Works of Joseph Hall, Book 12 – Dedication 42

Works of Joseph Hall · Book 12 – Dedication 42

p. 1043Contemplations. THE TWELFTH BOOKE. The Arke and Dagon.

IF men did not miſtake God, they could not ariſe to ſuch height of impiety: The acts of his iuſt iudgement are imputed to impotence; that God would ſend his Arke captiue to the Philiſtims, is ſo conſtrued by them, as if hee could not keepe it: the wife of Phinehas cryed out, that glory was departed from Iſrael; The Philiſtims dare ſay in triumph, that glory is departed from the God of Iſrael: The Arke was not Iſraels, but Gods, this victory reaches higher then to men. Dagon had neuer ſo great a day, ſo many ſacrifices, as now that he ſeemes to take the God of Iſrael priſoner: Where ſhould the captiue be beſtowed, but in the cuſtody of the victor? It is not louelove, but inſultation, that lodges the Arke cloſe beſide Dagon. What a ſpectacle was this, to ſee vncircumciſed Philiſtims laying their prophane hands vponupon the Teſtimony of Gods preſence? to ſee the glorious Mercy-ſeat vnderunder the roofe of an idoll? to ſee the two Cherubims ſpreading their wings vnderunder a falſe god?

Oh the deepe and holy wiſedome of the Almighty, which ouer-reaches all the finite conceits of his creatures, who whiles he ſeemes moſt to neglect himſelfe, fetches about moſt glory to his owne name; He winkes and fits ſtill on purpoſe, to ſee what men would doe, and is content to ſuffer indignity from his creature, for a time, that he may be euerlaſtingly magnified in his iuſtice, and power: That honour pleaſeth God and men beſt, which is raiſed out of contempt.

The Arke of God was not vſed to ſuch Porters; The Philiſtims carie it vntounto Aſhdod, that the victory of Dagon may bee more glorious: What paines Superſtition puts men vntounto, for the triumph of a falſe cauſe? And if prophane Philiſtims can thinke it no toyle to carrie the Arke where they ſhould not, what a ſhame is it for vsus, if wee doe not gladly attend it where we ſhould? How iuſtly may Gods truth ſcorne the imparitie of our zeale?

If the Iſraelites did put confidence in the Arke, can wee maruell that the Philiſtims did put confidence in that power which (as they thought) had conquered the Arke? The leſſe is euer ſubiect vntounto the greater; What could they now thinke but that heauen and earth were theirs? Who ſhall ſtand out againſt them, when the God of Iſrael hath yeelded? Security and preſumption attend euer at the threſhold of ruine.

p. 1044God will let them ſleepe in this confidence; in the morning they ſhall fine how vainly they hauehave dreamed. Now they begin to find they hauehave but gloried in their owne plague, and ouerthrowne nothing but their owne peace. Dagon hath an houſe, when God hath but a Tabernacle; It is no meaſuring of Religion by outward glory: Into this houſe the proud Philiſtims come, the next morning, to congratulate vntounto their god, ſo great a captiue, ſuch diuine ſpoiles, and in their early deuotions to fall downe before him, vnderunder whom the God of Iſrael was fallen: and loe, where they find their god, fallen downe on the ground vponupon his face, before him whom they thought both his priſoner and theirs: Their god is forced to doe that, which they ſhould hauehave done voluntarily; although God caſts downe that dumbe riuall of his, for ſcorne, not for adoration. Oh ye fooliſh Philiſtims, could ye thinke that the ſame houſe will hold God and Dagon? could ye thinke a ſenſeleſſe ſtone, a fit companion and guardian for the liuing God? Had ye laid your Dagon vponupon his face, proſtrate before the Arke, yet would not God hauehave endured the indignity of ſuch a lodging; but now, that ye preſume to ſet vp your carued ſtone, equall to his Cherubins, goe reade your folly in the floore of your Temple, and know that hee which caſt your god ſo low, can caſt you lower.

The true God owes a ſhame to thoſe which will be making matches betwixt himſelfe and Belial.

But this perhaps was onelyonly a miſchance, or a neglect of attendance, lay to your hands, O ye Philiſtims, and raiſe vp Dagon into his place: It is a miſerable god that needs helping vp; Had ye not beene more ſenſeleſſe then that ſtone, how could you chooſe but thinke, How ſhall he raiſe vsus aboue our enemies, that cannot riſe alone? How ſhall he eſtabliſh vsus in the ſtation of our peace, that cannot hold his owne foot? If Dagon did giuegive the foile vntounto the God of Iſrael, what power is it, that hath caſt him vponupon his face, in his owne Temple? It is iuſt with God, that thoſe which want grace, ſhall want wit too; it is the power of ſuperſtition, to turne men into thoſe ſtocks and ſtones which they worſhip: They that make them are like vntounto them: Doubtleſſe, this firſt fall of Dagon was kept as ſecret, and excuſed as well as it might, and ſerued rather for aſtoniſhment, then conuiction; there was more ſtrangeneſſe then horrour in that accident: That whereas Dagon had wont to ſtand, and the Philiſtims fall downe, now Dagon fell downe, and the Philiſtims ſtood, and muſt become the patrons of their owne god; their god worſhips them vponupon his face, and craues more helpe from them, then euer hee could giuegive: But if their ſottiſhneſſe can digeſt this, all is well.

Dagon is ſet in his place, and now thoſe hands are lift vp to him, which helped to lift him vp; and thoſe faces are proſtrate vntounto him, before whom he lay proſtrate. Idolatry and ſuperſtition are not eaſily put out of countenance; but will the iealouſie of the true God put it vp thus? Shall Dagon eſcape with an harmleſſe fall? Surely, if they had let him lye ſtill vponupon the pauement, perhaps that inſenſible ſtatue had found no other reuenge; but now, they will be aduancing it to the rood-loft againe, and affront Gods Arke with it, the euent will ſhame them, and let them know, how much God ſcornes a partner, either of his owne making, or theirs.

The morning is fitteſt for deuotion, then doe the Philiſtims flocke to the Temple of their god. What a ſhame is it for vsus to come late to ours? Although not ſo much pietie as curioſitie did now haſten their ſpeed, to ſee what reſt their Dagon was allowed to get in his owne roofe; and now behold their kind god is come to meet them in the way: ſome pieces of him ſalute their eyes vponupon the threſhold. Dagons head and hands are ouer-runne their fellowes, to tell the Philiſtims how much they were miſtaken in a god.

This ſecond fall breakes the Idoll in pieces, and threats the ſame confuſion to the worſhippers of it. Eaſie warnings neglected end euer in deſtruction. The head is for deuiſing, the hand for execution: In theſe two powers of their god, did the Philiſtims chiefly truſt; theſe are therefore laid vnderunder their feet, vponupon the threſhold, that p. 1045they might afarre off ſee their vanity, and that (if they would) they might ſet their foot on that beſt peece of their god, wherein their heart was ſet.

There was nothing wherein that Idoll reſembled a man, but in his head, and hands, the reſt was but a ſcaly portraiture of a fiſh; God would therefore ſeparate from this ſtone, that part which had mocked man, with the counterfeit of himſelfe; that man might ſee what an vnworthy lumpe he had matched with himſelfe, and ſet vp aboue himſelfe: The iuſt quarrell of God is bent vponupon thoſe meanes, and that parcell which hauehave dared to rob him of his glory.

How can the Philiſtims now miſſe the ſight of their owne folly? how can they bee but enough conuicted of their mad idolatry, to ſee their god lye broken to morſels, vnderunder their feet? eueryevery peece whereof proclaimes the power of him that brake it, and the ſtupidity of thoſe that adored it? Who would expect any other iſſue of this act, but to heare the Philiſtims ſay, Wee now ſee how ſuperſtition hath blinded vsus? Dagon is no god for vsus, our hearts ſhall neuer more reſt vponupon a broken ſtatue: That onelyonly true God, which hath beaten ours, ſhall challenge vsus by the right of conqueſt: but here was none of this; rather a further degree of their dotage followes vponupon this palpable conuiction: They cannot yet ſuſpect that god, whoſe head they may trample vponupon, but in ſtead of hating their Dagon, that lay broken vponupon their threſhold, they honour the threſhold, on which Dagon lay; and dare not ſet their foot on that place which was hallowed by the broken head and hands of their Deitie: Oh the obſtinacie of Idolatry, which where it hath got hold of the heart, knowes neither to bluſh, nor yeeld, but rather gathers ſtrength from that which might iuſtly confound it. The hand of the Almighty, which moued them not in falling vponupon their god, fals now neerer them vponupon their perſons, and ſtrikes them in their bodies, which would not feele themſelues ſtricken in their Idoll: Paine ſhall humble them whom ſhame cannot. Thoſe which had entertained the ſecret thoughts of abominable idolatrie within them, are now plagued in the inwardeſt and moſt ſecret part of their bodies, with a loathſome diſeaſe; and now grow weary of themſelues, in ſtead of their idolatry. I doe not heare them acknowledge it was GODS hand, which had ſtricken Dagon their god, till now, they finde themſelues ſtricken: GODS iudgements are the racke of godleſſe men; If one ſtraine make them not confeſſe, let them bee ſtretched but one wrench higher, and they cannot be ſilent. The iuſt auenger of ſinne will not loſe the glory of his executions, but will hauehave men know from whom they ſmart.

The Emerods were not a diſeaſe beyond the compaſſe of naturall cauſes, neither was it hard for the wiſer ſort, to giuegive a reaſon of their complaint, yet they aſcribe it to the hand of God: The knowledge and operation of ſecondary cauſes ſhould be no preiudice to the firſt; They are worſe then the Philiſtims, who when they ſee the meanes, doe not acknowledge the firſt Mouer; whoſe actiue and iuſt power is no leſſe ſeene in imploying ordinary agents, then in raiſing vp extraordinarie: neither doth he leſſe ſmite by a common feuer, then a reuenging Angell.

They iudge right of the cauſe, what doe they reſolue for the cure? (Let not the Arke of the God of Iſrael abide with vsus) where they ſhould hauehave ſaid, Let vsus caſt our Dagon, that we may pacific and retaine the God of Iſrael, they determine to thruſt out the Arke of God, that they might peaceably enioy themſelues, and Dagon. Wicked men are vponupon all occaſions glad to be rid of God, but they can with no patience, endure to part with their ſinnes, and whiles they are wearie of the hand that puniſheth them, they hold faſt the cauſe of their puniſhment.

Their firſt and onelyonly care is to put away him, who is he hath corrected, ſo can eaſe them. Folly is neuer Ieparated from wickedneſſe.

Their heart told them that they had no right to the Arke. A Councell is called of their Princes and Prieſts. If they had reſolued to ſend it home, they had done wiſely; Now they doe not carry it away, but they carry it about from Ebenezer to Aſhdod, from Aſhdod to Gath, from Gath to Ekron: Their ſtomacke was greater then their p. 1046conſcience; The Arke was too ſore for them, yet it was too good for Iſrael; and they will rather dye then make Iſrael happy. Their conceit, that the change of ayre could appeaſe the Arke, God vſeth to his owne aduantage; for by this meanes his power is knowne, and his iudgement ſpred ouer all the country of the Philiſtims: What doe theſe men now, but ſend the plague of God to their fellowes? The iuſtice of God can make the ſinnes of men their mutuall executioners; It is the faſhion of wicked men to draw their neighbours into the partnerſhip of their condemnation.

