sinne The sinnes of the great command imitation and doe as seldome goe without attendants as their persons Saul knew well how much he had done amisse and yet dare meet Samuel and can say Blessed be thou of the Lord I haue fulfilled the Commandement of the Lord His heart knew that his tongue was as false as his hands had beene and if his heart had not been more false then either of them neither of them had beene so grosse in their falshood If hypocrisie were not either foolish or impudent shee durst not shew her head to a Seer of God Could Saul thinke that Samuel knew of the asses that were lost and did not know of the oxen and sheepe that were spared Could hee foretell his thoughts when it was and now not know of his open actions Much lesse when we haue to doe with God himselfe would dissimulation presume either of safety or secrecie Can the God that made the heart not know it Can hee that comprehends all things be shut out of our close corners Saul was otherwise crafty enough yet herein his simplicitie is palpable Sinne can besot euen the wisest man and there was neuer but folly in wickednesse No man brags so much of holinesse as hee that wants it True obedience is ioyned euer with humilitie and feare of vnknowne errours Falshood is bold and can say I haue fulfilled the Commandement of the Lord If Saul had beene truely obsequious and holy he had made no noise of it A gracious heart is not a blab of his tongue but rests and reioyceth silently in the conscience of a secret goodnesse those vessels yeeld most sound that haue the least liquor Samuel had reason to beleeue the sheepe and oxen aboue Saul their bleating and lowing was a sufficient conuiction of a denied and out faced disobedience God opened their mouths to accuse Saul of their life and his falshood but as sinne is craftie and neuer wanted a cloake wherewith both to hide and decke it selfe euen this very rebellion is holy First the act if it were euill was not mine but the peoples and secondly their intention makes it good For these Flocks and Herds were preserued not for gaine but for deuotion What needs this quarrell If any gaine by this act it is the Lord thy God His Altars shall smoake with these sacrifices yee that serue at them shall fare so much the better this godly thriftinesse lookes for thankes rather then censure If Saul had beene in Samuels cloathes perhaps this answer would haue satisfied him Surely himselfe stands out in it as that whereto hee dare trust and after hee heares of Gods angry reproofe hee auowes and doubles his hold of his innocency as if the Commanders should not answer for the knowne sinnes of the people as if our intentions could iustifie vs to God against God How much adoe it is to bring sinners vpon their knees and to make their tongues accuse their hands But it is no halting with the maker of the heart He knew it was couetousnesse and not piety which was accessary to this forbearance and if it had beene as was pretended bee knew it was an odious impietie to raise deuotion out of disobedience Saul shall heare and finde that he hath dealt no lesse wickedly in sparing an Agag then in killing an innocent Israelite in sparing these beasts for sacrifice then in sacrificing beasts that had beene vncleane Why was sacrifice it selfe good but because it was commanded What difference was there betwixt slaughter and sacrifice but obedience To sacrifice disobediently is wilfully to mocke God in honouring him The reiection of SAVL and the choice of DAVID EVen when Saul had abandoned God in disobedience hee would not forgoe Samuel yea though he reproued him when he had forsaken the substance yet hee would maintaine the formalitie If hee cannot hold the man he will keepe the pledge of his garment such was the violence of Sauls desire that he will rather rend Samuels coate then part with his person Little did Saul thinke that he had in his hand the pawne of his owne reiection that this act of kinde importunitie should carie in it a presage of his iudgement yet so it did This very rending of the coat was a reall prophesie and did bode no lesse then the rending of the Kingdome from him and his posteritie Wicked men whiles they thinke by carnall meanes to make their peace plunge themselues deeper into misery Any stander by would haue said what a good King is this how deare is Gods Prophet vnto him how happy is Israel in such a Prince as thus loues the messengers of God Samuel that saw the bottome of this hollow affection reiects him whom God had reiected he was taught to looke vpon Saul not as a King but as an offender and therefore refuses with no lesse vehemency then Saul intreated It was one thing what he might doe as a subiect another what he must doe as a Prophet Now he knowes not Saul any otherwise then as so much the greater trespasser as his place was higher and therefore he doth no more spare his greatnesse then the God against whom hee sinned Neither doth he countenance that man with his presence on whom hee sees God to frowne There needs no other Character of hypocrisie then Saul in the cariage of this one businesse with Agag and Samuel First he obeyes God where there is no gaine in disobedience then he serues God by halues and disobeyes where the obedience might be losse He giues God of the worst he doth that in a colour which might seeme answerable to the charge of God He respects persons in the execution He giues good words when his deeds were euill He protests his obedience against his conscience He faces out his protestation against a reproofe When hee sees no remedy hee acknowledges the fact denies the sinne yea he iustifies the act by a profitable intention When he can no longer maintaine his innocence hee casts the blame from himselfe vpon the people Hee confesseth not till the sinne be wrung from his mouth Hee seekes his peace out of himselfe and relyes more vpon anothers vertue then his owne penitency Hee would cloake his guiltinesse with the holinesse of anothers presence He is more tormented with the danger and damage of his sinne then with the offence He cares to hold in with men in what termes soeuer he stands with God He fashionably serues that God whom hee hath not cared to reconcile by his repentance No maruell if God cast him off whose best was dissimulation Old Samuel is forced to doe a double execution and that vpon no lesse then two Kings The one vpon Saul in diuiding the Kingdome from him who had diuided himselfe from God The other vpon Agag in diuiding him in pieces whom Saul should haue diuided Those holy hands were not vsed to such sacrifices yet did hee neuer spill blood more acceptably If Saul had beene truely penitent hee had in a desire
