History of the Old Testament Volume 7, Part 3
The Seduced Prophet.
IEroboams hand is amended, his ſoule is not; that continues ſtill drie, & inflexible; Yet whiles hee is vnthankfull to the Author of his recouery, he is thankfull to the inſtrument; he kindly inuites the Prophet, whom he had threatned, and will remunerate him whom he endeuoured to puniſh: The worſt men may be ſenſible of bodily fauours; Ciuill reſpects may well ſtand with graceleſſeneſſe: Many a one would be liberall of their purſes, if they might bee allowed to bee niggardly of their obedience.
As God, ſo his Prophet cares not for theſe waſte curteſies, where he ſees maine duties neglected; More pietie would hauehave done well, with leſſe complement; The man of God returnes a blunt and peremptory deniall to ſo bounteous an offer; If thou wilt giuegive me halfe thine houſe, I will not goe in with thee, neither will I eat bread or drinke water in this place. Kindneſſe is more ſafely done to an Idolater, than taken from him; that which is done to him obligeth him, that which is taken from him obligeth vsus; his obligation to vsus may be an occaſion of his good, our obligation to him may occaſion our hurt; the ſureſt way is to keepe aloofe from the infectiouſly wicked.
The Prophet is not vnciuil, to reiect the fauor of a Prince without ſome reaſon; He yeelds no reaſon of his refuſall but the command of his God; God hath charged him, Eat no bread, nor drinke no water, nor turne againe by the ſame way that thou cameſt; It is not for a Prophet to plead humane, or carnall grounds for the actions of his function: Hee may not moue but vponupon a diuine warrant; would this Scer hauehave look't with the eyes of fleſh and blood, he might hauehave found many arguments of his yeeldance. He is a King that inuites me; his reward, by enriching me, may benefit many; and who knowes how much my further conuerſation may preuaile to reforme him? how can he be but well prepared for good counſell by my miraculous cure? how gainfully ſhould my receit of a temporall courteſie be exchanged with a ſpirituall to him? All Iſrael will follow him either into Idolatry, or reformation; which way can be deuiſed of doing ſo great ſeruice to God and the Church, as by reclaiming him; what can yeeld ſo great likelihood of his reclamation, as the opportunitie of my further entireneſſe with him? But the Prophet dares not argue caſes, where hee had a command; what euer become of Ieroboam, and Iſrael, God muſt be obeyed; Neither profit, nor hopes may carrie vsus croſſe to the word of our Maker. How ſafe had this Seer beene, if he had kept him euer vponupon this ſure ward; which he no ſooner leaues, than he miſcarries.
So deeply doth God deteſt Idolatry, that he forbids his Prophet to eat the bread, to drinke the water of a people infected with this ſinne; yea to tread in thoſe very ſteps which their feet hauehave touched. If this inhibition were perſonall, yet the grounds of it are common. No peſtilence ſhould be more ſhunned than the conuerſation of the miſ-religious, or openly ſcandalous; It is no thank to vsus if their familiaritie doe not enfeoffe vsus of their wickedneſſe.
I know not what to thinke of an old Prophet that dwels in Bethel, within the ayre of Ieroboams Idoll, within the noyſe of his ſacrifices; that liues where the man of God dares not eat; that permitted his ſonnes to bee preſent at that Idolatrous ſeruice; If hee were a Prophet of God, what did he now in Bethel? why did hee winke at the ſinne of Ieroboam? what needed a Seer to come out of Iuda, for the reproofe of that ſinne, which was acted vnderunder his noſe? why did he lye? why did his family partake with Idolaters? If he were not a Prophet of God; how had he true viſions, how had he true meſſages from God; why did he ſecond the menacing word of that Prophet, whom he ſeduced? why did he deſire that his owne bones might be honoured with his Sepulcher? Doubtleſſe he was a Prophet of God, but corrupt, reſtie, vicious; Prophecy doth not alwaies preſuppoſe ſanctification; many a one hath had viſions from God, who ſhall neuer inioy the viſion of God. A very Balaam in his extaſies, hath ſo cleere a reuelation of the Meſſiah to come, as ſcarce euer any of the holieſt Prophets; yea, his very Aſſe hath both her mouth miraculouſly opened, and her eies; to ſee and notifie that Angel, which was hid from her Maſter; Yea, Satan himſelfe ſometimes receiues notice from God of his future actions; which elſe that euill Spirit could neither foretell, nor foreſee. Theſe kinds of graces are both rare, and common; rare, in that they are ſeldome giuen to any; common, in that they are indifferently giuen to the euill, and to the good; A little holineſſe is worth much illumination.
