History of the Old Testament Volume 7, Part 1
REHOBOAM.
WHo would not but hauehave looked that ſeuen hundred wiues, and three hundred concubines, ſhould hauehave furniſhed Salomons Palace with choiſe of heires, and hauehave peopled Iſrael with royall iſſue? and now behold, Salomon hath by all theſe but one Sonne; and him by an Ammoniteſſe: Many a poore man hath an houſe-full of children by one wife; whiles this great King hath but one ſonne by many houſe-fulls of wiues; Fertility is not from the meanes, but from the author; It was for Salomon that Dauid ſung of old; Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the wombe is his reward; How oft doth God deny this heritage of heires, where he giues the largeſt heritage of lands; and giues moſt of theſe liuing poſſeſſions, where he giues leaſt of the dead? that his bleſſings may bee acknowledged free vntounto both; entayled vponupon neither.
As the greateſt perſons cannot giuegive themſelues children, ſo the wiſeſt cannot giuegive their children wiſdome; Was it not of Rehoboam that Salomon ſaid; I hated all my labour which I had taken vnderunder the Sunne; becauſe I ſhould leaue it vntounto the man that ſhall bee after mee; and who knoweth whether he ſhall be a wiſe man, or a foole; Yet ſhall he rule ouer all my labour, wherein I hauehave laboured, and ſhewed my ſelfe wiſe vnderunder the Sunne? All Iſrael found that Salomons wit was not propagated; Many a foole hath had a wiſer ſonne, than this wiſeſt father; Amongſt many ſonnes it is no newes to finde ſome one defectiue; Salomon hath but one ſonne, and he no miracle of wiſdome; God giues purpoſely ſo eminent an inſtance, to teach men to looke vp to heauen, both for heires, and graces.
Salomon was both the King of Iſrael, and the father of Rehoboam, when hee was ſcarce out of his childhood; Rehoboam enters into the kingdome at a ripe age; yet Salomon was the man, and Rehoboam the childe; Age is no iuſt meaſure of wiſdome; There are beardleſſe ſages, and gray-headed children; Not the ancient are wiſe, but the wiſe is ancient: Iſrael wanted not many thouſands that were wiſer than Rehoboam: Yet becauſe they knew him to be the ſonne of Salomon, no man makes queſtion of his gouernment; In the caſe of ſucceſſion into Kingdomes we may not looke into the qualities of the perſon, but into the right. So ſecure is Salomon of the peoples fidelity to Dauids ſeed, that he followes not his fathers example in ſetting his ſonne by him, in his owne throne; here was no danger of a riuality to inforce it; no eminency in the ſonne to merit it; It ſufficeth him to know that no bond can bee ſurer than the naturall allegeance of ſubiects; I doe not finde that the following Kings ſtood vponupon the confirmation of their people; but as thoſe that knew the way to their throne, aſcended thoſe ſteps without aid; As yet the ſoueraignty of Dauids houſe was greene, and vnſetled; Iſrael therefore doth not now come to attend Rehoboam, but Rehoboam goes vp to meet Iſrael. They come not to his Ieruſalem, but he goes to their Shechem: To Shechem were all Iſrael come to make him King; If loyalty drew them together, why not rather to Ieruſalem? there the maieſtie of his fathers Temple, the magnificence of his palace, the verie ſtones in thoſe walles, (beſides the ſtrength of his guard) had pleaded ſtrongly for their ſubiection; Shechem had beene many waies fatall, was eueryevery way incommodious: It is an infinite helpe or diſaduantage that ariſes from circumſtances; The very place puts Iſrael in minde of a rebellion; There Abimelech had raiſed vp his treacherous vſurpation ouer, and againſt his brethren; There Goal againſt Abimelech; There was Ioſeph ſold by his brethren: As if the very ſoile had beene ſtained with perfidiouſneſſe. The time is no leſſe ill choſen; Rehoboam had ill counſell ere he bewrayed it; For had hee ſpeedily called vp Iſrael, before Ieroboam could hauehave beene ſent for out of Egypt, he had found the way cleere; A little delay may leeſe a great deale of opportunity; what ſhall we ſay of both, but that miſery is led in by infatuation.
