Works of Joseph Hall, Part 20
VzZAH, AND THE ARKE REMOVED.
THe houſe of Saul is quiet, the Philiſtims beaten, victory cannot end better than in deuotion; Dauid is no ſooner ſettled in his houſe at Ieruſalem, than he fetcheth God to bee his gueſt there; the thouſands of Iſrael goe now in an holy march, to bring vp the Arke of God, to the place of his reſt: The tumults of Warre affoorded no opportunity of this ſeruice; onelyonly peace is a friend to Religion, neither is peace euer our friend, but when it is a ſeruant of Piety: The vſe of Warre is not more pernicious to the body, than the abuſe of peace is to the ſoule; Alas, the Riot bred of our long eaſe, rather driues the Arke of God from vsus; ſo the ſtill ſedentary life, is ſubiect to diſeaſes, and ſtanding waters putrifie. It may be iuſt with God, to take away the bleſſing which we doe ſo much abuſe, and to ſcoure off our ruſt with bloudy Warre, &c.
The Arke of God had now many yeeres, reſted in the obſcure lodge of Abinadab, without the honour of a Tabernacle. Dauid will not endure himſelfe glorious, and the Arke of God contemptible; his firſt care is to prouide a fit roome for God, in the head of the Tribes, in his owne City. The chiefe care of good Princes, muſt be the aduancement of Religion; What ſhould the Deputies of God rather doe, than honour him whom they repreſent? It was no good that Iſrael could learne of Philiſtims; Thoſe Pagans had ſent the Arke backe in a new Cart; the Iſraelites ſaw God bleſſed that conduct, and now they practiſe it at home: But that which God will take from Philiſtims, hee will not brooke from Iſrael: Aliens from God are no fit patterns for children: Diuine inſtitution had made this a cariage for the Leuites, not for oxen: Neither ſhould thoſe ſonnes of Abinadab hauehave driuen the Cart, but carried that ſacred burden. Gods buſineſſes muſt be done after his owne formes, which if we doe with the beſt intentions alter, we preſume.
It is long, ſince Iſrael ſaw ſo faire a day as this, wherein they went in this holy Triumph to fetch the Arke of God; Now their Warlike Trumpets are turned into Harps and Timbrils; and their hands in ſtead of weilding the Sword and Speare, ſtrike vponupon thoſe muſicall ſtrings whereby they might expreſſe the ioy of their hearts; Heere was no noiſe but of mirth, no motion but pleaſant: Oh happy Iſrael that had a God to reioyce in, that had this occaſion of reioycing in their God, and an heart that embraced this occaſion. There is nothing but this wherein wee may not ioy immoderately, vnſeaſonably; this ſpirituall ioy can neuer bee either out of time, or out of meaſure: Let him that reioyceth, reioyce in the Lord. But now when the Iſraelites were in the midſt of this Angel-like iollitie, their hearts lifted vp, their hands playing, their feet mouing, their tongues ſinging and ſhouting, God ſees good to ſtrike them into a ſudden dumpe by the death of Vzzah: They are ſcarce ſet into the tune when God marres their Muſicke, by a fearefull iudgement; and changes their mirth into aſtoniſhment, and confuſion. There could not bee a more excellent worke than this they were about; there could not bee more chearefull hearts in the performing of it, yet will the moſt holy God rather daſh all this ſolemne ſeruice, than indure an act of preſumption or infidelity. Abinadab had beene the faithfull Hoſt of Gods Arke, for the ſpace of twenty yeeres: euen in the midſt of the terrors of Irael, who were iuſtly affrighted with the vengeance inflicted vponupon Beth-ſhemeſh, did hee giuegive harbour vntounto it; Yet euen the ſonne of Abinadab is ſtricken dead, in the firſt departing of that bleſſed gueſt: The Sanctitie of the Parent cannot beare out the ſinne of his Sonne: The Holy one of Iſrael will bee ſanctified in all that come neere him: He will be ſerued like himſelfe.
