That God whose counsells are secret euen where his actions are open will not be close to his Prophet to his Priest without inquirie we shall know nothing vpon inquirie nothing shall be concealed from vs that is fit for vs to know Who can choose but wonder at once both at Dauids slacknesse in consulting with God and Gods speed in answering so slow a demand He that so well knew the way to Gods Oracle suffers Israel to be three yeeres pinched with famine ere he askes why they suffer Euen the best hearts may be ouertaken with dulnesse in holy duties But oh the maruellous mercy of our God that takes not the aduantage of our weaknesses Dauids question is not more slow then his answer is speedie It is for Saul and for his bloudie house because he slew the Gibeonites Israel was full of sinnes besides those of Sauls house Sauls house was full of sinnes besides those of bloud Much bloud was shed by them besides that of the Gibeonites yet the iustice of God singles out this one sinne of violence offered to the Gibeonites contrary to the league made by Ioshua some foure hundred yeeres before for the occasion of this late vengeance Where the causes of offence are infinite it is iust with God to pitch vpon some it is mercifull not to punish for all Welneere fortie yeeres are past betwixt the commission of the sinne and the reckoning for it It is a vaine hope that is raised from the delay of iudgement No time can be any preiudice to the ancient of daies When we haue forgotten our sinnes when the world hath forgotten vs he sues vs afresh for our arerages The slaughter of the Gibeonites was the sinne not of the present but rather the former generation and now posteritie paies for their forefathers Euen we men hold it not vniust to sue the heires and executors of our debters Eternall paiments God vses only to require of the person temporarie oft-times of succession As Saul was higher by the head and shoulders then the rest of Israel both in stature and dignitie so were his sinnes more conspicuous then those of the vulgar The eminence of the person makes the offence more remarkable to the eies both of God and men Neither Saul nor Israel were faultlesse in other kindes yet God fixes the eie of his reuenge vpon the massacre of the Gibeonites Euery sin hath a tongue but that of bloud ouer cries and drownes the rest He who is mercy it selfe abhorres crueltie in his creature aboue all other inordinatenesse That holy soule which was heauie pressed with the weight of an hainous adulterie yet cries out Deliuer me from bloud O God the God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse If God would take account of bloud he might haue entred the action vpon the bloud of Vriah spilt by Dauid or if he would rather insist in Sauls house vpon the bloud of Ahimelech the Priest and fourescore and fiue persons that did weare a linnen Ephod but it pleased the wisdome and iustice of the Almightie rather to call for the bloud of the Gibeonites though drudges of Israel and a remnant of Amorites Why this There was a periurie attending vpon this slaughter It was an ancient oath wherein the Princes of the Congregation had bound themselues vpon Iosuaâ—s league to the Gibeonites that they would suffer them to liue an oath extorted by fraud but solemne by no lesse name then the Lord God of Israel Saul will now thus late either not acknowledge it or not keepe it out of his zeale therefore to the children of Israel and Iudah he roots out some of the Gibeonites whether in a zeale of reuenge of their first imposture or in a zeale of inlarging the possessions of Israel or in a zeale of executing Gods charge vpon the brood of Canaanites he that spared Agag whom he should haue smitten smites the Gibeonites whom he should haue spared Zeale and good intention is no excuse much lesse a warrant for euill God holds it an hie indignitie that his name should be sworne by and violated Length of time cannot dispense with our oathes with our vowes The vowes and oathes of others may binde vs how much more our owne There was a famine in Israel a naturall man would haue ascribed it vnto the drought and that drought perhaps to some constellations Dauid knowes 〈◊〉 looke higher and sees a diuine hand scourging Israel for some great offence and ouer-ruling those second causes to his most iust executions Euen the most quick-sighted worldling is pore-blinde to spirituall obiects and the weakest eyes of the regenerate pierce the Heauens and espy God in all earthly occurrences So well was Dauid acquainted with Gods proceedings that hee knew the remouall of the iudgement must begin at the satisfaction of the wronged At once therefore doth he pray vnto God and treat with the Gibeonites What shall I doe for you and wherewith shall I make the attonement that I may blesse the inheritance of the Lord In vaine should Dauid though a Prophet blesse Israel if the Gibeonites did not blesse them Iniuries done vs on earth giue vs power in heauen The oppressor is in no mans mercy but his whom he hath trampled vpon Little did the Gibeonites thinke that God had so taken to heart their wrongs that for their sakes all Israel should suffer Euen when we thinke not of it is the righteous Iudge auenging our vnrighteous vexations Our hard measures cannot be hid from him his returns are hid from vs It is sufficient for vs that God can be no more neglectiue then ignorant of our sufferings It is now in the power of these despised Hiuites to make their own termes with Israel Neither Siluer nor Gold will sauour with them towards their satisfaction Nothing can expiate the bloud of their fathers but the bloud of seauen sonnes of their deceased persecutor Here was no other then a iust retaliation Saul had punished in them the offence of their predecessours they will now reuenge Sauls sinne in his children The measure we mete vnto others is with much equitie re-measured vnto our selues Euery death would not content them of Sauls sonnes but a cursed and ignominious hanging on the Tree Neither would that death content them vnlesse their owne hands might be the executioners Neither would any place serue for the execution but Gibeah the Court of Saul neither would they doe any of this for the wreaking of their owne fury but for the appeasing of Gods wrath We will hang them vp vnto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul Dauid might not refuse the condition Hee must deliuer they must execute Hee chooses out seuen of the sonnes and grand-children of Saul That House had raysed long an vniust persecution against Dauid now God payes it vpon anothers score Dauids loue and oath to Ionathan preserues lame Mephibosheth How much more shall the Father of all mercies doe good vnto the children of the