Had not Iſrael beene ſomewhat prediſpoſed to a mutinie, they had neuer ſent into Egypt for ſuch a ſpokeſman as Ieroboam; a fugitiue, a traitor to Salomon; long had that crafty conſpirator lurked in a forraine court; The alliances of Princes are not euer neceſſary bonds of friendſhip: The brother in law of Salomon harbours this ſnake in his boſome, and giues that heat, which is repaid with a ſting to the poſterity of ſo neere an allye: And now Salomons death calls him backe to his natiue ſoile: That Iſrael would entertaine a rebell, it was an ill ſigne; worſe yet that they would countenance him; worſt of all that they would imploy him: Nothing doth more bewray euill intentions, than the choiſe of vicious Agents: Thoſe that meane well will not hazard either the ſucceſſe, or credit of their actions vponupon offenſiue inſtruments; None but the ſluttiſh will wipe their faces with foule clothes. Vpright hearts would hauehave ſaid, as Dauid did to God, ſo to his anointed; Doe not I hate them that hate thee? Yea I hate them with a perfect hatred. Ieroboams head had beene a fit preſent to hauehave tendered vntounto their new King; and now in ſtead thereof they tender themſelues to Ieroboam, as the head of their faction.
Had not Rehoboam wanted ſpirits, hee had firſt (after Salomons example) done iuſtice to his fathers traytor, and then hauehave treated of mercy towards his ſubiects; The people ſoone found the weakeneſſe of their new Soueraigne, elſe they durſt not hauehave ſpoken to him by ſo obnoxious a tongue; Thy father made our yoke grieuous, make thou it lighter and wee will ſerue thee; Doubtleſſe the crafty head of Ieroboam was in this ſuit, which his mouth vttered in the name of Iſrael; Nothing could hauehave beene more ſubtill; It ſeemed a promiſe, it was a threat; that which ſeemed a ſupplication was a complaint: humility was but a vaile for diſcontentment; One hand held a paper, the other a ſword: Had they ſaid, Free vsus from Tributes, the capitulation had beene groſſe, and ſtrongly ſauoring of ſedition; now they ſay Eaſe vsus, they profeſſe his power to impoſe, and their willingneſſe to yeeld; only crauing fauour in the weight of the impoſition; If Rehoboam yeeld, he blemiſheth his father; If he deny, hee indangers his kingdome; His wilfulneſſe ſhall ſeeme worthily to abandon his ſcepter, if he ſticke at ſo reaſonable a ſuit; Surely Iſrael came with a purpoſe to cauill; Ieroboam had ſecretly troubled theſe waters, that he might fiſh more gainefully; One male-content is enough to embroile a whole kingdome.
How harſhly muſt it needs ſound in the eares of Rehoboam, that the firſt word hee heares from his people, is a querulous challenge of his fathers gouernment; Thy father made our yoke grieuous; For ought I ſee the ſuggeſtion was not more ſpightfull than vniuſt: where was the weight of this yoke, the toyle of theſe ſeruices? Here were none of the turmoyles of warre; no traynings, marchings, encampings, entrenching, watchings, minings, ſieges, fortifications; none of that tedious world of worke that attends hoſtility; Salomon had not his name for nought; All was calme during that long reigne: And if they had paid deare for their peace, they had no cauſe to complaine of an hard match; The warlike times of Saul and Dauid had exhauſted their bloud, together with their ſubſtance; what ingratitude was this to cry out of eaſe? Yea but that peace brought forth coſtly and laborious buildings: Gods houſe, and the Kings, the walls of Ieruſalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer, the cities of ſtore, the cities of defence, could not riſe without many a ſhoulder: True, but not of any Iſraelites; The remainders of Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hiuites, and Iebuſites, were put to all the drudgery of theſe great workes; the taskes of Iſrael were eaſie, and ingenuous; free from ſeruility, free from painfulneſſe. But the charge was theirs, whoſe-ſoeuer was the labour: The diet of ſo endleſſe a retinue, the attendance of his Seraglio, the purueyance for his forty thouſand ſtables, the coſt of his ſacrifices, muſt needs weigh heauy; Certainly, if it had layne on none but his owne; But wherefore went Salomons Nauy eueryevery three yeeres to Ophir? to what vſe ſerued the ſix hundred threeſcore and ſix Talents of Gold, that came in one yeare to his Exchequer? wherefore ſerued the large tributes of forraine nations? How did hee make ſiluer to be in Ieruſalem as ſtones, if the exactions were ſo preſſiue? The multitude is euer prone to picke quarrells with their Gouernours; and whom they feared aliue, to cenſure dead; The benefits of ſo quiet and happy a reigne are paſt ouer in ſilence; the grieuances are recounted with clamour; Who can hope that merit or greatneſſe can ſhield him from obloquie, when Salomon is traduced to his owne loynes?
