History of the Old Testament Volume 5, Part 14 – Dedication 3
Abſaloms returne and conſpiracy.
ONE act of iniuſtice drawes on another; The iniuſtice of Dauid, in not puniſhing the rape of Amnon, procures the iniuſtice of Abſalom, in puniſhing Amnon with murder: That which the father ſhould hauehave iuſtly reuenged, and did not; the ſon reuenges vniuſtly; The rape of a ſiſter was no leſſe worthy of death; then the murder of a brother; Yea, this latter ſin was therefore the leſſe, becauſe that brother was worthy of death, though by another hand; whereas that ſiſter was guilty of nothing but modeſt beauty: yet he that knew this rape paſſed ouer (whole two yeeres) with impunity, dares not truſt the mercy of a father, in the pardon of his murder; but for threeyeers, hides his head in the Court of his Grand-father, the King of Geſhur. Doubtleſſe, that heatheniſh Prince gaue him a kinde welcome, for ſo meritorious a reuenge of the diſhonour done to his owne loynes. No man can tell, how Abſalom ſhould hauehave ſped from the hands of his otherwiſe ouer-indulgent Father, if he had beene apprehended in the heat of the fact. Euen the largeſt louelove may bee ouerſtrayned, and may giuegive a fall in the breaking; Theſe fearefull effects of lenity, might perhaps hauehave whetted the ſeuerity of Dauid, to ſhut vp theſe outrages in bloud; Now this diſpleaſure was weakned with age: Time and thoughts hauehave digeſted this hard morſell; Dauids heart told him, that his hands had a ſhare in this offence; that Abſalom did but giuegive that ſtroke, which himſelfe had wrongfully forborne; that the vnrecouerable loſſe of one ſon, would bee but wofully releiued with the loſſe of another; Hee therefore, that in the newes of the deceaſed infant could change his clothes, and waſh himſelfe, and cheere vp his ſpirits, with the reſolution of, I ſhall goe to him, he ſhall not returne to mee, comforts himſelfe concerning Amnon; and begins to long for Abſolom.
Thoſe three yeeres baniſhment ſeemed not ſo much a puniſhment to the ſon, as to the father; Now Dauid begins to forgiue himſelfe; yet out of his wiſdome, ſo inclines to fauour, that he conceales it; and yet ſo conceales it, that it may bee deſcryed by a cunning eye; If hee had caſt out no glances of affection, there had beene no hopes for his Abſalom, if hee had made profeſſion of louelove after ſo foule an act, there had beene no ſafety for others; now hee lets fall ſo much ſecret grace, as may both hold vp Abfalom in the life of his hopes, and not hearten the preſumption of others.
Good eyes ſee light thorow the ſmalleſt chinke; The wit of Ioab hath ſoone diſcerned Dauids reſerued affection; and knowes how to ſerue him in that which hee would, and would not accompliſh: and now deuiſes how to bring into the light, that birth of deſire, wherof he knew Dauid was both big, and aſhamed. A woman of Tekoah (that ſex hath beene euer held more apt for wiles) is ſuborned to perſonate a mourner, and to ſay that, by way of parable, which in plaine termes would hauehave ſounded too harſhly; and now whiles ſhe lamentably laies forth the loſſe & danger of her ſons, ſhe ſhewes Dauid his owne; and whiles ſhe moues compaſſion to her pretended iſſue, ſhee wins Dauid to a pitty of himſelfe, and a fauourable ſentence for Abſalom. We louelove our ſelues better then others, but wee ſee others better then our ſelues; who ſo would perfectly know his owne caſe, let him view it in anothers perſon.
Parables ſped well with Dauid; One drew him to repent of his owne ſin; another, to remit Abſaloms puniſhment; And now, as glad to heare this plea, and willing to bee perſwaded vntounto that, which if he durſt, he would hauehave ſought for, he gratifies Ioab with the grant of that ſuit, which Ioab more gratified him in ſuing for; Goe bring againe the young man Abſalom.
How glad is Ioab, that hee hath light vponupon one act, for which the Sunne, both ſetting and riſing, ſhould ſhine vponupon him? and now he ſpeeds to Geſhur, to fetch back Abſalom to Ieruſalem: he may bring the long-baniſhed Prince to the City; but to the Court hee may not bring him. (Let him turne to his owne houſe, and let him not ſee my face.)
The good King hath ſo ſmarted with mercy; that now hee is reſolued vponupon auſterity; and will relent but by degrees; It is enough for Abſalom that hee liues, and may now breathe his natiue ayre; Dauids face is no obiect for the eyes of a murtherer: What a Dearling this ſon was to his father, appeares in that, after an vnnaturall and barbarous rebellion, paſſionate Dauid wiſhes to hauehave changed liues with him; yet now, whiles his bowels yearned, his brow frowned; The face may not be ſeen, where the heart is ſet. The beſt of Gods Saints may be blinded with affection; but when they ſhall once ſee their errors, they are carefull to correct them. Wherfore ſerues the power of Grace, but to ſubdue the inſolencies of nature? It is the wiſdome of parents, as to hide their hearts from their beſt children, ſo to hide their countenances from the vngracious: Fleſhly reſpects may not abate their rigor to the ill deſeruing. For the childe to ſee all his fathers louelove, it is enough to make him wanton, and of wanton, wicked: For a wicked childe, to ſee any of his fathers louelove, it emboldens him in euill, and drawes on others.