Whereſoeuer the Arke goes, there is deſtruction; The beſt of Gods Ordinances, if they bee not proper to vsus, are deadly. The Iſraelites did not more ſhout for ioy, when they ſaw the Arke come to them, then the Ekronites cry out for griefe to ſee it brought amongſt them: Spirituall things are either ſoueraigne, or hurtfull, according to the diſpoſition of the receiuers. The Arke doth either ſaue, or kill, as it is entertained.

At laſt, when the Philiſtims are well wearie of paine and death, they are glad to bee quit of their ſinne; The voyce of the Princes and people is changed to the better (Send away the Arke of the God of Iſrael, and let it returne to his owne place,) God knowes how to bring the ſtubborneſt enemy vponupon his knees, and makes him doe that out of feare, which his beſt child would doe out of louelove and duty. How miſerable was the eſtate of theſe Philiſtims? EueryEvery man was either dead, or ſicke: thoſe that were left liuing (through their extremity of paine) enuied the dead, and the cry of their whole Cities went vp to heauen. It is happy that God hath ſuch ſtore of plagues and thunderbolts for the wicked: If he had not a fire of iudgement, wherewith the yron hearts of men might bee made flexible, hee would want obedience, and the world peace.

The Arkes reuenge and returne.

IT had wont to bee a ſure rule, Whereſoeuer God is among men, there is the Church: Here onelyonly it failed: The teſtimony of Gods preſence was many moneths amongſt the Philiſtims, for a puniſhment to his owne people, whom hee left; for a curſe to thoſe forrainers which entertained it; Iſrael was ſeuen moneths without GOD: How doe wee thinke faithfull Samuel tooke this abſence? How deſolate and forlorne did the Tabernacle of GOD looke, without the Arke? There were ſtill the Altars of GOD; his Prieſts, Leuites, Tables, Veiles, Cenſers, with all their legall accouſtrements: Theſe without the Arke, were as the Sunne without light, in the midſt of an Eclipſe: If all theſe had beene taken away, and onelyonly the Arke had beene remaining, the loſſe had beene nothing to this, that the Arke ſhould be gone, and they left: For what are all theſe without God, and how all-ſufficient is GOD without theſe? There are times, wherein GOD withdrawes himſelfe from his Church, and ſeemes to leaue her without comfort, without protection: Sometimes wee ſhall finde Iſrael taken from the Arke, otherwhiles the Arke is taken from Iſrael: In either, there is a ſeparation betwixt the Arke and Iſrael: Heauy times to eueryevery true Iſraelite, yet ſuch as whoſe example may relieue vsus in our deſertions: Still was this people Iſrael; the ſeed of him, that would not bee left of God without a bleſſing; and therefore without the teſtimony of his preſence, was God preſent with them: It were wide with the faithfull, if God were not ofttentimes with them, when there is no witneſſe of his preſence.

One act was a mutuall penance to the Iſraelites and Philiſtims, I know not p. 1047to whether more: Iſrael grieued for the loſſe of that, whoſe preſence grieued the Philiſtims, their paine was therefore no other then voluntary: It is ſtrange; that the Philiſtims would endure ſeuen moneths ſmart with the Arke, ſince they ſaw, that the preſence of that Priſoner would not requite, no nor mitigate to them, one houres miſery: Fooliſh men will be ſtruggling with God, till they be vtterly either breathleſſe or impotent. Their hope was, that time might abate diſpleaſure, euen whiles they perſiſted to offend: The falſe hopes of worldly men coſt them deare; they could not be ſo miſerable, if their owne hearts did not deceiue them with miſ-expectations of impoſſible fauour.

In matters that concerne a God, who is ſo fit to be conſulted with, as the Prieſts? The Princes of the Philiſtims had before giuen their voyces, yet nothing is determined, nothing is done without the direction and aſſent of thoſe whom they accounted ſacred: Nature it ſelfe ſends vsus in diuine things, to thoſe perſons, whoſe calling is diuine: It is either diſtruſt, or preſumption, or contempt, that caries vsus our owne waies in ſpirituall matters, without aduiſing with them, whoſe lips God hath appointed to preſerue knowledge: There cannot but ariſe many difficulties in vsus about the Arke of God, whom ſhould wee conſult with but thoſe which hauehave the Tongue of the Learned.

Doubtleſſe, this queſtion of the Arke did abide much debating: There wanted not faire probabilities on both ſides: A wiſe Philiſtim might well plead, If God had either ſo great care of the Arke, or power to retaine it, how is it become ours? A wiſer then he would reply; If the God of Iſrael had wanted either care or power, Dagon, and we had beene ſtill whole: why doe we thus grone, and dye; all that are▪ but within the Aire of the Arke, if a diuine hand doe not attend it? Their ſmart pleads enough for the diſmiſſion of the Arke: The next demand of their Prieſts and Soothſayers, is, how it ſhould be ſent home: Affliction had made them ſo wiſe, as to know, that eueryevery faſhion of parting with the Arke would not ſatisfie the owner: oftentimes the circumſtance of an action marres the ſubſtance: In diuine matters wee muſt not onelyonly looke, that the body of our ſeruice be ſound, but that the clothes be fit: Nothing hinders, but that ſometimes good aduice may fall from the mouth of wicked men. Theſe ſuperſtitious Prieſts can counſell them not to ſend away the Arke of God emptie, but to giuegive it a ſinne-offering: They had not liued ſo farre from the ſmoake of the Iewiſh Altars, but that they knew, God was accuſtomed to manifold oblations, and chiefly to thoſe of expiation. No Iſraelite could hauehave ſaid better: Superſtition is the Ape of true deuotion, and if we looke not to the ground of both, many times it is hard by the very outward acts to diſtinguiſh them: Nature it ſelfe teacheth vsus, that God loues a full hand: He that hath beene ſo bountifull to vsus, as to giuegive vsus all, lookes for a returne of ſome offering from vsus; If we preſent him with nothing but our ſins, how can wee looke to bee accepted? The ſacrifices vnderunder the Goſpell are ſpirituall, with theſe muſt we come into the preſence of God, if we deſire to carie away remiſſion and fauour.

The Philiſtims knew well, that it were bootleſſe for them to offer, what they liſted, their next ſuit is to be directed in the matter of their oblation; Pagans can teach vsus, how vnſafe it is to walke in the wayes of Religion without a guide, yet here their beſt teachers can but gueſſe at their duty, and muſt deuiſe for the people, that, which the people durſt not impoſe vponupon themſelues: The golden Emerods, and Miſe, were but coniecturall preſcripts: With what ſecurity may we conſult with them which hauehave their directions from the mouth and hand of the Almighty?

God ſtrucke the Philiſtims at once in their god, in their bodies, it their land: In their god, by his ruine and diſmembering: In their bodies, by the Emerods: In their land, by the Miſe: That baſe vermine did God ſend among them on purpoſe to ſhame their Dagon, and them, that they might ſee, how vnable their god was (which they thought the Victor of the Arke) to ſubdue the leaſt Mouſe, which the true God did create, and command to plague them: This plague vponupon the fields, beganne together p. 1048with that vponupon their bodies: it was mentioned, not complained of, till they think of diſmiſſing the Arke: Greater croſſes doe commonly ſwallow vp the leſſe: At leaſt, leſſer euils are either ſilent, or vnheard, while the eare is filled with the clamor of the greater. Their very Princes were puniſhed with the Miſe, as well as with the Emerods; God knowes no perſons in the execution of iudgements, the leaſt and meaneſt of all Gods creatures is ſufficient to be the reuenger of his Creator.

GOD ſent them Miſe, and Emerods of fleſh and blood: they returne him both theſe of gold, to imply, both, that theſe iudgements came out from God, and that they did gladly giuegive him the glory of that, whereof hee gaue them paine and ſorrow; and that they would willingly buy off their paine with the beſt of their ſubſtance: The proportion betwixt the complaint and ſatisfaction is more precious to him, then the Metall. There was a publike confeſſion in this reſemblance, which is ſo pleaſing vntounto God, that he rewards it, euen in wicked men, with a relaxation of outward puniſhment. The number was no leſſe ſignificant, then the forme: Fiue golden Emerods, and Miſe for the fiue Princes and diuiſions of Philiſtims. As GOD made no difference in puniſhing, ſo they make none in their oblation: The people are compriſed in them, in whom they are vnited, their ſeuerall Princes: They were one with their Prince, their Offering is one with his; as they were Ring-leaders in the ſinne, ſo they muſt be in the ſatisfaction: In a multitude it is euer ſeene, as in a beaſt, that the body followes the head. Of all others, great men had need to looke to their wayes, it is in them, as in figures, one ſtands for a thouſand: One Offering ſerues not all, there muſt bee fiue, according to the fiue heads of the offence. Generalities will not content God; eueryevery man muſt make his ſeuerall peace, if not in himſelfe, yet in his head: Nature taught them a ſhadow of that, the ſubſtance and perfection whereof is taught vsus by the grace of the Goſpell; eueryevery ſoule muſt ſatisfie God, if not in it ſelfe, yet in him, in whom we are both one, and abſolute: we are the body, whereof Chriſt is the head, our ſinne is in our ſelues, our ſatisfaction muſt be in him.

Samuel himſelfe could not hauehave ſpoken more diuinely, then theſe Prieſts of Dagon; they doe not onelyonly talke of giuing glory to the God of Iſrael, but fall into an holy and graue expoſtulation (wherefore then ſhould ye harden your hearts, as the Aegyptians, and Pharaoh hardned their hearts, when hee wrought wonderfully amongſt them? &c.) They confeſſe a ſupereminent and reuenging hand of God ouer their gods, they parallell their plagues with the Aegyptian, they make vſe of Pharaohs ſin, and iudgement; What could be better ſaid? All Religions hauehave afforded them that could ſpeake well: Theſe good words left them ſtill both Philiſtims, and ſuperſtitious: How ſhould men be hypocrites, if they had not good tongues? yet (as wickedneſſe can hardly hide it ſelfe) theſe holy ſpeeches are not without a tincture of that Idolatry, wherewith the heart was infected: For they profeſſe care not onelyonly of the perſons, and lands of the Philiſtims, but of their gods; (that hee may take his hand from you, and from your gods.) Who would thinke that wiſedome and folly could lodge ſo neere together? that the ſame men ſhould hauehave care both of the glory of the true God, and preſeruation of the falſe? That they ſhould bee ſo vaine, as to take thought for thoſe gods which they granted to be obnoxious vntounto an higher Deitie? Oft times euen one word bewrayeth a whole packe of falſhood, and though Superſtition be a cleanly counterfeit, yet ſome one ſlip of the tongue diſcouers it, as we ſay of deuils, which though they put on faire formes, yet are they knowne by their clouen feet.

What other warrant theſe ſuperſtitious Prieſts had for the maine ſubſtance of their aduice, I know not; ſure I am, the probability of the euent was faire; that two Kine neuer vſed to any yoake, ſhould runne from their Calues? (which were newly … vp from them) to draw the Arke home into a contrary way, muſt needs argue an hand aboue Nature: What elſe ſhould ouer-rule bruite creatures to preferre a forced cariage vntounto a naturall burden? What ſhould cary them from their owne p. 1049home, towards the home of the Arke? What elſe ſhould guide an vntamed and vntaught Teame, in as right a path toward Iſrael, as their Teachers could hauehave gone? What elſe could make very beaſts more wiſe, then their Maſters? There is a ſpeciall prouidence of God, in the very motions of bruit creatures; Neither Philiſtims nor Iſraelites ſaw ought that droue them, yet they ſaw them ſo runne, as thoſe that were led by a Diuine Conduct. The reaſonleſſe creatures alſo doe the will of their Maker; eueryevery act that is done either be them, or to them, makes vp the decree of the Almighty; and if in extraordinary actions and euents his hand is more viſible, yet it is no leſſe certainly preſent in the common.