The propoſition of Iſrael puts Rehoboam to a deliberation; Depart yee for three daies, then come againe to me: I heare no other word of his that argued wiſdome; Not to giuegive ſudden reſolutions in caſes of importance was a point that might well beſeeme the ſonne of Salomon; I wonder that hee who had ſo much wit as to call for leiſure in his anſwer, ſhould ſhew ſo little wit in the improuing of that leiſure, in the returne of that anſwer; Who cannot but hope well to ſee the grey heads of Salomons ſecret Counſell called to Rehoboams Cabinet? As Counſellors, as ancient, as Salomons, they cannot chooſe but ſee the beſt, the ſafeſt courſe for their new Soueraigne: They had learned of their old maſter, that a ſoft anſwer appeaſeth wrath; wiſely therefore doe they aduiſe him, If thou wilt be a ſeruant to this people this day, and ſpeake good words to them, they will be thy ſeruants for euer; It was an eaſie condition; with one mouthfull of breath to purchaſe an euerlaſting homage: with one gentle motion of his tongue, to binde all his peoples hearts to his allegeance for euer. Yet (as if the motion had beene vnfit) a new Counſell Table is called: well might this people ſay; What will not Rehoboam grudge vsus, if he thinke much to giuegive good words for a Kingdome. There is not more wiſdome in taking variety of aduice, where the matter is doubtfull, than folly, when it is plaine: The young heads are conſulted; This very change argues weakenes; Some reaſon might bee pleaded for paſſing from the younger Counſell to the aged; none, for the contrary; Age brings experience; and, it is a ſhame, if with the ancient be not wiſdome; Youth is commonly raſh, heady, inſolent, vngouerned, wedded to will, led by humour, a rebell to reaſon, a ſubiect to paſſion, fitter to execute than to aduiſe: Greene wood is euer ſhrinking and warping, whereas the well-ſeaſoned holds a conſtant firmeneſſe: Many a life, many a ſoule, many a flouriſhing ſtate hath beene ruined by vndiſciplined Monitors: Such were theſe of Rehoboam; whoſe great ſtomach tells them that this conditionating of ſubiects, was no other than an affront to their new maſter, and ſuggeſts to them, how vnfit it is for Maieſty to brooke ſo ſaucie a treaty; how requiſite and Princely, to cruſh this preſumption in the egge; As ſcorning therefore to be braued by the baſe Vulgar, they put words of greatneſſe, and terror into their new Prince, My little finger ſhall be thicker than my fathers loynes; My father made your yoake heauy, I will adde to your yoake; My father hath chaſtiſed you with whips, I will chaſtiſe you with Scorpions. The very words hauehave ſtings; Now muſt Iſrael needs thinke; How cruell will this mans hands be, when he thus drawes bloud with his tongue? Men are not wont to ſpeake out their worſt; who can endure the hopes of him that promiſeth tyranny? There can bee no good vſe of an indefinite profeſſion of rigor and ſeuerity; Feare is an vnſafe guardian of any ſtate, much leſſe of an vnſetled. Which was yet worſe, not the ſinnes of Iſrael were threatned, nor their purſes, but their perſons; neither had they deſired a remiſſion of iuſtice, but of exactions; and now, they heare of nothing but burdens, and ſcourges, and Scorpions.
Here was a Prince and people well met; I doe not finde them ſenſible of ought, ſaue their owne profit; They doe not ſay; Religion was corrupted in the ſhutting vp of thy fathers daies; Idolatry found the free fauour of Prieſts, and Temples, and Sacrifices; Begin thy reigne with God; purge the Church, demoliſh thoſe piles of abomination; abandon thoſe Idol-mongers, reſtore deuotion to her purity; They are all for their peny, for their eaſe; Hee on the other ſide, is all for his will, for an imperious Soueraignty; without any regard either of their reformation or ſatisfaction; They were worthy of load that cared for nothing but their backs; and hee worthy of ſuch ſubiects, who profeſſed to affect their miſery and torment.
Who would not but hauehave looked any whither for the cauſe of this euill, rather than to heauen? yet, the holy God challenges it to himſelfe; The cauſe was from the Lord, that he might performe his ſaying by Abijah the Shilonite to Ieroboam; As ſin is a puniſhment of ſin, it is a part of Iuſtice; The holy one of Iſrael doth not abhorre to vſe euen the groſſeſt ſins to his owne iuſt purpoſes; whiles our wills are free to our owne choice, his decrees are as neceſſary, as iuſt; Iſrael had forſaken the Lord, and worſhipped Aſhtaroth, the goddeſſe of the Zidonians, and Chemoſh, and Milchom: God owes them, and Salomon a whipping; The frowardneſſe of Rehoboam ſhall pay it them; I ſee Ieroboams plot, the peoples inſolence, the young mens miſ-aduice, the Princes vnſeaſonable auſteritie, meeting together (through the wiſe prouidence of the Almighty) vnwittingly to accompliſh his moſt iuſt decree; All theſe might hauehave done otherwiſe for any force that was offered to their will; all would no more doe otherwiſe, than if there had beene no predetermination in heauen; that God may bee magnified in his wiſdome, and iuſtice, whiles man wittingly periſheth in his folly.
