excesse had not been so haynous now her freedome is seene in her seueritie Those which haue cleare hearts from any sinne prosecute it with rigour whereas the guiltie are euer partiall their conscience holds their hands and tells them that they beat themselues whiles they punish others Now Hely sees his error and recants it and to make amends for his rash censure prayes for her Euen the best may erre but not persist in it When good natures haue offended they are vnquiet till they haue hastned satisfaction This was within his office to pray for the distressed Wherefore serues the Priest but to sacrifice for the people and the best sacrifices are the prayers of faith Shee that began her prayers with fasting and heauinesse rises vp from them with cheerefulnesse and repast It cannot bee spoken how much ease and ioy the heart of man findes in hauing vnloaded his cares and powred out his supplications into the eares of God since it is well assured that the suite which is faithfully asked is already granted in heauen The conscience may well rest when it tells vs that wee haue neglected no meanes of redressing our affliction for then it may resolue to looke either for amendment or patience The sacrifice is ended and now Elkanah and his familie rise vp early to returne vnto Ramah but they dare not set forward till they haue worshipped before the Lord That iourney cannot hope to prosper that takes not God with it The way to receiue blessings at home is to be deuout at the Temple She that before conceiued faith in her heart now conceiues a sonne in her wombe God will rather worke miracles then faithfull prayers shall returne empty I doe not finde that Peninna asked any sonne of God yet she had store Anna begged hard for this one and could not till now obtaine him They which are dearest to God doe oft-times with great difficultie worke out those blessings which fall into the mouthes of the carelesse That wise disposer of all things knowes it fit to hold vs short of those fauours which we sue for whether for the tryall of our patience or the exercise of our faith or the increase of our importunitie or the doubling of our obligation Those children are most like to proue blessings which the Parents haue begged of God and which are no lesse the fruit of our supplications then of our bodie As this childe was the sonne of his mothers prayers and was consecrated to God ere his possibilitie of being so now himselfe shall know both how hee came and whereto hee was ordeined and lest hee should forget it his very name shall teach him both She called his name Samuel Hee cannot so much as heare himselfe named but hee must needs remember both the extraordinarie mercie of God in giuing him to a barren mother and the vow of his mother in restoring him backe to God by her zealous dedication and by both of them learne holinesse and obedience There is no necessitie of significant names but wee cannot haue too many monitors to put vs in minde of our dutie It is wont to be the fathers priuiledge to name his childe but because this was his mothers son begotten more by her prayers then the seed of Elkanah it was but reason she should haue the chiefe hand both in his name and disposing It had been indeed in the power of Elkanah to haue changed both his name and profession and to abrogate the vow of his wife that wiues might know they were not their owne and that the rib might learne to know the head but husbands shall abuse their authoritie if they shall wilfully crosse the holy purposes and religious indeuours of their yoke-fellowes How much more fit is it for them to cherish all good desires in the weaker vessells and as we vse when wee carrie a small light in a winde to hide it with our lap or hand that it may not goe out If the wife bee a Vine the husband should be an Elme to vphold heâ— in all worthy enterprises Elsâ— shee falls to the ground anâ— proues fruitlesse The yeere is now come about and Elkanah calls his familie to their holy iourney to goe vp to Ierusalem for the aniuersarie solemnity of their sacrifice Annaes heart is with them but she hath a good excuse to stay at home the charge of her Samuel her successe in the Temple keeps her happily from the Temple that her deuotion may bee doubled because it was respited God knowes how to dispense with necessities but if we suffer idle and needlesse occasions to hold vs from the Tabernacle of God our hearts are but hollow to religion Now at last when the childe was weaned from her hand she goes vp and payes her vow and with it payes the interest of her intermission Neuer did Anna go vp with so glad an heart to Shilo as now that she carries God this reasonable present which himselfe gaue to her and she vowed to him accompanied with the bountie of other sacrifices more in number and measure then the Law of God required of her and all this is too little for her God that so mercifully remembred her affliction and miraculously remedied it Those hearts which are truly