  find  the  way  out  ?  It  is  the  Lord, 
 let  him  do  what  he  will.  There  can  be  no  more 
 forcible  motive  to  patience,  than  the  acknowledgment 
 of  a  divine  hand  that  fir  ikes  us.  It  is  fearful  to  be  in 
 the  hand  of  an  adverfary ;  but  who  would  not  be  con- 
 fident of  a  father  ?  Yet,  in  our  frail  humanity,  choler 
 may  tranfport  a  man  from  remembrance  of  nature  ; 
 but  when  we  feel  ourfelves  under  the  difcipline  of  a 
 wife  God,  (that  can  temper  our  afflictions  to  our 
 ilrength,  to  our  benefit)  who  would  not  rather  mur- 
 mur at  himfelf  that  he  mould  fwerve  towards  impa- 
 tience ?  Yet  thefe  flurdy  Ifraelites  wilfully  murmur, 
 and  will  not  have  their  thirft  quenched  with  faith,  but 
 with  waetr  ;  Give  us  water. 
 
 I  looked  to  hear  when  they  would  have  entreated 
 Mofes  to  pray  for  them  :  but,  inilead  of  entreating, 
 they  contend ;  and,  inilead  of  prayers,  I  find  com- 
 mands ;  Give  us  water.  If  they  had  gone  to  God 
 without  Mofes,  I  fhould  have  praifed  their  faith  :  but 
 now  'they  go  to  Mofes  without  God,  I  hate  their 
 flubborn  faithlefnefs.  To  feek  to  the  fecond  means, 
 with  neglect  of  the  ftrfl,  is  the  fruit  of  a  falfe  faith. 
 
 The  anfwer  of  Mofes  is,  like  himfelf,  mild  and 
 fweet.  Why  contend  ye  with  me  ?  Why  tempt  ye 
 the  Lord  f  In  the  firfl  expcilrdation  condemning  them 
 
 of 
 
BOOK  V*      Co  nt  em.  in.  135 
 
 of  injuflic.e  ;  fince  not  he,  but  the  Lord,  had  affli&ed 
 them :  in  the  fecond,  of  prefumption  ;  that  fince  it 
 was  God  that  tempted .  them  by  want,  they  fhould 
 tempt  him  by  murmuring.  In  the  one,  he  would 
 have  them  fee  their  wrong  ;  in  the  other,  their  danger. 
 As  the  act  came  not  from  him,  but  from  God,  fo  he 
 puts  it  oft'  to  God  from  himfelf.  Why  tempt  ye  the 
 Lord  f  The  oppofition  which  is  made  to  the  inftru- 
 ments  of  God,  redounds  ever  to  his  perfon.  He  holds 
 himfelf  fmitten  through  the  fides  of  his  miniflers. 
 So  hath  God  incorporated  thefe  refpe&s,  that  our 
 fubtilty  cannot  divide  them. 
 
 But  what  temptation  is  this?  Is  the  Lord  among  us^ 
 or  no  f  Infidelity  is  crafty  and  yet  foolifh  ;  crafty  in 
 her  infmuations,  foolifh  in  her  conceits.  They  imply. 
 If  we  were  fare  the  Lord  were  with  us,  we  would 
 not  diflrufl*  They  conceive  doubts  of  his  prefence, 
 after  fuch  confirmations.  What  could  God  do  more 
 to  make  them  know  mm  prefent,  unlefs  every  mo- 
 ment fliould  have  renewed  miracles  ?  The  plagues 
 of  Egypt,  and  the  divifion  of  the  fea  were  fo  famous, 
 that  the  very  inns  of  Jericho  rang  of  them.  Their 
 waters  Were  lately  fweetened  ;  the  quails  were  yet  in 
 their  teeth  ;  the  manna  was  yet  in  their  eye  ;  yea 
 they  faw  God  in  the  pillar  of  the  cloud,  and  yet 
 they  fay,  Is  the  Lord  amongft  us  f  No  argument  is 
 enough  to  an  incredulous  heart ;  not  reafon,  fenfe, 
 nor  experience.  How  much  better  was  that  faith 
 of  Thomas,  that  would  believe  his  eyes  and  hands, 
 though  his  ears  he  would  not  ?  O  the  deep  in- 
 fidelity of  thefe  Ifraelites,  that  faw  and  believed 
 not! 
 
 And  how  will  they  know  if  God  be  amongft  them  ? 
 as  if  he  could  not  be  with  them,  and  they  be  a-thirft. 
 Either  God  muft  humour  carnal  minds,  or  be  diftruft- 
 ed.  If  they  profper,  though  it  be  with  wickednefs, 
 God  is  with  them.     If  they  be  thwarted  in  their  own 
 
 defigns, 
 
13*       CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 deftgns,  draight  Is  God  with  us  f  It  was  the  way  to 
 put  God  from  them,  to  dillruft  and  murmur.  If  he 
 had  not  been  with  them,  they  had  not  lived.  If  he 
 had  been  in  them,  they  had  not  mutinied.  They 
 can  think  him  abfent  in  their  want,  and  cannot  fee 
 him  abfent  in  their  fin  ;  and  yet  wickednefs,  not  af- 
 fliction, argues  him  gone :  yet  then  is  he  mod  pre* 
 fent,  when  he  mod:  chaftifes. 
 
 Who  would  not  have  looked,  that  this  anfwer  of 
 Mfes  mould- have  appeafed  their  fury  ?  As  what  can 
 {till  him,  that  will  not  be  quiet  to  think  he  hath  God 
 for  his  adverfary  ?  But,  as  if  they  would  wilfully 
 war  againd  heaven,  they  proceed  ;  yet  with  no  lefs 
 craft  than  violence,  bending  their  exception  to  one 
 part  of  the  anfwer,  and  fmoothly  omitting  what  they 
 could  not  except  againd.  They  will  not  hear  of 
 tempting  God  ;  they  maintain  their  drife  with  Mofes , 
 both  with  words  and  dones.  How  malicious,  how 
 heady  is  impatience  !  The  act  was  God's,  they  cad 
 it  upon  Mofes  ;  Wherefore  hafl  thou  brought  us  ?  The 
 act  of  God  was  merciful,  they  make  it  cruel,  To  kill 
 us  and  our  children  ;  as  if  God  and  Mofes  meant  no- 
 thing but  their  ruin,  who  intended  nothing  but  their 
 life  and  liberty.  Foolifh  men,  what  needed  this  jour- 
 ney to  death  I  Were  they  not  as  obnoxious  to  God 
 in  Egypt  f  Could  not  God  by  Mofes  as  ,  eafily  have 
 killed  them  in  Egypt ,  or  in  the  fea,  as  their  enemies  ? 
 Impatience  is  full  of  mifconilru&ion.  If  it  be  poflible 
 to  find  out  any  glofs,  to  corrupt  the  text  of  God's 
 actions,  they  fliall  be  fare  not  to  efcape  untainted. 
 
 It  was  no  expodulating  with  an  unreafonable  mul- 
 titude. Mofes  runs  draight  to  him  that  was  able  at 
 once. to  quench  their  third,  and  their  fury;  What 
 Jhall  I  do  to  this  people  f  It  is  the  bed:  way  to  mid 
 God  with  his  own  caufes.  When  men  will  be  in- 
 termeddling with  his  affairs,  they  undo  themfelves 
 
 in 
 
BOOK  V.    Contem.  in.  137 
 
 in  vain.  We  fhall  find  difficulties  in  all  great  enter- 
 prizes  ;  if  we  be  fare  we  have  begun  them  from  God, 
 we  may  fecurely  cafl  all  events  upon  his  providence, 
 which  knows  how  to  difpofe,  and  how  to  end  them. 
 
 Mojis  perceived  rage,  not  in  the  tongues  only,  but 
 in  the  hands  of  the  l/raelites  ;  Vet  a  while  longer, 
 and  they  will  (lone  me.  Even  the  leader  of  God's 
 people  feared  death,  and  finned  not  in  fearing.  Life 
 is  worthy  to  be  dear  to  all ;  efpecially  to  him  whom 
 public  charge  hath  made  neceiTary.  Mere  fear  is  not 
 linful ;  it  is  impotence  and  diilruft  that  accompany  it, 
 which  make  it  evil.  How  well  is  that  fear  bellowed, 
 that  fends  us  the  more  importunately  to  God.  Some 
 man  would  have  thought  of  flight :  Mofes  flies  to  his 
 prayers ;  and  that  not  for  revenge,  but  for  help. 
 Who  but  Mofes  would  not  have  faid,  This  twice  they 
 have  mutinied,  and  been  pardoned  ;  and  now  again 
 thou  fees,  O  Lord,  how  madly  they  rebel,  and  how 
 bloodily  they  intend  againft  me  ?  Preferve  me,  I  be- 
 feech  thee,  and  plague  them.  I  hear  none  of  this  ; 
 but,  imitating  the  long-fufFering  of  his  God,  he  feeks 
 to  God  for  them,  which  fought  to  kill  him  for  the 
 quarrel  of  God. 
 
 Neither  is  God  fooner  fought  than  found.  All  If- 
 rael  might  fee  Mofes  go  towards  the  rock  :  none  but 
 the  elders  might  fee  him  flrike  it.  Their  unbelief 
 made  them  unworthy  of  this  privilege.  It  is  no  fmall 
 favour  of  God  to  make  us  witneffes  of  his  great  works; 
 that  he  crucifies  his  Son  before  us,  that  he  fetches 
 the  water  of  life  out  of  the  true  Rock  in  our  fight, 
 is  an  high  prerogative  :  if  his  rigour  would  have  ta- 
 ken it,  our  infidelity  had  equally  excluded  us,  whom 
 now  his  mercy  hath  received. 
 
 Mofes  mud  take  his  rod  ;  God  could  have  done  it 
 by  his  will,  without  a  word,  or  by  his  word,  with- 
 out the  rod  ;  but  he  will  do  by  means,  that  which  he 
 can  as  eafily  do  without.     There  was  no  virtue  in  the 
 
 Vol.  I.  S  rod, 
 
138      CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 rod,  none  in  the  flroke  ;  but  all  in  the  command  of 
 God.  Means  muft  be  ufed,  and  yet  their  efficacy 
 muft  be  expe&ed  out  of  themfelves. 
 
 It  doth  not  fuffice  God  to  name  the  rod,  with- 
 out a  defcription  ;  Whereby  thou  fmoteft  the  river. 
 Wherefore  ?  but  to  flrengthen  the  faith  of  Mofes, 
 that  he  might  well  expe&  this  wonder  from  that  which 
 he  had  tried  to  be  miraculous.  How  could  he  but 
 firmly  believe,  that  the  fame  means  which  turned  the 
 waters  into  blood,  and  turned  the  fea  into  a  wall, 
 could  as  well  turn  the  (lone  into  water  ?  Nothing  more 
 raifes  up  the  heart  in  prefent  affiance,  than  the  re- 
 cognition of  favours,  or  wonders  paffed.  Behold  the 
 fame  rod  that  brought  plagues  to  the  Egyptians, 
 brings  deliverances  to  IfraeL  By  the  fame  means  can 
 God  fave  and  condemn  ;  like  as  the  fame  fword  de- 
 fends and  kills. 
 
 That  power  which  turned  the  wings  of  the  quails 
 to  the  wildernefs,  turned  the  courfe  of  the  water 
 through  the  rock.  He  might,  if  he  had  pleafed,  have 
 caufed  a  fpring  to  well  out  of  the  plain  earth  ;  but 
 te  will  now  fetch  it  out  of  the  {tone,  to  convince  and 
 lhame  their  infidelity. 
 
 What  is  more  hard  and  dry  than  the  rock  ?  what 
 more  moifl  and  fupple  than  water  ?  That  they  may 
 be  aihamed  to  think  they  diftrufted,  left  God  could 
 bring  them  water  out  of  the  clouds  or  fprings,  the 
 very  rock  fhall  yield  it. 
 
 And  now,  unlefs  their  hearts  had  been  more  rocky 
 than  this  flone.  they  could  not  but  have  refolved  them 
 into  tears  for  this  diffidence. 
 
 I  wonder  to  fee  thefe  Tfraelites  fed  with  facraments: 
 their  bread  was  facramental,  whereof  they  commu- 
 nicated every  day.  Left  any  man  fliould  complain  of 
 frequence,  the  Ifraelites  received  daily ;  and  now 
 their  drink  was  facramental,  that  the  antient  church 
 may  give  no  warrant  of  a  dry  communion. 
 
 Twice 
 
BOOK   V.      Co  NT  EM.  iv.  139 
 
 Twice,  therefore,  hath  the  rock  yielded  them  water 
 of  refreshing  ;  to  flgnify,  that  the  true  fpiritual  rock 
 yields  it  always.  The  rock  that  followed  them  was 
 Chrift.  Out  of  thy  fide,  O  Saviour,  ifiued  that 
 bloody  flream,  whereby  the  thirft  of  ail  believers  is 
 comfortably  quenched.  Let  us  but  thirft,  (not  with 
 repining,  but  with  faith)  this  rock  of  thine  fhall  a- 
 bundantly  flow  forth  to  our  fouls,  and  follow  us,  till 
 this  water  be  changed  into  that  new  wine,  which  we 
 fliall  drink  with  thee  in  thy  Father's  kingdom. 
 
 Contem.    iv.      The  foil  s/Amalek:  Or  the 
 hand  c/Moses  lift  up. 
 
 NO  fooner  is  Ifrael's  thirft  flacked,  than  God  hath 
 an  Amalekite  ready  to  aflault  them.  The  Al- 
 mighty hath  choice  of  rods  to  whip  us  with,  and  will 
 not  be  content  with  one  trial.  They  would  needs  be 
 quarrelling  with  Mofes  without  a  caufe  ;  and  now  God 
 fends  the  Amalekites  to  quarrel  with  them.  It  is  juil 
 with  God,  that  they  which  would  be  contending  with 
 their  beft  friends,  mould  have  work  enough  of  con- 
 tending with  enemies. 
 
 In  their  paflage  out  of  Egypt ,  God  would  not  lead 
 them  the  neareil  way,  by  the  Philiftines  land,  left 
 they  fhonld  repent  at  the  fight  of  war ;  now  they  both 
 fee  and  feel  it.  He  knows  how  to  make  the  fitteft 
 choice  of  the  times  of  evil,  and  with-holds  that  one 
 while,  which  he  fends  another,  not  without  a  juft 
 reafon  why  he  fends  and  with-holds  it :  and  though 
 to  us  they  come  ever,  as  we  think,  unfeafonably,  and 
 at  femetimes  more  unfitly  than  others ;  yet  he  that 
 fends  them,  knows  their  opportunities. 
 
 Who  would  not  have  thought  a  worfe  time  could 
 never  have  been  pickt  for  IfraeN  war  than  now  ?  In 
 the  feeblenefs  of  their  troops,  when  they  were 
 wearied,  thirfty,   unweaponed  j   yet  now  mull  the 
 
 S  2  Amalekites 
 
140         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Amalekites  do  that,  which  before  the  Philiftines  might 
 not  do.  We  are  not  worthy,  not  able  to  chufe  for 
 ourfelves. 
 
 To  be  fick,  and  die  in  the  ftrength  of  youth,  in 
 the  minority  of  children ;  to  be  pinched  with  poverty, 
 or  mifcarriage  of  children  in  our  age,  how  hardily 
 unfeafonable  it  feems !  But  the  infinite  wifdom  that 
 orders  our  events,  knows  how  to  order  our  times. 
 Unlefs  we  will  be  ihamelefs  unbelievers,  O  Lord, 
 we  mud  trufl  thee  with  ourfelves  and  our  feafons,  and 
 know,  that  not  that  which  we  defire,  but  that  which 
 thou  hafl  appointed,  is  the  fitted  time  for  our  fuder- 
 ings. 
 
 Amalek  was  Efau's  grand-child,  and  thefe  Ifraelites 
 the  fons  of  Jacob,  The  abode  of  Amalek  was  not  fo 
 far  from  Egypt \  but  they  might  well  hear  what  be- 
 came of  their  coufms  of  Ifrael ;  and  now,  doubtlefs 
 out  of  envy,  watched  their  opportunity  of  revenge 
 for  their  old  grudge.  Malice  is  commonly  heredita- 
 ry, and  runs  in  the  blood,  and,  as  we  ufe  to  fay  of 
 runnet,  the  older  it  is,  the  dronger. 
 
 Hence  is  that  foolifh  hodility,  which  fome  men 
 unjudly  nouriih  upon  no  other  grounds,  than  the 
 quarrels  of  their  forefathers.  To  wreck  our  malice 
 upon  poderity,  is,  at  the  bed,  but  the  humour  of  an 
 Amalekite. 
 
 How  cowardly,  and  how  crafty  was  this  fkirmifli  of 
 Amalek  /  Th?y  do  not  bid  them  battle  in  fair  terms  of 
 war,  but,  without  all  noife  of  warning,  come  dealing 
 upon  the  hindmod,  and  fall  upon  the  weak  and  Scat- 
 tered remnants  of  Ifrael. 
 
 There  is  no  looking  for  favour  at  the  hands  of  ma- 
 lice :  the  word,  that  either  force  or  fraud  can  do,  mud 
 be  expected  of  an  adverfary  ;  but  much  more  of  our 
 fpiritual  enemy,  by  how  much  his  hatred  is  deeper. 
 Behold,  this  Amalek  lies  in  ambufh  to  hinder  our  paf- 
 fagc  unto  our  land  of  promife,  and  fubtilely  takes  all 
 
 advan- 
 
BOOK  V.     Co  nt  em.  iv.  141 
 
 adantages  of  our  weakneffes.  We  cannot  be  wife, 
 or  fafe,  if  we  flay  behind  our  co]ours?  and  iirengthen 
 not  thofe  parts  where  is  moil  peril  of  ©ppofition. 
 
 I  do  not  hear  Mofes  fay  to  his  Jojbua,  Amalek  is 
 come  up  againfl  us,  it  matters  not  whether  thou  go 
 againft  him  or  not ;  or  if  thou  go,  whether  ?Jone  or 
 with  company  ;  or  if  accompanied,  whether  with  ma- 
 ny or  few,  flrong  or  weak ;  or  if  flrong  men,  whe- 
 ther they  fight  or  no;  I  will  pray  on  the  hill :  but, 
 Chufe  us  out  ?nen,  and  go  fight. 
 
 Then  only  can  we  pray  with  hope,  when  we  have 
 done  our  befl.  And  though  the  means  cannot  eiFe& 
 that  which  we  defire,  yet  God  will  have  us  ule  the 
 likeliefl  means  on  our  part  to  effe£fc  it.  Where  it 
 comes  immediately  from  the  charge  of  God,  any  means 
 are  effectual :  one  flick  of  wood  (hail  fetch  water  out 
 of  the  rock,  another  fhall  fetch  bitternefs  out  of  the 
 water :  but*  in  thofe  projects,  which  we  make  for  our 
 own  purpofes,  we  mufl  chufe  thofe  helps  which  pro- 
 mife  moll  efficacy.  In  vain  fhall  Mofes  be  upon  the 
 hill,  if  jjoflrua  be  not  in  the  valley.  Prayer  without 
 means  is  a  mockery  of  God. 
 
 Here  are  two  fhadows  of  one  fubflance  ;  the  fame 
 Chrifl  in  Jojhua  fights  againfl  our  fpiritual  Amalek^ 
 and  in  Mofes  fpreads  out  his  arms  upon  the  hill ;  and, 
 in  both,  conquers.  And  why  doth  he  climb  up  the 
 hill  rather  than  pray  in  the  valley  ?  Perhaps  that  he 
 might  have  the  more  freedom  to  his  thoughts,  which, 
 following  the  fenfe,  are  fo  much  more  heavenly,  as 
 the  eye  fees  more  of  heaven.  Though  virtue  lies 
 not  in  the  place,  yet  choice  mufl  be  made  of  thofe 
 places  which  may  be  mofl  help  to  our  devotion  ;  per- 
 haps that  he  might  be  in  the  eye  of  IfaeL 
 
 The  prefence  and  fight  of  the  leader  gives  heart  to 
 the  people  :  neither  doth  any  thing  more  move  the 
 multitude  than  example.      A  public  perfen  cannot 
 
 hide 
 
142         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 hide  himfelf  in  the  valley ;  but  yet  i:  becomes  him 
 befl  to  (hew  himfelf  upon  the  hill. 
 
 The  hand  of  Mofes  mull  be  railed,  but  not  empty ; 
 neither  is  it  his  own  rod  that  he  holds,  but  God's.  In 
 the  firft  meeting  of  God  with  Mofes,  the  rod  was  Mo- 
 fes's,  it  is  like,  for  the  ufe  of  his  trade ;  now  the  pro- 
 priety is  altered  :  God  hath  fo  wrought  by  it,  that 
 now  he  challenges  it,  and  Mofes  dare  not  call  it  his 
 own. 
 
 Thofe  things,  which  it  pleafes  God  to  ufe  for  his 
 own  fervice,  are  now  changed  in  their  condition. 
 The  bread  of  the  facrament  was  once  the  baker's,  now 
 it  is  God's :  the  water  was  once,  every  man's,  now 
 it  is  the  laver  of  regeneration.  It  is  both  unjuft  and 
 unfafe,  to  hold  thofe  things  common  wherein  God 
 hath  a  peculiarity. 
 
 At  other  times,  upon  occafion  of  the  plagues,  and 
 of  the  quails,  and  of  the  rock,  he  was  commanded  to 
 take  the  rod  in  his  hand  ;  now  he  doth  it  unbidden. 
 He  doth  it  not  now  for  miraculous  operation,  but  for 
 encouragement. 
 
 For  when  the  Ifraelites  mould  caft  up  their  eyes  to 
 the  hill,  and  fee  Mofes,  and  his  rod,  (the  man,  and  the 
 means  that  had  wrought  fo  powerfully  for  them)  they 
 could  not  but  take  heart  to  themfelves,  and  think. 
 There  is  the  man  that  delivered  us  from  the  Egyptian? 
 why  not  now  from  the  Amaleklte?  There  is  the  rod 
 which  turned  waters  to  bleed,  and  brought  varieties 
 of  plagues  on  Egypt,  why  net  now  on  Amalch  f 
 
 Nothing  can  more  hearten  our  faith,  than  the  view 
 of  the  monuments  of  God's  favour  :  if  ever  we  have 
 found  any  word  or  act  of  God  cordial  to  us,  it  is 
 good  to  fetch  it  forth  oft  to  the  eye.  The  renewing 
 of  our  fenfe,  and  remembrance,  makes  every  gift  of 
 God  perpetually  beneficial. 
 
 If  Mofs  had  received  a  command,  that  rod,  which 
 fetched  water  from   the  rock,    could  as  well  have 
 
 fetched 
 
BOOK  V.     Contem,  iv.  143 
 
 fetched  the  blood  of  the  Amalekites  out  of  their  bo- 
 dies. God  will  not  work  miracles  always  \  neither 
 mufl  we  expect  them  unbidden. 
 
 Not  as  a  ftandard-bearer,  fo  much  as  a  fuppliant, 
 doth  Mofes  lift  up  his  hand.  The  gefture  of  the  body 
 fliould  both  exprefs  and  further  the  piety  of  the  fouL 
 This  flelh  of  ours  is  not  a  good  fervant,  unlefs  it  help 
 us  in  the  bed  Gffices.  The  God  of  fpirits  doth  mofl 
 refpecl:  the  foul  of  our  devotion  ;  yet,  it  is  both  un- 
 mannerly and  irreligious,  to  be  mifgeftured  in  our 
 prayers.  The  carelefs  and  uncomely  carriage  of  the 
 body  helps  both  to  fignify,  and  make  a  profane  foul. 
 
 The  hand  and  the  rod  of  Mofes  never  moved  in 
 vain;  though  the  rod  did  not  ftrike  Amalek,  as  it  had 
 done  the  rock,  yet  it  fmote  heaven,  and  fetched  down 
 victory.  And  that  the  Ifraelites  might  fee  the  hand 
 of  Mofes  had  a  greater  ftroke  in  the  fight,  than  all 
 theirs,  the  fuccefs  mufl  rife  and  fall  with  it.  Amalek 
 rofe,  and  Ifrael  fell,  with  his  hand  falling  :  Amalek 
 fell,  and  Ifrael  rifes,  with  his  hand  raifed.  O  the 
 wondrous  power  of  the  prayers  of  faith !  All  heavenly 
 favours  are  derived  to  us  from  this  channel  of  grace. 
 To  thefe  are  we  beholden  for  our  peace,  prefervati- 
 ons,  and  all  the  rich  mercies  of  God  which  we  enjoy. 
 We  could  not  want,  if  we  could  afk. 
 
 Every  man's  hand  would  not  have  done  this,  but 
 the  hand  of  a  Mofes.  A  faithlefs  man  may  as  well 
 hold  his  hand  and  tongue  ftill ;  he  may  bauble,  but 
 prays  not ;  he  prays  ineffectually,  and  receives  not : 
 only  the  prayer  of  the  righteous  availeth  much  ;  and 
 only  the  believer  is  righteous. 
 
 There  can  be  no  merit,  no  recompence  anfwerable 
 to  a  good  man's  prayer  ;  for  heaven,  and  the  ear  of 
 God  is  open  to  him :  but  the  formal  devotions  of  an 
 ignorant  and  faithlefs  man,  are  not  worth  that  cruft  of 
 bread  which  he  afks :  yea,  it  is  prefumption  in  him- 
 
144        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 felf,  how  fhould  it  be  beneficial  to  others?  It  profanes 
 the  name  of  God,  inftead  of  adoring  it. 
 
 But  how  juftly  is  the  fervency  of  the  prayer,  added 
 to  the righteoufnefs  or  the  perfon ?  When  Mofes9  s  hand 
 Ilackened,  Amalek  prevailed.  No  Mofes  can  have  his 
 hand  ever  up ;  it  is  a  title  proper  to  God,  that  his  hands 
 are  ftretched  out  Hill,  whether  to  mercy  or  ven- 
 geance. Our  infirmity  will  not  fuler  any  long  inten- 
 tion, either  of  body  or  mind.  Long  prayers  can  hard- 
 ly maintain  their  vigour,  as  in  tall  bodies  the  fpirits 
 are  difFufed.  The  ftrongeft  hand  will  languifh  with 
 long  extending  :  and  when  our  devotion  tires,  it  is 
 feen  in  the  fuccefs ;  then  flraight  our  Amalek  prevails. 
 Spiritual  wickednefles  are  maflered  by  vehement 
 prayer,  and,  by  heartlefnefs  ia  prayer,  overcome  us. 
 
 Mofes  had  two  helps,  a  Hone  to  fit  on,  and  an  hand 
 to  raife  his :  and  his  fitting  and  holpen  hand  is  no  lefs 
 eiTeftual.  Even  in  our  prayers  will  God  allow  us  to 
 refpedl:  our  own  infirmities.  In  cafes  of  our  neceffity, 
 he  regards  not  the  poflure  of  body,  but  the  affecti- 
 ons of  the  foul. 
 
 Doubtlefs  Aaron  and  Hur  did  not  only  raife  their 
 hand?.,  but  their  minds  with  his.  The  more  cords,  the 
 eafier  draught.  Aaron  was  brother  to  Mofes  :  there 
 cannot  be  a  more  brotherly  oflice,  than  to  help  one 
 another  in  our  prayers,  and  to  excite  our  mutual  de- 
 votions. No  Chriilian  may  think  it  enough  to  pray 
 alone.  He  is  no  true  Ifraelite,  that  will  not  be  ready 
 to  lift  up  the  weary  hands  of  God's  faints. 
 
 All  If  a  el  faw  this :  or  if  they  were  fo  intent  upon 
 the  {laughter  and  fpoil,  that  they  obferved  it  not,  they 
 might  hear  it  after  from  Aaron  and  Hur ;  yet  this 
 contents  not  God  ;  It  mufl  be  written.  Many  other 
 miracles  had  God  done  before,  not  one  directly  com- 
 manded to  be  recorded  :  the  other  were  only  for  the 
 wonder,    this   for   the  imitation   of    God's   people. 
 
 In 
 
BOOK  V.     Contem,  v.  145 
 
 In  things  that  muft  live  by  report,  every  tongue  adds 
 or  detracts  fomethlng.  The  word  once  written  is 
 both  unalterable  and  permanent. 
 
 As  GocTis  careful  to  maintain  the  glory  of  his  mi- 
 raculous viclorf ,  fo  is  Mofes  defirous  to  fecond  him  ; 
 God  by  a  book,  and  Mofes  by  an  altar,  and  a  name. 
 God  commands  to  enroll  it  in  parchment ;  Mofes  re- 
 giflers  it  in  the  ftones  of  his  altar,  which  he  raifes 
 not  only  for  future  memory,  but  for  prefent  ufe. 
 That  hand  which  was  weary  of  lifting  up,  ftraight 
 offers  a  facrifice  of  praife  to  God.  How  well  it  be- 
 comes the  jufl  to  be  thankful !  Even  very  natdrc 
 teacheth  us,  men,  to  abhor  ingratitude  in  fmall  fa- 
 vours ;  how  riiich  lefs  can  that  fountain  of  goodnefs 
 abide  to  be  laded  at  with  unthankful  hands !  O  God, 
 we  cannot  but  confefs  our  deliverances !  Where  are 
 our  altars  ?  Where  are  our  fatrifces  ?  Where  is  our 
 Jehovah-nhTi  ?  T  do  not  more  wonder  at  thy  power  in 
 preferving  us,  than  at  thy  mercy,  which  is  not  weary 
 of  calling  away  favours  upon  the  ungrateful. 
 
 Contem.  v»     Of  the  Law. 
 
 TT  is  but  about  feven  weeks  fince  Ifrael  came  out 
 ■*■  of  Egypt;  in  which  fpace  God  had  cherifhed  their 
 faith  by  five  feveral  wonders ;  yet  now  he  thinks  it 
 time  to  give  them  ftatutes  from  heaven,  as  well  as 
 bread.  The  manna  and  water  from  the  rock  (which 
 was  Chrifl  in  the  gofpel)  were  given  before  the  law ; 
 the  facraments  of  grace  before  the  legal  covenant. 
 The  grace  of  God  preventeth  our  obedience,  there- 
 fore mould  we  keep  the  law  of  God,  becaufe  we  have 
 a  Saviour.  O  the  mercy  of  our  God !  which,  before 
 we  fee  what  we  are  bound  to  do,  mews  .us  our  reme- 
 dy, if  we  do  it  not.  How  can  our  faith  difannul  the 
 law,  when  it  was  before  it  ?  It  may  help  to  fulfil  that 
 which  fhali  be,  it  cannot  fruftra^e  that  which  was  not. 
 Vol.  I.  T  The 
 
146        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 The  letters,  which  God  had  written  in  our  flcfhy 
 tables,  were  now  (as  thofe  which  are  carved  in  fome 
 barks)  almofl  grown  out :  he  faw  it  time  to  write 
 them  in  dead  tables,  whofe  hardnefs  fhould  not  be 
 capable  of  alteration.  He  knew,  that  the  ftonc 
 would  be  more  faithful  than  our  hearts. 
 
 O  marvellous  accordance  betwixt  the  two  tefla- 
 mertts !  In  the  very  time  of  their  delivery,  there  is 
 the  fame  agreement  which  is  in  the  fubitance.  The 
 antient  Jews  kept  our  feafts,  and  we  Hill  keep  theirs. 
 The  feaft  of  the  paifover  is  the  time  of  Chriil's  refur- 
 reclion  ;  then  did  he  pafs  from  under  the  bondage  of 
 death.  Chriil  is  our  paflbver,  the  fpotlefs  Lamb, 
 whereof  not  a  bone  mult  be  broken.  The  very  day 
 wherein  God  came  down  in  fire  and  thunder  to  de- 
 liver the  law,  even  the  fame  day  came  alfo  the  Holy 
 Ghpft  Corn  upon  the  difciples  in  fiery  tongues,  for 
 the  pre  m  of  the  gofpel.     That  other  was  in 
 
 fire  and  fmoke,  obfeurity  was  mingled  with  terror  ; 
 this  ..  without  fmoke,  befitting  the  light  and 
 
 elea  gofpel;  fire,  not  in  flafhes,  but  in 
 
 tongues ;  apt  to  terrify,  but  to  inifruft.  The  pro- 
 mulgation o?  the  law  makes  way  for  the  law  of  the 
 gojpei.  No  man  receives  the  Koly  Ghofl,  but  he 
 wh  h  Felt  the  terrors  of  Sinai. 
 
 Go  have  irnpofed  upon  them  a  law  by  force ; 
 
 they  were  his  creatures  and  he  could  require  no- 
 th:  :e.     It  had  been  but  equal,  that  they 
 
 fhc  :d  to  obey  rheir  Maker  J  yet  that 
 
 God  which  loves  to  do  ail  things  fweetly,  gives  the 
 law  of  juf  :::rcy,  and  will  not  impetioufly  corr- 
 
 :  craves  cur  aiTent  for  that,  which  it  were 
 reb^ilio'i  not  to  do. 
 
 IL;  :"  fhould  be  the  proceeding  of  fell ow- 
 
 uality  of  being,  with  an  in- 
 eq  Won ;  wh  re- 
 
 qu<  [it  conitrain  !   God  will  make  no 
 
 covenar.r 
 
B  O  O  K  -  V.     C  o <n  t  e  M  v .  i  c,  - 
 
 nant  with  the  r  much  lefs  the  co- 
 
 venajn;  of  grace,  which  ftands  all  u 
 ^.zy  till   God  oiler   violence  to  our 
 
 1  cur  v,  I  die  fit  angers  froi 
 
 church  is  the  fpoufe  of  Chrift :  he  will  e  r  love 
 
 by  a  willing  <  \  not  by  a  ravifl 
 
 ftinate  have  nothing  to  do  with  God.     The 
 converts  is;  a  willing  people. 
 
 That  Ifrael  inclined  to  God3  it  was  frofti  God.     lie 
 inquires  after  his  own  gins  in  us,  for  our  opacity  of 
 more.     Tbzy  had  not  received  the 
 had  firft  received  a  chipoikion  £t  to  be  con 
 As  there  was  an  inclination  to  hear,  (q  there  mt 
 a  preparation  for  hearing.     God's  ji  efore 
 
 prepared  his  Ifraelites^  by  hunger,  diirit,  fear  of  e- 
 nernies ;  his  mercy  had  prepared  th  tran- 
 
 ces, by  provifions  of  water,  meat,  bread :  and 
 beiides  all  the  fight  of  God  in  his  miracles,  they  muft 
 be  three  days  prepared  to  hear  him.  When  our  fouls 
 are  at  the  belt,  our  approach  to  God  requires  parti- 
 cular addreiTcs ;  and  if  three  days  were  little  enough 
 •  to  prepare  them  to  receive  the  law,  how  is  all  on 
 fhorf  enough  to  prepare  for  the  reck   i        bf  our  ob- 
 
 rog  it?     And  if  the  word  of  a  command  expected 
 .  fuch  readipefs,  what  {hall  the  word  of  promiie.  me 
 promife  of  Chrift  and  falvation  ? 
 
 The  murrain  of  Egypt  was  net  fp  infectious  as  their 
 vices  i  the  contagion  of  thefe  (luck  frill  by  Ifvcci.  All 
 the  water  of  the  red-nea,  and  o£jftarah,  ana  chat  which 
 
 ed  out  of  the  rock,  had  not  wafhecl  it  off, 
 thefe  they  mult  now  be  fatf&ified.     As  iln  is  always 
 
 serous,  fo  moii:  when  we  bring  it  into  God's  fight : 
 it  envencmerh  both  our  perfons  and  fervices,  and  inrns 
 our  good  into  eT~l;.     As  therefore  we  mult  he  ajwajsf 
 
 i  fo  inc  :  we  prefent  curfelves  to  the  holy 
 
 eyes  of  our  Creator.     We  wafhour  hands  e 
 but,  when  we  are  to  fit  with  fome  great  perfon 
 
 r~rt  r 
 
 I     2 
 
i43         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fcour  them  with  balls.  .And  if  we  mult  be  fo  fan&i- 
 fiecl  only  to  receive  the  law.  how  holy  mull  we  be  to 
 receive  the  grace  promiled  in  the  gofpel ? 
 
 Neither  mull  themfelves  only  be  cleanfed,  but  their 
 very  clothes :  their  garments  fmeit  of  Egypt ;  even 
 they  mult  be  warned.  Neither  can  clothes  be  capable 
 of  fin.  nor  can  water  cleanie  from  fin.  The  dan  per 
 was  neither  in  their  garments  nor  their  fkins ;  yet  they 
 mult  be  wafhed,  that  they  misrht  learn,  by  their  clothes, 
 with  what  fouls  to  appear  before  their  God.  Thofe 
 garments  rnuft  be  wafhed,  which  fhould  never  wax 
 old,  that  now  they  might  begin  their  age  in  purity ; 
 as  thofe  which  were  in  more  danger  of  being  foul, 
 than  bare.  It  is  fit  that  our  reverence  to  God's  pre- 
 fence  fhould  appear  in  our  very  garments,  that  both 
 without  and  within  we  may  be  cleanly ;  but  little 
 would  neatnefs  of  vcTtures  avail  us  with  a  filthy  foul. 
 The  God  of  fpirits  looks  to  the  inner  man,  and  chal- 
 s  the  purity  cf  that  part  which  refembles  him- 
 icHi  Clear.fe  your  bands  ye  /inner j,  and  purge  your 
 hearts  ye  dcub  It-minded. 
 
 Yet  even  when  they  were  wafhed  and  fanclifled, 
 they  may  not  touch  the  mount,  not  only  with  their 
 feet,  but  not  with  their  eyes.  The  fmoke  keeps  it 
 from  their  eyes,  the  marks  from  their  feet.  Not  on- 
 ly men,  that  had  fome  impurity  at  their  beft,  are  re- 
 trained, but  even  teafts,  which  are  not  capable  of 
 any  unholinef:.  Thofe  beafts  which  muft  touch  his 
 altars,  yet  might  rot  touch  his  hill.  And  if  a  beafr. 
 touch  it,  he  rru(t  die;  yet  fo,  as  no  hands  may  touch 
 that  which  hath  touched  the  hill.  Unreafonablenefs 
 might  feem  to  be  an  excufe  in  thefe  creatures:  that 
 therefore,  which  is  death  to  a  bead,  mult  needs  be  ca- 
 pital to  them,  whole  reafon  frotild  guide  them  to  avoid 
 prefumj  ticn.  T  r  pie  lira  elites  \\  hich  faw  C  cd  every 
 day  in  the  pilfer  of  f  re,  and  the  cloud,  muft  not  come 
 near  him  in  the  mount.  God  loves  at  once  familia- 
 rity 
 
BOOK   V.     Con t em.  v.  149 
 
 and  fear ;  familiarity  in  our  converfation,  and 
 fear  in  his  commands.  He  loves  to  be  acquainted 
 with  men  in  the  walks  of  their  obedience ;"  yet  he 
 takes  ftate  upon  him  in  his  ordinances,  and  will  be 
 trembled  at  in  his  word  and  judgments. 
 
 I  fee  the  difference  of  God's  carriage  to  men  in  the 
 law,  and  in  the  gofpel.  There,  the  very  hill  where  he 
 appeared  may  nor  be  touched  of  the  pureii  Ifraelite. 
 Here,  the  hem  of  his  garment  is  touched,  by  the  wo- 
 man that  had  the  flux  of  blood  ;  yea  his  very  face 
 was  rcuched  with  the  lips  of  Judas.  There,  the  very 
 earth  was  prohibited  them,  on  which  he  defcended. 
 Here,  his  very  body  and  blood  is  pro'iercd  to  our  touch 
 and  tafle.  O  the  marvellous  kindnefs  of  our  God! 
 How  unthankful  are  we.  if  we  do  not  acknowledge 
 this  mercy  above  his  ancient  people  !  They  were  his 
 own  ;  vet  flrangers,  in  companion  of  our  liberty.  It 
 is  our  ihame  and  fin,  if,  in  thefe  means  of  entirenefs, 
 v/e  be  no  better  acquainted  with  God  than  they, 
 which,  in  their  greateil  familiarity,  were  commanded 
 aloof. 
 
 God  was  ever  wonderful  in  his  works,  and  fearful 
 in  his  judgments ;  but  he  was  never  fo  terrible  in  the 
 execution  of  his  will,  as  now  in  the  promulgation  of 
 it.  Here  was  nothing  but  a  majeflical  terror  in  the 
 eyes,  in  the  ears  of  the  Ifraelltes^  as  if  God  meant 
 to  fhew  them  by  this  how  fearful  he  could  be.  Here 
 was  the  lightning  darted  in  their  eyes,  the  thunders 
 roaring  in  their  ears,  the  trumpet  of  God  drowning 
 the  thunder-clapg,  the  voice  of  God  out-fpeaking  the 
 trumpet  of  the  angel :  the  cloud  enwrapping,  the 
 fmoke  afcending,  the  fire  flaming,  the  mount  trem- 
 bling, Mofes  climbing  and  quaking,  palenefs  and 
 death  in  the  face  of  Ifrael,  uproar  in  the  elements, 
 and  all  the  glory  of  heaven  turned  into  terror.  In 
 the  definition  of  the  firft  world,  there  were  clouds 
 without  fire.     In  the  dsiiru&icn  of  Sodom,  there  was 
 
 fire 
 
150        CONTEMPLATION  S. 
 
 £re  raining  without  clouds ;  but  here  was  fire,  fir.  ok  e, 
 clouds,  thunder,  earthquakes,  and  whatsoever  might 
 work  more  aftonifliment  than  ever  was  in  any  venge- 
 ance inflicted. 
 
 And  if  the  law  were  thus  given,  how  fhall  it  be  re- 
 quired ?  If  fuch  were  the  proclamation  of  Cod's  fta- 
 tutes,  what  fhall  the  feffions  be  ?  I  fee  and  tremble 
 at  the  refemblance.  The  trumpet  of  the  angel  called 
 unto  the  one :  the  voice  of  an  archangel,  the  trum- 
 pet of  God,  fhall  fummon  us  to  the  other.  To  the 
 one,  Mofes  (that  climbed  up  that  hill,  and  alcne  faw 
 it  (fays,  God  came  with  ten  thousands  of  his  faints. 
 In  the  other,  tkoufand  thcufands  Jhail  minifier  to 
 hi??!,  and  ten  tkoufand  thoifands  fhall  fland  before 
 him.  In  the  one,  mount  Sinai  only  was  on  a  flame ; 
 all  the  world  fhall  be  fo  in  the  ether.  In  the  one 
 There  was  fire,  fmoke,  thunder  and  lightning ;  in  the 
 other  a  fiery  dream  fhall  iffue  from  him,  wherewith 
 the  heavens  fhall  be  difiblved,  and  the  elements  fhall 
 melt  away  with  a  noife.  O  God,  how  powerful  art 
 thou  io  inflict:  vengeance  upon  fnners,  whodidib  thus 
 forbid  fin !  And  if  thou  wert  fo  terrible  a  law-giver, 
 what  a  judge  {halt  thou  appear !  What  fhall  become 
 of  the  breakers  of  fo  fiery  a  law !  O  where  fhall 
 thofe  appear,  that  are  guilty  of  the  tranfgrefUng  that 
 law,  whofe  very  delivery  was  little  lefs  than  death ! 
 If  our  God  mould  exact,  his  law,  but  in  the  fame  ri- 
 gour wherein  he  gave  it,  fin  could  not  quit  the  coil. 
 But  now  the  fire,  wherein  it  was  delivered,  was  but 
 terrifying ;  the  fire,  wherein  it  fhall  be  required,  is 
 confuming.  Happy  are  thofe  that  are  from  under 
 the  terrors  of  that  law,  which  was  given  in  £re,  and 
 in  fire  fhall  be  required. 
 
 God  would  have  Ifrael  fee,  that  they  had  not  to 
 do  with  feme  impotent  commander,  that  is  fain  to 
 publifh  his  laws,  without  noife,  in  dead' paper,  which 
 can  mere  eafily  enjoin  than  puuiih,  or  defcry  than 
 
 execute  \ 
 
BOOK  V.     Contem.  v.  151 
 
 execute ;  and  therefore,  before  he  gives  them  a  law, 
 cvrs  them  that  he  can  command  heaven,  e  11 
 
 -    air,  in  revenue  of  the  breach  of  the  law,  that 
 
 could  no:  but  mink  it  deadly  to  difpleaf?  inch  a 
 
 law-giver,  or  violate  fuch  dreadful  ftatutes  ;  that  the/ 
 
 might  fee  all  the  elements  examples  of  that  obedience 
 
 which  they  ihould  yield  unto  their  Maker. 
 
 This  fire,  wherein  the  law  was  given,  is  ftill  in  it, 
 and  will  never  out:  hence  are  thofe  terrors  which  it 
 fla&es  in  every  confeience,  that  hath  felt  remorfe  of 
 Every  ittan'-s  heart  is  a  Sinai,  and  refembles  to 
 him  both  heaven  and  hell.  The  Jling  of  death  is/in, 
 an  i  I  -fh  of  fin  is  the  law. 
 
 That  they  might  fee  he  could  find  cut  their  clofeil 
 fins,  he  delivers  his  law  in  the  light  of  fire  from  out 
 of  the  fmok  e.  That  they  might  fee  what  is  due  to  their 
 fins,  they  fee  fire  above,  to  reprefent  the  fire  that 
 ihould  be  below  them.  That  they  might  know  he 
 could  waken  their  fecurity,  the  thunder,  and  louder 
 voice  of  God  fpeaks  to  their  hearts.  That  they  might 
 fee  what  their  hearts  mould  do,  the  earth  quakes  un- 
 der them.  That  they  might  fee  they  could  not  fhift  the t 
 appearance,  the  angels  call  them  together.  O  royal 
 law,  and  mighty  law- giver !  How  could  they  think  of 
 having  any  other  God,  that  had  fuch  proofs  of  this ! 
 How  could  they  think  of  making  any  refembkmce 
 of  him,  whom  they  faw  could  net  be  feen,  and  whom 
 they  faw,  in  not  being  feen,  infinite'  Ho w  could  they 
 think  of  daring  to  profane  his  name,  'whom  they  heard 
 to  name  himfelf,  with  that  voice,  Jehovah!  How 
 could  they  think  of  (landing  with  him  for  a  day, 
 whom  they  faw  to  command  that  heaven  which 
 makes  and  meafures  <hj  !     How  ccu'd  they  think  of 
 
 "  ing  his   deputies,  whom  they  faw  (b  z'~ 
 revenge!  How  could  they  think  of -killing,  when 
 
 -    half  dead  with  the  fear  of  him  that  cou:c[  hid 
 -ad  foul  i     Hew  could  they  think  of  the 
 
 flames 
 
i52         CONTEMPLATION  S. 
 
 flames  of  luft,  that  faw  fuch  fires  of  vengeance !  How 
 could  they  think  of  Healing  from  others,  that  faw 
 whofe  the  heaven  and  the  earth  was,  to  difpofe  of  at 
 his  pleafure !  Plow  could  they  think  of  fpeaking  falfe- 
 ly,  that  heard  God  fpeak  in  fo  fearful  a  tone!  How 
 could  they  think  of  coveting  others  goods,  that  faw 
 how  weak  and  uncertain  right  they  had  to  their  own  ! 
 Yea,  to  us  was  this  law  fo  delivered,  to  us  in  them. 
 Neither  had  there  been  fuch  ft  ate  in  the  promulgation 
 of  it,  if  God  had  not  intended  it  for  eternity.  We 
 men,  that  10  fear  the  breach  of  human  laws,  for  fome 
 fmali  muicis  of  forfeiture,  how  ftiould  we  fear  thee, 
 O  Lord,  that  canft  caft  body  and  foul  into  hell ! 
 
 Ccktem,   vi.     Gf  the  Golden  Calf. 
 
 I T  was  not  much  above  a  month  f  nee  ffrael  made 
 -*-  their  covenant  with  God,  fmce  they  trembled  to 
 hear  him  fay,  Thou  JJmit  have  no  other  gods  hid 
 me;  fmce  they  faw  Mofes  part  from  them,  and 
 climb  up  the  hill  to  God :  and  now  they  fay,  Make 
 us  gods  :  we  know  net  what  is  become  cfjhis  Mo- 
 fes. O  ye  mad  If r  a  elites,  have  ye  fo  foon  forgot- 
 ten that  fire  and  thunder,  which  you  heard  and 
 faw  ?  Is  that  fmoke  vanifhed  out  of  your  mind,  as 
 foon  as  cut  of  your  fight  ?  Could  your  hearts  ceafe 
 to  tremble  with  the  earth?  Can  ye,  in  the  very  fight 
 of  Sinai,  call  for  other  gods  ?  And  for  Mofes,  was  it 
 net  for  your  fakes  that  he  thruft  himfelf  into  the 
 midft  of  that  fmoke  and  fire,  which  ye  feared  to  fee 
 afar  off  ?  "Was  he  not  now  gone  after  fo  many  fud- 
 den  embaifages,  to  be  your  lieger  with  God?  If  ye 
 had  feen  him  take  his  heels,  and  run  away  from  you 
 into  the  wildernefs,  what  could  ye  have  faia,  or  done 
 more?  Behold  our  better  Mofes  was  with  us  a  while 
 upon  earth ;  he  is  now  afcended  into  the  mount  of 
 heaven  to  menace  for  us ;  lhali  we  now  think  of  ano- 
 ther 
 
BOOK  V.    Contem.  vi.  153 
 
 ther  Saviour  ?  Shall  we  not  hold  it  our  happinefs,  that 
 he  is  for  our  fakes  above  ? 
 
 And  what  if  your  Mofes  had  been  gone  for  ever  ? 
 Mud  ye  therefore  have  gods  made  ?  If  ye  had  faid, 
 Chufe  us  another  governor,  it  had  been  a  wicked  and 
 unthankful  motion ;  ye  were  too  unworthy  of  a  Mo- 
 fes, that  could  fo  foon  forget  him.  But  to  fay,  Make 
 us  gods,  was  abfurdly  impious.  Mofes  was  not 
 your  god,  but  your  governor :  neither  was  the  pre- 
 sence of  God  tied  to  Mofes.  You  faw  God  (till,  when 
 he  was  gone,  in  his  pillar,  and  in  his  manna;  and 
 yet  ye  fay,  Make  us  gods.  Every  word  is  full  of 
 fenfelefs  wickednefs.  How  many  gods  would  you 
 have  I  Or  what  gods  are  thofe  that  can  be  made  ?  Or, 
 whatever  the  idolatrous  Egyptians  did,  with  what  face 
 can  ye,  after  fo  many  miraculous  obligations,  fpeak 
 of  another  god  ?  Had  the  voice  of  God  fcarce  done 
 thundering  in  your  ears  ?  Did  ye  fo  lately  hear  and 
 fee  him  to  be  an  infinite  God?  Did  ye  quake  to  hear 
 him  fay  out  of  the  midft  of  the  flames,  /  am  Jeho- 
 vah thy  God ;  thou  Jhalt  have  no  gods  but  mef  Did 
 ye  acknowledge  God  your  Maker;  and  do  ye  now 
 fpeak  of  making  of  gods  ?  If  ye  had  faid,  Make  us 
 another  man  to  go  before  us,  it  had  been  an  impoffible 
 fuit.  Aaron  might  help  to  mar  you  and  himfelf ;  he 
 could  not  make  one  hair  of  a  man :  and  do  ye  fay, 
 Make  us  gods  f  And  what  fhould  thofe  gods  do  ? 
 Go  before  you  f  How  could  they  go  before  you, 
 that  cannot  ftand  alone  i  Your  help  makes  them  to 
 ftand,  and  yet  they  muft  conduct  you.  O  the  impa- 
 tient ingratitude  of  carnal  minds !  O  the  fottifhaefs  of 
 idolatry !  Who  would  not  have  faid,  Mofes  is  not 
 with  uy,  but  he  is  with  God  for  us  ?  He  flays  long. 
 He  that  called  him,  with-  holds  him.  His  delay  is.  for 
 our  fakes,  as  well  as  his  afcent.  Though  we  fee  him 
 not,  we  will  hope  for  him.  His  favours  to  us  have 
 deferved  not  to  be  rejected  :    or,  if  God  will  keep 
 
 Vol.  I.  U  him 
 
154         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 him  from  us,  he  that  with-holds  him,  can  fupply  him. 
 He  that  fent  him,  can  lead  us  without  him  ;  his  fire 
 and  cloud  is  all-fufFicient.  God  hath  faid,  and  done 
 enough  for  us,  to  make  us  trull:  him.  We  will,  we 
 can,  have  no  other  God ;  we  care  not  for  any  other 
 guide.  But  behold  here  is  none  of  this.  Mofes  flays 
 but  fome  five  and  thirty  days,  and  now  he  i9  forgot- 
 ten, and  is  become  but  this  Mofes  :  yea,  God  is  for- 
 gotten with  him  ;  and,  as  if  God  and  Mofes  had  been 
 loft  at  once,  they  fay,  Make  us  gods.  Natural 
 men  mufl  have  God  at  their  beck ;  and  if  he  come 
 not  at  a  call,  he  is  cad  off,  and  they  take  themfelves 
 to  their  own  fhifts ;  like  as  the  Chinefe  whip  their 
 gods  when  they  anfwer  them  not ;  whereas  his  holy 
 ones  wait  long,  and  feek  him ;  and  not  only  in  their 
 finking,  but,  from  the  bottom  of  the  deeps,  call 
 upon  him  j  And  though  he  kill  them,  will  trufl  in 
 him. 
 
 Superftition  befots  the  minds  of  men,  and  blinds 
 the  eye  of  reafon  ;  and  firfr,  makes  them  not  men,  ere 
 it  makes  them  idolaters.  How  elfe  could  he,  that  is 
 the  image  of  God,  fall  down  to  the  images  of  crea- 
 tures ?  How  could  our  forefathers  have  fo  doated  upon 
 flocks  and  {tones,  if  they  had  been  themfelves  ?  As 
 the  Syrians  were  firfr.  blinded,  and  then  led  into  the 
 midit  of  Samaria ;  fo  are  idolaters  fiffl  bereaved 
 of  their  wits  and  common  fenfe,  and  afterwards  are 
 carried  brutifhly  into  all  palpable  impiety. 
 
 Who  would  not  have  been  afhamed  to  hear  this 
 anfwer  from  the  brother  of  Mofes,  Pluck  off  your 
 ear-rings  f  He  fhould  have  faid,  Pluck  this  idola- 
 trous thought  out  of  your  hearts.  And  now,  in- 
 Head  of  chiding,  he  foothes  them.  And,  as  if  he  had 
 been  no  kin  to  Mofes,  he  helps  to  lead  them  back 
 again  from  God  to  Egypt.  The  people  importuned 
 him,  perhaps  with  threats.  He  that  had  waded 
 thorough  all  the  menaces  of  Pharaoh,  doth  he  now 
 
 fhrink 
 
BOOK    V.     Coktem.   vi.  155 
 
 (lirink  at  the  threats  of  his  own  ?  Mofes  is  not  afraid 
 of  the  terrors  of  God :  his  faith,  that  carried  him 
 thorough  the  water,  led  him  up  to  the  fire  of  God's 
 prefence,  whiles  his  brother  Aaron  fears  the  faces  of 
 thofe  men,  which  he  lately  faw  pale  with  the  fear  of 
 their  glorious  Lawgiver.  As  if  he,  that  forbade  other 
 gods,  could  not  have  maintained  his  own  act  and  agent 
 againft  men.  -  Sudden  fears,  when  they  have  poffeffed 
 weak  minds,  lead  them  to  fliameful  errors.  Impor- 
 tunity or  violence  may  leflen,  but  they  cannot  ex- 
 cufe  a  fault.  Wherefore  was  he  a  governor,  but  to 
 deprefs  their  difordered  motions  ?  Facility  of  yield- 
 ing to  a  fin,  or  wooing  it  with  our  voluntary  fuit,  is 
 an  higher  (lair  of  evil ;  but  even  at  iaft,  to  be  won  to 
 fin,  is  damnable.  It  is  good  to  refill  any  onfet  of  fin  ; 
 but  one  condefcent  lofes  all  the  thanks  of  our  oppo- 
 sition. What  will  it  avail  a  man,  that  others  are 
 plagued  for  foliciring  him,  whiles  he  fmarteth  for 
 yielding  ?  If  both  be  in  hell,  what,  eafe  is  it  to  him, 
 that  another  is  deeper  in  the  pit  ? 
 
 What  now  did  Aaron  f  Behold  he  that  alone  was 
 allowed  to  climb  up  the  trembling  and  fiery  hill  of 
 Sinai  with  Mofes,  and  heard  God  fay,  Thou  Jhalt 
 not  make  to  tbyfelf  any  graven  image,  for  1  am  a 
 jealous  God,  as  if  he  meant  particularly  to  pre- 
 vent this  acl,  within  one  month,  calls  for  their  ear-rings 
 makes  the  graven  image  of  a  calf,  erecls  an  altar, 
 confecrates  a  day  to  it,  calls  it  their  god,  and  weeps 
 not  to  fee  them  dance  before  it.  It  is  a  miferable 
 thing,  when  governors  humour  the  people  in  their 
 fins,  and  inflead  of  making  up  the  breach,  enlarge  it. 
 Sin  will  take  heart  by  the  approbation  of  the  meaneft 
 looker  on ;  but,  if  authority  once  fecond  it,  it  grows 
 impudent.  As  contrarily,  where  the  public  govern* 
 ment  oppofes  evil,  though  it  be  under-hand  pra&ifed, 
 sot  without  fear,  there  is  life  in  that  (late. 
 
 Aaron 
 U  2 
 
\$6       C  O  NT  EMPLATIONS. 
 
 Aaron  might  have  learned  counfel  of  his  brother's 
 example.  When  they  came  to  him  with  (tones  in 
 their  hands,  and  faid,  Give  us  water,  he  ran  as 
 roundly  to  God  with  prayers  in  his  month  ;  fo  ftiould 
 Aaron  have  done,  when  they  faid,  Give  us  gods  : 
 but  he  weakly  runs  to  their  ear-rings,  that  which 
 fhould  be  made  their  god,  not  to  the  true  God  which 
 they  had,  and  forfook.  Who  can  promife  to  himfelf 
 freedom  from  grois  infirmities,  when  he  that  went  up 
 into  the  mount  comes  down,  and  doth  that  in  the  val- 
 ley, which  he  heard  forbidden  in  the  hill  ? 
 
 I  fee  yet,  and  wonder  at  the  mercy  of  that  God, 
 which  had  jufUy  called  himfelf  jealous.  This  very 
 Aaron,  whole  infirmity  had  yielded  to  fo  foul  an  ido- 
 latry, is  after  chofen  by  God  to  be  a  prieft  to  himfelf. 
 He  that  had  fet  up  an  altar  to  the  calf,  mult  ferve  at 
 the  altar  of  God.  He  that  had  melted,  and  carved 
 out  the  calf  for  a  god,  mud  facrifice  calves  and  rams, 
 and  bullocks  unto  the  true  God.  He  that  confecra- 
 ted  a  day  to  the  idol,  is  himfelf  confecrated  to  him, 
 which  was  di  (honoured  by  the  idol.  The  g  roll  eft  of 
 all  fins  cannot  prejudice  the  calling  of  God ;  yea,  as 
 the  light  is  bed  feen  in  darknefs,  the  mercy  of  God  is 
 moft  magnified  in  our  unworthinefs. 
 
 "What  a  difference  God  puts  between  perfons  and 
 fins !  While  fo  many  thcufand  Israelites  were  flain, 
 that  had  ftomachfully  defired  the  idol,  Aaron>  that 
 in  weaknefs  condefcended,  is  both  pardoned  the 
 faft,  and  afterwards  laden  with  honour  from  God. 
 Let  no  man  take  heart  to  fin,  from  mercy.  He  that 
 can  purpofe  to  fin  upon  the  knowledge  of  God's  mer- 
 cy, in  the  remiflion  of  infirmities,  prefumes,  and 
 makes  himfelf  a  wilful  offender.  It  is  no  comfort  to 
 the  wilful,  that  there  is  remiflion  to  the  weak  and  pe- 
 nitent. 
 
 The  ear-rings  are  pluckt  off.     Egyptian  jewels  are 
 fit  for  an  idolatrous  ufe.     This  very  gold  was  conta- 
 gious 
 
BOOK  V.    Contem.  vi.  157 
 
 gious.  It  had  been  better  the  Ifraclites  had  never 
 borrowed  thefe  ornaments,  than  that  they  mould  pay 
 them  back  to  the  idolatry  of  their  full  owners.  What 
 coil  the  fuperftitious  Ifraelites  are  content  to  be  at  for 
 this  lewd  devotion  !  The  riches,  and  pride  of  their 
 outward  habit,  are  vhey  willing  to  part  with  to  their 
 molten  god  ;  as  glad  to  have  their  ears  bare,  that  they 
 might  fill  their  eyes.  No  gold  is  too  dear  for  their 
 idol ;  each  man  is  content  to  fpoil  his  wives  and 
 children  of  that  whereof  they  fpoiled  the  Egyptians. 
 
 Where  are  thofe  worldlings,  that  cannot  abide  to 
 be  at  any  coil  for  their  religion,  which  could  be  con- 
 tent to  do  God  chafgelefs  fervice  ?  Thefe  very  Ifrael- 
 ites  that  were  ready  to  give  gold,  not  out  of  their 
 purfes,  but  from  their  very  ears,  to  mifdevotion,  fhall 
 once  condemn  them.  O  facrilege  fucceeding  to  fu- 
 perftition  !  Of  old  they  were  ready  to  give  gold  to  the 
 falfe  fervice  of  God,  we,  to  take  away  gold  from  the 
 true.  How  do  we  fee  men  prodigal  to  their  lulls  and 
 ambitions,  and  we  hate  not  to  be  niggards  to  God  i 
 
 This  gold  is  na<w  grown  to  a  calf.  Let  no  man 
 think  that  form  came  forth  cafually,  out  of  the  melt- 
 ed ear-rings.  This  fliape  was  intended  by  the  Ifrael- 
 ites,  and  perfected  by  Aaron.  They  brought  this 
 god  in  their  hearts  with  them  out  of  Egypt,  and  now 
 they  fer  it  up  in  their  eyes.  Still  doth  Egypt  hurt 
 them.  Servitude  was  the  lead  evil  that  Ifrael  receives 
 from  Egypt ;  for  that  fent  them  flill  to  the  true  God, 
 but  this  idolatrous  example  led  them  to  a  falfe.  The 
 very  fight  of  evil  is  dangerous ;  and  it  is  hard  for  the 
 heart  not  to  run  into  thofe  fms,  to  which  the  eye  and 
 ear  is  inured.  Not  out  of  love,  but  cuflom,  we  fall 
 into  fome  offences. 
 
 The  Ifraelites  wrought  fo  long  in  the  furnaces  of 
 the  Egyptians  brick,  that  they  have  brought  forth  a 
 molten  calf.  The  black  calf  with  the  white  fpots, 
 which  they   faw  worfhipped  in. Egypt,  hath  ftoln  their 
 
 -hearts  -f 
 
 i 
 
153         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 hearts;  and  they,  which  before  would  have  been  at- 
 the  Egyptian  flefh-pots,  would  now  be  at  their  devo- 
 tions. How  many  have  fallen  into  a  fafnion  of  fwear- 
 ing,  fcoffing,  drinking,  out  of  die  ufual  practice  of 
 others;  as  thofe  that  live  in  an  ill  air  are  infecled  with 
 difeafes.  A  man  may  pafs  thorough  Ethiopia  unchanged, 
 but  he  cannot  dwell  there,  and  noC  be  difcoloured. 
 
 Their  fin  was  bad  enough,  let  nor  our  uncharitable- 
 nefs  make  it  worfe.  No  man  may  think  they  have 
 fo  put  off  humanity,  and  fenfe,  ^ith  their  religion,  as 
 to  think  that  calf  a  god,  or  that  this  idol,  which  they 
 faw  yefterday  made,  did  bring  them  out  of  Egypt, 
 three  months  ago :  this  were  to  make  them  more 
 beads  than  that  calf  which  this  image  reprefented. 
 Or,  if  they  mould  have  been  fo  infenfate,  can  we 
 think  that  Aaron  could  be  thijs  defperately  mad? 
 The  image  and  the  holy-day  were  both  to  one  deity. 
 To-morrow  is  the  holy  day  of  the  Lord  your  God, 
 It  was  the  true  God  they  meant  to  wormip  in  the 
 calf;  and  yet  at  heft  this,  idolatry  is  (hameful.  It  is 
 no  marvel  if  this  foul  fin  feeks  pretences ;  yet  no  ex- 
 cufe  can  hide  the  (hame  of  fueh  a  face.  God's  jea- 
 loufy  is  not  ftirred  only  by  the  rivality  of  a  falfe  God, 
 but  of  a  falfe  worjhip.  Nothing  is  more  dangerous, 
 than  to  mint  God's  fervices  in  our  own  brain. 
 
 God  fends  down  Mcfes  to  remedy  this  fin.  He 
 could  as  eafily  have  prevented,  as  redreffed  it.  He 
 knew  ere  Mofes  came  up,  what  IJrael  would  do,  ere 
 he  came  down ;  like  as  he  knew,  the  two  tables  would 
 be  broken,  ere  he  gave  them.  God  mod  wifely  per- 
 mits, and  ordinates  fin  to  his  own  ends,  without  our 
 excufe  :  and  though  he  could  eafily,  by  his  own  hands, 
 remedy  evils,  yet  he  will  do  it  by  means,  both  or- 
 dinary and  fubordinate.  It  is  not  for  us  to  look  for 
 any  immediate  redrefs  from  God,  when  we  have  a 
 Mofes,  by   whom   ir   may   be   wrought.     Since    God 
 
 himfelf 
 
BOOK  Vi     Con  t  em.    vr.  159 
 
 himfelf  expects  this  from  man,  why  fliould  man  ex- 
 peel-  it  from  God  r 
 
 Now  might  Mofes  fiave  found  a  time  to  have  been . 
 even  with  Ifrael  for  all  their  untharikfulnefs,  and  mu- 
 tinous infurredtions :  Let  me  alone ;  /  will  confume 
 them,  and  make  thee  a  mighty  nation.  Mofes 
 ihould  not  need  to  folicit  God  for  revenge ;  God  fo- 
 licits  him,  in  a  fort,  for  leave  to  revenge.  Who  would 
 look  for  fuch  a  word  from  God  to  man,  Let  me  a- 
 lorn  f  As  yet  Mofes  had  faid  nothing ;  before  he 
 opens  his  mouth,  God  prevents  his  importunity,  as 
 forefeeing  that  holy  violence,  which  the  requefts  of 
 Mofes  would  offer  to  him.  Mofes  itood  trembling  be- 
 fore the  majefty  of  his  Maker;  and  yet  hears  him  fay, 
 Let  me  alone.  The  mercy  of  our  God  hath,  as 
 it  were,  obliged  his  power  to  the  faith  of  men.  The 
 fervent  prayers  of  the  faithful  hold  the  hands  of  the 
 Almighty.  As  I  find  it  faid  afterwards  of  Chrift,  That 
 he  could  do  no  miracles  there,  becaufe  of  their  un~ 
 belief:  So  now,  I  hear  God  (as  if  he  could  not 
 do  execution  upon-  Ifrael,  becaufe  of  Mofesh  faith) 
 fay,  Let  me  alone,  that  I  may  confume  them. 
 
 We  all  naturally  affect  propriety,  and  like  our  own 
 fo  much  better,  as  it  is  freer  from  partners.  Every 
 one  would  be  glad  to  fay,  with  that  proud  one,  / 
 am,  and  there  is  none  befide  me :  fo  much  the 
 more  fweetly  would  this  meifage  have  founded  to  na- 
 ture, /  will  confume  them,  and  make  of  thee  a 
 mighty  nation.  How  many  endeavour  that,  not 
 without  danger  of  curfes  and  uproar,  which  was  vo- 
 luntarily tendered  unto  Mofes !  Whence  are  our  de- 
 populations and  inclofures,  but  for  that  men  cannot 
 abide  either  fellows,  or  neighbours  P  But  how  graci- 
 oufly  doth  Mofes  ftrive  with  God,  againfl  his  own 
 preferment-?  If  God  had  threatened,  /  will  confume 
 thee,  and  make  of  them  a  mighty  nation,  I  doubt 
 whether  he  could  have  been  more  moved.  Themorea 
 
 man 
 
160         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 man  can  leave  himfelf  behind  him,  and  afpire  to  a 
 care  of  community,  the  mor:  fpiritual  he  is.  No- 
 thing makes  a  man  fo  good  a  patriot,  as  religion. 
 
 O  the  Tweet"  difpofition  of  'Mofes,  fit  for  him  that 
 fhould  be  familiar  with  God !  He  faw  they  could  be 
 content  to  be  merry,  and  happy  without  him  ;  he 
 would  not  be  happy  without  them.  They  had  pro- 
 fcfTed  to  have  forgotten  him :  he  flacks  not  to  fue  for 
 them.  He  that  will  ever  hope  for  good  himfelf,  mult 
 return  good  for  evil  unto  others. 
 
 Yea,  it  was  not  Ifrael  fo  much  that  Mofes  refpe&ed, 
 as  God  in  Ifrael.  He  wras  thrifty  and  jealous  for  his 
 Maker ;  and  would  not  have  him  lofe  the  glory  of  his 
 mighty  deliverances;  nor  would  abide  a  pretence  for 
 any  Egyptian  dog  to  bark  againft  the  powerful  work 
 of  God ;  Wherefore  flmll  the  Egyptians  fay  f  If 
 Ifrael  could  have  perifhed  without  difhonour  to  God, 
 perhaps  his  hatred  to  their  idolatry  would  have  over- 
 come his  natural  love,  and  he  had  let  God  alone. 
 Now  fo  tender  is  he  over  the  name  of  God,  that  he 
 would  rather  have  Ifrael  efcape  with  a  fin,  than  God's 
 glory  fhould  be  blemifhed,  in  the  opinions  of  men,  by 
 a  juft  judgment.  He  faw  that  the  eyes  and  tongues 
 cf  all  the  world  were  intent  upon  Ifrael,  a  people  fo 
 miraculoufly.  fetcht  from  Egypt*  whom  the  fea  gave 
 way  to ;  whom  heaven  fed  ;  whom  the  rock  watered  ; 
 whom  the  fire  and  cloud  guarded ;  which  heard  the 
 audible  voice  of  God.  He  knew  withal,  how  ready 
 the  world  would  be  to  mifconflrue,  and  how  the 
 Heathens  would  be  ready  to  cafl  imputations  of  levity 
 or  impotence  upon  God ;  and  therefore  fays,  What 
 will  the  Egyptians  fay  f  Happy  is.  that  man,  which 
 can  make  God's  glory  the  fcope  of  all  his  actions  and 
 defires ;  neither  cares  for  his  own  welfare,  nor  fears 
 the  miferies  of  others,  but  with  refpeft  to  God  in 
 both.  ]f  God  had  not  given  Mofes  this  care  of  his 
 glory,  he  could  not  have  had  it :  and  now  his  good- 
 
 nefs 
 
BOOK  V.      Com  t  em.  vi.  "  161 
 
 nefs  takes  it  fo  kindly,  as  if  himfelf  had  received  a  fa- 
 vour from  his  creature ;  and,  for  a  rewa'rd  of  the  grace 
 he  had  wrought,  promifes  not  to  do  that  which  he 
 threatened.  'But  what  needs  God  to  care  for  the 
 fpecch  of  the  Egyptians,  men,  inridels?  And  if  they 
 had  been  good,  yet  their  cenfure  mould  have  been 
 unjuft.  Shall  God  care  for  the  tongues  of  men  ;  the 
 holy  God,  for  the  tongues  of  infidels  ?  The  very 
 Ifraelites,  now  they  were  from  under  the  hands  of 
 Egypt,  cared  not  for  their  words;  and  mall' the  God 
 of  heaven  regard  that  which  is  not  worth  the  regard 
 of  men?  Their  tongues  could  not  talk  againft  God, 
 but  from  himfelf;  and  if  it  could  have  been  the  worfe 
 for  him,  would  he  have  permitted  it  ?  But,  O  God, 
 how  dainty  art  thou  of  thine  honour,  that  thou  canfl 
 not  endure  the  wont  of  men  fhould  have  any  colour 
 to  taint  it !  What,  do  we  men  Hand  upon  our  juftice 
 and  innocence,  with  neglect  of  all  unjuft  cenfures, 
 when  that  infinite  God,  whom  no  cenfures  can  reach, 
 will  not  abide,  that  the  very  Egyptians  mould  falfely 
 tax  his  power  and  mercy !  Wife  men  mufl  care,  not 
 only  to  deferve  well,  but  to  hear  well,  and  to  wipe 
 oif,  not  only  crimes,  but  cenfures. 
 
 There  was  never  fo  precious  a  monument,  as  the 
 tables  written  with  God's  own  hand.  If  we  fee  but 
 the  ftone  which  Jacob's  head  relied  on,  or,  on  which 
 the  foot  of  Chriit  did  once  tread,  we  look  upon  it  with 
 more  than  ordinary  refpeft.  With  what  eye  fhould 
 we  have  beheld  this  ftone,  which  was  hewed,  and 
 written  with  the  very  finger  of  God !  Any  manufcript 
 fcroll,  written  by  the  hand  of  a  famous  man,  is  laid  up 
 amongft  our  jewels ;  what  place  then  fhould  we  have 
 given  to  the  hand-writing  of  the  Almighty! 
 
 That  which  he  hath  dictated  to  his  fervants  the 
 prophets  challenges  juft  honour  from  us  :  how  doth 
 that  deferve  veneration,  which  his  own  hand  wrote 
 immediately! 
 
 Vol.  I.  X  Prophecies 
 
i*2         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 - 
 
 c 
 
 Prophecies  and  evangelical  difcourfes  he  hath  wrk 
 ten'  by  others ;  never  did  he  write  any  thing  himielf, 
 but  thefe  tables  of  the  law  ;  neither  did  he  ever  fpeak 
 any  thing  audibly  to  whole  mankind,  but  it.  The 
 hand,  the  flone,  the  law,  were  all  his.  By  how  much 
 more  precious  this  record  was,  by  fo  much  was  the 
 fault  greater  of  defacing  it.  What  king  holds  it  lefs 
 than  rebellion,  to  tear  his  writing,  and  blemifh  his 
 feal  ?  At  the  firft  he  engraved  his  image  in  the  table 
 of  man's  heart ;  Adam  blurred  the  image,  but,  through 
 God's  mercy,  faved  the  tablet.  Now  he  writes  his 
 will  in  the  tables  of  Hone ;  Mofes  breaks  the  tables, 
 and  defaced  the  writing.  If  they  had  been  given  him 
 for  himfelf,  the  author,  the  matter  had  deferved,  that 
 as  they  were  written  in  flone  for  permanency,  fo  they 
 fhould  be  kept  for  ever ;  and,  as  they  were  everlaft- 
 ing  in  ufe,  fo  they  mould  be  in  preservation.  Had 
 they  been  written  in  clay,  they  could  but  have  been 
 broken ;  but  now  they  were  given  for  all  Ifrael^  for 
 all  mankind.  He  was  but  the  meflenger,  not  the 
 owner.  Howfoever  therefore  Ifrael  had  deferved,  by 
 breaking  this  covenant  with  God,  to  have  this  monu- 
 ment of  God's  covenant  with  them  broken  by  the 
 fame  hand  that  wrote  it ;  yet  how  durfl  Mofes  thus 
 carelefsly  cad  away  the  treafure  of  all  the  world,  and 
 by  his  hands  undo  that  which  was  with  fuch  coil  and 
 care  done  by  his  Creator  ?  How  durfl  he  fail  the  trull 
 of  that  God,  whofe  pledge  he  received  with  awe  and 
 reverence  ?  He  that  expoflulated  with  God,  to  have 
 Ifrael  live  and  profper,  why  would  he  deface  the  rule 
 of  their  life,  in  the  keeping  whereof  they  fhould 
 profper  ?  I  fee  that  forty  days  talk  with  God  cannot 
 bereave  a  man  of  pai&onate  infirmity.  He  that  was 
 the  meek  eft  upon  earth,  in  a  fudden  indignation,  a- 
 bandons  that,  which,  in  cold  blood,  he  would  have 
 held  failer  than  his  life.  He  forgets  the  law  written, 
 when  he  faw  it  broken.     His  zeal  for  God  hath  tranf- 
 
 ported 
 
BOOKV.     Contem.vi.  163 
 
 ported  him  from  himfelf,  and  his  duty  to  the  charge 
 of  God.  He  more  hates  the  golden  calf,  wherein  he 
 faw  engraven  the  idolatry  of  Ifrael ^  than  he  honour- 
 ed the  tables  of  flone,  wherein  God  had  engraven 
 his  commandments ;  and  more  longed  to  deface  the 
 idol,  than  he  cared  to  preferve  the  tables.  Yet  that 
 God,  which  fo  fharply  revenged  the  breach  of  one 
 law  upon  the  Ifraelites^  checks  not  Mofes  for  break- 
 ing both  the  tables  of  the  law.  The  law  of  God  is 
 fpiritual.  The  internal  breach  of  one  law  is  fo  hei- 
 nous, that,  in  comparison  of  it,  God  fcarce  counts 
 the  breaking  of  the  outward  tables  a  breach  of  the 
 law.  The  goodnefs  of  God  winks  at  the  errors  of 
 honefl  zeal,  and  fo  loves  the  flrength  of  good  affec- 
 tions, that  it  paffeth  over  their  infirmities.  How 
 highly  God*  doth  efleem  a  well-governed  zeal,  when 
 his  mercy  crowns  it  with  all  the  faults! 
 
 The  tables  had  not  offended ;  the  calf  had,  and 
 Ifrael  in  it.  Mofes  takes  revenge  on  both ;  he  burns 
 and  (lamps  the  calf  to  powder,  and  gives  it  Ifrael  to 
 drink,  that  they  might  have  it  in  their  guts,  inflead 
 of  their  eyes.  How  he  haffeth  to  deffroy  the  idol, 
 wherein  they  finned!  That,  as  an  idol  is  nothing,  fo 
 it  might  be  brought  to  nothing ;  and  atoms  and  dufl 
 is  nearefl  to  nothing ;  that,  inftead  of  going  before 
 Ifrael)  it  might  pafs  thorough  them,  fo  as  the  next  day 
 they  might  find  their  god  in  their  excrements,  to  the 
 jufl  fhame  of  Ifrael ^  when  they  mould  fee  their  new 
 god  cannot  defend  himfelf  from  being  either  nothing, 
 or  worfe. 
 
 Who  can  but  wonder,  to  fee  a  multitude  of  fo  many 
 hundred  thoufands  (when  Mofes  came  running  down 
 the  hill)  to  turn  their  eyes  from  their  god,  to  him  ^ 
 and,  on  a  fudden,  inftead  of  worfhipping  their  idol, 
 to  batter  it  in  pieces,  in  the  very  height  of  the  novelty? 
 Inflead  of  building  altars,  and  kindling  fires  to  it,  to 
 kindle  an  hotter  fire  than  that,  wherewith  it  was  melt- 
 
 X  2  ed5 
 
i64        C  O  N  TEMPLAT  I:  O  N  3, 
 
 ed,  to-  confume  it  ?'  Infcead  of  dancing  before  it?  to 
 abhor  and  deface  it?  inilead  of  iinging,  to  weep  be- 
 fore it?  There "was  never  a  more  ftiir-necked  people: 
 yet  I  do  not  hear  any  one  man  of  them  fay,  He  is  but 
 one  man ;  we  are  many ;  how  eafily  may  we  destroy 
 him,  rather  than  he  our  god?  If  his  brother  dnrft  not 
 rcfift  our  motion  in  making  it,  why  will  we  fuifer 
 him  to  dare  to  refift  the  keeping  of  it  ?  It  is  oar  act,  and 
 we  will  maintain  it.  •  Here  was  none  of  this,  bui  art 
 humble  obeifance  to  the  bafeft  and  bloodieft  revenge 
 that  Mofes  fhall  impofe.  God  hath  fet  fuch  an  im- 
 preffion  of  majefly  in  the  face  of  lawful  authority,  that 
 wickednefs  is  confounded  in  itfeif  to  behold  it.  If 
 from  hence  vifible  powers  were  not  more  feared  than 
 the  invifible  God,  the  world  would  be  over-run  with 
 outrage.  Sin  hath  a  guiltinefs  in  itfeif,  that,  when  it 
 is  feafonably  checked,  it  pulls  in  its  head,  and  feeks. 
 rather  an  hiding-place,  than  a  fort. 
 
 The  idol  is  not  capable  of  a  further  revenue.  It 
 is  not  enough,  unlefs  the  idolaters  fmart.  The  gold 
 was  good,  if  the  Ifraelites  had  not  been  evil ;  fo  great 
 a  fm  cannot  be  expiated  without  blood.  Behold  that, 
 meek  fpirit,  which,  in  his  plea  with  God,  would  ra- 
 ther perifh  himfelf,  than  Ifrael  fhould  periih,  arms 
 the  Levites  againfi:  their  brethren,  and  rejoices  to  fee 
 thoufands  of  the  Ifraelites  bleed,  and.bleiies  their  exe- 
 cutioners. 
 
 It  was  the  "mercy  of  Mofes  that  made  him  cruel. 
 He  had  been  cruel  to  all,  if  fome  had  not  found  him 
 cruel.  They  are  mercilefs  hands,  which  are  not  fome- 
 times  imbrued  in  b'ood.  There  is  no  lefs  charity 
 than  juitice,  in  ptunfeing  nnners  with  death :  God  de- 
 lights no  lefs  in  a  killing  mercy,  than  in  a  pitiful 
 juftice.  Some  tender  hearts  would  be  ready  to  cen- 
 fure  the  rigour  of  Mofes,  Might  not  Ifrael  have  re- 
 pented, and  lived?  Or,  if  they  muft  die,  muft  their 
 brethrens  hand.be  upon  them?.   Or,  if,  their  throats 
 
 mud 
 
BOOK  VI.     Conti,m,  i,  165 
 
 nmfl  be  cut  by  their,  brethren,  mall  it  be  dene  in  the 
 very  heat  of  their  fin  ?  Bust  they  mull  learn,  a  diffe- 
 rence betwixt  pity  and  fbndnefs,  mercy  and  injujiice. 
 Nejh  bad  an  heait  as -foft  as  theirs,  but  more  hot; 
 as  pitiful,  but  wifer,  Ke  was  a  good  phyfeian,  and 
 faw  that  Jfratl  could  not  liye,  imleis  be  bled  ;  he. 
 therefore  lets  out  this  corrupt  bleed,  to.  fare  the 
 whole  body.  There  cannot  be  a  better  iV-crlhce  to 
 God,  than  the  blood  of  malefactors ;  and  this  firfl 
 facrince  fo  pleafed  God  in  the  hands  of  the  Levites, 
 that  he  would  have  none  but  them  facriflce  to  him 
 for  ever.  The  blood  of  the  idolatrous  Ifraclkes 
 cleared  that  tribe  from  the  blood:  of  the  innocent 
 Slcbemites. 
 
 BOOK    SIXTH. 
 
 Contem,   i.       Of  the  vail  c/Moses, 
 
 T  is  a  wonder,  that  neither  Mofes  nor  any  IfraeUtc 
 gathered  up  the  fhivers  of  the  former  tables.  Er 
 very  (herd  of  that  (tone,  arid,  every  letter  of 
 that  writing  had  been  a.  relict  worthy  laying  up  ;  but 
 he  well  faw  how  headlong  the. people  were  to  fuper* 
 ftition,  and  how  unfafe  k  were  to  feed  that  difpofi- 
 tion  in  them. 
 
 The  fame  zeal  that  burnt  the  calf  to  aflies,  con- 
 cealed the  ruins  of  this  monument.  Holy  things,  be- 
 fides  their  ufe,  challenge  no  further  refpecl.  The 
 breaking  of  the  tables  did  as  good  as  blot  out  all  the 
 writing;  and-tbre  writing  defaced,  left  no.  virtue  in 
 the  flone,  no  reverence  to  it. 
 
 If  God  had  not. been  friends  with  Ifrael,  he  had. 
 not  renewed  his  law.  As  the  Ifraclites  were  wilfully- 
 blind,  if  they  did  not  fee  God's  anger  in  the  tables ,: 
 broken,  fo  could  they  not  but  hold  it  a  good  fign  of 
 grace,  that  God  gave  them  his  teilimonies.- 
 
 There 
 
166         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 There  was  nothing  wherein  Ifrael  out-flripped  all 
 the  reft  of  the  world  more,  than  in  this  privilege ;  the 
 pledge  of  his  covenant,  the  law  written  with  God's 
 own  hand.  Oh  what  a  favour  then  is  it,  where  God 
 bellows  his  gofpel  upon  any  nation  ?  That  was  but  a 
 killing  letter  ;  this  is  the  power  of   God  to  faivation. 
 
 Never  is  God  thoroughly  difpleafed  with  any  people, 
 where  that  continues.  For,  like  as  thofe  which  pur- 
 pofe  love,  when  they  fall  off,  call  for  their  tokens 
 back  again  ;  fo,  when  God  begins  once  perfectly  to 
 43p.iflike,  the  firft  thing  he  withdraws  is  his  gofpel. 
 
 Ifrael  recovers  this  favour,  but  with  an  abatement ; 
 Hew  thee  two  tables.  God  made  the  firft  tables ; 
 the  matter,  the  form,  was-  his  ;  now  Mofes  muff  hew 
 the  next.  As  God  created  the  firft:  man  after  his  own 
 image ;  but  that  once  defaced,  Adam  begat  Cain  after 
 his  own  ;  or,  as  the  firft:  temple  razed,  a  fecond  was 
 built ;  yet  fo  far  fhort,  that  the  Ifraelites-  wept  at 
 the  fight  of  it.  The  firft  works  of  God  are  ftill  the 
 pureft  :  thofe  that  he  fecondarily  works  by  us,  decline 
 in  their  perfection.  It  was  reafon,  that  though  God 
 had  forgiven  Ifrael,  they  fhouid  ftill  find  they  had 
 finned.  They  might  fee  the  footfteps  of  difpleafure 
 in  the  differences  of  the  agent. 
 
 When  God  had  told  Mcfes  before,  /  will  not  go 
 before  Ifrael,  but  my  angel  fh all  lead  them  ;  Mofes  fo 
 noted  the  difference,  that  he  refted  not,  till  God 
 himfelf  undertook  ther  conduct ;  fo  might  the  Ifrael- 
 ites  have  noted  fome  remainders  of  offence,  whiles, 
 inftead  of  that  which  his  own  hand  did  formerly 
 makt,  he  faith  now,  Hew  thee  ;  and  yet  thefe  fecond 
 tables  are  kept  reverently  in  the  ark,  when  the 
 other  lay  mouldered  in  fhivers  upon  Sinai :  like  as 
 the  repaired  image  of  God  in  our  regeneration  is 
 preferved,  perfected,  and  laid  up  at  lafl  fafe  in  hea- 
 ven ;  whereas  the  firft  image  of  our  created  innocence 
 is  quite  defaced :.  fo  the  fecond  temple  had  the  glory 
 
 of 
 
BOOK  VI.     Co  nt  em.  i."  167 
 
 of  Chrifl's  exhibition,  though  meaner  in  frame.  The 
 merciful  refpe&s  of  God  are  not  tied  to  glorious  out- 
 iides ;  or  the  inward  worthinefs  of  things  or  perfons : 
 He  hath  chofen  the  weak  and  Jimple,  to  confound  the 
 wife  and  mighty. 
 
 Yet  God  did  this  work  by  Mofes.  Mofes  hewed, 
 and  God  wrote.  Our  true  Mofes  repairs  that  law  of 
 God,  which  we,  in  our  nature,  had  broken ;  he  re- 
 vives it  for  us,  and  it  is  accepted  of  God,  no  lefs 
 than  if  the  firft  characters  of  his  law  had  been  flail 
 entire.  We  can  give  nothing  but  the  table  ;  it  is  God 
 that  mult  write  in  it.  Our  hearts  are  but  a  bare 
 board,  till  God,  by  his  finger,  engrave  his  law  in  them. 
 Yea,  Lord,  we  are  a  rough  quarry  ;  hew  thou  us  out, 
 and  fquare  us  fit  for  thee  to  write  upon. 
 
 Well  may  we  marvel  to  fee  Mofes,  after  this  over- 
 fight,  admitted  to  this  charge  again.  Who  of  us 
 Would  not  have  faid,  Your  care  indeed  deferves  trail  ? 
 You  did  fo  carefully  keep  the  firft  tables,  that  it  would 
 do  well  to  trull  you  with  fuch  another  burden. 
 
 It  was  good  for  Mofes  that  he  had  to  do  with  God, 
 not  with  men.  The  God  of  mercy  will  not  impute 
 the  flips  of  our  infirmity  to  the  prejudice  of  our  faith- 
 fulnefs.  He,  that  after  the  mif-anfwer  of  the  one  ta- 
 lent, would  not  trufl  the  evil  fervant  with  a  fecond, 
 becaufe  he  faw  a  wilful  neglect,  will  trufl  Mofes  with 
 his  fecond  law,  becaufe  he  faw  fidelity  in  the  worft 
 error  of  his  zeal.  Our  charity  mufl  learn,  as  to  for- 
 give, fo  to  believe  where  we  have  been  deceived : 
 not  that  we  fhould  wilfully  beguile  ourf elves  in  an  un- 
 jufl  credulity,  but  that  we  fhould  fearch  diligently 
 into  the  difpofition  of  perfons,  and  grounds  of  their 
 actions.  Perhaps  none  may  be  fo  fure  as  they  that 
 have  once  difappointed  us.  Yea  Mofes  brake  the  firft  ; 
 therefore  he  mufl  hew  the  fecond .  If  God  had  broken 
 them,  he  would  have  repaired  them.  The  amends 
 mufl  be  where  the  fault  was.     Both   God  and  his 
 
 church 
 
163         C  O  N  T  E  M  P  L  A  T  I  G  N  S. 
 
 church  loci:  for  a  fotisfa&ion  in  that  wherein  we  have 
 oifended. 
 
 Ir  was  not  long  force  Mofes  his  former  fafl  of  forty 
 days ;  when  he  then  cattle  down  from  the  hill,  his  frit 
 quefrion  was  not  for  meat ;  and  now  going  up  again 
 to  Sinai 9  he  takes  not  any  repafl  with  him.  That 
 God,  v.hich  feflt  the  quails  to  the  hoil  of  I  freely  and 
 mamia  from  heaven,  could  have  fed  him  with  dain- 
 ties. Ke  goes  up  confidently  in  a  fecure  truft  of  God's 
 provifion.  There  is  no  life  to  that  of  faith.  Alan 
 lives  not  by  bread  only.  The  vifion  of  God  did  not 
 only  fatiate,  but  feafl  him.  What  a  blelfed  fatiety 
 fhall  there  be,  when  we  lhall  fee  him  as  he  is ;  and 
 he  lhall  be  all  in  all  to  us ;  fince  this  very  frail  morta- 
 lity of  Mofes  was  fuitained  and  comforted,  but  with 
 reprefentations  of  his  prefence  ! 
 
 I  fee  Mofes  the  receiver  of  the  law,  Ellas  the  re- 
 ftorer  of  the  law,  Chjrilt  the  fulfiller  of  the  old  law, 
 and  author  of  the  new,  ail  failing  forty  days  ;  and 
 thefe  three  ?reat  failers  I  find  together  dorious  in 
 mount  Tabor.  Abilinence  merits  not  ;  for  religion 
 confiils  not  in  the  belly,  either  full  or  empty.  What 
 are  meats  or  drinks  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  is, 
 like  hiritfeljF;  fpiritual?  But  it  prepares  befl  for  good 
 duties.  Full  bellies  are  fitter  for  reft.  Not  the  body, 
 fo  much  as  the  foul,  is  more  aclive  with  emptinefs. 
 Hence  folemn  prayer  takes  ever  failing  to  attend  it, 
 and  fo  much  the  rather  fpeeds  in  heaven,  when  it  is 
 fo  accompanied.  It  is  good  fo  to  diet  the  body,  that 
 the  foul  may  be  fattened. 
 
 When  Mofes  came  down  before,  his  eyes  fparkled 
 with  anger,  and  his  face  was  both  interchangeably 
 pale,  and  red  with  indignation  ;  now  it  is  bright  with 
 glory.  Before,  there  were  the  flames  of  fury  in  it, 
 now,  the  beams  of  majefty,  Mofes  had  before  fpoken 
 with  God  ;  why  did  not  his  face  mine  before  ?  I  can- 
 not lay  the  caufe  upon  the  inward  trouble  of  his 
 
 pafHons, 
 
BOOK    VI.     Contem.    i.  169 
 
 paffions,   for   this  brightnefs  was  external.     Whether 
 {hall  we  impute  it,  but  to  his  more  entirenefs  with  God. 
 
 The  more  familiar  acquaintance  we  have  with 
 God,  the  more  do  we  partake  of  him.  He  that  pafTei 
 by  the  fire,  may  have  fome  gleams  of  heat ;  but  he, 
 that  ftands  by  it,  hath  his  colour  changed.  It  is  no: 
 poffible  a  man  fhould  have  any  Jong  conference  with 
 God,  and  be  no  whit  affected.  We  are  Orangers 
 from  God  ;  it  is  no  wonder  if  our  faces  be  earthly ; 
 but  he  that  fets  himfelf  apart  to  God,  fhail  find  a  kind 
 of  majefty,  and  awful  refpect  put  upon  him,  in  the 
 minds  of  others. 
 
 How  did  the  heart  of  Mofes  mine  with  illumina- 
 tion, when  his  face  was  thus  lightfome !  And  if  the 
 fiefh  of  Mofes,  in  this  bafe  compofition,  fo  fhined  by 
 converfmg  with  God  forty  days  in  Sinai,  what  fhajl 
 our  glory  be,  when  clothed  with  incorruptible  bo- 
 dies? We  ihall  converfe  with  him  for  ever  in  the 
 higheit  heaven. 
 
 Now  his  face  only  fhone ;  afterwards  the  three  dif- 
 ciples  faw  all  his  body  fhining.  The  nature  of  a  glo- 
 rified body,  the  clearer  vifion,  the  immediate  prefence 
 of  that  fountain  of  glory,  challenge  a  far  greater  re- 
 fplendence  to  our  faces,  than  his.  O  God,  we  are 
 content  that  our  faces  be  blemifhed  a  while  with  con- 
 tempt, and  blubbered  with  tears.  How  can  we  but  {nine 
 with  Mofes,  when  we  fliall  fee  thee  more  than  Mofes  ! 
 
 The  brightnefs  of  Mofes's  face  reflected  not  upon 
 his  own  eyes;  he  (hone  bright,  and  knew  not  of  it. 
 He  faw  God's  face  glorious ;  he  did  not  think  others 
 had  fo  fecn  his.  How  many  have  excellent  graces, 
 and  perceive  them  not !  Our  own  fenfe  is  an  ill  judge 
 of  God's  favours  to  us :  thofe  that  (land  by,  can  con- 
 vince us  in  that  which  we  deny  to  ourfelves.  Here 
 below,  it  is  enough  if  we  can  ihine  in  the  eyes  of 
 others;  above,  we  Ihairfhine  and  know  it.  At  this 
 inftant  Mofes  fees  himfelf  Ihine ;  then  he  needed  not. 
 
 Vol.  I.  Y  God 
 
i7o        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 God  meant  not  that  he  fhould  more  efteem  himfelf, 
 but  that  he  mould  be  more  honoured  of  the  Israelites; 
 That  other  glory  fhall  be  for  our  own  happinefs ;  and 
 therefore  requires  our  knowledge. 
 
 They,  that  did  but  Hand  ft  ill  to  fee  anger  in  his 
 face,  ran  away  to  fee  glory  in  it.  Before,  they  had 
 defired  that  God  would  not  fpeak  to  them  any  more 
 but  by  Mofes ;  and  now,  that  God  doth  but  look 
 upon  them  in  Mofes,  they  are  afraid;  and  yet  there  was 
 not  more  difference  betwixt  the  voices,  than  the  faces 
 of  God  and  Mofes.  This  ihculd  have  drawn  Ijrael 
 to  Mofes  io  much  the  more,  to  have  feen  this  im- 
 prefHon  of  divinity  in  his  face. 
 
 .  Thar  which  fhould  have  comforted,  affrights  them;- 
 yea,  Aaron  himfelf,  that  before  went  up  into  the 
 mount  to  fee  and  fpeak  with  God,  now  is  afraid  to 
 fee  him  that  had  feen  God.  Such  a  fear  there  is  in 
 guiltinefs,  fuch  confidence  in  innocency.  When  the 
 fcul  is  once  cleared  from  fin,  it  fhall  run  to  that  glory, 
 with  joy,  the  leaf!  glimpfe  whereof  now  appals  it, 
 and  fends  it  away  in  terror.  How  could  the  Ifraelites 
 now  chufe  but  think,  How  fhall  we  abide  to  look  God 
 in  the  face,  fmce  our  eyes  are  dazzled  with  the  face 
 of  Mofes  !  And  well  may  we  frill  argue,  if  the  image 
 of  God,  which  he  hath  fet  in  the  flefhy  forehead  of 
 authority,  daunt  us,  how  fhall  we  (land  before  the 
 dreadful  tribunal  of  heaven  ! 
 
 Mofes  marvels  to  fee  Ifrael  run  away  from  their 
 guide,  as  from  their  enemy ;  and  looks  back  to  fee 
 if  he  could  difcern  any  new  caufe  of  fear  ;  and,  not 
 conceiving  how  his  mild  face  could  affright  them,  calls 
 them  to  flay  and  retire. 
 
 O  my  people,  whom  do  ye  fly  ?  It  is  for  your  fakes 
 that  I  afcend,  flayed,  came  down.  Behold,  here  are 
 no  armed  Levites  to  ftrike  you,  no  Amalekites,  no 
 Egyptians  to  purfue  you,  no  fires  and  thunders  to  difmay 
 you.     I  hare  not  that  rod  of  God  in  my  hand,  which 
 
 you 
 
BOOK    VI.      Contem.    i.  171 
 
 you  have  feen,  to  command  the  elements ;  or,  if  I 
 had,  fo  far  am  I  from  purpofin  g  any  rigour  againft  you, 
 that  I  now  lately  have  appeafed  God  towards  you ; 
 and  low  here  the  pledges  of  his  reconciliation.  God 
 fends  me  to  you  for  good ;  and  do  you  run  from  your 
 bed  friend?  Whither  will  ye  go  from  me,  or  without 
 me?  Stay,  and  hear  the  charge  of  that  God,  from 
 whom  we  cannot  fly. 
 
 They  perceive  his  voice  the  fame,  though  his  face 
 were  changed,  and  are  perfuaded  to  (lay,  and  return, 
 and  hear  him,  whom  they  dare  not  fee ;  and  now, 
 after  many  doubtful  paces,  approaching  nearer,  dare 
 tell  him  he  was  grown  too  glorious. 
 
 Good  Mc/es,  finding  that  they  durft  not  look  upon 
 the  fun  of  his  face,  clouds  it  with  a  veil ;  chufmg  ra- 
 ther to  hide  the  work  of  God  in  him,  than  to  want 
 opportunity  of  revealing  God's  will  to  his-  people.  I 
 do  not  hear  him  ftand  upon  terms  of  reputation ;  if 
 there  be  glory  in  my  face,  God  put  it  there ;  he 
 would  not  have  placed  it  fo  confpicuoufly,  if  he  had 
 meant  it  fliould  be  hid.  Hide  ye  your  faces  rather, 
 which  are  blemifhed  with  your  fin  ;  and  look  not  that 
 I  fliould  wrong  God  and  myfelf,  to  feem  lefs  happy, 
 in  favour  of  your  weaknefs.  But,  without  all  llit- 
 refpeels,  he  modeflly  hides  his  glorified  face,  and 
 cares  not  their  eyes  fliould  pierce  fo  far  as  to  his  fkin, 
 on  condition,  that  his  words  may  pierce  into  their  ears. 
 It  is  good  for  a  man  fometimes  to  hide  his  graces; 
 fome  talents  are  bell  improved  by  being  laid  up.  Mofes 
 had  more  glory  by  his  veil,  than  by  his  face.  Chri- 
 ftian  modefty  teaches  a  wife  man,  not  to  expofe  him- 
 felf  to  the  faired  {how,  and  to  live  at  the.  utmoft  pitch 
 of  his  ilrength. 
 
 'I  here  is  many  a  rich  ftone  laid  up  in  the  bowels  of 
 
 the   earth  ;  many  a   fair   pearl  laid  up  in  the  bofom  of 
 
 the  fea,  that  never  was  feen,  nor  never  (hall  be.    There 
 
 is  many  a   goodly   ftar,    which,    bscaufe    of    height, 
 
 Y  2  ccmcs 
 
i72         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 comes  not  within  our  account.  How  did  our  true 
 Mofes,  with  i£e  veil  of  his  flefh,  hide  the  glory  of  his 
 deity,  and  put  on  vilenefs,  befides  the  laying  afide  of 
 majefty  ;  and  {hut  up  his  great  and  divine  miracles, 
 with,  fee  you  tell  no  man  I  How  far  are  thofe 
 fpirits  from  this,  which  are  only  to  be  feen ;  and  wifh 
 only  to  dazzle  others  eyes  with  admiration,  not  caring 
 for  unknown -riches  P  But  thofe  yet  more,  which  de- 
 fire  to  feem  above  themfelves,  whether  in  parts,  or 
 graces ;  whofe  veil  is  fairer  than  their  fkin.  Modeft 
 faces  {hall  fhine  through  their  veils,  when  the  vain- 
 glorious (ball  bewray  their  fhame  through  their  co- 
 .  vering. 
 
 That  God,  which  gave  his  law  in  fmoke,  delivered 
 it  again  through  the  veil  of  Mofes.  Ifrael  could  not 
 look  to  the  end  of  that  which  fhould  be  abolilhed  -f 
 for  the  fame  caufe  had  God  a  veil  upon  his  own  face, 
 which  hid  his  prefence  in  the  holy  of  holies.  Now 
 as  the  veil  of  God  did  rend,  when  he  faid,  It  is  Ji- 
 mfbed ;  fo  the  veil  of  Mofes  was  then  pulled  off. 
 "We  clearly  fee  Chrift,  the  end  of  the  law.  Our  %o- 
 fhua,  that  fucceeded  Mofes,  fpeaks  to  us  bare-faced. 
 What  a  fhame  is  it,  there  fhould  be  a  veil  upon  our 
 hearts,  when  there  is  none  on  his  face ! 
 
 When  Mofes  went  to  fpeak  with  God,  he  pulled 
 off  his  veil ;  it  was  good  reafon  he  fhould  prefent  to 
 God  that  face  which  he  had  made :  there  had  been 
 more  need  of  his  veil  to  hide  the  glorious  face  of  God 
 from  him,  than  to  hide  his  from  God  :  but  his  faith 
 and  thankfulnefs  ferve  for  both  thefe  ufes.  Hypo- 
 crites are  contrary  to  Mofes  ;  he  fliewed  his  worft  to 
 men,  his  belt  to  God ;  they  fhew  their  belt  to  men, 
 their  word:  to  God ;  but  God  fees  both  their  veil  and 
 their  face;  and  1  know  not  whether  he  more  hates  theif 
 veil  of  difTimulation,  or  their  face  of  wickednefs. 
 
 Con- 
 
BOOK  VI.  Contem.  ii.  173 
 
 Contem.  11.     Of  Nadab  ahd  Abihu. 
 
 TH A  T  God,  which  fhewcd  himfelf  to  men  in  fire 
 when  he  delivered  his  law*  would  have  men 
 prefent  their  facrifices  to  him  in  fire;  and  this  fire  he 
 would  have  his  own,  that  there  might  be  a  jq-ft  circu- 
 lation in  this  creature ;  as  the  water  fends  up  thofe  va- 
 pours, which  it  receives,  down  again  in  rain.  Here- 
 upon it  was,  that  fire  came  down  from  God  unto  the 
 altar;  that  as  the  charge  of  the  facrifice  was  delivered 
 in  fire  and  fmoke,  fo  God  might  fignify  the  accepta- 
 tion of  it,  in  the  like  fafhion  whereiu  it  was  com- 
 manded. The  Baalites  might  lay  ready  their  bullock 
 upon  the  wood,  and  water  in  their  trench,  but  they 
 might  fooner  fetch  the  blood  out  of  their  bodies,  and 
 deflroy  themfelves,  than  one  fiafh  out  of  heaven  to 
 confumc  the  facrifice. 
 
 That  devil,  which  can  fetch  down  fire  from  heaven, 
 either  malicioufly,  or  to  no  purpofe,  (although  he  a- 
 bound  with  fire,  and  did  as  fervently  defire  this  fire, 
 in  emulation  to  God,  as  ever  he  defired  mitigation  of 
 his  own)  yet  bow,  he  could  no  more  kindle  a  fire  for 
 the  idolatrous  facrifice,  than  quench  the  flames  of  his 
 own  torment.  Herein  God  approves  himfelf  only 
 worthy  to  be  facrificed  unto,  that  he  creates  the  fire 
 for  his  own  fervice;  whereas  the  impotent  idols  of  the 
 Heathen  mufl  fetch  fire  from  their  neighbour's  kit- 
 chen,  and  themfelves  are  fit  matter  for  their  borrowed 
 fire. 
 
 ^  The  Ifraelites,  that  were  led  too  much  with  fenfe, 
 if  they  had  feen  the  bullock  confumed  with  a  fire 
 fetcht  from  a  common  hearth,  could  never  have  ac- 
 knowledged what  relation  the  facrifice  had  to  God ; 
 had  never  perceived  that  God  took  notice  of  the  fa- 
 crifice :  but  now  they  fee  the  fire  coming  out  from 
 the  prefence  of  God,  they  are  convinced  both  of  the 
 power  and  acceptation  of  the  Almighty  j  they  are  at 
 
 once 
 
174         CONTEMPLATIONS, 
 
 once  amazed,  and  fetisfied,  to  fee  the  fame  God  an- 
 fwer  by  fire,  which  before  had  fpoken  by  fire;  God 
 doth  not  lefs  approve  our  evangelical  facrifices,  than 
 theirs  under  the  law :  but  as  our  facrifices  are  fpiri- 
 tua),  fo  are  the  figns  of  his  acceptation.  Faith  is  our 
 guide,  as  (cn(e  was  theirs.  Yea,  even  dill  doth  God 
 "t edify  his  approbation  by  fenfible  evidences.  When 
 by  a  lively  faith,  and  fervent  zeal,  our  hearts  are  con- 
 fecrated  to  God,  then  doth  this  heavenly  fire  come 
 down  upon  oar  facrifices ;  then  are  they  holy,  living, 
 acceptable. 
 
 This  flame,  that  God  kindled,  was  not,  as  fome  mo- 
 mentary bonefire,  for  a  fudden  and  fhort  triumph, 
 nor  as  a  domefticai  fire,  to  go  out  with  the  day  ;  but 
 is  given  for  a  perpetuity,  and  neither*'  mufl  die,  nor 
 be  quenched.  God,  as  he  is  himfelf  eternal,  fo  he 
 loves  permanency  and  constancy  of  grace  in  us :  if  we 
 be  but  a  fiafh  and  away,  God  regards  us  not.  All  pro- 
 mifes  are  to  perfeverance.  Sure,  it  is  but  an  elemen- 
 tary fire  that  goes  out,  that  which  is  celeflial  conti- 
 nues. It  was  but  fome  prefumptuous  heat  in  us  that 
 decays  upon  every  occafion. 
 
 But  he,  that  miraculoufly  fent  down  this  fire  at 
 fird,  will  not  renew  the  miracle  every  day,  by  a  like 
 fupply ;  it  began  immediately  from  God,  it  mud  be 
 nourished  by  means.  Fewel  mud  maintain  that  fire 
 which  came  from  heaven  ;  God  will  not  work  miracles 
 every  day ;  if  he  hath  kindled  his  Spirit  in  us,  we 
 may  not  expect  he  ihall  every  day  begin  again  ;  we 
 have  the  fewel  of  the  word  and  facraments,  prayers  and 
 meditations,  which  mud  keep  it  in  for  ever.  It  is  from 
 God  that  thefe  helps  can  nourifh.  his  graces  in  us,  like 
 as  every  flame  of  our  material  fire  hath  a  concourfe 
 of  providence  ;  but  we  may  not  expeel  new  infufions  : 
 rather  knew,  that  God  expects  of  us  an  improvement 
 of  thofe  habitual  graces  we  have  received. 
 
 While 
 
-BOOK   VI.    Contem.  ii.  175 
 
 While  the  people,  with  fear  and  joy,  fee  God  light- 
 ing  his  own    fire,  fire  from   heaven,  the  two  fons  of 
 Aoroti,  in  a  carelefs  prefumprion,  will  be  ferving  him 
 with  a   common   flame;  as  if  he  might  not  have  leave 
 to  chufe  the    forms    of  his  own  worfhip.     If  this  had 
 been   done  fome  ages  after,  when  the  memory  of  the 
 original  of  this   heavenly  fire   had    been  worn  out,  it 
 might   have  been  excufed  with   ignorance  ;  but  now, 
 when   God  had  newly  fent  his  fire  from  above,  newly 
 commanded   the   continuance  of  it,  either  to  let  it  go 
 out,  or,  whiles  it  ftill  flamed,  to  fetch  profane  coals  to 
 God's  altar,  could  favour  of  no  lefs  than  prefumption 
 and  faqilege.     When  we  bring  zeal   without  know- 
 ledge, mifconceits  of  faith,  carnal   affections,    the  de- 
 vices of  our   wiil- worfhip,  fuperflitious   devotions  into 
 God's    fervice,  we  bring    common   fire   to    his  altar ; 
 thefe  flames  were  never  of  his  kindling  ;  he  hates  both 
 altar,  fire,    pried    and    facriiice.      And    now    behold, 
 the  fame  fire,  which  confumed   the   facriiice    before, 
 confumes  the  facrificers.     it  was  the  fign   of  his  ac- 
 ceptation, in  confuming   the  beafl,  but,  whiles  it  de- 
 ftroyed  men,  the  fearful   fign  of  his  difpleafure.     By 
 the  fame  means  can  God  bewray  both  love  and  hatred. 
 We  would  have  pleaded  for  Nadab  and  Abihu  ;  they 
 are  but  young  men,  the  fons  of  Aarcn,  not  yet  warm 
 in  their   function  ;  let   both   age,  and  blood,  and  inex- 
 perience excufe  them  as  yet.     No  pretences,  no  pri- 
 vileges can  bear  off  a  fin  with  God.     Men  think  ei- 
 ther  to  patronize,  or  mitigate  evils,  by  their  feigned 
 reafons.     That  no  man  may  hope  the  plea  either  of 
 birth,  or    cf  youth,  or  of  the  firft  commiflion  of  evil, 
 may  challenge   pardon  ;  I  fee  here  young  men,  fons 
 of  the  ruler  of  Ifrael,  for  the  firfl  offence,  ftruck  dead. 
 
 Yea,  this  made  God  the  more  to  ftomach,  and  the 
 rather  to  revenge  this  impiety,  becaufe  the  ions  of 
 Aaron  did  it.  God  had  both  pardoned  and  graced 
 their  father  ;  he  had  honoured  them,  of  the  thoufands 
 
 of 
 
xj6       CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 of  Ifrasly  culling  them  out  for  his  altar ;  and  now,  as 
 their  father  fet  up  a  falfe  god,  fo  they  bring  falfe  fire 
 unto  the  true  God. 
 
 If  the  fons  of  infidels  live  godlefsly,  they  do  their 
 kind  ;  their  puniQiment  {hall  be  (though  jufl)  yet  lefs ; 
 but  if  the  children  of  religious  parents,  after  all  Chri- 
 flian  nurture,  fhall  fhame  their  education,  God  takes 
 it  more  heinoufly,  and  revenges  it  more  fharply.  The 
 more  bonds  of  duty,  the  more  plagues  of  neglect 
 
 If,  from  the  agents,  we  look  to  the  aft  itfelf ;  fet 
 afide  the  original  defcent,  and  what  difference  was 
 there  betwixt  thefe  fires  ?  Both  looked  alike,  heated 
 alike,  afcended  alike,  confumed  alike;  both  were 
 fed  with  the  fame  material  wood ;  both  vaniihed  into 
 fmcke ;  there  was  no  difference,  but  in  the  command- 
 ment of  God. 
 
 If  God  had  enjoined  ordinary  fire,  they  had  fin- 
 ned to  look  for  celeftial.  Now  he  commanded  only 
 the  fire  which  he  fent ;  they  finned  in  fending  up  in- 
 cenfe,  in  that  fire,  which  he  commanded  not.  It  is 
 a  dangerous  thing,  in  the  fervice  of  God,  to  decline 
 from  his  own  inititutions.  We  have  to  do  with  a  power 
 which  is  -wife  to  prefcribe  his  own  worfhip,  jufl  to  re- 
 quire what  he  hath  prefcribed,  powerful  to  revenge 
 that  which  he  hath  not  required. 
 
 If  God  had  flruck  them  with  fome  leprofy  in  their 
 forehead,  as  he  did  their  aunt  Miriam,  foon  after, 
 or  with  fome  palfy,  or  lingering  confumption,  the 
 punifhment  had  been  grievous.  But  he,  whofe  judg- 
 ments are  ever  jufl,  fometimes  fecret,  faw  fire  the 
 fitted  revenge  for  a  fin  of  fire ;  his  own  fire  fittefl  to 
 punifh  ftrange  fire ;  a  fudden  judgment  fit  for  a  pre- 
 fent  and  exemplary  fin  :  he  faw,  that  if  he  had  winked 
 at  this,  his  fervice  had  been  expofed  to  profanation. 
 
 It  is  wifdom  in  governors  to  take  fin  at  the  firfl 
 bound,  and  fo  to  revenge  it,  that  their  punifhments 
 may  be  preventions.    Speed  of  death  is  not  always  a 
 
 judgment. 
 
BOOK  VI.     Contem.  ii.  177 
 
 judgment :  fuddennefs,  as  it  is  ever  juftly  fufpicable, 
 io  then  certain!/  argues  anger,  when  it  iinds  us  in  an 
 act  of  iin.  Leifure  of  repentance  is  an  argument  of 
 favour.  When  God  gives  a  man  law,  it  implies  that 
 he  would  not  have  judgment  furprife  him. 
 
 Doubtlefs,  Aaron  looked  fomewhat  heavily  on  this 
 fad  fpe&acle :  it  could  not  but  appal  him  to  fee  his 
 two  fons  dead  before  him,  dead  in  difpleafure,  dead 
 fuddenly,  dead  by  the  immediate  hand  of  God.    And 
 now  he  could  repent  him  of  his  new  honour,  to  fee 
 it  fucceed  fo  ill  with  the  fons  of  his  loins ;  neither 
 could  lie  chufe  but  fee  himfelf  ftricken  in  them.    But 
 his  brother  Mofes*  that  had  learned  not  to  know  ei- 
 ther nephews  or  brother,  when  they  flood  in  his  way 
 to   God,  wifely  turned  his   eyes  from  the  dead  car- 
 cafes  of  his  fons,  to  his  refpecl:  of  the  living  God.    My 
 brother,  this  event  is  fearful,  but  jutt ;  thefe  were 
 thy  fons,  but  they  finned;  it  was  not  for  God,  it  is 
 not  for  thee,  to  look  fo  much  who  they  were,  as  whar 
 they  did.     It  was  their  honour  and  thine,  that  they 
 were  chofen  to  minifler  before  the  Lord.     He  that 
 called  them,  jultly  required  their  falsification  and 
 obedience.     If  they  have  profaned  God  and  them- 
 felves,  can  thy  natural  affection  fo  mifcarry  thee,  that 
 thou  .couldfl  wifh  their  impunity,  with  the  blemiih 
 of  thy  Maker  ?     Our  fons  are  not  ours,  if  they  dif- 
 obey  our  Father :  to  pity  their  mifery  is  to  partake 
 of  their  fin.     If  thou  grudge  at  their  judgment,  take 
 heed  left  the  fame  fire  of  God  come  forth  upon  this 
 ftrange  fire  of  nature.     Shew  now  whether  thou  more 
 loveft  God,  or  thy  fons.     Shew  whether  thou  be  a 
 better  father,  or  a  fon. 
 
 Aaron,  weighing  thefe  things,  holds  his  peace,  not 
 out  of  an  amazement  or  fullennefs,  but  out  of  patient 
 and  humble  fubmifrion ;  and  feeing  God's  pleafure, 
 and  the^r  defer t,  is  content  to  fo*get  that  he  had  fons. 
 He  might  have  had  a  filent  tongue,  and  a  clamorous 
 Vol.  I.  Z  'heart. 
 
178        CONTEMPLATION  S. 
 
 heart.     There  is  no  voice  louder  in  the  ears  of  God, 
 than  a  ipecchleis  repining  of  the  foul.     Keat  is  more 
 intended  wuh  keeping  in;  but  Aaron's  fiience  w. 
 no  Icfs  inward :    he  knew  how  little  he  mould  get 
 by  brawling  with  God.     If  he  breathed  out  difcon-  " 
 tenement,  he  law  God  could  fpeak  fire  to  him  again ; 
 and  therefore  he  quietly  fubmits  to  the  will  of  God, 
 and  held  his  peace,  becaufe  the  Lord  had  done  it. 
 There  is  no  greater  proof  of  grace,  than  to  fmart  pa- 
 tiently, and  humbly  and  contentedly  to  reft  the  heart 
 in  the  juflice  and  wiidom  of  God's  proceeding ;  and 
 to  be  fo  far  from  chiding,  that  we  difpute  not.     Na- 
 ture is  froward ;  and  though  (he  well  knows  we  med- 
 dle not  with  our  match,  when  we  drive  with  our 
 Maker,  yet  me  pricks  us  fcrward  to  this  idle  quar- 
 rel ;  and  bid  us,  with  Job's  wife,  Curfe^  and  die.     If 
 God  either  chide  or  finite,  as  fervants  are  charged  to 
 their  mailers,  we  may  not  anfwer  again;  when  God's 
 hand  is  on  ojgr  bark,  our  hand  muft  be  on  our  mouth; 
 elfe,  as  mothers  do  their  children,  God  {hall  whip  us 
 fo  much  the  more  for  crying. 
 
 It  is  hard  for  a  ftander-bv,  in  this  cafe,  to  diitin- 
 guifli  betwixt  hard-heartednefs  and  pity.  Ihere 
 Aaron  fees  his  fons  ly ;  he  may  neither  put  his  hand 
 to  them  to  bury  them,  nor  fhecl  a  tear  for  their  death. 
 Never  parent  can  have  iul.  er  caufe  of  mourning,  than 
 to  fee  his  tons  dead  in  their  fin  :  if  prepared  and  pe- 
 nitent, yet  who  can  but  lcrrow  for  their  end  r  But 
 to  part  with  cl  ro  the  danger  of  a  fecond  death, 
 
 is  worthy  of  more  than  tears.  Yet  Aaron  mull  learn 
 fo  far  to  deny  nature,  that  he  mull  more  magnify  the 
 juflice  of  God,  than  lament  the  judgment.  Thole 
 whom  God  hath  called  to  his  immediate  fervice,  muft 
 know  that  he  will  not  allow  them  the  common  paf£- 
 ons  and  cares  of  others.  Nothing  is  more  natural 
 than  forrow  for  the  death  of  our  own :  if  ever  grief 
 be  ieafonable,  it  becomes  a  funeral.     And  if  Nadab 
 
 -  and 
 
BOOK   VI.     Co  nt  em.  in.  179 
 
 and  Abihu  had  died  in  their  beds,  this  favour  had 
 been  allowed  them,  the  farrow  of  their  father  and 
 brethren:  for  when  GoJ  forbids  folemn  mournjne  to 
 his  prieils  over  the  dead,  he  excepts  the  caies  of  this 
 nearnefs  of  blood.  Now  all  Ifrael  may  mourn  for 
 thefe  two  ;  only  the  father  and  brethren  may  not. 
 God  is  jealous,  left  their  farrow  fliould  feerii  ro  ccun  - 
 tenance  the  fin  which  he  had  puniihed ;  even  the  fear  ■ 
 fulled  acls  of  God  muil  be  applauded  by  tne  hea 
 hearts  of  the  faithful. 
 
 That  which  the  father  and  brother  may  not  do,  the 
 coufins  are  commanded.  Dead  carcafes  are  not  for 
 the  prefence  of  God  ;  his  juflice  was  mewn  fbfEcient- 
 ly  in  killing  them  ;  they  are  new  fit  for  the  grave, 
 not  the  farxtuary  ;  neither  are  they  carried  out  naked, 
 but  in  their  coats.  It  was  an  unuiual  fight  for  Ifrael 
 to  fee  a  linen  ephod  upon  the  bier ;  the  judgment  was 
 fa  much  the  more  remarkable,  becauie  they  ha.1  die 
 badge  of  their  calling  upon  their  backs. 
 
 Nothing  is  either  more  pleafing  unto  God,  or  more 
 commodious  to  men,  than  that,  when  he  hath  exe- 
 cuted judgment,  it  ihculd  be  feen  and  wondered  at; 
 for  therefore  he  ilrikes  fame,  that  he  may  warn  ail, 
 
 Contem.  in.     Of  Aaron  and  Miriam, 
 
 THE  Ifraelltes  are  ftayed  feven-days  in  the  Na- 
 tion of  Hazzeroth,  for  the  puniihment  of  Mt4 
 riam.  The  fins  of  the  governors  are  a  juil  ftop  to  the 
 people ;  ail  of  them  (mart  in  one ;  all  mull  ilay  the 
 leifure  of  Miriam's  recovery.  Vv  hofoever  feeks  the 
 land  of  promife,  (hall  find  many  lets;  Amaki,  Og, 
 Si'hon9  and  the  kings  of  Canaan  meet  with  Ifradl  ; 
 thefe  refilled,  but  hindered  not  their  paflage ;  their 
 .fins  only  flay  them  from  removing.  Afflictions  are 
 not  crones  to  us,  in  the  way  to  heaven,  in  compari- 
 ion  to  our  fins, 
 
 Z  2  Whav 
 
i8o        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 What  is  this  I  fee  ?  Is  not  this  Aaron,  that  was  bro- 
 ther in  nature,  and  by  office  joint-eommiiiioner  with 
 Mofes  f    Is  not  this  Aaron,  that  made  his  brother  an 
 
 intercefibr  for  him  to  God,  in  the  cafe  of  his  idolatry? 
 Is  not  this  Aaron,  that  climbed  up  the  hill  of  Sinai 
 with  Mofes  f  Is  not  this  Aaron,  whom  the  mouth  and 
 hand  of  Mofes  confecrated  an  high-prleft  unto  God  ? 
 •Is  not  this  Miriam,  the  elder  fitter  of  Mofes  f  Is  not 
 this  Miriam,  that  led  the  triumph  of  the  women,  and 
 fung  gloriouily  to  the  Lord  ?  Is  not  this  Miriam, 
 which  laid  her  brother  Mofes  in  the  reeds,  and  fetcht 
 her  mother  to  be  his  nurfe  ?  Both  prophets  of  God  $ 
 both  the  flefh  and  blood  of  Mofes.  And  (Joth  this 
 Aaron  repine  at  the  honour  of  him,  which  gave  him- 
 felf  that  honour,  and  faved  his  life?  Doth  this  Miriam 
 repine  at  the  profperity  of  him  whofe  life  {he  faved  ? 
 Who  would  not  have  thought  this  fliculd  have  been 
 their  glory,  to  have  feen  the  glory  of  their  own  bro- 
 ther r  What  could  have  been  a  greater  comfort  to 
 Miriam,  than  to  think,  how  happily  doth  he  now  fit 
 at  the  ilern  of  Ifrael,  whom  I  faved  from  perifliing  in 
 a  boat  of  bulrufhes  ?  It  is  to.  me  that  Ifrael  owes  this 
 commander  ;  but  now  envy  hath  fo  blinded  their  eyes, 
 that  they  can  neither  fee  this  privilege  of  nature,  nor 
 the  honour  of  God's  choice.  Miriam  and  Aaron  are 
 in  mutiny  againfl:  Mofes.  Who  is  fo  holy,  that  fins 
 mot  ?  What  fin  is  fo  unnatural,  that  the  belt  can  avoid, 
 without  God  ?  But  what  weaknefs  fos-ver  may  plead 
 for  Miriam,  who  can  but  grieve  to  fee  Aaron  at  the 
 end  of  fo  many  fins  ?  Of  late  I  faw  him  carving  the 
 molten  image,  and  confecrating  am  altar  to  a  falie  god. 
 Now  I  fee  him  Tec-onding  an  unkind  mutiny  againfl 
 his  brother :  both  fins  find  him  aceefibry ;  neither  prin- 
 cipal. It  was  not  in  the  power  of  the  legal  prieft- 
 hocd  to-  perform,  or  promife  innocency  to  her  mini- 
 It  ers.  It  was  necefiary  we  fhould  have  another  high* 
 pricfl  which  could  not  be  tainted.     That  King   of 
 
 righteoufnefs 
 
BOOK   VL     Co  nt  em.  in.  181 
 
 righteoufnefs  was  of  another  order  ;  he  being  without 
 iin,  hath  fully  satisfied  for  the  fins  of  men.  "Whom 
 can  it  now  oiend,  to  fee  the  blemiihes  of  the  evan- 
 gelical prielthood,  when  God's  firft  high-prieft  is  thus 
 mifcarried  ? 
 
 Who  can  look  for  love  and  profperity  at  once,  when 
 holy  and  meek  Mofes  finds  enmity  in  his  own  iltiii 
 and  blood  ?  Rather  than  we  {hall  want,  A  man's  ene- 
 hemes  fbaU  be  t'xfe  ef  his  own  hoife.  Authority 
 cannot  fail  of  opposition,  if  it  be  never  fo  mildly 
 fwayed  :  that  common  make-bate  v/ill  rather  raife  it 
 cut  of  our  own  bofom.  To  do  well,  and  hear  ill,  is 
 princely. 
 
 The  MidiantfijJj  wife  of  Mofes  cofl  him  dear.  Be- 
 fore, {lie  hazarded  his  life  ;  now,  the  favour  of  his 
 people.  Unequal  matches  are  feldom  profperous. 
 Although  now  this  fcandal  was  only  taken  ;  envy  was 
 not  wife  enough  to  chufe  a  ground  of  zhe  quarrel. 
 Whether  fome  fecret  and  emu'atory  brawls  palled  be- 
 tween Zipporah  and  Miriam^  (as  many  times  thefe 
 fparks  of  private  brawls  grow  into  a  periilous  and  com- 
 mon flame)  or  whether,  now  that  Jethro  and  his  fami- 
 ly was  joined  with  Ifrael^  there  were  furmifes  of  tranf- 
 porting  the  government  to  ftrangers  ;  or  whether  this 
 unfit  choice  of  Mofes  is  now  raifed  up  to  difparage 
 God's  gifts  in  him ;  even  in  fight,  the  exceptions  were 
 frivolous.  Emulation  is  curious,  and,  out  of  the  bed 
 perfon,  or  act,  will  raife  fomething  to  cavil  at. 
 
 Seditions  do  not  ever  look  the  fame  way  they  move. 
 Wife  men  can  eafily  diftinguifh  betwixt  the  vizor  of 
 actions,  and  the  face.  The  wife  of  Mofes  is  mention- 
 ed, his  fuperioriry  is  {hot  at.  Pride  is  lightly  the 
 ground  of  all  fedition.  Which  of  their  faces  mined 
 like  Fkfes  ?  Yea,  let  him  but  have  drawn  his  verl, 
 which  of  them  durft  look  on  his  face  ?  Which  of  them 
 had  fafted  twice  forty  days?  Which  of  them  afcended 
 up  to  the  top  of  Sinai,  an4  was  hid  with  fmoke  and 
 
 fire  ? 
 
i82         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fire  ?  Which  of  them  received  the  law  twice  in  two 
 feveral  tables,  from  God's  own  hand  ?  And  yet  they 
 dare  fay,  Hath  God  Jpoken  only  by  Mofes  ?  They  do 
 not  deny  Mcfes  his  honour,  but  they  challenge  a  pari 
 with  him  ;  and  as  they  were  the  elder  in  nature,  fo 
 they  would  be  equal  in  dignity,  equal  in  adminiftra- 
 tion.  According  to  her  name,  Miriam  would  be  ex- 
 alted. And  yet  how  unfit  were  they  r  One  a  woman, 
 whom  her  fex  debarred  from  rule  ;  the  other  a  pried, 
 whom  his  office  fequeftred  from  earthly  government. 
 Self-love  makes  men  unreasonable,  and  teaches  them 
 to  turn  the  g! ais,  to  fee  themfeives  bigger,  others  lefs 
 than  they  are.  It  is  an  hard  thing  for  a  man,  wil- 
 lingly and  gladly  to  fee  his  equals  lifted  over  his  head, 
 in  worth  and  opinion.  Nothing  will  more  try  a  man's 
 grace,  than  ouefcions  of  emulation.  That  man  hath 
 true  light,  which  can  be  content  to  be  a  candle-before 
 the  fun  of  others. 
 
 As  no  wrong  can  efcape  God,  fo,  lead  of  all,  thofe 
 which  are  offered  to  princes..  He  that  made  the  ear, 
 needs  no  intelligence  of  our  tongues.  We  have  to  do 
 with  a  God,  that  is  light  of  hearing ;  we  cannot  whif- 
 per  any  evil  fo  fecretly,  that  he  mould  not  cry  out  of 
 noife  :  and  what  need  we  any  further  evidence,  when 
 our  judge  is  our  wirnefs  ? 
 
 Without  any  delation  of  Mofes,  God  hears  and 
 challenges  them.  Becaufe  he  was  meek,  therefore 
 he  complained  not :  becaufe  he  was  meek  and  com- 
 plained not,  therefore  the  Lord  (truck  in  for  him  the 
 mere.  The  lefs  a  man  drives  for  himfe^7,  the  more 
 is  God  his  champion.  It  is  the  honour  of  great  per- 
 form, to  undertake1  the  patronage  of  their  clients : 
 how  much  moie  will  God  revenge  his  ele£t,  which  * 
 cry  to  him  day  and  night !  He  that  faid,  /  feek  not 
 mine  cwn  glory,  adds,  But  there  is  one  that  feeks  it, 
 and  judges.     God  takes  his  part  ever,  that  fights  not 
 
 for  himfelf. 
 
 No 
 
BOOK  VI.     ConteivI  in.  183 
 
 No  man  could  have  given  more  proofs  of  his  cou- 
 rage than  Mofes.  He  flew  the  Egyptian ;  he  con- 
 fronted Pharaoh  in  his  own  court ;  he  beat  the  Midia- 
 nite  lhepherds ;  he  feared  not  the  troops  of  Egypt ; 
 he  durft  look  God  in  the  face  amid  It  ail  the  terrors 
 of  Sinai ;  and  yet  that  fpirit  which  made  and  knew 
 his  heart,  fays,  He  was  the  ffiildeji  man  upon  earth. 
 Mildnefs  and  fortitude  may  well  lodge  together  in  one 
 bread ;  to  correft  the  mifconceks  of  thofe  men,  that 
 think  none  valiant,  but  thofe  that  are  iierce  and  cruel. 
 
 No  fooner  is  the  word  out  of  Miriam's  mouth,  than 
 the  word  of  God's  reproof  meets  k.  How  he  beflirs 
 him,  and  will  be  at  once  fezn  and  heard,  when  the 
 name  of  Mofes  is  in  queftion !.  Mofes  was  zealouily 
 careful  for  God's  glory,  and  now  God  is  zealous  for 
 his.  The  remunerations  of  the  Almighty  are  infinite- 
 ly gracious.  He  cannot  want  honour  and  patronage, 
 that  feeks  the  honour  of  his  Maker*  The  ready  way 
 to  true  glory  is  goodnefs. 
 
 God  might  have  fpoken  fo  loud,  that  heaven  and 
 earth  fhould  have  heard  it,  fo  as  they  fhould  not  have 
 needed  to  come  forth  for  audience  -y  but  now,  he  calls 
 them  out  to  the  bar,  that  they  may  be  feen  to  hear. 
 It  did  not  content  him  to  chide  them  within  doors  ; 
 the  (hame  of  their  fault  had  been  lefs  in  a  private  re- 
 buke ;  but  the  fcandal  of  their  repining  was  public. 
 Where  the  iin  is  not  afraid  of  the  light,  God  loves 
 not  the  reproof  mould  be  fmothered. 
 
 They  had  deprciled  Mofes,  God  advances  him. 
 They  had  equalled  themfelves  to  Mofes,  God  prefers 
 him  to  them.  Their  plea  was,  that  God  had  fpoken  by 
 them,  as  well  as  by  Mofes.  God's  reply  is,  That  he 
 hath,  in  a  more  intire  Jafhion,  fpoken  to  Mofes,  than 
 them.  God  fpake  to  the  bell  of  them,  but  either  in 
 their  dream,  deeping,  or  in  vifion,  waking  ;  but  to 
 Mofss  he  fpake  with  more  inward  illumination,  with 
 more  lively  reprefentation  \  to  others,  as   a  dranger, 
 
 to 
 
164       CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 to  Mofes,  as  a  friend.  God  had  never  fo  much  mag- 
 nified Mofes  to  them,  but  for  their  envy.  We  can- 
 not devife  to  pleafure  God's  fcrvants,  fo  much  as  by 
 defoiting  them. 
 
 God  was  angry  when  he  chid  them,  but  more 
 angry  when  he  departed.  The  withdrawing  of  his 
 prefenc^,  is  the  prefence  of  his  wrath.  Whiles  he 
 flays  to  reprove,  there  is  favour  in  his  difpieafure  : 
 but  when  he  leaves  either  man  or  church,  there  is  no 
 hope  but  of  vengeance.  The  final  ab fence  of  God, 
 is  hell  itfelf.  When  heforfakes  us,  though  for  a  time, 
 it  is  an  introduction  to  his  utmoft  judgment.  It  wa$ 
 time  to  look  for  a  judgment,  when  God  departed:  fo 
 foon  as  he  is  gone  from  the  eyes  of  Miriam^  the  le- 
 profy  appears  in  her  face  :  her  foul  tongue  is  punifhed 
 with  a  foul  face.  Since  flie  would  acknowledge  no 
 deference  betwixt  herfelf,  and  her  brother  Mofes ■,  e- 
 very  Ifraelite  now  fees  his  face  glorious,  ker  leprous. 
 Deformity  is  a  fit  cure  of  pride.  Becaufe  the  venom 
 of  her  tongue  would  have  eaten  into  the  reputation  of 
 her  brother ;  therefore  a  poifonov.s  iiifecxibn  eats  into 
 her  flefh.  Now  both  Mofes  and  Miriam  need  to  wear 
 a  veil,  the  one  to  hide  his  glory,  the  other  her  defor- 
 mity. That  Midianite,  Zipporah^  whom  (lie  fcorned, 
 was  beautiful  in  refpec!  of  her. 
 
 Miriam  was  ftricken,  Aaron  efcaped,  both  finned  ; 
 his  priefthood  could  not  refcue  him ;  the  greatnefs  of 
 his  dignity  did  but  add  to  die  hcinoufneis  of  his  fin  ; 
 his  repentance  freed  him.  Alas,  my  Lord,  I  befeech 
 thee  lay  not  this  fin  upon  us,  which  we  have  foolifhiy 
 committed !  I  wonder  not  to  fee  Aaron  free,  while  I 
 fee  him  penitent ;  this  very  cenfefhon  faved  him  be- 
 fore from  bleeding  for  idolatry,  which  nowpreferves 
 him  from  leprofy,  for  his  envious  repining.  The  u- 
 niverfal  antidote,  for  all  the  judgments  of  God,  is  our 
 humble  repentance. 
 
 Yea, 
 
BOOK    VI.       CoNTEM.    IV.  185 
 
 Yea,  his  fad  deprecation  prevailed,  both  to  clear 
 himfelf,  and  recover  Miriam.  The  brother  fues  for 
 himfelf  and  his  lifter,  to  that  brother  whom  they  both 
 emulated,  for  pardon  from  himfelf,  and  that  God 
 which  was  offended  in  him.  Where  now  is  that  equa- 
 lity which  was  pretended  ?  Behold,  he  that  fo  lately 
 made  his  brother  his  fellow,  now  makes  him  his  god. 
 hay  not  this  fin  upon  us ;  kt  her  not  be  as  one  dead  ; 
 as  if  Mofes  had  impofed  this  plague,  and  could  re- 
 move it.  Never  any  oppofed  the  fervants  of  God, 
 but,  one  time  or  other,  they  have  been  conftrained 
 to  confefs  a  fiipcriority. 
 
 Miriam  would  have  wounded  Mofes  with  hef 
 tongue,  Mofes  would  heal  her  wTith  his ;  0  Lord,  heal 
 her  no%v.  The  wrong  is  the  greater,  becaufe  his  fi- 
 tter did  it.  He  doth  not  fay,  I  fought  not  her  fhame, 
 fhe  fought  mine  ;  if  God  have  revenged  it,  I  have 
 no  reafen  to  look  on  her  as  a  filler,  who  looked  at 
 me  as  an  adverfary  :  but,  as  if  her  leprofy  were  his, 
 he  cries  out  for  her  cure.  O  admirable  meeknefs  of 
 Mofes  !  His  people  the  Jews  rebelled  againfl  him ; 
 God  proifers  revenge  :  he  would  rather  die,  than  they 
 fliould  perifh.  His  filler  rebelled  againfl  him,  God 
 works  his  revenge :  he  will  not  give  God  peace  till 
 fhe  be  re-cured.  Behold  a  worthy  and  noble  pattern 
 for  us  to  follow !  How  far  are  they  from  this  dif- 
 pofition,  who  are  not  only  content  God  mould  revenge, 
 but  are  ready  to  prevent  God's  revenge  with  their 
 own! 
 
 God's  love  to  Mofes  fuffers  him  not  to  obtain  pre- 
 fently  his  fuit  for  Miriam  ;  his  good  nature  to  his  fi- 
 ller made  him  pray  againfl  himfelf.  If  the  judgment 
 had  been  at  once  inflicted,  and  removed,  there  had  been 
 no  example  of  terror  for  others.  God  either  denies, 
 or  defers  the  grant  of  our  requefls  for  our  good.  It 
 were  wide  for  us,  if  our  fuits  mould  be  ever  heard. 
 It  was  fit  for  all  iparts,  Miriam  mould  continue  fome- 
 
 Vol.  I.  A  a  while 
 
186        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 while  leprous.  There  is  no  policy  in  a  fudden  remo- 
 val of  jud  puniihment :  unlefs  the  rain  fo  fall,  that  it 
 ly  and  foak  into  the  earth,  it  profits  nothing.  If  the 
 judgments  of  God  fhould  be  only  as  paifengers,  and 
 not  fojourners  at  lead,  they  would  be  no  whit  re* 
 garded. 
 
 Coxte  m.  iv.  Of  the  Searchers  c/Canaan. 
 
 v  Can  but  wonder  at  the  counfel  of  God.  If  the 
 •*■  J fr  a  elites  had  gone  on  to  Canaan^  without  inqui- 
 ry, their  confidence  had  poffeffed  it.  Now  they  fend 
 to  efpy  the  land  ;  fix  hundred  thoufand  never  lived  tt> 
 fee  it(:  and  yet  I  fee  God  enjoining  them  to  fend  ;  but 
 enjoining  it  upon  their  inftance.  Some  things  God 
 allows  in  judgment ;  their  importunity  and  didrud  ex- 
 torted from  God  this  occafion  of  their  overthrow. 
 That  which  the  Lord  moves  unto,  profpers ;  but  that 
 which  we  move  him  to  fird,  feldom  fucceedeth.  What 
 needed  they  doubt  of  the  goodnefs  of  that  land,  which 
 God  told  them  did  flow  with  milk  and  honey  ?  What 
 needed  they  doubt  of  obtaining  that  which  God  pro 
 mifed  to  give  ?  When  we  wrill  fend  forth  our  fenfes  to 
 be  our  fcouts  in  the  matters  of  faith,  and  rather  dare 
 trull  men  then  God,  we  are  worthy  to  be  deceived. 
 
 The  bafed  fort  of  men  are  commonly  held  fit  enough 
 for  intelligencers  ;  but  Mofes,  to  make  fure  work, 
 chufeth  forth  the  bed  of  Jfrael^  fuch  as  were  like  to 
 be  mod  judicious  in  their  inquiry,  and  mod  credible 
 in  their  report.  Thofe  that  ruled  Jfrael  at  noire, 
 could  bed  defcry  for  them  abroad.  What  fhould  di- 
 rect the  body  but  the  head  ?  Men  can  judge  but  by 
 appearance  ;  it  is  for  him  only  that  fees  the  event,  ere 
 he  appoint  the  means,  not  to  be  deceived.  It  had 
 been  better  for  Jfrael  t  o  have  fent  the  offal  of  the  multi- 
 tude :  by  how  much  lefs  the  credit  of  their  perfon  is, 
 by  fo  much  lefs  is  the  danger  of  feducement.     The  error 
 
 of 
 
BOOK   VI.      Contem.  iv.  187 
 
 of  the  mighty  is  armed  with  authority,  and  in  a  fort 
 commands  ailent :  whether  in  good  or  evil,  greatncfs 
 hath  ever  a  train  to  follow  it  at  the  heels. 
 
 Forty  days  they  fpent  in  this  fearch ;  and  this  cow- 
 ardly unbelief  in  the  fearch  mall  cod  them  forty  years 
 delay  of  the  fruition.  Who  can  abide  to  fee  the  ru- 
 lers of  Jfrael  fo  bafeiy  timorous  ?  They  commend  the 
 land,  the  fruit  commends  itfelf,  and  yet  they  plead 
 difficulty  ;  We  be  not  able  to  go  up.  Their  moulders 
 are  laden  with  the  grapes,  and  yet  their  hearts  are 
 overlaid  with  unbelief.  It  is  an  unworthy  thing  to 
 plead  hardnefs  of  atchieving,  where  the  benefit  will 
 more  than  requite  the  endeavour.  Our  land  of  pro- 
 mife  is  above  ;  we  know,  the  fruit  thereof  is  fweet 
 and  glorious,  the  paiTage  difficult.  The  giantly  fons 
 of  Anak  (the  powers  of  darknefs)  fland  in  our  way. 
 If  we  fit  down  and  complain,  we  fhall  once  know, 
 that  without  JJ) 'all  be  the  fearful. 
 
 See  the  idle  pleas  of  diilrufc ;  We  are  not  able ; 
 Ttjey  are  flronger.  Could  not  God  enable  them  ? 
 Was  he  not  flronger  than  their  giants  ?  Had  he  not 
 promifed  to  difplace  the  Canaanites,  to  fettle  them  in 
 their  ftead  ?  How  much  more  eafy  is  it  for  us  to  fpy 
 their  weaknefs,  than  for  them  to  efpy  the  flrength  of 
 their  adverfaries !  When  we  meaiure  our  fpiritual 
 fuccefs  by  our  own  power,  we  are  vanquimed  before 
 we  fight.  He  that  would  overcome,  muff  neither 
 look  upon  his  own  arm,  nor  the  a^n  of  his  enemy, 
 but  the  mouth  and  hand  of  him  that  hath  promifed, 
 and  can  perform.  Who  are  we,  flefh  and  blood, 
 with  our  breath  in  our  noftrils,  that  we  mould  fight 
 with  principalities,  powers,  fpiritual  wickednefTes  in 
 heavenly  places  ?  The  match  is  too  unequal ;  we  are 
 not  like  grafhoppers  to  thefe  giants ;  when  we 
 compare  ourfelves  with  them,  how  can  we  but  de- 
 fpair  ?  When  v/e  compare  them  with  God,  how  can 
 we  be  difcouraged  ?  He  that  hath  brought  us  into 
 
 A  a  2  this 
 
t88        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 this  field,  hath  promifed  us  vi&ory.  God  knew  their 
 ftrength,  ere  he  cllered  to  commit  us. 
 
