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CONVERTED 


K  REESE  LIBRARY  | 

OF  THK  T 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

\ 

Received  ,  iqo     . 

Accession  No.  -„  H  iiiw  •  ;->     .   qiJSS  ]\i0m 


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■  i 


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THE  WORKS 


OF  THE 


RIGHT  REVEREND  JOSEPH  HALL,  D.  D. 


IN  TEN  VOLUMBS. 


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THE   WORKS 


OF  THE 


RIGHT  EEVEEEND  JOSEPH  £ALL,  D.  D. 

BISHOP  OF  EXETER  AND  AFTERWARDS  OF  NORWICH. 


A   NEW  EDITION, 

REVISED    AND   CORRECTED,   WITH    SOME    ADDITIONS, 


BY 

PHILIP   WYNTER,  D.D. 

PRESIDENT  OF    ST.   JOHN'S    COLLEGE,    OXFORD. 


VOL.  I. 


^        OF  TWK   I) 

UNIVERSTTY 

OXFORD: 

AT   THE   UNIVERSITY   PRESS. 
MDCCC.LXIII. 


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VrV 


\  _(•«/■.,; 


PREFACE. 


The  preparation  of  a  new  edition  of  Bishop  Hall's 
Works,  undertaken  some  time  since  for  the  Delegates 
of  the  University  Press,  has  been  delayed  from  various 
causes,  with  which  it  is  unnecessary  to  trouble  the 
public. 

A  very  few  prefatory  remarks  will  be  sufficient  to 
state  what  the  present  Editor  has  done. 

Before  the  commencement  of  this  century  no  com- 
plete collection  of  the  Bishop's  voluminous  writings 
had  been  made.  In  the  year  1808  this  want  was  in  a 
great  measure  supplied.  The  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt  pub- 
lished in  ten  volumes  almost  everything  of  importance 
which  had  fallen  from  the  Bishop's  pen.  Mr.  Pratt 
bestowed  great  pains  upon  the  work :  he  arranged 
the  several  pieces  in  a  methodical  form,  distributing 
them  under  separate  heads ;  and  added  a  Glossary, 
with  a  view  evidently  of  placing  it  before  the  world 
in  a  popular  shape.  A  large  measure  of  gratitude 
is  due  to  him  for  what  he  accomplished.  Other 
portions  of  the  pious  Author's  works  were  from  time 
to  time  published  by  different  individuals ;  but  these 
for  the  most  part  were  such  only  as  were  well  known 
and  eagerly  read  on  account  of  their  devotional  cha- 
racter. 

In  the  year  1839  a  new  collective  edition  was  put 
forth   in   Oxford,   superintended,   and,   as   he   himself 


,852/5 


VI  PREFACE. 

states,  enlarged,  by  the  Rev.  Peter  Hall,  M.  A.  of 
Brasenose  College,  a  descendant  of  the  Bishop.  His 
diligence  seems  to  have  been  stimulated  by  the 
relationship  which  he  was  proud  to  claim  to  that 
great  and  good  man  ;  and  he  added  to  the  work  some 
few  pieces  which  had  never  before  appeared  in  print, 
or  if  printed  had  escaped  general  notice.  In  the  main 
however  he  closely  followed  the  edition  of  Mr.  Pratt ; 
and  the  two,  save  only  with  respect  to  the  additions, 
would  seem  to  be  nearly  identical 

In  preparing  the  present  publication  it  has  been  the 
Editor's  object  to  present  the  Author  to  the  world 
unencumbered,  except  only  for  occasional  elucidation, 
with  extraneous  notes  and  remarks ;  to  give  an  ac- 
curate and  faithful  text ;  and  to  verify  quotations 
either  in  that  or  the  Authors  own  notes,  by  referring  to 
the  sources  from  which  they  were  derived  For  the  first 
of  these  purposes  the  earlier  editions  of  the  Works  have 
been  collated,  and  such  readings  adopted  as  appeared 
to  have  the  greatest  amount  of  authority  in  their 
favour.  It  is  true  indeed  that  the  number  of  passages 
.  open  to  question  is  very  limited,  as  several  editions, 
almost  all  indeed,  except  those  of  the  present  century, 
had  been  published  in  the  Author's  lifetime,  and  the 
errors,  whatever  they  may  have  been,  at  once  probably 
discovered  and  corrected.  This  therefore  has  been  a 
task  of  no  great  difficulty.  But  the  verification  of 
passages  cited,  as  well  in  the  text  as  in  the  notes,  has 
involved  a  considerable  amount  of  labour — labour  of 
which  frequently  all  evidence  is  wanting  from  the  un- 
successful nature  of  the  search.  The  Bishop's  reading 
was  so  extensive,  that  he  is  often  led  to  introduce  into 
the  text  not  so  much  the  actual  words  as  the  general 
meaning  and  purport  of  the  passage  which  he  has  in 
his  mind.  Then  again  in  the  notes  placed  in  the  margin 
the  writers  name  is  often  given  without  the  title  of  the 


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PREFACE.  VII 

work,  or  the  latter  without  any  reference  to  the  chapter 
or  page.  Notwithstanding  these  difficulties,  which  must 
more  or  less  stand  in  the  way  of  almost  all  editors  of  such 
works,  few  authors  named  have,  it  is  hoped,  altogether 
escaped  investigation,  and  fewer  still  referred  to  with- 
out the  passage  being  examined,  and  its  place  ascer- 
tained. 

The  references  thus  verified  by  the  present  Editor, 
as  well  as  the  notes  which  he  has  supplied,  are  in- 
dicated by  angular  brackets  ;  whilst  those  correctly 
quoted  by  the  Author  remain  without  any  distinctive 
mark,  and  those  which  have  been  examined  by  Mr.  Pratt 
or  Mr.  Peter  Hall  are  marked  by  their  respective  names 
or  initials ;  and  the  same  rule  has  been  observed  with 
regard  to  any  notes  added  by  editors  of  other  portions 
of  the  works. 

The  arrangement  of  the  several  works  made  by 
Mr.  Ptatt  has  been  generally  followed,  though  in  some 
few  instances  for  convenience  sake  departed  from. 
With  this  view  all  the  Latin  works  have  been  placed 
together  in  the  last  volume — those  which  had  been 
translated  by  the  Bishop  or  his  son  Robert  being  ac- 
companied by  the  English  version  ;  but  the  modern 
translations  have  been  omitted. 

The  Hebrew  citations  have  been  carefully  pointed 
The  quotations  from  the  Greek  Fathers  were  generally 
selected  by  the  Author  from  Latin  translations  :  in 
those  cases  where  it  seemed  desirable  the  words  of  the 
original  writer  are  supplied. 

The  spelling  throughout  has  been  modernized,  except 
only  occasionally  in  the  poetical  passages,  in  which,  for 
obvious  reasons,  it  has  been  left  undisturbed. 

The  last  volume  will  be  found  to  contain  a  few 
Letters  of  the  Bishop,  which  have  been  obtained  from 
Tanners  Collection  of  MSS.  in  the  Bodleian,  or  from 


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VU1  PREFACE. 

the  Office  of  Public  Records,  in  addition  to  an  inter- 
esting Latin  Letter  from  the  Author  to  Hammond, 
from  Fulman's  Collection  of  MSS.  in  the  Library  of 
Corpus  Christi  College,  for  which  he  is  indebted  to  the 
kindness  of  the  President  of  that  Society.  It  is  be- 
lieved that  the  greater  portion  of  these  Letters  have  not 
before  appeared  in  print ;  and  if  it  be  thought  that 
their  contents  are  in  themselves  of  little  value,  the 
Editor  will  hardly  incur  censure  for  bringing  together 
under  the  eye  of  the  public  everything  that  could  be 
satisfactorily  proved  to  have  been  written  by  the 
Bishop,  as  tending  to  illustrate  his  character. 

It  may  perhaps  be  doubted  whether  the  six  letters 
which  close  the  volume  ought  to  be  reprinted.  They 
are  to  be  found  in  Prynne's  account  of  the  trial  of 
Archbishop  Laud,  appended  to  the  "  Breviate"  of  his 
Life  ;  and  as  we  know  that  that  bigoted  partisan  did 
not  scruple  to  garble  the  Archbishop's  diary,  it  may 
be  that  these  letters  also  have  suffered  from  passing 
through  his  hands.  They  are  nevertheless  added,  in 
order  that  all  that  Bishop  Hall  is  known  to  have 
written  should  be  brought  together  in  one  Collection. 

It  may  be  proper  to  remark,  that  in  Mr.  P.  Halls 
edition  was  included  a  "  Form  of  Penance  and  Re- 
conciliation "  &c.  agreed  upon,  as  it  is  stated,  between 
Archbishop  Laud  and  our  Author,  then  Bishop  of 
Exeter.  Some  little  doubt  is  expressed  as  to  the 
share  which  the  latter  may  have  had  in  it ;  and  as 
no  authority  is  given  for  assigning  the  whole  work 
or  any  particular  portion  of  it  to  him,  it  has  been 
thought  right  to  omit  it  altogether  from  the  present 
edition. 

Two  other  omissions  from  the  last  two  editions  ought 
to  be  noticed ;  the  one,  of  what  is  termed  a  Glossarial, 
the  other,  a  Scriptural  Index.     The  latter  appears  to 


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PREFACE.  IX 

be  an  unnecessary  addition  to  the  bulk  of  the  work, 
the  scriptural  references  being  nowhere,  except  in  the 
paraphrase  upon  hard  texts,  of  an  exegetical  character. 

The  Glossarial  Index  has  given  occasion  for  some 
little  doubt  and  deliberation.  That  which  was  drawn 
up  by  Mr.  Pratt  is  so  overloaded  with  words  of  which 
at  the  present  day  there  could  be  no  difficulty  of 
interpretation,  that  it  was  thought  necessary  to  ex- 
punge the  greater  part  of  it.  This  done,  so  little  of 
it  remained  that  it  seemed  scarcely  worth  while  to 
print  it ;  and  the  more  so  because  many  obsolete  or 
unusual  words  are  incidentally  explained  in  the  notes 
throughout  the  work. 

It  remains  fdr  the  Editor  to  offer  his  thanks  to 
those  who  have  been  good  enough  to  render  him 
assistance  in  the  progress  of  the  work.  He  would 
especially  name  Magdalen,  All  Souls',  Wadham,  and 
Corpus  Christi  Colleges,  as  having  accommodated  him 
with  the  loan  of  one  or  more  of  the  Bishop's  works. 
A  similar  kindness  he  has  to  acknowledge  from  the 
Rev.  T.  P.  Pantin,  M.  A.  Rector  of  Westcote,  Glou- 
cestershire. But  to  the  Rev.  W.  D.  Macray,  of  the  Bod- 
leian, he  is  more  particularly  indebted,  for  the  essential 
aid  he  has  rendered  in  the  verification  of  references ; 
and  particularly  in  collating  a  MS.  of  Bishop  Overall's 
in  the  Library  of  Corpus  Christi  College,  frequently 
quoted  by  Bishop  Hall  in  his  "Via  Media,"  which  it 
is  thought  has  never  appeared  in  print. 

In  taking  leave  of  the  work  which  has  occupied  him 
so  long,  the  Editor  contents  himself  with  expressing 
a  wish  that  the  task  had  fallen  into  abler  hands,  and 
a  prayer  that  what  has  been  done  may  have  been  done 
to  the  glory  of  God. 

March  10,  1863.  P.  W. 


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GENEEAL  CONTENTS. 


VOLUME  I. 


Contemplations  upon  the  Principal  Passages  in  the  Holy  Story. 

BookLtoXVII i— 543 


VOLUME  II. 

Contemplations  upon  the  Principal  Passages  in  the  Holy  Story. 

Book  XVIII— XXI i— 390 

Contemplations  upon  the  History  of  the  New  Testament.    Book 

I— IV 291—698 


VOLUME  III. 

A  Paraphrase  upon  the  Hard  Texts  of  the  whole  Divine  Scrip- 
ture            1— 613 


VOLUME  IV. 

A  Paraphrase  upon  the  Hard  Texts  of  the  whole  Divine  Scrip- 
ture, (continued) 1—633 


VOLUME  V. 

SERMON  I. 
Pharisaism  and  Christianity 1 —  33 


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Xll  GENERAL   CONTENTS. 

SERMON  II.  p.* 

The  Passion  Sermon  24 — 54 

SERMON  III,  IV. 

The  Impress  of  God.    Part  1 54 — 65 

Part  II 65—77 

SERMON  V. 
A  Farewell  Sermon     77 — 91 

SERMON  VI. 
An  Holy  Panegyric  91 — 117 

SERMON  VII. 
The  Righteous  Mammon    117 — 147 

SERMON  VIII. 
The  Deceit  of  Appearance 147 — 157 

SERMON  IX. 
The  Great  Impostor    158—173 

SERMON  X. 
The  Best  Bargain    174—185 

SERMON  XI. 
The  Glory  of  the  Latter  House 186—199 

SERMON  XII. 
The  Enemies  of  the  Cross  of  Christ      200—317 

SERMON  XIII. 
The  True  Peacemaker     218—231 

SERMON  XIV. 
Wickedness  making  a  fruitful  Land  barren     231 — 246 

SERMON  XV. 

Public  Thanksgiving  246 — 261 

SERMON  XVI. 
The  Defeat  of  Cruelty     261—273 

SERMON  XVII. 
The  Beauty  and  Unity  of  the  Church   274 — 285 


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GBNXEA.L  CONTENTS.  XU1 

SERMON  XVIII.  ph. 

The  Fashions  of  the  World    286—299 

SERMON  XIX. 

The  Estate  of  a  Christian    3°°— 3*3 

SERMON  XX. 

The  Fall  of  Pride     3J3— 3*5 

SERMON  XXI. 

Christ  and  Caesar    326— 336 

SERMONS  XXII,  XXIII. 

St.  Paul's  Combat,  (m  two  Sermons)     337—3^3 

SERMON  XXIV. 

The  Blessings,  Sins,  and  Judgments  of  God's  Vineyard    3<>4— 379 

SERMON  XXV. 

The  Christian's  Crucifixion  with  Christ    380—393 

SERMON  XXVI. 

Christian  Liberty  laid  forth    393—406 

SERMON  XXVII. 

Salvation  from  an  untoward  Generation    406—424 

SERMON  XXVIII. 

The  Hypocrite 425—445 

SERMON  XXIX. 

The  Character  of  Man    446—465 

SERMON  XXX. 

Abraham's  Purchase  and  Employment  of  a  Burying-place     ....  465—486 

SERMON  XXXI. 

Divine  Light  and  Reflections     486—499 

SERMON  XXXII. 

The  Mischief  of  Faction,  and  the  Remedy  of  it    500—518 

SERMON  XXXIII. 

The  Works  of  the  Lord  in  Judgment  and  Mercy 518 — 534 


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XIV  GENERAL  CONTENTS, 

SERMON  XXXIV.  ^ 

The  Women's  Veil 535 — 550 

SERMON  XXXV. 

The  Duty  and  Encouragement  of  drawing  nigh  to  God 551 — 566 

SERMON  XXXVI. 

The  Sin  and  Punishment  of  Grieving  the  Holy  Spirit 567 — 584 

SERMON  XXXVII. 

The  Sealing  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  Day  of  Redemption 584—597 

SERMON  XXXVIII. 

Christ  our  Passover 597—610 

SERMON  XXXIX. 

The  Sons  of  God  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God    611—625 

SERMON  XL. 

The  Mourner  in  Sion 626 — 646 

SERMON  XLI. 

Life  a  Sojourning 646—661 

SERMON  XLII. 

Good  Security 661 — 682 

VOLUME  VI. 

Heaven  upon  Earth ;  or,  of  True  Peace  and  Tranquillity  of  Mind  1 —  45 

The  Art  of  Divine  Meditation 46 —  79 

A  Meditation  of  Death,  according  to  the  former  Rules   80 —  88 

Characters  of  Virtues  and  Vices 89 — 125 

Epistles,  in  Six  Decades 126 — 313 

A  Consolatory  Letter  to  one  under  Censure 313 — 315 

A  Letter  of  Answer  to  an  unknown  Complainant,  concerning  the 

Frequent  Injecting  of  Temptations 316,  317 

Resolutions  for  Religion 318 — 323 

The  Remedy  of  Profaneness,  or  the  True  Sight  and  Fear  of  the 

Almighty 3a4— 384 

Christian  Moderation. — 

Book  I.  Of  Moderation  in  Matter  of  Practice 385 — 442 

Book  II.  Of  Moderation  in  Matter  of  Judgment 443 — 490 


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GENERAL  CONTENTS.  XV 

Holy  Decency  in  the  Worship  of  God  x 491 — 502 

The  Devout  Soul,  or  Rules  of  Heavenly  Devotion 503 — 538 

The  Free  Prisoner,  or  the  Comfort  of  Restraint   539; — 550 

The  Remedy  of  Discontentment 551 — 594 

The  Peacemaker,  laying  forth  the  Right  Way  of  Peace  in  Matters 

of  Religion    595 — 664 


VOLUME  VII. 

The  Balm  of  Gilead,  or  Comforts  for  the  Distressed,  both  Moral 

and  Divine    1 — 1 18 

Holy  Raptures,  or  Pathetical  Meditations  of  the  Love  of  Christ. .  1 19 — 161 

The  Christian   162 — 177 

Satan's  Fiery  Darts  quenched,  or  Temptations  repelled 178 — 267 

Resolutions  and  Decisions  of  Divers  Practical  Cases  of  Conscience, 

in  continual  use  amongst  Men ;  in  Four  Decades    268 — 414 

The  Holy  Order,  or  Fraternity  of  the  Mourners  in  Sion;  with 

Songs  in  the  Night,  or  Cheerfulness  under  Affliction  ....  415 — 438 

The  First  Century  of  Meditations  and  Vows,  Divine  and  Moral. .  439 — 521 

Holy  Observations  522 — 543 

An  Holy  Rapture,  or  a  Pathetical  Meditation  of  the  Love  of 

Can**    544—559 

Select  Thoughts,  or  Choice  Helps  for  a  Pious  Spirit 560—631 

Supernumeraries 632—638 


VOLUME  VIII. 

The  Breathings  of  the  Devout  Soul 1 — 21 

Soliloquies :  or  Holy  Self-Conferences  of  the  Devout  Soul    22 — 93 

The  Soul's  Farewell  to  Earth,  and  Approaches  to  Heaven     ....  94 — 114 

The  Great  Mystery  of  Godliness    115 — 137 

The  Invisible  World  discovered  to  Spiritual  Eyes   138 — 218 

A  Brief  Sum  of  the  Principles  of  Religion    219 — 221 

Solomon's  Divine  Arts  of,  1.  Ethics,  2.  Politics,  3.  Economics. .  222 

Solomon's  Ethics  or  Morals 223 — 271 

Episcopal  Admonition     272 

A  Short  Answer  to  those  Nine  Arguments  which  are  brought 

against  the  Bishops  sitting  in  Parliament   273 — 276 

A  Speech  in  Parliament 276 — 278 

A  Speech  in  Parliament  in  Defence  of  the  Canons  made  in 

Convocation    278—281 


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XVI  GENERAL   CONTENTS. 

A  Speech  in  Parliament  concerning  the  Power  of  Bishops  in         Page 

Secular  Things    281 — 284 

A  Letter  sent  to  a  Gentleman  concerning  Slanderous  Reports  . .  285 — 287 

An  Apologetical  Letter  to  a  Person  of  Quality     288 — 292 

The  Revelation  Unrevealed :  concerning  the  Thousand  Years* 

Reign  of  the  Saints  with  Christ  upon  Earth 293 — 350 

The  Peace  of  Rome,  whereto  is  prefixed  a  Serious  Dissuasive 

from  Popery   351 — 479 

The  Honour  of  the  Married  Clergy  maintained   480 — 630 

The  Old  Religion     631—718 

The  Reconciler,  with    an   Apologetical  Advertisement   to  the 

Reader     719 — 757 

Certain  Catholic  Propositions    758 — 762 

A  Letter  Paraenetical  to  a  worthy  Knight  ready  to  revolt  from 

the  Religion  established    763 — 767 

A  Plain  and  Familiar  Explication  of  Christ's  Presence  in  the 

Sacrament  of  His  Body  and  Blood,  out  of  the  Doctrine  of  the 

Church  of  England  768—776 

VOLUME  IX. 

A  Common  Apology  against  the  Brownists 1 — 1 16 

Letter  to  Mr.  W.  Struthers    117— 127 

Letter  for  the  Observation  of  Christ's  Nativity    128—137 

Certain  Irrefragable  Propositions  138 — 141 

Episcopacy  by  Divine  Right 142 — 281 

An  Humble  Remonstrance  for  Liturgy  and  Episcopacy 282 — 296 

Defence  of  the  Humble  Remonstrance 297 — 371 

Scultetus  on  Episcopacy 372 — 379 

Scultetus  on  Lay  Elders 380—384 

Answer  to  Smectymnuus's  Vindication     385 — 443 

A  Modest  Offer    444—455 

Imposition  of  Hands   45*> — 4&4 

For  Episcopacy  and  Liturgy  485 — 487 

Via  Media     488—519 

Letter  concerning  Falling  away  from  Grace 520 — 524 

Quo  Vadis?     A  just  Censure  of  Travel    535— 56a 

Virgidemiarum    563 — 680 

Some  Few  of  David's  Psalms  Metaphrased 681 — 697 

Anthems   698—700 

Miscellaneous  Poems 701 — 710 

Epitaph  on  Mr.  H.  Bright     711 


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GENBBAL  CONTENTS.  XVU 


VOLUME  X. 

Colnmba  Nose,  with  a  Translation    1—44 

Meditatiunculae  Subitanea?  eque  re  oata  suborta?,  with  a  Trans- 
lation   45 — 187 

Josephi  Exoniensis  Henochismns :  Tractatos  de  modo  ambu- 

landi  com  Deo 188—207 

Archiepiscopo  Spalatensi  Epistola     208 — 214 

Inurbanitati  Pontificiae  Responsio  Josephi  Exoniensis,  with  a 

Translation 215—234 

Epistola  Tres :  Haec,  ad  D.  Baltasarem  Willium ; ^ 

Altera,  ad  D.  Ludovicum  Crocium ; I  235 — 252 

Tertia,  ad  D.  Hermannum  Hildebrandum. . . .  J 

Concio  coram  Synodo  Dordrechtana,  A.  D.  16 18    253 — 261 

De  Pace  inter  Evangelicos  procuranda     262 — 270 

Pax  Tenia    271 — 291 

Roma  Irreconciliabilis,  with  a  Translation     292 — 397 

Mundus  Alter  et  Idem 399 — 498 

Miscellaneous  Papers  and  Letters 499 — 544 


General  Index » 545—591 


Memorandum. 

The  notes  to  "  The  Peace  of  Rome/'  in  Vol.  viil  marked  A,  were  furnished  to 
the  lata  Editor,  Mr.  Peter  Hall,  by  the  Rev.  Josiah  Allport,  translator  of  Bishop 
Darenant's  treatise  on  Justification. 


VOL.  1. 


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( 


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ot  -*  «<' 

T  i 

1 

TN 

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'  ^ 

OBSERVATIONS 

OF  BOMI  SPECIALITIES  OP 

DIVINE    PROVIDENCE 

IN  THE 

LIFE    OP    JOSEPH    HALL, 

BISHOP  OP  NOEWICH. 


WRITTEN  WITH  HIS  OWN  HAND* 


Not  out  of  a  vain  affectation  of  my  own  glory,  which  I 
know  how  little  it  can  avail  me  when  I  am  gone  hence,  but 
out  of  a  sincere  desire  to  give  glory  to  my  God,  whose  won- 
derful providence  I  have  noted  in  all  my  ways,  have  I  recorded 
some  remarkable  passages  of  my  fore-past  life.  What  I  have 
done  is  worthy  of  nothing  but  silence  and  forgetfulness ;  but 
what  God  hath  done  for  me  is  worthy  of  everlasting  and 
thankful  memory. 

I  was  born  Julii  1,  1574,  at  five  of  the  clook  in  the  morning,  in 
Bristow  Park,  within  the  parish  of  Ashby-de-la-Zouch,  a  town  in 
Leicestershire,  of  honest  and  well-allowed  parentage. 

My  father  was  an  officer  under  that  truly  honourable  and  reli- 
gious Henry  Earl  of  Huntingdon8,  President  of  the  north ;  and 

»  [Henry,  third  Earl  of  Huntingdon,  by  Lodge.  The  following  account  of 
appointed  President  of  the  North  1572 ;  the  origin  of  the  office  is  given  in  Ba- 
ched 14  Dec.  1595.      See  Talbot  Papers      ker's  Chronicle,  Lond.  1684.  p.  35  a  ;— 

b3 


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XX  SOME   SPECIALITIES  OP  THE   LIFE  OF 

under  him  had  the  government  of  that  market-town  wherein  the 
chief  seat  of  that  earldom  is  placed. 

My  mother  Winifride,  of  the  house  of  the  Bambridges,  was  * 
woman  of  that  rare  sanctity,  that,  were  it  not  for  my  interest  in 
nature,  I  durst  say  that  neither  Alethb,  the  mother  of  that  just 
honour  of  Clareval,  nor  Monica,  nor  any  other  of  those  pious 
matrons  anciently  famous  for  devotion,  need  to  disdain  her  ad- 
mittance to  comparison.  She  was  continually  exercised  with  the 
affliction  of  a  weak  body,  and  oft  of  a  wounded  spirit,  the  agonies 
whereof,  as  she  would  oft  recount  with  much  passion,  professing 
that  the  greatest  bodily  sicknesses  were  but  fle*-bites  to  those 
scorpions ;  so  from  them  all  at  last  she  found  an  happy  and  com- 
fortable deliverance.  And  that  not  without  a  more  than  ordinary 
band  of  God :  for  on  a  time,  being  in  great  distress  of  conscience, 
she  thought  in  her  dream  there  stood  by  her  a  grave  personage 
in  the  gown  and  other  habits  of  a  physician;  who,  inquiring  of 
her  estate,  and  receiving  a  sad  and  querulous  answer  from  her, 
took  her  by  the  hand  and  bade  her  be  of  good  comfort,  for  this 
should  be  the  last  fit  that  ever  she  should  feel  of  this  kind: 
whereto  she  seemed  to  answer,  that  upon  that  condition  she 
could  well  be  content  for  the  time  with  that  or  any  other  torment: 
reply  was  made  to  her,  as  she  thought,  with  a  redoubled  assurance 
of  that  happy  issue  of  this  her  last  trial ;  whereat  she  began  to 
conceive  an  unspeakable  joy;  which  yet  upon  her  awaking  left 
her  more  disconsolate,  as  then  conceiting  her  happiness  imaginary, 

"  It  will  be  fit  here  to  say  something  he  sent  down  a  peculiar  seal  to  be  used 
of  this  place  of  government  in  the  in  these  cases ;  and  calling  home  the 
north ;  which  from  small  beginnings  is  Duke,  committed  the  same  to  Tunstall 
now  become  so  eminent  as  it  is  at  this  Bishop  of  Durham,  and  constituted  as- 
day  ;  whereof  this  was  the  original  :  sistants,  with  authority  to  hear  and  de- 
Whenas  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  termine  the  complaints  of  the  poor ; 
after  that  the  rebellion  in  the  northern  and  he  was  the  first  that  was  called 
parte  about  the  subversion  of  abbeys  President :  and  from  that  time  the 
was  quieted,  the  Duke  of  Norfolk  tar-  authority  of  his  successors  grew  in 
ried  in  those  quarters,  and  many  com-  credit."] 

plaints  of  injuries  done  were  tendered  b  [Aleth,  according  to  Guillelmus  ; 

unto  him,  whereof  some  he  composed  Aalaidis,   according  to  Alanus  ;  — Vit. 

himself,  and  others  he  commended  un-  St.  Bernardi ;   Monica,   mother  of  St. 

der  his  seal  to  men  of  wisdom  to  deter-  Augustine.] 
mine.    Hereof  when  K.  Henry  heard, 


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JOS.  HALL,  BISHOP  OF  NORWICH.  XXI 

her  misery  real :  when,  the  very  same  day,  she  was  visited  by  the 
reverend  and  (in  his  time)  famous  divine,  Mr.  Anthony  Gilbyc, 
under  whose  ministry  she  lived;  who,  upon  the  relation  of  this 
her  pleasing  vision  and  the  contrary  effects  it  had  in  her,  began 
to  persuade  her  that  dream  was  no  other  than  divine,  and  that 
she  had  good  reason  to  think  that  gracious  premonition  was  sent 
her  from  God  himself;  who,  though  ordinarily  he  keeps  the  com- 
mon road  of  his  proceedings,  yet  sometimes,  in  the  distresses  of 
his  servants,  he  goes  unusual  ways  to  their  relief:  hereupon  she 
began  to  take  heart ;  and  by  good  counsel  and  her  fervent 
prayer  found  that  happy  prediction  verified  to  her;  and  upon 
all  occasions  in  the  remainder  of  her  life  was  ready  to  magnify 
the  mercy  of  her  God  in  so  sensible  a  deliverance.  What  with 
the  trial  of  both  these  hands  of  God,  so  had  she  profited  in  the 
school  of  Christ  that  it  was  bard  for  any  friend  to  come  from  her 
discourse  no  whit  holier.  How  often  have  I  blessed  the  memory 
of  those  divine  passages  of  experimental  divinity  which  I  have 
heard  from  her  mouth !  What  day  did  she  pass  without  a  large 
task  of  private  devotion  ?  whence  she  would  still  come  forth,  with 
a  countenance  of  undissembled  mortification.  Never  any  lips  have 
read  to  me  such  feeling  lectures  of  piety ;  neither  have  I  known 
any  soul  that  more  accurately  practised  them  than  her  own. 
Temptations,  desertions,  and  spiritual  comforts,  were  her  usual 
theme.  Shortly,  for  I  can  hardly  take  off  my  pen  from  so  exem- 
plary a  subject,  her  life  and  death  were  saint-like. 

My  parents  had  from  mine  infancy  devoted  me  to  this  sacred 
calling,  whereto  by  the  blessing  of  God  I  have  seasonably  at- 
tained. For  this  cause  I  was  trained  up  in  the  public  school  of 
the  place. 

After  I  had  spent  some  years  not  altogether  indiligently  under 
the  ferule  of  such  masters  as  the  place  afforded,  and  had  near 
attained  to  some  competent  ripeness  for  the  university,  my  school- 
master, being  a  great  admirer  of  one  Mr.  Pelset,  who  was  then 
lately  come  from  Cambridge  to  be  the  public  preacher  of  Leicester, 

*  A  pious  and  learned  divine,  vicar  several  of  the  most  valuable  of  the 
of  Ashby-de-la-Zoach.     He  translated       treatises  of  Theodore  Beza. — H. 


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XX11  SOME  SPECIALITIES  OF  THE  LIFE  OF 

(a  man  very  eminent  in  those  times  for  the  fame  of  his  learning, 
but  especially  for  his  sacred  oratory,)  persuaded  my  father,  that 
if  I  might  hare  my  education  under  so  excellent  and  complete  a 
divine,  it  might  be  both  a  nearer  and  easier  way  to  his  purposed 
end  than  by  an  academical  institution.  The  motion  sounded  well 
in  my  father's  ears,  and  carried  fair  probabilities:  neither  was 
it  other  than  fore-compacted  betwixt  my  schoolmaster  and 
Mr.  Pelset :  so  as  on  both  sides  it  was  entertained  with  great 
forwardness. 

The  gentleman,  upon  essay  taken  of  my  fitness  for  the  use  of 
his  studies,  undertakes  within  one  seven  years  to  send  me  forth, 
no  less  furnished  with  arts,  languages,  and  grounds  of  theorical 
divinity,  than  the  carefullest  tutor  in  the  strictest  college  of 
either  university.  Which  that  he  might  assuredly  perform,  to 
prevent  the  danger  of  any  mutable  thoughts  in  my  parents  or 
myself,  he  desired  mutual  bonds  to  be  drawn  betwixt  us.  The 
great  charge  of  my  father,  whom  it  pleased  God  to  bless  with 
twelve  children,  made  him  the  more  apt  to  yield  to  so  likely  a 
project  for  a  younger  son. 

There  and  now  were  all  the  hopes  of  my  future  life  upon  blast- 
ing. The  indentures  were  preparing :  the  time  was  set :  my  suits 
were  addressed  for  the  journey. 

What  was  the  issue  ?  0  God,  thy  providence  made  and  found 
it.  Thou  knowest  how  sincerely  and  heartily  in  those  my  young 
years d  I  did  cast  myself  upon  thy  hands;  with  what  faithful 
resolution  I  did  in  this  particular  occasion  resign  myself  over  to 
thy  disposition,  earnestly  begging  of  thee  in  my  fervent  prayers 
to  order  all  things  to  the  best,  and  confidently  waiting  upon  thy 
will  for  the  event.  Certainly  never  did  I  in  all  my  life  more 
clearly  roll  myself  upon  thy  divine  providence  than  I  did  in  this 
business.     And  it  succeeded  accordingly. 

It  fell  out  at  this  time  that  my  elder  brother,  having  some  ocr 
casions  to  journey  unto  Cambridge,  was  kindly  entertained  there 
by  Mr.  Nath.  Gilby,  fellow  of  Emanuel  college  ;  who,  for  that 
he  was  born  in  the  same  town  with  me,  and  had  conceived  some 
good  opinion  of  my  aptness  to  learning,  inquired  diligently  con- 

d  Anno  aetatis  15. 


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106.  HALL,  BISHOP  OF  N0BWICH.  Xziii 

earning  me ;  and  hearing  of  the  diversion  of  my  father's  par- 
poses  from  the  university,  importunately  dissuaded  from  that  new 
course,  professing  to  pity  the  loss  of  so  good  hopes.  My  brother, 
partly  moved  with  his  words,  and  partly  won  by  his  own  eyes 
to  a  great  love  and  reverence  of  an  academical  life,  returning 
home,  fell  upon  his  knees  to  my  father ;  and,  after  the  report  of 
Mr.  Gilby's  words  and  his  own  admiration  of  the  place,  earnestly 
besought  him  that  he  would  be  pleased  to  alter  that  so  prejudicial 
a  resolution,  that  he  would  not  suffer  my  hopes  to  be  drowned 
in  a  shallow  country  channel,  but  that  he  would  revive  his  first 
purposes  for  Cambridge ;  adding,  in  the  zeal  of  his  love,  that 
if  the  chargeableness  of  that  course  were  the  hinderance,  he  did 
there  humbly  beseech  him  rather  to  sell  some  part  of  that  land 
which  himself  should  in  course  of  nature  inherit,  than  to  abridge 
me  of  that  happy  means  to  perfect  my  education.  No  sooner  had 
he  spoken  those  words  than  my  father  no  less  passionately  con- 
descended, not  without  a  vehement  protestation  that,  whatsoever 
it  might  cost  him,  I  should,  God  willing,  be  sent  to  the  university. 
Neither  were  those  words  sooner  out  of  his  lips  than  there  was  a 
messenger  from  Mr.  Pelset  knocking  at  the  door  to  call  me  to  that 
fairer  bondage,  signifying  that  the  next  day  he  expected  me,  with 
a  full  dispatch  of  all  that  business:  to  whom  my  father  replied, 
that  he  came  some  minutes  too  late ;  that  he  had  now  otherwise 
determined  of  me ;  and  with  a  respective  message  of  thanks 
to  the  master  sent  the  man  home  empty,  leaving  me  full  of  the 
tears  of  joy  for  so  happy  a  change. 

Indeed  I  had  been  but  lost  if  that  project  had  succeeded ;  as 
it  well  appeared  in  the  experience  of  him  who  succeeded  in  that 
room  which  was  by  me  thus  unexpectedly  forsaken. 

0  God,  how  was  I  then  taken  up  with  a  thankful  acknow- 
ledgment and  joyful  admiration  of  thy  gracious  providence  over 
me! 

And  now  I  lived  in  the  expectation  of  Cambridge;  whither 
ere  long  I  happily  came  under  Mr.  Gilby's  tuition,  together 
with  my  worthy  friend  Mr.  Hugh  Cholmley,  who,  as  we  had 
been  partners  of  one  lesson  from  our  cradles,  so  were  we  now  for 
many  years  partners  of  one  bed. 

My  two  first  years  were  necessarily  chargeable  above  the  pro- 


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XXIV  BOMB  SPECIALITIES  OF  THE  LIFE 

portion  of  my  father's  power ;  whose  not  very  large  cistern  was 
to  feed  many  pipes  besides  mine.  His  weariness  of  expense  was 
wrought  upon  by  the  counsel  of  some  unwise  friends,  who  per- 
suaded him  to  fasten  me  upon  that  school  as  master,  whereof  I 
was  lately  a  scholar. 

Now  was  I  fetched  home,  with  an  heavy  heart :  and  now  this 
second  time  had  mine  hopes  been  nipped  in  the  blossom,  had 
not  God  raised  me  up  an  unhoped  benefactor,  Mr.  Edmund  Sleigh 
of  Derby,  (whose  pious  memory  I  have  cause  ever  to  love  and 
reverence,)  out  of  no  other  relation  to  me,  save  that  he  married 
my  aunt.  Pitying  my  too  apparent  dejectedness,  he  voluntarily 
urged  and  solicited  my  father  for  my  return  to  the  university ; 
and  offered  freely  to  contribute  the  one  half  of  my  maintenance 
there,  till  I  should  attain  to  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts ;  which 
he  no  less  really  and  lovingly  performed.  The  condition  was 
gladly  accepted. 

Thither  was  I  sent  back,  with  joy  enough ;  and  ere  long  chosen 
scholar  of  that  strict  and  well  ordered  college. 

By  that  time  I  had  spent  six  years  there,  now  the  third  year 
of  my  bachelorship  should  at  once  both  make  an  end  of  my  main- 
tenance, and  in  respect  of  standing  give  me  a  capacity  of  further 
preferment  in  that  house,  were  it  not  that  my  country  excluded 
me  :  for  our  statute  allowed  but  one  of  a  shire  to  be  fellow  there ; 
and  my  tutor,  being  of  the  same  town  with  me,  must  therefore 
necessarily  hold  me  out. 

But,  0  my  God,  how  strangely  did  thy  gracious  providence 
fetch  this  business  about  I  I  was  now  entertaining  motions  of 
remove. 

A  place  was  offered  me  in  the  island  of  Guernsey,  which  I  had 
in  speech  and  chase.  It  fell  out  that  the  father  of  my  loving 
chamber-fellow,  Mr.  Cholmley,  a  gentleman  that  had  likewise 
dependence  upon  the  most  noble  Henry  Earl  of  Huntingdon, 
having  occasion  to  go  to  York  unto  that  his  honourable  lord, 
fell  into  some  mention  of  me.  That  good  earl,  who  well  esteemed 
my  father's  service,  having  belikely  heard  some  better  words  of 
me  than  I  could  deserve,  made  earnest  inquiry  after  me,  what 
were  my  courses,  what  my  hopes :  and  hearing  of  tho  likelihood 
of  my  removal,  professed  much  dislike  of  it ;  not  without  some 


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OP  JOS.  HALL,   BISHOP  OF  NORWICH.  XXV 

vehemence  demanding  why  I  was  not  chosen  fellow  of  that 
college,  wherein  by  report  I  received  such  approbation.  Answer 
was  returned,  that  my  country  debarred  me ;  which,  being  filled 
with  my  tutor,  whom  his  lordship  well  knew,  could  not  by  the 
statute  admit  a  second.  The  earl  presently  replied,  that  if  that 
were  the  hinderance  he  would  soon  take  order  to  remove  it. 
Whereupon  his  lordship  presently  sends  for  my  tutor  Mr.  Gilby 
unto  York,  and  with  proffer  of  large  conditions  of  the  chaplainship 
in  his  house,  and  Assured  promises  of  better  provisions,  drew  him 
to  relinquish  his  place  in  the  college  to  a  free  election.  No 
sooner  was  his  assent  signified,  than  the  days  were  set  for  the 
public  (and  indeed  exquisite)  examination  of  the  competitors. 
By  that  time  two  days  of  the  three  allotted  to  this  trial  were 
past,  certain  news  came  to  us  of  the  inexpected  death  of  that 
incomparably  religious  and  noble  Earl  of  Huntingdon ;  by  whose 
loss  my  then  disappointed  tutor  must  necessarily  be  left  to  the 
wide  world  unprovided  for.  Upon  notice  thereof  I  presently 
repaired  to  the  master  of  the  college,  Mr.  Dr.  Chadertonc,  and 
besought  him  to  tender  that  hard  condition  to  which  my  good 
tutor  must  needs  be  driven  if  the  election  proceeded ;  to  stay  any 
further  progress  in  that  business ;  and  to  leave  me  to  my  own 
good  hopes  wheresoever,  whose  youth  exposed  me  both  to  less 
needs  and  more  opportunities  of  provision.  Answer  was  made 
me  that  the  place  was  pronounced  void  however ;  and  therefore  . 
that  my  tutor  was  divested  of  all  possibility  of  remedy,  and  must 
wait  upon  the  providence  of  God  for  his  disposing  elsewhere,  and 
the  election  must  necessarily  proceed  the  day  following.  Then 
was  I  with  a  cheerful  unaminity  chosen  into  that  society ;  which 
if  it  had  any  equals  I  dare  say  had  none  beyond  it,  for  good 
order,  studious  carriage,  strict  government,  austere  piety;  in 
which  I  spent  six  or  seven  years  more,  with  such  contentment  as 
the  rest  of  my  life  hath  in  vain  striven  to  yield. 

Now  was  I  called  to  public  disputations  often,  with  no  ill 
success ;  for  never  durst  I  appear  in  any  of  those  exercises  of 
scholarship  till  I  had  from  my  knees  looked  up  to  heaven  for  a 

e  He  was  the  first  Master  of  Emmanuel  College ;  lecturer  at  St.  Clement's, 
Cambridge ;  and  one  of  the  translators  of  the  Bible. — Jones. 


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XXVI  SOME  SPECIALITIES  OF  THE  LIFE  OF 

blessing,  and  renewed  my  actual  dependence  upon  that  Divine 
hand. 

In  this  while,  two  years  together  was  I  chosen  to  the  rhetoric 
lecture  in  the  public  schools ;  where  I  was  encouraged  with  a 
sufficient  frequence  of  auditors :  but  finding  that  well-applauded 
work  somewhat  out  of  my  way,  not  without  a  secret  blame  of 
myself  for  so  much  excursion,  I  fairly  gave  up  that  task,  in  the 
midst  of  those  poor  acclamations,  to  a  worthy  successor,  Mr.  Dr. 
Dod,  and  betook  myself  to  those  serious  studies  which  might  fit 
me  for  that  high  calling  whereunto  I  was  destined. 

Wherein  after  I  had  carefully  bestowed  myself  for  a  time,  I 
took  the  boldness  to  enter  into  sacred  orders :  the  honour  whereof 
haying  once  attained,  I  was  no  niggard  of  that  talent  which 
my  God  had  entrusted  to  me ;  preaching  often,  as  occasion  was 
offered,  both  in  country  villages  abroad,  and  at  home  in  the  most 
awful  auditory  of  the  university. 

And  nowf  I  did  but  wait  where  and  how  it  would  please  my 
Ood  to  employ  me. 

There  was  at  that  time  a  famous  school  erected  at  Tiverton  in 
Devon,  and  endowed  with  a  very  large  pension;  whose  goodly 
fabric  was  answerable  to  the  reported  maintenance:  the  care 
whereof  was,  by  the  rich  and  bountiful  founder,  Mr.  Blundel, 
cast  principally  upon  the  then  lord  chief  justice  Popham.  That 
faithful  observer,  having  great  interest  in  the  master  of  our  house, 
Dr.  Chaderton,  moved  him  earnestly  to  commend  some  able, 
learned,  and  discreet  governor  to  that  weighty  charge;  whose 
action  would  not  need  to  be  so  much  as  his  oversight.  It  pleased 
our  master,  out  of  his  good  opinion,  to  tender  this  condition  unto 
me ;  assuring  me  of  no  small  advantages  and  no  great  toil,  since 
it  was  intended  the  main  load  of  the  work  should  lie  upon  other 
shoulders.  I  apprehended  the  motion  worth  the  entertaining. 
In  that  severe  society  our  times  were  stinted ;  neither  was  it 
wise  or  safe  to  refuse  good  offers.  Mr.  Dr.  Chaderton  carried 
me  to  London,  and  there  presented  me  to  the  lord  chief  justice, 
with  much  testimony  of  approbation.  The  judge  seemed  well 
apaid  with  the  choice.  I  promised  acceptance,  he  the  strength 
of  his  favour.    No  sooner  had  I  parted  from  the  judge,  than  in 

f  He  had  resided  at  college,  on  the  whole,  about  thirteen  years.  — Jonis. 


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JOS.  HALL,  BISHOP   OF  NOHWICH.  XXVU 

the  street  a  messenger  presented  me  with  a  letter  from  the  right 
virtuous  and  worthy  lady  of  dear  and  happy  memory,  the  Lady 
Drury  of  Suffolk,  tendering  the  rectory  of  her  Halsted,  then 
newly  void,  and  very  earnestly  desiring  me  to  accept  of  it.  Dr. 
Chaderton,  observing  in  me  some  change  of  countenance,  asked 
me  what  the  matter  might  be.  I  told  him  the  errand,  and 
delivered  him  the  letter,  beseeching  his  advice ;  which  when  he 
had  read,  **  Sir,"  quoth  I,  "  methinks  God  pulls  me  by  the  sleeve, 
and  tells  me  it  is  his  will  I  should  rather  go  to  the  east  than 
to  the  west."  "  Nay/'  he  answered,  "  I  should  rather  think 
that  God  would  have  you  go  westward,  for  that  he  hath  con- 
trived your  engagement  before  the  tender  of  this  letter ;  which 
therefore  coming  too  late,  may  receive  a  fair  and  easy  answer." 
To  this  I  besought  him  to  pardon  my  dissent ;  adding  that  I 
well  knew  that  divinity  was  the  end  whereto  I  was  destined 
by  my  parents ;  which  I  had  so  constantly  proposed  to  myself 
that  I  never  meant  other  than  to  pass  through  this  western 
school  to  it :  but  I  saw  that  God,  who  found  me  ready  to  go 
the  farther  way  about,  now  called  me  the  nearest  and  directest 
♦way  to  that  sacred  end.  The  good  man  could  no  further  oppose, 
but  only  pleaded  the  distaste  which  would  hereupon  be  justly 
taken  by  the  lord  chief  justice,  whom  I  undertook  fully  to  satisfy; 
which  I  did  with  no  great  difficulty  ;  commending  to  his  lordship, 
in  my  room,  my  old  friend  and  chamber-fellow  Mr.  Oholmley : 
who,  finding  an  answerable  acceptance,  disposed  himself  to  the 
place ;  so  as  we  two,  who  came  together  to  the  university,  now 
must  leave  it  at  once. 

Having  then  fixed  my  foot  at  Halsted*,  I  found  there  a  dan- 
gerous opposite  to  the  success  of  my  ministry,  a  witty  and  bold 
atheist,  one  Mr.  Lilly h;  who  by  reason  of  his  travels  and  abi- 
lities of  discourse  and  behaviour  had  so  deeply  insinuated  himself 
into  my  patron,  Sir  Robert  Drury,  that  there  was  small  hopes 
during  his  entireness  for  me  to  work  any  good  upon  that  noble 
patron  of  mine ;  who  by  the  suggestion  of  this  wicked  detractor 
was  set  off  from  me  before  he  knew  me.     Hereupon,  I  confess, 

e  He  was  presented  in  1 6oi.—Joinss.      of  Wit,"  "Euphuea  and  his  England, w 
h  Probably  John  Lilly,  the  drama-       &c. — Jones. 
twt,  author  of  "Euphuea,  the  Anatomy 


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XXV111  SOME  SPECIALITIES  OF  THE   LIFE  OF 

finding  the  obduredness  and  hopeless  condition  of  that  man,  I 
bent  my  prayers  against  him ;  beseeching  God  daily  that  he 
would  be  pleased  to  remove,  by  some  means  or  other,  that  ap- 
parent hinderance  of  my  faithful  labours  :  who  gave  me  an 
answer  accordingly ;  for  this  malicious  man,  going  hastily  up  to 
London  to  exasperate  my  patron  against  me,  was  then  and  there 
swept  away  by  the  pestilence,  and  never  returned  to  do  any  fur- 
ther mischief.  Now  the  coast  was  clear  before  me ;  and  I  gained 
every  day  of  the  good  opinion  and  favourable  respects  of  that 
honourable  gentleman  and  my  worthy  neighbours. 

Being  now  therefore  settled  in  that  sweet  and  civil  country  of 
Suffolk,  near  to  St.  Edmund's-Bury,  my  first  work  was  to  build 
up  my  house,  which  was  then  extremely  ruinous. 

Which  done,  the  uncouth  solitariness  of  my  life  and  the  ex- 
treme incommodity  of  that  single  housekeeping  drew  my  thoughts, 
after  two  years,  to  condescend  to  the  necessity  of  a  married 
estate ;  which  God  no  less  strangely  provided  for  me ;  for,  walk- 
ing from  the  church  on  Monday  in  the  Witsun-week,  with  a  grave 
and  reverend  minister,  Mr.  Grandidge,  I  saw  a  comely  and  modest 
gentlewoman  standing  at  the  door  of  that  house  where  we  were 
invited  to  a  wedding  dinner ;  and  inquiring  of  that  worthy  friend 
whether  he  knew  her,  "  Yes,"  quoth  he,  "  I  know  her  well,  and 
have  bespoken  her  for  your  wife."  When  I  further  demanded 
an  account  of  that  answer,  he  told  me  she  was  the  daughter  of  a 
gentleman  whom  he  much  respected,  Mr.  George  Winniff  of  Bre- 
tenham ;  that  out  of  an  opinion  had  of  the  fitness  of  that  match 
for  me  he  had  already  treated  with  her  father  about  it,  whom  he 
found  very  apt  to  entertain  it;  advising  me  not  to  neglect  the 
opportunity,  and  not  concealing  the  just  praises  of  the  modesty, 
piety,  good  disposition,  and  other  virtues,  that  were  lodged  in 
that  seemly  presence.  I  listened  to  the  motion  as  sent  from  God ; 
and  at  last  upon  due  prosecution  happily  prevailed;  enjoying 
the  comfortable  society  of  that  meet  help  for  the  space  of  forty- 
nine  years. 

I  had  not  passed  two  years  in  this  estate  when  my  noble  friend, 
Sir  Edmund  Bacon,  with  whom  I  had  much  entireness,  came  to 
me,  and  earnestly  solicited  me  for  my  company  in  a  journey  by 
him  projected  to  the  Spa  in  Ardenna;   laying  before  me  the 


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JOS.  HALL,  BISHOP  OF   NORWICH.  XXIX 

safety,  the  easiness,  the  pleasure,  and  the  benefit  of  that  small 
extravagance,  if  opportunity  were  taken  of  that  time  when  the 
Earl  of  Hertford  passed  in  embassy  to  the  Archduke  Albert  of 
Brussels.  I  soon  yielded,  as  for  the  reasons  by  him  urged,  so 
especially  for  the  great  desire  I  had  to  inform  myself  ocularly 
of  the  state  and  practice  of  the  Romish  church,  the  knowledge 
whereof  might  be  of  no  small  use  to  me  in  my  holy  station. 

Having  therefore  taken  careful  order  for  the  supply  of  my 
charge,  with  the  assent  and  good  allowance  of  my  nearest  friends 
I  entered  into  this  secret  voyage. 

We  waited  some  days  M  Harwich  for  a  wind,  which  we  hoped 
might  waft  us  oyer  to  Dunkirk,  where  our  ambassador  had  lately 
landed :  but  at  last,  haying  spent  a  day  and  half  a  night  at  sea, 
we  were  forced,  for  want  of  favour  from  the  wind,  to  put  in  at 
Queenborough ;  from  whence  coasting  oyer  the  rich  and  pleasant 
country  of  Kent,  we  renewed  our  shipping  at  Dover,  and,  soon 
landing  at  Calais,  we  passed  after  two  days  by  wagon  to  the 
strong  towns  of  Qravelines  and  Dunkirk  ;  where  I  could  not  but 
find  much  horror  in  myself  to  pass  under  those  dark  and  dreadful 
prisons,  where  so  many  brave  Englishmen  had  breathed  out  their 
souls  in  a  miserable  captivity.  From  thence  we  passed  through 
Winnoxberg,  Ypres,  Ghent,  Courtray,  to  Brussels,  where  the 
ambassador  had  newly  sat  down  before  us. 

That  noble  gentleman  in  whose  company  I  travelled  was  wel- 
comed with  many  kind  visitations.  Amongst  the  rest  there  came 
to  him  an  English  gentleman,  who,  having  run  himself  out  of 
breath  in  the  inns  of  court,  had  forsaken  his  country,  and  there- 
with his  religion,  and  was  turned  both  bigot  and  physician, 
residing  now  in  Brussels.  This  man,  after  few  interchanges  of 
compliment  with  Sir  Edmund  Bacon,  fell  into  a  hyperbolical  pre- 
dication of  the  wonderful  miracles  done  newly  by  our  Lady  at 
Zichem  or  Sherpen-Heavell,  that  is  Sharp  Hill,  by  Lipsius  Apri- 
oollis ;  the  credit  whereof  when  that  worthy  knight  wittily  ques- 
tioned, he  avowed  a  particular  miracle  of  cure  wrought  by  her 
upon  himself.  I,  coming  into  the  room  in  the  midst  of  this  dis- 
course, habited  not  like  a  divine  but  in  such  colour  and  fashion 
as  might  best  secure  my  travel,  and  hearing  my  countryman's 
zealous  and  confident  relations,  at  last  asked  him  this  question ; 


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XXX  SOME   SPECIALITIES   OP  THE  LIFE  OF 

"Sir,"  quoth  I,  "put  case  this  report  of  yours  be  granted  for 
true;  I  beseech  you  teach  me  what  difference  there  is  betwixt 
these  miracles  which  you  say  are  wrought  by  this  lady,  and  those 
which  were  wrought  by  Vespasian,  by  some  vestals  by  charms 
and  spells ;  the  rather  for  that  I  have  noted,  in  the  late  published 
report  of  these  miracles,  some  patients  prescribed  to  come  upon  a 
Friday,  and  some  to  wash  in  such  a  well  before  their  approach, 
and  divers  other  such  charmlike  observations."  The  gentleman, 
not  expecting  such  a  question  from  me,  answered,  "  Sir,  I  do  not 
profess  this  kind  of  scholarship ;  but  we  have  in  the  city  many 
famous  divines,  with  whom  if  it  would  please  you  to  confer,  you 
might  sooner  receive  satisfaction."  I  asked  him  whom  he  took 
for  the  most  eminent  divine  of  that  place.  He  named  to  me 
father  Coster  us1 ;  undertaking  that  he  would  be  very  glad  to 
give  me  conference,  if  I  would  be  pleased  to  come  up  to  the 
Jesuits'  college.  I  willingly  yielded.  In  the  afternoon,  the  for- 
ward gentleman  prevented  his  time  to  attend  me  to  the  father,  as 
he  styled  him ;  who,  as  he  said,  was  ready  to  entertain  me  with 
a  meeting.  I  went  alone  up  with  him.  The  porter,  shutting  the 
door  after  me,  welcomed  me  with  a  Deo  gratias.  I  had  not  staid 
long  in  the  Jesuits1  hall  before  Oosterus  came  in  to  me ;  who  after 
a  friendly  salutation  fell  into  a  formal  speech  of  the  unity  of  that 
church,  out  of  which  is  no  salvation ;  and  had  proceeded  to  lose 
his  breath  and  labour,  had  not  I  as  civilly  as  I  might  interrupted 
him  with  this  short  answer ;  "  Sir,  I  beseech  you  mistake  me  not 
My  nation  tells  you  of  what  religion  I  am.  I  come  not  hither 
out  of  any  doubt  of  my  professed  belief,  or  any  purpose  to  change 
it ;  but  moving  a  question  to  this  gentleman  concerning  the  pre- 
tended miracles  of  the  time,  he  pleased  to  refer  me  to  yourself 
for  my  answer ;  which  motion  of  his  I  was  the  more  willing  to 
embrace,  for  the  fame  I  have  heard  of  your  learning  and  worth ; 
and  if  you  can  give  me  satisfaction  herein  I  am  ready  to  receive 
it."  Hereupon  we  settled  to  our  places  at  a  table  in  the  end  of 
the  hall,  and  buckled  to  a  further  discourse.  He  fell  into  a  poor 
and  unperfect  account  of  the  difference  of  divine  miracles  and 
diabolical;   which  I  modestly  refuted.     From  thence  he  slipped 

*  [This  was  probably  Francis  Coster  of      works)  Enchiridion  Proecip.  Controver. 
Malines,  author  of  (among  many  other      siarum  nostri  Temporis.] 


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JOS.  HALL,   BISHOP   OF  NORWICH.  XXXI 

into  a  choleric  invective  against  our  church,  which  as  he  said 
could  not  yield  one  miracle ;  and  when  I  answered,  that  in  our 
church  we  had  manifest  proofs  of  the  ejection  of  devils  by  fasting 
and  prayer,  he  answered,  that  if  it  could  be  proved  that  ever  any 
devil  was  dispossessed  in  our  church  he  would  quit  his  religion. 
Many  questions  were  incidentally  traversed  by  us;  wherein  I 
found  no  satisfaction  given  me.  The  conference  was  long  and 
vehement ;  in  the  heat  whereof  who  should  come  in  but  father 
Baldwin,  an  English  Jesuit,  known  to  me,  as  by  face  (after  I  came 
to  Brussels)  so  much  more  by  fame.  He  sat  down  upon  a  bench 
at  the  farther  end  of  the  table,  and  heard  no  small  part  of  our 
dissertation ;  seeming  not  too  well  apaid,  that  a  gentleman  of  his 
nation  (for  still  I  was  spoken  to  in  that  habit,  by  the  style  of 
Dominatio  vestra,)  should  depart  from  the  Jesuits'  college  no 
better  satisfied.  On  the  next  morning  therefore  he  sends  the 
same  English  physician  to  my  lodging  with  a  courteous  compella- 
tion ;  professing  to  take  it  unkindly  that  his  countryman  should 
make  choice  of  any  other  to  confer  with  than  himself,  who  desired 
both  mine  acquaintance  and  full  satisfaction.  Sir  Edmund  Bacon, 
in  whose  hearing  the  message  was  delivered,  gave  me  secret  signs 
of  his  utter  unwillingness  to  give  way  to  my  further  conferences ; 
the  issue  whereof,  since  we  were  to  pass  farther  and  beyond  the 
bounds  of  that  protection,  might  prove  dangerous.  I  returned  a 
mannerly  answer  of  thanks  to  F.  Baldwin ;  but  for  any  further 
conference  that  it  were  bootless.  I  could  not  hope  to  convert 
him,  and  was  resolved  he  should  not  alter  me ;  and  therefore  both 
of  us  should  rest  where  we  were. 

Departing  from  Brussels  we  were  for  Namur  and  Liege.  In 
the  way  we  found  the  good  hand  of  God,  in  delivering  us  from 
the  danger  of  freebooters,  and  of  a  nightly  entrance  amidst  a 
suspicious  convoy  into  that  bloody  city. 

Thence  we  came  to  the  Spadane  Waters,  where  I  had  good 
leisure  to  add  a  second  century  of  meditations  to  those  I  had 
published  before  my  journey. 

After  we  had  spent  a  just  time  at  those  medicinal  wells  we 
returned  to  Liege  ;  and  in  our  passage  up  the  river  Mosak  I  had 
a  dangerous  conflict  with  a  Sorbonist,  a  prior  of  the  Carmelites, 

*  [The  Mcuae.] 


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XXXXl  SOME  SPECIALITIES  OF  THE  LIFE  OF 

who  took  occasion  by  our  kneeling  at  the  receipt  of  the  eucharist 
to  persuade  all  the  company  of  our  acknowledgment  of  a  transub- 
stantiation.  I  satisfied  the  cavil,  showing  upon  what  ground  this 
meet  posture  obtained  with  us.  The  man  grew  furious  upon  his 
conviction ;  and  his  vehement  associates  began  to  join  with  him 
in  a  rightdown  railing  upon  our  church  and  religion.  I  told  them 
they  knew  where  they  were :  for  me,  I  had  taken  notice  of  the 
security  of  their  laws,  inhibiting  any  argument  held  against  their 
religion  established,  and  therefore  stood  only  upon  my  defence ; 
not  casting  any  aspersions  upon  theirs,  but  ready  to  maintain  our 
own  ;  which  though  I  performed  in  as  fair  terms  as  I  might,  yet 
the  choler  of  those  zealots  was  so  moved,  that  the  paleness  of 
their  changed  countenances  began  to  threaten  some  perilous  issue, 
had  not  Sir  Edmund  Bacon,  both  by  his  eye  and  by  his  tongue, 
wisely  taken  me  off.  I  subduced  myself  speedily  from  their  pre- 
sence, to  avoid  further  provocation.  The  prior  began  to  bewray 
some  suspicions  of  my  borrowed  habit,  and  told  them  that  himself 
had  a  green  satin  suit  once  prepared  for  his  travels  into  England ; 
so  as  I  found  it  needful  for  me  to  lie  close  at  Namur. 

From  whence  travelling  the  next  day  towards  Brussels  in  the 
company  of  two  Italian  captains,  Signior  Ascanio  Nigro,  and 
another  whose  name  I  have  forgotten ;  who,  enquiring  into  our 
nation  and  religion,  wondered  to  hear  that  we  had  any  baptism 
or  churches  in  England  ;  the  congruity  of  my  Latin,  in  respect  of 
their  perfect  barbarism,  drew  me  and  the  rest  into  their  suspicion ; 
so  as  I  might  overhear  them  muttering  to  each  other  that  we 
were  not  the  men  we  appeared.  Straight  the  one  of  them  boldly 
expressed  his  conceit;  and  together  with  this  charge  began  to 
inquire  of  our  condition.  I  told  him  that  the  gentleman  he  saw 
before  us  was  the  grandchild  of  that  renowned  Bacon,  the  great 
chancellor  of  England,  a  man  of  great  birth  and  quality;  and  that 
myself  and  my  other  companion  travelled  in  his  attendance  to  the 
Spa,  from  the  train  and  under  the  privilege  of  our  late  ambas- 
sador ;  with  which  just  answer  I  stopped  their  mouths. 

Returning  through  Brussels  we  came  down  to  Antwerp,  the 
paragon  of  cities ;  where  my  curiosity  to  see  a  solemn  procession 
on  St.  John  Baptist's  day  might  have  drawn  me  into  danger 
through  my  willing  unreverence,  had  not  the  hulk  of  a  tall  Bra- 


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JOS.  HALL,   BISHOP  OF  NORWICH.  XXX1U 

banter,  behind  whom  I  stood  in  a  corner  of  the  street,  shadowed 
me  from  notice. 

Thence,  down  the  fair  river  of  Scheldt,  we  came  to  Flushing ; 
where,  upon  the  resolution  of  our  company  to  stay  some  hours,  I 
hasted  to  Middleburgh  to  see  an  ancient  colleague.  That  visit 
lost  me  my  passage.  Ere  I  could  return  I  might  see  our  ship 
under  sail  for  England.  The  master  had  with  the  wind  altered 
his  purpose,  and  called  aboard  with  such  eagerness  that  my 
company  must  either  away  or  undergo  the  hazard  of  too  much 
loss.  I  looked  long  after  them  in  vain,  and  sadly  returning  to 
Middleburgh  waited  long  for  an  inconvenient  and  tempestuous 
passage. 

After  some  year  and  half,  it  pleased  God  inezpectedly  to  con- 
trive the  change  of  my  station. 

My  means  were  but  short  at  Halsted ;  yet  such,  as  I  oft  pro- 
fessed, if  my  then  patron  would  have  added  but  one  ten  pounds 
by  year,  which  I  held  to  be  the  value  of  my  detained  due,  I 
should  never  have  removed.  One  morning  as  I  lay  in  my  bed,  a 
strong  motion  was  suddenly  glanced  into  my  thoughts  of  going  to 
London.  I  arose  and  betook  me  to  the  way.  The  ground  that 
appeared  of  that  purpose  was  to  speak  with  my  patron  Sir  Robert 
Drury,  if  by  occasion  of  the  public  preachership  of  St.  EdraundV 
Bury,  then  offered  me  upon  good  conditions,  I  might  draw  him 
to  a  willing  yieldance  of  that  parcel  of  my  due  maintenance  which 
was  kept  back  from  my  not  over  deserving  predecessor;  who, 
hearing  my  errand,  dissuaded  me  from  so  ungainful  a  change, 
which,  had  it  been  to  my  sensible  advantage,  he  should  have  readily 
given  way  unto ;  but  not  offering  me  the  expected  encouragement 
of  my  continuance  k. 

With  him  I  stayed,  and  preached  on  the  Sunday  following. 
That  day  Sir  Robert  Drury,  meeting  with  the  Lord  Denny,  fell 
belike  into  the  commendation  of  my  sermon.  That  religious  and 
noble  lord  had  long  harboured  good  thoughts  concerning  me, 
upon  the  reading  of  those  poor  pamphlets  which  I  had  formerly 

k  Sir  John  Cullum  in  his  history  of  his  time  there  are  not  above  two  years 

Hawstead  observes — '  I  conjecture  he  in  the  Register  of  the  same  hand.' — H. 
did  not  much  reside  here;  for  during 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  C 


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XXXIV  SOME  SPECIALITIES  OF  THE   LIFE  OF 

published,  and  long  wished  the  opportunity  to  know  me.  To 
please  him  in  his  desire,  Sir  Robert  willed  me  to  go  and  tender 
my  service  to  his  lordship ;  which  I  modestly  and  seriously  depre- 
cated :  yet  upon  his  earnest  charge  went  to  his  lordship's  gate, 
where  I  was  not  sorry  to  hear  of  his  absence. 

And  being  now  full  of  cold  and  distemper  in  Drury-lane1, 1  was 
found  out  by  a  friend,  in  whom  I  had  formerly  no  great  interest, 
one  Mr.  Gurrey,  tutor  to  the  Earl  of  Essex.  He  told  me  how 
well  my  Meditations  were  accepted  at  the  prince's  court™,  and 
earnestly  advised  me  to  step  over  to  Richmond,  and  preach  to  his 
highness.  I  strongly  pleaded  my  indisposition  of  body,  and  my 
inpreparation  for  any  such  work,  together  with  my  bashful  fears, 
and  utter  unfitness  for  such  a  presence.  My  averseness  doubled 
his  importunity ;  in  fine,  he  left  me  not  till  he  had  my  engage- 
ment to  preach  the  Sunday  following  at  Richmond.  He  made 
way  for  me  to  that  awful  pulpit,  and  encouraged  me  by  the  favour 
of  his  noble  lord,  the  Earl  of  Essex.  I  preached.  Through  the 
favour  of  my  God  that  sermon  was  not  so  well  given  as  taken ; 
insomuch  as  that  sweet  prince  signified  his  desire  to  hear  me 
again  the  Tuesday  following.  Which  done,  that  labour  gave  more 
contentment  than  the  former,  so  as  that  gracious  prince  both  gave 
me  his  hand  and  commanded  me  to  his  service. 

My  patron,  seeing  me  upon  my  return  to  London  looked  after 
by  some  great  persons,  began  to  wish  me  at  home,  and  told  me 
that  some  or  other  would  be  snatching  me  up.  I  answered  that 
it  was  in  his  power  to  prevent :  would  he  be  pleased  to  make  my 
maintenance  but  so  competent  as  in  right  it  should  be,  I  would 
never  stir  from  him.  Instead  of  condescending,  it  pleased  him  to 
fall  into  an  expostulation  of  the  rate  of  competencies ;  affirming 
the  variableness  thereof,  according  to  our  own  estimation,  and  our 
either  raising  or  moderating  the  causes  of  our  expenses.  I  showed 
him  the  insufficiency  of  my  means;  that  I  was  forced  to  write 
books  to  buy  books.    Shortly,  some  harsh  and  unpleasing  answer 

i  Drury  Place,  the  residence  of  the  famous  for  the  conquest  of  Creutznach 

family  denoted  by  that  name,   stood  in  1632,  it  was  repaired  and  enlarged 

near  the  spot   now  occupied   by  the  under  the  title  of  Craven  House.— H. 
Olympic    theatre.       Becoming    after-         m  Prince  Henry, 
wards  the  property  of  Lord  Craven, 


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JOB.  HALL,   BISHOP  OF  NORWICH.  XXXV 

so  disheartened  me  that  I  resolved  to  embrace  the  first  oppor- 
tunity of  remove. 

Now  while  I  was  taken  up  with  these  anxious  thoughts,  a 
messenger  (it  was  Sir  Robert  Wingfield  of  Northampton's  son) 
came  to  me  from  the  Lord  Denny,  now  Earl  of  Norwich,  my  after 
most  honourable  patron,  entreating  me  from  his  lordship  to  speak 
with  him.  No  sooner  came  I  thither,  than  after  a  glad  and  noble 
welcome  I  was  entertained  with  the  earnest  offer  of  Waltham. 
The  conditions  were,  like  the  mover  of  them,  free  and  bountiful. 
I  received  them  as  from  the  munificent  hand  of  my  God ;  and 
returned,  full  of  the  cheerful  acknowledgments  of  a  gracious 
providence  over  me. 

Too  late  now  did  my  former  noble  patron  relent,  and  offer  me 
those  terms  which  had  before  fastened  me  for  ever. 

I  returned  home,  happy  in  a  new  master,  and  in  a  new  patron ; 
betwixt  whom  I  divided  myself  and  my  labours,  with  much  com- 
fort and  no  less  acceptation. 

In  the  second  year  of  mine  attendance  on  his  highness,  when  I 
came  for  my  dismission  from  that  monthly  service,  it  pleased 
the  prince  to  command  me  a  longer  stay ;  and  at  last  upon  mine 
allowed  departure,  by  the  mouth  of  Sir  Thomas  Challoner0,  his 
governor,  to  tender  unto  me  a  motion  of  more  honour  and  favour 
than  I  was  worthy  of;  which  was,  that  it  was  his  highness's  plea- 
sure and  purpose  to  have  me  continually  resident  at  the  court  as 
a  constant  attendant,  while  the  rest  held  on  their  wonted  vicis- 
situdes :  for  which  purpose  his  highness  would  obtain  for  me  such 
preferments  as  should  yield  me  full  contentment.  I  returned  my 
humblest  thanks,  and  my  readiness  to  sacrifice  myself  to  the  ser- 
vice of  so  gracious  a  master ;  but,  being  conscious  to  myself  of  my 
unanswerableness  to  so  great  expectation,  and  loath  to  forsake  so 
dear  and  noble  a  patron,  who  had  placed  much  of  his  heart  upon 
me,  I  did  modestly  put  it  off,  and  held  close  to  my  Waltham ; 
where  in  a  constant  course  I  preached  a  long  time,  as  I  had  done 
also  at  Halsted  before,  thrice  in  the  week :   yet  never  durst  I 

n  ["He  distinguished  himself  like-  James  to  the  throne  of  England  was 
wise  by  his  poetical  talents  while  he  appointed  governor  to  the  prince,  &c." 
was  a  stadent  at  Magdalen  College,  — Birch's  Life  of  Henry  Prince  of 
Oxford.      On    the   accession  of  King     Wales.] 

C  2 


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XXXVI  SOME   SPECIALITIES   OF  THE   LIFE  OF 

climb  into  the  pulpit  to  preach  any  sermon,  whereof  I  had  not 
before  in  my  poor  and  plain  fashion  penned  every  word,  in  the 
same  order  wherein  I  hoped  to  deliver  it,  although  in  the  expres- 
sion I  listed  not  to  be  a  slave  to  syllables. 

In  this  while  my  worthy  kinsman,  Mr.  Samuel  Burton0,  arch- 
deacon of  Gloucester,  knowing  in  how  good  terms  I  stood  at  court, 
and  pitying  the  miserable  condition  of  his  native  church  of  Wol- 
verhampton, was  very  desirous  to  engage  me  in  so  difficult  and 
noble  a  service  as  the  redemption  of  that  captivated  church.  For 
which  cause  he  importuned  me  to  move  some  of  my  friends  to 
solicit  the  dean  of  Windsor,  who  by  an  ancient  annexation  is 
patron  thereof,  for  the  grant  of  a  particular  prebend,  when  it 
should  fall  vacant  in  that  church.  Answer  was  returned  me  that 
it  was  forepromised  to  one  of  my  fellow  chaplains.  I  sat  down 
without  further  expectation.  Some  year  or  two  after,  hearing 
that  it  was  become  void,  and  meeting  with  that  fellow  chaplain  of 
mine,  I  wished  him  much  joy  of  the  prebend.  He  asked  me  if  it 
were  void :  I  assured  him  so ;  and  telling  him  of  the  former  answer 
delivered  to  me  in  my  ignorance  of  his  engagement,  wished  him 
to  hasten  his  possession  of  it.  He  delayed  not.  When  he  came 
to  the  dean  of  Windsor  for  his  promised  dispatch,  the  dean  brought 
him  forth  a  letter  from  the  prince,  wherein  he  was  desired  and 
charged  to  reverse  his  former  engagement,  since  that  other  chap- 
lain was  otherwise  provided  for,  and  to  cast  that  favour  upon  me. 
I  was  sent  for  who  least  thought  of  it,  and  received  the  free  colla- 
tion of  that  poor  dignity.  It  was  not  the  value  of  the  place, 
which  was  but  nineteen P  nobles  per  annum,  that  we  aimed  at; 
but  the  freedom  of  a  goodly  church,  consisting  of  a  dean  and 
eight  prebendaries  competently  endowed,  and  many  thousand 
souls  lamentably  swallowed  up  by  wilful  recusants  in  a  pretended 
fee-farm  for  ever. 

O  God,  what  an  hand  hadst  thou  in  the  carriage  of  this  work ! 

When  we  set  foot  in  this  suit  (for  another  of  the  prebendaries 
joined  with  me),  we  knew  not  wherein  to  insist,  nor  where  to 
ground  our  complaint ;  only  we  knew  that  a  goodly  patrimony 
was  by  sacrilegious  conveyance  detained  from  the  church.    But  in 

0  [Archdeacon  1607,  died  1634.]  P  [The  value  of  the  noble  was  69.  8<Z.] 


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JOS.  HALL,   BISHOP  OF  NORWICH.  XXXvii 

the  pursuit  of  it  such  marvellous  light  opened  itself  inexpectedly 
to  us,  in  revealing  of  a  counterfeit  seal,  found  in  the  ashes  of  that 
burned  house,  of  a  false  register ;  in  the  manifestation  of  rasures 
and  interpolations,  and  misdates  of  unjustifiable  evidences ;  that 
after  many  years'  suit  the  wise  and  honourable  lord  chancellor 
Ellesmere,  upon  a  full  hearing,  adjudged  these  two  sued-for  pre- 
bends clearly  to  be  returned  to  the  church,  until  by  common  law 
they  could,  if  possibly,  be  revicted.  Our  great  adversary,  Sir 
Walter  Leveson,  finding  it  but  loss  and  trouble  to  struggle  for 
litigious  sheaves,  came  off  to  a  peaceable  composition  with  me  of 
forty  pounds  per  annum  for  my  part,  whereof  ten  should  be  to 
the  discharge  of  my  stall  in  that  church,  till  the  suit  should  by 
course  of  common  law  be  determined :  we  agreed  upon  fair  wars. 
The  cause  was  heard  at  the  kingVbench  bar :  where  a  special 
verdict  was  given  for  us.  Upon  the  death  of  my  partner  in  the 
suit,  in  whose  name  it  had  now  been  brought,  it  was  renewed ; 
a  jury  empannelled  in  the  county :  the  foreman,  who  had  vowed 
he  would  carry  it  for  Sir  Walter  Leveson  howsoever,  was  before 
the  day  stricken  mad,  and  so  continued.  We  proceeded  with  the 
same  success  we  formerly  had.  While  we  were  thus  striving,  a 
word  fell  from  my  adversary  that  gave  me  intimation  that  a  third 
dog  would  perhaps  come  in,  and  take  the  bone  from  us  both : 
which  I  finding  to  drive  at  a  supposed  concealment,  happily  pre- 
vented ;  for  I  presently  addressed  myself  to  his  majesty,  with  a 
petition  for  the  renewing  the  charter  of  that  church,  and  the  full 
establishment  of  the  lands,  rights,  liberties,  thereto  belonging; 
which  I  easily  obtained  from  those  gracious  hands.  Now  Sir 
Walter  Leveson,  seeing  the  patrimony  of  the  church  so  fast  and 
safely  settled,  and  misdoubting  what  issue  those  his  crazy  evi- 
dences would  find  at  the  common  law,  began  to  incline  to  offers  of 
peace ;  and  at  last  drew  him  so  far  as  that  he  yielded  to  thoso 
two  main  conditions,  not  particularly  for  myself,  but  for  the  whole 
body  of  all  those  prebends  which  pertained  to  the  church  :  first, 
that  he  would  be  content  to  cast  up  that  fee-farm  which  he  had 
of  all  the  patrimony  of  that  church,  and  disclaiming  it,  receive 
that  which  he  held  of  the  said  church  by  lease  from  us  the  several 
prebendaries,  for  term,  whether  of  years,  or,  which  he  rather 
desired,  of  lives :  secondly,  that  he  would  raise  the  maintenance 


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XXXVlli  SOME  SPECIALITIES  OF  THE  LIFE  OF 

of  every  prebend  (whereof  some  were  bat  forty  shillings,  others 
three  pounds,  others  four,  &c.)  to  the  yearly  value  of  thirty 
pounds  to  each  man  during  the  said  term  of  his  lease ;  only,  for  a 
monument  of  my  labour  and  success  herein,  1  required  that  my 
prebend  might  have  the  addition  of  ten  pounds  per  annum  above 
the  fellows.  We  were  busily  treating  of  this  happy  match  for 
that  poor  church :  Sir  Walter  Leveson  was  not  only  willing,  but 
forward  :  the  then  dean,  Mr.  Antonius  de  Dominis,  archbishop  of 
Spalatroq,  gave  both  way  and  furtherance  to  the  dispatch:  all 
had  been  most  happily  ended,  had  not  the  scrupulousness  of  one 
or  two  of  the  number  deferred  so  advantageous  a  conclusion.  In 
the  meanwhile  Sir  Walter  Leveson  dies ;  leaves  his  young  orphan 
ward  to  the  king :  all  our  hopes  were  now  blown  up ;  an  office 
was  found  of  all  those  lands ;  the  very  wonted  payments  were 
denied,  and  I  called  into  the  court  of  wards,  in  fair  likelihood  to 
forego  my  former  hold  and  yield  possession.  But  there  it  was 
justly  awarded  by  the  lord  treasurer',  then  master  of  the  wards, 
that  the  orphan  could  have  no  more,  no  other  right  than  the 
father :  I  was  therefore  left  in  my  former  state ;  only,  upon  pub- 
lic complaint  of  the  hard  condition  wherein  the  orphan  was  left,  I 
suffered  myself  to  be  over  entreated  to  abate  somewhat  of  that 
evicted  composition.  Which  work  having  once  firmly  settled,  in 
a  just  pity  of  the  mean  provision,  if  not  the  destitution  of  so  many 
thousand  souls,  and  a  desire  and  care  to  have  them  comfortably 
provided  for  in  the  future,  I  resigned  up  the  said  prebend  to  a 
worthy. preacher,  Mr.  Lee,  who  should  constantly  reside  there, 
and  painfully  instruct  that  great  and  long  neglected  people; 
which  he  hath  hithorto  performed,  with  great  mutual  contentment 
and  happy  success. 

Now  during  this  twenty-two  years  which  I  spent  at  Waltham, 
thrice  was  I  commanded  and  employed  abroad  by  his  majesty  in 
public  service. 

First,  in  the  attendance  of  the  right  honourable  Earl  of  Car- 
lisle8, (then  lord  Viscount  Doncaster,)  who  was  sent  upon  a  noble 

«l  [See  a  letter  from  the  Bishop  to  embassy  was  to  make  proposals  of  mar- 

him,  vol.  x.  p.  210.]  riage  between  Prince  Charles  and  Chris- 

r  [Robert  Cecil,  Earl  of  Salisbury.]  tine  the  eldest  sister  of  Louis  XIII,  as 

8  [A.  D.   1615.    The  object  of  this  well  as  to  congratulate  the  latter  on 


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JOS.  HALL,   BISHOP   OF   NORWICH.  XXXIX 

embassy,  with  a  gallant  retinue  into  France ;  whose  enterment 
there  the  annals  of  that  nation  will  tell  to  posterity.  In  the  midst 
of  that  service  was  I  surprised  with  a  miserable  distemper  of  body, 
which  ended  in  a  diarrhoea  biliosa,  not  without  some  beginning 
and  further  threats  of  a  dysentery  ;  wherewith  I  was  brought  so 
low  that  there  seemed  small  hope  of  my  recovery.  M.  Peter 
Moulin*,  to  whom  I  was  beholding  for  his  frequent  visitations, 
being  sent  by  my  lord  ambassador  to  inform  him  of  my  estate, 
brought  him  so  sad  news  thereof  as  that  he  was  much  afflicted 
therewith,  well  supposing  his  welcome  to  Waltham  could  not  but 
want  much  of  the  heart  without  me.  Now  the  time  of  his  return 
drew  on,  Dr.  Moulin  kindly  offered  to  remove  me,  upon  his  lord- 
ship's departure,  to  his  own  house ;  promising  me  all  careful  tend- 
ance. I  thanked  him,  but  resolved  if  I  could  but  creep  home- 
wards to  put  myself  upon  the  journey.  A  litter  was  provided, 
but  of  so  little  ease  that  Simeon's  penitential  lodging,  or  a  male- 
factor's stocks,  had  been  less  penal.  I  crawled  down  from  my 
close  chamber  into  that  carriage :  In  qua  videbaris  mihi  eferri, 
tanquam  in  sandapild,  as  Mr.  Moulin  wrote  to  me  afterward. 
That  misery  had  I  endured  all  the  long  passage  from  Paris  to 
Dieppe,  being  left  alone  to  the  surly  muleteers,  had  not  the  pro- 
vidence of  my  good  God  brought  me  to  St.  Germain's,  upon  the 
very  minute  of  the  setting  out  of  those  coaches,  which  had  staid 
there  upon  that  morning's  entertainment  of  my  lord  ambassador. 
How  glad  was  I  that  I  might  change  my  seat  and  my  company  ! 
In  the  way,  beyond  all  expectation  I  began  to  gather  some 
strength.  Whether  the  fresh  air  or  the  desires  of  my  home  re- 
vived me,  so  much  and  so  sudden  reparation  ensued  as  was  sen- 
sible to  myself,  and  seemed  strange  to  others.  Being  shipped  at 
Dieppe,  the  sea  used  us  hardly,  and  after  a  night  and  a  great 
part  of  the  day  following  sent  us  back  well  windbeaten  to  that 

his  marriage.     The  gorgeous  splendour  became  Professor  of  Philosophy  at  Ley- 

which  the  embassy  displayed  on  its  way  den,  and  afterwards  of  Divinity  at  Se- 

through  Paris  to  the  Louvre  is  noticed  dan.      King  James  the  First  invited 

in  Wilson's  History  of  England,  Lond.  him  to  England  in  1615,  and  gave  him 

1653,  p.  94.]  a  prebendal  staU  at  Canterbury. — H. 

t  This  was  the  elder  Molinieus,  father  [Both  the  elder  and  younger  Peter  were 

of  Peter  the  younger,  and  of  Louis.   He  Canons  of  Canterbury.] 
had, once  studied  at  Cambridge,   then 


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XI  SOME   SPECIALITIES  OF  THE  LIFE   OF 

bleak  haven  whence  we  set  forth,  forcing  us  to  a  more  pleasing 
land-passage,  through  the  coasts  of  Normandy  and  Picardy; 
towards  the  end  whereof  my  former  complaint  returned  upon  me, 
and  landing  with  me  accompanied  me  to  and  at  my  long-desired 
home.  In  this  my  absence  it  pleased  his  majesty  graciously  to 
confer  upon  me  the  deanery  of  Worcester11;  which,  being  pro- 
mised to  me  before  my  departure,  was  deeply  hazarded  while  I 
was  out  of  sight,  by  the  importunity  and  underhand  working  of 
some  great  ones.  Dr.  field,  the  learned  and  worthy  dean  of 
Gloucester,  was  by  his  potent  friends  put  into  such  assurances 
of  it,  that  I  heard  where  he  took  care  for  the  furnishing  that 
ample  house.  But  God  fetched  it  about  for  me,  in  that  absence 
and  nescience  of  mine ;  and  that  reverend  and  better  deserving 
divine  was  well  satisfied  with  greater  hopes,  and  soon  after  ex- 
changing this  mortal  estate  for  an  immortal  and  glorious. 

Before  I  could  go  down,  through  my  continuing  weakness,  to 
take  possession  of  that  dignity,  his  majesty  pleased  to  design  me 
to  his  attendance  into  Scotland,  where  the  great  love  and  respect 
that  I  found,  both  from  the  ministers  and  people,  wrought  me  no 
small  envy  from  some  of  our  own.  Upon  a  commonly  received 
supposition  that  his  majesty  would  have  no  further  use  of  his 
chaplains  after  his  remove  from  Edinburgh,  (forasmuch  as  the 
divines  of  the  country,  whereof  there  is  great  store  and  worthy 
choice,  were  allotted  to  every  station,)  I  easily  obtained,  through 
the  solicitation  of  my  ever  honoured  lord  of  Carlisle,  to  return 
with  him  before  my  fellows.  No  sooner  was  I  gone,  than  sugges- 
tions were  made  to  his  majesty  of  my  over  plausible  demeanour 
and  doctrine  to  that  already  prejudicate  people;  for  which  his 
majesty,  after  a  gracious  acknowledgment  of  my  good  service  there 
done,  called  me  upon  his  return  to  a  favourable  and  mild  account ; 
not  more  freely  professing  what  informations  had  been  given 
against  me,  than  his  own  full  satisfaction  with  my  sincere  and  just 
answer ;  as  whose  excellent  wisdom  well  saw,  that  such  winning 
carriage  of  mine  could  be  no  hinderance  to  those  his  great  de- 
signs. At  the  same  time  his  majesty,  having  secret  notice  that 
a  letter  was  coming  to  me  from  Mr.  W.  Struther,  a  reverend  and 

u  [Presented  Dec.  9,  1616.] 


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JOS.  HALL,   BISHOP   OP  NORWICH,  xli 

learned  divine  of  Edinburgh,  concerning  the  five  points  then  pro- 
posed and  urged  to  the  church  of  Scotland,  was  pleased  to  impose 
upon  me  an  earnest  charge  to  give  him  a  full  answer  in  satisfac- 
tion to  those  his  modest  doubts,  and  at  large  to  declare  my  judg- 
ment concerning  those  required  observations;  which  I  speedily 
performed,  with  so  great  approbation  of  his  majesty,  that  it 
pleased  him  to  command  a  transcript  thereof,  as  I  was  informed, 
publicly  read  in  their  most  famous  university x :  the  effect  whereof 
his  majesty  vouchsafed  to  signify  afterwards  unto  some  of  my  best 
friends,  with  allowance  beyond  my  hopes. 

It  was  not  long  after  that  his  majesty,  finding  the  exigence  of 
the  affairs  of  the  Netherlandish  churches  to  require  it,  both  ad- 
vised them  to  a  synodical  decision,  and  by  his  incomparable  wis- 
dom promoted  the  work.  My  unworthiness  was  named  for  one 
of  the  assistants  of  that  honourable,  grave,  and  reverend  meeting, 
where  I  failed  not  of  my  best  service  to  that  wofully  distracted 
churchy.  By  that  time  I  had  stayed  some  two  months  there,  the 
unquietness  of  the  nights  in  those  garrison  towns  working  upon 
the  tender  disposition  of  my  body,  brought  me  to  such  weakness 
through  want  of  rest,  that  it  began  to  disable  me  from  attending 
the  synod;  which  yet,  as  I  might,  I  forced  myself  unto,  as  wishing 
that  my  zeal  could  have  discountenanced  my  infirmity.  Where  in 
the  meantime  it  is  well  worthy  of  my  thankful  remembrance,  that 
being  in  an  afflicted  and  languishing  condition  for  a  fortnight  to- 
gether with  that  sleepless  distemper,  yet  it  pleased  God,  the  very 
night  before  I  was  to  preach  the  Latin  sermon  to  the  synod,  to 
bestow  upon  me  such  a  comfortable  refreshing  of  sufficient  sleep, 
as  whereby  my  spirits  were  revived,  and  I  was  enabled  with  much 
vivacity  to  perform  that  service ;  which  was  no  sooner  done,  than 
my  former  complaint  renewed  upon  me,  and  prevailed  against  all 
the  remedies  that  the  counsel  of  physicians  could  advise  me  unto ; 
so  as  after  long  strife  I  was  compelled  to  yield  unto  a  retirement 
for  the  time  to  the  Hague,  to  see  if  change  of  place  and  more 
careful  attendance,  which  I  had  in  the  house  of  our  right  honour- 
able ambassador,  the  Lord  Carleton,  now  Viscount  Dorchester, 

*  [See  vol.  ix.  p.  117.]  See  Acta  Synodi,  &c.  Dordrecht.  1620, 

7  [The  synod  of  Dort  was  opened     p.  376.] 
Nov.  13,  1618,  and  closed  May  9,  1619. 


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xlii 


SOME  SPECIALITIES   OF  THE   LIFE  OF 


might  recover  me.  But  when  notwithstanding  all  means  my 
weakness  increased  so  far  as  that  there  was  small  likelihood  left  of 
so  much  strength  remaining  as  might  bring  me  back  into  England, 
it  pleased  his  gracious  majesty,  by  our  noble  ambassador's  solicita- 
tion, to  call  me  off,  and  to  substitute  a  worthy  divine,  Mr.  Dr. 
Goade,  in  my  unwillingly  forsaken  room.  Returning  by  Dort,  I 
sent  in  my  sad  farewell2  to  that  grave  assembly,  who  by  common 
vote  sent  to  me  the  president  of  the  synod  and  the  assistants,  with 
a  respective  and  gracious  valediction.  Neither  did  the  deputies  of 
my  lords  the  states  neglect,  after  a  very  respectful  compliment 
sent  from  them  to  me  by  Daniel  Heinsius,  to  visit  me,  and  after  a 


z  Die  Januarii  17°.  A.D.  16 19.  [Ful- 
ler is  in  error  when  he  states  (Church 
Hist.  v.  5.  p.  467,  Brewer's  ed.)  that 
this  address  was  made  by  Hall  in  per- 
son. The  record  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  synod  coincides  with  the  statement 
in  the  text :  Cujus,  quanquam  absentis 
scriptum  publico  lectum  est  quo  idem 
Doctor.  Hallos  luculenter  sane  atqne 
humanissime  toti  Synodo  valedioebat. 
Acta  Syn.  Nat.  Dord.  Sess.  62.  Jan.  17. 
Dord.  1620,  p.  226.]  "Non  facile  vero 
mecum  in  gratiam  redierit  cadaverosa 
hs3o  moles,  quam  eagre  usque  circum- 
gesto,  qu»  mihi  hujus  Gonventus  celebri- 
tatem  toties  inviderit,  jamque  prorsus  in- 
vitissimum  a  vobis  importune  avocat  et 
divellit.  Neque  enim  ullus  est  profecto 
sub  coelo  locus  a?que  coeli  semulus,  et  in 
quo  tentorium  mihi  figi  maluerim,  cujus- 
que  adeo  gestiet  mihi  animus  meminisse. 
Beatos  vero  vos,  quibus  hoc  frui  datum ! 
Non  dignus  eram  ego,  (ut  fidelissimi 
Romani  querimoniam  imitari  liceat,) 
qui  et  Christi  et  Eccleeiss  sua?  nomine 
sanctam  hanc  provinciam  diutius  susti- 
nerem.  Illud  vero  ©cow  tv  yovvaffi. 
Nempe  audito,  quod  res  erat,  non  alia 
me  quam  adversiseima  hie  usum  valetu- 
dine,  serenissimus  Rex  mens,  misertus 


miselli  fiunuli  sui,  revocat  me  domum, 
(quippe  quod  cineres  meos,  aut  sanda- 
pilam,  vobis  nihil  quicquam  prodesse 
posse  norit,)  succenturiavitque  mihi  vi- 
rum  e  suis  selectissimum,  quantum 
Theologum  !  De  me  profecto  (mero  jam 
silicernio)  quicquid  fiat,  viderit  ille 
Deus  mens,  cujus  ego  totus  sum.  Vobis 
quidem  ita  feliciter  prospectum  est,  ut 
sit,  cur  infirmitati  mee  haud  parum 
gratulemini,  quum  hujusmodi  instate- 
tisBimo  sucoedaneo  ceatum  huno  ves- 
trum  beaverit.  Neque  tamen  commit- 
tam  (si  Deus  mihi  vitam  et  vires  indul- 
Berit)  ut  et  corpore  simul  et  animo 
abesse  videar.  Interea  sane  huic  Sy- 
nodo, ubicunque  terrarum  sum,  et  vo- 
bis, consiliis  conatibusque  meis  quibus- 
cunque  res  vestras  me,  pro  virili,  sedulo 
ac  serio  promoturum,  sancte  voveo*. 
Interim  vobis  omnibus  ac  singulis,  ho- 
noratissimi  Domini  Delegati,  reveren- 
dissime  Praises,  gravissimi  Assessores, 
Scribsa  doctissimi,  Symmystse  oolendia- 
simi,  Tibique,  venerandissima  Synodus 
Universa,  a?gro  animo  ac  corpore  ster- 
num valedico.  Rogo  vos  omnes  ob- 
nixius,  ut  precibus  vestris  imbecillem 
reducem  facere,  comitari,  prosequi  ve- 
litis." 


*  The  Bishop  was  not  unmlndftd  of  his  promise  ;  rendering  his  aid  towards  a  new  Translation  of  the 
Bible,  with  Annotations,  ordered  by  the  Synod  for  the  United  Provinces ;  published  in  the  Dutch 
language  in  1639 ;  and  in  English  by  Theodore  Haak,  in  1657.  8ee  Allport's  Life  of  Bp.  Davenant, 
p.  xvili.— H. 


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JOS.  HALL,  BISHOP  OF  NORWICH.  xliii 

noble  acknowledgment  of  more  good  service  from  me  than  I  durst 
own,  dismissed  me  with  an  honourable  retribution,  and  sent  after 
me  a  rich  medal  of  gold*,  the  portraiture  of  the  synod,  for  a  pre- 
cious monument  of  their  respects  to  my  poor  endeavours,  who 
failed  not,  while  I  was  at  the  Hague,  to  impart  unto  them  my 
poor  advice  concerning  the  proceeding  of  that  synodical  meeting. 
The  difficulties  of  my  return  in  such  weakness  were  many  and 
great;  wherein,  if  ever  God  manifested  his  special  providence  to 
me,  in  overruling  the  cross  accidents  of  that  passage,  and  after 
many  dangers  and  despairs  contriving  my  safe  arrival. 

After  not  many  years'  settling  at  home,  it  grieved  my  soul  to 
see  our  own  church  begin  to  sicken  of  the  same  disease  which  we 
had  endeavoured  to  cure  in  our  neighbours.  Mr.  Mountague's 
tart  and  vehement  assertions  of  some  positions,  near  of  kin  to  the 
Remonstrants  of  Netherland,  gave  occasion  of  raising  no  small 
broil  in  the  church.  Sides  were  taken;  pulpits  everywhere  rang 
of  these  opinions :  but  parliaments  took  notice  of  the  division  and 
questioned  the  occasioned.  Now,  as  one  that  desired  to  do  all 
good  offices  to  our  dear  and  common  mother,  I  set  my  thoughts 
on  work  how  so  dangerous  a  quarrel  might  be  happily  composed ; 
and,  finding  that  mistaking  was  more  guilty  of  this  dissension  than 
misbelieving,  (since  it  plainly  appeared  to  me  that  Mr.  Mountague 
meant  to  express,  not  Arminius,  but  B.  Overall0,  a  more  moderate 
and  safe  author,  however  he  sped  in  delivery  of  him,)  I  wrote  a 
little  project  of  pacification,  wherein  I  desired  to  rectify  the  judg- 
ment of  men  concerning  this  misapprehended  controversy,  show* 
ing  them  the  true  parties  in  this  unseasonable  plea ;  and  because 

»  This  medal,  which  the  Bishop  used  Tetragrammaton  of  the  Hebrews,  with 

to  wear  suspended  on  his  breast,  came  the   inscription,   Erunt  ut  mont  Sion, 

into  possession  of  the  family  of  Jenny,  oiodoxix. — H. 

of  Bayfield  Hall,  near   Holt,   in    the  *>  [See  FuUer's  Church  History,  vol. 

county  of  Norfolk ;  and  was  bequeathed  vi.  p.  18,  with  note  containing  an  ex- 

by  William  Jermy,  Esq.,  who  died  in  tract  from  Heylin's  Life  of  Abp.  Laud.] 

1 750,  to  Emmanuel  College,  Cambridge.  c  Dr.  John  Overall,  Bishop  of  Nor- 

The  obverse  represents  the  assembly  in  wich,  compiler  of  the  Convocation  Book 

full  conclave,  with  the  words  Asaerta  of  1606,  author  of  the  sacramental  part 

Kdigume :  the  reverse,  a  mountain,  with  of  the  Church  of  England  Catechism, 

a  temple  on  the  summit ;  two  men  are  and  one  of  the  translators  of  the  Bible, 

ascending  by  a  steep  path,  while  the  Camden    terms    him    "  a    prodigious 

winds   of  discord  violently  assail  the  learned  man." — H. 
mountain ;    above,  appeara  the  sacred 


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xliv  SOME  SPECIALITIES  OF  THE  LIFE  OF 

B.  Overall  went  a  midway  betwixt  the  two  opinions  which  he  held 
extreme,  and  must  needs  therefore  differ  somewhat  from  the 
commonly  received  tenet  in  these  points,  I  gathered  out  of 
B.  Overall  on  the  one  side,  and  out  of  our  English  divines  at 
Dort  on  the  other,  such  common  propositions  concerning  these 
five  busy  articles  as  wherein  both  of  them  are  fully  agreedd.  All 
which  being  put  together,  seemed  unto  me  to  make  up  bo  sufficient 
a  body  of  accorded  truth,  that  all  other  questions  moved  here- 
abouts appeared  merely  superfluous,  and  every  moderate  Christian 
might  find  where  to  rest  himself  without  hazard  of  contradiction. 
These  I  made  bold,  by  the  hands  of  Dr.  Young  the  worthy  dean 
of  Winchester6,  to  present  to  his  excellent  majesty,  together  with 
an  humble  motion  of  a  peaceable  silence  to  be  enjoined  to  both 
parts  in  those  other  collateral  and  needless  disquisitions,  which,  if 
they  might  befit  the  schools  of  academical  disputants,  could  not 
certainly  sound  well  from  the  pulpits  of  popular  auditories.  Those 
reconciliatory  papers  fell  under  the  eyes  of  some  grave  divines  on 
both  parts.  Mr.  Mountague  professed  that  he  had  seen  them,  and 
would  subscribe  to  them  very  willingly ;  others  that  were  contra- 
rily  minded,  both  English,  Scottish,  and  French  divines,  proffered 
their  hands  to  a  no  less  ready  subscription;  so  as  much  peace 
promised  to  result  out  of  that  weak  and  poor  enterprise,  had  not 
the  confused  noise  of  the  misconstructions  of  those  who  never 
saw  the  work,  crying  it  down  for  the  very  name's  sake,  meeting 
with  the  royal  edict  of  a  general  inhibition,  buried  it  in  a  secure 
silence. 

1  was  scorched  a  little  with  this  flame,  which  I  desired  to 
quench;  yet  this  could  not  stay  my  hand  from  thrusting  itself 
into  an  hotter  fire. 

Some  insolent  Romanists,  Jesuits  especially,  in  their  bold  dis- 
putations, (which  in  the  time  of  the  treaty  of  the  Spanish  match 
and  the  calm  of  that  relaxation  were  very  frequent,)  pressed  no- 
thing so  much  as  a  catalogue  of  the  professors  of  our  religion,  to 
be  deduced  from  the  primitive  times;  and  with  the  peremptory 
challenge  of  the  impossibility  of  this  pedigree,  dazzled  the  eyes 
of  the  simple :   while  some  of  our  learned  men,  undertaking  to 

d  [See  the  Tract  entitled  "Via  Media,"  vol.  ix.  p.  490.] 
e  [Installed  Dean,  July  8,  1616.] 


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JOS.  HALL,   BISHOP  09  NORWICH.  xlv 

satisfy  so  needless  and  unjust  a  demand,  gave  as  I  conceived  great 
advantage  to  the  adversary.  In  a  just  indignation  to  see  us  thus 
wronged  by  misstating  the  question  betwixt  us,  as  if  we,  yielding 
ourselves  of  another  church  originally  and  fundamentally  different, 
should  make  good  our  own  erection  upon  the  ruins,  yea,  the 
nullity,  of  theirs;  and  well  considering  the  infinite  and  great 
inconveniences  that  must  needs  follow  upon  this  defence,  I  ad- 
ventured to  set  my  pen  on  work ;  desiring  to  rectify  the  opinions 
of  those  men  whom  an  ignorant  zeal  had  transported  to  the  pre- 
judice of  our  holy  cause;  laying  forth  the  damnable  corruptions  of 
the  Roman  church,  yet  making  our  game  at  the  outward  visibility 
thereof  and  by  this  means  putting  them  to  the  probation  of  those 
newly  obtruded  corruptions  which  are  truly  guilty  of  the  breach 
betwixt  usf.  The  drift  whereof  being  not  well  conceived  by  some 
spirits  that  were  not  so  wise  as  fervent,  I  was  suddenly  exposed  to 
the  rash  censures  of  many  well  affected  and  zealous  protestants; 
as  if  I  had  in  a  remission  to  my  wonted  zeal  to  the  truth  attributed 
too  much  to  the  Roman  church,  and  strengthened  the  adversaries' 
hands  and  weakened  our  own.  This  envy  I  was  fain  to  take  off, 
by  my  speedy  "Apologetical  Advertisement,"  and  after  that  by 
my  "  Reconciler,"  seconded  with  the  unanimous  letters  of  such 
reverend,  learned,  sound  divines*,  both  bishops  and  doctors,  as 
whose  undoubtable  authority  was  able  to  bear  down  calumny 
itself:  which  done,  I  did  by  a  seasonable  moderation  provide  for 
the  peace  of  the  church,  in  silencing  both  my  defendants  and  chal- 
lengers in  this  unkind  and  ill-raised  quarrel. 

Immediately  before  the  publishing  of  this  tractate,  (which  did 
not  a  little  aggravate  the  envy  and  suspicion,)  I  was  by  his  majesty 
raised  to  the  bishopric  of  Exeter*1 ;  having  formerly,  with  much 
humble  deprecation,  refused  the  see  of  Gloucester  earnestly  prof- 
fered unto  me.  How  beyond  all  expectation  it  pleased  God  to 
place  me  in  that  western  charge,  which,  if  the  Duke  of  Bucking- 
ham's letters,  he  being  then  in  France,  had  arrived  some  hours 
sooner,  I  had  been  defeated  of,  and  by  what  strange  means  it 
pleased  God  to  make  up  the  competency  of  that  provision  by  the 

'  [See  the  Treatise  "  the  Old  Beli-      deaux,  Dr.  Primrose.     [See  vol.  viii.  p. 
gion.M]  739  et  ■•*•] 

*  B.  Morton,  B.  Davenant,  Dr.  Pri-         *  [Elected  Nov.  5,  1627.] 


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xlvi  SOME  SPECIALITIES   OF  THE  LIFE  OF 

unthought  of  addition  of  the  rectory  of  St.  Breok  within  that 
diocese,  if  I  should  fully  relate  the  circumstances,  would  force 
the  confession  of  an  extraordinary  hand  of  God  in  the  disposing 
of  those  events. 

I  entered  upon  that  place,  not  without  much  prejudice  and  sus- 
picion on  some  hands;  for  some  that  sat  at  the  stern  of  the  church 
had  me  in  great  jealousy  for  too  much  favour  of  Puritanism.  I 
soon  had  intelligence  who  were  set  over  me  for  espials.  My  ways 
were  curiously  observed  and  scanned.  However  I  took  the  reso- 
lution to  follow  those  courses  which  might  most  conduce  to  the 
peace  and  happiness  of  my  new  and  weighty  charge.  Finding 
therefore  some  factious  spirits  very  busy  in  that  diocese,  I  used 
all  fair  and  gentle  means  to  win  them  to  good  order ;  and  therein 
so  happily  prevailed  that,  saving  two  of  that  numerous  clergy 
who  continuing  in  their  refractoriness  fled  away  from  censure, 
they  were  all  perfectly  reclaimed ;  so  as  I  had  not  one  minister 
professedly  opposite  to  the  anciently  received  orders  (for  I  was 
never  guilty  of  urging  any  new  impositions)  of  the  church  in  that 
large  diocese. 

Thus  we  went  on  comfortably  together,  till  some  persons  of 
note  in  the  clergy,  being  guilty  of  their  own  negligence  and  dis- 
orderly courses,  began  to  envy  our  success ;  and  finding  me  ever 
ready  to  encourage  those  whom  I  found  conscionably  forward  and 
painful  in  their  places,  and  willingly  giving  way  to  orthodox  and 
peaceable  lectures  in  several  parts  of  my  diocese,  opened  their 
mouths  against  me,  both  obliquely  in  the  pulpit  and  directly  at 
the  court ;  complaining  of  my  too  much  indulgence  to  persons  dis- 
affected, and  my  too  much  liberty  of  frequent  lecturings  within 
my  charge.  The  billows  went  so  high  that  I  was  three  several 
times  upon  my  knee  to  his  majesty  to  answer  these  great  crimina- 
tions; and  what  contestation  I  had  with  some  great  lords  con- 
cerning these  particulars  it  would  be  too  long  to  report:  only 
this,  under  how  dark  a  cloud  I  was  hereupon  I  was  so  sensible, 
that  I  plainly  told  the  lord  Archbishop  of  Canterbury1,  that  rather 
than  I  would  be  obnoxious  to  those  slanderous  tongues  of  his  mis- 
informers  I  would  cast  up  my  rochet.  I  knew  I  went  right  ways, 
and  would  not  endure  to  live  under  undeserved  suspicions. 

i  Laud.— H. 


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JOS.  HALL,   BISHOP  OF  NORWICH.  xlvii 

What  messages  of  caution  I  had  from  some  of  my  wary  bre- 
thren, and  what  expostulatory  letters  I  had  from  above,  I  need 
not  relate.  Sure  I  am  I  had  peace  and  comfort  at  home,  in  the 
happy  sense  of  that  general  unanimity  and  loving  correspondence 
of  my  clergy,  till  in  the  last  year  of  my  presiding  there,  after  the 
synodical  oath  was  set  on  foot— (which  yet  I  did  never  tender  to 
any  one  minister  of  my  diocese,)  by  the  incitation  of  some  busy 
interlopers  of  the  neighbour  county,  some  of  them  began  to  enter 
into  an  unkind  contestation  with  me  about  the  election  of  clerks 
for  the  convocation;  whom  they  secretly,  without  ever  acquainting 
me  with  their  desire  or  purpose,  as  driving  to  that  end  which  we 
see  now  accomplished,  would  needs  nominate  and  set  up  in  com- 
petition to  those  whom  I  had  after  the  usual  form  recommended 
to  them.  That  they  had  a  right  to  free  voices  in  that  choice  I 
denied  not;  only  I  had  reason  to  take  it  unkindly  that  they  would 
work  underhand,  without  me,  and  against  me ;  professing  that  if 
they  had  beforehand  made  their  desires  known  to  me,  I  should 
willingly  have  gone  along  with  them  in  their  election.  It  came  to 
the  poll.     Those  of  my  nomination  carried  it. 

The  parliament  begun,  after  some  hard  tugging  there,  return- 
ing home  upon  a  recess  I  was  met  on  the  way,  and  cheerfully 
welcomed  with  some  hundreds. 

In  no  worse  terms  I  left  that  my  once  dear  diocese;  when, 
returning  to  Westminster,  I  was  soon  called  by  his  majesty,  who 
was  then  in  the  north,  to  a  remove  to  Norwich. 

But  how  I  took  the  Tower  in  my  way,  and  how  I  have  been 
dealt  with  since  my  repair  hither,  I  could  be  lavish  in  the  sad 
report ;  ever  desiring  my  good  God  to  enlarge  my  heart  in  thank- 
fulness to  him,  for  the  sensible  experience  I  have  had  of  his 
fatherly  hand  over  me  in  the  deepest  of  all  my  afflictions,  and  to 
strengthen  me  for  whatsoever  other  trials  he  shall  be  pleased  to 
call  me  unto ;  that,  being  found  faithful  unto  the  death,  I  may 
obtain  that  crown  of  life  which  he  hath  ordained  for  all  those  that 
overcome. 


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A    LETTER 

SENT  FROM  THE  TOWER  *  TO  A  PRIVATE  FRIEND; 

AND  BY  HIM  THOUGHT  FIT  TO  BE  PUBLISHED. 


TO  MY  MUCH  RESPECTED  GOOD  FRIEND,  Mr.  H.  S. 

Worthy  Sir, — Tou  think  it  strange  that  I  should  salute  you 
from  hence.  How  can  you  choose,  when  I  do  yet  still  wonder  to 
see  myself  here  ?  My  intentions  and  this  place  are  such  strangers, 
that  I  cannot  enough  marvel  how  they  met. 

But  howsoever  I  do  in  all  humility  kiss  the  rod  wherewith  I 
smart ;  as  well  knowing  whose  hand  it  is  that  wields  it.  To  that 
Infinite  Justice  who  can  be  innocent?  But  to  my  king  and 
country  never  heart  was  or  can  be  more  clear;  and  I  shall  be- 
shrew  my  hand,  if  it  shall  have,  against  my  thoughts,  justly 
offended  either:  and  if  either  say  bo,  I  reply  not;  as  having 
learned  not  to  contest  with  those  that  can  command  legions. 

In  the  meantime  it  is  a  kind  but  a  cold  compliment,  that  you 
pity  me ;  an  affection  well  placed  where  a  man  deserves  to  be 
miserable :  for  me,  I  am  not  conscious  of  such  merit. 

You  tell  me  in  what  fair  terms  I  stood  not  long  since  with  the 
world ;  how  large  room  I  had  in  the  hearts  of  the  best  men :  but 
can  you  tell  me  how  I  lost  it  ?  Truly  I  have,  in  the  presence  of 
my  God,  narrowly  searched  my  own  bosom.  I  have  unpartially 
ransacked  this  fag-end  of  my  life,  and  curiously  examined  every 
step  of  my  ways ;  and  I  cannot,  by  the  most  exact  scrutiny  of  my 

»   [The  Bishop,    together  with    his  to  the  Tower  on  the  30th  of  December 

brethren  who  had  signed  the  "  Protes-  preceding  the  date  of  this  letter.    See 

tation"  presented  to  the  king  by  Arch-  Clarendon's  Hist,  of  the  Rebellion,  Ozf. 

bishop  Williams,  had  been  committed  1849,  vol«  *•  P*  499-1 


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A   LETTER  SENT  FROM   THE  TOWER.  xlix 

saddest  thoughts,  find  what  it  is  that  I  have  done  to  forfeit  that 
good  estimation ,  wherewith  you  say  I  was  once  blessed.      ^  ' 

I  can  secretly  arraign  and  condemn  myself  of  infinite  transgres- 
sions before  the  tribunal  of  heaven.  Who  that  dwells  in  a  house 
of  clay  can  be  pure  in  His  sight  that  charged  his  angels  with 
folly  ?  O  God,  when  I  look  upon  the  reckonings  betwixt  thee 
and  my  soul,  and  find  my  shameful  arrears,  I  can  be  most  vile  in 
my  own  sight,  because  I  have  deserved  to  be  so  in  thine :  yet 
even  then,  in  thy  most  pure  eyes,  give  me  leave  the  while  not  to 
abdicate  my  sincerity.  Thou  knowest  my  heart  desires  to  be 
right  with  thee,  whatever  my  failings  may  have  been ;  and  I  know 
what  value  thou  puttest  upon  those  sincere  desires,  notwithstand- 
ing all  the  intermixtures  of  our  miserable  infirmities.  These  I 
can  penitently  bewail  to  thee :  but  in  the  meantime  what  have  I 
done  to  men  ?  Let  them  not  spare  to  shame  me  with  the  late 
sinful  declinations  of  my  age ;  and  fetch  blushes  if  they  can  from 
a  wrinkled  face. 

Let  mine  enemies  (for  such  I  perceive  I  have,  and  those  are  the 
surest  monitors,)  say  what  I  have  offended.  For  their  better  irrita- 
tion, my  clear  conscience  bids  me  boldly  to  take  up  the  challenge 
of  good  Samuel,  Behold,  here  I  ami  witness  against  me  before 
the  Lord,  and  before  his  anointed :  whose  ox  have  I  taken  ?  or 
whose  ass  have  I  taken  t  or  whom  have  I  defrauded  ?  whom 
have  I  oppressed  ?  or  of  whose  hand  have  I  received  any  bribe, 
to  blind  mine  eyes  therewith  f  and  I  will  restore  it  you. 

Can  they  say  that  I  bore  up  the  reins  of  government  too  hard, 
and  exercised  my  jurisdiction  in  a  rigorous  and  tyrannical  way, 
insolently  lording  it  over  my  charge  ?  Malice  itself  perhaps  would 
but  dare  not  speak  it :  or  if  it  should,  the  attestation  of  so  grave 
and  numerous  a  clergy  would  choke  such  impudence.  Let  them 
witness  whether  they  were  not  still  entertained  by  me  with  an 
equal  return  of  reverence  as  if  they  had  been  all  bishops  with  me, 
or  I  only  a  presbyter  with  them ;  according  to  the  old  rule  of 
Egbert  Archbishop  of  York,  Intra  domum  episeopus  collegam  se 
presbyterorum  esse  eognoscat.  Let  them  say  whether  aught  here 
looked  like  despotical,  or  sounded  rather  of  imperious  commands 
than  of  brotherly  complying :  whether  I  have  not  rather  from  some 
beholders  undergone  the  censure  of  a  too  humble  remissness;  as 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  d 

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1  A  LETTER  SENT  FROM  THE  TOWER. 

perhaps  stooping  too  low  beneath  the  eminence  of  episcopal  dig- 
nity :  whether  I  have  not  suffered  as  much  in  some  opinions  for 
the  winning  mildness  of  my  administration,  as  some  others  for  a 
rough  severity. 

Can  they  say,  for  this  aspersion  is  likewise  common,  that  I 
barred  the  free  course  of  religious  exercises  by  the  suppression  of 
painful  and  peaceable  preachers  ?  If  shame  will  suffer  any  man 
to  object  it,  let  me  challenge  him  to  instance  but  in  one  name. 
Kay,  the  contrary  is  so  famously  known  in  the  western  parts,  that 
every  mouth  will  herein  justify  me.  What  free  admission  and 
encouragement  have  I  always  given  to  all  the  sons  of  peace  that 
came  with  God's  message  in  their  mouths !  What  missuggestions 
have  I  waived !  What  blows  have  I  borne  off  in  the  behalf  of 
some  of  them,  from  some  gainsayers  I  How  have  I  often  and  pub- 
licly professed,  that  as  well  might  we  complain  of  too  many  stars 
in  the  sky  as  too  many  orthodox  preachers  in  the  church ! 

Can  they  complain  that  I  fretted  the  necks  of  my  clergy  with 
the  uneasy  yoke  of  new  and  illegal  impositions  ?  Let  them  whom 
I  have  thus  hurt  blazon  my  unjust  severity,  and  write  their 
wrongs  in  marble ;  but  if,  disliking  all  novel  devices,  I  have  held 
close  to  those  ancient  rules  which  limited  the  audience  of  our 
godly  predecessors ;  if  I  have  grated  upon  no  man's  conscience  by 
the  pressure,  no  not  by  the  tender,  of  the  late  oathb,  or  any  un- 
prescribed  ceremony ;  if  I  have  freely,  in  the  committee  appointed 
by  the  most  honourable  house  of  peers,  declared  my  open  dislike 
of  all  innovations  both  in  doctrine  and  rites ;  why  should  my  in- 
nocence suffer  ? 

Can  they  challenge  me  as  a  close  and  backstair  friend  to  Popery 
or  Arminianism,  who  have  in  so  many  pulpits  and  so  many  presses 
cried  down  both  ?  Surely  the  very  paper  that  I  have  spent  in 
the  refutation  of  both  these  is  enough  to  stop  more  mouths  than 
can  be  guilty  of  this  calumny. 

Can  they  check  me  with  a  lazy  silence  in  my  place  ?    With 

b  [The  oath  alluded  to  waa  included  solved,  and  Convocation  had  been  re- 
in the  Canons  (Can.  6.)  passed  by  Con-  assembled  by  special  commission  under 
vocation,  which  met  at  the  same  time  the  great  seal,  dated  May  14,  1640. 
with  the  Parliament,  13th  April,  1640.  See  Clarendon's  Hist,  of  the  Rebellion, 
These  Canons  however  were  not  passed  vol.  i.  p.  209.] 
until  after  Parliament  had  been  dis- 


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A  LETTER  SENT  FBOM  THE  TOWER.  li 

infrequence  of  preaching  ?  Let  the  populous  auditories  where  I 
have  lived  witness  whether,  haying  furnished  all  the  churches  near 
me  with  able  preachers,  I  took  not  all  opportunities  of  supplying 
such  courses  as  I  could  get  in  my  cathedral ;  and  when  my  tongue 
was  silent,  let  the  world  say  whether  my  hand  were  idle. 

Lastly,  since  no  man  can  offer  to  upbraid  me  with  too  much 
pomp,  which  is  wont  to  be  the  common  eye-sore  of  our  envied 
profession,  can  any  man  pretend  to  a  ground  of  taxing  me,  as  I 
perceive  one  of  late  hath  most  unjustly  done,  of  too  much  world* 
liness  ?  Surely  of  all  the  vices  forbidden  in  the  Decalogue,  there 
is  no  one  which  my  heart  upon  due  examination  can  less  fasten 
upon  me  than  this.  He  that  made  it  knows  that  he  hath  put  into 
it  a  true  disregard  (save  only  for  necessary  use)  of  the  world; 
and  of  all  that  it  can  boast  of,  whether  for  profit,  pleasure,  or 
glory.  No,  no ;  I  know  the  world  too  well  to  dote  upon  it.  While 
I  am  in  it  how  can  I  but  use  it  ?  But  I  never  care,  never  yield,  to 
enjoy  it.  It  were  too  great  a  shame  for  a  philosopher,  a  Christian, 
a  divine,  a  bishop,  to  have  his  thoughts  grovelling  here  upon 
earth :  for  mine,  they  scorn  the  employment,  and  look  upon  all 
these  sublunary  distractions,  as  upon  this  man's  false  censure, 
with  no  other  eyes  than  contempt. 

And  now,  Sir,  since  I  cannot,  how  secretly  faulty  soever,  guess 
at  my  own  public  exorbitances,  I  beseech  you,  where  you  hear  my 
name  traduced,  learn  of  mine  accusers,  whose  lyncean  eyes  would 
seem  to  see  farther  into  me  than  my  own,  what  singular  offence  I 
have  committed. 

If  perhaps  my  calling  be  my  crime ;  it  is  no  other  than  the 
most  holy  fathers  of  the  church  in  the  primitive  and  succeeding 
ages  ever  since  the  apostles,  many  of  them  also  blessed  martyrs, 
have  been  guilty  of:  it  is  no  other  than  all  the  holy  doctors  of 
the  church  in  all  generations  ever  since,  have  celebrated  as  most 
reverend,  sacred,  inviolable:  it  is  no  other  than  all  the  whole 
Christian  world,  excepting  one  small  handful  of  our  neighbours, 
whose  condition  denied  them  the  opportunity  of  this  government, 
is  known  to  enjoy  without  contradiction.  How  safe  is  it  erring  in 
such  company ! 

If  my  offence  be  in  my  pen,  which  hath  as  it  could  undertaken 
the  defence  of  that  apostolical  institution,  though  with  all  mo- 

da 

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lii  A  LETTER  SENT  FROM  THE  TOWER. 

desty  and  fair  respects  to  the  churches  differing  from  us,  I  cannot 
deprecate  a  truth ;  and  such  I  know  this  to  be ;  which  is  since  so 
cleared  by  better  hands  that  1  well  hope  the  better  informed  world 
cannot  but  sit  down  convinced.  Neither  doubt  I  but  that,  as 
metals  receive  the  more  lustre  with  often  rubbing,  this  truth,  the 
more  agitation  it  undergoes,  shall  appear  every  day  more  glorious. 
Only,  may  the  good  Spirit  of  the  Almighty  speedily  dispel  all 
those  dusky  prejudices  from  the  minds  of  men,  which  may  hinder 
them  from  discerning  so  clear  a  light. 

Shortly  then,  knowing  nothing  by  myself,  whereby  I  have  de- 
served to  alienate  any  good  heart  from  me,  I  shall  resolve  to  rest 
securely  upon  the  acquitting  testimony  of  a  good  conscience  and 
the  secret  approbation  of  my  gracious  God ;  who  shall  one  day 
cause  mine  innocence  to  break  forth  as  the  morning  light,  and 
shall  give  me  beauty  for  bonds ;  and  for  a  light  and  momentary 
affliction,  an  eternal  weight  of  glory. 

To  shut  up  all,  and  to  surcease  your  trouble,  1  write  not  this 
as  one  that  would  pump  for  favour  and  reputation  from  the  dis- 
affected multitude ;  for  I  charge  you,  that  what  passes  privately 
betwixt  us  may  not  fall  under  common  eyes  :  but  only  with  this 
desire  and  intention,  to  give  you  true  grounds,  where  you  shall 
hear  my  name  mentioned  with  a  causeless  offence,  to  yield  me  a 
just  and  charitable  vindication.  60  you  on  still  to  do  the  office 
of  a  true  friend,  yea,  the  duty  of  a  just  man,  in  speaking  in  the 
cause  of  the  dumb,  in  righting  the  innocent,  in  rectifying  the  mis- 
guided ;  and,  lastly,  the  service  of  a  faithful  and  Christian  patriot, 
in  helping  the  times  with  the  best  aid  of  your  prayers ;  which  is 
daily  the  task  of 

Your  much  devoted  and  thankful  friend, 

Jos.  Norvic. 
From  the  Tower,  Jan.  24, 164 1-2. 


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TO  MY  RIGHT  REVEREND  GOOD  LORD, 

JOSEPH,  LORD  BISHOP  OF  NORWICH*. 


My  very  good  Lord, — I  received,  after  much  entreaty,  your 
meek  and  modest  vindication  of  yourself.     I  pretended  want  of 
satisfaction  concerning  some  late  actions  of  your  lordship's;  but 
now  I  must  tell  you,  and  the  world  together,  I  was  fully  con- 
vinced of  your  desert  and  integrity  before ;  and  this  my  request 
was  but  to  draw  from  your  lordship  such  a  declaration  of  yourself 
as  might  convince  others,  by  my  divulging  it  abroad.     But  of  this 
you  have  now  sent  me,  I  must  say,  as  not  more  a  friend  to  you 
than  truth,  you  have  not  done  yourself  right ;  you  have  not  fol- 
lowed your  cause  half  thoroughly ;  and  therefore  give  me  leave 
(for  I  will  take  it)  a  little  more  to  betray  you  to  the  eyes  of  men, 
and  more  openly  to  bewail  your  bashful  innocence.     I  cannot 
without  a  vocal  compassion  behold  your  injured  virtue,  the  most 
remarkable  example  of  the  malignity  of  our  times ;  which,  when 
I  looked  it  should  receive  its  crown  from  God  and  men,  quite 
contrary  to  my  expectation  I  find  cast  down  and  trampled  in  the 
dust. 

It  is  not  full  two  years  ago,  when  in  that  innovating  age  you 
suffered  under  storms  and  threats  from  over  busy  instruments ; 
every  step  waited  on  by  entrapping  spies  and  informers,  and 
brought  so  far  into  the  mouth  of  danger,  that  that  accuser,  KiU 
vert,  durst  openly  threaten  you  to  be  the  next  man  designed  for 
his  inquisition.    How  often  have  you  stood  as  a  shield  between 

*  Subjoined  to  the  original  edition  of  the  Bishop's  Letter,  published  in  1642,  and 
now  first  reprinted — H. 


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liv  ANSWER  TO  THE  LETTER  FROM  THE  TOWER. 

those  men  and  danger,  who  can  now  complain  you  are  a  bishop ; 
when,  if  you  had  not  been  so,  where  had  they  been  at  this  hour  ? 
How  many  of  those  antiprelatical  men,  even  the  most  rigid  of 
them,  have  we  heard  blessing  God  for  such  a  diocesan,  by  whose 
provision  and  government  great  hath  been  the  company  of 
preachers ;  and  acknowledging  the  sun  of  the  gospel,  with  your 
approach  setting  in  your  western  sea,  or  rather  rising  there  in 
more  perfect  lustre,  when  the  world  justly  complained  it  went 
down  in  some  other  parts  of  the  kingdom  ?  What  prayers,  what 
praises,  what  wishes,  were  then  on  all  sides  poured  out  for  you ! 
I  should  be  accounted  your  flatterer  should  I  but  mention  them. 
Whereas  now  in  these  days  of  reformation,  when  you  might  justly 
expect  a  reward  of  your  former  sufferings,  as  deserving  (let  me 
confidently  speak)  the  greatest  share,  I  see  you  as  much  driven 
at  on  the  other  side  by  an  ignorant  fury  of  those  you  defend,  and 
smarting  as  an  enemy  to  that  truth,  the  maintaining  of  which 
hath  raised  against  you  so  many  dangerous  adversaries.  I  find 
you  still  the  same  man  you  were  before ;  and  yet,  what  is  strange, 
groaning  under  the  same  burden  of  censure,  and  worse,  from  quite 
contrary  hands,  even  from  those  whose  duty  it  is  to  promote  and 
vindicate  you ;  and  yet  who  think  they  do  that  very  truth  you 
maintain  good  service  in  punishing  you  its  defender.  A  miserably 
misguided  zeal  I  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what 
they  do.  In  the  meantime,  what  have  they  to  answer  for,  who, 
when  they  can  find  no  real  blemish  upon  you,  dare,  like  the  Ro- 
mish imagers  in  Q.  Mary's  days,  paint  fiends  and  faults  upon  your 
coat ;  as  those  cunningly  cruel  men  in  the  primitive  times,  cloth- 
ing the  harmless  Christian  martyrs  with  the  skins  of  savage  bears 
and  bulls,  that  they  might  be  baited  and  torn  by  the  deceived 
mastiffs,  which  would  have  fawned  upon  them  had  they  appeared 
in  their  own  shapes  ?  But  I  forbear :  only  this,  my  Lord,  if  you 
thus  sink,  and  suffer  under  evil  and  killing  tongues,  happy,  thrice 
happy,  are  you ;  you  know  One  hath  said  it  that  will  make  it 
good:  I  shall  not,  I  seriously  profess,  pity,  but  envy  you  for 
having  this  eternal  honour,  to  expire  among  scoffs  and  unjust 
ignominy  with  our  great  Master.  And  therefore  now  rouse  up 
those  drooping  spirits,  which  age  and  restless  labours  have  left 


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ANSWER  TO  THE  LETTER  FROM  THE  TOWER.  lv 

you ;  fix  your  eyes  stedfastly,  with  blessed  Stephen,  upon  heaven, 
and  rest  your  thoughts  there,  as  no  doubt  you  do,  with  a  calm 
and  smiling  confidence;  and  know,  every  stone  is  thrown  at  you 
shall  tarn  a  precious  one,  to  deck  your  crown  of  glory.  Into  the 
bosom  of  our  gracious  God,  whom  we  have  thus  long  served  and 
enjoyed  together,  I  securely  commend  you ;  and  till  I  meet  you 
in  another  world,  however  this  world  judge  of  you,  shall  continue 
a  constant  lover  of  your  tried  goodness. 

H.  S. 
Jan.  39,  1 64 1. 


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BISHOP  HALL'S 

HARD    MEASURE. 


Nothing  could  be  more  plain  than  that,  upon  the  call  of  this 
parliament,  and  before,  there  was  a  general  plot  and  resolution 
of  the  faction  to  alter  the  government  of  the  church  especially. 
The  height  and  insolency  of  some  church  governors,  as  was  con- 
ceived, and  the  ungrounded  imposition  of  some  innovations  upon 
the  churches  both  of  Scotland  and  England,  gave  a  fit  hint  to  the 
project. 

In  the  vacancy  therefore  before  the  summons,  and  immediately 
after  it,  there  was  great  working  secretly  for  the  designation  and 
election,  as  of  knights  and  burgesses,  so  especially,  beyond  all 
former  use,  of  the  clerks  of  convocation :  when  now  the  clergy 
were  stirred  up  to  contest  with  and  oppose  their  diocesans,  for 
the  choice  of  such  men  as  were  most  inclined  to  the  favour  of  an 
alteration. 

The  parliament  was  no  sooner  set,  than  many  vehement 
speeches  were  made  against  established  church  government,  and 
enforcement  of  extirpation  both  root  and  branch. 

And  because  it  was  not  fit  to  set  upon  all  at  once,  the  resolu- 
tion was  to  begin  with  those  bishops  which  had  subscribed  to  the 
canons  then  lately  published  upon  the  shutting  up  of  the  former 
parliament:  whom  they  would  first  have  had. accused  of  treason; 
but  that  not  appearing  feasible,  they  thought  best  to  indict  them 
of  very  high  crimes  and  offences  against  the  king,  the  parliament, 
and  kingdom :  which  was  prosecuted  with  great  earnestness  by 
some  prime  lawyers  in  the  house  of  commons,  and  entertained 
with  like  fervency  by  some  zealous  lords  in  the  house  of  peers ; 
every  of  those  particular  canons  being  pressed  to  the  most  envious 


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lvii 

and  dangerous  height  that  was  possible:  the  Archbishop  of  York  a 
(was  designed  for  the  report)  aggravating  Mr.  Maynard's  crimina- 
tions to  the  utmost,  not  without  some  interspersions  of  his  own. 
The  counsel  of  the  accused  bishops  gave  in  such  a  demurring 
answer  as  stopped  the  mouth  of  that  heinous  indictment. 

When  this  prevailed  not,  it  was  contrived  to  draw  petitions 
accusatory  from  many  parts  of  the  kingdom  against  episcopal 
government ;  and  the  promoters  of  the  petitions  were  entertained 
with  great  respects :  whereas  the  many  petitions  of  the  opposite 
part,  though  subscribed  with  many  thousand  hands,  were  slighted 
and  disregarded. 

Withal  the  rabble  of  London,  after  their  petitions  cunningly 
and  upon  other  pretences  procured,  were  stirred  up  to  come  to 
the  houses  personally,  to  crave  justice  both  against  the  Earl  of 
Strafford  first,  and  then  against  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury ; 
and  lastly  against  the  whole  order  of  bishops  :  which  coming 
at  first  unarmed  were  checked  by  some  well-willers,  and  easily 
persuaded  to  gird  on  their  rusty  swords ;  and  so  accoutred  came 
by  thousands  to  the  houses,  filling  all  the  outer  rooms,  offering 
foul  abuses  to  the  bishops  as  they  passed,  crying  out,  "  No  bishops, 
no  bishops b ;"  and  at  last,  after  divers  days'  assembling,  grown 
to  that  height  of  fury  that  many  of  them,  whereof  Sir  Richard 
Wiseman  professed  (though  to  his  cost)  to  be  captain,  came  with 
resolution  of  some  violent  courses,  insomuch  that  many  swords 
were  drawn  hereupon  at  Westminster,  and  the  rout  did  not  stick 
openly  to  profess  that  they  would  pull  the  bishops  in  pieces. 
Messages  were  sent  down  to  them  from  the  lords.  They  still  held 
firm  both  to  the  place  and  their  bloody  resolutions.  It  now  grew 
to  be  torchlight.  One  of  the  lords,  the  Marquis  of  Hertford, 
came  up  to  the  bishops'  form,  told  us  that  we  were  in  great 
danger,  advised  us  to  take  some  course  for  our  own  safety ;  and 
being  desired  to  tell  us  what  he  thought  was  the  best  way,  coun- 
selled us  to  continue  in  the  parliament  house  all  that  night: 
"  For/'  saith  he,  "  these  people  vow  they  will  watch  you  at  your 
going  out,  and  will  search  every  coach  for  you  with  torches,  so  as 
you  cannot  escape/1     Hereupon  the  house  of  lords  was  moved  for 

a  [Archbishop  Williams,  translated  to  York  Dec.  4,  164 1.] 
b  [Clarendon,  vol.  i.  p.  495.] 


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lviii 

some  order  for  the  preventing  their  mutinous  and  riotous  meet- 
ings. Messages  were  sent  down  to  the  house  of  commons  to  this 
purpose  more  than  once:  nothing  was  effected;  but  for  the  pre- 
sent (forsomuch  as  all  the  danger  was  at  the  rising  of  the  house,) 
it  was  earnestly  desired  of  the  lords  that  some  care  might  be 
taken  of  our  safety.  The  motion  was  received  by  some  lords  with 
a  smile.  Some  other  lords,  as  the  Earl  of  Manchester,  undertook 
the  protection  of  the  Archbishop  of  York  and  his  company  (whose 
shelter  I  went  under)  to  their  lodgings.  The  rest,  some  of  them 
by  their  long  stay,  others  by  secret  and  farfetched  passages, 
escaped  home. 

It  was  not  for  us  to  venture  any  more  to  the  house  without 
some  better  assurance.  Upon  our  resolved  forbearance  therefore, 
the  Archbishop  of  York  sent  for  us  to  his  lodging  at  Westminster ; 
lays  before  us  the  perilous  condition  we  were  in ;  advises  for 
remedy,  except  we  meant  utterly  to  abandon  our  right  and  to 
desert  our  station  in  parliament,  to  petition  both  his  majesty  and 
the  parliament,  that  since  we  were  legally  called  by  his  majesty's 
writ  to  give  our  attendance  in  parliament,  we  might  be  secured 
in  the  performance  of  our  duty  and  service  against  those  dangers 
that  threatened  us ;  and  withal  to  protest  against  any  such  acts 
as  should  be  made  during  the  time  of  our  forced  absence;  for 
which  he  assured  us  there  were  many  precedents  in  former  parlia- 
ments ;  and  which  if  we  did  not,  we  should  betray  the  trust  com- 
mitted to  us  by  his  majesty,  and  shamefully  betray  and  abdicate 
the  due  right  both  of  ourselves  and  successors. 

To  this  purpose,  in  our  presence  he  drew  up  the  said  petition 
and  protestation ;  avowing  it  to  be  legal,  just,  and  agreeable  to 
all  former  proceedings;  and,  being  fair  written,  sent  it  to  our 
several  lodgings  for  our  hands ;  which  we  accordingly  subscribed, 
intending  yet  to  have  had  some  further  consultation  concerning 
the  delivering  and  whole  carriage  of  it.  But  ere  we  could  sup- 
pose it  to  be  in  any  hand  but  his  own,  the  first  news  we  heard 
was  that  there  were  messengers  addressed  to  fetch  us  into  the 
parliament  upon  an  accusation  of  high  treason.  For  whereas  this 
paper  was  to  have  been  delivered,  first  to  his  majesty^s  secretary, 
and  after  perusal  by  him  to  his  majesty ;  and  after  from  his 
majesty  to   the  parliament,  and  for  that  purpose  to  the   lord 


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BISHOP  hall's  habd  measure,  lix 

keeper,  the  Lord  Littleton,  who  was  the  speaker  of  the  house  of 
peers ;  all  these  professed  not  to  have  perused  it  at  all ;  but  the 
said  lord  keeper,  willing  enough  to  take  this  advantage  of  ingra- 
tiating himself  with  the  house  of  commons  and  the  faction,  to 
which  he  knew  himself  sufficiently  obnoxious,  finding  what  use 
might  be  made  of  it  by  prejudicate  minds,  reads  the  same  openly 
in  the  house  of  lords:  and,  when  he  found  some  of  the  faction 
apprehensive  enough  of  misconstruction,  aggravates  the  matter, 
as  highly  offensive  and  of  dangerous  consequence ;  and  thereupon, 
not  without  much  heat  and  vehemence,  and  with  an  ill  preface,  it 
is  sent' down  to  the  house  of  commons,  where  it  was  entertained 
heinously ;  Glynne  with  a  full  mouth  crying  it  up  for  no  less  than 
an  high  treason,  and  some  comparing,  yea  preferring  it,  to  the 
powder-plot. 

We  poor  souls,  who  little  thought  that  we  had  done  anything 
that  might  deserve  a  chiding,  are  now  called  to  our  knees  at  the 
bar,  and  charged  severally  with  high  treason ;  being  not  a  little 
astonished  at  the  suddenness  of  this  crimination,  compared  with 
the  perfect  innocence  of  our  own  intentions,  which  were  only  to 
bring  us  to  our  due  places  in  parliament  with  safety  and  speed, 
without  the  least  purpose  of  any  man's  offence. 

But  now,  traitors  we  are  in  all  the  haste,  and  must  be  dealt 
with  accordingly ;  for  on  January  30th0,  in  all  the  extremity  of 
frost,  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  dark  evening,  are  we  voted  to  the 
Tower;  only,  two  of  our  number  had  the  favour  of  the  black  rod 
by  reason  of  their  age ;  which,  though  desired  by  a  noble  lord  on 
my  behalf,  would  not  be  yielded.  Wherein  I  acknowledge  and 
bless  the  gracious  providence  of  my  God :  for  had  I  been  gratified 
I  had  been  undone  both  in  body  and  purse;  the  rooms  being 
strait,  and  the  expense  beyond  the  reach  of  my  estate. 

The  news  of  this  our  crime  and  imprisonment  soon  flew  over 
the  city,  and  was  entertained  by  our  well-willers  with  ringing  of 
bells  and  bonfires ;  who  now  gave  us  up,  not  without  great  tri- 
umph, for  lost  men ;  railing  on  our  perfidiousness,  and  adjudging 

*  It  should  probably  be  December  passage  the  bishop  says,  "  Thus  having 

30th.     The  date  of  the  "  Letter  from  spent  the  time  betwixt  New-year's  even 

the  Tower/'  given   above,  is  January  and  Whitsuntide  in  those  safe  walls." 

14th,  1641. — Joins.    [In  a  subsequent  See  p.  bail] 


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bt  bishop  hall's  hard  measure. 

us  to  what  foul  deaths  they  pleased.  And  what  scurrile  and  ma- 
licious pamphlets  were  scattered  abroad  throughout  the  kingdom 
and  in  foreign  parts,  blazoning  our  infamy  and  exaggerating  our 
treasonable  practices  I  What  insultation  of  our  adversaries  was 
here ! 

'  Being  caged  sure  enough  in  the  Tower,  the  faction  had  now 
fair  opportunities  to  work  their  own  designs.  They  therefore, 
taking  the  advantage  of  our  restraint,  renew  that  bill  of  theirs, 
which  had  been  twice  before  rejected  since  the  beginning  of  this 
session,  for  taking  away  the  votes  of  bishops  in  parliament ;  and 
in  a  very  thin  house  easily  passed  it:  which  once  condescended 
unto,  I  know  not  by  what  strong  importunity  his  majesty's  assent 
was  drawn  from  him  thereunto. 

We  now,  instead  of  looking  after  our  wonted  honour,  must 
bend  our  thoughts  upon  the  guarding  of  our  lives ;  which  were 
with  no  small  eagerness  pursued  by  the  violent  agents  of  the  fac- 
tion. Their  sharpest  wits  and  greatest  lawyers  were  employed 
to  advance  our  impeachment  to  the  height;  but  the  more  they 
looked  into  the'  business,  the  less  crime  could  they  find  to  fasten 
upon  us:  insomuch  as  one  of  their  oracles,  being  demanded  his 
judgment  concerning  the  fact,  professed  to  them  they  might  with 
as  good  reason  accuse  us  of  adultery.  Tet  still  there  are  we  fast ; 
only  upon  petition  to  the  lords  obtaining  this  favour,  that  we 
might  have  counsel  assigned  us ;  which,  after  much  reluctation, 
and  many  menaces  from  the  commons  against  any  man  of  all  the 
commoners  of  England  that  should  dare  to  be  seen  to  plead  in 
this  case  against  the  representative  body  of  the  commons,  was 
granted  us.  The  lords  assigned  us  five  very  worthy  lawyers, 
which  were  nominated  to  them  by  us.  What  trouble  and  charge 
it  was  to  procure  those  eminent  and  much  employed  counsellors 
to  come  to  the  Tower  to  us,  and  to  observe  the  strict  laws  of  the 
place  for  the  time  of  their  ingress,  regress,  and  stay,  it  is  not 
hard  to  judge. 

After  we  had  lien  some  weeks  there  however,  the  house  of 
commons,  upon  the  first  tender  of  our  impeachment,  had  desired 
we  might  be  brought  to  a  speedy  trial ;  yet  now,  finding  belike 
how  little  ground  they  had  for  so  high  an  accusation,  they  began 
to  slack  their  pace,  and  suffered  us  rather  to  languish  under  the 


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BISHOP   HALLOS   WART)   MEASURE.  lxi 

fear  of  so  dreadful  arraignment ;  insomuch  as  now  we  are  fain  to 
petition  the  lords  that  we  might  be  brought  to  our  trial. 

The  day  was  set ;  several  summonses  were  sent  unto  us ;  the 
lieutenant  had  his  warrant  to  bring  us  to  the  bar ;  our  impeach- 
ment was  severally  read ;  we  pleaded  "  not  guilty ,"  modo  et  forma; 
and  desired  speedy  proceedings,  which  were  accordingly  promised, 
but  not  too  hastily  performed. 

After  long  expectation,  another  day  was  appointed  for  the  pro- 
secution of  this  high  charge.  The  lieutenant  brought  us  again  to 
the  bar ;  but  with  what  shoutings  and  exclamations  and  furious 
expressions  of  the  enraged  multitudes,  it  is  not  easy  to  apprehend. 
Being  thither  brought  and  severally  charged  upon  our  knees,  and 
having  given  our  negative  answers  to  every  particular,  two  bishops, 
London b  and  Winchester c,  were  called  in  as  witnesses  against  us, 
as  in  that  point,  whether  they  apprehended  any  such  cause  of 
fears  in  the  tumults  assembled,  as  that  we  were  in  any  danger  of 
our  lives  in  coming  to  the  parliament ;  who  seemed  to  incline  to 
a  favourable  report  of  the  perils  threatened ;  though  one  of  them 
was  convinced  out  of  his  own  mouth,  from  the  relations  himself 
had  made  at  the  Archbishop  of  York's  lodging.  After  this  Wild 
and  Glynne  made  fearful  declamations  at  the  bar  against  us ;  ag- 
gravating all  the  circumstances  of  our  pretended  treason  to  the 
highest  pitch.  Our  counsel  were  all  ready  at  the  bar  to  plead  for 
us,  in  answer  of  their  clamorous  and  envious  suggestions ;  but  it 
was  answered  that  it  was  now  too  late,  we  should  have  another 
day,  which  day  to  this  day  never  came. 

The  circumstances  of  that  day's  hearing  were  more  grievous  to 
as  than  the  substance ;  for  we  were  all  thronged  so  miserably  in 
that  strait  room  before  the  bar,  by  reason  that  the  whole  house 
of  commons  would  be  there  to  see  the  prizes  of  their  champions 
played,  that  we  stood  the  whole  afternoon  in  no  small  torture ; 
sweating  and  struggling  with  a  merciless  multitude ;  till  being  dis- 
missed, we  were  exposed  to  a  new  and  greater  danger.  For  now 
in  the  dark  we  must  to  the  Tower  by  barge,  as  we  came,  and  must 
shoot  the  bridge  with  no  small  peril.  That  God,  under  whose 
merciful  protection  we  are,  returned  us  to  our  safe  custody. 

b  [William  Juxon,  bishop  of  London.]         c  [Walter  Curie,  bishop  of  Winchester.] 


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lxii  bishop  hall's  hard  measure. 

There  now  we  lay  some  weeks  longer,  expecting  the  summons 
for  our  counsels'  answer ;  but  instead  thereof,  our  merciful  adver- 
saries, well  finding  how  sure  they  would  be  foiled  in  that  unjust 
charge  of  treason,  now,  under  pretences  of  remitting  the  height  of 
rigour,  waive  their  former  impeachment  of  treason  against  us,  and 
fall  upon  the  accusation  of  high  misdemeanours  in  that  our  Pro- 
testation, and  will  have  us  prosecuted  as  guilty  of  a  premunire ; 
although  as  we  conceive  the  law  hath  ever  been  in  the  parlia- 
mentary proceedings,  that  if  a  man  were  impeached  as  of  treason, 
being  the  highest  crime,  the  accusant  must  hold  him  to  the  proof 
of  the  charge,  and  may  not  fall  to  any  meaner  impeachment  upon 
failing  of  the  higher. 

But  in  this  esse  of  ours  it  fell  out  otherwise ;  for,  although  the 
lords  had  openly  promised  us  that  nothing  should  be  done  against 
us  till  we  and  our  counsel  were  heard  in  our  defence;  yet  the 
next  news  we  heard  was,  the  house  of  commons  had  drawn  up 
a  bill  against  us,  wherein  they  declared  us  to  be  delinquents  of  a 
very  high  nature,  and  had  thereupon  desired  to  have  it  enacted 
that  all  our  spiritual  means  should  be  taken  away ;  only  there 
should  be  a  yearly  allowance  to  every  bishop  for  his  maintenance, 
according  to  a  proportion  by  them  set  down ;  wherein  they  were 
pleased  that  my  share  should  come  to  four  hundred  pounds  per 
annum.  This  bill  was  sent  up  to  the  lords,  and  by  them  also 
passed,  and  there  hath  ever  since  lien. 

This  being  done,  after  some  weeks  more,  finding  the  Tower 
besides  the  restraint  chargeable,  we  petitioned  the  lords  that  we 
might  be  admitted  to  bail  and  have  liberty  to  return  to  our  homes. 
The  Earl  of  Essex  moved :  the  lords  assented,  took  our  bail,  sent 
to  the  lieutenant  of  the  Tower  for  our  discharge.  How  glad  were 
we  to  fly  out  of  our  cage  I 

No  sooner  was  I  got  to  my  lodging  than  I  thought  to  take  a 
little  fresh  air  in  St.  James's  Park ;  and  in  my  return  to  my  lodg- 
ing in  the  Dean's  Yard,  passing  through  Westminster  Hall,  was 
saluted  by  divers  of  my  parliament  acquaintance  and  welcomed 
to  my  liberty;  whereupon  some  that  looked  upon  me  with  an 
evil  eye  ran  into  the  house,  and  complained  that  the  bishops 
were  let  loose ;  which  it  seems  was  not  well  taken  by  the  house 
of  commons,  who  presently  sent  a  kind  of  expostulation  to  the 


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BISHOP  HALLOS  HAttn  MEASUBB.  1ti|J 

/ 

lords,  that  they  had  dismissed  so  heinous  offenders  witheuktiieir 
knowledge  and  consent. 

Scarce  had  I  rested  me  in  my  lodging  when  there  comes  a  mes- 
senger to  me  with  the  sad  news  of  sending  me  and  the  rest  of  my 
brethren  the  bishops  back  to  the  Tower  again :  from  whence  we 
came,  thither  we  must  go ;  and  thither  I  went  with  an  heavy,  but 
I  thank  God  not  impatient,  heart. 

After  we  had  continued  there  some  six  weeks  longer,  and 
earnestly  petitioned  to  return  to  our  several  charges,  we  were 
upon  five  thousand  pound  bond  dismissed,  with  a  clause  of  revo- 
cation at  a  short  warning  if  occasion  should  require. 

Thus  having  spent  the  time  betwixt  New-year's  even  and 
Whitsuntide  in  those  safe  walls,  where  we  by  turns  preached 
every  Lord's  day  to  a  large  auditory  of  citizens,  we  disposed  of 
ourselves  to  the  places  of  our  several  abode. 

For  myself,  addressing  myself  to  Norwich,  whither  it  was  his 
majesty's  pleasure  to  remove  me,  I  was  at  the  first  received  with 
more  respect  than  in  such  times  I  could  have  expected.  There  I 
preached  the  day  after  my  arrival  to  a  numerous  and  attentive 
people,  neither  was  sparing  of  my  pains  in  this  kind  ever  since ; 
till  the  times,  growing  every  day  more  impatient  of  a  bishop, 
threatened  my  silencing. 

There,  though  with  some  secret  murmurs  of  disaffected  persons, 
I  enjoyed  peace  till  the  ordinance  of  sequestration  came  forth, 
which  was  in  the  latter  end  of  March  following;  then,  when  I 
was  in  hope  of  receiving  the  profits  of  the  foregoing  half  year  for 
the  maintenance  of  my  family,  were  all  my  rents  stopped  and 
diverted ;  and  in  the  April  following  came  the  sequestrators,  viz. 
Mr.  Sotherton,  Mr.  Tooley,  Mr.  Rawley,  Mr.  Greenwood,  &c.  to 
the  palace,  and  told  me  that  by  virtue  of  an  ordinance  of  parlia- 
ment they  must  seize  upon  the  palace,  and  all  the  estate  I  had, 
both  real  and  personal;  and  accordingly  sent  certain  men  ap- 
pointed by  them,  whereof  one  had  been  burned  in  the  hand  for 
the  mark  of  his  truth,  to  appraise  all  the  goods  that  were  in  the 
house;  which  they  accordingly  executed  with  all  diligent  se- 
verity, not  leaving  so  much  as  a  dozen  of  trenchers  or  my 
children's  pictures  out  of  their  curious  inventory.     Tea,  they 


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Ixiv  BISHOP  hall's  hard  measure. 

would  have  appraised  our  very  wearing-clothes,  had  not  Alder- 
man Tooley  and  Sheriff  Rawley,  to  whom  I  sent  to  require  their 
judgment  concerning  the  ordinance  in  this  point,  declared  their 
opinion  to  the  contrary. 

These  goods,  both  library  and  household  stuff  of  all  kinds,  were 
appointed  to  be  exposed  to  public  sale.  Much  inquiry  there  was 
when  the  goods  should  be  brought  to  the  market;  but  in  the 
meantime  Mrs.  Goodwin,  a  religious  good  gentlewoman,  whom  yet 
we  had  never  known  or  seen,  being  moved  with  compassion,  very 
kindly  offered  to  lay  down  to  the  sequestrators  that  whole  sum 
which  the  goods  were  valued  at,  and  was  pleased  to  leave  them  in 
our  hands  for  our  use  till  we  might  be  able  to  repurchase  them ; 
which  she  did  accordingly,  and  had  the  goods  formally  deli- 
vered to  her  by  Mr.  Smith  and  Mr.  Greenwood,  two  sequestrators. 
As  for  the  books,  several  stationers  looked  on  them,  but  were  not 
forward  to  buy  them :  at  last  Mr.  Cook,  a  worthy  divine  of  this 
diocese,  gave  bond  to  the  sequestrators  to  pay  to  them  the  whole 
sum  whereat  they  were  set ;  which  was  afterwards  satisfied  out  of 
that  poor  pittance  that  was  allowed  me  for  my  maintenance.  As 
for  my  evidences,  they  required  them  from  me.  I  denied  them, 
as  not  holding  myself  bound  to  deliver  them.  They  nailed  and 
sealed  up  the  door,  and  took  such  as  they  found  with  me. 

But  before  this,  the  first  noise  that  I  heard  of  my  trouble  was, 
that  one  morning  before  my  servants  were  up  there  came  to  my 
gates  one  Wright,  a  London  trooper,  attended  with  others,  re- 
quiring entrance,  threatening  if  they  were  not  admitted  to  break 
open  the  gates ;  whom  I  found  at  my  first  sight  struggling  with 
one  of  my  servants  for  a  pistol  which  he  had  in  his  hand.  I  de- 
manded his  business  at  that  unseasonable  time.  He  told  me  he 
came  to  search  for  arms  and  ammunition,  of  which  1  must  be  dis- 
armed. I  told  him  I  had  only  two  muskets  in  the  house,  and  no 
other  military  provision.  He,  not  resting  upon  my  word,  searched 
round  about  the  house,  looked  into  the  chests  and  trunks,  ex- 
amined the  vessels  in  the  cellar.  Finding  no  other  warlike  furni- 
ture, he  asked  me  what  horses  I  had,  for  his  commission  was  to 
take  them  also.  I  told  him  how  poorly  I  was  stored,  and  that  my 
age  would  not  allow  me  to  travel  on  foot.     In  conclusion  he  took 


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BISHOP  HALLOS   HARD   MEASURE.  lxv 

one  horse  for  the  present,  and  such  account  of  another,  that  he 
did  highly  expostulate  with  me  afterwards  that  I  had  otherwise 
disposed  of  him. 

Now  not  only  my  rents  present,  but  the  arrearages  of  the  for- 
mer years  which  I  had  in  favour  forborne  to  some  tenants,  being 
treacherously  confessed  to  the  sequestrators,  were  by  them  called 
for  and  taken  from  me.  Neither  was  there  any  course  at  all  taken 
for  my  maintenance.  I  therefore  addressed  myself  to  the  com- 
mittee sitting  here  at  Norwich,  and  desired  them  to  give  order 
for  some  means,  out  of  that  large  patrimony  of  the  church,  to  be 
allowed  me.  They  all  thought  it  very  just ;  and  there  being  pre- 
sent Sir  Tho.  Woodhouse  and  Sir  John  Potts,  parliament  men,  it 
was  moved  and  held  fit  by  them  and  the  rest  that  the  proportion 
which  the  votes  of  the  parliament  had  pitched  upon,  viz.  four 
hundred  pounds  per  annum,  should  be  allowed  to  me.  My  lord 
of  Manchester,  who  was  then  conceived  to  have  great  power  in 
matter  of  those  sequestrations,  was  moved  herewith.  He  ap- 
prehended it  very  just  and  reasonable,  and  wrote  to  the  com- 
mittee here,  to  set  out  so  many  of  the  manors  belonging  to  this 
bishopric  as  should  amount  to  the  said  sum  of  four  hundred 
pounds  annually;  which  was  answerably  done  under  the  hands 
of  the  whole  table. 

And  now  I  well  hoped  I  should  yet  have  a  good  competency 
of  maintenance  out  of  that  plentiful  estate  which  I  might  have 
had :  but  those  hopes  were  no  sooner  conceived  than  dashed ;  for 
before  I  could  gather  up  one  quarter's  rent,  there  comes  down 
an  order  from  the  committee  for  sequestrations  above,  under  the 
hand  of  Serjeant  Wild  the  chairman,  procured  by  Mr.  Miles 
Corbet,  to  inhibit  any  such  allowance,  and  telling  our  committee 
here,  that  neither  they  nor  any  other  had  power  to  allow  me  any- 
thing at  all :  but  if  my  wife  found  herself  to  need  a  maintenance, 
upon  her  suit  to  the  committee  of  lords  and  commons  it  might 
be  granted  that  she  should  have  a  fifth  part,  according  to  the 
ordinance,  allowed  for  the  sustentation  of  herself  and  her  family. 
Hereupon  she  sends  a  petition  up  to  that  committee ;  which,  after 
a  long  delay,  was  admitted  to  be  read,  and  an  order  granted  for 
the  fifth  part. 

But  still  the  rents  and  revenues,  both  of  my  spiritual  and  tem- 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  O 

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lxvi  BISHOP  hall's  habd  measure. 

poral  lands,  were  taken  np  by  the  sequestrators,  both  in  Norfolk, 
and  Suffolk,  and  Essex,  and  we  kept  off  from  either  allowance 
or  account. 

At  last,  upon  much  pressing,  Beadle  the  solicitor  and  Rust  the 
collector  brought  in  an  account  to  the  committee,  such  as  it  was ; 
but  so  confused  and  perplexed,  and  so  utterly  imperfect,  that  we 
could  never  come  to  know  what  a  fifth  part  meant :  but  they  were 
content  that  I  should  eat  my  books,  by  setting  off  the  sum  en- 
gaged for  them  out  of  the  fifth  part.  Meantime,  the  synodals 
both  in  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  and  ail  the  spiritual  profits  of  the 
diocese,  were  also  kept  back;  only  ordinations  and  institutions 
continued  a  while. 

But  after  the  covenant  was  appointed  to  be  taken,  and  was 
generally  swallowed  of  both  clergy  and  laity,  my  power  of  ordi- 
nation was  with  some  strange  violence  restrained:  for  when  I 
was  going  on  in  my  wonted  course,  which  no  law  or  ordinance 
had  inhibited,  certain  forward  volunteers  in  the  city,  banding 
together,  stir  up  the  mayor  and  aldermen  and  sheriffs  to  call  me 
to  an  account  for  an  open  violation  of  their  covenant. 

To  this  purpose  divers  of  them  came  to  my  gates  at  a  very 
unseasonable  time;  and  knocking  very  vehemently,  required  to 
speak  with  the  bishop.  Messages  were  sent  to  them  to  know 
their  business :  nothing  would  satisfy  them  but  the  bishop's  pre- 
sence. At  last  I  came  down  to  them,  and  demanded  what  the 
matter  was:  they  would  have  the  gate  opened,  and  then  they 
would  tell  me.  I  answered  that  I  would  know  them  better  first : 
if  they  had  anything  to  say  to  me  I  was  ready  to  hear  them. 
They  told  me  they  had  a  writing  to  me  from  Mr.  Mayor  and 
some  other  of  their  magistrates.  The  paper  contained  both  a 
challenge  of  me  for  breaking  the  covenant  in  ordaining  ministers ; 
and  withal  required  me  to  give  in  the  names  of  those  which 
were  ordained  by  me,  both  then  and  formerly  since  the  covenant. 
My  answer  was,  that  Mr.  Mayor  was  much  abused  by  those  who 
had  misinformed  him  and  drawn  that  paper  from  him;  that  I 
would  the  next  day  give  a  full  answer  to  the  writing.  They 
moved  that  my  answer  might  be  by  my  personal  appearance  at 
the  Guildhall.  I  asked  them  when  they  ever  heard  of  a  bishop 
of  Norwich  appearing  before  a  mayor.    I  knew  mine  own  place, 


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BISHOP  HALL'S   HAM)  MEASURE.  lzvii 

and  would  take  that  way  of  answer  which  I  thought  fit ;  and  so 
dismissed  them,  who  had  given  out  that  day  that  had  they  known 
before  of  mine  ordaining,  they  would  have  pulled  me  and  those 
whom  I  ordained  out  of  the  ehapel  by  the  ears. 

While  I  received  nothing,  yet  something  was  required  of  me. 
They  were  not  ashamed,  after  they  had  taken  away  and  sold  all 
my  goods  and  personal  estate,  to  come  to  me  for  assessments  and 
monthly  payments  for  that  estate  which  they  had  taken;  and  took 
distresses  from  me  upon  my  most  just  denial ;  and  vehemently 
required  me  to  find  the  wonted  alms  of  my  predecessors,  when 
they  had  left  me  nothing. 

Many  insolencies  and  affronts  were  in  all  this  time  put  upon 
us.  One  while  a  whole  rabble  of  volunteers  came  to  my  gates 
late,  when  they  were  locked  up,  and  called  for  the  porter  to  give 
them  entrance :  which  being  not  yielded,  they  threatened  to  make 
by  force ;  and  had  not  the  said  gates  been  very  strong,  they  had 
done  it.  Others  of  them  clambered  over  the  walls,  and  would 
come  into  my  house :  their  errand,  they  said,  was  to  search  for 
delinquents ;  what  they  would  have  done  I  know  not,  had  not  we 
by  a  secret  way  sent  to  raise  the  officers  for  our  rescue.  Another 
while,  the  Sheriff  Toftes  and  Alderman  Iinsey,  attended  with 
many  zealous  followers,  came  into  my  chapel  to  look  for  super- 
stitious pictures  and  relics  of  idolatry ;  and  send  for  me,  to  let  me 
know  they  found  those  windows  full  of  images,  which  were  very 
offensive  and  must  be  demolished.  I  told  them  they  were  the 
pictures  of  some  ancient  and  worthy  bishops,  as  St.  Ambrose, 
Austin,  &o.  It  was  answered  me  that  they  were  so  many  popes ; 
and  one  younger  man  amongst  the  rest  (Townsend,  as  I  perceived 
afterwards)  would  take  upon  him  to  defend  that  every  diocesan 
bishop  was  pope.  I  answered  him  with  some  scorn ;  and  obtained 
leave  that  I  might,  with  the  least  loss  and  defacing  of  the  windows, 
give  order  for  taking  off  that  offence ;  which  I  did  by  causing  the 
heads  of  those  pictures  to  be  taken  off,  since  I  knew  the  bodies 
could  not  offend. 

There  was  not  that  care  and  moderation  used  in  reforming  the 
cathedral  church  bordering  upon  my  palace.  It  is  no  other  than 
tragical  to  relate  the  carriage  of  that  furious  sacrilege  whereof 
our  eyes  and  ears  were  the  sad  witnesses,  under  the  authority 

e  % 


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Ixviii 

and  presence  of  Linsey,  Toftes  the  sheriff,  and  Greenwood.  Lord, 
what  work  was  here !  what  clattering  of  glasses !  what  heating 
down  of  walls !  what  tearing  up  of  monuments !  what  pulling 
down  of  seats !  what  wresting  out  of  irons  and  brass  from  the 
windows  and  graves !  what  defacing  of  arms  I  what  demolishing 
of  curious  stonework,  that  had  not  any  representation  in  the 
world  but  only  of  the  cost  of  the  founder  and  skill  of  the  mason ! 
what  tooting  and  piping  upon  the  destroyed  organ-pipes!  and 
what  a  hideous  triumph  on  the  market-day  before  all  the  country, 
when,  in  a  kind  of  sacrilegious  and  profane  procession,  all  the 
organ-pipes,  vestments,  both  copes  and  surplices,  together  with 
the  leaden  cross  which  had  been  newly  sawn  down  from  over  the 
Greenyard  pulpit,  and  the  service-books  and  singing-books  that 
could  be  had,  were  carried  to  the  fire  in  the  public  marketplace ; 
a  lewd  wretch  walking  before  the  train  in  his  cope  trailing  in  the 
dirt,  with  a  service-book  in  his  hand,  imitating  in  an  impious 
scorn  the  tune,  and  usurping  the  words  of  the  litany  used  formerly 
in  the  church.  Near  the  public  cross  all  these  monuments  of 
idolatry  must  be  sacrificed  to  the  fire ;  not  without  much  ostenta- 
tion of  a  zealous  joy,  in  discharging  ordnance,  to  the  cost  of  some 
who  professed  how  much  they  had  longed  to  see  that  day.  Nei- 
ther was  it  any  news,  upon  this  guild-day,  to  have  the  cathedral, 
now  open  on  all  sides,  to  be  filled  with  musketeers,  waiting  for 
the  major's  return ;  drinking  and  tobacconing  as  freely  as  if  it 
had  turned  alehouse. 

Still  yet  I  remained  in  my  palace,  though  with  but  a  poor 
retinue  and  means;  but  the  house  was  held  too  good  for  me. 
Many  messages  were  sent  by  Mr.  Corbet  to  remove  me  thence. 
The  first  pretence  was,  that  the  committee,  who  now  was  at 
charge  for  an  house  to  sit  in,  might  make  their  daily  session 
there;  being  a  place  both  more  public,  roomy,  and  chargeless. 
The  committee  after  many  consultations  resolved  it  convenient  to 
remove  thither,  though  many  overtures  and  offers  were  made 
to  the  contrary.  Mr.  Corbet  was  impatient  of  my  stay  there; 
and  procures  and  sends  peremptory  messages  for  my  present 
dislodging :  we  desired  to  have  some  time  allowed  for  providing 
some  other  mansion,  if  we  must  needs  be  cast  out  of  this ;  which 
my  wife  was  so  willing  to  hold,  that  she  offered,  if  the  charge  of 


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ADDITIONAL  NOTICES.  bdx 

the  present  committee-house  were  the  thing  stood  upon,  she 
would  be  content  to  defray  the  sum  of  the  rent  of  that  house  of 
her  fifth  part :  but  that  might  not  be  yielded :  out  we  must,  and 
that  in  three  weeks'  warning,  by  Midsummer-day  then  approach- 
ing ;  so  as  we  might  have  hen  in  the  street  for  aught  I  know, 
had  not  the  providence  of  God  so  ordered  it  that  a  neighbour  in 
the  Close,  one  Mr.  Gostlin,  a  widower,  was  content  to  void  his 
house  for  us. 

This  hath  been  my  Measure;  wherefore  I  know  not:  Lord, 
thou  knowest,  who  only  canst  remedy  and  end  and  forgive  or 
avenge  this  horrible  oppression. 

Jos.  Nobvic. 

Scrip8i,  May  29, 1647. 


[Thus  ejected  from  his  palace  and  debarred  the  exercise  of  his 
episcopal  functions,  the  bishop  retired  to  the  village  of  Heigham 
near  Norwich,  and  there  ended  in  privacy  and  comparative  neglect 
the  life  which  had  been  devoted  to  the  service  of  his  Maker,  and 
the  spiritual  improvement  of  his  fellow  men.  The  place  retains 
but  few  traces  of  him.  The  editor  has  himself  visited  it,  and  has 
taken  pains  to  note  down  such  particulars  as  seem  likely  to  in- 
terest those  into  whose  hands  these  volumes  may  chance  to  fall. 

The  house  in  which  the  bishop  resided  is  now  a  public  house 
under  the  sign  of  the  Dolpbin.  Two  old  pillars  of  the  gateway 
still  remain.     Over  the  front  door  appears  the  following  : 

R.  B.  J  587.  and  apparently  a  monogram  of  R.  B. 

On  an  upper  bay  window  on  one  side  ANO*  DNI.  On  a  corre- 
sponding window  on  the  other  side,  1615.  On  a  gable  the 
following : 

& 

15  9  5. 
Under  the  porch  over  the  door  a  grotesque  head  of  a  dolphin. 
By  a  side  door  on  the  left  through  the  gateway  is  either  a 
niche  for  holy  water,  or  a  piscina  with  a  canopy  over  it.  On 
entering  the  door  to  the  left  is  a  piscina  more  elaborately  carved. 
At  the  foot  of  the  staircase  is  a  lion  carved  in  oak.     On  the 


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btX  ADDITIONAL  NOTICES. 

ground  floor  to  the  right  is  a  handsome  oak  room  with  folding 

black  oak  doors,  and  five  heads  in  five  different  compartments. 

In  the  village  church  on  the  south  wall  is  a  mural  monument, 

with  a  gilded  figure  of  Death  holding  two  scrolls,  on  one  of  which 

are  the  words, 

"  Debemus  morti  nos  nostraque." 

On  the  other, 

"  Persolvit  et  quietus  est." 

Below  is  the  following  inscription  : 

"  Obiit  8.  Septern.* 

Ano  aerse  Christians 

1656. 

jEtat  suxe  82." 

At  the  bottom, 

"  Josephus  Hallus  olim  huilis  ecclesi©  servus." 

On  a  plain  slab  in  the  nave  is  the  following  inscription : 
"  Induviae  Josephi  Hall,  olim  Norvicensis  Ecclesiae  servi,  repo- 
sitae  8V0  die  mensis  Septembris,  anno  Domini  1656,  aetatis  suae 
8  20.  Vale,  lector  !  et  aeternitati  prospice !"  Near  the  altar  is  the 
following  inscription:  M.  S.  "Mrs.  Elizabeth,  the  deare  and  ver- 
tuous  consort  of  Joseph  Hall,  Bishop  of  Norwich,  with  whom  she 
comfortably  lived  48  years,  chaunged  this  mortall  life  for  an 
eternall,  Aug.  27,  1652,  in  the  year  of  her  age  69.  Farewell, 
reader !  and  mind  eternitie  P  A  modern  pew  has  been  permitted 
to  cover  a  part  of  both  inscriptions.  The  words  cut  off  are  sup- 
plied from  Blomefield's  history  of  Norfolk. 

In  the  parish  register  are  the  following  entries,  viz. 

Anno  Dom  1656. 

Sepult.  Joseph  Hall  late  Bishoppe  of  Norwich 

was  buried  Sept.  the  8th.  1656. 

1652 

The  wife  of  Doctr.  Joseph  Hall  late 

Bishop  of  Norwich  buried  28th  August. 

*  [It  will  be  observed  that  the  date  — it  is  said  to  have  arisen  from  the  cir- 

of  the  Bishop's  death  and  burial  on  the  comstance  of  his  friends  haying  previ- 

monument  and  in  the  register  is  the  ously  buried  him  with  the  rites  of  the 

same,  viz.  Sept.  8.     This  inconsistency  church.] 
can  only  be  accounted  for  by  conjecture : 


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ADDITIONAL  NOTICES.  lxxi 

The  foregoing  are,  I  believe,  all  the  traces  to  be  found  at 
Heigham  connected  with  the  bishop's  sojourn  in  that  village ;  but 
in  the  choir  of  Norwich  cathedral  is  still  to  be  seen  a  memorial  of 
the  bishop's  youngest  son,  no  doubt  sketched  by  the  parent's 
hand,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

Memorise 
Cultissimi  ingenii,  speique  eximi®  neo-geronti,  Edoardo  Hallo, 
Josephi  filio  natu  miniino,  Artium  Professori,  Theologiae  Candi- 
dato  pio  et  supra  »tatem  docto 

Posuere  moesti  P.  P. 

Tantum  erat.     Vale  Lector,  et  »ternitatem  cogita. 

Obiit  in  Vigiliis  nati  Salvatoris  anno  1642.  aetatis  vero  su»  23. 

To  this  notice  it  may  be  proper  to  append  the  following  ex- 
tract from  the  "  Supplemental  Paragraphs  of  Biography "  annexed 
to  Mr.  Peter  Hall's  edition,  vol.  xii.  p.  444,  and  also  some  few 
passages  of  Mr.  Whitefoot's  Funeral  Sermon  upon  the  Bishop, 
derived  from  the  same  source,  more  immediately  illustrating  the 
character  and  habits  of  Bishop  Hall.] 


From  the  Supplemental  Paragraphs  of  Biography. 
The  Bishop  married  in  1603 ;  and  lost  his  wife  in  1652.  Out 
of  a  large  family,  he  seems  to  havo  had  three  sons  ordained  to  the 
ministry  of  the  church.  Of  these,  his  eldest  son  Robert  was  born 
at  Halsted  in  1605 ;  educated  at  Exeter  college,  Oxford ;  became 
a  Prebendary  of  Exeter  cathedral ;  Rector  of  Stokeintinny  [Stoke- 
inteignhead],  and  of  Clisthydon  [Clysthydon],  Devon;  and  Arch- 
deacon of  Cornwall.— The  second,  Samuel,  held  also  a  prebendal 
stall  at  Exeter,  and  succeeded  his  elder  brother  in  the  rectory  of 
Stokeintinny.— The  third,  George,  was  born  at  Waltham  5  edu- 
cated at  Exeter  college ;  became,  in  1639,  a  Probendary  of  Exeter 
cathedral ;  and,  in  1641,  succeeded  his  oldest  brother  in  the 
archdeaconry  of  Cornwall:  during  the  usurpation  of  Cromwell 
he  preached  in  London,  by  allowance  of  the  Protector,  sometimes 
at  St.  Bartholomew's  Exchange,  and  sometimes  at  St.  Botolph's, 


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Ixxii  EXTRACTS   FROM 

Aldersgate.  After  the  Restoration  he  was  appointed  Chaplain 
to  King  Charles  the  Second,  Canon  of  Windsor,  and  Archdeacon 
of  Canterbury ;  and  in  1662  was  consecrated  to  the  see  of 
Chester.  He  preached  in  1655  the  first  sermon  for  the  Corpo- 
ration of  the  Sons  of  the  Clergy;  he  also  published  a  curious 
volume  entitled  '  The  Triumphs  of  Rome  over  despised  Protes- 
tancy/  Lond.  1667,  izmo.  The  manner  of  his  death  was  rather 
singular :  he  was  killed  in  1668  by  a  knife  which  happened  to  be 
open  in  his  pocket,  when  he  fell  in  his  garden  at  Wigan. — In 
Norwich  Cathedral  (Magna  Britannia,  iii.  316.)  is  a  monument  to. 
another  son,  Edward,  the  youngest,  who  died  in  1642. — And  in 
Heigham  Church  (Blomefield's  Norfolk,  in  loco)  once  was  (but  no 
longer  is)  a  stone  inscribed  to  another  son,  John,  who  died  in 
1650.  The  inscription,  probably  from  the  pen  of  the  father,  was, 
"  Ftii  Johannes  Hall,  Josephi  filius,  in  Legibus  Baccalaureus : 
dormivi  suaviter  in  Domino,  Feb.  12,  anno  Salutis,  1650,  resur- 
Tectums  olim  in  gloria"  This  was  some  years  ago,  according 
to  Mr.  Jones,  the  stepping-stone  of  a  stile  in  the  churchyard. — 
There  was  yet  another  son,  named,  after  his  father,  Joseph,  who, 
as  well  as  Robert,  Samuel,  and  George,  survived  their  parents, 
but  died  without  issue.  There  were  also  two  daughters,  both  of 
whom  married,  and  left  families. — H. 


Passages  from  a  sermon,  of  which  the  title  is,  "  I2PAHA  ArXI- 
0ANH2 :  Death's  Alarum,  or  the  Presage  of  approaching  Death; 
given  in  a  Funeral  Sermon,  preached  at  St.  Peter's,  Norwich, 
Sept.  30, 1656,  for  the  Right  Rev.  Joseph  Hall,  D.  D.  late  Lord 
Bishop  of  Norwich  ;  who,  upon  the  8th  day  of  Sept.  1656,  Anno 
JEtatis  suae  82,  was  gathered  to  the  Spirits  of  the  Just  made 
perfect.  By  John  Whitefoot,  M.  A.  Rector  of  Heigham,  near 
Norwich/'     Lond.  (2d  ed.)  1657,  i2mo. — H. 

Genesis  xlvii.  29. — And  the  time  drew  nigh  that  Israel  must  die. 
[In  this  sermon  a  parallel  is  drawn  between  the  Patriarch 
Jacob  and  the  deceased  Bishop.] 

I  have  now  done  with  my  text:   but,  as  I  told  you,  I  have 


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whitefoot's  funeral  sermon.  lxxiii 

another  to  take  in  hand,  and  ye  all  know  it.  Bat  something  I 
must  tell  you,  which  perhaps  you  know  not,  by  way  of  preface 
to  what  is  to  be  spoken  concerning  that  reverend  person  whose 
memory  we  are  now  to  solemnize :  namely,  that  it  was  a  strict 
charge  of  his  own,  given  to  his  son,  whom  he  made  his  executor, 
and  inserted  into  his  last  will,  that  he  should  be  buried  privately, 
without  any  solemnity :  which  order  was  agreeable  to  his  known 
singular  modesty  and  humility.  And  lest  we  should  seem  to 
transgress  that  command  which  we  have  thus  made  public,  I  must 
also  tell  you,  that  upon  entreaty  his  consent  was  obtained  for  a 
sermon  to  be  preached  for  him  after  his  funeral. 

Having  then  obeyed  his  first  order  in  the  day  of  his  funeral, 
which  was  as  private  as  could  be,  we  think  we  are  nevertheless 
obliged,  justa  faeere,  to  do  him  some  right  in  the  interest  of  his 
name :  and  I  heartily  wish  there  had  been  one  appointed  that 
had  been  better  able  to  do  it     ...     . 

Two  years  together  he  was  chosen  Rhetoric  Professor  in  the 
university  of  Cambridge,  and  performed  the  office  with  extraor- 
dinary applause. 

He  was  noted  for  a  singular  wit  from  his  youth ;  a  most  acute 
rhetorician,  and  an  elegant  poet.  He  understood  many  tongues ; 
and  in  the  rhetoric  of  his  own  he  was  second  to  none  that  lived  in 
his  time. 

....  So  was  our  father  a  priest,  and  that  of  the  higher  order ; 
a  seer,  a  prophet,  and  a  father  of  the  prophets ;  one  that  always 
made  it  his  business  to  see  and  search  into  the  things  of  God,  with 
a  zealous  diligence  rather  than  a  bold  curiosity.  He  was  one 
that  conversed  as  much  with  God,  and  drew  as  nigh  to  Him  in 
divine  meditation,  which  is  the  only  ordinary  way  of  seeing  God 
in  the  flesh,  as  any  man  of  his  time.  ...  A  great  master  he 
was,  and  one  of  the  first  that  taught  this  church  the  art  of  divine 
meditation.  Few  men  of  his  age  have  ascended  so  high  upon 
Jacob's  ladder  as  he  did :  he  was  one  that,  with  Israel,  lived  and 
died  in  a  Goshen  of  light,  in  the  midst  of  Egyptian  darkness. 

Secondly,  he  was  a  right  upright  man  too  before  God,  a  true 
Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  was  no  guile  ;  b*  i^;,  Rectus  Dei,  &* 
on,  as  was  said  of  Israel.  Vir  antiqua  probitate  simplicitateque 
prceditus,  et  eruditis  pietate,  et  piis  eruditionis  laude  antecel- 


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Ixxiv  EXTRACTS   PROM 

lens;  ita  secundas  doctrincef evens,  ut  pietatis  primas  obtineret, 
as  Nazianzen  saith  of  Basil.  Those  that  were  most  eminent  for 
learning,  he  excelled  in  piety,*  and  those  that  were  most  famous 
for  piety,  he  excelled  in  learning.  This  high  priest's  breast  was 
richly  adorned  with  the  glorious  OWm,  and  with  the  more  pre- 
cious jewel  of  the  Thummim. 

Thirdly,  he  was  one  that  wrestled  with  God  much  and  often  in 
prayer,  and  prevailed  much :  and  if  we  be  yet  capable  of  the 
blessing,  I  hope  we  shall  one  day  enjoy  the  fruit  of  those  prayers, 
wherein  he  wrestled  with  God  for  this  poor  church 

We  will  now  go  on  with  the  parallel  of  the  persons.  Israel  was 
a  smooth  man  of  body,  as  himself  saith ;  (Gen.  xxxii.  1 1 ;)  and  a 
man  of  a  plain,  even,  and  modest  spirit,  as  appeared  by  his  scruples 
that  he  made  about  the  way  that  his  mother  directed  him  to  get 
his  father's  blessing.  Such  an  one  was  our  father,  a  man  of  a 
smooth,  terse  wit  and  tongue,  and  of  a  calm,  gentle,  meek,  and 
moderate  spirit,  as  they  all  know  that  know  anything  of  him : 
irpaos,  &6pyrjro9,  ydKrjvbs  t6  cfto?,  $€p^s  rb  irpcfyia,  as  Nazianzen 
saith  of  Ccesarius ;  a  man  of  a  mild,  serene,  and  calm  aspect, 
(who  ever  saw  it  ruffled  into  any  appearance  of  disorderly  pas- 
■  sion  ?)  and  of  a  quick  and  lively  spirit.  He  was  not  twice  a  child, 
(though  he  lived  long  enough  to  have  been  so,)  but  always  one 
in  our  Saviour's  sense,  namely,  in  humility  and  innocence :  one 
that  much  excelled  in  those  dovelike  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  which 
St.  Paul  mentions,  (Gal.  v.  22,)  love,  joy,  peace,  longmffering, 
gentleness,  goodness,  meekness,  &c :  as  loving  and  as  much  be- 
loved as  any  man  of  his  order  in  the  three  nations :  one  that  got 
the  birthright  from  heaven,  and  the  blessing  from  men  too,  with- 
out dissembling  for  it ;  whilst  other  rough  Esaus  were  hunting 
abroad  for  wild  venison,  thinking  to  please  their  father,  he  stayed 
quietly  at  home,  and  observing  the  directions  of  his  mother,  the 
church,  went  away  smooth  with  the  venison.  Some  strugglings 
he  had  with  his  rougher  brethren,  whom  he  did  not  strive  so 
much  to  supplant,  as  to  supple  with  his  smooth  moderation  and 
humility :  and  so  far  he  prevailed  in  this  design,  as  that  instead 
of  ill  words  or  knocks,  he  met  with  a  kiss  and  respectful  em- 
bracement  from  many  of  them  that  had  been  his  adversaries 
because  they  envied  him  the  birthright  of  his  order  and  dignity ; 


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whitefoot's  fuhebal  sermon.  lxxv 

and  all  men  honoured  the  Doctor,  though  some  loved  not  the 
Bishop. 

....  He  travelled  with  persons  of  honour  into  France,  Germany, 
Holland,  and  Scotland ;  and  God  was  ever  with  him,  wherever  he 
went,  as  he  was  with  Israel.  Some  troubles  and  perils  he  met 
with  in  his  journeys,  as  Jacob  did,  when  Laban  pursued  him  with 
one  troop,  and  Esau  met  him  with  another.  But  a  kind  Provi- 
dence was  ever  ready  to  redeem  him;  and  God  hath  always 
holpen  his  servant  Israel. 

«...  Whilst  he  was  the  private  pastor  first  of  Halstead  in  Suffolk, 
and  after  of  Waltham  in  Essex,  he  preached  thrice  a  week  in  a 
constant  course :  yet,  as  himself  witnessed,  "  never  durst  climb  up 
into  the  pulpit  to  preach  any  sermon,  whereof  he  had  not  before 
penned  every  word  in  the  same  order  wherein  he  hoped  to  deliver 
it ;  although  in  his  expressions  he  was  no  slave  to  syllables, 
neither  made  use  of  his  notes." 

Nor  did  his  industry  either  cease,  or  so  much  as  abate,  at  his 
preferments.  He  hath  given  the  world  as  good  an  account  of  his 
time  as  any  man  in  it ;  as  one  that  knew  the  value  of  time,  and 
esteemed  the  loss  of  it  more  than  a  temporal  loss,  because  it  hath 
a  necessary  influence  upon  eternity.  It  is  well  known  in  this  city 
how  forward  he  was  to  preach  in  any  of  our  churches,  till  he  was 
first  forbidden  by  men,  and  at  last  disabled  by  God. 

And  when  he  could  not  preach  himself  as  oft  and  as  long  as  he 
was  able,  this  learned  Gamaliel  was  not  content  only,  but  very 
diligent,  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  the.  youngest  of  his  disciples ;  as  dili- 
gent an  hearer  as  he  had  been  a  preacher.  How  oft  have  we  seen 
him  walking  alone,  like  old  Jacob  with  his  staff,  to  Bethel,  the 
house  of  God ! 

....  He  was  indeed  a  rare  mirror  of  patience  under  all  his 
crosses,  which  toward  his  latter  end  were  multiplied  upon  him. '  The 
loss  of  his  estate  he  seemed  insensible  of,  as  if  he  had  parted  with  all 
with  as  good  content  as  Jacob  did  with  a  good  part  of  his  to  pacify 
his  angry  brother,  having  well  learned  as  well  to  want  as  to 
abound.  I  have  heard  him  oft  bewail  the  spoils  of  the  church, 
but  very  rarely  did  he  so  much  as  mention  his  own  losses,  but 
took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  his  goods 


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lxxvi  EXTRACTS   PROM 

Of  late  years,  and  especially  the  last,  he  was  sorely  afflicted 
with  bodily  diseases,  and  bore  them  all  with  as  much  patience  as 
hath  been  seen  in  any  flesh,  except  that  of  our  Saviour.  We  have 
heard  of  the  patience  of  Job,  but  never  saw  a  fairer  copy  of  it 
than  was  in  this  man 

When  his  time  drew  nigh  that  he  must  die,  he  much  longed 
for  death,  and  was  ready  to  bid  it  welcome,  and  spake  always  very 
kindly  of  it.  It  was  an  odd  word  of  St.  Francis,  when  the  physi- 
cians told  him  the  time  of  death  drew  nigh,  Bene  veniat,  inquit, 
8oror  mors,  Welcome,  my  sister  death.  The  expression  of  Job  is 
not  much  unlike,  (Job.  xvii.  14,)  I  have  said  to  corruption,  Thou 
art  my  father :  to  the  worm,  Thou  art  my  mother,  and  my 
sister :  so  did  this  good  man  welcome  death,  as  if  he  had  been  to 
embrace  a  mother  or  a  sister.  He  took  good  notice  of  the  ap- 
proach of  death,  and  set  his  house  in  order  as  Israel  did,  by  dis- 
tributing tbe  blessings  that  God  had  left  him  to  his  children.  He 
endeavoured  also  to  prepare  others  for  that  change  by  his  last 
books  and  last  sermons  that  he  preached,  which  were  all  upon 
the  last  things,  death  and  judgment,  heaven  and  hell.    .... 

The  streights  of  time  both  for  preparing  and  delivering  this 
testimony  of  his  life,  hath  enforced  me  to  pass  over  the  particulars 
of  his  preferments,  dignities,  and  honourable  employments  by  his 
prince ;  amongst  which,  that  to  the  synod  of  Dort  would  not  else 
have  been  forgotten :  especially  for  the  great  respect  he  had  there 
from  the  foreign  divines  and  states.  And  his  excellent  moderation 
showed  in  those  unhappy  disputes,  concerning  which  he  afterward 
drew  up  such  a  collection  of  accorded  truths  as  was  offered  to  be 
subscribed  by  some  of  the  most  eminent  parties  on  both  sides : 
which  reconciliatory  papers,  then  unhappily  buried,  are  very  much 
to  be  desired,  and  may  be  hoped  for  in  time,  together  with  a 
completer  account  of  his  life  written  by  himself.  But  what- 
ever becomes  of  them,  he  was  one  whose  moderation  was  known 
to  all  men;  and  his  zeal  for  an  holy  peace  in  the  church  is 
abundantly  manifested  by  those  writings  of  his  which  are  already 
extant. 

I  cannot  so  much  as  mention  all  his  virtues,  but  must  not  forget 
so  great  an  one  as  that  of  his  charity ;  which  above  and  before 


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whitefoot's  funeral  sermon.  Ixxvii 

all  things,  as  the  two  great  apostles  exhort a,  he  was  careful  to  put 
on.  Besides  his  spiritual  alms  of  prayers,  godly  admonitions,  com- 
forts, and  holy  counsels,  whereof  he  was  very  liberal,  his  bodily 
alms  were  constant  and  bountiful.  In  the  parish  where  he  last 
lived,  he  gave  a  weekly  voluntary  contribution  of  money  to  certain 
poor  widows  to  his  dying  day,  over  and  above  his  imposed  rates, 
wherein  he  was  never  spared.  And  as  the  widow's  handful  of 
meal  and  her  cruse  of  oil  did  not  waste  by  feeding  the  old  pro- 
phet; so  did  this  prophet's  barrel  that  was  low,  and  his  cruse 
that  was  little,  not  hold  out  only,  but  seemed  to  increase  by  feed- 
ing the  widows,  as  appeared  by  that  liberal  addition  of  alms  which 
he  gave  by  his  will  to  the  town  where  he  was  born,  and  to  this 

city  where  he  died 

Follow  the  steps  of  his  holy  life,  and  the  instructions  of  his 
godly  books ;  learn  of  Israel  and  of  this  parallel  father  to  prize  the 
spiritual  birthright  above  any  present  fleshly  enjoyments,  and  to 
wrestle  with  God  for  it  in  prayer :  meditate  much  and  often  of 
heaven  and  heavenly  things  as  he  did;  imitate  him  in  his  holy 
vows,  and  be  careful  to  pay  them:  follow,  I  say,  the  steps  of 
his  faith  and  charity,  and  you  cannot  miss  of  such  an  end.  For 
as  many  as  walk  according  to  this  rule,  peace  shall  be  upon 
them,  and  upon  the  Israel  of  God.    Ames. 


[Transcript  of  the  Will  of  Bishop  Hall. 

Communicated  to  the  Editor  by  Richard  Sainthill,  Esq.  of  Cork. 

In  the  name  of  God  Amen.  I  Joseph  Hall,  Dr.  of  Divinity  (not 
worthy  to  be  called  B.  of  Norwich)  considering  the  uncertainty  of 
life,  have  thought  much  in  the  state  of  wonted  health  to  make  my 
last  Will  and  Testament  in  manner  following. 

First  I  bequeath  my  Soule  into  the  hands  of  my  Faithful  Creator 
and  Redeemer,  not  doubting  but  he  will  receive  it  to  mercy  and 
crowne  it  with  glorie. 

»  'Eirl  wafft,  CoL  iii.  14.    irpb  nbrwv,  1  Pet.  iv.  8. 


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btXViii  TRANSCRIPT  OP  THE  WILL  OP  BP.  HALL. 

My  Body  I  leave  to  be  interred  w*hout  any  funerall  pompe,  at 
the  discretion  of  my  executor,  Vth  this  onely  monition,  that  I  do 
not  hold  God's  house  a  mete  repositorie  for  the  dead  bodyes  of  the 
greatest  Saint.    My  worldly  estate  I  will  to  be  thus  disposed : 

Imprimis,  my  house  and  grounde  w01  the  appurtenances  lying 
and  being  within  the  city  of  Exeter,  neare  to  the  South  gate  of  the 
said  city,  I  give  my  eldest  Sonne,  Robert  Hall  Dr.  of  Divinity, 
and  to  his  Heirs  for  ever.  To  my  Sonne  Joseph  I  give  and  be- 
queath (having  surrendered*  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Reve  of  Wal- 
tham,  Steward  by  Patent  to  the  Right  Noble  the  Earle  of  Carlisle, 
all  my  Coppy holds  with  the  mannor  of  Swardston  to  the  use  of  my 
last  Will)  all  my  Coppyhold  lands  and  tenements  lying  and  being 
in  Swardston  wthin  the  Parish  of  Waltham  holy  Crosse,  to  have 
and  to  hold  to  him  and  his  heres  for  ever.  Likewise  to  my  Sonne 
Joseph  I  give  and  bequeath  the  remainder  of  years  which  I  have 
from  my  late  deare  Lord  of  Norwich  in  a  Tenement  lying  in  the 
said  Waltham,  over  against  the  Church  there,  wherein  Marmaduke 
How  now  dwelleth. 