WHAT then was the ſinne of Vzzah? What was the capitall crime, for which hee ſo fearefully periſhed? That the Arke of God was committed to the Cart, it was not his deuice onelyonly, but the common act of many; That it was not carryed on the ſhoulders of Leuites, was no leſſe the fault of Ahio, and the reſt of their Brethren; onelyonly Vzzah is ſtricken: The reſt ſinned in negligence, hee in preſumption; the Arke of God ſhakes with the agitation of that carriage; hee puts forth his hand to hold it ſteddie; Humane iudgement would hauehave found herein nothing haynous: God ſees not with the eyes of men; None but the Prieſts ſhould hauehave dared to touch the Arke; It was enough for the Leuites to touch the barres that carryed it; An vnwarranted hand cannot ſo lightly touch the Arke, but hee ſtrikes the God that dwels in it: No maruell if God ſtrike that man with death, that ſtrikes him with Preſumption; There was wel-neere the ſame quarrell againſt the thouſands of Bethſhemeſh, and againſt Vzzah; They died for looking into the Arke, hee for touching it; leſt Iſrael ſhould grow into a contemptuous familiarity with this Teſtimony of Gods preſence, hee will hold them in awe with iudgements: The reuenging hand of the Almighty, that vponupon the returne of the Arke ſtayed at the Houſe of Abinadab, vponupon the remooue of the Arke beginnes there againe: Where are thoſe that thinke God will take vp with a careleſſe and ſlubbred ſeruice? Hee whoſe infinite mercy vſes to paſſe by our ſinnes of infirmitie, puniſheth yet ſeuerely our bold faults: If we cannot doe any thing in the degrees that hee requireth, yet wee muſt learne to doe all things in the forme that he requireth; Doubtleſſe Vzzah meant no otherwiſe than well in putting forth his hand to ſtay the Arke; Hee knew the ſacred Vtenſils that were in it, the Pot of Manna, the Tables of the Law, the Rod of Aaron, which might bee wronged by that ouer-rough motion: to theſe hee offers his aide, and is ſtricken dead; The beſt intention cannot excuſe; much leſſe warrant vsus in vnlawfull actions: where wee doe ought in faith, it pleaſeth our good God to winke at, and pitty our weakneſſes; but if wee dare to preſent God with the welmeant ſeruices of our owne making, wee runne into the indignation of God; There is nothing more dangerous, than to be our owne caruers in matter of Deuotion.
I maruell not if the countenance of Dauid were ſuddenly changed, to ſee the pale face of death in one of the chiefe Actors in this holy Proceſſion: Hee that had found God ſo fauourable to him in actions of leſſe worth, is troubled to ſee this ſucceſſe of a buſineſſe ſo heartily directed vntounto his God; and now hee beginnes to looke thorow Vzzah at himſelfe, and to ſay, (How ſhall the Arke of the Lord come to mee?) Then onelyonly ſhall wee make a right vſe of the iudgements of God vponupon others, when wee ſhall feare them in our ſelues, and finding our ſinnes at leaſt equall, ſhall tremble at the expectation of the ſame deſerued puniſhments. God intends not onelyonly reuenge in his execution, but reformation; As good Princes regard not ſo much the ſmart of the euill paſt, as the preuention of the future; which is neuer attained, but when wee make applications of Gods hand; and draw common cauſes out of Gods particular proceedings.
I doe not heare Dauid ſay; Surely, this man is guilty of ſome ſecret ſinne, that the World knowes not; God hath met with him; thereis no danger to vsus; why ſhould I be diſcouraged to ſee God iuſt? we may goe on ſafely and proſper; But here his foot ſtaies, and his hand fals from his Inſtrument, and his tongue is ready to taxe his owne vnworthineſſe, (How ſhall the Arke of the Lord came vntounto me?) That heart is carnall and proud, that thinkes any man worſe than himſelfe; Dauids feare ſtaies his progreſſe; Perhaps he might hauehave proceeded with good ſucceſſe, but he dares not venture, where hee ſees ſuch a deadly checke: It is better to be too fearefull, than too forward in thoſe affaires, which doe immediately concerne God; As it is not good to refraine from holy buſineſſes, ſo it is worſe to doe them ill; Awfulneſſe is a ſafe Interpreter of Gods ſecret actions, and a wiſe guide of ours.