 Well  might  they  have  thought,  Were  not  the  A?na- 
 lekites  ftronger  than  we?  W7ere  not  they  armed,  we 
 naked  ?  Did  not  the  only  hand  of  Mofes,  by  lifting  up, 
 beat  them  down?  Were  not  the  Egyptians  no  lefs  our 
 mailers  ?  Did  not  death  come  running  after  us  in  their 
 chariots  ?  Did  we  not  leave  thefe  buried  in  the  fea, 
 the  other  unburied  in  the  wiidernefs  ?  Whence  had 
 the  Anakims  their  ftrength,  but  from  him  that  bids 
 us  go  up  againft  them?  Why  have  the  bodies  of  our 
 forefathers  taken  pofTeflion  of  their  Hebron,  but  for 
 us  ?  But  now,  their  fear  hath  not  left  them  fo  much 
 reafon  as  to  compare  their  adverfaries  with  others,  but 
 only  with  themfelves :  doubtlefs,  thefe  giants  were 
 mighty,  but  their  fear  hath  flretched  them  cut  fome 
 cubits  beyond  their  ilature.  Diftruft  makes  our  dan- 
 gers greater,  and  our  helps  lefs  than  they  are,  and 
 forecails  ever  worfe  than  fhall  be  ;  and  if  evils  be  pof- 
 iible,  it  makes  them  certain. 
 
 Amongfl  thofe  twelve  mefTengers,  whom  our  fecond 
 Mofes  fent  thorough  the  land  of  promife,  there  was  but 
 one  Judas  ;  but,  amonglt  thofe  twelve,  which  the  for- 
 mer Mofes  addrelTed  thorough  the  fame  land,  there  is 
 but  one  Caleb  i  and  yet  thofe  were  chofen  out  of  the 
 meane(t ;  thefe,  out  of  the  heads  of  Ifrael.  As  there  is 
 no  fociety  free  from  fome  corruption,  fo  it  is  hard,  if, 
 in  a  community  of  men,  there  be  not  fome  faithfulnefs. 
 
 We  fnall  wrong  God,  if  we  fear  leaf!  good  caufes 
 {hall  be  quite  forfaken.  He  knows  how  to  ferve  him- 
 felf  of  the  befl,  if  the  feweft  ;  and  could  as  eafly  be 
 attended  with  a  multitude,  if  he  did  not  feek  his  own 
 glory  in  unlikelihoods. 
 
 Jojhua  was  filent,  and  wifely  fpared  his  tongue  for 
 a  further  advantage ;  only  Caleb  fpake.  I  do  not 
 hear  him  fay,  Who  am  I,  to  ftrive  with  a  multitude  ? 
 What  can  Jofbua  and  I  do  againft  ten  ruier^?  It  is  bet- 
 ter 
 
BOOK   VI.      Contem.  IV.         1^9 
 
 tcr  to  fit  ftill,  than  to  rife  and  fall :  but  he  refolves  to 
 fwim  againft  this  iliream,  and  w'i\  either  .draw  friends 
 to  the  truth,  or  enemies  upon  himielf. 
 
 True  chriftian  fortitude  teaches  us  not  to  regard 
 the  number  or  quajity  of  the  opponents,  but  the  equi- 
 ty of  the  caufe  ;  and  cares  not  to  (land  alone,  and  chal- 
 lenge all  comers ;  and  if  it  could  be  oppofed  by  as 
 many  worlds,  as  men,  it  may  be  overborn,  but  it  can* 
 not  be  daunted :  whereas  popularity  carries  weak 
 minds,  and  teaches  them  the  iafety  of  erring  with  a 
 multitude. 
 
 Caleb  faw  the  giantly  Anakims,  and  the  walled  ci- 
 ties, as  well  as  the  reft ;  and  yet  he  fays,  Let  us  gg 
 up  and  pejfefs  it:  as  if  it  were  no  more,  but  to  go, 
 and  fee,  and  conquer.  Faith  is  courageous,  and 
 makes  nothing  of  thofe  dangers,  wherewith  others 
 are  quelled. 
 
 It  is  very  material  with  what  eyes  we  look  upon  all 
 pbje&s.  Fear  doth  not  more  multiply  evils,  than  faith 
 diminiflieth  them ;  which  is  therefore  bold,  becaufe 
 either  it  fees  not,  or  contemns  that  terror  which  vear 
 reprefents  to  the  weak.  There  is  none  fo  valiant  as 
 the  believer. 
 
 It  had  been  happy  for  Ifrael,  if  Caleb's  counfelhad 
 been  as  effectual  as  good:  but  how  eafdy  have  thefe 
 rulers  difcouraged  a  faint-hearted  people!  Inftead 
 of  lifting  up  their  enfigns,  and  marching  towards  Ca- 
 naan, they  fit  them  down,  and  lift  up  their  voice  and 
 cry.  The  rods  of  their  Egyptian  tafk-mafters  had  ne- 
 ver been  fo  fit  for  them,  as  now,  for  crying.  They  had 
 caufe  indeed  to  weep  for  the  fin  of  their  infidelity ; 
 but  now  they  weep  for  fear  of  thofe  enemies  they  faw 
 not.  I  fear,  if  there  had  been  ten  Calebs  to  perfuade, 
 and  but  two  faint  fpies  to  diicourage  them,  thofe  two 
 cowards  would  have  prevailed  againft  thofe  ten  foli- 
 citors :  how  much  more,  now  ten  oppofe,  and  but 
 two  encourage !     An  eafy  rhetoric  draws  us  to  the 
 
 worfe 
 
i9o        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 worfe  part ;  yea,  it  is  hard  not  to  run  down  the  .hill. 
 The  fa&ion  of  evil  is  fo  much  flronger  in  our  nature, 
 than  that  of  good,  that  every  leaft  motion  prevails  for 
 the  one,  fcarce  any  fuit  for  the  other. 
 
 Now  is  Mofes  in  danger  of  lofing  all  the  cofl  and 
 care,  that  ever  he  beftowed  upon  Jfrael :  his  people 
 are  already  gone  back  to  Egypt  in  their  hearts,  and 
 their  bodies  are  returning.  Oh!  ye  rebellious  He- 
 brews, where  fhall  God  have  you  at  laft!  Did  ever 
 Mofes  promife  to  bring  you  to  a  fruitful  land,  with- 
 out inhabitants,  to  give  you  a  rich  country,  without 
 refiftance  ?  Are  not  the  graves  of  Canaan  as  good  as 
 thofe  of  Egypt  f  What  can  ye  but  die  at  the  hands 
 of  the  Anakimsf  Can  ye  hope  for  lefs-from  the  Egyp- 
 tians f  What  madnefs  is  this  to  wifh.  to  die,  for  fear 
 of  death  ?  Is  there  lefs  hope  from  your  enemies  that 
 fhall  be,  when  ye  go  under  ftrong  and  expert  lead- 
 ers, than  from  the  enemies  that  were,  when  ye  fhall 
 return  mafterlefs  ?  Can  thofe  cruel  Egyptians  fo  foon 
 have  forgotten  the  blood  of  their  fathers,  children, 
 brothers,  hufbands,  which  perifhed  in  purfuing  you  I 
 Had  ye  rather  trull  the  mercy  of  known  enemies,  than 
 the  promife  of  a  faithful  God  ?  Which  way  will  ye  re- 
 turn ?  Who  fhall  divide  the  fea  for  you  ?  Who  fhall 
 fetch  you  water  out  of  the  rock  ?  Or  can  ye  hope,  that 
 the  manna  of  God  will  follow  you,  while  ye  run  from 
 him  ?  Feeble  minds,  wThen  they  meet  with  crofTes 
 they  looked  not  for,  repent  of  their  good  beginnings, 
 and  wifh  any  difficulty,  rather  than  that  they  find. 
 How  many  have  pulled  back  their  foot  from  the  nar- 
 row way,  for  the  troubles  of  a  good  profeffion ! 
 
 It  had  been  time  for  the  Ifraeates  to  have  fallen 
 down  on  their  faces  before  Mofes  and  Aaron,  and  to 
 have  faid,  Ye  led  us  thorough  the  fea,  make  way  for 
 us  into  Canaan.  Thofe  giants  are  ftrong,  but  not  fo 
 ftrong  as  the  rock  of  Rephidim  ;  ye  flruck  that,  and 
 it  yielded  $  if  they  be  tall,  the  pillar  of  God  is  high- 
 er 
 
BOOK    VI.       Co  NT  EM.   IV.  JOI 
 
 er  than  they ;  when  we  look  on  ourfelves,  we  fee  caufe 
 of  fear ;  but  when  we  confider  the  miraculous  power 
 of  you  our  leaders,  we  cannot  but  contemn  thofe 
 men  of  meafures.  Leave  us  not  therefore,  but  go 
 before  us  in  your  directions ;  go  to  God  for  us  in  your 
 prayers.  But  now  contrarily,  Mofes  and  Aaron  fall 
 on  their  faces  to  them,  and  fue  to  them,  that  they 
 would  be  content  to  be  conducted.  Had  they  been 
 fuffered  to  depart,  they  had  perifhed  ;  Mofes  and  his 
 few  had  been  victorious :  and  yet,  as  if  he  could  not 
 be  happy  without  them,  he  falls  on  his  face  to  them, 
 that  they  Would  flay.  We  have  never  fo  much  need 
 to  be  importuned,  as  in  thofe  things,  whofe  benefit' 
 mould  make  us  moll  importunate.  The  fweetnefs  of 
 God's  law,  and  our  promiied  glory,  is  fuch,.as  mould 
 draw  all  hearts  after  it ;  and  yet,  if  we  did  not  fue  to 
 men,  as  for  life,  that  they  would  be  reconciled  to 
 God,  and  be  faved,  I  doubt  whether  they  would  o- 
 bey ;  yea,  it  were  well,  if  our  fuit  were  fuiEcient  to 
 prevail. 
 
 Though  Mofes  and  Aaron  intreat  upon  their  faces, 
 and  Jofbita  and  Caleb  perfuade,  and  rend  their  gar- 
 ments, yet  they  move  nothing.  The  obflinate  mul* 
 titude,  grown  more  violent  with  oppoiing,  is  ready 
 to  return  them  flones  for  their  prayers.  Such  hath 
 been  ever  the  thanks  of  fidelity  and  truth.  CrofTed 
 wickednefs  proves  defperate  ;  and,  initead  of  yield- 
 ing, feeks  for  revenge.  Nothing  is  fo  hateful  to  a  re* 
 folute  finner,  as  good  counfel.  We  are  become  ene- 
 mies to  the  world,  becaufe  we  tell  them  truth. 
 
 That  God,  which  was  invifibly  preferit  whiles  they 
 finned,  when  they  have  finned,  fhews  himfelf  glorious. 
 They  might  have  feen  him  before,  that  they  fhould 
 not  fin ;  now  they  cannot  chufe  but  fee  him  in  the 
 height  of  their  fin.  They  faw  before  the  pillar  of  his 
 ordinary  prefence,  now  they  fee  him  unufually  ter- 
 rible ;  that  they  may,  with  ihame  and  horror^  confefs 
 
 him 
 
192        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 him  able  to  defend,  able  to  revenge.  The  help  of  God 
 ufes'to  fhew  itfelf  in  extremity.  He  that  can  prevent 
 evils,  conceals  his  aid,  till  danger  be  ripev,  and  then 
 he  is  as  fearful,  as  before  he  Teemed  connivent. 
 
 Contem.    v.      Of  Kor ah's  covfpiracy. 
 
 THE  tears  of  Ifrael  were  fcarce  dry>  fmce  the 
 fmart  of  their  lad  mutiny,  and  now  they  begin 
 another.  The  multitude  is  like  a  raging  fea,  full  of 
 unquiet  billows  of  discontentment,  whereof  one  rifts  in 
 the  fall  of  another.  They  faw  God  did  but  threaten, 
 and  therefore  are  they  bold  to  fin.  It  was  now  high 
 time  they  mould  know  what  it  is  for  God  to  be  angry. 
 There  was  never  fuch  a  revenge  taken  of  If  rati ;  ne- 
 ver any  better  deferved.  When  lefier  warnings  will 
 not  ferve,  God  looks  into  his  quiver  for  deadly  ar- 
 rows. In  the  mean  time,  what  a  weary  life  did  Mofes 
 leal  in  thefe  continual  fucceffions  of  confpiracies ! 
 What  did  he  gain  by  this  troublefome  government, 
 but  danger  and  defpite  ?  Who  but  he  would  not  have 
 wifhed  himfeif  rather  with  the  fheep  of  Jethrol,  than 
 with  thefe  wolves  of  Ifrael '?  But,  as  he  durft  not 
 quit  his  hook  without  the  calling  of  God,  fo  now  he 
 dare  not  his  fcepter,  except  he  be  difmiffed  of  him 
 that  called  him  ;  no  troubles,  no  oppofitions  can  drive 
 him  from  his  place :  we  are  too  weak,  if  we  fuffer 
 men  to  chafe  us  from  that  flation  where  God  hath  fet 
 us. 
 
 I  fee  the  Levites?  not  long  fmce,  drawing  their 
 fwords,  for  God  and  Mofes ,  againft  the  reft  of  Ifrael ; 
 and  that  facl:  wins  them  both  praife  and  bleilmg.  Mow' 
 they  are  the  forwarded:  in  the  rebellion  againft  Mofes 
 and  Aaron,  men  of  their  own  tribe.  There  is  no  af- 
 furance  of  a  man  for  one  act ;  whom  one  fin  cannot 
 fatten  upon,  another  may.  Yea  the  fame  fin  may 
 find  a  repulfe  one  while  from  the  fame  hand,  which 
 
 another 
 
BOOK  VI.  Contem.  y.  193 
 
 another  time  gives  it  entertainment ;  and  that  yield- 
 ance  Jofes  the  thank  of  all  the  former  refiftance.  It 
 is  no  praife  to  have  done  once  well,  unlefs  we  con- 
 tinue. 
 
 Outward  privileges  of  blood  can  avail  nothing  a- 
 gainft  a  particular  calling  of  God.  Thefe  Heubenites 
 had  the  right  of  the  natural  primogeniture,  yet  do 
 they  vainly  challenge  pre-eminence,  where  God  hath 
 fubje&ed  them.  If  all  civil  honour  flow  from  the 
 king,  how  much  more  from  the  God  of  kings  ?  His 
 hand  exalts  the  poor,  and  cafts  down  the  mighty  from 
 their  throne.  The  man  that  will  be  lifting  up  him- 
 felf  in  the  pride  of  his  heart,  from  under  the  foot  of 
 God,  is  juftly  trodden  in  the  duft. 
 
 Mofes  is  the  prince  of  Jfrael,  Aaron  the  priefl : 
 Mofes  was  mild,  Aaron  popular ;  yet  both  are  con- 
 fpired  againft.  Their  places  are  no  lefs  brothers, 
 than  their  perfons.  Both  are  oppofed  at  once.  He  that 
 is  a  traitor  to  the  church,  is  a  traitor  to  the  king. 
 Any  fuperiority  is  a  mark  of  envy.  Had  Mofes  and 
 Aaron  been  but  fellows  with  the  If ra elites,  none  had 
 been  better  beloved ;  their  difpofitions  were  fuch,  as 
 mud  needs  have  forced  favour  from  the  indifferent  : 
 now  they  were  advanced,  their  malice  is  not  inferior 
 to  their  honour.  High  towers  mufl  look  for  lighten- 
 ings.  We  offer  not  to  undermine  but  thofe  walls  which 
 we  cannot  fcale.  Nature,  in  every  man,  is  both  en- 
 vious and  difdainful,  and  never  loves  to  honour  ano- 
 ther, but  where  it  may  be  an  honour  to  itfelf. 
 
 There  cannot  be  conceived  an  honour  lefs  worth 
 emulation,  than  this  principality  of  Ifrael)  a  people 
 that  could  give  nothing ;  a  people  that  had  nothing, 
 but  in  hope  ;  a  people  whom  their  leader  was  fain  to 
 feed  with  bread  and  water,  which  paid  him  no  tribute, 
 but  of  ill  words ;  whofe  command  was  nothing  but  a 
 burden;  and  yet  this  dignity  was  an  eye-fore  to  thefe 
 
 Vol.  1.  B  b  Ltvites, 
 
i94         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Levites,  and  thefe  Reubenites ;  Te  take  too  much  upon 
 you,  ye  fens  of  Levi. 
 
 And  this  challenge,  though  thus  unfeafonable.  hath 
 drawn  in  two  hundred  and  fifty  captains  of  Ifrael. 
 What  wonder  is  it,  that  the  ten  rulers  prevailed  fo 
 much  with  the  multitude  to  duTuade  them  from  Ca- 
 naan ;  when  three  traitors  prevailed  thus  with  two 
 hundred  and  fifty  rulers,  famous  in  the  congregation, 
 and  men  of  renown  ?  One  man  may  kindle  fuch  a 
 fire,  as  all  the  world  cannot  quench.  One  plague- 
 fore  mav  infe£t  a  whole  kingdom :  the  infection  of  e- 
 vil  is  much  worie  than  the  a6t. 
 
 It  is  not  like  thefe  leaders  of  Ifrael  could  err  with' 
 out  followers.  He  is  a  mean  man  that  draws  not 
 fome  clients  after  him.  It  hath  been  ever  a  dange- 
 rous policy  of  Satan  to  aflault  the  befl ;  he  knows  that 
 the  multitude,  as  we  fay  of  bees,  will  follow  their 
 mailer. 
 
 Nothing  can  be  more  pleating  to  the  vulgar  fort, 
 than  to"  hear  their  governors  taxed,  and  themfelves 
 flattered.  All  the  congregation  is  holy ;  every  one 
 of  them ;  whereof  lift  ye  up  your  [elves  f  Every 
 word  is  a  falfliood,  For  Mofes  dejected  himfeif; 
 Whom  am  If  God  lifted  him  up  over  Ifrael ;  and 
 fo  was  Ifrael  holy,  as  Mofes  was  ambitious,  What 
 holinefs  was  there,  in  fo  much  infidelity,  fear,  ido- 
 latry, mutiny,  diiobedience  ?  What  could  make  them 
 unclean,  if  this  were  holinefs  ?  They  had  fcarce 
 wiped  their  mouths,  or  wafhed  their  hands,  fmce  their 
 lafl  obftinacy;  and  yet  thefe  pick  thanks  fay,  All 
 Ifrael  is  holy, 
 
 1  .would  never  defire  a  better  proof  of  a  falfe 
 teacher  than  flattery.  True  meaning  need  not  uphold 
 itfelf  by  fcothing.  There  is  nothing  eafier  than  to  per- 
 suade men  well  of  themfelves  j  when  a  man's  felf-love 
 meets  W7ith  another's  flattery,  it  is  an  high  praife  that 
 will  not  be  believed.    It  was  more  out  of  bppofuion 
 
 than 
 
BOOK    VI.      Contem,    v.  195 
 
 than  belief,  that  thefe  men  plead  the  holinefs  of  Ifraeh 
 Violent  adversaries,  to  uphold  a  llde,  will  maintaia 
 thofe  things  they  believe  not. 
 
 Mofes  argues  not  for  himfelf,  but  appeals  to  God ; 
 neither  ("peaks  for  his  own  right,  but  his  brother 
 Aaron's.  He  knew  that  God's  immediate  fervke.  was 
 worthy  to  be  more  precious  than  his  government 
 That  his  princedom  ferved  but  to  the  ^lory  of  his 
 matter.  Good  magiitrates  are  more  tender  over  God's 
 honour  than  their  own ;  and  more  feniibie  of  the 
 Wrongs  offered  to  religion,  than  to  themieives. 
 
 Jt  is  (dfcH  to  trult  God  with  his  own  caufes.  If 
 Aaron  had  been  choien  by  Ifrael,  Mfs  would  have 
 flickered"  him  under  their  authority,  Now  that  God 
 did  immediately  appoint  him,  his  patronage  is  fought, 
 whofe  the  election  was.  We  may  eaiiiy  fault  in  the 
 managing  of  divine  affairs;  and  fo  our  want  of  fuc- 
 cefs  cannot  want  fin  j  he  knows  how  to  ufe,  how  to 
 blefs  his  own  means. 
 
 As  there  was  a  difference  betwixt  the  people  and 
 Levitts,  fo  betwixt  the  Levites  and  prieits.  The 
 God  of  order  loves  to  have  our  decrees  kept.  Whiles 
 the  Levites  would  be  looking  up  to  the  prieils,  Mofes 
 fends  down  their  eyes  to  the  people.  The  way  not 
 to  repine  at  thofe  above  us,  is  to  look  ar  thofe  below 
 us.  There  is  no  better  remedy  for  ambition,  thaa 
 to  caii  up  our  former  receipts,  and  to  compare  them 
 with  our  defervings,  and  to  confer  our  own  eftate 
 with  inferiors ;  fo  (hall  we  find  caufe  to  be  thankful 
 that  we  are  above  any,  rather  than  of  envy,  that  any 
 is  above  us. 
 
 Mofes  hath  chid  the  fons  of  Levi  for  mutinying  a- 
 gainit  Aaron ;  and  fo  much  the  more,  becaufe  they 
 were  of  his  own  tribe.  Now  he  fends  for  the  Reu- 
 beniies,  which  rofe  againfl  himfelf.  They  come  not, 
 and  their  meilage  is  worfc  than  their  abfence.  Mofes 
 is  accufed   of  injuflice,    cruelty,  falfliood,    treachery, 
 
 Bb  2  ulur- 
 
i$<5         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ufurparion  ;  and  Egypt  itfelf  mull  be  commended,  ra- 
 ther than  Mofes  mall  want  reproach,  lnnocency  is  no 
 (helter  from  ill  tongues;  malice  never  regards  how 
 true  any  accufation  is,  but  how  fpiteful. 
 
 Now  it  was  time  for  Mofes  to  be  angry.  They 
 durft  not  have  been  thus  bold,  if  they  had  not  feen 
 his  mildnefs.  Lenity  is  ill  bellowed  upon  ftubborn 
 natures :  it  is  an  injurious  fenfelefihefs,  not  to  feel  the 
 wounds  of  our  reputation.  It  well  appears  he  is  an- 
 gry, when  he  prays  againfl  them.  He  was  difplea- 
 fed  before;  but,  when  he  was  mod  bitter  againfl  them, 
 he  dill  prayed  Jbr  them  :  but  now,  he  bends  hi*  very 
 prayers  againfl:  them.  Look  not  to  their  offering. 
 There  can  be  no  greater  revenge,  than  the  impreca- 
 tion of  the  righteous  :  there  can  be  no  greater  judg- 
 ment, than  God's  rejection  of  their  fervices.  With  us 
 men,  what  more  argues  diflike  of  the  perfon,  than 
 the  turning  back  of  his  prefent  ?  What  will  God  ac- 
 cept frcm  us,  if  not  prayers  ? 
 
 The  innocence  of  Mofes  calls  for  revenge  on  his 
 adverfaries.  If  he  had  wronged  them  in  his  govern- 
 ment, m  vain  fhould  he  have  looked  to  God's  hand 
 for  right.  Cur  fins  exclude  us  from  God's  protecti- 
 on;  whereas  uprightnefs  challenges,  and  finds  his  pa- 
 tronage. An  afs  taken,  had  made  him  incapable  of 
 favour.  Corrupt  governors  lofe  the  comfort  of  their 
 own  bread,  and  the  tuition  of  God. 
 
 The  fame  tongue  that  prayed  againfl:  the  confpira- 
 tors,  prays  for  the  people.  As  lewd  men  think  to 
 carry  it  with  number,  Korah  had  fo  far  prevailed, 
 that  he  had  drawn  the  multitude  to  his  fide.  God,  the 
 avenger  of  treafons,  would  have  confumed  them  all 
 at  once.  Mofes  and  Aaron  pray  for  thefe  rebels.  Al- 
 though they  were  worthy  of  death,  and  nothing  but 
 death  could  flop  their  mouths,  yet  their  merciful 
 leaders  will  not  buy  their  own  peace,  with  the  lofs 
 of  fuch  enemies.    Oh  rare  and  inimitable  mercy  i  The 
 
 people 
 
ISUUK    VI.     tONTEM,    V.  197 
 
 people  rife  up  againfl  their  governors ;  their  gover- 
 nors fall  on  their  faces  to  God  for  the  people  :  fo  far 
 are  they  from  plotting  revenge,  that  they  will  not  en- 
 dure God  fhould  revenge  for  them. 
 
 Mofes  knew  well  enough,  that  all  thofe  Ifraelites 
 mud  perifh  in  the  wildernefs ;  God  had  vowed  it,  for 
 their  former  infurreclion ;  yet  how  earneflly  doth  he 
 fue  to  God,  not  to  confume  them  at  once !  The  very 
 refpite  of  evils  is  a  favour  next  to  the  removal. 
 
 Korah  kindled  the  fire ;  the  two  hundred  and  fifty 
 captains  brought  Hicks  to  it ;  all  Ifrael  warmed  them- 
 ielves  by  it ;  only  the  incendiaries  perifh.  Now  do 
 the  Ifraelites  owe  their  life  to  them,  whofe  death 
 they  intended.  God  and  Mofes  knew  to  diflinfluifh 
 betwixt  the  heads  of  the  faction  and  the  train ;  though 
 neither  be  faultlefs,  yet  the  one  is  plagued,  the  other 
 forgiven.  God's  vengeance,  when  it  is  at  the  hottefl, 
 makes  differences  of  men.  Get  you  away  from  a~ 
 bout  the  tabernacles  of  Korah.  Ever  before  com- 
 mon judgment,  there  is  a  feparation.  In  the  univer- 
 fal  judgment  of  all  the  earth,  the  Judge  himfelf  will 
 feparate :  in  thefe  particular  executions,  we  muft  fe- 
 parate  ourfelves.  The  fociety  of  wicked  men,  efpe- 
 cially  in  their  fins,  is  mortally  dangerous ;  whiles  we 
 will  not  be  parted,  how  can  we  complain,  if  we  be 
 enwrapped  in  their  condemnation  ?  Our  very  compa-£ 
 ny  fms  with  them,  why  fhould  we  not  fmarc  with 
 them  alfo  ? 
 
 Mofes  had  well  hoped,  that  when  thefe  rebels 
 fhould  fee  all  the  Ifraelites  run  from  them,  as  from 
 monflers,  and  looking  affrightedly  upon  their  tents, 
 and  fhould  hear  that  fearful  proclamation  of  venge- 
 ance againfl:  them,  (howfoever  they  did  before  fet  a 
 face  on  their  confpiracy ;  yet  now)  their  hearts  would 
 have  mifgiven.  But  lo,  thefe  bold  traitors  Hand  im- 
 pudently flaring  in  the  door  of  their  tents,  as  if  they 
 would  ouc-face  the  revenge  of  God  5  as  if  Mofes  had 
 
 never 
 
io8         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 never  wrought  a  miracle  before  them ;  as  if  no  one  If- 
 raelite  had  ever  bled  for  rebelling.  Thofe  that  (hall 
 perifli  are  blinded.  Pride  and  infidelity  obdures  the 
 heart,  and  makes  even  cowards  fearlefs. 
 
 So  foon  as  the  innocent  are  fevered,  the  guilty  pe- 
 rifli;  the  earth  cleaves  and  fwallows  up   the    rebels. 
 This  element  was  not  ufed   to  fuch  moriels.     It  de- 
 vours the  carcafes  of  men ;  but  bodies  informed  with 
 Jiving  fouls,  never  before.     To  have  feen  them  (truck 
 dead   upon   the  earth  had  been  fearful ;  but  to  fee  the 
 earth  at  once   their   executioner  and  grave,  was  more 
 horrible.     Neither   (he   lea,  nor  the  earth   are  fit  to 
 give  palTage ;  the  fea  is  moiit  and  flowing,  and  will 
 not   be  divided,  for   the  continuity  of  it ;  the  earth  is 
 dry  and  mafify,  and  will   neither    )ield  naturally,  nor 
 meet  again,  when   it  hath  yielded ;  yet  the  waters  did 
 cleave   to  give  way  unto  IjraeU  for  their  prelei  vation  ; 
 the  earth  did  cleave   to  give  way  to  the  confpirators, 
 in  judgment:  both   fea  and  earth  did  (hut  their  jaws 
 again  upon  the  adverfaries  of  God. 
 
 There  was  more  wonder  in  this  latter.  It  was  a 
 marvel  that  the  waters  opened ;  it  was  no  wonder  thac 
 they  fliut  again  ;  for  the  retiring  and  flowing  was  na- 
 tural. It  was  no  lefs  marvel  that  the  earth  opened; 
 but  more  marvel  that  it  (hut  again;  becaufe  it  had  no 
 natural  difpofition  to  meet,  when  it  was  divided.  Now 
 might  Ifrael  fee,  they  had  to  do  with  a  God  that  could 
 revenge  with  eafe. 
 
 There  were  two  forts  of  traitors ;  the  earth  fwat- 
 lowed  up  the  one,  the  fire  the  other.  All  the  ele- 
 ments agree  to  ferve  the  vengeance  of  their  Maker. 
 Nadab  and  Abihu  brought  fit  perfons,  but  unfit  fire 
 to  God  ;  thefe  Levites  bring  the  right  fire,  but  un- 
 warranted perfons  before  him  j  fire  irom  God  con- 
 fumes  both.  It  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  ufurp  facred 
 functions.  The  .  miniilry  will  not  grace  the  man  ;  the 
 man  may  difgrace  the  miniflry. 
 
 The 
 
BOOK    VII.     Coktem.   i.  199 
 
 The  common  people  were  not  fo  fad  gathered  to 
 Korafs  flattering  perfuafion  before,  as  now  they  ran 
 from  the  fight  and  fear  of  his  judgment.  1  marvel 
 not  if  they  could  not  truit  that  earth  whereon  they 
 flood,  whiles  they  knew  their  hearts  had  been  falfe. 
 It  is  a  madnefs  to  run  away  from  punifhment,  and  not 
 from  fin. 
 
 BOOK       SEVENTH. 
 
 Contem,    I.    Aaron's  Cenfer  and  Rod. 
 
 HEN   fhali  we  fee  an  end  of  thefe  murmur- 
 ings,  and   thefe  judgments ?.    Becaufe   thefe 
 men  rofe  up  againft  Mofes  and  Aaron,  there- 
 fore God  confumed  them;  and  becaufe  God  con  fumed 
 them,  therefore   the  people  rife   up  again  ft  Mofes  ^  and 
 Aaron :  and   now,  becaufe   the   people   thus    murmur, 
 God  hath  again  begun  to  confume  them.     What  a  cir- 
 cle is  here  ot  fins  and  judgments!   Wrath  is  gone  out 
 from   God  ;  Mofes  is  quick-iighted,  and  fpies  it  at  the 
 fetting  out.     By  how  much  more  faithful  and  familiar 
 we  are  with   God,  fo  much  earlier  do  we  decern  his 
 judgments ;  as   thofe  which   are  well    acquainted  with 
 men,  know,  by  their  looks  and   geftures,  that  which 
 ftrangers    underftand   but  by    their    actions ;    as  finer 
 tempers  are  more  fenfible  of  the  changes  of  weather  : 
 hence  the  feers  of  God  have  ever,  from  their  watch- 
 tower,    defcried   the  judgments  of  God  afar  off.     If 
 another   man  had  feen  from  Carmel  a  cloud  of  a  hand- 
 breadth,  he  could  not  have  told   Ahab   he  fliould  be 
 wet.     It  is  enough  for  God's  meffengers,  out  of  their 
 acquaintance  with  their  (vlafter's  proceedings,  to  fore- 
 fee   punifhment :   no  marvel  if  thofe  fee  it  not,  which 
 are  willfully   fmful.     We  men   reveal  not    our  fecret 
 purpoies,    either   to  enemies   or  ftrangers :    all    their 
 Favour  is  to  feel  the  plague,  ere  they  can  efpy  it. 
 
 Mofes, 
 
2oo  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Mofes,  though  he  were  great  with  God,  yet  he 
 takes  not  upon  him  this  reconciliation;  he  may  ad- 
 vife  Aaron  what  to  do,  himfelf  undertakes  not  to  act 
 it.  It  is  the  work  of  the  priefthood  to  make  an  atone- 
 ment for  the  people;  Aaron  was  firfl  his  brother's 
 tongue  to  Pharaoh,  now  is  he  the  people's  tongue  to 
 God  :  he  only  mufl  offer  up  the  incenfe  of  the  pu- 
 blic prayers  to  God.  Who  would  not  think  it  a  fmall 
 thing  to  hold  a  cenfer  in  his  hand  ?  yet,  if  any  other 
 had  done  it,  he  had  fallen  with  the  dead,  and  not  flood 
 betwixt  the  living  and  the  dead ;  inflead  of  the  fmoke 
 afcending,  the  fire  had  defcended  upon  him:  and  mail 
 there  be  lets  ufe,  or  lefs  regard  of  the  evangelical  mi- 
 niftry,  than  the  legal?  When  the  world  hath  poured 
 out  all  his  contempt,  we  are  they  that  mufl  reconcile 
 men  to  God,  and  without  us  they  perifh. 
 
 I  know  not  whether  more  to  marvel  at  the  courage 
 or  mercy  of  Aaron  ;  his  mercy,  that  he  would  yet 
 fave  fo  rebellious  a  people;  his  courage,  that  he  would 
 fave  them,  with  fo  great  a  danger  of  himfelf.  For, 
 as  one  that  would  part  a  fray,  he  thrufts  himfelf  un- 
 der the  flrokes  of  God,  and  puts  it  to  the  choice  of 
 the  revenger,  whether  he  will  fmite  him,  or  forbear 
 the  reft ;  he  (lands  boldly  betwixt  the  living  and  the 
 dead,  as  one  that  will  either  die  with  them,  or  have 
 them  live  with  him  :  the  fight  of  fourteen  hundred 
 carcafes  difmayed  him  not:  he  that  before' feared  the 
 threats  of  the  people,  now  fears  not  the  flrokes  of 
 God.  It  is  not  for  God's  miniflers  to  fland  upon 
 their  own  pedis  in  the  common  caufes  of  the  church  : 
 their  prayers  mufl  oppofe  the  judgments  of  the  Al- 
 mighty ;  when  the  fire  of  God's  anger  is  kindled,  their 
 cenfers  mufl  fmoke  with  fire  from  the  altar.  Every 
 Chriflian  mufl  pray  the  removal  of  vengeance;  how 
 much  more  they  whom  God  hath  appointed  to  medi- 
 ate for  his  people?  Every  man's  mouth  is  his  own  j 
 but  they  are  the  mouths  of  all. 
 
 Had 
 
BOOK  VII.      Contem.  I.  201 
 
 Had  Aaron  thruft  in  himfelf  with  empty  hands,  I 
 doubt  whether  he  had  prevailed ;  now  his  cenfer  was 
 his  protection.  When  we  come  with  fupplications  in 
 our  hands,  we  need  not  fear  the  flrokes  of  God.  We 
 have  leave  to  refill  the  divine  judgments  by  our  pray- 
 ers, with  favour  and  fuccefs.  So  foon  as  the  incenfe 
 of  Aaron  afcended  up  unto  God,  he  fmelt  a  favour  of 
 reft ;  he  will  rather  fpars  the  offenders,  than  flrike 
 their  interceffor.  How  hardly  can  any  people  mifcar- 
 ry,  that  have  faithful  minillers  to  fue  for  their  fafety  ! 
 Nothing  but  the  fmoke  of  hearty  prayers  can  cleanfe 
 the  air  from  the  plagues  of  God. 
 
 If  Aaron's  facrilice  were  thus  accepted,  how  much 
 more  mail  the  High-Prieft  of  the  new  teftament,  by 
 interpofmg  himfelf  to  the  wrath  of  his  Father,  deliver 
 the  offenders  from  death  ?  The  plague  was  entered 
 upon  all  the  fons  of  men.  O  Saviour,  thou  floodft 
 betwixt  the  living  and  the  dead,  that  all  which  believe 
 in  thee,  fhould  not  perifh !  Aaron  offered  and  was 
 not  ftricken ;  but  thou,  O  Redeemer,  wouldft  offer 
 and  be  ftruck,  that  by  thy  (tripes  we  might  be  heal- 
 ed! So  ftoodft  thou  betwixt  the  dead  and  living,  that 
 thou  wert  both  alive  and  dead  ;  and  all  this,  that  we, 
 when  we  were  dead,  might  live  for  ever. 
 
 Nothing  more  troubled  Ifrael,  than  a  fear  left  the 
 two  brethren  fhould  cunningly  ingrofs  the  govern- 
 ment to  themfelves.  If  they  had  done  fo,  what  wife 
 men  would  have  envied  them  an  office  fo  little  worth, 
 fo  dearly  purchafed  ?  But  becaufe  this  conceit  was 
 ever  apt  to  ftir  them  to  rebellion,  and  to  hinder  the 
 benefit  of  this  holy  fovereignty  ;  therefore  God  hath 
 endea.vou.red  nothing  more,  than  to  let  them  fee  that 
 thefe"  officers,  whom  they  fo  much  envied,  were  of 
 his  own  proper  inftitution.  They  had  icaree  {hue 
 their  eyes,  fmce  they  faw  the  confunon  of  thofe  two 
 hundred  and  fifty  ufurpmg  facrificers ;  and  Aaronls 
 effectual  interceflion  for  flaying  the  plague  of  Ifraeh 
 
 Vol.  I.  C  c  In 
 
2C2         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 In  the  one,  the  execution  of  God's  vengeance  upon 
 the  competitors  of  Aaron,  for  his  Cake ;  in  the  other, 
 the  forbearance  of  vengeance"  upon  the  people  for  Aa- 
 ron %  mediation,  might  have  challenged  their  volun- 
 tary acknowledgment  of  his  juit  calling  from  God. 
 If  there  had  been  in  them  either  awe,  or  thankful- 
 nefs,  they  could  not  have  doubted  of  his  lawful  fupre- 
 macy.  Kcw  could  they  chufe  but  argue  thus  ?  Why 
 would  God  fo  fearfully  have  deftroyed  the  rivals  that 
 durfl  corned  with  Aaron ,  if  he  would  have  allowed 
 him  any  equal?  Wherefore  ferve  thofe  plates  of  the 
 altar,  which  we  fee.  made  of  thofe  ufurped  cenfers, 
 but  to  warn  all  pofterity  of  fuch  prefumption  ?  Why 
 fhould  God  ceafe  linking,  whiles  Aaron  interpofed  be- 
 twixt the  living  and  the  dead,  if  he  were  but  as  one 
 of  us  ?  Which  of  us,  if  we  had  flood  in  the  plague,  had 
 not  added  to  the  heap  ?  Incredulous  minds  will  not  be 
 perfuaded  with  any  evidence.  Thefe  two  brothers 
 had  lived  afunder  forty  years;  God  makes  them  both 
 meet  in  one  office  of  delivering  IfraeL  One  half  of 
 the  miracles  were  wrought  by  Aaron  ;  he  {truck  with 
 the  rod,  whiles  it  brought  thofe  plagues  on  Egypt. 
 The  'Ifraclites  heard  God  call  him  up  by  name  to 
 mount  Sinai ;  they  faw  him  anointed  from  God,  and 
 (lefl  they  mould  think  this  a  fet  match  betwixt  the 
 brethren)  they  faw  the  earth  opening,  the  fire  iihiing 
 from  God  upon  their  emulous  oppofites :  they  faw  his 
 fmoke,  a  fufficient  antidote  for  the  plague  of  God; 
 and  yet  frill  Aaron's  calling  is  queftioned. 
 
 Nothing  is  more  natural  to  every  man  than  unbe- 
 lief: but  the  earth  never  yielded  a  people  fo  flrong- 
 ly  incredulous  as  thefe  ;  and,  after  fo  many  thoufand 
 generations,  their  children  do  inherit  their  obftinacy  ; 
 (till  do  they  oppofe  the  true  High-Priefl,  the  anointed 
 of  God.  Sixteen  hundred  years  defolation  hath  not 
 drawn  from  them  to  ccriefs  him  whom  God  hath 
 chofen. 
 
 Kow 
 
BOOK   VII.      Co  nt  em.  r.  203 
 
 How  defirous  was  God  to  give  fatisfaction  even  to 
 the  obftinate !  There  is  nothing  more  material,  than 
 that  men  mould  be  allured  their  fpiritual  guides  have 
 their  commiilion  and  calling  from  God :  the  want  1 
 whereof  is  a  prejudice  to  our  fuccefs.  It  mould  not 
 be  fo :  but  the .  corruption  of  men  will  not  receive 
 good,  but  from  due  meiTengers. 
 
 Before,  God  wrought  miracles  in  the  rod  of  Mofes  ; 
 now,  in  the  rod  of  Aaron,  As  Pharaoh  might  fee  him- 
 felf  in  Mofes9  s  rod,  who,  of  a  rod  of  defence  and  pro- 
 tection, was  turned  into  a  venomous  ferpent,  fo  Jfrael 
 might  fee  themfelves  in  the  rod  of  Aaron.  Every 
 tribe,  and  every  Ifraellte  was,  of  himfelf,  as  a  fere- 
 ftlek,  without  life,  without  fap  ;  and  if  any  one  of 
 them  had  power  to  live,  and  fiourifh,  he  mud  ac- 
 knowledge it  from  the  immediate  power  and  gift  of 
 God. 
 
 Before  God's  calling,  all  men  are  alike  ;  every 
 name  is  alike  written  in  their  rod ;  there  is  no  diffe- 
 rence in  the  letters,  in  the  wood ;  neither  the  cha- 
 racters of  Aaron  are  fairer,  nor  the  flaff  more  preci- 
 ous. It  is  the  choice  of  God  that  makes  the  diitinc- 
 tion ;  fo  it  is  in  our  calling  of  chriftianity ;  all  are  equal- 
 ly devoid  of  poffibility  of  grace  ;  all  equally  lifelefs ; 
 by  nature  we  are  ail  fons  of  wrath.  If  we  be  now 
 better  than  others,  who  feparated  us  ?  We  are  all 
 crabflocks  in  this  orchard  of  God,  he  may  graff  what 
 fruit  he  pleafes  upon  us ;  only  the  grace,  and  effectual 
 calling  of  God,  makes  the  difference. 
 
 Thefe  twelve  heads  of  Ifrael  would  never  have  writ- 
 ten their  names  in  their  rods,  but  in  hope  thev  might 
 be  chofen  to  this  dignity.  What  an  honour  was  this 
 prielthood,  whereof  all  the  princes  of  Ifrael  are  ambi- 
 tious !  If  they  had  not  thought  it  an  high  preferment, 
 they  had  never  fo  much  envied  the  office  of  Aaron. 
 What  mall  we  think  of  this  change!  Is  the  evangelical 
 miniftration  of  lei's  worth  than  the  leviiical?  Whiles  the 
 C  c  2  teftament 
 
■2oa        C  O  N  TEMPLATION  S. 
 
 tcftament  is, better,  is  the  fervice  worfe  ?  How  is  it, 
 that  the  great  think  themfelves  too  good  for  this  em- 
 pioyment?  How  is  it,  that  under  the  gofpel,  men  are  dif- 
 paraged  with  that,  which  honoured  them  under  the  law;, 
 that  their  ambition  and  our  fcorn  meet  in  one  fubjecl  ? 
 
 Thcfe  twelve  rods  are  no:  laid  up  in  the  feveral  cabi- 
 nets of  their  owners,  but  are  brought  forth  and  laid 
 before  the  Lord.  It  is  fit  God  mould  make  choice  of 
 his  own  attendants.  Even  we  men  hold  it  injurious 
 to  have  feryaiits  obtruded  upon  us  by  others.  Never 
 mall  that  man"  have  comfort  in  his  miniilry,  whom 
 God  hath  not  chofen.  The  great  commander  of  the 
 world  hath  fet  every  man  in  his  ftation ;  to  one  he 
 hath  faid,  Stand  thou  in  this  Itower  and  watch  ;  to  an- 
 other, Make  thou  good  thefe  trenches ;  to  a  third, 
 Dig  thou  in  this  mine.  He  that  gives,  and  knows 
 our  abilities,  can  befl  fet  us  on  work. 
 
 This  rod  wTas  the  pafloral  Half  of  Aaron,  the  great 
 fiiepherd  of  IfraeL  God  teflifies  his  approbation  of 
 his  charge,  by  the  fruit.  That  a  rod  cut  oil  from  the 
 tree'fliould  bloffom,  it  was  ftrange ;  but,  that  in  one 
 night  it  mould  bear  buds,  bloiToms,  fruit,  and  that 
 both  ripe  and  hard,  it  was  highly  miraculous.  The 
 fame  power  that  revives  the  dead  plants  of  winter,  in 
 the  fpring,  doth  it  here  without  earth,  without  time, 
 without  fun,  that  Ifrael  might  fee  and  grant,  it  was 
 no  reafon  his  choice  mould  be  limited,  whofe  power 
 is  unlimited. 
 
 Fruitfulnefs  is  the  beil  argument  of  the  calling  of 
 God  :  not  only  ail  the  plants  of  his  fetting,  but  the^ 
 very  boughs  cut  oil'  from  the  body  of  them,  will  flou- 
 ri:h,  And  that  there  may  not  want  a  fucceffion  of  in- 
 creafe,  here  are  fruit,  bloffoms,  buds ;  both  proof 
 and  hope,  infeparably  mixed. 
 
 It*cou]d  not  but  be  a  great  comfort  unto  Aaron,  to 
 fee  his  rod  thus  miracuiotilly  flourifhing ;  to  fee  this 
 wonderful  teftimony  of  God's  Favour  and  election: 
 
 Aire, 
 
BOOK   VII.      Con  t  em.  i.  205 
 
 fare,  he  could  not  but  think,  who  am  I,  O  God, 
 that  thou  fhouldfl  thus  chufe  me  out  of  all  the  tribes 
 of  Ifraelf  My  weaknefs  hath  been  more  worthy  of 
 thy  rod  of  correction,  than  my  rod  hath  been  worthy 
 of  thefe  bloflbms.  How  had  thou  magnified  me  in 
 the  fight  of  all  thy  people  !  How  able  art  thou  to  up- 
 hold my  imbed liity  with  the  rod  of  thy  fupport !  How 
 able  to  defend  me  with  the  rod  of  thy  power,  who 
 haft  thus  brought  fruit  out  of  the  faplefs  rod  of  my 
 profeilion !  That  fervant  of  God  is  worthy  to  faint, 
 that  holds  it  not  a  fufficient  encouragement,  to  fee  the 
 evident  proofs  of  his  mailers  favour. 
 
 Commonly,  thofe  fruits  which  are  foon  ripe,  foon 
 wither  ;  but  thefe  almonds  of  Aaron's  rod,  are  not 
 more  early,  than  lading ;  the  fame  hand  which  brought 
 them  out  before  their  time,  preferved  them  beyond 
 their  time  ;  and,  for  perpetual  memory,  both  rod  and 
 fruit  mud  be  kept  in  the  ark  of  God.  The  tables  of 
 Mofes,  the  rod  of  Aaron,  the  manna  of  God,  are  mo- 
 numents fit  for  fo  holy  a  flirine.  The  doctrine,  fa- 
 craments  and  government  of  God's  people  are  preci- 
 ous to  him,  and  mud  be  fo  to  men.  All  times  mail 
 fee  and  wonder,  how  ,his  ancient  church  was  fed, 
 taught,  ruled.  Mofes's  rod  did  great  miracles,  yet  I 
 find  it  not  in  the  ark.  The  rod  of  Aaron  hath  this 
 privilege,  becaufe  it  carried  the  miracle  diU'in  itfelf; 
 whereas  the  wonders  of  that  other  rod  were  paiTed. 
 Thofe  monuments  would  God  have  continued  in  his 
 church,  which  carry  in  them  the  moil  manifeft  evi- 
 dences of  that  which  they  import. 
 
 The  fame  God,  which  by  many  trailfient  demon- 
 drations  had  approved  the  calling  of  Aaron,  to  Ifraei, 
 will  now.  have  a  permanent  memorial  of  their  convic- 
 tion ;  that,  whensoever,  they  mould  fee  this  relict,  they 
 fbould  be  afnamed  of  their  prefumption  and  infidelity. 
 T»he:  name  of  Aaron  was  not  more  plainly  written  in 
 that  rod,  thr.n  the  fin  of  If r  a  el  was  in  the  fruit  of  it ! 
 
 and 
 
tc6        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 and  how  much  Ifrael  finds  their  rebellion  beaten  with 
 this  rod,  appears  in  their  prefent  relenting  and  com- 
 plaint ;  Behold^  we  are  dead,  we  periflj.  God 
 knows  how  to  pull  down  the  biggeft  ftomach,  and 
 can  extort  glory  to  his  own  name,  from  the  moil  ob- 
 flinate  gainfayers. 
 
 Co  NT  EM.      II.         0//^BrAZEN    SERPENT. 
 
 CEVEN  times  already  hath  Ifrael  mutinied  againfl 
 *-*  Mofes,  and  feven  times  hath  either  been  threat- 
 ened or  puniihed ;  yet  now  they  fall  to  it  afrefh.  As 
 a  tefty  man  finds  occafion  to  chaff  at  every  trifle  ;  fo 
 this  difcontented  people  either  find,  or  make  all  things 
 troublefome.  One  while  they  have  nb  water,  then 
 bitter  ;  one  while  no  God,  then  one  too  many  ;  one 
 while  no  bread,  then  bread  enough,  but  top  light ; 
 one  while  they  will  not  abide  their  governors,  then 
 they  cannot  abide  their  lofs.  Aaron  and  Miriam  were 
 never  fo  grudged  alive,  as  they  are  bewailed  dead. 
 Before,  they  wanted  onions,  garlic,  flefh-pots;  now, 
 they  want  figs,  vines,  pomegranates,  corn.  And  as 
 crabbed  children  that  cry  for  every  thing  they  can 
 think  of,  are  whipped  by  their  wife  mother,  fo  God 
 juftly  ferves  thefe  fond  Israelites. 
 
 It  was  firll  their  way  that  makes  them  repine:  they 
 were  fain  to  go  round  about  Idumea ;  the  journey  was 
 long  and  troublefome.  They  had  fent  intreaties  to 
 Mom  for  licence  of  paffage  next  way,  reafonably, 
 fubmifsly  :  it  was  churlifhly  denied  them.  Efau  lives 
 ft  ill  in  his  polterity,  Jacob  in  Ifrael.  The  combat, 
 which  they  began  in  Rebecca's  belly,  Is  not  yet  end- 
 ed. Amale'k)  which  was  one  limb  of  Efau,  follows 
 them  at  the  heels.  The  Edomite,  which  was  ano- 
 ther, meets  them  in  the  face.  So  long  as  there  is  a 
 world,  there  will  be  oppofition  to  the  chofen  of  God. 
 They  may  come  at  their  peril  ;  the  way  had  been 
 
 nearer, 
 
BOOK   VII.     Contem.  it.  207 
 
 nearer,  but  bloody;  they  dare  not  go  it,   and  yet 
 complain  of  length. 
 
 If  they  were  afraid  to  purchafe  their  refling-place 
 with  war,  how  much  lefs  would  they  their  paflage  ? 
 What  mould  God  do  with  impatient  men  ?  They  will 
 not  go  the  nearefl  way,  and  yet  complain  to  go  about. 
 He  that  will  pafs  to  the  promifed  land,  mull  neither 
 Hand  upon  length  of  way,  nor  difficulty.  Every 
 way  hath  its  inconveniencies  :  the  nearefl  hath  more 
 danger,  the  farthefl  hath  more  pain ;  either,  or  both, 
 mull  be  overcome,  if  ever  we  will  enter  the  refl  of 
 God. 
 
 Aaron  and  Miriam  were  now  pail  the  danger  of 
 their  mutinies  ;  for  want,  of  another  match,  they  join 
 God  with  Mofes,  in  their  murmurings :  though  they 
 had  not  mentioned  him,  they  could  not  fever  him  in 
 their  infurre&ion  ;  for,  in  the  caufes  of  his  own  fer- 
 vants,  he  challenges  even  when  he  is  not  challenged. 
 What  will  become  of  thee,  O  Ifrael,  when  thou  makell 
 thy  Maker  thine  enemy  !  Impatience  is  the  coufin  to 
 frenzy :  this  caufes  men  not  to  take  care  upon  whom 
 they  run,  fo  they  may  breathe  out  fome  revenge,  flow 
 oft  have  we  heard  men,  that  have  been  difpleafed  by 
 others,  tear  the  name  of  their  Maker  in  pieces  ?  He 
 that  will  judge,  and  can  confound,  is  fetcht  into  the 
 quarrel  without  caufe  :  but  if  to  flrive  with  a  mighty 
 man  be  unwife,  and  unfafe,  what  fhall  it  be  to  frrive 
 with  the  mighty  God  ? 
 
 As  an  angry  child  cads  away  that  which  is  given 
 
 him,  becaufe  he  hath  not  that  he  would,  fo  do  thefe 
 
 foolifh  Ifraelites ;  their  bread  is  light,  and  their  water 
 
 !  unfatisfying,  becaufe  their  way  difpleafed  them.    Was 
 
 *  ever  people  fed  with  fuch  bread,  or  water  ?  Twice 
 
 hath  the  very  rock  yielded  them  water,  and   every 
 
 [.day  the  heaven  affords    them  bread.     Did   any  one 
 
 {foul  amongfl  them  iriifcarry,    either  for  hunger  or 
 
 '  thirfl  ?  But  no  bread  will  down  with  them,  lave  that 
 
 which 
 
ao8  •  "  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 which  the  earth  yields ;  no  water  but  from  the  natu- 
 ral wells  or  rivers.  Unlefs  nature  be  allowed  to  be 
 her  own  carver,  flie  is  never  contented. 
 
 Manna  had  no  fault,  but  that  it  was  too  good,  and 
 too  frequent :  the  pulfe  of  Egypt  had  been  titter  for 
 thefe  coarfe  mouths.  This  heavenly  bread  was  un- 
 fpeakably  delicious ;  it  tailed  like  wafers  of  honey, 
 and  yet  even  this,  angels  food,  is  contemned !  He  that 
 is  full,  defpifeth»an  honey-comb.  How  fweet  and  de- 
 licate is  the  gofpel !  Not  only  the  fathers  of  the  old 
 ted  anient,  but  the  angels  defired  to  look  into  the  glo- 
 rious myfleries  of  it ;  and  yet  we  are  cloyed.  This 
 fupernatural  food  is  too  light :  the  bread-corn  of  our 
 human  reafon,  and  profound  difcourfe,  would  better 
 content  us. 
 
 Mcfes  will  not  revenge  this  wrong,  God  will ;  yet 
 will  he  not  deal  with  them  himfelf,  but  he  fends  the 
 fiery  ferpents  to  anfwer  for  him.  How  fitly  !  They 
 had  carried  themfelves  like  ferpents  to  their  governors. 
 How  oft  had  they  flung  Mofes  and  Aaron  near  to 
 death  ?  If  the  ferpent  bite  when  he  is  not  charmed, 
 no  better  is  a  flanderer.  Now  thefe  venomous  adders 
 revenge  it,-  which  are  therefore  called  fiery,  becaufe 
 their  poifon  fcaldeth  to  death.  God  hath  an  hand  in 
 the  annoyance  and  hurt  of  the  bafefl  creature  ;  how 
 much  lefs  can  the  fling  of  an  ill  tongue,  or  the  malice 
 of  an  ill  fpirit,  flrike  us  without  him  ?  Whiles  they 
 were  in  Gofien^  the  frogs,  lice,  caterpillars,  fpared 
 them,  and  plagued  the  Egyptians  ;  now  they  are  re- 
 bellious in  the  defart,  the  ferpents  find  them  out  and 
 ■fting  them  to  death.  He  that  brought  the  quails 
 thither  to  feed  them,  fetches  thefe  ferpents  thither  to 
 puniih  them.  While  we  are  at  wars  with  God,  we 
 can  look  for  no  peace  with  his  creatures.  Every  thing 
 ces  to  execute  the  vengeance  of  its  Maker.  The 
 ftones  of  the  field  will  not  be  in  league  with  us,  while 
 re  not  in  league  with  God. 
 
 Thefe 
 
BOOK  VII.     Co  nt  em.  ii.  209 
 
 Thefe  men,  when  the  fpies  had  toM  them  news  of 
 the  giants  of  Canaan,  a  little  before  had  wiihed, 
 Would  God  we  were  dead  in  t  his  wilJernefs.  Now 
 God  hath  heard  their  prayers ;  what  with  the  plague, 
 what  with  the  ferpents,  many  thoufands  of  them  died. 
 The  ill  wifties  of  our  impatience  are  many  tinies  heard. 
 As  thofe  good  things  are  not  granted  us,  which  we 
 pray  for,  without  care ;  fo  thofe  evils  which  we  pray 
 for,  and  would  not  have,  are  oft  granted.  The  ears 
 of  God  are  not  only  open  to  the  prayers  of  faith,  but 
 to  the  inprecations  of  infidelity,  it  is  dangerous  wind- 
 ing evil  to  ourfelves,  or  ours ;  it  is  ju;l  with  God  to 
 take  us  at  our  word5  and  to  effect  that  which  our  lips 
 fpeak  againfi  our  heart. 
 
 Before,  God  hath  ever  confulted  with  Mofes,  and 
 threatened  ere  he  punifhed :  now  he  ftrikes  and  fays 
 nothing.  The  anger  is  fo  much  more,  by  how  much 
 lefs  notified.  When  God  is  not  heard  before  he  is 
 felt,  (as  in  the  hewing  of  wood,  the  blow  is  not  heard 
 till  the  ax  be  feen  to  have  flruck),  it  is  a  fearful  fign 
 of  difpleafure.  It  is  with  God,  as  with  us  men,  that 
 ft  ill  revenges  are  ever  molt  dangerous.  Till  now,  all 
 was  well  enough  with  Ifrael,  and  yet  they  grudged : 
 thofe  that  will  complain  without  a  caufe,  ihall  have 
 caufe  to  complain  for  fomething.  Diicontented  hu- 
 mours feldom  efcape  unpuniflied,  but  receive  that  mofl 
 juftly  whereat  they  repined  uniuitly. 
 
 Now  the  people  are  glad  to  feek  to  Mofes  unbid- 
 den. Ever  heretofore  they  have  been  wont  to  be 
 fued  to,  and  intreated  for  without  their  own  intreaty ; 
 now  their  mifery  makes  them  importunate  :  there 
 needs  no  folicitor,  where  there  is  fenfe  of  fmart.  It 
 were  pity  men  fhould  want  affliction,  fmce  it  fends 
 them  to  their  prayers  and  confeilions.  All  the  per- 
 fuafions  of  Mofes,  could  not  do  that  which  the  ferpents 
 have  done  for  him.  O  God,  thou  feeft  how  necef- 
 fary  it  is  we  fhould  be  flung  fometimes,  elfe  we  fliould 
 
 Vol.  L  D  d  run 
 
2  io         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 run  wild,  and  never  come  to  a  found  humiliation.  We 
 fliould  never  feek  thee,  if  thy  hand  did  not  find  us 
 out. 
 
 They  had  fpoken  againfl  God  and  Mofes,  and  now 
 they  humbly  fpeak  to  Mofes,  that  he  would  pray  to 
 God  for  them.  He  that  fo  oft  prayed  for  them  un- 
 bidden, cannot  but  much  more  do  it  requeued,  and 
 now  obtains  the  means  of  their  cure.  It  was  equally 
 in  the  power  of  God  to  remove  the  ferpents,  and  to 
 heal  their  (lingiilg  ;  to  have  cured  the  Ifraelites  by  his 
 word,  and  by  his  fign :  but  he  finds  it  bed  for  his 
 people  (to  exercife  their  faith)  that  the  ferpents  may 
 bite,  and  their  bitings  may  envenom,  and  thatjdris 
 venom  may  endanger  the  Ifraelites ;  and  that  they, 
 thus  affected,  may  feek  to  him  for  remedy,  and  feek- 
 ing  may  find  it  from  fuch  means  as  fliould  have  no 
 power  but  in  figniiication ;  that,  while  their  bodies 
 were  cured  by  the  fign,  their  fouls  might  be  confirm- 
 ed by  the  matter  fignified.  A  ferpent  of  brafs  could 
 no  more  heal,  than  fling  them.  What  remedy  could 
 their  eyes  give  to  their  legs?  or  what  could  a  ferpent 
 of  cold  brafs  prevail  againft  a  living  and  fiery  ferpent  ? 
 In  this  troublefome  defart,  we  are  all  flung  by  that 
 fiery  and  old  ferpent.  O  Saviour,  it  is  to  thee  we 
 mufr.  look,  and  be  cured ;  it  is  thou  that  Wert  their 
 pafchal  lamb,  their  manna,  their  rock,  their  ferpent. 
 To  all  purpofes  doft  thou  vary  thyfelf  to  thy  church, 
 that  we  may  find  thee  everywhere.  Thou  art  for  our 
 nouriiliment,  refrefhing,  cure ;  as  hereafter,  {q  even- 
 now,   all  in  all. 
 
 This  ferpent,  which  was  appointed  for  cure  to  If 
 rael^  at  lafl  flings  them  to  death,  by  idolatrous  abufe. 
 What  poifon  there  is  in  idolatry,  that  makes  even  an- 
 tidotes deadly !  As  Mofes  therefore  raifed  this  ferpent, 
 fo  Ezekias  pulled  it  down.  God  commanded  the 
 failing  of  it,  God  approved  the  demolifiring  of  ir.  Su- 
 perfluous ufe  can  mar  the  very  inilitutions  of  God  : 
 
 how 
 
BOOK    VII.       CO  NT  EM.    III.  2  11 
 
 how  much  more  the  moft  wife  and  well-grounded  de- 
 vices of  men  ? 
 
 Contem.  in.      Of  Balaam. 
 
 MO  A  B  and  Midian  had  been  all  this  -while  (land- 
 ers by,  and  lookers  on  ;  if  they  had  not  feen 
 the  pattern  of  their  own  ruin  in  thefe  neighbours, 
 it  had  never  troubled  them  to  fee  the  kings  of  the 
 Anion tes  and  Bafhan  to  fall  before  Ifrael.  Had  not 
 the  Israelites  camped  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  their 
 victories '  had  been  no  eye-fore  to  BalaL  Wicked 
 men  never  care  to  obferve  God's  judgments,  till  tbem- 
 feives  be  touched.  The  fire  of  a  neighbour's  houlb 
 would  not  fo  affect  us,  if  it  were  not  with  the  danger 
 of  our  own.  Secure  minds  never  itartle,  till  God  come 
 home  to  their  very  fenfes. 
 
 Balak  and  his  Moabitcs  had  wit  enough  to  fear,  not 
 wit  enough  to  prevent  judgment.  They  fee  an  ene- 
 my in  their  borders,  and  yet  take  no  right  courfe  for 
 their  fafety.  Who  would  not  have  looked,  that  they 
 fhould  have  come  to  Ifrael  with  conditions  of  peace  ? 
 Or,  why  did  they  not  think,  either  IfraePs  God  is 
 ftronger  than  ours,  or  he  is  not  ?  If  he  be  not,  why 
 are  we  afraid  of  him?  If  he  be,  why  do  we  not  ferve 
 him  ?  The  fame  hand  which  gives  them  victory,  can 
 give  us  protection.  Carnal  men  that  are  fecure  of  the 
 vengeance  of  God,  ere  it  do  come,  are  maileied  with 
 it,  when  it  doth  come ;  and,  not  knowing  which  way 
 to  turn  them,  run  forth  at  the  wrong  door. 
 
 The  Midianites  join  with  the  Moabttes9  in  con- 
 futation, in  action,  againft  If-aeL  One  would  have 
 thought,  they  mould  have  looked  for  favour  from 
 Mofes,  for  Jethro's  fake,  which  was  both  a  prince 
 of  their  country,  and  father-in-law  to  Mofes,  and. 
 either  now,  or  not  long  before,  was  with  Ifrael  in 
 the  wiidernefs.     Neither  is  it  like,  but  that  Mofes 
 
 D  d  2  having 
 
til         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 having  found  forty  years  harbour  amongft  them 
 would  have  been  (what  he  might)  inclinable  to  favour^ 
 able  treaties  with  them  ;  but  now  they  are  fo  raft 
 linked  to  Moao^  that  they  will  either  finjk  or  fwim  to^ 
 gerher.  Entirenefs  with  wicked  conforts  is  ont  of  the 
 ujrongeft  chains  of  hell,  and  binds  us  to  a  participa- 
 tion both  of  fin  and  punifhment.  An  ealy  occafon 
 will  knit  wicked  hearts  together  in  conspiracy  againft 
 the  church  of  God. 
 
 Their  errand  is  devilifii ;  Ccme^  curfe  IfraeU  That 
 which  Satan  cou'd  not  do  by  the  fwords  of  Og  and 
 Sihon^  he  will  now  try  to  effect  by  the  tongue  of  Ba- 
 laam. If  either  ftrength  or  po.icy  would  prevail  a- 
 gainft  God's  church,  it  could  ndt  ft  and.  And  why 
 fhould  not  we  be  as  induftrious  to  promote  the  glory 
 of  God,  and  bend  both  our  hands  and  heads  .o  the 
 caufes  of  the  Almighty?  When  all  helps  fail  Mcaby 
 the  magician  is  fought  to.  It  is  a  fign  of  a  defperate 
 caufe,  to  make  Satan  either  our  counfellor  or  our  re- 
 fuge, 
 
 Why  did  they  not  fend  to  Balaam  to  blefs  them-r 
 felves,  rather  than  to  curfe  Ifraelf  It  had  been  more 
 eafy  to  be  defended  from  the  hurt  of  their  enemies, 
 than  to  have  their  enemies  laid  open  to  be  hurt  by 
 them.  Pride  and  malice  did  not  care  fp  much  for 
 fafety,  as  for  conqueft.  It  would  not  content  them 
 to  elcape  Ifrael,  if  Ifrael  may  efcape  them.  It  was 
 not  thank -worthy  to  lave  their  own  blood,  if  they  did 
 not  ipill  the  blood  of  others ;  as  if 'their  own  profpe- 
 rity  had  been  nothing,  if  Ifrael  alfo  prospered.  If 
 there  be  one  project  worfe  than  another,  a  wicked 
 heart  will  find  it  out.  Nothing  but  deftruction  will 
 content  the  malicious. 
 
 I  know  not  whether  Balaam  were  more  famous,  or 
 Balak  more  confident.  If  the  king  had  not  been  per- 
 fuaded  pf  the  ftrength  of  his  charm,  he  had*not  fent 
 fo  far,  and  paid  lo  dear  for  it  \  now  he  trulls  more 
 
 tQ 
 
BOOK  VII.      Contem.  in.         213 
 
 to  his  incbaritment,  than  to  the  forces  of  Moab  and 
 i&ididfi  :  and,  as  if  heaven  and  earth  were  in  the  pow- 
 er of  a  charmers  tongue,  he  faith,  tie  that  thou  blef- 
 fkft,  is  bkfed ;  and  he  whom  thou  curfeji,  is  curfed. 
 Magic,  through  the  permiflion  of  God,  is  powerful ; 
 for  whatsoever  the  devil  can  do,  the  magician  may- 
 do  ;  but  it  is  madnefs  to  think  either  of  them  omni- 
 potent. If  either  the  curies  of  men,  or  the  endea- 
 vours of  the  powers  of  darknefs,  ihbuld  be  effectual, 
 all  would  be  hell.  r>lo,  Balak.  So  Ihort  is  the  pow- 
 er oi  thy  Balaam,  that  neither  thou,  nor  thy  pro- 
 phet himielf  can  avoid  thac.curfe,  which  thou  wouldflf 
 have  brought  upon  IfraeL     liad  Balaam  been  a  true 
 
 '  prophet  of  God,  this  bold  aiiurance  had  been  hut 
 juft.  Both  thofe  antient  feers,  and  the  prophets  of 
 the  gofpei,  have  the  ratification  of  God  in  heaven  to 
 their  fentences  on  earth.  Why  have  we  lefs  care  of 
 the  bleilmgs,  and  lefs  fear  of  the  curfes  and  cenfures 
 of  God's  minifters  ?  Who  would  not  rather  have  £*> 
 lifha's  guard,  than  both  the  kings  of  Ifrael  and  Ajjy- 
 
 -  ria  f  lie  himfelf,  as  he  had  the  angelical  chariors 
 and  horfemen  about  him,  fo  was  he  the  chariots  and 
 horfemen  of  Ifrael.  Why  ihould  our  faith  be  lefs 
 ftrong  than  fuperftition  ?  or  why  ihould  God's  agents 
 have  lefs  virtue  than  Satan's  ?  • 
 
 I  ihould  wonder  to  hear  God  fpeak  with  a  falfe. 
 prophet,  if  I  did  not  know  it  hath  been  no  rare  thing 
 with  him,  as  with  men,  to  bellow  words,  even  where 
 he  will  not  bellow  favour.  Pharaoh,  Abimelech,  Ne- 
 buchadnezzar, receive  virions  from  God  ;  neither  can 
 I  think  this  ftrange,  when  I  hear  God  fpeaking  to 
 Satan,  in  a  quefiion  no  lefs  familiar  than  this  of  Ba- 
 laam ;  Whence  comeft 'thou,  Satan?  Npt  the  found  of 
 the  voice  of  God,  but  the  matter  which  he  fpeaks, 
 argues  love.     He  may  fpeak  to  an  enemy  ;  he  fpeaks 
 
 Eeace  to  none  but  his  own.     It  is  a  vain  brag,  God 
 ath  fpoken  to  me.     So  may  he  do  to  reprobates  or 
 
 devils. 
 
214        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 devils.  Bur  what  faid  he  ?  Did  he  fay  to  my  foul,  I 
 am  thy  falvation  ?  Hath  he  indented  with  me  that  he 
 will  be  my  God,  and  I  fhail  be  his  ?  I  cannot  hear 
 this  voice,  and  not  live. 
 
 God  heard  all  the  confutation  and  meffage  of  thefe 
 Moabites  ;  thefe  melfengers  could  not  have  moved 
 their  foot  or  their  tongue,  but  in  him  \  and  yet  he 
 which  afked  Adam  where  he  was,  afks  Balaam, 
 What  men  are  thefe  f  I  have  ever  feen,  that  God  loves 
 to  take  occafion  of  proceeding  with  us  from  ourfelves, 
 rather  than  from  his  own  immediate  prefcience. 
 Hence  it  is,  that  we  lay  open  our  wants,  and  confefs 
 our  fms  to  him  that  knows  boih  better  than  bur  own 
 hearts,  becaufe  he  will  deal  with  us  from  our  own 
 mouths. 
 
 The  prevention  of  God  forbids  both  his  journey 
 and  his  curfe.  And  what  if  he  had  been  fuTered  to 
 go  and  curfe  ?  What  corn  had  this  wind  fhaken, 
 when  God  meant  to  blefs  them  ?  How  many  bulls 
 have  bellowed  out  execrations  againft  this  church  of 
 God  ?  "What  are  we  the  worfe  ?  Yet  I  doubt  if  we  had 
 been  fo  much  blefTed,  had  not  thofe  Balaamitijl)  curfes 
 been  fpent  upon  us.  He  that  knows  what  wafte 
 wind  the  caufelefs  curfes  of  wicked  men  are,  yet  will 
 not  have  Balaam  curfe  Ifrael ;  becaufe  he  will  not  al- 
 low Balak  fo  much  encouragement  in  his  oppofition, 
 as  the  conceit  of  this  help.  Or,  perhaps,  if  Balak 
 thought  this  forcerer  a  true  prophet,  God  would  not 
 have  his  name,  fo  much  as  in  the  opinion  of  the 
 Heathen,  fcandalized,  in  ufurping  it  to  a  purpofe, 
 which  he  meant  not  mould  fucceed. 
 
 The  hand  of  God  is  in  the  reftraint  of  many  evils, 
 which  we  never  knew  to  be  towards  us.  The  Ifraelites 
 fat  Mill  in  their  tents ;  they  little  thought  what  mif- 
 chief  was  brewing  againft  them ;  without  ever  making 
 them  of  counfel,  God  croffes  the  defigns  of  their  ene- 
 mies.    He  that  keepeth  Ifrael,  is  both  a  Aire  and  a 
 
 fecret 
 
BOOK   VII.     Con  t  em.  in.  215 
 
 fecret  friend.  The  reward  of  the  divination  had 
 eaiily  commanded  the  journey,  and  curfe  of  the  co- 
 vetous prophet,  if  God  had  not  flayed  him.  How  oft 
 are  wicked  men  curbed  by  a  divine  hand,  even  in 
 thofe  fins  which  their  heart  Hands  to  ?  It  is  no  thank 
 to  lewd  men  that  their  wickednefs  is  not^profperous. 
 Whence  is  it  that  the  world  is  nor  over-run  with  evil  ; 
 but  from  this,  that  men  cannot  be  fo  ill  as  they  would  ? 
 
 The  firft  entertainment  of  this  meifage  would  make 
 a  ftranger  think  Balaam  wife  and  honeft.  He  will 
 not  give  a  Hidden  anfwer,  but  craves  leifure  to  con- 
 fult  with  God,  and  promifes  to  return  the  anfwer  he 
 fliall  receive.  Who  would  not  fay,  This  rhan  is  free 
 from  raihnefs,  from  partiality  ?  DilEmulation  is  crafty, 
 and  able  to  deceive  thoufands.  The  words  are  good  ; 
 when  he  comes  to  action,  the  fraud  bewrays  ftfeif ; 
 for  both  he  infinuates  his  own  forwardnefs,  and  cads 
 the  blame  of  the  prohibition  upon  God,  and,  which 
 is  worfe,  delivers  but  half  his  anfwer.  He  fays  in- 
 deed, God  refufes  to  give  me  leave  to  go.  He  fays 
 not,  as  it  was,  He  charges  me  not  to  curfe  them,  for 
 they  are  bleffed.  So  did  Balaam  deny,  as  one  that 
 wiflied  to  be  fent  for  again.  Perhaps  a  peremptory 
 refufabhad  hindered  his  further  folicitation.  Con- 
 cealment of  fome  truths,  is  fometimes  as  faulty  as  a 
 denial.  True  fidelity  is  not  niggardly  in  her  rela- 
 tions. 
 
 Where  wickednefs  meets  with  power,  it  thinks  to 
 command  all  the  world,  and  takes  great  fcorn  of  any 
 repulfe.  So  little  is  Balak  difcouraged  with  one  re- 
 fufal,  that  he  fends  fo  much  the  ftronger  meifage ; 
 More  princes,  and  more  honourable,  O  that  we  could 
 be  fo  importunate  for  our  good,  as  wicked  men  are 
 for  the  compaiTmg  of  their  own  defigns  !  A  denial  doth 
 but  whet  the  defines  of  vehement  fuitors.  Why  are 
 we  faint  in  fpirimal  things,  when  we  are  not  denied, 
 but  delayed  ? 
 
 Thofe 
 
2i6        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Thofe  which  are  themfelves  tranfported  with  va- 
 nity and  ambition,  think  that  no  heart  hath  power  to 
 refill  thefe  o3ers.  Balak\  princes  thought  they  had 
 flruck  it  dead,  when  they  had  once  mentioned  pro- 
 motion to  great  honour.  Self-love  makes  them  think 
 they  cannot  be  Caves,  whilll  o:hers  may  be  free ;  and 
 that  all  the  world  would  be  glad  to  run  on  madding 
 after  their  bait.  Nature  thinks  it  impoflibie  to  con- 
 temn honour  and  wealth ;  and,  became  too  many  fouls 
 are  thus  taken,  cannot  believe  that  any  would  efcape. 
 But  let  carnal  hearts  know,  there  are  thofe  can  fpit  the 
 world  in  the  face,  and  fay,  Thy  geld  and  fiher  pe- 
 ri fb  with  thee ;  and  that,  in  comparifon  of  a  good 
 confeience,  can  tread  under  foot  his  bell  proffers  like 
 fhadows,  as  they  are  ;  and  that  can  do  as  Balaam 
 faid. 
 
 How  near  truth  and  falfhood  can  lodge  together ! 
 Here  was  piety  in  the  hps,  and  covetoufnefs  in  the 
 heart.  Who  can  any  more  regard  good  words,  that 
 hears  Balaam  fpeak  fo  like  a  faint  ?  An  houfe  full  of 
 gold  and  filver  may  not  pervert  his  tonge,  his  heart 
 is  won  with  lefs :  for  if  he  had  not  already  fwallowed 
 •the  reward,  and  found  it  fweet,  why  did  he  again  fo- 
 licit  God,  in  that  which  was  peremptorily  denied  him? 
 If  his  mind  had  not  been  bribed  already,  why  did  he 
 ftay  the  mafengers  ?  Why  did  he  expect  a  change  in 
 God  ?  Why  was  he  willing  to  ^qA  them  with  hope  of 
 faccefs,  which  had  fed  him  with  hope  of  recompence  ? 
 One  prohibition  is  enough  For  a  good  man.  Whiles 
 the  delay  of  God  doth  but  hold  us  in  fufpence,  impor- 
 tunity is  holy  and  feafonable:  but  when  once  he  gives 
 a  refolute  denial,  it  is  profane  faucinefs  to  foljcit  him- 
 When  we  afk  what  we  are  bidden,  our  huts  are  not 
 more  vehement  than  welcome:  but  when  we  beg  pro- 
 hibited favours,  our  prefumption  is  troublefome  and 
 abominable.  No  good  heart  will  endure  to  be  twice 
 forbidden. 
 
 Ye 
 
BOOK    Vlt.    Contem.  in.  ai7 
 
 Yet  this  opportunity  had  obtained  a  permiffion  ;  buc 
 a  permiffion  worfe  than  a  denial.  I  heard  God  fay 
 before,  Go  not>  nor  curfe  them :  now  he  fays,  Go, 
 but  curfe  not.  Anon  he  is  angry  that  he  did  nor 
 go.  Why  did  he  permit  that  which  he  forbade,  if  he 
 be  angry  for  doing  that  which  he  permitted  ?  Some 
 things  God  permits  with  an  indignation  ;  not  for  that 
 he  gives  leave  to  the  act,  but  that  he  gives  a  man  over 
 to  his  fin  in  the  aft.  This  fufferance  implies  not  favour, 
 but  judgment.  So  did  God  bid  Balaam  to  go,  as  So- 
 lomon bids  the  young  man  follow  the  ways  of  his  own 
 heart.  It  is  one  thing  to  like,  another  thing  to  fuf- 
 fer.  Mofes  never  approved  thofe  legal  divorces,  yec 
 he  tolerated  them.  God  never  liked  Balaam's  jour- 
 ney, yet  he  difpleafedty  gives  way  to  it;  as  if  he 
 faid,  Well,  fince  thou  art  fo  hot,  let  on  this  journey, 
 be  gone.  And  thus  Balaam  took  it ;  elfe,  when  God 
 after  profefTed  his  difpleafure  for  the  journey,  it  had 
 been  a  ready  anfwer,  Thou  commandedfl  me.  But 
 herein  his  confeffion  afgues  his  guilt.  Balaam's  fuit, 
 and  Ifrael's  quails,  had  both  one  failiion  of  grant ; 
 in  anger.  How  much  better  is  it  to  have  gracious 
 denials,  than  angry  yicldings  ? 
 
 A  fmall  perfuafion  heartens  the  willing.  It  booted 
 not  to  bid  the  covetous  prophet  haflen  to  his  way. 
 Now  he  makes  himfelf  fure  of  fuccefs.  His  corrupt 
 heart  tells  hira,  that  as  God  had  relented  in  his  licence 
 to  go,  fo  he  might  perhaps  in  his  licence  to  curfe ; 
 and  he  faw  how  this  curfe  might  bltfs  him  with  abun- 
 dance of  wealth  :  he  rofe  up  early  therefore  and  fad- 
 died  his  afs.  The  night  feemed  long  to  his  forward- 
 nefs.  Covetous  men  need  neither  clock  nor  bell  to 
 awaken  them :  their  defires  make  them  reftlefs.  O 
 that  we  could,  with  as  much  eagernefs,  feek  the  true, 
 riches,  which  only  can  make  us  happy ! 
 
 We,  that  fee  only  the  outfide  of  Balaam,  may  mar- 
 vel why  he,  that  permitted  him  to  go,  afterward  op- 
 
 Vol.  I.  E  e  pofes 
 
2i8        CONTEMPLATIONS, 
 
 pofes  his  going ;  but  God,  that  faw  Ins  heart,  percei- 
 ved what  corrupt  affections  carried  him :  he  faw,  that 
 his  covetous  delires  and  wicked  hopes  grew  the  Wrong- 
 er, the  nearer  he  came  to  his  end.  An  an'Jel  is  there- 
 fore  Tent  to  with-hold  the  hafty  forcerer.  Our  inward 
 difpofition  is  the  life  of  our  actions ;  according  to  that 
 doth  the  God  of  fpirits  judge  us,  whiles  men  cenlure 
 according  to  our  external  motions.  To  go  at  all, 
 when  God  had  commanded  to  ftay,  was  prefumpm- 
 ous :  but  to  go,  with  a  defire  to  curfe,  made  the  aft 
 doubly  finful,  and  fetched  an  angel  to  refill  it.  It  is 
 eac  of  the  worthy  employments  of  good  angels,  to 
 make  fecret  opposition  to  evil  defigns.  Many  a  wic- 
 ked act  have  they  hindered,  without  the  knowledge 
 of  the  agent,  It  is  all  one  with  the  Almighty  to  work 
 by  fpirits  and  men.  It  is  therefore  our  glory  to  be 
 thus  fet  on  work.  To  (lop  the  courfe  of  evil,  either 
 by  diiiuafion  or  violence,  is  an  angelical  fervice. 
 
 In  wThat  danger  are  wicked  men  that  have  God's 
 angels  their  oppofites  ?  The  devil  moved  him  to  go ; 
 a  good  angel  refills  him.  If  an  heavenly  ipirit  fraud 
 in  the  way  of  a  forcerer's  fin,  how  much  more  ready 
 are  all  thofe  fpiritual  powers  to  flop  the  mifcarriages 
 of  God's  dear  children  ?  How  oft  had  we  fallen  yet 
 more,  if  thefe  guardians  had  not  upheld  us,  whether 
 by  removing  occafions,  or  by  calling  in  good  inftinets  ? 
 As  our  good  endeavours  are  oft  hindered  by  Satan, 
 fo  are  our  evil  by  good  angels ;  elfe  were  not  our 
 protection  equal  to  our  danger  j  and  we  could  neither 
 iland  nor  rile. 
 
 It  had  been  as  eafy  for  the  angel  to  flrike  Balaam, 
 as  to  iland  in  his  way  ;  and  to  have  followed  him  in 
 his  flarting  afide,  as  to  (top  him  in  a  narrow  path. 
 But  even  the  good  angels  have  their  (tints  in  their  ex- 
 ecutions. God  had  fomewhat  more  to  do  with  the 
 tongue  of  Balaam,  and  therefore  he  will  not  have  him 
 dam,  but  wkhftoodj  and  fo  wkhftood,  that  he  (hall 
 
 pafs, 
 
BOOK    VII.      Contem.  in.        219 
 
 pafs.  It  is  not  fo  much  glory  to  God,  to  take  away 
 wicked  men,  as  to  ufe  their  evil  to  his  own  holy  pur- 
 pofes.  How  foon  could  the  commander  of  heaven 
 and  earth  rid  the  world  of  bad  members  ?  But  fo 
 fhould  he  lefe  the  praife  of  working  good  by  evil  in- 
 druments.  It  fufrketh  that  the  angels  of  God  refill 
 their  actions,  while  their  perfons  continue. 
 
 That  no  man  may  marvel  to  fee  Balaam  have  vi- 
 fions  from  God,  and  utter  proprieties  from  him,    his 
 very  afs  hath  his  eyes  opened  to  fee  the  angel,  which 
 his  mailer  could  not ;  and  his  mouth  opened  to  fpe^k 
 more   reafonably  than   his  mafter.     There  is  no  beail 
 deferves  fo  much  wonder  as    this  of  Balaam,  whofe 
 common  fenfe  is  advanced  above  the  reafon  of  his  ri- 
 der ;  fo  as  for  the  time  the  prophet  is  brutifh,  and  the 
 bead  prophetical.     Who  can    but  dand  amazed  at  the 
 eye,  at  the  tongue  of  this  filly  creature?  For  io  dull 
 a  fight,  it  was  much   to  fee  a  bodily  object,  that  were 
 not  too  apparent;  but  to  fee  that  fpirit,  which  his  ri- 
 der difcerned  not,  was  far  beyond  nature.     To  hear 
 a  voice  "come  from  that  mouth,  which  was  ufed  only 
 to  bray,  it  was  ftrange  and  uncouth  ;  but  to  hear  a 
 bead,  whofe  nature  is  noted  fdr   incapacity,  to  out- 
 reafon  his  mafter,  a  prof  fled  prophet,  is  in  the  very 
 height  of  miracles.     Yet  can  no  heart  flick  at  thefe, 
 that  confiders  the  difpenfation  of  the  Almighty  in  both. 
 Our  eye  could  no  more  fee  a  bead,  than  a  bead  can  fee 
 an  angel,  if  he  had  not  given  this  power  to  it.     How 
 eafy  is  it  for  him,  that  made  the  eye  of  man  and  bead, 
 to  dim  or  enlighten  it  at  his  pleafure!  And  if  his  power 
 can  make  the  very  dones  to  fpeak,  how  much  more  a. 
 creature  of  fenfe!  That  evil  fpirit  fpake  in  the  ferpent 
 to  our  firft  parents ;  Why  is  it  more,  that  a  fpirit  fhould 
 fpeak  in  the  mouth  of  a  bead?  How  ordinarily  did  the 
 Heathen   receive  their  oracles  out  of  dones  and  trees? 
 Do  not  we  ourfehes  teach  birds  to  fpeak  thofe  fen- 
 pences   they   underdand   not  ?   We  may  wonder,  we 
 E  e  2  cannot 
 
220         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 cannot  diftruft,  when  we  compare  the  acl  with  the 
 author,  which  can  as  eafily  create  a  voice  without  a 
 body,  as  a  body  without  a  voice.  \\  ho  now  can 
 hereafter  plead  his  fimpliciry  and  dulneis  of  appre- 
 hending fpiritual  things,  when  he  fees  how  God  exalts 
 the  eyes  of  a  bead  to  fee  a  fpirit  ?  Who  can  be  proud 
 of  feeng  vifions,  fince  an  angel  appeared  to  a  beaft  f* 
 neither  v/as  his  jkin  better  after  it,  than  others  of  his 
 kind.  Who  can  complain  of  his  own  rudenef,  and 
 inability  to  reply  in  a  good  caufe,  when  the  y 
 beaft  is  enabled  by  God  to  convince  his  mailer?  'i  here 
 is  no  mouth  into  which  God  cannot  put  words ;  and 
 how  oft  doth  he  chufe  the  weak  and  unwile,  to  con- 
 found the  learned  and  mighty  ! 
 
 What  had  it  been  better  for  the  afs  to  fee  the  angel, 
 if  he  had  rufhed  {till  upon  his  fword  ?  Evils  were  as 
 good  not  feen,  as  not  avoided ;  but  now  he  declines 
 the  way,  and  faves  his  burden.  It  were  happy  for 
 perverfe  finners,  if  they  could  learn  of  this  bean1  to 
 run  away  from  forefeen  judgments.  The  revenging 
 angel  ltands  before  us ;  and  though  we  know  we  (hall 
 as  lure  die  as  fin,  yet  we  have  not  the  wit  or  grace 
 to  give  back,  though  it  be  with  the  hurt  of  a  foot,  to, 
 fave  the  body;  with  the  pcin  of  the  body,  to  fave 
 the  foul, 
 
 I  fee  what  fury  and  ltripes  the  impatient  prophet 
 beftows  upon  this  poor  beaft,  becauie  he  will  not  go 
 on ;  yet  if  he  had  gone  on,  bimfelf  had  periflied.  How 
 oft  do  we  wifh  thofe  things,  the  not  obtaining  where- 
 of is  mercy,?  We  grudge  to  be  ftayed  in  the  way  to 
 death,  and  fly  upon  thofe  which  oppofe  our  perdition,, 
 
 I  do  not,  as  who  would  not  expecl,  fee  Balaam's 
 hair  (land  upright,  nor  himfelf  alighting,  and  appalled 
 at  this  monfter  of  miracles :  but,  as  if  no  new  thing 
 had  happened,  he  returns  words  to  the  beaft,  full  of 
 anger,  void  of  admiration.  Whether  his  trade  of  for- 
 cering  had  fo  inured  him  to  receive  Yoices  from  his 
 
 farn> 
 
BOOK    VIL     CONTEM,    III,  221 
 
 familiars  in  (hape  of  beads,  that  this  even  feemed  not 
 flrange  to  him ;  or  whether  his  rage  and  covetouf- 
 neis  had  fo  tranfported  him,  that  he  had  no  leifure  to 
 obferve  the  unnatural  unufualnefs  of  the  event.  Some 
 men  make  nothing  of  thofe  things,  which  overcome 
 others  with  horror  and  adonidiment. 
 
 1  hear  the  angel  of  God  taking  notice  of  the  cruelty 
 of  Balaam  to  his  bead:  his  firft  words,  to  the  unmerci- 
 ful prophet,  are  in  expodulating  of  his  wrong.  We  little 
 think  it,  but  God  ftiall  call  us  to  an  account  for  the 
 unkind  and  cruel  ufages  of  his  poor  mute  creatures. 
 He  hath  made  us  lords,  not  tyrants;  owners  not  tor- 
 mentors :  he  that  hath  given  us  leave  to  kill  them  for 
 our  ufe,  hath  not  given  us  leave  to  abufe  them  at  our 
 pleafure :  they  are  fo  our  drudges,  that  they  are  our 
 fellows  by  creation.  It  was  a  fign  the  magician  would 
 eafily  wifn  to  drike  Ifrael  with  a  curfe,  when  he  wifti- 
 ed  a  fword  to  ftrike  his  harmlefs  beafl.  It  is  ill  fall- 
 ing into  thofe  hands,  whom  beads  find  unmerciful. 
 
 Notwith  (landing  thefe  rubs,  Balaam  goes  on,  and 
 is  not  afraid  to  ride  on  that  bead,  whofe  voice  he  had 
 heard.  And  now  pods  are  fped  to  Balak,  with  the 
 news  of  fo  welcome  a  gued :  he  that  fent  princes  to 
 fetch  him,  comes  himfelf  on  the  way  to  meet  him.  Al- 
 though he  can  fay,  Am  not  1  able  to  promote  thee  f 
 yet  he  gives  this  high  refpeel  to  him  as  his  better,  from 
 whom  he  expected  the  promotion  of  himfelf  and  his 
 people.  O  the  honour  that  hath  been  formerly  done  by 
 Heathens,  to  them  that  have  born  but  the  face  of  pro- 
 phets !  I  fhame  and  grieve  to  compare  the  times  and 
 men.  Only,  O  God,  be  thou  merciful  to  the  con- 
 tempt of  thy  fervants. 
 
 As  if  nothing  needed  but  the  prefence  of  Balaam, 
 the  fuperditious  king,  out  of  the  joy  of  his  hope,  feads 
 his  gods,  his  prophet,  his  princes ;  and,  on  the  mor- 
 row, carries  him  up  to  the  high-places  of  his  idol 
 ^ff  ho  can  doubt,  whether  Balaam  were  a  falfe.  prophet, 
 
 thac 
 
222        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 that  fees  him  facrificing  in  the  mount  of  Baal?  Had 
 he  been  from  the  true  God,  he  would  rather  have 
 faid,  Pull  me  down  thefe  altars  of  Baal,  than  Build 
 me  here  /even  others.  The  very  place  convinces 
 him  of  falfhood  and  idolatry.  And  why  feven  altars  ? 
 what  needs  all  this  pomp  ?  When  the  true  God  ne* 
 ver  required  but  one  at  once,  as  himfelf  is  one ;  why 
 doth  the  falfe  prophet  call  for  no  lefs  than  feven  ?  As 
 if  God  flood  upon  numbers!  as  if  the  Almighty 
 would  have  his  power  either  divided  or  limited ! 
 Here  is  nothing  but  a  glorious  and  magnificent  pre- 
 tence of  devotion.  It  hath  been  ever  feen,  that  the 
 falfe  worfhippers  of  God  have  made  more  pompous 
 fhows,  and  fairer  flour iilies  of  their  piety  and  religi- 
 on than  the  true. 
 
 Now,  when  Balaam  fees  his  feven  bullocks  and  fe* 
 ven  rams  fmoking  upon  his  feven  altars,  he  goes  up 
 higher  into  the  mount,  as  fome  counterfeit  Mofes, 
 to  receive  the  anfwer  of  God.  But  will  God  meet 
 with  a  forcerer  ?  will  he  make  a  prophet  of  a  magi- 
 cian ?  O  man,  who  fhall  prefcribe  God  what  inftru- 
 ments  to  ufe !  He  knows  how  to  employ,  not  only 
 faints  and  angels,  but  wicked  men,  beafta,  devils,  to 
 his  own  glory.  He  that  put  words  into  the  mouth  of 
 the  afs,  puts  words  into  the  mouth  of  Balaam :  the 
 words  do  but  pafs  from  him ;  they  are  not  polluted, 
 becaufe  they  are  not  his :  as  the  trunk,  through  which 
 a  man  fpeaks,  is  not  more  eloquent  for  the  fpeech 
 that  is  uttered  through  it.  What  a  notable  procla- 
 mation had  the  infidels  wanted  of  God'-s  favour  to  his 
 people,  if  Balaamh  tongue  had  not  been  ufed  ?  How 
 many  (hall  once  fay,  Lord,  we  have  frofhefied  in 
 thy  name,  that  fhall  hear,  Verily  I  know  you 
 not. 
 
 What  madnefs  is  this  in  Balaam  f  He  that  found 
 himfelf  conflant  in  foliciting,  thinks  to  find  God  not 
 £onftant  in  denying ;   and,  as  if  that  infinite  Deity  were 
 
 not 
 
BOOK    VII.     Contem.  IV.  223 
 
 rot  the  fame  every  where,  hopes  to  change  fuccefs, 
 with  places.  Neither  is  that  bold  forehead  afhamed 
 to  importune  God  again,  in  that  wherein  his  own 
 mouth  had  teftified  an  afTurance  of  denial.  The  re- 
 ward was  in  one  of  his  eyes ;  the  revenging  angel  in 
 the  other  :  I  know  not  whether  (for  the  time)  he  more 
 loved  the  bribe,  or  feared  the  angel.  And,  whiles  he 
 is  in  this  diftraclion,  his  tongue  bleffes  againft  his  heart, 
 and  his  heart  curfes  againft  his  tongue.  It  angers  him 
 that  he  dare  not  fpeak  what  he  would ;  and  now,  at 
 lad,  rather  than  lofe  his  hopes,  he  refolves  to  fpeak 
 worfe  than  curfes.  The  fear  of  God's  judgment,  in 
 a  wordly  heart,  is,  at  length,  overcome  with  the  love 
 of  gain. 
 
 Contem.    iv.    0/  Phineas. 
 
 B  Ala  am  pretended  an  hade  homeward,  but  he  lin- 
 gered fo  long,  that  he  left  his  bones  in  Midian. 
 How  juftly  did  he  perifh  with  the  fword  oHfrael,  whofe 
 tongue  had  infenfibly  flain  fo  many  thoufands  of  them  ? 
 As  it  is  ufually  faid  of  the  devil,  that  he  goes  away  in  a 
 fterich,  fo  may  it  be  truly  faid  of  this  prophet  of  his, 
 according  to  the  fafhion  of  all  hypocrites,  his  words 
 were  good,  his  aclions  abominable ;  he  would  not 
 curfe,  but  he  would  advife,  and  his  counfel  is  worfe 
 than  a  curfe  :  for  his  curfe  had  hurt  none  but  himfelf; 
 his  counfel  coll  the  blood  of  twenty-four  xhoufand 
 Israelites.  He  that  had  heard  God  fpeak  by  Balaam, 
 would  not  look  for  the  devil  in  the  fame  mouth  :  and 
 if  God  himfelf  had  not  witneffed  againft  him,  who  could 
 believe  that  the  fame  tongue,  which  uttered  fo  divine 
 prophefies,  fhould  utter  fuch  villanous  and  curfed 
 advice?  Hypocrify  gains  this  of  men,  that  it  may  do 
 evil  unfufpecled :  but  now,  he  that  heard  what  he 
 fpake  in  Balakh  ear,  hath  bewrayed  and  condemned 
 his  counfel  and  himfelf. 
 
 This 
 
114,       CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 This  policy  was  fetched  from  the  bottom  of  hell.  It 
 is  not  for  lack  of  defire  that  I  curfe  not  Ifrael ;  thou 
 doft  not  more  wifh  their  deftru&ion,  than  I  do  thy 
 wealth  and  honour;  but  fo  long  as  they  hold  firm  with 
 God,  there  is  no  forcery  againO:  %acob ;  withdraw  God 
 from  them,  and  they  mall  fall  alone,  and  curfe  them- 
 felves ;  draw  them  into  fin,  and  thou  {halt  withdraw 
 God  from  them.  There  is  no  fin  more  plaufible  than 
 wantonhefs.  One  fornication  mail  draw  in  another, 
 and  both  (hall  fetch  the  anger  of  God  after  them ;  feixi 
 your  faireft  women  into  their  tents,  their  fight  {hall 
 draw  them  to  luft,  their  lufl  to  folly,  their  folly  to  i- 
 dolatry ;  and  now  God  fhall  curfe  them  for  thee,  un- 
 afked.  Where  Balaam  did  fpeak  well,  there  was  ne- 
 ver any  prophet  fpake  more  divinely  ;  where  he  fpake 
 ill,  there  was  never  any  devil  fpake  more  defperately. 
 Ill  counfel  feldom  fucceedeth  not :  good  feed  falls  of- 
 ten out  of  the  way,  and  roots  not,  but  the  tares  ne~ 
 ver  light  amifs.  This  project  of  the  wicked  magician 
 was  too  profperous.  The  daughters  of  Moab  come 
 into  the  tents  of  Ifrael,  and  have  captivated  thof£ 
 whom  the  Amorites  and  the  Amalekites  could  not  re- 
 fift.  Our  fir  ft  mother  Jfcve  bequeathed  this  dowry  to 
 her  daughters,  that  they  mould  be  our  helpers  to 
 fin  ;  the  weaker  fex  is  the  ftronger  in  this  conqueft. 
 Had  the  Moabites  fent  their  fubtilefl  counfellors  to  per- 
 fuade  the  Ifraelites  to  their  idol  facrifices,  they  had 
 been  repelled  with  fcorn ;  but  now  the  beauty  of  their 
 women  is  over-eloquent  and  fuccefsful.  That  which 
 in  the  firft  world  betrayed  the  fons  of  God,  hath  now 
 enfnared  God's  people.  It  had  been  happy  for  Ifra* 
 el,  if  Balaam  had  ufed  any  charms  but  thefe.  As  it  is 
 the  ufe  of  God  to  fetch  glory  to  himfelf  out  of  the 
 worft  actions  of  Satan,'fo  it  is  the  guife  of  that  evil  one, 
 through  the  juft  permiflion  of  the  Almighty,  to  raife 
 advantage  xo  himfelf  from  thefairell  pieces  of  the  work- 
 
 manfhip 
 
BOOK  VII.     Contem.  tv.  225 
 
 manfhip  of  God.  No  one  means  hath  fo  "much  en- 
 riched hell,  as  beautiful  faces. 
 
 All  idols  are  abominable ;  but  this  of  Baal-peor 
 was,  befides  the  fuperilition  of  it,  beaftly :  neither 
 did  Baal  ever  put  on  a  form  of  fo  much  fhame  as 
 this.  Yet  very  Ifradites  are  drawn  to  adore  it.  "When 
 Iufh  hath  blinded  the  eyes,  it  carries  a  man  whither 
 it  lifts;  even  beyond  all  differences  of  fin.  A  man 
 befotted  with  filthy  defires,  is  fit  for  any  villany. 
 
 Sin  is  no  lefs  crafty  than  Satan  himfelf ;  give  him 
 but  room  in  the  eye,  and  he  will  foon  be  pofiefTed  of 
 body  and  foul.  Thefe  Ifraelites  firft  faw  the  faces  of 
 thefe  Moabitcs  and  Midianites ;  then  they  grew  to 
 like  their  prefence ;  from  thence  to  take  pleafure  in 
 their  feafls;  from  their  boards  they  are  drawn  to 
 their  beds,  from  their  beds  to  their  idols ;  and  now 
 they  are  joined  to  Baal-peor^  and  feparated  from  God. 
 Bodily  fornication  is  the  way  to  fpiritual.  If  we  have 
 made  idols  of  flefh,  it  is  juft  to  be  given  up  to  idols  of 
 wood  and  (tones.  If  we  have  not  grace  to  refift  the 
 beginnings  of  fin,  where  {hall  we  flay  ?  If  our  foot 
 flip  into  the  mouth  of  hell,  it  is  a  miracle  to  flop  ere 
 we  come  to  the  bottom. 
 
 Well  might  God  be  angry  to  fee  his  people  go  a 
 whoring  in  this  double  fornication;  neither  doth  he 
 {mother  his  wrath,  but  himfelf  flrikes  with  his  plague, 
 and  bids  Mofes  flrike  with  the  fword.  He  flrikes 
 the  body,  and  bids  Mofes  flrike  the  head.  It  had  been 
 as  eafy  for  him  to  plague  the  rulers,  as  the  vulgar ; 
 and  one  would  think,  thefe  fhould  be  more  properly 
 referved  for  his  immediate  hand ;  but  thefe  he  leaves 
 to  the  fword  of  human  authority,  that  he  might  win 
 awe  to  his  own  ordinances.  As  the  fins  of  great  men 
 are  exemplary,  fo  are  their  punifhments.  Nothing 
 procures  fo  much  credit  to  government,  as  {trie!  and  im- 
 partial executions  of  great  and  noble  offenders.  Thofe 
 whom  their  fins  have  cmbafed2  deferve  no  favour  in  the 
 
 Vol.  I.  F  f  punifbmcnt, 
 
226        C  O  NT  EMPLATIONS. 
 
 punifhment.  As  God  knows  no  honour,  no  royalty  in 
 matter  of  fin,  no  more  may  his  deputies.  Contrarily,  con- 
 nivance at  the  outrages  of  the  mighty, cuts  the  finews  of 
 lfate  ;  neither  doth  any  thing  make  good  laws  more 
 contemptible,  than  the  making  difference  of  offenders ; 
 that  fmall  facrileges  fhould  be  punifhed,  when  great 
 ones  ride  in  triumph.  If  good  ordinations  turn  once 
 to  fpiders  webs,  which  are  broken  through  by  the  big- 
 ger flies,  no  hand  will  fear  to  fweep  them  down. 
 
 God  was  angry,  Mofes  and  all  good  Ifraelites  grie- 
 ved ;  the  heads  hanged  up,  the  people  plagued :  yet 
 behold  one  of  the  princes  of  Ifrael  fears  not  to  brave 
 God  and  his  miniflers,  in  that  fin  which  he  fees  fo  grie- 
 voufly  revenged  in  others.  I  can  never  wonder  enough 
 at  the  impudence  of  this  Ifraelite.  Here  is  fornication, 
 an  odious,  crime,  and  that  of  an  Ifraelite  whofe  name 
 challenges  holinefs ;  yea  of  a  prince  of  Ifrael,  whofe 
 practice  is  a  rule  to  inferiors ;  and  that  with  a  woman 
 of  Midian,  with  whom  even  a  cha.de  contract  had  been 
 unlawful ;  and  that  with  contempt  of  all  government ; 
 and  that  in  the  face  of  Mofes,  and  all  Ifrael ;  and 
 that  in  a  time  of  mourning  and  judgment  for  that 
 fame  offence.  Thofe  that  have  once  paffed  the  bounds 
 of  modelty,  foon  grow  fliamelefs  in  their  fins.  Whiles 
 fin  hides  itfelf  in  corners,  there  is  yet  hope ;  for 
 where  there  is  mame,  there  is  a  poffibility  of  grace  ; 
 but  when  once  it  dare  look  upon  the- fun,  and  fend 
 challenges  to  authority,  the  cafe  is  defperate,  and  ripe 
 for  judgment.  This  great  Simeomte  thought  he  might 
 fin  by  privilege :  he  goes,  as  if  he  faid,  Who  dares 
 control  me  ?  His  nobility  hath  raifed  him  above 
 the  reach  of  correction.  Commonly  the  fins  of  the 
 mighty  are  not  without  prefumption,  and  therefore 
 their  vengeance  is  no  lefs  than  their  fecurity ;  and  their 
 punjftunent  is  fo  much  greater,  as  their  conceit  of 
 impunity  is  greater.  All  Ifrael  faw  this  bold  lewd- 
 ness of  Zimri)  but  their  hearts  and  eyes  were  fo  full 
 
 of 
 
BOOK  VII.     Co  nt  em.  iv.  227 
 
 of  grief,  that  they. had  not  room  enough  for  indigna- 
 tion. Phineas  looked  on  with  the  reft,  but  with  other 
 affe&ions.  When  he  faw  this  defiance  bidden  to  God, 
 and  this  infultation  upon  the  forrow  of  his  people,  (that, 
 whiles  they  were  wringing  their  hands,  a  proud  mifcre- 
 ant  durft  outface  their  humiliation  with  his  wicked  dal- 
 liance,) his  heart  boils  with  a  defire  of  an  holy  revenge  ; 
 and  now  that  hand,  which  was  ufed  to  a  cenfer  and 
 facrificing  knife,  takes  up  his  javelin,  and,  with  one 
 ftroke,  joins  thefe  two  bodies  in  their  death,  which 
 were  joined  in  their  fin,  and,  in  the  very  flagrance 
 of  their  luff,  makes  a  new  way  for  their  fouls  to  their 
 own  place.  O  noble  and  heroical  courage  of  Phine- 
 as !  which,  as  it  was  rewarded  of  God,  fo  is  worthy 
 to  be  admired  of  men.  He  doth  not  (land  calling  of 
 fcruples;  Who  am  I,  to  do  this?  The  fon  of  the  high 
 priefh  My  place  is  all  for  peace  and  merc^;  it  is  for 
 me  to  facrifice,  and  pray  for  the  fin  of  the  people,  not 
 to  facrifice  any  of  the  people  for  their  fin.  My  duty 
 calls  me  to  appeafe  the  anger  of  God,  what  I  may, 
 not  to  revenge  the  fins  of  men ;  to  pray  for  their  con- 
 verfion,  not  to  work  the  confufion  of  any  (inner.  And 
 who  are  thefe?  Is  not  the  one  a  great  prince  in  Ifrael, 
 the  other  a  princefs  of  Midianf  Can  the  death  of  two 
 fo  famous  perfons  go  unrevenged?  Or,  if  it  be  fafe  and 
 (it,  why  doth  my  uncle  Mofes  rather  (hed  his  own 
 tears,  than  their  blood  ?  I  will  mourn  with  the  reft ; 
 let  them  revenge  whom  it  concerneth.  But  the  zeal 
 of  God  hath  barred  out  all  weak  deliberations ;  and  he 
 holds  it  now  both  his  duty,  and  his  glory,  to  be  an 
 executioner  of  fo  fhamelefs  a  pair  qc  offenders. 
 
 God  loves  this  heat  of  zeal  in  all  the  carriages  of 
 his  fervants:  and  if  it  tranfport  us  too  far,  he  pardon- 
 eth  the  errors  of  our  fervency,  rather  than  the  indif- 
 ferences of  lukewarmnefs.  As  thefe  two  were  more 
 beads  than  any  that  ever  he  facrificed,  fo  the  fhed- 
 ding  of  their  blood  was  the  acceptable^:  facrifice  that 
 
 F  f  2  ever 
 
223         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ever  he  offered  unto  God  :  for  both  all  Ifr&el  is  freed 
 from  the  plague,  and  all  his  poftcrity  have  the  prieft- 
 hood  entailed  to  them,  fo  long  as  the  Jews  were  a 
 people.  Next  to  our  prayers,  there  is* no  better  fa- 
 crifice  than  the  blood  of  malefactors ;  not  as  it  is  theirs, 
 but  as  it  is  flied  by  authority.  Governors  are  faulty 
 of  thofe  fins  they  punifh  not.  There  can  be  no  bet- 
 ter fight  in  any  ftate,  than  to  fee  a  malefactor  at  the 
 gallows.  It  is  not  enough  for  us  to  (land  gazing  upon 
 the  wickednefs  of  the  times,  yea  although  with  tears, 
 unlefs  we  endeavour  to  redrefs  if-*,  efpecially  public 
 perfons  carry  not  their  javelin  in  their  hand  for  nought. 
 Every  one  is  ready  to  afk  Phineas  for  his  commif- 
 fion  :  and  thofe  that  are  willing  to-  falve  up  the  act, 
 plead  extraordinary  inflincT:  from  God,  who,  no  doubt, 
 would  not  have  accepted  that  which  himfelf  wrought 
 not.  But  what  need  I  run  fo  far  for  his  warrant  ? 
 when  I  hear  God  fay  to  ?Mofes,  Hang  up  all  the  heads 
 of  Ifrael ;  and  Mofes  fay  to  the  under-rulers,  Every 
 one  flay  his  men,  that  are  joined  to  Raal-peor.  Eve- 
 ry Israelite  is  now  made  a  magiflrate  for  this  execu- 
 tion ;  and  why  not  Phineas  amongft  the  reft  ?  Doth 
 his  priefthood  exempt  him  from  the  blood  of  finners  ? 
 How  then  doth  Samuel  hew  Agag  in  pieces  ?  Even 
 thofe  may  make  a  carcafe,  which  may  not  touch  it. 
 And  if  Levi  got  the  priefthood,  by  fhedding  the 
 blood  of  idolaters ;  why  may  it  not  ft  and  with  that 
 prieffhood  to  fpill  the  blood  of  a  fornicator  and  ido- 
 later ?  Ordinary  juftice  will  bear  out  Phineas  in  this 
 aft.  It  is  not  for  every  man  to  challenge  this  ofnee, 
 which  this  double  proclamation  allowed  to  Phineas, 
 All  that  private  perfons  can  do,  is  either  to  lift  up 
 their  hands  to  heaven  for  redrefs  of  fin  ;  or  to  lift  up 
 their  hands  againft  the  fin,  not  againft  the  perfon. 
 Who  made  thee  a  judge?  is  a  lawful  queftion,  if  it 
 meet  with  a  perfon  unwarranted. 
 
 Now 
 
BOOK   VII.     Contem.  v.  229 
 
 Now  the  fin  is  puniflied,  the  plague  ceafeth.  The 
 revenge  of  God  fets  out  ever  after  the  fin  ;  but  if  the 
 revenge  of  men  (which  commonly  comes  later)  can 
 overtake  it,  God  gives  over  the  chafe.  How  oft  hath 
 the  infliction  of  a  lefs  punifhment  avoided  a  greater. 
 There  are  none  fo  good  friends  to  the  ft  ate,  as  coura- 
 geous and  impartial  minifters  of  juftice  :  thefe  are  the 
 reconcilers  of  God  and  the  people,  more  than  the 
 prayers  of  them  that  fit  ftill  and  do  nothing. 
 
 Contem.  V.     Of  the  death  o/Moses. 
 
 A  Fter  many  painful  and  perillous  enterprizes,  now 
 -**-  is  Mofes  drawing  to  his  reft.  He  hath  brought 
 his  Ifraelites  from  Egypt,  through  the  fea  and  wil- 
 dernefv  within  the  fight  of  their  promifed  land  :  and 
 now  himfelf  muft  take  pofleflion  of  that  land  whereof 
 Canaan  was  but  a  type.  When  we  have  done  what 
 ^ve  came  for,  it  is  time  for  us  to  be  gone.  This  earth 
 is  only  made  for  action  not  for  fruition.  The  fervi- 
 ces  of  God's  children  fhould  be  ill  rewarded,  if  they 
 muft  ft  ay  here  always.  Let  no  man  think  much,  that 
 thofe  are  fetched  away  which  are  faithful  to  God  ; 
 they  fhould  not  change  if  it  were  not  to  their  prefer- 
 ment. It  is  our  folly  that  we  would  have  good  men 
 live  for  ever,  and  account  it  an  hard  meafure  that 
 they  were.  He  that  lends  them  to  the  world,  owes 
 them  a  better  turn  than  this  earth  can  pay  them.  It 
 were  injurious  to  wifh,  that  goodnefs  fhould  hinder  a- 
 ny  man  from  glory.  So  is  the  death  of  God's  faints 
 precious,  that  it  is  certain. 
 
 Mofes  muft  go  up  to  mount  Nebo  and  die.  The 
 time,  -the  place,  and  every  circumftance  of  his  diftb- 
 lutiort  is  determined.  That  one  dies  in  the  field,  an- 
 other in  his  bed,  another  in  the  water,  one  in  a  foreign 
 nation,  another  in  his  own,  is  fore-decreed  in  heaven. 
 And,  though  we  hear  it  not  vocally,  yet  God  hath 
 
 called 
 
230      contemplations: 
 
 called  every  man  by  his  name,  and  faith,  Die  thou 
 there.  One  man  feems  to  die  cafually,  another  by 
 an  unexpected  violence  :  both  fall  by  a  deftiny ;  and 
 all  is  fet  down  to  us  by  an  eternal  decree.  He  that 
 brought  us  into  the  world,  will  carry  us  out  accord- 
 ing to  his  own  purpofes. 
 
 Mofes  mud  afcend  up  to  the  hill  to  die.  He  re- 
 ceived his  charge  for  Ifrael  upon  the  hill  of  Sinai ;  and 
 now  he  delivers  up  his  charge  on  the  hill  of  Nebo  : 
 his  brother  Aaron  died  on  one  hill,  he  on  another. 
 As  Chrifl  was  transfigured  on  an  hill,  fo  was  this  ex- 
 cellent type  of  his :  neither  doubt  I,  but  that  thefe 
 hills  were  types  to  them  of  that  heaven  whither  they 
 were  afpiring.  It  is  the  goodnefs  of  our  God,  that 
 he  will  not  have  his  children  die  anywhere,  but  where 
 they  may  fee  the  land  of  promife  before  them  ;  nei- 
 ther can  they  depart  without  much  comfort,  to  have 
 feen  it :  ccntrarily,  a  wicked  man  that  looks  down, 
 and  fees  hell  before  him,  howT  can  he  chufe  but  find 
 more  horror  in  the  end  of  death,  than  in  the  way  ! 
 
 How  familiarly  doth  Mofes  hear  of  his  end!  It  is 
 no  more  betwixt  God  and  Mofes  ^  but,  Go  up  and  die. 
 If  he  had  invited  him  to  a  meal,  it  could  not  have  been 
 in  a  more  fociable  compellation :  no  otherways  than 
 he  faid  to  his  other  prophet,  Up  and  eat.  It  is  nei- 
 ther harm,  nor  news  to  Gods  children,  to  hear  or 
 think  of  their  departure  ;  to  them,  death  hath  loft  his 
 horror  through  acquaintance.  Thofe  faces  which  at 
 firft  fight  feemed  iil-favoured,  by  oft  viewing,  grow 
 out  of  diilike :  they  have  fo  oft  thought  and  refolved 
 of  the  neceftity,  and  of  the  iiTue  of  their  diflolution, 
 that  they  cannot  hold  it  either  ftrange  or  unwelcome. 
 He  that' hath  had  fuch  entire  converfation  with  God, 
 cannot  fear  to  go  to  him.  Thofe  that  know  him  not, 
 or  know  that  he  will  not  know  them,  no  marvel  if 
 they  tremble. 
 
 Tkis 
 
BOOK  VII.     Contem.  v.  231 
 
 This  is  no  (mall  favour,  that  God  warns  Mofes  of 
 his  end.  He  that  had  fo  oft  made  Mofes  of  his  coun- 
 fel,  what  he  meant  to  do  with  Ifrael,  would  not  now 
 do  ought  with  himfelf,  without  his  knowledge.  Ex- 
 pectation of  any  main  event  is  a  great  advantage  to  a 
 wife  heart.  If  the  fiery  chariot  had  fetched  away 
 Elias,  unlooked  for,  we  mould  have  doubted  of  the 
 favour  of  his  tranfportation  :  it  is-  a  token  of  judg- 
 ment, to  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night.  God  fore- 
 warns one  by  ficknefs,  another  by  age,  another  by 
 his  fecret  infiincls,  to  prepare  for  their  end.  If  our 
 hearts  be  not  now  in  a  readinefs,  we  are  worthy  to  be 
 furprifed. 
 
 But  what  is  this  I  hear  ?  difpleafure  mixed  with 
 love,  and  that  to  fo  faithful  a  fervant  as  Mofes. 
 He  mud  but  fee  the  land  of  promife,  he  mall  not 
 tread  upon  it ;  becaufe  he  once,  long  ago,  finned  in 
 diftrufcing.  Death,  though  it  were  to  him  an  entrance 
 into  glory,  yet  fhall  be  alfo  a  chaftifement  of  his  in- 
 fidelity. How  many  noble  proofs  had  Mofes  given  oi" 
 his  courage  and  llrength  of  faith !  How  many  graci- 
 ous fervices  had  he  done  to  his  mailer  !  Yet,  for  one 
 aft  of  diflruft,  he  mud  be  gathered  to  his  fathers. 
 All  our  obediences  cannot  bear  out  one  fm  againfl 
 God.  How  vainly  fnall  we  hope  to  make  amends  to 
 God  for  our  former  trefpafies,  by  our  better  behavi- 
 our, when  Mofes  hath  this  one  fin  laid  in  his  dilh, 
 after  fo  many  and  worthy  teftimonies  of  his  fidelity  ! 
 When  we  have  forgotten  our  fins,  yet  God  remem- 
 bers them,  and,  although  not  in  anger,  yet  he  calls 
 for  our  arrearages.  Alas!  what  {hail  become  of  them 
 with  whom  God  hath  ten  thoufand  greater  quarrels, 
 that,  amongft  many  millions  of  fins,  have  fcattered 
 fome  few  acts  of  formal  fervices !  If  Mofes  mull  die 
 the  firfc  death,  for  one  fault,  how  mall  they  efcape 
 the  fecond  for  finning  always !  Even  where  God 
 loves,  he  will  not  wink  at  fin  ;  and  if  he  do  not  pu- 
 
 nifli, 
 
232        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 nifh,  yet  he  will  chaftife.  How  much  lefs  can  it  (land 
 with  that  eternal  juftice,  to  let  wilful  Tinners  efcape 
 judgment ! 
 
 It  might  have  been  juft  with  God  to  have  referved 
 the  caufe  to  himfelf ;  and,  in  a  generality,  to  have  told 
 Mofes,  that  his  fin  mud  (horten  his  journey  ;  but  it 
 is  more  of  mercy  than  juftice,  that  his  children  {hall 
 know  why  they  fmart ;  that  God  may,  at  once,  both 
 juftify  himfelf,  and  humble  them  for  their  particular 
 offences.  Thofe,  to  whom  he  means  vengeance,  have 
 not  the  fight  of  their  fms,  till  they  be  pad  repentance. 
 Complain  not  that  God  upbraids  thee  with  thy  old 
 fins,  whofoever  thou  art ;  but  know  it  is  an  argument 
 of  love  ;  whereas  concealment  is  a  fearful  fign  of  a  fe- 
 cret  diflike  from  God. 
 
 But  what  was  that  noted  fin  which  deferves  this  late 
 cxprobation,  and  (hall  carry  fo  (harp  a  chaftifement  ? 
 Ifrael  murmured  for  water ;  God  bids  Mofes  take  the 
 rod  in  his  hand,  and  fpeak  to  the  rock  to  give  water ; 
 Mofes,  inftead  of  fpeaking,  and  flriking  the  rock  with 
 his  voice,  (hikes  it  with  the  rod.  Here  was  his  fin, 
 an  over-reaching  of  his  commifTion,  a  fearfulnefs  and 
 diftruft  of  the  effect.  The  rod,  he  knew,  was  ap- 
 proved for  miracles ;  he  knew  not  how  powerful  his 
 voice  might  be  ;  therefore  he  did  not  fpeak,  but  flrike, 
 and  he  ft  ruck  twice  for  failing ;  and  now,  after  thefe 
 many  years,  he  is  ftricken  for  it  of  God.  It  is  a  dan- 
 gerous thing,  in  divine  maters,  to  go  beyond  our  war- 
 rant. Thofe  fins,  which  feem  trivial  to  men,  are 
 heinous  in  the  account  of  God.  Any  thing  that  fa- 
 vours of  infidelity  difpleafes  him  more  than  fome 
 other  crimes  of  morality.  Yet  the  moving  of  the  rod 
 was  but  a  diverfe  thing  from  the  moving  of  the  tongue  ; 
 it  was  not  contrary ;  he  did  not  forbid  the  one,  but 
 he  commanded  the  other:  this  was  but  a-crofs  the 
 ilream,  not  againft  it.     Where  (hall  they  appear,  whofe 
 
 while 
 
BOOK  VII.      Co  nt  em.  y.  233 
 
 whole  courfes  are  quite  contrary  to  the  command- 
 ments of  God  ? 
 
 Upon  the  aft  done,  God  pafTed  the  fentence  of  re- 
 flraining  Mofes  ^  with  the  reit,  from  the  promifed  land: 
 now  he  performs  it.  Since  that  time,  Mofss  had 
 many  favours  from  God ;  all  which  could  not  re- 
 verfe  this  decreed  cailigation.  That  everlafting  rule 
 is  grounded  upon  the  very  effence  of  God ;  I  am  Jeho- 
 vah, I  change  not.  Our  purpofes  are,  as  ourfelves, 
 fickle  and  uncertain ;  his  are  certain  and  immutable, 
 Some  things  which  he  reveals,  he  alters;  nothing  that 
 he  hath  decreed.  Befides  the  foul  of  Mofes  9  to  the 
 glory  whereof  God  principally  intended  this  change* 
 I  find  him  careful  of  two  things,  his  fucceffor,  and  his 
 body.  Mofes  moves  for  the  one ;  the  other  God  doth 
 unaiked.  He  that  was  fo  tender  over  the  welfare  of 
 l/raelj  in  his  life,  would  not  flacken  his  Care  in  death* 
 He  takes  no  thought  for  himfelf,  for  he  knew  how 
 gainful  an  exchange  he  mufl  make.  All  his  care  is 
 for  his  charge.  Some  envious  natures  defire  to  be 
 miffed  when  they  mufl  go ;  and  wifh  that  the  weak- 
 nefs,  or  want  of  a  fucceffor,  may  be  the  foil  of  their 
 memory  and  honour.  Mofes  is  in  a  contrary  difpofi- 
 tion ;  it  fufficeth  him  not  to  find  contentment  in  his 
 own  happinefs,  unlefs  he  may  have  an  affurance  that 
 Ifriicl-  (hall  profper  after  him.  Carnal  minds  are  all 
 for  themfelves,  and  make  ufe  of  government  only  for 
 their  own  advantages.  But  good  hearts  look  ever  to 
 the  future  good  of  the  Church,  above  their  own,  a- 
 gainft  their  own.  Mofes  did  well,  to  (hew  his  good 
 affeftion  to  his  people  ;  but,  in  his  filence,  God  would 
 have  provided  for  his  own.  He  that  called  him  from 
 the  fheep  of  Jethro,  will  not  want  a  governor  for  his 
 chofen  to  fucceed  him  :  God  hath  fitted  him  whom  he 
 will  chufe.  Who  can  be  more  meet  than  he,  whole 
 name,  whofe  experience,  whole  graces  might  fupply, 
 yea  revive  Mofes  to  the  people  ?     He,  that  fear ched 
 
 Vol.  I.  G  g  the 
 
234        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 the  land  before,  was  fitted  to  guide  Ifrael  into  it.  He, 
 that  was  endued  with  the  fpirit  of  God,  was  the  fit- 
 ted deputy  for  God.  He,  that  abode  (till  in  the  ta- 
 bernacle of  Ohel-mced,  as  God's  attendant,  was  fitted  ' 
 to  be  fent  forth  from  him,  as  his  lieutenant.  But, 
 O  the  unfearchable ,  counfel  of  the  Almighty  !  aged 
 Caleb,  and  all  the  princes  of  Ifrael,  are  pad  over,  and 
 Joflma,  the  fervant  of  Mofes,  is  chofen  to  fucceed  his 
 mader.  The  eye  of  God  is  not  blinded  either  with 
 gifts,  or  with  blood,  or  with  beauty,  or  with  drength ; 
 but  as  in  his  eternal  elections,  fo  in  his  temporary, 
 He  will  have  mercy  on  whom  he  will. 
 
 And  well  doth  Joflnia  fucceed  Mofes.  The  very 
 a£ts  of  God  of  old  were  allegories.  Where  the  law 
 ends,  there  the  Saviour  begins.  We  may  fee  the  land 
 of  promife  in  the  law;  only  Jefus,  the  Mediator  of  the 
 new  tedament,  can  bring  us  into  it.  So  was  he  a  fer- 
 vant of  the  law*  that  he  fupplies  all  the  defects  of  the 
 law  to  us.  He  hath  taken  poiTeiTion  of  the  promifed 
 land  for  us :  he  fliall  carry  us  from  this  wildcrncfs  to 
 our  red. 
 
 It  is  no  fmall  happinefs  to  any  date,  when  their 
 governors  are  chofen  by  worthinefs^  and  fuch  elec- 
 tions are  ever  from  God  ;  whereas  the  intrufions  of 
 bribery,  and  unjud  favour,  or  violence,  as  they  make 
 the  common-wealth  miferable,  fo  they  come  from 
 him  which  is  the  author  of  confufion.  Wo  b#  to 
 that  date  that  differs  it ;  wo  be  to  that  perfon  that 
 works  it ;  for  both  of  them  have  fold  themfelves,  the 
 one  to  fervitude,  the  other  to  fin. 
 
 I  do  not  hear  Mofes  repine  at  God's  choice,  and 
 grudge  that  this  fceptre  of  his  is  not  hereditary  ;  but 
 he  willingly  lays  hands  upon  his  fervant,  to  confe^ 
 crate  him  for  his  fucceflbr.  Jofima  was  a  good  man, 
 yet  he  had  fome  fparks  of  envy  ;  for  when  El  dad  and 
 Mcdad  prophefied,  he  domached  it ;  My  lord  Mo- 
 fes, forbid  them.     He,  that  would  not  abide  two  of 
 
 the 
 
BOOK   VII.     Contem.v.  235 
 
 the  ciders  of  Ifrael  to  prophefy,  how  would  he  have 
 allowed  his  fervant  to  fit  in  his  throne  ?  What  an  ex- 
 ample of  meeknefs,  befides  all  the  reft,  doth  he  here 
 fee  in  this  laft  aft  of  his  mailer,  who,  without  all 
 murmuring,  refigns  his  chair  of  ftate  to  his  page  ?  It 
 is  all  one  to  a  gracious  heart,  whom  God  will  pleafe 
 ro  advance.  Emulation  and  difcontentment  ;-.re  the 
 affections  of  carnal  minds.  Humility  goes  ever  with 
 regeneration  ;  which  teaches  a  man  to  think,  whate- 
 ver honour  be  put  upon  others,  I  have  more  than  I 
 am  worthy  of. 
 
 The  fame  God,  that,  by  the  hands  of  his  angels, 
 carried  up  the  foul  of  Mofes  to  his  glory,  doth  alfo,  by 
 the  hand  of  his  angels,  carry  his  body  down  into  the 
 valley  of  tyloab  to  his  fepulchre.  Thofe  hands  which 
 had  taken  the  law  from  him,  thofe  eyes  that  had  feen 
 his  prefence,  thofe  lips  that  had  conferred  fo  oft 
 with  him,  that  face  that  did  fo  fhine  with  the  beams 
 of  his  glory,  may  not  be  neglected  when  the  foul  is 
 gone.  He  that  took  charge  of  his  birth,  and  prefer- 
 vation  in  the  reeds,  takes  charge  of  his  carriage  out 
 of  the  world.  The  care  of  God  ceafeth  not  over 
 his  own,  either  in  death,  or  after  it.  How  juftly  do 
 we  take  care  of  the  comely  burials  of  our  friends, 
 when  God  himfelf  gives  us  this  example  ! 
 
 If  the  miniflry  of  man  had  been  ufed  in  this  grave 
 pf  Mofes,  the  place  might  have  been  known  to  the 
 Israelites  ;  but  God  purpofely  conceals  this  treafure, 
 both  from  men  and  devils,  that  fo  he  might  both  crofs 
 their  curiofity,  and  prevent  their  fuperftition.  If  God 
 had  loved  the  adoration  of  his  fervants  reliques,  he 
 could  never  have  had  a  fitter  opportunity  for  this  de- 
 votion, than  in  the  body  of  Mofes,  It  is  folly  to 
 place  religion  in  thofe  things,  which  God  hides  on 
 purpofe  from  us  :  it  is  not  the  property  pf  the  Al- 
 mighty to  retrain  us  from  good, 
 
 Q  g  2  Yet; 
 
236      CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Yet  that  divine  hand,  which  locked  up  this  trea- 
 fure,  and  kept  the  key  of  it,  brought  it  forth  after- 
 wards glorious.  In  the  transfiguration,  this  body, 
 which  was  hid  in  the  valley  of  Moab,  appeared  in 
 the  hill  of  Tabor,  that  we  may  know  thefe  bodies  of 
 ours  are  not  loll,  but  laid  up,  and  {hall  as  fure  be 
 raifed  in  glory,  as  they  are  laid  down  in  corruption. 
 We  kno-v,  that  when  he  /ball  appear  we  joall  alfo  ap~ 
 fear  with  him  in  glory. 
 
 BOOK    EIGHTH. 
 
 COKTEM.    I,       0/RAHAB. 
 
 JOSHUA  was  one  of  thofe  twelve  fearchers  which 
 were  fent  to  yiew  the  land  of  Canaan  ;  yet  now 
 he  addrelTes  two  fpies,  for  a  more  particular  fur- 
 vey.  Thofe  twelve  were  only  to  inquire  of  the  ge- 
 neral condition  of  the  people  and  land  ;  the^c  two 
 find  out  the  bed  entrance  into  the  next  part  of  the 
 country,  and  into  their  greatefl  city.  Joflma  him- 
 felf  was  full  of  God's  fpirit,  and  had  the  oracle  of 
 God  ready  for  his  direction  :  yet  now  he  goes  not  to 
 the  propitiatory  for  confultation,  but  to  the  fpies. 
 Except  where  ordinary  means  fail  us,  it  is  no  appeal- 
 ing to  the  immediate  help  of  God ;  we  may  not  feek 
 to  the  pollern,  but  where  the  common  gate  is  {hut. 
 It  was  promifed  JoJ&ua,  that  he  {hould  lead  Jfrael  in- 
 to the  promifed  land  ;  y  *t  he  knew  it  was  unfafe  to 
 prefume.  The  condition  of  his  provident  care  was 
 included  in  that  aiiurance  of  fuccefs.  Heaven  is  pro- 
 mifed to  us,  but  not  to  our  carelefnefs,  infidelity,  dif- 
 obedience.  He  that  hath  fet  this  blelTed  inheritance 
 -before  us,  prefuppofes  our  wifdom,  faith,  holinefs. 
 
 Eiiher  force  or  policy  are  fit  to  be  ufed  unto  Ca- 
 naamtes.  He  that  would  be  happy  in  this  fpiritual 
 warfare,  mult  know  where  the  flrength  of  his  enemy 
 
 liethj 
 
BOOK  VIII.     Contem  I,  237 
 
 lieth  ;  and  mufl  frame  his  guard  according  to  the  o- 
 ther's  aifauit.  It  is  a  great  advantage  to  a  chriitian, 
 to  know  the  fafhion  of  Satan's  onfets,  that  he  may 
 the  more  eafily  compoie  himfelf  to  refill.  Many  a  foul 
 hath  miftarried  through  the  ignorance  of  his  enemy, 
 which  had  net  perimed,  if  it  had  well  known  that  the 
 weakneis  of  Satan  {lands  in  our  faith. 
 
 The  fpies  can  find  no  other  lodging  but  Rabat's 
 houfe.     She  was  a  victualler  by  profefhon,  and  (as 
 thofe  perfons  and  trades,  by  real  on  of  the  common- 
 nefs  of  entertainment,  wTere  amongft  the  Jeivs  infa- 
 mous by  name  and  note)  me  was  Rahab   the  harlot, 
 I  will  not  think  fhe  profefled  filthinefs ;   only  her  pu- 
 blic  trade,   through  the   corruption   of  thofe   times, 
 hath  cait  upon  her  this  name  of  reproach  :  yea,  rather 
 will  I  admire  her  faith,  than  make   excufes  for  her 
 calling.    How  many  women  in  Ijrael  (now  Miriam  was 
 dead)  have  given  fuch  proofs  of  their  knowledge  and 
 faith  !  How  noble  is  that  confeihon  which  fhe  makes  of 
 the  power  and  truth  of  God !    Yea,  I  fee  here  not 
 only  a  difciple  of  God,  but  a  prophetefs.     Or,  if  fhe 
 had  pnee  been  public,  as  her  houfe  was,  now  fhe  is  a 
 chafte  and  worthy  convert  \  and  fo  approved  herfelf 
 for  honeil  and  wife  behaviour,  that  fhe  is  thought 
 worthy  to  be  the  great  grandmother  of  David's  fa- 
 ther :  and  the  holy  line  of  the  Meflias  is  not  afhamed 
 to  admit  her  into  that  happy  pedigree.     The  mercy 
 of  cur  God  doth  not  meafure  us  by  what  we  were. 
 It  would  be  wide  with  the  bell  of  us,  if  the  eye  of 
 God  fhould   look  backward   to  our  former  eftate  : 
 there  he  fhould  fee  Abraham  an  idolater  ;  Paul  a  per- 
 fecutor  ;  Manages  a  necromancer  ;  Mary  Magdalen  a 
 courtezan ;  and  the  bed,  vile  enough  to  be  afhamed  of 
 himfelf.     Who  can  defpair  of  mercy,  that  fees   even 
 Rahab  fetcht  into  tfee  blood  of  IfraeU  and  line  of 
 Chrift! 
 
 If 
 
238        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 If  Rabab  had  not  received  thefe  fpies,  but  as  un- 
 known paffengers,  with  refpeft  to  their  money,  and 
 not  to  their  errand,  it  had  been  no  praife  :  for,  in  fuch 
 cafes,  the  thank  is  rather  to  the  guefl  than  to  the  hoft. 
 But  now  fhe  knew  their  purpofe ;  fhe  knew  that  the 
 harbour  of  them  was  the  danger  of  her  own  life ;  and 
 yet  flie  hazards  this  entertainment.  Either  faith  or 
 rriendfliip  are  never  tried,  but  in  extremities.  To 
 ihew  countenance  to  the  melTengers  of  God,  whiles 
 the  public  face  of  the  ftate  fmiles  upon  them,  is  but 
 a  courtefy  of  courfe  ;  but  to  hide  our  own  lives  in 
 theirs,  when  they  are  perfecuted,  is  an  act  that  looks 
 for  a  reward,  Thefe  times  need  not  our  favour;  we 
 know  not  what  may  come.  Alas !  how  likely  is  it 
 they  would  fhelter  them  in  danger,  which  refpect 
 them  not  in  profperity  ! 
 
 All  intelligences  of  ftate  come  firft  to  the  court.  It 
 moft  concerns  princes  to  hearken  after  the  affairs  of 
 each  other.  If  this  poor  innhokjer  knew  of  the  fea 
 dried  up  before  Ifrael,  and  of  the  difcomfiture  of  Og 
 and  Si  ion  ;  furely  this  rumour  was  dale  with  the  king 
 of  Jericho  :  he  had  heard  it,  and  feared  ;  and  yet,  in-r 
 ftead  of  fending  ambaffadors  for  peace,  he  fends  pur- 
 suivants for  the  fpies.  The  fpirit  of  Rabab  melted 
 with  that  fame  report,  wherewith  the  king  of  Jericho 
 was  hardened.  All  make  not  one  ufe  of  the  meffages 
 of  the  proceedings  of  God. 
 
 The  king  fends  to  tell  her  what  flie  knew ;  flie  had 
 not  hid  them,  if  fhe  had  not  known  their  errand.  I 
 know  not  whether  firft  to  wonder  at  the  gracious  pro- 
 vifion  of  God  for  the  fpies,  or  at  the  flrong  faith  which 
 he  wrought  in  the  heart  of  a  weak  woman.  Two 
 ftrangers,  Israelites,  fpies,  (and  noted  for  all  thefe) 
 in  a  foreign,  in  an  hoftile  land,  have  a  fafe  harbour 
 provided  them  even  amongft  their  enemies  ;  in  Je- 
 richo, at  the  very  court-gate,  againft  the  proclama- 
 tion of  a  king,  againft  the  endeavours  of  the  people. 
 
 Where 
 
BOOK  VIII.     Contem.  i.  239 
 
 Where  cannot  the  God  of  heaven  either  find,  or  raife 
 up  friends,  to  his  own  caufes  and  fervants  ? 
 
 Who  could  have  hoped  for  fuch  faith  in  Rahab  ? 
 which  contemned  her  life  for  the  prefent,  that  fhe 
 might  fave  it  for  the  future  ;  neglected  her  own  king 
 and  country,  for  flrangers  which  {he  never  faw ;  and 
 more  feared  the  definition  of  that  city,  before  it  knew 
 that  it  had  an  adverfary,  than  the  difpleafurc  of  her 
 king,  in  the  mortal  revenge  of  that  which  he  would  have 
 accounted  treachery.  She  brings  them  up  to  the  roof 
 of  her  houfe,  and  hides  them  with  flalks  of  flax.  That 
 plant,  which  was  made  to  hide  the  body  from  naked- 
 nefs  and  fhame,  now  is  ufed  to  hide  the  fpies  from 
 death.  Never  could  thefe  flalks  have  been  improved 
 fo  well  with  all  her  houfewifery,  after  they  were  bruif- 
 ed,  as  now,  before  they  were  fitted  to  her  wheel :  of 
 thefe  (he  hath  woven  an  everlafling  web,  both  of 
 life  and  propagation.  And  now  her  tongue  hides 
 them  no  lefs  than  her  hand.  Her  charity  was  good, 
 her  excufe  was  not  good.  Evil  may  not  be  doney 
 that  good  may  ccme  of  it ;  we  mayv  do  any  thing, 
 but  fin,  for  promoting  a  good  caufe  :  and,  if  not  in 
 fo  main  occasions,  how  mall  God  take  it,  that  we  are 
 not  dainty  of  falfhoods  in  trifles  ? 
 
 No  man  will  look  that  thefe  fpies  could  take  any 
 found  fleep  in  thefe  beds  of  flalks  ;  it  is  enough  for 
 them  that  they  live,  though  they  reft  not.  And  now, 
 when  they  hear  Rahab  coming  up  the  flairs,  doubt- 
 lefs  they  looked  for  an  executioner  ;  but  behold,  fhe 
 comes  up  with  a  mefTage  better  than  their  fleep,  ad- 
 ding to  their  protection  advice  for  their  future  fafety ; 
 whereto  fhe  makes  way  by  a  faithful  report  of  God's 
 former  wonders,  and  the  prefent  difpofition  of  her 
 people ;  and  by  wife  capitulations  for  the  life  and  fecu- 
 rity  of  her  family.  The  news  of  God's  miraculous  pro- 
 ceedings for  Ifrael  have  made  her  refolve  of  their 
 fuccefs,  and  the  ruins  of  Jericho.     Then  only  do  we 
 
 make 
 
240        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 make  a  right  ufe  of  the  works  of  God,  when,  by  his 
 judgments  upon  others,  we  are  warned  to  avoid  our 
 own.     He  intends  his  acts  for  precedents  of  juftice. 
 
 The  parents  and  brethren  of  Rahab  take  their 
 reft ;  they  are  not  troubled  with  the  fear  and  care  of 
 the  fuccefs  of  Ifrael,  but  fecurely  go  with  the  cur- 
 rent of  the  prefent  condition.  She  watches  for  them 
 all ;  and  breaks  her  midnight  fleep,  to  prevent  their 
 lalt.  One  wife  and  faithful  perfon  does  well  in  an 
 houfe  :  where  all  are  carelefs,  there  is  no  comfort  but 
 in  perifhing  together.  It  had  been  an  ill  nature  in  Ra- 
 hab, if  flie  had  been  content  to  be  faved  alone.  That 
 her  love  might  be  a  match  to  her  faith,  (lie  covenants 
 for  all  her  family,  and  fo  returns  life  to  thofe  of  whom 
 file  received  it/  But  the  bond  of  nature,  and  of 
 grace,  will  draw  all  ours  to  the  participation  of  the 
 fame  good  with  ourfelves. 
 
 It  had  been  never  the  better  for  the  fpies,  if,  after 
 this  night's  lodging,  they  had  been  turned  out  of  doors 
 to  the  hazard  of  the  way  ;  for  fo  the  purfuers  had 
 light  upon  them,  and  prevented  their  return  with 
 their  death.  RabaFs  counfel  therefore  was  better 
 than  her  harbour ;  which  fent  them  (no  doubt  with 
 victuals  in  their  hands)  to  feek  fafety  in  the  mountains, 
 till  the  heat  of  that  fearch  were  pail.  He,  that  hath 
 given  us  charge  of  cur  lives,  will  not  fuffer  us  to  cart 
 them  upon  wilful  adventures.  Had  not  thefe  fpies 
 hid  themfelves  in  thofe  defaft  hills,  Ifrael  had  wanted 
 directors  for  their  enterprises.  There  is  nothing  more 
 expedient  for  the  Church,  than  that  fome  of  God's 
 faithful  mefiengers  mould  withdraw  themfelves,  and 
 give  way  to  perfecutions.  Courage,  in  thofe  that  muil- 
 die,  is  not  a  greater  advantage  to  the  gofpel,  than  a 
 prudent  retiring  of  thofe,  which  may  frirvive,  to  main- 
 tain and  propagate  it. 
 
 It  was   a  juft  and  reafonable  tranfo&ion  betwixt 
 them,  that  her  life  fliould  be  faved  by  them,  which 
 
 had 
 
liad  h*y< 
 
 BOOK   VIII.      Contem.  i.  S41 
 
 ed  theirs ;  they  owe  no  lefs  to  her,  to  whom 
 they  were  not  fo  much  guefls  as  prifoners.  And  now7 
 they  pais  not  their  promife  only,  but  their  oath. 
 They  were  ftr  angers  to  Rabab 9  and,  for  ought  fhe 
 knew,  might  have  been  godlefs ;  yet  fhe.  dares  truft 
 her  life  upon  their  oath.  So  facred  and  inviolable  hath 
 this  bond  ever  been,  that  an  heathen  woman  thought 
 herfelf  fecure  upon  the  oath  of  an  Ifraetite. 
 
 Neither  is  fhe  more  confident  of  their  oath  taken, 
 than  they  are  careful,  both  of  taking  and  performing 
 it.  So  far  are  they  from  defiring  to  falve  up  any  breach 
 of  promife  by  equivocation,  that  they  explain  all  con- 
 ditions, and  would  prevent  all  pofiibilities  of  violation. 
 All  Rabat's  family  mud  be  gathered  into  her  houfe  ; 
 and  that  red  cord,  which  was  an  inflrument  of  their 
 delivery,  mult  be  a  fign  of  hers.  Behold,  this  is 
 the  faving  colour !  the  deflroying  angel  fees  the 
 door-cheeks  of  the  Ifraelites  fprinkled  with  red,  and 
 pafies  them  over.  The  warriors  of  Ifrael  fee  the 
 window  of  Rabab  died  with  red,  and  fave  her  family 
 from  the  common  deilruftion.  If  our  fouls  have  this 
 tincture  of  the  precious  blood  of  our  Saviour,  upon, 
 our  doors  or  windows,  we  are  fafe. 
 
 But  if  any  one  of  the  brethren  of  Rabab  fliall  fly 
 from  this  red  flag,  and  rove  about  the  city,  and  not 
 contain  himfelf  under  that  roof  which  hid  the  fpies, 
 it  is  in  vain  for  him  to  tell  the  avengers,  that  he  is  Ra- 
 bat's brother.  That  title  will  not  fave  him  in  the 
 ftreet,  within  doors  it  will.  If  we  will  wander  out 
 of  the  limits  that  God  hath  fet  us,  we  cad  ourfelves 
 out  of  his  protection.  We  cannot  challenge  the  benefit 
 cf  his  gracious  prefervation,  and  our  mod  precious 
 redemption,  when  we  fly  out  into  the  by-ways  of 
 our  own  hearts,  not  for  innocence,  but  for  fafety  and 
 harbour.  The  church  is  that  houfe  of  Rabab  which 
 is  faved,  when  all  Jericho  ilia.il  perifh.  Whiles  we 
 keep  us  in  the  lids  thereof,  we  cannot  mifcarry 
 H  h  through 
 
242        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 through  mifopinion  ;  but,  when  once  we  run  out  of 
 it,  let  us  look  for  judgment  from  God,  and  error  in 
 our  own  judgment. 
 