Little did the Iſraelites of Bethſhemeſh looke for ſuch a fight whiles they were reaping their Wheat in the Valley, as to ſee the Arke of God come running to them, without a Conuoy; neither can it be ſaid, whether they were more affected with ioy, or with aſtoniſhment; with ioy at the preſence of the Arke, with aſtoniſhment at the Miracle of the tranſportation: Downe went their Sickles, and now eueryevery man runs to reap the comfort of this better harueſt, to meet that Bread of Angels, to ſalute thoſe Cherubims, to welcome that God, whoſe abſence had beene their death: But as it is hard not to ouer-ioy in a ſudden proſperity, and, to vſe happineſſe is no leſſe difficult, then to forbeare it; Theſe glad Iſraelites cannot ſee, but they muſt gaze; they cannot gaze on the glorious out-ſide, but they muſt be (whether out of rude iollity, or curioſitie, or ſuſpition of the purloining ſome of thoſe ſacred implements) prying into the ſecrets of Gods Arke: Nature is too ſubiect to extremities, and is euer either too dull in want, or wanton in fruition: It is no eaſie matter to keepe a meane, whether in good or euill.

Bethſhemeſh was a City of Prieſts, they ſhould hauehave knowne better how to demeane themſelues towards the Arke; this priuiledge doubled their offence. There was no malice in this curious inquiſition, the ſame eyes that lookt into the Arke, lookt alſo vp to heauen in their Offerings, and the ſame hands that touched it, offered ſacrifice to the God that brought it. Who could expect any thing now but acceptation? who would ſuſpect any danger? It is not a following act of deuotion that can make amends for a former ſinne: There was a death owing them, immediately vponupon their offence, God will take his owne time for the execution; In the meane while, they may ſacrifice, but they cannot ſatisfie, they cannot eſcape. The Kine are ſacrificed, the Cart burnes them that drew it: Here was an offering of prayſe, when they had more need of a treſpaſſe-offering; many an heart is lifted vp in a conceit of ioy, when it hath iuſt cauſe of humiliation: God lets them alone with their Sacrifice, but when that is done, he comes ouer them with a backe reckoning for their ſinne: Fifty thouſand and ſeuenty Iſraelites are ſtrucke dead for this vnreuerence to the Arke: A wofull welcome for the Arke of God into the borders of Iſrael. It killed them for looking into it, who thought it their life to ſee it; It dealt blowes, and death on both hands; to Philiſtims, to Iſraelites; to both of them for prophaning it: The one with their Idoll, the other with their eyes. It is a fearfull thing to vſe the holy Ordinances of God with an vnreuerent boldneſſe. Feare and trembling becomes vsus in our acceſſe to the Maieſty of the Almighty: Neither was there more ſtate, then ſecreſie in Gods Arke; ſome things the wiſedome of God deſires to conceale: The vnreuerence of the Iſraelites was no more faulty, then their curioſity; ſecret things to God, things reuealed to vsus, and to our children.

p. 1050The remoue of the Arke.

I Heare of the Bethſhemites lamentation, I heare not of their repentance; they complaine of their ſmart, they complaine not of their ſinne; and for ought I can perceiue, ſpeake, as if God were curious, rather then they faulty: (Who is able to ſtand before this holy Lord God, and to whom ſhall he goe from vsus?) As if none could pleaſe that God, which miſliked them: It is the faſhion of naturall men to iuſtifie themſelues in their owne courſes; if they cannot charge any earthly thing with the blame of their ſuffering, they will caſt it vponupon Heauen: That a man pleads himſelfe guiltie of his owne wrong, is no common worke of Gods Spirit. Bethſhemeſh bordered too neere vponupon the Philiſtims; If theſe men thought the very preſence of the Arke hurtfull, why do they ſend to their neighbours of Kiriath-iearim, that they might make themſelues miſerable? Where there is a miſconceit of God, it is no maruell if there be a defect of Charity: How cunningly doe they ſend their meſſage to their neighbours? They doe not ſay the Arke of God is come to vsus of it owne accord, leſt the men of Kiriath-iearim ſhould reply, It is come to you, let it ſtay with you: They ſay onelyonly, the Philiſtims hauehave brought it; they tell of the preſence of the Arke, they doe not tell of the ſucceſſe, leſt the example of their iudgement ſhould hauehave diſcouraged the forwardneſſe of their reliefe: And after all, the offer was plauſible; Come ye downe and take it vp to you; as if the honour had been too great for themſelues, as if their modeſtie had beene ſuch, that they would not foreſtall and engroſſe happineſſe from the reſt of Iſrael.

It is no boot to teach Nature how to tell her owne tale, ſmart and danger will make a man wittie: He is rarely conſtant, that will not diſſemble for eaſe. It is good to be ſuſpitious of the euaſions of thoſe which would put off miſerie. Thoſe of Bethſhemeſh were not more craftie then theſe of Kiriath-iearim (which was the ground of their boldneſſe) faithfull: So many thouſand Bethſhemites could not be dead, and no part of the rumour flie to them: They heard how thicke, not onelyonly the Philiſtims, but the bordering Iſraelites fell downe dead before the Arke; yet they durſt aduenture to come, and fetch it, euen from amongſt the carcaſſes of their brethren: They had beene formerly acquainted with the Arke, they knew it was holy, it could not be changeable, and therefore they well conceiued this ſlaughter to ariſe from the vnholineſſe of men, not from the rigour of God, and thereupon can ſeeke comfort in that, which others found deadly: Gods children cannot by any meanes bee diſcouraged from their honour, and louelove to his Ordinances: If they ſee thouſands ſtrucke downe to Hell by the Scepter of Gods Kingdome, yet they will kiſſe it vponupon their knees, and if their Sauiour be a rocke of offence, and the occaſion of the fall of millions in Iſrael, they can feed temperately of that, whereof others hauehave ſurfeted to death, &c.

Bethſhemeſh was a Citie of Prieſts and Leuits: Kiriath-iearim a Citie of Iuda, where wee heare but of one Leuit, Abinabab; yet this Citie was more zealous for God, more reuerent and conſcionable in the entertainment of the Arke, then the other. Wee heard of the taking downe of the Arke by the Bethſhemites, when it came miraculouſly to them; we doe not heare of any man ſanctified for the attendance of it, as was done in this ſecond lodging of the Arke: Grace is not tied either to number, or meanes. It is in ſpirituall matters, as in the eſtate: Small helpes with good thrift enrich vsus, when great patrimonies loſe themſelues in the neglect. Shiloh was wont to be the place which was honoured with the preſence of the Arke; Euer ſince the wickedneſſe of Elies Sonnes, that was forlorne, and deſolate, and now p. 1051Kiriath-iearim ſucceeds into this priuiledge: It did not ſtand with the royall liberty of God, no not vnderunder the Law, to tie himſelfe vntounto places and perſons: Vnworthineſſe was euer a ſufficient cauſe of exchange. It was not yet his time to ſtirre from the Iewes, yet he remoued from one Prouince to another: Leſſe reaſon hauehave we to thinke, that ſo God will reſide amongſt vsus, that none of our prouocations can driue him from vsus, &c.

Iſrael, which had found the miſery of Gods abſence, is now reſolued into teares of contrition, and thankfulneſſe vponupon his returne: There is no mention of their lamenting after the Lord, while he was gone, but when he was returned, and ſetled in Kiriath-iearim: The mercies of God draw more teares from his children, then his iudgements doe from his enemies: There is no better ſigne of good nature, or grace, then to be wonne to repentance with kindneſſe: Not to thinke of God, except we be beaten vntounto it, is ſeruile: Becauſe God was come againe to Iſrael, therefore Iſrael is returned to God; If God had not come firſt, they had neuer come: If hee, that came to them, had not made them come to him, they had beene euer parted. They were cloyed with God, while he was perpetually reſident with them, now that his abſence had made him dainty, they cleaue to him feruently, and penitently in his returne: This was it, that God meant in his departure, a better welcome at his comming backe.

I heard no newes of Samuel all this while the Arke was gone: Now when the Arke is returned and placed in Kiriath-iearim, I heare him treat with the people. It is not like, he was ſilent in this ſad deſertion of God; but now he takes full aduantage of the profeſſed contrition of Iſrael, to deale with them effectually, for their perfect conuerſion vntounto God. It is great wiſedome in ſpirituall matters, to take occaſion by the fore-locke, and to ſtrike while the iron is hot: We may beat long enough at the doore, but till God hauehave opened, it is no going in, and when he hath opened, it is no delaying to enter. The triall of ſincerity is the abandoning of our wonted ſinnes. This Samuel vrgeth (If ye be come againe vntounto the Lord with all your heart, put away the ſtrange gods from among you, and Aſhtaroth:) In vaine had it beene to profeſſe repentance, whilſt they continued in idolatry; God will neuer acknowledge any conuert, that ſtayes in a knowne ſinne: Graces and Vertues are ſo linckt together, that hee, which hath one, hath all: The partiall conuerſion of men vntounto God is but hatefull hypocriſie. How happily effectuall is a word ſpoken in ſeaſon? Samuels exhortation wrought vponupon the hearts of Iſrael, and fetcht water out of their eyes, ſuits, and confeſſions, and vowes out of their lips, and their falſe gods out of their hands; yet it was not meerly remorſe, but feare alſo, that moued Iſrael to this humble ſubmiſſion.

The Philiſtims ſtood ouer them ſtill, and threatned them with new aſſaults, the memory of their late ſlaughter, and ſpoile, was yet freſh in their minds, ſorrow for the euils paſt, and feare of the future, fetcht them downe vponupon their knees: It is not more neceſſary for men to be cheared with hopes, then to bee awed with dangers: where God intends the humiliation of his ſeruants, there ſhal not want meanes of their deiection: It was happy for Iſrael that they had an enemy. Is it poſſible that the Philiſtims after thoſe deadly plagues, which they ſuſtained from the God of Iſrael, ſhould think of inuading Iſrael? thoſe that were ſo mated with the preſence of the Arke, that they neuer thought themſelues ſafe, till it was out of fight, doe they now dare to thruſt themſelues vponupon the new reuenge of the Arke? It ſlue them whiles they thought to honor it, and doe they thinke to eſcape, whilſt they reſiſt it? It ſlue them in their owne Coaſts, and do they come to it to ſeeke death? yet behold no ſooner do the Philiſtims heare, that the Iſraelites are gathered to Mizpeh, but the Princes of the Philiſtims gather themſelues againſt them: No warnings will ſerue obdurate hearts, wicked men are euen ambitious of deſtruction; Iudgements need not to goe finde them out, they runne to meet their bane.