Moreover  to  my  Sonne  Joseph  I  give  and  bequeath  all  that  free 
land  with  the  appurtenances  wh  I  have  in  Much  Bently  in  the 
County  of  Essex  wth  the  edifices  thereto  belonging.  And  whereas 
I  am  informed  that  the  custome  of  that  Mannor  is  such  that  the 
Coppyhold  lands,  except  they  be  formerly  surrendered  into  the 
hands  of  the  Tenants  to  other  uses,  Do  in  course  descend  upon  the 
youngest  Sonne,  my  will  is  that  my  Sonne  Samuel  (upon  whom  it 
will  fall)  doe  speedily  surrender  that  Coppyhold  and  the  Tenements 
thereto  belonging  to  the  use  and  behoof  of  my  said  Sonne  Joseph 
and  his  heres  for  ever. 

Item.  To  my  Sonne  George  I  give  and  bequeath  all  those 
lands  and  Tenements  which  I  have  and  possess  in  Mulbartin  and 
the  parts  adjacent,  now  in  the  occupacon  of  my  Tenant  John 
Money,  to  have  and  to  hold  to  him  and  his  heires  for  ever.  Also 
to  my  said  Sonne  George  I  give  and  bequeath  all  that  terme  and 
remainder  of  years  which  I  have  in  the  dwelling-house  wherein  I 
now  remain  and  the  groundes  thereto  belonging,  with  all  the  ap- 

•  Entered  into  the  Court  Rolls  at  the  Court  Baron  held  July  13.  1649. 


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TRANSCRIPT  OF  THE  WILL  OP  BP.  HALL.  lxxix 

purtenances,  to  be  entered  by  him  within  three  months  after  my 
decease. 

Provided  always,  and  my  will  and  charge  is  upon  the  blessing  of 
a  father  to  my  said  Sonnes,  Robert,  Joseph,  and  George,  that 
(except  they  be  necessitated  by  the  times  or  the  exigences  of  their 
own  particular  estate,  for  the  true  reality  of  which  necessity  I  lay 
weight  on  their  consciences  in  the  Lord)  that  they  do  not  alienate, 
sell  or  put  away,  lease  or  lett  the  said  Lands  and  Tenements  to 
them  generally  bequeathed,  to  the  hands  of  strangers,  but  that 
(in  case  of  their  deceasing  without  issue)  they  leave  the  said  lands 
and  Tenements  (after  the  life  of  their  several  wives)  to  the  next 
Brother  that  hath  issue,  or  to  the  Children  of  their  Sister  in 
default  of  such  issue. 

To  my  Sonne  Samuel  Hall,  whoe  is  yet  only  of  all  my  sonnes 
blessed  with  any  issue,  I  will  and  do  give  and  bequeath  all  those 
my  lands  and  tenements  with  their  appurtenances  situate,  lying, 
and  being  in  the  Parish  of  Totnesse,  in  the  County  of  Devon,  all 
which  1  had  of  the  purchase  of  Phillip  Holditch  the  elder,  of 
Totnes  aforesaid,  merchant,  with  the  lands  I  bought  there  of 
Jeffry  Barber,  to  have  and  to  hold  to  him  and  his  heires  for  ever. 
Provided  always  that  he  and  his  heires  shall  pay  to  my  sonne-in- 
Law,  Qascoigne  Weld,  the  remainder  of  that  manage  portion 
wch  is  yet  oweing  by  bond  to  him  the  said  Gascoigne,  and  which 
shall  appeare  upon  account  still  due  unto  him  to  make  up  that 
entire  sum  then  agreed  upon,  which  is  well  knowin  my  said  ex- 
ecutor. Item,  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  sonne  Samuel  my 
Librarie,  onely  I  will  that  my  sonnes  Robert  and  George  (whom 
I  know  to  be  well  furnished  in  that  kinde)  shall  have  the  selection 
of  twenty  bookes  betwixt  them,  wch  they  shall  pitch  upon ;  for  my 
paper  bookes  I  will  that  those  which  contayne  the  notes  of  my 
Sermons  shall  be  divided  betwixt  my  Sonnes  Robert  and  George, 
the  rest  of  them  I  bequeath  to  my  Sonne  Samuel. 

Withall  my  will  is,  that  the  papers  in  my  little  black  Trunke, 
conteyninge  letters  of  intercourse  with  forreine  Divines  and  some 
sermons  and  tractates,  shall  not  be  medled  with  or  desposed  with- 
out the  joint  consent  of  my  said  three  Sonnes,  whom  1  thank  God 
I  have  lived  to  see  learned  judicious  and  painful  Divines. 


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lxxx  TRANSCRIPT  OP  THE  WILL  OF  BP.  HALL. 

To  my  Son-in-Law  Mr.  Dr.  Peterson,  Deane  of  Exeter,  I  give 
that  curious  flappe  which  was  given  me  by  Mr.  Rawlins,  and  one 
faire  gilt  bowle  with  a  coyer  for  a  remembrance  of  my  deare  af- 
fection to  him. 

My  Golden  Medall  which  was  given  me  by  the  States  of  the 
Netherlands  for  my  applause  at  the  Synode  of  Dort,  I  give  and 
bequeath  to  the  male  issue  of  any  one  of  my  Sonnes  (if  any  such 
be)  according  to  the  order  of  their  birth,  or  in  default  thereof  to 
Joseph  Weld,  the  Sonne  of  my  Daughter,  as  a  memorial  of  that 
worthy  employment. 

Moreover  to  my  Sonne  Robert  Hall  I  give  two  hundred  pounds, 
and  to  him  and  his  worthy  Consort,  I  give  and  bequeath  one  fair 
gilt  Basen  and  Ewre  of  Noremburgh  worke.  To  my  Sonne  Joseph 
I  give  two  hundred  pounds;  To  my  Sonne  George  Hall  I  give 
two  hundred  pounds;  To  my  Grandchildren  the  Sonnes  and 
Daughters  of  my  Sonne  Weld,  I  give  to  each  twenty  pounds ;  To 
my  Grandchilde  Elizabeth  Hall  I  give  three  hundred  pounds  ;  To 
my  Grandchilde  Mary  Hall  I  give  one  hundred  pounds.  To  each 
of  my  servants  that  shall  be  dwelling  with  me  at  the  time  of  my 
decease  I  give  three  pounds ;  To  Margaret  Hatley  I  give  twenty 
pounds ;  To  Peregrine  Pond  I  give  twenty  pounds ;  To  the  Poor 
of  Higham  I  give  ten  pounde  to  be  distributed  according  to  the 
discretion  of  the  Churchwardens  and  Overseers;  To  the  use  and 
benefit  of  the  poore  of  Ashby  de  La  Zouch  I  give  thirty  pounds, 
to  be  paid  within  three  months  after  my  decease ;  To  the  poore  of 
Norwich  twenty  pounds.  Divers  other  particular  Legacyes  there 
are  which  I  bequeath  to  several  persons  conteyned  in  a  schedule 
hereto  annexed,  signed  with  my  hande  and  seale,  which  I  require 
and  charge  my  executor  to  see  carefully  and  punctually  performed. 
And  of  this  my  last  Will  and  Testament,  conteyned  in  two  sheets 
of  paper,  I  doe  make  and  ordaine  my  Sonne  Samuel  Hall  my  full, 
lawful  and  sole  Executor,  not  doubting  of  his  true  fidelity  therein ; 
and  doe  desire  and  appoint  my  beloved.  Sonne-in-Law,  Gascoigne 
Weld,  and  my  loving  friend  and  neighbour  Mr.  George  Bayfield, 
to  be  overseers  thereof,  giving  to  my  said  Sonne  my  Golden  Medall 
wch  was  given  me  by  Mrs.  Goodwin ;  and  to  Mr.  Bayfield  one  piece 
of  plate,  vizt.  one  Silver  Tankard.     And  that  this  my  last  Will 


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TRANSCRIPT  OF  THE  WILL  OF  BP.  HALL.  kxxi 

and  Testament  I  do  publish  and  declare,  subscribing*  the  same 
and  affixing  my  seale  manuel  this  24th  day  of  July  in  the  year  of 
oar  Lord  God  1654. 

Jos.  Hall,  B.  N. 

Published,  Signed  and  Sealed  in  the  prsence  of  us  Geo : 
Bayfield,  Peregrine  Pond,  Edmond  Camplin,  Margaret  Hatley, 
Athanasius  Ferrer,  John  Reeve. 

Memor,  that  all  the  words  inserted  or  altered  in  the  several 
places  of  this  Will  are  written  and  done  by  my  owne  hand,  and 
are  by  me  accordingly  published  as  part  of  my  will,  April  28, 1656. 
In  the  prsence  of  Peregrine  Pond,  Margaret  Hatley,  Edmond 
Camplin. 

Jos.  Hall,  B.  N.] 


BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I. 


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TO  THE   HIGH  AND  MIGHTY  MONARCH, 

OUB  D1AB  AND  DREAD  SOVEREIGN  LORD, 

JAMES, 

by  the  good  providence  of  ood,  kino  of  great  britain,  france, 

and  ireland,  the  most  worthy  and  most  able  defender 

of  the  faith,  and  most  gracious  patron  of  the 

church  ;  all  peace  and  happiness. 

Most  Gracious  Sovereign, 

I  cannot  so  over  love  this  issue  of  my  own  brain*  as  to  hold  it 
worthy  of  your  Majesty's  judicious  eyes,  much  less  of  the  highest  patronage 
under  heaven :  yet  now,  my  very  duty  hath  bidden  me  look  so  high,  and  tells 
me  it  would  be  no  less  than  injurious  if  I  should  not  lay  down  my  work 
where  1  owe  my  service;  and  that  I  should  offend,  if  I  presumed  not. 
Besides,  whither  should  the  rivers  run  but  into  the  sea?  It  is  to  your 
Majesty  (under  the  Highest)  that  we  owe  both  these  sweet  opportunities  of 
good,  and  all  the  good  fruits  of  these  happy  opportunities :  if  we  should  not 
therefore  freely  offer  to  your  Majesty  some  preemetial  handfuls  of  that  crop, 
whereof  you  may  challenge  the  whole  harvest,  how  could  we  be  but  shame- 
lessly unthankful  ?  I  cannot  praise  my  present,  otherwise  than  by  the  truth 
of  that  heart  from  which  it  proceedeth  :  only  this  I  may  say,  that  seldom  any 
man  hath  offered  to  your  royal  hands  a  greater  bundle  of  his  own  thoughts, 
(some  whereof,  as  it  must  needs  fall  out  amongst  so  many,  have  been  con- 
fessed profitable,)  nor  perhaps  more  variety  of  discourse.  For  here  shall  your 
Majesty  find  Morality,  like  a  good  handmaid,  waiting  on  Divinity;  and 
Divinity,  like  some  great  lady,  every  day  in  several  dresses  :  speculation 
interchanged  with  experience ;  positive  theology  with  polemical ;  textual 
with  discursory;  popular  with  scholaatical. 

I  cannot  dissemble  my  joy  to  have  done  this  little  good :  and  if  it  be  the 
comfort  and  honour  of  your  unworthy  servant  that  the  God  of  heaven  hath 

a  This  is  the  original  Dedication,  prefixed  to  the  first  volume  of  the  works, 
[A.  D.  1615],  when  collected  by  the  author  in  folio. — H. 

f  2 


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lxxxiv  DEDICATION. 

vouchsafed  to  use  his  hand  in  the  least  service  of  his  church,  bow  can  it  be 
but  your  crown  and  rejoicing,  that  the  same  God  hath  set  apart  your  Majesty 
as  a  glorious  instrument  of  such  an  universal  good  to  the  whole  Christian 
world  ?  It  was  a  mad  conceit  of  that  old  heresiarchb,  which  might  justly 
take  his  name  from  madness,  that  an  huge  giant  bears  up  the  earth  with 
his  shoulder,  which  he  changes  every  thirtieth  year  for  ease,  and  with 
the  removal  causes  an  earthquake.  If  by  this  device  he  had  meant  only 
an  emblem  of  kings,  (as  our  ancient  mycologists,  under  their  Saint  George, 
and  Christopher,  have  described  the  Christian  soldier,  and  good  pastor,) 
he  had  not  done  amiss :  for  surely  the  burden  of  the  whole  world  lies  on 
the  shoulders  of  sovereign  authority ;  and  it  is  no  marvel  if  the  earth  quake 
in  the  change.  As  kings  are  to  the  world,  so  are  good  kings  to  the  church. 
None  can  be  so  blind  or  envious  as  not  to  grant  that  the  whole  church  of 
God  upon  earth  rests  herself  principally  (next  to  her  stay  above)  upon  your 
Majesty's  royal  supportation :  you  may  truly  say  with  David,  Ego  tustimeo 
columnas  ejus.  What  wonder  is  it  then,  if  our  tongues  and  pens  bless  you ; 
if  we  be  ambitious  of  all  occasions  that  may  testify  our  cheerful  gratulations 
of  this  happiness  to  your  highness,  and  ours  in  you  ?  Which  our  humble 
prayers  unto  Him  by  whom  kings  reign,  shall  labour  to  continue,  till  both 
the  earth  and  heavens  be  truly  changed. 

The  unworthiest  of  your 

Majesty's  servants, 

JOS.  HALL. 

b  [Manes-Epiphan.  Contra  Haeres.  lib.  ii.  torn.  a.] 


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CONTEMPLATIONS 


UPON  THB 


PRINCIPAL  PASSAGES 


HT  THB 


HOLY   STORY. 


THE  FIRST  VOLUME. 


BP.  BALL,  VOL.  t. 


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TO  THE  HIGH  AND  MIGHTY  PRINCE, 

HENRY,  PRINCE   OF  WALES, 

HIS  HIGHNESS'S  UNWORTHY  SERVANT  DEDICATES  ALL  HIS  LABOURS, 
AND  WISHES  ALL  HAPPINESS. 

Most  gracious  Prince, — This  work  of  mine,  which,  if  my  hopes  and  desires 
foil  me  not,  time  may  hereafter  make  great,  I  have  presumed  both  to  dedicate 
in  whole  to  your  Highness,  and  to  parcel  out  in  severals  unto  subordinate 
hands.  It  is  no  marvel  if  books  have  this  freedom,  when  we  ourselves  can 
and  ought  to  be  all  yours,  while  we  are  our  own  and  others'  under  you.  I 
dare  say,  these  meditations,  how  rude  soever  they  may  fall  from  my  pen,  in 
regard  of  their  subject  are  fit  for  a  prince.  Here  your  Highness  shall  see  how 
the  great  pattern  of  princes,  the  King  of  Heaven,  hath  ever  ruled  the  world  ; 
how  his  substitutes,  earthly  kings,  have  ruled  it  under  him,  and  with  what 
success  either  of  glory  or  ruin.  Both  your  peace  and  war  shall  find  here 
holy  and  great  examples.  And  if  history  and  observation  be  the  best  coun- 
sellors of  your  youth,  what  story  can  be  so  wise  and  faithful  as  that  which 
God  hath  written  for  men,  wherein  you  see  both  what  hath  been  done,  and 
what  should  be  i  What  observation  so  worthy  as  that  which  is  both  raised 
from  God,  and  directed  to  him  ?  If  the  propriety  [property]  which  your  Highness 
justly  hath  in  the  work  and  author,  may  draw  your  princely  eyes  and  heart  the 
rather  to  these  holy  speculations,  your  servant  shall  be  happier  in  this  favour 
than  in  all  your  outward  bounty ;  as  one  to  whom  your  spiritual  progress 
deserves  to  be  dearer  than  his  own  life ;  and  whose  daily  suit  is,  that  God 
would  guide  your  steps  aright  in  this  slippery  age,  and  continue  to  rejoice  all 
good  hearts  in  the  view  of  your  gracious  proceedings. 

Your  Highneas's  humbly  devoted  servant, 

JOS.  HALL. 


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CONTEMPLATIONS. 


BOOK  I. 

TO  THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE 

THOMAS,  EARL  OF  EXETER*, 

OKR  OF  HIS  MAJESTY'S  MOST  HONOURABLE  PRIVY  COUNCIL, 
ALL  ORAOE  AND  HAPPINESS. 

Right  Honourable, — I  knew  I  could  not  bestow  my  thought  better  than 
upon  God's  own  history,  so  full  of  edification  and  delight :  which  I  have  in 
such  sort  endeavoured  to  do,  that  I  shall  give  occasion  to  my  reader  of  some 
meditations,  which  perhaps  he  would  have  missed.  Every  help  in  this  kind 
deserves  to  be  precious.  I  present  the  first  part  to  your  honour,  wherein  you 
shall  see  the  world  both  made  and  smothered  again :  man  in  the  glory  of  his 
creation,  and  the  shame  of  his  fall :  paradise  at  once  made  and  lost :  the  first 
man  killing  his  seed,  the  second  his  brother.  If  in  these  I  shall  give  light  to 
the  thoughts  of  any  reader,  let  him  with  me  give  the  praise  to  Him  from  whom 
that  light  shone  forth  to  me.  To  whose  grace  and  protection  I  humbly  com- 
mend your  lordship,  as 

Your  honour's  unfeignedly  devoted,  in  all  observance  and  duty, 

JOS.  HALL. 


THE  CREATION.— Genesis  i. 

What  can  I  soe,  O  God,  in  thy  creation,  but  miracles  of  won- 
ders? Thou  madest  something  of  nothing,  and  of  that  something, 
all  things.  Thou,  which  wast  without  a  beginning,  gavest  a  be- 
ginning to  time,  and  to  the  world  in  time.  It  is  the  praise  of  ua 
men  if,  when  we  have  matter,  we  can  give  fashion :  thou  gavest  a 
being  to  the  matter,  without  form ;  thou  gavest  a  form  to  that 
matter,  and  a  glory  to  that  form.  If  we  can  but  finish  a  slight 
and  imperfect  matter  according  to  a  former  pattern,  it  is  the 
height  of  our  skill :  but  to  begin  that  which  never  was,  whereof 
there  was  no  example,  whereto  there  was  no  inclination,  wherein 
there  was  no  possibility  of  that  which  it  should  be,  is  proper 
*  Son  of  W.  Cecil,  lord  Burleigh,  created  earl  of  Exeter  1605. 

B  2 


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4  The  Creation.  book  i. 

only  to  such  power  as  thine;  the  infinite  power  of  an  infinite 
Creator:  with  us,  not  so  much  as  a  thought  can  arise  without 
some  matter ;  but  here  with  thee,  all  matter  arises  from  nothing. 
How  easy  is  it  for  thee  to  repair  all  out  of  something,  which 
couldst  thus  fetch  all  out  of  nothing !  Wherein  can  we  now  dis- 
trust thee,  that  hast  proved  thyself  thus  omnipotent?  Behold: 
to  have  made  the  least  clod  of  nothing,  is  more  above  wonder, 
than  to  multiply  a  world ;  but  now  the  matter  doth  not  more 
praise  thy  power,  than  the  form  thy  wisdom:  what  beauty  is 
here !  what  order !  what  order  in  working,  what  beauty  in  the 
work  I 

Thou  mightest  have  made  all  the  world  perfect  in  an  instant, 
but  thou  wouldst  not.  That  will,  which  caused  thee  to  create,  is 
reason  enough  why  thou  didst  thus  create.  How  should  we  deli- 
berate in  our  actions,  which  are  so  subject  to  imperfection  I  since 
it  pleased  thine  infinite  perfection,  not  out  of  need,  to  take  leisure. 
Neither  did  thy  wisdom  herein  proceed  in  time  only,  but  in  de- 
grees :  at  first  thou  madest  nothing  absolute ;  first,  thou  madest 
things  which  should  have  being  without  life;  then,  those  which 
should  have  life  and  being ;  lastly,  those  which  have  being,  life, 
reason :  so  we  ourselves,  in  the  ordinary  course  of  generation, 
first  live  the  life  of  vegetation,  then  of  sense,  of  reason  after- 
wards. That  instant  wherein  the  heaven  and  the  earth  were 
created  in  their  rude  matter,  there  was  neither  day  nor  light,  but 
presently  thou  madest  both  light  and  day.  While  we  have  this 
example  of  thine,  how  vainly  do  we  hope  to  be  perfect  at  once ! 
It  is  well  for  us,  if  through  many  degrees  we  can  rise  to  our 
consummation. 

But,  alas !  what  was  the  very  heaven  itself  without  light?  how 
confused  I  how  formless !  like  to  a  goodly  body  without  a  soul, 
like  a  soul  without  thee.  Thou  art  light,  and  in  thee  is  no  dark- 
ness. Oh  how  incomprehensibly  glorious  is  the  light  that  is  in 
thee,  since  one  glimpse  of  this  created  light  gave  so  lively  a  glory 
to  all  thy  workmanship !  This,  even  the  brute  creatures  can  be- 
hold ;  that,  not  the  very  angels.  That  shines  forth  only  to  the 
other  supreme  world  of  immortality,  this  to  the  basest  part  of  thy 
creation.  There  is  one  cause  of  our  darkness  on  earth,  and  of  the 
utter  darkness  in  hell;  the  restraint  of  thy  light.  Shine  thou,  O 
God,  into  the  vast  corners  of  my  soul,  and  in  thy  light  I  shall  see 
light. 

But  whence,  0  God,  was  that  first  light?  The  sun  was  not 


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cowt.  i.  The  Creation.  5 

made  till  the  fourth  day ;  light,  the  first.  If  man  had  been,  he 
might  have  seen  all  lightsome ;  bat  whence  it  had  come  he  could 
not  have  seen ;  as  in  some  great  pond,  we  see  the  banks  full,  we 
see  not  the  springs  from  whence  that  water  riaeth.  Thou  madest 
the  sun,  madest  the  light  without  the  sun,  before  the  sun,  that 
so  light  might  depend  upon  thee,  and  not  upon  thy  creature. 
Thy  power  will  not  be  limited  to  means.  It  was  easy  to  thee  to 
make  an  heaven  without  a  sun,  light  without  an  heaven,  day 
without  a  sun,  time  without  a  day :  it  is  good  reason  thou  shouldst 
be  the  lord  of  thine  own  works.  All  means  serve  thee ;  why  do 
we  weak  wretches  distrust  thee,  in  the  want  of  those  means, 
which  thou  canst  either  command  or  forbear?  How  plainly 
wouldst  thou  teach  us,  that  we  creatures  need  not  one  another, 
so  long  as  we  have  thee !  One  day  we  shall  have  light  again 
without  the  sun.  Thou  shalt  be  our  sun ;  thy  presence  shall  be 
our  light :  light  is  sown  for  the  righteous.  The  sun  and  light  is 
but  for  the  world  below  itself;  thine  only  for  above.  Thou 
givest  this  light  to  the  sun,  which  the  sun  gives  to  the  world : 
that  light,  which  thou  shalt  once  give  us,  shall  make  us  shine  like 
the  sun  in  glory. 

Now  this  light  which  for  three  days  was  thus  dispersed  through 
the  whole  heavens,  it  pleased  thee  at  last  to  gather  and  unite  into 
one  body  of  the  sun.  The  whole  heaven  was  our  sun,  before  the 
sun  was  created :  but  now  one  star  must  be  the  treasury  of  light 
to  the  heaven  and  earth*  How  thou  lovest  the  union  and  reduc- 
tion of  all  things  of  one  kind  to  their  own  head  and  centre !  So 
the  waters  most  by  thy  command  be  gathered  into  one  place,  the 
sea ;  so  the  upper  waters  must  be  severed  by  these  airy  limits 
from  the  lower :  so  heavy  substances  hasten  downward,  and  light 
mount  up ;  so  the  general  light  of  the  first  days  must  be  called 
into  the  compass  of  one  sun ;  so  thou  wilt  once  gather  thine  elect, 
from  all  coasts  of  heaven,  to  the  participation  of  one  glory.  Why 
do  we  abide  our  thoughts  and  affections  scattered  from  thee,  from 
thy  saints,  from  thine  anointed  ?  Oh  let  this  light,  which  thou 
hast  now  spread  abroad  in  the  hearts  of  all  thine,  once  meet  in 
thee;  we  are  as  thy  heavens  in  this  their  first  imperfection;  be 
thou  our  sun,  unto  which  our  light  may  be  gathered. 

Yet  this  light  was  by  thee  interchanged  with  darkness,  which 
thou  mightest  as  easily  have  commanded  to  be  perpetual.  The 
continuance,  even  of  the  best  things,  cloyeth  and  wearieth :  there 
is  nothing  but  thyself  wherein  there  is  not  satiety.    So  pleasing 


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6  The  Creation.  book  i. 

is  the  vicissitude  of  things,  that  the  intercourse  even  of  those  oc- 
currents  which  in  their  own  nature  are  less  worthy,  gives  more 
contentment,  than  the  unaltered  estate  of  better.  The  day  dies 
into  night,  and  rises  into  the  morning  again,  that  we  might  not 
expect  any  stability  here  below,  but  in  perpetual  successions :  it 
is  always  day  with  thee  above ;  the  night  savoureth  only  of  mor- 
tality :  why  are  we  not  here  spiritually  as  we  shall  be  hereafter  ? 
Since  thou  hast  made  us  children  of  the  light,  and  of  the  day, 
teach  us  to  walk  ever  in  the  light  of  thy  presence,  not  in  the 
darkness  of  error  and  unbelief. 

Now  in  this  thine  enlightened  frame,  how  fitly,  how  wisely  are 
all  the  parts  disposed,  that  the  method  of  the  creation  might  an* 
swer  the  matter,  and  the  form  both !  Behold  all  purity  above ; 
below,  the  dregs  and  lees  of  all.  The  higher  I  go,  the  more  per- 
fection ;  each  element  superior  to  other,  not  more  in  place  than 
dignity ;  that  by  these  stairs  of  ascending  perfection  our  thoughts 
might  climb  unto  the  top  of  all  glory,  and  might  know  thine  im- 
perial heaven  no  less  glorious  above  the  visible,  than  those  above 
the  earth.  Oh  how  miserable  is  the  place  of  our  pilgrimage,  in 
respect  of  our  home !  Let  my  soul  tread  a  while  in  the  steps  of 
thine  own  proceedings ;  and  so  think,  as  thou  wroughtest :  when 
we  would  describe  a  man,  we  begin  not  at  the  feet  but  the 
head :  the  head  of  thy  creation  is  the  heaven,  how  high  I  how 
spacious!  how  glorious  I  It  is  a  wonder  that  we  can  look  up 
to  so  admirable  a  height,  and  that  the  very  eye  is  not  tired  in 
the  way.  If  this  ascending  line  could  be  drawn  right  forwards, 
some,  that  have  calculated  curiously,  have  found  it  five  hundred 
years'  journey  unto  the  starry  heaven.  I  do  not  examine  their 
art;  0  Lord,  I  wonder  rather  at  thine,  which  hast  drawn  so 
large  a  line  about  this  little  point  of  earth :  for  in  the  plainest 
rules  of  art  and  experience,  the  compass  must  needs  be  six  times 
as  much  as  half  the  height.  We  think  one  island  great,  but  the 
earth  immeasurable.  If  we  were  in  that  heaven  with  these  eyes, 
the  whole  earth,  were  it  equally  enlightened,  would  seem  as  little 
to  us,  as  now  the  least  star  in  the  firmament  seems  to  us  upon 
earth :  and,  indeed,  how  few  stars  are  so  little  as  it  I  And  yet 
how  many  void  and  ample  spaces  are  there  beside  all  the  stars  I 
The  hugeness  of  this  thy  work,  0  God,  is  little  inferior  for 
admiration  to  the  majesty  of  it. 

But,  oh  I  what  a  glorious  heaven  is  this,  which  thou  bast  spread 
oyer  our  heads!    With  how  precious  a  vault  hast  thou  walled 


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cont.  i.  The  Creation.  7 

in  this  our  inferior  world !  What  worlds  of  light  hast  thou  set 
above  us!  Those  things,  which  we  see,  are  wondrous;  but 
those,  which  we  believe  and  see  not,  are  yet  more.  Thou  dost 
but  set  out  these  unto  view,  to  shew  us  what  there  is  within. 
How  proportionable  are  thy  works  to  thyself !  Kings  erect  not 
cottages,  but  set  forth  their  magnificence  in  sumptuous  build- 
ings :  so  hast  thou  done,  O  King  of  Glory.  If  the  lowest  pave* 
ment  of  that  heaven  of  thine  be  so  glorious,  what  shall  we  think 
of  the  better  parts  yet  unseen  ?  And  if  this  sun  of  thine  be  of 
such  brightness  and  majesty,  Oh  what  is  the  glory  of  the  Maker 
of  it  ?  And  yet  if  some  other  of  thy  stars  were  let  down  as  low 
as  it,  those  other  stars  would  be  suns  to  us ;  which  now  thou 
hadst  rather  have  admired  in  their  distance.  And  if  such  a 
sky  be  prepared  for  the  use  and  benefit  even  of  thine  enemies 
also  upon  earth,  how  happy  shall  those  eternal  tabernacles  be, 
which  thou  hast  sequestered  for  thine  own ! 

Behold  then  in  this  high  and  stately  building  of  thine,  I  see 
three  stages ;  this  lowest  heaven  for  fowls,  for  vapour,  for  me- 
teors :  the  second,  for  the  stars :  the  third,  for  thine  angels  and 
saints.  The  first  is  thine  outward  court,  open  for  all :  the  se- 
cond is  the  body  of  thy  covered  temple,  wherein  are  those  candles 
of  heaven  perpetually  burning :  the  third  is  thy  holy  of  holies. 
In  the  first  is  tumult  and  vanity :  in  the  second,  immutability 
and  rest :  in  the  third,  glory  and  blessedness.  The  first  we  feel ; 
the  second  we  see ;  the  third  we  believe.  In  these  two  lower 
is  no  felicity;  for  neither  the  fowls  nor  stars  are  happy.  It 
is  in  the  third  heaven  alone,  where  thou,  O  blessed  Trinity,  en- 
joyest  thyself,  and  thy  glorified  spirits  enjoy  thee.  It  is  the 
manifestation  of  thy  glorious  presence  that  makes  Heaven  to  be 
itself.  This  is  the  privilege  of  thy  children:  that  they  here 
seeing  thee,  which  art  invisible,  by  the  eye  of  faith,  have  already 
begun  that  heaven,  which  the  perfect  sight  of  thee  shall  make 
perfect  above. 

Let  my  soul  then  let  these  heavens  alone,  till  it  may  see,  as  it 
is  seen :  that  we  may  descend  to  this  lowest  and  meanest  region 
of  heaven,  wherewith  our  senses  are  more  acquainted.  What 
marvels  do  even  here  meet  with  us !  There  are  thy  clouds,  thy 
bottles  of  rain ;  vessels  as  thin  as  the  liquor  which  is  contained 
in  them  :  there  they  hang,  and  move,  though  weighty  with  their 
burden :  how  they  are  upheld,  and  why  they  fall,  here  and  now, 
we  know  not,  and  wonder.     These  thou  makest  one  while,  as 


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8  The  Creation.  book  i. 

some  airy  seas  to  hold  water :  another  while,  as  some  airy  fur- 
naces whence  thou  scatterest  the  sudden  fires  unto  all  parts  of 
the  earth,  astonishing  the  world  with  the  fearful  noise  of  that 
eruption ;  out  of  the  midst  of  water  thou  fetchest  fire,  and  hard 
stones  out  of  the  midst  of  thin  vapours :  another  while,  as  some 
steel  glasses,  wherein  the  sun  looks  and  shews  his  face  in  the 
variety  of  those  colours  which  he  hath  not.  There  are  thy 
streams  of  light,  blazing  and  falling  stars,  fires  darted  up  and 
down  in  many  forms,  hollow  openings,  and,  as  it  were,  gulfs  in 
the  sky,  bright  circles  about  the  moon  and  other  planets,  snows, 
hail :  in  all  which  it  is  enough  to  admire  thy  hand,  though  we 
cannot  search  out  thine  action.  There  are  thy  subtle  winds, 
which  we  hear  and  feel,  yet  neither  can  see  their  substance  nor 
know  their  causes :  whence  and  whither  they  pass,  and  what 
they  are,  thou  knowest.  There  are  thy  fowls  of  all  shapes, 
colours,  notes,  and  natures:  whilst  I  compare  these  with  the 
inhabitants  of  that  other  heaven,  I  find  those  stars,  and  spirits 
like  one  another ;  those  meteors  and  fowls,  in  as  many  varieties, 
as  there  are  several  creatures.  Why  is  this !  Is  it  because  man, 
for  whose  sake  these  are  made,  delights  in  change;  thou  in 
constancy  ?  Or  is  it,  that  in  these  thou  mayest  shew  thine  own 
skill  and  their  imperfection  ?  There  is  no  variety  in  that  which 
is  perfect,  because  there  is  but  one  perfection ;  and  so  much  shall 
we  grow  nearer  to  perfectness,  by  how  much  we  draw  nearer  to 
unity  and  uniformity. 

From  thence,  if  we  go  down  to  the  great  deep,  the  womb  of 
moisture,  the  well  of  fountains,  the  great  pond  of  the  world ;  we 
know  not  whether  to  wonder  at  the  element  itself,  or  the  guests 
which  it  contains.  How  doth  that  sea  of  thine  roar,  and  foam,  and 
swell,  as  if  it  would  swallow  up  the  earth  !  Thou  stayest  the  rage 
of  it  by  an  insensible  violence ;  and  by  a  natural  miracle  confinest 
his  waves ;  why  it  moves,  and  why  it  stays,  it  is  to  us  equally 
wonderful.  What  living  mountains  (such  are  thy  whales)  roll 
up  and  down  in  those  fearful  billows :  for  greatness  of  number, 
hugeness  of  quantity,  strangeness  of  shapes,  variety  of  fashions, 
neither  air  nor  earth  can  compare  with  the  waters. 

I  say  nothing  of  thy  hid  treasures,  which  thy  wisdom  hath 
reposed  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth  and  sea ;  how  secretly,  and 
how  basely  are  they  laid  up !  secretly,  that  we  might  not  seek 
them ;  basely,  that  we  might  not  over  esteem  them :  I  need  not 
dig  so  low  as  these  metals,  mineries,  quarries,  which  yield  riches 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  i.  The  Creation.  9 

enough  of  observation  to  the  soul ;  how  many  millions  of  wonders 
doth  the  very  face  of  the  earth  offer  me ;  which  of  these  herbs, 
flowers,  trees,  leaves,  seeds,  fruits,  is  there;  what  beast,  what 
worm,  wherein  we  may  not  see  the  footsteps  of  a  Deity  ?  wherein 
we  may  not  read  infiniteness  of  power,  of  skill :  and  must  be 
forced  to  confess,  that  he,  which  made  the  angels  and  stars  of 
heaven,  made  also  the  vermin  on  the  earth  ?  O  God,  the  heart 
of  man  is  too  strait  to  admire  enough,  even  that  which  he 
treads  upon.  What  shall  we  say  to  thee,  the  Maker  of  all  these  ? 
0  Lord,  how  wonderful  are  thy  works  in  all  the  world!  in 
wisdom  hast  thou  made  them  all.  And  in  all  these  thou  spakest, 
and  they  were  done.  Thy  will  is  thy  word,  and  thy  word  is  thy 
deed.  Our  tongue,  and  hand,  and  heart  are  different :  all  are 
one  in  thee ;  which  art  simply  one,  and  infinite.  Here  needed  no 
helps,  no  instruments ;  what  could  be  present  with  the  Eternal  ? 
what  needed,  or  what  could  be  added  to,  the  Infinite  ?  Thy  hand 
is  not  shortened,  thy  word  is  still  equally  effectual ;  say  thou  the 
word,  and  my  soul  shall  be  made  new  again :  say  thou  the  word, 
and  my  body  shall  be  repaired  from  his  dust.  For  all  things 
obey  thee,  0  Lord  I  why  do  I  not  yield  to  the  word  of  thy 
counsel ;  since  I  must  yield,  as  all  thy  creatures,  to  the  word  of 
thy  command  ? 

OF  MAN.— Genesis  i,  ii. 

But,  O  God,  what  a  little  lord  hast  thou  made  over  this  great 
world  I  The  least  corn  of  sand  is  not  so  small  to  the  whole  earth, 
aa  man  is  to  the  heaven:  when  I  see  the  heavens,  the  sun, 
moon,  and  stars ;  0  God,  what  is  man !  who  would  think  thou 
shouldst  make  all  these  creatures  for  one?  and  that  one  well 
near  the  least  of  all  ?  Tet  none  but  he  can  see  what  thou  hast 
done ;  none  but  he  can  admire  and  adore  thee  in  what  he  seeth ; 
how  had  he  need  to  do  nothing  but  this,  since  he  alone  must  do 
it  I  Certainly,  the  price  and  virtue  of  things  consist  not  in 
the  quantity :  one  diamond  is  more  worth  than  many  quarries  of 
stone,  one  loadstone  hath  more  virtue  than  mountains  of  earth : 
It  is  lawful  for  us  to  praise  thee  in  ourselves. 

All  thy  creation  hath  not  more  wonder  in  it,  than  one  of  us : 
other  creatures  thou  madest  by  a  simple  command;  man,  not 
without  a  divine  consultation:  others  at  once;  man  thou  didst 
first  form,  then  inspire  :  others  in  several  shapes  like  to  none  but 


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10  Of  Man.  book  i. 

themselves ;  man,  after  thine  own  image :  others  with  qualities 
fit  for  service ;  man,  for  dominion.  Man  had  his  name  from 
thee  ;  they  had  their  names  from  man.  How  should  we  be  con- 
secrated to  thee  above  all  others,  since  thou  hast  bestowed  more 
cost  on  us  than  others  I 

What  shall  I  admire  first  f  thy  providence  in  the  time  of  our 
creation?  or  thy  power  and  wisdom  in  the  act?  First,  thou 
madest  the  great  house  of  the  world,  and  furnishedst  it :  then 
thou  broughtest  in  thy  tenant  to  possess  it.  The  bare  walls  had 
been  too  good  for  us,  but  thy  love  was  above  our  desert.  Thou, 
that  madest  the  earth  ready  for  us  before  we  were,  hast  by  the 
same  mercy  prepared  a  place  in  heaven  for  us  while  we  are  on 
earth.  The  stage  was  first  fully  prepared,  then  was  man  brought 
forth  thither,  as  an  actor  or  spectator :  that  he  might  neither  be 
idle  nor  discontent  behold,  thou  hadst  addressed  an  earth  for 
use,  and  heaven  for  contemplation. 

After  thou  hadst  drawn  that  large  real  map  of  the  world,  thou 
didst  thus  abridge  it  into  this  little  table  of  man ;  he  alone  con- 
sists of  heaven  and  earth,  soul  and  body.  Even  this  earthly 
part,  which  is  vile  in  comparison  of  the  other ;  as  it  is  thine, 
0  God,  I  dare  admire  it,  though  I  can  neglect  it  as  mine  own ; 
for  lo !  this  heap  of  earth  hath  an  outward  reference  to  heaven  : 
other  creatures  grovel  down  to  their  earth,  and  have  all  their 
senses  intent  upon  it;  this  is  reared  up  towards  heaven,  and 
hath  no  more  power  to  look  beside  heaven,  than  to  tread  beside 
the  earth.  Unto  this,  every  part  hath  his  wonder.  The  head 
is  nearest  to  heaven,  as  in  place,  so  in  resemblance;  both  for 
roundness  of  figure,  and  for  those  divine  guests  which  have  their 
seat  in  it ;  there  dwell  those  majestical  powers  of  reason,  which 
make  a  man;  all  the  senses,  as  they  have  their  original  from 
thence,  so  they  do  all  agree  there  to  manifest  their  virtue :  how 
goodly  proportions  hast  thou  set  in  the  face!  such  as  though 
ofttimes  we  can  give  no  reason  when  they  please,  yet  transport 
us  to  admiration.  What  living  glasses  are  those  which  thou  hast 
placed  in  the  midst  of  this  visage,  whereby  all  objects  from  far 
are  clearly  represented  to  the  mind  ?  and  because  their  tender- 
ness lies  open  to  dangers,  how  hast  thou  defended  them  with 
hollow  bones,  and  with  prominent  brows  and  lids!  And  lest 
they  should  be  too  much  bent  on  what  they  ought  not,  thou  hast 
given  them  peculiar  nerves  to  pull  them  up  towards  the  seat  of 
their  rest.     What  a  tongue  hast  thou  given  him,  the  instrument 


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cont.  ii.  Of  Man.  11 

not  of  taste  only,  but  of  speech!  How  sweet  and  excellent 
voices  are  formed  by  that  little  loose  film  of  flesh  ?  What  an 
incredible  strength  hast  thou  given  to  the  weak  bones  of  the 
jaws!  What  a  comely  and  tower-like  neck;  therefore  most 
sinewy,  because  smallest  I  And  lest  I  be  infinite,  what  able  arms 
and  active  hands  hast  thou  framed  him,  whereby  he  can  frame 
all  things  to  his  own  conceit !  In  every  part,  beauty,  strength, 
convenience  meet  together.  Neither  is  there  any  whereof  our 
weakness  cannot  give  reason,  why  it  should  be  no  otherwise. 
How  hast  thou  disposed  of  all  the  inward  vessels,  for  all  offices 
of  life,  nourishment,  egestion,  generation  I  No  vein,  sinew,  artery 
is  idle.  There  is  no  piece  in  this  exquisite  frame,  whereof  the 
place,  use,  form,  doth  not  admit  wonder,  and  exceed  it. 

Yet  this  body,  if  it  be  compared  to  the  soul,  what  is  it  but  as 
a  day  wall  that  encompasses  a  treasure;  as  a  wooden  box  of  a 
jeweller ;  as  a  coarse  case  to  a  rich  instrument ;  or  as  a  mask 
to  a  beautiful  face !  Man  was  made  last,  because  he  was  wor- 
thiest. The  soul  was  inspired  last,  because  yet  more  noble !  if 
the  body  have  this  honour  to  be  the  companion  of  the  soul,  yet 
withal  it  is  the  drudge.  If  it  be  the  instrument,  yet  also  the 
clog  of  that  divine  part :  the  companion  for  life,  the  drudge  for 
service,  the  instrument  for  action,  the  clog  in  respect  of  contem- 
plation. These  external  works  are  effected  by  it,  the  internal, 
which  are  more  noble,  hindered;  contrary  to  the  bird,  which 
sings  most  in  her  cage,  but  flies  most  and  highest  at  liberty. 
This  my  soul  teaches  me  of  itself,  that  itself  cannot  conceive  how 
capable,  how  active  it  is.  It  can  pass  by  her  nimble  thoughts 
from  heaven  to  earth  in  a  moment:  it  can  be  all  things,  can 
comprehend  all  things;  know  that  which  is,  and  conceive  that 
which  never  was,  never  shall  be:  nothing  can  fill  it  but  thou 
which  art  infinite;  nothing  can  limit  it,  but  thou  which  art 
everywhere.  0  God,  which  madest  it,  replenish  it,  possess  it, 
dwell  thou  in  it,  which  hast  appointed  it  to  dwell  in  clay.  The 
body  was  made  of  earth  common  to  his  fellows,  the  soul  inspired 
immediately  from  God.  The  body  lay  senseless  upon  the  earth 
like  itself :  the  breath  of  lives  gave  it  what  it  is ;  and  that  breath 
was  from  thee.  Sense,  motion,  reason,  are  infused  into  it  at 
once.  From  whence  then  was  this  quickening  breath  ?  No  air, 
no  earth,  no  water  was  here  used  to  give  help  to  this  work :  thou, 
that  breathedst  upon  man  and  gavest  him  the  Holy  Spirit,  didst 
also  breathe  upon  the  body  and  gavest  it  a  living  spirit ;  we  are 


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12  Of  Man.  book  i. 

beholden  to  nothing  but  thee  for  our  soul.  Our  flesh  is  from 
flesh,  our  spirit  is  from  the  God  of  spirits.  How  should  our 
souls  rise  up  to  thee,  and  fix  themselves  in  their  thoughts  upon 
thee,  who  alone  created  them  in  their  infusion,  and  infused 
them  in  their  creation  I  How  should  they  long  to  return  back  to 
the  Fountain  of  their  being,  and  Author  of  being  glorious !  Why 
may  we  not  say,  that  this  soul,  as  it  came  from  thee,  so  it  is  like 
thee  ?  as  thou,  so  it,  is  one,  immaterial,  immortal,  understanding 
spirit,  distinguished  into  three  powers,  which  all  make  up  one 
spirit.  So  thou,  the  wise  Creator  of  all  things,  wouldst  have 
some  things  to  resemble  their  Creator.  These  other  creatures 
are  all  body ;  man  is  body  and  spirit ;  the  angels  are  all  spirit, 
not  without  a  kind  of  spiritual  composition ;  thou  art  alone  after 
thine  own  manner,  simple,  glorious,  infinite ;  no  creature  can  be 
like  tSee  in  thy  proper  being,  because  it  is  a  creature;  how 
should  our  finite,  weak,  compounded  nature  give  any  perfect  re- 
semblance of  thine  ?  Yet  of  all  visible  creatures  thou  vouchsafest 
man  the  nearest  correspondence  to  thee:  not  so  much  in  the 
natural  faculties,  as  in  those  divine  graces  wherewith  thou  beau- 
tifiest  his  soul. 

Our  knowledge,  holiness,  righteousness,  was  like  the  first  copy 
from  which  they  were  drawn.  Behold,  we  were  not  more  like 
thee  in  these,  than  now  we  are  unlike  ourselves  in  their  loss.  O 
God,  we  now  praise  ourselves  to  our  shame ;  for  the  better  we 
were,  we  are  the  worse ;  as  the  sons  of  some  prodigal  or  tainted 
ancestors  tell  of  the  lands  and  lordships  which  were  once  theirs. 
Only  do  thou  whet  our  desires  answerably  to  the  readiness  of  thy 
mercies,  that  we  may  redeem  what  we  have  lost ;  that  we  may 
recover  in  thee  what  we  have  lost  in  ourselves.  The  fault  shall 
be  ours,  if  our  damage  prove  not  beneficial. 

I  do  not  find,  that  man,  thus  framed,  found  the  want  of  a 
helper.  His  fruition  of  God  gave  him  fulness  of  contentment ; 
the  sweetness  which  he  found  in  the  contemplation  of  this  new 
workmanship,  and  the  glory  of  the  Author,  did  so  take  him  up, 
that  he  had  neither  leisure  nor  cause  of  complaint.  If  man  had 
craved  a  helper,  he  had  grudged  at  the  condition  of  his  creation, 
and  had  questioned  that  which  he  had;  perfection  of  being. 
But  he,  that  gave  him  his  being,  and  knew  him  better  than  him- 
self, thinks  of  giving  him  comfort  in  the  creature,  whilst  he 
sought  none  but  in  his  Maker  :  he  sees  our  wants,  and  forecasts 
our  relief,  when  we  think  ourselves  too  happy  to  complain :   how 


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cont.  ii.  Of  Man.  18 

ready  tf  ill  he  be  to  help  our  necessities,  that  thus  provides  for 
our  perfection ! 

God  gives  the  nature  to  his  creatures:  man  must  give  the 
name ;  that  he  might  see  they  were  made  for  him,  they  shall  be 
to  him  what  he  will  Instead  of  their  first  homage,  they  are 
presented  to  their  new  lord,  and  must  see  of  whom  they  hold. 
He  that  was  so  careful  of  man's  sovereignty  in  his  innocency,  how 
can  he  be  careless  of  his  safety  in  his  renovation !  If  Ood  had 
given  them  their  names,  it  had  not  been  so  great  a  praise  of 
Adam's  memory  to  recall  them,  as  it  was  now  of  his  judgment, 
at  first  sight,  to  impose  them :  he  saw  the  inside  of  all  the  crea- 
tures at  first;  (his  posterity  sees  but  their  skins  ever  since;) 
and  by  his  knowledge  he  fitted  their  names  to  their  dispositions. 

All  that  he  saw  were  fit  to  be  his  servants,  none  to  be  his 
companions.  The  same  Ood,  that  finds  the  want,  supplies  it. 
Rather  than  man's  innocency  shall  want  an  outward  comfort, 
Ood  will  begin  a  new  creation :  not  out  of  the  earth,  which  was 
the  matter  of  man ;  not  out  of  the  inferior  creatures,  which  were 
the  servants  of  man ;  but  out  of  himself,  for  dearness,  for  equality. 
Doubtless  such  was  man's  power  of  obedience,  that  if  God 
had  bidden  him  yield  up  his  rib,  waking,  for  his  use,  he  had 
done  it  cheerfully :  but  the  bounty  of  God  was  so  absolute,  that 
he  would  not  so  much  as  consult  with  man's  will,  to  make  him 
happy.  As  man  knew  not  while  he  was  made,  so  shall  he  not  - 
know  while  his  other  self  is  made  out  of  him  :  that  the  comfort 
might  be  greater,  which  was  seen  before  it  was  expected. 

If  the  woman  should  have  been  made,  not  without  the  pain,  or 
will  of  the  man,  she  might  have  been  upbraided  with  her  depend- 
ence and  obligation.  Now  she  owes  nothing  but  to  her  Creator : 
the  rib  of  Adam  sleeping,  can  challenge  no  more  of  her  than  the 
earth  can  of  him.  It  was  a  happy  change  to  Adam,  of  a  rib  for 
a  helper.  What  help  did  that  bone  give  to  his  side  1  God  had  not 
made  it,  if  it  had  been  superfluous :  and  yet  if  man  could  not  have 
been  perfect  without  it,  it  had  not  been  taken  out.  Many  things 
are  useful  and  convenient,  which  are  not  necessary  :  and  if  God 
had  seen  man  might  not  want  it,  how  easy  had  it  been  for  him, 
which  made  the  woman  of  that  bone,  to  turn  the  flesh  into  another 
bone  I  But  he  saw  man  could  not  complain  of  the  want  of  that 
bone  which  he  had  so  multiplied,  so  animated. 

O  God,  we  can  never  be  losers  by  thy  changes,  we  have  nothing 
but  what  is  thine :  take  from  us  thine  own,  when  thou  wilt,  we  are 
sure  thou  canst  not  but  give  us  better. 

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14  Of  Paradise.  book  i. 

OF  PARADISE.— Genesis  ii,  iii. 

Man  could  no  sooner  see,  than  he  saw  himself  happy :  his  eye- 
sight and  reason  were  both  perfect  at  once,  and  the  objects  of 
both  were  able  to  make  him  as  happy  as  he  would.  When  he 
first  opened  his  eyes,  he  saw  heaven  above  him,  earth  under  him, 
the  creatures  about  him,  God  before  him;  he  knew  what 
all  these  things  meant,  as  if  he  had  been  long  acquainted 
with  them  all:  he  saw  the  heavens  glorious,  but  far  off:  his 
Maker  thought  it  requisite  to  fit  him  with  a  paradise  nearer 
home.  If  God  had  appointed  him  immediately  to  heaven, 
his  body  had  been  superfluous;  it  was  fit  his  body  should  be 
answered  with  an  earthen  image  of  that  heaven,  which  was  for 
his  soul :  had  man  been  made  only  for  contemplation,  it  would 
have  served  as  well  to  have  been  placed  in  some  vast  desert;  on 
the  top  of  some  barren  mountain ;  but  the  same  power  which 
gave  him  a  heart  to  meditate,  gave  him  hands  to  work,  and  work 
fit  for  his  hands. 

Neither  was  it  the  purpose  of  the  Creator,  that  man  should 
but  live :  pleasure  may  stand  with  innocence :  he,  that  rejoiced 
to  see  all  he  had  made  to  be  good,  rejoioeth  to  see  all  that 
he  had  made  to  be  well.  God  loves  to  see  his  creatures  happy ; 
our  lawful  delight  is  his:  they  know  not  God  that  think  to 
please  him  with  making  themselves  miserable.  The  idolaters 
thought  it  a  fit  service  for  Baal,  to  cut  and  lance  themselves; 
never  any  holy  man  looked  for  thanks  from  the  true  God 
by  wronging  himself. 

Every  earth  was  not  fit  for  Adam,  but  a  garden ;  a  paradise. 
What  excellent  pleasures,  and  rare  varieties,  have  men  found  in 
gardens  planted  by  the  bands  of  men !  And  yet  all  the  world 
of  men  cannot  make  one  twig,  or  leaf,  or  spire  of  grass.  When 
he  that  made  the  matter  undertakes  the  fashion,  how  must 
it  needs  be,  beyond  our  capacity,  excellent!  No  herb,  no 
flower,  no  tree,  was  wanting  there,  that  might  be  for  ornament 
or  use;  whether  for  sight,  or  for  scent,  or  for  taste.  The 
bounty  of  God  wrought  further  than  to  necessity,  even  to  com- 
fort and  recreation.  Why  are  we  niggardly  to  ourselves,  when 
God  is  liberal !  But,  for  all  this,  if  God  had  not  there  conversed 
with  man,  no  abundance  could  have  made  him  blessed. 

Yet,  behold!  that  which  was  man's  storehouse  was  also 
his  workhouse ;  his  pleasure  was  his  task :  paradise  served  not 
only  to  feed  his  senses,  but  to  exercise  his  hands.     If  happiness 


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cont.  in.  Of  Paradise.  15 

had  consisted  in  doing  nothing,  man  had  not  been  employed ;  all 
his  delights  could  not  hare  made  him  happy  in  an  idle  life. 
Man,  therefore,  is  no  sooner  made,  than  he  is  set  to  work: 
neither  greatness  nor  perfection  can  privilege  a  folded  hand;  he 
must  labour,  because  he  was  happy ;  how  much  more  we,  that 
we  may  be !  This  first  labour  of  his  was,  as  without  necessity, 
10  without  pains,  without  weariness;  Low  much  more  cheerfully 
we  go  about  our  businesses,  so  much  nearer  we  come  to  our 
paradise. 

Neither  did  these  trees  afford  him  only  action  for  his  hands,, 
but  instruction  to  his  heart :  for  here  he  saw  God's  sacraments 
grow  before  him ;  all  other  trees  had  a  natural  use ;  these  two 
in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  a  spiritual.  Life  is  the  act  of 
the  soul,  knowledge  the  life  of  the  soul ;  the  tree  of  knowledge, 
and  the  tree  of  life,  then,  were  ordained  as  earthly  helps  of  the 
spiritual  part :  perhaps  he,  which  ordained  the  end,  immortality 
of  life,  did  appoint  this  fruit  as  the  means  of  that  life.  It  is  not 
for  us  to  enquire  after  the  life  we  had;  and  the  means  we 
should  have  had.  I  am  sure  it  served  to  nourish  the  soul 
by  a  lively  representation  of  that  living  tree,  whose  fruit  is  eternal 
life,  and  whose  leaves  serve  to  heal  the  nations. 

O  infinite  mercy  I  Man  saw  his  Saviour  before  him,  ere  he 
had  need  of  a  Saviour;  he  saw  in  whom  he  should  recover 
an  heavenly  life,  ere  he  lost  the  earthly :  but  after  he  had  tasted 
of  the  tree  of  knowledge,  he  might  not  taste  of  the  tree  of  life ; 
that  immortal  food  was  not  for  a  mortal  stomach :  yet  then  did 
he  most  savour  that  invisible  tree  of  life,  when  he  was  most 
restrained  from  the  other.  O  Saviour,  none  but  a  sinner  can 
relish  thee :  my  taste  hath  been  enough  seasoned  with  the  for- 
bidden fruit,  to  make  it  capable  of  thy  sweetness ;  sharpen  thou 
as  well  the  stomach  of  my  soul  by  repenting,  by  believing ;  so 
shall  I  eat,  and  in  despite  of  Adam  live  for  ever. 

The  one  tree  was  for  confirmation ;  the  other  for  trial :  one 
shewed  him  what  life  he  should  have ;  the  other  what  knowledge 
he  should  not  desire  to  have.  Alas  I  he,  that  knew  all  other 
things,  knew  not  this  one  thing,  that  he  knew  enough.  How 
divine  a  thing  is  knowledge,  whereof  even  innocency  itself  is 
ambitious  I  Satan  knew  what  he  did:  if  this  bait  had  been 
gold,  or  honour,  or  pleasure,  man  had  contemned  it :  who  can 
hope  to  avoid  error,  when  even  man's  perfection  is  mistaken! 
He  looked  for  speculative  knowledge,  he  should  have  looked  for 


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16  Of  Paradise.  book  i. 

experimental :  he  thought  it  had  been  good  to  know  evil :  good 
was  large  enough  to  have  perfected  his  knowledge,  and  therein 
his  blessedness. 

All  that  God  made  was  good,  and  the  Maker  of  them  much 
more  good;  they  good  in  their  kinds,  he  good  in  himself. 
It  would  not  content  him  to  know  God  and  his  creatures;  his 
curiosity  affected  to  know  that  which  God  never  made,  evil 
of  sin,  and  evil  of  death,  which  indeed  himself  made  by  desiring 
to  know  them ;  now  we  know  well  evil  enough,  and  smart  with 
knowing  it.  How  dear  hath  this  lesson  cost  us,  That  in  some 
cases  it  is  better  to  be  ignorant ;  and  yet  do  the  sons  of  Eve 
inherit  this  saucy  appetite  of  their  grandmother :  How  many 
thousand  souls  miscarry  with  the  presumptuous  affectation  of  for- 
bidden knowledge  !  O  God,  thou  hast  revealed  more  than  we  can 
know,  enough  to  make  us  happy :  teach  me  a  sober  knowledge 
and  a  contented  ignorance. 

Paradise  was  made  for  man,  yet  there  I  see  the  serpent. 
What  marvel  is  it  if  my  corruption  find  the  serpent  in  my  closet, 
in  my  table,  in  my  bed,  when  our  holy  parents  found  him  in  the 
midst  of  paradise !  No  sooner  he  is  entered,  but  he  tempteth : 
he  can  no  more  be  idle  than  harmless.  I  do  not  see  him  at  any 
other  tree ;  he  knew  there  was  no  danger  in  the  rest ;  I  see  him 
at  the  tree  forbidden.  How  true  a  serpent  is  he  in  every  point ! 
in  his  insinuation  to  the  place,  in  his  choice  of  the  tree,  in  his 
assault  of  the  woman,  in  his  plausibleness  of  speech  to  avoid 
terror,  in  his  question  to  move  doubt,  in  his  reply  to  work 
distrust,  in  his  protestation  of  safety,  in  his  suggestion  to  envy 
and  discontent,  in  his  promise  of  gain  ! 

And  if  he  were  so  cunning  at  the  first,  what  shall  we  think  of 
him  now,  after  so  many  thousand  years'  experience  !  Only  thou, 
O  God,  and  those  angels  that  see  thy  face,  are  wiser  than  he.  I 
do  not  ask  why,  when  he  left  his  goodness,  thou  didst  not 
bereave  him  of  his  skill.  Still  thou  wouldst  have  him  an  angel, 
though  an  evil  one :  and  thou  knowest  how  to  ordain  his  craft  to 
thine  own  glory.  I  do  not  desire  thee  to  abate  of  his  subtlety, 
but  to  make  me  wise ;  let  me  beg  it  without  presumption,  make 
me  wiser  than  Adam :  even  thine  image,  which  he  bore,  made 
him  not,  through  his  own  weakness,  wise  enough  to  obey  thee ; 
thou  offeredst  him  all  fruits,  and  restrainedst  but  one;  Satan 
offered  him  but  one,  and  restrained  not  the  rest :  when  he  chose 
rather  to  be  at  Satan's  feeding  than  thine,  it  was  just  with  thee 


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cont.  in.  Of  Paradise.  17 

to  turn  him  out  of  thy  gates  with  a  curse :  why  shouldst  thou 
feed  a  rebel  at  thine  own  board  ? 

And  yet  we  transgress  daily,  and  thou  shuttest  not  heaven 
against  us :  how  is  it  that  we  find  more  mercy  than  our  fore- 
father ?  His  strength  is  worthy  of  severity,  our  weakness  finds 
pity.  That  God,  from  whose  face  he  fled  in  the  garden,  now 
makes  him  with  shame  to  fly  out  of  the  garden :  those  angels, 
that  should  have  kept  him,  now  keep  the  gates  of  paradise  against 
him :  it  is  not  so  easy  to  recover  happiness,  as  to  keep  it,  or  lose 
it :  yea,  the  same  cause  that  drove  man  from  paradise  hath  also 
withdrawn  paradise  from  the  world. 

That  fiery  sword  did  not  defend  it  against  those  waters 
wherewith  the  sins  of  men  drowned  the  glory  of  that  place : 
neither  now  do  I  care  to  seek  where  that  paradise  was,  which  we 
lost :  I  know  where  that  paradise  is,  which  we  must  care  to  seek 
and  hope  to  find.  As  man  was  the  image  of  God,  so  was 
that  earthly  paradise  an  image  of  heaven ;  both  the  images  are 
defaced,  both  the  first  patterns  are  eternal:  Adam  was  in  the 
first,  and  staid  not:  in  the  second,  is  the  second  Adam  which 
said,  This  day  shall  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise.  There  was 
that  chosen  vessel,  and  heard  and  saw  what  could  not  be  ex- 
pressed :  by  how  much  the  third  heaven  exceeds  the  richest 
earth ;  so  much  doth  that  paradise,  whereto  "we  aspire,  exceed 
that  which  we  have  lost. 


OF  CAIN  AND  ABEL.— Genesis  vi. 

Look  now,  O  my  soul,  upon  the  two  first  brethren,  perhaps 
twins ;  and  wonder  at  their  contrary  dispositions  and  estates :  if 
the  privileges  of  nature  had  been  worth  anything,  the  first-born 
child  should  not  have  been  a  reprobate.  Now,  that  we  may 
ascribe  all  to  free  grace,  the  elder  is  a  murderer,  the  younger 
a  saint;  though  goodness  may  be  repaired  in  ourselves,  yet 
it  cannot  be  propagated  to  others.  Now  might  Adam  see  the 
image  of  himself  in  Cain ;  for  after  his  own  image  begot  he  him ; 
Adam  slew  his  posterity,  Cain  his  brother :  we  are  too  like  one 
another  in  that  wherein  we  are  unlike  to  God :  even  the  clearest 
grain  sends  forth  that  chaff  from  which  it  was  fanned  ere  the 
sowing.     Yet  is  this  Cain  a  possession ;   the  same   Eve,  that 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  C 


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18  Of  Cain  and  Abel.  book  i. 

mistook  the  fruit  of  the  garden,  mistook  also  the  fruit  of  her  own 
body,  her  hope  deceived  her  in  both ;  so,  many  good  names  are 
ill  bestowed,  and  our  comfortable  expectations  in  earthly  things 
do  not  seldom  disappoint  us. 

Doubtless,  their  education  was  holy;  for  Adam,  though  in 
paradise  he  could  not  be  innocent,  yet  was  a  good  man  out  of 
paradise ;  his  sin  and  fall  now  made  him  circumspect,  and  since 
he  saw  that  his  act  had  bereaved  them  of  that  image  of  God, 
which  he  once  had  for  them,  he  could  not  but  labour  by  all  holy 
endeavours  to  repair  it  in  them,  that  so  his  care  might  make 
amends  for  his  trespass.  How  plain  is  it,  that  even  good-breeding 
cannot  alter  destiny ! 

That  which  is  crooked  can  none  make  straight;  who  would 
think  that  brethren,  and  but  two  brethren,  should  not  love  each 
other?  Dispersed  love  grows  weak,  and  fewness  of  objects 
useth  to  unite  affections:  if  but  two  brothers  be  left  alive 
of  many,  they  think  that  the  love  of  all  the  rest  should  survive 
in  them ;  and  now  the  beams  of  their  affection  are  so  much  the 
hotter,  because  they  reflect  mutually  in  a  right  line  upon  each 
other :  yet,  behold,  here  are  but  two  brothers  in  the  world,  and 
one  is  the  butcher  of  the  other.  Who  can  wonder  at  dissensions 
amongst  thousands  of  brethren,  when  he  sees  so  deadly  opposition 
betwixt  two,  the  first  roots  of  brotherhood  ?  Who  can  hope  to 
live  plausibly  and  securely  amongst  so  many  Cains,  when  he 
sees  one  Gain  the  death  of  one  Abel  ? 

The  same  devil,  that  set  enmity  betwixt  man  and  God,  sets 
enmity  betwixt  man  and  man ;  and  yet  God  said,  I  will  put 
enmity  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed.  Our  hatred  of  the  serpent 
and  his  seed  is  from  God :  their  hatred  of  the  holy  seed  is  from 
the  serpent.  Behold  here  at  once,  in  one  person,  the  seed  of  the 
woman  and  of  the  serpent:  Cain's  natural  parts  are  of  the 
woman ;  bis  vicious  qualities  of  the  serpent :  the  woman  gave 
him  to  be  a  brother,  the  serpent  to  be  a  manslayer;  all  un- 
charitableness,  all  quarrels,  are  of  one  author :  we  cannot  entertain 
wrath,  and  not  give  place  to  the  devil.  Certainly,  so  deadly  an 
act  must  needs  be  deeply  grounded. 

What  then  was  the  occasion  of  this  capital  malice?  Abel's 
sacrifice  is  accepted ;  what  was  this  to  Cain  ?  Cain's  is  rejected  ; 
what  could  Abel  remedy  this  ?  0  envy,  the  corrosive  of  all 
ill  minds,  and  the  root  of  all  desperate  actions  :   the  same  cause 


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coxt.  iv.  Of  Cam  and  Abel.  19 

that  moved  Satan  to  tempt  the  first  man  to  destroy  himself  and 
his  posterity,  the  same  moves  the  second  man  to  destroy  the 
third. 

It  should  have  been  Cain's  joy,  to  see  his  brother  accepted ; 
it  should  have  been  his  sorrow,  to  see  that  himself  had  deserved 
a  rejection:  his  brother's  example  should  have  excited  and  di- 
rected him.  Could  Abel  have  stayed  God's  fire  from  descending  ? 
Or  should  he,  if  he  could,  reject  God's  acceptation,  and  displease 
his  Maker,  to  content  a  brother  ?  Was  Cain  ever  the  farther  from 
a  blessing,  because  his  brother  obtained  mercy  ?  How  proud  and 
foolish  is  malice  I  which  grows  thus  mad,  for  no  other  cause,  but 
because  God  or  Abel  is  not  less  good.  It  hath  been  an  old  and 
happy  danger  to  be  holy:  indifferent  actions  must  bo  careful 
to  avoid  offence;  but  I  care  not  what  devil  or  what  Cain  be 
angry,  that  I  do  good,  or  receive  good. 

There  was  never  any  nature  without  envy.  Every  man  is  born 
a  Cain ;  hating  that  goodness  in  another  which  he  neglccteth  in 
himself.  There  was  never  envy  that  was  not  bloody ;  for  if  it 
eat  not  another's  heart,  it  will  eat  our  own:  but  unless  it  be 
restrained,  it  will  surely  feed  itself  with  the  blood  of  others, 
ofttimes  in  act,  always  in  affection;  and  that  God,  which,  in 
good,  accepts  the  will  for  the  deed,  condemns  the  will  for  the 
deed  in  evil.  If  there  be  an  evil  heart,  there  will  be  an  evil  eye ; 
and  if  both  these,  there  will  be  an  evil  hand. 

How  early  did  martyrdom  come  into  the  world !  The  first 
man  that  died  died  for  religion ;  who  dare  measure  God's  love 
by  outward  events,  when  he  sees  wicked  Cain  standing  over 
bleeding  Abel;  whose  sacrifice  was  first  accepted,  and  now 
himself  is  sacrificed  ?  Death  was  denounced  to  man  as  a  curse; 
yet,  behold,  it  first  lights  upon  a  saint :  how  soon  was  it  altered 
by  the  mercy  of  that  just  hand  which  inflicted  it !  If  death  had 
been  evil,  and  life  good,  Cain  had  been  slain,  and  Abel  had 
survived ;  now  that  it  begins  with  him  that  God  loves,  O  death, 
where  is  thy  sting  ? 

Abel  says  nothing,  his  ■  blood  cries :  every  drop  of  innocent 
blood  hath  a  tongue,  and  is  not  only  vocal,  but  importunate: 
what  a  noise  then  did  the  blood  of  my  Saviour  make  in  heaven  ! 
who  was  himself  the  Shepherd  and  the  Sacrifice ;  the  Man  that 
was  offered,  and  the  God  to  whom  it  was  offered.  The  Spirit, 
that  heard  both,  says,  It  spake  better  things  than  the  blood 
of  Abel.     Abel's  blood  called  for  revenge,  his  for  mercy  ;   Abel's 

c  % 


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20  Of  Cain  and  Abel.  book  i. 

pleaded  his  own  innocency,  his  the  satisfaction  for  all  the  believing 
world ;  AbePs  procured  Cain's  punishment,  his  freed  all  repentant 
souls  from  punishment :  better  things,  indeed,  than  the  blood  of 
Abel.  Better,  and  therefore  that  which  Abel's  blood  said  was 
good :  it  is  good  that  Ood  should  be  avenged  of  sinners.  Exe- 
cution of  justice  upon  offenders  is  no  less  good  than  rewards  of 
goodness. 

No  sooner  doth  Abel's  blood  speak  unto  Ood  than  God 
speaks  to  Cain.  There  is  no  wicked  man  to  whom  God  speaks 
not,  if  not  to  his  ear,  yet  to  his  heart.  What  speech  was  this  ? 
not  an  accusation,  but  an  inquiry ;  yet  such  an  inquiry  as  would 
infer  an  accusation.  God  loves  to  have  a  sinner  accuse  himself, 
and  therefore  hath  he  set  his  deputy  in  the  breast  of  man; 
neither  doth  God  love  this  more  than  nature  abhors  it:  Cain 
answers  stubbornly :  the  very  name  of  Abel  wounds  him  no  less 
than  his  hand  had  wounded  Abel.  Consciences  that  are  without 
remorse  are  not  without  horror :  wickedness  makes  men  desperate ; 
the  murderer  is  angry  with  God,  as  of  late  for  accepting  his 
brother's  oblation,  so  now  for  listening  to  his  blood. 

And  now  he  dares  answer  God  with  a  question,  Am  I  my 
brother's  keeper?  where  he  should  have  said,  Am  not  I  my 
brother's  murderer?  Behold,  he  scorneth  to  keep  whom  he 
feared  not  to  kill:  good  duties  are  base  and  troublesome  to 
wicked  minds,  whilst  even  violences  of  evil  are  pleasant.  Yet 
this  miscreant,  which  neither  had  grace  to  avoid  his  sin,  nor  to 
confess  it  now  that  he  is  convinced  of  sin  and  cursed  for  it, 
how  he  howleth,  how  he  exclaimeth !  He,  that  cares  not 
for  the  act  of  his  sin,  shall  care  for  the  smart  of  his  punishment. 
The  damned  are  weary  of  their  torments,  but  in  vain.  How 
great  a  madness  is  it  to  complain  too  late  I  He  that  would  not 
keep  his  brother  is  cast  out  from  the  protection  of  God; 
he  that  feared  not  to  kill  his  brother  fears  now  that  whosoever 
meets  him  will  kill  him.  The  troubled  conscience  projecteth 
fearful  things,  and  sin  makes  even  cruel  men  cowardly, 

God  saw  it  was  too  much  favour  for  him  to  die :  he  therefore 
wills  that  which  Cain  wills.  Cain  would  live ;  it  is  yielded  him, 
but  for  a  curse :  how  often  doth  God  hear  sinners  in  anger ! 
He  shall  live  banished  from  God,  carrying  his  hell  in  his  bosom, 
and  the  brand  of  God's  vengeance  in  his  forehead ;  God  rejects 
him,  the  earth  repines  at  him,  men  abhor  him ;  himself  now 
wishes  that  death  which  he  feared,  and  no  man  dare  pleasure 


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cont.  v.  Of  the  Deluge.  21 

him  with  a  murder ;  how  bitter  is  the  end  of  sin,  yea,  without 
end !  still  Gain  finds  that  he  killed  himself  more  than  his  brother. 
We  should  never  sin,  if  our  foresight  were  but  as  good  as  our 
sense :  the  issue  of  sin  would  appear  a  thousand  times  more  hor- 
rible than  the  act  is  pleasant. 


OF  THE  DELUGE.— Genesis  vi,  vii,  viii. 

The  world  was  grown  so  foul  with  sin,  that  God  saw  it  was 
time  to  wash  it  with  a  flood.  And  so  close  did  wickedness  cleave 
to  the  authors  of  it,  that  when  they  were  washed  to  nothing,  yet 
it  would  not  off:  yea,  so  deep  did  it  stick  in  the  very  grain  of  the 
earth,  that  God  saw  it  meet  to  let  it  soak  long  under  the  waters. 
So,  under  the  law,  the  very  vessels  that  had  touched  unclean 
water  must  either  be  rinsed  or  broken.  Mankind  began  but 
with  one :  and  yet  he,  that  saw  the  first  man,  lived  to  see  the 
earth  peopled  with  a  world  of  men  :  yet  men  grew  not  so  fast  as 
wickedness.  One  man  could  soon  and  easily  multiply  a  thousand 
sins,  never  man  had  so  many  children :  so  that,  when  there  were 
men  enow  to  store  the  earth,  there  were  as  many  sins  as  would 
reach  up  to  heaven ;  whereupon  the  waters  came  down  from  hea- 
ven, and  swelled  up  to  heaven  again.  If  there  had  not  been  so 
deep  a  deluge  of  sin,  there  had  been  none  of  the  waters.  From 
whence  then  was  this  superfluity  of  iniquity  ?  whence,  but  from 
the  unequal  yoke  with  infidels?  These  marriages  did  not  beget 
men,  so  much  as  wickedness ;  from  hence  religious  husbands  both 
lost  their  piety,  and  gained  a  rebellious  and  godless  generation. 

That,  which  was  the  first  occasion  of  sin  was  the  occasion  of 
the  increase  of  sin :  a  woman  seduced  Adam,  women  betray  theso 
sons  of  God :  the  beauty  of  the  apple  betrayed  the  woman,  the 
beauty  of  these  women  betrayed  this  holy  seed :  Eve  saw,  and 
lusted,  so  did  they ;  this  also  was  a  forbidden  fruit,  they  lusted, 
tasted,  tinned,  died ;  the  most  sins  begin  at  the  eyes ;  by  them 
commonly  Satan  creeps  into  the  heart :  that  soul  can  never  be  in 
safety,  that  hath  not  covenanted  with  his  eyes. 

God  needed  not  have  given  these  men  any  warning  of  his 
judgment ;  they  gave  him  no  warning  of  their  sins,  no  respite : 
yet,  that  God  might  approve  his  mercies  to  the  very  wicked,  he 
gives  them  a  hundred  and  twenty  years'  respite  of  repenting : 
how  loath  is  God  to  strike,  that  threats  so  long  1  He  that  delights 
in  revenge  surprises  his  advorsary ;  whereas  he  that  gives  long 


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22  Of  the  Deluge.  book  i. 

warnings  desires  to  be  prevented  :   if  we  were  not  wilful,   we 
should  never  smart. 

Neither  doth  he  give  them  time  only,  but  a  faithful  teacher. 
It  is  a  happy  thing  when  he  that  teacheth  others  is  righteous; 
Noah's  hand  taught  them  as  much  as  his  tongue.  His  business 
in  building  the  ark  was  a  real  sermon  to  the  world ;  wherein  at 
once  were  taught  mercy  and  life  to  the  believer,  and  to  the  rebel- 
lious destruction. 

Methinks  I  see  those  monstrous  sons  of  Lamech  coming  to 
Noah,  and  asking  him  what  he  means  by  that  strange  work ; 
whether  he  mean  to  sail  upon  the  dry  land.  To  whom  when  he 
reports  God's  purpose  and  his,  they  go  away  laughing  at  his 
idleness,  and  tell  one  another,  in  sport,  that  too  much  holiness 
hath  made  him  mad :  yet  cannot  they  all  flout  Noah  out  of  his 
faith ;  he  preaches,  and  builds,  and  finishes.  Doubtless  more 
hands  went  to  this  work  than  his :  many  a  one  wrought  upon  the 
ark,  which  yet  was  not  saved  in  the  ark.  Our  outward  works 
cannot  save  us  without  our  faith ;  we  may  help  to  save  others, 
and  perish  ourselves :  what  a  wonder  of  mercy  is  this  that  I  here 
seel  One  poor  family  called  out  of  a  world,  and  as  it  were 
eight  grains  of  corn  fanned  from  a  whole  barnful  of  chaff:  one 
hypocrite  was  saved  with  the  rest  for  Noah's  sake;  not  one 
righteous  man  was  swept  away  for  company.  For  these  few  was 
the  earth  preserved  still  under  the  waters,  and  all  kinds  of  crea- 
tures upon  the  waters,  which  else  had  been  all  destroyed.  Still 
the  world  stands,  for  their  sakes,  for  whom  it  was  preserved; 
else  fire  should  consume  that  which  could  not  be  cleansed  by 
water. 

This  difference  is  strange :  I  see  the  savagest  of  all  creatures, 
lions,  tigers,  bears,  by  an  instinct  from  God,  come  to  seek  the 
ark,  (as  we  see  swine  foreseeing  a  storm  run  home  crying  for 
shelter),  men  I  see  not;  reason  once  debauched  is  worse  than 
brutishness :  God  hath  use  even  of  these  fierce  and  cruel  beasts, 
and  glory  by  them :  even  they,  being  created  for  man,  must  live 
by  him,  though  to  his  punishment :  how  gently  do  they  offer  and 
submit  themselves  to  their  preserver;  renewing  that  obeisance 
to  this  repairer  of  the  world,  which  they,  before  sin,  yielded  to 
him  that  first  stored  the  world :  he,  that  shut  them  into  the  ark 
when  they  were  entered,  shut  their  mouths  also  while  they  did 
enter.  The  lions  fawn  upon  Noah  and  Daniel ;  what  heart  can- 
not the  Maker  of  them  mollify  ? 


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cont.  v.  Of  the  Deluge.  23 

The  unclean  beasts  God  would  hare  to  live,  the  clean  to  mul- 
tiply ;  and  therefore  he  sends  to  Noah  seven  of  the  clean,  of  the 
unclean  two :  he  knew  the  one  would  annoy  man  with  their  mul- 
titude, the  other  would  enrich  him ;  those  things  are  worthy  of 
most  respect  which  are  of  most  use. 

But  why  seven?  Surely  that  God,  that  created  seven  days 
in  the  week,  and  made  one  for  himself,  did  here  preserve  of 
seven  clean  beasts  one  for  himself,  for  sacrifice :  he  gives  us  six  for 
one  in  earthly  things,  that  in  spiritual  we  should  be  all  for  him. 

Now  the  day.  is  come,  all  the  guests  are  entered,  the  ark  is 
shut,  and  the  windows  of  heaven  open :  I  doubt  not  but  many  of 
those  scoffers,  when  they  saw  the  violence  of  the  waves  descending 
and  ascending,  according  to  Noah's  prediction,  came  wading  mid- 
dle deep  unto  the  ark,  and  importunately  craved  that  admittance 
which  they  once  denied  :  but  now,  as  they  formerly  rejected  God, 
so  are  they  justly  rejected  of  God.  For  ere  vengeance  begin, 
repentance  is  seasonable ;  but  if  judgment  be  once  gone  out,  we 
cry  too  late.  While  the  Gospel  solicits  us,  the  doors  of  the  ark 
are  open ;  if  we  neglect  the  time  of  grace,  in  vain  shall  we  seek 
it  with  tears :  God  holds  it  no  mercy  to  pity  the  obstinate. 
Others,  more  bold  than  they,  hope  to  overrun  the  judgment,  and, 
climbing  up  to  the  high  mountains,  look  down  upon  the  waters 
with  more  hope  than  fear :  and  now,  when  they  see  their  hills 
become  islands,  they  climb  up  into  the  tallest  trees ;  there  with 
paleness  and  horror  at  once  look  for  death,  and  study  to  avoid  it, 
whom  the  waves  overtake  at  last  half  dead  with  famine,  and  half 
with  fear.  Lo !  now  from  the  tops  of  the  mountains  they  descry 
the  ark  floating  upon  the  waters,  and  behold  with  envy  that 
which  before  they  beheld  with  scorn. 

In  vain  doth  he  fly  whom  God  pursues.  There  is  no  way  to 
fly  from  his  judgments,  but  to  fly  to  his  mercy  by  repenting.  The 
faith  of  the  righteous  cannot  be  so  much  derided  as  their  success 
is  magnified:  how  securely  doth  Noah  ride  out  this  uproar  of 
heaven,  earth  and  waters  I  He  hears  the  pouring  down  of  tho 
rain  above  his  head;  the  shrieking  of  men,  and  roaring  and  bel- 
lowing of  beasts,  on  both  sides  of  him  ;  the  raging  and  threats  of 
the  waves  under  him ;  he  saw  the  miserable  shifts  of  the  dis- 
tressed unbelievers ;  and  in  the  mean  time  sits  quietly  in  his  dry 
cabin,  neither  feeling  nor  fearing  evil :  he  knew  that  he,  which 
owned  the  waters,  would  steer  him ;  that  he,  who  shut  him  in, 
would  preserve  him.     How  happy  a  thing  is  faith !  What  a  quiet 


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24  Of  the  Deluge.  book  i.- 

safety,  what  an  heavenly  peace  doth  it  work  in  the  soul,  in  the 
midst  of  all  the  inundations  of  evil ! 

Now,  when  God  hath  fetched  again  all  the  life  which  he  had 
given  to  his  unworthy  creatures,  and  reduced  the  world  unto  his 
first  form  wherein  waters  were  oyer  the  face  of  the  earth,  it  was 
time  for  a  renovation  of  all  things  to  succeed  this  destruction. 
To  have  continued  the  deluge  long  had  been  to  punish  Noah, 
that  was  righteous.  After  forty  days,  therefore,  the  heavens 
clear  up  ;  after  a  hundred  and  fifty  the  waters  sink  down.  How 
soon  is  God  weary  of  punishing,  which  is  never  weary  of  blessing ! 
yet  may  not  the  ark  rest  suddenly.  If  we  did  not  stay  somewhile 
under  God's  hand,  we  should  not  know  how  sweet  his  mercy  is, 
and  how  great  our  thankfulness  should  be.  The  ark,  though  it 
was  Noah's  fort  against  the  waters,  yet  it  was  his  prison ;  he  was 
safe  in  it,  but  pent  up ;  he,  that  gave  him  life  by  it,  now  thinks 
time  to  give  him  liberty  out  of  it. 

God  doth  not  reveal  all  things  to  his  best  servants :  behold,  he 
that  told  Noah  an  hundred  and  twenty  years  before  what  day  he 
should  go  into  the  ark,  yet  foretells  him  not  now  in  the  ark  what 
day  the  ark  should  rest  upon  the  hills,  and  he  should  go  forth. 
Noah  therefore  sends  out  his  intelligencers,  the  raven  and  the 
dove ;  whose  wings  in  that  vaporous  air  might  easily  descry  fur- 
ther than  his  sight.  The  raven,  of  quick  scent,  of  gross  feed,  of 
tough  constitution ;  no  fowl  was  so  fit  for  discovery  :  the  likeliest 
things  always  succeed  not.  He  neither  will  venture  far  into  that 
solitary  world  for  fear  of  want,  nor  yet  come  into  the  ark  for 
love  of  liberty ;  but  hovers  about  in  uncertainties.  How  many 
carnal  minds  fly  out  of  the  ark  of  God's  church,  and  embrace  the 
present  world ;  rather  choosing  to  feed  upon  the  unsavory  car- 
casses of  sinful  pleasures,  than  to  be  restrained  within  the  strait 
lists  of  Christian  obedience ! 

The  dove  is  sent  forth,  a  fowl  both  swift  and  simple.  She,  like 
a  true  citizen  of  the  ark,  returns;  and  brings  faithful  notice 
of  the  continuance  of  the  waters,  by  her  restless  and  empty  re- 
turn ;  by  her  olive  leaf,  of  the  abatement.  How  worthy  are  those 
messengers  to  be  welcome,  which,  with  innocence  in  their  lives, 
bring  glad  tidings  of  peace  and  salvation  in  their  mouths  I 

Noah  rejoices  and  believes ;  yet  still  he  waits  seven  days  more  : 
it  is  not  good  to  devour  the  favours  of  God  too  greedily  ;  but  to 
take  them  in,  that  we  may  digest  them.  O  strong  faith  of  Noah, 
that  was  not  weary  with  this  delay !     Some  man  would  have  so 


?lc 


cont.  v.  Of  the  Deluge.  25 

longed  for  the  open  air  after  so  long  closeness,  that  upon  the  first 
notice  of  safety  he  would  have  uncovered,  and  voided  the  ark ; 
Noah  stays  seven  days  ere  he  will  open,  and  well  near  two  months 
ere  he  will  forsake  the  ark ;  and  not  then,  unless  God,  that  com- 
manded to  enter,  had  bidden  him  depart.  There  is  no  action  good 
without  faith ;  no  faith  without  a  word.  Happy  is  that  man, 
which,  in  all  things,  neglecting  the  counsels  of  flesh  and  blood, 
depends  upon  the  commission  of  his  Maker. 


BOOK  II. 

TO  THE  BIGHT  HONOURABLE 

THE  LORD  STANHOPE', 

ONE  OF  HIS  MAJESTY'S  MOST  HONOURABLE  PRIVY   COUNCIL, 
ALL  GRACE  AND   HAPPINES8. 

Right  Honourable, — I  durst  appeal  to  the  judgment  of  a  carnal  reader,  (let 
him  not  be  prejudicate)  that  there  is  no  history  so  pleasant  as  the  sacred.  Set 
aside  the  majesty  of  the  Inditer ;  none  can  compare  with  it  for  the  magnifi- 
cence and  antiquity  of  the  matter,  the  sweetness  of  compiling,  the  strange 
variety  of  memorable  occurrences  :  and  if  the  delight  be  such,  what  shall  the 
profit  be  esteemed  of  that  which  was  written  by  God  for  the  salvation  of 
men !  I  confess  no  thoughts  did  ever  more  sweetly  steal  me  and  time  away, 
than  those  which  I  have  employed  in  this  subject,  and  I  hope  none  can 
equally  benefit  others :  for,  if  the  mere  relation  of  these  holy  things  be  pro- 
fitable, how  much  more  when  it  is  reduced  to  use !  This  second  part  of  the 
world  repaired,  I  dedicate  to  your  lordship ;  wherein  you  shall  see  Noah  as 
weak  in  his  tent,  as  strong  in  the  ark ;  an  ungracious  son  reserved  from  the 
deluge  to  his  father's  curse;  modest  piety  rewarded  with  blessings;  the 
building  of  Babel,  begun  in  pride,  ended  in  confusion;  Abraham's  faith, 
fear,  obedience;  Isaac  bound  upon  the  altar  under  the  hand  of  a  father,  that 
hath  forgotten  both  nature  and  all  his  hopes;  Sodom  burning  with  a  double 
fire,  from  hell,  and  from  heaven ;  Lot  rescued  from  that  impure  city,  yet  after 
finding  Sodom  in  his  cave :  every  one  of  these  passages  is  not  more  full  of 
wonder  than  of  edification.  That  Spirit,  which  hath  penned  all  these  things 
for  our  learning,  teach  us  their  right  use;  and  sanctify  these  my  unworthy 
meditations  to  the  good  of  his  church !  To  whose  abundant  grace  I  humbly 
commend  your  lordship. 

Your  lordship's  unfeignedly  devoted,  in  all  due  observance, 

JOS.  HALL. 

*  Philip  Stanhope,  created  in  1616,  Baron  Stanhope  of  Shelford,  in  the 
county  of  Derby,  afterwards,  in  1638,  earl  of  Chesterfield. 


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26  Of  Noah.  book  ii. 

NOAH. — Genesis  vii.  ix. 

No  sooner  is  Noah  come  out  of  the  ark,  but  he  builds  an  altar : 
not  an  house  for  himself,  but  an  altar  to  the  Lord :  our  faith  will 
ever  teach  us  to  prefer  Ood  to  ourselves.  Delayed  thankfulness 
is  not  worthy  of  acceptation.  Of  those  few  creatures  that  are 
left,  Ood  must  have  some;  they  are  all  his;  yet  his  goodness 
will  have  man  know  that  it  was  he  for  whose  sake  they  were 
preserved.  It  was  a  privilege  to  those  very  brute  creatures,  that 
they  were  saved  from  the  waters,  to  be  offered  up  in  fire  unto 
God :  what  a  favour  is  it  for  men  to  be  reserved  from  common 
destructions,  to  be  sacrificed  to  their  Maker  and  Redeemer ! 

Lo  this  little  fire  of  Noah,  through  the  virtue  of  his  faith, 
purged  the  world,  and  ascended  up  into  those  heavens,  from 
which  the  waters  fell,  and  caused  a  glorious  rainbow  to  appear 
therein  for  his  security :  all  the  sins  of  the  former  world  were 
not  so  unsavory  unto  God  as  this  smoke  was  pleasant.  No  per- 
fume can  be  so  sweet  as  the  holy  obedience  of  the  faithful.  Now 
God,  that  was  before  annoyed  with  the  ill  savour  of  sin,  smells  a 
sweet  savour  of  rest.  Behold  here  a  new  and  second  rest :  first, 
God  rested  from  making  the  world,  now  he  rests  from  destroying 
it :  even  while  we  cease  not  to  offend,  he  ceases  from  a  public  re- 
venge. His  word  was  enough,  yet  withal  he  gives  a  sign,  which 
may  speak  the  truth  of  his  promise  to  the  very  eyes  of  men : 
thus  he  doth  still  in  his  blessed  sacraments,  which  are  as  real 
words  to  the  soul.  The  rainbow  is  the  pledge  of  our  safety,  which 
even  naturally  signifies  the  end  of  a  shower:  all  the  signs  of 
God's  institution  are  proper  and  significant. 

But  who  would  look,  after  all  this,  to  have  found  righteous 
Noah,  the  father  of  the  new  world,  lying  drunken  in  his  tent  ? 
Who  would  think  that  wine  should  overthrow  him,  that  was  pre- 
served from  the  waters  i  that  he,  who  could  not  be  tainted  with 
the  sinful  examples  of  the  former  world,  should  begin  the  example 
of  a  new  sin  of  his  own  ?  What  are  we  men,  if  we  be  but  ourselves ! 
While  God  upholds  us,  no  temptation  can  move  us:  when  he 
leaves  us,  no  temptation  is  too  weak  to  overthrow  us.  What 
living  man  ever  had  so  noble  proofs  of  the  mercy,  of  the  justice 
of  God?  mercy  upon  himself,  justice  upon  others.  What  man 
had  so  gracious  approbation  from  his  Maker  ?  Behold  he,  of  whom 
in  an  uncloan  world  God  said,  Thee  only  have  I  found  righteous, 
proves  now  unclean  when  the  world  was  purged.     The  preacher 


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cost.  i.  Of  Noah.  27 

of  righteousness  unto  the  former  age,  the  king,  priest,  and  pro- 
phet of  the  world  renewed,  is  the  first  that  renews  the  sins  of  that 
world  which  he  had  reproved,  and  which  he  saw  condemned  for 
sin :  God's  best  children  hare  no  fence  for  sins  of  infirmity :  which 
of  the  saints  have  not  once  done  that  whereof  they  are  ashamed  ? 
God,  that  lets  us  fall,  knows  how  to  make  as  good  use  of  the  sins 
of  his  holy  ones,  as  of  their  obedience :  If  we  had  not  such  pat- 
terns, who  could  choose  but  despair  at  the  sight  of  his  sins  ? 

Tet  we  find  Noah  drunken  but  once.  One  act  can  no  more 
make  a  good  heart  unrighteous,  than  a  trade  of  sin  can  stand 
with  regeneration :  but  when  I  look  to  the  effect  of  this  sin,  I 
cannot  but  blush  and  wonder.  Lo,  this  sin  is  worse  than  sin; 
other  sins  move  shame,  but  hide  it ;  this  displays  it  to  the  world. 
Adam  had  no  sooner  sinned,  but  he  saw  and  abhorred  his  own 
nakedness,  seeking  to  hide  it  even  with  bushes. 

Noah  had  no  sooner  sinned  but  he  discovers  his  nakedness, 
and  hath  not  so  much  rale  of  himself  as  to  be  ashamed :  one 
hour's  drunkenness  bewrays  that,  which  more  than  six  hundred 
years'  sobriety  had  modestly  concealed ;  he,  that  gives  himself  to 
wine  is  not  his  own  :  what  shall  we  think  of  this  vice,  which  robs 
a  man  of  himself,  and  lays  a  beast  in  his  room  ?  Noah's  nakedness 
is  seen  in  wine :  it  is  no  unusual  quality,  in  this  excess,  to  disclose 
secrets;  drunkenness  doth  both  make  imperfections,  and  shew 
those  we  have  to  others'  eyes :  so  would  God  have  it,  that  we 
might  be  doubly  ashamed,  both  of  those  weaknesses  which  we 
discover,  and  of  that  weakness  which  moved  us  to  discover. 

Noah  is  uncovered ;  but  in  the  midst  of  his  own  tent :  it  had 
been  sinful,  though  no  man  had  seen  it :  unknown  sins  have  their 
guilt  and  shame,  and  are  justly  attended  with  known  punish- 
ments. Ungracious  Cham  saw  it  and  laughed ;  his  father's  shame 
should  have  been  his ;  the  deformity  of  those  parts  from  which 
he  had  his  being,  should  have  begotten  in  him  a  secret  horror 
and  dejection :  how  many  graceless  men  make  sport  at  the  causes 
of  their  humiliation  I  Twice  had  Noah  given  him  life;  yet  neither 
the  name  of  a  father  and  preserver,  nor  age,  nor  virtue,  could 
shield  him  from  the  contempt  of  his  own.  I  see  that  even  God's 
ark  may  nourish  monsters :  some  filthy  toads  may  lie  under  the 
stones  of  the  temple.  God  preserves  some  men  in  judgment ; 
better  had  it  been  for  Cham  to  have  perished  in  the  waters,  than 
to  live  unto  his  father's  curse. 
Not  content  to  be  a  witness  of  this  filthy  sight,  he  goes  on  to 


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28  Of  Noah.  book  ii. 

be  a  proclaimer  of  it.  Sin  doth  ill  in  the  eye,  but  worse  in  the 
tongue :  as  all  sin  is  a  work  of  darkness,  so  it  should  be  buried 
in  darkness.  The  report  of  sin  is  ofttimes  as  ill  as  the  com- 
mission ;  for  it  can  never  be  blazoned  without  uncharitableness ; 
seldom,  without  infection.  Oh  the  unnatural  and  more  than 
Chammish  impiety  of  those  sons  which  rejoice  to  publish  the 
nakedness  of  their  spiritual  parents  even  to  their  enemies  I 

Yet  it  was  well  for  Noah  that  Cham  could  tell  it  to  none  but 
his  own;  and  those  gracious  and  dutiful  sons.  Our  shame  is 
the  less,  if  none  know  our  faults  but  our  friends.  Behold,  how 
love  covereth  sins ;  these  good  sons  are  so  far  from  going  for- 
ward to  see  their  father's  shame,  that  they  go  backward  to  hide 
it.  The  cloke  is  laid  on  both  their  shoulders,  they  both  go  back 
with  equal  paces,  and  dare  not  so  much  as  look  back,  lest  they 
should  unwillingly  see  the  cause  of  their  shame ;  and  will  rather 
adventure  to  stumble  at  their  father's  body,  than  to  see  his  na- 
kedness :  how  did  it  grieve  them  to  think,  that  they,  which  had 
so  oft  come  to  their  holy  father  with  reverence,  must  now  in  reve- 
rence turn  their  backs  upon  him ;  and  that  they  must  now  clothe 
him  in  pity,  which  had  so  often  clothed  them  in  love  I  And,  which 
adds  more  to  their  duty,  they  covered  him,  and  said  nothing. 
This  modest  sorrow  is  their  praise  and  our  example :  the  sins  of 
those  we  love  and  honour  we  must  hear  of  with  indignation, 
fearfully  and  unwillingly  believe,  acknowledge  with  grief  and 
shame,  hide  with  honest  excuses,  and  bury  in  silence. 

How  equal  a  regard  is  this  both  of  piety  and  disobedience! 
because  Cham  sinned  against  his  father,  therefore  he  shall  be 
plagued  in  his  children ;  Japheth  is  dutiful  to  his  father,  and  finds 
it  in  his  posterity.  Because  Cham  was  an  ill  son  to  his  father, 
therefore  his  sons  shall  be  servants  to  his  brethren;  because 
Japheth  set  his  shoulder  to  Shem's,  to  bear  the  cloak  of  shame, 
therefore  shall  Japheth  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Shem,  partaking 
with  him  in  blessings  as  in  duty.  When  we  do  but  what  we 
ought,  yet  God  is  thankful  to  us ;  and  rewards  that  whioh  we 
should  sin  if  we  did  not:  who  could  ever  yet  shew  me  a  man 
rebelliously  undutiful  to  his  parents,  that  hath  prospered  in  him- 
self and  his  seed  ? 


OF  BABEL.— Genesis  xi. 
How  soon  arc  men  and  sins  multiplied!  within  one  hundred 


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cont.ii.  Of  Babel  29 

years  the  world  is  as  full  of  both  as  if  there  had  been  no  deluge. 
Though  men  could  not  but  see  the  fearful  monuments  of  the  ruin 
of  their  ancestors,  yet  how  quickly  had  they  forgotten  a  flood ! 
Good  Noah  lived  to  see  the  world  both  populous  and  wicked 
again ;  and  doubtless  ofttimes  repented  to  have  been  preserver  of 
some,  whom  he  saw  to  traduce  the  vices  of  the  former  world  to 
the  renewed.  It  could  not  but  grieve  him  to  see  the  destroyed 
giants  revive  out  of  his  own  loins,  and  to  see  them  of  his  flesh  and 
blood  tyrannize  over  themselves.  In  his  sight  Nimrod,  casting  off  the 
awe  of  his  holy  grandfather,  grew  imperious  and  cruel,  and  made 
his  own  kinsmen  servants.  How  easy  a  thing  it  is  for  a  great 
spirit  to  be  the  head  of  a  faction,  when  even  brethren  will  stoop 
to  servitude !  And  now,  when  men  are  combined  together,  evil 
and  presumptuous  motions  find  encouragement  in  multitudes; 
and  each  man  takes  a  pride  in  seeming  forwardest :  we  are  the 
cheerfuller  in  good  when  we  have  the  assistance  of  company; 
much  more  in  sinning,  by  how  much  we  are  more  prone  to  evil 
than  good.  It  was  a  proud  word,  Come,  let  us  build  us  a  city 
and  a  tower,  whose  top  may  reach  to  heaven. 

They  were  newly  come  down  from  the  hills  unto  the  plains, 
and  now  think  of  raising  up  a  hill,  of  building  in  the  plain :  when 
their  tents  were  pitched  upon  the  mountains  of  Armenia,  they 
were  as  near  to  heaven  as  their  tower  could  make  them;  but 
their  ambition  must  needs  aspire  to  a  height  of  their  own  raising. 
Pride  is  ever  discontented,  and  still  seeks  matter  of  boasting  in 
her  own  works. 

How  fondly  do  men  reckon  without  God  I  Come,  let  us  build ; 
as  if  there  had  been  no  stop  but  in  their  own  will ;  as  if  both 
earth  and  time  had  been  theirs.  Still  do  all  natural  men  build 
Babel ;  forecasting  their  own  plots  so  resolutely,  as  if  there  were 
no  power  to  countermand  them.  It  is  just  with  God  that  per- 
emptory determinations  seldom  prosper;  whereas  those  things 
which  are  fearfully  and  modestly  undertaken  commonly  succeed. 

Let  us  build  us  a  city.  If  they  had  taken  God  with  them,  it 
had  been  commendable ;  establishing  of  societies  is  pleasing  to 
him  that  is  the  God  of  order :  but  a  tower ',  whose  top  may  reach 
to  heaven,  was  a  shameful  arrogance,  an  impious  presumption. 
Who  could  think  that  we  little  ants  that  creep  upon  the  earth 
should  think  of  climbing  up  to  heaven  by  multiplying  of  earth  ? 

Pride  ever  looks  at  the  highest :  the  first  man  would  know  as 
God,  these  would  dwell  as  God ;  covetousness  and  ambition  know 


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30  Of  Babel  book  ii. 

no  limits.  And  what  if  they  had  reached  up  to  heaven  ?  some 
hills  are  as  high  as  they  could  hope  to  be,  and  yet  are  no  whit 
the  better ;  no  place  alters  the  condition  of  nature :  an  angel  is 
glorious,  though  he  be  upon  earth ;  and  man  is  but  earth,  though 
he  be  above  the  clouds.  The  nearer  they  had  been  to  heaven, 
the  more  subject  should  they  have  been  to  the  violences  of  heaven, 
to  thunders,  lightnings,  and  those  other  higher  inflammations ;  what 
had  this  been  but  to  thrust  themselves  into  the  hands  of  the 
revenger  of  all  wicked  insolencies  ?  God  loves  that  heaven  should 
be  looked  at,  and  affected  with  all  humble  desires,  with  the  holy 
ambitions  of  faith,  not  with  the  proud  imaginations  of  our  own 
achievements. 

But  wherefore  was  all  this?  Not  that  they  loved  so  much  to 
be  neighbours  to  heaven  as  to  be  famous  upon  earth ;  it  was  not 
commodity  that  was  here  sought,  not  safety,  but  glory ;  whither 
doth  not  thirst  of  fame  carry  men,  whether  in  good  or  evil !  It 
makes  them  seek  to  climb  to  heaven ;  it  makes  them  not  fear  to 
run  down  headlong  to  hell.  Even  in  the  best  things,  desire  of 
praise  stands  in  competition  with  conscience,  and  brags  to  have 
the  more  clients.  One  builds  a  temple  to  Diana,  in  hope  of  glory, 
intending  it  for  one  of  the  great  wonders  of  the  world ;  another, 
in  hope  of  fame,  burns  it.  He  is  a  rare  man  that  hath  not  some 
Babel  of  his  own,  whereon  he  bestows  pains  and  cost,  only  to  be 
talked  of.  If  they  had  done  better  things  in  a  vainglorious  pur- 
pose, their  act  had  been  accursed ;  if  they  had  built  houses  to 
God,  if  they  had  sacrificed,  prayed,  lived  well ;  the  intent  poisons 
the  action :  but  now,  both  the  act  and  the  purpose  are  equally 
vain,  and  the  issue  is  as  vain  as  either. 

God  hath  a  special  indignation  at  pride,  above  all  sins;  and 
will  cross  our  endeavours,  not  for  that  they  are  evil,  (what  hurt 
could  be  in  laying  one  brick  upon  another  ?)  but  for  that  they 
are  proudly  undertaken.  He  could  have  hindered  the  laying  of 
the  first  stone,  and  might  as  easily  have  made  a  trench  for  the 
foundation,  the  grave  of  the  builders ;  but  he  loves  to  see  what 
wicked  men  would  do,  and  to  let  fools  run  themselves  out  of  breath : 
what  monument  should  they  have  had  of  their  own  madness,  and 
his  powerful  interruption,  if  the  walls  had  risen  to  no  height  ? 

To  stop  them  then  in  the  midst  of  their  course,  he  meddles 
not  with  either  their  hands  or  their  feet,  but  their  tongues ;  not 
by  pulling  them  out,  not  by  loosing  their  strings,  nor  by  making 
them  say  nothing,  but  by  teaching  them  to  say  too  much :  here 


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cost.  n.  Of  Babel.  31 

is  nothing  varied  but  the  sound  of  letters ;  even  this  frustrates 
the  work,  and  befools  the  workmen :  how  easy  it  is  for  God  ten 
thousand  ways  to  correct  and  forestall  the  greatest  projects  of  men  I 
He  that  taught  Adam  the  first  words,  taught  them  words  that 
never  were.  One  calls  for  brick,  the  other  looks  him  in  the  face, 
and  wonders  what  he  commands,  and  how  and  why  he  speaks 
such  words  as  were  never  heard ;  and  instead  thereof  brings  him 
mortar,  returning  him  an  answer  as  little  understood :  each  chides 
with  other,  expressing  his  choler,  so  as  he  only  can  understand 
himself;  from  heat  they  fall  to  quiet  entreaties,  but  still  with  the 
same  success.  At  first,  every  man  thinks  his  fellow  mocks  him  ; 
but  now,  perceiving  this  serious  confusion,  their  only  answer  was 
silence  and  ceasing :  they  could  not  come  together,  for  no  man 
could  call  them  to  be  understood ;  and  if  they  had  assembled, 
nothing  could  be  determined,  because  one  could  never  attain  to 
the  other's  purpose:  no,  they  could  not  have  the  honour  of  a 
general  dismission,  but  each  man  leaves  his  trowel  and  station, 
more  like  a  fool  than  he  undertook  it :  so  commonly  actions  begun 
in  glory  shut  up  in  shame. 

All  external  actions  depend  upon  the  tongue:  no  man  can 
know  another's  mind,  if  this  be  not  the  interpreter ;  hence,  as 
there  were  many  tongues  given  to  stay  the  building  of  Babel,  so 
there  were  as  many  given  to  build  the  New  Jerusalem,  the  evan- 
gelical church.  How  dear  hath  Babel  cost  all  the  world  I  At  tho 
first,  when  there  was  but  one  language,  men  did  spend  their  time 
in  arts,  (so  was  it  requisite  at  the  first  settling  of  the  world)  and 
so  came  early  to  perfection ;  but  now  we  stay  so  long  of  necessity 
upon  the  shell  of  tongues,  that  we  can  hardly  have  time  to  chew 
the  sweet  kernel  of  knowledge :  surely  men  would  have  grown 
too  proud,  if  there  had  been  no  Babel !  It  falls  out  ofttimes  that 
one  sin  is  a  remedy  of  a  greater.  Division  of  tongues  must  needs 
slacken  any  work :  multiplicity  of  language  had  not  been  given 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  for  a  blessing  to  the  church,  if  the  world  bad 
not  been  before  possessed  -with  multiplicity  of  languages  for  a 
punishment :  hence  it  is,  that  the  building  of  our  Sion  rises  no 
faster,  because  our  tongues  are  divided ;  happy  were  the  church 
of  God,  if  we  all  spake  but  one  language :  while  we  differ,  we  can 
build  nothing  but  Babel ;  difference  of  tongues  caused  their  Babel 
to  cease,  but  it  builds  ours. 


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V 


32  Of  Abraham.  book  it. 

OF  ABRAHAM.— Genesis  xii. 

It  was  fit  that  he  which  should  be  the  father  and  pattern  of  the 
faithful  should  be  thoroughly  tried ;  for  in  a  set  copy  every  fault 
is  important,  and  may  prove  a  rule  of  error.  Of  ten  trials  which 
Abraham  past,  the  last  was  the  sorest  No  son  of  Abraham  can 
hope  to  escape  temptations,  while  he  sees  that  bosom,  in  which 
he  desires  to  rest,  so  assaulted  with  difficulties. 

Abraham  must  leave  his  country  and  kindred,  and  live  amongst 
strangers :  the  calling  of  God  never  leaves  men  where  it  finds 
them :  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  all  places  are  alike  to  the  wise 
and  faithful.  If  Chaldea  had  not  been  grossly  idolatrous,  Abra- 
ham had  not  left  it ;  no  bond  must  tie  us  to  the  danger  of  in- 
fection. 

But  whither  must  he  go  ?  to  a  place  he  knew  not,  to  men  that 
knew  not  him :  it  is  enough  comfort  to  a  good  man,  wheresoever 
he  is,  that  he  is  acquainted  with  God  ;  we  are  never  out  of  our 
way  while  we  follow  the  calling  of  God.  Never  any  man  lost  by 
his  obedience  to  the  Highest;  because  Abraham  yielded,  God 
gives  him  the  possession  of  Canaan  :  I  wonder  more  at  his  faith 
in  taking  this  possession,  than  in  leaving  his  own ;  behold,  Abra- 
ham takes  possession  for  that  seed  which  he  had  not,  which  in 
nature  he  was  not  like  to  have ;  of  that  land  whereof  he  should 
not  have  one  foot,  wherein  his  seed  should  not  be  settled  of 
almost  five  hundred  years  after  :  the  power  of  faith  can  prevent 
time,  and  make  future  things  present ;  if  we  be  the  true  sons  of 
Abraham,  we  have  already,  while  we  sojourn  here  on  earth,  the 
possession  of  our  land  of  promise :  while  we  seek  our  country, 
we  have  it. 

Tet  even  Canaan  doth  not  afford  him  bread,  which  yet  he  must 
believe  shall  flow  with  milk  and  honoy  to  his  seed :  sense  must 
yield  to  faith ;  woe  were  us,  if  we  must  judge  of  our  future  estate 
by  the  present :  Egypt  gives  relief  to  Abraham,  when  Canaan 
cannot.  In  outward  things  God's  etffcmies  may  fare  better  than 
his  friends.  Thrice  had  Egypt  preserved  the  church  of  God,  in 
Abraham,  in  Jacob,  in  Christ ;  God  ofttimes  makes  use  of  the 
world,  for  the  behoof  of  his,  though  without  their  thanks :  as  con- 
trarily  he  uses  the  wicked  for  scourges  to  his  own  inheritance,  and 
burns  them ;  because  in  his  good  they  intended  evil. 

But  what  a  change  is  this !  hitherto  hath  Sarah  been  Abra- 
ham's wife,  now  Egypt  hath  made  her  his  sister  :  fear  hath  turned 


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coxt.  in.  Of  A  braham .  3  3 

him  from  a  husband  to  a  brother ;  no  strength  of  faith  can  ex- 
clude some  doubtings :  God  hath  said,  "  I  will  make  thee  a  great 
nation ;"  Abraham  saith,  "  The  Egyptians  will  kill  me :"  he,  that 
lived  by  his  faith,  yet  shrinketh  and  sinneth.  How  vainly  shall  we 
hope  to  believe  without  all  fear,  and  to  live  without  infirmities ! 
Some  little  aspersions  of  unbelief  cannot  hinder  the  praise  and 
power  of  faith ;  Abraham  believed,  and  it  was  imputed  to  him 
for  righteousness.  He,  that  through  inconsiderateness  doubted 
twice  of  his  own  life,  doubted  not  of  the  life  of  his  seed,  even  from 
the  dead  and  dry  womb  of  Sarah :  yet  was  it  more  difficult  that 
his  posterity  should  live  in  Sarah,  than  that  Sarah's  husband 
should  live  in  Egypt :  this  was  above  nature,  yet  he  believes  it. 
Sometimes  the  believer  sticks  at  easy  trials,  and  yet  breaks 
through  the  greatest  temptations  without  fear.  Abraham  was  old 
ere  this  promise  and  hope  of  a  son ;  and  still  the  older,  the  more 
incapable;  yet  Ood  makes  him  wait  twenty-five  years  for  per- 
formance. No  time  is  long  to  faith ;  which  had  learned  to  defer 
hopes  without  fainting  or  irksomeness. 

Abraham  heard  this  news  from  the  angel,  and  laughed :  Sarah 
heard  it,  and  laughed :  they  did  not  more  agree  in  their  desire, 
than  differ  in  their  affection :  Abraham  laughed  for  joy ;  Sarah, 
for  distrust :  Abraham  laughed,  because  he  believed  it  would  be 
so ;  Sarah,  because  she  believed  it  could  not  be  so :  the  same  act 
varies  in  the  manner  of  doing,  and  the  intention  of  the  doer.  Yet 
Sarah  laughed,  but  within  herself,  and  is  betrayed:  how  God 
can  -find  us  out  in  secret  sins !  How  easily  did  she  now  think, 
that  he,  which  could  know  of  her  inward  laughter,  could  know 
of  her  conception ;  and  now  she  that  laughed,  and  believed  not, 
believeth  and  feareth. 

What  a  lively  pattern  do  I  see  in  Abraham  and  Sarah  of  a 
strong  faith  and  weak  I  of  strong  in  Abraham,  and  weak  in 
Sarah.  She,  to  make  God  good  of  his  word  to  Abraham,  know- 
ing her  own  barrenness,  substitutes  an  Hagar,  and  in  an  ambition 
of  seed  persuades  to  polygamy.  Abraham  had  never  looked  to 
obtain  the  promise  by  any  other  than  a  barren  womb,  if  his  own 
wife  had  not  importuned  him  to  take  another.  When  our  own 
apparent  means  fail,  weak  faith  is  put  to  the  shifts ;  and  projects 
strange  devices  of  her  own  to  attain  the  end.  She  will  rather 
eonceive  by  another  womb  than  be  childless :  when  she  hears  of 
an  impossibility  to  nature,  she  doubteth,  and  yet  hides  her  diffi- 
dence ;  and  when  she  must  believe,  feareth,  because  she  did  dis- 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  D 

vj  'E  '.ISJTV   - 


34  Of  Isaac  sacrificed,  book  ii. 

trust:  Abraham  hears  and  believes,  and  expects  and  rejoices; 
he  saith  not,  "I  am  old  and  weak,  Sarah  is  old  and  barren; 
where  are  the  many  nations  that  shall  come  from  these  withered 
loins T  It  is  enough  to  him  that  God  hath  said  it:  he  sees  not 
the  means,  he  sees  the  promise.  He  knew  that  God  would  rather 
raise  him  up  seed  from  the  very  stones  that  he  trod  upon,  than 
himself  should  want  a  large  and  happy  issue. 

There  is  no  faith  where  there  is  either  means  or  hopes. 
Difficulties  and  impossibilities  are  the  true  objects  of  belief: 
hereupon  God  adds  to  his  name  that  which  he  would  fetch  from 
his  loins,  and  made  his  name  as  ample  as  his  posterity :  never 
any  man  was  a  loser  by  believing:  faith  is  ever  recompensed 
with  glory. 

Neither  is  Abraham  content  only  to  wait  for  God,  but  to  smart 
for  him :  God  bids  him  cut  his  own  flesh ;  he  willingly  sacrifices 
this  parcel  of  his  skin  and  blood  to  him  that  was  the  Owner  of 
all :  how  glad  he  is  to  carry  this  painful  mark  of  the  love  of  his 
Creator !  how  forward  to  seal  this  covenant  with  blood,  betwixt 
God  and  him !  not  regarding  the  soreness  of  his  body,  in  com- 
parison of  the  confirmation  of  his  soul.  The  wound  was  not  so 
grievous  as  the  signification  was  comfortable.  For  herein  he  saw, 
that  from  his  loins  should  come  that  blessed  seed,  which  should 
purge  his  soul  from  all  corruption.  Well  is  that  part  of  us  lost, 
which  may  give  assurance  of  the  salvation  of  the  whole ;  our  faith 
is  not  yet  sound,  if  it  have  not  taught  us  to  neglect  pain  for  God, 
and  more  to  love  his  sacraments  than  our  own  flesh. 


OF  ISAAC  SACRIFICED.— Genesis  xxii. 

But  all  these  are  but  easy  tasks  of  faith :  all  ages  have  stood 
amazed  at  the  next;  not  knowing  whether  they  should  more 
wonder  at  God's  command  or  Abraham's  obedience.  Many  years 
had  that  good  patriarch  waited  for  his  Isaac ;  now  at  last  he  hath 
joyfully  received  him,  and  that  with  this  gracious  acclamation ;  In 
Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called,  and  all  nations  blessed.  Behold 
the  son  of  his  age,  the  son  of  his  love,  the  son  of  his  expectation, 
he  that  might  not  endure  a  mock  from  his  brother  must  now 
endure  the  knife  of  his  father :  Take  thine  only  son  Isaac,  wham 
thou  lovest,  and  get  thee  to  the  land  of  Moriah,  and  offer  him 
therefor  a  burnt  offering. 

Never  any  gold  was  tried  in  so  hot  a  fire.     Who  but  Abraham 


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cont.  i  v.  Of  Isaac  sacrificed.  35 

would  not  have  expostulated  with  God  ?  "  What !  doth  the  God 
of  mercies  now  begin  to  delight  in  blood?  Is  it  possible  that 
murder  should  become  piety  ?  or,  if  thou  wilt  needs  take  pleasure 
in  an  human  sacrifice,  is  there  none  but  Isaac  fit  for  thine  altar  ? 
none  but  Abraham  to  offer  him  ?  Shall  these  hands  destroy  the 
fruits  of  mine  own  loins  ?  Can  I  not  be  faithful  unless  I  be  un- 
natural ;  or,  if  I  must  needs  be  the  monster  of  all  parents,  will 
not  Ishmael  yet  be  accepted  ?  O  God,  where  is  thy  mercy  ?  where 
is  thy  justice?  Hast  thou  given  me  but  one  only  son,  and  must  I 
now  slay  him  ?  Why  did  I  wait  so  long  for  him  ?  Why  didst  thou 
give  him  me?  Why  didst  thou  promise  me  a  blessing  in  him? 
What  will  the  heathen  say,  when  they  shall  hear  of  this  infamous 
massacre  ?  How  can  thy  name  and  my  profession  escape  a  per- 
petual blasphemy?  With  what  face  shall  I  look  upon  my  wife 
Sarah,  whose  son  I  have  murdered  ?  How  shall  she  entertain  the 
executioner  of  Isaac?  or  who  will  believe  that  I  did  this  from 
thee  ?  How  shall  not  all  the  world  spit  at  this  holy  cruelty,  and 
say,  ' There  goes  the  man  that  cut  the  throat  of  his  own  son?' 
Yet  if  he  were  an  ungracious  or  rebellious  child,  his  deserts  might 
give  some  colour  to  this  violence ;  but  to  lay  hands  on  so  dear, 
so  dutiful,  so  hopeful  a  son,  is  uncapable  of  all  pretences.  But 
grant  that  thou,  which  art  the  God  of  nature,  mayest  either  alter 
or  neglect  it ;  what  shall  I  say  to  the  truth  of  thy  promises  ?  Can 
thy  justice  admit  contradictions  ?  Can  thy  decrees  be  changeable  ? 
Canst  thou  promise  and  disappoint  ?  Can  these  two  stand  together, 
'  Isaac  shall  live  to  be  the  father  of  nations,9  and  *  Isaac  shall  now 
die  by  the  hand  of  his  father  ?'  When  Isaac  is  once  gone,  where  is 
my  seed,  where  is  my  blessing  ?  O  God,  if  thy  commands  and 
purposes  be  capable  of  alteration,  alter  this  bloody  sentence,  and 
let  thy  first  word  stand." 

These  would  have  been  the  thoughts  of  a  weak  heart,  but  God 
knew  that  he  spake  to  an  Abraham,  and  Abraham  knew  that  he 
had  to  do  with  a  God :  faith  had  taught  him  not  to  argue,  but 
obey.  In  an  holy  wilfulness  he  either  forgets  nature,  or  despises 
her ;  he  is  sure  that  what  God  commands  is  good ;  that  what  he 
promises  is  infallible ;  and  therefore  is  careless  of  the  means,  and 
trusts  to  the  end. 

In  matters  of  God,  whosoever  consults  with  flesh  and  blood 
shall  never  offer  up  his  Isaac  to  God :  there  needs  no  counsellor 
when  we  know  God  is  the  commander :  here  is  neither  grudging, 
nor  deliberating,  nor  delaying :  his  faith  would  not  suffer  him  so 

D  2 


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36  Of  Isaac  sacrificed.  book  ii. 

much  as  to  be  sorry  for  that  he  must  do.  Sarah  herself  may  not 
know  of  God's  charge  and  her  husband's  purpose,  lest  her  af- 
fection should  have  overcome  her  faith ;  lest  her  weakness,  now 
grown  importunate,  should  have  said,  "  Disobey  God,  and  die." 
That  which  he  must  do  he  will  do  ;  he  that  hath  learned  not  to 
regard  the  life  of  his  son,  had  learned  not  to  regard  the  sorrow  of 
his  wife.  It  is  too  much  tenderness  to  respect  the  censures  and 
constructions  of  others,  when  we  have  a  direct  word  from  God. 

The  good  patriarch  rises  early,  and  addresses  himself  to  his 
sad  journey.  And  now  must  he  travel  three  whole  days  to  this 
execution ;  and  still  must  Isaac  be  in  his  eye,  whom  all  this  while 
he  seems  to  see  bleeding  upon  the  pile  of  wood  which  he  carries : 
there  is  nothing  so  miserable  as  to  dwell  under  the  expectation  of 
a  great  evil ;  that  misery  which  must  be  is  mitigated  with  speed, 
and  aggravated  with  delay.  All  this  while,  if  Abraham  had  re- 
pented him,  he  had  leisure  to  return. 

There  is  no  small  trial  even  in  the  very  time  of  trial.  Now, 
when  they  are  come  within  sight  of  the  chosen  mountain,  the 
servants  are  dismissed ;  what  a  devotion  is  this  that  will  abide  no 
witnesses !  He  will  not  suffer  two  of  his  own  vassals  to  see  him 
do  that  which  soon  after  all  the  World  must  know  he  hath  done ; 
yet  is  not  Abraham  afraid  of  that  piety  which  the  beholders  can- 
not see  without  horror,  without  resistance ;  which  no  ear  could 
hear  of  without  abomination.  What  stranger  could  have  endured 
to  see  the  father  carry  the  knife  and  fire,  instruments  of  death, 
which  he  would  rather  suffer  than  inflict? — the  son  securely 
carrying  that  burden  which  must  carry  him  ? 

But  if  Abraham's  heart  could  have  known  how  to  relent,  that 
question  of  his  dear,  innocent,  and  religious  son  had  melted  it 
into  compassion ;  My  father,  behold  the  fire  and  the  wood,  but 
where  is  the  sacrifice  ?  I  know  not  whether  that  word,  My  father, 
did  not  strike  Abraham  as  deep  as  the  knife  of  Abraham  could 
strike  his  son :  yet  doth  he  not  so  much  as  think,  "  O  miserable 
man,  that  may  not  at  once  be  a  son  to  such  a  God,  and  a  father 
to  such  a  son;"  still  he  persists,  and  conceals,  and  where  he 
meant  not,  prophesies ;  My  son,  Ood  shall  provide  a  lamb  for  a 
burnt  offering. 

The  heavy  tidings  were  loath  to  come  forth :  it  was  a  death  to 
Abraham  to  say  what  he  must  do :  he  knows  his  own  faith  to  act 
this,  he  knows  not  Isaac's  to  endure  it.  But  now  when  Isaac 
hath  helped  to  build  the  altar  whereon  he  must  be  consumed,  he 


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coxt.  iv.  Of  Isaac  sacrificed.  37 

hears,  not  without  astonishment,  the  strange  command  of  God, 
the  final  will  of  his  father :  "  My  son,  thou  art  the  lamb  which 
God  hath  provided  for  this  burnt  offering :  if  my  blood  would 
have  excused  thee,  how  many  thousand  times  had  I  rather  to 
give  thee  mine  own  life  than  take  thine  I  Alas!  I  am  full  of 
days,  and  now,  of  long,  lived  not  but  in  thee :  thou  mightest  have 
preserved  the  life  of  thy  father,  and  have  comforted  his  death, 
but  the  God  of  us  both  hath  chosen  thee :  he  that  gave  thee  unto 
me  miraculously,  bids  me  by  an  unusual  means  return  thee  unto 
him.  I  need  not  tell  thee  that  I  sacrifice  all  my  worldly  joys, 
yea,  and  myself,  in  thee ;  but  God  must  be  obeyed ;  neither  art 
thou  too  dear  for  him  that  calls  thee :  come  on,  my  son,  restore 
the  life  that  God  hath  given  thee  by  me :  offer  thyself  willingly 
to  these  flames ;  send  up  thy  soul  cheerfully  unto  thy  glory ;  and 
know  that  God  loves  thee  above  others,  since  he  requires  thee 
alone  to  be  consecrated  in  sacrifice  to  himself/' 

Who  cannot  imagine  with  what  perplexed  mixtures  of  passions, 
with  what  changes  of  countenance,  what  doubts,  what  fears,  what 
amazement,  good  Isaac  received  this  sudden  message  from  the 
mouth  of  his  father,  how  he  questioned,  how  he  pleaded?  But 
when  he  had  somewhat  digested  his  thoughts,  and  considered  that 
the  author  was  God,  the  actor  Abraham,  the  action  a  sacrifice,  he 
now  approves  himself  the  son  of  Abraham ;  now  he  encourages  the 
trembling  hand  of  his  father  with  whom  he  strives  in  this  praise 
of  forwardness  and  obedience ;  now  he  offers  his  hands  and  hi? 
feet  to  the  cords,  his  throat  to  the  knife,  his  body  to  the  altar ; 
and  growing  ambitious  of  the  sword  and  fire,  intreats  his  father 
to  do  that  which  he  would  have  done  though  he  had  dissuaded 
him.  O  holy  emulation  of  faith  I  O  blessed  agreement  of  the  sa- 
crificer  and  oblation  I  Abraham  is  as  ready  to  take,  as  Isaac  to 
give ;  he  binds  those  dear  hands  which  are  more  straitly  bound 
with  the  chords  of  duty  and  resolution ;  he  lays  his  sacrifice  upon 
the  wood,  which  now  beforehand  burnt  inwardly  with  the  hea- 
venly fire  of  zeal  and  devotion. 

And  now,  having  kissed  him  his  last,  not  without  mutual  tears, 
be  lifts  up  his  hand  to  fetch  the  stroke  of  death  at  once,  not  so 
much  as  thinking,  "Perhaps  God  will  relent  after  the  first 
wound."  Now,  the  stay  of  Abraham,  the  hope  of  the  church, 
lies  about  to  bleed  under  the  hand  of  a  father :  what  bowels  can 
choose  but  yearn  at  this  spectacle  ?  which  of  the  savagest  heathens 
that  had  been  now  upon  the  hill  of  Moriah,  and  had  seen  through 


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38  Of  Isaac  sacrificed.  book  ii. 

the  bushes  the  sword  of  a  father  hanging  over  the  throat  of  such 
a  son,  would  not  have  been  more  perplexed  in  his  thoughts  than 
that  unexpected  sacrifice  was  in  those  briers  ?  Tet  he  whom  it 
nearest  concerned  is  least  touched ;  faith  hath  wrought  the  same 
in  him  which  cruelty  would  in  others,  not  to  be  moved.  He  con- 
temns all  fears,  and  overlooks  all  impossibilities ;  his  heart  tells 
him  that  the  same  hand  which  raised  Isaac  from  the  dead  womb 
of  Sarah,  can  raise  him  again  from  the  ashes  of  his  sacrifice :  with 
this  confidence  was  the  hand  of  Abraham  now  falling  upon  the 
throat  of  Isaac,  who  had  given  himself  for  dead,  and  rejoiced  in 
the  change;  when  suddenly  the  angel  of  God  interrupts  him, 
forbids  him,  commends  him. 

The  voice  of  God  was  never  so  welcome,  never  so  sweet,  never 
so  seasonable  as  qow :  it  was  the  trial  that  God  intended,  not  the 
fact ;  Isaac  is  sacrificed,  and  is  yet  alive :  and  now  both  of  them 
are  more  happy  in  that  they  would  have  done,  than  they  could 
have  been  distressed  if  they  had  done  it.  God's  charges  are  oft- 
times  harsh  in  the  beginnings  and  proceeding,  but  in  the  conclu- 
sion always  comfortable:  true  spiritual  comforts  are  commonly 
late  and  sudden :  God  defers  on  purpose  that  our  trials  may  be 
perfect,  our  deliverance  welcome,  our  recompense  glorious ;  Isaac 
had  never  been  so  precious  to  his  father,  if  he  had  not  been  re- 
covered from  death ;  if  he  had  not  been  as  miraculously  restored 
as  given.  Abraham  had  never  been  so  blessed  in  his  seed,  if  he 
had  not  neglected  Isaac  for  God.  The  only  way  to  find  oomfort 
in  any  earthly  thing  is  to  surrender  it  in  a  faithful  carelessness 
into  the  hands  of  God. 

Abraham  came  to  sacrifice,  he  may  not  go  away  with  dry 
hands:  God  cannot  abide  that  good  purposes  should  be  frus- 
trated. Lest  either  he  should  not  do  that  for  which  he  came,  or 
should  want  means  of  speedy  thanksgiving  for  so  gracious  a  dis- 
appointment ;  behold  a  ram  stands  ready  for  the  sacrifice,  and 
as  it  were  proffers  himself  to  this  happy  exchange.  He  that 
made  that  beast  brings  him  thither,  fastens  him  there :  even  in 
small  things  there  is  a  great  providence.  What  mysteries  there 
are  in  every  act  of  God  I  the  only  Son  of  God,  upon  this  very  hill 
is  laid  upon  the  altar  of  the  cross ;  and  so  becomes  a  true  sacri- 
fice for  the  world,  that  yet  he  is  raised  without  impeachment,  and 
exempted  from  the  power  of  death :  the  Lamb  of  God,  which 
takes  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  is  here  really  offered  and  ac- 
cepted :  one  Saviour  in  two  figures ;  in  the  one  dying ;  restored 


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cont.  v.  Of  Lot  and  Sodom.  89 

in  the  other.  So  Abraham,  while  he  exercises  his  faith,  confirms 
it,  and  rejoices  more  to  foresee  the  true  Isaac  in  that  place  offered 
to  death  for  his  sins,  than  to  see  the  carnal  Isaac  preserved  from 
death  for  the  reward  of  his  faith. 

Whatsoever  is  dearest  to  us  upon  earth  is  our  Isaac ;  happy 
are  we  if  we  can  sacrifice  it  to  God :  those  shall  never  rest  with 
Abraham  that  cannot  sacrifice  with  Abraham. 


OF  LOT  AND  SODOM.— Genesis  xiii,  xix. 

Before  Abraham  and  Lot  grew  rich  they  dwelt  together ;  now 
their  wealth  separates  them:  their  society  was  a  greater  good 
than  their  riches.  Many  a  one  is  a  loser  by  his  wealth:  who 
would  account  those  things  good  which  make  us  worse  ? 

It  had  been  the  duty  of  young  Lot  to  offer  rather  than  to 
choose,  to  yield  rather  than  contend :  who  would  not  here  think 
Abraham  the  nephew  and  Lot  the  uncle  ?  It  is  no  disparagement 
for  greater  persons  to  begin  treaties  of  peace.  Better  doth  it 
beseem  every  son  of  Abraham  to  win  with  love,  than  to  sway  with 
power.  Abraham  yields  over  this  right  of  his  choice ;  Lot  takes 
it.  And  behold,  Lot  is  crossed  in  that  which  he  chose ;  Abraham 
is  blessed  in  that  which  was  left  him.  God  never  suffers  any 
man  to  lose  by  an  humble  remission  of  his  right  in  a  desire  of 
peace. 

Wealth  had  made  Lot  not  only  undutiful,  but  covetous;  he 
sees  the  good  plains  of  Jordan,  the  richness  of  the  soil,  the  com- 
modity of  the  rivers,  the  situation  of  the  cities,  and  now,  not 
once  inquiring  into  the  condition  of  the  inhabitants,  he  is  in  love 
with  Sodom:  outward  appearances  are  deceitful  guides  to  our 
judgment  or  affections :  they  are  worthy  to  be  deceived  that  value 
things  as  they  seem  :  it  is  not  long  after,  that  Lot  pays  dear  for 
his  rashness.  He  fled  for  quietness  with  his  uncle,  and  finds  war 
with  strangers :  now  is  he  carried  prisoner,  with  all  his  substance, 
by  great  enemies ;  Abraham  must  rescue  him  of  whom  he  was 
forsaken.  That  wealth  which  was  the  cause  of  his  former  quar- 
rels is  made  a  prey  to  merciless  heathens :  that  place  which  his 
eye  covetously  chose  betrays  his  life  and  goods. 

How  many  Christians,  while  they  have  looked  at  gain,  have  lost 
themselves  I 

Tet  this  ill  success  hath  neither  driven  out  Lot  nor  amended 
Sodom;  he  still  loves  his  commodity,  and  the  Sodomites  their 


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40  Of  Lot  and  Sodom.  book  ii. 

sins:  wicked  men  grow  worse  with  afflictions,  as  water  grows 
more  cold  after  a  heat ;  and  as  they  leave  not  sinning,  so  God 
leaves  not  plaguing  them,  but  still  follows  them  with  successions 
of  judgments.  In  how  few  years  hath  Sodom  forgot  she  was 
spoiled  and  led  captive !  If  that  wicked  city  had  been  warned  by 
the  sword,  it  had  escaped  the  fire ;  but  now  this  visitation  hath 
not  made  ten  good  men  in  those  five  cities :  how  fit  was  this  heap 
for  the  fire,  which  was  all  chaff!  Only  Lot  vexed  his  righteous 
soul  with  the  sight  of  their  uncleanness ;  he  vexed  his  own  soul, 
for  who  bade  him  stay  there  ?  yet  because  he  was  vexed,  he  is 
delivered.  He  escapeth  their  judgment  from  whose  sihs  he 
escaped.  Though  he  would  be  a  guest  of  Sodom,  yet,  because 
he  would  not  entertain  their  sins,  he  becomes  a  host  to  the  angels : 
even  the  good  angels  are  the  executioners  of  God's  judgment: 
there  cannot  be  a  better  or  more  noble  act  tlian  to  do  justice 
upon  obstinate  malefactors. 

Who  can  be  ashamed  of  that  which  did  not  misbeseem  the  very 
angels  of  God?  Where  should  the  angels  lodge  but  with  Lot? 
The  houses  of  holy  men  are  full  of  these  heavenly  spirits  when 
they  know  not ;  they  pitch  their  tents  in  ours,  and  visit  us,  when 
we  see  not ;  and  when  we  feel  not,  protect  us.  It  is  the  honour 
of  God's  saints  to  be  attended  by  angels.  The  filthy  Sodomites 
now  flock  together,  stirred  up  with  the  fury  of  envy  and  lust,  and 
dare  require  to  do  that  in  troops,  which  to  act  single  had  been 
too  abominable  ;  to  imagine,  unnatural :  continuance  and  society 
in  evil  makes  wicked  men  outrageous  and  impudent:  it  is  not 
enough  for  Lot  to  be  the  witness,  but  he  must  be  the  bawd  also. 
Bring  forth  these  men,  that  we  may  know  them.  Behold  I  even 
the  Sodomites  speak  modestly,  though  their  acts  and  intents  be 
villanous.  What  a  shame  is  it  for  those  which  profess  purity  of 
heart  to  speak  filthily ! 

The  good  man  craves  and  pleads  the  laws  of  hospitality ;  and 
when  he  sees  headstrong  purposes  of  mischief,  chooses  rather  to 
be  an  ill  father  than  an  ill  host :  his  intention  was  good,  but  his 
offer  was  faulty  :  if  through  his  allowance  the  Sodomites  had  de- 
filed his  daughters,  it  had  been  his  sin ;  if  through  violence  they 
had  defiled  his  guests,  it  had  been  only  theirs :  there  can  be  no 
warrant  for  us  to  sin,  lest  others  should  sin :  it  is  for  God  to  pre- 
vent sins  with  judgments,  it  is  not  for  men  to  prevent  a  greater 
sin  with  a  less:  the  best  minds  when  they  are  troubled  yield 
inconsiderate  motions;   as  water  that  is  violently  stirred  sends 


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com.  v.  Of  Lot  and  Sodom.  41 

up  bubbles:  God  meant  better  to  Lot  than  to  suffer  his  weak 
offer  to  be  accepted :  those  who  are  bent  upon  villany  are  more 
exasperated  by  dissuasion ;  as  some  strong  streams,  when  they  are 
resisted  by  floodgates,  swell  over  the  banks. 

Many  a  one  is  hardened  by  the  good  word  of  God ;  and  instead 
of  receiving  the  counsel,  rages  at  the  messenger :  when  men  are 
grown  to  that  pass,  that  they  are  no  whit  better  by  afflictions, 
and  worse  with  admonitions,  God  finds  it  time  to  strike.  Now 
Lot's  guests  began  to  shew  themselves  angels,  and  first  deliver 
Lot  in  Sodom,  then  from  Sodom ;  first  strike  them  with  blind- 
ness whom  they  will  after  consume  with  fire.  How  little  did  the 
Sodomites  think  that  vengeance  was  so  near  them !  While  they 
went  groping  in  the  street  and  cursing  those  whom  they  could 
not  find,  Lot  with  the  angels  is  in  secure  light,  and  sees  them 
miserable,  and  foresees  them  burning.  It  is  the  use  of  God  to 
blind  and  besot  those  whom  he  means  to  destroy :  the  light  which 
they  shall  see  shall  be  fiery,  which  shall  be  the  beginning  of  an 
everlasting  darkness,  and  a  fire  unquenchable. 

Now  they  have  done  sinning,  and  God  begins  to  judge :  wick- 
edness hath  but  a  time,  the  punishment  of  wickedness  is  beyond 
all  time.  The  residue  of  the  night  was  both  short  and  dangerous. 
Yet,  good  Lot,  though  sought  for  by  the  Sodomites,  and  newly 
pulled  into  his  house  by  the  angels,  goes  forth  of  his  house  to 
seek  his  sons-in-law :  no  good  man  would  be  saved  alone ;  faith 
makes  us  charitable  with  neglect  of  all  peril ;  he  warns  them  like 
a  prophet,  and  advises  them  like  a  father,  but  both  in  vain ;  he 
seems  to  them  as  if  he  mocked,  and  they  do  more  than  seem  to 
mock  him  again.  "  Why  should  tomorrow  differ  from  other  days  ? 
Who  ever  saw  it  rain  fire  i  or  whence  should  that  brimstone  come  ? 
Or  if  such  showers  must  fall,  how  shall  nothing  burn  but  this 
valley?"  So  to  carnal  men  preaching  is  foolishness,  devotion  idle- 
ness, the  prophets  madmen,  Paul  a  babbler :  these  mens1  incre- 
dulity is  as  worthy  of  the  fire  as  the  others'  uncleanness.  He  that 
believes  not  is  condemned  already. 

The  messengers  of  God  do  not  only  hasten  Lot,  but  pull  him 
by  a  gracious  violence  out  of  that  impure  city.  They  thirsted  at 
once  after  vengeance  upon  Sodom  and  Lot's  safety  ;  they  knew 
God  could  not  strike  Sodom  till  Lot  were  gone  out,  and  that  Lot 
could  not  be  safe  within  those  walls.  We  are  naturally  in  Sodom  : 
if  God  did  not  hale  us  out  whilst  we  linger,  we  should  be  con- 
demned with  the  world.     If  God  meet  with  a  very  good  field,  he 


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42  Of  Lot  and  Sodom.  book  ii. 

pulls  up  the  weeds  and  lets  the  corn  grow ;  if  indifferent,  he  lets 
the  corn  and  weeds  grow  together ;  if  very  ill,  he  gathers  the 
few  ears  of  corn  and  burns  the  weeds. 

Oh  the  large  bounty  of  God,  which  reaches  not  to  us  only,  but 
to  ours  I  God  saves  Lot  for  Abraham's  sake,  and  Zoar  for  Lot's 
sake ;  if  Sodom  had  not  been  too  wicked,  it  had  escaped :  were 
it  not  for  God's  dear  children  that  are  intermixed  with  the 
world,  it  could  not  stand :  the  wicked  owe  their  lives  unto  those 
few  good  whom  they  hate  and  persecute. 

Now  at  once  the  sun  rises  upon  Zoar,  and  fire  falls  down  upon 
Sodom :  Abraham  stands  upon  the  hill  and  sees  the  cities  burn- 
ing ;  it  is  fair  weather  with  God's  children  when  it  is  foulest  with 
the  wicked.  Those  which  burned  with  the  fire  of  lust  are  now 
consumed  with  the  fire  of  vengeance :  they  sinned  against  nature, 
and  now,  against  the  course  of  nature,  fire  descends  from  heaven 
and  consumes  them. 

Lot  may  not  so  much  as  look  at  the  flame,  whether  for  the 
stay  of  his  passage,  or  the  horror  of  the  sight,  or  trial  of  his  faith, 
or  fear  of  commiseration.  Small  precepts  from  God  are  of  im- 
portance; obedience  is  as  well  tried,  and  disobedience  as  well 
punished,  in  little  as  in  much :  his  wife  doth  but  turn  back  her 
head,  whether  in  curiosity,  or  unbelief,  or  love  and  compassion  of 
the  place,  she  is  turned  into  a  monument  of  disobedience:  what 
doth  it  avail  her  not  to  be  turned  into  ashes  in  Sodom,  when  she 
is  turned  into  a  pillar  of  salt  in  the  plain  I  He  that  saved  a  whole 
city  cannot  save  his  own  wife.  God  cannot  abide  small  sins  in 
those  whom  he  hath  obliged.  If  we  displease  him,  God  can  as 
well  meet  with  us  out  of  Sodom.  Lot,  now  come  into  Zoar,  marvels 
at  the  stay  of  her  whom  he  might  not  before  look  back  to  call ; 
and  soon  after  returning  to  seek  her,  beholds  this  change  with 
wonder  and  grief:  he  finds  salt  instead  of  flesh,  a  pillar  instead 
of  a  wife :  he  finds  Sodom  consumed,  and  her  standing ;  and  is 
more  amazed  with  this,  by  how  much  it  was  both  more  near  him 
and  less  expected. 

When  God  delivers  us  from  destruction,  he  doth  not  secure  us 
from  all  afflictions.  Lot  hath  lost  his  wife,  his  allies,  his  substance, 
and  now  betakes  himself  to  an  uncomfortable  solitariness. 

Tet  though  he  fled  from  company,  he  could  not  fly  from  sin : 
he  who  could  not  be  tainted  with  uncleanness  in  Sodom,  is  over- 
taken with  drunkenness  and  incest  in  a  cave :  rather  than  Satan 
shall  want  baits,  his  own  daughters  will  prove  Sodomites ;  those 


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coxt.  v.  Of  Lot  and  Sodom.  43 

which  should  have  comforted,  betrayed  him  :  how  little  are  some 
hearts  moved  with  judgments!  the  ashes  of  Sodom,  and  the 
pillar  of  salt,  were  not  yet  out  of  their  eye,  when  they  dare  think 
of  lying  with  their  own  father.  They  knew  that  whilst  Lot  was 
sober,  he  could  not  be  unchaste :  drunkenness  is  the  way  of  all 
bestial  affections  and  acts.  Wine  knows  no  difference  either  of 
persons  or  cans.  No  doubt  Lot  was  afterwards  ashamed  of  his 
incestuous  seed,  and  now  wished  he  had  come  alone  out  of  Sodom ; 
yet  even  this  unnatural  bed  was  blessed  with  increase ;  and  one 
of  our  Saviour's  worthy  ancestors  sprung  after  from  this  line. 
God's  election  is  not  tied  to  our  means,  neither  are  blessings  or 
curses  ever  traduced :  the  chaste  bed  of  holy  parents  hath  oft- 
times  bred  a  monstrous  generation;  and  contrarily,  God  hath 
raised  sometimes  a  holy  seed  from  the  drunken  bed  of  incest  or 
fornication.  It  hath  been  seen  that  weighty  ears  of  corn  have 
grown  out  of  the  compass  of  the  tilled  field ;  thus  will  God  mag- 
nify the  freedom  of  his  own  choice,  and  let  us  know  that  we  are 
not  born,  but  made  good. 


BOOK   III. 


TO    THS    RIGHT    HONOURABLE 

THE  LORD  DENNY\ 

BARON   OF  WALTHAM,   MY   SINGULAR  GOOD   PATRON, 
ALL  GRACE  AND   HAPPINESS. 

Right  honourable, — I  know,  and  in  all  humility  confess,  how  weak  my  dis- 
course is,  and  how  unworthy  of  this  dirine  subject  which  I  hare  undertaken ; 
which  if  an  angel  from  heaven  should  say  he  could  sufficiently  comment  upon, 
I  should  distrust  him :  yet  this  let  me  say,  without  any  vain  boasting,  that 
these  thoughts,  such  as  they  are,  through  the  blessing  of  God,  I  have  woven 
out  of  myself;  as  holding  it  after  our  Saviour's  rule,  better  to  give  than  to 
receive.  It  is  easier  to  heap  together  large  volumes  of  others'  labours,  than  to 
work  out  lesser  of  our  own;  and  the  suggestion  of  one  new  thought  is  bettor 
than  many  repeated. 

This  part  (which  together  with  the  author  is  your's)  shall  present  to  your 
lordship  the  busiest  of  all  the  patriarchs,  together  with  his  trials  and  success : 

»  Afterwards  earl  of  Norwich. 


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44  Of  Jacob  and  Esau.  book  hi. 

wherein  you  shall  see  Esau  stripped  by  fraud  of  that  which  he  willingly  sold ; 
Jacob's  hard  adventures  for  the  blessing,  and  no  less  hard  services  for  his 
wives  and  substance,  his  dangerous  encounters  ending  joyfully,  the  rape  of  his 
only  daughter,  seconded  with  the  treacherous  murder  of  his  sons ;  Judah's 
wrong  to  Tamar  repaid  by  his  own  uncleanness ;  Joseph's  sale,  imprisonment, 
honour,  piety ;  the  sin  of  his  brethren  well  bestowed,  well  answered.  I  so 
touch  at  the  uses  of  all  these,  as  one  that  knows  it  is  easy  to  say  more,  and 
impossible  to  say  enough.  God  give  a  blessing  to  my  endeavours,  and  a 
pardon  to  my  weakness,  to  your  lordship  an  increase  of  his  graces,  and  per- 
fection of  all  happiness. 

Your  lordship's  humbly  and  officiously  devoted  in  all  duty, 

JOS.  HALL. 


OF  JACOB  AND  ESAU.— Genesis  xxv-xxvii. 

Of  all  the  patriarchs,  none  make  so  little  noise  in  the  world  as 
Isaac ;  none  lived  either  so  privately  or  so  innocently :  neither 
know  I  whether  he  approved  himself  a  better  son  or  husband. 
For  the  one,  he  gave  himself  over  to  the  knife  of  his  father, 
and  mourned  three  years  for  his  mother ;  for  the  other,  he  sought 
not  to  any  handmaid's  bed,  but  in  a  chaste  forbearance  reserved 
himself  for  twenty  years'  space,  and  prayed:  Rebecca  was  so 
long  barren :  his  prayers  proved  more  effectual  than  his  seed. 
At  last  she  conceived,  as  if  she  had  been  more  than  the  daughter- 
in-law  to  Sarah,  whose  son  was  given  her,  not  out  of  the  power 
of  nature,  but  of  her  husband's  faith. 

God  is  oft  better  to  us  than  we  would  :  Isaac  prays  for  a  son, 
God  gives  him  two  at  once :  now  she  is  no  less  troubled  with  the 
strife  of  the  children  in  her  womb,  than  before  with  the  want  of 
children :  we  know  not  when  we  are  pleased  ;  that  which  we  de- 
sire ofttimes  discontents  us  more  in  the  fruition ;  we  are  ready  to 
complain  both  full  and  fasting.  Before  Rebecca  conceived  she 
was  at  ease :  before  spiritual  regeneration  there  is  all  peace  in 
the  soul ;  no  sooner  is  the  new  man  formed  in  us,  but  the  flesh 
conflicts  with  the  spirit.  There  is  no  grace  where  is  no  unquiet- 
ness :  Esau  alone  would  not  have  striven ;  nature  will  ever  agree 
with  itself.  Never  any  Rebecca  conceived  only  an  Esau,  or  was 
so  happy  as  to  conceive  none  but  a  Jacob :  she  must  be  the  mother 
of  both,  that  she  may  have  both  joy  and  exercise.  This  strife  be- 
gan early;  every  true  Israelite  begins  his  war  with  his  being. 
How  many  actions  which  we  know  not  of  are  not  without  presage 
and  signification ! 


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cont.  i.  Of  Jacob  and  Esau.  45 

These  two  were  the  champions  of  two  nations ;  the  field  was 
their  mother's  womb ;  their  quarrel  precedency  and  superiority. 
Esau  got  the  right  of  nature,  Jacob  of  grace :  yet  that  there 
might  be  some  pretence  of  equality,  lest  Esau  should  outrun  his 
brother  into  the  world,  Jacob  holds  him  fast  by  the  heel :  so  his 
hand  was  born  before  the  other's  foot :  but  because  Esau  is  some 
minutes  the  elder,  that  the  younger  might  have  better  claim  to 
that  which  God  had  promised,  he  buys  that  which  he  could  not 
win :  if  either  by  strife,  or  purchase,  or  suit,  we  can  attain  spi- 
ritual blessings,  we  are  happy :  if  Jacob  had  come  forth  first,  he 
had  not  known  how  much  he  was  bound  to  God  for  the  favour  of 
his  advancement. 

There  was  never  any  meat,  except  the  forbidden  fruit,  so  dear 
bought  as  this  broth  of  Jacob ;  in  both,  the  receiver  and  the  eater 
is  accursed :  every  true  sou  of  Israel  will  be  content  to  purchase 
spiritual  favours  with  earthly;  and  that  man  hath  in  him  too 
much  of  the  blood  of  Esau,  which  will  not  rather  die  than  forego 
his  birthright. 

But  what  hath  careless  Esau  lost,  if  having  sold  his  birthright 
he  may  obtain  the  blessing  ?  Or  what  hath  Jacob  gained,  if  his 
brother's  venison  may  countervail  his  pottage  ?  Yet  thus  hath  old 
Isaac  decreed ;  who  was  now  not  more  blind  in  his  eyes  than  in 
his  affections:  God  had  forewarned  him  that  the  elder  should 
serve  the  younger,  yet  Isaac  goes  about  to  bless  Esau. 

It  was  not  so  hard  for  Abraham  to  reconcile  God's  promise 
and  Isaac's  sacrifice,  as  for  Isaac  to  reconcile  the  superiority  of 
Jacob  with  Esau's  benediction ;  for  God's  hand  was  in  that,  in 
this  none  but  his  own:  the  dearest  of  God's  saints  have  been 
sometimes  transported  with  natural  affections:  ho  saw  himself 
preferred  to  Ishmael,  though  the  elder ;  he  saw  his  father  wil- 
fully forgetting  nature  at  God's  command,  in  binding  him  for 
sacrifice ;  he  saw  Esau  lewdly  matched  with  heathens,  and  yet  he 
will  remember  nothing  but  "  Esau  is  my  firstborn :"  but  how 
gracious  is  God,  that  when  we  would,  will  not  let  us  sin ;  and 
so  orders  our  actions  that  we  do  not  what  we  will,  but  what  we 
ought ! 

That  God,  which  had  ordained  the  lordship  to  the  younger, 
will  also  contrive  for  him  the  blessing :  what  he  will  have  effected 
shall  not  want  means:  the  mother  shall  rather  defeat  the  son 
and  beguile  the  father,  than  the  father  shall  beguile  the  chosen 
son  of  his  blessing.  What  was  Jacob  to  Rebecca  more  than  Esau  ? 


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46  Of  Jacob  and  Esau.  book  hi. 

or  what  mother  doth  not  more  affect  the  elder  1  But  now  God 
inclines  the  love  of  the  mother  to  the  younger  against  the  custom 
of  nature,  because  the  father  loves  the  elder  against  the  promise : 
the  affections  of  the  parents  are  divided  that  the  promise  might 
be  fulfilled ;  Rebecca's  craft  shall  answer  Isaac's  partiality :  Isaac 
would  unjustly  turn  Esau  into  Jacob,  Rebecca  doth  as  cunningly 
turn  Jacob  into  Esau :  her  desire  was  good,  her  means  were  un- 
lawful :  God  doth  ofttimes  effect  his  just  will  by  our  weaknesses ; 
yet  neither  thereby  justifying  our  infirmities,  nor  blemishing  his 
own  actions. 

Here  was  nothing  but  counterfeiting;  a  feigned  person,  a 
feigned  name,  feigned  venison,  a  feigned  answer,  and  yet  behold 
a  true  blessing ;  but  to  the  man,  not  to  the  means :  those  were  so 
unsound,  that  Jacob  himself  doth  more  fear  their  curse  than  hope 
for  their  success.  Isaac  was  now  both  simple  and  old ;  yet  if  he 
had  perceived  the  fraud,  Jacob  had  been  more  sure  of  a  curse 
than  he  could  be  sure  that  he  should  not  be  perceived. 

Those  which  are  plain  hearted  in  themselves  are  the  bitterest 
enemies  to  deceit  in  others ;  Rebecca,  presuming  upon  the  oracle 
of  God  and  her  husband's  simplicity,  dare  be  surety  for  the 
danger,  his  counsellor  for  the  carriage  of  the  business,  his  cook 
for  the  diet,  yea,  dresses  both  the  meat  and  the  man ;  and  now 
puts  words  into  his  mouth,  the  dish  into  his  hand,  the  garments 
upon  his  back,  the  goat's  hair  upon  the  open  parts  of  his  body, 
and  sends  him  in  thus  furnished  for  the  blessing ;  standing,  no 
doubt,  at  the  door,  to  see  how  well  her  lesson  was  learned,  how 
well  her  device  succeeded.  And  if  old  Isaac  should  by  any  of  his 
senses  have  discerned  the  guile,  she  had  soon  stepped  in  and 
undertaken  the  blame,  and  urged  him  with  that  known  will  of 
God  concerning  Jacob's  dominion  and  Esau's  servitude,  which 
either  age  or  affection  had  made  him  forget. 

And  now  she  wishes  she  could  borrow  Esau's  tongue  as  well  as 
his  garments,  that  she  might  securely  deceive  all  the  senses  of 
him  which  had  suffered  himself  to  be  more  dangerously  deceived 
with  his  affection:  but  this  is  past  her  remedy,  her  son  must 
name  himself  Esau  with  the  voice  of  Jacob.  It  is  hard  if  our 
tongue  do  not  bewray  what  we  are  in  spite  of  our  habit  This 
was  enough  to  work  Isaac  to  a  suspicion,  to  an  inquiry,  not  to  an 
incredulity :  he  that  is  good  of  himself  will  hardly  believe  evil 
of  another,  and  will  rather  distrust  his  own  senses  than  the  fidelity 
of  those  he  trusted.    All  the  senses  are  set  to  examine ;  none 


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coxt.  i.  Of  Jacob  and  Esau.  47 

Bticketh  at  the  judgment  but  the  ear ;  to  deceive  that,  Jacob 
must  second  his  dissimulation  with  three  lies  at  one  breath :  lam 
Esau;  as  thou  badest  me;  my  venison:  one  sin  entertained 
fetcheth  in  another ;  and  if  it  be  forced  to  lodge  alone,  either 
departeth  or  dieth :  I  love  Jacob's  blessing,  but  I  hate  his  lie.  I 
would  not  do  that  wilfully,  which  Jacob  did  weakly,  upon  con- 
dition of  a  blessing  :  he  that  pardoned  his  infirmity  would  curse 
my  obstinateness. 

Good  Isaac  sets  his  hands  to  try  whether  his  ears  informed  him 
aright ;  he  feels  the  hands  of  him  whose  voice  he  suspected :  that 
honest  heart  could  not  think  that  the  skin  might  more  easily  be 
counterfeited  than  the  lungs :  a  small  satisfaction  contents  those 
whom  guiltiness  hath  not  made  scrupulous:  Isaac  believes  and 
blesses  the  younger  son  in  the  garments  of  the  elder :  if  our  hea- 
venly Father  smell  upon  our  backs  the  savour  of  our  elder  Bro- 
ther's robes,  we  cannot  depart  from  him  unblessed. 

No  sooner  is  Jacob  gone  away  full  of  the  joy  of  his  blessing, 
than  Esau  comes  in  full  of  the  hope  of  the  blessing :  and  now  he 
cannot  repent  him  to  have  sold  that  in  his  hunger  for  pottage, 
which  in  his  pleasure  he  shall  buy  again  with  venison.  The 
hopes  of  the  wicked  fail  them  when  they  are  at  highest,  whereas 
God's  children  find  those  comforts  in  extremity  which  they  durst 
not  expect. 

Now  he  comes  in  blowing  and  sweating  for  his  reward,  and 
finds  nothing  but  a  repulse:  lewd  men,  when  they  think  they 
have  earned  of  God,  and  come  proudly  to  challenge  favour,  re- 
ceive no  answer  but,  Who  art  thou  ?  Both  the  father  and  the  son 
wonder  at  each  other ;  the  one  with  fear,  the  other  with  grief. 
Isaac  trembled  and  Esau  wept;  the  one  upon  conscience,  the 
other  upon  envy.  Isaac's  heart  now  told  him,  that  he  should  not 
have  purposed  the  blessing  where  he  did,  and  that  it  was  due  to 
him  unto  whom  it  was  given  and  not  purposed ;  hence  he  durst 
not  reverse  that  which  he  had  done  with  God's  will,  besides  his 
own :  for  now  he  saw  that  he  had  done  unwilling  justice :  God 
will  find  both  time  and  means  to  reclaim  his  own,  to  prevent  their 
sins,  to  manifest  and  reform  their  errors.  Who  would  have  looked 
for  tears  from  Esau  ?  or  who  dare  trust  tears,  when  he  sees  them 
fall  from  so  graceless  eyes  ? 

It  was  a  good  word,  Bless  me  also,  my  father :  every  miscreant 
can  wish  himself  well :  no  man  would  be  miserable  if  it  were 
enough  to  desire  happiness :  why  did  he  not  rather  weep  to  his 


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48  Of  Jacob  and  Esau.  book  n. 

brother  for  the  pottage,  thin  to  Isaac  for  a  blessing  ?  If  he  had 
not  then  sold,  he  had  not  needed  now  to  beg :  it  is  just  with  God 
to  deny  us  those  favours  which  we  were  careless  in  keeping,  and 
which  we  undervalued  in  enjoying.  Esau's  tears  find  no  place 
for  Isaac's  repentance;  except  it  were  that  he  hath  done  that 
by  wile  which  he  should  have  done  upon  duty. 

No  motive  can  cause  a  good  heart  to  repent  that  he  hath  done 
well.  How  happy  a  thing  it  is  to  know  the  seasons  of  grace,  and 
not  to  neglect  them !  how  desperate  to  have  known  and  neglected 
them  !  These  tears  were  both  late  and  false ;  the  tears  of  rage, 
of  envy,  of  carnal  desire ;  worldly  sorrow  causeth  death :  yet 
while  Esau  howls  out  thus  for  a  blessing,  I  hear  him  cry  out, 
of  his  father's  store,  Hast  thou  but  one  blessing,  my  father  f  of 
his  brother's  subtlety,  Was  he  not  rightly  called  Jacob  ?  I  do  not 
hear  him  blame  his  own  deserts.  He  did  not  see,  while  his  father 
was  deceived,  and  his  brother  crafty,  that  God  was  just,  and  himself 
uncapable  :  he  knew  Rimself  profane,  and  yet  claims  a  blessing. 

Those  that  care  not  to  please  God,  yet  care  for  the  outward 
favours  of  God,  and  are  ready  to  murmur  if  they  want  them ;  as 
if  God  were  bound  to  them  and  they  free.  And  yet  so  merciful 
is  God,  that  he  hath  second  blessings  for  those  that  love  him  not, 
and  gives  them  all  they  care  for.  That  one  blessing  of  special 
love  is  for  none  but  Israel ;  but  those  of  common  kindness  arc  for 
them  that  can  sell  their  birthright :  this  blessing  was  more  than 
Esau  could  be  worthy  bf ;  yet,  like  a  second  Cain,  he  resolves  to 
kill  his  brother,  because  he  was  more  accepted ;  I  know  not  whe- 
ther he  were  a  worse  son  or  brother ;  he  hopes  for  his  father's 
death,  and  purposes  his  brother's,  and  vows  to  shed  blood  instead 
of  tears.  But  wicked  men  cannot  be  so  ill  as  they  would ;  that 
strong  Wrestler,  against  whom  Jacob  prevailed,  prevailed  with 
Esau,  and  turned  his  wounds  into  kisses.  A  host  of  men  came 
with  Esau,  an  army  of  angels  met  Jacob.  Esau  threatened,  Jacob 
prayed :  his  prayers  and  presents  have  melted  the  heart  of  Esau 
into  love.  And  now,  instead  of  the  grim  and  stern  countenance 
of  an  executioner,  Jacob  sees  the  face  of  Esau  as  the  face  of  God. 
Both  men  and  devils  are  stinted,  the  stoutest  heart  cannot  stand 
out  against  God.  He,  that  can  wrestle  earnestly  with  God,  is 
secure  from  the  harms  of  men.  Those  minds  which  are  exaspe- 
rated with  violence,  and  cannot  be  broken  with  fear,  yet  are 
bowed  with  love :  when  the  ways  of  a  man  please  God,  he  will  make 
his  enemies  at  peace  with  him. 


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™*t-  "•  Of  Jacob  and  Lahan,  49 

OF  JACOB  AND  LABAN.— Genesis  xxix-xxxiii. 
Isaac's  life  was  not  more  retired  and  quiet,  than  Jacob's  was 
busy  and  troublesome.  In  the  one  I  see  the  image  of  contempla- 
tion ;  of  action,  in  the  other.  None  of  the  patriarchs  saw  so 
evil  days  as  he ;  from  whom  justly  hath  the  church  of  God  there- 
fore taken  her  name.  Neither  were  the  faithful  ever  since  called 
Abrahamites,  but  Israelites.  That  no  time  might  be  lost,  he  be- 
gan his  strife  in  the  womb;  after  that,  he  flies  for  his  life  from 
a  cruel  brother  to  a  cruel  uncle.  With  a  staff  goes  he  over  Jordan 
alone,  doubtful  and  comfortless,  not  like  the  son  of  Isaac.  In  the 
way  the  earth  is  his  bed  and  a  stone  his  pillow ;  yet  even  there 
he  sees  a  vision  of  angels :  Jacob's  heart  was  never  so  full  of  joy 
as  when  his  head  lay  hardest.  God  is  most  present  with  us  in 
our  greatest  dejection,  and  loves  to  give  comfort  to  those  that 
are  forsaken  of  their  hopes. 

He  came  far  to  find  out  a  hard  friend ;  and  of  a  nephew  be- 
comes a  servant.  No  doubt  when  Laban  heard  of  his  sister's  son, 
he  looked  for  the  camels  and  attendance  that  came  to  fetch  his 
sister  Rebecca ;  not  thinking  that  Abraham's  servant  could  come 
better  furnished  than  Isaac's  son  :  but  now,  when  he  saw  nothing 
but  a  staff,  he  looks  upon  him,  not  as  an  uncle,  but  a  master ;  and 
while  he  pretends  to  offer  him  a  wife  as  a  reward  of  his  service, 
he  craftily  requires  his  service  as  the  dowry  of  his  wife. 

After  the  service  of  a  hard  apprenticeship  hath  earned  her 
whom  he  loved,  his  wife  is  changed,  and  he  is  in  a  sort  forced 
to  an  unwilling  adultery :  his  mother  had  before,  in  a  cunning 
disguise,  substituted  him  who  was  the  younger  son  for  the  elder, 
and  now,  not  long  after,  his  father-in-law,  by  a  like  fraud,  sub- 
stitutes to  him  the  elder  daughter  for  the  younger :  God  comes 
oftentimes  home  to  us  in  our  own  kind ;  and  even  by  the  sin  of  ^ 
others  pays  us  our  own,  when  we  look  not  for  it.  It  is  doubtful 
whether  it  were  a  greater  cross  to  marry  whom  he  would  not,  or  to 
be  disappointed  of  her  whom  he  desired.  And  now  he  must  begin  a 
new  hope,  where  he  made  account  of  fruition.  To  raise  up  an 
expectation  once  frustrate,  is  more  difficult  than  to  continue  a 
long  hope  drawn  on  with  likelihoods  of  performance ;  yet  thus 
dear  is  Jacob  content  to  pay  for  Rachel,  fourteen  years'  servi- 
tude. Commonly  God's  children  come  not  easily  by  their  plea- 
sures :  what  miseries  will  not  love  digest  and  overcome  ?  and  if 
Jacob  were  willingly  consumed  with  heat  in  the  day,  and  frost 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  B 

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50  Of  Jacob  and  Laban.  book  hi. 

in  the  night,  to  become  the  son-in-law  to  Laban,  what  should  we 
refuse  to  be  the  sons  of  God  ? 

Rachel,  whom  he  loved,  is  barren:  Leah,  who  was  despised, 
is  fruitful:  how  wisely  God  weighs  out  to  us  our  favours  and 
crosses  in  an  equal  balance ;  so  tempering  our  sorrows  that  they 
may  not  oppress,  and  our  joys  that  they  may  not  transport  us ! 
Each  one  hath  some  matter  of  envy  to  others,  and  of  grief  to 
himself.  Leah  envies  Rachel's  beauty  and  love;  Rachel  envies 
Leah's  fruitfulness ;  yet  Leah  would  not  be  barren,  nor  Rachel 
blear-eyed. 

I  see  in  Rachel  the  image  of  her  grandmother  Sarah ;  both 
in  her  beauty  of  person,  in  her  actions,  in  her  success :  she  also 
will  needs  suborn  her  handmaid  to  make  her  a  mother ;  and  at 
last,  beyond  hope,  herself  conceiveth :  it  is  a  weak  greediness 
in  us  to  affect  God's  blessings  by  unlawful  means ;  what  a  proof 
and  praise  had  it  been  of  her  faith,  if  she  had  staid  God's  leisure, 
and  would  rather  have  endured  her  barrenness  than  her  hus- 
band's polygamy !  Now  she  shows  herself  the  daughter  of  La- 
ban;  the  father  for  covetousness,  the  daughters  for  emulation, 
have  drawn  sin  into  Jacob's  bed:  he  offended  in  yielding,  but 
they  more  in  soliciting  him,  and  therefore  the  fact  is  not  imputed 
to  Jacob,  but  to  them.  In  those  sins  which  Satan  draws  us  into, 
the  blame  is  ours ;  in  those  which  we  move  each  other  unto,  the 
most  fault  and  punishment  lies  upon  the  tempter.  None  of  the 
patriarchs  divided  his  seed  into  so  many  wombs  as  Jacob;  none 
was  so  much  crossed  in  his  seed. 

Thus,  rich  in  nothing  but  wives  and  children,  was  he  now  re- 
turning to  his  father's  house,  accounting  his  charge  his  wealth. 
But  God  meant  him  yet  more  good.  Laban  sees  that  both  his 
family  and  his  flocks  were  well  increased  by  Jacob's  service.  Not 
his  love  therefore  but  his  gain  makes  him  loath  to  part.  Even 
Laban's  covetousness  is  made  by  God  the  means  to  enrich  Jacob. 

Behold,  his  strait  master  entreats  him  to  that  recompense 
which  made  his  nephew  mighty  and  himself  envious;  God,  con- 
sidering his  hard  service,  paid  him  wages  out  of  Laban's  folds. 
Those  flocks  and  herds  that  had  but  few  spotted  sheep  and  goats 
until  Jacob's  covenant,  then,  as  if  the  fashion  had  been  altered, 
they  all  ran  into  party  colours;  the  most  and  best,  as  if  they 
had  been  weary  of  their  former  owner,  changed  the  colours  of 
their  young,  that  they  might  change  their  master. 

In  the  very  shapes  and  colours  of  brute  creatures  there  is  a 


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cont.  ii.  Of  Jacob  and  Laban.  51 

divine  hand,  which  disposeth  them  to  his  own  ends.  Small  and 
unlikely  means  shall  prevail  where  Ood  intends  an  effect.  Little 
peeled  sticks  of  hazel  or  poplar  laid  in  the  troughs  shall  enrich 
Jacob  with  an  increase  of  his  spotted  flocks ;  Laban's  sons  might 
haye  tried  the  same  means  and  failed:  God  would  have  Laban 
know  that  he  put  a  difference  betwixt  Jacob  and  him ;  that  as 
for  fourteen  years  he  had  multiplied  Jacob's  charge  of  cattle  to 
Laban,  so  now  for  the  last  six  years  he  would  multiply  Laban's 
flock  to  Jacob :  and  if  Laban  had  the  more,  yet  the  better  were 
Jacob's :  even  in  these  outward  things  God's  children  have  many 
times  sensible  tastes  of  his  favours  above  the  wicked. 

I  know  not  whether  Laban  were  a  worse  uncle  or  father  or 
master :  he  can  like  well  Jacob's  service,  not  his  wealth.  As  the 
wicked  have  no  peace  with  God,  so  the  godly  have  no  peace  with 
men ;  for  if  they  prosper  not,  they  are  despised ;  if  they  prosper, 
they  are  envied. 

This  uncle,  whom  his  service  had  made  his  father,  must  now 
upon  his  wealth  be  fled  from  as  an  enemy,  and  like  an  enemy 
pursues  him :  if  Laban  had  meant  to  have  taken  a  peaceable 
leave,  he  had  never  spent  seven  days'  journey  in  following  his 
innocent  son:  Jacob  knew  his  churlishness,  and  therefore  re- 
solved rather  to  be  unmannerly  than  injured:  well  might  he 
think,  that  he,  whose  oppression  changed  his  wages  so  often  in 
his  stay,  would  also  abridge  his  wages  in  the  parting;  now, 
therefore,  he  wisely  prefers  his  own  estate  to  Laban's  love :  it  is 
not  good  to  regard  too  much  the  unjust  discontentment  of  worldly 
men,  and  to  purchase  unprofitable  favour  with  too  great  loss. 

Behold:  Laban  follows  Jacob  with  one  troop,  Esau  meets 
him  with  another,  both  with  hostile  intentions ;  both  go  on  till 
the  utmost  point  of  their  execution ;  both  are  prevented  ere  the 
execution.  God  makes  fools  of  the  enemies  of  his  church ;  he 
lets  them  proceed,  that  they  may  be  frustrate,  and  when  they 
are  gone  to  the  utmost  reach  of  their  tether,  he  pulls  them  back 
to  their  task  with  shame.  Lo  now,  Laban  leaves  Jacob  with  a 
kiss;  Esau  meets  him  with  a  kiss:  of  the  one  he  hath  an  oath, 
teare  of  the  other,  peace  with  both :  who  shall  need  to  fear  man 
that  is  in  league  with  God  ? 

But  what  a  wonder  is  this !  Jacob  received  not  so  much  hurt 
from  all  his  enemies  as  from  his  best  friend  !  Not  one  of  his 
hairs  perished  by  Laban  or  Esau ;  yet  he  lost  a  joint  by  the 
angel,  and  was  sent  halting  to  his  grave:  he,  that  knows  our 

b  2 


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52  Jacob  and  Laban.  Book  in. 

strength,  yet  will  wrestle  with  us  for  our  exercise,  and  loves  our 
violence  and  importunity. 

O  happy  loss  of  Jacob !  he  lost  a  joint,  and  won  a  blessing :  it 
is  a  favour  to  halt  from  God,  yet  this  favour  is  seconded  with  a 
greater.  He  is  blessed,  because  he  would  rather  halt  than  leave 
ere  he  was  blessed.  If  he  had  left  sooner,  he  had  not  halted, 
but  he  had  not  prospered.  That  man  shall  go  away  sound,  but 
miserable,  that  loves  a  limb  more  than  a  blessing.  Surely  if 
Jacob  had  not  wrestled  with  God,  he  had  been  foiled  with  evils : 
How  many  are  tlie  troubles  of  the  righteous  I 

Not  long  after,  Rachel,  the  comfort  of  his  life,  dieth ;  and 
when,  but  in  her  travail,  and  in  his  travel  to  his  father?  when 
he  had  now  before  digested  in  his  thoughts  the  joy  and  gratula- 
tion  of  his  aged  father,  for  so  welcome  a  burden !  His  children, 
the  staff  of  his  age,  wound  his  soul  to  the  death :  Reuben  proves 
incestuous ;  Judah,  adulterous;  Dinah,  ravished;  Simeon  and  Levi, 
murderous;  Er  and  Onan,  stricken  dead;  Joseph,  lost;  Simeon, 
imprisoned ;  Benjamin,  the  death  of  his  mother,  the  father's 
right  hand,  endangered ;  himself  driven  by  famine  in  his  old  age 
to  die  amongst  the  Egyptians,  a  people  that  held  it  abomination 
to  eat  with  him.  If  that  angel,  with  whom  he  strove,  and  who 
therefore  strove  for  him,  had  not  delivered  his  soul  out  of  all 
adversity,  he  had  been  supplanted  with  evils*  and  had  been  so 
far  from  gaining  the  name  of  Israel,  that  he  had  lost  the  name  of 
Jacob :  now  what  son  of  Israel  can  hope  for  good  days,  when  he 
hears  his  father's  were  so  evil?  It  is  enough  for  us,  if,  when  we 
are  dead,  we  can  rest  with  him  in  the  land  of  promise.  If  the 
Angel  of  the  Covenant  once  bless  us,  no  pain,  no  sorrows,  can 
make  us  miserable. 


OF  DINAH.— Genesis  xxiv. 

I  find  but  one  only  daughter  of  Jacob,  who  must  needs  there- 
fore be  a  great  darling  to  her  father :  and  she  so  miscarries,  that 
she  causes  her  father's  grief  to  be  more  than  his  love.  As  her 
mother  Leah,  so  she  hath  a  fault  in  her  eyes,  which  was  curiosity  : 
she  will  needs  see,  and  be  seen ;  and  while  she  doth  vainly  see, 
she  is  seen  lustfully.  It  is  not  enough  for  us  to  look  to  our  own 
thoughts,  except  we  beware  of  the  provocations  of  others :  if  we 
once  wander  out  of  the  lists  that  God  hath  set  us  in  our  callings, 


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cont.  in.  Of  Dinah.  53 

there  is  nothing  but  danger :  her  virginity  had  been  safe,  if  she 
had  kept  home ;  or  if  Shechem  had  forced  her  in  her  mother's 
tent,  this  loss  of  her  virginity  had  been  without  her  sin ;  now  she 
ib  not  innocent  that  gave  the  occasion. 

Her  eyes  were  guilty  of  the  temptation ;  only  to  see,  is  an  in- 
sufficient warrant  to  draw  us  into  places  of  spiritual  hazard :  if 
Shechem  had  seen  her  busy  at  home,  his  love  had  been  free  from 
outrage ;  now  the  lightness  of  her  presence  gave  encouragement 
to  his  inordinate  desires.  Immodesty  of  behaviour  makes  way 
to  lust,  and  gives  life  unto  wicked  hopes ;  yet  Shechem  bewrays 
a  good  nature  even  in  filthiness;  he  loves  Dinah  after  his  sin, 
and  will  needs  marry  her  whom  he  had  defiled.  Commonly  lust 
ends  in  loathing ;  Amnon  abhors  Tamar  as  much  after  his  act 
as  before  he  loved  her ;  and  beats  her  out  of  doors  whom  he  was 
sick  to  bring  in.  But  Shechem  would  not  let  Dinah  fare  the 
worse  for  his  sin.  And  now  he  goes  about  to  entertain  her  with 
honest  love,  whom  the  rage  of  his  lust  had  dishonestly  abused. 
Her  deflouring  shall  be  no  prejudice  to  her,  since  her  shame  shall 
redound  to  none  but  him,  and  he  will  hide  her  dishonour  with 
the  name  of  a  husband.  What  could  he  now  do,  but  sue  to  his 
father,  to  heir's,  to  herself,  to  her  brethren ;  intreating  that  with 
humble  submission,  which  he  might  have  obtained  by  violence? 
Those  actions  which  are  ill  begun  can  hardly  be  salved  up  with 
late  satisfactions ;  whereas  good  entrances  give  strength  unto  the 
proceedings,  and  success  to  the  end. 

The  young  man's  father  doth  not  only  consent,  but  solicit; 
and  is  ready  to  purchase  a  daughter  either  with  substance  or 
pain :  the  two  old  men  would  have  ended  the  matter  peaceably ; 
but  youth  commonly  undertakes  rashly,  and  performs  with  pas- 
sion. The  sons  of  Jacob  think  of  nothing  but  revenge,  and, 
which  is  worst  of  all,  begin  their  cruelty  with  craft,  and  hide 
their  craft  with  religion :  a  smiling  malice  is  most  deadly ;  and 
hatred  doth  most  rankle  the  heart  when  it  is  kept  in  and  dis- 
sembled. We  cannot  give  our  sister  to  an  tmcircumcised  man : 
here  was  Ood  in  the  mouth  and  Satan  in  the  heart :  the  bloodiest 
of  all  projects  have  ever  wont  to  be  coloured  with  religion ;  be- 
cause the  worse  any  thing  is,  the  better  show  it  desires  to  make  : 
and  contrarily,  the  better  colour  is  put  upon  any  vice,  the  more 
odious  it  is ;  for  as  every  simulation  adds  to  an  evil,  so  the  best 
adds  most  evil.  Themselves  had  taken  the  daughters  and  sisters 
of  uncircumcised  men ;  yea,  Jacob  himself  did  so ;  why  might 


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54  OfDina/i.  book  hi. 

not  an  uncircumcised  roan  obtain  their  sister?  Or  if  there  be  a 
difference  of  giving  and  taking,  it  had  been  well  if  it  had  not 
been  only  pretended.  It  had  been  a  happy  ravishment  of  Dinah 
that  should  have  drawn  a  whole  country  into  the  bosom  of  the 
church ;  but  here  was  a  sacrament  intended,  not  to  the  good  of 
the  soul,  but  to  murder  of  the  body :  it  was  a  hard  task  for 
Hamor  and  Shechem,  not  only  to  put  the  knife  to  their  own 
foreskins,  but  to  persuade  a  multitude  to  so  painful  a  condition. 

The  sons  of  Jacob  dissemble  with  them;  they,  with  the 
people :  Shall  not  their  flocks  and  substance  be  ours  f  Common 
profit  is  pretended,  whereas  only  Shechem's  pleasure  is  meant. 
No  motive  is  so  powerful  to  the  vulgar  sort  as  the  name  of 
commodity :  the  hope  of  this  makes  them  prodigal  of  their  skin 
and  blood ;  not  the  love  to  the  sacrament,  not  the  love  to  She- 
chem :  sinister  respects  draw  more  to  the  profession  of  religion 
than  conscience :  if  it  were  not  for  the  loaves  and  fishes,  the  train 
of  Christ  would  be  less.  But  the  sacraments  of  God  misreceived 
never  prosper  in  the  end.  These  men  are  content  to  smart,  so 
they  may  gain. 

And  now  that  every  man  lies  sore  of  his  own  wound,  Simeon 
and  Levi  rush  in  armed,  and  wound  all  the  males  to  death: 
Cursed  be  their  wrath,  for  it  was  fierce;  and  their  rage,  for  it 
was  cruel.  Indeed,  filthiness  should  not  have  been  wrought 
in  Israel :  yet  murder  should  not  have  been  wrought  by  Israel. 
If  they  had  been  fit  judges,  which  were  but  bloody  executioners, 
how  far  doth  the  punishment  exceed  the  fault  1  To  punish  above 
the  offence  is  no  less  injustice  than  to  offend :  one  offendeth,  and 
all  feel  the  revenge;  yea  all,  though  innocent,  suffer  that  re- 
venge which  he  that  offended  deserved  not.  Shechem  sinneth, 
but  Dinah  tempted  him ;  she,  that  was  so  light  as  to  wander 
abroad  alone  only  to  gaze,  I  fear  was  not  over  difficult  to  yield : 
and  if,  having  wrought  her  shame,  he  had  driven  her  home  with 
disgrace  to  her  father's  tent,  such  tyrannous  lust  had  justly 
called  for  blood ;  but  now  he  craves,  and  offers,  and  would  pay 
dear  for  but  leave  to  give  satisfaction. 

To  execute  rigour  upon  a  submiss  offender  is  more  merciless 
than  just;  or  if  the  punishment  had  been  both  just  and  pro- 
portionable from  another,  yet  from  them  which  had  vowed  peace 
and  affinity  it  was  shamefully  unjust.  To  disappoint  the  trust  of 
another,  and  to  neglect  our  own  promise  and  fidelity  for  private 
purposes,  adds  faithlessness  unto  our  cruelty.     That  they  were 


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co.vt.  iv.  OfJudah  and  Tamar.  55 

impotent,  it  was  through  their  circumcision:  what  impiety  was 
this ;  instead  of  honouring  an  holy  sign,  to  take  an  advantage 
by  it! 

What  shrieking  was  there  now  in  the  streets  of  the  city  of  the 
Hiyites !  And  how  did  the  beguiled  Shechemites,  when  they  saw 
the  swords  of  the  two  brethren,  die,  cursing  that  sacrament  in 
their  hearts  which  had  betrayed  them !   Even  their  curses  were 
the  sins  of  Simeon  and  Levi ;  whose  fact,  though  it  were  abhorred 
by  their  father,  yet  it  was  seconded  by  their  brethren.     Their 
spoil  makes  good  the  others'  slaughter.    Who  would  have  looked 
to  have  found  this  outrage  in  the  family  of  Jacob  ?   How  did  that 
good  patriarch,  when  he  saw  Dinah  come  home  blubbered  and 
wringing  her  hands,  Simeon  and  Levi  sprinkled  with  blood,  wish 
that  Leah  had  been  barren  as  long  as  Rachel!  Good  parents 
hare  grief  enough  (though  they  sustain  no  blame)  for  their  chil- 
dren's sins.    What  great  evils  arise  from  small  beginnings !   The 
idle  curiosity  of  Dinah  hath  bred  all  this  mischief;  ravishment 
follows  upon  her  wandering ;  upon  her  ravishment,  murder ;  upon 
the  murder,  spoil :  it  is  holy  and  safe  to  be  jealous  of  the  first 
occasions  of  evil,  either  done  or  suffered. 


OF  JUDAH  AND  TAMA R.- Genesis  xxxviii. 

I  find  not  many  of  Jacob's  sons  more  faulty  than  Judah ;  who 
yet  is  singled  out  from  all  the  rest  to  be  the  royal  progenitor  of 
Christ,  and  to  be  honoured  with  the  dignity  of  the  birthright, 
that  God's  election  might  not  be  of  merit,  but  of  grace ;  else, 
howsoever  he  might  have  sped  alone,  Tamar  had  never  been  joined 
with  him  in  this  line.  Even  Judah  marries  a  Canaanite ;  it  is  no 
marvel  though  his  seed  prosper  not :  and  yet,  that  good  children 
may  not  be  too  much  discouraged  with  their  unlawful  propaga- 
tion, the  fathers  of  the  promised  seed  are  raised  from  an  in- 
cestuous bed. 

Judah  was  very  young,  scarce  from  under  the  rod  of  his  father, 
yet  he  takes  no  other  counsel  for  his  marriage  but  from  his  own 
eyes,  which  were  like  his  sister  Dinah's,  roving  and  wanton. 
What  better  issue  could  be  expected  from  such  beginnings  ?  Those 
proud  Jews,  that  glory  so  much  of  their  pedigree  and  name  from 
this  patriarch,  may  now  choose  whether  thoy  will  have  their 
mother  a  Canaanite  or  an  harlot. 


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56  OfJudah  and  Tamar.  book  hi. 

Even  in  these  things  ofttimes  the  birth  follows  the  belly.  His 
eldest  son  Er  is  too  wicked  to  live ;  God  strikes  him  dead  ere  he 
can  leave  any  issue,  not  abiding  any  scions  to  grow  out  of  so  bad 
a  stock :  notorious  sinners  God  reserves  to  his  own  vengeance. 
He  doth  not  inflict  sensible  judgments  upon  all  his  enemies,  lest 
the  wicked  should  think  there  were  no  punishment  abiding  for 
them  elsewhere :  he  doth  inflict  such  judgments  upon  some,  lest 
he  should  seem  careless  of  evil.  It  were  as  easy  for  him  to  strike 
all  dead  as  one ;  but  he  had  rather  all  should  be  warned  by  one, 
and  would  have  his  enemies  find  him  merciful,  as  well  as  his 
children  just. 

His  brother  Onan  sees  the  judgment,  and  yet  follows  his  sins. 
Every  little  thing  discourages  us  from  good;  nothing  can  alter 
the  heart  that  is  set  upon  evil.  Er  was  not  worthy  of  any  love ; 
but  though  he  were  a  miscreant,  yet  he  was  a  brother.  Seed 
should  have  been  raised  to  him ;  Onan  justly  loses  his  life  with 
his  seed,  which  he  would  rather  spill  than  lend  to  a  wicked 
brother.  Some  duties  we  owe  to  humanity,  more  to  nearness  of 
blood.  Ill  deservings  of  others  can  be  no  excuse  for  our  injustice, 
for  our  uncharitableness.  That  which  Tamar  required,  Moses 
afterward,  as  from  God,  commanded ;  the  succession  of  brothers 
into  the  barren  bed :  some  laws  God  spake  to  his  church,  long 
ere  he  wrote  them :  while  the  author  is  certainly  known,  the 
voice  and  the  finger  of  God  are  worthy  of  equal  respect. 

Judah  hath  lost  two  sons,  and  now  doth  but  promise  the  third, 
whom  he  sins  in  not  giving.  It  is  the  weakness  of  nature,  rather 
to  hazard  a  sin  than  a  danger ;  and  to  neglect  our  own  duty  for 
wrongful  suspicion  of  others:  though  he  had  lost  his  son  in 
giving  him,  yet  he  should  have  given  him :  a  faithful  man's  pro- 
mise is  his  debt,  which  no  fear  of  damage  can  dispense  with. 

But  whereupon  was  this  slackness?  Judah  feared  that  some 
unhappiness  in  the  bed  of  Tamar  was  the  cause  of  his  son's  mis- 
carriage, whereas  it  was  their  fault  that  Tamar  was  both  a  widow 
and  childless.  Those  that  are  but  the  patients  of  evil  are  many 
times  burthened  with  suspicions;  and  therefore  are  ill  thought 
of  because  they  fare  ill :  afflictions  would  not  be  so  heavy,  if  they 
did  not  lay  us  open  unto  uncharitable  conceits. 

What  difference  God  puts  betwixt  sins  of  wilfulness  and  in- 
firmity !  The  son's  pollution  ib  punished  with  present  death ;  the 
father's  incest  is  pardoned,  and  in  a  sort  prospereth. 

Now  Tamar  seeks  by  subtlety  that  which  she  could  not  have 


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cont.  iv.  Of  Judah  and  Tamar.  57 

by  award  of  justice :  the  neglect  of  due  retributions  drives  men 
to  indirect  courses ;  neither  know  I  whether  they  sin  more  in 
righting  themselves  wrongfully,  or  the  other  in  not  righting 
them.  She  therefore  takes  upon  her  the  habit  of  an  harlot  that 
she  might  perform  the  act:  if  she  had  not  wished  to  seem  an 
whore,  she  had  not  worn  that  attire,  nor  chosen  that  place.  Im- 
modesty of  outward  fashion  or  gesture  bewrays  evil  desires ;  the 
heart  that  means  well  will  never  wish  to  seem  ill ;  for  commonly 
we  affect  to  show  better  than  we  are.  Many  harlots  will  put  on 
the  semblances  of  chastity,  of  modesty ;  never  the  contrary.  It  is 
no  trusting  those  which  do  not  wish  to  appear  good.  Judah 
esteems  her  by  her  habit :  and  now  the  sight  of  an  harlot  hath 
stirred  up  in  him  a  thought  of  lust;  Satan  finds  well  that  a  fit 
object  is  half  a  victory. 

Who  would  not  be  ashamed  to  see  a  son  of  Jacob  thus  trans- 
ported with  filthy  affections !  At  the  first  sight  he  is  inflamed ; 
neither  yet  did  he  see  the  face  of  her  whom  he  lusted  after :  it 
was  enough  motive  to  him  that  she  was  a  woman ;  neither  could 
the  presence  of  his  neighbour  the  Adullamite  compose  those 
wicked  thoughts,  or  hinder  bis  unchaste  acts. 

That  sin  must  needs  be  impudent  which  can  abide  a  witness ; 
yea,  so  hath  his  lust  besotted  him,  that  he  cannot  discern  the 
voice  of  Tamar,  that  he  cannot  foresee  the  danger  of  his  shame 
in  parting  with  such  pledges.  There  is  no  passion  which  doth 
not  for  the  time  bereave  a  man  of  himself. 

Tamar  had  learned  not  to  trust  him  without  a  pawn :  he  had 
promised  his  son  to  her  as  a  daughter,  and  failed ;  now  he  pro- 
mised a  kid  to  her  as  an  harlot,  and  performeth  it :  whether  his 
pledge  constrained  him,  or  the  power  of  his  word,  I  inquire  not : 
many  are  faithful  in  all  things,  save  those  which  are  the  greatest 
and  dearest :  if  his  credit  had  been  as  much  endangered  in  the 
former  promise,  he  had  kept  it.  Now  hath  Tamar  requited  him. 
She  expected  long  the  enjoying  of  his  promised  son,  and  he  per- 
formed not :  but  here  he  performs  the  promise  of  the  kid,  and 
she  stays  not  to  expect  it.  Judah  is  sorry  that  he  cannot  pay 
the  hire  of  his  lust,  and  now  feareth  lest  he  shall  be  beaten  with 
his  own  staff;  lest  his  signet  shall  be  used  to  confirm  and  seal  his 
reproach;  resolving  not  to  know  them,  and  wishing  they  were 
unknown  of  others.  Shame  is  the  easiest  wages  of  sin,  and  the 
surest,  which  ever  begins  first  in  ourselves.  Nature  is  not  more 
forward  to  commit  sin  than  willing  to  hide  it. 


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58  Of  Judah  and  Tamar.  book  hi. 

I  hear  as  yet  of  no  remorse  in  Judah,  but  fear  of  shame. 
Three  months  hath  his  sin  slept,  and  now,  when  he  is  securest, 
it  awakes  and  baits  him.  News  is  brought  him  that  Tamar  be- 
gins to  swell  with  her  conception ;  and  now  he  swells  with  rage, 
and  calls  her  forth  to  the  flame  like  a  rigorous  judge,  without  so 
much  as  staying  for  the  time  of  her  deliverance,  that  his  cruelty 
in  this  justice  should  be  no  less  ill  than  the  unjustice  of  occasion- 
ing it.  If  Judah  had  not  forgotten  his  sin,  his  pity  had  been 
more  than  his  hatred  to  this  of  his  daughter's.  How  easy  is  it 
to  detest  those  sins  in  others  which  we  flatter  in  ourselves! 
Tamar  doth  not  deny  the  sin  nor  refuse  punishment,  but  calls 
for  that  partner  in  her  punishment  which  was  her  partner  in  the 
sin :  the  staff,  the  signet,  the  handkerchief,  accuse  and  convince 
Judah ;  and  now  he  blushes  at  his  own  sentence,  much  more  at 
his  act,  and  cries  out.  She  is  more  righteous  than  II  God  will 
find  a  time  to  bring  his  children  upon  their  knees,  and  to  wring 
from  them  penitent  confessions;  and  rather  than  he  will  not 
have  them  soundly  ashamed,  he  will  make  them  the  trumpets  of 
their  own  reproach. 