Abſaloms houſe is made his priſon; Iuſtly is he confined to the place which hee had ſtained with blood; Two yeeres doth hee liue in Ieruſalem, without the happineſſe of his fathers ſight; It was enough for Dauid and him, to ſee the ſmoke of ech others chimnies. In the meane time, how impatient is Abſalom of this abſence? Hee ſends for Ioab, the Solicitor of his returne; So hard an hand, doth wiſe and holy Dauid carry ouer his reduced ſonne, that his frendly Interceſſor, Ioab, dares not viſit him. Hee, that afterwards kindled that ſeditious fire ouer all Iſrael, ſets fire now on the field of Ioab; whom louelove cannot draw to him, feare and anger ſhall; Continued diſpleaſure hath made Abſalom deſperate; Fiue yeeres are paſſed, ſince hee ſaw the face of his father; and now he is no leſſe weary of his life, then of this delay; (Wherefore am I comne downe from Geſhur? It had beene better for mee, to hauehave beene there ſtill: Now therefore let mee ſee the Kings face, and if there bee any iniquity in me, let him kill me.) Either baniſhment, or death, ſeemed as tolerable to him, as the debarring of his fathers ſight. What a torment ſhall it bee to the wicked, to be ſhut out for euer, from the preſence of a God, without all poſſible hopes of recouery? This was but a father of the fleſh, by whom, if Abſalom liued at firſt, yet in him he liued not, yea, not without him onelyonly, but againſt him that ſon found hee could liue; God is the Father of Spirits, in whom wee ſo liue, that without him can be no life, no being; to bee euer excluded from him, in whom wee liue and are, what can it be but an eternall dying, an eternall periſhing? If in thy preſence, ô God, be the fulnes of ioy, in thine abſence, muſt needs be the fulnes of horror and torment; Hide not thy face from vsus, ô Lord, but ſhew vsus the light of thy countenance, that we may liue, and praiſe thee.
Euen the fire of Ioabs field, warmed the heart of Dauid, whiles it gaue him proofe of the heat of Abſaloms filiall affection. As a man therefore inwardly weary of ſo long diſpleaſure, at laſt hee receiues Abſalom to his ſight, to his fauour; and ſeales his pardon with a kiſſe: Naturall parents, know not how to retaine an euerlaſting anger towards the fruit of their loynes; how much leſſe ſhall the God of mercies, be vnreconcileably diſpleaſed with his owne; and ſuffer his wrath to burne like fire that cannot be quenched? Hee will not alwayes chide, neither will he keepe his anger for euer; His wrath endureth but a moment, in his fauour is life; weeping may endure for a night, but ioy commeth in the morning.
Abſalom is now as great, as faire; beauty and greatneſſe make him proud; pride works his ruine; Great ſpirits will not reſt content with a moderate proſperity: Ere two yeeres bee run out, Abſalom runs out into a deſperate plot of rebellion; None but his owne father was aboue him in Iſrael; None was ſo likely, in humane expectation, to ſucceed his father; If his ambition could but hauehave contained it ſelfe for a few yeeres, (as Dauid was now neere his period) dutifull carrige might hauehave procured, that by ſucceſſion, which now he ſought by force. An aſpiring minde is euer impatient, and holds Time it ſelfe an enemy, if it thruſt it ſelfe importunately betwixt the hopes and fruition: Ambition is neuer but in trauell, and can finde no intermiſſion of painefull throwes, till ſhee hauehave brought forth her abortiue deſires: How happy were we, if our affectation could be ſo eager of ſpiritual and heauenly promotions; Oh that my ſoule could finde it ſelfe ſo reſtleſſe, till it feele the weight of that crowne of glory.