 Contem.  ii.      0/ Jordan  divided, 
 
 THE  two  fpies  returned  with  news  of  the 
 victory  that  lhould  be.  I  do  not  hear  them 
 fay,  The  land  is  unpeopled  ;  or  the  people  are  un- 
 furniihed  with  arms ;  imfkilful  in  the  difcipline  of 
 war  ;  but,  They  faint  becaufe  of  us,  therefore  their 
 land  is  ours,  Either  fuccefs  or  difcomfiture,  be- 
 gins ever  at  the  heart.  A  man's  inward  difpofition 
 doth  more  than  prefage  the  event.  As  a  man  raifes 
 up  his  own  heart  before  his  fall,  and  deprefles  it  be- 
 fore his  glory,  fo  God  raifes  it  up  before  his  exaltati- 
 on, and  cafts  it  down  before  his  ruin.  It  is  no  other- 
 ways  in  our  fpiritual  conflicts.  If  Satan  fees  us  once 
 faint,  he  gives  himfelf  the  day.  There  is  no  way  to 
 fafety,  but  that  our  hearts  be  the  laft  that  mall  yield. 
 That  which  the  heathens  attributed  to  fortune,  we 
 may,  jufuy,  to  the  hand  of  God,  that  he  fpeedeth 
 thofe  that  are  forward.  All  the  ground  that  we  lofe, 
 is  given  to  our  adverfaries. 
 
 This  news  is  brought  but  over  night;  ^ofliua  is  on 
 his  wray  by  morning,  and  prevents  the  fun  for  haftea 
 Delays,  whether  in  the  bufmefs  of  God  or  our  own, 
 are  hateful  and  prejudicial.  Many  a  one  lofes  the 
 land  of  prcmifc  by  lingering.  If  we  neglect  God's 
 time,  it  is  juil  with  him  to  crofs  us  in  ours. 
 
 ^oflma  hailens  till  he  have  brought  Ifrael  to  the 
 verge  of  the  promifed  land  :  nothing  parts  them  now 
 but  the  river  of  Jordan.  There  he  frays  a  time,  that 
 the  Ifraelites  might  feed  themfelves  a  while  with  the 
 fight  of  that  which  they  mould  afterwards  enjoy. 
 That  which  they  had  been  forty  years  in  feeking,  may 
 not  be  feized  upon  too  fudienly,     God  loves  to  give' 
 
 us 
 
BOOS  VIII.     Contem.  ii.         243 
 
 us  cools  and  heats  in  our  defires;  and  will  to  allay  our 
 joys,  that  their  fruition  hurt  us  not.  lie  knows,  that 
 as  it  is  in  meats,  the  long  forbearance  whereof  caufcs 
 a  furfeit,  when  we  come  to  full'feed ;  fo  it  fares  in 
 the  contentments  of  the  mind :  therefore  he  feeds  us 
 not  with  the  dim,  but  with  the  fpoon,  and  will  have 
 us  neither  cloyed  nor  famifhed.  If  the  mercy  of  God 
 have  brought  us  within  fight  of  heaven,  let  us  be  con- 
 tent to  paufe  a  while,  and,  upon  the  banks  of  Jordan^ 
 lit  ourfeives  for  our  entrance. 
 
 Now,  that  Ifrael  is  brought  to  the  brim  of  Canaan, 
 the  cloud  is  vanifhed  which  led  them  all  the  way ; 
 and,  as  loon  as  they  have  but  croifed  Jordan,  the  man* 
 na  ceafeth  which  nouriihed  them  all  the  way.'  The 
 cloud  and  manna  were  for  their  paiTage,  not  for  their 
 reft ;  for  the  wildernefs,  not  for  Canaan.  It  were 
 as  eafy  for  God  to  work  miracles  always ;  but  he 
 knows  that  cuftom  were  the  way  to  make  them  no 
 miracles.  He  goes  by-ways  but  till  he  have-  brought 
 us  into  the  road,  3.1KI  then  he  refers  us  to  his  ordi- 
 nary proceedings.  That  lfraelite  flrould  nave  been 
 very  foolifh,  that  would  (till  have  faid,  I  will  not  itir 
 till  I  fee  the  cloud;  Twill  not  eat,  unlefs  I  may  have 
 that  food  of  angels.  Wherefore  ferves  the  ark,  but 
 for  their  direction?  wherefore  ferves  the  wheat  of 
 Canaan,  but  for  bread  ?  So  fond  is  that  chriftian,  that 
 will  (till  depend  upon  expectation  of  miracles,  after 
 the  fulnefs  of  God's  kingdom.  If  God  bear  us  in  his 
 arms  when  we  are  children,  yet  when  we  are  well- 
 grown,  he  looks  we  mould  go  on  our  own  feet;  it  is 
 enough  that  he  upholds  us,  though  he  carry  us  not. 
 
 He,  that  hitherto  had  gone  before  them  in  the  cloud, 
 doth  now  go  before  them  in  the  ark ;  the  fame  guide 
 in  two  -diverfe  figns  of  his  prefence.  The  cloud  was 
 for  Mofei,  the  ark  for  Jqfbuah  time.  The  cloud  was 
 fit  for  Mofes ;  the  law  offered  us  Chrift,  but  enwrap- 
 ped in  many  obfeurities.  If  he  were  feen  in  the 
 H  h  3  cloud. 
 
244         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 cloud,  he  was  heard  from  the  cover  of  the  ark.  Why 
 was  it  the  ark  of  the  teflimony,  but  becaufe  it  wit- 
 neffed  both  his  prefence  and  love;  and  within  it  were 
 his  word  the  law,  and  his  facrament  the  manna? 
 Who  can  wifh  a  better  guide,  than  the  God  of  hea- 
 ven, in  his  word  and  facraments  ?  Who  can  know  the 
 way  into  the  land  of  promife  fo  well,  as  he  that  owns 
 it  ?  and  what  means  can  better  direct  us  thither,  than 
 thofe  of  his  infti  ration  ? 
 
 That  ark,  which  before  was  as  the  heart,  is  now 
 as  the  head  ;  it  was  in  the  midil  of  Ifrael.  whiles  they 
 camped  in  the  defart ;  now,  when  the  cloud  is  re- 
 moved, it  is  in  the  front  of  the  army;  that,  as  before 
 they  depended  upon  it  for  life,  fo  now  they  mould 
 for  direction,  It  muft  go  before  them  on  the  moulders 
 of  the  fons  of  Levi ;  they  muft  follow  it,  but  within 
 fight,  not  within  breathing.  The  Levites  may  not 
 touch  the  ark,  but  only  the  bars :  the  Ifraeliies  may 
 not  approach  nearer  than  a  thoufand  paces  to  it.  What 
 awful  refpects  doth  God  require  to  be  given  unto  the 
 teftimonies  of  his  prefence !  JJzzah  paid  dear  for  touch- 
 ing it ;  the  men  of  Beih-Jhet$\fb  for  looking  into  it. 
 It  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  be  too  bold  with  the  ordi- 
 nances of  God.  Though  the  Ifraelites  were  fancli- 
 fied,  ye1*  they  might  not  come  near  either  the  mount 
 of  Sinai,  when  the  law  was  delivered,  or  the  ark  of  the 
 covenant,  wherein  the  law  was  written.  How  fear- 
 ful mail  their  eftate  be,  that  come  with  unhallowed 
 hearts  and  hands  to  the  word  of  the  gpfpel,  and  the 
 true  manna  of  the  evangelical  facrament !  As  we  ufe  to 
 fay  of  the  cpurt,  and  of  fire,  fo  may  we  of  thefe  divine 
 inftitutions,  We  freeze,  if  we  be  far  off  from  them  ; 
 and  if  we  be  more  near  than  befits  us,  we  burn.  Un- 
 der the  law  we  might  look  at  Chrifl  aloof;  now,  un- 
 der the  gofpd,  we  may  come  near  him  :  he  calls  us 
 to  him  ;  yea,  he  enters  into  us. 
 
 Neither, 
 
BOOK  VIII.     Contem.  ir.         145 
 
 Neither  was  it  only  for  reverence,  that  the  ark 
 muft  be  not  Humbled  at,  but  waited  on  afar ;  but  alfo 
 foe  convenience,  both  of  fight  and  paffage.  Thofe 
 things  that  are  near  us,  though  they  be  lefs,  fill  our 
 eye  ;  neither  could  fo  many  thoufand  eyes  fee  the 
 fame  object,  upon  a  level,  but  by  diftance.  It  would 
 not  an  tent  God,  that  one  Ifraelite  flxould  tell  ano- 
 ther, Now  the  ark  goes,  now  it  turns,  now  it  Hands ; 
 but  he  would  have  every  one  his  own  witnefs. 
 What  can  be  fo  comfortable  to  a  good  heart,  as  to 
 fee  the  pledges  of  God's  prefence  and  favour  ?  To 
 hear  of  the  loving-kindneffes  of  God  is  pleafant ;  but 
 to  behold  and  feel  the  evidences  of  his  mercy,  is  un- 
 fpeakably  delegable.  Hence  the  faints  of  God,  not 
 contenting  themfelves  with  faith,  have  full  prayed 
 for  fight  and  fruition,  and  mourned  when  they  have 
 wanted  it.  What  an  happy  profpeft  hath  God  let 
 before  us  of  Chrifl  Jefus  crucified  for  us,  and  offered 
 unto  us! 
 
 Ere  God  will  work  a  miracle  before  Ifrael9  they 
 have  charge  to  be  fan&ified.  There  is  an  holinefs 
 required,  to  make  us  either  patients  or  beholders  of 
 the  great  works  of  God ;  how  much  more,  when  we 
 ihould  be  a&ors  in  his  facred  fervices!  There  is  mere 
 ufe  of  fanenfication,  when  we  fmjft  prefent  fomething 
 to  God,  than  when  he  muft  d,o  ought  to  us. 
 
 The  fame  power,  that  divided  the  red-fea  before 
 Mofef)  divides  Jordan  before  Jqfbua,  that  they  might 
 fee  the  ark  no  lefs  effectual  than  the  cloud ;  and  the 
 hand  of  God  as  prefenrwith  Jojbua  to  bring  them  in- 
 to Canaan,  as  it  was  with  Mofes  to  bring  them  out  of 
 Egypt-  The  bearers  of  the  ark  had  need  be  faithful ; 
 they  muft  iirft  fet  their  foot  into  the  ftreams  of  Jor- 
 (fan,  and  believe  that  it  will  give  way ;  the  fame  fairh 
 that  led  Peter  upon  the  water,  muft  carry  them  into 
 it.  There  can  be  no  chriftian  without  belief  in  God ; 
 £ut  thofe,  that  are  near  to  God  in  his  immediate  fer- 
 vices, 
 
246        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 vices,  mud  go  before  others,  no  lefs  in  believing, 
 than  they  do  in  example. 
 
 The  waters  know  their  Maker.  That  Jordan, 
 that  flowed  with  full  flreams  when  Chrifl  went  into 
 it  to  be  baptized,  now  gives  way,  when  the  fame 
 God  muft  pafs  through  it  in  (late.  Then  there  was  ufe 
 of  his  water,  now  of  his  fand.  I  hear  no  nev 4  of  any 
 rod  to  Urike  the  waters ;  the  prefence  of  the  ark  of 
 the  Lord  God,  the  Lord  of  all  the  world,  is  fign  Cr 
 nough  to  thefe  wayes,  which  now,  as  if  a  fmew  were 
 broken,  run  back  to  their  iifues,  and  dare  not  fo 
 much  as  wet  the  feet  of  the  priefts  that  bore  it. 
 What  ailed  thee,  0  fea,  that  thou  fleddejl,  and  thou, 
 Jordan,  that  thou  zuert  driven  back!  Te  rnoim- 
 tains,  that  ye  leaped  like  rams,  and  ye  little  hills, 
 like  lambs  !  The  earth  trembled  at  the  prefence  of  the 
 Lord,  at  the  prefence  of  the  God  of  Jacob,  How 
 pbfervant  are  all  the  creatures  to  the  God  that  made 
 tnem !  How  glorious  a  God  do  we  ferve  !  whom  all 
 the  powers  of  the  heavens  and  elements  are  willing*- 
 "»  ]y  fubjecft  unto,  and  gladly  take  that  nature  which  he 
 pleafes  to  give  them.  He  could  have  made  Jordan 
 like  fome  folid  pavement  of  cryftal,  for  the  Ifraelites 
 feet  to  have  trode  upon ;  but  this  work  had  not  been 
 fo  magnificent.  Every  ilrong  froft  congeals  the  wa- 
 ter, in  a  natural  courfe :  but  for  the  river  to  fland 
 flill,  and  run  on  heaps,  and  to  be  made  a  liquid  wall 
 for  the  paffage  of  God's  people,  is  for  nature  to  run"-" 
 out  of  itfelf,  to  do  homage  to  her  Creator.  Now 
 muft  the  Ifraelites  needs  think,  how  can  the  Canaan- 
 ites  fland  out  againft  us,  when  the  feas  and  rivers  give 
 us  way  ?  With  what  joy  did  they  now  trample  upon 
 the  dry  channel  of  Jordan,  whiles  they  might  fee  the 
 dry  delarts  overcome,  the  promiied  land  before  them, 
 the  very  waters  fo  glad  of  them  that  they  ran  back 
 to  welcome  them  into  Canaan  ?  The  paffages  into  our 
 prcrnifecj  land   are  trcublefome  and  perillous ;    and 
 
 ey$n 
 
BOOK  VIII.     Contem,  ii.  247 
 
 even,  at  lad,  offer  themfelves  to  us  the  main  hinder- 
 ances  of  our  falvation ;  which,  after  all  our  hopes, 
 threaten  to  defeat  us  :  for  what  will  it  avail  us  to  have 
 palled  a  wildernefs,  if  the  waves  of  Jordan  mould 
 fwallow  us  up  t  But  the  fame  hand  that  hath  made 
 the  way  hard,  hath  made  it  fare  ;  he  that  made  the 
 wildernefs  comfortable,  will  make  Jordan  dry :  he 
 will  mailer  all  difficulties  for  us ;  and  thofe  things 
 which  we  moil  feared*  will  he  make  mod  fovereign 
 and  beneficial  to  us.  O  God,  as  we  have  trailed 
 thee  with  the  beginning,  fo  will  we  with  the  finifli- 
 ing  of  our  glory  !  Faithful  art  thou  that  hail  promifed, 
 which  wilt  alfo  do  it. 
 
 He  that  led  them  about,  in  forty  years  journey, 
 through  the  wildernefs,  yet  now  leads  them  the  near- 
 eil  cut  to  Jericho  ;  he  will  not  fo  much  as  feek  for  a 
 ford  for  their  paffage,  but  divides  the  waters.  What 
 a  fight  was  this  to  their  Heathen  adverfaries,  to  fee 
 the  waters  make  both  a  lane,  and  a  wall  for  Ifrael ! 
 Their  hearts  could  not  chufe  but  be  broken,  to  fee 
 the  ftreams  broken  off  for  a  way  to  their  enemies.  I 
 do  not  fee  JoJJnia  hafting  through  this  channel,  as  if 
 he  feared  left  the  tide  of  Jordan  ihould  return  ;  but, 
 as  knowing  that  watery  wall  ftronger  than  the  walls 
 of  Jericho,  he  paces  flowly ;  and,  left  this  miracle 
 fnould  pafs  away  with  themfelves,  he  commands 
 twelve  ftones  to  be  taken  out  of  the  channel  of  Jor- 
 dan, by  twelve  felecled  men  from  every  tribe,  which 
 {hall  be  pitched  in  Gilgal ;  and  twelve  other  ftones  to 
 be  fet  in  the  midft  of  Jordan,  where  the  feet  of  the 
 priefts  had  flood  with  the  ark  ;  that  fo  both  land  and 
 water  might  teftify  the  miraculous  way  of  Ifrael ; 
 Whiles  it  mould  be  faid  of  the  one,  Thefe  ftones  were 
 fetched  out  of  the  pavement  of  Jordan  ;  of  the  other. 
 There  did  the  ark  reft  whiles  we  walked  dry-fhod 
 through  the  deeps  of  Jordan :  of  the  one,  Jordan 
 was  once  as  dry  as  this  Gilgal ;  of  the  other,  thofe 
 
 waves 
 
US, 
 
 248        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 waves  which  drown  thefe  ftones,  had  (o  drowned  us, 
 if  the  power  of  the  Almighty  had  not  retrained  them. 
 Many  a  great  work  had  God  done  for  Ifrael,  which 
 was  now  forgotten :  Jofhua  therefore  will  have  mo- 
 numents of  God's  mercy,  that  future  ages  might  be 
 both  witneffes  and  applauders  of  the  great  works  of 
 their  God. 
 
 Contem.  in.      Of  the  ficge  c/Jericho. 
 
 TOfliua  begins  his  wars  with  the  circumcifion  and 
 "  paffover ;  he  knew  that  the  way  to  keep  the  blood 
 of  his  people  from  fhedding,  wTas  to  let  out  that  pa- 
 ganish blood  of  their  uncircumcifion.  The  perfon 
 muft  be  in  favour,  ere  the  work  can  hope  to  profper. 
 His  predeceiTor  Mbfes  had  like  to  have  been  flam  for 
 neglect  of  this  facrament,  when  he  went  to  call  the 
 people  out  of  Egypt :  he  juilly  fears  his  own  fafety, 
 if  now  he  omit  it,  when  they  are  brought  into  Canaan. 
 We  have  no  right  of  inheritance  in  the  fpiritual  Ca- 
 naan, the  church  of  God,  till  we  have  received  the 
 facrament  of  our  matriculation.  So  foon  as  our  cove- 
 nants are  renewed  with  our  Creator,  we  may  well  look 
 for  the  vifion  of  God  for  the  affurance  of  viclory. 
 
 What  fure  work  did  the  king  of  Jericho  think  he 
 had  made !  he  blocked  up  the  paifages,  barred  up  the 
 gates,  defended  the  walls,  and  did  enough  to  keep 
 out  a  common  enemy.  If  we  could  do  but  this  to  our 
 fpiritual  adverfaries,  it  were  as  impoffible  for  us  to  be 
 furprifed,  as  for  Jericho  to  be  fafe.  Methinks  I  fee 
 how  they  called  their  council  of  war,  debated  of  all 
 means  of  defence,  gathered  their  forces,  trained  their 
 foldiers,  fet  flrong  guards  to  the  gates  and  walls ;  and 
 now  would  perfuade  one  another,  that,  unlefs  Ifraef 
 could  fly  into  their  city,  the  fiege  was  vain.  Vain 
 worldlings  think  their  rampires  and  barricadoes  can 
 keep  out  the  vengeance  of  God  \  their  biindnefs  fuf- 
 
 fers 
 
BOOK    VIII.       CO  NT  EM.   HI.  240 
 
 fers  them  to  look  no  further  than  the  means.  The 
 fup^eme  hand  of  the  Almighty  comes  not  within  the 
 compafs  of  their  fears.  Every  carnal  heart  is  a  Jeri- 
 cho Ihut  up  ;  God  fets  down  before  it,  and  difplap 
 mercy  and  judgment  in  fight  of  the  walls  thereof :  it 
 hardens  itfelf  in  a  wilful  fecurity,  and  faith,  Tujfr9  I 
 flmll  never  be  moved. 
 
 Yet  their  courage  and  fear  fight  together  within 
 their  walls,  within  their  bofoms.     Their  courage  tells 
 them  of  their  own  ftrength  ;  their  fear  fuggefis  the 
 miraculous  fuccefs  of  this  (as  they  could  not  but  think) 
 inchanted  generation  ;    and  now,  whiles  they  have 
 fhut  out  their  enemy,  they  have  fhut  in  their  own 
 terror.     The  moil  fecure  heart  in  the  world  hath 
 fome  flames  of  fear  ;  for  it  cannot  but  fometimes  look 
 out  of  itfelf,  and  fee  what  it  would  not.     Rahab  had 
 notified  that  their  hearts  fainted  ;  and  yet  now  their 
 faces  bewray  nothing  but  refolution.     I  know  not 
 whether  the  heart  or  the  face  of  an  hypocrite  be  more 
 falfe  ;  and  as  each  of  them  feeks  to  beguile  the  other, 
 fo  both  of  them  agree  to  deceive  the  beholders.     In 
 the  midil  of  laughter  their  heart  is  heavy.     Who 
 would  not  think  him  merry  that  laughs  ?  yet  their  re- 
 joicing is  but  in  the  face.     Who  would  not  think   a 
 blafphemer,  or  profane  man,  refolutely  carelefs  ?  If 
 thou  hadfl  a  window  into  his  hearty  thou  fkouldii  fee 
 him  tormented  "with  horrors  of  confeience. 
 
 Now  the  Ifr  a  elites  fee  thofe  walled  cities  and  towers, 
 whofe  height  was  reported  to  reach  to  heaven,  the 
 fame  whereof  had  fo  affrighted  them,  ere  they  faw 
 them,  and  were  ready,  doubtlefs,  to  fay,  in  their  dif- 
 truit,  Which  way  fhail  we  fcale  thefe  invincible  for- 
 tifications ?  What  ladders,  what  engines  ma!!  we  ufe 
 to  fb  great  a  work  r  God  prevents  their  infidelity  ; 
 Behold  I  have  given  Jericho  into  i'Arc  hand.  If  their 
 walls  had  their  foundations  laid  in  the  centre  of  the 
 earth  ;  if  the  battlements  had  been  fo  high  built, 
 Vol-  I.  I  i  that 
 
250        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 that  an  eagle  could  not  foar  over  them ;  this  is  enough, 
 /  have  given  it  thee.  For,  on  whofe  earth  have  they 
 raifed  thefe  caftles  ?  out  of  whofe  treafure  did  they 
 dig  thofe  piles  of  ft  one  ?  whence  had  they  their 
 flrength  and  time  to  build  ?  Cannot  he  that  gave,  re- 
 cal  his  own  ?  O  ye  fools  of  Jericho,  what  if  your 
 walls  be  flrong,  your  men  valiant,  your  leaders  fk.il- 
 ful,  your  king  wife,  when  God  hath  faid,  /  have 
 given  thee  the  city  !  What  can  fwords  or  fpears  do 
 againfl  the  Lord  of  holts !  Without  him  means  can 
 do  nothing  ;  how  much  lefs  againfl  him  !  How  vain 
 and  idle  is  that  reckoning,  wherein  God  is  left  out ! 
 Had  the  captain  of  the  Lord's  hoft  drawn  his  fword 
 for  j  eric  ho,  the  gates  might  have  been  opened ;  If- 
 rael  could  no  more  have  entered,  than  they  can  now 
 be  kept  from  entering  when  the  walls  were  fallen. 
 What  courfes  foever  we  take  for  our  fafety,  it  is  good 
 making  God  of  our  fide.  Neither  men  nor  devils 
 can  hurt  us  againfl  him  ;  neither  men  nor  angels  can 
 fecure  us  from  him.  There  was  never  fo  ftrange  a 
 ilege  as  this  of  Jericho  :  here  was  no  mount  raifed, 
 no  fword  drawn,  no  engine  planted,  no  pioneers  un- 
 dermining ;  here  were  trumpets  founded,  but  no  ene- 
 my feen  ;  here  were  armed  men,  but  no  ftroke  given: 
 they  muft  walk,  and  not  fight ;  feven  feveral  days 
 mull  they  pace  about  the  walls,  which  they  may  not 
 once  look  over  to  fee  what  was  within.  Doubtlefs 
 thefe  inhabitants  of  Jericho  made  themfelves  merry 
 with  this  fight :  when  they  had  flood  fix  days  upon 
 their  walls,  and  beheld  none  but  a  walking  enemy  ; 
 What,  fay  they,  could  Ifrael  find  no  walk  to  breathe 
 them  with,  but  about  our  walls  ?  Have  they  not  tra- 
 velled enough  in  their  forty  years  pilgrimage,  but 
 they  muft  flretch  their  limbs  in  this  circle  ?  Surely,  if 
 their  eyes  were  engines,  our  wall  co-uld  not  fland : 
 we  fee  they  are  good  footmen ;  but  when  fliall  we  try 
 their  hands  ?  What,  do  thefe  vain  men  think  Jericho 
 
 will 
 
BOOK   VIII.      Co nt em.  in.         251 
 
 will  be  won  with  looking  at?  or  do  they  only  come 
 to  count  how  many  paces  it  is  about  our  city  ?  If  this 
 be  their  manner  of  fiege,  We  fhall  have  no  great  caufe 
 to  fear  the  fword  of  IfraeL  Wicked  men  think  God 
 in  jeft,  when  he  is  preparing  for  their  judgment.  The 
 Almighty  hath  ways  and  counfels  of  his  own,  utterly 
 unlike  to  ours ;  which,  becaufe  our  reafon  cannot 
 reach,  we  are  ready  to  condemn  of  foolifhnefs  and 
 impoflibility.  With  us,  there  is  no  way  to  victory 
 but  fighting,  and  the  ftrongeft  carries  the  fpoil:  God 
 can  give  victory  to  the  feet,  as  well  as  to  the  hands ; 
 and,  when  he  will,  makes  weaknefs  no  difadvantage. 
 What  mould  we  do  but  follow  God  through  by-ways, 
 and  know,  that  he  will,  in  fpite  of  nature,  lead  us  to 
 our  end  ? 
 
 All  the  men  of  war  mufl  compafs  the  city  ;  yet  it 
 was  not  the  prefence  of  the  great  warriours  of  Ifrael 
 that  threw  down  the  walls  of  Jericho.  Thole  foun- 
 dations were  not  fo  flightly  laid,  as  that  they  could 
 not  endure  either  a  look  or  a  march,  or  a  battery. 
 It  was  the  ark  of  God  whofe  prefence  demolished 
 the  walls  of  that  wicked  city.  The  fame  power  that 
 drave  back  the  waters  of  Jordan  before,  and  after- 
 wards laid  Dagon  on  the  floor,  cad  down  all  thofe 
 forts.  The  priefts  bear  on  their  fhqulders  that  migh- 
 ty engine  of  God,  before  which  thofe  walls,  if  they 
 had  been  of  molten  brafs,  could  not  Hand.  Thofe 
 fpiritual  wickedneffes,  yea  thofe  gates  of  hell,  which 
 to  nature  are  utterly  invincible,  by  the  power  of  the 
 word  of  God  (which  he  hath  committed  to  the  car- 
 riage of  his  weak  fervants)  are  overthrown,  and  tri- 
 umphed over.  Thy  ark,  O  God,  hath  been  long 
 amoagft  us ;  how  is  it  that  the  walls  of  our  corrupti- 
 ons (land  ftill  unruined  ?  It  hath  gone  before  us,  his 
 priefts  have  carried  it ;  we  have  not  followed  it,  our 
 hearts  have  not  attended  upon  it ;  and  therefore,  how 
 
 I  i  2  :hry 
 
252         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 mighty  fcevef  it  is  in  itfelf,  yet  to  us  it  hath  not 
 been  fo  powerful  as  it  would. 
 
 Seven  days  together  they  walked  this  round ;  they 
 made  this  therefore  their  Sabbath-fay's  journey  ;  and 
 who  knows  whether  the  laft,  and  longelt  walk,  which, 
 brought  victory  to  Ifrad,  were  not  on  this  day?  Not 
 long  before,  an  JfraclUe  is  (toned  to  death,  for  but  ga- 
 thering a  few  flicks  that  day :  now,  all  the  hod  of  Ijrael 
 nkift  wall-:  about  the  wails  of  a  large  and  populous  city, 
 and  yet  do  not  violate  the  day.  God's  precept  is  the 
 rule  of  the  juftice  and  holinefs  of  all  our  actions.  Or  was 
 it,  for  that  revenge  upon  God's  enemies  is  an  holy 
 work,  and  fuch  as  God  vouchfafes  to  privilege  with 
 his  own  day  ?  or,  becaufe  when  we  have  undertaken 
 the  exploits  of  God,  he  will  abide  no  intermiflion  till 
 we  have  fulfilled  them  ?  Me  allows  us  to  breathe,  not 
 to  break  off,  till  we  have  imiihed. 
 
 It  had  been  as  eafy  for  God,  to  have  given  this 
 fuccefs  to  their  firil  day's  walk,  yea  to  their  full  pace, 
 or  their  firft  fight  of  Jericho ;  yet  he  will  not  give  it, 
 until  the  end  of  aheir  feven  days  toil.  It  is  the  plea- 
 fure  of  God  to  hold  us  both  in  work,  and  in  expecta- 
 tion ;  and  though  he  require  our  continual  endeavours 
 for  the  fubduing  of  our  corruptions,  during  the  fix 
 days  of  our  life,  yet  we  mail  never  find  it  perfectly 
 effected  till  the  very  evening  of  o;^r  lad  day.  In  the 
 mean  time,  it  mull  content  us  that  we  are  in  our 
 walk,  and  that  thefe  walls  cannot  (land,  when  we 
 come  to  the  me  Jure  and  number  of  our  perfection. 
 A  good  heart  groans  under  the  feufe  of  his  infirmities, 
 fain  would  be  rid  of  them,  and  itrives  :-\id  prays  : 
 but,  when  he  hath  all  done,  until  the  end  of  the  fe- 
 venth  day  it  cannot  be.  If  a  ftone  or  two  moulder 
 off  from  thefe  wall's,  in  the  meantime,  that  is  all;  but 
 the  foundations  will  not  be  removed  till  then. 
 
 When  we  hear  of  fo  great  a  defign  as  the  miraculous 
 winning  of  a  mighty  city,  who  would  not  look  for  fome 
 
 glorious 
 
BOOK  VIII.    Contem.  in.        253 
 
 glorious  means  to  work  it  ?  When  we  hear  that  the 
 ark  of  God  mud  befiege  'Jericho^  who  would  not  look 
 for  fome  royal  equipage  ?  But,  behold  here  feven  priefts 
 mufl  go  before  it,  with  feven  trumpets  of  rams  horns. 
 The  Ifraelites  had  trumpets  of  filver,  which  God  had 
 appointed  for  the  ufe  of  affembling  and  dhTolving  the 
 congregation,  for  war,  and  for  peace  :  now  I  do 
 not  hear  them  called  for  ;  but,  inflead  thereof,  trum- 
 pets of  rams  horns,  bafe  for  the  matter,  and  not 
 loud  for  found ;  the  Ihortnefs  and  equal  meafure  of 
 thofe  inflruments  could  not  ailbrd  either  fhrilnefs  of 
 noife,  or  variety.  How  mean  and  homely  are  thofe 
 means  which  God  commonly  ufes  in  the  mod  glorious 
 works !  No  doubt,  the  citizens  of  Jericho  anfwered 
 this  dull  alarm  of  theirs,  from  their  walls,  with  other 
 inflruments  of  louder  report,  and  more  martial  often- 
 tation :  and  the  vulgar  Ifraelites  thought,  we  have 
 as  clear,  and  as  coilly  trumpets  as  theirs  ;  yet  no  man 
 dares  offer  to  found  the  better,  when  the  worfe  are 
 commanded.  If  we  find  the  ordinances  of  God  poor 
 and  weak,  let  it  content  us  that  they  are  of  his  own 
 chufmg,  and  fuch  as  whereby  he  will  fo  much  more 
 honour  himfelf,  as  they  in  themfelves  are  more  inglo- 
 rious. Not  the  outfide,  but  the  efficacy,  is  it  that  God 
 cares  for. 
 
 No  ram  of  iron  could  have  been  fo  forcible  for  bat- 
 tery, as  thefe  rams  horns :  for  when  they  founded 
 long,  and  were  feconded  with  the  fhout  of  the  Ifrael- 
 ites,  all  the  walls  of  Jericho  fell  down  at  once.  They 
 made  the  heavens  ring  with  their  fliout:  but  the  ruin 
 of  thofe  walls  drowned  their  voice,  and  gave  a  plea- 
 fant  kind  of  horror  to  the  Ifraelites.  The  earth  ihook 
 under  them  with  the  fall ;  but  the  hearts  of  the  inha- 
 bitants Ihook  yet  more.  Many  of  them,  doubtlefs, 
 were  flain  with  thofe  walls  wherein  they  had  trailed. 
 A  man  might  fee  death  in  the  faces  of  all  the  reft  that 
 remained  ;  who  now,  being  half  dead  with  aftoniih- 
 
 ment, 
 
254         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 merit,  expected  the  other  half  from  the  fword  of  their 
 enemies.  They  had  now  neither  means  nor  will  to 
 refill: ;  for  if  only  one  breach  had  been  made  (as  it 
 ufes  in  other  fieges)  for  the  entrance  of  the  enemy, 
 perhaps  new  fupplies  of  defendants  might  have  made 
 it  up  with  their  carcafes :  but  now  that,  at  once,  Je- 
 richo is  turned  to  a  plain  field,  every  Ifraelitey  with- 
 out refinance,  might  run  to  the  next  booty  ;  and  the 
 throats  of  their  enemies  feemed  to  invite  their  fwords 
 to  a  difpatch. 
 
 If  but  one  Ifraelite  had  knockt  at  the  gates  of  Jericho, 
 it  might  have  been  thought,  their  hand  had  helped 
 to  the  victory.  Now,  that  God  may  have  all  the  glory, 
 without  the  (how  of  any  rival,  yea  of  any  means,  they 
 do  but  walk  and  fhout,  and  the  walls  give  way.  He 
 cannot  abide  to  part  with  any  honour  from  himfelf. 
 As  he  doth  all  things,  fo  he  would  be  acknowledged. 
 
 They  ihout  all  at  once.  It  is  the  prefence  of  God's 
 ark,  and  our  conjoined  prayers,  that  are  effectual  to 
 the  beating  down  of  wickednefs.  They  may  not 
 fhout  till  they  be  bidden.  If  we  w,ill  be  unfeafonable 
 in  our  good  actions,  we  may  hurt,  and  not  benefit 
 ourfelves. 
 
 Every  living  thing  in  Jericho,  man,  woman,  child, 
 cattle,  muil:  die.  Our  folly  would  think  this  merci- 
 lefs ;  but  there  can  be  no  mercy  in  injuflice,  and  no- 
 thing but  injuitice  in  not  fulfilling  the  charge  of  God. 
 The  death  of  malefactors,  the  condemnation  of  wick- 
 ed men,  feem  harih  to  us ;  but  we  mult  learn  of  God, 
 that  there  is  a  punifhing  mercy.  Curfed  be  that 
 mercy  that  oppofes  the  God  of  mercy. 
 
 Yet  was  not  fojbua  fo  intent  upon  the  Slaughter, 
 as  not  to  be  mindful  of  God's  part  and  Rahab's.  Firit, 
 he  gives  charge,  under  a  curfe,  of  refer ving  all  the 
 treafure  for  God  ;  then  cf  preferving  the  family  of 
 Rahab.  Thofe  two  fpies  that  received  life  from  her, 
 now  return  it  to  her,  and  hers :  they  call  at  the  win- 
 dow 
 
BOOK   VIII.     Co  nt  em.  iv.         255; 
 
 dow  with  the  red  cord,  and  fend  up  news  of  life  to 
 her,  the  fame  >  way  which  they  received  theirs.  Her 
 houfe  is  no  part  of  Jericho ;  neither  may  fire  be  fet 
 to  any  building  of  that  city,  till  Rahab  and  her  fa- 
 mily be  fet  fafe  without  the  hoft.  The  a&ions  of  our 
 faith  and  charity  will  be  fure  to  pay  us;  if  late,  yet 
 furely.  Now  Rahab  finds  what  it  is  to  believe  God; 
 whiles  out  of  an  impure  idolatrous  city,  fhe  is  tranf- 
 planted  into  the  church  of  God,  and  made  a  mother 
 of  a  royal  and  holy  pofterity. 
 
 Co  NT  EM.    IV.       Of  Ac  HAN. 
 
 WHEN  the  walls  of  Jericho  were  fallen,  ^oJJma 
 charged  the  Ifraelites  but  with  two  precepts ; 
 of  fparing  Rahab' s  houfe,  and  of  abftaining  from  that 
 treafure  which  was  anathematized  to  God ;  and  one 
 of  them  is  broken.  As  in  the  entrance  to  Paradife, 
 but  one  tree  was  forbidden,  and  that  was  eaten  of. 
 God  hath  provided  for  our  weaknefs  in  the  paucity 
 of  commands ;  but  our  innocency  (lands  not  fo  much 
 in  having  few  precepts,  as  in  keeping  thofe  we  have. 
 So  much  more  guilty  are  we  in  the  breach  of  one,  as 
 we  are  more  favoured  in  the  number. 
 
 They  needed  no  command  to  fpare  no  living  thing 
 in  Jericho ;  but  to  fpare  the  treafure,  no  command 
 was  enough.  Impartiality  of  execution  is  eafier  to  per- 
 form, than  contempt  of  thefe  worldly  things  ;  becaufe 
 we  are  more  prone  to  covet  for  ourfelves,  than  to 
 pity  others.  Had  %ofima  bidden  fave  the  men,  and 
 divide  the  treafure,  his  charge  had  been  more  plaufible, 
 than  now  to  kill  the  men,  and  fave  the  treafure  ;  or, 
 if  they  mud  kill,  earthly  minds  would  more  gladly 
 fhed  their  enemies  blood  for  a  booty,  than  out  of  o- 
 bedience,  for  the  glory  of  their  Maker.  But  now, 
 it  is  good  reafon,  fmce  God  threw  down  thofe  walls, 
 and  not  they,  that  both  the  blood  of  that  wicked  city 
 
 mould 
 
2S6         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fhould  be  fpilt  to  him,  not  to  their  own  revenge;  and 
 that  the  treafure  mould  be  referred  for  his  ufe,  not 
 for  theirs.  Who  but  a  mifcreant  can  grudge,  that  God 
 fhould  ferve  himfelf  of  his  own  ?  I  cannot  blame  die 
 reft  of  Ifrael,  if  they  were  well  pleafed  with  their 
 conditions ;  only  one  Achan  troubles  the  peace,  and 
 his  fin  is  imputed  to  IfraeL  The  innocence  of  fo  many 
 thoufand  Israelites  is  not  fo  forcible  to  excufe  his  one 
 fin,  as  his  one  fin  is  to  taint  all  IfraeL 
 
 A  lewd  man  is  a  pernicious  creature :  that  he  damns 
 his  own  foul,  is  the  leaf!:  part  of  his  mifchief ;  he  com-  . 
 monly  draws  vengeance  upon  a  thoufand,  either  by 
 the  defert  of  his  fin,  or  by  the  infection.  Who  would 
 not  have  hoped,  that  the  fame  God,  which  for  ten 
 righteous  men  would  have  fpared  the  five  wicked  ci- 
 ties, fhould  not  have  been  content  to  drown  one  fin, 
 in  the  obedience  of  fo  many  righteous  ?  But  fo  ve- 
 nomous is  fin,  efpecially  when  it  lights  among  God's 
 people,  that  one  dram  of  it  is  able  to  infect  the  whole 
 mafs  of  IfraeL 
 
 O  righteous  people  of  Ifrael,  that  had  but  one 
 Achan!  How  had  their  late  circumcifion  cut  away  the 
 unclean  forefkin  of  their  difobedience !  How  had  the 
 blood  of  their  pafchal  lamb  fcourcd  their  fouls  from 
 covetous  defires !  The  world  was  well  mended  with 
 them,  fince  their  flubborn  murmurings  in  the  de- 
 fart.  Since  the  death  of  Mofes,  and  the  government 
 of  Jofbua,  I  do  not  find  them  in  any  diforder.  After 
 that  the  law  hath  brought  us  under  the  conduct  of 
 the  true  Jefus,  our  fins  are  more  rare,  and  ourfelves 
 are  more  confcionable.  Whiles  we  are  under  the 
 law,  we  do  not  fo  keep  it,  as  when  we  are  delivered 
 from  it :  our  chriftian  freedom  is  more  holy  than  our 
 fervitude.  Then  have  the  facraments  of  God  their 
 due  effect,  when  their  receipt  piirgeth  us  from  our 
 old  fms,  and  makes  our  converfation  clean  and  fpiri- 
 
 tash 
 
 Little 
 
BOOK  VIII.     CoNTEKf.  iv.         257 
 
 Little  did  Jofl):m  know  that  there  was  any  facri- 
 lege  committed  by  Ifrael.  That  fin  is  not  half  cunning 
 enough,  that  hath  not  learned  fecrecy.  Jofhua  was 
 a  vigilant  leader,  yet  fome  fins  will  efcape  him.  Only 
 that  eye,  which  is  every  where,  finds  us  out  in  our 
 clofe  wickednefs.  It  is  no  blame  to  authority,  that 
 fome  fins  are  fecretly  committed :  the  holieft  congre- 
 gation or  family  may  be  blemifhed  with  fome  male- 
 factors. It  is  juft  blame,  that  open  fins  are  not jpuniih- 
 ed :  we  mall  wrong  government,  if  we  mall  expect 
 the  reach  of  it  mould  be  infinite.  He  therefore,  which, 
 if  he  had  known  the  offence,  would  ''have  fent  up 
 prayers  and  tears  to  God,  now  fends  fpies  for  a  further 
 difcovery  of  Ai ;  they  return  with  news  of  the  weak- 
 nefs  t)f  their  adverfaries ;  and,  as  contemning  their 
 paucity,  perfuade  joflma^  that  a  wing  of  Ifrael  is 
 enough  to  overfnadow  this  city  of  Ai,  The  Ifraelites 
 were  fo  flufhed  with  their  former  victory,  that  now 
 they  think  no  walls  or  men  can  ftand  before  them. 
 Good  fuccefs  lifts  up  the  heart  with  too  much  confi- 
 dence ;  an<j,  whiles  it  dhTuades  men  from  doing  their! 
 bed,  oft-times  difappoints  them*  With  God  the  mean, 
 can  never  be  too  weak ;  without  him,  never  ftrong 
 enough. 
 
 It  is  not  good  to  contemn  an  impotent  enemy.  In 
 this  fecond  battle,  the  Ifraelites  are  beaten.  It  was 
 not  the  fewnefs  of  their  aifailants  that  overthrew 
 them,  but  the  fin  that  lay  lurking  at  home.  If  all  the 
 hoft  of  Ifrael  had  fet  upon  this  poor  village  of  Ai9 
 they  had  been  all  equally  difcomfited :  the  wedge  of 
 Achan  did  more  fight  againfl  them,  than  all  thefwords 
 of  the  Canaanites.  The  victories  of  God  go  not  by 
 flrength,  but  by  innocence. 
 
 Doubtlefs  thefe  men  of  Ai  infuked  in  this  foil  of 
 Ifrael)  and  faid,  Lo,  thefe  are  the  men,  from  whofe 
 prefence  the  waters  of  Jordan  ran  back ;  how  they 
 run  as  faft  away  from  ours.     Thefe  are  they,  before 
 
 Vol.  I.  Kk  whom 
 
258        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 whom  the  walls  of  Jericho  fell  down ;  now  they  are- 
 fallen  as  fail  before  us.  And  all  their  neighbours  took 
 heart  from  this  victory.  Wherein,  I  doubt  not,  but, 
 befides  the  punifliment  of  Ifrael*  %  fin,  God  intended 
 the  further  obduration  of  the  Canaamtes  :  like  as  fome 
 Ikilful  player  lofes  on  purpofe  at  the  beginning  of  the 
 game,  to  draw  on  the  more  abetments.  The  news 
 of  their  overchrow  fpread  as  far  as  the  fame  of  their 
 fpeed  ;  and  every  city  of  Canaan  could  fay,  Why  not 
 we  as  well  as  At  f 
 
 But  good  Jofbua  that  fucceeded  Mofes,  no  lefs  in 
 the  care  of  God's  glory,  than  in  his  government,  is 
 much  dejected  with  this  event.  He  rends  his  clothes* 
 falls  on  his  face,  calls  duft  upon  his  head,  and,  as  if  he 
 had  learned  of  his  mafler  how  to  expoflulate  with 
 God,  fays,  What  wilt  thou  do  to  thy  mighty  name  f 
 
 That  jfojbua  might  fee  God  took  no  pleafure  to  let 
 the  Ifraelites  ly  dead  upon  the  earth  before  their  ene- 
 mies, himfelf  is  taxed  for  but  lying  ail  day,  upon  his 
 face,  before  the  ark.  All  his  expoilulations  are  an- 
 fwered  in  one  word,  Get  thee  up,  Ifrael  hath  fanned. 
 I  do  not  hear  God  fay,  Ly  ftill,  and  mourn  for  the 
 fin  of  Ifrael.  It  is  to  no  purpofe  to  pray  againft  pu- 
 nifliment, while  the  fin  continues.  And  though  God 
 loves  to  be  fued  to,  yet  he  holds  our  requefts  unfea- 
 fonable,  till  there  be  care  had  of  fatisfa&ion.  When 
 we  have  rifen,  and  redreiTed  fin,  then  may  we  fall 
 down  for  pardon. 
 
 Victory  is  in  the  free  hand  of  God,  to  difpofe  where 
 he  will;  and  no.  man  can  marvel,  that  the  dice  of 
 war  run  ever  with  hazard  on  both  fides :  fo  as  God 
 needed  not  to  have  given  any  other  reafon  of  this  dif- 
 comfiture  of  Ifrael,  but  his  own  pieafure  ;  yet  Jofhua 
 muil  now  know,  that  Ifrael*,  which  before  prevailed 
 for  their  faith,  is  beaten  for  their  fin.  When  we  are 
 croiTed  in  juit  and  holy  quarrels,  we  may  well  think 
 there  is  fome  fecret  evil,  unrcpented  of,  which  God 
 
 would 
 
BOOK  VIII.     Co  nt  em.  iv.         259 
 
 would  punifli  in  us;  which,  though  we  fee  not,  yet 
 he  fo  hates,  that  he  will  rather  be  wanting  to  his  own 
 caufe,  than  not  revenge  it.  When  we  go  about  any 
 enterprife  of  God,  it  is  good  to  fee  that  our  hearts  be 
 clear  from  any  pollution  of  fin  ;  and  when  we  are 
 thwarted  in  our  hopes,  it  is  our  bed  courfe  to  ranfack 
 ourfelves,  and  to  fearch  for  fome  fin  hid  from  us  in 
 our  bofom,  but  open  to  the  view  of  God. 
 
 The  oracle  of  God,  which  told  him  a  great  oTence 
 was  committed,  yet  reveals  not  the  perfon.  It  had 
 been  as  eafy  for  him  to  have  named  the  man,  as  the 
 crime.  Neither  doth  JofJma  requeit  it ;  but  refers 
 that  difcovery  to  fuch  a  means,  as  whereby  the  of- 
 fender, finding  himfelf  fmgled  out  by  the  lot,  might 
 be  moil  convinced.  Achan  thought  he  might  have 
 lain  as  clofe  in  all  that  throng  of  Ifrael,  as  the  wedge 
 of  gold  lay  in  his  tent.  The  fame  hope  of  fecrecy, 
 which  moved  him  to  fm,  moved  him  to  confidence  in 
 his  fin :  but  now,  when  he  faw  the  lot  fall  upon  his 
 tribe,  he  began  to  ftart  a  little ;  when  upon  his  fa- 
 mily, he  began  to  change  countenance ;  when  upon 
 3 lis  houmold,  to  tremble  and  fear ;  when  upon  his 
 perfon,  to  be  utterly  confounded  in  himfelf.  Foolifh 
 men  think  to  run  away  with  their  privy  fins,  and  fay, 
 Turn,  no  eye  fhall  fee  me ;  but,  when  they  think 
 themfelves  fafeft,  God  pulls  them  out  with  lhame. 
 The  man  that  hath  efcaped  juilice,  and  now  is  lying 
 down  in  death,  would  think,  My  mame  mall  never 
 be  difclofed  ;  but,  before  men  and  angels,  fhall  he  be 
 brought  on  the  fcaffold,  and  find  confufion,  as  fure 
 as  late. 
 
 What  needed  any  other  evidence,  when  God  had 
 accufed  Achan  f  Yet  Jqfinta  will  have  the  fin  out  of 
 his  mouth,  in  whofe  heart  it  was  hatched ;  My  fon , 
 /  befeech  thee  give  glory  to  God.  Whom  God  had 
 convinced  as  a  malefactor,  Jofhua  befeeches  as  a  fen. 
 Some  hot  fpirit  would  have  faid,  Thou  wretched  trai- 
 K  k  2  tor, 
 
260        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 tor,  how  haft  thou  pilfered  from  thy  Gpd,  and  (lied 
 the  blood  of  fo  many  Israelites*  and  caufed  the  hoil 
 of  Ifrael  to  lliew  their  backs,  with  diflionour,  to  the 
 Heathen.  Now  fliall  we  fetch  this  fin  out  of  thee  with 
 tortures,  and  plague  thee  with  a  condign  death.  But, 
 like  the  difciple  of  him  whofe  fervant  he  was,  he 
 meekly  intreats  that,  which  he  might  have  extorted 
 by  violence,  My  fori,  I  befeech  thee.  Sweetnefs  of 
 compilation  is  a  great  help  towards  the  good  enter- 
 tainment of  an  admonition:  roughnefs  and  rigour  many 
 times  harden  thofe  hearts,  which  meeknefs  would 
 have  melted  to  repentance.  Whether  Ave  fue,  or  con- 
 vince, or  reprove,  little  good  is  gotten  by  bitternefs, 
 Deteflation  of  the  fin  may  well  {land  with  favour  to 
 the  perfon ;  and  thefe  two  not  diflinguifhed,  caufe 
 great  wrong,  either  in  our  charity,  orjuflice;  for  ei- 
 ther we  uncharitably  hate  the  creature  of  God,  or  un- 
 juftly  affect  the  evil  of  men.  Subjects  are,  as  they  are 
 called,  fons  to  the  magiflrate.  All  Ifrael  was  not  on- 
 ly of  the  family,  but  as  of  the  loins  of  %of}jua.  Such 
 mult  be  the  corrections,  fuch  the  provisions  of  gover- 
 nors, as  for  their  children ;  as  again,  the  obedience 
 and  love  of  fubjects  mull  be  filial. 
 
 God  had  glorified  himfelf  fufficientljv  in  finding 
 cut  the  wickednefs  of  Achan  ;  neither  need  he  honour 
 from  men,  much  lefs  from  finners.  They  can  difho- 
 nour  him  by  their  iniquities  \  but  what  recompence 
 can  they  give  him  for  their  wrongs  ?  Yet  ^fojhua  fays, 
 My  fgn,  give  glory  to  God.  Ifrael  fliould  now  fee, 
 that  the  tongue  of  Achan  did  juflify  God  in  his  lot. 
 The  confefilon  of  our  fins  doth  no  lefs  honour  God, 
 than  his  glory  is  blemifned  by  their  commiffion.  Who 
 would  not  be  glad  to  redeem  the  honour  of  his  Re- 
 deemer, with  his  owu  fhame  1 
 
 The  lot  of  God,  and  the  mild  words  of  ^ofiua, 
 won  Achan  to  accufe.  himfelf,  ingenuoufly,  imparti- 
 ally*    A  florin,  perhaps.,  would  not  have  done  that 
 
 which 
 
 ■ 
 
 1 
 
BOOK   VIII.     Contem.  iv.  261 
 
 which  a  fun-fliine  had  done.  If  Ac  ban  had  come  in 
 uncalled,  and,  befbraany  queftion  made,  out  of  an  ho- 
 ne;! remorfe,  had  brought  in  his  facrilegious  booty, 
 and  cait  hmtielf  and  it  at  the  fqot  of  Jojlma^  doubt- 
 lefs  Ifrael  had  profpered,  and  his  fin  had  carried  a- 
 way  pardon;  now  he  hath  gotten  thus  much  thank, 
 that  he  is  not  a  defperate  (inner.  God  will  once  wring 
 from  the  confcienee  of  wicked  men  their  own  indict- 
 ments :  they  have  not  more  carefully  hid  their  fin, 
 than  they  ftiall  one  day  freely  proclaim  their  own 
 ne. 
 
 Achanh  corieffion,  though  it  were  late,  yet  was 
 it  free  and  full :  for  he  doth  not  only  acknowledge*, 
 the  act,  but  the  ground  of  his  fin;  I  faw,  and  co- 
 vet ed,  and  took.  The  eye  betrayed  the  heart,  and 
 that  the  hand ;  and  now  all  confpire  in  the  offence. 
 If  we  liil  not  to  flatter  ourfelves,  this  hath  been 
 the  order  of  our  crimes.  Evil  is  uniform  ;  and,  be- 
 ginning at  the  .fenfes,  takes  the  inmoft  fort  of  the 
 foul,  and  then  arms  our  own  outward  forces  againft  us. 
 This  fhall  once  be  the  lafcivious  man's  fang,  I  faw, 
 and  coveted,  and  took;  this  the  thieves,  this  the  idolr 
 avers,  this  the  gluttons  and  drunkards :  ail  thefe  re- 
 ceive their  death  -by  the  eye.  But,  O  faoiifh  A- 
 than,  with  what  eyes  didft  thou  look  upon  that  fpoil, 
 which  thy  fellows  faw  and  contemned  !  Why  couldfh 
 thou  not  before,  as  well  as  now,  fee  fhame  hid  under 
 that  gay  BahylGmjb  garment  ?  and  an  heap  of  (tones 
 covered  with  thofe  ihekeis  cf  fiiver  ?  The  over-priz- 
 ing, and  over-defiring  of  thefe  earthly  things,  carries 
 us  into  all  raifchief,  and  hides  from  us  the  fight  of 
 God's  judgments.  Whofoever  deiires  the  glory  of 
 metals,  or  of  gay  clothes,  or  honour,  cannot  be  in- 
 nocent. 
 
 Well  might  Jojbua  have  proceeded  to  the  executi- 
 on of  him,  whom  God  and  his  own  mouth  accufed : 
 but,  as  one  that  thought  no  evidence  could  be  too 
 
 ftrong, 
 
262         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ftrong,  in  a  cafe  that  was  capital,  he  fends  to  fee  whe- 
 ther there  was  as  much  truth  in  the  confeflion,  as  there 
 was  falfhood  in  the  ftealth.  Magiftrates  and  judges 
 muft  pace  ilowly  and  fure  in  the  punifhment  of  offen- 
 ders. Preemptions  are  not  ground  enough  for  the 
 fentence  of  death  ;  no  not,  in  fome  cafes,  the  confef- 
 fions  of  the  guilty.  It  is  no  warrant  for  the  law  to 
 wrong  a  man,  that  he  hath  before  wronged  himfelf. 
 There  is  lefs  ill  in  fparing  an  offender,  than  in  pu- 
 nifhing  the  innocent. 
 
 Who  would  not  have  expe&ed,  fmce  the  confeifion 
 of  Ac  ban  was  ingenuous,  and  his  pillage  ft  ill  found 
 entire,  that  his  life  fhould  have  been  pardoned  ?  But 
 here  was,  Confefs  and  die :  he  had  been  too  long  fick 
 of  this  difeafe,  to  be  recovered.  Kad  his  confeifion 
 been  fpeedy  and  free,  it  had  faved  him.  How  dan- 
 gerous it  is  to  fuffer  fin  to  ly  fretting  into  the  foul ! 
 which,  if  it  were  wafhed  off  betimes  with  our  repen- 
 tance, could  not  kill  us.  In  mortal  offences,  the  courfe 
 of  human  juflice  is  not  flayed  by  our  penitence.  It  is 
 well  for  our  fouls  that  we  have  repented;  but  the  laws' 
 of  men  take  no  notice  of  our  forrow.  I  know  not 
 whether  the  death,  or  the  tears  of  a  malefactor,  be 
 a  better  fight.  The  cenfures  of  the  church  are  wiped 
 off  with  weeping,  not  the  penalties  of  laws. 
 
 Neither  is  Ac  ban  alone  called  forth  to  death,  but 
 all  his  family,  all  his  fubftance.  The  actor  alone  doth  not 
 frnart  with  facrilege ;  all  that  concerns  him  is  enwrap- 
 ped in  the  judgment.  Thofe  that  defile  their  hands 
 with  holy  goods,  are  enemies  to  their  own  fieih  and 
 blood.  God's  nrft  revenges  are  fo  much  the  more 
 fearful,  becaufe  they  muft  be  exemplary. 
 
 CONTEM.    V.       0//^  GlBEONITES. 
 
 THE  news  of  Ifrael's  victory  had  flown  over  all 
 the  mountains  and  valleys  of  Canaan ;  and  yet 
 thofe  heathenifh  kings  and  people  are  muftered  to- 
 gether 
 
BOOK  VIII.     Contem.  v.  263 
 
 gether  againft  them.  They  might  have  feen  them- 
 felves in  Jericho  and  Ai,  and  have  well  perceived  it 
 was  not  an  arm  of  flefh  that  they  muft  refifc ;  yet 
 they  gather  their  forces  and  fay,  Tufti,  we  (hall  fpeed 
 better.  It  is  madnefs  in  a  man  not  to  be  warned, 
 but  to  run  upon  the  point  of  thofe  judgments  where- 
 with he  fees  others  mifcarry,  and  not  to  believe  till 
 he  cannot  recover.  Our  ailent  is  purchafed  too  late, 
 when  we  have  overflayed  prevention,  and  trufl  to 
 that  experience  which  we  cannot  live  to  redeem. 
 
 Only  the  Hivites  are  wifer  than  their  fellows,  and 
 will  rather  yield  and  live.  Their  intelligence  was  not 
 diverfc  from  the  reft ;  all  had  equally  heard  of  the  mi- 
 raculous conduct  and  fuccefs  of  Ifrael :  but  ^their  re* 
 foiution  was  diverfe.  As  Rahab  faved  her  family  in 
 the  midft  of  Jericho,  fo  thefe  four  cities  preferred 
 themfelves  in  the  midft  of  Canaan;  and  both  of  them, 
 by  believing  what  God  would  do.  The  efficacy  of 
 God's  marvellous  works  is  not  in  the  a&s  themfelves, 
 but  in  our  apprehenfion  ;  fome  are  overcome  with 
 thofe  motives,  which  others  have  contemned  for 
 weak. 
 
 Had  thefe  Gibeonites  joined  with  the  forces  of  all 
 their  neighbours,  they  had  perifhed  in  their  common 
 Daughter ;  if  they  had  not  gone  away  by  themfelves, 
 death  had  met  them.  It  may  have  more  pleafure,  it 
 cannot  have  fo  much  fafety,  to  follow  the  multitude. 
 If  examples  may  lead  us,  the  greateft  pai;t  fhuts  out 
 God  upon  earth,  and  is  excluded  from  God  elfewhere. 
 Some  few  poor  Hivites  yield  to  the  church  of  God, 
 and  efcape  the  condemnation  of  the  world.  It  is  very 
 like,  their  neighbours  flouted  at  this  bafe  fubmiilion 
 of  the  Gibeonites  ;  and,  out  of  their  terms  of  honour, 
 fcorned  to  beg  life  of  an  enemy,  whiles  they  were 
 out  of  the  compafs  of  mercy ;  but,  when  the  bodies  of 
 thefe  proud  Jebitfites  and  Ferizzites  lay  ftrewed  upon 
 
 the 
 
264        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 the  earth,  and  the  Gibeonites  furvived,  whether  was 
 more  worthy  of  fcorn  and  infultation  ? 
 
 If  the  Gibeonites  had  flayed  till  Ifrael  had  befieged 
 their  cities,  their  yieldance  had  been  fruitlefs ;  now 
 they  make  an  early  peace  and  are  prefervcd.  There 
 is  no  wifdom  in  flaying  till  a  judgment  come  home  to 
 us ;  the  only  way  to  avoid  it,  is  to  meet  it  half  way. 
 There  is  the  fame  remedy  of  war  and  ox  danger.  To 
 provoke  an  enemy  in  his  own  borders  is  the  bed  flay 
 of  invafion ;  and  to  folicit  God  betimes,  in  a  manifeft 
 danger,  is  the  befl  antidote  for  death. 
 
 I  commend  their  wifdom  in  feeking  peace  ;  I  do  not 
 commend  their  falfhood  in  the  manner  of  feeking  it : 
 who  can  look  for  any  better  of  Pagans !  But  as  the 
 faith  of  Rahab  is  fo  rewarded,  that  her  lie  is  not  pu- 
 nifhed,  fo  the  fraud  of  thefe  Gibeonites  is  not  an  equal 
 match  of  their  belief,  fince  the  name  of  the  Lord 
 God  of  Ifrael  brought  them  to  this  fuit  of  peace. 
 .  Nothing  is  found  fitter  to  deceive  God's  people, 
 than  a  counterfeit  copy  of  age.  Here  are  old  facks, 
 old  bottles,  old  fhoes,  old  garments,  old  bread.  The' 
 Ifraelites,  that  had  worn  one  fuit  forty  years,  feemed 
 new  clad  in  comparifon  of  them.  It  is  no  new  poli- 
 cy, that  Satan  would  beguile  us  with  a  vain  colour 
 of  antiquity,  clothing  falfhood  in  rags.  Errors  are 
 never  the  elder  for  their  patching.  Corruption  can 
 do  the  fame  that  time  would  do.  We  may  make  age, 
 as  wTell  as  fuller  it.  Thefe  Gibeonites  did  tear  their 
 bottles,  and  fhoes,  and  clothes,  and  made  them  naught, 
 that  they  might  feem  old  ;  fo  do  the  falfe  patrons  of 
 new  errors.  If  we  be  caught  with  this  Gibeomtijb 
 flratagem,  it  is  a  fign  we  have  not  confuked  with  God* 
 The  fentence  of  death  was  gone  out  againfl  all  the 
 inhabitants  of  Canaan.  Thefe  Hivifes  acknowledge 
 the  truth  and  judgments  of  God,  and  yet  leek  to  e- 
 fcape  by  a  league  with  Ifrael.  The  general  denun- 
 ciations of  the  vengeance  of  God  enwrap  ail  Tinners ; 
 
 yet 
 
BOOK   VIII.     Contem.v.  26s 
 
 yet  may  we  not  defpair  of  mercy.  If  the  fecret  coun- 
 fel  of  the  Almighty  had  not  defigned  thefe  men  to  life, 
 Joflma  could  not  have  been  deceived  with  their  league. 
 in  the  generality  there  is  no  hope.  Let  us  come,  in  the 
 old  rags  of  our  vilenefs,  to  the  true  Jojima^  and  make 
 our  truce  with  him ;  we  may  live,  yea  we  fhall  live. 
 Some  of  the  Israelites  fufpecl:  the  fraud ;  and,  notwith- 
 ftanding  all  their  old  garments  and  provifions,  can 
 fay,  //  may  be  thou  dwellefl  among  ft  us.  If  JoJIma 
 had  continued  this  doubt,  the  Gibeonites  had  torn 
 their  bottles  in  vain.  In  cafes  and  perfons  unknown, 
 it  is  fafe  not  to  be  too  credulous.  Charity  itfelf  will 
 allow  fufpicion,  where  we  have  feen  no  caufe  to  truffc. 
 
 If  thefe  Hivites  had  not  put  oil  new  faces  with 
 their  old  clothes,  they  had  furely  changed  counte- 
 nance when  they  heard  this  argument  of  the  Israel- 
 ites ^  It  may  be  thou  dwelleft  amongft  us ;  how  then 
 can  I  make  a  league  with  thee  f  They  had,  perhaps, 
 hoped,  their  fubmiflion  would  not  have  been  refu- 
 fed,  wherefoever  they  had  dwelt:  but,  left  their  neigh- 
 bourhood might  be  a  prejudice,  they  come  difguifed  ; 
 and  now  hear,  that  their  nearnefs  of  abode  was  an 
 unremovable  bar  of  peace.  It  was  quarrel  enough 
 that  they  were  Canaanites  :  God  had  forbidden  both 
 the  league,  and  the  life  of  the  native  inhabitants. 
 He  that  calls  himfelf  the  God  of  peace,  proclaims 
 himfelf  the  God  of  hofts  :  and  not  to  fight  where  he 
 hath  commanded,  is  to  break  the  peace  with  God, 
 whiles  we  nourifh  it  with  men.  Contention  with 
 brethren  is  not  more  hateful  to  him,  than  leagues 
 with  idolaters.  The  condition  that  he  hath  fet  to  our 
 peace,-  is  our  poffibility  and  power :  that  falls  not 
 within  the  poilibility  of  our  power,  which  we'  cannot 
 do  lawfully. 
 
 What  a  fmooth  tale  did  thefe  Gibeonites  tell  for 
 themfelves,  of  the  remotenefs  of  their  country,  the 
 motives  of  their  journey,  the  confultation  of  their  el- 
 
 Vol.  I.  L 1  ders, 
 
266        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ders,  the  ageing  of  their  provifions  by  the  way :  that  it 
 might  feem  not  only  fafe,  but  deferred  on  their  parts, 
 that  they  mould  be  admitted  to  a  peace  fo  far  fought, 
 and  purchafed  with  fo  much  toil  and  importunity. 
 Their  clothes  and  their  tongues  agreed  together ;  and 
 both  difagree  from  the  truth.  Deceit  is  ever  lightly 
 wrapped  up  in  plaufibility  of  words;  as  fair  faces  often- 
 times hide  much  unchaftity.  But  this  guile  fped  the 
 better,  becaufe  it  was  clatl  with  much  plainnefs :  for 
 who  would  have  fufpected,  that  clouted  (hoes  and 
 ragged  coats  could  have  covered  fo  much  fubtilty  ? 
 The  cafe  feemed  fo  clear,  that  the  Ifraelites  thought 
 it  needlefs  to  confult  with  the  mouth  of  the  Lord. 
 Their  own  eyes  and  ears  were  called  only  to  counfel ; 
 and  now  their  credulity  hath  drawn  them  into  incon- 
 venience. 
 
 There  is  no  way  to  convince  the  Gibeonitijh  pre- 
 tences of  antiquity,  but  to  have  recourfe  to  the  oracle 
 of  God.  Had  this  been  advifed  with,  none  of  thefe 
 falfe  rags  had  mamed  the  church  of  God.  Whether 
 in  our  praclice  or  judgment,  this  direction  cannot  fail 
 us ;  whereas  what  we  take  upon  the  words  of  men 
 proves  ever  either  light  or  falfe  wares. 
 
 The  facility  of  Ifrael  had  led  them  into  a  league, 
 to  an  oath,  for  the  fafety  of  the  Gibeonites:  and  now, 
 within  three  days,  they  find  both  their  neighbourhood 
 and  deceit.  Thofe  old  ihces  of  theirs  would  eafily 
 hold  to  carry  them  back  to  their  home.  The  march 
 of  a  great  army  is  eafy;  yet  within  three  days  the  If- 
 raelites were  before  their  cities.  Jofima  might  now 
 have  taken  advantage  of  their  own  words,  to  diffolve 
 his  league,  and  have  faid,  Ye  are  come  from  a  far 
 country,  thefe  cities  are  near  :  tliefe  are  not  there- 
 fore the  people  to  whom  we  are  engaged  by  our  pro- 
 mife  and  oath  :  and  if  thefe  cities  be  yours,  yet  ye 
 are  not  yourfelves.  Ere  while  we  were  llrangers, 
 now  ye  are  Hivites  born,  and  dwelling  in  the  midfl 
 
 of 
 
BOOK  VIII.     Contem.  v.  2^7 
 
 of  Canaan ;  we  will  therefore  deftroy  thefe  cities  near 
 hand,  and  do  you  fave  your  people  afar  ofF.  It  wo^uld 
 feem  very  questionable,  whether  JofJma  needed  to 
 hold  himfelf  bound  to  this  oath  ;  for  fraudulent  con- 
 ventions oblige  not ;  and  Ifrael  had  put  jin  a  direct 
 caveat  of  their  vicinity :  yet  dare  not  Jofnta  and  the 
 princes  trull  to  (hifts,  for  the  eluding  their  oath,  but 
 mufl  faithfully  perform  what  they  have  rafhly  pro- 
 mifed. 
 
 JofJiua's  heart  was  clear  from  any  intention  of  a 
 league  with  a  Canaanite^  when  he  gave  his   oath  to 
 thefe  difguifed  hYangers :  yet  he  durft  neither  repeal 
 it  himfelf,  neither  do  I  hear  him  fue  to  Eleazar  the 
 high  prieft  to  difpenfe  with  it,  but  takes  himfelf  tied 
 to  the  very  Uriel:  words  of  his  oath,  not  to  his   own 
 purpofe.     His  tongue  had  bound  his  heart  and  hands, 
 fo  as  neither  might  ftir ;  left,  while  he  was  curious  of 
 fulfilling  the  will  of  God,  he  mould  violate  the  oath 
 of  God.     And  if  the  Gibeonttes  had  not  kn#wn  thefe 
 holy  bonds  indiffoluble,  they  neither  had  been  fo  im- 
 portunate to  obtain  their  vow,  nor  durft  they  have 
 trufted  it,  being  obtained.     If  either  difpenfation  with 
 oaths,  or  equivocation  in  oaths,  had  been  known  in 
 the  world,  or  at  leaft  approved,  thefe  Gibeonites  had 
 not  lived,  and  Ifrael  had  fiain  them  without  fin.     Ei- 
 ther Ifrael  wanted  fkill,  or  our  refervers  honefty. 
 
 The  multitude  of  Ifrael^  when  they  came  to  the 
 walls  of  thefe  four  exempted  cities,  itched  to  be  at 
 the  fpoil.  Not  out  of  a  defire  to  fulfil  God's  com- 
 mandment, but  to  enrich  themfelves,  would  they  have 
 fallen  upon  thefe  Hhiies :  they  thought  all  loft  that 
 fell  befides  their  fingers.  The  wealthy  city  of  Jeri- 
 cho was  firil  altogether  interdicted  them  ;  the  walls 
 and  houfes  either  fell,  or  muft  be  burnt,  the  men  and 
 cattle  killed,  the  goods  and  treafure  conilfcate  to  God. 
 Achan's  booty  (hews,  that  city  was  both  rich  and 
 proud  ;  yet  Ifrael  might  be  no  whit  the  better  for 
 
 L  1  2  them  3 
 
268         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 them,  carrying  away  nothing  but  empty  viclory :  and 
 now  four  other  cities  mufh  be  exempted  from  their 
 pillage.     Many  an  envious  look  did  Ifrael  therefore 
 caft  upon  thefe  walls  ;  and  many  bitter  words  did  they 
 can:  out  againft  their  princes,   the  enemies  of  their 
 gain,  whether  for  fwearing,  or  for  that  they  would 
 not  forfwear.  But,  howfoever,  the  princes  might  have 
 faid,  in  a  return  to  their  fraud,  We  fwofe  indeed  to 
 you,  but  not  the  people  ;  yet,  if  any  Ifraelite  had 
 but  pulled  down  one  ftone  from  their  walls,  or  {lied 
 one  drop  of  Gibeonitijh  blood,  he  had  no  lefs  plagued 
 all  Ifrael  for  perjury,  than  Achan  had  before  plagued 
 them  for  facrilege.    The  fequel  (hews  how  God  would 
 have  taken  it  \  for  when  three  hundred  years  after, 
 Saul  (perhaps  forgetting  the  vow  of  his  forefathers) 
 flew  fome  of  thefe  Gibeonites,  although  out  of  a  well- 
 meant  zeal,  all  Ifrael  fmarted  for  the  fact,  with  a 
 three  years  famine,  and  that  in  David's  reign,  who 
 received  this  oracle  from  God ;  It  is  for  Saul,  and 
 for  his  bloody  houfe,    becaufe    he  flew  the    Gibeon- 
 ites.     Neither  could  this  wrong  be   expiated,  but  by 
 the  blood  of  Saul's  feven  fons  hanged  up  at  the 
 very  court-gates  of  their  father. 
 
 jfofbua  and  the  princes  had  promifed  them  life,  they 
 promifed  them  not  liberty  :  no  covenant  was  pad  a- 
 gainft  their  fervitude.  It  was  juft  therefore  with  the 
 rulers  of  Ifrael,  to  make  flavery  the  price  both  of 
 their   lives,    and   their   deceit.      The  Ifraelites  had 
 themfelves  been  drudges,  if  the  Gibeonites  had  not 
 beguiled  them,  and  lived.     The  old  rags  therefore, 
 Wherewith  they  came  difguifed,  muft  now  be  their 
 be(l  fuits,  and  their  life  mud  be  toilfomely  fpent  in 
 hewing  of  wood,  and  drawing  of  water  for  all  Ifrael. 
 How  dear  is  life  to  our  nature,  that  men  can  be  con- 
 tent to  purchafe  it  with  fervitude  !  It  is  the  wifdom  of 
 God's  children  to  make  good  ufe  of  their  overfights. 
 The  rafh  oath  of  Ifrael  proves  their  advantage.    Even 
 
 wicked 
 
B  O  O  K  IX.     C  o  n  t  e  m.  i.  269 
 
 wicked  men   gain   by   the  outfide  of  good  anions: 
 rood  men  make  a  benefit  of  their  fins. 
 
 BOOK    NINTH. 
 
 C  o  jsT  t  e  m.  i .     The  refcue  of  Gibeon. 
 
 THE  life  of  the  Gibeonites  rauft  coft  them  fer- 
 vitude  from  Ifrae!,  and  dangers  from  their 
 neighbours.  If  floflnca  will  but  fit  ftill,  the 
 deceit  of  the  Gibeonites  mail  be  revenged  by  his  ene- 
 mies. Five  kings  are  up  in  arms  againfl  them,  and 
 are  ready  to  pay  their  fraud  with  violence.  What 
 fhould  thefe  poor  men  do  ?  If  they  make  not  their 
 peace,  they  die  by  ftrangers ;  if  they  do  make  their 
 peace  with  foreigners,  they  mud  die  by  neighbours. 
 There  is  no  courfe  that  threatens  not  fome  danger. 
 We  have  fped  well,  if  our  choice  hath  light  upon  the 
 eafieft  inconvenience. 
 
 If  thefe  Hivites  have  finned  againfl  God,  againfl  If- 
 rael ;  yet  what  have  they  done  to  their  neighbours  ?  I 
 hear  of  no  treachery,  no  fecret  information,  no  attempt. 
 I  fee  no  fin  but  their  league  with  Ifrael,  and  their  life  ; 
 yet,  for  ought  we  find,  they  were  free  men,  noway  ei- 
 ther obliged  or  obnoxious.  As  Satan,  fo  wicked  men 
 cannot  abide  to  lofe  any  of  their  community.  If  a 
 convert  come  home,  the  angels  welcome  him  with 
 fongs,  the  devils  follow  him  with  uproar  and  fury, 
 his  old  partners  with  fcorns  and  obloquy. 
 
 I  find  thefe  neighbour  princes  half  dead  with  fear, 
 and  yet  they  can  find  time  to  be  fick  of  envy.  Malice 
 in  a  wicked  heart,  t is  the  king  of  paflions  :  all  other 
 vail  and  bow  when  it  comes  in  place.  Even  their  own 
 life  was  not  fo  dear  to  them  as  revenge.  Who  would 
 not  rather  have  looked,  that  thefe  kings  mould  have 
 tried  to  have  followed  the  copy  of  this  league  ?  Or, 
 if  their  fingers  did  itch  to  fight,  why  did  they  not  ra- 
 ther 
 
270         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ther  think  of  a  defenfive  war  againft  ffrael,  than  an 
 oiFenfive  againft  the  Gibeonites^f  Gibecn  was  ftrong, 
 and  would  not  be  won  without  blood;  yet  thcfc 
 Amorites,  which,  at  their  bell,  were  too  weak  for 
 Ifrael9  would  fpend  their  forces  before-hand  on 
 their  neighbours.  Here  was  a  ftrong  hatred  in  weak 
 breads  ;  they  feared,  and  yet  began  to  fight ;  they 
 feared  Ifrael,  yet  began  to  fight  with  Gibeon.  If 
 they  had  fat  ftill,  their  deftruclion  had  not  been  fo 
 fudden.  The  malice  of  the  wicked  haftens  the  pace 
 of  their  own  judgment.  No  rod  is  fo  fit  for  a  mifchie- 
 vous  man  as  his  own. 
 
 Gibeon,  and  thefe  other  cities  of  the  Hivites,  had 
 no  king ;  and  none  yielded  and  efcaped  but  they. 
 Their  elders  confulted  before  for  their  league  ;  nei- 
 ther is  there  any  challenge  fent  to  the  king,  but  to 
 the  city.  And  now  thefe  five  kings  of  the  Amorites 
 have  unjuftly  compacted  againft  them.  Sovereignty 
 abufed  is  a  great  fpur  to  courage.  The  conceit  of  au- 
 thority, in  great  perfons,  many  times  lies  in  the  way 
 of  their  own  fafety,  whiles  it  will  not  let  them  ftoop 
 to  the  ordinary  courfes  of  inferiors.  Hence  it  is,  that 
 heaven  is  peopled  with  fo  few  great  ones.  Hence  it 
 is,  that  true  contentment  feldom  dwells  high,  whiles 
 meaner  men  of  humble  fpirits  enjoy  both  earth  and 
 heaven. 
 
 The  Gibeonites  had  well  proved,  that  .though  they 
 wanted  an  head,  yet  they  wanted  not  wit ;  and  now 
 the  fame  wit  that  won  jfqfbua  and  Ifrael  to  their 
 friendfhip  and  protection,  teacheth  them  to  make  ufe 
 of  thofe  they  had  won.  If  they  had  not  more  trufted 
 ^ojlma  than  their  walls,  they  had  never  ftollen  that 
 league  ;  and  when  fhould  they  have  ufe  of  their  new 
 protectors,  but  now  that  they  were  aflailed  ?  Whither 
 fhould  we  fly,  but  to  our  ^ojlma^  when  the  powers 
 of  darknefs,  like  mighty  Amcrites,  have  befieged  us? 
 If  ever  we  will  fend  up  our  prayers  to  him,  it  will 
 
 be 
 
BOOK  IX.     Con t em.  i.  271 
 
 be  when  we  are  beleaguered  with  evils.  If  we  truft 
 to  our  own  refiftance,  we  cannot  ftand ;  we  cannot 
 mifcarry,  if  we  truft  to  his.  In  vain  fliall  we  fend  to 
 our  Jojhua  in  thefe  ftraits,  if  we  have  not  before 
 come  to  him  in  our  freedom. 
 
 Which  of  us  would  not  have  thought  Jojhua  had  a 
 good  pretence  for  his  forbearance,  and  have  faid, 
 You  have  ftollen  your  league  with  me ;  why  do  you 
 expect  help  from  him  whom  ye  have  deceived  ?  All 
 that  we  promifed  you  was  a  fuiferance  to  live.  En- 
 joy what  we  promifed,  we  will  not  take  your  life 
 from  you.  Hath  your  faithfulnefs  deferved  to  ex- 
 pect more  than  our  covenant  ?  We  netfer  promifed  to 
 hazard  our  lives  for  you,  to  give  you  life  with  the  lofs 
 of  our  own.  But  that  good  man  durft  not  conftrue 
 his  own  covenant  to  fuch  an  advantage.  He  knew 
 little  difference  betwixt  killing  them  with  his  own 
 fword,  and  the  fword  of  an  Amoriie :  whofoever 
 fhould  give  the  blow,  the  murder  would  be  his.  Even 
 permiffion,  in  thofe  things  we  may  remedy,  makes  us 
 no  lefs  actors,  than  confent.  Some  men  kill  as  much 
 by  looking  on,  as  others  by  fmiting.  We  are  guilty 
 of  all  the  evil  we  might  have  hindered. 
 
 The  noble  difpofition  of  Jojhua,  befides  his  engage- 
 ment, will  not  let  him  forfake  his  new  vaffals :  their 
 confidence  in  him  is  argument  enough  to  draw  him 
 into  the  field.  The  greateft  obligation  to  a  good  mind 
 is  another's  truft ;  which  to  difappoint,  were  merci- 
 lefsly  perfidious.  Flow  much  lefs  ihall  our  true  Jo- 
 jhua fail  the  confidence  of  our  faith !  O  my  Saviour, 
 if  we  fend  the  meffengers  of  our  prayers  to  thee  into 
 thy  Gilgaly  thy  mercy  binds  thee  to  relief.  Never 
 any  foul  mifcarried  that  truft ed  thee.  We  may  be 
 wanting  in  our  truft,  our  truft  can  never  want  fuc- 
 cefs. 
 
 Speed  in  beftowing,  doubles  a  gift ;  a  benefit  de-» 
 ferred,  lofes   the   thanks,  and  proves   unprofitable. 
 
 Jojhua 
 
272         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 JoJIma  marches  all  night,  and  fights  all  day  for  the 
 Gibeonites.  They  took  not  fo  much  pains  in  coming 
 to  deceive  him,  as  he  in  going  to  deliver  them.  It 
 is  the  nobleit  victory  to  overcome  evil  with  good.  If 
 his  very  Ifraelites  had  been  in  danger,  he  could  have 
 done  no  more.  God,  and  his  %q/bua,  make  no  dif- 
 ference betwixt  Gibeonites  Ifraelited,  and  his  own 
 natural  people.  All  are  Ifraelites  whom  he  hath  taken 
 to  league.  We,  ftrangers  of  the  Gentiles,  are  now 
 the  true  foivs.  God  never  did  more  for  the  natural 
 olive,  than  for  that  wild  imp  which  he  had  graffed 
 in.  And  as  thefe  Hivites  could  never  be  thankful 
 enough  to  fuch  a  Jofhua,  no  more  can  we  to  fo  gra- 
 cious a  Redeemer,  who,  forgetting  our  unworthinefs, 
 defcended  to  our  Gibeon,  and  refcued  us  from  the 
 powTers  of  hell  and  death. 
 
 Jofhua  fought,  but  God  difcomfited  the  Amorites. 
 The  praife  is  to  the  workman,  not  to  the  inftrument. 
 Neither  did  God  flay  them  only  with  ftfjua's  fword, 
 but  with  his  own  hail-itones ;  that  now  the  Amorites 
 may  fee  both  thefe  revenges  come  from  one  hand. 
 Thefe  bullets  of  God  do  not  wound,  but  kill.  It  is 
 no  wonder  that  thefe  five  kings  fly ;  they  may  focn 
 run  away  from  their  hope,  never  from  their  horror. 
 If  they  look  behind,  there  is  the  fword  of  Ifrael,  which 
 they  dare  not  turn  upon,  becaufe  God  had  taken  their 
 heart  from  them,  before  their  life :  if  they  look  up- 
 wards, there  is  the  hail-fhot  of  God  fighting  againfl 
 them  out  of  heaven,  which  they  can  neither  refift 
 nor  avoid. 
 
 If  they  had  no  enemy  but  Ifrael,  they  might  hope 
 to  run  away  from  death,  fmce  fear  is  a  better  footman 
 than  defire  of  revenge  ;  but  now,  whitherfoever  they 
 run,  heaven  will  be  about  their  heads.  And  now,  all 
 the  reafon  that  is  left  them,  in  this  confufion  of  their 
 thoughts,  is  to  v/i(h  themfelves  well  dead.  There  is 
 no  evafion,  where  God  intends  a  revenge.     We  men 
 
 hare 
 
BOOK   IX.      Contem.  i.  273 
 
 hare  devifed  to  imitate  .thefe  inftruments  of, death, 
 and  fend  forth  deadly  bullets  out  of  a  cloud  of  fmoke; 
 wherein  yet  as  there  is  much  danger,  fo  much  un- 
 certainty ;  but  this  God,  that  difcharges  his  ordnance 
 from  heaven,  directs  every  mot  to  an  head,  and  can 
 as  eafily  kill  as  moot.  //  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  in- 
 to the  bands  of  the  living  God,  He  hath  more  ways 
 of  vengeance  than  he  hath  creatures.  The  fame  hea- 
 ven that  fent  forth  water  to  the  old  world,  tire  to  the 
 Sodomites,  lightning  and  thunder-bolts  to  the  Egypti- 
 ans, fends  out  hail-flones  to  the  Amorites.  It  is  a 
 good  care  how  we  may  not  anger  God ;  it  is  a  vain 
 fludy  how  we  may  fly  from  his  judgments,  when  we 
 have  angered  him  ;  if  we  could  run  out  of  the  world, 
 even  there  (hall  we  find  his  revenges  far  greater. 
 
 Was  it  not  miracle  enough  that  God  did  brain  their 
 adverfaries  from  heaven,'  but  that  the  fun  and  moon 
 mud  Hand  flill  in  heaven !  It  is  not  enough  that  the 
 Amorites  fly,  but  that  the  greatefl  planets  of  heaven 
 mufl  flay  their  own  courfe,  to  witnefs  and  wonder  at 
 the  difcomfiture.  For  him,  which  gave  them  both 
 being  and  motion,  to  bid  them  fland  flill,  it  feems  no 
 difficulty,  although  the  rarenefs  would  deferve  admi- 
 ration ;  but  for  a  man  to  command  the  chief  flars  of 
 heaven,  (by  whofe  influence  he  liveth),  as  the  centu- 
 rion would  do  his  fervant,  (Sun,  flay  in  Gibeon,  and 
 moon,  iland  flill  in  Ajalon),  it  is  more  than  a  wonder. 
 It  was  not  %ofbua,  but  his  faith  that  did  this ;  not  by 
 way  of  precept,  but  of  prayer  :  if  I  may  not  fay,  that 
 the  requefl  of  a  faithful  man,  as  we  fay  of  the  great, 
 commands.  God's  glory  was  that  which  %ofbua  aim- 
 ed at:  he  knew  that  all  the  world  mufl  needs  be  wii- 
 neffes  of  that,  which  the  eye  of  the  world  flood  flill 
 to  fee.  Had  he  refpe&ed  but  the  flaughter  of  the  J- 
 morites,  he  knew  the  hail-flones  could  do  that  alone ; 
 the  fun  needed  not  fland  flill  to  direct  that  cloud  to 
 perfecute  them :  but  the  glory  of  the  flaughter  was 
 
 Vol.  I.  Mm  fought 
 
274         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fought  by  ^ojhua^  that  he  might  fend  that  up,  whence 
 thofe  hail-ftones  and  that  victory  came.  Ail  the  earth 
 might  fee  the  fun  and  moon,  all  could  not  fee  the 
 cloud  of  hail,  which,  becaufe  of  that  heavy  burden, 
 flew  but  low.  That  all  nations  might  know  the  fame 
 hand  commands  both  in  earth,  in  the  clouds,  in  hea- 
 ven, Jdjhua  now  prays,  That  he,  which  dishearten- 
 ed his  enemies  upon  earth,  and  fmote  them  from  the 
 cloud,  would  flay  the  fun  and  moon  in  heaven.  God 
 never  got  himfelf  fo  much  honour  by  one  day's  work 
 amongfl  the  Heathen  ;  and  when  was  it  more  fit  than 
 now,  when  five  heathen  kings  are  joined  againfl  him? 
 The  fun  and  the  moon  Were  the  ordinary  gods  of 
 the  world ;  and  who  would  not  but  think,  that  their 
 Handing  ftill,  but  one  hour,  fliould  be  the  ruin  of  na- 
 ture ?  And  now  all  nations  fliall  well  fee,  that  there  is 
 an  higher  than  their  highefl ;  that  their  gods  are  but 
 fervants  to  the  God  whom  themfelves  fhould  ferve ; 
 at  whofe  pleafure  both  they  and  nature  fliall  Hand  at 
 once.  If  that  God,  which  meant  to  work  this  miracle, 
 had  not  raifed  up  his  thoughts  to  deiire  it,  it  had  been 
 a  blameable  prefumption,  which  is  now  a  faith  worthy 
 of  admiration.  To  defire  a  miracle  without  caufey  is 
 a  tempting  of  God.  O  powerful  God  that  can  effect 
 this  !  O  power  of  faith  that  can  obtain  it !  What  is 
 there  that  God  cannot  do  ?  and  what  is  there  which 
 God  can  do,  that  faith  cannot  do  ? 
 
 Contem.  ii.     The  altar  of  the  ReubeKites. 
 
 T3  Eu  b  e  n  and  Gad  were  the  firfl  that  had  an  inhe- 
 -"•  ritance  affigned  them,  yet  they  mud  enjoy  it  lad. 
 So  it  oft  falls  out  in  the  heavenly  Canaan^  the  firfl  in 
 title  are  lafl  in  poffefhon.  They  had  their  lot  affigned 
 them  beyond  Jordan  ;  which,  though  it  were  allotted 
 them  in  peace,  mufl  be  purchafed  with  their  war : 
 that  mufl  be  done  for  their  brethren,  which  needed 
 
 not 
 
BOOK  IX.     Contem.it.  275 
 
 not  be  done  for  themfelves.  They  mufl  yet  ftill  fight, 
 and  fight  forcmoit,  that,  as  they  had  the  firfl  patri- 
 mony, they  might  endure  the  firfl:  encounter.  I  do 
 not  hear  them  lay,  This  is  our  (hare,  Jet  us  lit  down 
 and  enjoy  it  quietly,  fight  who  will  for  the  reft  :  but, 
 when  th  *y  knew  their  own  portion,  they  leave  wives 
 and  children  to  take  pofTelTion,  and  march  armed  bet 
 fore  their  brethren,  till  they  had  conquered  all  Canaan. 
 Whether  fliould  we  more  commend  their  courage  or 
 their  charity  ?  Others  were  moved  to  fight  with  hope, 
 they  only  with  love  :  they  could  not  win  more,  they 
 might  lofe  themfeives  ;  yet  they  will  fight,  both  for 
 that  they  had  fomething,  and  that  their  brethren 
 might  have.  Thankfulnefs  and  love  can  do  more 
 with  God's  children,  than  defire  to  merit,  or  neceffity. 
 Np  true  ffraelite  can  (if  he  might  chufe)  abide  to  lit 
 ftill  beyond  Jordan,  when  all  his  brethren  are  in  the 
 field.  Now,  when  all  this  war  of  God  was  ended, 
 and  all  Canaan  is  both  won  and  divided,  they  return 
 to  their  own ;  yet  not  till  they  were  difmiffed  by  Jo- 
 Jhna.  All  the  fweet  attractives  of  their  private  love 
 cannot  haflen  their  pace.  If  heaven  be  never  fo  fweet 
 to  us.  yet  may  we  not  run  from  this  earthen  warfare, 
 till  our  great  Captain  fhall  pleafe  to  discharge  us.  If 
 thefe  Reubenites  had  departed  fooner,  they  had  been 
 recalled,  if  not  as  cowards,  furely  as  fugitives  ;  now 
 they  are  fent  back  with  victory  and  bleffing.  How 
 fafe  and  happy  it  is  to  attend  both  the  call  and  the 
 difpatch  of  God ! 
 
 Being  returned  in  peace  to  their  home,  their  firfl 
 care  is  not  for  trophies,  nor  for  houfes,  but  for  an  al- 
 tar to  God  ;  an  altar,  not  for  facrifice,  which  had 
 been  abominable,  but  for  a  memorial  what  God  they 
 ferved.  The  firil  care  of  true  Ifraetltes  muft  be  the 
 (afety  of  religion.  The  world,  as  it  is  inferior  in  worth, 
 fo  muft  it  be  in  reflect.  He  never  knew  God  aright, 
 $iat  can  abide  any  competition  with  his  Maker. 
 
 M  m  2  Jb$ 
 
276         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 The  reft  of  the  tribes  no  fooner  hear  news  of  their 
 new  altar,  but  they  gather  to  Shilob  to  fight  againft. 
 thenu  They  had  fcarce  breathing  from  the  Canaani- 
 tijb  war,  and  now  they  will  go  fight  with  their  bre- 
 thren :  if  their  brethren  will,  as  they  fufpe&ed,  turn 
 idolaters,  they  cannot  hold  them  any  other  than  Ca- 
 naanites.  The  Reubenites  and  their  fellows  had  new- 
 ly fettled  the  reft  of  Ifrael  in  their  pofifeffons ;  and 
 now,  ere  they  can  be  warm  in  their  feats,  Ifrael  is  up 
 in  arms  to  thruil  them  out  of  their  own.  The  hatred 
 of  their  fufpecled  idolatry  makes  them  forget  either 
 their  blGod,  or  their  benefits.  Ifrael  fays,  Thefe  men 
 were  the  .firft  in  our  battles,  and  {hall  be  the  firft  in 
 cur  revenge ;  they  fought  well  for  us,  we  will  try  how 
 they  can  fight  for  themfelves.  What  if  they  were  our 
 champions  ?  their  revolt  from  God  hath  loft  them 
 the  thank  of  their  former  labours ;  their  idolatry  {hall 
 make  them,  of  brethren,  adverfaries ;  their  own  blood 
 ihall-  give  handfel  to  their  new  altar.  O  noble  and 
 religious  zeal  of  Ifrael !  Who  would  think  thefe  men 
 the  fons  of  them  that  danced  about  the  molten  calf? 
 that  confccrated  an  altar  to  that  idol  ?  Now  they  are 
 ready  to  die  or  kill,  rather  than  endure  an  altar  with- 
 out an  idol.  Every  overture,  in  matter  of  religion,  is 
 worthy  of  fufpicion,  worthy  of  our  fpeedy  Gppofition. 
 God  looks  for  an  early  redrefs  of  the  firft  beginnings 
 of  impiety.  As  in  treafons  or  mutinies,  wife  ftatef- 
 men  find  it  fafeft  to  kill  the  ferpent  in  the  eg? ;  fo,  in 
 motions  of  fpiritual  alterations,  one  fpoonrul  of  water 
 '  will  quench  that  fire  at  firft,  which  afterwards  whole 
 buckets  cannot  abate. 
 
 Yet  do  not  thefe  zealous  Ifraeutes  run  raflily  and 
 furioufly  upon  their  brethren,  nor  fay,  Wha.t  need  we 
 expoftulate?  the  facT:  is  clear:  what  care  we  for  words, 
 when  we  fee  their  altar  ?  What  can  this  mean,  but 
 either  fervice  to  a  falfe  god,  or  divifion  in  the  ferviee 
 of  the  true?  There  can  be  no  excufe  for  fo  manifeft  a 
 *  crime . 
 
B  O  O  K  IX.     Conte  m.  ii.  277 
 
 .crime" :  why  do  we  not  rather  think  of  puni{hment 
 than  iatisfacbon  ?  But  they  fend  ere  they  go,  and 
 confuit  ere  they  execute.  Phineas  the  Ion  of  JLleazar 
 the  prieil,  and  ten  princes,  for  every  tribe  one,  are 
 addrelled  bo.h  to  enquire  and  diiTuade  ;  to  enquire  of 
 the  purpofe  or  the  rac"t,  to  difluade  from  that  which 
 they  imagined  was  purpoied.  \V  ifdom  is-  a  good  guide 
 to  zeal,  and  only  can  keep  it  from  running  out  into 
 fury.  If  dilcrction  do  not  hold  in  the  reins,  good 
 intentions  will  both  break  their  own  necks,  and  the 
 riders :  yea,  which  is  itrange,  without  this,  the  zeal 
 of  God  may  lead  us  from  God. 
 
 Is'ot  only  wifdom,  but  charity  moved  them  to  this 
 rneirage.  For,  grant  they  had  been  guilty,  mull  they 
 periih  unwarned  ?  Peaceable  means  muft  halt  be  uied 
 to  recal  them,  ere  violence  be  fent  to  perfecute  them. 
 The  old  rule  of  Ifrael  hath  been,  {till  to  inquire  of 
 Abel,  Nq  good  ihepherd  fends  his  dog  to  pull  out 
 the  throat  of  his  iirayed  iheep,  but  rather  fetches  it 
 on  his  flioulders  to  the  fold.  Sudden  cruelty  ftands 
 not  with  religion.  He  which  wall  not  himfelf  break 
 the  bruifed  reed,  how  will  he  allow  us  either  to  bruife 
 the  whole,  or  to  break  the  bruiied,  or  to  burn  the 
 broken  ! 
 
 Neither  yet  was  here  more  charity  in  fending,  than 
 uncharitablenefs  in  the  mifconftrudtion.  They  begin 
 wah  a  challenge,  and  charge  their  brethren  deeply 
 with  tranfgreffon,  apoftafy,  rebellion.  I  know  not 
 howT  two  contrary  qualities  fall  into  love ;  it  is  not  na- 
 turally fufpicious,  and  yet  many  times  fqggefls  jealous 
 fears  of  thofe  we  aJect\  If  thefe  Ifraelites  had  not 
 loved  their  brethren,  they  would  never  have  fent  fo 
 far  to  reflrain  them  ;  they  had  never  offered  them 
 part  of  their  own  patrimony :  if  they  had  not  been 
 excefhvely  jealous,  they  had  not  cenfured  a  doubtful 
 acaion  fo  lharply.  They  met  at  Sbiloh,  where  the 
 pbernacle  was )  but  if  they  had  confulted  with  the 
 
 ark 
 
278        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ark  of  God,  they  had  faved  both  this  labour,  and  this 
 challenge.  This  cafe  feemed  fo  plain,  that  they 
 thought  advice  needlefs:  their  inconfideratenefs  there- 
 fore brands  their  brethren  with  crimes  whereof  they 
 were  innocent,  and  makes  themfelves  the  only  of^ 
 fenders.  In  cafes  which  are  doubtful  and  uncertain, 
 it  is  fafe  either  to  fufpend  the  judgment,  or  to  pafs  it 
 in  favour  ;  otherways,  a  plain  breach  of  charity  in 
 us  {hall  be  worfe  than  a  queilionable  breach  of  juflice 
 in  another. 
 
 Yet  this  little  gleam  of  their  uncharitable  love  be- 
 gan at  themfelves ;  if  they  had  not  feared  their  own 
 judgments  in  the  offence  of  Reuben,  I  know  not  whe- 
 ther they  had  been  fo  vehement.  The  fearful  re- 
 venges of  their  brethrens  fin  are  flill  in  their  eye.  The 
 wickednefs  of  Peor  ftretched  not  fo  far  as  the  plague. 
 Ac  ban  finned,  and  Jfrael  was  beaten  ;  therefore,  by 
 juft  induction,  they  argue,  Ye  rebel  to-day  againft  the 
 Lord ;  to-morrow  will  the  Lord  be  wroth  with  all  the 
 congregation.  They  Hill  tremble  at  the  vengeance 
 paifed  ;  and  find  it  time  to  prevent  their  own  pu- 
 nilhment,  in  punifhing  their  brethren.  God's  pro- 
 ceedings have  then  their  right  ufe,  when  they  are 
 both  carefully  remembered,  and  made  patterns  of 
 what  he  may  do. 
 
 Had  thefe  Reubenites  been  as  hot  in  their  anfwer, 
 as  the  Israelites  were  in  their  charge,  here  had  grown 
 a  bloody  war  out  of  mifprifion  :  but  now  their  anfwer 
 is  mild  and  moderate,  and  fuch  as  well  fhewed,  that 
 though  they  were  further  from  the  ark,  yet  no  lefs 
 near  to  God.  They  thought  in  themfelves,  This  act 
 of  ours,  though  it  were  well  meant  by  us,  yet  might 
 well  be,  by  interpretation,  fcandalous;  it  is  reafon  our. 
 mildnefs  fhould  give  fatisfaction  for  that  offence  which 
 we  have  not  prevented.  Hereupon  their  anfwer  was 
 as  pleafing,  as  their  act:  was  dangerous.  Even  in  thofe  ■ 
 actions  whereby  an  offence  may  be  occafioned,  though 
 
 m 
 
BOOK  IX,     Contem  II*  379 
 
 not  given,  charity  binds  us  to  clear  both  our  own 
 name,  and  the  confcience  of  others. 
 
 Little  did  the  Ifraelites  look  for  fo  good  a  ground 
 of  an  action  fo  fufpicious ;  an  altar  without  a  facrihce ; 
 an  altar  and  no  tabernacle ;  an  altar  without  a  precept, 
 and  yet  not  againil  God.  It  is  not  fafe  to  meaiure 
 all  metis  actions  by  our  own  conceit,  but  rather  to 
 think  there  may  be  a  further  drift  and  warrant  of  their 
 act,  than  we  can  attain  to  fee. 
 
 By  that  time  the  Reubenites  have  commented  up- 
 on their  own  work,  it  appears  as  juitlfiable,  as  before 
 offenfive.  What  wifdom  and  religion  is  found  in  that 
 altar,  which  before  (hewed  nothing  but  idolatry ! 
 This  difcourie  of  theirs  is  full  both  of  reafon  and  piety  ; 
 we  are  fevered  by  the  river  Jordan  from  the  other 
 tribes,  perhaps  hereafter  our  choice  may  exclude  us 
 from  IfraeL  Pofterity  may  peradventure  fay,  Jor- 
 dan is  the  bounds  of  all  natural  Ifraelites ,  the  ftreams 
 ^whereof  never  gave  way  to  thofe  beyond  the  river  : 
 if  they  had  been  ours,  either  in  blood  or  religion, 
 they  would  not  have  been  fequeftered  in  habitation. 
 Doubtlefs  therefore  thefe  men  are  the  offspring  of 
 fome  fir  angers,  which,  by  vicinity  of  abode,  have  got- 
 ten fome  tincture  of  our  language,  manners,  religion ; 
 what  have  wre  to  do  with  them,  what  have  they  to 
 do  with  the  tabernacle  of  God  ?  Since  therefore  we 
 may  not  either  remove  God's  altar  to  us,  or  remove 
 bur  patrimony  to  the  altar,  the  pattern  of  the  altar  fhall 
 go  with  us  not  for  facrifice,  but  for  memorial,  that 
 both  the  poflerity  of  the  other  Ifraelites  may  know, 
 we  are  no  lefs  derived  from  them,  than  this  altar  from 
 theirs ;  and  that  our  pofterity  may  know,  they  pertain 
 to  that  altar  whereof  this  is  the  refemblance.  There 
 was  no  danger  of  the  prefent ;  but  pofterity  might  both 
 offer  and  receive  prejudice,  if  this  monument  were 
 not.  It  is  a  wife  and  holy  care  to  prevent  the  dan- 
 gers 
 
2§o        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 gers  of  enfuing  time?,  and  to  fettle  religion  upon  the 
 fucceeding  generations.  As  we  a€e&  to  leave  a  per- 
 petuity of  our  bodily  iffue,  fo  much  more  to  traduce 
 piety  with  them.  Do  we  not  fee  good  hufbands  fet 
 and  plant  thofe  trees  whereof  their  grand-children 
 mall  receive  the  firft-fruit  and  made  ?  Why  are  we  lefs 
 thrifty  in  leaving  true  religion  intire  to  our  chiidrens 
 children  ? 
 
 Contem.  nr.     Ehud  ^Eglon. 
 
 A  S  every  man  is  guilty  of  his  own  forrow,  thefe 
 -*"*■  Ifraeliies  bred  mifchief  to  themfelves.  It  was 
 their  mercy  that  plagued  them  with  thofe  Gqhaanites* 
 which  their  obedience  mould  have  rooted  out.  If 
 foolifh  pity  be  a  more  humane  fin,  yet  it  is  no  lefs 
 dangerous  than  cruelty.  Cruelty  kills  others,  unjull 
 pity  kills  ourfelves.  They  had  been  lords  alone  of 
 the  promifed  land,  if  their  commiferation  had  not  o- 
 verfwayed  their  jullice  ;  and  now  their  enemies  are 
 too  cruel  to  them,  in  the  juft  revenge  of  God,  becaufe 
 they  wen  too  merciful.  That  God,  which  in  his  re- 
 vealed will  had  commanded  ail  the  Canaanites  to  the 
 {laughter,  yet  fecretly  gives  over  Ifrael  to  a  tolera- 
 tion of  fome  Canaanites i  for  their  own  punifhment. 
 He  hath  bidden  us  cleanfe  our  hearts  of  all  our  cor- 
 ruptions ;  yet  he  will  permit  fome  of  thefe  thorns  ftill 
 in  our  fides,  for  exercife,  for  humiliation.  If  we 
 could  lay  violent  hands  upon  our  fins,  our  fouls  fhould 
 have  peace ;  now  our  indulgence  coils  us  many  flripes, 
 and  many  tears.  What  a  continued  circle  is  here  of 
 fins,  judgments,  repentance,  deliverances?  The  con- 
 verfation  with  idolaters  taints  them  with  fin,  their  fin 
 draws  on  judgment,  the  fmart  of  the  judgment  moves 
 them  to  repentance,  upon  their  repentance  follows 
 fpeedy  deliverance,  upon  their  peace  and  deliverance 
 they  fin  again. 
 
 Othniel, 
 
BOOK    IX.     Contem.    III.  281 
 
 QthnieJ,  Calebh  nephew,  had  refcued  them  from 
 idolatry  and  fervitude ;  his  life,  and  their  innocence 
 and  peace,  ended  together.  How  powerful  the  pre- 
 fence  of  one  good  man  is  in  a.  church  or  Hate,  is  beft 
 found  in  his  lofs. 
 
 A  man  that  is  at  once  eminent  in  place  and  good- 
 nefs,  is  like  a  {lake  in  a  hedge ;  pull  that  up,  and  all 
 the  reft  are  but  loofe  and  rotten  flicks  eaiily  remo- 
 ved :  or  like  the  pillar  of  a  vaulted  roof,  which  either 
 fupports  or  ruins  the  building.  Yvho  would  not 
 think  idolatry  an  abfurd  and  unnatural  thins  •  which 
 as  it  hath  the  fewefr.  inducements,  fo  had  alfo  the  mod. 
 direct,  inhibitions  from  God:  and  yet,  after  all  thefe 
 warnings,  Ifrael  falls  into  it  again.  Neither afrlictiorv 
 nor  repentance  can  fecure  an  Ifraelite  from  redou- 
 bling the  v/orft  fin,  if  he  be  left  to  his  own  frailty.  It 
 is  no  cenfuring  of  the  truth  of  our  prefent  forrow,  by 
 the  event  of  a  foliowinp-  mifcarria.oe.  The  former 
 cries  of  Ifrael  to  God  were  unfeigned,  yet  their  pre- 
 fent wickednefs  is  abominable.  Let  him  that  thinks  he 
 fiands,  iake  heed  left  he  fall. 
 
 No  fooner  had  he  raid,  Ifrael  had  red:,  but  he  adds, 
 They  committed  wickednefs.  The  fecurity  of  any 
 people  is  the  caufe  of  their  corruption. #  Standing  wa- 
 ters foon  grew  noifome.  Whiles  they  were  exercifed 
 with  war,  how  fcrupulous  were  they  of  the  lead  in- 
 timation of  idolatry!  The  news  of  a  bare  alrar  beyond 
 Jordan  drew  them  together  for  a  revenge  :  now  they 
 are  at  peace  with  their  enemies,  they  are  at  variance 
 with  God.  It  is  both  hard  and  happy  not  to  be  the 
 wo  1  fe  with  liberty.  The  federitary  life  is  mod  fub- 
 fecl  to  difeafes. 
 
 Rather  than  Ifrael  fh  «J  want  a  fcoiirge  for  their 
 fin,  God  himielf  {hail  raife  chem 
 
 .had  no  quarrel  but  his  own  ambition  ;  but  God  m::anr, 
 by  the  ambition  of  the  one  part,  to  puniili  the  idola- 
 try of  the  other  :  his  juftice  can  1  e  fin  the  exe- 
 
 Yol.  1.  N  n  cuticcsr 
 
282         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 cutioner  of  another,  whilft  neither  fhall  look  for  any- 
 other  meafore  from  him  but  judgment.  The  evil  of 
 t.he  city  is  fo  his,  that  the  inflrument  is  not  guiltlefs. 
 Before,  God  had  ftirred  up  the  king  of  Syria  againft 
 Ifrael ;  now,  the  king  of  Moab ;  afterwards,  the  king 
 of  Canaan.  He  hath  more  variety  of  judgments, 
 than  there  can  be  offences.  If  we  have  once  mad$ 
 him  our  adverfary,  he  (hall  be  fare  to  make  us  adver- 
 faries  enough,  which  {hall  revenge  his  quarrel,  whilft 
 rhey  profecute  their  own. 
 
 Even  thofe  were  idolaters,  by  whofe  hands  God 
 plagued  the  idolatries  of  Ifrael.  In  Moab,  the  fame 
 wi'kednefs  profpers,  which  in  God's  own  people  is 
 punifhed.  The  juflice  of  the  Almighty  can  leaft  bruik 
 evil  in  his  own.  The  fame  Heathen,  which  provoked 
 Ifrael  to  fin,  fhall  fcourge  them  for  finning.  Our  very 
 profeflion  hurts  us,  if  we  be  not  innocent. 
 
 No  lefs  than  eighteen  years  did  the  rod  of  Moab 
 reft  upon  the  inheritance  of  God.  Ifrael  feems  as 
 born  to  fervitude ;  tfrey  came  from  their  bondage  in 
 the  land  of  Egypt  to  ferve  in  the  land  of  promife. 
 They  had  neglected  God,  now  they  are  neglecled  of 
 God ;  their  fins  have  made  them  fervants,  whom  the 
 choice  of  God  had  made  free,  yea  his  firfl-born. 
 Worthy  are  they  to  ferve  thofe  men,  whofe  falfe  gods 
 they  had  feryed ;  and  to  ferve  them  always  in  thral- 
 dom, whom  thev  have  once  ferved  in  idolatry.  We 
 may  not  meafure  the  continuance  of  punimment  by 
 the  time  of  the  commiffion  of  fin  ;  one  minute's  fin 
 defer  ves  a  torment  beyond  all  time, 
 
 Doubtlefs  Ifrael  was  not  fo  infenfible  of  their  own 
 mifery,  as  not  to  complain  fooner  than  the  end  of 
 eighteen  years,  The  firfl  hour  they  fighed  for  them- 
 selves, but  now  they  cried  unto  God.  The  very 
 purpofe  of  affliction  is  to  make  us  importunate.  He 
 pears  the  fecret  murmurs  of  our  grief;  yet  will 
 not  feem   to  hear  us,  till  our  cries  be  loud  and  ftrong. 
 
 Gcd 
 
BOOK  IX.  Contem.  in.  £83 
 
 God  fees  it  bed  to  let  the  penitent  dwell  for  the  time 
 under  their  forrows ;  he  fees  us  finking  all  the  while,, 
 yet  he  lets  us  alone,  till  we  be  at  the  bottom  :  and 
 when  once  we  can  fay,  Out  of  the  depths  have  1 
 cried  to  thee;  inftantly  follows,  The  Lord  heard 
 me.  A  vehement  Alitor  cannot  but  be  heard  of  God, 
 whatfoever  he  afks.  If  our  prayers  want  fuccefs, 
 they  want  heart ;  their  bleffing  is  according  to  their 
 vigour.  We  live  in  bondage  to  thefe  fpiritual  Moab- 
 itesy  our  own  corruptions.  It  difcontents  us:  but 
 where  are  our  ftrong  cries  unto  the  God  of  heavens  ? 
 where  are  our  tears?  If  we  could  paflionately  be- 
 moan ourfelves  to  him,  how  foon  fhould  we  be  iiiore 
 than  conquerors  ?  Some  good  motions  we  have  to  fenci 
 up  to  him,  but  they  faint  in  the  way.  We  may  call 
 long  enough,  if  we  cry  not  to  him. 
 
 The  fame  hand  that  raifed  up  Eglon  againfl  Ifrael, 
 raifed  up  alfo  Ehud  for  Ifrael  again  ft  Eglon.  When 
 that  tyrant  hath  revenged  God  of  his  people,  God 
 will  revenge  his  people  of  him.  It  is  no  privilege  to 
 be  an  inftrument  of  God's  vengeance  by  evil  means* 
 Though  Eglon  were  an  ufurper,  yet  had  Ehud  been. 
 a  traitor  if  God  had  not  fent  him.  It  is  only  in  the 
 power  of  him  that  makes  kings,  when  they  are  once 
 fettled,  to  depofe  them.  It  is  no  more  poiTible  for 
 our  modern  butchers  of  princes,  to  fliew  they  are  em- 
 ployed by  God,  than  to  efcape  the  revenge  of  God, 
 in  offering  to  do  this  violence,  not  being  employed. 
 What  a  flranpe  choice  doth   God   make  of  an  exe- 
 
 o 
 
 cutioner?  A  man  wanting  of  his  right-hand;  either  he 
 had  but  one  hand,  or  ufed  but  one,  and  that  the 
 worfe,  and  the  more  unready.  Who  would  not  have 
 thought  both  hands  too  little  for  fuch  a  work,  or,  if 
 either  might  have  been  fpared,  how  much  rather  the 
 .'left  ?  God  fetth  not  as  man  feeth.  It  is  the  ordi- 
 nary way  of  the  Almighty  to  make  choice  of  the 
 fculikeiiefl  means.  The  inft  rumen  ts  of  God  maft  not 
 N  n  2  be 
 
C  O  N  T  E  M  PLATIONS. 
 
 be  measured  by  their  own  power  or  aptitude,  but  by 
 the  will  of  the  agent.  Though  Ehud  had  no  hands, 
 he  that  employed  him  had  enabled  him  to  this 
 flaughter.  In  human  things;  it  is  good  to  look  to  the 
 means ;  in  divine,  to  the  worker.  No  means  are  to 
 be  contemned,  that   God  2  ;  no    means   to    be 
 
 trailed,  that  man  will  ufe  :  a. 
 
 It  is   good   to  be   fufpiciov  re  is  lead  {hew  of 
 
 r,    and  molt  appearance   of  favour.     This  left- 
 d   man   com;3   with  a  prefent   in  his  hand,  but  a 
 a  under   his  ikirt.     The  tyrant,  befides  fervice, 
 1  for  gilts  ;  and  now  receives  death  ia  his  bribe: 
 neither    God  nor  men  do  always  give  where  they  love. 
 How   oft   doth   God   give   extraordinary  illumination, 
 power  of  miracles,  befides  wealth   and  honour,  where 
 he   hates!  So  do  men   too  oft  accompany  their  curfes 
 with   prefenu;  cither   left  an   enemy   fliould  hurt  us, 
 or   that   we  may  hurt  them.     The  intention  is  the  fa- 
 in gifts,  and  not  the  fubilaace. 
 vi's  faith  fupplies  the  want  of  his  hand.     "Where 
 God  intends   fuccefs,  he   lifts   up  the  heart  with  refo- 
 ns   of  courage,   and  contempt  ct  danger.     What 
 .rent  beholder  of    this   projecl   would    not  have. 
 condemned   it,  as  unlikely  to  fpeed ;  to  fee  a  maimed 
 man   go  alone    to  a  great  king,  in  the  raidft  of  all  his 
 troops;  to  {ingle   him  out  from  all    witneffes ;    to    let 
 upon  him  with  one  hand  in  his  own  parlour,  where  his 
 courtiers   might  have  heard  the  leali  exclamation,  and 
 have  come  in,  if  not  to  the  refcue,  yet  to  the  rev. 
 Every    circumflance   is   h:\\  of  improbabilities.     Faith 
 evermore  overlooks  the  difficulties  of  the    way,    and 
 bends  her  eyes    only  to  the  certainty  of  the  end.     In 
 this  inteftine  flaughter  of  our   tyrannical  corruptions^ 
 when   we  call  our  eyes  upon  ourfelves,  we  might  well 
 H  fpair.      .-  las,    what   can   our    left-hands  do   r 
 thefe  fplrituai   wiekednefles  ?  But,  when   we    fee 
 hath    both    eomi  S    undertaken    to    p; 
 
BOOK   IX.   Contem.   in.  2S5 
 
 thefe  holy'defigns,  how  can  we  mifdoubt  the  fuceefs? 
 /  can  do  all  things  through  him  that  Jlrengthens 
 ?ne.     x 
 
 When  Ehud  had  obtained  the  convenient  fecrecy. 
 both  of  the  weapon  and  place,  now  with  a  confident 
 forehead  he  approaches  the  tyrant,  and  falutes  him 
 with  a  true  and  awful  preface  to  fo  important  an  aft, 
 /  have  a  nieffage  to  thee  from  God.  Even  EhucTs 
 poniard  was  God's  meffage  :  not  only  the  vocal  ad- 
 monitions, but  alfo  the  real  judgments  of  God,  are 
 his  errands  to  the  world.  He  fpeaks  to  us  in  rain  and 
 waters,  in  fickneffes  and  famine,  in  unfeafonable 
 times  and  inundations:  thefe  are  the  fecondary  mef- 
 fages  of  God ;  if  we  will  not  hear  the  firft,  we  mud" 
 hear  thefe  to  oar  coil. 
 
 I  cannot  but  wonder  at  the  devout  reverence  of  this 
 heathen  prince :  he  fat  in  his  chair  of  Hate ;  the  uu- 
 wieldinefs  of  his  fat  body  was  fuch,  that  he  could  not 
 rife  with  readinefs  and  eafe ;  yet  no  fooner  doth^he 
 hear  news  of  a  meffage  from  God,  but  he   rifes  up 
 
 n    his   throne,   and    reverently   attends   the   tenor 
 
 .eof.  Though  he  had  no  fuperior  to  control  him, 
 yet  he  cannot  abide  to  be  unmannerly  in  the  bufinefs 
 of  God. 
 
 This  man  was  an  idolater,  a  tyrant ;  yet  what  out- 
 ward refpefts  doth  he  give  to  the  true  God  ?  Exter- 
 nal ceremonies  of  piety,  and  compliments  of  devotion, 
 may  well  be  found  with  falihood  in  religion.  They 
 are  a  good  fhadow  of  truth  where  it  is;  but  where  it 
 is  not,  they  are  the  very  body  of  hypocrify.  He  that 
 had  rifen  up  in  arms  againft  God's  people,  and  the 
 true  worfhip  of  God,  now  rifes  up  in  reverence  to  his 
 name.  God  would  have  liked  well  to  have  had  lets 
 of  his  courtefy,  more  of  his  obedience. 
 
 He  looked  to  have  heard  the  meffage  with  his  ears, 
 and  he  feels  it  in  his  guts  ;  fo  fharp  a  meffage,  that  ic 
 pierced   the   body,  and   let  out    the  foul  through  that 
 
 un< 
 
286         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 unclean  paflage :  neither  did  it  admit  of  any  anfwef 
 but  filence  and  death.  In  that  part  had  he  offended 
 by  pampering  it,  and  making  it  his  god ;  and  now 
 •  his  bane  finds  the  fame  way  with  his  fin. 
 
 This  one  hard  and  cold  morfel,  which  he  cannot 
 digeft,  pays  for  all  thofe  gluttonous  delicates,  where- 
 of he  had  formerly  furfeited.  It  is  the  manner  of  God, 
 to  take  fearful  revenges  of  the  profeffed  enemies  of 
 his  church. 
 
 It  is  a  marvel,  that  neither  any  noife  in  his  dying, 
 nor  the  fall  of  fo  grofs  a  body,  called  in  fome  of  his 
 attendants :  but  that  God,  which  hath  intended  to 
 bring  about  any  defign,  difpofes  of  all  circumftances 
 to  his  own  purpofe.  If  Ehud  had  not  come  forth  with 
 a  calm  and  fettled  countenance,  and  fhut  the  doors  af- 
 ter him,  all  his  project  had  been  in  the  dufl.  What 
 had  it  been  better  that  the  king  of  Moab  was  flain,  if 
 Ifrael  had  neither  had  a  meffenger  to  inform,  nor  a  cap- 
 tain to  guide  them  ?  Now  he  departs  peaceably,  and 
 blows  a  trumpet  in  mount  Ephraim,  gathers  Ifrael, 
 and  falls  upon  the  body  of  Moab>  as  well  as  he  had  done 
 upon  the  head,  and  procures  freedom  to  his  people. 
 He  that  would  undertake  great  enterprifes  had  need  of 
 wifdom  and  courage ;  wifdom  to  contrive,  and  courage 
 to  execute ;  wifdom  to  guide  his  courage,  and  courage 
 to  fecond  his  wifdom  :  both  which,  if  they  meet  with 
 a  good  caufe,  cannot  but  fucceed. 
 
 Con  t  em.    iv.     Jael  W  Sisera. 
 
 T  is  no  wonder  if  they,  who,  ere  fourfcore  days' 
 after  the  law  delivered,  fell  to  idolatry  alone;  now, 
 after  fourfcore  years  fince  the  law  reftored,  fell  to  idola- 
 try among  the  Canaamtes.  Peace  could  in  a  iliorter 
 time  work  loofenefs  in  any  people.  And  if,  forty  years 
 after  OthniePs  deliverance,  they  relapfed,  what  mar- 
 vel is  it,  that,  in  twice  forty  after  Ehud  they  thus  mif- 
 
 carried  r 
 
BOOK  IX.   Con t em.    iv.  287 
 
 carried?  What  are  they  the  better  to  have  killed  Eg- 
 lon  the  king  of  Moab,  if  the  idolatry  of  Moab  have  kil- 
 led them?  The  fin  of  Moab  fhall  be  found  a  worfe  ty- 
 rant than  their  Eglon.  Ifrael  is  for  every  market ;  they 
 fold  themfelves  to  idolatry,  God  fells  them  to  the  Ca- 
 naanites  :  it  is  no  marvel  they  are  flaves,  if  they  will 
 be  idolaters.  After  their  longed  intermiflion,  they 
 have  now  the  f  -reft  bondage.  None  of  their  tyrants 
 were  fo  potent  as  fabin,  with  his  nine  hundred  chari- 
 ots of  iron.  The  longer  the  reckoning  is  deferred, 
 the  greater  is  the  fam.  God  provides  on  purpofe 
 mighty  adverfaries  for  his  church,  that  their  humilia- 
 tion may  be  the  greater  in  fuftaining,  and  his  glory 
 may  be  greater  in  deliverance. 
 
 I  do  not  find  any  prophet  in  Ifrael,  during  their  fin; 
 but  fo  foon  as  1  hear  news  of  their  repentance,  men- 
 tion is  made  of  a  prophetefs,  and  judge  of  Ifrael. 
 There  is  no  better  fign  of  God's  reconciliation,  than 
 the  fending  of  his  holy  mefTengers  to  any  people.  He 
 is  not  utterly  fallen  out  with  thofe  whom  he  bleffes 
 with  prophefy.  Whom  yet  do  I  fee  raifed  to  this  ho- 
 nour ?  not  any  of  the  princes  of  Ifrael ;  not  Barak  the 
 captain ;  not  Lapidoth  the  husband  ;  but  a  woman, 
 for  the  hoqour  of  her  fex  ;  a  wife,  for  the  honour  of 
 wedlock ;  Deborah,  the  wife  of  Lapidoth. 
 
 He,  that  had  choice  of  all  the  millions  of  Ifrael,  calls 
 put  two  weak  women  to  deliver  his  people;  Deborah 
 (hall  judge,  %ael  ftiall  execute.  All  the  palaces  of  If- 
 rael muft  yield  to  the  palm-tree  of  Deborah:  the  weak- 
 nefs  of  the  inftruments  redounds  to  the  greater  ho- 
 nour of  the  workman.  Who  lhall  a(k  God  any  rea- 
 son of  his  elections,  but  his  own  pleafure  ?  Deborah 
 was  to  fentence,  not  to  ftrike;  to  command,  not  to 
 execute.  This  ad  is  raafculine,  fit  for  fome  captain 
 of  Ifrael.  She  was  the  head  of  Ifrael ;  it  was  meet 
 fome  other  fljould  be  the  hand.  It  is  an  imperfect 
 agd  titular  government,  where  there  is  a  command- 
 ing 
 
288        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ing  power,  without  correction,  v  hout  execution. 
 The  mefTage  of  Deborah  finds  out  Barak  the  J 
 Ahinoam,  in  his  obfcure  fecrecy,  and  calls  him  from  a 
 corner  of  Napthali  to  the  honour  of  this  exploit.  Me 
 is  fent  for,  not  to  get  the  victory,  but  to  take  it ;  not 
 to  overcome,  but  to  kill ;  to  purfue,  and  not  to  beat 
 Si/era,  Who  could  not  have  done  this  work,  where- 
 to net  much  courage,  no  fkiH  belonged  ?  yet,  even 
 for  this,  will  God  have  an  inftrument  of  his  own  choice. 
 It  is  mod  fit  that  God  fhould  ferve  himfelf  where  he 
 Ms,  of  his  own;  neither  is  it  to  be  inquired,  whom 
 we  think  meet  for  any  employment,  but  whom  God 
 hath  called. 
 
 ■Deborah  had  been  no  prophetefs,  if  (lie  durfl  have 
 fent  in  her  own  name  :  her  mefFage  is  from  him  that 
 fent  herklfy  Hath  not  the  Lord  God  of  Ifrael  com- 
 edf  Barak's  anfwer  is  faithful,  though  con- 
 ditional :  and  doth  not  fo  much  intend  a  refufal  to  go 
 without  her,  as  a  necefTary  bond  of  her  prefence  with 
 him.  Who  can  blame  him  that  he  would  hare  a  pro- 
 phetefs in  his  company  ?  If  the  man  had  not  been  as 
 holy  as  valiant,  he  would  not  have  wifhed  fuch  focie- 
 ty.  How  many  think  it  a  perpetual  bondage  to  have 
 a  prophet  of  God  at  their  elbow  ?  God  had  never  fent 
 for  him  fo  far,  if  he  could  have  been  content  to  go  up 
 without  Deborah;  he  knew  that  there  was  both  a  b!ei- 
 fag,  and  encouragement  in  that  prefence.  It  is  no 
 putting  any  trull  in  the  fuccefs  of  thofe  men  that  ne- 
 gleft  the  meiTengers  of  God. 
 
 To  prefcribe  that  to  others,  which  we  draw  back 
 from  doing  curfelves,  is  an  argument  of  hollownels 
 and  falfity.  Barak  (hall  fee,  that  Deborah  dotl 
 ciFer  him  that  cup  whereof  ftie  dare  not  begin  ;  with- 
 out regard  of  her  fex,  me  marches  with  him  to  mount 
 Tabor,  and  rejoices  to  be  feen  of  the  ten  thoufands  of 
 Ifrael.  With  what  fcorn  did  Si/era  look  at  thefe  glean- 
 ings of  Ifrael?  How  unequal  did  this  match  feem,  of 
 
 ten 
 
BOOK  IX.      Contem.  IV.  289 
 
 ten  thoufand  Ifraelltes  againil  his  three  hundred  thou- 
 fand foot,  ten  thoufand  horfe,  nine  hundred  chariots 
 of  iron  ?  And  now,  in  bravery,  he  calls  for  his  troops, 
 and  means  to  kill  this  handful  of  Ifrael  with  the  very 
 fight  of  his  piked  chariots,  and  only  feared  it  would 
 be  no  victory  to  cut  the  throats  of  fo  few.  The  faith 
 of  Deborah  and  Barak  was  not  appalled  with  this 
 world  of  adverfaries,  which  from  mount  Tabor  they 
 faw  hiding  all  the  valley  below  them ;  they  knew 
 whom  they  had  believed,  and  how  little  an  arm  of 
 flefh  could  do  againil  the  God  of  noils. 
 
 Barak  went  down  againfl  Si/era,  but  it  was  God 
 that  deflroyed  him.  The  Ifraelltes  did  not  this  day 
 wield  their  own  fwords:  left  they  Ihould  arrogate  any 
 thing ;  God  told  them,  before-hand,  it  Ihould  be  his 
 own  act.  I  hear  not  of  one  ilroke  that  any  Ganaanite 
 gave  in  this  fight,  as  if  they  were  called  hither  only 
 to  ftrfer.  And  now  proud  Sijera,  after  many  curies 
 of  the  heavinefs  of  that  iron  carriage,  is  giad  to  quit- 
 his  chariot,  and  betake  himlelf  to  his  heels.  Who- 
 ever yet  knew  any  earthly  thing  trufred  in,  without 
 dlfappointment  ?  It  is  wonder,  if  God  make  us  no£ 
 at  lait  as  weary  of  whatsoever  hath  ftolien  our  hearts 
 from  him,  as  ever  we  were  fond. 
 
 Yet  Si/era  hopes  to  have  lped  better  than  his  fol- 
 lowers, in  fo  feafoftable  an  harbour  of  }jatL  If  tie- 
 her  and  Jael  had  not  been  great  perlons,  there  had 
 been  no  note  taken  of  their  tents ;  there  had  been  no 
 league  betwixt  king  Jab'ia  and  them:  now  their  great  - 
 nefs  makes  them  known,  their  league  makes  them 
 trailed.  The  diilrefs  of  Si/era  might  have  made  him 
 importunate ;  but  fael  begins  the  couriefy,  and  ex 
 ceeds  the  deiire  of  her  gueit.  He  a{ks  water  to  drink, 
 flie  gives  him  milk  ;  he  wiihes  but  fhelter,  fhe  makes 
 him  a  bed ;  he  delires  the  protection  ot  her  tent,  fhe 
 .covers  him  with  a  mantle.  And  now  S  if  era  pieaie§ 
 himfelf  with  this  happy  change,  and  thinks  how  much 
 
 Vol.  I.  O  o  better 
 
290        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 better  it  is  to  be  here,  than  in  that  whirling  of  cha* 
 riots,  in  that  horror  of  flight,  amongft  thole  fhrieks, 
 thofe  wounds,  thofe  carcafes.  Whiles  he  is  in  thefe 
 thoughts,  his  wearinefs  and  eafy  repofal  hath  brought 
 him  afleep.  Who  would  have  looked  that  in  this  tu- 
 mult and  danger,  even  betwixt  the  very  jaws  of  death, 
 Si/era  mould  find  time  to  fleep!  How  many  worldly 
 hearts  do  fo  in  the  midll  of  their  fpiritual  perils! 
 
 Now  whiles  he  was  dreaming,  doubtlefs,  of  the 
 claming  of  armours,  rattling  of  chariots,  neighing  of 
 horfes,  the  clamour  of  the  conquered,  the  furious 
 purfuit  of  Ifrael,  %ael  feeing  his  temples  ly  fo  fair,  as 
 if  they  invited  the  nail  and  hammer,  entered  into  the 
 thought  of  this  noble  execution ;  certainly  not  with- 
 out fome  checks  of  doubt,  and  pleas  of  fear.  What 
 if  I  ftrike  him  ?  And  yet,  who  am  I,  that  I  fhould 
 dare  to  think  of  fuch  an  act  ?  Is  not  this  Sifera,  the 
 famoufeil  captain  of  the  world,  whofe  name  hath 
 wont  to  be  fearful  to  whole  nations  ?  What  if  my 
 hand  mould  fwerve  in  the  ftroke  ?  What  if  he  mould 
 awake,  Whiles  I  am  lifting  up  this  inflrument  of  death? 
 What  if  I  mould  be  furprifed  by  fGine  of  his  followers, 
 while  the  fact  is  green  and  yet  bleeding  ?  Can  the 
 murder  of  fo  great  a  leader  be  hid,  or  unreversed  ? 
 Or,  if  I  might  hope  fo,  yet  can  my  heart  allow  me  to 
 be  fecretly  treacherous  ?  Is  there  not  peace  betwixt 
 my  houfe  and  him  ?  Did  not  I  invite  him  to  my  tent  ? 
 Doth  he  not  truft  to  my  friendfhip  and  hofpitality  ? 
 But  what  do  thefe  weak  fears,  thefe  idle  fancies  of 
 civility  ?  If  Si/era  be  in  league  with  us,  yet  is  he  not 
 at  defiance  with  God?  Is  he  not  a  tyrant  to  Ifraelf 
 Is  it  for  nothing  that  God  hath  brought  him  into  my 
 tent  ?  May  I  not  now  find  means  to  repay  unto  Ifrael 
 all  their  kindnefs  to  my  grandfather  Jethrof  Doth  not 
 God  offer  me  this  day  the  honour  to  be  the  refcuer  of 
 his  people  ?  Hath  God  bidden  me  ftrike,  and  mall  I 
 hold  my  hand  ?     No,  Si/era,  fleep  now  thy  laft,  and 
 
 take 
 
BOOK   IX.     Contem.  v.  291 
 
 take  here  this  fatal  reward  of  all  thy  cruelty  and  op- 
 preilion . 
 
 He,  that  put  this  inftin&  into  her  heart,  did  put  alfo 
 flrength  into  her  hand :  he  that  guided  Si/era  to  her 
 tent,  guided  the  nail  through  his  temples,  which  hath 
 made  a  fpeedy  way  for  his  foul  through  thofe  pares, 
 and  now  hath  faftened  his  ear  lb  clofe  to  the  earth,  as 
 if  the  body  had  been  listening  what  was  become  of  the 
 foul.  There  lies  now  the  great  terror  of  Ifrael  at 
 the  foot  of  a  woman  !  He,  that  brought  fo  many  hun* 
 dred  thoufands  into  the  field,  hath  not  now  one  page 
 left,  either  to  avert  his  death,  or  to  accompany  it,  or 
 bewail  it.  He,  that  had  vaunted  of  his  iron  chariots, 
 is  {lain  by  one  nail  of  iron,  wanting  only  this  one 
 point  of  his  infelicity,  that  he  knows  not  by  whofe 
 hand  he  perifhed. 
 
 Contem.  v.     Gideon's  calling 
 
 ¥  I  ^  H  E  judgments  of  God,  (till  the  further  they  go, 
 -*-     the  forer  they  are.  •  The  bondage  of  Ifrael  under 
 Jfabin  was  great,  but  it  was  freedom  in  comparison  of 
 the  yoke  of  the  Midianltes.     During  the  former  ty- 
 ranny, Deborah  was  permitted  to  judge  Ifrael  under 
 a  palm-tree  ;  under  this,  not  fo  much  as  private  habi- 
 tations will  be  allowed  to  Ifrael.     Then,  the  feat  of 
 judgment  was  in  light  of  the  fun ;  now,  their  very 
 dwellings  mult  be  fecret  under  the  earth.    They,  that 
 rejected  the  protection  of  God,  ara  glad  to  feek  to 
 the  mountains  for  flielter ;  and  as  they  had  favagely 
 abufed  themfelves,  fo  they  are  fain  to  creep  into  dens 
 and  caves  of.  the  rocks,  like  wild  creatures,  for  fafe* 
 guard.     God  had  fown  fpiritual  feed  amongft  them, 
 and  they  fuifered  their  heathenilh  neighbours  to  pull 
 it  up  by  the  roots  ;  and  ncw?  no  fooner  can  they  fow 
 their  material  feed,  but  Midianltes  and  Amalekites  are 
 ready  by  force  to  deflroy  it.     As  they  inwardly  dealt 
 Oo?  with 
 
2<>2         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 with  God,  fo  God  deals  outwardly  by  them ;  their 
 eyes  may  tell  them  what  their  fouls  have  done  ;  yet 
 that  God,  whofe  mercy  is  above  the  wont  of  our  fins, 
 fends  firft  his  prophet  with  a  mefTage  of  reproof,  and 
 then  his  angel  with  a  mefTage   of  deliverance.     The 
 Ifraelites  had  fmarted  enough  with  their  fervitude, 
 yet  God  fends  them  a  fharp  rebuke.     It  is  a  good 
 fign  when  God  chides  us ;  his  round  reprehenfions  are 
 ever  gracious  forerunners  of  mercy;  whereas,  his  fi- 
 lent  connivance  at  the  wicked,  argues  deep  and  fe- 
 cret  difpleafure  :  the  prophet  made  way  for  the  angel, 
 reproof  for  deliverance,  humiliation  for  comfort. 
 
 Gideon  was  threftiing  wheat  by  the  wine-prefs. 
 Yet  Ifrael  hath  both  wheat  and  wine,  for  all  the  in- 
 curilons  of  their  enemies.  The  word  efface  out  of 
 hell,  hath  either  fome  comfort,  or,  at  lead,  fome  mi- 
 tigation. In  fpite  of  the  malice  of  the  world,  God 
 makes  fecret  provifion  for  his  own.  How  mould  it 
 be,  but  he  that  owns  the  earth,  and  all  creatures, 
 ihould  refcrve  ever  a  fufficiency  from  foreigners  (fuch 
 the  wicked  are)  for  his  houfnold  ?  In  the  worlt  of  the 
 jSlldianitijli  tyranny,  Gideon's  field  and  barn  are 
 privileged,  as  his  fleece  was  afterwards  from  the 
 ihower. 
 
 Why  did  Gideon  threfh  out  his  corn  ?  To  hide  it$ 
 not  from  his  neighbours,  but  his  enemies.  His  gra- 
 nary might  eaiily  be  more  clofe  than  his  barn.  As 
 then  Ifraelites  thremed  out  their  corn  to  hide  it  from 
 the  Midianites, .bat  now  Midianites  threfh  out  corn 
 to  hide  it  from  the  Ifraelites.  Thefe  rural  tyrants  of 
 our  time,  do  not  more  lay  up  corn,  than  curfes.  He 
 that  withdraweth  corn,  the  people  will  curfe  him  ;  yea^ 
 God  will  curfe  him,  with  them,  and  for  them. 
 
 What  fhifts  nature  will  make  to  live !  O  that  we 
 could  be  fo  careful  to  lay  up  fpirituai  food  for  our 
 fouls,  out  of  the  reach  of  thofe  fpirituai  Midia?iites  7 
 we  could  not  but  live  in  defpite  of  all  adverfaries. 
 
 The 
 
BOOK  IX.     Contem.  v.  393 
 
 The  angels,  that  have  ever  God  in  their  face,  }nd  , 
 in  their  thoughts,  have  him  alfo  in  their  moutjis ; 
 The  Lord  is  with  thee.     But  this  which  appeared  un- 
 to Gideon  was  the  Angel  of  the  covenant,  the   Lord 
 pf  angels.     Whiles  he  was  with  Gideon,  he  might 
 well  fay,  The  Lord  is  with  thee.     He  that  fent  the 
 Comforter,  was  alfo  the  true  Comforter  of  his  church. 
 He  well  knew  how  to  lay  a  fure  ground  of  corfola- 
 tion,  and  that  the  only  remedy  of  forrow,  and!  be- 
 ginning of  true  joy,  is,  The  prefence  of  God.    The 
 grief  of  the  apoftles,  for  the   expected  lofs  of  their 
 Matter,  could  never  be  cured  by  any  receipt,  but 
 this  of  the  fame  Angel,  Behold  I  am  with  you  to  the 
 end  of  the  world.     What  is  our  glory,  but  the  frui- 
 tion  of    God's   prefence.     The  puniihment  of   the 
 damned  is  a  feparation  from  the  beatifical  face  of 
 God  ;  need's  mud  therefore  his  abfence  in  this  life, 
 be  a  great  torment  to  a  good  heart :  and  no  crofs  can 
 be  equivalent  to  this  beginning  of  heaven  in  the  elect. 
 The  Lord  is  with  thee. 
 
 Who  can  complain  either  of  folitarinefs  or  oppofi- 
 tion  that  hath  God  with  him-;  with  him,  not  only 
 as  a  witnefs,  but  as  a  party  ?  Even  wicked  men  and 
 devils  cannot  exclude  God,  not  the  bars  of  hell  cata 
 fhut  him  out.  He  is  with  them  by  force,  but  to 
 judge,  to  punifh  them  ;  yea,  God  will  be  ever  with 
 them  to  their  coil ;  but  to  protect,  comfort,  fave,  he- 
 is  with  none  but  his. 
 
 Whiles  he  calls  Gideon  valiant,  he  makes  him  fo. 
 How  could  he  be  but  valiant,  that  had  God  with  him  ?' 
 The  godlefs  man  may  be  carelefs,  but  cannot  be  o- 
 ther  than  cowardly.  It  pleafes  God  to  acknowledge 
 his  own  graces  in  men,  that  he  may  interchange  his 
 own  glory  with  their  comfort ;  how  much  more  mould 
 we  confefs  the  graces  of  one  another  ?  An  envious  na- 
 ture is  prejudicial  to  God.  He  is  a  flrange  man  in 
 whom  there  is  not  fome  vifible  good ;  yea,  in  the  de- 
 vils 
 
2)4        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 vis  rhemfelves  we  may  eafily  note  fome  commendable 
 pins  of  knowledge,  iirength,  agility.  Let  God  have 
 hi;  own  in  the  woril  creature ;  yea,  let  the  worft  crea- 
 ture have  that  praife  which  God  would  put  upon  it. 
 
 Gideon   cannot    pafs  over  this  falutation  as  fome 
 fafiionable  compliment,  but  lays  hold  on   that  part 
 which  was  moil  important,  the  tenure  of  all  his  com- 
 fdn ;  and,  as  not  regarding  the  praife  of  his  valour, 
 inquires  after  that  which  mould  be  the  ground  of  his 
 valcur,  the  prefence  of  God.     God  had  fpoken  par- 
 tic  uariy  to  him  ;  he  expoMates  for  all.     It  had  been 
 poiiible  God  mould  be  prefent  with  him,  not  with 
 the  rell ;  as  he  promifed  to  have  been  with  Mofes, 
 Ifrad;  and  yet  when    God  fays,  "The  Lord  is  with 
 thee,  he   anfwers,  A/as,  Lord,  if  the  Lord  be  with 
 us.     Gideon  cannot  conceive  of  himfelf  as  an  exempt 
 perfon  ;  but  puts  himfelf  among  the  throng  of  Ifraely 
 as  one  that  could  not  be  fenfible  of  any  particular 
 comfort,  while  the  common  cafe  of  Ifrael  laboured. 
 The  man  care  of  a  good  heart  is  ftill  for  the  pu- 
 blic,   neither  can  it  enjoy  itfelf,  while  the  church 
 of  God  is  diilreffed.     As  faith  draws  home  gene- 
 ralities, lb  charity  diitufes  generalities  from  itfelf  to 
 all. 
 
 Yet  the  valiant  man  was  here  weak,  weak  in  faith, 
 Weak  in  difcourfe,  whilft  he  argues  God's  abfence  by 
 affliction,  Lis  prefence  by  deliverances,  and  the  un- 
 likelihood of  fuccefs  by  his  own  difability,  all  grofs  in? 
 confequences.     Rather  mould  we  have  inferred  God's 
 prefence  upon  their  connection  ;  for  wherefoever  God 
 chailifes,  there  he  is,  yea  there  he  is  in  mercy.     No- 
 thing more  proves  us  his,  than  his  flripes ;  he  will 
 not  beflow  whipping  where  he  loves  not.     Fond  na- 
 ture thinks  God  mould  not  fuifer  the  wind  to  blow 
 upon  his  dear  ones,  becaufe  herfelf  makes  this  ufe  of 
 her  own  indulgence  ;  but  none  out  of  the  place  of 
 torment  have  fuffered  fo  much  as  his  deareft  children. 
 
 He 
 
BOOK   IX.    Con  t  em.  v.  29? 
 
 He  fays  not,  We  are  idolaters ;  therefore  the  Lord 
 k  hath  forfaken  us,  becaufe  we  have  forfaken  him.  T  his 
 fcquel  had  been  as  good,  as  the  other  was  faulty ;  the 
 1  Lord  hath  delivered  us  unto  the  Midi anites,  there- 
 fore he  hath  forfaken  us.  Sins,  not  affii&ions,  argue 
 God  abfent. 
 
 Whilfl  Gideon  bewrayeth  weaknefs,  God  both  gives 
 him  might,  and  employs  it ;  Go  in  this  thy  mighty 
 and  fave  Ifrael.  Who  would  not  have  looked, 
 that  God  mould  have  looked  angrily  on  him,  and 
 chide  him  for  his  unbelief?  But  he,  whofe  mercy  will 
 not  quench  the  weakeft  fire  of  grace,  though  it  be 
 tut  in  flax,  looks  upon  him  with  companionate  eyes ; 
 and,  to  make  good  his  own  word,  gives  him  that  va- 
 lour he  had  acknowledged. 
 
 Gideon  had  not  yet  foid,  Lord  deliver  Ifrael ;  much 
 lefs  had  he  faid,  Lord,  deliver  Ifrael  by  my  hand* 
 The  mercy  of  God  prevents  the  defire  of  Gideon. 
 If  God  mould  not  begin  with  us,  we  fliould  be  e- 
 ver  miferable  ;  if  he  mould  not  give  us  till  we  afk, 
 yet  who  mould  give  us  to  afk  ?  If  his  Spirit  did  not 
 work  thofe  holy  groans  and  llghs  in  us,  we  fhouid  ne- 
 ver make  fuit  to  God.  He  that  commonly  gives  us 
 power  to  crave,  fometimes  gives  us  without  craving, 
 that  the  benefit  might  be  fo  much  more  welcome,  by 
 how  much  lefs  it  was  expected ;  and  we  fo  much  more 
 thankful,  as  he  is  more  forward.  When  he  bids  us 
 afk,  it  is  not  for  that  he  needs  to  be  intreated,  but 
 that  he  may  make  us  more  capable  of  blefiings  by  de- 
 firing  them*  And  where  he  fees  fervent  defires,  he 
 flays  not  for  words ;  and  he  that  gives  ere  we  afk, 
 how  much  more  will  he  give  when  we  afk  ? 
 