station where God hath set vs. I see the Leuites not long since drawing their swords for God and Moses against the rest of Israel and that fact wins them both praise and blessing Now they are the forwardest in the rebellion against Moses and Aaron men of their owne Tribe There is no assurance of a man for one act whom one sinne cannot fasten vpon another may Yea the same sinne may finde a repulse one while from the same hand which another time giues it entertainment and that yeeldance loses the thanke of all the former resistance It is no praise to haue done once well vnlesse we continue Outward priuiledges of blood can auaile nothing against a particular calling of God These Reubenites had the right of the natural primogeniture yet do they vainly challenge preeminence where God hath subiected them If all ciuill honour flow from the King how much more from the God of Kings His hand exalts the poore and casts downe the mighty from their throne The man that will be lifting vp himselfe in the pride of his heart from vnder the foot of God is iustly troden in the dust Moses is the Prince of Israel Aaron the Priest Moses was milde Aaron popular yet both are conspired against Their places are no lesse brothers then their persons Both are opposed at once He that is a traytor to the Church is a traytor to the King Any superioritie is a marke of Enuy. Had Moses and Aaron beene but fellowes with the Israelites none had beene better beloued their dispositions were such as must needs haue forced fauour from the indifferent now they were aduanced their malice is not inferiour to their honour High towers must looke for lightnings we offer not to vndermine but those wals which we cannot scale Nature in euery man is both enuious and disdainfull and neuer loues to honour another but where it may be an honour to it selfe There cannot be conceiued an honour lesse worth emulation then this principality of Israel a people that could giue nothing a people that had nothing but in hope a people whom their leader was faine to feed with bread and water which paid him no tribute but of ill words whose command was nothing but a burden and yet this dignitie was an eye-sore to these Leuites and these Reubenites Ye take too much vpon you ye sonnes of Leui. And this challenge though thus vnseasonable hath drawne in two hundred and fifty Captaines of Israel What wonder is it that the ten Rulers preuailed so much with the multitude to disswade them from Canaan when three traitors preuailed thus with 250 Rulers famous in the Congregation and men of renowne One man may kindle such a fire as all the world cannot quench One plague-sore may infect a whole Kingdome The infection of euill is much worse then the act It is not like these Leaders of Israel could erre without followers Hee is a meane man that drawes not some Clients after him It hath been euer a dangerous policy of Satan to assault the best he knowes that the multitude as wee say of Bees will follow their master Nothing can be more pleasing to the vulgar sort then to heare their Gouernours taxed and themselues flattered All the Congregation is holy Euery one of them Wherefore lift ye vp your selues Euery word is a falshood For Moses deiected himselfe Who am I God lifted him vp ouer Israel And so was Israel holy as Moses was ambitious What holinesse was there in so much infidelitie feare Idolatry mutiny disobedience What could make them vncleane if this were holinesse They had scarce wip't their mouths or washt their hands since their last obstinacie and yet these pick-thankes say All Israel is holy I would neuer desire a better proofe of a false teacher then flatterie True meaning need not vphold it selfe by soothing There is nothing easier then to perswade men well of themselues when a mans selfe-loue meetes with anothers flattery it is an high praise that will not be beleeued It was more out of opposition then beliefe that these men plead the holinesse of Israel Violent aduersaries to vphold a side will maintaine those things they beleeue not Moses argues not for himselfe but appeales to God neither speakes for his owne right but his brother Aarons He knew that Gods immediate seruice was worthy to be more precious then his gouernment That his Princedome serued but to the glory of his Master Good Magistrates are more tender ouer Gods honour then their owne and more sensible of the wrongs offred to Religion then to themselues It is safest to trust God with his owne causes If Aaron had been chosen by Israel Moses would haue sheltred him vnder their authority Now that God did immediately appoint him his patronage is sought whose the election was Wee may easily fault in the managing of diuine affaires and so our want of successe cannot want sinne He knowes how to vse how to blesse his owne meanes As there was a difference betwixt the people and Leuites so betwixt the Leuites and Priests The God of order loues to haue our degrees kept Whiles the Leuites would be looking vp to the Priests Moses sends downe their eyes to the people The way not to repine at those aboue vs is to looke at those below vs. There is no better remedy for ambition then to cast vp our former receits and to compare them with our deseruings and to conferre our owne estate with inferiours So shall wee finde cause to be thankfull that wee are aboue any rather then of enuy that any is aboue vs. Moses hath chid the sonnes of Leui for mutining against Aaron and so much the more because they were of his owne Tribe now hee sends for the Reubenites which rose against himselfe They come not and their message is worse then their absence Moses is accused of iniustice cruelty falshood treacherie vsurpation and Egypt it self must be commended rather then Moses shall want reproch Innocency is no shelter from ill tongues Malice neuer regards how true any accusation is but how spightfull Now it was time for Moses to be angry They durst not haue been thus bold if they had not seene his mildnesse Lenity is ill bestowed vpon stubborne natures It is an iniurious senslesnesse not to feele the wounds of our reputation It well appeares hee is angry when he prayes against them He was displeased before but when he was most bitter against them he still prayed for them but now hee bends his very prayers against them Looke not to their offering There can be no greater reuenge then the imprecation of the righteous There can be no greater iudgement then Gods reiection of our seruices With vs men what more argues dislike of the person then the turning backe of his present What will God accept from vs if not prayers The innocence of Moses cals for reuenge on his Aduersaries If hee had wronged them in his gouernment in vaine should he haue
strength of humane patience Oh what shall we then conceiue of that death which knowes no end As this life is no lesse fraile then the dody which it animates so that death is no lesse eternall then the soule which must endure it For vs to be dying so long as wee now haue leaue to liue is intollerable and yet one onely minute of that other tormenting death is worse then an age of this Oh the desperate infidelity of carlesse men that shrinke at the thought of a momentarry death and feare not eternall This is but a killing of the body that is a destruction of body and soule Who is so worthy to weare Crowne of Israel as hee that wonne the Crowne from Midian Their vsurpers were gone now they are headlesse It is a doubt whether they were better to haue had no Kings or Tyrants They sue to Gideon to accept of the Kingdome and are repulsed There is no greater ensample of modesty then Gideon When the Angell spake to him he abased himselfe below all Israel when the Ephraimites contended with him he prefers their gleanings to his vintage and casts his honour at their feete and now when Israel proffers him that Kingdome which he had merited he refuses it Hee that in ouercomming would allow them to cry The sword of the Lord and of Gideon in gouerning will haue none but The sword of the Lord. That which others plot and sue and sweare and bribe for Dignity and superiority he seriously reiects whether it were for that he knew God had not yet called them to a Monarchy or rather for that he saw the crowne among thornes What doe we ambitiously affect the commahd