Yet  doth  he  not  offer  himself  to  the  flame  with  her,  but  rather 
excuses  her  by  himself.  This  relenting  in  his  own  case  shamed 
his  former  zeal :  even  in  the  best  men  nature  is  partial  to  itself : 
it  is  good  so  to  sentence  others'  frailties,  that  yet  we  remember 
our  own ;  whether  those  that  have  been  or  may  be :  with  what 
shame,  yea,  with  what  horror,  must  Judah  needs  look  upon  the 
great  belly  of  Tamar ;  and  on  her  two  sons,  the  monuments  of 
his  filthiness  1  How  must  it  needs  wound  his  soul,  to  hear  them 
call  him  both  father  and  grandfather;  to  call  her  mother  and 
sister  1  If  this  had  not  cost  him  many  a  sigh,  he  had  no  more 
escaped  his  father's  curse  than  Reuben  did :  1  see  the  difference 
not  of  sins,  but  of  men :  remission  goes  not  by  the  measure  of 
the  sin,  but  the  quality  of  the  sinner ;  yea,  rather  the  mercy  of 
the  Forgiver :  Blessed  is  the  man  (not  that  sins  not,  but)  to  whom 
the  Lord  imputes  not  his  sin. 


OF  JOSEPH.— Genesis  xxxvii,  xxxix-xlv. 
I  marvel  not  that  Joseph  had  the  double  portion  of  Jacob's 
land,  who  had  more  than  two  parts  of  his  sorrows :  none  of  his 
sons  did  so  truly  inherit  his  afflictions ;  none  of  them  was  either 
so  miserable  or  so  great :  suffering  is  the  way  to  glory. 


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cont.  v.  Of  Joseph.  59 

I  see  in  him  not  a  clearer  type  of  Christ  than  of  every  Christian ; 
because  we  are  dear  to  our  Father,  and  complain  of  sins,  therefore 
are  we  hated  of  our  carnal  brethren :  if  Joseph  had  not  meddled 
with  his  brothers1  faults,  yet  he  had  been  envied  for  his  father's 
affection;  but  now  malice  is  met  with  envy:  there  is  nothing 
more  thankless  or  dangerous  than  to  stand  in  the  way  of  a  reso- 
lute sinner.  That  which  doth  correct  and  oblige  the  penitent 
makes  the  wilful  mind  furious  and  revengeful 

All  the  spite  of  his  brethren  cannot  make  Joseph  cast  off  the 
livery  of  his  father's  love :  what  need  we  care  for  the  censures  of 
men,  if  our  hearts  can  tell  us  that  we  are  in  favour  with  God  ? 

But  what  meant  young  Joseph,  to  add  unto  his  own  envy  by 
reporting  his  dreams  ?  The  concealment  of  our  hopes  or  abilities 
hath  not  more  modesty  than  safety :  he  that  was  envied  for  his 
dearness,  and  hated  for  bis  intelligence,  was  both  envied  and  hated 
for  his  dreams.  Surely  God  meant  to  make  the  relation  of  these 
dreams  a  means  to  effect  that  which  the  dreams  imported.  We 
men  work  by  likely  means ;  God,  by  contraries.  The  main  quarrel 
was,  Behold,  this  dreamer  cometh.  Had  it  not  been  for  his 
dreams,  he  had  not  been  sold;  if  he  had  not  been  sold,  he  had 
not  been  exalted.  So  Joseph's  state  had  not  deserved  envy,  if  his 
dreams  had  not  caused  him  to  be  envied. 

Full  little  did  Joseph  think,  when  he  went  to  seek  his  brethren, 
that  this  was  the  last  time  he  should  see  his  father's  house :  full 
little  did  his  brethren  think,  when  they  sold  him  naked  to  the 
Ishmaelites,  to  have  once  seen  him  in  the  throne  of  Egypt. 
God's  decree  runs  on ;  and  while  we  either  think  not  of  it,  or 
oppose  it,  is  performed. 

In  an  honest  and  obedient  simplicity,  Joseph  comes  to  inquire 
of  his  brethren's  health,  and  now  may  not  return  to  carry  news 
of  his  own  misery :  while  he  thinks  of  their  welfare,  they  are 
plotting  his  destruction ;  Come,  let  us  slay  him.  Who  would  have 
expected  this  cruelty  in  them  which  should  be  the  fathers  of 
God's  church  ?  It  was  thought  a  favour  that  Reuben's  entreaty 
obtained  for  him,  that  he  might  be  cast  into  the  pit  alive,  to  die 
there.  He  looked  for  brethren ;  and  behold,  murderers ;  every 
man's  tongue,  every  man's  fist,  was  bent  against  him :  each  one 
strives  who  shall  lay  the  first  hand  upon  that  changeable  coat, 
which  was  dyed  with  their  father's  love  and  their  envy ;  and  now 
they  have  stripped  him  naked,  and  haling  him  by  both  arms, 


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60  Of  Joseph.  book  in. 

as  it  were,  cast  him  alive  into  his  grave.  So,  in  pretence  of  for- 
bearance, they  resolve  to  torment  him  with  a  lingering  death: 
the  savagest  robbers  could  not  have  been  more  merciless;  for 
now  besides,  what  in  them  lies,  they  kill  their  father  in  their 
brother.  Nature,  if  it  once  degenerate,  grows  more  monstrous 
and  extreme  than  a  disposition  born  to  cruelty. 

All  this  while  Joseph  wanted  neither  words  nor  tears ;  but, 
like  a  passionate  suppliant,  bowing  his  bare  knees  to  them  whom 
he  dreamed  should  bow  to  Him,  entreats  and  persuades,  by  the 
dear  name  of  their  brotherhood,  by  their  profession  of  one  com- 
mon God,  for  their  father's  sake,  for  their  own  souls'  sake,  not  to 
sin  against  his  blood.  But  envy  hath  shut  out  mercy,  and  makes 
them  not  only  forget  themselves  to  be  brethren,  but  men.  What 
stranger  can  think  of  poor  innocent  Joseph,  crying  naked  in  that 
desolate  and  dry  pit,  (only  saving  that  he  moistened  it  with  tears,) 
and  not  be  moved  ?  .  Yet  his  hardhearted  brethren  sit  them 
down  carelessly,  with  the  noise  of  his  lamentation  in  their  ears, 
to  eat  bread ;  not  once  thinking,  by  their  own  hunger,  what  it 
was  for  Joseph  to  be  affamished  to  death. 

Whatsoever  they  thought,  God  never  meant  that  Joseph  should 
perish  in  that  pit ;  and  therefore  he  sends  very  Ishmaelites  to 
ransom  him  from  his  brethren :  the  seed  of  him  that  persecuted 
his  brother  Isaac  shall  now  redeem  Joseph  from  his  brethren's 
persecution. 

When  they  came  to  fetch  him  out  of  the  pit,  he  now  hoped 
for  a  speedy  despatch ;  that  since  they  seemed  not  to  have  so 
much  mercy  as  to  prolong  his  life,  they  would  not  continue  so 
much  cruelty  as  to  prolong  his  death.  And  now,  when  he  hath 
comforted  himself  with  hope  of  the  favour  of  dying,  behold,  death 
exchanged  for  bondage :  how  much  is  servitude,  to  an  ingenuous 
nature,  worse  than  death  I  for  this  is  common  to  all ;  that,  to 
none  but  the  miserable.  Judah  meant  this  well,  but  God  better : 
Reuben  saved  him  from  the  sword,  Judah  from  affamishing.  God 
will  ever  raise  up  some  secret  favourers  to  his  own  amongst  those 
that  are  most  malicious. 

How  well  was  this  favour  bestowed !  If  Joseph  had  died  for 
hunger  in  the  pit,  both  Jacob  and  Judah  and  all  his  brethren  had 
died  for  hunger  in  Canaan.  Little  did  the  Ishmaelitish  merchants 
know  what  a  treasure  they  had  bought,  carried,  and  sold ;  more 
precious  than  all  their  balms  and  myrrhs.     Little  did  they  think 


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cont.  v.  Of  Joseph.  6 1 

that  they  had  in  their  hands  the  lord  of  Egypt,  the  jewel  of  the 
world.  Why  should  we  contemn  any  man's  meanness,  when  we 
know  not  his  destiny  ? 

One  sin  is  commonly  used  for  the  veil  of  another :  Joseph's 
coat  is  sent  home  dipped  in  blood,  that,  while  they  should  hide 
their  own  cruelty,  they  might  afflict  their  father,  no  less  than 
their  brother.  They  have  devised  this  real  lie  to  punish  their 
old  father,  for  his  love,  with  so  grievous  a  monument  of  his 
sorrow. 

He  that  is  mourned  for  in  Canaan  as  dead  prospers  in  Egypt 
under  Potiphar,  and  of  a  slave  is  made  ruler.  Thus  God  meant 
to  prepare  him  for  a  greater  charge ;  he  must  first  rule  Potiphar's 
house,  then  Pharaoh's  kingdom :  his  own  service  is  his  least  good, 
for  his  very  presence  procures  a  common  blessing :  a  whole  family 
shall  fare  the  better  for  one  Joseph. 

Virtue  is  not  looked  upon  alike  with  all  eyes :  his  fellows  praise 
him,  his  master  trusts  him,  his  mistress  affects  him  too  much.  All 
the  spite  of  his  brethren  was  not  so  great  a  cross  to  him  as  the 
inordinate  affection  of  his  mistress.  Temptations  on  the  right 
hand  are  now  more  perilous  and  hard  to  resist,  by  bow  much 
they  are  more  plausible  and  glorious ;  but  the  heart  that  is  bent 
upon  God  knows  how  to  walk  steadily  and  indifferently  betwixt 
the  pleasures  of  sin  and  fears  of  evil.  He  saw  this  pleasure  would 
advance  him :  he  knew  what  it  was  to  be  a  minion  of  one  of  the 
greatest  ladies  in  Egypt,  yet  resolves  to  contemn  it :  a  good 
heart  will  rather  lie  in  the  dust  than  rise  by  wickedness.  How 
shall  I  do  this  and  sin  against  God  f 

He  knew  that  all  the  honours  of  Egypt  could  not  buy  off  the 
guilt  of  one  sin,  and  therefore  abhors  not  only  her  bed,  but  her 
company :  he  that  will  be  safe  from  the  acts  of  evil  must  wisely 
avoid  the  occasions.  As  sin  ends  ever  in  shame,  when  it  is  com- 
mitted, so  it  makes  us  past  shame  that  we  may  commit  it :  the 
impudent  strumpet  dare  not  only  solicit,  but  importune,  and  in  a 
sort  force  the  modesty  of  her  good  servant ;  she  lays  bold  on  his 
garment ;  her  hand  seconds  her  tongue. 

Good  Joseph  found  it  now  time  to  flee,  when  such  an  enemy 
pursued  him :  how  much  had  he  rather  leave  his  cloak  than  his 
virtue !  and  to  suffer  his  mistress  to  spoil  him  of  his  livery,  rather 
than  he  should  blemish  her  honour,  or  his  master's  in  her,  or  God 
in  either  of  them ! 

This  second  time  is  Joseph  stripped  of  his  garment ;   before 


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62  Of  Joseph.  book  in. 

in  the  violence  of  envy,  now  of  lust ;  before  of  necessity,  now  of 
choice ;  before,  to  deceive  his  father,  now  his  master :  for  behold, 
the  pledge  of  his  fidelity,  which  he  left  in  those  wicked  hands,  is 
made  an  evidence  against  him  of  that  which  he  refused  to  do ; 
therefore  did  he  leave  his  cloak  because  he  would  not  do  that  of 
which  he  is  accused  and  condemned  because  he  left  it.  What  safety 
is  there  against  great  adversaries,  when  even  arguments  of  inno- 
cence are  used  to  convince  of  evil  ?  Lust  yielded  unto  is  a  pleasant 
madness,  but  is  a  desperate  madness  when  it  is  opposed :  no  hatred 
burns  so  furiously  as  that  which  arises  from  the  quenched  coals 
of  love. 

Malice  is  witty  to  devise  accusations  of  others  out  of  their 
virtue  and  our  own  guiltiness.  Joseph  either  pleads  not,  or  is  not 
heard.  Doubtless  he  denied  the  fact,  but  he  dare  not  accuse  the 
offender :  there  is  not  only  the  praise  of  patience,  but  ofttimes  of 
wisdom,  even  in  unjust  sufferings :  he  knew  that  God  would  find 
a  time  to  dear  his  innocence,  and  to  regard  his  chaste  faithful- 


No  prison  would  serve  him  but  Pharaoh's.  Joseph  had  lien 
obscure  and  not  been  known  to  Pharaoh,  if  he  had  not  been  cast 
into  Pharaoh's  dungeon:  the  afflictions  of  God's  children  turn 
ever  to  their  advantage.  No  sooner  is  Joseph  a  prisoner  than 
a  guardian  of  the  prisoners.  Trust  and  honour  accompany  him 
wheresoever  he  is.  In  his  father's  house,  in  Potiphar's,  in  the 
gaol,  in  the  court ;  still  he  hath  both  favour  and  rule. 

So  long  as  God  is  with  him,  he  cannot  but  shine  in  spite  of 
men  :  the  walls  of  that  dungeon  cannot  hide  his  virtues ;  the 
iron  cannot  hold  them.  Pharaoh's  officers  are  sent  to  witness  his 
graces,  which  he  may  not  come  forth  to  show ;  the  cupbearer  ad- 
mires him  in  the  gaol,  but  forgets  him  in  the  court.  How  easily 
doth  our  own  prosperity  make  us  either  forget  the  deservings  or 
miseries  of  others ! 

But  as  God  cannot  neglect  his  own,  so  least  of  all  in  their 
sorrows.  After  two  years  more  of  Joseph's  patience,  that  God, 
which  caused  him  to  be  lifted  out  of  the  former  pit  to  be  sold, 
now  calls  him  out  of  the  dungeon  to  honour.  He  now  puts  a 
dream  into  the  head  of  Pharaoh :  be  puts  the  remembrance  of 
Joseph's  skill  into  the  head  of  the  cupbearer ;  who,  to  pleasure 
Pharaoh,  not  to  requite  Joseph,  commends  the  prisoner,  for  an 
interpreter :  he  puts  an  interpretation  in  the  mouth  of  Joseph : 
he  puts  this  choice  into  the  heart  of  Pharaoh,  of  a  miserable 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  v.  Of  Joseph.  68 

prisoner,  to  make  him  the  ruler  of  Egypt.  Behold,  one  hoar 
hath  changed  his  fetters  into  a  chain  of  gold,  his  rags  into  fine 
linen,  his  stocks  into  a  chariot,  his  gaol  into  a  palace,  Potiphar's 
captive  into  his  master's  lord,  the  noise  of  his  chains  into  Abrech*. 
He  whose  chastity  refused  the  wanton  allurements  of  the  wife  of 
Potiphar  hath  now  given  him  to  his  wife  the  daughter  of 
Potipherah.  Humility  goes  before  honour;  serving  and  suffering 
are  the  best  tutors  to  government.  How  well  are  God's  children 
paid  for  their  patience!  How  happy  are  the  issues  of  the 
faithful !  Never  any  man  repented  him  of  the  advancement  of  a 
good  man. 

Pharaoh  had  not  more  preferred  Joseph  than  Joseph  hail  en- 
riched Pharaoh;  if  Joseph  had  not  ruled,  Egypt  and  all  the 
bordering  nations  bad  perished.  The  providence  of  so  faithful 
an  officer  hath  both  given  the  Egyptians  their  lives,  and  the 
money,  cattle,  lands,  bodies  of  the  Egyptians  to  Pharaoh.  Both 
have  reason  to  be  well  pleased.  The  subjects  owe  to  him  their 
lives ;  the  king,  his  subjects  and  his  dominions :  the  bounty  of 
God  made  Joseph  able  to  give  more  than  he  received. 

It  is  like  the  seven  years  of  plenty  were  not  confined  to  Egypt ; 
other  countries  adjoining  were  no  less  fruitful ;  yet  in  the  seven 
years  of  famine  Egypt  had  corn  when  they  wanted.  See  the 
difference  between  a  wise  prudent  frugality,  and  a  vain  igno- 
rant expense  of  the  benefits  of  God :  the  sparing  hand  is  both 
full  and  beneficial;  whereas  the  lavish  is  not  only  empty,  but 
injurious. 

Good  Jacob  is  pinched  with  the  common  famine.  No  piety 
can  exempt  us  from  the  evils  of  neighbourhood.  No  man  can 
tell  by  outward  events  which  is  the  patriarch  and  which  the 
Canaanite.  Neither  doth  his  profession  lead  him  to  the  hope  of 
a  miraculous  preservation.  It  is  a  vain  tempting  of  God  to  cast 
ourselves  upon  an  immediate  provision  with  neglect  of  common 
means.  His  ten  sons  must  now  leave  their  flocks,  and  go  down 
into  Egypt,  to  be  their  father's  purveyors. 

And  now  they  go  to  buy  of  him  whom  they  had  sold,  and 
bow  their  knees  to  him  for  his  relief  which  had  bowed  to  them 
before  for  his  own  life.  His  age,  his  habit,  the  place,  the  lan- 
guage, kept  Joseph  from  their  knowledge;  neither  had  they 
called  off  their  minds  from  their  folds,  to  inquire  of  matters  of 

[*  pag,  in  our  version,  "  Bow  the  knee,"  Gen.  xli.  43.] 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


64  Of  Joseph.  book  hi. 

foreign  state,  or  to  hear  that  an  Hebrew  was  advanced  to  the 
highest  honour  of  Egypt.  But  he  cannot  but  know  them  whom 
be  left  at  their  full  growth,  whose  tongue,  and  habit,  and  number 
were  all  one ;  whose  faces  had  left  so  deep  an  impression  in  his 
mind  at  their  unkind  parting  :  it  is  wisdom  sometimes  to  conceal 
our  knowledge,  that  we  may  not  prejudice  truth. 

He  that  was  hated  of  his  brethren  for  being  his  father's  spy 
now  accuses  his  brethren  for  common  spies  of  the  weakness  of 
Egypt ;  he  could  not  without  their  suspicion  have  come  to  a  per- 
fect intelligence  of  his  father's  estate  and  theirs,  if  he  had  not 
objected  to  them  that  which  was  not.  We  are  notb  always  bound 
to  go  the  nearest  way  to  truth.  It  is  more  safe  in  cases  of  inqui- 
sition to  fetch  far  about :  that  he  might  seem  enough  an  Egyptian, 
he  swears  heathenishly :  how  little  could  they  suspect  this  oath 
could  proceed  from  the  son  of  him  which  swore  by  the  fear  of  his 
father  Isaac !  how  oft  have  sinister  respects  drawn  weak  good- 
ness to  disguise  itself  even  with  sins ! 

It  was  no  small  joy  to  Joseph  to  see  this  late  accomplishment 
of  his  ancient  dream  ;  to  see  the  suppliants  (I  know  not  whether 
more  brethren  or  enemies)  grovelling  before  him  in  an  unknown 
submission :  and  now  it  doth  him  good  to  seem  merciless  to  them 
whom  he  had  found  wilfully  cruel ;  to  hide  his  love  from  them 
which  had  showed  their  hate  to  him ;  and  to  think  how  much  he 
favoured  them,  and  how  little  they  knew  it:  and,  as  sporting 
himself  in  their  seeming  misery,  he  pleasantly  imitates  all  those 
actions  reciprocally  unto  them,  which  they  in  despite  and  earnest 
had  done  formerly  to  him ;  he  speaks  roughly,  rejects  their  per- 
suasions, puts  them  in  hold,  and  one  of  them  in  bonds.  The  mind 
must  not  always  be  judged  by  the  outward  face  of  the  actions. 
God's  countenance  is  ofttimes  as  severe,  and  his  hand  as  heavy, 
to  them  whom  he  best  loveth.  Many  a  one,  under  the  habit  of 
an  Egyptian,  hath  the  heart  of  an  Israelite.  No  song  could  be 
so  delightful  to  him,  as  to  hear  them,  in  a  late  remorse,  condemn 
themselves  before  him  of  their  old  cruelty  towards  him,  who  was 
now  their  unknown  witness  and  judge. 

Nothing  doth  so  powerfully  call  home  the  conscience  as  afflic- 
tion ;  neither  need  there  any  other  art  of  memory  for  sin  besides 
misery.     They  had  heard  Joseph's  deprecation  of  their  evil  with 

b  [The  word  '  not'  is  inserted  in  a  copy  of  1 614  in  an  ancient  handwriting. 
It  does  not  appear  in  any  edition  which  I  have  seen,  but  the  context  requires 

it.] 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


coxt.  v.  OfJo8epk.  65 

tears,  and  had  not  pitied  him ;  yet  Joseph  doth  but  hear  their 
mention  of  this  evil  which  they  had  done  against  him,  and  pities 
them  with  tears :  he  weeps  for  joy  to  see  their  repentance,  and  to 
compare  his  safety  and  happiness  with  the  cruelty  which  they 
intended,  and  did,  and  thought  they  had  done. 

Yet  he  can  abide  to  see  his  brother  his  prisoner,  whom  no 
bonds  could  bind  so  strong  as  his  affection  bound  him  to  his 
captive :  Simeon  is  left  in  pawn,  in  fetters ;  the  rest  return  with 
their  corn,  with  their  money,  paying  nothing  for  their  provision, 
but  their  labour ;  that  they  might  be  as  much  troubled  with  the 
beneficence  of  that  strange  Egyptian  lord,  as  before  with  his  im- 
perious suspicion.  Their  wealth  was  now  more  irksome  to  them 
than  their  need ;  and  they  fear  God  means  to  punish  them  more 
in  this  superfluity  of  money  than  in  the  wagt  of  victuals,  What 
is  this  that  God  hath  done  to  us?  It  is  a  wise  course  to  be 
jealous  of  our  gain,  and  more  to  fear  than  desire  abundance. 

Old  Jacob,  that  was  not  used  to  simple  and  absolute  content- 
ments, receives  the  blessing  of  seasonable  provision,  together  with 
the  affliction  of  that  heavy  message,  the  loss  of  one  son  and  the 
danger  of  another ;  and  knows  not  whether  it  be  better  for  him 
to  die  with  hunger  or  with  grief  for  the  departure  of  that  son  of 
his  right  hand.  He  drives  off  all  to  the  last :  protraction  is  a 
kind  of  ease  in  evils  that  must  come. 

At  length,  as  no  plea  is  so  importunate  as  that  of  famine, 
Benjamin  must  go :  one  evil  must  be  hazarded  for  the  redress  of 
another :  what  would  it  avail  him,  to  see  whom  he  loved  miser- 
able ?  How  injurious  were  that  affection  to  keep  his  son  so  long 
in  his  eye,  till  they  should  see  each  other  die  for  hunger  I 

The  ten  brothers  return  into  Egypt,  loaded  with  double  money 
in  their  sacks,  and  a  present  in  their  hands :  the  danger  of  mis- 
taking is  requited,  by  honest  minds,  with  more  than  restitution. 
It  is  not  enough  to  find  our  own  hearts  clear  in  suspicious  actions, 
except  we  satisfy  others. 

Now  had  Joseph  what  he  would,  the  sight  and  presence  of  his 
Benjamin ;  whom  he  therefore  borrows  of  his  father  for  a  time, 
that  he  might  return  him  with  a  greater  interest  of  joy.  And 
now  he  feasts  them  whom  ho  formerly  threatened,  and  turns 
their  fear  into  wonder :  all  unequal  love  is  not  partial ;  all  tho 
brethren  are  entertained  bountifully,  but  Benjamin  hath  a  five- 
fold portion :  by  how  much  his  welcome  was  greater,  by  so  much 
his  pretended  theft  seemed  more  heinous;  for  good  turns  ag- 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  F 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


66  Of  Joseph.  book  hi. 

gravate  unkindnesses,  and  our  offences  are  increased  with  our 
obligations. 

How  easy  is  it  to  find  advantages  where  there  is  a  purpose 
to  accuse  I  Benjamin's  sack  makes  him  guilty  of  that  whereof 
his  heart  was  free;  crimes  seem  strange  to  the  innocent:  well 
might  they  abjure  this  fact,  with  the  offer  of  bondage  and 
death :  for  they,  which  carefully  brought  again  that  which  they 
might  have  taken,  would  never  take  that  which  was  not  given 
them.  But  thus  Joseph  would  yet  dally  with  his  brethren :  and 
make  Benjamin  a  thief,  that  be  might  make  him  a  servant ;  and 
fright  his  brethren  with  the  peril  of  that  their  charge,  that  he 
might  double  their  joy  and  amazedness  in  giving  them  two  bro- 
thers at  once:  our  happiness  is  greater  and  sweeter  when  we 
have  well  feared,  aqji  smarted  with  evils. 

But  now,  when  Judah  seriously  reported  the  danger  of  his  old 
father  and  the  sadness  of  his  last  complaint,  compassion  and  joy 
will  be  concealed  no  longer,  but  break  forth  violently  at  his  voice 
and  eyes.  Many  passions  do  not  well  abide  witnesses,  because 
they  are  guilty  to  their  own  weakness.  Joseph  sends  forth  his 
servants,  that  he  might  freely  weep.  He  knew  he  could  not  say 
/  am  Joseph  without  an  unbeseeming  vehemence. 

Never  any  word  sounded  so  strangely  as  this  in  the  ears  of 
the  patriarchs.  Wonder,  doubt,  reverence,  joy,  fear,  hope,  guil- 
tiness, struck  them  at  once.  It  was  time  for  Joseph  to  say,  Fear 
not:  no  marvel  if  they  stood  with  paleness  and  silence  before 
him ;  looking  on  him  and  on  each  other ;  the  more  they  con- 
sidered, they  wondered  more ;  and  the  more  they  believed,  the 
more  they  feared;  for  those  words,  I  am  Joseph,  seemed  to 
sound  thus  much  to  their  guilty  thoughts :  "  You  are  murderers, 
and  I  am  a  prince  in  spite  of  you :  my  power  and  this  place  give 
me  all  opportunities  of  revenge;  my  glory  is  your  shame,  my 
life  your  danger ;  your  sin  lives  together  with  me." 

But  now  the  tears  and  gracious  words  of  Joseph  have  soon  as- 
sured them  of  pardon  and  love,  and  have  bidden  them  turn  their 
eyes  from  their  sin  against  their  brother  to  their  happiness  in 
him,  and  have  changed  their  doubts  into  hopes  and  joys ;  causing 
them  to  look  upon  him  without  fear,  though  not  without  shame. 
His  loving  embracements  clear  their  hearts  of  all  jealousies,  and 
hasten  to  put  new  thoughts  into  them  of  favour  and  of  greatness : 
so  that  now,  forgetting  what  evil  they  did  to  their  brother,  they 
are  thinking  of  what  good  their  brother  may  do  to  them.  Actions 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


coxt.  v.  Of  Joseph.  67 

salved  up  with  a  free  forgiveness  are  as  not  done ;  and  as  a  bone 
once  broken  is  stronger  after  well  setting,  so  is  love  after  recon- 
cilement. 

Bat  as  wounds  once  healed  leave  a  scar  behind  them,  so  re- 
mitted injuries  leave  commonly  in  the  actors  a  guilty  remem- 
brance; which  hindered  these  brethren  from  that  freedom  of 
joy  which  else  they  had  conceived :  this  was  their  fault,  not  Jo- 
seph's; who  strives  to  give  them  all  security  of  his  love,  and 
will  be  as  bountiful  as  they  are  cruel :  they  sent  him  naked  to 
strangers,  he  sends  them  in  new  and  rich  liveries  to  their  father ; 
they  took  a  small  sum  of  money  for  him,  be  gives  them  great 
treasures ;  they  sent  his  torn  coat  to  his  father ;  he  sends  variety 
of  costly  raiments  to  his  father  by  them :  they  sold  him  to  be  the 
load  of  camels,  he  sends  them  home  with  chariots. 

It  must  be  a  great  favour  that  can  appease  the  conscience  of  a 
great  injury.  Now  they  return  home  rich  and  joyful,  making 
themselves  happy  to  think  how  glad  they  should  make  their  father 
with  this  news. 

That  good  old  man  would  never  have  hoped  that  Egypt  could 
have  afforded  such  provision  as  this — Joseph  is  yet  alive :  this 
was  not  food,  but  life  to  him.  The  return  of  Benjamin  was  com- 
fortable; but  that  his  dead  son  was  yet  alive,  after  so  many 
years9  lamentation,  was  tidings  too  happy  to  be  believed,  and  was 
enough  to  endanger  that  life  with  excess  of  joy,  which  the  know- 
ledge thereof  doubled.  Over-excellent^  objects  are  dangerous 
in  their  sudden  apprehensions.  One  grain  of  that  joy  would 
have  safely  cheered  him,  whereof  a  full  measure  overlays  his 
heart  with  too  much  sweetness.  There  is  no  earthly  pleasure 
whereof  we  may  not  surfeit ;  of  the  spiritual,  we  can  never  have 
enough. 

Tet  his  eyes  revive  his  mind,  which  his  ears  had  thus  asto- 
nished. When  he  saw  the  chariots  of  his  son,  he  believed  Jo- 
seph's life,  and  refreshed  his  own.  He  had  too  much  before,  so 
that  he  could  not  enjoy  it ;  now  he  saith,  I  have  enough;  Jo- 
seph  my  son  is  yet  alive. 

They  told  him  of  his  honour,  he  speaks  of  his  life;  life  is 
better  than  honour.  To  have  heard  that  Joseph  lived  a  servant, 
would  have  joyed  him  more  than  to  hear  that  he  died  honour- 
ably. The  greater  blessing  obscures  the  less.  He  is  not  worthy 
of  honour  that  is  not  thankful  for  life. 

Tet  Joseph's  life  did  not  content  Jacob  without  his  presence ; 

p  2 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


68  Of  Joseph.  book  hi. 

I  will  go  down  and  see  him  ere  I  die :  the  Bight  of  the  eye  is 
better  than  to  walk  in  desires:  good  things  pleasure  us  not  in 
their  being,  but  in  our  enjoying. 

The  height  of  all  earthly  contentment  appeared  in  the  meeting 
of  these  two ;  whom  their  mutual  loss  hath  more  endeared  to 
each  other :  the  intermission  of  comforts  hath  this  advantage, 
that  it  sweetens  our  delight  more  in  the  return,  than  was  abated 
in  the  forbearance.  God  doth  ofbtimes  hide  away  our  Joseph  for 
a  time,  that  we  may  be  more  joyous  and  thankful  in  his  recovery. 
This  was  the  sincerest  pleasure  that  ever  Jacob  had ;  which  there- 
fore God  reserved  for  his  age. 

And  if  the  meeting  of  earthly  friends  be  so  unspeakably  com- 
fortable, how  happy  shall  we  be  in  the  light  of  the  glorious  face 
of  God  our  heavenly  Father  I  of  that  our  blessed  Redeemer, 
whom  we  sold  to  death  by  our  sins ;  and  which  now,  after  that 
noble  triumph,  hath  all  power  given  him  in  heaven  and  earth ! 

Thus  did  Jacob  rejoice,  when  he  was  to  go  out  of  the  land  of 
promise  to  a  foreign  nation  for  Joseph's  sake ;  being  glad  that 
he  should  lose  his  country  for  his  son.  What  shall  our  joy  be, 
who  must  go  out  of  this  foreign  land  of  our  pilgrimage  to  the 
home  of  our  glorious  inheritance,  to  dwell  with  none  but  our 
own;  in  that  better  and  more  lightsome  Goshen,  free  from  all 
the  incumbrances  of  this  Egypt,  and  full  of  ail  the  riches  and 
delights  of  God  I 

The  guilty  conscience  can  never  think  itself  safe;  so  many 
years'  experience  of  Joseph's  love  could  not  secure  his  brethren 
of  remission ;  those  that  know  they  have  deserved  ill  are  wont  to 
misinterpret  favours,  and  think  they  cannot  be  beloved :  all  that 
while  his  goodness  seemed  but  concealed  and  sleeping  malice; 
which  they  feared  in  their  father's  last  sleep  would  awake,  and 
bewray  itself  in  revenge :  still  therefore  they  plead  the  name  of 
their  father,  though  dead,  not  daring  to  use  their  own.  Good 
meanings  cannot  be  more  wronged  than  with  suspicion :  it  grieves 
Joseph  to  see  their  fear,  and  to  find  they  had  not  forgotten  their 
own  sin,  and  to  hear  them  so  passionately  crave  that  which  they 
bad. 

Forgive  the  trespass  of  the  servants  of  thy  father's  God :  What 
a  conjuration  of  pardon  was  this !  What  wound  could  be  either 
so  deep  or  so  festered  as  this  plaster  could  not  cure !  They  say 
not,  "  the  sons  of  thy  father ;"  for  they  knew  Jacob  was  dead, 
and  they  had  degenerated ;  but  the  servants  of  thy  father's  God : 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont-  v.  Of  Joseph.  69 

how  much  stronger  are  the  bonds  of  religion  than  of  nature! 
If  Joseph  had  been  rancorous,  this  deprecation  had  charmed 
him ;  but  now  it  resolves  him  into  tears :  they  are  not  so  ready 
to  acknowledge  their  old  offence,  as  he  to  protest  his  love ;  and 
if  he  chide  them  for  any  thing,  it  is  for  that  they  thought  they 
needed  to  entreat ;  since  they  might  know  it  could  not  stand 
with  the  fellow-servant  of  their  father's  God  to  harbour  mali- 
ciousness, to  purpose  revenge;  Am  not  I  under  God?  And, 
fully  to  secure  them,  he  turns  their  eyes  from  themselves  to  the 
decree  of  God ;  from  the  action  to  the  event ;  as  one  that  would 
have  them  think  there  was  no  cause  to  repent  of  that  which 
proved  so  successful. 

Even  late  confession  finds  forgiveness:  Joseph  had  long  ago 
seen  their  sorrow,  never  but  now  heard  he  their  humble  acknow- 
ledgment :  mercy  stays  not  for  outward  solemnities.  How  much 
more  shall  that  Infinite  Goodness  pardon  our  sins,  when  he  finds 
the  truth  of  our  repentance ! 


BOOK    IV. 

TO   THE  RIGHT   HONOURABLE 

JAMES    LORD    HAY*, 

ALL  GRACE   AND   HAPPINESS. 

Right  honourable, — All  that  I  can  say  for  myself  is,  a  desire  of  doing 
good ;  which  if  it  were  as  fervent  in  richer  hearts,  the  church,  which  now  we 
see  comely,  would  then  be  glorious.  This  honest  ambition  hath  carried  me  to 
neglect  the  fear  of  seeming  prodigal  of  my  little;  and  while  I  see  others' 
talents  rusting  in  the  earth,  hath  drawn  me  to  traffic  with  mine  in  public.  I 
hope  no  adventure  that  ever  I  made  of  this  kind  shall  be  equally  gainful  to 
this  my  present  labour,  wherein  I  take  God's  own  history  for  the  ground,  and 
work  upon  it  by  what  meditations  my  weakness  can  afford :  the  divineness  of 
this  subject  shall  make  more  than  amends  for  the  manifold  defects  of  my  dis- 
course ;  although  also  the  blame  of  an  imperfection  is  so  much  the  more  when 
it  lighteth  upon  so  high  a  choice.  This  part,  which  I  offer  to  your  lordship, 
shall  shew  you  Pharaoh  impotently  envious  and  cruel ;  the  Israelites,  of  friends, 
become  slaves,  punished  only  for  prospering;  Moses  in  the  weeds,  in  the 

[»  Sir  James  Hay  of  Kingash,  created  Baron  Hay  of  Sawley,  co.  Cumber- 
land, 1 6 15 ;  afterward  Viscount  Doncaster  and  Karl  of  Carlisle.] 


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70  The  affliction  of  Israel.  book  iv. 

court,  in  the  desert,  in  the  Hill  of  Visions;  a  courtier  in  Egypt,  a  shepherd 
in  Midian,  an  ambassador  from  God,  a  leader  of  God's  people :  and  when  you 
see  prodigious  variety  of  the  plagues  of  Egypt,  you  shall  not  know  whether 
more  to  wonder  at  the  miracles  of  Moses  or  Pharaoh's  obstinacy.  Finally, 
you  shall  see  the  same  waves  made  both  a  wall  and  a  gulf  in  one  hour;  the 
Egyptians  drowned  where  no  Israelite  was  wet-shod :  and  if  these  passages 
yield  not  abundance  of  profitable  thoughts,  impute  it  (not  without  pardon)  to 
the  poverty  of  my  weak  conceit ;  which  yet  may  perhaps  occasion  better  unto 
others.  In  all  humble  submission  I  commend  them  (what  they  are)  to  your 
lordship's  favourable  acceptation,  and  yourself  with  them  to  the  gracious 
blessing  of  our  God. 

Your  lordship's,  in  all  dutiful  observance,  at  command, 

JOS.  HALL. 


THE  AFFLICTION  OF  ISRAEL.— Exodus  i. 

Egypt  was  long  an  harbour  to  the  Israelites ;  now  it  proves  a 
gaol :  the  posterity  of  Jacob  finds  too  late  what  it  was  for  their 
forefathers  to  sell  Joseph  a  slave  into  Egypt.  Those  whom  the 
Egyptians  honoured  before  as  lords,  now  they  contemn  as 
drudges:  one  Pharaoh  advances  whom  another  labours  to  de- 
press :  not  seldom  the  same  man  changes  copies ;  but  if  favours 
outlive  one  age,  they  prove  decrepit  and  heartless.  It  is  a  rare 
thing  to  find  posterity  heirs  of  their  father's  love.  How  should 
men's  favour  be  but  like  themselves,  variable  and  inconstant? 
There  is  no  certainty  but  in  the  favour  of  God,  in  whom  can  be 
no  change ;  whose  love  is  entailed  upon  a  thousand  generations. 

Tet  if  the  Israelites  had  been  treacherous  to  Pharaoh,  if  dis- 
obedient, this  great  change  of  countenance  had  been  just ;  now 
the  only  offence  of  Israel  is,  that  he  prospereth :  that  which 
should  be  the  motive  of  their  gratulation  and  friendship,  is  the 
cause  of  their  malice.  There  is  no  more  hateful  sight  to  a  wicked 
man,  than  the  prosperity  of  the  conscionable.  None  but  the 
spirit  of  that  true  harbinger  of  Christ  can  teach  us  to  say  with 
contentment,  He  must  increase,  but  I  must  decrease. 

And  what  if  Israel  be  mighty  and  rich?  If  there  be  war,  they 
may  join  with  our  enemies,  and  get  them  out  of  the  land.  Behold, 
they  are  afraid  to  part  with  those  whom  they  are  grieved  to 
entertain :  either  staying  or  going  is  offence  enough  to  those  that 
seek  quarrels.  There  were  no  wars,  and  yet  they  say,  If  there 
be  wars :  the  Israelites  had  never  given  cause  of  fear  to  revolt, 
and  yet  they  say,  Lest  they  join  to  our  enemies,  to  those  enemies 
which  we  may  have ;  so  they  make  their  certain  friends  slaves, 


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co  nt,  i.  The  affliction  of  Israel  71 

for  fear  of  uncertain  enemies.  Wickedness  is  ever  cowardly,  and 
full  of  unjust  suspicions;  it  makes  a  man  fear,  where  no  fear  is; 
fly,  when  none  pursues  him.  What  difference  there  is  betwixt 
David  and  Pharaoh  I  the  faith  of  the  one  says,  I  will  not  be 
afraid  for  ten  thousand  that  should  beset  me;  the  fear  of  the 
other  says,  Lest  if  there  be  war,  they  join  with  our  enemies ; 
therefore  should  he  have  made  much  of  the  Israelites,  that  they 
might  be  his;  his  favour  might  have  made  them  firm:  why 
might  they  not  as  well  draw  their  swords  for  him? 

Weak  and  base  minds  ever  incline  to  the  worse,  and  seek 
safety  rather  in  an  impossibility  of  hurt  than  in  the  likelihood  of 
just  advantage.  Favours  had  been  more  binding  than  cruelties; 
yet  the  foolish  Egyptian  had  rather  have  impotent  servants  than 
able  friends. 

For  their  welfare  alone  Pharaoh  owes  Israel  a  mischief;  and 
how  will  he  pay  it  ?  Come,  let  us  work  wisely :  lewd  men  call 
wicked  policies  wisdom,  and  their  success  happiness:  herein 
Satan  is  wiser  than  they,  who  both  lays  the  plot,  and  makes 
them  such  fools,  as  to  mistake  villany  and  madness  for  the  best 
virtue. 

Injustice  is  upheld  by  violence,  whereas  just  governments  are 
maintained  by  love.  Taskmasters  must  be  set  over  Israel ;  they 
should  not  be  the  true  seed  of  Israel  if  they  were  not  still  set  to 
wrestle  with  God  in  afflictions.  Heavy  burdens  must  be  laid 
upon  them;  Israel  is  never  but  loaded;  the  destiny  of  one  of 
Jacob's  sons  is  common  to  all,  to  lie  down  betwixt  their  burdens. 
If  they  had  seemed  to  breathe  them  in  Goshen  sometimes,  yet 
even  there  it  was  no  small  misery  to  be  foreigners,  and  to  live 
among  idolaters ;  but  now  the  name  of  a  slave  is  added  to  the 
name  of  a  stranger.  Israel  had  gathered  some  rust  in  idolatrous 
Egypt,  and  now  he  must  be  scoured :  they  had  borne  the  bur- 
den of  God's  anger,  if  they  had  not  borne  the  burdens  of  the 
Egyptians. 

As  God  afflicted  them  with  another  mind  than  the  Egyptians, 
(God  to  exercise  them,  the  Egyptians  to  suppress  them,)  so 
causes  he  the  event  to  differ.  Who  would  not  have  thought,  with 
these  Egyptians,  that  so  extreme  misery  should  not  have  made 
the  Israelites  unfit  both  for  generation  and  resistance  ?  Moderate 
exercise  strengthens,  extreme  destroys  nature.  That  God,  which 
many  times  works  by  contrary  means,  caused  them  to  grow  with 


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72  The  affliction  of  Israel.  book  iv. 

depression  ;  with  persecution  to  multiply ;  how  can  God's  church 
but  fare  well,  since  the  very  malice  of  their  enemies  benefits 
them  ?  O  the  sovereign  goodness  of  our  God,  that  turns  all  our 
poisons  into  cordials  I  God's  vine  bears  the  better  with  bleeding. 

And  now  the  Egyptians  could  be  angry  with  their  own  mali- 
ciousness, that  this  was  the  occasion  of  multiplying  them  whom 
they  hated  and  feared ;  to  see  that  this  service  gained  more  to 
the  workmen  than  to  their  masters :  the  stronger  therefore  the 
Israelites  grew,  the  more  impotent  grew  the  malice  of  their  per- 
secutors; and  since  their  own  labour  strengthens  them,  now 
tyranny  will  try  what  can  be  done  by  the  violence  of  others : 
since  the  present  strength  cannot  be  subdued,  the  hopes  of  succes- 
sion must  be  prevented ;  women  must  be  suborned  to  be  murderers, 
and  those  whose  office  is  to  help  the  birth  must  destroy  it. 

There  was  less  suspicion  of  cruelty  in  that  sex,  and  more  op- 
portunity of  doing  mischief.  The  male  children  must  be  born 
and  die  at  once  :  what  can  be  more  innocent  than  the  child  that 
hath  not  lived  so  much  as  to  cry  or  to  see  light  ?  it  is  fault  enough 
to  be  the  son  of  an  Israelite.  The  daughters  may  live  for  bondage, 
for  lust ;  a  condition  so  much  (at  the  least)  worse  than  death,  as 
their  sex  was  weaker.  0  marvellous  cruelty  that  a  man  should 
kill  a  man  for  his  sex's  sake !  Whosoever  hath  loosed  the  reins 
unto  cruelty  is  easily  carried  inWincredible  extremities. 

Prom  burdens  they  proceed  to  bondage,  and  from  bondage 
to  blood;  from  an  unjust  vexation  of  their  body,  to  an  inhuman 
destruction  of  the  fruit  of  their  body.  As  the  sins  of  the  con- 
cupiscible  part,  from  slight  motions,  grow  on  to  foul  executions, 
so  do  those  of  the  irascible :  there  is  no  sin  whose  harbour  is 
more  unsafe  than  that  of  malice ;  but  ofttimes  the  power  of  tyrants 
answers  not  their  will :  evil  commanders  cannot  always  meet  with 
equally  mischievous  agents. 

The  fear  of  God  teaches  the  midwives  to  disobey  an  unjust 
command;  they  well  knew  how  no  excuse  it  is  for  evil,  "I  was 
bidden/'  God  said  to  their  hearts,  Thou  shalt  not  kill :  this  voice 
was  louder  than  Pharaoh's.  I  commend  their  obedience  in  dis- 
obeying ;  I  dare  not  commend  their  excuse :  there  was  as  much 
weakness  in  their  answer  as  strength  in  their  practice :  as  they 
feared  God  in  not  killing,  so  they  feared  Pharaoh  in  dissembling ; 
ofttimes  those  that  make  conscience  of  greater  sins  are  overtaken 
with  less.   It  is  well  and  rare  if  we  can  come  forth  of  a  dangerous 


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cost.  i.  The  affliction  of  Israel.  78 

action  without  any  foil ;  and  if  we  have  escaped  the  storm,  that 
some  after  drops  wet  us  not. 

Who  would  not  have  expected  that  the  midwives  should  be 
murdered  for  not  murdering !  Pharaoh  could  not  be  so  simple  to 
think  these  women  trusty ;  yet  his  indignation  had  no  power  to 
reach  to  their  punishment.  God  prospered  the  midwives,  who 
can  harm  them?  Even  the  not  doing  of  evil  is  rewarded  with 
good.  And  why  did  they  prosper  ?  Because  they  feared  God ; 
not  for  their  dissimulation,  but  their  piety.  So  did  God  regard 
their  mercy,  that  he  regarded  not  their  infirmity.  How  fondly 
do  men  lay  the  thank  upon  the  sin  which  is  due  to  the  virtue. 
True  wisdom  teaches  to  distinguish  God's  actions,  and  to  ascribe 
them  to  the  right  .causes :  pardon  belongs  to  the  lie  of  the  mid- 
wives,  and  remuneration  to  their  goodness,  prosperity  to  their 
fear  of  God. 

But  that  which  the  midwives  will  not,  the  multitude  shall  do. 
It  were  strange  if  wicked  rulers  should  not  find  some  or  other 
instruments  of  violence.  All  the  people  must  drown  whom  the 
women  saved.  Cruelty  had  but  smoked  before,  now  it  flames  up ; 
%  secret  practising  hath  made  it  shameless,  that  now  it  dare  proclaim 
tyranny.  It  is  a  miserable  state  where  every  man  is  made  an 
executioner.  There  can  be  no  greater  argument  of  an  ill  cause 
than  a  bloody  persecution,  whereas  truth  upholds  herself  by  mild- 
ness, and  is  promoted  by  patience.  This  is  their  act,  what  was 
their  issue?  the  people  must  drown  their  males,  themselves  are 
drowned :  they  died  by  the  same  means  by  which  they  caused 
the  poor  Israelitish  infants  to  die ;  that  law  of  retaliation  which 
God  will  not  allow  to  us  because  we  are  fellow  creatures,  he  justly 
practiseth  in  us.  God  would  have  us  read  our  sins  in  our  judg- 
ments, that  we  might  both  repent  of  our  sins  and  give  glory  to 
his  justice. 

Pharaoh  raged  before,  much  more  now  that  he  received  a 
message  of  dismission ;  the  monitions  of  God  make  ill  men  worse : 
the  waves  do  not  beat  nor  roar  anywhertf  so  much  as  at  the  bank 
which  restrains  them.  Corruption  when  it  is  checked  grows  mad 
with  rage ;  as  the  vapour  in  a  cloud  would  not  make  that  fearful 
report  if  it  met  not  with  opposition.  A  good  heart  yields  at  the 
stillest  voice  of  God,  but  the  most  gracious  motions  of  God 
harden  the  wicked.  Many  would  not  be  so  desperately  settled 
in  their  sins  if  the  word  had  not  controlled  them.     How  mild  a 


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74  The  affliction  of  Israel.  book  iv. 

message  was  this  to  Pharaoh,  and  yet  how  galling !  We  pray  thee 
let  us  go.  God  commands  him  that  which  he  feared.  He  took 
pleasure  in  the  present  servitude  of  Israel ;  God  calls  for  a  re- 
lease. If  the  suit  had  been  for  mitigation  of  labour,  for  preser- 
vation of  their  children,  it  might  have  carried  some  hope  and 
have  found  some  favour :  but  now  God  requires  that  which  he 
knows  will  as  much  discontent  Pharaoh,  as  Pharaoh's  cruelty 
could  discontent  the  Israelites ;  Let  us  go.  How  contrary  are 
God's  precepts  to  natural  minds !  and  indeed  as  they  love  to  cross 
him  in  their  practice,  so  he  loves  to  cross  them  in  their  commands 
before,  and  his  punishments  afterwards :  it  is  a  dangerous  sign  of 
an  ill  heart  to  feel  God's  yoke  heavy. 

Moses  talks  of  sacrifice,  Pharaoh  talks  of  work.  Any  thing 
seems  due  work  to  a  carnal  mind  saving  God's  service ;  nothing 
superfluous  but  religious  duties.  Christ  tells  us  there  is  but  one 
thing  necessary,  nature  tells  us  there  is  nothing  but  that  needless. 
Moses  speaks  of  devotion,  Pharaoh  of  idleness.  It  hath  been  an 
old  use  as  to  cast  fair  colours  upon  our  own  vicious  actions,  so  to  cast 
evil  aspersions  upon  the  good  actions  of  others.  The  same  devil 
that  spoke  in  Pharaoh  speaks  still  in  our  scoffers,  and  calls  reli-  tf 
gion  hypocrisy,  conscionable  care  singularity.  Every  vice  hath  a 
title  and  every  virtue  a  disgrace. 

Yet  while  possible  tasks  were  imposed  there  was  some  comfort : 
their  diligence  might  save  their  backs  from  stripes.  The  conceit 
of  a  benefit  to  the  commander,  and  hope  of  impunity  to  the  la- 
bourer, might  give  a  good  pretence  to  great  difficulties ;  but  to  re- 
quire tasks  not  feasible  is  tyrannical,  and  doth  only  pick  a  quarrel 
to  punish ;  they  could  neither  make  straw  nor  find  it,  yet  they 
must  have  it.  "  Do  what  may  be"  is  tolerable,  but  "  Do  what 
cannot  be"  is  cruel.  Those  which  are  above  others  in  place  must 
measure  their  commands,  not  by  their  own  wills,  but  by  the 
strength  of  their  inferiors.  To  require  more  of  a  beast  than  he 
can  do  is  inhuman.  The  task  is  not  done,  the  taskmasters  are 
beaten:  the  punishment  lies  where  the  charge  is,  they  must  exact 
it  of  the  people,  Pharaoh  of  them.  It  is  the  misery  of  those  which 
are  trusted  with  authority,  that  their  inferiors'  faults  are  beaten 
upon  their  backs.  This  was  not  the  fault,  to  require  it  of  the 
taskmasters,  but  to  require  it  by  the  taskmasters  of  the  people. 
Public  persons  do  either  good  or  ill  with  a  thousand  hands,  and 
with  no  fewer  shall  receive  it. 


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cont.  ii.  Oftlie  birth  and  breeding  of  Moses.  75 

OF  THE  BIRTH  AND  BREEDING  OF  MOSES. 
Exodus  ii. 

It  is  a  wonder  that  Amram  the  father  of  Moses  would  think 
of  the  marriage  bed  in  so  troublesome  a  time,  when  he  knew  he 
should  beget  children  either  to  slavery  or  slaughter ;  yet  even 
now,  in  the  heat  of  this  bondage,  he  marries  Jochebed.  The 
drowning  of  his  sons  was  not  so  great  an  evil  as  his  own  burning : 
the  thraldom  of  his  daughters  not  so  great  an  evil  as  the  sub- 
jection unto  sinful  desires :  he  therefore  uses  God's  remedy  for 
his  sin,  and  refers  the  sequel  of  his  danger  to  God.  How  neces- 
sary is  this  imitation  for  those  which  have  not  the  power  of  con- 
taining !  Perhaps  we  would  have  thought  it  better  to  live  childless, 
but  Amram  and  Jochebed  durst  not  incur  the  danger  of  a  sin 
to  avoid  the  danger  of  a  mischief. 

No  doubt,  when  Jochebed  the  mother  of  Moses  saw  a  man- 
child  born  of  her,  and  him  beautiful  and  comely,  she  fell  into  ex- 
treme passion,  to  think  that  the  executioner's  hand  should  suc- 
ceed the  midwife's.  All  the  time  of  her  conception  she  could  not 
but  fear  a  son ;  now  she  sees  him,  and  thinks  of  his  birth  and 
death  at  once,  her  second  throes  are  more  grievous  than  her  first. 
The  puns  of  travail  in  others  are  somewhat  mitigated  with  hope, 
and  countervailed  with  joy  that  a  man-child  is  born ;  in  her  they 
are  doubled  with  fear ;  the  remedy  of  others  is  her  complaint : 
still  she  looks  when  some  fierce  Egyptian  would  come  in  and 
snatch  her  newborn  infant  out  of  her  bosom,  whose  comeliness 
had  now  also  added  to  her  affection. 

Many  times  God  writes  presages  of  majesty  and  honour  even 
in  the  faces  of  children.  Little  did  she  think  that  she  held  in  her 
lap  the  deliverer  of  Israel.  It  is  good  to  hazard  in  greatest  ap- 
pearances of  danger.  If  Jochebed  had  said,  "  If  I  bear  a  son, 
they  will  kill  him,"  where  had  been  the  great  rescuer  of  Israel  ? 
Happy  is  that  resolution  which  can  follow  God  hoodwinked,  and 
let  him  dispose  of  the  event.  When  she  can  no  longer  hide  him 
in  her  womb,  she  hides  him  in  her  house ;  afraid  lest  every  of  his 
cryings  should  guide  the  executioners  to  his  cradle. 

And  now  she  sees  her  treasure  can  be  no  longer  hid  she  ships 
him  in  a  bark  of  bulrushes,  and  commits  him  to  the  mercy  of  the 
waves,  and,  which  was  more  merciless,  to  the  danger  of  an 
Egyptian  passenger;  yet  doth  she  not  leave  him  without  a 


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76  Of  the  birth  and  breeding  of  Moses.  book  iv. 

guardian.  No  tyranny  can  forbid  her  to  love  him  whom  she  is 
forbidden  to  keep :  her  daughter's  eyes  must  supply  the  place  of 
her  arms. 

And  if  the  weak  affection  of  a  mother  were  thus  effectually 
careful,  what  shall  we  think  of  him  whose  love,  whose  compassion, 
is,  as  himself,  infinite !  His  eye,  his  hand,  cannot  but  be  with  us, 
even  when  we  forsake  ourselves.  Moses  had  never  a  stronger 
protection  about  him,  no  not  when  all  his  Israelites  were  pitched 
about  his  tent  in  the  wilderness,  than  now  when  he  lay  sprawling 
alone  upon  the  waves:  no  water,  no  Egyptian  can  hurt  him. 
Neither  friend  nor  mother  dare  own  him,  and  now  God  challenges 
his  custody.  When  we  seem  most  neglected  and  forlorn  in  our- 
selves, then  is  God  most  present,  most  vigilant. 

His  providence  brings  Pharaoh's  daughter  thither  to  wash 
herself.  Those  times  looked  for  no  great  state:  a  princess 
comes  to  bathe  herself  in  the  open  stream:  she  meant  only  to 
wash  herself:  God  fetches  her  thither  to  deliver  the  deliverer  of 
his  people.  His  designs  go  beyond  ours.  We  know  not,  when 
we  set  our  foot  over  our  threshold,  what  he  hath  to  do  with  us. 
This  event  seemed  casual  to  this  princess,  but  predetermined  and 
provided  by  God  before  she  was;  how  wisely  and  sweetly  God 
brings  to  pass  his  own  purposes,  in  our  ignorance  and  regardless- 
ness!  She  saw  the  ark,  opens  it,  finds  the  child  weeping;  his 
beauty  and  his  tears  had  God  provided  for  the  strong  persuasions 
of  mercy.  This  young  and  lively  oratory  prevailed.  Her  heart 
is  struck  with  compassion,  and  yet  her  tongue  could  say,  It  is  an 
Hebrew  child. 

See  here  the  merciful  daughter  of  a  cruel  father ;  it  is  an 
uncharitable  and  injurious  ground  to  judge  of  the  child's  disposi- 
tion by  the  parents.  How  well  doth  pity  beseem  great  per- 
sonages !  and  most  in  extremities.  It  had  been  death  to  another 
to  rescue  the  child  of  an  Hebrew ;  in  her  it  was  safe  and  noble. 
It  is  an  happy  thing  when  great  ones  improve  their  places  to  so 
much  more  charity  as  their  liberty  is  more. 

Moses's  sister,  finding  the  princess  compassionate,  offers  to 
procure  a  nurse,  and  fetches  the  mother :  and  who  can  be  so  fit 
a  nurse  as  a  mother?  She  now  with  glad  hands  receives  her 
child,  both  with  authority  and  reward.  She  would  have  given 
all  her  substance  for  the  life  of  her  son;  and  now  she  hath  a 
reward  to  nurse  him.  The  exchange  of  the  name  of  a  mother 
for  the  name  of  a  nurse  hath  gained  her  both  her  son  and  his 


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cont.  ii.  Of  the  birth  and  breeding  of  Moses.  77 

education,  and  with  both  a  recompense.  Religion  doth  not  call 
us  to  a  weak  simplicity,  but  allows  us  as  much  of  the  serpent  as  of 
the  dove :  lawful  policies  have  from  God  both  liberty  in  the  use 
and  blessing  in  the  success. 

The  good  lady  did  not  breed  him  as  some  child  of  alms,  or  as 
some  wretched  outcast,  for  whom  it  might  be  favour  enough  to 
live,  but  as  her  own  son;  in  all  the  delicacies,  in  all  the  learning 
of  Egypt.  Whatsoever  the  court  or  the  school  could  put  into 
him  he  wanted  not ;  yet  all  this  could  not  make  him  forget  that 
he  was  an  Hebrew.  Education  works  wondrous  changes,  and  is 
of  great  force  either  way :  a  little  advancement  hath  so  puffed 
some  up  above  themselves,  that  they  have  not  only  forgot  their 
friends,  but  scorned  their  parents.  All  the  honours  of  Egypt 
could  not  win  Moses  not  to  call  his  nurse  mother,  or  wean  him 
from  a  willing  misery  with  the  Israelites.  If  we  had  Moses's 
faith,  we  could  not  but  make  his  choice.  It  is  only  our  infi- 
delity that  binds  us  so  to  the  world,  and  makes  us  prefer  the 
momentary  pleasures  of  sin  unto  that  everlasting  recompense  of 
reward. 

He  went  forth,  and  looked  on  the  burdens  of  Israel.  What 
needed  Moses  to  have  afflicted  himself  with  the  afflictions  of 
others  ?  Himself  was  at  ease  and  pleasure  in  the  court  of  Pha- 
raoh. A  good  heart  cannot  endure  to  be  happy  alone;  and 
must  needs,  unbidden,  share  with  others  in  their  miseries.  He 
is  no  true  Moses  that  is  not  moved  with  the  calamities  of  God's 
church.  To  see  an  Egyptian  smite  an  Hebrew,  it  smote  him, 
and  moved  him  to  smite.  He  hath  no  Israelitish  blood  in  him 
that  can  endure  to  see  an  Israelite  stricken  either  with  hand  or 
with  tongue. 

Here  was  his  zeal:  where  was  his  authority?  Doubtless, 
Moses  had  an  instinct  from  God  of  his  magistracy;  else  how 
should  he  think  they  would  have  understood  what  himself  did 
not?  Oppressions  may  not  be  righted  by  violence,  but  by  law. 
The  redress  of  evil  by  a  person  unwarranted  is  evil.  Moses 
knew  that  God  had  called  him ;  he  knew  that  Pharaoh  knew  it 
not ;  therefore  he  hides  the  Egyptian  in  the  sand.  Those  actions 
which  may  be  approved  unto  God  are  not  always  safe  with  men ; 
as  contrarily,  too  many  things  go  current  with  men  which  are 
not  approved  of  God. 

Another  Hebrew  is  stricken,  but  by  an  Hebrew :  the  act  is  the 
same,  the  agents    differ:  neither  doth  their   profession  more 


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78  Of  the  birth  and  breeding  of  Moses.  book  iv. 

differ  than  Moses's  proceedings.  He  gives  blows  to  the  one ;  to 
the  other  words.  The  blows  to  the  Egyptian  were  deadly ;  the 
words  to  the  Hebrew  gentle  and  plausible.  As  God  makes  a 
difference  betwixt  chastisements  of  his  own  and  punishments  of 
strange  children,  so  must  wise  governors  learn  to  distinguish  of 
sins  and  judgments  according  to  circumstances. 

How  mildly  doth  Moses  admonish !  Sirs,  ye  are  brethren.  If 
there  had  been  but  any  drachm  of  good  nature  in  these  Hebrews, 
they  had  relented ;  now  it  is  strange  to  see,  that,  being  so  uni- 
versally vexed  with  their  common  adversary,  they  should  yet  vex 
one  another :  one  would  have  thought  that  a  common  opposition 
should  have  united  them  more,  yet  now  private  grudges  do  thus 
dangerously  divide  them.  Blows  enow  were  not  dealt  by  the 
Egyptians ;  their  own  must  add  to  the  violence.  Still  Satan  is 
thus  busy,  and  Christians  are  thus  malicious,  that,  as  if  they 
wanted  enemies,  they  fly  in  one  another's  faces.  While  we  are 
in  this  Egypt  of  the  world,  all  unkind  strifes  would  easily  be 
composed,  if  we  did  not  forget  that  we  are  brethren. 

Behold  an  Egyptian  in  the  skin  of  an  Hebrew !  How  dogged 
an  answer  doth  Moses  receive  to  so  gentle  a  reproof!  Who 
would  not  have  expected  that  this  Hebrew  had  been  enough 
dejected  with  the  common  affliction?  But  vexations  may  make 
some  more  miserable,  not  more  humble;  as  we  see  sicknesses 
make  some  tractable,  others  more  froward.  It  is  no  easy  matter 
to  bear  a  reproof  well,  if  never  so  well  tempered :  no  sugar  can 
bereave  a  pill  of  his  bitterness.  None  but  the  gracious  can  say, 
Let  the  righteous  smite  me.  Next  to  the  not  deserving  a  reproof, 
is  the  well  taking  of  it.  But  who  is  so  ready  to  except  and  ex- 
claim as  the  wrongdoer?  The  patient  replies  not.  One  injury 
draws  on  another;  first  to  his  brother,  then  to  his  reprover. 
Guiltiness  will  make  a  man  stir  upon  every  touch :  he  that  was 
wronged  could  incline  to  reconciliation :  malice  makes  men  un- 
capable  of  good  counsel ;  and  there  are  none  so  great  enemies  to 
justice  as  those  which  are  enemies  to  peace. 

With  what  impatience  doth  a  galled  heart  receive  an  admo- 
nition !  This  unworthy  Israelite  is  the  pattern  of  a  stomachful 
offender;  first,  he  is  moved  to  choler  in  himself;  then  he  calls 
for  the  authority  of  the  admonisher :  a  small  authority  will  serve 
for  a  loving  admonition.  It  is  the  duty  of  men,  much  more  of 
Christians,  to  advise  against  sin ;  yet  this  man  asks,  Who  made 
thee  a  judge  f  for  but  finding  fault  with  his  injury.    Then  he 


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cont.  ii.  Of  the  birth  and  breeding  of  Moses.  79 

aggravates  and  misconstrues,  Wilt  thou  kill  me?  when  Moses 
meant  only  to  save  both.  It  was  the  death  of  his  malice  only 
that  was  intended,  and  the  safety  of  his  person.  And  lastly,  he 
upbraids  him  with  former  actions,  Thou  killedst  the  Egyptian : 
What  if  he  did?  What  if  unjustly?  What  was  this  to  the 
Hebrew?   Another  man's  sin  is  no  excuse  for  ours. 

A  wicked  heart  never  looks  inward  to  itself,  but  outward  to 
the  quality  of  the  reprover :  if  that  afford  exception,  it  is  enough ; 
as  a  dog  runs  first  to  revenge  ou  the  stone.  What  matter  is  it 
to  me  who  he  be  that  admonisheth  me  ?  Let  me  look  home  into 
myself;  let  me  look  to  his  advice.  If  that  be  good,  it  is  more 
shame  to  me  to  be  reproved  by  an  evil  man.  As  a  good  man's 
allowance  cannot  warrant  evil,  so  an  evil  man's  reproof  may 
remedy  evil :  if  this  Hebrew  had  been  well  pleased,  Moses  had 
not  heard  of  his  slaughter ;  now  in  choler  all  will  out :  and  if 
this  man's  tongue  had  not  thus  cast  him  in  the  teeth  with  blood, 
he  had  been  surprised  by  Pharaoh  ere  he  could  have  known  that 
the  fact  was  known. 

Now  he  grows  jealous,  flees,  and  escapes.  No  friend  is  so 
commodious  in  some  cases  as  an  adversary.  This  wound,  which 
the  Hebrew  thought  to  give  Moses,  saved  his  life.  As  it  is  good 
for  a  man  to  have  an  enemy,  so  it  shall  be  our  wisdom  to  make 
use  of  his  most  choleric  objections.  The  worst  of  an  enemy  may 
prove  most  sovereign  to  ourselves.  Moses  flees.  It  is  no  dis- 
comfort for  a  man  to  flee  when  his  conscience  pursues  him  not. 
Where  God's  warrant  will  not  protect  us,  it  is  good  for  the  heels 
to  supply  the  place  of  the  tongue. 

Moses,  when  he  may  not  in  Egypt,  will  be  doing  justice  in 
Midian.  In  Egypt,  he  delivers  the  oppressed  Israelite ;  in  Mi- 
dian,  the  wronged  daughters  of  Jethro.  A  good  man  will  be 
doing  good  wheresoever  he  is :  his  trade  is  a  compound  of  charity 
and  justice ;  as  therefore  evil  dispositions  cannot  be  changed  with 
airs,  no  more  will  good. 

Now  then  he  sits  him  down  by  a  well  in  Midian.  There  he 
might  have  to  drink,  but  where  to  eat  he  knew  not.  The  case 
was  altered  with  Moses ;  to  come  from  the  dainties  of  the  court 
of  Egypt  to  the  hunger  of  the  fields  of  Midian :  it  is  a  lesson  that 
all  GocTs  children  must  learn  to  take  out,  To  want  and  to 
abound.  Who  can  think  strange  of  penury,  when  the  great 
governor  of  God's  people  once  hath  nothing? 

Who  would  not  have  thought  in  this  case  Moses  should  have 


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80  Of  tlie  birth  and  breeding  of  Moses.  book  iv. 

beeft  hcafrtless  and  sullen  ?  So  cast  down  with  his  own  complaints, 
that  he  should  have  had  no  feeling  of  others  ?  Yet  how  hot  is  he 
upon  justice !  No  adversity  can  make  a  good  man  neglect  good 
duties:  he  sees  the  oppression  of  the  shepherds,  the  image  of 
that  other  he  left  behind  him  in  Egypt.  The  maids,  daughters 
of  so  great  a  peer,  draw  water  for  their  flocks;  the  inhuman 
shepherds  drive  them  away :  rudeness  hath  no  respect  either  to 
sex  or  condition.  If  we  lived  not  under  laws,  this  were  our  case : 
might  would  be  the  measure  of  justice :  we  should  not  so  much  as 
enjoy  our  own  water. 

Unjust  courses  will  not  ever  prosper :  Moses  shall  rather  come 
from  Egypt  to  Midian  to  beat  the  shepherds,  than  they  shall  vex 
the  daughters  of  Jethro. 

This  act  of  justice  was  not  better  done  than  taken :  Reuel  re- 
quites it  kindly  with  an  hospitable  entertainment.  A  good  nature 
is  ready  to  answer  courtesies:  we  cannot  do  too  much  for  a 
thankful  man :  and  if  a  courteous  heathen  reward  the  watering 
of  a  sheep  in  this  bountiful  manner,  how  shall  our  God  recom- 
pense but  a  cup  of  cold  water  that  is  given  to  a  disciple ! 

This  favour  hath  won  Moses ;  who  now  consents  to  dwell  with 
him,  though  out  of  the  church.  Curiosity,  or  whatsoever  idle 
occasions,  may  not  draw  us  for  our  residence  out  of  the  bounds 
of  the  church  of  Qod ;  danger  of  life  may :  we  love  not  the 
church  if  we  easily  leave  it ;  if  in  a  case  of  life  we  leave  it  not, 
upon  opportunity  for  a  time  of  respite,  we  love  not  ourselves. 

The  first  part  of  Moses's  requital  was  his  wife ;  one  of  those 
whom  he  had  formerly  protected.  I  do  not  so  much  marvel  that 
Jethro  gave  him  his  daughter  (for  he  saw  him  valiant,  wise, 
learned,  nobly  bred)  as  that  Moses  would  take  her ;  a  stranger 
both  in  blood  and  religion.  I  could  plead  for  him  necessity :  his 
own  nation  was  shut  up  to  him :  if  he  would  have  tried  to  fetch 
a  daughter  of  Israel,  he  had  endangered  to  leave  himself  behind. 
I  could  plead  some  correspondence  in  common  principles  of  reli- 
gion ;  for  doubtless  Moses's  zeal  could  not  suffer  him  to  smother 
the  truth  in  himself:  he  should  have  been  an  unfaithful  servant, 
if  he  had  not  been  his  master's  teacher.  Tet  neither  of  these  can 
make  this  match  either  safe  or  good.  The  event  bewrays  it 
dangerously  inconvenient. 

This  choice  had  like  to  have  cost  him  dear :  she  stood  in  his 
way  for  circumcision;  God  stands  in  his  way  for  revenge. 
Though  he  was  now  in  God's  message,  yet  might  he  not  be  for- 


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cont.  in.  Of  Moses's  colling.  81 

borne  in  this  neglect.  No  circumstance,  either  of  the  clearness 
of  the  solicitor  or  our  own  engagement,  can  bear  out  a  sin  with 
God. 

Those  which  are  unequally  yoked  may  not  ever  look  to  draw  one 
way.  True  love  to  the  person  cannot  long  agree  with  dislike  of 
the  religion.  He  had  need  to  be  more  than  a  man  that  hath  a 
Zipporah  in  his  bosom,  and  would  have  true  zeal  in  his  heart. 

All  this  while  Moses's  affection  was  not  so  tied  to  Midian  that 
he  could  forget  Egypt.  He  was  a  stranger  in  Midian :  what  was 
he  else  in  Egypt  ?  Surely  either  Egypt  was  not  his  home,  or  a 
miserable  one ;  and  yet,  in  reference  to  it,  he  calls  his  son  Ger- 
shora,  a  stranger  there.  Much  better  were  it  to  be  a  stranger 
there  than  a  dweller  in  Egypt.  How  hardly  can  we  forget  the 
place  of  our  abode  or  education,  although  never  so  homely !  And 
if  he  so  thought  of  his  Egyptian  home,  where  was  nothing  but 
bondage  and  tyranny,  how  should  we  think  of  that  home  of  ours 
above,  where  is  nothing  but  rest  and  blessedness ! 


OF  MOSES'S  CALLING.— Exodus  iii. 

Forty  years  was  Moses  a  courtier,  and  forty  years  after  that  a 
shepherd.  That  great  men  may  not  be  ashamed  of  honest  voca- 
tions, the  greatest  that  ever  were  have  been  content  to  take  up 
with  mean  trades.  The  contempt  of  honest  callings  in  those  which 
are  well  born  argues  pride  without  wit.  How  constantly  did 
Moses  stick  to  his  hook  I  and  yet  a  man  of  great  spirits,  of  ex- 
cellent learning,  of  curious  education ;  and  if  God  had  not,  after 
his  forty  years'  service,  called  him  off,  he  had  so  ended  his  days. 
Humble  resolutions  are  so  much  more  heroical  as  they  fall  into 
higher  subjects. 

There  can  be  no  fitter  disposition  for  a  leader  of  God's  people 
than  constancy  in  his  undertakings,  without  either  weariness  or 
change.  How  had  he  learned  to  subdue  all  ambitious  desires, 
and  to  rest  content  with  his  obscurity  I  So  he  might  have  the 
freedom  of  his  thoughts  and  full  opportunity  of  holy  meditations, 
he  willingly  leaves  the  world  to  others,  and  envies  not  his  proudest 
acquaintance  of  the  court  of  Pharaoh.  He  that  hath  true  worth 
in  himself  and  familiarity  with  God,  finds  more  pleasure  in  the 
deserts  of  Midian,  than  others  can  do  in  the  palaces  of  kings. 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  G 

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82  Of  Moses's  calling.  book  iv. 

While  he  is  tending  his  sheep  God  appeared  unto  him :  God 
never  graces  the  idle  with  his  visions :  when  he  finds  us  in  our 
callings,  we  find  him  in  the  tokens  of  his  mercy.  Satan  appears 
to  the  idle  man  in  manifold  temptations,  or  rather  presents  him- 
self and  appears  not.  God  was  ever  with  Moses,  yet  was  he  not 
seen  till  now.  He  is  never  absent  from  his,  but  sometimes  he 
makes  their  senses  witnesses  of  his  presence. 

In  small  matters  may  be  greater  wonders.  That  a  bush  should 
burn  is  no  marvel,  but  that  it  should  not  consume  in  burning  is 
justly  miraculous.  God  chooseth  not  ever  great  subjects  wherein 
to  exercise  his  power.  It  is  enough  that  his  power  is  great  in 
the  smallest. 

When  I  look  upon  this  burning  bush  with  Moses,  methinks  I 
can  never  see  a  worthier  and  more  lively  emblem  of  the  church ; 
that  in  Egypt  was  in  the  furnace,  yet  wasted  not ;  since  then  how 
oft  hath  it  been  flaming,  never  consumed !  The  same  power  that 
enlightens  it  preserves  it;  and  to  none  but  to  his  enemies  is  he  a 
consuming  fire. 

Moses  was  a  great  philosopher,  but  small  skill  would  have 
served  to  know  the  nature  of  fire  and  of  the  bush :  that  fire 
meeting  with  combustible  matter  could  not  but  consume,  if  it  had 
been  some  solid  wood,  it  would  have  yielded  later  to  the  flame ; 
but  bushes  are  of  so  quick  despatch,  that  the  joy  of  the  wicked  is 
compared  to  a  fire  of  thorns.  He  noted  a  while,  saw  it  continued, 
and  began  to  wonder.  It  was  some  marvel  how  it  should  come 
there,  but  how  it  should  continue  without  supply,  yea,  without 
diminution  of  matter,  was  truly  admirable. 

Doubtless  he  went  oft  about  it,  and  viewed  it  on  all  sides ;  and 
now,  when  his  eye  and  mind  could  meet  with  no  likely  causes  so 
far  off,  resolves,  I  will  go  see  it:  his  curiosity  led  him  nearer, 
and  what  could  he  see  but  a  bush  and  a  flame,  which  he  saw  at 
first  unsatisfied?  It  is  good  to  come  to  the  place  of  God's  pre- 
sence howsoever :  God  may  perhaps  speak  to  thy  heart,  though 
thou  come  but  for  novelty.  Even  those  which  have  come  upon 
curiosity  have  been  oft  taken :  absence  is  without  hope :  if  Moses 
bad  not  come,  he  had  not  been  called  out  of  the  bush. 

To  see  a  fire  not  consuming  the  bush  was  much,  but  to  hear 
a  speaking  fire,  this  was  more ;  and  to  hear  his  own  name  out  of 
the  mouth  of  the  fire,  it  was  most  of  all.  God  makes  way  for  his 
greatest  messages  by  astonishment  and  admiration ;  as  on  the  con- 
trary, carelessness  carries  us  to  a  mere  unproficiency  under  the 


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cont.  in.  Of  Moses's  catting.  83 

best  means  of  God.  If  our  hearts  were  more  awful,  God's  mes- 
sages would  be  more  effectual  to  us. 

In  that  appearance  God  meant  to  call  Moses  to  come,  yet  when 
he  is  come,  inhibits  him;  Come  not  hither.  We  must  come 
to  God,  must  not  come  too  near  him.  When  we  meditate  of  the 
great  mysteries  of  his  word,  we  come  to  him ;  we  come  too  near 
him  when  we  search  into  his  counsels.  The  sun  and  the  fire  say 
of  themselves,  "  Come  not  too  near ;"  how  much  more  the  light 
which  none  can  attain  unto !  We  have  all  our  limits  set  us :  the 
Gentiles  might  come  into  some  outer  courts,  not  into  the  inmost : 
the  Jews  might  come  into  the  inner  court,  not  into  the  tem- 
ple ;  the  priests  and  Levites  into  the  temple,  not  into  the  Holy 
of  Holies ;  Moses  to  the  hill,  not  to  the  bush.  The  waves  of  the 
sea  had  not  more  need  of  bounds  than  man's  presumption.  Moses 
must  not  come  close  to  the  bush  at  all ;  and  where  he  may  stand, 
he  may  not  stand  with  his  shoes  on.  There  is  no  unhohness  in 
clothes :  God  prepared  them  for  man  at  first,  and  that  of  skins, 
lest  any  exception  should  be  taken  at  the  hides  of  dead  beasts. 
This  rite  was  significant.  What  are  the  shoes  but  worldly  and 
carnal  affections?  If  these  be  not  cast  off  when  we  come  to  the 
holy  place,  we  make  ourselves  unholy :  how  much  less  should  wo 
dare  to  come  with  resolutions  of  sin  I  This  is  not  only  to  come 
with  shoes  on,  but  with  shoes  bemired  with  wicked  filthiness ;  the 
touch  whereof  profanes  the  pavement  of  God,  and  makes  our 
presence  odious. 

Moses  was  the  son  of  Amram,  Amram  of  Kohath,  Eohath  of 
Levi,  Levi  of  Jacob,  Jacob  of  Isaac,  Isaac  of  Abraham.  God  puts 
together  both  ends  of  his  pedigree ;  /  am  the  God  of  thy  father, 
and  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob.  If  he  had  said  only,  lam  thy 
God,  it  bad  been  Moses's  duty  to  attend  awfully ;  but  now  that 
he  says,  lam  the  God  of  thy  father,  and  of  Abraham,  ^c,  he 
challenges  reverence  by  prescription.  Any  thing  that  was  our 
ancestors'  pleases  us ;  their  houses,  their  vessels,  their  coat-armour ; 
how  much  more  their  God !  How  careful  should  parents  be  to 
.  make  holy  choices  I  Every  precedent  of  theirs  is  so  many  monu- 
ments and  motives  to  their  posterity. 

What  an  happiness  it  is  to  be  born  of  good  parents  I  Hence 
God  claims  an  interest  in  us  and  we  in  him,  for  their  sake.  As 
many  a  man  smarteth  for  his  father's  sin,  so  the  goodness  of 
others  is  crowned  in  a  thousand  generations.  Neither  doth  God 
say,  "  I  was  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob ;"  but,  /  am. 

o  % 


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84  Of  Moses  s  calling.  book  iv. 

The  patriarchs  still  live  after  so  many  thousand  years  of  disso- 
lution. No  length  of  time  can  separate  the  souls  of  the  just  from 
their  Maker.  As  for  their  body,  there  is  still  a  real  relation  be- 
twixt the  dust  of  it  and  the  soul ;  and  if  the  being  of  this  part  be 
more  defective,  the  being  of  the  other  is  more  lively,  and  doth 
more  than  recompense  the  wants  of  that  earthly  half. 

God  could  not  describe  himself  by  a  more  sweet  name  than 
this,  /  am  the  God  of  thy  father,  and  of  Abraham,  fyc.  yet  Moses 
hides  his  face  for  fear.  If  he  had  said,  "  I  am  the  glorious  God 
that  made  heaven  and  earth,  that  dwell  in  light  inaccessible, 
whom  the  angels  cannot  behold  ;"  or, "  I  am  God  the  avenger,  just 
and  terrible,  a  consuming  fire  to  mine  enemies ;"  here  had  been  just 
cause  of  terror.  But  why  was  Moses  so  frighted  with  a  familiar 
compellation  ?  God  is  no  less  awful  to  his  own  in  his  very  mercies  : 
Great  is  thy  mercy \  that  thou  mayest  be  feared  ;  for  to  them  no 
less  majesty  shines  in  the  favours  of  God,  than  in  his  judgments 
and  justice.  The  wicked  heart  never  fears  God,  but  thundering, 
or  shaking  the  earth,  or  raining  fire  from  heaven ;  but  the  good 
can  dread  him  in  his  very  sunshine :  his  loving  deliverances  and 
blessings  affect  them  with  awfulness.  Moses  was  the  true  son  of 
Jacob ;  who,  when  he  saw  nothing  but  visions  of  love  and  mercy, 
could  say,  How  dreadful  is  this  place ! 

I  see  Moses  now  at  the  bush  hiding  his  face  at  so  mild  a  repre- 
sentation :  hereafter  we  shall  see  him  in  this  very  mount  betwixt 
heaven  and  earth;  in  thunder,  lightning,  smoke,  earthquakes, 
speaking  mouth  to  mouth  with  God,  barefaced  and  fearless :  God 
was  then  more  terrible,  but  Moses  was  less  strange.  This  was  his 
first  meeting  with  God ;  further  acquaintance  makes  him  familiar, 
and  familiarity  makes  him  bold :  frequence  of  conversation  gives 
us  freedom  of  access  to  God ;  and  makes  us  pour  out  our  hearts 
to  him  as  fully  and  as  fearlessly  as  to  our  friends.  In  the  mean 
time,  now  at  first  he  made  not  so  much  haste  to  see,  but  he  made 
as  much  to  hide  his  eyes. 

Twice  did  Moses  hide  his  face ;  once  for  the  glory  which  God 
put  upon  him,  which  made  him  so  shine,  that  he  could  not  be 
beheld  of  others ;  once  for  God's  own  glory,  which  he  could  not 
behold.  No  marvel.  Some  of  the  creatures  are  too  glorious  for 
mortal  eyes ;  how  much  more,  when  God  appears  to  us  in  the 
easiest  manner,  must  his  glory  needs  overcome  us ! 

Behold  the  difference  betwixt  our  present  and  future  estate; 
then  the  more  majesty  of  appearance  the  more  delight;  when 


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cont.  iv.  Of  the  plagues  of  Egypt.  85 

our  sin  is  quite  gone,  all  our  fear  at  God's  presence  shall  be 
turned  into  joy.  God  appeared  to  Adam  before  his  sin  with 
comfort,  but  in  the  same  form  which  after  his  sin  was  terrible. 
And  if  Moses  cannot  abide  to  look  upon  God's  glory  when  he 
descends  to  us  in  mercy,  how  shall  wicked  ones  abide  to  see  his 
fearful  presence  when  he  sets  upon  vengeance!  In  this  fire  he 
flamed  and  consumed  not,  but  in  his  revenge  our  God  is  a  con- 
suming fire. 

First,  Moses  hides  himself  in  fear,  now  in  modesty :  Who  am  I? 
None  in  all.  Egypt  or  Midian  was  comparably  fit  for  this  embas- 
sage. Which  of  the  Israelites  had  been  brought  up  a  courtier, 
a  scholar,  an  Israelite  by  blood,  by  education  an  Egyptian,  learned, 
wise,  valiant,  experienced  ?  Yet,  Who  am  I?  The  more  fit  any 
man  is  for  whatsoever  vocation,  the  less  he  thinks  himself.  For- 
wardness argues  insufficiency.  The  unworthy  thinks  still,  "  Who 
am  I  not?"  Modest  beginnings  give  hopeful  proceedings  and 
happy  endings.  Once  before  Moses  had  taken  upon  him  and  laid 
about  him,  hoping  then  they  would  have  known  that  by  his  hand 
God  meant  to  deliver  Israel ;  but  now,  when  it  comes  to  the  point, 
Who  am  If  God's  best  servants  are  not  ever  in  an  equal  dispo- 
sition to  good  duties.  If  we  find  differences  in  ourselves  some- 
times, it  argues  that  grace  is  not  our  own.  It  is  our  fruity,  that 
those  services  which  we  are  forward  to  aloof  off,  we  shrink  at, 
near  hand,  and  fearfully  misgive.  How  many  of  us  can  bid  de- 
fiances to  death,  and  suggest  answers  to  absent  temptations,  which 
when  they  come  home  to  us  we  fly  off  and  change  our  note,  and 
instead  of  action,  expostulate ! 


OF  THE  PLAGUES  OF  EGYPT.— Exodus  vii-xii. 

It  is  too  much  honour  for  flesh  and  blood  to  receive  a  message 
from  heaven ;  yet  here  God  sends  a  message  to  man,  and  is  re- 
pulsed. Well  may  God  ask,  Who  is  man,  that  I  should  regard 
him  f  but  for  man  to  ask,  Who  is  the  Lord  f  is  a  proud  and  bold 
blasphemy. 

Thus  wild  is  nature  at  the  first ;  but  ere  God  hath  done  with 
Pharaoh  he  will  be  known  of  him ;  he  will  make  himself  known 
by  him  to  all  the  world.  God  might  have  swept  him  away 
suddenly. 


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86  Of  (he  plagues  of  Egypt.  book  iv. 

How  unworthy  is  he  of  life,  who,  with  the  same  breath  that 
he  receives,  denies  the  Giver  of  it !  But  he  would  have  [him  con- 
vinced ere  he  were  punished ;  first  therefore  he  works  miracles 
before  him,  then  upon  him. 

Pharaoh  was  now,  from  a  staff  of  protection  and  sustentation 
to  God's  people,  turned  to  a  serpent  that  stung  them  to  death : 
God  shows  himself  in  this  real  emblem;  doing  that  suddenly 
before  him  which  Satan  had  wrought  in  him  by  leisure ;  and  now 
when  he  crawls  and  winds  and  hisses,  threatening  peril  to  Israel, 
he  shows  him  how  in  an  instant  he  can  turn  him  into  a  senseless 
stick,  and  make  him,  if  not  useful,  yet  fearless. 

The  same  God  which  wrought  this  gives  Satan  leave  to  imitate 
it ;  the  first  plague  that  he  meant  to  inflict  upon  Pharaoh  is  delu- 
sion. God  can  be  content  the  devil  should  win  himself  credit 
where  he  means  to  judge,  and  holds  the  honour  of  a  miracle  well 
lost,  to  harden  an  enemy ;  yet,  to  show  that  his  miracle  was  of 
power,  the  others  of  permission,  Moses's  serpent  devours  theirs. 
How  easily  might  the  Egyptians  have  thought,  that  he,  which 
caused  their  serpent  not  to  be,  could  have  kopt  it  from  being ; 
and  that  they,  which  could  not  keep  their  serpent  from  devour- 
ing, could  not  secure  them  from  being  consumed!  But  wise 
thoughts  enter  not  into  those  that  must  perish. 

All  God's  judgments  stand  ready,  and  wait  but  till  they  be 
called  for.  They  need  but  a  watchword  to  be  given  them.  No 
sooner  is  the  rod  lift  up,  but  they  are  gone  forth  into  the  world ; 
presently  the  waters  run  into  blood,  the  frogs  and  lice  crawl 
about,  and  all  the  other  troops  of  God  come  rushing  in  upon  his 
adversaries. 

All  creatures  conspire  to  revenge  the  injuries  of  God.  If  the 
Egyptians  look  upward,  there  they  have  thunder,  lightning,  hail, 
tempests;  one  while  no  light  at  all,  another  while  such  fearful 
flashes  as  had  more  terror  than  darkness:  if  they  look  under 
them,  there  they  see  their  waters  changed  into  blood,  their  earth 
swarming  with  frogs  and  grasshoppers ;  if  about  them,  one  while 
the  flies  fill  their  eyes  and  ears ;  another  while,  they  see  their 
fruits  destroyed,  their  cattle  dying,  their  children  dead:  if, 
lastly,  they  look  upon  themselves,  they  see  themselves  loathsome 
with  lice,  painful  and  deformed  with  scabs,  boils,  and  blotches. 

First,  God  begins  his  judgments  with  waters.  As  the  river  of 
Nilus  was  to  Egypt  instead  of  heaven,  to  moisten  and  fatten  the 
earth ;  so  their  confidence  was  more  in  it  than  in  heaven.     Men 


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cont.  iv.  Of  the  plagues  of  Egypt.  87 

are  sore  to  be  punished  most  tod  soonest  in  that  which  they 
make  a  co-rival  with  God. 

They  had  before  defiled  the  river  with  the  blood  of  innocents ; 
and  now  it  appears  to  them  in  his  own  colour.  The  waters  will 
no  longer  keep  their  counsel.  Never  any  man  delighted  in  blood, 
which  had  not  enough  of  it  ere  his  end :  they  shed  but  some  few 
streams,  and  now,  behold,  whole  rivers  of  blood ! 

Neither  was  this  more  a  monument  of  their  slaughter  past 
than  an  image  of  their  future  destruction.  They  were  afterward 
overwhelmed  in  the  Bed  sea,  and  now  beforehand  they  seo  the 
rivers  red  with  blood. 

How  dependent  and  servile  is  the  life  of  man,  that  cannot 
either  want  one  element  or  endure  it  corrupted !  It  is  hard  to 
say,  whether  there  were  more  horror  or  annoyance  in  this  plague. 
They  complain  of  thirst,  and  yet  doubt  whether  they  should  die 
or  quench  it  with  blood. 

Their  fish,  the  chief  part  of  their  sustenance,  dies  with  infec- 
tion, and  infecteth  more  by  being  dead.  The  stench  of  both  is 
ready  to  poison  the  inhabitants ;  yet  Pharaoh's  curiosity  carries 
him  away  quite  from  the  sense  of  the  judgment :  he  had  rather 
send  for  his  magicians  to  work  feats,  than  to  humble  himself 
under  God  for  the  removal  of  this  plague ;  and  God  plagues  his 
curiosity  with  deceit :  those  whom  he  trusts  shall  undo  him  with 
prevailing :  the  glory  of  a  second  miracle  shall  be  obscured  by  a 
false  imitation,  for  a  greater  glory  to  God  in  the  sequel. 

The  rod  is  lift  up  again :  behold,  that  Nilus,  which  they  had 
before  adored,  was  never  so  beneficial  as  it  is  now  troublesome ; 
yielding  them  not  only  a  dead  but  a  living  annoyance :  it  never 
did  so  store  them  with  fish,  as  now  it  plagues  them  with  frogs : 
whatsoever  any  man  makes  his  god  besides  the  true  one  shall 
be  once  his  tormentor.  Those  loathsome  creatures  leave  their 
own  element  to  punish  them  which  rebelliously  detain  Israel 
from  their  own.  No  bed,  no  table,  can  be  free  from  them :  their 
dainty  ladies  cannot  keep  them  out  of  their  bosoms :  neither  can 
the  Egyptians  sooner  open  their  mouths,  than  they  are  ready  to 
creep  into  their  throats;  as  if  they  would  tell  them  that  they 
came  on  purpose  to  revenge  the  wrongs  of  their  Maker. 

Yet  even  this  wonder  also  is  Satan  allowed  to  imitate.  Who 
can  marvel  to  see  the  best  virtues  counterfeited  by  wicked  men, 
when  he  sees  the  devil  emulating  the  miraculous  power  of  God  ? 
The  feats  that  Satan  plays  may  harden,  but  cannot  benefit.     lie, 


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88  Of  the  plagues  of  Egypt  book  iv. 

that  bath  leave  to  bring  frogs  hath  neither  leave  nor  power  to 
take  them  away,  nor  to  take  away  the  stench  from  them.  To 
bring  them  was  but  to  add  to  the  judgment,  to  remove  them 
was  an  act  of  mercy.  God  doth  commonly  use  Satan  in  executing 
of  judgment,  never  in  the  works  of  mercy  to  men. 

Yet  even  by  thus  much  is  Pharaoh  hardened,  and  the  sorcerers 
grown  insolent.  When  the  devil  and  his  agents  are  in  the  height 
of  their  pride,  Ood  shames  them  in  a  trifle. 

Th$  rod  is  lift  up:  the  very  dust  receives  life:  lice  abound  every- 
where, and  make  no  difference  betwixt  beggars  and  princes. 

Though  Pharaoh  and  his  courtiers  abhorred  to  see  themselves 
lousy,  yet  they  hoped  this  miracle  would  be  more  easily  imitable : 
but  now,  the  greater  possibility  the  greater  foil.  How  are  the 
great  wonder-mongers  of  Egypt  abashed,  that  they  can  neither 
make  lice  of  their  own,  nor  deliver  themselves  from  the  lice  that 
are  made !  Those  that  could  make  serpents  and  frogs  could  not 
either  make  or  kill  lice ;  to  show  them  that  those  frogs  and  ser- 
pents were  not  their  own  workmanship.  Now  Pharaoh  must 
needs  see  how  impotent  a  devil  he  served,  that  could  not  make 
that  vermin  which  every  day  rises  voluntarily  out  of  corruption. 
Jannes  and  Jambres  cannot  now  make  those  lice  so  much  as  by 
delusion,  which  at  another  time  they  cannot  choose  but  produce 
unknowing,  and  which  now  they  cannot  avoid.  That  spirit, 
which  is  powerful  to  execute  the  greatest  things  when  he  is 
bidden,  is  unable  to  do  the  least  when  he  is  restrained. 

Now  these  co-rivals  of  Moses  can  say,  This  is  the  finger  of 
God.  Ye  foolish  enchanters,  was  God's  finger  in  the  lice,  not  in 
the  frogs,  not  in  the  blood,  not  in  the  serpent  ?  And  why  was  it 
rather  in  the  less  than  in  the  greater  ?  Because  ye  did  imitate 
the  other,  not  these.  As  if  the  same  finger  of  God  had  not  been 
before  in  your  imitation,  which  was  now  in  your  restraint :  as  if  ye 
could  have  failed  in  these,  if  ye  had  not  been  only^  permitted  the 
other.  While  wicked  minds  have  their  full  scope,  they  never  look  up 
above  themselves ;  but  when  once  God  crosses  them  in  their  pro- 
ceedings, their  want  of  success  teaches  them  to  give  God  his  own. 

All  these  plagues  perhaps  had  more  horror  than  pain  in  them. 
The  frogs  creep  upon  their  clothes,  the  lice  upon  their  skins; 
but  those  stinging  hornets  which  succeed  them  shall  wound  and 
kill.  The  water  was  annoyed  with  the  first  plague,  the  earth 
with  the  second  and  third ;  this  fourth  fills  the  air,  and,  besides 
corruption,  brings  smart. 


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cont.  iv.  Of  the  plagues  of  Egypt  89 

And  that  they  may  see  this  winged  army  comes  from  an  angry 
God,  not  either  from  nature  or  chance,  even  the  very  flies  shall 
make  a  difference  betwixt  Egypt  and  Qoshen.  He  that  gave 
them  their  being  sets  them  their  stint.  They  can  no  more  sting 
an  Israelite  than  favour  an  Egyptian.  The  very  wings  of  flies 
are  directed  by  a  providence,  and  do  acknowledge  their  limits. 

Now  Pharaoh  finds  how  impossible  it  is  for  him  to  stand  out 
with  God,  since  all  his  power  cannot  rescue  him  from  lice  and 
flies.  And  now  his  heart  begins  to  thaw  a  little :  Go,  do  sacri- 
fice to  your  God  in  this  land :  or,  since  that  will  not  be  accepted, 
Go  into  the  wilderness,  but  not  far. 

But  how  soon  it  knits  again!  Good  thoughts  make  but  a 
thoroughfare  of  carnal  hearts ;  they  can  never  settle  there :  yea, 
his  very  misgiving  hardens  him  the  more ;  that  now,  neither  the 
murrain  of  his  cattle  nor  the  blotches  of  his  servants  can  stir 
him  a  whit.  He  saw  his  cattle  struck  dead  with  a  sudden  con- 
tagion; he  saw  his  sorcerers,  after  their  contestation  with  God's 
messengers,  struck  with  a  scab  in  their  very  faces ;  and  yet  his 
heart  is  not  struck.  Who  would  think  it  possible  that  any  soul 
could  be  secure  in  the  midst  of  such  variety  and  frequence  of 
judgments?  These  very  plagues  have  not  more  wonder  in  them 
than  their  success  hath.  To  what  an  height  of  obduration  will 
sin  lead  a  man,  and,  of  all  sins,  incredulity ! 

Amidst  all  these  storms  Pharaoh  sleepeth;  till  the  voice  of 
God's  mighty  thunders,  and  hail  mixed  with  fire,  roused  him  up 
a  little.  Now,  as  betwixt  sleeping  and  waking,  he  starts  up  and 
*  says,  God  is  righteous,  lam  wicked;  Moses,  pray  for  us;  and 
presently  lays  down  his  head  again.  God  hath  no  sooner  done 
thundering,  than  he  hath  done  fearing. 

All  this  while  you  never  find  him  careful  to  prevent  any  one 
evil,  but  desirous  still  to  shift  it  off,  when  he  feels  it ;  never  holds 
constant  to  any  good  motion ;  never  prays  for  himself,  but  care- 
lessly wills  Moses  and  Aaron  to  pray  for  him ;  never  yields  God 
his  whole  demand,  but  higgleth  and  dodgeth,  like  some  hard 
chapman,  that  would  get  a  release  with  the  cheapest :  first,  They 
shall  not  go :  then,  Go  and  sacrifice,  but  in  Egypt ;  next,  Go 
sacrifice  in  the  wilderness,  but  not  far  of;  after,  Go  ye  that  are 
mm;  then,  Go  you  and  your  children  only;  at  last,  Go  all, 
save  your  sheep  and  cattle.  Wheresoever  mere  nature  is,  she  is 
still  improvident  of  future  good,  sensible  of  present  evil,  incon- 
stant in  good  purposes ;  unable,  through  unacquaintance,  and  un- 


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90  Of  the  plagues  of  Egypt.  book  i  v. 

willing  to  speak  for  herself;  niggardly  in  her  grants,  and  un- 
cheerfdl. 

The  plague  of  the  grasshoppers  startled  him  a  little,  and  the 
more  through  the  importunity  of  his  servants :  for,  when  he  con- 
sidered the  fish  destroyed  with  the  first  blow ;  the  cattle,  with 
the  fifth ;  the  corn,  with  the  seventh ;  the  fruit  and  leaves,  with 
this  eighth ;  and  nothing  now  left  him  but  a  bare  fruitless  earth 
to  live  upon,  and  that  covered  over  with  locusts;  necessity  drove 
him  to  relent  for  an  advantage:  Forgive  me  this  once;  take 
from  me  this  death  only. 

But,  as  constrained  repentance  is  ever  short  and  unsound,  the 
west  wind,  together  with  the  grasshoppers,  blows  away  his  re- 
morse, and  now  is  he  ready  for  another  judgment.  As  the 
grasshoppers  took  away  the  sight  of  the  earth  from  him,  so  now 
a  gross  darkness  takes  away  the  sight  of  heaven  too :  other  dark- 
nesses were  but  privative,  this  was  real  and  sensible. 

The  Egyptians  thought  this  night  long :  how  could  they  choose 
when  it  was  six  in  one !  and  so  much  the  more,  for  that  no  man 
could  rise  to  talk  with  other,  but  was  necessarily  confined  to  his 
own  thoughts :  one  thinks  the  fault  in  his  own  eyes,  which  he  rubs 
oftentimes  in  vain :  others  think  that  the  sun  is  lost  out  of  the 
firmament,  and  is  now  withdrawn  for  ever ;  others,  that  all  things 
are  returning  to  their  first  confusion :  all  think  themselves  miser- 
able, past  remedy,  and  wish,  whatsoever  had  befallen  them,  that 
they  might  have  had  but  light  enough  to  see  themselves  die. 

Now  Pharaoh  proves  like  to  some  beasts  that  grow  mad  with 
baiting:  grace  often  resisted  turns  to  desperateness :  Get  thee' 
from  me;  look  thou  see  my  face  no  more ;  whensoever  thou  contest 
in  my  sight  thou  shah  die.  As  if  Moses  could  not  plague  him  as 
well  in  absence :  as  if  he,  that  could  not  take  away  the  lice,  flies, 
frogs,  grasshoppers,  could  at  his  pleasure  take  away  the  life  of 
Moses  that  procured  them.  What  is  this  but  to  run  upon  the 
judgments,  and  run  away  from  the  remedies  ?  Evermore,  when 
God's  messengers  are  abandoned,  destruction  is  near. 

Moses  will  see  him  no  more  till  he  see  him  dead  upon  the 
sands;  but  God  will  now  visit  him  more  than  ever.  The  fearfulest 
plagues  God  still  reserves  for  the  upshot :  all  the  former  do  but 
make  way  for  the  last.  Pharaoh  may  exclude  Moses  and  Aaron, 
but  God's  angel  he  cannot  exclude:  insensible  messengers  are 
used  when  the  visible  are  debarred. 

Now  God  begins  to  call  for  the  blood  they  owed  him :  in  one 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  iv.  Of  the  plagues  of  Egypt  9 1 

night  every  house  hath  a  carcass  in  it ;  and,  which  is  more  griev- 
ous, of  their  firstborn ;  and,  which  is  yet  more  fearful,  in  an  in- 
stant. No  man  could  comfort  other :  every  man  was  too  full  of 
his  own  sorrow ;  helping  rather  to  make  the  noise  of  the  lamenta- 
tion more  doleful  and  astonishing. 

How  soon  hath  God  changed  the  note  of  this  tyrannical  people ! 
Egypt  was  never  so  stubborn  in  denying  passage  to  Israel,  as 
now  importunate  to  entreat  it :  Pharaoh  did  not  more  force  them 
to  stay  before,  than  now  to  depart ;  tfhom  lately  they  would  not 
permit,  now  they  hire  to  go.  Their  rich  jewels  of  silver  and  gold 
were  not  too  dear  for  them  whom  they  hated ;  how  much  rather 
had  they  to  send  them  away  wealthy,  than  to  have  them  stay  to 
be  their  executors !  Their  love  to  themselves  obtained  of  them  the 
enriching  of  their  enemies ;  and  now  they  are  glad  to  pay  them 
well  for  their  old  work  and  their  present  journey :  God's  people 
had  stayed  like  slaves,  they  go  away  like  conquerors,  with  the 
spoil  of  those  that  hated  them;  armed  for  security,  and  wealthy 
for  maintenance. 

Old  Jacob's  seventy  souls  which  he  brought  down  into  Egypt, 
in  spite  of  their  bondage  and  bloodshed,  go  forth  six  hundred 
thousand  men  besides  children.  The  world  is  well  mended  with 
Israel  since  he  went  with  his  staff  and  his  scrip  over  Jordan. 
Tyranny  is  too  weak  where  God  bids  Increase  and  multiply.  I 
know  not  where  else  the  good  herb  overgrows  the  weeds,  the 
church  outstrips  the  world.  I  fear,  if  they  had  lived  in  ease  and 
delicacy,  they  had  not  been  so  strong,  so  numerous.  Never  any 
true  Israelite  lost  by  his  affliction. 

Not  only  for  the  action,  but  the  time,  Pharaoh's  choice  meets 
with  God's :  that  very  night,  when  the  hundred  and  thirty1  years 
were  expired,  Israel  is  gone :  Pharaoh  neither  can,  nor  can  will, 
to  keep  them  any  longer ;  yet  in  this,  not  fulfilling  God's  will,  but 
his  own.  How  sweetly  doth  God  dispose  of  all  second  causes, 
that  while  they  do  their  own  will  they  do  his  I 

The  Israelites  are  equally  glad  of  this  haste.  Who  would  not 
be  ready  to  go,  yea  to  fly,  out  of  bondage  ?  They  have  what  they 
wished :  it  was  no  staying  for  a  second  invitation.    The  loss  of  an 

•  ["  Thus  the  Jews  in  Seder  Olam  collect  from  that  place  in  Genesis,  Thy 
seed  shall  be  a  stranger  four  hundred  years,  that  is,  Isaac  from  his  birth,  and 
his  posterity,  till  the  delivery  out  of  Egypt  by  Moses.  Of  which  space,  the 
servitude  and  oppression  of  the  Israelites  in  Egypt  came  not,  say  they,  to 
much  above  an  hundred  and  thirty  years." — Hammond  on  Acts  vii.  6.] 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


93  Of  the  plague*  of  Egypt.  book  iv. 

opportunity  is  many  times  unrecoverable :  the  love  of  their  liberty 
made  the  burden  of  their  dough  light.  Who  knew  whether  the 
variable  mind  of  Pharaoh  might  return  to  a  denial,  and  after  all  his 
stubbornness  repent  of  his  obedience?  It  is  foolish  to  hazard 
where  there  is  certainty  of  good  offers  and  uncertainty  of  conti- 
nuance. They  go  therefore ;  and  the  same  God  that  fetched  them 
out  is  both  their  guide  and  protector. 

How  carefully  doth  he  choose  their  way  I  not  the  nearer,  but 
the  safer.  He  would  not  have  his  people  so  suddenly  change 
from  bondage  to  war.  It  is  the  wondrous  mercy  of  God  that  he 
hath  respect,  as  to  his  own  glory,  so  to  our  infirmities.  He  intends 
them  wars  hereafter,  but  after  some  longer  breathing  and  more 
preparation ;  his  goodness  so  orders  all,  that  evils  are  not  ready  for 
us  till  we  be  ready  for  them. 

And  as  he  chooses,  so  he  guides  their  way.  That  they  might 
not  err  in  that  sandy  and  untracked  wilderness,  himself  goes 
before  them :  who  could  but  follow  cheerfully,  when  he  sees  God 
lead  him?  He  that  led  the  wise  men  by  a  star  leads  Israel  by 
a  cloud :  that  was  an  higher  object,  therefore  he  gives  them  an 
higher  and  more  heavenly  conduct ;  this  was  more  earthly,  there- 
fore he  contents  himself  with  a  lower  representation  of  his  pre- 
sence— a  pillar  of  cloud  and  fire ;  a  pillar  for  firmness ;  of  cloud 
and  fire  for  visibility  and  use.  The  greater  light  extinguishes 
the  less;  therefore  in  the  day  he  shows  them  not  fire,  but  a 
cloud:  in  the  night  nothing  is  seen  without  light,  therefore  he 
shows  them  not  the  cloud,  but  fire :  the  cloud  shelters  them  from 
heat  by  day;  the  fire  digests  the  rawness  of  the  night.  The 
same  God  is  both  a  cloud  and  a  fire  to  his  children,  ever  putting 
himself  into  those  forms  of  gracious  respects  that  may  best  fit 
their  necessities. 

As  good  motions  are  long  ere  they  can  enter  into  hard  hearts, 
so  they  seldom  continue  long.  No  sooner  were  the  backs  of 
Israel  turned  to  depart,  than  Pharaoh's  heart  and  face  is  turned 
after  them  to  fetch  them  back  again.  It  vexes  him  to  see  so 
great  a  command,  so  much  wealth,  cast  away  in  one  night;  which 
now  he  resolves  to  redeem,  though  with  more  plagues.  The  same 
ambition  and  covetousness  that  made  him  wear  out  so  many 
judgments  will  not  leave  him  till  it  have  wrought  out  his  full 
destruction. 

All  God's  vengeances  have  their  end — the  final  perdition  of 
his  enemies;  which  they  cannot  rest  till  they  have  attained: 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  iv.  Of  the  plagues  of  Egypt  93 

Pharaoh  therefore  and  his  Egyptians  will  needs  go  fetch  their 
bane. 

They  well  knew  that  Israel  was  fitter  to  serve  than  to  fight ; 
weary  with  their  servitude,  not  trained  up  to  war,  not  furnished 
with  provision  for  a  field :  themselves,  captains  and  soldiers  by 
profession ;  furnished  with  horses  and  chariots  of  war.  They  gave 
themselves  therefore  the  victory  beforehand,  and  Israel  either  for 
spoil  or  bondage. 

Tea,  the  weak  Israelites  gave  up  themselves  for  dead,  and 
already  are  talking  of  their  graves.  They  see  the  sea  before 
them,  behind  them  the  Egyptians;  they  know  not  whether  is 
more  merciless,  and  are  stricken  with  the  fear  of  both.  O  God, 
how  couldst  thou  forbear  so  distrustful  a  people  I  they  had  seen 
all  thy  wonders  in  Egypt  and  in  their  Goshen ;  they  saw  even 
now  thy  pillar  before  them,  and  yet  they  did  more  fear  Egypt 
than  believe  thee.  Thy  patience  is  no  less  miracle  than  thy 
deliverance.  But  instead  of  removing  from  them,  the  cloudy 
pillar  removes  behind  them,  and  stands  betwixt  the  Israelites  and 
Egyptians ;  as  if  God  would  have  said,  "  They  shall  first  overcome 
me,  O  Israel,  ere  they  touch  thee."  Wonder  did  now  justly  strive 
with  fear  in  the  Israelites,  when  they  saw  the  cloud  remove  behind 
them,  and  the  sea  remove  before  them.  They  were  not  used  to 
such  bulwarks.  God  stood  behind  them  in  the  cloud,  the  sea 
reared  them  up  walls  on  both  sides  them.  That  which  they 
feared  would  be  their  destruction  protected  them:  how  easily 
can  God  make  the  cruellest  of  his  creatures  both  our  friends  and 
patrons  I 

Tet  here  was  faith  mixed  with  unbelief.  He  was  a  bold 
Israelite  that  set  the  first  foot  into  the  channel  of  the  sea,  and 
every  step  that  they  set  in  that  moist  way  was  a  new  exercise  of 
their  faith. 

Pharaoh  sees  all  this,  and  wonders ;  yet  hath  not  the  wit  or 
grace  to  think,  though  the  pillar  tells  him  so  much,  that  God 
made  a  difference  betwixt  him  and  Israel.  He  is  offended  with 
the  sea  for  giving  way  to  his  enemies,  and  yet  sees  not  why  he 
may  not  trust  it  as  well  as  they.  He  might  well  have  thought, 
that  he  which  gave  light  in  Goshen  when  there  was  darkness  in 
Egypt  could  as  well  distinguish  in  the  sea,  but  he  cannot  now 
either  consider  or  fear ;  it  is  his  time  to  perish.  God  makes  him 
fair  way,  and  lets  him  run  smoothly  on  till  he  be  come  to  the 
midst  of  the  sea ;  not  one  wave  may  rise  up  against  him  to  wet 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


94  Of  the  plagues  of  Egypt.  book  i  v. 

so  much  as  the  hoof  of  his  horse.  Extraordinary  favours  to  wicked 
men  are  the  forerunners  of  their  ruin. 

Now  when  God  sees  the  Egyptians  too  far  to  return,  he  finds 
time  to  strike  them  with  their  last  terror :  they  know  not  why, 
but  they  would  return  too  late.  Those  chariots  in  which  they 
trusted  now  fail  them,  as  having  done  service  enough  to  carry 
them  into  perdition.  God  pursues  them,  and  they  cannot  fly  from 
him.  Wicked  men  make  equal  haste  both  to  sin  and  from  judg- 
ment; but  they  shall  one  day  find  that  it  is  not  more  easy  to  run 
into  sin  than  impossible  to  run  away  from  judgment;  the  sea 
will  show  them  that  it  regards  the  rod  of  Moses,  not  the  sceptre 
of  Pharaoh ;  and  now,  as  glad  to  have  got  the  enemies  of  God  at 
such  an  advantage,  shuts  her  mouth  upon  them  and  swallows 
them  up  in  her  waves ;  and  after  she  hath  made  sport  with  them 
a  while,  casts  them  upon  her  sand,  for  a  spectacle  of  triumph  to 
their  adversaries. 

What  a  sight  was  this  to  the  Israelites,  when  they  were  now 
safe  on  the  shore,  to  see  their  enemies  come  floating  after  them 
upon  the  billows ;  and  to  find  among  the  carcasses  upon  the  sands 
their  known  oppressors,  which  now  they  can  tread  upon  with 
insultation!  they  did  not  cry  more  loud  before  than  now  they 
sing.  Not  their  faith,  but  their  sense,  teaches  them  now  to  mag- 
nify that  God  after  their  deliverance,  whom  they  hardly  trusted 
for  their  deliverance. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


CONTEMPLATIONS 

UPON  THH 

PRINCIPAL  PASSAGES 

IN  THE 

HOLY    STORY/ 


THE  SECOND  VOLUME. 


TO  THE  HIGH  AND  MIGHTY   PRINCE, 

CHARLES,  PRINCE  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 

Moat  excellent  Prince, — According  to  the  true  duty  of  a  servant,  I  intended 
all  my  Contemplations  to  your  now  glorious  brother,  of  sweet  and  sor- 
rowful memory.  The  first  part  whereof,  as  it  was  the  last  book  that  ever  was 
dedicated  to  that  dear  and  immortal  name  of  his,  so  it  was  the  last  that  was 
turned  over  by  his  gracious  hand. 

Now,  since  it  pleased  the  God  of  spirits  to  call  him  from  these  poor  con- 
templations of  ours,  to  the  blessed  contemplation  of  himself,  to  see  him  as  he 
is,  to  see  as  he  is  seen ;  to  whom  is  this  sequel  of  my  labours  due,  but  to  your 
highness,  the  heir  of  his  honour  and  virtues  ?  Every  year  of  my  short  pil- 
grimage is  like  to  add  something  to  ibis  work,  which  in  regard  of  the  subject 
is  scarce  finite :  the  whole  doth  not  only  crave  your  highness' s  patronage,  but 
promises  to  requite  your  princely  acceptation  with  many  sacred  examples  and 
rules,  both  for  piety  and  wisdom,  towards  the  decking  up  of  this  flourishing 
spring  of  your  age ;  in  the  hopes  whereof,  not  only  we  live,  but  he  that  is 
dead  lives  still  in  you :  and  if  any  piece  of  these  endeavours  come  short  of  my 
desires,  I  shall  supply  the  rest  with  my  prayers ;  which  shall  never  be  wanting 
to  the  God  of  princes,  that  your  happy  proceedings  may  make  glad  the 
church  of  God,  and  yourself  in  either  world  glorious. 

Your  bighness's  in  all  humble  devotion  and  faithful  observance, 

JOS.  HALL. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


CONTEMPLATIONS. 


BOOK  V. 

TO  THE  RIGHT   HONOURABLE 

HENRY,  EARL  OF  HUNTINGDON*, 

LORD    HASTINGS,    BOTREAUX,    MOLDTES    AND    MOILES,    HIS    MAJESTY'S 
LIEUTENAMT  IN   THE   COUNTY   OF    LEICESTER,    A    BOUNTIFUL    FA- 
VOURER   OF  ALL   GOOD   LEARNING,   A  NOBLE    PRECEDENT  OF 
VIRTUE,  THE  FIRST   PATRON   OF  MY   POOR  STUDIES, 

J.  H. 

DEDICATES  THIS   PIECE   OF   HIS   LABOURS,   AND  WI8HETH   ALL 

HONOUR  AND   HAPPINESS. 


THE  WATERS  OF  MARAH.— Exodus  xv. 

Israel  was  not  more  loath  to  come  to  the  Red  sea  than  to  part 
from  it.  How  soon  can  God  turn  the  horror  of  any  evil  into 
pleasure !  One  shore  surrounded  with  shrieks  of  fear,  the  other 
with  timbrels  and  dances,  and  songs  of  deliverance.  Every  main 
affliction  is  our  Red  sea,  which  while  it  threats  to  swallow,  pre- 
serves us.  At  last  our  songs  shall  be  louder  than  our  cries.  The 
Israelitish  dames,  when  they  saw  their  danger,  thought  they  might 
have  left  their  timbrels  behind  them ;  how  unprofitable  a  burden 
seemed  those  instruments  of  music !  yet  now  they  live  to  renew 
that  forgotten  minstrelsy  and  dancing  which  their  bondage  had 
so  long  discontinued :  and  well  might  those  feet  dance  upon  the 
shore  which  had  walked  through  the  sea.  The  land  of  Ooshen 
was  not  so  bountiful  to  them  as  these  waters.  That  afforded  them 
a  servile  life ;  this  gave  them  at  once  freedom,  victory,  riches ; 
bestowing  upon  them  the  remainder  of  that  wealth  which  the 
Egyptians  had  but  lent.    It  was  a  pleasure  to  see  the  floating 

b  [The  fifth  Earl  succeeded  in  1605.  It  was  under  his  great-uncle  Henry, 
third  Earl,  that  the  Bishop's  father  was  an  officer.] 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  i.  The  waters  of  Marah.  97 

carcasses  of  their  adversaries;  and  every  day  offers  them  new 
booties :  it  is  no  marvel  then  if  their  hearts  were  tied  to  these 
banks.  If  we  find  but  a  little  pleasure  in  our  life,  we  are  ready  to 
dote  upon  it  Every  small  contentment  glues  our  affections  to 
that  we  like :  and  if  here  our  imperfect  delights  hold  us  so  fast 
that  we  would  not  be  loosed,  how  forcible  shall  those  infinite  joys 
be  above,  when  our  souls  are  once  possessed  of  them  ! 

Tet  if  the  place  had  pleased  them  more,  it  is  no  marvel  they 
were  willing  to  follow  Moses ;  that  they  durst  follow  him  in  the 
wilderness,  whom  they  followed  through  the  sea :  it  is  a  great 
confirmation  to  any  people,  when  they  have  seen  the  hand  of 
God  with  their  guide.  O  Saviour,  which  bast  undertaken  to 
carry  me  from  the  spiritual  Egypt  to  the  land  of  promise ;  how 
faithful,  how  powerful,  have  I  found  thee !  how  fearlessly  should 
I  trust  thee  I  how  cheerfully  should  I  follow  thee  through  con- 
tempt, poverty,  death  itself!  Master,  if  it  be  thou,  bid  us  come 
unto  thee. 

Immediately  before  they  had  complained  of  too  much  water* 
now  they  go  three  days  without.  Thus  God  meant  to  punish 
their  infidelity  with  the  defect  of  that  whose  abundance  made  them 
to  distrust.  Before,  they  saw  all  water,  no  land ;  now  all  dry 
and  dusty  land,  and  no  water.  Extremities  are  the  best  trials  of 
men ;  as  in  bodies,  those  that  can  bear  sudden  changes  of  heats 
and  cold  without  complaint  are  the  strongest.  So  much  as  an 
evil  touches  upon  the  mean,  so  much  help  it  yields  towards 
patience ;  every  degree  of  sorrow  is  a  preparation  of  the  next ; 
but  when  we  pass  to  extremes  without  the  mean,  we  want  the 
benefit  of  recollection,  and  must  trust  to  our  present  strength.  To 
come  from  all  things  to  nothing,  is  not  a  descent,  but  a  downfall ; 
and  it  is  a  rare  strength  and  constancy  not  to  be  maimed  at  least. 
These  headlong  evils,  as  they  are  the  sorest,  so  they  must  be 
most  provided  for ;  as,  on  the  contrary,  a  sudden  advancement 
from  a  low  condition  to  the  height  of  honour  is  most  hard  to 
manage.  No  man  can  marvel  how  that  tyrant  blinded  his  cap- 
tives, when  he  hears  that  he  brought  them  immediately  out  of  a 
dark  dungeon  into  rooms  that  were  made  bright  and  glorious. 
We  are  not  worthy  to  know  for  what  we  are  reserved,  no  evil 
can  amate  us  if  we  can  overcome  sudden  extremities. 

The  long  deferring  of  a  good,  though  tedious,  yet  makes  it  the 
better  when  it  comes.  Well  did  the  Israelites  hope  that  the 
waters  which  were  so  long  in  finding,  would  be  precious  when 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  H 


98  TJie  waters  of  Marah.  book  v. 

they  were  found :  yet  behold  they  are  crossed,  not  only  in  their 
desires  but  in  their  hopes ;  for  after  three  days'  travel,  the  first 
fountains  they  find  are  bitter  waters.  If  these  wells  had  not  run 
pure  gall,  they  could  not  have  so  much  complained :  long  thirst 
will  make  bitter  waters  sweet ;  yet  such  were  these  springs,  that 
the  Israelites  did  not  so  much  like  their  moisture  as  abhor  their 
relish.  I  see  the  first  handsel  that  God  gives  them  in  their 
voyage  to  the  land  of  promise;  thirst  and  bitterness.  Satan 
gives  us  pleasant  entrances  into  his  ways,  and  reserves  the  bitter- 
ness for  the  end :  God  inures  us  to  our  worst  at  first,  and  sweetens 
our  conclusion  with  pleasure. 

The  same  God  that  would  not  lead  Israel  through  the  Philis- 
tines' land,  lest  they  should  shrink  at  the  sight  of  war,  now  leads 
them  through  the  wilderness,  and  fears  not  to  try  their  patience 
with  bitter  potions.  If  he  had  not  loved  them,  the  Egyptian 
furnace  or  sword  had  prevented  their  thirst,  or  that  sea  whereof 
their  enemies  drunk  dead;  and  yet  see  how  he  diets  them. 
Never  any  have  had  so  bitter  draughts  upon  earth  as  those  he 
loves  best :  the  palate  is  an  ill  judge  of  the  favours  of  God.  Omy 
Saviour,  thou  didst  drink  a  more  bitter  cup  from  the  hands  of  thy 
Father  than  that  which  thou  refusedst  of  the  Jews,  or  than  that 
which  I  can  drink  from  thee  I 

Before,  they  could  not  drink  if  they  would ;  now,  they  might 
and  would  not.  God  can  give  us  blessings  with  such  a  tang,  that 
the  fruition  shall  not  much  differ  from  the  want :  so,  many  a  one 
hath  riches,  not  grace  to  use  them ;  many  have  children,  but  such 
as  they  prefer  barrenness.  They  had  said  before,  "  O  that  we 
had  any  water !"  now,  "  O  that  we  had  good  water  I"  It  is  good 
so  to  desire  blessings  from  God,  that  we  may  be  the  better  for 
enjoying  them ;  so  to  crave  water,  that  it  may  not  be  sauced  with 
bitterness. 

Now,  these  fond  Israelites,  instead  of  praying,  murmur ;  instead 
of  praying  to  God,  murmur  against  Moses.  What  hath  the 
righteous  done  ?  He  made  not  either  the  wilderness  dry  or  the 
waters  bitter ;  yea,  if  his  conduct  were  the  matter,  what  one  foot 
went  he  before  them  without  God  ?  The  pillar  led  them,  and  not 
he ;  yet  Moses  is  murmured  at.  It  is  the  hard  condition  of  au- 
thority, that  when  the  multitude  fare  well  they  applaud  themselves ; 
when  ill,  they  repine  against  their  governors.  Who  can  hope  to 
be  free  if  Moses  escape  not  ?  Never  any  prince  so  merited  of  a 
people.     He  thrust  himself  upon  the  pikes  of  Pharaoh's  tyranny. 


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cont.  i.  The  waters  of  Marah.  99 

He  brought  them  from  a  bondage  worse  than  death.  His  rod 
divided  the  sea  and  shared  life  to  them  and  death  to  their  pur- 
suers. Who  would  not  hate  thought  these  men  so  obliged  to 
Moses,  that  no  death  could  have  opened  their  mouths  or  raised 
their  hands  against  him?  Yet  now  the  first  occasion  of  want 
makes  them  rebel.  No  benefit  can  stop  the  mouth  of  impatience : 
if  our  turn  be  not  served  for  the  present,  former  favours  are 
either  forgotten  or  contemned.  No  marvel  if  we  deal  so  with 
men,  when  God  receives  this  measure  from  us.  One  year  of 
famine,  one  summer  of  pestilence,  one  moon  of  unseasonable  wea- 
ther, makes  us  overlook  all  the  blessings  of  God ;  and  more  to 
mutiny  at  the  sense  of  our  evil  than  to  praise  him  for  our  varieties 
of  good :  whereas  favours  well  bestowed  leave  us  both  mindful 
and  confident,  and  will  not  suffer  us  either  to  forget  or  distrust. 
O  God,  I  have  made  an  ill  use  of  thy  mercies,  if  I  have  not  learned 
to  be  content  with  thy  corrections. 

Moses  was  in  the  same  want  of  water  with  them,  in  the  same 
distaste  of  bitterness,  and  yet  they  say  to  Moses,  What  shall  we 
drink  t  If  they  had  seen  him  furnished  with  full  vessels  of  sweet 
water,  and  themselves  put  over  to  this  unsavoury  liquor,  envy 
might  have  given  some  colour  to  this  mutiny,  but  now  their 
leader's  common  misery  might  have  freed  him  from  their  mur- 
murs. They  held  it  one  piece  of  the  late  Egyptian  tyranny,  that 
a  task  was  required  of  them  which  the  imposers  knew  they  could 
not  perform,  to  make  brick  when  they  had  no  straw :  yet  they 
say  to  Moses,  What  shall  we  drink  ?  Themselves  are  grown  ex- 
actors, and  are  ready  to  menace  more  than  stripes  if  they  have 
not  their  ends  without  means.  Moses  took  not  upon  him  their 
provision,  but  their  deliverance ;  and  yet,  as  if  he  had  been  the 
common  victualler  of  the  camp,  they  ask,  What  shall  we  drink  f 
When  want  meets  with  impatient  minds,  it  transports  them  to 
fury,  every  thing  disquiets,  and  nothing  satisfies  them. 

What  course  doth  Moses  now  take  ?  That  which  they  should 
have  done,  and  did  not :  they  cried  not  more  fervently  to  him 
than  he  to  God ;  if  he  were  their  leader,  God  was  his ;  that  which 
they  unjustly  required  of  him,  he  justly  requires  of  God  that 
could  do  it ;  he  knew  whence  to  look  for  redress  of  all  complaints ; 
this  was  not  his  charge  but  his  Maker's,  which  was  able  to  main- 
tain his  own  act.  I  see  and  acknowledge  the  harbour  that  we 
must  put  into  in  all  our  ill  weather.     It  is  to  thee,  O  God,  that 


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100  The  waters  of  Marah.  book  v. 

we  must  pour  out  our  hearts,  which  only  canst  make  our  bitter 
waters  sweet. 

Might  not  that  rod,  which  took  away  the  liquid  nature  from 
the  waters,  and  made  them  solid,  have  also  taken  away  the  bitter 
quality  from  these  waters,  and  made  them  sweet ;  since  to  flow  is 
natural  unto  the  water,  to  be  bitter  is  but  accidental  ?  Moses  durst 
not  employ  his  rod  without  a  precept ;  he  knew  the  power  came 
from  the  commandment.  We  may  not  presume  on  likelihoods, 
but  depend  upon  warrants ;  therefore  Moses  doth  not  lift  up  his 
rod  to  the  waters,  but  his  hand  and  voice  to  God. 

The  hand  of  faith  never  knocketh  at  heaven  in  vain  :  no  sooner 
hath  Moses  showed  his  grievance,  than  God  shows  him  the  re- 
medy; yet  an  unlikely  one,  that  it  might  be  miraculous.  He 
that  made  the  waters  could  have  given  them  any  savour :  how 
easy  is  it  for  him  that  made  the  matter  to  alter  the  quality  I  It  is 
not  more  hard  to  take  away  than  to  give.  Who  doubts  but  the 
same  hand  that  created  them  might  have  immediately  changed 
them  ?  Yet  that  almighty  power  will  do  it  by  means.  A  piece 
of  wood  must  sweeten  the  waters :  what  relation  hath  wood  to 
water  ?  or  that  which  hath  no  savour,  to  the  redress  of  bitterness  ? 
Yet  here  is  no  more  possibility  of  failing  than  proportion  to  the 
success.  All  things  are  subject  to  the  command  of  their  Maker ; 
he  that  made  all  of  nothing  can  make  every  thing  of  any  thing : 
there  is  so  much  power  in  every  creature  as  he  will  please  to  give. 
It  is  the  praise  of  Omnipotency  to  work  by  improbabilities ;  Elisha 
with  salt,  Moses  with  wood,  shall  sweeten  the  bitter  waters :  let 
no  man  despise  the  means  when  he  knows  the  Author. 

God  taught  his  people  by  actions  as  well  as  words.  This  en- 
trance showed  them  their  whole  journey ;  wherein  they  should 
taste  of  much  bitterness,  but  at  last,  through  the  mercy  of  God, 
sweetened  with  comfort.  Or  did  it  not  represent  themselves  ra- 
ther in  the  journey?  in  the  fountains  of  whose  hearts  were  the 
bitter  waters  of  manifold  corruptions,  yet  their  unsavoury  souls 
are  sweetened  by  the  graces  of  his  Spirit.  O  blessed  Saviour, 
the  wood  of  thy  cross,  that  is,  the  application  of  thy  sufferings, 
is  enough  to  sweeten  a  whole  sea  of  bitterness.  I  care  not  how 
unpleasant  a  potion  I  find  in  this  wilderness,  if  the  power  and 
benefit  of  thy  precious  death  may  season  it  to  my  soul. 


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cont.  ii.  The  quails  and  manna.  101 

THE  QUAILS  AND  MANNA.— Exodus  xvi. 

The  thirst  of  Israel  is  well  quenched ;  for,  besides  the  change 
of  the  waters  of  Marah,  their  station  is  changed  to  Elim ;  where 
were  twelve  fountains  for  their  twelve  tribes ;  and  now  they  com- 
plain as  fast  of  hunger. 

Contentation  is  a  rare  blessing ;  because  it  arises  either  from 
a  fruition  of  all  comforts,  or  a  not  desiring  of  some  which  we 
have  not.  Now,  we  are  never  so  bare  as  not  to  have  some  bene- 
fits; never  so  full  as  not  to  want  something,  yea  as  not  to  bo 
full  of  wants.  God  hath  much  ado  with  us;  either  we  lack 
health,  or  quietness,  or  children,  or  wealth,  or  company,  or  our- 
selves in  all  these.  It  is  a  wonder  these  men  found  not  fault 
with  the  want  of  sauce  to  their  quails,  or  with  their  old  clothes, 
or  their  solitary  way.  Nature  is  moderate  in  her  desires,  but 
conceit  is  unsatiable.  Yet  who  can  deny  hunger  to  be  a  sore 
vexation  ?  Before  they  were  forbidden  sour  bread,  but  now  what 
leaven  is  so  sour  as  want  ?  When  means  hold  out,  it  is  easy  to 
be  content.  While  their  dough  and  other  cates  lasted,  while 
they  were  gathering  of  the  dates  of  Elim,  we  hear  no  news  of 
them.  Who  cannot  pray  for  his  daily  bread,  when  he  hath  it  in 
bis  cupboard  ?  But  when  our  own  provision  fails  us,  then  not  to 
distrust  the  provision  of  God  is  a  noble  trial  of  faith.  They 
should  have  said ;  "  He  that  stopped  the  mouth  of  the  sea,  that 
it  could  not  devour  us,  can  as  easily  stop  the  mouth  of  our 
stomachs :  it  was  no  easier  matter  to  kill  the  firstborn  of  Egypt 
by  his  immediate  hand,  than  to  preserve  us :  he  that  commanded 
the  sea  to  stand  still  and  guard  us,  can  as  easily  command  the 
earth  to  nourish  us:  he  that  made  the  rod  a  serpent,  can  as 
well  make  these  stones  bread :  he  that  brought  armies  of  frogs 
and  caterpillars  to  Egypt,  can  as  well  bring  whole  drifts  of  birds 
and  beasts  to  the  desert:  he  that  sweetened  the  waters  with 
wood,  can  as  well  refresh  our  bodies  with  the  fruits  of  the  earth. 
Why  do  we  not  wait  on  him  whom  we  have  found  so  powerful?" 
Now  they  set  the  mercy  and  love  of  God  upon  a  wrong  last, 
while  they  measure  it  only  by  their  present  sense.  Nature  is 
jocund  and  cheerful  while  it  prospereth :  let  God  withdraw  his 
hand;  no  sight,  no  trust.  Those  can  praise  him  with  timbrels 
for  a  present  favour,  that  cannot  depend  upon  him  in  the  want 
of  means  for  a  future.  We  all  are  never  weary  of  receiving, 
soon  weary  of  attending. 


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102  The  quails  and  manna.  book  v. 

The  other  mutiny  was  of  some  few  raalecontents,  perhaps  those 
strangers  which  sought  their  own  protection  under  the  wing  of 
Israel ;  this,  of  the  whole  troop.  Not  that  none  were  free,  Ca- 
leb, Joshua,  Moses,  Aaron,  Miriam  were  not  yet  tainted :  usually 
God  measures  the  state  of  any  church  or  country  by  the  most ; 
the  greater  part  carries  both  the  name  and  the  censure.  Sins 
are  so  much  greater  as  they  are  more  universal ;  so  far  is  evil 
from  being  extenuated  by  the  multitude  of  the  guilty,  that  no- 
thing can  more  aggravate  it.  With  men,  commonness  may  plead 
for  favour  ;  with  God,  it  pleads  for  judgment.  Many  hands  draw 
the  cable  with  more  violence  than  few :  the  leprosy  of  the  whole 
body  is  more  loathsome  than  that  of  a  part. 

But  what  do  these  mutineers  say,  O  that  we  had  died  by  the 
hand  of  the  Lord  !  And  whose  hand  was  this,  O  ye  fond  Israel- 
ites, if  ye  must  perish  by  famine  ?  God  carried  you  forth ;  God 
restrained  his  creatures  from  you :  and  while  you  are  ready  to 
die  thus,  ye  say,  0  that  we  had  died  by  the  hand  qftlu  Lord! 

It  is  the  folly  of  men,  that  in  immediate  judgments  they  can 
see  God's  hand ;  not  in  those  whose  second  causes  are  sensible : 
whereas  God  holds  himself  equally  interested  in  all ;  challenging 
that  there  is  no  evil  in  the  city  but  from  him.  It  is  but  one 
hand  and  many  instruments  that  God  strikes  us  with :  the  water 
may  not  lose  the  name,  though  it  come  by  channels  and  pipes 
from  the  spring.  It  is  our  faithlessness,  that  in  visible  means 
we  see  not  him  that  is  invisible. 

And  when  would  they  have  wished  to  die?  When  we  eat  by 
the  flesh  pots  of  Egypt :  alas  I  what  good  would  their  flesh  pots 
have  done  them  in  their  death  ?  If  they  might  sustain  their  life, 
yet  what  could  they  avail  them  in  dying  ?  for  if  they  were  un- 
pleasant, what  comfort  was  it  to  see  them  ?  if  pleasant,  what  com- 
fort to  part  from  them  ?  Our  greatest  pleasures  are  but  pains  in 
their  loss.  Every  mind  affects  that  which  is  like  itself.  Carnal 
minds  are  for  the  flesh  pots  of  Egypt,  though  bought  with  servi- 
tude; spiritual  are  for  the  presence  of  God,  though  redeemed 
with  famine,  and  would  rather  die  in  God's  presence,  than  live 
without  him  in  the  sight  of  delicate  or  full  dishes. 

They  loved  their  lives  well  enough :  I  heard  how  they  shrieked 
when  they  were  in  danger  of  the  Egyptians ;  yet  now  they  say, 
0  that  we  had  died!  not,  "  O  that  we  might  live  by  the  flesh 
pots;"  but,  0  that  we  had  died!  Although  life  be  naturally 
sweet,  yet  a  little  discontentment  makes  us  weary.     It  is  a  base 


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cont.  ii.  The  quails  and  manna.  10$ 

cowardliness,  so  soon  as  ever  we  are  called  from  the  garrison  to 
the  field,  to  think  of  running  away.  Then  is  our  fortitude  worthy 
of  praise,  when  we  can  endure  to  be  miserable. 

But  what!  can  no  flesh  pots  serve  but  those  of  Egypt?  I  am 
deceived  if  that  land  afforded  them  any  flesh  pots  save  their  own : 
their  landlords  of  Egypt  held  it  abomination  to  eat  of  their  dishes, 
or  to  kill  that  which  they  did  eat.  In  those  times  then  they  did 
eat  of  their  own ;  and  why  not  now  ?  They  had  droves  of  cattle 
in  the  wilderness :  why  did  they  not  take  of  them  ?  Surely,  if 
they  would  have  been  as  good  husbands  of  their  cattle  as  they 
were  of  their  dough,  they  might  have  had  enough  to  eat  without 
need  of  murmuring :  for  if  their  back-burden  of  dough  lasted  for 
a  month,  their  herds  might  have  served  them  many  years.  All 
grudging  is  odious ;  but  most  when  our  hands  are  full.  To  whine 
in  the  midst  of  abundance  is  a  shameful  unthankfulness. 

When  a  man  would  have  looked  that  the  anger  of  God  should 
have  appeared  in  fire ;  now  behold,  his  glory  appears  in  a  cloud. 
O  the  exceeding  longsuffering  of  God,  that  hears  their  mur- 
raurings !  and,  as  if  he  had  been  bound  to  content  them,  instead 
of  punishing,  pleases  them ;  as  a  kind  mother  would  deal  with  a 
crabbed  child,  who  rather  stills  him  with  the  breast  than  calls 
for  the  rod.  One  would  have  thought  that  the  sight  of  the 
cloud  of  God  should  have  dispelled  the  cloud  of  their  distrust ; 
and  this  glory  of  God  should  have  made  them  ashamed  of  them- 
selves, and  afraid  of  him :  yet  1  do  not  hear  them  once  say, 
"What  a  mighty  and  gracious  God  have  we  distrusted!"  No- 
thing will  content  an  impotent  mind  but  fruition.  When  a  heart 
is  hardened  with  any  passion,  it  will  endure  much  ere  it  will 
yield  to  relent. 

Their  eyes  saw  the  cloud;  their  ears  heard  the  promise,  the 
performance  is  speedy  and  answerable.  Needs  must  they  be 
convinced,  when  they  saw  God  as  glorious  in  his  work  as  in  his 
presence;  when  they  saw  his  word  justified  by  his  act.  God 
tells  them  aforehand  what  he  will  do,  that  their  expectation 
might  stay  their  hearts.  He^doth  that  which  he  foretold,  that 
they  might  learn  to  trust  him  ere  he  perform. 

They  desired  meat,  and  receive  quails;  they  desired  bread, 
and  have  manna.  If  they  had  had  of  the  coarsest  flesh,  and  of 
the  basest  pulse,  hunger  would  have  made  it  dainty :  but  now 
God  will  pamper  their  famine;  and  gives  them  meat  of  kings 
and  bread  of  angels.     What  a  world  of  quails  were  but  sufficient 


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104  The  quails  and  manna.  book  v. 

to  serve  six  hundred  thousand  persons!  They  were  all  strong, 
all  hungry :  neither  could  they  be  satisfied  with  single  fowls. 
What  a  table  hath  God  prepared  in  the  desert,  for  abundance, 
for  delicacy ! 

Never  prince  was  so  served  in  his  greatest  pomp,  as  these  re- 
bellious Israelites  in  the  wilderness.  God  loves  to  over-deserve 
of  men :  and  to  exceed  not  only  their  sins,  but  their  very  desires, 
in  mercy.  How  good  shall  we  find  him  to  those  that  please 
him,  since  he  is  so  gracious  to  offenders !  If  the  most  graceless 
Israelites  be  fed  with  quails  and  manna;  O,  what  goodness  is 
that  he  hath  laid  up  for  them  that  love  him !  As,  on  the  con- 
trary, if  the  righteous  scarce  be  saved,  where  will  the  sinners 
appear?  O  God,  thou  canst,  thou  wilt  make  this  difference. 
Howsoever  with  us  men  the  most  crabbed  and  stubborn  often- 
times fares  the  best,  the  righteous  Judge  of  the  world  frames  his 
remunerations  as  he  finds  us ;  and  if  his  mercy  sometimes  pro- 
yoke  the  worst  to  repentance  by  his  temporal  favours,  yet  he 
ever  reserves  so  much  greater  reward  for  the  righteous,  as  eter- 
nity is  beyond  time,  and  heaven  above  earth. 

It  was  not  of  any  natural  instinct,  but  from  the  overruling 
power  of  their  Creator,  that  these  quails  came  to  the  desert. 
Needs  must  they  come  whom  GOD  brings.  His  hand  is  in  all 
the  motions  of  his  meanest  creatures.  Not  only  we,  but  they 
move  in  him.  As  not  many  quails,  so  not  one  sparrow  falls 
without  him :  how  much  more  are  the  actions  of  his  best  crea- 
ture, man,  directed  by  his  providence ! 

How  ashamed  might  these  Israelites  have  been,  to  see  these 
creatures  so  obedient  to  their  Creator,  as  to  come  and  offer 
themselves  to  their  slaughter,  while  they  went  so  repiningly  to 
his  service  and  their  own  preferment  I  Who  can  distrust  the 
provision  of  the  great  Housekeeper  of  the  world,  when  he  sees 
how  he  can  furnish  his  tables  at  pleasure?  Is  he  grown  now 
careless,  or  we  faithless  rather?  Why  do  we  not  repose  upon 
his  mercy  ?  Rather  than  we  shall  want,  when  we  trust  him,  he 
will  fetch  quails  from  all  the  coa^s  of  heaven  to  our  board.  O 
Lord,  thy  hand  is  not  shortened  to  give ;  let  not  ours  be  short- 
ened or  shut  in  receiving. 

Elijah's  servitors,  the  ravens,  brought  him  his  full  service  of 
bread  and  flesh  at  once ;  each  morning  and  evening.  But  these 
Israelites  have  their  flesh  at  even,  and  their  bread  in  the  morn- 
ing.    Good  reason  there  should  be  a  difference.     Elijah's  table 


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cont.  ii.  The  quails  and  manna.  105 

was  upon  God's  direct  appointment;  the  Israelites'  upon  their 
mutiny :  although  God  will  relieve  them  with  provision,  yet  he 
will  punish  their  impatience  with  delay;  so  shall  they  know 
themselves  his  people,  that  they  shall  find  they  were  murmurers. 

Not  only  in  the  matter,  but  in  the  order,  God  answers  their 
grudging.  First  they  complain  of  the  want  of  flesh  pots,  then 
of  bread.  In  the  first  place  therefore  they  have  flesh,  bread 
after.  When  they  have  flesh,  yet  they  must  stay  a  time  ere  they 
can  have  a  full  meal ;  unless  they  would  eat  their  meat  breadless, 
and  their  bread  dry.  God  will  be  waited  on,  and  will  give  the 
consummation  of  his  blessings  at  his  own  leisure.  In  the  evening 
of  our  life  we  have  the  first  pledges  of  his  favour;  but  in  the 
morning  of  our  resurrection  must  we  look  for  our  perfect  satiety 
of  the  true  manna,  the  bread  of  life. 

Now  the  Israelites  sped  well  with  their  quails,  they  did  eat  and 
digest  and  prosper ;  not  long  after,  they  have  quails  with  a  ven- 
geance, the  meat  was  pleasant,  but  the  sauce  was  fearful :  they 
let  down  the  quails  at  their  mouth,  but  they  came  out  at  their 
nostrils.  How  much  better  had  it  been  to  have  died  of  hunger, 
through  the  chastisement  of  God,  than  of  the  plague  of  God,  with 
the  flesh  betwixt  their  teeth !  Behold,  they  perish  of  the  same 
disease  then  whereof  they  now  recover.  The  same  sin  repeated 
is  death,  whose  first  act  found  remission :  relapses  are  desperate 
where  the  sickness  itself  is  not.  With  us  men,  once  goes  away  with 
a  warning,  the  second  act  is  but  whipping,  the  third  is  death.  It 
is  a  mortal  thing  to  abuse  the  lenity  of  God ;  we  should  be  pre- 
sumptuously mad  yto  hope  that  God  will  stand  us  for  a  sinning- 
stock  to  provoke  him  how  we  will.  It  is  more  mercy  than  he 
owes  us  if  he  forbear  us  once :  it  is  his  justice  to  plague  us  the 
second  time ;  we  may  thank  ourselves  if  we  will  not  be  warned. 

Their  meat  was  strange,  but  nothing  so  much  as  their  bread. 
To  find  quails  in  a  wilderness  was  unusual,  but  for  bread  to  come 
down 'from  heaven  was  yet  more.  They  had  seen  quails  before, 
though  not  in  such  number;  manna  was  never  seen  till  now. 
From  this  day  till  their  settling  in  Canaan  God  wrought  a  per- 
petual miracle  in  this  food :  a  miracle  in  the  place ;  other  bread 
rifaes  up  from  below,  this  fell  down  from  above ;  neither  did  it 
ever  rain  bread  till  now ;  yet  so  did  this  heavenly  shower  fall,  that 
it  is  confined  to  the  camp  of  Israel :  a  miracle  in  the  quantity, 
that  every  morning  should  fall  enough  to  fill  so  many  hundred 
thousand  mouths  and  maws :  a  miracle  in  the  composition,  that  it 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


106  The  quads  and  manna.  book  vi. 

was  sweet  like  honey-cakes,  round  like  corianders,  transparent  as 
dew :  a  miracle  in  the  quality,  that  it  melted  by  one  heat,  by 
another  hardened :  a  miracle  in  the  difference  of  the  fall,  that  as  if 
it  knew  times,  and  would  teach  them  as  well  as  feed  them,  it  fell 
double  in  the  even  of  the  sabbath,  and  on  the  sabbath  fell  not  : 
a  miracle  in  the  putrefaction  and  preservation,  that  it  was  full  of 
worms  when  it  was  kept  beyond  the  due  hour  for  distrust ;  full 
of  sweetness  when  it  was  kept  a  day  longer  for  religion,  yea  many 
ages  in  the  ark  for  a  monument  of  the  power  and  mercy  of  the 
Giver :  a  miracle  in  the  continuance  and  ceasing,  that  this  shower 
of  bread  followed  their  camp  in  all  their  removals,  till  they  came 
to  taste  of  the  bread  of  Canaan,  and  then  withdrew  itself,  as  if  it 
should  have  said,  "  Ye  need  no  miracles  now  ye  have  means." 

They  had  the  types,  we  have  the  substance.  In  this  wilderness 
of  the  world  the  true  manna  is  rained  upon  the  tents  of  our 
hearts.  He  that  sent  the  manna  was  the  manna  which  he  sent : 
he  hath  said,  I  am  the  manna  that  came  down  from  heaven. 
Behold,  their  whole  meals  were  sacramental ;  every  morsel  they 
did  eat  was  spiritual.  We  eat  still  of  their  manna,  still  he  comes 
down  from  heaven.  He  hath  substance  enough  for  worlds  of 
souls,  yet  only  is  to  be  found  in  the  lists  of  the  true  church.  He 
hath  more  sweetness  than  the  honey  and  the  honeycomb.  Happy 
are  we,  if  we  can  find  him  so  sweet  as  ho  is. 

The  same  hand  that  rained  manna  upon  their  tents,  could  have 
rained  it  into  their  mouths  or  laps.  God  loves  we  should  take 
pains  for  our  spiritual  food.  Little  would  it  have  availed  them 
that  the  manna  lay  about  their  tents,  if  they  had  not  gone 
forth  and  gathered  it,  beaten  it,  baked  it :  let  salvation  be  never 
so  plentiful,  if  we  bring  it  not  home,  and  make  it  ours  by  faith, 
we  are  no  whit  the  better.  If  the  work  done  and  means  used 
had  been  enough  to  give  life,  no  Israelite  had  died ;  their  bellies 
were  full  of  that  bread  whereof  one  crumb  gives  life,  yet  they 
died  many  of  them  in  displeasure. 

As  in  natural  so  in  spiritual  things,  we  may  not  trust  to 
means :  the  carcass  of  the  sacrament  cannot  give  life,  but  the  soul 
of  it,  which  is  the  thing  represented.  I  see  each  man  gather  and 
take  his  just  measure  out  of  the  common  heap.  We  must  be  in- 
dustrious and  helpful  to  each  other:  but  when  we  have  done, 
Christ  is  not  partial.  If  our  sanctification  differ,  yet  our  justifi- 
cation is  equal  in  all. 

He  that  gave  a  gomer  to  each  could  have  given  an  ephah :  as 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  in.  The  rock  of  Rephidim.  107 

easily  could  he  have  rained  down  enough  for  a  month  or  a  year 
at  once  as  for  a  day.  God  delights  to  have  us  live  in  a  continual 
dependence  upon  his  providence,  and  each  day  renew  the  acts  of 
our  faith  and  thankfulness.  But  what  a  covetous  Israelite  was 
that,  which  in  a  foolish  distrust  would  be  sparing  the  charges  of 
God,  and  reserving  that  for  morning  which  he  should  have  spent 
upon  his  supper !  He  shall  know,  that  even  the  bread  that  came 
down  from  heaven  can  corrupt :  the  manna  was  from  above,  the 
worms  and  stink  from  his  diffidence.  Nothing  is  so  sovereign,  which, 
being  perverted,  may  not  annoy  instead  of  benefiting  us. 

Yet  I  see  some  difference  between  the  true  and  typical  manna ; 
God  never  meant  that  the  shadow  and  the  body  should  agree  in 
all  things.  The  outward  mamna  reserved  was  poison,  the  spiritual 
manna  is  to  us  as  it  was  to  the  ark,  not  good  unless  it  be  kept 
perpetually ;  if  we  keep  it,  it  shall  keep  us  from  putrefaction. 
The  outward  manna  fell  not  at  all  on  the  sabbath ;  the  spiritual 
manna,  though  it  balks  no  day,  yet  it  falls  double  on  God's  day : 
and  if  we  gather  it  not  then,  we  famish.  In  that  true  sabbath 
of  our  glorious  rest  we  shall  for  ever  feed  of  that  manna  which 
we  havtf  gathered  in  this  even  of  our  life. 


THE  ROCK  OF  REPHIDIM.— Exodus  xvii. 

Before,  Israel  thirsted  and  was  satisfied ;  after  that,  they  hun- 
gered and  were  filled ;  now  they  thirst  again.  They  have  bread 
and  meat,  but  want  drink :  it  is  a  marvel  if  God  do  not  evermore 
hold  us  short  of  something,  because  he  would  keep  us  still  in  ex- 
ercise. We  should  forget  at  whose  cost  we  live  if  we  wanted 
nothing.  Still  God  observes  a  vicissitude  of  evil  and  good,  and 
the  same  evils  that  we  have  passed  return  upon  us  in  their  courses. 
Crosses  are  not  of  the  nature  of  those  diseases  which  they  say  a 
man  can  have  but  once.  Their  first  seizure  doth  but  make  way 
for  their  reentry.  None  but  our  last  enemy  comes  once  for  all, 
and  I  know  not  if  that :  for  even  in  living  we  die  daily.  So  must 
we  take  our  leaves  of  all  afflictions,  that  we  reserve  a  lodging  for 
them  and  expect  their  return. 

All  Israel  murmured  when  they  wanted  bread,  meat,  water ; 
Ad  yet  all  Israel  departed  from  the  wilderness  of  Sin  to  Rephidim 
at  God's  command.  The  very  worst  men  will  obey  God  in  some- 
thing, none  but  the  good  in  all :  he  is  rarely  desperate  that  makes 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


1 08  The  rock  of  Rephidim .  book  v  . 

an  universal  opposition  to  God.  It  is  an  unsound  praise  that  is 
given  a  man  for  one  good  action.  It  may  be  safely  said  of  the 
very  devils  themselves,  that  they  do  something  well,  they  know 
and  believe  and  tremble.  If  we  follow  God  and  murmur,  it  is  all 
one  as  if  we  had  stayed  behind. 

Those  distrust  his  providence  in  their  necessity,  that  are  ready 
to  follow  his  guidance  in  their  welfare.  It  is  an  harder  matter  to 
endure  in  extreme  want,  than  to  obey  an  hard  commandment. 
Sufferings  are  greater  trials  than  actions:  how  many  have  we 
seen  jeopard  their  lives  with  cheerful  resolution,  which  cannot  en- 
dure in  cold  blood  to  lose  a  limb  with  patience !  Because  God 'will 
have  his  throughly  tried,  he  puts  them  to  both ;  and  if  we  can- 
not endure  both  to  follow  him  from  Sin,  and  to  thirst  in  Rephidim, 
we  are  not  sound  Israelites. 

God  led  them  on  purpose  to  this  dry  Rephidim :  he  could  as 
well  have  conducted  them  to  another  Elim,  to  convenient  water- 
ings ;  or  he  that  gives  the  waters  of  all  their  channels,  could  as  well 
have  derived  them  to  meet  Israel ;  but  God  doth  purposely  carry 
them  to  thirst.  It  is  not  for  necessity  that  we  fare  ill,  but  out  of 
choice :  it  were  all  one  with  God  to  give  us  health  as  sickness, 
abundance  as  poverty.  The  treasury  of  his  riches  hath  more 
store  than  his  creature  can  be  capable  of:  we  could  not  complain 
if  it  were  not  good  for  us  to  want. 

This  should  have  been  a  contentment  able  to  quench  any  thirst : 
God  hath  led  us  thither;  if  Moses  out  of  ignorance  had  mis- 
guided us,  or  we  chanceably  fallen  upon  these  dry  deserts,  though 
this  were  no  remedy  of  our  grief,  yet  it  might  be  some  ground  of 
our  complaint.  But  now  the  counsel  of  so  wise  and  merciful  a  God 
hath  drawn  us  into  this  want,  and  shall  not  he  as  easily  find  the 
way  out  ?  It  tithe  Lord,  let  him  do  what  he  will.  There  can  be 
no  more  forcible  motive  to  patience  than  the  acknowledgment  of  a 
divine  hand  that  strikes  us.  It  is  fearful  to  be  in  the  hand  of  an 
adversary,  but  who  would  not  be  confident  of  a  father  ?  Yet  in 
our  frail  humanity,  choler  may  transport  a  man  from  remem- 
brance of  nature ;  but  when  we  feel  ourselves  under  the  discipline 
of  a  wise  God,  that  can  temper  our  afflictions  to  our  strength,  to 
our  benefit,  who  would  not  rather  murmur  at  himself  than  he 
should  swerve  towards  impatience?  Yet  these  sturdy  Israelites 
wilfully  murmur,  and  will  not  have  their  thirst  quenched  with 
faith,  but  with  water.     Give  us  water. 

I  looked  to  hear  when  they  would  have  entreated  Moses  to 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  in.  The  rock  of  Rephidim.  109 

pray  for  them ;  but  instead  of  entreating,  they  contend ;  and  in- 
stead of  prayers,  I  find  commands :  Give  us  water.  If  they  had 
gone  to  God  without  Moses,  I  should  have  praised  their  faith ; 
but  now  they  go  to  Moses  without  God,  I  hate  their  stubborn 
faithlessness.  To  seek  to  the  second  means  with  neglect  of  the  first 
is  the  fruit  of  a  false  faith. 

The  answer  of  Moses  is  like  himself,  mild  and  sweet:  Why 
.contend  you  with  me  ?  Why  tempt  ye  the  Lord  ?  in  the  first  ex- 
postulation condemning  them  of  injustice,  since  not  he  but  the 
Lord  afflicted  them  :  in  the  second,  of  presumption,  that  since  it 
was  God  that  tempted  them  by  want,  they  should  tempt  him  by 
murmuring :  in  the  one,  he  would  have  them  see  their  wrong ; 
in  the  other,  their  danger.  As  the  act  came  not  from  him  but 
from  God ;  so  he  puts  it  off  to  God  from  himself,  Why  tempt  ye 
the  Lord?  The  opposition  which  is  made  to  the  instruments  of 
God  redounds  over  to  his  person.  He  holds  himself  smitten 
through  the  sides  of  his  ministers :  so  hath  God  incorporated  these 
respects,  that  our  subtlety  cannot  divide  them. 

But  what  temptation  is  this ?  Is  the  Lord  among  us  or  no? 
Infidelity  is  crafty  and  yet  foolish,  crafty  in  her  insinuations, 
foolish  in  her  conceits.  They  imply,  "  If  we  were  sure  the  Lord 
were  with  us,  we  would  not  distrust ;"  they  conceive  doubts  of  his 
presence  after  such  confirmations.  What  could  God  do  more  to 
make  them  know  him  present,  unless  every  moment  should  have 
renewed  miracles  ?  The  plagues  of  Egypt  and  the  division  of  the 
sea  were  so  famous,  that  the  very  inns  of  Jericho  rang  of  them. 
Their  waters  were  lately  sweetened,  the  quails  were  yet  in  their 
teeth,  the  manna  was  yet  in  their  eye,  yea,  they  saw  God  in  the 
pillar  of  the  cloud,  and  yet  they  say,  Is  the  Lord  amongst  us  t 
No  argument  is  enough  to  an  incredulous  heart ;  not  reason,  not 
sense,  not  experience.  How  much  better  was  that  faith  of  Thomas, 
that  would  believe  his  eyes  and  hands,  though  his  ears  he  would 
not !  O  the  deep  infidelity  of  these  Israelites,  that  saw  and  be- 
lieved not ! 

And  how  will  they  know  if  God  be  amongst  them?  As  if  he 
could  not  be  with  them,  and  they  be  athirst !  Either  God  must 
humour  carnal  minds  or  be  distrusted :  if  they  prosper,  though 
it  be  with  wickedness,  God  is  with  them :  if  they  be  thwarted  in 
their  own  designs,  straight,  Is  God  with  us  ?  It  was  the  way  to 
put  God  from  them,  to  distrust  and  murmur.  If  he  had  not  been 
with  them,  they  had  not  lived ;  if  he  had  been  in  them,  they  had 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


110  The  rock  of  Rephidim.  book  v. 

not  mutinied.  They  can  think  him  absent  in  their  want,  and 
cannot  see  him  absent  in  their  sin :  and  jet  wickedness,  *  not 
affliction,  argues  him  gone:  yet  then  is  he  most  present  when 
he  most  chastises. 

Who  would  not  have  looked  that  this  answer  of  Moses  should 
have  appeased  their  fury  ?  As  what  can  still  him  that  will  not 
be  quiet  to  think  he  hath  God  for  his  adversary  ?  But  as  if  they 
would  wilfully  war  against  heaven,  they  proceed;  yet  with  no. 
less  craft  than  violence ;  bending  their  exception  to  one  part  of 
the  answer,  and  smoothly  omitting  what  they  could  not  except 
against.  They  will  not  hear  of  tempting  God;  they  maintain 
their  strife  with  Moses,  both  with  words  and  stones.  How  ma- 
licious, how  heady  is  impatience!  The  act  was  God's;  they. cast 
it  upon  Moses,  Wherefore  hast  thou  brought  us  ?  The  act  of  God 
was  merciful ;  they  make  it  cruel.  To  kill  us  and  our  children ; 
as  if  God  and  Moses  meant  nothing  but  their  ruin,  who  intended 
nothing  but  their  life  and  liberty.  Foolish  men !  What  needed 
this  journey  to  death  ?  Were  they  not  as  obnoxious  to  God  in 
Egypt  ?  Could  not  God  by  Moses  as  easily  have  killed  them,  in 
Egypt  or  in  the  sea,  as  their  enemies  ?  Impatience  is  full  of  mis- 
construction :  if  it  be  possible  to  find  out  any  gloss  to  corrupt  the 
text  of  God's  actions,  they  shall  be  sure  not  to  escape  untainted. 

It  was  no  expostulating  with  an  unreasonable  multitude :  Moses 
runs  straight  to  him  that  was  able  at  once  to  quench  their  thirst 
and  their  fury :  What  shall  I  do  to  this  people  ?  It  is  the  best 
way  to  trust  God  with  his  own  causes :  when  men  will  be  inter- 
meddling with  his  affairs,  they  undo  themselves  in  vain.  We  shall 
find  difficulties  in  all  great  enterprises :  if  we  be  sure  we  have 
begun  them  from  God,  we  may  securely  cast  all  events  upon  his 
providence,  which  knows  how  to  dispose  and  how  to  end  them. 

Moses  perceived  rage,  not  in  the  tongues  only,  but  in  the 
hands  of  the  Israelites.  Yet  a  while  longer,  and  they  will  stone 
me*  Even  the  leader  of  God's  people  feared  death  ;  and  sinned 
not  in  fearing.  Life  is  worthy  to  be  dear  to  all;  especially  to 
him  whom  public  charge  hath  made  necessary :  mere  fear  is  not 
sinful :  it  is  impotence  and  distrust  that  accompany  it  which 
make  it  evil.  How  well  is  that  fear  bestowed  that  sends  us  the 
more  importunately  to  God !  Some  man  would  have  thought  of 
flight;  Moses  flies  to  his  prayers;  and  that  not  for  revenge,  but 
for  help.  Who  but  Moses  would  not  have  said,  ''This  twice 
they  have  mutinied,  and  been  pardoned ;  and  now  again  thou 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  in.  The  rock  of  Rephidim.  Ill 

seest,  O  Lord,  how  madly  they  rebel;  and  how  bloodily  they 
intend  against  me;  preserve  me,  I  beseech  thee,  and  plague 
them:"  I  hear  none  of  tfcis;  but,  imitating  the  longsuffering 
of  his  God,  he  seeks  to  God  for  them,  which  sought  to  kill  him 
for  the  quarrel  of  God. 

Neither  is  God  sooner  sought  than  found :  all  Israel  might  see 
Moses  go  towards  the  rock ;  none  but  the  elders  might  see  him 
strike  it  Their  unbelief  made  them  unworthy  of  this  privilege. 
It  is  no  small  favour  of  God  to  make  us  witnesses  of  his  great 
works ;  that  he  crucifies  his  Son  before  us,  that  he  fetches  the 
water  of  life  out  of  the  true  Rock  in  our  sight,  is  an  high  preroga- 
tive :  if  his  rigour  would  have  taken  it,  our  infidelity  had  equally 
excluded  us,  whom  now  his  mercy  hath  received. 

Hoses  must  take  his  rod :  God  could  have  done  it  by  his  will 
without  a  word,  or  by  his  word  without  the  rod ;  but  he  will  do 
by  means  that  which  he  can  as  easily  do  without  There  was  no 
virtue  in  the  rod,  none  in  the  stroke ;  but  all  in  the  command  of 
God.  Means  must  be  used,  and  yet  their  efficacy  must  be  ex- 
pected out  of  themselves. 

It  doth  not  suffice  God  to  name  the  rod  without  a  description ; 
Whereby  thou  vmotest  the  river:  wherefore,  but  to  strengthen 
the  faith  of  Moses,  that  he  might  well  expect  this  wonder  from 
that  which  he  had  tried  to  be  miraculous?  How  could  he  but 
firmly  believe,  that  the  same  means  which  turned  the  waters  into 
blood,  and  turned  the  sea  into  a  wall,  could  as  well  turn  the  stone 
into  water  ?  Nothing  more  raises  up  the  heart  in  present  affiance 
than  the  recognition  of  favours  or  wonders  past.  Behold,  the 
same  rod  that  brought  plagues  to  the  Egyptians  brings  deliver- 
ances to  Israel !  By  the  same  means  can  God  save  and  condemn ; 
like  as  the  same  sword  defends  and  kills. 

That  power  which  turned  the  wings  of  the  quails  to  the  wilder- 
ness, turned  the  course  of  the  water  through  the  rock :  he  might, 
if  he  had  pleased,  have  caused  a  spring  to  well  out  of  the  plain 
earth ;  but  he  will  now  fetch  it  out  of  the  stone,  to  convince  and 
shame  their  infidelity. 

What  is  more  hard  and  dry  than  the  rock  ?  What  more  moist 
and  supple  than  water?  That  they  may  be  ashamed  to  think 
they  distrusted  lest  God  could  bring  them  water  out  of  the  clouds 
or  springs,  the  very  rock  shall  yield  it 

And  now,  unless  their  hearts  had  been  more  rocky  than  this 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


112  The  foil  of  Amalek ;  book  v. 

stone,  they  could  not  but  have  resolved  into  tears  for  this  dif- 
fidence. 

I  wonder  to  see  these  Israelites  fqd  with  sacraments.  Their 
bread  was  sacramental,  whereof  they  communicated  every  day : 
lest  any  man  should  complain  of  frequence,  the  Israelites  received 
daily;  and  now  their  drink  was  sacramental,  that  the  ancient 
church  may  give  no  warrant  of  a  dry  communion. 

Twice  therefore  hath  the  rock  yielded  them  water  of  refresh- 
ing, to  signify  that  the  true  spiritual  rock  yields  it  always.  The 
rock  that  followed  them  was  Christ :  out  of  thy  side,  O  Saviour, 
issued  that  bloody  stream,  whereby  the  thirst  of  all  believers  is 
comfortably  quenched :  let  us  but  thirst ;  not  with  repining,  but 
with  faith ;  this  rock  of  thine  shall  abundantly  flow  forth  to  our 
souls,  and  follow  us,  till  this  water  be  changed  into  that  new 
wine,  which  we  shall  drink  with  thee  in  thy  Father's  kingdom. 


THE  FOIL  OF  AMALEK;  OR,  THE  HAND  OF  MOSES 
LIFT  UP.— Exodus  xvii. 

No  sooner  is  Israel's  thirst  slaked,  than  God  hath  an  Amalekite 
ready  to  assault  them.  The  Almighty  hath  choice  of  rods  to 
whip  us  with;  and  will  not  be  content  with  one  trial.  They 
would  needs  be  quarrelling  with  Moses  without  a  cause;  and 
now  God  sends  the  AmaJekites  to  quarrel  with  them.  It  is  just 
with  God,  that  they  which  would  be  contending  with  their  best 
friends  should  have  work  enough  of  contending  with  enemies. 

In  their  passage  out  of  Egypt  God  would  not  lead  them  the 
nearest  way  by  the  Philistines'  land,  lest  they  should  repent 
at  the  sight  of  war ;  now  they  both  see  and  feel  it.  He  knows 
how  to  make  the  fittest  choice  of  the  times  of  evil ;  and  with- 
holds that  one  while  which  he  sends  another,  not  without  a  just 
reason  why  he  sends  and  withholds  it :  and  though  to  us  they 
come  ever,  as  we  think,  unseasonably,  and  at  some  times  more 
unfitly  than  others,  yet  he  that  sends  them  knows  their  oppor- 
tunities. 

Who  would  not  have  thought  a  worse  time  could  never  have 
been  picked  for  Israel's  war  than  now?  In  the  feebleness  of 
their  troops,  when  they  were  wearied,  thirsty,  unweaponed ;  yet 
now  must  the  Amalekites  do  that  which  before  the  Philistines 


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cont.  iv.  or,  the  hand  of  Moses  lift  up.  118 

might  not  do :  we  are  not  worthy,  not  able  to  choose  for  our- 
selves. 

To  be  sick  and  die  in  the  strength  of  youth,  in  the  minority 
of  children ;  to  be  pinched  with  poverty,  or  miscarriage  of  chil- 
dren, in  our  age,  how  harshly  unseasonable  it  seems !  But  the 
infinite  wisdom  that  orders  our  events,  knows  how  to  order  our 
times.  Unless  we  will  be  shameless  unbelievers,  O  Lord,  we 
must  trust  thee  with  ourselves  and  our  seasons ;  and  know,  that 
not  that  which  we  desire,  but  that  which  thou  hast  appointed,  is 
the  fittest  time  for  our  sufferings. 

Amalek  was  Esau's  grandchild ;  and  these  Israelites  the  sons 
of  Jacob.  The  abode  of  Amalek  was  not  so  far  from  Egypt, 
but  they  might  well  hear  what  became  of  their  cousins  of  Israel ; 
and  now,  doubtless,  out  of  envy  watched  their  opportunity  of 
revenge  for  their  old  grudge.  Malice  is  commonly  hereditary, 
and  runs  in  the  blood;  and,  as  we  use  to  say  of  rennet,  the 
older  it  is,  the  stronger. 

Hence  is  that  foolish  hostility  which  some  men  unjustly 
nourish  upon  no  other  grounds  than  the  quarrels  of  their  fore- 
fathers. To  wreak  our  malice  upon  posterity  is,  at  the  best,  but 
the  humour  of  an  Amalekite. 

How  cowardly  and  how  crafty  was  this  skirmish  of  Amalek  1 
They  do  not  bid  them  battle  in  fair  terms  of  war,  but,  without  all 
noise  of  warning,  come  stealing  upon  the  hindmost,  and  fall  upon 
the  weak  and  scattered  remnants  of  Israel.  There  is  no  looking 
for  favour  at  the  hands  of  malice :  the  worst  that  either  force  or 
fraud  can  do  must  be  expected  of  an  adversary ;  but  much  more 
of  our  spiritual  enemy,  by  how  much  his  hatred  is  deeper. 
Behold,  this  Amalek  lies  in  ambush  to  hinder  our  passage  unto 
our  land  of  promise;  and  subtly  takes  all  advantages  of  our 
weaknesses.  We  cannot  be  wise  nor  safe  if  we  stay  behind  our 
colours,  and  strengthen  not  those  parts  where  is  most  peril  of 
opposition. 

I  do  not  hear  Moses  say  to  his  Joshua,  "  Amalek  is  come  up 
against  us ;  it  matters  not  whether  thou  go  against  him  or  not ; 
or  if  thou  go,  whether  alone  or  with  company ;  or  if  accompanied, 
whether  with  many  or  few,  strong  or  weak ;  or  if  strong  men, 
whether  they  fight  or  no ;  I  will  pray  on  the  hill :"  but,  Choose 
us  out  men,  and  go  fight. 

Then  only  can  we  pray  with  hope,  when  we  have  done  our 
best.    And  though  the  means  cannot  effect  that  which  we  desire, 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  I 

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114  ThefoUofAmalek;  book  v. 

yet  God  will  have  us  use  the  likeliest  means  on  our  part  to  effect 
it.  Where  it  comes  immediately  from  the  charge  of  God,  any 
means  are  effectual :  one  stick  of  wood  shall  fetch  water  out  of 
the  rock,  another  shall  fetch  bitterness  out  of  the  water ;  but  in 
those  projects  which  we  make  for  our  own  purposes,  we  must 
choose  those  helps  which  promise  most  efficacy.  In  vain  shall 
Moses  be  upon  the  hill,  if  Joshua  be  not  in  the  valley.  Prayer 
without  means  is  a  mockery  of  God. 

Here  are  two  shadows  of  one  substance ;  the  same  Christ  in 
Joshua  fights  against  our  spiritual  Amalek,  and  in  Moses  spreads 
out  his  arms  upon  the  hill;  and  in  both  conquers.  And  why 
doth  he  climb  up  the  hill  rather  than  pray  in  the  valley  ?  perhaps 
that  he  might  have  the  more  freedom  to  his  thoughts;  which, 
following  the  sense,  are  so  much  more  heavenly  as  the  eye  sees 
more  of  heaven :  though  virtue  lies  not  in  the  place,  jet  choice 
must  be  made  of  those  places  which  may  be  most  help  to  our 
devotion ;  perhaps  that  he  might  be  in  the  eye  of  Israel. 

The  presence  and  sight  of  the  leader  gives  heart  to  the  people, 
neither  doth  any  thing  more  move  the  multitude  than  example- 
A  public  person  cannot  hide  himself  in  the  valley,  but  yet  it  be- 
comes him  best  to  show  himself  upon  the  hill. 

The  hand  of  Moses  must  be  raised,  but  not  empty ;  neither  is 
it  his  own  rod  that  he  holds,  but  God's.  In  the  first  meeting  of 
God  with  Moses,  the  rod  was  Moses's :  it  is  like  for  the  use  of 
his  trade :  now  the  propriety »  is  altered,  God  hath  so  wrought  by 
it,  that  now  he  challenges  it,  and  Moses  dare  not  call  it  his  own. 

ThoBe  things  which  it  pleases  God  to  use  for  his  own  service 
are  now  changed  in  their  condition.  The  bread  of  the  sacrament 
was  once  the  baker's,  now  it  is  God's ;  the  water  was  once  every 
man's,  now  it  is  the  laver  of  regeneration.  It  is  both  unjust  and 
unsafe  to  hold  those  things  common  wherein  God  hath  a  pecu- 
liarity. 

At  other  times,  upon  occasion  of  the  plagues  and  of  the  quails 
and  of  the  rock,  he  was  commanded  to  take  the  rod  in  his  hand, 
now  he  doth  it  unbidden :  he  doth  it  not  now  for  miraculous  ope* 
ration,  but  for  encouragement:  for  when  the  Israelites  should 
cast  up  their  eyes  to  the  hill  and  see  Moses  and  his  rod,  (the  man 
and  the  means  that  had  wrought  so  powerfully  for  them,)  they 
could  not  but  take  heart  to  themselves,  and  think,  "  There  is  the 
man  that  delivered  us  from  the  Egyptian,  why  not  now  from  the 

a  [property.] 


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cont.  iv.  or,  the  hand  of  Moses  lift  up.  115 

Amalekite  ?  There  is  the  rod  which  turned  waters  to  blood,  and 
brought  varieties  of  plagues  upon  Egypt,  why  not  now  on 
Amalek?" 

Nothing  can  more  hearten  our  faith  than  the  view  of  the  mo* 
numents  of  God's  favour :  if  ever  we  have  found  any  word  or  act 
of  God  cordial  to  us,  it  is  good  to  fetch  it  forth  oft  to  the  eye. 
The  renewing  of  our  sense  and  remembrance  makes  every  gift  of 
God  perpetually  beneficial 

If  Moses  had  received  a  command,  that  rod  which  fetched  water 
from  the  rock  could  as  well  have  fetched  the  blood  of  the  Amale- 
kites  out  of  their  bodies.  God  will  not  work  miracles  always, 
neither  must  we  expect  them  unbidden. 

Not  as  a  standardbearer  so  much  as  a  suppliant  doth  Moses 
lift  up  his  hand :  the  gesture  of  the  body  should  both  express  and 
further  the  piety  of  the  souL  This  flesh  of  ours  is  not  a  good 
servant,  unless  it  help  us  in  the  best  offices.  The  God  of  spirits 
doth  most  respect  the  soul  of  our  devotion,  yet  it  is  both  unman- 
nerly and  irreligious  to  be  misgestured  in  our  prayers.  The  care- 
less and  uncomely  carriage  of  the  body  helps  both  to  signify  and 
make  a  profane  soul. 

The  hand  and  the  rod  of  Moses  never  moved  in  vain :  though 
the  rod  did  not  strike  Amalek  as  it  had  done  the  rock,  yet  it 
smote  heaven  and  fetched  down  victory.  And  that  the  Israelites 
might  see  the  hand  of  Moses  had  a  greater  stroke  in  the  fight 
than  all  theirs,  the  success  must  rise  and  fall  with  it :  Amalek 
rose  and  Israel  fell,  with  his  hand  falling ;  Amalek  fell  and  Israel 
rises,  with  his  hand  raised.  O  the  wondrous  power  of  the  prayers 
of  faith !  All  heavenly  favours  are  derived  to  us  from  this  channel 
of  grace :  to  these  are  we  beholden  for  our  peace,  preservations, 
and  all  the  rich  mercies  of  God  which  we  enjoy.  We  could  not 
want  if  we  could  ask. 

Every  man's  hand  would  not  have  done  this,  but  the  hand  of 
a  Moses.  A  faithless  man  may  as  well  hold  his  hand  and  tongue 
still;  he  may  babble,  but  prays  not;  he  prays  ineffectually,  and 
receives  not :  only#tbe  prayer  of  the  righteous  availeth  much,  and 
only  the  believer  is  righteous. 

There  can  be  no  merit,  no  recompense,  answerable  to  a  good 
man's  prayer,  for  heaven  and  the  ear  of  God  is  open  to  him :  but 
the  formal  devotions  of  an  ignorant  and  faithless  man  are  not 
worth  that  crust  of  bread  which  he  asks ;  yea,  it  is  presumption 

I  2 


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116  The  foil  of  Amalek,  tyc.  book  v. 

in  himself,  how  should  it  be  beneficial  to  others  ?  it  profanes  the 
name  of  God  instead  of  adoring  it. 

But  how  justly  is  the  fervency  of  the  prayer  added  to  the 
righteousness  of  the  person!  When  Moses's  hand  slackened, 
Amalek  prevailed.  No  Moses  can  have  his  hand  ever  up :  it  is 
a  title  proper  to  God,  that  his  hands  are  stretched  out  still, 
whether  to  mercy  or  vengeance.  Our  infirmity  will  not  suffer 
any  long  attention  either  of  body  or  mind.  Long  prayers  can 
hardly  maintain  their  vigour,  as  in  tall  bodies  the  spirits  are  dif- 
fused. The  strongest  hand  will  languish  with  long  extending  ; 
and  when  our  devotion  tires,  it  is  seen  in  the  success ;  then  straight 
our  Amalek  prevails.  Spiritual  wickednesses  are  mastered  by  vehe- 
ment prayer,  and  by  heartlessness  in  prayer  overcome  us. 

Moses  had  two  helps,  a  stone  to  sit  on,  and  an  hand  to  raise  his ; 
and  his  sitting  and  holpen  hand  is  no  whit  less  effectual.  Even  in 
our  prayers  will  God  allow  us  to  respect  our  own  infirmities.  In 
cases  of  our  necessity  he  regards  not  the  posture  of  body,  but  the 
affections  of  the  soul. 

Doubtless  Aaron  and  Hur  did  not  only  raise  their  hands,  but 
their  minds  with  his ;  the  more  cords,  the  easier  draught.  Aaron 
was  brother  to  Moses :  there  cannot  be  a  more  brotherly  office 
than  to  help  one  another  in  our  prayers,  and  to  excite  our  mutual 
devotions.  No  Christian  may  think  it  enough  to  pray  alone :  he 
is  no  true  Israelite  that  will  not  be  ready  to  lift  up  the  weary 
hands  of  God's  saints. 

All  Israel  saw  this;  or,  if  they  were  so  intent  upon  the 
slaughter  and  spoil  that  they  observed  it  not,  they  might  bear  it 
after  from  Aaron  and  Hur :  yet  this  contents  not  God,  It  must 
be  written.  Many  other  miracles  hath  God  done  before:  not 
one  directly  commanded  to  be  recorded :  the  other  were  only  for 
the  wonder,  this  for  the  imitation  of  God's  people.  In  things  that 
must  live  by  report,  every  tongue  adds  or  detracts  something. 
The  word  once  written  is  both  unalterable  and  permanent. 

As  God  is  careful  to  maintain  the  glory  of  his  miraculous  vic- 
tory, so  is  Moses  desirous  to  second  him ;  God  by  a  book,  and 
Moses  by  an  altar  and  a  name.  God  commands  to  enrol  it  in 
parchment,  Moses  registers  it  in  the  stones  of  his  altar,  which  he 
raises,  not  only  for  future  memory,  but  for  present  use. 

That  hand,  which  was  weary  of  lifting  up,  straight  offers  a 
sacrifice  of  praise  to  God :  how  well  it  becomes  the  just  to  be 


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cont.  v.  The  law.  117 

thankful !  Even  very  nature  teacheth  us  men  to  abhor  ingratitude 
in  small  favours.  How  much  less  can  that  fountain  of  goodness 
abide  to  be  laded  at  with  unthankful  hands !  O  God,  we  cannot 
but  confess  our  deliverances;  where  are  our  altars?  where  are 
our  sacrifices  ?  where  is  our  Jehovah  Nissi  ?  I  do  not  more  wonder 
at  thy  power  in  .preserving  us,  than  at  thy  mercy,  which  is  not 
weary  of  casting  away  favours  upon  the  ungrateful. 


THE  LAW.— Exodus  xix,  xx. 

It  is  but  about  seven  weeks  since  Israel  came  out  of  Egypt,  in 
which  space  God  had  cherished  their  faith  by  five  several  won- 
ders :  yet  now  he  thinks  it  time  to  give  them  statutes  from  heaven, 
as  well  as  bread. 

The  manna  and  water  from  the  rock  (which  was  Christ  in  the 
gospel)  were  given  before  the  law;  the  sacraments  of  grace 
before  the  legal  covenant.  The  grace  of  God  preventeth  our 
obedience :  therefore  should  we  keep  the  law  of  God,  because  we 
have  a  Saviour.  O  the  mercy  of  our  God !  which,  before  we  see 
what  we  are  bound  to  do,  shows  us  our  remedy,  if  we  do  it  not : 
how  can  our  faith  disannul  the  law,  when  it  was  before  it  ?  It  may 
help  to  fulfil  that  which  shall  be :  it  cannot  frustrate  that  which 
was  not. 

The  letters  which  God  bad  written  in  our  fleshy  tables  were 
now,  as  those  which  are  carved  on  some  barks,  almost  grown  out ; 
he  saw  it  time  to  write  them  in  dead  tables,  whose  hardness  should 
not  be  capable  of  alteration :  he  knew  that  the  stone  would  be 
more  faithful  than  our  hearts. 

O  marvellous  accordance  betwixt  the  two  testaments !  In  the 
very  time  of  their  delivery  there  is  the  same  agreement  which  is 
in  the  substance.  The  ancient  Jews  kept  our  feasts,  and  we  still 
keep  theirs.  The  feast  of  the  passover  is  the  time  of  Christ's  re- 
surrection; then  did  he  pass  from  under  the  bondage  of  death. 
Christ  is  our  passover,  the  spotless  lamb,  whereof  not  a  bone 
must  be  broken.  The  very  day  wherein  God  came  down  in  fire 
and  thunder  to  deliver  the  law,  even  the  same  day  came  also  the 
Holy  Ghost  down  upon  the  disciples  in  fiery  tongues  for  the  pro- 
pagation of  the  gospel  That  other  was  in  fire  and  smoke,  obscu- 
rity was  mingled  with  terror:  this  was  in  fire  without  smoke, 


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118  The  law.  book  v. 

befitting  the  light  and  clearness  of  the  gospel :  fire,  not  in  flashes, 
but  in  tongues ;  not  to  terrify,  but  to  instruct.  The  promulgation 
of  the  law  makes  way  for  the  law  of  the  gospel :  no  man  receives 
the  Holy  Ghost,  but  he  which  hath  felt  the  terrors  of  Sinai. 

God  might  have  imposed  upon  them  a  law  per  force :  they  were 
his  creatures,  and  he  could  require  nothing  but.  justice.  It  had 
been  but  equal  that  they  should  be  compelled  to  obey  their 
Maker ;  yet  that  God,  which  loves  to  do  all  things  sweetly,  gives 
the  law  of  justice  in  mercy,  and  will  not  imperiously  command, 
but  craves  our  assent  for  that  which  it  were  rebellion  not  to  do. 

How  gentle  should  be  the  proceeding  of  fellow  creatures,  who 
have  an  equality  of  being  with  an  inequality  of  condition,  when 
their  infinite  Maker  requests  where  he  might  constrain !  God  will 
make  no  covenant  with  the  unwilling,  how  much  less  the  covenant 
of  grace,  which  stands  all  upon  love !  If  we  stay  till  God  offer 
violence  to  our  will,  or  to  us  against  our  will,  we  shall  die  strangers 
from  him.  The  Church  is  the  spouse  of  Christ :  he  will  enjoy  her 
love  by  a  willing  contract,  not  by  a  ravishment.  The  obstinate 
have  nothing  to  do  with  God :  the  title  of  all  converts  is,  a  will- 
ing people. 

That  Israel  inclined  to  God,  it  was  from  God ;  he  inquires  after 
his  own  gifts  in  us,  for  our  capacity  of  more.  They  had  not  re- 
ceived the  law,  unless  they  had  first  received  a  disposition  fit  to  be 
commanded.  As  there  was  an  inclination  to  hear,  so  there  must 
be  a  preparation  for  hearing.  God's  justice  had  before  prepared 
his  Israelites  by  hunger,  thirst,  fear  of  enemies ;  his  mercy  had 
prepared  them  by  deliverances,  by  provisions  of  water,  meat, 
bread :  and  yet,  besides  all  the  sight  of  God  in  his  miracles,  they 
must  be  three  days  prepared  to  hear  him.  When  our  souls  are 
at  the  best,  our  approach  to  God  requires  particular  addresses; 
and  if  three  days  were  little  enough  to  prepare  them  to  receive 
the  law,  how  is  all  our  life  short  enough  to  prepare  for  the 
reckoning  of  our  observing  it  I  And  if  the  word  of  a  command  ex- 
pected such  readiness,  what  shall  the  word  of  promise,  the  pro- 
mise of  Christ  and  salvation  I 

The  murrain  of  Egypt  was  not  so  infectious  as  their  vices ;  the 
contagion  of  these  stuck  still  by  Israel :  all  the  water  of  the  Red 
sea,  and  of  Marah,  and  that  which  gushed  out  of  the  rock,  had 
not  washed  it  off.  From  these  they  must  now  be  sanctified.  As 
sin  is  always  dangerous,  so  most  when  we  bring  it  into  God's 
sight:   it  envenometh  both  our  persons  and  services,  and  turns 


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cont.  v.  The  law.  119 

our  good  into  evil.  As  therefore  we  must  be  always  holy,  so 
most  when  we  present  ourselves  to  the  holy  eyes  of  our  Creator. 
We  wash  our  hands  every  day,  but  when  we  are  to  sit  with  some 
great  person,  we  scour  them  with  balls.  And  if  we  must  be  sanc- 
tified only  to  receive  the  law,  how  holy  must  we  be  to  receive  the 
grace  promised  in  the  gospel  I 

Neither  must  themselves  only  be  cleansed,  but  their  very 
clothes;  their  garments  smelt  of  Egypt,  even  they  must  be 
washed.  Neither  can  clothes  be  capable  of  sin,  nor  can  water 
cleanse  from  sin :  the  danger  was  neither  in  their  garments  nor 
their  skin ;  yet  they  must  be  washed,  that  they  might  learn  by 
their  clothes  with  what  souls  to  appear  before  their  God.  Those 
garments  must  be  washed  which  should  never  wax  old,  that  now 
they  might  begin  their  age  in  purity ;  as  those  which  were  in 
more  danger  of  being  foul  than  bare.  It  is  fit  that  our  reverence 
to  God's  presence  should  appear  in  our  very  garments;  that 
both  without  and  within  we  may  be  cleanly ;  but  little  would 
neatness  of  vestures  avail  us  with  a  filthy  soul.  The  God  of 
spirits  looks  to  the  inner  man,  and  challenges  the  purity  of  that 
part  which  resembles  himself ;  Cleanse  your  hands,  ye  sinners ; 
and  purge  your  hearts,  ye  double-minded. 

Yet  even  when  they  were  washed  and  sanctified  they  may  not 
touch  the  mount ;  not  only  with  their  feet,  but  not  with  their 
eyes ;  the  smoke  keeps  it  from  their  eyes,  the  marks  from  their 
feet.  Not  only  men  that  had  some  impurity  at  their*  best  are 
restrained,  but  even  beasts,  which  are  not  capable  of  any  unholi- 
ness.  Those  beasts  which  must  touch  his  altars,  yet  might  not 
touch  his  hill ;  and  if  a  beast  touch  it,  he  must  die ;  yet  so  as  no 
hands  may  touch  that  which  hath  touched  the  hill.  Unreason- 
ableness might  seem  to  be  an  excuse  in  these  creatures;  that 
therefore  which  is  death  to  a  beast  must  needs  be  capital  to 
them  whose  reason  should  guide  them  to  avoid  presumption* 
Those  Israelites  which  saw  God  every  day  in  the  pillar  of  fire 
and  the  cloud  must  not  come  near  him  in  the  mount.  God  loves 
at  once  familiarity  and  fear ;  familiarity  in  our  conversation,  and 
fear  in  his  commands.  He  loves  to  be  acquainted  with  men  in 
the  walks  of  their  obedience ;  yet  he  takes  state  upon  him  in  his 
ordinances,  and  will  be  trembled  at  in  his  word  and  judgments. 

I  see  the  difference  of  God's  carriage  to  men  in  the  Law  and 
in  the  Gospel :  there,  the  very  hill  where  he  appeared  may  not  be 
touched  of  the  purest  Israelite ;  here,  the  hem  of  his  garment  is 


Digitized  by 


Google 


120  The  law.  book  v. 

touched  by  the  woman  that  had  the  flux  of  blood,  yea,  his  very 
face  was  touched  with  the  lips  of  Judas :  there,  the  very  earth 
was  prohibited  them  on  which  he  descended ;  here,  his  very  body 
and  blood  is  proffered  to  our  touch  and  taste.  O  the  marvellous 
kindness  of  our  Ood  !  How  unthankful  are  we  if  we  do  not  ac- 
knowledge this  mercy  above  his  ancient  people !  They  were  his 
own ;  yet  strangers  in  comparison  of  our  liberty.  It  is  our  shame 
and  sin  if  in  these  means  of  entireness  we  be  no  better  acquainted 
with  God  than  they  which  in  their  greatest  familiarity  were  com- 
manded aloof. 

God  was  ever  wonderful  in  his  works  and  fearful  in  his  judg- 
ments ;  but  he  was  never  so  terrible  in  the  execution  of  his  will 
as  now  in  the  promulgation  of  it.  Here  was  nothing  but  a  ma- 
jestical  terror  in  the  eyes,  in  the  ears  of  the  Israelites ;  as  if  God 
meant  to  show  them  by  this  how  fearful  he  could  be.  Here  was 
the  lightning  darted  in  their  eyes,  the  thunders  roaring  in  their 
ears,  the  trumpet  of  God  drowning  the  thunderclaps,  the  voice 
of  God  outspeaking  the  trumpet  of  the  angel:  the  cloud  en- 
wrapping, the  smoke  ascending,  the  fire  flaming,  the  mount 
trembling,  Moses  climbing  and  quaking,  paleness  and  death  in 
the  face  of  Israel,  uproar  in  the  elements,  and  all  the  glory  of 
heaven  turned  into  terror.  In  the  destruction  of  the  first  world 
there  were  clouds  without  fire ;  in  the  destruction  of  Sodom  there 
was  fire  raining  without  clouds ;  but  here  was  fire,  smoke,  clouds, 
thunder,*  earthquakes,  and  whatsoever  might  work  more  asto- 
nishment than  ever  was  in  any  vengeance  inflicted. 