Whether out of enuy, to heare that ſaid by the Seer of Iuda, which he either knew not or ſmothered; to heare that done by another, which he could not hauehave effected, and could not chooſe but admire; or whether out of deſire to make triall of the fidelitie of ſo powerfull a Meſſenger, the old Prophet haſtens to ouertake, to recall that man of God. who had ſo defied his Bethel; vvhom he findes ſitting faint and weary vnderunder an Oake, in the way; taking the benefit of that ſhade which he hated to receiue from thoſe contagious groues that hee had left behind him; His habit eaſily bewrayed him, to a man of his owne trade: neither doth his tongue ſpare to profeſſe himſelfe. The old Prophet of Bethel inuites him to a returne, to a repaſt: and is anſwered with the ſame words, wherewith Ieroboams offer was repelled; The man of God varies not a ſyllable from his meſſage: It concernes vsus to take good heed of our charge, when we goe on Gods errand. A deniall doth but inuite the importunate; what hee cannot doe by intreatie, the old man tries to doe by perſwaſion; I am a Prophet alſo as thou art, and an Angell ſpake to me, by the word of the Lord, ſaying; Bring him backe with thee into thine houſe, that he may eat bread, and drinke water; There is no Tentation ſo dangerous, as that which comes ſhrouded vnderunder a vaile of holineſſe, and pretends authoritie from God himſelfe; Ieroboam threatens, the Prophet ſtands vndaunted; Ieroboam fawnes, and promiſes; the Prophet holds conſtant; now comes a gray-headed Seer, and pleads a counter-meſſage from God, the Prophet yeelds, and tranſgreſſes. Satan may affright vsus as a fiend, but he ſeduces vsus as an Angell of light.
Who would hauehave look't for a Lier vnderunder hoarie haires, and an holy mantle? who would not hauehave truſted that grauity, when there was no colour of any gaine in the vntruth? Nothing is ſo apt to deceiue as the faireſt ſemblances, as the ſweeteſt words. We cannot erre if wee beleeue not the ſpeech for the perſon, but the perſon for the ſpeech; Well might this man of God thinke, An aged man, a Prophet, an old Prophet, will not (ſure) bely God vntounto a Prophet; No man will forge a lie, but for an aduantage; What can this man gaine by this match, but the entertainement of an vnprofitable gueſt; Perhaps though God would not allow me to feaſt with Ieroboam, yet, pitying my faintneſſe, he may allow me to eat with a Prophet; Perhaps now that I hauehave approued my fidelity in refuſing the bread of Bethel, God thinkes good to ſend mee a gratious releaſe of that ſtrict charge; Why ſhould I thinke that Gods reuelations are not as free to others, as to me? and if this Prophet hauehave receiued a countermand from an Angell of God, how ſhall I not diſobey God, if I doe not follow him?
VponUpon this ground hee returnes with his deceitfull hoſt, and when the meat was now in his mouth, receiues the true meſſage of death, from the ſame lips that brought him the falſe meſſage of his inuitation; Thus ſaith the Lord, for as much as thou haſt diſobeyed the mouth of the Lord, and haſt not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God, but cameſt backe and haſt eaten bread, and drunke water in the place forbidden thee, thy carkaſſe ſhall not come to the Sepulcher of thy fathers. Oh wofull Prophet, when hee lookes on his hoſt he ſees his executioner, whiles he is feeding of his body, hee heares of his carkaſſe; at the table, he heares of his denied Sepulcher; and all this, for eating and drinking where he was forbidden by God, though bidden as from God; The violation of the leaſt charge of a God is mortall; No pretences can warrant the tranſgreſſion of a diuine command: A word from God is pleaded on both ſides; The one was receiued immediatly from God, the other related mediatly by man; One the Prophet was ſure of, the other was queſtionable; A ſure word of God may not be left for an vncertaine; An expreſſe charge of the Almighty admitteth not of any checke: His will is but one, as himſelfe is; and therefore is out of the danger of contradiction.
Me thinks I ſee the man of God change countenance at this ſharp ſauce of his pleaſing morſels; his face before hand is died with the paleneſſe of death; me thinkes I heare him vrging many vnkinde expoſtulations with his iniurious hoſt; who yet diſmiſſes him better prouided for the eaſe of his iourney, than he found him. Perhaps, this officiouſneſſe was out of deſire to make ſome amends for his late ſeducement. It is a poore recompence when he hath betrayed the life, and wronged the ſoule, to caſt ſome curteſies vponupon the body.
This old Bethelite that had taken paines to come and fetch the man of God into ſinne, will not now goe backe with him to accompany his departure; Doubtleſſe hee was afraid to bee inwrapped in the iudgement, which hee ſaw hanged ouer that obnoxious head; Thus the miſchieuous guides of wickednes leaue a man, when they hauehave led him to his bane; as familiar Deuils forſake their witches, when they hauehave brought them once into fetters.