will defray it by the hand of Salomon The slaughter was of Abner and Amasa Dauid appropriates it Thou knowest what Ioab did to mee The Soueraigne is smitten in the Subject Neither is it other then iust that the arraignement of meane malefactors runnes in the stilâ— of wrong to the Kings Crowne and dignitie How much more doest thou O sonne of Dauid take to thy selfe those insolencies which are done to thy poorest subiects seruants sonnes members here vpon earth No Saul can touch a Christian here below but thou feelest it in heauen and complainest But what shall we thinke of this Dauid was a man of war Salomon a King of peace yet Dauid referres this reuenge to Salomon How iust it was that he who shed the bloud of warre in peace and put the bloud of war vpon his girdle that was about his loynes should haue his bloud shed in peace by a Prince of peace Peace is fittest to rectifie the out-rages of Warre Or whether is not this done in type of that diuine administration wherein thou O Father of heauen hast committed all iudgement vnto thine eternall sonne Thou who couldst immediately either plague or absolue sinners wilt doe neither but by the hand of a Mediator Salomon learned betimes what his ripenesse taught afterwards Take away the wicked from the King and his Throne shall be established in righteousnesse Cruell Ioab and malicious Shimei must be therefore vpon the first opportunity remoued The one lay open to present iustice for abetting the conspiracy of Adonijah neither needes the helpe of time for a new aduantage The other went vnder the protection of an oath from Dauid and therefore must be fetcht in vpon a new challenge The hoare head of both must be brought to the graue with bloud else Dauids head could not be brought to his graue in peace Due punishment of malefactors is the debt of authoritie If that holy King haue run into arerages yet as one that hates and feares to breake the banke he giues order to his pay-master It shall be defraid if not by him yet for him Generous natures cannot be vnthankfull Barzillai had shewed Dauid some kindnesse in his extremitie and now the good man will haue posteritie to inherit the thankes How much more bountifull is the Father of mercies in the remuneration of our poore vnworthy seruices Euen successions of generations shall fare the better for one good parent The dying words and thoughts of the man after Gods owne heart did not confine themselues to the straites of these particular charges but inlarged themselues to the care of Gods publique seruice As good men are best at last Dauid did neuer so busily and carefully marshall the affaires of God as when he was fixed to the bed of his age and death Then did he lode his sonne Salomon with the charge of building the house of God then did he lay before the eies of his sonne the modell and patterne of that whole sacred worke whereof if Salomon beare the name yet Dauid no lesse merits it He now giues the platforme of the Courts and buildings He giues the gold and siluer for that holy vse an hundred thousand talents of Gold a thousand thousand talents of Siluer besides brasse and yron passing weight He weighes out those precious mettalls for their seuerall designements Euery future vessell is laid out already in his poise if not in his forme He excites the Princes of Israel to their assistance in so high a worke He takes notice of their bountifull offerings He numbers vp the Leuites for the publique seruice and sets them their taskes He appoints the Singers and other Musitians to their stations the Porters to the Gates that should be And now when he hath set all things in a desired order and forwardnesse he shuts vp with a zealous blessing of his Salomon and his people and sleepe with his fathers Oh blessed soule how quiet a possession hast thou now taken after so many tumults of a better Crowne Thou that hast prepared all things for the house of thy God how happily art thou now welcomed to that house of his not made with hands eternall in the heauens Who now shall enuie vnto good Princes the honour of ouerseeing the businesses of God and his Church when Dauid was thus punctuall in these diuine prouisions What feare can be of vsurpation where they haue so glorious a precedent Now is Salomon the second time crowned King of Israel and now in his owne right as formerly in his fathers sits peaceably vpon the Throne of the Lord His awe and power come on faster then his yeeres Enuie and ambition where it is once kindled may sooner be hid in the ashes then quite put out Adonijah yet hangs after his old hopes He remembers how sweet he found the name of a King and now hath laid a new plot for the setting vp of his crackt title He would make the bed a step to the throne His old complices are sure enough His part would gather much strength if he might inioy Abishag the relict of his father to wife If it were not the Iewish fashion as is pretended that a Kings widow should mary none but a King yet certainly the power both of the alliance and friendship