The Philiſtims come vp, and the Iſraelites feare; they that had not the wit to feare, whilſt they were not friends with God, hauehave not now the grace of fearleſſeneſſe, p. 1052when they were reconciled to God: Boldneſſe and Feare are commonly miſplaced in the beſt hearts; when we ſhould tremble, we are confident, and when wee ſhould be aſſured, we tremble: Why ſhould Iſrael hauehave feared, ſince they had made their peace with the God of Hoſts? Nothing ſhould affright thoſe, which are vpright with God. The peace, which Iſrael had made with God, was true, but tender. They durſt not truſt their owne innocency, ſo much as the prayers of Samuel; Ceaſe not to cry to the Lord our God for vsus. In temporall things nothing hinders, but we may fare better for other mens faith, then for our owne: It is no ſmall happineſſe to be intereſſed in them which are Fauourites in the Court of Heauen; one faithfull man in theſe occaſions is more worth then millions of the wauering and vncertaine.

A good heart is eaſily wonne to deuotion: Samuel cries, and ſacrificeth to God; he had done ſo, though they had intreated his ſilence, yea his forbearance. Whiles he is offering, the Philiſtims fight with Iſrael, and God fights with the Philiſtims. (The Lord thundred with a great thunder that day vponupon the Philiſtims, and ſcattered them:) Samuel fought more vponupon his knees, then all Iſrael beſides: The voyce of God anſwered the voyce of Samuel, and ſpeakes confuſion and death to the Philiſtims: How were the proud Philiſtims dead with feare, ere they dyed, to heare the fearfull thunder claps of an angry God againſt them? to ſee, that Heauen it ſelfe fought againſt them? He that ſlue them ſecretly in the reuenges of his Arke, now kils them with open horror in the fields: If preſumption did not make wicked men mad, they would neuer lift their hand againſt the Almightie; what are they in his hands, when he is diſpoſed to vengeance?

The meeting of SAVL and SAMVEL.

SAMVEL began his acquaintance with God early, and continued it long: He began it in his long Coats, and continued to his gray hayres: (He iudged Iſrael all the dayes of his life.) God doth not vſe to put off his old Seruants; their age indeareth them to him the more; If wee be not vnfaithfull to him, hee cannot be vnconſtant to vsus. At laſt his decayed age met with ill partners, his Sonnes for Deputies, and Saul for a King; The wickedneſſe of his Sonnes gaue the occaſion of a change: Perhaps Iſrael had neuer thought of a King, if Samuels Sonnes had not beene vnlike their Father: Who can promiſe himſelfe holy children, when the loynes of a Samuel, and the education in the Temple, yeelded monſters? It is not likely, that good Samuel was faulty in that indulgence, for which his owne mouth had denounced Gods iudgement againſt Hely: yet this holy man ſucceds Hely in his croſſe, as well as his place, though not in his ſinne; and is afflicted with a wicked ſucceſſion: God will let vsus find, that Grace is by gift, not by inheritance.

I feare Samuel was too partiall to nature in the ſurrogation of his Sonnes, I doe not heare of Gods allowance to this act: If this had beene Gods choice, as well as his, it had beene like to hauehave receiued more bleſſing. Now all Iſrael had cauſe to rue, that theſe were the Sonnes of Samuel; For now the queſtion was not of their vertues, but of their blood; not of their worthineſſe, but their birth; euen the beſt heart may bee blinded with affection. Who can maruell at theſe errors of Parents louelove, when he that ſo holily iudged Iſrael all his life, miſiudged of his owne ſonnes.

It was Gods ancient purpoſe to raiſe vp a King to his people; How doth hee take occaſion to performe it, but by the vnruly deſires of Iſrael? euen as we ſay of humane proceedings, that ill manners beget good lawes. That, Monarchy is the beſt forme of p. 1053gouernment, there is no queſtion: Good things may be ill deſired, ſo was this of Iſrael; If an itching deſire of alteration had not poſſeſſed them, why did they not rather ſue for a reformation of their Gouernours, then for a change of gouernment? Were Samuels ſonnes ſo deſperately euill, that there was no poſſibility of amendment? Or if they were paſt hope, were there not ſome others to hauehave ſucceeded the juſtice of Samuel, no leſſe then theſe did his perſon? What needed Samuel to be thruſt out of place? What needed the ancient forme of adminiſtration to be altred? He that raiſed vp their Iudges, would hauehave found time to raiſe them vp Kings: Their curious, and inconſtant newfanglenes, will not abide to ſtay it, but with an heady importunity labors to our haſten the pace of God. Where there is a ſetled courſe of good gouernment (howſoeuer blemiſhed with ſome weakneſſes) it is not ſafe to be ouer-forward to a change, though it ſhould be to the better. He, by whom Kings reigne, ſayes, They hauehave caſt him away, that he ſhould not reigne ouer them, becauſe they deſire a King to reigne ouer them: Iudges were his owne inſtitution to his people, as yet Kings were not; after that Kings were ſetled, to deſire the gouernment of Iudges, had bin a much more ſeditious inconſtancy: God hath not appointed to eueryevery time & place thoſe formes, which are ſimply beſt in themſelues, but thoſe, which are beſt to them, vntounto whom they are appointed; which we may neither alter, till he begin, nor recall, when he hath altred.

This buſineſſe ſeemed perſonally to concerne Samuel, yet he ſo deales in it, not as a partie, not as a Iudge of his owne Caſe, but as a Prophet of God, as a Friend of his oppoſite; He prayes to God for aduice, he foretels the ſtate and courſes of their future King. Wilfull men are blind to all dangers, are deafe to all good counſels. Iſrael muſt hauehave a King, though they pay neuer ſo deare for their longing: The vaine affectation of conformitie to other Nations ouercomes all diſcouragements; there is no readier way to error, then to make others examples the rule of our deſires, or actions. If eueryevery man hauehave not grounds of his owne, whereon to ſtand, there can be no ſtability in his reſolutions or proceedings.

Since then they chooſe to hauehave a King, God himſelfe will chooſe and appoint the King which they ſhall hauehave. The kingdome ſhall beginne in Beniamin, which was to endure in Iuda: It was no probability or reaſon, this firſt King ſhould proue well, becauſe he was abortiue; their humour of innouation deſerued to be puniſhed with their owne choice: Kiſh the father of Saul was mighty in eſtate, Saul was mighty in perſon, ouer-looking the reſt of the people in ſtature, no leſſe then he ſhould doe in dignitie: The ſenſes of the Iſraelites could not but be well pleaſed for the time, howſoeuer their hearts were afterwards; when men are caried with outward ſhewes, it is a ſigne that God meanes them a deluſion.

How farre God fetches his purpoſes about! The Aſſes of Kiſh, Sauls father, are ſtrayed away: What is that to the newes of a kingdome? God layes theſe ſmall accidents for the ground of greater deſignes: The Aſſes muſt be loſt, none but Saul muſt goe with his fathers ſeruant to ſeeke them: Samuel ſhall meet them in the ſearch: Saul ſhall be premoniſhed of his inſuing Royalty; Little can we, by the beginning of any action, gueſſe at Gods intention in the concluſion.

Obedience was a fit entrance into Soueraignty: The ſeruice was homely for the ſonne of a great man, yet he refuſeth not to goe, as a fellow to his fathers ſeruant, vponupon ſo meane a ſearch: The diſobedient and ſcornfull are good for nothing, they are neither fit to be ſubiects nor gouernours. Kiſh was a great man in his country, yet hee diſdaineth not to ſend his ſonne Saul vponupon a thrifty errand, neither doth Saul plead his diſparagement from a refuſall. Pride and wantonneſſe hauehave marred our times: Great parents count it a diſreputation to employ their ſonnes in courſes of frugality; and their pampered children thinke it a ſhame to doe any thing; and ſo beare themſelues, as thoſe that hold it the onelyonly glory to be either idle or wicked.

Neither doth Saul goe faſhionably to worke, but does this ſeruice heartily and painfully, as a man, that deſires rather to effect the command, then pleaſe the Commander: p. 1054He paſſed from Ephraim to the Land of Shaliſha, from Shaliſha to Salim, from Salim to Iemini, whence his Houſe came; from Iemini to Zuph, not ſo much as ſtaying with any of his kinred ſo long as to vittaile himſelfe: He that was afterward an ill King, approued himſelfe a good Sonne. As there are diuerſity of relations and offices, ſo there is of diſpoſitions; thoſe, which are excellent in ſome, attaine not to a mediocrity in other: It is no arguing from priuate vertues to publike; from dexterity in one ſtation, to the reſt: A ſeuerall grace belongs to the particular cariage of eueryevery place whereto we are called, which if we want, the place may well want vsus.

There was more praiſe of his obedience in ceaſing to ſeeke, then in ſeeking: hee takes care, leſt his father ſhould take care for him, that whilſt he ſhould ſeeme officious in the leſſe, he might not neglect the greateſt. A blind obedience in ſome caſes doth well, but it doth farre better, when it is led with the eyes of diſcretion; otherwiſe we may more offend in pleaſing, then in diſobeying.

Great is the benefit of a wiſe and religious attendant, ſuch an one puts vsus into thoſe duties and actions which are moſt expedient, and leaſt thought of. If Saul had not had a diſcreet Seruant, he had returned but as wiſe as he came; now he is drawne in to conſult with the man of God, and heares more then hee hoped for. Saul was now a ſufficient iourney from his fathers houſe, yet his religious ſeruant in this remoteneſſe, takes knowledge of the place, where the Prophet dwels, and how honourably doth he mention him to his maſter? Behold, in this Citie is a man of God, and he is an honorable man, all that he ſaith commeth to paſſe: Gods Prophets are publike perſons, as their function, ſo their notice concernes eueryevery man: There is no reaſon God ſhould abate any of the reſpect due to his Miniſters vnderunder the Goſpell: Saint Pauls ſuit is both vniuerſall and euerlaſting; I beſeech you, Brethren, know them that labour amongst you.

The chiefe praiſe is to be able to giuegive good aduice; the next is to take it. Saul is eaſily induced to condeſcend: He, whoſe curioſity led him voluntarily at laſt, to the Witch of Endor, is now led at firſt by good counſell to the man of God; neither is his care in going, leſſe commendable, then his will to goe. For as a man, that had bin catechized not to goe vntounto God empty-handed, he asks, What ſhall we bring vntounto the man? What hauehave we? The caſe is well altered in our times: EueryEvery man thinkes, what may I keepe backe? There is no gaine ſo ſweet, as of a robbed Altar; yet Gods charge is no leſſe vnderunder the Goſpel, Let him that is taught, make his Teacher partaker of all. As this faithfull care of Saul was a iuſt preſage of ſucceſſe, more then hee looked for, or could expect; ſo the ſacrilegious vnthankfulneſſe of many, bodes that ruine to their ſoule and eſtate, which they could not hauehave grace to feare.

He that knew the Prophets abode, knew alſo the honour of his place, he could not but know that Samuel was a mixt perſon; The Iudge of Iſrael, and the Seer: yet both Saul and his Seruant purpoſe to preſent him the fourth part of a ſhekell, to the value of about our fiue pence. They had learned, that thankfulneſſe was not to be meaſured of good men by the weight, but by the will of the Retributor: How much more will God accept the ſmall offerings of his weak Seruants, when he ſees them proceed from great louelove?