thankfull doe no lesse reioyce in their repayment then in their receit and doe as much studie how to show their humble and feruent affections for what they haue as how to compasse fauours when they want them Their debt is their burden which when they haue discharged they are at ease If Anna had repented of her vow and not presented her son to the Tebernacle Ely could not haue challenged him He had only seen her lips stir not hearing the promise of her heart It was enought that her owne soule knew her vow and God which was greater then it The obligation of a secret vow is no lesse then if it had ten thousand witnesses Old Hely could not choose but much reioyce to see this fruit of those lips which he thought moued with wine and this good proofe both of the mercifull audience of God and the thankfull fidelity of his handmaide this sight calls him down to his knees He worshipped the Lord We are vnprofitable witnesses of the mercies of God and the graces of men if we do not glorifie him for others sakes no lesse then for our owne Hely and Anna grew now better acquainted neither had he so much cause to praise God for her as she aftewards for him For if her owne praiers obtained her first childe his blessing inriched her with fiue more If she had not giuen her first sonne to God ere she had him I doubt whether she had not been euer barren or if shee had kept her Samuel at home whether euer she had conceiued againe now that piety which stripped her of her onely childe for the seruice of her God hath multiplied the fruit of her wombe and gaue her fiue for that one which was still no lesse hers
CONTEMplations Vpon the principal passages of the holie Historie THE THIRD VOLVME IN THREE BOOKES BY I. HALL Doctor of Diuinitie Printed by H. L. for Nathanael Butter and William Butler 1615. Contemplations THE NINTH BOOKE Containing The Rescue of Gibeon The Altar of the Reubenites Ebud and Eglon. Iael and Sisera Gideons calling Gideons preparation victory The reuenge of Succoth and Penuel Abimelech's vsurpation TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD SIR THO EGERTON KNIGHT Lord Ellesmere Lord Chancelour of England Chancelour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford The sincere and graue Oracle of Equitie The great sure friend of the Church The sanctuarie of the Clergy The bountifull incourager of Learning J. H. With thankfull acknowledgement of Gods blessing vpon this State in so vvorthy an Instrument and humble prayers for his happy continuance Dedicates this poore and vnworthy part of his labors CONTEMPLATIONS THE RESCVE of Gibeon THE life of the Gibeonites must cost thē seruitude from Israel and danger from their neighbours if Ioshua will but sit stil the deceit of the Gibeonites shall be reuenged by his enemies Fiue kings are vp in Armes against them and are ready to pay their fraude with violence VVhat should these poore men doe If they make not their peace they die by strangers if they doe make their peace with Forrainers they must die by neighbours There is no course that threatens not some danger Wee haue sped well if our choice hath light vpon the easiest inconuenience If these Hiuites haue sinned against God against Israel yet what haue they done to their neighbours I heare of no trechery no secret information no attempt I see no sinne but their league with Israel their life yet for ought we find they were free men no way either obliged or obnoxious As Satan so wicked men cannot abide to lose any of their community if a Conuert come home the Angels welcome him with songs the Diuels follow him with vprore and fury his old Partners vvith scornes and obloquy I finde these neighbour Princes halfe dead with feare and yet they can finde time to be sick of enuie Malice in a wicked hart is the king of Passions all other vaile bow when it comes in place euen their owne life was not so deare to them as reuenge Who would not rather haue lookt that these Kings should haue tryed to haue followed the Copie of this league or if their fingers did itch to fight why did they not rather think of a defensiue war against Israel then an offensiue against the Gibeonites Gibeon was strong and would not bee won without bloud yet these Amorites which at their best were too weake for Israel would spend their forces before hand on their neighbors Here was a strong hatred in weake breasts they feared and yet began to fight they feared Jsrael yet began to fight with Gibeon If they had sat still their destruction had not beene so suddaine the malice of the wicked hastens the pase of their owne iudgement No rod is so fit for a mischieuous man as his owne Gibeon and these other Cities of the Hiuites had no King none yeelded and escaped but they Their Elders consulted before for their league neither is there any challenge sent to the King but to the Citie And now the fiue Kings of the Amorits haue vniustly compacted against them Soueraignty abused is a great spur to out-rage the conceit of