of these mole-hils of earth when wise men haue refused the proffers of kingdomes Why doe we not rather labour for that Kingdome which is free from all cares from all vncertainty Yet he that refuses their Crowne cals for their earings although not to enrich himselfe but religion So long had God been a stranger to Israel that now superstion goes currant for deuout worship It were pitty that good intentions should make any man wicked here they did so Neuer man meant beter then Gideon in his rich Ephod yet this very act set all Israel on whoring God had chosen a place and a seruice of his own When the wit of man will be ouer-pleasing God with better deuices then his own it turnes to madnesse and ends in mischiefe ABIMELECHS vsurpation GIdeon refused the Kingdome of Israel when it was offered his seuenty sons offered not to obtain that Scepter which their fathers victory had deserued to make hereditary onely Abimelec the concubines sonne sues and ambitiously plots for it What could Abimelec see in himselfe that hee should ouer-looke all his brethren If he lookt to his father they were his equals if to his mother they were his betters Those that are most vnworthy of honour are hottest in the chase of it whiles the conscience of better deserts bids men sit still and stay to bee either importuned or neglected There can bee no greater signe of vnfitnesse then vehement sute It is hard to say whether there bee more pride or ignorance in Ambition I haue noted this difference betwixt spirituall and earthly honour and the Clients of both wee cannot be worthy of the one without earnest prosecution nor with earnest prosecution worthy of the other The violent abtaine heauen onely the meeke are worthy to inherit the earth That which an aspiring heart hath proiected it will find both argument and meanes to effect If either bribes or fauour will carry it the proud man will not sit out The Shechemites are fit brokers for Abimelec That City which once betrayed it selfe to vtter depopulation in yeelding to the sute of Hamor now betraies it selfe and al Israel in yeelding to the request of Abimelec By them hath this Vsurper made himselfe a fair way to the Throne It was an easie question Whether wil ye admit of the sons of Gideon for your Rulers or of strangers If of the sons of Gideon whether of all or one If of one whether of your owne flesh and bloud or of others vnknowne To cast off the sonnes Gideon for strangers were vnthankfull To admit of seuenty Kings in one small Country were vnreasonable To admit of any other rather then their own kinsman were vnnaturall Gideons sonnes therefore must rule amongst all Israel One of his sonnes amongst those seuenty and who should be that one but Abimelec Naturall respects are the most dangerous corrupters of all elections What hope can there be of worthy Superiors in any free people where neerenesse of bloud carries it from fitnesse of disposition Whiles they say Hee is our brother they are enemies to themselues and Israel Faire words haue won his brethren they the Shechemites the Shechemites furnish him with money mony with men His men begin with murder and now Abimelec raignes alone Flattery bribes and bloud are the vsuall staires of the Ambitious The money of Baal is a fit hier for murderers that which Idolatry hath gathered is fitly spent vpon Treason One diuell is ready to helpe another in mischiefe seldome euer is ill gotten riches better imployed It is no wonder if he that hath Baal his Idol now make an Idoll of Honour There was neuer any man that worshipped but one Idol Woe be to them that lie in the way of the Aspiring Though they be brothers they shall bleed yea the neerer they are the more sure is their ruine Who would not now thinke that Abimelec should finde an hell in his breast after so barbarous and vnnaturall a massacre and yet behold he is a senslesse as the stone vpon which the bloud of his seuerity brethren was spilt Where Ambition hath possest it selfe throughly of the soule it turnes the heart into steele and makes it vncapeable of a conscience All sinnes will easily downe with the man that is resolued to rise Onely Iotham fell not at that fatall stone with his brethren It is an hard battell where none escapes He escapes not to raigne not to reuenge but to be a Prophet and a witnesse of the vengeance of God vpon the vsurper vpon the Abettors He liues to tel Abimelec that he was but a bramble a weed rather then a tree A right bramble indeed that grew but out of the base hedge-row of a Concubin that could not lift vp his head from the earth vnlesse he were supported by some bush or pale of Shechem that had laid hold of the fleece of Israel and had drawne bloud of all his brethren and lastly that had no substance in him but the sap vaine-glory and the pricks of cruelty It was better then a Kingdome to him out of his obscure Beere to see the fire out of his bramble to consume those tres The view of Gods reuenge is so much more pleasing to a good heart then his owne glory by how much it is more iust and full There was neuer
brethren and now a stone slaies him His head had stolne the crowne of Israel and now his head is smitten And what is Abimelec better that he was a King What difference is there between him and any of his seuenty brethren whom he murthered saue onely in guiltinesse They beare but their owne bloud he the weight of all theirs How pappy a thing is it to liue well that our death as it is certaine so may be comfortable What a vanity is it to insult in the death of them whom we must follow the same way The Tyrant hath his payment and that time which he should haue bestowed in calling for mercy to God and washing his soule with the last teares of contrition he vainely spends in deprecating an idle reproch Kill me that it may not be said He died by a woman A fit conclusion for such a life The expectation of true and endlesse torment doth not so much vexe him as the friuolous report of a dishonour neither is he so much troubled with Abimelec is frying in hell as Abimelec is slaine by a woman So vaine fooles are niggardly of their reputation and prodigall of their soules Doe we not see them runne wilfully into the field into the graue into hell and all lest it should be said They haue but as much feare as wit CONTEMPLATIONS THE TENTH BOOKE CONTAINING Ieptha Samson conceiued Samsons mariage Samsons victory Samsons end Michaes Jdolatry By IOS HALL D. of Diuinity and Deane of VVorcester AT LONDON Printed by IOHN BEALE and NATHANIEL BVTTER Ann. Dom. 