THIS euent hath holpen Obed-Edom to a gueſt hee lookt not for, God ſhall now ſoiourne in the houſe of him, in whoſe heart hee dwelt before by a ſtrong faith; elſe the man durſt not hauehave vndertaken to receiue that dreadfull Arke, which Dauid himſelfe feared to harbour; Oh the courage of an honeſt and faithfull heart! Obed-Edom knew well enough what ſlaughter the Arke had made among the Philiſtims, and after that amongſt the Bethſhemites, and now hee ſaw Vzzah lye dead before him, yet doth hee not make any ſcruple of entertaining it, neither doth hee ſay; My Neighbour Abinadab was a carefull and religious hoſt to the Arke, and is now payed with the bloud of his ſonne; how ſhall I hope to ſpeed better? but he opens his doores with a bold cheerefulneſſe, and notwithſtanding all thoſe terrors, bids God welcome: Nothing can make God not amiable to his owne; Euen his very Iuſtice is louely: Holy men know how to reioyce in the Lord with trembling, and can feare without diſcouragement.
THE God of Heauen will not receiue any thing from men on free coſt; hee will pay liberally for his lodging, a plentifull bleſſing vponupon Obed-Edom, and all his houſehold. It was an honour to that zealous Gittite, that the Arke could come vnderunder his roofe; yet God rewards that honour with benediction: Neuer man was a loſer by true godlineſſe. The houſe of Obad-Edom cannot this while want obſeruation; the eyes of Dauid, and all Iſrael were neuer off from it, to ſee how it fared with this entertainment. And now, when they finde nothing, but a gracious acceptation and ſenſible bleſſing, the good King of Iſrael takes new heart, and haſtens to fetch the Arke into his royall Citie. The view of Gods fauours vponupon the godly, is no ſmall encouragement to confidence and obedience; Doubtleſſe, Obed-Edom was not free from ſome weakneſſes; If the Lord ſhould hauehave taken the aduantage of iudgement againſt him, what Iſraelites had not beene diſheartened from attending the Arke? Now Dauid and Iſrael was not more affrighted with the vengeance vponupon Vzzah, than encouraged by the bleſſing of Obed-Edom; The wiſe God doth ſo order his iuſt and mercifull proceedings, that the awfulneſſe of men may bee tempered with louelove. Now the ſweet ſinger of Iſrael reuines his holy Muſicke; and addes both more ſpirit and more pompe to ſo deuout a buſineſſe: I did not before heare of Trumpets; nor dancing, nor ſhouting, nor ſacrifice, nor the linnen Ephod; The ſenſe of Gods paſſed diſpleaſure, doubles our care to pleaſe him, and our ioy in his recouered approbation; wee neuer make ſo much of our health, as after ſickneſſe, nor neuer are ſo officious to our friend, as after an vnkindneſſe. In the firſt ſetting out of the Arke, Dauids feare was at leaſt an equall match to his ioy; therefore after the firſt ſix paces hee offered a ſacrifice, both to pacifie God, and thanke him: but now when they ſaw no ſigne of diſlike, they did more freely let themſelues looſe to a feareleſſe ioy; and the body ſtroue to expreſſe the holy affection of the ſoule; there was no li…the, no part that did not profeſſe their mirth by mot…on, no noyſe of voyce, or inſtrument wanted to aſſiſt their ſpirituall iollity; Dauid led the way, dancing with all his might in his linnen Ephod; Vzzah was ſtill in his eye; he durſt not vſurpe vponupon a garment of Prieſts; but will borrow their colour to grace the ſolemnitie, though hee dare not the faſhion; White was euer the colour of ioy, and linnen was light for vſe; therefore he couers his Princely Robes with white linnen, and meanes to honour himſelfe by his conformity to Gods Miniſters. Thoſe that thinke there is diſgrace in the Ephod, are farre from the ſpirit of the man after Gods owne heart; Neither can there be a greater argument of a ſoule ſoule, than a diſlike of the glorious calling of God: Barren Nical hath too many ſonnes that ſcorne the holy habit and exerciſes: ſhe lookes through her window, and ſeeing the attyre and geſtures of her deuout husband, deſpiſeth him in her heart, neither can ſhee conceale her contempt, but like Sauls Daughter caſt it proudly in his face (Oh how glorious was the King of Iſrael this day; which was vncouered to day in the eyes of the Maidens of his Seruants, as a Foole vncouereth himſelfe.) Worldly hearts can ſee nothing in actions of zeale, but folly and madneſſe: Pietie hath no reliſh to their palate but diſtaſtfull.