The man of God returnes alone, carefull (no doubt) and penſiue for his offence, when a lion out of the wood meets him, aſſaults him, kills him; Oh the iuſt and ſeuere iudgements of the Almighty, who hath brought this fierce beaſt out of his wild ranges, into the high way, to bee the executioner of his offending ſeruant: Doubtleſſe this Prophet was a man of great holineſſe, of ſingular fidelity, elſe he durſt not hauehave beene Gods Herald to carry a meſſage of defiance to Ieroboam, King of Iſrael, in the midſt of all his royall magnificence; yet now, for varying from but a circumſtance of Gods command (though vponupon the ſuggeſtion of a diuine warrant) he is giuen for a prey to the Lion: Our intereſt in God is ſo far from excuſing our ſin, that it aggrauates it; Of all others the ſin of a Prophet ſhall not paſſe vnreuenged.
The very wild beaſts are led by a prouidence; Their wiſe and powerfull Creator knows how to ſerue himſelfe of them: The Lions guard one Prophet, kill another, according to the commiſſion receiued from their Maker; What ſinner can hope to eſcape vnpuniſhed, when eueryevery creature of God is ready to be an auenger of euill? The beaſts of the field were made to ſerue vsus, we to ſerue our Creator; When wee forſake our homage to him that made vsus, it is no maruell if the beaſts forget their duty to vsus, and deale with vsus not as Maſters, but as rebels; When an holy man buyes ſo dearely ſuch a ſleight frailty, of a credulous miſtaking, what ſhall become of our hainous and preſumptuous ſinnes?
I cannot thinke but this Prophet died in the fauour of God, tho by the teeth of the Lion; His life was forfeited for example, his ſoule was ſafe; Yea his very carkaſſe was left though torne, yet faire after thoſe deadly graſpes; as if God had ſaid; I will onelyonly take thy breath from thee, as the penalty of thy diſobedience, a Lion ſhall doe that which an apoplexie, or feuer might doe; I owe thee no further reuenge than may be ſatisfied with thy bloud.
Violent euents doe not alwaies argue the anger of God; Euen death it ſelfe is, to his ſeruants, a fatherly caſtigation.
But oh the vnſearchable waies of the Almighty! The man of God ſinnes, and dies ſpeedily; the lying Prophet that ſeduced him ſuruiues; Yea wicked Ieroboam enioyes his Idolatry, and treads vponupon the graue of his reprouer: There is neither fauour in the delay of ſtripes, nor diſpleaſure in the haſte; Rather whom God loues, he chaſtiſes, as ſharply, ſo ſpeedily; whiles the reſt proſper to condemnation: Euen the rod of a louing father may draw bloud; How much happier is it for vsus that we die now to liue for euer; than that we liue a while, to die euer?
Had this Lion ſet vponupon the Prophet for hunger, why did he not deuoure as well as kill him? Why did hee not rather kill the beaſt than the man? ſince we know the nature of the Lion ſuch, that he is not wont to aſſaile man, ſaue in the extreme want of other prey. Certainely the ſame power that imployed thoſe fangs, reſtrained them; that the world might ſee, it was not appetite that prouoked the beaſt to this violence, but the ouer-ruling command of God; Euen ſo, ô Lord, thy powerful hand is ouer that roaring Lion, that goes about continually, ſeeking whom he may deuoure: thine hand with-holds him, that though he may ſhed the blood of thine elect, yet hee cannot hurt their ſoules; and whiles he doth thoſe things which thou permitteſt, and ordereſt to thy iuſt ends, yet he cannot doe leſſer things, which he deſireth, and thou permitteſt not.
The fierce beaſt ſtands by the carkaſſe, as, to auow his owne act, and to tell who ſent him; ſo to preſerue that body, which he hath ſlaine; Oh wonderfull work of God, the Executioner is turn'd Guardian; and (as the Officer of the higheſt) commands all other creatures to ſtand aloofe from his charge: and commands the fearefull Aſſe, that brought this burthen thither, not to ſtirre thence, but ſtand ready preſt, to recarrie it to the Sepulcher: And now, when he hath ſufficiently witneſſed to all paſſengers, that this act was not done vponupon his owne hunger, but vponupon the quarrell of his Maker, he deliuers vp his charge to that old Prophet; who was no leſſe guiltie of this blood than himſelfe.
This old Seducer hath ſo much Truth, as both to giuegive a right Commentarie vponupon Gods intention, in this act, for the terrour of the diſobedient, and to giuegive his voyce to the certaintie of that future iudgement, which his late gueſt had threatned to Iſrael: (ſometimes it pleaſed the wiſedome of God to expreſſe and iuſtifie himſelfe euen by the tongues of faultie Inſtruments.) Withall, he hath ſo much faith and courage, as to fetch that carkaſſe from the Lyon; ſo much pietie and compaſſion, as to weepe for the man of God, to interre him in his owne Sepulcher; ſo much louelove, as to wiſh himſelfe ioyned in death, to that bodie, which he had haſtened vntounto death; It is hard to finde a man abſolutely wicked; Some grace will bewray it ſelfe in the moſt forſaken breaſts.
It is a cruell courteſie to kill a man, and then to help him to his graue; to betray a man with our breath, and then to bedew him with our teares; The Prophet had needed no ſuch friend, if hee had not met with ſuch an enemy; The mercies of the wicked are cruell.