authoritie in great persons many times lies in the way of their own safety whiles it vvill not let them stoope to the ordinarie courses of inferiours Hence it is that heauen is peopled with so few Great-ones hence it is that true contentment seldome dwells high whiles meaner men of humbled spirits enioy both earth and heauen The Gibeonites had wel proued that thogh they wanted an Head yet they wanted not wit and now the same wit that won Ioshua and Israel to their friendship and protection teacheth them to make vse of those they had won If they had not more trusted Ioshua then their walls they had neuer stolne that league whē shold they haue vse of their new Protectors but now that they were assailed Whither should wee fly but to our Ioshua when the powers of darknes like mighty Amorites haue besieged vs If euer wee will send vp our prayers to him it will be when we are beleaguered with euils If we trust to our owne resistance wee cannot stand we cannot miscary if we trust to his in vaine shall we send to our Ioshua in these straits if we haue not before come to him in our freedom Which of vs would not haue thought Ioshua had a good pretence for his forbearance haue said You haue stolne your league with me why do you expect help from him whom yee haue deceiued All that wee promised you was a sufferance to liue inioy what wee promised wee will not take your life from you Hath your faithfulnes deserued to expect more then our couenant we neuer promised to hazard our liues for you to giue you life with the losse of our owne But that good man durst not construe his owne couenant to such an aduantage Hee knew little difference betwixt killing them with his own sword and the sword of an Amorite vvhosoeuer should giue the blow the murder would bee his Euen permission in those things wee may remedy makes vs no lesse actors then consent some men kill as much by looking on as others by smiting VVee are guilty of all the euill wee might haue hindered The noble disposition of Ioshua besides his ingagement will not let him forsake his new vassalls Their confidence in him is argument enough to draw him into the Field The greatest obligation to a good mind is anothers trust which to disappoint were mercilesly perfidious How much lesse shall our true Ioshua faile the confidence of our faith Oh my Sauiour if we send the messengers o◠our prayers to thee into thy Gilgal thy mercy bindes thee to releefe neuer any soule miscaried that trusted thee we may be wanting in our trust our trust can neuer want success Speed in bestowing doubles a gift a benefit deferred loses the thanks and prooues vnprofitable Ioshua marches all night fights all day for the Gibeonites They tooke not so much pains in comming to deceiue him as he in going to deliuer them It is the noblest victory to ouercome euill with good if his very Israelites had been in danger he could haue done no more God and his Ioshua make no difference betwixt Gibeonites Israelited and his owne naturall people All are Israelites whom he hath taken to league we strangers of the Gentiles are now the true Iewes GOD neuer did more for the naturall Oliue then for that wild Impe which he hath graffed in And as these Hiuites could neuer be thankfull enough to such a Ioshua no more can we to so gracious a Redeemer vvho forgetting our vnwoorthiness descended to our
a lap-full of parched corne a draught of the seruants bottles a loose sheafe was such a fauour to Ruth as she thought was aboue all recompence This was not seene in the estate of Boaz which yet makes her for the time happy If we may refresh the soule of the poore with the very offalls of our estate and not hurt our selues woe be to vs if we doe it not Our barnes shall bee as full of curses as of corne if we grudge the scattered eares of our field to the hands of the needie How thankfully doth Ruth take these small fauours from Boaz perhaps some rich Iewell in Moab would not haue been so welcome Euen this was a presage of her better estate those which shall receiue great blessings are euer thankfull for little and if poore soules be so thankfull to vs for but an handfull or a sheafe how should we be affected to our God for whose fieldsfull for full barnes full garners Doubtlesse Boaz hauing taken notice of the good nature dutifull cariage and the neere affinitie of Ruth could not but purpose some greater beneficence and higher respects to her Yet now onwards he fits his kindnes to her condition and giues her that which to her meanenesse seemed much tho he thought it little Thus doth the bountie of our God deale with vs It is not for want of loue that he giues vs no greater measure of grace but for want of our fitnesse and capacitie Hee hath reserued greater preferments for vs when it shall bee seasonable for vs to receiue them Ruth returnes home wealthy with her Ephah of barley and thankfully magnifies the liberalitie of Boaz her new benefactor Naomi repayes his beneficence with her blessing Blessed be he of