The very maids of the City can giuegive direction to the Prophet, they had liſtned after the holy affayres, they had heard of the Sacrifice, and could tell of the neceſſity of Samuels preſence: Thoſe that liue within the Sun-ſhine of Religion, cannot but be ſomewhat coloured with thoſe beames: Where there is practice and example of piety in the better ſort, there will be a reflection of it vponupon the meaneſt: It is no ſmall benefit to liue in religious and holy places, we ſhall be much to blame, if all goodneſſe fall beſide vsus: Yea ſo skilfull were theſe Damzels in the faſhions of their publike Sacrifices, that they could inſtruct Saul and his ſeruant, vnasked, how the people would not eate, till Samuel came to bleſſe the Sacrifice, This meeting was not more a Sacrifice, then it was a Feaſt: Theſe two agree well, we hauehave neuer ſo much cauſe to reioyce in feaſting, as when we hauehave duly ſerued our God: The Sacrifice was a feaſt to God, the other to men: The body may eate and drinke with contentment, when the ſoule hath p. 1055beene firſt fed, and hath firſt feaſted the maker of both: Goe eate thy bread with ioy, and drinke thy drinke with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy workes. The Sacrifice was before conſecrated, when it was offered to God; but it was not conſecrated to them, till Samuel bleſſed it, his bleſſing made that meate holy to the gueſts, which was formerly hallowed to God: All creatures were made good, and tooke holineſſe from him, which gaue them being: Our ſinne brought that curſe vponupon them (which vnleſſe our prayers remoue it) cleaues to them ſtill, ſo as we receiue them not without a curſe. We are not our owne friends, except our Prayers helpe to take that away, which our ſinne hath brought, that ſo to the cleane all may bee cleane: It is an vnmannerly godleſſeneſſe, to take Gods creatures without the leaue of their Maker, and well may God withhold his bleſſing from them, which hauehave not the grace to aske it.

Thoſe gueſts which were ſo religious, that they would not eate their Sacrifice vnbleſſed, might hauehave bleſſed it themſelues: EueryEvery man might pray, though eueryevery man might not ſacrifice; yet would they not either eate, or bleſſe, whiles they looked for the preſence of a Prophet. EueryEvery Chriſtian may ſanctifie his owne meat, but where thoſe are preſent, that are peculiarly ſanctified to God, this ſeruice is fitteſt for them: It is commendable to teach Children the practice of Thankſgiuing, but the beſt is euer moſt meet to bleſſe our tables, and thoſe eſpecially, whoſe office it is to offer our prayers to God.

Little did Saul thinke, that his comming and his errand was ſo noted of God, as that it was fore-ſignified vntounto the Prophet, and now, behold Samuel is told a day before of the man, time, the place of his meeting. The eye of Gods prouidence is no leſſe ouer all our actions, all our motions. We cannot goe any whither without him, he tels all our ſteps; ſince it pleaſeth God therefore to take notice of vsus, much more ſhould we take notice of him, and walke with him, in whom we moue. Saul came beſide his expectation to the Prophet, he had no thought of any ſuch purpoſe, till his Seruant made this ſudden motion vntounto him of viſiting Samuel, and yet God ſayes to his Prophet, I will ſend thee a man out of the Land of Beniamin. The ouer-ruling hand of the Almighty workes vsus inſenſibly, and all our affaires to his owne ſecret determinations; ſo as whiles we thinke to doe our owne wils, we doe his. Our owne intentions we may know, Gods purpoſes we know not; we muſt goe the way that wee are called, let him lead vsus to what end he pleaſeth; It is our dutie to reſigne our ſelues and our wayes to the diſpoſition of God, and patiently and thankfully to await the iſſue of his decrees. The ſame God that fore-ſhewed Saul to Samuel, now points to him (See this is the man,) and commands the Prophet to anoint him Gouernour ouer Iſrael: He, that told of Saul before he came, knew before he came into the world, what a man, what a King he would be; yet he chooſeth him out, and inioynes his inunction. It is one of the greateſt prayſes of Gods wiſedome, that hee can turne the euill of men to his owne glory. Aduancement is not euer a ſigne of louelove, either to the man, or to the place. It had beene better for Saul, that his head had beene euer dry: ſome God raiſeth vp in iudgement, that they may fall the more vneaſily; there are no men ſo miſerable, as thoſe that are great and euill.

It ſeemes that Samuel bore no great port in his outſide, for that Saul not diſcerning him, either by his habit, or attendants, comes to him, and askes him for the Seer; yet was Samuel as yet the Iudge of Iſrael, the ſubſtitution of his Sonnes had not diſplaced himſelfe: There is an affable familiarity that becommeth Greatneſſe; It is not good for eminent perſons to ſtand alwayes vponupon the height of their ſtate, but ſo to behaue themſelues, that as their ſociable cariage may not breed contempt, ſo their ouer-highneſſe may not breed a ſeruile fearfulneſſe in their people.

How kindly doth Samuel entertaine and inuite Saul, yet it was he onelyonly that ſhould receiue wrong by the future royalty of Saul? Who would not hauehave looked, that aged Samuel ſhould hauehave emulated rather the glory of his young riuall, and hauehave looked churliſhly vponupon the man that ſhould rob him of his authority? yet now, as if he came p. 1056on purpoſe to gratifie him, he bids him to the feaſt, hee honours him with the chiefe ſeat, he reſerues a ſelect morſell for him, he tels him ingenuouſly the newes of his inſuing Soueraignty, (On whom is ſet the deſire of all Iſrael, is it not vponupon thee, and thy fathers houſe?) Wiſe and holy men, as they are not ambitious of their owne burden, ſo they are not vnwilling to bee eaſed, when God pleaſeth to diſcharge them; neither can they enuy thoſe whom God lifteth aboue their heads: They make an idoll of honour, that are troubled with their owne freedome, or grudge at the promotion of others.

Doubtleſſe Saul was much amazed with the ſtrange ſalutation, and newes of the Prophet, and how modeſtly doth he put it off, as that, which was neither fit, nor likely; diſparaging his Tribe in reſpect of the reſt of Iſrael, his fathers Family in reſpect of the Tribe, and himſelfe in reſpect of his Fathers Family; neither did his humility ſtoope below the truth: For, as Beniamin was the youngeſt ſonne of Iſrael, ſo he was now by much, the leaſt Tribe of Iſrael; They had not yet recouered that vniuerſall ſlaughter which they had receiued from the hands of their brethren, whereby a Tribe was almoſt loſt to Iſrael; yet euen out of the remainder of Beniamin doth God chooſe the man, that ſhall command Iſrael; out of the rubbiſh of Beniamin doth God raiſe the Throne. That is not euer the beſt and fatteſt which God chooſeth, but that which God chooſeth is euer the fitteſt; the ſtrength or weakneſſe of meanes is neither ſpur nor bridle to the determinate choices of God, yea rather he holds it the greateſt proofe of his freedome, and omnipotency, to aduance the vnlikelieſt. It was no hollow and fained excuſe, that Saul makes to put off that, which he would faine enioy, and to cauſe honour to follow him the more eagerly: It was the ſincere truth of his humilitie, that ſo deiected him vnderunder the hand of Gods Prophet. Faire beginnings are no ſound proofe of our proceedings and ending well: How often hath a baſhfull childhood ended in an impudency of youth, a ſtrict entrance in licentiouſneſſe, early forwardneſſe in Atheiſme? There might be a ciuill meekneſſe in Saul, true grace there was not in him; they that be good, beare more fruit in their age.

Saul had but fiue pence in his purſe to giuegive the Prophet: The Prophet after much good cheere giues him the Kingdome, he beſtowes the oyle of royall conſecration on his head, the kiſſes of homage vponupon his face, and ſends him away rich in thoughts, and expectation; and now leſt his aſtoniſhment ſhould end in diſtruſt, he ſetles his aſſurance, by forewarnings of thoſe euents, which he ſhould find in his way: Hee tels him whom he ſhall meet, what they ſhall ſay, how himſelfe ſhall bee affected; that all theſe, and himſelfe, might be ſo many witneſſes of his following coronation; eueryevery word confirmed him. For well might he thinke, He that can foretell me the motions and words of others, cannot faile in mine; eſpecially when (as Samuel had prophecied to him) he found himſelfe to propheſie; His propheſying did enough foretell his Kingdome. No ſooner did Samuel turne his backe from Saul, but God gaue him another heart, lifting vp his thoughts and diſpoſition to the pitch of a King: The calling of God neuer leaues a man vnchanged, neither did God euer employ any man in his ſeruice, whom he did not enable to the worke he ſet him; eſpecially thoſe, whom hee raiſeth vp to the ſupply of his owne place, and the repreſentation of himſelfe. It is no maruell, if Princes excell the vulgar in gifts, no leſſe then in dignity: Their Crownes and their hearts are both in one and the ſame hand; If God did not adde to their powers, as well as their honours, there would be no equality.

p. 1057The Jnauguration of SAVL.

GOD hath ſecretly deſtined Saul to the Kingdome; it could not content Iſrael, that Samuel knew this, the lots muſt ſo decide the choice, as if it had not beene predetermined; That God, which is euer conſtant to his owne decrees, makes the lots to find him out, whom Samuel had anointed: If once we hauehave notice of the will of God, we may be confident of the iſſue: There is no chance to the Almighty; euen caſuall things are no leſſe neceſſary in their firſt cauſe, then the naturall. So farre did Saul truſt the prediction, and oyle of Samuel, that he hides him among the ſtuffe: Hee knew where the lots would light before they were caſt: This was but a modeſt declination of that honour, which he ſaw muſt come; His very withdrawing ſhewed ſome expectation, why elſe ſhould he hauehave hid himſelfe, rather then the other Iſraelites? yet could hee not hope his ſubducing himſelfe, could diſappoint the purpoſe of God: He well knew, that hee, which found out and deſigned his name amongſt the thouſands of Iſrael, would eaſily find out his perſon in a Tent: When once we know Gods decree, in vaine ſhall we ſtriue againſt it: Before we know it, it is indifferent for vsus to worke to the likelieſt.

I cannot blame Saul for hiding himſelfe from a Kingdome, eſpecially of Iſrael: Honour is heauy, when it comes vponupon the beſt tearmes: How ſhould it be otherwiſe, when all mens cares are caſt vponupon one? but moſt of all in a troubled eſtate? No man can put to Sea without danger, but he that lancheth out in a tempeſt, can expect nothing but the hardeſt euent; ſuch was the condition of Iſrael: Their old enemie the Philiſtims were ſtilled with that fearfull thunder of God, as finding what it was to warre againſt the Almighty. There were aduerſaries enow beſides in their borders: It was but an hollow truce, that was betwixt Iſrael and their heatheniſh neighbours, and Nahaſh was now at their gates. Well did Saul know the difference betweene a peacefull gouernment, and the perilous and weariſome tumults of warre. The quieteſt Throne is full of cares, but the perplexed, of dangers. Cares and dangers droue Saul into this corner to hide his head from a Crowne: Theſe made him chuſe rather to lye obſcurely among the baggage of his Tent, then to ſit gloriouſly in the Throne of State. This hiding could doe nothing but ſhew, that both he ſuſpected leſt hee ſhould be choſen, and deſired he ſhould not be choſen: That God, from whom the hils and the rockes could not conceale him, brings him forth to the light, ſo much more longed for, as he was more vnwilling to be ſeene, and more applauded, as he was more longed for.