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD SIR HENRY DANVERS KNIGHT BARON OF DANTESEY A WORTHY PATTERNE OF ALL TRVE NOBILITIE ACCOMPLISHED BOTH FOR WARRE AND PEACE A MVNIFICENT FAVOVRER OF ALL LEARNING AND VERTVE I. H. VVith humble apprecation of ALL TRVE HAPPINESSE DEDICATES THIS PART OF HIS POORE LABOVRS CONTEMPLATIONS THE TENTH BOOKE IEPTHA ISrael that had now long gone a whoring from God hath been punished by the regiment of the Concubines sonne and at last seekes protection from the sonne of an harlot It is no small misery to bee obliged vnto the vnworthy The Concubines Sonne made sute to them They make sure to the sonne of the harlot It was no fault of Ieptha that he had an ill mother yet is he branded with the indignity of is bastardie neither would God conceale this blemish of nature which Ieptha could neither auoide nor remedy God to shew his detestation of whoredome reuenges it not onely vpon the actors but vpon their issue Hence he hath shut out the base son from the congregation of Israel to the tenth generation that a transient euill might haue a durable reproch attending it and that after the death of the Adulterer yet his shame might liue But that God who iustly tyes men to his lawes will not abide that we should tye him to our lawes or his owne Hee can both rectifie and ennoble the bloud of Ieptha That no man should be too much discouraged with the errors of his propagation euen the base sonne of man may be the lawfully begotten of God and though he be cast out from the inheritance of his brethren vpon earth may be admitted to the Kingdome of Israel I heare no praise of the lawfull issue of Gilead onely this mis-begotten sonne is commended for his valour and set at the sterne of Israel The common gifts of God respect not the Parentage or bloud but are indifferently scatred where he pleases to let them fall The choice of the Almighty is not guided by our rules As in spirituall so in earthly things it is not in him that willeth If God would haue men glory in these outward priuiledges he would bestow them vpon none but the worthy Now who can be proud of strength or greatnesse when he sees him that is not so honest yet is more valiant and more aduanced Had not Ieptha been base hee had not been thrust out and if he had not been thrust out from his brethren hee had neur been the Captaine of Israel By contrary pases to ours it pleaseth God to come to his owne ends and how vsually doth he look the contrary way to that he moues No man can measure the conclusion of Gods act by his beginning He that fetches good out of euill raises the glory of men out of their ruine Men loue to goe the neerest way and often faile God commonly goes about and in his owne time comes surely home The Gileadites were not so forward to expell Ieptha as glad to recall him No Ammonite threatned them when they parted with such an helper Now whom they cast out in their peace they fetch home in their danger and misery That God who neuer gaue ought in vaine will finde a time to make vse of any gift that he hath bestowed vpon men The valour of Ieptha shall not rust in his secrcey but be imployed to the common preseruation of Israel Necessity will driue vs to seeke vp all our helps euen those whom our wantonnesse hath despised How iustly are the suits of our need vpbraided with the errors of our prosperity The Elders of Gilead now heare of their ancient wrong dare not finde fault with their exprobration Did yee not hate mee and expell mee out of my Fathers house How then come ye now to me in time of tribulation The same expostulation that Ieptha makes with Gilead God also at the same time makes with Israel Yee haue forsaken mee and serued other gods wherefore should I deliuer you any more Goe and cry vnto the gods whom yee haue serued As wee so God also findes it seasonable to tell his children of their faults whiles he is whipping them It is a safe and wise course to make much of those in our peace whom we must make vse of in our extremity else it is but iust that wee should be reiected of those whom we haue reiected Can we looke for any other answer from God then this Did ye not driue me out of your houses our of your hearts in the time of your health end iollity Did yee not plead the strictnesse of my charge and the weight of my yoke Did not your wilfull sinnes expell me from your soules What doe you now crouching and creeping to me in the euil day Surely O God it is but iustice if thou be not found of those which were glad to lose thee it is thy mercy if after many checks and delayes thou wilt be found at last Where an act cannot be reuersed there is no amends but confession and if God himself take vp with this satisfactiō He that confesses shall find mercy how much more should men hold themselues well paid with words of humility deprecation Iepthaes wisdome had not been answerable to his valour if he had not made his match before hand He could not but know how trecherously Israel had dealt with Gideon We cannot make too sure worke when we haue to doe with vnfaithfull
it selfe in this spirituall verdict that vnlesse it be taken in the manner it will hardly yeeld to a truth either shee will denie the fact or the fault or the measure And now in this case they might seeme to haue some faire pretences For though Samuel was righteous yet his sons were corrupt To cut off all excuses therefore Samuel appeales to God the highest Iudge for his sentence of their sinne and dares trust to a miraculous conuiction It was now their Wheat Haruest the hot and dry ayre of that climate did not wont to afford in that season so much moist vapour as might raise a cloud either for raine or thunder He that knew God could and would doe both these without the helpe of second causes puts the triall vpon this issue Had not Samuel before consulted with his Maker and receiued warrant for his act it had beene presumption and tempting of God which was now a noble improuement of faith Rather then Israel shall go cleare away with a sinne God will accuse and araigne them from heauen No sooner hath Samuels voice ceased then Gods voice begins Euery cracke of thunder spake iudgement against the rebellious Israelites and euerie drop of raine a witnesse of their sin and now they found they had displeased him which ruleth in the Heauen by reiecting the man that ruled for him on Earth The thundering voice of God that had lately in their sight confounded the Philistims they now vnderstood to speake fearfull things against them No maruell if now they fell vpon their knees not to Saul whom they had chosen but to Samuel who being thus cast off by them is thus countenanced in Heauen SAVLS Sacrifice GOD neuer meant the Kingdome should either stay long in the Tribe of Beniamin or remoue suddenly from the person of Saul Many yeares did Saul reigne ouer Israel yet God computes him but two yeares a King That is not accounted of God to be done which is not lawfully done when God which choose Saul reiected him he was no more a King but a Tyrant Israel obeyed him still but God makes no reckoning of him as his Deputie but as an Vsurper Saul was of good yeares when he was aduanced to the Kingdome His Sonne Ionathan the first yeare of his Fathers Reigne could lead a thousand Israelites into the field and giue a foile to the Philistims And now Israel could not thinke themselues lesse happie in their Prince then in their King Ionathan is the Heyre of his Fathers victorie as well as of his valour and his estate The Philistims were quiet after those first thunder claps all the time of Samuels gouernment now they beginne to stirre vnder Saul How vtterly is Israel disappointed in their hopes That securitie and protection which they promised themselues in the name of a King they found in a Prophet failed of in a Warriour They were more safe vnder the mantle then vnder armes both enmitie and safegard are from heauen goodnesse hath beene euer a stronger guard then valour It is the surest policy alwayes to haue peace with God We find by the spoiles that the Philistims had some battels with Israel which are not recorded After the thunder had scared them into a peace and restitution of all the bordering Cities from Ekron to Gath they had taken new heart and so be slaued Israel that they had neither weapon nor Smith left amongst them yet euen in this miserable nakednesse of Israel haue they both fought and ouercome Now might you haue seene the vnarmed Israelites