the Lord. If the rich can exchange their almes with the poore for blessings they haue no cause to complaine of an ill bargaine Our gifts cannot be worth their faithfull prayers Therefore it is better to giue then to receiue because he that receiues hath but a worthlesse almes hee that giues receiues an vnualuable blessing I cannot but admire the modestie and silence of these two women Naomi had not so much as talked of her kinred in Bethleem nor till now had shee told Ruth that she had a wealthy kinsman neither had Ruth inquired of her husbands great alliance but both sate downe meekly with their owne wants and cared not to know any thing else saue that themselues were poore Humilitie is euer the way to honor It is a discurtesie where we are beholden to alter our dependencie Like as men of trade take it ill if customers which are in their bookes goe for their wares to another shop Wisely doth Naomi aduise Ruth not to bee seene in any other field whiles the haruest lasted The very taking of their fauours is a contentment to those that haue already well deserued and it is quarrell enough that their curtesie is not receiued How shall the God of heauen take it that whiles he giues and proffers largely wee runne to the world that can afford vs nothing but vanitie and vexation Those that can least act are oft-times the best to aduise Good old Naomi sits still at home and by her counsell payes Ruth all the loue shee owes her The face of that action to which shee directs her is the worst peece of it the heart was sound Perhaps the assurance which long tryall had giuen her of the good gouernment and firme chastitie of her daughter in law together with her perswasion of the religious grauitie of Boaz made her thinke that designe safe which to others had been perilous if not desperate But besides that holding Boaz next of blood to Elimelech shee made account of him as the lawfull husband of Ruth so as there wanted nothing but a challenge and consummation Nothing was abated but some outward solemnities which tho expedient for the satisfaction of others yet were not essentiall to marriage And if there were not these colours for a proiect so suspicious it would not follow that the action were warrantable because Naomies Why should her example be more safe in this then in matching her sonues with Insidels then in sending backe Orpah to her fathers Gods If euery act of an holy person should bee our rule wee should haue crooked liues Euery action that is reported is not straight-waies allowed Our courses were very vncertaine if God had not giuen vs rules whereby wee may examine the examples of the best Saints and as well censure as follow them Let them that stumble at the boldnes of Ruth imitate the continence of Boaz. These times were not delicate This man though great in Bethleem laies him downe to rest vpon a pallet in the floore of his barne when hee awakes at midnight no maruell if he were amazed to finde himselfe accompanied yet though his heart were cheared with wine the place solitarie the night silent the person comely the inuitation plausible could hee be drawne to a rash act of lust His appetite could not get the victorie of reason tho it had wine and oportunitie to helpe it Herein Boaz showd himselfe a great master of his affections that hee was able to resist a fit tentation It is no thanke to many that they are free of some euills perhaps they wanted not will but conuenience But if a man when hee is fitted with all helps to his sin can repell the pleasure of sin out of conscience this is true fortitude In steed of touching her as a wanton he blesses her as a father incourageth her as a friend promiseth her as a kinsman rewards her as a patron sends hir away lade with hopes gifts no lesse chaste more happy then shee came Oh admirable temperance worthy the progenitor of him in whose lips and heart was no guile If Boaz had been the next kinsman the marriage had needed no protraction but now that his conscience told him that Ruth was the right of another it had not been more sensualitie then iniustice to haue touched his kinswoman It was not any bodily impotencie but honestie and conscience that restrained Boaz for the very next night shee conceiued by him that good man wished his mariage bed holy and durst not lye downe in the doubt of a sinne Many a man is honest out of necessitie and affects the praise of that which hee could not auoide but that mans minde is still an adulterer in the forced continence of his bodie No action can giue vs true comfort but that which we do out of the grounds of obedience Those which are fearefull of sinning are carefull not to bee thought to sin Boaz though he knew himselfe to be cleare would not haue occasion of suspicion giuen to others Let no man know that a woman came into the floore A good heart is no lesse afraide of a scandall then of a sin whereas those that are resolued not to make any scruple of sin despise others constructions not caring whom they