 He  that  hath  might  enough  to  deliver  Ifrael,  yet 
 hath  not  might  enough  to  keep  himfelf  from  doubting. 
 The  flrongefl  faith  will  ever  havefome  touch  of  infideli- 
 ty. And  yet  this  was  not  fo  much  a  difirull  of  the  pofii- 
 bility  of  delivering  Ifrael,  as  an  inquiry  after  the  means. 
 
 Whereby 
 
z96        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Whereby  flail  I  fave  Ifrael?  The  falutation  of  the 
 angel  to  Gideon  was  as  like  Gabriel' %  falutation  of 
 the  bleffed  virgin,  as  their  anfvvers  were  like  :  both 
 angels  brought  news  of  deliverance,  both  were  anfwer- 
 ed  with  a  queftion  of  the  means  of  performance,  with 
 a  report  of  the  difficulties  in  performing  ;  Ah  my 
 Lord,  whereby  JJjall  I  fave  Ifrael !  How  the  good 
 man  difparages  himfelf !  It  is  a  great  matter,  O  Lord, 
 that  thou  fpeakeft  of,  and  great  anions  require  mighty 
 agents,  As  for  me,  who  am  I  ?  my  tribe  is  none 
 of  the  greatef!  in  Ifrael ;  my  father's  family  is  one  of 
 the  meanelt  in  his  tribe,  and  I  the  meaneft  in  his  fa- 
 mily. Poverty  is  a  Sufficient  bar  to  great  enterpri- 
 ses. 
 
 Whereby  flail  If  Humility  is  both  a  fign  of  fol- 
 lowing glory,  and  a  way  to  it,  and  an  occalion  or 
 it.  Bragging,  and  height  of  fpirit,  will  not  carry  it 
 with  God.  None  have  ever  been  raifed  by  him,  but 
 thofe  which  have  formerly  dejected  themfclvcs:  none 
 have  been  confounded  by  him,  that  have  been  abafed 
 in  themfelves.  Thereupon  it  is  that  he  adds ;  /  will 
 therefore  be  with  thee  ;  as  if  he  had  anfwered, 
 Hadit  thou  not  been  fo  poor  in  thyfeif,  I  would  not 
 have  wrought  by  thee.  How  fhould  God  be  magni- 
 fied in  his  mercies,  if  we  were  not  unworthy?  How 
 ihould  he  be  ilrong,  if  not  in  our  weakneis  ? 
 
 All  this  whik  Gideon  knew  not  it  was  an  angei 
 that  fpake  with  him :  he  faw  a  man  ftand  before  him 
 like  a  traveller,  with  a  ftaffin  his  hand.  The  unufu- 
 alnefs  of  thofe  revelations,  in  thofe  corrupted  times, 
 Was  fuch,  that  Gideon  might  think  of  any  thing  rather 
 than  an  angel.  No  marvei  if  fo  flrange  a  promife,  from 
 an  unknown  meiTenger,  found  not  a  perfect  afient ; 
 fain  would  he  believe,  but  fain  would  he  have  good 
 warrant  for  his  faith.  In  matters  of  faith  we  cannot 
 go  upon  too  fure  grounds.  As  Mofes  therefore  being 
 fent  upon  the  fame  errand,  deiired  a  fign,  whereby 
 
 Ifrael 
 
BOOK  IX.     Contem.  v.  297 
 
 1/rael  might  know  that  God  fent  him ;  fo  Gideon  de- 
 fires  a  frgn  from  this  bearer,  to  know  that  this  news 
 is  from  God. 
 
 Yet  the  very  hope  of  fo  happy  news,  not  yet  ratifi- 
 ed, itirs  up  in  Gideon  both  joy  and  thankfulnefs. 
 After  all  the  injury  of  the  Midianites,  he  was  not  fo 
 poor,  but  he  could  beftow  a  kid  and  cakes  upon  the 
 reporter  of  fuch  tidings.  Thofe,  which  are  r: 
 affected  with  the  glad  news  of  our  fpiritual  deliver- 
 ance, ftudy  to  (hew  their  loving  refpects  to  the  met* 
 fengers. 
 
 The  angel  (lays  for  the  preparing  of  Gideon's  feaft. 
 Such  pleafure  doth  God  take  in  the  thankful  endea- 
 vours of  his  fervants,  that  he  patiently  waits  upon  the 
 leifure  of  our  performances.  Gideon  intended  a  din- 
 ner, the  angel  turned  it  into  a  facriflce.  He,  whofe 
 meat  and  drink  it  was  to  do  his  father's  will,  calls  for 
 the  broth  and  flefh  to  be  poured  out  upon  the  flone  ; 
 and  when  Gideon  looked  he  mould  have  bleifed,  and 
 eaten,  he  touches  the  feait  with  his  flaff,  and  con- 
 fumes  it  with  fire  from  the  (lone,  and  departs.  He 
 did  not  ftrike  the  flone  with  his  flaff,  (for  the  attrition 
 of  two  hard  bodies,  would  naturally  beget  fire)  but  he 
 touched  the  meat,  and  brought  fire  from  the  flone. 
 And  now,  whiles  Gideon  iaw  and  wondered  at  the 
 fpiritual  act,  he  loft  the  fight  of  the  agent. 
 
 He,  that  came  without  intreating,  would  not  have 
 departed  without  taking  leave ;  but  that  he  might  in- 
 creafe  Gideon's  wonder,  and  that  his  wonder  m 
 increafe  his  faith.   J^is  falutation  therefore  was  not  fo 
 
 ;e  as  his  farewell.     Mofes  touched  the  rock  ' 
 his  flaff,  and  brought  forth  water,  and  yet  a  man,  and 
 yet  continued  with  the  IJhaelites.     This  meifenger 
 touches  the  flone  with  his  ftaiT,  and  brings  forth 
 and  prefently  vanifhes,  that  he  may   approve  hii 
 a  fpirit.     And  now,  Gideon,  when  he  had 
 up  hknfeif,  raiift  needs  think,  He  tkty  can   raife 
 
 Vol.  I.  P  p  put 
 
298         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 out  of  a  (tone,  can  raife  courage  and  power  out  of  my 
 dead  bread;  he  that  by  this  fire  hath  confirmed  the 
 broth  and  flefh,  can,  by  the  feeble  flame  of  my  for- 
 titude, confume  Midi  an. 
 
 Gideon  did  no:  fo  much  doubt  before,  as  now  he 
 feared.  .  We,  that  (hall  once  live  with,  and  be  like  the 
 angels,  in  the  eftate  of  our  impotency,  think  we  can- 
 not fee  an  angel  and  live.  Gideon  was  acknowledg- 
 ed for  mighty  in  valour,  yet  he  trembles  at  the  fight 
 of  an  angel.  Peter,  that  durfl  draw  his  fword  upon 
 Male  bus ,  and  all  the  train  of  Judas,  yet  fears  when 
 he  thought  he  had  feen  a  fpir.it.  Our  natural  courage 
 cannot  bear  us  out  againft  fpiritual  objects.  This  an- 
 gel was  homely  and  familiar,  taking  upon  him  for  the 
 time,  a  refemblance  of  that  fleih  whereof  he  would 
 afterwards  take  the  fub (lance  ;  yet  even  the  valiant 
 Gideon  quakes  to  have  feen  him.  How  awful  and 
 glorious  is  the  God  of  angels,  when  he  will  be  feen 
 in  the  (late  of  heaven  ! 
 
 The  angel  that  departed  for  the  wonder,  yet  re- 
 turns for  the  comfort  of  Gideon.  It  is  not  ufual  with 
 God  to  leave  his  children  in  amaze,  but  he  brings 
 them  out  in  the  fame  mercy  which  led  them  in,  and 
 will  magnify  his  grace  in  the  one,  no  lefs  than  his 
 power  in  the  other. 
 
 Now  Gideon  grows  acquainted  with  God,  and  in- 
 terchanges pledges  of  familiarity  ;  he  builds  an  altar 
 to  God,  and  God  confers  with  him,  and  (as  he  ufes 
 where  he  love:)  employs  him.  His  firfl  talk  mud  be 
 to  deftrqy  the  god  of  me  Midianiles,  then  the  idola- 
 ters tl  es.  Whiles  Baal's  altar  and  grove  flood 
 in  the  hill  of  Qphrah^  Ifrael  mould  in  vain  hope  to 
 prevail.  It  is  n  \  faith  God,  that  judgment 
 fhould  continue  with  the  fin,  and  no  lefs  mercy  if  it 
 mav  remove  after  it.  Wouldft  thou  fain  be  rid  of  any 
 judgment  ?  Inquire  what  falfe  altars  and  groves  thou 
 haft  in  thy  hear: :  them  firft. 
 
 Firfl 
 
BOOK   IX.      Contem.  v.  299 
 
 Firft  mud  Baal's  altar  be  ruined,  ere  God's  be  built ; 
 Loth  may  not  ftand  together  :  the  true  God  will  have 
 no  fociety  with  idols,  neither  will  allow  it  us.  I  do 
 not  hear  him  fay,  That  altar  and  grove,  which  were 
 abufed  to  Baal,  confecrate  now  to  me  ;  but,  as  one 
 whofe  holy  jealouiy  will  abide  no  worfhip  till  there 
 be  no  idolatry,  he  firft  commands  down  the  monu- 
 ments of  fuperltition,  and  then  enjoins  his  own  lcr- 
 vice  ;  yet  the  wood  of  $aal's  grove  mult  be  ufed  to 
 burn  a  facrifice  unto  God.  When  it  was  once  cut 
 down,  God's  detellation  and  their  danger  ceafed. 
 The  good  creatures  of  God,  that  have  been  profaned 
 to  idolatry,  may,  in  a  change  of  their  ufe,  be  em- 
 ployed to  the  holy  fervice  of  their  Maker. 
 
 Though  fome  Ifraelites  were  penitent  under  this 
 humiliation,  yet  flill  many  of  them  perfiiied  in  their 
 wonted  idolatry.  The  very  houlhold  of  Gideon's 
 father  were  (till  Baalites,  and  his  neighbours  of  0- 
 pbrah  were  in  the  fame  fin  :  yea,  if  his  father  had 
 been  free,  what  did  he  with  Baal's  grove  and  altar  ? 
 He  dares  not  therefore  take  his  father's  fervants, 
 though  he  took  his  bullocks,  but  commands  his  own. 
 The  mafter  is  beft  feen  in  the  fervants  :  Gideon's  fer- 
 vants (amongft  the  indolatrous  retinue  of  $oafF)  are 
 religious  like  their  mafter  ;  yet  the  mifdevotion  of 
 fjfoafb  and  the  Ophr  at  bites  was  not  obflinate.  JoaJJ) 
 is  eafily  perfuaded  by  his  fons,  and  eafily  perfuades 
 his  neighbours,  how  unreasonable  it  is  to  plead  for 
 fuch  a  god,  as  cannot  fpeak  for  himfelf ;  to  revenge 
 his  caufe,  that  could  not  defend  himfelf.  Let  Baal 
 plead  for  bimfelf.  One  example  of  a  refolute  onfet 
 in  a  noted  perfon,  may  do  more  good  than  a  thou- 
 sand feconds  in  the  proceeding  of  an  action. 
 
 Soon  are  all  the  Midianites  in  an  uproar  to  lofe 
 their  god  ;  they  need  not  now  be  bidden   to  mi 
 themfelves  for  revenge.     He  hath  no  religion,  that 
 can  fuffer  an  indignity  offered  to  his  God. 
 
 P  p  2  Con- 
 
-go        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Contem.  vi.    Gideon's  preparation  and  v :cfory . 
 
 (~\F  all  the  inftruments  that  God  did  ufe  in  fo  great 
 ^-^  a  work,  I  find  none  to  weak  as  Gideon,  who 
 yet  (of  all  others)  was  itiled  valiant.  Natural  valour 
 may  well  Hand  with  fpiritual  cowardice.  Before  he 
 knew  that  he  fpake  with  a  God,  he  might  have  juft 
 colours  for  his  diilrufl ;  but  after  God  had  approved 
 his  prefence,  and  almighty  power,  by  fetching  fire 
 out  of  the  ft  one,  then  to  call  for  a  watery  fign  of  his 
 promifed  deliverance,  was  no  other  than  to  pour  wa- 
 ter upon  the  fire  of  the  Spirit.  The  former  trial  God 
 gave  vaniftied ;  this,  upon  Gideon's  choice  and  in- 
 treaty.  The  former  miracle  was  ftrong  enough  to 
 carry  Gideon  through  hi§  firil  exploit  of  ruinating  the 
 '  idolatrous  grove  and  altar  ;  but  now,  when  he  faw  the 
 fwarm  of  the  Midianites  and  Amalekites  about  his 
 ears,  he  calls  for  new  aid  ;  and,  not  trufting  to  his 
 AbiezriteS)  'and  his  other  thousands  of  Ifrael,  he  runs 
 to  God  for  a  further  afllirance  of  victory. 
 
 The  refuge  was  good,  but  the  manner  of  feeking 
 it  favours  of  diftruit.  There  is  nothing  more  eafy 
 than  to  be  valiant,  when  nq  peril  appeareth ;  but 
 when  evils  ailail  us,  upon  equal  terms,  it  is  hard, 
 and  commendable,  not  to  be  difmayed.  If  God  had 
 made  that  proclamation  now,  which  afterwards  was 
 commanded  to  be  made  by  Gideon.,  Let  the  timorous 
 depart  ;  I  doubt  whether  Jfrael  had  not  wanted  a  guide : 
 yet  how  willing  is  the  Almighty  to  fatisfy  our  weak 
 jjefires ! 
 
 What  talks  is  he  content  to  befet  by  our  infirmity? 
 The  fleece  mult  be  wet,  and  the  ground  dry ;  the 
 grcmnd  inuPc  be  wet,  and  the  fleece  dry :  both  are 
 done,  that  now  Gideon  may  fee  whether  he  would 
 make  himfelf  hard  earth,  or  yielding  wool.  God  could, 
 at  pleafure  diftinguifh  betwixt  him  and  the  Midianites, 
 z.nd  pour  down  either  mercies  or  judgments  where  he 
 
 lifts; 
 
BOOK   IX.      Con teh.  vi.  301 
 
 lifts ;  and  that  he  was  fet  on  work  by  that  God  which 
 can  command  all  the  elements,  and  they  obey  him, 
 lire,  water,  earth,  ferve  both  him  and  (when  he 
 will)  his.  * 
 
 And  now,  "whcnMideom  had  this  reciprocal  proof 
 of  his  enfuing  fuccefs,  he  goes  on  (as  he  well  may) 
 harneifed  with  refolmion,  and  is  feefl  in  the  head  of 
 his  troops,  and  in  the  face  of  the  Midi  amies.  If  we 
 cannot  make  up  the  match  with  God,  when  we  have 
 our  own  alking,  we  are  worthy  to  fit  out. 
 
 Gideon  had  thirty-two  thoufand  ibldiers  at  his  heels. 
 The  Midianites  covered  all  the  valley  like  graihop- 
 pcrs :  and  now  whilil  the  Ifraeiiies  think,  we  are  too 
 few,  God  fays,  The  people  are  too  many.  If  the 
 Israelites  mull  have  looked  for  viclory  from  their 
 fcigers,  they  might  well  have  faid,  The  Midianites 
 are  too  many  for  us :  but  that  God,  whofe  thoughts 
 and  words  are  unlike  to  mens,  fays,  They  are  too  ma- 
 ny for  me  to  give  the  Midianites  into  their  hands.  If 
 human  flrength  were  to  be  oppofed,  there  mould 
 have  needed  an  equality  ;  but  now  God  meant  to  give 
 the  victory,  his  care  is  not  how  to  get  it,  but  how  to 
 lofe  or  blemiih  the  glory  of  it  gotten.  How  jealous 
 God  is  of  his  honour  !  He  is  willing  to  give  deliver- 
 ance to  Ifrael,  but  the  praife  of  the  deliverance  he 
 will  keep  to  himfelf ;  and  will  fhorten  the  means,  that 
 he  may  have  the  full  meafure  of  the  glory.  And  if 
 he  will  not  allow  lawful  means  to  (land  in  the  light  of 
 his  honour,  how  will  he  endure  it  to  be  croffed  fo 
 much  as  indirectly?  It  is  lefs  danger  to  ileal  any  thing 
 n  God,  is  glory. 
 
 As  a  prince,  which,  if  we  ileal  or  clip  his  coin,  may 
 pardon  it ;  but  if  we  go  about  to  rob  him  of  his  crown, 
 will  opt  be  appeafed.  There  is  nothing  that  we  can 
 give  to  God,  of  whom  we  receive  all  things ;  that 
 which  he  :s  content  to  part  with,  he  gives  us,  but  he 
 will  not  ahiae  we  fhould  take  ought  from  him  which 
 
 he 
 
3C2  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 he  would  referve  for  himfelf.  It  is  all  one  with  him 
 to  fave  with  many  as  with  few ;  but  he  rather  chufes 
 to  fave  by  few,  that  all  the  vi&ory  may  redound  to 
 himfelf.  O  God,  what  art  thou  the  better  for  praifes, 
 to  whom,  becaufe  thou  art  infinite,  nothing  can  be 
 added!  It  is,  for  our  good  that  thou  wouldft  be  mag- 
 nified of  us.  O  teach  us  to  receive  the  benefit  of  thy 
 merciful  favours,  and  to  return  thee  the  thanks. 
 
 Gideon's  army  mufl  be  leifened.  Who  are  fo  fit  to  be 
 cafhiered  as  the  fearful  ?  God  bids  him  therefore  pro- 
 claim licence  for  all  faint  hearts  to  leave  the  field. 
 An  ill  inftrument  may  {name  a  good  work :  God  will 
 not  glorify  himfelf  by  cowards.  As  the  timorous  fhafi 
 be  without  the  gates  of  heaven,  fo  fhall  they  be  with- 
 out the  lifts  of  God's  field.  Although  it  was  not  their 
 courage  that  mould  fave  Ifrael^  yet,  without  their 
 courage,  Gcd  would  not  ferve  himfelf  of  them.  Chri- 
 fhanity  requires  men  ;  for  if  our  fpiritual  difficulties 
 meet  not  with  high  fpirits,  inftead  of  whetting  our 
 fortitude,  they  quell  it.  David's  royal  band  of  wor- 
 thies was  the  type  of  the  forces  of  the  church,  all 
 valiant  men,  and  able  to  encounter  with  thoufands. 
 
 Neither  mufl  we  be  itrong  only,  but  acquainted 
 with  our  own  refolutions,  not  out  of  any  carnal  pre- 
 fumption,  but  out  of  a  faithful  reliance  upon  the- 
 ilrength  of  God,  in  whom,  when  we  are  weak,  'then 
 we  are  ftrong.  O  thou  white-liver !  Doth  but  a^Jbul 
 word,  or  a  frown,  fear  thee  from  Chrift  ?  Doth  the 
 lofs  of  a  little  land,  or  filver,  difquiet  thee  ?  Doth  but 
 the  fight  of  the  Midianites  in  the  valley  firike  thee  ? 
 Home  then,  home  to  the  world ;  thou  art  not  then 
 for  the  conquering  band  of  Chrift :  if  thou  canfl  not 
 refolve  to  follow  him  through  infamy,  prifons,  racks, 
 gibbets,  flames,  depart  to  thine  houfe,  and  fave  thy 
 life  to  thy  lofs. 
 
 Methinks  now  Ifrael  fhou'd  have  complained  of  in- 
 dignity, and  have  faid,  Why  fliouldft  thou  think,  O 
 
 Gideon^ 
 
BOOK  IX.     Co nt em.  vi.  303 
 
 Gideon,  that  there  can  be  a  cowardly  Ifraelite  ?  And 
 if  the  experience  of  the  power  and  mercy  of  God  be 
 not  enough  to  make  us  fearlefs,  yet  the  fenfe  of  fervi- 
 tude  muft  needs  have  made  us  refolute  ;  for  who  had 
 not  rather  to  be* buried  dead,  than  quick?  Are  we 
 not  fain  to  hide  our  heads  in  the  caves  of  the  earth, 
 and  to  make  our  graves  our  houfes  ?  Not  fo  much  as 
 the  very  light  that  we  can  freely  enjoy.  The  tyranny 
 of  death  is  but  fhort  and  eafy  to  this  of  Midian ;  and 
 yet  what  danger  can  there  be  of  that,  fmce  thou  haft 
 fo  certainly  afTured  us  of  God's  promife  of  victory, 
 and  his"  miraculous  confirmation  ?  No,.  Gideon,  thole 
 hearts  that  have  brought  us  hither  after  thy  colours, 
 can  as  well  keep  us  from  retiring. 
 
 But  now,  who  can  but  blefs  himfelf  to  gnd,  of  two 
 and  thirty  thoufand  Ifraelites,  two  and  twenty  thou- 
 fand  cowards  ?  Yet  all  thefe  in  Gideon's  march,  made 
 as  fair  a  flourifti  of  courage  as  the  boldeft.  Who  can 
 trufl  the  faces  of  men,  that  fees,  in  the  army  of  Ifrael, 
 above  two  for  one  timorous  ?  How  many  make  a  glo- 
 rious mew  in  the  warfaring  church,  which,  when 
 they  fhall  fee  danger  of  perfecution,  {hall  fhrink  from 
 the  ftandard  of  God  ?  Hope  of  fafety,  examples  of 
 neighbours,  defire  of  praife,  fear  of  cenfures,  coaclion 
 of  laws,  fellowship  of  friends,  draw  many  into  the 
 field,  which,  fo  foon  as  ever  they  fee  the  adverfary, 
 repent  of  their  conditions ;  and,  if  they  may  cleanly 
 efcape,  will  be  gone  early  from  mount  Gilead.  Can 
 any  man  be  offended  at  the  number  of  thefe  fhrinkers, 
 when  he  fees  but  ten  thoufand  Israelites  left  of  two 
 and  thirty  thoufand  in  a  morning  ? 
 
 Thefe  men  that  would  have  been  aftiamed  to  go 
 away  by  day,  now  drop  away  by  night :  and  if  Gide- 
 on lhould  have  called  any  one  of  them  back,  and 
 faid,  Wilt  thou  fly  ?  wouid  have  made  an  excufe  ; 
 the  darknefs  is  a  fit  veil  for  their  palenefs,  or  blufli- 
 ing ;  fearfulnefs  cannot  abide  the  light.    None  of  thefe 
 
 thdufands 
 
304         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 thoufands  of  Jfrael  but  would  have  been  loath  Gideon 
 fliould  have  feen  his  face,  whilft  he  faid,  I  am  fear- 
 ful !  Very  fliame  holds  fome  in  their  ftation,  whofe 
 hearts  are  already  fled.  And  if  we  cannot  endure 
 that  men  fliould  be  witneffes  of  that  fear,  which  we 
 might  live  to  correct,  how  (hall  we  abide  once  to 
 fhew  our  fearful  heads  before  that  terrible  Judge, 
 "when  he  calls  us  forth  to  the  punifhment  of  our  fear  ? 
 O  the  vanity  of  fooliih  hypocrites,  that  run  upon  the 
 terrors  of  God,  whilft  they  would  avoid  the  lhaine  of 
 men ! 
 
 How  do  we  think  the  fmall  remainder  of  Jfrael 
 looked,  when,  in  the  next  mornmg-mufter,  they  found 
 themfelves  but  ten  thoufand  \tLi?  How  did  they  ac- 
 cufe  their  timorous  countrymen,  that  had  left  but  this 
 handful  to  encounter  the  millions  of  Midlan  f  And 
 yet  ftill  God  complains  of  too  many ;  and,  upon  his 
 trial,  difmiiTes  nine  thoufand  (c\cn  hundred  more. 
 His  firft  trial  was  of  the  valour  of  their  minds ;  his 
 next  is  of  the  ability  of  their  bodies.  Thpfe  which, 
 befides  boldnefs,  are  not  flrong,  patient  of  labour 
 and  thirft,  willing  to  ftoop,  content  with  a  little,  (fuch 
 were  thofe  that  took  up  water  with  their  hands)  are 
 not  for  the  (elect,  band  of  God.  The  Lord  of  holts 
 will  ferve  himfelf  of  none  but  able  champions.  If  he 
 have  therefore  fmgled  us  into  his  combat,  this  very 
 choice  argues,  that  he  finds  that  ftrength  in  us,  which 
 we  cannot  confefs  in  or  .     How  can  it  but  com- 
 
 fort us  in  our  great  trials,  t:  rcher  of  hear:  s 
 
 did  not  find  us  (k,  he  would  never  honour  us  with  fo 
 hard  an  employment. 
 
 Now,  when  there  is  no-  fcarcc  left  one  Ifraeliie  to 
 every  thoufand  of  the  I  -oable  wiJi 
 
 God  to  join  battle.  When  God  hath  ftripped  us  of  all 
 our  earthly  confidence,  then  doth  he  find  time  to  give 
 us  viclcrj-.  and  not  till  then,  left  he  flioul'd  be  a  lofcr  in 
 
 our 
 
BOOK  IX.     Contem.vi.  305 
 
 our  gain :  like  as  at  lail  he  unclothes  us  of  our  body, 
 that  he  may  clothe  us  upon  with  glory. 
 
 If  Gideon  feared  when  he  had  two  and  thirty  thou- 
 fand  Israelites  at  his  heels,  is  it  any  wonder  if  he 
 feared,  when  all  thefe  were  fhrunk  into  three  hun- 
 dred ?  Though  his  confirmation  were  more,  yet  his 
 means  were  abated.  Why  was  not  Gideon  rather 
 the  leader  of  thofe  two  and  twenty  thoufand  run-a- 
 ways,  than  of  thefe  three  hundred  foldiers  ?  O  infi- 
 nite mercy  and  forbearance  of  God,  that  takes  not 
 vantage  of  fo  flrong  an  infirmity,  but,  inftead  of  call- 
 ing, encourages  him  !  That  wife  providence  hath  pre- 
 pared a  dream  in  the  head  of  one  Midianite,  an  in- 
 terpretation in  the  mouth  of  another,  and  hath  brought 
 Gideon  to  be  an  auditor  of  both  ;  and  hath  made 
 his  enemies  prophets  of  his  victory,  encouragers  of 
 the  attempt,  proclaimers  of  their  own  jconfufion.  A 
 Midianite  dreams,  a  Midianite  interprets.  Our  very 
 dreams  many  times  are  not  without  God ;  there  is  a 
 providence  in  our  fleeping  fancies.  Even  the  ene- 
 mies of  God  may  have  viiions,  and  power  to  conflrue 
 them  aright.  How  ufually  are  wicked  men  forewarn- 
 ed of  their  own  deftruction  ?  To  foreknow,  and  not 
 avoid,  is  but  an  aggravation  of  judgment. 
 
 When  Gideon  heard  good  news,  though  from  an 
 enemy,  he  fell  down  and  worfhipped.  To  hear  him- 
 felf  but  a  barley-cake  troubled  him  not,  when  he 
 heard  withal  that  his  rolling  down  the  hill  fhould 
 break  the  tents  of  Midian.  It  matters  not  how  bafe 
 We  be  thought,  fo  we  may  be  victorious .  The  foul  that 
 hath  received  full  confirmation  from  God  in  the  affu- 
 rance  of  his  falvation,  cannot  but  bow  the  knee,  and 
 by  all  geilures  of  body  tell  how  it  is  ravifhed.  I 
 would  have  thought  Gideon  lhould  rather  have  found 
 full  confirmation  in  the  promife  and  lift  of  God,  than 
 in  the  dream  of  the  Midianite.  Dreams  may  be  full 
 of  uncertainty  \  God's  undertakings  are  infallible. 
 Vox..  I.  qjj  Well 
 
go6         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Well  therefore  might  the  miracle  of  God  give  ftrength 
 to  the  dream  of  a  Midianite ;  but  what  ftrength  could 
 a  Pagan's  dream  give  to  the  miraculous  act  of  God  ? 
 yet  by  this  is  Gideon  thoroughly  fettled.  When  we  are 
 going,  a  little  thing  drives  us  on  ;  when  we  are  come 
 near  the  fhore,  the  very  tide,  without  fails,  is  e- 
 nough  to  put  us  into  the  harbour.  We  fhall  now 
 hear  no  more  of  Gideon's  doubts,  but  of  his  atchieve- 
 ments.  And  though  God  had  promifed  by  thefe  three 
 hundred  to  chafe  the  Midianites,  yet  he  neglects  not 
 wife  flratagems  to  effect  it.  To  wait  for  God's  per- 
 formance in  doing  nothing,  is  to  abufe  that  divine 
 providence,  which  will  fo  work,  that  will  not  allow 
 us  idle. 
 
 Now,  when  we  would  look  that  Gideon  fhould  give 
 charge  of  whetting  their  fwords,  and  iharpening 
 their  fpears,  and  fitting  their  armour,  he  only  gives 
 order  for  empty  pitchers  and  lights,  and  trumpets. 
 The  cracking  of  thefe  pitchers  fhall  break  in  pieces 
 this  Midianitifl)  clay  ;  the  kindling  of  thefe  lights 
 fhall  extinguilh  the  light  of  Midian ;  thefe  trumpets 
 found  no  other  than  a  foul-peal  to  all  the  hoft  of  Mi- 
 dian :  there  fhall  need  nothing  but  noife  and  light  to 
 confound  this  innumerable  army. 
 
 And  if  the  pitchers  and  brands,  and  trumpets  of 
 Gideon,  did  fo  daunt  and  difmay  the  proud  troops  of 
 Midian  and  Amalek,  who  can  we  think  fhall  be  able 
 to  fland  before  the  lafl  terror,  wherein  the  trumpet 
 of  the  archangel  fhall  found,  and  the  heavens  fhall 
 pafs  away  with  a  noife,  and  the  elements  fhall  be  on 
 a  flame  about  our  ears  ? 
 
 Any  of  the  weaken1  Jfraelites  would  have  ferved  to 
 have  broken  an  empty  pitcher,  to  have  carried  a  light, 
 and  to  have  founded  a  trumpet,  and  to  ftrike  a  flying 
 adverfary.  Not  to  the  bafeft  ufe  will  God  employ 
 an  unworthy  agent :  he  will  not  allow  fo  much  as  a 
 cowardly  torch-bearer. 
 
 Thofe 
 
BOOK  IX.     Co  nt  em.  vii.  307 
 
 Thofe  two  and  twenty  thoufand  Israelites  that  flipt 
 away  for  fear,  when  the  fearful  Midianites  fled,  can 
 purfue  and  Jcill  them,  and  can  follow  them  at  the 
 heels,  whom  they  durft  not  look  in  the  face.  Our 
 flight  gives  advantage  to  the  feebleft  adverfary, 
 whereas  our  refiftance  foileth  the  greateft.  How 
 much  more,  if  we  once  turned  our  backs  upon  a  temp- 
 tation, fhall  our  fpiritual  enemies,  which  are  ever 
 ilrong,  trample  us  in  the  duff  ?  Refill,  and  they  fhall 
 fly.  Stand  flill,  and  we  fhall  fee  the  falvation  of  the 
 Lord. 
 
 Contem.  vii.      The  revenge  c/Succoth  and 
 
 P  E  NU  EL. 
 
 /^  Id  eon  was  of  Manaffeh  :  Ephraim  and  he  were 
 ^-*  brothers,  fons  of  Jofeph,  None  of  all  the  tribes 
 of  Ifrael  fall  out  with  their  victorious  leader  but  he. 
 The  agreement  of  brothers  is  rare ;  but  how  much 
 nature  hath  more  endeared  them,  by  fo  much  are 
 their  quarrels  more  frequent  and  dangerous.  I  did 
 not  hear  the  Ephraimites  offering  themfelves  into  the 
 front  of  the  army  before  the  fight,  and  now  they 
 are  ready  to  fight  with  Gideon,  becaufe  they  were 
 not  called  to  fight  with  Midi  an :  I  hear  them  expoftu- 
 lating  after  it.  After  the  exploit  done,  coXrards  are 
 valiant.  Their  quarrel  was,  that  they  were  not  called. 
 It  had  been  a  greater  praife  of  their  valour  to  have 
 gone  unbidden.  What  need  was  there  to  call  them, 
 when  God  complained  of  multitude,  and  fent  away 
 thofe  which  were  called  ?  None  fpake  fo  big  in  the 
 end  of  the  fray,  as  the  fearfullefl. 
 
 Ephraim  flies  upon  Gideon,  whilfl  the  Midianites 
 fly  from  him  ;  when  Gideon  fhould  be  purfuing  his 
 enemies,  he  is  purfued  by  brethren,  and  now  is  glad 
 to  fpend  that  wind  in  pacifying  of  his  own,  which 
 ihould  have  been  beftowed  in  the  llaughter  of  a,  corn- 
 er q  2  mon 
 
3o3         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 mon  adverfary.  It  is  a  wonder  if  Satan  fuffer  us  to 
 be  quiet  at  home,  whilit  we  are  exercifed  with  wars 
 abroad.  Had  not  Gideon  learned  to  fpeak  fair,  as 
 well  as  to  fmite,  he  had  found  work  enough  from  the 
 fvvords  of  Jcfep/ys  fons  :  his  good  words  are  as  vi&o- 
 rious  as  his  (word ;  his  pacification  of  friends,  better 
 than  his  execution  of  enemies. 
 
 For  ought  I  fee,  the  envy  of  Ifraelites  was  not  more 
 troublefome  to  Gideon,  than  the  oppofition  of  Midian. 
 He  hath  left  the  envy  of  Ephraim  behind  him ;  be- 
 fore him,  he  finds  the   envy  of  Succcth  and  PenueL 
 The  one  envies  that  he  mould    overcome   without 
 them ;  the  other,  that  he  mould  fay  he  had  over- 
 come.    His  purfuit  leads  him  to  Succoth ;  there  he 
 craves  relief,  and  is  repelled.     Had  he  faid,  Come 
 forth  and  draw  your  fword  with  me  againft  Zeba  and 
 Zalmunna,  the  motion  had  been  but  equal.     A  com- 
 mon interefl  challenges  an  univerfal  aid.     Now  he 
 fays   but   Give   morfels   of  bread  to  my  followers,  he 
 is  turned  off  with  a  fcorn ;  he  afks  bread,  and  they 
 give  him  a  (tone.     Could  he  aik  a  more  {lender  re- 
 compence  of  their  deliverance,  or  a  lefs  reward  of 
 his   victory?  Give  morfels  of  bread.     Before  this  act, 
 all  their  fubftance  had  been  too  fmall  an  hire  for  their 
 freedom  from  Midian ;  now,  when  it  is  done,  a  mor- 
 fel  of  bread  is  too  much.     Well  might  he  challenge 
 bread,  where  he  gave  liberty  and  life.     It  is  hard,  if 
 thofe,  which  fight  the  wars -of  God,  may  not  have  ne- 
 ceffary  relief ;  that  whilft.  the  enemy  dies  by  them, 
 they  mould  die  by  famine.     If  they  had  laboured  for 
 God  at  home  in  peace,  they  had  been  worthy  of  main- 
 tenance ;  how  much  more  now,  that  danger  is  added 
 to  their  toil  ?    Even   very  executioners  look  for  fees ; 
 but  here  were  not  malefactors,  but  adverfaries  to  be 
 fiain ;  the  fword  of  power  and  revenge  was  now  to 
 be  wielded,  not  of  quiet  jufHce.     Thofe,  that  fight  for 
 our  fouls  againft  fpiritual  powers,  may  challenge  bread 
 
 from 
 
BOOK  IX.     Contem.  vii.         309 
 
 from  us ;  and  it  is  lhamelefs  unthankfulnefs  to  deny 
 it.  When  Abraham  had  vanquiflied  the  five  kings, 
 and  delivered  Lot  and  his  family,  the  king  of  Salem 
 met  him  with  bread  and  wine ;  and  now  thefe  fons  of 
 Abraham,  after  an  equal  victory,  aik  dry  bread,  and 
 are  denied  •jy  their  brethren.  Craftily  yet,  and  un- 
 der pretence  of  a  falfe  title,  had  they  acknowledged 
 the  victory  of  Gideon ;  with  what  forehead  could  they 
 have  denied  him  bread  ? 
 
 Now,  I  know  not  whether  their  faithlefnefs,  or  en- 
 vy lies  in  their  way  ;  Are  the  hands  of  Zeba  and  Zal- 
 munna  in  thy  hands  f  There  were  none  of  thefe 
 princes  of  Succoth  and  Penuel,  but  thought  themfelves 
 better  men  than  Gideon;  that  he  therefore  alone 
 mould  do  that,  which  all  the  princes  of  Ifrael  durft 
 not  attempt,  they  hated  and  fcorned  to  hear.  It  is 
 never  fafe  to  meafare  events  by  the  power  of  the  in- 
 flrument ;  nor,  in  the  caufes  of  God,  (whofe  calling 
 makes  the  difference,)  to  meafure  others  by  them- 
 felves. There  is  nothing  more  dangerous,  than  in 
 holy  bufmefTes  to  ftand  upon  comparifons,  and  our 
 own  reputation ;  fmce  it  is  reafon  God  fhould  both 
 chufe,  and  blefs  where  he  lifts. 
 
 To  have  queftioned  fo  fudden  a  victory,  had  been 
 pardonable  ;  but  to  deny  it  fcornfully,  was  unworthy 
 of  Ifraelites.  Carnal  men  think  that  impofMble  to  o- 
 thers,  which  themfelves  cannot  do  :  from  hence  are 
 their  cenfures,  hence  their  exclamations. 
 
 Gideon  hath  vowed  a  fearful  revenge,  and  now  per- 
 forms it ;  the  taunts  of  his  brethren  may  not  ftay  him 
 from  the  purfuit  of  the  Midianites :  common  enmities 
 muft  firft  be  oppofed,  domeftical  at  more  leifure. 
 The  princes  of  Succoth  feared  the  tyranny  of  the  Mi- 
 dianitiftj  kings,  but  they  more  feared  Gideon's  victo- 
 ry. What  a  condition  hath  their  envy  drawn  them  in- 
 to, that  they  are  forry  to  fee  God's  enemies  captive, 
 that  IfraePs  freedom  muft  be  their  death,  that  the 
 
 Midianites 
 
310         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Midianites  and  they  muft  tremble  at  one  and  the  fame 
 revenger  !     To  fee  themfelves  prifoners  to  Zeba  and 
 Zalmunna  had  not  been  fo  fearful,  as  to  fee   Zeba 
 and  Zalmunna  prifoners  to  Gideon.     Nothing  is  more 
 terrible  to  evil  minds,  than  to  read  their  own  condem- 
 nation in  the  happy  fuccefs  of  others.     Hell  itfelf 
 would  want  one  piece  of  its  torment,  if  the  wicked 
 did  not  know  thofe,  whom  they  contemned,  glorious. 
 I  know  not  whether  more  to  commend  Gideon's 
 wifdom  and  moderation  in  the  proceedings,  than  his 
 refolution  and  ju'lice  in  the  execution  of  this  bufinefs. 
 I  do  not  fee  him  run  furioufly  into  the  city,  and  kill 
 the  next ;  his  fword  had  not  been  fo  drunken  with 
 blood,  that  it  fhould  know  no  difference :  but  he  writes 
 down  the  names  of  the  princes,  and  fingles  them  forth 
 for  revenge. 
 
 When  the  leaders  of  God  came  to  Jericho,  or 
 Ai9  their  {laughter  was  unpartial ;  not  a  woman  or 
 child  might  live  to  tell  news :  but  now  that  Gideon 
 comes  to  a  Succoth,  a  city  of  Ifraelites,  the  rulers 
 are  called  forth  to  death;  the  people  are  frighted  with 
 the  example,  not  hurt  with  the  judgment.  To  en- 
 wrap the  innocent  in  any  vengeance,  is  a  murderous 
 injuflice.  Indeed,  where  all  join  in  the  fin,  all  are 
 worthy  to  meet  in  the  punifhment.  It  is  like,  the 
 citizens  of  Succoth  could  have  been  glad  to  fuccour 
 Gideon,  if  their  rulers  had  not  forbidden.  They  mull 
 therefore  efcape  whiles  their  princes  perifh. 
 
 I  cannot  think  of  Gideon's  revenge  without  hor- 
 ror ;  that  the  rulers  of  Succoth  mould  have  their  flefh 
 torn  from  their  backs  with  thorns  and  briers,  that 
 they  mould  be  at  once  beaten  and  fcratched  to  death. 
 What  a  fpeclacle  it  was,  to  fee  their  bare  bones  look- 
 ing fomewhere  through  the  bloody  rags  of  their  flefli 
 and  fkin,  and  every  llroke  worfe  than  the  laft,  death 
 multiplied  by  torment!     Juftice  is  fometimes  fo  fe- 
 
 vere. 
 
BOOK   IX.     Contem.  vii.  31 J 
 
 vere,  that  a  tender  beholder  can  fcarce  difcern  it  from 
 cruelty. 
 
 I  fee  the  Midianites  far  lefs  ill ;  the  edge  of  the 
 fword  makes  a  fpeedy  and  eafy  paifage  for  their  lives, 
 whiles  thefe  rebellious  Ifraelites  die  lingering  under 
 thorns  and  briers,  envying  thofe  in  their  death  whom 
 their  life  abhorred.  Howfoever  men  live  or  die  with- 
 out the  pale  of  the  church,  a  wicked  Ifraelite  (hall  be 
 fure  of  plagues.  How  many  fhall  unwifli  themfelves 
 .  Chriftians,  when  God's  revenges  have  found  them 
 out  ? 
 
 The  place  where  Jacob  wreftled  with  God,  and 
 prevailed,  now  hath  wreftled  againft  God,  and  takes 
 a  fall :  they  fee  God  avenged,  which  would  not  be- 
 lieve him  delivering. 
 
 It  was  now  time  for  Zeba  and  Zalmunna  to  follow 
 thofe  their  troops  to  the  grave,  whom  they  had  led  in 
 the  field.  Thofe,  which  the  day  before  were  attend- 
 ed with  an  hundred  and  thirty-five  thoufand  followers, 
 have  not  fo  much  as  a  page  now  left  to  weep  for  their 
 death,  and  have  lived  only  to  fee  all  their  friends,  and 
 fome  enemies  die  for  their  fakes. 
 
 Who  can  regard  earthly  greatnefs,  that  fees  one 
 night  change  two  of  the  greateft  kings  of  the  world 
 into  captives!  It  had  been  both  pity  and  fin,  that  the 
 heads  of  that  Midianitiflj  tyranny,  into  which  they 
 had  drawn  fo  many  thoufands,  fhould  have  efcaped 
 that  death. 
 
 And  yet,  if  private  revenge  had  not  made  Gideon 
 juft,  I  doubt  whether  they  had  died.  The  blood  of 
 his  brothers  call  for  theirs,  and  awakes  his  fword  to 
 their  execution.  He  both  knew  and  complained  of 
 the  Midianitiflj  opprcfiion,  under  which  Ifrael  groan* . 
 ed  :  yet  the  cruelty  offered  to  all  the  thoufands  of  his 
 father's  fons,  had  not  drawn  the  blood  of  Zeba  and 
 Zalmunna,  if  his  own  mother's  fons  had  not  bled  by 
 their  hands. 
 
 He- 
 
212        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 He  that  flew  the  rulers  of  Succotti  and  Penuel,  and 
 fpared  the  people,  now  hath  llain  the  people  of  Mi- 
 dian,  and  would  have  fpared  their  rulers ;  but  that 
 God,  which  will  find  occafions  to  wind  wicked  men 
 into  judgment,  will,  have  them  flain  in  a  private  quar- 
 rel, which  had  more  deferved  it  for  the  public  ;  if 
 we  may  not  rather  fay,  that  Gideon  revenged  thefe 
 as  a  magiftrate,  not  as  a  brother.  For  governors  to 
 refpect  their  own  ends  in  public  anions,  and  to  wear 
 the  fword  of  juflice  in  their  own  fheath,  it  is  a  wrong- 
 ful abufe  of  authority.  The  daughter  of  Gideon's 
 brethren  was  not  the  greateft  fin  of  the  Midianitifb 
 kings ;  this  alone  fliall  kill  them,  when  the  reft  ex- 
 pected, an  unjuit  remiflion.  How  many  lewd  men 
 hath  God  paid  with  fome  one  fin  for  "all  the  reft  ! 
 
 Some,  that  have  gone  away  with  unnatural  filtlii- 
 nefs,  and  capital  thefts,  have  clipped  off  their  own 
 days  with  their  coin ;  others,  whofe  bloody  murders 
 have  been  punifhed  in  a  mutinous  word ;  others,  whofe 
 fufpe&ed  felony  hath  paid  the  price  of  their  unknown 
 rape.  O  God,  thy  judgments  are  juft,  even  when 
 mens  are  unjuft ! 
 
 Gideon's  young  fon  is  bidden  to  revenge  the  death 
 of  his  uncles :  his  fword  had  not  yet  learned  the  way 
 to  blood,  efpecially  of  kings,  though  in  irons.  Dead- 
 ly executions  require  ftrength  both  of  heart  and  face. 
 How  are  thofe  aged  in  evil,  that  can  draw  their  fwords 
 upon  the  lawfully  anointed  of  God  ?  Thefe  tyrants 
 plead  not  now  for  continuance  of  life,  but  for  the 
 hafte  of  their  death  ;  Fall  thou  upon  us.  Death  is 
 ever  accompanied  with  pain,  which  it  is  no  marvel 
 if  we  wiflx  ihort.  We  do  not  more  affect  protraction 
 of  an  eafy  life,  than  fpeed  in  our  difiblution  ;  for 
 here  every  pang,  that  tends  towards  death,  renews  it. 
 To  ly  an  hour  under  death  is  tedious,  but  to  be  dy- 
 ing a  whole  day,  we  think  above  the  ftrength  of  hu- 
 man patience.     O  what  lhall  we  then  conceive  ,of 
 
 that 
 
BOOK    IX.        CoNTEM.    VIT.  313 
 
 that  death  which  knows  no  end  ?  As  this  life  is  no 
 lefs  frail  than  the  body  which  it  animates,  fo  that  death 
 is  no  lefs  eternal  than  the  foul  which  mull  endure  it. 
 
 For  us  to  be  dying,  fo  long  as  we  now  have  leave  to 
 live,  is  intolerable ;  and  yet  one  only  minute  of  that 
 other  tormenting  death  is  worfe  than  an  age  of  this, 
 O  the  defperate  infidelity  of  carelefs  men,  that  (brink 
 at  the  thought  of  a  momentary  death,  and  fear  not 
 eternal !  This  is  but  a  killing  of  the  bodv,  that  is  a 
 deflrucuon  of  body  and  foul. 
 
 Who  is  fo  worthy  to  wear  the  crown  of  Ifae!,  as 
 he  that  won  the  crown  from  Mldian  f  Their  ufurpers 
 wrere  gone,  now  they  are  heedlefs ;  it  is  a  doubt  whe- 
 ther they  were  better  to  have  had  no  kings,  or 
 rants.  They  fue  to  Gideon  to  accept  of  the  kingdom, 
 and  are  repulfed.  There  is  no  greater  example  of 
 modefty  than  Gideon.  When  the  angel  fpake  to  I 
 he  abafed  himfelf  below  all  Ifrael ;  when  the  Ephrai/n- 
 ites  contended  with  him,  he  prefers  their  gleanings 
 to  his  vintage,  and  cads  his  honour  at  their  iqqz:  and 
 now,  when  Ifrael  proffers  him  that  kingdom  which  he 
 had  merited,  he  refufes  it.  He  that  in  overcoming 
 would  allow  them  to  cry,  The  fword  cf  the  Lord  and 
 of  Gideon,  in  governing,  will  have  none  but  The  fivord 
 of  the  Lord. 
 
 That  which  others  plot,  and  fue,  and  fwear,  and 
 bribe  for,  (dignity  and  fuperiorlty,)  he  feriouOy  re- 
 jects, whether  it  were  for  that  he  knew  God  had 
 not  yet  called  them  to  a  monarchy,  or  rather  for  that 
 he  faw  the  crown  among  thorns.  Why  do  we  ambi- 
 tionfly  affe&  the  command  of  thefe  mo!e-hilJs  of  earth, 
 when  wife  men  have  refuted  the  proffers  of  king- 
 doms ?  Why  do  we  not  rathe?  labour  for  that  king- 
 dom which  is  free  from  all  cares3  from  all  uncerraia- 
 tv  ? 
 
 Yet  he  that  refutes  their  crown,  caCs  for  their  ear- 
 rings, although    not   to   enrich  higifclF,  ligiori. 
 
 Vol.  1.  R  r 
 
314        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 So  long  had  God  been  a  ftranger  to  tfrael\  that  now 
 fuperftkion  goes  current  for  devout  worfhip.  It 
 pity  that  good  intentions  mould  make  any  man  wick- 
 ed ;  here  they  did  fo.  Never  man  meant  better  than 
 m  in  his  rich  ephod  ;  yet  this  very  ac~t  fet  ail  If 
 /  ael  on  whoring.  God  had  ehofeji  a  place,  and  a  fer- 
 vice  of  his  own.     When  of  man  will  be  over- 
 
 pleafing  God  with  better  deuces  than  his  own,  it  turns 
 to  madnefs,  and  ends  in  raifchief. 
 
 Contem.  vin.      Abimelech's  Ufurpatior.. 
 
 /^Ideon  refufed  the  kingdom  of  If r ael  when  it  was 
 "-^  offered  ;  his  feventy  foils  oiler ed  not  to  obtain 
 that  fceptre,  which  theii  lathee's  vi&ory  had  deferved 
 to  make  hereditary:  only  AblmAech^  the  concubine's 
 fon,  fues  and  Rmbitiottfly  plots  for  it.  What  could 
 Abimckch  fee  in  himfelf,  that  he  ihould  overlook  all 
 his  brethren?  If  he  looked  to  his  father,  they  were 
 his  equals ;  if  to  his  mother,  they  were  his  betters. 
 Thofe  that  are  moil  unworthy  o[l  honour  are  hotteft 
 in  the  chafe  of  it ;  whilft  the  conference  of  better  de-> 
 ferts,  bids  men  lit  ftill,  and  flay  to  be  either  importu- 
 ned or  neglected^  There  can  be  no  greater  -fign  of  un- 
 iitncls,  than  veh  fait.     It  is  hard  to  fay,  whe- 
 
 rhere  be   n  h  or  ignorance  in  ambition. 
 
 xt  fpirirual  and  earth- 
 
 \    honour,  and   the    .        ts   o    both;  we   cannot  be 
 
 e    01  '        hour  e:irruil  profecution,  nor 
 
 worthy  of  the  other.     The 
 
 n  ;  only   the  meek  arc  worthy  to 
 
 heart  hath  projected,  it  will 
 both  a  pel :    if  either 
 
 bribes  oc  i  •vour  will  carry  it,  the  proud  man  will  not 
 fit  out.     The   SI  \  r   are  fit  brokers  io?  A 
 
 lech ;  that  city  which  once  bet 
 
 population, 
 
BOOK   IX.     Con  t  em.  vin.  315 
 
 population,  in  yielding  to  the  fuit  of  Hamor,  now  , 
 trays  itfelf,  and  all  Ifrael,  in  yielding  to  the  requefr. 
 of  AbimeUch.  By  them  hath  this  ufurper  made  hiai- 
 fclf  a  fair  way  to  the  throne.  It  was  an  cafy  queftion, 
 Whether  will  ye  admit  of  the  Ions  or  Gideon  for  your 
 rulers,  or  of  it  rangers  ?  If  of  the  .fons  of  Gideon, 
 whether  of  all,  or  one  ?  If  of  one,  whether  of  your 
 own  flefti  and  blood,  or  of  others  unknown?  To  catfl 
 off  the  fons  of  Gideon  for  Grangers,  were  unthankful ; 
 to  admit  of  feventy  kings  in  one  fmall  country,  were 
 unreafonable  :  to  admit  of  any  other,  rather  than  their 
 own  kinfman,  were  unnatural.  Gideoffiiom  there- 
 fore muff  rule  amongft  all  Ifrqel ;  one  cf  his  fons  a- 
 mongfl  thofe  feventy  :  and  who  fliould  be  that  one 
 but  Abimelech  f  Natural  refpech  are  the  moil  dange- 
 rous corrupters  of  all  elections.  What  hope  can  there 
 be  of  worthy  fuperiors  in  any  free  people,  where 
 nearnefs  cf  blood  carries  it  from  fitnefs  of  diipofition  ? 
 Whilfl  they  fay,  He  is  our  brother,  they  are  enemies 
 to  themfelves  and  I/raeL 
 
 Fair  words  have  won  his  brethren,  they  the  She- 
 chernites ;  the  Sheche?nites  furnilh  him  with  money, 
 money  with  men:  his  men  begin  with  murder,  and 
 now  Abimelech  reigns  alone.  Flattery,  bribes,  and 
 blood,  are  the  ufual  flairs  of  the  ambitions.  The  mo- 
 ney .of  Baal  is  a  fit  hire  for  murderers  \  that  which 
 idolatry  hath  gathered,  is  fitly  fpent  upon  treafon. 
 One  devil  is  ready  to  help  another  in  mifchief ;  fel- 
 dom  ever  is  ill  gotten  riches  better  employed.  It  is  no 
 wonder  if  he,  that  hath  Baal  his  idol,  now  make  an 
 idol  of  honour.  There  was  never  any  man  that  wor- 
 fhipped  but  one  idol.  Wo  be  to  them  that  ly  in  the 
 way  of  the  aipiring  ;   though  they  he  brci  hey 
 
 fliall  bleed  ;  yea,  the  nearer  they  are, 
 is  their  ruin.     Who  would  not  now  ti:: 
 lech  fliould  find  an  hell  in  his  breaft,  after  io  barba- 
 rous and  unnatural  a  maiTacrc  ?  and  yet\  behold,  he 
 
 R  r  2  is 
 
gid         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 is  as  fcnfelefs  as  the  done  upon  which  the  blood  of  his 
 feventy  brethren  was  fpilt.  Where  ambition  hath 
 pofTeft  itfelf  thoroughly  of  the  foul,  it  turns  the  heart 
 into  (reel,  and  makes  it  uncapable  of  a  conscience. 
 All  fias  will  eaiily  down  with  the  man  that  is  refolved 
 to  rife. 
 
 Only  Jotbam  fell  not  at  that  fatal  flone  with  his 
 brethren.  It  is  an  hard  battle  where  none  efcapes. 
 He  efcapes,  not  to  reign,  nor  to  revenge,  but  to  be 
 a  prophet,  and  a  witnefs  of  the  vengeance  of  God  up- 
 on the  umrper,  upon  the  abettors :  he  lives  to  tell 
 Abhnelech  that  he  was  but  a  bramble,  a  weed  rather 
 than  a  tree.  A  right  bramble  indeed;  that  grew  but 
 cut  of  the  bafe  hedge-row  of  a  concubine,  that  could 
 pot  lift  up  his  head  from  the  earth,  unlets  he  were 
 fupported  by  forne  binh  or  pale  of  Shechem*  that  had 
 laid  hold  of  the  fleece  of  Ifrael,  and  had  drawn  blood 
 of  ail  his  brethren  ;  and.  laftly,  that  had  no  fuhftance 
 in  him,  but  the  fap  of  vain  glory,  and  the  pricks  of 
 cruelty.  It  was  better  than  a  kingdom  to  him,  out 
 of  his  obfeure  bier,  to  fee  the  fire  out  of  this  bramble 
 to  confume  thpfe  trees.  The  view  of  God's  revenge 
 is  fo  much  mere  pleafing  to  a  pood  heart,  than  his  own, 
 by  how  much  it  is  more  jufr.  and  full. 
 
 There  was  never  inch  a  pattern  of  unthankful nefs 
 as  thefe  Israelites.  They  who  lately  thought  a  king- 
 dom too  fmall  reeompence  for  Gideon  and  his  fons, 
 now  think  it  too  much  for  his  feed  to  live  ;  and  take 
 life  away  from  the  fons  of  him,  that  gave  them  both 
 life  and  Ixl  Yet  if  this  had  been  fbme  hundreds 
 
 of  years  after,  xAicn  time  had  worn  out  the  memory 
 
 i-baafc  it  mi  pit  have  born  a  better   excufe. 
 
 nan  can  hope  to  hold  pace  with  time  :  the  bed 
 
 hink  fcorn  to  be  unknown  to  follow- 
 
 i  But  ere  their  deliverer  was  cold  in 
 
 his  coffin,  to  pay  his  benefits  (wjhich  deferve  to  be  e- 
 
 ;  with   the  of  his  poilerity,  it 
 
 was. 
 
BOOK  IX.     Contem.  vin.  317 
 
 was  more  than  favage.  What  can  be  looked  for 
 from  idolaters  ?  If  a  man  have  call  off  his  God,  he 
 will  eaftly  call  off  his  friends.  When  religion  is  once 
 gone,  humanity  will  not  flay  long  after. 
 
 That  which  the  people  were  puniihed  afterwards 
 for  but  defiring,  he  enjoys.  Now  is  Abimelech  feat- 
 ed  in  the  throne  which  his  father  refufed,  and  no  rival 
 is  feen  to  envy  his  peace.  But  how  long  will  this 
 glory  lad?  Stay  but  three  years,  and  ye  fhall  fee  this 
 bramble  withered  and  burnt.  The  profperity  of  the 
 wicked  is  Ihort  and  fickle.  A  flollen  crown  (though  it 
 may  look  fair)  cannot  be  made  of  any  but  brittle  fluff. 
 All  this  is  uncertain;  but  wickednefs  over-runs  nature. 
 
 The  evil  fpirit  thruil  himlelf  into  the  plot  of  Abi- 
 melech* s  ufurpation  and  murder,  and  wrought  with 
 the  Shechemites  for  both ;  and  now  God  fends  the  e- 
 vil  fpirit  betwixt  Abimelech  and  the  Shechemitds  to 
 work  the  ruin  of  each  other.  The  firfl  could  not 
 have  been  without  God  ;  but,  in  the  fecond,  God 
 challenges  a  part.  Revenge  is  his,  where  the  fin  is 
 ours.  It  had  been  pity  that  the  Shechemites  fhould 
 have  been  plagued  by  any  other  hand  than  Abime- 
 lech's.  They  raifed  him  unjuflly  to  the  throne,  they 
 are  the  firfl  that  feel  the  weight  of  his  fcepter.  The 
 foolifh  bird  limes  herfelf  with  that  which  grew  from 
 her  own  excretion.  Who  wonders  to  fee  the  kind 
 peafant  flung  with  his  own  make  ? 
 
 The  breach  begins  at  Shechem  :  his  own  country- 
 men fly  off  from  their  promifed  allegiance.  Though 
 all  Ifrael  fhould  have  fallen  off  from  Abimelech,  yet 
 they  of  Shechem  fhould  have  fluck  clofe.  It  was 
 their  act,  they  ought  to  have  made  it  good.  How 
 fhould  good  princes  be  honoured,  when  even  Abime- 
 lech s,  once  fettled,  cannot  be  oppofed  with  fafety  ? 
 Now  they  begin  to  revolt  to  the  refl  of  Ifrael.  Yet, 
 If  this  had  been  done  out  of  repentance,  it  had  been 
 praife-worthy  ;  but  to  be  done  out  of  a  treacherous 
 
 inconflancy 
 
ji8         CONTEMPLATIO  N  S. 
 
 inconftancy,  Was  unworthy  of  Ifraelites.  How  could 
 Abimelech  hope  for  fidelity  of  them,  whom  he  had 
 made  and  found  traitors  to  his  father's  blood  ?  No 
 man  knows  how  to  be  fure  of  him  that  is  unconfcion- 
 able.  He  that  hath  been  unfaithful  to  one,  knows 
 the  way  to  be  perfidious,  and  is  only  fit  for  his  truft 
 that  is  worthy  to  be  deceived  ;  whereas  faithfulnefs, 
 befides  the  prefent  good,  lays  a  ground  of  further  af- 
 furance.  The  friendftiip  that  is  begun  in  evil  cannot 
 ftand ;  wickednefs,  both  of  its  own  nature,  and 
 through  the  curfe  of  God,  is  ever  unfteady  :  and 
 though  there  be  not  a  difagreement  in  hell,  (being 
 but  the  place  of  retribution,  not  of  action)  yet  on  earth 
 there  is  no  peace  among  the  wicked  ;  whereas  that 
 affection  which  is  knit  in  God,  is  indiflbluble. 
 
 If  the  men  of  Shechem  had  abandoned  their  falfe 
 god,  with  their  falfe  king,  and  out  of  a  ferious  re- 
 morfe,  and  defire  of  fatisf action  for  their  idolatry  and 
 blood,  had  oppofed  this  tyrant,  and  preferred  ^otham 
 to  his  throne,  there  might  have  been  both  warrant 
 for  their  quarrel,  and  hope  of  fuccefs  :  but  now,  if 
 Abimelech  be  a  wicked  ufurper,  yet  the  Shechemkes 
 are  idolatrous  traitors.  How  could  they  think,  that 
 God  would  rather  revenge  Abimelech' 's  bloody  intru- 
 iion  by  them,  than  their  treachery  and  idolatry  by 
 elect  f  When  the  quarrel  is  betwixt  God  and 
 Satan,  there  is  no  doubt  of  the  iffue  ;  but  when  one 
 devil  fights  with  another,  what  certainty  is  there  of 
 the  victory  ?  Though  the  caufe  of  God  had  been 
 good,  yet  it  had  been  fafe  for  them  to  look  to  them- 
 selves. '  The  unworthinefs  of  the  agent  many  times 
 curies  a  good  enterprife. 
 
 No  foonfcr  is  a  fecret  diilike  kindled  in  any  people 
 againjft  their  governors,  than  there  is  a  gale  ready  to 
 blow  the  coals.  It  were  a  wonder,  if  ever  any  faction 
 fhould  want  a  head  ;  as,  contrarily,  never  any  man 
 was  fo  ill-,  as  not  to  have  fome  favourers :  Abimelech 
 /  hath 
 
BOOK   IX.      Contem.  vin.         319 
 
 huh  a  Zebul  in  the  midft  of  Schecbem.  Lightly,  all 
 treafons  are  betrayed,  even  with  fome  of  their  own  : 
 his  intelligence  brings  the  fword  of  Abimelech  upon 
 Shecbem  who  now  hath  demoliflied  the  city,  and 
 ibwn  it  with  fait.  O  the  jufl  fucceflions  of  the  re- 
 venges of  God!  Gideon\  ephod  is  puniftied  with  the 
 blood  of  his  fons ;  the  blood  of  his  fons  is  ihed  by  the 
 procurement  of  the  Sbechemites ;  the  blood  of  the 
 Shechemites  is  hied  by  Abimelech ;  the  'blood  of  Abi- 
 melech is  fpilt  by  a  woman.  The  retaliations  of  God 
 are  fare  and  juit,  and  make  a  more  due  pedigree 
 than  defcent  of  nature. 
 
 The  purfued  Shechemites  fly  to  the  houfe  of  their 
 god  Beritb  ;  now  they  are  fafe  :  that  place  is  at  once 
 a  fort,  and  a  fancfuary.  Whether  mould  we  fly  in 
 our  diftrefs,  but  to  our  God  ?  And  now  this  refuge 
 (hall  teach  them  what  a  God  they  have  ferved.  The 
 jealous  God,  whom  they  had  forfaken,  hath  them 
 now  where  he  would,  and  rejoices  at  once  to  be 
 avenged  of  their  god  and  them.  Had  they  not  made 
 the  houfe  of  Baal  their  fhelter,  they  had  not  died  io 
 fearfully.  Now,  according  to  the  prophefy  of  Jo- 
 thdni)  a  fire  goes  out  of  the  bramble,  and  confumes 
 thefe  cedars,  and  their  eternal  flames  beoin  in  the 
 fe  of  their  Beritb,  The  confufion  of  wicked  men 
 rifes  our  of  the  falfe  deities  which  they  have  doted  on. 
 
 Of  all  the  confpirators  againfl  Gideon' %  funs,  only 
 Abimelech  yet  furvives  5  and  his  day,  is  now  coming. 
 His  fuccefs  againft  Shechem  hath  filled  his  heart  with 
 thoughts  of  victory;  he  hath  caged  up  the  inhabitants 
 of  Tebez  within  their  tower  alfo  ;  and  what  remains 
 for  them,  but  the  fame  end  with  their  nei  -hboiirs  ? 
 And  behold,  while  his  hand  is  bufy  in  putting  fire  to 
 the  door  of  their  tower,  which  yet  was  not  high  (for 
 then  he  could  not  liave  dilcerned  a  woman  to  be  his 
 executioner)  a  {lone  from  a  woman's  hand  ftrikes  his 
 head  :  his  pain  in  dying  was  not  fo  much,  as  his  indig- 
 
 m  o 
 
 fetation 
 
32a        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 nation  to  know  by  whom  he  died ;  and  rather  will  he 
 die  twice,  than  a  woman  fliould  kill  him.  If  God  had 
 not  known  his  ftomach  fo  big,  he  had  not  vexed  him 
 with  the  impotency  of  his  victor.  God  finds  a  time  to 
 reckon  with  wicked  men,  for  all  the  arrearages  of  their 
 fins.  Our  fins  are  net  more  our  debts  to  God,  than 
 his  judgments  are  his  debts  to  our  fins,  which  at  lad 
 he  will  be  fare  to  pay  home.  There  now  lies  the 
 greatnefs  of  Abimelech :  upon  one  (lone  had  he  flain 
 his  feventy  brethren,  and  now  a  (lone  flays  him;  his 
 head  had  flollen  the  crown  of  Ifrael,  and  now  his 
 head  is  fmitten.  And  what  is  Abimelech  better  that 
 he  was  a  king  ?  What  difference  is  there  between  him 
 and  any  of  his  feventy  brethren  whom  he  murdered 
 fave  only  in  guiltinefs  ?  They  bear  but  their  own 
 blood  ;  he,  the  weight  of  all  theirs.  How  happy  a 
 thing  it  is  to  live  well,  that  our  death,  as  it  is  certain, 
 fo  may  be  comfortable  !  What  a  vanity  is  it  to  infult 
 in  the  death  of  them,  whom  we  mud  follow  the  fame 
 way  1 
 
 The  tyrant  hath  his  payment,  and  that  time  which 
 he  fliould  have  bellowed  in  calling  for  mercy  to  God, 
 and  wafliing  his  foul  with  the  laft  tears  of  contrition, 
 he  vainly  fpends  in  deprecating  an  idle  reproach  ; 
 Kill  me,  that  it  may  not  be  faid  he  died  by  a  wo- 
 man :  a  fit  conclufion  for  fuch  a  life  !  The  expec- 
 tation of  true  and  endlefs  torment  doth  not  fo  much 
 vex  him,  as  the  frivolous  report  of  a  di (honour  :  nei- 
 ther is  he  fo  much  troubled  with  Abimelech' s  frying 
 in  hell,  as  Abimelech  is  ftain  by  a  woman.  So  vain 
 fools  are  niggardly  of  their  reputation,  and  prodigal 
 of  their  fouls.  Do  we  not  fee  them  run  wilfully  into 
 the  field,  into  the  grave,  into  hell !  and  all  left  it 
 fliould  be  faid,  they  have  but  as  much  fear  as  wit. 
 
 BOOK 
 
[       32I       ] 
 
 BOOK    TENTH. 
 
 CoNTEM.    I.      JfiPHTHAH. 
 
 ISRAEL,  that  hid  now  long  gone  a- whoring  from 
 God,  hath  been  punifhed  by  the  regiment  of  the 
 concubine's  fon,  and  at  lad  feeks  protection  from 
 the  fon  of  an  harlot.  It  is  no  fmall  mifery  to  be  obli- 
 ged unto  the  unworthy.  The  concubine's  fon  made  fuit 
 to  them  ;  they  made  fuit  to  the  fon  of  the  harlot.  It 
 was  no  fault  of  ^ephthah  that  he  had  an  ill  mother, 
 yet  is  he  branded  with  the  indignity  of  his  baflardy ; 
 neither  would  God  conceal  this  blemifh  of  nature, 
 which  ^ephthah  could  neither  avoid  nor  remedy. 
 God,  to  fhew  his  deteftation  of  whoredom,  revenges 
 it  not  only  upon  the  actors,  but  upon  their  ifTue, 
 Hence  he  hath  fliut  out  the  bafe  fon  from  the  congre- 
 gation of  Ifrael,  to  the  tenth  generation,  that  a  tran- 
 sient evil  might  have  a  durable  reproach  attending  it ; 
 and  that,  after  the  death  of  the  adulterer,  yet  his  fnama 
 might  live.  But  that  God,  who  juftly  ties  men  to  his 
 laws,  will  not  abide  we  fhould  tie  him  to  our 
 laws,  or  his  own :  he  can  both  rectify  and  enoble  the 
 blood  of  ^ephthah.  That  no  man  fhould  be  too  much 
 difcouraged  with  the  errors  of  his  propagation,  even 
 the  bafe  fon  of  man  may  be  the  lawfully  begotten  of 
 God  ;  and  though  he  be  caft  out  from  the  inheritance 
 of  his  brethren  upon  earth,  may  be  admitted  to  the 
 kingdom  of  IfraeL 
 
 I  hear  no  praife  of  the  lawful  iiTue  of  Gilead;  only 
 this  mif-begotten  fon  is  commended  for  his  valour,  and 
 fet  at  the  ftern  of  IfraeL  The  common  gifts  of  God 
 refpect  not  the  parentage  or  blood,  but  are  indifferent- 
 ly  fcattered  whore  he  pleafes  to  let  them  fall.  The 
 choice  of  the  Almighty  is  not  guided  by  our  rales :  as 
 in  fpiritual,  fo  in  earthly  things,  it  is  not  in  him  that 
 
 S  f   '  willeth. 
 
Q22         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 willeth.  If  God  wouid  have  men  glory  in  thefe  out- 
 ward privileges,  he  would  bedow  them  upon  none  but 
 the  worthy. 
 
 Now,  whp  can  be  proud  of  drength  or  greatnefs, 
 when  he  fees  him  that  is  not  fo  honed.,  yet  is  more 
 valiant,  and  more  advanced  ?  Had  not  "fephthah  been 
 bafe,  he  had  not  been  thrufl  out ;  and  if  he  had  not 
 been  thrufl:  out  from  his  brethren,  he  had  never  been 
 the  captain  of  Ifrael.  By  contrary  paces  to  ours,  it  plea- 
 ieth  God  to  come  to  his  own  ends :  and  how  ufual- 
 ly  doth  he  look  the  contrary  way  to  that  he  moves  ? 
 No  man  can  meafure  the  conclufion  of  God's  acl  by 
 his  beginning.  He  that  fetches  good  out  of  evil,  rai- 
 ses the  glory  of  men  out  of  their  ruin.  Men  love  to  go 
 the  nearer!  way,  and  often  fail.  God  commonly  goes 
 about,  and  in  his  own  time  comes  furely  home. 
 
 The  Gilcadites  were  not  fo  forward  to  expel  jfeph- 
 thah,  as  glad  to  recal  him.  No  Ammonite  threatened 
 them,  when  they  parted  with  fuch  an  helper :  now, 
 whom  they  cad  out  in  their  peace,  they  fetch  home 
 m  their  danger  and  mifery.  That  God,  who  never 
 gave  ought  in  vain,  wiil  find  a  time  to  make  ufe  of 
 any  gift  that  he  hath  bedowed  upon  men.  The  va- 
 lour of  "fephthah  (hall  not  ruft  in  his  fecrecy,  but  be 
 employed  to  the  common  preservation  of  Ifrael.  Ne- 
 ceffity  will  drive  us  to  feck  up  all  our  helps,  even  thofe 
 whom  our  wantonnefs  hath  delpifed. 
 
 How  juflly  are  the  fuics  of  our  need  upbraided  with 
 the  errors  of  our  profperuy  !  The  elders  of  Gilead 
 now  hear  of  their  ancient  wrong,  ar.d  dare  not  find 
 fault  with  their  exprobation ;  Did  ye.  not  hate  me, 
 and  expel  me  out  of  my  father's  houfe  t  how  then 
 come  ye  now  to  me  in  time  of  tribulation !  1  he 
 fame  expoftukition  that  ^ephthah  makes  with  Gilead, 
 God  alio  at  the  fame  time  makes  vith  Ifrael ;  Ye 
 have  f erf  a  ken  me.  and  have  ferved  other  gods  ;  10  here- 
 fore  Jkould  I  deliver  you    any   more  f _  Go,    and  cry 
 
 unto 
 
BOOK  X.  Contem.  I.  323 
 
 unto  the  gods'  whom  ye  have  ferved.  As  we,  fo 
 God  alfo  finds  it  feafonable,  to  tell  his  children  of  their 
 faults,  whiles  he  is  whipping  them.  It  is  a  fafe  and 
 wife  courfe,  to  make  much  of  thofe  in  our  peace,  whom 
 we  muft  make  ufe  of  in  our  extremity;  elfc  it  is  but 
 juft,  that  we  fhould  be  rejected  of  thofe  whom  we 
 have  rejected. 
 
 Can  we  look  for  any  other  anfwer  from  God  than 
 this  ?  Did  ye  not  drive  me  out  of  your  houfes,  out  of 
 your  hearts,  in  the  time  of  your  health  and  jollity  ?  Did 
 ye  not  plead  the  ftri&nefs  of  my  charge,  and  the  weight 
 of  my  yoke  ?  Did  not  your  wilful  fins  expel  me  from 
 your  fouls  ?  What  do  you  now,  crouching  and  creep- 
 ing to  me  in  the  evil  day  ?  Surely,  O  God,  it  is  but 
 juflice,  if  thou  be  not  found  of  thofe  which  were 
 glad  to  lofe  thee!  It  is  thy  mercy,  if,  after  many  checks 
 and  delays,  thou  wilt  be  found  at  lafh  Where  an  acl: 
 cannot  be  reverfed,  there  is  no  amends,  but  confefli- 
 on  ;  and  if  God  himfeJf  take  up  with  this  fatisfaclion, 
 He  that  confejfes,  /ball  find  mercy  ;  how  much  more 
 fhould  men  hold  themfelves  well  paid,  with  words  of 
 humility  and  deprecation  ! 
 
 %ephthab\  wifdom  had  not  been  anfwerable  to  his 
 valour,  if  he  had  not  made  his  match  before- hand  :  he 
 could  not  but  know  how  treacheroufly  Ifrael  had  dealt 
 with  Gideon.  We  cannot  make  too  fure  work,  when 
 we  have  to  do  with  unfaithful  men.  It  hath  been  an 
 old  policy  to  ferve  ourfelves  of  men,  and,  after  our 
 advantage,  to  turn  them  up.  He  bargains  therefore 
 for  his  fovereignty,  ere  he  win  it ;  Shall  I  be  your 
 head?  We  are  all  naturally  ambitious,  and  are 
 ready  to  buy  honour  even  with  hazard.  And  if  the 
 hope  of  a  troublefome  fuperiority  encouraged  %epb- 
 lhah  to  fight  againil  the  forces  of  dmmcn,  what  heart 
 fhould  we  take  in  the  battles  of  God,  againil  fpiritu- 
 al  wickcdnefles,  when  the  God  of  heaven  hath  faid, 
 To  him   that   overcomes,    will  I  give  pczver  over  na~ 
 
 b  i  2  tions, 
 
3:4        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 lions,  and  fit  with  me  In  my  throne.  O  that  we 
 could  bend  our  eyes  upon  the  recompence  of  our 
 reward  !  how  willingly  {hould  we  march  forward  a- 
 gainft  thofe  mighty  Ammonites  !  Jephthab  is  noted  for 
 his  valour,  and  yet  he  treats  with  Amnion,  ere  he 
 rights.  To  make  war  any  other  than  our  lad  reme- 
 dy, is  not  courage,  but  cruelty  and  raftinefs.  And 
 now,  when  reafon  will  not  prevail,  he  betakes  himfelf 
 to  his  fword. 
 
 As  God  began  the  war  with  ^epbthab,  in  raifing 
 up  his  heart  to  that  pitch  of  fortitude  ;  fo  %tphthab  be- 
 gan his  war  at  God,  in  craving  victory  from  him,  and 
 pouring  out  his  vow  to  him.  His  hand  took  hold  of 
 his  fword,  his  heart  of  God  :  therefore  he,  whom  the 
 old  teftament  ftyles  valiant,  the  new  ftyles  faithful ; 
 he  who  is  commended  for  his  ftrength,  dares  truft  in 
 none  but  the  arm  of  God  :  If  tbou  wilt  give  the  Ammo- 
 nites into  my  hand.  If  %ephthah  had  not  looked  up- 
 ward for  his  victory,  in  vain  had  the  Gileadites  looked 
 up. to  him.  This  is  the  difpofition  of  all  good  hearts; 
 they  look  to  their  fword,  or  their  bow,  as  fervants,  not 
 as  patrons ;  and,  whilft  they  ufe  them,  truft  to  God. 
 If  we  could  do  fo  in  all  our  bufinefTes,  we  {hould  have 
 both  more  joy  in  their  fuccefs,  and  lefs  difcomfort  in 
 their  mifcarriage.  It  was  his  zeal  to  vow ;  it  w7as  his 
 iin  to  vow  raftily.  facob  his  forefather,  of  whom  he 
 learned  to  vow,  might  have  taught  him  a  better  form; 
 If  God  will  be  with  me,  then  Jh all  the  Lord  be  my  God. 
 It  is  well  with  vows,  when  the  thing  promifed  makes 
 the  promife  good.  But  when  ^ephthab  fays,  What- 
 foever  thing  comet b  out  of  the  doors  of  my  houfe  /ball 
 be  the  Lord's,  or  I  will  offer  it  for  a  burnt  facrifice  ; 
 his  devotion  is  blind,  and  his  good  affection  over- 
 runs his  judgment.  For  what  if  a  dog  or  a  fwine, 
 or  an  afs  had  met  him  ?  where  had  been  the  promife 
 of  his  confccration  ? 
 
 Vows 
 
BOOK  X.   Contem.  r.  325 
 
 Vows  are  as  they  are  made,  like  unto  fcents ;,  if  they 
 be  of  ill  compofition,  nothing  offends  more;  if  well 
 tempered,  nothing  is  more  pleafant.  Either  certain- 
 ty of  evil,  or  uncertainty  of  good,  or  impo&bility  of 
 performance,  make  vows  no  fervice  to  God.  When 
 we  vow  what  we  cannot,  or  what  we  ough  t  not  do, 
 we  mock  God  indead  of  honouring  him.  It  is  a  vain 
 thing  for  us  to  go  about  to  catch  God  hoccl-winked. 
 The  confeience  mall  never  find  peace  in  any  way,  but 
 that  which  we  fee  before  us,  and  which  we  know  fafe, 
 both  in  the  kind  and  circumftances.  There  is  no 
 comfort  in,  peradventure  I  may  pleafe  God.  What 
 good  child  will  not  take  part  of  the  parent's  joy?  If 
 jfepbtbab  return  with  trophies,  it  is  no  marvel  if  his 
 daughter  meet  him  with  timbrels.  O  that  we  could 
 be  fo  affected  with  the  glorious  a&s  of  our  heavenly 
 Father !  Thou  fubdueil  thine  enemies,  and  mightily 
 delivered:  thy  people,  O  God :  a  fong  waketh  for 
 thee  in  Sion. 
 
 Who  would  have  fufpe&ed  danger  in  a  dutiful  tri- 
 umph i  Well  might  %epbtbab\  daughter  have  thought, 
 my  fex  forbade  me  to  do  any  thing  towards  the  help 
 of  my  father's  viclory;  I  can  do  little,  if  1  cannot 
 applaud  it.  If  nature  have  made  me  wTeak,  yet  not 
 unthankful ;  nothing  forbids  my  joy  to  be  as  flrong  as 
 the  victor's.  Though  I  might  not  go  out  with  my  fa- 
 ther to  fight,  yet  I  may  meet  him  with  gratulations. 
 A  timbrel  may  become  thefe  hands  which  were  unfit 
 for  a  fword  :  this  day  hath  made  me  the  daughter  of 
 the  head  of  Ifrael ;  this  day  hath  made  both  Ifrael 
 free,  my  father  a  conqueror,  and  myfelf  in  him  noble; 
 and  mall  my  affection  make  no  difference  \  What  mufc 
 my  father  needs  think,  if  he  ftiall  find  me  fitting  ful- 
 lenly  at  home,  whilfl  all  Ifrael  drives  who  fhall  run 
 firit  to  blefs  him  with  their  acclamations  i  Should  I 
 only  be  infenfible  of  his,  and  the  common  happinefs  ? 
 
 And 
 
Ii6         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 And  now,  behold,  when  fhe  looks  for  mod  thanks, 
 her  father  anfwers  the  meafures  of  her  feet,  with  the 
 knockings  of  his  bread,  and  weeps  at  her  raufk,  and 
 tears  his  clothes,  to  look  upon  her  whom  he  beft  lo- 
 ved, and  gives  no  anfwer  to  her  timbrels,  but  Alas% 
 my  daughter ■,  thou  art  of  them  that  trouble  me ! 
 Her  joy  alone  hath  changed  the  day,  and  loft  the 
 comfort  of  that  victory  which  fhe  enjoyed  to  fee  won. 
 It  falls  out  often,  that  thofe  times  and  occafions  which 
 promife  tnoft  contentment,  prove  moft  doleful  in  the 
 iffue.  The  heart  of  this  virgin  was  never  lifted  up 
 fo  high  as  now,  neither  did  any  day  of  her  life  feem 
 happy  but  this ;  and  this  only  proves  the  day  of  her 
 folemn  and  perpetual  mourning.  As,  contrarily,  the 
 times  and  events  which  we  have  moft  diftrufted,  prove 
 moft  beneficial.  It  is  good,  in  a  fair  morning,  to  think 
 of  the  ftorm  that  may  rife  ere  night,  and  to  enjoy  both 
 good  and  evil  fearfully. 
 
 Aliferable  is  that  devotion  which  troubles  us  in  the 
 performance.  Nothing  is  more  pleafant  than  the  acts 
 of  true  piety.  ^ephthah  might  well  fee  the  wrong  of 
 this  religion,  in  the  diftafte  of  it;  yet,  whiles  himfelf 
 had  troubled  his  daughter,  he  fays,  Alas,  my  daugh- 
 ter, thou  art  of  them  that  trouble  me !  She  did 
 but  her  duty :  he  did  what  he  fhould  not ;  yet  he 
 would  be  rid  of  the  blame,  though  he  cannot  of  the 
 fmart.  No  man  is  willing  to  own  a  fin  ;  the  firft  man 
 jfhifted  it  -from  himfelf  to  his  wife  ;  this,  from  himfelf 
 to  his  daughter.  He  was  ready  to  accufe  another, 
 which  only  committed  it  himfelf.  It  were  happy,  if 
 we  could  be  as  loath  to  commit  (in,  as  to  acknowledge  it. 
 
 The  inconfideration  of  this  vow  was  very  tough, 
 and  fettled ;  /  have  opened  my  mouth,  and  cannot 
 go  back.  If  there  were  juft  caufe  to  repent,  it 
 v.  as  the  weaknefs  of  his  zeal  to  think  that  a  vow  could 
 bind  him  to  evil.  An  unlawful  vow  is  ill  made,  but 
 wcrfe  performed.     It  were  pity  this  conftancy  fhould 
 
 light 
 
BOCK    X.    Contem.  i.  327 
 
 light  upon  any  but  an  holy  object.  No  loan  can 
 make  a- truer  debt  than  our  vow;  which  if  we  pay 
 not  in  our  performance,  God  will  pay  us  with  judg- 
 ment. We  have  all  opened  our  mouths  to  God,  in  that 
 initial  and  folemn  vow  of  chriftianity.  O  that  we 
 could  not  go  back  !  So  much  more  is  our  vow  obliga- 
 tory, by  how  much  the  thing  vowed  is  more  necef- 
 fary. 
 
 Why  was  the  foul  of  Jepbthab  thus  troubled,  but 
 becaufe  he  faw  the  entail  of  his  new  honour  thus  fud- 
 dently  cut  off?  he  faw  the  hope  of  poilerity  extin- 
 guifhed,  in  the  virginity  of  his  daughter.  It  is  natu- 
 ral to  us  to  affect  that  perpetuity  in  our  fucceflion, 
 which  is  denied  us  in  our  perfons ;  our  very  bodies 
 would  emulate  the  eternity  of  the  foul.  And  if  God 
 have  built  any  of  us  an  houfe  on  earth,  as  well  as  pre- 
 pared us  an  houfe  in  heaven,  it  mufl  be  confeffed  a 
 favour  worth  our  thankfulnefs ;  but  as  the  perpetuity 
 of  our  earthly  houfes  is  uncertain,  fo  let  us  not  reft 
 our  hearts  upon  that,  but  make  fure  of  the  houfe 
 which  is  eternal  in  the  heavens. 
 
 Doubtlefs  the  goodnefs  of  the  daughter  added  to  the 
 father's  forrow :  (lie  was  not  more  loving,  than  reli- 
 gious; neither  is  flic  lefs  willing  to  be  the  Lord's, 
 than  her  father's;  and,  as  provoking  her  father  to  that 
 which  he  thought  piety,  though  to  her  own  wrong, 
 flie  fays,  If  thou  haft  opened  thy  mouth  unto  the 
 Lord,  do  with  me  as  thou  haft  promlfsd.  Many 
 a  daughter  would  have  diiTuaded  her  father  with  tears, 
 and  have  wiflied  rather  her  father's  impiety,  than  her 
 own  prejudice ;  flie  fues  for  the  fmart  of  her  father's 
 vow.  How  obfequious  fliould  children  be  to  the  will 
 of  their  careful  parents,  even  in  their  ,  final  difpofidon 
 in  the  world,  when  they  fee  this  holy  maid  willing  to 
 abandon  the  world,  upon  the  rafh  vow  of  a  father ! 
 They  are  the  living  goods  of  their  parents,  and  mufl 
 therefore  wait  upon  the  bellowing  of  their  owners. 
 
 They 
 
328        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 They  miftake  themfelvcs,  which  think  they  are  their 
 own.  If  this  maid  had  vowed  herfelf  to  Gcd,  with- 
 out her  father,  it  had  been  in  his  power  to  abrogate  it; 
 but  now,  that  he  vowed  her  to  God  without  herfelf, 
 it  (lands  in  force.  But  what  fhall  we  fay  to  thofe 
 children,  whom  their  parents  vow  and  care  cannot 
 make  fo  much  as  honed ;  that  will  be  no  other  than 
 godlefs,  in  fpite  of  their  baptifm  and  education  ?  what, 
 but  that  they  are  given  their  parents  for  a  curfe,  and 
 fhall  one  day  find  what  it  is  to  be  rebellious  ? 
 
 All  her  defire  is,  that  (he  may  have  leave  to  bewail 
 that  which  (he  muft  be  forced  to  keep,  her  virginity.  If 
 flie  had  not  held  it  an  affliction,  there  had  been  no 
 caufe  to  bewail  it ;  it  had  been  no  thank  to  undergo 
 it,  if  fhe  had  not  known  it  to  be  a  crofs.  Tears  arc 
 no  argument  of  impatience ;  we  may  mourn  for  that 
 we  repine  not  to  bear.  Kow  comes  that  to  be  a  me- 
 ritorious virtue  under  the  gofpel,  which  was  but  a 
 punifhment  under  the  law  ?  The  daughters  of  Ifrael 
 had  been  too  lavifh  of  their  tears,  if  virginity  had  been 
 abfolutely  good.  What  injury  mould  it  have  been,  to 
 lament  that  fpiritual  preferment,  which  they  fhouid 
 rather  have  emulated  ! 
 
 While  ^ephthahh  daughter  was  two  months  in  the 
 mountains,  fhe  might  have  had  good  opportunity  to 
 efcape  her  father's  vow ;  but  as  one  whom  her  obe- 
 dience tied  as  clofe  to  her  father,  as  his  vow  tied  him 
 to  God,  (lie  returns  to  take  up  that  burden  which 
 me  had  bewailed  to  forefee.  If  we  be  truly  dutiful 
 to  our  Father  in  heaven,  we  would  not  Hip  our  necks 
 out. of  the  yoke,  though  wc  might,  nor  ily  from  his 
 commands,  though  the  door  were  open. 
 
 Contem.  ii.    Samson  concerjed* 
 
 OF  extraordinary  perfons,  the  very  birth   and  con- 
 ception is  extraordinary ;  Gcd  begins  his  won- 
 ders betimes,  in  thofe  whom  he  will  make  wonder- 
 ful. 
 
BOOK   X.    Con  t  em.  n.  329 
 
 ful.  There  was  never  any  of  thofe  which  were  mi- 
 raculouily  conceived,  whofe  lives  were  not  notable 
 and  lingular.  The  prefages  of  the  womb,  and  the 
 cradle,  are  commonly  anfwered  in  the  life :  it  is  not 
 the  ufe  of  God  to  cad  away  flrange  beginnings.  If 
 Manoab's  wife  had  not  been  barren,  the  angel  had  not 
 been  fent  to  her.  Afflictions  have  this  advantage,  that 
 they  occafion  God  to  mew  that  mercy  to  us,  where- 
 of the  profperdus  are  uncapable.  It  would  not  be- 
 feem  a  mother  to  be  fo  indulgent  to  an  healthful  child, 
 as  to  a  fick.  It  was  to  the  woman  that  the  angel  ap- 
 peared, not  to  the  hufband  ;  whether  for  that  the  re- 
 proach of  barrennefs  lay  upon  her  more  heavily  than 
 on  the  father,  or  for  that  the  birth  of  the  child  mould 
 cofl  her  more  dear  than  her  hufband ;  or,  laftly,  for 
 that  the  difficulty  of  this  news  was  more  in  her  con- 
 ception than  in  his  generation.  As  Satan  lays  his 
 batteries  ever  to  the  weak  ell ;  fo,  contrarily,  God  ad- 
 dreffeth  his  comforts  to  thofe  hearts  that  have  molt 
 need :  as,  at  the  firft,  becaufe  Eve  had  moil  reafon 
 to  be  deje&ed,  for  that  her  fin  had  drawn  man  into 
 the  tranfgreffion  ;  therefore  the  cordial  of  God  mod 
 refpe&eth  her  :  The  feed  of  the  woman  Jball  break  the 
 ferpenfs  head. 
 
 As  a  phyfician  firft  tells  the  ftate  of  the  difeafe  with 
 its  fymptoms,  and  then  prefcribes  ;  fo  doth  the  angel 
 of  God  firft  tell  the  wife  of  Manoab  her  complaint, 
 then  her  remedy ;  Thou  art  barren.  All  onr  afflic- 
 tions are  more  noted  of  that  God  which  fends  them, 
 than  of  the  patient  that  fuffers  them  ;  how  can  it  be 
 but  lefs  poffible  to  endure  any  thing  that  he  knows 
 not,  than  that  he  inflifteth  it  not  ?  He  faith  to  one, 
 Thou  art  fick ;  to  another,  Thou  art  poor  5  to  a  third. 
 Thou  art  defamed  ;  Thou  art  oppreiTed  to  another. 
 That  all-feeing  eye  takes  notice  from  heaven  of  every 
 man's  condition,  no  lefs  than  if  he  ihould  lend  an 
 angel  to  tell  us  he  knew  it.  His  knowledge,  compare*! 
 Vol.  I.  T  t  with 
 
5J0         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 with  his  mercy,  is  the  juft  comfort  of  all  our  fuffer- 
 ings.  O  God,  we  are  many  times  miferable,  and 
 feel  it  not !  thou  knoweft  even  thofe  forrows  which 
 we  might  have  ;  thou  knoweft  what  thou  haft  done  : 
 do  what  thou  wilt. 
 
 Thou  art  barren.  Not  that  the  angel  would  up- 
 braid the  poor  woman  with  her  affliction ;  but  there- 
 fore he  names  her  pain,  that  the  mention  of  her  cure 
 might  be  much  more  welcome.  Comfort  ihall  come 
 unfeafonably  to  that  heart  which  is  not  apprehenfive 
 of  his  own  forrow.  We  muft  firft  know  our  evils, 
 ere  we  can  quit  them.  It  is  the  juft  method  of  every 
 true  angel  of  God,  firft  to  let  us  fee  that  whereof  ei- 
 ther we  do,  or  fhould  complain,  and  then  to  apply 
 comforts :  like  as  a  good  phyfician  firft  pulls  down 
 the  body,  and  then  raifes  it  with  cordials.  If  we  can- 
 not abide  to  hear  of  our  faults,  we  are  not  capable 
 of  amendment. 
 
 If  the  angel  had  firft  faid,  Thou  JJmlt  conceive, 
 and  not  prernifed,  Thou  art  barren  ;  I  doubt  whe- 
 ther fhe  had  conceived  faith  in  her  foul,  of  that  infant 
 which  her  body  (houid  conceive ;  now  his  knowledge 
 of  her  prefent  eft  ate  makes  way  for  the  aflurance  of 
 the  future.  Thus  ever  it  pleaies  our  good  God  to 
 leave  a  pawn  of  his  fidelity  with  us ;  that  we  fhould 
 not  diftruft  him  in  what  he  will  do,  when  we  find  him 
 faithful  in  that  which  we  fee  done. 
 
 It  is  good  reafon  that  he,  which  gives  the  fon  to  the 
 barren  mother,  fhould  difpofe  of  him,  and  diet  him 
 both  in  the  womb  firft,  and  after  in  the  world.  The 
 mother  muft  firft  be  a  Nazarite,  that  her  fon  may  be 
 fo.  Whiles  file  was  barren,  fhe  might  drink  what  fhe 
 would ;  but  now*  that  fhe  fhall  conceive  a  Sam/on* 
 her  choice  muft  be  limited.  There  is  an  holy  aufte- 
 rity  that  ever  follows  the  fpecial  calling  of  God.  The 
 worldling  may  take  his  full  fcope,  and  deny  his  back 
 and  belly  nothing  ;  but  he  that  hath  once  conceived 
 
 that 
 
BOOK  X.     Cont.zm.  n.  331 
 
 that  blefled  burden,  whereof  Sam/on  was  a  type,  mufi 
 be  ilriciand  fevere  to  himielf ;  n.ckher  his  tongue,  nor 
 his  palare.  nor  his  hai.d,  may  run  riot,      i  hoie  plea- 
 fures,  which  feemed  not  unieemly  for  the  multitude, 
 are  now  debarred  him.     We  borrow  more  names  of 
 our  Saviour  than  one.    As  we  are  Chriilians,  fo  we 
 are >  Nazarites  ;  the  confecration  of  our  God  is  upon 
 our  heads,  and  therefore  our  very  hair  mould  be  holy. 
 Our  appetite  mull  be  curbed,  our  paiftons  moderated 
 and  fo  eitranged  from  the  world,    that  in  the  lofs  of 
 parents,  or  children,  nature  may  not  make  us  forget 
 grace.    What  cfoth  the  loofenefs  of  vain  men  perfuade 
 them  that   God  is  not  curious,  when  they  fee  him 
 thus  precifely  ordering  the  very  diet  of  his  Nazarites  f 
 Nature  pleads  for  liberty,  religion  for  reftraint ;  nor. 
 that  there  is  more  uncleannefs  in  the  grape,  than  in 
 the  fountain ;  but  that  wine  finds  more  uncleannefs 
 in  us,  than  water ;  and  that  the  high  feed  is  not  fo  fit 
 for  devotion,  as  abflinence.     Who  fees  not  a  ceremo- 
 ny in  this  command  ?  which  yet  carries  with  it  this 
 fubflance  of  everlafting  ufe,  that  God  and  the  belly 
 will  not  admit  of  one  fervant ;  that  quaffing  and  cram-? 
 ming  is  not  the  way  to  heaven.     A  drunken  Naza~ 
 rite  is  a  monfrer  among  men.     We  have  now  more 
 fcope  than  the  ancient :  not  drinking  of  wine,  but 
 drunkennefs  with  wine  is  forbidden  to  the  evangelical 
 Nazarite ;    wine,    wherein  is  excefs.     O  that  ever 
 Chriftians  mould  quench  the  Spirit  of  God  with  a 
 liquor  of  God's  own  making !  that  they  mould  fuifer 
 their  hearts  to  be  drowned  with  wine,  and  fhould  fo 
 live,  as  if  the  practice  of  the  gofpel  were  quite  con- 
 trary to  the  rule  of  the  law. 
 
 The  mother  mufl  conceive  the  only  giant  of  Ifraely 
 and  yet  mutt  drink  but  water ;  neither  mud  the  child 
 touch  any  other  cup.  Never  wine  made  fo  ftrong  a 
 champion,  as  water  did  here.  The  power  of  nouriih- 
 ment  is  not  in  the  creatures,  bur  in  their  Maker. 
 T  t  2  Daniel 
 
332         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Daniel  and  his  three  companions  kept  their  complexi- 
 on, with  the  fame  diet  wherewith  Sa?nfcn  got  his 
 ftrength ;  he  that  gave  that  power  to  the  grape,  can 
 give  it  to  the  dream.  O  God,  how  juftly  do  we  raift 
 our  eyes  from,  our  tables  unto  thee,  which  can  make 
 water  nourifti,  and  wine  enfeeble  us ! 
 
 Sam/on  had  not  a  better  mother,  than  Mancab  had 
 a  wife  ;  (he  hides  not  the  good  news  in  her  own  bp* 
 fom,  but  imparts  it  to  her  hufband.  That  wife  hatb 
 learned  xo  make  a  true  ufe  of  her  head,  which  is  ever 
 ready  to  confult  with  him  about  the  meffages  of  Gcd? 
 If  (he  were  made  for  his  helper,  he  is  much  more  hers. 
 Thus  mould  good  women  make  amends  for  their  firfl 
 offence ;  that  as  Eve  no  fooner  had  received  an  ill 
 motion,  but  fhe  delivered  it  to  her  hufband  ;  fo  they 
 fnould  no  fconer  receive  good,  than  they  fhould  im- 
 part it. 
 
 Mancab  (like  one  which  in  thofe  lewd  times  had 
 not  loft  his  acquaintance  with  God)  fo  foon  as  he  hears 
 the  news,  falls  down  upon  his  knees.     I  do  not  hear 
 him  call  forth  and  addrefs   his  fervants   to  all  the 
 coafts  of  heaven  (as  the  children  of  the  prophets  did 
 in  the  fearch  of  Eiias)  to  find  out  the  meiTenger  ;  but 
 I  fee  him  rather  look  ftraight  up  to  that  God  which 
 fent  him  ;  My  Lord,  I  fray  thee  let  that  man  of  God 
 come  again,     As  a  ftraight  line   is  the  fliorteft,  the 
 neareft  cut  to  any  bleihng  is  to  go  by  heaven :  as 
 we  may  not  fue  to  God,  and  neglecl  means,  fo  we 
 muft  fue  to  God  for  thofe  means  which  we  (hall  ufe. 
 When  I  fee  the  ftrength  of  Mancab9  s  faith,  I  mar- 
 vel not  that  he  had  a  Sam/on  to  his  fon ;  he  faw  not 
 the  meiTenger,  he  heard  not  the  errand,  he  examined 
 not  the  circumilances ;  yet  now  he  takes  thought,  not 
 whether  he  fliould  have  a  fon,  but  how  he  ihall  order 
 she  fon  which  he  muft  have  ;  and  fues  to  God,  not  for 
 the  fon,  which  as  yet  he  had  not,  but  for  the  direc- 
 tion 
 
BOOK  X.     Co nt t M*  U.  333 
 
 ticn  of  governing  him,  when  he  mould  be.  Zacha- 
 rlah  had  the  fame  meffage,  and,  craving  a  fign,  loft 
 that  voice  wherewith  he  craved  it.  Mancah  leeks  no 
 fign  for  the  promife,  but  counfel  for  himfelf ;  and  yet 
 that  angel  fpake  to  Zachary  himfelf,  this  only  to  die 
 wife  of  Manoah  ;  that,  in  the  temple,  like  a  glorious 
 fpirit ;  this,  in  the  houfe,  or  field,  like  fome  prophet 
 or  traveller  ;  that  to  a  prieft,  this  to  a  woman.  All 
 good  men  have  not  equal  meafures  of  faith :  the  bo- 
 dies of  men  have  not  more  differences  of  ftature,  than 
 their  graces.  Credulity  to  men  is  faulty  and  dange- 
 rous ;  but,  in  the  matters  of  God,  is  the  greateft  vir- 
 tue of  a  Chriftian.  Happy  are  they  that  have  not 
 feen,  yet  believed.  True  faith  takes  all  for  granted, 
 yea  for  performed,  which  is  once  promifed. 
 
 He,  that  before  fent  his  angel  unaiked,  will  much 
 more  fend  him  again  upon  intreaty :  thofe  heavenly 
 mefTengers  are  ready  both  to  obey  their  Maker,  and 
 to  relieve  his  children.  Never  any  man  prayed  for 
 direction  in  his  duties  to  God,  and  was  repulfed  :  ra- 
 ther will  God  fend  an  angel  from  heaven  to  inftru& 
 us,  than  our  good  defires  mail  be  fruftrate. 
 
 Manoah  prayed,  the  angel  appeared  again,  not  to 
 him,  but  to  his  wife.  It  had  been  the  fhorter  way 
 to  have  come  firll  to  the  man,  whofe  prayers  procu- 
 red his  prefence.  But  as  Manoah  went  directly  and 
 immediately  to  God,  fo  God  comes  mediately  and  a- 
 bout  to  him ;  and  will  make  her  the  means  to  beat 
 the  meffage  to  her  hufband,  who  muff  bear  him  the 
 fon :  both  the  bleffing  and  the  charge  are  chiefly  meant 
 to  her.  It  was  a  good  care  of  Manoah,  when  the  an- 
 gel had  given  order  to  his  wife  alone,  for  the  govern 
 ing  of  the  child's  diet,  to  proffer  himfelf  to  his  charge ; 
 How  pall  we  order  tlx  child  f  As  both  the  pa- 
 rents have  their  part  in  the  being  of  their  children,  fo 
 ihould  they  have  in  their  education  :  it  is  both  unrea- 
 sonable and  unnatural  in  hufbands  to  car!  this  burden 
 
 upon 
 
334        CON.TE  M  PLATIONS. 
 
 upon  the  weaker  veffel  alone :  it  is  no  reafon  that  fhe, 
 which  alone  hath  had  the  pain  of  their  birth,  fliould 
 have  the  pain  of  their  breeding.  Though  the  charge 
 be  renewed  to  the  wife,  yet  the  fpeech  is  directed  to 
 the  hufband ;  the  act  mult  be  hers,  his  rauft  be  the 
 overfight :  Let  her  obferve  all  I  commanded  her*  The 
 head  mud  over-look  the  body ;  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
 hufband  to  be  careful  that  the  wife  do  her  duty  to 
 God. 
 
 As  yet  Manoah  faw  nothing  but  the  outfide  of  a 
 man,  and  therefore  offers  the  angel  an  anfwerable  en- 
 tertainment, wherein  there  is  at  once  hofpitality  and 
 thankfulnefs.  No  man  (hall  bring  him  good  news 
 from  God,  and  go  away  unrecompenced.  Kcw  for- 
 ward he  is  to  feaft  him,  whom  he  took  for  a  prophet : 
 Their  feet  ftiould  be  fo  much  more  beautiful  that 
 bring  us  news  of  falvation.  by  how  much  their  errand 
 is  better. 
 
 That  Manoah  might  learn  to  acknowledge  God  in 
 this  man,  he  fets  off  the  proffer  of  his  thankfulnefs 
 from  himfelf  to  God,  and  (as  the  fame  angel  which 
 appeared  to  Gideon)  turns  his  feaft  into  %.  facrifice. 
 Attd  now  he  is  Manoah's  foiicitor  to  better  thanks 
 than  he  offered.  How  forward  the  good  angels  are 
 to  incite  us  unto  piety!  Either  this  was  the  Son  him- 
 felf, which  faid,  It  was  his  meat  and  drink  to  do  his 
 Father's  will,  or  elfe  one  of  his  fpiritual  attendants 
 of  the  fame  diet.  We  can  never  feaft  the  angels 
 better,  than  with  our  hearty  facrif* ces  to  God.  Why 
 do  not  we  learn  this  leffon  of  them,  whom  we  pro- 
 pound to  ourfelves  as  patterns  of  our  obedience  ?  We 
 ihall  be  once  like  the  angels  in  condition,  why  are  we 
 not  in  the  mean  time  in  our  difpofitions  ?  If  we  do 
 not  provoke,  and  exhort  one  another  to  godlinefs, 
 and  do  care  more  for  a  feaft  than  a  facrifice,  our  ap- 
 petite is  not  angelical,  but  brutifk. 
 
 It 
 
BOOK   X.      Contem.  ii.  335 
 
 It  was  an  honed  mind  in  Manoah,  while  he  was 
 addreffing  a  facrifice  to  God,  yet  not  to  neglect  his 
 mefienger;  fain  would  he  know  whom  to  honour. 
 True  piety  is  not  uncivil,  but,  w;hiles  it  magnifies  the 
 author  of  all  bleilings,  is  thankful  to  the  means.  Se- 
 condary caufes  are  worthy  of  regard  ;  neither  need  it 
 detract  any  thing  from  the  praife'of  the  agent,  to  ho- 
 nour the  inftrument.  It  is  not  only  rudenefs,  but  in- 
 jultice  in  thofe,  which  can  be  content  to  hear  good 
 news  from  God,  with  contempt  of  the  bearers. 
 
 The  angel  will  neither  take  nor  give,  but  conceals 
 his  very  name  from  Manoah.  All  honeft  motions  are 
 not  fit  to  be  yielded  to ;  good  intentions  are  not  al- 
 ways fufficient  grounds  of  condefcent.  If  we  do 
 fometimes  afk  what  we  know  nor,  it  is  no  marvel  if 
 we  receive  not  what  we  afk.  In  fome  cafes,  the  an- 
 gel of  God  tells  his  name  unail  ed,  as  Gabriel  to  the 
 virgin  here,  not  by  intreaty.  If  it  were  the  angel  of 
 the  covenant,  he  had  as  yet  no  name  but  Jehovah ; 
 if  a  created  angel,  he  had  no  commhTion  to  tell  his 
 name ;  and  a  faithful  mefienger  hath  not  a  word  be- 
 yond his  charge.  Befides  that,  he  faw  it  would  be 
 of  more  ufe  for  Manoah,  to  know  him  really,  than 
 by  words.  O  the  bold  prefumption  of  thofe.  men, 
 which  (as  if  they  had  long  fojourned  in  heaven,  and 
 been  acquainted  with  all  the  holy  legions  of  fpirits) 
 difcourfe  of  their  orders,  of  their  titles,  when  this  one 
 angel  flops  the  mouth  of  a  better  man  than  they,  with 
 Why  dofl  thou  ajk  after  my  name,  which  is  fecret  f 
 Secret  things  belong  to  God  ;  revealed,  to  us  and  our  chil- 
 dren. No  word  can  be  fo  fignifkant  as  actions.  The 
 act  of  the  angel  tells  belt  who  he  was ;  he  did  wonder- 
 fully :  Wonderful  therefore  was  his  name.  So  foon 
 as  ever  the  flame  of  the  facrifice  afcended,  he  mount- 
 ed up  in  the  fmoke  of  it ;  that  Manoah  might  fee  the 
 facrifice  and  the  mefienger  belonged  both  to  one  God, 
 
 and 
 
336        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 and  might  know,  both  whence  to  acknowledge  the 
 meiTage,  and  whence  to  expeft.  the  performance. 
 
 Gideon's  angel  vanifhed  at  his  facrifice,  but  this  in 
 the  facrifice ;  that  Manoab  might  at  once  fee  both  the 
 confirmation  of  his  promife,  and  the  acceptation  of 
 his  obedience,  whiles  the  angel  of  God  vouchfafed 
 to  perfume  himfelf  With  that  holy  fmoke,  and  carry 
 the  fcent  of  it  up  into  heaven.  Manoah  believed 
 before,  and  craved  no  figa  to  allure  him ;  God  vo- 
 luntarily confirms  it  to  him  above  his  delire  :  To  him 
 that  hath  Jball  be  given.  Where  there  are  begin- 
 nings of  faith,  the  mercy  of  God  will  add  perfec- 
 tion. 
 
 How  do  we  think  Manoah  and  his  wife  looked  to 
 fee  this  fpe&acle  ?  They  had  not  fpirit  enough  left  to 
 look  one  upon  another  ;  but,  inilead  of  looking  up 
 cheerfully  to  heaven,  they  fall  down  to  the  earth  upon 
 their  faces ;  as  weak  eyes  are  dazzled  with  that  which 
 fliould  comfort  them.  This  is  the  infirmity  of  our  na- 
 ture, to  be  afHifted  with  the  caufes  of  our  joy,  to  be 
 aftoniflied  with  our  confirmations,  to  conceive  death 
 in  that  vifion  of  God  wherein  our  life  and  happinefs 
 confifls.  If  this  homely  light  of  the  angel  did  fo  con* 
 found  good  Manoah,  what  (hall  become  of  the  ene- 
 mies of  God,  when  they  (hall  be  brought  before  the 
 glorious  tribunal  of  the  God  of  angeis  ? 
 
 I  marvel  not  now,  that  the  angel  appeared  both 
 times  rather  to  the  -wife  of  Manoah ;  her  faith  was 
 the  ftronger  of  the  two.  It  falls  out  ibmerimes,  that 
 the  weaker  veffel  is  fuller,  and  that  of  more  precious 
 liquor.  That  wife  is  no  helper,  which  is  not  ready  to 
 give  fpiritual  comfort  to  her  hufband.  The.  reafon 
 was  good  and  irrefragable,  If  the  Lord  wtre  pleafed 
 to  kill  us,  he  would  not  have  received  a  burni-offlring 
 from  us.  God  will  not  accept  gifts  where  he  intends 
 punifhment,  and  profefies  hatred.  The  facrifice  of 
 the  wicked  is  abomination  to  the  Lord.     If  we  can 
 
 find 
 
BOOK  X.     Contem,  ii.  337 
 
 find  afTurance  of  God's  acceptation  of  our  facrifices, 
 we  may  be  fure  he  loves  our  perfons.  If  I  incline  to 
 wickednefs  in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  me : 
 but  the  Lord  hath  heard  me. 
 
 Contem.   hi.     Samson'j  manage. 
 
 f~\F  all  the  deliverers  of  Ifracl,  there  is  none  of 
 ^-^  whom  are  reported  fo  many  weakneffes,  or  [o 
 many  miracles,  as  of  Sam/on*  The  news  which  the 
 angel  told  of  his  conception  and  education,  was  not 
 more  ftrange,  than  the  news  of  his  own  choice ;  he 
 but  fees  a  daughter  of  the  Philiftines,  and  fails  in  love. 
 All  this  ftrength  begins  in  infirmity.  One  maid  of 
 the  Philijlines  overcomes  that  champion,  which  was 
 given  to  overcome  the  Philijlines,  Even  he  thai  was 
 dieted  with  water,  found  heat  of  unfit  defires.  As 
 his  body  was  ftrong,  notwithftanding  that  fare,  fo 
 were  his  paffions ;  without  the  gift  of  continency,  a 
 low  feed  may  impair  nature,  but  not  inordination. 
 To  follow  nothing  but  the  eye  in  the  choice  of  his 
 wife,  was  a  luft  unworthy  of  a  Nazarite  ;  this  is  to 
 make  the  fenfe  not  a  counfellor,  but  a  tyrant. 
 
 Yet  was  Sam/on  in  this  very  im potency  dutiful ;  he 
 did  not,  in  the  prefumption  of  his  ftrength,  ravifh  her 
 forcibly  ;  he  did  not  make  up  a  clandeiline  match, 
 without  confulting  with  his  parents,  but  he  makes  fuit 
 to  them  for  confent ;  Give  me  her  to  ivife.  As  or.e 
 that  could  be  mailer  of  his  own  air,  though  not  of 
 his  paihon  ;  and  as  one  that  had  learned  fo  to  be  a 
 fuitor,  as  not  to  forget  himfelf  to  be  a  fon.  Even  in 
 this  deplored  (late  of  Ifraei,  children  diuil  not  pre  - 
 fume  to  be  their  own  carvers  ;  how  much  lefs  is  :i. in- 
 tolerable in  a  well  guided  and  Chriitiau  common- 
 wealth ?  Whofoever  now  difpofe  of  themieh 
 out  their  parents,  they  do  wilfully  unchiid  ih 
 aud  change  natural  affection  for  viekr.:. 
 
 Vol.  I.  U  u  It 
 
338        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 It  is  no  marvel,  if  Manoah  and  his  wife  were  afto- 
 nifhed  at  this  unequal  motion  of  her  fon.  Did  not  the 
 angel  (thought  they)  tell  us,  that  this  child  mould  be 
 confecrated  to  God  ;  and  mufl  he  begin  his  youth  in 
 unholy  wedlock  ?  Did  not  the  angel  fay,  that  our  fon 
 mould  begin  to  fave  Ifrael  from  the  Philiflines  ;  and 
 is  he  now  captived  in  his  affections  by  a  daughter  of 
 the  Philijlines  f  Shall  our  deliverance  from  the  Phili- 
 jlines begin  in  an  alliance  ?  Have  we  been  fo  fcrupu- 
 lbufly  careful,  that  he  mould  eat  no  unclean  thing, 
 and  (hall  we  now  confent  to  an  heathenifh  match  ? 
 Now  therefore  they  gravely  endeavour  to  cool  this 
 intemperate  heat  of  his  paftion,  with  good  counfel ; 
 as  thofe  which  well  knew  the  inconveniencies  of  an 
 unequal  yoke  ;  corruption  in  religion,  alienation  of 
 affections,  diftra&ion  of  thoughts,  connivance  at  ido- 
 latry, death  of  zeal,  dangerous  underminings,  and, 
 laftly,  an  unholy  feed.  Who  can  blame  them,  if 
 they  were  unwilling  to  call  a  Philijline,  daughter  ? 
 
 I  wiih  Manoah  could  fpeak  fo  loud,  that  all  our 
 Ifraelites  might  hear  him  ;  Is  there  never  a  woman  a- 
 ?nong  the  daughters  of  thy  brethren,  or  among  all 
 God's  people,  that  thou  goejl  to  take  a  wife  of  the  un- 
 circumcifed  Philiftines  ?  If  religion  be  any  other 
 than  a  cypher,  how  dare  we  not  regard  it  in  our  mod 
 important  choice  ?  Is  fhe  a  fair  Philifline  f  Why  is 
 not  this  deformity  of  the  foul  more  powerful  to  dif- 
 fuade  us  than  the  beauty  of  the  face,  or  of  metal  to 
 allure  us  ?  To  dote  upon  a  fair  fkin,  when  we  fee  a 
 Philiftine  under  it,  is  fenfual  and  brutifh. 
 
 Affection  is  not  more  blind  than  deaf.  In  vain  do 
 the  parents  feek  to  alter  a  young  man,  noi  more 
 flrong  in  body  than  in  win.  Though  he  cannot  de- 
 fend his  defires,  yet  he  purfues  them  ;  Get  her,  for 
 fhe  pleafes  me.  And  although  it  mud  needs  be  a 
 weak  motion  that  can  plead  no  reafon,  but  appetite ; 
 yet  the  good  parents,  fince  they  cannot  bow  the  af- 
 fection 
 
BOOK   X.     Contem.  in*  339 
 
 fe&ion  of  their  fon  with  pefuafion,  dare  not  break  it 
 with  violence.  As  it  becomes  not  children  to  be  for- 
 ward in  their  choice,  fo  parents  may  not  be  too  pe- 
 remptory in  their  denial.  It  is  not  fafe  for  children 
 to  over-run  parents  in  fettling  their  affections ;  nor 
 for  parents  (where  the  impediments  are  not  very  ma^ 
 terial)  to  come  fhort  of  their  children,  when  the  affec- 
 tions are  once  fettled  :  the  one  is  difobedience,  the  o* 
 ther  may  be  tyranny. 
 
 I  know  not  whether  I  may  excufe  either  Samfon  in 
 making  this  fuit,  or  his  parents  in  yielding  to  it,  by  a 
 divine  difpenfation  in  both:  for,  on  the  one  fide,  whiles 
 the  Spirit  of  God  notes,  that  as  yet  his  parents  knew 
 not  this  was  of  the  Lord,  it  may  feem  that  he  knew 
 it ;  and  is  it  likely  he  would  know  and  not  impart  it  ? 
 This  alone  was  enough  to  win,  yea  to  command  his 
 parents  :  it  is  not  mine  eye  only,  but  the  counfel  of 
 God,  that  leads  me  to  this  choice.  The  way  to  quar- 
 rel with  xhzPhiliftineS)  is  to  match  with  them.  If  I 
 follow  mine  affection,  mine  affection  follows  God  in 
 this  project.  Surely,  he  that  commanded  his  prophet 
 afterwards  to  marry  a  harlot,  may  have  appointed  his 
 Nazarite  to  marry  with  a  Philiftine.  On  the  other 
 fide,  whether  it  were  of  God's  permitting,  or  allow- 
 ing, I  find  not.  It  might  fo  be  of  God,  as  all  the  e- 
 vil  in  the  city  ;  and  then  the  interpofition  of  God's 
 decree  mail  be  no  excufe  of  Samfon9 $  infirmity.  I 
 would  rather  think,  that  God  meant  only  to  make  a 
 treacle  of  a  viper ;  and  rather  appointed  to  fetch 
 good  out  of  Samfon9s  evil,  than  to  approve  that  for 
 good  in  Samfon,  which  in  itfelf  was  evil. 
 
 When  Samfon  went  on  wooing,  he  might  have 
 made  the  fluggard's  excufe,  There  is  a  lion  hi  the 
 way ;  but  he  that  could  not  be  flayed  by  pcrfua- 
 fion,  will  not  by  fear.  A  lion,  young,  wild,  fierce, 
 hungry,  comes  roaring  upon  him,  when  he  had  no 
 weapon  but  his  hand,  no  fence  but  his  flrength.    The 
 
 U  u  2  fam$ 
 
340         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fame  providence  that  carried  him  to  Timnah^  brought 
 the  lion  to  him.  It  hath  been  ever  the  faihion  of 
 God  to  exercife  his  champions  with  fome  initiatory  en- 
 counters :  both  Sam/on  and  David  mull  firft  fight 
 with  lions,  then  with  Philiftines ;  and  he,  whofe  type 
 they  bore,  meets  with  that  roaring  lion  of  the  wilder- 
 nefs,  in  the  very  thremold  of  his  public  charge.  The 
 fame  hand  that  prepared  a  lion  for  Sam/on^  hath  pro- 
 portionable matches  for  every  Chriflian :  God  never 
 gives  flrength,  but  he  employs  it.  Poverty  meets 
 one  like  an  armed  man  ;  infamy,  like  fome  furious 
 maftiff,  comes  flying  in  the  face  of  another  :  the  wild 
 boar  out  of  the  foreft,  or  the  bloody  tyger  of  perfe- 
 ction, fets  upon  one  ;  the  brawling  curs  of  heretical 
 pravity,  or  contentious  neighbourhood,  are  ready  to 
 bait  another  :  and,  by  all  thefe  meaner  and  brutifh  ad- 
 verfaries,  will  God  fit  us  for  greater  conflicts.  It  is 
 a  pledge  of  our  future  victory  over  the  fpiritual  Phi- 
 tiftineS)  if  we  can  fay,  My  foul  hath  been  among 
 lions.  Come  forth  new,  thou  weak  chriflian,  and 
 behold  this  preparatory  battle  df  Sam/on.  Dofl  thou 
 think  God  deals  hardly  with  thee,  in  matchingthee  lb 
 hard,  and  calling  thee  forth  to  fo  many  frays?  What 
 dofl  thou  but  repine  at  thine  own  glory?  How  fhouldfl 
 thou  be  victorious,  without  refinance  ? 
 
 U  the  parents  of  Sam/on  had  now  flood  behind  the 
 hedge,  and  feen  this  encounter,  they  would  have  taken 
 no  further  cure  of  matching  their  fon  with  a  PhiUftine  ; 
 for  who,  that  mould  fee  a  flrong  lion  ramping  upon  an 
 larnred  man,  would  hope  for  his  life  and  victory  ? 
 The  beaft  came  briffling  up  his  fearful  mane,  wafting 
 his  railed  flern,  his  eyes  fparkling  with  fury,  his 
 ■  ing  out  knells  of  his  lafl  paiTage,  and  breath- 
 ing death  from  his  noftriis,  and  now  rejoiced  at  io 
 fair  a  prey.  Surely,  if  the  lion  had  had  no  other  ad- 
 vcrfary  than  him  whom  he  faw,  he  had  not  loll  his 
 hope,  but  now  he  could  not  fee  that  his  Maker  was 
 
 hie 
 
BOOK   X.     Contem.  in.  341 
 
 his  enemy ;  She  fpirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  Samfon. 
 What  is  a  bead  in  the  hand  of  the  Creator  ?  He 
 that  druck  the  lions  with  the  awe  of  Adam,  Noah, 
 and  Daniel,  fubdued  this  rebellious  bead  to  Samfon. 
 What  marvel  is  it  if  Samfon  now  tore  him,  as  if  it 
 had  been  a  young  kid  ?  If  his  bones  had  been  brafs, 
 and  his  ikin  plates  of  iron,  all  had  been  one.  The 
 right-hand  of  the  Lord  bringeth  mighty  things  to  pafs. 
 
 If  that  roaring  lion,  that  goes  about  continually 
 feeking  whom  he  may  devour,  finds  us  alone  among 
 the  vineyards  of  the  Philift'mes,  where  is  our  hope  ? 
 Not  in  our  heels ;  he  is  fwifter  than  we :  not  in  our 
 weapons ;  we  are  naturally  unarmed :  not  in  our 
 hands,  avhich  are  weak  and  languifhing ;  but  in  the 
 Spirit  of  that  God,  by  whom  we  can  do  all  things.  If 
 God  fight  in  us,  who  can  refid  us  ?  There  is  a  Wrong- 
 er lion  in  us,  than  that  againft  us. 
 
 Samfon  was  not  more  valiant  than  moded ;  he  made 
 no  words  of  this  great  exploit.  The  great  eft  per- 
 formers ever  make  the  lead  noife.  He  that  works 
 wonders  alone  could  fay,  See  thou  tell  no  man ;  where- 
 as thofe,  whofe  hands  are  mod  impotent,  are  bufied 
 of  their  tongues.  Great  talkers  fliew  that  they  defire 
 only  to  be  thought  eminent,  whereas  the  deeped  wa- 
 ters are  lead  heard. 
 
 But,  whiles  he  concealed  his  event  from  others, 
 he  pondered  it  in  himfelf;  and  when  he  returned  to 
 Timnah,  went  out  of  the  way  to  fee  his  dead  adver- 
 sary, and  could  not  but  recal  to  himfelf  his  danger, 
 and  deliverance.  Here  the  bead  met  me  ;  thus  he 
 fought ;  thus  I  flew  him !  The  very  dead  lion  taught 
 Samfon  thankfulnefs ;  there  was  more  honey  in  this 
 thought  than  in  the  carcafe.  The  mercies  of  God  are 
 ill  bedowed  upon  us,  if  we  cannot  dep  afide  to  view 
 the  monuments  of  his  deliverances ;  dangers  may  be 
 at  once  pad,   and  forgotten.     As  Samfon  had  not 
 
 found 
 
342         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 found  his  honey-comb,  if  he  had  not  turned  afide  to 
 fee  his  lion  ;  fo  we  (hall  lofe  the  comfort  of  God's  be- 
 nefits, if  we  do  not  renew  our  perils  by  meditation. 
 
 Left  any  thing  fhould  befal  Sam/on,  wherein  is  not 
 fome  wonder,  his  lion  doth  more  amaze  him  dead, 
 than  alive ;  for  lo  that  carcafe  is  made  an  hive,  and 
 the  bitternefs  of  death  k  turned  into  the  fweetnefs  of 
 honey!  The  bee,  a  nice  and  dainty  creature,  builds 
 her  cells  in  an  unfavoury  carcafe ;  the  carcafe,  that 
 promifed  nothing  but  flench  and  annoyance,  now 
 offers  comfort  and  refreming,  and,  in  a  fort,  pays 
 Sam/on  for  the  wrong  oifered.  O  the  wonderful  good- 
 nefs  of  our  God,  that  can  change  our  terrors  into  plea- 
 fure,  and  can  make  the  greateft  evils  beneficial !  Is 
 any  man,  by  his  humiliation  under  the  hand  of  God, 
 grown  more  faithful  and  confcionable  ?  There  is  ho- 
 ney out  of  the  lion.  Is  any  man  by  his  temptation 
 or  fall  become  more  circumfpecl:  ?  There  is  alfo  honey 
 out  of  the  lion.  There  is  no  Sam/on,  to  whom  every 
 lion  doth  not  yield  honey.  Every  chriftian  is  the  bet- 
 ter for  his  evils ;  yea,  Satan  himfelf,  in  his  exercifc 
 of  God's  children,  advantageth  them. 
 
 Samfon  doth  not  difdaln  thefe  fweets,  becaufe  he 
 finds  them  uncleanly  laid  ;  his  diet  was  ftric"t,  and  for- 
 bade him  any  thing  that  favoured  of  legal  impurity  ; 
 yet  he  eats  the  honey-comb  out  of  the  belly  of  a  dead 
 bead.  Good  may  not  be  refufed,  becaufe  the  means 
 are  accidentally  evil.  Honey  is  honey  ftill,  though  in 
 a  dead  lion.  Thofe  are  lefs  wife,  and  more  fcrupu- 
 lous  than  Samfon,  which  abhor  the  graces  of  God, 
 becaufe  they  find  them  in  ill  veffels.  One  cares  not 
 for  the  preacher's  true  do£trine,  becaufe  his  life  is  evil ; 
 another  will  not  take  a  good  receipt  from  the  hand  of 
 a  phyfician,  becaufe  he  is  given  to  unlawful  Itudies ; 
 a  third  will  not  receive  a  deferved  contribution  from 
 the  hands  of  an  uiurer.  It  is  a  weak  neglect  not  to  take 
 the  honey,  becaufe  we  hate  the  lion.     God's  children 
 
 have 
 
BOOK   X.      Contem.  Ill 
 
 343 
 
 have  right  to  their  father's  bleflings,  wherefover  they 
 find  them. 
 
 The  match  is  now  made ;  Sam/on  (though  a  Naza* 
 rite)  hath  both  a  wedding  and  a  feaft.  God  never 
 mifliked  moderate  folemnities  in  the  fevereft  life  ;  and 
 yet  this  bridal  feaft  was  long,  the  fpace  of  feven  days. 
 If  Samfon  had  matched  with  the  beft  Ifraelite,  this 
 celebration  had  been  no  greater;  neither  had  this 
 perhaps  been  fo  long,  if  the  cuftom  of  the  place  had 
 not  required  it.  Now  I  do  not  hear  him  plead  his 
 Nazaritifm,  for  a  colour  of  angularity :  It  is  both 
 lawful  and  fit,  in  things  not  prohibited,  to  conform 
 ourfelves  to  the  manners  and  rites  of  thofe  with 
 whom  we  live. 
 
 That  Sam/on  might  think  it  an  honour  to  match 
 with  the  Pbiliftines,  he,  whom  before  the  lion  found 
 alone,  is  now  accompanied  with  thirty  attendants  ; 
 they  called  them  companions,  but  they  meant  them 
 for  fpies.  The  courtefies  of  the  world  are  hollow  and 
 thanklefs  ;  neither  doth  it  ever  purpofe  fo  ill,  as  when 
 it  fhewsfaireft.  None  are  fo  near  to  danger,  as  thofe 
 whom  it  entertains  with  fmiles :  whiles  it  frowns,  we 
 know  what  to  truft  to  ;  but  the  favours  of  it  are  wor- 
 thy of  nothing  but  fears  and  fufpicion.  Open  defi- 
 ance is  better  than  falfe  love. 
 
 Aufterity  had  not  made  Samfon  uncivil ;  he  knows 
 how  to  entertain  Philiftines  with  a  formal  familiarity ; 
 and  that  his  intellectual  parts  might  be  approved  an- 
 fwerable  to  his  arms,  he  will  firft  try  mafteries  of  wit, 
 and  fet  their. brains  on  work  with  harmlefs  thoughts  : 
 his  riddle  mall  oppofe  them,  and  a  deep  wager  fhall 
 bind  the  folution ;  thirty  fhirts,  and  thirty  fuits  of  rai- 
 ment ;  neither  their  lofs,  nor  their  gain  could  be  much, 
 befides  the  victory  being  divided  unto  thirty  partners : 
 but  Samfon's  mult  needs  be  both  ways  very  large,  who 
 muft  give  or  receive  thirty  alone.  The  feven  days 
 of  the  feaft  are  expiring,  and  yet  they,  which  had 
 
 been 
 
344        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 been  all  this  while  devouring  of  Samfon's  meat,  can- 
 not tell  who  that  eater  mould  be,  from  whence  meat 
 fhould  come.  In  courfe  of  nature,  the  ftrong  feeder 
 takes  in  meat,  and  fends  out  filthinefs ;  but  that  meat 
 and  fweetnefs  mould  come  from  a  devouring  ftomach, 
 was  beyond  their  apprehenfion. 
 
 And  as  fools  and  dogs  ufe  to  begin  in  jelt,  and  end 
 in  earned,  fo  did  thefe  P  hili  [lines ;  and  therefore  they 
 force  the  bride  to  entice  her  hufband  to  betray  him- 
 felf.  Covetoufnefs  and  pride  have  made  them  impa- 
 tient of  lofs,  and  now  they  threat  to  fire  her  and  her 
 father's  houfe,  for  recompence  of  their  entertainment, 
 rather  than  they  will  lofe  a  fmall  wager  to  an  Ifraelite. 
 Somewhat  of  kin  to  thefe  favage  Philijhnes^  are  thofe 
 choleric  gamellers,  which,  if  the  dice  be  not  their 
 friend,  fall  out  with  God,  curfe  (that  which  is  not) 
 fortune  ;  flrike  their  fellows,  and  are  ready  to  take 
 vengeance  upon  themfelves :  thofe  men  are  unfit  for 
 fport,  that  lofe  their  patience  together  with  their  wager. 
 
 I  do  not  wonder  that  a  Philiftine  woman  loved  her- 
 felf  and  her  father's  family,  more  than  an  Ifraelitifh 
 bridegroom ;  and  if  me  beftowed  tears  upon  her  huf- 
 band, for  the  ranfom  of  them,  Samfn  himfelf  taught 
 her  this  difference,  /  have  not  told  it  my  father  or 
 my  mother ,  and  fhould  I  tell  it  thee  ?  If  (lie  had  not 
 been  as  (he  was,  fhe  had  neither  done  this  to  Sam- 
 fon^  nor  heard  this  from  him  :  matrimonial  refpeefs 
 are  dearer  than  natural.  It  was  the  law  of  him  that 
 ordained  marriage,  (before  ever  parents  were)  that  pa- 
 rents mould  be  forfaken  for  the  hufband  or  wife  : 
 but  now  Ifraelitifh  parents  are  worthy  of  more  en- 
 tirenefs  than  a  wife  of  the  Phtliftines ;  and  yet,  whom 
 the  lion  could  not  conquer,  the  tears  of  a  woman  have 
 conquered.  Samfon  never  bewrayed  infirmity  but  in 
 uxorioufnefs.  What  afiurance  can  there  be  of  him  that 
 hath  a  Philifline  in  his  bofom  !  Adam  the  perfecleil 
 man,  Samfon  the  ftrongeft  man,  Solomon  the  wifefl 
 
 man, 
 
BOOK  X.     Contem.  iv.  345 
 
 man,  were  betrayed  with  the  flattery  of  their  helpers. 
 As  there  is  no  comfort  comparable  to  a  faithful  yoke- 
 fellow, fo  wo  be  to  hi*i  that  is  matched  with  a  Phi* 
 liftinc. 
 
 It  could  not  but  much  difcontent  Sam/on,  to  fee 
 that  his  adverfaries  had  ploughed  with  his  heifer,  and 
 that  upon  his  own  back  ;  now  therefore  he  pays  his 
 wager  to  their  coil.  A/la/on,  the  city  of  the  Phili- 
 ftincs^  is  his  wardrobe  ;  he  fetches  thence  thirty  fuits, 
 lined  with  the  lives  of  the  owners.  He  might,  with 
 as  much  eafe,  have  (lain  thefe  thirty  companions, 
 which  were  the  authors  of  this  evil ;  but  his  promife 
 forbade  him,  whiles  he  was  to  clothe  their  bodies,  to 
 unclothe  their  fouls ;  and  that  Spirit  of  God,  which 
 ftirred  him  up  to  revenge,  directed  him  in  the  choice 
 of  the  fubjefts.  If  we  wonder  to  fee  thirty  throats 
 cut  for  their  fuits,  we  may  eallly  know,  that  this  was 
 but  the  occafion  of  that  ilaughter,  whereof  the  caufe 
 was  their  oppreihon  and  tyranny.  David  flew  two 
 hundred  Philifiines  for  their  forc-fkins ;  but  the  ground 
 of  this  act  was  their  hoiliiiry.  It  is  juit  with  God  to 
 deftine  what  enemies  he  pleafes  to  execution.  It  is 
 not  to  be  expoftulated,  why  this  man  is  firicken  ra- 
 ther than  another,  when  both  are  Philijnnes* 
 
 Contem.   i v .     Sams© n.V  viflory. 
 
 T  Can  no  more  juflify  Samfon  in  the   leaving   of  3 
 ■*■    wife,  than  in  the  qhufing  her  :  he  chofe  her,  be- 
 cause hhe  pleafed  him  ;  and  becauie  the  defpifed  h!m, 
 he  left  her.     Though  her  fear  made  her  falfe  to  him 
 
 in  his  riddle,  yet  ihe  was  true  to  his  bed,  That  Weak 
 treachery  was  worthy  of  a  check,  not  a  clefertion.  All 
 the  paihons  of  Samfon  were  ftroiig  like  himfelf ;  but 
 (as  vehement  motions  are  net  la|Bng)  this  vehement 
 wind  is  icon  allayed  ;  and  he  is  new  returning  with  a 
 kid  to  win  her  that  had  ohendedhiim  and  to  renew  that 
 Vol.  I.  X  ::  feait 
 
346        COKT  E  M  PLATOONS. 
 
 feaft  which  ended  in  her  unkiiidnefs.  Slight  occafions 
 may  not  break  the  knot  of  matrimonial  love,  and  if 
 any  jufl  offence  have  ilackenec?  it  on  either  part,  it 
 muft  be  fattened  again  by  fpeedy  reconciliation. 
 
 Now  S am/on9 s  father-in-law  fhews  himfelf  a  Phili- 
 ftine,  the  true  parent  of  her  that  betrayed  her  huf- 
 band ;  for  no  fooner  is  the  bridegroom  departed,  than 
 he  changes  his  fori :  what  pretence  of  friendlhip  fo- 
 Cver  he  made,  a  true  PhUijtine  will  foon  be  weary  cf 
 an  Ifraelite.  Sam/on  had  not  fo  many  days  liberty  to 
 enjoy  his  wedding,  as  he  fpent  in  cekbrating  it.  Mar- 
 riage hath  been  ever  a  facred  inftitution,  and  who  but 
 a  PkiUjline  would  fo  eafily  violate  it!  One  of  his  thir- 
 ty companions  enjoys  his  wife,  together  with  his  fuit, 
 ,;nd  now  laughs  to  be  a  partner  of  that  bed,  whereon 
 he  was  an  attendant.  The  gocd  nature  of  Saw/on^ 
 having  forgotten  the  firft  wrong,  carried  him  to  a  prof- 
 rer  of  familiarity,  and  is  repulfed  ;  but  with  a  gentle 
 ..violence,  /  thought  then  hadjl  hated  her.  Lawful 
 wedlock  may  not  be  diiTolved  by  imaginations,  but  by 
 proofs. 
 
 Who  111  all  Hay  Samfon  from  his  own  wife!  He  that 
 flew  the  lion  in  the  -way  of  his  wooing,  and  before 
 whom  thoufands  of  the  Pl/'ijn/ies  could  not  iland,  yet 
 fuffers  hiraieif  to  be  refilled  by  him  that  was  once  his 
 father-in-law,  without  any  re-urn  of  private  violence. 
 
 Great  is  the  force  of  duty,  once  conceived,  even 
 io  the  moll  unwdrthy.  This  thought  (1  was  a  fon) 
 binds  the  hands  of  Samfon^  elie  how  eafily  might  he, 
 that  flew  thofe  thirty  PIAiiJlhics  for  their  fuits,  have 
 deftroyed  this  family  for  his  wife  ?  How  unnatural 
 are  thofe  mouths,  that  can  citrfe  the  loins  from  which 
 they  are  proceeded,  and  thofe  hands  that  dare  lift 
 up  themfelves  againil  the  means  of  their  life  and  be- 
 ing. 
 
 I  never  read,  that  Samfc-n  ilew  any  but  by  the  mo- 
 £cn  and  affiftance  of  the  Spirit  cf  God :   and  the  di- 
 vine 
 
BOOK  X.      Contem,  iv.  347 
 
 vine  wifdom  hath  referred  thefe  offenders  to  another 
 revenge.  Judgment  ,muft  defcend  from  others  to 
 them,  fince  the  wrong  proceeded  from  others  by  them. 
 In  the  very  marriage  God  forefaw  and  intended  this 
 parting,  and,  in  the  parting,  this  puniihment  upon  the 
 Pbilifines.  If  the  Phi  lift  ines  had  not  been  as  much 
 enemies  to  God  as  to  Sanson,  enemies  to  Ifrael  in  their 
 oppreffion,  no  lefs  than  to  Sam/on  in  this  particular 
 injury,  that  purpofe  and  execution  of  revenge  had  been 
 no  better  than  wicked.  Now  he  to  whom  venge- 
 ance belongs,  fets  him  on  work,  and  makes  the  act 
 juftice  :  when  he  commands,  even  very  cruelty  is  o- 
 bedience. 
 
 It  was  a  bufy  and  troublefome  project  of  Samfri9 
 to  ufe  the  foxes  for  his  revenge  :  for  not  without  great 
 labour,  and  many  hands,  could  fo  many  wild  crea- 
 tures be  got  together,  neither  could  the  wit  of  Sam- 
 fon  want  other  devices  of  hoftility  :  but  he  meant  to 
 find  out  fuch  a  puniihment,  as  might  in  fome  fort  an- 
 fwer  the  offence,  and  might  imply  as  much  contempt 
 as  trefpafs.  By  wiles,  feconded  with  violence,  had 
 they  wronged  Sam/on,  in  extorting  his  fecret,  and  ta- 
 king away  his  wife  :  and  what  other  emblem  could 
 thefe  foxes  tied  together  prefent  unto  them,  than  wi- 
 linefs,  combined  by  force,  to  work  mifchief  ? 
 
 Thefe  foxes  deftroy  their  corn,  before  he  which 
 fent  them  deftroy  the  perfons.  Thofe  judgments 
 which  begin  in  outward  things,  end  in  the  owners. 
 A  ftranger  that  had  been  of  neither  fide,  wTould  have 
 faid,  What  pity  it  is  to  fee  good  corn  thus  fpoiled?  If 
 the  creature  be  confidered  apart  from  the  owners,  it 
 is  good ;  and  therefore  if  it  be  mif-fpent,  the  abufe  re- 
 flects upon  the  Maker  of  it ;  but  if  it  be  looked  upon, 
 with  refpect  to  an  ill  matter,  the  belt  ufe  of  it  is  to  perifii. 
 He  therefore  that  flew  the  Egyptian  cattle  with  mur- 
 rain, and  fmote  their  fruit  with  hail-ftones ;  he  that 
 confumtd  the  vines  of  Ifrael  with  the  palmer-worm, 
 
 X  x  2  and 
 
,43         CONTEMPLATION  S. 
 
 ind  caterpillar,  and  canker-worm,  fent  alio  foxes,  by 
 the  hand  of  Sam/on,  mto  the  fields  of  the  PbilijUm  • 
 Their  torn  was  too  good  for  them  to  enjoy,  not  too 
 good  for  the  foxes  to  burn  up.  God  had  rather  his 
 creatures  mould  perifh  any  way,  than  ferve  for  the 
 luft  of  the  wicked. 
 
 There  could  not  be  fuch  fecrecy  in  the  catching  of 
 Arec  hundred  foxes,  but  it  might  well  be  known  who 
 had  procured  them.  Rumour  will  fwiftly  fly  of  things 
 not  dene ;  but  of  a  thing  fo  notorioufly  executed,  it 
 is  no  marvel  if  fame  be  a  blab.  The  mention  of  the 
 offence  draws  in  the  provocation ;  and  now  the  wrong 
 to  Samfin  is  fcanned  and  revenged ;  becaufe  the  fields 
 of  the  Phiiiftines  are  burned  for  the  wrong  done  to 
 %amfm  by  the  Timnite  in  his  daughter,  therefore  the 
 Phiiiftines  burn  the  Timnite  and  his  daughter.  The 
 lying  of  the  fire-brand  between  two  foxes  was  not 
 fo  witty  a  policy,  as  the  fetting  of  a  fire  of  diifenfion 
 betwixt  the  Philift'mes.  What  need  Sam/on  be  his 
 own  executioner,  when  his  enemies  will  undertake 
 that  charge  ?  There  can  be  no  more  pleafmg  profpecl: 
 to  an  Ifraelite,  than  to  fee  the  fhiliftines  together  by 
 the  ears. 
 
 If  the  wire  of  Sa?nfon  had  not  feared  the  fire  for 
 herfelf  and  her  father's  houfe,  {lie  had  not  betrayed 
 her  hufband ;  her  hufband  had  not  thus  plagued  the 
 Phiiiftines  ;  the  Phiiiftines  had  not  confumed  her  and 
 her  father  with  fire  :  now  fhe  leaps  into  that  flame 
 which  flie  meant  to  avoid.  That  evil  which  the  wic- 
 ked feared,  meets  them  in  their  flight.  How  many, 
 in  a  fear  of  poverty,  feek  to  gain  unconfeionably,  and 
 die  beggars  ?  How  many,  to  fliun  pain  and  danger, 
 have  yielded  to  evil,  and  in  the  long-run  have  been 
 t  in  the  teeth  with  that  mifchief  which  they  had 
 ped  to  have  left  behind  them  ?  How  many,  in  a 
 deilre  to  efchew  the  fliame  of  men,  have  fallen  into 
 
 the 
 
BOOK  X.     Contem.  iv.  349 
 
 the  confufion  of  God  ?  Both  good  and  evil  are  fure 
 paymafters  at  the  laft. 
 
 He  that  was  fo  foon  pacified  towards  his  wife,  could 
 not  bat  have  thought  this  revenge  more  than  enough, 
 if  he  had  not  rather  wielded  God's  quarrel  than  his 
 own  :  he  knew  that  God  had  raifed  him  up,  on  pur- 
 pofe  to  be  a  fcourge  to  the  Philijlines,  whom  as  yet 
 he  had  angered  more  than  puniihed.  As  if  thefe 
 therefore  had  been  but  fiourifiies  before  the  fray,  he 
 ftirs  up  his  courage,  and  ftrikes  them  both  hip  and 
 thigh  with  a  mighty  plague.  That  God,  which  can 
 do  nothing  imperfectly,  where  he  begins  either  mer- 
 cy or  judgment,  will  not  leave  till  he  have  happily 
 rimmed.  As  it  is  in  his  favours,  fo  in  his  punifhments, 
 cue  ftroke  draws  on  another. 
 