Now then when Saul is drawne forth in the middeſt of the eager expectation of Iſrael, modeſty and godlineſſe ſhewed themſelues in his face: The preaſe cannot hide him, whom the ſtuffe had hid; As if hee had beene made to bee ſeene, he ouerlookes all Iſrael in height of ſtature, for preſage of the eminence of his eſtate, (from the ſhoulders vpward was he higher then any of the people.) Iſrael ſees their lots are falne vponupon a noted man, one, whoſe perſon ſhewed, he was borne to be a King, and now all the people ſhout for ioy; they hauehave their longing, and applaud their owne happineſſe, and their Kings honour: How eaſie is it for vsus to miſtake our owne eſtates? to reioyce in that which we ſhall find the iuſt cauſe of our humiliation? The end of a p. 1058thing is better then the beginning; the ſafeſt way is to reſerue our ioy, till wee hauehave good proofe of the worthineſſe and fitneſſe of the obiect. What are wee the better for hauing a bleſſing, if we know not how to vſe it? The office and obſeruance of a King was vncowth to Iſrael: Samuel therefore informes the people of their mutuall duties, and writes them in a booke, and layes it vp before the Lord; otherwiſe, nouelty might hauehave beene a warrant for their ignorance, and ignorance for neglect: There are reciprocall reſpects of Princes and people, which if they be not obſerued, gouernment languiſheth into confuſion; theſe Samuel faithfully teacheth them. Though he may not be their iudge, yet he will be their Prophet; he will inſtruct, if he may not rule; yea he will inſtruct him that ſhall rule: There is no King abſolute, but he, that is the King of all gods: Earthly Monarchs muſt walke by a rule, which if they tranſgreſſe, they ſhall be accountable to him, that is higher then the higheſt, who hath deputed them. Not out of care of ciuility, ſo much as conſcience, muſt eueryevery Samuel labour to keepe eauen termes betwixt Kings and Subiects, preſcribing iuſt moderation to the one, to the other obedience and loyalty, which who euer endeauors to trouble, is none of the friends of God, or his Church.

The moſt and beſt applaud their new King, ſome wicked ones deſpiſed him, and ſaid, How ſhall he ſaue vsus? It was not the might of his Parents, the goodlineſſe of his perſon, the priuiledge of his lot, the fame of his propheſying, the Panegyricke of Samuel, that could ſhield him from contempt, or winne him the hearts of all: There was neuer yet any man, to whom ſome tooke not exceptions; It is not poſſible either to pleaſe or diſpleaſe all men, while ſome men are in louelove with vice, as deeply, as others with vertue, and ſome (as ill) diſlike vertue, if not for it ſelfe, yet for contradiction. They well ſaw, Saul choſe not himſelfe, they ſaw him worthy to hauehave beene choſen, if the Election ſhould hauehave beene carried by voices, and thoſe voyces by their eyes; they ſaw him vnwilling to hold, or yeeld, when hee was choſen; yet they will enuy him: What fault could they find in him whom God had choſen? His parentage was equall, his perſon aboue them, his inward parts more aboue them then the outward; Malecontents will rather deuiſe then want cauſes of flying out, and rather then faile, the vniuerſall approbation of others is ground enough of their diſlike. It is a vaine ambition of thoſe, that would be loued of all: The Spirit of God, when he enioynes vsus peace with all, he addes, [if it be poſſible] and fauour is more then peace; A mans comfort muſt be in himſelfe, the conſcience of deſeruing well.

The neighbouring Ammonites could not but hauehave heard of Gods fearfull vengeance vponupon the Philiſtims, and yet they will be taking vp the quarrell againſt Iſrael: Nahaſh comes vp againſt Iabeſh Gilead: Nothing but grace can teach vsus to make vſe of others iudgements; wicked men are not moued with ought, that fals beſide them; they truſt nothing but their owne ſmart: What fearfull iudgements doth God execute eueryevery day? reſolute ſinners take no notice of them, and are growne ſo peremptorie, as if God had neuer ſhewed diſlike of their wayes.

The Gileadites were not more baſe, then Nahaſh the Ammonite was cruell: The Gileadites would buy their peace with ſeruility, Nahaſh would ſell them a ſeruile peace for their right eyes. Iephtha the Gileadite did yet ſticke in the ſtomacke of Ammon, and now they thinke their reuenge cannot be too bloody: It is a wonder, that hee, which would offer ſo mercileſſe a condition to Iſrael, would yeeld to the motion of any delay; Hee meant nothing but ſhame and death to the Iſraelites, yet hee condeſcends to a ſeuen dayes reſpit: Perhaps his confidence made him thus careleſſe. Howſoeuer, it was the reſtraint of God that gaue this breath to Iſrael, and this opportunity to Sauls courage and victory: The enemies of Gods Church cannot bee ſo malicious as they would, cannot approue themſelues ſo malicious, as they are; God ſo holds them in ſometimes, that a ſtander-by would thinke them fauourable. The newes of Gileads diſtreſſe had ſoone filled and afflicted Iſrael, the people thinke of no remedie but their pittie and teares: Euils are eaſily grieued for, not eaſily redreſſed: OnelyOnly Saul is more ſtirred with indignation then ſorrow; That GOD, p. 1059which put into him a ſpirit of propheſie, now puts into him a ſpirit of fortitude: Hee was before appointed to the Throne, not ſetled in the Throne; he followed the beaſts in the field, when he ſhould hauehave commanded men.

Now as one that would be a King no leſſe by merit, then election, he takes vponupon him, and performes the reſcue of Gilead; he aſſembles Iſrael, he leads them, he raiſeth the ſiege, breakes the troops, cuts the throats of the Ammonites. When God hath any exploit to performe, he raiſeth vp the heart of ſome choſen Inſtrument with heroicall motions for the atchieuement: When all hearts are cold and dead, it is a a ſigne of intended deſtruction.

This day hath made Saul a compleat King, and now the thankfull Iſraelites begin to enquire after thoſe diſcontented Mutiners, which had refuſed allegeance vntounto ſo worthy a Commander (Bring thoſe men, that we may ſlay them:) This ſedition had deſerued death, though Saul had beene foiled at Gilead; but now his happy victorie whets the people much more to a deſire of this iuſt execution. Saul, to whom the iniurie was done, hinders the reuenge, (There ſhall no man dye this day, for to day the Lord hath ſaued Iſrael) that his fortitude might not goe beyond his mercy. How noble were theſe beginnings of Saul? His Propheſie ſhewed him miraculouſly wiſe, his Battell and Victory no leſſe valiant, his pardon of his Rebels, as mercifull: There was not more power ſhewed in ouercomming the Ammonites, then in ouercomming himſelfe, and the impotent malice of theſe mutinous Iſraelites. Now Iſrael ſees they hauehave a King, that can both ſhed blood, and ſpare it; that can ſhed the Ammonites blood, and ſpare theirs: His mercy winnes thoſe hearts, whom his valour could not. As in God, ſo in his Deputies, Mercy and Iuſtice ſhould be inſeparable: whereſoeuer theſe two goe aſunder, gouernment followes them into diſtraction, and ends in ruine. If it had beene a wrong offered to Samuel, the forbearance of the reuenge had not beene ſo commendable, although vponupon the day of ſo happy a deliuerance, perhaps it had not beene ſeaſonable: A man hath reaſon to be moſt bold with himſelfe; It is no praiſe of Mercy (ſince it is a fault in Iuſtice) to remit another mans ſatisfaction, his owne he may.

SAMVELS conteſtation.

EVery one can be a friend to him that proſpereth: By this victorie hath Saul as well conquered the obſtinacy of his owne people: Now there is no Iſraelite that reioyceth not in Sauls Kingdome. No ſooner hauehave they done obiecting to Saul, then Samuel begins to expoſtulate with them: The ſame day wherein they began to be pleaſed, God ſhewes himſelfe angry: All the paſſages of their proceedings offended him, he deferred to let them know it till now, that the Kingdome was ſetled, and their hearts lifted vp: Now doth God coole their courage and ioy, with a backe reckoning for their forwardneſſe. God will not let his people runne away with the arrerages of their ſinnes, but when they leaſt thinke of it, cals them to an account: All this while was God angry with their reiection of Samuel; yet (as if there had beene nothing but peace) he giues them a victory ouer their enemies, he giues way to their ioy in their election; now hee lets them know, that after their peace-offerings, he hath a quarrell with them. God may bee angry enough with vsus, whiles we outwardly proſper: It is the wiſedome of God to take his beſt aduantages; He ſuffers vsus to goe on, till we ſhould come to enioy the fruit of our ſinne, till wee ſeeme paſt the danger, either of conſcience or puniſhment; then (euen when wee beginne p. 1060to be paſt the feeling of our ſinne) we ſhall beginne to feele his diſpleaſure for our ſinnes: This is onelyonly where he loues, where he would both forgiue and reclaime; he hath now to doe with his Iſrael: But where he meanes vtter vengeance, he lets men harden themſelues to a reprobate ſenſleſneſſe, and make vp their owne meaſure without contradiction, as purpoſing to reckon with them but once for euer.

Samuel had diſſwaded them before, he reproues them not, vntill now: If hee had thus bent himſelfe againſt them, ere the ſetling of the election, hee had troubled Iſrael in that, which God tooke occaſion by their ſinne to eſtabliſh; His oppoſition would hauehave fauoured of reſpects to himſelfe, whom the wrong of this innouation chiefly concerned: Now therefore, when they are ſure of their King, and their King of them, when he hath ſet eauen termes betwixt them mutually, hee lets them ſee, how they were at odds with God: Wee muſt euer diſlike ſinnes, wee may not euer ſhew it: Diſcretion in the choice of ſeaſons for reprouing, is no leſſe commendable and neceſſary, then zeale and faithfulneſſe in reprouing: Good Phyſitians vſe not to euacuate the body in extremities of heat or cold; wiſe Mariners doe not hoiſe ſayles in eueryevery wind.

Firſt doth Samuel beginne to cleare his owne innocence, ere he dare charge them with their ſinne: He that will caſt a ſtone at an offender, muſt be free himſelfe, otherwiſe he condemnes, and executes himſelfe in another perſon: The conſcience ſtops the mouth of the guilty man, and chokes him with that ſinne, which lyes in his owne breſt, and hauing not come forth by a penitent confeſſion, cannot find the way out in a reproofe; or if he doe reproue, he doth more ſhame himſelfe, then reforme another. He that was the Iudge of Iſrael, would not now iudge himſelfe, but would bee iudged by Iſrael; Whoſe Oxe hauehave I taken? whoſe Aſſe hauehave I taken? or to whom hauehave I done wrong? No doubt, Samuel found himſelfe guilty before God of many priuate infirmities, but for his publike cariage, he appeales to men: A mans heart can beſt iudge of himſelfe; others can beſt iudge of his actions. As another mans conſcience and approbation cannot beare vsus out before God; ſo cannot our owne before men: For ofttimes that action is cenſured by the beholders, as wrongfull, wherein wee applaud our owne iuſtice. Happy is that man, that can bee acquited by himſelfe in priuate, in publike by others, by God in both; ſtanders by may ſee more: It is very ſafe for a man to looke into himſelfe by others eyes; In vaine ſhall a mans heart abſolue him, that is condemned by his actions.