And  if  the  law  were  thus  given,  how  shall  it  be  required  ?  If 
such  were  the  proclamation  of  God's  statutes,  what  shall  the  ses- 
sions be  ?  1  see  and  tremble  at  the  resemblance.  The  trumpet 
of  the  angel  called  unto  the  one ;  the  voice  of  an  archangel,  the 
trumpet  of  God,  shall  summon  us  to  the  other.  To  the  one, 
Moses,  that  climbed  up  that  hill,  and  alone  saw  it,  says,  God 
came  with  ten  thousands  of  his  saints ;  in  the  other,  thousand 
thousands  shall  minister  to  him,  and  ten  thousand  thousands 
shall  stand  before  him.  In  the  one,  Mount  Sinai  only  was  on  a 
flame ;  all  the  world  shall  be  so  in  the  other.  In  the  one,  there 
was  fire,  smoke,  thunder,  and  lightning;  in  the  other,  a  fiery 
stream  shall  issue  from  him,  wherewith  the  heavens  shall  be  dis- 
solved, and  the  elements  shall  melt  away  with  a  noise.  O  God, 
how  powerful  art  thou  to  inflict  vengeance  upon  sinners,  who 
didst  thus  forbid  sin !  and  if  thou  wert  so  terrible  a  Lawgiver, 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cost.  v.  The  law.  121 

what  a  Judge  shalt  thou  appear!  What  shall  become  of  the 
breakers  of  so  fiery  a  law  ?  O  where  shall  those  appear  that 
are  guilty  of  the  transgressing  that  law,  whose  very  delivery  was 
little  less  than  death  ?  If  our  God  should  exact  his  law  but  in  the 
same  rigour  wherein  he  gave  it,  sin  could  not  quit  the  cost :  but 
now  the  fire  wherein  it  was  delivered  was  but  terrifying,  the  fire 
wherein  it  shall  be  required  is  consuming.  Happy  are  those  that 
are  from  under  the  terrors  of  that  law  which  was  given  in  fire, 
and  in  fire  shall  be  required. 

God  would  have  Israel  see  that  they  had  not  to  do  with  some 
impotent  commander,  that  is  fain  to  publish  his  laws  without 
noise  in  dead  paper ;  which  can  more  easily  enjoin  than  punish ; 
or  descry  than  execute ;  and  therefore,  before  he  gives  them  a 
law,  he  shows  them  that  he  can  command  heaven,  earth,  fire,  air, 
in  revenge  of  the  breach  of  the  law ;  that  they  could  not  but 
think  it  deadly  to  displease  such  a  Lawgiver,  or  violate  such 
dreadful  statutes:  that  they  might  see  all  the  elements  ex- 
amples of  that  obedience  which  they  should  yield  unto  their 
Maker. 

This  fire  wherein  the  law  was  given  is  still  in  it,  and  will 
never  out:  henco  are  those  terrors  which  it  flashes  in  every 
conscience  that  hath  felt  remorse  of  sin.  Every  man's  heart  is  a 
Sinai,  and  resembles  to  him  both  heaven  and  hell.  The  sting  of 
death  is  sin,  and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law. 

That  they  might  see  he  could  find  out  their  closest  sins,  he  de- 
livers his  law  in  the  light  of  fire  from  out  of  the  smoke;  that 
they  might  see  what  is  due  to  their  sins,  they  see  fire  above,  to 
represent  the  fire  that  should  be  below  them ;  that  they  might 
know  he  could  waken  their  security,  the  thunder  and  louder  voice 
of  God  speaks  to  their  hearts.  That  they  might  see  what  their 
hearts  should  do,  the  earth  quakes  under  them.  That  they 
might  see  they  could  not  shift  their  appearance,  the  angels  call 
them  together.  O  royal  law  and  mighty  Lawgiver !  How  could 
they  think  of  having  any  other  God  that  had  such  proofs  of  this  ? 
How  could  they  think  of  making  any  resemblance  of  him  whom 
they  saw  could  not  be  seen,  and  whom  they  saw,  in  not  being 
seen,  infinite?  How  could  they  think  of  daring  to  profane  his 
name  whom  they  heard  to  name  himself  with  that  voice  Jehovah? 
How  could  they  think  of  standing  with  him  for  a  day  whom  they 
saw  to  command  that  heaven  which  makes  and  measures  day? 
How  could  they  think  of  disobeying  his  deputies,  whom  they  saw 


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122  The  golden  calf.  book  v. 

so  able  to  revenge  ?  How  could  they  think  of  killing,  when  they 
were  half  dead  with  the  fear  of  him  that  could  kill  both  body 
and  soul  ?  How  could  they  think  of  the  flames  of  lust,  that  saw 
such  fires  of  vengeance  ?  How  could  they  think  of  stealing  from 
others,  that  saw  whose  the  heaven  and  earth  was  to  dispose  of 
at  his  pleasure  ?  How  could  they  think  of  speaking  falsely,  that 
heard  God  speak  in  so  fearful  a  tone?  How  could  they  think  of 
coveting  others'  goods,  that  saw  how  weak  and  uncertain  a  right 
they  had  to  theig  own?  Tea,  to  us  was  this  law  so  delivered ;  to 
us  in  them :  neither  had  there  been  such  state  in  the  promulga- 
tion of  it,  if  God  had  not  intended  it  for  eternity.  We  men,  that 
so  fear  the  breach  of  human  laws  for  some  small  mulcts  of  for* 
feiture,  how  should  we  fear  thee,  O  Lord,  that  canst  cast  body 
and  soul  into  hell  I 


THE  GOLDEN  CALF.— Exodus  xxvii. 

It  was  not  much  above  a  month  since  Israel  made  their  cove- 
nant with  God ;  since  they  trembled  to  hear  him  say,  Thou  shalt 
have  no  other  gods  but  me;  since  they  saw  Moses  part  from 
them,  and  climb  up  the  hill  to  God ;  and  now  they  say,  Make  us 
gods;  we  knew  not  what  is  become  of  this  Moses.  O  ye  mad 
Israelites,  have  ye  so  soon  forgotten  that  fire  and  thunder  which 
you  heard  and  saw !  Is  that  smoke  vanished  out  of  your  mind  as 
soon  as  out  of  your  sight?  Could  your  hearts  cease  to  tremble 
with  the  earth  ?  Can  ye,  in  the  very  sight  of  Sinai,  call  for  other 
gods  ?  And  for  Moses,  was  it  not  for  your  sakes  that  he  thrust 
himself  into  the  midst  of  that  smoke  and  fire  which  ye  feared  to 
see  afar  off?  Was  he  not  now  gone,  after  so  many  sudden  embas- 
sages, to  be  your  lieger  with  God  ?  If  ye  had  seen  him  take 
his  heels  and  run  away  from  you  into  the  wilderness,  what  could 
ye  have  said  or  done  more  ?  Behold,  our  better  Moses  was  with 
us  a  while  upon  earth,  he  is  now  ascended  into  the  mount  of 
heaven  to  mediate  for  us;  shall  we  now  think  of  another  Sa- 
viour ?  shall  we  not  hold  it  our  happiness  that  he  is  for  our  sakes 
above? 

And  what  if  your  Moses  had  been  gone  for  ever  ?  Must  ye 
therefore  have  gods  made  ?  If  ye  had  said,  "  Choose  us  another 
governor,"  it  had  been  a  wicked  and  unthankful  motion ;  ye  were 
too  unworthy  of  a  Moses  that  could  so  soon  forget  him :  but  to 
say  Make  us  gods  was  absurdly  impious.     Moses  was  not  your 


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cont\  vi.  The  golden  calf.  123 

God,  but  your  governor:  neither  was  the  presence  of  God  tied 
to  Moses.  You  saw  God  still  when  he  was  gone,  in  his  pillar  and 
in  his  manna,  and  yet  ye  say,  Make  us  gods. 

Every  word  is  foil  of  senseless  wickedness.  How  many  gods 
would  you  have  ?  or  what  gods  are  those  that  can  be  made  ?  or, 
whatever  the  idolatrous  Egyptians  did,  with  what  face  can  ye, 
after  so  many  miraculous  obligations,  speak  of  another  god? 
Had  the  voice  of  God  scarce  done  thundering  in  your  ears  ?  Did 
you  so  lately  hear  and  see  him  to  be  an  infinite  God  ?  Did  ye 
quake  to  hear  him  say  out  of  the  midst  of  the  flames,  I  am  Je- 
hovah thy  God :  thou shalt  have  no  gods  but  me?  Did  ye  ac- 
knowledge God  your  Maker,  and  do  ye  now  speak  of  making  of 
gods  ?  If  ye  had  said,  "  Make  us  another  man  to  go  before  us/1 
it  had  been  an  impossible  suit.  Aaron  might  help  to  mar  you 
and  himself;  he  could  not  make  one  hair  of  a  man:  and  do  ye 
say,  Make  us  gods  ?  And  what  should  those  gods  do  ?  Go  before 
you.  How  could  they  go  before  you  that  cannot  stand  alone  ? 
your  help  makes  them  to  stand,  and  yet  they  must  conduct  you ! 

O  the  impatient  ingratitude  of  carnal  minds!  O  the  sottish- 
ness  of  idolatry !  Who  would  not  have  said,  "  Moses  is  not  with 
us,  but  he  is  with  God  for  us  ?  He  stays  long :  he  that  called 
him  withholds  him:  his  delay  is  for  our  sakes,  as  well  as  his 
ascent.  Though  we  see  him  not,  we  will  hope  for  him ;  his  fa- 
vours to  us  have  deserved  not  to  be  rejected :  or  if  God  will  keep 
him  from  us,  he  that  withholds  him  can  supply  him;  he  that 
sent  him  can  lead  us  without  him ;  his  fire  and  cloud  is  all-suffi- 
cient ;  God  hath  said  and  done  enough  for  us  to  make  us  trust 
him ;  we  will,  we  can,  have  no  other  God ;  we  care  not  for  any 
other  guide."  But  behold  here  is  none  of  this :  Moses  stays  but 
some  five-and-thirty  days,  and  now  he  is  forgotten,  and  is  become 
but  this  Moses :  yea,  God  is  forgotten  with  him ;  and,  as  if  God 
and  Moses  had  been  lost  at  once,  they  say,  Make  us  gods.  Na- 
tural men  must  have  God  at  their  bent ;  and  if  he  come  not  at  a 
call,  he  is  cast  off,  and  they  take  themselves  to  their  own  shifts : 
like  as  the  Chinese  whip  their  gods  when  they  answer  them  not* ; 
whereas  his  holy  ones  wait  long,  and  seek  him ;  and  not  only  in 
their  sinking,  but  from  the  bottom  of  the  deeps,  call  upon  him ; 
and  though  he  kill  them,  will  trust  in  him. 

Superstition  besots  the  minds  of  men  and  blinds  the  eye  of 
reason,  and  first  makes  them  not  men  ere  it  makes  them  idolaters. 

*  ["They  have  their  idols  in  their  houses  with  which  they  consult,  sometimes 
praying  and  sometimes  beating  them,"  &c]  Pwrchas'i  Pilgrimage,  B.  iv.  19.  6. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


124  The  golden  calf  book  v. 

How  else  could  he  that  is  the  image  of  God  fall  down  to  the 
images  of  creatures?  how  could  our  forefathers  have  so  doted 
upon  stocks  and  stones  if  they  had  been  themselves  i  As  the 
Syrians  were  first  blinded,  and  then  led  into  the  midst  of  Samaria, 
so  are  idolaters  first  bereaved  of  their  wits  and  common  sense,  and 
afterwards  are  carried  brutishly  into  all  palpable  impiety. 

Who  would  not  have  been  ashamed  to  hear  this  answer  from 
the  brother  of  Moses,  Pluck  off  four  earrings  ?  He  should  have 
said,  "  Pluck  this  idolatrous  thought  out  of  your  hearts :"  and 
now,  instead  of  chiding,  he  soothes  them ;  and,  as  if  he  had  been 
no  kin  to  Moses,  he  helps  to  lead  them  back  again  from  Qod  to  , 
Egypt.  The  people  importuned  him,  perhaps  with  threats.  He 
that  had  waded  through  all  the  menaces  of  Pharaoh,  doth  he 
now  shrink  at  the  threats  of  his  own  ?  Moses  is  not  afraid  of  the 
terrors  of  Ood :  his  faith,  that  carried  him  through  the  water,  led 
him  up  to  the  fire  of  God's  presence ;  while  his  brother  Aaron 
fears  the  faces  of  those  men  which  he  lately  saw  pale  with  the 
fear  of  their  glorious  lawgiver.  As  if  he  that  forbad  other  gods 
could  not  have  maintained  his  own  act  and  agent  against  men. 
Sudden  fears,  when  they  have  possessed  weak  minds,  lead  them 
to  shameful  errors.  Importunity  or  violence  may  lessen,  but  they 
cannot  excuse  a  fault.  Wherefore  was  he  a  governor,  but  to  de- 
press their  disordered  motions  ?  Facility  of  yielding  to  a  sin,  or 
wooing  it  with  our  voluntary  suit,  is  a  higher  stair  of  evil ;  but 
even  at  last  to  be  won  to  sin  is  damnable.  It  is  good  to  resist 
any  onset  of  sin,  but  one  condesoent  loses  all  the  thanks  of  our 
opposition.  What  will  it  avail  a  man  that  others  are  plagued  for 
soliciting  him  while  he  smarteth  for  yielding  ?  If  both  be  in  hell, 
what  ease  is  it  to  him  that  another  is  deeper  in  the  pit  ? 

What  now  did  Aaron  ?  Behold,  he  that  alone  was  allowed  to 
climb  up  the  trembling  and  fiery  hill  of  Sinai  with  Moses,  and 
heard  God  say,  Thou  shalt  not  make  to  thyself  amy  graven  image, 
for  lam  a  jealous  God,  as  if  he  meant  particularly  to  prevent 
this  act,  within  one  month  calls  for  their  earrings,  makes  the 
graven  image  of  a  calf,  erects  an  altar,  consecrates  a  day  to  it, 
calls  it  their  god,  and  weeps  not  to  see  them  dance  before  it.  It 
is  a  miserable  thing  when  governors  humour  the  people  in  their 
sins;  and,  instead  of  making  up  the  breach,  enlarge  it.  Sin  will 
take  heart  by  the  approbation  of  the  meanest  looker  on ;  but  if 
authority  once  second  it,  it  grows  impudent :  as  contrarily,  where 
the  public  government  opposes  evil,  (though  it  be  underhand  prac- 
tised, not  without  fear,)  there  is  life  in  that  state. 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  vi.  The  golden  calf.  125 

Aaron  might  have  learned  better  counsel  of  his  brother's  ex- 
ample. When  they  came  to  him  with  stones  in  their  hands,  and 
said,  Give  us  water,  he  ran  as  roundly  to  God  with  prayers  in  his 
mouth;  so  should  Aaron  hare  done,  when  they  said,  dive  us 
gods :  but  he  weakly  runs  to  their  earrings,  that  which  should  be 
made  their  god ;  not  to  the  true  God,  which  they  had  and  forsook. 
Who  can  promise  to  himself  freedom  from  gross  infirmities,  when 
he  that  went  up  into  the  mount  comes  down  and  doth  that  in  the 
valley  which  he  heard  forbidden  in  the  hill  ? 

I  see  yet  and  wonder  at  the  mercy  of  that  God  which  had 
justly  called  himself  jealous.  This  very  Aaron,  whose  infirmity  had 
yielded  to  so  foul  an  idolatry,  is  after  chosen  by  God  to  be  a 
priest  to  himself:  he  that  had  set  up  an  altar  to  the  calf  must  serve 
at  the  altar  of  God :  he  that  had  melted  and  carved  out  the  calf 
for  a  god  must  sacrifice  calves  and  rams  and  bullocks  unto  the 
true  God :  he  that  consecrated  a  day  to  the  idol  is  himself  con- 
secrated to  him  which  was  dishonoured  by  the  idol.  The  grossest 
of  all  sins  cannot  prejudice  the  calling  of  God ;  yea,  as  the  light 
is  best  seen  in  darkness,  the  mercy  of  God  is  most  magnified  in 
our  unworthiness. 

What  a  difference  God  puts  between  persons  and  sins !  While 
so  many  thousand  Israelites  were  slain  that  had  stomachfully 
desired  the  idol ;  Aaron,  that  in  weakness  condescended,  is  both 
pardoned  the  fact,  and  afterwards  laden  with  honour  from  God. 
Let  no  man  take  heart  to  sin  from  mercy :  he  that  can  purpose 
to  sin  upon  the  knowledge  of  God's  mercy  in  the  remission  of 
infirmities,  presumes,  and  makes  himself  a  wilful  offender.  It  is 
no  comfort  to  the  wilful  that  there  is  remission  to  the  weak  and 
penitent. 

The  earrings  are  plucked  off:  Egyptian  jewels  are  fit  for  an 
idolatrous  use.  This  very  gold  was  contagious.  It  had  been 
better  the  Israelites  had  never  borrowed  these  ornaments,  than 
that  they  should  pay  them  back  to  the  idolatry  of  their  first 
owners.  What  cost  the  superstitious  Israelites  are  content  to  be 
at  for  this  lewd  devotion  1  The  riches  and  pride  of  their  outward 
habit  are  they  willing  to  part  with  to  their  molten  god ;  as  glad 
to  have  their  ears  bare,  that  they  might  fill  their  eyes.  No  gold  is 
too  dear  for  their  idol ;  each  man  is  content  to  spoil  his  wives  and 
children  of  that  whereof  they  spoiled  the  Egyptians. 

Where  are  those  worldlings  that  cannot  abide  to  be  at  any 
cost  for  their  religion,  which  could  be  content  to  do  God  charge- 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


126  The  golden  calf.  book  v. 

less  service  ?  These  very  Israelites,  that  were  ready  to  give  gold, 
not  out  of  their  purses,  but  from  their  very  ears,  to  misdevotion, 
shall  once  condemn  them.  0  sacrilege  succeeding  to  superstition ! 
of  old  they  were  ready  to  give  gold  to  the  false  service  of  God ; 
we,  to  take  away  gold  from  the  true :  how  do  we  see  men  prodigal 
to  their  lusts  and  ambitions,  and  we  hate  not  to  be  niggards  to 
Qod! 

This  gold  is  now  grown  to  a  calf,  let  no  man  think  that  form 
came  forth  casually  out  of  the  melted  earrings :  this  shape  was 
intended  by  the  Israelites,  and  perfected  by  Aaron :  they  brought 
this  god  in  their  hearts  with  them  out  of  Egypt,  and  now  they 
set  it  up  in  their  eyes.  Still  doth  Egypt  hurt  them :  servitude 
was  the  least  evil  that  Israel  receives  from  Egypt ;  for  that  sent 
them  still  to  the  true  God,  but  this  idolatrous  example  led  them 
to  a  false.  The  very  sight  of  evil  is  dangerous,  and  it  is  hard 
for  the  heart  not  to  run  into  those  sins  to  which  the  eye  and 
ear  is  inured:  not  out  of  love,  but  custom,  we  fall  into  some 
offences. 

The  Israelites  wrought  so  long  in  the  furnaces  of  the  Egyp- 
tians' brick,  that  they  have  brought  forth  a  molten  calf.  The 
black  calf  with  the  white  spots  which  they  saw  worshipped  in 
Egypt  hath  stolen  their  hearts ;  and  they,  which  before  would 
have  been  at  the  Egyptian  flesh  pots,-  would  now  be  at  their 
devotions.  How  many  have  fallen  into  a  fashion  of  swearing, 
scoffing,  drinking,  out  of  the  usual  practice  of  others ;  as  those 
that  live  in  an  ill  air  are  infected  with  diseases !  A  man  may  pass 
through  Ethiopia  unchanged,  but  he  cannot  dwell  there  and  not 
be  discoloured. 

Their  sin  was  bad  enough,  let  not  our  uncharitableness  make 
it  worse :  no  man  may  think  they  have  so  put  off  humanity  and 
sense  with  their  religion,  as  to  think  that  calf  a  god ;  or  that  this 
idol,  which  they  saw  yesterday  made,  did  bring  them  out  of  Egypt 
three  months  ago.  This  were  to  make  them  more  beasts  than 
that  calf  which  this  image  represented :  or  if  they  should  have 
been  so  insensate,  can  we  think  that  Aaron  could  be  thus  despe- 
rately mad  ?  The  image  and  the  holyday  were  both  to  one  Deity : 
Tomorrow  is  the  holyday  of  the  Lord  your  Qod.  It  was  the  true 
God  they  meant  to  worship  in  the  calf,  and  yet  at  best  this  idol- 
atry is  shameful.  It  is  no  marvel  if  this  foul  sin  seek  pretences, 
yet  no  excuse  can  hide  the  shame  of  such  a  face.  God's  jealousy  is 
not  stirred  only  by  the  rivality  of  a  false  god,  but  of  a  false  wor- 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  vi.  The  golden  calf.  127 

ship :  nothing  is  more  dangerous  than  to  mint  God's  services  in 
our  own  brain. 

God  sends  down  Moses  to  remedy  this  sin ;  he  could  as  easily 
have  prevented  as  redressed  it.  He  knew,  ere  Moses  came  up, 
what  Israel  would  do  ere  he  came  down :  like  as  he  knew  the  two 
tables  would  be  broken  ere  he  gave  them.  God  most  wisely  per- 
mits and  ordinates  sin  to  his  own  ends  without  our  excuse ;  and 
though  he  could  easily  by  his  own  hands  remedy  evils,  yet  he  will 
do  it  by  means  both  ordinary  and  subordinate.  It  is  not  for  us 
to  look  for  an  immediate  redress  from  God,  when  we  have  a 
Moses  by  whom  it  may  be  wrought :  since  God  himself  expects 
this  from  man,  why  should  man  expect  it  from  God? 

Now  might  Moses  hare  found  a  time  to  have  been  even  with 
Israel  for  all  their  unthankfulness  and  mutinous  insurrections: 
Let  me  alone :  I  will  consume  them,  and  make  thee  a  mighty 
nation.  Moses  should  not  need  to  solicit  God  for  revenge ;  God 
solicits  him,  in  a  sort,  for  leave  to  revenge.  Who  would  look  for 
such  a  word  from  God  to  man,  Let  me  alone  f  As  yet,  Moses  had 
said  nothing ;  before  he  opens  his  mouth,  God  prevents  his  im- 
portunity, as  foreseeing  that  holy  violence  which  the  requests  of 
Moses  would  offer  to  him.  Moses  stood  trembling  before  the 
majesty  of  his  Maker,  and  yet  hears  him  say,  Let  me  alone.  The 
mercy  of  our  God  hath,  as  it  were,  obliged  his  power  to  the  faith 
of  men :  the  fervent  prayers  of  the  faithful  hold  the  hands  of  the 
Almighty.  As  I  find  it  said  afterwards  of  Christ,  that  he  could 
do  no  miracles  there,  because  of  their  unbeKef;  so  now,  I  hear 
God,  as  if  he  could  not  do  execution  upon  Israel  because  of  Moses's 
faith,  say,  Let  me  alone,  that  I  may  consume  them. 

We  all  naturally  affect  proprietyb,  and  like  our  own  so  much 
better  as  it  is  freer  from  partners.  Every  one  would  be  glad  to 
say,  with  that  proud  one,  /  am,  and  there  is  none  beside  me : 
so  much  the  more  sweetly  would  this  message  have  sounded  to 
nature,  /  will  consume  them,  and  make  of  thee  a  mighty  nation : 
how  many  endeavour  that,  not  without  danger  of  curses  and  up- 
roar, which  was  voluntarily  tendered  unto  Moses !  Whence  are 
our  depopulations  and  inclosures,  but  for  that  men  cannot  abide 
either  fellows  or  neighbours?  but  how  graciously  doth  Moses 
strive  with  God  against  his  own  preferment!  If  God  had 
threatened,  "  I  will  consume  thee,  and  make  of  them  a  mighty 
nation ;"  I  doubt  whether  he  could  have  been  more  moved.    The 

b  [property.] 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


128  The  golden  calf.  book  v. 

more  a  man  can  leave  himself  behind  him,  and  aspire  to  a  care 
of  community,  the  more  spiritual  he  is.  Nothing  makes  a  roan  so 
good  a  patriot  as  religion. 

O  the  sweet  disposition  of  Moses :  fit  for  him  that  should  be 
familiar  with  God !  He  saw  they  could  be  content  to  be  merry 
and  happy  without  him ;  he  would  not  be  happy  without  them. 
They  had  professed  to  have  forgotten  him ;  he  slacks  not  to  sue 
for  them.  He  that  will*  ever  hope  for  good  himself  must  return 
good  for  evil  unto  others. 

Tet  was  it  not  Israel  so  much  that  Moses  respected  as  God  in 
Israel.  He  was  thrifty  and  jealous  for  his  Maker ;  and  would 
not  have  him  lose  the  glory  of  his  mighty  deliverances ;  nor 
would  abide  a  pretence  for  any  Egyptian  dog  to  bark  against 
the  powerful  work  of  God ;  Wherefore  shall  the  Egyptians  say  ? 
If  Israel  could  have  perished  without  dishonour  to.  God,  perhaps 
his  hatred  to  their  idolatry  would  have  overcome  his  natural 
love,  and  he  had  let  God  alone :  now  so  tender  is  he  over  the 
name  of  God  that  he  would  rather  have  Israel  scape  with  a  sin 
than  God's  glory  should  be  blemished  in  the  opinions  of  men  by 
a  just  judgment.  He  saw  that  the  eyes  and  tongues  of  all  the 
world  were  intent  upon  Israel ;  a  people  so  miraculously  fetched 
from  Egypt,  whom  the  sea  gave  way  to,  whom  heaven  fed,  whom 
the  rock  watered,  whom  the  fire  and  cloud  guarded,  which  heard 
the  audible  voice  of  God.  He  knew  withal  how  ready  the  world 
would  be  to  misconstrue,  and  how  the  heathens  would  be  ready 
to  cast  imputations  of  levity  or  impotence  upon  God;  and  there- 
fore says,  What  will  the  Egyptians  say?  Happy  is  that  man 
which  can  make  God's  glory  the  scope  of  all  his  actions  and  de- 
sires ;  neither  cares  for  his  own  welfare,  nor  fears  the  miseries  of 
others,  but  with  respect  to  God  in  both. 

If  God  had  not  given  Moses  this  care  of  his  glory,  he  could  not 
have  had  it ;  and  now  his  goodness  takes  it  so  kindly,  as  if  him- 
self had  received  a  favour  from  his  creature ;  and  for  a  reward 
of  the  grace  he  had  wrought,  promises  not  to  do  that  which  he 
threatened. 

But  what  needs  God  to  care  for  the  speech  of  the  Egyptians, 
men,  infidels?  And  if  they  had  been  good,  yet  their  censure 
should  have  been  unjust.  Shall  God  care  for  the  tongues  of 
men  ?  the  holy  God  for  the  tongues  of  infidels  ?  The  very  Is- 
raelites, now  they  were  from  under  the  hands  of  Egypt,  cared 
not  for  their  words;  and  shall  the  God  of  heaven  regard  that 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  vi.  The  golden  calf.  129 

which  is  not  worth  the  regard  of  men?  Their  tongues  could 
not  walk  against  God,  but  from  himself;  and  if  it  could  have 
been  the  worse  for  him,  would  he  have  permitted  it?  But,  O 
God,  how  dainty  art  thou  of  thine  honour,  that  thou  canst  not 
endure  the  worst  of  men  should  have  any  colour  to  taint  it! 
What  do  we  men  stand  upon  our  justice  and  innocence  with  neg- 
lect of  all  unjust  censures ;  when  that  infinite  God,  whom  no  cen- 
sures can  reach,  will  not  abide  that  the  very  Egyptians  should 
falsely  tax  his  power  and  mercy  ?  Wise  men  must  care,  not  only 
to  deserve  well,  but  to  hear  well;  and  to  wipe  off,  not  only 
crimes,  but  censures. 

There  was  never  so  precious  a  monument  as  the  tables  written 
with  God's  own  hand.  If  we  see  but  the  stone  which  Jacob's 
head  rested  on,  or  on  which  the  foot  of  Christ  did  once  tread,  we 
look  upon  it  with  more  than  ordinary  respect;  with  what  eye 
should  we  have  beheld  this  stone,  which  was  hewed  and  written 
with  the  very  finger  of  God  ?  Any  manuscript  scroll  written  by 
the  hand  of  a  famous  man  is  laid  up  amongst  our  jewels ;  what 
place  then  should  we  have  given  to  the  handwriting  of  the  Al- 
mighty 1  That  which  he  hath  dictated  to  his  servants  the  pro- 
phets challenges  just  honour  from  us;  how  doth  that  deserve 
veneration  which  his  own  hand  wrote  immediately  I 

Prophecies  and  evangelical  discourses  he  hath  written  by 
others ;  never  did  he  write  any  thing  himself  but  these  tables 
of  the  law :  neither  did  he  ever  speak  any  thing  audibly  to  whole 
mankind  but  it ;  the  hand,  the  stone,  the  law,  were  all  his.  By 
how  much  more  precious  this  record  was,  by  so  much  was  the 
fault  greater  of  defacing  it.  What  king  holds  it  less  than  rebel- 
lion to  tear  his  writing  and  blemish  his  seal?  At  the  first  he 
engraved  his  image  in  the  table  of  man's  heart ;  Adam  blurred 
the  image,  but,  through  God's  mercy,  saved  the  tablet.  Now  he 
writes  his  will  in  the  tables  of  stone ;  Moses  breaks  the  tables, 
and  defaced  the  writing  :  if  they  had  been  given  him  for  himself, 
the  author,  the  matter  had  deserved,  that  as  they  were  written 
in  stone  for  permanency,  so  they  should  be  kept  for  ever ;  and 
as  they  were  everlasting  in  use,  so  they  should  be  in  preservation. 
Had  they  been  written  in  clay,  they  could  but  have  been  broken ; 
but  now  they  were  given  for  all  Israel,  for  all  mankind.  He  was 
but  the  messenger,  not  the  owner.  Howsoever  therefore  Israel 
had  deserved,  by  breaking  this  covenant  with  God,  to  have  this 
monument  of  God's  covenant  with  them  broken  by  the  same  hand 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  K 


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130  The  golden  calf.  book  v. 

that  wrote  it,  yet  bow  durst  Moses  thus  carelessly  cast  away  the 
treasure  of  all  the  world,  and  by  his  hands  undo  that  which  was 
with  such  cost  and  care  done  by  his  Creator  ?  How  durst  he  fail 
the  trust  of  that  God,  whose  pledge  he  received  with  awe  and 
reverence  ?  He  that  expostulated  with  God,  to  have  Israel  live 
and  prosper,  why  would  he  deface  the  rule  of  their  life,  in  the 
keeping  whereof  they  should  prosper  ? 

I  see  that  forty  days'  talk  with  God  cannot  bereave  a  man  of 
passionate  infirmity :  he  that  was  the  meekest  upon  earth,  in  a 
sudden  indignation  abandons  that  which  in  cold  blood  he  would 
have  held  faster  than  his  life :  he  forgets  the  law  written  when 
he  saw  it  broken:  his  zeal  for  God  hath  transported  him  from 
himself  and  his  duty  to  the  charge  of  God :  he  more  hates  the 
golden  calf,  wherein  he  saw  engraven  the  idolatry  of  Israel,  than 
he  honoured  the  tables  of  stone,  wherein  God  had  engraven  his 
commandments ;  and  more  longed  to  deface  the  idol,  than  he 
cared  to  preserve  the  tables.  Tet  that  God,  which  so  sharply 
revenged  the  breach  of  one  law  upon  the  Israelites,  checks  not 
Moses  for  breaking  both  the  tables  of  the  law.  The  law  of  God 
is  spiritual ;  the  internal  breach  of  one  law  is  so  heinous,  that, 
in  comparison  of  it,  God  scarce  counts  the  breaking  of  the  out- 
ward tables  a  breach  of  the  law.  The  goodness  of  God  winks  at 
the  errors  of  honest  zeal,  and  so  loves  the  strength  of  good  affec- 
tions, that  it  passeth  over  their  infirmities :  how  highly  God  doth 
esteem  a  well-governed  zeal,  when  his  mercy  crowns  it  with  all 
the  faults ! 

The  tables  had  not  offended ;  the  calf  had,  and  Israel  in  it. 
Moses  takes  revenge  on  both :  he  burns  and  stamps  the  calf  to 
powder,  and  gives  it  Israel  to  drink ;  that  they  might  have  it  in 
their  guts  instead  of  their  eyes :  how  he  hasteth  to  destroy  the 
idol,  wherein  they  sinned !  that  as  an  idol  is  nothing,  so  it  might 
be  brought  to  nothing;  and  atoms  and  dust  is  nearest  to  no- 
thing ;  that  instead  of  going  before  Israel,  it  might  pass  through 
them;  so  as  the  next  day  they  might  find  their  god  in  their 
excrements ;  to  the  just  shame  of  Israel,  when  they  should  see 
their  new  god  cannot  defend  himself  from  being  either  nothing  or 
worse. 

Who  can  but  wonder  to  see  a  multitude  of  so  many  hundred 
thousands,  when  Moses  came  running  down  the  hill,  to  turn  their 
eyes  from  their  god  to  him ;  and  on  a  sudden,  instead  of  wor- 
shipping their  idol,  to  batter  it  in  pieces,  in  the  very  height  of 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  vi.  The  golden  calf  .  131 

the  novelty ;  instead  of  building  altars,  and  kindling  fires  to  it,  to 
kindle  a  hotter  fire  than  that  wherewith  it  was  melted,  to  consume 
it ;  instead  of  dancing  before  it,  to  abhor  and  deface  it ;  instead 
of  singing,  to  weep  before  it  ? 

There  was  never  a  more  stiffnecked  people ;  yet  I  do  not  hear 
any  one  man  of  them  say,  "  He  is  but  one  man,  we  are  many ; 
how  easily  may  we  destroy  him,  rather  than  he  our  god !  If  his 
brother  durst  not  resist  our  motion  in  making  it,  why  will  we 
suffer  him  to  dare  resist  the  keeping  of  it  ?  It  is  our  act,  and 
we  will  maintain  it."  Here  was  none  of  this ;  but  an  humble 
obeisance  to  the  basest  and  bloodiest  revenge  that  Moses  shall 
impose.  God  hath  set  such  an  impression  of  majesty  in  the  face 
of  lawful  authority,  that  wickedness  is  confounded  in  itself  to 
behold  it.  If  from  hence  visible  powers  were  not  more  feared 
than  the  invisible  God,  the  world  would  be  overrun  with  outrage. 
Sin  hath  such  a  guiltiness  in  itself,  that  when  it  is  seasonably 
checked,  it  pulls  in  his  head,  and  seeks  rather  an  hiding-place  than 
a  fort 

The  idol  is  not  capable  of  a  further  revenge :  it  is  not  enough 
unless  the  idolaters  smart :  the  gold  was  good,  if  the  Israelites 
had  not  been  evil:  so  great  a  sin  cannot  be  expiated  without 
blood.  Behold,  that  meek  spirit,  which  in  his  plea  with  God 
would  rather  perish  himself  than  Israel  should  perish,  arms  the 
Levites  against  their  brethren,  and  rejoices  to  see  thousands  of 
the  Israelites  bleed,  and  blesses  their  executioners. 

It  was  the  mercy  of  Moses  that  made  him  cruel :  he  had  been 
cruel  to  all,  if  some  had  not  found  him  cruel.  They  are  merci- 
less hands  which  are  not  sometimes  imbrued  in  blood :  there  is 
no  less  charity  than  justice  in  punishing  sinners  with  death; 
God  delights  no  less  in  a  killing  mercy  than  in  a  pitiful  justice : 
some  tender  hearts  would  be  ready-  to  censure  the  rigour  of 
Moses.  "  Might  not  Israel  have  repented  and  lived  1  Or  if  they 
must  die,  must  their  brethren's  hand  be  upon  them  ?  or  if  their 
throats  must  be  cut  by  their  brethren,  shall  it  be  done  in  the 
very  heat  of  their  sin?"  But  they  must  learn  a  difference  be- 
twixt pity  and  fondness,  mercy  and  unjustice.  Moses  had  an 
heart  as  soft  as  theirs,  but  more  hot ;  as  pitiful,  but  wiser.  He 
was  a  good  physician,  and  saw  that  Israel  could  not  live  unless 
he  bled;  he  therefore  lets  out  this  corrupt  blood,  to  save  the 
whole  body.  There  cannot  be  a  better  sacrifice  to  God  than  the 
blood  of  malefactors;  and  this  .first  sacrifice  so  pleased  God  in 

K  2 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


132  The  veil  of  Moses.  book  vi. 

the  hands  of  the  Levites,  that  he  would  have  none  but  them 
sacrifice  to  him  for  ever.  The  blood  of  the  idolatrous  Israelites 
cleared  that  tribe  from  the  blood  of  the  innocent  Shechemites. 


BOOK    VI. 


TO   THE  RIGHT   HONOURABLE 

THOMAS  LORD  VISCOUNT  FENTON* 

CAPTAIN  OF  THE  ROYAL  GUARD  ;    ONE  OF  HIS  MAJESTY'S  MOST  HONOUR- 
ABLE PRIVY  COUNSELLORS  )    ONE  OF  THE  HAPPY  RESCUERS  OF  THE 
DEAR  LIFE  OF  OUR  GRACIOUS  SOVEREIGN  LORD,  A  WORTHY 
PATTERN  OF  ALL  TRUE  HONOUR. 

J.  H. 

DEDICATES  THIS   PART   OF   HIS   MEDITATIONS, 
AND   WISHETH   ALL   INCREASE   OF   GRACE  AND   HAPPINESS. 


THE  VEIL  OF  MOSES.— Exodus  xxxiv. 

It  is  a  wonder  that  neither  Moses  nor  any  Israelite  gathered 
up  the  shivers  of  the  former  tables :  every  sherd  of  that  stone, 
and  every  letter  of  that  writing,  had  been  a  relic  worth  laying 
up;  but  he  well  saw  how  headlong  the  people  were  to  super- 
stition, and  how  unsafe  it  were  to  feed  that  disposition  in  them. 
The  same  zeal  that  burnt  the  calf  to  ashes  concealed  the  ruins  of 
this  monument.  Holy  things,  besides  their  use,  challenge  no  fur- 
ther respect.  The  breaking  of  the  tables  did  as  good  as  blot  out 
all  the  writing;  and  the  writing  defaced  left  no  virtue  in  the 
stone,  no  reverence  to  it. 

If  God  had  not  been  friends  with  Israel,  he  had  not  renewed 
his  law.  As  the  Israelites  were  wilfully  blind  if  they  did  not  see 
God's  anger  in  the  tables  broken ;  so  could  they  not  but  hold  it  a 
good  sign  of  grace  that  God  gave  them  his  testimonies. 

»  [Thomas  Erskine,  created  earl  of  Kelly  1619.  The  rescue  of  the  king 
here  alluded  to  occurred  on  occasion  of  Gowry's  conspiracy,  5th  Aug.  1600. 
— Robertson's  Hist,  of  Scotland,  b.  viii.] 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  i.  The  veil  of  Moses.  188 

There  was  nothing  wherein  Israel  outstripped  all  the  rest  of 
the  world  more  than  in  this  privilege ;  the  pledge  of  his  covenant, 
the  law  written  with  God's  own  hand.  O  what  a  favour  then  is 
it  where  God  bestows  his  gospel  upon  any  nation !  That  was  but 
a  killing  letter,  this  is  the  power  of  God  to  salvation.  Never  is 
God  throughly  displeased  with  any  people  where  that  continues : 
for  like  as  those  which  purposed  love,  when  they  fall  off,  call  for 
their  tokens  back  again ;  so  when  God  begins  once  perfectly  to 
mislike,  the  first  thing  he  withdraws  is  his  gospel. 

Israel  recovers  this  favour,  but  with  an  abatement :  Hew  thee 
two  tables.  God  made  the  first  tables :  the  matter,  the  form  was 
his ;  now  Moses  must  hew  the  next :  as  God  created  the  first  man 
after  his  own  image,  but,  that  once  defaced,  Adam  begat  Cain 
after  his  own ;  or  as,  the  first  temple  rased,  a  second  was  built, 
yet  so  far  short,  that  the  Israelites  wept  at  the  sight  of  it.  The 
first  works  of  God  are  still  the  purest :  those  that  he  secondarily 
works  by  us  decline  in  their  perfection.  It  was  reason,  that 
though  God  had  forgiven  Israel,  they  should  still  find  they  had 
sinned.  They  might  see  the  footsteps  of  displeasure  in  the  dif- 
ferences of  the  agent. 

When  God  had  told  Moses  before,  /  will  not  go  before  Israel, 
but  my  angel  shall  lead  them,  Moses  so  noted  the  difference, 
that  he  rested  not  till  God  himself  undertook  their  conduct ;  so 
might  the  Israelites  have  noted  some  remainders  of  offence,  while, 
instead  of  that  which  his  own  hand  did  formerly  make,  he  saith 
now,  Hew  thee ;  and  yet  these  second  tables  are  kept  reverently 
in  the  ark,  when  the  other  lay  mouldered  in  shivers  upon  Sinai ; 
like  as  the  repaired  image  of  God  in  our  regeneration  is  preserved, 
perfected,  and  laid  up  at  last  safe  in  heaven ;  whereas  the  first 
image  of  our  created  innocence  is  quite  defaced :  so  the  second 
temple  had  the  glory  of  Christ's  exhibition,  though  meaner  in 
frame.  The  merciful  respects  of  God  are  not  tied  to  glorious  out- 
sides  or  the  inward  worthiness  of  things  or  persons :  he  hath  ohosen 
the  weak  and  simple  to  confound  the  wise  and  mighty. 

Tet  God  did  this  work  by  Moses;  Moses  hewed,  and  God 
wrote :  our  true  Moses  repairs  that  law  of  God  which  we  in  our 
nature  had  broken ;  he  revives  it  for  us,  and  it  is  accepted  of 
God,  no  less  than  if  the  first  characters  of  his  law  had  been  still 
entire.  We  can  give  nothing  but  the  table,  it  is  God  that  must 
write  in  it.     Our  hearts  are  but  a  bare  board,  till  God  by  his 


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134  The  veil  of  Moses.  book  vi. 

finger  engrave  his  law  in  them ;  yea,  Lord,  we  are  a  rough  quarry, 
hew  thou  us  out,  and  square  us  fit  for  thee  to  write  upon. 

Well  may  we  marvel  to  see  Moses,  after  this  oversight,  admitted 
to  this  charge  again :  who  of  us  would  not  have  said,  "  Your  care 
indeed  deserves  trust ;  you  did  so  carefully  keep  the  first  tables, 
that  it  would  do  well  to  trust  you  with  such  another  burden  I"  It 
was  good  for  Moses  that  he  had  to  do  with  God,  not  with  men : 
the  God  of  mercy  will  not  impute  the  slips  of  our  infirmity  to  the 
prejudice  of  our  faithfulness.  He  that  after  the  misanswer  of  the 
one  talent  would  not  trust  the  evil  servant  with  a  second,  because 
he  saw  a  wilful  neglect,  will  trust  Moses  with  his  second  law,  be- 
cause he  saw  fidelity  in  the  worst  error  of  his  zeal.  Our  charity 
must  learn, as  to  forgive,  so  to  believe, where  we  have  been  deceived : 
not  that  we  should  wilfully  beguile  ourselves  in  an  unjust  credu- 
lity, but  that  we  should  search  diligently  into  the  disposition  of 
persons,  and  grounds  of  their  actions ;  perhaps  none  may  be  so 
sure  as  they  that  have  once  disappointed  us.  Yea,  Moses  brake 
the  first,  therefore  he  must  hew  the  second :  if  God  had  broken 
them  he  would  have  repaired  them ;  the  amends  must  be  where 
the  fault  was.  Both  God  and  his  church  look  for  a  satisfaction  in 
that  wherein  we  have  offended. 

It  was  not  long  since  Moses's  former  fast  of  forty  days.  When 
he  then  came  down  from  the  hill,  his  first  question  was  not  for 
meat ;  and  now  going  up  again  to  Sinai,  he  takes  not  any  repast 
with  him.  That  God  which  sent  the  quails  to  the  host  of  Israel, 
and  manna  from  heaven,  could  have  fed  him  with  dainties :  he 
goes  up  confidently  in  a  secure  trust  of  God's  provision.  There 
is  no  life  to  that  of  faith ;  man  lives  not  by  bread  only.  The 
vision  of  God  did  not  only  satiate,  but  feast  him.  What  a  blessed 
satiety  shall  there  be,  when  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is,  and  he  shall 
be  all  in  all  to  us;  since  this  very  frail  mortality  of  Moses 
was  sustained  and  comforted  but  with  representations  of  his 
presence ! 

I  see  Moses,  the  receiver  of  the  law,  Elias  the  restorer  of  the 
law,  Christ  the  fulfiller  of  the  old  law  and  author  of  the  new,  all 
fasting  forty  days ;  and  these  three  great  fasters  I  find  together 
glorious  in  Mount  Tabor.  Abstinence  merits  not,  for  religion 
consists  not  in  the  belly,  either  full  or  empty :  what  are  meats  or 
drinks  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  is,  like  himself,  spiritual  ? 
but  it  prepares  best  for  good  duties.     Full  bellies  are  fitter  for 


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cont.  i.  The  veil  of  Moses.  135 

rest :  not  the  body  so  much  as  the  soul  is  more  active  with  empti- 
ness ;  hence  solemn  prayer  takes  ever  fasting  to  attend  it,  and  so 
much  the  rather  speeds  in  heaven  when  it  is  so  accompanied.  It 
is  good  so  to  diet  the  body  that  the  soul  may  be  fattened. 

When  Moses  came  down  before,  his  eyes  sparkled  with  anger, 
and  his  face  was  both  interchangeably  pale  and  red  with  indig- 
nation ;  now  it  is  bright  with  glory.  Before,  there  were  the  flames 
of  fury  in  it,  now  the  beams  of  majesty.  Moses  had  before  spoken 
with  God,  why  did  not  his  face  shine  before  ?  I  cannot  lay  the 
cause  upon  the  inward  trouble  of  his  passions,  for  this  brightness 
was  external.  Whither  shall  we  impute  it  but  to  his  more  entire- 
ness  with  God  ? 

The  more  familiar  acquaintance  we  have  with  God,  the  more 
do  we  partake  of  him.  He  that  passes  by  the  fire  may  have  some 
gleams  of  heat,  but  he  that  stands  by  it  hath  his  colour  changed. 
It  is  not  possible  a  man  should  have  any  long  conference  with 
God  and  be  no  whit  affected.  We  are  strangers  from  God,  it  is 
no  wonder  if  our  faces  be  earthly ;  but  he  that  sets  himself  apart 
to  God  shall  find  a  kind  of  majesty  and  awful  respect  put  upon 
him  in  the  minds  of  others. 

How  did  the  heart  of  Moses  shine  with  illumination  when  his 
face  was  thus  lightsome !  and  if  the  flesh  of  Moses  in  this  base 
composition  so  shined  by  conversing  with  God  forty  days  in  Sinai, 
what  shall  our  glory  be,  when,  clothed  with  incorruptible  bodies, 
we  shall  converse  with  him  for  ever  in  the  highest  heaven  I 

Now  his  face  only  shone,  afterwards  the  three  disciples  saw  all 
his  body  shining.  The  nature  of  a  glorified  body,  the  clearer 
vision,  the  immediate  presence  of  that  fountain  of  glory,  challenge 
a  far  greater  resplendence  to  our  faces  than  his.  O  God,  we  are 
content  that  our  faces  be  blemished  a  while  with  contempt,  and 
blubbered  with  tears ;  how  can  we  but  shine  with  Moses  when  we 
shall  see  thee  more  than  Moses  I 

The  brightness  of  Moses's  face  reflected  not  upon  his  own  eyes, 
he  shone  bright,  and  knew  not  of  it :  he  saw  God's  face  glorious, 
he  did  not  think  others  had  so  seen  his.  How  many  have  excel- 
lent graces  and  perceive  them  not  I  Our  own  sense  is  an  ill  judge 
of  God's  favours  to  us ;  those  that  stand  by  can  convince  us  in  that 
which  we  deny  to  ourselves.  Here  below  it  is  enough  if  we  can 
shine  in  the  eyes  of  others ;  above,  we  shall  shine  and  know  it. 
At  this  instant  Moses  sees  himself  shine :  then  he  needed  not. 
God  meant  not  that  he  should  more  esteem  himself,  but  that  he 


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136  The  veil  of  Moses.  book  vi. 

should  be  more  honoured  of  the  Israelites :  that  other  glory  shall 
be  for  our  own  happiness,  and  therefore  requires  our  knowledge. 

They  that  did  but  stand  still  to  see  anger  in  his  face,  ran  away 
to  see  glory  in  it :  before,  they  had  desired  that  God  would  not 
speak  to  them  any  more  but  by  Moses ;  and  now  that  God  doth 
but  look  upon  them  in  Moses,  they  are  afraid ;  and  yet  there  was 
not  more  difference  betwixt  the  voices  than  the  faces  of  God  and 
Moses.  This  should  have  drawn  Israel  to  Moses  so  much  the 
more,  to  have  seen  this  impression  of  divinity  in  his  face. 

That  which  should  have  comforted,  affrights  them ;  yea,  Aaron 
himself,  that  before  went  up  into  the  mount  to  see  and  speak  with 
God,  now  is  afraid  to  see  him  that  had  seen  God :  such  a  fear 
there  is  in  guiltiness,  such  confidence  in  innocency.  When  the 
soul  is  once  cleared  from  sin,  it  shall  run  to  that  glory  with  joy, 
the  least  glimpse  whereof  now  appals  it  and  sends  it  away  in 
terror.  How  could  the  Israelites  now  choose  but  think ;  "  How 
shall  we  abide  to  look  God  in  the  face  since  our  eyes  are  dazzled 
with  the  face  of  Moses?"  And  well  may  we  still  argue,  "  If  the 
image  of  God,  which  he  hath  set  in  the  fleshy  forehead  of  author- 
ity, daunt  us,  how  shall  we  stand  before  the  dreadful  tribunal  of 
heaven  ?" 

Moses  marvels  to  see  Israel  run  away  from  their  guide  as  from 
their  enemy ;  and  looks  back  to  see  if  he  could  discern  any  new 
cause  of  fear ;  and  not  conceiving  how  his  mild  face  could  affray 
them,  calls  them  to  stay  and  retire. 

"  0  my  people,  whom  do  ye  flee  ?  it  is  for  your  sakes  that  I 
ascended,  staid,  came  down :  behold,  here  are  no  armed  Levites 
to  strike  you,  no  Amalekites,  no  Egyptians  to  pursue  you,  no  fires 
and  thunders  to  dismay  you.  I  have  not  that  rod  of  God  in  my 
hand  which  you  have  seen  to  command  the  elements ;  or  if  I  had, 
so  far  am  I  from  purposing  any  rigour  against  you,  that  I  now 
lately  have  appeased  God  towards  you;  and  lo  here  the  pledges 
of  his  reconciliation.  God  sends  me  to  you  for  good,  and  do  you 
run  from  your  best  friend  ?  Whither  will  ye  go  from  me  or  with- 
out me  ?  Stay,  and  hear  the  charge  of  that  God  from  whom  ye 
cannot  flee." 

They  perceive  his  voice  the  same,  though  his  face  were  changed, 
and  are  persuaded  to  stay,  and  return  and  hear  him  whom  they 
dare  not  see ;  and  now,  after  many  doubtful  paces  approaching 
nearer,  dare  tell  him  he  was  grown  too  glorious. 

Good  Moses,  finding  that  they  durst  not  look  upon  the  sun  of 


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cont.  i.  The  veil  of  Moses.  187 

his  face,  clouds  it  with  a  veil ;  choosing  rather  to  hide  the  work  of 
God  in  him,  than  to  want  opportunity  of  revealing  God's  will  to 
his  people.  I  do  not  hear  him  stand  upon  terms  of  reputation  : 
"  If  there  be  glory  in  my  face,  God  put  it  there ;  he  would  not 
have  placed  it  so  conspicuously  if  he  had  meant  it  should  be  hid : 
hide  ye  your  faces  rather,  which  are  blemished  with  your  sin ; 
and  look  not  that  I  should  wrong  God  and  myself  to  seem  less 
happy  in  favour  of  your  weakness."  But  without  all  self  re- 
spects he  modestly  hides  his  glorified  face,  and  cares  not  their 
eyes  should  pierce  so  far  as  to  his  skin,  on  condition  that  his 
words  may  pierce  into  their  ears.  It  is  good  for  a  man  some- 
times to  hide  his  graces:  some  talents  are  best  improved  by 
being  laid  up :  Moses  had  more  glory  by  his  veil  than  by  his 
face.  Christian  modesty  teaches  a  wise  man  not  to  expose  him- 
self to  the  fairest  show,  and  to  live  at  the  utmost  pitch  of  his 
strength. 

There  is  many  a  rich  stone  laid  up  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth, 
many  a  fair  pearl  laid  up  in  the  bosom  of  the  sea,  that  never  was 
seen  nor  never  shall  be.  There  is  many  a  goodly  star  which, 
because  of  height,  comes  not  within  our  account.  How  did  our 
true  Moses,  with  the  veil  of  his  flesh,  hide  the  glory  of  his  Deity ; 
and  put  on  vileness,  besides  the  laying  aside  of  majesty;  and  shut 
up  his  great  and  divine  miracles  with,  See  you  tell  no  man! 
How  far  are  those  spirits  from  this,  which  care  only  to  be  seen ; 
and  wish  only  to  dazzle  others'  eyes  with  admiration,  not  caring 
for  unknown  riches !  But  those  yet  more  which  desire  to  seem 
above  themselves,  whether  in  parts  or  graces,  whose  veil  is  fairer 
than  their  skin.  Modest  faces  shall  shine  through  their  veils 
when  the  vainglorious  shall  bewray  their  shame  through  their 
covering. 

That  God  which  gave  his  law  in  smoke  delivered  it  again 
through  the  veil  of  Moses.  Israel  could  not  look  to  the  end  of 
that  which  should  be  abolished ;  for  the  same  cause  had  God  a 
veil  upon  his  own  face  which  hid  his  presence  in  the  holy  of  holies. 
Now  as  the  veil  of  God  did  rend  when  he  said,  It  is  finished ;  so 
the  veil  of  Moses  was  then  pulled  off :  we  clearly  see  Christ  the 
end  of  the  law ;  our  Joshua  that  succeeded  Moses  speaks  to  us 
barefaced :  what  a  shame  is  it  there  should  be  a  veil  upon  our 
hearts  when  there  is  none  on  his  face  I 

When  Moses  went  to  speak  with  God  he  pulled  off  his  veil :  it 
was  good  reason  he  should  present  to  God  that  face  which  he 


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138  Nadab  and  Abihu.  book  vi. 

had  made.  There  had  been  more  need  of  his  veil  to  hide  the 
glorious  face  of  God  from  him,  than  to  hide  his  from  God ;  but 
his  faith  and  thankfulness  serve  for  both  these  uses.  Hypocrites 
are  contrary  to  Moses :  he  showed  his  worst  to  men,  his  best  to 
God ;  they  show  their  best  to  men,  their  worst  to  God  :  but  God 
sees  both  their  veil  and  their  face ;  and  I  know  not  whether  he 
more  hates  their  veil  of  dissimulation  or  their  face  of  wickedness. 


NADAB  AND  ABIHU.— Leviticus  x. 

That  God,  which  showed  himself  to  men  in  fire  when  he  deli- 
vered his  law,  would  have  men  present  their  sacrifices  to  him  in 
fire  :  and  this  fire  he  would  have  his  own,  that  there  might  be  a 
just  circulation  in  this  creature ;  as  the  water  sends  up  those 
vapours  which  it  receives  down  again  in  rain.  Hereupon  it  was 
that  fire  came  down  from  God  unto  the  altar ;  that,  as  the  charge 
of  the  sacrifice  was  delivered  in  fire  and  smoke,  so  God  might 
signify  the  acceptation  of  it  in  the  like  fashion  wherein  it  was 
commanded.  The  Baalites  might  lay  ready  their  bullock  upon 
the  wood,  and  water  in  their  trench ;  but  they  might  sooner  fetch 
the  blood  out  of  their  bodies  and  destroy  themselves,  than  one  flash 
out  of  heaven  to  consume  the  sacrifice. 

That  devil  which  can  fetch  down  fire  from  heaven,  either  mali- 
ciously or  to  no  purpose ;  (although  he  abound  with  fire ;  and  did 
as  fervently  desire  this  fire  in  emulation  to  God  as  ever  he  de- 
sired mitigation  of  his  own ;)  yet  now  he  could  no  more  kindle  a 
fire  for  the  idolatrous  sacrifice  than  quench  the  flames  of  his  own 
torment.  Herein  God  approves  himself  only  worthy  to  be  sacri- 
ficed unto,  that  he  creates  the  fire  for  his  own  service ;  whereas 
the  impotent  idols  of  the  heathen  must  fetch  fire  from  their 
neighbour's  kitchen,  and  themselves  are  fit  matter  for  their  bor- 
rowed fire. 

The  Israelites,  that  were  led  too  much  with  sense,  if  they  had 
seen  the  bullock  consumed  with  a  fire  fetched  from  a  common 
hearth,  could  never  have  acknowledged  what  relation  the  sacrifice 
had  to  God,  had  never  perceived  that  God  took  notice  of  the 
sacrifice ;  but  now  they  see  the  fire  coming  out  from  the  presence 
of  God,  they  are  convinced  both  of  the  power  and  acceptation  of 
the  Almighty.  They  are  at  once  amazed  and  satisfied  to  see  the 
same  God  answer  by  fire,  which  before  had  spoken  by  fire  :  God 


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cont.  ii.  Nodal  and  Abihu.  139 

doth  not  less  approve  our  evangelical  sacrifices  than  theirs  under 
the  law ;  but  as  our  sacrifices  are  spiritual,  so  are  the  signs  of  his 
acceptation :  faith  is  our  guide,  as  sense  was  theirs.  Tea,  even  still 
doth  God  testify  his  approbation  by  sensible  evidences :  when  by  a 
lively  faith  and  fervent  zeal  our  hearts  are  consecrated  to  God, 
then  doth  his  heavenly  fire  come  down  upon  our  sacrifices ;  then 
are  they  holy,  living,  acceptable. 

This  flame  that  God  kindled  was  not  as  some  momentary  bon- 
fire, for  a  sudden  and  short  triumph ;  nor  as  a  domestical  fire,  to  go 
out  with  a  day ;  but  is  given  for  a  perpetuity,  and  neither  must 
die  nor  be  quenched.  God,  as  he  is  himself  eternal,  so  he  loves 
permanency  and  constancy  of  grace  in  us :  if  we  be  but  a  flash  and 
away,  God  regards  us  not ;  all  promises  are  to  perseverance.  Sure 
it  is  but  an  elementary  fire  that  goes  out ;  that  which  is  celestial 
continues :  it  was  but  some  presumptuous  heat  in  us  that  decays 
upon  every  occasion. 

But  he  that  miraculously  sent  down  this  fire  at  first  will  not 
renew  the  miracle  every  day  by  a  like  supply :  it  began  imme- 
diately from  God,  it  must  be  nourished  by  means.  Fuel  must 
maintain  that  fire  which  came  from  heaven :  God  will  not  work 
miracles  every  day :  if  he  have  kindled  his  Spirit  in  us,  we  may 
not  expect  he  shall  every  day  begin  again ;  we  have  the  fuel  of 
the  word  and  sacraments,  prayers,  and  meditations,  which  must 
keep  it  in  for  ever.  It  is  from  God  that  these  helps  can  nourish 
his  graces  in  us ;  like  as  every  flame  of  our  material  fire  hath  a 
concourse  of  providence,  but  we  may  not  expect  new  infusions : 
rather  know,  that  God  expects  of  us  an  improvement  of  those 
habitual  graces  we  have  received. 

While  the  people  with  fear  and  joy  see  God  lighting  his  own 
fire,  fire  from  heaven,  the  two  sons  of  Aaron,  in  a  careless  pre- 
sumption, will  be  serving  him  with  a  common  flame ;  as  if  he 
might  not  have  leave  to  choose  the  forms  of  his  own  worship !  If 
this  had  been  done  some  ages  after,  when  the  memory  of  the 
original  of  this  heavenly  fire  had  been  worn  out,  it  might  have 
been  excused  with  ignorance ;  but  now,  when  God  had  newly  sent 
his  fire  from  above,  newly  commanded  the  continuance  of  it,  either 
to  let  it  go  out,  or,  while  it  still  flamed,  to  fetch  profane  coals  to 
God's  altar,  could  savour  of  no  less  than  presumption  and  sacri- 
lege. When  we  bring  zeal  without  knowledge,  misconceits  of 
faith,  carnal  affections,  the  devices  of  our  will-worship,  superstitious 
devotions,  into  God's  service,  we  bring  common  fire  to  his  altar  : 


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140  Nadab  and  Abihu.  book  vi. 

these  flames  were  never  of  his  kindling  ;  he  hates  both  altar,  fire, 
priest,  and  sacrifice. 

And  now,  behold,  the  same  fire  which  consumed  the  sacrifice  be- 
fore, consumes  the  sacrificers.  It  was  the  sign  of  his  acceptation 
in  consuming  the  beast ;  but,  while  it  destroyed  men,  the  fearful 
sign  of  his  displeasure.  By  the  same  means  can  God  bewray 
both  love  and  hatred.  We  would  have  pleaded  for  Nadab  and 
Abihu ;  "  They  are  but  young  men,  the  sons  of  Aaron,  not  yet 
warm  in  their  function ;  let  both  age,  and  blood,  and  inexperience 
excuse  them  as  yet."  No  pretences,  no  privileges,  can  bear  off  a 
sin  with  God :  men  think  either  to  patronise  or  mitigate  evils  by 
their  feigned  reasons.  That  no  man  may  hopo  the  plea  either  of 
birth  or  of  youth,  or  of  the  first  commission  of  evil,  may  challenge 
pardon,  I  see  here  young  men,  sons  of  the  ruler  of  Israel,  for  the 
first  offence  struck  dead. 

Yea,  this  made  God  the  more  to  stomach  and  the  rather  to  re- 
venge this  impiety,  because  the  sons  of  Aaron  did  it.  God  had 
both  pardoned  and  graced  their  father ;  he  had  honoured  them ; 
of  the  thousands  of  Israel,  culling  them  out  for  his  altar :  and  now, 
as  their  father  set  up  a  false  god,  so  they  bring  false  fire  unto  the 
true  God. 

If  the  sons  of  infidels  live  godlessly,  they  do  their  kind :  their 
punishment  shall  be,  though  just,  yet  less  ;  but  if  the  children  of 
religious  parents,  after  all  Christian  nurture,  shall  shame  their 
education,  God  takes  it  more  heinously,  and  revenges  it  more 
sharply.     The  more  bonds  of  duty,  the  more  plagues  of  neglect. 

If  from  the  agents  we  look  to  the  act  itself,  set  aside  the 
original  descent,  and  what  difference  was  there  betwixt  these 
fires  ?  Both  looked  alike,  heated  alike,  ascended  alike,  consumed 
alike  ;  both  were  fed  with  the  same  material  wood,  both  vanished 
into  smoke :  there  was  no  difference  but  in  the  commandment  of 
God. 

If  God  had  enjoined  ordinary  fire,  they  had  sinned  to  look  for 
celestial ;  now  he  commanded  only  the  fire  which  he  sent,  they 
sinned  in  sending  up  incense  in  that  fire  which  he  commanded  not. 
It  is  a  dangerous  thing  in  the  service  of  God  to  decline  from  his 
own  institutions :  we  have  to  do  with  a  power  which  is  wise  to 
prescribe  his  own  worship,  just  to  require  what  he  hath  prescribed, 
powerful  to  revenge  that  which  he  hath  not  required. 

If  God  had  struck  them  with  some  leprosy  in  their  forehead, 
as  he  did  their  aunt  Miriam  soon  after,  or  with  some  palsy  or 


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cont.  ii.  Nadab  and  Abihu.  141 

lingering  consumption,  the  punishment  had  been  grievous;  but 
he,  whose  judgments  are  ever  just,  sometimes  secret,  saw  fire  the 
fittest  revenge  for  a  sin  of  fire;  his  own  fire  fittest  to  punish 
strange  fire ;  a  sudden  judgment  fit  for  a  present  and  exemplary 
sin :  he  saw  that  if  he  had  winked  at  this,  his  service  had  been 
exposed  to  profanation. 

It  is  wisdom  in  governors  to  take  sin  at  the  first  bound ;  and 
so  to  revenge  it,  that  their  punishments  may  be  preventions. 
Speed  of  death  is  not  always  a  judgment:  suddenness,  as  it  is 
ever  justly  suspicable,  so  then  certainly  argues  anger,  when  it 
finds  us  in  an  act  of  sin.  Leisure  of  repentance  is  an  argument 
of  favour ;  when  God  gives  a  man  law,  it  implies  that  he  would 
not  have  judgment  surprise  him. 

Doubtless,  Aaron  looked  somewhat  heavily  on  this  sad  spec- 
tacle. It  could  not  but  appal  him  to  see  his  two  sons  dead 
before  him,  dead  in  displeasure,  dead  suddenly,  dead  by  the 
immediate  hand  of  God.  And  now  he  could  repent  him  of  his 
new  honour,  to  see  it  succeed  so  ill  with  the  sons  of  his  loins ; 
neither  could  he  choose  but  see  himself  stricken  in  them.  But 
his  brother  Moses,  that  had  learned  not  to  know  either  nephews 
or  brother  when  they  stood  in  his  way  to  God,  wisely  turned 
his  eyes  from  the  dead  carcasses  of  his  sons  to  his  respect  of  the 
living  God:  "My  brother,  this  event  is  fearful,  but  just;  these 
were  thy  sons,  but  they  sinned;  it  was  not  for  God,  it  is  not 
for  thee,  to  look  so  much  who  they  were,  as  what  they  did.  It 
was  their  honour  and  thine  that  they  were  chosen  to  minister 
before  the  Lord :  he  that  called  them,  justly  required  their  sanc- 
tification  and  obedience.  If  they  have  profaned  God  and  them- 
selves, can  thy  natural  affection  so  miscarry  thee,  that  thou 
couldst  wish  their  impunity  with  the  blemish  of  thy  Maker? 
Our  sons  are  not  ours  if  they  disobey  our  Father :  to  pity  their 
misery  is  to  partake  of  their  sin ;  if  thou  grudge  at  their  judg- 
ment, take  heed  lest  the  S2*me  fire  of  God  come  forth  upon  this 
strange  fire  of  nature.  Show  now  whether  thou  more  lovest 
God  or  thy  sons:  show  whether  thou  be  a  better  father  or  a 
son." 

Aaroo,  weighing  these  things,  holds  his  peace,  not  out  of  an 
amazement  or  sullenness,  but  out  of  patient  and  humble  sub- 
mission ;  and  seeing  God's  pleasure  and  their  desert,  is  content 
to  forget  that  he  had  sons.  He  might  have  had  a  silent  tongue 
and  a  clamorous  heart.     There  is  no  voice  louder  in  the  ears  of 


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142  Nadab  and  Abihu.  book  vi- 

God  than  a  speechless  repining  of  the  soul.  Heat  is  more  in- 
tended with  keeping  in ;  but  Aaron's  silence  was  no  less  inward  : 
he  knew  how  little  he  should  get  by  brawling  with  God.  If  he 
breathed  out  discontentment,  he  saw  God  could  speak  fire  to  him 
again ;  and  therefore  he  quietly  submits  to  the  will  of  God,  and 
held  his  peace,  because  the  Lord  had  done  it.  There  is  no 
greater  proof  of  grace  than  to  smart  patiently,  and  humbly  and 
contentedly  to  rest  the  heart  in  the  justice  and  wisdom  of  God's 
proceeding,  and  to  be  so  far  from  chiding  that  we  dispute  not. 
Nature  is  froward;  and  though  she  well  knows  we  meddle  not 
with  our  match  when  we  strive  with  our  Maker,  yet  she  pricks 
us  forward  to  this  idle  quarrel,  and  bids  us,  with  Job's  wife, 
curse  and  die.  If  God  either  chide  or  smite,  (as  servants  are 
charged  to  their  masters,)  we  may  not  answer  again :  when  God's 
hand  is  on  our  back,  our  hand  must  be  on  our  mouth ;  else,  as 
mothers  do  their  children,  God  shall  whip  us  so  much  the  more 
for  crying. 

It  is  hard  for  a  stander-by  in  this  case  to  distinguish  betwixt 
hardhearted  ness  and  piety.  There  Aaron  sees  his  sons  lie :  he 
may  neither  put  his  hand  to  them  to  bury  them,  nor  shed  a  tear 
for  their  death.  Never  parent  can  have  juster  cause  of  mourn- 
ing than  to  see  his  sons  dead  in  their  sin ;  if  prepared  and  peni- 
tent, yet  who  can  but  sorrow  for  their  end  ?  But  to  part  with 
children  to  the  danger  of  a  second  death  is  worthy  of  more  than 
tears.  Yet  Aaron  must  learn  so  far  to  deny  nature,  that  he 
must  more  magnify  the  justice  of  God  than  lament  the  judgment. 
Those  whom  God  hath  called  to  his  immediate  service  must  know 
that  he  will  not  allow  them  the  common  passions  and  cares  of 
others.  Nothing  is  more  natural  than  sorrow  for  the  death  of 
our  own :  if  ever  grief  be  seasonable,  it  becomes  a  funeral.  And 
if  Nadab  and  Abihu  had  died  in  their  beds  this  favour  had  been 
allowed  them,  the  sorrow  of  their  father  and  brethren ;  for  when 
God  forbids  solemn  mourning  to  his  priests  over  the  dead,  he  ex- 
cepts the  cases  of  this  nearness  of  blood.  Now  all  Israel  may  mourn 
for  these  two,  only  the  father  and  brethren  may  not.  God  is 
jealous  lest  their  sorrow  should  seem  to  countenance  the  sin 
which  he  had  punished :  even  the  fearfullest  acts  of  God  must 
be  applauded  by  the  heaviest  hearts  of  the  faithful. 

That  which  the  father  and  brother  may  not  do,  the  cousins  are 
commanded ;  dead  carcasses  are  not  for  the  presence  of  God ;  his 
justice  was  shown  sufficiently  in  killing  them :  they  are  now  fit 


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cont.  in.  Of  Aaron  and  Miriam.  148 

for  the  grave,  not  the  sanctuary :  neither  are  they  carried  out 
naked,  but  in  their  coats.  It  was  an  unusual  sight  for  Israel  to 
see  a  linen  ephod  upon  the  bier ;  the  judgment  was  so  much  the 
more  remarkable,  because  they  had  the  badge  of  their  calling 
upon  their  backs. 

Nothing  is  either  more  pleasing  unto  God,  or  more  commo- 
dious to  men,  than  that  when  he  hath  executed  judgment,  it 
should  be  seen  and  wondered  at;  for  therefore  he  strikes  some, 
that  he  may  warn  all. 


OF  AARON  AND  MIRIAM.— Numbers  xii. 

The  Israelites  are  stayed  seven  days  in  the  station  of  Haze- 
roth  for  the  punishment  of  Miriam.  The  sins  of  the  governors 
are  a  just  stop  to  the  people ;  all  of  them  smart  in  one ;  all  must 
stay  the  leisure  of  Miriam's  recovery.  Whosoever  seeks  the 
land  of  promise  shall  find  many  lets :  Amalek,  Og,  Sehon,  and 
the  kings  of  Canaan  meet  with  Israel :  these  resisted,  but  hin- 
dered not  their  passage ;  their  sins  only  stay  them  from  remov- 
ing. Afflictions  are  not  crosses  to  us  in  the  way  to  heaven  in 
comparison  to  our  sins. 

What  is  this  I  see  ?  Is  not  this  Aaron,  that  was  brother  in 
nature,  and  by  office  joint  commissioner  with  Moses  ?  Is  not  this 
Aaron,  that  made  his  brother  an  intercessor  for  him  to  God  in 
the  case  of  his  idolatry  ?  Is  not  this  Aaron,  that  climbed  up  the 
hill  of  Sinai  with  Moses?  Is  not  this  Aaron,  whom  the  mouth 
and  hand  of  Moses  consecrated  an  high  priest  unto  God  ?  Is  not 
this  Miriam,  the  elder  sister  of  Moses  ?  Is  not  this  Miriam,  that 
jed  the  triumph  of  the  women,  and  sung  gloriously  to  the  Lord  ? 
Is  not  this  Miriam,  which  laid  her  brother  Moses  in  the  reeds, 
and  fetched  her  mother  to  be  his  nurse  ?  Both  prophets  of  God ; 
both  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Moses :  and  doth  this  Aaron  repine 
at  the  honour  of  him  which  gave  himself  that  honour,  and  saved 
his  life  ?  Doth  this  Miriam  repine  at  the  prosperity  of  him  whose 
life  she  saved  ?  Who  would  not  have  thought  this  should  have 
been  their  glory,  to  have  seen  the  glory  of  their  own  brother  ? 
What  could  have  been  a  greater  comfort  to  Miriam  than  to 
think,  "How  happily  doth  he  now  sit  at  the  stern  of  Israel, 
whom  I  saved  from  perishing  in  a  boat  of  bulrushes  !  It  is  to  me 
that  Israel  owes  this  commander?"  but  now  envy  hath  so  blinded 


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144  Of  Aaron  and  Miriam.  book  vi. 

their  eyes,  that  they  can  neither  see  this  privilege  of  nature,  nor 
the  honour  of  God's  choice. 

Miriam  and  Aaron  are  in  mutiny  against  Moses.  Who  is  so 
holy  that  sins  not  ?  What  sin  is  so  unnatural  that  the  best  can 
avoid  without  God?  But  what  weakness  soever  may  plead  for 
Miriam,  who  can  but  grieve  to  see  Aaron  at  the  end  of  so  many 
sins?  Of  late  1  saw  him  carving  the  molten  image,  and  conse- 
crating an  altar  to  a  false  god  ;  now  I  see  him  seconding  an  un- 
kind mutiny  against  his  brother :  both  sins  find  him  accessary ; 
neither  principal. 

It  was  not  in  the  power  of  the  legal  priesthood  to  perform  or 
promise  innocency  to  her  ministers :  it  was  necessary  we  should 
have  another  High  Priest,  which  could  not  be  tainted.  That 
King  of  Righteousness  was  of  another  order ;  he,  being  without 
sin,  hath  fully  satisfied  for  the  sins  of  men.  Whom  can  it  now 
offend  to  see  the  blemishes  of  the  evangelical  priesthood,  when 
God's  first  high  priest  is  thus  miscarried  ? 

Who  can  look  for  love  and  prosperity  at  once,  when  holy  and 
meek  Moses  finds  enmity  in  his  own  flesh  and  blood?  Rather 
than  we  shall  want,  a  man's  enemies  shall  be  those  of  his  own 
house.  Authority  cannot  fail  of  opposition,  if  it  be  never  so 
mildly  swayed :  that  common  makebate  will  rather  raise  it  out  of 
our  own  bosom.     To  do  well  and  hear  ill  is  princely. 

The  Midianitish  wife  of  Moses  cost  him  dear.  Before,  she 
hazarded  his  life;  now,  the  favour  of  his  people:  unequal 
matches  are  seldom  prosperous.  Although  now  this  scandal  was 
only  taken,  envy  was  not  wise  enough  to  choose  a  ground  of  the 
quarrel.  Whether  some  secret  and  emulatory  brawls  passed  be- 
tween Zipporah  and  Miriam,  as  many  times  these  sparks  of  pri- 
vate brawls  grow  into  a  perilous  and  common  flame,  or  whether, 
now  that  Jethro  and  his  family  were  joined  with  Israel,  there 
were  surmises  of  transporting  the  government  to  strangers ;  or 
whether  this  unfit  choice  of  Moses  is  now  raised  up  to  disparage 
God's  gifts  in  him ;  even  in  sight  the  exceptions  were  frivolous : 
emulation  is  curious,  and  out  of  the  best  person  or  act  will  raise 
something  to  cavil  at. 

Seditions  do  not  ever  look  the  same  way  they  move :  wise  men 
can  easily  distinguish  betwixt  the  visor  of  actions  and  the  face. 
The  wife  of  Moses  is  mentioned;  his  superiority  is  shot  at. 
Pride  is  lightly  the  ground  of  all  sedition.  Which  of  their  faces 
shined  like  Moses'  ?   Yea,  let  him  but  have  drawn  his  veil,  which 


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cont.  in.  Of  Aaron  and  Miriam.  145 

of  them  durst  look  on  his  face  ?  Which  of  them  had  fasted  twice 
forty  days  ?  Which  of  them  ascended  up  to  the  top  of  Sinai,  and 
was  hid  with  smoke  and  fire  ?  Which  of  them  received  the  law 
twice  in  two  several  tables  from  God's  own  hand  ?  And  yet  they 
<lare  say,  Hath  God  spoken  only  by  Moses  ?  They  do  not  deny 
Moses's  honour,  but  they  challenge  a  part  with  him ;  and  as  they 
were  the  elder  in  nature,  so  they  would  be  equal  in  dignity,  equal 
in  administration.  According  to  her  name,  Miriam  would  be  ex- 
alted. And  yet  how  unfit  were  they  1  One,  a  woman,  whom  her 
sex  debarred  from  rule ;  the  other,  a  priest,  whom  his  office  se- 
questered from  earthly  government.  Self-love  makes  men  un- 
reasonable, and  teaches  them  to  turn  the  glass  to  see  themselves 
bigger,  others  less  than  they  are.  It  is  an  hard  thing  for  a  man 
willingly  and  gladly  to  see  his  equals  lifted  over  his  head  in  worth 
and  opinion.  Nothing  will  more  try  a  man's  grace  than  questions 
of  emulation.  That  man  hath  true  light  which  can  be  content  to 
he  a  candle  before  the  sun  of  others. 

As  no  wrongs  can  escape  God,  so  least  of  all  those  which  are 
offered  to  princes :  he  that  made  the  ear  needs  no  intelligence 
of  our  tongues.  We  have  to  do  with  a  God  that  is  light  of 
hearing :  we  cannot  whisper  any  evil  so  secretly  that  he  should 
not  cry  out  of  noise :  and  what  need  we  any  further  evidence 
when  our  Judge  is  our  witness  ? 

Without  any  delation  of  Moses,  God  hears  and  challenges  them. 
Because  he  was  meek,  therefore  he  complained  not :  because  he 
was  meek  and  complained  not,  therefore  the  Lord  struck  in  for 
him  the  more.  The  less  a  man  strives  for  himself,  the  more  is 
God  his  champion.  It  is  the  honour  of  great  persons  to  undertake 
•the  patronage  of  their  clients :  how  much  more  will  God  revenge 
his  elect  which  cry  to  him  day  and  night  1  He  that  said,  /  seek 
not  mine  own  glory,  adds,  but  there  is  one  that  seeks  it,  and 
judges.    God  takes  his  part  ever  that  fights  not  for  himself. 

No  man  could  have  given  more  proofs  of  his  courage  than 
Moses.  He  slew  the  Egyptian ;  he  confronted  Pharaoh  in  his  own 
court ;  he  beat  the  Midianite  shepherds ;  he  feared  not  the  troops 
of  Egypt ;  he  durst  look  God  in  the  face  amidst  all  the  terrors  of 
Sinai ;  and  yet  that  Spirit,  which  made  and  knew  his  heart,  says, 
He  was  the  mildest  man  upon  earth.  Mildness  and  fortitude 
may  well  lodge  together  in  one  breast ;  to  correct  the  misconceits 
of  those  men  that  think  none  valiant  but  those  that  are  fierce  and 
cruel. 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  L 


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146  Of  Aaron  and  Miriam.  book  vi. 

No  sooner  is  the  word  out  of  Miriam's  mouth,  than  the  word 
of  God's  reproof  meets  it :  how  he  bestirs  him,  and  will  be  at  once 
seen  and  heard  when  the  name  of  Moses  is  in  question !  Moses 
was  zealously  careful  for  God's  glory,  and  now  God  is  zealous  for 
his.  The  remunerations  of  the  Almighty  are  infinitely  gracious. 
He  cannot  want  honour  and  patronage  that  seeks  the  honour  of 
his  Maker.     The  ready  way  to  true  glory  is  goodness. 

God  might  have  spoken  so  loud  that  heaven  and  earth  should 
have  heard  it,  so  as  they  should  not  have  needed  to  come  forth 
for  audience ;  but  now  he  calls  them  out  to  the  bar,  that  they 
may  be  seen  to  hear.  It  did  not  content  him  to  chide  them 
within  doors :  the  shame  of  their  fault  had  been  less  in  a  private 
rebuke,  but  the  scandal  of  their  repining  was  public.  Where  the 
sin  is  not  afraid  of  the  light,  God  loves  not  the  reproof  should  be 
smothered. 

They  had  depressed  Moses,  God  advances  him;  they  had 
equalled  themselves  to  Moses,  God  prefers  him  to  them.  Their 
plea  was,  that  God  had  spoken  by  them  as  well  as  by  Moses ; 
God's  reply  is,  that  he  hath  in  a  more  entire  fashion  spoken  to 
Moses  than  them.  God  spake  to  the  best  of  them,  but  either 
in  their  dream,  sleeping ;  or  in  vision,  waking  :  but  to  Moses  he 
spake  with  more  inward  illumination,  with  more  lively  repre- 
sentation :  to  others,  as  a  stranger ;  to  Moses,  as  a  friend.  God 
had  never  so  much  magnified  Moses  to  them  but  for  their  envy. 
We  cannot  devise  to  pleasure  God's  servants  so  much  as  by  de- 
spiting  them. 

God  was  angry  when  he  chode  them,  but  more  angry  when 
he  departed.  The  withdrawing  of  his  presence  is  the  presence 
of  his  wrath.  While  he  stays  to  reprove,  there  is  favour  in  his 
displeasure ;  but  when  he  leaves  either  man  or  church,  there  is 
no  hope  but  of  vengeance.  The  final  absence  of  God  is  hell 
itself.  When  he  forsakes  us,  though  for  a  time,  it  is  an  intro- 
duction to  his  utmost  judgment. 

It  was  time  to  look  for  a  judgment  when  God  departed :  so 
soon  as  he  is  gone  from  the  eyes  of  Miriam  the  leprosy  appears 
in  her  face ;  her  foul  tongue  is  punished  with  a  foul  face.  Since 
she  would  acknowledge  no  difference  betwixt  herself  and  her 
brother  Moses,  every  Israelite  now  sees  his  face  glorious,  hers 
leprous.  Deformity  is  a  fit  cure  of  pride.  Because  the  venom 
of  her  tongue  would  have  eaten  into  the  reputation  of  her  brother, 
therefore  a  poisonous  infection  eats  into  her  flesh.     Now  both 


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cont.  in.  Of  Aaron  and  Miriam.  147 

Moses  and  Miriam  need  to  wear  a  veil ;  the  one  to  hide  his  glory, 
the  other  her  deformity.  That  Midianite,  Zipporah,  whom  she 
scorned,  was  beautiful  in  respect  of  her. 

Miriam  was  stricken,  Aaron  escaped,  both  sinned ;  his  priest- 
hood could  not  rescue  him,  the  greatness  of  his  dignity  did  but 
add  to  the  heinousness  of  his  sin ;  his  repentance  freed  him : 
Alas,  my  lord,  I  beseech  thee,  lay  not  this  sin  upon  us,  which  we 
have  foolishly  committed.  I  wonder  not  to  see  Aaron  free  while 
I  see  him  penitent;  this  very  confession  saved  him  before  from 
bleeding  for  idolatry,  which  now  preserves  him  from  leprosy  for 
his  envious  repining.  The  universal  antidote  for  all  the  judgments 
of  God  is  our  humble  repentance. 

Tea,  his  sad  deprecation  prevailed  both  to  clear  himself  and 
recover  Miriam :  the  brother  sues  for  himself  and  his  sister,  to 
that  brother  whom  they  both  emulated,  for  pardon  from  himself, 
and  that  God  which  was  offended  in  him.  Where  now  is  that 
equality  which  was  pretended?  Behold,  he  that  so  lately  made 
his  brother  his  fellow,  now  makes  him  his  god :  Lay  not  this  sin 
upon  us;  let  her  not  be  as  one  dead :  as  if  Moses  had  imposed 
this  plague,  and  could  remove  it  Never  any  opposed  the  servants 
of  God,  but  one  time  or  other  they  have  been  constrained  to  con- 
fess a  superiority. 

Miriam  would  have  wounded  Moses  with  her  tongue,  Moses 
would  heal  her  with  his ;  0  Lord,  heal  her  now :  the  wrong  is  the 
greater,  because  his  sister  did  it.  He  doth  not  say,  "  I  sought 
not  her  shame,  she  sought  mine ;  if  God  have  revenged  it,  I  have 
no  reason  to  look  on  her  as  a  sister  who  looked  at  me  as  an  ad- 
versary :"  but,  as  if  her  leprosy  were  his,  he  cries  out  for  her 
cure.  O  admirable  meekness  of  Moses !  His  people  the  Jews  re- 
belled against  him,  God  proffers  revenge ;  he  would  rather  die 
than  they  should  perish :  his  sister  rebels  against  him,  God  works 
his  revenge;  he  will  not  give  God  peace  till  she  be  recur ed. 
Behold  a  worthy  and  noble  pattern  for  us  to  follow.  How  far  are 
they  from  this  disposition  who  are  not  only  content  God  should 
revenge,  but  are  ready  to  prevent  God's  revenge  with  their  own ! 

God's  love  to  Moses  suffers  him  not  to  obtain  presently  his  suit 
for  Miriam :  his  good  nature  to  his  sister  made  him  pray  against 
himself.  If  the  judgment  had  been  at  once  inflicted  and  removed, 
there  had  been  no  example  of  terror  for  others :  God  either  de- 
nies or  defers  the  grant  of  .our  requests  for  our  good:  it  were 
wide  for  us  if  our  suits  should  be  ever  heard.     It  was  fit  for  all 

L  2 

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148  The  searchers  of  Canaan.  book  vi. 

parts  Miriam  should  continue  some  while  leprous.  There  is  no 
policy  in  a  sudden  removal  of  just  punishment :  unless  the  rain  so 
fall  that  it  lie  and  soak  into  the  earth,  it  profits  nothing.  If  the 
judgments  of  Qod  should  be  only  as  passengers,  and  not  sojourners 
at  least,  they  would  be  no  whit  regarded. 


THE  SEARCHERS  OF  CANAAN.— Numbers  xiii. 

I  can  but  wonder  at  the  counsel  of  God.  If  the  Israelites  had 
gone  on  to  Canaan  without  inquiry,  their  confidence  had  possessed 
it ;  now  they  send  to  espy  the  land,  six  hundred  thousand  of  them 
never  lived  to  see  it :  and  yet  I  see  God  enjoining  them  to  send, 
but  enjoining  it  upon  their  instance.  Some  things  God  allows  in 
judgment ;  their  importunity  and  distrust  extorted  from  God  this 
occasion  of  their  overthrow.  That  which  the  Lord  moves  unto, 
prospers ;  but  that  which  we  move  him  to  first,  seldom  succeedeth. 
What  needed  they  doubt  of  the  goodness  of  that  land  which  God 
told  them  did  flow  with  milk  and  honey  ?  What  needed  they  doubt 
of  obtaining  that  which  God  promised  to  give  ?  When  we  will  send 
forth  our  senses  to  be  our  scouts  in  the  matters  of  faith,  and  rather 
dare  trust  men  than  God,  we  are  worthy  to  be  deceived. 

The  basest  sort  of  men  are  commonly  held  fit  enough  for  intel- 
ligencers ;  but  Moses,  to  make  sure  work,  chooseth  forth  the  best  of 
Israel,  such  as  were  like  to  be  most  judicious  in  their  inquiry,  and 
most  credible  in  their  report.  Those  that  ruled  Israel  at  home 
could  best  descry  for  them  abroad :  what  should  direct  the  body 
but  the  head  ?  Men  can  judge  but  by  appearance :  it  is  for  Him 
only  that  sees  the  event,  ere  he  appoint  the  means,  not  to  be  de- 
ceived. It  had  been  better  for  Israel  to  have  sent  the  offal  of  the 
multitude :  by  how  less  the  credit  of  their  persons  is,  by  so  much 
less  is  the  danger  of  seducement.  The  error  of  the  mighty  is 
armed  with  authority,  and  in  a  sort  commands  assent :  whether  in 
good  or  evil,  greatness  hath  ever  a  train  to  follow  it  at  the  heels. 

Forty  days  they  spent  in  this  search,  and  this  cowardly  un- 
belief in  the  search  shall  cost  them  forty  years'  delay  of  the 
fruition.  Who  can  abide  to  see  the  rulers  of  Israel  so  basely 
timorous?  They  commend  the  land,  the  fruit  commends  itself, 
and  yet  they  plead  difficulty :  We  be  not  able  to  go  up.  Their 
shoulders  are  laden  with  the  grapes,  and  yet  their  hearts  are 
overlaid  with  unbelief:  it  is  an  unworthy  thing  to  plead  hardness 


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cont.  iv.  The  searchers  of  Canaan.  149 

of  achieving  where  the  benefit  will  more  than  requite  the  en- 
deavour. Our  land  of  promise  is  above ;  we  know  the  fruit  thereof 
is  sweet  and  glorious,  the  passage  difficult.  The  giantly  sons  of 
Anak  (the  powers  of  darkness)  stand  in  our  way :  if  we  sit  down  and 
complain,  we  shall  once  know  that  without  shall  be  the  fearful. 

See  the  idle  pleas  of  distrust ;  We  are  not  able :  they  are  stronger. 
Could  not  God  enable  them?  Was  he  not  stronger  than  their 
giants?  Had  he  not  promised  to  displace  the  Canaanites,  to 
settle  them  in  their  stead  ?  How  much  more  easy  is  it  for  us  to 
spy  their  weakness,  than  for  them  to  espy  the  strength  of  their 
adversaries  ?  When  we  measure  our  spiritual  success  by  our  own 
power,  we  are  vanquished  before  we  fight.  He  that  would  over- 
come, must  neither  look  upon  his  own  arm  nor  upon  the  arm  of 
his  enemy,  but  the  mouth  and  hand  of  Him  that  hath  promised 
and  can  perform.  Who  are  we,  flesh  and  blood,  with  our  breath 
in  our  nostrils,  that  we  should  fight  with  principalities,  powers, 
spiritual  wickednesses  in  heavenly  places?  The  match  is  too 
unequal :  we  are  nota  like  grasshoppers  to  these  giants ;  when  we 
compare  ourselves  with  them,  how  can  we  but  despair  ?  when  we 
compare  them  with  God,  how  can  we  be  discouraged  ?  He  that 
hath  brought  us  into  this  field  hath  promised  us  victory.  God 
knew  their  strength  ere  he  offered  to  commit  us. 

Well  might  they  have  thought,  "Were  not  the  Amalekites 
stronger  than  we  ?  Were  not  they  armed,  we  naked  ?  Did  not 
4he  only  hand  of  Moses,  by  lifting  up,  beat  them  down?  Were 
not  the  Egyptians  no  less  our  masters?  Did  not  death  come 
running  after  us  in  their  chariots  ?  Did  we  not  leave  these  buried 
in  the  sea,  the  other  unburied  in  the  wilderness  ?  Whence  had 
the  Anakims  their  strength,  but  from  him  that  bids  us  go  up 
against  them  ?  Why  have  the  bodies  of  our  forefathers  taken  pos- 
session of  their  Hebron  but  for  us?"  But  now  their  fear  hath  not 
left  them  so  much  reason  as  to  compare  their  adversaries  with 
others,  but  only  with  themselves:  doubtless  these  giants  were 
•mighty,  but  their  fear  hath  stretched  them  out  some  cubits  beyond 
their  stature.  Distrust  makes  our  dangers  greater,  and  our  helps 
less  than  they  are,  and  forecasts  ever  worse  than  shall  be,  and  if 
evils  be  possible  it  makes  them  certain. 

Amongst  those  twelve  messengers  whom  our  second  Moses  sent 
through  the  land  of  promise,  there  was  but  one  Judas ;  but  amongst 

a  [All  the  editions  which  I  have  seen  prior  to  those  of  thiB  century  give  the 
word  "  not" :  perhaps  the  sense  may  be  "  not  even".] 


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ISO  The  searchers  of  Canaan.  hook  vi. 

those  twelve  which  the  former  Moses  addressed  through  the  same 
land,  there  is  but  one  Caleb ;  and  yet  those  were  chosen  out  of 
the  meanest,  these  out  of  the  heads  of  Israel.  As  there  is  no 
society  free  from  some  corruption,  so  it  is  hard  if,  in  a  community 
of  men,  there  be  not  some  faithfulness. 

We  shall  wrong  God  if  we  fear  lest  good  causes  shall  be  quite 
forsaken:  he  knows  how  to  serve  himself  of  the  best,  if  the 
fewest ;  and  could  as  easily  be  attended  with  a  multitude,  if  he 
did  not  seek  his  own  glory  in  unlikelihoods. 

Joshua  was  silent,  and  wisely  spared  his  tongue  for  a  further 
advantage ;  only  Caleb  spake.  I  do  not  hear  him  say,  "  Who 
am  I,  to  strive  with  a  multitude?  What  can  Joshua  and  I  do 
against  ten  rulers  ?  It  is  better  to  sit  still  than  to  rise  and  fall ;" 
but  he  resolves  to  swim  against  this  stream,  and  will  either  draw 
friends  to  the  truth  or  enemies  upon  himself.  True  Christian 
fortitude  teaches  us  not  to  regard  the  number  or  quality  of  the 
opponents,  but  the  equity  of  the  cause ;  and  cares  not  to  stand 
alone,  and  challenge  all  comers ;  and  if  it  could  be  opposed  by 
as  many  worlds  as  men,  it  may  be  overborne,  but  it  cannot  be 
daunted:  whereas  popularity  carries  weak* minds,  and  teaches 
them  the  safety  of  erring  with  a  multitude. 

Caleb  saw  the  giantly  Anakims  and  the  walled  cities  as  well 
as  the  rest ;  and  yet  he  says,  Let  us  go  up  and  possess  it :  as  if 
it  were  no  more  but  to  go  and  see,  and  conquer.  Faith  is 
courageous,  and  makes  nothing  of  those  dangers  wherewith 
others  are  quailed.  It  is  very  material  with  what  eyes  we  look 
upon  all  objects.  Fear  doth  not  more  multiply  evils  than  faith 
diminisheth  them ;  which  is  therefore  bold,  because  either  it  sees 
not,  or  contemns  that  terror  which  fear  represents  to  the  weak. 
There  is  none  so  valiant  as  the  believer. 

It  had  been  happy  for  Israel  if  Caleb's  counsel  had  been  as 
effectual  as  good.  But  how  easily  have  these  rulers  discouraged 
a  fainthearted  people!  Instead  of  lifting  up  their  ensigns  and 
marching  towards  Canaan,  they  sit  them  down  and  lift  up  their 
voice*  and  cry.  The  rods  of  their  Egyptian  taskmasters  had 
never  been  so  fit  for  them  as  now  for  crying.  They  had  cause 
indeed  to  weep  for  the  sin  of  their  infidelity ;  but  now  they  weep 
for  fear  of  those  enemies  they  saw  not.  I  fear  if  there  had  been 
ten  Calebs  to  persuade,  and  but  two  faint  spies  to  discourage 
them,  those  two  cowards  would  have  prevailed  against  those  ten 
solicitors:  how  much  more  now  ten  oppose  and  but  two  encou- 


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cont.  iv.  The  searchers  of  Canaan.  151 

rage !  An  easy  rhetoric  draws  us  to  the  worst  part ;  yea,  it  is 
hard  not  to  run  down  the  hill.  The  faction  of  evil  is  so  much 
stronger  in  our  nature  than  that  of  good,  that  every  least  motion 
prevails  for  the  one,  scarce  any  suit  for  the  other. 

Now  is  Moses  in  danger  of  losing  all  the  cost  and  care  that 
ever  he  bestowed  upon  Israel :  his  people  are  already  gone  back 
to  Egypt  in  their  hearts,  and  their  bodies  are  returning.  0  ye 
rebellious  Hebrews,  where  shall  God  have  you  at  last?  Did  ever 
Moses  promise  to  bring  you  to  a  fruitful  land,  without  inha- 
bitants !  to  give  you  a  rich  country,  without  resistance  ?  Are  not 
the  graves  of  Canaan  as  good  as  those  of  Egypt?  What  can  ye 
but  die  at  the  hands  of  the  Anakims  ?  Can  ye  hope  for  less  from 
the  Egyptians  ?  What  madness  is  this,  to  wish  to  die  for  fear  of 
death  ?  Is  there  less  hope  from  your  enemies  that  shall  be  when 
ye  go  under  strong  and  expert  leaders,  than  from  the  enemies 
that  were  when  ye  shall  return  masterless?  Can  those  cruel 
Egyptians  so  soon  have  forgotten  the  blood  of  their  fathers, 
children,  brothers,  husbands,  which  perished  in  pursuing  you? 
Had  ye  rather  trust  the  mercy  of  known  enemies  than  the  pro- 
mise of  a  faithful  God  ?  Which  way  will  ye  return  ?  Who  shall 
divide  the  sea  for  you  ?  Who  shall  fetch  you  water  out  of  the 
rock?  Or  can  ye  hope  that  the  manna  of  God  will  follow  you 
while  ye  run  from  him?  Feeble  minds,  when  they  meet  with 
crosses  they  looked  not  for,  repent  of  their  good  beginnings,  and 
wish  any  difficulty  rather  than  that  they  find.  How  many  have 
pulled  back  their  foot  from  the  narrow  way  for  the  troubles  of  a 
good  profession ! 

It  had  been  time  for  the  Israelites  to  have  fallen  down  on  their 
faces  before  Moses  and  Aaron,  and  to  have  scud,  "Ye  led  us 
through  the  sea,  make  way  for  us  into  Canaan.  Those  giants 
are  strong,  but  not  so  strong  as  the  rock  of  Rephidim :  ye  struck 
that,  and  it  yielded.  If  they  be  tall,  the  pillar  of  God  is  higher 
than  they :  when  we  look  on  ourselves,  we  see  cause  of  fear';  but 
when  we  consider  the  miraculous  power  of  you  our  leaders,  we 
cannot  but  contemn  those  men  of  measures.  Leave  us  not  there- 
fore, but  go  before  us  in  your  directions ;  go  to  God  for  us  in 
your  prayers." 

But  now  contrarily  Moses  and  Aaron  fall  on  their  faces  to 
them,  and  sue  to  them,  that  they  would  be  content  to  be  con- 
ducted. Had  they  been  suffered  to  depart,  they  had  perished ; 
Moses  and  his  few  had  been  victorious :  and  yet,  as  if  he  could 


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152  The  searchers  of  Canaan.  book  vi. 

not  be  happy  without  them,  he  falls  on  his  face  to  them,  that 
they  would  stay.  We  have  never  so  much  need  to  be  impor- 
tuned, as  in  those  things  whose  benefit  should  make  us  most 
importunate.  The  sweetness  of  God's  law  and  our  promised 
glory  is  such  as  should  draw  all  hearts  after  it ;  and  yet  if  we 
did  not  sue  to  men,  as  for  life,  that  they  would  be  reconciled  to 
God  and  be  saved,  I  doubt  whether  they  would  obey;  yea,  it 
were  well  if  our  suit  were  sufficient  to  prevail. 

Though  Moses  and  Aaron  entreat  upon  their  faces,  and  Joshua 
and  Caleb  persuade  and  rend  their  garments,  yet  they  move  no- 
thing. The  obstinate  multitude,  grown  more  violent  with  oppos- 
ing, is  ready  to  return  them  stones  for  their  prayers.  Such  have 
been  ever  the  thanks  of  fidelity  and  truth ;  crossed  wickedness 
proves  desperate,  and  instead  of  yielding,  seeks  for  revenge. 
Nothing  is  so  hateful  to  a  resolute  sinner  as  good  counsel;  we 
are  become  enemies  to  the  world,  because  we  tell  them  truth. 

That  God,  which  was  invisibly  present  while  they  sinned,  when 
they  have  sinned  shows  himself  glorious.  They  might  have  Been 
him  before,  that  they  should  not  sin ;  now  they  cannot  choose  but 
see  him  in  the  height  of  their  sin.  They  saw  before  the  pillar 
of  his  ordinary  presence,  now  they  see  him  unusually  terrible ; 
that  they  may  with  shame  and  horror  confess  him  able  to  defend, 
able  to  revenge.  The  help  of  God  uses  to  show  itself  in  extre- 
mity. He  that  can  prevent  evils  conceals  his  aid  till  danger  be 
ripe ;  and  then  he  is  as  fearful  as  before  he  seemed  connivent  I 


CORAH'S  CONSPIRACY.— Numbers  xvi. 

The  tears  of  Israel  were  scarce  dry  since  the  smart  of  their 
last  mutiny,  and  now  they  begin  another.  The  multitude  is  like 
a  raging  sea,  full  of  unquiet  billows  of  discontent,  whereof  one 
rises  in  the  fall  of  another.  They  saw  God  did  but  threaten,  and 
therefore  are  they  bold  to  sin :  it  was  now  high  time  they  should 
know  what  it  is  for  God  to  be  angry.  There  was  never  such  a 
revenge  taken  of  Israel,  never  any  better  deserved.  When  lesser 
warnings  will  not  serve,  God  looks  into  his  quiver  for  deadly 
arrows. 

In  the  mean  time,  what  a  weary  life  did  Moses  lead  in  these 
continual  successions  of  conspiracies !  What  did  he  gain  by  this 
troublesome  government  but  danger  and  despite  ?  Who  but  he 
would  not  have  wished  himself  rather  with  the  sheep  of  Jethro, 


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cont.  v.  CoraJis  conspiracy.  153 

than  with  these  wolves  of  Israel  ?  But  as  he  durst  not  quit  his 
hook  without  the  calling  of  God ;  so  now  he  dare  not  his  sceptre, 
except  he  be  dismissed  of  him  that  called  him ;  no  troubles,  no 
oppositions  can  drive  him  from  his  place :  we  are  too  weak  if  we 
suffer  men  to  chase  us  from  that  station  where  God  hath  set  us. 

I  see  the  Levites  not  long  since  drawing  their  swords  for  God 
and  Moses  against  the  rest  of  Israel ;  and  that  fact  wins  them  both 
praise  and  blessing.  Now  they  are  the  forwardest  in  the  rebellion 
against  Moses  and  Aaron,  men  of  their  own  tribe*  There  is  no 
assurance  of  a  man  for  one  act ;  whom  one  sin  cannot  fasten  upon, 
another  may.  Yea,  the  same  sin  may  find  a  repulse  one  while 
from  the  same  hand,  which  another  time  gives  it  enterainment ; 
and  that  yieldance  loses  the  thank  of  all  the  former  resistance. 
It  is  no  praise  to  have  done  once  well,  unless  we  continue. 

Outward  privileges  of  blood  can  avail  nothing  against  a  parti- 
cular calling  of  God.  These  Reubenites  had  the  right  of  the  na- 
tural primogeniture ;  yet  do  they  vainly  challenge  preeminence 
where  God  hath  subjected  them.  If  all  civil  honour  flow  from 
the  king,  how  much  more  from  the  God  of  kings!  His  hand 
exalts  the  poor,  and  casts  down  the  mighty  from  thoir  throne. 
The  man  that  will  be  lifting  up  himself  in  the  pride  of  his  heart 
from  under  the  foot  of  God  is  justly  trodden  in  the  dust. 

Moses  is  the  prince  of  Israel,  Aaron  the  priest ;  Moses  was  mild, 
Aaron  popular ;  yet  both  are  conspired  against :  their  places  are 
no  less  brothers  than  their  persons.  Both  are  opposed  at  once. 
He  that  is  a  traitor  to  the  church  is  a  traitor  to  the  king. 

Any  superiority  is  a  mark  of  envy.  Had  Moses  and  Aaron 
been  but  fellows  with  the  Israelites,  none  had  been  better  be- 
loved; their  dispositions  were  such  as  must  needs  have  forced 
favour  from  the  indifferent :  now  they  were  advanced,  their  ma- 
lice is  not  inferior  to  their  honour.  High  towers  must  look  for 
lightnings ;  we  offer  not  to  undermine  but  those  walls  which  we 
cannot  scale.  Nature  in  every  man  is  both  envious  and  disdainful, 
and  never  loves  to  honour  another  but  where  it  may  be  an  honour 
to  itself. 

There  cannot  be  conceived  an  honour  less  worth  emulation 
than  this  principality  of  Israel :  a  people  that  could  give  nothing ; 
a  people  that  had  nothing  but  in  hope;  a  people  whom  their 
leader  was  fain  to  feed  with  bread  and  water ;  which  paid  him 
no  tribute  but  of  ill  words;  whose  command  was  nothing  but  a 


. 


154  Corah's  conspiracy.  book  vi, 

burden ;  and  yet  this  dignity  was  an  eyesore  to  these  Levites  and 
these  Reuberiites,  Ye  take  too  much  upon  you,  ye  sons  of  Levi. 

And  this  challenge,  though  thus  unseasonable,  hath  drawn  in 
two  hundred  and  fifty  captains  of  Israel.  What  wonder  is  it 
that  the  ten  rulers  prevailed  so  much  with  the  multitude  to  dis- 
suade them  from  Canaan,  when  three  traitors  prevailed  thus  with 
two  hundred  and  fifty  rulers,  famous  in  the  congregation,  and 
men  of  renown  f  One  man  may  kindle  such  a  fire  as  all  the 
world  cannot  quench.  One  plague-sore  may  infect  a  whole  king- 
dom :  the  infection  of  evil  is  much  worse  than  the  act. 

It  is  not  like  these  leaders  of  Israel  could  err  without  fol- 
lowers :  he  is  a  mean  man  that  draws  not  some  clients  after  him. 
It  hath  been  ever  a  dangerous  policy  of  Satan  to  assault  the  best : 
he  knows  that  the  multitude,  as  we  say  of  bees,  will  follow  their 
master. 

Nothing  can  be  more  pleasing  to  the  vulgar  sort  than  to  tear 
their  governors  taxed  and  themselves  flattered.  All  the  congrega- 
tion is  holy,  every  one  of  them :  wherefore  lift  ye  up  yourselves? 
Every  word  is  a  falsehood.  For  Moses  dejected  himself,  Who 
am  I?  God  lifted  him  up  over  Israel ;  and  so  was  Israel  holy, 
as  Moses  was  ambitious.  What  holiness  was  there  in  so  much 
infidelity,  fear,  idolatry,  mutiny,  disobedience  ?  What  could  make 
them  unclean,  if  this  were  holiness?  They  had  scarce  wiped 
their  mouths  or  washed  their  hands  since  their  last  obstinacy, 
and  yet  these  pickthanks  say,  All  Israel  is  holy. 

I  would  never  desire  a  better  proof  of  a  false  teacher  than  flat- 
tery ;  true  meaning  need  not  uphold  itself  by  soothing.  There 
is  nothing  easier  than  to  persuade  men  well  of  themselves :  when 
a  man's  self-love  meets  with  another's  flattery,  it  is  an  high  praise 
that  will  not  be  believed.  It  was  more  out  of  opposition  than 
belief,  that  these  men  plead  the  holiness  of  Israel.  Violent  ad- 
versaries, to  uphold  a  side,  will  maintain  those  things  they  be- 
lieve not. 

Moses  argues  not  for  himself,  but  appeals  to  Ood;  neither 
speaks  for  his  own  right,  but  his  brother  Aaron's.  He  knew  that 
God's  immediate  service  was  worthy  to  be  more  precious  than  his 
government,  that  his  princedom  served  but  to  the  glory  of  his 
Master.  Good  magistrates  are  more  tender  over  God's  honour 
than  their  own,  and  more  sensible  of  the  wrongs  offered  to  re- 
ligion than  to  themselves. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  v.  Corah's  conspiracy.  155 

It  is  safest  to  trust  God  with  bis  own  causes.  If  Aaron  had 
been  chosen  by  Israel,  Moses  would  have  sheltered  him  under 
their  authority ;  now  that  God  did  immediately  appoint  him,  his 
patronage  is  sought  whose  the  election  was.  We  may  easily 
fault  in  the  managing  of  divine  affairs,  and  so  our  want  of  suc- 
cess cannot  want  sin ;  he  knows  how  to  use,  how  to  bless  his  own 
means. 

As  there  was  a  difference  betwixt  the  people  and  Levites,  so 
betwixt  the  Levites  and  priests.  The  God  of  order  loves  to  have 
our  degrees  kept.  While  the  Levites  would  be  looking  up  to  the 
priests,  Moses  sends  down  their  eyes  to  the  people.  The  way  not 
to  repine  at  those  above  us,  is  to  look  at  those  below  us.  There 
is  no  better  remedy  for  ambition  than  to  cast  up  our  former  re- 
ceipts, and  to  compare  them  with  our  deservings,  and  to  confer 
our  own  estate  with  inferiors ;  so  shall  we  find  cause  to  be  thankful 
that  we  are  above  any,  rather  than  of  envy  that  any  is  above  us. 

Moses  hath  chid  the  sons  of  Levi  for  mutinying  against  Aaron, 
and  so  much  the  more,  because  they  were  of  his  own  tribe :  now 
he  sends  for  the  Reubenites  which  rose  against  himself.  They 
come  not,  and  their  message  is  worse  than  their  absence.  Moses 
is  accused  of  injustice,  cruelty,  falsehood,  treachery,  usurpation ; 
and  Egypt  itself  must  be  commended,  rather  than  Moses  shall 
want  reproach.  Innocency  is  no  shelter  from  ill  tongues :  malice 
never  regards  how  true  any  accusation  is,  but  how  spiteful. 

Now  it  was  time  for  Moses  to  be  angry.  They  durst  not  have 
been  thus  bold,  if  they  had  not  seen  his  mildness.  Lenity  is  ill 
bestowed  upon  stubborn  natures,  it  is  an  injurious  senselessness 
not  to  feel  the  wounds  of  our  reputation.  It  well  appears  he  is 
angry  when  he  prays  against  them.  He  was  displeased  before, 
but  when  he  was  most  bitter  against  them  he  still  prayed  for 
them :  but  now  he  bends  his  very  prayers  against  them ;  Look 
not  to  their  offering.  There  can  be  no  greater  revenge  than  the 
imprecation  of  the  righteous ;  there  can  be  no  greater  judgment 
than  God's  rejection  of  our  services.  With  us  men,  what  more 
argues  dislike  of  the  person  than  the  turning  back  of  his  present  ? 
What  will  God  accept  from  us,  if  not  prayers  ? 

The  innocence  of  Moses  calls  for  revenge  on  his  adversaries. 
If  he  had  wronged  them  in  his  government,  in  vain  should  he 
have  looked  to  God's  hand  for  right.  Our  sins  exclude  us  from 
God's  protection,  whereas  uprightness  challenges  and  finds  his 
patronage.     An  ass  taken  had  made  him  uncapable  of  favour. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


156  Corah's  conspiracy.  book  vi. 

Corrupt  governors  lose  the  comfort  of  their  own  breast,  and  the 
tuition  of  God. 

The  same  tongue  that  prayed  against  the  conspirators  prays 
for  the  people.  As  lewd  men  think  to  carry  it  with  number, 
Corah  had  so  far  prevailed,  that  he  had  drawn  the  multitude  to 
his  side.  God,  the  avenger  of  treasons,  would  have  consumed 
them  all  at  once ;  Moses  and  Aaron  pray  for  their  rebels.  Al- 
though they  were  worthy  of  death,  and  nothing  but  death  could 
stop  their  mouths,  yet  their  merciful  leaders  will  not  buy  their 
own  peace  with  the  loss  of  such  enemies.  O  rare  and  imitable 
mercy !  The  people  rise  up  against  their  governors,  their  gover- 
nors fall  on  their  faces  to  God  for  the  people ;  so  far  are  they 
from  plotting  revenge,  that  they  will  not  endure  God  should  re- 
venge for  them. 

Moses  knew  well  enough  that  all  those  Israelites  must  perish 
in  the  wilderness ;  (rod  had  vowed  it  for  their  former  insurrec- 
tion; yet  how  earnestly  doth  he  sue  to  God  not  to  consume 
them  at  once !  The  very  respite  of  evils  is  a  favour  next  to  the 
removal. 

Corah  kindled  the  fire,  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  captains 
brought  sticks  to  it,  all  Israel  warmed  themselves  by  it,  only  the 
incendiaries  perish.  Now  do  the  Israelites  owe  their  life  to  them 
whose  death  they  intended.  God  and  Moses  knew  to  distinguish 
betwixt  the  heads  of  the  faction  and  the  train :  though  neither  be 
faultless,  yet  the  one  is  plagued,  the  other  forgiven.  God's  venge- 
ance when  it  is  at  the  hottest  makes  differences  of  men ;  Get  you 
away  from  about  the  tabernacles  of  Corah.  Ever  before  common 
judgment  there  is  a  separation.  In  the  universal  judgment  of  all 
the  earth  the  Judge  himself  will  separate;  in  these  particular  execu- 
tions we  must  separate  ourselves.  The  society  of  wicked  men, 
especially  in  their  sins,  is  mortally  dangerous ;  while  we  will  not 
be  parted,  how  can  we  complain  if  we  be  enwrapped  in  their  con- 
demnation? Our  very  company  sins  with  them,  why  should  we 
not  smart  with  them  also  ? 

Moses  had  well  hoped  that  when  these  rebels  should  see  all  the 
Israelites  run  from  them  as  from  monsters,  and  looking  affright- 
edly  upon  their  tents,  and  should  hear  that  fearful  proclamation 
of  vengeance  against  them,  (howsoever  they  did  before  set  a  face 
on  their  conspiracy,  yet  now)  their  hearts  would  have  misgiven : 
but  lo,  these  bold  traitors  stand  impudently  staring  in  the  door  of 
their  tents,  as  if  they  would  outface  the  revenge  of  God ;  as  if 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cost.  v.  Corah's  conspiracy.  157 

Moses  had  never  wrought  miracle  before  them,  as  if  no  one 
Israelite  had  ever  bled  for  rebelling.  Those  that  shall  perish  are 
blinded.  Pride  and  infidelity  obdures  the  heart,  and  makes  even 
cowards  fearless. 

So  soon  as  the  innocent  are  severed,  the  guilty  perish :  the 
earth  cleaves,  and  swallows  up  the  rebels.  This  element  was  not 
used  to  such  morsels.  It  devours  the  carcasses  of  men,  but  bodies 
informed  with  living  souls  never  before.  To  have  seen  them 
struck  dead  upon  the  earth  had  been  fearful,  but  to  see  the  earth 
at  once  their  executioner  and  grave  was  more  horrible.  Neither 
the  sea  nor  the  earth  are  fit  to  give  passage  :  the  sea  is  moist  and 
flowing,  and  will  not  be  divided,  for  the  continuity  of  it ;  the  earth 
is  dry  and  massy,  and  will  neither  yield  naturally  nor  meet  again 
when  it  hath  yielded :  yet  the  waters  did  cleave,  to  give  way  unto 
Israel  for  their  preservation ;  the  earth  did  cleave,  to  give  way  to 
the  conspirators  in  judgment :  both  sea  and  earth  did  shut  their 
jaws  again  upon  the  adversaries  of  Qod. 

There  was  more  wonder  in  this  latter.  It  was  a  marvel  that 
the  waters  opened ;  it  was  no  wonder  that  they  shut  again,  for 
the  retiring  and  flowing  was  natural.  It  was  no  less  marvel  that 
the  earth  opened,  but  more  marvel  that  it  did  shut  again,  because 
it  had  no  natural  disposition  to  meet  when  it  was  divided.  Now 
might  Israel  see  they  had  to  do  with  a  God  that  could  revenge 
with  ease. 

There  were  two  sorts  of  traitors ;  the  earth  swallowed  up  the 
one,  the  fire  the  other.  All  the  elements  agree  to  serve  the 
vengeance  of  their  Maker.  Nadab  and  Abihu  brought  fit  persons, 
but  unfit  fire  to  Ood ;  these  Levites  bring  the  right  fire,  but  un- 
warranted persons  before  him ;  fire  from  Qod  consumes  both.  It 
is  a  dangerous  thing  to  usurp  sacred  functions.  The  ministry  will 
not  grace  the  man,  the  man  may  disgrace  the  ministry. 

The  common  people  were  not  so  fast  gathered  to  Corah's  flat- 
tering persuasion  before,  as  now  they  ran  from  the  sight  and  fear 
of  his  judgment.  I  marvel  not  if  they  could  not  trust  that  earth 
whereon  they  stood,  while  they  knew  their  hearts  had  been  false. 
It  is  a  madness  to  run  away  from  punishment  and  not  from  sin. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


158  Aaron  s  censer  and  rod.  book  vii. 

BOOK  VII. 

TO  MY  BIGHT  HONOURABLE  RELIGIOUS  AND  BOUNTIFUL  PATRON, 

EDWARD  LORD  DENNY*, 

BARON  OF  WALTHAM,  THE  CHIEF  COMFORT  OF  MY  LABOURS, 
J.  H. 
WISHETH  ALL  TRUE  HAPPINESS, 
AND  DEDICATES  THIS  PART  OF  HI8  MEDITATIONS. 


AARON'S  CENSER  AND  ROD.— Numbers  xvi,  xvii. 

When  shall  we  see  an  end  of  these  murmurings  and  these 
judgments  ?  Because  these  men  rose  up  against  Moses  and  Aaron, 
therefore  God  consumed  them ;  and  because  God  consumed  them, 
therefore  the  people  rise  up  against  Moses  and  Aaron ;  and  now, 
because  the  people  thus  murmur,  God  hath  again  begun  to  con- 
sume them.  What  a  circle  is  here  of  sins  and  judgments !  Wrath 
is  gone  out  from  God,  Moses  is  quicksighted  and  spies  it  at  the 
setting  out.  By  how  much  more  faithful  and  familiar  we  are 
with  God,  so  much  earlier  do  we  discern  his  judgments ;  as  those 
which  are  well  acquainted  with  men  know  by  their  looks  and 
gestures  that  which  strangers  understand  but  by  their  actions,  as 
finer  tempers  are  more  sensible  of  the  changes  of  weather.  Hence 
the  seers  of  God  have  ever  from  their  watchtower  descried  the 
judgments  of  God  afar  off.  If  another  man  had  seen  from  Carmel 
a  cloud  of  a  handbreadth,  he  could  not  have  told  Ahab  he  should 
be  wet.  It  is  enough  for  God's  messengers,  out  of  their  acquaint- 
ance with  their  Master's  proceedings,  to  foresee  punishment :  no 
marvel  if  those  see  it  not  which  are  wilfully  sinful :  we  men  reveal 
not  our  secret  purposes  either  to  enemies  or  strangers :  all  their 
favour  is  to  feel  the  plague  ere  they  can  espy  it 

Moses,  though  he  were  great  with  God,  yet  he  takes  not  upon 
him  this  reconciliation :  he  may  advise  Aaron  what  to  do,  him- 
self undertakes  not  to  act  it :  it  is  the  work  of  the  priesthood  to 
make  an  atonement  for  the  people.     Aaron  was  first  his  brother's 

*  [See  Book  III.] 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  i.  Aaron's  censer  and  rod.  1 59 

tongue  to  Pharaoh,  now  he  is  the  people's  tongue  to  God:  he 
only  must  offer  up  the  incense  of  the  public  prayers  to  God. 
Who  would  not  think  it  a  small  thing  to  hold  a  censer  in  his 
hand  ?  yet  if  any  other  had  done  it,  he  had  fallen  with  the  dead, 
and  not  stood  betwixt  the  living  and  dead ;  instead  of  the  smoke 
ascending,  the  fire  had  descended  upon  him ;  and  shall  there  be 
less  use  or  less  regard  of  the  evangelical  ministry  than  the 
legal?  When  the  world  hath  poured  out  all  his  contempt,  we 
are  they  that  must  reconcile  men  to  God,  and  without  us  they 


I  know  not  whether  more  to  marvel  at  the  courage  or  mercy 
of  Aaron;  his  mercy,  that  he  would  yet  save  so  rebellious  a 
people;  his  courage,  that  he  would  save  them  with  so  great  a 
danger  of  himself:  for,  as  one  that  would  part  a  fray,  he  thrusts 
himself  under  the  strokes  of  God ;  and  puts  it  to  the  choice  of 
the  revenger,  whether  he  will  smite  him  or  forbear  the  rest.  He 
stands  boldly  betwixt  the  living  and  the  dead,  as  one  that  will 
either  die  with  them,  or  have  them  live  with  him.  The  sight  of 
fourteen  hundred  carcasses  dismayed  him  not.  He  that  before 
feared  the  threats  of  the  people,  now  fears  not  the  strokes  of 
God.  It  is  not  for  God's  ministers  to  stand  upon  their  own 
perils  in  the  common  causes  of  the  church ;  their  prayers  must 
oppose  the  judgments  of  the  Almighty :  when  the  fire  of  God's 
anger  is  kindled,  their  censers  must  smoke  with  fire  from  the 
altar.  Every  Christian  must  pray  the  removal  of  vengeance ; 
how  much  more  they  whom  God  hath  appointed  to  mediate  for 
his  people  I  Every  man's  mouth  is  his  own;  but  they  are  the 
mouths  of  all. 

Had  Aaron  thrust  in  himself  with  empty  hands,  I  doubt 
whether  he  had  prevailed ;  now  his  censer  was  his  protection : 
when  we  come  with  supplications  in  our  hands,  we  need  not  fear 
the  strokes  of  God.  We  have  leave  to  resist  the  divine  judg- 
ments by  our  prayers  with  favour  and  success.  So  soon  as  the 
incense  of  Aaron  ascended  up  unto  God,  he  smelt  a  savour  of 
rest :  he  will  rather  spare  the  offenders,  than  strike  their  inter- 
cessor. How  hardly  can  any  people  miscarry,  that  have  faithful 
ministers  to  sue  for  their  safety :  nothing  but  the  smoke  of  hearty 
prayers  can  cleanse  the  air  from  the  plagues  of  God. 

If  Aaron's  sacrifice  were  thus  accepted,  how  much  more  shall 
the  High  Priest  of  the  new  testament,  by  interposing  himself 
to  the  wrath  of  his  Father,  deliver  the  offenders  from  deat)  . 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


160  Aaron  s  censer  and  rod.  book  vii. 

The  plague  was  entered  upon  all  the  sons  of  men ;  0  Saviour, 
thou  stoodst  betwixt  the  living  and  the  dead,  that  all  which 
believe  in  thee  should  not  perish.  Aaron  offered  and  was  not 
stricken;  but  thou,  0  Redeemer,  wouldst  offer  and  be  struck, 
that  by  thy  stripes  we  might  be  healed  :  so  stoodst  thou  betwixt 
the  dead  and  living,  that  thou  wert  both  alive  and  dead ;  and  all 
this  that  we,  when  we  were  dead,  might  live  for  ever. 

Nothing  more  troubled  Israel  than  a  fear  lest  the  two  brethren 
should  cunningly  engross  the  government  to  themselves.  If  they 
had  done  so,  what  wise  man  would  have  envied  them  an  office  so 
little  worth,  so  dearly  purchased?  But  because  this  conceit  was 
ever  apt  to  stir  them  to  rebellion,  and  to  hinder  the  benefit  of 
this  holy  sovereignty,  therefore  God  hath  endeavoured  nothing 
more  than  to  let  them  see  that  these  officers,  whom  they  so 
much  envied,  were  of  his  own  proper  institution.  They  had 
scarce  shut  their  eyes,  since  they  saw  the  confusion  of  those  two 
hundred  and  fifty  usurping  sacrificers,  and  Aaron's  effectual  in- 
tercession for  staying  the  plague  of  Israel.  In  the  one,  the  exe- 
cution of  God's  vengeance  upon  the  competitors  of  Aaron  for 
his  sake;  in  the  other,  the  forbearance  of  vengeance  upon  the 
people  for  Aaron's  mediation  might  hare  challenged  their  vo- 
luntary acknowledgment  of  his  just  calling  from  God :  if  there 
had  been  in  them  either  awe  or  thankfulness,  they  could  not 
have  doubted  of  his  lawful  supremacy.  How  could  they  choose 
but  argue  thus :  "  Why  would  God  so  fearfully  have  destroyed 
the  rivals  that  durst  contest  with  Aaron,  if  he  would  have  al- 
lowed him  any  equal?  Wherefore  serve  those  plates  of  the 
altar,  which  we  see  made  of  those  usurped  censers,  but  to  warn 
all  posterity  of  such  presumption?  Why  should  God  cease 
striking,  while  Aaron  interposed  betwixt  the  living  and  the  dead, 
if  he  were  but  as  one  of  us  I  Which  of  us,  if  we  had  stood  in  the 
plague,  had  not  added  to  the  heap  ?" 

Incredulous  minds  will  not  be  persuaded  with  any  evidence. 
These  two  brothers  had  lived  asunder  forty  years ;  God  makes 
them  both  meet  in  one  office  of  delivering  Israel.  One  half  of 
the  miracles  were  wrought  by  Aaron :  he  struck  with  the  rod, 
while  it  brought  those  plagues  on  Egypt.  The  Israelites  heard 
God  call  him  up  by  name  to  Mount  Sinai ;  they  saw  him  anointed 
from  God ;  and  lest  they  should  think  this  a  set  match  betwixt 
the  brethren,  they  saw  the  earth  opening,  the  fire  issuing  from 
God  upon  their  emulous  opposites ;  they  saw  his  smoke  a  suffi- 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


coxt.  i.  Aaron  $  censer  and  rod.  161 

dent  antidote  for  the  plague  of  God;  and  yet  still  Aaron's 
calling  is  questioned.  Nothing  is  more  natural  to  every  man 
than  unbelief;  but  the  earth  never  yielded  a  people  so  strongly 
incredulous  as  these;  and  after  so  many  thousand  generations 
their  children  do  inherit  their  obstinacy;  still  do  they  oppose 
the  true  High  Priest,  the  Anointed  of  God:  sixteen  hundred 
years'  desolation  hath  not  drawn  from  them  to  confess  Him  whom 
God  hath  chosen. 

How  desirous  was  God  to  give  satisfaction  even  to  the  obsti- 
nate I  There  is  nothing  more  material  than  that  men  should  be 
assured  their  spiritual  guides  have  their  commission  and  calling 
from  God,  the  want  whereof  is  a  prejudice  to  our  success.  It 
should  not  be  so ;  but  the  corruption  of  men  will  not  receive  good 
but  from  due  messengers. 

Before,  God  wrought  miracles  in  the  rod  of  Moses ;  now,  in 
the  rod  of  Aaron.  As  Pharaoh  might  see  himself  in  Moses's 
rod,  who  of  a  rod  of  defence  and  protection  was  turned  into 
a  venomous  serpent ;  so  Israel  might  see  themselves  in  the  rod 
of  Aaron.  Every  tribe  and  every  Israelite  was  of  himself  as  a 
sere  stick;  without  life,  without  sap ;  and  if  any  one  of  them  had 
power  to  live  and  flourish,  he  must  acknowledge  it  from  the 
immediate  power  and  gift  of  God. 

Before  God's  calling,  all  men  are  alike :  every  name  is  alike 
written  in  their  rod ;  there  is  no  difference  in  the  letters,  in  the 
wood ;  neither  the  characters  of  Aaron  are  fairer,  nor  the  staff 
more  precious ;  it  is  the  choice  of  God  that  makes  the  distinction : 
so  it  is  in  our  calling  of  Christianity ;  all  are  equally  devoid  of 
the  possibility  of  grace :  all  equally  lifeless ;  by  nature  we  all  are 
sons  of  wrath :  if  we  be  now  better  than  others,  who  separated 
us?  We  are  all  crab-stocks  in  this  orchard  of  God;  he  may 
graff  what  fruit  he  pleases  upon  us,  only  the  grace  and  effectual 
calling  of  God  makes  the  difference. 

These  twelve  heads  of  Israel  would  never  have  written  their 
names  in  their  rods  but  in  hope  they  might  be  chosen  to  this 
dignity.  What  an  honour  was  this  priesthood,  whereof  all  the 
princes  of  Israel  are  ambitious !  If  they  had  not  thought  it  an 
high  preferment,  they  had  never  so  much  envied  the  office  of 
Aaron.  What  shall  we  think  of  this  change  ?  Is  the  evangelical 
ministration  of  less  worth  than  the  Levitical?  While  the  testa- 
ment is  better,  is  the  service  worse?  How  is  it  that  the  great 
think  themselves  too  good  for  this  employment  ?   How  is  it,  that 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  M 

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162  Aaron's  censer  and  rod.  book  vii. 

under  the  gospel  men  are  disparaged  with  that  which  honoured 
them  under  the  law  ;  that  their  ambition  and  our  scorn  meet  in 
one  subject? 

These  twelve  rods  are  not  laid  up  in  the  several  cabinets  of 
their  owners,  but  are  brought  forth  and  laid  before  the  Lord. 
It  is  fit  God  should  make  choice  of  his  own  attendants.  Even 
we  men  hold  it  injurious  to  have  servants  obtruded  upon  us  by 
others :  never  shall  that  man  have  comfort  in  his  ministry  whom 
God  hath  not  chosen.  The  great  Commander  of  the  world  hath 
set  every  man  in  his  station ;  to  one  he  hath  said,  "  Stand  thou 
in  this  tower,  and  watch  i"  to  another,  "  Make  thou  good  these 
trenches :"  to  a  third,  "  Dig  thou  in  this  mine."  He  that  gives 
and  knows  our  abilities  can  best  set  us  on  work. 

This  rod  was  the  pastoral  staff  of  Aaron,  the  great  shepherd 
of  Israel.  God  testifies  his  approbation  of  his  charge  by  the 
fruit.  That  a  rod  cut  off  from  the  tree  should  blossom,  it  was 
strange ;  but  that  in  one  night  it  should  bear  buds,  blossoms, 
fruit,  and  that  both  ripe  and  hard,  it  was  highly  miraculous. 
The  same  power  that  revives  the  dead  plants  of  winter  in  the 
spring,  doth  it  here  without  earth,  without  time,  without  sun; 
that  Israel  might  see  and  grant  it  was  no  reason  his  choice  should 
be  limited,  whose  power  is  unlimited. 

Fruitfulness  is  the  best  argument  of  the  calling  of  God :  not 
only  all  the  plants  of  his  setting,  but  the  very  boughs  cut  off 
from  the  body  of  them  will  flourish.  And  that  there  may  not 
want  a  succession  of  increase,  here  are  fruit,  blossoms,  buds ;  both 
proof  and  hope  inseparably  mixed. 

It  could  not  but  be  a  great  comfort  unto  Aaron  to  see  his  rod 
thus  miraculously  flourishing ;  to  see  this  wonderful  testimony  of 
God's  favour  and  election :  sure  he  could  not  but  think,  "  Who 
am  I,  0  God,  that  thou  shouldest  thus  choose  me  out  of  all  the 
tribes  of  Israel  ?  My  weakness  hath  been  more  worthy  of  thy 
rod  of  correction,  than  my  rod  hath  been  worthy  of  these  blos- 
soms. How  hast  thou  magnified  me  in  the  sight  of  all  thy 
people !  How  able  art  thou  to  uphold  my  imbecility  with  the  rod 
of  thy  support,  how  able  to  defend  me  with  the  rod  of  thy  power, 
who  hast  thus  brought  fruit  out  of  the  sapless  rod  of  my  profes- 
sion V*  That  servant  of  God  is  worthy  to  faint  that  holds  it  not 
a  sufficient  encouragement  to  see  the  evident  proofs  of  his  Master's 
favour. 

Commonly,  those  fruits  which  are  soon  ripe  soon  wither ;  but 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  ii.  The  brazen  serpent  163 

these  almonds  of  Aaron's  rod  are  not  more  early  than  lasting ; 
the  same  hand  which  brought  them  out  before  their  time,  pre- 
served them  beyond  their  time ;  and  for  perpetual  memory  both 
rod  and  fruit  must  be  kept  in  the  ark  of  God.  The  tables  of 
Moses,  the  rod  of  Aaron,  the  manna  of  God,  are  monuments  fit 
for  so  holy  a  shrine.  The  doctrine,  sacraments,  and  government 
of  God's  people  are  precious  to  him,  and  must  be  so  to  men.  All 
times  shall  see  and  wonder  how  his  ancient  church  was  fed, 
taught,  ruled.  Moses's  rod  did  great  miracles,  yet  I  find  it  not 
in  the  ark.  The  rod  of  Aaron  hath  this  privilege,  because  it  car- 
ried the  miracle  still  in  itself;  whereas  the  wonders  of  that  other 
rod  were  past.  Those  monuments  would  God  have  continued  in 
his  church  which  carry  in  them  the  most  manifest  evidences  of 
that  which  they  import. 

The  same  God,  which  by  many  transient  demonstrations  had 
approved  the  calling  of  Aaron  to  Israel,  will  now  have  a  perma- 
nent memorial  of  their  conviction ;  that  whensoever  they  should 
see  this  relic,  they  should  be  ashamed  of  their  presumption  and 
infidelity.  The  name  of  Aaron  was  not  more  plainly  written  in 
that  rod  than  the  sin  of  Israel  was  in  the  fruit  of  it ;  and  how 
much  Israel  finds  their  rebellion  beaten  with  this  rod  appears  in 
their  present  relenting  and  complaint ;  Behold,  we  are  dead,  we 
perish.  God  knows  how  to  pull  down  the  biggest  stomach,  and 
can  extort  glory  to  his  own  name  from  the  most  obstinate  gain- 
sayers 


THE  BRAZEN  SERPENT.-Numbers  xxi. 

Seven  times  already  hath  Israel  mutinied  against  Moses,  and 
seven  times  hath  either  been  threatened  or  punished,  yet  now 
they  fall  to  it  afresh.  As  a  testy  man  finds  occasion  to  chafe  at 
every  trifle,  so  this  discontented  people  either  find  or  make  all 
things  troublesome.  One  while  they  have  no  water,  then  bitter ; 
one  while  no  God,  then  one  too  many ;  one  while  no  bread,  then 
bread  enough,  but  too  light ;  one  while  they  will  not  abide  their 
governors,  then  they  cannot  abide  their  loss.  Aaron  and  Miriam 
were  never  so  grudged  alive  as  they  are  bewailed  dead.  Before, 
they  wanted  onions,  garlic,  flesh  pots ;  now  they  want  figs,  vines, 
pomegranates,  corn.    And  as  crabbed  children,  that  cry  for  every 

M  2 

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164  The  brazen  serpent.  book  vii. 

thing  they  can  think  of,  are  whipped  by  their  wise  mother,  so  God 
justly  serves  these  fond  Israelites. 

It  was  first  their  way  that  makes  them  repine.  They  were 
fain  to  go  round  about  Idumea,  the  journey  was  long  and  trou- 
blesome. They  had  sent  entreaties  to  Edoin  for  license  of  pas- 
sage the  next  way,  reasonably,  submissly ;  it  was  churlishly  de- 
nied them.  Esau  lives  still  in  his  posterity,  Jacob  in  Israel: 
the  combat  which  they  began  in  Rebecca's  belly  is  not  yet  ended ; 
Ainalek,  which  was  one  limb  of  Esau,  follows  them  at  the  heels; 
the  Edomite,  which  was  another,  meets  them  in  the  face :  so  long 
as  there  is  a  world  there  will  be  opposition  to  the  chosen  of  God. 
They  may  come  at  their  peril,  the  way  had  been  nearer  but 
bloody,  they  dare  not  go  it  and  yet  complain  of  length. 

If  they  were  afraid  to  purchase  their  restingplace  with  war, 
how  much  less  would  they  their  passage  1  What  should  God  do 
with  impatient  men?  They  will  not  go  the  nearest  way,  and  yet 
complain  to  go  about.  He  that  will  pass  to  the  promised  land 
must  neither  stand  upon  length  of  way  nor  difficulty.  Every  way 
hath  his  inconveniences ;  the  nearest  hath  more  danger,  the  far- 
thest hath  more  pain ;  either  or  both  must  be  overcome  if  ever 
we  will  enter  the  rest  of  God. 

Aaron  and  Miriam  were  now  past  the  danger  of  their  mutinies ; 
for  want  of  another  match,  they  join  God  with  Moses  in  their 
murmurings:  though  they  had  not  mentioned  him  they  could 
not  sever  him  in  their  insurrection ;  for  in  the  causes  of  his  own 
servants  he  challenges  even  when  he  is  not  challenged.  What 
will  become  of  thee,  O  Israel,  when  thou  makest  thy  Maker  thine 
enemy?  Impatience  is  the  cousin  to  frensy ;  this  causes  men  not 
to  care  upon  whom  they  run,  so  they  may  breathe  out  some 
revenge.  How  oft  have  we  heard  men  that  have  been  displeased 
by  others  tear  the  name  of  their  Maker  in  pieces !  He  that  will 
judge  and  can  confound  is  fetched  into  the  quarrel  without  cause. 
But  if  to  strive  with  a  mighty  man  be  unwise  and  unsafe,  what 
shall  it  be  to  strive  with  the  mighty  God  ? 

As  an  angry  child  casts  away  that  which  is  given  him,  because 
he  hath  not  that  he  would,  so  do  these  foolish  Israelites :  their 
bread  is  light  and  their  water  unsatisfying,  because  their  way  dis- 
pleased them.  Was  ever  people  fed  with  such  bread  or  water  ? 
Twice  hath  the  very  rock  yielded  them  water,  and  every  day  the 
heaven  affords  them  bread.  Did  any  one  soul  amongst  them 
miscarry  either  for  hunger  or  thirst?    But  no  bread  will  down 


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cont.  ii.  The  brazen  serpent.  165 

with  them  save  that  which  the  earth  yields ;  no  water  but  from 
the  natural  wells  or  rivers.  Unless  nature  may  be  allowed  to  be 
her  own  carver  she  is  never  contented. 

Manna  had  no  fault,  but  that  it  was  too  good  and  too  frequent : 
the  pulse  of  Egypt  had  been  fitter  for  these  coarse  mouths.  This 
heavenly  bread  was  unspeakably  delicious,  it  tasted  like  wafers 
of  honey ;  and  yet  even  this  angels1  food  is  contemned.  He  that 
is  full  despiseth  an  honeycomb.  How  sweet  and  delicate  is  the 
gospel!  Not  only  the  fathers  of  the  old  testament,  but  the 
angels,  desired  to  look  into  the  glorious  mysteries  of  it ;  and  yet 
we  are  cloyed.  This  supernatural  food  is  too  light :  the  bread- 
corn  of  our  human  reason  and  profound  discourse  would  better 
content  us. 

Moses  will  not  revenge  this  wrong,  God  will ;  yet  will  he  not 
deal  with  them  himself,  but  he  sends  the  fiery  serpents  to  answer 
for  him ;  how  fitly !  They  had  carried  themselves  like  serpents 
to  their  governors;  how  oft  had  they  stung  Moses  and  Aaron 
near  to  death !  If  the  serpent  bite  when  he  is  not  charmed,  no 
better  is  a  slanderer.  Now  these  venomous  adders  revenge  it, 
which  are  therefore  called  fiery,  because  their  poison  scalded  to 
death :  God  hath  an  hand  in  the  annoyance  and  hurt  of  the  basest 
creature ;  how  much  less  can  the  sting  of  an  ill  tongue  or  the 
malice  of  an  ill  spirit  strike  us  without  him !  While  they  were 
in  Goshen,  the  frogs,  lice,  caterpillars  spared  them  and  plagued 
the  Egyptians ;  now  they  are  rebellious  in  the  desert,  the  serpents 
find  them  out  and  sting  them  to  death.  He  that  brought  the 
quails  thither  to  feed  them  fetches  these  serpents  thither  to  pu- 
nish them.  While  we  are  at  wars  with  God  we  can  look  for  no 
peace  with  his  creatures:  every  thing  rejoices  to  execute  the 
vengeance  of  his  Maker.  The  stones  of  the  field  will  not  be  in 
league  with  us  while  we  are  not  in  league  with  God. 

These  men,  when  the  spies  had  told  them  news  of  the  giants  of 
Canaan,  a  little  before  had  wished,  Would  to  God  we  were  dead 
in  this  wilderness  I  now  God  had  heard  their  prayers,  what  with 
the  plague,  what  with  the  serpents,  many  thousands  of  them  died. 
The  ill  wishes  of  our  impatience  are  many  times  heard.  As  those 
good  things  are  not  granted  us  which  we  pray  for  without  care, 
so  those  evils  which  we  pray  for,  and  would  not  have,  are  oft 
granted.  The  ears  of  God  are  not  only  open  to  the  prayers  of 
faith,  but  to  the  imprecations  of  infidelity.  It  is  dangerous  wishing 


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166  The  brazen  seiyent.  book  vii. 

evil  to  ourselves  or  ours :  it  is  just  with  God  to  take  us  at  our 
word,  and  to  effect  that  which  our  lips  speak  against  our  heart. 

Before,  God  hath  ever  consulted  with  Moses,  and  threatened 
ere  he  punished ;  now  he  strikes  and  says  nothing.  The  anger 
is  so  much  more  by  how  much  less  notified.  When  God  is  not 
heard  before  he  is  felt,  (as  in  the  hewing  of  wood  the  blow  is  not 
heard  till  the  axe  be  seen  to  have  struck,)  it  is  a  fearful  sign  of 
displeasure :  it  is  with  God  as  with  us  men,  that  still  revenges  are 
ever  most  dangerous.  Till  now,  all  was  well  enough  with  Israel, 
and  yet  they  grudged :  those  that  will  complain  without  a  cause 
shall  have  cause  to  complain  for  something.  Discontented  hu- 
mours seldom  escape  unpunished,  but  receive  that  most  justly 
whereat  they  repined  unjustly. 

Now  the  people  are  glad  to  seek  to  Moses  unbidden.  Ever 
heretofore  they  have  been  wont  to  be  sued  to  and  entreated  for 
without  their  own  entreaty;  now  their  misery  makes  them  im- 
portunate :  there  needs  no  solicitor  where  there  is  sense  of  smart. 
It  were  pity  men  should  want  affliction,  since  it  sends  them  to  their 
prayers  and  confessions.  All  the  persuasions  of  Moses  could  not 
do  that  which  the  serpents  have  done  for  him.  O  God,  thou  seest 
how  necessary  it  is  we  should  be  stung  sometimes,  else  we  should 
run  wild,  and  never  come  to  a  sound  humiliation :  we  should  never 
seek  thee,  if  thy  hand  did  not  find  us  out. 

They  had  spoken  against  God  and  Moses,  and  now  they  hum- 
bly speak  to  Moses  that  he  would  pray  to  God  for  them.  He 
that  so  oft  prayed  for  them  unbidden,  cannot  but  much  more  do 
it  requested;  and  now  obtains  the  means  of  their  cure.  It  was 
equally  in  the  power  of  God  to  remove  the  serpents  and  to  heal 
their  stinging;  to  have  cured  the  Israelites  by  his  word  and  by 
his  sign:  but  he  finds  it  best  for  his  people  (to  exercise  their 
faith)  that  the  serpents  may  bite,  and  their  bitings  may  envenom, 
and  that  this  venom  may  endanger  the  Israelites ;  and  that  they, 
thus  affected,  may  seek  to  him  for  remedy,  and  seeking  may  find 
it  from  such  means  as  should  have  no  power  but  in  signification ; 
that  while  their  bodies  were  cured  by  the  sign,  their  souls  might 
be  confirmed  by  the  matter  signified.  A  serpent  of  brass  could 
no  more  heal  than  sting  them.  What  remedy  could  their  eyes 
give  to  their  legs  ?  Or  what  could  a  serpent  of  cold  brass  prevail 
against  a  living  and  fiery  serpent?  In  this  troublesome  desert 
we  are  all  stung  by  that  fiery  and  old  serpent :  0  Saviour,  it  is 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  in.  Of  Balaam.  167 

to  thee  we  must  look  and  be  cured ;  it  is  thou  that  wert  their 
paschal  lamb,  their  manna,  their  rock,  their  serpent.  To  all  pur- 
poses dost  thou  vary  thyself  to  thy  church,  that  we  may  find  thee 
every  where  :  thou  art  for  our  nourishment,  refreshing,  cure ;  as 
hereafter,  so  even  now,  all  in  all. 

This  serpent,  which  was  appointed  for  cure  to  Israel,  at  last 
stings  them  to  death  by  idolatrous  abuse.  What  poison  there 
is  in  idolatry  that  makes  even  antidotes  deadly!  As  Moses 
therefore  raised  this  serpent,  so  Hezekiah  pulled  it  down :  God 
commanded  the  raising  of  it,  God  approved  the  demolishing  of  it. 
Superstitious  use  can  mar  the  very  institutions  of  God,  how  much 
more  the  most  wise  and  well  grounded  devices  of  men. 


OF  BALAAM. — Numbers  xxii-xxiv. 

Moab  and  Midian  had  been  all  this  while  standers  by  and 
lookers  on.  If  they  had  not  seen  the  pattern  of  their  own  ruin 
in  these  neighbours,  it  had  never  troubled  them  to  see  the  kings 
of  the  Amorites  and  Bashan  to  fall  before  Israel.  Uad  not  the 
Israelites  camped  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  their  victories  had  been 
no  eyesore  to  Balak.  Wicked  men  never  care  to  observe  God's 
judgments  till  themselves  be  touched :  the  fire  of  a  neighbour's 
house  would  not  so  affect  us,  if  it  were  not  with  tho  danger  of  our 
awn:  secure  minds  never  startle  till  God  come  home  to  their 
very  senses. 

Balak  and  his  Moabites  had  wit  enough  to  fear,  not  wit  enough 
to  prevent  judgment :  they  see  an  enemy  in  their  borders,  and 
yet  take  no  right  course  for  their  safety.  Who  would  not  have 
looked  that  they  should  have  come  to  Israel  with  conditions  of 
peace  ?  Or  why  did  they  not  think, "  Either  Israel's  God  is  stronger 
than  ours,  or  he  is  not.  If  he  be  not,  why  are  we  afraid  of  him  ? 
If  he  be,  why  do  we  not  serve  him  ?  The  same  hand  which  gives 
them  victory  can  give  us  protection.'1  Carnal  men,  that  are  se- 
cure of  the  vengeance  of  God  ere  it  do  come,  are  mastered  with 
it  when  it  doth  come,  and,  not  knowing  which  way  to  turn  them, 
run  forth  at  the  wrong  door. 

The  Midianites  join  with  the  Moabites  in  consultation,  in  action 
against  Israel :  one  would  have  thought  they  should  have  looked 
for  favour  from  Moses  for  Jethro's  sake,  which  was  both  a  prince 
of  their  country  and  father-in-law  to  Moses,  and  either  now,  or 


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168  Of  Balaam.  book  vh. 

not  long  before,  was  with  Israel  in  the  wilderness.  Neither  is  it 
like,  but  that  Moses,  haying  found  forty  years'  harbour  amongst 
them,  would  have  been  (what  he  might)  inclinable  to  favourable 
treaties  with  them;  but  now  they  are  so  fast  linked  to  Moab, 
that  they  will  either  sink  or  swim  together.  Entireness  with 
wicked  consorts  is  one  of  the  strongest  chains  of  hell,  and  binds 
us  to  a  participation  both  of  sin  and  punishment :  an  easy  occasion 
will  knit  wicked  hearts  together  in  conspiracy  against  the  Church 
of  God. 

Their  errand  is  devilish.  Came,  curse  Israel:  that  which  Satan 
could  not  do  by  the  swords  of  Og  and  Sehon,  he  will  now  try  to 
effect  by  the  tongue  of  Balaam.  If  either  strength  or  policy 
would  prevail  against  God's  Church  it  could  not  stand.  And  why 
should  not  we  be  as  industrious  to  promote  the  glory  of  God,  and 
bend  both  our  hands  and  heads  to  the  causes  of  the  Almighty  ? 
When  all  helps  fail  Moab,  the  magician  is  sought  to.  It  is  a  sign 
of  a  desperate  cause  to  make  Satan  either  our  counsellor  or  our 
refuge. 

Why  did  they  not  send  to  Balaam  to  bless  themselves,  rather 
than  to  curse  Israel  ?  It  had  been  more  easy  to  be  defended  from 
the  hurt  of  their  enemies,  than  to  have  their  enemies  laid  open 
to  be  hurt  by  them.  Pride  and  malice  did  not  care  so  much 
for  safety  as  for  conquest ;  it  would  not  conteft  them  to  escape 
Israel,  if  Israel  may  escape  them;  it  was  not  thankworthy  to 
save  their  own  blood,  if  they  did  not  spill  the  blood  of  others ;  as 
if  their  own  prosperity  had  been  nothing,  if  Israel  also  prospered  I 
If  there  be  one  project  worse  than  another,  a  wicked  heart  will 
find  it  out ;  nothing  but  destruction  will  content  the  malicious. 

I  know  not  whether  Balaam  were  more  famous,  or  Balak  more 
confident.  If  the  king  had  not  been  persuaded  of  the  strength 
of  his  charm,  he  had  not  sent  so  far  and  paid  so  dear  for  it :  now 
he  trusts  more  to  his  enchantment  than  to  the  forces  of  Moab 
and  Midian ;  and,  as  if  heaven  and  earth  were  in  the  power  of 
a  charmer's  tongue,  he  saith,  He  that  thou  blessest  is  blessed; 
and  he  whom  thou  cursest  is  cursed.  Magic,  through  the  per- 
mission of  God,  is  powerful ;  for  whatsoever  the  devil  can  do,  the 
magician  may  do ;  but  it  is  madness  to  think  either  of  them  omni- 
potent. If  either  the  curses  of  men  or  the  endeavours  of  the 
powers  of  darkness  should  be  effectual,  all  would  be  hell.  No, 
Balak :  so  short  is  the  power  of  thy  Balaam,  that  neither  thou 
nor  thy  prophet  himself  can  avoid  that  curse  which  thou  wouldst 


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cont.  in.  Of  Balaam.  169 

have  brought  upon  Israel.  Had  Balaam  been  a  true  prophet  of 
God,  this  bold  assurance  had  been  but  just.  Both  those  ancient 
seers  and  the  prophets  of  the  gospel  have  the  ratification  of  God 
in  heaven  to  their  sentences  on  earth.  Why  have  we  less  care  of 
the  blessings,  and  less  fear  of  the  curses  and  censures  of  God's 
ministers?  Who  would  not  rather  have  Elisha's  guard,  than 
both  the  kings  of  Israel  and  Assyria?  He  himself,  as  he  had 
the  angelical  chariots  and  horsemen  about  him,  so  was  he  the 
chariots  and  horsemen  of  Israel.  Why  should  our  faith  be  less 
strong  than  superstition  ?  or  why  should  God's  agents  have  less 
virtue  than  Satan's  ? 

I  should  wonder  to  hear  God  speak  with  a  false  prophet,  if  I 
did  not  know  it  hath  been  no  rare  thing  with  him  (as  with  men) 
to  bestow  words,  even  where  he  will  not  bestow  favour.  Pharaoh, 
Abimelech,  Nebuchadnezzar,  receive  visions  from  God:  neither 
can  I  think  this  strange,  when  I  hear  God  speaking  to  Satan  in 
a  question  no  less  familiar  than  this  of  Balaam,  Whence  earnest 
thou,  Satan  ?  Not  the  sound  of  the  voice  of  God,  but  the  matter 
which  he  speaks  argues  love:  he  may  speak  to  an  enemy;  he 
speaks  peace  to  none  but  his  own.  It  is  a  vain  brag,  "  God  hath 
spoken  to  me;"  so  may  he  do  to  reprobates  or  devils.  But 
what  said  he?  Did  he  say  to  my  soul,  /  am  thy  salvation? 
Hath  he  indented  with  me  that  he  will  be  my  God,  and  I  shall  be 
his  ?  I  cannot  hear  this  voice,  and  not  live. 

God  heard  all  the  consultation  and  message  of  these  Moabites : 
these  messengers  could  not  have  moved  their  foot  or  their  tongue 
but  in  him ;  and  yet  he,  which  asked  Adam  where  he  was,  asks 
Balaam,  What  men  are  these  f  I  have  ever  seen  that  God  loves 
to  take  occasion  of  proceeding  with  us  from  ourselves,  rather 
than  from  his  own  immediate  prescience.  Hence  it  is  that  we 
lay  open  our  wants  and  confess  our  sins  to  him  that  knows  both 
better  than  our  own  hearts,  because  he  will  deal  with  us  from 
our  own  mouths. 

The  prevention  of  God  forbids  both  his  journey  and  his  curse : 
and  what  if  he  had  been  suffered  to  go  and  curse?  What  corn 
had  this  wind  shaken,  when  God  meant  to  bless  them?  How 
many  bulls  have  bellowed  out  execrations  against  this  church  of 
God !  What  are  we  the  worse  ?  Tea  I  doubt  if  we  had  been  so 
much  blessed,  had  not  those  Balaamitish  curses  been  spent  upon 
us.  He  that  knows  what  waste  wind  the  causeless  curses  of 
wicked  men  are,  yet  will  not  have  Balaam  curse  Israel ;  because 


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170  Of  Balaam.  bookvii. 

he  will  not  allow  Balak  so  much  encouragement  in  his  opposition 
as  the  conceit  of  this  help.  Or  perhaps,  if  Balak  thought  this 
sorcerer  a  true  prophet,  God  would  not  have  his  name,  so  much 
as  in  the  opinion  of  the  heathen,  scandalized,  in  usurping  it  to  a 
purpose  which  he  meant  not  should  succeed. 

The  hand  of  God  is  in  the  restraint  of  many  evils  which  we 
never  knew  to  be  towards  us.  The  Israelites  sat  still  in  their 
tents;  they  little  thought  what  mischief  was  brewing  against 
them :  without  ever  making  them  of  counsel,  God  crosses  the 
designs  of  their  enemies.  He  that  keepeth  Israel  is  both  a  sure 
and  a  secret  friend. 

The  reward  of  the  divination  had  easily  commanded  the  journey 
and  curse  of  the  covetous  prophet,  if  God  had  not  stayed  him. 
How  oft  are  wicked  men  curbed  by  a  divine  hand,  even  in  those 
sins  which  their  heart  stands  to.  It  is  no  thank  to  lewd  men  that 
their  wickedness  is  not  prosperous.  Whence  is  it  that  the  world 
is  not  overrun  with  evil,  but  from  this,  that  men  cannot  be  so  ill 
as  they  would  ? 

The  first  entertainment  of  this  message  would  make  a  stranger 
think  Balaam  wise  and  honest:  he  will  not  give  a  sudden 
answer,  but  craves  leisure  to  consult  with  God,  and  promises  to 
return  the  answer  he  shall  receive.  Who  would  not  say,  "  This 
man  is  free  from  rashness,  from  partiality?"  Dissimulation  is 
crafty,  and  able  to  deceive  thousands.  The  words  are  good: 
when  he  comes  to  action,  the  fraud  bewrays  itself;  for  both  he 
insinuates  his  own  forwardness,  and  casts  the  blame  of  the  pro- 
hibition upon  God,  and,  which  is  worse,  delivers  but  half  his  an- 
swer :  he  says  indeed,  God  refuses  to  give  me  leave  to  go :  he 
says  not,  as  it  was,  He  charges  me  not  to  curse  them,  for  they 
are  blessed.  So  did  Balaam  deny,  as  one  that  wished  to  be  sent 
for  again.  Perhaps  a  peremptory  refusal  had  hindered  his  further 
solicitation.  Concealment  of  some  truths  is  sometimes  as  faulty  as 
a  denial.     True  fidelity  is  not  niggardly  in  her  relations. 

Where  wickedness  meets  with  power,  it  thinks  to  command 
all  the  world,  and  takes  great  scorn  of  any  repulse.  So  little  is 
Balak  discouraged  with  one  refusal,  that  he  sends  so  much  the 
stronger  message ;  more  princes,  and  more  honourable.  O  that 
we  could  be  so  importunate  for  our  good,  as  wicked  men  are  for 
the  compassing  of  their  own  designs!  A  denial  doth  but  whet 
the  desires  of  vehement  suitors.  Why  are  we  faint  in  spiritual 
things,  when  we  are  not  denied,  but  delayed  ? 


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cont.  in.  Of  Balaam.  171 

Those  which  are  themselves  transported  with  vanity  and  ambi- 
tion think  that  no  heart  hath  power  to  resist  these  offers.  Balak's 
princes  thought  they  had  struck  it  dead  when  they  had  once 
mentioned  promotion  to  great  honour.  Self-love  makes  them 
think  they  cannot  be  slaves  while  others  may  be  free ;  and  that 
all  the  world  would  be  glad  to  run  on  madding  after  their  bait. 
Nature  thinks  it  impossible  to  contemn  honour  and  wealth ;  and 
because  too  many  souls  are  thus  taken,  cannot  believe  that  any 
would  escape.  But  let  carnal  hearts  know,  that  there  are  those 
who  can  spit  the  world  in  the  face,  and  say,  Thy  gold  and  silver 
perish  with  thee ;  and  that,  in  comparison  of  a  good  conscience, 
can  tread  under  foot  his  best  proffers,  like  shadows,  as  they  are ; 
and  that  can  do  as  Balaam  said. 

How  near  truth  and  falsehood  can  lodge  together !  Here  was 
piety  in  the  lips  and  covetousness  in  the  heart.  Who  can  any 
more  regard  good  words  that  hears  Balaam  speak  so  like  a  saint  ? 
An  houseful  of  gold  and  silver  may  not  pervert  his  tongue,  his 
heart  is  won  with  less ;  for  if  he  had  not  already  swallowed  the 
reward,  and  found  it  sweet,  why  did  he  again  solicit  God  in  that 
which  was  peremptorily  denied  him  ?  If  his  mind  had  not  been 
bribed  already,  why  did  he  stay  the  messengers?  why  did  he 
expect  a  change  in  God  ?  why  was  he  willing  to  feed  them  with 
hope  of  success  which  had  fed  him  with  hope  of  recompense  ? 
One  prohibition  is  enough  for  a  good  man.  While  the  delay  of 
God  doth  but  hold  us  in  suspense,  importunity  is  holy  and  sea- 
sonable ;  but  when  once  he  gives  a  resolute  denial,  it  is  profane 
sauciness  to  solicit  him.  When  we  ask  what  we  are  bidden,  our 
suits  are  not  more  vehement  than  welcome;  but  when  we  beg 
prohibited  favours,  our  presumption  is  troublesome  and  abomi- 
nable :  no  good  heart  will  endure  to  be  twice  forbidden. 

Tet  this  importunity  hath  obtained  a  permission ;  but  a  per- 
mission worse  than  a  denial.  I  heard  God  say  before,  Go  not, 
nor  curse  them;  now  he  says,  Go,  but  curse  not;  anon,  he  is 
angry  that  he  did  go.  Why  did  he  permit  that  which  he  forbad, 
if  he  be  angry  for  doing  that  which  he  permitted  I  Some  things 
God  permits  with  an  indignation ;  not  for  that  he  gives  leave  to 
the  act,  but  that  he  gives  a  man  over  to  his  sin  in  the  act ;  this 
sufferance  implies  not  favour,  but  judgment :  so  did  God  bid  Ba- 
laam to  go,  as  Solomon  bids  the  young  man  follow  the  ways  of 
his  own  heart.  It  is  one  thing  to  like,  another  thing  to  suffer : 
Moses  never  approved  those  legal  divorces,  yet  he  tolerated 


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172  Of  Balaam.  book  vii. 

them:  God  never  liked  Balaam's  journey,  yet  he  displeasedly 
gives  way  to  it ;  as  if  he  said,  "  Well,  since  thou  art  so  hot  set  on 
this  journey,  begone."  And  thus  Balaam  took  it :  else,  when 
God  after  professed  his  displeasure  for  the  journey,  it  had  been  a 
ready  answer,  "  Thou  commandedst  me ;"  but  herein  his  confes- 
sion argues  his  guilt.  Balaam's  suit  and  Israel's  quails  had  both 
one  fashion  of  grant ;  in  anger.  How  much  better  is  it  to  have 
gracious  denials  than  angry  yieldings ! 

A  small  persuasion  heartens  the  willing :  it  booted  not  to  bid 
the  covetous  prophet  hasten  to  his  way.  Now  he  makes  himself 
sure  of  success.  His  corrupt  heart  tells  him,  that  as  God  had 
relented  in  his  license  to  go,  so  he  might  perhaps  in  his  license  to 
curse ;  and  he  saw  how  this  curse  might  bless  him  with  abun- 
dance of  wealth  ;  he  rose  up  early  therefore,  and  saddled  his  ass. 
The  night  seemed  long  to  his  forwardness.  Covetous  men  need 
neither  clock  nor  bell  to  awaken  them  ;  their  desires  make  them 
restless.  0  that  we  could  with  as  much  eagerness  seek  the  true 
riches,  which  only  can  make  us  happy ! 

We,  that  see  only  the  outside  of  Balaam,  may  marvel  why  he 
that  permitted  him  to  go,  afterward  opposes  his  going ;  but  God, 
that  saw  his  heart,  perceived  what  corrupt  affections  carried  him ; 
he  saw  that  his  covetous  desires  and  wicked  hopes  grew  the 
stronger,  the  nearer  he  came  to  his  end :  an  angel  is  therefore 
sent  to  withhold  the  hasty  sorcerer :  our  inward  disposition  is  the 
life  of  our  actions;  according  to  that  doth  the  God  of  spirits 
judge  us,  while  men  censure  according  to  our  external  motions. 
To  go  at  all,  when  God  had  commanded  to  stay,  was  presump- 
tuous; but  to  go  with  desire  to  curse,  made  the  act  doubly 
sinful,  and  fetched  an  angel  to  resist  it.  It  is  one  of  the  worthy 
employments  of  good  angels  to  make  secret  opposition  to  evil 
designs:  many  a  wicked  act  have  they  hindered  without  the 
knowledge  of  the  agent.  It  is  all  one  with  the  Almighty,  to 
work  by  spirits  and  men ;  it  is  therefore  our  glory  to  be  thus  set 
on  work :  to  stop  the  course  of  evil,  either  by  dissuasion  or  vio- 
lence, is  an  angelical  service. 

In  what  danger  are  wicked  men  that  have  God's  angels  their 
opposites !  The  devil  moved  him  to  go ;  a  good  angel  resists 
him.  If  an  heavenly  spirit  stand  in  the  way  of  a  sorcerer's  sin, 
how  much  more  ready  are  all  those  spiritual  powers  to  stop  the 
miscarriages  of  God's  dear  children !  How  oft  had  we  fallen  yet 
more,  if  these  guardians  had  not  upheld  us ;  whether  by  removing 


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cont.  in.  Of  Balaam.  173 

occasions,  or  by  casting  in  good  instincts  I  As  oar  good  endea- 
vours are  oft  hindered  by  Satan,  so  are  our  evil  by  good 
angels ;  else  were  not  our  protection  equal  to  our  danger,  and  we 
could  neither  stand  nor  rise. 

It  had  been  as  easy  for  the  angel  to  strike  Balaam  as  to  stand 
in  his  way,  and  to  have  followed  him  in  his  starting  aside,  as  to 
stop  him  in  a  narrow  path :  but  even  the  good  angels  have  their 
stints  in  their  executions.  God  had  somewhat  more  to  do  with 
the  tongue  of  Balaam,  and  therefore  he  will  not  have  him  slain,  but 
withstood,  and  so  withstood  that  he  shall  pass.  It  is  not  so  much 
glory  to  God  to  take  away  wicked  men,  as  to  use  their  evil  to  his 
own  holy  purposes.  How  soon  could  the  Commander  of  heaven 
and  earth  rid  the  earth  of  bad  members !  But  so  should  he  lose 
the  praise  of  working  good  by  evil  instruments.  It  sufficeth 
that  the  angels  of  God  resist  their  actions  while  their  persons 
continue. 

That  no  man  may  marvel  to  see  Balaam  have  visions  from 
God  and  utter  prophecies  from  him,  his  very  ass  hath  his  eyes 
opened  to  see  the  angel,  which  his  master  could  not,  and  his 
mouth  opened  to  speak  more  reasonably  than  his  master.  There 
is  no  beast  deserves  so  much  wonder  as  this  of  Balaam,  whose 
common  sense  is  advanced  above  the  reason  of  his  rider,  so  as  for 
the  time  the  prophet  is  brutish  and  the  beast  prophetical.  Who 
can  but  stand  amazed  at  the  eye,  at  the  tongue  of  this  silly 
creature  ?  For  so  dull  a  sight,  it  was  much  to  see  a  bodily  ob- 
ject that  were  not  too  apparent,  but  to  see  that  spirit  which  his 
rider  discerned  not  was  far  beyond  nature.  To  hear  a  voice 
come  from  that  mouth  which  was  used  only  to  bray,  it  was  strange 
and  uncouth :  but  to  hear  a  boast,  whose  nature  is  noted  for  inca- 
pacity, to  outreason  his  master,  a  professed  prophet,  is  in  the  very 
height  of  miracles :  yet  can  no  heart  stick  at  these  that  considers 
the  dispensation  of  the  Almighty  in  both.  Our  eye  could  no  more 
see  a  beast,  than  a  beast  can  see  an  angel,  if  ho  had  not  given 
this  power  to  it.  How  easy  is  it  for  him  that  made  the  eye  of  man 
and  beast,  to  dim  or  enlighten  it  at  his  pleasure ;  and  if  his  power 
can  make  the  very  stones  to  speak,  how  much  more  a  creature  of 
sense  I  That  evil  spirit  spake  in  the  serpent  to  our  first  parents  ; 
why  is  it  more  that  a  spirit  should  speak  in  the  mouth  of  a  beast  ? 
How  ordinarily  did  the  heathen  receive  their  oracles  out  of  stones 
and  trees  I  Do  not  we  ourselves  teach  birds  to  speak  those  sen- 
tences they  understand  not  ?  we  may  wonder,  we  cannot  distrust, 


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174  Of  Balaam.  book  vii. 

when  we  compare  the  act  with  the  Author,  which  can  as  easily 
create  a  voice  without  a  body,  as  a  body  without  a  voice.  Who 
now  can  hereafter  plead  his  simplicity  and  dulness  of  apprehending 
spiritual  things,  when  he  sees  how  (rod  exalts  the  eyes  of  a  beast 
to  see  a  spirit?  Who  can  be  proud  of  seeing  visions,  since  an  angel 
appeared  to  a  beast  ?  Neither  was  his  skin  better  after  it  than 
others  of  his  kind.  Who  can  complain  of  his  own  rudeness  and 
inability  to  reply  in  a  good  cause,  when  the  very  beast  is  enabled 
by  God  to  convince  his  master  ?  There  is  no  mouth  into  which 
God  cannot  put  words,  and  how  oft  doth  he  choose  the  weak  and 
unwise  to  confound  the  learned  and  mighty ! 

What  had  it  been  better  for  the  ass  to  see  the  angel  if  he  had 
rushed  still  upon  his  sword  ?  Evils  were  as  good  not  seen  as  not 
avoided;  but  now  he  declines  the  way  and  saves  his. burden.  It 
were  happy  for  perverse  sinners  if  they  could  learn  of  this  beast 
to  run  away  from  foreseen  judgments.  The  revenging  angel  stands 
before  us,  and  though  we  know  we  shall  as  sure  die  as  sin,  yet 
we  have  not  the  wit  or  grace  to  give  back :  though  it  be  with  the 
hurt  of  a  foot  to  save  the  body,  with  the  pain  of  the  body  to  save 
the  soul. 

I  see  what  fury  and  stripes  the  impotent  prophet  bestows  upon 
this  poor  beast  because  he  will  not  go  on,  yet  if  he  had  gone  on, 
himself  had  perished.  How  oft  do  we  wish  those  things,  the  not 
obtaining  whereof  is  mercy  I  We  grudge  to  be  staid  in  the  way 
to  death,  and  fly  upon  those  which  oppose  our  perdition. 

I  do  not  (as  who  would  not  expect  1)  see  Balaam's  hair  stand 
upright,  nor  himself  alighting,  and  appalled  at  this  monster  of  ' 
miracles;  but,  as  if  no  new  thing  had  happened,  he  returns 
words  to  the  beast  full  of  anger,  void  of  admiration ;  whether  his 
trade  of  sorcering  had  so  inured  him  to  receive  voices  from  his 
familiars  in  shape  of  beasts,  that  this  event  seemed  not  strange 
to  him ;  or  whether  his  rage  and  covetousness  had  so  transported 
him,  that  he  had  no  leisure  to  observe  the  unnatural  unusualness 
of  the  event.  Some  men  make  nothing  of  those  things  which 
overcome  others  with  horror  and  astonishment. 

I  hear  the  angel  of  God  taking  notice  of  the  cruelty  of  Balaam 
to  his  beast:  his  first  words  to  the  unmerciful  prophet  are  in 
expostulating  of  his  wrong.  We  little  think  it,  but  God  shall  call 
us  to  an  account  for  the  unkind  and  cruel  usages  of  his  poor  mute 
creatures.  He  hath  made  us  lords,  not  tyrants ;  owners,  not  tor- 
mentors :  He  that  hath  given  us  leave  to  kill  them  for  our  use, 


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cont.  in.  Of  Balaam.  175 

hath  not  given  us  leave  to  abuse  them  at  our  pleasure ;  they  are 
so  our  drudges  that  they  are  our  fellows  by  creation.  It  was  a 
sign  the  magician  would  easily  wish  to  strike  Israel  with  a  curse, 
when  he  wished  a  sword  to  strike  his  harmless  beast.  It  is  ill 
falling  into  those  hands  whom  beasts  find  unmerciful. 

Notwithstanding  these  rubs,  Balaam  goes  on,  and  is  not  afraid 
to  ride  on  that  beast  whose  voice  he  hath  heard ;  and  now  posts 
are  sped  to  Balak  with  the  news  of  so  welcome  a  guest.  He  that 
sent  princes  to  fetch  him,  comes  himself  on  the  way  to  meet  him : 
although  he  can  say,  Am  not  I  able  to  promote  thee  f  yet  he  gives 
this  high  respect  to  him  as  his  better,  from  whom  he  expected 
the  promotion  of  himself  and  his  people.  0  the  honour  that  hath 
been  formerly  done  by  heathens  to  them  that  have  borne  but  the 
face  of  prophets !  I  shame  and  grieve  to  compare  the  times  and 
men:  only,  0  God,  be  thou  merciful  to  the  contempt  of  thy 
servants. 

As  if  nothing  needed  but  the  presence  of  Balaam,  the  super- 
stitious king  (out  of  the  joy  of  his  hope)  feasts  his  gods,  his  pro- 
phet, his  princes ;  and  on  the  morrow  carries  him  up  to  the  high 
places  of  his  idol.  Who  can  doubt  whether  Balaam  were  a  false 
prophet,  that  sees  him  sacrificing  in  the  mount  of  Baal  ?  Had  he 
been  from  the  true  God,  he  would  rather  have  said*  "  Pull  me 
down  these  altars  of  Baal/'  than  "  Build  me  here  seven  others.17 
The  very  place  convinces  him  of  falsehood  and  idolatry  ;  and  why 
seven  altars  ?  What  needs  all  this  pomp  ?  When  the  true  God 
never  required  but  one  at  once,  as  himself  is  one ;  why  doth  the 
false  prophet  call  for  no  less  than  seven  ?  as  if  God  stood  upon 
numbers  ?  as  if  the  Almighty  would  have  his  power  either  divided 
or  limited  ?  Here  is  nothing  but  a  glorious  and  magnificent  pre- 
tence of  devotion.  It  hath  been  ever  seen  that  the  false  worship- 
pers of  God  have  made  more  pompous  shows  and  fairer  flourishes 
of  their  piety  and  religion  than  the  true. 

Now  when  Balaam  sees  his  seven  bullocks  and  seven  rams 
smoking  upon  his  seven  altars,  he  goes  up  higher  into  the  mount, 
(as  some  counterfeit  Moses,)  to  receive  the  answer  of  God.  But 
will  God  meet  with  a  sorcerer  ?  will  he  make  a  prophet  of  a 
magician  ?  0  man,  who  shall  prescribe  God  what  instruments  to 
use  ?  he  knows  how  to  employ,  not  only  saints  and  angels,  but 
wicked  men,  beasts,  devils,  to  his  own  glory :  he  that  put  words 
into  the  mouth  of  the  ass  puts  words  into  the  mouth  of  Balaam : 
the  words  do  but  pass  from  him,  they  are  not  polluted,  because 


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176  Of  Balaam.  book  vii. 

they  are  not  his ;  as  the  trunk  through  which  a  man  speaks  is  not 
the  more  eloquent  for  the  speech  that  is  uttered  through  it.  What 
a  notable  proclamation  had  the  infidels  wanted  of  God's  favour  to 
his  people  if  Balaam's  tongue  had  not  been  used !  How  many 
shall  once  say,  Lord,  we  have  prophesied  in  thy  name,  that  shall 
hear,  Verily,  I  know  you  not  I 

What  madness  is  this  in  Balaam  ?  He  that  found  himself  con- 
stant in  soliciting  thinks  to  find  God  not  constant  in  denying ; 
and,  as  if  that  infinite  Deity  were  not  the  same  every  where,  hopes 
to  change  success  with  places.  Neither  is  that  bold  forehead 
ashamed  to  importune  God  again  in  that  wherein  his  own  mouth 
had  testified  an  assurance  of  denial.  The  reward  was  in  one  of 
his  eyes,  the  revenging  angel  in  the  other :  I  know  not  whether 
for  the  time  he  more  loved  the  bribe  or  feared  the  angel.  And 
while  he  is  in  this  distraction  his  tongue  blesses  against  his  heart, 
and  his  heart  curses  against  his  tongue.  It  angers  him  that  he 
dare  not  speak  what  he  would ;  and  now  at  last,  rather  than  lose 
his  hopes,  he  resolves  to  speak  worse  than  curses.  The  fear  of 
God's  judgments  in  a  worldly  heart  is  at  length  overcome  with 
the  love  of  gain. 


OF  PHINEAS.— Numbers  xxv. 

Balaam  pretended  an  haste  homeward,  but  he  lingered  so  long 
that  he  left  his  bones  in  Midian.  How  justly  did  he  perish  with 
the  sword  of  Israel,  whose  tongue  had  insensibly  slain  so  many  thou- 
sands of  them !  As  it  is  usually  said  of  the  devil,  that  he  goes 
away  in  a  stench,  so  may  it  be  truly  said  of  this  prophet  of  his ; 
according  to  the  fashion  of  all  hypocrites,  his  words  were  good, 
his  actions  abominable :  he  would  not  curse,  but  he  would  advise, 
and  his  counsel  is  worse  than  a  curse ;  for  his  curse  had  hurt  none 
but  himself,  his  counsel  cost  the  blood  of  twenty-four  thousand 
Israelites. 

He  that  had  heard  God  speak  by  Balaam  would  not  look  for 
the  devil  in  the  same  mouth ;  and  if  God  himself  had  not  wit- 
nessed against  him,  who  could  believe  that  the  same  tongue  which 
uttered  so  divine  prophecies  should  utter  so  villanous  and  cursed 
advice  ?  Hypocrisy  gains  this  of  men,  that  it  may  do  evil  unsus- 
pected :  but  now  he  that  heard  what  he  spake  in  Balak's  ear  hath 
bewrayed  and  condemned  his  counsel  and  himself. 

This  policy  was  fetched  from  the  bottom  of  hell.     It  is  not  for 


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cont.  iv.  Of  Phinehas.  177 

lack  of  desire  that  I  curse  not  Israel :  thou  dost  not  more  wish 
their  destruction  than  I  do  thy  wealth  and  honour ;  but  so  long 
as  they  hold  firm  with  God  there  is  no  sorcery  against  Jacob ; 
withdraw  God  from  them,  and  they  shall  fall  alone  and  curse 
themselves ;  draw  them  into  sin,  and  thou  shalt  withdraw  God 
from  them.  There  is  no  sin  more  plausible  than  wantonness.  One 
fornication  shall  draw  in  another,  and  both  shall  fetch  the  anger 

.  of  God  after  them :  send  your  fairest  women  into  their  tents ;  their 
sight  shall  draw  them  to  lust,  their  lust  to  folly,  their  folly  to 
idolatry;  and  now  God  shall  curse  them  for  thee  unasked." 
Where  Balaam  did  speak  well,  there  was  never  any  prophet 

.  spake  more  divinely ;  where  he  spake  ill,  there  was  never  any 
devil  spake  more  desperately. 

Ill  counsel  seldom  succeedeth  not:  good  seed  falls  often  out 
of  the  way  and  roots  not,  but  the  tares  never  light  amiss.  This 
project  of  the  wicked  magician  was  too  prosperous.  The  daugh- 
ters of  Moab  come  into  the  tents  of  Israel,  and  have  captived 
those  whom  the  Amorites  and  Amalekites  could  not  resist.  Our 
first  mother  Eve  bequeathed  this  dowry  to  her  daughters,  that 
they  should  be  our  helpers  to  sin :  the  weaker  sex  is  the  stronger 
in  this  conquest :  had  the  Moabites  sent  their  subtlest  counsellors 
to  persuade  the  Israelites  to  their  idol  sacrifices,  they  had  been 
repelled  with  scorn ;  but  now  the  beauty  of  their  women  is  over- 
eloquent  and  successful.  That  which  in  the  first  world  betrayed 
the  sons  of  God  hath  now  ensnared  God's  people :'  it  had  been 
happy  for  Israel  if  Balaam  had  used  any  charms  but  these.  As  it 
is  the  use.  of  God  to  fetch  glory  to  himself  oat  of  the  worst  actions 
of  Satan,  so  it  is  the  guise  of  that  evil  one  (through  the  just  per- 
mission of  the  Almighty)  to  raise  advantage  to  himself  from  the 
fairest  pieces  of  the  workmanship  of  God :  no  one  means  hath  so 
much  enriched  hell  as  beautiful  faces. 

All  idols  are  abominable ;  but  this  of  Baal- poor  was,  besides 
the  superstition  of  it,  beastly ;  neither  did  Baal  ever  put  on  a 
form  of  so  much  shame  as  this ;  yet  very  Israelites  are  drawn  to 
adore  it.  When  lust  hath  blinded  the  eyes,,  it  carries  a  roan  whi- 
ther it  lists,  even  beyond  all  differences  of  sin.  A  man  besotted 
with  filthy  desires  is  fit  for  any  villany. 

Sin  is  no  less  crafty  than  Satan  himself :  give  him  but  room 
in  the  eye,  and  he  will  soon  be  possessed  of  body  and  soul.  These 
Israelites  first  saw  the  faces  of  these  Moabites  and  Midianites, 
then  they  grew  to  like  their  presence,  from  thence  to  take  plea- 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  N 

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178  Of  Phinelias.  book  vh. 

sure  in  their  feasts ;  from  their  boards  they  are  drawn  to  their 
beds,  from  their  beds  to  their  idols,  and  now  they  are  joined  to 
Baal-peor  and  separated  from  God.  Bodily  fornication  is  the  way 
to  spiritual :  if  we  have  made  idols  of  flesh,  it  is  just  to  be  given 
up  to  idols  of  wood  and  stones.  If  we  have  not  grace  to  resist 
the  beginnings  of  sin,  where  shall  we  stay  ?  If  our  foot  slip  into 
the  mouth  of  hell,  it  is  a  miracle  to  stop  ere  we  come  to  the 
bottom. 

Well  might  God  be  angry  to  see  his  people  go  a  whoring  in 
this  double  fornication ;  neither  doth  he  smother  his  wrath,  but 
himself  strikes  with  his  plague,  and  bids  Moses  strike  with  the 
sword.  He  strikes  the  body  and  bids  Moses  strike  the  head.  It  . 
had  been  as  easy  for  him  to  plague  the  rulers  as  the  vulgar,  and 
one  would  think  these  should  be  more  properly  reserved  for  his 
immediate  hand;  but  these  he  leaves  to  the  sword  of  human 
authority,  that  he  might  win  awe  to  his  own.  ordinances.  As 
the  sins  of  great  men  are  exemplary,  so  are  their  punishments. 
Nothing  procures  so  much  credit  to  government  as  strict  and  im- 
partial executions  of  great  and  noble  offenders.  Those  whom  their 
sins  have  embased  deserve  no  favour  in  the  punishment.  As  God 
knows  no  honour,  no  royalty  in  matter  of  sin,  no  more  may  his 
deputies.  Contrarily,  connivance  at  the  outrages  of  the  mighty 
cuts  the  sinews  of  any  state ;  neither  doth  any  thing  make  good 
laws  more  contemptible  than  the  making  difference  of  offenders ; 
that  small  sacrileges  should  be  punished  when  great  ones  ride  in 
triumph.  If  good  ordinations  turn  once  to  spiders'  webs,  which 
are  broken  through  by  the  bigger  flies,  no  hand  will  fear  to  sweep 
them  down. 

God  was  angry;  Moses  and  all  good  Israelites  grieved;  the 
heads  hanged  up ;  the  people  plagued :  yet  behold,  one  of  the 
princes  of  Israel  fears  not  to  brave  God  and  his  ministers  in  that 
sin  which  he  sees  so  grievously  revenged  in  others.  I  can  never 
wonder  enough  at  the  impudence  of  this  Israelite.  Here  is  for- 
nication, an  odious  crime,  and  that  of  an  Israelite,  whose  name 
challenges  holiness ;  yea,  of  a  prince  of  Israel,  whose  practice  is 
a  rule  to  inferiors,  and  that  with  a  woman  of  Midian,  with  whom 
even  a  chaste  contract  had  been  unlawful;  and  that  with  con- 
tempt of  all  government ;  and  that  in  the  face  of  Moses  and  all 
Israel ;  and  that  in  a  time  of  mourning  and  judgment  for  that 
same  offence.  Those  that  have  once  passed  the  bounds  of  mo- 
desty soon  grow  shameless  in  thoir  sins.     While  sin  hidos  itself 


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cont.  iv.  Of  Phinehas.  179 

in  corners  there  is  yet  hope ;  for  where  there  is  shame  there  is 
a  possibility  of  grace ;  but  when  once  it  dare  look  upon  the  son, 
and  send  challenges  to  authority,  the  case  is  desperate,  and  ripe 
for  judgment. 

This  great  Simeonite  thought  he  might  sin  by  privilege ;  he 
goes,  as  if  he  said,  "  Who  dares  control  me  ?"  His  nobility  hath 
raised  him  above  the  reach  of  correction.  Commonly  the  sins  of 
the  mighty  are  not  without  presumption,  and  therefore  their  ven- 
geance is  no  less  than  their  security ;  and  their  punishment  is  so 
much  greater  as  their  conceit  of  impunity  is  greater. 

All  Israel  saw  this  bold  lewdness  of  Zimri,  but  their  hearts  and 
eyes  were  so  full  of  grief,  that  they  had  not  room  enough  for  in- 
dignation. Phinehas  looked  on  with  the  rest,  but  with  other  af- 
fections. When  he  saw  this  defiance  bidden  to  God,  and  this 
insultation  upon  the  sorrow  of  his  people,  that  while  they  were 
wringing  their  hands,  a  proud  miscreant  durst  outface  their  hu- 
miliation with  his  wicked  dalliance ;  his  heart  boils  with  a  desire 
of  an  holy  revenge ;  and  now  that  hand  which  was  used  to  a 
censer  and  sacrificing  knife,  takes  up  his  javelin,  and  with  one 
stroke  joins  these  two  bodies  in  their  death  which  were  joined  in 
their  sin ;  and  in  the  very  flagrance  of  their  lust  makes  a  new 
way  for  their  souls  to  their  own  place. 

O  noble  and  heroical  courage  of  Phinehas !  which,  as  it  was 
rewarded  of  God,  so  is  worthy  to  be  admired  of  men.  He  doth 
not  stand  casting  of  scruples :  "  Who  am  I  to  do  this  ?  the  son 
of  the  high  priest ;  my  place  is  all  for  peace  and  mercy ;  it  is  for 
me  to  sacrifice,  and  pray  for  the  sin  of  the  people,  not  to  sacrifice 
any  of  the  people  for  their  sin.  My  duty  calls  me  to  appease  the 
anger  of  God  what  I  may,  not  to  revenge  the  sins  of  men ;  to 
pray  for  their  conversion,  not  to  work  the  confusion  of  any  sinner. 
And  who  are  these?  Is  not  the  one  a  great  prince  in  Israel,  the 
Qther  a  princess  of  Midian  ?  Can  the  death  of  two  so  famous  per- 
sons go  unrevenged?  Or  if  it  be  safe  and  fit,  why  doth  my  uncle 
Moses  rather  shed  his  own  tears  than  their  blood  ?  I  will  mourn  * 
with  the  rest,  let  them  revenge  whom  it  concerneth."  But  the 
zeal  of  God  hath  barred  out  all  weak  deliberations ;  and  he  holds 
it  now  both  his  duty  and  his  glory  to  be  an  executioner  of  so 
shameless  a  pair  of  offenders. 

God  loves  this  heat  of  zeal  in  all  the  carriages  of  his  servants ; 
and  if  it  transport  us  too  far,  he  pardoneth  the  errors  of  our 
fervency,  rather  than  the  indifferences  of  lukewarmness.  As  these 

n  % 

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180  Of  Phinehas.  book  vii. 

two  were  more  beasts  than  any  that  ever  he  sacrificed,  so  the 
shedding  of  their  blood  was  the  acceptablest  sacrifice  that  ever  he 
offered  unto  Ood ;  for  both  all  Israel  is  freed  from  the  plague, 
and  all  his  posterity  have  the  priesthood  entailed  to  them  so  long 
as  the  Jews  were  a  people.  Next  to  our  prayers,  there  is  no  better 
sacrifice  than  the  blood  of  malefactors ;  not  as  it  is  theirs,  but  as 
it  is  shed  by  authority.  Governors  are  faulty  of  those  sins  they 
punish  not.  There  can  be  no  better  sight  in  any  state  than  to 
see  a  malefactor  at  the  gallows.  It  is  not  enough  for  us  to  stand 
gazing  upon  the  wickedness  of  the  times  (yea,  although  with 
tears)  unless  we  endeavour  to  redress  it :  especially  public  per- 
sons carry  not  their  javelin  in  their  hand  for  nought. 

Every  one  is  ready  to  ask  Phinehas  for  his  commission ;  and 
those  that  are  willing  to  salve  up  the  act  plead  extraordinary 
instinct  from  God,  who,  no  doubt,  would  not  have  accepted  that 
which  himself  wrought  not.  But  what  need  I  run  so  far  for  this 
warrant,  when  I  hear  God  say  to  Moses,  Hang  up  aU  the  heads 
of  Israel;  and  Moses  say  to  the  under-rulers,  Every  one  slay  hie 
men  that  are  joined  to  BaaLpeor  t  Every  Israelite  is  now  made 
a  magistrate  for  this  execution ;  and  why  not  Phinehas  amongst 
the  rest?  Doth  his  priesthood  exempt  him  from  the  blood  of 
sinners  ?  How  then  doth  Samuel  hew  Agag  in  pieces  ?  Even  those 
may  make  a  carcass  which  may  not  touch  it.  And  if  Levi  got 
the  priesthood  by  shedding  the  blood  of  idolaters,  why  may  it  not 
stand  with  that  priesthood  to  spill  the  blood  of  a  fornicator  and 
idolater  ?  Ordinary  justice  will  bear  out  Phinehas  in  this  act :  it  is 
not  for  every  man  to  challenge  this  office  which  this  double  pro- 
clamation allowed  to  Phinehas.  All  that  private  persons  can  do 
is  either  to  lift  up  their  hands  to  heaven  for  redress  of  sin,  or  to 
lift  up  their  hands  against  the  sin,  not  against  the  person.  Who 
made  thee  a  judge  t  is  a  lawful  question  if  it  meet  with  a  person 
unwarranted. 

Now  the  sin  is  punished  the  plague  ceaseth.  The  revenge  of 
God  sets  out  ever  after  the  sin ;  but  if  the  revenge  of  men,  which 
K  commonly  comes  later,  can  overtake  it,  God  gives  over  the  chase. 
How  oft  hath  the  infliction  of  a  less  punishment  avoided  a  greater ! 
There  are  none  so  good  friends  to  the  state  as  courageous  and 
impartial  ministers  of  justice.  These  are  the  reconcilers  of  God 
and  the  people,  more  than  the  prayers  of  them  that  sit  still  and 
do  nothing. 


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cont.  v.  The  death  of  Moses.  '     181 

THE  DEATH  OF  MOSES.— Numbers  xxvii.   Deut.  xxxiv. 

After  many  painful  and  perilous  enterprises,  now  is  Moses 
drawing  to  his  rest.  He  hath  brought  his  Israelites  from  Egypt 
through  the  sea  and  wilderness,  within  the  sight  of  their  promised 
land ;  and  now  himself  must  take  possession  of  that  land  whereof 
Canaan  was  but  a  type.  When  we  have  done  that  we  came  for, 
it  is  time  for  us  to  be  gone.  This  earth  is  made  only  for  action, 
not  for  fruition :  the  services  of  God's  children  should  be  ill  re- 
warded if  they  must  stay  here  always.  Let  no  man  think  much 
that  those  are  fetched  away  which  are  faithful  to  God ;  they  should 
not  change  if  it  were  not  to  their  preferment.  It  is  our  folly  that 
we  would  have  good  men  live  for  ever,  and  account  it  an  hard 
measure  that  they  were.  He  that  lends  them  to  the  world  owes 
them  a  better  turn  than  this  earth  can  pay  them.  It  were  inju- 
rious to  wish  that  goodness  should  hinder  any  man  from  glory. 
So  is  the  death  of  God's  saints  precious,  that  it  is  certain. 