 The  Israelites  were  but  flaves,  and  the  Philijlines 
 were  their  mafiers ;  fo  much  more  indigniy  therefore 
 mud  they  needs  take  it,  to  be  thus  affronted  by  one 
 of  their  own  vaiTals :  yet  mall  we  commend  the  mo- 
 deration of  thefe  pagans.  Sam/on,  being  not  mortal- 
 ly wronged  by  one  Philijline,  falls  foul  upon  the  whole 
 nation  :"  the  Philijlines,  heinoufly  offended  by  Sam/on, 
 do  not  fall  upon  the  whole  tribe  of  Judah,  but,  being 
 muflered  together,  call  to  them  for  fatisfa&ion  from 
 the  perfon  offending.  The  fame  hand  of  God,  which 
 wrought  Sam/on  to  revenge,  reftrained  them  from  it. 
 It  is  no  thank  to  themfelves,  that  fometimes  wicked 
 men  cannot  be  cruel. 
 
 The  men  of  Judah  are  by  their  fear  made  friends  to 
 their  tyrants,  and  traitors  to  their  friend  ;  it  was  in 
 their  caufe  that  Sam/on  had  fhed  blood,  and  yet  they 
 confpire  with  the  Philijlines  to  deftroy  their  own  flefh 
 and  blood.  So  fhall  the  Philijlines  be  quit  with  Ifrael, 
 that  as  Samfcn  by  Philijlines  revenged  himfelf  of  Phi- 
 UJlines,  fo  they  of  an  Ifraelite  by  the  hand  of  Ifraelites. 
 That  which  open  .enemies  dare  not  attempt,   they 
 
 work 
 
35©        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 work  by  falfe  brethren  ;  and  thefe  are  fo  much  more 
 perilous,  as  they  are  more  entire. 
 
 It  had  been  no  lefs  eafy  for  Samfon  to  have  flain 
 thofe  thoufands  of  Judah  that  came  to  bind  him,  than 
 thofe  other  of  the  Philiftines  that  meant  to  kill  him 
 bound.  And  what  if  he  had  faid,  Are  ye  turned  trai- 
 tors to  your  deliverer  ?  Your  blood  be  upon  your  own 
 heads.  But  the  Spirit  of  God  (without  whom  he 
 could  not  kill  either  beaft  or  man)  would  never  ftir 
 him  up  to  kill  his  brethren,  though  degenerated  into 
 Philiftines ;  they  have  more  power  to  bind  him,  than 
 he  to  kill  them.  Ifraeliti/h  blood  was  precious  to  him, 
 that  made  no  more  fcruple  of  killing  a  Philiftine  than 
 a  lion.  That  bondage  and  ufury,  that  was  allowed  to 
 a  Jew  from  a  Pagan,  might  not  be  exacted  from  a 
 Jew. 
 
 The  Philiftines  that  had  before  ploughed  with  Sam- 
 Jon's  heifer,  in  the  cafe  of  the  riddle,  arc  now  plough- 
 ing a  worfe  furrow  with  an  heifer  more  his  own.  I 
 am  afliamed  to  hear  thefe  cowardly  Jews  fay, 
 Kncwefl  thou  not  that  the  Philiftines  are  lords  over 
 us  f  Why  hajl  thou  done  this  unto  us  f  We  are  there- 
 fore come  to  bind  thee.  Whereas  they  fhould  have 
 faid,  We  find  thefe  tyrannical  Philiftines  to  ufurp 
 dominion  over  us ;  thou  haft  happily  begun  to  fhake 
 oir  their  yoke,  and  now  we  are  come  to  fecond  thee 
 with  our  "fervice  ;  the  valour  of  fuch  a  captain  mall 
 eafily  lead  us  forth  to  liberty.  We  are  ready  either 
 to  die  with  thee,  or  to  be  freed  by  thee.  A  fearful 
 man  can  never  be  a  true  friend  ;  rather  than  incur 
 any  danger,  he  will  be  falfe  to  his  own  foul.  O 
 cruel  mercy  of  thefe  men  of  Judah  !  We  will  not 
 kill  thee,  but  we  will  bi/?d  thee,  and  deliver  thee 
 into  the  hands  of  the  Philiftines,  that  they  may  kill 
 thee.  As  if  it  had  not  been  much  worfe  to  die  an  ig- 
 nominious and  tormenting  death,  by  the  hands  of  the 
 
 Philiftines* 
 
BOOK   X.      Contem.  iv.         351 
 
 Philiftincs,  than  to  be  at  once  difpatched  by  them, 
 which  wifhed  either  his  life  fafe,  or  his  death  eafy. 
 
 When  Saul  was  purfued  by  the  Philiftines  upon 
 the  mountains  of  Gilboa,  he  could  fay  to  his  armour- 
 bearer,  Draw  forth  thy  /word,  and  kill  me,  left  the 
 uncircumcifed  come  and  thruft  me  through,  and  mock 
 ?ne ;  and,'  at  lad,  would  rather  fall  upon  his  own 
 fword  than  theirs :  and  yet  thefe  coufms  of  Sam/on 
 can  fay,  We  will  not  kill  thee,  but  zve  will  bind  thee, 
 and  deliver  thee.  It  was  no  excufe  to  thefe  Ifraelites, 
 that  Samfon's  binding  had  more  hope,  than  his  death. 
 It  was  more  in  the  extraordinary  mercy  of  God,  than 
 their  will,  that  he  was  not  tied  with  his  lad  bonds. 
 Such  is  the  goodnefs  of  the  Almighty,  that  he  turns 
 the  cruel  intentions'  of  wicked  men  to  an  advantage. 
 
 Now,  thefe  Jews,  that  might  have  let  themfelves 
 loofe  from  their  own  bondage,  are  binding  their  de- 
 liverer, whom  yet  they  knew  able  to  have  refilled. 
 In  the  greater!  ftrength,  there  is  ufe  of  patience: 
 there  was  no  more  fortitude  in  this  fuffering,  than  in 
 his  former  actions.  Samjln  abides  to  be  tied  by  his 
 own  countrymen,  that  he  may  have  the  glory  of  free- 
 ing himfelf  victoriouily.  Even  (a,  O  Saviour,  our 
 better  Nazarite,  thou  which  couldft  have  called  to 
 thy  Father,  and  have  had  twelve  legions  of  angels  for 
 thy  refcue,  wouldit  be  bound  voluntarily,  that  thou 
 mightft  triumph ;  fo  the  bleffed  martyrs  were  racked, 
 and  would  not  be.ioofed,  becaufe  they  expected  a  bet- 
 ter refurre&ion.  If  we  be  not  as  well  ready  to  fuffer 
 ill,  as  to  do  good,  we  are  not  fit  for  the  ccnfecration 
 of  God. 
 
 Tojee  Sam/on  thus  flxongly  manacled,  and  expofed 
 to  their  full  revenge,  could  not  but  be  a  glad  fpedtacle 
 to  thefe  Philiftines  ;  and  their  joy  was  fo  full,  that  it 
 could  not  but  fly  forth  of  their  mouths  in  mouting 
 and  laughter ;  whom  they  faw  loofe,  with  terror,  it. 
 
 is 
 
352         CO  N  T  E  M  P  L  A  T  IGNb, 
 
 is  pleafurc  to  fee  bound.  It  is  the  fport  of  the  fpni- 
 tual  Philiflines,  to  fee  any  of  God's  Nazarites  fetter- 
 ed with  the  cords  of  iniquity ;  and  their  imps  are  rea- 
 dy to  fay,  AHa,  fo  would  we  have  it.  But  the  event 
 anfwers  their  falfe  joy,  with  that  claufe  of  triumph, 
 Rejoice  not  over  me,  0  '/nine  enemy  :  though  I  fall,  yet 
 I  fh all  rife  again.  How  foon  was  the  countenance  of 
 thefe  Philifines  changed,  and  their  fhouts  turned  in- 
 to fhriekings  !  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  Sam- 
 foil ;  and  then,  what  are  cords  to  the  Almighty  ? 
 His  new  bonds  are  as  flax  burnt  with  fire ;  and  he 
 roufes  up  himfelf,  like  that  young  lion  whom  he  firft 
 encountered,  and  flies  upon  thofe  cowardly  adverfa- 
 ries,  who,  if  they  had  not  feen  his  cords,  durft  not 
 have  feen  his  face.  If  they  had  been  fo  many  devils 
 as  men,  they  could  not  have  flood  before  the  Spirit 
 which  lifted  up  the  heart  and  hand  of  Sam  fan.  Wick- 
 ed men  never  fee  fairer  profpect,  than  when  they  arc 
 upon  the  very  threfhold  of  deffhi&ion.  Security  and 
 ruin  are  fo  clofe  bordering  upon  each  other,  that, 
 where  we  fee  the  face  of  the  one,  we  may  be  fure 
 the  other  is  at  his  back.  Thus  didfl  thou,  O  blef- 
 fed  Saviour,  when  thou  wert  fattened  to  the  crofs, 
 when  thou  Iayeil  bound  in  the  grave  with  the.  cords 
 of  death ;  thus  didfl  thou  miraculou'ly  raife  up  thy- 
 felf,  vanquiih  thine  enemies,  and  lead  captivity  cap- 
 tive !  Thus  do  all  thy  holy  ones,  when  they  feem 
 mod  forfaken,  and  laid  open  to  the  infultaupn  of  the 
 world,  find  thy  Spirit  mighty  to  their  deliverance, 
 and  the  difcomfiture  of  their  malicious  adverfaries. 
 
 Thofe  three  thoufand  I fra  elites  were  not  fo  ill  ad- 
 vifed,  as  to  come  up  into  the  rock  unweaponed  to 
 apprehend  Samfon,  Samfon  therefore  might  have 
 hid  his  choice  *of  fwords,  or  fpe/ars  for  his  ikirmilh 
 with  the  Phi liftines ;  yet  he  leaves  all  the  munition 
 of  Ifracl,  and  finding  the  newjaw-bene  of  an  afs,  takes 
 
 that 
 
BOOK    X.      Con  t  em.  iv 
 
 35 
 
 that  up  in  his  hand,  and,  with  that  bafe  inflrument  of 
 death,  fends  a  thoufand  Philiftines  to  their  place.  All 
 the  fwords  and  fhields  of  the  armed  Philiftines  cannot 
 refift  that  contemptible  engine,  which  hath  now  left 
 a  thoufand  bodies  as  dead  as  the  carcafe  of  that  beaft 
 whofe  bone  it  was.  This  victory  was  not  in  the  wea- 
 pon, was  not  in  the  arm  ;  it  was  in  the  Spirit  of  God, 
 which  moved  the  weapon  in  the  arm.  O  God,  if  the 
 means  be  weak,  yet  thou  art  flrong  !  Through  God 
 we  mall  do  great  acts ;  yea,  I  can  do  all  things  through 
 him  that  ftrengtheneth  me.  Seed:  thou  a  poor  chri- 
 flian,  which  by  weak  counfel  hath  obtained  to  over- 
 come a  temptation  ;  there  is  the  Philiftine  vanquiilied 
 with  a  forry  jaw-bone. 
 
 It  is  no  marvel,  if  he  were  thus  admirably  flrong 
 and  victorious,  whofe  bodily  flrength  God  meant  to 
 make  a  type  of  the  fpiritual  power  of  Chrifl.  And, 
 behold,  as  the  three  thoufand s  of  Judah  flood  f till 
 gazing,  with  their  weapons  in  their  hands,  whiles 
 Sa?nfon  alone  fubdued  the  Philiftines  ;  fo  did  men  and 
 angels  fland  looking  upon  the  glorious  atchievements 
 of  the  Son  of  God,  who  might  juftly  fay,  /  have  ircde 
 the  wine-prefs  alone. 
 
 Both  the  Samfons  complained  of  thirfl.  The  fame 
 God,  which  gave  this  champion  vi<51ory,  gave  him  alfo 
 refrefhing  ;  and  by  the  fame  means.  The  fame  bone 
 yields  him  both  conquefl  and  life,  and  is,  of  a  weapon 
 of  oirence,  turned  into  a  well  of  water.  He  that 
 fetched  water  out  of  the  flint  for  Jfrael^  fetches  it  out 
 of  a  bone  for  oamfon.  What  is  not  poffible  to  the 
 infinite  power  of  that  Almighty  Creator,  that  made  all 
 things  of  nothing !  He  can  give  Sam  [on  honey  from 
 the  mouth  of  the  lion,  and  water  from  the  mouth  oi 
 the  afs.  Who  would  not  cheerfully  depend  upon 
 that  God,  which  can  fetch  moiflure  ou:  of  drynefi, 
 and  life  out  of  death ! 
 
 Vol.L  Yv  Co- 
 
354        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Co  xt  em.  v.      Samson's  end. 
 
 f  Cannot  wonder  more  at  Samforfi  flrength,  than 
 -*-  his  weaknefs.  He,  that  began  to  cad  away  his  love 
 upon  a  wife  of  the  PhiUflines^  goes  on  to  mif-fpend 
 himfetf  upon  the  harlots  of  the  Philiftines ;  he  did 
 not  fo  much  overcome  the  men,  as  the  women  over- 
 came him.  His  affections  blinded  him  firfl,  ere  the 
 Philiftines  could  do  it ;  would  he  elfe,  after  the  efFu- 
 iufion  of  fo  much  of  their  blood,  have  differed  his  lull 
 to  carry  him  within  their  walls,  as  one  that  cared 
 more  for  his  pieafure  than  his  life !  O  ftrange  de- 
 bauchednefs,  and  prefumption  of  a  Nazarite!  The 
 Phififtims  are  up  in  arms  to  kill  him :  he  offers  him- 
 ielf  to  their  city,  to  their  (lews,  and  dares  expofe  his 
 life  to  one  of  their  harlots  whom  he  had  slaughtered. 
 I  would  have  looked  to  have  feen  him  betake  himfelf 
 to  his  ilronger  rock  than  that  of  Etam^  and,  by  his 
 auflere  devotion,  to  feek  protection  of  him  of  whom 
 he  received  flrength :  but  now,  as  if  he  had  forgotten 
 his  confecration,  I  find  him  turned  Philifline  for  his 
 bed,  and,  of  a  Nazarite,  fcarce  a  man.  In  vain  doth 
 he  nourilh  his  hair,  whiles  he  feeds  thefe  paihons. 
 How  ealily  do  vigour  of  body,  and  infirmity  of  mind, 
 lodge  under  one  roof  1  On  the  contrary,  a  weakifli 
 outfide  is  a  ftfqng  motive  to  mortification.  Sa7iifony$, 
 victories  have  fubdued  him,  and  have  made  him  firit 
 a  Have  to  lewd  defires,  and  then  to  the  PhiUftines.  I 
 may  fafeiy  fay,  that  more  vefiels  mifcarry  with  a  fair 
 gale,  than  with  a  temped. 
 
 Yet  was  not  Sam/on  fo  blinded  with  lu(l,  as  not  at 
 all  to  look  before  him:  he  forefaw  the  morning  would 
 be  dangerous ;  the  bed  of  his  fornication  therefore 
 <~ould  hold  him  no  longer  than  midnight.  Then  he 
 lifes,  and,  in  a  mock  of  thofe  ambuihes  which  the 
 Azahites  laid  for  him,  he  carries  away  the  gates  where- 
 in they  thought  to  have  engaged  him.  If  a  tempta- 
 tion 
 
BOOK   X.      Con  t  em.  v.  355 
 
 tion  have  drawn  us  afide,  to  ly  dowii  to  fin,  it  is  hap- 
 py for  us,  if  we  can  arife,  ere  we  be  furprifed  with 
 judgment,  S am/on  had  not  left  his  flrength  in  the 
 bed  of  an  harlot,  neither  had  that  God,  which  gave 
 it  him,  dripped  him  of  it  with  his  clothes,  when  he 
 laid  him  down  in  uncleannefs.  His  mercy  ufes  not 
 to  take  vantage  of  our  unworthinefs,  but  even,  when 
 we  cad  him  off,  holds  us  faff.  That  bountiful  hand 
 leaves  us  rich  of  common  graces,  when  we  have  mif- 
 fpent  our  better  ftore :  like  as  our  firft  parents,  when 
 they  had  fpoiled  themfelves  of  the  image  of  their 
 Creator,  yet  were  left  wealthy  of  noble  faculties  of 
 the  foul. 
 
 I  find  Sam/on  come  off  from  his  fin  with  fafety ; 
 he  runs  away  lightly  with  an  heavier  weight  than  the 
 gates  of  Azah,  the  burden  of  an  ill  aft.  Prefent 
 impunity  argues  not  an  abatement  of  the  wickednefs 
 of  his  fin,  or  of  the  diflike  of  God.  Nothing  is  fo 
 worthy  of  pity,  as  fmners  peace.  Good  is  not  there- 
 fore good  becaufe  it  profpers,  but  becaufe  it  is  com- 
 manded. Evil  is  not  evil  becaufe  it  is  puniihed,  but 
 becaufe  it  is  forbidden. 
 
 If  the  holy  parents  of  Samfon  lived  to  fee  thefe  out- 
 rages of  their  Nazartie,  I  doubt  whether  they  did 
 not  repent  them  of  their  joy,  to  hear  the  news  of  a  fon. 
 It  is  a  lhame  to  fee  how  he,  that  might  not  drink  wine, 
 is  drunk  with  the  cup  of  fornications.  His  lull  car- 
 ries him  from  Azah,  to  the  plain  of  oWi,  and  now 
 hath  found  a  Delilah  that  mall  pay  him  for  ail  his  for- 
 mer uncleannefs.  Sin  is  fteep  and  flippery,  and  if, 
 after  one  fall,  we  have  found  where  to  fland,  it  is  the 
 praife,  not  of  our  footing,  but  of  the  hand  of  God. 
 
 The  princes  of  the  Philiftines  knew  already  where 
 Samfon's  weaknefs  lay,  though  not  his  flrength  ;  and 
 therefore  they  would  entice  his  harlot  by  gifts  to  en- 
 tice him,  by  her  dalliance,  to  betray  himfelf.  It  is  nq 
 marvel,  iffhe,  which  would  be  filthy,  would  be  alio 
 
 Y  y  2  perfidious. 
 
356        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 perfidious.  How  could  Samfon  chufe  but  think,  if 
 luft  had  not  bewitched  him,  She,  wnofe  body  is  mer- 
 cenary to  me,  will  eahly  fell  me  to  others ;  me  will 
 be  falfe,  if  me  will  be  an  harlot :  A  wide  confcience 
 will  i wallow  any  iin.  Thoie  that  have  once  thralled 
 thcmfelves  to  a  known  evil,  can  make  no  other  dif- 
 ference of  litis,  but  their  own  lofs,  or  advantage.  A 
 liar  can  ileal ;  a  thief  can  kill ;  a  cruel  man  can  be  a 
 traitor  ;  a  drunkard  can  faliify.  \v  ickednefs,  once  en- 
 tertained, can  put  on  any  fhape.  Truft  him  in  no- 
 thing, that  makes  not  a  confcience  of  every  thing. 
 
 Was  there  ever  fuch  another  motion  made  to  a  rea- 
 sonable man  ?  Tell  me  wherein  thy  great  ftrength 
 lieik^  and  wherewith  thou  mayft  be  bound  to  do  thee 
 hurt.  Who  would  not  have  fpurned  fuch  a  fuitor 
 out  of  doors  ?  What  will  not  impudency  afk,  or 
 flupidity  receive  ?  He  that  killed  the  thoufand 
 Philiftines  for  coming  to  bind  him,  endures  his  harlot 
 of  the  Philiftines  to  confult  with  himfelf  of  binding 
 him ;  and  when,  upon  the  trial  of  a  falfe  anfwer,  he 
 faw  fo  apparent  treachery,  yet  wilfully  betrays  his 
 life  by  her  to  his  enemies.  All  fins,  all  paffons,  have 
 power  to  infatuate  a  man,  but  luft  mod  of  all.  Ne- 
 ver man,  that  had  drunk  flagons  of  wine,  had  lefs  rea* 
 ion  than  this  Nazarite.  Many  a  one  lofes  his  life  ; 
 but  this  calls  it  away;  not  in  hatred  of  himfelf,  but 
 in  \oyc  to  a  firumpet.  We  wonder  that  a  man  could 
 poiLbly  be  fo  fottifti,  and  yet  we  ourfelves  by  temp- 
 tation become  no  lefs  infenfate.  Sinful  pleafures,  like 
 a  common  Delilah^  lodge  in  our  bofoms ;  we  know 
 l  hey  aim  at  nothing  but  the  death  of  our  foul ;  we 
 will  yield  to  them,  and  die.  Every  willing  fmner  is 
 ?  Samfon  :  let  us  not  inveigh  againfl  his  fenfelefnefs, 
 bin  oar  own.  Nothing  is  fo  grofs  and  unreafonable 
 to  a  wdi-difyofcd  mind,  which  temptation  will   not 
 
 refent  fit  and  plauiible.     No  foul  can,  out  of  his 
 
 own 
 
; 
 
 BOOK   X.      Con t em.  v.  357 
 
 own  ftrength,  fecure  himfelf  from  that  fin  which  he 
 moil  detefteth. 
 
 As  an  hood-winked  man  fees  fome  little  glimmering 
 of  light,  but  not  enough  to  guide  him ;  fo  did  Sam- 
 fon,  who  had  reafon  enough  left  him  to  make  trial  of 
 Delilah,  by  a  crafty  mifinformation ;  not  enough  up- 
 on that  trial,  to  diftruft  and  hate  her ;  he  had  not  wit 
 enough  to  deceive  her  thrice,  not  enough  to  keep  him- 
 felf from  being  deceived  by  her.  It  is  not  fo  great 
 wifdom  to  prove  them  whom  we  diftruft,  as  it  is  fol- 
 ly to  truft  them  whom  we  have  found  treacherous. 
 Thrice  had  he  feen  the  Philiftines  in  her  chamber, 
 ready  to  furprife  him  upon  her  bonds  ;  and  yet  will 
 needs  be  a  flave  to  his  traitor.  Warning  not  taken  is 
 a  certain  prefage  of  deftruction  ;  and  if,  once  neglect- 
 ed, it  receives  pardon,  yet  thrice  is  defperate. 
 
 What  man  would  ever  play  thus  with  his  own 
 ruin!  His  harlot  binds  him,  and  calls  in  her  execution- 
 ers to  cut  his  throat ;  he  rifes  to  fave  his  own  life,  and 
 fuffers  them  to  carry  away  theirs  in  peace.  Where 
 is  the  courage  of  Sam/on  /  where  his  zeal !  He,  that 
 killed  the  Philiftines  for  their  clothes,  he  that  flew  a 
 thoufand  of  them  in  the  field  at  once  in  this  quar- 
 rel, now  fuffers  them  in  his  chamber  unrevenged. 
 Whence  is  this!  His  hands  were  ftrong,  but  his  heart 
 was  effeminate ;  his  harlot  had  diverted  his  affection. 
 Whofoever  flackens  the  reins  to  his  fenfual  appetite, 
 (hall  foon  grow  unfit  for  the  calling  of  God.  Sam/on 
 hath  broke  the  green  withes,  the  new  ropes,  the  woof 
 of  his  hair,  and  yet  ftill  fuffers  himfelf  fettered  with 
 thofe  invifible  bonds  of  an  harlot's  love  ;  and  can  en- 
 dure her  to  fay,  How  canfl  thou  fay  I  love  thee,  when 
 thy  heart  is  not  with  me  f  Thou  haft  mocked  me  thrfe 
 three  times :  whereas  he  fhould  rather  have  faid  unto 
 her,  How  canft  thou  challenge  any  love  from  me,  that 
 haft  thus  thrice  fought  my  life  !  O  canft  thou  think 
 my  mocks  a  fuflicient  revenge  of  this  treachery !  But, 
 
 contrarily, 
 
358         CONTEMPLATION  S. 
 
 contrarily,  he  melts  at  this  fire  ;  and,  by  her  importu* 
 nate  mfmuations,  is  wrought  againfl  himfelf.  Wea- 
 rinefs  of  folicitarion  hath  won  fome  to  thofe  actions, 
 which  at  the  firft  motion  they  defpifed  ;  like  as  we  fee 
 iome  fuitors  are  difpatched,  not  for  the  equity  of  the 
 caufe,  but  the  -trouble  of  the  profecution ;  becaufe  it 
 is  more  eafy  to  yield,  not  more  reafonable.  It  is  more 
 fafe  to  keep  ourfelves  out  of  the  noife  of  fuggeftions, 
 than  to  fland  upon  our  power  of  denial. 
 
 •  Who  can  pity  the  lofs  of  that  ftrength  which  was  fo 
 abufed  !  who  can  pity  him  the  lofs  of  his  locks,  which, 
 after  fo  many  warnings,  can  fleep  in  the  lap  of  Deli" 
 lab  !  It  is  but  jufl  that  he  mould  rife  up  from  thence 
 fhaven  and  feeble  ;  not  a  Nazarite,  fcarce  a  man.  If 
 his  ftrength  had  lain  in  his  hair,  it  had  been  out  of 
 himfelf;  it  was  not  therefore  in  his  locks,  it  was  in 
 his  confecration,  whereof  that  hair  was  a  fign.  If  the 
 razor  had  come  fooner  upon  his  head,  he  had  ceaf- 
 ed  to  be  a  Nazarite,  and  the  gift  of  God  had  at  once 
 ceafed,  with  the  calling  of  God;  not  for  the  want  of 
 that  excretion,  but  for  want  of  obedience.  If  God 
 withdraw  his  graces,  when  he  is  too  much  provoked, 
 who  can  complain  of  his  mercy!  He  that  {Jeeps  in  fin 
 mud  look  to  wake  in  lofs  and  weaknefsl  Could  Sam- 
 fon  think,  Though  I  tell  her,  my  ftrength  lies  in  my 
 hair ,%  yet  fhe  will  not  cut  it ;  or  though  fhe  do  cut  my 
 liair,  yet  (hall  I  not  lofe  my  ftrength ;  that  now  he 
 rifes  and  fliakes  himfelf,  in  hope  of  his  former  vigour  ? 
 Cuftom  of  fuccefs  makes  men  confident  in  their  fins, 
 and  caufes  them  to  miftake  an  arbitrary  tenure  for  a 
 perpetuity. 
 
 His  eyes  were  the  firft  offenders,  which  betrayed  him 
 to  luft ;  and  now  they  are  firft  pulled  out,  and  he  is  led 
 a  blind  captive  to  Azah,  where  he  was  firft  captiva- 
 ted to  his  luft.  The  Azahites^  which  lately  faw  him, 
 not  without  terror,  running  lightly  away  with  their, 
 gates  at  midnight,  fee  him  now  in  his  own  perpetual 
 
 night* 
 
BOOK  X.     Con  Tim.  v.  ^59 
 
 night,  draggling  with  his  chains :  and  that  he  may 
 not  want  pain,  together  with  his  bondage,  he  mull 
 grind  in  his  prifon. 
 
 As  he  pailed  the  ftrcet,  every  boy  among  the  Phili- 
 ftines  could  throw  (tones  at  him,  every  woman  could 
 laugh  and  ihout  at  him  ;  and  what  one  Philijline  doth 
 not  fay,  whiles  he  lames  him  unto  blood,  There  is 
 for  my  brother,  or  my  kinfman,  whom  thou  (leweft  ? 
 Who  can  look  to  run  away  with  a  fin,  when  Sam/on 
 a  Nazarite  is  thus  plagued  1  This  great  heart  could 
 not  but  have  broken  with  indignation,  if  it  had  not 
 pacified  itfelf  with  the  confcience  of  the  juil  defert  of 
 all  this  vengeance. 
 
 It  is  better  for  Sam  fori  to  be  blind  in  prifon,  than 
 to  abufe  his  eyes  in  Sorek :  yea,  I  may  fafely  fay,  he 
 was  more  blind  when  he  faw  licentioufly,  than  now 
 that  he  fees  not ;  he  was  a  greater  flave  when  he  fer- 
 ved  his  affections,  than  now  in  grinding  for  the  Phi- 
 liftines.  The  lofs  of  his  eyes  (hews  him  his  fin  ;  nei- 
 ther could  he  fee  how  ill  he  had  done,  till  he  faw 
 not. 
 
 Even  yet,  (till  the  God  of  mere}'  looked  upon  the 
 blindnefs  of  Samfon,  and  in  thefe  fetters  enlargeth  his 
 heart  from  the  worfe  prifon  of  his  fin :  his  hair  grew, 
 together  with  his  repentance,  and  his  ftrength  with 
 his  hair.  God's  merciful  humiliations  of  his  own  are 
 fometimes  fo  fevere,  that  they  feem  to  differ  little  from 
 defertions ;  yet,  at  the  word,  he  loves  us  bleeding  : 
 and,  when  we  have  fmarted  enough,  we  (hall  feel  it. 
 
 What  thankful  idolaters  were  thefe  Philijllriesf 
 They  could  not  but  know,  that  their  bribes,  and  their 
 Delilah ,  had  delivered  Sam/on  to  them,  and  yet  they 
 facrifice  to  their  Dagon  ;  and,  as  thofe  that  would  be 
 liberal  in  calling  favours  upon  a  fenfelefs  idol,  (of 
 whom  they  could  receive  none,)  they  cry  out,  Our 
 god  hath  delivered  cur  enemy  into  cur  hands.  WJiere 
 was  their  Dagon^  when  a  thoufand  of  his  clients  were 
 
 daia 
 
6o         CONTEMPLATIONS, 
 
 ilain  with  an  afs's  jaw !  There  was  more  flrength 
 in  that  bone,  than  in  all  the  makers  of  this  god  ;  and 
 yet  thefe  vain  Pagans  fay,  Our  god.  It  is  the  quali- 
 ty of  fuperflition  to  miilnterpret  all  events,  and  to 
 feed  itfelf  with  the  conceit  of  thofe  favours,  which 
 are  fo  far  from  being  done,  that  their  authors  never 
 were.  Why  do  not  we  learn  zeal  of  idolaters !  and 
 if  they  be  fo  forward  in  acknowledgment  of  their  de- 
 liverances to  a  falfe  deity,  how  cheerfully  mould  we 
 afcribe  ours  to  the  true !  O  God,  whatfoever  be  the 
 means,  thou  art  the  author  of  all  our  fuccefs.  0  that 
 men  would  praife  the  Lord  for  his  goodnefs,  and  tell 
 the  wonders  that  he  doth  for  the  fans  of  men! 
 
 No  mufician  would  ferve  for  this  feafl  but  Samfon  ; 
 he  mufl  now  be  their  fport,  which  was  once  their 
 terror;  that  he  might  want  no  forrow,  fcorn  is  added 
 to  his  mifery :  every  wit  and  hand  plays  upon  him  ; 
 who  is  not  ready  to  cad  his  bone  and  his  jell  at  fuch 
 a  captive  ?  So  as  doubtlefs  he  wifhed  himfelf  no  lefs 
 deaf,  than  blind,  and  that  his  foul  might  have  gone 
 out  with  his  eyes.  Oppreifion  is  able  to  make  a  wife 
 man  mad  ;  and  the  greater  the  courage  is,  the  more 
 painful  the  infultation. 
 
 Now  Samfon  is  punifhed,  mall  the  Philiflines  efcape ! 
 If  the  judgment  of  God  be  sin  at  his  own,  what  (hall 
 become  of  his  enemies !  This  advantage  ihall  Samfon 
 make  of  their  tyranny,  that  now  death  is  no  punifh- 
 nient  to  him :  his  foul  (hall  fly  forth  in  this  bitternefs, 
 without  pain;  and  that  his  dying  revenge  mall  be  no 
 lefs  fweet  to  him,  than  the  liberty  of  his  former  life. 
 He  could  not  but  feel  God  mocked  through  him;  and 
 therefore,  whiles  they  are  icofhng,  he  prays :  his  fe- 
 rioufnefs  hopes  to  pay  them  for  all  thofe  jells.  If  he 
 could  have  been  thus  earneft  with  God  in  his  profpe- 
 rity,  the  Philiflines  had  wanted  this  laughing-flock. 
 No  devotion  is  io  fervent,  as  that  which  arifes  from 
 
 extremity ; 
 
BOOK   X.     Contem.  vi.  36.-1 
 
 extremity ;  O  Lord  God,  I  pray  thee  think  upon 
 me ;  0  God,  I  befeech  thee  Jlrengthen  me  at  this 
 time  only.  Though  Samforfs  hair  were  ihorter, 
 yet  he  knew,  God's  hand  was  not.  As  one  therefore 
 that  had  yet  eyes  enough  to  Tee  him  that  was  invisible, 
 and  whofe  faith  was  recovered  before  his  ftrength,  he 
 fues  to  that  God,  which  was  a  party  in  this  indignity, 
 for  power  to  revenge  his  wrongs,  more  than  his  own. 
 It  is  zeal  that  moves  him,  and  not  malice.  £1  is  renew- 
 ed faith  tells  him,  that  he  was  defined  to  plague  the 
 Philiftines ;  and  reafon  tells  him,  that  his  blindneft 
 puts  him  out  of  the  hope  of  fuch  another  opportunity. 
 Knowing  therefore  that  this  play  of  the  Fhiiiflines 
 muft  end  in  his  death,  he  recollects  all  the  forces  of 
 his  foul  and  body,  that  his  death  may  be  a  punilhment, 
 inftead  of  a  difport ;  and  that  his  foul  may  be  more 
 victorious  in  the  parting,  than  in  the  animation  ;  and 
 fo  addreffes  himfelf  both  to  die  and  kill ;  as  one  whofe 
 foul  (hall  not  feel  his  own  diiTolution,  whiles  it  fliali 
 carry  fo  many  thoufand  Philijlines  with  it  to  the  pit. 
 All  the  acts  of  Sam/on  are  for  wonder,  not  for  imitati- 
 on. So  didft  thou,  O  blefled  Saviour,  our  better 
 Samfon,  conquer  in  dying ;  and,  triumphing  upon  the 
 chariot  of  the  crofs,  didfl  lead  captivity  captive :  the 
 law,  fm,  death,  hell,  had  never  been  vanquiftied 
 but  by  thy  death.  All  our  life,  liberty,  and  glory, 
 fpring  out  of  thy  mod  precious  blood  ! 
 
 Contem.    v  i.     Mi  cam's    idolatry, 
 
 T^HE  mother  of  Micah  hath  loft  her  fiker,  and 
 -*-  now  (he  falls  to  curling.  She  did  afterwards  but . 
 change  the  form  of  her  god;  her  diver  was  her  god, 
 ere  it  did  put  on  the  falhion  of  an  image,  t\it  (he  had 
 not  fo  much  curfed  to  lofe  it,  if  it  had  no:  too  much 
 polTeiTed  her  in  the  keeping.  A  carnal  heart  cannot 
 forego  that  wherein  it  delights,  without  impatience; 
 Vol.  I.  Z  z  cannot 
 
362         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 cannot  be  impatient  without  curfes ;  whereas  the  man, 
 that  hath  learned  to  enjoy  God,  and  ufe  the  world, 
 fmiies  at  a  fhipwreck,  and  pities  a  thief,  and  cannot 
 curfe,  but  pray. 
 
 Micah  had  fo  little  grace  as  to  (teal  from  his  mo- 
 ther; and  rhat  out  of  wantonnefs,  not  out  of  neceffi- 
 ty  ;  for  if  ihe  had  not  been  rich,  fo  much  could  not 
 have  been  ltollen  from  her  :  and  now  he  hath  fo  much 
 grace  as  to  reilore  it;  her  curies  have  fetched  again 
 her  treafures.  He  cannot  fo  much  love  the  money,  as 
 he  fears  her  imprecations.  Wealth  feems  too  dear, 
 bought  with  a  curfe.  Though  his  fingers  were  falfe, 
 yet  his  heart  was  tender.  Many*  that  make  not  con- 
 science of  committing  fin,  yet  make  conicience  of  face* 
 ing  it :  it  is  well  for  them  that  they  are  but  novices 
 in  evil.  Thofe,  whom  cuflom  hath  flefhed  in  fin,  can 
 either  deny  and  forfwear,  or  excufe  and  defend  it  : 
 their  feared  hearts  cannot  feel  the  gnawing  of  any  re- 
 morfe ;  and  their  forehead  hath  learned  to  be  as  im- 
 pudent, as  their  heart  is  fenfelefs. 
 
 I  fee  no  argument  of  any  holinefs  in  the  mother  of 
 Micah  :  her  curfes  were  fin  to  herfelf,  yet  Micah  dares 
 not  but  fear  them.  1  know  not  whether  the  caufelefs 
 curfe  be  more  worthy  of  pity  or  derifion;  it  hurts  the  au- 
 thor, not  his  adversary  :  but  the  deferved  curfes,  that 
 fall  even  from  unholy  mouths,  are  worthy  to  be  fear- 
 ed :  how  much  more  fhould  a  man  hold  himfeif  blank- 
 ed with  the  juft  imprecations  of  the  godly !  What 
 metal  are  thofe  made  of,  that  can  applaud  themfelves 
 in  the  bitter  curfes  which  their  qppreflions  have  wrung 
 from  the  poor,  and  rejoice  in  thefe  figns  of  their  pro- 
 fperiry ! 
 
 Neither  yet  was  Micah  more  ftricken  with  his  mo- 
 ther's curfes,  than  wich  the  conference  of  facrilege : 
 fo  foon  as  he  finds  there  was  a  purpofe  of  devotion  in 
 this  treafure,  he  dares  not  conceal  it,  to  the  prejudice 
 ('as  he  thought)  of  God,  more  than  of  his  mother. 
 
 Whap 
 
BOOK   X.     Co  NT  EM.    vi.  363. 
 
 What  fhall  we  fay  to  the  palate  of  thofe  men,  which 
 as  they  find  no  good  relifh  but  in  ftollen  waters,  fo  belt 
 in  thole  which  are  ftollen  from  the  fountain  of  God  ! 
 How  foon  hath  the  old  woman  changed  her  note !  Er 
 ven  now  fhe  panned  an  indefinite  curfe  upon  her  fon 
 for  dealing,  and  now  fhe  blefTes  him  abfolutely  for 
 reftoring;  Bleffed  be  my  fon  of  the  Lord.  She 
 hath  forgotten  the  theft,  when  fhe  fees  the  reftituti- 
 on  :  how  much  more  (hall  the  God  of  mercies  be  more 
 pleafed  with  our  confefBon,  than  provoked  with  our 
 fin! 
 
 I  doubt  not  but  this  filver,  and  this  fuperflition, 
 came  out  of  Egypt,  together  with  the  mother  of  Mi- 
 cab.  This  hiftory  is  not  fo  late  in  time,  as  in  place ; 
 for  the  tribe  of  Dan  was  not  yet  fettled  in  that  firil 
 divifion  of  the  promifed  land  ;  io  as  this  old  woman 
 had  feen  both  the  idolatry  of  Egypt,  and  the  golden 
 calf  in  the  wildernefsj  and,  no  doubt,  contributed 
 fome  of  her  ear-rings  to  that  deity ;  and  after  all  the 
 plagues  which  fhe  faw  inflicted  upon  her  brethren,  for 
 that  idol  of  Horeb,  and  Baalpeory  fhe  ftiil  referves  a 
 fecret  love  to  fuperftition,  and  now  (hews  it.  Where 
 mif- religion  hath  once  pofleiTed  itfelf  of  the  heart,  It 
 is  very  hardly  cleanfed  out ;  but  (like  the  plague)  it 
 will  hang  in  the  very  clothes,  and,  after  long  lurking, 
 break  forth  in  an  unexpected  infection ;  and  old  wood 
 is  the  anted  to  take  this  fire.  After  all  the  airing  in 
 the  defart,  Mtcah's  mother  will  fmell  of  Egypt. 
 
 h  had  been  better  the  filver  had  been  ftollen  than 
 thus  beftowed  ;  for  now  they  have  fo  employed  ir, 
 that  it  hath  ftollen  away  their  hearts  from  God.;  and  yet, 
 while  it  is  molten  into  an  image,  they  think  it  dedi- 
 cated to  the  Lord.  If  religion  might  be  judged  ac- 
 cording to  the  intention,  there  fhould  fcarce  be  any 
 idolatry  in  the  world.  This  woman  loved  her  filver 
 enough,  and  if  fhe  had  not  thought  this  coftiy  piety 
 wort!)   thanks,  fhe  knew  which  way  to  have  employed 
 
 Zz  2  her 
 
j«4  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 her  dock  to  advantage.  Even  evil  actions  have  oft- 
 times  good  meanings,  and  thefe  good  meanings  are 
 anfwered  with  evil  recompences.  Many  a  one  be- 
 dows  their  cod,  their  labour,  their  blood,  and  receives 
 torment  indead  of  thank?. 
 
 Behold  a  fuperditious  fon  of  a  fuperditious  mother ; 
 (lie  makes  a  god,  and  he  harbours  it!  Yea,  (as  the  dream 
 is  commonly  broader  than  the  head)  he  exceeds  his 
 mother  in  evil :  he  hath  an  houfe  of  gods,  an  ephod, 
 teraphim  ;  and  that  he  might  be  complete  in  his  devo- 
 tion, he  makes  his  fori  his  pried,  and  entails  that  fin 
 upon  his  fon  which  he  received  from  his  mother  1 
 Thofe  fins,  which  nature  conveys  not  to  us,  we  have 
 by  imitation.  Every  action  and  gefture  of  the  parents 
 is  an  example  to  the  child  ;  and  the  mother,  as  fhe  is 
 more  tender  over  her  ion,  fo,  by  the  power  of  a  reci- 
 procal love,  fhe  can  work  moil  upon  his  inclination. 
 Whence  it  is,  that,  in  the  hidory  of  the  Ifraeliiijb  kings, 
 the  mother's  name  is  commonly  noted  ;  and,  as  civilly, 
 fo  alfo  morally,  the  birth  follows  the  belly.  Thcfe 
 ions  may  blefs  their  feconu  birth,  that  are  delivered 
 from  therms  of  their  education. 
 
 Who  cannot  but  think  how  far  Micah  overlooked 
 all  his  fellow  Israelites ;  and  thought  them  profane 
 <md  £odlefs  in  companion  cA  bimfelf !  How  did  he  fe- 
 rrtrly  clap  himfelf  oil  the  bread,  as  the  man  whofe 
 Iiappinefs  ir  was  to  ingrofs  religion  from  all  the  tribes 
 of  Jfrael,  and  little  can  imagine,  that  the  further  he 
 runs,  the  more  out  of  the  way.  Can  an  Israelite  be 
 thus  paganidi !  O  Micab,  how  hath  fuperilition  be- 
 witched thee,  that  thou  cand  not  fee  rebellion  in  eve- 
 ry of  thefc  actions,  yea  in  every  circumdance  re- 
 bellion !  What,  more  gods  than  one!  an  houfe  of  gods, 
 befidc?  God's  houfe!  an  image  of  filver,  to  the  invifi- 
 ble  God  !  a;}  ephod,  and  no  pried !  a  pried,  befides 
 the  family  of  Levi!  a  pried  of  thine  own  begetting, 
 of  thine  own  cbnfecration  !  What  monders  doth  man's 
 
 ijnagi- 
 
BOOK   X.    Con t em.  vi.  365 
 
 imagination  produce,  when  it  is  forfaken  of  God?  It 
 is  well  feen  there  is  no  king  in  IfraeL  If  God  had  • 
 been  their  king,  his  laws  had  ruled  them;  if  Mofcs  or 
 yojbua  had  been  their  king,  their  fword  had  awed 
 them;  if  any  other,  the  courfes  of  Ifrael  had  not  been 
 fo  heedlefs.  We  are  beholden  to  government  for  or- 
 der, for  peace,  for  religion.  Where  there  is  no  king, 
 every  one  will  be  a  king,  yea  a  god  to  himfelf.  We 
 are  worthy  of  nothing  but  confuiion,  if  we  blefs  not 
 God  for  authority. 
 
 It  is  no  marvel,  if  Levites  wandered  for  mainte- 
 nance, while  there  was  no  king  in  Ifrael.  The  tithes 
 and  offerings  were  their  due ;  if  thefe  had  been  paid, 
 none  of  the  holy  tribe  needed  to  fhift  his  ftation.  Even 
 where  royal  power  feconds  the  claim  of  the  Levite, 
 the  injuftice  of  men  fhortens  his  right.  Wrhat  (liould 
 become  of  the  Levites,  if  there  were  no  king?  and 
 what  of  the  church,  if  no  Levites  f  No  king,  there- 
 fore no  church.  How  could  the  imporent  child  live 
 without  a  nurfe  ?  Kings  fhall  be  thy  nurfmg  fathers, 
 and  queens  thy  nurfes,  faith  God.  Nothing  more  ar- 
 gues the  diforder  of  any  church,  or  the  decay  of  re- 
 ligion, than  the  forced  draggling  of  the  Levites.  There 
 is  hope  of  growth,  when  Micah  rides  to  feek  &Le* 
 vite  ;  but  when  the  Levite  comes  to  feek  a  fervice  of 
 Micah,  it  is  a  %n  of  gafping  devotion. 
 
 Micah  was  no  cbfcure  man :  all  mount  Epkraim 
 could  not  but  take  notice  of  his  domeftical  gods.  This 
 Levite  could  not  but  hear  of  hk  difpofition,  of  his  mif- 
 devotion ;  yet  want  of  maintenance,  no  kfs,  than 
 conference,  draws  him  on  to  the  danger  of  idolatress 
 patronage.  Holinefs  is  not  tied  to  any  profeinon. 
 Kappy  were  it  for  the  church,  if  the  clergy  could  be 
 a  privilege  from  lewdnefs.  When  need  meets  with 
 unconfeionabienefs,  all  conditions  are  eafily  fwailow- 
 cd,  of  unlawful  entrances,  of  wicked  executions. 
 Ten  flickels,   and  a  fuic  cf  apparel,  and  his  diet,    arc 
 
 good 
 
-66        CONTEMPLATION  S. 
 
 good  wages  for  a  needy  Levite.  He  that  could  be- 
 llow eleven  hundred  fhekels  upon  his  puppets,  can 
 afford  but  ten  to  his  prieft ;  fo  hath  he  at  once  a  rich 
 idol,  and  a  beggarly  pried.  Whofoever  affects  to 
 ferve  God  good  cheap,  (hews,  that  he  makes  God 
 but  a  ftale  to  mammon. 
 
 Yet  was  Micah  a  kind  patron,  though  not  liberal. 
 He  calls  the  young  Levite  his  father,  and  ufes  him 
 as  his  fon  ;  and  what  he  wants  in  means,  fupplies  in 
 affection.  It  were  happy,  if  Chriflians  could  imitate 
 the  love  of  idolaters,  towards  them  which  ferve  at 
 the  altar.  Micah  made  a  fliift  with  the  priefthood  of 
 his  own  fon  ;  yet,  that  his  heart  checks  him  in  it,  ap- 
 pears both  by  the  change,  and  his  contentment  in  the 
 change.  Now  I  know  that  the  Lord  will  be  good 
 to  me,  feeing  I  have  a  Levite  to  my  prieft.  There- 
 fore, whiles  his  prieft.  was  no  Levite,  he  fees  there 
 was  caufe  why  God  fliould  not  be  good  to  him.  At 
 the  Levite  had  not  come  to  offer  his  fervice,  Mica/Ss 
 fon  had  been  a  lawful  prieft.  Many  times  the  con- 
 ference runs  away  fmoothiy  with  an  unwarrantable 
 action,  and  refts  itfelf  upon  thofe  grounds,  which 
 afterward  it  fees  caufe  to  condemn.  It  is  a  fure  way 
 therefore  to  inform  ourfelves  thoroughly  ere  we  fettle 
 our  choice,  that  we  be  not  driven  to  reverfe  our  a£ts 
 with  late  ihame,  and  unprofitable  repentance. 
 
 Now  did  Micah  begin  to  fee  fome  little  glhnpft  of 
 his  own  error  :  he  faw  his  priefthood  faulty  ;  he  faw 
 net  the  faults  of  his  ephod,  of  his  images,  of  his  gods : 
 and  yet  (as  if  he  had  thought  all  had  been  well,  when 
 he  had  amended  one)  he  fays,  Now  I  how  the 
 Lord  will  be  good  to  me.  The  carnal  heart  pleafes 
 itfelf  with  an  outward  formality,  and  fo  delights  ro 
 fxatrer  itfelf,  as  that  it  thinks,  if  one  circumltance  be 
 right,  nothing  can  be  amifs. 
 
 IJrael  was  at  this  time  extremely  corrupted  ;  yet  the 
 fpies  of  the  Danites  had  taken  notice  even  of   this 
 
 young 
 
BOOK    X.      Contem.  vi.  367 
 
 young  Levite,  and  are  glad  to  make  ufe  of  his  pricft- 
 hood.  If  they  had  but  gone  up  to  Shiloh,  they  might 
 have  confulted  with  the  ark  of  God ;  but  worldly 
 minds  are  not  curious  in  their  holy  fervices.  If  they 
 have  a  god,  an  ephod,  a  prieft,  it  fuifices  them. 
 They  had  rather  enjoy  a  falfe  worfhip  with  eafe,  than 
 to  take  pains  for  the  true.  Thofe  that  are  curious 
 in  their  diet,  in  their  purchafes,  in  their  attire,  in 
 their  contracts,  yet  in  God's  bufmefs  are  very  indi- 
 ferent. 
 
 The  author  of  lies  fometimes  fpeaks  truth  for  an 
 advantage ;  and,  from  his  mouth,  this  flattering  Levite 
 fpeaks  what  he  knew  would  pi  eafe,  not  what  he  knew 
 would  fall  out.  The  event  anfwers  his  prediction, 
 and  now  the  fpies  magnify  him  to  their  fellows. 
 MicafJs  idol  is  a  god,  and  the  Levite  is  his  oracle. 
 In  matter  of  judgment,  to  be  guided  only  by  the  e- 
 vent,  is  the  way  to  error.  Falfhood  (hall  be  truth, 
 and  Satan  an  angel  of  light  if  we  follow  this  rule. 
 Even  very  conjectures  fometimes  happen  right.  A 
 prophet,  or  a  dreamer,  may  give  a  true  fign  or  wonder, 
 and  yet  himfelf  fay,  Let  us  go  after  other  gods.  A 
 fmall  thing  can  win  credit  with  weak  minds,  which, 
 where  they  have  once  fped,  cannot  diftruft.  • 
 
 The  idolatrous  Danites  are  fo  befotted  with  this 
 fuccefs,  that  they  will  rather  (teal,  than  want  the  gods 
 of  Micab ;  and  becaufe  the  gods  without  the  pried 
 can  do  them  lefs  fervice,  than  the  prieft  without  the 
 gods,  therefore  they  ileal  the  prieft  with  the  gods. 
 O  miferable  Ifraelites,  that  could  think  that  a  god, 
 which  could  be  ftollen  !  that  could  look  for  protection 
 from  that  which  could  not  keep  itfelf  from  flea  ling, 
 which  was  won  by  their  theft,  not  their  devotion  ! 
 Could  they  worfhip  thofe  idols  more  devoutly  than 
 Micah  that  made  them  !  And  if  they  could  not  pro- 
 tect their  maker  from  robbery,  how  fhall  they  pro- 
 tect their  thieves !  If  it  had  been  the  holy  ark  of  the 
 
 true 
 
3^8         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 true  God,  how  could  they  think  it  would  blefs  their 
 violence,  or  that  it  would  abide  to  be  tratiflatcd  by 
 rapine  and  extortion  !  Now  their  fuperftirion  hath 
 made  them  mad  upon  a  god;  they  mud  have  him,  by 
 what  means  they  care  not,  though  they  offend  the 
 true  God,  by  dealing  a  falfe.  Sacrilege  is  fit  to  be 
 the  firft  fervice  of  an  idol,  The  fpies  of  Dan  had 
 been  courteouily  entertained  by  Micah  ;  thus  they  re- 
 ward his  hofpitality.  It  is  no  trufling  the  honedy  of 
 idolaters ;  if  they  have  once  cad  off  the  true  God, 
 whom  will  they  refpecl ! 
 
 It  feems  Levites  did  not  more  want  maintenance, 
 than  Ifratl  wanted  Levites.  Here  was  a  tribe  of 
 Ifrdel  without  a  fpiritual  guide.  The  withdrawing 
 of  due  means  is  the  way  to  the  utter  defolation  of  the 
 church  :  rare  offerings  make  cold  altars.  There  need- 
 ed fmall  force  to  draw  this  Levite  to  change  his 
 charge ;  Hold  thy  peace,  and  come,  and  be  our  father ; 
 and  prieft ;  whether  is  it  better,  &c.  Here  is  no 
 patience,  but  joy.  He  that  was  won  with  ten  fhekels, 
 may  be  iofl  wich  eleven :  when  maintenance  and 
 honour  calls  him,  he  goes  undriven,  and  rather 
 deals  himfelf  away,  than  is  doll  en.  The  Levite  had 
 too  many  gods,  to  make  confeience  of  pleafmg  one. 
 There  is  nothing  more  incondant  than  a  Levite  that 
 feeks  nothing  but  himfelf. 
 
 Thus  the  wild  fire  of  idolatry,  which  lay  before 
 couched  in  the  private  ball  of  Micah,  now  flies  furi- 
 oufly  thorough  all  the  tribe  of  Dan,  who,  like  to 
 thieves  that  have  carried  away  plaguy  clothes,  have  in- 
 fenfibly  infected  themfelves  and  their  poderity  to  death. 
 Herefy  and  fuperdition  have  fmall  beginnings,  dan- 
 gerous proceedings,;  pernicious  conclufions.  This 
 contagion  is  like  a  canker,  which  at  the  firft  is  fcarce 
 viiible,  afterwards  it  eats  away  the  flefh,  and  confumes 
 the  body. 
 
 BOOK 
 
"[     3*9     ] 
 BOOK    ELEVENTH. 
 
 Con t em.  i.     The  Levite'/  concubine. 
 
 THERE  is  no  complaint  of  a  publicly  difordered 
 ftate,  where  a  Levite  is  not  at  one  end  of  it, 
 .  .  either  as  an  agent,  or  a  patient.  In  the  ido- 
 latry of  Micah  and  the  Danites,  a  Levite  was  an  ac- 
 tor :  in  the  violent  uncleannefs  of  Gibeah,  a  Levite 
 fuffers.  No  tribe  (hall  fooner  feel  the  want  of  go- 
 vernment than  that  of  Levi. 
 
 The  law  of  God  allowed  the  Levite  a  wife  ;  hu- 
 man connivance,  a  concubine  :  neither  did  the  Jew- 
 ijb  concubine  differ  from  a  wife,  but  in  fome  outward 
 compliments  ;  both  might  challenge   all  the  'true   ef- 
 fence  of  marriage.     So  little  was  the  difference,  that, 
 the  father  of  the  concubine  is  called  the  father-in-law 
 to?  the  Levite.     She,  whom  ill  cu do m  had  of  a  wife 
 made  a  concubine,  is  now,  by  her  lull,  of  a  concubine 
 made  an  harlot:  her.  fornication,  together  with  the 
 change  of  her  bed,  hath  changed  her  abode.     Per- 
 haps her  own  confeience  thruft  her  out  of  doors ;  per- 
 haps the  juft  feverity  of  her  hufband.     Difmiflion  was 
 too  eafy  a  penalty  for  that  which  God  had  fentenced 
 with  death.     She  that  had  deferred  to  be  abhorred  oi 
 her  hufband,  fecks  fheker  from  her  father.     Why 
 would  her  father  futfer,  his  houfe  to  be  defiled  with  an 
 adulterefs,  though  out  of  his  own  loins?  Whydkthe  nor 
 rather  fay,  What,  dolt  thou  think  to  find   my  houfe 
 an  harbour  for  thy  fins  !  Whiles  thou  went  a  wife  to 
 thine  hufband,  thou  wert  a  daughter  to  me  5  now  thou 
 art  neither :  thou  art  not  mine,  I  gave  thee  to  thy 
 hufband  ;  thou  art  not  thy  huiband's,  thou  haft  be- 
 trayed his  bed ;  thy  filthinefs  hath  made   thee  thine 
 own,  and  thine  adulterer's.     Go  feck  thine  entertain- 
 ment, where  thou  haft  loft  thine  honefty  :  thy  lewd- 
 nels  hath  brought  a  neceflky  of  ihame  upon  thy  a- 
 Vol.  I.  A  a  a  bettors. 
 
370         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 bettors.  How  can  I  countenance  thy  perfon,  and  a- 
 bandon  thy  iin  !  I  had  rather  be  a  juft  man,  than  a 
 kind  father.  Get  thee  home  therefore  to  thy  huf- 
 band,  crave  his  forgivenefs  upon  thy  knees,  redeem 
 his  love  with  thy  modefty  and  obedience  ;  when  his* 
 heart  is  once  open  to  thee,  my  doors  mall  not  be 
 fliut.  In  the  mean  time,  know  I  can  be  no  father  to 
 an  harlot.  Indulgence  of  parents  is  the  refuge  of  va- 
 nity, the  bawd  of  wickednefs,  the  bane  of  children. 
 How  eafily  is  that  thief  induced  to  Meal,  that  knows 
 his  receiver !  When  the  lawlefnefs  of  youth  knows 
 where  to  find  pity  and  toleration,  what  mifchief  can 
 it  forbear  ! 
 
 By  how  much  better  this  Levite  was,  fo  much  more 
 injurious  was  the  concubine's  fin.  What  hufband 
 would  not  have  faid,  She  is  gone,  let  fhame  and  grief 
 go  with  her !  I  {hall- find  one  no  leis  pleafmg,  and 
 more  faithful :  or,  if  it  be  not  too  much  mercy  in  me 
 to  yield  to  a  return,  let  her  that  hath  offended  feek 
 me.  What  more  direct  way  is  there  to  a  refolved 
 loofenefs,  than  to  let  her  fee  I  cannot  want  her !  The 
 good  nature  of  this  Levite  caft  off  all  thefe  terms  ; 
 and  now,  after  four  months  abfence,  fends  to  feek 
 for  her  that  had  run  away  from  her  fidelity  ;  and  now 
 he  thinks,  She  fumed  againit.  me  ;  perhaps  ftie  hath 
 repented  ;  perhaps  fhame  and  fear  have  wit'h-held 
 her  from  returning ;  perhaps  file  will  be  more  loyal 
 for  her  fin.     If  her  ir  nity  mould  win  me,  half 
 
 the  thanks  were  loft  \  but  now,  my  voluntary  offer 
 of  favour  (hall  oblige  her  for  ever.  Love  procures 
 truer  fervitude  than  ne'ceiTity.  Mercy  becomes  well 
 the  heart  of  any  man,  but  moll  of  a  Levite.  Ke  that 
 ha  helped  to  offer  fo  many  facrifices  to  God,  for  the 
 multitude  of  every  Ifnaeiit?s  fins,,  law  how  propor- 
 tionable it  was,  that  >uld  not  hold  one  fin  un- 
 pardonable.    He  Lad  ferved  at  the  altar  to  no  pur- 
 
 pofe, 
 
BOOK  XL     Cox  t  em.  i.  r  i 
 
 D  - 
 
 pofe,  if  he,  whofe  trade  was  to  fue  for  mercy,  had 
 cot  at  all  learned  to  practife  it. 
 
 And  if  the  reflection  of  mercy  wrought  this  in  a 
 fervant,  what  mall  we  expect  from  him  whofe  effence 
 is  mercy  !  O  God,  we  do  every  day  break  the  holy, 
 covenant  of  our  love  ;  we  proftitute  ourfelves  to  eve- 
 ry filthy  temptation,  and  then  run  and  hide  ourfelves 
 in  our  father's  houfe,  the  world !  If  thou  didft  not 
 feek  us  up,  we  mould  never  return  ;  if  thy  gracious 
 proffer  did  not  prevent  us,  we  mould  be  uncapable  of 
 forgivenefs.  It  were  abundant  goodnefs  in  thee  to 
 receive  us,  when  we  mould  inrreat  thee ;  but,  lo,  thou 
 intreatefl  us  that  we  mould  receive  thee  !  How  mould 
 we  now  adore  and  imitate  thy'  mercy,  fmce  there  is 
 more  reafon  we  mould  fue  to  each  other,  than  that 
 thou  mouldfl  fue  to  us ;  becaufe  we  may  as  well  of- 
 fend, as  be  oft  ended. 
 
 I  do  not  fee  the  woman's  father  make  any  means, 
 for  reconciliation  ;  but,  when  remiiTion  came  home  to 
 his  doors,  no  man  could  entertain  it  more  thankfully. 
 The  nature  of  many  men  is  forward  to  accept,  and  ne- 
 gligent to  fue  for ;  they  can  fpend  fecrct  willies  upon 
 that,  which  mail  colt  them  no  endeavour. 
 
 Great  is  the  power  of  love,  which  can  in  a  fort 
 undo  evils  pad  ;  if  not  for  the  act,  yet  for  the  re- 
 membrance. Where  true  affection  was  once  concei- 
 ved, it  is  eafily  pieced  again,  after  the  ftrongeft  inter- 
 ruption. Here  needs  no  tedious  'recapitulation  of 
 wrongs,  no  importunity  of  fuit.  The  unkindnefTes 
 are  forgotten,  their  love  is  renewed;  and  now  the  Lc- 
 vlte  is  not  a  ilranger,  but  a  fon :  by  how  much  more 
 willingly  he  came,  by  fo  much  more  unwillingly  he  is 
 difmifled.  The  four  months  abfence  of  his  daughter 
 is  anfwered  with  four  days  feafting ;  neither  was  there 
 fo  much  joy  in  the  former  wedding-feaft,  as  in  this  \ 
 becaufe  then  he  delivered  his  daughter  entire,  now 
 iefperate :  then  lie  found  a  fon  ;  but  now  that  fon 
 A  a  a  2  hath 
 
y;z         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 hath  found  his  loft  daughter,  and  he  found  both. 
 The  recovery  of  any  good  is  far  more  pleafant  than 
 the  continuance. 
 
 Little  do  we  know  what  evil  is  towards  us.  Now 
 did  this  old  man,  and  this  reftored  couple,  promife 
 themfelves  all  joy  and  contentment,  after  this  unkind 
 ftorm ;  and  faid  in  themfelves,  Now  we  begin  to  live. 
 And  now  this  feaft,  which  was  meant  for  their  new 
 nuptials,  proves  her  funeral.  Even  when  we  let  our- 
 felves  loofeft  to  our  pleafures,  the  hand  of  God, 
 though  inviiibly,  is  writing  bitter  things  againft  us. 
 Since  we  are  not  worthy  to  know,  it  is  wifdom  to 
 fufpecl  the  word:,  while  it  is  lead  feen. 
 
 Sometimes  it  falls  out,  that  nothing  is  more  injuri- 
 ous than  conrtefy.  If  this  old  man  had  thruft  his  fon 
 and  daughter  early  out  of  doors,  they  had  avoided 
 this  mifchief  \  now  his  loving  importunity  detains  them 
 to  their  hurt,  and  his  own  repentance.  Such  con- 
 tentment doth  fmcere  affection  find  in  the  prefence  of 
 thofe  we  love,  that  death  itfelf  hath  no  other  name 
 but  departing.  The  greateft  comfort  of  our  life  is 
 the  fruition  cf  friendfhip,  the  dhTolution  whereof  is 
 the  greateft  pain  of  death.  As  all  earthly  pleafures, 
 fo  this  of  love  is  diftafted  with  a  neceffity  of  leaving. 
 How  worthy  is  that  only  love  to  take  up  our  hearts, 
 which  is  not  open  to  any  danger  of  interruption, 
 which  mall  outlive  the  date  even  of  faith  and  hope, 
 and  is  as  eternal  as  that  God,  and  thofe  bleffed  fpirits, 
 whom  we  love  !  If  we  hang  never  fo  importunately 
 upon  one  another's  ileeves,  and  ftied  floods  of  tears 
 to  flop  their  way,  yet  we  mult  be  gone  hence  ;  no 
 occaflon,  no  force,  fliall  then  remove  us  from  our 
 father's  houfe. 
 
 The  Lcvite  is  flayed  beyond  his  time  by  importu- 
 nity, the  motions  whereof  are  boundiefs  and  infinite  ; 
 one  day  draws  on  another  ;  neither  is  there  any  rea- 
 fon  cf  this  day's  ft  ay,  which  may  not  ferve  ftill  for 
 
 to- 
 
BOOK   XL     Contem.  r.  373 
 
 to-morrow.  His  refolution  at  lad  breaks  through  all 
 thofc  kind  hinderances ;  rather  will  he  venture  a  be- 
 nighting, than  an  unneceiTary  delay.  It  is  a  good 
 hearing,  that  the  Levite  makes  hade  home.  An  honed 
 man's  heart  is  where  his  calling  is ;  fuch  a  one,  when 
 he  is  abroad,  is  like  a  fifh  in  the  air,  whereinto  if  it 
 leap  for  recreation  or  neceffity,  yet  it  foon  returns  to 
 its  own  element.  This  charge,  by  how  much  more 
 facred  it  is,  fo  much  more  attendance  it  expe&eth : 
 even  a  day  breaks  fquare  with  the  confcionable. 
 
 The  fun  is  ready  to  lodge  before  them :  his  fervant 
 advifes  him  to  ihorten  his  journey,  holding  it  more  fit 
 to  trud  an  early  inn  of  the  Jebufites,  than  to  the  mer- 
 cy of  the  night.  And  if  that  counfel  had  been  follow- 
 ed, perhaps  they,  which  found  Jebiifites  in  Ifrael^ 
 might  have  found  Ifraelites  in  Jehus.  No  wife  man 
 can  hold  good  counfel  difparaged  by  the  meannefs  of 
 the  author  :  if  we  be  glad  to  receive  anyt  reafure  from 
 our  fervant,  why  not  precious  admonitions  ? 
 
 It  was  the  zeal  of  this  Levite  that  (hut  him  out  of 
 Jehus;  We  will  not  lodge  in  the  city  of  ft  rangers. 
 The  Jebiifites  were  flrangers  in  religion,  not  (lr angers 
 enough  in  their  habitation.  The  Levite  will  not  re- 
 ceive common  courtefy  from  thofe  which  were  aliens 
 from  God,  though  home-born  in  the  heart  of  IfraeL 
 It  is  lawful  enough,  in  terms  of  civility,  to  deal  with 
 infidels ;  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  we  may  enjoy  it 
 in  the  right  of  the  owner,  while  we  protefl  againit  the 
 wrong  of  the  ufurper ;  yet  the  lefs  communion  with 
 God's  enemies,  the  more  fafety.  If  there  were  ano- 
 ther air  to  breathe  in  from  theirs,  another  earth  to 
 tread  upon,  they  mould  have  their  own.  Thofe  that 
 affect  a  familiar  entirenefs  with  Jebujites,  m  conver- 
 fation,  in  leagues  of  amity,  in  matrimonial  contracts, 
 bewray  either  too  much  boldnefs,  or  too  little  conici- 
 ence. 
 
 He 
 
S74        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 He  hath  no  blood  of  an  Ifraelite,  that  delights  to 
 lodge  in  Jebus'.  It  was  the  fault  of  Ifrael9  that  an 
 heathenifh  town  flood  yet  in  the  navel  of  the  tribes, 
 and  that  Jebus  was  no  fooner  turned  to  Jerufalem  : 
 their  lenity  and  neglect  were  guilty  of  this  neighbour- 
 hood, that  now  no  man  can  pafs  from  Betblebem-ju- 
 dah,  to  mount  Ephraim,  but  by  the  city  of  the  Jebu- 
 fites.  Seafonable  juftice  might  prevent  a  thoufand 
 evils,  which  afterwards  know  no  remedy  but  pati- 
 ence. 
 
 The  way  was  not  long  betwixt  Jebus  and  Gibeah  ; 
 for  the  fun  was  ftooping  when  the  Levite  was  over- 
 againh1  the  firft,  and  is  but  now  declined  when  he 
 comes  to  the  other.  How  his  heart  was  lightened, 
 when  he  entered  into  an  Ifraelitiflj  city  !  and  can 
 think  of  nothing  but  hofpitality,  reft,  fecurity.  There 
 is  no  perfume  fo  fweet  to  a  traveller  as  his  own  fmoke. 
 But  expectation  and  fear  do  commonly  difappoint  us : 
 for  feldom  ever  do  we  enjoy  the  good  we  look  for,  or 
 fmart  with  a  feared  evil.  The  poor  Levite  could 
 have  found  but  fuch  entertainment  with  the  Jebufites. 
 Whither  are  the  pofterity  of  Benjamin  degenerated, 
 that  their  Gibeah  mould  be  no  lefs  wicked  than  popu- 
 lous! The  firft  fign  of  a  fettled  godlefnefs  is,  that  a  Le- 
 vite is  fullered  to  ly  without  doors.  If  God  had  been 
 in  any  of  their  houfes,  his  fervant  had  not  been  exclu- 
 ded. Where  no  refpect  is  given  to  God's  meffengers, 
 there  can  be  no  religion. 
 
 Gibeah  was  a  fecond  Sodom ;  even  there  alfo  is 
 another  Lot ;  which  is  therefore  fo  much  more  hofpi- 
 table  to  ftrangers,  becaufe  himfelf  was  a  ftranger. 
 The  hoft,  as  well  as  the  Levite,  is  of  mount  Ephra- 
 im.  Each  man  knows  beft  to  commiferate  that  evil 
 in  others,  which  himfelf  hath  paffed  through.  All 
 tkat  profefs  the  name  of  Chrift  are  countrymen,  and 
 yet  ftrangers  here  below.     How  cheerfully  lhould  we 
 
 entertain 
 
BOOK   XI.     Contem,  i.  375 
 
 entertain  each  other,  when  we  meet  in  the  Gibeah  of 
 this  hofpital  world! 
 
 This  good  old  man  of  Gibeah  came  home  late  from 
 his  work  in  the  fields ;  the  fun  was  fet  ere  he  gave  o- 
 ver :  and  now,  feeing  this  man  a  ftranger,  an  IfraeU 
 ite,  a  Levite,  an  Ephraimite,  and  that-  in  his  way  to 
 the  houfe  of  God,  to  take  up  his  lodging  in  the  ilreet, 
 he  proffers  him  the  kindnefs  of  his  houfe-room.  In- 
 duftrious  fpirits  are  the  fitted  receptacles  of  all  good 
 motions ;  whereas  thofe  which  give  themfelves  to  idle 
 and  loofe  courfes,  do  not  care  fo  much  as  for  them- 
 felves. I  hear  of  but  one  man  at  his  work  in  all  Gi- 
 beah ;  the  red  were  quaffing  and  revelling.  That 
 one  man  ends  his  work  with  a  charitable  entertain- 
 ment ;  the  other  end  their  play  in  a  brutifh  beaftli- 
 nefs,  and  violence.  Thefe  villains  had  learned  both 
 the  actions  and  the  language  of  the  Sodomites :  one  un- 
 clean devil  was  the  prompter  to  both  ;  and  this  honed: 
 Ephraimite  had  learned  of  righteous  Lot,  both  to  in- 
 treat,  and  to  proffer.  As  a  perplexed  mariner,  that 
 in  a  florm  mull  cad  away  fomething,  although  preci- 
 ous ;  fo  this  good  hod  rather  will  proititute  his  daugh- 
 ter, a  virgin,  together  with  the  concubine,  than  this 
 prodigious  villany  fhould  be  offered  to  a  man,  much 
 more  to  a  man  of  God. 
 
 The  deteflation  of  a  fouler  fin  drew  him  to  over- 
 reach in  the  motion  of  a  leffer  ;  which  if  it  had  been 
 accepted,  how  could  he  have  efcaped  the  partnerfhip 
 of  their  uncleannefs,  and  the  guilt  of  his  daughter's 
 ravimment !  No  man  can  warn,  his  hands  of  that  fin 
 to  which  his  will  hath  yielded.  Bodily  violence  may 
 be  inoffenfive  in  the  patient ;  voluntary  inclination  to 
 evil,  though  out  of  fear,  can  never  be  excufable:  yet3 
 behold,  this  wickednefs  is  too  little  to  faiisfy  thefe 
 monfters ! 
 
 Who  would  have  looked  for  fo  extreme  abomina- 
 tion from  the  loins  of  Jacob,  the  womb  of  Rachel,  the 
 
 fens 
 
37<         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fons  of  Benjamin!  Could  the  very  Jebufites,  their 
 neighbours,  be  ever  acculed  of  fuch  unilateral  out- 
 rage! I  am  alhamed  to  fay  it,  even  the  worif  Pagans 
 were  faints  to  Ifrael.  What  avails  it,  that  they  have, 
 the  ark  of  God  in  ShUoh^  while  they  have^&aifl/w  in 
 their  flreets ;  that  the  law  of  God  is  in  their  fringes, 
 while  the  devil  is  in  their  hearts!  Nothing,  but  hell 
 kfelf,  can  yield  a  worfe  creature  than  a  depraved  If- 
 raeliie ;  the  very  means  of  his  reformation  are  the 
 fewel  of  his  wickednefs. 
 
 Yet  Lot  fped  fo  much  better  in  Sodom*  than  this£- 
 phraimite  did  in  Gtbeab^  by  how  much  more  holy 
 guefts  he  entertained  :  there  the  guefts  were  angels, 
 here  a  fmful  man ;  there  the  guefts  faved  the  hod, 
 here  the  hoft  could  not  fave  the  gueft  from  brutifli 
 violence  ;  thofe  Sodomites  were  ftricken  with  outward 
 blindnefs,  and  defeated ;  theie  Benjamites  are  only 
 blinded  with  lu(t,  and  prevailed.  The  Levile  comes 
 forth;  perhaps  his  coat  faved  his  perfon  from  this  vil- 
 lany;  who  now  thinks  himfeif  well,  that  he  may  have 
 leave  to  redeem  his  own  difhonour  with  his  concu- 
 bine's. If  he  had  not  loved  her  dearly,  he  had  ne- 
 ver fought  her  fo  far,  after  fo  foul  a  fin ;  yet  now  his 
 hate  of  that  unnatural  wickednefs  overcame  his  love 
 to  her  \  {he  is  expofed  to  the  furious  lull  of  ruffians, 
 and,  which  he  mifdoubteth,  abuied  to  death. 
 
 O  the  jufl  and  even  courfe,  which  the  Almighty 
 Judge  of  the  world  holds,  in  all  his  retributions ! 
 This  woman  had  fhamed  the  bed  of  a  Levite  by  her 
 former  wantonnefs;  flic  had  thus  far  gone  fmoothly 
 away  with  her  fin ;  her  father  harboured  her ;  her 
 hufband  forgave  her,  her  own  hear:  found  no  caufe  to 
 complain,  becaufe  (he  fmarted  not :  now,  when  the 
 world  had  forgotten  her  o fence-,  Cod  calls  her  to 
 reckoning,  and  puniihes  her  with  her  own  fin.  She 
 had  voluntarily  expofed  herfclf  to  luft,  now  is  expofed 
 
 forciliy. 
 
BOOK'  XI.      Contem.  ii.  377 
 
 forcibly.  Adultery  was  her  fin,  adultery  was  her 
 death.  What  fmiles  foever  wickednefs  calls  upon 
 the  heart,  whiles  it  folicits,  it  will  owe  us  a  difplea- 
 iiire,  and  prove  itfelf  a  faithful  debitor. 
 
 The  Levite  looked  to  find  her  humbled  with  this 
 violence,  not  murdered ;  and  now  indignation  moves 
 him  to  add  horror  to  the  fact.  Had  not  his  hear: 
 been  raifed  up  with  an  excefs  of  defire  to  make  the 
 crime  as  odious  as  it  was  {infill,  his  action  could  not 
 be  excufed.  Thofe  hands,  that  might  not  touch  a 
 carcafe,  now  carve  the  corps  of  his  awn  dead  wife  in- 
 to morfels,  and  fend  thefe  tokens  to  all  the  tribes  of 
 Ifrael ;  that  when  they  mould  fee  thefe  gobbets  of  the 
 body  murdered,  the  more  they  might  de: eft  the  mur- 
 derers. Himfelf  puts  on  cruelty  to  the  dead,  that  he 
 might  draw  them  to  a  juit  revenge  of  her  death.  Ac- 
 tions notorioufly  villanous,  may  jufcly  countenance 
 an  extraordinary  means  of  profecution.  Every  Ifrael- 
 ite  hath  a  part  in  a  Levhe*s  wrong ;  no  tribe  hath  not 
 his  mare  in  the  carcafe,  and  the  revenge. 
 
 Contem.  1 1 .     The  deflation  s/Benjami  n . 
 
 HPHESE    morfels  could  not   chufe   but    cut   th* 
 -*-       hearts  of  Ifrael  with  horror  and  compaili  on ,  hor- 
 ror of  the  act,  and  compaff  on  of  ;  and  now 
 their  zeal  draws  them  together,  cither  lor  iatisf action 
 or  ixvenge.     Who  would  not  have  looked   that  the 
 hands  of  Benjamin  mould  have    I                   upon   Qi- 
 beah ;  and  that  they  mould  have  readily  fenj  the  heads 
 of  the  offenders,  lor  a  fecond  lervice,  after  the 
 bets  of  the  concubine !  But  now,  inftead  of  vim-: 
 the  fin,  they  patronize  the  actors;  and  will  rati] 
 in  refuting  juilice,  than  live  and  profper  in  further- 
 ing it! 
 
 Surely,  Ifrael  had  one  tribe  too  many.  Ail  Ben]  Li- 
 mn is  turned  mxoGibeok;  the  fens  npt  of  B 
 
 Vol.  I.  B  b  b  bur 
 
373         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 but  of  Belial.  The  abetting  of  evil  is  worfe  than  the 
 commilTion ;  this  may  be  upon  infirmity,  but  that  mull 
 be  upon  refoiution.  Eafy  punifhment  is  too  much  fa- 
 vour to  fm  ;  connivance  is  much  wcrfe  :  but  the  de- 
 fence of  it,  and  that  unto  blood,  is  intolerable.  Had 
 not  thefe  men  been  both  wicked  and  quarrellous,  they 
 had  not  drawn  their  f words  in  fo  foul  a  caufe.  Peace- 
 able difpofi tions  are  hardly  drawn  to  fight  for  inno- 
 cence ;  yet  thefe  Benjamites  (as  if  they  were  in  love 
 with  villany,  and  out  of  charity  with  God)  will  be  the 
 wilful  champions  of  lewdnefs.  How  can  Gibeah  re- 
 pent them  of  that  wickednefs  which  all  Benjamin 
 will  make  good,  in  fpite  of  their  confeiences  ?  Even 
 where  fin  is  fuppreffed,  it  will  rife  ;  but  where  it  is 
 encouraged,  it  infuks  and  tyrannizes. 
 
 It  was  more  juft  that  Jfrad  fhould  rife  againft  Ben*' 
 jamin,  than  that  Benjamin  fhouid  rife  for  Gibeah ;  by 
 how  much  it  is  better  to  punifli  offenders,  than  to  fhel- 
 ter  the  offenders  from  punifhing :  and  yet  the  wicked- 
 nefs of  Benjamin  fped  better  for  the  time,  than,  the 
 honefty  of  IfraeL  Twice  was  the  better  part  foiled 
 by  the  lefs  and  worfe  \  the  good  caufe  was  fent 
 back  with  fhame,  the  evil  returned  with  victory  and 
 triumph,  O  God,  their  hand  was  for  thee  in  the 
 fight,  and  thy  hand  was  with  them  in  their  fall  1  They 
 had  not  fought  for  thee,  but  by  thee;  neither  could 
 they  have  mifcarried  in  the  fight,  if  thou  hadft  not 
 fought  againfl  them  :  thou  art  juft  and  holy  in  both. 
 The  caufe  was  thine  ;  the  fin  in  managing  of  it  was 
 their  own*  They  fought  in  an  holy  quarrel,  but 
 with  confidence  in  themfelves  ;  for,  as  prefuming  of 
 victory,  they  aik  of  God,  not  what  fhould  be  their 
 iuccefs,  but  who  fhould  be  their  captain.  Number 
 and  innocence  made  them  too  fecure:  it  was  juft  there- 
 fore with  God  to  let  them  feel,  that  even  good  zeal 
 cannot  bear  out  prefumption  ;  and  that  viclory  lies  not 
 in  the  caufe,  but  in  the  Gael  that  owns  it. 
 
 Who 
 
BOOK   XL      Contem.  ii.  379 
 
 Who  cannot  imagine  how  much  the  Benjamites  in- 
 fulted  in  their  double  field  and  day,  and  now  began 
 to  think,  God  was  on  their  fide !  Thofe  fwords,  which 
 had  been  taught  the  way  into  forty  thoufand  bodies 
 of  their  brethren,  cannot  fear  a  new  encounter.  Wic- 
 ked men  cannot  fee  their  profperity  a  piece  of  their 
 curfe,  neither  can  examine  their  actions,  but  the  e- 
 vents.  Soon  after  they  mall  find  what  it  was  to  add 
 blood  unto  filthinefs,  and  that  the  vi£tory  of  an  evil 
 caufe  is  the  way  to  ruin  and  confufion. 
 
 I  fhould  have  feared,  left  this  double  difcomfiture 
 mould  have  made  Ifrael  either  diflrullful,  or  weary 
 of  a  good  caufe  :  but  (till  I  find  them  no  lefs  coura- 
 geous with  more  humility.  Now  they  fail  and  weep>, 
 and  facrifice.  Thefe  weapons  had  been  victorious 
 in  their  firft  affault.  Benjamin  had  never  been  in 
 danger  of  pride  for  overcoming,  if  this  humiliation 
 of  Ifrael  had  prevented  the  fight.  It  is  feldom  feen, 
 but  that  which  we  do  with  fear  profpereth;  whereas 
 confidence  in  undertaking,  lays  even  good  endeavours 
 in  the  dull. 
 
 Wickednefs  could  never  brag  of  any  long  profperi- 
 ty, nor  complain  of  the  lack  of  payment:  itill  God  is 
 even  with  it  at  laft.  Now  he  pays  the  Benjamites 
 both  that  death  which  they  had  lent  to  the  Ifrael- 
 ites,  and  that  wherein  they  flood  indebted  to  their 
 brotherhood  of  Gibeah  ;  and  now,  that  both  are  met 
 in  death,  there  is  as  much  difference  betwixt  thofe 
 Ifraelites,  and  thefe  Benjamites^  as  betwixt  martyrs 
 and  malefactors.  To  die  in  a  fin  is  a  fearful  revenge 
 of  giving  patronage  to  fin.  The  fword  confumes 
 their  bodies,  another  fire  their  cities,  whatfoever  be- 
 came of  their  fouls. 
 
 Now  might  Rachel  have  juftly  wept  for  her  chil- 
 dren, becaufe  they  were  net ;  for,  behold*  the  men, 
 women  and  children  of  her  wicked1  tribe,  are  cut 
 off;  only  fome  few  fcattered   remainders  ran   away 
 
 B  b  b  2  from 
 
380         G'ONTE  M  P  LA  T  I  0  N  S. 
 
 from  tliis  vengeance,  and  lurked  in  caves,  and  rocks, 
 both  for  fear  and  fhame.  There  was  no  difference  but 
 life  betwixt  their  brethren  and  them  ;  the  earth  co- 
 vered them  both  ;  yet  unto  them  doth  the  revenge  of 
 itch  itfelf,  and  vows  to  deftroy,  if  not  their 
 perfons,  yet  their  fucceffion,  as  holding  them  unworthy 
 to  receive  comfort  by  that  fex  to  which  they  had 
 I  fo  cruel,  both  in  act.   and  maintenance.     If  the 
 
 ■ffraelites  had  not  held  marriage  and  iifue  a  very  great 
 bleffing,  they  had  not  thus  revenged  themfelves  of 
 7  :  now  they  accounted  the  with-holding  of 
 their  wives  a  punilhfuent  iecond  to  death.  The  hope 
 of  life  in  our  pofterity,  is  the  next  contentment  to  an 
 enjoying  of  life  in  ourfelves. 
 
 They  have  fworn,  and  now,  upon  cold  blood,  re- 
 ]  ztli  tliem.  If  the  oath  were  not  juft,  why  would 
 they  take  it?  and  if  it  were  juft,  why  did  they  re- 
 cant it  ?  If  the  act  were  juftifiable,  what  needed  thefe 
 tears  ?  Even  a  juft  oath  may  be  rafhly  taken.  Not 
 ,  but  temerity  of  fwearing,  ends  in  lamenr 
 i.  In  our  very  civil  actions,  it  is  a  weaknefs  to 
 do  that  v  e  would   after   reverfe  ;  but  in  our 
 
 •s  with.  God,  to  check  ourfelves  too  late,  and  to 
 lleep  our  o.uhs  hi  tears,  is  a  dangerous  folly.  He  doth 
 not  command  us  to  take  voluntary  oaths  ;  he  com- 
 mands us  to  keep  them.  If  we  bind  ourfelves  to  in- 
 convenience, we  may  juftly  complain  of  our  own  fet- 
 ters. Oaths  do  not  only  require  juflice,  but  judg- 
 ment ;  wife  deliberation,  no  lefs  than  equity. 
 
 nee  of  their  fact,  but  commiferation  of 
 .  led  them   to  this  public  repentance. 
 0  Got '  lis  cor.ie  to  pqfs,  that   this   day   c::s 
 
 ill  want!  Even  the  juried  revenge 
 (>x  men   ?s   capable  of  pity.     Infultation,    in   the  ri- 
 ves cruelty;   charitable  minds  are 
 :-  that  done,  which  they  would  not  wifh 
 >f  ':he   offender   doth  not  pleafc 
 
 them, 
 
BOOK  XL     Contem.  ii.  381 
 
 them,  which  yet  are  thoroughly  difpleafed  with  the 
 fin,  and  have  given  their  hands  to  punifh  it.  God 
 himfelf  takes  no  pleafurc  in  the  death  of  a  finner,  yet 
 Joves  the  punifliment  of  fin  :  as  a  good  parent  whips 
 iiis  child,  yet  weeps  himfelf.  There  is  a  meafure  in 
 victory  and  revenge,  if  never  fo  jufl,  which  to  ex- 
 !,  lofes  mercy  in  the  fuit  of  juftice. 
 
 If  there  were  no  fault  in  their  fe verity,  it  needed 
 no  excufe  :  and  if  there  were  a  fault,  it  will  admit  of 
 ho  excufe  :  yet,  as  if  they  meant  to  fhift  off  the  fin, 
 expoftulate  with  God  ;  0  Lord  God  of  Ifrael, 
 tvby  is  this  come  to  pafs  this  day  !  God  gave  them 
 no  command  of  this  rigour  ;  yea,  he  twice  croft  them 
 in  the  execution  ;  and  now,  in  that  which  they  en- 
 treated of  God  with  tears,  they  challenge  him.  It 
 is  a  dangerous  injuftice  to  lay  the  burden  of  our  fins 
 upon  him,  which  tempteth  no  man,  nor  can  be  tempt^ 
 ed  with  evil ;  whiles  we  fo  remove  our  fin,  we  double 
 it. 
 
 A  man  that  knew  not  the  power  of  an  oath,  would 
 wonder  at  this  contrariety  in  the  affections  of  Ifrael : 
 they  are  forry  for  the  ilaughter  of  Benjamin  ;  and  yet 
 they  flay  thofe  that  did  not  help  them  in  the  flaughter. 
 Their  oath  calls  them  to  more  blood  :  the  excefs  of 
 their,  revenge  upon  Benjamin  may  not  excufe  the 
 men  of  Gilead,  If  ever  oath  might  look  for  a  dif- 
 penfation,  this  might  plead  it :  now  they  dare  not 
 but  kill  the  men  of  jfabefj-Gilead,  left  they  fhoukl 
 have  left  upon  themfelves  a  greater  fin  of  fparing, 
 than  puniming.  Jabefv-Gilead  came  not  up  to  aid 
 Ifrael,  therefore  all  the  inhabitants  muft  die.  To 
 exempt  ourfeives,  whether  out  of  fmgularity  or  flub- 
 bornnefs,  from  the  common  actions  of  the  church, 
 when  we  are  lawfully  called  to  them,  is  an  offence 
 worthy  of  judgment.  In  the  main  quarrels  of  the 
 church,  neutrals  are  punifhed.  This  execution  mall 
 ciajke  amends  for  the  former;  of  the  fpoil  of  Jabefb- 
 
 Gilead 
 
3B2         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 GUead  (hall  the  Benjamites  be  ftored  with  wives. 
 That  no  man  may  think  thefe  men  {lain  for  their 
 daughters,  they  plainly  die  for  their  fin  ;  and  thefe 
 Gileadites  might  not  have  lived  without  the  perjury 
 of  Ifrael ;  and  now,  fince  they  mufl  die,  it  is  good  to 
 make  benefit  of  neceifity.  I  inquire  not  into  the  ri- 
 -  gour  of  the  oath  :  if  their  folemn  vow  did  not  bind 
 them  to  kill  all  of  both  fexes  in  Benjamin,  why  did 
 they  not  fpare  their  virgins  ?  and  if  it  did  fo  bind 
 them,  why  did  they  fpare  the  virgins  of  GUead  f  Fa- 
 vours mufl  be  enlarged  in  all  thefe  religious  reftric- 
 tions.  Where  breath  may  be  taken  in  them,  it  is 
 not  fit  nor  fafe  they  mould  be  drained. 
 
 Four  hundred  virgins  of  GUead  have  loft  parents, 
 and  brethren,  and  kindred,  and  now  find  hufbands 
 in  lieu  of  them.  An  inforced  marriage  was  but  a  re- 
 ferable comfort  for  fuch  a  lofs ;  like  wards,  or  cap- 
 tives, they  are  taken,  and  chufe  not.  Thefe  fuffice 
 not ;  their  friendly  adverfaries  confult  for  more,  upon 
 worfe  conditions.  Into  what  troublefome  and  dan- 
 gerous flraits  do  men  thruft  themf elves,  by  either  un- 
 jufl  or  inconfiderate  vows  ! 
 
 In  the  midft  of  all  this  common  lawlefnefs  of  Ifrael, 
 here  was  confcience  made  on  both  fides  of  matching 
 with  infidels.  The  Ifrael ites  can  rather  be  content 
 their  daughters  ihould  be  ftollen  by  their  own,  than 
 that  the  daughters  of  aliens  ihould  be  given  them. 
 Thefe  men,  which  had  not  grace  enough  to  detefl  and 
 puniih  the  beafllinefs  of  their  Gileadites,  yet  are  not 
 fo  gracelefs  as  to  chufe  them  wives  of  the  Heathen. 
 All  but  atheifts,  howfoever  they  let  themfelves  loofe, 
 yet  in  fome  things  find  themfelves  reftrained,  and 
 ihew  to  others  that  they  have  a  confcience.  If  there 
 were  not  much  danger,  and  much  fin  in  this  unequal 
 yoke,  they  would  never  have  perfuaded  to  fo  heavy 
 an  inconvenience.  Difparity  of  religion,  in  matrimo- 
 nial 
 
BOOK   XI.     Contem.ii.         383 
 
 nial  contracts,  hath  fo  many  mifchiefs,  that  it  is  wor- 
 thy to  be  redeemed  with  much  prejudice. 
 
 They  which  might  not  give  their  own  daughters  to 
 Benjamin,  yet  give  others,  whiles  they  give  leave  to 
 ileal  them.  Stollen  marriages  are  both  unnatural, 
 and  full  of  hazard ;  for  love,  whereof  marriage  is  the 
 knot,  cannot  be  forced ;  this  was  rather  rape,  than 
 wedlock.  What  unlikenefs,  perhaps,  contrariety  of 
 difpofition,  what  averfenefs  of  affection  may  there  be, 
 in  not  only  a  fudden,  but  a  forcible  meeting  !  If  thefe 
 Benjamites  had  not  taken  liberty  of  giving  them- 
 felves  eafe  by  divorcement,  they  would  often  have 
 found  leifure  to  rue  this  ftollen  booty.  This  aft  may 
 not  be  drawn  to  example  ;  and  yet  here  was  a  kind 
 of  indefinite  confent.  Both  deliberation  and  good- 
 liking,  are  little  enough  for  a  during  eft  ate,  and  that 
 which  is  once  done  for  ever. 
 
 Thefe  virgins  come  up  to  the  feafl  of  the  Lord ; 
 and  now,  out  of  the  midfl  of  their  dances,  are  carried 
 to  a  double  captivity.  How  many  virgins  have  loft 
 themfelves  in  dances !  And  yet  this  fport  was  not  im~ 
 modeft.  Thefe  virgins  danced  by  themfelves,  with- 
 out the  company  of  thofe  which  might  move  towards 
 unchaftity  ;  for  if  any  men  had  been  with  them,  they 
 had  found  fo  many  refcuers  as  they  had  afTaulters  ; 
 now,  the  expoling  of  their  weak  lex  to  this  injury 
 proves  their  innocence.  Our  ufua!  dances  are  guilty 
 of  more  fin.  Wanton  gefturesi,  and  unchafle  touches, 
 looks,  motions,  draw  the  heart  to  folly.  The  am* 
 bufhes  of  evil  fpirits  carry  away  many  a  foul  from 
 dances,  to  a  fearful  defolation. 
 
 It  is  fuppofed,  that  the  parents,  thus  robbed  of  their 
 daughters,  will  take  it  heavily.  There  cannot  be  a 
 greater  crofs  than  the  mifcarriage  of  children ;  they 
 are  not  only  the  living  goods,  but  pieces  of  their  pa- 
 rents :  that  they  fliould  therefore  be  torn,  from  them 
 
 by 
 
384        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 by  violence,  is  no  lefs  injur_y,  than  the  difmembering 
 of  their  own  bodies. 
 
 Contem.  in.     Naomi  ^i  Ruth. 
 
 BEtwixt  the  reign  of  the  judges,  Ifrael  was  plagued 
 with  tyranny,  and,  whiles  fome  of  them  reigned, 
 with  famine.  Seldom  did  that  rebellious  people  want 
 fomewhat  to  humble  them.  One  rod  is  not  enough 
 for  a  flubborn  child.  The  famine  mull  needs  be 
 great,  that  makes  the  inhabitants  to  run  their  coun- 
 try. The  name  of  home  is  fo  fweet,  that  we  cannot 
 leave  it  for  a  trifle.  Behold  that  land  which  had  wont 
 to  flow  with  milk  and  honey,  now  abounds  with  want 
 and  penury  :  and  Bethlehem,  inilead  of  an  houfe  of 
 bread,  is  an  houfe  of  famine.  A  fruitful  land  doth 
 God  make  barren,  for  the  wickednefs  of  them  that 
 dwell  therein.  The  earth  bears  not  for  itfelf,  but  for 
 us  ;  God  is  not  angry  with  it,  but  with  men.  For 
 our  fakes  it  was  curfed  to  thorns  and  thiflles,  after 
 that  to  moifture,  and  fmce  that,  not  feldom  to  drought, 
 and  by  all  thefe  to  barrennefs.  We  may  not  look  al- 
 ways for  plenty.  It  is  a 'wonder,  whiles  there  is  fuch 
 fuperfluity  of  wickednefs,  that  our  earth  is  no  more 
 {paring  of  her  fruus. 
 
 The  whole  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  in  him  ours. 
 It  is  lawful  for  the  owners  to  change  their  houfes  at 
 pleafure.  Why  mould  we  not  make  free  life  of 
 part  of  our  own  poiTefhons  ?  Elimelech  and  his  family 
 remove  from  Bethtehem-judah  unto  Moab.  Nothing 
 but  neceflity  can  difpenfe  with  a  local  relinquishing  of 
 God's  church  ;  not  pleafure  nor  profit,  not  curiolity. 
 Thofe  which  are  famimed  out,  God  calls,  yea  drives 
 from  thence.  The  Creator  and  PoiTeffor  of  the 
 earth  hath  not  confined  any  man  to  his  nee  diary  de- 
 flruclion. 
 
BOOK   XL     Co.ntem.  in.  385 
 
 It  was  lawful  for  EUmekch  to  make  ufe  of  Pagans 
 and  idolaters,  for  the  fupply  of  all  needful  helps. 
 There  cannot  be  a  better  employment  of  Moabites, 
 than  to  be  the  treafurers  and  purveyors  ofv  God's  chil- 
 dren. Wherefore  ferve  they,  but  to  gather  for  the 
 true  owners  ?  It  is  too  much  nicenefs  in  them,  winch 
 forbear  the  benefit  they  might  make  of  the  faculties 
 of  profane  or  heretical  perfons ;  they  confider  not  that 
 they  have  more  right  to  the  good  fuch  men  can  do, 
 than  they  that  do  it,  and  challenge  that  good  for  their 
 own. 
 
 But  I  cannot  fee,  how  it  could  be  lawful  for  his 
 fons  to  match  with  the  daughters  of  Moab.     Had 
 thefe  men  heard  how  far,  and  under  how  folemn  an 
 oath,  their  father  Abraham  lent  for  a  wife  of  his  own 
 tribe,  for  his  foil  Ifaac  f    Had  they  heard  the  earned 
 charge  of  holy  Ifaac  to  the  fon  he  blefTed,    Thou 
 /halt  not  take  a  wife  of  the  daughters  of  Canaan  ? 
 Had  they  forgotten  the  plagues  of  lfrael,  forbutafliort 
 converfation  with  the  Moabitljh  women  ?  If  they  plead 
 remotenefs  from  their  own  people,  did  they  not  re- 
 member how  far  Jacob  walked  to  Badan-aram  f  Was 
 it  further  from   Moab  to  Bethlehem,  than  from  Beth- 
 lehem to  Moab  f     And  if  the  care  of  themfelves  led 
 them  from  Bethlehem  to.  Moab,  fhould  not  their  care 
 of  obedience  to  God  have  as  well  carried  them  back 
 from  Moab  to  Bethlehem  f     Yet  if  their  wives  would 
 have  left  their  idolatry  with  their  maidenhead,  the 
 match  would  have  been  more  fafe  ;  but  now,  even  at 
 the  lafl  farewel,  Naomi  can  fay  of  Orfah,  that  me  is 
 returned  to  her  eods.     -Thefe  men  have  iinned  in  their 
 choice,  and  it  fpeeds  with  them  accordingly.,    Where 
 did  ever  one  of  thefe  unequal  matches  profper !    The 
 two  fons  of  Elimelech  are  iwept  away  childlefs  in  the 
 prime  of  their  age,  and,  inilead  of  their  feed,  they 
 leave  their  carcafes  in   M&abD    their  wives  widows, 
 their  mother  childlefs  and  helpltfs  amongft  infidels. 
 Vol.  I.  C  c  c  in 
 
$26         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 in  that  age  which  moil  needed  comfort.  How  mife- 
 rable  do  we  find  poor  Naomi,  which  is  left  deftitute 
 of  her  country,  her  hufband,  her  children,  her  friends, 
 and  turned  loofe  and  folitary  to  the  mercy  of  the  world? 
 Yet  even  out  of  thefe  hopelefs  ruins  will  God  raife 
 comfort  to  his  fervant.  The  firfl  good  news  is,  that 
 God  hath  vifited  his  people  with  bread ;  now  there- 
 fore, fmce  her  hufband  and  fons  were  unrecoverable, 
 fhe  will  try  to  recover  her  country  and  kindred.  If 
 we  can  have  the  fame  conditions  in  Judah  that  we 
 have  in  Moab,  we  are  no  Ifr a elites  if  we  return  not. 
 Whiles  her  hufband  and  fons  lived,  I  hear  no  motion 
 of  retiring  home  ;  now  thefe  her  earthly  flays  are  re- 
 moved, fhe  thinks  prefently  of  removing  to  her  coun- 
 try. Neither  can  we  fo  heartily  think  of  our  home  a- 
 bove,  whiles  w«  are  furniflied  with  thefe  worldly  con- 
 tentments:  when  Godflrips  us  of  them,  ilraightways 
 our  mind  is  homeward. 
 
 She  that  came  from  Bethlehem,  under  the  protec- 
 tion of  an  hufband,  attended  with  her  fons,  flored 
 with  fubflance,  refolves  now  to  meafure  all  that  way 
 alone.  Her  adverfity  had  flript  her  of  all,  but  a  good 
 heart ;  that  remains  with  her,  and  bears  up  her  head, 
 in  the  deepefl  of  her  extremitv.  True  chriflian  for- 
 titude wades  through  all  evils ;  and,  though  we  be  up 
 to  the  chin,  yet  keeps  firm  footing  againfl  the  fiream: 
 where  this  is,  the  fex  is  not  c'ifcerned ;  neither  is  the 
 quantity  of  the  evil  read  in  the  face.  How  well  doth 
 this  courage  become  Ifraelites,  when  we  are  left  com- 
 fortlefs  in  the  midfl  of  the  Moab  of  this  world,  to  re- 
 folve  the  'contempt  of  all  dangers  in  the  way  to  our 
 home !  As,  contrariiy,  nothing  doth  more  mif-befeem 
 a  chriflian,  than  that  his  fpirits  mould  flag  with  his 
 eflate,  and  that  any  difficulty  mould  make  him  defpair 
 of  attaining  his  befl  ends. 
 
 Goodnefs  is  of  a  winning  quality  wherefoever  it  is; 
 and.   even   amongfl  infidels,  will   make  itfelf  friends. 
 
 The 
 
BOOK   XI.      Contem.  in.       '387 
 
 The  good  difpofition  of  Naomi  carries  away  the  hearts 
 of  her  daughters-in-law  with  her,  fo  as  they  are  ready 
 to  forfake  their  kindred,  their  country,  yea  their  own 
 mother,  for  a  ftranger,  whofe  affinity  died  with  her 
 fons.  Thofe  men  are  worfe  than  infidels,  and  next 
 to  devils,  that  hate  the  virtues  of  God's  faints,  and 
 could  love  their  perfons  well,  if  they  were  not  con- 
 fcionable. 
 
 How  earneflly  do  thefe  two  daughters  of  Moab 
 plead  for  their  continuance  with  Naomi ;  and  how 
 hardly  is  either  of  them  diffuaded  from  partaking  of 
 the  mifery  of  her  fociety!  There  are  good  natures 
 even  among  infidels,  and  fuch  as,  for  moral  difpofiti- 
 on and  civil  reipecfs,  cannot  be  exceeded  by  the  bed 
 profefibrs.  Who  can  fuffer  his  heart  to  reft  in  thofe 
 qualities,  which  are  common  to  them  that  are  without 
 God! 
 
 Naomi  could  not  be  fo  infenfible  of  her  own  good, 
 as  not  to  know  how  much  comfort  fhe  might  reap  from 
 the  folitarinefs,  both  of  her  voyage  and  her  widow- 
 hood, by  the  fociety  of  thefe  two  younger  widows, 
 wrhofe  affections  he  had  fo  well  tried  ;  even  very  part- 
 nerfhip  is  a  mitigation  of  evils ;  yet  fo  earneflly  doth 
 fhe  difTuade  them  from  accompanying  her,  as  that  fhe 
 could  not  have  faid  more,  if  fhe  had'  thought  their 
 prefence  irkfome  and  burdenfome.  Good  difpofiti- 
 ons  love  not  to  pleafure  themfelves  with  the  difadvan- 
 tage  of  others ;  and  had  rather  be  miferable  alone, 
 than  to  draw  in  partners  to  their  forrow ;  for  the  fight 
 of  another's  calamity  doth  rather  double  their  own  ; 
 and,  if  themfelves  were  free,  would  aiteel:  them  with 
 compaifion.  As,  contrarily,  ill  minds  care  not  how 
 many  companions  they  have  in  mifery,  nor  how  few 
 conforts  in  good ;  if  themfelves  mifcarry,  they  could 
 be  content  all  the  world  were  enwrapped  with  them 
 in  the  fame  diitrefs. 
 
 Ccc  2  I  mar-* 
 
388         COKTEMPLATIO  N  S. 
 
 I  marvel  not  that  Orpah  is  by  this  feafonable  im- 
 portunity perfuaded  to  return  from  a  mother-in-law, 
 to  a  mother  in  nature ;  from  a  toilfome  journey,  to 
 reft  ;  from  ftrangers,  to  her  kindred ;  from  an  hope- 
 lefs  condition,  to  likelihoods  of  contentment.    A  little 
 entreaty  will  ferve  to  move  nature  to  be  good  unto  it- 
 felf.     Every  one  is  rather  a  Naomi  to  his  own  foulv 
 to  perfuade  it  to  flay  Hill,  and   enjoy  the  delights  of 
 Moab,  rather  than  to  hazard   our  entertainment  in 
 Bethlehem.     Will  religion  allow  me  this  wild  liberty 
 of  my  actions,  this  loofe  mirth,  theie  carnal  pleafures? 
 Can  I  be  a  chriftian,  and  not  live  fulleniy  ?     None 
 "but  a  regenerate  heart  can  chufe  rather  to  futfer  ad- 
 verfity  with  God's  people,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleafures 
 of  fin  for  a'feafon. 
 
 The  one  fifter  takes  an  unwilling  farewel,  and 
 moiftens  her  laft  khTes  with  many  tears :  the  other 
 cannot  be  driven  back,  but  repels  one  entreaty  with 
 another ;  Entreat  me  not  to  leave  thee ;  for  whither 
 thou  goeft  1 will  go ,  where  thou  dwellejl  I  will  dwell \ 
 thy  people  Jball  be  my  people ,  thy  God  my  God,  where 
 thou  diejl  I  will  die,  and  there  will  I  be  buried. 
 Ruth  faw  10  much,  upon  ten  years  trial,  in  Naomi , 
 as  was  more  worth  than  all  Moab ;  and,  in  compari- 
 fon  whereof,  all  worldly  refpech  deferved  nothing  but 
 contempt.  The  next  degree  unto  godlinefs  is  the 
 love  of  goodnefs.  He  is  in  a  fair  way  to  grace,  that 
 can  value  it.  If  {he  had  not  been  already  a  profe- 
 lyte,  flie  could  not  have  fet  this  price  upon  Nao??ii's 
 virtue.  Love  cannot  be  feparated  from  a  defire  of 
 fruition :  in  vain  had  Ruth  protefted  her  affection  to 
 Naomi,  if  (lie  could  have  turned  her  out  to  her  jour- 
 ney alone.  Love  to  the  faints  doth  not  more  argue 
 our  interefl  in  God,  than  fociety  argues  the  truth  of 
 our  love. 
 
 As  forne  tight  vefTel  that  holds  againft  wind  and 
 \ter?  fo  did  Ruth  againft  all  the  powers  of  a  mo- 
 ther's 
 
BOOK  XL     Contem,  in,  389 
 
 ther's  perfuaftons ;  the  impofTibility  of  the  comfort 
 of  marriage,  in  following  her,  (which  drew  back  her 
 ilfter-in-law)  cannot  move  her.  She  hears  her  mo- 
 ther, like  a  mod  eft  matron,  (contrary  to  the  fafhion 
 of  thefe  times)  fay,  /  am  too  old  to  have  a  hujband ; 
 and  yet  (he  thinks  not,  on  the  contrary,  I  am  too  young 
 to  want  an  hufband.  It  mould  fecm,  the  Moabites 
 had  learned  this  fafhion  of  Ijrael,  to  expect  the  bro- 
 ther's railing  of  feed  to  the  deceafed ;  the  widowhood 
 and  age  of  Naomi  cuts  off  that  hope ;  neither  could 
 Ruth  then  dream  of  a  Boaz  that  might  advance  her : 
 it  is  no  love  that  cannot  make  us  willing  to  be  refera- 
 ble for  thofe  we  affect.  The  hollowefl  heart  can  be 
 content  to  follow  one  that  profpereth.  Adverfity  is 
 the  only  furnace  of  friendfhip.  If  love  will  not  abide 
 both  fire  and  anvil,  it  is  but  counterfeit;  fo,  in  our 
 love  to  God,  we  do  but  crack  and  vaunt  in  vain,  if 
 we  cannot  be  willing  to  fuiFer  for  him. 
 
 But  if  any  motive  might  hope  to  fpeed,  that  which 
 was  drawn  from  example  was  mod  likely  ;  Behold, 
 thy  ffler-in-law  is  gone  back  unto  her  people,  and 
 to  her  gods  ;  return  thou  after  her.  This  one  art- 
 lefs  perluafion  hath  prevailed  more  with  the  world, 
 than  all  the  places  of  reafon.  How  many  millions  mif- 
 carry  upon  this  ground !  Thus  did  my  fore-fathers  ; 
 thus  do  the  mod  ;  I  am  neither  the  nrfl  nor  the  laft, 
 Do  any  of  the  rulers  f  We  flraight  think  that  either  fafe 
 or  pardonable  for  which  we  can  plead  a  precedent. 
 This  good  woman  hath  more  warrant  for  her  refo-uti- 
 on  than  another's  practice.  The  mind  can  never  be 
 iteady,  whiles  it  /lands  upon  others  feet,  and  till  it  be 
 fettled  upon  fuch  grounds  of  affurance,  that  it  will  ra- 
 ther lead  than  follow;  and  can  fay  with  Jofiua,  what-, 
 foever  become  of  the  world,  /  and  my  houfe  zvil! 
 ferve  the  Lord. 
 
 If  Naomi  had  not  been  a  perfon  of  eminent  note, 
 no  knowledge  had  been  taken  at  fteihkhem  of  her  re- 
 turn, 
 
39o         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 turn.  Poverty  is  ever  obfcure;  and  thofe  that  have 
 little  may  go  and  come  without  noife.  If  the  ftreets 
 of  Bethlehem  had  not  before  ufed  to  fay,  There  goes 
 Naomi ;  they  had  not  now  aiked,  Is  ?iot  this  Na- 
 omi ?  She  that  had  loft  all  things,  but  her  name, 
 is  willing  to  part  with  that  alfo  ;  Call  me  not  Nao- 
 mi, but  call  me  Marah.  Her  humility  cares  little 
 for  a  glorious  name  in  a  deje&ed  eftate.  Many  a  one 
 would  have  fet  faces  upon  their  want,  and,  in  the  bit- 
 tern efs  of  their  condition,  have  afte&ed  the  name  of 
 beauty.  In  all  forms  of  good,  there  are  more  that 
 care  to  feem,  than  to  be  :  Naomi  hates  this  hypocri- 
 fy,  and,  fmce  God  hath  humbled  her,  defires  not  to 
 be  refpecled  of  men.  Thofe,  which  are  truly  brought 
 down,  make  it  not  dainty,  that  the  world  mould  think 
 them  fo  ;  but  are  ready  to  be  the  firft  proclaimers  of 
 their  own  vilenefs.- 
 
 Naomi  went  full  out  of  Bethlehem  to  prevent  want, 
 and  now  (he  brings  that  want  home  with  her  which 
 flie  defired  to  avoid.  Our  blindnefs  oftimes  carries 
 us  into  the  perils  we  feek  to  efchew.  God  finds  it  beft, 
 many  times,  to  crofs  the  likely  projects  of  his  deareft 
 children,  and  to  multiply  thofe  afflictions  which  they 
 feared  fingle.  • 
 
 Ten  years  have  turned  Naomi  into  Marah,  What 
 affurance  is  there  of  thefe  earthly  things  whereof  one 
 hour  may  ftrip  us !  What  man  can  fay  of  the  years  to 
 come,  Thus  I  will  be!  How  juftly  do  we  contemn 
 this  uncertainty,  and  look  up  to  thofe  riches  that  can- 
 not but  endure  when  heaven  and  earth  are  dhTolved ! 
 
 Co  nt em.  iv.     Boaz  and  Ruth. 
 
 \17HILES    Elimelech   ftiifted   to  Moab    to    avoid 
 
 ^*       the  famine,  Boaz    abode   ftill  at  Bethlehem^ 
 
 and  continued  rich  and  powerful.    He  ftayed  at  home, 
 
 and  found  that  which  Elimelech   went  to  feek,  and 
 
 miffed. 
 
BOOK  XL     Contem.  iv,  391 
 
 miffed.  The  judgment  of  famine  doth  not  lightly  ex- 
 tend itfelf  to  all.  Peililence  and  the  fword  fpare 
 none ;  but  dearth  commonly  plagueth  the  meaner  fort, 
 and  baulketh  the  mighty.  When  Boaz  his  ftore-houfe 
 was  empty,  his  fields  were  full,  and  maintained  the 
 name  of  Bethlehem.  I  do  not  hear  Ruth  (land  upon 
 the  terms  of  her  better  education,  or  wealthy  paren- 
 tage ;  but  now,  that  God  hath  called  her  to  want,  (he 
 fcorns  not  to  lay  her  hand  unto  all  homely  fervices, 
 and  thinks  it  no  difparagement  to  find  her  bread  in 
 other  mens  fields.  There  is  no  harder  leffon  to  a  ge- 
 nerous mind,  nor  that  more  befeems  it,  than  either 
 to  bear  want,  or  to  prevent  it.  Bafe  fpirits  give  them- 
 felves  over  to  idlenefs  and  mifery,  and,  becaufe  they 
 are  croffed,  will  fullenly  perifh. 
 
 That  good  woman  hath  not  been  for  nothing  in  the 
 fchool  of  patience  ;  fhe  hath  learned  obedience  to  a 
 poor  flep-mother  :  (lie  was  now  a  widow  pail  reach 
 of  any  danger  of  correction  ;  befides  that,  penury 
 might  feem  to  difpenfe  with  awe.  Even  children  do 
 eafily  learn  to  contemn  the  poverty  of  their  own  pa- 
 rents ;  yet  hath  fhe  enured  herfelf  to  obedience,  that 
 fhe  will  not  fo  much  as  'go  forth  into  the  field  to^ glean 
 without  the  leave  of  her  motfier-in-law,  and  is  no 
 lefs  obfequious  to  Mar  ah  than  flie  was  to  Naomi. 
 What  fhall  we  fay  to  thofe  children-,  that,  in  the  main 
 actions  of  their  life,  forget  they  have  natural  parents ! 
 It  is  a  fliame  to  fee,  that,  in  mean  families,  want  of 
 fubftance  caufeth  want  of  duty  ;  and  that  children 
 mould  think  themfelves  privileged  for  unreverence, 
 becaufe  the  parent  is  poor.  Little  do  we  know,  when 
 we  go  forth  in  the  morning,  what  God  means  to  do 
 with  us  ere  night.  There  is  a  providence  that  attends 
 on  us  in  all  our  ways,  and  guides  us  infenfibly  to  his 
 own  ends  ;  that  divine  hand  leads  Ruth  blindfold 
 to  the  field  of  Boaz.  That  fhe  meets  with  his  reapers, 
 and  falls  upon  his  land,  amongft  all  the  fields  of  Beth- 
 lehem, 
 
392        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 lebem,  it  was  no  praiie  to  her  election,  but  the  gra- 
 cious difpofirion  of  him  in  whom  we  move.  His 
 thoughts  are  above  ours,  and  do  fo  order  our  actions, 
 as  we,  if-  we  had  known,  fhould  have  wifhed.  No 
 fooner  is  fhe  come  into  the  field,  but  the  reapers  are 
 friendly  to  her.  No  fooner  is  Boaz  come  into  his 
 field,  but  he  invites  her  to  more  bounty  than  me 
 could  have  defired.  Now  God  begins  to  repay  into 
 her  bofom  her  love  and  duty  to  her  mother-in-kr 
 Reverence,  and  loving  refpects  to  parents,  never  yet 
 went  away  unrecompenfed :  God  will  furely  raife 
 up  friends  among  Grangers  to  thofe  that  have  been 
 officious  at  home. 
 
 It  was  worth  Ruth's  journey  from  Moab,  to  meet 
 with  fuch  a  man  as  Boaz,  whom  we  find  thrifty,  re- 
 ligious, charitable  ;  though  he  were  rich,  yet  he  was 
 not  carelefs ;  he  comes  into  the  field  to  overfee  his 
 reapers.  Even  the  bed  eftate  requires  careful  managing 
 of  the  owner  :  he  wanted  no  officers  to  take  charge 
 of  his  hulbandry,  yet  he  had  rather  be  his  own  wit- 
 nefs.  After  all  the  truft  of  others,  the  mailer's  eye 
 feeds  the  horfe. 
 
 The  Matter  of  the  great  houfhold  of  the  world 
 gives  us  an  example  tf  this  care,  whofe  eye  is  in 
 every  corner  of  his  large  poffeffion.  Not  civility  on- 
 ly, but  reKgioa  binds  us  to  good  hufbandry.'  We 
 are  all  fie  wards ;  and  what  account  can  we  give  to 
 our  Matter,  if  we  never  look  after  our  eftate!  I  doubt 
 whether  Boaz  had  been  fo  rich,  if  he  had  not  been  fo 
 frugal ;  yet  was  he  not  more  thrifty  than  religious. 
 He  comes  not  to  his  reapers,  but  with  a  bl effing  in 
 his  mouth,  The  Lord  be  with  you  ;  as  one  that  knew 
 if  he  were  with  them,  and  not  the  Lord,  his  pre- 
 fence  could  avail  nothing.  All  the  bufmefs  of  the  fa- 
 mily" fpeeds  the  better,  for  the  matter's  benediction. 
 Thofe  affairs  are  likely  to  fucceed,  that  take  their  be- 
 ginning at  G 
 
 Charity 
 
BCOK    XL    Contem.    IV 
 
 393 
 
 ir  Charity  was  fo  well  matched  with  his  religion, 
 without  which,  good  works  are  but  hypocrify.  No 
 iboner  doth  he  hear  the  name  of  the  Moabltcfs,  but 
 he  feconds  the  kindnefs  of  his  reapers,  and  ilill  he  rifes 
 in  his  favours.  Firft,  flie  may  glean  in  his  field;  then 
 fhe  may  drink  of  his  veffels ;  then  fhe  ilull  take  her 
 meal  with  his  reapers,  and  part  of  it  from  his  own 
 hand ;  laflly,  his  work-men  muft  let  fall  flieaves 
 for  her  gathering.  A  fmall  thing  helps  the  needy. 
 An  handful  of  gleanings,  a  lapful  of  parched  corn,  a 
 draught  of  the  fervants  bottles,  a  loofe  fheaf  was  fuch 
 a  favour  to  Ruth,  as  fhe  thought  was  above  all  re- 
 compenfe.  This  was  not  feen  in  the  eftate  of  Boaz, 
 which  yet  makes  heV  for  the  time  happy.  If  we  may 
 refrefh  the  foul  of  the  poor  with  the  very  offals  of  our 
 eflate,  and  not  hurt  ourfelves,  wo  be  to  us  if  we  do 
 it  nor.  Our  barns  lhall  be  as  full  of  curfes  as  of  corn, 
 if  we  grudge  the  fcattered  ears  of  our  held  to  the 
 hands  of  the  needy. 
 
 How  thankfully  doth  Ruth  take  thefe  fmall  favours 
 from  Boaz  !  Perhaps  fome  rich  jewel  in  Moab  would 
 not  have  been  fo  welcome.  Even  this  was  a  prefage 
 of  her  better  eftate.  Thofe  which  fliall  receive  great 
 blefiings  are  ever  thankful  for  little ;  and  if  poor  fouls 
 be  fo  thankful  to  us  for  but  an  handful,  or  a  fheaf, 
 how  fhould  we  be  aftecled  to  our  God,  for  whole 
 fields  full,  for  full  barns,  full  garners ! 
 
 Doubtlefs  Boaz,  having  taken  -notice  of  the  good 
 nature,  dutiful  carriage,  and  the  near  affinity  of 
 Ruth,  could  not  but  purpofe  fome  greater  beneficence, 
 and  higher  refpe&s  to  her  j  yet  now  onwards  he  fits 
 his  kindnefs  to  her  condition,  and  gives  her  that, 
 which  to  her  hieannefs  feemed  much,  though  he 
 thought  it  little.  Thus  doth  the  bounty  of  our  God' 
 deal  with  us.  It  is  not  for  want  of  love  that  he  gives 
 us  no  greater  meafure  of  grace,  but  for  want  of  our 
 fitnefs  and  capacity.     He  hath   referved  greater  pre- 
 
 Vol.'I.  -  D  d  d  ferments 
 
S94         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ferments  for  us,  when   it  fliail  be  feafonable  for  us  to 
 receive  them.       / 
 
 Ruth  returns  home  wealthy  with  her  ephah  of  barley, 
 and  thankfully  magnifies  the  liberality  of  Boaz,  her  new 
 benefactor.  Naomi  repays  his  beneficence  with  her 
 bleffmg  ;  Blejfed  be  he  of  the  Lord.  If  the  rich  can 
 exchange  their  alms  with  the  poor  for  bleflings,  they 
 have  no  caufe  to  complain  of  an  ill  bargain.  Our 
 gifts  cannot  be  worth  their  faithful  prayers :  there- 
 fore it  is  better  to  give  than  to  receive ;  becaufe 
 he  that  receives,  hath  -but  a  worthlefs  alms;  he  that 
 gives,  receives  an  unvaluable  bleihng. 
 
 I  cannot  but  admire  the  modefty  and  filence  of 
 thefe  two  women :  Naomi  had  not  fo  much  as  talked 
 of  her  kindred  in  Bethlehem,  nor  till  now  had  (lie 
 told  Ruth,  that  {he  had  a  wealthy  kinfman  ;  neither 
 had  Ruth  inquired  of  her  husband's  great  alliance ; 
 but  both  fat 'down  meekly  with  their  own  wants,  and 
 cared  not  to  know  any  thing  elfe,  fave  that  themfelves 
 were  poor.     Humility  is  ever  the  way  to  honour. 
 
 It  is  a  difcourtefy,  where  we  are  beholden,  to  alter 
 our  dependency ;  like  as  men  of  trade  take  it  ill,  if 
 cuflomers,  which  are  in  their  books,  go  for  their  wares 
 to  another  fhop.  Wifely  doth  Naomi  advife  Ruth 
 not  to  be  feen  in  any  other  field,  whiles  the  harvefl 
 lafted.  The  very  taking  of  their  favours  is  a  con- 
 tentment, to  thofe  that  have  already  well  ddcrvcd ; 
 and  it  is  quarrel  enough  that  their  courtefy  is  not  re- 
 ceived. How  (hall  the  God  of  heaven  take  it,  that, 
 whiles  he  gives  and  proffers  large,  we  run  to  the  world, 
 that  can  afford  us  nothing  but  vanity  and  vexation. 
 
 Thofe  that  can  leafl  aft,  are  oft-times  the  bed  to 
 advife.  Good  old  Naomi  fits  flill  at  home,  and  by 
 her  counfel  pays  Ruth  all  the  love  fhe  owes  her.  The 
 face  of  that  action,  to  which  fhe  directs  her,  is  the 
 Worft  piece  of  it;  the  heart  was  found.  Perhaps  the 
 affurance,  wbich  long  trial  had  given  her  of  the  good 
 
 government 
 
BOOK   XL    Contem.    iv.  395 
 
 government,  and  firm  chaftity  of  her  daughter-in-law, 
 together  with  her  perfuaiion  of  the  religious  gravity 
 of  Boaz,  made  her  think  that  defign  fafe,  which  to 
 others  had  been  perilous,  if  not  defperate.  But  be- 
 fides  that,  holding  Boaz  next  of  blood  to  Elimelech, 
 flie  made  account  of  him  as  the  lawful  husband  of 
 Ruth ;  fo  as  there  wanted  nothing  but  a  challenge, 
 and  confummation.  Nothing  was  abated  but  fome 
 outward  folemnities,  which,  though  expedient  for  the 
 fatisfaction  of  others,  yet  were  not  eilential  to  mar- 
 riage ;  and  if  there  were  not  thefe  colours  for  a  pro- 
 ject fo  fufpicious,  it  would  not  follow,  that  the  action 
 were  warrantable,  becaufe  Naomi's,  Why  fhould 
 her  example  be  more  fafe  in  this,  than  in  matching 
 her  fons  with  infidels,  than  in  fending  back  Or  pah  to 
 her  father's  gods!  If  every  aft  of  an  holy  perfon 
 fhould  be  our  rule,  we  fhould  have  crooked  lives. 
 Every  action,  that  is  reported,  is  not  ftraightways  al- 
 lowed. Our  courfes  were  very  uncertain,  if  God 
 had  not  given  us  rules,  whereby  we  may  examine  the 
 examples  of  the  bed  faints,  and  as  well  cenfure,  as 
 follow  them.  Let  them  that  (tumble  at  the  boldnefs 
 of  Ruth,  imitate  the  continence  of  Boaz. 
 
 Thefe  times  were  not  delicate.  This  man,  though 
 great  in  Bethlehem,  lays  him  down  to  reft  upon  a 
 pallat,  in  the  floor  of  his  barn ;  when  he  awakes  at 
 midnight,  no  marvel  if  he  were  amazed  to  find  him- 
 ielf  accompanied  ;  yet,  though  his  heart  were  cheer* 
 ed  with  wine,  the  place  folitary,  the  night  filent,  the 
 perfon  comely,  the  invitation  plaufible,  could  he  not 
 be  drawn  to  a  ram.  act  of  luft :  his  appetite  could  not 
 get  the  victory  of  reafon,  though  it  had  wine  and  op- 
 portunity to  help  it.  Herein  Boaz  fhewed  himfelf  a 
 great  matter  of  his  affections,  that  he  was  able  to  re- 
 fifl  a  fit  temptation.  It  is  no  thank  to  many,  that 
 they  are  free  of  fome  evils;  perhaps  they  wanted  not 
 will,  but  convenience.     But  if  a  man,  when  he  is  fit* 
 
 D  d  d  2  ted 
 
96        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ted  with  all   helps  to  his  fin,  can  repel  the  pleafure  of 
 fin  out  of  confeience,  this  is  true  fortitude. 
 
 Inflead  of  touching  her  as  a  wanton,  he  bleffes  her 
 as  a  father,  encourageth  her  as  a  friend,  promifeth 
 her  as  a  kinfman,  rewards  her  as  a  patron,  and  fends 
 her  away  laden  with  hopes  and  gifts;  no  lefs  chafte, 
 more  happy  than  (lie  came.  O  admirable  temperance, 
 worthy  the  progenitor  of  him,  in  whofe  lips  and  heart 
 
 was  no  guile ! 
 
 If  Boaz  had  been  the  next  kinfman,  the  marriage 
 had  needed  no  protraction,  but  now  that  his  confeience 
 told  him  that  Ruth  was  the  right  of  another,  it  had 
 not  been  more  fenfuality  than  injuflice  to  have  touch- 
 ed his  kinfwoman.  It  was  not  any  bodily  impotency, 
 but  honefty  and  confeience,  that  retrained  Boaz,  for 
 the  very  next  night  fhe  conceived  by  him  ;  that  gcocj 
 man  wifhed  his  marriage- bed  holy,  and  durff.  not  ly 
 down  in  the  doubt  of  a  fm.  Many  a  man  is  honeil 
 out  of  necefiity,  and  affects  the  praife  of  that  which 
 he  could  not  avoid  :  but  that  man's  mind  is  dill  an  a- 
 dulterer,  in  the  forced  continence  of  his  body.  No 
 action  can  give  us  true  comfort,  but  that  which  we  dp 
 out  of  the  grounds  of  obedience. 
 
 Thofe  which  are  feaiful  of  fmning,  are  careful  not 
 to  be  thought  to  fm  :  Boaz,  though  he  knew  himfelf 
 to  be  clear,  would  not  have  occanon  of  fufpicion  gi- 
 ven to  others;  Let  no.  man  know  that  a  woman  came 
 into  the  floor.  A  good  heart  is  no  lefs  afraid  of  a 
 fcandal,  than  of  a  fin  ;  whereas  thofe  that  are  refolved 
 not  to  make  any  fcruple  of  fm,  defpife  others  conftruc- 
 tions,  not  caring  whom  they  offend,  fo  that  they  may 
 pleafe  themfdyes.  That  Naomi  might  fee  her  daugh- 
 ter-in-hw  was  not  fent  back  in  diflike,  (lie  comes  home 
 laden  with  corn.  Rath  had  gleaned  more  this  night, 
 torn  in  half  the  harved.  The  care  of  Boaz  was,  that 
 fhe  fhould  not  return  to  her  mother  empty.  Love, 
 whe:  elbevcr   it  is,  caimct  be  niggardly.     "We  meafure 
 
 the 
 
BOOK  XL    C  out  em.  iv.  397 
 
 the   love  of  God  by   his  gifts;  how  (hall  he  abide  to 
 fend    us  away  empty  from  thofe  treafures  of  goodnefs! 
 
 Boaz  is  reilleis  in  the  profecution  of  this  fuit,  and 
 hies  him  from  his  threming-fioor  to  the  gate,  and  .here 
 convents  the  nearer  kinfman  before  the  elders  of  the 
 city.  What  was  it  that  made  Boaz  fo  ready  to  enter- 
 tain, fo  forward  to  urge  this  match  !  Wealth  (lie  had 
 none,  not  fo  much  as  bread,  but  what  fhe  gleaned  out 
 of  the  field :  friends  (he  had  none,  and  thole  (he  had 
 elfewhere  Moabites :  beauty  fhe  could  not  have 
 much,  after  that  fcorching  in  her  travel,  in' her  glean- 
 ings. Himfelf  tells  her  what  drew  his  heart  to  her; 
 All  the  city  of  my  people  doth  know  that  thou  art 
 a  virtuous  woman.  Virtue,  in  whomfoever  it  is 
 found,  is  a  great  dowry,  and,  where  it  meets  with  an 
 heart  that  knows  how  to  value  it,  is  accounted  great- 
 er riches  than  all  that  is  hid  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth. 
 The  corn-heap  of  Boaz  was  but  chaff  to  this,  and  his* 
 money  drofs. 
 
 As  a  man  that  had  learned  to  fquare  all  his  aclions 
 to  the  law  of  God,  Boaz  proceeds  legally  with  his 
 rival ;  and  tells  him  of  a  parcel  of  Elimelech\  land, 
 which,  it  is  like,  upon  his  removal  to  Moab,  he  had 
 alienated  ;  which  he,  as  the  next  kinfman,  might  have 
 power  to  redeem ;  yet  fo,  as  he  mud  purchafe  the  wife 
 of  the  deceafed  with  the  land.  Every  kinfman  is  not 
 a  Boaz  ;  the  man  could  liden  to  the  land,  if  it  had 
 been  free  from  the  clog  of  a  neceffary  marriage ;  but 
 now  he  will  rather  leave  the  land  than  take  the  wife, 
 led,  whiles  he  fliould  preferve  Elvnelechh  inheritance, 
 he  ftiould  dellroy  his  own ;  for  the  next  feed,  which 
 he  ihould  have  by  Ruth,  mould  not  be  his  heir,  but 
 hi.:  deceafed  kiiifniian's.  How  knew  he  whether  God 
 might  not,  by  that  wife,  fend  heirs  enough  for  both 
 their  edates  ?  Rather  had  he  therefore  incur  a  mani- 
 fed  injudice,  than  hazard  the  danger  of  his  inheritance. 
 The  law  of  God   bound  him   tq  raife  up  feed  to  the 
 
 next 
 
398         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 .  next  in  blood  ;  the  care  of  his  inheritance  draws  him 
 to  a  negleft  of  his  duty,  though  with  infamy  and  re- 
 proach ;  and  now  he  had  rather  his  face  fhould  be  fpit 
 upon,  and  his  name  fhould  be  called,  The  houfe 
 of  him  whofe  JJ.we  was  fulled  off',  than  to  referve 
 the  honour  of  him,  that  did  his  brother  right,  to  his 
 own  prejudice.  How  many  are  there  that  do  fo  over- 
 love  their  iflue,  as  that  they  regard  neither  fin  nor 
 fhame  in  advancing  it,  and  that  wifl  rather  endanger 
 their  foul,  thai;  lofe  their  name  !  It  is  a  woful  inheri- 
 tance  that  makes  men  heirs  of  the  vengeance  of  God. 
 
 Boaz  is  glad  to  take  the  advantage  of  his  refufal ; 
 and  holds  that  fhoe  (which  was  the  fign  of  his  tenure) 
 more  worth  than  all  the  lands  of  Elimelech.  And 
 whereas  other  wives  purchafe  their  husbands  with  a 
 large  dowry,  this  man  purchafeth  his  wife  at  a  dear 
 rate,  and  thinks  his  bargain  happy.  All  the  fubftance 
 of  the  earth  is  not  worth  a  virtuous  and  prudent  wife; 
 which  Boaz  dcth  now  fo  rejoice  in,  as  if  he  this  day 
 only  began  to  be  wealthy. 
 
 Now  is  Ruth  taken  into  the  houfe  of  Boaz  ;  fhe, 
 that  before  had  faid,  fhe  was  not  like  one  of  his  mai- 
 dens, is  now  become  their  miftrefs.  This  day  me  hath 
 gleaned  all  the  fields  and  barns  of  a  rich  husband  ;  and, 
 that  there  might  be  no  want  in  her  happinefs,  by  a 
 gracious  husband,  fhe  hath  gained  an  happy  feed,  and 
 hath  the  honour,  above  all  the  dames  of  Ifrael,  to 
 be  the  great  grandmother  of  a  king,  of  David,  of  the 
 JVlelTiah. 
 
 Now  is  Mar  ah  turned  back  again  to  Naomi;  and 
 Orpah,  if  fhe  hear  of  this  in  Moab,  cannot  but  envy 
 at 'her  fitter's  happinefs.  O  the  fure  and  bountiful 
 payments  of  the  Almighty !  Who  ever  came*under  his 
 wing  in  vain  !  Who  ever  loft  by  trufting  him  !  Who 
 ever  forfook  the  Moab  of  this  world  for  the  true  Ifra- 
 el,  and  did  net  at  laft  rejoice  in  the  change ! 
 
 Cc» 
 
BOOK   XI    Con t em.    v.  £?? 
 
 Contem.  v.  Hannah  and  Peninnah. 
 
 ILL  cuftoms,  where  they  are  once  entertained,  are 
 not  eafily  difcharged :  polygamy,  beiides  carnal 
 delight,  might  now  plead  age  and  example ;  fo  as  even 
 Elkanah,  though  a  Levite,  is  tainted  with  the  fin  of 
 Lamech,  like  as  faihions  of  attire,  which  at  the  firft 
 were  difliked  as  uncomely,  yet,  when  they  are  once 
 grown  common,  are  taken  up  of  the  graved.  Yet 
 this  fin,  as  then  current  with  the  time,  could  not 
 make  Elkanah  not  religious.  The  houfe  of  God  in 
 Sbiloh  was  duly  frequented  of  him;  oftentimes  alone, 
 in  his  ordinary  courfe  of  attendance,  with  all  his  males 
 thrice  a  year,  and  once  a  year  with  all  his  family. 
 The  continuance  of  an  unknown  fin  cannot  hinder  the 
 uprightnefs  of  a  man's  heart  with  God ;  as  a  man  may 
 have  a  mole  upon  his  back,  and  yet  think  his  fkin 
 clear  :  the  lead  touch  of  knowledge  or  wilfulnefs  mars 
 his  iincerity. 
 
 He,  that  by  virtue  of  his  place  was  employed  about 
 the  facrifices  of  others,  would  much  lefs  neglect  his 
 own.  It  is  a  fhame  for  him,  that  teaches  God's  people 
 that  they  fhould  not  appear  before  the  Lord  empty, 
 to  bring  no  facrifice  for  himfelf.  If  Levites  be  pro- 
 fane, who  fhould  be  religious ! 
 
 It  was  the  fafhion,  when  they  facrificed,  to  feaft :  fo 
 did  Elkanah  ;  the  day  of  his  devotion  is  the  day  of 
 his  triumph ;  he  makes  great  cheer  for  his  whole  fa- 
 mily, even  for  that  wife  which  he  loved  lefs.  There 
 is  nothing  more  comely  than  cheerfulnefs  in  the  fer- 
 vices  of  God.  Whar  is  there  in  all  the  world,  where- 
 with the  heart  of  man  fhould  be  fo  lift  up,  as  with  the 
 confcience  of  his  duty  done  to  his  Maker !  Whiles 
 we  do  fo,  God  doth  to  us,  as  our  glafs,  fmile  upon 
 us,  while  we  fmile  on  him. 
 
 Love  will  be  feen  by  entertainment ;  Peninnah  and 
 her  children  fhall  not  complain  of  want,  but  Hannah 
 
 fhall 
 
4oo        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fhall  find  her  husband's  afTeclion  in  her  portion  j  as  his 
 Jove  to  her  was  double,  fo  was  her  part :  me  fared  not 
 the  worfe  becaufe  (lie  was  childlefs.  No  good  husband 
 will  diflike  his  wife  for  a  fault  out  of  the  power  of 
 her  redrefs ;  yea,  rather,  that  which  might  feem  to 
 ]ofe  the  love  of  her  husband,  wins  it,  her  barrennefs. 
 The  good  nature  of  Elkanah  laboured,  by  his  dear  re- 
 fpe&s,  to  recompenfe  this  affliction  ;  that  fo  fhe  might 
 find  no  lefs  contentment  in  the  fruit  of  his  hearty  love, 
 then  fhe  had  grief  from  her  own  fruitlefnefs.  It  is 
 the  property  of  true  mercy,  to  be  molt  favourable  to 
 the  weakeft ;  thus  doth  the  gracious  fpoufeof  the  Chri- 
 ftian  foul  pit^the  barrennefs  of  his  fervants,  O  Savi-' 
 our,  we  lhould  not  find  thee  fo  indulgent  to  us,  if  we 
 did  not  complain  of  our  own  unworthinefs !  Peninnab 
 may  have  the  more  children,  but  barren  Hannah  hath 
 the  moft  love.  How  much  rather  could  Elkanah  have 
 wifhed  Peninnab  barren,  and  Hannah  fruitful  !  But  if 
 flie  fhould  have  had  both  iffue  and  love,  fhe  had  been 
 proud,  and  her  rival  defpifed.  God  knows  how  to 
 difperfe  his  favours  fo,  that  every  one  may  have  caufe 
 both  of  thankfulnefs  and  humiliation  ;  whiles  there  is 
 no  one  that  harh  all,  no  one  but  hath  fome.  If  envy 
 and  contempt  were  not  thus  equally  tempered,  fome 
 would  be  over-haughty,  and  others  too  miferable ;  but 
 now  every  man  fees  that  in  himfelf  which  is  worthy 
 of  contempt,  and  matter  of  emulation  in  others;  and, 
 contrarily,  fees  what  to  pity  and  diilike  in  the  moil 
 eminent,  and  what  to  applaud  in  himfelf;  and  out  of 
 this  contrariety,  arifes  a  fweet  mean  of  contentation. 
 
 The  love  of  Elkanah  is  fo  unable  to  free  Hannah 
 from  the  wrongs  of  her  rival,  that  it  procures  them  ra- 
 ther. The  unfruitfulnefs  of  Hannah  had  never  with  fo 
 much  defpite  been  laid  in  her  difh,  if  her  husband's 
 heart  had  been  as  barren  of  love  to  her.  Envy,  though 
 it  take  advantage  of  our  weakneffes,  yet  is  ever  railed 
 upon  fome  grounds  of  happinefs,  in  them  whom  it  e- 
 
 mulates ; 
 
BOOK   XI.     Contem.  v,  401 
 
 mutates ;  it  is  ever  an  ill  effect  of  a  good  caufe.  If 
 Abel's  facrifice  had  not  been  accepted,  and  if  the  ac- 
 ceptation of  his  facrifice  had  not  been  a  blefling,  no 
 envy  had  followed  upon  it. 
 
 There  is  no  evil  of  another,  wherein  it  is  fit  to  re- 
 joice, but  his  envy,  and  this  is  worthy  of  our  joy  and 
 thankfulnefs ;  becaufe  it  ihews  us  the  price  of  that 
 good  which  we  had,  and  valued  not.  The  malignity 
 of  envy  is  thus  well  anfwered,  when  it  is  made  the 
 evil  caufe  of  a  good  effect  to  us,  when  God  and  our 
 fouls  may  gain  by  another's  fin.  I  do  not  find  that 
 Hannah  infulted  upon  Penmnah,  for  the  greater  mea- 
 fure  of  her  hufband's  love,  as  Peninnah  did  upon  her 
 for  her  fruitlefnefs.  Thofe  that  are  truly  gracious, 
 know  how  to  receive  the  bleflings  of  God,  without 
 contempt  of  them  that  want ;  and  have  learned  to  be 
 thankful,  without  overlinefs. 
 
 Envy,  when  it  is  once  conceived  in  a  malicious 
 lieart,  is  like  fire  in  billets  of  juniper,  which,  they 
 fay,  continues  more  years  than  one.  Every  year 
 was  Hannah  thus  vexed  with  her  emulous  partner,  and 
 troubled  both  in  her  prayers  and  meals.  Amidft  all 
 their  feaftings,  fhe  fed  on  nothing  but  her  tears.  Some 
 difpofitions-are  lefs  fenfible,  and  more  carelefs  of  the 
 defpite  and  injuries  of  others,  and  can  turn  over  un- 
 kind ufii^es  with  contempt.  By  how  much  more  ten- 
 der the  heart  is,  fo  much  more  deeply  is  it  ever  affec- 
 ted with  difcourtefies :  as  wax  receives  and  retains 
 that  imprefiion,  which  in  the  hard  clay  cannot  be  ieen  ; 
 or,  as  the  eye  feels  that  mote,  which  the  lkin  of  the 
 eye-lid  could  not  complain  of:  yet  the  hufband  of 
 Hannah,  as  one  that  knew  his  duty,  labours  by  h:5 
 love,  to  comfort  her  againft  thefe  difeontentments  ; 
 Why  <weepejl  thou  f  Am  I  not  better  to  thee  than  ten 
 Jons  f  It  is  the  weaknefs  of  good  natures  to  give  fo 
 much  advantage  to  an  enemy.     What  would  malice 
 
 ther  have,  than  the  vexation  of  them  whom  kperfe- 
 
 Vol.  l»  E  e  e  cutes  ? 
 
4c2         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 cutes  ?  We  cannot  better  pleafe  an  adverfary,  than  by 
 hurting  ourfclves.  This  is  no  other  than  to  humour 
 envy,  to  ferve  the  turn  of  thofe  that  malign  us,  and  to 
 draw  on  that  malice  whereof  we  are  weary  ;  whereas 
 carelefnefs  puts  ill-will  out  of  countenance,  and  makes 
 it  withdraw  it  (elf  in  a  rage,  as  that  which  doth  but 
 fhame  the  author,  without  the  hurt  of  the  patient. 
 In  caufelefs  wrongs,  the  befl  remedy  is  contempt. 
 
 She,  that  could  not  find  comfort  in  the  loving  per- 
 fuafions  of  her  hufband,  feeks  it  in  her  prayers ;  me 
 rifes  up  hungry  from  the  feaft,  and  haftens  to  the 
 temple,  there  me  pours  out  her  tears  and  fupplicati- 
 ons.  Whatfocver  the  complaint  be,  here  is  the  re- 
 medy. There  is  one  univerfal  receipt  for  all  evils, 
 prayer  ;  when  all  helps  fail  us,  this  remains,  and 
 whiles  we  have  an  heart,  comforts  it. 
 
 Here  was  not  more  bitternefs  in  the  foul  of  Hannah , 
 than  fervency ;  me  did  not  only  weep  and  pray,  but 
 vow  unto  God  :  if  God  will  give  her  a  fon,  fhe  will 
 give  her  fon  to  God  back  again.  Even  nature  itfelf 
 had  confecrated  her  fon  to  God  ;  for  he  could  not  but 
 be  born  a  Levite :  but  if  his  birth  make  him  a  Levite, 
 her  vow  ihall  make  him  a  Nazarife,  and  dedicate  his 
 minority  to  the  tabernacle.  The  way  to  obtain  any 
 benefit,  is  to  devote  it,  in  our  hearts,  to  the  glory  of 
 that  God  of  whom  we  aih  it :  by  this  means  ihall  God 
 both  pleafure  his  fervant,  and  honour  himfelf;  where- 
 as, if  the  icope  of  our  defires  be  carnal,  we  may  be 
 hire  either  to  fail  of  our  iuit,  or  of  a  bleffing. 
 
 Cot  em.  vi.     Eli  ^Hannah. 
 
 LD  Eli  fits  on  a  (tool,  by  one  of  the  pods  of  the 
 tabernacle.     Where  fhould  the  priefls  of  God 
 be  but  in  the  temple  ?  whether  for  action  or  for  over- 
 ligh:.     Their  very  prefence  keeps  God's  houfe  in  or- 
 der, 
 
BOOK    XL      Con  t  em.  vi.  403 
 
 der,  and  rhe  prr/ence  of  God  keeps  their  hearts  in 
 order. 
 
 It  is  oft  found,  that  thofe  which  are  themfelves  con- 
 fcionable,  are  too  forward  to  the  cenfuring  of  others. 
 Good  Eli,  becaufe  he  marks  the  lips  of  Hannah  to  move 
 without  noife,  chides  her  as  drunken,  and  unchari- 
 tably mifconftrues  her  devotion.  It  was  a  weak  ground 
 whereon  to  build  fo  heavy  a  fentence.  If  fhe  had 
 fpoken  too  loud  and  incompofedly,  he  might  have 
 had  fome  juft  colour  for  this  conceit;  but  now,  to  ac- 
 cufe  her  filence,  notwithstanding  all  her  tears  which 
 he  faw,  of  drunk ennefs,  it  was  a  zealous  breach  of 
 charity. 
 