It was not ſo much the triall of his cariage, that Samuel appealed for, as his iuſtification, not for his owne comfort, ſo much as their conuiction: His innocence hath not done him ſeruice enough, vnleſſe it ſhame them, and make them confeſſe themſelues faulty. In ſo many yeares wherein Samuel iudged Iſrael, it cannot be, but many thouſand cauſes paſſed his hands, wherein both parties could not poſſibly bee pleaſed; yet ſo cleere doth he find his heart, and hands, that he dare make the grieued part iudges of his iudgement: A good conſcience will make a man vndauntedly confident, and dare put him vponupon any tryall; where his owne heart ſtrikes him not, it bids him challenge all the world, and take vp all commers: How happy a thing is it for a man to be his owne friend, and patron? He needs not to feare forraine broyles, that is at peace at home: Contrarily, he that hath a falſe and foule heart, lyes at eueryevery mans mercy; liues ſlauiſhly, and is faine to dawb vp a rotten peace with the baſeſt conditions. Truth is not afraid of any light, and therefore dare ſuffer her wares to be caried from a dim ſhop-board vntounto the ſtreet doore: Perfect gold will be but the purer with trying, whereas falſhood being a worke of darkneſſe, loues darkneſſe, and therefore ſeeks where it may worke cloſeſt.

This very appellation cleared Samuel, but the peoples atteſtation cleared him more: Innocency and vprightneſſe becomes eueryevery man well, but moſt publike perſons, who ſhall be elſe obnoxious to eueryevery offender. The Throne and the Pulpit (of all places) call for holineſſe, not more for example of good, then for liberty of controlling euill: All Magiſtrates ſweare to doe that, which Samuel proteſted he hath done; if their p. 1061oath were ſo verified, as Samuels proteſtation, it were a ſhame for the State not to be happie: The ſinnes of our Teachers are the teachers of ſinne; the ſinnes of Gouernors doe both command, and countenance euill. This very acquiting of Samuel was the accuſation of themſelues: For how could it be but faultie to caſt off a faultleſſe Gouernour? If he had not taken away an Oxe, or an Aſſe from them, why doe they take away his authoritie? They could not hauehave thus cleared Saul at the end of his reigne; It was iuſt with God, ſince they were weary of a iuſt Ruler, to puniſh them with an vniuſt.

He that appealed to them for his owne vprightneſſe, durſt not appeale to them for their owne wickedneſſe, but appeales to Heauen from them. Men are commonly flatterers of their owne caſes: It muſt be a ſtrong euidence, that will make a ſinner conuicted in himſelfe: Nature hath ſo many ſhifts to coozen 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 hauehave 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 vponupon 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: EueryEvery 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 vponupon 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 giuegive 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 vnderunder Saul.

p. 1062How 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 vnderunder the mantle, then vnderunder armes: both enmitie and ſafegard are from heauen, goodneſſe hath beene euer a ſtronger guard then valour: It is the ſureſt policy alwayes to hauehave 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, hauehave they both fought, and ouercome. Now might you hauehave 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 vnderunder 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 hauehave 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 vntounto Saul, and makes them cling vntounto 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 hauehave runne away from their King: Whiles they had a Samuel alone, they were neuer▪ well till they had a Saul, now they hauehave 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 eueryevery man ſhould come vp after Saul and Samuel: If Samuel had not beene with Saul, they would rather hauehave ventured the loſſe of their oxen, then the h…id of themſelues. How much leſſe ſhould we preſume of any ſafety in our ſpirituall combats, when we hauehave not a Prophet p. 1063to leade vsus? It is all one (ſauing that it ſauours of more contempt) not to hauehave Gods Seers, and not to vſe them: He can be no true Iſraelite, that is not diſtreſſed with the want of a Samuel.

As one that had learned to beginne his rule in obedience, Saul ſtayes ſeuen dayes in Gilgal, according to the Prophets direction, and ſtill he lookes long for Samuel, which had promiſed his preſence; ſixe daies he expects, and part of the ſeuenth, yet Samuel is not come: The Philiſtims draw neere, the Iſraelites runne away, Samuel comes not, they muſt fight, God muſt be ſupplicated, what ſhould Saul doe? rather then God ſhould want a ſacrifice, and the people ſatisfaction, Saul will command that, which he knew Samuel would, if he were preſent, both command, and execute: It is not poſſible (thinkes he) that God ſhould be diſpleaſed with a ſacrifice, he cannot but bee diſpleaſed with indeuotion: Why doe the people runne from me, but for want of meanes to make God ſure? What would Samuel rather wiſh, then that we ſhould bee godly? The act ſhall be the ſame, the onelyonly difference ſhall be in the perſon: If Samuel be wanting to vsus, we will not be wanting to God; it is but an holy preuention to be deuout vnbidden: VponUpon this conceit he commands a ſacrifice; Sauls ſins make no great ſhew, yet are they ſtill hainouſly taken, the impietie of them was more hidden, and inward from all eyes, but Gods. If Saul were among the Prophets before, will he now be among the Prieſts? Can there be any deuotion in diſobedience? O vaine man! What can it auaile thee to ſacrifice to God againſt God? Hypocrites reſt onelyonly in formalities; If the outward act be done, it ſufficeth them, though the ground be diſtruſt, the manner vnreuerence, the cariage preſumption.

What then ſhould Saul hauehave done? VponUpon the truſt of God and Samuel hee ſhould hauehave ſtayed out the laſt houre, and hauehave ſecretly ſacrificed himſelfe, and his prayers vntounto that God, which loues Obedience aboue Sacrifice. Our faith is moſt commendable in the laſt act; It is no praiſe to hold out, vntill wee be hard driuen: Then, when we are forſaken of meanes, to liue by faith in our God, is worthy of a Crowne: God will hauehave no worſhip of our deuiſing, we may onelyonly doe what he bids vsus, not bid what he commands not. Neuer did any true pietie ariſe out of the corrupt puddle of mans braine; If it flow not from Heauen, it is odious to Heauen: What was it, that did thus taint the valour of Saul with this weakneſſe, but diſtruſt? He ſaw ſome Iſraelites goe, he thought all would goe; he ſaw the Philiſtims come, he ſaw Samuel came not, his diffidence was guilty of his miſdeuotion: There is no ſinne, that hath not his ground from vnbeleefe; This as it was the firſt infection of our pure nature, ſo is the true ſource of all corruption, man could not ſinne, if he diſtruſted not.

The Sacrifice is no ſooner ended, then Samuel is come: and why came he no ſooner? He could not be a Seer, and not know how much hee was lookt for, how troubleſome and dangerous his abſence muſt needs be; He, that could tell Saul, that hee ſhould propheſie, could tell, that hee would ſacrifice; yet hee purpoſely forbeares to come, for the triall of him, that muſt be the Champion of God. Samuel durſt not hauehave done thus; but by direction from his Maſter: It is the ordinary courſe of God to proue vsus by delayes, and to driue to exigents, that we may ſhew what we are: He that anointed Saul, might lawfully from God controll him: There muſt bee diſcretion, there may not be partialitie in our cenſures of the greateſt: God makes difference of ſinnes, none of perſons: if we make difference of ſinnes according to perſons, we are vnfaithfull both to God and man. Scarce is Saul warme in his kingdome, when hee hath euen loſt it. Samuels firſt words after the Inauguration, are of Sauls reiection, and the choice and eſtabliſhment of his Succeſſor: It was euer Gods purpoſe to ſettle the Kingdome in Iuda▪ He that tooke occaſion by the peoples ſinne to raiſe vp Saul in Beniamin, takes occaſion by Sauls ſinne to eſtabliſh the Crowne vponupon Dauid. In humane probability the Kingdome was fixed vponupon Saul, and his more worthy Sonne: In Gods Decree it did but paſſe through the hands of Beniamin to Iudah. Beſides trouble, how fickle are theſe earthly glories? Saul doubtleſſe lookt vponupon Ionathan, as the Inheritor of his Crowne; and behold, ere his peaceable Poſſeſſion, hee hath p. 1064loſt it from himſelfe: Our ſinnes ſtrip vsus not of our hopes in heauen onelyonly, but of our earthly bleſſings; The way to entaile a comfortable proſperitie vponupon our Seed after vsus, is our conſcionable obedience vntounto God.

IONATHANS Ʋictory, and SAVLS Oath.

IT is no wonder if Sauls courage were much cooled with the heauie newes of his reiection: After this he ſtayes vnderunder the Pomgranate tree in Gibeah: He ſtirs not towards the Gariſon of the Philiſtims: As Hope is the mother of Fortitude, ſo nothing doth more breed cowardlineſſe, then deſpaire: EueryEvery thing diſmayes that heart, which God hath put out of protection. Worthy Ionathan (which ſpring from Saul as ſome ſweet Impe growes out of a Crabſtocke) is therefore full of valour, becauſe full of faith: He well knew, that he ſhould hauehave nothing, but diſcouragements from his fathers feare; as rather chooſing therefore, to auoid all the blockes that might lie in the way, then to leape ouer them, he departs ſecretly without the diſmiſſion of his Father, or notice of the people; onelyonly God leads him, and his Armour bearer followes him. O admirable faith of Ionathan, whom neither the ſteepneſſe of Rockes, not the multitude of Enemies can diſſwade from ſo vnlikely an aſſault! Is it poſſible, that two men, whereof one was weaponleſſe, ſhould dare to thinke of incountring ſo many thouſands? O Diuine Power of Faith, that in all difficulties and attempts, makes a man more then men, and regards no more armies of men, then ſwarmes of flyes! There is no reſtraint to the Lord (ſaith he) to ſaue with many, or by few: It was not ſo great newes, that Saul ſhould bee amongſt the Prophets, as that ſuch a word ſhould come from the Sonne of Saul.

If his Father had had but ſo much Diuinity, he had not ſacrificed: The ſtrength of his God, is the ground of his ſtrength in God; The queſtion is not, what Ionathan can doe, but what God can doe, whoſe power is not in the meanes, but in himſelfe: That mans faith is well vnderlayed, that vpholds it ſelfe by the Omnipotency of God; thus the Father of the faithfull built his aſſurance vponupon the power of the Almighty. But many things God can doe, which he will not doe; How knoweſt thou, Ionathan, that God will be as forward, as he is able, to giuegive thee victory? For this (ſaith he) I hauehave a watch-word from God, out of the mouthes of the Philiſtims: If they ſay, Come vp, we will goe vp; for God hath deliuered them into our hands: If they ſay, Tarry, till we come to you, we will ſtand ſtill: Ionathan was too wiſe to truſt vntounto a caſuall preſage: There might be ſome farre fetcht coniectures of the euent from the word; We will come to you, was a threat of reſolution; Come you to vsus was a challenge of feare; or perhaps, Come vp to vsus, was a word of inſultation, from them, that truſted to the inacceſſibleneſſe of the place and multitudes of men▪ Inſultation is from pride, pride argued a f…ll, but faith hath nothing to doe with probabilities, as that, which acknowledgeth no Argument, but demonſtration; If there hid not beene an inſtinct from GOD of this aſſured warrant of ſucceſſe, Ionathan had preſumed in ſtead of beleeuing, and had tempted that GOD, whom hee profeſſed to glorifie by his truſt.

There can be no faith, where there is no promiſe, and where there is a promiſe, there can be no preſumption: Words are voluntary; The tongues of the Philiſtims p. 1065were as free to ſay, Tarry, as Come: That God, in whom our very tongues moue, ouerruled them ſo, as now they ſhall ſpeake that word, which ſhall cut their owne throats: They knew no more harme in Come, then Tarry; both were alike ſafe for the ſound, for the ſenſe; but he, that put a ſignification of their ſlaughter in the one, not in the other, did put that word into their mouth, whereby they might inuite their owne deſtruction. The diſpoſition of our words are from the prouidence of the Almighty: God and our hearts hauehave not alwayes the ſame meaning in our ſpeeches: In thoſe words, which we ſpeake at random, or out of affectation, God hath a further drift of his owne glory, and perhaps our iudgement. If wicked men ſay, Our tongues are our owne, they could not ſay ſo, but from him, whom they defie in ſaying ſo, and who makes their tongue their executioner.