Moses  must  go  up  to  mount  Nebo  and  die.  The  time,  the 
place,  and  every  circumstance  of  his  dissolution  is  determined. 
That  one  dies  in  the  field,  another  in  his  bed,  another  in  the 
water,  one  in  a  foreign  nation,  another  in  his  own,  is  fore-decreed  in 
heaven.  And  though  we  hear  it  not  vocally,  yet  God  hath  called 
every  iDan  by  his  name,  and  saith,  "  Die  thou  there."  One  man 
seems  to  die  casually,  another  by  an  inexpected  violence;  both 
fall  by  a  destiny,  and  all  is  set  down  to  us  by  an  eternal  decree. 
He  that  brought  us  into  the  world  will  carry  us  out  according  to 
his  own  purposes. 

Moses  must  ascend  up  to  the  hill  to  die.  He  received  his 
charge  for  Israel  upon  the  hill  of  Sinai,  and  now  he  delivers  up 
his  charge  on  the  hill  of  Nebo.  His  brother  Aaron  died  on  one 
hill,  he  on  another.  As  Christ  was  transfigured  on  an  hill,  so 
was  this  excellent  type  of  his ;  neither  doubt  I  but  that  these  hills 
were  types  to  them  of  that  heaven  whither  they  were  aspiring. 
It  is  the  goodness  of  our  God  that  he  will  not  have  his  children 
die  any  where,  but  where  they  may  see  the  land  of  promise  be- 
fore them ;  neither  can  they  depart  without  much  comfort  to  have 
seen  it ;  contrarily,  a  wicked  man,  that  looks  down,  and  sees  hell 
before  him,  how  can  he  choose  but  find  more  horror  in  the  end  of 
death,  than  in  the  way? 

How  familiarly  doth  Moses  hear  of  his  end !  It  is  no  more 
betwixt  God  and  Moses,  but  Go  up  and  die.    If  he  had  invited 


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182  The  death  of  Moses.  book  vn. 

him  to  a  meal,  it  could  not  have  been  in  a  more  sociable  compel- 
lation :  no  otherwise  than  he  said  to  his  other  prophet,  Up  and 
eat.  It  is  neither  harsh,  nor  news  to  God's  children,  to  hear  or 
think  of  their  departure:  to  them  death  hath  lost  his  horror, 
through  acquaintance:  those  faces  which  at  first  sight  seemed 
ill-favoured,  by  oft  viewing  grow  out  of  dislike :  they  have  so 
oft  thought  and  resolved  of  the  necessity  and  of  the  issue  of 
their  dissolution,  that  they  cannot  hold  it  either  strange  or  un- 
welcome :  he  that  hath  had  such  entire  conversation  with  God 
cannot  fear  to  go  to  him.  Those  that  know  him  not,  or  know 
that  he  will  not  know  them,  no  marvel  if  they  tremble. 

This  is  no  small  favour,  that  God  warns  Moses  of  his  end :  he 
that  had  so  oft  made  Moses  of  his  counsel  what  he  meant  to  do 
with  Israel,  would  not  now  do  ought  with  himself  without  his 
knowledge.  Expectation  of  any  main  event  is  a  great  advantage 
to  a  wise  heart :  if  the  fiery  chariot  had  fetched  away  Elias  un- 
looked  for,  we  should  have  doubted  of  the  favour  of  his  trans- 
portation :  it  is  a  token  of  judgment  to  come  as  a  thief  in  the 
night.  God  forewarns  one  by  sickness,  another  by  age,  another 
by  his  secret  instincts,  to  prepare  for  their  end :  if  our  hearts  be 
not  now  in  a  readiness,  we  are  worthy  to  be  surprised. 

But  what  is  this  I  hear?  Displeasure  mixed  with  love?  and 
that  to  so  faithful  a  servant  as  Moses  ?  He  must  but  see  the  land 
of  promise,  he  shall  not  tread  upon  it ;  because  he  once,  long 
ago,  sinned  in  distrusting.  Death,  though  it  were  to  him  an  en- 
trance into  glory,  yet  shall  be  also  a  chastisement  of  his  infi- 
delity. How  many  noble  proofs  had  Moses  given  of  his  courage 
and  strength  of  faith  !  how  many  gracious  services  had  he  done 
to  his  Master !  Tet  for  one  act  of  distrust  he  must  be  gathered 
to  his  fathers.  All  our  obediences  cannot  bear  out  one  sin  against 
God :  how  vainly  shall  we  hope  to  make  amends  to  God  for  our 
former  trespasses  by  our  better  behaviour,  when  Mosep  hath  this 
one  sin  laid  in  his  dish,  after  so  many  and  worthy  testimonies  of 
his  fidelity !  When  we  have  forgotten  our  sins,  yet  God  remem- 
bers them ;  and,  although  not  in  anger,  yet  he  calls  for  our  ar- 
rearages. Alas !  what  shall  become  of  them  with  whom  God  hath 
ten  thousand  greater  quarrels;  that  amongst  many  millions  of 
sins  have  scattered  some  few  acts  of  formal  services  ?  If  Moses 
must  die  the  first  death  for  one  fault,  how  shall  they  escape  the 
second  for  sinning  always  ?  Even  where  God  loves,  he  will  not 
wink  at  sin ;  and  if  he  do  not  punish,  yet  he  will  chastise :  how 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  v.  The  death  of  Moses.  188 

much  less  can  it  stand  with  that  eternal  Justice  to  let  wilful  sin- 
ners escape  judgment ! 

It  might  have  been  just  with  God  to  have  reserved  the  cause 
to  himself;  and  in  a  generality  to  have  told  Moses  that  his  sin 
must9 shorten  his  journey:  but  it  is  more  of  mercy  than  justice 
that  his  children  shall  know  why  they  smart ;  that  God  may  at 
once  both  justify  himself  and  humble  them  for  their  particular 
offences:  those  to  whom  he  means* vengeance  have  not  the  sight 
of  their  sins  till  they  be  past  repentance.  Complain  not  that  God 
upbraids  thee  with  thy  old  sins,  whosoever  thou  art ;  but  know, 
it  is  an  argument  of  love;  whereas  concealment  is  a  fearful  sign 
of  a  secret  dislike  from  God. 

But  what  was  that  noted  sin  which  deserves  this  late  exprobra- 
tion,  and  shall  carry  so  sharp  a  chastisement?  Israel  murmured 
for  water :  God  bids  Moses  take  the  rod  in  his  hand,  and  speak 
to  the  rock  to  give  water;  Moses,  instead  of  speaking,  and 
striking  the  rock  with  his  voice,  strikes  it  with  the  rod :  here 
was  his  sin;  an  overreaching  of  his  commission;  a  fearfulness 
and  distrust  of  the  effect.  The  rod,  he  knew,  was  approved  for 
miracles ;  he  knew  not  how  powerful  his  voice  might  be ;  there- 
fore he  did  not  speak,  but  strike,  and  he  struck  twice  for  failing ; 
and  now,  after  these  many  years,  he  is  stricken  for  it  of  God.  It 
is  a  dangerous  thing  in  divine  matters  to  go  beyond  our  warrant : 
those  things  which  seem  trivial  to  men  are  heinous  in  the  account 
of  God ;  any  thing  that  savours  of  infidelity  displeases  him  more 
than  some  other  crimes  of  morality.  Tet  the  moving  of  the  rod 
was  but  a  diverse  thing  from  the  moving  of  the  tongue ;  it  was 
not  contrary  ;  he  did  not  forbid  the  one,  but  he  commanded  the 
other :  this  was  but  across  the  stream,  not  against  it :  where  shall 
they  appear  whose  whole  courses  are  quite  contrary  to  the  com- 
mandments of  God  ? 

Upoji  the  act  done,  God  passed  the  sentence  of  restraining 
Moses  with  the  rest  from  the  promised  land;  now  he  performs 
it.  Since  that ■  time  Moses  had  many  favours  from  God;  all 
which  could  not  reverse  this  decreed  castigation ;  that  everlasting 
rule  is  grounded  upon  the  very  essence  of  God,  I  am  Jehovah,  I 
change  not.  Our  purposes  are  as  ourselves,  fickle  and  uncertain ; 
his  are  certain  and  immutable :  some  things  which  he  reveals  he 
alters ;  nothing  that  he  hath  decreed. 

Besides  the  soul  of  Moses  (to  the  glory  whereof  God  princi- 
pally intended  this  change);  1  find  him  careful  of  two  things ;  his 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


184  The  death  of  Moses.        %  book  vii. 

successor,  and  his  body:  Moses  moves  for  the  one;  the  other 
God  doth  unasked.  He  that  was  so  tender  over  the  welfare  of 
Israel  in  his  life  would  not  slacken  his  care  in  death :  he  takes 
no  thought  for  himself,  for  he  knew  how  gainful  an  exchange  he 
must  make ;  all  his  care  is  for  his  charge.  Some  envious  natures 
desire  to  be  missed  when  they  must  go ;  and  wish  that  the  weak- 
ness or  want  of  a  successor  may  be  the  foil  of  their  memory  and 
honour :  Moses  is  in  a  contrary  disposition ;  it  sufficeth  him  not 
to  find  contentment  in  his  own  happiness,  unless  he  may  have  an 
assurance  that  Israel  shall  prosper  after  him.  Carnal  minds  are 
all  for  themselves,  and  make  use  of  government  only  for  their 
own  advantages ;  but  good  hearts  look  ever  to  the  future  good  of 
the  church,  above  their  own,  against  their  own. 

Moses  did  well  to  show  his  good  affection  to  his  people ;  but 
in  his  silence  God  would  have  provided  for  his  own:  he  that 
called  him  from  the  sheep  of  Jethro  will  not  want  a  governor  for 
his  chosen  to  succeed  him;  God  hath  fitted  him  whom  he  will 
choose.  Who  can  be  more  meet  than  he  whose  name,  whose  ex- 
perience, whose  graces  might  supply,  yea  revive  Moses  to  the 
people?  He  that  searched  the  land  before  was  fittest  to  guide 
Israel  into  it;  he  that  was  endued  with  the  Spirit  of  God  was  the 
fittest  deputy  for  God ;  he  that  abode  still  in  the  tabernacle  of 
Ohel-moeda,  as  God's  attendant,  was  fittest  to  be  sent  forth  from 
him  as  his  lieutenant :  but,  O  the  unsearchable  counsel  of  the 
Almighty !  aged  Caleb  and  all  the  princes  of  Israel  are  passed 
over,  and  Joshua,  the  servant  of  Moses,  is  chosen  to  succeed  his 
master :  the  eye  of  God  is  not  blinded  either  with  gifts,  or  with 
blood,  or  with  beauty,  or  with  strength ;  but,  as  in  his  eternal  elec- 
tions, so  in  his  temporary,  he  will  have  mercy  on  whom  he  will. 

And  well  doth  Joshua  succeed  Moses.  The  very  acts  of  God 
of  old  were  allegories:  where  the  law  ends,  there  the  Saviour 
begins ;  we  may  see  the  land  of  promise  in  the  law ;  only  Jesus, 
the  Mediator  of  the  new  testament,  can  bring  us  into  it.  So  was 
he  a  servant  of  the  law,  that  he  supplies  all  the  defects  of  the 
law  to  us :  he  hath  taken  possession  of  the  promised  land  for  us ; 
he  shall  carry  us  from  this  wilderness  to  our  rest. 

It  is  no  small  happiness  to  any  state  when  their  governors  are 

chosen  by  worthiness,  and  such  elections  are  ever  from  God; 

whereas  the  intrusions  of  bribery  and  unjust  favour  or  violence, 

as  they  make  the  commonwealth  miserable,  so  they  come  from 

a  [™io  bnk  "The  tabernacle  of  the  congregation."  Ezod.  xxxiii.  7.] 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  v.  The  death  of  Moses.  185 

him  which  is  the  author  of  confusion ;  woe  be  to  that  state  that 
suffers  it ;  woe  be  to  that  person  that  works  it !  for  both  of  them 
have  sold  themselves,  the  one  to  servitude,  the  other  to  sin. 

I  do  not  hear  Moses  repine  at  God's  choice,  and  grudge  that 
this  sceptre  of  his  is  not  hereditary;  but  he  willingly  lays  hands 
upon  his  servant  to  consecrate  him  for  his  successor.  Joshua 
was  a  good  man,  yet  he  bad  some  sparks  of  envy;  for  when 
Eldad  and  Medad  prophesied,  he  stomached  it ;  My  lord  Moses, 
forbid  tliem.  He  that  would  not  abide  two  of  the  elders  of 
Israel  to  prophesy,  how  would  he  have  allowed  his  servant  to  sit 
in  his  throne?  What  an  example  of  meekness  (besides  all  the 
rest)  doth  he  here  see  in  this  last  act  of  his  master,  who  without 
all  murmuring  resigns  his  chair  of  state  to  his  page  I  It  is  all  one 
to  a  gracious  heart  whom  God  will  please  to  advance :  emulation  and 
discontentment  are  the  affections  of  carnal  minds.  Humility  goes 
ever  with  regeneration ;  which  teaches  a  man  to  think,  whatever 
honour  be  put  upon  others,  "  I  have  more  than  I  am  worthy  of." 

The  same  God,  that  by  the  hands  of  his  angels  carried  up  the 
soul  of  Moses  to  his  glory,  doth  also  by  the  hand  of  his  angels 
carry  his  body  down  into  the  valley  of  Moab,  to  his  sepulture. 
Those  hands  which  had  taken  the  law  from  him,  those  eyes  that 
had  seen  his  presence,  those  lips  that  had  conferred  so  oft  with 
him,  that  face  that  did  so  shine  with  the  beams  of  his  glory,  may 
not  be  neglected  when  the  soul  is  gone :  he  that  took  charge  of 
his  birth  and  preservation  in  the  reeds,  takes  charge  of  his  car- 
riage out  of  the  world :  the  care  of  God  ceaseth  not  over  his  own, 
either  in  death  or  after  it.  How  justly  do  we  take  care  of  the 
comely  burials  of  our  friends,  when  God  himself  gives  us  this 
example  I 

If  the  ministry  of  man  had  been  used  in  this  grave  of  Moses, 
the  place  might  have  been  known  to  the  Israelites :  but  God 
purposely  conceals  this  treasure  both  from  men  and  devils,  that 
so  he  might  both  cross  their  curiosity  and  prevent  their  super- 
stition. If  God  had  loved  the  adoration  of  his  servants'  reliques, 
he  could  never  have  had  a  fitter  opportunity  for  this  devotion 
than  in  the  body  of  Moses.  It  is  folly  to  place  religion  in  those 
things  which  God  hides  on  purpose  from  us ;  it  is  not  the  pro- 
perty of  the  Almighty  to  restrain  us  from  good. 

Yet  that  divine  hand,  which  locked  up  this  treasure  and  kept 
the  key  of  it,  brought  it  forth  afterwards  glorious.  In  the 
transfiguration,  this  body,  which  was  hid  in  the  valley  of  Moab, 


• 


186  Rahab. 


BOOK  VIII. 


appeared  in  the  hill  of  Tabor ;  that  we  may  know  these  bodies  of 
ours  are  not  lost,  but  laid  up ;  and  shall  as  sure  be  raised  in 
glory,  as  they  are  laid  down  in  corruption.  We  know  that  when 
he  shall  appear,  we  shall  also  appear  with  him  in  glory. 


BOOK   VIII. 

TO  THE  TRULY  NOBLE  AMD  WORTHY  HONOURED  GENTLEMAN, 

MASTER  ROBERT  HAY, 

ONE  OF  THE  ATTENDANTS  OF  HI8  MAJESTY'S  BEDCHAMBER,  - 
A  SINCERE    FRIEND    OF    VIRTUE    AND    LOVER    OF    LEARNING  ; 

J.  H. 

WITH  APPRECATION  OF  ALL  HAPPINESS, 
DEDICATES    THIS    PART    OF    HIS    MEDITATIONS. 


RAHAB. — Joshua  ii. 

Joshua  was  one  of  those  twelve  searchers  which  were  sent  to 
view  the  land  of  Canaan,  yet  now  he  addresses  two  spies  for  a 
more  particular  survey :  those  twelve  were  only  to  inquire  of  the 
general  condition  of  the  people  and  land ;  these  two,  to  find  out 
the  best  entrance  into  the  next  part  of  the  country,  and  into  their 
greatest  city.  Joshua  himself  was  full  of  God's  Spirit,  and  had 
the  oracle  of  God  ready  for  his  direction ;  yet  now  he  goes  not 
to  the  propitiatory  for  consultation,  but  to  the  spies.  Except 
where  ordinary  means  fail  us,  it  is  no  appealing  to  the  immediate 
help  of  God :  we  may  not  seek  to  the  postern,  but  where  the 
common  gate  is  shut.  It  was  promised  Joshua  that  he  should 
lead  Israel  into  the  promised  land ;  yet  he  knew  it  was  unsafe  to 
presume.  The  condition  of  his  provident  care  was  included  in 
that  assurance  of  success.  Heaven  is  promised  to  us,  but  not  to 
our  carelessness,  infidelity,  disobedience.  He  that  hath  set  this 
blessed  inheritance  before  us  presupposes  our  wisdom,  faith,  ho- 
liness. 

Either  force  or  policy  are  fit  to  be  used  unto  Canaanites.    He 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  i.  Rahab.  187 

that  would  be  happy  in  this  spiritual  warfare  must  know  where 
the  strength  of  his  enemy  lieth,  and  must  frame  his  guard  ac- 
cording to  the  other's  assault.  It  is  a  great  advantage  to  a 
Christian  to  know  the  fashion  of  Satan's  onsets,  that  he  may  the 
more  easily  compose  himself  to  resist.  Many  a  soul  hath  mis- 
carried through  the  ignorance  of  his  enemy,  which  had  not 
perished  if  it  had  well  known  that  the  weakness  of  Satan  stands 
in  our  faith. 

The  spies  can  find  no  other  lodging  but  Rahab's  house.  She 
was  a  victualler  by  profession,  and  (as  those  persons  and  trades, 
by  reason  of  the  commonness  of  entertainment,  were  amongst 
the  Jews  infamous  by  name  and  note)  she  was  Rahab  the  harlot : 
I  will  not  think  she  professed  filthiness ;  only  her  public  trade, 
through  the  corruption  of  those  times,  hath  cast  upon  her  this 
name  of  reproach ;  yea,  rather  will  I  admire  her  faith,  than  make 
excuses  for  her  calling.  How  many  women  in  Israel,  now  Miriam 
was  dead,  have  given  such  proofs  of  their  knowledge  and  faith  ? 
How  noble  is  that  confession  which  she  makes  of  the  power  and 
truth  of  God !  yea,  I  see  here  not  only  a  disciple  of  God,  but  a 
prophetess.  Or  if  she  had  once  been  public,  as  her  house  was ; 
now  she  is  a  chaste  and  worthy  convert ;  and  so  approved  her- 
self for  honest  and  wise  behaviour,  that  she  is  thought  worthy  to 
be  the  great-grandmother  of  David's  father ;  and  the  holy  line  of 
the  Messias  is  not  ashamed  to  admit  her  into  that  happy  pedigree. 
The  mercy  of  our  God  doth  not  measure  us  by  what  we  were. 
It  would  be  wide  with  the  best  of  us,  if  the  eye  of  God  should  look 
backward  to  our  former  estate :  there  he  should  see  Abraham  an 
idolater,  Paul  a  persecutor,  Manasses  a  necromancer,  Mary  Mag- 
dalen a  courtesan,  and  the  best  vile  enough  to  be  ashamed  of 
himself.  Who  can  despair  of  mercy,  that  sees  even  Rahab  fetched 
into  the  blood  of  Israel  and  line  of  Christ  ? 
.  If  Rahab  had  received  these  spies  but  as  unknown  passen- 
gers, with  respect  to  their  money  and  not  to  their  errand,  it  had 
been  no  praise  ;  for  in  such  cases  the  thank  is  rather  to  the  guest 
than  to  the  host ;  but  now  she  knew  their  purpose :  she  knew 
that  the  harbour  of  them  was  the  danger  of  her  own  life,  and  yet 
she  hazards  this  entertainment.  Either  faith  or  friendship  are  never 
tried  but  in  extremities.  To  show  countenance  to  the  messengers 
of  God  while  the  public  face  of  the  state  smiles  upon  them  is  but 
a  courtesy  of  course ;  but  to  hide  our  own  lives  in  theirs  when 
they  are  persecuted  is  an  act  that  looks  for  a  reward.    These 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


188  Rahab.  book  viii. 

times  need  not  our  favour,  we  know  not  what  may  come :  alas  I 
how  likely  is  it  they  would  shelter  them  in  danger  which  respect 
them  not  in  prosperity  ? 

All  intelligences  of  state  come  first  to  the  court :  it  most  con- 
cerns princes  to  hearken  after  the  affairs  of  each  other.  If  this 
poor  innholder  knew  of  the  sea  dried  up  before  Israel,  and  of  the 
discomfiture  of  Og  and  Sehon,  surely  this  rumour  was  stale  with 
the  king  of  JerichG :  he  had  heard  it,  and  feared ;  and  yet,  instead 
of  sending  ambassadors  for  peace,  he  sends  pursuivants  for  the 
spies.  The  spirit  of  Rahab  melted  with  that  same  report  where- 
with the  king  of  Jericho  was  hardened :  all  make  not  one  use  of 
the  messages  of  the  proceedings  of  God. 

The  king  sends  to  tell  her  what  she  knew :  she  had  not  hid 
''them  if  she  had  not  known  their  errand.  I  know  not  whether 
first  to  wonder  at  the  gracious  provision  of  God  for  the  spies,  or 
at  the  strong  faith  which  he  hath  wrought  in  the  heart  of  a  weak 
woman :  two  strangers,  Israelites,  spies  (and  noted  for  all  these) 
in  a  foreign,  in  an  hostile  land,  have  a  safe  harbour  provided 
them,  even  amongst  their  enemies ;  in  Jericho,  at  the  very  court- 
gate,  against  the  proclamation  of  a  king,  against  the  endeavours 
of  the  people.  Where  cannot  the  God  of  heaven  either  find  or 
raise  up  friends  to  his  own  causes  and  servants  ? 

Who  could  have  hoped  for  such  faith  in  Rahab  ?  which  con- 
temned her  life  for  the  present  that  she  might  save  it  for  the 
future ;  neglected  her  own  king  and  country  for  strangers  which 
she  never  saw;  and  more  feared  the  destruction  of  that  city, 
before  it  knew  that  it  had  an  adversary,  than  the  displeasure  of 
her  king  in  the  mortal  revenge  of  that  which  he  would  have  ac- 
counted treachery.  She  brings  them  up  to  the  roof  of  her  house, 
and  hides  them  with  stalks  of  flax :  that  plant  which  was  made  to 
hide  the  body  from  nakedness  and  shame,  now  is  used  to  hide  the 
spies  from  death.  Never  could  these  stalks  have  been  improved 
so  well  with  all  her  housewifery,  after  they  were  bruised,  as  now, 
before  they  were  fitted  to  her  wheel :  of  these  she  hath  woven  an 
everlasting  web  both  of  life  and  propagation.  And  nowtber 
tongue  hides  them  no  less  than  her  hand :  her  charity  was  good, 
her  excuse  was  not  good.  Evil  may  not  be  done  that  good  may 
came  of  it :  we  may  do  any  thing  but  sin  for  promoting  a  good 
cause ;  and  if  not  in  so  main  occasions,  how  shall  God  take  it  that 
we  are  not  dainty  of  falsehoods  in  trifles  ? 

No  man  will  look  that  these  spies  could  take  any  sound  sleep 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  i.  Rahab.  189 

in  these  beds  of  stalks:  it  is  enough  for  them  that  they  lire, 
though  they  rest  not.  And  now  when  they  hear  Rahab  coming 
up  the  stairs,  doubtless  they  looked  for  an  executioner ;  but  behold 
she  comes  up  with  a  message  better  than  their  sleep,  adding  to 
their  protection  advice  for  their  future  safety ;  whereto  she  makes 
way  by  a  faithful  report  of  God's  former  wonders,  and  the  pro- 
sent  disposition  of  her  people,  and  by  wise  capitulations  for  the 
life  and  security  of  her  family.  The  news  of  God's  miraculous 
proceedings  for  Israel  have  made  her  resolve  of  their  success  and 
the  ruins  of  Jericho.  Then  only  do  we  make  a  right  use  of  the 
works  of  God,  when  by  his  judgments  upon  others  we  are  warned 
to  avoid  our  own.     He  intends  his  acts  for  precedents  of  justice. 

The  parents  and  brethren  of  Rahab  take  their  rest :  they  are 
not  troubled  with  the  fear  and  care  of  the  success  of  Israel,  but 
securely  go  with  the  current  of  the  present  condition.  She 
watches  for  them  all,  and  breaks  her  midnight  sleep  to  prevent 
their  last.  One  wise  and  faithful  person  does  well  in  an  house : 
where  all  are  careless  there  is  no  comfort  but  in  perishing  toge- 
ther. It  had  been  an  ill  nature  in  Rahab  if  she  had  been  content 
to  be  saved  alone :  that  her  love  might  be  a  match  to  her  faith, 
she  covenants  for  all  her  family,  and  so  returns  life  to  those  of 
whom  she  received  it.  Both  the  bond  of  nature  and  of  grace 
will  draw  all  ours  to  the  participation  of  the  same  good  with 
ourselves. 

It  bad  been  never  the  better  for  the  spies,  if  after  this  night's 
lodging  they  had  been  turned  out  of  doors  to  the  hazard  of  the 
way ;  for  so  the  pursuers  had  light  upon  them,  and  prevented 
their  return  with  their  death.  Rahab's  counsel  therefore  was 
better  than  her  harbour;  which  sent  them  (no  doubt  with  vic- 
tuals in  their  hands)  to  seek  safety  in  the  mountains  till  the 
heat  of  that  search  were  past.  He  that  hath  given  us  charge  of 
our  lives  will  not  suffer  us  to  cast  them  upon  wilful  adventures. 
Had  not  these  spies  hid  themselves  in  those  desert  hills,  Israel 
had  wanted  directors  for  their  enterprises.  There  is  nothing 
more  expedient  for  the  church,  than  that  some  of  God's  faithful 
messengers  should  withdraw  themselves,  and  give  way  to  perse- 
cutions. Courage  in  those  that  must  die  is  not  a  greater  ad- 
vantage to  the  gospel,  than  a  prudent  retiring  of  those  which 
may  survive  to  maintain  and  propagate  it. 

It  was  a  just  and  reasonable  transaction  betwixt  them,  that  her 
life  should  be  saved  by  them  which  had  saved  theirs  :  they  owe  no 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


190  Rahab. 


BOOK  VIII. 


less  to  her,  to  whom  they  were  not  so  much  guests  aa  prisoners. 
And  now  they  pass  not  their  promise  only,  but  their  oath.  They 
were  strangers  to  Rahab,  and,  for  ought  she  knew,  might  have 
been  godless ;  yet  she  dares  trust  her  life  upon  their  oath.  So 
sacred  and  inviolable  hath  this  bond  ever  been,  that  an  heathen 
woman  thought  herself  secure  upon  the  oath  of  an  Israelite. 

Neither  is  she  more  confident  of  their  oath  taken,  than  they 
are  careful  both  of  taking  and  performing  it  So  far  are  they 
from  desiring  to  salve  up  any  breach  of  promise  by  equivocation, 
that  they  explain  all  conditions,  and  would  prevent  all  possibili- 
ties of  violation.  All  Rahab's  family  must  be  gathered  into  her 
house ;  and  that  red  cord,  which  was  an  instrument  of  their  deli- 
very, must  be  a  sign  of  hers.  Behold,  this  is  the  saving  colour : 
the  destroying  angel  sees  the  doorcheeks  of  the  Israelites 
sprinkled  with  red,  and  passes  them  over :  the  warriors  of  Israel 
see  the  window  of  Rahab  dyed  with  red,  and  save  her  family 
from  the  common  destruction.  If  our  souls  have  this  tincture  of 
the  precious  blood  of  our  Saviour  upon  our  doors  or  windows,  we 
are  safe. 

But  if  any  one  of  the  brethren  of  Rahab  shall  fly  from  this 
red  flag,  and  rove  about  the  city,  and  not  contain  himself  under 
that  roof  which  hid  the  spies,  it  is  in  vain  for  him  to  tell  the 
avengers  that  he  is  Rahab's  brother :  that  title  will  not  save  him 
in  the  street ;  within  doors  it  will.  If  we  will  wander  out  of  the 
limits  that  God  hath  set  us,  we  cast  ourselves  out  of  his  protec- 
tion ;  we  cannot  challenge  the  benefit  of  his  gracious  preserva- 
tion, and  our  most  precious  redemption,  when  we  fly  out  into  the 
byways  of  our  own  hearts,  not  for  innocence,  but  for  safoty  and 
harbour.  The  church  is  that  house  of  Rahab,  which  is  saved 
when  all  Jericho  shall  perish.  While  we  keep  us  in  the  lists 
thereof,  we  cannot  miscarry  through  misopinion ;  but  when  once 
we  run  out  of  it,  let  us  look  for  judgment  from  God,  and  error  in 
our  own  judgment* 


JORDAN  DIVIDED.— Joshua  iii,  iv. 

The  two  spies  returned  with  news  of  the  victory  that  should 

be.   I  do  not  hear  them  say,  "  The  land  is  unpeopled,  or  the  people 

are  unfurnished  with  arms ;  unskilful  in  the  discipline  of  war ; 

but,  They  faint  because  of  its ;  therefore  their  land  is  ours. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  ii.  Jordan  divided.  191 

Either  success  or  discomfiture  begins  ever  at  the  heart.  A  man's 
inward  disposition  doth  more  than  presage  the  event.  As  a  man 
raises  up  his  own  heart  before  his  fall,  and  depresses  it  before  his 
glory;  so  God  raises  it  up  before  his  exaltation,  and  casts  it 
down  before  his  ruin.  It  is  no  otherwise  in  our  spiritual  con- 
flicts :  if  Satan  see  us  once  faint,  he  gives  himself  the  day.  There 
is  no  way  to  safety,  but  that  our  hearts  be  the  last  that  shall 
yield.  That  which  the  heathens  attributed  to  Fortune,  we  may 
justly  to  the  hand  of  God ;  that  he  speedeth  those  that  are  for- 
ward.   All  the  ground  that  we  lose  is  given  to  our  adversaries. 

This  news  is  brought  but  over-night ;  Joshua  is  on  his  way  by 
morning,  and  prevents  the  sun  for  haste.  Delays,  whether  in 
the  business  of  God  or  our  own,  are  hateful  and  prejudicial. 
Many  a  one  loses  the  land  of  promise  by  lingering :  if  we  neglect 
God's  time,  it  is  just  with  him  to  cross  us  in  ours. 

Joshua  hastens  till  he  have  brought  Israel  to  the  verge  of  the 
promised  land.  Nothing  parts  them  now  but  the  river  of  Jordan. 
There  he  stays  a  time :  that  the  Israelites  might  feed  themselves 
a  while  with  the  sight  of  that  which  they  should  afterwards  enjoy. 
That  which  they  had  been  forty  years  in  seeking  may  not  be 
seized  upon  too  suddenly :  God  loves  to  give  us  cools  and  heats 
in  our  desires ;  and  will  so  allay  our  joys,  that  their  fruition  hurt 
us  not.  He  knows,  that  as  it  is  in  meats,  the  long  forbearance 
whereof  causes  a  surfeit  when  we  come  to  full  feed,  so  it  fares  in 
the  contentments  of  the  mind ;  therefore  he  feeds  us  not  with  the 
dish,  but  with  the  spoon;  and  will  have  us  neither  cloyed  nor 
famished.  If  the  mercy  of  God  have  brought  us  within  sight  of 
heaven,  let  us  be  content  to  pause  a  while,  and  upon  the  banks  of 
Jordan  fit  ourselves  for  our  entrance. 

Now  that  Israel  is  brought  to  the  brim  of  Canaan,  the  cloud 
is  vanished  which  led  them  all  the  way  ;  and  as  soon  as  they  have 
but  crossed  Jordan,  the  manna  ceaseth  which  nourished  them  all 
the  way.  The  cloud  and  manna  were  for  their  passage,  not  for 
their  rest ;  for  the  wilderness,  not  for  Canaan.  It  were  as  easy 
for  God  to  work  miracles  always;  but  he  knows  that  custom 
were  the  way  to  make  them  no  miracles.  He  goes  byways  but 
till  he  have  brought  us  into  the  road,  and  then  he  refers  us  to 
his  ordinary  proceedings.  That  Israelite  should  have  been  very 
foolish  that  would  still  have  said,  "  I  will  not  stir  till  I  see  the 
cloud ;  I  will  not  cat  unless  I  may  have  that  food  of  angels/1 
Wherefore   serves  the   ark  but  for  their  direction?  wherefore 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


192  Jordan  divided.  book  viii. 

serves  the  wheat  of  Canaan  but  for  bread?  So  fond  is  that 
Christian  that  will  still  depend  upon  expectation  of  miracles  after 
the  fulness  of  God's  kingdom.  If  God  bear  us  in  his  arms  when 
we  are  children,  yet  when  we  are  well  grown  he  looks  we  should 
go  on  our  own  feet :  it  is  enough  that  he  upholds  us,  though  he 
carry  us  not. 

Ho  that  hitherto  had  gone  before  them  in  the  cloud  doth  now 
go  before  them  in  the  ark ;  the  same  guide  in  two  diverse  signs 
of  his  presence.  The  cloud  was  for  Moses',  the  ark  for  Joshua's 
time ;  the  cloud  was  fit  for  Moses ;  the  law  offered  us  Christ, 
but  enwrapped  in  many  obscurities.  If  he  were  seen  in  the 
cloud,  he  was  heard  from  the  cover  of  the  ark.  Why  was  it 
the  ark  of  the  testimony,  but  because  it  witnessed  both  his  pre- 
sence and  love  ?  And  within  it  were  his  word,  the  law  ;  and  his 
sacrament,  the  manna.  Who  can  wish  a  better  guide  than  the 
God  of  heaven  in  his  word  and  sacraments?  Who  can  know  the 
way  into  the  land  of  promise  so  well  as  he  that  owns  it?  And 
what  means  can  better  direct  us  thither  than  those  of  his  in- 
stitution ? 

That  ark,  which  before  was  as  the  heart,  is  now  as  the  head ;  it 
was  in  the  midst  of  Israel  while  they  camped  in  the  desert;  now 
when  the  cloud  is  removed,  it  is  in  the  front  of  the  army  ;  that  as 
before  they  depended  upon  it  for  life,  so  now  they  should  for  di- 
rection. It  must  go  before  them  on  the  shoulders  of  the  sons  of 
Levi :  they  must  follow  it,  but  within  sight,  not  within  breathing. 
The  Levites  may  not  touch  the  ark,  but  only  the  bars :  the  Is- 
raelites may  not  approach  nearer  than  a  thousand  paces  to  it. 
What  awful  respects  doth  God  require  to  be  given  unto  the  testi- 
monies of  his  presence !  Uzzah  paid  dear  for  touching  it,  the 
men  of  Bethshemesh  for  looking  into  it.  It  is  a  dangerous  thing 
to  be  too  bold  with  the  ordinances  of  God.  Though  the  Israelites 
were  sanctified,  yet  they  might  not  come  near  either  the  mount 
of  Sinai  when  the  law  was  delivered,  or  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
wherein  the  law  was  written.  How  fearful'  shall  their  estate  be, 
that  come  with  unhallowed  hearts  and  hands  to  the  word  of  the 
gospel,  and  the  true  manna  of  the  evangelical  sacrament !  As  we 
use  to  say  of  the  court  and  of  fire,  so  may  we  of  these  divine  in- 
stitutions, we  freeze  if  we  be  far  off  from  them ;  and  if  we  be 
more  near  than  befits  us,  we  burn.  Under  the  law  we  might 
look  at  Christ  aloof,  now  under  the  gospel  we  may  come  near 
him :  he  calls  us  to  him ;  yea,  he  enters  into  us. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  ii.  Jordan  divided.  193 

Neither  was  it  only  for  reverence  that  the  ark  must  be,  not 
stumbled  at,  but  waited  on,  afar ;  but  also  for  convenience,  both 
of  sight  and  passage :  those  things  that  are  near  us,  though  they 
be  less,  fill  our  eye ;  neither  could  so  many  thousand  eyes  see  the 
same  object  upon  a  level,  but  by  distance.  It  would  not  content 
God  that  one  Israelite  should  tell  another,  "  Now  the  ark  goes, 
now  it  turns,  now  it  stands ;"  but  he  would  have  every  one  his 
own  witness.  What  can  be  so  comfortable  to  a  good  heart  as  to 
see  the  pledges  of  God's  presence  and  favour?  To  hear  of  the 
lovingkindnesses  of  God  is  pleasant,  but  to  behold  and  feel  the  evi- 
dences of  his  mercy  is  unspeakably  delectable :  hence  the  saints  of 
God,  not  contenting  themselves  with  faith,  have  still  prayed  for 
sight  and  fruition,  and  mourned  when  they  have  wanted  it.  What 
an  happy  prospect  hath  God  set  before  us,  of  Christ  Jesus  cruci- 
fied for  us,  and  offered  unto  us ! 

Ere  God  will  work  a  miracle  before  Israel,  they  have  charge  to 
be  sanctified.  There  is  an  holiness  required,  to  make  us  either 
patients  or  beholders  of  the  great  works  of  God ;  how  much  more 
when  we  should  be  actors  in  his  sacred  services  I  There  is  more 
use  of  sanctification  when  we  must  present  something  to  God, 
than  when  he  must  do  aught  to  us. 

The  same  power  that  divided  the  Red  sea  before  Moses  divides 
Jordan  before  Joshua ;  that  they  might  see  the  ark  no  less  ef- 
fectual than  the  cloud,  and  the  hand  of  God  as  present  with 
Joshua  to  bring  them  into  Canaan,  as  it  was  with  Moses  to  bring 
them  out  of  Egypt. 

The  bearers  of  the  ark  had  need  be  faithful ;  they  must  first 
set  their  foot  into  the  streams  of  Jordan,  and  believe  that  it  will 
give  way :  the  same  faith  that  led  Peter  upon  the  water  must 
carry  them  into  it  There  can  be  no  Christian  without  belief  in 
God :  but  those  that  are  near  to  God  in  his  immediate  services 
must  go  before  others  no  less  in  believing  than  they  do  in 
example. 

The  waters  know  their  Maker :  that  Jordan  which  flowed  with 
full  streams  when  Christ  went  into  it  to  be  baptized,  now  gives 
way  when  the  same  God  must  pass  through  it  in  state :  then 
there  was  use  of  his  water,  now  of  his  sand. 

I  hear  no  news  of  any  rod  to  strike  the  waters :  the  presence 
of  the  ark  of  the  Lord  God,  the  Lord  of  all  the  world,  is  sign 
enough  to  these  waves ;  which  now,  as  if  a  sinew  were  broken, 
run  back  to  their  issues,  and  dare  not  so  much  as  wet  the  feet 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  O 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


194  Jordan  divided.  book  viii. 

of  the  priests  that  bore  it;  What  ailed  thee,  0  sea,  that  thou 
fleddest,  and  thou  Jordan,  that  thou  wert  driven  back?  Ye 
mountains,  that  ye  leaped  like  rams,  and  ye  little  hills,  like 
lambs  ?  The  earth  trembled  at  the  presence  of  the  Lord ;  at  the 
presence  of  the  God  of  Jacob.. 

How  observant  are  all  the  creatures  to  the  God  that  made 
them  I  How  glorious  a  God  do  we  serve  I  whom  all  the  powers  of 
the  heavens  and  elements  are  willingly  subject  unto,  and  gladly 
take  that  nature  which  he  pleases  to  give  them.  He  could  have 
made  Jordan  like  some  solid  pavement  of  crystal  for  the  Is- 
raelites' feet  to  have  trod  upon,  but  this  work  had  not  been  so 
magnificent.  Every  strong  frost  congeals  the  water  in  a  natural 
course ;  but  for  the  river  to  stand  still,  and  run  on  heaps,  and  to 
be  made  a  liquid  wall  for  the  passage  of  God's  people,  is  for 
nature  to  run  out  of  itself  to  do  homage  to  her  Creator. 

Now  must  the  Israelites  needs  think ;  "  How  can  the  Oanaanites 
stand  out  against  us,  when  the  seas  and  rivers  give  us  way?" 
With  what  joy  did  they  now  trample  upon  the  dry  channel  of 
Jordan,  while  they  might  see  the  dry  deserts  overcome ;  the  pro- 
mised land  Jbefore  them  ;  the  very  waters  so  glad  of  them,  that 
they  ran  back  to  welcome  them  into  Canaan !  The  passages  into 
our  promised  land  are  troublesome  and  perilous;  and  even  at 
last  offer  themselves  to  us  the  main  hindrances  of  our  salvation ; 
which,  after  all  our  hopes,  threaten  to  defeat  us ;  for  what  will  it 
avail  us  to  have  passed  a  wilderness,  if  the  waves  of  Jordan 
should  swallow  us  up  ?  But  the  same  hand  that  hath  made  the 
way  hard  hath  made  it  sure :  he  that  made  the  wilderness  com- 
fortable will  make  Jordan  dry ;  he  will  master  all  difficulties  for 
us ;  and  those  things  which  we  most  feared  will  he  make  most 
sovereign  and  beneficial  to  us.  O  God,  as  we  have  trusted  thee 
with  the  beginning,  so  will  we  with  the  finishing  of  our  glory. 
Faithful  art  thou  that  hast  promised,  which  wilt  also  do  it. 

He  that  led  them  about  in  forty  years'  journey  through  the 
wilderness,  yet  now  leads  them  the  nearest  cut  to  Jericho:  he 
will  not  so  much  as  seek  for  a  ford  for  their  passage,  but  divides 
the  waters.  What  a  sight  was  this  to  their  heathen  adversaries, 
to  see  the  waters  make  both  a  lane  and  a  wall  for  Israel  I  Their 
hearts  could  not  choose  but  be  broken  to  see  the  streams  broken 
off  for  a  way  to  their  enemies.  I  do  not  see  Joshua  hasting 
through  this  channel,  as  if  he  feared  lest  the  tide  of  Jordan 
should  return ;  but,  as  knowing  that  watery  wall  stronger  than 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  in.  The  siege  of  Jericho.  195 

the  walls  of  Jericho,  he  paces  slowly :  and  lest  this  miracle  should 
pass  away  with  themselves,  he  commands  twelve  stones  to  be 
taken  out  of  the  channel  of  Jordan,  by  twelve  selected  men  from 
every  tribe,  which  shall  be  pitched  in  Gilgal ;  and  twelve  other 
stones  to  be  set  in  the  midst  of  Jordan,  where  the  feet  of  the 
priests  had  stood  with  the  ark;  that  so  both  land  and  water 
might  testify  the  miraculous  way  of  Israel,  while  it  should  be 
said  of  the  one,  "  These  stones  were  fetched  out  of  the  pavement 
of  Jordan ;"  of  the  other,  "There  did  the  ark  rest  while  we 
walked  dryshod  through  the  deeps  of  Jordan :"  of  the  one, 
"  Jordan  was  once  as  dry  as  this  Gilgal ;"  of  the  other,  "  Those 
waves  which  drown  these  stones  had  so  drowned  us,  if  the  power 
of  the  Almighty  had  not  restrained  them."  Many  a  great  work 
had  God  done  for  Israel,  which  was  now  forgotten ;  Joshua  there- 
fore will  have  monuments  of  God's  mercy,  that  future  ages  might 
be  both  witnesses  and  applauders  of  the  great  works  of  their 
God. 


THE  SIEGE  OF  JERICHO.— Joshua  vi. 

Joshua  begins  his  wars  with  the  Circumcision  and  Passover* 
He  knew  that  the  way  to  keep  the  blood  of  his  people  from  shed- 
ding was  to  let  out  that  paganish  blood  of  their  uncircumcision. 
The  person  must  be  in  favour  ere  the  work  can  hope  to  prosper : 
his  predecessor  Moses  had  like  to  have  been  slain  for  neglect  of 
this  sacrament,  when  he  went  to  call  the  people  out  of  Egypt ; 
he  justly  fears  his  own  safety,  if  now  he  omit  it,  when  they  are 
brought  into  Canaan :  we  have  no  right  of  inheritance  in  the 
spiritual  Canaan,  the  church  of  God,  till  we  have  received  the 
sacrament  of  our  matriculation :  so  soon  as  our  covenants  are  re- 
newed with  our  Creator,  we  may  well  look  for  the  vision  of  God, 
for  the  assurance  of  victory. 

What  sure  work  did  the  king  of  Jericho  think  he  had  made  I 
He  blocked  up  the  passages,  barred  up  the  gates,  defended  the 
walls,  and  did  enough  to  keep  out  a  common  enemy :  if  we  could 
do  but  this  to  our  spiritual  adversaries,  it  were  as  impossible  for 
us  to  be  surprised  as  for  Jericho  to  be  safe.  Methinks  I  see  how 
they  called  their  council  of  war,  debated  of  all  means  of  defence, 
gathered  their  forces,  trained  their  soldiers,  set  strong  guards  to 
the  gates  and  walls,  and  now  would  persuade  one  another  that 
unless  Israel  could  fly  into  their  city  the  siege  was  vain.     Vain 

o  2 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


196  The  siege  ofJericlvo.  book  vhi. 

worldlings  think  their  ratnpires  and  barricadoes  can  keep  out  the 
vengeance  of  God :  their  blindness  suffers  them  to  look  no  further 
than  the  means ;  the  supreme  hand  of  the  Almighty  comes  not 
within  the  compass  of  their  fears.  Every  carnal  heart  is  a  Jericho 
shut  up :  God  sits  down  before  it  and  displays  mercy  and  judg- 
ment in  sight  of  the  walls  thereof;  it  hardens  itself  in  a  wilful 
security,  and  saith,  Tush,  I  shall  never  be  moved. 

Yet  their  courage  and  fear  fight  together  within  their  walls, 
within  their  bosoms :  their  courage  tells  them  of  their  own 
strength ;  their  fear  suggests  the  miraculous  success  of  this  (as 
they  could  not  but  think)  enchanted  generation ;  and  now,  while 
they  have  shut  out  their  enemy,  they  have  shut  in  their  own 
terror.  The  most  secure  heart  in  the  world  hath  some  flashes 
of  fear ;  for  it  cannot  but  sometimes  look  out  of  itself  and  see 
what  it  would  not.  Rahab  had  notified  that  their  hearts  fainted ; 
and  yet  now  their  faces  bewray  nothing  but  resolution.  I  know 
not  whether  the  heart  or  the  face  of  an  hypocrite  be  more  false ; 
and  as  each  of  them  seeks  to  beguile  the  other,  so  both  of  them 
agree  to  deceive  the  beholders.  In  the  midst  of  laughter  their 
heart  is  heavy :  who  would  not  think  him  merry  that  laughs  ?  yet 
their  rejoicing  is  but  in  the  face.  Who  would  not  think  a  blas- 
phemer or  profane  man  resolutely  careless?  If  thou  hadst  a 
window  into  his  heart,  thou  shouldst  see  him  tormented  with 
horrors  of  conscience. 

Now  the  Israelites  see  those  walled  cities  and  towers  whose 
height  was  reported  to  reach  to  heaven ;  the  fame  whereof  had 
so  affrighted  them  ere  they  saw  them,  and  were  ready  doubtless 
to  say  in  their  distrust,  "  Which  way  shall  we  scale  these  invin- 
cible fortifications  ?  What  ladders,  what  engines  shall  we  use  to 
so  great  a  work  ?"  God  prevents  their  infidelity ;  Behold,  I  have 
given  Jericho  into  thine  hand.  If  their  walls  had  their  founda- 
tions laid  in  the  centre  of  the  earth :  if  the  battlements  had  been 
so  high  built  that  an  eagle  could  not  soar  over  them ;  this  is 
enough,  /  have  given  it  thee.  For  on  whose  earth  have  they 
raised  these  castles  ?  Out  of  whose  treasure  did  they  dig  those 
piles  of  stone  ?  Whence  had  they  their  strength  and  time  to  build  ? 
Cannot  he  that  gave  recall  his  own  ?  O  ye  fools  of  Jericho,  what  if 
your  walls  be  strong,  your  men  valiant,  your  leaders  skilful,  your 
king  wise,  when  God  hath  said,  I  have  given  thee  the  city  f 

What  can  swords  or  spears  do  against  the  Lord  of  hosts? 
Without  him  means  can  do  nothing ;  how  much  less  against  him ! 


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cont.  in.  The  siege  of  Jericho.  197 

How  vain  and  idle  is  that  reckoning  wherein  God  is  left  out! 
Had  the  captain  of  the  Lord's  host  drawn  his  sword  for  Jericho 
the  gates  might  have  been  opened :  Israel  could  no  more  have 
entered  than  they  can  now  be  kept  from  entering  when  the  walls 
were  fallen.  What  courses  soever  we  take  for  our  safety,  it  is 
good  making  God  of  our  side :  neither  men  nor  devils  can  hurt 
us  against  him ;  neither  men  nor  angels  can  secure  us  from  him. 

There  was  never  so  strange  a  siege  as  this  of  Jericho :  here 
was  no  mount  raised,  no  sword  drawn,  no  engine  planted,  no 
pioneers  undermining;  here  were  trumpets  sounded,  but  no 
enemy  seen;  here  were  armed  men,  but  no  stroke  given:  they 
must  walk  and  not  fight ;  seven  several  days  must  they  pace 
about  the  walls,  which  they  may  not  once  look  over  to  see  what 
was  within.  Doubtless  these  inhabitants  of  Jericho  made  them- 
selves merry  with  this  sight;  when  they  had  stood  six  days  upon 
their  walls  and  beheld  none  but  a  walking  enemy ;  "  What,"  say 
they,  "  could  Israel  find  no  walk  to  breathe  them  with  but  about 
our  walls  ?  Have  they  not  travelled  enough  in  their  forty  years* 
pilgrimage,  but  they  must  stretch  their  limbs  in  this  circle  ?  Surely 
if  their  eyes  were  engines  our  walls  could  not  stand :  we  see  they 
are  good  footmen,  but  when  shall  we  try  their  hands  ?  What !  do 
these  vain  men  think  Jericho  will  be  won  with  looking  at?  or 
do  they  only  come  to  count  how  many  paces  it  is  about  our  city ! 
If  this  be  their  manner  of  siege,  we  shall  have  no  great  cause  to 
fear  the  sword  of  Israel!"  Wicked  men  think  God  in  jest  when 
he  is  preparing  for  their  judgment.  The  Almighty  hath  ways 
and  counsels  of  his  own,  utterly  unlike  to  ours ;  which,  because  our 
reason  cannot  reach,  we  are  ready  to  condemn  of  foolishness  and 
impossibility.  With  us  there  is  no  way  to  victory  but  fighting, 
and  the  strongest  carries  the  spoil ;  God  can  give  victory  to  the 
feet  as  well  as  to  the  hands ;  and  when  he  will,  makes  weakness 
no  disadvantage.  What  should  we  do  but  follow  God  through 
by-ways ;  and  know  that  he  will,  in  spite  of  nature,  lead  us  to 
our  end? 

All  the  men  of  war  must  compass  the  city ;  yet  it  was  not  the 
presence  of  the  great  warriors  of  Israel  that  threw  down  the  walls 
of  Jericho.  Those  foundations  were  not  so  slightly  laid,  as  that 
they  could  not  endure  either  a  look  or  a  march  or  a  battery :  it 
was  the  ark  of  God  whose  presence  demolished  the  walls  of  that 
wicked  city.  The  same  power  that  drave  back  the  waters  of 
Jordan  before,  and  afterwards  laid  Dagon  on  the  floor,  cast  down 


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198  The  siege  ofJericlio.  book  viii. 

all  those  forts.  The  priests  bear  on  their  shoulders  that  mighty 
engine  of  God,  before  which  those  walls,,  if  they  had  been  of 
molten  brass,  could  not  stand.  Those  spiritual  wickednesses,  yea, 
those  gates  of  hell,  which  to  nature  are  utterly  invincible,  by  the 
power  of  the  word  of  God,  which  he  hath  committed  to  the  car- 
riage of  his  weak  servants,  are  overthrown  and  triumphed  over. 
Thy  ark,  0  God,  hath  been  long  amongst  us,  how  is  it  that  the 
walls  of  our  corruptions  stand  still  unruined?  It  hath  gone  before 
us ;  his  priests  have  carried  it,  we  have  not  followed  it,  our  hearts 
have  not  attended  upon  it;  and  therefore  how  mighty  soever  it  is 
in  itself,  yet  to  us  it  hath  not  been  so  powerful  as  it  would. 

Seven  days  together  they  walk  this  round;  they  made  this 
therefore  their  sabbath  day's  journey ;  and  who  knows  whether 
the  last  and  longest  walk,  which  brought  victory  to  Israel,  were 
not  on  this  day  ?  Not  long  before  an  Israelite  is  stoned  to  death 
for  but  gathering  a  few  sticks  that  day;  now  all  the  host  of 
Israel  must  walk  about  the  walls  of  a  large  and  populous  city, 
and  yet  do  not  violate  the  day.  God's  precept  is  the  rule  of  the 
justice  and  holiness  of  all  our  actions.  Or  was  it  for  that  revenge 
upon  God's  enemies  is  an  holy  work,  and  such  as  God  vouchsrfes 
to  privilege  with  his  own  day  ?  or,  because  when  we  have  under- 
taken the  exploits  of  God,  he  will  abide  no  intermission  till  we 
have  fulfilled  them  ?  He  allows  us  to  breathe,  not  to  break  off  till 
we  have  finished. 

It  had  been  as  easy  for  God  to  have  given  this  success  to  their 
first  day's  walk,  yea  to  their  first  pace,  or  their  first  sight  of 
Jericho ;  yet  he  will  not  give  it  until  the  end  of  their  seven  days'* 
toil :  it  is  the  pleasure  of  God  to  hold  us  both  in  work  and  in 
expectation ;  and  though  he  require  our  continual  endeavours  for 
the  subduing  of  our  corruptions  during  the  six  days  of  our  life, 
yet  we  shall  never  find  it  perfectly  effected  till  the  very  evening 
of  our  last  day :  in  the  mean  time  it  must  content  us  that  we  are 
in  our  walk,  and  that  these  walk  cannot  stand  when  we  come  to 
the  measure  and  number  of  our  perfection.  A  good  heart  groans 
under  the  sense  of  his  infirmities,  fain  would  be  rid  of  them,  and 
strives  and  prays ;  but  when  he  hath  all  done,  until  the  end  of 
the  seventh  day  it  cannot  be :  if  a  stone  or  two  moulder  off  from 
these  walls  in  the  mean  time,  that  is  all ;  but  the  foundations  will 
not  be  removed  till  then. 

When  we  hear  of  so  great  a  design  as  the  miraculous  winning 
of  a  mighty  city,  who  would  not  look  for  some  glorious  means  to 


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cont.  in.  The  siege  of  Jericho.  199 

work  it  ?  When  we  hear  that  the  ark  of  God  must  besiege  Jericho, 
who  would  not  look  for  some  royal  equipage  ?  But  behold,  here 
seven  priests  must  go  before  it  with  seven  trumpets  of  rams' 
horns.  The  Israelites  had  trumpets  of  silver,  which  God  had  ap- 
pointed for  the  use  of  assembling  and  dissolving  the  congregation, 
for  war  and  for  peace.  Now  I  do  not  hear  them  called  for ;  but 
instead  thereof  trumpets  of  rams'  horns ;  base  for  the  matter,  and 
not  loud  for  sound,  the  shortness  and  equal  measure  of  those  in- 
struments could  not  afford  either  shrillness  of  noise  or  variety. 
How  mean  and  homely  are  those  means  which  God  commonly 
uses  in  the  most  glorious  works !  No  doubt  the  citizens  of  Jericho 
answered  this  dull  alarum  of  theirs  from  their  walls  with  other 
instruments  of  louder  report  and  more  martial  ostentation ;  and 
the  vulgar  Israelites  thought,  "  We  have  as  clear  and  as  costly 
trumpets  as  theirs ;"  yet  no  man  dares  offer  to  sound  the  better 
when  the  worse  are  commanded.  If  we  find  the  ordinances  of  God 
poor  and  weak,  let  it  content  us  that  they  are  of  his  own  choosing ; 
and  such  as  whereby  he  will  so  much  more  honour  himself,  as 
they  in  themselves  are  more  inglorious.  Not  the  outside,  but  the 
efficacy  is  it  that  God  cares  for. 

No  ram  of  iron  could  have  been  so  forcible  for  battery  as  these 
rams1  horns ;  for  when  they  sounded  long,  and  were  seconded  with 
the  shout  of  the  Israelites,  all  the  walls  of  Jericho  fell  down  at . 
once.  They  made  the  heaven  ring  with  their  shout ;  but  the  ruin 
of  those  walls  drowned  their  voice,  and  gave  a  pleasant  kind  of 
horror  to  the  Israelites.  The  earth  shook  under  them  with  the 
fall ;  but  the  hearts  of  the  inhabitants  shook  yet  more :  many  of 
them  doubtless  were  slain  with  those  walls  wherein  they  had 
trusted :  a  man  might  see  death  in  the  faces  of  all  the  rest  that 
remained ;  who  now,  being  half  dead  with  astonishment,  expected 
the  other  half  from  the  sword  of  their  enemies.  They  had  now 
neither  means  nor  will  to  resist ;  for  if  only  one  broach  had  been 
made,  as  it  uses  in  other  sieges,  for  the  entrance  of  the  enemy, 
perhaps  new  supplies  of  defendants  might  have  made  it  up  with 
their  carcasses ;  but  now  that  at  once  Jericho  is  turned  to  a  plain 
field,  every  Israelite,  without  resistance,  might  run  to  the  next 
booty,  and  the  throats  of  their  enemies  seemed  to  invite  their 
swords  to  a  despatch. 

If  but  one  Israelite  had  knocked  at  the  gates  of  Jericho,  it 
might  have  been  thought  their  hand  had  helped  to  the  victory ; 
now  that  God  may  have  all  the  glory  without  the  show  of  any 


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200  The  siege  of  Jericho.  book  vhi. 

rival,  yea  of  any  means,  they  do  but  walk  and  shout,  and  the 
walls  give  way.  He  cannot  abide  to  part  with  any  honour  from 
himself :  as  he  doth  all  things,  so  he  would  be  acknowledged. 

They  shout  all  at  once.  It  is  the  presence  of  God's  ark  and 
our  conjoined  prayers  that  are  effectual  to  the  beating  down  of 
wickedness.  They  may  not  shout  till  they  be  bidden :  if  we  will 
be  unseasonable  in  our  good  actions,  we  may  hurt  and  not  benefit 
ourselves. 

Every  living  thing  in  Jericho,  man,  woman,  child,  cattle,  must 
die;  our  folly  would  think  this  merciless;  but  there  can  be  no 
mercy  in  injustice,  and  nothing  but  injustice  in  not  fulfilling  the 
charge  of  God.  The  death  of  malefactors,  the  condemnation  of 
wicked  men,  seem  harsh  to  us ;  but  we  must  learn  of  God  that 
there  is  a  punishing  mercy.  Cursed  be  that  mercy  that  opposes 
the  God  of  mercy. 

Yet  was  not  Joshua  so  intent  upon  the  slaughter  as  not  to  be 
mindful  of  God's  part,  and  Rahab's :  first,  he  gives  charge  (under 
a  curse)  of  reserving  all  the  treasure  for  God ;  then  of  preserving 
the  family  of  Rahab.  Those  two  spies,  that  received  life  from 
her,  now  return  it  to  her  and  hers :  they  call  at  the  window  with 
the  red  cord ;  and  send  up  news  of  life  to  her,  the  same  way 
which  they  received  theirs:  her  house  is  no  part  of  Jericho; 
neither  may  fire  be  set  to  any  building  of  that  city  till  Rahab 
and  her  family  be  set  safe  without  the  host.  The  actions  of  our 
faith  and  charity  will  be  sure  to  pay  us;  if  late,  yet  surely.  Now 
Rahab  finds  what  it  is  to  believe  God ;  while,  out  of  an  impure 
idolatrous  city,  she  is  transplanted  into  the  church  of  God,  and 
made  a  mother  of  a  royal  and  holy  posterity. 


OF  ACHAN.-Joahua  vii. 
When  the  walls  of  Jericho  were  fallen,  Joshua  charged  the 
Israelites  but  with  two  precepts ;  of  sparing  Rahab's  house,  and 
of  abstaining  from  that  treasure  which  was  anathematized  to 
God ;  and  one  of  them  is  broken :  as  in  the  entrance  to  Paradise, 
but  one  tree  was  forbidden,  and  that  was  eaten  of.  God  hath 
provided  for  our  weakness  in  the  paucity  of  commands ;  but  our 
innocency  stands  not  so  much  in  having  few  precepts,  as  in  keep- 
ing those  we  have.  So  much  more  guilty  are  we  in  the  breach 
of  one,  as  we  are  more  favoured  in  the  number. 


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cont\  iv.  Of  Achan.  201 

They  needed  no  command  to  spare  no  living  thing  in  Jericho ; 
but  to  spare  the  treasure  no  command  was  enough.  Imparti- 
ality of  execution  is  easier  to  perform  than  contempt  of  these 
worldly  things ;  because  we  are  more  prone  to  covet  for  our- 
selves than  to  pity  others.  Had  Joshua  bidden  save  the  men 
and  divide  the  treasure,  his  charge  had  been  more  plausible 
than  now  to  kill  the  men  and  save  the  treasure :  or,  if  they  must 
kill,  earthly  minds  would  more  gladly  shed  their  enemies'  blood 
for  a  booty  than  out  of  obedience  for  the  glory  of  their  Maker. 
But  now  it  is  good  reason,  since  God  threw  down  those  walls  and 
not  they,  that  both  the  blood  of  that  wicked  city  should  be  spilt 
to  him,  not  to  their  own  revenge ;  and  that  the  treasure  should 
be  reserved  for  his  use,  not  for  theirs.  Who  but  a  miscreant  can 
grudge  that  God  should  serve  himself  of  bis  own  ?  I  cannot  blame 
the  rest  of  Israel  if  they  were  well  pleased  with  these  conditions ; 
only  one  Achan  troubles  the  peace,  and  his  sin  is  imputed  to 
Israel:  the  innocence  of  so  many  thousand  Israelites  is  not  so 
forcible  to  excuse  his  one  sin,  as  his  one  sin  is  to  taint  all  Israel. 

A  lewd  man  is  a  pernicious  creature :  that  he  damns  his  own 
soul  is  the  least  part  of  his  mischief;  he  commonly  draws  venge- 
ance upon  a  thousand,  either  by  the  desert  of  his  sin  or  by 
the  infection.  Who  would  not  have  hoped  that  the  same  God, 
which  for  ten  righteous  men  would  have  spared  the  five  wicked 
cities,  should  not  have  been  content  to  drown  one  sin  in  the  obe- 
dience of  so  many  righteous  ?  But  so  venomous  is  sin,  especially 
when  it  lights  among  God's  people,  that  one  dram  of  it  is  able  to 
infect  the  whole  mass  of  Israel. 

O  righteous  people  of  Israel,  that  had  but  one  Achan  1  How 
had  their  late  circumcision  cut  away  the  unclean  foreskin  of  their 
disobedience  I  How  had  the  blood  of  their  paschal  lamb  scoured 
their  souls  from  covetous  desires !  The  world  was  well  mended 
with  them,  since  their  stubborn  murmurings  in  the  desert.  Since 
the  death  of  Moses  and  the  government  of  Joshua  I  do  not  find 
them  in  any  disorder.  After  that  the  law  hath  brought  us  under 
the  conduct  of  the  true  Jesus,  our  sins  are  more  rare  and  our  lives 
more  conscionable.  While  we  are  under  the  law,  we  do  not  so 
keep  it  as  when  we  are  delivered  from  it :  our  Christian  freedom 
is  more  holy  than  our  servitude.  Then  have  the  sacraments  of 
God  their  due  effect  when  their  receipt  purgeth  us  from  our  old 
sins,  and  makes  our  conversation  clean  and  spiritual. 

Little  did  Joshua  know  that  there  was  any  sacrilege  committed 


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202  Of  Achan.  book  vui. 

by  Israel:  that  sin  is  not  half  cunning  enough  that  hath  not 
learned  secresy.  Joshua  was  a  vigilant  leader,  yet  some  sins 
will  escape  him  :  only  that  eye  which  is  everywhere  finds  us  out 
in  our  close  wickedness.  It  is  no  blame  to  authority  that  some 
sins  are  secretly  committed.  The  holiest  congregation  or  family 
may  be  blemished  with  some  malefactors.  It  is  just  blame  that 
open  sins  are  not  punished:  we  shall  wrong  government  if  we 
shall  expect  the  reach  of  it  should  be  infinite. 

He  therefore,  which  if  he  had  known  the  offence  would  have 
sent  up  prayers  and  tears  to  God,  now  sends  spies  for  a  further 
discovery  of  Ai :  they  return  with  news  of  the  weakness  of  their 
adversaries ;  and,  as  contemning  their  paucity,  persuade  Joshua 
that  a  wing  of  Israel  is  enough  to  overshadow  this  city  of  Ai. 
The  Israelites  were  so  fleshed  with  their  former  victory,  that 
now  they  think  no  walls  or  men  can  stand  before  them.  Good 
success  lifts  up  the  heart  with  too  much  confidence;  and  while 
it  dissuades  men  from  doing  their  best,  ofttimes  disappoints  them. 
With  God  the  means  can  never  be  too  weak ;  without  him,  never 
strong  enough. 

It  is  not  good  to  contemn  an  impotent  enemy.  In  this  second 
battle  the  Israelites  are  beaten :  it  was  not  the  fewness  of  their 
assailants  that  overthrew  them,  but  the  sin  that  lay  lurking  at 
home.  If  all  the  host  of  Israel  had  set  upon  this  poor  village  of 
Ai,  they  had  been  all  equally  discomfited :  the  wedge  of  Achan 
did  more  fight  against  them  than  all  the  swords  of  the  Canaanites. 
The  victories  of  God  go  not  by  strength,  but  by  innocence. 

Doubtless  these  men  of  Ai  insulted  in  this  foil  of  Israel,  and 
said,  "  Lo,  these  are  the  men  from  whose  presence  the  waters  of 
Jordan  ran  back ;  now  they  run  as  fast  away  from  ours :  these 
are  they  before  whom  the  walls  of  Jericho  fell  down ;  now  they 
are  fallen  as  fast  before  us."  And  all  their  neighbours  took 
heart  from  this  victory :  wherein  I  doubt  not  but  besides  the 
punishment  of  Israel's  sin,  God  intended  the  further  obduration 
of  the  Canaanites ;  like  as  some  skilful  player  loses  on  purpose 
at  the  beginning  of  the  game  to  draw  on  the  more  abetments. 
The  news  of  their  overthrow  spread  as  far  as  the  fame  of  their 
speed ;  and  every  city  of  Canaan  could  say,  "  Why  not  we  as 
well  as  Ai?" 

But  good  Joshua,  that  succeeded  Moses  no  less  in  the  care  of 
God's  glory  than  in  his  government,  is  much  dejected  with  this 
event.     He  rends  his  clothes,  falls  on  his  face,  casts  dust  upon 


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cont.  iv,  QfAchan.  208 

his  head,  and,  as  if  he  had  learned  of  his  master  how  to  expos- 
tulate with  God,  says,  What  wilt  thou  do  to  thy  mighty  name  ? 

That  Joshua  might  see  God  took  no  pleasure  to  let  the  Israel- 
ites lie  dead  upon  the  earth  before  their  enemies,  himself  is  taxed 
for  but  lying  all  day  upon  his  face  before  the  ark.  All  his  ex- 
postulations are  answered  in  one  word ;  Oet  thee  up,  Israel  hath 
sinned.  I  do  not  hear  God  say,  "  Lie  still,  and  mourn  for  the 
sin  of  Israel/'  It  is  to  no  purpose  to  pray  against  punishment 
while  the  sin  continues.  And  though  God  loves  to  be  sued  to, 
yet  he  holds  our  requests  unseasonable  till  there  be  care  had  of 
satisfaction.  When  we  have  risen  and  redressed  sin,  then  may 
we  fall  down  for  pardon. 

Victory  is  in  the  free  hand  of  God,  to  dispose  where  he  will ; 
and  no  man  can  marvel  that  the  dice  of  war  run  ever  with 
hazard  on  both  sides,  so  as  God  needed  not  to  have  given  any 
other  reason  of  this  discomfiture  of  Israel  but  his  own  pleasure : 
yet  Joshua  must  now  know  that  Israel,  which  before  prevailed 
for  their  faith,  is  beaten  for  their  sin.  When  we  are  crossed  in 
just  and  holy  quarrels,  we  may  well  think  there  is  some  secret 
evil  unrepented  of,  which  God  would  punish  in  us ;  which  though 
we  see  not,  yet  he  so  hates,  that  he  will  rather  be  wanting  to  his 
own  cause  than  not  revenge  it.  When  we  go  about  any  enter- 
prise of  God,  it  is  good  to  see  that  our  hearts  be  clear  from  any 
pollution  of  sin ;  and  when  we  are  thwarted  in  our  hopes,  it  is 
our  best  course  to  ransack  ourselves,  and  to  search  for  some  sin 
hid  from  us  in  our  bosom,  but  open  to  the  view  of  God. 

The  oracle  of  God,  which  told  him  a  great  offence  was  com- 
mitted, yet  reveals  not  the  person.  It  had  been  as  easy  for  him 
to  have  named  the  man  as  the  crime.  Neither  doth  Joshua  re- 
quest it ;  but  refers  that  discovery  to  such  a  means,  as  whereby 
the  offender,  finding  himself  singled  out  by  the  lot,  might  be 
most  convinced.  Achan  thought  he  might  have  lien  as  close  in 
all  that  throng  of  Israel  as  the  wedge  of  gold  lay  in  his  tent.  The 
same  hope  of  secresy  which  moved  him  to  sin  moved  him  to  con- 
fidence in  his  sin ;  but  now,  when  he  saw  the  lot  fall  upon  his 
tribe,  he  began  to  start  a  little ;  when  upon  his  family,  he  began 
to  change  countenance;  when  upon  his  household,  to  tremble 
and  fear ;  when  upon  his  person,  to  be  utterly  confounded  in  him- 
self. Foolish  men  think  to  run  away  with  their  privy  sins,  and 
say,  Tush,  no  eye  shall  see  me ;  but  when  they  think  themselves 
safest,  God  pulls  them  out  with  shame.  The  man  that  hath  escaped 


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204  Of  Achan.  book  viii. 

justice,  and  now  is  lying  down  in  death,  would  think,  "  My  shame 
shall  never  be  disclosed ;"  bu|  before  men  and  angels  shall  he  be 
brought  on  the  scaffold,  and  find  confusion  as  sure  as  late. 

What  needed  any  other  evidence,  when  God  had  accused 
Achan?  Yet  Joshua  will  have  the  sin  out  of  his  mouth  in  whose 
heart  it  was  hatched;  My  son,  I  beseech  thee,  give  glory  to 
God.  Whom  God  had  convinced  as  a  malefactor,  Joshua  be- 
seeches as  a  son.  Some  hot  spirit  would  have  said,  "Thou 
wretched  traitor,  how  hast  thou  pilfered  from  thy  God,  and  shed 
the  blood  of  so  many  Israelites,  and  caused  the  host  of  Israel  to 
show  their  backs  with  dishonour  to  the  heathen  I  Now  shall  we 
fetch  this  sin  out  of  thee  with  tortures,  and  plague  thee  with  a 
condign  death."  But,  like  the  disciple  of  him  whose  servant  he 
was,  he  meekly  entreats  that  which  he  might  have  extorted  by 
violence ;  My  eon,  I  beseech  thee.  Sweetness  of  compeHation  is 
a  great  help  towards  the  good  entertainment  of  an  admonition : 
roughness  and  rigour  many  times  harden  those  hearts  which 
meekness  would  have  melted  to  repentance :  whether  we  sue,  or 
convince,  or  reprove,  little  good  is  gotten  by  bitterness.  De- 
testation of  the  sin  may  well  stand  with  favour  to  the  person; 
and  these  two  not  distinguished  cause  great  wrong  either  in  our 
charity  or  justice ;  for  either  we  uncharitably  hate  the  creature 
of  God,  or  unjustly  affect  the  evil  of  men.  Subjects  are,  as  jthey 
are  called,  sons  to  the  magistrate :  all  Israel  was  not  only  of  the 
family,  but  as  of  the  loins  of  Joshua.  Such  must  be  the  cor- 
rections, such  the  provisions  of  governors,  as  for  their  children ; 
as  again,  the  obedience  and  love  of  subjects  must  be  filial. 

God  had  glorified  himself  sufficiently  in  finding  out  the  wicked- 
ness of  Achan ;  neither  need  he  honour  from  men,  much  less  from 
sinners :  they  can  dishonour  him  by  their  iniquities,  but  what  re- 
compense can  they  give  him  for  their  wrongs  ?  Yet  Joshua  says, 
My  son,  give  glory  to  Qod.  Israel  should  now  see  that  the  tongue 
of  Achan  did  justify  God  in  his  lot.  The  confession  of  our  sins 
doth  no  less  honour  God  than  his  glory  is  blemished  by  their 
commission.  Who  would  not  be  glad  to  redeem  the  honour  of 
his  Redeemer  with  his  own  shame? 

The  lot  of  God  and  the  mild  words  of  Joshua  won  Achan  to 
accuse  himself,  ingenuously,  impartially :  a  storm  perhaps  would 
not  have  done  that  which  a  sunshine  had  done.  If  Achan  had 
come  in  uncalled,  and  before  any  question  made,  out  of  an  honest 
remorse,  had  brought  in  his  sacrilegious  booty,  and  cast  himself 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  iv.  Of  Achan.  205 

and  it  at  the  foot  of  Joshua ;  doubtless  Israel  had  prospered,  and 
his  sin  had  carried  away  pardon :  now  he  hath  gotten  thus  much 
thank,  that  he  is  not  a  desperate  sinner.  God  will  once  wring 
from  the  conscience  of  wicked  men  their  own  indictments :  they 
have  not  more  carefully  hid  their  sin,  than  they  shall  one  day 
freely  proclaim  their  own  shame. 

Achan's  confession,  though  it  were  late,  yet  was  it  free  and 
full ;  for  he  doth  not  only  acknowledge  the  act,  but  the  ground 
of  his  sin ;  I  saw  and  coveted,  and  took.  The  eye  betrayed  the 
heart,  and  that  the  hand;  and  now  all  conspire  in  the  offence. 
If  we  list  not  to  flatter  ourselves,  this  hath  been  the  order  of  our 
crimes.  Evil  is  uniform ;  and  beginning  at  the  senses,  takes  the 
inmost  fort  of  the  soul,  and  then  arms  our  own  outward  forces 
against  us.  This  shall  once  be  the  lascivious  man's  song,  "I  saw, 
and  coveted,  and  took :"  this  the  thief  s,  this  the  idolater's,  this 
the  glutton's  and  drunkard's :  all  these  receive  their  death  by  the 
eye.  But,  O  foolish  Achan !  with  what  eyes  didst  thou  look  upon 
that  spoil  which  thy  fellows  saw  and  contemned?  Why  couldst 
thou  not  before  as  well  as  now  see  shame  hid  under  that  gay 
Babylonish  garment  ?  and  an  heap  of  stones  covered  with  those 
shekels  of  silver?  The  over-prizing  and  over-desiring  of  these 
earthly  things  carries  us  into  all  mischief,  and  hides  from  us  the 
sight  of  God's  judgments :  whosoever  desires  the  glory  of  metals, 
or  of  gay  clothes,  or  honour,  cannot  be  innocent. 

Well  might  Joshua  have  proceeded  to  the  execution  of  him 
whom  God  and  his  own  mouth  accused ;  but  as  one  that  thought 
no  evidence  could  be  too  strong  in  a  case  that  was  capital,  he 
sends  to  see  whether  there  was  as  much  truth  in  the  confession 
as  there  was  falsehood  in  the  stealth.  Magistrates  and  judges 
must  pace  slowly  and  sure  in  the  punishment  of  offenders.  Pre- 
sumptions are  not  ground  enough  for  the  sentence  of  death ;  no, 
not  in  some  cases  the  confessions  of  the  guilty :  it  is  no  warrant 
for  the  law  to  wrong  a  man,  that  he  hath  before  wronged  him- 
self. Thtfre  is  less  ill  in  sparing  an  offender  than  in  punishing  the 
innocent. 

Who  would  not  have  expected,  since  the  confession  of  Achan 
was  ingenuous,  and  his  pillage  still  found  entire,  that  his  life 
should  have  been  pardoned  ?  But  here  was,  "  Confess  and  die." 
He  had  been  too  long  sick  of  this  disease  to  be  recovered.  Had 
his  confession  been  speedy  and  free,  it  had  saved  him.  How 
dangerous  it  is  to  suffer  sin  to  lie  fretting  into  the  soul ;  which,  if 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


206  Of  Achaiu  hook  viii. 

it  were  washed  off  betimes  with  our  repentance,  could  not  kill  us ! 
In  mortal  offences  the  course  of  human  justice  is  not  stayed  by 
our  penitence :  it  is  well  for  our  souls  that  we  have  repented,  but 
the  laws  of  men  take  not  notice  of  our  sorrow.  I  know  not  whe- 
ther the  death  or  the  tears  of  a  malefactor  be  a  better  sight  The 
censures  of  the  church  are  wiped  off  with  weeping,  not  the  penal- 
ties of  laws. 

Neither  is  Achan  alone  called  forth  to  death,  but  all  his  family, 
all  his  substance.  The  actor  alone  doth  not  smart  with  sacrilege ; 
all  that  concerns  him  is  enwrapped  in  the  judgment.  Those  that 
defile  their  hands  with  holy  goods  are  enemies  to  their  own  flesh 
and  blood.  God's  first  revenges  are  so  much  the  more  fearful, 
because  they  must  be  exemplary. 


OF  THE  GIBEONIT  ES.-^Joshua  ix. 

The  news  of  Israel's  victory  had  flown  over  all  the  mountains 
and  valleys  of  Canaan ;  and  yet  those  heathenish  kings  and  peo- 
ple are  mustered  together  against  them.  They  might  have  seen 
themselves  in  Jericho  and  Ai,  and  have  well  perceived  it  was  not 
an  arm  of  flesh  that  they  must  resist;  yet  they  gather  their 
forces  and  say,  "  Tush,  we  shall  speed  better."  It  is  madness  in  a 
man  not  to  be  warned,  but  to  run  upon  the  point  of  those  judg- 
ments wherewith  he  sees  others  miscarry,  and  not  to  believe  till 
he  cannot  recover.  Our  assent  is  purchased  too  late  when  we 
have  overstayed  prevention,  and  trust  to  that  experience  which 
we  cannot  live  to  redeem. 

Only  the  Hivites  are  wiser  than  their  fellows,  and  will  rather 
yield  and  live.  Their  intelligence  was  not  diverse  from  the  rest : 
all  had  equally  heard  of  the  miraculous  conduct  and  success  of 
Israel ;  but  their  resolution  was  diverse.  As  Rahab  saved  her 
family  in  the  midst  of  Jericho,  so  these  four  cities  preserved  them- 
selves in  the  midst  of  Canaan ;  and  both  of  them  by  believing 
what  God  would  do.  The  efficacy  of  God's  marvellous  works  is 
not  in  the  acts  themselves,  but  in  our  apprehension:  some  are 
overcome  with  those  motives  which  others  have  contemned  for 
weak. 

Had  these  Gibeonites  joined  with  the  forces  of  all  their  neigh- 
bours, they  had  perished  in  their  common  slaughter ;  if  they  had 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.v.  Of  the  Gibeonites.  207 

not  gone  away  by  themselves,  death  had  met  them :  it  may  have 
more  pleasure,  it  cannot  have  so  much  safety,  to  follow  the  multi- 
tude. If  examples  may  lead  us,  the  greatest  part  shuts  out  God 
upon  earth,  and  is  excluded  from  God  elsewhere.  Some  few  poor 
Hivites  yield  to  the  Church  of  God  and  escape  the  condemnation 
of  the  world.  It  is  very  like  their  neighbours  flouted  at  this  base 
submission  of  the  Gibeonites,  and  out  of  their  terms  of  honour 
scorned  to  beg  life  of  an  enemy  while  they  were  out  of  the  com- 
pass of  mercy ;  but  when  the  bodies  of  these  proud  Jebusites  and 
Perizzites  lay  strewed  upon  the  earth,  and  the  Gibeonites  survived, 
whether  was  more  worthy  of  scorn  and  insultation  ? 

If  the  Gibeonites  had  stayed  till  Israel  had  besieged  their  cities, 
their  yieldance  had  been  fruitless;  now  they  make  an  early  peace, 
and  are  preserved.  There  is  no  wisdom  in  staying  till  a  judg- 
ment come  home  to  us :  the  only  way  to  avoid  it  is  to  meet  it 
half  way.  There  is  the  same  remedy  of  war  and  of  danger :  to 
provoke  an  enemy  in  his  own  borders  is  the  best  stay  of  invasion : 
and  to  solicit  God  betimes  in  a  manifest  danger  is  the  best  anti- 
dote for  death. 

I  commend  their  wisdom  in  seeking  peace ;  I  do  not  commend 
their  falsehood  in  the  manner  of  seeking  it.  Who  can  look  for 
any  better  of  pagans  ?  But  as  the  faith  of  Rahab  is  so  rewarded 
that  her  lie  is  not  punished,  so  the  fraud  of  these  Gibeonites  is  not 
an  equal  match  to  their  belief,  since  the  name  of  the  Lord  God 
of  Israel  brought  them  to  this  suit  of  peace. 

Nothing  is  found  fitter  to  deceive  God's  people  than  a  counter- 
feit copy  of  age :  here  are  old  sacks,  old  bottles,  old  shoes,  old 
garments,  old  bread.  The  Israelites  that  had  worn  one  suit  forty 
years  seemed  new  clad  in  comparison  of  them.  It  is  no  new 
policy  that  Satan  would  beguile  us  with  a  vain  colour  of  antiquity, 
clothing  falsehood  in  rags.  Errors  are  never  the  elder  for  their 
patching :  corruption  can  do  the  same  that  time  would  do :  we 
may  make  age  as  well  as  suffer  it.  These  Gibeonites  did  tear 
their  bottles  and  shoes  and  clothes,  and  made  them  naught,  that 
they  might  seem  old :  so  do  the  false  patrons  of  new  errors.  If 
we  be  caught  with  this  Gibeonitish  stratagem,  it  is  a  sign  we  have 
not  consulted  with  God. 

The  sentence  of  death  was  gone  out  against  all  the  inhabitants 
of  Canaan.  These  Hivites  acknowledge  the  truth  and  judgments 
of  God,  and  yet  seek  to  escape  by  a  league  with  Israel.  The  ge- 
neral denunciations  of  the  vengeance  of  God  enwrap  all  sinners ; 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


208  Oft/ie  Gibeonites.  book  viii. 

yet  may  we  not  despair  of  mercy.  If  the  secret  counsel  of  the 
Almighty  had  not  designed  these  men  to  life,  Joshua  could  not 
have  been  deceived  with  their  league.  In  the  generality  there  is 
no  hope.  Let  us  come  in  the  old  rags  of  our  vileness  to  the  true 
Joshua,  and  make  our  truce  with  him;  we  may  live,  yea  we 
shall  live. 

Some  of  the  Israelites  suspect  the  fraud ;  and,  notwithstanding 
all  their  old  garments  and  provisions,  can  say,  It  may  be  thou 
dwellest  among  us :  if  Joshua  had  continued  this  doubt,  the  Gi- 
beonites had  torn  their  bottles  in  vain.  In  cases  and  persons 
unknown,  it  is  safe  not  to  be  too  credulous :  charity  itself  will  allow 
suspicion  where  we  have  seen  no  cause  to  trust. 

If  these  Hivites  had  not  put  on  new  faces  with  their  old  clothes, 
they  had  surely  changed  countenance  when  they  heard  this  argu- 
ment of  the  Israelites,  It  may  be  thou  dwellest  amongst  us :  how 
then  can  I  make  a  league  with  thee  ?  They  had  perhaps  hoped 
their  submission  would  not  have  been  refused,  wheresoever  they 
had  dwelt;  but  lest  their  neighbourhood  might  be  a  prejudice, 
they  come  disguised ;  and  now  hear  that  their  nearness  of  abode 
was  an  unremovable  bar  of  peace.  It  was  quarrel  enough  that 
they  were  Oanaanites :  God  had  forbidden  both  the  league  and 
the  life  of  the  native  inhabitants.  He  that  calls  himself  the  God 
of  peace  proclaims  himself  the  God  of  hosts ;  and  not  to  fight 
where  he  hath  commanded  is  to  break  the  peace  with  God  while 
we  nourish  it  with  men.  Contention  with  brethren  is  not  more 
hateful  to  him  than  leagues  with  idolaters.  The  condition  that  he 
hath  set  to  our  peace  is  our  possibility  and  power.  That  falls  not 
within  the  possibility  of  our  power  which  we  cannot  do  lawfully. 

What  a  smooth  tale  did  these  Gibeonites  tell  for  themselves, 
of  the  remoteness  of  their  country,  the  motives  of  their  journey, 
the  consultation  of  their  elders,  the  ageing  of  their  provisions  in 
the  way ;  that  it  might  seem  not  only  safe,  but  deserved  on  their 
parts,  that  they  should  be  admitted  to  a  peace  so  far  sought,  and 
purchased  with  so  much  toil  and  importunity.  Their  clothes  and 
their  tongues  agreed  together,  and  both  disagree  from  the  truth. 
Deceit  is  ever  lightly  wrapped  up  in  plausibility  of  words;  as  fair 
faces  oftentimes  hide  much  unchastity.  But  this  guile  sped  the 
better  because  it  was  clad  with  much  plainness ;  for  who  would  have 
suspected  that  clouted  shoes  and  ragged  coats  could  have  covered 
so  much  subtlety  ?  The  case  seemed  so  clear,  that  the  Israelites 
thought  it  needless  to  consult  with  the  mouth  of  the  Lord.    Their 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


coxt.  v.  Of  the  Gibeonites.  209 

own  eyes  and  ears  were  called  only  to  counsel ;  and  now  their  cre- 
dulity hath  drawn  them  into  inconvenience. 

There  is  no  way  to  convince  the  Gibeonitish  pretences  of  an- 
tiquity, but  to  have  recourse  to  the  oracle  of  God.  Had  this  been 
advised  with,  none  of  these  false  rags  had  shamed  the  Church  of 
God :  whether  in  our  practice  or  judgment,  this  direction  cannot 
fail  us;  whereas  what  we  take  upon  the  words  of  men  proves 
ever  either  light  or  false  wares. 

The  facility  of  Israel  had  led  them  into  a  league,  to  an  oath,  for 
the  safety  of  the  Gibeonites ;  and  now,  within  three  days,  they 
find  both  their  neighbourhood  and  deceit.  Those  old  shoes  of 
theirs  would  easily  hold  to  carry  them  back  to  their  home.  The 
march  of  a  great  army  is  easy ;  yet  within  three  days  the  Israelites 
were  before  their  cities.  Joshua  might  now  have  taken  advantage 
of  their  own  words  to  dissolve  his  league,  and  have  said,  "  Ye  are 
come  from  a  far  country,  these  cities  are  near,  these  are  not  there- 
fore the  people  to  whom  we  are  engaged  by  our  promise  and 
oath :  and  if  these  cities  be  yours,  yet  ye  are  not  yourselves.  Ere- 
while  ye  were  strangers,  now  ye  are  Hivites  born,  and  dwelling 
in  the  midst  of  Canaan ;  we  will  therefore  destroy  these  cities 
near  hand,  and  do  you  save  your  people  afar  off."  It  would  seem 
very  questionable  whether  Joshua  needed  to  hold  himself  bound 
to  this  oath,  for  fraudulent  conventions  oblige  not,  and  Israel  had 
put  in  a  direct  caveat  of  their  vicinity ;  yet  dare  not  Joshua  and 
the  princes  trt^st  to  shifts  for  the  eluding  their  oath,  but  must 
faithfully  perform  what  they  have  rashly  promised. 

Joshua's  heart  was  clear  from  any  intention  of  a  league  with  a 
Canaanite  when  he  gave  his  oath  to  these  disguised  strangers ; 
yet  he  durst  neither  repeal  it  himself,  neither  do  I  hear  him  sue  to 
Eleazar  the  high  priest  to  dispense  with  it,  but  takes  himself  tied 
to  the  very  strict  words  of  his  oath,  not  to  his  own  purpose.  His 
tongue  had  bound  his  heart  and  hands,  so  as  neither  might  stir ; 
lest  while  he  was  curious  of  fulfilling  the  will  of  God,  he  should 
violate  the  oath  of  God.  And  if  the  Gibeonites  had  not  known 
these  holy  bonds  indissoluble,  they  neither  had  been  so  importu- 
nate to  obtain  their  vow,  nor  durst  they  have  trusted  it  being 
obtained.  If  either  dispensation  with  oaths,  or  equivocation  in 
oaths  had  been  known  in  the  world,  or  at  least  approved,  these 
Gibeonites  had  not  lived,  and  Israel  had  slain  them  without  sin  : 
either  Israel  wanted  skill,  or  our  reservers  honesty. 

The  multitude  of  Israel,  when  they  came  to  the  walls  of  these 

'   TT"^  LVt.RSXTY  4 


210  Of  the  Gibeonites.  book  viii. 

four  exempted  cities,  itched  to  be  at  the  spoil.  Not  out  of  a  de- 
sire to  fulfil  God's  commandment,  but  to  enrich  themselves,  would 
they  have  fallen  upon  these  Hivites.  They  thought  all  lost  that 
fell  beside  their  fingers.  The  wealthy  city  of  Jericho  was  first 
altogether  interdicted  them :  the  walls  and  houses  either  fell  or 
must  be  burnt,  the  men  and  cattle  killed,  the  goods  and  treasure 
confiscate  to  God.  Achan's  booty  shows  that  city  was  both  rich 
and  proud;  yet  Israel  might  be  no  whit  the  better  for  them, 
carrying  away  nothing  but  empty  victory :  and  now  four  other 
cities  must  be  exempted  from  their  pillage.  Many  an  envious  look 
did  Israel  therefore  cast  upon  these  walls,  and  many  bitter  words 
did  they  cast  out  against  their  princes,  the  enemies  of  their  gain ; 
whether  for  swearing,  or  for  that  they  would  not  forswear :  but 
howsoever,  the  princes  might  have  said  in  a  return  to  their  fraud, 
"  We  swore  indeed  to  you,  but  not  the  people ;"  yet  if  any  Israel- 
ite had  but  pulled  down  one  stone  from  their  walls,  or  shed  one 
drop  of  Gibeonitish  blood,  he  had  no  less  plagued  all  Israel  for 
perjury,  than  Achan  had  before  plagued  them  for  sacrilege.  The 
sequel  shows  how  God  would  have  taken  it ;  for  when,  three  hun- 
dred years  after,  Saul,  perhaps  forgetting  the  vow  of  his  fore- 
fathers, slew  some  of  these  Gibeonites,  although  out  of  a  well- 
meant  zeal,  all  Israel  smarted  for  the  fact  with  a  three  years' 
famine,  and  that  in  David's  reign,  who  received  this  oracle  from 
God,  It  is  for  Saul,  and  for  his  bloody  house,  because  he  slew 
the  Gibeonites.  Neither  could  this  wrong  be  expiated  but  by  the 
blood  of  Saul's  seven  sons,  hanged  up  at  the  very  court-gates  of 
their  father. 

Joshua  and  the  princes  had  promised  them  life,  they  promised 
them  not  liberty :  no  covenant  was  passed  against  their  servitude. 
It  was  just  therefore  with  the  rulers  of  Israel  to  make  slavery  the 
price  both  of  their  lives  and  their  deceit.  The  Israelites  had 
themselves  been  drudges,  if  the  Gibeonites  had  not  beguiled  them 
and  lived.  The  old  rags  therefore  wherewith  they  came  disguised 
must  now  be  their  best  suits :  and  their  life  must  be  toilsomely 
spent  in  hewing  of  wood  and  drawing  of  water  for  all  Israel.  How 
dear  is  life  to  our  nature,  that  men  can  be  content  to  purchase  it 
with  servitude !  It  is  the  wisdom  of  God's  children  to  make  good 
use  of  their  oversights.  The  rash  oath  of  Israel  proves  their  ad- 
vantage :  even  wicked  men  gain  by  the  outside  of  good  actions  : 
good  men  make  a  benefit  of  their  sins. 


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CONTEMPLATIONS 

UPON  THB 

PRINCIPAL  PASSAGES 

OF  THB 

HOLY    STORY. 


THE  THIRD  VOLUME. 


P  % 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


CONTEMPLATIONS. 


BOOK  IX. 

TO  THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  MY  SINGULAR  GOOD  LORD, 

SIR  THOMAS  EGERTON,  KNIGHT* 

LORD  ELLESHERE,  LORD  CHANCELLOR  OF  ENGLAND,  CHANCELLOR  OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  OXFORD  ; 

THE  SINCERE  AND  GRATE  ORACLE  OF  EQUITY,  THE  GREAT  AND   SURE 

FRIEND  OF  THE  CHURCH,  THE  SANCTUARY  OF  THE  CLERGY, 

THE  BOUNTIFUL  ENCOURAGER  OF  LEARNING  ; 

J.  H. 

WITH  THANKFUL  ACKNOWLEDGMENT  OF  GOD'S  BLESSING  UPON  THIS 

STATE,  IN  SO  WORTHY  AN  INSTRUMENT,  AND  HUMBLE  PRAYERS 

FOR  HIS  HAPPY  CONTINUANCE,  DEDICATES  THIS  POOR  AND 

UNWORTHY  PART  OF  HIS  LABOURS. 


THE  RESCUE  OF  GIBEON.-Joshua  x. 

Thb  life  of  the  Gibeonite*  must  cost  them  servitude  from  Israel, 
and  dangers  from  their  neighbours.  If  Joshua  will  but  sit  still, 
the  deceit  of  the  Gibeonites  shall  be  revenged  by  his  enemies. 
Five  kings  are  up  in  arms  against  them,  and  are  ready  to  pay 
their  fraud  with  violence,  what  should  these  poor  men  do?  If 
they  make  not  their  peace,  they  die  by  strangers ;  if  they  do 
make  their  peace  with  foreigners,  they  must  die  by  neighbours. 
There  is  no  course  that  threatens  not  some  danger :  we  have  sped 
well,  if  our  choice  hath  light  upon  the  easiest  inconvenience. 

If  these  Hivites  have  sinned  against  God,  against  Israel ;  yet 
what  have  they  done  to  their  neighbours  ?  I  hear  of  no  treachery, 

»  [Created  lord  Egerton  of  Ellesmere,  1603;  lord  chancellor,  1604;  vis- 
count Brackley,  161 6.] 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  i.  Tlhe  rescue  of  Gibeon.  21 3 

no  secret  information,  no  attempt.  I  see  no  sin  but  their  league 
with  Israel,  and  their  life :  yet,  for  aught  we  find,  they  were  free- 
men ;  no  way  either  obliged  or  obnoxious.  As  Satan,  so  wicked 
men,  cannot  abide  to  lose  any  of  their  community :  if  a  convert 
come  home,  the  angels  welcome  him  with  songs,  the  devils  follow 
him  with  uproar  and  fury,  his  old  partners  with  scorns  and 
obloquy. 

I  find  these  neighbour  princes  half  dead  with  fear,  and  yet 
they  can  find  time  to  be  sick  of  envy.  Malice  in  a  wicked  heart 
is  the  king  of  passions,  all  other  vail  and  bow  when  it  comes  in 
place ;  even  their  own  life  was  not  so  dear  to  them  as  revenge. 
Who  would  not  rather  have  looked  that  these  kings  should  have 
tried  to  have  followed  the  copy  of  this  league  ?  or  if  their  fingers 
did  itch  to  fight,  why  did  they  not  rather  think  of  a  defensive 
war  against  Israel,  than  an  offensive  against  the  Gibeonites? 
Gibeon  was  strong,  and  would  not  be  won  without  blood;  yet 
these  Amorites,  which  at  their  best  were  too  weak  for  Israel, 
would  spend  their  forces  beforehand  on  their  neighbours.  Here 
was  a  strong  hatred  in  weak  breasts :  they  feared,  and  yet  began 
to  fight;  they  feared  Israel,  yet  began  to  fight  with  Gibeon. 
If  they  had  sat  still,  their  destruction  had  not  been  so  sudden :  the 
malice  of  the  wicked  hastens  the  pace  of  their  own  judgment.  No 
rod  is  so  fit  for  a  mischievous  man  as  his  own. 

Gibeon  and  these  other  cities  of  the  Hivites  had  no  king ;  and 
none  yielded  and  escaped  but  they.  Their  elders  consulted  be- 
fore for  their  league ;  neither  is  there  any  challenge  sent  to  the 
king,  but  to  the  city :  and  now  these  five  kings  of  the  Amorites 
have  unjustly  compacted  against  them.  Sovereignty  abused  is  a 
great  spur  to  outrage :  the  conceit  of  authority  in  great  persons 
many  times  lies  in  the  way  of  their  own  safety,  while  it  will  not 
let  them  stoop  to  the  ordinary  courses  of  inferiors.  Hence  it  is, 
that  heaven  is  peopled  with  so  few  great  ones :  hence  it  is,  that 
true  contentment  seldom  dwells  high,  while  meaner  men,  of  hum- 
ble spirits,  enjoy  both  earth  and  heaven. 

The  Gibeonites  had  well  proved,  that  though  they  wanted  an 
head,  yet  they  wanted  not  wit ;  and  now  the  same  wit  that  won 
Joshua  and  Israel  to  their  friendship  and  protection,  teacheth 
them  to  make  use  of  those  they  had  won.  If  they  had  not  more 
trusted  Joshua  than  their  walls,  they  had  never  stolen  that  league ; 
and  when  should  they  have  use  of  their  new  protectors,  but  now 
that  they  were  assailed  ?  Whither  should  we  fly  but  to  our  Joshua, 


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214  The  rescue  ofCHbeon.  book  ix. 

when  the  powers  of  darkness,  like  mighty  Amorites,  have  besieged 
us  ?  If  ever  we  will  send  up  our  prayers  to  him,  it  will  be  when 
we  are  beleaguered  with  evils.  If  we  trust  to  our  own  resistance, 
we  cannot  stand ;  we  cannot  miscarry,  if  we  trust  to  his :  in  vain 
shall  we  send  to  our  Joshua  in  these  straits,  if  we  have  not  before 
come  to  him  in  our  freedom. 

Which  of  us  would  not  have  thought  Joshua  had  a  good  pre- 
tence for  his  forbearance,  and  have  said,  "  Tou  have  stolen  your 
league  with  me :  why  do  you  expect  help  from  him  whom  ye  have 
deceived?  All  that  we  promised  you  was  a  sufferance  to  live: 
enjoy  what  we  promised ;  we  will  not  take  your  life  from  you. 
Hath  your  faithfulness  deserved  to  expect  more  than  our  cove- 
nant? We  never  promised  to  hazard  our  lives  for  you;  to  give 
you  life  with  the  loss  of  our  own."  But  that  good  man  durst  not 
construe  his  own  covenant  to  such  an  advantage :  he  knew  little 
difference  betwixt  killing  them  with  his  own  sword,  and  the  sword 
of  an  Amorite :  whosoever  should  give  the  blow,  the  murder  would 
be  his.  Even  permission  in  those  things  we  may  remedy  makes 
us  no  less  actors  than  consent :  some  men  kill  as  much  by  looking 
on,  as  others  by  smiting.  We  are  guilty  of  all  the  evil  we  might 
have  hindered. 

The  noble  disposition  of  Joshua,  besides  his  engagement,  will 
not  let  him  forsake  his  new  vassals.  Their  confidence  in  him  is 
argument  enough  to  draw  him  into  the  field.  The  greatest  obli- 
gation to  a  good  mind  is  another's  trust ;  which  to  disappoint  were 
mercilessly  perfidious.  How  much  less  shall  our  true  Joshua  fail 
the  confidence  of  our  faith !  0  my  Saviour,  if  we  send  the  messen- 
gers of  our  prayers  to  thee  into  thy  Gilgal,  thy  mercy  binds  thee 
to  relief:  never  any  soul  miscarried  that  trusted  thee :  we  may  be 
wanting  in  our  trust ;  our  trust  can  never  want  success. 

Speed  in  bestowing  doubles  a  gift :  a  benefit  deferred  loses  the 
thanks,  and  proves  unprofitable.  Joshua  marches  all  night,  and 
fights  all  day  for  the  Gibeonites :  they  took  not  so  much  pains  in 
coming  to  deceive  him,  as  he  in  going  to  deliver  them.  It  is  the 
noblest  victory  to  overcome  evil  with  good.  If  his  very  Israelites 
had  been  in  danger,  he  could  have  done  no  more :  God  and  his 
Joshua  make  no  difference  betwixt  Gibeonites  Israelited  and  his 
own  natural  people.  All  are  Israelites  whom  he  hath  taken  to 
league.  Wet  strangers  of  the  Gentiles,  are  now  the  true  Jews : 
God  never  did  more  for  the  natural  olive  than  for  that  wild  imp 
which  he  hath  grafted  in.     And  as  these  Hivites  could  never  be 


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cont.  i.  The  rescue  of  Gibeon.  215 

thankful  enough  to  such  a  Joshua,  no  more  can  we  to  so  gracious 
a  Redeemer,  who,  forgetting  our  unworthiness,  descended  to  our 
Gibeon,  and  rescued  us  from  the  powers  of  hell  and  death. 

Joshua  fought,  but  God  discomfited  the  Amorites.  The  praise 
is  to  the  workman,  not  the  instrument  Neither  did  God  slay 
them  only  with  Joshua's  sword,  but  with  his  own  hailstones ;  that 
now  the  Amorites  may  see  both  these  revenges  come  from  one 
hand.  These  bullets  of  God  do  not  wound,  but  kill.  It  is  no 
wonder  that  these  five  kings  fly :  they  may  soon  run  away  from 
their  hope,  never  from  their  horror.  If  they  look  behind,  there 
is  the  sword  of  Israel,  which  they  dare  not  turn  upon,  because 
God  had  taken  their  heart  from  them  before  their  life :  if  they 
look  upwards,  there  is  the  hail-shot  of  God  fighting  against  them 
out  of  heaven,  which  they  can  neither  resist  nor  avoid. 

If  they  had  no  enemy  but  Israel,  they  might  hope  to  run  away 
from  death,  since  fear  is  a  better  footman  than  desire  of  revenge ; 
but  now  whithersoever  they  run,  heaven  will  be  about  their  heads ; 
and  now,  all  the  reason  that  is  left  them  in  this  confusion  of  their 
thoughts,  is,  to  wish  themselves  well  dead :  there  is  no  evasion 
where  God  intends  a  revenge.  We  men  have  devised  to  imitate 
these  instruments  of  death,  and  send  forth  deadly  bullets  out  of 
a  cloud  of  smoke,  wherein  yet  as  there  is  much  danger,  so  much 
uncertainty;  but  this  God,  that  discharges  his  ordnance  from 
heaven,  directs  every  shot  to  an  head,  and  can  as  easily  kill  as 
shoot.  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living 
God :  he  hath  more  ways  of  vengeance  than  he  hath  creatures. 
The  same  heaven  .that  sent  forth  water  to  the  old  world,  fire  to 
the  Sodomites,  lightning  and  thunderbolts  to  the  Egyptians,  sends 
out  hailstones  to  the  Amorites.  It  is  a  good  care  how  we  may 
not  anger  God :  it  is  a  vain  study  how  we  may  fly  from  his  judg- 
ments when  we  have  angered  him ;  if  we  could  run  out  of  the 
world,  even  there  shall  we  find  his  revenges  far  greater. 

Was  it  not  miracle  enough  that  God  did  brain  their  adversaries 
from  heaven,  but  that  the  sun  and  moon  must  stand  still  in 
heaven  ?  It  is  not  enough  that  the  Amorites  fly,  but  that  the 
greatest  planets  of  heaven  must  stay  their  own  course,  to  witness 
and  wonder  at  the  discomfiture.  For  him  which  gave  them  both 
being  and  motion  to  bid  them  stand  still,  it  seems  no  difficulty, 
although  the  rareness  would  deserve  admiration ;  but  for  a  man 
to  command  the  chief  stars  of  heaven,  by  whose  influence  he 
liveth,  as  the  Centurion  would  do  his  servant,  Sun,  stay  in  Gibeon, 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


216  The  rescue  of  Gibeon.  book  ix. 

and  Moon,  stand  still  in  Ajalon,  it  is  more  than  a  wonder.  It 
was  not  Joshua,  but  his  faith  that  did  this ;  not  by  way  of  pre- 
cept, but  of  prayer ;  if  I  may  not  say  that  the  request  of  a  faith- 
ful man  (as  we  say  of  the  great)  commands.  God's  glory  was 
that  which  Joshua  aimed  at :  he  knew  that  all  the  world  must 
needs  be  witnesses  of  that  which  the  eye  of  the  world  stood  still 
to  see.  Had  he  respected  but  the  slaughter  of  the  Amorites,  he 
knew  the  hailstones  could  do  that  alone:  the  sun  needed  not 
stand  still  to  direct  that  cloud  to  persecute  them ;  but  the  glory 
of  the  slaughter  was  sought  by  Joshua,  that  he  might  send  that 
up,  whence  those  hailstones  and  that  victory  came.  All  the 
earth  might  see  the  sun  and  moon ;  all  could  not  see  the  cloud  of 
hail,  which  because  of  that  heavy  burthen  flew  but  low.  That  all 
nations  might  know  the  same  hand  commands  both  in  earth,  in 
the  clouds,  in  heaven,  Joshua  now  prays  that  he  which  dis- 
heartened his  enemies  upon  earth,  and  smote  them  from  the  cloud, 
would  stay  the  sun  and  moon  in  heaven.  God  never  got  himself 
so  much  honour  by  one  day's  work  amongst  the  heathen ;  and 
when  was  it  more  fit  than  now,  when  five  heathen  kings  are 
banded  against  him  ? 

The  sun  and  the  moon  were  the  ordinary  gods  of  the  world ; 
and  who  would  not  but  think  that  their  standing  still  but  one 
hour  should  be  the  ruin  of  nature  ?  And  now  all  nations  shall  well 
see  that  there  is  an  higher  than  their  highest ;  that  their  gods 
are  but  servants  to  the  God  whom  themselves  should  serve,  at 
whose  pleasure  both  they  and  nature  shall  stand  at  once.  If  that 
God  which  meant  to  work  this  miracle  had  not  raised  up  his 
thoughts  to  desire  it,  it  had  been  a  blamable  presumption,  which 
now  is  a  faith  worthy  of  admiration.  To  desire  a  miracle  without 
cause  is  a  tempting  of  God.  0  powerful  God  that  can  effect  this ! 
O  power  of  faith  that  can  obtain  it !  What  is  there  that  God  cannot 
do  ?   and  what  is  there  which  God  can  do  that  faith  cannot  do  ? 


THE  ALTAR  OF  THE  REUBENITES.— Joshua  xxii. 

Reuben  and  Gad  were  the  first  that  had  an  inheritance  as- 
signed them ;  yet  they  must  enjoy  it  last :  so  it  falls  out  oft  in 
the  heavenly  Canaan;  the  first  in  title  are  last  in  possession. 
They  had  their  lot  assigned  them  beyond  Jordan ;  which,  though 
it  were  allotted  them  in  peace,  must  be  purchased  with  their  war : 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


coot.  ii.  The  altar  of  the  Reubenites.  217 

that  must  be  done  for  their  brethren  which  needed  not  be  done 
for  themselves :  they  must  yet  still  fight,  and  fight  foremost ; 
that  as  they  had  the  first  patrimony,  they  might  endure  the  first 
encounter. 

I  do  not  hear  them  say,  "  This  is  our  share,  let  us  sit  down 
and  enjoy  it  quietly ;  fight  who  will  for  the  rest :"  but  when  they 
knew  their  own  portion,  they  leave  wives  and  children  to  take 
possession,  and  march  armed  before  their  brethren  till  they  had 
conquered  all  Canaan. 

Whether  should  we  more  commend,  their  courage  or  their 
charity  ?  Others  were  moved  to  fight  with  hope,  they  only  with 
love ;  they  could  not  win  more,  they  might  lose  themselves ;  yet 
they  will  fight  both  for  that  they  had  something,  and  that  their 
brethren  might  have.  Thankfulness  and  love  can  do  more  with 
God's  children  than  desire  to  merit,  or  necessity  :  no  true  Israelite 
can,  if  he  might  choose,  abide  to  sit  still  beyond  Jordan,  when  all 
his  brethren  are  in  the  field. 

Now  when  all  this  war  of  God  was  ended,  and  all  Canaan  is 
both  won  and  divided,  they  return  to  their  own ;  yet  not  till  they 
were  dismissed  by  Joshua :  all  the  sweet  attractives  of  their  pri- 
vate love  cannot  hasten  their  peace.  If  heaven  be  never  so  sweet 
to  us,  yet  may  we  not  run  from  this  earthen  warfare  till  our 
great  Captain  shall  please  to  discharge  us.  If  these  Reubenites 
had  departed  sooner,  they  had  been  recalled,  if  not  as  cowards, 
surely  as  fugitives;  now  they  are  sent  back  with  victory  and 
blessing.  How  safe  and  happy  it  is  to  attend  both  the  call  and 
the  despatch  of  God ! 

Being  returned  in  peace  to  their  home,  their  first  care  is  not 
for  trophies  nor  for  houses,  but  for  an  altar  to  God ;  an  altar  not 
for  sacrifice,  which  had  been  abominable,  but  for  a  memorial 
what  God  they  serve.  The  first  care  of  true  Israelites  must  be 
the  safety  of  religion :  the  world,  as  it  is  inferior  in  worth,  so 
must  it  be  in  respect :  he  never  knew  God  aright,  that  can  abide 
any  competition  with  his  Maker. 

The  rest  of  the  tribes  no  sooner  hear  news  of  their  new  altar, 
but  they  gather  to  Shiloh  to  fight  against  them :  they  had  scarce 
breathing  from  the  Canaanitish  war,  and  now  they  will  go  fight 
with  their  brethren :  if  their  brethren  will,  as  they  suspected,  turn 
idolaters,  they  cannot  hold  them  any  other  than  Canaanites. 
The  Reubenites  and  their  fellows  had  newly  settled  the  rest  of 
Israel  in  their  possessions ;  and  now,  ere  they  can  be  warm  in 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


218  The  altar  of  the  Reubenites.  book  ix. 

their  seats,  Israel  is  up  in  arms  to  thrust  them  out  of  their  own. 
The  hatred  of  their  suspected  idolatry  makes  them  forget  either 
their  blood  or  their  benefits.  Israel  says,  "  These  men  were  the 
first  in  our  battles,  and  shall  be  the  first  in  our  revenge;  they 
fought  well  for  us ;  we  will  try  how  they  can  fight  for  themselves. 
What  if  they  were  our  champions  I  Their  revolt  from  God  hath 
lost  them  the  thank  of  their  former  labours :  their  idolatry  shall 
make  them  of  brethren  adversaries ;  their  own  blood  shall  give 
handsel  to  their  new  altar."  0  noble  and  religious  zeal  of  Israel ! 
Who  would  think  these  men  the  sons  of  them  that  danced  about 
the  molten  calf?  that  consecrated  an  altar  to  that  idol?  Now 
they  are  ready  to  die  or  kill,  rather  than  endure  an  altar  without 
an  idol.  Every  overture  in  matter  of  religion  is  worthy  of  suspi- 
cion, worthy  of  our  speedy  opposition.  God  looks  for  an  early 
redress  of  the  first  beginnings  of  impiety.  As  in  treasons  or 
mutinies,  wise  statesmen  find  it  safest  to  kill  the  serpent  in  the 
egg ;  so  in  motions  of  spiritual  alterations,  one  spoonful  of  water 
will  quench  that  fire  at  the  first,  which  afterwards  whole  buckets 
cannot  abate. 

Tet  do  not  these  zealous  Israelites  run  rashly  and  furiously 
upon  their  brethren ;  nor  say,  "  What  need  we  expostulate  ? 
The  fact  is  clear :  what  care  we  for  words,  when  we  see  their 
altar?  What  can  this  mean,  but  either  service  to  a  false  god,  or 
division  in  the  service  of  the  true  ?  There  can  be  no  excuse  for 
so  manifest  a  crime :  why  do  we  not  rather  think  of  punishment 
than  satisfaction?"  But  they  send  ere  they  go,  and  consult  ere 
they  execute.  Phinehas  the  son  of  Eleazar  the  priest,  and  ten 
princes,  for  every  tribe  one,  are  addressed  both  to  inquire  and  dis- 
suade ;  to  inquire  of  the  purpose  of  the  fact ;  to  dissuade  from 
that  which  they  imagined  was  purposed.  Wisdom  is  a  good  guide 
to  zeal,  and  only  can  keep  it  from  running  out  into  fury.  If  dis- 
cretion do  not  hold  in  the  reins,  good  intentions  will  both  break 
their  own  necks  and  the  riders';  yea,  which  is  strange,  without 
this,  the  zeal  of  God  may  lead  us  from  God. 

Not  only  wisdom  but  charity  moved  them  to  this  message ;  for 
grant  they  had  been  guilty,  must  they  perish  unwarned  ?  Peace- 
able means  must  first  be  used  to  recall  them,  ere  violence  be  sent 
to  persecute  them.  The  old  rule  of  Israel  hath  been  still  to 
inquire  of  Abel*.  No  good  shepherd  sends  his  dog  to  pull  out  the 
throat  of  his  strayed  sheep,  but  rather  fetches  it  on  his  shoulders 
*  [a  Sam.  zz.  18.] 


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cont.  ii.  The  altar  of  the  Reubenites.  219 

to  the  fold.  Sudden  cruelty  stands  not  with  religion :  he  which 
will  not  himself  break  the  bruised  reed,  how  will  he  allow  us 
either  to  bruise  the  whole,  or  to  break  the  bruised,  or  to  burn 
the  broken  ? 

Neither  yet  was  here  more  charity  in  sending,  than  uncharita- 
bleness  in  the  misconstruction.  They  begin  with  a  challenge ;  and 
charge  their  brethren  deeply  with  transgression,  apostasy,  re- 
bellion. I  know  not  how  two  contrary  qualities  fall  into  love :  it 
is  not  naturally  suspicious,  and  yet  many  times  suggests  jealous 
fears  of  those  we  affect.  If  these  Israelites  had  not  loved  their 
brethren,  they  would  never  have  sent  so  far  to  restrain  them; 
+  they  had  never  offered  them  part  of  their  own  patrimony :  if  they 
had  not  been  excessively  jealous,  they  had  not  censured  a  doubt- 
ful action  so  sharply.  They  met  at  Shiloh,  where  the  tabernacle 
was ;  but  if  they  had  consulted  with  the  ark  of  God,  they  had 
saved  both  this  labour  and  this  challenge.  This  case  seemed  so 
plain,  that  they  thought  advice  needless  ;  their  inconsiderateness 
therefore  brands  their  brethren  with  crimes  whereof  they  were  in- 
nocent, and  makes  themselves  the  onlf  offenders.  In  cases  which 
are  doubtful  and  uncertain,  it  is  safe  either  to  suspend  the  judg- 
ment, or  to  pass  it  in  favour ;  otherwise  a  plain  breach  of  charity 
in  us  shall  be  worse  than  a  questionable  breach  of  justice  in 
another. 

Tet  this  little  gleam  of  their  uncharitable  love  began  at  them- 
selves :  if  they  had  not  feared  their  own  judgments  in  the  offence 
of  Reuben,  I  know  not  whether  they  had  been  so  vehement :  the 
fearful  revenges  of  their  brethren's  sin  are  still  in  their  eye.  The 
wickedness  of  Peor  stretched  not  so  far  as  the  plague:  Achan 
sinned,  and  Israel  was  beaten ;  therefore  by  just  induction  they 
argue,  "  Ye  rebel  to-day  against  the  Lord ;  to-morrow  will  the 
Lord  be  wroth  with  all  the  congregation."  They  still  tremble  at 
the  vengeance  passed;  and  find  it  time  to  prevent  their  own  pun- 
ishment in  punishing  their  brethren.  God's  proceedings  have 
then  their  right  use,  when  they  are  both  carefully  remembered 
and  made  patterns  of  what  he  may  do. 

Had  these  Reubenites  been  as  hot  in  their  answer  as  the 
Israelites  were  in  their  charge,  here  had  grown  a  bloody  war  out 
of  misprision ;  but  now  their  answer  is  mild  and  moderate,  and 
such  as  well  showed,  that  though  they  were  farther  from  the  ark, 
yet  no  less  near  to  God.  They  thought  in  themselves,  "This 
act  of  ours,  though  it  were  well  meant  by  us,  yet  might  well  be  by 


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220  The  altar  of  the  Reubenites.  book  ix. 

interpretation  scandalous :  it  is  reason  our  mildness  should  give 
satisfaction  for  that  offence  which  we  have  not  prevented."  Here- 
upon their  answer  was  as  pleasing  as  their  act  was  dangerous. 
Even  in  those  actions  whereby  an  offence  may  be  occasioned 
though  not  given,  charity  binds  us  to  clear  both  our  own  name 
and  the  conscience  of  others. 

Little  did  the  Israelites  look  for  so  good  a  ground  of  an  action 
so  suspicious.  An  altar  without  a  sacrifice!  an  altar,  and  no 
tabernacle !  an  altar  without  a  precept,  and  yet  not  against  God  I 
It  is  not  safe  to  measure  all  men's  actions  by  our  own  conceit ;  but 
rather  to  think  there  may  be  a  further  drift  and  warrant  of  their 
act  than  we  can  attain  to  see. 

By  that  time  the  Reubenites  have  commented  upon  their  own 
work,  it  appears  as  justifiable  as  before  offensive.  What  wisdom 
and  religion  is  found  in  that  altar  which  before  shewed  nothing 
but  idolatry !  This  discourse  of  theirs  is  full  both  of  reason  and 
piety;  "We  are  severed  by  the  river  Jordan  from  the  other 
tribes ;  perhaps  hereafter  our  choice  may  exclude  us  from  Israel : 
posterity  may  peradventure  say,  *  Jordan  is  the  bounds  of  all  na- 
tural Israelites;  the  streams  whereof  never  gave  way  to  those 
beyond  the  river :  if  they  had  been  ours,  either  in  blood  or  reli- 
gion, they  would  not  have  been  sequestered  in  habitation.  Doubt- 
less therefore  these  men  are  the  offspring  of  some  strangers,  which, 
by  vicinity  of  abode,  have  gotten  some  tincture  of  our  language, 
manners,  religion ;  what  have  we  to  do  with  them  ?  what  have  they 
to  do  with  the  tabernacle  of  God  V  Sith  therefore  we  may  not 
either  remove  God's  altar  to  us,  or  remove  our  patrimony  to  the 
altar,  the  pattern  of  the  altar  shall  go  with  us,  not  for  sacrifice, 
but  for  memorial ;  that  both  the  posterity  of  the  other  Israelites 
may  know  we  are  no  less  derived  from  them  than  this  altar  from 
theirs,  and  that  our  posterity  may  know  they  pertain  to  that 
altar  whereof  this  is  the  resemblance. "  There  was  no  danger  of 
the  present ;  but  posterity  might  both  offer  and  receive  prejudice, 
if  this  monument  were  not.  It  is  a  wise  and  holy  care  to  prevent 
the  dangers  of  ensuing  times,  and  to  settle  religion  upon  the  suc- 
ceeding generations.  As  we  affect  to  leave  a  perpetuity  of  our 
bodily  issue,  so  much  more  to  traduce  piety  with  them.  Do  we 
not  see  good  husbands  set  and  plant  those  trees  whereof  their 
grandchildren  shall  receive  the  first  fruit  and  shade  ?  Why  are 
we  less  thrifty  in  leaving  true  religion  entire  to  our  children's 
children  ? 


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coxt.  in.  Ehud  and  Eglon.  221 

EHUD  AND  EGLON.-Judges  iii. 

As  every  man  is  guilty  of  his  own  sorrow,  the  Israelites  bred 
mischief  to  themselves.  It  was  their  mercy  that  plagued  them 
with  those  Canaanites,  which  their  obedience  should  have  rooted 
out.  If  foolish  pity  be  a  more  humane  sin,  yet  it  is  no  less  dan- 
gerous than  cruelty:  cruelty  kills  others,  unjust  pity  kills  our- 
selves. They  had  been  lords  alone  of  the  promised  land,  if  their 
commiseration  had  not  overswayed  their  justice ;  and  now  their 
enemies  are  too  cruel  to  them,  in  the  just  revenge  of  God,  be- 
cause they  were  too  merciful. 

That  God,  which  in  his  revealed  will  had  commanded  all  the 
Canaanites  to  the  slaughter,  yet  secretly  gives  over  Israel  to  a 
toleration  of  some  Canaanites  for  their  own  punishment.  He 
hath  bidden  us  cleanse  our  hearts  of  all  our  corruptions ;  yet  he  will 
permit  some  of  these  thorns  still  in  our  sides  for  exercise,  for 
humiliation.  If  we  could  lay  violent  hands  upon  our  sins,  our 
souls  should  have  peace;  now  our  indulgence  costs  us  many 
stripes  and  many  tears.  What  a  continued  circle  is  here  of  sins, 
judgments,  repentance,  deliverances !  The  conversation  with  idola- 
ters taints  them  with  sin;  their  sin  draws  on  judgment;  the 
smart  of  the  judgment  moves  them  to  repentance;  upon  their 
repentance  follows  speedy  deliverance;  upon  their  peace  and 
deliverance  they  sin  again. 

Othniel,  Caleb's  nephew,  had  rescued  them  from  idolatry  and 
servitude :  his  life  and  their  innocence  and  peace  ended  together. 
How  powerful  the  presence  of  one  good  man  is  in  a  church  or 
state,  is  best  found  in  his  loss.  A  man  that  is  at  once  eminent  in 
place  and  goodness,  is  like  a  stake  in  a  hedge ;  pull  that  up,  and 
all  the  rest  are  but  loose  and  rotten  sticks,  easily  removed :  or 
like  the  pillar  of  a  vaulted  roof,  which  either  supports  or  ruins 
the  building. 

Who  would  not  think  idolatry  an  absurd  and  unnatural  sin  ? 
which,  as  it  hath  the  fewest  inducements,  so  had  also  the  most 
direct  inhibitions  from  God;  and  yet,  after  all  these  warnings, 
Israel  falls  into  it  again:  neither  affliction  nor  repentance  can 
secure  an  Israelite  from  redoubling  the  worst  sin,  if  he  be  left  to 
his  own  frailty.  It  is  no  censuring  of  the  truth  of  our  present 
sorrow,  by  the  event  of  a  following  miscarriage.  The  former  cries 
of  Israel  to  God  were  unfeigned,  yet  their  present  wickedness  is 
abominable  :  let  him  that  thinks  he  stands  take  heed  lest  he  fall. 


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222  Ehud  and  Eghn.  book  ix. 

No  sooner  had  he  said  Israel  had  rest,  but  he  adds,  They  com- 
mitted wickedness.  The  security  of  any  people  is  the  cause  of 
their  corruption:  standing  waters  soon  grow  noisome.  While 
they  were  exercised  with  war,  how  scrupulous  were  they  of  the 
least  intimation  of  idolatry !  the  news  of  a  bare  altar  beyond 
Jordan  drew  them  together  for  a  revenge:  now  they  are  at 
peace  with  their  enemies  they  are  at  variance  with  God.  It  is 
both  hard  and  happy  not  to  be  the  worse  with  liberty.  The 
sedentary  life  is  most  subject  to  diseases. 

Rather  than  Israel  shall  want  a  scourge  for  their  sin,  Ood 
himself  shall  raise  them  up  an  enemy.  Moab  had  no  quarrel  but 
his  own  ambition ;  but  God  meant  by  the  ambition  of  the  one 
part  to  punish  the  idolatry  of  the  other :  his  justice  can  make 
one  sin  the  executioner  of  another,  whilst  neither  shall  look  for 
any  other  measure  from  him  but  judgment :  the  evil  of  the  city 
is  so  his  that  the  instrument  is  not  guiltless.  Before,  God  had 
stirred  up  the  king  of  Syria  against  Israel ;  now,  the  king  of 
Moab ;  afterwards,  the  king  of  Canaan :  he  hath  more  variety  of 
judgments  than  there  can  be  offences :  if  we  have  once  made  him 
our  adversary,  he  shall  be  sure  to  make  us  adversaries  enow ;  which 
shall  revenge  his  quarrel  whilst  they  prosecute  their  own. 

Even  those  were  idolaters  by  whose  hands  God  plagued  the  idola- 
tries of  Israel.  In  Moab  the  same  wickedness  prospers  which  in 
God's  own  people  is  punished :  the  justice  of  the  Almighty  can 
least  brook  evil  in  his  own :  the  same  heathen,  which  provoked  Is- 
rael to  sin,  shall  scourge  them  for  sinning.  Our  very  profession 
hurts  us  if  we  be  not  innocent. 

No  less  than  eighteen  years  did  the  rod  of  Moab  rest  upon  the 
inheritance  of  God.  Israel  seems  as  born  to  servitude;  they 
came  from  their  bondage  in  the  land  of  Egypt  to  serve  in  the 
land  of  promise.  They  had  neglected  God ;  now  they  are  neg- 
lected of  God.  Their  sins  have  made  them  servants  whom  the 
choice  of  God  had  made  free,  yea,  his  firstborn.  Worthy  are 
they  to  serve  those  men  whose  false  gods  they  had  served ;  and 
to  serve  them  always  in  thraldom  whom  they  have  once  served 
in  idolatry.  We  may  not  measure  the  continuance  of  punishment 
by  the  time  of  the  commission  of  sin:  one  minute's  sin  deserves  a 
torment  beyond  all  time. 

Doubtless  Israel  was  not  so  insensible  of  their  own  misery  as 
not  to  complain  sooner  than  the  end  of  eighteen  years.  The  first 
hour  they  sighed  for  themselves,  but  now  they  cried  unto  God. 

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cont.  in.  Ehud  and  Eglon.  223 

The  very  purpose  of  affliction  is  to  make  us  importunate :  he  that 
hears  the  secret  murmurs  of  our  grief,  yet  will  not  seem  to  hear 
us,  till  our  cries  be  loud  and  strong.  God  sees  it  best  to  let  the 
penitent  dwell  for  the  time  under  their  sorrows :  he  sees  us  sink- 
ing all  the  while,  yet  he  lets  us  alone  till  we  be  at  the  bottom ; 
and  when  once  we  can  say ,  Out  of  the  depths  have  I  cried  to  theef 
instantly  follows,  The  Lord  heard  me.  A  vehement  suitor  cannot 
but  be  heard  of  God,  whatsoever  he  asks.  If  our  prayers  want 
success,  they  want  heart;  their  blessing  is  according  to  their 
vigour.  We  live  in  bondage  to  these  spiritual  Moabites,  our  own 
corruptions:  it  discontents  us;  but  where  are  our  strong  cries 
unto  the  God  of  heaven  ?  where  are  our  tears  ?  If  we  could  pas- 
sionately bemoan  ourselves  to  him,  how  soon  should  we  be  more 
than  conquerors  I  Some  good  motions  we  have  to  send  up  to  him, 
but  they  faint  in  the  way.  We  may  call  long  enough,  if  we  cry 
not  to  him. 

.  The  same  hand  that  raised  up  Eglon  against  Israel  raised  up 
also  Ehud  for  Israel  against  Eglon.  When  that  tyrant  hath  re- 
venged God  of  his  people,  God  will  revenge  his  people  of  him. 
It  is  no  privilege  to  be  an  instrument  of  God's  vengeance  by  evil 
means.  Though  Eglon  were  an.  usurper,  yet  had  Ehud  been  a 
traitor  if  God  had  not  sent  him :  it  is  only  in  the  power  of  him 
that  makes  kings,  when  they  are  once  settled,  to  depose  them.  It 
is  no  more  possible  for  our  modern  butchers  of  princes  to  show 
they  are  employed  by  God,  than  to  escape  the  revenge  of  God, 
in  offering  to  do  this  violence,  not  being  employed b. 

What  a  strange  choice  doth  God  make  of  an  executioner  I  a 
man  shut  of  his  right  hand!  Either  he  had  but  one  hand,  or 
used  but  one,  and  that  the  worse,  and  the  more  unready.  Who 
would  not  have  thought  both  hands  too  little  for  such  a  work ; 
or,  if  either  might  have  been  spared,  how  much  rather  the  left  ? 
God  seeth  not  as  man  seeth:  it  is  the  ordinary  wont  of  the 
Almighty  to  make  choice  of  the  unlikeliest  means. 

The  instruments  of  God  must  not  be  measured  by  their  own 
power  or  aptitude,  but  by  the  will  of  the  agent.  Though  Ehud 
had  no  hands,  he  that  employed  him  had  enabled  him  to  this 
slaughter.  In  human  things  it  is  good  to  look  to  the  means ;  in 
divine,  to  the  worker ;  no  means  are  to  be  contemned  that  God 
will  use,  no  means  to  be  trusted  that  man  will  use  without  him. 

b  [An  allusion  probably  to  the  assassinations  of  Hen.  III.  and  Hen.  IV.  of 
France;  both  comparatively  recent  events.] 


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224  Ehud  and  Egloiu  book  ix. 

It  is  good  to  be  suspicious  where  is  least  show  of  danger  and 
most  appearance  of  favour.  This  left-handed  man  comes  with  a 
present  in  his  hand,  but  a  dagger  under  his  skirt  The  tyrant, 
besides  service,  looked  for  gifts ;  and  now  receives  death  in  his 
bribe:  neither  God  nor  men  do  always  give  where  they  love. 
How  oft  doth  God  give  extraordinary  illumination,  power  of  mi- 
racles, besides  wealth  and  honour,  where  he  hates !  So  do  men 
too  oft  accompany  their  curses  with  presents ;  either  lest  an  enemy 
should  hurt  us,  or  that  we  may  hurt  them.  The  intention  is  the 
favour  in  gifts,  and  not  the  substance. 

Ehud's  faith  supplies  the  want  of  his  hand.  Where  God  in- 
tends success,  he  lifts  up  the  heart  with  resolutions  of  courage 
and  contempt  of  danger.  What  indifferent  beholder  of  this  pro- 
ject would  not  have  condemned  it  as  unlikely  to  speed ;  to  see 
a  maimed  man  go  alone  to  a  great  king,  in  the  midst  of  all  his 
troops ;  to  single  him  out  from  all  witnesses ;  to  set  upon  him  with 
one  hand  in  his  own  parlour,  where  his  courtiers  might  have 
heard  the  least  exclamation,  and  have  come  in,  if  not  to  the 
rescue,  yet  to  the  revenge  ?  Every  circumstance  is  full  of  impro- 
babilities. Faith  evermore  overlooks  the  difficulties  of  the  way, 
and  bends  her  eyes  only  to  the  certainty  of  the  end.  In  this  in- 
testine slaughter  of  our  tyrannical  corruptions,  when  we  cast  our 
eyes  upon  ourselves,  we  might  well  despair :  alas !  what  can  our 
left  hands  do  against  these  spiritual  wickednesses  ?  But  when  we 
see  who  hath  both  commanded  and  undertaken  to  prosper  these 
holy  designs,  how  can  we  misdoubt  the  success?  /  can  do  all 
things  through  him  that  strengthens  me. 

When  Ehud  hath  obtained  the  convenient  secresy  both  of  the 
weapon  and  place,  now  with  a  confident  forehead  he  approaches 
the  tyrant,  and  salutes  him  with  a  true  and  awful  preface  to  so 
important  an  act :  /  have  a  message  to  thee  from  Qod.  Even 
Ehud's  poniard  was  God's  message :  not  only  the  vocal  admoni- 
tions, but  also  the  real  judgments  of  God,  are  his  errands  to  the 
world.  He  speaks  to  us  in  rain  and  waters,  in  sicknesses  and 
famine,  in  unseasonable  times  and  inundations:  these  are  the 
secondary  messages  of  God ;  if  we  will  not  hear  the  first,  we  must 
hear  these  to  our  cost. 

I  cannot  but  wonder  at  the  devout  reverence  of  this  heathen 
prince ;  he  sat  in  his  chair  of  state ;  the  unwieldiness  of  his  fat 
body  was  such  that  he  could  not  rise  with  readiness  and  ease; 
yet  no  sooner  doth  he  hear  news  of  a  message  from  God,  but  he 


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cont.  iv.  Jael  and  Sisera.  225 

rises  up  from  his  throne,  and  reverently  attends  the  tenor  thereof. 
Though  he  had  no  superior  to  control  him,  yet  he  cannot  abide 
to  be  unmannerly  in  the  business  of  Ood. 

This  man  was  an  idolater,  a  tyrant ;  yet  what  outward  respects 
doth  he  give  to  the  true  God !  External  ceremonies  of  piety  and 
compliments  of  devotion  may  well  be  found  with  falsehood  in  reli- 
gion. They  are  a  good  shadow  of  truth  where  it  is ;  but  where 
it  is  not,  they  are  the  very  body  of  hypocrisy.  He  that  had 
risen  up  in  arms  against  God's  people  and  the  true  worship  of 
God,  now  rises  up  in  reverence  to  his  name.  God  would  have 
liked  well  to  have  had  less  of  his  courtesy,  more  of  his  obedience. 

He  looked  to  have  heard  the  message  with  his  ears,  and  he 
feels  it  in  his  guts :  so  sharp  a  message,  that  it  pierced  the  body 
and  let  out  the  soul  through  that  unclean  passage ;  neither  did  it 
admit  of  any  answer  but  silence  and  death.  In  that  part  had  he 
offended  by  pampering  it,  and  making  it  his  god ;  and  now  his 
bane  finds  the  same  way  with  his  sin. 

This  one  hard  and  cold  morsel,  which  he  cannot  digest,  pays 
for  all  those  gluttonous  delicates  whereof  he  had  formerly  sur- 
feited. It  is  the  manner  of  God  to  take  fearful  revenges  of  the 
professed  enemies  of  his  church. 

It  is  a  marvel,  that  neither  any  noise  in  his  dying,  nor  the  fall 
of  so  gross  a  body,  called  in  some  of  his  attendants ;  but  that 
God,  which  hath  intended  to  bring  about  any  design,  disposes  of 
all  circumstances  to  his  own  purpose.  If  Ehud  had  not  come 
forth  with  a  calm  and  settled  countenance,  and  shut  the  doors 
after  him,  all  his  project  had  been  in  the  dust.  What  had  it 
been  better  that  the  king  of  Moab  was  slain,  if  Israel  had  neither 
had  a  messenger  to  inform  nor  a  captain  to  guide  them  ?  Now  he 
departs  peaceably,  and  blows  a  trumpet  in  Mount  Ephraim; 
gathers  Israel,  and  falls  upon  the  body  of  Moab,  as  well  as  he 
had  done  upon  the  head,  and  procures  freedom  to  his  people. 
He  that  would  undertake  great  enterprizes  had  need  of  wisdom 
and  courage;  wisdom  to  contrive,  and  courage  to  execute;  wis- 
dom to  guide  his  courage,  and  courage  to  second  his  wisdom ;  both 
which,  if  they  meet  with  a  good  cause,  cannot  but  succeed. 


JAEL  AND  SISERA.— Judges  iv. 

It  is  no  wonder  if  they,  who  ere  fourscore  days  after  the  law 
delivered  fell  to  idolatry  alone,  now  after  fourscore  years  since 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  Q 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


226  Jael  and  Sisera.  book  ix. 

the  law  restored,  fell  to  idolatry  among  the  Canaanites.  Peace 
could  in  a  shorter  time  work  looseness  in  any  people.  And  if  forty 
years  after  Othniel's  deliverance  they  relapsed,  what  marvel  is  it 
that  in  twice  forty  after  Ehud  they  thus  miscarried  ?  What  are 
they  the  better  to  have  killed  Eglon  the  king  of  Moab,  if  the 
idolatry  of  Moab  have  killed  them  ?  The  sin  of  Moab  shall  be 
found  a  worse  tyrant  than  their  Eglon.  Israel  is  for  every 
market :  they  sold  themselves  to  idolatry,  God  sells  them  to  the 
Canaanites :  it  is  no  marvel  they  are  slaves  if  they  will  be  idola- 
ters. After  their  longest  intermission  they  have  now  the  sorest 
bondage.  None  of  their  tyrants  were  so  potent  as  Jabin  with  his 
nine  hundred  chariots  of  iron.  The  longer  the  reckoning  is  de- 
ferred, the  greater  is  .the  sum :  God  provides  on  purpose  mighty 
adversaries  for  his  church,  that  their  humiliation  may  be  the 
greater  in  sustaining,  and  his  glory  may  be  greater  in  deliverance. 

I  do  not  find  any  prophet  in  Israel  during  their  sin;  but  so 
soon  as  I  hear  news  of  their  repentance,  mention  is  made  of  a 
prophetess  and  judge  of  Israel.  There  is  no  better  sign  of  God's 
reconciliation  than  the  sending  of  his  holy  messengers  to  any 
people :  he  is  not  utterly  fallen  out  with  those  whom  he  blesses 
with  prophecy.  Whom  yet  do  I  see  raised  to  this  honour  ?  Not 
any  of  the  princes  of  Israel,  not  Barak  the  captain,  not  Lapidoth 
the  husband ;  but  a  woman,  for  the  honour  of  her  sex ;  a  wife,  for 
the  honour  of  wedlock  :  Deborah,  the  wife  of  Lapidoth. 

He  that  had  choice  of  all  the  millions  of  Israel  calls  out  two 
weak  women  to  deliver  his  people :  Deborah  shall  judge,  Jael 
shall  execute.  All  the  palaces  of  Israel  must  yield  to  the  palm 
tree  of  Deborah.  The  weakness  of  the  instruments  redounds  to 
the  greater  honour  of  the  workman.  Who  shall  ask  God  any 
reason  of  his  elections  but  his  own  pleasure  ?  Deborah  was  to 
sentence,  not  to  strike  ;  to  command,  not  to  execute :  this  act  is 
masculine,  fit  for  some  captain  of  Israel.  She  was  the  head  of 
Israel ;  it  was  meet  some  other  should  be  the  hand.  It  is  an  im- 
perfect and  titular  government  where  there  is  a  commanding 
power  without  correction,  without  execution.  The  message  of 
Deborah  finds  out  Barak  the  son  of  Abinoam.  in  his  obscure  se- 
cresy,  and  calls  him  from  a  corner  of  Naphtali  to  the  honour  of 
this  exploit.  He  is  sent  for,  not  to  get  the  victory,  but  to  take  it ; 
not  to  overcome,  but  to  kill ;  to  pursue,  and  not  to  beat  Sisera. 
Who  could  not  have  done  this  work,  whereto  not  much  courage, 
no  skill  belonged  ?  Yet  even  for  this  will  God  have  an  instrument 


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cont.  iv.  Joel  and  Sisera.  227 

of  his  own  choice :  it  is  most  fit  that  God  should  serve  himself 
where  he  list  of  his  own ;  neither  is  it  to  be  inquired  whom  we 
think  meet  for  any  employment,  but  whom  God  hath  called. 

Deborah  had  been  no  prophetess  if  she  durst  have  sent  in  her 
own  name.  Her  message  is  from  him  that  sent  herself;  Hath 
not  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  commanded  ?  Barak's  answer  is  faith- 
ful though  conditionate,  and  doth  not  so  much  intend  a  refusal  to 
go  without  her,  as  a  necessary  bond  of  her  presence  with  him. 
Who  can  blame  him  that  he  would  have  a  prophetess  in  his 
company  ?  If  the  man  had  not  been  as  holy  as  valiant,  he  would 
not  have  wished  such  society.  How  many  think  it  a  perpetual 
bondage  to  have  a  prophet  of  God  at  their  elbow!  God  had 
never  sent  for  him  so  far,  if  he  could  have  been  content  to  go  up 
without  Deborah :  he  knew  that  there  was  both  a  blessing  and 
encouragement  in  that  presence.  It  is  no  putting  any  trust  in  the 
success  of  those  men  that  neglect  the  messengers  of  God. 

To  prescribe  that  to  others  which  we  draw  back  from  doing 
ourselves  is  an  argument  of  hollowness  and  falsity.  Barak  shall 
see  that  Deborah  doth  not  offer  him  that  cup  whereof  she  dare 
not  begin :  without  regard  of  her  sex  she  marches  with  him  to 
Mount  Tabor,  and  rejoices  to  be  seen  of  the  ten  thousand  of  Israel. 
With  what  scorn  did  Sisera  look  at  these  gleanings  of  Israel ! 
How  unequal  did  this  match  seem  of  ten  thousand  Israelites 
against  his  three  hundred  thousand  foot,  ten  thousand  horse,  nine 
hundred  chariots  of  iron !  And  now  in  bravery  he  calls  for  his 
troops,  and  means  to  kill  this  handful  of  Israel  with  the  very  sight 
of  his  piked  chariots,  and  only  feared  it  would  be  no  victory  to 
cut  the  throats  of  so  few.  The  faith  of  Deborah  and  Barak  was 
not  appalled  with  this  world  of  adversaries,  which  from  Mount 
Tabor  they  saw  hiding  all  the  valley  below  them:  they  knew 
whom  they  had  believed,  and  how  little  an  arm  of  flesh  could  do 
against  the  God  of  Hosts. 

Barak  went  down  against  Sisera,  but  it  was  God  that  destroyed 
him.  The  Israelites  did  not  this  day  wield  their  own  swords,  lest 
they  should  arrogate  any  thing.  God  told  them  beforehand  it 
should  be  his  own  act.  I  hear  not  of  one  stroke  that  any  Cana- 
anite  gave  in  this  fight ;  as  if  they  were  called  hither  only  to  suffer. 
And  now  proud  Sisera,  after  many  curses  of  the  heaviness  of  that 
iron  carriage,  is  glad  to  quit  his  chariot  and  betake  himself  to  his 
heels.  Who  ever  yet  knew  any  earthly  thing  trusted  in  without 
disappointment  ?  It  is  wonder  if  God  make  us  not  at  last  as  weary 

Q2 


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228  Jael  and  Sisera.  book  ix. 

of  whatsoever  hath  stolen  our  hearts  from  him,  as  ever  we  were 
fond. 

Tet  Sisera  hopes  to  have  sped  better  than  his  followers  in  so 
seasonable  a  harbour  of  Jael.  If  Heber  and  Jael  had  not  been 
great  persons,  there  had  been  no  note  taken  of  their  tents ;  there 
had  been  no  league  betwixt  king  Jabin  and  them;  now  their 
greatness  makes  them  known,  their  league  makes  them  trusted. 
The  distress  of  Sisera  might  have  made  him  importunate;  but 
Jael  begins  the  courtesy  and  exceeds  the  desire  of  her  guest :  he 
asks  water  to  drink,  she  gives  him  milk ;  he  wishes  but  shelter, 
she  makes  him  a  bed ;  he  desires  the  protection  of  her  tent,  she 
covers  him  with  a  mantle.  And  now  Sisera  pleases  himself  with 
his  happy  change,  and  thinks  how  much  better  it  is  to  be  here 
than  in  that  whirling  of  chariots,  in  that  horror  of  flight,  amongst 
those  shrieks,  those  wounds,  those  carcasses.  While  he  is  in  these 
thoughts,  his  weariness  and  easy  reposal  hath  brought  him  asleep. 
Who  would  have  looked  that  in  this  tumult  and  danger,  even  betwixt 
the  very  jaws  of  death,  Sisera  should  find  time  to  sleep  ?  How  many 
worldly  hearts  do  so  in  the  midst  of  their  spiritual  perils ! 

Now  while  he  was  dreaming  doubtless  of  the  clashing  of  ar- 
mours, rattling  of  chariots,  neighing  of  horses,  the  clamour  of  the 
conquered,  the  furious  pursuit  of  Israel ;  Jael,  seeing  his  temples 
lie  so  fair,  as  if  they  invited  the  nail  and  hammer,  entered  into  the 
thought  of  this  noble  execution ;  certainly  not  without  some  checks 
of  doubt  and  pleas  of  fear :  "  What  if  I  strike  him  ?  And  yet  who 
am  I  that  I  should  dare  to  think  of  such  an  act  ?  Is  not  this  Sisera, 
the  famousest  captain  of  the  world,  whose  name  hath  wont  to  be 
fearful  to  whole  nations  ?  What  if  my  hand  should  swerve  in  the 
stroke  ?  What  if  he  should  awake  while  I  am  lifting  up  this  in- 
strument of  death  ?  What  if  I  should  be  surprised  by  some  of  his 
followers  while  the  fact  is  green  and  yet  bleeding  ?  Can  the  mur- 
der of  so  great  a  leader  be  hid  or  unrevenged  ?  Or  if  I  might 
hope  so,  yet  can  my  heart  allow  me  to  be  secretly  treacherous  ? 
Is  there  not  peace  betwixt  my  house  and  him  ?  Did  not  I  invite  him 
to  my  tent  ?  Doth  he  not  trust  to  my  friendship  and  hospitality  ? 
But  what  do  these  weak  fears,  these  idle  fancies  of  civility  ?  If 
Sisera  be  in  league  with  us,  yet  is  he  not  at  defiance  with  God  ? 
Is  he  not  a  tyrant  to  Israel?  Is  it  for  nothing  that  God  hath 
brought  him  into  my  tent  ?  May  I  not  now  find  means  to  repay 
unto  Israel  all  their  kindness  to  my  grandfather  Jethro  i  Doth 
not  God  offer  me  this  day  the  honour  to  be  the  rescuer  of  his 


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cont-  v.  Gideons  calling.  229 

people  ?  Hath  God  bidden  me  strike,  and  shall  I  hold  my  hand 
No,  Sisera,  sleep  now  thy  last,  and  take  here  this  fatal  reward  of 
all  thy  cruelty  and  oppression ." 

He  that  put  this  instinct  into  her  heart  did  put  also  strength 
into  her  hand :  he  that  guided  Sisera  to  her  tent  guided  the  nail 
through  his  temples ;  which  hath  made  a  speedy  way  for  his  soul 
through  those  parts,  and  now  hath  fastened  his  ear  so  close  to  the 
earth,  as  if  the  body  had  been  listening  what  was  become  of  the 
soul.  There  lies  now  the  great  terror  of  Israel  at  the  foot  of  a 
woman.  He  that  brought  so  many  hundred  thousands  into  the 
field  hath  not  now  one  page  left,  either  to  avert  his  death,  or  to 
accompany  it,  or  bewail  it.  He  that  had  vaunted  of  his  iron  cha- 
riots is  slain  by  one  nail  of  iron ;  wanting  only  this  one  point  of 
his  infelicity,  that  he  knows  not  by  whose  hand  he  perished. 


GIDEON'S  CALLING— Judges  vi. 

The  judgments  of  God  still  tho  farther  they  go  the  sorer 
they  are :  the  bondage  of  Israel  under  Jabin  was  great,  but  it 
was  freedom  in  comparison  of  the  yoke  of  the  Midianites.  During 
the  former  tyranny  Deborah  was  permitted  to  judge  Israel  under 
a  palm  tree ;  under  this,  not  so  much  as  private  habitations  will 
be  allowed  to  Israel.  Then  the  seat  of  judgment  was  in  sight  of 
the  sun ;  now  their  very  dwellings  must  be  secret  under  the  earth. 
They  that  rejected  the  protection  of  God  are  glad  to  seek  to  the 
mountains  for  shelter ;  and  as  they  had  savagely  abused  them- 
selves, so  they  are  fain  to  creep  into  dens  and  caves  of  the  rocks, 
like  wild  creatures,  for  safeguard.  God  had  sown  spiritual  seed 
amongst  them,  and  they  suffered  their  heathenish  neighbours  to 
pull  it  up  by  the  roots ;  and  now,  no  sooner  can  they  sow  their 
material  seed,  but  Midianites  and  Amalekites  are  ready  by  force  to 
destroy  it.  As  they  inwardly  dealt  with  God,  so  God  deals  outwardly 
by  them.  Their  eyes  may  tell  them  what  their  souls  have  done ;  yet 
that  God,  whose  mercy  is  above  the  worst  of  our  sins,  sends  first 
his  prophet  with  a  message  of  reproof,  and  then  his  angel  with  a 
message  of  deliverance.  The  Israelites  had  smarted  enough  with 
their  servitude,  yet  God  sends  them  a  sharp  rebuke.  It  is  a  good 
sign  when  God  chides  us ;  his  round  reprehensions  are  ever  gra- 
cious forerunners  of  mercy ;  whereas  his  silent  connivance  at  the 


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230  Gidemis  calling.  book  ix. 

wicked  argues  deep  and  secret  displeasure.  The  prophet  made  way 
for  the  angel,  reproof  for  deliverance,  humiliation  for  comfort. 

Gideon  was  thrashing  wheat  by  the  wine-press;  yet  Israel 
hath  both  wheat  and  wine  for  all  the  incursions  of  their  enemies. 
The  worst  estate  out  of  hell  hath  either  some  comfort,  or  at  least 
some  mitigation.  In  spite  of  all  the  malice  of  the  world,  God  makes 
secret  provision  for  his  own.  How  should  it  be,  but  he  that  owns 
the  earth  and  all  creatures  should  reserve  ever  a  sufficiency  from 
foreigners  (such  the  wicked  are)  for  his  household  ?  In  the  worst 
of  the  Midianitish  tyranny,  Gideon's  6eld  and  barn  are  privileged, 
as  his  fleece  was  afterwards  from  the  shower. 

Why  did  Gideon  thrash  out  his  corn  ?  To  hide  it ;  not  from 
his  neighbours,  but  his  enemies :  his  granary  might  easily  be  more 
close  than  his  barn.  As  then,  Israelites  threshed  out  their  corn 
to  hide  it  from  the  Midianites;  but  now,  Midianites  thresh  out 
corn  to  hide  it  from  the  Israelites.  These  rural  tyrants  of  our 
time  do  not  more  lay  up  corn  than  curses :  He  that  withdraweth 
corn,  the  people  will  curse  him;  yea,  God  will  curse  him,  with 
them  and  for  them. 

What  shifts  nature  will  make  to  live !  Oh  that  we  could  be  so 
careful  to  lay  up  spiritual  food  for  our  souls  out  of  the  reach  of 
those  spiritual  Midianites !  we  could  not  but  live  indespite  of  all 
adversaries. 

The  angels,  that  have  ever  God  in  their  face  and  in  their 
thoughts,  have  him  also  in  their  mouths :  The  Lord  is  with  thee. 
But  this  which  appeared  unto  Gideon  was  the  Angel  of  the 
Covenant,  the  Lord  of  angels.  While  he  was  with  Gideon,  he 
might  well  say,  The  Lord  is  with  thee.  He  that  sent  the  Com- 
forter was  also  the  true  comforter  of  his  Church :  he  well  knew 
how  to  lay  a  sure  ground  of  consolation;  and  that  the  only 
remedy  of  sorrow  and  beginning  of  true  joy  is  the  presence  of 
God.  The  grief  of  the  apostles  for  the  expected  loss  of  their 
Master  could  never  be  cured  by  any  receipt  but  this  of  the  same 
angel,  Behold,  I  am  with  you  to  the  end  of  the  world.  What  is 
our  glory,  but  the  fruition  of  God's  presence  ?  The  punishment  of 
the  damned  is  a  separation  from  the  beatifical  face  of  God; 
needs  must  therefore  his  absence  in  this  life  be  a  great  torment  to 
a  good  heart :  and  no  cross  can  be  equivalent  to  this  beginning  of 
heaven  in  the  elect,  The  Lord  is  with  thee. 

Who  can  complain  either  of  solitariness  or  opposition  that  hath 
God  with  him  ?  with  him,  not  only  as  a  witness,  but  as  a  party. 


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co NT.  v.  Gideons  calling.  231 

Even  wicked  men  and  devils  cannot  exclude  God ;  not  the  bars  of 
hell  can  shut  him  out :  he  is  with  them  perforce,  but  to  judge,  to 
punish  them ;  yea,  God  will  be  ever  with  them  to  their  cost :  but 
to  protect,  comfort,  save,  he  is  with  none  but  his. 

While  he  calls  Gideon  valiant,  he  makes  him  so.  How  could  he 
be  but  valiant  that  had  God  with  him  ?  The  godless  man  may 
be  careless,  but  cannot  be  other  than  cowardly.  It  pleases  God 
to  acknowledge  his  own  graces  in  men,  that  he  may  interchange 
his  own  glory  with  their  comfort ;  how  much  more  should  we  con- 
fess the  graces  of  one  another !  An  envious  nature  is  prejudicial 
to  God :  he  is  a  strange  man  in  whom  there  is  not  some  visible 
good ;  yea,  in  the  devils  themselves  we  may  easily  note  some 
commendable  parts,  of  knowledge,  strength,  agility:  let  God 
have  his  own  in  the  worst  creature ;  yea,  let  the  worst  creature 
have  that  praise  which  God  would  put  upon  it. 

Gideon  cannot  pass  over  this  salutation  as  some  fashionable 
compliment ;  but  lays  hold  on  that  part  which  was  most  impor- 
tant ;  the  tenure  of  all  his  comfort ;  and,  as  not  regarding  the 
praise  of  his  valour,  inquires  after  that  which  should  be  the 
ground  of  his  valour,  tho  presence  of  God.  God  had  spoken 
particularly  to  him ;  he  expostulates  for  all.  It  had  been  possible 
God  should  be  present  with  him,  not  with  the  rest ;  as  he  promised 
to  have  been  with  Moses,  not  Israel :  and  yet  when  God  says,  The 
Lord  is  with  thee,  he  answers,  Alas,  Lord,  if  the  Lord  be  with 
us,  Gideon  cannot  conceive  of  himself  as  an  exempt  person ;  but 
puts  himself  among  the  throng  of  Israel,  as  one  that  could  not  be 
sensible  of  any  particular  comfort  while  the  common  case  of  Israel 
laboured.  The  main  care  of  a  good  heart  is  still  for  the  public ; 
neither  can  it  enjoy  itself  while  the  church  of  God  is  distressed. 
As  faith  draws  home  generalities,  so  charity  diffuses  generalities 
from  itself  to  all. 

Tet  the  valiant  man  was  here  weak ;  weak  in  faith,  weak  in 
discourse ;  while  he  argues  God's  absence  by  affliction,  his  pre- 
sence by  deliverances,  and  the  unlikelihood  of  success  by  his  own 
disability;  all  gross  inconsequences.  Rather  should  he  have 
inferred  God's  presence  upon  their  correction;  for  wheresoever 
God  chastises,  there  he  is,  yea,  there  he  is  in  mercy:  nothing 
more  proves  us  his  than  his  stripes ;  he  will  not  bestow  whipping 
where  he  loves  not.  Fond  Nature  thinks  God  should  not  suffer 
the  wind  to  blow  upon  his  dear  ones,  because  herself  makes  this 
use  of  her  own  indulgence ;  but  none  out  of  the  place  of  torment 


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282  Gideons  calling.  book  ix. 

have  suffered  so  much  as  his  dearest  children.  He  says  not,  "  We 
are  idolaters ;  therefore  the  Lord  hath  forsaken  us,  because  we 
have  forsaken  him."  This  sequel  had  been  as  good  as  the  other 
was  faulty;  "The  Lord  hath  delivered  us  unto  the  Midianites, 
therefore  he  hath  forsaken  us."  Sins,  not  afflictions,  argue  God 
absent. 

While  Gideon  bewrayeth  weakness,  God  both  gives  him  might 
and  employs  it ;  60  in  this  thy  might,  and  save  Israel.  Who 
would  not  have  looked  that  God  should  have  looked  angrily  on 
him,  and  chid  him  for  his  unbelief?  But  he  whose  mercy  will 
not  quench  the  weakest  fire  of  grace,  though  it  be  but  in  flax, 
looks  upon  him  with  compassionate  eyes ;  and,  to  make  good  his 
own  word,  gives  him  that  valour  he  had  acknowledged. 

Gideon  had  not  yet  said,  "  Lord,  deliver  Israel :"  much  less 
had  he  said,  "  Lord,  deliver  Israel  by  my  hand."  The  mercy  of 
God  prevents  the  desire  of  Gideon.  If  God  should  not  begin 
with  us,  we  should  be  ever  miserable.  If  he  should  not  give  us 
till  we  ask,  yet  who  should  give  us  to  ask  ?  If  his  Spirit  did  not 
work  those  holy  groans  and  sighs  in  us,  we  should  never  make 
suit  to  God.  He  that  commonly  gives  us  power  to  crave,  some- 
times gives  us  without  craving ;  that  the  benefit  might  be  so  much 
more  welcome,  by  how  much  less  it  was  expected;  and  we  so 
much  more  thankful,  as  he  is  more  forward.  When  he  bids  us 
ask,  it  is  not  for  that  he  needs  to  be  entreated,  but  that  he  may 
make  us  more  capable  of  blessings  by  desiring  them ;  and  where 
he  sees  fervent  desires,  he  stays  not  for  words ;  and  he  that  gives 
ere  we  ask,  how  much  more  will  he  give  when  we  ask  ! 

He  that  hath  might  enough  to  deliver  Israel,  yet  hath  not 
might  enough  to  keep  himself  from  doubting.  The  strongest 
faith  will  ever  have  some  touch  of  infidelity.  And  yet  this  was 
not  so  much  a  distrust  of  the  possibility  of  delivering  Israel  as 
an  inquiry  after  the  means ;  Whereby  shall  I  save  Israel  ?  The 
salutation  of  the  angel  to  Gideon  was  as  like  to  Gabriel's  salutation 
of  the  blessed  Virgin  as  their  answers  were  like:  both  angels 
brought  news  of  deliverance ;  both  were  answered  with  a  question 
of  the  means  of  performance,  with  a  report  of  the  difficulties  in 
performing :  Ah,  my  Lord,  whereby  shall  I  save  Israel  ?  How 
the  good  man  disparages  himself  I  "  It  is  a  great  matter,  O  Lord, 
that  thou  speakest  of;  and  great  actions  require  mighty  agents: 
as  for  me,  who  am  I?  My  tribe  is  none  of  the  greatest  in 
Israel;  my  father's  family  is  one  of  the  meanest  in  his  tribe,  and 


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cont.  v,  Gideon's  calling.  233 

I  the  meanest  in  his  family :  poverty  is  a  sufficient  bar  to  great 
enterprises." 

Whereby  shall  I?  Humility  is  both  a  sign  of  following  glory, 
and  a  way  to  it,  and  an  occasion  of  it.  Bragging  and  height  of 
spirit  will  not  carry  it  with  God :  none  have  ever  been  raised  by 
him  but  those  which  have  formerly  dejected  themselves;  none 
have  been  confounded  by  him  that  have  been  abased  in  them- 
selves. Thereupon  it  is  that  he  adds ;  /  will  therefore  be  with 
thee :  as  if  he  had  answered,  "  Hadst  thou  not  been  so  poor  in 
thyself,  I  would  not  have  wrought  by  thee."  How  should  Ood 
be  magnified  in  his  mercies,  if  we  were  not  unworthy?  how 
should  he  be  strong,  if  not  in  our  weakness? 

All  this  while  Gideon  knew  not  it  was  an  angel  that  spake 
with  him.  He  saw  a  man  stand  before  him  like  a  traveller,  with 
a  staff  in  his  hand.  The  unusualness  of  those  revelations  in 
those  corrupted  times  was  such,  that  Gideon  might  think  of  any 
thing  rather  than  an  angel.  No  marvel  if  so  strange  a  promise 
from  an  unknown  messenger  found  not  a  perfect  assent.  Fain 
would  he  believe,  but  fain  would  he  have  good  warrant  for  his 
faith.  In  matters  of  faith  we  cannot  go  upon  too  sure  grounds. 
As  Moses  therefore,  being  sent  upon  the  same  errand,  desired  a 
sign,  whereby  Israel  might  know  that  God  sent  him ;  so  Gideon 
desires  a  sign  from  this  bearer,  to  know  that  his  news  is  from 
God. 

Yet  the  very  hope  of  so  happy  news,  not  yet  ratified,  stirs  up 
in  Gideon  both  joy  and  thankfulness.  After  all  the  injury  of  the 
Midianites,  he  was  not  so  poor  but  he  could  bestow  a  kid  and 
cakes  upon  the  reporter  of  such  tidings.  Those  which  are  rightly 
affected  with  the  glad  news  of  our  spiritual  deliverance  study  to 
show  their  loving  respects  to  the  messengers. 

The  angel  stays  for  the  preparing  of  Gideon's  feast.  Such 
pleasure  doth  God  take  in  the  thankful  endeavours  of  his  ser- 
vants, that  he  patiently  waits  upon  the  leisure  of  our  perform- 
ances. Gideon  intended  a  dinner;  the  angel  turned  it  into  a 
sacrifice.  He,  whose  meat  and  drink  it  was  to  do  his  Father's 
will,  calls  for  the  broth  and  flesh  to  be  poured  out  upon  the 
stone;  and  when  Gideon  looked  he  should  have  blessed  and 
eaten,  he  touches  the  feast  with  his  staff,  and  consumes  it  with 
fire  from  the  stone,  and  departs.  He  did  not  strike  the  stone 
with  his  staff,  for  the  attrition  of  two  hard  bodies  would  naturally 
beget  fire,  but  he  touched  the  meat,  and  brought  fire  from  the 


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284  Gideoris  calling.  book  ix. 

stone ;  and  now,  while  Gideon  saw  and  wondered  at  the  spiritual 
act,  he  lost  the  sight  of  the  agent. 

He  that  came  without  entreating  would  not  have  departed  with- 
out taking  leave,  but  that  he  might  increase  Gideon's  wonder, 
and  that  his  wonder  might  increase  his  faith.  His  salutation 
therefore  was  not  so  strange  as  his  farewell.  Moses  touched  the 
rock  with  his  staff  and  brought  forth  water,  and  yet  a  man,  and 
yet  continued  with  the  Israelites.  This  messenger  touches  the 
stone  with  his  staff  and  brings  forth  fire,  and  presently  vanishes, 
that  he  may  approve  himself  a  spirit.  And  now  Gideon,  when 
he  had  gathered  up  himself,  must  needs  think ;  "  He  that  can 
raise  fire  out  of  a  stone  can  raise  courage  and  power  out  of  my 
dead  breast :  he  that  by  this  fire  hath  consumed  the  broth  and 
flesh  can  by  the  feeble  flame  of  my  fortitude  consume  Midian." 

Gideon  did  not  so  much  doubt  before  as  now  he  feared.  We 
that  shall  once  live  with  and  be  like  the  angels,  in  the  estate  of 
our  impotency  think  we  cannot  see  an  angel  and  live.  Gideon 
was  acknowledged  for  mighty  in  valour,  yet  he  trembles  at  the 
sight  of  an  angel.  Peter,  that  durst  draw  his  sword  upon  Mal- 
chus  and  all  the  train  of  Judas,  yet  fears  when  he  thought  he 
had  seen  a  spirit.  Our  natural  courage  cannot  bear  us  out 
against  spiritual  objects.  This  angel  was  homely  and  familiar, 
taking  upon  him  for  the  time  a  resemblance  of  that  flesh  whereof 
he  would  afterwards  take  the  substance;  yet  even  the  valiant 
Gideon  quakes  to  have  seen  him.  How  awful  and  glorious  is  the 
God  of  angels,  when  he  will  be  seen  in  the  state  of  heaven ! 

The  angel  that  departed  for  the  wonder,  yet  returns  for  the 
comfort  of  Gideon.  It  is  not  the  wont  of  God  to  leave  his  chil- 
dren in  a  maze ;  but  he  brings  them  out  in  the  same  mercy  which 
led  them  in,  and  will  magnify  his  grace  in  the  one,  no  less  than 
his  power  in  the  other. 

Now  Gideon  grows  acquainted  with  God,  and  interchanges 
pledges  of  familiarity.  He  builds  an  altar  to  God,  and  God  con- 
fers with  him ;  and,  as  he  uses  where  he  loves,  employs  him.  His 
first  task  must  be  to  destroy  the  god  of  the  Midianites ;  then  the 
idolaters  themselves.  While  Baal's  altar  and  grove  stood  in  the 
hill  of  Ophrah,  Israel  should  in  vain  hope  to  prevail.  It  is  most 
just  with  God  that  judgment  should  continue  with  the  sin ;  and 
no  less  mercy,  if  it  may  remove,  after  it.  Wouldst  thou  fain  be 
rid  of  any  judgment?  inquire  what  false  altars  and  groves  thou 
hast  in  thy  heart.     Down  with  them  first. 


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coxt.  vi.  Gideon's  preparation  and  victory.  285 

First  must  Baal's  altar  be  ruined,  ere  God's  be  built;  both 
may  not  stand  together :  the  true  God  will  have  no  society  with 
idols,  neither  will  allow  it  us.  I  do  not  hear  him  say,  "  That 
altar  and  grove  which  were  abused  to  Baal  consecrate  now  to 
me ;"  but,  as  one  whose  holy  jealousy  will  abide  no  worship  till 
there  be  no  idolatry,  he  first  commands  down  the  monuments  of 
superstition,  and  then  enjoins  his  own  service ;  yet  the  wood  of 
Baal's  grove  must  be  used  to  burn  a  sacrifice  unto  God :  when 
it  was  once  cut  down,  God's  detestation  and  their  danger  ceased. 
The  good  creatures  of  God  that  have  been  profaned  to  idolatry 
may,  in  a  change  of  their  use,  be  employed  to  the  holy  service  of 
their  Maker. 

Though  some  Israelites  were  penitent  under  this  humiliation, 
yet  still  many  of  them  persisted  in  their  wonted  idolatry :  the 
very  household  of  Gideon's  father  were  still  Baalites,  and  his 
neighbours  of  Ophrah  were  in  the  same  sin ;  yea,  if  his  father  had 
been  free,  what  did  he  with  Baal's  grove  and  altar?  He  dares 
not  therefore  take  his  father's  servants,  though  he  took  his  bul- 
locks, but  commands  his  own.  The  master  is  best  seen  in  the 
servants;  Gideon's  servants,  amongst  the  idolatrous  retinue  of 
Joash,  are  religious,  like  their  master;  yet  the  misdevotion  of 
Joash  and  the  Orphrathites  was  not  obstinate.  Joash  is  easily 
persuaded  by  his  sons,  and  easily  persuades  his  neighbours,  how 
unreasonable  it  is  to  plead  for  such  a  god  as  cannot  speak  for 
himself;  to  revenge  his  cause  that  could  not  defend  himself.  Let 
Baal  plead  for  himself.  One  example  of  a  resolute  onset  in  a 
noted  person,  may  do  more  good  than  a  thousand  seconds  in  the 
proceeding  of  an  action. 

Soon  are  all  the  Midianites  in  an  uproar  to  lose  their  god.  They 
need  not  now  be  bidden  to  muster  themselves  for  revenge.  He 
hath  no  religion  that  can  suffer  an  indignity  offered  to  his  god. 

GIDEON'S  PREPARATION  AND  VICTORT.-Judges  vii. 
Of  all  the  instruments  that  God  did  use  in  so  great  a  work,  I 
find  none  so  weak  as  Gideon ;  who  yet,  of  all  others,  was  styled 
valiant :  natural  valour  may  well  stand  with  spiritual  cowardice. 
Before  he  knew  that  he  spake  with  a  God,  he  might  have  just 
colours  for  his  distrust ;  but  after  God  had  approved  his  presence 
and  almighty  power  by  fetching  fire  out  of  the  stone,  then  to  call 
for  a  watery  sign  of  his  promised  deliverance  was  no  other  than 


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236  Gideoris  preparation  and  victory.  book  ix. 

to  pour  water  upon  the  fire  of  the  Spirit.  The  former  trial  God 
gave  unwished ;  this,  upon  Gideon's  choice  and  entreaty.  The 
former  miracle  was  strong  enough  to  carry  Gideon  through  his 
first  exploit  of  ruinating  the  idolatrous  grove  and  altar ;  but  now, 
when  he  saw  the  swarm  of  the  Midianites  and  Amalekitcs  about 
his  ears,  he  calls  for  new  aid ;  and  not  trusting  to  his  Abiezrites 
and  his  other  thousands  of  Israel,  he  runs  to  God  for  a  further 
assurance  of  victory. 

The  refuge  was  good,  but  the  manner  of  seeking  it  savours  of 
distrust.  There  is  nothing  more  easy  than  to  be  valiant  when  no 
peril  appeareth  :  but  when  evils  assail  us  upon  unequal  terms,  it  is 
hard  and  commendable  not  to  be  dismayed.  If  God  had  made 
that  proclamation  now  which  afterwards  was  commanded  to  be 
made  by  Gideon,  Let  the  timorous  depart,  I  doubt  whether  Israel 
had  not  wanted  a  guide :  yet  how  willing  is  the  Almighty  to  sa- 
tisfy our  weak  desires ! 

What  tasks  is  he  content  to  be  set  by  our  infirmity  !  The  fleece 
must  be  wet,  and  the  ground  dry  ;  the  ground  must  be  wet,  and 
the  fleece  dry ;  both  are  done :  that  now  Gideon  may  see  whe- 
ther he  would  make  himself  hard  earth  or  yielding  wool.  God 
could  at  pleasure  distinguish  betwixt  him  and  the  Midianites; 
and  pour  down  either  mercies  or  judgment  where  he  lists ;  and 
that  he  was  set  on  work  by  that  God  which  can  command  all  the 
elements,  and  they  obey  him.  Fire,  water,  earth,  serve  both 
him,  and,  when  he  will,  his. 

And  now,  when  Gideon  had  this  reciprocal  proof  of  his  ensuing 
success,  he  goes  on,  as  he  well  may,  harnessed  with  resolution, 
and  is  seen  in  the  head  of  his  troops,  and  in  the  face  of  the  Mi- 
dianites. If  we  cannot  make  up  the  match  with  God  when  we 
have  our  own  asking,  we  are  worthy  to  sit  out. 

Gideon  had  but  thirty-two  thousand  soldiers  at  his  heels.  The 
Midianites  covered  all  the  valley  like  grasshoppers;  and  now, 
while  the  Israelites  think,  "  We  are  too  few, "  God  says,  The 
people  are  too  many.  If  the  Israelites  must  have  looked  for 
victory  from  their  fingers,  they  might  well  have  said,  "  The  Mi- 
dianites are  too  many  for  us;"  but  that  God  whose  thoughts 
and  words  are  unlike  to  men's,  says,  They  are  too  many  for  me 
to  give  the  Midianites  into  their  hands.  If  human  strength  were 
to  be  opposed,  there  should  have  needed  an  equality ;  but  now 
God  meant  to  give  the  victory,  his  care  is  not  how  to  get  it,  but 
how  not  to  lose  or  blemish  the  glory  of  it  gotten.     How  jealous 


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cont.  vi.  Gideons  preparation  and  victory.  237 

God  is  of  his  honour !  He  is  willing  to  give  deliverance  to  Israel, 
but  the  praise  of  the  deliverance  he  will  keep  to  himself;  and 
will  shorten  the  means,  that  he  may  have  the  full  measure  of  the 
glory.  And  if  he  will  not  allow  lawful  means  to  stand  in  the 
light  of  his  honour,  how  will  he  endure  it  to  be  crossed  so  much 
as  indirectly  ?  it  is  less  danger  to  steal  any  thing  from  God  than 
his  glory.  As  a  prince,  which  if  we  steal  or  clip  his  coin,  may 
pardon  it ;  but  if  we  go  about  to  rob  him  of  his  crown,  will  not 
be  appeased. 

There  is  nothing  that  we  can  give  to  God,  of  whom  we  receive 
all  things :  that  which  he  is  content  to  part  with  he  gives  us ; 
but  he  will  not  abide  we  should  take  ought  from  him  which  he 
would  reserve  for  himself.  It  is  all  one  with  him  to  save  with 
many  as  with  few ;  but  he  rather  chooses  to  save  by  few,  that  all 
the  victory  may  redound  to  himself.  O  God,  what  art  thou  the 
better  for  our  praises,  to  whom,  because  thou  art  infinite,  nothing 
can  be  added  ?  It  is  for  our  good  that  thou  wouldst  be  magnified 
of  us.  0  teach  us  to  receive  the  benefit  of  thy  merciful  favours, 
and  to  return  thee  the  thanks. 

Gideon's  army  must  be  lessened.  Who  are  so  fit  to  be  cashiered 
as  the  fearful?  God  bids  him  therefore  proclaim  license  for  all 
faint  hearts  to  leave  the  field.  An  ill  instrument  may  shame  a 
good  work :  God  will  not  glorify  himself  by  cowards.  As  the 
timorous  shall  be  without  the  gates  of  heaven,  so  shall  they  be 
without  the  lists  of  God's  field.  Although  it  was  not  their  courage 
that  should  save  Israel,  yet  without  their  courage  God  would  not 
serve  himself  of  them.  Christianity  requires  men ;  for  if  our  spi- 
ritual difficulties  meet  not  with  high  spirits,  instead  of  whetting 
our  fortitude  they  quail  it.  David's  royal  band  of  worthies  was 
the  type  of  the  forces  of  the  Church ;  all  valiant  men,  and  able  to 
encounter  with  thousands. 

Neither  must  we  be  strong  only,  but  acquainted  with  our  own 
resolutions ;  not  out  of  any  carnal  presumption,  but  out  of  a  faith- 
ful reliance  upon  the  strength  of  God,  in  whom  when  we  are  weak 
then  we  are  strong.  O  thou  white  liver  I  doth  but  a  foul  word  or 
a  frown  scare  thee  from  Christ  ?  Doth  the  loss  of  a  little  land  or 
silver  disquiet  thee?  Doth  but  the  sight  of  the  Midianites  in  the 
valley  strike  thee?  Home  then,  home  to  the  world;  thou  art 
not  then  for  the  conquering  band  of  Christ :  if  thou  canst  not  re- 
solve to  follow  him  through  infamy,  prisons,  racks,  gibbets,  flames, 
depart  to  thine  house,  and  save  thy  life  to  thy  loss. 


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288  Gideon's  preparation  and  victory.  book  ix. 

Methinks  now  Israel  should  have  complained  of  indignity,  and 
have  said,  "  Why  shouldst  thou  think,  O  Gideon,  that  there  can 
be  a  cowardly  Israelite  ?  And  if  the  experience  of  the  power  and 
mercy  of  Ood  be  not  enough  to  make  us  fearless,  yet  the  sense 
of  servitude  must  needs  have  made  us  resolute ;  for  who  had  not 
rather  to  be  buried  dead  than  quick  ?  Are  we  not  fain  to  hide 
our  heads  in  the  caves  of  the  earth,  and  to  make  our  graves  our 
houses  ?  Not  so  much  as  the  very  light  that  we  can  freely  enjoy ; 
the  tyranny  of  death  is  but  short  and  easy  to  this  of  Midian ;  and 
yet  what  danger  can  there  be  of  that,  sith  thou  hast  so  certainly 
assured  us  of  God's  promise  of  victory,  and  his  miraculous  con- 
firmation ?  No,  Gideon,  those  hearts  that  have  brought  us  hither 
after  thy  colours  can  as  well  keep  us  from  retiring." 

But  now,  who  can  but  bless  himself,  to  find  of  two  and  thirty 
thousand  Israelites,  two  and  twenty  thousand  cowards?  Yet  all 
these  in  Gideon's  march  made  as  fair  a  flourish  of  courage  as  the 
boldest.  Who  can  trust  the  faces  of  men,  that  sees  in  the  army 
of  Israel  above  two  for  one  timorous  ?  How  many  make  a  glorious 
show  in  the  warfaring  church,  which,  when  they  shall  see  danger 
of  persecution,  shall  shrink  from  the  standard  of  God !  Hope 
of  safety,  examples  of  neighbours,  desire  of  praise,  fear  of  cen- 
sures, coaction  of  laws,  fellowship  of  friends,  draw  many  into  the 
field ;  which,  so  soon  as  ever  they  see  the  adversary,  repent  of 
their  conditions;  and  if  they  may  cleanly  escape,  will  be  gone 
early  from  Mount  Gilead.  Can  any  man  be  offended  at  the  num- 
ber of  these  shrinkers,  when  he  sees  but  ten  thousand  Israelites 
left  of  two  and  thirty  thousand  in  one  morning  \ 

These  men,  that  would  have  been  ashamed  to  go  away  by  day, 
now  drop  away  by  night ;  and  if  Gideon  should  have  called  any 
one  of  them  back,  and  said,  "  Wilt  thou  flee?"  would  have  made 
an  excuse.  The  darkness  is  a  fit  veil  for  their  paleness  or  blush- 
ing :  fearfulness  cannot  abide  the  light.  None  of  these  thousands 
of  Israel  but  would  have  been  loath  Gideon  should  have  seen  his 
face,  while  he  said,  "  I  am  fearful ;"  very  shame  holds  some  in 
their  station  whose  hearts  are  already  fled.  And  if  we  cannot 
endure  that  men  should  be  witnesses  of  that  fear  which  we  might 
live  to  correct,  how  shall  we  abide  once  to  show  our  fearful  heads 
before  that  terrible  Judge,  when  he  calls  us  forth  to  the  punish- 
ment of  our  fear  ?  0  the  vanity  of  foolish  hypocrites,  that  run  upon 
the  terrors  of  God,  while  they  would  avoid  the  shame  of  men  ! 

How  do  we  think  the  small  remainder  of  Israel  looked,  when 


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cont.  vi.  Gideons  preparation  and  victory.  289 

in  the  next  morning  muster  they  found  themselves  but  ten  thou- 
sand left  ?  How  did  they  accuse  their  timorous  countrymen,  that 
had  left  but  this  handful  to  encounter  the  millions  of  Midian! 
And  yet  still  God  complains  of  too  many,  and  upon  his  trial  dis- 
misses nine  thousand  seven  hundred  more.  His  first  trial  was  of 
the  valour  of  their  minds,  his  next  is  of  the  ability  of  their  bodies. 
Those  which,  besides  boldness,  are  not  strong,  patient  of  labour 
and  thirst,  willing  to  stoop,  content  with  a  little,  (such  were  those 
that  took  up  water  with  their  hands)  are  not  for  the  select  band 
of  God.  The  Lord  of  Hosts  will  serve  himself  of  none  but  able 
champions :  if  he  have  therefore  singled  us  into  his  combat,  this* 
very  choice  argues  that  he  finds  that  strength  in  us,  which  we 
cannot  eonfess  in  ourselves.  How  can  it  but  comfort  us  in  our 
great  trials,  that  if  the  Searcher  of  hearts  did  not  find  us  fit  he 
would  never  honour  us  with  so  hard  an  employment  ? 

Now  when  there  is  not  scarce  left  one  Israelite  to  every  thou- 
sand of  the  Midianites,  it  is  seasonable  with  God  to  join  battle. 
When  God  hath  stripped  us  of  all  our  earthly  confidence,  then 
doth  he  find  time  to  give  us  victory ;  and  not  till  then,  lest  he 
should  be  a  loser  in  our  gain :  like  as  at  last  he  unclothes  us  of  our 
body,  that  he  may  clothe  us  upon  with  glory. 

If  Gideon  feared  when  he  had  two  and  thirty  thousand  Israelites 
at  his  heels,  is  it  any  wonder  if  he  feared  when  all  these  were 
shrunk  into  three  hundred?  Though  his  confirmation  were  more, 
yet  his  means  were  abated.  Why  was  not  Gideon  rather  the 
leader  of  those  two  and  twenty  thousand  runaways,  than  of  these 
three  hundred  soldiers  ?  0  infinite  mercy  and  forbearance  of  God, 
that  takes  not  vantage  of  so  strong  an  infirmity ;  but  instead  of  cast- 
ing, encourages  him  !  That  wise  Providence  hath  prepared  a  dream 
in  the  head  of  one  Midianite,  an  interpretation  in  the  mouth  of 
another,  and  hath  brought  Gideon  to  be  an  auditor  of  both,  and 
hath  made  his  enemies  prophets  of  his  victory,  encouragers  of  the 
attempt,  proclaimers  of  their  own  confusion.  A  Midianite  dreams, 
a  Midianite  interprets.  Our  very  dreams  many  times  are  not 
without  God :  there  is  a  providence  in  our  sleeping  fancies :  even 
the  enemies  of  God  may  have  visions,  and  power  to  construe  them 
aright.  How  usually  are  wicked  men  forewarned  of  their  own 
destruction !  To  foreknow  and  not  avoid,  is  but  an  aggravation  of 
judgment. 

When  Gideon  heard  good  news,  though  from  an  enemy,  he 
fell  down  and  worshipped.  To  hear  himself  but  a  barley  cake 
troubled  him  not,  when  he  heard  withal,  that  his  rolling  down  the 


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240  Gideon's  preparation  and  victory.  book  ix. 

hill  should  break  the  tents  of  Midian.  It  matters  not  how  base 
we  be  thought,  so  we  may  be  victorious.  The  soul  that  hath  re- 
ceived full  confirmation  from  God  in  the  assurance  of  his  salva- 
tion cannot  but  bow  the  knee,  and  by  all  gestures  of  body  tell 
how  it  is  ravished. 

I  would  have  thought  Gideon  should  rather  have  found  full 
confirmation  in  the  promise  and  act  of  God  than  in  the  dream  of 
the  Midianite.  Dreams  may  be  full  of  uncertainty ;  God's  under- 
takings are  infallible :  well  therefore  might  the  miracle  of  God 
give  strength  to  the  dream  of  a  Midianite ;  but  what  strength 
could  a  pagan's  dream  give  to  the  miraculous  act  of  God  ?  yet  by 
this  is  Gideon  thoroughly  settled.  When  we  are  going,  a  little 
thing  drives  us  on ;  when  we  are  come  near  to  the  shore,  the  very 
tide  without  sails  is  enough  to  put  us  into  the  harbour. 

We  shall  now  hear  no  more  of  Gideon's  doubts,  but  of  his 
achievements:  and  though  God  had  promised  by  these  three 
hundred  to  chase  the  Midianites,  yet  he  neglects  not  wise  strata- 
gems to  effect  it.  To  wait  for  God's  performance  in  doing  nothing 
is  to  abuse  that  divine  Providence  which  will  so  work  that  it  will 
not  allow  us  idle. 

Now  when  we  would  look  that  Gideon  should  give  charge  of 
whetting  their  swords,  and  sharpening  their  spears,  and  fitting 
their  armour,  he  only  gives  order  for  empty  pitchers,  and  lights, 
and  trumpets.  The  cracking  of  these  pitchers  shall  break  in 
pieces  this  Midianitish  clay :  the  kindling  of  these  lights  shall  ex- 
tinguish the  light  of  Midian :  these  trumpets  sound  no  other  than 
a  soul-peal  to  all  the  host  of  Midian :  there  shall  need  nothing  but 
noise  and  light  to  confound  this  innumerable  army. 

And  if  the  pitchers  and  brands  and  trumpets  of  Gideon  did 
so  daunt  and  dismay  the  proud  troops  of  Midian  and  Araalek, 
who  can  we  think  shall  be  able  to  stand  before  the  last  terror, 
wherein  the  trumpet  of  the  archangel  shall  sound,  and  the  hea- 
vens shall  pass  away  with  a  noise,  and  the  elements  shall  be  on  a 
flame  about  our  ears  ? 

Any  of  the  weakest  Israelites  would  have  served  to  have  broken 
an  empty  pitcher,  to  have  carried  a  light,  and  to  have  sounded  a 
trumpet,  and  to  strike  a  flying  adversary.  Not  to  the  basest  use 
will  God  employ  an  unworthy  agent :  he  will  not  allow  so  much 
as  a  cowardly  torchbearer. 

Those  two  and  twenty  thousand  Israelites,  that  slipped  away  for 
fear,  when  the  fearful  Midianites  fled,  can  pursue  and  kill  them ; 
and  can  follow  them  at  the  heels  whom  they  durst  not  look  in 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  vii.  The  revenge  of  Succoth  and  Penuel.  241 

the  face.  Our  flight  gives  advantage  to  the  feeblest  adversary, 
whereas  our  resistance  foileth  the  greatest :  how  much  more,  if 
we  have  once  turned  our  backs  upon  a  temptation,  shall  our  spi- 
ritual enemies,  which  are  ever  strong,  trample  us  in  the  dust! 
Resist,  and  they  shall  flee :  stand  still,  and  we  shall  see  the  salva- 
tion of  the  Lord. 


THE  REVENGE  OF  SUCCOTH  AND  PENUEL. 
Judges  viii. 

Gideon  was  of  Manasseh :  Ephraim  and  he  were  brothers,  sons 
of  Joseph :  none  of  all  the  tribes  of  Israel  fall  out  with  their 
victorious  leader  but  he.  The  agreement  of  brothers  is  rare :  by 
how  much  nature  hath  more  endeared  them,  by  so  much  are 
their  quarrels  more  frequent  and  dangerous. 

I  did  not  hear  the  Ephraimites  offering  themselves  into  the 
front  of  the  army  before  the  fight ;  and  now  they  are  ready  to 
fight  with  Gideon,  because  they  were  not  called  to  fight  with 
Midian:  I  hear  them  expostulating  after  it;  after  the  exploit 
done,  cowards  are  valiant.  Their  quarrel  was,  that  they  were  not 
called ;  it  had  been  a  greater  praise  of  their  valour  to  have  gone 
unbidden.  What  need  was  there  to  call  them,  when  God  com- 
plained of  multitude,  and  sent  away  those  which  were  called? 
None  speak  so  big  in  the  end  of  the  fray  as  the  fearfullest. 

Ephraim  flies  upon  Gideon,  whilst  the  Midianites  fly  from  him. 
When  Gideon  should  be  pursuing  his  enemies,  he  is  pursued  by 
brethren ;  and  now  is  glad  to  spend  that  wind  in  pacifying  of  his 
own,  which  should  have  been  bestowed  in  the  slaughter  of  a 
common  adversary.  It  is  a  wonder  if  Satan  suffer  us  to  be  quiet 
at  home,  while  we  are  exercised  with  wars  abroad.  Had  not 
Gideon  learned  to  speak  fair  as  well  as  to  smite,  he  had  found 
work  enough  from  the  swords  of  Joseph's  sons :  his  good  words 
are  as  victorious  as  his  sword ;  his  pacification  of  friends  better 
than  his  execution  of  enemies. 

For  aught  I  see,  the  envy  of  Israelites  was  more  troublesome 
to  Gideon  than  the  opposition  of  Midian.  He  hath  left  the  envy 
of  Ephraim  behind  him ;  before  him  he  finds  the  envy  of  Succoth 
and  Penuel.  The  one  envies  that  he  should  overcome  without 
them;  the  other,  that  he  should  say  he  had  overcome.  His 
pursuit  leads  him  to  Succoth ;  there  he  craves  relief  and  is  re- 
pelled.   Had  he  said,  "  Come  forth  and  draw  your  sword  with  me 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  R 


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242  The  revenge  of  Succoth  and  Penuel.  book  ix. 

against  Zeba  and  Zalmunna,"  the  motion  had  been  but  equal :  a 
common  interest  challenges  an  universal  aid :  now  he  says  but, 
Give  morsels  of  bread  to  my  followers^  he  is  turned  off  with  a 
scorn ;  he  asks  bread,  and  they  give  him  a  stone.  Could  he  ask 
a  more  slender  recompense  of  their  deliverance,  or  a  less  reward 
of  his  victory  ?  Give  morsels  of  bread.  Before  this  act,  all  their 
substance  had  been  too  small  an  hire  for  their  freedom  from 
Midian ;  now,  when  it  is  done,  a  morsel  of  bread  is  too  much : 
well  might  he  challenge  bread  where  he  gave  liberty  and  life. 
It  is  hard  if  those  which  fight  the  wars  of  God  may  not  have 
necessary  relief;  that  while  the  enemy  dies  by  them,  they  should 
die  by  famine.  If  they  had  laboured  for  God  at  home  in  peace, 
they  had  been  worthy  of  maintenance ;  how  much  more  now,  that 
danger  is  added  to  their  toil !  Even  very  executioners  look  for 
fees ;  but  here  were  not  malefactors,  but  adversaries  to  be  slain : 
the  sword  of  power  and  revenge  was  now  to  be  wielded,  not  of 
quiet  justice.  Those  that  fight  for  our  souls  against  spiritual 
powers  may  challenge  bread  from  us;  and  it  is  shameless  un- 
thankfulness  to  deny  it.  When  Abraham  had  vanquished  the 
five  kings,  and  delivered  Lot  and  his  family,  the  king  of  Salem 
met  him  with  bread  and  wine ;  and  now  these  sons  of  Abraham, 
after  an  equal  victory,  ask  dry  bread,  and  are  denied  by  their 
brethren :  craftily  yet,  and  under  pretence  of  a  false  title ;  had 
they  acknowledged  the  victory  of  Gideon,  with  what  forehead 
could  they  have  denied  him  bread  ? 

Now  I  know  not  whether  their  faithlessness  or  envy  lie  in 
their  way.  Are  the  hands  of  Zeba  and  Zalmunna  in  thy  hands  f 
There  were  none  of  these  princes  of  Succoth  and  Penuel  but 
thought  themselves  better  men  than  Gideon:  that  he  therefore 
alone  should  do  that  which  all  the  princes  of  Israel  durst  not 
attempt,  they  hated  and  scornod  to  hear.  It  is  never  safe  to 
measure  events  by  the  power  of  the  instrument;  nor  in  the 
causes  of  God,  whose  calling  makes  the  difference,  to  measure 
others  by  themselves :  there  is  nothing  more  dangerous  than 
in  holy  businesses  to  stand  upon  comparisons  and  our  own  reputa- 
tion ;  sith  it  is  reason  God  should  both  choose  and  bless  where 
he  lists. 