 Some  fpirit  would  have  been  enraged  with  fo  rafli 
 a  cenfure.  When  anger  meets  with  grief,  both  turn 
 into  fury.  But  this  good  woman  had  been  inured  to 
 reproaches,  and  befides,  did  well  fee  the  reproof  a- 
 rofe  from  mifprifion,  and  the  mifprifion  from  zeal ;  and 
 therefore  anfwers  meekly,  as  one  that  had  rather  fa- 
 tisfy  than  expoftulate  ;  Nay,  my  lord,  but  I  am  a 
 woman  troubled  in  fpirit,  Eli  may  now  learn  cha- 
 rity of  Hannah.  If  (lie  had  been  in  that  diftemper, 
 whereof  he  accufed  her,  his  juft  reproof  had  not  been 
 fo  eafily  digefted.  Guiltinefs  is  commonly  clamorous 
 and  impatient,  whereas  innocence  is  filent  and  care- 
 lefs  of  mifreports.  It  is  natural  unto  all  men  to  wipe 
 off  from  their  name  all  afperfions  of  evil,  but  none  do 
 it  'with  fuch  violence  as  they  which  are  faulty.  It  is 
 a  fign  the  horfe  is  galled,  that  ftirs  too  much  when  he 
 is  touched. 
 
 She,  that  was  cenfured  for  drunken,  cenfures 
 drunkennefs  more  deeply  than  her  reprover  ;  Count 
 not  thine  handmaid  for  a  daughter  of  Belial.  The 
 drunkard's  ftyle  begins  in  lawlefnefs,  proceeds  in  un- 
 profitablenefs,  ends  in  mifery ;  and  all  fhtit  up  in  the 
 denomination  of  this  pedigree,  a  fon  of  BeHah 
 
 £  e  e  2  li 
 
4c4         CONTEMPLATION  S. 
 
 If  Hannah  had  been  tainted  with  this  fin,  flie  would 
 have  denied  it  with  more  favour,  and  have  difclaimcd 
 it  with  an  extenuation  ;  what  if  I  mould  have  been 
 merry  with  wine?  yet  I  might  be  devout.  If  I  mould 
 have  overjoyed  in  my  facriiice  to  God,  one  cup  of 
 excels  had  not  been  fo  heinous :  now  her  freedom  is 
 feen  in  her  feverity.  Thofe,  which  have  clear  hearts 
 from  any  fm,  profecute  it  with  rigour,  whereas  the 
 guilty  are  ever  partial :  their  confcience  holds  their 
 hands,  and  tells  them,  that  they  beat  themfelves 
 whiles  they  punifh  others. 
 
 Now  Eli  fees  his  error,  and  recants  it ;  and,  to  make 
 amends  for  his  rafh  cenfure,  prays  for  her.  Even  the 
 befc  may  err,  but  not  perfift  in  it.  When  good  na- 
 tures have  offended,  they  are  unquiet  till  they  have 
 kaftened  fatisfacnon.  This  was  within  his  office,  to 
 pray  for  the  diltreffed  :  wherefore  ferves  the 
 but  to  facrifice  for  the  people?  And  the  bed  facrifices 
 are  the  prayers  of  faith. 
 
 She,  that  began  her  prayers  with  fading  and  heavi- 
 nefs,  rifes  up  from  them  with  cheerfulnefs  and  repafl. 
 It  cannot  be  fpoken,  how  much  eafe  and  joy  the 
 heart  of  man  finds  in  having  unloaded  his  cares,  and 
 poured  cut  his  {applications  into  the  ears  of  God  ; 
 fince  it  is  well  allured,  that  the  fuit,  which  is  faithfully 
 afked,  is  already  granted  *n  heaven.  The  confcience 
 joriay  well  reft,  when  it  tells  us,  that  we  have  neglect- 
 ed no  means  of  redrefhng  our  affliction  ;  for  then  it 
 may  refolve  to  look  either  for  amendment,  or  patience. 
 
 The  facrifice  is  ended,  and  now  Elkanah  and  his 
 family  rife  up  early  to  return  unto  Ramah ;  but  they 
 dare  not  fet  forward,  till  they  have  worshipped  be- 
 fore the  Lord.  That  journey  cannot  hope  to  profper, 
 that  takes  not  God  with  it.  The  way  to  receive 
 bleiTmgs  at  home,  is  to  be  devout  at  the  temple. 
 
 She  that  before  conceived  faith  in  her  heart,  now 
 conceives  a  fon  in  her  womb,     God  will  rather  work 
 
 miracles2 
 
BOOK  XL     Co nt em.  vi.  405 
 
 miracles,  thai*  faithful  prayers  (hall  return  empty. 
 1  do  not  find  that  Peninnah  afked  any  fon  of  God,  yet 
 fhe  had  ftore;  Hannah  begged  hard  for  this  one,  and 
 could  not  till  now  obtain  him.  They  which  are  dear- 
 eit  to  God,  do  oft-times,  with  great  difficulty,  work 
 out  thofe  bleihngs,  which  fall  into  the  mouths  of 
 the  carelefs.  That  wife  Difpofer  of  all  things  knows 
 it  fit  to  hold  us  iliort  of  thofe  favours  which  we  fue 
 for ;  whether  for  the  trial  of  our  patience,  or  the 
 exercife  of  our  faith,  or  the  increafe  of  our  importu- 
 nity, or  the  doubling  of  our  obligation. 
 
 Thofe  children  are  mod  like  to  prove  bleihngs, 
 which  the  parents  have  -begged  of  God,  and  which 
 are  no  lefs  the  fruit  of  our  fupplkations  than  of  our 
 body.  As  this  child  was  the  fon  of  his  mother's 
 prayers,  and  was  confecrated  to  God  ere  his  pofhbi- 
 lity  of  being  ;  fo  now  himfelf  (hall  know,  both  how 
 he  came,  and  whereto  he  was  ordained  ;  and,  left  he 
 fhould  forget  it,  his  very  name  ihall  teach  him  both  ; 
 She  called  his  name  Samuel.  He  cannot  fo  much  as 
 hear  himfelf  named,  but  he  muft  needs  remember 
 both  the  extraordinary  mercy  of  God,  in  giving  him 
 to  a  barren  mother,  and  the  vow  of  his  mother,  in 
 reftoring  him  back  to  God  by  her  zealous  dedication; 
 and  by  both  of  them  learn  holinefs  and  obedience. 
 There  is  no  neceffity  of  fignificant  names  ;  but  we 
 cannot  have  too  many  monitors  to  put  us  in  mind  cf 
 our  duty. 
 
 It  is  wont  to  be^the  father's  privilege  to  name  his 
 child  :  but  becaufe  this  was  his  mother's  fon,  begot- 
 ten more  by  her  prayers  than  the  feed  of  Elkanah,  it 
 was  but  reafon  that  ihe  mould  have  the  chief  hand 
 both  in  his  name  and  difpofmg.  It  had  been  indeed 
 in  the  power  of  Elkanah  to  have  changed  both  his 
 name  and  profeilion,  and  abrogate  the  vow  of  his  wife ; 
 that  wives  might  know  they  were  not  their  own,  and 
 that  the  rib  might  learn  to  know  the  head  :  but  huf- 
 
 bands 
 
4o6        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 band  fhall  abufe  their  authority,  if  they  (hall  wilfully 
 crofs  the  holy  purpofes  and  religious  endeavours  of 
 their  yoke-fellows.  Kow  much  more  fit  is  it  for  them 
 to  cherilh  ail  good  defires  in  the  weaker  vefleis,  and, 
 as  'we  ufe,  when  we  carry  a  fmall  light  in  a  wind,  to 
 hide  it  with  our  lap,  or  hand,  that  it  may  not  go  out. 
 If  the  wife  be  a  vine,  the  hufband  mould  be  an  elm, 
 to  Uphold  her  in  all  worthy  enterprifes,  elfe  ufhe  falls 
 to  the  ground,  and  proves  fruitlefs. 
 
 The  year  is  now  come  about ;  and  Elk  an  ah  calls 
 his  family  to  their  holy  journey,  to  go  up  to  Jerufa* 
 iem,  for  the  anniverfary  folemnity  of  their  facriiice. 
 Hannah's  heart  is  with  them,  but  me  hath  a  good  ex- 
 cufe  to  flay  at  home,  the  charge  of  her  Samuel :  her 
 fuccefs  in  the  temple,  keeps  her  happiiy  from  the  tem- 
 ple, that  her  devotion  may  be  doubled,  becaufe  it 
 was  refpited.  God  knows  how  to  difpenfe  with  ne- 
 ceffities ;  but  if  we  fuffer  idle  and  needlefs  occafions 
 to  hold  us  from  the  tabernacle  of  God,  our  hearts 
 are  but  hollow  to  religion. 
 
 Now,  at  laft,  when  the  child  was  weaned  from  her 
 hand,  me  goes  up  and  pays  her  vow,  and  with  it 
 pays  the  interefl  of  her  intermiffion.  Never  did  Han- 
 nah go  up  with  fo  glad  an  heart  to  Shihb9  as  now  that 
 flie  carries  God  this  reafonable  prefent,  which  him- 
 felf  gave  to  her,  and  fhe  vowed  to  him ;  accompanied 
 with  the  bounty  of  other  facrifices,  more  in  number 
 and  meafure,  than  the  law  of  God  required  of  her  ; 
 and  all  this  is  too  little  for  her  God,  that  fo  merci- 
 fully remembered  her  affliction,  and  miraculoully  re^ 
 medied  it.  Thofe  hearts  which  are  truly  thankful, 
 do  no  lefs  rejoice  in  repayment,  than  in  their  receipt ; 
 and  do  as  much  fludy  how  to  fhcw  their  humble  and 
 fervent  affections  for  what  they  have,  as  how  to  com  - 
 pafs  favours  when  they  want  them ;  their  debt  is  their 
 burden,  which,  when  they  have  difcharged,  they  are 
 at  eafe. 
 
 If 
 
BOOK  XI.     Con t em.  vn.  407 
 
 If  Hannah  had  repented  of  her  vow,  and  not  pre- 
 sented her  fon  to  the  tabernacle,  Eli  could  not  have 
 challenged  him ;  he  had  only  feen  her  lips  flir,  not 
 hearing  the  promife  of  her  heart.  It  was  enough 
 that  her  own  foul  knew  her  vow,  and  God,  which  was 
 greater  than  it.  The  obligation  of  a  fecret  vow  is  no 
 lefs,  than  if  it  had  ten  thoufand  witneffes. 
 
 Old  Eli  could  not  chufe  but  much  rejoice  to  fee  this 
 fruit  of  thofe  lips,  which  he  thought  moved  with 
 wine  ;  and  this  good  proof,  both  of  the  merciful  au- 
 dience of  God,  and  the  thankful  fidelity  of  his  hand- 
 maid :  this  fight  calls  him  down  to  his  knees,  He 
 worjbipped  the  Lord.  We  are  unprofitable  witneifes 
 of  the  mercies  of  God  and  the  graces  of  men,  if 
 we  do  not  glorify  him  for  others  fakes,  no  lefs  than 
 for  our  own. 
 
 Eli  and  Hannah  grew  now  better  acquainted ;  nei- 
 ther had  he  fo  much  caufe  to  praife  God  for  her  as  fhe 
 afterwards  for  him ;  for  if  her  own  prayers  obtained 
 her  firfl  child,  his  bleffing  enriched  her  with  five  more. 
 If  flie  had  not  given  her  firfl  fon  to  God,  ere  {he  had 
 him,  I  doubt  whether  fhe  had  not  been  ever  barren ; 
 or,  if  (lie  had  kept  her  Samuel  at  home,  whether  ever 
 fhe  had  conceived  again.  Now  that  piety  which  drip- 
 ped her  of  her  only  child  for  the  fervice  of  her  God, 
 hath  multiplied  the  fruit  of  her  womb,  and  gave  her 
 fire  for  that  one,  which  was  flill  no  lefs  hers,  becaufe 
 he  was  God's.  There  is  no  certain  way  of  increafe, 
 as  to  lend  or  give  unto  the  owner  of  all  things. 
 
 Con  t  em.  vn.     Eli  and  his  Jons \ 
 
 TF  the  conveyance  of  grace  were  natural,  holy'  pa- 
 ■*•  rents  would  not  be  fo  ill  iuited  with  children.  What 
 good  man  would  not  rather  wifh  his  loins  dry,  than 
 fruitful  of  wickednefs  ?  Now  we  can  neither  traduce 
 goodnefs,  nor  chufe  but  traduce  fin.     If  virtue  wa> 
 
 as 
 
4c3        CONTE  M  PLATIONS. 
 
 as  well  entailed  upon  us  as  lin,  one  might  ferve  to 
 check  the  other  in  our  children  ;  but  nowimce  grace 
 is  derived  from  heaven  on  whoriifoever  it  pleafes  the 
 Giver,  and  that  evil,  which  ours  receive  hereditarily 
 from  us,  is  multiplied  by  their  own  corruption,  it  can 
 be  no  wonder  that  good  men  have  ill  children  ;  it  is 
 rather  a  wonder  that  any  children  are  not  evil.  The 
 fons  of  Eli  are  as  lewd,  as  himfelf  was  holy.  If  the 
 goodnefs  of  examples,  precepts,  education,  profefii- 
 on,  could  have  been  prefervatives  from  extremity  of 
 fin,  thefe  fons  of  an  holy  father  had  not  been  wicked; 
 now,  neither  parentage,  nor  breeding,  nor  prielthood, 
 can  keep  the  fons  of  Eli  from  the  fons  of  Belial.  If 
 our  children  be  good,  let  us  thank  God  for  it ;  this 
 was  more  than  we  could  give  them  ;  if  evil,  they  may 
 ■Lank  us,  and  themfelves,  us  for  their  birth-fin,  them- 
 felves  for  the  improvement  of  it  to  that  height  of 
 wickednefs. 
 
 If  they  had  not  been  fons  of  Eli,  yet  being  priefts 
 of  God,  who  would  not  have  hoped  their  very  calling 
 fhouldhave  infufed  fome  holinefs  into  them?  But,  now, 
 even  their  white  ephod  covers  foul  fms ;  yea,  rather, 
 if  they  which  ferve  at  the  altar  degenerate,  their 
 wickednefs  is  fo  much  more  above  others,  as  their 
 place  is  holier.  A  wicked  pried  is  the  word  creature 
 upon  earth.  Who  are  devils  but  they  which  were 
 once  angcls-of  light!  Who  can  (tumble  at  the  fms  of 
 the  evangelical  Levitcs,  that  fees  fuch  impurity  even 
 before  the  ark  of  God!  That  God  which  promifed  to 
 be  the  Levites  portion,  had  fet  forth  the  portion  of 
 his  minifters  ;  he  will  feaft  them  at  his  own  altar;  the 
 bread,  and  the  right  fhoulder  of  the  .  peace-offering 
 was  their  morfel.  Thefe  bold  and  covetous  priefts  will 
 rather  have  the  flefh-hook  their  arbiter,  than  God. 
 Whatfoier  thofe  three  teeth  fallen  upon,  (hall  be  for 
 their  tooth  ;  they  were  weary  of  one  joint,  and  now 
 their  delicacy  affects  variety  ;  God  is  not  worthy  to 
 
 carve 
 
B  O  O  K  XL     Conte  m.  vn.         409 
 
 carve  for  thefe  men,  but  their  own  hands ;  and  this 
 they  do  not  receive,  but  take  ;  and  take  violently,  un- 
 feafbnably.     It  had  been  fit  God  fhould  be  firft  ferved : 
 their  prefumption  will  not  flay  his  leifure  ;  ere  the  fat 
 be  burned,  ere  the  flefh  be  boiled,  they  match  more 
 than  their  {hare  from  the  altar  ;  as  if  the  God  of  hea- 
 ven fhould  wait  on  their  palate ;  as  if  the  Ifraelites  had 
 come  thither  to  facrirlce  to  their  bellies.  And,  as  com- 
 monly a  wanton  tooth  is  the  harbinger  to  luxurious 
 wantonnefs,  they  are  no  fooner  fed,  than  they  neigh 
 after  the  dames  of  IfraeL     Holy  women  affemble  to 
 the  door  of  the  tabernacle ;  thefe  varlets  tempt  them 
 to  lull,  that  came  thither  for  devotion :  they  had  wives 
 of  their  own,  yet  their  unbridled  dcfires  rove  after 
 flrangers,  and  fear  not  to  pollute  even  that  holy  place 
 with  abominable  filthinefs.     O  fins  too  fnamefui  for 
 men,  much  more  for  the  fpiritual  guides  of  Ifrael! 
 He,  that  makes  himfelf  a  fervant  to  his  tooth,  (hall  ea- 
 fily  become  a  flave  to  all  inordinate  afFe&ions.     That 
 altar,  which  expiated  other  mens  fins,  added  "to  the 
 fins  of  the  facrificers.     Doubtlefs  many  a  foul  was  the 
 cleaner  for  the  blood  of  the  facriiices  which  they  filed, 
 while  their  own  were  more  impure ;  and  as  the  altar 
 cannot  fan&ify  the  pried,  fo  the  uncleanncfs  of  the 
 rninifter  cannot  pollute  the  offering ;  becaufe  the  vir- 
 tue thereof  is  not  in  the  agent,  but  in  the  inftitution ; 
 in  the  representation  his  fin  is  his  own,  the  comfort  of 
 the  facrament  is  from  God.     Our  clergy  is  no  charter 
 for  heaven.  Even  thofe,  whofe  trade  is  devotion,  tilay 
 at  once  (hew  the  way  to  heaven  by  their  tongue,  and 
 by  their  foot  lead  the  way  to  hell.     It  is  neither  a 
 cowl,  nor  an  ephod,  that  can  privilege  the  foul. 
 
 The  fin  of  thefe  men  was  worthy  of  contempt,  yea 
 perhaps  their  perfons ;  but  for  the  people  therefore 
 to  abhor  the  offerings  of  the  Lord,  was  to  add  their 
 evil  unto  the  priefts,  and  to  offend  God,  becaufe  he 
 was  offended.     There  can  no  offence  be  juftly  taken, 
 
 Vol.  I.  Fff  '      even 
 
410         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 even  at  men,  much  lefs  at  God  for  the  fake  of  men. 
 No  man's  fins  mould  bring  the  fervice  of  God  into 
 dillike  ;  this  is  to  make  holy  things  guilty  of  our  pro- 
 fanenefs.     It  is  a  dangerous  ignorance,  not  to  diltin- 
 guiih  betwixt  the  work,  and  the  inftrument ;  where- 
 upon it  oft  comes  to  pafs,  that  we  fall  out  with  God, 
 becaufe  we  find  caufe  of  offence  from  men,  and  give 
 Godjuil  cauie  to  abhor  us,  becaufe  we  abhor  his  fer- 
 vice unjuftly.     Although  it  be  true,  of  great  men  e- 
 fpecially,  that  they  are  the  lait  that  know  the  evils  of 
 their  own  houfe,  yet  either  it  could  not  be,  when- all 
 Jfrael  rung  of  the  lewdnefs  of  Eli's  fons,  that  he  only 
 ihould  not  know  it,  or,  if  he  knew  it  not,  his  ignorance 
 cannot  be  excufed  ;  for  a  feafonable  reftraint  might 
 have   prevented   this    extremity    of    debauchednefs. 
 Complaints  are  long  muttered  of  the  great,  ere  they 
 dare  break  forth  into  open  conteflation.     Public  ac- 
 cufations  of  authority  argue  intolerable  extremities  of 
 evil.     Nothing  but  age  can  plead  for  Eli,  that  he 
 was  not  the  firft  accufer  of  his  fons.     Now,  when 
 their  enormities  came  to  be  the  voice  of  the  multitude, 
 he  muff  hear  it  by  force  ;  and  doubtlefs  he  heard  it 
 with  grief  enough,  but  not  with  anger  enough  :  he, 
 that  was  the  judge  of  Ifrael,  ihould  have  unpartially 
 judged  his  own  flefh  and  blood  ;  never  could  he  have 
 offered  a  more  pleafmg  facrifice,  than  the  depraved 
 blood  of  fo  wicked  fons.     In  vain  do  we  rebuke  thofe 
 fins  abroad,  which  we  tolerate  at  home.     That  man 
 makes  himfelf  but  ridiculous,  mat,  leaving  his  own 
 houfe  on  fire,  runs  to  quench  his  neighbour's. 
 
 I  heard  Eli  (harp  enough  to  Hannah,  upon  but  a 
 fufpicion  of  fin,  and  now  how  mild  I  find  him  to  the 
 notorious  crimes  of  his  own !  Why  do  ycu  fo,  my 
 funs?  it  is  no  good  report ;  my  fons,  do  no  more  fo* 
 The  cafe  is  altered  with  the  perfcns.  If  nature 
 may  be  allowed  to  fpeak  in  judgment,  and  to  make 
 difference,  not  of  fins,  but  of  offenders,  the  fentence 
 
 mull 
 
BOOK   XI.      Coktem.  vii.         411 
 
 mufl  needs  favour  of  partiality.     Had  thefe  men  but 
 fome  little  flackened  their  duty,  or  headleily  omit- 
 ted fome  rite  of  the  facriiice,  this  cenfure  had  not  been 
 unfit ;  but  to  punifli  the  thefts,  rapines,  facrileges, 
 adulteries,    incefts  of  his  fons,    with  why  do  ye  fo, 
 was  no  other  than  to  (have  that  head,  which  had  de- 
 ferved  cutting  off.     As  it  is  with  ill  humours,  that  a 
 weak  dofe ,  doth  but  ftir  and  anger  them,  not  purge 
 them  out ;  fo  it  fareth  with  fins ;  an  eafy  reproof 
 doth  but  encourage  wickednefs,  and  makes  it  think 
 itfelf  fo  flight  as  that  cenfure  importeth.  A  vehement 
 rebuke  to  a  capital  evil  is  but  like  a  flrong  ihower  to 
 a  ripe  field,  which  lays  that  corn  which  were  worthy 
 of  a  fickle.     It  is  a  breach  of  juftice,  not  to  proporti- 
 onate the  punifhment  to  the  offence :  to  whip  a  man 
 for  a  murder,  or  to  punifti  the  purfe  for  inceft,  or  to 
 burn  treafon  in   the  hand,  or  to  award  the  flocks  to 
 burglary,  it  is  to  patronize  evil  inflead  of  avenging  it. 
 Of  the  two  extremes,  rigour  is  more  fafe  for  the  pub- 
 lic-weal, becaufe'  the  over  punifhing  of  one  offender 
 frights  many  from  finning.     It  is  better  to  live  in  a 
 common-wealth  where  nothing  is  lawful,  than  where 
 every  thing. 
 
 Indulgent  parents  are  cruel  to  themfelves  and  their 
 pofferity.  Eli  could  not  have  devifed  which  way  to 
 have  plagued  himfelf  and  his  houfe  fo  much,  as  by 
 his  kindnefs  to  his  childrens  fins.  What  variety  of 
 judgments  doth  he  now  hear  of  jxom  the  meffenger  of 
 God !  Firft,  becaufe  his  old  age  (which  ufes  to  be 
 fubjecl  to  choler)  inclined  now  to  mif-favour  his  fons, 
 therefore  there  (hall  not  be  an  old  man  left  of  his 
 houfe  for  ever ;  and  becaufe  it  vexed  .him  not  enough  to 
 fee  his  fons  enemies  to  God  in  their  profeffion,  therefore 
 he  (hall  fee  his  enemy  in  the  habitation  of  the  Lord ; 
 and  becaufe  himfelf  forbore  to  take  vengeance  of  his 
 fons,  and  efteemed  their  life  above  the  glory  of  his 
 Mailer,  therefore  God  will  revenge  liimfclf,  by  kiU 
 F  f  f  2  ling 
 
4i2  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ling  them  both  in  one  day  ;  and  becaufe  he  abufed  his 
 fovereignty  by  conniving  at  fin,  therefore  (hall  his 
 houfe  be  {tripped  of  this  honour,  and  fee  it  tranflated 
 to  another  ;  and,  laftly,  becaufe  he  fuffered  his  fons  to 
 pleafe  their  own  wanton  appetite,  in  taking  meat  off 
 from  God's  trencher,  therefore  thofe  which  remain 
 of  his  houfe  (hall  come  to  his  fucceffors  to  beg  apiece, 
 of  filver,  and  a  morfel  of  bread.  In  a  word,  becaufe 
 he  was  partial  to  his  fons,  God  mall  execute  all  this 
 feverely  upon  him  and  them.  I  do  not  read  of  any 
 fault  Eli  had,  but  indulgence  ;  and  which  of  the  noto- 
 rious offenders  were  plagued  more  1  Parents  need  no 
 other  means  to  make  them  miferable,  than  fparing 
 the  rod. 
 
 Who  ihould  be  the  bearer  of  thefe  fearful  tidings 
 to  Eli,  but  young  Samuel,  whom  himfelf  had  trained 
 up !  He  was  now  grown  pail  his  mother's  coats,  fit 
 for  the  meffage  of  God.  Old  Eli  rebuked  not  his 
 young  fons,  therefore  young  Samuel  is  fent  to  rebuke 
 him.  I  marvel  net,  whiles  the  prieflhood  was  k>  cor- 
 rupted, if  the  word  of  God  were  precious,  if  there 
 were  public  vifion.  It  is  not  the  manner  of  God  to 
 grace  the  unworthy.  The  ordinary  miniflration  in  the 
 temple  was  too  much  honour  for  thofe  that  robbed 
 the  altar,  though  they  had  no  extraordinary  revelati- 
 ons. Hereupon  it  was,  that  God  lets  old  Eli  fleep, 
 (who  ficpt  in  his  fin)  and  awakes  Samuel,  to  tell  him 
 what  he  would  do  with  his  matter.  He,  which  was 
 wont  to  be  the  mouth  of  God  to  the  people,  mud  now 
 receive  the  meffage  of  God  from  the  mouth  of  ano- 
 ther :  as  great  perfons  will  not  fpeak  to  thofe  with 
 whom  they  are  highly  offended,  but  fend  them  their 
 checks  by  others. 
 
 The  lights  of  the  temple  were  now  dim,  and  almofl 
 ready  to  give  place  to  the  morning,  when  God  called 
 Samuel ;  to  fignify  perhaps,  that  thofe,  which  mould 
 h?.ye  been  the  lights  of  Ifrael,  burned  no  lefs  dimly, 
 
 and 
 
BOOK  XL      Con t em.  vii.        413 
 
 and  were  near  their  going  out,  and  fhould  be  fucceed- 
 ed  with  one  fo  much  more  lightfome  than  they,  as 
 the  fun  was  more  bright  than  the  lamps.  God  had 
 good  leifure  to  have  delivered  this  meflage  by  day, 
 but  he  meant  to  make  ufe  of  Samuel's  miftaking  ;  and 
 therefore  fo  fpeaks,  that  Eli  may  be  aiked  for  an  an- 
 fwer, and  perceive  himfeif  both  omitted  and  cenfured. 
 He  that  meant  to  ufe  Samuel's  voice  to  Eli,  imitates 
 the  voice  of  Eli  to  Samuel:  Sa?nuel  had  fo  accuitorn- 
 cd  himfeif  to  obedience,  and  to  anfwer  the  call  of  £/f, 
 that  lying,  in  the  further  cells  of  the  Levites,  he  is  ea- 
 fiiy  raifed  from  his  deep  ;  and  even  in  the  night  runs 
 for  his  meflage  to  him,  who  was  rather  to  receive  it 
 from  him.  Thrice  is  the  old  man  difquieted  with  the 
 diligence  of  his  fervant ;  and,  though  villous  were  rare 
 in  his  days,  yet  is  he  not  fo  unacquainted  with  God, 
 as  not  to  attribute  that  voice  to  him,  which  himfeif 
 heard  not.  Wherefore,  like  a  better  tutor  than  a  pa- 
 rent, he  teaches  Samuel  what  he  mall  anfwer,  Speak 
 Lord,  far  thy  fervant  heareth. 
 
 It  might  have  pieafed  God,  at  the  firft  call,  to  have 
 delivered  his  meflage  to  Samuel,  not  expecting  the  an- 
 fwer of  a  novice  ^nfeen  in  the  vifons  of  God;  yet 
 doth  he  rather  defer  it  till  the  fourth  fummons,  and 
 will  not  fpeak  till  Samuel  confeflfed  his  audience.  God 
 loves  ever  to  prepare  his  fervants  for  his  employments, 
 and  will  not  commit  his  errands  but  to  thofe  whom 
 he  addrefTeth,  both  by  wonder  and  attention,  and  hu- 
 mility. 
 
 Eli  knew  wrell  the  gracious  fafhion  of  God,  that, 
 wThere  he  tended  a  favour,  prorogation  could  be  no 
 hinderance,  and  therefore,  after  the  call  of  God  thrice 
 anfwered  with  lilence,  he  inflrucls  Samuel  to  be  rea- 
 dy for  the  fourth.  If  Samuel's  filence  had  been  wil- 
 ful, I  doubt  whether  he  had  been  again  folicitcd ; 
 now  God  doth  both  pity  his  error,  and  requite  his  di- 
 ligence, by  redoubling  his  name  at  the  laft. 
 
 Samuel 
 
414        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Samuel  had  now  many  years  miniftered  before  the 
 Lord,  but  never  till  now  heard  his  voice ;  and  now 
 hears  it  with  much  terror,  for  the  firft  word  that  he 
 hears  God  fpeak  is  threatening,  and  that  of  vengeance 
 «  to  his  mailer.  What  were  thefe  menaces,  but  lb  ma- 
 ny premonitions  to  himfelf  that  fhould  fucceed  Eli  f 
 God  begins  early  to  feafon  their  hearts  with  fear, 
 whom  he  means  to  make  eminent  inflruments  of  his 
 glory.  It  is  his  mercy  to  make  us  witneffes  of  the 
 judgments  of  others,  that  we  may  be  forewarned,  ere 
 we  have  the  occaHons  of  finning. 
 
 I  do  not  hear  God  bid  Samuel  deliver  his  meffage 
 to  Eli.  He,  that  was  but  now  made  a  prophet,  knows, 
 that  the  errands  of  God  intend  not  filence ;  and  that 
 God  would  not  have  fpoken  to  him  of  another,  if  he 
 had  meant  the  news  mould  be  referved  to  himfelf: 
 neither  yet  did  he  run  with  open  mouth  unto  Eli,  to 
 tell  him  this   vifion  unafked.     No  wife  man  will  be 
 hafly  to  bring  ill  tidings  to  the  great ;  rather  doth  he 
 jlay  till  the  importunity  of  his  matter  mould  wring  it 
 from  his  unwillingnefs ;  and  then,  as  his  concealment 
 mewed  his  love,  fo  his  full  relation  fhall  approve  his 
 fidelity.     If  the  heart  of  Eli  had  not  told  him  this 
 news,  before  God  told  it  Samuel,  he  had  never  been 
 fo  inflant  with  Samuel  not  to  conceal  it :  his  confci- 
 ence  did  well  prefage  that  it  concerned  himfelf.  Guilti- 
 nefs  needs  no  prophet  to  anure  it  of  punifhment.  The 
 mind  that  is  troubled  projecteth  terrible  things';  and 
 though  it  cannot  fmgle  out  the  judgment   allotted  to 
 it,  yet  it  is  in  a  confufed  expectation  of  fome  grievous 
 evil.     Surely  Eli  could  not  think  it  worfe  than  it  was; 
 the  fentence  was  fearful,  and  fuch  as,  I  wonder,  the 
 neck,  or  the  heart  of  old  Eli  could  hold  cut  the  re- 
 port of ;  That  God  fwears  he  will  judge  Eli's  houfe, 
 and  that  with  beggary,  with  death,  with  defolation, 
 and  that  the  wickednefs  of  his  houfe  mall  not  be  pur- 
 ged with  facriiice  or  offerings  for  ever  ;  and  yet  this, 
 
 which 
 
BOOK    XI.     Con  t  em.  vn.         415 
 
 which  every  Ifraelite\  ear  fhould  tingle  to  hear  of, 
 when  it  fhould  be  done,  old  Eli  hears  with  an  unmo- 
 ved patience  and  humble  fubmiffion  ;  It  is  the  Lord, 
 let  him  do  what  feemeth  him  good.  O  admirable 
 faith,  and  more  than  human  conftancy  and  refolution, 
 worthy  of  the  aged  prefident  of  Shiloh,  worthy  of  an 
 heart  facrificed  to  that  God,  whofe  juftice  had  refufed 
 to  expiate  his  fin  by  facrifice  !  If  Eli  have  been  an  ill 
 father  to  his  fons,  yet  he  is  a  good  fon  to  God,  and 
 is  ready  to  kifs  the  very  rod  he  fhall  fmart  withal :  It 
 is  the  Lord,  whom  I  have  ever  found  holy  and  juft, 
 and  gracious,  and  he  cannot  but  be  himfelf:  Let 
 him  do  what  feemeth  him  good  ;  for  whatfoever  feem- 
 eth good  to  him,  cannot  but  be  good,  howfoever  it 
 feems  to  me.  Every  man  can  open  his  hand  to  God 
 while  he  blefTes ;  but  to  expofe  ourfelves  willingly  to 
 the  afflicting  hand  of  our  Maker,  and  to  kneel  to  him, 
 while  he  fcourges  us,  is  peculiar  only  to  the  faithful. 
 If  ever  a  good  heart  could  have  freed  a  man  from 
 temporal  puniiliments,  Eli  rauft  needs  have  efcaped. 
 God's  anger  was  appeafed  by  his  humble  repentance, 
 but  his  jultice  mull  be  fatisfied.  Eli}s  fin,  and  his  fons, 
 was  in  the  eye  and  mouth  of  all  Ifracl ;  his  therefore 
 fhouid  have  been  much  wronged  by  their  impunity. 
 Who  would  not  have  made  thefe  fpiritual  guides  an 
 example  of  lawlefnefs,  and  have  faid,  What  care  I 
 how  I  live,  if  Eli's  fons  go  away  unpunifhed  ?  As  not 
 the  tears  of  Eli,  lo  not  the  words  of  Samuel,  may  fall 
 to  the  ground.  We  may  not  meafure  the  difpleafure 
 of  God  by  his  ftripes.  Many  times,  after  the  remiilion 
 of  the  fin,  the  very  chaftifements  of  the  Almighty  arc 
 deadly.  No  repentance  can  affure  us,  that  we  iliall 
 not  fmart  with  outward  afflictions  ;  that  can  prevent 
 the  eternal  difpleafure  of  God,  but  dill  it  may  be  ne- 
 ceflary  and  good  we  fhould  be  corrected  :  our  care  and 
 fuit  mult  be,  that  the  evils,  which  ihall  not  be  avert 
 ted,  may  be  fancniied. . 
 
 If 
 
4itf        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 If  the  prediction  of  thefe  evils  were  fearful,  what 
 fhall  the  execution  be  ?  The  preemption  of  the  ill- 
 taught  Ifraelites  ilia.Il  give  occaf on  to  this  judgment ; 
 for,  being  fmitten  before  the  Pbiliftines,  they  fend  for 
 the  ark  into  the  field.     Who  gave  them  authority  to 
 command  the  ark  of  God  at  their  pleafure?  Here  was. 
 no  confulting  with  the  ark,  which  they  would  fetch  ; 
 no  enquiry  of  Samuel ^  whether  they  mould  fetch  it  ; 
 but  an  heady  resolution  of  preiumptuous  elders  to  force 
 God  into  the  field,  and  to  challenge  fuccefs.     If  God 
 were  not  with  die  ark,  why  did  they  fend  for  it,  and 
 rejoice  in  the  coming  of  it?  If  God  were  with  it,  why 
 was  not  his  allowance  alked  that  it  mould  come  ?   How 
 can  the  people  be  good,  where  the  priefts  are  wicked  ? 
 AVhen  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  of  hods, 
 that  dwells  between  the  cherubims,  was  brought  into 
 the  hod,  though  with  mean  and  wicked  attendance, 
 Ifracl  doth,  ai  it  were,  fill  the  heaven,  and  make  the 
 earth  with  (hours ;  as  if  the  ark  and   victory  were  no 
 lefs  inseparable,  than  they  and  their  fins;     Even  the 
 lewdelt  men  will  be  looking  for  favour  from  that  God, 
 whom  they  cared  not  to  difpleafe,  contrary  to  the 
 conicience  of  their  defervings.    Prefiiffiptibn  doth  the 
 fame  in  wicked  men,  which  faith  doth  in  the  holieft. 
 Thofe,  that  regarded  not  the  God  of  the  ark.  think 
 themfelves  fafe  and  happy  in  the  ark  of  God.     Vain 
 men  are  tranfported  with  a  confidence  in  the  outfidc 
 of  religion,  not  regarding  the  (ubitance  and  foul  of  it, 
 which  on}y  can  give  them   tn£2   peace.     But,  rather 
 than  God  will  hmponr  fuperflition  in  Ifraelites,  he 
 will  fuifer  his  own  ark  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  Phili- 
 fiines.     Rather  will  he  fe-em  to  fiacken  his  hand  of 
 protection,  than  he  will  be  thought  to  have  his  hands 
 bound  by  a  formal  mifconSdence.     The  (laughter  of 
 the  Ifraelites  was  no  plague  to  this ;  it  was  a  greater 
 plague  rather  to  them  that  flaould  furvive  and  behold 
 it.     The  two  fons  of  £/*,  which  had  helped  to  corrupt 
 
 their 
 
BOOK    XL     Coxtem.    vii.  I417 
 
 their  brethren,"  die  by  the  hand  of  the  unci rcumci fed, 
 and  are  now  too  late  feparated  from  the  ark  of  God 
 by  Pbiliftines,  which  mould  have  been  before  fepa- 
 rated by  their  father.  They  had  lived  formerly  to 
 bring  God's  altar  into  contempt,  and  now  live  to  car- 
 ry his  ark  into  captivity,  and,  at  Jail,  as  thofe  that 
 had  made  up  the  meafure  of  their  wickednefs,  are  (lain 
 in  their  (in. 
 
 Ill  news  doth  ever  either  run,  or  fly.  The  man  of 
 Benjamin,  which  ran  from  the  hod,  hath  fooa  filled 
 the  city  with  out-cries,  and  Eli's  ears  with  the  cry  of 
 the  city.  The  good  old  man,  after  ninety  and  eight 
 years,  fits  in  the  gate,  as  one  that  never  thought  him- 
 fclf  too  aged  to  do  God  fervice ;  and  hears  the  news 
 of  IfraePs  difcomfiture,  and  his  fons  death, t  though 
 with  forrow,  yet  with  patience :  but,  when  the  meft 
 fenger  tells  him  of  the  ark  of  God  taken,  he  can  live 
 no  longer;  that  word  ftrikes  him  down  backward  from 
 his  throne,  and  kills  him  in  the  fall.  No  fword  of  a 
 Philiftine  could  have  (lain  him  more  painfully:  nei- 
 ther know  I  whether  his  neck,  or  his  heart,  were  {\vil 
 broken.  O  fearful  judgment,  that  ever  any  Ifrfttliteh 
 ear  could  tingle  withal !    The  ark  loll !    What  pood 
 
 O  O 
 
 man  would  wiih  to  live  without  God  !  Who  can  chufe 
 but  think  he  hath  lived  too  long,  that  hath   over-lived 
 the  tedhicnies  of  God's  prefeiice  with   his  church  ? 
 Yea,  the  very  daughter-in-law  of    Eli,    a  woman  the 
 wife  of  a  lewd  husband,  when  ihe  was  ac  once  n 
 ing,  (upon  that  tidings)  and   in   that  travel   dyir: 
 make  up  the  full   rum  of  God's  judgment  upon   that 
 wicked  houfe,  as  one  infcnfibie  of  the  death  of  her 
 father,  of  her  husband,   of  herfclf,  in  ccrmv.irLbn  of 
 this    lofs,    calls   her  (then   unfeaforabl:-)  fon   Ichi 
 and  with   her  laft   breath   fays,    The  ghry  is  depart- 
 ed from   Ifrael,   the   ark   is   taken.     What   cares   ihe 
 for  a  poflerity,    which   (hould  want   the  ark  j    What 
 cares  (lie  for  a   fon  come  into  the  world    of 
 Vol,  I,  G  g  g 
 
418       CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 when  God  was  gone  from  it!  And  how  willingly 
 doth  (he  depart  from  them,  from  whom  God  was  de- 
 parted !  Not  outward  magnificence,  not  Hate,  not 
 wealth,  not  favour  of  the  mighty,  but  the  prefence  of 
 God  in  his  ordinances,  are  the  glory  of  Ifrael ;  the 
 fubducing  whereof  is  a  greater  judgment  than  de- 
 finition. 
 
 O  Ifrael,  worfe  now  than  no  people !  a  thoufand 
 times  more  miferable  than  Philiftines  !  Thofe  Pagans 
 went  away  triumphing  with  the  ark  of  God,  and 
 victory,  and  leave  the  remnants  of  the  chofen  people 
 to  lament,  that  they  once  had  a  God. 
 
 O  cruel  and  wicked  indulgence,  that  is  now  found 
 guilty  of  the  death,  not  only  of  the  priefts  and  people, 
 but  of  religion  !  Unjufl  mercy  can  never  end  in  lefs 
 than  blood  :  and  it  were  well,  if  oniy  the  body  (hould 
 have  caufe  to  complain  of  that  kind  cruelty. 
 
 BOOK     TWELFTH. 
 
 Con  t  em.    i.     Ark  ^  Dagon. 
 
 F  men  did  not  miftake  God,  they  could  not  arifc 
 to  fuch  height  of  impiety  :  the  acts  of  his  juif  judg- 
 ment are  imputed  to  impotence.  That  God  would 
 fend  his  ark  captive  to  the  Philiftines  y  is  fo  ccnflrued 
 by  them,  as  if  he  could  not  keep  it.  The  wife  of  Phi- 
 nehas  cried  oat,  That  glory  was  departed  from  Ifrael  ; 
 the  Philfnnes  dare  fay  in  triumph,  that  glory  is  de- 
 parted from  the  God  of  Ifrael.  The  ark  was  not  If 
 rael's,  but  God's ;  this  victory  reaches  higher  than 
 to  men.  Dagon  had  never  fo  great  a  day,  fo  many 
 'acrifices,  as  now  that  he  feems  to  take  the  God  of 
 Ifrael  prifoner.  Where  {hould  the  captive  be  beftow- 
 but  in  cuftody  of  the  victor !  It  is  not  love, 
 .  infultation,  that  lodges  the  ark  clofe  befide   Da- 
 
BOOK   XII.    Con  t  em.  I.  419 
 
 gon.  What  a  fpeclacle  was  this,  to  fee  uncircumcifed 
 Philiftines  laying  their  profane  hands  upon  the  tefti- 
 mony  of  God's  pfefence !  to  fee  the  glorious  rnercy^ 
 feat  under  the  roof  of  an  idol  i  to  fee  the  two  Cheru- 
 bims  fpreading  their  wings  under  a  falfe  god  ! 
 
 O  the  deep  and  holy  wifdom  of  the  Almighty,  which 
 over-reaches  all  the  finite  conceits  of  his  creatures, 
 who,  while  he  feems  mod  to  neglecl  himfelf,  fetches 
 about  mod  glory  to  his  own  name !  he  winks  and  fits 
 dill  on  purpofe  to  fee  what  men  would  do,  and  is 
 content  to  differ  indignity  from  his  creature  for  a  time, 
 that  he  may  be  everladingly  magnified  in  his  judice 
 and  power.  That  honour  pleafeth  God  and  men  bed, 
 which  is  raifed  out  of  contempt. 
 
 The  ark  of  God  was  not  ufed  to  fuch  porters ;  the 
 Philiftines  carry  it  unto  AJbdod,  that  the  vi&ory  of 
 Dagon  may  be  more  glorious.  What  pains  fuperdi- 
 tion  puts  men  unto,  for  the  triumph  of  a  falfe  caufe  I 
 And  if  profane  Philiftines  can  think  it  no  roil  to  car- 
 ry the  ark  where  they  fliould  not,  what  a  fhame  is  it 
 for  us,  if  we  do  not  gladly  attend  it  where  we  fliould! 
 How  judly  may  God's  truth  fcorn  the  imparity  of 
 our  zeal ! 
 
 If  the  Ifraelites  did  put  confidence  in  the  ark,  can 
 we  marvel,  that  the  Philiftines  did  put  confidence  in 
 that  power,  which,  as  they  thought,  had  conquered 
 the  ark  ?  The  lefs  is  ever  fubjecl  unto  the  greater  5 
 what  could  they  now  think,  but  that  heaven  and 
 earth  were  theirs  ?  Who  fhall  ftand  out  againd  them, 
 when  the  God  of  Ifracl  hath  yielded  !  Security  and 
 prefumption  attend  ever  at  the  threfliold  of  ruin. 
 
 God  will  let  them  fleep  in  this  confidence ;  in  the 
 morning  they  fhall  find  how  vainly  they  have  dream- 
 ed. Now  they  begin  to  find  they  have  but  gloried 
 in  their  own  plague,  and  overthrown  nothing  bat  their 
 own  peace.  Dagon  hath  an  houfe,~  when  God  hath 
 fcut  a  tabernacle.     It  is  no  meafuring  of  religion  by 
 
 G  g  2  outward 
 
420         CONTEMPLA  T  IONS. 
 
 outward  glory.  Into  this  houfe  the  proud  Philijliaes 
 come,  the  next  morning,  to  congratulate  unto  their 
 f,od,  (o  great  a  captive,  fuch  divine  fpoils,  and,  in 
 their  early  devotions,  to  fall  down  before  him,  under 
 whom  the  God  of  Ifrael  was  fallen ;  and  lo,  where 
 they  find  their  god  fallen  down  on  the  ground  upon 
 his  face,  before  him  whom  they  thought  both  his 
 prifoner  and  theirs.  Their  god  is  forced  to  do  that, 
 which  they  fliould  have  done  voluntarily  ;  although 
 God  cads  down  that  dumb  rival  of  his  for  fcorn,  not 
 for  adoration.  O  ye  foolifli  Pbiliftines,  could  ye 
 chink  that  tie  fame  houfe  would  hold  God  and  Dagon! 
 Could  ye  think  a  fenfelefs  (tone  a  fit  companion  and 
 guardian  for  the  living  God  1  Had  ye  laid  your  Da- 
 gon upon  his  face,  proitrate  before  the  ark,  yet  would 
 not  God  have  endured  the  indignity  of  fuch  a  lodging; 
 but  now.  that  ye  prefume  to  fet  up  your  carved  ftone 
 equal  to  his  Cherubims,  go  read  your  folly  in  the 
 floor  of  your  temple  ;  and  know,  that  he,  which  caft 
 your  god  fo  low,  can  call  yon  lower. 
 
 The  true  God  owes  a  (name  to  thofe,  which  will  be 
 making  matches  between  himfelf  and  Belial. 
 
 But  this  perhaps  was  only  a  mifchance,  or  a  neglecl 
 of  attendance.  Lay  to  your  hands,  O  ye  Pbilijlines, 
 and  raife  up  Dagon  into  his  place.  It  is  a  miferable 
 ^od  that  needs  helping  up ;  had  ye  not  been  more 
 fenfelefs  than  that  (lone,  how  could  you  chufe  but 
 think,  How  {hall  he  raife  us  above  our  enemies,  that 
 cannot  rife  alone  ?  How  {hall  he  eftablifh  us  in  the 
 itation  of  cur  peace,  that  cannot  hold  his  own  foot? 
 If  Dagon  did  give  the  foil  unto  the  God  of  Ifrael,  what 
 power  is  it  that  hath  cad  him  upon  his  face,  in  his 
 le?  It  is  juft  with  God,  that  thofe  which 
 want  grace  fliafl  want  wit  too.  It  is  the  power  of 
 fuperflition  to  turn  men  into  thofe  (locks  and  ftone^ 
 \\hich  they  worfhip  :    they   that  make   them  are  like 
 
 itp  them.      Doubtleis  this  firft  fall   of  Dagon  was 
 
 kepi 
 
BOOK    XII.    Contem.  i.  421 
 
 kept  as  fecret,  and  excufed  as  well  as  it  might,  and 
 ferved  rather  for  aftonilhment  than  convi&ion  ;  there 
 was  more  llrangenefs  than  horror  in  that  accident. 
 That  whereas  Dagon  had  went  to  {land,  and  the 
 Pbiiijlines  fall  down,  now  Dagon  fell  down,  and  the 
 Pbiiijlines  flood,  and  mud  become  the  patrons  of  their 
 own  god ;  their  god  worfhips  them  upon  his  face,  and 
 craves  more  help  from  them  than  ever  he  could  give. 
 But,  if  their  fottifhnefs  can  digeft  this,  all  is  well. 
 
 Diigon  is  fet  in  his  place,  and  now  thofe  hands  are 
 lift  up  to  him  which  helped  to  lift  him  up;  and  thofe 
 faces  are  proftrate  unto  him,  before  whom  he  lay 
 proflrate.  Idolatry  and  fuperflition  are  not  eafily  put 
 out  of  countenance :  but  will  the  jealoufy  of  the  true 
 Q6d  put  it  up  thus  ?  iliall  Dagon  efcape  with  an  harm- 
 lefs  fall  !  Surely,  if  they  had  let  him  ly  flill  upon 
 the  pavement,  perhaps  that  infenfible  flatue  had  found 
 no  o:her  revenge;  but  now  they  will  be  advancing 
 it  to  the  rood-loft  again,  and  affront  God's  ark  with 
 it ;  the  event  will  fhame  them,  and  let  them  know, 
 how  much  God  fcorns  a  partner,  either  of  his  own 
 making  or  theirs. 
 
 The  morning  is  fitteft  for  devotion ;  then  do  the 
 PbiUfiines  flock  to  the  temple  of  their  god.  What  a 
 fhame  is  it  for  us  to  come  late  to  outs  !  Although  not 
 fo  much  piety  as  curiofity  did  now  haflen  their  fpeed, 
 to  fee  what  reft  their  Dagon  wras  allowed  to  get  in  his 
 own  roof;  and  now7,  behold,  their  kind  god  is  come  to 
 meet  them  in  the  way  ;  fome  pieces  of  him  falute  their 
 eyes  upon  the  threfliold.  Dagonh  head  and  hands 
 are  over-run  their  fellows,  to  tell  the  Phiiijlines  how 
 much  they  were  rail  taken  in  a  god. 
 
 This  fecond  fall  breaks  the  idol  in  pieces,  and 
 threats  the  fame  confufion  to  the  worlhippers  of  it. 
 Eafy  warnings  neglected  end  ever  in  definition.  The 
 head  is  for  devifing,  the  hand  for  execution  :  in  thefe 
 two  powers  of  their  god  did  the  Pbiiijlines  chiefly 
 
 truftj 
 
422  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 trufl;  thefe  are  therefore  laid  under  their  feet  upon 
 the  threfhold,  that  they  might  afar  off  fee  their  vani- 
 ty, and  that,  if  they  would,  they  might  fet  their 
 foot  on  that  bed  piece  of  their  god,  whereon  their 
 heart  was  fet. 
 
 There  was  nothing  wherein  that  idol  refembled  a 
 man,  but  in  his  head,  and  hands,  the  reft  was  but  a  fcale- 
 ly  portraiture  of  a  fifh ;  God  would  therefore  fepa- 
 rate  from  this  ftone  that  part  which  had  mocked  man 
 with  the  counterfeit  of  himfelf ;  that  man  might  fee 
 what  an  unworthy  lump  he  had  matched  with  him- 
 felf, and  fet  up  above  himfelf.  The  jufl  quarrel 
 of  God  is  bent  upon  thofe  means,  and  that  parcel, 
 w7hich  have  dared  to  rob  him  of  his  glory. 
 
 How  can  the  Philiftines  now  mifs  the  fight  of  their 
 own  folly  ?    How  can  they  be  but  enough  convict- 
 ed of  their  mad  idolatry,  to  fee  their  god   ly  broken 
 to  morfels  under  their  feet ;  every  piece  whereof  pro- 
 claims the  power  of  him  that  brake  it,  and  the  ftupi- 
 dity  of  thofe  that  adored  it  ?    Who  would  expect  any 
 other  iffue  of  this  aft,  but  to  hear  the  Pbilijlines  fay, 
 We  now  fee  how  fuperflition  hath  blinded  us !    Da- 
 gon is  no  god  for  us ;  our  hearts  {hall  never  more  reft 
 upon    a   broken  ftatue;    that  only  true  God,  which 
 hath  broken  ours,  (hall  challenge  us  by   the  right  of 
 conqueft.     But  here  was  none  of  this ;    rather  a  fur- 
 ther  degree   of  their  dotage  follows  upon  this  pal- 
 pable conviction  :    they  cannot  yet  fufpeft  that  god, 
 whofc  head  they   may  trample  upon ;  but,  inftead  of 
 hating  their  Dagon,  that  lay  broken  upon   their  thre- 
 fhold,   they   honour   the  threfhold  on  which  Dagon 
 lay,  and  dare  not  fet  their  foot  on  that  place,    which 
 was  hallowed  by  the  broken  head  and  hands  of  their 
 deity.     O    the  obftinacy  of   idolatry,   which,    where 
 it  hath  got  hold  of  the  heart,  knows  neither  to  blufh 
 nor  yield,  but  rather  gathers  flrength  from  that  which 
 might  juftly  confound  it !  The  hand  of  the   Almigh- 
 
 7 
 
BOOK  XII.    Cont,em.   i*         423 
 
 ty,  which  moved  them  not,  in  falling  upon  their  god, 
 falls  now  nearer  them  upon  their  perfons,  and  ftrikes 
 them  in  their  bodies,  which  would  not  feel  them- 
 felves  ftricken  in  their  idol.  Pain  {Hall  humble  them 
 whom  fhame  cannot.  Thofe,  which  had  entertained 
 the  fecret  thoughts  of  abominable  idolatry  within 
 them,  are  now  plagued  in  the  inwardeft  and  mod  fe- 
 cret part  of  their  bodies,  with  a  loathfome  difeafe; 
 and  now  grow  weary  of  themfelves,  inftead  of  their 
 idolatry.  I  do  not  hear  them  acknowledge  it  was 
 God's  hand,  which  had  ftricken  Dagon  their  god,  till 
 now  they  find  themfelves  ftricken.  God's  judgments 
 are  the  rack  of  godlefs  men ;  if  one  drain  make  them 
 not  confefs,  let  them  be  ftretched  but  one  wrench 
 higher,  and  they  cannot  be  filent.  The  juft  avenger 
 of  fin  will  not  lofe  the  glory  of  his  executions,  but 
 will  have  men  know  from  whom  they  fmart. 
 
 The  Emerods  were  not  a  difeafe  beyond  the  ccu- 
 pafs  of  natural  caufes ;  neither  was  it  hard  for  the  wi- 
 fer  fort  to  give  a  reafon  of  their  complaint ;  yet  they 
 afcribe  it  to  the  hand  of  God.  The  knowledge  and 
 operation  of  fecondary  caufes  fiiould  be  no  prejudice 
 to  the  firft.  They  are  worfe  than  the  Pbiliflines, 
 who,  when  they  fee  the  means,  do  not  acknowledge 
 the  firft  mover,  whofe  active  juft  power  is  no  lefs  feen 
 in  employing  ordinary  agents,  than  in  raifing  up  ex- 
 traordinary ;  neither  doth  he  lefs  finite  by  a  common 
 fever,  than  by  a  revenging  angel. 
 
 They  judge  right  of  the  caufe ;  what  do  they  re- 
 folve  for  the  cure  ?  Let  not  the  ark  of  the  God  of  If 
 rael  abide  with  us ;  where  they  fhould  have  faid, 
 Let  us  caft  out  Dagon,  that  we  may  pacify  and  retain 
 the  God  of  Ifrael ;  they  determine  to  thruft  out  the 
 ark  of  God,  that  they  might  peaceably  enjoy  them- 
 felves, and  Dagon,  Wicked  men  are  upon  ail  occa- 
 fions  glad  to  be  rid  of  God,  but  they  can,  with  no 
 patience,  endure  to  part  with  their  fins;  and,  while 
 
 they 
 
424         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 they  arc  weary  of  the  hand  that  *uoi(heth  them,  they 
 hold  fafl  the  caufe  of  their  punifhment. 
 
 Their  firfl  and  only  care  is  to  put  away  him,  who  as 
 he  hath  corrected,  fo  can  eafe  them.  Folly  is  never 
 feparated  from  wickednefs. 
 
 Their  heart  told  them  that  they  had  no  right  to 
 the  ark.  A  council  is  called  of  their  princes  and 
 priefls.  If  they  had  refolved  to  fend  it  home,  they 
 had  done  wifely.  Now  they  do  not  carry  it  away, 
 hut  they  carry  it  about  from  Ebenezer  to  Afidod,  from 
 Afidod  to  Gath,  from  Gath  to  Ekron.  Their  flo- 
 raach  was  greater  than  their  confcience.  The  ark 
 was  too  fore  for  them  ;  yet  it  was  too  good  for  Ifra- 
 el ;  and  they  will  rather  die,  than  make  Ifrael  happy. 
 Their  conceit,  that  the  change  of  the  air  could  ap- 
 peafe  the  ark,  God  ufeth  to  his  own  advantage ;  for 
 by  this  means  his  power  is  known,  and  his  judg- 
 ment fpread  over  all  the  country  of  the  Philiftines. 
 .What  do  thefe  men  now,  but  fend  the  plague  of  God 
 to  their  fellows !  The  juftice  of  God  can  make  the 
 fins  of  men  their  mutual  executioners.  It  is  the  faflii- 
 on  of  wicked  men  to  draw  their  neighbours  into  the 
 parrnerfhip  of  their  condemnation. 
 
 Wherefoever  the  ark  goes,  there  is  definition.  The 
 beft  of  God's  ordinances,  if  they  be  not  proper  to  us, 
 are  deadly.  The  Israelites  did  not  more  fliout  for 
 joy,  when  they  faw  the  ark  come, to  them,  than  the 
 Ekronites  cry  out  for  grief  to  fee  it  brought  amongft 
 them.  Spriritual  things  are  either  fovereign  or  hurt- 
 ful, according  to  the  difpofition  of  the  receivers.  The 
 ark  doth  either  fave  or  kill,  as  it  is  entertained. 
 
 At  laft,  when  the  Philiftines  are  well  weary  of  pain 
 and  death,  they  are  glad  to  be  quit  of  their  fin.  The 
 voice  of  the  princes  and  people  is  changed  to  the  bet- 
 ter ;  Send  away  the  ark  cf  the  God  of  Ifrael,  and 
 let  it  return  to  his  oivn  place.  God  knows  how 
 to  bring  the  ftubborneft  enemy  upon  his  knees,  and 
 
 makes 
 
BOOK   XII.     Contem.  ii.  425 
 
 makes  him  do  that  out  of  fear,  which  his  beft  child 
 would  do  out  of  love  and  duty.  How  miferable  was 
 the  eftate  of  thefe  Philiftines  !  Every  man  was  either 
 dead  or  lick.  Thole  that  were  left  living,  through 
 their  extremity  of  pain,  envied  the  dead,  and  the  cry 
 of  their  whole  cities  went  up  to  heaven.  It  is  happy 
 that  God  hath  fuch  More  of  plagues  and  thunderbolts 
 for  the  wicked  :  if  he  had  not  a  fire  of  judgment, 
 wherewith  the  iron  hearts  of  men  might  be  made  flex- 
 ible, he  would  want  obedience,  and  the  world  peace. 
 
 Contem.  11.     The  Ark';  revenge  and  return. 
 
 IT  had  wont  to  be  a  fure  rule,  Wherefoever  God  is 
 mong  men,  there  is  the  church :  here  only  it  fail- 
 ed. The  teflimony  of  God's  prefence  was  many 
 months  amongft  the  Fhiliftines ',  for  a  punifnment  to 
 his  own  people  whom  he  left ;  for  a  curfe  to  thole  fo- 
 reigners which  entertained  it.  Ifrael  was  feven  months 
 without  God.  How  do  we  think  faithful  Samuel 
 took  this  abfence  !  How  defolate  and  forlorn  did  the 
 tabernacle  of  God  look  without  the  ark!  There  were 
 flill  the  altars  of  God  ;  his  priefts,  Levites,  tables, 
 vails,  cenfers,  with  all  their  legal  accoutrements :  thefe 
 without  the  ark,  were  as  the  fun  without  light,  in  the 
 midft  of  an  eclipfe.  If  all  thefe  had  been  taken  a- 
 way,  and  only  the  ark  had  been  remaining,  the  lofs 
 had  been  nothing  to  this,  That  the  ark  mould  be  gone, 
 and  they  left :  for  what  are  ail  thefe  without  God, 
 and  how  all-fufficient  is  God  without  thefe  !  There 
 are  times  wherein  God  withdraws  himfelf  from  his 
 church,  and  feems  to  leave  her  without  comfort,  with- 
 out protection.  Sometimes  we  mail  find  Ifrael  taken 
 from  the  ark,  other  whiles  the  ark  is  taken  from  If- 
 rael :  in  either,  there  is  a  feparation  betwixt  the  ark 
 and  IfraeL  Heavy  times  to  every  true  Ifraetlte  !  yet 
 fuch,  as  whofe  example  may  relieve  us  in  our  defer- 
 Vol.  I.  Hhh  turns. 
 
426         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 tions.  Still  was  this  people  IfraeU  the  feed  of  him 
 that  would  not  be  left  of  God  without  a  blefling  ; 
 and  therefore,  without  the  teftimony  of  his  prefence, 
 was  God  prefent  with  them.  It  were  wide  with  the 
 faithful,  if  God  were  not  oftentimes  with  them,  when 
 there  is  no  wirnefs  of  his  prefence. 
 
 One  aft  was  a  mutual  pennance  to  the  Jfraelites  and 
 P hill/lines,  I  know  not  to  whether  more.  Ifrael 
 grieved  for  the  lofs  of  that,  whofe  prefence  grieved 
 the  Pbiliftincs;  their  pain  was -therefore  no  other  than 
 voluntary.  It  is  ftrange,  that  the  Philiftines  would 
 endure  feven  months  fmart  with  the  ark,  fince  they 
 law  that  the  prefence  of  that  prifoner  would  not  re- 
 quite, no,  nor  mitigate  to  them  one  hour's  mifery. 
 Foolifh  men  will  be  ftruggling  with  God,  till  they  be 
 utterly  either  breathlefs  or  impotent.  Their  hope 
 was.  that  time  might  abate  difpleafure,  even  whiles 
 they  perfifted  to  offend.  The  falfe  hopes  of  worldly 
 men  cod  them  dear  ;  they  could  not  be  fo  miferable, 
 if  their  own  hearts  did  not  deceive  them  with  mif-ex- 
 peclations  of  impoffible  favour. 
 
 In  matters  that  concern  a  God,  who  is  fo  fit  to  be 
 ronfulted  with  as  the  priefts  ?  The  princes  of  the  P hi- 
 lt (lines  had  before  given  their  voices  ;  yet  nothing  i? 
 determined,  nothing  is  done  without  the  direction  and 
 affent  of  thofe  whom  they  accounted  facred.  Nature 
 itfelf  fends  us,  in  divine  things,  to  thofe  perfons  whofe 
 calling  is  divine.  It  is  either  diftruft,  or  prefumption, 
 or  contempt-,  that  carries  us  our  own  ways  in  fpiritual 
 matters,  without  advifmg  with  them  whofe  lips  God 
 hath  appointed  to  preierve  knowledge.  There  can- 
 2iot  but  arife  many  difficulties  in  us  about  the  ark  of 
 God  :  whom  mould  we  confult  with,  but  thofe  which 
 have  the  tongue  of  the  learned  ? 
 
 Doubtlefs,  this  qu  eft  ion  of  the  ark  did  abide  much 
 debating.  There  wanted  not  fair  probabilities  on  both 
 .fides.     A  wife  Philiftine  might  well  plead.  If  God  had 
 
 either 
 
BOOK   XII.     Coktem.  ir.        427 
 
 either,  fo  great  care  of  the  ark,  or  power  to  retain  it, 
 how  is  it  become  ours  ?  A  wifer  than  he  would  reply, 
 If  the  God  of  Ifrael  had  wanted  either  care  or  power, 
 Dagon  and  we  had  been  ftill  whole  :  why  do  we  thus 
 groan  and  die,  all  that  are  but  within  the   air  of  the 
 ark,  if  a  divine  hand  do  not  attend  it  ?  Their  fmart 
 pleads  enough  for  the  difmiflion  of  the  ark.    The  next 
 demand  of  their  priefts  and  foothfayers  is,  how  it  fliould 
 be  fent  home.     Affliction  had  made  them  fo   wife,  as 
 to  know,  that  every  falhion  of  parting  with  the   ark 
 would  not  fatisfy  the  owner.     Oftentimes  the  circum- 
 ftance  of  an  action  mars  the  fubftance.    In  divine  matr 
 ters,  we  muft  not  only  look,  that  the  body  of  our  fer- 
 vice  be  found,  but  that  the  clothes  be  fit.     Nothing 
 hinders,  but  that  fometimes  good  advice  may  fall  from 
 the  mouth  of  wicked  men.    Thefe  fuperflitious  priefts 
 can  counfel  them,  not  to  fend  away  the  ark  of  God 
 empty,  but  \o  give  it  a  fin-offering.     They  had  not 
 lived  fo  far  from  the  fmoke  of  the  JewiJJj  altars,  but 
 that  they  knew  God  was  accuftomed  to  manifold  obla- 
 tions, and  chiefly  to  thofe  of  expiation.     No  Ifraelite 
 could  have  faid  better  :  fuperftition  is  the  ape  of  true 
 devotion ;  and  if  we  look  not  to  the  ground  of  both, 
 many  times  it  is  hard,  by  the  very  outward  acts,  to  di- 
 ftinguifh  them.     Nature  itfelf  teacheth  us,  that  God 
 loves  a  full  hand :  he,  that  hath  been  fo  bountiful  to 
 us  as  to  give  us  all,  looks  for  a  return  of  fome  offer- 
 ing from  us.     If  we  prefent  him  with  nothing  but  our 
 fins,  how  can  we  look  to  be  accepted  ?  The  facrifices 
 under  the  gofpel  are  fpiritual ;  with  thefe  mud  we 
 come  into  the  prefence  of  God,  if  we  defire  to  carry 
 away  remiffion  and  favour. 
 
 The  FhUlftbies  knew  well,  that  it  were  bootlefs  for 
 them  to  offer  what  they  lifted ;  their  next  fait  is  to  be 
 directed  in  the  matter  of  their  oblation.  Pagans  can 
 teach  us,  how  unfafe  it  is  to  walk  in  the  ways  of  reli- 
 gion without  a  guide;  yet  here  their  bell  teachers  can 
 Hhti  2  but 
 
428         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 but  guefs  at  their  duty,  and  muft  devife  for  the  people 
 that  which  the  people  durft  not  impofe  upon  them- 
 felves.  The  golden  emerods  and  mice  were  but  con- 
 jectural prefcripts.  With  what  fecurity  may  we  con- 
 fult  with  them,  which  have  their  directions  from  the 
 mouth  and  hand  of  the  Almighty  ! 
 
 God  flruck  the  Philijlines  at  once  in  their  god,  in 
 their  bodies,  in  their  land  :  in  their  god,  by  his  ruin 
 and  difmembering  ;  in  their  bodies^  by  the  emerods ; 
 in  their  land,  by  the  mice.  That  bafe  vermin  did  God 
 fend  among  them,  on  purpofe  to  iliame  their  Dagon 
 and  them,  that  they  might  fee  how  unable  their  god 
 was,  which  they  thought  the  victor  of  the  ark-  to  fub- 
 due  the  lead  moufe,  which  the  true  God  did  create, 
 and  command  to  plague  them.  This  plague  upon  their 
 fields  began  together  with  that  upon  their  bodies ;  it 
 was  mentioned,  not  complained  of,  till  they  think  of 
 difmifimg  the  ark.  Greater  croffes  do  commonly 
 fwailow  up  the  lefs ;  at  leait,  lefler  evils  are  either 
 filent  or  unheard,  while  the  ear  is  filled  with  the 
 clamour  of  greater.  Their  very  princes  were  pu- 
 nifhed  with  the  mice,  as  well  as  with  the  emerods. 
 God  knows  no  perfons  in  the  execution  of  judgments  ; 
 the  lead  and  meanefl  of  all  God's  creatures,  is  fuffici- 
 ent  to  be  the  revenger  of  his  Creator. 
 
 God  fent  them  mice,  and  emerods  of  fleih  and  blood : 
 they  return  him  both  thefe  of  gold,  to  imply  both 
 that  thefe  judgments  came  out  from  God,  and  that 
 they  did  gladly  give  him  the  glory  of  that  whereof 
 he  gave  them  pain  and  forrow,  and  that  they  would 
 willingly  buy  oft  their  pain  with  the  bell  of  their  fub- 
 ftance.  The  proportion  betwixt  the  complaint  and 
 fatisra&ion  is  more  precious  to  him  than  the  metal. 
 There  was  a  public  confeflion  in  this,  refemblance, 
 which  is  fo  pleafing  unto  God,  that  he  rewards  it, 
 even  in  wicked  men,  with  a  relaxation  of  outward  pu- 
 nifliment.     The  number  was  no  lefs  fignificant  than 
 
 the 
 
BOOK  XII.     Co  stem,  ii.  429 
 
 the  form :  five  golden  emerods  and  mice,  for  the  five 
 princes  and  diviilons  of  PhilijTines.  As  God  made  no 
 difference  in  punidring,  fo  they  make  none  in  their 
 oblation.  The  people  are  comprifcd  in  them,  in  whom 
 they  are  united,  their  feveral  princes :  they  were  one 
 with  their  prince,  their  offspring  is  one  with  his ;  as 
 they  were  ring-leaders  in  the  fin,  fo  they  mud  be  in 
 the  fatisfaction.  In  a  multitude  it  is  ever  feen,  as  in 
 a  bead,  that  the  body  follows  the  head.  Of  ail  others, 
 great  men  had  need  to  look  to  their  ways ;  it  is  in  them, 
 as  in  figures,  one  Hands  for  athoufand.  -One  offering 
 ferves  not  all,  there  mud  be  five,  according  to  the 
 five  heads  of  the  offence.  Generalities  will  not  con- 
 tent God  ;  every  man  mud  make  his  feveral  peace, 
 if  not  in  himfelf,  yet  in  his  head.  Nature  taught 
 them  a  fliadow  of  that,  the  fubdance  and  perfection 
 whereof  is  taught  us  by  the  grace  of  the  gofpel.  E- 
 very  foul  mud  fatisfy  God,  if  not  in  itfelf,  yet  in  him 
 in  whom  we  are  both  one,  and  abfolute.  We  are  the 
 body,  whereof  Chrid  is  the  head  :  our  fin  is  in  our- 
 felves,  our  fatisfaction  mud  be  in  him. 
 
 Samud  himfelf  could  not  have  fpoken  more  divine- 
 ly than  thefe  priefts  of  Dagon  ;  they  do  not  only  talk 
 of  giving  glory  to  the  God  of  Ifrael,  but  fall  into  an 
 holy  and  grave  expodulation;  Wherefore  then  fhould 
 ye  harden  your  hearts,  as  the  Egyptians  and  Pharaoh 
 hardened  their  hearts,  when  he  wrought  wonderfully 
 amongd  them?  &c.  They  confefs  a  Gaper  eminent 
 and  revenging  hand  of  God  over  their  gods,  they 
 parallel  their  plagues  with  the  Egyptian,  they  make 
 ufe  of  Pharaoh\  fin  and  judgment ;  what  could  be 
 better  faid  ?  All  religions  have  afforded  them  that 
 could  fpeak  well.  Thefe  good  words  left  them  ftjll 
 both  Phi  lift  ines  and  fuperditious.  How  ihould  men 
 be  hypocrites,  if  they  had  not  good  tongues  ?  Yet,  as 
 wickednefs  can  hardly  hide  itfelf,  thefe  holy  fpeeches 
 are  not  without  a  tincture  of  that  idolatry,  where- 
 
 ,  with 
 
43o        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 with  the  heart  was  infe&ed  ;  for  they  profefs  cire  not 
 only  of  the  perfons  and  lands  of  the  Fh'iUJlines,  but 
 of  their  gods ;  That  he  may  take  his  hand  from  youy 
 and  from  your  gods.  Who  would  think  that  wifdom 
 and  folly  could  lodge  fo  near  together,  that  the  fame 
 men  mould  have  care  both  of  the  glory  of  the  true 
 God,  and  prefervation  of  the  falfe !  That  they  mould 
 be  fo  vain,  as  to  take  thought  for  thofe  gods  which 
 they  granted  to  be  obnoxious  unto  an  higher  Deity  1 
 Oft-times  even  one  word  bewrayeth  a  whole  pack  of 
 falfliood ;  and  though  fuperftition  be  a  cleanly  coun- 
 terfeit, yet  fome  one  flip  of  the  tongue  difcovers  it ; 
 as  we  fay  of  devils,  which,  though  they  put  on  fair 
 forms,  yet  are  they  known  by  their  cloven  feet. 
 
 What  other  warrant  thefe  fuperftitious  priefts  had 
 for  the  main  fubftance  of  their  advice,  I  know  not ; 
 lure  I  am,  the  probability  of  the  event  was  fair,  that 
 two  kine,  never  ufed  to  any  yoke,  ihould  run  from 
 their  calves,  which  were  newly  ihut  up  from  them, 
 to  draw  the  ark  home  into  a  contrary  way,  muft  needs 
 argue  an  hand  about  nature.  What  elfe  Ihould  over- 
 rule brute  creatures  to  prefer  a  forced  carriage  unto  a 
 natural  burden !  What  mould  carry  them  from  their 
 own  home,  towards  the  home  of  the  ark  !  What  elfe 
 fhould  guide  an  untamed  and  untaught  team,  in  as 
 right  a  path  toward  Ifrael^  as  their  teachers  coulcj. 
 have  gone !  What  elfe  could  make  very  beafts  more 
 wife  than  their  mailers !  There  is  a  fpecial  provi- 
 dence of  God  in  the  very  motions  of  brute  creatures ; 
 neither  Philiftines  nor  Israelites  faw  ought  that  drove 
 them,  yet  they  faw  them  fo  run  as  thofe  that  were 
 led  by  a  divine  conduct.  The  reafonlefs  creatures  al- 
 fo  do  the  will  of  their  Maker ;  every  aft  that  is  done 
 either  by  them,  or  to  them,  makes  up  the  decree  of 
 the  Almighty :  and  if  in  extraordinary  aftions  and  c- 
 vents  his"  hand  is  more  vifible,  yet  it  is  no  lefs  ceir- 
 tainlv  prefent  in  the  common. 
 
 '  A  '  Little 
 
BOOK   XII.      Contem.  ii.         431 
 
 Little  did  the  Ifraelltes  of  Beth-Jbemejh  look  for 
 fuch  a  fight,  whiles  they  were  reaping  their  wheat  in 
 the  valley,  as  to  fee  the  ark  of  God  come  running  to 
 them  without  a  convoy :  neither  can  it  be  laid,  whe- 
 ther they  were  more  affected  with  joy,  or  with  afto- 
 nilhment ;  with  joy  at  the  prefence  of  the  ark,  with 
 aftonifhment  at  the  miracle  of  the  tranfportation. 
 Down  went  their  fickles,  and  now  every  man  runs  to 
 reap  the  comfort  of  this  better  harveft,  to  meet  that 
 bread  of  angels,  to  falute  thofe  cherubims,  to  wel- 
 come that  God,  whofe  abfence  had  been  their  death. 
 But  as  it  is  hard  not  to  overjoy  in  a  fudden  profperi- 
 ty,  and  to  ufe  happinefs  is  no  lefs  difficult  than  to 
 forbear  it,  thefe  glad  Ifraelltes  cannot  fee,  but  they 
 muff  gaze  ;  they  cannot  gaze  on  the  glorious  out-fide, 
 but  they  mufl  be,  whether  out  of  rude  jollity,  or  cu- 
 riofity,  or  fufpicion  of  the  purloining  fome  of  thofe  fa- 
 cred  implements,  prying  into  the  fecrets  of  God's  ark. 
 Nature  is  too  fubjecl:  to  extremities,  and  is  ever  either 
 too  dull  in  want,  or  wanton  in  fruition :  it  is  no  eafy 
 matter  to  keep  a  mean,  whether  in  good  or  evil. 
 
 Beth?JbemeJh  was  a  city  of  priefts,  they  fliould  have 
 known  better  how  to  demean  themfelves  towards  the 
 ark ;  this  privilege  doubled  their  offence.  There 
 was  no  malice  in  this  curious  inquiiition ;  the  fame 
 eyes,  that  looked  into  the  ark,  looked  alfo  up  to  hea- 
 ven in  their  offerings;  and  the  fame  hands,  that  touch- 
 ed it,  offered  facrifice  to  the  God  that  brought  it. 
 Who  could  expert  any  thing  now  but  acceptation ! 
 Who  would  fufpeel  any  danger!  It  is  not  a  following 
 act  of  devotion  that  can  make  amends  for  a  former 
 fin.  There  was  a  death  owing  them  immediately  upon 
 their  offence  :  God  will  take  his  own  time  for  the  exe- 
 cution. In  the  mean  while  they  may  facrilice,  but 
 they  cannot  fatisfy ;  they  cannot  efoape,  The  kine 
 are  facriiiced,  the  cart  burns  them  that  drew  it.  Here 
 was  an  offering  of  praife,  when  they  had  more  need 
 
 of 
 
432         CONTE  M  PLATION  S. 
 
 of  a  trefpafs-ofTcring.  Many  an  heart  is  lifted  up  in 
 a  conceit  of  joy,  when  it  hath  juft  caufe  of  humilia- 
 tion. God  lets  them  alone  with  their  facrifice  ;  but, 
 wrhen  that  is  done,  he  comes  over  them  with  a  back- 
 reckoning  for  their  fin.  Fifty  thoufand  and  feventy 
 Ifraelites  are  (truck  dead,  for  this  unreverence  to  the 
 ark.  A  woful  welcome  for  the  ark  of  God  into  the 
 borders  of  Jfrael!  It  killed  them  for  looking  into  it, 
 who  thought  it  their  life  to  fee  it.  It  dealt  blows  and 
 death  on  both  hands,  to  PhiliflAnes,  to  Ifraelites ;  to 
 both  of  them  for  profaning  it,  the  one  with  their 
 idol,  the  other  with  their  eyes.  It  is  a  fearful  thing 
 to  ufe  the  holy  ordinances  of  God  with  an  unreverent 
 boldnefs !  Fear  and  trembling  become  us,  in  our  ac- 
 cefs  to  the  majefty  of  the  Almighty.  Neither  was 
 there  more  (tate  than  fecrecy  in  God's  ark.  Some 
 things  the  wifdom  of  God  deilres  to.  conceal.  The 
 unreverence  of  the  Ifraelites  was  no  more  faulty  than 
 their  curiofity.  Secret  things  to  God  ;  things  reveal- 
 ed^ to  us,  and  to  our  children. 
 
 Coxtem,  in.     The  remove  of  the  Ark. 
 
 T  Hear  of  the  Beth-fhemites  lamentation,  I  hear  not 
 -*■  of  their  repentance :  they  complain  of  their  fmart, 
 they  complain  not  of  their  (in ;  and,  for  ought  I  can 
 perceive,  fpeak  as  if  God  were  curious,  rather  than 
 they  faulty.  Who  is  able  to  ftand  before  this  holy 
 Lord  God,  and  to  whom  Jhall  he  go  from  us  !  As 
 if  none  could  pleafe  that  God,  which  mifliked  them. 
 it  is  the  faftiion  of  natural  men,  to  juftify  themfelves 
 in  their  own  courfes;  if  they  cannot  charge  any  earth- 
 ly thing  with  the  blame  of  their  fuffering,  they  will 
 call  it  on  heaven.  That  a  man  pleads  himfelf  guilty 
 of  his  own  wrong,  is  no  common  work  of  God's  Spi- 
 rit. Beth-fbemef/j  bordered  too  near  upon  the  Phi- 
 Uflines.     If  thefe  men  thought  the  very  prefence  of 
 
 the 
 
BOOK   XII.   Conteai.iit.  433 
 
 the  ark  hurtful,  why  do  they  fend  to  their  neigh- 
 bours of  Kirjath-jearim,  that  they  might  make  them- 
 felves  miferaljle?  Where  there  is  a  mifconceit  of  God, 
 ir  is  no  marvel  if  there  be  a  defect  of  charity.  How 
 cunningly  do  they  fend  their  meiTage  to  their  neigh- 
 bours!  They  do  not  fay,  the  ark  of  God  is  come  to 
 us  of  its  own  accord  ;  left  the  men  of  Kirjath-jearhn 
 mould  reply,  It  is  come  to  you,  let  it  ftay  with  you. 
 They  fay  only,  the  Bhiliftlnes  have  brought  it.  They 
 tell  of  the  prefence  of  the  ark,  they  do  not  tell  of  the 
 fuccefs,  left  the  example  of  their  judgment  fhould 
 have  difcoiinrged  the  forward nefs  of  their  relief.  And, 
 after  ail,  the  offer  was  plaufible ;  Come  ye  down,  and 
 take  It  up  to  you :  as  if  the  honour  had  been  too 
 great  for  themfelves;  as  if  their  modefty  had  been 
 inch,  that  they  would  not  foreftal  and  engrofs  hap- 
 pinefs  from  the  reft  of  IfraeL 
 
 It  is  no  boot  to  teach  nature  how  to  tell  her  own 
 tale  j  fmart  and  danger  will  make  a  man  witty.  He  is 
 rarely  conftant,  that  will  not  difTemble  for  eafe.  It 
 is  good  to  be  fufpicious  of  the  evafions.  o/  thofe  which 
 would  put  off  mifery.  Thofe  of  Beth-Jhemejb  were 
 not  more  crafty  than  thefe  of  Kirjath-jearim  (which 
 was  the  ground  of  their  boldnefs)  faithful.  So  many 
 thoufand  Beth-fliem'ites  could  not  be  dead,  and  no 
 part  of  the  rumour  fly  to  them.  They  heard  how 
 thick  not  only  the  Philiftines,  but  the  bordering 
 IfraeliteSy  fell  down  dead  before  the  ark;  yet  they 
 ekirft  adventure  to  come,  and  fetch  it,  even  from  a- 
 mongft  the  carcafes  of  their  brethren.  They  had  been 
 formerly  acquainted  with  the  ark,  they  knew  it  was 
 holy,  it  could  not  be  changeable ;  and  therefore  they 
 well  conceived  this  flaughter  to  arife  from  the  unho- 
 linefs  of  men,  not  from  the  rigour  of  God,  and  there- 
 upon  can  feek  comfort  in  that  which  ochers  found 
 deadly.  God's  children  cannot,  by  any  means,  be 
 difcouraged  from  their  honour  and  love  to  his  ordi- 
 
 Yol,  I.  I  i  i  nances. 
 
434        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 nances.  If  they  fee  tboufands  (truck  down  to  hell  by ' 
 the  fceptrc  of  God's  kingdom,  yet  they  will  kifs  it 
 upon  their  knees;  and  if  their  Saviour  be  a  rock  of 
 offence,  and  the  occaiion  of  the  fail  of  millions  in 
 Ifraeh  they  can  feed  temperately  of  that  whereof  o- 
 thers  have  fuffered  to  death,  &c. 
 
 Beth-Jhemefh  was  a  city  of  priefts  and  Levites.  Kir- 
 jath-jearim  a  city  of  %udah,  wrhere  we  hear  but  of  one 
 Levite,  Abinadab ;  yet  this  city  was  more  zealous 
 for  God,  more  reverent  and  confcionable  in  the  en- 
 tertainment of  the  ark,  than  the  other.  We  heard  of 
 the  taking  down  of  the  ark  by  the  Beth-Jhemites, 
 when  it  came  mirac.uloufly  to  them  ;  we  do  not  hear 
 of  any  man  fanctified  for  the  attendance  of  it,  as  was 
 done  in  this  fecond  lodging  of  the  ark.  Grace  is  not 
 tied  either  to  number  or  means.  It  is  in  fpiritual 
 matters,  as  in  an  eftate ;  fmail  helps  with  good  thrift 
 enrich  us,  when  great  patrimonies  lofe  themfelves  in 
 the  neglect.  Sh'rfoh  was  wont  to  be  the  place  which 
 was  honoured  with  the  prefence  of  the  ark.  Ever 
 fince  the  wickednefs  of  Eli's  fons,  that  was  forlorn 
 and  defolate,  and  now  Kirjath-jearim  fucceeds  into 
 this  privilege.  It  did  not  ftand  with  the  royal  liber- 
 ty of  God,  no  not  under  the  law,  to  tie  himfelf  unto 
 places  and  perfons.  Unworthinefs  was  ever  a  fuffi- 
 cient  caufe  of  exchange.  It  was  not  yet  his  time  to 
 ftir  from  the  %ews,  yet  he  removed  from  one  province 
 to  another.  Lefs  reaion  have  we  to  think,  that  fo 
 God  will  refide  amongfl  us,  that  none  of  our  provo- 
 cations can  drive  him  from  us,  &c. 
 
 Ifrael,  which  had  found  the  mifery  of  God's  ab- 
 fence,  is  now  refolved  into  tears  of  contrition  and 
 tharikfulnefs  upon  his  return.  There  is  no  menti- 
 on of  their  lamenting  after  the  Lord  while  he  was 
 gone,  but  when  he  was  returned,  and  fettled  in  Kir- 
 jathjearim  :  the  mercies  of  God  draw  more  tears  from 
 his  children,  than  his  judgments  do  from  his  enemies. 
 
 There 
 
BOOK  XII.   CaNTEM.   in.  435 
 
 There  is  no  better  iign  of  good  nature  or  grace,  than 
 to  be  won  to  repentance  with  kindnefs.  Not  to  think 
 of  God,  except  we  be  beaten  into  it,  is  fervile.  Be- 
 caufe  God  was  come  again  to  Ifrael,  therefore  Ifrael  is 
 returned  to  God :  if  God  had  not  come  firft,  they 
 had  never  come.  If  he,  that  came  to  them,  had  not 
 made  them  come  to  him,  they  had  been  ever  parted. 
 They  were  cloyed  with  God,  while  he  was  perpetu- 
 ally refident  with  them :  now  that  his  abfence  had 
 made  him  dainty,  they  cleave  to  him  fervently  and 
 penitently  in  his  return.  This  was  it  that  God  meant 
 in  his  departure,  a  better  welcome  at  his  coming 
 back. 
 
 I  heard  no  news  of  Sa?nuel,  all  this  while  the  ark 
 was  gone.  Now,  when  the  ark  is  returned  and  placed 
 in  Kirjath-jearim,  I  hear  him  treat  with  the  people. 
 It  is  not  like  he  was  fiient  in  this  fad  defertion  of  God; 
 but  now  he  takes  full  advantage  of  the  profeffed  con- 
 trition of  Ifrael,  to  deal  with  them  effectually,  for 
 their  perfect  converfion  unto  God.  It  is  great  wif- 
 dom,  in  fpiritual  matters,  to  take  occafion  by  the  fore- 
 lock, and  to  (Irike  while  the  iron  is  hot.  We  may 
 beat  long  enough  at  the  door,  but,  till  God  have  open- 
 ed, it  is  no  going  in ;  and,  when  he  hath  opened,  it  is 
 no  delaying  to  enter.  The  trial  of  fincerity  is  the  a- 
 bandoning  of  our  wonted  fins.  This  Samuel  ufgeth  ; 
 If  ye  be  come  again  unto  the  Lord  with  all  your 
 heart,  put  away  the  flrange  gods  from  among  you, 
 and  Afhtaroth.  In  vain  had  it  been  to  profefs  re- 
 pentance, whilft  they  continued  in  idolatry.  God 
 will  never  acknowledge  any  convert,  that  flays  in  a 
 known  fin.  Graces  and  virtues  are  fo  linked  to^e- 
 ther,  that  he  which  hath  one,  hath  all.  The  partial 
 converfion  of  men  unto  God  is  but  hateful  hypocrify. 
 How  happily  eifec*tual  is  a  word  fpoken  in  feafon ! 
 SamtfePs  exhortation  wrought  upon  the  hearts  of  If 
 a-d  fetched  water  out  of  their  eyes,  fuits  and 
 I  i  i  2  con- 
 
43*         CON  T  E  M  PLATIO  N  S. 
 
 conrdFions,  and  vows  out  of  their  lips,  and  their  falfe 
 gods  out  of  their  hands ;  yet  it  was  not  merely  re- 
 morfe,  but  fear  alfo,  that  moved  Ifracl  to  this  humble 
 fubmi&on. 
 
 The  FhiUflines  flood  over  them  Hill,  and  threaten- 
 ed them  with  new  airaults ;  the  memory  of  their  late 
 flaughter  and  fpoil  was  yet  freih  in  their  minds ;  for- 
 row  for  the  evils  pail,  and  fear  of  the  future,  fetched 
 them  down  upon  their  knees.  It  is  not  more  necef- 
 iary  for  men  to  be  cheered  with  hopes,  than  to  be 
 awed  with  dangers.  Where)  God  intends  the  humi- 
 liation of  his  fervants,  there  mail  not  want  means  of 
 their  dejeelion.  It  was  happy  for  Jfrael  that  they  had 
 an  enemy.  Is  it  pofiible  that  the  PbUiJlines,  after 
 thofe  deadly  plagues  which  they  fuflained  from  the 
 God  of  Ifraeh  fiiould  think  of  invading  Jfrael !  Thofe 
 that  were  fo  mated  with  the  prefence  of  the  ark,  that 
 they  never  thought  themfelves  fafe  till  it  was  out  of 
 ijght,  do  they  now  dare  to  thruft  themfelves  upon 
 the'  new  revenge  of  the  ark !  It  flew  them  whiles  they 
 thought  to  honour  it,  and  do  they  think  to  efcape 
 whflft  they  refill  it !  It  flew  them  in  their  own  coafts, 
 and  do  they  come  to  it  to  feek  death  !  Yet,  behold,  no 
 fconcr  do  the  Pbiliftines  hear,  that  the  Jfraehtes  are 
 gathered  to  Mbpeb,  but  the  princes  of  the  Philiftines 
 gather  themfelves  againft  them.  No  warnings  will 
 ferve  obdurate  hearts:  wicked  men  are  even  ambiti- 
 ous of  deftniclion.  Judgments  need  not  to  go  find 
 them  out  \  they  run  to  meet  their  bane. 
 
 The  Philiflines  come  up,  and  the  Ifraelites  fear; 
 they  that  had  not  the  wit  to  fear,  wfciift  they  were  not 
 friends  with  God,  have  not  now  zhc  grace  of  fearlef- 
 nefs,  when  they  were  reconciled  to  God.  Bcldnefs 
 and  fear  are  commonly  mifplaced  in  the  bed  hearts; 
 when  we  mould  tremble,  we  are  confident ;  and  when 
 we  fhould  be  allured,  we  tremble.  Why  fiiould  Jf- 
 rael have  feared,  irnce  they  had  made  their  peace  with 
 
 the 
 
BOOK  XII   Contem.  iv.  337 
 
 the  God  of  hods !  Nothing  (hould  affright  thofe  which 
 are  upright  with  God.  The  peace  which  Ifrael  hath 
 made  with  God  was  true,  but  tender.  They  durfl 
 not  truft  their  own  innocency,  fo  much  as  the  prayers 
 of  Samuel ;  Ceafe  not  to  cry  to  the  Lord  ourt  God 
 for  us.  In  temporal  things,  nothing  hinders  but 
 we  may  fare  better  for  other  mens  faith  than  for  our 
 own.  It  is  no  fmall  happinefs  to  be  interefled  in  them 
 which  are  favourites  in  the  court  of  heaven.  One 
 faithful  man,  in  thefe  occasions,  is  more  worth  than 
 millions  of  the  wavering  and  uncertain. 
 
 A  good  heart  is  eafily  won  to  devotion.  Samuel 
 cries,  and  facrinceth  to  God  :  he  had  done  fo,  though 
 they  had  intreated  his  filence,  yea  his  forbearance. 
 Whiles  he  is  offering,  the  Phinflines  fight  with  Ifrael, 
 and  God  fights  with  the  FhUlflhies  ;  The  Lord 
 thundered  with  a  great  thunder  that  day  upon  the 
 Philiftines,  audfeattered  them.  Samuel  fought  more 
 upon  his  knees,  than  all  Ifrael  befides.  The  voice 
 of  God  anfwered  the  voice  of  Samuel,  and  fpeaks 
 confufion  and  death  to  the  Phili/lines.  How  were 
 the  proud  Phili /lines  dead  with  fear,  ere  they  died, 
 to  hear  the  fearful  thunder-claps  of  an  angry  God  a- 
 gainff.  them  !  to  fee  that  heaven  itfelf  fought  agi&ift 
 them !  He  that  flew  them  fecretly,  in  ihz  revenges  of 
 his  ark,  now  kills  them  with  open  horror  in  the  fields, 
 If  prefumption  did  not  make  wicked  men  mad,  they 
 would  never  lift  their  hand  againft  the  Almighty  :  what 
 are  they  in  his  hands,  when  he  is  difpofed  to  venge- 
 ance ! 
 
 Contem.     iv.    The  ftieeting  of  Saul    and  S  a- 
 
 MUEl, 
 
 C  Amu  el  began  his  acquaintance  with  God  early,  and 
 ^  continued  it  long.  He  began  it  in  his  long  coars, 
 and  continued  to  his  ?rey  hairs.     He  judged   Jfrad  all 
 
 the 
 
438        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 the  days  of  his  life.  God  doth  not  ufe  to  put  off  his 
 old  fervants ;  their  age  endearerh  them  to  him  the 
 more :  if  we  be  not  unfaithful  to  him,  he  cannot  be 
 unconftant  to  us.  At  laft  his  decayed  age  met  with 
 ill  partners,  his  fons  for  deputies,  and  Saul  for  a  king. 
 -The  wickednefs  of  his  fons  gave  the  occafion  of  a 
 change.  Perhaps  Ifrael  had  never  thought  of  a  king, 
 if  Samuel's  fons  had  not  been  unlike  their  father. 
 Who  can  promife  himfelf  holy  children,  when  the 
 loins  of  a  Samuel,  and  the  education  in  the  temple, 
 yielded  menders !  It  is  not  likely,  that  good  Samuel 
 was  faulty  in  that  indulgence,  for  which  his  own  mouth 
 had  denounced  God's  judgment  againft  Eli :  yet  this 
 holy  man  fucceds  Eli  in  his  crofs,  as  well  as  his  place, 
 though  not  in  his  fin,  and  is  afflicled  with  a  wicked 
 fucceffion.  God  will  let  us  mid,  that  grace  is  by  gift, 
 not  by  inheritance. 
 
 I  fear  Samuel  was  too  partial  to  nature  in  the  furro- 
 gation  of  his  fons :  I  do  not  hear  of  God's  allowance 
 to  this  act;  if  this  had  been  God's  choice,  as  well  as- 
 his,  it  had  been  like  to  have  received  more  blefling. 
 Now  all  Ifrael  had  caufe  to  rue,  that  thefe  were  the 
 fons  of  Samuel :  for  now  the  queftibn  was  not  of  their 
 vircues,  but  of  their  blood  ;  not  of  their  worthinefs, 
 but  their  birth.  Even  the  bed  heart  may  be  blinded 
 with  affection.  Who  can  marvel  at  thefe  errors  of  pa- 
 rents love,  when  he,  that  fo  holily  judged  Ifrael  all  his 
 life,  mif-judged  of  his  own  fons ! 
 
 It  was  God's  ancient  purpofe  to  raife  up  a  king  to 
 his  people.  How  doth  he  take  occaiion  to  perform  it, 
 but  by  the  unruly  defires  of  Ifrael ;  even  as  we  fay 
 of  human  proceedings,  that  ill  manners  beget  good 
 laws.  That  monarchy  is  the  bell  form  of  government, 
 there  is  no  queftion ;  good  things  may  be  ill  defired  ; 
 fo  was  this  of  Ifrael,  If  an  itching  defire  of  alteration 
 had  not  poffeiTed  them,  why  did  they  not  rather  fue 
 for  a  reformation  of  their  governors,  than  for  a  change 
 
 of 
 
BOOK   XII.    Contem.  iv.  439 
 
 of  government  ?  Were  Sa??:ueFs  fons  fo  defperately 
 evil,  that  there  was  no  pofTibiiity  of  amendment  ?  or, 
 if  they  were  pail  hope,  were  there  not  fome  others  to 
 have  fucceeded  the  jnftice  of  Samuel,  no  lefs  than 
 thefe  did  his  perfon  ?  What  needed  Samuel  to  be  thruft 
 out  of  place?  What  needed  the  ancient  form  of  ad- 
 miniftration  to  be  altered  ?  He,  that  raifed  up  their 
 judges,  would  have  found  time  to  raife  them  up  kings. 
 Their  curious  and  inconftant  newfanglenefs  will  not 
 abi4e  to  flay  it,  but  with  an  heady  importunity  la- 
 bours to  over-haften  the  pace  of  God.  Where  there 
 is  a  fettled  ccurfe  of  good  government,  howfoever 
 blemiihed  with  fome  weakneffes,  it .  is  not  fafe  to  be 
 over  forward  to  a  change,  though  it  mould  be  to  the 
 better.  He,  by  whom  kings  reign,  fays,  they  have 
 cafl:  him  away,  that  he  fliould  not  reign  over  them, 
 becaufe  they  defire  a  king  to  reign  over  them.  Judges 
 were  his  own  inftitution  to  his  people,  as  yet  kings 
 were  not ;  after  that  kings  were  fettled,  to  defire  the 
 government  of  judges,  had  been  a  much  more  fediti- 
 ous  inconflancy.  God  hath  not  appointed,  to  every, 
 time  and  place,  fuch  forms  which  are  fimply  belt  in 
 themfelves,  but  thofe  which  are  bed  to  them  unto 
 whom  they  are  appointed  ;  which  we  m*y  neither  al- 
 ter till  he  begin,  nor  recal  when  he  hath  altered. 
 
 This  bufinefs  feemed  perfonally  to  concern  Samuel, 
 yet  he  fo  deals  in  it,  not  as  a  party,  not  as  a  judge  in 
 his  own  cafe,  but  as  a  prophet  of  God,  as  a  friend 
 of  his  oppolite.  He  prays  to  God  for  advice,  he  fore- 
 tels  the  ftate  and  courfes  of  their  future  kins*.  Wil- 
 ful  men  are  blind  to  all  dangers,  are  deaf  to  all  good 
 counfels.  Ifrael  muft  have  a  king,  though  they  pay 
 never  fo  dear  for  their  Ionian?.  The  vain  affectation 
 of  conformity  to  other  nations  overcomes  all  difcou- 
 ragements.  There  is  no  readier  way  to  error,  than  to 
 make  others  examples  the  rule  of  our  defires  or  acti- 
 ons.    If  every   man  have  not  grounds  of   his  own, 
 
 whereon 
 
440         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 whereon  to  (land,  there  can  be  no  ftabiiity  in  his  re- 
 folutions  or  proceeding?. 
 
 Since  then  they  chufe  to  have  a  king,  God  himfelf 
 will  chufe  and  appoint  the  king  which  they  mall  have. 
 The  kingdom  (ball  begin  in  Benjamin,  which  was  to 
 endure  in  %udab.  It  was  no  probability  or  reafon  this 
 firft  king  mould  prove  well,  becaufe  he  was  abortive ; 
 their  humour  of  innovation  deferved  to  be  punifhed 
 with  their  own  choice.  Kljl\  the  father  of  Saul,  was 
 mighty  in  eflate ;  Said  was  mighty  in  perfon,  over- 
 looking the  reft  of  the  people  in  ftature,  no  lefs  than 
 he  fhould  do  in  dignity.  The  fenfes  of  the  Ifraelites 
 could  not  but  be  weli-pleafed  for  the  time,  howfoever 
 their  hearts  were  afterwards.  When  men  are  carried 
 with  outward  (hews,  it  is  a  fign  that  God  means  them 
 a  delufion. 
 
 How  far  God  fetches  his  purpofes  about !  The 
 affes  of  Kijhy  Saul's  father,  are  ft  rayed  away ;  what 
 is  that  to  the  news  of  a  kingdom  1  God  lays  thefe 
 fmali  accidents  for  the  ground  of  greater  defigns. 
 ^The  aiTes  muft  be  loft,  none  but  Said  muft  go  with 
 his  father's  fervant  to  feek  them ;  Samuel  fhall  meet 
 them  in  the  fearch  ;  Saul  fliall  be  premoniihed  of  his 
 enfuing  royalty.  Little  can  we,  by  the  beginning  of 
 any  action,  guefs  at  God's  intention  in  the  concluiion. 
 Obedience  was  a  lit  entrance  into  fovereignty. 
 The  fervice  was  homely  for  the  fon  of  a  great  man, 
 yet  he  refufeth  not  to  go,  as  a  fellow  to  his  father's 
 fervant,  upon  fo  mean  a  fearch.  The  difobedient 
 and  fcornful  are  good  for  nothing,  they  are  neither 
 fit  to  be  fubjecls  nor  governors.  Kijb  was  a  great 
 man  in  his  country,  yet  he  difdaineth  not  to  fend  his 
 fon  Saul  upon  a  thrifty  errand,  neither  doth  Saul 
 plead  his  difparagement  for  a  refufal.  Pride  and 
 wantonnefs  have  marred  our  times.  Great  parents 
 count  it  a  difreputation  to  employ  their  fons  in  courfes 
 of  frugality;  and  their  pampered  children  think  it  a 
 
 fhame 
 
BOOK  XII.     Contem,  iv.        441 
 
 ihame  to  do  any  thing ;  and  fo  bear  themfeives,  as 
 thofe  that  hold  it  the  only  glory  to  be  either  idle  or 
 wicked. 
 
 Neither  doth  Saul  go  fashionably  to  work,  but  does 
 this  fervice  heartily  and  painfully,  as  a  man  that  de- 
 fires  rather  to  effeft  the  command,  than  pleafe  the 
 commander.  He  palled  from  Ephraim  to  the  land  of 
 Sbalijba,  from  Shaliflia  to  Salim,  from  Salim  to  Je* 
 mini,  whence  his  houfe  came,  from  Jemlni  to  Zuph  ; 
 not  fo  much  as  flaying  with  any  of  his  kindred  fo 
 long  as  to  victual  himfelf.  He,  that  was  afterward  an . 
 ill  king,  approved  himfelf  a  good  fon.  As  there  are 
 diverfity  of  relations  and  oiflces,  fo  there  is  of  difpo- 
 fitions ;  thofe,  which  are  excellent  in  fome,  attain  not 
 to  a  mediocrity  in  others.  It  is  no  arguing  from  pri- 
 vate virtues  to  public ;  from  dexterity  in  one  ftation, 
 to  the  refi:.  A  feverai  grace  belongs  to  the  particu- 
 lar carriage  of  every  place  whereto  we  are  called, 
 which  if  we  want,  the  place  may  well  want  us. 
 
 There  was  more  praife  of  his  obedience  in  ceafing 
 to  feek,  than  m  feeking.  He  takes  care,  left  his  fa- 
 ther thould  take  for  him,  that,  whilft  he  ihould  feem 
 officious-  in  the  lefs,  he  might  not  neglect  the  greatefu 
 A  blind  obedience,  in  fome  cafes,  doth  well ;  but  it 
 doth  far  better,  when  it  is  led  with  the  eyes  of  dif- 
 cretion ;  otherways,  we  may  more  otfend  in  pleafing, 
 than  in  difobeying. 
 
 Great  is  the  benefit  of  a  wife  and  religious  atten- 
 dant ;  fix>h  an  one  puts  us  into  thofe  duties  and 
 actions  which  are  moll  expedient,  'and  Iea.fl  thought 
 of.  If  Saul  li^d  not  had  a  difcreet  fervant,  he  had  re- 
 turned but  as  wife  as  he  came  ;  now  he  is  drawn  in  to 
 confult  with  jjj|£  man  of  God,  and  hears  more  than 
 he  hoped  for.  Saul  was  now  a  fufneient  journey  from 
 his  father's  houfe  ;  yet  his  religious  fervant,  in  this  re- 
 motenefs,  takes,  knowledge  of  the  place  where  the 
 prophet  dwells ;  and  how  honour  ably  doth  he  men- 
 
 Vol.  I.  K  k  k  don 
 
44*         C  O  N  T  E  M  PLATIO  K  S. 
 
 tion  him  to  his  mafler  !  Behold  in  this  city  is  a  man  of 
 God,  and  he  is  an  honourable  man,  all  that  he  faith 
 comet h  to  pafs.  God's  prophets  are  public  perfons  ; 
 as  their  function,  fo  their  notice  concerns  every  man. 
 There  is  no  reafon  God  ihould  abate  any  of  the  re- 
 ipecl:  due  to  his  ministers  under  the  gofpel.  St.  Paul's 
 fui:  is  both  univerfal  and  everlafling ;  /  befeech  jou, 
 brethren,  know  them  that  labour  among]}  you. 
 
 The  chief  praife  is  to  be  able  to  give  good  advice; 
 the  next  is,  to  take  it.  Saul  is  eafily  induced  to  con- 
 defcend*  lie,  whofe  curiofity  led  him  voluntarily  at 
 lad  to  the  witch  of  Endor,  is  now  led  at  firft,  by  good 
 cotmfel*  to  the  man  of  God  \  neither  is  his  care  in 
 going,  lefs  commendable,  than  his  will  to  go.  For,  as 
 a  man  that  had  been  catechized  not  to  go  unto  God 
 empty-handed,  he  aiks,  What  f/:all  w$  bring  un- 
 to the  man?  what  have  we?  The  cafe  is  well  alter- 
 ed in  our  times.  Every  man  thinks,  what  may  I  keep 
 back?  There  is  no  gain  fo  fweet,  as  of  a  robbed  al- 
 tar ;  yet  God's  charge  is  no  lefs  under  the  gofpel, 
 Let  him  that  is  taught  make  his  teacher  partake  of  alL 
 As  this  faithful  care  of  Saul  was  a  juft  prefage  of  fuc- 
 cefs,  more  than  he  looked  for,  or  could  expect ;  fo 
 the  facrilegious  unthankfulnefs  of  many,  bodes  that 
 ruin  to  their  foul  and  eftate,  which  they  could  not 
 have  grace  to  fear. 
 
 He,  that  knew  the  prophet's  abode,  knew  alfo  the 
 honour  of  his  place:  he  could  hot  but  know  that  Sa- 
 mael  was  a  mixt  perfon,  die  judge  of  If -a  el,  and  the 
 jeer:  vet  both  Saul  and  his  iervant  purpofe  toprefent 
 aim  with  the  fourth  part  of  a  (hekel,  to  the  value  of 
 about  oar  five  pence.  ri  hev  had  learned,  that  thank- 
 ful ne  is  was  not  to  be  mean: red  of  good  men  by  the 
 weight,  but  by  the  will  of  the  retributor.  How  much 
 more  Mill  God  accept  the  final!  oircrinrvs  of  his  weak 
 fervantS;   when  he  iee^  them  proceed  fi;cm  great  love! 
 
 The 
 
BOOK  XII.     Cont  e  m..  iv.         4^3 
 
 The  very  maids  of  the  city  can  give  direction  to  the 
 prophet :  they  had  liftened  after  the  holy  affairs;  they 
 had  heard  of  the  facrifice,  and  could  tell  of  the  ne- 
 ccffity  of  Samuel's  prefence.  Thofe  that  live  with- 
 in the  fua-fliine  of  religion,  cannot  but  be  fomewhat 
 coloured  with  thofe  beams.  Where  there  is  practice 
 and  example  of  piety  in  the  better  fort,  there  will 
 be  a  reflection  of  it  upon  the  meaneft.  It  is  no  feiall 
 benefit  to  live  in  religious  and  holy  places.  We  mall 
 be  much  to  blame,  if  all  gcodnefs  fall  befide  us.  Yen, 
 fo  lkilful  were  thefe  damfels  in  the  fafhions  of  their 
 public  facrihces,  that  they  could  inftruft  Saul  and'  his 
 fervant  unaiked,  how  the  people  would  not  eat,  till 
 Samuel  came  to  blefs  the  facrifice.  This  meeting  was 
 not  more  a  facrifice,  than  it  was  a  feaft.  Thefe  two 
 agree  well.  We  have  never  fo  much  caufe  to  rejoice 
 in  feafting,  as  when  we  have  duly  ferved  our  God. 
 The  facrifice  was  a  feaft  to  God,  the  other  to  men. 
 The  body  may  eat  and  drink  with  contentment,  when 
 the  foul  hath  been  firft  fed,  and  hath  firft  feafted  the 
 Maker  of  both.  Go  eat  thy  bread  with  joy,  and  drink 
 thy  drink  with  a  merry  heart ;  for  God  now  accepteih 
 thy  works.  The  facrifice  was  before  confecrated, 
 when  it  was  offered  to  God  ;  but  it  was  not  confecra- 
 ted  to  them,  till  Samuel  bleffed  it :  his  bleffmg  made 
 that  meat  holy  to  the  guefls,  which  was  formerly  hal- 
 lowed to  God.  All  creatures  were  made  good,  and 
 took  holinefs  from  him,  which  gave  them  their  being. 
 Our  fm  brought  that  curfe  upon  them,  which,  unlefs 
 our  prayers  remove  it,  cleaves  to  them  ftill,  fo  as  we 
 receive  them  not  without  a  curfe.  We  are  not  our 
 own  friends,  except  our  prayers  help  to  take  that  a- 
 way  which  our  fm  hath  brought,  that  fo  to  the  clean  all 
 may  be  clean.  It  is  an  unmannerly  godkfnefs  to  rake 
 God's  creatures  without  the  leave  of  their  Maker, 
 and  well  may  God  with-hold  his  bleffing  from  them 
 which  have  not  the  grace  to  aik  it. 
 
 K  k  k  2  Thofe 
 
444         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Thofe  gueds,  which  were  fo  religious  that  they 
 would  not  eat  their  facrifice  unbleiled,  might  have 
 bleffed  it  themfelves.  Every  man  might  pray,  though 
 every  man  might  not  facrifice  ;  yet  would  they  not 
 either  eat,  or  blefs,  whiles  they  looked  for  the  pre- 
 fence  of  a  prophet.  Every  chriftian  may  faiiftify  his 
 own  meat ;  but,  where  thofe  are  prefent  that  are  pe- 
 culiarly fanctiiied  to  God,. this  fervice  is  fitted  for 
 them.  It  is  commendable  to  teach  children  the  prac- 
 tice of  thankfgiving,  but  the  bed  is  ever  mod  meet  to 
 blefs  our  tables,  and  thofe  efpecially  Whofe  office  it  is 
 to  offer  our  prayers  to  God. 
 
 Little  did  Saul  think,  that  his  coming  and  his  er- 
 rand was  fo  noted  of  God,  as  that  it  was  fore-fignified 
 unto  the  prophet ;  and  now,  behold,  Samuel  is  told,  a 
 day  before,  of  the  man,  the  time,  and  the  place  of  his 
 meeting.  The  eye  of  God's  providence  is  no  lefs 
 over  all  our  actions,  all  our  motions.  We  cannot  go 
 any  whither  without  him:  he  tells  all  our  fleps.  Since 
 it  pleafeth  God  therefore  to  take  notice  of  us,  much 
 more  mould  we  take  notice  of  him,  and  walk  with  him, 
 in  whom  we  move.  Saul  came,  befides  his  expectation, 
 to  the  prophet ;  he  had  no  thought  of  any  fuch  pur- 
 pofe,  till  his  fervant  made  this  hidden  motion  unto  him 
 of  vifitiog  Samuel;  and  yet  God  fays  to  his  prophet, 
 /  will  fend  thee  a  man  out  of  the  land  of  Benjamin. 
 The  over -ruling  hand  of  the  Almighty  works  us  in- 
 fenfibly,  and  all  our  affairs,  to  his  own  fecret  determi- 
 nations ;  fo  as,  while  we  think  to  do  our  own  wills, 
 we  do  his.  Our  own  intentions  we  may  know,  God's 
 purpefes  we  know  not :  we  mud  go  the  way  that  we 
 are  called,  let  him  lead  us  to  what  end  he  pleafeth.  It 
 is  our  duty  to  refign  ourfelves  and  our  ways  to  the 
 difpofition  of  God,  and  patiently  and  thankfully  to 
 wait  the  iffue  of  his  decrees.  The  fame  God,  that 
 fore-lhewed  Saul  to  Samuel^  now  points  to  him,  See 
 this  is  the  man^  and  commands  the  prophet  to  anoint 
 
 him 
 
BOOK   XII.      Co-ntem,  iv.        445 
 
 him  governor  over  Ifrael.  He,  that  told  of  Saul  before 
 he  came,  knew,  before  he  came  into  the  world,  what  a 
 man,  what  a  king  he  would  be ;  yet  he  chufeth  him  out, 
 and  enjoins  his  inunction.  It  is  one  of  the  greateit 
 praifes  of  God's  wifdom,  that  he  can  turn  the  evil 
 of  men  to  his  own  glory.  Advancement  is  not  ever 
 a  lign  of  love,  either  to  the  man  or  to  the  place.  It 
 had  been  better  for  Saul,  that  his  head  had  been  ever 
 dry.  Some  God  raifeth  up  in  judgment,  that  they 
 may  fall  the  more  uneafdy  ;  there  are  no  men  io  mi- 
 ferable  as  thole  that  are  great  and  evil. 
 
 It  feems  that  Samuel  bore  no  great  port  in  his  out- 
 fide,  for  that  Saul,  not  difcerning  him  either  by  his  ha- 
 bit or  attendants,  comes  to  him,  and  afks  him  for  the 
 feer;  yet  was  Saul  as  yet  the  judge  of  Ifrael ;  the  fub- 
 flitution  of  his  fons  had  not  difplaced  himieif.  There 
 is  an  affable,  familiarity  that  becometh  greatnefs.  It 
 is  not  good  for  eminent  perfons  io  Hand  always  up- 
 pon  the  height  of  their  ftate  ;  but  fo  to  behave  them- 
 felves,  that  as  their  fociable  carriage  may  not  breed 
 contempt,  fo  their*  over-highnefs  may  not  breed  afer- 
 vile  fearfulnefs  in  their  people. 
 
 How  kindly  doth  Samuel  entertain  and  invite  Saul, 
 yet  it  was  he  only  that  mould  receive  wrong  by  the 
 future  royalty  of  Saulf  Who  would  not  have  look- 
 ed, that  aged  Samuel  mould  have  emulated-  rather 
 the  glory  of  his  young  rival,  and  have  looked  clittr- 
 liihly  upon  the  man  that  mould  rob  him  of  his  autho- 
 rity ?  Yet  now,  as  if  he  came  on  purpofe  to  gratify 
 him,  he  bids  him  to  the  feait,  he  honours  him  with 
 the  chief  feat,  he  referves  a  felecl  morfel  for  him,  he 
 tells  him  ingenuoudy  the  news  of  his  enfuing  fove- 
 reignty,  On  w.kom  is  Jet  the  defire  of  all  Ifrael,  is 
 it  net  upon  thee,  and  thy  father's  houfe  f  Wife  and 
 holy  menj  as  they  are  not  ambitious  of  their  own 
 burden,  fo  they  are  not  unwilling  to  be  eafed,  when 
 God  pleafeth  to  difcharge  them  ;  neither  can  they 
 
 envy 
 
446        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 envy  thofe  whom  God  lifteth  above  their  heads. 
 They  make  an  idol  of  honour,  that  are  troubled  with 
 their  own  freedom,  or  grudge  at  the  promotion  of  o- 
 thers. 
 
 Doubtlefs  Sud  was  much  amazed  with  this  ftrange 
 falutation,  and  news  of  the  prophet;  and  how  modeftly 
 doth  he  put  it  off !  as  that  which  was  neither  fit  nor 
 likely,  disparaging  his  tribe,  in  refpect  of  the  reft  of  If- 
 rael ;  his  father's  family,  in  refpect  of  the  tribe  ;  and 
 himfelf,  in  refpect.  of  his  father's  family.  Neither  did 
 his  humility  Hoop  below  the  truth :  for,  as  Benjamin 
 was  the  youngeft  fon  of 'IfraeL  fo  he  was  now  by 
 much  the  leaft  tribe  of  IfraeL  They  had  not  yet  re- 
 covered that  univerfal  Daughter  which  they  had  re- 
 ceived from  the  hands  of  their  brethren,  whereby  a 
 tribe  was  almoft  loll  to  Ifrael:  yet,  even  out  of  the  re- 
 mainder of  Benjamin^  doth  God  chufe  the  man  that 
 lhall  command  Ifrael :  out  of  the  rubbifh  of  Benjamin 
 doth  God  raife  the  throne.  That  is  not  ever  the  bell 
 and  fatteft  which  God  chufe th ;  but  that  which  God 
 chufe th  is  ever  the  fitted.  The  ftrength  or  weak- 
 nefs  of  means  is  neither  fpur  nor  bridle  to  the  deter- 
 minate choices  of  God  \  yea,  rather,  he  holds  it  the 
 greateft  proof  of  his  freedom  and  omnipotence  to  ad- 
 vance the  unlikelieft.  It  was  no  hollow  and  feigned 
 excufe  that  Saul  makes,  to  put  off  that  which  he 
 would  fain  enjoy,  and  to  caufe  honour  to  follow  him 
 the  more  eagerly :  it  was  the  fincere  truth  of  his  hu- 
 mility, that  fo  dejected  him  under  the  hand  of  God's 
 prophet.  Fair  beginnings  are  no  found  proof  of  our 
 proceedings  and  ending  well.  How  often  hath  a  bafh- 
 ftil  childhood  ended  in  an  impudency  of  youth ;  a 
 ilricl  entrance,  in  licentioufnefs ;  early  forwardnefs, 
 in  atheifm  ?  There  might  be  a  civil  meeknefs  in 
 Saul ;  true  grace  there  was  not  in  him.  They  that 
 be  good  bear  more  fruit  in  their  age. 
 
 Sa«I 
 
BOOK  XII.     Conte  m.  v.  447 
 
 Saul  had  but  five  pence  in  his  purfe  to  give  the 
 prophet.  The  prophet,  after  much  good  cheer, 
 gives  him  the  kingdom  :  he  bellows  the  oil  of  royal 
 confecration  on  his  head,  the  kiffes  of  homage  upon 
 his  face,  and  fends  him  away  rich  in  thoughts  and 
 expectation.  And  now,  left  his  ailonifhment  lhould 
 end  in  diftruft,  he  fettles  his  aiiurance,  by  forewarn- 
 ings  of  thofe  events  which  he  mould  find  in  his  way  : 
 he  tells  him  whom  he  fliall  meet,  what  they  mall  fay, 
 how  himfelf  ihall  be  affected.  That  all  thefe,  and 
 himfelf,  might  be  lb  many  witneffes  of  his  following- 
 coronation,  every  word  confirmed  him.  For  weil 
 might  he  think,  He  that  can  foretel  me  the  motions 
 and  words  of  others,  cannot  fail  in  mine  :  efpecially, 
 when  (as  Samuel  had  prophefied  to  him)  he  found 
 himfelf  to  prophefy :  his  prophefying  did  enough 
 foretel  his  kingdom.  No  fooner  did  Samuel  turn  his 
 back  from  Saul,  but  God  gave  him  another  heart, 
 lifting  up  his  thoughts  and  difpofition  to  the.  pitch  of 
 a  king.  The  calling  of  God  never  leaves  a  man  un- 
 changed :  neither  did  God  ever  employ  any  man  in 
 his  fervice,  whom  he  did  not  enable  to  the  work  he 
 fet  him  ;  efpecially  thofe  whom  he  raifeth  up  to  the 
 fupply  of  his  own  place,  and  the  representation  of  him- 
 fetf.  It  is  no  marvel  if  princes  excel  the  vulgar  in 
 gifts,  no  lefs  than  in  dignity.  Their  crowns  and 
 their  hearts  are  both  in  one  and  the  fame  hand.  It 
 God  did  not  add  to  their  powers,  as  well  as 
 honours,  there  would  be  no  equality. 
 
 Gontem.  v.     The  inauguration  of  S  a  u  l . 
 
 /^J.OD  hath  fecfetly  deftined  Saul  to  the 
 
 ^-*      It  could  not  content  I/me/,  that  Saviuel  knew 
 
 this;  the  lots  mult  lb  decide  the  choice,  as  if  it  had. not 
 been  predetermined  :  that  Gcd,  which  is  ever  con- 
 fiant  to  his  own  decrees,  makes  the  lots  to  find 
 
 out 
 
448         C  O  N  T  E  M  P  L  A  T  1  O  N  S. 
 
 out  whom  Sairtuel  had  aiirtointed.  If  once  wc  have  no- 
 tice of  the  will  of  God,  we  may  be  confident  of  the 
 Miie.  There  is  no  chance  to  the  Almighty  ;  even 
 cafual  things  are  no  lefs  necefTary.  in  their  firit  caufe, 
 than  the  natural.  So  far  did  Saultrt^i  the  prediction 
 and  oil  of  Samuel \  that  he  hides  him  among  the"  fti 
 He  knew  where  the  lots  would  light  before  they  were 
 cafl:  this  was  but  a  modeft  declination  of  that  honour 
 which  he  faw  mud  come;  his  very  withdrawing  ihew- 
 ed  (craz  expectation,  why  elfs  ihould  he  have  hid 
 himfelf,  rather  than  the  other  ffraelifes  f  Yet  could  he 
 not  hope,  his  fubducing  himfelf  could  difappoint  the 
 purpofe  of  God :  he  well  knew,  that  he  which  found 
 out  and  defigned  his  name  amongft  the  thoufands  of 
 Ifrael,  would  eafily  find  out  his  perfon  in  a  tent.  When 
 once  we  know  God's  decree,  in  vain  (hall  we  ftrive 
 asrainft  it :  before  vvre  know  it,  it  is  indifferent  for  us 
 
 CD  ' 
 
 to  work  to  the  likeiieft. 
 
 I  cannot  blame  Saul  for  hiding  himfelf  from  a  king- 
 dom,  especially  of  IfraeL  Honour  is  heavy,  when 
 it  comes  upon  the  beft  terms ;  how  fi  ould  it  be  other- 
 ways,  when  all  mens  cares  are  caft  upon  one  ;  but 
 moll  of  all  in  a  troubled  eftate  ?  No  man  can  put  to 
 fea  without  danger,  but  he  that  launcheth  forth  in  a 
 tempeft,  can  expert,  nothing  but  the  hardeft  event  ; 
 fuch  was  the  condition  of  IfraeL  Their  old  ene- 
 the  Philiftines  were  (tilled  with  that  fearful  thunder  of 
 God,  as  finding  what  it  was  to  war  againft  the  Al- 
 mighty; There  were  adversaries  enough  befides  in 
 their  borders:  it  was  but  an  hollow  truce  that  was  be- 
 twixt Jfrael  and  their  heathcnilh  neighbours,  and  Na~ 
 hap  was  now  at  their  gates.  Well  did  Saul  know  the 
 difference  between  a  peaceful  government,  and  the 
 perilous  and  wearifome  tumults  of  war.  The  quiet- 
 eft  throne  is  full  of  cares;  but  die  perplexed,  of  dan- 
 gers. Cares  and  dangers  drove  Saul  into  this  corner, 
 to  hide  his  head  from  a  crown:  thefe  made  him  chufe 
 
 rather 
 
BOOK    XII.     Contem.v,  44;- 
 
 ratner  to  ly  obfcurely  among  the  baggage  of  his  tent, 
 than  to  fit  glorioudy  in  the  throne  of  itate.  This  hi- 
 ding could  do  nothing  but  mew,  that  both  he  iiifpecl:- 
 ed  left  he  fhould  be  chofen,  and  defired  he  mould  not 
 be  chofen.  That  God,  from  whom  the  hills  and  the 
 rocks  could  not  conceal  him,  brings  him  forth  to  the 
 light,  fo  much  more  longed  for,  as  he  was  more  un- 
 willing to  be  feen ;  and  more  applauded,  as  he  was 
 more  longed  for. 
 
 Now  then,  when  Saul  is  drawn  forth  in  the  midfl 
 of  the  eager  expectation  of  Ifrael,  raodefty  and  god- 
 linefs  lhewed  themfeives  in  his  face.     The  crowd  can- 
 not hide  him,  whom  the  Itu'T  had  hid :  as  if  he  had 
 been   made  to  be  feen,   he  overlooks   all  Ifrdel  in 
 height  of  itature,  for  prefage  of  the  eminence  of  bis 
 ilate  ;  From  the  (boulders  upwards ,  was  be  higher  than 
 any  of  the  people.     Ifrael  fees  their  lots  are  fallen  upaa 
 a  noted  man,  one  whofe  perfon  {hewed  he  was  born 
 to  be  a  king  :  and  now  all  the  people  ihout  for  joy  ; 
 they  have  their  longing,  and  applaud  their  own  hap- 
 pinefs,  and  their  king's  honour.     How  eafy  is  it  for 
 us,  to  miftake  our  own  eftates!  to  rejoice  in  that  whic  1 
 we  (hail  iind  the  jult  caufe  of  our  humiliation !     The 
 end  of  a  thing  is  better  than  the  beginning..  The  fafe'.l 
 way  is  to  referve  our  joy,  till  we  have  gf>od  proo   o; 
 the  worthiness  and  fitnefs  of  the  object.  What  are  w; 
 Cter  lor  having  a  bleffing,  if  we  know  not  hew 
 to  ufe  it  ?  The  office  and  obfervance  of  a  king  was  uii- 
 Gouth  to  Ifrael :  Samuel  therefore  informs  the  peopl  : 
 of  their  mutual  duties,  and  writes  them  in  a  book, 
 and  lays  it  up  before  the  Lord;   otherways,  noveltr 
 might  have   been  a  warrant  for  their  ignorance*,  an  I 
 ignorance  for  neglect.     There  are  reciprocal  refpecV. 
 of  princes  and  people,  which  if  they  be  not  obferved, 
 g  jvernment  languiiheth  into  confunon  ;  theie  Samuel 
 faithfully  teaeheth  them.     Thouga  he  may  not  b  ; 
 their  judge,  yet  he  will  be  their  prophet  :  he  will  m- 
 V0L.I-  Lll  ftr     . 
 
450         C  O  N  T  E  M  P  L  A?  T  I  0  N  S. 
 
 flruc~t,  if  he  may  not  rule;  yea,  he  will  inftruft  him 
 that  fhall  rule.  There  is  no  king  abfolute,  but  he 
 that  is  the  King  of  all  gods.  Earthly  monarchs  mud 
 walk  by  a  rule,  which  if  they  tranfgrefs  they  mall  be 
 accountable  to  him  that  is  higher  than  the  higheil, 
 who  hath  deputed  them.  Not  out  of  care  of  civility, 
 fo  much  as  confcicnce,  rand  every  Samuel  labour  to 
 keep  even  terms  betwixt  kings  and  fubjecls,  prefetc- 
 hing juft  moderation  to  the  one,  to  the  other  obedience 
 and  loyalty,  which  whoever  endeavours  to  trouble,  is 
 none  of  the  friends  of  God,  or  his  church. 
 
 The  moil  and  bed  applaud  their  new  king  ;  fome 
 wicked  ones  defpifed  him,  and  faid,  How  JJmll  he 
 fcrce  us  f  It  was  not  the  might  of  his  parents,  the 
 goodlinefs  of  his  perfon,  the  privilege  of  his  lot,  the 
 fame  of  his  prophefying,  the  panegyric  of  Samuel, 
 that  could  fhield  him  from  contempt,  or  win  him  the 
 hearts  of  all.  There  was  never  yet  any  man,  to  whom 
 fome  took  not  exceptions.  It  is  not  pofTible  either  to 
 pleafe  or  difpleafe  all  men,  while  fome  men  are  in  love 
 with  vice  as  deeply  as  others  with  virtue,  and  fome 
 as  ill  diflike  virtue,  if  not  for  itfelf,  yet  for  contra- 
 diction. They  well  faw  Saul  chufed  not  himfelf ;  they 
 faw  hiin  worthy  to  have  been  chofen,  if  the  election 
 ihould  have  been  carried  by  voices,  and  thofe  voices 
 by  their  eyes ;  they  faw  him  unwilling  to  hold,  or 
 yield,  when  he  was  chofen ;  yet  they  will  envy  him. 
 What  fault  could  they  find  in  him  whom  God  had 
 chofen  ?  his  parentage  was  equal,  his  perfon  above 
 them,  his  inward  parts  more  above  them  than  the  out- 
 ward. Makcontents  will  rather  devife  than  want  caufes 
 of  flying  out;  and  rather  than  fail,  the  univerfal  ap- 
 probation of  others  is  ground  enough  of  their  diflike. 
 It  is  a  vain  ambition  of  thofe  that  would  be  loved  of 
 all.  The  Spirit  of  God,  when  he  enjoins  us  peace, 
 withal  he   adds,    If   it   be   foffible ;    and  favour  is 
 
 more 
 
BOOK  XII.     Con  t  em.  v.  451 
 
 more  than  peace.     A  man's  comfort  muft  be  in  him- 
 ielf,  the  conscience  of  deferving  well. 
 
 The  neighbouring  Ammonites  could  not  but  have 
 heard  of  God's  fearful  vengeance  upon  the  Philiftines, 
 and  yet  they  will  be  taking  up  the  quarrel  againlt  If- 
 raeL  Nahajb  comes  up  againfl  Jabejh-gilead.  No- 
 thing but  grace  can  teach  us  to  make  ufe  of  others 
 judgments.  Wicked  men  are  not  moved  with  ought 
 that  falls  befide  them ;  they  trail  nothing  but  their 
 own  fmart.  What  fearful  judgments  doth  God  exe- 
 cute every  day!  Refolute  (inners  take  no  notice  of 
 them,  and  are  grown  fo  peremptory,  as  if  God  had 
 never  (hewed  diflike  of  their  ways. 
 
 The  GUeadites  were  not  more  bafe  than  Nahafh 
 the  Amnmiite  was  cruel.  The  GUeadites  would  buy 
 their  peace  with  fervility,  Nahafi  would  fell  them  a 
 fervile  peace  for  their  right  eyes.  Jephtkah  the  Gi- 
 leadlte  did  yet  flick  in  the  itomach  of  Amnion  ;  and 
 now  they  think  their  revenge  cannot  be  too  bloody. 
 It  is  a  wonder,  that  he,  which  would  offer  fo  merci- 
 lefs  a  condition  to  Ifrael,  would  yield  to  the  motion 
 of  any  delay :  he  meant  nothing  but  fhame  and  death 
 to  the  Ifraelites,  yet  he  condefcends  to  a  feven  days 
 refpite :  perhaps  his  confidence  made  him  thus  carer 
 lefs.  Howfoever,  it  was  the  reltraint  of  God  that 
 gave  this  breath  to  Ifrael,  and  this  opportunity  to  Saul's 
 courage  and  victory.  The  enemies  of  God's  church 
 cannot  be  fo  malicious  as  they  would,  cannot  approve 
 themfelves  fo  malicious  as  they  are.  God  fo  holds 
 them  in  fometimes,  that  a  flander-by  would  think 
 them  favourable.  The  news  of  Gi lead's  diflrefs  had 
 foon  filled  and  afflicted  Ifrael ;  the  people  think  of  no 
 remedy  but  their  pity  and  tears.  Evils  are  eafily 
 grieved  for,  not  ealily  redreffed  :  only  Saul  is  more 
 iiirred  with  indignation  than  forrow:  that  God,  which 
 put  into  him  a  fpirit  of  prophefy,  now  puts  into  him 
 a  fpirit  of  fortitude.     He  was  before  appointed  to  the 
 
 L 1 1  2  throne, 
 
452        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 throne,  not  fettled  in  the  throne  :  he  followeJ  the 
 beads  in  the  field,  when  he  fliould  have  commanded 
 men. 
 
 Now,  as  one  that  would  be  a  king  no-lefs  by  me- 
 rit than  election,  lie  takes  upon  him,  and  performs 
 the  refcue  of  GUead ;  he  aiTemhles  Ifrael,  he  leads 
 them,  he  raifeth  the  fiege,  breaks  the  troops,  cuts 
 the  throats  of  the  Ammonites.  When  God  hath  any 
 exploit  to  perform,  he  raifeth  up  the  heart  of  fome 
 chofen  inflrument  with  heroical  motions  for  the  at- 
 chievement.  When  all  hearts  are  cold  and  dead,  it 
 is  a  fign  of  intended  deftru&ioii. 
 
 This  day  hath  made  Saul  a  complete  king,  and  now 
 the  thankful  Ifraelites  begin  to  enquire  after  thofe  dif- 
 contented  mutineers,  which  had  refufed  allegeance 
 unto  fo  worthy  a  commander :  Bring  thofe  men,  that 
 we  may  flay '.  them.  This  fedition  had  deferved 
 death,  though  Saul  had  been  foiled  at  GUead ;  but 
 now  his  happy  victory  whets  the  people  much  more 
 to  a  defire  of  this  juft  execution.  Saul,  to  whom  the 
 injury  was  done,  hinders  the  revenge,  There  fhall 
 -no  man  die  this  day*  for  to-day  the  Lord  hath  faved 
 Ifrael ;  that  his  fortitude  might  not  go  beyond  his 
 mercy.  How  noble  were  thefe  beginnings  of  Saul! 
 His  prophefy  (hewed  him  miracuioufly  wife,  his  battle 
 and  victory  no  lefs  valiant,  his  pardon  of  his  rebels  as 
 merciful.  There  was  not  more  power  (hewed  in  o- 
 vercoming  the  Ammctites,  than  in  overcoming  him- 
 felf,  and  the  impotent  malice  of  thefe  mutinous  Ifrael- 
 ites. Now  Ifrael  fees  they  have  a  king,  that  can  both 
 ihed  blood,  and  fpare  it ;  that  can  (bed  the  Ammon- 
 ites blood,  and  fpare  theirs.  His  mercy  wins  thofe 
 hearts  whom  his  valour  could  not.  As  in  God,  fo  in 
 his  deputies,  mercy  and  juflice  (hould  be  infeparable  \ 
 wherefoever  thefe  two  go  afunder,  government  fol- 
 lows them  into  di ftr action,  and  ends  in  ruin.  If  it 
 had  been  a  wronc;  offered  to  Samuel,  the  forbearance 
 *  of 
 
BOOK   XII.     Contem.  vi.         453 
 
 of  the  revenge,  had  not  been  fo  commendable,  al- 
 though, upon  the  day  of  fo  happy  a  deliverance,  per- 
 haps it  had  not  been  feafonable.  A  man  hath  rea- 
 ibii  to  be  mod  bold  with  himfelf.  It  is  no  praife  or* 
 mercy,  fince  it  is  a  fault  in  juilice,  to  remit  another 
 man's  iatisfaction ;  his  own  he  may. 
 
 Conte  m .   vi.     Samuel's  contcjlation. 
 
 EVERY  one  can  be  a  friend  to  him  that  profper- 
 eth.  By  this  victory  hath  Saul  as  well  conquer- 
 ed the  pbflinacy  of  his  own  people.  Now  there  is  no 
 Jfraelite  that  rejoiceth  not  in  Saul's  kingdom.  No 
 fooner  have  they  done  objecting  to  Saul,  than  Sa- 
 mucl  begins  to  expoilulate  with  them.  The  fame  day 
 wherein  they  began  to  be  pleafed,  God  mews  him- 
 felf angry.  All  the  paiTages  of  their  proceedings  of- 
 fended him,  he  deferred  to  let  them  know  it  till  now, 
 that  the  kingdom  was  fettleo,  and  their  hearts  lifted 
 up.  Now  doth  God  cool  their  courage  and  joy,  with 
 a  back -reckoning  for  their  forwardnefs.  God  will  not 
 let  his  people  run  away  with  the  arrearages  of  their 
 fins  ;  but,  when  they  leaf!  think  of  it,  calls  them  to  an 
 account.  All  this  while  was  God  angry  with  their 
 rejection  of  Samuel ;  yet,  as  if  there  had  been  no- 
 thing but  peace,  he  gives  them  a  victory  over  their  ene- 
 mies, he  gives  way  to  their  joy  in  their  election  ;  now 
 he  lets  them  know,  that,  after  their  peace-olFerings, 
 he  hath  a  quarrel  with  them.  GocJ  may  be  angry 
 enough  with  us,  while  we  outwardly  profper.  It 
 it  the  wifdom  of  God  to  take  his  bell:  advantages ;  he 
 fullers  us  to  go  en,  till  we  fhould  come  to  enjoy  the 
 fruit  of  our  fin,  till  we  feem -paft  the  danger  either 
 of  confeience  or  punifhment ;  then,  even  when  we 
 begin  to  be  pad  the  feeling  of  our  fm,  we  fliall  begin 
 to  feel  his  difpleafure  for  our  fins :  this  is  only  where 
 he  loves,  where  he  would  both  forgive  and  reclaim. 
 
 He 
 
454        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 He  hath  now  to  do  with  his  IfraeL  But  where  he 
 means  utter  vengeance,  he  lets  men  harden  them- 
 felves  to  a  reprobate  fenfelefnefs,  and  make  up  their 
 own  meafure  without  contradiction,  as  purpoiing  to 
 reckon  with  them  but  once  for  ever. 
 
 Samuel  had  diffuaded  them  before,  he  reproves 
 them  not  until  now.  If  he  had  thus  bent  himfelf  a- 
 gaind  them,  ere  the  fettling  of  the  election,  he  had 
 troubled  Ifrael  in  that  which  God  took  occafion  by 
 their  fin  to  eftablifh  ;  his  oppofition  would  have  fa- 
 voured of  refpecls  to  himfelf,  whom  the  wreng  of 
 this  innovation  chiefly  concerned.  Now  therefore, 
 when  they  are  fure  of  their  king,  and  their  king  of 
 them,  when  he  hath  fet  even  terms  betwixt  them  mu- 
 tually, he  lets  them  fee  how  they  were  at  odds  with 
 God.  We  mud  ever  diilike  fins,  we  may  not  ever 
 ihew  it.  Difcretion  in  the  choice  of  feafons  for  repro- 
 ving is  no  lefs  commendable  and  neceffary,  than  zeal 
 and  faithfulnefs  in  reproving.  Good  phyficians  ufe 
 not  to  evacuate  the  body  in  extremities  of  heat  or 
 cold  ;  wife  mariners  do  not  hoifl  fails  in  every  wind. 
 
 Firft  doth  Samuel  begin  to  clear  his  own  innocence, 
 ere  he  dare  charge  them  with  their  fin.  He  that  will 
 cad  a  done  at  an  offender,  mud  be  free  himfelf,  o- 
 therways  he  condemns  and  executes  himfelf  in  ano- 
 ther perfon.  The  confeience  dops  the  mouth  of  the 
 guilty  man,  and  chokes  him  with  that  fin  which  .lies 
 in  his  own  bread,  and,  having  not  come  forth  by  a  pe- 
 nitent confedion,*  cannot  find  the  way  out  in  a  re- 
 proof ;  or,  if  he  do  reprove,  he  doth  more  fliame 
 himfelf,  than  reform  another.  He,  that  was  the  judge 
 of  Ifrael i  would  not  now  judge  himfelf,  but  would  be 
 judged  by  Ifrael :  Whofe  ox  have  I  taken  f  whofe  afs 
 have  I  taken  f  or  to  whom  have  I  done  wrong  f  No 
 doubt  Samuel  found  himfelf  guilty  before  God  of  ma- 
 ny private  infirmities  ;  but,  for  his  public  carriage, 
 he  appeals  to  men.     A  man's  heart  can  bed  judge  of 
 
 himfelf  \ 
 
BOOK  XII.     Contem.  vi.  455 
 
 himfelf;  others  can  befl  judge  of  his  anions.  As  a- 
 nother  man's  confcience  and  approbation  cannot  bear 
 us  out  before  God,  fo  cannot  our  own  before  men  : 
 for  oft-times  that  action  is  cenfured  by  the  beholders 
 as  wrongful,  wherein  we  applaud  our  own  juftice. 
 Happy  is  that  man  that  can  be  acquitted  by  himfelf 
 in  private,  in  public  by  others,  by  God  in  both. 
 Standers-by  may  fee  more.  It  is  very  fafe  for  a  man 
 to  look  into  himfelf  by  others  eyes.  In  vain  (hall  a 
 man's  heart  abfolve  him  that  is  condemned  by  his 
 actions. 
 
 It  was  not  fo  much  the  trial  of  his  carriage,  that 
 Samuel  appealed  for,  as  his  juftification,  not  for  his 
 own  comfort,  fo  much  as  their  conviction.  His  in- 
 nocence hath  not  done  him  fervice  enough,  unlefs  it 
 fliame  them,  and  make  them  confefs  themf elves  faulty. 
 In  fo  many  years,  wherein  Samuel  judged  Ifrael,  it 
 cannot  be,  but  many  thoufand  caufespaffed  his  hands., 
 wherein  both  parties  could  not  poffibly  be  pleafed  ; 
 yet  fo  clear  doth  he  find  his  fyeart  and  hands,  that  he 
 dare  make  the  grieved  part  judges  of  his  judgment. 
 A  good  confcience  will  make  a  man  undauntedly  con- 
 fident, and  dare  put  him  upon  any  trial ;  where  his 
 own  heart  flrfkes  him  not,  it  bids  him  challenge  all 
 the  world,  and  take  up  all  comers.  How  happy  a 
 thing  is  it  for  a  man  to  be  his  own  friend  and  patron! 
 He  needs  not  to  fear  foreign  broils  that  is  at  peace  at 
 home.  Contrarily,  he  that  hath  a  falfe  and  foul 
 heart,  lies  at  every  man's  mercy,  lives  flavimly,  and 
 is  fain  to  daub  up  a  rotten  peace  with  the  bafeit  con- 
 ditions. Truth  is  not  afraid  of  any  light;  and  there- 
 fore dare  fuffer  her  wares  to  be  carried  from  a  dim 
 fhop-board  unto  the  flreet-door.  Perfect:  gold  will 
 be  but  the  purer  with  trying,  whereas  falfhood,  be- 
 ing a  work  of  darknefs,  loves  darknef?,  and  there- 
 fore feeks  where  it  mav  work  clofeft. 
 
 This 
 
45<*         CONTEMPLATION  S. 
 
 This  very  appellation  cleared  Samuel,  but  the  peo- 
 ples atteftation  cleared  him  more.  Innocency  and  up- 
 piditnefs  becomes  every  man  well,  but  molt  public 
 periods,  who  {hall  be  elfe  obnoxious  to  every  odend- 
 er.  The  throne  arid  the  pulp':,  of  all  places,  call 
 for  hoiinefs^  no  more  for  example  of  good,  than  for 
 liberty  of  controlling  evil.  All  magistrates  fwear  t.o 
 do  that,  which  Samuel  protected  he  hath  done  ;  if 
 their  oath  were  fo  verified,  as  Samuel's  proteilation, 
 it  were  a  fhame  for  the  ftate  not  to  be  happy.  The 
 fins  of  our  teachers  are  the  teachers  of  fin  ;  the  fibs 
 of  governors  do  both  command  and  countenance  evil. 
 This  very  acquitting  of  Sam:iel  was  the  accufation  of 
 themfelves ;  tor  how  couid  it  be  but  faulty  to  call  off 
 a  fauklefs  governor  ?  If  he  had  not  taken  away  an 
 ox,  or  an  afs  from  them,  why  do  they  take  away  his 
 authority  ?  They  could  not  have  thus  cleared  Saul  at 
 the  end  of  his  reign.  It  was  juft  with  God,  iince 
 they  were  weary  of  a  juft  ruler,  to  puriifh  them  with 
 an  unjuft. 
 