Outward pompe, and vnwonted ſhews of magnificence, are wont much to affect the light mindes of the vulgar. Abſalom therefore to the incomparable comelineſſe of his perſon, addes the vnuſuall ſtate of a more-then-princely equipage His Charets rattle, and his hor ſes trample proudly in the ſtreets; Fifty foot-men runne before their glittering maſter; Ieruſalem rings of their glorious Prince; and is ready to adore theſe continuall triumphs of peace. Exceſſe and nouelty, of expenſiue brauery and oſtentation in publique perſons, giues iuſt cauſe to ſuſpect either vanity, or a plot; True-harted Dauid can miſdoubt nothing in him, to whom hee had both giuen life, and forgiuen death▪ LoueLove conſtrued all this, as meant to the honor of a fathers Court, to the expreſſion of ioy and thankfulnes for his reconcilement: The eyes and tongues of men are thus taken vp; now hath Abſalom laid ſnares for their hearts alſo; Hee riſes early, and ſtands beſide the way of the gate; Ambition is no niggard of her paynes; ſeldome euer is good meaning ſo induſtrious; The more hee ſhined in beauty and royall attendance, ſo much more glory it was to neglect himſelfe, and to prefer the care of iuſtice to his owne eaſe; Neither is Abſalom more painefull then plauſible, his eare is open to all plaintiues, all petitioners: there is no cauſe Which he flatters not, See thy matters are good and right; his hand flatters eueryevery commer with a ſalutation, his lips with a kiſſe. All men, all matters are ſoothed, ſauing the ſtate and gouernment; the cenſure of that is no leſſe deep, then the applauſe of all others, (There is none deputed of the King to heare thee.) What inſinuations could be more powerfull; No muſick can be ſo ſweet to the eares of the vnſtable multitude, as to heare well of themſelues, ill of their gouernours; Abſalom needs not to wiſh himſelfe vponupon the Bench; EueryEvery man ſayes, Oh what a curteous Prince is Abſalom? What a iuſt and carefull ruler would Abſalom be? How happy were wee, if wee might bee iudg'd by Abſalom? Thoſe qualities which are wont ſingle duplicate page duplicate page to grace others, hauehave conſpired to meet in Abſalom; goodlines of perſon, magnificence of ſtate, gracious affability, vnwearied diligence, humility in greatnes, feeling pitty, louelove of iuſtice, care of the Commonwealth; The world hath not ſo complete a Prince as Abſalom; Thus the harts of the people are not won, but ſtolne by a cloſe traytor from their lawfully-anointed Soueraigne. Ouer-faire ſhowes are a iuſt argument of vnſoundnes; no naturall face hath ſo cleare a white and red, as the painted: Nothing wants now but a cloke of religion, to perfect the trechery of that vngracious Sonne, who carryed peace in his name, warre in his hart: and how eaſily is that put on? Abſalom hath an holy vow to be paid in Hebron; The deuout man had made it long ſince, whiles hee was exiled in Syria, and now hee haſts to performe it, (If the Lord ſhall bring me backe againe to Ieruſalem, then I will ſerue the Lord;) wicked hypocrites, care not to play with God that they may mock men. The more deformed any act is, the fayrer viſor it ſtill ſeeketh.
How glad is the good old King, that he is bleſſed with ſo godly a Son; whom he diſmiſſeth laden with his cauſeleſſe bleſſings: What truſt is there in fleſh and blood when Dauid is not ſafe from his owne loynes? The conſpiracy is now fully forged, there lacked nothing but this guilt of piety to win fauor and value in all eyes; and now it is a wonder, that but two hundred honeſt Citizens goe vp with Abſalom from Ieruſalem: The true-harted lie moſt open to credulity: How eaſie it is to beguile harmeleſſe intentions? The name of Dauids Son carryes them againſt the father of Abſalom, and now theſe ſimple Iſraelites, are vnwittingly made loyall rebells. Their harts are free from a plot, and they meane nothing, but fidelity in the attendance of a traytor. How many thouſands are thus ignorantly miſled into the train of error; Their ſimplicity is as worthy of pitty, as their miſguidance of indignation. Thoſe that will ſuffer themſelues to be carryed with ſemblances of truth and faithfulneſſe, muſt needs be as farre from ſafety, as innocence.
Contemplations VPONUPON THE HISTORY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
THE SECOND BOOKE:
Chriſt among the Doctors.
Chriſt Baptized.
Chriſt Tempted.
Simon Called.
The Mariage in Cana.
The good Centurion.
TO THE HONORABLE GENERALL Sir EDWARD CECILL Knight, all honor and happines,
Moſt Honored Sir,
THE ſtore of a good Scribe is (according to our Sauiour) both old and new; I would (if I durſt) be ambitions of this onelyonly honor; hauing therefore drawne forth theſe not-friuolous thoughts, out of the old Teſtament, I fetch theſe following from the new; God is the ſame in both; as the body differs not with the age of the ſute, with the change of robes: The old and new wine of holy Truth, came both out of one vineyard; yet heere may wee ſafely ſay to the word of his father, as was ſaid to the Bride-groome of Cana, Thou haſt kept the beſt wine till the laſt; The authority of both is equally ſacred, the vſe admits no leſſe difference, then is betwixt a Sauiour fore-ſhadowed, and comne. The intermisſion of thoſe military imployments, which hauehave won you iuſt honor, both in forraine nations, and at home, is in this only gainefull, that it yeilds you leaſure to theſe happy thoughts, which ſhall more fully acquaint you with him that is at once the God of hoſts, and the Prince of Peace: To the furtherance whereof theſe my poore labors, ſhall doe no thankeleſſe offices. In lieu of your noble fauors to me both at home, and where you hauehave merited command, nothing can be returned but humble acknowledgements, and harty prayers for the increaſe of your Honor, and all happines to your ſelfe, and your thrice-worthy and vertuous Lady, by him that is deepely obliged, and truely deuoted to you both.
IOS: HALL.