of a Queene must needs not a little aduance his purpose The craftie riuall dare not either moue the suit to Salomon or effect the mariage without him but would cunningly vndermine the sonne by the suit of that mother whose suit had vndermined him The weaker vessells are commonly vsed in the most dangerous suggestions of euill Bathsheba was so wise a woman that some of her counsels are canonized for diuine yet she saw not the depth of this drift of Adonijah therefore she both entertaines the suit and moues it But what euer were the intent of the suitor could she choose but see the vnlawfulnesse of so incestuous a match It is not long since she saw her late husband Dauid abominating the bed of those his Concubines that had beene touched by his sonne Absalom and can she hold it lawfull that his son Adonijah should climbe vp to the bed of his fathers wife Sometimes euen the best eies are dimme and discerne not those things which are obuious to weaker sights Or whether did not Bathsheba well see the foulenesse of the suit and yet in compassion of Adonijahs late repulse wherein she was the chiefe agent and in a desire to make him amends for the losse of the kingdome she yeelds euen thus to gratifie him It is an iniurious weaknesse to be drawne vpon any by-respects to the furtherance of faultie suits of vnlawfull actions No sooner doth Bathsheba come in place then Salomon her sonne rises from his chaire of State and meets her and bowes to her and sets her on his right hand as not so remembring himselfe to be a King that he should forget he was a sonne No outward dignitie can take away the rights and obligations of nature
Contemplations THE SIXTH VOLVME By Ios. HALL D. of D. LONDON Printed by J. H. for Nathaniel Butter 1622. Contemplations THE SIXTEENTH BOOKE Containing Shimei Cursing Achitophel The death of Absalom Shebaes Rebellion The Gibeonites reuenged The numbring of the people TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND TRVLY NOBLE LORD FRANCIS Lord RVSSELL Baron of THORNHAVGH all increase of Honour and Happinesse RIGHT HO You shall not need to impute it to any other reason besides your vertues that I haue presumed to shroud this peece of my labours vnder your Noble Patronage The world hath taken iust notice how much the Gospell is graced by your reall profession whom neither honor hath made ouerlie nor wealth lauish nor charge miserable nor greatnesse licentious Goe on happily in these safe and gainfull steps of goodnesse and still honour the God that hath honoured you In the meane time accept from my vnworthy hands these poore Meditations more hie for their subiect then meane for their author Wherein SHIMEIES curses shall teach you how vnable either greatnesse or innocence is to beare off the blowes of ill tongues and how basenesse euer molds it selfe according to the aduantage of times ACHITOPHELS depth compared with his end shall shew how witlesse and insensate craft is when it striues against honestie and how iustly they are forsaken of their reason that haue abandoned God The bloud of ABSALOM and SHEBA proclaime the ineuitable reuenge of rebellion which neither in woods nor walls can finde safetie The late famine of Israel for the forgotten violence offered to the Gibeonites shewes what note God takes of our oathes and what sure vengeance of their violation DAVIDS muster seconded with the plague of Israel teaches how highly God may be offended with sinnes of the least appearance how seuere to his owne how mercifull in that seueritie If these my thoughts shall be approued beneficiall to any soule I am rich I shall vow my praiers to their successe and to the happinesse of your Honourable Familie both in the root and branches Whereto I am in all Humble dutie deuoted IOS HALL Contemplations SHIMEI cursing WITH an heauy heart and a couered head and a weeping eie and bare feet is Dauid gone away from Hierusalem neuer did he with more ioy come vp to his citie then now he left it with sorrow how could he doe otherwise whom the insurrection of his owne Sonne droue out from his house from his throne from the Arke of God and now when the depth of this griefe deserued nothing but compassion the foule mouth of Shimei entertaines Dauid with curses There is no small crueltie in the picking out of a time for mischiefe That word would scarce gall at one season which at another killeth The same shaft flying with the winde pierces deepe which against it can hardly finde strength to sticke vpright The valour and iustice of children condemnes it for iniuriously cowardly to strike their aduersary when he is once downe It is the murder of the tongue to insult vpon those whom God hath humbled and to draw bloud of that backe which is yet blew from the hand of the Almightie If Shimei had not presumed vpon Dauids deiection he durst not haue beene thus bold now he that perhaps durst not haue lookt at one of those Worthies single defies them all at once and doth both cast and speake stones against Dauid and all his armie The malice of a base spirits sometimes carries them further then the courage of the valiant In all the time of Dauids prosperitie we heard no newes of Shimei his silence and colourable obedience made him passe for a good subiect yet all that while was his heart vnsound and trayterous Peace and good successe hides many a false heart like as a snow-drift couers an heape of dung which once melting away descryes the rottennesse that lay within Honor and welfare are but flattering glasses of mens affections aduersitie will not deceiue vs but will make a true report as of our owne powers so of the dispositions of others He that smiled on Dauid in his throne curseth him in his flight if there be any quarrels any exceptions to be taken against a man let him looke to haue them laid in his dish when he fares the hardest This practise haue wicked men learnt of their