That three daies expectation had warmed theſe ſmoking Iſraelites, and made them ready for a combuſtion; vponupon ſo peremptory a reſolution of rigor, the flame burſts out, which all the waters of the well of Bethlehem could neuer quench; The furious multitude flies out into a deſperate reuolt; What portion hauehave we in Dauid, neither hauehave we inheritance in the ſonne of Ieſſe; To your Tents ô Iſrael; now, ſee to thine owne houſe Dauid.
How durſt theſe ſeditious mouthes mention Dauid in defiance? One would hauehave thought that very name had beene able to hauehave tempered their fury, and to hauehave contained them within the limits of obedience; It was the father of Rehoboam, and the ſonne of Dauid that had led Iſrael into Idolatry; Salomon hath drawne contempt vponupon his father, and vponupon his ſonne: If Iſrael hauehave caſt off their God, is it maruell that they ſhake off his anointed? Irreligion is the way to diſobedience; There can be no true ſubiection but out of conſcience; They cannot make conſcience of ciuill duties, who make none of diuine.
In vaine ſhall Rehoboam hope to preuaile by his Officer, when himſelfe is reiected: The perſons of Princes carry in them characters of Maieſty; when their preſence workes not, how ſhould their meſſage? If Adoram ſolicit the people too late with good words, they anſwer him with ſtones. Nothing is more vntractable and violent, than an enraged multitude; It was time for Rehoboam to betake himſelfe to his charet; he ſaw thoſe ſtones were throwne at him, in his Adoram: As the meſſenger ſuffers for his maſter; ſo the maſter ſuffers in his meſſenger; Had Rehoboam beene in Adorams clothes, this death had beene his: Only flight can deliuer him from thoſe that might hauehave beene ſubiects: Ieruſalem muſt be his refuge againſt the conſpiracy of Shechem.
Bleſſed be God for lawfull gouernment; Euen a mutinous body cannot want an head: If the rebellious Iſraelites hauehave caſt off their true Soueraigne, they muſt chooſe a falſe; Ieroboam the ſonne of Nebat muſt be the man; He had need be skilfull, and ſit ſure, that ſhall backe the horſe which hath caſt his rider; Iſrael could not hauehave any where met with more craft, and courage, than they found in this leader.
Rehoboam returnes to Ieruſalem lighter by a crowne than he went forth; Iudah and Benjamin ſtick ſtill faſt to their loyalty: the example of a generall rebellion cannot make them vnfaithfull to the houſe of Dauid; God will euer reſerue a remnant free from the common contagion; Thoſe tribes, to approue their valour, no leſſe than their fidelity, will fight againſt their brethren, for their Prince; and will hazard their liues to reduce the crowne to the ſonne of Salomon; An hundred and foureſcore thouſand of them are vp in armes, ready to force Iſrael to their denied ſubiection: No noyſe ſounded on both parts but military; no man thought of any thing but bloud; when ſuddenly God ſends his Prophet to forbid the battle; Shemaiah comes with a meſſage of ceſſation; Yee ſhall not goe vp, nor fight againſt your brethren, the children of Iſrael, returne eueryevery man to his houſe, for this thing is from mee, ſaith the Lord; The word of one ſilly Prophet diſmiſſes theſe mighty armies; He that would not lay downe the threats of his rigor, vponupon the aduice of all his ancient Counſellers, will lay downe his ſword, vponupon the word of a Seer; Shall we enuy, or ſhame to ſee how much the Prophets of the old Teſtament could doe; how little thoſe of the new? If our commiſſion be no leſſe from the ſame God, the difference of ſucceſſe cannot goe away vnreuenged.
There was yet ſome grace in Rehoboam, that hee would not ſpurne againſt that, which God challenged as his owne worke: Some godleſſe ruffian would hauehave ſaid; whoſoeuer is the Author, I will be reuenged on the inſtruments; Rehoboam hath learned this leſſon of his Grandfather; I held my peace becauſe thou Lord haſt done it; If he might ſtriue with the multitude, he knew it was no ſtriuing with his Maker; quietly therefore doth hee lay downe his armes, not daring after that prohibition to ſeeke the recouery of his kingdome by bloud.
Where Gods purpoſes are hid from vsus, wee muſt take the faireſt waies of all lawfull remedies; but where God hath reuealed his determinations, we muſt ſit downe in an humble ſubmiſſion; our ſtrugling may aggrauate, cannot redreſſe our miſeries.