marching with their Slings and Plough-staues and Hookes and Forkes and other instruments of their husbandrie against a mighty and well furnished enemy and returning laded both with Armes and Victorie No Armour is of proofe against the Almighty neither is he vnweaponed that caries the reuenge of God There is the same disaduantage in our spirituall conflicts we are turned naked to principalities and powers whilst we go vnder the conduct of the Prince of our peace we cannot but be bold and victorious Vaine men thinke to ouer-power God with munition and multitude The Philistims are not any way more strong then in conceit Thirty thousand Chariots sixe thousand Horsemen Footmen like the sand for number makes them scorne Israel no lesse then Israel feares them When I see the miraculous successe which had blessed the Israelites in all their late conflicts with these very Philistims with the Ammonites I cannot but wonder how they could feare They which in the time of their sinne found God to raise such Trophees ouer their enemies runne now into Caues and Rockes and Pits to hide them from the faces of men when they found God reconciled and themselues penitent No Israelite but hath some cowardly blood in him If we had no feare faith would haue no mastery yet these fearfull Israelites shall cut the throats of those confident Philistims Doubt and resolution are not meet measures of our successe A presumptuous confidence goes commonly bleeding home when an humble feare returnes in triumph Feare driues those Israelites which dare shew their heads out of the Caues vnto Saul and makes them cling vnto their new King How troublesome were the beginnings of Sauls honor Surely if that man had not exceeded Israel no lesse in courage then in stature he had now hid himselfe in a Caue which before hid himselfe among the stuffe But now though the Israelites ran away from him yet he ranne not away from them It was not any doubt of Sauls valour that put his people to their heeles it was the absence of Samuel If the Prophet had come vp Israel would neuer haue runne away from their King Whiles they had a Samuel alone they were neuer well till they had a Saul now they haue a Saul they are as farre from contentment because they want a Samuel vnlesse both ioyne together they think there can be no safetie Where the Temporal and Spirituall State combine not together there can follow nothing but distraction in the people The Prophets receiue and deliuer the will of God Kings execute it The Prophets are directed by God the people are directed by their Kings Where men doe not see God before them in his Ordinances their hearts cannot but faile them both in their respects to their Superiors and their courage in themselues Piety is the Mother of perfect subiection As all authoritie is deriued from heauen so is it thence established Those Gouernours that would command the hearts of men must shew them God in their faces No Israelite can thinke himselfe safe without a Prophet Saul had giuen them good proofe of his fortitude in his late victorie ouer the Ammorites but then Proclamation was made before the fight through all the Country that euery man should come vp after Saul and Samuel If Samuel had not beene with Saul they would rather haue ventured the losse of their oxen then the hâ—â—â—id of themselues How much lesse should we presume of any safety in
and the Philistims How doth he wish now that hee had rather stood to the hazard of Sauls persecution than to haue put himselfe vpon the fauour of Achish Hee must fight on one side and on whether side soeuer he should fight hee could not auoyd to bee treacherous a condition worse than death to an honest heart which way he would haue resolued if it had comne to the execution who can know since himselfe was doubtfull either course had bin no better than desperate How could the Israelites euer haue receiued him for their King who in the open field had fought against them And contrarily if hee would haue fought against his friend for his enemy against Achish for Saul hee was now inuironed with iealous Philistims and might rather looke for the punishment of his Treason than the glory of a Victorie HIS heart had led him into these straits the Lord finds a way to leade him out The suggestions of his enemies doe herein befriend him The Princes of the Philistims whether of enuie or suspition pleade for Dauids dismission Send this fellow backe that hee may goe againe to his place which thou hast appointed him and let him not goe downe to the battle lest hee bee an Aduersary to vs. No Aduocate could haue said more himselfe durst not haue said so much Oh the wisdome and goodnesse of our God that can raise vp an Aduersary to deliuer out of those euils which our friends cannot That by the sword of an enemie can let out that Apostume which no Physician could tell how to cure It would be wide with us sometimes if it were not for others malice There could not bee a more iust question than this of the Philistim Princes What doe these Hebrewes here An Israelite is out of his element when hee is in an Armie of Philistims The true seruants of God are in their due places when they are in opposition to his enemies Profession of hostilitie becomes them better than leagues of amity Yet Achish likes Dauids conuersation and presence so well that hee professeth himselfe pleased with him as with an Angell of God How strange is it to heare that a Philistim should delight in that holy man whom an Israelite abhorres and should bee loth to be quit of Dauid whom Saul hath expelled Termes of ciuilitie be equally open to all religions to all professions The common graces of Gods children are able to attract loue from the most obstinate enemies of goodnesse If we affect them for by-respects of Valour Wisedome Discourse Wit it is their praise not ours But if for diuine Grace and Religion it is our prayse with theirs Such now was Dauids condition that he must pleade for that hee feared and argue against that which he desired What haue I done what hast thou found in thy seruant that I may not goe and fight against the enemies of my Lord the King Neuer any newes could be more cordiall to him than this of his dismission yet must he seeme to striue against it with an importunate profession of his forwardnesse to that act which hee most detested One degree of Dissimulation drawes on another those which haue once giuen way to a faulty course cannot easily either stop or turne backe but are in a sort forced to second their ill beginnings with worse proceedings It is a dangerous and miserable thing to cast our selues into those actions which draw with them a necessitie either of offending or miscarriage SAVL and the Witch of Endor EVen the worst men may sometimes make head against some sinnes Saul hath expelled the Sorcerers out of the Land of Israel and hath forbidden Magick vpon paine of death Hee that had no care to expell Satan out of his owne heart yet will seeme to driue him out of his Kingdome That wee see wicked then oppose themselues to some sinnes there is neither maruell nor comfort in it No doubt Satan made sport at this Edict of Saul what cares he to be banished in Sorcery whiles he is entertayned in malice He knew and found Saul his whiles he resisted and smiled to yeeld thus farre vnto his Vassall If we quit not all sinnes hee will bee content wee should either abandon or persecute some Where is no place for holy feare there will bee place for the seruile The gracelesse