master to take the vtmost aduantages of our afflictions He that suffers had need to be double armed both against paine and censure Euery word of Shimei was a slaunder He that tooke Sauls speare from his head and repented to haue but cut the lap of his garment is reproched as a man of bloud The man after Gods owne heart is branded for a man of Belial He that was sent for out of the fields to be anointed is taxed for an vsurper If Dauids hands were stained with bloud yet not of Sauls house it was his seruant not his master that bled by him yet is the bloud of the Lords anointed cast in Dauids teeth by the spight of a false tongue Did we not see Dauid after all the proofes of his humble loyaltie shedding the bloud of that Amalakite who did but say he shed Sauls Did we not heare him lament passionately for the death of so ill a master chiding the mountaines of Gilboa on which he fell and angerly wishing that no dewe might fall where that bloud was powred out and charging the daughters of Israel to weepe ouer Saul who had clothed them in scarlet Did we not heare and see him inquiring for any remainder of the house of Saul that he might shew him the kindnesse of God Did we not see him honouring lame Mephibosheth with a princely seat at his owne table Did we not see him reuenging the bloud of his riuall Ishbosheth vpon the heads of Rechab and Baanah What could any liuing man haue done more to wipe off these bloudy aspersions Yet is not a Shimei ashamed to charge innocent Dauid with all the bloud of the house of Saul How is it likely this clamorous wretch had secretly traduced the name of Dauid all the time of his gouernment that dares thus accuse him to his face before all the mightie men of Israel who were witnesses of the contrary The greater the person is the more open doe his actions lie to mis-interpretation and censure Euery tongue speakes partially according to the interest he hath in the cause or the patient It is not possible that eminent persons should be free from imputations Innocence can no more protect them then power If the patience of Dauid can digest this indignitie his traine cannot their fingers could not but itch to returne iron for stones If Shimei raile on Dauid Abishai railes on Shimei Shimei is of Sauls familie Abishai of Dauids each speakes for his owne Abishai most iustly bends his tongue against Shimei as Shimei against Dauid most vniustly Had Shimei been any other then a dog he had neuer so rudely barked at an harmlesse passenger neither could he deserue
glory of the giuer Oh the policie of this Machiauell of Israel no lesse deepe then hell it selfe Goe in to thy fathers concubines which he hath left to keepe the house and when all Israel shall heare that thou art abhorred of thy father the hands of all that are with thee shall be strong The first care must be to secure the faction There can be no safetie in siding with a doubtfull rebell if Absalom be a Traitor yet he is a sonne Nature may returne to it selfe Absalom may relent Dauid may remit where then are we that haue helpt to promote the conspiracie the danger is ours whiles this breach may be peeced There is no way but to ingage Absalom in some further act vncapable of forgiuenesse Besides the throne let him violate the bed of his father vnto his treason let him adde an incest no lesse vnnaturall now shall the world see that Absalom neither hopes nor cares for the reconciliation of a father Our quarrell can neuer haue any safe end but victorie the hope whereof depends vpon the resolution of our followers they cannot be resolute but vpon the vnpardonable wickednesse of their leader Neither can this villanie be shamefull enough if it be secret The closenesse of euill argues feare or modestie neither of which can beseeme him that would be a succesfull traitor Set vp a tent on the top of the house and let all Israel be witnesses of thy sin and thy fathers shame Ordinary crimes are for vulgar offenders Let Absalom sinne eminently and doe that which may make the world at once to blush and wonder Who would euer haue thought that Achitophel had liued at the Court at the Councell-table of a Dauid Who would thinke that mouth had euer spoken well Yet had he beene no other then as the Oracle of God to the religious Court of Israel euen whiles he was not wise enough to be good Policie and grace are not alwaies lodged vnder one roofe This man whiles he was one of Dauids deepe Counsellors was one of Dauids fooles that said in their hearts There is no God Else he could not haue hoped to make good an euill with worse to build the successe of treason vpon incest Prophane hearts doe so contriue the plots of their wickednesse as if there were no ouer-ruling power to crosse their designes or to reuenge them He that sits in heauen laughs them to scorne and so farre giues way to their sinnes as their sinnes may proue plagues vnto themselues These two sonnes of Dauid met with pestilent counsell Amnon is aduised to incest with his sister Absalom is aduised to incest with his fathers Concubines That by Ionadab this by Achitophel Both preuaile It is as easie at least to take ill counsaile as to giue it Pronenesse to villanie in the great cannot want either proiectors to deuise or parasites to execute the most odious and vnreasonable sinnes The tent is spred lest it should not be conspicuous enough on the top of the house The act is done in the sight of all Israel The filthinesse of the sinne was not so great as the impudencie of the manner When the prophet Nathan came with that heauie message of reproofe and menace to Dauid after his sinne with Bathsheba he could say from God Behold I will raise vp euill against thee out of thine owne house and will take thy wiues before thine eies and giue them vnto thy neighbour and he shall lie with thy wiues in the sight of this Sunne For thou didst it secretly