To  have  questioned  so  sudden  a  victory  had  been  pardonable ; 
but  to  deny  it  scornfully  was  unworthy  of  Israelites.  Carnal  men 
think  that  impossible  to  others  which  themselves  cannot  do ;  from 
hence  are  their  censures,  hence  their  exclamations. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  vii.  The  revenge  of  Succoth  and  Petiuel.  243 

Gideon  hath  vowed  a  fearful  revenge,  and  now  performs  it 
The  taunts  of  his  brethren  may  not  stay  him  from  the  pursuit 
of  the  Midianites :  common  enmities  must  first  be  opposed ;  do- 
mestical, at  more  leisure.  The  princes  of  Succoth  feared  the 
tyranny  of  the  Midianitish  kings,  but  they  more  feared  Gideon's 
victory.  What  a  condition  hath  their  envy  drawn  them  into! 
That  they  are  sorry  to  see  God's  enemies  captive ;  that  Israel's 
freedom  must  be  their  death ;  that  the  Midianites  and  they  must 
tremble  at  one  and  the  same  revenger  I  To  see  themselves  pri- 
soners to  Zeba  and  Zalmunna  had  not  been  so  fearful  as  to  see 
Zeba  and  Zalmunna  prisoners  to  Gideon.  Nothing  is  more  ter- 
rible to  evil  minds  than  to  read  their  own  condemnation  in  the 
happy  success  of  others.  Hell  itself  would  want  one  piece  of 
his  torment,  if  the  wicked  did  not  know  those  whom  they  con- 
temned glorious. 

I  know  not  whether  more  to  commend  Gideon's  wisdom  and 
moderation  in  the  proceedings,  than  his  resolution  and  justice  in 
the  execution  of  this  business.  I  do  not  see  him  run  furiously 
into  the  city  and  kill  the  next:  his  sword  had  not  been  so 
drunken  with  blood,  that  it  should  know  no  difference :  but  he 
writes  down  the  names  of  the  princes,  and  singles  them  forth 
for  revenge. 

When  the  leaders  of  God  come  to  Jericho  or  Ai,  their  slaughter 
was  impartial :  not  a  woman  or  child  might  live  to  tell  news  :  but 
now  that  Gideon  comes  to  a  Succoth,  a  city  of  Israelites,  the 
rulers  are  called  forth  to  death ;  the  people  are  frighted  with  the 
example,  not  hurt  with  the  judgment.  To  enwrap  the  innocent 
in  any  vengeance  is  a  murderous  injustice ;  indeed,  where  all  join 
in  the  sin  all  are  worthy  to  meet  in  the  punishment.  It  is  like 
the  citizens  of  Succoth  could  have  been  glad  to  succour  Gideon, 
if  their  rulers  had  not  forbidden ;  they  must  therefore  escape, 
while  their  princes  perish. 

I  cannot  think  of  Gideon's  revenge  without  horror ;  that  the 
rulers  of  Succoth  should  have  their  flesh  torn  from  their  backs 
with  thorns  and  briers ;  that  they  should  be  at  once  beaten  and 
scratched  to  death :  what  a  spectacle  it  was  to  see  their  bare 
bones  looking  somewhere  through  the  bloody  rags  of  their  flesh 
and  skin,  and  every  stroke  worse  than  the  last ;  death  multiplied 
by  torment!  Justice  is  sometimes  so  severe,  that  a  tender  be- 
holder can  scarce  discern  it  from  cruelty. 

I  see  the  Midianites  fare  less  ill ;  the  edge  of  the  sword  makes 

R  2 

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244  The  revenge  of  Succotk  and  Penuel.  book  ix. 

a  speedy  and  easy  passage  for  tbeir  lives,  while  these  rebellious 
Israelites  die  lingering  under  thorns  and  briers ;  envying  those 
in  their  death  whom  their  life  abhorred.  Howsoever  men  live 
or  die  without  the  pale  of  the  Church,  a  wicked  Israelite  shall  be 
sure  of  plagues.  How  many  shall  unwish  themselves  Christians 
when  God's  revenges  have  found  them  out  1 

The  place  (Peniel)  where  Jacob  wrestled  with  Qod  and  pre- 
vailed, now  hath  wrestled  against  God,  and  takes  a  fall :  they  see 
God  avenged,  which  would  not  believe  him  delivering. 

It  was  now  time  for  Zeba  and  Zalmunna  to  follow  those  their 
troops  to  the  grave  whom  they  had  led  in  the  field.  Those  which 
the  day  before  were  attended  with  an  hundred  thirty-five  thou- 
sand followers,  have  not  so  much  as  a  page  now  left  to  weep  for 
their  death ;  and  have  lived  only  to  see  all  their  friends  and  some 
enemies  die  for  their  sakes. 

Who  can  regard  earthly  greatness  that  sees  one  night  change 
two  of  the  greatest  kings  of  the  world  into  captives  ?  It  had  been 
both  pity  and  sin  that  the  heads  of  that  Midianitish  tyranny,  into 
which  they  had  drawn  so  many  thousands,  should  have  escaped 
that  death.  And  yet  if  private  revenge  had  not  made  Gideon 
just,  I  doubt  whether  they  had  died.  The  blood  of  his  brothers 
calls  for  theirs,  and  awakes  his  sword  to  their  execution.  He 
both  knew  and  complained  of  the  Midianitish  oppression  under 
which  Israel  groaned ;  yet  the  cruelty  offered  to  all  the  thousands 
of  his  father's  sons  had  not  drawn  the  blood  of  Zeba  and  Zal- 
munna, if  his  own  mother's  sons  had  not  bled  by  their  hands. 

He  that  slew  the  rulers  of  Succoth  and  Penuel,  and  spared 
the  people,  now  hath  slain  the  people  of  Midian,  and  would  have 
spared  their  rulers;  but  that  God,  which  will  find  occasions  to 
wind  wicked  men  into  judgment,  will  have  them  slain  in  a  private 
quarrel,  which  had  more  deserved  it  for  the  public ;  if  we  may 
not  rather  say,  that  Gideon  revenged  these  as  a  magistrate,  not 
as  a  brother.  For  governors  to  respect  their  own  ends  in  public 
actions,  and  to  wear  the  sword  of  justice  in  tbeir  own  sheath,  it  is 
a  wrongful  abuse  of  authority.  The  slaughter  of  Gideon's  brethren 
was  not  the  greatest  sin  of  the  Midianitish  kings :  this  alone  shall 
kill  them,  when  the  rest  expected  an  unjust  remission. 

How  many  lewd  men  hath  God  paid  with  some  one  sin  for  all 
the  rest !  Some,  that  have  gone  away  with  unnatural  filthiness 
and  capital  thefts,  have  clipped  off  their  own  days  with  their 
coin;  others,  whose  bloody  murders  have  been  punished  in  a 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  vn.  The  revenge  of  Succoth  and  Penuel.  245 

mutinous  word;  others,  whose  suspected  felony  hath  paid  the 
price  of  their  unknown  rape.  O  God,  thy  judgments  are  just, 
even  when  men's  are  unjust! 

Gideon's  young  son  is  bidden  to  revenge  the  death  of  his 
uncles.     His  sword  had  not  yet  learned  the  way  to  blood,  espe- 
cially of  kings,  though  in  irons.     Deadly  executions  require 
strength  both  of  heart  and  face.    How  are  those  aged  in  evil  that  * 
can  draw  their  swords  upon  the  lawfully  anointed  of  God  I 

These  tyrants  plead  not  now  for  continuance  of  life,  but  for 
the  haste  of  their  death ;  Fall  thou  upon  us.  Death  is  ever  ac- 
companied with  pain,  which  it  is  no  marvel  if  we  wish  short.  We 
do  not  more  affect  protraction  of  an  easefut  life,  than  speed  in 
our  dissolution;  for  here  every  pang  that  tends  towards  death 
renews  it.  To  lie  an  hour  under  death  is  tedious;  but  to  be 
dying  a  whole  day,  we  think  above  the  strength  of  human  pa- 
tience. O  what  shall  we  then  conceive  of  that  death  which  knows 
no  end  ?  As  this  life  is  no  less  frail  than  the  body  which  it  ani- 
mates, so  that  death  is  no  less  eternal  than  the  soul  which  must 
endure  it. 

For  us  to  be  dying  so  long  as  we  now  have  leave  to  live  is 
intolerable;  and  yet  one  only  minute  of  that  other  tormenting 
death  is  worse  than  an  age  of  this.  O  the  desperate  infidelity  of 
careless  men,  that  shrink  at  the  thought  of  a  momentary  death, 
and  fear  not  eternal  I  This  is  but  a  killing  of  the  body ;  that  is  a 
destruction  of  body  and  soul. 

Who  is  so  worthy  to  wear  the  crown  of  Israel  as  he  that  won 
the  crown  from  Midian  ?  Their  usurpers  were  gone ;  now  they 
are  headless.  It  is  a  doubt  whether  they  were  better  to  have 
had  no  kings  or  tyrants.  They  sue  to  Gideon  to  accept  of  the 
kingdom,  and  are  repulsed :  there  is  no  greater  example  of  mo* 
desty  than  Gideon.  When  the  angel  spake  to  him,  he  abased 
himself  below  all  Israel ;  when  the  Ephraimites  contended  with 
him,  he  prefers  their  gleanings  to  his  vintage,  and  casts  his 
honour  at  their  feet;  and  now,  when  Israel  proffers  him  that 
kingdom  which  he  had  merited,  he  refuses  it.  He  that  in  over- 
coming would  allow  them  to  cry,  The  sivord  of  the  Lord  and  of 
CHdeon,  in  governing  will  have  none  but  the  sword  of  the  Lord. 

That  which  others  plot,  and  sue,  and  swear,  and  bribe  for, 
dignity  and  superiority,  he  seriously  rejects;  whether  it  were 
for  that  he  knew  God  had  not  yet  called  them  to  a  monarchy ; 
or  rati* «-  for  that  he  saw  the  crown  among  thorns.     What  do 


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246  AbimelecKs  usurpation.  book  ix. 

we  ambitiously  affect  the  command  of  these  molehills  of  earth, 
when  wise  men  have  refused  the  proffers  of  kingdoms  ?  Why  do 
we  not  rather  labour  for  that  kingdom  which  is  free  from  all 
cares,  from  all  uncertainty  ? 

Yet  he  that  refuses  their  crown  calls  for  their  earrings;  al- 
though not  to  enrich  himself,  but  religion.  So  long  had  God 
been  a  stranger  to  Israel,  that  now  superstition  goes  current  for 
devout  worship.  It  were  pity  that  good  intentions  should  make 
any  man  wicked;  here  they  did  so.  Ndirer  man  meant  better 
than  Gideon  in  his  rich  ephod ;  yet  this  very  act  set  all  Israel  on 
whoring :  God  had  chosen  a  place  and  a  service  of  his  own.  When 
the  wit  of  man  will  be  overpleasing  God  with  better  devices  than 
his  own,  it  turns  to  madness,  and  ends  in  mischief. 


ABIMELECH'S  USURPATION.— Judges  ix. 

Gideon  refused  the  kingdom  of  Israel  when  it  was  offered.  His 
seventy  sons  offered  not  to  obtain  that  sceptre  which  their  father's 
victory  had  deserved  to  make  hereditary :  only  Abimelech,  the 
concubine's  son,  sues  and  ambitiously  plots  for  it.  What  could 
Abimelech  see  in  himself,  that  he  should  overlook  all  his  bre- 
thren ?  If  he  look  to  his  father,  they  were  his  equals ;  if  to  his 
mother,  they  were  his  betters.  Those  that  are  most  unworthy 
of  honour  are  hottest  in  the  chase  of  it ;  whilst  the  conscience  of 
better  deserts  bids  men  sit  still,  and  stay  to  be  either  importuned 
or  neglected.  There  can  be  no  greater  sign  of  unfitness  than  ve- 
hement suit.  It  is  hard  to  say  whether  there  be  more  pride  or 
ignorance  in  ambition.  1  have  noted  this  difference  betwixt  spi- 
ritual and  earthly  honour,  and  the  clients  of  both ;  we  cannot  be 
worthy  of  the  one  without  earnest  prosecution,  nor  with  earnest 
prosecution  worthy  of  the  other :  the  violent  obtain  heaven ;  only 
the  meek  are  worthy  to  inherit  the  earth. 

That  which  an  aspiring  heart  hath  projected,  it  will  find  both 
argument  and  means  to  effect.  If  either  bribes  or  favour  will 
carry  it,  the  proud  man  will  not  sit  out.  The  Shechemites  are 
fit  brokers  for  Abimelech :  that  city,  which  once  betrayed  itself  to 
utter  depopulation  in  yielding  to  the  suit  of  Hamor,  now  betrays 
itself  and  all  Israel  in  yielding  to  the  request  of  Abimelech.  By 
them  hath  this  usurper  made  himself  a  fair  way  to  the  throne. 

It  was  an  easy  question,  "  Whether  will  ye  admit  of  the  sons 


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cont.  vin.  Abimelech' s  ttsurpation.  247 

of  Gideon  for  your  rulers,  or  of  strangers?  If  of  the  sons  of 
Gideon,  whether  of  all  or  one  ?  If  of  one,  whether  of  your  own 
flesh  and  blood,  or  of  others  unknown  ?"  To  cast  off  the  sons  of 
Gideon  for  strangers  were  unthankful,  to  admit  of  seventy  kings 
in  one  small  country  were  unreasonable ;  to  admit  of  any  other 
rather  than  their  own  kinsmen  were  unnatural.  Gideon's  sons 
therefore  must  rule  amongst  all  Israel ;  one  of  his  sons  amongst 
those  seventy ;  and  who  should  be  that  one  but  Abimelech  ?  Na- 
tural respects  are  the  most  dangerous  corrupters  of  all  elections. 
What  hope  can  there  be  of  worthy  superiors  in  any  free  people, 
where  nearness  of  blood  carries  it  from  fitness  of  disposition? 
Whilst  they  say,  He  is  our  brother,  they  are  enemies  to  them- 
selves and  Israel. 

Fair  words  have  won  his  brethren;  they,  the  Shechemites: 
the  Shechemites  furnish  him  with  money;  money  with  men: 
his  men  begin  with  murder ;  and  now  Abimelech  reigns  alone : 
flattery,  bribes,  and  blood,  are  the  usual  stairs  of  the  ambitious. 
The  money  of  Baal  is  a  fit  hire  for  murderers :  that  which  ido- 
latry hath  gathered  is  fitly  spent  upon  treason :  one  devil  is  ready 
to  help  another  in  mischief:  seldom  ever  is  ill  gotten  riches 
better  employed.  It  is  no  wonder  if  he  that  hath  Baal  his  idol, 
now  make  an  idol  of  honour.  There  was  never  any  man  that 
worshipped  but  one  idol. 

Woe  be  to  them  that  lie  in  the  way  of  the  aspiring :  though 
they  be  brothers,  they  shall  bleed ;  yea,  the  nearer  they  are,  the 
more  sure  is  their  ruin.  Who  would  not  now  think  that  Abime- 
lech should  find  a  hell  in  his  breast  after  so  barbarous  and  un- 
natural a  massacre  ?  and  yet  behold,  he  is  as  senseless  as  the  stone 
upon  which  the  blood  of  his  seventy  brethren  was  spilt.  Where 
ambition  hath  possest  itself  thoroughly  of  the  soul,  it  turns  the 
heart  into  steel,  and  makes  it  uncapable  of  a  conscience :  all  sins 
will  easily  down  with  the  man  that  is  resolved  to  rise. 

Only  Jotham  fell  not  at  that  fatal  stone  with  his  brethren.  It 
is  an  hard  battle  where  none  escapes.  He  escapes,  not  to  reign, 
nor  to  revenge,  but  to  be  a  prophet,  and  a  witness  of  the  venge- 
ance of  God  upon  the  usurper,  upon  the  abettors ;  he  lives  to  tell 
Abimelech  that  he  was  but  a  bramble;  a  weed,  rather  than  a 
tree;  a  right  bramble  indeed,  that  grew  but  out  of  the  base 
hedge-row  of  a  concubine ;  that  could  not  lift  up  his  head  from 
the  earth,  unless  he  were  supported  by  some  bush  or  pale  of 
Shechem ;  that  had  laid  hold  of  the  fleece  of  Israel,  and  had 


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248  Abimelecfis  usurpation.  book  ix. 

drawn  blood  of  all  his  brethren ;  and  lastly,  that  had  no  sub- 
stance in  him,  but  the  sap  of  vainglory  and  the  pricks  of  cruelty. 
It  was  better  than  a  kingdom  to  him,  out  of  his  obscure  Beer*,  to 
see  the  fire  out  of  this  bramble  to  consume  those  trees :  the  view 
of  God's  revenge  is  so  much  more  pleasing  to  a  good  heart  than 
his  own  glory  by  how  much  it  is  more  just  and  full. 

There  was  never  such  a  pattern  of  unthankfulness  as  these 
Israelites:  they  which  lately  thought  a  kingdom  too  small  re- 
compence  for  Gideon  and  his  sons,  now  think  it  too  much  for  his 
seed  to  live ;  and  take  life  away  from  the  sons  of  him  that  gave 
them  both  life  and  liberty.  Yet  if  this  had  been  some  hundred 
of  years  after,  when  time  had  worn  out  the  memory  of  Jerubbaal, 
it  might  have  borne  a  better  excuse.  No  man  can  hope  to  hold 
pace  with  time :  the  best  names  may  not  think  scorn  to  be  un- 
known to  following  generations ;  but  ere  their  deliverer  was  cold 
in  his  coffin,  to  pay  his  benefits,  which  deserved  to  be  everlasting, 
with  the  extirpation  of  his  posterity,  it  was  more  than  savage. 
What  can  be  looked  for  from  idolaters  ?  If  a  man  have  cast  off  his 
God,  he  will  easily  cast  off  his  friends :  when  religion  is  once  gone, 
humanity  will  not  stay  long  after. 

That  which  the  people  were  punished  afterwards  for  but  de- 
siring, he  enjoys.  Now  is  Abimelech  seated  in  the  throne  which 
his  father  refused,  and  no  rival  is  seen  to  envy  his  peace.  But 
how  long  will  this  glory  last  ?  Stay  but  three  years  and  ye  shall 
see  this  bramble  withered  and  burnt.  The  prosperity  of  the 
wicked  is  short  and  fickle.  A  stolen  crown,  though  it  may  look 
fair,  cannot  be  made  of  any  but  brittle  stuff.  All  life  is  uncertain, 
but  wickedness  overruns  nature. 

The  evil  spirit  thrust  himself  into  the  plot  of  Abimelech's  usur- 
pation and  murder,  and  wrought  with  the  Shechemites  for  both ; 
and  now  God  sends  the  evil  spirit  betwixt  Abimelech  and  the 
Shechemites  to  work  the  ruin  of  each  other.  The  first  could  not 
have  been  without  God ;  but  in  the  second,  God  challenges  a  part  : 
revenge  is  his,  where  the  sin  is  ours.  It  had  been  pity  that  the 
Shechemites  should  have  been  plagued  by  any  other  hand  than 
Abimelech's :  they  raised  him  unjustly  to  the  throne,  they  are  the 
first  that  feel  the  weight  of  his  sceptre.  The  foolish  bird  limes 
herself  with  that  which  grew  from  her  own  excretion :  who  won- 
ders to  see  the  kind  peasant  stung  with  his  own  snake  ? 

The  breach  begins  at  Shechem :  his  own  countrymen  fly  off 
*  [The  place  to  which  Jotham  fled,  Judges  ix.  21.] 


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cont.  viii.  Abimeleclis  usurpation.  249 

from  their  promised  allegiance.  Though  all  Israel  should  have 
fallen  off  from  Abimelech,  yet  they  of  Shechem  should  have  stuck 
close :  it  was  their  act,  they  ought  to  have  made  it  good.  How 
should  good  princes  be  honoured,  when  even  Abimelech  once  set- 
tled cannot  be  opposed  with  safety !  Now  they  begin  the  revolt 
to  the  rest  of  Israel :  yet  if  this  had  been  done  out  of  repentance, 
it  had  been  praiseworthy ;  but  to  be  done  out  of  a  treacherous 
inconstancy  was  unworthy  of  Israelites. 

How  could  Abimelech  hope  for  fidelity  of  them  whom  he  had 
made  and  found  traitors  to  his  father's  blood?  No  man  knows 
how  to  be  sure  of  him  that  is  unconscionable :  he  that  hath  been 
unfaithful  to  one  knows  the  way  to  be  perfidious ;  and  is  only 
fit  for  his  trust  that  is  worthy  to  be  deceived ;  whereas  faithful- 
ness, besides  the  present  good,  lays  a  ground  of  further  assurance. 
The  friendship  that  is  begun  in  evil  cannot  stand :  wickedness, 
both  of  its  own  nature  and  through  the  curse  of  God,  is  ever  un- 
steady ;  and  though  there  be  not  a  disagreement  in  hell,  (being 
but  the  place  of  retribution,  not  of  action,)  yet  on  earth  there  is 
no  peace  among  the  wicked ;  whereas  that  affection  which  is  knit 
in  God  is  indissoluble. 

If  the  men  of  Shechem  had  abandoned  their  false  god  with 
their  false  king,  and,  out  of  a  serious  remorse  and  desire  of  satis- 
faction for  their  idolatry  and  blood,  had  opposed  this  tyrant,  and 
preferred  Jotham  to  his  throne,  there  might  have  been  both 
warrant  for  their  quarrel  and  hope  of  success ;  but  now,  if  Abime- 
lech be  a  wicked  usurper,  yet  the  Shechemites  are  idolatrous 
traitors.  How  could  they  think  that  God  would  rather  revenge 
Abimelech's  bloody  intrusion  by  them,  than  their  treachery  and 
idolatry  by  Abimelech  ?  When  the  quarrel  is  betwixt  God  and 
Satan,  there  is  no  doubt  of  the  issue ;  but  when  one  devil  fights 
with  another,  what  certainty  is  there  of  the  victory  ?  Though  the 
cause  of  God  had  been  good,  yet  it  had  been  safe  for  them  to  look 
to  themselves :  the  unworthiness  of  the  agent  many  times  curses 
a  good  enterprise. 

No  sooner  is  a  secret  dislike  kindled  in  any  people  against 
their  governors,  than  there  is  a  Gaal  ready  to  blow  the  coals.  It 
were  a  wonder  if  ever  any  faction  should  want  a  head ;  as  con- 
trarily,  never  any  man  was  so  ill  as  not  to  have  some  favourers. 
Abimelech  hath  a  Zebul  in  the  midst  of  Shechem :  lightly,  all 
treasons  are  betrayed  even  with  some  of  their  own  :  his  intelligence 
brings  the  sword  of  Abimelech  upon  Shechem,  who  now  hath  de- 


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250  AbimekcKs  usurpation.  book  ix. 

molished  the  city  and  sown  it  with  salt.  0  the  just  successions  of 
the  revenges  of  God !  Gideon's  ephod  is  punished  with  the  blood 
of  his  sons ;  the  blood  of  his  sons  is  shed  by  the  procurement  of 
the  Shechemites ;  the  blood  of  the  Shechemites  is  shed  by  Abirae- 
lech  ;  the  blood  of  Abimelech  is  spilt  by  a  woman.  The  retaliations 
of  God  are  sure  and  just,  and  make  a  more  due  pedigree  than  the 
descent  of  nature.  , 

The  pursued  Shechemites  fly  to  the  house  of  their  god  Berith ; 
now  they  are  safe :  that  place  is  at  once  a  fort  and  a  sanctuary. 
Whither  should  we  fly  in  our  distress  but  to  our  God  ?  And  now 
this  refuge  shall  teach  them  what  a  God  they  have  served.  The 
jealous  God  whom  they  had  forsaken  hath  them  now  where  he 
would,  and  rejoices  at  once  to  be  avenged  of  their  god  and  them. 
Had  they  not  made  the  house  of  Baal  their  shelter,  they  had  not 
died  so  fearfully.  Now,  according  to  the  prophecy  of  Jotham,  , 
a  fire  goes  out  of  the  bramble  and  consumes  these  cedars,  and 
their  eternal  flames  begin  in  the  house  of  their  Berith :  the  con* 
fusion  of  wicked  men  rises  out  of  the  false  deities  which  they  have 
doted  on. 

Of  all  the  conspirators  against  Gideon's  sons,  only  Abimelech 
yet  survives,  and  his  day  is  now  coming.  His  success  against 
Shechem  hath  filled  his  heart  with  thoughts  of  victory.  He  hath 
caged  up  the  inhabitants  of  Thebez  within  their  tower  also ;  and 
what  remains  for  them  but  the  same  end  with  their  neighbours  ? 
And  behold,  while  his  hand  is  busy  in  putting  fire  to  the  door  of 
their  tower,  which  yet  was  not  high,  (for  then  he  could  not  have 
discerned  a  woman  to  be  his  executioner,)  a  stone  from  a  woman's 
hand  strikes  his  head.  His  pain  in  dying  was  not  so  much  as  his 
indignation  to  know  by  whom  he  died ;  and  rather  will  he  die 
twice  than  a  woman  shall  kill  him.  If  God  had  not  known  his 
stomach  so  big,  he  had  not  vexed  him  with  the  impotency  of  his 
victor :  God  finds  a  time  to  reckon  with  wicked  men  for  all  the 
arrearages  of  their  sins.  Our  sins  are  not  more  our  debts  to  God* 
than  his  judgments  are  his  debts  to  our  sins,  which  at  last  he  will 
be  sure  to  pay  home. 

There  now  lies  the  greatness  of  Abimelech;  upon  one  stone 
had  he  slain  his  seventy  brethren,  and  now  a  stone"  slays  him ; 
his  head  had  stolen  the  crown  of  Israel,  and  now  his  head  is  smit- 
ten :  and  what  is  Abimelech  better  that  he  was  a  king  ?  What 
difference  is  there  between  him  and  any  of  his  seventy  brethren 
whom  he  murdered,  save  only  in  guiltiness  ?  They  bear  but  th$ir 


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cont.  vii.  AbimelecHs  usurpation.  251 

own  blood,  he  the  weight  of  all  theirs.  How  happy  a  thing  is  it 
to  live  well !  that  our  death,  as  it  is  certain,  so  may  be  comfort- 
able :  what  a  vanity  is  it  to  insult  in  the  death  of  them  whom  we 
must  follow  the  same  way ! 

The  tyrant  hath  his  payment,  and  that  time  which  *he  should 
have  bestowed  in  calling  for  mercy  to  God,  and  washing  his  soul 
with  the  last  tears  of  contrition,  he  vainly  spends  in  deprecating 
an  idle  reproach ;  Kill  me,  that  it  may  not  be  said  he  died  by  a 
woman :  a  fit  conclusion  for  such  a  life.  The  expectation  of  true 
and  endless  torment  doth  not  so  much  vex  him  as  the  frivolous  re- 
port of  a  dishonour ;  neither  is  he  so  much  troubled  with  "  Abi- 
melech  is  frying  in  hell,"  as  "  Abimelech  is  slain  by  a  woman."  So 
vain  fools  are  niggardly  of  their  reputation  and  prodigal  of  their 
souls.  Do  we  not  see  them  run  wilfully  into  the  field,  into  tho 
grave,  into  hell  ?  and  all,  lest  it  should  be  said,  "  They  have  but 
as  much  fear  as  wit." 


BOOK   X. 

TO  THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  MT  SINGULAR  GOOD  LORD, 

SIR  HENRY  DANVERS,  KNIGHT* 

BARON  OF  DANTESEY  \ 

A  WORTHY  PATTERN  OF  ALL  TRITE  NOBILITY,  ACCOMPLISHED  BOTH 

FOR  WAR  AND  PEACE  \  A  MUNIFICENT  FAYOURER  OF  ALL 

LEARNING  AND  VIRTUE  ; 

J.  H. 

WITH  HUMBLE  APPRECATION  OF  ALL  TRUE  HAPPINESS, 
DEDICATES  THIS  PART  OF  HIS  POOR  LABOURS. 


JEPHTHAH.— Judges  xi. 
Israel,  that  had  now  long  gone  a  whoring  from  God,  hath  been 
punished  by  the  regiment  of  the  concubine's  son,  and  at  last  seeks 
protection  from  the  son  of  a  harlot :  it  is  no  small  misery  to  be 

*  [Created  Baron  Danvers  of  Dantesey,  1604,  afterwards  by  King  Charles  I. 
Earl  of  Danby.] 


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252  Jephthah.  book  x. 

obliged  unto  the  unworthy.  The  concubine's  son  made  suit  to 
them,  they  make  suit  to  the  son  of  the  harlot.  It  was  no  fault  of 
Jephthah  that  he  had  an  ill  mother,  yet  is  he  branded  with  the 
indignity  of  his  bastardy ;  neither  would  God  conceal  this  blemish 
of  nature  which  Jephthah  could  neither  avoid  nor  remedy.  God, 
to  show  his  detestation  of  whoredom,  revenges  it  not  only  upon 
the  acton?,  but  upon  their  issue :  hence  he  hath  shut  out  the  base 
son  from  the  congregation  of  Israel  to  the  tenth  generation b,  that 
a  transient  evil  might  have  a  during  reproach  attending  it;  and 
that  after  the  death  of  the  adulterer,  yet  his  shame  might  live. 
But  that  God,  who  justly  ties  men  to  his  laws,  will  not  abide  that 
we  should  tie  him  to  our  laws  or  his  own :  he  can  both  rectify  and 
ennoble  the  blood  of  Jephthah.  That  no  man  should  be  too  much 
discouraged  with  the  errors  of  his  propagation,  even  the  base  son 
of  man  may  be  the  lawfully  begotten  of  God ;  and  though  he  be 
cast  out  from  the  inheritance  of  his  brethren  upon  earth,  may  be 
admitted  to  the  kingdom  of  Israel. 

I  hear  no  praise  of  the  lawful  issue  of  Gilead ;  only  this  mis- 
begotten son  is  commended  for  his  valour,  and  set  at  the  stern 
of  Israel :  the  common  gifts  of  God  respect  not  the  parentage  or 
blood,  but  are  indifferently  scattered  where  he  pleases  to  let  them 
fall.  The  choice  of  the  Almighty  is  not  guided  by  our  rules ;  as 
in  spiritual,  so  in  earthly  things,  it  is  not  in  him  that  willeth.  If 
God  would  have  men  glory  in  these  outward  privileges,  he  would 
bestow  them  upon  none  but  the  worthy. 

Now  who  can  be  proud  of  strength  or  greatness,  when  he  sees 
him  that  is  not  so  honest,  yet  is  more  valiant,  more  advanced  ? 
Had  not  Jephthah  been  base,  he  had  not  been  thrust  out ;  and  if 
he  had  not  been  thrust  out  from  his  brethren,  he  had  never  been 
the  captain  of  Israel.  By  contrary  paces  to  ours,  it  pleaseth  God 
to  come  to  his  own  ends :  and  how  usually  doth  he  look  the  con-# 
trary  way  to  that  he  moves!  No  man  can  measure  the  con- 
clusion of  God's  act  by  his  beginning :  he  that  fetches  good  out 
of  evil  raises  the  glory  of  men  out  of  their  ruin.  Men  love  to  go 
the  nearest  way,  and  often  fail ;  God  commonly  goes  about,  and 
in  his  own  time  comes  surely  home. 

The  Gileadites  were  not  so  forward  to  expel  Jephthah  as  glad  to 

recall  him :  no  Ammonite  threatened  them  when  they  parted  with 

such  an  helper ;  now,  whom  they  cast  out  in  their  peace,  they  fetch 

home  in  their  danger  and  misery.     That  God  who  never  gave 

b  [Deut.  xxiii.  a.] 


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cont.  t.  Jephthah.  253 

aught  in  vain  will  find  a  time  to  make  use  of  any  gift  that  he 
hath  bestowed  upon  men :  the  valour  of  Jephthah  shall  not  rust 
in  his  secrecy,  but  be  employed  to  the  common  preservation  of 
Israel.  Necessity  will  drive  us  to  seek  up  all  our  helps,  even 
those  whom  our  wantonness  hath  despised. 

How  justly  are  the  suits  of  our  need  upbraided  with  the  errors 
of  our  prosperity !  The  elders  of  Gilead  now  hear  of  their  an- 
cient wrong,  and  dare  not  find  fault  with  their  exprobration ;  Did 
ye  net  hate  me,  and  expel  me  out  of  my  father's  house  t  How 
then  come  ye  now  to  me,  in  time  of  tribulation  t  The  same  ex- 
postulation that  Jephthah  makes  with  Gilead,  God  also  at  the  same 
time  makes  with  Israel ;  Ye  have  forsaken  me,  and  served  other 
gods ;  wherefore  should  I  deliver  you  any  more  f  Oo  and  cry 
unto  the  gods  whom  ye  have  served.  As  we,  so  God  also,  finds  it 
seasonable  to  tell  his  children  of  their  faults  while  he  is  whipping 
them.  It  is  a  safe  2nd  wise  course  to  make  much  of  those  in  our 
peace  whom  we  must  make  use  of  in  our  extremity ;  else  it  is  but 
just  that  we  should  be  rejected  of  those  whom  we  have  rejected. 

Can  we  look  for  any  other  answer  from  God  than  this  ?  "  Did 
ye  not  drive  me  out  of  your  houses,  out  of  your  hearts,  in  the 
time  of  your  health  and  jollity  ?  Did  ye  not  plead  the  strictness  of 
my  charge  and  the  weight  of  my  yoke  ?  Did  not  your  wilful 
sins  expel  me  from  your  souls  i  What  do  you  now,  crouching  and 
creeping  to  me  in  the  evil  day  ?"  Surely,  O  God,  it  is  but  justice 
if  thou  be  not  found  of  those  which  were  glad  to  lose  thee ;  it  is 
thy  mercy,  if,  after  many  checks  and  delays,  thou  wilt  be  found 
at  last.  Where  an  act  cannot  be  reversed,  there  is  no  amends  but 
confession ;  and  if  God  himself  take  up  with  this  satisfaction,  He 
that  confesses  shall  find  mercy,  how  much  more  should  men  hold 
themselves  well  paid  with  words  of  humility  and  deprecation  1 

Jephthah's  wisdom  had  not  been  answerable  to  his  valour,  if  he 
had  not  made  his  match  beforehand.  He  could  not  but  know 
how  treacherously  Israel  had  dealt  with  Gideon.  We  cannot  make 
too  sure  work  when  we  have  to  do  with  unfaithful  men.  It 
hath  been  an  old  policy,  to  serve  ourselves  of  men;  and  after 
our  advantage,  to  turn  them  up.  He  bargains  therefore  for  his 
sovereignty  ere  he  win  it ;  Shall  I  be  your  head  t  We  are  all 
naturally  ambitious,  and  are  ready  to  buy  honour  even  with 
hazard.  And  if  the  hope  of  a  troublesome  superiority  encouraged 
Jephthah  to  fight  against  the  forces  of  Ammon,  what  heart  should 
we  take  in  the  battles  of  God  against  spiritual  wickednesses,  whfen 

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254  Jephthah.  book  x. 

Hie  God  of  heaven  hath  said,  To  him  that  overcomes  will  I  give 
power  over  nations,  and  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne  ?  Oh  that 
we  could  bend  our  eyes  upon  the  recompense  of  our  reward;  how 
willingly  should  we  march  forward  against  these  mighty  Ammon- 
ites I  Jephthah  is  noted  for  his  valour ;  and  yet  he  entreats  with 
Ammon  ere  he  fights.  To  make  war  any  other  than  our  last 
remedy  is  not  courage,  but  cruelty  and  rashness ;  and  now,  when 
reason  will  not  prevail,  he  betakes  himself  to  his  sword. 

As  God  began  the  war  with  Jephthah  in  raising  up  his  heart  to 
that  pitch  of  fortitude,  so  Jephthah  began  his  war  at  God,  in 
craving  victory  from  him,  and  pouring  out  his  vow  to  him :  his 
hand  took  hold  of  his  sword ;  his  heart  of  God :  therefore  he, 
whom  the  Old  Testament  styles  valiant,  the  New  styles  faithful ; 
he  who  is  commended  for  his  strength  dares  trust  in  none  but 
the  arm  of  God ;  If  thou  wilt  give  the  Ammonites  into  my  hand. 
If  Jephthah  had  not  looked  upward  for  his  victory,  in  vain  had  the 
Gileadites  looked  up  to  him.  This  is  the  disposition  of  all  good 
hearts ;  they  look  to  their  sword  or  their  bow  as  servants,  not  as 
patrons ;  and  whilst  they  use  them,  trust  to  God.  If  we  could  do 
so  in  all  our  businesses,  we  should  have  both  more  joy  in  their 
success,  and  loss  discomfort  in  their  miscarriage. 

It  was  his  zeal  to  vow ;  it  was  his  sin  to  vow  rashly.  Jacob 
his  forefather,  of  whom  he  learned  to  vow,  might  have  taught 
him  a  better  form  ;  If  God  will  be  with  me9  then  shall  the  Lord 
be  my  Ood.  It  is  well  with  vows  when  the  thing  promised 
makes  the  promise  good ;  but  when  Jephthah  says,  Whatsoever 
thing  cometh  out  of  the  doors  of  my  house  shall  be  t/ce  Lord's,  or 
I  will  offer  it  for  a  burnt  sacrifice,  his  devotion  is  blind,  and  his 
good  affection  overruns  his  judgment;  for  what  if  a  dog  or  a 
swine  or  an  ass  had  met  him  ?  where  had  been  the  promise  of 
his  consecration  ? 

Vows  are  as  they  are  made.  Like  unto  scents,  if  they  be  of  ill 
composition  nothing  offends  more ;  if  well  tempered,  nothing  is 
more  pleasant.  Either  certainty  of  evil,  or  uncertainty  of  good, 
or  impossibility  of  performance,  makes  vows  no  service  to  God. 
When  we  vow  what  we  cannot,  or  what  we  ought  not  do,  we  mock 
God  instead  of  honouring  him.  It  is  a  vain  thing  for  us  to  go 
about  to  catch  God  hoodwinked.  The  conscience  shall  never  find 
peace  in  any  way  but  that  which  we  see  before  us,  and  which  we 
know  safe,  both  in  the  kind  and  circumstances.  There  is  no 
comfort  in  "  Peradventure  I  may  please  God." 


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cont.  i.  Jephthah.  255 

What  good  child  will  not  take  part  of  the  parent's  joy?  If 
Jephthah  return  with  trophies,  it  is  no  marvel  if  his  daughter 
meet  him  with  timbrels :  O  that  we  eould  be  so  affected  with  the 
glorious  acts  of  our  heavenly  Father !  Thou  subduest  thine  ene- 
mies, and  mightily  deliverest  thy  people,  O  God ;  a  song  waiteth 
for  thee  in  Sion. 

Who  would  have  suspected  danger  in  a  dutiful  triumph  ?  Well 
might  Jephthah's  daughter  have  thought,  "  My  sex  forbade  me  to 
do  any  thing  towards  the  help  of  my  father's  victory ;  I  can  do 
little  if  I  cannot  applaud  it :  if  nature  have  made  me  weak,  yet 
not  unthankful;  nothing  forbids  my  joy  to  be  as  strong  as  the 
victor's :  though  I  might  not  go  out  with  my  father  to  fight,  yet 
I  may  meet  him  with  gratulations ;  a  timbrel  may  become  these 
hands  which  were  unfit  for  a  sword ;  this  day  hath  made  me  the 
daughter  of  the  head  of  Israel ;  this  day  hath  made  both  Israel 
free,  my  father  a  conqueror,  and  myself  in  him  noble :  and  shall 
my  affection  make  no  difference  ?  What  must  my  father  needs  think, 
if  he  shall  find  me  sitting  sullenly  at  home,  while  all  Israel  strives 
who  shall  run  first  to  bless  him  with  their  acclamations?  Should 
I  only  be  insensible  of  his  and  the  common  happiness?" 

And  now,  behold,  when  she  looks  for  most  thanks,  her  father 
answers  the  measures  of  her  feet  with  the  knockings  of  his  breast, 
and  weeps  at  her  music,  and  tears  his  clothes  to  look  upon  her 
whom  he  best  loved ;  and  gives  no  answer  to  her  timbrels  but, 
Ala*!  my  daughter,  thou  art  of  them  that  trouble  me:  her  joy 
alone  hath  changed  the  day,  and  lost  the  comfort  of  that  victory 
which  she  enjoyed  to  see  won.  It  falls  out  often,  that  those 
times  and  occasions  which  promise  most  contentment  prove  most 
doleful  in  the  issue :  the  heart  of  this  virgin  was  never  lifted  up 
so  high  as  now,  neither  did  any  day  of  her  life  seem  happy  but 
this ;  and  this  only  proves  the  day  of  her  solemn  and  perpetual 
mourning :  as  contrarily,  the  times  and  events  which  we  have 
most  distrusted  prove  most  beneficial.  It  is  good  in  a  fair  morn* 
ing  to  think  of  the  storm  that  may  arise  ere  night,  and  to  enjoy 
both  good  and  evil  fearfully. 

Miserable  is  that  devotion  which  troubles  us  in  the  perform- 
ance ;  nothing  is  more  pleasant  than  the  acts  of  true  piety ; 
Jephthah  might  well  see  the  wrong  of  this  religion  in  the  distaste 
of  it ;  yet,  while  himself  had  troubled  his  daughter,  he  says,  Alas! 
my  daughter,  thou  art  of  them  that  trouble  me :  she  did  but  her 
duty ;  he  did  what  he  should  not ;  yet  he  would  be  rid  of  the 


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256  JephthaL  hook  x. 

blame,  though  he  cannot  of  the  smart.  No  man  is  willing  to  own 
a  sin ;  the  first  man  shifted  it  from  himself  to  his  wife ;  this,  from 
himself  to  his  daughter :  he  was  ready  to  accuse  another,  which 
only  committed  it  himself.  It  were  happy  if  we  could  be  as  loath 
to  commit  sin  as  to  acknowledge  it. 

The  inconsideration  of  this  vow  was  very  tough  and  settled : 
/  have  opened  my  mouth,  and  cannot  go  back.  If  there  were 
just  cause  to  repent,  it  was  the  weakness  of  his  zeal  to  think  that 
a  vow  could  bind  him  to  evil :  an  unlawful  vow  is  ill  made,  but 
worse  performed.  It  were  pity  this  constancy  should  light  upon 
any  but  a  holy  object.  No  loan  can  make  a  truer  debt  than  our 
vow ;  which  if  we  pay  not  in  our  performance,  God  will  pay  us 
with  judgment.  We  have  all  opened  our  mouths  to  God  in  that 
initial  and  solemn  vow  of  Christianity ;  O  that  we  could  not  go 
back !  So  much  more  is  our  vow  obligatory,  by  how  much  the 
thing  vowed  is  more  necessary. 

Why  was  the  soul  of  Jephthah  thus  troubled,  but  because  he 
saw  the  entail  of  his  new  honour  thus  suddenly  cut  off?  He  saw 
the  hope  of  posterity  extinguished  in  the  virginity  of  his  daughter. 
It  is  natural  to  us  to  affect  that  perpetuity  in  our  succession,  which 
is  denied  us  in  our  persons ;  our  very  bodies  would  emulate  the 
eternity  of  the  soul.  And  if  God  have  built  any  of  us  an  house  on 
earth,  as  well  as  prepared  us  an  house  in  heaven,  it  must  be  con* 
fessed  a  favour  worth  our  thankfulness ;  but  as  the  perpetuity  of 
our  earthly  houses  is  uncertain,  so  let  us  not  rest  our  hearts  upon 
that,  but  make  sure  of  the  house  which  is  eternal  in  the  heavens. 

Doubtless  the  goodness  of  the  daughter  added  to  the  father's 
sorrow.  She  was  not  more  loving  than  religious ;  neither  is  she 
less  willing  to  be  the  Lord's  than  her  father's :  and  as  provoking 
her  father  to  that  which  he  thought  piety,  though  to  her  own 
wrong,  she  says,  If  thou  hast  opened  thy  mouth  unto  tJve  Lord, 
do  with  me  as  thou  hast  promised.  Many  a  daughter  would 
have  dissuaded  her  father  with  tears,  and  have  wished  rather  her 
father's  impiety  than  her  own  prejudice;  she  sues  for  the  smart 
of  her  father's  vow.  How  obsequious  should  children  be  to  the 
will  of  their  careful  parents,  even  in  their  final  disposition  in  the 
world,  when  they  see  this  holy  maid  willing  to  abandon  the  world 
upon  the  rash  vow  of  a  father !  They  are  the  living  goods  of 
their  parents,  and  must  therefore  wait  upon  the  bestowing  of  their 
owners.  They  mistake  themselves  which  think  they  are  their 
own ;  if  this  maid  had  vowed  herself  to  God  without  her  father,  it 


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cont.  ii.  Samson  conceived.  257 

had  been  in  his  power  to  abrogate  it ;  but  now  that  he  vowed  her 
to  God  without  herself,  it  stands  in  force.  But  what  shall  we  say 
to  those  children  whom  their  parents'  tow  and  care  cannot  make 
so  much  as  honest ;  that  will  be  no  other  than  godless,  in  spite  of 
their  baptism  and  education  ?  what,  but  that  they  are  given  their 
parents  for  a  curse,  and  shall  one  day  find  what  it  is  to  be  re* 
bellious? 

All  her  desire  is,  that  she  may  have  leave  to  bewail  that  which 
she  must  be  forced  to  keep,  her  virginity :  if  she  had  not  held  it 
an  affliction,  there  had  been  no  cause  to  bewail  it ;  it  had  been 
no  thank  to  undergo  it,  if  she  had  not  known  it  to  be  a  cross. 
Tears  are  no  argument  of  impatience;  we  may  mourn  for  that 
we  repine  not  to  bear.  How  comes  that  to  be  a  meritorious  virtue 
under  the  gospel  which  was  but  a  punishment  under  the  law  ? 
The  daughters  of  Israel  had  been  too  lavish  of  their  tears  if  vir- 
ginity had  been  absolutely  good :  what  injury  should  it  have  been 
to  lament  that  spiritual  preferment  which  they  should  rather  have 
emulated  ? 

While  Jephthah's  daughter  was  two  months  in  the  mountains, 
she  might  have  had  good  opportunity  to  escape  her  father's  vow ; 
but  as  one  whom  her  obedience  tied  as  close  to  her  father  as  his 
vow  tied  him  to  God,  she  returns  to  take  up  that  burden  which 
she  had  bewailed  to  foresee :  if  we  be  truly  dutiful  to  our  Father 
in  heaven,  we  would  not  slip  our  necks  out  of  the  yoke  though  we 
might,  nor  fly  from  his  commands  though  the  door  were  open. 


SAMSON  CONCEIVED.— Judges  xiii. 
Of  extraordinary  persons,  the  very  birth  and  conception  is  ex- 
traordinary. God  begins  his  wonders  betimes  in  those  whom  he 
will  make  wonderful.  There  was  never  any  of  those  which  were 
miraculously  conceived  whose  lives  were  not  notable  and  singular. 
The  presages  of  the  womb  and  the  cradle  are  commonly  answered 
in  the  life :  it  is  not  the  use  of  God  to  cast  away  strange  begin- 
nings. If  Manoah's  wife  had  not  been  barren,  the  angel  had  not 
been  sent  to  her :  afflictions  have  this  advantage,  that  they  occa- 
sion God  to  show  that  mercy  to  us  whereof  the  prosperous  are 
incapable ;  it  would  not  beseem  a  mother  to  he  so  indulgent  to  a 
healthful  child  as  to  a  sick.  It  was  to  the  woman  that  the  angel 
appeared,  not  to  the  husband ;  whether  for  that  the  reproach  of 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  S 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


258  Samson  conceived.  book  x. 

barrenness  lay  upon  her  more  heavily  than  on  the  father,  or  for 
that  the  birth  of  the  child  should  cost  her  more  dear  than  her 
husband,  or  lastly,  for  that  the  difficulty  of  this  news  was  more  in 
her  conception  than  in  his  generation :  as  Satan  lays  his  batteries 
ever  to  the  weakest,  so  contrarily  God  addrcsseth  his  comforts  to 
those  hearts  that  have  most  need;  as  at  the  first,  because  Eve 
had  most  reason  to  be  dejected,  for  that  her  sin  had  drawn  man 
into  the  transgression,  therefore  the  cordial  of  God  most  respecteth 
her ;  The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  break  the  serpent's  head. 

As  a  physician  first  tells  the  state  of  the  disease  with  his  symp- 
toms, and  then  prescribes ;  so  doth  the  angel  of  God  first  tell  the 
wife  of  Manoah  her  complaint,  then  her  remedy ;  Thou  art  bar- 
ren. All  our  afflictions  are  more  noted  of  that  God  which  sends 
them  than  of  the  patient  that  suffers  them ;  how  can  it  be  but 
less  possible  to  endure  any  thing  that  he  knows  not,  than  that  he 
inflicteth  not  ?  He  saith  to  one,  "  Thou  art  sick ;"  to  another, 
"  Thou  art  poor ;"  to  a  third,  "Thou  art  defamed ;"  "  Thou  art 
oppressed,"  to  another:  that  all -seeing  eye  takes  notice  from 
heaven  of  every  man's  condition,  no  less  than  if  he  should  send  an 
angel  to  tell  us  he  knew  it :  his  knowledge,  compared  with  his 
mercy,  is  the  just  comfort  of  all  our  sufferings.  O  God,  we  are 
many  times  miserable,  and  feel  it  not ;  thou  knowest  even  those 
sorrows  which  we  might  have ;  thou  knowest  what  thou  hast  done : 
do  what  thou  wilt 

Thou  art  barren.  Not  that  the  angel  would  upbraid  the  poor 
woman  with  her  affliction :  but  therefore  he  names  her  pain,  that 
the  mention  of  her  cure  might  be  so  much  more  welcome :  com- 
fort shall  come  unseasonably  to  that  heart  which  is  not  appre- 
hensive of  his  own  sorrow :  we  must  first  know  our  evils  ere  we 
can  quit  them.  It  is  the  just  method  of  every  true  angel  of  God 
first  to  let  us  see  that  whereof  either  we  do  or  should  complain, 
and  then  to  apply  comforts ;  like  as  a  good  physician  first  pulls 
down  the  body,  and  then  raises  it  with  cordials.  If  we  cannot 
abide  to  hear  of  our  faults,  we  are  not  capable  of  amendment. 

If  the  angel  had  first  said,  Thou  shalt  conceive,  and  not  pre- 
mised, Thou  art  barrenf  I  doubt  whether  she  had  conceived  faith 
in  her  soul  of  that  infant  which  her  body  should  conceive :  now 
his  knowledge  of  her  present  estate  makes  way  for  the  assurance 
of  the  future.  Thus  ever  it  pleases  our  good  God  to  leave  a  pawn 
of  his  fidelity  with  us ;  that  we  should  not  distrust  him  in  what  he 
will  do,  when  we  find  him  faithful  in  that  which  we  see  done. 


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coxt.  n.  Samson  conceived.  259 

It  is  good  reason  that  he,  which  gives  the  son  to  the  barren 
mother  should  dispose  of  him  and  diet  him  both  in  the  womb  first 
and  after  in  the  world.  The  mother  must  first  be  a  Nazarite, 
that  her  son  may  be  so.  While  she  was  barren  she  might  drink 
what  she  would ;  but  now  that  she  shall  conceive  a  Samson  her 
choice  must  be  limited.  There  is  an  holy  austerity  that  ever  fol- 
lows the  especial  calling  of  God;  the  worldling  may  take  his 
full  scope,  and  deny  his  back  and  belly  nothing ;  but  he  that  hath 
once  conceived  that  blessed  burden  whereof  Samson  was  a  type 
most  be  strict  and  severe  to  himself;  neither  his  tongue,  nor  his 
palate,  nor  his  hand,  may  run  riot :  those  pleasures  which  seemed 
not  unseemly  for  the  multitude  are  now  debarred  him. 

We  borrow  more  names  of  *>ur  Saviour  than  one ;  as  we  are 
Christians,  so  we  are  Nazarites;  the  consecration  of  our  God  is 
upon  our  heads,  and  therefore  our  very  hair  should  be  holy.  Our 
appetite  must  be  curbed,  our  passions  moderated,  and  so  estranged 
from  the  world,  that  in  the  loss  of  parents  or  children  mature 
may  not  make  us  forget  grace.  What  doth  the  looseness  of  vain 
men  persuade  them  that  God  is  not  curious,  when  they  see  him 
thus  precisely  ordering  the  very  diet  of  his  Nazarites  ? 

Nature  pleads  for  liberty ;  religion  for  restraint :  not  that  there 
is  more  uncleanness  in  the  grape  than  in  the  fountain ;  but  that 
wine  finds  more  uncleanness  in  us  than  water  ;  and  that  the  high 
feed  is  not  so  fit  for  devotion  as  abstinence.  Who  sees  not  a  cere- 
mony in  this  command  ?  which  yet  carries  with  it  this  substance 
of  everlasting  use,  that  God  and  the  belly  will  not  admit  of  one 
servant ;  that  quaffing  and  cramming  is  not  the  way  to  heaven :  a 
drunken  Nazarite  is  a  monster  among  men. 

We  have  now  more  scope  than  the  ancient :  not  drinking  of 
wine,  but  drunkenness  with  wine  is  forbidden  to  the  evangelical 
Nazarite ;  wine  wherein  is  excess.  0  that  ever  Christians  should 
quench  the  Spirit  of  God  with  a  liquor  of  God's  own  making ! 
That  they  should  suffer  their  hearts  to  be  drowned  with  wine, 
and  should  so  live  as  if  the  practice  of  the  gospel  were  quite  con- 
trary to  the  rule  of  the  law ! 

The  mother  must  conceive  the  only  giant  of  Israel,  and  yet 
must  drink  but  water ;  neither  must  the  child  touch  any  other 
cup.  Never  wine  made  so  strong  a  champion  as  water  did  here. 
The  power  of  nourishment  is  not  in  the  creatures,  but  in  their 
Maker.  Daniel  and  his  three  companions  kept  their  complexion 
with  the  same  diet  wherewith  Samson  got  his  strength :  he  that 

S  2 

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260  Samson  conceived.  book  x. 

gave  that  power  to  the  grape  can  give  it  to  the  stream.  O  God, 
how  justly  do  we  raise  our  eyes  from  our  tables  unto  Thee,  which 
canst  make  water  nourish  and  wine  enfeeble  us ! 

Samson  had  not  a  better  mother  than  Manoah  had  a  wife ;  she 
hides  not  the  good  news  in  her  own  bosom,  but  imparts  it  to  her 
husband :  that  wife  hath  learned  to  make  a  true  use  of  her  head, 
which  is  ever  ready  to  consult  with  him  about  the  messages  of 
God.  If  she  were  made  for  his  helper,  he  is  much  more  hers. 
Thus  should  good  women  make  amends  for  their  first  offence ; 
that  as  Eve  no  sooner  had  received  an  ill  motion  but  she  delivered 
it  to  her  husband,  so  they  should  no  sooner  receive  good  than 
they  should  impart  it. 

Manoah  (like  one  which  in  those  lewd  times  had  not  lost  his 
acquaintance  with  God),  so  soon  as  he  hears  the  news,  falls  down 
upon  his  knees.  I  do  not  hear  him  call  forth  and  address  his 
servants  to  all  the  coasts  of  heaven,  as  the  children  of  the  pro- 
phets  did  in  the  search  of  Elias,  to  find  out  the  messenger ;  but 
I  see  him  rather  look  straight  up  to  that  God  which  sent  him ; 
My  Lord,  I  pray  thee  let  that  man  of  God  come  again.  As  a 
straight  line  is  the  shortest,  the  nearest  cut  to  any  blessing  is  to 
go  by  heaven :  as  we  may  not  sue  to  God  and  neglect  means,  so 
we  must  sue  to  God  for  those  means  which  we  shall  use. 

When  I  see  the  strength  of  Manoah's  faith,  I  marvel  not  that 
he  had  a  Samson  to  his  son.  He  saw  not  the  messenger,  he  heard 
not  the  errand,  he  examined  not  the  circumstances ;  yet  now  he 
takes  thought,  not  whether  he  shall  have  a  son,  but  how  he  shall 
order  the  son  which  he  must  have ;  and  sues  to  God,  not  for  the 
son  which  as  yet  he  had  not,  but  for  the  direction  of  governing 
him  when  he  should  be.  Zachariah  heard  the  same  message,  and 
craving  a  sign  lost  that  voice  wherewith  he  craved  it :  Manoah 
seeks  no  sign  for  the  promise,  but  counsel  for  himself;  and  yet 
that  angel  spake  to  Zachariah  himself,  this  only  to  the  wife  of 
Manoah ;  that  in  the  temple,  like  a  glorious  spirit ;  this  in  the 
house  or  field,  like  some  prophet  or  traveller ;  that  to  a  priest, 
this  to  a  woman.  All  good  men  have  not  equal  measures  of  faith. 
The  bodies  of  men  have  not  more  differences  of  stature  than  their 
graces.  Credulity  to  men  is  faulty  and  dangerous,  but  in  the  mat- 
ters of  God  is  the  greatest  virtue  of  a  Christian.  Happy  are  they 
that  have  not  seen,  yet  believed.  True  faith  takes  all  for  granted, 
yea  for  performed,  which  is  once  promised. 

He  that  before  sent  his  angel  unasked,  will  much  more  send 


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cont.  ii.  Samson  conceived.  261 

him  again  upon  entreaty.  Those  heavenly  messengers  are  ready 
both  to  obey  their  Maker  and  to  relieve  his  children.  Never  any 
man  prayed  for  direction  in  his  duties  to  God,  and  was  repulsed : 
rather  will  God  send  an  angel  from  heaven  to  instruct  us,  than 
our  good  desires  shall  be  frustrate. 

Manoah  prayed,  the  angel  appeared  again ;  not  to  him,  but  to 
his  wife.  It  had  been  the  shorter  way  to  have  come  first  to  the 
man  whose  prayers  procured  his  presence :  but  as  Manoah  went  di- 
rectly and  immediately  to  God,  so  God  comes  mediately  and  about 
to  him,  and  will  make  her  the  means  to  bear  the  message  to  her 
husband  who  must  bear  him  the  son.  Both  the  blessing  and  the 
charge  are  chiefly  meant  to  her. 

It  was  a  good  care  of  Manoah  when  the  angel  had  given  order 
to  his  wife  alone  for  the  governing  of  the  child's  diet,  to  proffer 
himself  to  this  charge ;  How  shall  we  order  the  child  ?  As  both 
the  parents  have  their  part  in  the  being  of  their  children,  so 
should  they  have  in  their  education.  It  is  both  unreasonable  and 
unnatural  in  husbands  to  cast  this  burden  upon  the  weaker  vessel 
alone :  it  is  no  reason  that  she,  which  alone  hath  had  the  pain  of 
their  birth,  should  have  the  pain  of  their  breeding. 

Though  the  charge  be  renewed  to  the  wife,  yet  the  speech  is 
directed  to  the  husband :  the  act  must  be  hers,  his  must  be  the 
oversight;  Let  her  observe  all  J  commanded  her.  The  head  must 
overlook  the  body :  it  is  the  duty  of  the  husband  to  be  careful  that 
the  wife  do  her  duty  to  God. 

As  yet  Manoah  saw  nothing  but  the  outside  of  a  man,  and  there- 
fore offers  the  angel  an  answerable  entertainment,  wherein  there 
is  at  once  hospitality  and  thankfulness.  No  man  shall  bring  him 
good  news  from  God  and  go  away  unrecompensed.  How  forward 
he  is  to  feast  him  whom  he  took  for  a  prophet !  Their  feet  should 
be  so  much  more  beautiful  that  bring  us  news  of  salvation,  by  how 
much  their  errand  is  better. 

That  Manoah  might  learn  to  acknowledge  God  in  this  man,  he 
sets  off  the  proffer  of  his  thankfulness  from  himself  to  God,  and 
(as  the  same  angel  which  appeared  to  Gideon)  turns  his  feast  into 
a  sacrifice.  And  now  he  is  Manoah's  solicitor  to  better  thanks 
than  he  offered.  How  forward  the  good  angels  are  to  incite  us 
unto  piety  1  Either  this  was  the  Son  himself,  which  said  it  was  his 
meat  and  drink  to  do  bis  Father's  will,  or  else  one  of  his  spiritual 
attendants  of  the  same  diet.  We  can  never  feast  the  angels  better 
than  with  our  hearty  sacrifices  to  God.     Why  do  not  we  learn  this 


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262  Samson  conceived.  book  x. 

lesson  of  them  whom  we  propound  to  ourselves  as  patterns  of  our 
obedience  ?  We  shall  be  once  like  the  angels  in  condition,  why  are 
we  not  in  the  mean  time  in  our  dispositions  ?  If  we  do  not  provoke 
and  exhort  one  another  to  godliness,  and  do  care  more  for  a  feast 
than  a  sacrifice,  our  appetite  is  not  angelical,  but  brutish. 

It  was  an  honest  mind  in  Manoah,  while  he  was  addressing  a 
sacrifice  to  God,  yet  not  to  neglect  his  messenger :  fain  would  he 
know  whom  to  honour.  True  piety  is  not  uncivil,  but  while  it 
magnifies  the  Author  of  all  blessings,  is  thankful  to  the  means. 
Secondary  causes  are  worthy  of  regard ;  neither  need  it  detract 
any  thing  from  the  praise  of  the  agent  to  honour  the  instrument. 
It  is  not  only  rudeness,  but  injustice  in  those  which  can  be  content 
to  hear  good  news  from  God  with  contempt  of  the  bearers. 

The  angel  will  neither  take  nor  give,  but  conceals  his  very 
name  from  Manoah.  All  honest  motions  are  not  fit  to  be  yielded 
to!  good  intentions  are  not  always  sufficient  grounds  of  con- 
descent.  If  we  do  sometimes  ask  what  we  know  not,  it  is  no 
marvel  if  we  receive  not  what  we  ask.  In  some  cases  the  angel 
of  God  tells  his  name  unasked,  as  Gabriel  to  the  Virgin ;  here, 
not  by  entreaty.  If  it  were  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant,  he  had 
as  yet  no  name  but  Jehovah :  if  a  created  angel,  he  had  no  com- 
mission to  tell  his  name;  and  a  faithful  messenger  hath  not  a 
word  beyond  his  charge.  Besides  that,  he  saw  it  would  be  of 
more  use  for  Manoah  to  know  him  really  than  by  words.  O  the 
bold  presumption  of  those  men,  which  (as  if  they  had  long  so- 
journed in  heaven,  and  been  acquainted  with  all  the  holy  legions 
of  spirits)  discourse  of  their  orders,  of  their  titles,  when  this  onto 
angel  stops  the  mouth  of  a  better  man  than  they,  with — Why  dost 
thou  ask  after  my  name,  which  is  secret  t  Secret  things  to  God ; 
revealed,  to  us  and  our  children.    * 

No  word  can  be  so  significant  as  actions :  the  act  of  the  angel 
tells  best  who  he  was ;  he  did  wonderfully :  wonderful  therefore 
was  his  name.  So  soon  as  ever  the  flame  of  the  sacrifice  ascended, 
he  mounted  up  in  the  smoke  of  it,  that  Manoah  might  see  the  sa- 
crifice and  the  messenger  belonged  both  to  one  God ;  and  might 
know  both  whence  to  acknowledge  the  message,  and  whence  to 
expect  the  performance. 

Gideon's  angel  vanished  at  his  sacrifice,  but  this  in  the  sacrifice ; 
that  Manoah  might  at  once  see  both  the  confirmation  of  bis  pro- 
mise and  the  acceptation  of  his  obedience ;  while  the  angel  of  God 
vouchsafed  to  perfume  himself  with  that  holy  smoke,  and  carry 


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cont.  in.  Sa$nsonJs  marriage.  263 

the  scent  of  it  up  into  heaven.  Manoah  believed  before,  and 
craved  no  sign  to  assure  him ;  God  voluntarily  confirms  it  to  him 
above  his  desire ;  To  him  that  hath  shall  be  given :  where  there 
are  beginnings  of  faith,  the  mercy  of  God  will  add  perfection. 

How  do  we  think  Manoah  and  his  wife  looked  to  see  this  spec- 
tacle ?  They  had  not  spirit  enough  left  to  look  one  upon  another; 
but  instead  of  looking  up  cheerfully  to  heaven  they  fall  down  to 
the  earth  upon  their  faces ;  as  weak  eyes  are  dazzled  with  that 
which  should  comfort  them.  This  is  the  infirmity  of  our  nature, 
to  be  afflicted  with  the  causes  of  our  joy ;  to  be  astonished  with 
our  confirmations ;  to  conceive  death  in  that  vision  of  God  wherein 
our  life  and  happiness  consist.  If  this  homely  sight  of  the  angel 
did  so  confound  good  Manoah,  what  shall  become  of  the  enemies 
of  God,  when  they  shall  be  brought  before  the  glorious  tribunal  of 
the  God  of  angels  ? 

I  marvel  not  now  that  the  angel  appeared  both  times  rather  to 
the  wife  of  Manoah :  her  faith  was  the  stronger  of  the  two.  It 
falls  out  sometimes  that  the  weaker  vessel  is  fuller,  and  that  of 
more  precious  liquor :  that  wife  is  no  helper  which  is  not  ready  to 
give  spiritual  comfort  to  her  husband.  The  reason  was  good  and 
irrefragable;  If  the  Lord  were  pleased  to  kill  us,  he  would  not 
have  received  a  burnt  offering  from  us.  God  will  not  accept 
gifts  where  he  intends  punishment  and  professes  hatred.  The  sa- 
crifice of  the  wicked  is  abomination  to  the  Lord.  If  we  can  find 
assurance  of  God's  acceptation  of  our  sacrifices,  we  may  be  sure 
he  loves  our  persons.  If  I  incline  to  wickedness  in  my  heart,  the 
Lord  will  not  liear  me;  but  the  Lord  hath  heard  me. 


SAMSON'S  MARRIAGE.-Wudges  xiv. 

Of  all  the  deliverers  of  Israel,  there  is  none  of  whom  are  re- 
ported so  many  weaknesses,  or  so  many  miracles,  as  of  Samson. 
The  news,  which  the  angel  told  of  his  conception  and  education 
was  not  more  strange  than  the  news  of  his  own  choice :  he  but 
sees  a  daughter  of  the  Philistines,  and  falls  in  love.  All  this 
strength  begins  in  infirmity ;  one  maid  of  the  Philistines  overcomes 
that  champion  which  was  given  to  overcome  the  Philistines. 

Even  he  that  was  dieted  with  water  found  heat  of  unfit  desires. 
As  his  body  was  strong,  notwithstanding  that  fare,  so  were  his 
passions.    Without  the  gift  of  continency,  a  low  feed  may  impair 

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264  Samson**  marriage.  book  x. 

nature,  but  not  inordination.  To  follow  nothing  but  the  eye  in  the 
choice  of  his  wife  was  a  lust  unworthy  of  a  Nazarite :  this  is  to 
make  the  sense  not  a  counsellor,  but  a  tyrant. 

Yet  was  Samson,  in  this  very  impotency,  dutiful :  he  did  not  in 
the  presumption  of  his  strength  ravish  her  forcibly ;  he  did  not 
make  up  a  clandestine  match  without  consulting  with  his  parents, 
but  he  makes  suit  to  them  for  consent ;  Give  me  her  to  wife :  as 
one  that  could  be  master  of  his  own  act  though  not  of  his  passion ; 
and  as  one  that  had  learned  so  to  be  a  suitor,  as  not  to  forget 
himself  to  be  a  son.  Even  in  this  deplored  state  of  Israel,  children 
durst  not  presume  to  be  their  own  carvel's;  how  much  less  is 
this  tolerable  in  a  well  gnided  and  Christian  commonwealth ! 
Whosoever  now  dispose  of  themselves  without  their  parents,  they 
do  wilfully  unchild  themselves,  and  change  natural  affection  for 
violent. 

It  is  no  marvel  if  Manoah  and  his  wife  were  astonished  at  this 
unequal  motion  of  their  son.  "  Did  not  the  angel/'  thought  they, 
"  tell  us  that  this  child  should  be  consecrated  to  God ;  and  must 
he  begin  his  youth  in  unholy  wedlock  ?  Did  not  the  angel  say 
that  our  son  should  begin,  to  save  Israel  from  the  Philistines ;  and 
is  he  now  captived  in  his  affections  by  a  daughter  of  the  Philis- 
tines? Shall  our  deliverance  from  the  Philistines  begin  in  an 
alliance  ?  Have  we  been  so  scrupulously  careful  that  he  should 
eat  no  unclean  thing,  and  shall  we  now  consent  to  an  heathenish 
match  ?  Now,  therefore,  they  gravely  endeavour  to  cool  this  intem- 
perate heat  of  his  passion  with  good  counsel ;  as  those  which  well 
knew  the  inconveniences  of  an  unequal  yoke ;  corruption  in  reli- 
gion, alienation  of  affections,  distraction  of  thoughts,  connivance 
at  idolatry,  death  of  zeal,  dangerous  underminings,  and,  lastly,  an 
unholy  seed.  Who  can  blame  them,  if  they  were  unwilling  to 
call  a  Philistine  daughter  ? 

I  wish  Manoah  could  speak  so  loud,  that  all  our  Israelites 
might  hear  him ;  Is  there  never  a  woman  among  the  daughters 
of  thy  brethren,  or  among  all  God's  people,  that  thou  goest  to 
take  a  wife  of  the  tmcircumcised  Philistines  f  If  religion  be  any 
other  than  a  cipher,  how  dare  we  not  regard  it  in  our  most  im- 
portant choice?  Is  she  a  fair  Philistine?  Why  is  not  this  de- 
formity of  the  soul  more  powerful  to  dissuade  us,  than  the  beauty 
of  the  face  or  of  metal  to  allure  us?  To  dote  upon  a  fair  skin, 
when  we  see  a  Philistine  under  it,  is  sensual  and  brutish. 

Affection  is  not  more  blind  than  deaf.  In  vain  do  the  parents 
seek  to  alter  a  young  man,  not  more  strong  in  body  than  in  Will, 

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cont.  in.  Samson's  marriage.  265 

Though  he  cannot  defend  his  desires,  yet  he  pursues  them ;  Get 
me  her,  for  she  pleases  me.  And  although  it  must  needs  be  a 
weak  motion  that  can  plead  no  reason  but  appetite ;  yet  the  good 
parents,  sith  they  cannot  bow  the  affection  of  their  son  with  per- 
suasion, dare  not  break  it  with  violence.  As  it  becomes  not 
children  to  be  forward  in  their  choice ;  so  parents  may  not  be  too 
peremptory  in  their  denial.  It  is  not  safe  for  children  to  overrun 
parents  in  settling  their  affections;  nor  for  parents,  where  the 
impediments  are  not  very  material,  to  come  short  of  their  children, 
when  the  affections  are  once  settled :  the  one  is  disobedience,  the 
other  may  be  tyranny. 

I  know  not  whether  I  may  excuse  either  Samson  in  making 
this  suit,  or  his  parents  in  yielding  to  it,  by  a  divine  dispensation 
in  both ;  for  on  the  one  side,  while  the  Spirit  of  God  notes  that 
&  yet  his  parents  knew  not  this  was  of  the  Lord,  it  may  seem 
that  he  knew  it ;  and  is  it  likely  he  would  know  and  not  impart 
it  ?  This  alone  was  enough  to  win,  yea  to  command  his  parents ; 
"  It  is  not  mine  eye  only,  but  the  counsel  of  God,  that  leads  me  to 
this  choice :  the  way  to  quarrel  with  the  Philistines  is  to  match 
with  them ;  if  I  follow  mine  affection,  mine  affection  follows  God, 
in  this  project."  Surely  he  that  commanded  his  prophet  after- 
wards to  marry  an  harlot  may  have  appointed  his  Nazarite  to 
marry  with  a  Philistine.  On  the  other  side,  whether  it  were  of 
God's  permitting  or  allowing,  I  find  not :  it  might  so  be  of  God, 
as  all  the  evil  in  the  city :  and  then  the  interposition  of  God's 
decree  shall  be  no  excuse  of  Samson's  infirmity.  I  would  rather 
think  that  God  meant  only  to  make  a  treacle  of  a  viper ;  and 
rather  appointed  to  fetch  good  out  of  Samson's  evil,  than  to  ap- 
prove that  for  good  in  Samson  which  in  itself  was  evil. 

When  Samson  went  on  wooing,  he  might  have  made  the  slug- 
gard's excuse,  There  is  a  lion  in  the  way ;  but  he  that  could  not 
be  stayed  by  persuasion  will  not  by  fear.  A  lion,  young,  wild, 
fierce,  hungry,  comes  roaring  upon  him,  when  he  had  no  weapon 
but  his  hand,  no  fence  but  his  strength:  the  same  Providence 
that  carried  him  to  Timnath  brought  the  lion  to  him.  It  hath 
been  ever  the  fashion  of  God  to  exercise  his  champions  with  some 
initiatory  encounters :  both  Samson  and  David  must  first  fight 
with  lions,  then  with  Philistines ;  and  he  whose  type  they  bore 
meets  with  that  roaring  lion  of  the  wilderness  in  the  very 
threshold  of  his  public  charge.  The  same  hand  that  prepared  a 
lion  for  Samson  hath  proportionable  matches  for  every  Christian : 


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266  Samsons  marriage,  book  x. 

God  never  gives  strength,  bat  he  employs  it :  poverty  meets  one 
like  an  armed  man;  infamy,  like  some  furious  mastiff,  comes 
flying  in  the  face  of  another ;  the  wild  boar  out  of  the  forest,  or 
the  bloody  tiger  of  persecution,  sets  upon  one ;  the  brawling  curs 
of  heretical  pravity  or  contentious  neighbourhood,  are  ready  to 
bait  another:  and  by  all  these  meaner  and  brutish  adversaries 
will  God  fit  us  for  greater  conflicts.  It  is  a  pledge  of  our  future 
victory  over  the  spiritual  Philistines,  if  we  can  say,  My  soul  hath 
been  among  lions.  Come  forth  now,  thou  weak  Christian !  and 
behold  this  preparatory  battle  of  Samson.  Dost  thou  think  God 
deals  hardly  with  thee,  in  matching  thee  so  hard,  and  calling  thee 
forth  to  so  many  frays?  What  dost  thou  but  repine  at  thine  own 
glory  ?    How  shouldest  thou  be  victorious  without  resistance  i 

If  the  parents  of  Samson  had  now  stood  behind  the  hedge  and 
seen  this  encounter,  they  would  have  taken  no  further  care  of 
matching  their  son  with  a  Philistine ;  for  who  that  should  see  a 
strong  lion  ramping  upon  an  unarmed  man  would  hope  for  his 
life  and  victory  ?  The  beast  came  bristling  up  his  fearful  mane, 
wafting  his  raised  stern ;  his  eyes  sparkling  with  fury,  his  mouth 
rearing  out  knells  of  his  last  passage,  and  breathing  death  from 
his  nostrils,  and  now  rejoiced  at  so  fair  a  prey.  Surely  if  the  lion 
had  had  no  other  adversary  than  him  whom  he  saw,  he  had  not 
lost  his  hope,  but  now  he  could  not  see  that  his  Maker  was  his 
enemy :  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  Samson :  what  is  a 
beast  in  the  hand  of  the  Creator  ?  He  that  struck  the  lions  with 
the  awe  of  Adam,  Noah,  and  Daniel,  subdued  this  rebellious  beast 
to  Samson :  what  marvel  is  it  if  Samson  now  tore  him,  as  if  it  had 
been  a  young  kid  ?  If  his  bones  had  been  brass,  and  his  skin  plates 
of  Iron,  all  had  been  one  :  The  right  hand  of  the  Lord  bringeth 
mighty  things  to  pass. 

If  that  roaring  lion,  that  goes  about  continually  seeking  whom 
he  may  devour,  find  us  alone  among  the  vineyards  of  the  Philis- 
tines, where  is  our  hope  ?  Not  in  our  heels,  he  is  swifter  than  we ; 
not  in  our  weapons,  we  are  naturally  unarmed ;  not  in  our  hands, 
which  are  weak  and  languishing ;  but  in  the  Spirit  of  that  God  by 
whom  we  can  do  all  things :  if  God  fight  in  us,  who  can  resist  us  ? 
There  is  a  stronger  lion  in  us  than  that  against  us. 

Samson  was  not  more  valiant  than  modest :  he  made  no  words  of 
this  great  exploit.  The  greatest  performers  ever  make  the  least 
noise :  He  that  works  wonders  alone  could  say,  See  thou  tell  no 
man;  whereas  those  whose  hands  are  most  impotent  are  busiest 


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cont.  in.  Samsons  marriage.  267 

of  their  tongues.  Great  talkers  show  that  they  desire  only  to  be 
thought  eminent,  whereas  the  deepest  waters  are  least  heard. 

But  while  he  concealed  this  event  from  others,  he  pondered  it 
in  himself;  and  when  he  returned  to  Timnath,  went  out  of  the 
way  to  see  his  dead  adversary,  and  could  not  but  recall  to  himself 
his  danger  and  deliverance ;  "  Here  the  beast  met  me,  thus  he 
fought,  thus  I  slew  him."  The  very  dead  lion  taught  Samson 
thankfulness :  there  was  more  honey  in  this  thought  than  in  the 
carcass.  The  mercies  of  God  are  ill  bestowed  upon  us  if  we  can- 
not step  aside  to  view  the  monuments  of  his  deliverances :  dangers 
may  be  at  once  past  and  forgotten.  As  Samson  had  not  found  his 
honeycomb  if  he  had  not  turned  aside  to  see  his  lion ;  so  we  shall 
lose  the  comfort  of  God's  benefits  if  we  do  not  renew  our  perils  by 
meditation. 

Lest  any  thing  should  befall  Samson  wherein  is  not  some  wonder, 
his  lion  doth  more  amaze  him  dead  than  alive ;  for  lo,  that  carcass 
is  made  an  hive,  and  the  bitterness  of  death  is  turned  into  the 
sweetness  of  honey.  The  bee,  a  nice  and  dainty  creature,  builds 
her  cells  in  an  unsavoury  carcass ;  the  carcass,  that  promised  no- 
thing but  strength  and  annoyance,  now  offers  comfort  and  re- 
freshing ;  and  in  a  sort  pays  Samson  for  the  wrong  offered.  O 
the  wonderful  goodness  of  our  God,  that  can  change  our  terrors 
into  pleasure,  and  can  make  the  greatest  evils  beneficial !  Is  any 
man,  by  his  humiliation  under  the  hand  of  God,  grown  more  faith- 
ful and  conscionable  ?  there  is  honey  out  of  the  lion.  Is  any  man, 
by  his  temptation  or  fall,  become  more  circumspect  ?  There  also  is 
.  honey  out  of  the  lion.  There  is  no  Samson  to  whom  every  lion 
doth  not  yield  honey :  every  Christian  is  the  better  for  his  evils  ; 
yea,  Satan  himself,  in  his  exercise  of  God's  children,  advantageth 
them. 

Samson  doth  not  disdain  these  sweets  because  he  finds  them 
uncleanly  laid.  His  diet  was  strict,  and  forbad  him  anything  that 
savoured  of  legal  impurity ;  yet  he  eats  the  honeycomb  out  of  the 
belly  of  a  dead  beast :  good  may  not  be  refused  because  the  means 
are  accidentally  evil :  honey  is  honey  still,  though  in  a  dead  lion. 
Those  are  less  wise  and  more  scrupulous  than  Samson  which  abhor 
the  graces  of  God  because  they  find  them  in  ill  vessels :  one  cares 
not  for  the  preacher's  true  doctrine  because  his  life  is  evil ;  an- 
other will  not  take  a  good  receipt  from  the  hand  of  a  physician 
because  he  is  given  to  unlawful  studies ;  a  third  will  not  receive  a 
deserved  contribution  from  the  hands  of  a  usurer.     It  is  a  weak 


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268  Samsons  marriage.  book  x. 

neglect  not  to  take  the  honey  because  we  hate  the  lion.  God's 
children  have  right  to  their  Father's  blessings  wheresoever  they 
find  them. 

The  match  is  now  made :  Samson,  though  a  Nazarite,  hath  both 
a  wedding  and  a  feast :  God  never  misliked  moderate  solemnities 
in  the  severest  life ;  and  yet  this  bridal  feast  was  long,  the  space 
of  seven  days.  If  Samson  had  matched  with  the  best  Israelite, 
this  celebration  had  been  no  greater ;  neither  had  this  perhaps 
been  so  long,  if  the  custom  of  the  place  had  not  required  it.  Now 
I  do  not  hear  him  plead  his  Nazaritism  for  a  colour  of  singularity : 
it  is  both  lawful  and  fit  in  things  not  prohibited,  to  conform  our- 
selves to  the  manners  and  rites  of  those  with  whom  we  live. 

That  Samson  might  think  it  an  honour  to  match  with  the  Phi- 
listines, he,  whom  before  the  lion  found  alone,  is  now  accompanied 
with  thirty  attendants :  they  called  them  companions,  but  they  meant 
them  for  spies.  The  courtesies  of  the  world  are  hollow  and  thank- 
less ;  neither  doth  it  ever  purpose  so  ill  as  when  it  shows  fairest. 
None  are  so  near  to  danger  as  those  whom  it  entertains  with 
smiles:  while  it  frowns  we  know  what  to  trust  to;  but  the 
favours  of  it  are  worthy  of  nothing  but  fears  and  suspicion :  open 
defiance  is  better  than  false  love. 

Austerity  had  not  made  Samson  uncivil :  he  knows  how  to  en- 
tertain Philistines  with  a  formal  familiarity.  And  that  his  intel- 
lectual parts  might  be  approved  answerable  to  his  arms,  he  will 
first  try  masteries  of  wit,  and  set  their  brains  on  work  with  harm- 
less thoughts :  his  riddle  shall  oppose  them,  and  a  deep  wager 
shall  bind  the  solution ;  thirty  shirts  and  thirty  suits  of  raiment. 
Neither  their  loss  nor  their  gain  could  be  much  besides  the  vic- 
tory, being  divided  unto  thirty  partners ;  but  Samson's  must  needs 
be  both  ways  very  large,  who  must  give  or  receive  thirty  alone. 
The  seven  days  of  the  feast  are  expiring,  and  yet  they  which  had 
been  all  this  while  devouring  Samson's  meat,  cannot  tell  who  that 
eater  should  be  from  whence  meat  should  come.  In  course  of 
nature  the  strong  feeder  takes  in  meat  and  sends  out  filthmess ; 
but  that  meat  and  sweetness  should  come  from  a  devouring  sto- 
mach was  beyond  their  apprehension. 

And  as  fools  and  dogs  use  to  begin  in  jest  and  end  in  earnest, 
so  did  these  Philistines ;  and  therefore  they  force  the  bride  to  en- 
tice her  husband  to  betray  himself.  Covetousness  and  pride  hare 
made  them  impatient  of  loss ;  and  now  they  threat  to  fire  her  and 
her  father's  house,  for  recompense  of  their  entertainment,  rather 


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cont.  in.  Samson's  marriage.  269 

than  they  will  lose  a  small  wager  to  an  Israelite.  Somewhat  of 
kin  to  these  savage  Philistines  are  those  choleric  gamesters,  which 
if  the  dice  be  not  their  friend  fall  out  with  God,  curse  (that  which 
is  not)  fortune,  strike  their  fellows,  and  are  ready  to  take  ven- 
geance upon  themselves :  those  men  are  unfit  for  sport  that  lose 
their  patience  together  with  their  wager. 

I  do  not  wonder  that  a  Philistine  woman  loved  herself  and  her 
father's  family  more  than  an  Iaraelitish  bridegroom,  and  if  she 
bestowed  tears  upon  her  husband  for  the  ransom  of  them.  Samson 
himself  taught  her  this  difference;  I  have  not  told  it  my  father 
or  my  mother,  and  should  I  tell  it  thee?  If  she  had  not  been  as 
she  was,  she  had  neither  done  this  to  Samson  nor  heard  this  from 
him.  Matrimonial  respects  are  dearer  than  natural :  it  was  the 
law  of  him  that  ordained  marriage,  before  ever  parents  were,  that 
parents  should  be  forsaken  for  the  husband  or  wife.  But  now 
Iaraelitish  parents  are  worthy  of  more  entireness  than  a  wife  of 
the  Philistines ;  and  yet,  whom  the  lion  could  not  conquer,  the 
tears  of  a  woman  have  conquered.  Samson  never  bewrayed  in- 
firmity but  in  uxoriousness.  What  assurance  can  there  be  of  him 
that  hath  a  Philistine  in  his  bosom  ?  Adam  the  perfectest  man, 
Samson  the  strongest  man,  Solomon  the  wisest  man,  were  betrayed 
with  the  flattery  of  their  helpers.  As  there  is  no  comfort  compa- 
rable to  a  faithful  yokefellow,  so  woe  be  to  him  that  is  matched 
with  a  Philistine. 

It  could  not  but  much  discontent  Samson  to  see  that  his  ad- 
versaries had  ploughed  with  his  heifer,  and  that  upon  his  own 
back ;  now  therefore  he  pays  his  wager  to  their  cost.  Ascalon, 
the  city  of  the  Philistines,  is  his  wardrobe :  he  fetches  thence 
thirty  suits  lined  with  the  lives  of  the  owners.  He  might  with  as 
much  ease  have  slain  these  thirty  companions  which  were  the  au- 
thors of  this  evil ;  but  his  promise  forbad  him,  while  he  was  to 
clothe  their  bodies,  to  unclothe  their  souls ;  and  that  Spirit  of  God 
which  stirred  him  up  to  revenge,  directed  him  in  the  choice  of  the 
subjects.  If  we  wonder  to  see  thirty  throats  out  for  their  suits, 
we  may  easily  know  that  this  was  but  the  occasion  of  that  slaugh- 
ter whereof  the  cause  was  their  oppression  and  tyranny.  David 
slew  two  hundred  Philistines  for  their  foreskins;  but  the  ground 
of  this  act  was  their  hostility.  It  is  just  with  God  to  destine  what 
enemies  he  pleases  to  execution.  It  is  not  to  be  expostulated 
why  this  man  is  stricken  rather  than  another,  when  both  are 
Philistines. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


270  Samson's  victory.  book  x. 

SAMSON'S  VICTOR Y.-Judges  xv. 

I  can  no  more  justify  Samson  in  the  leaving  of  his  wife  than  in 
the  choosing  her :  he  chose  her  because  she  pleased  him,  and  be- 
cause she  despised  him  he  left  her.  Though  her  fear  made  her 
false  to  him  in  his  riddle,  yet  she  was  true  to  his  bed :  that  weak 
treachery  was  worthy  of  a  check,  not  a  desertion.  All  the  pas- 
sions of  Samson  were  strong  like  himself;  but  as  vehement  mo- 
tions are  not  lasting,  this  vehement  wind  is  soon  allayed :  and  he 
is  now  returning  with  a  kid  to  win  her  that  had  offended  him,  and 
to  renew  that  feast  which  ended  in  her  unkindness.  Slight  occa- 
sions may  not  break  the  knot  of  a  matrimonial  love ;  and  if  any 
just  offence  have  slackened  it  on  either  part,  it  must  be  fastened 
again  by  speedy  reconciliation. 

Now  Samson's  father-in-law  shows  himself  a  Philistine,  the  true 
parent  of  her  that  betrayed  her  husband ;  for  no  sooner  is  the 
bridegroom  departed  than  he  changes  his  son.  What  pretence 
of  friendship  soever  he  made,  a  true  Philistine  will  soon  be  weary 
of  an  Israelite.  Samson  hath  not  so  many  days'  liberty  to  enjoy 
his  wedding  as  he  spent  in  celebrating  it  Marriage  hath  been 
ever  a  sacred  institution,  and  who  but  a  Philistine  would  so  easily 
violate  it  ?  One  of  his  thirty  companions  enjoys  his  wife,  together 
with  his  suit,  and  now  laughs  to  be  a  partner  of  that  bed  whereon 
he  was  an  attendant.  The  good  nature  of  Samson  having  forgot- 
ten the  first  wrong,  carried  him  to  a  proffer  of  familiarity,  and  is 
repulsed ;  but  with  a  gentle  violence :  I  had  thought  thou  hadst 
hated  her.  Lawful  wedlock  may  not  be  dissolved  by  imaginations, 
but  by  proofs. 

Who  shall  stay  Samson  from  his  own  wife  ?  He  that  slew  the 
lion  in  the  way  of  his  wooing,  and  before  whom  thousands  of  the 
Philistines  could  not  stand,  yet  suffers  himself  to  be  resisted  by 
him  who  was  once  his  father-in-law,  without  any  return  of  private 
violence.  Great  is  the  force  of  duty  once  conceived,  even  to  the 
most  unworthy.  This  thought,  "  I  was  his  son,"  binds  the  hands 
of  Samson ;  else  how  easily  might  he,  that  Blew  those  thirty  Phi- 
listines for  their  suits,  have  destroyed  this  family  for  his  wife  I 
How  unnatural  are  those  mouths  that  can  curse  the  loins  from 
which  they  are  proceeded;  and  those  hands,  that  dare  lift  up 
themselves  against  the  means  of  their  life  and  being ! 

I  never  read  that  Samson  slew  any  but  by  the  motion  and 
assistance  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  and  the  divine  wisdom  hath  re- 
served these  offenders  to  another  revenge.    Judgment  must  de- 


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cont.  iv.  Samson's  victory.  271 

scend  from  others  to  them,  sith  the  wrong  proceeded  from  others 
by  them.  In  the  very  marriage  God  foresaw  and  intended  this 
parting;  and  in  the  parting,  this  punishment  upon  the  Philis- 
tines. If  the  Philistines  had  not  been  as  much  enemies  to  God 
as  to  Samson,  enemies  to  Israel  in  their  oppression  no  less  than 
to  Samson  in  this  particular  injury,  that  purpose  and  execution 
of  revenge  had  been  no  better  than  wicked ;  now  he,  to  whom 
vengeance  belongs,  sets  him  on  work,  and  makes  the  act  justice : 
when  he  commands,  even  very  cruelty  is  obedience. 

It  was  a  busy  and  troublesome  project  of  Samson  to  use  the 
foxes  for  his  revenge;  for  not  without  great  labour  and  many 
hands  could  so  many  wild  creatures  be  got  together,  neither  could 
the  wit  of  Samson  want  other  devices  of  hostility  :  but  he  meant 
to  find  out  such  a  punishment  as  might  in  some  sort  answer  the 
offence,  and  might  imply  as  much  contempt  as  trespass.  By  wiles, 
seconded  with  violence,  had  they  wronged  Samson,  in  extorting 
his*secret  and  taking  away  his  wife;  and  what  other  emblem 
could  these  foxes  tied  together  present  unto  them  than  wiliness 
combined  by  force  to  work  mischief? 

These  foxes  destroy  their  corn  before  he  which  sent  them  de- 
stroy their  persons.  Those  judgments  which  begin  in  outward 
things  end  in  the  owners.  A  stranger  that  had  been  of  neither 
side  would  have  said,  "  What  pity  is  it  to  see  good  corn  thus 
spoiled ! "  If  the  creature  be  considered  apart  from  the  owners, 
it  is  good;  and  therefore  if  it  be  misspent,  the  abuse  reflects 
upon  the  maker  of  it ;  but  if  it  be  looked  upon  with  respect  to  an 
ill  master,  the  best  use  of  it  is  to  perish.  He  therefore  that  slew 
the  Egyptian  cattle  with  murrain,  and  smote  their  fruit  with  hail- 
stones, he  that  consumed  the  vines  of  Israel  with  the  palmer- 
worm  and  caterpillar  and  canker-worm,  sent  also  foxes  by  the 
hand  of  Samson  into  the  fields  of  the  Philistines.  Their  corn  was 
too  good  for  them  to  enjoy,  not  too  good  for  the  foxes  to  burn  up. 
God  had  rather  his  creatures  should  perish  any  way  than  serve 
for  the  lust  of  the  wicked. 

There  could  not  be  such  secrecy  in  the  catching  of  three  hun- 
dred foxes,  but  it  might  well  be  known  who  had  procured  them. 
Rumour  will  swiftly  fly  of  things  not  done ;  but  of  a  thing  so  no- 
toriously executed  it  is  no  marvel  if  fame  be  a  blab.  The  men- 
tion of  the  offence  draws  in  the  provocation ;  and  now  the  wrong 
to  Samson  is  scanned  and  revenged :  because  the  fields  of  the  Phi- 
listines are  burned  for  the  wrong  done  to  Samson  by  the  Timnite 


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272  Samson's  victory.  book  x. 

in  his  daughter,  therefore  the  Philistines  burn  the  Timnite  and 
his  daughter.  The  tying  of  the  firebrand  between  two  foxes  was 
not  so  witty  a  policy  as  the  setting  of  a  fire  of  dissension  betwixt 
the  Philistines.  What  need  Samson  be  his  own  executioner,  when 
his  enemies  will  undertake  that  charge  i  There  can  be  no  more 
pleasing  prospect  to  an  Israelite  than  to  see  the  Philistines  toge- 
ther by  the  ears. 

If  the  wife  of  Samson  had  not  feared  the  fire  for  herself  and 
her  father's  house,  she  had  not  betrayed  her  husband,  her  hus- 
band had  not  thus  plagued  the  Philistines,  the  Philistines  had  not 
consumed  her  and  her  father  with  fire :  now  she  leaps  into  that 
flame  which  she  meant  to  avoid.  That  evil  which  the  wicked 
feared  meets  them  in  their  flight.  How  many,  in  a  fear  of  poverty, 
seek  to  gain  unconscionably,  and  die  beggars!  How  many,  to 
shun  pain  and  danger,  have  yielded  to  evil,  and  in  the  long  run 
have  been  met  in  the  teeth  with  that  mischief  which  they  had 
hoped  to  have  left  behind  them  !  How  many,  in  a  desire  to  eschew 
the  shame  of  men,  have  fallen  into  the  confusion  of  God  I  Both 
good  and  evil  are  sure  paymasters  at  the  last. 

He  that  was  so  soon  pacified  towards  his  wife  could  not  but 
have  thought  this  revenge  more  than  enough,  if  he  had  not 
rather  wielded  God's  quarrel  than  his  own.  He  knew  that  God 
had  raised  him  up  on  purpose  to  be  a  scourge  to  the  Philistines, 
whom  as  yet  he  had  angered  more  than  punished ;  as  if  these 
therefore  had  been  but  flourishes  before  the  fray,  he  stirs  up  his 
courage,  and  strikes  them  both  hip  and  thigh  with  a  mighty 
plague.  That  God,  which  can  do  nothing  imperfectly  where  he 
begins  either  mercy  or  judgment,  will  not  leave  till  he  have  hap- 
pily finished :  as  it  is  in  his  favours,  so  in  his  punishments ;  one 
stroke  draws  on  another. 

The  Israelites  were  but  slaves,  and  the  Philistines  were  their 
masters ;  so  much  more  indignly  therefore  must  they  needs  take 
it  to  be  thus  affronted  by  one  of  their  Qwn  vassals :  yet  shall  we 
commend  the  moderation  of  these  pagans.  Samson,  being  not 
mortally  wronged  by  one  Philistine,  falls  foul  upon  the  whole  na- 
tion ;  the  Philistines,  heinously  offended  by  Samson,  do  not  fall 
upon  the  whole  tribe  of  Judah,  but  being  mustered  together,  call 
to  them  for  satisfaction  from  the  person  offending :  the  same  hand 
of  God  which  wrought  Samson  to  revenge,  restrained  them  from 
it :  it  is  no  thank  to  themselves  that  sometimes  wicked  men  cannot 
be  cruel. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


coxt.  iv.  Samson's  victory.  273 

The  men  of  Judah  are  by  their  fear  made  friends  to  their  ty- 
rants and  traitors  to  their  friend.  It  was  in  their  cause  that 
Samson  had  shed  blood,  and  yet  they  conspire  with  the  Philis- 
tines to  destroy  their  own  flesh  and  blood.  So  shall  the  Phi- 
listines be  quit  with  Israel,  that  as  Samson  by  Philistines  re- 
venged himself  of  Philistines,  so  they  of  an  Israelite  by  the  hand 
.  of  Israelites.  That  which  open  enemies  dare  not  attempt,  they 
work  by  false  brethren  ;  and  these  are  so  much  more  perilous,  as 
they  are  more  entire. 

It  had  been  no  less  easy  for  Samson  to  have  slain  those  thou- 
sands of  Judah  that  came  to  bind  him,  than  those  other  of  the 
Philistines  that  meant  to  kill  him  bound:  and  what  if  he  had 
said,  "  Are  ye  turned  traitors  to  your  deliverer  ?  your  blood  be 
upon  your  own  heads;"  but  the  Spirit  of  God,  without  whom  he 
could  not  kill  either  beast  or  man,  would  never  stir  him  up  to  kill 
his  brethren,  though  degenerated  into  Philistines.  They  have 
more  power  to  bind  him  than  he  to  kill  them :  Israelitish  blood 
was  precious  to  him  that  made  no  jnore  scruple  of  killing  a  Phi- 
listine than  a  lion.  That  bondage  and  usury  that  was  allowed  to 
a  Jew  from  a  pagan  might  not  be  exacted  from  a  Jew. 

The  Philistines  that  had  before  ploughed  with  Samson  s  heifer, 
in  the  case  of  the  riddle,  are  now  ploughing  a  worse  furrow  with 
a  heifer  more  his  own.  I  am  ashamed  to  hear  these  cowardly 
Jews  say,  Knowest  thou  not  that  the  Philistines  are  lords  over 
us  ?  Why  hast  thou  done  thus  unto  us  ?  We  are  therefore  come 
to  bind  thee.  Whereas  they  should  have  said,  "  We  find  these 
tyrannical  Philistines  to  usurp  dominjpn  over  us ;  thou  hast  hap- 
pily begun  to  shake  off  their  yoke,  and  now  we  are  come  to  second 
thee  with  our  service.  The  valour  of  such  a  captain  shall  easily 
lead  us  forth  to  liberty.  We  are  ready  either  to  die  with  thee  or 
be  freed  by  thee."  A  fearful  man  can  never  be  a  true  friend  : 
rather  than  incur  any  danger  he  will  be  false  to  his  own  soul.  O 
cruel  mercy  of  these  men  of  Judah !  We  will  not  kill  thee,  but  we 
will  bind  thee,  and  deliver  thee  to  the  hands  of  the  Philistines, 
that  they  may  kill  thee.  As  if  it  had  not  been  much  worse  to  die  an 
ignominious  and  tormenting  death  by  the  hands  of  the  Philistines, 
than  to  be  at  once  despatched  by  them,  which  wished  either  his 
life  safe  or  his  death  easy ! 

When  Saul  was  pursued  by  the  Philistines  upon  the  mountains 
of  Gilboa,  he  could  say  to  his  armourbearer,  Draw  forth  thy 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  T 


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274  Samson's  victory.  book  x. 

sword,  and  kill  me ;  lest  the  uncircumcised  come  and  thrust  me 
through,  and  mock  me :  and  at  last  would  rather  fall  upon  his 
own  sword  than  theirs:  and  yet  these  cousins  of  Samson  can 
say,  We  will  not  kill  thee,  but  we  will  bind  thee  and  deliver 
thee.  It  was  no  excuse  to  these  Israelites  that  Samson's  binding 
had  more  hope  than  his  death.  It  was  more  in  the  extraordinary 
mercy  of  God  than  their  will  that  he  was  not  tied  with  his  last 
bonds.  Such  is  the  goodness  of  the  Almighty,  that  he  turns  the 
cruel  intentions  of  wicked  men  to  an  advantage. 

Now  these  Jews,  that  might  have  let  themselves  loose  from 
their  own  bondage,  are  binding  their  deliverer,  whom  yet  they 
knew  able  to  have  resisted.  In  the  greatest  strength  there  is  use 
of  patience :  there  was  more  fortitude  in  this  suffering  than  in 
his  former  actions :  Samson  abides  to  be  tied  by  his  own  country- 
men, that  he  may  have  the  glory  of  freeing  himself  victoriously. 
Even  so,  O  Saviour,  our  better  Nazarite,  thou,  which  couldst 
have  called  to  thy  Father,  and  have  had  twelve  legions  of  angels 
for  thy  rescue,  wouldst  be  boynd  voluntarily,  that  thou  mightest 
triumph :  so  the  blessed  martyrs  were  racked,  and  would  not  be 
loosed,  because  they  expected  a  better  resurrection.  If  we  be 
not  as  well  ready  to  suffer  ill  as  to  do  good,  we  are  not  fit  for  the 
consecration  of  God. 

To  see  Samson  thus  strongly  manacled,  and  exposed:  to  their 
full  revenge,  could  not  but  be  a  glad  spectacle  to  these  Philis- 
tines ;  and  their  joy  was  so  full,  that  it  could  not  but  fly  forth  of 
their  mouths  in  shouting  and  laughter :  whom  they  saw  loose 
with  terror,  it  is  pleasure  to  see  bound.  It  is  the  sport  of  the 
spiritual  Philistines  to  see  any  of  God's  Nazarites  fettered  with 
the  cords  of  iniquity ;  and  their  imps  are  ready  to  say,  Aha,  so 
would  we  have  it :  but  the  event  answers  their  fake  joy  with  that 
clause  of  triumph,  Rejoice  not  over  me,  0  mine  enemy :  though  I 
fall,  yet  I  shall  rise  again. 

How  soon  was  the  countenance  of  these  Philistines  changed, 
and  their  shouts  turned  into  shriekings !  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
came  upon  Samson;  and  then  what  are  cords  to  the  Almighty? 
His  new  bonds  are  as  flax  burnt  with  fire ;  and  he  rouses  up  him- 
self like  that  young  lion  whom  he  first  encountered,  and  flies  upon 
those  cowardly  adversaries,  who  if  they  had  not  seen  his  cords 
durst  not  have  seen  his  face.  If  they  had  been  so  many  devils  as 
men,  they  could  not  have  stood  before  the  Spirit  which  lifted  up 


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cont.  iv.  Samsons  victory.  275 

the  heart  and  hand  of  Samson.  Wicked  men  never  see  fairer 
prospect  than  when  they  are  upon  the  very  threshold  of  destruc- 
tion. Security  and  ruin  are  so  close  bordering  upon  each  other, 
that  where  we  see  the  face  of  the  one  we  may  be  sure  the  other 
is  at  his  back.  Thus  didst  thou,  O  blessed  Saviour,  when  thou 
wert  fastened  to  the  cross,  when  thou  layest  bound  in  the  grave 
with  the  cords  of  death,  thus  didst  thou  miraculously  raise  up 
thyself,  vanquish  thine  enemies,  and  lead  captivity  captive :  thus 
do  all  thy  holy  ones,  when  they  seem  most  forsaken,  and  laid 
open  to  the  insultation  of  the  world,  find  thy  Spirit  mighty  to  their 
deliverance  and  the  discomfiture  of  their  malicious  adversaries. 

Those  three  thousand  Israelites  were  not  so  ill  advised  as  to  come 
up  into  the  rock  unweaponed  to  apprehend  Samson.  Samson 
therefore  might  have  had  his  choice  of  swords  or  spears  for  his 
skirmish  with  the  Philistines ;  yet  he  leaves  all  the  munition  of 
Israel,  and  finding  the  new  jawbone  of  an  ass,  takes  that  up  in 
his  hand,  and  with  that  base  instrument  of  death  sends  a  thousand 
Philistines  to  their  place.  All  the  swords  and  shields  of  the  armed 
Philistines  cannot  resist  that  contemptible  engine  which  hath  now 
left  a  thousand  bodies  as  dead  as  the  carcass  of  that  beast  whose 
bone  it  was.  This  victory  was  not  in  the  weapon,  was  not  in  the 
arm ;  it  was  in  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  moved  the  weapon  in  the 
arm.  O  God,  if  the  means  be  weak,  yet  thou  art  strong :  through 
God  we  shall  do  great  acts;  yea,  I  can  do  all  things  through 
him  that  strengthened  me.  Seest  thou  a  poor  Christian,  which 
by  weak  counsel  hath  obtained  to  overcome  a  temptation  ?  there 
is  the  Philistine  vanquished  with  a  sorry  jawbone. 

It  is  no  marvel  if  he  were  thus  admirably  strong  and  victorious 
whose  bodily  strength  God  meant  to  make  a  type  of  the  spiritual 
power  of  Christ :  and  behold,  as  the  three  thousands  of  Judah 
stood  still  gazing  with  their  weapons  in  their  hands,  while  Samson 
alone  subdued  the  Philistines ;  so  did  men  and  angels  stand  look- 
ing upon  the  glorious  achievements  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  might 
justly  say,  /  have  trod  the  winepress  alone. 

Both  the  Samsons  complained  of  thirst.  The  same  God  which 
gave  this  champion  victory  gave  him  also  refreshing,  and  by  the 
same  means :  the  same  bone  yields  him  both  conquest  and  life, 
and  is  of  a  weapon  of  offence  turned  into  a  well  of  water :  he  that 
fetched  water  out  of  the  flint  for  Israel  fetches  it  out  of  a  bone 
for  Samson.  What  is  not  possible  to  the  infinite  power  of  that 
Almighty  Creator  that  made  all  things  of  nothing  ?    He  can  give 

T  2 


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276  Samson's  end.  book  x. 

Samson  honey  from  the  mouth  of  the  lion,  and  water  from  the 
mouth  of  the  ass.  Who  would  not  cheerfully  depend  upon  that  God 
which  can  fetch  moisture  out  of  dryness,  and  life  out  of  death  ? 


SAMSON'S  END.— Judges  xvi. 

I  cannot  wonder  more  at  Samson's  strength  than  his  weakness : 
he  that  began  to  cast  away  his  love  upon  a  wife  of  the  Philistines 
goes  on  to  misspend  himself  upon  the  harlots  of  the  Philistines ; 
he  did  not  so  much  overcome  the  men  as  the  women  overcame 
him.  His  affections  blinded  him  first,  ere  the  Philistines  could  do 
it ;  would  he  else,  after  the  effusion  of  so  much  of  their  blood, 
have  suffered  his  lust  to  carry  him  within  their  walls,  as  one  that 
cared  more  for  his  pleasure  than  his  life  ? 

O  strange  debauchedness  and  presumption  of  a  Nazarite !  The 
Philistines  are  up  in  arms  to  kill  him ;  he  offers  himself  to  their 
city,  to  their  stews,  and  dares  expose  his  life  to  one  of  their  har- 
lots whom  he  had  slaughtered.  I  would  have  looked  to  have  seen 
him  betake  himself  to  his  stronger  Rock  than  that  of  Etam ; 
and  by  his  austere  devotion  to  seek  protection  of  him  of  whom  he 
received  strength :  but  now,  as  if  he  had  forgotten  his  consecration, 
I  find  him  turned  Philistine  for  his  bed,  and  of  a  Nazarite  scarce 
a  man.  In  vain  doth  he  nourish  his  hair  while  he  feeds  these 
passions.  How  usually  do  vigour  of  body  and  infirmity  of  mind 
lodge  under  one  roof !  On  the  contrary,  a  weakish  outside  is  a 
strong  motive  to  mortification.  Samson's  victories  have  subdued 
him,  and  have  made  him  first  a  slave  to  lewd  desires,  and  then  to 
the  Philistines.  I  may  safely  say,  that  more  vessels  miscarry  with 
a  fair  gale  than  with  a  tempest. 

Yet  was  not  Samson  so  blinded  with  lust  as  not  at  all  to  look 
before  him.  He  foresaw  the  morning  would  be  dangerous;  the 
bed  of  his  fornication  therefore  could  hold  him  no  longer  than 
midnight :  then  he  rises,  and  in  a  mock  of  those  ambushes  which 
the  Azzahites  laid  for  him,  he  carries  away  the  gates  wherein  they 
thought  to  have  encaged  him.  If  a  temptation  has  drawn  us  aside 
to  lie  down  to  sin,  it  is  happy  for  us  if  we  can  rise  ere  we  be  sur- 
prised with  judgment.  Samson  had  not  left  his  strength  in  the 
bed  of  an  harlot ;  neither  had  that  God  which  gave  it  him  stripped 
him  of  it  with  his  clothes  when  he  laid  him  down  in  uncleanness. 
His  mercy  uses  not  to  take  vantage  of  our  unworthiness,  but 


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cont.  v.  Samsoiis  end.  277 

even  when  we  cast  him  off,  holds  us  fast.  That  bountiful  hand 
leaves  us  rich  of  common  graces  when  we  have  misspent  our  better 
store ;  like  as  our  first  parents,  when  they  had  spoiled  themselves 
of  the  image  of  their  Creator,  yet  were  left  wealthy  of  noble  fa- 
culties of  the  soul. 

I  find  Samson  come  off  from  his  sin  with  safety.  He  runs  away 
lightly  with  a  heavier  weight  than  the  gates  of  Azzah,  the  burden 
of  an  ill  act.  Present  impunity  argues  not  an  abatement  of  the 
wickedness  of  his  sin,  or  of  the  dislike  of  God.  Nothing  is  so 
worthy  of  pity  as  sinners'  peace :  good  is  not  therefore  good  be- 
cause it  prospers,  but  because  it  is  commanded :  evil  is  not  evil 
because  it  is  punished,  but  because  it  is  forbidden. 

If  the  holy  parents  of  Samson  lived  to  see  these  outrages  of 
their  Nazarite,  I  doubt  whether  they  did  not  repent  them  of  their 
joy  to  hear  news  of  a  son.  It  is  a  shame  to  see  how  he  that  might 
not  drink  wine  is  drunk  with  the  cup  of  fornications  His  lust  car- 
ries him  from  Azzah*  to  the  plain  of  Sorek  ;  and  now  hath  found 
a  Delilah  that  shall  pay  him  for  all  his  former  uncleanness.  Sin 
is  steep  and  slippery ;  and  if  after  one  fall  we  have  found  where  to 
stand,  it  is  the  praise,  not  of  our  footing,  but  of  the  hand  of  God. 

The  princes  of  the  Philistines  knew  already  where  Samson's 
weakness  lay,  though  not  his  strength ;  and  therefore  they  would 
entice  his  harlot  by  gifts,  to  entice  him  by  her  dalliance  to  betray 
himself.  It  is  no  marvel  if  she  that  would  be  filthy  would  be  also 
perfidious.  How  could  Samson  choose  but  think,  if  lust  had  not 
bewitched  him,  "  she,  whose  body  is  mercenary  to  me,  will  easily 
sell  me  to  others ;  she  will  be  false,  if  she  will  be  an  harlot."  A 
wide  conscience  will  swallow  any  sin.  Those  that  have  once 
thralled  themselves  to  a  known  evil  can  make  no  other  difference 
of  sins  but  their  own  loss  or  advantage :  a  liar  can  steal,  a  thief 
can  kill,  a  cruel  man  can  be  a  traitor ;  a  drunkard  can  falsify  : 
wickedness  once  entertained  can  put  on  any  shape  :  trust  him  in 
nothing  that  makes  not  a  conscience  of  every  thing. 

Was  there  ever  such  another  motion  made  to  a  reasonable  man  ? 
Tell  me  wherein  thy  great  strength  lieth,  and  wherewith  thou 
mayest  be  bound  to  do  thee  hart.  Who  would  not  have  spurned 
such  a  suitor  out  of  doors  ?  What  will  not  impudence  ask,  or  stu- 
pidity receive  ?  He  that  killed  the  thousand  Philistines  for  coming 
to  bind  him,  endures  this  harlot  of  the  Philistines  to  consult  with 
himself  of  binding  him ;  and  when  upon  the  trial  of  a  false  answer 
*  [Gaza  or  Azzah,  see  Jer.  xxv.  ao.] 


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278  JSamson's  end.  book  x. 

he  saw  so  apparent  treachery,  yet  wilfully  betrays  bis  life  by  her 
to  his  enemies.  All  sins,  all  passions  have  power  to  infatuate  a 
man,  but  lust  most  of  all.  Never  man  that  had  drunk  flagons  of 
wine  had  less  reason  than  this  Nazarite ;  many  a  one  loses  his 
life,  but  this  casts  it  away  ;  not  in  hatred  of  himself,  but  in  love 
to  a  strumpet 

We  wonder  that  a  man  could  possibly  be  so  sottish,  and  yet  we 
ourselves  by  temptation  become  no  less  insensate ;  sinful  pleasures, 
like  a  common  Delilah,  lodge  in  our  bosoms ;  we  know  they  aim 
at  nothing  but  the  death  of  our  soul ;  we  will  yield  to  them  and 
die.  Every  willing  sinner  is  a  Samson :  let  us  not  inveigh  against 
his  senselessness,  but  our  own.  Nothing  is  so  gross  and  unreason- 
able to  a  well  disposed  mind  which  temptation  will  not  represent 
fit  and  plausible.  No  soul  can,  out  of  nis  own  strength,  secure 
himself  from  that  sin  which  he  most  detesteth. 

As  an  hoodwinked  man  sees  some  little  glimmering  of  light,  but 
not  enough  to  guide  him  ;  so  did  Samson,  who  had  reason  enough 
left  him  to  make  trial  of  Delilah  by  a  crafty  misinformation,  but 
not  enough  upon  that  trial  to  distrust  and  hate  her :  he  had  not 
wit  enough  to  deceive  her  thrice ;  not  enough  to  keep  himself 
from  being  deceived  by  .her.  It  is  not  so  great  wisdom  to  prove 
them  whom  we  distrust,  as  it  is  folly  to  trust  them  whom  we  have 
found  treacherous :  thrice  had  he  seen  the  Philistines  in  her  cham- 
ber ready  to  surprise  him  upon  her  bonds ;  and  yet  will  needs  be 
a  slave  to  his  traitor.  Warning  not  taken  is  a  certain  presage  of 
destruction ;  and  if  once  neglected  it  receive  pardon,  yet  thrice  is 
desperate. 

What  man  would  ever  play  thus  with  his  own  ruin  ?  His  harlot 
binds  him,  and  calls  in  her  executioners  to  cut  his  throat ;  he 
rises  to  save  his  own  life,  and  suffers  them  to  carry  away  theirs 
in  peace.  Where  is  the  courage  of  Samson  ?  where  his  zeal  ?  He 
that  killed  the  Philistines  for  their  clothes ;  he  that  slew  a  thou- 
sand of  them  in  the  field  at  once;  in  this  quarrel,  now  suffers 
them  in  his  chamber  unrevenged.  Whence  is  this?  His  hands 
were  strong,  but  his  heart  was  effeminate :  his  harlot  had  diverted 
his  affection.  Whosoever  slackens  the  reins  to  his  sensual  appe- 
tite shall  soon  grow  unfit  for  the  calling  of  God. 

Samson  hath  broke  the  green  withes,  the  new  ropes,  the  woof 
of  his  hair ;  and  yet  still  suffers  himself  fettered  with  those  invisible 
bonds  of  a  harlot's  love,  and  can  endure  her  to  say,  How  canst 
thou  say,  Hove  thee,  when  thine  heart  is  not  with  me  ?  thou  hast 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  v.  Samsons  end.  279 

mocked  me  these  three  times :  whereas  he  should  rather  have  said 
unto  her,  "How  canst  thou  challenge  any  love  from  me,  that 
hast  thus  thrice  sought  my  life  ?  O !  canst  thou  think  my  mocks 
a  sufficient  revenge  of  this  treachery  ?"  But  contrarily,  he  melts 
at  this  fire,  and  by  her  importunate  insinuations  is  wrought  against 
•  himself.  Weariness  of  solicitation  hath  won  some  to  those  actions 
which  at  the  first  motion  they  despised:  like  as  we  see  some 
suitors  are  despatched,  not  for  the  equity  of  the  cause,  but  the 
trouble  of  the  prosecution,  because  it  is  more  easy  to  yield,  not 
more  reasonable.  It  is  more  safe  to  keep  ourselves  out  of  the  noise 
of  suggestions,  than  to  stand  upon  our  power  of  denial. 

Who  can  pity  the  loss  of  that  strength  which  was  so  abused  ? 
Who  can  pity  him  the  loss  of  his  locks,  which  after  so  many  warn- 
ings can  sleep  in  the  lap  of  Delilah  ?  It  is  but  just  that  he  should 
rise  up  from  thence  shaven  and  feeble ;  not  a  Nazarite,  scarce  a 
man.  If  his  strength  had  lien  in  his  hair,  it  bad  been  out  of  him- 
self; it  was  not  therefore  in  his  locks,  it  was  in  his  consecration, 
whereof  that  hair  was  a  sign.  If  the  razor  had  come  sooner  upon 
his  head  he  bad  ceased  to  be  a  Nazarite;  and  the  gift  of  God  had 
at  once  ceased  with  the  calling  of  God ;  not  for  the  want  of  that  ex- 
cretion, but  for  want  of  obedience.  If  God  withdraw  his  graces  when 
he  is  too  much  provoked,  who  can  complain  of  his  mercy? 

He  that  sleeps  in  sin  must  look  to  wake  in  loss  and  weakness. 
Could  Samson  think,  "  Though  I  tell  her  my  strength  lies  in  my 
hair,  yet  she  will  not  cut  it ;  or  though  she  do  cut  my  hair,  yet 
shall  I  not  lose  my  strength ; "  that  now  he  rises  and  shakes  him- 
self in  hope  of  his  former  vigour  ?  Custom  of  success  makes  men 
confident  in  their  sins,  and  causes  them  to  mistake  an  arbitrary 
tenure  for  a  perpetuity. 

His  eyes  were  the  first  offenders,  which  betrayed  him  to  lust ; 
and  now  they  are  first  pulled  out,  and  he  is  led  a  blind  captive  to 
Azzah,  where  he  was  first  paptived  to  his  lust.  The  Azzahites, 
which  lately  saw  him,  not  without  terror,  running  lightly  away 
with  their  gates  at  midnight,  see  him  now  in  his  own  perpetual 
night  struggling  with  his  chains ;  and  that  he  may  not  want  pain 
together  with  his  bondage,  he  must  grind  in  his  prison. 

As  he  passed  the  street,  every  boy  among  the  Philistines  could 
throw  stones  at  him ;  every  woman  could  laugh  and  shout  at  him ; 
and  what  one  Philistine  doth  not  say,  while  he  lashes  him  unto 
blood,  "There  is  for  my  brother  or  my  kinsman  whom  thou 
slewest?"    Who  can  look  to  run  away  with  a  sin,  when  Samson,  a 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


280  Samsons  end,  book  x. 

Nazat-ite,  is  thus  plagued  ?  This  great  heart  could  not  but  have 
broken  with  indignation,  if  it  had  not  pacified  itself  with  the  con- 
science of  the  just  desert  of  all  this  vengeance. 

It  is  better  for  Samson  to  be  blind  in  prison  than  to  abuse  his 
eyes  in  Sorek;  yea,  I  may  safely  say  he  was  more  blind  when 
he  saw  licentiously,  than  now  that  he  sees  not.  He  was  a  greater 
slave  when  he  served  his  affections,  than  now  in  grinding  for  the 
Philistines.  The  loss  of  his  eyes  shews  liim  his  sin ;  neither  could 
he  see  how  ill  he  had  done,  till  he  saw  not. 

Even  yet,  still  the  God  of  mercy  looked  upon  the  blindness  of 
Samson ;  and  in  these  fetters  enlargeth  his  heart  from  the  worse 
prison  of  his  sin.  His  hair  grew  together  with  his  repentance, 
and  his  strength  with  his  hair.  God's  merciful  humiliations  of 
his  own  are  sometimes  so  severe,  that  they  seem  to  differ  little 
from  desertions :  yet  at  the  worst  he  loves  us  bleeding ;  and  when 
we  have  smarted  enough,  we  shall  feel  it. 

What  thankful  idolaters  were  these  Philistines !  They  could 
not  but  know  that  their  bribes  and  their  Delilah  bad  delivered 
Samson  to  them,  and  yet  they  sacrifice  to  their  Dagon ;  and,  as 
those  that  would  be  liberal  in  casting  favours  upon  a  senseless  idol, 
of  whom  they  could  receive  none,  they  cry  out,  Our  god  hath  de- 
livered our  enemy  into  our  hands.  Where  was  their  Dagon  when 
a  thousand  of  bis  clients  were  slain  with  an  ass's  jaw  ?  There 
was  more  strength  in  that  bone  than  in  all  the  makers  of  this 
god ;  and  yet  these  vain  pagans  say,  Our  god.  It  is  the  quality  of 
superstition  to  misinterpret  all  events,  and  to  feed  itself  with  the 
conceit  of  those  favours  which  are  so  far  from  being  done,  that 
their  authors  never  were.  Why  do  not  we  learn  zeal  of  idolaters  ? 
And  if  they  be  so  forward  in  acknowledgment  of  their  deliver- 
ances to  a  false  deity,  how  cheerfully  should  we  ascribe  ours  to 
the  true !  O  God,  whatsoever  be  the  means,  thou  art  the  author 
of  all  our  success.  0  that  men  would  praise  the  Lord  for  his 
goodness,  and  tell  the  wonders  that  he  doth  for  the  sons  of  men  I 

No  musician  would  serve  for  this  feast  but  Samson.  He  must 
now  be  their  sport  which  was  once  their  terror.  That  he  might 
want  no  sorrow,  scorn  is  added  to  his  misery :  every  wit  and  hand 
plays  upon  him :  who  is  not  ready  to  cast  his  bone  and  his  jest  at 
such  a  captive?  so  as  doubtless  he  wished  himself  no  less  deaf 
than  blind,  and  that  his  soul  might  have  gone  out  with  his  eyes. 
Oppression  is  able  to  make  a  wise  man  mad ;  and  the  greater  the 
courage  is,  the  more  painful  the  insultation. 


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co>n\  vi.  Mica/is  idolatry.  281 

Now  Samson  is  punished,  shall  the  Philistines  escape  1  If  the 
judgment  of  God  begin  at  his  own,  what  shall  become  of  his 
enemies?  This  advantage  shall  Samson  make  of  their  tyranny, 
that  now  death  is  no  punishment  to  him ;  his  soul  shall  fly  forth 
in  this  bitterness  without  pain ;  and  that  his  dying  revenge  shall 
be  no  less  sweet  to  him  than  the  liberty  of  his  former  life.  He 
could  not  but  feel  God  mocked  through  him;  and  therefore, 
while  they  are  scoffing  he  prays:  his  seriousness  hopes  to  pay 
them  for  all  those  jests.  If  he  could  have  been  thus  earnest  with 
God  in  his  prosperity,  the  Philistines  had  wanted  this  laughing- 
stock. No  devotion  is  so  fervent  as  that  which  arises  from  ex- 
tremity :  0  Lord  God,  I  pray  thee  think  upon  me;  O  God,  I 
beseech  thee  strengt/ien  me  at  this  time  only. 

Though  Samson's  hair  were  shorter,  yet  he  knew  God's  hand 
was  not ;  as  one  therefore  that  had  yet  eyes  enow  to  see  him  that 
was  invisible,  and  whose  faith  was  recovered  before  his  strength, 
he  sues  to  that  God,  which  was  a  party  in  this  indignity,  for 
power  to  revenge  his  wrongs  more  than  his  own.  It  is  zeal  that 
moves  him,  and  not  malice :  his  renewed  faith  tells  him  that  he 
was  destined  to  plague  the  Philistines ;  and  reason  tells  him  that 
his  blindness  puts  him  out  of  the  hope  of  such  another  oppor- 
tunity :  knowing  therefore  that  this  play  of  the  Philistines  must 
end  in  his  death,  he  re-collects  all  the  forces  of  his  soul  and  body, 
that  his  death  may  be  a  punishment  instead  of  a  disport,  and 
that  his  soul  may  be  more  victorious  in  the  parting  than  in  the 
animation ;  and  so  addresses  himself  both  to  die  and  kill  as  one 
whose  soul  shall  not  feel  its  own  dissolution  while  it  shall  carry 
so  many  thousand  Philistines  with  it  to  the  pit.  All  the  acts  of 
Samson  are  for  wonder,  not  for  imitation :  so  didst  thou,  O 
blessed  Saviour,  our  better  Samson,  conquer  in  dying;  and  tri- 
umphing upon  the  chariot  of  the  cross,  didst  lead  captivity 
captive :  the  law,  sin,  death,  hell,  had  never  been  vanquished  but 
by  thy  death :  all  our  life,  liberty,  and  glory  springs  out  of  thy 
most  precious  blood. 


MICAffS  IDOLATRY.— Judges  xvii,  xviii. 

The  mother  of  Micah  hath  lost  her  silver,  and  now  she  falls  to 
cursing :  she  did  afterwards  but  change  the  form  of  her  god : 
her  silver  was  her  god  ere  it  did  put  on  the  fashion  of  an  image ; 
else  she  had  not  so  much  cursed  to  lose  it,  if  it  had  not  too  much 


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282  Micafi's  idolatry.  book  x. 

possessed  her  in  the  keeping.  A  carnal  heart  cannot  forego  that 
wherein  it  delights  without  impatience ;  cannot  be  impatient  with- 
out curses :  whereas  the  man  that  hath  learned  to  enjoy  God  and 
use  the  world,  smiles  at  a  shipwreck,  and  pities  a  thief;  and  can- 
not curse,  but  pray. 

Micah  had  so  little  grace  as  to  steal  from  his  mother,  and  that 
out  of  wantonness,  not  out  of  necessity ;  for  if  she  had  not  been 
rich,  so  much  could  not  have  been  stolen  from  her :  and  now  he 
hath  so  much  grace  as  to  restore  it:  her  curses  have  fetched 
again  her  treasures.  He  cannot  so  much  love  the  money  as  he 
fears  her  imprecations.  Wealth  seems  too  dear  bought  with  a 
curse.  Though  his  fingers  were  false,  yet  his  heart  was  tender. 
Many  that  make  not  conscience  of  committing  sin,  yet  make  con- 
science of  facing  it :  it  is  well  for  them  that  they  are  but  novices 
in  evil.  Those  whom  custom  hath  fleshed  in  sin  can  either  deny 
and  forswear,  or  expuse  and  defend  it :  their  seared  hearts  cannot 
feel  the  gnawing  of  any  remorse ;  and  their  forehead  hath  learned 
to  be  as  impudent  as  their  heart  is  senseless. 

I  see  no  argument  of  any  holiness  in  the  mother  of  Micah :  her 
curses  were  sin  to  herself;  yet  Micah  dares  not  but  fear  them. 
I  know  not  whether  the  causeless  curse  be  more  worthy  of  pity 
or  derision :  it  hurts  the  author,  not  his  adversary :  but  the  de- 
served curses  that  fall  even  from  unholy  mouths  are  worthy  to 
be  feared.  How  much  more  should  a  man  hold  himself  blasted 
with  the  just  imprecations  of  the  godly !  What  metal  are  those 
made  of  that  can  applaud  themselves  in  the  bitter  curses  which 
their  oppressions  have  wrung  from  the  poor,  and  rejoice  in  these 
signs  of  their  prosperity  ? 

Neither  yet  was  Micah  more  stricken  with  his  mother's  curses 
than  with  the  conscience  of  sacrilege :  so  soon  as  he  finds  there 
was  a  purpose  of  devotion  in  this  treasure,  he  dares  not  conceal 
it  to  the  prejudice,  as  he  thought,  of  God  more  than  of  his 
mother.  What  shall  we  say  to  the  palate  of  those  men,  which  as 
they  find  no  good  relish  but  in  stolen  waters,  so  best  in  those 
which  are  stolen  from  the  fountain  of  God  ? 

How  soon  hath  the  old  woman  changed  her  note !  Even  now 
she  passed  an  indefinite  curse  upon  her  son  for  stealing,  and  now 
she  blesses  him  absolutely  for  restoring :  Blessed  be  my  son  of 
the  Lord.  She  had  forgotten  the  theft  when  she  sees  the  resti- 
tution :  how  much  more  shall  the  God  of  mercies  be  more  pleased 
with  our  confession  than  provoked  with  our  sin ! 


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cont.  vi.  Micah' s  idolatry.  283 

I  doubt  not  but  this  silver  and  this  superstition  came  out  of 
Egypt,  together  with  the  mother  of  Micah.  This  history  is  not 
so  late  in  time  as  in  place ;  for  the  tribe  of  Dan  was  not  yet 
settled  in  that  first  division  of  the  promised  land ;  so  as  this  old 
woman  had  seen  both  the  idolatry  of  Egypt  and  the  golden  calf 
in  the  wilderness ;  and  no  doubt  contributed  some  of  her  earrings 
to  that  deity ;  and  after  all  the  plagues  which  she  saw  inflicted 
upon  her  brethren  for  that  idol  of  Horeb  and  Baalpeor,  she  still 
reserves  a  secret  love  to  superstition,  and  now  shows  it.  Where 
misreligion  hath  once  possessed  itself  of  the  heart,  it  is  very 
hardly  cleansed  out ;  but,  like  the  plague,  it  will  hang  in  the  very 
clothes,  and  after  long  lurking  break  forth  in  an  unexpected  in- 
fection ;  and  old  wood  is  the  aptest  to  take  this  fire :  after  all 
the  airing  in  the  desert,  Micah's  mother  will  smell  of  Egypt. 
*  It  had  been  better  the  silver  had  been  stolen  than  thus  be- 
stowed; for  now  they  have  so  employed  it,  that  it  hath  stolen 
away  their  hearts  from  God;  and  yet  while  it  is  molten  into  an 
image,  they  think  it  dedicated  to  the  Lord.  If  religion  might  be 
judged  according  to  the  intention,  there  should  scarce  be  any 
idolatry  in  the  world.  This  woman  loved  her  silver  enough; 
and  if  she  had  not  thought  this  costly  piety  worth  thanks,  she 
knew  which  way  to  have  employed  her  stock  to  advantage.  Even 
evil  actions  have  ofttimes  good  meanings,  and  those  good  mean- 
ings are  answered  with  evil  recompenses.  Many  a  one  bestows 
their  cost,  their  labour,  their  blood,  and  receives  torment  instead 
of  thanks. 

Behold  a  superstitious  son  of  a  superstitious  mother!  She 
makes  a  god,  and  he  harbours  it;  yea,  as  the  stream  is  com- 
monly broader  than  the  head,  he  exceeds  his  mother  in  evil :  he 
hath  an  house  of  gods,  an  ephod,  teraphin ;  and,  that  he  might  be 
complete  in  his  devotion,  he  makes  his  son  his  priest,  and  feoffs 
that  sin  upon  his  son  which  he  received  from  his  mother.  Those 
sins  which  nature  conveys  not  to  us  we  have  by  imitation.  Every 
action  and  gesture  of  the  parents  is  an  example  to  the  child;  and 
the  mother,  as  she  is  more  tender  over  her  son,  so  by  the  power 
of  a  reciprocal  love  she  can  work  most  upon  his  inclination. 
Whence  it  is,  that  in  the  history  of  the  Israelitish  kings  the  mo- 
ther's name  is  commonly  noted :  and  as  civilly,  so  also  morally, 
"  the  birth  follows  the  belly."  Those  sons  may  bless  their  second 
birth  that  are  delivered  from  the  sins  of  their  education. 

Who  cannot  but  think  how  far  Micah  overlooked  all  his  fellow 


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284  Micah?  $  idolatry.  book  x. 

Israelites,  and  thought  them  profane  and  godless  in  comparison  of 
himself !  How  did  he  secretly  clap  himself  on  the  breast,  as  the 
man  whose  happiness  it  was  to  engross  religion  from  all  the  tribes 
of  Israel ;  and  little  can  imagine  that  the  farther  he  runs,  the 
more  out  of  the  way!  Can  an  Israelite  be  thus  paganish?  O 
Micah!  how  hath  superstition  bewitched  thee,  that  thou  canst 
not  see  rebellion  in  every  of  these  actions,  yea,  in  every  circum- 
stance rebellion  I  What,  more  gods  than  one !  An  house  of  gods, 
beside  God's  house !  An  image  of  silver  to  the  invisible  god !  An 
ephod,  and  no  priest!  A  priest,  besides  the  family  of  Levi!  A 
priest  of  thine  own  begetting,  of  thine  own  consecration !  What 
monsters  doth  man's  imagination  produce  when  it  is  forsaken  of 
God !  It  is  well  seen  there  is  no  king  in  Israel :  if  God  had  been 
their  king,  his  laws  had  ruled  them :  if  Moses  or  Joshua  had  been 
their  king,  their  sword  had  awed  them  :  if  any  other,  the  courses  * 
of  Israel  could  not  have  been  so  headless.  We  are  beholden  to 
government  for  order,  for  peace,  for  religion.  Where  there  is 
no  king,  every  one  will  be  a  king,  yea,  a  god  to  himself.  We 
are  worthy  of  nothing  but  confusion,  if  we  bless  not  God  for 
authority. 

It  is  no  marvel  if  Levites  wandered  for  maintenance  while 
there  was  no  king  in  Israel.  The  tithes  and  offerings  were  their 
due :  if  these  had  been  paid,  none  of  the  holy  tribe  needed  to 
shift  his  station.  Even  where  royal  power  seconds  the  claim  of 
the  Levite,  the  injustice  of  men  shortens  his  right.  What  should 
become  of  the  Levites  if  there  were  no  king.  And  what  of  the 
Church,  if  no  Levites?  No  King  therefore,  no  Church.  How 
could  the  impotent  child  live  without  a  nurse?  Kings  shall  be 
thy  nursing  fathers,  and  queens  thy  nurses,  saith  God.  Nothing 
more  argues  the  disorder  of  any  church,  or  the  decay  of  religion, 
than  the  forced  straggling  of  the  Levites.  There  is  hope  of  growth 
when  Micah  rides  to  seek  a  Levite ;  but  when  the  Levite  comes 
to  seek  a  service  of  Micah,  it  is  a  sign  of  gasping  devotion. 

Micah  was  no  obscure  man :  all  Mount  Ephraim  could  not  but 
take  notice  of  his  domestical  gods.  This  Levite  could  not  but  hear 
of  his  disposition,  of  his  misdevotion;  yet  want  of  maintenance, 
no  less  than  conscience,  draws  him  on  to  the  danger  of  an  idola- 
trous patronage.  Holiness  is  not  tied  to  any  profession.  Happy 
were  it  for  the  church  if  the  clergy  could  be  a  privilege  from 
lewdness.  When  need  meets  with  unconscionableness,  all  condi- 
tions are  easily  swallowed  of  unlawful  entrances,  of  wicked  execu- 


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cont.  vi.  Micatis  idolatry.  285 

tions.  Ten  shekels  and  a  suit  of  apparel,  and  his  diet,  are  good 
wages  for  a  needy  Levite.  He  that  could  bestow  eleven  hundred 
shekels  upon  his  puppets  can  afford  but  ten  to  his  priest.:  so 
hath  he  at  once  a  rich  idol  and  a  beggarly  priest  Whosoever 
*  affects  to  serve  God  good  cheap  shows  that  he  makes  God  but  a 
stale  to  mammon. 

Yet  was  Micah  a  kind  patron,  though  not  liberal.  He  calls 
the  young  Levite  his  father,  and  uses  him  as  his  son :  and  what 
he  wants  in  means  supplies  in  affection.  It  were  happy  if 
Christians  could  imitate  the  love  of  idolaters  towards  them  which 
serve  at  the  altar.  Micah  made  a  shift  with  the  priesthood  of 
his  own  son :  yet  that  his  heart  checks  him  in  it  appears  both 
by  the  change  and  his  contentment  in  the  change ;  Now  I  know 
that  the  Lord  will  be  good  to  me,  seeing  I  have  a  Levite  to  my 
priest :  therefore  while  his  priest  was  no  Levite,  he  sees  there 
was  cause  why  God  should  not  be  good  to  him.  If  the  Levite 
had  not  come  to  offer  his  service,  Micah's  son  had  been  a  lawful 
priest.  Many  times  the  conscience  runs  away  smoothly  with  an 
unwarrantable  action,  and  rests  itself  upon  those  grounds  which 
afterward  it  sees  cause  to  condemn.  It  is  a  sure  way  therefore 
to  inform  ourselves  thoroughly  ere  we  settle  our  choice,  that  we 
be  not  driven  to  reverse  our  acts  with  late  shame  and  unprofitable 
repentance. 

Now  did  Micah  begin  to  see  some  little  glimpse  of  his  own 
error :  he  saw  his  priesthood  faulty ;  he  saw  not  the  faults  of  his 
ephod,  of  his  images,  of  his  gods :  and  yet,  as  if  he  thought  all 
had  been  well  when  he  had  amended  one,  he  says,  Now  I  know 
the  Lord  will  be  good  to  me.  The  carnal  heart  pleases  itself  with 
an  outward  formality ;  and  so  delights  to  flatter  itself,  as  that  it 
thinks  if  one  circumstance  be  right,  nothing  can  be  amiss. 

Israel  was  at  this  time  extremely  corrupted :  yet  the  spies  of 
the  Danites  had  taken  notice  even  of  this  young  Levite,  and  are 
glad  to  make  use  of  his  priesthood.  If  they  had  but  gone  up  to 
Shiloh,  they  might  have  consulted  with  the  ark  of  God;  but 
worldly  minds  are  not  curious  in  their  holy  services :  if  they  have 
a  god,  an  ephod,  a  priest,  it  suffices  them  :  they  had  rather  enjoy 
a  false  worship  with  ease  than  to  take  pains  for  the  true.  Those 
that  are  curious  in  their  diet,  in  their  purchases,  in  their  attire,  in 
their  contracts,  yet  in  God's  business  are  very  indifferent. 

The  author  of  lies  sometimes  speaks  truth  for  an  advantage  ; 
and  from  his  mouth  this  flattering  Levite  spoaks  what  lie  knew 


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286  MicafCs  idolatry.  book  x. 

would  please,  not  what  he  knew  would  fail  out:  the  event  an- 
swers his  prediction,  and  now  the  spies  magnify  him  to  their  fel- 
lows. Micah's  idol  is  a  god,  and  the  Levite  is  his  oracle.  In 
matter  of  judgment,  to  be  guided  only  by  the  event  is  the  way  to 
error :  falsehood  shall  be  truth,  and  Satan  an  angel  of  light,  if 
we  follow  this  rule.  Even  very  conjectures  sometimes  happen 
right :  a  prophet  or  a  dreamer  may  give  a  true  sign  or  wonder, 
and  yet  himself  say,  Let  us  go  after  other  gods.  A  small  thing 
can  win  credit  with  weak  minds,  which,  where  they  have  once 
sped,  cannot  distrust. 

The  idolatrous  Danites  are  so  besotted  with  this  success,  that 
they  will  rather  steal  than  want  the  gods  of  Micah ;  and  because 
the  gods  without  the  priest  can  do  them  less  service  than  the 
priest  without  the  gods,  therefore  they  steal  the  priest  with  the 
gods.  O  miserable  Israelites !  that  could  think  that  a  god  which 
'  could  be  stolen ;  that  could  look  for  protection  from  that  which 
could  not  keep  itself  from  stealing ;  which  was  won  by  their  theft, 
not  their  devotion !  Could  they  worship  those  idols  more  devoutly 
than  Micah  that  made  them  ?  And  if  they  could  not  protect  their 
maker  from  robbery,  how  shall  they  protect  their  thieves  ?  If  it 
had  been  the  holy  ark  of  the  true  God,  how  could  they  think  it 
would  bless  their  violence,  or  that  it  would  abide  to  be  translated 
by  rapine  and  extortion  ?  Now  their  superstition  hath  made  them 
mad  upon  a  god,  they  must  have  him ;  by  what  means  they  care 
not,  though  they  offend  the  true  God  by  stealing  a  false. 

Sacrilege  is  fit  to  be  the  first  service  of  an  idol.  The  spies  of  Dan 
had  been  courteously  entertained  by  Micah ;  thus  they  rewarded 
his  hospitality.  It  is  no  trusting  the  honesty  of  idolaters :  if  they 
have  once  cast  off  the  true  God,  whom  will  they  respect  ? 

It  seems  Levites  did  not  more  want  maintenance  than  Israel 
wanted  Levites:  here  was  a  tribe  of  Israel  without  a  spiritual 
guide.  The  withdrawing  of  due  means  is  the  way  to  the  utter 
desolation  of  the  church :  rare  offerings  make  cold  altars. 

There  needed  small  force  to  draw  this  Levite  to  change  his 
charge ;  Hold  thy  peace,  and  come,  and  be  our  father  and 
priest :  whether  is  it  better,  &c.  Here  is  not  patience,  but  joy : 
he  that  was  won  with  ten  shekels  may  be  lost  with  eleven :  when 
maintenance  and  honour  call  him,  he  goes  undriven  ;  and  rather 
steals  himself  away  than  is  stolen.  The  Levite  had  too  many  gods 
to  make  conscience  of  pleasing  one :  there  is  nothing  more  incon- 
stant than  a  Levite  that  seeks  nothing  but  himself. 


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cont.  i.  The  Levite  s  concubine.  287 

Thus  the  wildfire  of  idolatry  which  lay  before  couched  in  the 
private  hall  of  Micah  now  flies  furiously  through  all  the  tribe  of 
Dan,  who,  like  to  thieves  that  have  carried  away  plague-clothes, 
have  insensibly  infected  themselves  and  their  posterity  to  death. 
Heresy  and  superstition  have  small  beginnings,  dangerous  pro- 
ceedings, pernicious  conclusions.  This  contagion  is  like  a  canker, 
which  at  the  first  is  scarce  visible ;  afterwards,  it  eats  away  the 
flesh  and  consumes  the  body. 


BOOK  XL 


TO  THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE 

SIR  FULKE  GREVILLE,  KNIGHT*, 

CHANCELLOR  OF  THE  EXCHEQUER  ; 

ONE  OF  HIS  MAJESTY'S  MOST  HONOURABLE  PRIVT  COUNSELLORS  ; 

A  MOST  WISE,  LEARNED,  JUDICIOUS,  INGENUOUS  CENSOR  OF  SCHOLARSHIP  ) 

A  WORTHY  EXAMPLE  OE  BENEFACTORS  TO  LEARNING  ; 

J.H. 

WITH  HIS  UNFEIGNED  PRAYERS  FOR  THE  HAPPY  SUCCESS  OF  ALL  HIS 

HONOURABLE  DESIGNMENTS,  HUMBLY  DEDICATES  THIS  MEAN 

PIECE  OF  HIS  STUDIES. 


THE  LEVITE'S  CONCUBINE.— Judges  xix. 

There  is  no  complaint  of  a  publicly  disordered  state  where  a 
Levite  is  not  at  one  end  of  it,  either  as  an  agent  or  a  patient.  In 
the  idolatry  of  Micah  and  the  Danites,  a  Levite  was  an  actor ;  in 
the  violent  uncleanness  of  Gibeah,  a  Levite  suffers.  No  tribe  shall 
sooner  feel  the  want  of  government  than  that  of  Levi. 

The  law  of  God  allowed  the  Levite  a  wife ;  human  connivance, 
a  concubine :  neither  did  the  Jewish  concubine  differ  from  a  wife, 
but  in  some  outward  compliments :  both  might  challenge  all  the 
true  essence  of  marriage ;  so  little  was  the  difference,  that  the 
father  of  the  concubine  is  called  the  father-in-law  to  the  Levite. 


*  [Created  Baron  Brooke,  1620-1.] 


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288  The  Levite  s  concubine,  book  xi. 

She  whom  ill  custom  had  of  a  wife  made  a  concubine,  is  now, 
by  her  lust,  of  a  concubine  made  an  harlot :  her  fornication,  toge- 
ther with  the  change  of  her  bed,  hath  changed  her  abode.  Per- 
haps her  own  conscience  thrust  her  out  of  doors;  perhaps  the 
just  severity  of  her  husband.  Dismission  was  too  easy  a  penalty 
for  that  which  God  had  sentenced  with  death. 

She  that  had  deserved  to  be  abhorred  of  her  husband  seeks 
shelter  from  her  father.  Why  would  her  father  suffer  his  house 
to  be  defiled  with  an  adulteress,  though  out  of  his  own  loins? 
Why  did  he  not  rather  say,  "  What  dost  thou  think  to  find  my 
house  a  harbour  for  thy  sin  ?  While  thou  wert  a  wife  to  thine  hus- 
band, thou  wert  a  daughter  to  me ;  now  thou  art  neither.  Thou 
art  not  mine,  I  gave  thee  to  thy  husband ;  thou  art  not  thy  hus- 
band's, thou  hast  betrayed  his  bed.  Thy  filthiness  hath  made  thee 
thine  own  and  thine  adulterer's :  go  seek  thine  entertainment 
where  thou  hast  lost  thine  honesty.  Thy  lewdness  hath  brought  a 
necessity  of  shame  upon  thine  abettors :  how  can  I  countenance  thy 
person  and  abandon  thy  sin  ?  I  had  rather  be  a  just  man  than  a 
kind  father.  Get  thee  home  therefore  to  thy  husband,  crave  his 
forgiveness  upon  thy  knees,  redeem  his  love  with  thy  modesty  and 
obedience.  When  his  heart  is  once  open  to  thee,  my  doors  shall  not 
be  shut ;  in  the  meantime,  know  I  can  be  no  father  to  an  harlot." 
Indulgence  of  parents  is  the  refuge  of  vanity,  the  bawd  of  wicked- 
ness, the  bane  of  children.  How  easily  is  that  thief  induced  to 
steal  that  knows  his  receiver!  When  the  lawlessness  of  youth 
knows  where  to  find  pity  and  toleration,  what  mischief  can  it 
forbear? 

By  how  much  better  this  Levite  was,  so  much  more  injurious 
was  the  concubine's  sin.  What  husband  would  not  have  said, 
44  She  is  gone,  let  shame  and  grief  go  with  her !  I  shall  find  one 
no  less  pleasing  and  more  faithful :  or  if  it  be  not  too  much  mercy 
in  me  to  yield  to  a  return,  let  her  that  hath  offended  seek  me : 
what  more  direct  way  is  there  to  a  resolved  looseness  than  to  let 
her  see  I  cannot  want  her  ?" 

The  good  nature  of  this  Levite  casts  off  all  these  terms ;  and 
now,  after  four  months'  absence,  sends  him  to  seek  for  her  that 
had  run  away  from  her  fidelity :  and  now  he  thinks,  "  She  sinned 
against  me ;  perhaps  she  hath  repented,  perhaps  shame  and  fear 
have  withheld  her  from  returning,  perhaps  she  will  be  more  loyal 
for  her  sin :  if  her  importunity  should  win  me,  half  the  thanks 
were  lost ;  but  now  my  voluntary  offer  of  favour  shall  oblige  her 


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cont.  i.  The  Levitts  concubine.  289 

for  ever."  Love  procures  truer  servitude  than  necessity :  mercy 
becomes  well  the  heart  of  any  man,  but  most  of  a  Levite.  He 
that  had  helped  to  offer  so  many  sacrifices  to  God  for  the  multi- 
tude of  every  Israelite's  sins,  saw  how  proportionable  it  was  that 
ifian  should  not  hold  one  sin  unpardonable  :  he  had  served  at  the 
altar  to  no  purpose,  if  he,  whose  trade  was  to  sue  for  mercy,  had 
not  at  all  learned  to  practise  it. 

And  if  the  reflection  of  mercy  wrought  this  in  a  servant,  what 
shall  we  expect  from  him  whose  essence  is  mercy  ?  0  God,  we  do 
every  day  break  the  holy  covenant  of  our  love.  We  prostitute 
ourselves  to  every  filthy  temptation,  and  then  run  and  hide  our* 
selves  in  our  father's  house,  the  world.  If  thou  didst  not  seek  us 
up,  we  should  never  return :  if  thy  gracious  proffer  did  not  pre- 
vent us,  we  should  be  incapable  of  forgiveness.  It  were  abundant 
goodness  in  thee  to  receive  us  when  we  should  entreat  thee ;  but 
lo,  thou  entreatest  us  that  we  would  receive  thee  I  How  should  we 
now  adore  and  imitate  thy  mercy :  sith  there  is  more  reason  we 
should  sue  to  each  other,  than  that  thou  shouldst  sue  to  us ;  be- 
cause we  may  as  well  offend  as  be  offended ! 

I  do  not  see  the  woman's  father  make  any  means  for  recon- 
ciliation ;  but  when  remission  came  home  to  his  doors,  no  man 
could  entertain  it  more  thankfully.  The  nature  of  many  men  is 
forward  to  accept,  and  negligent  to  sue  for :  they  can  spend  secret 
wishes  upon  that  which  shall  cost  them  no  endeavour. 

Great  is  the  power  of  love,  which  can  in  a  sort  undo  evils  past ; 
if  not  for  the  act,  yet  for  the  remembrance.  Where  true  affection 
was  once  conceived,  it  is  easily  pieced  again  after  the  strongest 
interruption.  Here  needs  no  tedious  recapitulation  of  wrongs,  no 
importunity  of  suit.  The  unkindnesses  are  forgotten,  their  love 
is  renewed ;  and  now  the  Levite  is  not  a  stranger,  but  a  son.  By 
how  much  more  willingly  he  came,  by  so  much  more  unwillingly 
he  is  dismissed.  The  four  months'  absence  of  his  daughter  is  an- 
swered with  four  days'  feasting.  Neither  was  there  so  much  joy 
in  the  former  wedding  feast  as  in  this ;  because  then  he  delivered 
his  daughter  entire,  now  desperate :  then  he  found  a  son,  but  now 
that  son  hath  found  his  lost  daughter,  and  he  found  both.  The  re- 
covery of  any  good  is  far  more  pleasant  than  the  continuance. 

Little  do  we  know  what  evil  is  towards  us.  Now  did  this  old 
man,  and  this  restored  couple,  promise  themselves  all  joy  and  con- 
tentment after  this  unkind  storm  ;  and' said  in  themselves,  "  Now 
we  begin  to  live."   And  now  this  feast,  which  was  meant  for  their 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  U 

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290  The  Letite'a  concubine.  book  xi. 

new  nuptials,  proves  her  funeral.  Even  when  we  let  ourselves 
loosest  to  our  pleasures,  the  hand  of  God,  though  invisibly,  is 
writing  bitter  things  against  us.  Sith  we  are  not  worthy  to 
know,  it  is  wisdom  to  suspect  the  worst  while  it  is  least  seen. 

Sometimes  it  falls  out  that  nothing  is  more  injurious  than  cour- 
tesy. If  this  old  man  had  thrust  his  son  and  daughter  early  out  of 
doors,  they  had  avoided  this  mischief ;  now,  his  loving  importunity 
detains  them  to  their  hurt  and  his  own  repentance.  Such  con- 
tentment doth  sincere  affection  find  in  the  presence  of  those  we 
love,  that  death  itself  hath  no  other  name  but  departing.  The 
greatest  comfort  of  our  life  is  the  fruition  of  friendship,  the  dis- 
solution whereof  is  the  greatest  pain  of  death.  As  all  earthly 
pleasures,  so  this  of  love  is  distasted  with  a  necessity  of  leaving. 
How  worthy  is  that  only  love  to  take  up  our  hearts  which  is  not 
open  to  any  danger  of  interruption,  which  shall  outlive  the  date 
even  of  faith  and  hope,  and  is  as  eternal  as  that  God  and  those 
blessed  spirits  whom  we  love !  If  we  hang  never  so  importunately 
upon  one  another's  sleeves,  and  shed  floods  of  tears  to  stop  their 
way,  yet  we  must  be  gone  hence :  no  occasion,  no  force  shall  then 
remove  us  from  our  Father's  house. 

The  Levite  is  stayed  beyond  his  time  by  importunity,  the  mo- 
tions whereof  are  boundless  and  infinite :  one  day  draws  on  an- 
other ;  neither  is  there  any  reason  of  this  day's  stay  which  may 
not  serve  still  for  to-morrow.  His  resolution  at  last  breaks  through 
all  those  kind  hinderances :  rather  will  he  venture  a  benighting  than 
an  unnecessary  delay.  It  is  a  good  hearing  that  the  Levite  makes 
haste  home.  An  honest  man's  heart  is  where  his  calling  is :  such 
a  one,  when  he  is  abroad,  is  like  a  fieh  in  the  air :  whereinto  if  it 
leap  for  recreation  or  necessity,  yet  it  soon  returns  to  his  own 
element.  This  charge,  by  how  much  more  sacred  it  is,  so  much 
more  attendance  it  expectcth.  Even  a  day  breaks  square  with 
the  conscionable. 

The  son  is  ready  to  lodge  before  them.  His  servant  advises 
him  to  shorten  his  journey ;  holding  it  more  fit  to  trust  an  early 
inn  of  the  Jebusites  than  to  the  mercy  of  the  night.  And  if  that 
counsel  had  been  followed,  perhaps  they,  which  found  Jebusites 
in  Israel,  might  have  found  Israelites  in  Jebus.  No  wise  man  can 
hold  good  counsel  disparaged  by  the  meanness  of  the  author  :  if 
we  be  glad  to  receive  any  treasure  from  our  servant,  why  not 
precious  admonitions  ? 

It  was  the  zeal  of  this  Levite  that  shut  him  out  of  Jebus ;   We 


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cont.  i.  The  Letites  concubine.  291 

will  not  lodge  in  the  city  of  strangers.  The  Jebusites  were 
strangers  in  religion,  not  strangers  enough  in  their  habitation: 
the  Levite  will  not  receive  common  courtesy  from  those  which 
were  aliens  from  God,  though  homeborn  in  the  heart  of  Israel. 
It  is  lawful  enough  in  terms  of  civility  to  deal  with  infidels ;  the 
earth  is  the  Lord's;  and  we  may  enjoy  it  in  the  right  of  the 
owner,  while  we  protest  against  the  wrong  of  the  usurper ;  yet 
the  less  communion  with  God's  enemies  the  more  safety.  If  there 
were  another  air  to  breathe  in  from  theirs,  another  earth  to  tread 
upon,  they  should  have  their  own.  Those  that  affect  a  familiar  en- 
tireness  with  Jebusites  in  conversation,  in  leagues  of  amity,  in 
matrimonial  contracts,  bewray  either  too  much  boldness  or  too  little 
conscience. 

He  hath  no  blood  of  an  Israelite  that  delights  to  lodge  in  Jebus. 
It  was  the  fault  of  Israel  that  a  heathenish  town  stood  yet  in 
the  navel  of  the  tribes,  and  that  Jebus  was  no  sooner  turned 
to  Jerusalem.  Their  lenity  and  neglect  were  guilty  of  this  neigh- 
bourhood, that  now  no  man  can  pass  from  Bcthlehem-Judah  to 
Mount  Ephraim  but  by  the  city  of  the  Jebusites.  Seasonable  jus- 
tice might  prevent  a  thousand  evils  which  afterwards  know  no 
remedy  but  patience. 

The  way  was  not  long  betwixt  Jebus  and  Gibeah ;  for  the  sun 
was  stooping  when  the  Levite  was  over  against  the  first,  and  is 
but  now  declined  when  he  comes  to  the  other.  How  his  heart 
was  lightened  when  he  entered  into  an  Israelitish  city,  and  can 
think  of  nothing  but  hospitality,  rest,  security.  There  is  no  per- 
fume so  sweet  to  a  traveller  as  his  own  smoke.  Both  expectation 
and  fear  do  commonly  disappoint  us ;  for  seldom  ever  do  we  enjoy 
the  good  we  look  for,  or  smart  with  a  feared  evil. 

The  poor  Levite  could  have  found  but  such  entertainment  with 
'  the  Jebusites.  Whither  arc  the  posterity  of  Benjamin  degenerated, 
that  their  Gibeah  should  be  no  less  wicked  than  populous? 

The  first  sign  of  a  settled  godlessncss  is,  that  a  Levite  is  suf- 
fered to  lie  without  doors.  If  God  had  been  in  any  of  their  houses, 
his  servant  had  not  been  excluded.  Where  no  respect  is  given  to 
God's  messengers  there  can  be  no  religion. 

Gibeah  was  a  second  Sodom ;  even  there  also  is  another  Lot ; 
which  is  therefore  so  much  more  hospitable  to  strangers,  because 
himself  was  a  stranger.  The  host  as  well  as  the  Levite  is  of 
Mount  Ephraim :  each  man  knows  best  to  commiserate  that  evil 
in  others  which  himself  hath  passed  through.  All  that  profess  the 


c  2 


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£99  The  Levite's  concubine.  book  zi. 

name  of  Christ  are  countrymen,  and  yet  strangers  here  below. 
How  cheerfully  should  we  entertain  each  other  when  we  meet  in 
the  Gibeah  of  this  inhospitable  world ! 

This  good  old  man  of  Gibeah  came  home  late  from  his  work  in 
the  fields:  the  sun  was  set  ere  he  gave  over;  and  now,  seeing 
this  man  a  stranger,  an  Israelite,  a  Levite,  an  Ephraimite,  and 
that  in  his  way  to  the  house  of  God,  to  take  up  his  lodging  in 
the  street,  he  proffers  him  the  kindness  of  his  houseroora.  In- 
dustrious spirits  are  the  fittest  receptacles  of  all  good  motions ; 
whereas  those  which  give  themselves  to  idle  and  loose  courses  do 
not  care  so  much  as  for  themselves.  I  hear  of  but  one  man  at 
his  work  in  all  Gibeah;  the  rest  were  quaffing  and  revelling. 
That  one  man  ends  his  work  in  a  charitable  entertainment,  the 
other  end  their  play  in  a  brutish  beastliness  and  violence. 

These  villains  had  learned  both  the  actions  and  the  language  of 
the  Sodomites ;  one  unclean  devil  was  the  prompter  to  both ;  and 
this  honest  Ephraimite  had  learned  of  righteous  Lot  both  to  en- 
treat and  to  proffer.  As  a  perplexed  mariner,  that  in  a  storm 
must  cast  away  something,  although  precious ;  so  this  good  host 
rather  will  prostitute  his  daughter,  a  virgin,  together  with  the 
concubine,  than  this  prodigious  villany  should  be  offered  to  a  man, 
much  more  to  a  man  of  God. 

The  detestation  of  a  fouler  sin  drew  him  to  overreach  in  the 
motion  of  a  lesser ;  which  if  it  had  been  accepted,  how  could  he 
have  escaped  the  partnership  of  their  uncleanness,  and  the  guilt 
of  his  daughter's  ravishment  ?  No  man  can  wash  his  hands  of  that 
sin  to  which  his  will  hath  yielded.  Bodily  violence  may  be  inof- 
fensive in  the  patient ;  voluntary  inclination  to  evil,  though  out  of 
fear,  can  never  be  excusable :  yet  behold,  this  wickedness  is  too 
little  to  satisfy  these  monsters. 

Who  would  have  looked  for  so  extreme  abomination  from  the 
loins  of  Jacob,  the  womb  of  Rachel,  the  sons  of  Benjamin  ?  Could 
the  very  Jebusites,  their  neighbours,  be  ever  accused  of  such  un- 
natural outrage  ?  I  am  ashamed  to  say  it,  even  the  worst  pagans 
were  saints  to  Israel.  What  avails  it  that  they  have  the  ark  of 
God  in  Shiloh  while  they  have  Sodom  in  their  streets  ?  that  the 
law  of  God  is  in  their  fringes  while  the  devil  is  in  their  hearts  ? 
Nothing  but  hell  itself  can  yield  a  worse  creature  than  a  depraved 
Israelite ;  the  very  means  of  his  reformation  are  the  fuel  of  his 
wickedness. 

Yet  Lot  sped  so  much  better  in  Sodom  than  this  Ephraimite 


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cont.  i.  The  Levite  s  concubine.  898 

did  in  Gibeah,  by  how  much  more  holy  guests  he  entertained : 
there,  the  guests  were  angels;  here,  a  sinful  man;  there,  the 
guests  saved  the  host ;  here,  the  host  could  not  save  the  guest 
from  brutish  violence:  those  Sodomites  were  stricken  with  out- 
ward blindness,  and  defeated ;  these  Benjaminites  are  only  blinded 
with  lust,  and  prevail. 

The  Levite  comes  forth:  perhaps  his  coat  saved  his  person 
from  this  villany ;  who  now  thinks  himself  well  that  he  may  have 
leave  to  redeem  his  own  dishonour  with  his  concubine's.  If  he 
had  not  loved  her  dearly,  he  had  never  sought  her  so  far  after 
so  foul  a  sin ;  yet  now  his  hate  of  that  unnatural  wickedness  over- 
came his  love  to  her :  she  is  exposed  to  the  furious  lust  of  bar- 
barous ruffians,  and  (which  he  misdoubteth  not)  abused  to  death. 

O  the  just  and  even  course  which  the  Almighty  Judge  of  the 
world  holds  in  all  his  retributions !  This  woman  had  shamed  the 
bed  of  a  Levite  by  her  former  wantonness ;  she  had  thus  far 
gone  smoothly  away  with  her  sin ;  her  father  harboured  her ;  her 
husband  forgave  her ;  her  own  heart  found  no  cause  to  complain, 
because  she  smarted  not :  now  when  the  world  had  forgotten  her 
offence,  God  calls  her  to  reckoning,  and  punishes  her  with  her 
own  sin.  She  had  voluntarily  exposed  herself  to  lust,  now  is 
exposed  forcibly.  Adultery  was  her  sin,  adultery  was  her  death. 
What  smiles  soever  wickedness  casts  upon  the  heart  while  it 
solicits,  it  will  owe  us  a  displeasure,  and  prove  itself  a  faithful 
debtor. 

The  Levite  looked  to  find  her  humbled  with  this  violence,  not 
murdered ;  and  now  indignation  moves  him  to  add  horror  to  the 
fact.  Had  not  his  heart  been  raised  up  with  an  excess  of  desire 
to  make  the  crime  as  odious  as  it  was  sinful,  his  action  could  not 
be  excused.  Those  hands  that  might  not  touch  a  carcass  now 
carve  the  corpse  of  his  own  dead  wife  into  morsels,  and  send  these 
tokens  to  all  the  tribes  of  Israel ;  that  when  they  should  see  these 
gobbets  of  the  body  murdered,  the  more  they  might  detest  the 
murderers.  Himself  puts  on  cruelty  to  the  dead  that  he  might 
draw  them  to  a  just  revenge  of  her  death.  Actions  notoriously 
villanous  may  justly  countenance  an  extraordinary  means  of  pro- 
secution. Every  Israelite  hath  a  part  in  a  Levite's  wrong.  No 
tribe  hath  not  his  share  in  the  carcass  and  the  revenge. 


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29*  The  desolation  of  Benjamin.  book  xi. 

THE  DESOLATION  OF  BENJAMIN.— Judges  xx,  xxi. 

These  morsels  could  not  choose  but  cut  the  hearts  of  Israel 
with  horror  and  compassion ;  horror  of  the  act,  and  compassion 
of  the  sufferer ;  and  now  their  zeal  draws  them  together  either 
for  satisfaction  or  revenge.  Who  would  not  have  looked  that  the 
hands  of  Benjamin  should  have  been  first  upon  Gibeah ;  and  that 
they  should  have  readily  sent  the  heads  of  the  offenders  for  a  se- 
cond service  after  the  gobbets  of  the  concubine  ?  But  now,  instead 
of  punishing  the  sin,  they  patronise  the  actors ;  and  will  rather  die 
in  resisting  justice,  than  live  and  prosper  in  the  furthering  it. 

Surely  Israel  had  one  tribe  too  many :  all  Benjamin  is  turned 
into  Gibeah ;  the  sons,  not  of  Benjamin,  but  of  Belial.  The  abet- 
ting of  evil  is  worse  than  the  commission ;  this  may  be  upon  in- 
firmity, but  that  must  be  upon  resolution.  Easy  punishment  is  too 
much  favour  to  sin ;  connivance  is  much  worse ;  but.  the  defence  of 
it,  and  that  unto  blood,  is  intolerable. 

Had  not  these  men  been  both  wicked  and  quarrellous,  they  had 
not  drawn  their  swords  in  so  foul  a  cause.  Peaceable  dispositions 
are  hardly  drawn  to  fight  for  innocence ;  yet  these  Benjamin! tes, 
as  if  they  were  in  love  with  villany  and  out  of  charity  with  God, 
will  be  the  wilful  champions  of  lewdness.  How  can  Gibeah  re- 
pent them  of  that  wickedness  which  all  Benjamin  will  make  good 
in  spite  of  their  consciences?  Even  where  sin  is  suppressed,  it  will 
rise ;  but  where  it  is  encouraged,  it  insults  and  tyrannizes. 

It  was  more  just  that  Israel  should  rise  against  Benjamin,  than 
that  Benjamin  should  rise  for  Gibeah,  by  how  much  it  is  better 
to  punish  offenders  than  to  shelter  the  offenders  from  punishing ; 
and  yet  the  wickedness  of  Benjamin  sped  better  for  the  time  than 
the  honesty  of  Israel.  Twice  was  the  better  part  foiled  by  the  less 
and  worse ;  the  good  cause  was  sent  back  with  shame ;  the  evil 
returned  with  victory  and  triumph.  0  God,  their  hand  was  for 
thee  in  the  fight,  and  thy  hand  was  with  them  in  their  fall: 
they  had  not  fought  for  thee,  but  by  thee ;  neither  could  they 
have  miscarried  in  the  fight,  if  thou  hadst  not  fought  against 
them  :  thou  art  just  and  holy  in  both.  The  cause  was  thine ;  the 
sin  in  managing  of  it  was  their  own.  They  fought  in  a  holy  quarrel, 
but  with  confidence  in  themselves ;  for,  as  presuming  of  victory, 
they  ask  of  God,  not  what  should  be  their  success,  but  who  should 
be  their  captain.  Number  and  innocence  made  them  too  secure : 
it  was  just  therefore  with  God  to  let  them  feel,  that  even  good  zeal 


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cont.  ii.  The  desolation  of  Benjamin.  295 

cannot  bear  out  presumption;  and  that  victory  lies  not  in  the 
cause,  but  in  the  God  that  owns  it. 

Who  cannot  imagine  how  much  the  Benjaminites  insulted  in 
their  double  field  and  day ;  and  now  began  to  think  God  was  on 
their  side?  Those  swords  which  had  been  taught  the  way  into 
forty  thousand  bodies  of  their  brethren  cannot  fear  a  new  en- 
counter. Wicked  men  cannot  see  their  prosperity  a  piece  of 
their  curse ;  neither  can  examine  their  actions,  but  the  events : 
soon  after,  they  shall  find  what  it  was  to  add  blood  unto  filthi- 
ness,  and  that  the  victory  of  an  evil  cause  is  the  way  to  ruin  and 
confusion. 

I  should  have  feared  lest  this  double  discomfiture  should  have 
made  Israel  either  distrustful  or  weary  of  a  good  cause ;  but  still 
I  find  them  no  less  courageous,  with  more  humility.  Now  they 
fast  and  weep  and  sacrifice.  These  weapons  had  been  victorious 
in  their  first  assault :  Benjamin  had  never  been  in  danger  of  pride 
for  overcoming,  if  this  humiliation  of  Israel  had  prevented  the  fight. 
It  is  seldom  seen  but  that  which  wc  do  with  fear  prospereth ; 
whereas  confidence  in  undertaking  lays  even  good  endeavours  in 
the  dust. 

Wickedness  could  never  brag  of  any  long  prosperity,  nor  com- 
plain of  the  lack  of  payment :  still  God  is  even  with  it  at  the  last* 
Now  he  pays  the  Benjaminites,  both  that  death  which  they  had 
lent  to  the  Israelites,  and  that  wherein  they  stood  indebted  to 
their  brotherhood  of  Gibeah :  and  now,  that  both  are  met  in 
death,  there  is  as  much  difference  betwixt  those  Israelites  and 
these  Benjaminites,  as  betwixt  martyrs  and  malefactors.  To  die 
in  a  sin  is  a  fearful  revenge  of  giving  patronage  to  sin :  the  sword 
consumes  their  bodies,  another  fire  their  cities,  whatsoever  became 
of  their  souls. 

Now  might  Rachel  have  justly  wept  for  her  children  because 
they  were  not ;  for,  behold,  the  men,  women,  and  children  of  her 
wicked  tribe  are  cut  off:  only  some  few  scattered  remainders  ran 
away  from  this  vengeance,  and  lurked  in  caves  and  rocks,  both 
for  fear  and  shame.  There  was  no  difference,  but  life,  betwixt 
their  brethren  and  them :  the  earth  covered  them  both :  yet  unto 
them  doth  the  revenge  of  Israel  stretch  itself,  and  vows  to  de- 
stroy, if  not  their  persons,  yet  their  succession ;  as  holding  them 
unworthy  to  receive  any  comfort  by  that  sex  to  which  they  had 
been  so  cruel  both  in  act  and  maintenance.  If  the  Israelites  had 
not  held  marriage  and  issue  a  very  great  blessing,  they  had  not 


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296  The  desolation  of  Benjamin.  book  xi. 

thus  revenged  themselves  of  Benjamin :  now,  they  accounted  the 
withholding  of  their  wives  a  punishment  second  unto  death.  The 
hope  of  life  in  our  posterity  is  the  next  contentment  to  an  en- 
joying of  life  in  ourselves. 

They  have  sworn,  and  now  upon  cold  blood  repent  them.  If 
the  oath  were  not  just,  why  would  they  take  it  ?  and  if  it  were 
just,  why  did  they  recant  it  ?  If  the  act  were  justifiable,  what 
needed  these  tears?  Even  a  just  oath  may  be  rashly  taken ;  not 
only  injustice,  but  temerity  of  swearing,  ends  in  lamentation.  In 
our  very  civil  actions,  it  is  a  weakness  to  do  that  which  we  would 
after  reverse ;  but  in  our  affairs  with  God,  to  check  ourselves  too 
late,  and  to  steep  our  oaths  in  tears,  is  a  dangerous  folly.  He 
doth  not  command  us  to  take  voluntary  oaths ;  he  commands  us  to 
keep  them.  If  we  bind  ourselves  to  inconvenience,  we  may  justly 
complain  of  our  own  fetters.  Oaths  do  not  only  require  justice, 
but  judgment ;  wise  deliberation  no  less  than  equity. 

Not  conscience  of  their  fact,  but  commiseration  of  their  bre- 
thren, led  them  to  this  public  repentance.  O  God,  why  is  this 
come  to  pass,  that  this  day  one  tribe  of  Israel  shall  want  f 
Even  the  justest  revenge  of  men  is  capable  of  pity.  Insultation 
in  the  rigour  of  justice  argues  cruelty.  Charitable  minds  are 
grieved  to  see  that  done  which  they  would  not  wish  undone ;  the 
smart  of  the  offender  doth  not  please  them,  which  yet  are  tho- 
roughly displeased  with  the  sin,  and  have  given  their  hands  to 
punish  it.  God  himself  takes  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  a  sinner, 
yet  loves  the  punishment  of  sin ;  as  a  good  parent  whips  his  child, 
yet  weeps  himself.  There  is  a  measure  in  victory  and  revenge  if 
never  so  just,  which  to  exceed  loses  mercy  in  the  suit  of  justice. 

If  there  were  no  fault  in  their  severity,  it  needed  no  excuse; 
and  if  thero  were  a  fault,  it  will  admit  of  no  excuse :  yet  as  if  they 
meant  to  shift  off  the  sin,  they  expostulate  with  God ;  0  Lord 
Ood  of  Israel,  why  is  this  come  to  pass  this  day  ?  God  gave 
them  no  command  of  this  rigour ;  yea,  he  twice  crossed  them  in 
the  execution,  and  now  in  that  which  they  entreated  of  God  with 
tears,  they  challenge  him.  It  is  a  dangerous  injustice  to  lay 
the  burden  of  our  sins  upon  him  which  tempteth  no  man,  nor 
can  be  tempted  with  evil ;  while  we  would  so  remove  our  sin,  we 
double  it. 

A  man  that  knew  not  the  power  of  an  oath  would  wonder  at 
this  contrariety  in  the  affections  of  Israel :  they  are  sorry  for  the 
daughter  of  Benjamin ;  and  yet  they  slay  those  that  did  not  help 


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cont.  ii.  The  desolation  of  Benjamin.  297 

them  in  the  slaughter.  Their  oath  calls  them  to  more  blood. 
The  excess  of  their  revenge  upon  Benjamin  may  not  excuse  the 
men  of  Gilead.  If  ever  oath  might  look  for  a  dispensation,  this 
might  plead  it ;  now  they  dare  not  but  kill  the  men  of  Jabesh- 
Gilead,  lest  they  should  have  left  upon  themselves  a  greater  sin 
of  sparing  than  punishing. 

Jabesh-Gilead  came  not  up  to  aid  Israel,  therefore  all  the  in- 
habitants must  die.  To  exempt  ourselves,  whether  out  of  singula- 
rity or  stubbornness,  from  the  common  actions  of  the  church, 
when  we  are  lawfully  called  to  them,  is  an  offence  worthy  of 
judgment.  In  the  main  quarrels  of  the  church,  neutrals  are 
punished. 

This  execution  shall  make  amends  for  the  former :  of  the  spoil 
of  Jabesh-Gilead  shall  the  Benjaminites  be  stored  with  wives : 
that  no  man  may  think  these  men  slain  for  their  daughters,  they 
plainly  die  for  their  sin;  and  these  Gileadites  might  not  have 
lived  without  the  perjury  of  Israel :  and  now,  sith  they  must  die, 
it  is  good  to  make  benefit  of  necessity.  I  inquire  not  into  the 
rigour  of  the  oath.  If  their  solemn  vow  did  not  bind  them  to 
kill  all  of  both  sexes  in  Benjamin,  why  did  they  not  spare  their 
virgins  ?  And  if  it  did  so  bind  them,  why  did  they  spare  the 
virgins  of  Gilead  ?  Favours  must  be  enlarged  in  all  these  religious 
restrictions :  where  breadth  may  be  taken  in  them,  it  is  not  fit 
nor  safe  they  should  be  straitened. 

Four  hundred  virgins  of  Gilead  have  lost  parents  and  brethren 
and  kindred,  and  now  find  husbands  in  lieu  of  them.  An  enforced 
marriage  was  but  a  miserable  comfort  for  such  a  loss  :  like  wards 
or  captives,  they  are  taken  and  choose  not.  These  suffice  not : 
their  friendly  adversaries  consult  for  more  upon  worse  conditions. 
Into  what  troublesome  and  dangerous  straits  do  men  thrust  them- 
selves by  either  unjust  or  inconsiderate  vows  I 

In  the  midst  of  all  this  common  lawlessness  of  Israel,  here  was 
conscience  made  on  both  sides  of  matching  with  infidels :  the 
Israelites  can  rather  be  content  their  daughters  should  be  stolen 
by  their  own,  than  that  the  daughters  of  aliens  should  be  given 
them.  These  men  which  had  not  grace  enough  to  detest  and 
punish  the  beastliness  of  their  Gileadites,  yet  are  not  so  graceless 
as  to  choose  them  wives  of  the  heathen.  All  but  atheists,  how- 
soever they  let  themselves  loose,  yet  in  some  things  find  them- 
selves restrained,  and  show  to  others  that  they  have  a  conscience. 
If  there  were  not  much  danger  and  much  sin  in  this  unequal  yoke, 


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298  The  desolation  of  Benjamin.  book  xi. 

they  would  never  have  persuaded  to  so  heavy  an  inconvenience  : 
disparity  of  religion  in  matrimonial  contracts  hath  so  many  mis- 
chiefs, that  it  is  worthy  to  be  redeemed  with  much  prejudice. 

They  which  might  not  give  their  own  daughters  to  Benjamin, 
yet  give  others,  while  they  give  leave  to  steal  them.  Stolen  mar- 
riages are  both  unnatural  and  full  of  hazard ;  for  love,  whereof 
marriage  is  the  knot,  cannot  be  forced.  This  was  rather  rape 
than  wedlock.  What  unlikeness,  perhaps  contrariety  of  disposition, 
what  averseness  of  affection  may  there  not  be  in  not  only  a  sudden 
but  a  forcible  meeting  !  If  these  Benjaminites  had  not  taken  liberty 
of  giving  themselves  ease  by  divorcement,  they  would  often  have 
found  leisure  to  rue  this  stolen  booty.  This  act  may  not  be  drawn 
to  example,  and  yet  here  was  a  kind  of  indefinite  consent :  both 
deliberation  and  good  liking  are  little  enough  for  a  during  estate, 
and  that  which  is  once  done  for  ever. 

These  virgins  come  up  to  the  feast  of  the  Lord ;  and  now,  out 
of  the  midst  of  their  dances  are  carried  to  a  double  captivity. 
How  many  virgins  have  lost  themselves  in  dances !  And  yet  this 
sport  was  not  immodest.  These  virgins  danced  by  themselves, 
without  the  company  of  those  which  might  move  towards  un- 
chastity ;  for  if  any  men  had  been  with  them  they  had  found  so 
many  rescuers  as  they  had  assaulters ;  now  the  exposing  of  their 
weak  sex  to  this  injury  proves  their  innocence.  Our  usual  dances 
are  guilty  of  more  sin :  wanton  gestures,  and  unchaste  touches, 
looks,  motions,  draw  the  heart  to  folly  :  the  ambushes  of  evil  spirits 
carry  away  many  a  soul  from  dances  to  a  fearful  desolation. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  parents  thus  robbed  of  their  daughters 
will  take  it  heavily.  There  cannot  be  a  greater  cross  than  the 
miscarriage  of  children :  they  are  not  only  the  living  goods,  but 
pieces  of  their  parents ;  that  they  should  therefore  be  torn  from 
them  by  violence  is  no  less  injury  than  the  dismembering  of  their 
own  bodies. 

NAOMI  AND  RUTH.— Ruth  i. 

Betwixt  the  reign  of  the  Judges,  Israel  was  plagued  with  ty- 
ranny ;  and  while  some  of  them  reigned,  with  famine.  Seldom  did 
that  rebellious  people  want  somewhat  to  humble  them;  one  rod 
is  not  enough  for  a  stubborn  child. 

The  famine  must  needs  be  great  that  makes  the  inhabitants 
to  run  their  country.    The  name  of  home  is  so  sweet  that  we  can- 


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cont.  in.  Naomi  and  Ruth.  299 

not  leave  it  for  a  little.  Behold,  that  land  which  had  wont  to  flow 
with  milk  and  honey,  now  abonnds  with  want  and  penury ;  and 
Bethlehem*  instead  of  a  house  of  bread,  is  a  house  of  famine.  A 
fruitful  land  doth  Ood  make  barren  for  tlie  wickedness  of  them 
that  dwell  therein.  The  earth  bears  not  for  itself,  but  for  us ; 
God  is  not  angry  with  it,  but  with  men.  For  our  sakes  it  was  first 
cursed  to  thorns  and  thistles ;  after  that  to  moisture,  and  since 
that,  not  seldom,  to  drought;  and  by  all  these  to  barrenness. 
We  may  not  look  always  for  plenty.  It  is  a  wonder,  while  there 
is  such  superfluity  of  wickedness,  that  our  earth  is  not  more  sparing 
of  her  fruits. 

The  whole  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  in  him  ours.  It  is  lawful  for 
the  owners  to  change  their  houses  at  pleasure.  Why  should  we  not 
make  free  use  of  any  part  of  our  own  possessions  ?  Elimelech  and 
his  family  remove  from  Bethlehem-Judah  unto  Moab.  Nothing  but 
necessity  can  dispense  with  a  local  relinquishing  of  God's  Church  ; 
not  pleasure,  not  profit,  not  curiosity.  Those  which  are  famished 
out  God  calls,  yea  drives  from  thence.  The  Creator  and  Possessor 
of  the  earth  hath  not  confined  any  man  to  his  necessary  de- 
struction. 

It  was  lawful  for  Elimelech  to  make  use  of  pagans  and  idolaters 
for  the  supply  of  all  needful  helps.  There  cannot  be  -a  better 
employment  of  Moabites  than  to  be  the  treasurers  and  purveyors 
of  God's  children ;  wherefore  serve  they  but  to  gather  for  the  true 
owners?  It  is  too  much  nicencss  in  them  which  forbear  the  benefit 
they  might  make  of  the  faculties  of  profane  or  heretical  persons  : 
they  consider  not  that  they  have  more  right  to  the  good  such 
men  can  do,  than  they  that  do  it  and  challenge  that  good  for 
thoir  own. 

But  I  cannot  see  how  it  could  be  lawful  for  his  sons  to  match, 
with  the  daughters  of  Moab.  Had  these  men  heard  how  far,  and 
under  how  solemn  an  oath,  their  father  Abraham, sent  for  a  wife 
of  his  own  tribe  for  his  son  Isaac  ?  Had  they  heard  the  earnest 
charge  of  holy  Isaac  to  the  son  he  blessed,  Thou  shalt  not  take  a 
wife  of  the  daughters  of  Canaan  ?  Had  they  forgotten  the  plagues 
of  Israel  for  but  a  short  conversation  with  the  Moabitish  women  ? 
If  they  plead  remoteness  from  their  own  people,  did  they  not  re- 
member how  far  Jacob  walked  to  Padan-Arara  ?  Was  it  farther 
from  Moab  to  Bethlehem  than  from  Bethlehem  to  Moab  ?  And  if 
the  care  of  themselves  led  them  from  Bethlehem  to  Moab,  should 
*  [onb  rva,  the  house  of  Bread.] 


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800  Naomi  and  Ruth.  book  xi. 

not  their  care  of  obedience  to  God  have  as  well  carried  them  back 
from  Moab  to  Bethlehem  ?  Tet  if  their  wives  would  have  left  their 
idolatry  with  their  maidenhead,  the  match  had  been  more  safe ; 
but  now  even  at  the  last  farewell,  Naomi  can  say  of  Orpah,  that 
she  is  returned  to  her  gods. 

These  men  have  sinned  in  their  choice,  and  it  speeds  with  them 
accordingly.  Where  did  ever  one  of  these  unequal  matches  pros- 
per ?  The  two  sons  of  Elimelech  are  swept  away  childless  in  the 
prime  of  their  age ;  and  instead  of  their  seed  they  leave  their 
carcasses  in  Moab,  their  wives  widows,  their  mother  childless  and 
helpless  amongst  infidels,  in  that  age  which  most  needed  comfort. 

How  miserable  do  we  now  find  poor  Naomi !  which  is  left  des- 
titute of  her  country,  her  husband,  her  children,  her  friends ;  and 
turned  loose  and  solitary  to  the  mercy  of  the  world ;  yet  even  out 
of  these  hopeless  ruins  will  God  raise  comfort  to  his  servant.  The 
first  good  news  is,  that  God  hath  visited  his  people  with  bread ; 
now  therefore,  since  her  husband  and  sons  were  unrecoverable,  she 
will  try  to  recover  her  country  and  kindred.  If  we  can  have  the 
same  conditions  in  Judah  that  we  have  in  Moab,  we  are  no  Israelites 
if  we  return  not.  While  her  husband  and  sons  lived,  I  hear  no 
motion  of  retiring  home ;  now  these  her  earthly  stays  are  removed, 
she  thinks  presently  of  removing  to  her  country.  Neither  can  we 
so  heartily  think  of  our  home  above,  while  we  are  furnished  with 
these  worldly  contentments :  when  God  strips  us  of  them,  straight- 
ways  our  mind  is  homeward. 

She  that  came  from  Bethlehem  under  the  protection  of  an  hus- 
band, attended  with  her  sons,  stored  with  substance,  resolves  now 
to  measure  all  that  way  alone.  Her  adversity  had  stripped  her 
of  all  but  a  good  heart ;  that  remains  with  her,  and  bears  up  her 
head  in  the  deepest  of  her  extremity.  True  Christian  fortitude 
wades  through  all  evils ;  and  though  we  be  up  to  the  chin,  yet 
keeps  firm  footing  against  the  stream  :  where  this  is,  the  sex  is 
not  discerned,  neither  is  the  quantity  of  the  evil  read  in  the  face. 
How  well  doth  this  courage  become  Israelites  when  we  are  left 
comfortless  in  the  midst  of  the  Moab  of  this  world,  to  resolve 
the  contempt  of  all  dangers  in  the  way  to  our  home  1  As  contrarily, 
nothing  doth  more  misbeseem  a  Christian  than  that  his  spirit 
should  flag  with  his  estate,  and  that  any  difficulty  should  make 
him  despair  of  attaining  his  best  ends. 

Goodness  is  of  a  winning  quality  wheresoever  it  is ;  and  even 
amongst  infidels  will  make  itself  friends.     The  good  disposition  of 


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cont.  in.  Naomi  and  Ruth.  301 

Naomi  carries  away  the  hearts  of  her  daughters-in-law  with  her ; 
so  as  they  are  ready  to  forsake  their  kindred,  their  country,  yea, 
their  own  mother  for  a  stranger,  whose  affinity  died  with  her  sons. 
Those  men  are  worse  than  infidels,  and  next  to  devils,  that  hate 
the  virtues  of  God's  saints,  and  could  love  their  persons  well  if  they 
were  not  conscionable. 

How  earnestly  do  these  two  daughters  of  Moab  plead  for  their 
continuance  with  Naomi ;  and  how  hardly  is  either  of  them  dis- 
suaded from  partaking  of  the  misery  of  her  society !  There  are 
good  natures  even  among  infidels ;  and  such  as,  for  moral  dis- 
position and  civil  respects,  cannot  be  exceeded  by  the  best  pro- 
fessors I  Who  can  suffer  his  heart  to  rest  in  those  qualities  which 
are  common  to  them  that  are  without  God  ? 

Naomi  could  not  be  so  insensible  of  her  own  good,  as  not  to 
know  how  much  comfort  she  might  reap,  to  the  solitariness  both 
of  her  voyage  and  her  widowhood,  by  the  society  of  these  two 
younger  widows,  whose  affections  she  had  so  well  tried ;  even  very 
partnership  is  a  mitigation  of  evils ;  yet  so  earnestly  doth  she  dis- 
suade them  from  accompanying  her,  as  that  she  could  not  have 
said  more  if  she  had  thought  their  presence  irksome  and  burdcnous. 
Good  dispositions  love  not  to  pleasure  themselves  with  the  disad- 
vantage of  others,  and  had  rather  be  miserable  alone  than  to  draw 
in  partners  to  their  sorrow ;  for  the  sight  of  another's  calamity 
doth  rather  double  their  own ;  and  if  themselves  were  free  would 
affect  them  with  compassion  :  as  contrarily,  ill  minds  care  not  how 
many  companions  they  have  in  misery,  nor  how  few  consorts  in 
good ;  if  themselves  miscarry,  they  could  be  content  all  the  world 
were  enwrapped  with  them  in  the  same  distress. 

I  marvel  not  that  Orpah  is  by  this  seasonable  importunity  per- 
suaded to  return ;  from  a  mother-in-law  to  a  mother  in  nature, 
from  a  toilsome  journey  to  rest,  from  strangers  to  her  kindred, 
from  a  hopeless  condition  to  likelihoods  of  contentment.  A  little 
entreaty  will  serve  to  move  nature  to  be  good  unto  itself.  Every 
one  is  rather  a  Naomi  to  his  own  soul,  to  persuade  it  to  stay  still, 
and  enjoy  the  delights  of  Moab,  rather  than  to  hazard  our  enter- 
tainment in  Bethlehem.  Will  religion  allow  me  this  wild  liberty 
of  my  actions,  this  loose  mirth,  these  carnal  pleasures  ?  Can  I  be 
a  Christian,  and  not  live  sullenly  ?  None  but  a  regenerate  heart 
can  choose  rather  to  suffer  adversity  with  God's  people  than  to 
enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season. 

The  one  sister  takes  an  unwilling  farewell,  and  moistens  her 


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302  Naomi  and  Ruth.  book  xi. 

last  kisses  with  many  tears :  the  other  cannot  be  driven  back,  but 
repels  one  entreaty  with  another ;  Entreat  me  not  to  leave  thee  ; 
for  whither  thou  goest,  I  will  go ;  where  tliou  dwellest,  I  will 
dwell :  thy  people  shall  be  my  people,  thy  God  my  God ;  where 
thou  diest,  I  will  die,  and  there  will  I  be  buried.  Ruth  saw  so 
much  upon  ten  years'  trial  in  Naomi  as  was  more  worth  than  all 
Moab ;  and  in  comparison  whereof  all  worldly  respects  deserved 
nothing  but  contempt :  the  next  degree  unto  godliness  is  the  love 
of  goodness :  he  is  in  a  fair  way  to  grace  that  can  value  it :  if  she 
had  not  been  already  a  proselyte,  she  could  not  have  set  this  price 
upon  Naomi's  virtue.  Love  cannot  be  separated  from  a  desire  of 
fruition :  in  vain  had  Ruth  protested  her  affection  to  Naomi,  if 
she  could  have  turned  her  out  to  her  journey  alone :  love  to  the 
saints  doth  not  more  argue  our  interest  in  God,  than  society 
argues  the  truth  of  our  love. 

As  some  tight  vessel  that  holds  out  against  wind  and  water,  so 
did  Ruth  against  all  the  powers  of  a  mother's  persuasions.  The 
impossibility  of  the  comfort  of  marriage  in  following  her,  which 
drew  back  her  sister-in-law,  cannot  move  her.  She  hears  her 
mother,  like  a  modest  matron,  contrary  to  the  fashion  of  these 
times,  say,  I  am  too  old  to  have  a  husband;  and  yet  she  thinks 
not,  on  the  contrary,  "  I  am  too  young  to  want  a  husband." 

It  should  seem,  the  Moabites  had  learned  this  fashion  of  Israel, 
to  expect  the  brother's  raising  of  seed  to  the  deceased:  the 
widowhood  and  age  of  Naomi  cut  off  that  hope ;  neither  could 
Ruth  then  dream  of  a  Boaz  that  might  advance  her ;  it  is  no  love 
that  cannot  make  us  willing  to  be  miserable  for  those  we  affect : 
the  hollowest  heart  can  be  content  to  follow  one  that  prospereth  : 
adversity  is  the  only  furnace  of  friendship :  if  love  will  not  abide 
both  fire  and  anvil,  it  is  but  counterfeit ;  so  in  our  love  to  God, 
we  do  but  crack  and  vaunt  in  vain,  if  we  cannot  be  willing  to 
suffer  for  him. 

But  if  any  motive  might  hope  to  speed,  that  which  was  drawn 
from  example  was  most  likely ;  Behold,  thy  sister-in-law  is  gone 
back  unto  her  people,  and  to  her  gods :  return  thou  after  her. 
This  ope  artless  persuasion  hath  prevailed  more  with  the  world 
than  all  the  places  of  reason  :  how  many  millions  miscarry  upon 
this  ground  ;  "  Thus  did  my  forefathers ;  thus  do  the  most :  I  am 
neither  the  first  nor  the  last!"  Do  any  of  the  rulers?  Wo 
straight  think  that  either  safe  or  pardonable  for  which  we  can 
plead  a  precedent    This  good  woman  hath  more  warrant  for  her 


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co  xt.  iv.  Boaz  and  Ruth.  803 

resolution  than  another's  practice.  The  mind  can  never  be  steady 
while  it  stands  upon  others'  feet,  and  till  it  be  settled  upon  such 
grounds  of  assurance,  that  it  will  rather  lead  than  follow ;  and 
can  say  with  Joshua,  whatsoever  become  of  the  world,  /  and  my 
house  will  serve  the  Lord. 