heart of Saul was astonied at the Philistims yet was neuer moued at the frownes of that God whose anger sent them nor of those sinnes of his which procured them Those that cannot feare for loue shall tremble for feare and how much better is awe than terror preuention than confusion There is nothing more lamentable than to see a man laugh when he should feare God shall laugh when such an ones feare commeth Extremitie of distresse will send euen the prophanest man to God like as the drowning man reacheth out his hand to that bough which he contemned whiles hee stood safe on the banke Saul now asketh counsell of the Lord whose Prophet hee hated whose Priests hee slew whose Annointed he persecutes Had Saul consulted with God when hee should this euill had not beene but how if this euill had not beene hee had consulted with God The thanke of this Act is due not to him but to his affection A forced piety is thanklesse and vnprofitable God will not answer him neither by Dreames nor by Vrim nor by Prophets Why should God answer that man by Dreames who had resisted him waking Why should hee answer him by Vrim that had slaine his Priests Why should he answer him by Prophets who hated the Father of the Prophets rebelled against the word of the Prophets It is an vnreasonable vnequality to hope to finde God at our command when wee would not be at his To looke that God should regard our voice in trouble when wee would not regard his in peace Vnto what mad shifts are men driuen by despayre If God will not answer Satan shall Saul said to his seruants Seeke me a woman that hath a familiar spirit If Saul had not knowne this course Deuillish why did he decree to banish it to mulct it with death yet now against the streame of his conscience hee will seeke to those whom he had condemned There needes no other iudge of Sauls act than himselfe had he not before opposed this sinne he had not so hainously sinned in committing it There cannot bee a more fearefull signe of an heart giuen vp to a reprobate sense than to cast it selfe wilfully into those sinnes which it hath proclaimed to detest The declinations to euill are many times insensible but when it breakes forth into such apparant effects euen others eyes may discerne it What was Saul the better to fore-know the issue of his approaching battell If this consultation could not haue strengthened him against his enemies or promoted his victory there might haue beene some colour for so foule an act Now what could he gaine but the satisfying of his bootlesse curiositie in
therefore thou thoughtest good to fast as by the reason of these precedents might be without preiudice of thine humanitie which if it should haue pleased thee to support as thou couldest without meanes thy very power might haue opened the mouth of cauils against the veritie of thine humane nature That thou mightest therefore well approue that there was no difference betwixt thee and vs but sinne thou that couldst haue fasted without hunger and liued without meat wouldst both feed and fast and hunger Who can bee discouraged with the scantinesse of friends or bodily prouisions when hee sees his Sauiour thus long destitute of all earthly comforts both of Societie and sustenance Oh the policie and malice of that olde Serpent when hee sees Christ bewray some infirmitie of nature in being hungry then hee layes sorest at him by temptations His eye was neuer off from our Sauiour all the time of his sequestration and now that hee thinkes he espyes any one part to lye open hee driues at it with all his might We haue to doe with an Aduersary no lesse vigilant than malicious who will bee sure to watch all opportunities of our mischiefe and where hee sees any aduantage of weaknesse will not neglect it How should wee stand vpon our guard for preuention that both wee many not giue him occasions of our hurt nor take hurt by those we haue giuen When our Sauiour was hungrie Satan tempts him in matter of food not then of wealth or glorie He well knowes both what baits to fish withall and when and how to lay them How safe and happie shall we be if we shall bend our greatest care where we discerne the most danger In euery temptation there is an appearance of good whether of the bodie of minde or estate The first is the lust of the flesh in any carnall desire the second the pride of heart and life the third the lust of the eyes To all these the first Adam is tempted and in all miscarryed the second Adam is tempted to them all and ouercommeth The first man was tempted to carnall appetite by the forbidden fruite to pride by the suggestion of being as God To couetousnesse in the ambitious desire of knowing good and euill Satan hauing found all the motions so successfull with the first Adam in his innocent estate will now tread the same steppes in his temptations of the second The stones must be made bread there is the motion to a carnall appetite The guard and attendance of Angels must bee presumed on there is a motion to pride The Kingdomes of the Earth and glory of them must be offered there to couetousnesse and ambition Sathan could not but haue heard God say This is my welbeloued sonne hee had heard the Message and the Caroll of the Angels he saw the Starre and the iourney and Offerings of the Sages hee could not but take notice of the gratulations of Zachary Simeon Anna hee well knew the Predictions of the Prophets yet now that hee saw Christ â—sâ—ting with hunger as not comprehending how infirmities could consist with a God-head hee can say If thou bee the Sonne of God Had not Sathan knowne that the Sonne of God was to come into the World he had neuer said If thou be the Sonne of God His very supposition conuinces him The ground of his temptation answers itselfe If therefore Christ seemed to bee a meere man because after fortie dayes hee was hungry why was hee not confessed more than a man in that for fortie dayes hee hungred not The motiue of the temptation is worse than the motion If thou bee the Sonne of God Sathan could not choose another suggestion of so great importance All the worke of our Redemption of our Saluation depends vpon this one Truth Christ is the Sonne of God How should hee else haue ransomed the World how should hee haue done how should hee haue suffered that which was satisfactory to his Fathers wrath How should his actions or passion bin valuable to the sinnes of all the World What maruell is it if wee that are sonnes by Adoption bee assaulted with the doubts of our interest in God when the naturall Sonne the Sonne of his Essence is thus tempted Since all our comfort consists in this point heere must needes bee laid the chiefe battery and heere must bee placed our strongest defence To turne stones into bread had bin no more faultie in it selfe than to turne Water into Wine But to doe this in a distrust of his Fathers Prouidence to abuse his power and libertie in doing it to worke a miracle of Sathans choice had beene disagreeable to the Sonne of God There is nothing more ordinary with our spirituall enemie than by occasion of want to moue vs to vnwarrantable courses Thou art poore steale Thou canst not rise by honest meanes vse indirect How easie had it beene for our Sauiour to haue confounded Sathan by the power of his God-head But hee rather chuses to vanquish him by the Sword of the Spirit that hee might teach vs how to resist and ouercome the powers of darknesse If hee had subdued Sathan by the Almighty power of the Deitie wee might haue had