but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before this Sunne The counsell of Achitophel and the lust of Absalom haue fulfilled the iudgement of God Oh the wisdome of the Almightie that can vse the worst of euils well and most iustly make the sinnes of men his executioners It was the sinne of Reuben that he defiled his fathers bed yet not in the same height of lewdnesse what Reuben did in a youthfull wantonnesse Absalom did in a malicious despight Reuben sinned with one Absalom with ten Reuben secretly Absalom in the open eies of heauen and earth yet old Iacob could say of Reuben Thou shalt not excell thy dignitie is gone Whiles Achitophel saies to Absalom Thy dignitie shall arise from incest Climbe vp to thy fathers bed if thou wilt sit in his throne If Achitophel were a politician Iacob was a Prophet if the one spake from carnall sense the other from diuine reuelation Certainly to sinne is not the way to prosper what euer vaine fooles may promise to themselues there is no wisdome nor vnderstanding nor counsell against the Lord. After the rebellion is secured for continuance the next care is that it may end in victorie this also hath the working head of Achitophel proiected Wit and experience told him that in these cases of assault celeritie vses to bring forth the happiest dispatch whereas protraction is no small aduantage to the defendant Let me saith he choose out now twelue thousand men and I will vp and follow after Dauid this night and I will come vpon him while he is wearie and weak-handed No aduice could be more pernicious For besides the wearinesse and vnreadinesse of Dauid and his armie the spirits of that worthy leader were daunted and deiected with sorrow and offered way to the violence of a sudden assault The field had beene halfe won ere any blow striken Achitophel could not haue beene reputed so wise if He had not learned the due proportion betwixt actions and times He that obserueth euery winde shall neuer sowe but he that obserues no Winde at all shall neuer reape The likeliest deuices doe not alwaies succeed The God that had appointed to establish Dauids throne and determined Salomon to his succession findes meanes to crosse the plot of Achitophel by a lesse-probable aduice Hushai was not sent backe for nothing where God hath in his secret will decreed any euent he inclines the wills of men to approue that which may promote his owne purposes Neither had Hushai so deepe an head neither was his counsell so sure as that of Achitophel yet his tongue shal refell Achitophel and diuert Absalom The pretences were fairer though the grounds were vnsound First to sweeten his opposition he yeelds the praise of wisdome to his aduersarie in all other counsells that he may haue leaue to denie it in this His very contradiction in the present insinuates a generall allowance Then he suggests certaine apparent truths concerning Dauids valour and skill to giue countenance to the inferences of his improbabilities Lastly he cunningly feeds the proud humour of Absalom in magnifying the power and extent of his commands and ends in the glorious boasts of his fore-promised victorie As it is with faces so with counsell that is faire that pleaseth He that giues the vttrance to words giues also their speed Fauour both of speech and men is not euer according to desert but according to fore-ordination The tongue of Hushai and the
heart of Absalom is guided by a power aboue their owne Hushai shall therefore preuaile with Absalom that the treason of Absalom may not preuaile He that worketh all in all things so disposeth of wicked men and spirits that whiles they doe most oppose his reuealed will they execute his secret and whiles they think most to please they ouerthrow themselues When Absalom first met Hushai returned to Hierusalem he vpbraided him pleasantly with the scoffe of his professed friendship to Dauid Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend Sometimes there is more truth in the mouth then in the heart more in iest then in earnest Hushai was a friend his stay was his kindnesse and now he hath done that for which he was left at Hierusalem disappointed Achitophel preserued Dauid Neither did his kindnesse to his friend rest here but as one that was iustly iealous of him with whom he was allowed to temporize he mistrusts the approbation of Absalom and not daring to put the life of his master vpon such an hazard he giues charge to Zadok and Abiathar of this intelligence vnto Dauid we cannot be too suspicious when we haue to doe with those that are faithlesse We cannot be too curious of the safetie of good Princes Hushai feares not to descry the secrets of Absaloms counsell To betray a traitor is no other then a commendable worke Zadok and Abiathar are fast within the gates of Hierusalem their sonnes lay purposely abroad in the fields this message that concerned no lesse then the life of Dauid and the whole kingdome of Israel must be trusted with a maid Sometimes it pleaseth the wisdome of God who hath the varietie of heauen and earth before him to single out weake instruments for great seruices and they shall serue his turne as well as the best No counsailour of state could haue made this dispatch more effectually Ionathan and Ahimaaz are sent descried pursued preserued The fidelitie of a maid instructed them in their message the suttletie of a woman saued their liues At the well of Rogel they receiued their message in the Well of Bahurim was their life saued The sudden wit of a woman hath choked the mouth of her Well with dried corne that it might not bewray the messengers and now Dauid heares safely of his danger and preuents it and though weary with trauell and laden with sorrow he must spend the night in his remoue Gods promises of his deliuerance and the confirmation of his kingdome may not make him neglect the meanes of his safetie If he be faithfull we