If  Naomi  had  not  been  a  person  of  eminent  note,  no  knowledge 
had  been  taken  at  Bethlehem  of  her  return.  Poverty  is  ever 
obscure ;  and  those  that  have  little  may  go  and  come  without 
noise.  If  the  streets  of  Bethlehem  had  not  before  used  to  say, 
"There  goes  Naomi,"  they  had  not  now  asked,  Is  not  this 
Naomi  ?  She  that  had  lost  all  things  but  her  name  is  willing  to 
part  with  that  also ;  Call  me  not  Naomi,  but  call  me  Marah. 
Her  humility  cares  little  for  a  glorious  name  in  a  dejected  estate. 
Many  a  one  would  have  set  faces  upon  their  want,  and  in  the 
bitterness  of  their  condition  have  affected  the  name  of  beauty. 
In  all  forms  of  good,  there  are  more  that  care  to  seem  than  to 
be:  Naomi  hates  this  hypocrisy;  and  since  God  hath  humbled 
her,  desires  not  to  be  respected  of  men.  Those  which  are  truly 
brought  down  make  it  not  dainty  that  the  world  should  think 
them  so,  but  are  ready  to  be  the  first  proclaimers  of  their  own 
vileness. 

Naomi  went  full  out  of  Bethlehem  to  prevent  want ;  and  now 
she  brings  that  want  home  with  her  which  she  desired  to  avoid. 
Our  blindness  oft  times  carries  us  into  the  perils  we  seek  to 
eschew:  God  finds  it  best  many#times  to  cross  the  likely  projects 
of  his  dearest  children,  and  to  multiply  those  afflictions  which 
they  feared  single. 

Ten  years  have  turned  Naomi  into  Marah :  what  assurance  is 
there  of  these  earthly  things,  whereof  one  hour  may  strip  us  ? 
What  man  can  say  of  the  years  to  come,  "  Thus  I  will  be?"  How 
justly  do  we  contemn  this  uncertainty,  and  look  up  to  those 
riches  that  cannot  but  endure,  when  heaven  and  earth  are 
dissolved ! 


BOAZ  AND  RUTH.— Ruth  ii,  iii,  iv. 

While  Elimelech  shifted  to  Moab,  to  avoid  the  famine,  Boaz 
abode  still  at  Bethlehem,  and  continued  rich  and  powerful ;  he 
staid  at  home,  and  found  that  which  Elimelech  went  to  seek, 
and  missed.     The  judgment  of  famine  doth  not  lightly  extend 


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304  Boaz  and  Ruth.  book  xi. 

itself  to  all:  pestilence  and  the  sword  spare  none:  but  dearth 
commonly  plagueth  the  meaner  sort,  and  baulketh  the  mighty. 
When  Boaz's  storehouse  was  empty,  his  fields  were  full,  and 
maintained  the  name  of  Bethlehem. 

I  do  not  hear  Ruth  stand  upon  the  terms  of  her  better  educa- 
tion or  wealthy  parentage ;  but  now  that  God  hath  called  her  to 
want,  she  scorns  not  to  lay  her  hand  unto  all  homely,  services, 
and  thinks  it  no  disparagement  to  find  her  bread  in  other  men's 
fields:  there  is  no  harder  lesson  to  a  generous  mind,  nor  that 
more  beseems  it,  than  either  to  bear  want  or  to  prevent  it :  base  c 
spirits  give  themselves  over  to  idleness  and  misery,  and  because 
they  are  crossed  will  sullenly  perish. 

That  good  woman  hath  not  been  for  nothing  in  the  school  of 
patience,  she  hath  learned  obedience  to  a  poor  stepmother :  she 
was  now  a  widow  past  reach  of  any  danger  of  correction ;  besides 
that  penury  might  seem  to  dispense  with  awe.  Even  children  do 
easily  learn  to  contemn  the  poverty  of  their  own  parents.  Tet 
hath  she  sb  inured  herself  to  obedience,  that  she  will  not  so  much  as 
go  forth  into,  the  field  to  glean  without  the  leave  of  her  mother-in- 
law,  and  is  no  less  obsequious  to  Marah  than  she  was  to  Naomi. 
What  shall  we  say  to  those  children  that  in  the  main  actions  of 
their  life  forget  they  have  natural  parents  ?  It  is  a  shame  to  see 
that  in  mean  families  want  of  substance  causeth  want  of  duty ;  and 
that  children  should  think  themselves  privileged  for  irreverence 
because  the  parent  is  poor. 

Little  do  we  know  when  we  go  forth  in  the  morning  what  God 
means  to  do  with  us  ere  night.  There  is  a  Providence  that  attends 
on  us  in  ail  our  ways,  and  guides  us  insensibly  to  his  own  ends. 
That  divine  hand  leads  Ruth  blindfold  to  the  field  of  Boaz.  That 
she  meets  with  his  reapers,  and  falls  upon  his  land  amongst  all  the 
fields  of  Bethlehem,  it  was  no  praise  to  her  election,  but  the  gra- 
cious disposition  of  Him  in  whom  we  move :  his  thoughts  are  above 
ours,  and  do  so  order  our  actions,  as  we,  if  we  had  known, 
should  have  wished. 

No  sooner  is  she  come  into  the  field  but  the  reapers  are  friendly 
to  her ;  no  sooner  is  Boaz  come  into  his  field  but  he  invites  her 
to  more  bounty  than  she  could  have  desired :  now  God  begins  to 
repay  into  her  bosom  her  love  and  duty  to  her  mother-in-law. 
Reverence  and  loving  respects  to  parents  never  yet  went  away 
unrecompensed:  God  will  surely  raise  up  friends  amongst  strangers 
to  those  that  have  been  officious  at  home. 


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:ont.  iv.  Boaz  and  Ruth.  305 

It  was  worth  Ruth's  journey  from  Moab  to  meet  with  such  a 
man  as  Boaz ;  whom  we  find  thrifty ,  religions,  charitable.  Though 
he  were  rich,  yet  lie  was  not  careless :  he  comes  into  the  field  to 
oversee  his  reapers.  Even  the  best  estate  requires  careful  ma- 
naging of  the  owner.  He  wanted  not  officers  to  take  charge  of  his 
husbandry,  yet  he  had  rather  be  his  own  witness :  after  all  the 
trust  of  others,  the  master's  eye  feeds  the  horse.  The  Master  of 
this  great  household  of  the  world  gives  us  an  example  of  this  care, 
whose  eye  is  in  every  corner  of  his  large  possession.  Not  civility 
only,  but  religion,  binds  us  to  good  husbandry.  We  are  all  stewards ; 
and  what  account  can  we  give  to  our  Master  if  we  never  look  after 
our  estate  ? 

I  doubt  whether  Boaz  had  been  so  rich  if  he  had  not  been  so 
frugal ;  yet  was  be  not  jnore  thrifty  than  religious  :  he  comes  not 
to  his  reapers  but  with  a  blessing  in  his  mouth — The  Lard  be  with 
you;  as  one  that  knew  if  he  were  with  them  and  not  the  Lord, 
his  presence  could  avail  nothing.  All  the  business  of  the  family 
speeds  the  better  for  the  master's  benediction.  Those  affairs  are 
likely  to  succeed  that  take  their  beginning  at  God. 

Charity  was  well  matched  with  his  religion ;  without  which 
good  words  are  but  hypocrisy :  no  sooner  doth  he  hear  the  name 
of  the  Moabitess,  but  he  seconds  the  kindness  of  his  reapers,  and 
still  he  rises  in  his  favours :  first  she  may  glean  in  his  field,  then 
she  may  drink  of  his  vessels,  then  she  shall  take  her  meal  with 
his  reapers,  and  part  of  it  from  his  own  hand  ;  lastly,  his  workmen 
must  let  fall  sheaves  for  her  gathering. 

A  small  thing  helps  the  needy ;  a  handful  of  gleanings,  a  lap- 
full  of  parched  corn,  a  draught  of  the  servants'  bottles,  a  loose 
sheaf,  was  such  a  favour  to  Ruth,  as  she  thought  was  above  all 
recompense :  this  was  not  seen  in  the  estate  of  Boaz.  which  yet 
makes  her  for  the  time  happy.  If  we  may  refresh  the  soul  of  the 
poor  with  the  very  offals  of  our  estate,  and  not  hurt  ourselves,  woe 
be  to  us  if  we  do  it  not.  Our  barns  shall  be  as  full  of  curses  as  of 
corn,  if  we  grudge  the  scattered  ears  of  our  field  to  the  hands  of 
the  needy. 

How  thankfully  doth  Ruth  take  these  small  favours  from  Boaz ! 
Perhaps  some  rich  jewel  in  Moab  would  not  have  been  so  wel- 
come. Even  this  was  a  presage  of  her  better  estate.  Those  which 
shall  receive  great  blessings  are  ever  thankful  for  little;  and  if 
poor  souls  be  so  thankful  to  us  for  but  a  handful  or  a  sheaf,  how 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  X 


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306  Boaz  and  Ruth.  book  xi. 

should  we  be  affected  to  our  God  for  whole  fields  full,  for  full 
barns,  full  garners ! 

Doubtless  Boaz,  having  taken  notice  of  the  good  nature,  dutiful 
carriage,  and  the  near  affinity  of  Ruth,  could  not  but  purpose 
some  greater  beneficence  and  higher  respects  to  her  :  yet  now 
onwards  he  fits  his  kindness  to  her  condition,  and  gives  her  that 
which  to  her  meanness  seemed  much,  though  he  thought  it  little. 
Thus  doth  the  bounty  of  our  God  deal  with  us :  it  is  not  for  want 
of  love  that  he  gives  us  no  greater  measure  of  grace,  but  for  want 
of  our  fitness  and  capacity :  he  hath  reserved  greater  preferments 
for  us  when  it  shall  be  seasonable  for  us  to  receive  them. 

Ruth  returns  home  wealthy  with  her  ephah  of  barley,  and 
thankfully  magnifies  the  liberality  of  Boaz  her  new  benefactor : 
Naomi  repays  his  beneficence  with  her  blessing ;  Blessed  be  ht  of 
the  Lord.  If  the  rich  can  exchange  their  alms  with  the  poor  for 
blessings,  they  have  no  cause  to  complain  of  an  ill  bargain.  Our 
gifts  cannot  be  worth  their  faithful  prayers  :  therefore  it  is  better 
to  give  than  to  receive  ;  because  he  that  receives  hath  but  a  worth- 
less alms,  he  that  gives  receives  an  invaluable  blessing. 

1  cannot  but  admire  the  modesty  and  silence  of  these  two 
women:  Naomi  had  not  so  much  as  talked  of  her  kindred  in 
Bethlehem,  nor  till  now  had  she  told  Ruth  that  she  had  a  wealthy 
kinsman,  neither  had  Ruth  inquired  of  her  husband's  great  alli- 
ance, but  both  sat  down  meekly  with  their  own  wants,  and  cared 
not  to  know  any  thing  else  save  that  themselves  were  poor.  Hu- 
mility is  ever  the  way  to  honour. 

It  is  a  discourtesy,  where  we  are  beholden,  to  alter  our  depend- 
ency :  like  as  men  of  trade  take  it  ill  if  customers  which  are  in 
their  books  go  for  their  wares  to  another  shop.  Wisely  doth 
Naomi  advise  Ruth  not  to  be  seen  in  any  other  field  while  the 
harvest  lasted.  The  very  taking  of  their  favours  is  a  contentment 
to  those  which  have  already  well  deserved ;  and  it  is  quarrel 
enough  that  their  courtesy  is  not  received.  How  shall  the  God 
of  heaven  take  it,  that  while  he  gives  and  proffers  large,  we  run 
to  the  world,  that  can  afford  us  nothing  but  vanity  and  vexation? 

Those  that  can  least  act  are  ofttimes  the  best  to  advise.  Good 
old  Naomi  sits  still  at  home,  and  by  her  counsel  pays  Ruth  all  the 
love  she  owes  her. 

The  face  of  that  action  to  which  she  directs  her  is  the  worst 
piece  of  it ;  the  heart  was  sound.     Perhaps  the  assurance  which 


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cont.  iv.  Boaz  and  Ruth.  307 

long  trial  had  given  her  of  the  good  government  and  firm  chastity 
of  her  daughter-in-law,  together  with  her  persuasion  of  the  reli- 
gious gravity  of  Boaz,  made  her  think  that  design  safe,  which  to 
others  had  been  perilous,  if  not  desperate.  But  besides  that, . 
holding  Boaz  next  of  blood  to  Elimelech,  she  made  account  of  him 
as  the  lawful  husband  of  Ruth,  so  as  there  wanted  nothing  but  a 
challenge  and  consummation.  Nothing  was  abated  but  some  out- 
ward solemnities,  which  though  expedient  for  the  satisfaction  of 
others,  yet  were  not  essential  to  marriage. 

And  if  there  were  not  these  colours  for  a  project  so  suspicious, 
it  would  not  follow  that  the  action  were  warrantable  because 
Naomi's.  Why  should  her  example  be  more  safe  in  this  than 
in  matching  her  sons  with  infidels ;  than  in  sending  back  Orpah 
to  her  father's  gods  ?  If  every  act  of  an  holy  person  should  be  our 
rule,  we  should  have  crooked  lives :  every  action  that  is  reported 
is  not  straightways  allowed.  Our  courses  were  very  uncertain,  if 
God  had  not  given  us  rules  whereby  we  may  examine  the 
examples  of  the  best  saints,  and  as  well  censure  as  follow  them. 
Let  them  that  stumble  at  the  boldness  of  Ruth  imitate  the  con- 
tinence of  Boaz. 

These  times  were  not  delicate.  This  man,  though  great  in 
Bethlehem,  lays  him  down  to  rest  upon  a  pallet  in  the  floor  of 
his  barn.  When  he  awakes  at  midnight,  no  marvel  if  he  were 
amazed  to  find  himself  accompanied ;  yet  though  his  heart  were 
cheered  with  wine,  the  place  solitary,  the  night  silent,  the  person 
comely,  the  invitation  plausible,  could  he  not  be  drawn  to  a  rash 
act  of  lust :  his  appetite  could  not  get  the  victory  of  reason,  though 
it  had  wine  and  opportunity  to  help  it.  Herein  Boaz  showed  him- 
self a  great  master  of  his  affections,  that  he  was  able  to*  resist  a 
fit  temptation.  It  is  no  thank  to  many  that  they  are  free  of  some 
evils ;  perhaps  they  wanted  not  will  but  convenience.  But  if  a 
man,  when  he  is  fitted  with  all  helps  to  his  sin,  can  repel  the  plea- 
sure of  sin  out  of  conscience,  this  is  true  fortitude. 

Instead  of  touching  her  as  a  wanton,  he  blesses  her  as  a  father, 
encourageth  her  as  a  friend,  promiseth  her  as  a  kinsman,  rewards 
her  as  a  patron,  and  sends  her  away  laden  with  hopes  and  gifts  ; 
no  less  chaste,  more  happy  than  she  came.  O  admirablo  tem- 
perance, worthy  the  progenitor  of  him  in  whose  lips  and  heart 
was  no  guile ! 

If  Boaz  had  been  the  next  kinsman  the  marriage  had  needed 
no  protraction;  but  now  that  his  conscience  told  him  that  Ruth 

x  2 

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808  Boaz  and  Ruth.  book  xi. 

was  the  right  of  another,  it  had  not  been  more  sensuality  than 
injustice  to  have  touched  his  kinswoman.  It  was  not  any  bodily 
impotency,  but  honesty  and  conscience,  that  restrained  Boaz ;  for 
the  very  next  night  she  conceived  by  him.  That  good  man  wished 
his  marriage-bed  holy,  and  durst  not  lie  down  in  the  doubt  of  a 
sin.  Many  a  man  is  honest  out  of  necessity,  and  affects  the 
praise  of  that  which  he  could  not  avoid ;  but  that  man's  mind  is 
still  an  adulterer  in  the  forced  continence  of  his  bodv.  No  action 
can  give  us  true  comfort,  but  that  which  we  do  out  of  the  grounds 
of  obedience. 

Those  which  are  fearful  of  sinning  are  careful  not  to  be  thought 
to  sin.  Boaz,  though  he  knew  himself  to  be  clear,  would  not  have 
occasion  of  suspicion  given  to  others ;  Let  no  man  know  that  a 
woman  came  into  the  floor :  a  good  heart  is  no  less  afraid  of  a 
scandal  than  of  a  sin ;  whereas  those  that  are  resolved  not  to  make 
any  scruple  of  sin,  despise  others'  constructions,  not  caring  whom 
they  offend  so  that  they  may  please  themselves. 

That  Naomi  might  see  her  daughter-in-law  was  not  sent  back 
in  dislike,  she  comes  home  laden  with  corn.  Ruth  hath  gleaned 
more  this  night  than  in  half  the  harvest.  The  care  of  Boaz  was 
that  she  should  not  return  to  her  mother  empty  :  love,  whereso- 
ever it  is,  cannot  be  niggardly.  We  measure  the  love  of  God  by 
his  gifts :  how  shall  he  abide  to  send  us  away  empty  from  those 
treasures  of  goodness ! 

Boaz  is  restless  in  the  prosecution  of  this  suit :  and  hies  him 
from  his  threshingfloor  to  the  gate,  and  there  convents  the  nearer 
kinsman  before  the  elders  of  the  city.  What  was  it  that  made 
Boaz  so  ready  to  entertain,  so  forward  to  urge  this  match? 
Wealth  she  had  none,  not  so  much  as  bread,  but  what  she  gleaned 
out  of  the  field ;  friends  she  had  none,  and  those  she  had  else- 
where, Moabites;  beauty  she  could  not  have  much,  after  that 
scorching  in  her  travel,  in  her  gleanings :  himself  tells  her  what 
drew  his  heart  to  her ;  All  the  city  of  my  people  doth  know  that 
thou  art  a  virtuous  woman.  Virtue,  in  whomsoever  it  is  found, 
is  a  great  dowry ;  and  where  it  meets  with  a  heart  that  knows 
how  to  value  it,  is  accounted  greater  riches  than  all  that  is  hid  in 
the  bowels  of  the  earth.  The  corn  heap  of  Boaz  was  but  chaff  to 
this,  and  his  money  dross. 

As  a  man  that  had  learned  to  square  his  actions  to  the  law  of 
God,  Boaz  proceeds  legally  with  his  rival ;  and  tells  him  of  a 
parcel  of  Elimelech's  land  (which,  it  is  like,  upon  his  removal  to 


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cont.  iv.  Boaz  and  Ruth.  309 

Moab,  he  had  alienated) ;  which  he,  as  the  next  kinsman,  might 
have  power  to  redeem ;  jet  so  as  he  must  purchase  the  wife  of 
the  deceased  with  the  land.  Every  kinsman  is  not  a  Boaz :  the 
man  could  listen  to  the  land  if  it  had  been  free  from  the  clog  of  a 
necessary  marriage ;  but  now  he  will  rather  leave  the  land  than 
take  the  wife,  lest,  while  he  should  preserve  Elimelech's  inherit- 
ance, he  should  destroy  his  own;  for  the  next  seed  which  he 
should  have  by  Ruth  should  not  be  his  heir,  but  his  deceased 
kinsman's.  How  knew  he  whether  God  might  not  by  that  wife 
send  heirs  enow  for  both  their  estates  ?  Rather  had  he  therefore 
incur  a  manifest  injustice  than  hazard  the  danger  of  his  inherit- 
ance. The  law  of  God  bound  him  to  raise  up  seed  to  the  next  in 
blood ;  the  care  of  his  inheritance  draws  him  to  a  neglect  of  his 
duty,  though  with  infamy  and  reproach ;  and  now,  he  had  rather 
his  face  should  be  spit  upon,  and  his  name  should  be  called,  The 
house  of  him  whose  shoe  was  pulled  off,  than  to  reserve  the  ho- 
nour of  him  that  did  his  brother  right  to  his  own  prejudice. 

How  many  are  there  that  do  so  overlove  their  issue,  as  that 
they  regard  neither  sin  nor  shame  in  advancing  it ;  and  that  will 
rather  endanger  their  soul  than  lose  their  name !  It  is  a  woful 
inheritance  that  makes  men  heirs  of  the  vengeance  of  God.  Boaz 
is  glad  to  take  the  advantage  of  his  refusal ;  and  holds  that  shoe, 
which  was  the  sign  of  his  tenure,  more  worth  than  all  the  land  of 
Elimelech.  And  whereas  other  wives  purchase  their  husbands 
with  a  large  dowry,  this  man  purchaseth  his  wife  at  a  dear  rate, 
and  thinks  his  bargain  happy.  All  the  substance  of  the  earth  is 
not  worth  a  virtuous  and  prudent  wife ;  which  Boaz  doth  now  so 
rejoice  in,  as  if  he  this  day  only  began  to  be  wealthy. 

Now  is  Ruth  taken  into  the  house  of  Boaz  :  she,  that  before 
had  said  she  was  not  like  one  of  his  maidens,  is  now  become  their 
mistress.  This  day  she  hath  gleaned  all  the  fields  and  barns  of 
a  rich  husband ;  and  that  there  might  be  no  want  in  her  happi- 
ness, by  a  gracious  husband  she  hath  gained  a  happy  seed ;  and 
hath  the  honour,  above  all  the  dames  of  Israel,  to  be  the  great- 
grandmother  of  a  king,  of  David,  of  the  Messiah. 

Now  is  Marah  turned  back  again  to  Naomi ;  and  Or  pah,  if  she 
hear  of  this  in  Moab,  cannot  but  envy  at  her  sister's  happiness. 
0  the  sure  and  bountiful  payments  of  the  Almighty!  Who  ever 
came  under  his  wing  in  vain  ?  who  ever  lost  by  trusting  him  ? 
who  ever  forsook  the  Moab  of  this  world  for  the  true  Israel,  and 
did  not  at  last  rejoice  in  the  change  ? 


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310  Hannah  and  Peninnah.  book  xi. 

HANNAH  AND  PENINNAH.— 1  Samuel  i. 

Ill  customs,  where  they  are  once  entertained,  are  not  easily 
discharged.  Polygamy,  besides  carnal  delight,  might  now  plead 
age  and  example ;  so  as  even  Elkanab,  though  a  Levite,  is 
tainted  with  the  sin  of  Lamech  :  like  as  fashions  of  attire,  which 
at  the  first  were  disliked  as  uncomely,  yet  when  they  are  once 
grown  common  are  taken  up  of  the  gravest. 

Yet  this  sin,  as  then  current  with  the  time,  could  not  make 
Elkanah  not  religious.  The  house  of  God  in  Shiloh  was  duly 
frequented  of  him;  oftentimes  alone,  in  his  ordinary  course  of 
attendance ;  with  all  his  males,  thrice  a  year ;  and  once  a  year 
with  all  his  family.  The  continuance  of  an  unknown  sin  cannot 
hinder  the  uprightness  of  a  man's  heart  with  God;  as  a  man 
may  have  a  mole  upon  his  back,  and  yet  think  his  skin  clqar :  the 
least  touch  of  knowledge  or  wilfulness  mars  his  sincerity. 

He  that  by  virtue  of  his  place  was  employed  about  the  sacri- 
fices of  others,  would  much  less  neglect  his  own.  It  is  a  shame 
for  him  that  teaches  God's  people,  that  they  should  not  appear 
before  the  Lord  empty,  to  bring  no  sacrifice  for  himself.  If 
Levites  be  profane,  who  should  be  religious? 

It  was  the  fashion  when  they  sacrificed  to  feast;  so  did  EU 
kanah.  The  day  of  his  devotion  is  the  day  of  his  triumph :  he 
makes  great  cheer  for  his  whole  family,  even  for  that  wife  which 
he  loved  less.  There  is  nothing  more  comely  than  cheerfulness 
in  the  services  of  God.  What  is  there  in  all  the  world  wherewith 
the  heart  of  man  should  be  so  lift  up  as  with  the  conscience  of 
his  duty  done  to  his  Maker  ?  While  we  do  so,  God  doth  to  us  as 
our  glass,  smile  upon  us  while  we  smile  on  him. 

Love  will  be  seen  by  entertainment :  Peninnah  and  her  chil- 
dren shall  not  complain  of  want,  but  Hannah  shall  find  her  hus- 
band's affection  in  her  portion :  as  his  love  to  her  was  double,  so 
was  her  part. 

She  fared  not  ihe  worse  because  she  was  childless :  no  good 
husband  will  dislike  his  wife  for  a  fault  out  of  the  power  of  her 
redress ;  yea,  rather,  that  which  might  seem  to  lose  the  love  of 
her  husband  wins  it,  her  barrenness.  The  good  nature  of  Elka- 
nah laboured  by  his  dear  respects  to  recompense  this  affliction, 
that  so  she  might  find  no  less  contentment  in  the  fruit  of  his 
hearty  love,  than  she  had  grief  from  her  own  fruitlessness.  It  is 
the  property  of  true  mercy  to  be  most  favourable  to  the  weakest ; 


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cont.  v.  Hannah  and  Peninnah.  311 

thus  doth  the  gracious  spouse  of  the  Christian  soul  pity  the  bar- 
renness of  his  servants.  O  Saviour,  we  should  not  find  thee  so 
indulgent  to  us,  if  we  did  not  complain  of  our  own  unworthiness. 
Peninnah  may  have  the  more  children,  but  barren  Hannah  hath 
the  most  love.  How  much  rather  could  Elkanah  have  wished 
Peninnah  barren,  and  Hannah  fruitful !  but  if  she  should  have  had 
both  issue  and  love,  she  had  been  proud,  and  her  rival  despised. 
God  knows  how  to  disperse  his  favours  so  that  every  one  may 
have  cause  both  of  thankfulness  and  humiliation ;  while  there  is 
no  one  that  hath  all,  no  one  but  hath  some.  If  envy  and  content 
were  not  thus  equally  tempered,  some  would  be  over-haughty 
and  others  too  miserable ;  but  now  every  man  sees  that  in  himself 
which  is  worthy  of  contempt,  and  matter  of  emulation  in  others ; 
and  contrarily,  sees  what  to  pity  and  dislike  in  the  most  eminent, 
and  what  to  applaud  in  himself;  and  out  of  this  contrariety  arises 
a  sweet  mean  of  contentation. 

The  love  of  Elkanah  is  so  unable  to  free  Hannah  from  the 
wrongs  of  her  rival,  that  it  procures  them  rather.  The  unfruit- 
fulness  of  Hannah  had  never  with  so  much  despite  been  laid  in 
her  dish  if  her  husband's  heart  had  been  as  barren  of  love  to  her. 
Envy,  though  it  take  advantage  of  our  weaknesses,  yet  is  ever 
raised  upon  some  grounds  of  happiness  in  them  whom  it  emulates : 
it  is  ever  an  ill  effect  of  a  good  cause.  If  Abel's  sacrifice  had  not 
been  accepted,  and  if  the  acceptation  of  his  sacrifice  had  not  been 
a  blessing,  no  envy  had  followed  upon  it. 

There  is  no  evil  of  another  wherein  it  is  fit  to  rejoice,  but  his 
envy ;  and  this  is  worthy  of  our  joy  and  thankfulness,  because  it 
shows  us  the  price  of  that  good  which  we  had  and  valued  not. 
The  malignity  of  envy  is  thus  well  answered  when  it  is  made  the 
evil  cause  of  a  good  effect  to  us ;  when  God  and  our  souls  may 
gun  by  another's  sin.  I  do  not  find  that  Hannah  insulted  upon 
Peninnah  for  the  greater  measure  of  her  husband's  love,  as  Pe- 
ninnah did  upon  her  for  her  fruitfulness.  Those #that  are  truly 
gracious  know  how  to  receive  the  blessings  tf  God  without  con- 
tempt of  them  that  want,  and  have  learned  to  be  thankful  with- 
out overliness. 

Envy,  when  it  is  once  conceived  in  a  malicious  heart,  is  like 
fire  in  billets  of  juniper,  which,  they  say,  continues  more  years 
than  one.  Every  year  was  Hannah  thus  vexed  with  her  emulous 
partner,  and  troubled  both  in  her  prayers  and  meals.  Amidst 
all  their  feastings  she  fed  on  nothing  but  her  tears.     Some  dispo- 


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812  Hannah  and  Peninnah.  hook  xi. 

sitions  are  less  sensible  and  more  careless  of  the  despite  and  in- 
juries of  others,  and  can  turn  over  unkind  usages  with  contempt. 
By  how  much  more  tender  the  heart  is,  so  much  more  deeply  is 
it  ever  affected  with  discourtesies:  as  wax  receives  and  retains 
that  impression  which  in  the  hard  clay  cannot  be  seen ;  or  as  the 
eye  feels  that  mote  which  the  skin  of  the  eyelid  could  not  com- 
plain of. 

Yet  the  husband  of  Hannah,  as  one  that  knew  his  duty,  la- 
bours by  his  love  to  comfort  her  against  these  discontentments ; 
Why  weepest  thou  ?  Am  not  I  better  to  thee  than  ten  sons  ?  It  is 
the  weakness  of  good  natures  to  give  so  much  advantage  to  an 
enemy :  what  would  malice  rather  have  than  the  vexation  of  them 
whom  it  persecutes  ?  We  cannot  better  please  an  adversary  than 
by  hurting  ourselves :  this  is  no  other  than  to  humour  envy,  to 
serve  the  turn  of  those  that  malign  us,  and  to  draw  on  that  malice 
whereof  we  are  weary ;  whereas  carelessness  puts  ill-will  out  of 
countenance,  and  makes  it  withdraw  itself  in  a  rage,  as  that  which 
doth  but  shame  the  author  without  the  hurt  of  the  patient.  In 
causeless  wrongs,  the  best  remedy  is  contempt. 

She  that  could  not  find  comfort  in  the  loving  persuasions  of 
her  husband  seeks  it  in  her  prayers:  she  rises  up  hungry  from 
the  feast  and  hies  her  to  the  temple;  there  she  pours  out  her 
tears  and  supplications.  Whatsoever  the  complaint  be,  here  is 
the  remedy.  There  is  one  universal  receipt  for  all  evils,  prayer : 
when  all  helps  fail  us,  this  remains ;  and  while  we  have  an  heart, 
comforts  it. 

Here  was  not  more  bitterness  in  the  soul  of  Hannah  than  fer- 
vency :  she  did  not  only  weep  and  pray,  but  vow  unto  God.  If 
God  will  give  her  a  son,  she  will  give  her  son  to  God  back  again. 
Even  nature  itself  had  consecrated  her  son  to  God ;  for  he  could 
not  but  be  born  a  Levite  :  but  if  his  birth  make  him  a  Levite,  her 
vow  shall  make  him  a  Nazarite,  and  dedicate  his  minority  to  the 
tabernacle.  Tne  way  to  obtain  any  benefit  is  to  devote  it  in  our 
hearts  to  the  glory  t>{  that  God  of  whom  we  ask  it :  by  this  means 
shall  God  both  pleasure  his  servant  and  honour  himself;  whereas, 
if  the  scope  of  our  desires  be  carnal,  we  may  be  sure  either  to  fail 
of  our  suit  or  of  a  blessing. 

ELI  AND  nANNAIL— i  Samuel  i. 
Old  Eli  sits  on  a  stool  by  one  of  the  posts  of  the  tabernacle : 
where  should  the  priests  of  God  be  but  in  the  temple,  whether 


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cont.  vi.  Eli  and  Hannah.  318 

for  action  or  oversight  ?  Their  very  presence  keeps  God's  house 
in  order,  and  the  presence  of  God  keeps  their  hearts  in  order. 

It  is  oft  found  that  those  which  are  themselves  conscionable 
are  too  forward  to  the  censuring  of  others  :  good  Eli,  because  he 
marks  the  lips  of  Hannah  to  move  without  noise,  chides  her  as 
drunken,  and  uncharitably  misconstrues  her  devotion.  It  was  a 
weak  ground  whereon  to  build  so  heavy  a  sentence.  If  she  had 
spoken  too  loud  and  incomposedly  he  might  have  had  some  just 
colour'  for  this  conceit ;  but  now  to  accuse  her  silence,  notwith- 
standing all  her  tears  which  he  saw,  of  drunkenness,  it  was  a 
zealous  breach  of  charity. 

Some  spirit  would  have  been  enraged  with  so  rash  a  censure : 
when  anger  meets  with  grief,  both  turn  into  fury  ;  but  this  good 
woman  had  been  inured  to  reproaches,  and  besides,  did  well  see 
the  reproof  arose  from  misprision,  and  the  misprision  from  zeal ; 
and  therefore  answers  meekly  as  one  that  had  rather  satisfy 
than  expostulate ;  Nay,  my  lard,  but  I  am  a  woman  troubled 
in  spirit. 

Eli  may  now  learn  charity  of  Hannah  :  if  she  had  been  in  that 
distemper  whereof  he  accused  her,  his  just  reproof  had  not  been 
so  easily  digested  :  guiltiness  is  commonly  clamorous  and  impa- 
tient, whereas  innocence  is  silent,  and  careless  of  misreports.  It 
is  natural  to  all  men  to  wipe  off  from  their  name  all  aspersions  of 
evil ;  but  none  do  it  with  such  violence  as  they  which  are  faulty. 
It  is  a  sign  the  horse  is  galled  that  stirs  too  much  when  he  is 
touched. 

She  that  was  censured  for  drunken,  censures  drunkenness  more 
deeply  than  her  reprover ;  Count  not  thine  handmaid  for  a 
daughter  of  Belial.  The  drunkard's  style  begins  in  lawlessness, 
proceeds  in  unprofitableness,  ends  in  misery ;  and  all  shut  up  in 
the  denomination  of  this  pedigree,  A  son  of  Belial. 

If  Hannah  had  been  tainted  with  this  sin  she  would  have  denied 
it  with  more  favour,  and  have  disclaimed  it  with  an  extenuation ; 
"  What  if  I  should  have  been  merry  with  wine  ?  yet  I  might  be 
devout :  if  I  should  have  overjoyed  in  my  sacrifice  to  God,  one 
cup  of  excess  had  not  been  so  heinous :"  now  her  freedom  is  seen 
in  her  severity.  Those  which  have  clear  hearts  from  any  sin 
prosecute  it  with  rigour ;  whereas  the  guilty  are  ever  partial : 
their  conscience  holds  their  hand,  and  tells  them  that  they  beat 
themselves  while  they  punish  others. 

Now  Eli  sees  his  error  and  recants  it ;  and  to  make  amends  for 


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314  Eli  and  HannaJi.  book  xi. 

his  rash  censure  prays  for  her.     Even  the  best  may  err,  but  not         ' 
persist  in  it :  when  good  natures  have  offended  they  are  unquiet 
till  they  have  hastened  satisfaction.    This  was  within  his  office,  to 
pray  for.  the  distressed :  wherefore  serves  the  priest  but  to  sacrifice 
for  the  people  ?  and  the  best  sacrifices  are  the  prayers  of  faith. 

She  that  began  her  prayers  with  fasting  and  heaviness,  rises 
up  from  them  with  cheerfulness  and  repast.  It  cannot  be  spoken 
how  much  ease  and  joy  the  heart  of  man  finds  in  having  unloaded 
his  cares  and  poured  out  his  supplications  into  the  ears  of  God ; 
since  it  is  well  assured,  that  the  suit  which  is  faithfully  asked  is 
already  granted  in  heaven.  The  conscience  may  well  rest  when 
it  tells  us  that  we  have  neglected  no  means  of  redressing  our  af- 
fliction ;  for  then  it  may  resolve  to  look  either  for  amendment  or 
patience. 

Jhe  sacrifice  is  ended,  and  now  Elkanah  and  his  family  rise  up 
early  to  return  unto  Ramah :  but  they  dare  not  set  forward  till 
they  have  worshipped  before  the  Lord.  That  journey  cannot 
hope  to  prosper  that  takes  not  God  with  it  The  way  to  receive 
blessings  at  home  is  to  be  devout  at  the  temple. 

She  that  before  conceived  faith  in  her  heart,  now  conceives  a 
son  in  her  womb :  God  will  rather  work  miracles,  than  faithful 
prayers  shall  return  empty.  I  do  not  find  that  Peninnah  asked 
any  son  of  God,  yet  she  had  store ;  Hannah  begged  hard  for  this 
one,  and  could  not  till  now  obtain  him.  They  which  are  dearest 
to  God  do  ofttimes  with  great  difficulty  work  out  those  blessings 
which  fall  into  the  mouths  of  the  careless.  That  wise  Disposer 
of  all  things  knows  it  fit  to  hold  us  short  of  those  favours  which 
we  sue  for ;  whether  for  the  trial  of  our  patience  or  the  exercise 
of  our  faith,  or  the  increase  of  our  importunity,  or  the  doubling 
of  our  obligation. 

Those  children  are  most  like  to  prove  blessings  which  the  parents 
have  begged  of  God,  and  which  are  no  less  the  fruit  of  our  sup- 
plications than  of  our  body.  As  this  child  was  the  son  of  his 
mother's  prayers,  and  was  consecrated  to  God  ere  his  possibility 
of  being,  so  now  himself  shall  know  both  how  he  came,  and  where- 
to he  was  ordained ;  and  lest  he  should  forget  it,  his  very  name 
should  teach  him  both ;  She  called  his  name  Samuel.  He  can- 
not so  much  as  hear  himself  named,  but  he  must  needs  remember 
both  the  extraordinary  mercy  of  God  in  giving  him  to  a  barren 
mother ;  and  the  vow  of  his  mother  in  restoring  him  back  to  God 
by  her  zealous  dedication,  and  by  both  of  them  learn  holiness  and 


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cont.  vi.  Eli  and  Hannah.  315 

obedience.  There  is  no  necessity  of  significant  names,  but  we  can- 
not have  too  many  monitors  to  put  us  in  mind  of  our  duty. 

It  is  wont  to  be  the  father's  privilege  to  name  his  child ;  but 
because  this  was  his  mother's  son,  begotten  more  by  her  prayers 
than  the  seed  of  Elkanah,  it  was  but  reason  that  she  should  have 
the  chief  hand  both  in  his  name  and  disposing.  It  had  been  indeed 
in  the  power  of  Elkanah  to  have  changed  both  his  name  and  pro- 
fession, and  abrogate  the  vow  of  his  wife;  that  wives  might 
know  they  were  not  their  own,  and  that  the  rib  might  learn  to 
know  the  head :  but  husbands  shall  abuse  their  authority,  if  they 
shall  wilfully  cross  the  holy  purposes  and  religious  endeavours  of 
their  yokefellows.  How  much  more  fit  is  it  for  them  to  cherish 
all  good  desires  in  the  weaker  vessels !  and  as  we  use,  when  we 
carry  a  small  light  in  a  wind,  to  hide  it  with  our  lap  or  hand,  that 
it  may  not  go  out.  If  the  wife  be  a  vine,  the  husband  should  be 
an  elm,  to  uphold  her  in  all  worthy  enterprises,  else  she  falls  to 
the  ground  and  proves  fruitless. 

The  year  is  now  come  about,  and  Elkanah  calls  his  family  to 
their  holy  journey  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem  for  the  anniversary  so- 
lemnity of  their  sacrifice.  Hannah's  heart  is  with  them,  but  she 
hath  a  good  excuse  to  stay  at  home,  the  charge  of  her  Samuel. 
Her  success  in  the  temple  keeps  her  haply  from  the  temple, 
that  her  devotion  may  be  doubled  because  it  was  respited.  God 
knows  how  to  dispense  with  necessities,  but  if  we  suffer  idle  and 
needless  occasions  to  hold  us  from  the  tabernacle  of  God,  our 
hearts  are  but  hollow  to  religion. 

Now  at  last,  when  the  child  was  weaned  from  her  hand,  she 
goes  up  and  pays  her  vow,  and  with  it  pays  the  interest  of  her 
intermission.  Never  did  Hannah  go  up  with  so  glad  a  heart  to 
Shiloh  as  now  that  she  carries  God  this  reasonable  present,  which 
himself  gave  to  her,  and  she  vowed  to  him ;  accompanied  with  the 
bounty  of  other  sacrifices,  more  in  number  and  measure  than  the 
law  of  God  required  of  her ;  and  all  this  is  too  little  for  her  God, 
that  so  mercifully  remembered  her  affliction  and  miraculously  re- 
medied it.  Those  hearts  which  are  truly  thankful  do  no  less  re- 
joice in  their  repayment  than  in  their  receipt ;  and  do  as  much  study 
how  to  show  their  humble  and  fervent  affections  for  what  they 
have,  as  how  to  compass  favours  when  they  want  them ;  their 
debt  is  their  burden,  which  when  they  have  discharged  they  are 
at  ease. 

If  Hannah  had  repented  of  her  vow,  and  not  presented  her  son 


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316  Eli  and  Hannah.  book  xi. 

to  the  tabernacle,  Eli  could  not  have  challenged  him.  He  had 
only  seen  her  lips  stir,  not  hearing  the  promise  of  her  heart  It 
was  enough  that  her  own  soul  knew  her  vow,  and  God,  which  was 
greater  than  it.  The  obligation  of  a  secret  vow  is  no  less  than  if 
it  had  ten  thousand  witnesses. 

Old  Eli  could  not  choose  but  much  rejoice  to  see  this  fruit  of 
those  lips  which  he  thought  moved  with  wine,  and  this  good 
proof  both  of  the  merciful  audience  of  God  and  the  thankful 
fidelity  of  his  handmaid.  This  sight  calls  him  down  to  his  knees, 
he  worshipped  tlie  Lord.  We  are  unprofitable  witnesses  of  the 
mercies  of  God  and  the  graces  of  men,  if  we  do  not  glorify  him 
for  others'1  sakes  no  less  than  for  our  own. 

Eli  and  Hannah  grew  now  better  acquainted :  neither  had  he 
so  much  cause  to  praise  God  for  her  as  she  afterwards  for  him ; 
for  if  her  own  prayers  obtained  her  first  child,  his  blessing  enriched 
her  with  five  more.  If  she  had  not  given  her  first  son  to  God  ere 
she  had  him,  I  doubt  whether  she  had  not  been  ever  barren  ;  or 
if  she  had  kept  her  Samuel  at  home,  whether  ever  she  had  con- 
ceived again  :  now  that  piety  which  stripped  her  of  her  only  child 
for  the  service  of  her  God,  hath  multiplied  the  fruit  of  her  womb 
and  gave  her  five  for  that  one,  which  was  still  no  less  hers  be- 
cause he  was  God's.  There  is  no  so  certain  way  of  increase  as  to 
lend  or  give  unto  the  Owner  of  all  things. 


ELI  AND  HIS  SONS.— 1  Samuel  ii,  iii,  iv. 

If  the  conveyance  of  grace  were  natural,  holy  parents  would 
not  be  so  ill  suited  with  children.  What  good  man  would  not 
rather  wish  his  loins  dry  than  fruitful  of  wickedness  ?  Now  we 
can  neither  traduce  goodness  nor  choose  but  traduce  sin.  If  virtue 
were  as  well  entailed  upon  us  as  sin,  one  might  serve  to  check  the 
other  in  our  children ;  but  now,  since  grace  is  derived  from  heaven 
on  whomsoever  it  pleases  the  Giver,  and  that  evil  which  ours  re- 
ceive hereditarily  from  us  is  multiplied  by  their  own  corruption,  it 
can  be  no  wonder  that  good  men  have  ill  children,  it  is  rather  a 
wonder  that  any  children  are  not  evil. 

The  sons  of  Levi  are  as  lewd  as  himself  was  holy.  If  the  good- 
ness of  examples,  precepts,  education,  profession,  could  have  been 
preservatives  from  extremity  of  sin,  these  sons  of  an  holy  father 
had  not  been  wicked ;  now  neither  parentage,  nor  breeding,  nor 


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cont.  vii.  Eli  and  his  sons.  317 

priesthood,  can  keep  the  sons  of  Eli  from  the  sons  of  Belial.  If 
our  children  be  good,  let  us  thank  God  for  it ;  this  was  more 
than  we  could  give  them ;  if  evil,  they  may  thank  us  and  them- 
selves ;  us  for  their  birth  sin,  themselves  for  the  improvement  of 
it  to  that  height  of  wickedness. 

If  they  had  not  been  sons  of  Eli,  yet  being  priests  of  God,  who 
would  not  have  hoped  their  very  calling  should  have  infused  some 
holiness  into  them  ?  But  now  even  their  white  ephod  covers  foul 
sins :  yea  rather,  if  they  which  serve  at  the  altar  degenerate,  their 
wickedness  is  so  much  more  above  others  as  their  place  is  holier. 
A  wicked  priest  is  the  worst  creature  upon  earth.  Who  are  devils 
but  they  whi^h  were  once  angels  of  light  ?  Who  can  stumble  at 
the  sins  of  the  evangelical  Levites  that  sees  such  impurity  even 
the  ark  of  God  ? 

That  God  which  promised  to  be  the  Levites'  portion  had  set 
forth  the  portion  of  his  ministers.  He  will  feast  them  at  his  own 
altar :  the  breast  and  the  right  shoulder  of  the  peace  offering  was 
their  morsel.  These  bold  and  covetous  priests  will  rather  have 
the  fleshhook  their  arbiter  than  God;  whatsoever  those  three 
teeth  fasten  upon  shall  be  for  their  tooth.  They  were  weary 
of  one  joint,  and  now  their  delicacy  affects  variety.  God  is  not 
worthy  to  carve  for  these  men,  but  their  own  hands;  and  this 
they  do  not  receive  but  take,  and  take  violently,  unseasonably.  It 
had  been  fit  God  should  be  first  served :  their  presumption  will 
not  stay  his  leisure  :  ere  the  fat  be  burned,  ere  the  flesh  be  boiled, 
they  snatch  more  than  their  share  from  the  altar ;  as  if  the  God 
of  heaven  should  wait  on  their  palate,  as  if  the  Israelites  had  come 
thither  to  sacrifice  to  their  bellies :  and  as  commonly  a  wanton 
tooth  is  the  harbinger  to  luxurious  wantonness,  they  are  no  sooner 
fed  than  they  neigh  after  the  dames  of  Israel.  Holy  women  as- 
semble to  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  :  these  varlets  tempt  them  to 
lust  that  came  thither  for  devotion :  they  had  wives  of  their  own, 
yet  their  unbridled  desires  rove  after  strangers,  and  fear  not  to 
pollute  even  that  holy  place  with  abominable  filthiness. 

0  sins,  too  shameful  for  men;  much  more  for  the  spiritual 
guides  of  Israel !  He  that  makes  himself  a  servant  to  his  tooth 
shall  easily  become  a  slave  to  all  inordinate  affections.  That 
altar  which  expiated  other  men's  sins  added  to  the  sins  of  the  sa- 
crificers ;  doubtless  many  a  soul  was  the  cleaner  for  the  blood  of 
the  sacrifices  which  they  shed,  while  their  own  were  more  impure ; 
and  as  the  altar  cannot  sanctify  the  priest,  so  the.  unclean ness  of 


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818  Eli  and  his  sons.  book  xi. 

the  minister  cannot  pollute  the  offering;  because  the  virtue 
thereof  is  not  in  the  agent,  but  in  the  institution :  in  the  represent- 
ation,  his  sin  is  his  own ;  the  comfort  of  the  sacrament  is  from 
God.  Our  clergy  is  no  charter  for  heaven.  Even  those  whose 
trade  is  devotion  may  at  once  show  the  way  to  heaven  by  their 
tongue  and  by  their  foot  lead  the  way  to  hell.  It  is  neither  a 
cowl  nor  an  ephod  that  can  privilege  the  soul. 

The  sin  of  these  men  was  worthy  of  contempt,  yea  perhaps 
their  persons ;  but  for  the  people  therefore  to  abhor  the  offerings  of 
the  Lord  was  to  add  their  evil  unto  the  priests',  and  to  offend  God 
because  he  was  offended.  There  can  no  offence  be  justly  taken 
even  at  men,  much  less  at  God,  for  the  sake  of  men.  No  man's 
sins  should  bring  the  service  of  God  into  dislike :  this  is  to  make 
holy  things  guilty  of  our  profaneness.  It  is  a  dangerous  ignorance 
not  to  distinguish  betwixt  the  work  and  the  instrument :  where- 
upon it  oft  comes  to  pass,  that  we  fall  out  with  God  because  we 
find  cause  of  offence  from  men,  and  give  God  just  cause  to  abhor 
us  because  we  abhor  his  service  unjustly. 

Although  it  be  true,  of  great  men  especially,  that  they  are  the 
last  that  know  the  evils  of  their  own  house,  yet  either  it  could  not 
be,  when  all  Israel  rung  of  the  lewdness  of  Eli's  sons,  that  he 
only  should  not  know  it;  or  if  he  knew  it  not,  his  ignorance 
cannot  be  excused;  for  a  seasonable  restraint  might  have  pre- 
vented this  extremity  of  debauchedness.  Complaints  are  long 
muttered  of  the  great  ere  they  dare  break  forth  to  open  contes- 
tation; public  accusations  of  authority,  argues  intolerable  extre- 
mities of  evil. 

Nothing  but  age  can  plead  for  Eli  that  he  was  not  the  first 
accuser  of  his  sons ;  now,  when  their  enormities  came  to  be  the 
voice  of  the  multitude,  he  must  hear  it  perforce ;  and  doubtless 
he  heard  it  with  grief  enough,  but  not  with  anger  enough.  He 
that  was  the  judge  of  Israel  should  have  impartially  judged  his 
own  flesh  and  blood :  never  could  he  have  offered  a  more  pleasing 
sacrifice  than  the  depraved  blood  of  so  wicked  sons.  In  vain  do 
we  rebuke  those  sins  abroad  which  we  tolerate  at  home.  That 
man  makes  himself  but  ridiculous,  that,  leaving  his  own  house  on 
fire,  runs  to  quench  his  neighbour's. 

I  heard  Eli  sharp  enough  to  Hannah  upon  but  a  suspicion  of 
sin ;  and  now,  how  mild  I  find  him  to  the  notorious  crimes  of  his 
own !  Why  do  you  so>  my  sons  ?  It  is  no  good  report ;  my  sons, 
do  no  more  so :  the  case  is  altered  with  the  persons.     If  nature 


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cont.  vii.  Eli  and  his  sons.  319 

may  be  allowed  to  speak  in  judgment,  and  to  make  difference, 
not  of  sins  but  offenders,  the  sentence  must  needs  savour  of  par- 
tiality. Had  these  men  but  some  little  slackened  their  duty,  or 
heedlessly  omitted  some  rite  of  the  sacrifice,  this  censure  had  not 
been  unfit ;  but  to  punish  the  thefts,  rapines,  sacrileges,  adulteries, 
incests  of  his  sons,  with  Why  do  ye  so  f  was  no  other  than  to 
shave  that  head  which  had  deserved  cutting  off.  As  it  is  with  ill 
humours,  that  a  weak  dose  doth  but  stir  and  anger  them,  not 
purge  them  out ;  so  it  fareth  with  sins :  an  easy  reproof  doth  but 
encourage  wickedness,  and  makes  it  think  itself  so  slight  as  that 
censure  importeth.  A  vehement  rebuke  to  a  capital  evil  is  but  like 
a  strong  shower  to  a  ripe  field,  which  lays  that  corn  which  were 
worthy  of  a  sickle.  It  is  a  breach  of  justice  not  to  proportionate 
the  punishment  to  the  offence :  to  whip  a  man  for  a  murder,  or  to 
punish  the  purse  for  incest,  or  to  burn  treason  in  the  hand,  or  to 
award  the  stocks  to  burglary,  it  is  to  patronise  evil  instead  of 
avenging  it:  of  the  two  extremes,  rigour  is  more  safe  for  the 
public  weal ;  because  the  over-punishing  of  one  offender  frights 
many  from  sinning.  It  is  better  to  live  in  a  commonwealth  where 
nothing  is  lawful,  than  where  every  thing. 

Indulgent  parents  are  cruel  to  themselves  and  their  posterity. 
Eli  could  not  have  devised  which  way  to  have  plagued  himself 
and  his  house  so  much,  as  by  his  kindness  to  his  children's  sins. 
What  variety  of  judgments  doth  he  now  hear  of  from  the  messen- 
ger of  God !  First,  because  his  old  age,  (which  uses  to  be  subject 
to  choler,)  inclined  now  to  misfavour  his  sons,  therefore  there  shall 
not  be  an  old  man  left  of  his  house  for  ever ;  and  because  it  vexed 
him  not  enough  to  see  his  sons  enemies  to  God  in  their  profession, 
therefore  he  shall  see  his  enemy  in  the  habitation  of  the  Lord ; 
and  because  himself  forbore  to  take  vengeance  of  his  sons,  and 
esteemed  their  life  above  the  glory  of  his  Master,  therefore  God 
will  revenge  himself,  by  killing  them  both  in  one  day;  and 
because  he  abused  his  sovereignty  by  connivance  at  sin,  therefore 
shall  his  house  be  stripped  of  this  honour,  and  see  it  translated  to 
another ;  and  lastly,  because  he  suffered  his  sons  to  please  their 
own  wanton  appetite,  in  taking  meat  off  from  God's  trencher, 
therefore  those  which  remain  of  his  house  shall  come  to  his  suc- 
cessors to  beg  a  piece  of  silver  and  a  morsel  of  bread  :  in  a  word, 
because  he  was  partial  to  his  sons,  God  shall  execute  all  this 
severely  upon  him  and  them.  I  do  not  read  of  any  fault  Eli  had 
but  indulgence :  and  which  of  the  notorious  offenders  were  plagued 


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320  Eli  and  his  soils.  book  xi 

more?  Parents  need  no  other  means  to  make  them  miserable 
than  sparing  the  rod. 

Who  should  be  the  bearer  of  these  fearful  tidings  to  Eli  but 
young  Samuel,  whom  himself  had  trained  up  ?  He  was  now  grown 
past  his  mother's  coats;  fit  for  the  message  of  God.  Old  Eli 
rebuked  not  his  young  sons,  therefore  young  Samuel  is  sent  to 
rebuke  him.  I  marvel  not,  while  the  priesthood  was  so  corrupted, 
if  the  word  of  God  were  precious,  if  there  were  no  public  vision. 
It  is  not  the  manner  of  God  to  grace  the  unworthy.  The  ordi- 
nary ministration  in  the  temple  was  too  much  honour  for  those 
that  robbed  the  altar,  though  they  had  no  extraordinary  revela- 
tions. Hereupon  it  was  that  God  lets  old  Eli  sleep  (who  slept  in 
his  sin),  and  awakes  Samuel  to  tell  him  what  he  would  do  with 
his  master.  He  which  was  wont  to  be  the  mouth  of  God  to  the 
people  must  now  receive  the  message  of  God  from  the  mouth  of 
another :  as  great  persons  will  not  speak  to  those  with  whom  they 
are  highly  offended,  but  send  them  their  checks  by  others. 

The  lights  of  the  temple  were  now  dim,  and  almost  ready  to 
give  place  to  the  morning,  when  God  called  Samuel,  to  signify 
perhaps  that  those  which  should  have  been  the  lights  of  Israel 
burned  no  less  dimly,  and  were  near  their  going  out,  and  should 
be  succeeded  with  one  so  much  more  lightsome  than  they  as  the 
sun  was  more  bright  than  the  lamps. 

God  had  good  leisure  to  have  delivered  this  message  by  day ; 
but  he  meant  to  make  use  of  Samuel's  mistaking;  and  therefore 
so  speaks  that  Eli  may  be  asked  for  an  answer,  and  perceive  him- 
self both  omitted  and  censured.  He  that  meant  to  use  Samuel's 
voice  to  Eli  imitates  the  voice  of  Eli  to  Samuel.  Samuel  had  so 
accustomed  himself  to  obedience,  and  to  answer  the  call  of  Eli, 
that,  lying  in  the  further  cells  of  the  Levites,  he  is  easily  raised 
from  his  sleep ;  and  even  in  the  night  runs  for  his  message  to 
him  who  was  rather  to  receive  it  from  him.  Thrice  is  the  old 
man  disquieted  with  the  diligence  of  his  servant;  and  though 
visions  were  rare  in  his  days,  yet  is  he  not  so  unacquainted  with 
God  as  not  to  attribute  that  voice  to  him  which  himself  heard 
not:  wherefore,  like  a  better  tutor  than  a  parent,  he  teaches 
Samuel  what  he  shall  answer ;  Speak,  Lord,  for  thy  servant 
heareth. 

It  might  have  pleased  God  at  the  first  call  to  have  delivered 
his  message  to  Samuel,  not  expecting  the  answer  of  a  novice  un- 
seen in  the  visions  of  a  God ;  yet  doth  he  rather  defer  it  till  the 


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cont.  vii.  Eli  and  his  sons.  821 

fourth  summons,  and  will  not  speak  till  Samuel  confessed  his 
audience.  God  loves  ever  to  prepare  his  servants  for  his  employ- 
ments ;  and  will  not  commit  his  errands  but  to  those  whom  he 
hath  addressed  both  by  wonder  and  attention  and  humility. 

Eli  knew  well  the  gracious  fashion  of  God,  that  where  he 
tended  a  favour,  prorogation  could  be  no  hinderance ;  and  there- 
fore, after  the  call  of  God  thrice  answered  with  silence,  he  in- 
structs Samuel  to  be  ready  for  the  fourth.  If  Samuel's  silence 
had  been  wilful,  I  doubt  whether  he  had  been  again  solicited  5 
now  God  doth  both  pity  his  error  and  requite  his  diligence  by 
redoubling  his  name  at  the  last. 

Samuel  had  now  many  years  ministered  before  the  Lord,  but 
never  till  now  heard  his  voice,  and  now  hears  it  with  much  terror ; 
for  the  first  word  that  he  hears  God  speak  is  threatening,  and 
that  of  vengeance  to  his  master.  What  were  these  menaces  but 
so  many  premonitions  to  himself  that  should  succeed  Eli?  God 
begins  early  to  season  their  hearts  with  fear  whom  he  means  to 
make  eminent  instruments  of  his  glory.  It  is  his  mercy  to  make 
us  witnesses  of  the  judgments  of  others,  that  we  may  be  fore- 
warned ere  we  have  the  occasions  of  sinning. 

I  do  not  hear  God  bid  Samuel  deliver  his  message  to  Eli.  He 
that  was  but  now  made  a  prophet  knows  that  the  errands  of  God 
intend  not  silence,  and  that  God  would  not  have  spoken  to  him 
of  another  if  he  had  meant  the  news  should  be  reserved  to  him- 
self. Neither  yet  did  he  run  with  open  mouth  unto  Eli  to  tell 
him  this  vision  unasked :  no  wise  man  will  be  hasty  to  bring  ill 
tidings  to  the  great ;  rather  doth  he  stay  till  the  importunity  of 
his  master  should  wring  it  from  his  unwillingness ;  and  then,  as 
his  concealment  showed  his  love,  so  his  full  relation  shall  approve 
his  fidelity. 

If  the  heart  of  Eli  had  not  told  him  this  news  before  God  told 
it  Samuel,  he  had  never  been  so  instant  with  Samuel  not  to  con- 
ceal it;  his  conscience  did  well  presage  that  it  concerned  himself: 
guiltiness  needs  no  prophet  to  assure  it  of  punishment.  The  mind 
that  is  troubled  projecteth  terrible  things ;  and  though  it  cannot 
single  out  the  judgment  allotted  to  it,  yet  it  is  in  a  confused  ex- 
pectation of  some  grievous  evil.  Surely  Eli  could  not  think  it 
worse  than  it  was. 

The  sentence  was  fearful ;  and  such  as  I  wonder  the  neck  or 
the  heart  of  old  Eli  could  hold  out  the  report  of;  that  God 
6 wears  he  will  judge  Eli's  house,  and  that  with  beggary,  with 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  T 


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322  Eli  and  his  sons.  book  xi. 

death,  with  desolation,  and  that  the  wickedness  of  his  house  shall 
not  be  purged  with  sacrifice  or  offerings  for  ever :  and  yet  this, 
which  every  Israelite's  ear  should  tingle  to  hear  of  when  it  should 
be  done,  old  Eli  hears  with  an  unmoved  patience  and  humble  sub- 
mission :  It  is  the  Lord  ;  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him  good* 

O  admirable  faith,  and  more  than  human  constancy  and  reso- 
lution ;  worthy  of  the  aged  president  of  Shiloh ;  worthy  of  a 
heart  sacrificed  to  that  God  whose  justice  had  refused  to  expiate 
his  sin  by  sacrifice !  If  Eli  had  been  an  ill  father  to  his  sons,  yet 
he  is  a  good  son  to  God,  and  is  ready  to  kiss  the  very  rod  he 
shall  smart  withal.  "  It  is  the  Lord,  whom  I  have  ever  found 
holy  and  just  and  gracious ;  and  he  cannot  but  be  himself.  Let 
liim  do  what  seemeth  him  good ;  for  whatever  seemeth  good  to 
him  cannot  but  be  good,  howsoever  it  seems  to  me."  Every  man 
can  open  his  hand  to  God  while  he  blesses;  but  to  expose  our- 
selves willingly  to  the  afflicting  hand  of  our  Maker,  and  to  kneel 
to  him  while  he  scourges  us,  is  peculiar  only  to  the  faithful. 

If  ever  a  good  heart  could  have  freed  a  man  from  temporal 
punishments,  Eli  must  needs  have  escaped.  God's  anger  was 
appeased  by  his  humble  repentance,  but  his  justice  must  be  satis- 
fied :  Eli's  sin  and  his  sons'  was  in  the  eye  and  mouth  of  all 
Israel ;  his  therefore  should  have  been  much  wrongect  by  their 
impunity.  Who  would  not  have  made  these  spiritual  guides  an 
example  of  lawlessness,  and  have  said,  "  What  care  I  how  I  live, 
if  ElTs  sons  go  away  unpunished  ?" 

As  not  the  tears  of  Eli,  so  not  the  words  of  Samuel,  may  fall 
to  the  ground.  We  may  not  measure  the  displeasure  of  God  by 
his  stripes  :  many  times,  after  the  remission  of  the  sin,  the  very 
chastisements  of  the  Almighty  are  deadly.  No  repentance  can 
assure  us  that  we  shall  not  smart  with  outward  afflictions :  that  can 
prevent  the  eternal  displeasure  of  God,  but  still  it  may  be  neces- 
sary and  good  we  should  be  corrected.  Our  care  and  suit  must  be, 
that  the  evils  which  shall  not  be  averted  may  be  sanctified. 

If  the  prediction  of  these  evils  were  fearful,  what  shall  the  exe- 
cution be  ?  The  presumption  of  the  ill-taught  Israelites  shall  give 
occasion  to  this  judgment ;  for  being  smitten  before  the  Philis- 
tines, they  send  for  the  ark  into  the  field.  Who  gave  them 
authority  to  command  the  ark  of  God  at  their  pleasure  ?  Here 
was  no  consulting  with  the  ark  which  they  would  fetch ;  no  in- 
quiry of  Samuel  whether  they  should  fetch  it;  but  a  heady  reso- 
lution of  presumptuous  elders  to  force  God  into  the  field,  and  to 


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coxTr  vu.  Eli  and  his  sons.  328 

challenge  success.  If  God  were  not  with  the  ark,  why  did  they 
send  for  it,  and  rejoice  in  the  coming  of  it  ?  If  God  were  with  it, 
why  was  not  his  allowance  asked  that  it  should  come  ?  How  can 
the  people  be  good  where  the  priests  are  wicked  ? 

When  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  that  dwells 
between  the  cherubims  was  brought  into  the  host,  though  with 
mean  and  wicked  attendance,  Israel  doth,  as  it  were,  fill  the 
heaven  and  shake  the  earth  with  shouts ;  as  if  the  ark  and  vic- 
tory were  no  less  inseparable  than  they  and  their  sins.  Even 
the  lewdest  men  will  be  looking  for  favour  from  that  God  whom 
they  carad  not  to  displease,  contrary  to  the  conscience  of  their 
deservings.  Presumption  doth  the  same  in  wicked  men  which 
faith  doth  in  the  holiest.  Those  that  regarded  not  the  God  of 
the  ark,  think  themselves  safe  and  happy  in  the  ark  of  God: 
rain  men  are  transported  with  a  confidence  in  the  outside  of  reli- 
gion, not  regarding  the  substance  and  soul  of  it,  which  only  can 
give  them  true  peace. 

But  rather  than  God  will  humour  superstition  in  Israelites,  he 
will  suffer  his  own  ark  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  Philistines :  rather 
will  he  seem  to  slacken  his  hand  of  protection,  than  he  will  be 
thought  to  hare  his  hands  bound  by  a  formal  misconfidence.  The 
slaughter  of  the  Israelites  was  no  plague  to  this.  It  was  a  greater 
plague  rather  to  them  that  should  survive  and  behold  it. 

The  two  sons  of  Eli,  which  had  helped  to  corrupt  their  bre- 
thren, die  by  the  hands  of  the  uncircumcised ;  and  are  now  too 
late  separated  from  the  ark  of  God  by  Philistines,  which  should 
have  been  before  separated  by  their  father.  They  had  lived  for- 
merly to  bring  God's  altar  into  contempt,  and  now  live  to  carry 
his  ark  into  captivity ;  and  at  last,  as  those  that  had  made  up  the 
measure  of  their  wickedness,  are  slain  in  their  sin. 

Ill  news  doth  ever  either  run  or  fly.  The  man  of  Benjamin  which 
ran  from  the  host  hath  soon  filled  the  city  with  outcries,  and  Eli's 
ears  with  the  cry  of  the  city.  The  good  old  man,  after  ninety 
and  eight  years,  sits  in  the  gate,  as  one  that  never  thought  him- 
self too  aged  to  do  God  service ;  and  hears  the  news  of  Israel's 
discomfiture  and  his  sons'  death,  though  with  sorrow,  yet  with 
patience ;  but  when  the  messenger  tells  him  of  the  ark  of  God 
taken,  he  can  live  no  longer :  that  word  strikes  him  down  back- 
ward from  his  throne,  and  kills  him  in  the  fall :  no  sword  of  a 
Philistine  could  have  slain  him  more  painfully ;  neither  know  I 
whether  his  neck  or  his  heart  were  first  broken. 

Y  2 

Digitized  by  LjOOQIC 


82'h  Eli  and  his  sons.  book  xi. 

O  fearful  judgment,  that  ever  any  Israelite's  ear  could  tingle 
withal  I  The  ark  lost !  What  good  man  would  wish  to  live  with- 
out God?  Who  can  choose  but  think  he  hath  lived  too  long 
that  hath  overlived  the  testimonies  of  God's  presence  with  his 
Church? 

Tea,  the  very  daughter-in-law  of  Eh,  a  woman,  the  wife  of  a 
lewd  husband;  when  she  was  at  once  travailing  (upon  that  tid- 
ings), and  in  that  travail  dying  (to  make  up  the  full  sum  of  God's 
judgment  upon  that  wicked  house),  as  one  insensible  of  the  death 
of  her  father,  of  her  husband,  of  herself,  in  comparison  of  this 
loss,  calls  her  (then  unseasonable)  son  Ichabod ;  and  with  her  last 
breath  says,  Tlie  glory  is  departedfrom  Israel;  the  ark  is  taken. 
What  cares  she  for  a  posterity  which  should  want  the  ark  ?  What 
cares  she  for  a  son  come  into,  the  world  of  Israel  when  God  was 
gone  from  it?  And  how  willingly  doth  she  depart  from  them 
from  whom  God  was  departed  ?  Not  outward  magnificence,  not 
state,  not  wealth,  not  favour  of  the  mighty,  but  the  presence  of 
God  in  his  ordinances,  are  the  glory  of  Israel ;  the  subducing 
whereof  is  a  greater  judgment  than  destruction. 

0  Israel,  worse  now  than  no  people!  a  thousand  times  more 
miserable  than  Philistines :  those  pagans  went  away  triumphing 
with  the  ark  of  God,  and  victory;  and  leave  the  remnants  of  the 
chosen  people  to  lament  that  they  once  had  a  God* 

0  cruel  and  wicked  indulgence,  that  is  now  found  guilty  of 
the  death,  not  only  of  the  priests  and  people,  but  of  religion  I 
Unjust  mercy  can  never  end  in  less  than  blood;  and  it  were 
well  if  only  the  body  should  have  cause  to  complain  of  that  kind 
cruelty. 


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CONTEMPLATIONS 

UPON  THB 

PRINCIPAL  PASSAGES 

OF  THB 

HOLY    STORY. 


THE  FOURTH  VOLUME. 


BOOK    XII. 


TO  THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  MY  SINGULAR  GOOD  LORD, 

THE  LORD    HAY* 

BARON  OF  SALEY, 
ONE  OF  HIS  MAJESTY*S  MOST  HONOURABLE  PRIVY  COUNCIL. 

Right  Honourable, — Upon  how  just  reason  these  my  contemplations  go 
forth  bo  late  after  their  fellows,  it  were  needless  to  give  account  to  your  lord- 
ship, in  whose  train  I  had  the  honour  since  my  last  to  pass  both  the  sea  and 
the  Tweed b.  All  my  private  studies  have  gladly  vailed  to  the  public  services 
of  my  sovereign  Master.  No  sooner  could  I  recover  the  happiness  of  my  quiet 
thoughts,  than  I  renewed  this  my  divine  task ;  wherein  I  cannot  but  profess 
to  place  so  much  contentment  as  that  I  wish  not  any  other  measure  of  my  life 
than  it.  What  is  this,  other  than  the  exaltation  of  Isaac's  delight  to  walk 
forth  into  the  pleasant  fields  of  the  Scriptures,  and  to  meditate  of  nothing  un- 
der heaven  ?  Yea,  what  other  than  Jacob's  sweet  vision  of  angels  climbing  up 
and  down  that  sacred  ladder  which  God  hath  set  between  heaven  and  earth  ? 
Yea,  to  rise  yet  higher,  what  other  than  an  imitation  of  holy  Moses  in  his  con- 
versing with  God  himself  on  the  Horeb  of  both  Testaments  ?  And  if  I  may 
call  your  lordship  forth  a  little  from  your  great  affairs  of  court  and  state,  to 
bless  your  eyes  with  this  prospect,  how  happy  shall  you  confess  this  change 
of  objects !  and  how  unwillingly  shall  you  obtain  leave  of  your  thoughts  to 
return  unto  these  sublunary  employments ! 

Our  last  discourse  left  God's  ark  among  the  Philistines,  now  we  return  to 
see  what  it  doth  there,  and  to  fetch  it  thence :  wherein  your  lordship  shall  find 

»  [Sir  James  Hay,  created  1615  baron  of  Sawley  or  Saley,  afterwards  viscount 
Doncaster,  and  still  later  earl  of  Carlisle.] 

b  [The  bishop  attended  him  in  his  embassy  to  Paris,  and  accompanied  him  in 
attendance  upon  the  king  on  his  journey  into  Scotland,  16 16.] 


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326  The  ark  and  Dagon.  book  xii. 

the  revenges  of  God  never  bo  deadly  as  when  he  gives  most  way  unto  men; 
the  vain  confidence  of  wickedness  ending  in  a  late  repentance;  the  fearful 
plagues  of  a  presumptuous  sauciness  with  God  not  prevented  with  the  honesty 
of  good  intentions ;  the  mercy  of  God  accepting  the  services  of  an  humble 
faithfulness  in  a  meaner  dress.  From  thence  you  shall  see  the  dangerous  issue 
of  an  affected  innovation,  although  to  the  better;  the  errors  of  credulity  and 
blind  affection  in  the  holiest  governors  guilty  of  the  people's  discontentment ; 
the  stubborn  headiness  of  a  multitude  that  once  finds  the  reins  slack  in  their 
necks,  not  capable  of  any  pause  but  their  own  fall ;  the  untrusty  promises  of  a 
fair  outside,  and  a  plausible  entrance,  shutting  up  in  a  woful  disappointment. 
What  do  I  forestall  a  discourse  so  full  of  choice  ?  Your  lordship  shall  find 
every  line  useful,  and  shall  willingly  confess  that  the  story  of  God  can  make 
a  man  not  less  wise  than  good. 

Mine  humble  thankfulness  knows  not  how  to  express  itself  otherwise  than 
in  these  kind  of  presents,  and  in  my  hearty  prayers  for  the  increase  of  your 
honour  and  happiness,  which  shall  never  be  wanting  from 

Your  Lordship's  sincerely  and  thankfully  devoted, 

JOS.  HALL. 


THE  ARK  AND  DAGON— i  Samuel  v. 

If  men  did  not  mistake  God,  they  could  not  arise  to  such  height 
of  impiety.  The  acts  of  his  just  judgment  are  imputed  to  impo- 
tence :  that  God  would  send  his  ark  captive  to  the  Philistines  is 
so  construed  by  them  as  if  he  could  not  keep  it  The  wife  of 
Phineas  cried  out  that  glory  was  departed  from  Israel.  The  Phi- 
listines dare  say  in  triumph,  that  glory  is  departed  from  the  God 
of  Israel. 

The  ark  was  not  Israel's  but  God's :  this  victory  reaches  higher 
than  to  men.  Dagon  had  never  so  great  a  day,  so  many  sacrifices 
as  now  that  he  seems  to  take  the  God  of  Israel  prisoner :  where 
should  the  captive  be  bestowed  but  in  custody  of  the  victor  ?  It  is 
not  love  but  insultation  that  lodges  the  ark  close  beside  Dagon. 
What  a  spectacle  was  this,  to  see  uncircumcised  Philistines  laying 
their  profane  hands  upon  the  testimony  of  God's  presence !  to  see 
the  glorious  mercy-seat  under  the  roof  of  an  idol  I  to  see  the  two 
cherubims  spreading  their  wings  under  a  false  god ! 

O  the  deep  and  holy  wisdom  of  the  Almighty,  which  overreaches 
all  the  finite  conceits  of  his  creatures ;  who  while  he  seems  most 
to  neglect  himself  fetches  about  most  glory  to  his  own  name.  He 
winks  and  sits  still  on  purpose  to  see  what  men  would  do,  and  is 
content  to  suffer  indignity  from  his  creature  for  a  time,  that  he  may 


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cont.  i.  The  ark  and  Dagon.  827 

be  everlastingly  magnified  in  his  justice  and  power :  that  honour 
pleaseth  God  and  men  best  which  is  raised  out  of  contempt. 

The  ark  of  God  was  not  used  to  such  porters.  The  Philistines 
carry  it  unto  Ashdod,  that  the  victory  of  Dagon  may  be  more  glo- 
rious. What  pains  superstition  puts  men  unto  for  the  triumph  of 
a  false  cause !  And  if  profane  Philistines  can  think  it  no  toil  to 
carry  the  ark  where  they  should  not,  what  a  shame  is  it  for  us  if 
we  do  not  gladly  attend  it  where  we  should !  How  justly  may 
God's  truth  scorn  the  imparity  of  our  zeal ! 

If  the  Israelites  did  put  confidence  in  the  ark,  can  we  marvel 
that  the  Philistines  did  put  confidence  in  that  power  which,  aa 
they  thought,  had  conquered  the  ark  ?  The  less  is  ever  subject 
unto  the  greater :  what  could  they  now  think,  but  that  heaven 
and  earth  were  theirs  ?  Who  shall  stand  out  against  them,  when  the 
God  of  Israel  hath  yielded  ?  Security  and  presumption  attend 
ever  at  the  threshold  of  ruin. 

God  will  let  them  sleep  in  this  confidence;  in  the  morning 
they  shall  find  how  vainly  they  have  dreamed.  Now  they  begin 
to  find  they  have  but  gloried  in  their  own  plague,  and  overthrown 
nothing  but  their  own  peace.  Dagon  hath  a  house,  when  God 
hath  but  a  tabernacle :  it  is  no  measuring  of  religion  by  outward 
glory.  Into  this  house  the  proud  Philistines  come  the  next 
morning  to  congratulate  unto  their  god  so  great  a  captive,  such 
divine  spoils;  and  in  their  early  devotions  to  fall  down  before 
him  under  whom  the  God  of  Israel  was  fallen;  and  lo,  where 
they  find  their  god  fallen  down  on  the  ground  upon  his  face 
before  him  whom  they  thought  both  his  prisoner  and  theirs: 
their  god  is  forced  to  do  that  which  they  should  have  done  volun- 
tarily ;  although  God  cast  down  that  dumb  rival  of  his  for  scorn, 
not  for  adoration.  O  ye  foolish  Philistines,  could  ye  think  that 
the  same  house  could  hold  God  and  Dagon?  Could  ye  think  a 
senseless  stone  a  fit  companion  and  guardian  for  the  living  God  ? 
Had  ye  laid  your  Dagon  upon  his  face  prostrate  before  the  ark, 
yet  would  not  God  have  endured  the  indignity  of  such  a  lodging ; 
but  now  that  ye  presume  to  set  up  your  carved  stone  equal  to 
his  cherubims,  go  read  your  folly  in  the  floor  of  your  temple,  and 
know  that  he  which  cast  your  god  so  low  can  cast  you  lower. 

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

But  this  perhaps  was  only  a  mischance,  or  a  neglect  of  attend- 
ance ;  lay  to  your  hands,  O  ye  Philistines,  and  raise  up  Dagon 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


328  The  ark  and  Dagon.  book  xii, 

into  his  place.  It  is  a  miserable  God  that  needs  helping  up; 
had  ye  not  been  more  senseless  than  that  stone,  how  could  you 
choose  but  think,  "How  shall  he  raise  us  above  our  enemies, 
that  cannot  rise  alone  ?  How  shall  he  establish  us  in  the  station 
of  our  peace,  that  cannot  hold  his  own  foot  ?  If  Dagon  did  give 
the  foil  unto  the  God  of  Israel,  what  power  is  it  that  hath  cast 
him  upon  his  face  in  his  own  temple  ?"  It  is  just  with  God,  that 
those  which  want  grace  shall  want  wit  too :  it  is  the  power  of 
superstition  to  turn  men  into  those  stocks  and  stones  which  they 
worship :  They  that  make  them  are  like  unto  them. 

Doubtless,  this  first  fall  of  Dagon  was  kept  as  secret,  and  ex- 
cused as  well  as  it  might,  and  served  rather  for  astonishment  than 
conviction.  There  was  more  strangeness  than  horror  in  that 
accident ;  that  whereas  Dagon  had  wont  to  stand  and  the  Philis- 
tines fall  down,  now  Dagon  fell  down  and  the  Philistines  stood, 
and  must  become  the  patrons  of  their  own  god.  Their  god 
worships  them  upon  his  face,  and  craves  more  help  from  them 
than  ever  he  could  give :  but  if  their  sottishness  can  digest  this, 
all  is  well. 

Dagon  is  set  in  his  place ;  and  now  those  hands  are  lift  up  to 
him  which  helped  to  lift  him  up ;  and  those  faces  are  prostrate 
unto  him  before  whom  he  lay  prostrate.  Idolatry  and  supersti- 
tion are  not  easily  put  out  of  countenance ;  but  will  the  jealousy 
of  the  true  God  put  it  up  thus  ?  Shall  Dagon  escape  with  an  harm- 
less fall  i  Surely,  if  they  had  let  him  lie  still  upon  the  pavement, 
perhaps  that  insensible  statue  had  found  no  other  revenge;  but 
now  they  will  be  advancing  it  to  the  rood-loft  again,  and  affront 
God's  ark  with  it,  the  event  will  shame  them,  and  let  them  know 
how  much  God  scorns  a  partner  either  of  his  own  making  or 
theirs.  4    * 

The  morning  is  fittest  for  devotion;  then  do  the  Philistines 
flock  to  the  temple  of  their  god.  What  a  shame  is  it  for  us  to 
come  late  to  ours !  Although  not  so  much  piety  as  curiosity  did 
now  hasten  their  speed  to  see  what  rest  their  Dagon  was  allowed 
to  get  in  his  own  roof:  and  now,  behold,  their  kind  god  is  come  to 
meet  them  in  the  way :  some  pieces  of  him  salute  their  eyes  upon 
the  threshold.  Dagon's  head  and  hands  are  overrun  their  fellows, 
to  tell  the  Philistines  how  much  they  were  mistaken  in  their  god. 

This  second  fall  breaks  the  idol  in  pieces,  and  threats  the  same 
confusion  to  the  worshippers  of  it.  Easy  warnings  neglected  end 
ever  in  destruction. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  i.  The  ark  and  Dagon.  829 

The  head  is  for  devising,  the  hand  for  execution :  in  these  two 
powers  of  their  god  did  the  Philistines  chiefly  trust ;  these  are 
therefore  laid  under  their  feet,  upon  the  threshold,  that  they 
might  afar  off  see  their  vanity,  and  that,  if  they  would,  they 
might  set  their  foot  on  that  best  piece  of  their  god  whereon  their 
heart  was  set. 

There  was  nothing  wherein  that  idol  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  himself,  that  man 
might  see  what  an  unworthy  lump  he  had  matched  with  himself, 
and  set  up  above  himself.  The  just  quarrel  of  God  is  bent  upon 
those  means  and  that  parcel  which  have  dared  to  rob  him  of  his 
glory. 

How  can  the  Philistines  now  miss  the  sight  of  their  own  folly  ? 
How  can  they  be  but  enough  convicted  of  their  mad  idolatry,  to 
see  their  god  lie  broken  to  morsels  under  their  feet ;  every  piece 
whereof  proclaims  the  power  of  him  that  brake  it,  and  the  stu- 
pidity of  those  that  adored  it  ?  Who  would  expect  any  other  issue 
of  this  act,  but  to  hear  the  Philistines  say,  "  We  now  see  how 
superstition  hath  blinded  us :  Dagon  is  no  god  for  us :  our  hearts 
shall  never  more  rest  upon  a  broken  statue :  that  only  true  God, 
which  hath  beaten  ours,  shall  challenge  us  by  the  right  of  con- 
quest."— But  here  was  none  of  this ;  rather  a  further  degree  of 
their  dotage  follows  upon  this  palpable  conviction :  they  cannot 
yet  suspect  that  god  whose  head  they  may  trample  upon ;  but 
instead  of  hating  their  Dagon,  that  lay  broken  upon  their  thresh- 
old, 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  deity.  0  the  obstinacy  of  idolatry; 
which,  where  it  hath  got  hold  of  the  heart,  knows  neither  to 
blush  nor  yield,  but  rather  gathers  strength  from  that  which 
might  justly  confound  it ! 

The  hand  of  the  Almighty,  which  moved  them  not  in  falling 
upon  their  god,  falls  now  nearer  them  upon  their  persons,  and 
strikes  them  in  their  bodies,  which  would  not  feel  themselves 
stricken  in  their  idol.  Pain  shall  humble  them  whom  shame  can. 
not.  Those  which  had  entertained  the  secret  thoughts  of  abo- 
minable idolatry  within  them  are  now  plagued  in  the  inwardest 
•  and  most  secret  part  of  their  bodies  with  a  loathsome  disease,  and 
now  grow  weary  of  themselves  instead  of  their  idolatry. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


330  The  ark  and  Dagon.  book  xii. 

I  do  not  hear  them  acknowledge  it  was  God's  hand  which  had 
stricken  Dagon  their  god,  till  now  they  find  themselves  stricken. 
God's  judgments  are  the  rack  of  godless  men :  if  one  strain  make 
them  not  confess,  let  them  be  stretched  but  one  wrench  higher, 
and  they  cannot  be  silent.  The  just  avenger  of  sin  will  not  lose 
the  glory  of  his  executions,  but  will  have  men  know  from  whom 
they  smart. 

The  emerods  were  not  a  disease  beyond  the  compass  of  natural 
causes ;  neither  was  it  hard  for  the  wiser  sort  to  give  a  reason  of 
their  complaint ;  yet  they  ascribe  it  to  the  hand  of  God.  The 
knowledge  and  operation  of  secondary  causes  should  be  no  pre- 
judice to  the  first :  they  are  worse  than  the  Philistines,  who,  when 
they  see  the  means,  do  not  acknowledge  the  first  Mover ;  whose 
active  and  just  power  is  no  less  seen  in  employing  ordinary  agents 
than  in  raising  up  extraordinary ;  neither  doth  he  less  smite  by  a 
common  fever  than  a  revenging  angel. 

They  judge  right  of  the  cause ;  what  do  they  resolve  for  the 
cure  ?  Let  not  the  ark  of  the  God  of  Israel  abide  with  us ; 
where  they  should  have  said,  "  Let  us  cast  out  Dagon,  that  we 
may  pacify  and  retain  the  God  of  Israel/1  They  determine  to 
thrust  out  the  ark  of  God,  that  they  might  peaceably  enjoy  them- 
selves and  Dagon.  Wicked  men  are  upon  all  occasions  glad  to  be 
rid  of  God,  but  they  can  with  no  patience  endure  to  part  with 
their  sins ;  and  while  they  are  weary  of  the  hand  that  punisheth 
them,  they  hold  fast  the  cause  of  their  punishment. 

Their  first  and  only  care  is  to  put  away  him,  who,  as  he  hath 
corrected,  so  can  ease  them.  Folly  is  never  separated  from 
wickedness. 

Their  heart  told  them  that  they  had  no  right  to  the  ark.  A 
council  is  called  of  their  princes  and  priests.  If  they  had  resolved 
to  send  it  home,  they  had  done  wisely ;  now  they  do  not  carry  it 
away,  but  they  carry  it  about  from  Ebenezer  to  Ashdod,  from 
Ashdod  to  Gath,  from  Gath  to  Ekron.  Their  stomach  was  greater 
than  their  conscience.  The  ark  was  too  sore  for  them,  yet  it 
was  too  good  for  Israel ;  and  they  will  rather  die  than  make  Israel 
happy. 

Their  conceit,  that  the  change  of  air  could  appease  the  ark, 
God  useth  to  his  own  advantage ;  for  by  this  means  his  power  is 
known,  and  his  judgment  spread  over  all  the  country  of  the  Phi- 
listines. What  do  these  men  now,  but  send  the  plague  of  God  to 
their  fellows  ?  The  justice  of  God  can  make  the  sins  of  men  their 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  ii.  The  ark's  revenge  and  return.  331 

mutual  executioners.  It  is  the  fashion  of  wicked  men  to  draw  their 
neighbours  into  the  partnership  of  their  condemnation. 

Wheresoever  the  ark  goes,  there  is  destruction.  The  best  of 
God's  ordinances,  if  they  be  not  proper  to  us,  are  deadly.  The 
Israelites  did  not  more  shout  for  joy  when  they  saw  the  ark  come 
to  them,  than  the  Ekronites  cry  out  for  grief  to  see  it  brought 
amongst  them :  spiritual  things  are  either  sovereign  or  hurtful, 
according  to  the  disposition  of  the  receivers.  The  ark  doth  either 
save  or  kill,  as  it  is  entertained. 

At  last,  when  the  Philistines  are  well  weary  of  pain  and  death, 
they  are  glad  to  be  quit  of  their  sin :  the  voice  of  the  princes  and 
people  is  changed  to  the  better :  Send  away  the  ark  of  the  God 
of  Israel,  and  let  it  return  to  his  own  place.  God  knows  how  to 
bring  the  stubbornest  enemy  upon  his  knees ;  and  makes  him  do 
that  out  of  fear  which  his  best  child  would  do  out  of  love  and 
duty. 

How  miserable  was.  the  estate  of  these  Philistines !  Every  man 
was  either  dead  or  sick :  those  that  were  left  living,  through  their 
extremity  of  pain,  envied  the  dead ;  and  the  cry  of  their  whole 
cities  went  up  to  heaven.  It  is  happy  that  God  hath  such  store 
of  plagues  and  thunderbolts  for  the  wicked :  if  he  had  not  a  fire 
of  judgment,  wherewith  the  iron  hearts  of  men  might  be  made 
flexible,  he  would  want  obedience,  and  the  world  peace. 


THE  ARK'S  REVENGE  AND  RETURN.— i  Samuel  vi. 

It  had  wont  to  be  a  sure  rule,  "  Wheresoever  God  is  among 
men,  there  is  the  Church :"  here  only  it  failed.  The  testimony 
of  God's  presence  was  many  months  amongst  the  Philistines ;  for 
a  punishment  to  his  own  people  whom  he  left ;  for  a  curse  to 
those  foreigners  which  entertained  it. 

Israel  was  seven  months  without  God.  How  do  we  think  faith- 
ful Samuel  took  this  absence  ?  How  desolate  and  forlorn  did  the 
tabernacle  of  God  look  without  the  ark  I  There  were  still  the 
altars  of  God ;  his  priests,  Levites,  tables,  veils,  censers,  with  all 
their  legal  accoutrements.  These  without  the  ark  were  as  the  sun 
without  light  in  the  midst  of  an  eclipse.  If  all  these  had  been 
taken  away,  and  only  the  ark  had  been  remaining,  the  loss  had 
been  nothing  to  this,  that  the  ark  should  be  gone  and  they  left ; 
for  what  are  all  these  without  God,  and  how  all-sufficient  is  God 
without  these ! 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


882  The  ark's  revenge  and  return.  book  xii. 

There  are  times  wherein  God  withdraws  himself  from  his  Church, 
and  seems  to  leave  her  without  comfort,  without  protection.  Some- 
times we  shall  find  Israel  taken  from  the  ark ;  otherwhiles  the 
ark  is  taken  from  Israel :  in  either  there  is  a  separation  betwixt 
the  ark  and  Israel :  heavy  times  to  every  true  Israelite !  yet  such 
as  whose  example  may  relieve  us  in  our  desertions. 

Still  was  this  people  Israel :  the  seed  of  him  that  would  not  be 
left  of  God  without  a  blessing ;  and  therefore  without  the  testi- 
mony of  his  presence  was  God  present  with  them :  it  were  wide 
with  the  faithful  if  God  were  not  oftentimes  with  them  when  there 
is  no  witness  of  his  presence. 

One  act  was  a  mutual  penance  to  the  Israelites  and  Philistines ; 
I  know  not  to  whether  more.  Israel  grieved  for  the  loss  of  that 
whose  presence  grieved  the  Philistines ;  their  pain  was  therefore 
no  other  than  voluntary. 

It  is  strange  that  the  Philistines  would  endure  seven  months' 
smart  with  the  ark,  since  they  saw  that  the  presence  of  the  pri- 
soner would  not  requite,  no  nor  mitigate  to  them,  one  hour's  misery: 
foolish  men  will  be  struggling  with  God  till  they  be  utterly  either 
breathless  or  impotent.  Their  hope  was,  that  time  might  abate 
displeasure,  even  while  they  persisted  to  offend :  the  false  hopes 
of  worldly  men  cost  them  dear ;  they  could  not  be  so  miserable  if 
their  own  hearts  did  not  deceive  them  with  misexpectations  of  im- 
possible favour. 

In  matters  that  concern  a  God,  who  is  so  fit  to  be  consulted 
with  as  the  priests  ?  The  princes  of  the  Philistines  had  before 
given  their  voices;  yet  nothing  is  determined,  nothing  is  done, 
without  the  direction  and  assent  of  those  whom  they  accounted 
sacred.  Nature  itself  sends  us,  in  divine  things,  to  those  persons 
whose  calling  is  divine.  It  is  either  distrust,  or  presumption,  or 
contempt,  that  carries  us  our  own  ways  in  spiritual  matters,  with- 
out advising  with  them  whose  lips  God  hath  appointed  to  preserve 
knowledge.  There  cannot  but  arise  many  difficulties  in  us  about 
the  ark  of  God :  whom  should  we  consult  with  but  those  which 
have  the  tongue  of  the  learned  ?    - 

Doubtless  this  question  of  the  ark  did  abide  much  debating. 
There  wanted  not  fair  probabilities  on  both  sides.  A  wise  Phi- 
listine might  well  plead,  "  If  God  had  either  so  great  care  of  the 
ark,  or  power  to  retain  it,  how  is  it  become  ours  ?"  A  wiser  than 
he  would  reply,  "  If  the  God  of  Israel  had  wanted  either  care  or  - 
power,  Dagon  and  we  had  been  still  whole:  why  do  we  thus 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  iK  The  ark's  revenge  and  return.  383 

groan  and  die,  all  that  are  but  within  the  air  of  the  ark,  if  a 
divine  hand  do  not  attend  it?"  Their  smart  pleads  enough  for 
the  dismission  of  the  ark. 

The  next  demand  of  their  priest  and  soothsayers  is,  how  it 
should  be  sent  home.  Affliction  had  made  them  so  wise  as  to 
know,  that  every  fashion  of  parting  with  the  ark  would  not  sa- 
tisfy the  owner.  Oftentimes  the  circumstance  of  an  action  mars 
the  substance.  In  divine  matters  we  must  not  only  look  that  the 
body  of  our  service  be  sound,  but  that  the  clothes  be  fit. 

Nothing  hinders  but  that  sometimes  good  advice  may  fall  from 
the  mouth  of  wicked  men.  These  superstitious  priests  can  counsel 
them  not  to  send  away  the  ark  of  God  empty,  but  to  give  it  a  sin 
offering.  They  had  not  lived  so  far  from  the  smoke  of  the  Jewish 
altars,  but  that  they  knew  God  was  accustomed  to  manifold  obla- 
tions, and  chiefly  to  those  of  expiation.  No  Israelite  could  have 
said  better.  Superstition  is  the  ape  of  true  devotion,  and  if  we 
look  not  to  the  ground  of  both,  many  times  it  is  hard  by  the  very 
outward  acts  to  distinguish  them. 

Nature  itself  teacheth  us  that  God  loves  a  full  hand.  He  that 
hath  been  so  bountiful  to  us  as  to  give  us  all,  looks  for  a  return 
of  some  offering  from  us :  if  we  present  him  with  nothing  but  our 
sins,  how  can  we  look  to  be  accepted  ?  The  sacrifices  under  the 
gospel  are  spiritual ;  with  these  must  we  come  into  the  presence 
of  G  od,  if  we  desire  to  carry  away  remission  and  favour. 

The  Philistines  knew  well  that  it  were  bootless  for  them  to  offer 
what  they  listed :  their  next  suit  is  to  be  directed  in  the  matter  of 
their  oblation.  Pagans  can  teach  us  how  unsafe  it  is  to  walk  in  the 
ways  of  religion  without  a  guide ;  yet  here  their  best  teachers  can 
but  guess  at  their  duty,  and  must  devise  for  the  people  that  which 
the  people  durst  not  impose  upon  themselves :  the  golden  emerods 
and  mice  were  but  conjectural  prescripts:  with  what  security 
may  we  consult  with  them  which  have  their  directions  from  the 
mouth  and  hand  of  the  Almighty  I 

God  struck  the  Philistines  at  once  in  their  god,  in  their  bodies, 
in  their  land ;  in  their  god  by  his  ruining  and  dismembering,  in 
their  bodies  by  the  emerods,  in  their  land  by  the  mice  :  that  base 
vermin  did  God  send  among  them  on  purpose  to  shame  their 
Dagon  and  them,  that  they  might  see  how  unable  their  god  was 
(which  they  thought  the  victor  of  the  ark)  to  subdue  the  least  mouse 
which  the  true  God  did  create  and  command  to  plague  them. 

This  plague  upon  their  fields  began  together  with  that  upon 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


334  The  ark's  revenge  and  return.  book  xii. 

their  bodies  :  it  was  mentioned,  not  complained  of,  till  they  think 
of  dismissing  the  ark.  Greater  crosses  do  commonly  swallow  up 
the  less :  at  least  lesser  evils  are  either  silent  or  unheard,  while 
the  ear  is  filled  with  the  clamour  of  greater. 

Their  very  princes  were  punished  with  the  mice  as  well  as  with 
the  emerods :  God  knows  no  persons  in  the  execution  of  judg- 
ments :  the  least  and  meanest  of  all  God's  creatures  is  sufficient  to 
be  the  revenger  of  his  Creator. 

God  sent  them  mice  and  emerods  of  flesh  and  blood :  they  re- 
turn him  both  these  of  gold,  to  imply  both  that  these  judgments 
came  out  from  God,  and  that  they  did  gladly  give  him  the  glory 
of  that  whereof  he  gave  them  pain  and  sorrow,  and  that  they 
would  willingly  buy  off  their  pain  with  the  best  of  their  substance : 
the  proportion  betwixt  the  complaint  and  satisfaction  is  more 
precious  to  him  than  the  metal.  There  was  a  public  confession  in 
this  resemblance,  which  is  so  pleasing  unto  God,  that  he  rewards  it 
even  in  wicked  men  with  a  relaxation  of  outward  punishment. 

The  number  was  no  less  significant  than  the  form :  five  golden 
emerods  and  mice  for  the  five  princes  and  divisions  of  Philistines. 
As  God  made  no  difference  in  punishing,  so  they  make  none  in 
their  oblation :  the  people  are  comprised  in  them  in  whom  they 
are  united,  their  several  princes  :  they  were  one  with  their  prince, 
their  offering  is  one  with  his ;  as  they  were  ringleaders  in  their 
sin,  so  they  must  be  in  the  satisfaction.  In  a  multitude  it  is  ever 
seen,  as  in  a  beast,  that  the  body  follows  the  head.  Of  all  others 
great  men  had  need  to  look  to  their  ways,  it  is  in  them  as  in  figures, 
one  stands  for  a  thousand.  One  offering  serves  not  all,  there  must 
be  five,  according  to  the  five  heads  of  the  offence.  Generalities  will 
not  content  God ;  every  man  must  make  his  several  peace,  if  not 
in  himself,  yet  in  his  head.  Nature  taught  them  a  shadow  of  that, 
the  substance  and  perfection  whereof  is  taught  us  by  the  grace  of 
the  gospel.  Every  soul  must  satisfy  God,  if  not  in  itself,  yet  in 
him  in  whom  we  are  both  one  and  absolute.  We  are  the  body, 
whereof  Christ  is  the  head :  our  sin  is  in  ourselves,  our  satisfac- 
tion must  be  in  him. 

Samuel  himself  could  not  have  spoken  more  divinely  than  these 
priests  of  Dagon.  They  do  not  only  talk  of  giving  glory  to  the  God 
of  Israel,  but  fall  into  an  holy  and  grave  expostulation :  Wherefore 
then  should  ye  harden  your  hearts,  as  the  Egyptians  and  Pharaoh 
hardened  their  hearts,  when  he  wrought  wonderfully  amongst 
them  ?  &c.     They  confess  a  snpereminent  and  revenging  hand  of 


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cont.  ii.  The  arks  revenge  and  return.  335 

God  over  their  gods ;  they  parallel  their  plagues  with  the  Egypt- 
ian, they  make  use  of  Pharaoh's  sin  and  judgment ;  what  could  be 
better  said  ?  All  religions  hare  afforded  them  that  could  speak  well. 

These  good  words  left  them  still  both  Philistines  and  supersti- 
tious. How  should  men  be  hypocrites  if  they  had  not  good 
tongues?  yet  as  wickedness  can  hardly  hide  itself,  these  holy 
speeches  are  not  without  a  tincture  of  that  idolatry  wherewith  the 
heart  was  infected ;  for  they  profess  care,  not  only  of  the  persons 
and  lands  of  the  Philistines,  but  of  their  gods ;  That  he  may  take 
his  hand  from  you  and  from  your  gods.  Who  would  think  that 
wisdom  and  folly  could  lodge  so  near  together?  that  the  same 
men  should  have  care  both  of  the  glory  of  the  true  God  and  pre- 
servation of  the  false ;  that  they  should  be  so  vain  as  to  take 
thought  for  those  gods  which  they  granted  to  be  obnoxious  unto 
an  higher  Deity  ?  Ofttimes  even  one  word  bewrayeth  a  whole  pack 
of  falsehood ;  and  though  superstition  be  a  cleanly  counterfeit, 
yet  some  one  slip  of  the  tongue  discovers  it;  as  we  say  of  devils, 
which  though  they  put  on  fair  forms,  yet  are  they  known  by  their 
cloven  feet. 

What  other  warrant  these  superstitious  priests  had  for  the  main 
substance  of  their  advice,  I  know  not;  sure  I  am,  the  probability 
of  the  event  was  fair.  That  two  kino  never  used  to  any  yoke 
should  run  from  their  calves  which  were  newly  shut  up  from  them, 
to  draw  the  ark  home  into  a  contrary  way,  must  needs  argue  an 
hand  above  nature.  What  else  should  overrule  brute  creatures  to 
prefer  a  forced  carriage  unto  a  natural  burden?  what  should 
carry  them  from  their  own  home  towards  the  home  of  the  ark  ? 
what  else  should  guide  an  untamed  and  untaught  team  in  as  right 
a  path  towards  Israel  as  their  teachers  could  have  gone  ?  what 
else  could  make  very  beasts  more  wise  than  their  masters  ?  There 
is  a  special  providence  of  God  in  the  very  motions  of  brute  crea- 
tures. Neither  Philistines  nor  Israel  saw  aught  that  drove  them ; 
yet  they  saw  them  so  run  as  those  that  were  led  by  a  divine 
conduct.  The  reasonless  creatures  also  do  the  will  of  their  Maker : 
every  act  that  is  done  either  by  them  or  to  them  makes  up  the 
decree  of  the  Almighty ;  and  if  in  extraordinary  actions  and 
events  his  hand  is  more  visible,  yet  it  is  no  less  certainly  present 
in  the  common. 

Little  did  the  Israelites  of  Bethshemesh  look  for  such  a  sight 
while  they  were  reaping  their  wheat  in  the  valley,  as  to  see  the 
ark  of  God  come  running  to  them  without  a  convoy ;  neither  can 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


336  TJie  ark's  revenge  and  return.  book  xii. 

it  be  said  whether  they  were  more  affected  with  joy  or  with  asto- 
nishment ;  with  joy  at  the  presence  of  the  ark,  with  astonishment 
at  the  miracle  of  the  transportation.  Down  went  their  sickles, 
and  now  every  man  runs  to  reap  the  comfort  of  this  better  harvest, 
to  meet  that  bread  of  angels,  to  salute  those  cherubims,  to  welcome 
that  God  whose  absence  had  been  their  death ;  but  as  it  is  hard 
not  to  overjoy  in  a  sudden  prosperity,  and  to  use  happiness  is  no 
less  difficult  than  to  forbear  it,  these  glad  Israelites  cannot  see 
but  they  must  gaze ;  they  cannot  gaze  on  the  glorious  outside  but 
they  must  be  (whether  out  of  rude  jollity,  or  curiosity,  or  sus- 
picion of  the  purloining  some  of  those  sacred  implements)  prying 
into  the  secrets  of  God's  ark  :  nature  is  too  subject  to  extremities, 
and  is  ever  either  too  dull  in  want,  or  wanton  in  fruition.  It  is  no 
easy  matter  to  keep  a  mean,  whether  in  good  or  evil. 

Bethshemesh  was  a  city  of  priests:  they  should  have  known 
better  how  to  demean  themselves  towards  the  ark :  this  privilege 
doubled  their  offence.  There  was  no  malice  in  this  curious  inqui- 
sition :  the  same  eyes  that  looked  into  the  ark  looked  also  up  to 
heaven  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  could 
suspect  any  danger  ?  It  is  not  a  following  act  of  devotion  that  can 
make  amends  for  a  former  sin :  there  was  a  death  owing  them  im- 
mediately upon  their  offence  ;  God  will  take  his  own  time  for  the 
execution ;  in  the  meanwhile  they  may  sacrifice,  but  they  cannot 
satisfy,  they  cannot  escape. 

The  kine  are  sacrificed ;  the  cart  burns  them  that  drew  it :  here 
was  an  offering  of  praise  when  they  had  more  need  of  a  trespass 
offering :  many  a  heart  is  lifted  up  in  a  conceit  of  joy,  when  it 
hath  just  cause  of  humiliation. 

God  lets  them  alone  with  their  sacrifice,  but  when  that  is  done 
he  comes  over  them  with  a  back -reckoning  for  their  sin:  fifty 
thousand  and  seventy  Israelites  are  struck  dead  for  this  irreve- 
rence to  the  ark :  a  woful  welcome  for  the  ark  of  God  into  the 
borders  of  Israel.  It  killed  them  for  looking  into  it  who  thought 
in  their  life  to  see  it ;  it  dealt  blows  and  death  on  both  hands  ;  to 
Philistines,  to  Israelites ;  to  both  of  them  for  profaning  it,  the  one 
with  their  idol,  the  other  with  their  eyes.  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to 
use  the  holy  ordinances  of  God  with  an  irreverent  boldness.  Fear 
and  trembling  become  us  in  our  access  to  the  majesty  of  the 
Almighty. 


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cont.  in.  The  remove  of  the  ark.  337 

Neither  was  there  more  state  than  secrecy  in  God's  ark :  some 
things  the  wisdom  of  God  desires  to  conceal.  The  irreverence  of 
the  Israelites  was  no  more  faulty  than  their  curiosity ;  Secret 
things  to  God;  things  revealed  to  us  and  to  our  children. 


THE  REMOVE  OF  THE  ARK.— i  Samuel  vii. 

I  hear  of  the  Bethshemites'  lamentation,  I  hear  not  of  their  re- 
pentance :  they  complain  of  their  smart,  they  complain  not  of  their 
sin ;  and,  for  aught  I  can  perceive,  speak  as  if  God  were  curious 
rather  than  they  faulty :  Who  is  able  to  stand  before  this  holy 
Lord  God  t  and  to  whom  shall  he  go  from  us  ?  As  if  none  could 
please  that  God  which  misliked  them.  It  is  the  fashion  of  natural 
men  to  justify  themselves  in  their  own  courses ;  if  they  cannot 
charge  any  earthly  thing  with  the  blame  of  their  suffering,  they 
will  cast  it  upon  Heaven  :  that  a  man  pleads  himself  guilty  of  his 
own  wrong  is  no  common  work  of  God's  Spirit. 

Bethshemesh  bordered  too  near  upon  the  Philistines.  If  these 
men  thought  the  very  presence  of  the  ark  hurtful,  why  do  they 
send  to  their  neighbours  of  Kirjath-jearim,  that  they  might  make 
themselves  miserable?  Where  there  is  a  misconceit  of  God,  it  is  no 
marvel  if  there  be  a  defect  of  charity. 

How  cunningly  do  they  send  their  message  to  their  neigh- 
bours !  They  do  not  say,  "  The  ark  of  God  is  come  to  us  of  its 
own  accord/1  lest  the  men  of  Kirjath-jearim  should  reply,  "  It  is 
come  to  you,  let  it  stay  with  you:"  they  say  only,  "The  Philis- 
tines have  brought  it."  They  tell  of  the  presence  of  the  ark ; 
they  do  not  tell  of  the  success,  lest  the  example  of  their  judgment 
should  have  discouraged  the  forwardness  of  their  relief:  and, 
after  all,  the  offer  was  plausible ;  Gome  ye  down,  and  take  it  up 
to  you ;  as  if  the  honour  had  been  too  great  for  themselves ;  as  if 
their  modesty  had  been  such,  that  they  would  not  forestall  and 
engross  happiness  from  the  rest  of  Israel.  It  is  no  boot  to  teach 
nature  how  to  tell  her  own  tale:  smart  and  danger  will  make  a 
man  witty.  He  is  rarely  constant  that  will  not  dissemble  for  ease. 
It  is  good  to  be  suspicious  of  the  evasion  of  those  which  would  put 
off  misery. 

Those  of  Bethshemesh  were  not  more  crafty  than  these  of 
Kirjath-jearim  (which  was  the  ground  of  their  boldness)  faithful. 
So  many  thousand  Bethshemites  could  not  be  dead,  and  no  part 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  Z 


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338  The  remove  of  the  ark.  book  xii. 

of  the  rumour  fly  to  them :  they  heard  how  thick,  not  only  the 
Philistines,  but  the  bordering  Israelites,  fell  down  dead  before  the 
ark ;  yet  they  durst  adventure  to  come  and  fetch  it,  even  from 
amongst  the  carcasses  of  their  brethren. 

They  had  been  formerly  acquainted  with  the  ark ;  they  knew 
it  was  holy ;  it  could  not  be  changeable ;  and  therefore  they  well 
conceived  this  slaughter  to  arise  from  the  unholiness  of  men,  not 
from  the  rigour  of  God ;  and  thereupon  can  seek  comfort  in  that 
which  others  found  deadly :  God's  children  cannot  by  any  means 
be  discouraged  from  their  honour  and  love  to  his  ordinances :  if 
they  see  thousands  struck  down  to  hell  by  the  sceptre  of  God^s 
kingdom,  yet  they  will  kiss  it  upon  their  knees;  and  if  their 
Saviour  be  a  rock  of  offence,  and  the  occasion  of  the  fall  of  millions 
in  Israel,  they  can  love  him  no  less ;  they  can  warm  them  at  the 
fire  wherewith  they  see  others  burned ;  they  can  feed  temperately 
of  that  whereof  others  have  surfeited  to  death,  &c. 

Bethshemesh  was  a  city  of  priests  and  Levites :  Kirjath-jearim 
a  city  of  Judah,  where  we  hear  but  of  one  Levite,  Abinadab; 
yet  this  city  was  more  zealous  for  God,  more  reverent  and  con- 
scionable  in  the  entertainment  of  the  ark,  than  the  other.  We 
heard  of  the  taking  down  of  the  ark  by  the  Bethshemites  when 
it  came  miraculously  to  them ;  we  do  not  hear  of  any  man  sancti- 
fied for  the  attendance  of  it,  as  was  done  in  this  second  lodging 
of  the  ark  :  grace  is  not  tied  either  to  number  or  means.  It  is  in 
spiritual  matters  as  in  the  estate;  small  helps  with  good  thrift 
enrich  us,  when  great  patrimonies  lose  themselves  in  the  neglect. 

Shiloh  was  wont  to  be  the  place  which  was  honoured  with  the 
presence  of  the  ark.  Ever  since  the  wickedness  of  Eli's  sons,  that 
was  forlorn  and  desolate ;  and  now  Kirjath-jearim  succeeds  into 
this  privilege.  It  did  not  stand  with  the  royal  liberty  of  God, 
no  not  under  the  law,  to  tie  himself  unto  places  and  persons. 
Unworthiness  was  ever  a  sufficient  cause  of  exchange.  It  was  not 
yet  his  time  to  stir  from  the  Jews,  yet  he  removed  from  one  pro- 
vince to  another :  less  reason  have  we  to  think,  that  so  God  will 
reside  amongst  us,  that  none  of  our  provocations  can  drive  him 
from  us. 

Israel,  which  had  found  the  misery  of  God's  absence,  is  now 
resolved  into  tears  of  contrition  and  thankfulness  upon  his  return 
There  is  no  mention  of  their  lamenting  after  the  Lord  while  he 
was  gone;  but  when  he  was  returned,  and  settled  in  Kirjath- 
jearim.    The  mercies  of  God  draw  more  tears  from  his  children, 


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cont.  in.  The  remove  of t/te  ark.  839 

than  his  judgments  do  from  his  enemies.  There  is  no  better  sign 
of  good  nature  or  grace,  than  to  be  won  to  repentance  with 
kindness.  Not  to  think  of  God,  except  we  be  beaten  unto  it,  is 
servile :  because  God  was  come  again  to  Israel,  therefore  Israel  is 
returned  to  God:  if  God  had  not  come  first,  they  had  never 
come :  if  he  that  came  to  them  had  not  made  them  come  to  him, 
they  had  been  ever  parted.  They  were  cloyed  with  God  while  he 
was  perpetually  resident  with  them;  now  that  his  absence  had 
made  him  dainty,  they  cleave  to  him  fervently  and  penitently  in 
his  return :  this  was  it  that  God  meant  in  his  departure,  a  better 
welcome  at  his  coming  back. 

I  heard  no  news  of  Samuel  all  this  while  the  ark  was  gone ; 
now  when  the  ark  is  returned  and  placed  in  Kirjath-jearim,  I 
hear  him  treat  with  the  people.  It  is  not  like  he  was  silent  in 
this  sad  desertion  of  God ;  but  now  he  takes  full  advantage  of  the 
•professed  contrition  of  Israel,  to  deal  with  them  effectually,  for 
their  perfect  conversion  unto  God.  It  is  great  wisdom  in  spiritual 
matters,  to  take  occasion  by  the  forelock,  and  to  strike  while  the 
iron  is  hot :  we  may  beat  long  enough  at  the  door,  but  till  God 
have  opened,  it  is  no  going  in ;  and  when  he  hath  opened,  it  is  no 
delaying  to  enter. 

The  trial  of  sincerity  is  the  abandoning  of  our  wonted  sins. 
This  Samuel  urgeth ;  If  ye  be  come  again  unto  the  Lord  with  all 
your  heart,  put  away  the  strange  gods  from  among  you,  and 
Ashtaroth.  In  vain  had  it  been  to  profess  repentance,  whilst  they 
continued  in  idolatry.  God  will  never  acknowledge  any  convert 
that  stays  in  a  known  sin.  Graces  and  virtues  are  so  linked 
together,  that  he  which  hath  one  hath  all ;  the  partial  conversion  of 
men  unto  God  is  but  hateful  hypocrisy. 

How  happily  effectual  is  atword  spoken  in  season!  Samuel's 
exhortation  wrought  upon  the  hearts  of  Israel,  and  fetched  water 
out  of  their  eyes,  suits  and  confessions  and  vows  out  of  their  lips, 
and  their  false  gods  out  of  their  hands ;  yet  it  was  not  merely 
remorse,  but  fear  also,  that  moved  Israel  to  this  humble  sub- 
mission. 

The  Philistines  stood  over  them  still,  and  threatened  them 
with  new  assaults ;  the  memory  of  their  late  slaughter  and  spoil 
was  yet  fresh  in  their  minds :  sorrow  for  the  evils  past,  and  fear 
of  the  future,  fetched  them  down  upon  their  knees.  It  is  not 
more  necessary  for  men  to  be  cheered  with  hopes,  than  to  be 
awed  with  dangers;  where  God  intends  the  humiliation  of  his 

Z  2 

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840  The  remove  of  the  ark.  book  mi. 

servants,  there  shall  not  want  means  of  their  dejection :  it  was 
happy  for  Israel  that  they  had  an  enemy. 

Is  it  possible  that  the  Philistines,  after  those  deadly  plagues 
which  they  had  sustained  from  the  God  of  Israel,  should  think  of 
invading  Israel  ?  Those  that  were  so  mated  with  the  presence  of  the 
ark,  that  they  never  thought  themselves  safe  till  it  was  out  of  sight, 
do  they  now  dare  to  thrust  themselves  on  the  new  revenge  of 
the  ark  ?  It  slew  them  while  they  thought  to  honour  it,  and  do 
they  think  to  escape  while  they  resist  it  f  It  slew  them  in  then- 
own  ooasts,  and  do  they  come  to  it  to  seek  death  ?  Tet  behold,  no 
sooner  do  the  Philistines  hear  that  the  Israelites  are  gathered  to 
Mizpeh,  but  the  princes  of  the  Philistines  gather  themselves  against 
them.  No  warnings  will  serve  obdurate  hearts.  Wicked  men  are 
even  ambitious  of  destruction :  judgments  need  not  to  go  find 
them  out ;  they  run  to  meet  their  bane. 

The  Philistines  come  up,  and  the  Israelites  fear :  they  that  had- 
not  the  wit  to  fear  whilst  they  were  not  friends  with  God,  have 
not  now  the  grace  of  fearlessness  when  they  were  reconciled  to 
God:  boldness  and  fear  are  commonly  misplaced  in  the  best 
hearts :  when  we  should  tremble  we  are  confident,  and  when  we 
should  be  assured  we  tremble.  Why  should  Israel  have  feared, 
since  they  had  made  their  peace  with  the  God  of  hosts  ?  Nothing 
should  affright  those  which  are  upright  with  God. 

The  peace  which  Israel  had  made  with  God  was  true,  but  ten- 
der. They  durst  not  trust  their  own  innocency  so  much  as  the 
prayers  of  Samuel ;  Cease  not  to  cry  to  the  Lord  our  God  for  us. 
In  temporal  things,  nothing  hinders  but  we  may  fare  better  for 
other  men's  faith  than  for  our  own.  It  is  no  small  happiness  to  be 
interested  in  them  which  are  favourites  in  the  court  of  heaven : 
one  faithful  man  in  these  occasions  is  more  worth  than  millions  of 
the  wavering  and  uncertain. 

A  good  heart  is  easily  won  to  devotion.  Samuel  cries  and  sa- 
crificeth  to  God :  he  had  done  so,  though  they  had  entreated  his 
silence,  yea  his  forbearance.  While  he  is  offering,  the  Philistines 
fight  with  Israel,  and  God  fights  with  the  Philistines ;  The  Lord 
thundered  with  a  great  thunder  that  day  upon  the  Philistines, 
and  scattered  them.  Samuel  fought  more  upon  his  knees  than  all 
Israel  besides.  The  voice  of  God  answered  the  voice  of  Samuel, 
and  speaks  confusion  and  death  to  the  Philistines.  How  were  the 
proud  Philistines  dead  with  fear  ere  they  died,  to  hear  the  fearful 
thunderclaps  of  an  angry  God  against  them !  to  see  that  heaven 


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cont.  iv.  The  meeting  of  Sard  and  Samuel.  341 

itself  fought  against  them !  He  that  slew  them  secretly  in  the  re- 
venges of  his  ark,  now  kills  them  with  open  horror  in  the  fields. 
If  presumption  did  not  make  wicked  men  mad,  they  would  never 
lift  their  hand  against  the  Almighty :  what  are  they  in  his  hands 
nhen  he  is  disposed  to  vengeance. 


THE  MEETING  OP  SAUL  AND  SAMUEL.— i  Samuel  ix. 

Samuel  began  his  acquaintance  with  God  early,  and  continued 
it  long :  he  began  it  in  his  long  coats,  and  continued  to  his  gray 
hairs.  He  judged  Israel  all  the  days  of  his  life.  God  doth  not 
use  to  cast  off  his  old  servants,  their  age  endeareth  them  to  him 
the  more :  if  we  be  not  unfaithful  to  him,  he  cannot  be  unconstant 
to  us. 

At  last  his  decayed  age  met  with  ill  partners,  his  sons  for  de- 
puties, and  Saul  for  a  king.  The  wickedness  of  his  sons  gave  the 
occasion  of  a  change  :  perhaps  Israel  had  never  thought  of  a  king, 
if  SamueFs  sons  had  not  been  unlike  their  father :  who  can  pro- 
mise himself  holy  children,  when  the  loins  of  a  Samuel  and  the 
education  in  the  temple  yielded  monsters  ?  It  is  not  likely  that  good 
Samuel  was  faulty  in  that  indulgence  for  which  his  own  mouth 
had  denounced  God's  judgments  against  Eli :  yet  this  holy  man 
succeeds  Eli  in  his  cross  as  well  as  his  place,  though  not  in  his  sin ; 
and  is  afflicted  with  a  wicked  succession :  God  will  let  us  find  that 
grace  is  by  gift,  not  by  inheritance. 

I  fear  Samuel  was  too  partial  to  nature  in  the  surrogation  of  his 
sons.  I  do  not  hear  of  God's  allowance  to  this  act.  If  this  had 
been  God's  choice  as  well  as  his,  it  had  been  like  to  have  received 
more  blessing.  Now  all  Israel  had  cause  to  rue  that  these  were 
the  sons  of  Samuel ;  for  now  the  question  was  not  of  their  virtues, 
but  of  their  blood ;  not  of  their  worthiness,  but  their  birth :  even 
the  best  heart  may  be  blinded  with  affection.  Who  can  marvel  at 
these  errors  of  parents'  love,  when  he  that  so  holily  judged  Israel 
all  his  life  misjudged  of  his  own  sons  ? 

It  was  God's  ancient  purpose  to  raise  up  a  king  to  his  people : 
how  doth  he  take  occasion  to  perform  it,  but  by  the  unruly  desires  of 
Israel  ?  Even  as  we  say  of  human  proceedings,  that  ill  manners 
beget  good  laws.  That  monarchy  is  the  best  form  of  government 
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  go- 
vernors, than  for  a  change  of  government?    Were  Samuel's  sons 


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342  The  meeting  of  Saul  and  Samuel.  book  xii. 

so  desperately  evil  that  there  was  no  possibility  of  amendment  ? 
or  if  they  were  past  hope,  were  there  not  some  others  to  have 
succeeded  the  justice  of  Samuel,  no  less  than  these  did  his  person  ? 
What  needed  Samuel  to  be  thrust  out  of  place  ?  What  needed  the 
ancient  form  of  administration  to  be  altered  ?  He  that  raised  up 
their  judges  would  have  found  time  to  raise  them  up  kings  :  their 
curious  and  inconstant  newfangleness  will  Hot  abide  to  stay  it, 
but  with  a  heady  importunity  labours  to  overhasten  the  pace  of 
God.  Where  there  is  a  settled  course  of  good  government,  how- 
soever blemished  with  some  weaknesses,  it  is  not  safe  to  be  over- 
forward  to  a  change,  though  it  should  be  to  the  better.  He  by 
whom  kings  reign  says,  They  have  cast  him  away  that  he  should 
not  reign  over  them,  because  they  desire  a  king  to  reign  over 
them.  Judges  were  his  own  institution  to  his  people,  as  yet  kings 
were  not :  after  that  kings  were  settled,  to  desire  the  government 
of  judges  had  been  a  much  more  seditious  inconstancy.  God  hath 
not  appointed  to  every  time  and  place  those  forms  which  are  simply 
best  in  themselves,  but  those  which  are  best  to  them  unto  whom 
they  are  appointed ;  which  we  may  neither  alter  till  he  begin,  nor 
recall  when  he  hath  altered. 

This  business  seemed  personally  to  concern  Samuel ;  yet  he  so 
deals  in  it,  not  as  a  party,  not  as  a  judge  in  his  own  case,  but  as  a 
prophet  of  God,  as  a  friend  of  his  opposite :  he  prays  to  God  for 
advice,  he  foretells  the  state  and  courses  of  their  future  king. 
Wilful  men  are  blind  to  all  dangers,  are  deaf  to  all  good  counsels. 
Israel  must  have  a  king,  though  they  pay  never  so  dear  for  their 
longing.  The  vain  affectation  of  conformity  to  other  nations  over- 
comes all  discouragements :  there  is  no  readier  way  to  error,  than 
to  make  others'  examples  the  rule  of  our  desires  or  actions.  If 
every  man  have  not  grounds  of  his  own  whereon  to  stand,  there 
can  be  no  stability  in  his  resolutions  or  proceedings. 

Since  then  they  choose  to  have  a  king,  God  himself  will  choose 
and  appoint  the  king  which  they  shall  have.  The  kingdom  shall 
begin  in  Benjamin,  which  was  to  endure  in  Judah.  It  was  no  pro- 
bability or  reason  this  first  king  should  prove  well,  because  he 
was  abortive :  their  humour  of  innovation  deserved  to  be  punished 
with  their  own  choice.  Kish,  the  father  of  Saul,  was  mighty  in 
estate ;  Saul  was  mighty  in  person,  overlooking  the  rest  of  the 
people  in  stature  no  less  than  he  should  do  in  dignity.  The  senses 
of  the  Israelites  could  not  but  be  well  pleased  for  the  time,  how- 
soever their  hearts  were  afterwards :  when  men  are  carried  with 
outward  shows,  it  is  a  sign  that  God  means  them  a  delusion. 

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cont.  iv.  The  meeting  of  Saul  and  Samuel.  343 

How  far  God  fetches  his  purposes  about !  The  asses  of  Kish, 
Saul's  father,  are  strayed  away :  what  is  that  to  the  news  of  a 
kingdom  1  God  lays  these  small  accidents  for  the  ground  of  greater 
designs :  the  asses  must  be  lost,  none  but  Saul  must  go  with  his 
father's  servant  to  seek  them,  Samuel  shall  meet  them  in  the 
search,  Saul  shall  be  premonished  of  his  ensuing  royalty :  little 
can  we,  by  the  beginning  of  any  action,  guess  at  God's  intention 
in  the  conclusion. 

Obedience  was  a  fit  entrance  into  sovereignty  :  the  service  was 
homely  for  the  son  of  a  great  man,  yet  he  refuseth  not  to  go  as  a 
fellow  to  his  father's  servant  upon  so  mean  a  search  :  the  disobe- 
dient and  scornful  are  good  for  nothing,  they  are  neither  fit  to  be 
subjects  nor  governors. 

Kish  was  a  great  man  in  his  country,  yet  he  disdaincth  not  to 
send  his  son  Saul  upon  a  thrifty  errand,  neither  doth  Saul  plead 
his  disparagement  for  a  refusal.  Pride  and  wantonness  have  marred 
our  times :  great  parents  count  it  a  disreputation  to  employ  their 
sons  in  courses  of  frugality  ;  and  their  pampered  children  think  it 
a  shame  to  do  any  thing,  and  so  bear  themselves  as  those  that  hold 
it  the  only  glory  to  be  either  idle  or  wicked. 

Neither  doth  Saul  go  fashionably  to  work,  but  does  this  service 
heartily  and  painfully,  as  a  man  that  desires  rather  to  effect  the 
command  than  please  the  commander ;  he  passed  from  Ephraim 
to  the  land  of  Shalisha,  from  Shalisha  to  Salim,  from  Salim  to 
Jemini a,  whence  his  house  came,  from  Jemini  to  Zuph,  not  so  much 
as  staying  with  any  of  his  kindred  so  long  as  to  victual  himself: 
he  that  was  afterward  an  ill  king  approved  himself  a  good  son. 
As  there  is  diversity  of  relations  and  offices,  so  there  is  of  dis- 
positions ;  those  which  are  excellent  in  some  attain  not  to  a  me- 
diocrity in  other.  It  is  no  arguing  from  private  virtues  to  public, 
from  dexterity  in  one  station  to  the  rest :  a  several  grace  belongs 
to  the  particular  carriage  of  every  place  whereto  we  are  called, 
which  if  we  want,  the  place  may  well  want  us. 

There  was  more  praise  of  his  obedience  in  ceasing  to  seek  than 
in  seeking :  he  takes  care,  lest  his  father  should  take  care  for  him, 
that  whilst  he  should  seem  officious  in  the  less,  he  might  not  neg- 
lect the  greatest.  A  blind  obedience  in  some  cases  doth  well, 
but  it  doth  far  better  when  it  is  led  with  the  eyes  of  discretion  ; 
otherwise  we  may  more  offend  in  pleasing  than  in  disobeying. 

a  [T9>  Jemini,  Eng.  Vers.  Benjamites,  i  Samuel  iz.  4.] 


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344  The  meeting  of  Said  and  Samuel.  book  xii. 

Great  is  the  benefit  of  a  wise  and  religious  attendant :  such  an 
one  puts  us  into  those  duties  and  actions  which  are  most  expedient 
and  least  thought  of.  If  Saul  had  not  had  a  discreet  servant,  he 
bad  returned  but  as  wise  as  he  came ;  now  he  is  drawn  in  to  con- 
salt  with  the  man  of  God,  and  hears  more  than  he  hoped  for. 
Saul  was  now  a  sufficient  journey  from  his  father's  house,  yet  his 
religious  servant  in  this  remoteness  takes  knowledge  of  the  place 
where  the  prophet  dwells,  and  how  honourably  doth  he  mention 
him  to  his  master !  Behold,  in  this  city  is  a  man  of  God,  and  he 
is  an  honourable  man;  all  that  he  saith  cometh  to  pass.  God's 
prophets  are  public  persons;  as  their  function,  so  their  notice 
concerns  every  man.  There  is  no  reason  God  should  abate  any 
of  the  respect  due  to  his  ministers  under  the  gospel :  St.  Paul's 
suit  is  both  universal  and  everlasting ;  J  beseech  you,  brethren, 
know  them  that  labour  amongst  you. 

The  chief  praise  is  to  be  able  to  give  good  advice ;  the  next  is, 
to  take  it.  Saul  is  easily  induced  to  condescend ;  he  whose  cu- 
riosity led  him  voluntarily  at  last  to  the  witch  of  Endor  is  now 
led  at  first  by  good  counsel  to  the  man  of  God. 

Neither  is  his  care  in  going  less  commendable  than  his  will  to 
go ;  for  as  a  man  that  had  been  catechised  not  to  go  unto  God 
empty-handed,  he  asks,  What  shall  we  bring  unto  the  man? 
What  have  we.9  The  case  is  well  altered  in  our  times;  every 
man  thinks,  "What  may  I  keep  back?"  There  is  no  gain  so 
sweet  as  of  a  robbed  altar;  yet  God's  charge  is  no  less  under  the 
gospel,  Let  him  that  is  taught  make  his  teacher  partaker  of  all. 
As  this  faithful  care  of  Saul  was  a  just  presage  of  success,  more 
than  he  looked  for  or  coald  expect ;  so  the  sacrilegious  unthank- 
fulness  of  many  bodes  that  ruin  to  their  soul  and  estate  which 
they  could  not  have  grace  to  fear. 

He  that  knew  the  prophet's  abode  knew  also  the  honour  of  his 
place.  He  could  not  but  know  that  Samuel  was  a  mixed  person ; 
the  judge  of  Israel,  and  the  seer ;  yet  both  Saul  and  his  servant 
purpose  to  present  him  with  the  fourth  part  of  a  shekel,  to  the 
value  of  about  our  fivepence.  They  had  learned  that  thankfulness 
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  servants  when  he  sees  them  proceed  from 
great  love ! 

The  very  maids  of  the  city  can  give  direction  to  the  prophet : 
they  had  listened  after  the  holy  affairs,  they  had  heard  of  the 


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cont.  iv.  The  meeting  of  Saul  and  Samuel.  845 

sacrifice,  and  could  tell  of  the  necessity  of  Samuel's  presence: 
those  that  live  within  the  sunshine  of  religion  cannot  but  be  some- 
what coloured  with  those  beams :  where  there  is  practice  and  ex- 
ample of  piety  in  the  better  sort,  there  will  be  a  reflection  of  it 
upon  the  meanest :  it  is  no  small  benefit  to  live  in  religious  and 
holy  places ;  we  shall  be  much  to  blame  if  all  goodness  fall  beside 
us.  Yea  so  skilful  were  these  damsels  in  the  fashions  of  their 
public  sacrifices,  that  they  could  instruct  Saul  and  his  servant, 
unasked,  how  the  people  would  not  eat  till  Samuel  came  to  bless 
the  sacrifice. 

This  meeting  was  not  more  a  sacrifice  than  it  was  a  feast: 
these  two  agree  well :  we  have  never  so  much  cause  to  rejoice  in 
feasting  as  when  we  have  duly  served  our  God.  The  sacrifice 
was  a  feast  to  God,  the  other  to  men;  the  body  may  eat  and 
drink  with  contentment  when  the  soul  hath  been  first  fed,  and 
hath  first  feasted  the  Maker  of  both  ;  Oo  eat  thy  bread  with  joy, 
and  drink  thy  drink  with  a  merry  heart,  for  God  now  accepteth 
thy  works. 

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  meat  holy  to  the  guests  which  was  for- 
merly hallowed  to  God.  -All  creatures  were  made  good,  and  took 
holiness  from  him  which  gave  them  their  being :  our  sin  brought 
that  curse  upon  them,  which,  unless  our  prayers  remove  it,  cleaves 
to  them  still,  so  as  we  receive  them  not  without  a  curse.  We  are 
not  our  own  friends,  except  our  prayers  help  to  take  that  away 
which  our  sin  hath  brought,  that  so  to  the  clean  all  may  be  clean : 
it  is  an  unmannerly  godlessness  to  take  God's  creatures  without 
the  leave  of  their  Maker ;  and  well  may  God  withhold  his  blessing 
from  them  which  have  not  the  grace  to  ask  it. 

Those  guests  which  were  so  religious  that  they  would  not  eat 
their  sacrifice  unblessed  might  have  blessed  it  themselves :  every 
man  might  pray,  though  every  man  might  not  sacrifice;  yet 
would  they  not  either  eat  or  bless  while  they  looked  for  the  pre- 
sence of  a  prophet.  Every  Christian  may  sanctify  his  own  meat, 
but  where  those  are  present  that  are  peculiarly  sanctified  to  God 
this  service  is  fittest  for  them.  It  is  commendable  to  teach  chil- 
dren the  practice  of  thanksgiving ;  but  the  best  is  ever  most  meet 
to  bless  our  tables,  and  those  especially  whose  office  it  is  to  offer 
our  prayers  to  God. 

Little  did  Saul  think  that  his  coming  and  his  errand  was  so 


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346  The  meeting  of  Saul  and  Samuel.  book  xii. 

noted  of  God  as  that  it  was  foresignified  unto  the  prophet ;  and 
now,  behold,  Samuel  is  told  a  day  before  of  the  man,  time,  and 
place  of  his  meeting.  The  eye  of  God's  providence  is  no  less  over 
all  our  actions,  all  our  motions.  We  cannot  go  any  whither  with- 
out him  ;  he  tells  all  our  steps  :  since  it  pleaseth  God  therefore  to 
take  notice  of  us,  much  more  should  we  take  notice  of  him,  and 
walk  with  him  in  whom  we  move ! 

Saul  came  beside  his  expectation  to  the  prophet:  he  had  no 
thought  of  any  such  purpose  till  his  servant  made  this  sudden  mo- 
tion unto  him  of  visiting  Samuel,  and  yet  God  says  to  his  prophet, 
I  will  send  thee  a  man  out  of  the  land  of  Benjamin.  The  over- 
ruling hand  of  the  Almighty  works  us  insensibly  and  all  our  af- 
fairs to  his  own  secret  determinations ;  so  as  while  we  think  to  do 
our  own  wills  we  do  his.  Our  own  intentions  we  may  know; 
God's  purposes  we  know  not :  we  must  go  the  way  that  we  are 
called,  let  him  lead  us  to  what  end  he  pleaseth :  it  is  our  duty  to 
resign  ourselves  and  our  ways  to  the  disposition  of  God,  and  pa- 
tiently and  thankfully  to  await  the  issue  of  his  decrees. 

The  same  God  that  foreshowed  Saul  to  Samuel  now  points  to 
him,  See,  this  is  the  man ;  and  commands  the  prophet  to  anoint 
him  governor  over  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  chooscth  him  out,  and  enjoins  his  inunction.  It 
is  one  of  the  greatest  praises  of  God's  wisdom  that  he  can  turn 
the  evil  of  men  to  his  own  glory.  Advancement  is  not  ever  a 
sign  of  love  either  to  the  man  or  to  the  place.  It  had  been  better 
for  Saul  that  his  head  had  been  ever  dry  :  some,  God  raiseth  up 
in  judgment,  that  they  may  fall  the  more  uneasily :  there  are  no 
men  so  miserable  as  those  that  are  great  and  evil.  > 

It  seems  that  Samuel  bore  no  great  part  in  his  outside,  for  that 
Saul,  not  discerning  him  either  by  his  habit  or  attendants,  comes 
to  him,  and  asks  him  for  the  seer ;  yet  was  Samuel  as  yet  the 
judge  of  Israel :  the  substitution  of  his  sons  had  not  displaced 
himself.  There  is  an  affable  familiarity  that  becometh  greatness ; 
it  is  not  good  for  eminent  persons  to  stand  always  upon  the  height 
of  their  state,  but  so  to  behave  themselves,  that,  as  their  sociable 
carriage  may  not  breed  contempt,  so  their  over-highness  may  not 
breed  a  servile  fearfulness  in  their  people. 

How  kindly  doth  Samuel  entertain  and  invite  Saul !  Tet  it  was 
he  only  that  should  receive  wrong  by  the  future  royalty  of  Saul. 
Who  would  not  have  looked  that  aged  Samuel  should  have  emu- 


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cont.  iv.  The  meeting  of  Saul  and  Samuel.  847 

lated  rather  the  glory  of  his  young  rival,  and  have  looked  churl- 
ishly upon  the  man  that  should  rob  him  of  his  authority  ?  Yet 
now,  as  if  he  came  on  purpose  to  gratify  him,  he  bids  him  to  the 
feast,  he  honours  him  with  the  chief  seat,  he  reserves  a  select 
morsel  for  him,  he  tells  him  ingenuously  the  news  of  his  ensuing 
sovereignty  ;  On  whom  is  set  the  desire  of  all  Israel?  Is  it  not 
upon  thee  and  thy  fathers  house  ?  Wise  and  holy  men,  as  they 
are  not  ambitious  of  their  own  burden,  so  they  are  not  unwilling 
to  be  eased  when  God  pleaseth  to  discharge  them;  neither  can 
they  envy  those  whom  God  lifteth  above  their  heads :  they  make 
an  idol  of  honour  that  are  troubled  with  their  own  freedom,  or 
grudge  at  the  promotion  of  others. 

Doubtless  Saul  was  much  amazed  with  this  strange  salutation 
an  dnews  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  father's  family  in  respect  of  the 
tribe,  and  himself  in  respect  of  his  father's  family.  Neither  did 
his  humility  stoop  below  the  truth;  for  as  Benjamin  was  the 
youngest  son  of  Israel,  so  he  was  now  by  much  the  least  tribe  of 
Israel.  They  had  not  yet  recovered  that  universal  slaughter 
which  they  had  received  from  the  hands  of  their  brethren, 
whereby  a  tribe  was  almost  lost  to  Israel ;  yet  even  out  of  the 
remainder  of  Benjamin  doth  God  choose  the  man  that  shall 
command  Israel ;  out  of  the  rubbish  of  Benjamin  doth  God  raise 
the  throne.  That  is  not  ever  the  best  and  fattest  which  God 
chooseth,  but  that  which  God  chooseth  is  ever  the  fittest:  the 
strength  or  weakness  of  means  is  neither  spur  nor  bridle  to  the 
determinate  choices  of  God :  yea  rather  he  holds  it  the  greatest 
proof  of  his  freedom  and  omnipotency  to  advance  the  unlikeliest. 

It  was  no  hollow  and  feigned  excuse  that  Saul  makes  to  put 
off  that  which  he  would  fain  enjoy,  and  to  cause  honour  to  follow 
him  the  more  eagerly :  it  was  the  sincere  truth  of  his  humility 
that  so  dejected  him  under  the  hand  of  God's  prophet.  Fair  be* 
ginnings  are  no  sound  proof  of  our  proceedings  and  ending  well : 
how  often  hath  a  bashful  childhood  ended  in  an  impudency  of 
youth,  a  strict  entrance  in  licentiousness,  early  forwardness  in 
atheism !  There  might  be  a  civil  meekness  in  Saul,  true  grace 
there  was  not  in  him.  They  that  be  good  bear  more  fruit  in 
their  age. 

Saul  had  but  fivepence  in  his  purse  to  give  the  prophet ;  the 
prophet,  after  much  good  cheer,  gives  him  the  kingdom :  he  be- 


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-i 


348  The  inauguration  of  Saul.  book  xii. 

stows  the  oil  of  royal  consecration  on  his  head,  the  kisses  of 
homage  upon  his  face,  and  sends  him  away  rich  in  thoughts  and 
expectation;  and  now,  lest  his  astonishment  should  end  in  dis- 
trust, he  settles  his  assurance  by  forewarnings  of  those  events 
which  he  should  find  in  his  way :  he  tells  him  whom  he  shall 
meet,  what  they  shall  say,  how  himself  shall  be  affected ;  that  all 
these  and  himself  might  be  so  many  witnesses  of  his  following 
coronation.  Every  word  confirmed  him ;  for  well  might  he  think, 
"  He  that  can  foretell  me  the  motions  and  words  of  others  can- 
not fail  in  mine ;"  especially  when,  as  Samuel  has  prophesied  to 
him,  he  found  himself  to  prophesy,  his  prophesying  did  enough 
foretell  his  kingdom. 

No  sooner  did  Samuel  turn  his  back  from  Saul,  but  God  gave 
him  another  heart ;  lifting  up  his  thoughts  and  disposition  to  the 
pitch  of  a  king :  the  calling  of  God  never  leaves  a  man  un- 
changed ;  neither  did  God  ever  employ  any  man  in  his  service 
whom  he  did  not  enable  to  the  work  he  set  him,  especially  those 
whom  he  raiseth  up  to  the  supply  of  his  own  place,  and  the  repre- 
sentation of  himself.  It  is  no  marvel  if  princes  excel  the  vulgar 
in  gifts  no  less  than  in  dignity ;  their  crowns  and  their  hearts  are 
both  in  one  and  the  same  hand ;  if  God  did  not  add  to  their  powers 
as  well  as  their  honours,  there  would  be  no  equality. 


THE  INAUGURATION  OF  SAUL.— 1  Samuel  x. 

God  hath  secretly  destined  Saul  to  the  kingdom :  it  could  not 
content  Israel  that  Samuel  knew  this ;  the  lots  must  so  decide  the 
choice,  as  if  it  had  not  been  predetermined.  That  God,  which  is 
ever  constant  to  his  own  decrees  makes  the  lots  to  find  him  out 
whom  Samuel  had  anointed.  If  once  we  have  notice  of  the  will 
of  God,  we  may  be  confident  of  the  issue ;  there  is  no  chance  to 
the  Almighty ;  even  casual  things  are  no  less  necessary  in  their 
first  cause  than  the  natural. 

So  far  did  Saul  trust  the  prediction  and  oil  of  Samuel,  that 
he  hides  him  among  the  stuff;  he  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 
showed  some  expectation;  why  else  should  he  have  bid  himself 
rather  than  the  other  Israelites  ?  Tot  could  he  not  hope  his  sub- 
ducing  himself  could  disappoint  the  purpose  of  God ;  he  well 


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cont  v.  The  inauguration  of  Saul.  849 

knew  that  be  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  God's  decree,  in  vain  shall  we  strive  against 
it:  before  wo  know  it,  it  is  indifferent  for  us  to  work  to  the 
likeliest. 

I  cannot  blame  Saul  for  hiding  himself  from  a  kingdom ;  espe- 
cially of  Israel.  Honour  is  heavy  when  it  comes  on  the  best 
terms :  how  should  it  be  otherwise,  when  all  men's  cares  are  cast 
upon  one  ?  but  most  of  all  in  a  troubled  estate  ?  No  man  can  put 
to  sea  without  danger,  but  he  that  launcheth  forth  in  a  tempest 
can  expect  nothing  but  the  hardest  event.  Such  was  the  condition 
of  Israel.  Their  old  enemy  the  Philistines  were  stilled  with  that 
fearful  thunder  of  God,  as  finding  what  it  was  to  war  against  the 
Almighty.  There  were  adversaries  enough  besides  in  their  bor- 
ders :  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  between  a  peaceful  govern- 
ment and  the  perilous  and  wearisome  tumults  of  war.  The 
quietest  throne  is  full  of  cares,  but  the  perplexed,  of  dangers. 
Cares  and  dangers  drove  Saul  into  this  corner  to  hide  his  head 
from  a  crown;  these  made  him  choose  rather  to  lie  obscurely 
among  the  baggage  of  his  tent,  than  to  sit  gloriously  in  the 
throne  of  state.  This  hiding  could  do  nothing  but  show  that 
both  he  suspected  lest  he  should  be  chosen,  and  desired  he  should 
not  be  chosen.  That  God,  from  whom  the  hills  and  the  rocks 
could  not  conceal  him,  brings  him  forth  to  the  light;  so  much 
more  longed  for,  as  he  was  more  unwilling  to  be  seen  ;  and  more 
applauded,  as  he  was  more  longed  for. 

Now  then  when  Saul  is  drawn  forth  in  the  midst  of  the  eager 
expectation  of  Israel,  modesty  and  godliness  showed  themselves  in 
his  face.  The  pre&se  cannot  hide  him  whom  the  stuff  had  hid : 
as  if  he  had  been  made  to  be  seen,  he  overlooks  all  Israel  in 
height  of  stature,  for  presage  of  the  eminence  of  his  estate ;  From 
the  shoulders  uptvard  was  he  higher  than  any  of  the  people. 

Israel  sees  their  lots  are  fallen  upon  a  noted  man ;  one  whose 
person  showed  he  was  born  to  be  a  king :  and  now  all  the  people 
shout  for  joy ;  they  have  their  longing,  and  applaud  their  own 
happiness  and  their  king's  honour.  How  easy  it  is  for  us  to  mis- 
take our  own  estates !  to  rejoice  in  that  which  we  shall  find  the 
just  cause  of  our  humiliation !  The  end  of  a  thing  is  better  than 
the  beginning :  the  safest  way  is  to  reserve  our  joy  till  we  have 


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350  The  inauguration  of  Said.  book  xii. 

good  proof  of  the  worthiness  and  fitness  of  the  object.     What  are 
we  the  better  for  having  a  blessing,  if  we  know  not  how  to  use  it  ? 

The  office  and  observance  of  a  king  was  uncouth  to  Israel ; 
Samuel  therefore  informs  the  people  of  their  mutual  duties,  and 
writes  them  in  a  book,  and  lays  it  up  before  the  Lord ;  otherwise 
novelty  might  have  been  a  warrant  for  their  ignorance,  and  igno- 
rance for  neglect.  There  are  reciprocal  respects  of  princes  and 
people,  which  if  they  be  not  observed,  government  languisheth 
into  confusion :  these  Samuel  faithfully  teacheth  them.  Though 
he  may  not  be  their  judge,  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  walk  by  a  rule,  which  if  they 
transgress,  they  shall  be  accountable  to  him  that  is  higher  than 
the  highest  who  hath  deputed  them.  Not  out  of  care  of  civility 
so  much  as  conscience  must  every  Samuel  labour  to  keep  even 
terms  betwixt  kings  and  subjects;  prescribing  just  moderation  to 
the  one,  to  the  other  obedience  and  loyalty ;  which  whoever  en- 
deavours 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  save  us  ?  It  was  not  the 
might  of  his  parents,  the  goodliness  of  his  person,  the  privilege  of 
his  lot,  the  fame  of  his  prophesying,  the  panegyric  of  Samuel,  that 
could  shield  him  from  contempt,  or  win  him  the  hearts  of  all. 
There  was  never  yet  any  man,  to  whom  some  took  not  exceptions. 
It  is  not  possible  either  to  please  or  displease  all  men,  while  some 
men  are  in  love  with  vice,  as  deeply  as  others  with  virtue,  and  some 
(as  ill)  dislike  virtue,  if  not  for  itself,  yet  for  contradiction. 

They  well  saw  Saul  chose  not  himself;  they  saw  him  worthy 
to  have  been  chosen,  if  the  election  should  have  been  carried  by 
voices,  and  those  voices  by  their  eyes ;  they  Saw  him  unwilling  to 
hold  or  yield  when  he  was  chosen :  yet  they  will  envy  him.  What 
fault  could  they  find  in  him  whom  God  had  chosen  ?  His  parent- 
age was  equal,  his  person  above  them,  his  inward  parts  more 
above  them  than  the  outward :  malecontents  will  rather  devise  than 
want  causes  of  flying  out ;  and  rathor  than  fail,  the  universal  ap- 
probation of  others  is  ground  enough  of  their  dislike.  It  is  a 
vain  ambition  of  those  that  would  be  loved  of  all :  the  Spirit  of 
God,  when  he  enjoins  us  peace,  withal  he  adds,  If  it  be  possible; 
and  favour  is  more  than  peace.  A  man's  comfort  must  be  in 
himself,  the  conscience  of  deserving  well. 


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cont.  v.  The  inauguration  of  Saul.  851 

The  neighbouring  Ammonites  could  not  but  have  heard  of  God's 
fearful  vengeance  upon  the  Philistines,  and  yet  they  will  be  taking 
up  the  quarrel  against  Israel :  Nahash  comes  up  against  Jabesh- 
Gilead.  Nothing  but  grace  can  teach  us  to  make  use  of  others' 
judgments ;  wicked  men  are  not  moved  with  aught  that  falls  be- 
side them,  they  trust  nothing  but  their  own  smart.  What  fearful 
judgments  doth  God  execute  every  day !  Resolute  sinners  take  no 
notice  of  them,  and  are  grown  so  peremptory,  as  if  God  had  never 
showed  dislike  of  their  ways. 

The  Gileadites  were  not  more  base  than  Nahash  the  Ammonite 
was  cruel :  the  Gileadites  would  buy  their  peace  with  servility : 
Nahash  would  sell  them  a  servile  peace  for  their  right  eyes. 
Jephthah  the  Gileadite  did  yet  stick  in  the  stomach  of  Ammon ; 
and  now  they  think  their  revenge  cannot  be  too  bloody.  It  is  a 
wonder  that  he  which  would  offer  so  merciless  a  condition  to  Israel 
would  yield  to  the  motion  of  any  delay ;  he  meant  nothing  but 
shame  and  death  to  the  Israelites,  yet  he  condescends  to  a  seven 
days'  respite.  Perhaps  his  confidence  made  him  thus  careless. 
Howsoever,  it  was  the  restraint  of  God  that  gave  this  breath  to 
Israel,  and  this  opportunity  to  Saul's  courage  and  victory.  The 
enemies  of  God's  church  cannot  be  so  malicious  as  they  would ; 
cannot  approve  themselves  so  malicious  as  they  are  :  God  so  holds 
them  in  sometimes  that  a  stander-by  would  think  them  favourable. 

The  news  of  Gilead's  distress  had  soon  filled  and  afflicted  Israel : 
the  people  think  of  no  remedy  but  their  pity  and  tears.  Evils  are 
easily  grieved  for,  not  easily  redressed.  Only  Saul  is  more  stirred 
with  indignation  than  sorrow.  That  God  which  put  into  him  a 
spirit  of  prophecy,  now  puts  into  him  a  spirit  of  fortitude :  he  was 
before  appointed  to  the  throne,  not  settled  in  the  throne :  he  fol- 
lowed the  beasts  in  the  field  when  he  should  have  commanded  men. 
Mow.  as  one  that  would  be  a  king  no  less  by  merit  than  election, 
he  takes  upon  him  and  performs  the  rescue  of  Gilead ;  he  assem- 
bles Israel,  he  leads  them,  he  raiseth  the  siege,  breaks  the  troops, 
cuts  the  throats  of  the  Ammonites.  When  God  hath  any  exploit  to 
perform,  he  raiseth  up  the  heart  of  some  chosen  instrument  with 
heroical  motions  for  the  achievement;  when  all  hearts  are  cold 
dead,  it  is  a  sign  of  intended  destruction. 

This  day  hath  made  Saul  a  complete  king ;  and  now  the  thank- 
ful Israelites  begin  to  inquire  after  those  discontented  mutineers, 
which  had  refused  allegiance  unto  so  worthy  a  commander; 
Bring  those  men,  that  we  may  slay  them.  This  sedition  had  de- 
served death,  though  Saul  had  been  foiled  at  Gilead ;  but  now  his 

Digitized  by  LjOOQIC 


352  Samuels  contestation.  book  xii. 

happy  victory  whets  the  people  much  more  to  a  desire  of  this  just 
execution.  Saul,  to  whom  the  injury  was  done,  hinders  the  re- 
venge ;  There  shall  no  man  die  this  day;  for  to-day  the  Lord  hath 
saved  Israel;  that  his  fortitude  might  not  go  beyond  his  mercy. 

How  noble  were  these  beginnings  of  Saul !  His  prophecy  showed 
him  miraculously  wise,  his  battle  and  victory  no  less  valiant,  his 
pardon  of  his  rebels  as  merciful :  there  was  not  more  power  showed 
in  overcoming  the  Ammonites  than  in  overcoming  himself,  and  the 
impotent  malice  of  these  mutinous  Israelites.  Now  Israel  sees 
they  have  a  king  that  can  both  shed  blood  and  spare  it ;  that  can 
shed  the  Ammonites'  blood  and  spare  theirs :  his  mercy  wins  those 
hearts  whom  his  valour  could  not.  As  in  God,  so  in  his  deputies, 
mercy  and  justice  should  be  inseparable :  wheresoever  these  two 
go  asunder,  government  follows  them  into  distraction,  and  ends 
in  ruin. 

If  it  had  been  a  wrong  offered  to  Samuel,  the  forbearance  of 
the  revenge  had  not  been  so  commendable ;  although  upon  the  day 
of  so  happy  a  deliverance,  perhaps  it  had  not  been  seasonable  :  a 
man  hath  reason  to  be  most  bold  with  himself.  It  is  no  praise  of 
mercy  (since  it  is  a  fault  in  justice)  to  remit  another  man's  satis- 
faction ;  his  own  he  may. 


SAMUEL'S  CONTESTATION.— i  Samuel  xiii. 

Every  one  can  be  a  friend  to  him  that  prospereth :  by  this  vic- 
tory hath  Saul  as  well  conquered  the  obstinacy  of  his  own  people : 
now  there  is  no  Israelite  that  rejoiceth  not  in  Saul's  kingdom. 

No  sooner  have  they  done  objecting  to  Saul  than  Samuel  begins 
to  expostulate  with  them.  The  same  day  wherein  they  began  to 
be  pleased  God  shows  himself  angry.  All  the  passages  of  their 
proceedings  offended  him :  he  deferred  to  let  them  know  it  till 
now  that  the  kingdom  was  settled  and  their  hearts  lifted  up.  Now 
doth  God  cool  their  courage  and  joy  with  a  back-reckoning  for 
their  forwardness.  God  will  not  let  his  people  run  away  with  the 
arrearages  of  their  sins,  but  when  they  least  think  of  it  calls  them 
to  an  account. 

All  this  while  was  God  angry  with  their  rejection  of  Samuel ; 
yet,  as  if  there  had  been  nothing  but  peace,  he  gives  them  a  victory 
over  their  enemies,  he  gives  way  to  their  joy  in  their  election : 
now  he  lets  them  know  that  after  their  peace  offerings  he  hath  a 
quarrel  with  them.     God  may  be  angry  enough  with  us  while  we 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  vi.  Samuel's  contestation.  353 

outwardly  prosper.  It  is  the  wisdom  of  God  to  take  his  best 
advantages :  he  suffers  us  to  go  on  till  we  should  come  to  enjoy 
the  fruit  of  our  sin ;  till  we  seem  past  the  danger  either  of  con- 
science or  punishment :  then,  even  when  we  begin  to  be  past  the 
feeling  of  our  sin,  we  shall  begin  to  feel  his  displeasure  for  our 
sins.  This  is  only  where  he  loves,  where  he  would  both  forgive 
and  reclaim :  he  hath  now  to  do  with  his  Israel :  but  where  he 
means  utter  vengeance,  he  lets  men  harden  themselves  to  a  repro- 
bate senselessness,  and  make  up  their  own  measure  without  con- 
tradiction, as  purposing  to  reckon  with  them  but  once  for  ever. 

Samuel  had  dissuaded  them  before,  he  reproves  them  not  until 
now.  If  he  had  thus  bent  himself  against  them  ere  the  set- 
tling of  the  election,  he  had  troubled  Israel  in  that  which  God 
took  occasion  by  their  sin  to  establish :  his  opposition  would  have 
savoured  of  respects  to  himself  whom  the  wrong  of  this  innovation 
chiefly  concerned :  now  therefore,  when  they  are  sure  of  their  king 
and  their  king  of  them,  when  he  hath  set  even  terms  betwixt  them 
mutually,  he  lets  them  see  how  they  were  at  odds  with  God.  We 
must  ever  dislike  sins,  we  may  not  ever  show  it.  Discretion  in  the 
choice  of  seasons  for  reproving  is  no  less  commendable  and  neces- 
sary than  zeal  and  faithfulness  in  reproving :  good  physicians  use 
not  to  evacuate  the  body  in  extremities  of  heat  or  cold :  wise  ma- 
riners do  not  hoist  Bails  in  every  wind. 

First  doth  Samuel  begin  to  clear  his  own  innocence  ere  he  dare 
charge  them  with  their  sin.  He  that  will  cast  a  stone  at  an  of- 
fender must  be  free  himself,  otherwise  he  condemns  and  executes 
himself  in  another  person.  The  conscience  stops  the  mouth  of  the 
guilty  man,  and  chokes  him  with  that  sin  which  lies  in  his  own 
breast ;  and  having  not  come  forth  by  a  penitent  confession,  can- 
not find  the  way  out  in  a  reproof;  or  if  he  do  reprove,  he  doth 
more  shame  himself  than  reform  another.  He  that  was  the  judge 
of  Israel  would  not  now  judge  himself,  but  would  be  judged  by 
Israel ;  Whose  ox  have  I  taken  f  whose  ass  have  I  taken  ?  or  to 
whom  have  I  done  wrong  f  No  doubt  Samuel  found  himself  guilty 
before  God  of  many  private  infirmities,  but  for  his  public  carriage 
he  appeals  to  men.  A  man's  heart  can  best  judge  of  himself, 
others  can  best  judge  of  his  actions.  As  another  man's  conscience 
and  approbation  cannot  bear  us  out  before  God,  so  cannot  our  own 
before  men ;  for  ofttimes  that  action  is  censured  by  the  beholders  as 
wrongful,  wherein  we  applaud  our  own  justice.  Happy  is  that  man 
that  can  be  acquitted  by  himself  in  private,  in  public  by  others,  toy 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  ^^.  _■_     ^      A  a 

.  rf^      or  tit*. 

K\Y\J 


354  Samuefs  contestation.  book  xh. 

God  in  both :  standers-by  may  see  more.  It  is  very  safe  for  a  man 
to  look  into  himself  by  others'  eyes :  in  Yain  shall  a  man's  heart 
absolve  him  that  is  condemned  by  his  actions. 

It  was  not  so  much  the  trial  of  his  carriage  that  Samuel  ap- 
pealed for  as  his  justification  ;  not  for  his  own  comfort  so  much  as 
their  conviction.  His  innocence  hath  not  done  him  service  enough, 
unless  it  shame  them  and  make  them  confess  themselves  faulty.  In  so 
many  years  wherein  Samuel  judged  Israel,  it  cannot  be  but  many 
thousand  causes  passed  his  hands  wherein  both  parties  could  not 
possibly  be  pleased ;  yet  so  clear  doth  he  find  his  heart  and  hands, 
that  he  dare  make  the  grieved  part  judges  of  his  judgment.  A 
good  conscience  will  make  a  man  undauntedly  confident,  and  dare 
put  him  upon  any  trial :  where  his  own  heart  strikes  him  not,  it 
bids  him  challenge  all  the  world  and  take  up  all  comers.  How 
happy  a  thing  is  it  for  a  man  to  be  his  own  friend  and  patron  1 
He  needs  not  to  fear  foreign  broils  that  is  at  peace  at  home :  con- 
trarily,  he  that  hath  a  false  and  foul  heart  lies  at  every  man's 
mercy,  lives  slavishly,  and  is  fain  to  daub  up  a  rotten  peace  with 
the  basest  conditions.  Truth  is  not  afraid  of  any  light,  and  there- 
fore dare  suffer  her  wares  to  be  carried  from  a  dim  shopboard  unto 
the  street  door :  perfect  gold  will  be  but  the  purer  with  trying, 
whereas  falsehood,  being  a  work  of  darkness,  loves  darkness,  and 
therefore  seeks  where  it  may  work  closest. 

This  very  appellation  cleared  Samuel,  but  the  people's  attesta- 
tion cleared  him  more.  Innocency  and  uprightness  become  every 
man  well,  but  most,  public  persons,  who  shall  be  else  obnoxious  to 
every  offender.  The  throne  and  the  pulpit  (of  all  places)  call  for 
holiness,  no  more  for  example  of  good  than  for  liberty  of  con- 
trolling evil:  all  magistrates  swear  to  do  that  which  Samuel  pro- 
tested he  hath  done :  if  their  oath  was  so  verified  as  Samuel's  pro- 
testation, it  were  a  shame  for  the  state  not  to  be  happy.  The  sins  of 
our  teachers  are  the  teachers  of  sin :  the  sins  of  governors  do 
both  command  and  countenance  evil. 

This  very  acquitting  of  Samuel  was  the  accusation  of  them- 
selves, for  how  could  it  be  but  faulty  to  cast  off  a  faultless  governor  ? 
If  he  bad  not  taken  away  an  ox  or  an  ass  from  them,  why  do  they 
take  away  his  authority  ?  They  could  not  have  thus  cleared  Saul 
at  the  end  of  his  reign.  It  was  just  with  God,  since  they  were 
weary  of  a  just  ruler,  to  punish  them  with  an  unjust. 

He  that  appealed  to  them  for  his  own  uprightness  durst  not 
appeal  to  them  for  their  own  wickedness,  but  appeals  to  heaven 


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coxt.  vii.  Saul's  sacrifice.  355 

from  them.  Men  are  commonly  flatterers  of  their  own  cases :  it 
must  be  a  strong  evidence  that  will  make  a  sinner  conyicted  in 
himself:  nature  hath  so  many  shifts  to  cozen  itself  in  this  spiritual 
verdict,  that  unless  it  be  taken  in  the  manner  it  will  hardly  yield 
to  a  truth ;  either  she  will  deny  the  fact,  or  the  fault,  or  the  mea- 
sure. And  now  in  this  case  they  might  seem  to  have  some  fair 
pretences ;  for  though  Samuel  was  righteous,  yet  his  sons  were  cor- 
rupt. To  cut  off  all  excuses  therefore,  Samuel  appeals  to  God, 
the  highest  Judge,  for  his  sentence  of  their  sin,  and  dares  trust 
to  a  miraculous  conviction.  It  was  now  their  wheat  harvest ;  the 
hot  and  dry  air  of  that  climate  did  not  wont  to  afford  in  that  sea- 
son so  much  moist  vapour  as  might  raise  a  cloud  either  for  rain 
or  thunder.  He  that  knew  God  could  and  would  do  both  these 
without  the  help  of  second  causes,  puts  the  trial  upon  this  issue. 
Had  not  Samuel  before  consulted  with  his  Maker,  and  received 
warrant  for  his  act,  it  had  been  presumption  and  tempting  of  God, 
which  was  now  a  noble  improvement  of  faith.  Rather  than  Israel 
shall  go  clear  away  with  a  sin,  God  will  accuse  and  arraign  them 
from  heaven.  No  sooner  hath  Samuel's  voice  ceased,  than  God's 
voice  begins :  every  crack  of  thunder  spake  judgment  against  the 
rebellious  Israelites,  and  every  drop  of  rain  was  a  witness  of  their 
sin ;  and  now  they  found  they  had  displeased  him  which  ruleth 
in  the  heaven  by  rejecting  the  man  that  ruleth  for  him  on  earth. 
The  thundering  voice  of  God,  that  had  lately  in  their  sight  con- 
founded the  Philistines,  they  now  understood  to  speak  fearful 
things  against  them.  No  marvel  if  now  they  fell  upon  their  knees, 
not  to  Saul  whom  they  had  chosen,  but  to  Samuel ;  who,  being 
thus  cast  off  by  them,  is  thus  countenanced  in  heaven. 


SAUL'S  SACRIFICE.— 1  Samuel  xiii. 

God  never  meant  the  kingdom  should  either  stay  long  in  the 
tribe  of  Benjamin  or  remove  suddenly  from  the  person  of  Saul. 
Many  years  did  Saul  reign  over  Israel,  yet  God  computes  him 
but  two  years  a  king.  That  is  not  accounted  of  God  to  be  done 
which  is  not  lawfully  done.  When  God  which  chose  Saul  re- 
jected him,  he  was  no  more  a  king,  but  a  tyrant.  Israel  obeyed 
him  still,  but  God  makes  no  reckoning  of  him  as  his  deputy,  but 
as  an  usurper. 

Saul  was  of  good  years  when  he  was  advanced  to  the  kingdom. 

a  a  % 


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356  .    Saul's  sacrifice.  book  xii. 

His  son  Jonathan,  the  first  year  of  his  father's  reign,  could  lead  a 
thousand  Israelites  into  the  field,  and  give  a  foil  to  the  Philis- 
tines. And  now  Israel  could  not  think  themselves  less  happy  in 
their  prince  than  in  their  king :  Jonathan  is  the  heir  of  his  fa- 
ther's victory,  as  well  as  of  his  valour  and  his  estate.  The  Phi- 
listines were  quiet  after  those  first  thunderclaps  all  the  time  of 
Samuel's  government ;  now  they  begin  to  stir  under  Saul. 

How  utterly  is  Israel  disappointed  in  their  hopes !  That  secu- 
rity and  protection  which  they  promised  themselves  in  the  name 
of  a  king  they  found  in  a  prophet,  failed  of  in  a  warrior.  They 
were  more  safe  under  the  mantle  than  under  arms.  Both  enmity 
and  safeguard  are  from  heaven.  Goodness  hath  been  ever  a 
stronger  guard  than  valour.  It  is  the  surest  policy  always  to 
have  peace  with  God. 

We  find  by  the  spoils  that  the  Philistines  had  some  battles 
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 
beslaved  Israel,  that  they  had  neither  weapon  nor  smith  left 
amongst  them;  yet  even  in  this  miserable  nakedness  of  Israel 
have  they  both  fought  and  overcome.  Now  might  you  have  seen 
the  unarmed  Israelites  marching  with  their  slings  and  plough- 
staves,  and  hooks  and  forks,  and  other  instruments  of  their  hus- 
bandry, against  a  mighty  and  well-furnished  enemy,  and  return- 
ing laden  both  with  arms  and  victory.  No  armour  is  of  proof 
against  the  Almighty ;  neither  is  he  unweaponed  that  carries  the 
revenge  of  God.  There  is  the  same  disadvantage  in  our  spiritual 
conflicts:  we  are  turned  naked  to  principalities  and  powers: 
whilst  we  go  under  the  conduct  of  the  Prince  of  our  peace  we 
cannot  but  be  bold  and  victorious. 

Vain  men  think  to  overpower  God  with  munition  and  multi- 
tude. The  Philistines  are  not  any  way  more  strong  than  in  con- 
ceit: thirty  thousand  chariots,  six  thousand  horsemen,  footmen 
like  the  sand  for  number,  make  them  scorn  Israel  no  less  than 
Israel  fears  them.  When  I  see  the  miraculous  success  which  had 
blessed  the  Israelites  in  all  their  late  conflicts  with  these  very 
Philistines,  with  the  Ammonites,  I  cannot  but  wonder  How  they 
could  fear.  They  which  in  the  time  of  their  sin  found  God  to 
raise  such  trophies  over  their  enemies,  run  now  into  caves  and 
rocks  and  pits  to  hide  them  from  the  faces  of  men  when  they 
found  God  reconciled  and  themselves  penitent.     No  Israelite  but 


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cont.  vii.  SauTs  sacrifice.  357 

hath  some  cowardly  blood  in  him :  if  we  had  no  fear,  faith  would 
have  no  mastery ;  yet  these  fearful  Israelites  shall  cut  the  throats 
of  those  confident  Philistines.  Doubt  and  resolution  are  not  meet 
measures  of  our  success :  a  presumptuous  confidence  goes  com- 
monly bleeding  home,  when  an  humble  fear  returns  in  triumph. 

Fear  drives  those  Israelites  which  dare  show  their  heads  out 
of  the  caves  unto  Saul,  and  makes  them  cling  unto  their  new  king. 
How  troublesome  were  the  beginnings  of  Saul's  honour !  Surely 
if  that  man  had  not  exceeded  Israel  no  less  in  courage  than  in 
stature,  he  had  now  hid  himself  in  a  cave,  which  before  hid  him- 
self among  the  stuff;  but  now,  though  the  Israelites  ran  away 
from  him,  yet  he  ran  not  away  from  them. 

It  was  not  any  doubt  of  Saul's  valour  that  put  his  people  to 
their  heels ;  it  was  the  absence  of  Samuel.  If  the  prophet  had 
come  up,  Israel  would  never  have  run  away  from  their  king. 
While  they  had  a  Samuel  alone,  they  were  never  well  till  they 
had  a  Saul ;  now  they  have  a  Saul,  they  are  as  far  from  content- 
ment, because  they  want  a  Samuel:  unless  both  join  together, 
they  think  there  can  be  no  safety.  Where  the  temporal  and  spi- 
ritual state  combine  not  together,  there  can  follow  nothing  but 
distraction  in  the  people.  The  prophets  receive  and  deliver  the 
will  of  God ;  kings  execute  it :  the  prophets  are  directed  by  Ood ; 
the  people  are  directed  by  their  kings.  Where  men  do  not  see 
God  before  them  in  his  ordinances,  their  hearts  cannot  but  fail 
them,  both  in  their  respects  to  their  superiors  and  their  courage 
in  themselves.  Piety  is  the  mother  of  perfect  subjection.  As  all 
authority  is  derived  from  heaven,  so  it  is  thence  established : 
those  governors  that  would  command  the  hearts  of  men  must 
show  them  God  in  their  faces. 

No  Israelite  can  think  himself  safe  without  a  prophet.  Saul 
had  given  them  good  proof  of  his  fortitude  in  his  late  victory 
over  the  Ammonites ;  but  then  proclamation  was  made  before  the 
fight  through  all  the  country,  that  every  man  should  come  up 
after  Saul  and  Samuel.  If  Samuel  had  not  been  with  Saul,  they 
would  rather  have  ventured  the  loss  of  their  oxen  than  the  hazard 
of  themselves :  how  much  less  should  we  presume  of  any  safety 
in  our  spiritual  combats  when  we  have  not  a  prophet  to  lead  us ! 
It  is  all  one  (saving  that  it  savours  of  more  contempt)  not  to  have 
God's  seers,  and  not  to  use  them.  He  can  be  no  true  Israelite 
that  is  not  distressed  with  the  want  of  a  Samuel. 

As  one  that  had  learned  to  begin  his  rule  in  obedience,  Saul 


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358  Sauts  sacrifice,  book  xn. 

stays  seven  days  in  Gilgal,  according  to  the  prophet's  direction : 
and  still  he  looks  long  for  Samuel,  which  had  promised  his  pre- 
sence. Six  days  he  expects,  and  part  of  the  seventh,  yet  Samuel 
is  not  come.  The  Philistines  draw  near ;  the  Israelites  run  away ; 
Samuel  comes  not ;  they  must  fight ;  God  must  be  supplicated : 
what  should  Saul  do  ?  Rather  than  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  exe- 
cute. "  It  is  not  possible,"  thinks  he,  "  that  God  should  be  dis- 
pleased with  a  sacrifice :  he  cannot  but  be  displeased  with  indevo- 
tion.  Why  do  the  people  run  from  me  but  for  want  of  means  to 
make  God  sure  ?  What  should  Samuel  rather  wish  than  that  we 
should  be  godly  ?  The  act  shall  be  the  same ;  the  only  difference 
shall  be  in  the  person.  If  Samuel  be  wanting  to  us,  we  will  not 
be  wanting  to  God  It  is  but  an  holy  prevention  to  be  devout 
unbidden."     Upon  this  conceit  he  commands  a  sacrifice. 

Saul's  sins  make  no  great  show,  yet  they  are  still  heinously 
taken ;  the  impiety  of  them  was  more  hidden  and  inward  from 
all  eyes  but  God's.  If  Saul  were  among  the  prophets  before,  will 
he  now  be  among  the  priests  ?  Can  there  be  any  devotion  in  dis- 
obedience ?  0  vain  man !  What  can  it  avail  thee  to  sacrifice  to 
God  against  God?  Hypocrites  rest  only  in  formalities.  If  the 
outward  act  be  done,  it  sufficeth  them,  though  the  ground  be  dis- 
trust, the  manner  irreverence,  the  carriage  presumption. 

What  then  should  Saul  have  done?  Upon  the  trust  of  God 
and  Samuel  he  should  have  stayed  out  the  last  hour,  and  have  se- 
cretly sacrificed  himself  and  his  prayers  unto  that  God  which  loves 
obedience  above  sacrifice.  Our  faith  is  most  commendable  in  the 
last  act.  It  is  no  praise  to  hold  out  until  we  be  hard  driven. 
Then,  when  we  are  forsaken  of  means,  to  live  by  faith  in  our  God, 
is  worthy  of  a  crown.  God  will  have  no  worship  of  our  devising : 
we  may  only  do  what  he  bids  us ;  not  bid  what  he  commands  not. 
Never  did  any  true  piety  arise  out  of  the  corrupt  puddle  of  man's 
brain ;  if  it  flow  not  from  heaven,  it  is  odious  to  heaven.  What 
was  it  that  did  thus  taint  the  valour  of  Saul  with  this  weakness 
but  distrust  ?  He  saw  some  Israelites  go ;  he  thought  all  would 
go :  he  saw  the  Philistines  come ;  he  saw  Samuel  came  not :  his 
diffidence  was  guilty  of  his  misdevotion.  There  is  no  sin  that 
hath  not  its  ground  from  unbelief:  this,  as  it  was  the  first  infec- 
tion of  our  pure  nature,  so  is  the  true  source  of  all  corruption : 
man  could  not  sin  if  he  distrusted  not. 


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cont.  viii.  Jonathan's  victory  and  Sauts  oath.  359 

The  sacrifice  is  no  sooner  ended  than  Samuel  is  come:  and 
why  came  he  no  sooner  ?  He  could  not  be  a  seer,  and  not  know 
how  much  he  was  looked  for,  how  troublesome  and  dangerous  his 
absence  must  needs  be.  He  that  could  tell  Saul  that  he  should 
prophesy,  could  tell  that  he  would  sacrifice;  yet  he  purposely 
forbears  to  come,  for  the  trial  of  him  that  must  be  the  champion 
of  God.  Samuel  durst  not  have  done  thus  but  by  direction  from 
his  Master :  it  is  the  ordinary  course  of  God  to  prove  us  by  de- 
lays, and  to  drive  us  to  exigents,  that  we  may  show  what  we  are. 
He  that  anointed  Saul  might  lawfully  from  God  control  him. 
There  must  be  discretion,  there  may  not  be  partiality,  in  our 
censures  of  the  greatest.  God  makes  difference  of  sins ;  none  of 
persons :  if  we  make  difference  of  sins  according  to  persons,  we 
are  unfaithful  both  to  God  and  man. 

Scarce  is  Saul  warm  in  his  kingdom  when  he  hath  even  lost  it. 
Samuel's  first  words  after  the  inauguration  are  of  Saul's  rejection, 
and  the  choice  and  establishment  of  his  successor.  It  was  ever 
God's  purpose  to  settle  the  kingdom  in  Judah.  He  that  took  oc- 
casion by  the  people's  sin  to  raise  up  Saul  in  Benjamin,  takes 
occasion  by  Saul's  sin  to  establish  the  crown  upon  David.  In 
human  probability,  the  kingdom  was  fixed  upon  Saul  and  his 
more  worthy  son ;  in  God's  decree,  it  did  but  pass  through  the 
hands  of  Benjamin  to  Judah.  Besides  trouble,  how  fickle  are 
these  earthly  glories!  Saul  doubtless  looked  upon  Jonathan  as 
the  inheritor  of  his  crown ;  and  behold,  ere  his  peaceable  posses- 
sion, he  hath  lost  it  from  himself.  Our  sins  strip  us,  not  of  our 
hopes  in  heaven  only,  but  of  our  earthly  blessings.  The  way  to 
entail  a  comfortable  prosperity  upon  our  seed  after  us  is,  our  con- 
scionable  obedience  unto  God. 

JONATHAN'S  VICTORY  AND  SAUL'S  OATH, 
i  Samuel  xiv. 

It  is  no  wonder  if  Saul's  courage  were  much  cooled  with  the 
heavy  news  of  his  rejection.  After  this  he  stays  under  the  pome- 
granate tree  in  Gibeah ;  he  stirs  not  towards  the  garrison  of  the 
Philistines.  As  hope  is  the  mother  of  fortitude,  so  nothing  doth 
more  breed  cowardliness  than  despair.  Every  thing  dismays  that 
heart  which  God  hath  put  out  of  protection. 

Worthy  Jonathan,  which  sprung  from  Saul  as  some  sweet  imp 
grows  out  of  a  crabstock,  is  therefore  full  of  valour,  because  full 


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S60  Jonathans  victory  and  SauFs  oath.  book  xu. 

of  faith.  He  well  knew  that  he  should  have  nothing  but  dis- 
couragements from  his  father's  fear ;  as  rather  choosing  therefore 
to  avoid  all  the  blocks  that  might  lie  in  the  way  than  to  leap  over 
them,  he  departs  secretly  without  the  dismission  of  his  father,  or 
notice  of  the  people :  only  God  leads  him,  and  his  armour-bearer 
follows  him.  O  admirable  faith  of  Jonathan,  whom  neither  the 
steepness  of  rocks  nor  the  multitude  of  enemies  can  dissuade 
from  so  unlikely  an  assault !  Is  it  possible  that  two  men,  whereof 
one  was  weaponless,  should  dare  to  think  of  encountering  so  many 
thousands  ?  O  divine  power  of  faith,  that  in  all  difficulties  and 
attempts  makes  a  roan  more  than  men,  and  regards  no  more 
armies  of  men  than  swarms  of  flies !  There  is  no  restraint  to 
Hie  Lord,  saith  he,  to  save  unth  many  or  by  few.  It  was  not  so 
great  news  that  Saul  should  be  amongst  the  prophets,  as  that  such 
a  word  should  come  from  the  son  of  Saul. 

If  his  father  had  had  but  so  much  divinity,  he  had  not  sacri- 
ficed. The  strength  of  his  God  is  the  ground  of  his  strength  in 
God.  The  question  is  not  what  Jonathan  can  do,  but  what  God 
can  do ;  whose  power  is  not  in  the  means,  but  in  himself.  That 
man's  faith  is  well  underlaid,  that  upholds  itself  by  the  omnipo- 
tency  of  God :  thus  the  father  of  the  faithful  built  his  assurance 
upon  the  power  of  the  Almighty. 

But  many  things  God  can  do  which  he  will  not  do.  How 
knowest  thou,  Jonathan,  that  God  will  be  as  forward  as  he  is  able 
to  give  thee  victory  ?  "  For  this,"  saith  he,  "  I  have  a  watch- 
word from  God  out  of  the  mouths  of  the  Philistines;  If  they  say, 
Come  up,  we  will  go  up ;  for  God  hath  delivered  tliem  into  our 
hands :  If  they  say,  Tai*ry  till  we  come  to  you,  we  will  stand 
still.*'  Jonathan  was  too  wise  to  trust  unto  a  casual  presage. 
There  might  be  some  far-fetched  conjectures  of  the  event  from 
the  word :  We  will  come  to  you,  was  a  threat  of  resolution ;  Come 
you  to  us,  was  a  challenge  to  fear ;  or  perhaps,  Come  up  to  us, 
was  a  word  of  insultation  from  them  that  trusted  to  the  inaccessi- 
bleness  of  the  place,  and  multitudes  of  men.  Insultation  is  from 
pride ;  pride  argued  a  fall ;  but  faith  hatk  nothing  to  do  with  pro- 
babilities, as  that  which  acknowledgeth  no  argument  but  demonstra- 
tion. If  there  had  not  been  an  instinct  from  God  of  this  assured 
warrant  of  success,  Jonathan  had  presumed,  instead  of  believing ; 
and  had  tempted  that  God  whom  he  professed  to  glorify  by  his 
trust.  There  can  be  no  faith  where  there  is  no  promise;  and 
where  there  is  a  promise  there  can  be  no  presumption. 


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cont.  vni.  Jonathans  victory  and  SauTs  oath.  861 

Words  are  voluntary.  The  tongues  of  the  Philistines  were  as 
free  to  say  Tarry,  as  Come :  that  God,  in  whom  our  very  tongues 
move,  overruled  them  so,  as  now  they  shall  speak  that  word 
which  shall  cut  their  own  throats.  They  knew  no  more  harm  in 
Come  than  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  invite  their  own  destruction.  The  disposition  of  our 
words  is  from  the  providence  of  the  Almighty.  God  and  our 
hearts  have  not  always  the  same  meaning  in  our  speeches.  In 
those  words  which  we  speak  at  random  or  out  of  affectation,  God 
hath  a  further  drift  of  his  own  glory,  and  perhaps  our  judgment. 
If  wicked  men  say,  Our  tongues  are  our  own,  they  could  not  say 
so,  but  from  him  whom  they  defy  in  saying  so,  and  who  makes 
their  tongue  their  executioner. 

No  sooner  doth  Jonathan  hear  this  invitation  than  he  answers 
it.  He,  whose  hands  had  learned  never  to  fail  his  heart,  puts 
himself  upon  his  hands  and  knees  to  climb  up  into  this  danger. 
The  exploit  was  not  more  difficult  than  the  way :  the  pain  of  the 
passage  was  equal  to  the  peril  of  the  enterprise,  that  his  faith 
might  equally  triumph  over  both.  He  doth  not  say,  "  How  shall 
I  get  up?"  much  less,  "Which  way  shall  I  get  down  again?"  but, 
as  if  the  ground  were  level  and  the  action  dangerless,  he  puts 
himself  into  the  view  of  the  Philistines.  Faith  is  never  so  glorious 
as  when  it  hath  roost  opposition,  and  will  not  see  it :  reason  looks 
ever  to  the  means,  faith  to  the  end ;  and,  instead  of  consulting 
how  to  effect,  resolves  what  shall  be  effected.  The  way  to  heaven 
is  more  steep,  more  painful.  O  God!  how  perilous  a  passage 
hast  thou  appointed  for  thy  labouring  pilgrims !  If  difficulties  will 
discourage  us,  we  shall  but  climb  to  fall.  When  we  are  lifting  up 
our  foot  to  the  last  step,  there  are  the  Philistines  of  death,  of 
temptations,  to  grapple  with :  give  us  but  faith,  and  turn  us  loose 
to  the  spite  either  of  earth  or  hell. 

Jonathan  is  now  on  the  top  of  the  hill ;  and  now,  as  if  he  had 
an  army  at  his  heels,  he  flies  upon  the  host  of  the  Philistines. 
His  hands,  that  might  have  been  weary  with  climbing,  are  imme- 
diately commanded  to  fight,  and  deal  as  many  deaths  as  blows  to 
the  amazed  enemy.  He  needs  not  walk  far  for  this  execution ; 
himself  and  his  armour-bearer,  in  one  half  acre's  space,  have  slain 
twenty  Philistines. 

It  is  not  long  since  Jonathan  smote  their  garrison  in  the  hill  of 


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362  Jonathan's  victory  and  SauTs  oath.  book  xii. 

Geba:  perhaps  from  that  time  his  name  and  presence  carried 
terror  in  it ;  but  sure  if  the  Philistines  had  not  seen  and  felt  more 
than  a  man  in  the  face  and  hands  of  Jonathan,  they  had  not  so 
easily  grovelled  in  death. 

The  blows  and  shrieks  cannot  but  affect  the  next,  who  with  a 
ghastly  noise  ran  away  from  death,  and  affright  their  fellows  no 
less  than  themselves  are  affrighted.  The  clamour  and  fear  run  on, 
like  fire  in  a  train,  to  the  very  foremost  ranks.  Every  man  would 
fly,  and  thinks  there  is  so  much  more  cause  of  flight,  for  that  his 
ears  apprehend  all,  his  eyes  nothing.  Each  man  thinks  his  fellow 
stands  in  his  way,  and  therefore  instead  of  turning  upon  him  which 
was  the  cause  of  their  flight,  they  bend  their  swords  upon  those 
whom  they  imagine  to  be  the  hinderers  of  their  flight ;  and  now  a 
miraculous  astonishment  hath  made  the  Philistines  Jonathan's 
champions  and  executioners.  He  follows,  and  kills  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  fear  itself  might  prevent  Jonathan  in  killing  them,  the 
earth  itself  trembles  under  them.  Thus  doth  God  at  once  strike 
them  with  his  own  hand,  with  Jonathan's,  with  theirs ;  and  makes 
them  run  away  from  life,  while  they  would  fly  from  an  enemy. 
Where  the  Almighty  purposes  destruction  to  any  people,  he  needs 
not  call  in  foreign  powers,  he  needs  not  any  hands  or  weapons  but 
their  own  :  he  can  make  vast  bodies  die  no  other  death  but  their 
own  weight.  We  cannot  be  sure  to  be  friends  among  ourselves 
while  God  is  our  enemy. 

The  Philistines  fly  fast,  but  the  news  of  their  flight  overruns 
them  even  unto  Saul's  pomegranate  tree.  The  watchmen  discern 
afar  off  a  flight  and  execution.  Search  is  made,  Jonathan  is  found 
missing.  Saul  will  consult  with  the  ark ;  hypocrites,  while  they 
have  leisure,  will  perhaps  be  holy ;  for  some  fits  of  devotion  they 
cannot  be  bettered.  But  when  the  tumult  increased,  Saul's  piety 
decreases :  it  is  now  no  season  to  talk  with  a  priest ;  "  Withdraw 
thine  hand,  Ahiah ;  the  ephod  must  give  place  to  arms :  it  is  more 
time  to  fight  than  to  pray."  What  needs  he  God's  guidance  when 
he  sees  his  way  before  him  ?  He  that  before  would  needs  sacrifice 
ere  he  fought,  will  now  in  the  other  extreme  fight  in  a  wilful  in- 
devotion.  Worldly  minds  regard  holy  duties  no  further  than  may 
stand  with  their  own  carnal  purposes.  Very  easy  occasions  shall 
interrupt  them  in  their  religious  intentions,  like  unto  children,  which 
if  a  bird  do  but  fly  in  their  way  cast  their  eye  from  their  book. 


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cont.  viii.  Jonathans  victory  and  Sauts  oath.  368 

But  if  Saul  serve  not  God  in  one  kind,  he  will  serve  him  in 
another :  if  he  honour  him  not  by  attending  on  the  ark,  he  will 
honour  him  by  a  vow.  His  negligence  in  the  one  is  recompensed 
with  his  zeal  in  the  other.  All  Israel  is  adjured  not  to  eat  any 
food  until  the  evening.  Hypocrisy  is  ever  masked  with  a  blind 
and  thankless  zeal.  To  wait  upon  the  ark  and  consult  with  God's 
priest  in  all  cases  of  importance  was  a  direct  commandment  of 
God :  to  eat  no  food  in  the  pursuit  of  their  enemies  was  not  com- 
manded. Saul  leaves  that  which  he  was  bidden,  and  does  that 
which  he  was  not  required.  To  eat  no  food  all  day  was  more  dif- 
ficult than  to  attend  an  hour  upon  the  ark :  the  voluntary  services 
of  hypocrites  are  many  times  more  painful  than  the  duties  enjoined 
by  God. 

In  what  awe  did  all  Israel  stand  of  the  oath  even  of  Saul !  It 
was  not  their  own  vow,  but  Saul's  for  them ;  yet  coming  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  than  an  indiscreet 
curse.  Doubtless  God  had  brought  those  bees  thither  on  purpose 
to  try  the  constancy  of  Israel.  Israel  could  not  but  think  (that 
which  Jonathan  said)  that  the  vow  was  unadvised  and  injurious ; 
yet  they  will  rather  die  than  violate  it.  How  sacred  should  we 
hold  the  obligation  of  our  own  vows  in  things  just  and  expedient, 
when  the  bond  of  another's  rash  vow  is  thus  indissoluble ! 

There  was  a  double  mischief  followed  upon  Saul's  oath,  an 
abatement  of  the  victory,  and  eating  with  the  blood ;  for  on  the 
one  side  the  people  were  so  faint,  that  they  were  more  likely  to 
die  than  kill ;  they  could  neither  run  nor  strike  in  this  emptiness ; 
neither  hands  nor  feet  can  do  their  office  when  the  stomach  is  neg- 
lected :  on  the  other,  an  unmeet  forbearance  causes  a  ravenous  re- 
past ;  hunger  knows  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 ;  Saul's  zeal  was  guilty  of  both.  A  rash  vow  is 
seldom  ever  free  from  inconvenience:  the  heart  that  hath  un- 
necessarily entangled  itself  draws  mischief  either  upon  itself  or 
others. 

Jonathan  was  ignorant  of  his  father's  adjuration.  He  knew  no 
reason  why  he  should  not  refresh  himself  in  so  profitable  a  service, 
with  a  little  taste  of  honey  upon  his  spear.  Full  well  had  he  de- 
served this  unsought  dainty,  and  now  behold  his  honey  is  turned 
into  gall :  if  it  were  sweet  in  the  mouth,  it  was  bitter  in  the  soul ; 


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364  Jonathan's  victory  and  SatiTs  oath.  book  xii. 

if  the  eyes  of  his  body  were  enlightened,  the  light  of  God's  coun- 
tenance was  clouded  by  this  act.  After  he  heard  of  the  oath,  he 
pleads  justly  against  it  the  loss  of  so  fair  an  opportunity  of  re- 
venge, and  the  trouble  of  Israel ;  yet  neither  his  reasons  against 
the  oath,  nor  his  ignorance  of  the  oath,  can  excuse  him  from  a  sin 
of  ignorance  in  violating  that  which  first  he  knew  not,  and  then 
knew  unreasonable. 

Now  Saul's  leisure  would  serve  him  to  ask  counsel  of  God.  As 
before  Saul  would  not  inquire,  so  now  God  will  not  answer.  Well 
might  Saul  have  found  sins  enow  of  his  own  whereto  to  impute 
this  silence.  He  hath  grace  enough  to  know  that  God  was  of- 
fended, and  to  guess  at  the  cause  of  his  offence :  sooner  will  a  hy- 
pocrite find  out  another  man's  sin  than  his  own. 

And  now  he  swears  more  rashly  to  punish  with  death  the  breach 
of  that  which  he  had  sworn  rashly.  The  lots  were  cast,  and  Saul 
prays  for  the  decision ;  Jonathan  is  taken :  even  the  prayers  of 
wicked  men  are  sometimes  heard,  although  in  justice,  not  in  mercy. 
Saul  himself  was  punished  not  a  little  in  the  fall  of  this  lot  upon 
Jonathan.  Surely  Saul  sinned  more  in  making  this  vow  than 
Jonathan  in  breaking  it  unwittingly ;  and  now  the  father  smarts 
for  the  rashness  of  his  double  vow,  by  the  unjust  sentence  of  death 
upon  so  worthy  a  son. 

God  had  never  singled  out  Jonathan  by  his  lot,  if  *he  had  not 
been  displeased  with  his  act.  Vows  rashly  made  may  not  be  rashly 
broken.  If  the  thing  we  have  vowed  be  not  evil  in  itself,  or  in  the 
effect,  we  cannot  violate  it  without  evil.  Ignorance  cannot  acquit, 
if  it  can  abate  our  sin.  It  is  like  if  Jonathan  had  heard  his  father's 
adjuration  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  heavenly  Father,  and 
will  not  ?  which  do  know  his  charge,  and  will  not  keep  it  ?  Affec- 
tation of  ignorance  and  willing  disobedience  is  desperate. 