DAVIDS heart did neuer ſwell ſo much at any reproch, as this of his Wife; his louelove was for the time loſt in his anger; and as a man impatient of no affront ſo much as in the way of his deuotion, he returnes a bitter checke to his MICAL; (It was before the Lord, which thoſe me rather than thy Father, and all his houſe, &c.) Had not Mical twitted her Husband with the ſhame of his zeale, ſhee had not heard of the ſhamefull reiection of her father; now ſince ſhee will bee forgetting, whoſe Wife ſhe was, ſhee ſhall be put in mind whoſe Daughter ſhe was. Contumelies that are caſt vponupon vsus in the cauſes of God, may ſafely be repared. If we be meale-mouthed in the ſcornes of Religion, we are not patient, but zealeleſſe: Here we may not forbeare her, that lyes in our boſome. If Dauid had not loued Mical dearely, he had neuer ſtood vponupon thoſe points with Abner; He knew that if Abner came to him, the Kingdome of Iſrael would accompany him, and yet hee ſends him the charge of not ſeeing his face, except hee brought Mical, Sauls daughter with him; as if he would not regard the Crowne of Iſrael, whiles he wanted that Wife of his: Yet here he takes her vp roundly, as if ſhee had beene an enemy, not a partner of his bed. All relations are aloofe off, in compariſon of that betwixt God, and the ſoule; He that loues Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Childe, better than me (ſaith our Sauiour) is not worthy of me. Euen the higheſt delights of our hearts muſt be trampled vponupon, when they will ſtand out in riuality with God. Oh happy reſolution of the royall Prophet, and Propheticall King of Iſrael, (I will be yet more vile than thus, and will be low in mine owne ſight:) he knew this very abaſement Heroicall; and that the onelyonly way to true glory, is, not to be aſhamed of our loweſt humiliation vntounto God: Well might he promiſe himſelfe honour from thoſe, whoſe contempt ſhe had threatned; The hearts of men are not their owne, he that made them, ouer-rules them, and inclines them to an honourable conceit of thoſe that honour their Maker; So as holy men hauehave oft times inward reuerence, euen where they hauehave outward indignities. Dauid came to bleſſe his houſe, Mical brings a curſe vponupon her ſelfe; Her ſcornes ſhall make her childleſſe to the day of her death; Barrenneſſe was held in thoſe times; none of the leaſt iudgements; God doth ſo reuenge Dauids quarrell vponupon Mical, that her ſudden diſgrace, ſhall be recompenced with perpetuall: She ſhall not be held worthy to beare a ſonne, to him whom ſhe vniuſtly contemned; How iuſt is it with God to prouide whips for the backe of ſcorners? It is no maruell if thoſe that mocke at goodneſſe, be plagued with continuall fruitleſneſſe.