No ſooner doth Ionathan heare this inuitation, then hee anſwers it: Hee, whoſe hands had learned neuer to faile his heart, puts himſelfe vponupon his hands and knees to climbe vp into this danger: the exploit was not more difficult, then the way, the paine of the paſſage was equall to the perill of the enterprize; that his faith might equally triumph ouer both: he doth not ſay, how ſhall I get vp? much leſſe, which way ſhall I get downe againe? but as if the ground were leuell, and the action dangerleſſe, hee puts himſelfe into the view of the Philiſtims: Faith is neuer ſo glorious, as when it hath moſt oppoſition, and will not ſee it: Reaſon lookes euer to the meanes, Faith to the end; and in ſtead of conſulting, how to effect, reſolues what ſhall be effected. The way to heauen is more ſteepe, more painfull: O God! how perillous a paſſage haſt thou appointed for thy labouring Pilgrims? If difficulties will diſcourage vsus, we ſhall but climbe to fall: When we are lifting vp our foot to the laſt ſtep, there are the Philiſtims of death, of temptations, to grapple with; giuegive vsus but faith, and turne vsus looſe to the ſpight either of Earth or Hell.

Ionathan is now on the top of the hill, and now, as if he had an army at his heeles, he flyes vponupon the hoſte of the Philiſtims; his hands that might hauehave beene weary with climbing, are immediately commanded to fight, and deale as many deaths, as blowes, to the amazed enemie: He needs not walke farre for this execution; Himſelfe, and his Armour-bearer in one halfe acres ſpace hauehave ſlaine twenty Philiſtims. It is not long ſince Ionathan ſmote their Gariſon in the hill of Geba, perhaps, from that time his name and preſence carried terror in it; but ſure if the Philiſtims had not ſeene and felt more then a man in the face and hands of Ionathan, they had not ſo eaſily groueled in death: The blowes and ſhrikes cannot but affect the next, who with a ghaſtly noiſe ranne away from death, and afright their fellowes no leſſe then themſelues are afrighted. The clamour and feare runnes on like fire in a traine, to the very formoſt rankes; EueryEvery man would flye, and thinkes there is ſo much more cauſe of flight, for that his eares apprehend all, his eyes nothing: Each man thinkes his fellow ſtands in his way, and therefore in ſtead of turning vponupon him which was the cauſe of their flight, they bend their ſwords vponupon thoſe whom they imagine to be the hinderers of their flight; and now a miraculous aſtoniſhment hath made the Philiſtims, Ionathans Champions, and Executioners; He followes, and kils thoſe which helped to kill others: and the more he killed, the more they feared, and fled, and the more they killed each other in the flight: and that feare it ſelfe might preuent Ionathan in killing them, the earth it ſelfe trembles vnderunder them. Thus doth God at once ſtrike them with his owne hand, with Ionathans, with theirs, and makes them runne away from life, whiles they would flye from an enemie: Where the Almighty purpoſes deſtruction to any people, hee needs not call in forraigne powers, he needs not any hands or weapons, but their own; He can make vaſt bodies die no other death, then their owne waight: We cannot be ſure to be friends among our ſelues whiles God is our enemy.

The Philiſtims flye faſt, but the newes of their flight ouer-runnes them euen vntounto Sauls Pomegranate Tree: The Watchmen diſcerne afarre off, a flight and execution: ſearch is made, Ionathan is found miſſing; Saul will conſult with the Arke: Hypocrites while they hauehave leiſure, will perhaps be holy: For ſome fits of deuotion they cannot p. 1066bee bettered. But when the tumult encreaſed, Sauls piety decreaſes: It is now no ſeaſon to talke with a Prieſt; withdraw thine hand Ahaiah, the Ephod muſt giuegive place to Armes: It is more time to fight then to pray; what needs he Gods guidance, when he ſees his way before him? He that before would needs ſacrifice, ere hee fought, will now in the other extreame, fight in a wilfull indeuotion: Worldly minds regard holy duties no further, then may ſtand with their owne carnall purpoſes: Very eaſie occaſions ſhall interrupt them in their religious intentions; like vntounto children, which if a Bird doe but flye in their way, caſt their eye from their booke.

But if Saul ſerue not God in one kind, he will ſerue him in another, if he honour him not by attending on the Arke, hee will honour him by a vow: His negligence in the one, is recompenced with his zeale in the other. All Iſrael is adiured not to eate any food vntill the euening: Hypocriſie is euer masked with a blind and thankleſſe zeale: To wait vponupon the Arke, and to conſult with Gods Prieſt in all caſes of importance, was a direct commandement of God; To eate no food in the purſuit of their enemies was not commanded: Saul leaues that which he was bidden, and does that which he was not required: To eate no food all day, was more difficult, then to attend an houre vponupon the Arke; The voluntary ſeruices of Hypocrites are many times more painfull, then the duties enioyned by God.

In what awe did all Iſrael ſtand of the Oath euen of Saul? It was not their owne vow, but Sauls for them; yet comming into the Wood, where they ſaw the Honey dropping, and found the meat as ready as their appetite; they dare not touch that ſuſtenance, and will rather endure famine, and fainting, then an indiſcreet curſe. Doubtleſſe God had brought thoſe Bees thither on purpoſe to try the conſtancy of Iſrael; Iſrael could not but thinke (that which Ionathan ſaid) that the vow was vnaduiſed and iniurious; yet they will rather dye then violate it: How ſacred ſhould wee hold the obligation of our owne vowes, in things iuſt and expedient, when the bond of anothers raſh vow is thus indiſſoluble?

There was a double miſchiefe followed vponupon Sauls oath, an abatement of the victorie, and eating with the blood: For, on the one ſide, the people were ſo faint, that they were more likely to dye, then kill; they could neither runne, nor ſtrike in this emptineſſe; Neither hands nor feet can doe their office, when the ſtomacke is neglected: On the other, an vnmeet forbearance cauſes a rauenous repaſt: Hunger knowes neither choice, nor order, nor meaſure: The one of theſe was a wrong to Iſrael, the other was a wrong done by Iſrael to God: Sauls zeale was guilty of both: A raſh vow is ſeldome euer free from inconuenience: The heart that hath vnneceſſarily intangled it ſelfe, drawes miſchiefe either vponupon it ſelfe or others.

Ionathan was ignorant of his fathers adiuration, he knew no reaſon why he ſhould not refreſh himſelfe in ſo profitable a ſeruice, with a little taſte of Honey vponupon his Speare: Full well had he deſerued this vnſought dainty; and now behold his Honey is turned into Gall: if it were ſweet in the mouth, it was bitter in the ſoule; if the eyes of his body were enlightned, the light of Gods countenance was clouded by this act. After he heard of the oath, he pleades iuſtly againſt it, the loſſe of ſo faire an opportunity of reuenge, and the trouble of Iſrael; yet neither his reaſons againſt the Oath, nor his ignorance of the Oath, can excuſe him from a ſinne of ignorance in violating that, which firſt he knew not, and then knew vnreaſonable. Now Sauls leiſure would ſerue him to aske counſell of God; As before Saul would not enquire, ſo now God will not anſwer: Well might Saul hauehave found ſinnes enow of his owne, whereto to impute this ſilence: He hath grace enough to know that God was offended, and to gueſſe at the cauſe of his offence: Sooner will an Hypocrite finde out another mans ſinne then his owne, and now he ſweares more raſhly to puniſh with death, the breach of that, which he had ſworne raſhly: The lots were caſt, and Saul prayes for the deciſion, Ionathan is taken: Euen the prayers of wicked men are ſometimes heard, although iniuſtice, not in mercy: Saul himſelfe was puniſhed not a little, in the fall of this lot vponupon Ionathan; Surely Saul ſinned more in making this vow, then Ionathan in p. 1067breaking it vnwittingly, and now the father ſmarts for the raſhneſſe of his double vow, by the vniuſt ſentence of death vponupon ſo vvorthy a ſonne: God had neuer ſingled out Ionathan by his lot, if he had not beene diſpleaſed with his act: Vowes raſhly made may not be raſhly broken; If the thing we hauehave vowed be not euill in it ſelfe, or in the effect, we cannot violate it without euill. Ignorance cannot acquite, if it can abate our ſinne. It is like, if Ionathan had heard his fathers adiuration, he had not tranſgreſſed; his abſence at the time of that Oath, cannot excuſe him from diſpleaſure: What ſhall become of thoſe, which may know the charge of their heauenly Father, and will not? which doe know his charge, and will not keepe it? Affectation of ignorance, and willing diſobedience, is deſperate.

Death was too hard a cenſure for ſuch an vnknowne offence: The cruell piety of Saul will reuenge the braach of his owne charge, ſo as he would be loath God ſhould auenge on himſelfe the breach of his diuine command. If Ionathan had not found better friends then his father, ſo noble a victory had beene recompenced with death; He that ſaued Iſrael from the Philiſtims, is ſaued by Iſrael from the hand of his Father: Saul hath ſworne Ionathans death, the people contrarily ſweare his preſeruation; his Kingdome was not yet ſo abſolute, that hee could runne away with ſo vnmercifull a Iuſtice; their Oath that ſauoured of diſobedience, preuailed againſt his Oath that ſauoured too ſtrong of cruelty: Neither doubt I, but Saul was ſecretly not diſpleaſed with this louing reſiſtance: So long as his heart was not falſe to his Oath, he could not be ſory that Ionathan ſhould liue.

Contemplations. THE THIRTEENTH BOOKE.

Containing

SAVL and AGAG.

The Reiection of SAVL, and the Choice of DAVID.

DAVID called to the Court.

DAVID and GOLIAH.

IONATHANS louelove, and SAVLS enuy.

MICHALS Wile.

DAVID and ABIMELEC.

By IOS. HALL, D. of Diuinitie, and Deane of WORCESTER.

TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, SIR Thomas Edmonds KNIGHT, TREASVRER OF HIS MAIESTIES HOVSHOLD, AND OF HIS MOST Honourable Priuy Councell.

RIGHT HONOVRABLE:

AFter your long and happy acquaintance with other Courts and Kingdomes, may it pleaſe you to compare with them the eſtate of old Jſrael; You ſhall find the ſame hand ſwaying all Scepters, and you ſhall meet with ſuch a proportion of diſpoſitions, and occurrences, that you will ſay, men are ſtill the ſame, if their names and faces differ: You ſhall find Enuy and Mutability ancient Courtiers: and ſhall confeſſe the Vices of men ſtill aliue, if themſelues die; You ſhall ſee God ſtill honouring thoſe that honour him, and both reſcuing Jnnocence, and crowning it. Jt is not for me to anticipate your deeper and more iudicious Obſeruations J am bold to dedicate this piece of my Labour to your Honour, in a thankefull acknowledgement of thoſe Noble Reſpects, J hauehave found from you, both in France, and at home. Jn lieu of all which, J can but pray for your happineſſe, and vow my ſelfe

Your Honours in all humble obſeruance, IOS: HALL.

p. 1073Contemplations.