may not be carelesse since our diligence and care are appointed for the factors of that diuine prouidence The acts of God must abate nothing of ours rather must we â—abour by doing that which he requireth to further that which he decreeth There are those that haue great wits for the publique none for themselues Such was Achitophel who whiles he had powers to gouerne a state could not tell how to rule his owne passions Neuer till now doe we finde his counsell balked neither was it now reiected as â—ll only Hushaies was allowed for better he can liue no longer now that he is beaten at his owne weapon this alone iâ— cause enough to saddle his Asseâ— and to goe home and put thâ— halter about his owne necke Pride causes men both to misinterpret disgraces and to ouerrate them Now is Dauids praieâ— heard Achitophels counsell is turned into foolishnesse Desperatâ— Achitophel what if thou be noâ— the wisest man of all Israelâ— Euen those that haue not attained to the hiest pitch of wisdome haue found contentment in a mediocritie what 〈◊〉 thy counsell were despised 〈◊〉 wise man knowes to liue happily in spight of an vniust contempt what madnesse is this 〈◊〉 reuenge another mans reputation vpon thy selfe And whiles thou striuest for the hiest roome of wisdome to run into the grossest extremitie of folly Worldly wisdome is no protection from shame and ruine How easily may a man though naturally wise be made wearie of life A little paine a little shame a little losse a small affront can soone rob a man of all comfort and cause his owne hands to rob him of himselfe If there were not hier respects then the world can yeeld to maintaine vs in being it should be a miracle if indignation did not kill more then disease now that God by whose appointment we liue here for his most wise and holy purposes hath found meanes to make life sweet and death terrible What a mixture doe we finde here of wisdome and madnesse Achitophel will needs hang himselfe there is madnesse He will yet set his house in order there is an act of wisdome And could it be possible that he who was so wise as to set his house in order should be so mad as to hang himselfe That he should be carefull to order his house who regarded not to order his impotent passions That he should care for his house who cared not for either body or soule How vaine it is for a man to be wise if he be not wise in God How preposterous are the cares of idle worldlings that prefer all other things to themselues and whiles they looke at what they haue in their cofers forget what they haue in their breasts The Death of Absalom THE same God that raised enmitie to Dauid from his own loines procured him fauour from forrainers Strangers shall releeue him whom his owne sonne persecutes Here is not a losse but an exchange of loue Had Absalom beene a sonne of Ammon and Shobi a sonne of Dauid Dauid had found no cause of complaint If God take with one hand he giues with another whiles that diuine bountie serues vs in good meat though not in our owne dishes we haue good reason to be thankfull No sooner is Dauid come to Mahanaim then Barzillai Machir and Shobi refresh him with prouisions Who euer saw any childe of God left vtterly destitute Whosoeuer be the messenger of our aide we know whence he comes Heauen shall want power and earth meanes before any of the houshold of faith shall want maintenance He that formerly was forced to imploy his armes for his defence against a tyrannous father in law must now buckle them on against an vnnaturall sonne Now therefore he musters his men and ordaines his commanders and marshalls his troupes and since their loyall importunitie will not allow the hazard of his person he at once incourages them by his eye and restraines them with his tongue Deale gently with the yong man Absalom for my sake How vnreasonably fauourable are the warres of a father O holy Dauid what meanes this ill-placed loue this vniust mercy Deale gently with a traytor but of all traytors with a sonne of all sonnes with an Absalom the gracelesse dareling of so good a father and all this for thy sake whose crowne whose bloud he hunts after For whose sake should Absalom be pursued if hee must be forborne for thine He
wont to tell Nathan what he meant to doe in his holy and most important ciuill affaires There are cases wherein it is not vnfit for Gods Prophets to meddle with matters of State It is no disparagement to religious Princes to impart their counsels vnto them who can requite them with the counsels of God That wood which a single yron could not riue is soone splitted with a double wedge The seasonable importunitie of Bathsheba and Nathan thus seconding each other hath so wrought vpon Dauid that now his loue to Adonijah giues place to indignation nature to an holy fidelitie and now he renewes his ancient oath to Bathsheba with a passionate solemnitie As the Lord liueth who hath redeemed my soule out of all aduersitie euen as I sware vnto thee by the Lord God of Israel saying Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me and he shall sit vpon my throne in my stead so will I certainly doe this day In the decay of Dauids body I finde not his intellectiue powers any whit impaired As one therefore that from his bed could with a perfect if weake hand stere the gouernment of Israel he giues wise and full directions for the inauguration of Salomon Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet and Benaiah the Captaine receiue his graue and Princely charge for the carriage of that so weightie a businesse They are commanded to take with them the royall gard to set Salomon vpon his fathers Mule to carry him downe in state to Gihon to anoint him with the holy oile of the Tabernacle to sound the trumpets and proclaime him in the streets to bring him backe with triumph and magnificence to the Court and to set him in the royall Throne with