what to wonder at not what to imitate now hee vseth that weapon which may be familiar vnto vs that hee may teach our weaknesse how to bee victorious Nothing in Heauen or Earth can beate the forces of Hell but the Word of God How carefully should wee furnish our selues with this powerfull munition how should our hearts and mouthes bee full of it Teach mee O Lord the way of thy Statutes O take not from mee the words of Truth Let them bee my Songs in the house of my pilgrimage So shall I make answere to my Blasphemers What needed Christ to haue answered Sathan at all if it had not beene to teach vs that temptations must not haue their way but must be answered by resistance and resisted by the Word I doe not heare our Sauiour auerre himselfe to be a God against the blasphemous insinuation of Sathan neyther doe I see him working this miraculous Conuersion to proue himselfe the Sonne of God but most wisely hee takes away the ground of the temptation Sathan had taken it for granted that man cannot bee sustayned without bread and therefore inferres the necessitie of making bread of stones Our Sauiour shewes him from an infallible Word that hee had mislayed his suggestion That man liues not by vsuall food only but by euery word that proceedeth from the mouth of God Hee can either sustaine without bread as hee did Moses and Elias or with a miraculous bread as the Israelites with Manna or send ordinary meanes miraculously as food to his Prophet by the Rauens or miraculously multiply ordinary meanes as the Meale and Oyle to the Sareptan Widdow All things are sustayned by his Almighty Word Indeed wee liue by food but not by any vertue that is without God without the incurrence of whose Prouidence bread would
be tryed with honour As some expert Fences that challenges at all weapons so doth this great enemie in vaine shall we plead our skill in some if wee faile in any It must be our wisedome to be prepared for all kind of assaults As those that hold Townes and Forts doe not onely defend themselues from incursions but from the Canon and the Pioner still doth that subtill Serpent trauerse his ground for an aduantage The Temple is not high enough for his next tentation He therefore carrie vp Christ to the top of an exceeding high mountaine All enemies in pitcht fields striue for the benefit of the Hill or Riuer or Wind or Sunne That which his seruant â—â—ac did by his instigation himselfe doth now immediately change places in hope of preuailing If the obscure Countrie will not moue vs hee tries what the Court can doe if not our home the Tauerne if not the field our closet As no place is left free by his malice so no place must be made preiudiciall by our carelessnes and as we should alwayes watch ouer our selues so then most when the opportunity caries cause of suspition Wherefore is Christ caried vp so high but for prospect If the Kingdomes of the earth and their glorie were onely to be represented to his imagination the valley would haue serued If to the outward sence no hill could suffice Circular bodies though small cannot bee seene at once This show was made to both diuers kingdomes lying round about Iudea were represented to the eye The glory of them to the imagination Satan meant the eye could tempt the fancie no lesse than the fancie could tempt the will How many thousand soules haue died of the wound of the eye If we doe not let in sinne at the window of the eye or the doore of the eare it cannot enter into our hearts If there be any pompe maiestie pleasure brauerie in the world where should it bee but in the Courts of Princes whom God hath made his Images his deputies on earth There is soft rayment sumptuous feasts rich Iewels honourable attendance glorious triumphs royall state those Satan layes out to the fairest show But Oh the craft of that old Serpent Many a care attends greatnesse No Crowne is without thornes High seates are neuer but vneasie all those infinite discontentments which are the shaddow of earthly Soueraigntie he hides out of the way nothing may bee seene but what may both please and allure Satan is still and euer like himselfe If tentations might be but turnd about and showne on both sides the kingdome of darknesse would not be so populous Now whensoeuer the Tempter sets vpon any poore soule all sting of conscience wrath iudgement torment is concealed as if they were not Nothing may appeare to the eye but pleasure profit and a seeming happinesse in the enioying our desires those other wofull obiects are reserued for the farewell of sinne that our miserie may be seene and felt at once When we are once sure Satan is a Tyrant till then he is a Parasite There can be no safetie if we doe not view as well the backe as the face of tentations But oh presumption and impudence that hell it selfe may bee asham'd of The Diuell dares say to Christ All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee That beggerly spirit that hath not an â—ich of earth can offer the whole world to the maker to the owner of it The slaue of God would bee adored of his Creator How can wee hope hee should bee sparing of false boasts and of vnreasonable promises vnto vs when hee dares offer kingdomes to him by whom Kings reigne Tentations on the right hand are most dangerous how many that haue beene hardned with feare haue melted with honour There is no doubt of that soule that will not bite at the golden hooke False liâ—rs and vaine-glorious boasters see the top of their pedigree If I may not rather say that Satan doth borrow the vse of their tongues for a time Whereas faithfull is hee that hath promised who will also doe it Fdelitie and truth is issue of the heauen If Idolatrie were not a deare sinne to Satan hee would not bee so importunate to compasse it It is miserable to see how he draws the world insensibly into this sinne which they professe to detest Those that would rather hazard the furnace than worship Gold in a statue yet doe adore it in the stampe and finde no saint with themselues If our hearts bee drawne to stoope vnto an ouer high respect of any creature wee are Idolaters O God it is no maruell if thy ielousie be kindled at the admission of any of thine owne workes into a competition of honour with their Creatour Neuer did our Sauiour say Auoide Satan till now It is a iust indignation that is conceiued at the motion of a riualitie with God Neither yet did Christ exercise his diuine power in this command but by the necessary force of Scripture driues away that impure Tempter It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue The rest of our Sauiours answeres were more full and direct than that they could admit of a replie but this was so flat and absolute that it vtterly daunted the courage of Satan and put him to a shamefull flight and made him for the time weary of his trade The way to be rid of the troublesome solicitations of that wicked one is continued resistance He that forcibly droue the tempter from himselfe takes him off from vs and will not abide his assaults perpetuall It is our exercise and triall that hee intends not our confusion SIMON called AS the Sunne in his first rising drawes all eyes to it So did this Sunne of righteousnesse when he first shone forth into the world His miraculous cures drew Patients his diuine doctrine drew Auditors both together drew the admiring multitude by troopes after him And why doe wee not still follow thee O Sauiour thorow deserts and mountaines ouer land and Seas that wee may bee both healed and taught It was thy word that when thou wert lift vp thou wouldst draw all men vnto thee Behold thou art lift vp long since both to the tree of shame and to the throne of heauenly glory Draw vs and wee shall runne after thee Thy word is still the same though proclaimed by men thy vertue is still the same though exercised vpon the spirits of men Oh giue vs to hunger after both that by both our soules may be satisfied I see the people not onely following Christ but pressing vpon him euen very vnmannerlinesse finds here both excuse and acceptation they did not keepe their distances in an awe to the Maistie of the speaker whiles they were rauished with the power of the speech yet did not our Sauiour checke their vnreuerent thronging but rather incourages their forwardnesse Wee cannot offend thee O God with the importunitie of our