 He,  that  appealed  to  them  for  his  own  uprightnefs, 
 durft  not  appeal  to  them  from  their  own  wickednefs, 
 but  appeals  to  heaven  for  them.  Men  are  commonly 
 flatterers  of  their  own  cafes :  it  mud  be   a   ftronff  e- 
 
 o 
 
 vidence,  that  will  make  a  {inner  convicted  in  himfelf. 
 Nature  hath  fo  many  ftiifts  to  cozen  itfelf  in  this  fpi- 
 ritual  verdict,  that  unlefs  it  be  taken  in  the  manner, 
 it  will  hardly  yield  to  a  truth  ;  either  me  will  deny 
 the  fac~t,  or  the  fault,  or  the  meafure  ;  and  now,  in 
 this  cafe,  they  might  feem  to  have  fomf  fair  pretences; 
 for  though  Samuel  was  r  -,  yet  his   ions   were 
 
 corrupt.  To  cut  oS.  all  excufes  therefore,  Samuel rap* 
 peals  to  God,  the  higheft  judge,  for  his  fentence  of 
 their  fin,  and  dares  trull  to  a  miraculoi 
 It  was  now  their  wheat  harvell  :  the  hot  and  dry 
 air  of  that  climate  did  not  wont  to  a  ford  in  that  feu- 
 fon  fo  much  moid  vapour  as  might  raife    a   < 
 
 ither 
 
BOOK   XII.      Contem,  vii.         45; 
 
 either  for  rain  or  thunder.  He  that  knew  God  could, 
 and  would  do  both  thefe,  without  the  help  of  fecond 
 cauies,  puts  the  trial  upon  this  iffue.  Had  not  Sa- 
 muel before  confulted  with  his  Maker,  and  received 
 warrant  for  his  act,  h  had  been  prefumption  and 
 tempting  of  God,  which  was  now  a  noble  improve- 
 ment of  faith.  Rather  than  Ifrael  ihalt  go  clear  a- 
 way  with  a  fin,  God  will  accufe  and  arraign  them 
 from  heaven.  No  fooner  hath  Samuel's  voice  ceafed, 
 than  God's  voice  begins.  Every  crack  of  thunder 
 fpake  judgment  againfl  the  rebellious  Ifraelltes,  and 
 every  drop  of  rain  was  a  witnefs  of  their  fin ;  and  now 
 they  found  they  had  difpleafed  him,  which  ruleth  in 
 the  heaven,  by  rejecting  the  man  that  ruled  for  .him 
 on  earth.  The  thundering  voice  of  God,  that  had 
 lately  in  their  fight  confounded  the  P  hill  fines,  they 
 now  underitood  to  fpeak  fearful  things  againfl  them.  No 
 marvel, 'if  they  now  fell  upon  their  knees,  not  to  Saul*, 
 whom  they  had  chofen,  but  to  Samuel,  who,  being 
 thus  call  oil  by  them,  is  thus  countenanced  in  heaven. 
 
 Contem.  vii.      O/Saul's  facrijicc. 
 
 f~^  OD  never  meant  the  kingdom  mould  either  flay 
 ^-^  long  in  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  or  remove  fud- 
 denly  from  the  perlon  of  Saul.  Many  years  did  Saul 
 reigu  over  Ifrael ,  yet  God  computes  him  but  two 
 years  a  king.  That  is  not  accounted  of  God  to  be 
 done,  which  is  not  lawfully  done.  When  God,  which 
 chofe  Saul,  rejected  him,  he  was  no  more  a  king, 
 but  a  tyrant.  Ifrael  obeyed  him  ffill;  but  Gcd  makes 
 no  reckoning  of  him  as  his  deputy,  but  as  an  usurp- 
 er. 
 
 Saul  wai  of  good  years  when  he  was  advanced  to 
 the  kingdom.  Kis  fon  Jonathan,  the  firil  year  of  his 
 father's  reign,  could  lead  a  thoufand  Ifraelites  into  the 
 field,  and  give  a  f;:l  .to  the  Philijfihes  :  and  now  If 
 
 Vol.  I.  M  m  m  -       rail 
 
458         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 rael  could  not  think  themfelves  lefs  happy  in  their 
 prince,  than  in  their  king.  Jonathan  is  the  heir  of 
 his  father's  victory,  as  well  as  of  his  valour  and  his  e- 
 ftate.  The  Philijl'mes  were  quiet,  after  thofe  firft 
 thunder-claps,  ali  the  time  of  Samuel's  government : 
 now  they  begin  to  ftir  under  Saul. 
 
 How  utterly  is  Ifrael  difappointed  in  their  hopes ! 
 That  fecurity  and  protection,  which  they  promifed 
 themfelves  in  the  name  of  a  king,  they  found  in  a 
 prophet,  failed  of  in  a  warriour.  They  were  more 
 fafe  under  the  mantle,  than  under  arms.  Both  en- 
 mity and  fafeguard  are  from  heaven.  Goodnefs  hath 
 been  ever  a  ftronger  guard  than  valour.  It  is  the 
 furefl  policy  always  to  have  peace  with  God. 
 
 We  find,  by  the  fpoils,  that  the  Phil'iflines  had  fome 
 battles  with  Ifrael  which  are  not  recorded.  After 
 the  thunder  had  feared  them  into  a  peace,  and  reftitu- 
 tion  of  all  the  bordering  cities,  from  Ekron  to  Gath, 
 they  had  taken  new  heart,  and  fo  enflaved  Ifrael \  that 
 they  had  neither  weapon  nor  fmith  left  among  them  -y 
 vet,  even  in  this  miferable  nakednefs  of  Ifrael,  have 
 they  both  fought  and  overcome.  Now  might  you  have 
 feen  the  unarmed  Ifraelites  marching  with  their  flings 
 and  plough-ftaves,  and  hooks  and  forks,  and  other 
 inftruments  of  their  hufbandry.  againft  a  mighty  and 
 well  furnifiied  enemy,  and  returning  -laden  both  with 
 arms  and  victory.  No  armour  is  of  proof  againft  the 
 Almighty  ;  neither  is  he  unweaponed,  that  carries  the 
 revenge  of  God.  There  is  the  fame  difadvantage  in 
 our  fpiritual  confli&s :  we  are  turned  naked  to  prin- 
 cipalities and  powers.  Whilft  we  go  under  the  con- 
 duct of  the  Prince  of  our  peace,  we  cannot  but  be 
 bold  and  victorious. 
 
 Vain  men  think  to  over-power  God  with  muniti- 
 on and  multitude  :  the  Fhdijtines  are  not  any  way 
 more  ftrong  than  in  conceit.  Thirty  thoufand  chari- 
 otSj  fb;  tivritwA  horfcimen,  footmen  like  the  land  for 
 
 number. 
 
BOOK    XII.     Co  nt  em.  vii.         459 
 
 number,  make  them  fcorn  Ifracl  no  lefs  than  Ifrael 
 fears  them.  When  I  fee  the  miraculous  fuccefs, 
 which  had  bleHed  the  Ifraelites  in  all  their  late  con- 
 flicts, with  thefe  very  Philiflines,  with  the  Ammonites  ^ 
 I  cannot  but  wonder  how  they  could  fear.  They, 
 which  in  the  time  of  their  fin  found  God  to  raife  fucfi 
 trophies  over  their  enemies,  run  now  into  caves,  and 
 rocks,  and  pits,  to  hide  them  from  the  faces  of  men, 
 when  they  found  God  reconciled,  and  themfelves  pe- 
 nitent. No  Ifraelite  but  hath  fome  cowardly  blood 
 in  him.  If  we  had  no  fear,  faith  would  have  no  ma- 
 ilery  ;  yet  thefe  fearful  Ifraelites  ill  all  cut  the  throats 
 of  thofe  confident  Phi  lift  i?ies.  Doubt  and  refolution 
 are  not  meet  meafures  of  our  fuccefs :  a  prefumptu- 
 ous  confidence  goes  commonly  bleeding  home,  when 
 an  humble  fear  returns  in  triumph.  Fear  drives  thofe 
 Ifraelites  which  dare  (hew  their  heads  out  of  the  caves 
 unto  Saul,  and  makes  them  cling  unto  their  new 
 king.  How  troublefome  were  the  beginnings  of  Saul's 
 honour?  Surely,  if  that  man  had  not  exceeded  Ifrael 
 no  lefs  in  courage  than  in  ftature,  he  had  not  now  hid 
 himfelf  in  a  cave,  who  before  hid  himfelf  in  the  fluff. 
 But  now,  though  the  Ifraelites  ran  away  from  him, 
 yet  he  ran  not  away  from  them.  It  was  not  any 
 doubt  of  Saul's  valour  that  put  his  people  to  their 
 heels,  it  was  the  abfence  of  Samuel.  If  the  prophet 
 had  come  up,  Ifrael  would  never  have  run  away  from 
 their  king.  While  they  had  a  Samuel  alone,  they 
 were  never  well  till  they  had  a  Saul ;  now  they  have 
 a  Saul,  they  are  as  far  from  contentment,  becaufe 
 they  want  a  Samuel :  unlefs  both  join  together,  they 
 think  there  can  be  no  fafety.  Where  the  tempore;! 
 and  fpiritual  Hate  combine  not  together,  there  can  fol- 
 low nothing  but  diffraction  in  the  people.  The  pro- 
 phets receive  and  deliver  the  will  of  God,  kings  ex- 
 ecute it.  The  prophets  are  directed  by  God,  the 
 people  are  directed  by  their  kings.  Where  men  dp 
 M  m  m  2  not 
 
46o        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 not  fee  God  in  his  Ordinances,  their  hearts  cannot  but 
 fail  them,  both  in  their  refpd£ts  to  their  fuperiors, 
 and  their  courage  in  themfelves.  Piety  is  the  mo- 
 ther of  perfect  fubjeclion.  As  all  authority  is  deri- 
 ved from  heaven,  ib  is  it  thence  eftablifhed.  Thofe 
 governors,  that  would  command  the  hearts  of  men, 
 muft  mew  them  God  in  their  faces. 
 
 No  Ifrael'ile  can  think  himfelf  fafe  without  a  pro- 
 phet. Saul  had  given  them  good  proof  of  his  forti- 
 tude, in  his  late  victory  over  the  Ammonites ;  but 
 then  proclamation  was  made  before  the  fight,  through 
 all  the  country,  that  every  man  fliould  come  up  after 
 Saul  and  Samuel*  If  Samuel  had  not  been  with  Saul9 
 they  would  rather  have  ventured  the  lofs  of  their 
 oxen,  than  the  hazard  of*  themfelves.  How  much 
 leis  fliould  we  prefuflae  of  any  fafety  in  our  fpi ritual 
 combats,  when  we  have  not  a  prophet  to  lead  us ? 
 It  is  all  one,  faving  that  it  favours  of  more  contempt, 
 not  to  have  God's  leers,  and  not  to  ufe  them.  He 
 can  be  no  true  Ifraelite,  that  is  not  diftreffed  with  the 
 want  ot  a  Samuel. 
 
 As  one  that  learned  to  begin  his  rule  in  obedi- 
 ence, Saul  Hays  feven  days  in  Gilgal,  according  to 
 the  prophet's  direction,  and  flill  he  looks  long  for  Sa- 
 muel)  which  had  promifed  his  prefence  ;  fix  days  he 
 expects,  and  part  of  the  feventh,  yet  Samuel  is  not 
 come.  The  Philijli.jes  draw  near,  the  Israelites  run 
 away,  Samuel  comes  not,  they  muft  fight,  God  muft 
 be  fupplicated  ;  what  mould  Saul  do  ?  Rather  than 
 God  fliould  want  a  facrifice,  and  the  people  fatisfac- 
 tion,  Saul  will  command  that,  which  he  knew  Samuel 
 would,  if  he  were  prefent,  both  command  and  exe- 
 cate.  It  is  not  poflible,  thinks  he,  that  God  ihould 
 be  difpleafed  with  a  facrifice,  he  cannot  but  be  difpleaf- 
 ed  with  indevotion.  Why  do  the  people  run  from 
 me,  but  for  want  of  means  to  make  God  fure  ?  What 
 yeuld  Samuel  rather  wifh,  than  that  we  ihould  be 
 
 godly  ? 
 
BOOK  XII.     Co nt em.  vit.         461 
 
 godly  ?  The  act  mall  be  the  fame,  the  only  difference 
 iiiali  be  in  the  perfon.  If  Samuel  be  wanting  to  tts, 
 we  will  not  be  wanting  to  God  ;  it  is  but  an  holy  pre- 
 vention to  be  devout  unbidden.  Upon  this  conceit 
 he  commands  a  facrifice :  SauPt  fins  make  no  great 
 mew,  yet  are  they  fliil  heinou'ly  taken ;  the  impiety 
 of  them  was  more  hidden  and  inward  from  all  eyes 
 bur  God's.  If  Saul  were  among  the  prophets  before, 
 will  he  now  be  among  the  priefts  ?  Can  there  be  any 
 devotion  in  difobedience  ?  O  vain  man  !  what  can  it 
 avail  thee  to  facrifice  to  God  againfl  God?  Hypocrites 
 reft  only  in  formalities ;  if  the  outward  act  be  done, 
 it  fufficeth  them,  though  the  ground  be  diitriul,  the 
 manner  unreverence,  the  carriage  preemption. 
 
 What  then  mould  Saul  have  done  r  Upon  the  truft 
 of  God  and  Samuel  he  mould  have  ftaid  out  the  lafl 
 hour,  and  have  fecretly  facrificed  himfelf,  and  his 
 prayers  unto  that  God  which  loves  obedience  above 
 facriiice.  Our  faith  is  molt  commendable  in  the  lad: 
 a<5t ;  it  is  no  praife  to  hold  out  until  we  be  hard  driven. 
 Then,  when  we  are  forfaken  of  means,  to  live  by  faith 
 in  our  God,  is  worthy  of  a  crown.  God  will  have 
 no  worfhip  of  our  deviling ;  we  may  only  do  what  he 
 bids  us,  not  bid  what  he  commands  not.  Never  did 
 any  true  piety  arife  out  of  the  corrupt  puddle  of  man's 
 brain.  If  it  flow  not  from  heaven,  it  is  odious  to 
 heaven.  What  was  it  that  did  thus  taint  the  valour 
 of  Saul  with  this  weaknefs,  but  diflruft  ?  He  faw  fame 
 Ifraelites  go,  he  thought  all  would  go :  he  faw  the 
 Fhiliftines  come,  he  faw  Samuel  came  not ;  his  diffi- 
 dence was  guilty  of  his  mifdevotion.  There  is  no  fm 
 that  hath  not  its  ground  from  unbelief ;  this,  as  it 
 was  the  firfl  infection  of  our  pure  nature,  io  is  the 
 true  fource  of  all  corruption:  man  could  not  iln,  if 
 he  diftrufted  not. 
 
 The  facrifice  is  no  fooner  ended,  than  Samuel  is 
 come  :  and  why  came  he  no  fconer  ?     He  could  not 
 
 be 
 
462         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 be  a  feer,  and  not  know   how  much  he  v 
 
 for,  how  troublefome  and  dangerous  mult 
 
 needs  be  :  he,  that  could  tell  Saul  that  h  d  pro- 
 
 ",  could  tell  that  he  would  facfifice  ;  yet  he  pur- 
 pofely  forbears  :o  come,  for  the  trial  of  him  that  mull 
 be  the  champion  of  God.  Samuel  durit  not  have 
 done  thus,  but  by  direction  from  his  Mailer.  It  is 
 the  ordinary  courle  of  God  to  prove  us  by  delays, 
 and  to  drive  to  exigents,  that  we  may  ihew  what  we 
 are.  He  that  anointed  Saul,  might  lawfully  from  God 
 control  him.     Th  e    discretion,  there  may 
 
 not  be  partiality  in  our  cenfures-of  the  greateil.  God 
 -nee  of  iins,  none  of  perfons.  If  we  make 
 .:•  of  tins,  according  to  peiions,  we  are  un- 
 faithful both  to  God  and  man.  Scarce  is  Saul  warm 
 in  his  kingdom,  when  he  hath  even  loll  it. 
 firit  words,  after  the  inauguration,  are  of  Sauk  rejec- 
 tion, and  the  choice  and  eflabliihment  oi  his  fuccctibr. 
 It  was  ever   God's  purpofe  to  fetde  the  kingdom  in 
 
 ':.  He,  that  took  occafion  by  the  peoples  tin  to 
 .?;;;/;;,  takes  occation  by  SauPs  tin 
 tablifh  the  crown  upon  David.  In  human  pro- 
 bability the  kingdom  was  fixed  upon  Saul,  and  his 
 more  worthy  fon.  In  God's  decree  it  did  but  pais 
 through  the  hands  of  Benjamin  to  Judab.  Betides 
 trouble,  how  tickle  are  thefe  earthly  glories  ? 
 doubtlefs  looked  upon  Jonathan  as  the  inheritor  of  his 
 crown ;  and,  behold,  ere  his  peaceable  polfeilion,  he 
 hath  left  it  from  himfelf.  Our  tins  ftrip  us  not  of  our 
 hopes  in  heaven  only,  but  of  our  earthly  blcffi 
 The  way  to  entail  a  comfortable  profperity  upon  our 
 
 after  us.  is  our  confciouable  obedience  unto  God, 
 
BOOK  XII.     Contem.  vin.        463 
 
 C  o  >:  T  e  m.    vin.      Jonathan's    viflory,    and 
 Saul's    oath, 
 
 IT  is  wonder  if  SauFs  courage  was  much  cooled 
 with  the  heavy  news  of  his  rejection.  After  this 
 he  flays  under  the  pomegranate-tree  in  Gibeah :  he 
 flirs  not  towards  the  garriion  of  the  Phili/lines.  As 
 hope  is  the  mother  of  fortitude,  fo  nothing  doth  more 
 breed  cowardlinefs  than  defpair.  Every  thing  dif- 
 mays  that  heart  which  God  hath  put  out  of  protection. 
 Worthy  Jonathan,  which  fprung  from  Saul,  as  fome 
 fweet  imp  grows  out  of  a  crab-ftock,  is  therefore  full 
 of  valour,  becaufe  full  of  faith.  He  well  knew,  that 
 he  mould  have  nothing  but  difcouragements  from  his 
 father's  fear ;  as  rather  chufing  therefore  to  avoid  all 
 the  blocks  that  might  ly  in  the  way,  than  to  leap  over 
 them,  he  departs  fecretly  without  the  difmiflion  of  his 
 father,  or  notice  of  the  people ;  only  God  leads  him, 
 and  his  armour-bearer  follows  him.  O  admirable  faith 
 of  Jonathan,  whom  neither  the  fteepnefs  of  rocks, 
 nor  the  multitude  of  enemies  can  dhTuade  from  fo  un- 
 likely an  aiiault !  Is  it  pofftble,  that  two  men,  where- 
 of one  was  weaponless,  mould  dare  to  think  of  en- 
 countering fo  many  thoufands  ?  O  divine  power  of 
 faith,  that,  in  all  difficulties  and  attempts,  makes  a 
 man  more  than  men,  and  regards  no  more  armies  of 
 men  than  fwarms  of  flies  ?  There  is  no  reftraint  to  the 
 Lord,  faith  he,  to  fave  with  many,  or  by  few.  It 
 was  not  fo  great  news,  that  Saul  mould  be  among  ft 
 the  prophets,  as  that  fuch  a  word  mould  come  from 
 the  fon  of  Saul. 
 
 If  his  father  had  had  but  fo  much  divinity,  he  had 
 not  facrificed.  The  (trength  of  his  God  is  the  ground 
 of  his  ffirength  in  God.  The  queftion  is  not,  what  Jo- 
 nathan can  do,  but  what  Gcd  can  do,  whole  power 
 is  not  in  the  means,  but  in  himfelf.  That  man's  faith 
 is  well  underlaid,  that  upholds  itfelf  by  the  omi 
 
 eency 
 
4*4         CON  TEMP  I  A  T  I  O  N  S. 
 
 tency  of  Cod.     Thus  her  of  the  faithful  b 
 
 I  lis  affurance  upon  :  ser  of  the  Almighty.     But 
 
 things  God  can  do,  v  te  will  not  do.    How 
 
 knoweft  thou,  j  forward, 
 
 as  he  is  able,  to  give  thee  victory?  For  this,  faith  he, 
 1  have  a  watch-word  from  God  out  of  the  mouths  of 
 the  Philiftines :  Ij  up,  we  s  v/>  ; 
 
 hands,  If  the  i 
 fay^  Tarry,  ttif we  cum  to  you,  -ice  will  ft  mid  /Jill. 
 wa«  too  wife  to  truft  unto  a  cafual  prefage. 
 There  might  be  fome  far  fetched  conjectures  of  the 
 event  from  the  word.  We  will  come  to  you,  was  a 
 threat  of  resolution:  Come  you  to  us,  was  a  challenge 
 of  fear ;  or  perhaps,  come   up  to  us,  was  a  word  of 
 
 ultation  from  them  that  muted  to  the  inacceffible- 
 nefs  of  the  place,  and  multitudes  of  men.  Iufultation 
 is  from  pride,  pride  argued  a  fall :  but  faith  hath  no- 
 thing to  do  with  probabilities,  as  that  which  acknow- 
 ledee th  no  argument  but  demonftration.  If  there  had 
 not  been  an  initmct  from  God  of  this  allured  warrant 
 of  fuccefs,  umed  in-lead  of  belie- 
 
 ving, and  had  d  that  God  whom  he  profefled 
 
 to  glorify  by  his  truli. 
 
 .;re  can  be  no  faith  where  there  is  no  promife; 
 
 ■,  where  there  is  a  promife,  there  can  be  no  pre* 
 
 rption.     Words  are  voluntary;  the  tongues  of  the 
 were   as  free  to  fay,    Tarry,    as   Cor 
 That  God,  in  whom  our   very  tongues  move,  o? 
 ruled  them  io,  as  t  wont, 
 
 rich  iha.il   cut   thfir  own   throats.     They  kaew  no 
 more  harm  in   Come,  than  Tarry  ;  1 
 fare  for  the  ibund,  for  the  fenfe  ;  but  he  that  put  a 
 f-gnincation   of  their  Gaughter  me,  a  or  in  the 
 
 other,  did  put  that  word  into  their  mouths,  whereby 
 they  might  invite  their  own  deilruction.  The  difpo- 
 ft:on  of  our  words  is  from  the  providence  of  the 
 Aknir/htv.     God  and  c  rts  have  no:  alwavs  the 
 
 lain: 
 
BOOK  XII.     Conte  m.  vni.        465 
 
 fame  meaning  in  our  fpeeches.  In  thofe  words  which 
 we  fpeak  at  random,  or  out  of  affectation,  God  hath 
 a  further  drift  of  his  own  glory,  and  perhaps  our 
 judgment.  If  wicked  men  fay,  Our  tongues  are  our 
 own,  they  could  not  fay  fo,  but  from  him  whom  they 
 defy  in  faying  10,  and  who  makes  their  tongue  their 
 executioner. 
 
 No  fooner  doth  Jonathan  hear  this  invitation,  than 
 he  anfwers  it.  He,  whofe  hands  had  learned  never 
 to  fail  his  heart,  puts  himfelf  upon  his  hands  and 
 knees  to  climb  up  into  this  danger  :  the  exploit  was 
 not  more  difficult  than  the  way;  the  pain  of  the  paf- 
 fage  was  equal  to  the  peril  of  the  enterprife,  that  his 
 faith  might  equally  triumph  over  both.  He  doth  no: 
 fay,  How  {hall  I  get  up?  much  lefs,  Which  way  (hall 
 I  get  down  again  ?  But,  as  if  the  ground  were  levels 
 and  the  action  dangerlefs,  he  puts  himfelf  into  the 
 view  of  the  PhilijYines.  Faith  is  never  fo  glorious., 
 as  when  it  hath  moil  oppofition,  and  will  not  fee  it. 
 Reafon  looks  ever  to  the  means,  faith  to  the  end  \ 
 and,  inftead  of  confulting  how  to  effect,  refolves  what 
 {hail  be  effected.  The  way  to  heaven  is  more  fteep, 
 more  painful.  O  God,  how  pcrillcus  a  paffage  halt 
 thou  appointed  for  thy  labouring  pilgrims !  If  diiE- 
 culties  will  difcourage  us,  we  (hall  but  climb  to  fall. 
 When  we  are  lifting  up  our  foot  to  the  lad  ftep,  there 
 are  the  Pbili '(lines  of  death,  of  temptations,  to  grap- 
 ple with.  Give  us  but  faith,  and  turn  us  loofe  to 
 the  fpite  either  of  earth  or  hell. 
 
 Jonathan  is  now  4fo  the  top  of  the  hiil  ;  and  now, 
 as  if  he  had  an  army  at  his  heels,  he  rlies  upon  the 
 hoil  of  the  Phi  life  ir.es  ;  his  hands,  that  might  have 
 been  weary  with  climbing,  are  immediately  command- 
 ed to  fight,  and  deal  as  many  deaths  as  b'ov/?  to  the 
 amazed  enemy.  He  needs  not  walk  far  for.  tins,  exe  • 
 anion  ;  himfelf  and  his  armour-bearer,  in  one  hal : 
 acre's  fpace,  have  fjain  twenty  Pbiltftinks.     It  is  no: 
 
 Vol.  L  N  n  n  lon^ 
 
,\66        CONTEMPLATIONS.' 
 
 long  fince  Jonathan  fmote  their  garrifon  in  the  hill  of 
 Geba,  perhaps  from  that  time  his  name  and  prefence 
 carried  terror  in  it ;  but  fure,  if  the  Philijlines  had 
 not  feen  and  felt  more  than  a  man,  in   the  face  and 
 hands  of  Jonathan,  they  had  not  fo  eafily  grovelled 
 in  death.     The  blows  and  fhrieks  cannot #but  affect 
 the  next,  who,  with  a  ghaftly  noife,  run  away  from 
 death,  and  affright  their  fellows  no  lefs  than  them- 
 felves  are  affrighted.     The  clamour  and  fear  runs  on, 
 like  fire  in  a  train,  to  the  very  foremofl  ranks ;  eve- 
 ry man  would  fly,  and  thinks  there  is  fo  much  more 
 caufe  of  flight,  for  that  his   ears  apprehend  all,  his 
 eyes  nothing.     Each  man  thinks  his  fellow  flands  in 
 his  way  ;  and  therefore,  inflead  of  turning  upon  him 
 which  was  the  caufe  of  their  flight,  they  bend  their 
 fwords  upon  thofe  whom  they  imagine  to  be  the  hin- 
 derers  of  their  flight :  and  now  a  miraculous  aftonifh- 
 raent  hath  made  the  Philijlines  Jonathan's  champions 
 and  executioners.     He  follows  and  kills  thofe  which 
 helped  to  kill  others  ;  and  the  more  he  killed,  the 
 more  they  feared,  and  fled,  and  the  more  they  killed 
 each  other  in  the  flight :  and,  that  fear  itfelf  might 
 prevent  Jonathan  in  killing  them,  the  earth  itfelf 
 trembles  under  them.     Thus  doth  God  at  once  ftrike 
 them   with   his   own  hand,    with  Jonathan's,    with 
 theirs,  and  makes  them  run   away  from  life,  whiles 
 they  would  fly  from  an  enemy.     Where  the  Almighty 
 •  purpofes  deftruction  to  any  people,  he  needs  not  call 
 in  foreign  powers ;  he  needs  not  any  hands  or  weapons, 
 but  their  own ;  he  can  make  vaft  bodies  die  by  no  other 
 death  than  their  own  weight.     We  cannot  be  fure  to 
 be  friends  among  ourfelves,  whiles  God  is  our  enemy. 
 The  Philijlines  fly  fail,  but  the  news  of  their  flight 
 over-runs  them,  even  unto  Saul's  pomegranate-tree. 
 The  watchmen  difcem  afar  off  a  flight  and  execution. 
 Search  is  made,  Jonathan  is  round  milling;  SaulwiW 
 ■~*onfuIt-wi:h  the  art*     Hypocrites,  while  they  have 
 
 leisure, 
 
BOOK   XII.      Contem.  viii.      467 
 
 leifure,  will  perhaps  be  holy  \  for  fome  fits  of  devo- 
 tion they  cannot  be  bettered.  But  when  the  tumult 
 increafed,  Saul's  piety  decreafes.  It  is  now  no  fea- 
 fon  to  talk  with  a  prieil ;  Withdraw  thine  hand  Ahalal\ 
 the  ephod  muft  give  place  to  armies ;  it  is  more  time 
 to  fight,  than  to  pray :  what  needs  he  God's  guidance, 
 when  he  fees  his  way  before  him  ?  He,  that  before 
 would  needs  facrifice  ere  he  fought,  will  now,  in  the 
 other  extreme,  fight  in  a  wilful  indevotion.  World- 
 ly minds  regard  holy  duties  no  further,  than  may 
 itand  with  their  own  carnal  purpofes :  very  eafy  oc- 
 cafions  (hall  interrupt  them  in  their  religious  intenti- 
 ons ;  like  unto  children,  which,  if  a  bird  do  bur  fly 
 in  their  way,  call  their  eye  from  their  book. 
 
 But  if  Saul  ferve  not  God  in  one  kind,  he  will 
 ferve  him  in  another ;  if  he  honour  him  not  by  at- 
 tending on  the  ark,  he  will  honour  him  by  a  vow : 
 his  negligence  in  the  one  is  recompenfed  with  his 
 zeal  in  the  other.  All  Ifrael  is  adjured  not  to  cat 
 any  food  until  the  evening.  Hypocrify  is  ever  mafk- 
 ed  with  a  blind  and  thanklefs  zeal.  To  wait  upon 
 the  ark,  and  to  confult  with  God's  prieft,  in  all  cafes 
 of  importance,  was  a  direct  commandment  of  God ; 
 to  eat  no  food  in  the  purfuit  of  their  enemies,  was  net 
 commanded :  Saul  leaves  that  which  he  was  bidden, 
 and  does  that  which  he  was  not  required.  To  eat  no, 
 food  all  day  was  more  difficult  than  to  attend  an  hour 
 upon  the  ark  :  the  voluntary  fervices  of  hypocrites  are 
 many  times  more  painful  than  the  duties  enjoined  by 
 God. 
 
 In  what  awe  did  all  Ifrael  Hand  of  the  oath;  even 
 of  Saul?  It  was  not  their  own  vow,  but  Said's  for 
 them ;  yet,  coming  into  the  wood,  where  they  faw  the 
 honey  dropping,  and  found  the  meat  as  ready  as  their 
 appetite,  they  dare  not  touch  that  fuftenance,  and  will 
 rather  endure  famine,  and  fainting,  than  an  indifcreet 
 curfe.  Doubtlefs,  God  had  brought  thofe  bees  thi- 
 N  n  n  2  ther, 
 
463         CONTEMPLATION  S. 
 
 ther,  en  purpofe  to  try  the  conitancy  of  Ifrael.  Ifrael 
 could  not  but  think,  that  which  Jonathan  faid,  that 
 the  vow  was  unadvifed  and  injurious ;  yet  they  will 
 rather  die  than  violate  it.  How  facred  mould  we 
 hold  the  obligation  of  cur  own  vows,  in  things  jud 
 and  expedient,  when  the  bond  of  another's  ram  vow 
 is  thus  indhToIuble! 
 
 There  was  a  double  mifchief  followed  upon  Saul's 
 oath,  an  abatement  of  the  victory,  and  eating  with 
 the  blood  :  for,  on  the  one  fide,  the  people  were  fo 
 faint,  that  they  were  more  likely  to  die  than  kill ; 
 they  could  neither  run  nor  ftrike  in  this  emptinefs ; 
 neither  hands  nor  feet  can  do  their  office,  when  the 
 itornach  is  neglected.  On  the  other,  an  unmeet  for- 
 bearance caufes  a  ravenous  repaft.  Hunger  knows 
 neither  choice,  nor  order,  nor  meafure :  the  one  of 
 ihefe  was  a  wrong  to  Ifrael ;  the  other  was  a  wrong 
 done  by  Ifrael  to  God :  Saul's  zeal  was  guilty  of  both. 
 A  ram  vow  is  feldom  ever  free  from  inconvenience. 
 The  heart,  that  hath  unnecefTarily  intangled  itfclf, 
 draws  rnifchief  either  upon  itfelf,  or  others. 
 
 Jonathan  was  ignorant  of  his  father's  adjuration, 
 he  knew  no  reafon  why  he  mould  not  refrefli  him- 
 felf,  in  fo  profitable  a  fervice,  with  a  little  tafte  of  ho- 
 ney upon  his  fpear :  full  well  had  he  deferved  this  un- 
 fought  dainty.  And  now,  behold,  his  honey  is  turned 
 into  gall :  if  it  were  fweet  in  the  mouth,  it  was  bitter 
 in  the  foul;  if  the  eyes  of  his  body  were  enlightened, 
 the  light  of  God's  countenance  was  clouded  by  this 
 a£r.  After  he  heard  of  the  oath,  he  pleads  juftly 
 againfl  it,  the  lofs  of  fo  fair  an  opportunity  of  re- 
 venge, and  the  trouble  of  Ifrael ;  yet  neither  his  rea- 
 fons  againfl  the  oath,  nor  his  ignorance  of  the  oath, 
 can  excufe  him  from  a  fin  of  ignorance  in  violating 
 that  which  firffc  he  knew  not,  and  then  knew  unrea- 
 fonable.  Now  Saul's  Ieifure  would  ferve  him  to  aik 
 counfd  of  God  :  as,  before,  Saul  would  not  enquire, 
 
 fo 
 
BOOK   XII.      Co  NT  em.  vin.       469 
 
 fo  now  God  will  not  anfwcr.     Well  might  Saul  have 
 found  fins  enough  of  his  own,  whereto  to  impute  this 
 filence.     He   hath  grace   enough  to  know  that  God 
 was  offended,  and  to  guefs  at  the  caufe  of  his  offence. 
 Sooner  will  an  hypocrite  find  out  another  man's  fin 
 than  his  own,  and  now  he  fwears  more  rafhly  to  pu- 
 nilh  with  death  the  breach  of  that  which  he  had 
 fwurn  rafhly.     The  lots  were  cafl,  and  Saul  prays  for 
 the  decilion :  Jonathan  is  taken.     Even  the  prayers 
 of  wicked  men  are   fometimes    heard,    although  in 
 juftice,  not  in  mercy.     Saul  himfelf  was  punilhed  not 
 a  little  in  the  fall  of  this  lot  upon  Jonathan.     Surely 
 Saul  finned  more  in  making  this  vow,  than  Jonathan 
 in  breaking  it  unwittingly  ;  and  now  the  father  fmarts 
 for  the  ralhnefs  of  his  double  vow,  by  the  unjufl  fen- 
 tence  of  death  upon  fo  worthy  a  fon.     God  had  ne- 
 ver fmgled  out  Jonathan  by  his  lot,  if  he  had  not 
 been  difpleafed  with  his  aft.     Vows  rafhly  made,  may 
 not  be  rafhly  broken.     If  the  thing  we  have  vowed 
 be  not  evil  in  itfelf,  or  in  the  effect,  we  cannot  violate 
 it  without  evil.     Ignorance  cannot  acquit,  if  it  can 
 abate  our  fin.     It  is  like,  if  Jonathan  had  heard  his 
 father's  adjuration,  he  had  not  tranfgrefled ;  his  ab- 
 fence,  at  the  time  of  that  oath,  cannot  excufe  him 
 from  difpleafure.     What  fhall  become  of  thofe,  which 
 may  know  the  charge  of  their  heavenly  Father,  and 
 will  not !    which  do  know  his  charge,  and  will  not 
 keep  it !  Affectation  of  ignorance,  and  willing  difobe- 
 dience,  is  defperate. 
 
 Death  was  too  hard  a  cenfure  for  fiich  an  unknown 
 offence.  The  cruel  piety  of  Saul  will  revenge  the 
 breach  of  his  own  charge,  fo  as  he  would  be  loath 
 God  fhould  avenge  on  himfelf  the  breach  of  his  di- 
 vine command.  If  Jonathan  had  not  found  better 
 friends  than  his  father,  fo  noble  a  victory  had  been 
 recompenfed  with  death.  He,  that  faved  Jfrael  from 
 the  Philiftines,  is  faved  by  Ifrael  from  :he  hand  of  his 
 
 father. 
 
470        CONTEMPLATION  B. 
 
 father.  Saul  hath  fworn  Jonathan's,  death ;  the  people, 
 contrarily,  fwear  his  prefervation  :  his  kingdom  was 
 not  fo  abfolute,  that  he  could  run  away  with  fo  un- 
 merciful ajuftice;  their  oath,  that  favoured  of  difobe- 
 dience,  prevailed  againfl  his  oath  that  favoured  too 
 ftrong  of  cruelty.  Neither  doubt  I,  but  Saul  was 
 fecretly  not  difpleafed  with  this  loving  refiftance ;  fo 
 long  as  his  heart  was  not  falfe  to  his  oath,  he  could 
 not  be  forry  that  Jonathan  mould  live. 
 
 BOOK    THIRTEENTH, 
 
 Co nt em.  i.     Saul  and  Ag ag. 
 
 GOD  holds  it  no  derogation  from  his  mercy  to 
 bear  a  quarrel  long,  where  he  hates.     He, 
 whofe  anger  to  the  vefTels  of  wrath  is  ever^ 
 lading,  even  in  temporal  judgment,  revengeth  late. 
 The  fins  of  his  own  children  are  no  fooner  done, 
 and  repented  of,  than  forgotten  ;  but  the  malicious 
 fins  of  his  enemies  flick  fafl  in  an  infinite  difpleafure. 
 /  remember   what    Amalek   did  to  Ifrael,   how  they 
 laid  wait  for   them  by  the  way,    as  they  came  up 
 from  Egypt.     Alas,  Lord !  (might  Amalek  fay)  they 
 were  our  forefathers,   we  never  knew  their   faces, 
 no,  not  their  names ;  the  fact  was  fo  far  from  our 
 confent,  that  it  is  almofl  pall  the  memory  of  our  hi- 
 flories.     It  is  not  in  the  power  of  time  to  raze  out 
 any  of  the  arrearages  of  God.    We  may  lay  up  wrath 
 for  our  pofteriry.     Happy  is  that  child  whofe  pro- 
 genitors are  in  heaven,  he  is  left  an  inheritor  of  bkf- 
 iing  together  with  eftate,  whereas  wicked  anceftors 
 \ok  the  thank  of  a  rich  patrimony,  by  the  curfe  that 
 attends  it.    He  that  thinks,  becaufe  punifhment  is  de- 
 ferred, that  God  hath  forgiven,  or  forgot  his  offence, 
 is  unacquainted  with  juftice,  and  knows  nor,  that  timt 
 makes  no  difference  in  eternity. 
 
 The 
 
BOOK  XIII.     Contem.  i.         471 
 
 The  Amalckites  were  wicked  idolaters,  and  there- 
 fore could  not  want  many  prefent  fins,  which  defer- 
 ved  their  extirpation.  That  God,  which  had  taken 
 notice  of  all  their  offences,  picks  out  this  one  noted 
 fin  of  their  forefathers  for  revenge  ;  amongft  all  their 
 indignities,  this  (hall  bear  the  name  of  their  judgment. 
 As  in  legal  proceedings  with  malefactors,  one  indict- 
 ment found  gives  the  ftyle  of  their  condemnation.  In 
 the  lives  of  thofe  which  are  notorioufly  wicked,  God 
 cannot  look  befides  a  fin  ;  yet,  when  he  draws  to  an 
 execution,  he  faflens  his  fentence  upon  one  evil  as 
 principal,  others  as  acceffories,  fo  as,  at  the  lad,  one 
 iin,  which  perhaps  we  make  no  account  of,  mall  pay 
 for  all. 
 
 The  paganim  idolatries  of  the  Amahkites  could  not 
 but  be  greater  fins  to  God,  than  their  hard  meafure 
 to  Ifrael ;  yet  God  fets  this  upon  the  file,  whiles  the 
 reft  are  not  recorded  :  their  fuperftitions  might  be  of 
 ignorance,  this  fin  was  of  malice.  Malicious  wicked- 
 neffes,  of  all  others,  as  they  are  in  greateft  oppofition 
 to  the  goodnefs  and  mercy  of  God,  mail  be  fure  of 
 the  payment  of  greateft  vengeance.  The  deteftation 
 .of  God  may  be  meafured  by  his  revenge  ;  Slay  both 
 man  and  zvoman,  both  infant  and  fuckllng^  both  ox 
 andfieep,  camel  and  afs ;  not  themfeives  only,  but 
 every  thing  that  drew  life,  either  from  them,  or  for 
 their  ufe  muft  die.  When  the  God  of  mercy  fpeaks 
 fuch  bloody  words,  the  provocation  muft  needs  be 
 vehement.  Sins  of  infirmity  do  but  mutter ;  fpite- 
 ful  fins  cry  loud  for  judgment  in  the  ears  of  God. 
 Prepenfed  malice,  in  courts  of  human  juilice,  aggra- 
 vates the  murder,  and  fharpens  the  fentence  of  death. 
 
 What  then  was  this  fin  of  Amalek^  that  is  called 
 unto  this  late  reckoning  ?  What,  but  their  envious 
 and  unprovoked  onfets  upon  the  back  of  Ifrael ;  thi; 
 was  it  that  God  took  fo  to  heart,  as  that  he  not  only 
 remembers  it  now  by  'Samuel^  but  lie  bids  Ifrael  cv  er 
 
472         CONTEMPLA  T  IONS. 
 
 to  remember  it,  by  Mofes ;  Remember  how  Ama- 
 lek  met  thee  by  the  way,  and  /mote  the  h'nidmoft  of 
 you,  all  that  were  feeble  behind  thee,  when  thou 
 waft  faint  and  weary*  Eeiides  this,  did  Amalek 
 meet  Ifrael  in  a  pitched  battle  openly,  in  Rep  hi- 
 dim  ;  for  that  God  paid  them  in  the  prefent.  The 
 hand  of  Mofes,  lifted  up  on  the  hill,  flew  them  in  the 
 valley.  He  therefore  repeats  not  that  quarrel,  but 
 the  cowardly  and  cruel  attempts  upon  an  impotent  e- 
 ncmy,  flick  flill  Jn  the  flomach  of  the  Almighty.  Op- 
 preflion  and  wrong,  upon  even  terms,  are  not  fo  hei- 
 nous unto  God,  as  thofe  that  are  upon  manifefl  difad- 
 vantage  :  in  the  one,  there  is  an  hazard  of  return ;  in 
 the  other,  there  is  ever  a  tyrannous  infultation.  God 
 takes  flill  the  weaker  part,  and  will  be  fure  therefore 
 to  plague  them  which  feek  to  put  injuries  on  the  un- 
 able to  refifl. 
 
 This  fm  of  Amalek  flept  all  the  time  of  the  judges ; 
 thofe  governors  were  only  for  refcue  and  defence : 
 now,  fo  foon  as  Ifrael  hath  a  king,  and  that  king  is 
 fettled  in  peace,  God  gives  charge  to  call  them  to  ac- 
 count :  it  was  that  which  God  had  both  threatened 
 and  fworn,  and  now  he  chufes  out  a  fit  feafon  for  the 
 execution.  As  we  ufe  to  fay  of  winter,  the  judg- 
 ments of  God  do  never  rot  in  the  iky,  but  fhall  fall, 
 if  la-e,  yet  furely,  yet  feafonably.  There  is  fmall 
 comfort  in  the  delay  of  vengeance,  whiles  we  are  fure 
 it  mall  lofe  nothing  in  the  way,  by  length  of  protrac- 
 tion. 
 
 The  Kenites  were  the  offspring  of  Hob  ad  or  Je- 
 ihro,  father-in-law  to  Mofes;  the  affinity  of  him,  to 
 whom  Ifrael  owed  their  deliverance  and  being,  was 
 worthy  of  refpeft;  but  it  was  the  mercy  of  that  good 
 and  wife  Midianite  fhewed  unto  Ifrael  in  the  wilder- 
 nefs,  by  his  grave  advice,  cheerful  gratulation  and 
 aid,  which  won  this  grateful  forbearance  of  his  pofte- 
 rity.     He  that  is  not  lefs  in  mercy  than  in  juflice,  as 
 
 he 
 
BOOK    XIII.    Contem.    i.  473 
 
 lie  challenged  Amalekh  fin  of  their  fucceeding  gene- 
 rations, fo  he  derives  the  recompence  of  %ethr<?$  kind- 
 nefs  unto  his  far  defcended  iflue.  Thole,  that  were 
 unborn  many  ages  after  Jfetbroh  death,  receive  life 
 from  his  duft,  and  favour  from  his  hofpitality  :  the 
 jjame  of  their  dead  grandfather  faves  them  from  the 
 common  definition  of  their  neighbours.  The  ferri- 
 ces  of  our  love  to  God's  children  are  never  thanklefs. 
 When  we  are  dead  and  rotten,  they  fhall  live,  and 
 procure  bleffings  to  thofe,  which  never  knew,  perhaps, 
 nor  heard  of  their  progenitors.  If  we  fow  good  works, 
 fucceflion  fhall  reap  them,  and  we  fhall  be  happy  in 
 making  them  fo.  T 
 
 The  Kenites  dwelt  in  the  borders  of  Amalek,  but 
 in  tents,  as  did  their  iflue  the  Recbabites,  fo  as  they 
 might  remove  with  eafe.  They  are  warned  to  fliifc 
 their  habitations,  left  they  fhould  periih  with  ill  neigh- 
 bours. It  is  the  manner  of  God,  firft  to  feparate  be- 
 fore he  judge,  as  a  good  husbandman  weeds  his  corn 
 ere  it  be  ripe  for  the  fickle,  and  goes  to  the  fan  ere  he 
 go  to  the  fire.  When  the  Kenites  pack  up  their  far- 
 dels, it  is  time  to  expec~t  judgment.  Why  fhould  not 
 we  imirare  God,  and  feparate  ourfelves,  that  we  may 
 not  be  judged  ?  feparate  not  one  Kenite  from  another, 
 but  every  Kenite  from  among  rhe  Amakkites ;  elfe, 
 if  we  wiil  needs  live  with  Amalek,  we  cannot  think 
 much  to  die  with  him. 
 
 The  Kenites  are  no  fooner  removed,  than  Saul  falls 
 upon  the  Arnalekites :  he  deftroys  all  the  people,  but 
 ipares  their  king,  The  charge  of  God  was  univerfal, 
 for  man  and  bead.  In  the  corrupt-ion  of  partiality, 
 lightly  the  greateft  efcape,  Covetoufnefs  or  mif-affec- 
 tion  are  commonly  guilty  of  the  impunity  of  thole, 
 which  are  at  once  more  eminent  in  dignity  and  in  of- 
 fence. It  is  a  fhameful  hypocrify,  to  make  our  com- 
 modity the  mcafure  and  rule  of  our  execution  of  God's 
 command,  and,  under  pretence  of  godliasfs,  to  intend 
 
 Vol,  I,  O  o  o  gain. 
 
474        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 gain.  The  unprofitable  vulgar  mud  die:  Agag  may 
 yield  a  rich  ranfom.  The  lean  and  feeble  cattle,  that 
 would  but  fpend  (lover,  and  die  alone,  fhall  periih 
 by  the  fword  of  Jfrael ;  the  belt  may  flock  the  grounds, 
 and  furnifh  the  markets.  O  hypocrites,  did  God 
 fend  you  for  gain,  or  for  revenge !  Went  you  to  be 
 purveyors,  or  executioners  ?  If  you  plead  that  all 
 thofe  wealthy  herds  had  been  but  loft  in  a  fpeedy 
 death,  think  ye  that  he  knew  not  this  which  com- 
 manded it  ?  Can  that  be  loft,  which  is  devoted  to  the 
 will  of  the  Owner  and  Creator  ?  or  can  ye  think  to 
 gain  any  thing  by  difobedience  ?  That  man  can  never 
 either  do  well,  or  fare  well,  which  thinks  there  can 
 be  more  profit  in  any  thing,  than  in  his  obedience  to 
 his  Maker.  Becaule  Saul  fpared  the  beft  of  the  men, 
 the  people  fpared  the  beft  of  the  cattle;  each  is  wil* 
 ling  to  favour  other  in  the  fin.  The  fins  of  the  great 
 command  imitation,  and  do  as  feldom  go  without  at- 
 tendants as  their  per  for.  s. 
 
 Saul  knew  well,  how  much  he  had  done  amifs, 
 and  yet  dare  meet  Sa?nuel,  and  can  fay,  Blejjed  be 
 thou  of  the  Lord,  I  have  fulfilled  the  commandment 
 of  the  Lord.  His  heart  knew  that  his  tongue  was 
 as  falfe  as  his  hands  had  been  :  and  if  his  heart  had 
 not  been  more  falfe  than  either  of  them,  neither 
 of  them  had  been  fo  grofs  in  their  falihood.  If 
 hypocrify  were  not  either  foolifli  or  impudent,  {lie 
 durft  not  (hew  her  head  to  a  feer  of  God.  Could 
 Saul  think,  that  Samuel  knew  of  the  affes  that  were 
 loft,  and  did  not  know  of  the  oxen  and  ffieep  that 
 were  fpared?  Could  he  foretel  his  thought?,  when 
 it  was  and  now  not  know  of  his  open  actions  ?  Much 
 lefs,  when  we  have  to  do  with  God  himfelf,  fliould 
 difiimularion  prefume  either  of  fafety  or  fecrecy.  Can 
 the  God,  that  nude  the  beait,  not  know  it  ?  Can  he, 
 hat  comprehends  all  things,  be  (hut  out  of  our  cloie 
 corners  ?  Saul  was  otherwifc  crafty  enough,  yet  here- 
 in 
 
BOOK    XIII.     Con  t  em.  i.  475 
 
 herein  his  fimplicity  is  palpable.  Sin  can  befot  even 
 the  wifefl  man ;  and  there  was  never  but  felly  in 
 wickednefs. 
 
 No  man  brags  fo  much  of  holinefs  as  he  that  wants 
 it.  True  obedience  is  joined  ever  with  humility, 
 and  fear  of  unknown  errors.  Falfhood  is  bold,  and 
 can  fay,  /  have  fulfilled  the  commandment  of  tm 
 Lord.  If  Saul  had  been  truly  obfequious  and  ho- 
 ly, he  had  made  no  noife  of  it.  A  gracious  heart  is 
 not  a  blab  of  his  tongue,  but  refls  and  rejoiceth  filent- 
 ly  in  the  conference  of  a  fecret  goodnefs,  Thofe.vef- 
 fels  yield  mod  found,  that  have  the  lead  liquor.  Sa- 
 muel had  reafon  to  believe  the  fheep  and  oxen  above 
 Saul ;  their  bleating  and  lowing  was  a  fufficienr  con^ 
 viction  of  a  denied  and  outfaced  difobedience.  God 
 opened  their  mouths  to  accufe  Said  of  their  life,  and 
 his  falfhood ;  but  as  fin  is  crafty,  and  never  wanted 
 a  cloak  wherewith  both  to  hide  and  deck  itfelf,  e- 
 ven  this  very  rebellion  is  holy.  Firft,  the  acl,  if  it 
 were  evil,  was  not  mine  but  the  people's.  And,  fe- 
 condly,  their  intention  makes  it  good ;  for  thefe  flocks 
 and  herds  were  prcferved,  not  for  gain,  but  for  devo- 
 tion. What  needs  this  quarrel?  If  any  gain  by  this 
 aft,  it  is  the  Lord  thy  God :  his  altars  (hall  fmcke 
 with  thefe  facriiices ;  ye,  that  ferve  at  them,  fliall  fare 
 fo  much  the  better.  This  godly  thriftinefs  looks  for 
 thanks  rather  than  cenlure.  If  Saul  had  been  in  Sa- 
 muel's clothes,  perhaps  this  anfwer  would  have  fatii- 
 fied  him :  furely  himielf  (lands  out  in  it,  as  that 
 whereto  he  dares  trull ;  and  after  he  hears  of  God's 
 angry  reproof,  he '  avows,  and  doubles  his  hold  of  his 
 innocency ;  as  if  the  .commanders  hhould  not  anfwer 
 for  the  known  fins  or  the  people ;  as  if  our  intentions 
 could  juftify  us  to  God,  againfl  God.  How  much  a- 
 do  is  it  to  bring  miners  upon  their  knees,  and  to  make 
 their  tongues  accufe  their  hnads  ?  But  there  is  no 
 Lalting  with  the  Maker  of  the  heart :  he  knew  it  was 
 O  o  o  2  covetouf-? 
 
476        CONTEMPLATIO  N  S. 
 
 covetoufnefs,  and  not  piety,  which  was  accefTary  to 
 this  forbearance:  and,  if  it  had  been  as  Was  pretend- 
 ed, he  knew  it  was  an  odious  impiety  to  raife  devo- 
 tion out  of  difobedience.  Said  fhall  hear  and  find, 
 that  he  hath  dealt  no  lefs  wickedly  in  fparing  an  A- 
 gag,  than  in  killing  an  innocent  Ifraelite ;  in  fparing 
 thefe  beads  for  facrifice,  than  in  facrificing  beads  that 
 had  been  unclean.  Why  was  facrifice  itfelf  good, 
 but  becaufe  it  was  commanded  ?  What  difference 
 was  there  betwixt  daughter  and  facrifice,  but  obedi- 
 ence ?  To  facrifice  disobediently,  is  wilfully  to  mock 
 God  in  honouring  him. 
 
 Con  t  em.     it.     The   rejection   of   Saul,    and  the 
 choice  of  David. 
 
 X7  Ven  when  Said  had  abandoned  God  in  difobedi- 
 -*-J  ence,  he  would  not  forego  Samuel,  yea,  though 
 he  reproved  him  ;  when  he  had  fcrfaken  the  fub- 
 ilance,  yet  he  would  maintain  the  formality.  If  he 
 cannot  hold  the  man,  he  will  keep  the  pledge  of  his 
 garment ;  fuch  was  the  violence  of  iSW's  defire,  that 
 he  will  rather  rend  Samuel's  coat,  than  part  with  his 
 perfon.  Little  did  Saul  think,  that  he  had  in  his  hand 
 the  pawn  of  his  own  rejection  :  that  this  act:  of  kind  im- 
 portunity ihould  carry  in  it  a  prefage  of  his  judgment; 
 yet  fo  it  did.  This  very  rending  of  the  coat  was  a  real 
 prophefy,  and  did  bede  no  lefs,  than  the  rending  of 
 the  kitjgdoni  from  him,  and  his  poderity.  Wicked 
 men,  whiles  they  think  by  carnal  means  to  make  their 
 peace,  plunge  themfelves  deeper  into  miiery. 
 
 Any  dander-by  would  have  laid,  what  a  good  king 
 is  this  ?  How  dear  is  God's  prophet  unto  him  !  How 
 happy  is  Ifrael  in  fuch  a  prince,  as  thus  loves  the  mef- 
 if:TiO>^  of  God!  Samuel,  that  fa w  the  bottom  of  his 
 hollow  affection,  rejects  him  whom  God  had  rejected. 
 He  was  taught  to  lock  upon  Saul,  not  as  a  king,  but 
 
 as 
 
BOOK  XIII.   Contem.    ii.  477 
 
 as  an  offender,  and  therefore  refufes  with  no  lefs  ve- 
 il emency  than  Saul  intreated.  It  was  one  thing,  what 
 he  might  do  as  a  fubjccl:;  another,  what  he  mull  do  as 
 a  prophet.  Now  he  knows  not  Saul  any  otherways, 
 than  as  fo  much  the  greater  trefpaffer  as  his  place  was 
 higher  ;  and  therefore  he  doth  no  more  fpare  his  great- 
 nefs,  than  the  God  againfl  whom  he  finned  ;  neither 
 doth  he  countenance  that  man  with  his  prefence,  on 
 whom  he  (ccs  God  to  frown. 
 
 There  needs  no  other  character  of  hypocrify,  than 
 Saul,  in  the  carnage  of  this  one  bufinefs  with  Agag 
 and  Samuel :  firft  he  obeys  God,  where  there  is  no  gain 
 in  diibbedience ;  then  he  ferves  God  by  halves,  and 
 difobeys,  where  the  obedience  might  be  lofs.  He 
 gives  God  of  -the  worfl ;  he  doth  that  in  a  colour, 
 which  might  feem  anfwerable  to  the  charge  of  God  ; 
 he  refpefts  perfons  in  the  execution  ;  he  gives  good 
 words  when  his  deeds  were  evil ;  he  protefls  his  obe- 
 dience againfl  his  confcience ;  he  faces  out  his  prote- 
 ction againfl:  a  reproof:  when  he  fees  no  remedy,  he 
 acknowledges  the  fact,  denies  the  fin,  yea  he  justi- 
 fies the  act  by  a  profitable  intention :  when  he  can  no 
 longer  maintain  his  innocence,  he  cafls  the  blame  from 
 himfclf  upon  the  people.  He  confeffeth  not,  till  the 
 Ian  be  wrung  from  his  mouth ;  he  feeks  his  peace  out 
 of  himfelf,  and  relies  more  upon  another's  virtue  than 
 his  own  penitency  ;  he  would  cloke  his  guiltinefs  with 
 the  holinefs  of  another's  prefence;  he  is  more  tor- 
 mented with  the  danger  and  damage  of  his  fin,  than 
 with  the  offence;  he  cares  to  hold  in  with  men,  in 
 what  terms  foever  he  (lands  with  God ;  he  fafhionably 
 ferves  that  God,  whom  he  hath  not  cared  to  recon- 
 cile by  his  repentance.  No  marvel  if  God  call  him 
 off,  whofe  bell  was  diffimulation. 
 
 Old  Samuel  is  forced  to  do  a  double  execution, 
 and  that  upon  no  lefs  than  two  kings  :  the  one  upon 
 San/,  in  dividing  the  kingdom  from  him,  who  had  di- 
 vided 
 
478         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 vided  himfelf  from  God  ;  the  other  upon  Agag,  in  di- 
 viding him  in  pieces,  whom  Saul  ihouid  have  divided. 
 Thole  hcSly  hands  were  not  ufed  to  inch  laci  inces ; 
 yet  did  he  never  fpill  blood  more  acceptably,  if  Saul 
 had  been  truly  penitent,  he  had,  in  a  delire  of  fatif- 
 faction,  prevented  the  hand  of  Samuel  in  this  flaugh- 
 ter :  now  he  coldly  ftands  (till,  and  fuffers  the  weak 
 hands  of  an  aged  prophet  to  be  imbrued  with  that 
 blood,  which  he  was  commanded  to  ftied.  If  Saul 
 might  not  facrifice  in  the  abfence  of  Samuel,  yet  Sa- 
 muel  might  kill  in  the  prefence  of  Saul.  He  was  yet 
 a  judge  of  Ifrael,  although  he  fufpended  the  executi- 
 on ;  in  Saul's  neglect,  this  charge  reverted  to  him. 
 God  loves  juff  executions  fo  well,  that  he  will  hardly 
 take  them  ill  at  any  hand. 
 
 I  do  not  find,  that  the  ilaughter  of  Agag  troubled 
 Samuel ;  that  other  act  of  his  feverity  upon  Saul, 
 though  it  drew  no  blood,  yet  (truck  him  in  the  fin- 
 king, and  fetched  tears  from  his  eyes.  Good  Samuel 
 mourned  for  him,  that  had  not  grace  to  mourn  for  him- 
 felf. No  man  in  all  Ifrael  might  feem  to  have  fo  much 
 reafon  to  rejoice  in  Saul's  ruin  as  Samuel,  fince  that  he 
 knew  him  raifed  up  in  defpite  of  his  government;  yet 
 he  mourns  more  for  him  than  he  did  for  his  fons,  for 
 himfelf.  It  grieved  him  to  fee  the  plant,  which  he 
 had  {ti  in  the  garden  of  Ifrael,  thus  foon  withered. 
 It  is  an  unnatural  fenfelefsnefs  not  to  be  affected  with 
 i  he  dangers,  with  the  fins  of  our  governors.  God 
 did  not  blame  this  forrow,  but  moderated  it ;  Hovj 
 long  wilt  thou  mourn  for  Saul !  It  was  not  the  af- 
 fection he  forbade,  but  the  meafure.  In  this  is  the 
 difference  betwixt  good  men  and  evil,  that  evil  men 
 mourn  not  for  their  own  fins ;  good  men  do  fo  mourn 
 for  the  fins  of  others,  that  they  will  hardly  be  taken 
 off. 
 
 If  Samuel  mourn  becaufe  Saul  hath  caff  away  God 
 by  his  fin,    he  muff   ceafe  to  mourn,   becaufe  God 
 
 hath 
 
BOOK    XIII.     Contem.   ii.  47? 
 
 hath  caft  away  Saul  from  reigning  over  Jfrael  in  his 
 jull  punifhment.  A  good  heart  hath  learned  to  refl 
 itfelf  upon  the  juftice  of  God's  decree,  and  forgets  all 
 earthly  refpe<fts,  when  it  looks  up  to  heaven.  So 
 did  God  mean  to  fhew  his  difpleafure  againft  the  per- 
 fon  of  Saul,  that  he  would  Ihew  favour  to  Ifrael ;  he 
 will  not  therefore  bereave  them  of  a  king,  but  change 
 him  for  a  better.  Either  Saul  had  ilandered  his 
 people,  or  elfe  they  were  partners  with  him  in  the 
 difobedience ;  yet,  becaufe  it  was  their  ruler's  fault 
 that  they  were  not  over-ruled,  we  do  not  hear  of  their 
 fmarting  any  otherwife,  than  in  the  fubjech'on  to  fuch 
 a  king  as  was  not  loyal  to  God.  The  lofs  of  Saul  is 
 their  gain  ;  the  government  of  their  firfr.  king  was 
 abortive,  no  marvel  if  it  held  not.  Now  was  the  ma- 
 turity of  that  (late ;  and  therefore  God  will  bring 
 them  forth  a  kindly  monarchy,  fettled  where  it  fliould. 
 Kings  are  of  God's  providing.  It  is  good  reafon  he 
 fliould  make  choice  of  his  own  deputies ;  but  where 
 goodnefs  meets  with  fovereignty,  both  his  right  and 
 his  gift  are  doubled.  If  kings  were  merely  from  the 
 earth,  what  needs  a  prophet  to  be  feen  in  the  choice, 
 or  inauguration  ?  The  hand  of  Samuel  doth  not  now 
 bear  the  fceptre  to  rule  Ifrael,  but  it  bears  the  horn 
 for  the  anointing  of  him  that  mud:  rule.  Saul  was 
 fent  to  him,  when  the  time  was,  to  be  appointed ;  but 
 now  he  is  fent  to  anoint  David.  Then  Ifrael  fought 
 a  king  for  themfelves,  now  God  feeks  a  king  for  Ifrael. 
 The  prophet  is  therefore  directed  to  the  houfe  of 
 %effe  the  Bethkhemiie,  the  grand-child  of  Ruth  ;  now 
 is  the  faithful  love  of  that  good  Moabiiefs  crowned 
 with  the  honour  of  a  kingdom,  in  the  fucceeding  gene- 
 ration. God  fetched  her  out  of  Moab,  to  bring  a 
 king  unto  Ifrael.  While*  Orfah  wants  bread  in  her 
 own  country,  Ruth  is  grown  a  great  lady  in  Bethle- 
 hem, and  is  advanced  to  be  great  grand-mother  to  the 
 king  of  Ifrael,     The  retributions  of  God  are    bounty 
 
48o  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fill  j  never  any  man  forfook  ought  for  his  like,  and 
 complained  of  an  hard  bargain. 
 
 Even  the  be:t  of  bod's  fail  not   their  infir- 
 
 mities. He,  that  never  replied  when  he  was  lent  to 
 reprove  the  king,  raoveth  doubts,  when  he  is  bidden 
 to  go  andanoi:  ;cefTor.     How  can  I  go  f  If  Saul 
 
 /:  of  full  di- 
 
 reSion  drew   from  him  this  queiiion,    but  not   v. 
 cut  a  mixture  oi  diffidence  ;    for  the  manner  of  doing 
 it  doth  not  lb  much  trc  :n,    as   the   faccefs.     It 
 
 is  not  to  be  expected,  that  the  moil  faithful  hearts 
 fhould  be  always  in  an  equal  height  of  relblution  :  God 
 doth  nor  chide  Samuel,  but  inilruct  him.  He,  which 
 is  wifdom  itfelf,  teacheth  him  to  hide  his  counfels  in 
 an  honed  policy  :  Take  an  heifer  with  thee,  and 
 ,  I  ime  to  do  facrifice  to  the  Lord.  This  v.as 
 ro  fay  true,  not  to  fay  all.  Truth  may  not  be  crof- 
 ied  by  denials   cr   equivocations,   i:  e  concealed 
 
 in  a  difcreet  filence.  Except  in  the  cafe  of  an  oath, 
 no  man  is  bound  to  fpeak  all  he  knows.  We  are 
 not  only  allowed,  but  commanded  to  be  innocently 
 terpentine.  There  were  doubtlefs  heifers  enough  id 
 Bctblebt  -■:  ;  Jeffe  had  both  wealth  and  devotion  enough, 
 to  have  bcflo^ved  a  facrifice  upcn  Gcd,  and  his  pro- 
 phet. But,  to  give  a  more  perfect  colour  to  his  inten- 
 .  /  mu:l  rake  an  heifer  with  him  :  the  act: 
 itfelf  was  ferious  and  neceiTary.  There  was  no  place, 
 no  time,  wherein  it  was  not  fit  for  a  Samuel  to  offer 
 peace-oiferings  unto  God ;  but  v.  hen  a  king  fhould  be 
 anointed,  thgce  was  no  lefs  than  neceffity  in  this  fer- 
 vice.  Thofe,  which  mull  reprefent  God  to  the  world, 
 ought  to  be  confecrated  to  that  I  whom  they  re- 
 
 ferable, by  public  devotions.     Ever;  cam  action 
 
 requires   a  facrifice  to  blefs  *:,    much  more   that   aft 
 which  imports  the  whole  church   or  commonwealth. 
 It  was  great  news  to  :::  .    a:  Bet  ;  he 
 
 was  no  gadder  abroad,   none  but   neceflary  cccaibns 
 
 COl 
 
BOOK  XIII.     Contem.  II.  481 
 
 could  make  him  ftir  from  Ramath.  The  elders  of  the 
 city  therefore  welcome  him  with  trembling  ;  not  for 
 that  they  were  afraid  of  him,  but  of  themfelves ;  they 
 knew  that  guefl  would  not  come  to  them  for  famili- 
 arity ;  ftraight  do  they  fufpe£t  it  was  the  purpofe  of 
 fome  judgment  that  drew  him  thither.  Comejl  thou 
 peaceably  f  It  is  a  good  thing  to  ftand  in  awe  of  God's 
 meffengers,  and  to  hold  good  terms  with  them  upon 
 all  occafions.  The  Bethlehemites  are  glad  to  hear 
 of  no  other  errand,  but  a  facrifice  ;  and  now  muft 
 they  fan&ify  themfelves  for  fo  facred  a  bufinefs.  We 
 may  not  prefume  to  facrifice  unto  God  unfan&ified  ; 
 this  were  to  mar  an  holy  aft,  and  make  ourfelves 
 more  profane,  by  profaning  that  which  mould  be 
 holy. 
 
 All  the  citizens  fan&ify  themfelves,  but  Jejfe  and 
 his  fons  were  in  a  fpecial  famion  fanctified  by  Samuel. 
 This  bufinefs  was  mofl  theirs,  and  all  Ifrael  in  them  ; 
 the  more  God  hath  to  do  with  us,  the  more  holy 
 ihould  we  be.  With  what  defire  did  Samuel  look 
 upon  the  fons  of  Jejfe,  that  he  might  fee  the  face  of 
 the  man  whom  God  had  chofen !  And  now,  when 
 Eliab  the  eldefl  fon  came  forth,  a  man  of  a  goodly 
 prefence,  whofe  perfon  feemed  fit  to  fucceed  Saul7 
 he  thinks  with  himfelf,  This  choice  is  foon  made,  I 
 have  already  efpied  the  head  on  which  I  muft  fpend 
 this  holy  oil ;  this  is  the  man  which  hath  both  the 
 privilege  of  nature  in  his  primogeniture,  and  of  out- 
 ward goodlinefs  in  proportion  ;  furely  the  Lord's  a- 
 nointed  is  before  me.  Even  the  holiefl  prophet, 
 when  he  goes  without  God,  runs  into  error  ;  the 
 bed  judgment  is  fubjecl:  to  deceit ;  it  is  no  trailing  to 
 any  mortal  man,  when  he  fpeaks  of  himfelf.  Our 
 eyes  can  be  led  by  nothing  but  figns  and  appearan- 
 ces, and  thofe  have  commonly  in  them  either  a  true 
 falfhood,  or  uncertain  truth. 
 
 Vol.  I.  Ppp  T::/; 
 
482  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 That  which  fliould  have  forewarned  Samuel,  de- 
 ceived him ;  he  had  feen  the  proof  of  a  goodly  ftature 
 unanswerable  to  their  hopes,  and  yet  his  eye  errs  in 
 the  fhape.  He  that  judge  th  by  the  iniide  both  of 
 our  hearts  and  actions,  checks  Samuel  in  this  mifcon- 
 ceit  ;  Look  not  on  his  countenance,  nor  on  the  height 
 of  his  feature,  becaufe  I  have  fefufed  him  ;  for  God 
 feeth  not  as  man  feet h.  The  king  with  whom  God 
 meant  to  fatisfy  the  untimely  deiires  of  Ifrael,  was 
 rffofen  by  his  itature  ;  but  the  king  with  whom  God 
 meant  to  pleafe  himfelf,  is  chofen  by  the  heart.  AW 
 the  feven  fons  of  Jeffi  are  prefented  to  the  prophet  *, 
 iio  one  is  omitted  whom  their  father  thought  capable 
 of  any  refpech  If  either  Samuel  or  Jejfe  fhould  have 
 chofen,  David  mould  never  have  been  king.  His 
 father  thought  him  fit  to  keep  fheep,  his  brethren  fit 
 to  rule  men  ;  yet  even  David,  the  youngefl  fon,  is 
 fetched  from  the  fold,  and,  by  the  choice  of  God, 
 dedined  to  the  throne.  Nature,  which  is  commonly 
 partial  to  her  own,  could  not  fugged  ought  to  JeJJe, 
 to  make  him  think  David  worthy  to  be  remembered 
 in  any  competition  of  honour  ;  yet  him  hath  God 
 iingled  out  to  rule. 
 
 God  will  have  his  wifdorn  magnified  in  the  unlike- 
 lihoods of  his  election.  David's  countenance  was  in- 
 OUS,  and  beautiful ;  b*^t  if  it  had  promifcd  fo 
 much  as  Eliab's,  or  Aminadab's,  he  had  not  been  in 
 the  fields  whiles  his  brethren  were  at  the  iaerifke. 
 If  we  do  altogether  follow  our  eye,  and  fuffer  our- 
 felves  to  be  guided  by  outward  refpe&s  in  our  choice, 
 for  God  or  ourfelves,  wc  cannot  but  go  amifs.  \ 
 do  we  think  the  brethren  of  David  thought,  when 
 they  law  the  oil  poured  upon  his  head  !  Surely,  as 
 t he v  were  envious  enough,  they  had  too  much  .re- 
 pined, if  they  had  either  fully  apprehended  the  pur- 
 pole  of  the  prophet,  or  elfe  had  not  thought  of  fome 
 improbability  in  the  fuccefs :  either  they   anderileod 
 
 .  Hot, 
 
BOOK  XIII.     Contem.  in.         4S3 
 
 not,  or  believed  nor,  what  God  would  do  with  their 
 brother  ;  they  faw  him  graced  with  God's  Spirit  a- 
 hove  his  wont,  but  perhaps  forefaw  not  whither  it 
 tended.  David,  as  no  whit  changed  in  his  condition, 
 returns  to  his  fheep  again,  and,  with  an  humble  admi- 
 ration of  God's  gracious  refpect  to  him,  cads  himfelf 
 upon  the  wife  and  holy  decree  of  the  Almighty,  re- 
 figning  himfelf  to  the  difpofitlon  of  thofe  hands  which 
 had  chofen  him ;  when  fuddenly  a  mefienger  is  Kent 
 from  Saul,  to  call  him  in  all  hafte  to  that  court  where- 
 of he  (hall  once  be  mailer.  The  occafica  is  no  lefs. 
 from  God  than  the  event. 
 
 Contem.  hi.     David  called  to  the  cGurL 
 
 rPHAT  the  , kingdom  is,  in  the  appointment  of 
 ■*■  God,  departed  from  Saul,  it  is  his  leaii  Iofs ; 
 new  the  Spirit  of  God  is  alio  departed  from  him : 
 one  fpirit  is  no  fooner  gone,  but  another  is  come; 
 both  are  from  God.  Even  the  word:  fpirits  have  not 
 only  permifhon,  but  commifhon  from  heaven  for  the 
 infliction  of  judgment.  He,  that  at  firft  could  hicle 
 himfelf  among  the  fluff,  that  he  might  not  be  king, 
 is  now  fo  transported  with  this  glory,  that  he  grows 
 paffionate  with  the  thought  of  foregoing  it.  Satan 
 takes  advantage  of  his  melancholic  dejection,  and  turns 
 this  pailion  into  frenzy.  God  will  have  even  evil  fpi- 
 rits work  by  means ;  a  diflempered  body,  and  an  un- 
 quiet mind,  are  fit  grounds  for  Satan's  vexation.  Saul's 
 courtiers,  as  men  that  were  isore  witty  than  religi- 
 ous, advife  him  to  mufic :  they  knew  the  ftrength  of 
 that  fkill  in  allaying  the  fury  of  paflions,  in  cheer- 
 ing up  the  dejected  fpirits  of  their  mailer.  This  was 
 done  like  forne  fond  chirurgeon,  that/ when  the  bone 
 is  out  of  joint,  lays  fome  fuppling  poultices  to  the  part, 
 for  the  aliuagmg  of  the  ache,  in  the  mean  rime  not 
 caring  to  remedy  the  luxation. 
 
 P  p  P   -  If 
 
484        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 If  they  had  faid,  Sir,  you  know  this  evil  comes 
 from  that  God  whom  you  have  offended,  there  can 
 be  no  help  but  in  reconcilement;  how  eafy  is  it  for  the 
 God  of  fpirits  to  take  off  Satan  !  labour  your  peace 
 with  him  by  a  ferious  humiliation  ;  make  means  to 
 Samuel  to  further  the  atonement ;  They  had  been 
 wife  counfellors,  divine  phyficians ;  whereas  now, 
 they  do  but  ikin  over  the  fore,  and  leave  it  rankled 
 at  the  bottom.  The  cure  muff  ever  proceed  in  the 
 fame  ileps  with  the  difeafe,  elfe  in  vain  (hail  we  feem 
 to  heal ;  there  is  no  fafety  in  the  redrefs  of  evils,  but 
 to  ftrike  at  the  root.  Yet,  fmce  it  is  no  better  with 
 Saul  and  his  courtiers,  it  is  well  it  is  no  worfe  :  I  do 
 not  hear  either  the  maffer  or  fervants  fay,  This  is  an 
 ill  fpirit,  fend  for  fome  magician  that  may  counter- 
 mand him :  there  are  forcible  enchantments  for  thefe 
 fpiritual  vexations  ;  if  Samuel  will  net,  there  are 
 witches  that  may  give  eafe.  But  as  one  that  would 
 rather  be  ill  than  do  worfe,  he  contents  himfelf  to  do 
 that  which  was  lawful,  if  unfufficient.  It  is  a  fhame 
 Xo  fay,  that  he,  whom  God  had  rejected  for  his  fin, 
 was  yet  a  faint  to  fome  that  fliould  be  Chriffians,  who 
 care  not  how  much  they  are  beholden  to  the  devil 
 in  their  diftreffes,  aifec"ting  to  caft  out  devils  by  Beel- 
 zebub. In  cafes  of  lefs,  or  ficknefs,  they  make  hell 
 their  refuge,  and  feek  for  patronage  from  an  enemy. 
 Here  is  a  fearful  agreement ;  Satan  feeks  to  them  in  his 
 temptations;  they,  in  their  confultations,  feek  to  him: 
 and  now,  that  they  have  mutually  found  each  other, 
 if  ever  they  part  it  is  a  miracle. 
 
 David  had  lived  obfeurely  in  his  father's  houfe,  his 
 only  care  and  ambition  was  the  welfare  of  the  flock 
 he  tended  ;  and  now,  whiles  his  father  and  his  bro- 
 thers neglecled  him,  as  fit  for  nothing  but  the  field,  he 
 is  talked  of  at  the  court.  Some  of  Saul's  followers 
 had  been  at  Jejfe's  houferand  taken  notice  of  David's 
 ikill ;  and  now  that  harp,  which  he  pradtifed  for  his 
 
 private 
 
BOOK  XIII.     C  out  em.  in.        485 
 
 private  recreation,  fhall  make  him  of  a  flieplierd  a 
 courtier.  The  mufic,  that  he  meant  only  to  himfelf 
 and  his  iheep,  brings  him  before  kings.  The  wifdom 
 of  God  thought  fit  to  take  this  occafion  of  acquainting 
 id  with  that  court  which  he  (hall  once  govern. 
 It  is  good  that  education  lhould  perfect  our  chil- 
 dren in  all  thofe  commendable  qualities  whereto  they 
 are  difpofed.  Little  do  we  know,  what  ufe  God  means 
 to  make  of  thofe  faculties,  which  we  know  net  how 
 to  employ.  Where  the  Almighty  purpofes  an  advance- 
 ment, obfeurity  can  be  no  prejudice  ;  fmail  means 
 {hall  i'ct  forward  that  which  God  hath  decreed. 
 
 Doubtlefs,  old  %e(fe  noted,  not  without  admirati- 
 on, the  wonderful  accordance  of  God's  proceedings, 
 that  he,  which  was  feat  for  out  of  the  field  to  be  a- 
 nointed,  fliould  now  be  fent  for  out  of  the  country 
 into  the  court  5  and  now  he  perceived,  God  was  ma- 
 king way  for  the  execution  of  that  which  he  purpofed ; 
 he  attends  the  iflue  in  filence,  neither  (hall  his  hand 
 fail  to  give  furtherance  to  the  pro; eel  of  God  :  he 
 therefore  fends  his  fon  laden  with  a  prefent  to  SauL 
 The  fame  God,  which  called  David  to  the  court,  wel- 
 comes him  thither  :  his  comelinefs,  valour  and  fkijl, 
 have  foon  won  him  favour  in  the  eyes  of  SauL  The 
 giver  of  all  graces  hath  fo  placed  his  favours,  that  the 
 grcatefl  enemies  of  goodnefs  mall  fee  fomewhat  in  the 
 holieft  men,  which  they  mall  affect,  and  for  which 
 they  mall  honour  the  perfons  of  them  whofe  virtues 
 they  diilike  ;  as,  contrarily,  the  faints  on  earth  fee 
 fomewhat  to  love  even  in  the  word  creatures. 
 
 No  doubt  David  fung  to  his  harp ;  his  harp  was  not 
 more  fweet  than  his  fong  was  holy.  Thofe  pfalms 
 alone  had  been  more  powerful  to  chafe  the  evilfpirit, 
 than  the  mufic  was  to  calm  paflions  ;  both  together 
 gave  eafe  to  Saul:  and  God  ^ave  this  eiFecT:  to  both, 
 becaufe  he  would  have  Saul  train  up  his  fucceiTor, 
 This  (acred  mufic  did  not  more  difpel  Satan,  than 
 
 wanton 
 
4Bo      contemplations. 
 
 wanton  mafic  invites  him,  and  more  cheers  him  than 
 is s.  He  plays  and  danceth  at  a  filthy  fong,  he  fings 
 at  an  obfcene  dance.  Oar  fin  is  his  belt  paftime  ; 
 whereas  pfalms,  and  hymns,  and  fpiritual  longs,  are 
 torment  unto  the  tempter,  and  mufic  to  the  angels 
 in  heaven,  whofe  trade  is  to  fing  Hallelujahs  in  the 
 choir 'of  glory. 
 
 Con  t  em.   iv.     David   and  Goliak. 
 
 A  Fter  the  news  of  the  Philiftines  army,  I  hear  no 
 -^*-  more  mention  of  Saul's  frenzy  ;  whether  the 
 noile  of  war  diverted  thofe  thoughtful  paffions,  or 
 whether  God,  for  his  people's  fake,  took  off  that  evil 
 fpirit,  led  Ifrael  might  mifcarry  under  a  frantic  go- 
 vernor. Now  David  hath  leifure  to  return  to  Beth- 
 lehem :  the  glory  of  the  court  cannot  tranfport  him 
 to  ambitious  vanity  ;  he  had  rather  be  his  father's 
 fhepherd  than  Saul's  armour-bearer.  All  the  magni- 
 ficence and  flate  which  he  faw,  could  not  put  his 
 mouth  out  of  the  tafte  of  retired  fimplicity  ;  yea,  ra- 
 ther, he  loves  his  hook  the  better,  fmce  he  faw  the 
 court  ;  and  now  his  brethren  ferve  Saul  in  his  (lead. 
 A  good  heart  hath  learned  to  frame  itfelf  unto  all  con- 
 ditions, and  can  change  eftates  without  change  of  dif- 
 poiltion,  rtfing  and  falling  according  to  occafion.  The 
 worldly  mind  can  rife  eaiily,  but,  when  it  is  once  up, 
 knows  not  how  to  defcend  either  with  patience  or 
 fafety. 
 
 Forty  days  together  had  the  Philiftines  and  Ifracl- 
 ites  faced  each  other  ;  they  pitched  on  two  hills,  one 
 in  the  fight  of  other,  nothing  but  a  valley  was  be- 
 twixt them.  Both  (land  upon  defence  and  advan- 
 tage :  If  they  had  not  meaned  to  fight,  they  had  ne- 
 ver drawn  fo  near ;~  and  if  they  had  been  eager  of  fight, 
 a  valley  could  not  have  parted  them.  Actions  of  ha- 
 zard 
 
BOOK   XIII.      Co  nt  em.  iv.         487 
 
 zard  require  deliberation ;  not  fury,  but  difcretion  muft 
 be  the  guide  of  war. 
 
 So  had  Jojhua  deftroyed  the  giantly  Anakhns  out 
 of  the  land  of  Ifrael^  that  yet  fome  were  left  in  Az- 
 ~zab,  Gath  and  AJbdod ;  both  to  fliew  Ifrael  what 
 adverfaries  their  forefathers  found  in  Canaan^  and 
 whom  they  mattered  ;  as  alfo,  that  God  might  win 
 glory  to  himfelf  by  thefe  fubfequent  executions.  Of 
 that  race  was  Goliab,  whofe  heart  was  as  high  as  his 
 head,  his  ftrength  was  anfwerable  to  his  ftature,  his 
 weapons  anfwerable  to  his  ftrength,  his  pride  exceed- 
 ed all :  becaufe  he  faw  his  head  higher,  his  arms 
 ftronger,  his  fword  and  fpear  bigger,  his  fhieli  hea- 
 vier than  any  Ifraelite's,  he  defies  the  whole  hod ;  and, 
 walking  between  the  two  armies,  braves  all  Ifrael 
 with  a  challenge  ;  Why  are  ye  come  out  to  fei  your 
 battle  in  array  f  am  not  I  a  Philiftine,  and  you  fer- 
 vants  to  Saui  ?  Chufe  you  a  man  for  ycu,  end  let 
 him  come  do<wn  to  me.  Give  me  a  man  that  ive  may 
 fight  together.  Carnal  hearts  are  carried  away  with 
 prefumption  of  their  own  abilities,  and,  not  finding 
 matches  to  themfelves  in  outward  appearance,  infult 
 over  the  impotency  of  inferiors,  and,  as  thole  that 
 can  fee  no  invifible  opposition,  promife  themfelves 
 certainty  of  fuccefs.  Infoieiice  and  felf-confideijce 
 argues  the  heart  to  be  nothing  but  a  lump  of  -proud 
 flefli. 
 
 The  fir-ft  challenge  of  a  duel,  that  ever  we  fmd, 
 came  out  of  the  mouth  of  an  uncircumcifed  Philiftine ; 
 yet  was  that  in  open  war,  and  tended  to  the  laving 
 ot  many  lives,  by  adventuring  one  or  two ;  and  who- 
 mever imitateth,  nay  furpaffeth  him  in  challenge  to 
 private  duels,  in  the  attempt  partaketh  of  his  uncir- 
 cumcifion,  though  he  mould  overcome,  and  of  his 
 manner  of  puniihment,  if  in  fuch  private  combats  he 
 eaft  away  his  life.  For  of  all  fuch  defperate  prodigals 
 we  may  fay,  that  their  heads  are  cut  elf  by  their  own 
 
 (word, 
 
483         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fword,  if  not  by  their  own  hand.  We  cannot  chal- 
 lenge men,  and  not  challenge  God,  who  juftiy  chal- 
 lenged to  himfelf  both  to  take  vengeance,  and  to  give 
 fuccefs.  The  more  Goliah  challenges,  and  is  unan- 
 iwered,  the  more  h  he  puft  up  in  the  pride  of  his 
 own  power.  And  is  there  none  of  all  Ifrael  that  will 
 anfwer  this  champion  other  ways,  than  with  his  heels  ? 
 Where  is  the  courage  of  him,  that  was  higher  than  all 
 Ifrael  from  the  moulders  upward !  The  time  was, 
 when  Naha/b  the  Ammonite  had  made  that  tyrannous 
 demand  of  the  right-eyes  of  the  Gileadites,  that  Saul 
 could  fyy  unalked,  What  aUeth  the  people  to  weep  f 
 and  cculd  hew  his  oxen  in  pieces  to  raife  the  fpirits 
 of  Ifrael ;  and  now  he  (lands  ft  ill,  and  fees  the  hofl 
 turn  their  back,  and  never  fo  much  as  afks,  What 
 aileth  the  people  to  fly  ?  The  time  was,  when  Saul 
 flew  forty  thoufand  Philiftines  in  one  day,  and  per- 
 haps Goliah  was  in  that  difcomfiture,  and  now  one 
 Philiflrne  is  fuffered  by  him  to  brave  all  Ifrael  forty 
 days  ;  whence  is  this  difference  ?  The  Spirit  of  God, 
 the  fpirit  of  fortitude,  was  now  departed  from  him. 
 Saul  was  not  more  above  himfelf  when  God  was  with 
 him,  than  he  is  below  others  now  that  he  is  left  of 
 God.  Valour  is  not  merely  of  nature;  nature  is  evei? 
 like  itfeif :  by  this  rule,  he  that  is  once  valiant  mould 
 never  turn  coward.  But  now  we  fee  the  great  eft 
 fpirits  inconftant,  and  thofe,  which  have  given  good 
 proofs  of  magnanimity,  at  other  times  have  bewrayed 
 white  livers  unto  their  own  reproach.  He,  that  is  the 
 God  of  hofls,  gives  and  takes  away  mens  hearts  at 
 his  pleafure.  Neither  is  it  otherways  in  our  fpiritu- 
 al  combats ;  fometimes  the  fame  foul  dare  challenge 
 all  the  powers  of  darknefs,  which  otherwhiles  gives 
 ground  to  a  temptation.  We  have  no  ftrength  but 
 what  is  given  us ;  and  if  the  author  of  all  good  gifts 
 remit  his  hand  for  our  humiliation,  either  we  fight 
 not,  or  are  foiled. 
 
 David 
 
BOOK  XIII.    Conte  m.  iv.        489 
 
 David  hath  now  lain  long  enough  clofe  among  his 
 flock  in  the  fields  of  Bethlehem ;  God  fees  a  time 
 to  fend  him  to  the  pitched  field  of  IfraeL  Good  old 
 fefe,  that  was  doubtlefs  joyful  to  think,  that  he  had 
 afforded  three  fons  to  the  wars  of  his  king,  is  no  lefs 
 careful  of  their  welfare  and  provifion ;  and  who,  a- 
 mongft  all  the  reft  of  his  feven  fons,  fhall  be  pickt  out 
 for  this  fervice,  but  his  youngeft  fon  David,  whole 
 former  and  almofl  worn-out  acquaintance  in  court, 
 and  employment  under  Saul,  feemcd  to  fit  him  bed  for 
 this  errand.  Early  in  the  morning  is  David  upon  his 
 way,  yet  not  fo  early  as  to  leave  his  flock  unprovi- 
 ded. If  his  father's  command  difmifs  him,  yet  will  he 
 flay  till  he  have  trufted  his  fheep  with  a  careful  keep- 
 er. We  cannot  be  faithful  fhepherds,  if  our  fpiritual 
 charge  be  lefs  dear  unto  us ;  if,  when  neceflity  calls 
 us  from  our  flocks,  we  depute  not  thofe  who  are  vi- 
 gilant and  confcionabie. 
 
 Ere  David's  fpeed  can  bring  him  to  the  valley  of  E- 
 lah,  both  the  armies  are  on  foot  ready  to  join:  he  takes 
 not  this  excufe  to  flay  without,  as  a  man  daunted  with 
 the  horror  of  war;  but,  leaving  his  prefent  with 
 his  fervant,  he  thrufts  himfelf  into  the  thickeft  of  the 
 hoft,  and~%lutes  his  brethren,  who  were  now  think ; 
 ing  of  "killing  or  dying.  When  the  proud  champion 
 of  the  Philiftines  comes  (talking  forth  before  all  the 
 troops,  and  renews  this  infolent  challenge  againft  If- 
 raely  David  fees  the  man,  and  hears  his  defiance,  and 
 looks  about  him,  to  fee  what  anfwer  would  be  given; 
 and,  when  he  efpies  nothing  but  pale  facostJ>  and  backs 
 turned,  he  wonders,  not  fo  much,  that  one  man  fhould 
 dare  all  Jfrael,  as  that  all  Ifrael  ihould  run  from  onfc 
 man.  Even  when  they  fly  from  Goi 'i 'a h,  -they  talk  of 
 the  reward,  that  fliould  be  given  to  that  encounter 
 and  victory,  which  they  dare  not  undertake  :  fo  thofe, 
 who  have  not  grace  to  believe,  yet  can- fay,  There 
 is  glory  laid  up  for  the  faithful.     Ever  fmce  his  a* 
 
 Vol.  L  Qj3  q  nointing 
 
49° 
 
 CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 nointing,  was  David  poffeffed  with  God's  Spirit,  and 
 thereby  filled  both  with  courage  and  wifdom :  the 
 more  flrange  doth  it  £eem  to  him,  that  all  Ifrael  mould 
 be  thus  daftardly.  Thofe,  that  are  themfelves  emi- 
 nent in  any  grace,  cannot  but  wonder  at  the  miferable 
 defects  of  others ;  and  the  more  fhame  they  fee  in  o- 
 thers  imperfections,  the  more  is  their  zeal  in  avoiding 
 thofe  errors  in  themfelves. 
 
 While  bafe  hearts  are  moved  by  example,  the  want 
 of  example  is  encouragement  enough  for  an  heroical 
 mind :  therefore  is  David  ready  to  undertake  the 
 quarrel,  becaufe  no  man  elfe  dare  do  it.  His  eyes 
 fparkled  with  holy  anger,  and  his  heart  rofe  up  to  his 
 mouth,  when  he  heard  this  proud  challenger  :  Who  is 
 this  uncireumcifed  Philiftine,  that  he  Jbould  revile  the 
 hoft  of  the  living  God!  Even  fo,  O  Saviour,  when 
 all  the  generations  of  men  run  away  affrighted  from 
 the  powers  of  death  and  darknefs,  thou  alone  hail 
 undertaken,  and  confounded  them  ! 
 
 Who  mould  offer  to  daunt  the  holy  courage  of  Da- 
 vid, but  his  own  brethren  ?  The  envious  heart  of 
 Eliab  conflrues  this  forwardnefs  as  his  own  difgrace. 
 Shall  I,  thinks  he,  be  put  down  by  this  puifne!  mall 
 my  father's  youngeft  fon  dare  to  attempt  that,  which 
 my  ftomach  will  not  ferve  me  to  adventure  !  Now 
 therefore  he  rates  David  toy  his  prefumption ;  and,  in- 
 ftead  of  anfwering  to  the  recompenfe  of  the  victory, 
 which  others  were  ready  to  give,  he  recompenfeth 
 (he  very  inquiry  of  David  with  a  check.  It  was  for 
 his  brethren's  fake,  that  David  came  thither ;  and 
 yet  his  very  journey  is  caff  upon  him,  by  them,  for 
 a'  reproach.;  Wherefore  camejl  thou  dozen  hither?  and, 
 when  their  bitternefs  can  meet  with  nothing  elfe,  to 
 iliame  him,  his  meep  are  caff  in  his  teeth.  Is  it  for 
 thee,  an  idle  proud  boy,  to  be  meddling  with  our 
 martial  mitters !  Doth  not  yonder  champion  look  as 
 if  he  were  a  fit  match  for  thee !  What  makeft  thou 
 *  of 
 
BOOK   XIII.     Co  nt  em.  iv.        49 1 
 
 of  thyfelf!  or  what  doft  thou  think    of  us!     I  think 
 it  were  fitter  for  thee  to  be  looking  to  thy  fheep, 
 than  looking  at  Goliah.     The  wildernefs  would  be- 
 come thee  better  than  the  field.     Wherein  art  thou 
 equal  to  any  man  thou  feeft,  but  in  arrogancy  and 
 prefumption !     The  pafhures  of  Bethlehem  could  not 
 hold  thee ;  but  thou  thoughtefl  it  a  goodly  matter  to 
 fee  the  wars.     I  know  thee,  as  if  I  were  in  thy  bo- 
 fom  :  this  was*  thy  thought,  There  is  no  glory  to  be 
 got  among  fleeces,  I  will  go  feek  it  in  arms :  now  are 
 my  brethren  winning  honour  in  the  troops  of  Ifrael, 
 while  I  am  bafely  tending  on  fheep ;  why  fhouid  not 
 I  be  as  forward  as  the  beft  of  them  ?     This  vanity 
 would  make  thee  ftraight  of  a  fhepherd  a  foldier,  and 
 of  a  foldier  a  champion.  Get  thee  home,  foolifh  (trip-* 
 pling,  to  thy  hook  and  thy  harp ;  let  fwords  and  fpears 
 alone  to  thofe  that  know  how  to  ufe  them. 
 
 It  is  quarrel  enough,  amongfl  many,  to  a  good  ac- 
 tion, that  it  is  not  their  own.     There  is  no  enemy  fo 
 ready,  or  fo  fpiteful,  as.  the  domeftical.     The  hatred 
 of  brethren  is  fo  much  more,  as  their  blood  is  nearer. 
 The  malice  of  ftrangers  is  fimple,  but  of  a  brother  is 
 raixt  with  envy.     The  more  unnatural  any  quality 
 is,  the  more  extreme  it  is :  a  cold  wind  from  the 
 fouth  is  intolerable.     David's  firfl  victory  is  of  him- 
 fett\  next  of  his  brother.     He  overcomes  himfelf,  in  a 
 patient  forbearance  of  his  brother ;  he  overcomes  the 
 malicious  rage  of  his  brother,  with  the  mildnefs  of  his 
 anfwer.     If  David  had  wanted  fpirit,  he  had  not  been 
 troubled  with  the  infultation  of  a  Philiftine.     If  he 
 had  a  fpirit  to  match  Goliah ,  how  doth  he  fo  calmly 
 receive  the   affront  of  a  brother  ?  What  have  I  now 
 dene!  is  there  not  a  caufe /     That  which  would  have 
 ilirred  the  choler  of  another,  allayeth  his.     It  was  a 
 brother  that  wronged  him,  and  that  his  eldeit.    Nei- 
 ther was  it  time  to  quarrel  with  a  brother,  while  the 
 Fhiliflines  fwords  were  drawn,  and  Goliah  was  chal- 
 QjJ  q  2  lenging* 
 
492         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 lenging.  O  that  thefe  two  motives  could  induce  us 
 to  peace !  If  we  have  injury  in  our  perfon,  in  our 
 caufe,  it  is  from  brethren,  and  the  Fhilijlines  look  on. 
 I  am  deceived,  if  this  conqueft  were  lefs  glorious  than 
 the  following :  he  is  fit  to  be  God's  champion,  that 
 hath  learned  to  be  victor  of  himfelf. 
 
 It  is  not  this  fprinkling  of  cold  water  that  can 
 quench  the  fire  of  David's  zeal,  but  ftill  his  courage 
 fends  up  flames  of  deiire,  (till  he  goes  on  to  inquire, 
 and  to  proffer.     He,  whom  the  regard  of  others  envy- 
 can  difmay,  mail  never  do  ought  worthy  of  envy. 
 Never  man  undertook  any  exploit  of  worth,  and  re- 
 ceived not  fome  difcouragement  in  the  way.     This 
 courageous  motion  of  David  was  not  more  fcorned  by 
 his  brother,  than  by  the  other  Ifraelites  applauded. 
 The  rumour  flies  to  the  ears  of  the  king,  that  there 
 is  a  young  man  defirous  to  encounter  the  giant.    Da- 
 vid is  brought  forth.    Saul,  when  he  heard  of  a  cham- 
 pion that  durft   go  into  the  lifts  with  Goliah,  looked 
 for  one  as  much  higher  than  himfelf,  as  he  was  taller 
 than  the  reft :  he  expected  fome  ftern  face,  and  braw- 
 ny arm ;  young  and  ruddy  David  is  fo  far  below  his 
 thoughts,    that    he   receives   rathef   contempt   than 
 thanks.     His  words  were  ftout,  his  perfon  was  weak. 
 Saul  doth  not  more  like  his  refolution;  than  diftruft 
 his  ability :  Thou  art  not  able  to  go  again/}  this  Phi- 
 liftine,  to  fght  with  him ;  for  thou  art  a  boy,  and  lye- 
 is  a  man  of  war  from  his  youth.     Even  Saul  feconds 
 Eliab  in  the  conceit  of  this  difparity  ;  and  if  Eliab 
 ipake  cut  of  envy,  Stfw/fpeaks  out  of  judgment;  both 
 judge,  as  they  were  judged  of  by  the  ftature.     All 
 this  cannot  weaken  that  heart,  which  receives  his 
 flrength  from  faith.     David's  greateft  conflict  is  with 
 his  friends :  the  overcoming  of  their  diffuafions,  that 
 he  might  fight,  was  more  work  than  to  overcome  his 
 enemy  in  fighting.     He  muft  firft  juftify  his  ftrength 
 
 to 
 
BOOK  XIII.     Co nt em.  iv.        493 
 
 to  Saul,  ere  he  may  prove  it  upon  Goliah.  Valour  is 
 never  made  good  but  by  trial.  He  pleads  the  trial  of 
 his  puiflance  upon  the  bear  and  the  lion,  that  he  may 
 have  leave  to  prove  it  upon  a  worfe  bead  than  they ; 
 Thy  fervant  flew  both  the  lion  and  the  bear,  therefore 
 this  uncircumcifed  Philiiline  flmll  be  as  one  of  them. 
 Experience  of  good  fuccefs  is  no  fmall  comfort  to  the 
 heart ;  this  gives  poflibility  and  hope,  but  no  certain- 
 ty. Two  things  there  were  on  which  David  built  his 
 confidence,  on  Goliah's  fin,  and  God's  deliverance ; 
 Seeing  he  hath  railed  on  the  hofl  of  the  living  God : 
 the  Lord,  that  delivered  me  oat  of  the  paws  of  the  lion 
 and  the  bear,  he  will  deliver  me  out  of  the  hand  of 
 this  Philiiline.  Well  did  David  know,  that,  if  this 
 Philiftine's  fkin  had  been  as  hard  as  the  brafs  of  his 
 fhield,  his  fin  wTould  make  it  penetrable  by  every 
 flroke.  After  all  brags  of  manhood,  he  is  impotent 
 that  hath  provoked  God.  While  other's  labour  for 
 outward  fortification,  happy  and  fafe  were  we,  if  we 
 could  labour  for  innocence.  He,  that  hath  found  God 
 prefent  in  one  extremity,  may  trull  him  in  the  next. 
 Every  fenfible  favour  of  the  Almighty  invites  both  his 
 gifts,  and  our  trull. 
 
 Refolution,  thus  grounded,  makes  even  Saul  him- 
 felf  confident :  David  fhall  have  both  his  leave  and 
 his  blefling.  If  David  came  to  Saul  as  a  fhepherd, 
 he  (hall  go  toward  Goliah  as  a  warriour.  The  attire 
 of  the  king  is  not  too  rich  for  him  that  fhall  fight  for 
 his  king  and  country.  Little  did  Saul  think,  that  his 
 helmet  was  now  on  that  head,  which  fhould  once  wear 
 his  crown.  Now,  that  David  was  arrayed  in  the  war- 
 like habit  of  a  king,  and  girded  with  his  fword,  he 
 looked  upon  himfelf,  and  thought  this  outfide  glori- 
 ous ;  but  when  he  offered  to  wTalk,  and  found  that 
 the  attire  was  not  fo  flrong  as  unwieldy,  and  that  it 
 might  be  more  for  fhow  than  ufe,  he  lays  down  thefe 
 accoutrements  of  honour,  and,  as  caring  rather  to  be 
 
 an 
 
494        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 an  homely  vi£or,  than  a  glorious  fpoil,  he  craves  par- 
 don to  go  in  no  clothes  but  his  own  ;  he  takes  his  flan? 
 inflead  of  the  fpear,  his  fhepherd's  fcrip  inflead  of  his 
 brigandine,  and  inflead  of  his  fword  he  takes  his  fling,, 
 and  inflead  of  darts  and  javelins  he  takes  five  fmooth 
 flones  out  of  the  brook.  Let  Saul's  coat  be  never  fo 
 rich,  and  his  armour  never  fo  flrong,  what  is  David 
 the  better,  if  they  fit  him  not  ?  It  is  not  to  be  inqui- 
 red, how  excellent  any  thing  is,  but  how  proper. 
 Thofe  things  which  are  helps  to  fome,  may  be  incum- 
 berances  to  others.  An  unmeet  good  may  be  as  in- 
 convenient as  an  accuflomed  evil.  If  we  could  wifh 
 another  man's  honour,  when  we  feel  the  weight  of 
 his  cares,  we  ihould  be  glad  to  be  in  our  own  coat. 
 
 Thofe  that  depend  upon  the   flrength   of  faith, 
 though  they  neglecl  not  means,  yet  they  are  not  cu- 
 rious in  the  proportion  of  outward  means  to  the  effect 
 defired.     Where  the  heart  is  armed  with  an  allured 
 confidence,  a  fling  and  a  flone   are  weapons  enough : 
 to  the  unbelieving  no  helps  are  fufficient.     Goliah^ 
 though  he  were  prefumptuous   enough,  yet  had  one 
 Ihield  carried  before  him,  another  he  carried  on  his 
 Ihoulder ;  neither  will  his  fword  alone  content  him, 
 but  he  takes  his  fpear  too.     David's  armour  is  his 
 plain  fhepherd's  ruffet,  and  the  brook  yields  him  his 
 artillery;  and  he  knows,  there  is  more  fafety  in  his 
 cloth  than  in  the  other's  brafs ;  and  more  danger  in 
 his  pebbles,  than  the  other's  fpear.     Faith  gives  both 
 heart  and  arms.     The   inward  munition  is  fo  much 
 more  noble,  becaufe  it  is  of  proof  for  both  foul  and 
 body  :  if  we  be  furnifhed  with  this,  how  boldly  fhall 
 we  meet  with  the  powers  of  darknefs,  and  go  away 
 more  than  conquerors! 
 
 Neither  did  the  quality  of  David's  weapons  bewray 
 more  confidence  than  the  number.  If  he  will  put 
 his  life  and  victory  upon  the  Hones  of  the  brook,  why 
 doth  he  not  fill  his  fcrip  full  of  them  ?     Why  will  he 
 
 content; 
 
BOOK  XIII.     Contem.  IV.  w$ 
 
 content  himfelf  with  five  ?  Had  he  been  furnifhed 
 with  flore,  the  advantage  of  his  nimblenefs  might  have 
 given  him  hope  ;  if  one  fail,  that  yet  another  might 
 fpeed :  but  now  this  paucity  puts  the  difpatch  to  a 
 hidden  hazard,  and  he  hath  but  five  llones-call  either 
 to  death  or  victory  :  flill  the  fewer  helps  the  flronger 
 faith.  David  had  an  inilinct  from  God  that  he  mould 
 overcome ;  he  had  not  a  particular  direction  how  he 
 mould  overcome.  For  had  he  been  at  firft  refolved 
 upon  the  fling  and  flone,  he  had  faved  the  labour  of 
 girding  his  fword.  It  feems,  while  they  were  ad- 
 drefiing  him  to  the  combat,  he  made  account  of  hand- 
 blows  ;  now  he  is  purpofed  rather  to  fend,  than  bring 
 death  to  his  adversary ;  in  either,  or  both,  he  dctrft 
 truft  God  with  the  fuccefs,  and  before-hand  (through 
 the  conflict:)  faw  the  victory  :  it  is  fufficient,  that  we 
 know  the  hTue  of  our  fight.  If  our  weapons  and 
 wards  vary,  according  to  the  occafion  given  by  God, 
 that  is  nothing  to  the  ever." ;.  fure  we  are,  that  if  we 
 refill  we  fhall  overcome,  and  if  we  overcome,  we 
 iliall  be  crowned. 
 
 When  David  appeared  in  the  lifts  to  fo  unequal  an 
 adveriary,  as  many  eyes  were  upon  him,  fo  in  thofe 
 eyes  diverfe  affections.  The  Israelites  looked  upon 
 him  with  pity  and  fear,  and  each  man  thought,  Alas, 
 why  is  this  comely  flrippling  fuffered  to  caft  away 
 himfelf  upon  fuch  a  monfler !  Why  will  they  let  him 
 go  unarmed  to  fuch  an  affray !  Why  will  Saul  hazard 
 the  honour  of  Ifrael  on  fo  unlikely  an  head  ?  The 
 Philijlines^  efpecially  their  great  champion,  looked 
 upon  him  with  fcorn,  difdaining  fo  bafe  a  combatant ; 
 Am  I  dog,  that  thou  comeft  to  ?ne  with  /laves  f  What 
 could  be  faid  more  fitly,  Hadfl  thou  been  any  other 
 than  a  dog,  O  Go!iahy  thou  hadfl  never  opened  thy 
 foul  mouth  to  bark  againfl  the  hofl  of  God,  and  the 
 God  of  hofls.     If  David  had  thought  thee  any  o- 
 
 ther 
 
49*        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ther  than  a  very  dog,  he  had  never  come  to  thcc 
 with  a  ftaff  and  a  ftone. 
 
 The  lad  words  that  ever  the  Philijline  mail  fpeak, 
 are  curfes  and  brags  ;  Come  to  me,  and  I  will  give 
 thy  fl eft  unto  the  fowls  of  the  heaven,  and  the  beafls 
 of  the  field.  Seldom  ever  was  there  a  good  end  of 
 oflentation.  Prefumption  is  at  once  the  prefage,  and 
 caufe  of  ruin.  He  is  a  weak  adverfary  that  can  be 
 killed  with  words.  That  man  which  could  not  fear 
 the  giant's  hand,  cannot  fear  his  tongue.  If  words 
 fhall  firft  encounter,  the  Philifllne  receives  the  firffc 
 foil,  and  (hall  iirlt  let  in  death  into  his  ear,  ere  it  en- 
 ter into  his  forehead.  Thou  comefl  to  me  with  a 
 fword,  and  a  fpear,  and  a  fihidd  ;  but  I  come  to  thee 
 in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hojls,  the  God  of  the  hofl 
 of  Ifrael,  whom  thou  ha/I  railed  upon .  This  day  fb all  the 
 Lord  clofe  thee  in  my  hand,  and  1  ft  all  finite  thee,  and 
 take  thine  head  from  thee.  Here  is  another  ftyle, 
 not  of  a  boafter,  but  of  a  prophet.  Now  (hall  Go- 
 liah  know  whence  to  expect  his  bane,  even  from  the 
 hands  of  a  revenging  God  that  mall  fmite  him  by 
 David,  and  now  mall  learn,  too  late,  what  it  is  to 
 meddle  with  an  enemy  that  goes  under  the  invifible 
 protection  of  the  Almighty.  No  fooner  hath  David \g& 
 fpoken,  than  his  foot  and  hand  fecond  his  tongue  : 
 he  runs  to  fight  with  the  Philijline,  It  is  a  cold  cou- 
 rage that  flands  only  upon  defence  :  as  a  man  that 
 faw  no  caufe  of  fear,  and  was  full  of  the  ambition  of 
 victory, .  he  flies  upon  that  monfler,  and,  with  a 
 (tone  out  of  his  bag,  fmites  him  in  the  forehead. 
 There  was  no  part  of  Goliah  that  was  capaple  of 
 that  danger,  but  the  face,  and  that  piece  of  the 
 face ;  the  reft  \v?.s  defenced  with  a  brazen-wall, 
 which  a  weak  fling  would  have  tried  to  batter  in 
 vain.  What  could  Goliah  fear,  to  fee  an  adverfary 
 come  tebim  without  edge  or  point !  And,  behold,  that 
 one  part  hath  God  found  out  for  the  entrance  of 
 
 death. 
 
BOOK   XIII.     Co  nt  em.  iv.        497 
 
 death.  He,  that  could  have  caufed  the  (tone  to  pafs 
 through  the  fhield  and  bread-plate  of  Goliah,  rather 
 directs  the  done  to  that  part  whofe  nakednefs  gave 
 advantage.  Where  there  is  power  or  poffibility  of 
 nature,  God  ufes  not  to  work  miracles  but  chufes 
 the  way  that  lies  moil  open  to  his  purpofes. 
 
 The  vail  forehead  was  a  fair  mark;  but  how  eafily 
 might  the  fling  have  miffed  it,  if  there  had  not  been 
 another  hand  in  this  cad  befides  David's}  He,  that 
 guided  David  into  this  field,  and  raifed  his  courage  to 
 this  combat,  guides  the  done  to  his  end,  and  lodges  it 
 in  that  feat  of  impudence.  There  now  lieth  the  great 
 defier  of  Ifrael,  grovelling  and  grinning  in  death,  and 
 is  not  differed  to  deal  one  blow  for  his  life,  and  bites 
 the  unwelcome  earth,  for  indignation  that  he  dies  by 
 the  hand  of  a  fhepherd  !  Earth  and  hell  fliare  him  be- 
 twixt them.  Such  is  the  end  of  infolence  and  pre- 
 fumption.  O  God,  what  is  fleih  and  blood  to  thee, 
 who  cand  make  a  little  pebble  done  dronger  than 
 a  giant,  and,  when  thou  wilt,  by  the  weaked  means, 
 cand  drew  thine  enemies  in  the  dud !  Where  now  are 
 the  two  diields  of  Goliah,  that  they  did  not  bear  off 
 this  droke  of  death !  or'  wherefore  ferves  that  weaver's 
 beam,  but  to  drike  the  earth  in  falling !  or  that  fword, 
 but  to  behead  his  mader  !  What  needed  David  load 
 himfelf  with  an  unneceffary  weapon  ?  one  fword  can 
 ferve  both  Goliah  and  him.  If  Goliah  had  a  man  to 
 bear  his  fhield,  David  had  Goliah  to  bear  his  fword, 
 wherewith  that  proud  blafphemous  head  is  fevered 
 from  his  flioulders.  Nothing  more  honours  God, 
 than  the  turning  of  wicked  mens  forces  againd  them- 
 felves.-  There  are  none  of  his  enemies  but  carry 
 with  them  their  own  dedruction.  Thus  didd  thou, 
 O  fon  of  David,  foil  Satan  with  his  own  weapon, 
 that  whereby  he  meant  dedrucYion  to  thee  and  us, 
 vanquifhed   him   through   thy   mighty   power,    and 
 
 Vol.  I.  R  r  r  raifed 
 
498         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 raifed  thee  to  that  glorious  triumph  and  fuper-exaka- 
 tion  wherein  thou  art,  wherein  we  fhall  be  with  thee ! 
 
 C  o  >:  t  E  m.  v.     Jonathan's  love,  and  Saul's 
 
 envy. 
 
 BEfides  the  difcomfiture  of  the  PhiUftines,  David's, 
 victory  had  a  double  iffue,  Jonathan's  love,  and 
 Said's  envy,  which  God  fo  mixed,  that  the  one  was 
 a  remedy  of  the  other.  A  good  fon  makes  amends 
 for  a  wayward  father.  How  precious  was  that  (lone 
 that  killed  fuch  an  enemy  as  Goliah,  and  purchafed 
 fuch  a  friend  as  Jonathan!  All  Saul's  courtiers  looked 
 upon  David ;  none  fo  affected  him,  none  did  match 
 him  but  Jonathan :  that  true  correfpondence,  that 
 was  both  in  their  faith  and  valour,  hath  knit  their 
 hearts.  If  David  did  fet  upon  a  bear,  a  lion,  a  giant ; 
 Jonathan  had  fet  upon  a  whole  holt  and  prevailed  : 
 the  fame  fpirit  animated  both  ;  the  fame  faith  incited 
 both  ;  the  fame  hand  profpered  both.  All  Ifrael  was 
 not  worth  this  pair  of  friends,  fo  zealoufly  confident, 
 fo  happily  victorious.  Similitude  of  difpofitions  and 
 eflates  ties  the  faded  knots  of  affection.  A  wife  foul 
 hath  piercing  eyes,  and  hath  quickly  difcerned  the 
 iikenefs  of  itfelf  in  another;  as  we  do  no  fooner  look 
 into  the  glafs  or  water,  but  face  anfwers  to  face,  and, 
 where  it  fees  a  perfect  refemblance  of  itfelf,  cannot 
 chufe  but  love  it  with  the  fame  affection  that  it  re- 
 flects upon  itfelf. 
 
 No  man  faw  David  that  day,  which  had  fo  much 
 caufe  to  difanect  him  ;  none  in  all  Ifrael  fliould  be  a 
 Jofer  by  David's  fuccefs,  but  Jonathan.  Saul  was 
 hire  enough  fettled  for  his  time,  only  his  fucceiTor 
 fliouid  forego  ail  that  which  David  mould  gain  ;  fo 
 as  none  but  David  ftands  in  Jonathan's  light*;  and  yet 
 all  this  cannot  abate  one  jot  or  dram  of  his  love.  Where 
 God  uniteth  hearts,  carnal  refpects  are  too  weak,  to 
 
 diflever 
 
BOOK  XIII.     C  o  n  t  e  m.  v.         499 
 
 diffever  them,  fince  that,  which  breaks  off  affection, 
 mud  needs  be  ftronger,  than  that  which  conjoineth 
 it. 
 
 Jonathan  doth  not  defire  to  {mother  his  love  by 
 concealment,  but  profeffes  it  in  his  carriage  and  acti- 
 ons :  he  puts  off  the  robe  that  was  upon  him,  and  all 
 his  garments,  even  to  his  fword,  and  bow  and  girdle, 
 and  gives  them  unto  his  new  friend.  It  was  perhaps 
 not  without  a  myftery,  that  Saul's  clothes  fitted  not 
 David,  but  Jonathan's  fitted  him,  and  tliefe  he  is  as 
 glad  to  wear,  as  he  was  to  be  disburdened  of  the 
 other :  that  there  might  be  a  perfect  refemblance, 
 their  bodies  are  fuited,  as  well  as  their  hearts.  Now 
 the  beholders  can  fay,  There  goes  Jonathan's  other 
 felf ;  if  there  be  another  body  under  thofe  clothes, 
 there  is  the  fame  foul.  Now  David  hath  call  off  his 
 ruffet-coat,  and  his  fcrip,  and  is  a  fhepherd  no  more ; 
 he  is  fuddenly  become  both  a  courtier,  and  a  captain, 
 and  a  companion  to  the  prince  ;  yet  himfelf  is  not 
 changed  with  his  habit,  with  his  condition  ;  yea,  ra- 
 ther, as  if  his  wifdom  had  referved  itfelf  for  his  ex- 
 altation, he  fo  manageth  a  fudden  -  greatnefs,  as  that 
 he  winneth  all  hearts.  Honour  fliews  the  man  ;  and 
 if  there  be  any  blemiflies  of  imperfection,  they  will 
 be  fecn  in  the  man  that  is  unexpectedly  lifted  above 
 his  fellows  :  he  is  out  of  the  danger  of  folly,  whom  a 
 fpeedy  advancement  leaveth  wife. 
 
 Jonathan  loved  David,  the  foldiers  honoured  him, 
 the  court  favoured  him,  the  people  applauded  him, 
 only  Saul  ftomached  him,  and  therefore  hated  him  > 
 becaufe  he  was  fo  happy  in  all  befides  himfelf.  It 
 had  been  a  fliame  for  all  Ifrael,  if  they  had  not  mag- 
 nified their  champion.  Said's  own  heart  could  not 
 but  tell  him,  that  they  did  owe  the  glory  of  that  day, 
 and  the  fafety  of  himfelf  and  Ifrael,  unto  the  fling  of 
 David,  who,  in  one  man,  flew  all  thofe  thoufands  at 
 a  blow.  It  was  enough  for  the  puiflant  king  of  Ifrael 
 Rrr  2  to 
 
5co  .       CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 to  follow  the  chafe,  and  to  kill  them  whom  David 
 had  put  to  flight ;  yet  he,  that  could  lend  his  clothes 
 and  his  armour  to  this  exploit,  cannot  abide  to  part 
 with  the  honour  of  it  to  him  that  had  earned  it  fo 
 dearly.  The  holy  fongs  of  David  had  not  more 
 quieted  his  fpirits  before,  than  now  the  thankful  fong 
 of  the  Ifraelitifh  women  vexes  him.  One  little  ditty, 
 of  Saul  hath  flain  his  thoufands,  and  David  his  ten 
 ihoufandsy  fung  unto  the  timbrels  of  Ifrael,  fetch- 
 ed again  that  evil  fpirit,  which  David's  mufic  had 
 expelled.  Saul  needed  not  the  torment  of  a  worfe 
 fpirit  than  envy.  O  the  unreafonablenefs  of  this 
 wicked  paflion  1  The  women  gave  Saul  more  and  Da- 
 vid lefs,  than  he  deferved ;  for  Saul  alone  could  not 
 kill  a  thoufand,  and  David,  in  that  one  act  of  killing 
 Goliah,  flew  in  effect  all  the  Philijlines  that  were 
 flain  that  day  ;  and  yet,  becaufe  they  gave  more  to 
 David  than  to  himfelf,  he  that  fhould  have  indited, 
 and  begun  that  fong  of  thankfulnefs,  repines,  and 
 grows  now  as  mad  with  envy  as  he  was  before  with 
 grief.  Truth  and  juftice  are  no  protection  againfl 
 malice.  Envy  is  blind  to  all  objects,  fave  other  mens 
 happinefs,  If  the  eyes  of  men  could  be  contained 
 within  their  own  bounds,  and  not  rove  forth  into  com- 
 parifons,  there  could  be  no  place  for  this  vicious  af- 
 fection ;  but,  when  they  have  once  taken  this  lawlefs 
 fcope  to  themfelves,  they  lofe  the  knowledge  of  home, 
 and  care  only  to  be  employed  abroad  in  their  own 
 torment. 
 
 Never  was  Saul's  bread  fo  fit  a  lodging  for  the  evil 
 fpirit,  as  now  that  it  is  drefl  up  with  envy.  It  is  as 
 impoilible  that  hell  mould  be  free  from  devils,  as  a 
 malicious  heart.  Now  doth  the  frantic  king  of  Ifraei 
 renew  his  old  fits,  and  walks  and  talks  diftractedly  ; 
 lie  was  mad  with  David,  and  who  but  David  mull  be 
 called  to  allay  his  madnefs?  Such  was  David's  wif- 
 dcrr,  he  could  not  but  know  the  terms  wherein  he 
 
 flood 
 
BOOK  XIIL     Contem.  v.  soi 
 
 flood  with  Saul ;  yet,  in  lieu  of  the  harfti  and  dif- 
 cordous  notes  of  his  mailer's  envy,  he  returns  pleafmg 
 muiic  unto  him.  He  can  never  be  a  good  courtier, 
 nor  good  man,  that  hath  not  learned  to  repay,  if  not 
 injuries  with  thanks,  yet  evil  with  good.  While 
 there  was  a  harp  in  David's  hand,  there  was  a  fpear 
 in  Saul's,  wherewith  he  threatens  death,  as  the  recom- 
 pile of  that  iweet  melody.  He  faid,  /  will  finite 
 David  through  to  the  wall.  It  is  well  for  the  in- 
 nocent, that  wicked  men  cannot  keep  their  own 
 counfel.  God  fetcheth  their  thoughts  out  of  their 
 mouths,  or  their  countenance,  for  a  feafonable  pre- 
 vention, which  elfe  might  proceed  to  fecret  execu- 
 tion. It  wras  time  for  David  to  withdraw  himfelf ; 
 his  obedience  did  not  tie  him  to  be  the  mark  of  a  furi- 
 ous mailer  ;  he  might  eafe  Saul  with  his  mufic,  with 
 his  blood  he  might  not :  twice  therefore  doth  he  a- 
 void  the  prefence,  not  the  court,  not  the  fervice  of 
 Saul. 
 
 One  would  have  thought  rather,  that  David  ihould 
 have  been  afraid  of  Saul,  becaufe  the  devil  was  fo 
 flrong  with  him,  than  that  Saul  mould  be  afraid  of 
 David,  becaufe  the  Lord  was  with  him  ;  yet  we  nnd 
 all  the  fear  in  Saul  of  David,  none  in  David  of  Saul. 
 Hatred  and  fear  are  ordinary  companions.  Davidhad 
 wifdom  and  faith  to  difpel  his  fears ;  Saul  had  nothing 
 but  infidelity,  and  dejected,  felf-condemned  diftem- 
 pered  thoughts,  which  mult  needs  nourifh  them;  yet 
 Saul  could  not  fear  any  hurt  from  David,  whom  he 
 found  fo  loyal  and  ferviceable  :  he  fears  only  too 
 much  good  unto  David;  and  the  envious  fear  is  much 
 more  than  the  diftruftful.  Now  David's  prefence  be- 
 gins to  be  more  difpleafing  than  his  mufic  was  fweet : 
 defpite  itfelf  had  rather  prefer  him  to  a  remote  dig- 
 nity, than  endure  him  a  nearer  attendant.  This  pro- 
 motion increafeth  David's  honour  and  love ;  and  his 
 love  <uid  honour  aggravates  Saul's  hatred  and  fear. 
 
 SouPs 
 
502         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Saul's  madnefs  hath  not  bereaved  him  of  his  craft; 
 for,  perceiving  how  great  David  was  grown  in  the  re- 
 putation of  Ifrael,  he  dares  not  offer  any  perfonal  or 
 direft  violence  to  him,  but  hires  him  into  the  jaws  of 
 a  fuppofed  death,  by  no  lefs  price  than  his  eldefr 
 daughter.  Behold  my  eldejl  daughter  Merab,  her 
 iv ill  I  give  thee  to  wife  ;  only  be  a  valiant  Jon  to  me, 
 and  fig ht  the  Lord's  battles.  Could  ever  man  fpeak 
 more  gracioufly,  more  holily  ?  What  could  be  more 
 gracioufly  offered  by  a  king  than  his  eldefl  daughter  ? 
 What  care  could  be  more  holy  than  of  the  Lord's 
 battles  ?  Yet  never  did  Saul  intend  fo  much  mifchief 
 to  David,  or  fo  much  unfaithfulnefs  to  God,  as  when 
 he  fpake  thus.  There  is  never  fo  much  danger  of  the 
 falfe-hearted,  as  when  they  make  the  faired  weather. 
 Saul's  fpear  bade  David  be-gone,  but  his  plaufible 
 words  invite  him  to  danger.  This  honour  was  due  to 
 David  before,  upon  the  compact  of  his  victory ;  yet 
 he,  that  twice  inquired  into  the  reward  of  that  enter- 
 prife  before  he  undertook  it,  never  demanded  it  af- 
 ter that  atchievement ;  neither  had  Saul  the  juitice  to 
 offer  it  as  a  recompenfe  of  fo  noble  an  exploit,  but  as 
 a  fnare  to  an  envied  victory.  Charity  fufpects  not : 
 David  conftrues  that,  as  an  effect  and  argument  of 
 his  matter's  love,  which  was  no  other  but  a  child  of 
 envy,  but  a  plot  of  mifchief;  and  though  he  knew  his 
 own  defert,  and  the  juflice  of  his  claim  to  Merab,  yet 
 he,  in  a  fmcere  humility,  difparageth  himfelf,  and  his 
 parentage,  with  a  Who  am  If 
 
 As  it  was  not  the  purpofe  of  this  modefty  in  David 
 to  reject,  but  to  folicit  the  proffered  favour  of  Saul, 
 fo  was  it  not  in  the  power  of  this  bafhful  humiliation 
 to  turn  back  the  edge  of  fo  keen  an  envy.  It  helps 
 r.ot,  that  David  makes  himfelf  mean,  while  others 
 magnify  his  worth :  whatfoevcr  the  colour  was,  Saul 
 meant  nothing  to  David  but  danger  and  death  ;  and 
 fince  all  thofe  battles  will  not  effect  that  which  he  de- 
 
BOOK  XIII.      Contem.  v.  503 
 
 fired,  himfelf  will  not  effect  that  which  he  promifed. 
 If  he  cannot  kill  David,  he  will  difgrace  him.  David's 
 honour  was  Saul's  difeafe ;  it  was  not  likely  there- 
 fore, that  Saul  would  add  unto  that  honour  whereof 
 he  was  fo  lick  already.  Merab  is  given  unto  another ; 
 neither  do  I  hear  David  complain  of  fo  manifeft  an 
 injuftice :  he  knew,  that  the  God  whofe  battles  he 
 fought,  had  provided  a  due  reward  of  his  patience. 
 If  Merab  fail,  God  hath  a  Michal  in  flore  for  him  ;  (he 
 is  in  love  with  David ;  his  comelinefs  and  valour  hath 
 fo  won  her  heart,  that  fhe  now  emulates  the  affection 
 of  her  brother  Jonathan.  If  fhe  be  the  younger  fi- 
 ller, yet  fhe  is  more  affectionate.  Saul  is  glad  of  the 
 news ;  his  daughter  could  never  live  to  do  him  better 
 fervice,  than  to  be  a  new  fnare  to  his  adverfary.  She 
 ihall  be  therefore  facrificed  to  his  envy ;  and  her  ho- 
 ned and  fmcere  love  (hall  be  made  a  bait  for  her  wor- 
 thy and  innocent  hufband.  /  will  give  him  her,  that 
 Jhe  may  be  a  fnare  unto  him,  that  the  hand  of  the 
 Philiflines  may  be  againft  him.  The  purpofe  of  any 
 favour  is  more  than  the  value  of  it.  Even  the  great- 
 efl  honours  may  be  given  with  an  intent  of  deftruc^ 
 tion.  Many  a  man  is  raifed  up  for  a  fall.  So  forward 
 is  Saul  in  the  match,  that  he  fends  fpokefmen  to  foli- 
 cit  David  to  that  honour,  which  he  hopes  will  prove 
 the  high-way  to  death.  The  dowry  is  fet,  an  hun- 
 dred forefkins  of  the  Philifcines ;  not  their  heads, 
 bat  their  forefkins,  that  this  victory  might  be  more 
 ignominious ;  flill  thinking,  Why  may  not  one  David 
 mifcarry,  as  well  as  an  hundred  Philiftines?  And 
 what  doth  Saul's  envy  all  this  while,  but  enhance 
 David's  zeal,  and  valour,  and  glory?  That  good  cap- 
 tain, little  imagining  that  himfelf  was  the  Philifine 
 whom  Saul  maligned,  fupererogates  of  his  matter,  and 
 brings  two  hundred  for  one,  and  returns  home  fife, 
 and  renowned  :  neither  can  Saul  now  fly  ofF  for  fhame. 
 There  is  no  remedy,  but  David  muft  be  a  fon  where 
 
 he 
 
5o4        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 he  was  a  rival,  and  Saul  muft  feed  upon  his  own  heart, 
 fince  he  cannot  fee  David's.  God's  bleihng  graces 
 equally  together  wi:h  incus  malice;  neither  can  they 
 devife,  which  way  to  make  us  more  happy,  than  by 
 wifhing  us  evil. 
 
 Co  nt  em.  vi.      Michal's  tvile. 
 
 r  I  ^HIS  advantage  can  Said  yet  make  of  Davicfs 
 -*■  promotion,  that  as  his  adverfary  is  raifed  higher, 
 fo  he  is  drawn  nearer  to  the  opportunity  of  death. 
 Now  hath  his  envy  call  off  all  fhame,  and,  fmce  thofe 
 crafty  plots  fucceed  not,  he  directly  fuborns  murder- 
 ers of  his  rival.  There  is  none  in  all  the  court  that 
 is  not  fet  on  to  be  an  executioner.  Jonathan  himfelf 
 is  folicited  to  imbrue  his  hand  in  the  blood  of  his 
 friend,  of  his  brother.  Said  could  not  but  fee  Jo- 
 nathan's clothes  on  David's  back ;  he  could  not  but 
 know  the  league  of  their  love  ;  yet,  becaufe  he  knew 
 withal  how  much  the  profperity  of  David  would  pre- 
 judice Jonathan,  he  hoped  to  have  found  him  his  fon 
 in  malice.  Thofe  that  have  the  jaundice  fee  all  things 
 yellow :  thofe,  which  are  overgrown  with  malicious 
 paffions,  think  all  men  like  themfeives. 
 
 I  do  not  hear  of  any  reply  that  Jonathan  made  to 
 his  father,  when  he  gave  him  that  bloody  charge  ;  but 
 he  waits  for  a  fit  time  to  difiiiade  him  from  fo  cruel 
 an  injustice.  Wifdom  had  taught  him  to  give  way  to 
 rage,  and  in  fo  hard  an  adventure  to  crave  aid  of  op- 
 portunity. If  we  be  not  careful  to  obferve  good 
 moods,  when  we  deal  with  the  paffionate,  we  may  ex- 
 afperate  inilead  of  reforming.  Thus  did  Jonathan, 
 who,  knowing  how  much  better  it  is  to  be  a  good 
 friend  than  an  ill  fon,  had  no:  only  difclofed  that  ill 
 counfel,  butP  when  he  found  his  father  in  the  fields, 
 in  a  calmer  temper,  laboured  to  divert  it.  And  fo  far 
 the  feafonable  and  pithy  oratory  of  Jonathan  pre- 
 vail, 
 
BOOK   XIII.    Contem.    vi.         505 
 
 vail,  that  Saul  is  convinced  of  his  wrong,  and  fwears, 
 As  God  lives,  David  Jhall  not  die.  Indeed,  how 
 could  it  be  otherways,  upon  the  plea  of  David's  in- 
 nocence and  well-defervings  ?  How  could  Saul  fay, 
 he  mould  die,  whom  he  could  accufe  of  nothing  but 
 faith fulnefs  ?  Why  fhould  he  defign  him  to  death, 
 which  had  given  life  to  all  Ifraelf  Oft-times  wicked 
 mens  judgments  are  forced  to  yield  unto  that  truth, 
 againft  which  their  affections  maintain  a  rebellion. 
 Even  the  foulefl  hearts  do  fometimes  entertain  good 
 motions ;  like  as,  on  the  contrary,  the  holiefl  fouls 
 give  way  fometimes  to  the  fuggeflions  of  evil.  The 
 flafhes  of  lightening  may  be  difcerned  in  the  darked 
 prifons.  But  if  good  thoughts  look  into  a  wicked 
 heart,  they  flay  not  there ;  as  thofe  that  like  not  their 
 lodging,  they  are  foon  gone :  hardly  any  thing  diliin- 
 guifhes  betwixt  good  and  evil,  but  continuance.  The 
 light  that  mines  into  an  holy  heart  is  conflant,  like 
 that  of  the  fun,  which  keeps  due  times,  and  varies 
 not  his  courfe  for  any  of  thefe  fubl unary  occafions. 
 
 The  PhiiiJIi/ies  wars  renew  David's  victories,  and 
 David's  victory  renews  SauPs  envy,  and  Saul's  envy 
 renews  the  plots  of  David's  death.  Vows  and  oaths 
 are  forgotten.  That  evil  fpirit  which  vexes  Saul  hath 
 found  fo  much  favour  with  him,  as  to  win  him  to 
 thefe  bloody  machinations  againft:  an  innocent:  his 
 own  hands  fnall  firft  be  employed  in  this  execution  7 
 the  fpear,  which  hath  twice  before  threarcned  death 
 to  David,  fnall  now  once  again  go  upon  that  meiTage, 
 Wife  David,  that  knew  the  danger  of  an  hollow  friend, 
 and  reconciled  enemv,  and  that  found  more  caufe  to 
 mind  Said's  earned,  than  his  own  play,  gives  way 
 by  his  nimblenefs  to  that  deadly  weapon,  and,  relign- 
 ing  that  ftroke  unto  the  wall,  flies  for  his  life.  No 
 man  knows  how  to  be  fure  of  an  unconscionable  mac,  " 
 If  either  goodnefs,  or  merit,  or  affinity,  or  reafons, 
 or  oaths,  could  fecure  a  man,  David  hod-been  fafe; 
 
 Vox,  1  5  £f  now, 
 
5o6        CON  T  E  M  PLATIONS. 
 
 now,  if  his  heels  do  not  more  befriend  him  than  aH 
 thefe,  he  is  a  dead  man.  No  fooner  is  he  gone  than 
 meflengers  are  fped  after  him.  It  hath  been  feldom 
 icen  that  wickednefs  wanted  executioners :  David's 
 houfe  is  befet  with  murderers,  which  watch  at  all  his 
 doors  for  the  opportunity  of  blood.  Who  can  but 
 wonder,  to  fee  how  God  hath  fetched  from  the  loins 
 of  Sail!  a  remedy  for  the  malice  of  Said\  heart !  His 
 own  children  are  the  only  means  to  crofs  him  in  the 
 iln,  and  to  preferve  his  guilt iefs  adverfary.  Michal 
 hath  more  than  notice  of  the  plot,  aifd  with  her  fub- 
 tle  wit  countermines  her  father,  for  the  refcue  of  an 
 husband  :  flie,  taking  the  benefit  of  the  night,  lets  Da- 
 vid down  through  a  window;  he  is  gone,  and  difap- 
 pomts  the  affibuih.es  of  Saul.  The  meflengers  begin 
 to  be  impatient  of  this  delay,  and  now  think  it  time 
 to  inquire  after  their  'priloner  :  me  puts  them  off, 
 with  the  excuie  of  David's  ficknefs,  i'o  as  now  her 
 husband  had  good  lei  fur e  for  his  elcape,  and  lays  a 
 itatue  in  his  bed.  Saul  likes  the  news 'of  any  evil  be- 
 fallen to  David;  but,  fearing  he  is  not  fick  enough, 
 fends  to  aid  his  difeafe.  The  meflengers  return,  and 
 ruining  into. the  houfe  with  their  {words  drawn,  after 
 fome  harfh  words  to  their  imagined  charge,  fnrprife 
 a  iick  ilatue  lying  with  a  pillow  under  his  head  ;  and 
 now  biufh  to  fee  they  have  fpent  all  their  threats  up- 
 on a  fcnfclefs  flock,  and  made  themfclves  ridiculous, 
 while  they  would  be  fervitieabie. 
 
 But  how  {bail  Michal  anfwer  this  mockage  unto 
 her  furious  father?  Hitherto  (lie  hath  done  like  Da- 
 bid's  wife ;  now  {lie  begins  to  be  Saul's  daughter  : 
 J-Je  [aid  to  me,  Let  me  go,  or  elfe  I  will  kill  thee. 
 £>he,  whole  wit  had  delivered  her  husband  from  the 
 fword  of  tier  father;  now  turns  the  ed^c  of  her  fa- 
 ther's wrath  from  berfelf  to  her  husband.  Kis  ab- 
 sence made,  Iter  prefuifte  of  his  uHcr/.  If  Michal 
 hzd  net  been  9r  Said's  Hot,  he  Iiacl  never  expofiulated 
 
 with 
 
BOOK  XIII.    Con  t  em.   vi.  507 
 
 with  her  in  thofe  terms,  Why  hafl  thcu  kt  mine  ene- 
 my efcape?  Neither  had  fhe  framed  that  anfwer, 
 He  faidy  Let  me  go.  I  do  not  find  any  great 
 flore  of  religion  in  Michal ;  for,  both  flic  had  an  i- 
 mage  in  the  houfe,  and  afterward  mocked  David  for 
 his  devotion  ;  yet  nature  hath  taught  her  to  prefer  an 
 husband  to  a  father ;  to  elude  a  father,  from  whom 
 fhe  could  not  fly,  to  fave  an  husband,  who  durfl  not 
 but  fly  from  her.  The  bonds  of  matrimonial  love 
 are,  and  fhould  be  ftronger  than  thofe  of  nature. 
 Thofe  refpedh  are  mutual,  which  God  appointed  in 
 the  firft  inititution  of  wedlock,  that  husband  and 
 wife  ihould  leave  father  and  mother  for  each  other's 
 fake.  Treafon  is  ever  odious ;  but  fo  much  more  in, 
 the  marriage-bed,  by  how  much  the  obligations  are 
 deeper. 
 
 As  flie  loved  her  husband  better  than  her  father,  fo 
 flie  loved  herfelf  better  than  her  husband;  flie  faved 
 her  husband  by  a  wile,  and  now  flie  faves  herfelf  by 
 a  lie ;  and  lofes  half  the  thank  of  her  deliverance, 
 by  an  officious  (lander.  Her  aft  wras  good,  but  flie 
 wants  courage  to  maintain  it;  and  therefore  feeks 
 to  the  weak  (belter  of  untruth.  Thofe  that  do  good 
 offices,  not  out  of  conference,  but  good  nature  or  ci- 
 vility, if  they  meet  an  affront  of  danger,  feldom  come' 
 off  cleanly,  but  are  ready  to  catch  at  all  excufes, 
 though  bafe,  though  injurious ;  becaufe  their  grounds 
 are  not  ftrong  enough,  to  bear  them  out  in  fullering 
 for  that  which  they  have  well  done, 
 
 Whither  doth  David  fly,  but  to  the  fanfhiary  of 
 S&mueR  He  doth  not  (though  he  knew  himielf  gra- 
 cious with  the  foldiers)  raile  forces,  or  take  fome 
 (hong  fort,  and  there  ftand  upon  his  own  defence, 
 and  at  defiance  with  his  king ;  but  ho  gees  him  to  the 
 college  of  the  prophets,  as  a  man  that  would  feek  the 
 peaceable  protection,  of  the  King  of  heaven,   a<?ainll 
 
 S  f  f  2  ■  "the 
 
D- 
 
 CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 the  unjuft:  fury  of  a  king  on  earth  :  only  the  wing  of 
 God  (hall  hide  him  from  that  tiolenc  . 
 
 God  intended  to  make  David  nor  a  warriour,  and 
 a  king  only,  but  a  prophet  too.  As  the  field  fitted 
 him  for  the  firft,  and  the  courr  for  the  fecond,  fo  Na- 
 joth  fliall  fit  him  for  the  third.  Doubrlefs,  fuch  was 
 David's  delight  in  holy  meditations,  he  never  fpent 
 his  time  fo  contentedly,  as  when  he  was  retired  to  that 
 divine  academy,  and  had  fo  full  freedom  to  enjoy  God, 
 and  to  fatiate  himfelf  with  heavenly  exercifes.  The 
 only  doubt  is,  how  Samuel  can  give  harbour  to  a 
 man  fled  from  the  anger  of  his  prince ;  wherein  the 
 very  perfons  of  both  give  abundant  fatisfaction :  for 
 both  Samuel  knew  the  council  of  God,  and  durft  do 
 nothing  without  it ;  and  David  was  by  Samuel  anoint- 
 ed from  God.  This  un<ftion  was  a  mutual  bond. 
 Good  re3fon  had  David  to  fue  to  him,  which  had 
 poured  the  oil  on  his  head,  for  the  hiding  of  that 
 head  which  he  had  anointed  ;  and  good  reafon  mid 
 Samuel  to  hide  him  whom  God  by  his  means  had 
 chofen,  from  him  whom  God  had  by  his  fentence  re- 
 jected :  befides  that,  the  caufe  deferved  commiferati- 
 on.  Here  was  not  a  malefactor  running  away  from 
 jullice,  but  an  innocent  avoiding  murder;  not  a  trai- 
 tor countenanced  againfl  his  fovereign,  but  the  deli- 
 verer of  Ifrael  harboured  in  a  fancluary  of  prophets, 
 till  his  peace  might  be  made. 
 
 Even  thither  doth  Saul  fend  to  apprehend  David. 
 All  his  rage  did  not  incenfe  him  againfl:  Samuel  as  the 
 abettor  of  his  adverfary ;  fuch  an  impreflion  of  reve- 
 rence had  the  perfon  and  calling  of  the  prophet  left  in 
 the  mind  of  Saul,  that  he  cannot  think  of  lifting  up  his 
 I  againfl:  him.  The  fame  God,  who  did  at  the 
 firg  put' an  awe  of  man  in  the  fierceA  creatures,  hath 
 flamped  in  the  cruellefl  hearts  a  reverent  refpecl  to 
 his  own  image  in  his  miniflers  j  fo  as  even  they  that 
 hate  them  do  vet  honour  them. 
 
 Saul's 
 
BOOK    XIII.     Coxtem.    vi.  5°9 
 
 SauFs  meffengers  came  to  lay  hold  on  David ; 
 God  lays  hold  on  them.  No  fooner  do  they  fee  a 
 company  of  prophets  bufy  in  thefe  divine  exercifes, 
 under  the  moderation  of  Samuel,  than  they  are  turn- 
 ed from  executioners  to  prophets.  It  is  good  going 
 up  to  Najoth,  into  the  holy  affemblies ;  who  knows 
 bow  we  may  be  changed,  belide  our  intention  ?  Many 
 a  one  hath  come  into  God's  houfe  to  carp,  or  feoff, 
 or  deep,  or  gaze,  that  hath  returned  a  convert. 
 
 The  fame  heart,  that  was  thus  difquieted  with  Da- 
 vid's happy  fuccefs,  is  now  vexed  with  the  holinefs 
 of  his  other  fervants.  It  angers  him  that  God's  Spirit 
 could  find  no  other  time  to  feize  upon  his  agents, 
 than  when  he  had  fent  them  to  kill :  and  now,  out  of 
 an  indignation  at  this  difappointment,  himfelf  will  go 
 and  be  his  own  fervant ;  his  guilty  foul  finds  itfelf  out 
 of  th^  danger  of  being  thus  furprifed  ;  and  behold 
 Saul  is  no  fooner  come  within  the  fmell  of  the  fmoke 
 of  Najothy  than  he  alfo  prophefies ;  the  fame  Spirit 
 that,  when  he  went  firfi:  from  Samuel,  enabled  him 
 ^to  prophefy,  returns  in  the  fame  effect,  now  that  he 
 was  going  his  Jaft  unto  Samuel.  This  was  fuch 
 a  grace  as  might  well  (land  with  rejection  ;  an  extra- 
 ordinary gift  of  the  Spirit,  but  not  Sanctifying.  Many 
 men  have  had  their  mouths  opened  to  prophefy  un- 
 to others,  whofe  hearts  have  been  deaf  to  God.  But 
 this,  fuch  as  it  was,  was  far  from  Saul's  purpofe, 
 who,  inftead  of  expostulating  with  Samuel,  falls  down 
 before  him ;  and,  laying  afide  his  weapons  and  his 
 robes,  of  a  tyrant  proves  for  the  time  a  difciple.  All 
 hearts  are  in  the  hand  of  their  Maker ;  how  eafy  is  it 
 for  him  that  gave  them  their  being,  to  frame  them  to 
 his  own  bent!  Who  can  be  afraid  of  malice,  that 
 knows  what  hooks  God  hath  in  the  noftrils  of  men 
 and  devils !  what  charms  he  hath  for  the  mod  Serpen- 
 tine  hearts ! 
 
 Con- 
 
4io     ,    CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 C  o  nte  m.    vi  i.     Da  v  i  d  and  A  h  i  mel  e  c  it. 
 