all the due ceremonies of Coronation How pleasing was this command to them who in Salomons glorie saw their owne safetie Benaiah applauds it and not fearing a fathers enuie in Dauids presence wisheth Salomons throne exalted aboue his The people are rauished with the ioy of so hopefull a succession and breake the earth and fill the heauen with the noise of their Musicke and shoutings Salomons guests had now at last better cheere then Adonijahs whose feast as all wicked mens ended in horror No sooner are their bellies full of meat then their eares are full of the sound of those trumpets which at once proclaime Salomons triumph and their confusion Euer after the meale is ended comes the reckoning God could as easily haue preuented this iollitie as marred it But he willingly suffers vaine men to please themselues for the time in the conceited successe of their owne proiects that afterwards their disappointment may be so much more grieuous No doubt at this feast there was many an health drunke to Adonijah many a confident boast of their prospering designe many a scorne of the despised faction of Salomon and now for their last dish is serued vp astonishment and fearefull expectation of a iust reuenge Ionathan the sonne of Abiathar the Priest brings the newes of Salomons solemne and ioyfull enthronization now all hearts are cold all faces pale and euery man hath but life enough to run away How suddenly is this brauing troupe dispersed Adonijah their new Prince flies to the hornes of the Altar as distrusting all hopes of life saue the Sanctitie of the place and the mercie of his riuall So doth the wise and iust God befoole proud and insolent sinners in those secret plots wherein they hope to vndermine the true sonne of Dauid the Prince of peace he suffers them to lay their heads together and to feast themselues in a iocund securitie and promise of successe at last when they are at the height of their ioyes and hopes he confounds all their deuices and laies them open to the scorne of the world and to the anguish of their owne guiltie hearts Dauids end and Salomons beginning IT well became Salomon to begin his raigne in peace Adonijah receiues pardon vpon his good behauiour and finds the throne of Salomon as safe as the Altar Dauid liues to see a wise sonne warme in his seat and now hee that had yeelded to succession yeelds to nature Many good counsels had Dauid giuen his heire now hee summes them vp in his end Dying words are wont to be weightiest The Soule when it is entring into glory breathes nothing but diuine I goe the way of all the earth How well is that princely heart content to subscribe to the conditions of humane mortalitie as one that knew Soueraigntie doth not reach to the affaires of nature Though a King he neither expects nor desires an immunity from dissolution making not account to goe in any other then the common tracke to the vniuersall home of mankinde the house of age Whither should earth but to earth and why should wee grudge to doe that which all doe Be thou strong therefore and shew thy selfe a man Euen when his spirit was going out he puts spirit into his Sonne Age puts life into youth and the dying animates the vigorous He had well found that strength was requisite to gouernment that he had need to be no lesse then a man that should rule ouer men If greatnesse should neuer receiue any opposition yet those worlds of cares and businesses that attend the chayre of State are able to ouer-lay any meane powers A weake man may obey none but the strong can gouerne Gracelesse courage were but the whet-stone of tyranny Take heed therefore to the charge of the Lord thy God to walke in his wayes and to keepe his Statutes The best legacy that Dauid bequeathes to his heire is the care of piety himselfe had found the sweetnesse of a good conscience and now hee commends it to his successor If there be any thing that in our desires of the prosperous condition of our children takes place of goodnesse our hearts are not vpright Here was the father a King charging the King his sonne to keepe the Statutes of the King of Kings as one that knew greatnesse could neither exempt from obedience nor priuiledge sinne as one that knew the least deuiation in the greatest and hiest Orbe is both most sensible and most dangerous Neither would he haue his sonne to looke for any prosperity saue onely from well-doing That happinesse is built vpon sands or Ice which is raised vpon any foundation besides vertue If Salomon were wise Dauid was good and if old Salomon had well remembred the counsell of old Dauid hee had not so foulely mis-carried After the precepts of pietie follow those of iustice distributing in a due recompence as reuenge to Ioab and Shimei so fauour to the house of Barzillai The bloudinesse of Ioab had lien long vpon Dauids heart the hideous noyse of those treacherous murders as it had pierced heauen so it still filled the eares of Dauid He could abhorre that villanie though hee could not reuenge it What hee cannot pay he will owe and approue himselfe at last a faithfull debtor Now he