hee gaue was not worse then that hee tooke There is more true glory in the conquest of our lusts then in all bloody Trophees In vaine shall Ahab boast of subduing a forraigne enemy whiles he is subdued by a domesticke enemy within his own brest Opportunity and Conuenience is guilty of many a theft Had not this ground lien so faire Ahab had not beene tempted His eye lets in this euill guest into the soule which now dares come forth at the mouth Giue mee thy vineyard that I may haue it for a garden of herbes because it is neere to my house and I will giue thee a better vineyard for it or if it seeme good to thee I will giue thee the worth of it in money Yet had Ahab so much ciuility and iustice that he would not wring Naboths patrimony out of his hand by force but requires it vpon a faire composition whether of price or of exchange His gouernment was vicious not tyrannicall Proprietie of goods was inuiolably maintained by him No lesse was Naboth allowed to claime a right in his vineyard then Ahab in his palace This wee owe to lawfull Soueraignty to call ought our owne and well worthy is this priuiledge to be repaid with all humble and loyall respects The motion of Ahab had it beene to any other then an Israelite had beene as iust equall reasonable as the repulse had beene rude churlish inhumane It is fit that Princes should receiue due satisfaction in the iust demands not onely of their necessities but conuenience and pleasure well may they challenge this retribution to the benefit of our common peace and protection If there bee any sweetnesse in our vineyards any strength in our fields we may thanke their scepters Iustly may they expect from vs the commoditie the delight of their habitation and if we gladly yeeld not to their full elbow-roome both of site and prouision we can be no other then ingratefull Yet dares not Naboth giue any other answer to so plausible a motion then The Lard forbid it me that I should giue thee the inheritance of my Fathers The honest Israelite saw violence in this ingenuity There are no stronger commands then the requests of the great It is well that Ahab will not wrest away this patrimony it is not well that he desired it The land was not so much stood vpon as the law One earth might be as good as another and money equiualent to either The Lord had forbidden to alien their inheritance Naboth did not feare losse but sinne What Naboth might not lawfully doe Ahab might not lawfully require It pleased God to bee very punctuall and cautelous both in the distinction and preseruation of the intirenesse of these Iewish inheritances Nothing but extreme necessitie might warrant a sale of land and that but for a time if not sooner yet at the Iubile it must reuert to the first owner It was not without a comfortable signification that whosoeuer had once his part in the land of Promise could neuer lose it Certainly Ahab could not but know this diuine restriction yet doubts not to say Giue me thy vineyard The vnconscionable will know no other law but their profit their pleasure A lawlesse greatnesse hates all limitations and abides not to heare men should need any other warrant but will Naboth dares not be thus tractable How gladly would he be quit of his inheritance if God would acquit him from the sinne Not out of wilfulnesse but obedience doth this faithfull Israelite hold off from this demand of his Soueraign not daring to please an earthly King with offending the heauenly When Princes command lawfull things God commands by them when vnlawfull they command against God passiue obedience we must giue actiue we may not wee follow then as subordinate not as opposite to the highest Who cannot but see and pity the straits of honest Naboth Ahab requires what God forbids he must fall out either with his God or his King Conscience caries him against policy and he resolues not to sinne that he might be gracious For a world he may not giue his vineyard Those who are themselues godlesse thinke the holy care of others but idly scrupulous The King of Israel could not chuse but see that onely Gods prohibition lay in the way of his designes not the stomacke of a froward subiect yet he goes away into his house heauy and displeased and casts himselfe downe vpon bed and turnes away his face and refuses his meat Hee hath taken a surfet of Naboths grapes which marres his appetite and threats his life How ill can great hearts endure to bee crossed though vpon the most reasonable and iust grounds Ahabs place call'd him to the Guardianship of Gods Law and now his heart is ready to breake that this parcell of that Law may not bee broken No maruell if hee made not dainty to transgresse a locall statute of God who did so shamefully violate the eternall Law of both Tables I know not whether the spleen or the gall of Ahab be more affected Whether more of anger or griefe I cannot say but sick he is keepes his bed and balks his meat as if he should die of no other death thē the salads that he would haue had O the impotēt passion and insatiable desires of Couetousnesse Ahab is Lord King of all the territories of Israel Naboth is the owner of one poore Vineyard Ahab cannot inioy Israel if Naboth inioy his Vineyard Besides Samaria Ahab was the great Lord Paramount of Damascus and all Syria the victor of him that was attended with two and thirty Kings Naboth was a plaine townsman of Iezreel the good husband of a little Vineyard Whether is the weathier I doe not heare Naboth wish for any thing of Ahabs I heare Ahab wishing not without indignation of a repulse for somwhat from Naboth Riches pouerty is more in the heart then in the hand He is wealthy that is contented he is poore that wanteth more Oh rich Naboth that carest not for all the large possessions of Ahab so thou maist bee the Lord of thine owne Vineyard Oh miserable Ahab that carest not for thine owne possessions whiles thou mayest not be the Lord of Naboths Vineyard He that caused the disease sends him a Physitian Satan knew of old how to make vse of such helpers Iezebel comes to Ahabs bed-side and casts cold water in his face and puts into him spirits of her owne extracting Dost thou now gouerne the Kingdome of Israel Arise eat bread and let thine heart be merry I will giue thee the Vineyard of Naboth Ahab wanted neither wit nor wickednesse Yet is he in both a very nouice to this Zidonian dame There needs no other Deuill then Iezebel whether to proiect euill or to worke it She chides the pusillanimity of her deiected husband and perswades him his rule cannot bee free vnlesse it be licentious that there should bee no bounds for soueraignetie but will Already hath shee