 \T7HO  can  ever  judge  of  the  children  by  the  pa- 
 ^ *  rents,  that  knows  Jonathan  was  the  fon  of 
 Saul?  There  was  never  a  falfer  heart  than  SauPs; 
 there  was  never  a  truer  friend  than  Jonathan  ;  neither 
 the  hope  of  a  kingdom,  nor  the  frowns  of  a  father, 
 nor  the  fear  of  death,  can  remove  him  from  his  vow- 
 ed amity.  No  fon  could  be  more  officious  and  dutiful 
 to  a  good  father ;  yet  he  lays  down  nature  at  the  foot 
 of  grace,  and,  for  the  prefervation  of  his  innocent  ri- 
 val for  the  kingdom,  crofTes  the  bloody  deligns  of  his 
 own  parent.  David  needs  no  other  counfellor,  no 
 other  advocate,  no  other  intelligencer  than  he.  It  is 
 not' in  the  power  of  S aid's  unnatural  reproaches,  or 
 of  his  fpear,  to  make  Jonathan  any  other  than  a  friend, 
 and  patron  of  innocence.  Even,  after  all  thefe  diffi- 
 culties, doth  Jonathan  fhoot  beyond  David,  that  Said 
 may  fnoot  fhort  of  him.  In  vain  are  thofe  profeffions 
 of  love,  which  are  not  anfwered  with  action.  He  is 
 no  true  friend,  that,  befides  talk,  is  not  ready  both  to 
 do  and  fuffer. 
 
 Said  is  no  whit  the  better  for  his  prophef)  ing  ;  he  no 
 fooner  rifes  up  from  before  Samuel,  than  he  purfues 
 David.  Wicked  men  are  rather  the  worfe  for  thofe 
 tranfitory  good  motions  they  have  received.  If  the 
 fwine  be  never  fo  clean  waffied,  fhe  will  wallow  again. 
 That  we  have  good  thoughts,  it  is  no  thank  to  us  j 
 that  we  anfwer  them,  not,  it  is  both  our  fin  and  judg- 
 ment. 
 
 David  hath  learned  not  to  truft  thefe  fits  of  devo- 
 tion, but  fiics  from  Samuel  to  Jonathan,  from  Jona- 
 than to  Ahimelech ;  when  he  was  hunted  from  the 
 prophet,  he  flies  to  the  pried,  as  one  that  knew  ju- 
 stice and  companion  iliould  dwell  in  thofe  breads  which 
 •are  confecrated  unto  God. 
 
 The 
 
BOOK  XIII.    Con  t  em.  vii.  511 
 
 The  ark  and  the  tabernacle  were  then  feparated ; 
 the  ark  was  at  Kirjatb-jeatim,  the  tabernacle  at  Nob  ; 
 God  was  prefent  wish  both.  Whither  fhould  David 
 fly  for  fuccQur,  but  to  the  houfe  of  that  God  which 
 had  anointed  him  I 
 
 Ahlmckch  was  wont*  to  fee  David  attended  with 
 the  troops  of  Ifrael,  or_with  the  gallants  of  the  court; 
 it  teems  ftrange  therefore  to  him,  to  fee  fo  great  a 
 peer  and  champion  of  Ifrael  come  alone.  Thefe  are 
 the  alterations  fto  which  earthly  greatnefs  is  fubjecr. 
 Not  many  days  are  paft,  fince  no  man  was  honoured 
 at  court  but  Jonathan  and  David ;  now  they  are  both 
 for  the  time  in  difgrace ;  now  dare  not  the  king's  fon- 
 in-law,  brother  to  the  prince  both  in  love  and  mar- 
 riage, (hew  his  head  at  the  court;  nor  any  of  thofe 
 that  bowed  to  him  dare  ftir  a  foot  with  him.  Princes 
 are  as  the  fun,  and  great  fubjecls  are  like  to  dials ;  if 
 the  fun  fliine  not  on  the  dial,  no  man  will  look  at  it. 
 
 Even  he  that  overcame  the  bear,  the  lion,  the  gi- 
 ant, is  overcome  with  fear.  He  that  had  cut  off  two 
 hundred  foreikins  of  the  Phili/I'mes,  had  not  ci reuni- 
 fied his  own  heart  of  the  weak  paiiions  that  follow 
 diilruit :  now  that  he  is  hard  driven,  he  praclifes  10 
 help  himfelf  with  an  unwarrantable  fhift.  Who  can 
 look  to  pais  this  pilgrimage,  without  infirmities,  when 
 David  d\$cmb\cth  to  Jhimelecb/  A  weak  man's  rules 
 may  be  better  than  the  bed  man's  actions.  God  lets 
 us  fee  fome  blemiflies  in  his  holier!  fervants,  that  we 
 may  neither  be  too  highly  conceited  of  fleih  and  blood, 
 nor  too  much  dejected  when  we  have  been  mi  (carried 
 into  fin.  Hitherto  hath  David  gone  upright,  now  he 
 begins  to  halt  with  the  pried:  of  God ;  and,  under  pre- 
 tence of  Sauls  employment,  draws  that  favour  from 
 Ahimelech,  which  {ball  afterwards  coil  him  his  head. 
 
 What  could  Ahivielech  have  thought  too  dear  for 
 God's  anointed,  for  God's  champion  ?  It  is  not  like, 
 but  tliar,  if  David  had  imcerely  opened  himfelf  to  the 
 
 p riclt 
 
5i2  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 prieft  as  be  hath  done  to  the  prophet,  Ahimdecb 
 would  have  feconded  Samuel  in  feme  fecret  and  falfe 
 fuccour  of  fo  unjuft  a  diftrefs,  whereas  he  is  now,  by 
 a  falfe  colour,  led  to  that  kindnefs  which  (hail  be  pre- 
 judicial to  his  life.  Extremities  of  evil  are  commonly 
 inconfiderate ;  either,  for  that  we  have  not  leifure  to 
 our  thoughts,  or  perhaps  (fo  as  we  may  be  perplex- 
 ed) not  thoughts  to  our  leifure.  What  would  David 
 have  given  afterwards  to  have  redeemed  this  over- 
 fijbt? 
 
 Under  this-pretence  he  craves  a  double  favour  of 
 Ahimelech,  the  one  of  bread  for  his  fuftenance,  the 
 other  of  a  fword  for  his  defence.  There  was  no  bread 
 under  the  hands  of  the  prieft,  but  that  which  was 
 confecrated  to  God,  and  whereof  none  might  tafte  but 
 the  devoted  fervants  of  the  altar ;  even  that  which 
 was,  with  folemn  dedication,  fet  upon  the  holy,  tables 
 before  the  face  of  God ;  a  facramental  bread  preferr- 
 ed to  God  with  incenfe,  figuring  that  true  bread  that 
 came  down  from  heaven :  yet  even  this  bread  might, 
 in  cafe  of  necefliry,  become  common,  and  be  given 
 by  Ahlmelech,  and  received  by  David  and  his  follow- 
 ers. Our  Saviour  himfelf  jultifies  the  act  of  both.  Ce- 
 remonies muff,  give  place  to  fubftance.  God  will  have 
 mercy  and  not  facrifice.  Charity  is  the  fum  and  the 
 end  of  the  law,  that  mud  be  aimed  at  in  all  our  acti- 
 ons, wherein  it  may  fall  out,  that  the  way  to  keep 
 the  law  may  be  to  break  it;  the  intention  may  be  kept, 
 and  the  letter  violated  :  and  it  may  be  a  dangerous 
 tranfgreffion  of  the  law  to  obferve  the  words,  and  ne- 
 glect the  fcope  of  God.  That  which  would  have  dif- 
 penfed  with  David  for  the  fuhftance  of  the  act,  would 
 have  much  more  difpenfed  with  hinr  for  the  circum- 
 ftance :  the  touch  of  their  lawful  wives  had  contracted 
 a  legal  impurity,  not  a  moral ;  that-  could  have  been 
 no  fufEcient  reafon,  why  in  an  urgent  neceility  they 
 might  not  have  partaked  of  the  holy  bread,      Abime- 
 
 kef? 
 
BOOK   XIII.      Contem.  vir.      513 
 
 lech  was  no  perfect  cafuifl ;  thefe  men  might  not  fa- 
 mifh,  if  they  were  ceremonially  impure.  But  this 
 queftion  bewrayed  the  care  of  Ahimekch  in  diftribu- 
 ting  the  holy  bread.  There  might  be  in  thefe  men  a 
 double  incapacity,  the  one  as  they  were  feculars,  the 
 other  as  unclean ;  he  faw  the  one  mull  be,  he  fear- 
 ed left  the  other  fliould  be ;  as  one  that  wiihed  as  little 
 indifpofition  as  poflible  might  be,  in  thofe  which 
 fliould  be  fed  from  God's  table. 
 
 It  is  llrange  that  David  fliould  come  to  the  prieft  of 
 God  for  a  fword ;  who  in  all  Ifrael  was  fo  unlikely  to 
 furnifh  him  with  weapons,  as  a  man  of  peace,  whofe 
 armour  was  only  fpiritual  ?  Doubtlefs  David  knew 
 well  where  Goliah's  fword  lay,  as  the  noble  relique  of 
 God's  victorious  deliverance,  dedicated  to  the  fame 
 God  which  won  it ;  at  this  did  that  fuit  aim.  None 
 could  be  fo  fit  for  David,  none  could  be  fo  fit  for  it 
 as  David.  Who  could  have  fo  much  right  to  that 
 fword,  as  he  againfl  whom  it  was  drawn,  and  by 
 whom  it  was  taken  ?  there  was  more  in  that  fword 
 than  metal  and  form :  David  could  never  cafl  his  eye 
 upon  it,  but  he  faw  an  undoubted  monument  of  the 
 merciful  protection  of  the  Almighty;  there  was  there- 
 fore more  ftrength  in  that  fword,  than  iharpnefs ;  nei- 
 ther was  David's  arm  fo  much  ftrengthened  by  it,  as 
 his  faith  ;  nothing  can  overcome  him,  while  he  car- 
 ries with  him  that  affured  fign  of  victory.  It  is  good 
 to  take  all  occafions  of  renewing  the  remembrance  of 
 God's  mercies  to  us,  and  our  obligations  to  him. 
 
 Doeg,  the  mafter  of  Saul's  herdmen,  (for  he,  that 
 went  to  feek  his  father's  aiTes  before  he  was  king3 
 hath  herds  and  droves  new  that  he  is  a  king)  was  now 
 in  the  court  of  the  tabernacle,  upon  foTne  occafion 
 of  devotion;  though  an  Ifraelite  in  profeiTion?  he  was 
 an  Edomite  no  lefs  in  heart  than  in  blood  ;  yet  he 
 hath  fome  vow  upon  him,  and  not  only  comes  up  to 
 God's  houfe,  but  abides  before  the  Lord.     Hypo- 
 
 Vol.  I.  T 1 1  crites 
 
514         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 crites  have  equal  accefs  to  the  public  places  and 
 means  of  God's  fervice.  Even  he  that  knows  the 
 heart,  yet  {huts  his  door  upon  none  ;  how  much  lefs 
 fhould  we  dare  to  exclude  any,  which  can  only  judge 
 of  the  heart  by  the  face ! 
 
 Dceg  may  fet  his  foot  as  far  within  the  tabernacle 
 as  David ;  he  fees  the  railages  betwixt  him  and  Ahi- 
 melech,  and  lays  them  up  for   an  advantage  :  while 
 he  mould  have  edified  himfelf  by  thofe  holy  fervices, 
 he  carps  at  the  prieit  of  God,  and,  after  a  lewd  mif- 
 interpretation  of  his  actions,  of  an   attendant  proves 
 an  accufer.     To  incur  favour  with  an  unjult  mafter, 
 he  informs  againil   innocent  Alnmeiech,    and  makes 
 that  his  act,  which  was  drawn  from  him  by  a  cunning 
 circumvention.     When  we  fee  our  auditors  before 
 us,  little  do  we  know  with  what  hearts  they  are  there, 
 nor  what  ufe  they  will  make  of  their  pretended  de- 
 votion.    If  many  come  in  fmrplicity  of  heart  to  ferve 
 their  God,  fome  others  may  perhaps  come  to  obferve 
 their  teachers,  and  to  pick  quarrels  where  none  are  : 
 only  God,  and  the  ifiue,  can  diftinguifh  betwixt  a  Da- 
 vid andaZ)^,  when  they  are  both  in  the  tabernacle. 
 Honefl  Ahimekch  could  little  fufpeet,  that  he  now 
 offered  a  facriflce  for  his   executioner,  yea  for  the 
 murderer  of  all  his  family.     O  the  wife   and  deep 
 judgments  of  the  Almighty!  God  owed  a  revenge  to 
 the  houfe  of  Eliy  and  now,  by  the  delation   of  Dceg, 
 he  takes  occafion  to  pay  it.    It  was  iufl  in  God,  which 
 in  Dceg  was  moil  unjuft.     Saul's  cruelty,  and  the 
 treachery  of  Doeg,  do  not  lofe  one  dram  of  their  guilt 
 by  the  counfel  of  God,  neirher  doth  the  holy  coun- 
 fel  of  God  gather  any  biemiih  by  their  wickednefs. 
 If  it  had  pleafed  Gcd  to  infiicl  death  upon  them  foon- 
 er,  without  any  pretence  of  occafion,  his  juitice  had 
 been  clear  from  all   imputations ;  now.  if  Saul  and 
 Dceg  be   inftead  of  a  peftilencc  or  fever,  who  can 
 cayil  ?  The  judgments  of  God  are  not  open,  but  are 
 
 ravs 
 
BOOK    XIV.     Contem,  I.  $!J 
 
 always  juft:  he  knows  how  by  one  man's  fin  to  punifh 
 the  fin  of  another,  and,  by  both  their  fins  and  punifh- 
 ments,  to  glorify  himfelf.  If  his  word  ileep,  it  lhall 
 not  die,  but,  after  long  intermiffions,  break  forth  in 
 thofe  effects  which  we  had  forgotten  to  look  for,  and 
 ceafed  to  fear.  O  Lord !  thou  art  fure  when  thou 
 threatened:,  and  juil  when  thou  judged.  Keep  thou 
 us  from  the  fentence  of  death,  elfe  in  vain  fhall  we 
 labour  to  keep  ourfelves  from  the  execution. 
 
 BOOK    FOURTEENTH. 
 
 Contem.  i.     Saul  in  David's  cave. 
 
 I 
 
 T  was  the  flrange  lot  of  David,  that  thofe  whom 
 he  purfued,  preferved  him  from  thofe  whom  he 
 had  preferved.  The  Pbiliftines,  whom  David 
 had  newly  fmittcn  in  Keilab,  call  off  Saul  from  fmi- 
 ting  David  in  the  wildernefs,  when  there  was  but  an 
 hillock  betwixt  him  and  death.  Wickecj  purpofes  are 
 eafily  checked,  not  eafily  broken  off.  Saul's  fword 
 is  fcarce  dry  from  the  blood  of  the  Pkiliftines,  when 
 it  thirlts  anew  for  the  blood  of  David,  and  now,  in 
 a  renewed  chace,  hunts  him  dry-foot  through  every 
 wildernefs.  The  very  defart  is  too  fair  a  refuge  for 
 innocence.  The  hills  and  rocks  are  fearched  in  an 
 angry  jealoufy  ;  the  very  wild  goats  of  the  mountains 
 were  not  allowed  to  be  companions  for  him,  who 
 had  no  fault  but  his  virtue.  O  the  feemingly  une- 
 qual distribution  of  thefe  earthly  things !  Cruelty  and 
 oppreflion  reigns  in  a  palace,  whiles  goodnefs  lurks 
 among  the  rocks  and  caves,  and  thinks  it  happinefs 
 enough  to  (leal  a  life. 
 
 Like  a  dead  man,  David  is  fain  to  be  hid  under 
 
 the  earth,  and  feeks  .he  comfort  of  protection  in  dark- 
 
 nefs :  and  now  the  wife  providence  cf  God  leads  Saul 
 
 to   his    enemy   without   blood.      He,  which   before 
 
 T  1 1  2  brought 
 
5i6        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 brought  them  within  an  hill's  diftance  without  inter- 
 view, brings  them  now  both  within  one  roof;  fo  as 
 that,  while  Saul  feeks  David  and  finds  him  not,  he  is 
 found  of  David  unfought.  If  Saul  had  known  "his 
 own  opportunities,  how  David  and  his  men  had  in- 
 terred themfelves,  he  had  faved  a  treble  labour  of 
 chace,  of  execution,  and  burial ;  for  had  he  but  flopt 
 the  mouth  of  that  cave,  his  enemies  had  laid  them- 
 felveT  down  in  their  own  graves.  The  wifdom  of 
 God  thinks  fit  to  hide  from  evil  men  and  fpirits,  thofe 
 means  and  fealons,  which  might  be,  if  they  had  been 
 taken,  mofl  prejudicial  to  his  own.  We  had  been  oft 
 foiled,  if  Satan  could  but  have  known  our  hearts. 
 Sometimes  we  ly  open  to  evils,  and  happy  it  is  for  us, 
 that  he  only  knows  it,  who  pities  inftead  of  tempting 
 us. 
 
 It  is  not  long  fince  Saul  faid  of  David,  lodged  then 
 in  Keilah,  God  hath  delivered  him  into  mine  hands, 
 for  he  is  fliut  in,  feeing  he  is  come  into  a  city  that 
 hath  gates  and  bars ;  but  now  contrarily  God  delivers 
 Saul,  ere  he  was  aware,  into  the  hands  of  David, 
 and,  without  the  help  of  gates  and  bars,  hath  inclofed 
 him  within  the  valley  of  death.  How  juft  is  it  with 
 God,  that  thofe  who  feek  mifchief  to  others,  find  it 
 to  themfelves ;  and,  even  while  they  are  fpreading 
 nets,  aFe  enfnared,  their  deliberate  plotting  of  evil  is 
 furprifed  with  a  fudden  judgment. 
 
 How  »*  amazedly  mud  David  needs  look,  when  he 
 faw  Saul  enter  into  the  cave  where  himfelf  was? 
 What  is  this,  thinks  he,  which  God  hath  done  ?  is 
 this  prefence  purpofed  or  cafual  ?  is  Saul  here  to 
 purfue  or  to  tempt  me  ?  where  fuddenly  the  action 
 bewrays  the  intent,  and  tells  David,  that  Saul  fought 
 fecreey  apd  no't  him.  The  fuperfluity  of  his  malici- 
 oufnefs  brought  him  into  the  wildernefs ;  the  neceflity 
 of  nature  led  him  into  the  cave.  Even  thofe  a&ions, 
 wherein  we  place  fliame,  are  not  exempted  from  a 
 
 Providence. 
 
BOOK   XIV.     Contem.  i.  517 
 
 Providence.  The  fingers  of  David's  followers  itch- 
 ed to  feize  upon  their  matter's  -enemy ;  and,  that  they 
 might  not  feem  led  fo  much  by  faction  as  by  faith, 
 they  urge  David  with  a  promife  from  God  ;  The  day 
 is  come,  whereof  the  Lord  faith  unto  thee,  Behold  I 
 will  deliver  thine  enemy  into  thine  hand,  and  thou 
 (halt  do  unto  him  as  it  (hall  feem  good  to  thee. 
 This  argument  feemed  to  carry  fuch  command  with 
 it,  as  that  David  not  only  may,  but  muft  embrue  his 
 hands  in  blood,  unlefs  he  will  be  found  wanting  to 
 God  and  himfelf.  Thefe  temptations  are  moft  pow- 
 erful, which  fetch  their  force  from  the  pretence  of  a 
 religious  obedience :  whereas  thole  which  are  raifed 
 from  arbitrary  and  private  refpe&s,  admit  of  an  eafy 
 difpenfation. 
 
 If  there  were  fuch  a  prediction,  one  claufe  of  it 
 was  ambiguous,  and  they  take  it  at  the  word ;  Thou 
 {halt  do  to  him  as  (hall  feem  good  to  thee.  That 
 might  not  feem  good  to  him,  which  feemed  evil  unto 
 God.  There  is  nothing  more  dangerous  than  to 
 make  conftruction  of  God's  purpofes  out  of  eventual 
 appearances.  If  carnal  probabilities  might  be  the 
 rule  of  our  judgment,  what  could  God  feem  to  intend 
 other  than  Saul's  death,  in  offering  him  naked  into 
 the  hands  of  thofe  whom  he  unjuflly  perfecuted  ?  How 
 could  David's  foldiers  think,  that  God  had  fent  Saul 
 thither  on  any  other  errand,  than  to  fetch  his  bane  ? 
 And,  if  Saul  could  have  fsen  his  own  danger,  he 
 had  given  himfelf  for  dead :  for  his  heart,  guilty  to 
 his  own  bloody  defire,  could  not  but  have  expected 
 the  fame  meafure  which  it  meant.  But  wife  and  holy 
 David,  not  tranfported  either  with  mifconceit  of  the  e- 
 vent,  or  fury  of  pafiion,  or  folicitation  of  his  followers, 
 dares  make  no  other  ufe  of  this  accident  than  the  tri- 
 al of  his  loyalty,  and  the  inducement  of  his  peace.  It 
 had  been  as  eafy  for  him  to  cut  the  throat  of  Saul 
 as  his  garment ;  but  now  his  coat  only  fliall  be^the 
 
 worfe, 
 
518         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 worfe,  not  his  perfon ;  neither  doth  he  in  this  maiming 
 of  a  cloak  feek  his  own  revenge,  but  a  monument  of 
 his  innocence.  Before,  Saul  rent  Samuel's  garment ; 
 now  David  cutteth  Sard's ;  both  were  figniheant : 
 the  rending  of  the  one,  fignified  the  kingdom  torn  out 
 of  thofe  unworthy  hands ;  the  cutting  of  the  other, 
 that  the  life  of  Saul  might  have  been  as  eafily  cut  off. 
 
 Saul  needs  no  other  monitor  of  his  own  danger 
 than  what  he  wears.  The  upper  garment  of  Saul 
 was  laid  afide  while  he  went  to  cover  his  feti,  fo  as 
 the  cut  of  the  garment  did  not  threaten  any  touch  of 
 the  body ;  yet  even  the  violence  offered  to  a  remote 
 garment  ftrikes  the  heart  of  David,  which  finds  a  pre* 
 fent  remorfe  for  harmfully  touching  that  which  once 
 touched  the  perfon  of  his  mailer.  Tender  conscien- 
 ces are  moved  to  regret  at  thofe  actions,  which 
 ftrong  hearts  pafs  over  with  a  carelefs  eafe.  It  trou- 
 bled not  Saul  to  feek  after  the  blood  of  a  righteous 
 fervant.  There  is  no  lefs  difference  of  confeiences 
 than  ftomachs :  fome  llomachs  will  diged  the  hardefl 
 meats,  and  turn  over  fubftances,  not  in  their  nature 
 edible,  while  others  furfeit  of  the  lighted  food,  and 
 complain  even  of  dainties.  Every  gracious  heart  is 
 in  fome  meafure  fcrupulous,  and  finds  more  fafety  in 
 fear  than  in  prefumption:  and  if  it  be  fo  (trait  as  to 
 curb  itfelf  in  from  the  liberty  which  it  might  take  in 
 things  which  are  not  unlawful,  how  much  lefs  will 
 it  dare  to  take  fcope  unto  evil  ?  By  how  much  that 
 ilate  is  better,  where  nothing  is  allowed,  than  where 
 all  things,  by  fo  much  is  the  drift  and  timorous  con- 
 fcience  better  than  the  lawlefs.  There  is  good  likeli- 
 hood of  that  man  who  is  any  ways  fcrupulous  of  his 
 ways :  but  he,  who  makes  no  bones  of  his  actions,  is 
 apparently  hopelefs. 
 
 Since  David's  followers  pleaded  God's  teftimony  to 
 him  as  a  motive  to  blood,  David  appeals  to  the  fame 
 God  for  his  prefervation  from  blood :  The  Lord  keep 
 
 me 
 
BOOK   XIV.     Contem.  i.         519 
 
 me  from  doing  that  thing  to  my  matter  the  Lord's 
 anointed  ;  and  now  the  good  man  hath  work  enough 
 to  defend  both  himfelf  and  his  perfecutor ;  himfelf 
 from  the  importunate  neceflity  of  doing  violence,  and 
 his  matter  from  fuffering  it.  It  was  not  more  eafy  to 
 rule  his  own  hands,  than  difficult  to  rule  a  multitude. 
 David's  troop  confuted  of  malecontents ;  all  that  were 
 in  diftrefs,  in  bitternefs  of  foul,  were  gathered  to 
 him.  Many,  if  never  fo  well  ordered,  are  hard  to 
 command ;  a  few,  if  diforderly,  more  hard ;  many 
 and  diforderly  mud  needs  be  fo  much  the  hardefl  of 
 all,  that  David  never  atchieved  any  victory  like  unto 
 this,  wherein  he  firtt  overcame  himfelf,  then  his  fol- 
 diers. 
 
 And  what  was  the  charm  wherewith  David  allayed 
 thofe  raging  fpirits  of  his  followers  ?  No  other  but 
 this,  He  is  the  anointed  of  the  Lord.  That  holy  oil 
 was  the  antidote  for  his  blood  ;  Saul  did  not  lend  Da- 
 vid fo  impierceable  an  armour,  when  he  mould  encoun- 
 ter Goliah,  as  David  now  lent  him  in  this  plea  of  his 
 unction.  Which  of  all  the  difcontented  outlaws  that 
 lurked  in  that  cave  durft  put  forth  his  hand  againfl 
 Saul,  when  they  once  heard,  He  is  the  Lord's  anoint- 
 ed. Such  an  imprefhon  of  awe  hath  the  divine  Pro- 
 vidence caufed  his  image  to  make  in  the  hearts  of 
 men,  as  that  it  makes  traitors  cowards,  fo  as  imtead  of 
 linking  they  tremble  ;  how  much  more  lawlefs,  than 
 the  outlaws  of  Ifrael,  are  thofe  profeiTed  ringleaders  of 
 chriftianity,  which  teach  and  practife,  and  encourage, 
 and  reward,  and  canonize  the  violation  of  majefty ! 
 It  is  not  enough  for  thofe,  who  are  commanders  of 
 others,  to  refrain  their  own  hands  from  doing  evil, 
 but  they  mud  carefully  prevent  the  iniquity  of  their 
 heels,  elfe  they  mall  be  juftly  reputed  to  do  that  by 
 others,  which,  in  their  own  perfons,  they  avoided. 
 The  laws,  both  of  God  and  man,  prefuppof  e  us  in  fome 
 fort  anfwerable  for  our  charge  ;  as  taking  it  for  grant- 
 ed, 
 
520         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ed,  that  we  mould  not  undertake  thofe  reins  which 
 we  cannot  manage. 
 
 There  was  no  reafon  David  mould  lofe  the  thanks 
 of  fo  noble  a  demonitration  of  his  loyalty,  whereto 
 he  trufts  fo  much,  that  he  dares  call  back  the  man 
 by  whom  he  was  purfued,  and  make  him  judge,  whe- 
 ther that  fact  had  not  deferved  a  life.  As  his  aft,  fo 
 his  word  and  gefture  imported  nothing  but  humble 
 obedience ;  neither  was  there  more  meeknefs  than 
 force  in  that  feafonable  perfuafion,  wherein  he  lets 
 Saul  fee  the  error  of  his  credulity ;  the  unjufl  flanders 
 of  maiicioufnefs,  the  opportunity  of  his  revenge,  the 
 proof  of  his  forbearance,  the  undeniable  evidence  of 
 his  innocence ;  and,  after  a  lowly  difparagement  of 
 himfelf,  appeals  to  God  for  judgment,  for  protection. 
 
 So  lively  and  feeling  oratory  did  Saul  find  in  the 
 lap  of  his  garment,  and  the  lips  of  David,  that  it  is 
 not  in  the  power  of  his  envy,  or  ill-nature,  to  hold 
 out  any  longer.  Is  this  thy  voice,  my  fon  David  ? 
 And  Saul  lift  up  his  voice  and  wept,  and  faid,  Thou 
 art  more  righteous  than  L  He  whofe  harp  was  wont 
 to  quiet  the  frenzy  of  Saul,  hath  now  by  his  words, 
 calmed  his  fury :  fo  that  now  he  fheds  tears  inftead 
 of  blood,  and  confefTes  his  own  wrong,  and  David's 
 integrity  ;  and,  as  if  he  were  now  again  entered  into 
 the  bounds  of  Najoth  in  Ramah,  he  prays,  and 
 prophefies  good  to  him,  whom  he  maliced  for  good. 
 The  Lord  render  thee  good  for  that  thou  haft  done  to 
 ms  this  day  ;  for  now  behold  I  know  that  thou  Jlialt 
 he  king. 
 
 There  is  no  heart  made  of  fl em,  that  fometime  or 
 other  relents  not ;  even  Hint  and  marble  will,  in  fome 
 weather,  (land  on  drops.  I  cannot  think  thele  tears 
 and  protections  feigned.  Doubtiefs  Saul  meant  as  he 
 {aid,*  and  paffed  through  fenlible  fits  of  good  and  evil. 
 Let  no  man  think  himfelf  the  better  for  good  motions. 
 
 The 
 
BOOK  XIV.     Co  nt  em.  it.  521 
 
 The  praife  and  benefit  of  thofe  guefts,  is  not  in  the  re- 
 ceipt but  the  retention. 
 
 Who,  that  had  feen  this  meeting,  could  but  have 
 thought  that  all  had  been  fure  on  David's  fide  ?  What 
 can  fecure  us,  if  not  tears,  and  prayers,  and  oaths  ? 
 Doubtlefs  David's  men,  which  knew  themfelves  ob- 
 noxious to  laws  and  creditors,  began  to  think  of  fome 
 new  refuge,  as  making  account  this  new-pieced  league 
 would  be  everlafling ;  they  looked  when  Saul  would 
 take  David  home  to  the  court,  and  diflfolve  his  army, 
 and  recompenfe  that  unjuft  perfecution  with  juil  ho- 
 nour ;  when,  behold,  in  the  loofe,  Saul  goes  home,  but 
 David  and  his  men  go  up  unto  the  hold.  Wife  Da- 
 vid  knows  Saul  not  to  be  more  kind  than  untrufty  ; 
 and  therefore  had  rather  feek  fafety  in  his  hold,  than 
 in  the  hold  of  an  hollow  and  unfteady  friendfhip.  Here 
 are  good  words,  but  no  fecurity ;  which  therefore  an 
 experienced  man  gives  the  hearing,  but  ftands  the 
 while  upon  his  own  guard.  No  charity  binds  us  to 
 a  trull:  of  thofe  whom  we  have  found  faithlefs.  Cre- 
 dulity, upon  weak  grounds,  after  palpable  difappoint- 
 ments,  is  the  daughter  of  folly.  A  man  that  is  weather- 
 wife,  though  he  find  an  abatement  of  the  florm,  yet 
 will  not  ilir  from  under  his  fhelter,  while  he  fees  it 
 thick  in  the  wind.  Diflruft  is  the  juft  gain  of  unfaith- 
 ful nefs. 
 
 Contem.  11.     Nabal  ^  Abigail. 
 
 TF  innocency  could  have  fecured  from  Saul's  ma- 
 •*-  lice,  David  had  not  been  perfecuted  ;  and  yet, 
 under  that  wicked  king,  aged  Samuel  dies  in  his  bed. 
 That  there  might  be  no  place  for  envy,  the  good  pro- 
 phet had  retired  himfelf  to  the  fchools.  Yet  he,  that 
 hated  David  for  what  he  fhould  be,  did  no  lefs  hate 
 Sa?nuel  for  what  he  had  been.  Even  in  the  midit  of 
 Saul's  malignity,  there  remained  in  his  heart  impreffi- 
 .    Vol.  I.  .      Uuu     '  ons 
 
522         CONTEMPLATION  S. 
 
 oos  of  awfulnefs  unto  Samuel ;  he  feared  where  he 
 loved  not.  The  reftraint  of  God  curbeth  the  rage  or 
 his  moil  violent  enemies,  fo  as  they  cannot  do  their 
 word.  As  good  hufbands  do  not  put  all  their  corn 
 to  the  oven,  but  fave  foine  for  feed,  fo  doth  God  ever 
 in  the  woril  of  perfections. 
 
 Samuel  is  dead,  David  baniflied,  Saul  tyrannizeth ; 
 I/rael  hath  good  caufe  to  mourn  :  it  is  no  marvel,  if 
 this  lamentation  be  univerfal ;  there  is  no  Ifraelite  that 
 feeleth  not  the  lofs  of  a  Samuel.  A  good  prophet  is 
 the  common  treafure,  wherein  every  gracious  foul 
 hath  a  {bare.  That  man  hath  a  dry  heart,  winch  can 
 part  with  God's  prophet  without  tears. 
 
 Nabal  was,  according  to  hirname,  foolifli,  yet  rich 
 
 and  mighty.     Earthly-  pofTeiTions  are  not  always   ac- 
 
 mied  with  wit  and  grace.    Even  the  line  of  faith- 
 
 Caleb  will  afFord   an   ill-conditioned  Nabal.     Vir- 
 
 ;  is  not,  like  unto  lands,  inheritable.     All   that  is 
 raduced  with  the  feed,  is   either   evil,  or  not   good. 
 Let  no  man  brag  with  the  jfews,  that  he  hath  Abra- 
 ham to  his  father ;  God  hath  raifed  up  of  this  ilone  a 
 fon  to  Caleb. 
 
 Abigail  (which  figniileth  her  father's  joy)  had  for- 
 row  enough  to  be  matched  with  fo  unworthy  an  huf- 
 band.  If  her  father  had  meant,  fhe  mould  have  had 
 joy  in  herfelf,  or  in  her  life,  lie  had  not  difpofed  her 
 to  an  hufband,  though  rich,  yet  fond  ar*4  wicked  ; 
 it.  is  like  he  married  her  to  the  wealth,  not  to  the 
 man.  Many  a  child  is  call  away  upon  riches.  Wealth, 
 in  our  matches,  fliould  be  as  feme  grains  or  feruplcs 
 in  the  balance,  fuperadded  to  the  gold  of  virtuous  qua- 
 lities, to  weigh  down  the  fcales;  when  it  is  made  the 
 fubftance  of  the  weight,  and  good  qualities  the  ap- 
 pendence,  there  is  but  one  earth  poifed  with  another, 
 which,  whercfoever  it  is  done,  it  is  a  wonder,  if  ei- 
 •  her  the  children  prove  not  the  parents  forrow,  or  the 
 brents  theirs, 
 
 Nabal's 
 
BOOK  XIV.  ^    Co nt em.  n.  523 
 
 NabaPs  fheep-fhearing  was  famous ;  three  thou fan4 
 fleeces  mufl  needs  require  many  hands ;  neither  is  any, 
 thing  more  plentiful,  commonly,  than  a  churl's  fealt. 
 What  a  world  was  this,  that  the  noble  champion  and. 
 refcuer  of  lfraelb  God's  anointed,  is  driven  to  fend 
 to  a*bafe  carle  for  victuals ?*It  is  no  meafuring  of  men 
 by  the  depth  of  the  purfe,  by  outward  prosperity. 
 Servants  are  oft-times  fet  on  horfeback  while  princes 
 go  on  foot.  Our  eftimation  mud  be  led  by  their  in- 
 ward worth,  which  is  not  alterable  by  time,  nor  di- 
 minished with  external  conditions. 
 
 One  rag  of  a  David  is  more  worth  than  the  ward- 
 robes of  a  thoufand  Nabals.  Even  the  belt  defervings 
 may  want.  No  man  may  be  contemned  for  his  ne- 
 ceflity;  perhaps  he  may  be  fo  much  richer  in  grace, 
 as  he  is  poorer  in  eftate :  neither  hath  violence  or  ca- 
 fualty  more  impoverifhed  a  David,  than  his  poverty 
 hath  enriched  him.  He,  whofe  folly  hath  made  him- 
 felf  miferable,  is  juftly  rewarded  with  neglect ;  but 
 he,  that  fuffers  for  good,,  deferves  fo  much  more  ho- 
 nour from  others,  as  his  diftrefs  is  more.  Our  com- 
 panion or  refpe<5t  mufl  beru  led  according  to  the  caufe 
 of  another's  inifery. 
 
 One  good  turn  requires  another.  In  fome  cafes,  not 
 hurting  is  meritorious.  He,  that  mould  examine  the 
 qualities  of  David's  followers  mufl  needs  grant  it 
 worthy  of  a  fee,  that  NabaPs  flocks  lay  untouched 
 in  Carmel ;  but  more,  that  David's  foldiers  were  Nu- 
 baPs  ihepherds ;  yea,  the  keepers  of  his  fhepherds 
 gave  them  a  jult  intereft  in  that  fheep-fhearing  feaft ; 
 juftly  fliould  they  have  been  fet  at  the  upper  end  of 
 the  table.  That  NabaPs  flieep  were  fafe,  he  might 
 thank  his  ihepherds ;  that  his  fhepherds  were  fafe,  he 
 might  thank  David's  foldiers.  It  is  no  fmall  benefit 
 that  we  receive  in  a  fafe  protection  ;  well  may  we 
 think  our  fubilance  due,  where  we  owe  ourfelves. 
 Yet  this  churlifh  Nabal  doth  not  only  give  nothing  to 
 U  u  u  2  David' % 
 
524        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 David's  meffengers,  but,  which  is  worfe  than  no- 
 thing, ill  words  :  Who  is  David,  or  who  is  the/on  of 
 JeiTe  ?  There  be  many  ferv&nts  now-a-days,  that 
 break  away  from  their  mafers.  David  aiked  him 
 bread,  he  giveth  him  (tones.  All  Ifrael  knew,  and 
 honoured  their  deliverer  ;  yet  this  clown,  to  fave  his 
 victuals,  will  needs  make  him  a  man,  either  of  no  me- 
 rits or  ill,  either  an  obfcure  man  or  a  fugitive.  No- 
 thing is  more  cheap  than  good  words ;  thefe  Nabal 
 might  have  given,  and  been  never  the  poorer  :  If  he 
 had  been  refolved  to  ihut  his  hands,  in  a  fear  of  Saul's 
 revenge,  he  might  have  fo  tempered  his  denial,  that 
 the  repulfe  might  have  been  free  from  offence  ;  but 
 now  his  foul  mouth  doth  not  only  deny,  but  revile. 
 It  lhould  have  been  Nabalh  glory,  that  his  tribe  yield-* 
 ed  fuch  a  fucceffor  to  the  throne  of  Ifrael ;  now,  in 
 all  likelihood,  his  envy  ftirs  him  up  to  difgrace  that 
 man  who  furpaffed  him  in  honour  and  virtue,  more 
 than  he  was  furpaffed  by  him  in  wealth  and  eafe. 
 Many  a  one  fpeaks  fair,  that  means  ill ;  but  when  the 
 mouth  fpeaks  foul,  it  argues  a  corrupt  heart.  If,  with 
 St.  James  his  verbal  benefactors,  we  fay  only,  De- 
 part in  peace,  warm  yourfelves,  fill  your  bellies,  we 
 ihall  anfwer  for  hypocritical  uncharitablenefs  ;  but  if 
 we  rate  and  curfe  thofe  needy  fouls  whom  we  ought 
 Co  relieve,  we  ihall  give  a  more  fearful  account  of  a 
 favage  cruelty,  in  trampling  on  thofe  whom  God  hath 
 humbled.  If  healing  with  good  words  be  juftly  pu- 
 nifhable,  what  torment  is  there  for  thofe  that  wound 
 with  evil ! 
 
 David,  which  had  all  this  while  been  in  the  fchool 
 of  patience,  hath  now  his  leffon  to  feek  ;  he,  who 
 hath  happily  digefled  all  the  railings  and  persecutions 
 of  a  wicked  matter,  cannot  put  up  this  affront  of  a  Na- 
 bal;  nothing  can  affuage  his  choler,  but  blood.  How 
 fubject  are  the  bell  of  God's  faints  to  weak  paffions ; 
 and  if  we  have  the  grace  to  ward  an  expected  blow  of 
 
 tempta-f 
 
BOOK    XIV.      Co  NT  EM.  II.         5^5 
 
 temptation,  how  eafily  are  we  furprifed  with  a  fudden 
 foil ! 
 
 Wherefore  ferve  thefe  recorded  weaknelTes  of  holy 
 men,  but  to  ftrengthen  us  againfl  the  conicience  of 
 our  infirmities  ?  Not  that  We  ihould  take  courage  to 
 imitate  them  in  the  evil  whereunto  they  have  been 
 mifcarried ;  but  we  ihould  take  heart  to  ourfelves,  a- 
 gainfl  the  difcouragement  of  our  own  evils. 
 
 The  wifdom-  of  God  hath  fo  contrived  it,  that  com- 
 monly, in  focieties,  good  is  mixed  with  evil :  wicked 
 Nabal  hath  in  his  houfe  a  wife  and  good  fervant,  a 
 prudent  and  worthy  wife ;  that  wife  fervant  is  care- 
 ful to  advertife  his  miftrefs  of  the  danger  ;  his  prudent 
 miftrefs  is  careful  to  prevent  it. 
 
 The  lives  of  all  his  family  were  now  in  hazard. 
 She  dares  not  commit  this  bufinefs  to  the  fidelity  of  a 
 melTenger,  but  forgetting  her  fex,  puts  herfelf  into,  the 
 errand  ;  her  foot  is  not  flow,  her  hand  is  not  empty : 
 according  to  the  offence,  fhe  frames  her  fatisf action. 
 Her  hufband  refufed  to  give,  fhe  brings  a  bountiful 
 gift ;  her  hufband  gave  ill  words,  (he  fweetens  them 
 with  a  meek  and  humble  deprecation ;  her  hufband 
 could  fay,  Who  is  David,  fhe  falls  at  his  feet ;  her 
 hufband  difmiffes  David's  men  empty,  fhe  brings  her 
 fervants  laden  with  provifions,  as  if  it  had  been  only 
 meant  to  eafe  the  repelled  meffengers  of  the  carriage, 
 not  to  fcant  them  of  the  required  benevolence :  no 
 wit,  no  art,  could  devife  a  more  pithy  and  powerful 
 oratory.  As  all  fatisfaction,  fo  hers,  begins  with  a  con- 
 fefhon,  wherein  fhe  deeply  blameth  the  folly  of  her 
 hufband :  fhe  could  not  have  been  a  good  wife,  if  fhe 
 had  not  honoured  her  unworthy  head  ;  if  a  flranger 
 ihould  have  termed  him  fool  in  her  hearing,  he  could 
 not  have  gone  away  in  peace  :  now,  to  fave  his  life,  fhe 
 is  bold  to  acknowledge  his  folly.  It  is  a  good  difpa- 
 ragement  that  preferveth.  There  is  the  fame  way  to 
 pur  peace  in  heaven.  The  only  means  to  efcape  judg- 
 ment, 
 
Sz6        CONTEMPLATION  S. 
 
 ment,  is  to  complain  of  our  own  vilencfs ;  me  pleadeth 
 her  ignorance  of  the  fact,  and  therein  her  freedom 
 from  the  offence ;  {he  humbly  craveth  acceptation  of 
 her  prefent,  with  pardon  of  the  fault.  She  profeffeth 
 David's  honourable  acls  and  merits ;  fhe  foretels  his 
 future  fuccefs  and  glory ;  me  lays  before  him  the  happy 
 peace  of  his  foul,  in  refraining  from  innocent  blood. 
 David's  bread,  which  could  not,  through  the  feeds 
 of  grace,  grow  to  a  flubbornnefs  in  ill  refolutions,  can- 
 not but  relent  with  thefe  powerful  and  feafonable  per- 
 fuafions ;  and  now,  inftead  of  revenge,  he  bleffeth 
 God  for  fending  Abigail  to  meet  him  ;  he  bleffeth  A- 
 bigail  for  her  counfel ;  he  bleffeth  the  counfel  for  fo 
 wholefome  efficacy,  and  now  rejoiceth  more  in  being 
 overcome  with  a  wife  and  gracious  advice,  than  he 
 would  have  rejoiced  in  a  revengeful  victory. 
 
 A  good  heart  is  eafily  flayed  from  finning,  and  is 
 glad  when  it  finds  occafion  to  be  croffed  in  ill  purpofes. 
 Thofe  fecret  checks,  which  are  raifed  within  itfelf,  do 
 readily  confpire  with  all  outward  retentives :  it  never 
 yielded  to  a  wicked  motion,  without  much  reluctation  ; 
 and  when  it  is  overcome,  it  is  but  with  half  a  confent : 
 whereas  perverfe  and  obdurate  fmners,  by  reafon  they 
 take  full  delight  in  evil,  and  have  already  in  their 
 conceit  fwallowed  the  pleafure  of  fin,  abide  not  to  be 
 refilled,  running  on  headily  in  thofe  wicked  courfes 
 they  have  propounded,  in  fpite  of  oppofition  ;  and,  if 
 they  be  forcibly  flopped  in  their  way,  they  grow  fullen 
 and  mutinous.  David  had  not  only  vowed,  but  deep- 
 ly fworn  the  death  of  Nabal,  and  all  his  family,  to 
 the  very  dog  that  lay  at  his  door  ;  yet  now  he  prai- 
 feth  God,  that  hath  given  the  occafion  and  grace  to 
 violate  it.  Wicked  vows  are  ill  made,  but  worfe  kept. 
 Our  tongue  cannot  tie  us  to  commit  fin.  Good  men 
 think  themfelves  happy,  that  fince  they  had  not  the 
 grace  to  deny  fin,  yet  they  had  not  the  opportunity 
 to  ac&mplifhit.  If  Abigail  had  fat  Hill  at  home,  David 
 
 had 
 
BOOK  XIV.      Contem.  ii.        527 
 
 had  finned,  and  (he  had  died.  Now  her  difcreet  ad- 
 monition hath  preferred  her  from  the  fword,  and  di- 
 verted him  from  bloodllied.  And  now,  what  thanks, 
 what  benedidtions,  hath  me  for  this  feafonable  coun- 
 fel?  How  ihould  it  encourage  us  to  admoniili  our 
 brethren,  to  fee  that,  if  we  prevail,  we  have  bleiTmgs 
 from  them ;  if  we  prevail  not,  we  have  yet  bleilings 
 from  God,  and  thanks  of  our  own  hearts  ? 
 
 How  near  was  Nabal  to  a  mifchief,  and  perceive? 
 it  not  ?  David  was  coming  to  the  foot  of  the  hill  to 
 cut  his  throat,  while  he  was  feafting  in  his  houfe  with- 
 out fear.  Little  do  fmners  know,  how  near  their  jol- 
 lity is  to  perdition.  Many  times  judgment  is  at  the 
 threfhold,  while  drunkenncfs  and  furfeit  are  at  the 
 board.  Had  he  been  any  other  than  a  Nabal,  he 
 had  not  fat  down  to  feaft,  till  he  had  been  fure  of  his 
 peace  with  David.  Either  not  to  expect  danger,  or 
 not  to  clear  it,  was  fottilh ;  fo  foolifh  are  carnal  men, 
 that  give  themfelves  over  to  their  pleafures,  while 
 there  are  deadly  quarrels  depending  againft  them  in 
 heaven.  There  is  nothing  wherein  wifdom  is  more 
 feen,  than  in  the  temperate  ufe  of  profperity.  A  Na- 
 bal cannot  abound,  but  he  mud  be  drunk  and  furfeit. 
 Excefs  is  a  true  argument  of  folly.  We  ufe  to  fay, 
 that  when  drink  is  in,  wit  is  out ;  but  if  wit  were  not 
 out,  drink  would  not  be  in. 
 
 It  was  no  time  to  advife  Nabal,  while  his  reafon 
 was  drowned  in  a  deluge  of  wine.  A  bead,  or  a 
 (lone,  is  as  capable  of  good  counfel  as  a  drunkard. 
 O  that  the  nobleit  creature  mould  fo  far  abafe  him- 
 felf,  as,  for  a  little  liquor,  to  lofe  the  ufe  of  thofe  facul- 
 ties whereby  he  is  a  man !  Thofe,  that  have  <o  do  with 
 drink  or  frenzy,  muft  be  glad  to  watch  times ;  fo  did 
 Abigail,  who,  the  next  morning,  prefents  to  her  huf- 
 band  the  view  of  his  faults,  of  his  danger ;  he  then 
 fees  how  near  he  was  to  death,  and  felt  it  not.  That 
 worldly  mind  is  fo  ?pprelienfive  of  the  death  that 
 
 ihould 
 
S28         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 fhould  have  been,  as  that  he  dies  to  think  that  he  had 
 like  to  have  died.  Who  would  think  a  man  could 
 be  fo  affected  with  a  danger  pall,  and  yet  fo  fenfelefs 
 of  a  future,  yea  imminent  ?  He,  thai  was  yefternight 
 as  a  bead,  is  now  as  a  (lone:  he  was  then  over-mer- 
 ry, now  dead  and  lumpilh.  Carnal  hearts  are  ever 
 in  extremities :  if  they  be  once  down,  their  dejection 
 is  defperate,  becaufe  they  have  no  inward  comfort  to 
 mitigate  their  forrow.  What  difference  there  was  be- 
 twixt the  difpofitions  of  David  and  Nabal !  How  oft 
 had  David  been  in  the  valley  of  the  fhadow  of  death, 
 and  feared  no  evil !  Nabal  is  but  once  put  in  mind  of 
 a  death  that  might  have  been,  and  is  ftricken  dead. 
 
 It  is  juft  with  God,  that  they,  who  live  without 
 grace,  ihould  die  without  comfort ;  neither  can  we 
 expect  better,  while  we  go  on  in  our  fins.  The 
 fpeech  of  Abigail  fmote  Nabal  into  a  qualm :  that 
 tongue  hath  doubtlei's  oft  advifed  him  well,  and  pre- 
 vailed not ;  now  it  occafions  his  death,  whofe  reforma- 
 tion it  could  not  effect :  flie  meant  nothing  but  his 
 amendment ;  God  meant  to  make  that  loving  infixu- 
 ment  the  means  of  his  revenge.  She  fpeaks,  and  God 
 itrikes,  and  within  ten  days,  that  fwoon  ends  in  death. 
 And  now  Nabal  pays  dear  for  his  uncharitable  re- 
 proach for  his  riotous  excefs.  That  God,  which  would 
 not  fuffer  David  to  right  himfelf  by  his  own  fword, 
 takes  the  quarrel  of  his  fervant  into  his  own  hand  : 
 David  hath  now  his  ends  without  fin,  rejoicing  in  the 
 }uft  executions  of  God,  who  would  neither  fuffer  him 
 .to  fin  in  revenging,  nor  fuffer  his  adverfaries  to  fin 
 unrevenged. 
 
 Our  loving  God  is  more  angry  with  the  wrongs 
 done  to  his  fervants  than  themfelves  can  be,  and 
 knows  how  to  punifti  that  juftly,  which  we  could 
 not  undertake,  without  wronging  God  more  than 
 men  have  wronged  .us.      He  that  faith,    Vengeance 
 
 is 
 
BOOK   XIV.  Contem.  in.  529 
 
 is  ?nine,  I  will  repay;  repays  oft-times  when 
 we  have  forgiven,  when  we  have  forgotten :  and  calls 
 to  reckoning  after  our  difcharges.  It  is  dangerous 
 offending  any  favourite  of  him  whofe  difpleafure  and 
 revenge  is  everlafting. 
 
 How  far  God  looks  beyond  our  purpofes !  Abigail 
 came  only  to  plead  for  an  ill  husband ;  and  now  God 
 makes  this  journey  a  preparation  for  a  better :  fo  that, 
 in  one  aft,  fhe  preferved  an  ill  husband,  and  won 
 a  good  one  for  the  future.  David  well  remembers  her 
 comely  perfon,  her  wife  fpeeches,  her  graceful  carriage; 
 and  now,  when,  modefty  found  it  feafonable,  he  fends 
 to  fue  her  who  had  been  his  fuppliant.  She  intreat- 
 ed  for  her  husband ;  David  treats  with  her  for  his 
 wife.  Her  requefl  was  to  efcape  his  fword ;  he 
 wifheth  her  to  his  bed.  It  was  a  fair  fuit  to  change 
 a  David  for  a  Nabal :  to  become  Davidh  queen,  in- 
 stead of  NabaPs  drudge.  She,  that  learned  humility 
 under  fo  hard  a  tutor,  abafeth  herfelf  no  lefs  when 
 David  offers  to  advance  her;  Let  thine  handmaid 
 be  a  fervant  to  wa/b  the  feet  of  the  fervants  of 
 my  lord.  None  are  fo  fit  to  be  great,  as  thofe 
 that  can  ftoop  loweft.  How  could  David  be  more 
 happy  in  a  wife  ?  he  finds  at  once  piety,  wifdom,  hiv- 
 mility,  faithfulnefs,  wealth,  beauty.  How  could  Abi- 
 gail be  more  happy  in  an  husband,  than  in  the  pro- 
 phet, the  champion,  the  anointed  of  God  ?  Thofe 
 marriages  are  well  made,  wherein  virtues  are  matched, 
 and  happinefs  is  mutual. 
 
 Contem.    hi.     David  and  kcnisu. 
 
 pOOD  motions  that  fall  into  wicked  hearts  are 
 ^-*  like  fome  fparks  that  fall  from  the  flint  and 
 fteel  into  wet  tinder,  iightfome  for  the  time,  bur. 
 foon  out.  After  SauPs  tears  and  proteftations,  yet 
 he  is  now  again  in  the  wildernefs,  with  three  thoufoiid 
 Vol.  I.  X  x  x  men, 
 
530         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 men,  to  hunt  after  innocent  David.  How  invincible  is 
 the  charity  and  loyalty  of  an  honed  heart!  The  fame 
 hand  that  fpared  Saul  in  the  cave,  fpares  him  ileep- 
 ing  in  the  field  :  the  fame  hand  that  cut  away  the  lap 
 of  his  matter's  garment,  carried  away  his  fpear ;  that 
 fpear,  which  might  as  well  have  caried  away  the  life 
 of  the  owner,  is  only  born  away  for  a  proof  of  the  fi-. 
 delity  of  the  bearer.  Still  Saul  is  ftrong,  but  David 
 victorious,  and  triumphs  over  the  malice  of  his  perfe- 
 cutor ;  yet  dill  the  victor  flieth  from  him  whom  he 
 hath  overcome.  A  man,  that  fees  how  far  Saul  was 
 tranfported  with  his  rancorous  envy,  cannot  but  fay, 
 that  he  was  never  more  mad  than  when  he  was  fo- 
 ber.  For  even  after  he  had  faid,  Blejjid  art  thou, 
 ?ny  fon  David,  thou  /bait  do  great  things,  and  alfo 
 prevail ;  yet  (till  he  purfues  him,  whom  he  grants 
 aflured  to  prevail.  "What  is  this,  but  to  refolve  to  lofe 
 his  labour  in  finning,  and  in  fpite  of  himfelf  to  offend  ? 
 How  fhameful  is  our  inequality  of  difpofition  to 
 good  ?  We  know  we  cannot  mifs  of  the  reward  of 
 well-doing,  and  yet  do  it  not.  *  While  wicked  men 
 call:  away  their  endeavours  upon  evil  projects,  where- 
 of they  are  fure  to  fail,  fin  blinds  the  eyes  and  har- 
 dens the  heart,  and  thrufts  men  into  wilful  mifchiefs, 
 however  dangerous,  however  impoftible,  and  never 
 leaves  them  till  it  have  brought  them  to  utter  confu- 
 fion. 
 
 The  over-long  continuance  of  a  temptation  may 
 eafily  weary  the  bed:  patience,  and  may  attain  that 
 by  protraction,  which  it  could  never  do  by  violence, 
 David  himfelf  at  la  ft  begins  ro  bend  under  this  trial, 
 and  refolves  fo  to  fly  from  Saul,  as  he  runs  from  the 
 church  of  God  ;  and,  while  he  will  avoid  the  malice 
 of  his  mafter,  joins  himfelf  with  God's  enemies.  The 
 greater!  faints  upon  earth  are  not  always  upon  the 
 fame  pitch  of  fpiritual  ftrength  :  he  that  fometimes 
 faid,    /   will   not    be    afraid  of  ten   thoufands,    now 
 
 fays, 
 
BOOK   XIV.    Co  nt  em.   in.        531 
 
 fays,    /  flail  perifJj  one  day  by    the   hand  of    Saul. 
 He  had  wont  to  confult  with  God,  now  he  fays  thus 
 in  his  own  heart.  How  many  evident  experiments  had 
 David  of  God's  deliverances  ?  how  certain  and  clear 
 predi&ions  of  his    future   kingdom  ?  how  infallible  an 
 earned  was  the  holy  oil,  wherewith  he  was  anointed 
 to  the  crown   of  Ifrcel  f  And ■  yet  David  faid  in  his 
 heart,    /  Jball    now  perifb   one    day   by  the  hand  of 
 Saul.      The    bed     faith     is    but   like    the    twilight, 
 mixed  with   ibme  decrees  of  darknefs    and  infidelity. 
 We  do  utterly  mifreckon   the  greateft   earthly  holi- 
 nefs,  if  we  exempt  it  from  infirmities.     It  is  not  long 
 fmce  David  told  Saul,  that  thofe  wicked  enemies  of 
 his,  which   caff  him  out  from  abiding  in  the  inheri- 
 tance of  the  Lord,  did  as  good  as  bid  him,  Go  ferve 
 other  gods ;  yet  now  is  he  gone,  from  the  inheritance 
 of  God,  into  the  land  of  the  Philiflines.     That  Saul 
 might  feek  him  no  more,  he  hides  himfelf  out  of  the 
 lift  of  the  church,  where  a  good  man  wroulcl  not  look 
 for  him.     Once   before  had  David  fled  to  this  Achifb, 
 when  he  was  glad  to  fcrabble  on  the  doors,  and  let 
 his  fpittle  fall   upon  his  beard,  in  a  femblance  of  mad- 
 nefs,  that  he  might  efcape ;  yet  now,  in  a  femblance 
 of    friendfhip,    is   he    returned     to    fave    that    life 
 which   he  was  in  danger  to  have  lofl  in  lfrael.     Goli- 
 ah,    the  champion  of    the  Philiflines,    whom   David 
 flew,  was  of  Gath :    yet  David  dwells    with    Achifh 
 king  of  the  Philiflines  in  Gath  :  even  amongft  them 
 whofe  forefkins  he   had  prefented   to  Saul,    by  two 
 hundreds  at  once,    doth  David  chufe  to   re-fide   for 
 fafety.     Howfoever  it  was  weaknefs  in  David,   thus, 
 by  his  league  of  amity,  to  itrengthen  the  enemies  of 
 God,  yet  doth  not  God  take  advantage  of  it  for  his 
 overthrow,  but  gives  him  protection,  even  where  his 
 prefence  offended ;  and  gives  him  favour  where  him- 
 felf   bore  juft  hatred.    O   the  infinite    patience   and 
 mercy  cf  our  God,  who  doth  good  to  us  for  our  evil, 
 X  x  x  2  and, 
 
J3*  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 and,  in  the  very  aft  of  our  provocation,  upholdeth, 
 yea  bleffeth  us  with  prefervation. 
 
 Could  Saul  have  rightly  confidered  it,  he  had  found 
 it  no  fmall  lofs  and  impairing  to  his  kingdom,  that  (o 
 valiant  a  captain,  attended  with  fix  hundred  able  fol- 
 diers  and  their  families,  fhould  forfake  his  land,  and 
 join  with  his  enemies  ;  yet  he  is  not  quiet  till  he  have 
 abandoned  his  own  ftrength.  The  world  hath  none  fo 
 great  an  enemy  to  a  wicked  man  as  himfelf ;  his  hands 
 cannot  be  held  from  his  own  mifchief ;  he  will  needs 
 make  his  friends  enemies,  his  enemies  victors,  him- 
 felf miferable. 
 
 David  was  too  wife  to  caft  himfelf  into  the  hands 
 of  a  Philiftine  king,  without  affurance ;  what  afTurance 
 could  he  have,  but  promifes  ?  Thofe  David  had  from 
 Saul  abundantly,  and  trufted  them  not ;  he  dares  truft 
 the  fidelity  or  a  Pagan,  he  dares  not  truft  the  vows 
 of  a  king  of  Ifrael.  There  may  be  fidelity  without  the 
 church,  and  falfhood  within.  It  need  not  be  any 
 news,  to  find  fome  Turks  true,  and  fome  Chriftians 
 faithlefs. 
 
 Even  unwife  men  are  taught  by  experience,  how 
 much  more  they  who  have  wit  to  learn  without  it ! 
 David  had  well  found  what  it  was  to  live  in  a  court ; 
 he  therefore,  whom  envy  drove  from  the  court  of 
 Ifrael,  voluntarily  declines  the  Philiftine  court,  and  fues 
 for  a  country  habitatiop.  It  had  not  been  pofTible  for 
 fo  noted  a  ftranger,  after  fo  much  Philiftine  blood-fried, 
 to  Iiye  long  in  fuch  an  eminency  amongft  the  preafe 
 pf  thofe,  whofe  fons,  or  brothers,  or  fathers,  or  allies, 
 he  had  flaughtcred,  without  fome  perillous  machina- 
 tion of  his  ruin ;  therefore  makes  fuit  for  an  early  re* 
 move  :  For  why  ftiould  thy  fervant  dwell  in  the 
 chief  city  of  the  kingdom  with  thee?  Thofe  that 
 would  ft  and  fure,  mult  not  affect  too  much  height,  or 
 confnicuity  ;  the  tall  cedars  are  molt  fubject  to  winds 
 aad  lightening^,  while  the  flirubs  of  the  valleys  ftand 
 
 cut- 
 
BOOK  XIV.   Contem.  in.     (      533 
 
 unmoved.  Much  greatnefs  doth  but  make  a  fairer 
 mark  for  evil.  There  is  true  firmnefs  and  fafety  in 
 mediocrity. 
 
 How  rarely  is  it  feen,  that  a  man  lofeth  by  his  mo- 
 defty  ?  The  change  fell  out  well  to  David,  of  Ziklag 
 for  Gath  ;  now  he  hath  a  city  of  his  own  ;  all  Ifrae%  > 
 where  he  was  anointed,  afforded  him  not  fo  much 
 poiTeflion.  Now  the  city,  which  was  anciently  af- 
 ilgned  to  %udaht  returns  to  the  juft  owner,  and  is,  by 
 this  means,  entailed  to  the  crown  of  David's  fuccefTors. 
 Befides,  that  now  might  David  live  out  of  the  light 
 and  hearing  of  the  Philijlinc  idolatries,  and  enjoy  God 
 no  lefs  in  the  walls  of  a  Philiftine  city,  than  in  an 
 IfraelitiJI)  wildernefs :  withal,  an  happy  opportunity 
 was  now  opened  to  his  friends  of  Ifrael  to  refort  unto 
 his  aid  ;  the  heads  of  the  thoufands  that  were  at  Ma- 
 najfeh,  and  many  valiant  captains  of  the  other  tribes, 
 fell  daily  to  him,  and  raifed  his  fix  hundred  followers 
 to  an  army  like  the  hod  of  God.  The  deferts  of 
 Ifrael  could  never  have  yielded  David  fo  great  an  ad- 
 vantage. That  God,  whofe  the  earth  is,  makes  room 
 for  his  own  every  where,  and  oft-times  provideth 
 them  a  foreign  home  more  kindly  than  the  native. 
 It  is  no  matter  for  change  of  our  foil,  fo  we  change 
 not  our  God ;  if  we  can  every  where  acknowledge 
 him  he  will  no  where  be  wanting  to  us. 
 
 It  was  not  for  God's  champion  to  be  idle;  iao 
 fooner  is  he  free  from  SauTs  fword,  than  he  begins  an 
 offenfive  war  againft  the  Amakkitest  Gerizites,  Ge- 
 JJmrites :  he  knew  thefe  nations  branded  by  God  to 
 deftruclion,  neither  could  his  increaling  army  be  main- 
 tained with  a  little ;  by  one  ac*l  therefore  he  both  re- 
 venges for  God,  and  provides  for  his  hoft.  Had  it 
 not  been  for  that  old  quarrel,  which  God  had  with 
 this  people,  David  could  not  be  excufed  from  a 
 bloody  cruelty,  in  killing  whole  countries,  only  for 
 the   benefit  of  the  fpoil:    now  his  foldiers  were   at 
 
 once 
 
5  j4        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 once  God's  executioners,  and  their  own  foragers. 
 The  intervention  of  a  command  from  the  Almighty 
 alters'  the  date  of  any  aft,  and  makes  that  worthy  of 
 praife,  which  d(e  were  no  lefs  than  damnable.  It 
 is  now  juftice,  which  were  otherways  murder.  The 
 will  of  God  is  the  rule  of  good  :  what  need  w,e  in- 
 quire into  other  reafons  of  any  acl  or  determination, 
 when  we  hear  it  comes  from  heaven  ? 
 
 How  many  hundred  years  had  this  brood  of  Gz- 
 7iaanites  lived  fecurely  in  their  country,  fmce  God 
 commanded  them  to  be  rooted  out,  and  now  promifed 
 themfelves  the  certainefl  peace  ?  The  Philiftines  were 
 their  friend,  if  not  their  lords :  the  Ifraelites  had 
 their  hands  full,  neither  did  they  know  any  grudge 
 betwixt  them  and  their  neighbours,  when  fuaMenly  the 
 fword  of  David  cuts  them  off,  and  leaves  none  alive  to 
 tell  the  news. 
 
 There  is  no  fafety  in  protraction  j  with  men,  de- 
 lay caufeth  foregetfulnefs,  or  abates  the  force  of  an- 
 ger, as  all  violent  motions  are  weakefl  at  the  further! ; 
 but  with  him,  to  whom  all  times  are  prefent,  what  can 
 be  gained  by  prorogation  I  Alas,  what  can  it  avail  any 
 of  the  curfed  feed  of  Canaan,  that  they  have  made  a 
 truce  with  heaven,  and  a  league  with  hell !  Their- 
 day  is  coming,  and  is  not  the  further  off,  becaufe  they 
 ex  peel:  it  not. 
 
 Miferable  were  the  (traits  of  David,  while  he  was 
 driven  not  only  to  maintain  his  army  by  fpoil,  but  ' 
 to  colour  his  fpoil  by  a  finful  diffimulation ;  he  tells 
 AchiJJj,  that  he  had  been  roving  againfl  the  fouth  of 
 yudah,  and  the  fouth  of  the  %erahmelitesy  and  the 
 fouth  of  the  Keriites,  either  falfely  or  doubtfully,  fo 
 as  he  meant  to  deceive  him  under  whom  he  lived,  and 
 by  whom  he  was  trufted.  If  Achijh  were  a  Phififtine, 
 yet  he  was  David's  friend,  yea  his  patron ;  and  if 
 he  had  been  neither,  it  had  not  become  David  to  be 
 falfe.  The  infirmities  of  God's  children  never  ap- 
 pear, 
 
BOOK    XIV.    Contem.    in.  S3S 
 
 pear,  but  in  their  extremities.  It  is  hard  for  the  bed 
 man  to  fay,  how  far  he  will  be  tempted.  If  a  man 
 will  put  himfelf  among  Philiftines,  he  cannot  promife 
 to  come  forth  innocent. 
 
 How  eafily  do  we  believe  that  which  we  wifli? 
 The  more  credit  Achijb  gives  unto  David,  the  more 
 fin  it  was  to  deceive  him.  And  now  the  conceit  of 
 this  engagement  procures  him  a  further  fervice.  The 
 Philiftines  are  affembled  to  fight  with  Ifrael ;  Achijb 
 dares  trufl  David  on  his  fide,  yea  to  keep  his  head 
 for  ever  ;  neither  can  David  do  any  lefs  than  promife 
 his  aid  againft  his  own  flefli.  Never  was  David,  in 
 all  his  life,  driven  to  fo  hard  an  exigent ;  never  was 
 he  fo  extremely  perplexed;  for  what  fhould  he  do 
 now  ?  To  fight  with  Achijb,  he  was  tied  by  promife, 
 by  merit  ;  not  to  fight  againft  Ifrael,  he  was  tied  by 
 his  calling,  by  his  un&ion:  not  to  fight  for  Achijb 
 were  to  be  unthankful ;  to  fight  againft  Ifrael,  were 
 to  be  unnatural.  O  what  an  inward  battle  muft 
 David  needs  have  in  his  breaft,  when  he  thinks  of 
 this  battle  of  Ifrael,  and  the  Philiftines !  How  doth 
 he  wifli  now,  that  he  had  rather  flood  to  the  hazard 
 of  Saul's  perfecution,  than  to  have  put  himfelf  up- 
 on the  favour  of  Achijb;  he  muft  fight  on  one  fide, 
 and  on  whether  fide  foever  he  fhould  fight,  he  could 
 not  avoid  to  be  treacherous ;  a  condition  worfe  than 
 death  to  an  honeft  heart.  Which  way  he  would  have 
 refolved,  if  it  had  come  to  the  execution,  who  can 
 know,  fince  himfelf  was  doubtful  ?  Either  courfe  had 
 been  no  better  than  defperate.  How  could  the  Ifrael- 
 itis  ever  have  received  him  for  their  king,  who,  in 
 the  open  field,  had  fought  againft  them  I  And,  con- 
 trarily,  if  he  would  have  fought  againft  his  friend  for 
 his  enemy,  againft  Achijb  for  Saul,  he  was  now  in- 
 vironed  with  jealous  Philiftines,  and  might  rather  look 
 for  the  punifhment  of  his  treafon,  than  the  glory  of  a 
 fi&ory. 
 
 His 
 
53*         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 His  heart  bad  led  him  into  thefe  flraits ;  the  Lord 
 finds  a  way  to  lead  him  out ;  the  fuggeftions  of  his 
 enemies  do  herein  befriend  him  ;  the  princes  of  the 
 Philiflines,  whether  of  envy  or  fufpicion,  plead  for  Da- 
 vidh  difmiffion  ;  Send  this  fellow  back,  that  he  may 
 go  again  to  his  place  which  thou  hafl  appointed  him  ; 
 and  let  him  not  go  down  to  the  battle,  lejl  he  be  an 
 adverfary  to  us.  No  advocate  could  have  faid  more, 
 himfelf  durft  not  have  faid  fo  much.  O  the  wifdom 
 and  goodnefs  of  our  God,  that  can  raife  up  an  ad- 
 verfary to  deliver  out  of  thofe  evils,  which  our  friends 
 cannot ;  that,  by  the  fword  of  an  enemy,  can  let  out 
 that  apoftume,  which  no  phyfician  could  tell  how  to 
 cure !  It  would  be  wide  with  us  fometimes,  if  it  were 
 not  for  others  malice. 
 
 There  could  not  be  a  more  juft  queflion,  than  this 
 of  the  Philijline  princes ;  What  do  thefe  Hebrews 
 here?  An  Ifraelite  is  out  of  his  element,  when  he 
 is  in  an  army  of  Philiftines.  The  true  fervants  of 
 God  are  in  their  due  places,  when  they  are  in  oppo- 
 fition  to  his  enemies.  Profeflion  of  hoftility  becomes 
 them  better  than  leagues  of  amity. 
 
 Yet  Achifh  likes  David's  converfation  and  prefence 
 fo  well,  that  he  profefleth  himfelf  pleafed  with  him, 
 as  with  an  angel  of  God.  How  flrange  is  it  to  hear, 
 that  a  Philijline  mould  delight  in  that  holy  man,  whom 
 an  Ifraelite  abhors,  and  fhould  be  loath  to  be  quit  of 
 David,  whom  Saul  hath  expelled  ?  Terms  of  civility 
 are  equally  open  to  all  religions,  to  all  profeffions : 
 the  common  graces  of  God's  children  are  able  to  at- 
 tract love  from  the  mod  obftinate  enemies  of  goodnefs ; 
 if  we  affect  them  for  by-refpec*h  of  valour,  wifdom, 
 difcourfe,  wit,  it  is  their  praife,  net  ours ;  but,  if  for 
 divine  grace  and  religion,  it  is  our  praife  with  theirs. 
 
 Such  now  was  Davidh  condirion,  that  he  muft  plead 
 for  that  he  feared,  and  argue  againfl  that  which  he 
 defired :    What   have  I  done,   and  what   hafl   thou 
 
 found 
 
BOOK  XIV.     Co  nt  em.  iv.  537 
 
 found  in  thy  fervant,  that  I  may  not  go  and  fight  a- 
 gainfl  the  enemies  of  my  lord  the  king  f  Never  any 
 news  could  be  more  cordial  to  him  than  this  of  his 
 diimiffion  ;  yet  muft  he  feem  to  drive  againlt  it,  with 
 an  importunate  profeilion  of  his  forwardnefs  to  that 
 acl  which  he  moft  detefted. 
 
 One  degree  of  difnmulation  draws  on  another  5 
 thofe  which  have  once  given  way  to  a  faulty  courfe, 
 cannot  eafily  either  flop  or  turn  back,  but  are,  in  a 
 fort,  forced  to  fecond  their  ill-beginnings  with  worfe 
 proceedings.  It  is  a  dangerous  and  miferable  thing 
 to  call  ourfelves  into  thofe  a&ions,  which  draw  with 
 them  a  neceility  either  of  offending  or  mifcarriage. 
 
 Contem.  iv.     Saul  and  the  witch  of  Endor. 
 
 pj1  VEN  the  word:  men  may  fometimes  make  head 
 ■*-J  againfl  fome  fins.  Saul  hath  expelled  the  for- 
 cerers  out  of  the  land  of  Tfrael ;  and  hath  forbidden 
 magic  upon  pain  of  death.  He  that  had  no  care  to 
 expel  Satan  out  of  his  own  heart,  yet  will  feem  to 
 drive  him  out  of  his  kingdom.  That  we  fee  wicked 
 men  oppofe  themfelves  to  fome  fins,  there  is  neither 
 marvel  nor  comfort  in  it.  No  doubt  Satan  made  fport 
 at  this  edict  of  Saul;  what  cares  he  to  be  banifhed  in 
 forcery,  while  he  is  entertained  in  malice  ?  He  knew 
 and  found  Saul  his,  while  he  refitted  ;  and  fmiied  to 
 yield  thus  far  unto  his  vaflal.  If  we  quit  not  all  lins, 
 he  will  be  content  we  mould  either  abandon  or  per- 
 fecute  fome. 
 
 Where  there  is  no  place  for  holy  fear,  there  will 
 be  place  for  the  fervile.  The  gracelefs  heart  o  Saul 
 was  ailcnifhed  at  the  Philifiines  ;  yet  was  never  mo- 
 ved at  the  frowns  of  that  God  whofe  anger  fent  them, 
 nor  of  thofe  fins  of  his  which  procured  them.  Thofe 
 that  cannot  fear  for  love,  ihall  tremble  for  fear  ;  and 
 how  much  better  is  awe  than  terror,  prevention  than 
 
 Vo  h »  I.  Y  yy  confufion ! 
 
538         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 confufion  !  There  is  nothing  more  lamentable  than  to 
 fee  a  man  laugh  when  he  mould  fear  ;  God  (ball 
 laugh  when  fuch  an  one's  fear  cometh. 
 
 Extremity  of  diftrefs  will  fend   even   the  profaned 
 man  to  God  ;  like  as  the  drowning  man  reacheth  ,out 
 his  hand  to  that  bough,  which  he  contemned,  while 
 he  flood  fafe  on  the  bank.     Saul  now  afketh  counfcl 
 of  the  Lord,  whole  prophet  he  hated,  whofe  prieft 
 he  flew,  whofe  anointed  he  perfecutes ;  had  Saul  con- 
 fiilted  with  God  when  he  mould,  this   evil  had  not 
 been  ;  but  now,  if.  this  evil  had  not  been,  he  had 
 not  confultcd  with   God  ;  the  thank   of  this  act   is 
 due,  not  to  him,  but  to  his  affliction.     A  forced  piety 
 is  thanklefs  and  unprofitable  ;   God  will  not  anfwer 
 him  neither  by  dreams,  nor  by   Urim,  nor  by  pro- 
 phets.    Why  mould  God  anfwer  that  man  by  dreams, 
 who  had  refilled  him  waking  ?  "Why  mould  he  anfwer 
 him  by  Urim,  that  had  flam  his  priefls  ?  Why  fhould 
 he  anfwer  him  by  prophets,  who  hated  the  Father  of 
 the  prophets,  and  rebelled  againft  the  word  of  the 
 prophets  ? 
 
 It  is  an ,  unreafonable  unequality  to  hope  to  find 
 God  at  our  command,  when  we  would  not  be  at  his ; 
 to  look  that  God  mould  regard  our  voice  in  trouble, 
 when  we  would  not  regatd  his  in  peace. 
 
 Unto  what  mad  fhifts  are  men  driven  by  defpair  1 
 If  God  will  not  anfwer,  Satan  mail.  Saul  faid  to 
 his  ferva/its,  feck  me  a  ivcpian  that  hath  a  familiar  - 
 fpirit.  If  Saul  hafl  not  known  this  courfe  devilifn, 
 why  did  he  decree  to  baniih  it,  to  mulct,  it  with 
 death  r  yet  now,  again!!  the  11  ream  of  his  conscience, 
 he  will  feek  to  thofe  whom  he  had  condemned  ;  there 
 needs  no  other  judge  of  Saul's  act  than  himfelf ;  had 
 he  not  before  oppofed  this  fin,  he  had  net  fo  heinouily 
 finned  in  committing  it.  There  cannot  be  a  more 
 fearful  figii  of  an  heart  given  up  to  a  reprobate  fenfe, 
 than  to  call  itfelf  wilfully  into  thofe  fms,  which  it  hath 
 
 proclaimed 
 
BOOK  XIV.     Co nt em.  iv.  539 
 
 proclaimed  to  detett.  The  declinations  to  evil  are 
 many  times  infeniible,  but  jrtien  it  breaks  forth  into 
 fuch  apparent  effects,  even  other  eyes  may  difcern  it. 
 Wliat"  was  Saul  the  better  to  foreknow  the  iffue  or 
 his  approaching  battle  ?  If  this  confutation  could 
 have  Strengthened  him  againft  his  enemies,  or  pro- 
 moted his  victory,  there  might  have  been  fome  colour 
 for  fo  foul  an  act :  now,  what  could  he  gain,  but  the 
 fatisfying  of  his  bootlefs  curiolity,  i\i  forefeeing  that 
 which  he  Ihould  not  be  able  to  avoid  ? 
 
 Foolifh  men  give  away  their  fouls  for  nothing. 
 The  itch  of  impertinent  and  unprofitable  knowledge 
 hath  been  the  hereditary  difeafe  of  the  fons  of  Adam 
 and  Eve,  How  many  have  perilhed  to  know  that 
 which  hath  procured  their  perilhing  ?  How  ambitious 
 ihould  we  be  to  know  thofe  things,  the  knowledge 
 whereof  is  eternal  life  ! 
 
 Many  a  lewd  office  are  they  put  to,  who  ferve 
 wicked  matters ;  one  while  Saul's  fervants  are  fent 
 to  kill  innocent  David ;  another  while  to  filed  the 
 blood  of  God's  prietts ;  and  now  they  mutt  go  feek 
 for  a  witch.  It  is  no  fmall  happinefs  to  attend  them? 
 from  whom  we  may  receive  precepts  and  examples 
 of  virtue. 
 
 Had  Saul  been  good,  he  had  needed  no  difguife  ; 
 honett  actions  never  lhame  the  doers ;  now,  that  he 
 goeth  about  a  finful  bufinefs,  he  changetfy  himfelf ; 
 he  feeks  the  flielter  of  the  night ;  he  takes  but  two 
 followers  with  him  :  it  is  true,  that  if  Saul  had  come 
 in  the  port  of  a  king,  the  witch  had  as  much  diffem- 
 bled  her  condition,  as  now  he  djffembleth  his ;  yet  it 
 was  not  only  defire  to  fpeed,  but  ^uiltinefs  that  thus 
 altered  his  habit.  Such  is  the  power  of  confcience, 
 that  even  thofe  who  are  molt  affected  to  evil,  yet  are 
 afhamed  to  be  thought  fuch  as  they  defire  to  be. 
 
 Saul  needed  another  face  to  fit  that  tongue,  which 
 ihould  fay,  Conjecture  to  me  by  the  familiar  ft>iritr 
 
 Y  y  y  2  anfy 
 
 / 
 
540        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 and  bring  me  up  whom  I  fball  name  unto  thee.     An 
 obdurate  heart  can  give  v&.y  to  any  thing. 
 
 Notwithstanding  the  peremptory  edict  of  Saul,  there 
 are  Hill  witches  in  Ifrael.  Neither  good  laws,  nor  care- 
 ful executions,  can  purge  the  church  from  malefac- 
 tors ;  there  will  Itill  be  fome  that  will  jeopard  their 
 heads  upon  the  grolfeit  fins.  No  garden  can  befocu- 
 rioufly  tended,  that  there  mould  not  be  one  weed 
 left  in  it.  Yet  fo  far  can  good  ftatutes,  and  due  inflic- 
 tions of  punifhment  upon  offenders,  prevail,  that  mif- 
 chievous  perfons  are  glad  to  pull  in  their  heads,  and 
 dare  not  do  ill  but  in  difguife  and  darknefs.  It  is  no 
 fmall  advantage  of  juftice.  that  it  affrights  fin,  if  it  can- 
 not be  expelled ;  as  contrarily,  woful  is  the  condition 
 of  that  place,  where,  is  a  public  profefhon  of  wicked- 
 nefs. 
 
 The  witch  was  no  lefs  crafty  than  wicked ;  me  had 
 before,  as  is  like,  bribed  officers  to  efcape  indictment, 
 to  lurk  in  fecrecy ;  and  now  fhe  will  not  work  her  feats 
 without  fecurity  ;  her  fufpicion  projects  the  word  ; 
 Wherefore  feekefl  thou  to  take  me  in  a  fnare,  to  caufe 
 me  to  die  ?  O,  vain  forcerefs,  that  could  be  wary  to 
 avoid  the  punifhment  of  Saul,  carelefs  to  avoid  the 
 judgment  of  God  !  Could  we  forethink  what  our  fm 
 would  coil  us,  we  durft  not  but  be  innocent :  this  is 
 a  good  and  feafonable  anfwer  for  us  to  make  unto  Sa- 
 tan when  he  folicits  us  to  evil,  Wherefore  feekefl 
 thou  to  take  me  in  a  fnare,  to  caufe  me  to  die.  No-> 
 thing  is  more  fure  than  this  intention  in  the  tempter, 
 than  this  event  in  the  iflue.  O  that  we  could  but  fo 
 much  fear  the  eternal  pains,  as  we  do  the  temporary, 
 and  be  but  fo  careful  to  fave  our  fouls  from  torment, 
 as  our  bodies  ! 
 
 No  fooner  hath  Saul  fworn  her  fafety,  than  (lie  ad- 
 drefleth  herfelf  to  her  forcery:  hope  of  impunity  draws 
 on  fin  with  boldnefs.  Were  it  not  for  the  deluilons  of 
 falfe  promifes,  Satan  ihould  have  no  clients.     Could 
 
 Saul 
 
BOOK  XIV.     Co  nt  em.  iv.         541 
 
 Saul  be  fo  ignorant,  as  to  think  that  magic  had  pow- 
 er over  God's  deceafed  faints,  to  raife  them  up,  yea 
 to  call  them  down  from  their  reft !  Time  was,  when 
 Saul  was  among  the  prophets.  And  yet  now,  that  he 
 is  in  the  impure  lodge  of  devils,  how  fenfelefs  he  is, 
 to  fay,  Bring  me  up  Samuel !  It  is  no  rare  thing,  to 
 lofe  even  our  wit  and  judgment,  together  with  graces : 
 how  juftly  are  they  given  to  fottifhnefs,  that  have  gi- 
 ven themfelves  over  to  fin ! 
 
 The  forcerefs,  it  feems,  exercifmg  her  conjurations 
 in  a  room  apart,  is  informed  by  her  familiar,  who  it 
 was  that  fet  her  on  work  ;  fee  can  therefore  find  time, 
 in  the  midft  of  her  exorcifms,  to  bind  the  aiTurance 
 of  her  own  fafety  by  expostulation,  She  cried  with 
 a  loud  voice,  ivhy  haft  thou  deceived  me,  for  thou  art 
 Saul :  the  very  name  of  Saul  was  an  accufation ;  yet 
 is  he  fo  far  from  linking  his  bread,  that,  doubting 
 left  this  fear  of  the  witch  mould  interrupt  the  defired 
 work,  he  encourages  her,  whom  he  ihould  have  con- 
 demned, Be  not  afraid ;  he  that  had  more  caufe  to 
 fear,  for  his  own  fake,  in  an  expectation  of  juft  judg- 
 ment, cheers  up  her  that  feared  nothing  but  himfelf. 
 How  ill  doth  it  become  us  to  give  that  counfel  to  o- 
 thers,  whereof  we  more  need  and  ufe  in  our  own  per- 
 fons! 
 
 As  one  that  had  more  care  to  fatisfy  his  own  curiofi- 
 ty,  than  her  fufpicion,  he  afks,  What  fawejl  thou  f 
 Who  would  not  have  looked,  that  Said's  hair  fhould 
 have  flared  on  his  head,  to  hear  of  a  fpirit  raifed!  His 
 fin  hath  fo  hardened  him,  that  he  rather  pleafes  himfelf 
 in  it,  which  hath  nothing  in  it  but  horror :  So  far  is 
 Satan  content  to  defcend  to  the  fervice  of  his  fervants, 
 that  he  will  approve  his  feigned  obedience  to  their  ve- 
 ry outward  fenfes ;  what  form  is  fo  glorious,  that  he 
 either  cannot  or  dare  not  undertake  ?  Here  gods  a- 
 fcend  out  of  the  earth ;  elfewhere  Satan  transforms 
 him  into  an  angel  of  light ;  what  wonder  is  it,  that  his 
 
 wicked 
 
Sr-        CONTEMPLATION  S. 
 
 wicked  inftruments  appear  like  faints  in  their  hypocri- 
 tical chili mul ation  ?  If  we  will  be  judging  by  the  ap- 
 pearance, we  (hall  be  Aire  to  err.  rSo  eve  could  di- 
 itinguiih  betwixt  the  true  Samuel,  and  a  falfe  ipirit. 
 Saul,  who  was  well  worthy  to  be  deceived,  feeing 
 thole  grey  hairs,  and  that  mantle,  inclines  himfelf  to 
 the  ground,  and  bows  himfelf.  He  that  would  not 
 worilup  God  in  Samuel  alive,  now  worihips  Samuel 
 in  Satan  ;  and  no  marvel,  Satan  was  now  become  his 
 refuge  inilead  of  God  ;  his  Urim  was  darknefs,  his 
 prophet  a  gholf.  Every  one  that  coniults  with  Satan 
 worihips  him,  though  he  bow  not,  neither  dorh  that 
 evil  ipirit  defire  any  other  reverence,  than  to  be  fought 
 unto. 
 
 How  cunningly  doth  Satan  refemble  not  only  the 
 habit  and  gellure,  but  the  language  of  Samuel,  Where- 
 baft  thou  dif quieted  me,  and  wherefore  dojl  thou 
 f  me,  feeing  the  Lord  is  gone  from  thee,  and  is 
 thine  enemy  t  Nothing  is  more  pleating  to  that  evil 
 one,  than  to  be  folicited  ;  yet  in  the  perfon  of  Samuel, 
 he  can  fay,  Why  hafl  thou  difquieted  me  f  Had  not 
 the  Lord  been  gone  from  Saul,  he  had  never  come  to 
 the  deviiim  oracle  of  Endor ;  and  yet  the  counterfeit- 
 ing foirit  can  fay,  Why  deft  thou  aft  of  me,  feeing  the 
 Lord  is  gone  from  thee  f  Satan  cares  not  how  little  he 
 is  known  to  be  himfelf;  he  loves  to  pafs  under  any 
 form,  rather  than  his  own. 
 
 The  more  holy  the  perfon  is,  the  more  carefully 
 doth  Satan  a«ft  him,  that  by  his  Hale  he  may  enfnare 
 us.  In  every  motion  it  is  good  to  try  the  fpirits,  whe- 
 ther they  be  of  God.  Good  words  are  no  means  to 
 diitkiguiih  a  prophet  from  a  devil.  Samuel  himfelf, 
 while  he  was  alive,  could  not  have  fpoken  more  grave- 
 Iv,  more  feverely,  more  divinely,  than  this  evil  ghoil, 
 For  the  Lord  will  rend  thy  kingdom  cut  of  thy  hand, 
 and  give  it  lo  thy  neighbour  David,  becaufe  thou  obey- 
 
BOOK  XIV.      Conte  m.  v.         543 
 
 edjl  not  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  nor  executed]}  his  fierce 
 wrath  upon  the  Amalekites,  therefore  hath  the  Lord 
 done  this  unto  thee  this  day.  When  the  devil  himfelf 
 puts  on  gravity  and  religion,  who  can  marvel  at  the 
 hypocrify  of  men  ?  Well  may  lewd  men  be  good 
 preachers,  when  Satan  himfelf  can  play  the  prophet. 
 Where  are  thofe  ignorants,  that  think  charitably  of 
 charms  and  fpells,  becaufe  they  find  nothing  in  them 
 but  good  words  ?  What  prophet  could  fpeak  better 
 words  than  this  devil  in  Samuel's  mantle  ?  Neither,  is 
 there  at  any  time  fo  much  danger  of  that  evil  fpirit, 
 as  when  he  fpeaks  bed. 
 
 I  could  wonder  to  hear  Satan  preach  thus  prophe- 
 tically, if  I  did  not  know,  that  as  he  was  once  a  good 
 angel,  fo  he  can  ftill  acfc  what  he  was.  While  Saul 
 was  in  confultation  of  fparing  Agag9  we  (hall  never 
 find  that  Satan  would  lay  any  block  in  his  way ;  yea 
 then  he  was  a  prompt  orator  to  induce  him  into  that 
 fin ;  now,  that  it  is  paft  and  gone,  he  can  lade  Saul  with 
 fearful  denunciations  of  judgment.  Till  we  have  famed, 
 Satan  is  a  parailte ;  when  we  have  linned,  he  is  a  ty- 
 rant. What  cares  he  to  flatter  any  more,  when  he 
 hath  what  he  would  ?  Now  his  only  work  is  to  terri- 
 fy, and  confound,  that  he  may  enjoy  wh  it  he  hath 
 won :  how  much  better  is  it  ferving  that  mailer,  who, 
 when  we  are  moil  dejected  with  the  confeience  of  evil, 
 heartens  us  with  inward  comfort,  and  fpeaks  peace  to 
 the  foul  in  the  midft  of  tumult  ? 
 
 Cokte  m .  v .     Z i k l a g  fpoiled  and  revenged, 
 
 TJ  AD  not  the  king  of  the  FhUifihies  fen:  David 
 ■*■  ■*-  away  early,  his  wives,  and  his  people,  and  iub- 
 ftance,  which  he  left  at  Ziklag,  had  been  utterly  loll; 
 now  Achifb  did  not  more  pleafure  David  in  his  enter- 
 tainment, than  in  his  difmiiiion.  Said  was  not  David's 
 enemy  more  in  the  perfection  of  his  pcrfon,  than  in 
 
 the 
 
544         C  O  N  T  E  MP  LATIONS. 
 
 the  forbearance  of  God's  enemies:  behold,  thus  late 
 doth  David  feel  the  finart  of  Saul's  fin  in  fparing  the 
 Amalekites,  who,  if  God's  fentence  had  been  duly 
 executed,  had  not  now  furvived,  to  annoy  this  parcel 
 of  IfraeL 
 
 As  in  fpiritual  refpe&s  our  fms  are  always  hurtful 
 to  ourfelves,  fo  in  temporal,  oft-times  prejudicial  to 
 poderity.  A  wicked  man  deferves  ill  of  thofe,  he 
 never  lived  to  fee. 
 
 I  cannot  marvel  at  the  Amahkites  affault  made  upon 
 the  Ifraelites  of  Ziklag  ;  I  cannot  but  marvel  at  their 
 clemency ;  how  juft  was  it,  that  while  David  would 
 give  aid  to  the  enemies  of  the  church  againd  Ifrael, 
 the  enemies  of  the  church  fhould  rife  againfl  David, 
 in  his  peculiar  charge  of  IfraeL  But  while  David's 
 roving  againft  the  Amalekites,  not  many  days  before, 
 left  neither  man  nor  woman  alive,  how  drange  is  it, 
 that  the  Amalekites,  invading  and  furpriling  Ziklag, 
 in  revenge,  kill  neither  man  nor  woman  !  Shall  we 
 fay  that  mercy  is  fled  from  the  breads  of  Ifraelites,  and 
 reds  in  heathens  ?  Or  fhail  we  rather  afcribe  this 
 to  the  gracious  redraint  of  God,  who,  having  defign- 
 ed  Amalek  to  the  daughter  of  Ifrael,  and  not  Ifrael  to 
 the  daughter  of  Amalek,  moved  the  hands  of  Ifrael,  and 
 held  the  hands  of  Amalek ;  this  was  that  alone  that  made 
 the  heathens  take  up  with  an  unbloody  revenge,  burn- 
 ing only  the  walls,  and  leading  away  the  perfons.  Ifraci 
 eroded  the  revealed  will  of  God,  in  fparing  Amalek  ;  A- 
 malek  fulfils  the  fecret  will  of  God  in  fparing  IfraeL 
 
 It  was  dill  the  lot  of  Amalek  to  take  Ifrael  at  all 
 advantages;  upon  their  firft  coming  out  of  Egypt,  when 
 they  were  weary,  weak,  and  unarmed,  then  did  A- 
 malek  affault  them.  And  now,  when  one  part  of  If 
 rael  was  in  the  field  againfl  the  Philifiines,  another 
 was  gone  with  x&tPhiliftines  againft  Ifrael :  thtAma- 
 Ickites  fet  upon  the  coads  of  both;  and  go  away  load- 
 ed with  the  fpoil.    No  other  is  to  be  expected  of  our  fpi- 
 
 rirual 
 
BOOK  XIV.    Context,  v 
 
 54. 
 
 ritual  adverfaries,  who  are  ever  readied  to  aiTail  when 
 we  are  the  unreadieft  to  defend. 
 
 It  was  a  woful  fpe&acle  for  David  and  his  foldiers, 
 upon  their  return,  to  find  ruins  and  allies  inilead  of  hou- 
 fcs,  and  inftead  of  their  families,  folitnde;  their  city  was 
 vanilhed  into  fmoke,  their  houfholds  into  captivity ; 
 neither  could  they  know  whom  to  accufe,  or  where 
 to  enquire  for  redrefs.  While  they  made  account  that 
 their  home  mould  recompenfe  their  tedious  journey 
 with  comfort,  the  miferable  defolation  of  their  home 
 doubles  thedifcomfort  of  their  journey  :  what  remain- 
 ed there  but  tears  and  lamentations  y  They  lifted  up 
 their  voices,  and  wept  till  they  could  weep  no  more. 
 Here  was  plenty  of  nothing  but  mifery  and  forrow. 
 The  heart  of  every  Ifraelite  was  brim-full  of  grief: 
 David's  ran  over ;  for,  befides  that  his  crofs  was  the 
 fame  with  theirs,  all  theirs  was  his  alone :  each  man 
 looked  on  his  fellow  as  a  partner  of  affliction ;  but  every 
 one  looked  upon  David  2$  the  caufe  of  all  their  affliction; 
 and,  as  common  difpleafure  is  never  but  fruitful  of  re- 
 venge, they  all  agree  to  (tone  him  as  the  author  of 
 their  undoing,  whom  they  followed  ail  this  while  as 
 the  hopeful  means  of  their  advancements. 
 
 Now  David's  lofs  is  his  leaft  grief;  neither,  as  if 
 every  thing  had  confpired  to  torment  him,  can  he  look 
 befides  the  aggravation  of  his  forrow  and  danger.  Saul 
 and  his  foldiers  had  hunted  him  out  of  Ifracl ;  theP/'/- 
 tifline  courtiers  had  hunted  him  from  the  favour  of  A- 
 chijb  $  the  Amalekiies  fpoiled  him  m  Ziklag  :  yet  all 
 thefe  are  eafy  adverfaries  in  companion  of  his  own; 
 his  own  followers  are  fo  far  from  pining  his  partici- 
 pation  of  the  lofs,  that  they  are  ready  to  kill  him,  be- 
 caufe  they  are  miferable  with  him.  O  the  many  and 
 grievous  perplexities  of  the  man  after  God's  own  heart ! 
 If  all  his  train  had  joined  their  bed  helps  for  the  miti- 
 gation of  his  grief,  their  cordials  had  been  too  weak  ; 
 but  now  the  vexation,  that  arifes  from  their  fury  and 
 
 Vol.  1.  Z  z  z  malice, 
 
546        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 malice,  drowneth  the  fenfe  of  their  lofs,  and  were  e- 
 nough  to  diftracfc  the  mod  refoliite  heart.  Why  fhould 
 it  be  flrange  to  us,  that  we  meet  with  hard  trials, 
 when  wre  fee  the  dear  anointed  of  God  thus  plunged 
 in  evils ! 
 
 What  fhould  the  didrefTed  fon  of  %effe  now  do  ? 
 whither  fhould  he  think  to  turn  him  ?  To  go  back  to 
 Jfrael  he  durft  not;  to  go  to  Achljh  he  might  not;  to 
 abide  among  thofe  wade  heaps  he  could  not;  or,  if 
 there  might  have  been  harbour  in  thofe  burnt  walls, 
 yet  there  could  be  no  fafety  to  remain  with  thofe  mu- 
 tinous fpirits.  But  David  comforted  himfelf  in  the 
 Lord  his  God.  O  happy  and  fure  refuge  of  a 
 faithful  foul  !  The  earth  yielded  him  nothing  but 
 matter  of  difconfolation  and  heavinefs ;  he  lifts  his 
 eyes  above  the  hills,  whence  cometh  his  falvation. 
 It  is  no  marvel  that  God  remembereth  David  in  all  his 
 troubles,  fince  David  in  all  his  troubles  did  thus  re- 
 member his  God  :  he  knew  that  though  no  mortal  eye 
 of  reafon  or  fenfe  could  difcern  any  evafion  from  thefe 
 intricate  evils,  yet  that  the  eye  of  Divine  Providence 
 had  defcried  it  long  before;  and  that,  though  no  hu- 
 man power  could  make  way  for  his  fafety,  yet  that  the 
 over-ruling  hand  of  his  God  could  do  it  with  eafe.  His 
 experience  had  allured  him  of  the  fidelity  of  his  guar- 
 dian in  heaven  ;  and  therefore  he  comforted  himfelf  in 
 the  Lord  his  God. 
 
 In  vain  is  comfort  expected  from  God,  if  we  confult 
 not  with  him.  Abiathar  the  prieft  is  called  for ;  Da- 
 vid was  not  in  the  court  of  Achijb,  without  the  pried 
 by  his  (Jde ;  nor  the  prieft  without  the  ephod  :  had 
 thefe  been  left  behind  in  Ziklag,  they  had  been  mif- 
 carried  w:ith  the  red,  and  David  had  now  been  hope- 
 lefs.  How  well  it  fucceeds  to  the  great,  when  they 
 take  God  with  them  in  his  miniders,  in  his  ordinan- 
 ces ?  As  contrrrily,  when  thefe  are  laid  by,  as  fuper- 
 fiuous,  there  can  be  nothing  but  uncertainty  of  fuc- 
 
 cc  is, 
 
BOOK    XIV.     Contem.  v.  547 
 
 cefs,  cr  certainty  of  mifchief.  The  prefence  of  the 
 prieft  and  ephod  would  have  little  availed  him,  with- 
 out their  ufe ;  by  them  he  a/ks  counfel  of  the  Lord 
 in  thefe  ftraits.  The  mciKh  and  ears  of  God,  which 
 were  (hut  unto  Saul,  are  open  unto  David ;  no  foon- 
 er  can  he  aik,  than  he  receives  anfwer ;  and  the  an- 
 fwer that  he  receives,  is  full  of  courage  and  comfort  ; 
 Follow,  for  thou  /halt  furely  overtake  them,  and 
 recover  all.  That  God  of  truth  never  dilappoint- 
 ed  any  man's  truft.  David  now  finds,  that  the  eye, 
 which  waited  upon  God,  was  not  fent  away  weep- 
 ing. 
 
 David  therefore  and  his  men  are  now  upon  their 
 march  after  the  Amalekites.  It  is  no  lingering  when 
 God  bids  us  go.  They  who  had  promifed  reft  to 
 their  weary  limbs,  after  their  return  from  AchiJIj,  in 
 their  harbour  of  Ziklag,  are  glad  to  forget  their 
 hopes,  and  to  put  their  (tiff  joints  upon  a  new  talk  of 
 motion.  It  is  no  marvel,  if  two  hundred  of  them 
 were  fo  over-tired  with  their  former  toil,  that  they 
 were  not  able  to  pafs  over  the  river  Be/or.  David 
 was  a  true  type  of  Chrift  ;  we  follow  him  in  thefe 
 holy  wars,  againft  the  fpkitual  Amalekites.  All  of 
 us  are  not  of  an  equal  ftrength  ;  fome  are  carried, 
 by  the  vigour  of  their  faith,  through  all  difficulties ; 
 others,  after  long  preflure,  are  ready  to  languifh 
 in  the  way.  Our  leader  is  not  more  itrong  than  pi- 
 tiful ;  neither  doth  he  fcornfully  cafhier  thofe 
 vvhofe  defires  are  hearty,  while  their  abilities  are  un- 
 anfwerable.  How  much  more  fhould  our  charity 
 pardon  the  infirmities  of  our  brethren,  and  allow 
 them  to  fit  by  the  fluff,  who.  cannot  endure  the 
 march  ? 
 
 The  fame  Providence,  which  appointed  David  to 
 follow  the  Amalekites,  had  alfo  ordered  an  Egyp- 
 tian to  be  caft  behind  them.  This  call  fervant,  whom 
 his  cruel  mailer  had  left  to  faintnefs  and  famine,  fnall 
 
 Z  z  z  2  be 
 
5*8        CONTEMPLATIO  N  S. 
 
 be  ufed  as  the  means  cf  the  recovery  of  the  Ifraelltes 
 Jofs,  and  of  the  revenge  of  the  Amalekites.  Had  not 
 his  mailer  neglected  him,  all  thefe  rovers  of  Amalck 
 had  gone  away  with  their  life  and  booty  :  it  is  not 
 fafe  to  defpife  the  mcanefl  vafTal  upon  earth.  There 
 is  a  mercy  and  care  due  to  the  mod  defpicable  piece  of 
 all  humanity,  wherein  we  cannot  be  wanting  without 
 the  offence,  without  the  punifhment  of  God. 
 
 Charity  diilinguifheth  an  Jfradite  from  an  Amale- 
 kite.  Dbvid's  followers  are  itrangers  to  this  Egypti- 
 an ;  an  Amalekite  was  his  mailer ;  his  matter  leaves 
 him  to  die  in  the  field  of  ficknefs  and  hunger ;  thefe 
 flrangers  relieved  him :  and,  ere  they  know  whether 
 they  might,  by  him,  receive  any  light  in  their  pur- 
 fuir,  they  refreih  his  dying  fpirits  with  bread  and  wa- 
 ter, with  figs  and  raiiins;  neither  can  the  hafle  of 
 their  way  be  any  hindrance  to  their  companion.  He 
 hath  no  Ifraelitijb  blood  in  him,  that  is  utterly  merci- 
 lefs  :  perhaps  yet  David's  followers  might  alio,  in 
 the  hope  of  fome  intelligence,  fhew  kindnefs  to  this 
 forlorn  Egyptian.  Worldly  wifdom  teacheth  us  to 
 low  frnall  ccurrefies  where  we  may  reap  large  har- 
 vehY  cf  recompenfe.  No  fooner  are  his  fpirits  recal- 
 led, than  he  requites  his  food  with  information.  1 
 cannot  blame  the  Egyptian,  that  he  was  fo  eafily  in- 
 duced to  defcry  thefe  unkind  Amalekites  to  merciful 
 Israelites;  thofe  that  gave  him  over  unto  death,  to 
 the  rellcrers  of  his  life ;  much  lefs  that,  ere  he  would 
 (defcry  them,  he  requires  an  oath  of  iecurity  from  fo 
 bad  a  matter.  Well  doth  he  match  death  with  fuch 
 a  fervitude.  Wonderful  is  the  providence  of  God,  e- 
 ven  ever  thofe  that  are  not,  in  the  nearefl  bonds, 
 bis  own  !  Three  days,  and  three  nights,  had  this  poor 
 Egyptian  ilave  lain  fick  and  hunger-ilarved  in  the 
 ;,  and  locks  for  nothing  bur  death,  when  God 
 feeds  Lirn  fuccour  from  the  hands  of  thofe  Ifraelites 
 m  he  bad  helped  to  fpoil ;  though  not  fo  much 
 
 for 
 
BOOK   XIV.     Cox  t  em.  v.  $49 
 
 J  or  Ins  fake,  as  for  lfrael\  is  this  hcathenifli  (haggler 
 preserved. 
 
 It  pleafes  God  to  extend  his  common  favours  to  all 
 Lis  creatures;  but,  in  miraculous  preservations,  he  hath 
 fliii  wont  to  have  refpect  to  his  own.  By  this  means 
 therefore  are  the  Ifradites  brought  to  the  fight  of  their 
 laie  ipoiiers,  whom  they  find  fcaitered  abroad,  upon 
 all  the  earth,  eating  and  drinking,  and  dancing  in  tri- 
 umph, for  the  great  prey  they  had  taken. 
 
 ]t  was  three  days  at  lead  fince  this  gainful  foraging 
 of  Amalek ;  and  now,  feeing  no  fear  of  any  pur- 
 fuer,  and  promifing  themfelves  fafety,  in  fo  great  and 
 untraced  a  diihmce,  they  make  themfelves  merry 
 with  fo  rich  and  eafy  a  victory ;  and  now  fuddenly, 
 when  they  began  to  think  of  enjoying  the  booty  and 
 wealth  they  had  gotten,  the  fword  of  David  was  up- 
 on their  throats.  Deftruclion  is  never  nearer,  than 
 when  fecurity  hath  chafed  away  fear.  With  how 
 fad  faces  and  hearts  had  the  wives  of  David,  and  the 
 other  captives  of  Ifrael,  looked  upon  the  triumphal 
 revels  of  Amalek;  and  what  a  change,  do  we  think, 
 appeared  in  them,  when  they  faw  their  happy  and 
 valiant  reicuers  flying  in  upon  their  infolent  victors, 
 and  making  the  death  of  the  Amaldites  the  ranfom 
 of  their  captivity.  They  mourned  even  now  at  the 
 dances  of  Amalek  ;  now,  in  the  fhrieks  and  death 
 of  Amalek,  they  fliout  and  rejoice.  The  mercy  of 
 cur  God  forgets  not  to  interchange  our  for  rows  with 
 joy,  and  the  joy  of  the  wicked  with  forrow. 
 
 The  Amalekites  have  paid  a  dear  loan  for  the  goods 
 of  IJrael,  which  they  now  reftore  with  their  own 
 lives;  and  now  their  fpoil  hath  made  David  richer 
 th^n  he  expected  :  that  booty,  which  they  had  fwept 
 from  all  other  parts,  accrued  to  him. 
 
 Thofe  Ifraelites,  that  could  not  go  on  to  fight  for 
 their  fhare,  are  come  to  meet  their  brethren  with 
 granulation.     How  partial  are  we  wont  to  be  to  our 
 
 own 
 
550  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ami  caufes!    Even    very   Tfraelites  will   be   ready  to 
 fall  out   for  matter  of  profit.     Where   felf-love  hath 
 bred  a  quarrel,  every  man  is  fubjeel  to  {latter  his  own 
 cafe.     It  feemed   plaufible,  and   but  juft  to  the  actors 
 in   this  refcue,  that  thofe,  which  had  taken  no  part  in 
 the  pain  and  hazard  of  the  journey,  fhould    receive 
 no  part  of  the  commodity.     It  was  favour  enough  for 
 them    to   recover    their   wives    and    children,  though     s 
 they  fhared  not  in  the  goods.     Wife  and  holy  David, 
 whofe  praife  was  no  lefs,    to  overcome  his   own    in 
 time  of  peace,  than   his  enemies  in  war,  calls  his  con- 
 tending followers  from   law  to  equity,  and  fo  orders 
 the  matter,  that,  fince  the  plaintiffs  were  detained,  not 
 by  will,   but  by  neceffity,  and  fince  their  forced  flay 
 was  ufeful  in  guarding   the   fluff,  they  fhould  partake 
 equally  of  the  prey  with   their  fellows:    a    fentence 
 well  befeeming  the  juftice  of  God's  anointed.     Thofe, 
 that  reprefent  God   upon  earth,  fhould  refemble  him 
 in  their  proceedings.     It  is  the  juft  mercy  of  our  God 
 to  meafure  us  by  our  wills,  not  by  our  abilities;   to  re- 
 compenfe  us  gracioufly,  according  to  the  truth  of  our 
 defires  and  endeavours ;  and  to  account  that  perform- 
 ed  by   us,  which   he  only  letteth  us  from  performing. 
 It  were  wide  with   us,  if  fometimes  purpofe  did  not 
 iupply  actions.     While  our  heart  fauheth  not,  we  that, 
 through   fpi ritual   ficknefs,    are  fain   to   bide    by    the 
 ftuff,  fhall   fhare    both    in   grace  and   glory   with  the 
 victors. 
 
 Contem,    vi.    The  death  of  Saul. 
 
 THE  witch  of  Endor  had  half  flain  Saul  before 
 the  battle  :  it  is  juft  that  they  who  confult  wkh 
 devils  fhould  go  away  with  difcomfort.  He  hath  eaten 
 his  laft  bread  at  the  hand  of  a  forcerefs ;  and  nowT  ne- 
 ceffity draws  him  into  that  field,  where  he  fees  nothing 
 but  defpair.     Had  not  Saul  believed  the  ill  news  of  the 
 
 counterfeit; 
 
BOOK  XIV.   Gontem.    vi.  551 
 
 counterfeit  Samuel,  he  had  not  been  (truck  down  oa 
 the  ground  with  words:  now  his  belief  made  him 
 defperate.  Thofe  actions,  which  are  not  fuftained  by 
 hope,  mud  needs  languifh,  and  are  only  promoted 
 by  outward  compulfion ;  while  the  mind  is  uncertain 
 of  fuccefs,  it  relieves  itfelf  with  the  poilibilities  of 
 good.  In  doubts  there  is  a  comfortable  mixture  ;  but, 
 when  it  is  allured  of  the  word  event,  it  is  utterly  dif- 
 couraged  and  dejected.  It  hath  therefore  pleafed  the 
 wifdom  of  God  to  hide  from  wicked  men  his  determi- 
 nation of  their  final  eftate,  that  the  remainders  of 
 hope  may  hearten  them  to  good. 
 
 In  all  likelihood,  one  felf-fame  day  faw  Davids,  victor 
 over  the  Amalekites,  and  SWdifcomfited  by  the  Phi- 
 Uftines  ;  how  ihould  it  be  otherways  ?  David  consult- 
 ed with  God,  and  prevailed  ;  Saul  with  the  witch  of 
 Endor,  and  periliieth.  The  end  is  commonly  anfwer- 
 able  to  the  way  :  it  is  an  idle  unjuftice,  when  we  do  ill, 
 to  look  to  fpeed  well.  The  (laughter  of  Saul  and  his 
 fons  was  not  in  the'  firfr.  fcene  of  this  tragical  field ; 
 that  was  rather  refer ved  by  God  for  the  lafl  act,  that 
 Said\  meafure  might  be  full.  God  is  long  ere  he 
 f bikes,  but  when  he  doth,  it  is  to  purpofe.  Firft, 
 Ifrael  flies  and  falls  down  wounded  in  mount  Gilboa  : 
 they  h-i  their  part  in  SauPs  fin;  they  were  actors  in 
 David's  perfecution  ;  jultly  therefore  do  they  furfer 
 with  him  whom  they  had  feconded  in  offence.  As 
 EC  is  hard  to  be  good  under  an  evil  prince,  fo  it  is  as 
 rare  not  to  be  enwrapped  in  his  judgments.  It  was 
 eo  fmall  addition  to  the  anguifh  of  Saul's  death,  to  fee 
 Lis  ions  dead,  to  fee  his  people  flying  and  ilain  be- 
 fore him  ;  they  had  finned  in  their  king,  and  in  them 
 is  their  king  puniihcd.  The  reft  were  not  io  worthy 
 of  pity ;  but  whole  heart  would  it  not  touch  to  fee 
 Jonathan, 'the  good  foil  of  a  wicked  father,  involved 
 in  the  common  deftruction  ?  Death  is  not  partial :  all 
 difpofitions,  all  merits  are  alike  to  it,     If  valour,    if 
 
 holinds, 
 
552        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 holinefs,  if  finccrit^  of  heart,  could  have  been  any  de- 
 fence againft  mortality,  Jonathan  bad  furvived.  Now, 
 by  their  wounds  and  death,  no  man  can  difcern  which 
 is  Jonathan ;  the  foul  only  finds  the  difference,  which 
 the  body  admirteth  not.  Death  is  the  common  gate 
 both  to  heaven  and  hell ;  we  all  pafs  that,  ere  our 
 turning  to  either  hand.  The  fword  of  the  Philiftines 
 fetch  eth  Jonathan  through  it  with  his  fellows ;  no 
 fooner  is  his  foot  over  that  threfhold,  than  God  con- 
 ducted him  to  glory.  The  belt  cannot  be  happy  but 
 through  their  diffolution  ;  now  therefore  hath  Jona- 
 than no  caufe  of  complaint ;  he  is,  by  the  rude  ancj 
 cruel  hand  of  a  Philiftine,  but  removed  to  a  better  king- 
 dom than  he  leaves  to  his  brother  :  and  at  once  is  his 
 death  both  a  temporal  affliction  to  the  fon  of  Saul,  and 
 an  entrance  of  glory  to  the  friend  of  David. 
 
 The  ■  Philiftine  archers  (hot  at  random  ;  God  directs 
 their  arrows  into  the  body  of  Saul.  Left  the  difcom- 
 fiture  of  his  people,  and  the  daughter  of  his  fons, 
 Ihould  not  be  grief  enough  to  him,  he  feels  himfelf 
 wounded,  and  fees  nothing  before  him  but  horror  and 
 death  ;  and  now,  as  a  man  forfaken  of  all  hopes,  he 
 begs  of  his  armour-bearer  that  death's  blow,  which 
 elfe  he  mud,  to  the  doubling  of  his  indignation,  re- 
 ceive from  a  Philiftine.  He  begs  this  bloody  favour 
 of  his  fervant,  and  is  denied.  Such  an  awfulnefs  hath 
 God  placed  in  fovereignty,  that  no  entreaty,  no  ex- 
 tremity, can  move  the  hand  agairift  it.  What  metal 
 are  thofe  men  made  of,  that  can  fugged  or  refolve, 
 and  attempt  the  violation  of  majefty  ?  Wicked  men 
 care  more  for  the  fhame  of  the  world,  than  the  dan- 
 ger of  their  fouls.  Defperate  Said  will  now  fupply 
 his  armour-bearer;  and,  as  a  man  that  bore  arms-  a- 
 gainft  himfelf,  he  falls  upon  his  own  fword.  What 
 if  he  had  died  by  the  weapon  of  a  Philiftine  f  fo  did 
 his  fon  Jonathan,  and  loft  no  glory:  thefe  conceits 
 of  difrepmation  prevail  with   carnal  hearts,  above  all 
 
 fpiritnai 
 
BOOK  XIV.     Co  nt  em.  vi.         553 
 
 fpiritual  refpecls.  There  is  no  greater  murderer  than 
 vain  glory.  Norhing  more  argues  an  heart  void  of 
 grace,  than  to  be  tranfported  by  idle  popularity  into 
 actions  prejudicial  to  the  foul. 
 
 Evil  examples,  efpecially  of  the  great,  never  efcaped 
 imitation ;  the  armour-bearer  of  Saul  follows  his  ma- 
 iler, and  dares  do  that  to  himfelf,  which  to  his  king 
 he  duril  not ;  as  if  their  own  fwords  had  been  more 
 familiar  executioners,  they  yielded  unto  them  what 
 they  grudged  to  their  puriuers.  From  the  beginning 
 was  Saul  ever  his  own  enemy,  neither  did  any  hands 
 hurt  him  but  his  own  ;  and  now  his  death  is  fuitable 
 to  his  life  :  his  own  hand  pays  him  the  reward  of  all 
 his  wickednefs.  The  end  of  hypocrites  and  envious 
 men  is  commonly  fearful.  Now  is  the  blood  of  God's 
 priefts,  which  Saul  fhed,  and  of  David,  which  he 
 would  have  (lied,  required,  and  requited.  The  evil 
 fpirit  had  faid  the  evening  before,  To-morrow  thou 
 Jhalt  be  with  me;  and  now  Saul  hafleth  to  make 
 the  devil  no  liar  ;  rather  than  fail,  he  gives  himfelf 
 his  own  mittimus.  O  the  woful  extremities  of  a  de- 
 fpairing  foul,  plunging  him  ever  into  a  greater  mif- 
 chief  to  avoid  the  lefs!  He  might  have  been  a  patient 
 in  another's  violence,  and  faultlefs ;  now,  while  he 
 will  needs  a&  the  PhUiftine's  part  upon  himfelf,  he 
 lived  and  died  a  murderer  :  the  cafe  is  deadly,  w*hen 
 the  prifoner  breaks  his  jail,  and  will  not  flay  for  his 
 delivery  ;  and  though  we  may  not  pafs  fentence  upon 
 iuch  a  foul,  yet  upon  the  fact  we  may ;  the  foul  may 
 poiTibly  repent  in  the  parting  ;  the  a$  is  heinous  and 
 fuch  as,  without  repentance,  kiils  the  foul. 
 
 It  was  the  next  day,  ere  the  Philifiines  knew  how 
 much  they  were  victors;  then,  finding  the  dead  corpfe 
 of  Saul  and  his  fons,  they  begin  their  triumphs.  The 
 head  of  king  Saul  is  cut  off  in  lieu  of  Goliab's,  and 
 now  all  their  idol  temples  ring  of  their  fuccefs.  Fooliih 
 fhU'iflines  !  if  they  had  not  been  more  beholden  to 
 
 Vol.  J.  Aaaa  Saul's, 
 
554        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 Saul's  fins  than  their  gods,  they  had  never  carried 
 away  the  honour  of  thofe  trophies ;  inftead  of  mag- 
 nifying the  juftice  of  the  true  God,  who  punifhed 
 Saul  with  deferved  death,  they  magnify  the  power 
 of  the  falfe :  fuperftkion  is  extremely  injurious  to  God. 
 it  is  no  better  than  theft  to  afcribe  unto  the  fecond 
 caufes  that  honour  which  is  due  unto  the  firft ;  but  to 
 give  God's  glory  to  thofe  things  which  neither  a<ft, 
 nor  are,  it  is  the  higheffc  degree  of  fpiritual  robbery. 
 
 Saul  was  none  of  the  heft  kings  ;  yet  fo  impatient 
 are  his  fubje&s  of  the  indignity  offered  to  his  dead 
 corpfe,  that  they  will  rather  leave  their  own  bones 
 amongft  the  PhiUjlines*  than  the  carcafe  of  Saul.  Such 
 a  clofe  relation  there  is  betwixt  a  prince  and  fubjeft, 
 that  the  diihoncur  of  either  is  infeparable  from  both. 
 How  willing  fhonld  we  be  to  hazard  our  bodies  or 
 fubflance  for  the  vindication  either  of  the  perfon  or 
 name  of  a  good  king,  while  he  lives  to  the  benefit  of 
 our  protection  ?  It  is  an  unjuft  ingratitude  in  thofe 
 men  which  can  endure  the.  difgrace  of  them,  un- 
 der whofe  flicker  they  live  ;  but  how  unnatural  is 
 the  villany  of  thofe  ntifcrearits,  that  can  be  content 
 to  be  a&ors  in  the  capital  wrongs  offered  to  fovereign 
 authority ! 
 
 It  were  a  wonder,  if,  after  the  death  of  a  prince, 
 there  mould  want  feme  pick  thank  to  infnuate  him- 
 fdf  into  his  fucceflbr.  An  Amalekite  young  man 
 rides  port  to  Zihlag  to  fiad  out  David,  whom  even 
 common  rumour  had  notified  for  the  anointed  heir 
 to  the  kingdom  of  IfracI,  to  be  the  firfi:  meffenger  of 
 that  news,  which  he  thought  could  be  no  other  than 
 acceptable,  the  death  of  Saul;  and,  that  the  tidings 
 might  be  Ho  much  more  meritorious,  he  adds  to  the 
 report  what  he  thinks  might  carry  the  greatefl  re- 
 tribution. In  hope  of  reward  or  honour,  the  man 
 is  Content  to  beiie  himfelf  to  David:  it  was  not  the 
 jfpear-  but  the  fwoi  d  of  Saulj  that  was  the  inftrument 
 
 of 
 
BOOK   XIV.      Co  nt  em.  vi.         S55 
 
 or  his  death;  neither  could  this  ftranger  find  Saul, 
 but  dying,  iince  the  armour-bearer  of  Saul  faw  him 
 dead  ere  he  offered  that  violence  to  himfelf:  the 
 hand  of  this  Amalckite  therefore  was  not  guilty,  hi^ 
 tongue  was.  Had  not  this  meffenger  meafured  Da- 
 vid's  foot  by  his  own  lad,  he  had  forborn  this  piece 
 of  the  news,  and  not  hoped  to  advantage  himfelf  by 
 this  falfhood.  Now  lie  thinks  the  tidings  of  a  king- 
 dom cannot  but  pleafe ;  none  but  Saul  and  Jonathan 
 flood  in  David's  way  :  he  cannot  chufe  but  like  to 
 hear  of  their  removal ;  efpecially  fince  Saul  did  fo 
 tyrannoufly  perfecute  his  innocence.  If  I  fhall  only 
 report  the  fact  done  by  another,  I  (hall  go  away  but 
 with  the  recompenfe  of  a  lucky  poll ;  whereas,  If  I 
 take  upon  me  the  aclion,  I  am  the  man  to  .whom 
 David  is  beholden  for  the  kingdom  :  he  cannot  but 
 honour  and  requite  me  as  the  author  of  his  deliver- 
 ance and  happinefs.  Worldly  minds  think  no  man  can 
 be  of  any  other  than  their  own  diet ;  and  becaufe 
 they  find  the  refpe&s  of  felf-love,  and  private  profit, 
 fo  itrongly  prevailing  with  themfelves,  they  cannot 
 conceive  how  thefe  ihould  be  capable  of  a  repulie 
 from  others. 
 
 How  much  was  this  Amalckite  mocked  of  his  hopes ! 
 While  he  imagined  that  David  would  now  triumph, 
 and  feafl  in  the  allured  expectation  of  the  kingdom, 
 and  pofieiTion  of  the  crown  of  Ifrael,  he  finds  him 
 renting  his  clothes,  and  wringing  his  hands,  and  weep- 
 ing and  mourning  as  if  all  his  comfort  had  been  dead 
 with  Saul  and  Jonathan :  and  yet  perhaps  he  thought, 
 This  forrow  of  David  is  but  fafhionable,  fuch  as 
 great  heirs  make  mew  of  in  the  fatal  day  they  have 
 longed  for  ;  thefe  tears  will  be  foon  dry ;  the  light 
 of  a  crown  will  foon  breed  a  fucceflion  of  other  paf- 
 fions :  but  this  error  is  foon  corrected ;  for  when 
 David  had  entertained  this  bearer  with  a  fad  fad  all 
 the  day,  he  calls  him  forth  in  the  evening  to  execu- 
 A  a  a  a  2  tion, 
 
556         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 tion,  How,  waft  thou  not  afraid,  faith  he,  to  put 
 forth  thy  hand  to  de/lroy  the  anointed  of  the  Lord  f 
 Doubtlefs  the  Amalekite  made  many  fair  pleas  for 
 himfelf,  out  of  the  grounds  of  his  own  report.  Alas! 
 Saul  was  before  fallen  upon  his  own  fpear  ;  it  was 
 but  mercy  to  kill  him  that  was  half  dead,  that  he 
 might  die  the  fhorter ;  belides,  his  entreaty  and  im- 
 portunate prayers  moved  me  to  haiten  him  through 
 thofe  painful  gates  of  death  ;  had  I  flricken  him  as 
 an  enemy,  I  had  deferved  the  blow  I  had  given ;  now 
 I  lent  him  the  hand  of  a  friend  ;  why  am  I  punifhed 
 for  obeying  the  voice  of  a  king,  and  for  perfecting 
 what  himfelf  had  begun,  and  could  not  finifh?  And  if 
 neither  his  own  wound,  nor  mine,  had  difpatched  him, 
 the  Philijlines  were  at  his  heels,  ready  to  do  this 
 fame  aft  with  infultation,  which  I  did  in  favour  ;  and 
 if  my  hand  had  not  prevented  him,  where  had  been 
 the  crown  of  Ifrael,  which  I  now  have  here  prefent- 
 ed  to  thee  ?  I  could  have  delivered  that  to  king  A- 
 chifh,  and  have  been  rewarded  with  honour  :  let  me 
 not  die  for  an  act  well  meant  to  thee,  however  con- 
 Itrued  by  thee.  But  no  pretence  can  make  his  own 
 tale  not  deadly  :  Thy  blood  be  upon  thine  own  head, 
 for  thine  own  mouth  hath  tefl'ified  againft  thee  fay- 
 ing, I  have  flain  the  Lord* s  anointed.  It  is  a  jufl 
 f apportion,  that  every  man  is  fo  great  a  favourer  of 
 himfelf,  that  he  will  not  mifreport  his  own  anions, 
 nor  fay  the  worfl  of  himfelf.  In  matter  of  confef- 
 £on,  men  may,  without  injury,  be  taken  at  their 
 words :  if  he  did  it,  his  fact:  was  capital ;  if  he  did  it 
 not,  his  lid  It  is  pity  any  other  recompenfe  mould 
 befal  thofe  falfe  flatterers,  that  can  be  content  to  fa- 
 ther a  fin  to  get  thanks.  Every  drop  of  royal  blood 
 is  facred  ;  for  a  man  to  fay  that  he  hath  fried  it,  is 
 mortal.  Of  how  far  different  fpirits  from  this  of  Da- 
 vid, are  thofe  men  which  fuborn  the  death  of  princes, 
 and  celebrate  and  canonize  the  murderers !  Into  their 
 
 fee  ret 
 
BOOK  XIV.     Contem,  vii.         557 
 
 fecret,    let  not  my  foul  come  ;    my  glory ,  be  not  thou 
 joined  to  their  ajfembly. 
 
 Contem.  vii.      An7ER^iJoAB. 
 
 HOW  merciful  and  feafonable  are  the  provifions 
 of  God !  Ziklag  was  now  nothing  but  ruins  and 
 allies :  David  might  return  to  the  foil  where  it  flood, 
 to  the  roofs  and  walls  he  could  not :  no  fooner  is  he 
 difappointed  of  that  harbour,  than  God  provides  him 
 cities  of  Hebron  :  Said  lhall  die  to  give  him  elbow- 
 room.     Now  doth  David  find  the  comfort  that  his 
 extremity  fought  in  the  Lord  his  God.     Now  are  his 
 clouds  for  a  time  pafTed  over,  and  the  fun  breaks 
 glorioufly  forth  :  David  fhall  reign  after  his  fufier- 
 ings.     So  (hall  we,  if  we  endure  to  the  end,  find  a 
 crown  of  righteoufnefs,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous 
 Judge,  mall  give  us  at  that  day.     But  though  David 
 well  knew  that  his  head  was  long  before  anointed, 
 and  had  heard  Saul  himfelf  confidently  avouching  his 
 fuccefiion,  yet  he  will  not  ftir  from  the  heaps  of  Zik- 
 lag, till  he  has  confulted  with  the  Lord.     It  did  not 
 content  him,  that  he  had  God's  warrant  for  the  king- 
 dom, but  he  mud  have  his  inftru&ions  for  the  taking 
 poifellion  of  it.    How  fafe  and  happy  is  the  man  that 
 is  refolved  to  do  nothing  without  God !  Neither  will 
 generalities  of  direction  be  fuificient ;  even  particular 
 circumftances  mud  look  for  a  word :  flill  is   God  a 
 pillar  of  fire  and  cloud  to  the  eye  of  every  Jfraelite  : 
 neither  may  there  be  any  motion  or  flay  but  from 
 him  ;  that  action  cannot  but  fucceed,  which  proceeds 
 upon  fo  fure  a  warrant. 
 
 God  fends  him  to  Hebron,  a  city  of  Judah ;  neither 
 will  David  go  up  thither  alone,  but  he  takes  with  him 
 all  his  men,  with  their  whole  houfholds ;  they  lhall 
 take  fuch  part  as  himfelf ;  as  they  had  fhared  with 
 him  in  his  mifery,  fo  they  fhall  now  in  his  profperity: 
 
 neither 
 
558        CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 neither  doth  he  take  advantage  of  their  late  mutiny, 
 which  was  yet  frefh  and  green,  to  cafhier  thofe  un- 
 thankful and  ungracious  followers ;  but,  pardoning 
 their  fecret  rebellions,  he  makes  them  partakers  of  his 
 good  fucceis.  Thus  doth  our  heavenly  leader,  whom 
 David  prefigured,  take  us  to  reign  with  him  who  have 
 fufFered  with  him.  Palling  by  our  manifold  infirmi- 
 ties, as  if  they  had  not  been,  he  removeth  us  from 
 the  land  of  our  banilhment,  and  the  afhes  of  our  for- 
 lorn Ziklag,  to  the  Hebron  of  our  peace  and  glory ; 
 the  expectation  of  this  day  mult,  as  it  did  with  Da-tid's 
 foldiers,  digeft  all  our  forrows. 
 
 Never  any  calling  of  God  was  fo  confpicuous,  as 
 not  to  find  fome  oppofites.  What  Ifraelite  did  not 
 know  David  appointed  by  God  to  the  fuccellion  of 
 the  kingdom  ?  Even  the  Amalekite  could  carry  the 
 crown  to  him  as  the  true  owner :  yet  there  wants 
 not  an  Abner  to  refill  him,  and  the  title  of  an  Ijhbo- 
 JJjeth  to  colour  his  refillance.  If  any  of  Saul's  houfe 
 could  have  made  challenge  to  the  crown,  it  mould 
 have  been  MephiboJJjeth  the  fon  of  Jonathan  :  who, 
 it  feems,  had  too  much  of  his  father's  blood  to  be 
 a  competitor  with  David :  the  queflion  is  not,  who 
 may  claim  the  moll  right,  but  who  may  bell  ferve  the 
 faction ;  neither  was  Iflibofljeth  any  other  than  Ab- 
 7?er's  Hall.  Said  could  not  have  a  fitter  courtier ; 
 whether  in  the  imitation  of  his  mailer's  envy,  or  the 
 ambition  of  ruling  under  a  borrowed  name,  he  Urong- 
 ly  oppofed  David.  There  are  thofe  who  flrive  a- 
 gainfl  their  own  hearts,  to  make  a  fide  with  whom 
 confcience  is  opprelfed  by  affeclion.  An  ill  quarrel 
 once  undertaken  lhall  be  maintained,  although  with 
 blood :  now,  not  fo  much  the  blood  of  Said,  as  the 
 engagement  of  Abner  makes  the  war.  The  fons  of  Ze- 
 ruiah  Hand  fall  to  David.  It  is  much  how  a  man  pla- 
 ceth  his  firfb  interell :  if  Abner  had  been  in  Joab's 
 room,  when  Saul's  difpleafure  drove  David  from  the 
 
 court- 
 
BOOK   XIV.      Contem.  vii.        S59 
 
 court,  or  Joab  in  Abner' %^  thefe  anions,  thefe  events 
 had  been  changed  with  the  perfons :  it  was  the  only 
 happinefs  of  Joab  that  he  fell  on  the  better  fide. 
 
 Both  the  commanders  under  David  and  IJbbo- 
 Jbetb  were  equally  cruel :  both  are  fo  inured  to  blood, 
 that  they  make  but  a  fport  of  killing.  Cuftom  makes 
 fin  fo  familiar,  that  the  horror  of  it  is  to  fome  turned 
 into  pleafure.  Come  let  the  young  men  play  before  us. 
 Abner  is  the  challenger,  and  fpeeds  thereafter :  for 
 though,  in  the  matches  of  duel,  both  fides  mifcarri- 
 ed,  yet,  in  the  following  conflict,  Abner  and  his  men 
 are  beaten :  by  the  fuccefs  of  thofe  lingle  combats  no 
 man  knows  the  better  of  the  caufe :  both  fides  perifh, 
 to  (hew  how  little  God  liked  either  the  offer  or  the 
 acceptation  of  fuch  a  trial:  but,  when  both  did  their 
 bed,  God  punifneth  the  wrong  part  with  difcomfi- 
 ture. 
 
 O  the  mifcry  of  civil  diiTenfion  !  Ifrael  and  Judah 
 were  brethren ;  one  carried  the  name  of  the  fa- 
 ther, the  other  of  the  fon.  Judah  was  but  a  branch 
 of  Ifrael ;  Ifrael  was  the  root  of  Judah  :  yet  Ij, met 
 and  Judah  mull  fight,  and  kill  each  other,  only 
 upon  the  quarrel  of  an  ill  leader's  ambition.  The 
 fpeed  of  Afahel  was  not  greater  than  his  courage.  It 
 was  a  mind  fit  for  one  of  Davids  worthies,  to  ilrike 
 at  the  head,  to  match  himfelf  with  the  bed.  He  was 
 both  fwift  and  ftrong  ;  but  the  race  is  not  to  the  fvAff, 
 nor  the  battle  to  the  J? rang.  If  he  had  gone  never  fo 
 flowiy,  he  might  have  overtaken  death :  now  he  runs 
 to  fetch  it.  So  little  lufl  had  Abner  to  fhed  the  blood 
 of  a  fon  of  Zeruiah,  that  he  twice  advifes  him  to  re- 
 treat from  purfuing  his  own  peril.  Afabel's  caufe  was 
 fo  much  better  as  Abner's  fuccefs.  Many  a  one  mjf- 
 carries  in  the  rafh  profecution  of  a  good  quarrel, 
 when  the  abettors  of  the  word:  part  go  away  with 
 victory.     Heat  of  zeal,  fometimes,  in  the  iindifcreer 
 
 purfuit 
 
56o        C  Q  N  T  E  M  P  L  A  T  IONS. 
 
 purfuit  cf  a  juft  adverfary,  proves  mortal  to  the  agent, 
 prejudicial  to  the  fervice. 
 
 Jiner,  while  he  kills,  yet  he  flies,  and  runs  away 
 from  his  own  death,  while  he  inflicts  it  upon  another. 
 David's  followers  had  the  better  of  the  field  and  day. 
 The  fun,    as  unwilling   to  fee  any  more  Jfraelitijb 
 blood  flied  by  brethren,    hath    withdrawn   himfelf: 
 and  now  both  parts,  having  got  the  advantage  of  an 
 hill  under  them,  have  fife  convenience  of  parley: 
 Abner  begins,  and  perfuades  Joab   to   furceafe   the 
 light ;    Shall  the  /word  devour  for  ever  ?     Knowefl 
 thou  net,  that  it  will  be  bitternefs  in  the  end?     Hozu 
 long  fhall  it  be   ere   thou  bid  the  people  return  from 
 following  their  brethren.     It  was  his  fault,  that  the 
 iword  devoured  at  all :  and  why  was  not  the  begin- 
 ning of  a  civil  war  bitternefs  ?    Why  did  he  call  fortli 
 the  people   to  ikirmifh,  and  invite   them  to  death  ? 
 Had  Abner  been  on  the  winning  hand,  this  motion 
 luid  been  thank-worthy.     It  was  a  noble  difpoftion  in 
 a  victor,  to  call  for  a  cefTation  of  arms :  whereas  ne- 
 cefiity  wrings  this  fuit  from  the  over-maftered.     There 
 cannot  be  a  greater  praife  to  a  valiant  and  wife  comman- 
 der, than  a  propenfion  to  all  juft  terms  of  peace :  for 
 war,  as  it  is  fometimes  necefifary,  fo  it  is  always  evil : 
 and  if  fighting  have  any  other  end  propofed  befides 
 peace,  it  proves  murder.    Abner  fhall  find  himfelf  no  lefs 
 overcome  by  Joab  in  clemency,  than  power :  he  fays 
 not,  I  will  not  (o  eafiiy  leave  the  advantage  of  my  victo- 
 ry ;  fince  the  dice  of  war  run  on  my  fide,  I  will  follow 
 the  chance  of  my  good  fuccefs:  thou  fiiouldft  have  con- 
 fidered  of  this  before  thy  provocation :  it  is  now  too  late 
 to  move  unto  forbearance.     But,  as  a  man  that  meant 
 to  approve  himfelf  equally  free  from  cowardice  in  the 
 beginning  of  the  conflict,  and  from  cruelty  in  the  end, 
 he  profeiTeth  his  forwardnefs  to  entertain  any  pre- 
 tence of  flieathing  up  the  fwords  of  Jfrael;  andfwears 
 to  Abner,  that  if  it  had  not  been  for  his  proud  irrita- 
 tion, 
 
BOOK   XIV.    Con t  em.    vit.        56c 
 
 ^tion,  the  people  had  in  the  morning  before  ceafed 
 from  that  bloody  pnrfuit  of  their  brethren.  As  ir  be- 
 comes public  perfons  to  be  lovers  of  peace,  fo  they 
 muft  mew  it  upon  all  good  occafions :  letting  pafs  no 
 opportunity  of  making  fpare  of  blood. 
 
 Ifljbofheth  was,  it  feems,  a  man  of  no  great  fpirits ; 
 for,  being  no  lefs  than  forty  years  old  when  his  fa- 
 ther went  into  his  lad  field  againft  the  Philiftines,  he 
 was  content  to  ftay  at  home.  Abner  hath  put  ambiti- 
 on  into  him;  and  hath  eafily  raifed  him  to  the  head  of 
 a  faction,  againft  the  anointed  prince  of  God's  people. 
 If  this  ufurped  crown  of  SauPs  fon  had  any  worth  or 
 glory  in  it,  he  cannot  but  acknowledge  to  owe  it  all 
 unto  Abner;  yet  how  forward  is  unthankful  IJbbo- 
 Jbeth  to  receive  a  falfe  fuggeftion  againft  his  chief  a- 
 bettor :  Wherefore  haft  thou  gone  in  to  my  father's 
 concubine  f  He  that  made  no  confeience  of  an  un- 
 juft  claim  to  the  crown,  and  a  maintenance  of  it  with 
 blood,  yet  feems  fcrupulous  of  a  lefs  fin,  that  carried 
 in  it  the  colour  of  a  difgrace  :  the  touch  of  her,  who 
 had  been  'honoured  by  his  father's  bed,  feemed  an  in- 
 tolerable prefumption,  and  fuch  as  could  not  be  feve- 
 red from  his  own  difhonour.  Self-love  fometimes  bor- 
 rows the  face  of  honeft  zeal.  Thofe,  who  out  of  true 
 grounds  diflike  fins,  do  hate  them  all  indifferently, 
 according  to  their  heinoufnefs ;  hypocrites  are  partial 
 in  their  deteftation,  bewraying  ever  mod  bitternefs 
 againft  thofe  offences,  which  may  moil  prejudice  their 
 perfons  and  reputations. 
 
 It  is  as  dangerous  as  unjuft  for  princes  to  give  both 
 their  ears  and  their  heart  to  mifgrounded  rumours  of 
 their  innocent  followers.  This  wrong  hath  ftripped 
 Iflibofheth  of  the  kingdom.  Abner  in  the  mean  time 
 cannot  be  excufed  from  a  treacherous  inconftancy  :  if 
 Saul's  fon  had  no  true  title  to  the  crown,  why  did  he 
 maintain  it  ?  if  he  had,  why  did  he  forfake  the  caufe 
 and  perfon  ?  Had  Abner,  out  of  remorfe,  for  farther*- 
 
 Vol.  1.  B  b  b  b  ins 
 
$6i         CONTEMPLATIONS. 
 
 ing  a  falfe  claim,  taken  off  his  hand,  I  know  not  where- 
 in he  could  be  blamed,  except  for  not  doing  it  fooner; 
 but  now  to  withdraw  his  profeffed  allegiance,  upon 
 a  private  revenge,  was  to  take  a  lewd  leave  of  an  ill 
 action.  If  Ifbboflxth  were  his  lawful  prince,  no  inju- 
 ry could  warrant  a  revolt.  Even  betwixt  private  perfons, 
 a  return  of  wrongs  is  both  uncharitable  and  unjuft,  how- 
 ever this  go  current  for  the  common  juftice  of  the  world  ; 
 how  much  more  fhould  we  learn,  from  a  fupreme  hand, 
 to  take  hard  meafures  with  thanks  ?  It  had  been  Ab- 
 nerh  duty,  to  have  given  his  king  a  peaceable  and 
 humble  fatisfadYion,  and  not  to  fly  out  in  a  fnuff.  If 
 the  f fir  it  of  the  ruler  rife  up  agahifl  thee,  leave 
 not  thy  place ;  for  yielding  pacifieth  great  offences. 
 Now,  his  impatient  falling,  although  to  the  right  fide, 
 makes  him  no  better  than  traiterouily  honed. 
 
 So  foon  as  Abner  hath  entertained  a  refolution  of 
 his  rebellion,  he  perfuades  the  elders  of  Ifrael  to  ac- 
 company him  in  the  change  :  and  whence  doth  he  fetch 
 his  main  motive,  but  from  the  oracle  of  God  ?  The 
 Lord  hath  fpoken  of  David,  faying,  By  the  hand 
 of  my  fervant  David  will  I  five  my  people  Ifrael 
 out  of  the  hand  of  the  Philiftines,  and  out  of  the 
 hand  of  all  their  enemies,  Abner  knew  this  full 
 well  before,  yet  then  was  well  content  to  fmother  a 
 known  truth  for  his  own  turn,  and  now,  that  the  pub- 
 lication of  it  may  ferve  for  his  advantage,  he  wins  the 
 heart  of  Ifrael,  by  (hewing  God's  charter  for  him  whom 
 he  had  fo  long  oppofed.  Hypocrites  make  ufe  of 
 God  for  their  own  purpofes,  and  care  only  to  make 
 divine  authority  a  colour  for  their  own  defigns.  No 
 man  ever  heard  Abner  godly  till  now ;  neither  had  he 
 been  fo  at  this  time,  if  he  had  not  intended  a  revenge- 
 ful departure  from  Ifhbofheth.  Nothing  is  more  odi- 
 ous, than  to  make  religion  a  flalking-horfe  to  policy. 
 
 Who  can  but  glorify   God   in  his  juftice,  when  he 
 fees  the  bitter  end  of  this  treacherous  diffimulatioa  ? 
 
 David 
 
BOOK    XIV.    Contem.   vii.         563 
 
 David  may,  upon  confiderations  of  ftate,  entertain 
 his  new  guefl  with  a  feaft  j  and  well  might  he  feem 
 to  deferve  a  welcome,  that  undertakes  to  bring  all  If~ 
 rael  to  the  league  and  homage  of  David ;  but  God  ne- 
 ver meant  to  ufe  fo  unworthy  means  for  fo  good  a 
 work,  %oab  returns  from  purfuing  a  troop,  and  find- 
 ing Abner  difmifled  in  peace,  and  expectation  of  a  be- 
 neficial return,  follows  him,  and  whether  out  of  en- 
 vy at  a  new  rival  of  honour,  or  out  of  the  revenge 
 of  Afahel,  he  repays  him  both  diffimulation  and  death. 
 God  doth  moil  jullly  by  %oab,  that  which  $oab  did 
 for  himfelf  mod  unjuftly ;  I  know  not,  fetting  the  quar- 
 rel afide,  whether  we  can  worthily  blame  Abner  for  the 
 death  of  Afahel,  who  would  needs,  after  fair  warnings, 
 run  himfelf  upon  Abner 's  fpear  :  yet  this  fact  fliall  pro- 
 cure his  payment  for  worfe.  Now  is  lfhbojhethh 
 wrong  revenged  by  an  enemy.  We  may  ,  not  always 
 meafure  the  juflice  of  God's  proceedings  by  prefent 
 occafions;  he  needs  not  make  us  acquainted,  or  afk 
 us  leave,  when  he  will  call  for  the  arrearages  of  for- 
 gtoten  fins. 
 
 End  of  the  First  Volume, 
 
BS491.H177v.l 
 Contemplations  on  the  historical 
 
 Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 
 
 1   1012  00057  6050 
 
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