Had Bathsheba beene as meane as Salomon was mightie she had carried away this honour from a gracious sonne Yet for all these due complements Bathsheba goes away with a deniall Reuerence she shall haue she shall not haue a condescent In the acts of Magistracie all regards of naturall relations must giue way That which she propounded as a small request is now after a generall and confused ingagement reiected as vnreasonable It were pittie we should be heard in all our suits Bathsheba makes a petition against her selfe and knowes it not her safetie and life depends vpon Salomons raigne yet she vnwittingly moues for the aduancement of Adonijah Salomon was too dutifull to checke his mother and too wise to yeeld to her In vnfit supplications wee are most heard when we are repelled Thus doth our God many times answer our praiers with mercifull denials and most blesseth vs in crossing our desires Wise Salomon doth not finde himselfe perplexed with the scruple of his promise he that had said Aske on for I will not say thee nay can now sweare God doe so to me and more also if Adonijah haue not spoken this word against his owne life His promise was according to his supposition his supposition was of no other then of a suit honest reasonable expedient now he holds himselfe free from that grant wherein there was at once both sinne and danger No man can be intangled with generall words against his own iust and honest intentions The policies of wicked men befoole them at last this intercession hath vndone Adonijah and in stead of the Throne hastens his graue The sword of Benaiah puts an end to that dangerous riualitie Ioab and Abiatbar still held Champerty with Adonijah Their hand was both in his claime of the kingdome and in the suit for Abishag There are crimes wherein there are no accessories such is this of treason Abiathar may thanke his burden that he liues Had he not borne the Arke of the Lord before Dauid he had not now carried his head vpon his shoulders Had he not beene afflicted with Dauid he had perished with Adonijah now though he were in his owne merit a man of death yet he shall furuiue his partners Get thee to Anathoth vnto thine owne fields The Priesthood of Abiathar as it aggrauated his crime so it shall preserue his life Such honour haue good Princes giuen to the Ministers of the Sanctuarie that their very coate hath beene defence enough against the sword of iustice how much more should it be of proofe against the contempt of base persons Besides his function respect is had to his sufferings The father and brethren of Abiathar were slaine for Dauids sake therefore for Dauids sake Abiathar though worthy of death shall liue He had beene now a dead man if he had not beene formerly afflicted Thus doth our good God deale with vs by the rod he preuents the sword and therefore will not condemne vs for our sinnes because we haue suffered If Abiathar doe not forfait his life yet his office he shall he must change Ierusalem for Anathoth and the Priesthood for a retired priuacie It was fourescore yeeres agoe since the sentence of iudgement was denounced against the house of Eli now doth it come to execution This iust quarrell against Abiathar the last of that line shall make good the threatned iudgement The wickednesse of Elies house was neither purged by sacrifice nor obliterated by time If God pay slowly yet he paies sure Delay of most certaine punishment is neither any hindrance to his iustice nor any comfort to our miseries The execution of Joab and Shimei ABiathar shall liue though he serue not It is in the power of Princes to remit at least those punishments which attend the breach of humane Lawes good reason they should haue power to dispence with the wrongs done to their owne persons The newes of Adonijahs death and Abiathars remouall cannot but affright Ioab who now runnes to Gibeon and takes sanctuary in the Tabernacle of God all his hope of defence is in the hornes of the Altar Fond Ioab hadst thou formerly sought for counsell from the Tabernacle thou hadst not now needed to seeke to it for refuge if thy deuotions had not beene wanting to that Altar thou had'st not needed it for a shelter It is the fashion of our foolish presumption to looke for protection where we haue not cared to yeeld obedience Euen a Ioab clings fast to Gods Altar in his extremity which in his ruffe and welfare hee regarded not The worst men would be glad to make vse of Gods ordinances for their aduantage Necessitie will driue the most profane and lawlesse man to God But what do those bloudie hands touching the holy Altar of God Miserable Ioab what helpe canst thou expect from that sacred pile Those hornes that were besprinkled with the bloud of beasts abhorre to be touched by the bloud of men that Altar was for the expiation of sinne by bloud not for the protection of the sin of bloud If Adonijah fled thither and escaped it is murder that pursues thee more then conspiracie God hath no sanctuary for a wilfull Homicide Yet such respect doth Benaiah giue to that holy place that his Sword is vnwilling to touch him that touches the Altar Those hornes shall put off death for the time and giue protraction of the execution though not preseruation of life How sweet is life euen to those who haue beene prodigall of the bloud of others that Ioab shifts thus to hold it but some few houres Benaiah returnes with Ioabs answer in stead of his head Nay but I will die here as not daring to vnsheath his Sword against a man sheltered in Gods Tabernacle without a new commission Yong Salomon is so well acquainted with the Law of God in such a case that he sticks not at the sentence Hee knew that God had enacted If a man come presumptuously vpon his neighbour to slay him with guile thou shalt take him from mine Altar that hee may die He knew Ioabs murders had not beene more presumptuous then guilefull and therefore he sends Benaiah to take away the offender both from God and men from the Altar and the world No Subiect had merited more then Ioab When proclamation was made in Israel that who euer should smite the Iebusites first he should be the Chiefe and Captaine Ioab was the man When Dauid built some part of Ierusalem Ioab built the rest so as Ierusalem owes it selfe to Ioab both for recouery and reparation No man held so close to Dauid no man was more intent to the weale of Israel none so succesfull in victories yet now is he cald to reckon for his old sinnes and must repay bloud to Amasa and Abner It is not in the power of all our deserts to buy off one sinne either with God or man where life is so deeply forfaited it admits of no redemption The honest simplicity of those times knew not of