Death  was  too  hard  a  censure  for  such  an  unknown  offence. 
The  cruel  piety  of  Saul  will  revenge  the  breach  of  his  own  charge, 
so  as  he  would  be  loth  God  should  avenge  on  himself  the  breach 
of  his  divine  command.  If  Jonathan  had  not  found  better  friends 
than  his  father,  so  noble  a  victory  had  been  recompensed  with 
death.  He  that  saved  Israel  from  the  Philistines  is  saved  by 
Israel  from  the  hand  of  his  father.  Saul  hath  sworn  Jonathan's 
death,  the  people  contrarily  swear  his  preservation.  His  kingdom 
was  not  yet  so  absolute,  that  he  could  run  away  with  so  unmer- 


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cost.  vin.  Jonathan's  victory  and  SauTs  oath.  365 

ciful  a  justice.  Their  oath,  that  savoured  of  disobedience,  prevailed 
against  his  oath,  that  savoured  too  strong  of  cruelty.  Neither 
doubt  I  but  Saul  was  secretly  not  displeased  with  this  loving 
resistance.  So  long  as  his  heart  was  not  false  to  his  oath,  he 
could  not  be  sorry  that  Jonathan  should  live. 


BOOK  XIII. 


TO  THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE 

SIR  THOMAS  EDMONDS,  KNIGHT*, 

TREASURER  OF  HIS  MAJESTY'S  HOUSEHOLD,  AND  OF  HIS  MOST 
HONOURABLE  FRIVT  COUNCIL. 

Right  honourable, — After  your  long  and  happy  acquaintance  with  other 
courts  and  kingdoms,  may  it  please  you  to  compare  with  them  the  estate  of 
old  Israel.  You  shall  find  the  same  hand  swaying  all  sceptres,  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  Envy 
and  Mutability  ancient  courtiers ;  and  shall  confess  the  vices  of  men  still  alive, 
if  themselves  die.  You  shall  see  God  still  honouring  those  that  honour  him, 
and  both  rescuing  innocence  and  crowning  it.  It  is  not  for  me  to  anticipate 
your  deeper  and  more  judicious  observations.  I  am  bold  to  dedicate  this  piece 
of  my  labour  to  your  Honour,  in  a  thankful  acknowledgment  of  those  noble 
respects  I  have  found  from  you  both  in  France  and  at  home.  In  lieu  of 
all  which  I  can  but  pray  for  your  happiness,  and  vow  myself 

Your  Honour's  in  all  humble  observance, 

JOS.  HALL. 


SAUL  AND  AGAG.— i  Samuel  xv. 

God  holds  it  no  derogation  from  his  mercy  to  bear  a  quarrel 
long  where  he  hates.  He  whose  anger  to  the  vessels  of  wrath  is 
everlasting,  even  in  temporal  judgment  revengeth  late.  The  sins 
of  his  own  children  are  no  sooner  done  and  repented  of,  than  for- 

*  [Ambassador  to  the  court  of  France  1610,  having  been  previously  in  the 
same  capacity  at  Brussels  1605-1609 ;  afterwards,  1618,  lord  treasurer.] 


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S66  Saul  and  Agog.  book  xiii. 

gotten;  but  the  malicious  sins  of  his  enemies  stick  fast  in  an  infinite 
displeasure:  I  remember  what  Amalek  did  to  Israel;  how  they 
laid  wait  for  them  by  the  way  as  they  came  up  from  Egypt. 

"  Alas,  Lord,"  might  Amalek  say, "  they  were  our  forefathers : 
we  never  knew  their  faces,  no  not  their  names ;  the  fact  was  so 
far  from  our  consent,  that  it  is  almost  past  the  memory  of  our 
histories.'1  It  is  not  in  the  power  of  time  to  rase  out  any  of  the 
arrearages  of  God.  We  may  lay  up  wrath  for  our  posterity. 
Happy  is  that  child  whose  progenitors  are  in  heaven :  he  is  left 
an  inheritor  of  blessing  together  with  estate ;  whereas  wicked 
ancestors  lose  the  thank  of  a  rich  patrimony  by  the  curse  that 
attends  it.  He  that  thinks  because  punishment  is  deferred,  that 
God  hath  forgiven  or  forgot  his  offence,  is  unacquainted  with  justice, 
and  knows  not  that  time  makes  no  difference  in  eternity. 

The  Amalekites  were  wicked  idolaters,  and  therefore  could  not 
want  many  present  sins,  which  deserved  their  extirpation.  That 
God,  which  had  taken  notice  of  all  their  offences,  picks  out  this 
one  noted  sin  of  their  forefathers  for  revenge.  Amongst  all  their 
indignities,  this  shall  bear  the  name  of  their  judgment:  as  in 
legal  proceedings  with  malefactors,  one  indictment  found  gives  the 
style  of  their  condemnation.  In  the  lives  of  those  which  are  noto- 
riously wicked,  God  cannot  look  beside  a  sin ;  yet  when  he  draws 
to  an  execution,  he  fastens  his  sentence  upon  one  evil  as  principal, 
others  as  accessaries ;  so  as  at  the  last,  one  sin,  which  perhaps  we 
make  no  account  of,  shall  pay  for  all. 

The  paganish  idolatries  of  the  Amalekites  could  not  but  be 
greater  sins  to  God  than  their  hard  measure  to  Israel ;  yet  God 
sets  this  upon  the  file,  while  the  rest  are  not  recorded.  Their 
superstitions  might  be  of  ignorance,  this  sin  was  of  malice.  Mali- 
cious wickedness,  of  all  others,  as  they  are  in  greatest  opposition 
to  the  goodness  and  mercy  of  God,  shall  be  sure  of  the  payment 
of  greatest  vengeance. 

The  detestation  of  God  may  be  measured  by  his  revenge; 
Slay  both  man  and  woman,  both  infant  and  suckling,  both  ox 
and  sheep,  camel  and  ass ;  not  themselves  only,  but  every  thing 
that  drew  life,  either  from  them  or  for  their  use,  must  die.  When 
the  God  of  mercy  speaks  such  bloody  words,  the  provocation  must 
needs  be  vehement.  Sins  of  infirmity  do  but  mutter;  spiteful 
sins  cry  loud  for  judgment  in  the  ears  of  God.  Prepensed  malice, 
in  courts  of  human  justice,  aggravates  the  murder,  and  sharpens 
the  sentence  of  death. 


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cont.  i.  Saul  and  Agog.  867 

What  then  was  this  sin  of  Amalek  that  is  called  unto  this  late 
reckoning?  What  but  their  envious  and  unprovoked  onsets 
upon  the  back  of  Israel?  This  was  it  that  God  took  so  to  heart, 
as  that  he  not  only  remembers  it  now  by  Samuel,  but  he  bids 
Israel  ever  to  remember  it  by  Moses;  Remember  how  Amalek 
met  thee  by  the  way,  and  smote  the  hindmost  of  you,  all  that 
were  feeble  behind  thee,  when  thou  wast  faint  and  weary.  Be- 
sides this  did  Amalek  meet  Israel  in  a  pitched  battle  openly,  in 
Rephidim ;  for  that,  God  paid  them  in  the  present ;  the  hand  of 
Moses  lifted  up  on  the  hill  slew  them  in  the  valley :  he  therefore 
repeats  not  that  quarrel;  but  the  cowardly  and  cruel  attempts 
upon  an  impotent  enemy  stick  still  in  the  stomach  of  the  Al- 
mighty. Oppression  and  wrong  upon  even  terms  are  not  so  hein- 
ous unto  God  as  those  that  are  upon  manifest  disadvantage :  in 
the  one,  there  is  a  hazard  of  return ;  in  the  other,  there  is  ever  a 
tyrannous  insultation.  God  takes  still  the  weaker  part,  and  will 
be  sure  therefore  to  plague  them  which  seek  to  put  injuries  on  the 
unable  to  resist. 

This  sin  of  Amalek  slept  all  the  time  of  the  judges ;  those  go- 
vernors were  only  for  rescue  and  defence ;  now,  as  soon  as  Israel 
hath  a  king,  and  that  king  is  settled  in  peace,  God  gives  charge 
to  call  them  to  account.  It  was  that  which  God  had  both  threat- 
ened and  sworn ;  and  now  he  chooses  out  a  fit  season  for  the  ex- 
ecution ;  as  we  used  to  say  of  winter,  the  judgments  of  God  do 
never  rot  in  the  sky,  but  shall  fall,  if  late,  yet  surely,  yet  sea- 
sonably. There  is  small  comfort  in  the  delay  of  vengeance,  while 
we  are  sure  it  shall  lose  nothing  in  the  way  by  length  of  pro- 
traction. 

The  Kenites  were  the  offspring  of  Hobab,  or  Jethro,  father-in- 
law  to  Moses.  The  affinity  of  him  to  whom  Israel  owed  their 
deliverance  and  being  was  worthy  of  respect;  but  it  was  the 
mercy  of  that  good  and  wise  Midianite,  showed  unto  Israel  in  the 
wilderness,  by  his  grave  advice,  cheerful  gratulation,  and  aid, 
which  won  this  grateful  forbearance  of  his  posterity.  He  that  is 
not  less  in  mercy  than  in  justice,  as  he  challenged  Amalek's  sin  of 
their  succeeding  generations,  so  he  derives  the  recompense  of 
Jethro's  kindness  unto  his  far-descended  issue.  Those  that  were 
unborn  many  ages  after  Jethro's  death  receive  life  from  his  dust 
and  favour  from  his  hospitality.  The  name  of  their  dead  grand- 
father saves  them  from  the  common  destruction  of  their  neigh- 
bours.    The  services  of  our  love  to  God's  children  are  never 


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368  Saul  and  Agog.  book  xiii. 

thankless :  when  we  are  dead  and  rotten,  they  shall  live  and  pro- 
cure blessings  to  those  which  never  knew  perhaps  nor  heard  of 
their  progenitors.  If  we  sow  good  works,  succession  shall  reap 
them,  and  we  shall  be  happy  in  making  them  so. 

The  Eenites  dwelt  in  the  borders  of  Amalek,  but  in  tents,  as 
did  their  issue  the  Rechabites,  so  as  they  might  remove  with  ease. 
They  are  warned  to  shift  their  habitations,  lest  they  should  perish 
with  ill  neighbours.  It  is  the  manner  of  God,  first  to  separate 
before  he  judge ;  as  a  good  husbandman  weeds  his  corn  ere  it  be 
ripe  for  the  sickle,  and  goes  to  the  fan  ere  he  go  to  the  fire.  When 
the  Kenites  pack  up  their  fardels,  it  is  time  to  expect  judgment 
Why  should  not  we  imitate  God,  and  separate  ourselves  that  we 
may  not  be  judged  ?  separate  not  one  Kenite  from  another,  but 
every  Kenite  from  among  the  Amalekites ;  else  if  we  will  needs 
live  with  Amalek,  we  cannot  think  much  to  die  with  him. 

The  Eenites  are  no  sooner  removed,  than  Saul  falls  upon  the 
Amalekites.  He  destroys  all  the  people,  but  spares  their  king. 
The  charge  of  God  was  universal  for  man  and  beast.  In  the 
corruption  of  partiality,  lightly  the  greatest  escape.  Covetous- 
ness  or  misaffection  are  commonly  guilty  of  the  impunity  of  those 
which  are  at  once  more  eminent  in  dignity  and  in  offence.  It  is  a 
shameful  hypocrisy,  to  make  our  commodity  the  measure  and  rule 
of  our  execution  of  God's  command ;  and  under  pretence  of  godli- 
ness to  intend  gain.  The  unprofitable  vulgar  must  die;  Agag 
may  yield  a  rich  ransom.  The  lean  and  feeble  cattle,  that  would 
but  spend  stover,  and  die  alone,  shall  perish  by  the  sword  of 
Israel ;  the  best  may  stock  the  grounds  and  furnish  the  markets. 
O  hypocrites,  did  God  send  you  for  gain  or  for  revenge  ?  Went 
you  to  be  purveyors  or  executioners?  If  you  plead  that  all 
those  wealthy  herds  had  been  but  lost  in  a  speedy  death,  think  ye 
that  he  knew  not  this  which  commanded  it  ?  Can  that  be  lost 
which  is  devoted  to  the  will  of  the  Owner  and  Creator?  or  can 
ye  think  to  gain  any  thing  by  disobedience?  That  man  can 
never  either  do  well  or  fare  well,  which  thinks  there  can  be  more 
profit  in  any  thing  than  in  his  obedience  to  his  Maker.  Because 
Saul  spared  the  best  of  the  men,  the  people  spared  the  best  of  the 
cattle :  each  is  willing  to  favour  other  in  the  sin.  The  sins  of 
the  great  command  imitation,  and  do  as  seldom  go  without  attend- 
ants as  their  persons. 

Saul  knew  well  how  much  he  had  done  amiss,  and  yet  dare 
meet  Samuel,  and  can  say,  Blessed  be  thou  of  the  Lord;  I  have 


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cont.  i.  Saul  and  Agog.  369 

fulfilled  the  commandment  of  the  Lord.  His  heart  knew  that  his 
tongue  was  as  false  as  his  hands  had  been ;  and  if  his  heart  had 
not  been  more  false  than  either  of  them,  neither  of  them  had 
been  so  gross  in  their  falsehood.  If  hypocrisy  were  not  either 
foolish  or  impudent,  she  durst  not  show  her  head  to  a  seer  of  God. 
Could  Saul  think  that  Samuel  knew  of  the  asses  that  were  lost, 
and  did  not  know  of  the  oxen  and  sheep  that  were  spared  ?  Could 
he  foretell  his  thoughts,  when  it  was,  and  now  not  know  of  his 
open  actions  ?  Much  less,  when  we  have  to  do  with  God  himself, 
should  dissimulation  presume  either  of  safety  or  secresy.  Can  the 
God  that  made  the  heart  not  know  it?  Can  he  that  compre- 
hends all  things  be  shut  out  of  our  close  corners?  Saul  was 
otherwise  crafty  enough,  yet  herein  his  simplicity  is  palpable. 
Sin  can  besot  even  the  wisest  man,  and  there  was  never  but  folly 
in  wickedness. 

No  man  brags  so  much  of  holiness  as  he  that  wants  it.  True 
obedience  is  joined  ever  with  humility,  and  fear  of  unknown  er- 
rors. Falsehood  is  bold,  and  can  say,  /  have  fulfilled  the  com- 
mandment of  the  Lord.  If  Saul  had  been  truly  obsequious  and 
holy,  he  had  made  no  noise  of  it.  A  gracious  heart  is  not  a  blab 
of  his  tongue,  but  rests  and  rejoiceth  silently  in  the  conscience  of 
a  secret  goodness.  Those  vessels  yield  most  sound  that  have  the 
least  liquor. 

Samuel  had  reason  to  believe  the  sheep  and  oxen  above  Saul. 
Their  bleating  and  lowing  was  a  sufficient  conviction  of  a  denied 
and  outfaced  disobedience.  God  opened  their  mouths  to  accuse 
Saul  of  their  life  and  his  falsehood ;  but,  as  sin  is  crafty  and  never 
wanted  a  cloke  wherewith  both  to  bide  and  deck  itself,  even  this 
very  rebellion  is  holy.  "  First,  the  act,  if  it  were  evil,  was  not 
mine,  but  the  people's;  and  secondly,  their  intention  makes  it 
good,  for  these  flocks  and  herds  were  preserved,  not  for  gain,  but 
for  devotion.  What  needs  this  quarrel?  If  any  gain  by  this  act, 
it  is  the  Lord  thy  God.  His  altars  shall  smoke  with  these  sacri- 
fices ;  ye  that  serve  at  them  shall  fare  so  much  the  better :  this 
godly  thriftiness  looks  for  thanks  rather  than  censure." 

If  Saul  had  been  in  Samuel's  clothes,  perhaps  this  answer 
would  have  satisfied  him :  surely  himself  stands  out  in  it,  as  that 
whereto  he  dares  trust ;  and  after  he  hears  of  God's  angry  re- 
proof, he  avows  and  doubles  his  hold  of  his  innocency  ;  as  if  the 
commanders  should  not  answer  for  the  known  sins  of  the  people ; 
as  if  our  intentions  could  justify  us  to  God  against  God.     How 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  B  b 

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370  The  rejection  of  Saul,  hook  xui. 

much  ado  is  it  to  bring  sinners  upon  their  knees,  and  to  make 
their  tongues  accuse  their  hands  ?  But  it  is  no  halting  with  the 
Maker  of  the  heart.  He  knew  it  was  covetousness,  and  not  piety, 
which  was  accessary  to  this  forbearance ;  and  if  it  had  been  as 
was  pretended,  he  knew  it  was  an  odious  impiety  to  raise  devotion 
out  of  disobedience.  Saul  shall  hear  and  find  that  he  hath  dealt 
no  less  wickedly  in  sparing  an  Agag,  than  in  killing  an  innocent 
Israelite ;  in  sparing  these  beasts  for  sacrifice,  than  in  sacrificing 
beasts  that  had  been  unclean.  Why  was  sacrifice  itself  good,  but 
because  it  was  commanded  ?  What  difference  was  there  betwixt 
slaughter  and  sacrifice  but  obedience  ?  To  sacrifice  disobediently 
is  wilfully  to  mock  God  in  honouring  him. 


THE  REJECTION  OF  SAUL,  AND  THE  CHOICE  OF 
DAVID.— i  Samuel  xvi. 

Even  when  Saul  had  abandoned  God  in  disobedience,  he  would 
not  forego  Samuel ;  yea,  though  he  reproved  him.  When  he  had 
forsaken  the  substance,  yet  he  would  maintain  the  formality.  If 
he  cannot  hold  the  man,  he  will  keep  the  pledge  of  his  garment: 
such  was  the  violence  of  Saul's  desire,  that  he  will  rather  rend 
Samuel's  coat  than  part  with  his  person.  Little  did  Saul  think 
that  he  had  in  his  hand  the  pawn  of  his  own  rejection ;  that  this 
act  of  kind  importunity  should  carry  in  it  a  presage  of  his  judg- 
ment ;  yet  so  it  did :  this  very  rending  of  the  coat  was  a  real  pro- 
phecy, and  did  bode  no  less  than  the  rending  of  the  kingdom 
from  him  and  his  posterity.  Wicked  men,  while  they  think  by 
carnal  means  to  make  their  peace,  plunge  themselves  deeper  into 
misery. 

Any  stander-by  would  have  said,  "  What  a  good  king  is  this  \ 
How  dear  is  God's  prophet  unto  him !  How  happy  is  Israel  in 
such  a  prince,  as  thus  loves  the  messengers  of  God!"  Samuel, 
that  saw  the  bottom  of  his  hollow  affection,  rejects  him  whom 
God  had  rejected.  He  was  taught  te  look  upon  Saul  not  as  a 
king,  but  as  an  offender ;  and  therefore  refuses,  with  no  less  ve- 
hemency  than  Saul  entreated.  It  was  one  thing  what  he  might 
do  as  a  subject,  another  what  he  roust  do  as  a  prophet.  Now  he 
knows  not  Saul  any  otherwise  than  as  so  much  the  greater  tres- 
passer as  his  place  was  higher ;  and  therefore  he  doth  no  more 
spare  his  greatness  than  the  God  against  whom  he  sinned :  nei- 


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cont.  it.  and  the  choice  of  David.  371 

ther  doth  he  countenance  that  man  with  his  presence  on  whom 
he  sees  God  to  frown. 

There  needs  no  other  character  of  hypocrisy  than  Saul  in  the 
carriage  of  this  one  business  with  Agag  and  Samuel.  First,  he 
obeys  God  where  there  is  no  gain  in  disobedience ;  then  he  serves 
God  by  halves,  and  disobeys  where  the  obedience  might  be  loss. 
He  gives  God  of  the  worst :  he  doth  that  in  a  colour  which  might 
seem  answerable  to  the  charge  of  God.  He  respects  persons  in 
the  execution.  He  gives  good  words  when  his  deeds  were  evil. 
He  protests  his  obedience  against  his  conscience.  He  faces  out 
his  protestation  against  a  reproof.  When  he  sees  no  remedy,  he 
acknowledges  the  fact,  denies  the  sin,  yea  he  justifies  the  act  by  a 
profitable  intention.  When  he  can  no  longer  maintain  his  inno- 
cence, he  casts  the  blame  from  himself  upon  the  people.  He  con- 
fesseth  not,  till  the  sin  be  wrung  from  his  mouth.  He  seeks  his 
peace  out  of  himself;  and  relies  more  upon  another's  virtue  than 
his  own  penitency.  He  would  cloke  his  guiltiness  with  the  holi- 
ness of  another's  presence.  He  is  more  tormented  with  the  danger 
and  damage  of  his  sin  than  with  the  offence.  He  cares  to  hold  in 
with  men,  in  what  terms  soever  he  stands  with  God.  He  fa- 
shionably serves  that  God  whom  he  hath  not  cared  to  reconcile 
by  his  repentance.  No  marvel  if  God  cast  him  off,  whose  best 
was  dissimulation. 

Old  Samuel  is  forced  to  do  a  double  execution,  and  that  upon 
no  less  than  two  kings :  the  one  upon  Saul,  in  dividing  the  king- 
dom from  him  who  had  divided  himself  from  God;  the  other 
upon  Agag,  in  dividing  him  in  pieces  whom  Saul  should  have 
divided.  Those  holy  hands  were  not  used  to  such  sacrifices ;  yet 
did  he  never  spill  blood  more  acceptably.  If  Saul  had  been  truly 
penitent,  he  had  in  a  desire  of  satisfaction  prevented  the  hand  of 
Samuel  in  this  slaughter ;  now  he  coldly  stands  still,  and  suffers 
the  weak  hands  of  an  aged  prophet  to  be  imbrued  with  that  blood 
which  he  was  commanded  to  shed.  If  Saul  might  not  sacrifice  in 
the  absence  of  Samuel,  yet  Samuel  might  kill  in  the  presence  of 
Saul.  He  was  yet  a  judge  of  Israel,  although  he  suspended  the 
execution :  in  Saul's  neglect,  this  charge  reverted  to  him.  God 
loves  just  executions  so  well,  that  he  will  hardly  take  them  ill  at 
any  hand. 

I  do  not  find  that  the  slaughter  of  Agag  troubled  Samuel : 
that  other  act  of  his  severity  upon  Saul,  though  it  drew  no  blood, 
yet  struck  him  in  the  striking,  and  fetched  tears  from  his  eyes. 

b  b  2 


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372  The  rejection  of  Saul,  book  xiii. 

Good  Samuel  mourned  for  him  that  had  not  grace  to  mourn  for 
himself.  No  man  in  all  Israel  might  seem  to  have  so  much  reason 
to  rejoice  in  Saul's  ruin  as  Samuel,  since  that  he  knew  him  raised 
up  in  despite  of  his  government ;  yet  he  mourns  more  for  him 
than  he  did  for  his  sons,  for  himself.  It  grieved  him  to  see  the 
plant  which  he  had  set  in  the  garden  of  Israel  thus  soon  withered. 
It  is  an  unnatural  senselessness  not  to  be  affected  with  the  dan- 
gers, with  the  sins  of  our  governors.  God  did  not  blame  this 
sorrow,  but  moderated  it ;  How  long  wilt  thou  mourn  for  Saul? 
It  was  not  the  affection  he  forbade,  but  the  measure.  In  this  is 
thte  difference  betwixt  good  men  and  evil,  that  evil  men  mourn 
not  for  their  own  sins,  good  men  do  so  mourn  for  the  sins  of 
others  that  they  will  hardly  be  taken  off. 

If  Samuel  mourn  because  Saul  hath  cast  away  God  by  his  sin, 
he  must  cease  to  mourn  because  God  hath  cast  away  Saul  from 
reigning  over  Israel  in  his  just  punishment.  A  good  heart  hath 
learned  to  rest  itself  upon  the  justice  of  God's  decree,  and  forgets 
all  earthly  respects  when  it  looks  up  to  heaven.  So  did  God 
mean  to  show  his  displeasure  against  the  person  of  Saul,  that  he 
would  show  favour  to  Israel ;  he  will  not  therefore  bereave  them 
of  a  king,  but  change  him  for  a  better.  Either  Saul  had  slan- 
dered his  people,  or  else  they  were  partners  with  him  in  the  dis- 
obedience ;  yet,  because  it  was  their  ruler's  fault  that  they  were 
not  overruled,  we  do  not  hear  of  their  smarting,  any  otherwise 
than  in  the  subjection  to  such  a  king  as  was  not  loyal  to  God. 
The  loss  of  Saul  is  their  gain.  The  government  of  their  first 
king  was  abortive :  no  marvel  if  it  held  not.  Now  was  the  ma- 
turity of  that  state ;  and  therefore  God  will  bring  them  forth  a 
kindly  monarchy,  settled  where  it  should. 

Kings  are  of  God's  providing :  it  is  good  reason  he  should 
make  choice  of  his  own  deputies ;  but  where  goodness  meets  with 
sovereignty,  both  his  right  and  his  gift  are  doubled.  If  kings 
were  merely  from  the  earth,  what  needs  a  prophet  to  be  seen  in 
the  choice  or  inauguration  ? 

The  hand  of  Samuel  doth  not  now  bear  the  sceptre  to  rule 
Israel,  but  it  bears  the  horn  for  the  anointing  of  him  that  must 
rule.  Saul  was  sent  to  him  when  the  time  was  to  be  anointed ; 
but  now  he  is  sent  to  anoint  David.  Then  Israel  sought  a  king 
for  themselves;  now  God  seeks  a  king  for  Israel.  The  pro- 
phet is  therefore  directed  to  the  house  of  Jesse  the  Bethlehemite, 
the  grandchild  of  Ruth.    Now  is  the  faithful  love  of  that  good 


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cont.  ii.  and  the  choice  of  David.  373 

Moabitess  crowned  with  the  honour  of  a  kingdom  in  the  succeed- 
ing generation.  God  fetched  her  out  of  Moab  to  bring  a  king  unto 
Israel.  While  Orpah  wants  bread  in  her  own  country,  Ruth  is 
grown  a  great  lady  in  Bethlehem,  and  is  advanced  to  be  great 
grandmother  to  the  king  of  Israel.  The  retributions  of  God  are 
bountiful :  never  any  man  forsook  aught  for  his  sake,  and  com- 
plained of  a  hard  bargain. 

Even  the  best  of  God's  saints  want  not  their  infirmities.  He 
that  never  replied  when  he  was  sent  to  reprove  the  king  moveth 
doubts  when  he  is  bidden  to  go  and  anoint  his  successor.  How 
can  I  go  t  If  Saul  hear  it,  he  will  kill  me.  Perhaps  desire  of 
full  direction  drew  from  him  this  question,  but  not  without  a  mix- 
ture of  diffidence ;  for  the  manner  of  doing  it  doth  not  so  much 
trouble  him  as  the  success.  It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  the  most 
faithful  hearts  should  be  always  in  an  equal  height  of  resolution. 

God  doth  not  chide  Samuel,  but  instruct  him.  He  which  is 
wisdom  itself  teacheth  him  to  hide  his  counsels  in  an  honest  po- 
licy ;  Take  an  heifer  with  theey  and  say,  I  am  come  to  do  sacrifice 
to  the  Lord.  This  was  to  say  true,  not  to  say  all.  Truth  may 
not  be  crossed  by  denials  or  equivocations ;  it  may  be  concealed 
in  a  discreet  silence.  Except  in  the  case  of  an  oath,  no  man  is 
bound  to  speak  all  he  knows.  We  are  not  only  allowed,  but  com- 
manded to  be  innocently  serpentine. 

There  were  doubtless  heifers  enow  in  Bethlehem.  Jesse  had 
both  wealth  and  devotion  enough  to  have  bestowed  a  sacrifice  upon 
God  and  his  prophet ;  but  to  give  a  more  perfect  colour  to  his  in- 
tention, Samuel  must  take  a  heifer  with  him.  The  act  itself  was 
serious  and  necessary.  There  was  no  place,  no  time  wherein  it 
was  not  fit  for  a  Samuel  to  offer  peace  offerings  unto  God ;  but 
when  a  king  should  be  anointed,  there  was  no  less  than  neces- 
sity in  this  service.  Those  which  must  represent  God  to  tho 
world  ought  to  be  consecrated  to  that  Majesty  whom  they  resem- 
ble by  public  devotions.  Every  important  action  requires  a  sacri- 
fice to  bless  it;  much  more  that  act  which  imports  the  whole 
church  or  commonwealth. 

It  was  great  news  to  see  Samuel  at  Bethlehem.  He  was  no 
gadder  abroad :  none  but  necessary  occasions  could  make  him  stir 
from  Ramah.  The  elders  of  the  city  therefore  welcome  him  with 
trembling ;  not  for  that  they  were  afraid  of  him,  but  of  them- 
selves. They  knew  that  guest  would  not  come  to  them  for  fami- 
liarity :  straight  do  they  suspect  it  was  the  purpose  of  some  judg- 


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874  The  rejection  of  Saul,  fyc.  book  xiii. 

ment  that  drew  him  thither ;  Contest  thou  peaceably  f  It  is  a  good 
thing  to  stand  in  awe  of  God's  messengers,  and  to  hold  good  terms 
with  them  upon  all  occasions.  The  Bethlehemites  are  glad  to  hear 
of  no  other  errand  but  a  sacrifice ;  and  now  must  they  sanctify 
themselves  for  so  sacred  a  business.  We  may  not  presume  to  sa- 
crifice unto  God  unsanctified :  this  were  to  mar  an  holy  act  and 
make  ourselves  more  profane  by  profaning  that  which  should  be 
holy. 

All  the  citizens  sanctify  themselves,  but  Jesse  and  his  sons  were 
in  a  special  fashion  sanctified  by  Samuel.  This  business  was  most 
theirs  and  all  Israel  in  them.  The  more  God  bath  to  do  with  us, 
the  more  holy  should  we  be. 

With  what  desire  did  Samuel  look  upon  the  sons  of  Jesse,  that 
he  might  see  the  face  of  the  man  whom  God  had  chosen  1  And 
now  when  Eliab  the  eldest  son  came  forth,  a  man  of  a  goodly 
presence,  whose  person  seemed  fit  to  succeed  Saul,  he  thinks  with 
himself,  "  This  choice  is  soon  made.  I  have  already  espied  the 
head  on  which  I  must  spend  this  holy  oil.  This  is  the  man  which 
hath  both  the  privilege  of  nature  in  his  primogeniture,  and  of  out- 
ward goodliness  in  proportion.  Surely  the  Lord's  anointed  is  be- 
fore him"  Even  the  holiest  prophet,  when  he  goes  without  God, 
runs  into  error.  The  best  judgment  is  subject  to  deceit.  It  is  no 
trusting  any  mortal  man  when  he  speaks  of  himself.  Our  eyes  can 
be  led  by  nothing  but  signs  and  appearances,  and  those  have  com- 
monly in  them  either  a  true  falsehood  or  uncertain  truth. 

That  which  should  have  forewarned  Samuel  deceived  him.  He 
had  seen  the  proof  of  a  goodly  stature  unanswerable  to  their  hopes, 
and  yet  his  eye  errs  in  the  shape.  He  that  judgeth  by  the  inside 
both  of  our  hearts  and  actions  checks  Samuel  in  this  misoonoeit; 
Look  not  on  his  countenance,  nor  on  the  height  of  his  stature, 
because  I  have  refused  him ;  for  God  seeth  not  as  man  seeth. 
The  king  with  whom  God  meant  to  satisfy  the  untimely  desires  of 
Israel  was  chosen  by  his  stature;  but  the  king  with  whom  God 
meant  to  please  himself  is  chosen  by  the  heart. 

All  the  seven  sons  of  Jesse  are  presented  to  the  prophet:  no 
one  is  omitted  whom  their  father  thought  capable  of  any  respect. 
If  either  Samuel  or  Jesse  should  have  chosen,  David  should  never 
have  been  king.  His  father  thought  him  fit  to  keep  sheep ;  his 
brethren  fit  to  rule  men ;  yet  even  David,  the  youngest  son,  is 
fetched  from  the  fold,  and  by  the  choice  of  God  destined  to  the 
throne.     Nature,  which  is  commonly  partial  to  her  own,  could  not 


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cont.  in.  David  called  to  the  court.  375 

suggest  aught  to  Jesse  to  make  him  think  Day  id  worthy  to  be  re- 
membered in  any  competition  of  honour ;  yet  him  hath  God  singled 
out  to  rule. 

God  will  have  his  wisdom  magnified  in  the  unlikelihoods  of  his 
election.  David's  countenance  was  ingenuous  and  beautiful,  but 
if  it  had  promised  so  much  as  Eliab's  or  Abinadab's,  he  had  not 
been  in  the  fields  while  his  brethren  were  at  the  sacrifice.  If  we 
do  altogether  follow  our  eye,  and  suffer  ourselves  to  be  guided  by 
outward  respects  in  our  choice  for  God  or  ourselves,  we  cannot  but 
go  amiss. 

What  do  we  think  the  brethren  of  David  thought,  when  they  saw 
the  oil  poured  upon  his  head  ?  Surely,  as  they  were  envious  enough, 
they  had  too  much  repined  if  they  had  either  fully  apprehended 
the  purpose  of  the  prophet,  or  else  had  not  thought  of  some  im- 
probability in  the  success.  Either  they  understood  not,  or  believed 
not,  what  God  would  do  with  their  brother.  They  saw  him  graced 
with  God's  Spirit  above  his  wont,  but  perhaps  foresaw  not  whither 
it  tended.  David,  as  no  wit  changed  in  his  condition,  returns  to 
his  sheep  again,  and  with  an  humble  admiration  of  God's  gracious 
respect  to  him,  casts  himself  upon  the  wise  and  holy  decree  of  the 
Almighty,  resigning  himself  to  the  disposition  of  those  hands  which 
had  chosen  him ;  when  suddenly  a  messenger  is  sent  from  Saul  to 
call  him  in  all  haste  to  that  court  whereof  he  shall  once  be  master. 
The  occasion  is  no  less  from  God  than  the  event. 


DAVID  CALLED  TO  THE  COURT.— i  Samuel  xvi. 

That  the  kingdom  is  in  the  appointment  of  God  departed  from 
Saul,  it  is  his  least  loss :  now  the  Spirit  of  God  is  also  departed 
from  him.  One  spirit  is  no  sooner  gone  but  another  is  come ;  both 
are  from  God :  even  the  worst  spirits  have  not  only  permission, 
but  commission  from  heaven  for  the  infliction  of  judgment.  He 
that  at  first  could  hide  himself  among  the  stuff,  that  he  might 
not  be  king,  is  now  so  transported  with  this  glory,  that  he 
grows  passionate  with  the  thought  of  foregoing  it:  Satan  takes 
vantage  of  his  melancholy  dejection,  and  turns  this  passion  into 
phrensy.  God  will  have  even  evil  spirits  work  by  means :  a  dis- 
tempered body  and  an  unquiet  mind  are  fit  grounds  for  Satan's 
vexation. 

Saul's  courtiers,  as  men  that  were  more  witty  than  religious, 


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376  David  called  to  the  court  book  xiii 

advised  him  to  music.  They  knew  the  strength  of  that  skill  in 
allaying  the  fury  of  passions,  in  cheering  up  the  dejected  spirits 
of  their  master.  This  was  done  like  some  fond  chirurgeon,  that 
when  the  bone  is  out  of  joint  lays  some  suppling  poultices  to  the 
part  for  the  assuaging  of  the  ache,  in  the  mean  time  not  caring  to 
remedy  the  luxation. 

If  they  had  said,  "  Sir,  you  know  this  evil  comes  from  that  God 
whom  you  have  offended ;  there  can  be  no  help  but  in  reconcile- 
ment ;  how  easy  is  it  for  the  Ood  of  spirits  to  take  off  Satan ! 
Labour  your  peace  with  him  by  a  serious  humiliation :  make  means 
.  to  Samuel  to  further  the  atonement :"  they  had  been  wise  coun- 
sellors, divine  physicians ;  whereas  now  they  do  but  skin  over  the 
sore,  and  leave  it  rankled  at  the  bottom.  The  cure  must  ever 
proceed  in  the  same  steps  with  the  disease,  else  in  vain  shall  we 
seem  to  heal.  There  is  no  safety  in  the  redress  of  evils  but  to 
strike  at  the  root. 

Tet  since  it  is  no  better  with  Saul  and  his  courtiers,  it  is  well 
it  is  no  worse.  I  do  not  bear  either  the  master  or  servants  say, 
"  This  is  an  ill  spirit,  send  for  some  magician  that  may  counter- 
mand him.  There  are  forcible  enchantments  for  these  spiritual 
vexations ;  if  Samuel  will  not,  there  are  witches  that  may  give 
ease."  But  as  one  that  would  rather  be  ill  than  do  worse,  he  con- 
tents himself  to  do  that  which  was  lawful  if  insufficient.  It  is  a 
shame  to  say  that  he  whom  God  had  rejected  for  his  sin  was  yet 
a  saint  to  some  that  would  be  Christians,  who  care  not  how  much 
they  are  beholden  to  the  devil  in  their  distresses,  affecting  to  cast 
out  devils  by  Beelzebub.  In  cases  of  loss  or  sickness  they  make 
hell  their  refuge,  and  seek  for  patronage  but  of  an  enemy.  Here 
is  a  fearful  agreement :  Satan  seeks  to  them  in  his  temptations, 
they  in  their  consultations  seek  to  him ;  and  now  they  have  mu- 
tually found  each  other,  if  they  ever  part,  it  is  a  miracle. 

David  had  lived  obscurely  in  his  father's  house,  his  only  care 
and  ambition  was  the  welfare  of  the  flock  he  tended ;  and  now, 
while  his  father  and  his  brothers  neglected  him,  as  fit  for  nothing 
but  the  field,  he  is  talked  of  at  the  court.  Some  of  Saul's  followers 
had  been  at  Jesse's  house,  and  taken  notice  of  David's  skill ;  and 
now  that  harp  which  he  practised  for  his  private  recreation  shall 
make  him  of  a  shepherd  a  courtier.  The  music  that  he  meant  only 
to  himself  and  his  sheep  brings  him  before  kings.  The  wisdom 
of  God  thought  fit  to  take  this  occasion  of  acquainting  David  with 
that  court  which  he  shall  once  govern.     It  is  good  that  our  edu- 


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cont.  iv,  David  and  Goliath.  877 

cation  should  perfect  our  children  in  all  those  commendable  qua- 
lities whereto  they  are  disposed.  Little  do  we  know  what  use  God 
means  to  make  of  those  faculties  which  we  know  not  how  to  em- 
ploy. Where  the  Almighty  purposes  an  advancement,  obscurity 
can  be  no  prejudice.  Small  means  shall  set  forward  that  which 
God  hath  decreed. 

Doubtless  old  Jesse  noted,  not  without  admiration,  the  wonderful 
accordance  of  God's  proceedings ;  that  he  which  was  sent  for  out 
of  the  field  to  be  anointed  should  now  be  sent  for  out  of  the  coun- 
try into  the  court ;  and  now  he  perceived  God  was  making  way  for 
the  execution  of  that  which  he  purposed,  he  attends  the  issue  in 
silence,  neither  shall  his  hand  fail  to  give  furtherance  to  the  pro- 
ject of  God.  He  therefore  sends  his  son  laden  with  a  present 
to  Saul. 

The  same  God  which  called  David  to  the  court  welcomes  him 
thither.  His  comeliness,  valour,  and  skill  have  soon  won  him  fa- 
vour in  the  eyes  of  Saul.  The  giver  of  all  graces  hath  so  placed 
his  favours,  that  the  greatest  enemies  of  goodness  shall  see  some- 
what in  the  holiest  men  which  they  shall  affect,  and  for  which  they 
shall  honour  the  persons  of  them  whose  virtues  they  dislike ;  as 
contrarily,  the  saints  on  earth  see  somewhat  to  love  even  in  the 
worst  creatures. 

No  doubt  David  sung  to  his  harp ;  his  harp  was  not  more  sweet 
than  his  song  was  holy.  Those  psalms  alone  had  been  more  power- 
ful to  chase  the  evil  spirit  than  the  music  was  to  calm  passions ; 
both  together  gave  ease  to  Saul,  and  God  gave  this  effect  to  both, 
because  he  would  have  Saul  train  up  his  successor.  This  sacred 
music  did  not  more  dispel  Satan  than  wanton  music  invites  him, 
and  more  cheers  him  than  us :  he  plays  and  danceth  at  a  filthy 
song,  he  sings  at  an  obscene  dance :  our  sin  is  his  best  pastime, 
whereas  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs  are  torments  unto 
the  tempter,  and  music  to  the  angels  in  heaven,  whose  trade  is  to 
sing  hallelujahs  in  the  ohoir  of  glory. 


DAVID  AND  GOLIATH.— i  Samuel  xvii. 

After  the  news  of  the  Philistines'  army,  I  hear  no  more  mention 
of  Saul's  phrensy :  whether  the  noise  of  war  diverted  those  thought- 
ful passions,  or  whether  God  for  his  people's  sake  took  off  that 
evil  spirit,  lest  Israel  might  miscarry  under  a  frantic  governor. 


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378  David  and  Goliath.  book  xm. 

Now  David  hath  leisure  to  return  to  Bethlehem.  The  glory 
of  the  court  cannot  transport  him  to  ambitious  vanity :  he  had 
rather  be  his  father's  shepherd  than  Saul's  armour-bearer :  all  the 
magnificence  and  state  which  he  saw  could  not  put  his  mouth  out 
of  the  taste  of  a  retired  simplicity ;  yea  rather  he  loves  his  hook 
the  better  since  he  saw  the  court ;  and  now  his  brethren  serve 
Saul  in  his  stead.  A  good  heart  hath  learned  to  frame  itself  unto 
all  conditions,  and  can  change  estates  without  change  of  disposition, 
rising  and  falling  according  to  occasion.  The  worldly  mind  can 
rise  easily,  but  when  it  is  once  up,  knows  not  how  to  descend  either 
with  patience  or  safety. 

Forty  days  together  had  the  Philistines  and  Israelites  faced 
each  other.  They  pitched  on  two  hills,  one  in  the  sight  of  the 
other ;  nothing  but  a  valley  was  betwixt  them.  Both  stand  upon 
defence  and  advantage :  if  they  had  not  meant  to  fight,  they  had 
never  drawn  so  near ;  and  if  they  had  been  eager  of  fight,  a  valley 
could  not  have  parted  them.  Actions  of  hazard  require  delibe- 
ration ;  not  fury,  but  discretion  must  be  the  guide  of  war. 

So  had  Joshua  destroyed  the  giantly  Anakims  out  of  the  land 
of  Israel,  that  yet  some  were  left  in  Azzab,  Gath,  and  Ashdod ; 
both  to  show  Israel  what  adversaries  their  forefathers  found  in 
Canaan  and  whom  they  mastered,  as  also  that  God  might  win 
glory  to  himself  by  these  obsequent  executions.  Of  that  race  was 
Goliath,  whose  heart  was  as  high  as  his  head :  his  strength  was 
answerable  to  his  stature,  his  weapons  answerable  to  his  strength, 
his  pride  exceeded  all.  Because  he  saw  his  head  higher,  his  arm 
stronger,  his  sword  and  spear  bigger,  his  shield  heavier  than 
any  Israelite,  he  defies  the  whole  host,  and  walking  between  the 
two  armies  braves  all  Israel  with  a  challenge ;  Why  are  ye  come 
out  to  set  your  battle  in  array  f  Am  not  I  a  Philistine,  and 
you  servants  to  Saul?  Choose  you  a  man  for  you,  and  let  him 
come  down  to  me :  give  me  a  man  that  we  may  fight  together. 
Carnal  hearts  are  carried  away  with  presumption  of  their  own 
abilities ;  and  not  finding  matches  to  themselves  in  outward  ap- 
pearance, insult  over  the  impotency  of  inferiors ;  and,  as  those 
that  can  see  no  invisible  opposition,  promise  themselves  certainty 
of  success.  Insolence  and  self-confidence  argue  the  heart  to  be 
nothing  but  a  lump  of  proud  flesh. 

The  first  challenge  of  duel  that  ever  we  find  came  out  of  the 
mouth  of  an  uncircumcised  Philistine ;  yet  was  that  in  open  war, 
and  tended  to  the  saving  of  many  lives,  by  adventuring  one  or 


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cont.  iv.  David  and  Goliath.  379 

two ;  and  whosoever  imitatetb,  nay  surpassed  him  in  challenge 
to  private  duels,  in  the  attempt  partaketh  of  his  uncircumcision, 
though  he  should  overcome ;  and  of  his  manner  of  punishment,  if 
in  such  private  combats  he  cast  away  his  life.  For  of  all  such 
desperate  prodigals  we  may  say,  that  their  heads  are  cut  off  by 
their  own  sword,  if  not  by  their  own  hand. 

We  cannot  challenge  men  and  not  challenge  God,  who  justly 
challengeth  to  himself  both  to  take  vengeance  and  to  give  success. 

The  more  Goliath  challenges  and  is  unanswered,  the  more  is  he 
puffed  up  in  the  pride  of  his  own  power.  And  is  there  none  of  all 
Israel  that  will  answer  this  champion  otherwise  than  with  his 
heels?  Where  is  the  courage  of  him  that  was  higher  than  all  Is- 
rael from  the  shoulders  upward?  The  time  was  when  Nahash  the 
Ammonite  had  made  that  tyrannous  demand  of  the  right  eyes  of 
the  Gileadites,  that  Saul  could  ask  unasked,  What  aileth  the 
people  to  weep  ?  and  could  hew  his  oxen  in  pieces  to  raise  the 
spirits  of  Israel ;  and  now  he  stands  still,  and  sees  the  host  turn 
their  back,  and  never  so  much  as  asks,  "  What  aileth  the  people 
to  fly  ?"  The  time  was  when  Saul  slew  forty  thousand  Philistines 
in  one  day,  and  perhaps  Goliath  was  in  that  discomfiture ;  and  now 
one  Philistine  is  suffered  by  him  to  brave  all  Israel  forty  days. 
Whence  is  this  difference  ?  The  Spirit  of  God  (the  Spirit  of  forti- 
tude) was  now  departed  from  him.  Saul  was  not  more  above 
himself  when  God  was  with  him,  than  he  is  below  others  now 
that  he  is  left  of  God. 

Valour  is  not  merely  of  nature:  nature  is  ever  like  itself;  by 
this  rule  he  that  is  once  valiant  should  never  turn  coward :  but 
now  we  see  the  greatest  spirits  inconstant ;  and  those  which  have 
given  good  proofs  of  magnanimity  at  other  times  have  bewrayed 
white  livers  unto  their  own  reproach.  He  that  is  the  God  of  hosts 
gives  and  takes  away  men's  hearts  at  his  pleasure.  Neither  is  it 
otherwise  in  our  spiritual  combats :  sometimes  the  same  soul  dare 
challenge  all  the  powers  of  darkness,  which  otherwhiles  gives  ground 
to  a  temptation.  We  have  no  strength  but  what  is  given  us,  and 
if  the  author  of  all  good  gifts  remit  his  hand  for  our  humiliation, 
either  we  fight  not  or  are  foiled. 

David  hath  now  lien  long  enough  close  amongst  his  flock  in  the 
fields  of  Bethlehem :  God  sees  a  time  to  send  him  to  the  pitched 
field  of  Israel.  Good  old  Jesse,  that  was  doubtless  joyful  to  think 
that  he  had  afforded  three  sons  to  the  wars  of  his  king,  is  no  less 


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S80  David  and  Goliath.  book  x  i  i  i  . 

careful  of  their  welfare  and  provision ;  and  who,  amongst  all  the 
rest  of  his  seven  sons,  shall  be  picked  out  for  this  service  bat  his 
youngest  son  David,  whose  former  and  almost  worn  out  acquaint- 
ance in  court  and  employment  under  Saul  seemed  to  fit  him  best 
for  this  errand. 

Early  in  the  morning  is  David  upon  bis  way,  yet  not  so  early 
as  to  leave  his  flock  unprovided.  If  his  father's  command  dismiss 
him,  yet  will  he  stay  till  he  have  trusted  his  sheep  with  a  careful 
keeper.  We  cannot  be  faithful  shepherds,  if  our  spiritual  charge 
be  less  dear  unto  us ;  if,  when  necessity  calls  us  from  our  flocks,  we 
depute  not  those  which  are  vigilant  and  conscionable. 

Ere  David's  speed  can  bring  him  to  the  valley  of  Elah,  both  the 
armies  are  on  foot  ready  to  join.  He  takes  not  this  excuse  to  stay 
without,  as  a  man  daunted  with  the  horror  of  war,  but,  leaving  his 
present  with  his  servant,  he  thrusts  himself  into  the  thickest  of 
the  host,  and  salutes  his  brethren  which  were  now  thinking  of 
nothing  but  killing  or  dying,  when  the  proud  champion  of  the 
Philistines  comes  stalking  forth  before  all  the  troops,  and  renews 
his  insolent  challenge  against  Israel.  David  sees  the  man,  and  hears 
his  defiance,  and  looks  about  him  to  see  what  answer  would  be 
given;  and  when  he  espies  nothing  but  pale  faces  and  backs 
turned,  he  wonders  not  so  much  that  one  man  should  dare  all 
Israel,  as  that  all  Israel  should  run  from  one  man. 

Even  when  they  fly  from  Goliath,  they  talk  of  the  reward  that 
should  be  given  to  that  encounter  and  victory  which  they  dare 
not  undertake ;  so  those  which  have  not  grace  to  believe,  yet  can 
say,  "  There  is  glory  laid  up  for  the  faithful." 

Ever  since  his  anointing  was  David  possessed  with  God's  Spirit, 
and  thereby  filled  both  with  courage  and  wisdom :  the  more  strange 
doth  it  seem  to  him  that  all  Israel  should  be  thus  dastardly.  Those 
that  are  themselves  eminent  in  any  grace  cannot  but  wonder  at 
the  miserable  defects  of  others;  and  the  more  shame  they  see  in 
others'  imperfections,  the  more  is  their  zeal  in  avoiding  those 
errors  in  themselves. 

While  base  hearts  are  moved  by  example,  the  want  of  example 
is  encouragement  enough  for  an  heroical  mind :  therefore  is  David 
ready  to  undertake  the  quarrel,  because  no  man  else  dare  do  it 
His  eyes  sparkled  with  holy  anger,  and  his  heart  rose  up  to  his 
mouth  when  he  heard  this  proud  challenger ;  Who  is  this  uneir- 
cumcised  Philistine,  that  he  should  revile  the  host  of  the  living 


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cont.  iv.  .     David  and  Goliath.  381 

God?  Even  so,  O  Saviour,  when  all  the  generations  of  men  ran 
away  affrighted  from  the  powers  of  death  and  darkness,  thou  alone 
hast  undertaken  and  confounded  them. 

Who  should  offer  to  daunt  the  holy  courage  of  David  but  his 
own  brethren !  The  envious  heart  of  Eliab  construes  this  forward- 
ness as  his  own  disgrace :  "  Shall  I,"  thinks  he,  "  be  put  down  by 
this  puisne  ?  Shall  my  father's  youngest  son  dare  to  attempt  that 
which  my  stomach  will  not  serve  me  to  adventure  ?"  Now  therefore 
he  rates  David  for  his  presumption,  and  instead  of  answering  to 
the  recompense  of  the  victory,  (which  others  were  ready  to  give,) 
he  recompensed  the  very  inquiry  of  David  with  a  check.  It  was 
for  his  brethren's  sake  that  David  came  thither,  and  yet  his  very 
journey  is  cast  upon  him  by  them  for  a  reproach;  Wherefore 
earnest  thou  down  hither?  and  when  their  bitterness  can  meet 
with  nothing  else  to  shame  him,  his  sheep  are  cast  in  his  teeth  : 
"  Is  it  for  thee,  an  idle  proud  boy,  to  be  meddling  with  our  martial 
matters  ?  Doth  not  yonder  champion  look  as  if  he  were  a  fit  match 
for  thee?  What  makest  thou  of  thyself,  or  what  dost  thou  think 
of  us  ?  Twis  it  were  fitter  for  thee  to  be  looking  to  thy  sheep  than 
looking  at  Goliath ;  the  wilderness  would  become  thee  better  than 
the  field:  wherein  art  thou  equal  to  any  man  thou  seest,  but 
in  arrogance  and  presumption  ?  The  pastures  of  Bethlehem  could 
not  hold  thee,  but  thou  thoughtest  it  a  goodly  matter  to  see  the 
wars :  I  know  thee,  as  if  I  were  in  thy  bosom,  this  was  thy  thought, 
'  There  is  no  glory  to  be  got  among  fleeces,  I  will  go  seek  it  in 
arms ;  now  are  my  brethren  winning  honour  in  the  troops  of  Israel, 
while  I  am  basely  tending  on  sheep,  why  should  I  not  be  as  for- 
ward as  the  best  of  them  V  This  vanity  would  make  thee  straight 
of  a  shepherd  a  soldier ;  and  of  a  soldier,  a  champion :  get  thee 
home,  foolish  stripling,  to  thy  hook  and  thy  harp :  let  swords  and 
spears  alone  to  those  that  know  how  to  use  them." 

It  is  quarrel  enough  amongst  many  to  a  good  action  that  it  is 
not  their  own. 

There  is  no  enemy  so  ready  or  so  spiteful  as  the  domestical : 
the  hatred  of  brethren  is  so  much  more  as  their  blood  is  nearer : 
the  malice  of  strangers  is  simple,  but  of  a  brother  is  mixed  with 
envy.  The  more  unnatural  any  quality  is,  the  more  extreme  it  is : 
a  cold  wind  from  the  south  is  intolerable. 

David's  first  victory  is  of  himself,  next  of  his  brother :  he  over- 
comes himself  in  a  patient  forbearance  of  his  brother ;  he  over- 
comes the  malicious  rage  of  his  brother  with  the  mildness  of  his 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


382  David  and  Goliath.  book  xm. 

answer.  If  David  had  wanted  spirit,  he  had  not  been  troubled  with 
the  insaltation  of  a  Philistine.  If  he  had  a  spirit  to  match  Goliath, 
how  doth  he  so  calmly  receive  the  affront  of  a  brother?  What 
have  I  now  done  f  Is  there  not  a  cause  ?  That  which  would  hare 
stirred  the  choler  of  another  allayeth  his :  it  was  a  brother  that 
wronged  him,  and  that  his  eldest ;  neither  was  it  time  to  quarrel 
with  a  brother  while  the  Philistines'  swords  were  drawn,  and  Go- 
liath was  challenging.  O  that  these  two  motives  could  induce  us 
to  peace !  If  we  have  injury  in  our  person,  in  our  cause,  it  is  from 
brethren,  and  the  Philistines  look  on.  I  am  deceived  if  this  con- 
quest were  less  glorious  than  the  following.  He  is  fit  to  be  God's 
champion  that  hath  learned  to  be  victor  of  himself. 

It  is  not  this  sprinkling  of  cold'  water  that  can  quench  the  fire 
of  David's  zeal ;  but  still  his  courage  sends  up  flames  of  desire ; 
still  be  goes  on  to  inquire  and  to  proffer :  he  whom  the  regard  of 
others'  envy  can  dismay  shall  never  do  aught  worthy  of  envy :  never 
man  undertook  any  exploit  of  worth  and  received  not  some  dis- 
couragement in  the  way. 

This  courageous  motion  of  David  was  not  more  scorned  by  his 
brother,  than  by  the  other  Israelites  applauded.  The  rumour 
flies  to  the  ears  of  the  king,  that  there  is  a  young  man  desirous 
to  encounter  the  giant.     David  is  brought  forth. 

Saul,  when  he  heard  of  a  champion  that  durst  go  into  the  lists 
with  Goliath,  looked  for  one  as  much  higher  than  himself  as  he 
was  taller  than  the  rest.  He  expected  some  stern  face  and  brawny 
arm  :  young  and  ruddy  David  is  so  far  below  his  thoughts,  that 
he  receives  rather  contempt  than  thanks.  His  words  were  stout ; 
his  person  was  weak.  Saul  doth  not  more  like  his  resolution, 
than  distrust  his  ability :  Thou  art  not  able  to  go  against  this 
Philistine,  to  fight  with  him ;  for  thou  art  a  boy,  and  he  is  a 
man  of  war  from  his  youth.  Even  Saul  seconds  Eliab  in  the 
conceit  of  this  disparity;  and  if  Eliab  spake  out  of  envy,  Saul 
speaks  out  of  judgment :  both  judge  (as  they  were  judged  of)  by 
the  stature. 

All  this  cannot  weaken  that  heart  which  receives  his  strength 
from  faith.  David's  greatest  conflict  is  with  his  friends.  The 
overcoming  of  their  dissuasions  that  he  might  fight,  was  more 
work  than  to  overcome  his  enemy  in  fighting.  He  must  first 
justify  his  strength  to  Saul,  ere  he  may  prove  it  upon  Goliath. 
Valour  is  never  made  good  but  by  trial.  He  pleads  the  trial  of 
his  puissance  upon  the  bear  and  the  lion,  that  he  may  have  leave 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  iv.  David  and  Goliath.  383 

to  prove  it  upon  a  worse  beast  than  they :  Thy  servant  slew  both 
the  lion  and  the  bear;  therefore  this  uncircumdsed  Philistine 
shall  be  as  one  of  them.  Experience  of  good  success  is  no  small 
comfort  to  the  heart:  this  gives  possibility  and  hope,  but  no 
certainty. 

Two  things  there  were  on  which  David  built  his  confidence;  on 
Goliath's  sin  and  God's  deliverance :  Seeing  he  hath  railed  on 
the  host  of  the  living  God,  the  Lord  that  delivered  me  out  of 
the  paws  of  the  lion  and  the  bear,  he  will  deliver  me  out  of  the 
hand  of  this  Philistine,  Well  did  David  know,  that  if  this  Phi- 
listine's skin  had  been  as  hard  as  the  brass  of  his  shield,  his  sin 
would  make  it  penetrable  by  every  stroke.  After  all  brags  of 
manhood,  he  is  impotent  that  bath  provoked  God.  While  others 
labour  for  outward  fortification,  happy  and  safe  were  we  if  wo 
could  labour  for  innocence.  He  that  hath  found  God  present  in 
one  extremity  may  trust  him  in  the  next.  Every  sensible  favour 
of  the  Almighty  invites  both  his  gifts  and  our  trust. 

Resolution  thus  grounded  makes  even  Saul  himself  confident  : 
David  shall  have  both  bis  leave  and  his  blessing.  If  David  came 
to  Saul  as  a  shepherd,  he  shall  go  toward  Goliath  as  a  warrior : 
the  attire  of  the  king  is  not  too  rich  for  him  that  shall  fight  for 
his  king  and  country.  Little  did  Saul  think  that  his  helmet  was 
now  on  that  head  which  should  once  wear  his  crown.  Now  that 
David  was  arrayed  in  the  warlike  habit  of  a  king,  and  girded 
with  his  sword,  he  looked  upon  himself,  and  thought  this  outside 
glorious ;  but  when  he  offered  to  walk,  and  found  that  the  attire 
was  not  so  strong  as  unwieldy,  and  that  it  might  be  more  for  show 
than  use,  he  lays  down  these  accoutrements  of  honour;  and  as 
caring  rather  to  be  a  homely  victor  than  a  glorious  spoil,  he  craves 
pardon  to  go  in  no  clothes  but  his  own :  he  takes  his  staff  instead 
of  the  spear,  his  shepherd's  scrip  instead  of  his  brigandine,  and  in- 
stead of  his  sword  he  takes  his  sling,  and  instead  of  darts  and 
javelins  he  takes  five  smooth  stones  out  of  the  brook.  Let  Saul's 
coat  be  never  so  rich,  and  his  armour  never  so  strong,  what  is 
David  the  better,  if  they  fit  him  not?  It  is  not  to  be  inquired 
how  excellent  any  thing  is,  but  how  proper.  Those  things  which 
are  helps  to  some  may  be  incumbrances  to  others.  An  unmeet 
good  may  be  as  inconvenient  as  an  accustomed  evil.  If  we  could 
wish  another  man's  honour,  when  we  feel  the  weight  of  his  cares, 
we  should  be  glad  to  be  in  our  own  coat. 

Those  that  depeiti  upon  the  strength  of  faith,  though  they 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


384  David  and  Goliath.  book  xiii. 

neglect  not  means,  yet  they  are  not  curious  in  the  proportion  of 
outward  means  to  the  effect  desired.  Where  the  heart  is  armed 
with  an  assured  confidence,  a  sling  and  a  stone  are  weapons  enow : 
to  the  unbelieving,  no  helps  are  sufficient.  Goliath,  though  he 
were  presumptuous  enough,  yet  had  one  shield  carried  before 
him ;  another  he  carried  on  his  shoulder :  neither  will  bis  sword 
alone  content  him,  but  he  takes  his  spear  too.  David's  armour 
is  his  plain  shepherd's  russet,  and  the  brook  yields  him  his  artillery; 
and  he  knows  there  is  more  safety  in  his  cloth  than  in  the  other's 
brass,  and  more  danger  in  his  pebbles  than  the  other's  spear. 
Faith  gives  both  heart  and  arms.  The  inward  munition  is  so 
much  more  noble,  because  it  is  of  proof  for  both  soul  and  body : 
if  we  be  furnished  with  this,  how  boldly  shall  we  meet  with  the 
powers  of  darkness,  and  go  away  more  than  conquerors  I 

Neither  did  the  quality  of  David's  weapons  bewray  more  con- 
fidence than  the  number.  If  he  will  put  his  life  and  victory  upon 
the  stones  of  the  brook,  why  doth  he  not  fill  his  scrip  full  of  them  ? 
Why  will  he  content  himself  with  five  ?  Had  he  been  furnished 
with  store,  the  advantage  of  his  nimbleness  might  have  given  him 
hope ;  if  one  fail,  that  yet  another  might  speed :  but  now  this 
paucity  puts  the  despatch  to  a  sudden  hazard,  and  he  hath  but  five 
stones'  cast  either  to  death  or  victory.  Still  the  fewer  helps  the 
stronger  faith.  David  had  an  instinct  from  God  that  he  should 
overcome :  he  had  not  a  particular  direction  how  he  should  over- 
come :  for  had  he  been  at  first  resolved  upon  the  sling  and  stone, 
he  had  saved  the  labour  of  girding  his  sword.  It  seems  while 
they  were  addressing  him  to  the  combat,  he  made  account  of 
hand-blows ;  now  he  is  purposed  rather  to  send  than  bring  death 
to  his  adversary ;  in  either,  or  both,  he  durst  trust  (rod  with  the 
success,  and  beforehand,  through  the  conflict,  saw  the  victory. 
It  is  sufficient  that  we  know  the  issue  of  our  fight.  If  our  weapons 
and  wards  vary  according  to  the  occasion  given  by  God,  that  is 
nothing  to  the  event :  sure  we  are,  that  if  we  resist  we  shall  over- 
come, and  if  we  overcome  we  shall  be  crowned. 

When  David  appeared  in  the  lists  to  so  unequal  an  adversary, 
as  many  eyes  were  upon  him,  so  in  those  eyes  divers  affections. 
The  Israelites  looked  upon  him  with  pity  and  fear,  and  each  man 
thought,  "Alas!  why  is  this  comely  stripling  suffered  to  cast 
away  himself  upon  such  a  monster?  Why  will  they  let  him  go 
unarmed  to  such  an  affray  ?  Why  will  Saul  hazard  the  honour  of 
Israel  on  so  unlikely  a  head  ?"   The  Philistines,  especially  their 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  iv,  David  and  Goliath.  385 

great  champion,  looked  upon  him  with  scorn,  disdaining  so  base  a 
combatant ;  Am  I  a  dog,  that  thou  contest  to  me  with  staves  ? 
What  could  be  said  more  fitly  ?  Hadst  thou  been  any  other  than 
a  dog,  0  Goliath,  thou  hadst  never  opened  thy  foul  mouth  to 
bark  against  the  host  of  God,  and  the  God  of  hosts ;  if  David  had 
thought  thee  any  other  than  a  very  dog,  he  had  never  come  to 
thee  with  a  staff  and  a  stone. 

The  last  words  that  ever  the  Philistine  shall  speak  are  curses 
and  brags ;  Come  to  m«,  and  I  mill  give  thy  flesh  unto  the  fowls 
of  the  heaven,  and  the  beasts  of  the  field.  Seldom  ever  was  there 
a  good  end  of  ostentation.  Presumption  is  at  once  the  presage 
and  cause  of  ruin. 

He  is  a  weak  adversary  that  can  be  killed  with  words.  That 
man  which  could  not  fear  the  giant's  hand  cannot  fear  his  tongue. 
If  words  shall  first  encounter,  the  Philistine  receives  the  first  foil, 
and  shall  first  let  in  death  into  his  ear  ere  it  enter  into  his  fore- 
head :  Thou  contest  to  me  with  a  sword,  and  a  spear,  and  a 
shield ;  but  I  come  to  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
the  God  of  the  host  of  Israel,  whom  tJtou  hast  railed  upon :  this 
day  shall  the  Lord  close  thee  in  my  hand,  and  I  shall  smite  thee, 
and  take  thine  head  from  thee.  Here  is  another  style,  not  of  a 
boaster,  but  of  a  prophet :  now  shall  Goliath  know  whence  to  ex- 
pect his  bane,  even  from  the  hands  of  a  revenging  God,  that  shall 
smite  him  by  David :  and  now  shall  learn  too  late  what  it  is  to 
meddle  with  an  enemy  that  goes  under  the  invisible  protection  of 
the  Almighty. 

No  sooner  hath  David  spoken  than  his  foot  and  hand  second 
his  tongue.  He  runs  to  fight  with  the  Philistine.  It  is  a  cold 
courage  that  stands  only  upon  defence.  As  a  man  that  saw  no 
cause  of  fear,  and  was  full  of  the  ambition  of  victory,  he  flies  upon 
that  monster,  and  with  a  stone  out  of  his  bag  smites  him  in  the 
forehead.  There  was  no  part  of  Goliath  that  was  capable  of  that 
danger  but  the  face,  and  that  piece  of  the  face ;  the  rest  was  de- 
fended with  a  brazen  wall,  which  a  weak  sling  would  have  tried 
to  batter  in  vain.  What  could  Goliath  fear,  to  see  an  adversary 
come  to  him  without  edge  or  point  ?  And  behold,  that  one  part 
hath  God  found  out  for  the  entrance  of  death  :  he  that  could  have 
caused  the  stone  to  pass  through  the  shield  and  breastplate  of 
Goliath,  rather  directs  the  stone  to  that  part  whose  nakedness 
gave  advantage.     Where  there  is  power  or  possibility  of  nature, 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  C  C 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


886  David  and  Goliath.  book  xiii. 

God  uses  not  to  work  miracles,  but  chooses  the  way  that  lies  most 
open  to  his  purposes. 

The  vast  forehead  was  a  fair  mark;  but  how  easily  might  the 
sling  have  missed  it,  if  there  had  not  been  another  band  in  this 
cast  besides  David's !  He  that  guided  David  into  this  field,  and 
raised  his  courage  to  this  combat,  guides  the  stone  to  his  end,  and 
lodges  it  in  that  seat  of  impudence. 

There  now  lieth  the  great  defier  of  Israel,  grovelling  and  grin- 
ning in  death ;  and  is  not  suffered  to  deal  one  blow  for  his  life ; 
and  bites  the  unwelcome  earth  for  indignation,  that  he  dies  by 
the  hand  of  a  shepherd.  Earth  and  hell  share  him  betwixt  them : 
such  is  the  end  of  insolence  and  presumption  I  O  God,  what  is 
flesh  and  blood  to  thee,  which  canst  make  a  little  pebblestone 
stronger  than  a  giant ;  and,  when  thou  wilt,  by  the  weakest  means 
canst  strew  thine  enemies  in  the  dust ! 

Where  now  are  the  two  shields  of  Goliath,  that  they  did  not 
bear  off  this  stroke  of  death  t  or  wherefore  serves  that  weaver's 
beam,  but  to  strike  the  earth  in  falling?  or  that  sword,  but  to 
behead  bis  master  ?  What  needed  David  load  himself  with  an  un- 
necessary weapon  ?  one  sword  can  serve  both  Goliath  and  him. 
If  Goliath  had  a  man  to  bear  his  shield,  David  had  Goliath  to 
bear  his  sword,  wherewith  that  proud  blasphemous  head  is  severed 
from  his  shoulders.  Nothing  more  honours  God  than  the  turning 
of  wicked  men's  forces  against  themselves.  There  are  none  of 
his  enemies  but  carry  with  them  their  own  destruction.  Thus 
didst  thou,  0  Son  of  David,  foil  Satan  with  his  own  weapon  : 
that,  whereby  he  meant  destruction  to  thee  and  us,  vanquished 
him  through  thy  mighty  power,  and  raised  thee  to  that  glorious 
triumph  and  superexaltation,  wherein  thou  art,  wherein  we  shall 
be  with  thee. 


JONATHAN'S  LOVE,  AND  SAUL'S  ENVY, 
i  Samuel  xvii. 

Besides  the  discomfiture  of  the  Philistines,  David's  victory  had 
a  double  issue ;  Jonathan's  love  and  Saul's  envy,  which  God  so 
mixed,  that  the  one  waa  a  remedy  of  the  other.  A  good  son 
makes  amends  for  a  wayward  father. 

How  precious  was  that  stone  that  killed  such  an  enemy  as 
Goliath,  and  purchased  such  a  friend  as  Jonathan !  All  Saul's 


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cont.  v.  Jonathan's  love,  and  SauTs  envy.  387 

courtiers  looked  upon  David,  none  so  affected  him,  none  did 
match  him  but  Jonathan.  That  true  correspondence  that  was 
both  in  their  faith  and  valour  hath  knit  their  hearts :  if  David 
did  set  upon  a  bear,  a  lion,  a  giant ;  Jonathan  had  set  upon  a 
whole  host,  and  prevailed:  the  same  spirit  animated  both,  the 
same  faith  incited  both,  the  same  hand  prospered  both. 

All  Israel  was  not  worth  this  pair  of  friends,  so  zealously  con- 
fident, so  happily  victorious.  Similitude  of  dispositions  and  estates 
ties  the  fastest  knots  of  affection.  A  wise  soul  hath  piercing 
eyes,  and  hath  quickly  discerned  the  likeness  of  itself  in  another ; 
as  we  do  no  sooner  look  into  the  glass  or  water  but  face  answers 
to  face :  and  where  it  sees  a  perfect  resemblance  of  itself,  cannot 
choose  but  love  it  with  the  same  affection  that  it  reflects  upon 
itself. 

No  man  saw  David  that  day  which  had  so  much  cause  to  dis- 
affect  him :  none  in  all  Israel  should  be  a  loser  by  David's  success 
but  Jonathan.  Saul  was  sure  enough  settled  for  his  time,  only 
his  successor  should  forego  all  that  which  David  should  gain ;  so 
as  none  but  David  stands  in  Jonathan's  light ;  and  yet  all  this  can- 
not abate  one  jot  or  dram  of  his  love.  Where  God  unitetb  hearts, 
carnal  respects  are  too  weak  to  dissever  them ;  since  that  which 
breaks  off  affection  must  needs  be  stronger  than  that  which  con- 
joinetb  it. 

Jonathan  does  not  desire  to  smother  his  love  by  concealment, 
but  professes  it  in  his  carriage  and  actions.  He  puts  off  the  robe 
that  was  upon  him,  and  all  bis  garments,  even  to  his  sword,  and 
bow,  and  girdle,  and  gives  them  unto  his  new  friend.  It  was  per- 
haps not  without  a  mystery  that  Saul's  clothes  fitted  not  David, 
but  Jonathan's  fitted  him,  and  these  he  is  as  glad  to  wear  as  he 
was  to  be  disburdened  of  the  other :  that  there  might  be  a  per- 
fect resemblance,  their  bodies  are  suited  as  well  as  their  hearts. 
Now  the  beholders  can  say,  "  There  goes  Jonathan's  other  self; 
if  there  be  another  body  under  those  clothes,  there  is  the  same 
soul." 

Now  David  hath  cast  off  his  russet  coat  and  his  scrip,  and  is 
a  shepherd  no  more ;  he  is  suddenly  become  both  a  courtier  and 
a  captain,  and  a  companion  to  the  prince;  yet  himself  is  not 
changed  with  his  habit,  with  his  condition :  yea  rather,  as  if  his 
wisdom  had  reserved  itself  for  his  exaltation,  he  so  manageth  a 
sudden  greatness,  as  that  he  winneth  all  hearts.  Honour  shows 
the  man ;  and  if  there  be  any  blemishes  of  imperfection,  they  will 

c  c  2 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


388  Jonathan's  love,  and  Sauts  envy.  book  xiii. 

be  seen  in  the  man  that  is  unexpectedly  lifted  above  his  fellows. 
He  is  out  of  the  danger  of  folly  whom  a  speedy  advancement 
leaveth  wise. 

Jonathan  loved  David ;  the  soldiers  honoured  him ;  the  court 
favoured  him ;  the  people  applauded  him ;  only  Saul  stomached 
it,  and  therefore  hated  him,  because  he  was  so  happy  in  all  be- 
sides himself.  It  had  been  a  shame  for  all  Israel  if  they  had  not 
magnified  their  champion.  Saul's  own  heart  could  not  but  tell 
him  that  they  did  owe  the  glory  of  that  day,  and  the  safety  of 
himself  and  Israel,  unto  the  sling  of  David,  who  in  one  man  slew 
all  those  thousands  at  a  blow.  It  was  enough  for  the  puissant 
king  of  Israel  to  follow  the  chase,  and  to  kill  them  whom  David 
had  put  to  flight;  yet  he,  that  could  lend  his  clothes  and  his 
armour  to  this  exploit,  cannot  abide  to  part  with  the  honour  of  it 
to  him  that  had  earned  it  so  dearly.  The  holy  songs  of  David 
had  not  more  quieted  his  spirits  before,  than  now  the  thankful 
song  of  the  Israelitish  women  vexes  him :  one  little  ditty,  of  Saul 
hath  slain  his  thousand,  and  David  his  ten  thousand,  sung  unto 
the  timbrels  of  Israel,  fetched  again  that  evil  spirit  which  David's 
music  had  expelled. 

Saul  needed  not  the  torment  of  a  worse  spirit  than  envy.  0 
the  unreasonableness  of  this  wicked  passion !  The  women  gave 
Saul  more,  and  David  less,  than  he  deserved;  for  Saul  alone 
could  not  kill  a  thousand,  and  David,  in  that  one  act  of  killing 
Goliath,  slew  in  effect  all  the  Philistines  that  were  slain  that 
day ;  and  yet,  because  they  give  more  to  David  than  to  himself, 
he,  that  should  have  indited  and  begun  that  song  of  thankfulness, 
repines,  and  grows  now  as  mad  with  envy  as  he  was  before  with 
grief.  Truth  and  justice  are  no  protection  against  malice.  Envy 
is  blind  to  all  objects  save  other  men's  happiness.  If  the  eyes  of 
men  could  be  contained  within  their  own  bounds,  and  not  rove 
forth  into  comparisons,  there  could  be  no  place  for  this  vicious 
affection;  but  when  they  have  once  taken  this  lawless  scope  to 
themselves,  they  lose  the  knowledge  of  home,  and  care  only  to  be 
employed  abroad  in  their  own  torment. 

Never  was  Saul's  breast  so  fit  a  lodging  for  the  evil  spirit  as 
now  that  it  is  dressed  up  with  envy.  It  is  as  impossible  that  hell 
should  be  free  from  devils  as  a  malicious  heart. 

Now  doth  the  frantic  king  of  Israel  renew  his  old  fits,  and 
walks  and  talks  distractedly.  He  was  mad  with  David,  and  who 
but  David  must  be  called  to  allay  his  madness  ?   Such  as  David's 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  v.  Jonathan's  lovey  and  Saufs  envy.  889 

wisdom  was,  he  could  not  but  know  the  terms  wherein  he  stood 
with  Saul ;  yet,  in  lieu  of  the  harsh  and  discordous  notes  of  his 
master's  envy,  he  returns  pleasing  music  unto  him.  He  can  never 
be  a  good  courtier,  nor  good  man,  that  hath  not  learned  to  repay, 
if  not  injuries  with  thanks,  yet  evil  with  good. 

While  there  was  a  harp  in  David's  hand  there  was  a  spear  in 
Saul's,  wherewith  he  threatens  death  as  the  recompense  of  that 
sweet  melody :  he  said,  I  will  smite  David  through  to  the  wall. 
It  is  well  for  the  innocent  that  wicked  men  cannot  keep  thdir  own 
counsel.  God  fetcheth  their  thoughts  out  of  their  mouths  or  their 
countenance  for  a  seasonable  prevention,  which  else  might  pro- 
ceed to  secret  execution.  It  was  time  for  David  to  withdraw  him- 
self: his  obedience  did  not  tie  him  to  be  the  mark  of  a  furious 
master :  he  might  ease  Saul  with  his  music,  with  his  blood  he 
might  not.  Twice  therefore  doth  he  avoid  the  presence,  not  the 
court,  not  the  service  of  Saul. 

One  would  have  thought  rather  that  David  should  have  been 
afraid  of  Saul  because  the  devil  was  so  strong  with  him,  than  that 
Saul  should  be  afraid  of  David  because  the  Lord  was  with  him ; 
yet  we  find  all  the  fear  in  Saul  of  David,  none  in  David  of  Saul. 
Hatred  and  fear  are  ordinary  companions.  David  had  wisdom 
and  faith  to  dispel  his  fears ;  Saul  had  nothing  but  infidelity,  and 
dejected,  self-condemned,  distempered  thoughts,  which  must  needs 
nourish  them ;  yet  Saul  could  not  fear  any  hurt  from  David  whom 
he  found  so  loyal  and  serviceable :  he  fears  only  too  much  good 
unto  David ;  and  the  envious  fear  is  much  more  than  the  distrust- 
ful :  now  David's  presence  begins  to  be  more  displeasing  than  his 
music  was  sweet ;  despite  itself  had  rather  prefer  him  to  a  remote 
dignity  than  endure  him  a  nearer  attendant :  this  promotion  in- 
creased) David's  honour  and  love ;  and  his  love  and  honour  ag- 
gravate Saul's  hatred  and  fear. 

Saul's  madness  hath  not  bereaved  him  of  his  craft :  for  per- 
ceiving how  great  David  was  grown  in  the  reputation  of  Israel,  he 
dares  not  offer  any  personal  or  direct  violence  to  him,  but  hires 
him  into  the  jaws  of  a  supposed  death,  by  no  less  price  than  his 
eldest  daughter :  Behold  mine  eldest  daughter  Merab :  her  trill 
I  give  thee  to  wife,  only  be  a  valiant  spn  to  me,  and  fight  the 
Lord? 8  battles.  Could  ever  man  speak  more  graciously,  more 
holily  ?  What  could  be  more  graciously  offered  by  a  king  than  his 
eldest  daughter  ?  What  care  could  be  more  holy  than  of  the  Lord's 
battles  ?  yet  never  did  Saul  intend  so  much  mischief  to  David,  or 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


390  Jonathan's  love,  and  SauFs  envy.  book  xiii. 

so  much  unfaithfulness  to  God,  as  when  he  spake  thus.  There  is 
never  so  much  danger  of  the  falsehearted  as  when  they  make  the 
fairest  weather.  Saul's  spear  bade  David  be  gone,  but  his  plausi- 
ble words  invite  him  to  danger. 

This  honour  was  due  to  David  before  upon  the  compact  of  his 
victory ;  yet  he  that  twice  inquired  into  the  reward  of  that  enter- 
prise before  he  undertook  it,  never  demanded  it  after  that  achieve- 
ment ;  neither  had  Saul  the  justice  to  offer  it  as  a  recompense  of 
so  noble  an  exploit,  but  as  a  snare  to  an  envied  victory.  Charity 
suspects  not :  David  construes  that  as  an  effect  and  argument  of 
his  master's  love,  which  was  no  other  but  a  child  of  envy,  but  a 
plot  of  mischief;  and  though  he  knew  his  own  desert,  and  the  jus- 
tice of  his  claim  to  Merab,  yet  he  in  a  sincere  humility  disparageth 
himself  and  his  parentage  with  a  Who  am  It 

As  it  was  not  the  purpose  of  this  modesty  in  David  to  reject, 
but  to  solicit  the  proffered  favour  of  Saul ;  so  was  it  not  in  the 
power  of  this  bashful  humiliation  to  turn  back  the  edge  of  so  keen 
an  envy.  It  helps  not  that  David  makes  himself  mean  while  others 
magnify  his  worth.  Whatsoever  the  colour  was,  Saul  meant  no- 
thing to  David  but  danger  and  death  ;  and  since  all  those  battles 
will  not  effect  that  which  he  desired,  himself  will  not  effect  that 
which  he  promised.  If  he  cannot  kill  David,  he  will  disgrace  him. 

David's  honour  was  Saul's  disease :  it  was  not  likely  therefore 
that  Saul  would  add  unto  that  honour  whereof  he  was  so  sick  al- 
ready. Merab  is  given  unto  another;  neither  do  I  hear  David 
complain  of  so  manifest  an  injustice :  he  knew  that  the  God  whose 
battles  he  fought  had  provided  a  due  reward  of  his  patience.  If 
Merab  fail,  God  hath  a  Michal  in  store  for  him :  she  is  in  love  with 
David :  his  comeliness  and  valour  have  so  won  her  heart,  that  she 
now  emulates  the  affection  of  her  brother  Jonathan.  If  she  be  the 
younger  sister,  yet  she  is  more  affectionate. 

Saul  is  glad  of  the  news :  his  daughter  could  never  live  to  do 
him  better  service  than  to  be  a  new  snare  to  his  adversary :  she 
shall  be  therefore  sacrificed  to  his  envy,  and  her  honest  and  sin- 
cere love  shall  be  made  a  bait  for  her  worthy  and  innocent  hus- 
band :  I  will  give  him  her  that  she  may  be  a  snare  unto  him, 
that  the  hand  of  the  Philistines  may  be  against  him.  The  pur* 
pose  of  any  favour  is  more  than  the  value  of  it.  Even  the  greatest 
honours  may  be  given  with  an  intent  of  destruction.  Many  a  man 
is  raised  up  for  a  fall. 

So  forward  is  Saul  in  the  match,  that  he  sends  spokesmen  to 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  vi.  Michals  wile.  891 

solicit  David  to  that  honour  which  he  hopes  will  prove  the  high- 
way to  death.  The  dowry  is  set,  an  hundred  foreskins  of  the  Phi- 
listines, not  their  heads,  but  their  foreskins,  that  this  victory  might 
be  more  ignominious ;  still  thinking,  "  Why  may  not  one  David 
miscarry  as  well  as  an  hundred  Philistines !" 

And  what  doth  Saul's  envy  all  this  while  but  enhance  David's 
zeal  and  valour  and  glory  ?  That  good  captain,  little  imagining 
that  himself  was  the  Philistine  whom  Saul  maligned,  supererogates 
of  his  master,  and  brings  two  hundred  for  one,  and  returns  home 
safe  and  renowned.  Neither  can  Saul  now  fly  off  for  shame :  there 
is  no  remedy,  but  David  must  be  a  son  where  he  was  a  rival ;  and 
Saul  must  feed  upon  his  own  heart,  since  he  cannot  see  David's. 
God's  blessing  graces  equally  together  with  men's  malice ;  neither 
can  they  devise  which  way  to  make  us  more  happy  than  by  wish- 
ing us  evil. 


MICHAL'S  WILE.— i  Samuel  xix. 

This  advantage  can  Saul  yet  make  of  David's  promotion,  that  as 
his  adversary  is  raised  higher,  so  he  is  drawn  nearer  to  the  op- 
portunity of  death.  Now  hath  his  envy  cast  off  all  shame,  and 
since  those  crafty  plots  succeed  not,  he  directly  suborns  murderers 
of  his  rival.  There  is  none  in  all  the  court  that  is  not  set  on  to  be 
an  executioner.  Jonathan  himself  is  solicited  to  imbrue  his  hand 
in  the  blood  of  his  friend,  of  his  brother.  Saul  could  not  but  see 
Jonathan's  clothes  on  David's  back,  he  could  not  but  know  the 
league  of  their  love,  yet  because  he  knew  withal  how  much  the 
prosperity  of  David  would  prejudice  Jonathan,  he  hoped  to  have 
found  him  his  son  in  malice.  Those  that  have  the  jaundice  see 
all  things  yellow ;  those  which  are  overgrown  with  malicious  pas- 
sions think  all  men  like  themselves. 

I  do  not  hear  of  any  reply  that  Jonathan  made  to  his  father 
when  he  gave  him  that  bloody  charge ;  but  he  waits  for  a  fit  time 
to  dissuade  him  from  so  cruel  an  injustice.  Wisdom  had  taught 
him  to  give  way  to  rage,  and  in  so  hard  an  adventure  to  crave  aid 
of  opportunity.  If  we  be  not  careful  to  observe  good  moods  when 
we  deal  with  the  passionate,  we  may  exasperate  instead  of  re- 
forming. Thus  did  Jonathan,  who  knowing  how  much  better  it  is 
to  be  a  good  friend  than  an  ill  son,  had  not  only  disclosed  that  ill 
counsel,  but,  when  he  found  his  father  in  the  fields,  in  a  calmer 


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392  MickaFs  wile.  book  xiii. 

temper,  laboured  to  divert  it :  and  so  far  doth  the  seasonable  and 
pithy  oratory  of  Jonathan  prevail,  that  Saul  is  convinced  of  his 
wrong,  and  swears,  as  God  lives  David  shall  not  die ;  indeed  how 
could  it  be  otherwise  upon  the  plea  of  David  s  innocence  and  well 
deservings  ?  How  could  Saul  say  he  should  die  whom  he  could  ac- 
cuse of  nothing  but  faithfulness  ?  Why  should  he  design  him  to 
death  which  had  given  life  to  all  Israel  ? 

Ofttimes  wicked  men's  judgments  are  forced  to  yield  unto  that 
truth  against  which  their  affections  maintain  a  rebellion.  Even  the 
foulest  hearts  do  sometimes  entertain  good  motions ;  like  as,  on  the 
contrary,  the  holiest  souls  give  way  sometimes  to  the  suggestions 
of  evil.  The  flashes  of  lightning  may  be  discerned  in  the  darkest 
prisons.  But  if  good  thoughts  look  into  a  wicked  heart  they  stay 
not  there ;  as  those  that  like  not  their  lodging,  they  are  soon  gone. 
Hardly  anything  distinguishes  betwixt  good  and  evil  but  continu- 
ance. The  light  that  shines  into  an  holy  heart  is  constant,  like  that 
of  the  sun,  which  keeps  due  times,  and  varies  not  his  course  for 
any  of  these  sublunary  occasions. 

The  Philistines'  wars  renew  David's  victories,  and  David's  vic- 
tory renews  Saul's  envy,  and  Saul's  envy  renews  the  plots  of  David's 
death.  Vows  and  oaths  are  forgotten.  That  evil  spirit  which 
vexes  Saul  hath  found  so  much  favour  with  him  as  to  win  him  to 
these  bloody  machinations  against  an  innocent.  His  own  hands 
shall  first  be  employed  in  this  execution.  The  spear  which  hath 
twice  before  threatened  death  to  David  shall  now  once  again  go 
upon  that  message.  Wise  David,  that  knew  the  danger  of  an  hollow 
friend  and  reconciled  enemy,  and  that  found  more  cause  to  mind 
Saul's  earnest  than  his  own  play,  gives  way  by  his  nimbleness  to 
that  deadly  weapon ;  and,  resigning  that  stroke  unto  the  wall,  flies 
for  his  life.  No  man  knows  how  to  be  sure  of  an  unconscionable 
man.  If  either  goodness,  or  merit,  or  affinity,  or  reasons,  or  oaths 
could  secure  a  man,  David  had  been  safe ;  now  if  his  heels  do  not 
more  befriend  him  than  all  these,  he  is  a  dead  man.  No  sooner  is 
he  gone  than  messengers  are  sped  after  him.  It  hath  been  seldom 
seen  that  wickedness  wanted  executioners.  David's  house  is  beset 
with  murderers,  which  watch  at  all  his  doors  for  the  opportunity 
of  blood. 

Who  can  but  wonder  to  see  how  God  hath  fetched  from  the 
loins  of  Saul  a  remedy  for  the  malice  of  Saul's  heart  ?  His  own 
children  are  the  only  means  to  cross  him  in  the  sin,  and  to  pre- 
serve his  guiltless  adversary.  Michal  hath  more  than  notice  of  the 


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cont.  vi.  MichaVs  wile.  893 

plot;  and  with  her  subtle  wit  countermines  her  father  for  the 
rescue  of  an  husband.  She  taking  the  benefit  of  the  night  lets 
Da?id  down  through  a  window :  he  is  gone,  and  disappoints  the 
ambushes  of  Saul.  The  messengers  begin  to  be  impatient  of  this 
delay,  and  now  think  it  time  to  inquire  after  their  prisoner.  She 
whiles  them  off  with  the  excuse  of  David's  sickness,  so  as  now  her 
husband  had  good  leisure  for  his  escape,  and  lays  a  statue  in  his 
bed.  Saul  likes  the  news  of  any  evil  befallen  to  David,  but  fearing 
he  is  not  sick  enough  sends  to  aid  his  disease.  The  messengers 
return,  and  rushing  into  the  house  with  their  swords  drawn,  after 
some  harsh  words  to  their  imagined  charge,  surprise  a  sick  statue 
lying  with  a  pillow  under  his  head ;  and  now  blush  to  see  they 
have  spent  all  their  threats  upon  a  senseless  stock,  and  made  them- 
selves ridiculous  while  they  would  be  serviceable. 

But  how  shall  Michal  answer  this  mockage  unto  her  furious 
father  ?  Hitherto  she  hath  done  like  David's  wife,  now  she  begins 
to  be  Saul's  daughter ;  He  said  to  me,  Let  me  go,  or  else  I  will 
kill  thee.  She  whose  wit  had  delivered  her  husband  from  the 
sword  of  her  father,  now  turns  the  edge  of  her  father's  wrath  from 
herself  to  her  husband.  His  absence  made  her  presume  of  bis 
safety.  If  Michal  had  not  been  of  Saul's  plot,  he  had  never  ex- 
postulated with  her  in  those  terms,  Why  hast  thou  let  mine 
enemy  escape  ?  neither  had  she  framed  that  answer,  He  said,  Let 
me  go. 

I  do  not  find  any  great  store  of  religion  in  Michal ;  for  both 
she  had  an  image  in  the  house,  and  afterwards  mocked  David  for 
his  devotion :  yet  nature  hath  taught  her  to  prefer  a  husband  to 
a  father :  to  elude  a  father,  from  whom  she  could  not  fly ;  to  save 
a  husband,  which  durst  not  but  fly  from  her.  The  bonds  of  ma- 
trimonial love  are  and  should  be  stronger  than  those  of  nature. 
Those  respects  are  mutual,  which  God  appointed  in  the  first  insti- 
tution of  wedlock,  that  husband  and  wife  should  leave  father  and 
mother  for  each  other's  sake.  Treason  is  ever  odious;  but  so 
much  more  in  the  marriage-bed,  by  bow  much  the  obligations  are 
deeper. 

As  she  loved  her  husband  better  than  her  father,  so  she  loved 
herself  better  than  her  husband.  She  saved  her  husband  by  a 
wile,  and  now  she  saves  herself  by  a  lie ;  and  loses  half  the  thank 
of  her  deliverance  by  an  officious  slander.  Her  act  was  good,  but 
she  wants  courage  to  maintain  it;  and  therefore  seeks  to  the 
weak  shelter  of  untruth.    Those  that  do  good  offices,  not  out  of 


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394  Michdts  wile.  book  xiii. 

conscience,  bat  good  nature  or  civility,  if  they  meet  an  affront  of 
danger  seldom  come  off  cleanly,  but  are  ready  to  catch  at  all  ex- 
cuses, though  base,  though  injurious ;  because  their  grounds  are  not 
strong  enough  to  bear  them  out  in  suffering  for  that  which  they 
have  well  done. 

Whither  doth  David  fly  but  to  the  sanctuary  of  Samuel?  he 
doth  not  (though  he  knew  himself  gracious  with  the  soldiers) 
raise  forces,  or  take  some  strong  fort,  and  there  stand  upon  his 
own  defence,  and  at  defiance  with  his  king ;  but  he  gets  him  to 
the  college  of  the  prophets,  as  a  man  that  would  seek  the  peace- 
able protection  of  the  King  of  heaven  against  the  unjust  fury  of 
a  king  on  earth :  only  the  wing  of  God  shall  hide  him  from  that 
violence. 

God  intended  to  make  David,  not  a  warrior  and  a  king  only, 
but  a  prophet  too :  as  the  field  fitted  him  for  the  first,  and  the 
court  for  the  second,  so  Naioth  shall  fit  him  for  the  third.  Doubt- 
less (such  was  David's  delight  in  holy  meditations)  he  never  spent 
his  time  so  contentedly  as  when  he  was  retired  to  that  divine 
academy,  and  had  so  full  freedom  to  enjoy  God,  and  to  satiate 
himself  with  heavenly  exercises.  The  only  doubt  is,  how  Samuel 
can  give  harbour  to  a  man  fled  from  the  anger  of  his  prince; 
wherein  the  very  persons  of  both  give  abundant  satisfaction :  for 
both  Samuel  knew  the  counsel  of  God,  and  durst  do  nothing  with- 
out it ;  and  David  was  by  Samuel  anointed  from  God. 

This  unction  was  a  mutual  bond.  Good  reason  had  David  to 
sue  him  which  had  poured  the  oil  on  his  head,  for  the  hiding  of 
that  head  which  he  had  anointed ;  and  good  reason  had  Samuel  to 
hide  him  whom  God  by  his  means  had  chosen,  from  him  whom 
God  by  his  sentence  had  rejected:  besides  that,  the  cause  de- 
served commiseration :  here  was  not  a  malefactor  running  away 
from  justice,  but  an  innocent  avoiding  murder ;  not  a  traitor  coun- 
tenanced against  his  sovereign,  but  the  deliverer  of  Israel  harboured 
in  a  sanctuary  of  prophets  till  his  peace  might  be  made. 

Even  thither  doth  Saul  send  to  apprehend  David.  All  his  rage 
did  not  incense  him  against  Samuel  as  the  abettor  of  his  adver- 
sary :  such  an  impression  of  reverence  had  the  person  and  calling 
of  the  prophet  left  in  the  mind  of  Saul,  that  he  cannot  think  of 
lifting  up  his  hand  against  him.  The  same  God  which  did  at  the 
first  put  an  awe  of  man  in  the  fiercest  creatures,  hath  stamped  in 
the  cruellest  hearts  as  reverent  respect  to  his  own  image  in  his  min- 
isters ;  so  as  even  they  that  hate  them  do  yet  honour  them. 


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cont.  vii.  David  and  Ahimelech.  395 

Saul's  messengers  came  to  lay  hold  on  David ;  God  lays  hold 
on  them.  No  sooner  do  they  see  a  company  of  prophets  busy  in 
those  divine  exercises,  under  the  moderation  of  Samuel,  than  they 
are  turned  from  executioners  to  prophets.  It  is  good  going  up  to 
Naioth,  into  the  holy  assemblies:  who  knows  how  we  may  be 
changed  beside  our  intention  ?  Many  a  one  hath  come  into  God's 
house  to  carp  or  scoff,  or  sleep  or  gaze,  that  hath  returned  a 
convert. 

The  same  heart  that  was  thus  disquieted  with  David's  happy 
success,  is  now  vexed  with  the  holiness  of  his  other  servants.  It 
angers  him,  that  God's  Spirit  could  find  no  other  time  to  seize 
upon  his  agents  than  when  he  had  sent  them  to  kill :  and  now, 
out  of  an  indignation  at  this  disappointment,  himself  will  go  and 
be  his  own  servant.  His  guilty  soul  finds  itself  out  of  the  danger 
of  being  thus  surprised;  and  behold,  Saul  is  no  sooner  come 
within  the  smell  of  the  smoke  of  Naioth,  than  he  also  prophesies. 
The  same  Spirit  that,  when  he  went  first  from  Samuel,  enabled 
him  to  prophesy,  returns  in  the  same  effect  now  that  he  was 
going  (his  last)  unto  Samuel.  This  was  such  a  grace  as  might 
well  stand  with  rejection ;  an  extraordinary  gift  of  the  Spirit,  but 
not  sanctifying.  Many  men  have  had  their  mouths  opened  to 
prophesy  unto  others,  whose  hearts  have  been  deaf  to  God ;  but 
this,  such  as  it  was,  was  far  from  Saul's  purpose,  who,  instead  of 
expostulating  with  Samuel,  falls  down  before  him;  and,  laying 
aside  his  weapons  and  his  robes,  of  a  tyrant  proves  for  the  time 
a  disciple.  All  hearts  are  in  the  hand  of  their  Maker.  How  easy 
is  it  for  him  that  gave  them  their  being  to  frame  them  to  his  own 
bent !  Who  can  be  afraid  of  malice,  that  knows  what  hooks  God 
hath  in  the  nostrils  of  men  and  devils  ?  what  charms  he  hath  for 
the  most  serpentine  hearts ! 


DAVID  AND  AHIMELECH.— i  Samuel  xxi. 

Who  can  ever  judge  of  the  children  by  the  parents  that  knows 
Jonathan  was  the  son  of  Saul  ?  There  was  never  a  falser  heart 
than  Saul's;  there  was  never  a  truer  friend  than  Jonathan. 
Neither  the  hope  of  a  kingdom,  nor  the  frowns  of  a  father,  nor 
the  fear  of  death,  can  remove  him  from  his  vowed  amity.  No 
son  could  be  more  officious  and  dutiful  to  a  good  father ;  yet  he 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


396  David  and  Ahimelech.  book  xiii. 

lays  down  nature  at  the  foot  of  grace,  and,  for  the  preservation 
of  his  innocent  rival  for  the  kingdom,  crosses  the  bloody  designs 
of  his  own  parent.  David  needs  no  other  counsellor,  no  other  ad- 
vocate, no  other  intelligencer,  than  he.  It  is  not  in  the  power  of 
Saul's  unnatural  reproaches,  or  of  his  spear,  to  make  Jonathan 
any  other  than  a  friend  and  patron  of  innocence.  Even  after  all 
these  difficulties  doth  Jonathan  shoot  beyond  David,  that  Saul 
may  shoot  short  of  him.  In  vain  are  those  professions  of  love 
which  are  not  answered  with  action.  He  is  no  true  friend  that, 
beside  talk,  is  not  ready  both  to  do  apd  suffer. 

Saul  is  no  whit  the  better  for  his  prophesying.  He  no  sooner 
rises  up  from  before  Samuel  than  he  pursues  David.  Wicked 
men  are  rather  the  worse  for  those  transitory  good  motions  they 
have  received.  If  the  swine  be  never  so  clean  washed,  she  will 
wallow  again.  That  we  have  good  thoughts,  it  is  no  thank  to  us : 
that  we  answer  them  not,  it  is  both  our  sin  and  judgment. 

David  hath  learned  not  to  trust  these  fits  of  devotion,  but  flies 
from  Samuel  to  Jonathan,  from  Jonathan  to  Ahimelech.  When 
he  was  hunted  from  the  prophet,  he  flies  to  the  priest;  as  one 
that  knew  justice  and  compassion  should  dwell  in  those  breasts 
which  are  consecrated  unto  God. 

The  ark  and  the  tabernacle  were  then  separated ;  the  ark  was 
at  Kirjath-jearim,  the  tabernacle  at  Nob.  God  was  present  with 
both.  Whither  should  David  fly  for  succour,  but  to  the  house  of 
that  God  which  had  anointed  him  ? 

Ahimelech  was  wont  to  see  David  attended  with  the  troops  of 
Israel,  or  with  the  gallants  of  the  court ;  it  seems  strange  there- 
fore to  him  to  see  so  great  a  peer  and  champion  of  Israel  come 
alone.  These  are  the  alterations  to  which  earthly  greatness  is 
subject.  Not  many  days  are  past  since  no  man  was  honoured  at 
court  but  Jonathan  and  David :  now  they  are  both  for  the  time 
in  disgrace :  now  dare  not  the  king's  son-in-law,  brother  to  the 
prince  both  in  love  and  marriage,  show  his  head  at  the  court; 
nor  any  of  those  that  bowed  to  him  dare  stir  a  foot  with  him. 
Princes  are  as  the  sun,  and  great  subjects  are  like  to  dials ;  if 
the  sun  shine  not  on  the  dial,  no  man  will  look  at  it. 

Even  he  that  overcame  the  bear,  the  lion,  the  giant,  is  over- 
come with  fear.  He  that  had  cut  off  two  hundred  foreskins  of 
the  Philistines,  had  not  circumcised  his  own  heart  of  the  weak 
passions  that  follow  distrust.  Now  that  he  is  hard  driven,  he 
practises  to  help  himself  with  an  unwarrantable  shift.     Who  can 


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co nt.  vii.  David  and  Ahimelech.  897 

look  to  pass  this  pilgrimage  without  infirmities,  when  David  dis- 
sembleth  to  Ahimelech  ?  A  weak  man's  rules  may  be  better  than 
the  best  man's  actions.  God  lets  us  see  some  blemishes  in  his  ho- 
liest servants,  that  we  may  neither  be  too  highly  conceited  of  flesh 
and  blood,  nor  too  much  dejected  when  we  have  been  miscarried 
into  sin.  Hitherto  hath  David  gone  upright,  now  he  begins  to 
halt  with  the  priest  of  God;  and,  under  pretence  of  Saul's  em- 
ployment, draws  that  favour  from  Ahimelech  which  shall  after- 
wards cost  him  his  head. 

What  could  Ahimelech  have  thought  too  dear  for  God's  an- 
ointed, for  God's  champion !  It  is  not  like  but  that  if  David  had 
sincerely  opened  himself  to  the  priest  as  he  hath  done  to  the 
prophet,  Ahimelech  would  have  seconded  Samuel  in  some  secret 
and  safe  succour  of  so  unjust  a  distress ;  whereas  he  is  now,  by  a 
false  colour,  led  to  that  kindness  which  shall  be  prejudicial  to  his 
life.  Extremities  of  evil  are  commonly  inconsiderate ;  either  for 
that  we  have  not  leisure  to  our  thoughts,  or  perhaps,  (so  we  may 
be  perplexed)  not  thoughts  to  our  leisure.  What  would  David 
have  given  afterwards  to  have  redeemed  this  oversight ! 

Under  this  pretence,  he  craves  a  double  favour  of  Ahimelech  : 
the  one,  of  bread  for  his  sustenance,  the  other,  of  a  sword  for  his 
defence. 

There  was  no  bread  under  the  hands  of  the  priest  but  that 
which  was  consecrated  to  God :  and  whereof  none  might  taste 
but  the  devoted  servants  of  the  altar  :  even  that  which  was  with 
solemn  dedication  set  upon  the  holy  tables  before  the  face  of 
God ;  a  sacramental  bread,  presented  to  God  with  incense,  figur- 
ing that  true  bread  that  came  down  from  heaven ;  yet  even  this 
bread  might,  in  case  of  necessity,  become  common,  and  be  given 
by  Ahimelech,  and  received  by  David  and  his  followers.  Our 
Saviour  himself  justifies  the  act  of  both.  Ceremonies  must  give 
place  to  substance.  God  will  have  mercy  and  not  sacrifice.  Cha- 
rity is  the  sum  and  the  end  of  the  law ;  that  must  be  aimed 
at  in  all  our  actions ;  wherein  it  may  fall  out,  that  the  way  to 
keep  the  law  may  be  to  break  it :  the  intention  may  be  kept,  and 
the  letter  violated ;  and  it  may  be  a  dangerous  transgression  of 
the  law  to  observe  the  words  and  neglect  the  scope  of  God.  That 
which  would  have  dispensed  with  David  for  the  substance  of  the 
act,  would  have  much  more  dispensed  with  him  for  the  circum- 
stance. The  touch  of  their  lawful  wives  had  contracted  a  legal 
impurity,  not  a  moral.     That  could  have  been  no  sufficient  reason 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


398  David  and  Ahimelech.  book  xiii. 

why,  in  an  urgent  necessity,  they  might  not  have  partaken  of  the 
holy  bread.  Ahimelech  was  no  perfect  casuist.  These  men  might 
not  famish  if  they  were  ceremonially  impure :  but  this  question 
bewrayed  the  care  of  Ahimelech  in  distributing  the  holy  bread. 
There  might  be  in  these  men  a  double  incapacity,  the  one  as 
they  were  seculars,  the  other  as  unclean :  he  saw  the  one  must 
be,  he  feared  lest  the  other  should  be;  as  one  that  wished  as 
little  indisposition  as  possible  might  be  in  those  which  should  be 
fed  from  God's  table. 

It  is  strange  that  David  should  come  to  the  priest  of  God  for  a 
sword.  Who  in  all  Israel  was  so  unlikely  to  furnish  him  with 
weapons  as  a  man  of  peace,  whose  armour  was  only  spiritual  ? 
Doubtless  David  knew  well  where  Goliath's  sword  lay;  as  the 
noble  relic  of  God's  victorious  deliverance,  dedicated  to  the  same 
God  which  won  it :  at  this  did  that  suit  aim :  none  could  be  so 
fit  for  David ;  none  could  be  so  fit  for  it  as  David.  Who  could 
have  so  much  right  to  that  sword  as  he  against  whom  it  was 
drawn,  and  by  whom  it  was  taken?  There  was  more  in  that 
sword  than  metal  and  form :  David  could  never  cast  his  eye  upon 
it  but  be  saw  an  undoubted  monument  of  the  merciful  protection 
of  the  Almighty;  there  was  therefore  more  strength  in  that 
sword  than  sharpness :  neither  was  David's  arm  so  much  strength- 
ened by  it  as  his  faith ;  nothing  can  overcome  him  while  he  car- 
ries with  him  that  assured  sign  of  victory.  It  is  good  to  take  all 
occasions  of  renewing  the  remembrance  of  God's  mercies  to  us 
and  our  obligations  to  him. 

Doeg,  the  master  of  Saul's  herdsmen,  (for  he  that  went  to 
seek  his  father's  asses  before  he  was  king  hath  herds  and  droves 
now  that  he  is  a  king,)  was  now  in  the  court  of  the  tabernacle 
upon  some  occasion  of  devotion.  Though  an  Israelite  in  profes- 
sion, he  was  an  Edomite  no  less  in  heart  than  in  blood ;  yet  he 
hath  some  vow  upon  him,  and  not  only  comes  up  to  God's  house, 
but  abides  before  the  Lord.  Hypocrites  have  equal  access  to  the 
public  places  and  means  of  God's  service.  Even  he  that  knows 
the  heart,  yet  shuts  his  doors  upon  none ;  how  much  less  should 
we  dare  to  exclude  any,  which  can  only  judge  of  the  heart  by  the 
face! 

Doeg  may  set  his  foot  as  far  within  the  tabernacle  as  David. 
He  sees  the  passages  betwixt  him  and  Ahimelech,  and  lays  them 
up  for  an  advantage.  While  he  should  have  edified  himself  by 
those  holy  services,  he  carps  at  the  priest  of  God ;  and  after  a 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  vii.  David  and  Ahimelech.  399 

lewd  misinterpretation  of  bis  actions,  of  an  attendant  proves  an 
accuser.  To  incur  favour  with  an  unjust  master,  he  informs  against 
innocent  Ahimelech,  and  makes  that  his  act  which  was  drawn 
from  him  by  a  cunning  circumvention.  When  we  see  our  auditors 
before  us,  little  do  we  know  with  what  hearts  they  are  there,  nor 
what  use  they  will  make  of  their  pretended  devotion.  If  many 
come  in  simplicity  of  heart  to  serve  their  God,  some  others  may 
perhaps  come  to  observe  their  teachers,  and  to  pick  quarrels 
where  none  are.  Only  God  and  the  issue  can  distinguish  betwixt 
a  David  and  a  Doeg  when  they  are  both  in  the  tabernacle. 

Honest  Ahimelech  could  little  suspect  that  he  now  offered  a 
sacrifice  for  his  executioner ;  yea,  for  the  murderer  of  all  his  fa- 
mily. O  the  wise  and  deep  judgments  of  the  Almighty !  God 
owed  a  revenge  to  the  house  of  Eli ;  and  now,  by  the  delation  of 
Doeg,  he  takes  occasion  to  pay  it.  It  was  just  in  God,  which  in 
Doeg  was  most  unjust.  SauPs  cruelty  and  the  treachery  of  Doeg 
do  not  lose  one  dram  of  their  guilt  by  the  counsel  of  God ;  nei- 
ther doth  the  holy  counsel  of  God  gather  any  blemish  by  their 
wickedness.  If  it  had  pleased  God  to  inflict  death  upon  them 
sooner,  without  any  pretence  of  occasion,  his  justice  had  been 
clear  from  all  imputations ;  now  if  Saul  and  Doeg  be  instead  of  a 
pestilence  or  fever,  who  can  cavil  ?  The  judgments  of  God  are 
not  open,  but  are  always  just.  He  knows  how  by  one  man's  sin 
to  punish  the  sin  of  another,  and  by  both  their  sins  and  punish- 
ments to  glorify  himself.  If  his  word  sleep,  it  shall  not  die ;  but, 
after  long  intermissions,  breaks  forth  in  those  effects  which  we 
had  forgotten  to  look  for,  and  ceased  to  fear.  O  Lord,  thou  art 
sure  when  thou  threatenest,  and  just  when  thou  judgest.  Keep 
thou  us  from  the  sentence  of  death,  else  in  vain  shall  we  labour  to 
keep  ourselves  from  the  execution. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


400  Saul  in  David's  cave.  book  xiv. 


BOOK    XIV. 


TO  THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  AND  MY  SINGULAR  GOOD  LORD, 

PHILIP,  EARL  OF  MONTGOMERY*, 

ONE  OF  THE  GENTLEMEN  OF  HIS  MAJESTY'S  BEDCHAMBER,  AND  KNIGHT 
OF  THE  MOST  HONOURABLE  ORDER  OF  THE  GARTER. 

Right  Honourable, — After  some  unpleasing  intermission*,  I  return  to  that 
task  of  contemplation  wherein  only  my  soul  findeth  rest.  If  in  other  employ- 
ments I  have  endeavoured  to  serve  God  and  his  Church,  yet  in  none,  I  must 
confess,  with  equal  contentment.  Methinks  controversy  is  not  right  in  my 
way  to  heaven,  however  the  importunity  of  an  adversary  may  force  me  to 
fetch  it  in.  If  truth,  oppressed  by  an  erroneous  teacher,  cry  Hke  a  ravished 
virgin  for  my  aid,  I  betray  it  if  I  relieve  it  not;  when  I  have  done,  I  return 
gladly  to  these  paths  of  peace.  The  favour  which  my  late  polemical  labour 
hath  found  (beyond  merit)  from  the  learned,  cannot  divert  my  love  to  those 
wrangling  studies.  How  earnestly  doth  my  heart  rather  wish  an  universal 
cessation  of  these  arms;  that  all  the  professors  of  the  dear  name  of  Christ  might 
be  taken  up  with  nothing  but  holy  and  peaceable  thoughts  of  devotion ;  the 
sweetness  whereof  hath  so  far  affected  me,  that  if  I  might  do  it  without  danger 
of  misconstruction,  I  could  beg  even  of  an  enemy  this  leave  to  be  happy.  I 
have  already  given  account  to  the  world,  of  some  expenses  of  my  hours  this 
way,  and  here  I  bring  more;  which,  if  some  reader  may  censure  as  poor,  none 
can  censure  as  unprofitable.  I  am  bold  to  write  them  under  your  honourable 
name,  whereto  I  am  deeply  obliged ;  that  I  may  leave  behind  me  this  mean 
but  faithful  testimony  of  my  humble  thankfulness  to  your  lordship,  and  your 
most  honoured  and  virtuous  lady.  The  noble  respects  I  have  had  from  yon 
both  deserve  my  prayers  and  best  services,  which  shall  never  be  wanting  to 
you  and  yours, 

From  your  Honour's  sincerely  devoted,  in  all  true  duty, 

JOS.  HALL. 


SAUL  IN  DAVID'S  CAVE.— i  Samuel  xxiv. 

It  was  the  strange  lot  of  David,  that  those  whom  he  pursued 
preserved  him  from  those  whom  he  had  preserved.    The  Philis- 

•  [Second  son  of  Henry  second  Earl  of  Pembroke,  to  which  title  he  suc- 
ceeded on  the  death  of  his  elder  brother,  he  himself  having  been  previously 
created  Earl  of  Montgomery,  1605.     He  died  1650.] 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


.cont.  i.  Saul  in  David's  cave.  401 

tines  whom  David  had  newly  smitten  in  Keilah,  call  off  Saul  from 
smiting  David  in  the  wilderness,  when  there  was  but  a  hillock 
between  him  and  death. 

Wicked  purposes  are  easily  checked,  not*  easily  broken  off. 
Saul's  sword  is  scarce  dry  from  the  blood  of  the  Philistines,  when 
it  thirsts  anew  for  the  blood  of  David ;  and  now,  in  a  renewed 
chase,  hunts  him  dry-foot  through  every  wilderness.  The  very 
desert  is  too  fair  a  refuge  for  innocence.  The  hills  and  rocks  are 
searched  in  an  angry  jealousy.  The  very  wild  goats  of  the  moun- 
tains were  not  allowed  to  be  companions  for  him  which  had  no 
fault  but  his  virtue.  O  the  seemingly  unequal  distribution  of 
these  earthly  things !  Cruelty  and  oppression  reign  in  a  palace, 
while  goodness  lurks  among  the  rocks  and  caves,  and  thinks  it 
happiness»enough  to  steal  a  life. 

Like  a  dead  man  David  is  fain  to  be  hid  under  the  earth ;  and 
seeks  the  comfort  of  protection  in  darkness:  and  now  the  wise 
providence  of  God  leads  Saul  to  his  enemy  without  blood.  He, 
which  before  brought  them  within  a  hill's  distance  without  inter- 
view, brings  them  now  both  within  one  roof;  so  as  that  while  Saul 
seeks  David  and  finds  him  not,  he  is  found  of  David  unsought 
If  Saul  had  known  his  own  opportunities,  how  David  and  his  men 
•  had  interred  themselves,  he  had  saved  a  treble  labour,  of  chase,  of 

execution,  and  burial ;  for  had  he  but  stopped  the  mouth  of  that 
cave,  his  enemies  had  laid  themselves  down  in  their  own  graves. 
The  wisdom  of  God  thinks  fit  to  hide  from  evil  men  and  spirits 
those  means  and  seasons  which  might  be,  if  they  had  been  taken, 
most  prejudicial  to  his  own.  We  had  been  oft  foiled,  if  Satan 
could  but  have  known  our  hearts.  Sometimes  we  lie  open  to  evils, 
and  happy  it  is  for  us  that  he  only  knows  it  which  pities,  instead 
of  tempting  us. 

It  is  not  long  since  Saul  said  of  David,  lodged  then  in  Keilah, 
God  hath  delivered  him  into  mine  hands;  for  he  is  shut  in, 
seeing  he  has  come  into  a  city  that  hath  gates  and  bars ;  but 
now,  contrarily,  God  delivers  Saul,  ere  he  was  aware,  into  the 
hands  of  David ;  and,  without  the  help  of  gates  and  bars,  hath 
enclosed  him  within  the  valley  of  death.  How  just  is  it  with  God 
that  those  who  seek  mischief  to  others  find  it  to  themselves,  and 
even  while  they  are  spreading  nets  are  ensnared !  Their  delibe- 
rate plotting  of  evil  is  surprised  with  a  sudden  judgment. 

How  amazedly  must  David  needs  look  when  he  saw  Saul  enter 
into  the  cave  where  himself  was!    "What  is  this,"  thinks  he, 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  D  d 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


402  Saul  in  Davids  cave.  book  xiv, 

"  which  God  hath  done  ?  Is  this  presence  purposed,  or  casual  ? 
Is  Saul  here  to  pursue  or  to  tempt  me?"  Where  suddenly  the 
action  bewrays  the  intent,  and  tells  David  that  Saul  sought  se- 
cresy,  and  not  him/  The  superfluity  of  his  maliciousness  brought 
him  into  the  wilderness ;  the  necessity  of  nature  led  him  into  the 
cave:  even  those  actions  wherein  we  place  shame  are  not  ex- 
empted from  a  providence. 

The  fingers  of  David's  followers  itched  to  seize  upon  their 
master's  enemy ;  and,  that  they  might  not  seem  led  so  much  by 
faction  as  by  faith,  they  urge  David  with  a  promise  from  God; 
The  day  is  come,  whereof  the  Lord  said  unto  thee,  Behold,  I  will 
deliver  thine  enemy  into  thine  hand,  and  thou  shalt  do  to  him 
as  it  shall  seem  good  to  thee.  This  argument  seemed  to  carry 
such  command  with  it,  as  that  David  not  only  maytbut  must 
imbrue  his  hands  in  blood,  unless  he  will  be  found  wanting  to  God 
and  himself.  Those  temptations  are  most  powerful  which  fetch 
their  force  from  the  pretence  of  a  religious  obedience,  whereas 
those  which  are  raised  from  arbitrary  and  private  respects  admit 
of  an  easy  dispensation. 

If  there  were  such  a  prediction,  one  clause  of  it  was  ambiguous, 
and  they  take  it  at  the  worst :  Tlwn  shalt  do  to  him  as  shall 
seem  good  to  thee :  that  might  not  seem  good  to  him  that  seemed 
evil  to  God.  There  is  nothing  more  dangerous  than  to  make  con- 
struction of  God's  purposes  out  of  eventual  appearances.  If  carnal 
probabilities  might  be  the  rule  of  our  judgment,  what  could  God 
seem  to  intend  other  than  Saul's  death,  in  offering  him  naked  into 
the  hands  of  those  whom  he  unjustly  persecuted?  How  could 
David's  soldiers  think  that  God  had  sent  Saul  thither  on  any  other 
errand  than  to  fetch  his  bane  ?  And  if  Saul  could  liave  seen  his 
own  danger  he  had  given  himself  for  dead,  for  his  heart,  guilty  to 
his  own  bloody  desires,  could  not  but  have  expected  the  same 
measure  which  it  meant.  But  wise  and  holy  David,  not  trans- 
ported either  with  misconceit  of  the  event,  or  fury  of  passion,  or 
solicitation  of  his  followers,  dares  make  no  other  use  of  this  acci- 
dent than  the  trial  of  his  loyalty  and  the  inducement  of  his  peace. 
It  had  been  as  easy  for  him  to  cut  the  throat  of  Saul  as  his  gar- 
ment ;  but  now  his  coat  only  shall  be  the  worse,  not  his  person : 
neither  doth  he  in  this  maiming  of  a  cloak  seek  his  own  revenge, 
but  a  monument  of  his  innocence.  Before,  Saul  rent  Samuel's 
garment,  now,  David  cutteth  Saul's:  both  were  significant;  the 
rending  of  the  one  signified  the  kingdom  torn  out  of  those  unwor- 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  i.  Saul  in  David's  cave.  403 

thy  hands ;  the  cutting  of  the  other,  that  the  life  of  Saul  might 
have  been  as  easily  cut  off. 

Saul  needs  no  other  monitor  of  his  own  danger  than  what  he 
wears.  The  garment  of  Saul  was  laid  aside  while  he  went  to  cover 
his  feet,  so  as  the  cut  of  the  garment  did  not  threaten  any  touch 
of  the  body :  yet  even  the  violence  offered  to  a  remote  garment 
strikes  the  heart  of  David,  which  finds  a  present  remorse  for 
harmfully  touching  that  which  did  once  touch  the  person  of  his 
master.  Tender  consciences  are  moved  to  regret  at  those  actions 
which  strong  hearts  pass  over  with  a  careless  ease.  It  troubled 
not  Saul  to  seek  after  the  blood  of  a  righteous  servant.  There  is 
no  less  difference  of  consciences  than  stomachs :  some  stomachs 
will  digest  the  hardest  meats  and  turn  over  substances  not  in  their 
nature  edible,  while  others  surfeit  at  the  lightest  food,  and  com- 
plain even  of  dainties.  Every  gracious  heart  is  in  some  measure 
scrupulous,  and  finds  more  safety  in  fear  than  in  presumption ;  and 
if  it  be  so  strait  as  to  curb  itself  in  from  the  liberty  which  it  might 
take  in  things  which  are  not  unlawful,  how  much  less  will  it  dare 
to  take  scope  unto  evil !  By  how  much  that  state  is  better  where 
nothing  is  allowed  than  where  all  things,  by  so  much  is  the 
strict  and  timorous  conscience  better  than  the  lawless.  There  is 
good  likelihood  of  that  man  which  is  any  way  scrupulous  of  his 
ways,  but  he  which  makes  no  bones  of  his  actions  is  apparently 
hopeless. 

Since  David's  followers  pleaded  God's  testimony  to  him  as  a 
motive  to  blood,  David  appeals  the  same  God  for  his  preservation 
from  blood;  The  Lord  keep  me  from  doing  that  thing  to  my 
master,  the  Lord's  anointed.  And  now  the  good  man  hath  work 
enough  to  defend  both  himself  and  his  persecutor ;  himself  from 
the  importunate  necessity  of  doing  violence,  and  his  master  from 
suffering  it.  It  was  not  more  easy  to  rule  his  own  hands  than  dif- 
ficult to  rule  a  multitude.  David's  troop  consisted  of  malecontents ; 
all  that  were  in  distress,  in  debt,  in  bitterness  of  soul,  were  ga- 
thered to  him.  Many,  if  never  so  well  ordered,  are  hard  to  com- 
mand ;  a  few,  if  disorderly,  more  hard ;  many  and  disorderly  must 
needs  be  so  much  the  hardest  of  all,  that  Davidn  ever  achieved 
any  victory  like  unto  this,  wherein  he  first  overcame  himself,  then 
his  soldiers. 

And  what  was  the  charm  wherewith  David  allayed  those  raging 
spirits  of  his  followers  ?  No  other  but  this ;  He  is  the  anointed  of 
the  Lord.   That  holy  oil  was  the  antidote  for  his  blood.    Saul  did 

nd  % 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


404  Saul  in  David's  cave.  book  xiv. 

not  lend  David  bo  unpierceable  an  armour  when  he  should  en- 
counter Goliath,  as  David  now  lent  him  in  this  plea  of  his  unction. 
Which  of  all  the  discontented  outlaws  that  lurked  in  that  cave  durst 
put  forth  his  hand  against  Saul,  when  they  once  heard,  He  is  the 
LorcTs  anointed?  Such  an  impression  of  awe  hath  the  Divine 
Providence  caused  his  image  to  make  in  the  hearts  of  men,  as  that 
it  makes  traitors  cowards,  so  as,  instead  of  striking,  they  tremble. 
How  much  more  lawless  than  the  outlaws  of  Israel  are  those 
professed  ringleaders  of  Christianity,  which  teach,  and  practise, 
and  encourage,  and  reward,  and  canonize  the  violation  of  majesty ! 
It  is  not  enough  for  those  who  are  commanders  of  others  to  refrain 
their  own  hands  from  doing  evil,  but  they  must  carefully  prevent 
the  iniquity  of  their  heels,  else  they  shall  be  justly  reputed  to  do 
that  by  others  which  in  their  own  persons  they  avoided.  The  laws 
both  of  Ood  and  man  presuppose  us  in  some  sort  answerable  for 
our  charge ;  as  taking  it  for  granted,  that  we  should  not  under- 
take those  reins  which  we  cannot  manage. 

There  was  no  reason  David  should  lose  the  thanks  of  so  noble 
a  demonstration  of  his  loyalty :  whereto  he  trusts  so  much,  that 
he  dares  call  back  the  man  by  whom  he  was  pursued,  and  make 
him  judge  whether  that  fact  had  not  deserved  a  life.  As  his  act, 
so  his  word  and  gesture,  imported  nothing  but  humble  obedience : 
neither  was  there  more  meekness  than  force  in  that  seasonable 
persuasion,  wherein  he  lets  Saul  see  the  error  of  his  credulity,  the 
unjust  slanders  of  maliciousness,  the  opportunity  of  his  revenge, 
the  proof  of  his  forbearance,  the  undeniable  evidence  of  his  inno- 
cence ;  and,  after  a  lowly  disparagement  of  himself,  appeals  to  God 
for  judgment,  for  protection. 

So  lively  and  feeling  oratory  did  Saul  find  in  the  lap  of  his 
garment  and  the  lips  of  David,  that  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  his 
envy  or  ill  nature  to  hold  out  any  longer :  Is  this  thy  voice,  my 
son  David?  and  Saul  lift  up  his  voice  and  wept,  and  said, 
Thou  art  more  righteous  tluxn  L  He  whose  harp  was  wont  to 
quiet  the  phrensy  of  Saul  hath  now  by  his  words  calmed  his  fury ; 
so  that  now  he  sheds  tears  instead  of  blood,  and  confesses  his  own 
wrong  and  David's  integrity ;  and,  as  if  he  were  new  again  entered 
into  the  bounds  of  Naioth  in  Ramah,  he  prays  and  prophesies 
good  to  him  whom  he  maliced  for  good :  The  Lord  render  thee 
good  for  that  thou  hast  done  to  me  this  day ;  for  now,  behold,  I 
know  that  thou  shalt  be  a  king. 

There  is  no  heart  made  of  flesh  that  some  time  or  other  relents 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  ii.  Nabal  and  Abigail.  405 

not.  Even  flint  and  marble  will  in  some  weather  stand  on  drops. 
I  cannot  think  these  tears  and  protestations  feigned.  Doubtless 
Saul  meant  as  he  said,  and  passed  through  sensible  fits  of  good 
and  evil.  Let  no  man  think  himself  the  better  for  good  motions : 
the  praise  and  benefit  of  those  gusts  are  not  in  the  receipt,  but  the 
retention. 

Who  that  had  seen  this  meeting  could  but  have  thought  that 
all  had  been  sure  on  David's  side  ?  What  can  secure  us  if  not 
tears  and  prayers  and  oaths  ?  Doubtless  David's  men,  which  knew 
themselves  obnoxious  to  laws  and  creditors,  began  to  think  of  some 
new  refuge,  as  making  account  this  new-pieced  league  would  be 
everlasting.  They  looked  when  Saul  would  take  David  home  to 
the  court,  and  dissolve  his  army,  and  recompense  that  unjust  per- 
secution with  just  honour;  when  behold  in  the  loose,  Saul  goes 
home,  but  David  and  his  men  go  up  unto  the  hold.  Wise  David 
knows  Saul  not  to  be  more  kind  than  untrusty,  and  therefore  had 
rather  seek  safety  in  his  hold,  than  in  the  hold  of  a  hollow  and 
unsteady  friendship.  Here  are  good  words,  but  no  security ;  which 
therefore  an  experienced  man  gives  the  hearing,  but  stands  the 
while  upon  his  own  guard.  No  charity  binds  us  to  a  trust  of  those 
whom  we  have  found  faithless.  Credulity  upon  weak  grounds, 
after  palpable  disappointments,  is  the  daughter  of  folly.  A  man  that 
is  weatherwise,  though  he  find  an  abatement  of  the  storm,  yet  will 
not  stir  from  under  his  shelter  while  he  sees  it  thick  in  the  wind. 
Distrust  is  the  just  gain  of  unfaithfulness. 


NABAL  AND  ABIGAIL.— i  Samuel  xxv. 

If  innocency  could  have  secured  from  Saul's  malice,  David  had 
not  been  persecuted ;  and  yet  under  that  wicked  king  aged  Samuel 
dies  in  his  bed.  That  there  might  be  no  place  for  envy,  the  good 
prophet  had  retired  himself  to  the  schools.  Yet  he  that  hated 
David  for  what  he  should  be,  did  no  less  hate  Samuel  for  what  he 
had  been.  Even  in  the  midst  of  Saul's  malignity  there  remained 
in  his  heart  impressions  of  awfulness  unto  Samuel :  he  feared 
where  he  loved  not.  The  restraint  of  God  curbeth  the  rage  of 
his  most  violent  enemies,  so  as  they  cannot  do  their  worst.  As 
good  husbands  do  not  put  all  their  corn  to  the  oven,  but  save  some 
for  seed,  so  doth  God  ever  in  the  worst  of  persecutions. 


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406  Nabal  and  Abigail.  book  xiv. 

Samuel  is  dead,  David  banished,  Saul  tyrannizeth,  Israel  hath 
good  cause  to  mourn ;  it  is  no  marvel  if  this  lamentation  be  uni- 
versal. There  is  no  Israelite  that  feeleth  not  the  loss  of  a  Samuel. 
A  good  prophet  is  the  common  treasure  wherein  every  gracious 
soul  hath  a  share.  That  man  hath  a  dry  heart  which  can  part 
with  God's  prophet  without  tears. 

Nabal  was,  according  to  his  name,  foolish,  yet  rich  and  mighty. 
Earthly  possessions  are  not  always  accompanied  with  wit  and  grace. 
Even  the  line  of  faithful  Caleb  will  afford  an  ill-conditioned  Nabal. 
Virtue  is  not,  like  unto  lands,  inheritable.  All  that  is  traduced 
with  the  seed  is  either  evil  or  not  good.  Let  no  man  brag  with 
the  Jews  that  he  hath  Abraham  to  his  father :  God  hath  raised 
up  of  this  stone  a  son  to  Caleb. 

Abigail  (which  signifieth  her  father's  joy)  had  sorrow  enough 
to  be  matched  with  so  unworthy  an  husband.  If  her  father  had 
meant  she  should  have  had  joy  in  herself  or  in  her  life,  he  had 
not  disposed  her  to  an  husband,  though  rich,  yet  fond  and  wicked. 
It  is  like  he  married  her  to  the  wealth,  not  to  the  man.  Many  a 
child  is  cast  away  upon  riches.  Wealth  in  our  matches  should  be 
as  some  grams  or  scruples  in  the  balance,  superadded  to  the  gold 
of  virtuous  qualities  to  weigh  down  the  scales :  when  it  is  made 
the  substance  of  the  weight,  and  good  qualities  the  appendance, 
there  is  but  one  earth  poised  with  another ;  which  wheresoever  it 
is  done,  it  is  a  wonder  if  either  the  children  prove  not  the  parents' 
sorrow,  or  the  parents  theirs. 

NabaTs  sheepshearing  was  famous.  Three  thousand  fleeces 
must  needs  require  many  hands :  neither  is  any  thing  more  plen- 
tiful commonly  than  a  churl's  feast.  What  a  world  was  this,  that 
the  noble  champion  and  rescuer  of  Israel,  God's  anointed,  is  driven 
to  send  to  a  base  carle  for  victuals !  It  is  no  measuring  of  men  by 
the  depth  of  the  purse,  by  outward  prosperity.  Servants  are  often- 
times set  on  horseback  while  princes  go  on  foot.  Our  estimation 
must  be  led  by  their  inward  worth,  which  is  not  alterable  by  time 
nor  diminished  with  external  conditions.  One  rag  of  a  David  is 
more  worth  than  the  wardrobes  of  a  thousand  Nabals. 

Even  the  best  deservings  may  want.  No  man  may  be  con- 
temned for  his  necessity  :  perhaps  he  may  be  so  much  richer  in 
grace  as  he  is  poorer  in  estate.  Neither  hath  violence  or  casualty 
more  impoverished  a  David  than  his  poverty  hath  enriched  him. 
He  whose  folly  hath  made  himself  miserable  is  justly  rewarded 
with  neglect ;  but  he  that  suffers  for  good  deserves  so  much  more 


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cont.  ii.  Nabal  and  Abigail  407 

honour  from  others  as  his  distress  is  more.  Our  compassion  or 
respect  must  be  ruled  according  to  the  cause  of  another's  misery. 

One  good  turn  requires  another.  In  some  cases,  not  hurting 
is  meritorious.  He  that  should  examine  the  qualities  of  David's 
followers  must  needs  grant  it  worthy  of  a  fee  that  Nabal's  flocks 
lay  untouched  in  Carmel.  But  more,  that  David's  soldiers  were 
NabaPs  shepherds,  yea  the  keepers  of  his  shepherds,  gave  them 
a  just  interest  in  that  sheep-shearing  feast ;  justly  should  they 
have  been  set  at  the  upper  end  of  the  table.  That  NabaPs  sheep 
were  safe,  he  might  thank  his  shepherds;  that  his  shepherds 
were  safe,  he  might  thank  David's  soldiers.  It  is  no  small  be- 
nefit that  we  receive  in  a  safe  protection.  Well  may  we  think 
our  substance  due,  where  we  owe  ourselves. 

Yet  this. churlish  Nabal  doth  not  only  give  nothing  to  David's 
messengers,  but,  which  is  worse  than  nothing,  ill  words  :  Who  is 
David,  or  who  is  the  son  of  Jesse  f  There  be  many  servants 
nowadays  that  break  away  from  their  masters.  David  asked 
him  bread ;  he  giveth  him  stones.  All  Israel  knew  and  honoured 
their  deliverer;  yet  this  clown,  to  save  his  victuals,  will  needs 
make  him  a  man  either  of  no  merits  or  ill,  either  an  obscure  man 
or  a  fugitive. 

Nothing  is  more  cheap  than  good  words.  These  Nabal  might 
have  given  and  been  never  the  poorer.  If  he  had  been  resolved 
to  shut  his  hands  in  a  fear  of  Saul's  revenge,  he  might  have  so 
tempered  his  denial,  that  the  repulse  might  have  been  free  from 
offence ;  but  now  his  foul  mouth  doth  not  only  deny,  but  revile- 
It  should  have  been  Nabal's  glory  that  his  tribe  yielded  such  a 
successor  to  the  throne  of  Israel ;  now,  in  all  likelihood,  his  envy 
stirs  him  up  to  disgrace  that  man  who  surpassed  him  in  honour  and 
virtue  more  than  he  was  surpassed  by  him  in  wealth  and  ease. 

Many  a  one  speaks  fair  that  means  ill ;  but  when  the  mouth 
speaks  foul,  it  argues  a  corrupt  heart.  If,  with  saint  James's 
verbal  benefactors,  we  say  only,  Depart  in  peace,  warm  your- 
selves, fill  your  bellies,  we  shall  answer  for  hypocritical  uncharita- 
bleness;  but  if  we  rate  and  curse  those  needy  souls  whom  we 
ought  to  relieve,  we  shall  give  a  more  fearful  account  of  a  savage 
cruelty  in  trampling  on  those  whom  God  hath  humbled.  If  heal- 
ing with  good  words  be  justly  punishable,  what  torment  is  there 
for  those  that  wound  with  evil ! 

David,  which  had  all  this  while  been  in  the  school  of  patience, 
hath  now  his  lesson  to  seek.     He  who  hath  happily  digested  all 

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408  Nabal  and  Abigail.  book  xiv, 

the  railings  and  persecutions  of  a  wicked  master  cannot  put  off 
this  affront  of  a  Nabal.  Nothing  can  assuage  his  choler  but  blood* 
How  subject  are  the  best  of  God's  saints  to  weak  passions !  and  if 
we  have  the  grace  to  ward  an  expected  blow  of  temptation,  how 
easily  are  we  surprised  with  a  sudden  foil ! 

Wherefore  serve  these  recorded  weaknesses  of  holy  men  but  to 
strengthen  us  against  the  conscience  of  our  infirmities  ?  Not  that 
we  should  take  courage  to  imitate  them  in  the  evil  whereunto 
they  have  been  miscarried ;  but  we  should  take  heart  to  ourselves 
against  the  discouragement  of  our  own  evils. 

The  wisdom  of  God  had  so  contrived  it,  that  commonly  in  so- 
cieties good  is  mixed  with  evil.  Wicked  Nabal  hath  in  his  house 
a  wise  and  good  servant,  a  prudent  and  worthy  wife.  That  wise 
servant  is  careful  to  advertise  his  mistress  of  the  danger ;  his 
prudent  mistress  is  careful  to  prevent  it. 

The  lives  of  all  his  family  were  now  in  hazard :  she  dares  not 
commit  this  business  to  the  fidelity  of  a  messenger,  but,  forgetting 
her  sex,  puts  herself  into  the  errand.  Her  foot  is  not  slow ;  her 
hand  is  not  empty. 

According  to  the  offence  she  frames  her  satisfaction.  Her 
husband  refused  to  give;  she  brings  a  bountiful  gift:  her  hus- 
band gave  ill  words ;  she  sweetens  them  with  a  meek  and  humble 
deprecation :  her  husband  could  say,  Who  is  David  f  she  falls  at 
his  feet :  her  husband  dismisses  David's  men  empty ;  she  brings 
her  servants  laden  with  provision ;  as  if  it  had  been  only  meant 
to  ease  the  repelled  messengers  of  the  carriage,  not  to  scant  them 
of  the  required  benevolence.  No  wit,  no  art,  could  devise  a  more 
pithy  and  powerful  oratory. 

As  all  satisfaction,  so  hers,  begins  with  a  confession ;  wherein 
she  deeply  blameth  the  folly  of  her  husband.  She  could  not  have 
been  a  good  wife,  if  she  had  not  honoured  her  unworthy  head.  If 
a  stranger  should  have  termed  him  fool  in  her  hearing,  he  could 
not  have  gone  away  in  peace;  now,  to  save  his  life,  she  is  bold  to 
acknowledge  his  folly :  it  is  a  good  disparagement  that  preserveth. 
There  is  the  same  way  to  our  peace  in  heaven :  the  only  means 
to  escape  judgment  is  to  complain  of  our  own  vileness. 

She  pleadeth  her  ignorance  of  the  fact,  and  therein  her  free- 
dom from  the  offence:  she  humbly  craveth  acceptation  of  her 
present,  with  pardon  of  the  fault :  she  professeth  David's  honour- 
able acts  and  merits ;  she  foretells  his  future  success  and  glory : 
she  lays  before  him  the  happy  peace  of  his  soul  in  refraining  from 


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cont.  ii.  Nabal  and  Abigail.  409 

innocent  blood.  David's  breast,  which  could  not,  through  the 
seeds  of  grace,  grow  to  a  stubbornness  in  ill  resolutions,  cannot 
but  relent  with  these  powerful  and  seasonable  persuasions ;  and 
now,  instead  of  revenge,  he  blesseth  God  for  sending  Abigail  to 
meet  him ;  he  blesseth  Abigail  for  her  counsel ;  he  blesseth  the 
counsel  for  so  wholesome  efficacy;  and  now  rejoiceth  more  in 
being  overcome  with  a  wise  and  gracious  advice,  than  he  would 
have  rejoiced  in  a  revengeful  victory. 

A  good  heart  is  easily  stayed  from  sinning,  and  is  glad  when  it 
finds  occasion  to  be  crossed  in  ill  purposes.  Those  secret  checks 
which  are  raised  within  itself  do  readily  conspire  with  all  outward 
retentives.  It  never  yielded  to  a  wicked  motion  without  much 
reluctance,  and  when  it  is  overcome  it  is  but  with  half  a  consent ; 
whereas  perverse  and  obdurate  sinners,  by  reason  they  take  full 
delight  in  evil,  and  have  already  in  their  conceit  ^wallowed  the 
pleasure  of  sin,  abide  not  to  be  resisted,  running  on  headily  in 
those  wicked  courses  they  have  propounded  in  spite  of  opposi- 
tion; and  if  they  be  forcibly  stopped  in  their  way,  they  grow 
sullen  and  mutinous. 

David  had  not  only  vowed,  but  deeply  sworn  the  death  of 
Nabal  and  all  his  family,  to  the  very  dog  that  lay  at  his  door : 
yet  now  he  praiseth  God  that  hath  given  the  occasion  and  grace 
to  violate  it.  Wicked  vows  are  ill  made,  but  worse  kept.  Our 
tongue  cannot  tie  us  to  commit  sin.  Good  men  think  themselves 
happy,  that  since  they  had  not  the  grace  to  deny  sin,  yet  they 
had  not  the  opportunity  to  accomplish  it. 

If  Abigail  had  sat  still  at  home,  David  had  sinned,  and  she 
had  died ;  now  her  discreet  admonition  hath  preserved  her  from 
the  sword,  and  diverted  him  from  bloodshed.  And  now  what 
thanks,  what  benedictions,  hath  she  for  this  seasonable  counsel ! 
How  should  it  encourage  us  to  admonish  our  brethren ;  to  see, 
that  if  we  prevail,  we  have  blessings  from  them ;  if  we  prevail  not, 
we  have  yet  blessings  from  God,  and  thanks  of  our  own  hearts ! 

How  near  was  Nabal  to  a  mischief,  and  perceives  it  not  I  David 
was  coming  to  the  foot  of  the  hill  to  cut  his  throat,  while  he  was 
feasting  in  his  house  without  fear.  Little  do  sinners  know  how 
near  their  jollity  is  to  perdition.  Many  times  judgment  is  at 
the  threshold,  while  drunkenness  and  surfeit  are  at  tho  board. 
Had  he  been  any  other  than  a  Nabal,  he  had  not  sat  down  to 
feast  till  he  had  been  sure  of  his  peace  with  David :  either  not  to 
expect  danger,  or  not  to  clear  it,  was  sottish.     So  foolish  are 


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410  Nabal  and  Abigail.  book  xiv. 

carnal  men,  that  give  themselves  oyer  to  their  pleasures,  while 
there  are  deadly  quarrels  depending  against  them  in  heaven. 

There  is  nothing  wherein  wisdom  is  more  seen  than  in  the 
temperate  use  of  prosperity.  A  Nabal  cannot  abound,  but  he 
must  be  drunk  and  surfeit.  Excess  is  a  true  argument  of  folly. 
We  use  to  say,  that  when  drink  is  in,  wit  is  out ;  but  if  wit  were 
not  out,  drink  would  not  be  in. 

It  was  no  time  to  advise  Nabal  while  his  reason  was  drowned 
in  a  deluge  of  wine.  A  beast  or  a  stone  is  as  capable  of  good 
counsel  as  a  drunkard.  O  that  the  noblest  creature  should  so 
far  abase  himself,  as  for  a  little  liquor  to  lose  the  use  of  those  fa- 
culties whereby  he  is  a  man !  Those  that  have  to  do  with  drink 
or  phrensy  must  be  glad  to  watch  times :  so  did  Abigail,  who,  the 
next  morning,  presents  to  her  husband  the  view  of  his  faults,  of 
his  danger.  He  then  sees  how  near  he  was  to  death  and  felt  it 
not.  That  worldly  mind  is  so  apprehensive  of  the  death  that 
should  have  been,  as  that  he  dies  to  think  that  he  had  like  to 
have  died.  Who  would  think  a  man  could  be  so  affected  with  a 
danger  past,  and  yet  so  senseless  of  a  future,  yea  imminent?  He 
that  was  yesternight  as  a  beast,  is  now  as  a  stone :  he  was  then 
over-merry,  now  dead  and  lumpish.  Carnal  hearts  are  ever  in 
extremities.  If  they  be  once  down,  their  dejection  is  desperate, 
because  they  have  no  inward  comfort  to  mitigate  their  sorrow. 
What  difference  there  was  betwixt  the  disposition  of  David  and 
Nabal !  How  oft  had  David  been  in  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
death,  and  feared  no  evil !  Nabal  is  but  once  put  in  mind  of  a 
death  that  might  have  been,  and  is  stricken  dead.  It  is  just  with 
God,  that  they  who  live  without  grace  should  die  without  comfort ; 
neither  can  we  expect  better  while  we  go  on  in  our  sins. 

The  speech  of  Abigail  smote  Nabal  into  a  qualm.  That  tongue 
had  doubtless  oft  advised  him  well,  and  prevailed  not ;  now  it 
occasions  his  death  whose  reformation  it  could  not  effect.  She 
meant  nothing  but  his  amendment;  God  meant  to  make  that 
loving  instrument  the  means  of  his  revenge :  she  speaks,  and  God 
strikes ;  and  within  ten  days  that  swoon  ends  in  death. 

And  now  Nabal  pays  dear  for  his  uncharitable  reproach,  for  his 
riotous  excess.  That  God,  which  would  not  suffer  David  to  right 
himself  by  his  own  sword,  takes  the  quarrel  of  his  servant  into 
his  own  hand.  David  hath  now  his  ends  without  sin :  rejoicing 
in  the  just  executions  of  God,  who  would  neither  suffer  him  to  sin 
in  revenging,  nor  suffer  his  adversaries  to  sin  unrevenged. 


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cont.  in.  David  and  Achish.  411 

Our  loving  God  is  more  angry  with  the  wrongs  done  to  his 
servants  than  themselves  can  be,  and  knows  how  to  punish  that 
justly  which  we  could  not  undertake  without  wronging  God  more 
than  men  have  wronged  us.  He  that  saith,  Vengeance  is  mine, 
I  will  repay,  repays  ofttimes  when  we  have  forgiven,  when  we 
have  forgotten,  and  calls  to  reckoning  after  our  discharges.  It  is 
dangerous  offending  any  favourite  of  him  whose  displeasure  and 
revenge  is  everlasting. 

How  far  God  looks  beyond  our  purposes !  Abigail  came  only 
to  plead  for  an  ill  husband ;  and  now  God  makes  this  journey  a 
preparation  for  a  better :  so  that  in  one  act  she  preserved  an  ill 
husband,  and  won  a  good  one  in  the  future.  David  well  remem- 
bers her  comely  person,  her  wise  speeches,  her  graceful  carriage ; 
and  now,  when  modesty  found  it  seasonable,  he  sends  to  sue  her 
which  had  been  his  suppliant.  She  entreated  for  her  husband; 
David  treats  with  her  for  his  wife :  her  request  was  to  escape  his 
sword ;  he  wisheth  her  to  his  bed.  It  was  a  fair  suit  to  change  a 
David  for  a  Nabal :  to  become  David's  queen,  instead  of  Nabal's 
drudge.  She  that  learned  humility  under  so  hard  a  tutor  abaseth 
herself  no  less  when  David  offers  to  advance  her :  Let  thine  hand- 
rnaid  be  a  servant  to  wash  the  feet  of  the  servants  of  my  lord.  None 
are  so  fit  to  be  great  as  those  that  can  stoop  lowest.  How  could 
David  be  more  happy  in  a  wife  ?  he  finds  at  once  piety,  wisdom, 
humility,  faithfulness,  wealth,  beauty.  How  could  Abigail  be  more 
happy  in  an  husband  than  in  the  prophet,  the  champion,  the  an- 
ointed of  God?  Those  marriages  are  well  made  wherein  virtues 
are  matched  and  happiness  is  mutual. 


DAVID  AND  ACHISH.— i  Samuel  xxvii. 

Good  motions  that  fall  into  wicked  hearts  are  like  some  sparks 
that  fall  from  the  flint  and  steel  into  wet  tinder,  lightsome  for  the 
time,  but  soon  out.  After  Saul's  tears  and  protestations,  yet  he  is 
now  again  in  the  wilderness  with  three  thousand  men  to  hunt  after 
innocent  David. 

How  invincible  is  the  charity  and  loyalty  of  an  honest  heart ! 
The  same  hand  that  spared  Saul  in  the  cave  spares  him  sleeping 
in  the  field  :  the  same  hand  that  cut  away  the  lap  of  his  master's 


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412  David  and  Achish.  book  xiv. 

garment  carried  away  his  spear;  that  spear,  which  might  as  well 
have  carried  away  the  life  of  the  owner,  is  only  borne  away  for  a 
proof  of  the  fidelity  of  the  bearer. 

Still  Saul  is  strong,  but  David  victorious,  and  triumphs  over  the 
malice  of  his  persecutor ;  yet  still  the  victor  flieth  from  him  whom 
he  hath  overcome. 

A  man  that  sees  how  far  Saul  was  transported  with  his  ran- 
corous envy  cannot  but  say  that  he  was  never  more  mad  than 
when  he  was  sober ;  for  even  after  he  had  said,  Blessed  art  thou, 
my  son  David,  thou  shalt  do  great  things,  and  also  prevail,  yet 
still  he  pursues  him  whom  he  grants  assured  to  prevail :  what  is 
this  but  to  resolve  to  lose  his  labour  in  sinning,  and  in  spite  of 
himself  to  offend  ?  How  shameful  is  our  inequality  of  disposition 
to  good  I  We  know  we  cannot  miss  of  the  reward  of  well  doing, 
and  yet  do  it  not ;  while  wicked  men  cast  away  their  endeavours 
upon  those  evil  projects  whereof  they  are  sure  to  fail.  Sin  blinds 
the  eyes  and  hardens  the  heart,  and  thrusts  men  into  wilful  mis- 
chiefs, however  dangerous,  however  impossible ;  and  never  leaves 
them  till  it  havo  brought  them  to  utter  confusion. 

The  over-long  continuance  of  a  temptation  may  easily  weary  the 
best  patience,  and  may  attain  that  by  protraction  which  it  could 
never  do  by  violence.  David  himself  at  last  begins  to  bend  under 
this  trial ;  and  resolves  so  to  fly  from  Saul,  as  he  runs  from  the 
church  of  God ;  and  while  be  will  avoid  the  malice  of  his  master, 
joins  himself  with  God's  enemies. 

The  greatest  saints  upon  earth  are  not  always  upon  the  same 
pitch  of  spiritual  strength.  He  that  sometimes  said,  /  will  not  be 
afraid  often  thousands,  now  says,  I  shall  one  day  perish  by  the 
hand  of  Saul.  He  had  wont  to  consult  with  God,  now  he  says 
thus  in  his  own  heart.  How  many  evident  experiments  had  David 
of  God's  deliverances;  how  certain  and  clear  predictions  of  his  fu- 
ture kingdom ;  how  infallible  an  earnest  was  the  holy  oil,  where- 
with he  was  anointed,  of  the  crown  of  Israel  1  And  yet  David 
said  in  his  heart,  I  shall  now  perish  one  day  by  the  hand  of 
Saul.  The  best  faith  is  but  like  the  twilight,  mixed  with  some 
degrees  of  darkness  and  infidelity.  We  do  utterly  misreckon  the 
greatest  earthly  holiness  if  we  exempt  it  from  infirmities.  It  is 
not  long  since  David  told  Saul  that  those  wicked  enemies  of  his, 
which  cast  him  out  from  abiding  in  the  inheritance  of  the  Lord, 
did  as  good  as  bid  him,  Go  serve  other  gods ;  yet  now  he  is  gone 
from  the  inheritance  of  God  into  the  land  of  the  Philistines.  That 


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cont.  in.  David  and  Admit.  418 

Saul  might  seek  him  no  more,  he  hides  himself  out  of  the  lists  of 
the  Church  where  a  good  roan  would  not  look  for  him. 

Once  before  had  David  fled  to  this  Achish,  when  he  was  glad 
to  scrabble  on  the  doors,  and  let  his  spittle  fall  upon  his  beard  in 
a  semblance  of  madness,  that  he  might  escape ;  yet  now  in  a  sem- 
blance of  friendship  is  he  returned  to  save  that  life  which  he  was 
in  danger  to  have  lost  in  Israel.  Goliath,  the  champion  of  the 
Philistines,  whom  David  slew,  was  of  Gath ;  yet  David  dwells  with 
Achish  king  of  the  Philistines,  in  Gath :  even  amongst  them  whose 
foreskins  he  had  presented  to  Saul  by  two  hundreds  at  once  doth 
David  choose  to  reside  for  safety.  Howsoever  it  was  a  weakness 
in  David  thus  by  his  league  of  amity  to  strengthen  the  enemies  of 
God,  yet  doth  not  God  take  advantage  of  it  for  his  overthrow,  but 
gives  him  protection  even  where  his  presence  offended ;  and  gives 
him  favour  where  himself  bore  just  hatred.  0  the  infinite  patience 
and  mercy  of  our  God,  who  doth  good  to  us  for  our  evil,  and  in 
the  very  act  of  our  provocation  upholdeth,  yea,  blesseth  us  with 
preservation ! 

Could  Saul  have  rightly  considered  it,  he  had  found  it  no  small 
loss  and  impairing  to  his  kingdom,  that  so  valiant  a  captain,  at- 
tended with  six  hundred  able  soldiers  and  their  families,  should 
forsake  his  land  and  join  with  his  enemies ;  yet  he  is  not  quiet  till 
he  have  abandoned  his  own  strength.  The  world  hath  none  so 
great  enemy  to  a  wicked  man  as  himself :  his  hands  cannot  be  held 
from  his  own  mischief :  he  will  needs  make  his  friends  enemies ; 
his  enemies  victors;  himself  miserable. 

David  was  too  wise  to  cast  himself  into  the  hand  of  a  Philistine 
king  without  assurance.  What  assurance  could  he  have  but  pro- 
mises ?  Those  David  had  from  Saul  abundantly,  and  trusted  them 
not :  he  dares  trust  the  fidelity  of  a  pagan,  he  dares  not  trust  the 
vows  of  a  king  of  Israel.  There  may  be  fidelity  without  the 
Church,  and  falsehood  within.  It  need  not  be  any  news  to  find 
some  Turks  true  and  some  Christians  faithless. 

Even  unwise  men  are  taught  by  experience ;  how  much  more 
they  who  have  wit  to  learn  without  it !  David  had  well  found  what 
it  was  to  live  in  a  court,  he  therefore,  whom  envy  drove  from  the 
court  of  Israel,  voluntarily  declines  the  Philistine  court,  and  sues 
for  a  country  habitation.  It  had  not  been  possible  for  so  noted  a 
stranger,  after  so  much  Philistine  bloodshed,  to  live  long  in  such 
an  eminency  amongst  the  prease  of  those,  whose  sons,  or  brothers,  or 
fathers,  or  allies,  he  had  slaughtered,  without  some  perilous  ma- 


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414  David  and  Achish.  book  xiv. 

chination  of 'his  nun;  therefore  he  makes  suit  for  an  early  re- 
move; For  why  should  thy  servant  dwell  in  the  chief  city  of  the 
kingdom  with  thee  f  Those  that  would  stand  sure  must  not  affect 
too  much  height  or  conspicuity .  The  tail  cedars  are  most  subject  to 
winds  and  lightnings,  while  the  shrubs  of  the  valleys  stand  unmoved. 
Much  greatness  doth  but  make  a  fairer  mark  for  evil.  There  is 
true  firmness  and  safety  in  mediocrity. 

How  rarely  is  it  seen  that  a  man  loseth  by  his  modesty !  The 
change  fell  out  well  to  David,  of  Ziklag  for  Gath.  Now  he  hath 
a  city  of  his  own.  All  Israel,  where  he  was  anointed,  afforded  him 
not  so  much  possession.  Now  the  city  which  was  anciently  assigned 
to  Judah  returns  to  the  just  owner,  and  is  by  this  means  entailed 
to  the  crown  of  David's  successors.  Besides  that,  now  might  David 
live  out  of  the  sight  and  hearing  of  the  Philistine  idolatries,  and 
enjoy  God  no  less  in  the  walls  of  a  Philistine  city,  than  in  an  Is- 
raelitish  wilderness :  withal,  an  happy  opportunity  was  now  opened 
to  his  friends  of  Israel  to  resort  unto  his  aid.  The  heads  of  the 
thousands  that  were  of  Manasseh  and  many  valiant  captains  of 
the  other  tribes  fell  daily  to  him,  and  raised  his  six  hundred  fol- 
lowers to  an  army  like  the  host  of  God.  The  deserts  of  Israel 
could  never  have  yielded  David  so  great  an  advantage.  That  God 
whose  the  earth  is  makes  room  for  his  own  everywhere,  and  oft- 
times  provideth  them  a  foreign  home  more  kindly  than  the  native. 
It  is  no  matter  for  change  of  our  soil,  so  we  change  not  our  God. 
If  we  can  everywhere  acknowledge  him,  he  will  nowhere  be  want- 
ing to  us. 

It  was  not  for  God's  champion  to  be  idle.  No  sooner  is  he  free 
from  Saul's  sword  than  he  begins  an  offensive  war  against  the 
Amalekites,  Girzites,  Geshurites.  He  knew  these  nations  branded 
by  God  to  destruction ;  neither  could  his  increasing  army  be  main- 
tained with  a  little :  by  one  act  therefore  he  both  revenges  for 
God  and  provides  for  his  host.  Had  it  not  been  for  that  old 
quarrel  which  God  had  with  his  people,  David  could  not  be  ex- 
cused from  a  bloody  cruelty  in  killing  whole  countries  only  for  the 
benefit  of  the  spoil ;  now,  his  soldiers  were  at  once  God's  execu- 
tioners and  their  own  foragers.  The  intervention  of  a  command 
from  the  Almighty  alters  the  state  of  any  act,  and  makes  that 
worthy  of  praise  which  else  were  no  better  than  damnable.  It  is 
now  justice  which  were  otherwise  murder.  The  will  of  God  is  the 
rule  of  good.  What  need  we  inquire  into  other  reasons  of  any  act 
or  determination  when  we  hear  it  comes  from  heaven  ? 


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cont.  in.  David  and  Achish.  415 

How  many  hundred  years  bad  this  brood  of  Canaanites  lived 
securely  in  their  country  since  God  commanded  them  to  be  rooted 
out,  and  now  promised  themselves  the  certainest  peace !  The  Phi- 
listines were  their  friends,  if  not  their  lords.  The  Israelites  had 
their  hands  full,  neither  did  they  know  any  grudge  betwixt  them 
and  their  neighbours ;  when  suddenly  the  sword  of  David  cuts 
them  off,  and  leaves  none  alive  to  tell  the  news.  There  is  no  safety 
in  protraction.  With  men,  delay  causeth  forgetfulness,  or  abates 
the  force  of  anger,  as  all  violent  motions  are  weakest  at  the  far- 
thest :  but  with  him  to  whom  all  times  are  present,  what  can  be 
gained  by  prorogation  ?  Alas !  what  can  it  avail  any  of  the  cursed 
seed  of  Canaah  that  they  have  made  a  truce  with  heaven  and  a 
league  with  hell  ?  Their  day  is  coming,  and  it  is  not  the  farther 
off  because  they  expect  it  not. 

Miserable  were  the  straits  of  David  while  he  was  driven,  not 
only  to  maintain  his  army  by  spoil,  but  to  colour  his  spoil  by  a  sin- 
ful dissimulation.  He  tells  Achish  that  he  had  been  roving  against 
the  south  of  Judah,  and  the  south  of  the  Jerahmeelites,  and  the 
south  of  the  Kenites,  either  falsely  or  doubtfully,  so  as  he  meant  to 
deceive  him  under  whom  he  lived  and  by  whom  he  was  trusted. 
If  Achish  were  a  Philistine,  yet  he  was  David's  friend,  yea  his 
patron :  and  if  he  had  been  neither,  it  had  not  become  David  to  be 
false.  The  infirmities  of  God's  children  never  appear  but  in  their 
extremities.  It  is  hard  for  the  best  man  to  say  how  far  he  will  be 
tempted.  If  a  man  will  put  himself  among  Philistines,  he  cannot 
promise  to  come  forth  innocent. 

How  easily  do  we  believe  that  which  we  wish!  The  more 
credit  Achish  gives  unto  David,  the  more  sin  it  was  to  deceive 
him ;  and  now  the  conceit  of  this  engagement  procures  him  a 
further  service.  The  Philistines  are  assembled  to  fight  with 
Israel.  Achish  dares  trust  David  on  his  side;  yea  to  keep  his 
head  for  ever :  neither  can  David  do  any  less  than  promise  his 
aid  against  his  own  flesh. 

Never  was  David,  in  all  his  life,  driven  to  so  hard  an  exigent ; 
never  was  he  so  extremely  perplexed.  For  what  should  he  do 
now  ?  To  fight  with  Achish,  he  was  tied  by  promise,  by  merit ; 
not  to  fight  against  Israel,  he  was  tied  by  his  calling,  by  his 
unction ;  not  to  fight  for  Achish,  were  to  be  unthankful ;  to  fight 
against  Israel,  were  to  be  unnatural.  O  what  an  inward  battle 
must  David  needs  have  in  his  breast  when  he  thinks  of  this  battle 
of  Israel  and  the  Philistines!    How  doth  he  wish  now  that  he 


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416  David  and  Achish.  book  xiv. 

had  rather  stood  to  the  hazard  of  Saul's  persecution  than  to  have 
put  himself  upon  the  favour  of  Achish !  He  must  fight  on  one 
side;  and  on  whether  side  soever  he  should  fight,  he  could  .not' 
avoid  to  be  treacherous :  a  condition  worse  than  death  to  an  honest 
heart.  Which  way  he  would  have  resolved,  if  it  had  come  to  the 
execution,  who  can  know,  since  himself  was  doubtful?  Either 
course  had  been  no  better  than  desperate.  How  could  the  Israel- 
ites ever  have  received  him  for  their  king  who  in  the  open  field 
had  fought  against  them  ?  And  contrarily,  if  he  would  have  fought 
against  his  friend  for  his  enemy,  against  Achish  for  Saul,  he  was 
now  environed  with  jealous  Philistines,  and  might  rather  look  for 
the  punishment  of  his  treason  than  the  glory  of  a  vfctory. 

His  heart  had  led  him  into  these  straits ;  the  Lord  finds  way  to 
lead  him  out.  The  suggestions  of  his  enemies  do  herein  befriend 
him.  The  princes  of  the  Philistines,  whether  of  envy  or  sus- 
picion, plead  for  David's  dismission ;  Send  this  -fellow  back,  that 
lie  may  go  again  to  his  place  which  thou  hast  appointed  him ; 
and  let  him  not  go  down  to  the  battle,  lest  he  be  an  adversary 
to  «w.  No  advocate  could  have  said  more ;  himself  durst  not  have 
said  so  much.  O  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  our  God,  that  can 
raise  up  an  adversary  to  deliver  out  of  those  evils  which  our 
friends  cannot  I  that  by  the  sword  of  an  enemy  can  let  out  that 
apostume*  which  no  physician  could  tell  how  to  cure!  It  would 
be  wide  with  us  sometimes  if  it  were  not  for  others'  malice. 

There  could  not  be  a  more  just  question,  than  this  of  the  Phi- 
listine princes,  What  do  these  Hebrews  here  ?  An  Israelite  is  out 
of  his  element  when  he  is  in  an  army  of  Philistines.  The  true 
servants  of  Qod  are  in  their  due  places  when  they  are  in  oppo- 
sition to  his  enemies.  Profession  of  hostility  becomes  them  better 
than  leagues  of  amity. 

Tet  Achish  likes  David's  conversation  and  presence  so  well 
that  he  professeth  himself  pleased  with  him,  as  with  an  angel  of 
God.  How  strange  is  it  to  hear  that  a  Philistine  should  delight 
in  that  holy  man  whom  an  Israelite  abhors,  and  should  be  loath 
to  be  quit  of  David  whom  Saul  hath  expelled !  Terms  of  servility 
be  equally  open  to  all  religions,  to  all  professions.  The  common 
graces  of  God's  children  are  able  to  attract  love  from  the  most 
obstinate  enemies  of  goodness.  If  we  affect  them  for  by-respects 
of  valour,  wisdom,  discourse,  wit,  it  is  their  praise,  not  ours ;  but 
if  for  divine  grace  and  religion,  it  is  our  praise  with  theirs. 
*  [Bailey,  aposteme:  the  folio  editions  apostume,  as  above.] 


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co  nt.  IV.-  Saul  and  the  witch  of  Endor.  417 

Srtch  no*  was  David's  condition,  that  he  must  plead  for  that  he 
feared,  and  argue  against  that  which  he  desired ;  What  have  I 
done?  and  what  hast  thou  found  in  thy  servant,  that  I  may 
not  go  and  fight  against  the  enemies  of  my  lord  the  king  f  Never 
any  news  could  be  more  cordial  to  him  than  this,  of  his  dismission  ; 
yet  must  he  seem  to  strive  against  it,  with  an  importunate  pro- 
fession of  his  forwardness  to  that  act  which  he  most  detested. 

One  degree  of  dissimulation  draws  on  another.  Those  which 
have  once  given  way  to  a  faulty  course  cannot  easily  either  stop 
or  turn  back,  but  are  hi  a  sort  forced  to  second  their  ill  begin- 
nings with  worse  proceedings.  It  is  a  dangerous  and  miserable 
thing  to  east  ourselves  into  those  actions  which  draw  with  them 
a  necessity  either  of  offending  or  miscarriage. 


SAUL  AND  THE  WITCH  OF  ENDOR. 
i  Samuel  xxviii. 

Even  the  worst'  men  may  sometimes  make  head  against  some 
sins.  Saul  hath  expelled  the  sorcerers  out  of  the  land  of  Israel 
and  hath  forbidden  magic  upon  pain  of  death.  He  that  had  no 
care  to  expel  Satan  out  of  his  own  heart,  yet  will  seem  to  drive 
him  out  of  his  kingdom.  That  we  see  wicked  men  oppose  them- 
selves to  some  sins,  there  is  neither  marvel  nor  comfort  in  it. 

No  doubt  Satan  made  sport  at  this  edict  of  Saul.  What  cares 
he  to  be  banished  in  sorcery  while  he  is  entertained  in  malice? 
He  knew  and  found  Saul  his,  while  he  resisted ;  and  smiled  to 
yield  thus  far  unto  his  vassal.  If  we  quit  not  all  sins,  he  will  be 
content  we  should  either  abandon  or  persecute  some. 

Where  is  no  place  for  holy  fear,  there  will  be  place  for  the 
servile.  The  graceless  heart  of  Saul  was  astonished  at  the  Phi- 
listines, yet  was  never  moved  at  the  frowns  of  that  God  whose 
anger  sent  them,  nor  of  those  sins  of  his  which  procured  them* 
Those  that  cannot  fear  for  love  shall  tremble  for  fear:  and 
how  much  better  is  awe  than  terror!  prevention  than  confu- 
sion! There  is  nothing  more  lamentable  than  to  see  a  man 
laugh  when  he  should  fear :  God  shall  laugh  when  such  a  one's 
fear  cometh. 

Extremity  of  distress  will  send  even  the  profanest  man  to  God. 
Like  as  the  drowning  man  reacheth  out  his  hand  to  that  bough 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  Be 

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418  Sard  and  the  witch  of  Endor.  book  xiv. 

which  he  contemned  while  he  stood  safe  on  the  bank.  Saul  now 
asketh  counsel  of  the  Lord,  whose  prophet  he  hated,  whose  priests 
he  slew,  whose  anointed  he  persecutes.  Had  Saul  consulted  with 
God  when  he  should,  this  eyil  had  not  been :  but  now,  if  this  evil 
had  not  been,  he  had  not  consulted  with  God.  The  thank  of  this 
act  is  due,  not  to  him,  but  to  his  affliction. 

A  forced  piety  is  thankless,  unprofitable.  God  will  not  answer 
him,  neither  by  dreams,  nor  by  Urim,  nor  by  prophets.  Why 
Bhould  God  answer  that  man  by  dreams  who  had  resisted  him 
waking?  Why  should  he  answer  him  by  Urim  that  had  slain 
his  priests  ?  Why  should  he  answer  him  by  prophets,  who  hated 
the  father  of  the  prophets,  rebelled  against  the  word  of  the  pro- 
phets ?  It  is  an  unreasonable  inequality  to  hope  to  find  God  at 
our  command  when  we  would  not  be  at  his,  to  look  that  God 
should  regard  our  voice  in  trouble  when  we  would  not  regard  his 
in  peace. 

Unto  what  mad  shifts  are  men  driven  by  despair  I  If  God  will 
not  answer,  Satan  shall ;  Saul  said  to  his  servants,  Seek  me  a 
man  that  hath  a  familiar  spirit  If  Saul  had  not  known  this 
course  devilish,  why  did  he  decree  to  banish  it,  to  mulct  it  with 
death  ?  yet  now,  against  the  stream  of  his  conscience,  he  will  seek 
to  those  whom  he  had  condemned. 

There  needs  no  other  judge  of  Saul's  act  than  himself.  Had 
he  not  before  opposed  this  sin,  he  had  not  so  heinously  sinned  in 
committing  it.  There  cannot  be  a  more  fearful  sign  of  a  heart 
given  up  to  a  reprobate  sense,  than  to  cast  itself  wilfully  into 
those  sins  which  it  hath  proclaimed  to  detest.  The  declinations 
to  evil  are  many  times  insensible ;  but  when  it  breaks  forth  into 
such  apparent  effects,  even  others'  eyes  may  discern  it. 

What  was  Saul  the  better  to  foreknow  the  issue  of  his  ap- 
proaching battle?  If  this  consultation  could  have  strengthened 
him  against  his  enemies,  or  promoted  his  victory,  there  might 
have  been  some  colour  for  so  foul  an  act ;  now  what  could  he 
gain  but  the  satisfying  of  his  bootless  curiosity  in  foreseeing  that 
which  he  should  not  be  able  to  avoid  ? 

Foolish  men  give  away  their  souls  for  nothing.  The  itch  of 
impertinent  and  unprofitable  knowledge  hath  been  the  hereditary 
disease  of  the  sons  of  Adam  and  Eve.  How  many  have  perished 
to  know  that  which  hath  procured  their  perishing !  How  ambi- 
tious should  we  be  to  know  those  things  the  knowledge  whereof  is 
eternal  life ! 


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cont.  iv.  Saul  and  the  witch  of  Endor.  419 

Many  a  lewd  office  are  they  pat  to  which  serve  wicked  masters. 
One  while  Saul's  servants  are  sent  to  kill  innocent  David ;  an- 
other while  to  shed  the  blood  of  God's  priests;  and  now  they 
must  go  seek  for  a  witch.  It  is  no  small  happiness  to  attend  them 
from  whom  we  may  receive  precepts  and  examples  of  virtue. 

Had  Saul  been  good,  he  had  needed  no  disguise.  Honest  ac- 
tions never  shame  the  doers.  Now  that  he  goeth  about  a  sinful 
business,  he  changeth  himself;  he  seeks  the  shelter  of  the  night ; 
he  takes  but  two  followers  with  him.  It  is  true,  that  if  Saul  had 
come  in  the  port  of  a  king,  the  witch  had  as  much  dissembled 
her  condition  as  now  he  dissembleth  his ;  yet  it  was  not  only  de- 
sire to  speed,  but  guiltiness  that  thus  altered  his  habit  Such  is 
the  power  of  conscience,  that  even  those  who  are  most  affected  to 
evil  yet  are  ashamed  to  be  thought  such  as  they  desire  to  be. 

Saul  needed  another  face  to  fit  that  tongue  which  should  say, 
Conjecture  to  me  by  the  familiar  spirit,  and  bring  me  up  whom 
I  shall  name  unto  thee.  An  obdurate  heart  can  give  way  to  any 
thing. 

Notwithstanding  the  peremptory  edict  of  Saul,  there  are  still 
witches  in  Israel  Neither  good  laws  nor  careful  executions  can 
purge  the  Church  from  malefactors.  There  will  still  be  some  that 
will  jeopard  their  heads  upon  the  grossest  sins.  No  garden  can 
be  so  curiously  tended  that  there  should  not  be  one  weed  left  in 
it  Yet  so  far  can  good  statutes  and  due  inflictions  of  punish- 
ments upon  offenders  prevail,  that  mischievous  persons  are  glad 
to  pull  in  their  heads,  and  dare  not  do  ill  but  in  disguise  and 
darkness.  It  is  no  small  advantage  of  justice  that  it  affrights  sin, 
if  it  cannot  be  expelled ;  as  contrarily,  woful  is  the  condition  of 
that  place  where  is  a  public  profession  of  wickedness. 

The  witch  was  no  less  crafty  than  wicked.  She  had  before,  as 
is  like,  bribed  officers  to  escape  indictment,  to  lurk  in  secrecy ; 
and  now  she  will  not  work  her  feats  without  security.  Her  sus- 
picion projects  the  worst;  Wherefore  seekest  thou  to  take  me  in 
a  mare,  to  cause  me  to  die?  Q  vain  sorceress,  that  could  be 
wary  to  avoid  the  punishment  of  Saul,  careless  to  avoid  the 
judgment  of  God! 

Could  we  forethink  what  our  sin  would  cost  us,  we  durst  not 
but  be  innocent.  This  is  a  good  and  seasonable  answer  for  us  to 
make  unto  Satan  when  he  solicits  us  to  evil ;  Wherefore  seekest 
thou  to  take  me  in  a  snare,  to  cause  me  to  die?  Nothing  is  more 
sure  than  this  intention  in  the  tempter,  than  this  event  in  the 

b  e  2 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


420  Saul  and  the  witch  of  Endor.  book  xi? 

issue.    0  that  we  could  but  so  much  fear  the  eternal  pains  as  we 
'  do  the  temporary,  and  be  but  so  careful  to  save  our  souls  from 
torment  as  our  bodies ! 

No  sooner  hath  Saul  sworn  her  safety,  than  she  addresseth 
her  to  her  sorcery.  Hope  of  impunity  draws  on  sin  with  bold- 
ness. Were  it  not  for  the  delusions  of  false  promises,  Satan 
should  have  no  clients. 

Could  Saul  be  so  ignorant  as  to  think  that  magic  had  power 
over  God's  deceased  saints  to  raise  them  up ;  yea,  to  call  them 
down  from  their  rest?  Time  was  when  Saul  was  among  the  pro- 
phets ;  and  yet,  now  that  he  is  in  the  impure  lodge  of  devils,  how 
senseless  he  is  to  say,  Bring  me  up  Samuel!  It  is  no  rare  thing 
to  lose  even  our  wit  and  judgment  together  with  graces.  How 
justly  are  they  given  to  sottishness  that  have  given  themselves 
over  to  sin ! 

The  sorceress,  it  seems,  exercising  her  conjurations  in  a  room 
apart,  is  informed  by  her  familiar  who  it  was  that  set  her  on 
work.  She  can  therefore  find  time,  in  the  midst  of  her  exor- 
cisms, to  bind  the  assurance  of  her  own  safety  by  expostulation; 
She  cried  with  a  hud  voice,  Why  hast  thou  deceived  me,  for  thou 
art  Saul  f  The  very  name  of  Saul  was  an  accusation ;  yet  is  he 
so  far  from  striking  his  breast,  that,  doubting  lest  this  fear  of  the 
witch  should  interrupt  the  desired  work,  he  encourages  her  whom 
he  should  have  condemned ;  Be  not  afraid.  He  that  had  more 
cause  to  fear  for  his  own  sake  in  an  expectation  of  just  judgment, 
cheers  up  her  that  feared  nothing  but  himself.  How  ill  doth  it 
become  us  to  give  that  counsel  to  others  whereof  we  have  more 
need  and  use  in  our  own  persons ! 

As  one  that  had  more  care  to  satisfy  his  owfc  curiosity  than 
her  suspicion,  he  asks,  What  sawest  thou  f  Who  would  not  have 
looked  that  Saul's  hair  should  have  stared  on  his  head  to  hear  of 
a  spirit  raised  ?  His  sin  hath  so  hardened  him,  that  he  rather  i 

pleases  himself  in  it  which  hath  nothing  in  it  but  horror.  J 

So  far  is  Satan  content  to  descend  to  the  service  of  his  servants* 
that  he  will  approve  his  feigned  obedience  to  their  very  outward 
senses.  What  form  is  so  glorious  that  he  either  cannot  or  dare 
not  undertake  ?  Here  gods  ascend  out  of  the  earth ;  elsewhere,  | 

Satan  transforms  him  into  an  angel  of  light.  What  wonder  is  it 
that  his  wicked  instruments  appear  like  saints  in  their  hypocritical 
dissimulation  ?  i 

If  we  will  be  judging  by  the  appearance  we  shall  be  sure  to  ! 


4   Digitized  by  LjOOQIC 


cont.  iv.  Saul  and  the  witch  of  Endor.  421 

err.  No  eye  could  distinguish  betwixt  the  true  Samuel  and  a 
false  spirit.  Saul,  who  was  well  worthy  to  be  deceived,  seeing 
those  gray  hairs  and  that  mantle,  inclines  himself  to  the  ground, 
and  bows  himself.  He  that  would  not  worship  God  in  Samuel 
alive  now  worships  Samuel  in  Satan :  and  no  marvel ;  Satan  was 
now  become  his  refuge  instead  of  God;  his  Urim  was  darkness, 
his  prophet  a  ghost.  Every  ope  that  consults  with  Satan  wor- 
ships him,  though  he  bow  not ;  neither  doth  that  evil  spirit  de- 
sire any  other  reverence  than  to  be  sought  unto. 

How  cunningly  doth  Satan  resemble,  not  only  the  habit  and 
gesture,  but  the  language  of  Samuel :  Wherefore  hast  thou  dis- 
quieted me  f  And  wherefore  dost  thou  ask  of  me,  seeing  the  Lord 
is  gone  from  thee,  and  is  thine  enemy?  Nothing  is  more  pleasing 
to  that  evil  one  than  to  be  solicited ;  yet,  in  the  person  of  Sa- 
muel, he  can  say,  Why  hast  thou  disquieted  me  t  Had  not  the 
Lord  been  gone  from  Saul,  he  had  never  come  to  the  devilish 
oracle  of  Endor ;  and  yet  the  counterfeiting  spirit  can  say,  Why 
dost  thou  ask  of  me,  seeing  the  Lord  is  gone  from  thee?  Satan 
cares  not  how  little  he  is  known  to  be  himself:  he  loves  to  pass 
under  any  form  rather  than  his  own.  The  more  holy  the  person 
is,  the  more  carefully  doth  Satan  act  him,  that  by  his  stale  ho 
may  ensnare  us. 

In  every  motion  it  is  good  to  try  the  spirits  whether  they  be  of 
God.  Good  words  are  no  means  to  distinguish  a  prophet  from  a 
devil.  Samuel  himself,  while  he  was  alive,  could  not  have  spoken 
more  gravely,  more  severely,  more  divinely,  than  this  evil  ghost : 
For  the  Lord  wiU  rent  thy  kingdom  out  of  thy  hand,  and  give  it 
thy  neighbour  David :  because  thou  obeyedst  not  the  voice  of  the 
Lord,  nor  executedst  his  fierce  wrath  upon  the  Amalekites,  there- 
fore hath  the  Lord  done  this  unto  thee  this  day.  When  the  devil 
himself  puts  on  gravity  and  religion,  who  can  marvel  at  the  hy- 
pocrisy of  men?  Well  may  lewd  men  be  good  preachers,  when 
Satan  himself  can  play  the  prophet.  Where  are  those  ignorants 
that  can  think  charitably  of  charms  and  spells,  because  they  find 
nothing  in  them  but  good  words?  What  prophet  could  speak 
better  words  than  this  devil  in  Samuel's  mantle  ?  Neither  is  there 
at  any  time  so  much  danger  of  that  evil  spirit  as  when  he  speaks 
best. 

I  could  wonder  to  hear  Satan  preach  thus  prophetically,  if  I 
did  not  know,  that  as  he  was  once  a  good  angel,  so  he  can  still  act 
what  he  was. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


422  Ziklag  spoiled  and  revenged.  book  xiv. 

While  Saul  was  in  consultation  of  sparing  Agag,  we  shall  neTer 
find  that  Satan  would  lay  any  block  in  his  way ;  yea,  then  he  was 
a  prompt  orator  to  induce  him  into  that  sin :  now  that  it  is  past 
and  gone,  he  can  load  Saul  with  fearful  denunciations  of  judg- 
ment. Till  we  hare  sinned,  Satan  is  a  parasite ;  when  we  have 
sinned,  he  is  a  tyrant.  What  cares  he  to  flatter  any  more  when 
he  hath  what  he  would  ?  Now  his  only  work  is  to  terrify  and 
confound,  that  he  may  enjoy  what  he  hath  won.  How  much 
better  is  it  serving  that  Master,  who,  when  we  are  most  dejected 
with  the  conscience  of  evil,  heartens  us  with  inward  comfort,  and 
speaks  peace  to  the  soul  in  the  midst  of  tumult ! 


ZtKLAG  SPOILED  AND  REVENGED.— i  Samuel  xxx. 

Had  not  the  king  of  the  Philistines  sent  David  away  early,  his 
wives  and  his  people  and  substance,  which  he  left  at  Ziklag,  had 
been  utterly  lost ;  now  Achish  did  not  more  pleasure  David  in  his 
entertainment  than  in  his  dismission. 

Saul  was  not  David's  enemy  more  in  the  persecution  of  his 
person  than  in  the  forbearance  of  God's  enemies.  Behold,  thus 
late  doth  David  feel  the  smart  of  Saul's  sin  in  sparing  the  Amalek  - 
ites,  who,  if  God's  sentence  had  been  duly  executed,  had  not  now 
survived  to  annoy  this  parcel  of  Israel. 

As  in  spiritual  respects  our  sins  are  always  hurtful  to  ourselves, 
so  in  temporal  ofttimes  prejudicial  to  posterity.  A  wicked  man 
deserves  ill  of  those  he  never  lived  to  see. 

I  cannot  marvel  at  the  AmaAekites'  assault  made  upon  the 
Israelites  of  Ziklag ;  I  cannot  but  marvel  at  their  clemency.  How 
just  was  it,  that  while  David  would  give  aid  to  the  enemies  of  the 
Church  against  Israel,  the  enemies  of  the  Church  should  rise  against 
David  in  his  peculiar  charge  of  Israel  I  But  while  David,  roving 
against  the  Amalekites  not  many  days  before,  left  neither  man 
nor  woman  alive,  how  strange  is  it  that  the  Amalekites,  invading 
and  surprising  Ziklag,  in  revenge,  kill  neither  man  nor  woman ! 
Shall  we  say  that  mercy  is  fled  from  the  breasts  of  Israelites  and 
rests  in  heathens ;  or  shall  we  rather  ascribe  this  to  the  gracious 
restraint  of  God,  who,  having  designed  Amalek  to  the  slaughter  of 
Israel,  and  not  Israel  to  the  slaughter  of  Amalek,  moved  the  hands 
of  Israel  and  held  the  hands  of  Amalek  ?  This  was  that  alone  that 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  v.  Ziklag  spoiled  and  revenged.  428 

made  the  heathens  take  up  with  an  unbloody  revenge,  burning 
only  the  walls  and  leading  away  the  persons.  Israel  crossed  the 
revealed  will  of  God  in  sparing  Amalek,  Amalek  fulfils  the  secret 
will  of  God  in  sparing  Israel 

It  was  still  the  lot  of  Amalek  to  take  Israel  at  all  advantages. 
Upon  their  first  coming  out  of  Egypt,  when  they  were  weary, 
weak,  and  unarmed,  then  did  Amalek  assault  them;  and  now, 
when  one  part  of  Israel  was  in  the  field  against  the  Philistines, 
another  was  gone  with  the  Philistines  against  Israel,  the  Amalek- 
ites  set  upon  the  coasts  of  both,  and  go  away  laden  with  the 
spoil :  no  other  is  to  be  expected  of  our  spiritual  adversaries,  who 
are  ever  readiest  to  assail  when  we  are  the  unreadiest  to  defend. 

It  was  a  woful  spectacle  for  David  and  his  soldiers  upon  their 
return  to  find  ruins  and  ashes  instead  of  houses,  and  instead  of 
their  families  solitude.  Their  city  was  vanished  into  smoke,  their 
households  into  captivity ;  neither  could  they  know  whom  to  ac- 
cuse or  where  to  inquire  for  redress.  While  they  made  account 
that  their  home  should  recompense  their  tedious  journey  with 
comfort,  the  miserable  desolation  of  their  home  doubles  the  dis- 
comfort of  their  journey.  What  remained  there  but  tears  and 
lamentations !  They  lifted  up  their  voices  and  wept  till  they  could 
weep  no  more.  Here  was  plenty  of  nothing  but  misery  and 
sorrow. 

The  heart  of  every  Israelite  was  brimful  of  grief.  David's  ran 
over ;  for  besides  that  his  cross  was  the  same  with  theirs,  all  theirs 
was  his  alone :  each  man  looked  on  bis  fellow  as  a  partner  of  af- 
fliction, but  every  one  looked  upon  David  as  the  cause  of  all  their 
affliction :  and  as  common  displeasure  is  never  but  fruitful  of  re- 
venge, they  all  agree  to  stone  him  as  the  author  of  their  undoing 
whom  they  followed  all  this  while  as  the  hopeful  means  of  their 
advancements. 

Now  David's  loss  is  his  least  grief.  Neither,  as  if  every  thing 
had  conspired  to  torment  him,  can  he  look  besides  the  aggrava- 
tion of  his  sorrow  and.  danger.  Saul  and  his  soldiers  had  hunted 
him  out  of  Israel,  the  Philistine  courtiers  had  hunted  him  from 
the  favour  of  Achish,  the  Amalekites  spoiled  him  in  Ziklag ;  yet 
all  these  are  easy  adversaries  in  comparison  of  his  own :  his  own 
followers  are  so  far  from  pitying  his  participation  of  the  loss, 
that  they  are  ready  to  kill  him,  because  they  are  miserable  with 
him.  O  the  many  and  grievous  perplexities  of  the  man  after 
God's  own  heart !  If  all  his  train  had  joined  their  best  helps  for 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


424  Ziklag  spoiled  and  revenged.  book  xiv. 

the  mitigation  of  his  grief,  their  cordials  had  been  too  weak ;  but 
now  the  vexation  that  arises  from  their  fury  and  malice  drowneth 
the  sense  of  their  loss,  and  were  enough  to  distract  the  most  reso- 
lute heart.  Why  should  it  be  strange  to  us  that  we  meet  with  hard 
trials  when  we  see  the  dear  anointed  of  God  thus  plunged  in  evils  ? 

What  should  the  distressed  son  of  Jesse  now  do  ?  whither  should 
he  think  to  turn  him  ?  To  go  back  to  Israel  he  durst  not,  to  go  to 
Achish  he  might  not,  to  abide  amongst  those  waste  heaps  he  could 
not ;  or  if  there  might  have  been  harbour  in  those  burnt  walls, 
yet  there  could  be  no  safety  to  remain  with  those  mutinous  spirits. 
But  David  contorted  himself  in  the  Lord  hie  God.  O  happy 
and  sure  refuge  of  a  faithful  soul !  The  earth  yielded  him  nothing 
but  matter  of  disconsolation  and  heaviness ;  he  lifts  his  eyes  above 
the  hills  whence  cometh  his  salvation. 

It  is  no  marvel  that  God  remembereth  David  in  all  his  troubles, 
since  David  in  all  his  troubles  did  thus  remember  his  God !  He 
knew  that  though  no  mortal  eye  of  reason  or  sense  could  discern 
any  evasion  from  these  intricate  evils,  yet  that  the  eye  of  Divine 
Providence  had  descried  it  long  before ;  and  that  though  no  human 
power  could  make  way  for  his  safety,  yet  that  the  overruling 
hand  of  his  God  could  do  it  with  ease.  His  experience  bad  assured 
him  of  the  fidelity  of  his  Guardian  in  heaven,  and  therefore  he 
comforted  himself  in  the  Lord  his  God. 

In  vain  is  comfort  expected  from  God  if  we  consult  not  with 
him.  Abiathar  the  priest  is  called  for.  David  was  not  in  the 
court  of  Achish  without  the  priest  by  his  side,  nor  the  priest  with- 
out the  ephod.  Had  these  been  left  behind  in  Ziklag,  they  had 
been  miscarried  with  the  rest,  and  David  had  now  been  hopeless. 
How  well  it  succeeds  to  the  great  when  they  take  God  with  them 
in  his  ministers,  in  his  ordinances !  As  contrarily,  when  these  are 
laid  by  as  superfluous  there  can  be  nothing  but  uncertainty  of 
success  or  certainty  of  mischief.  The  presence  of  the  priest  and 
ephod  would  have  little  availed  him  without  their  use :  by  them 
he  asks  counsel  of  the  Lord  in  these  straits. 

The  mouth  and  ears  of  God,  which  were  shut  unto  Saul,  are 
open  unto  David :  no  sooner  can  he  ask  than  he  receives  answer, 
and  the  answer  that  he  receives  is  full  of  courage  and  comfort ; 
Follow,  for  thou  shalt  surely  overtake  them  and  recover  alL 
That  God  of  truth  never  disappointed  any  man's  trust.  David 
now  finds  that  the  eye  which  waited  upon  God  was  not  sent  away 
weeping* 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


eovr.  v.  Ziklag  spoiled  and  revenged.  425 

David  therefore  and  his  men  are  now  upon  their  march  after 
the  Araalekites.  It  is  no  lingering  when  God  bids  us  go.  They 
which  had  promised  rest  to  their  weary  limbs  after  their  return 
from  Achish  in  their  harbour  of  Ziklag  are  glad  to  forget  their 
hopes,  and  to  put  their  stiff  joints  unto  a  new  task  of  motion.  It 
is  no  marvel  if  two  hundred  of  them  were  so  overtired  with  their 
former  toil,  that  they  were  not  able  to  pass  over  the  river  Besor. 

David  was  a  true  type  of  Christ.  We  follow  him  in  these  holy 
wars  against  the  spiritual  Amalekites.  All  of  us  are  not  of  an 
equal  strength:  some  are  carried  by  the  vigour  of  their  faith 
through  all  difficulties ;  others,  after  long  pressure,  are  ready  to 
languish  in  the  way.  Our  Leader  is  not  more  strong  than  pitiful, 
neither  doth  he  scornfully  cashier  those  whose  desires  are  hearty, 
while  their  abilities  are  unanswerable.  How  much  more  should 
our  charity  pardon  the  infirmities  of  our  brethren,  and  allow  them 
to  sit  by  the  stuff  who  cannot  endure  the  march ! 

The  same  Providence  which  appointed  David  to  follow  the 
Amalekites  had  also  ordered  an  Egyptian  to  be  cast  behind  them. 
This  cast  servant,  whom  his  cruel  master  had  left  to  faintness  and 
famine,  shall  be  used  as  the  means  of  the  recovery  of  the  Israelites' 
loss,  and  of  the  revenge  of  the  Amalekites.  Had  not  his  master 
neglected  him,  all  these  rovers  of  Amalek  had  gone  away  with 
their  life  and  booty.  It  is  not  safe  to  despise  the  meanest  vassal 
upon  earth.  There  is  a  mercy  and  care  due  to  the  most  despicable 
piece  of  all  humanity,  wherein  we  cannot  be  wanting  without  the 
offence,  without  the  punishment  of  God. 

'  Charity  distinguished  an  Israelite  from  an  Amalekite.  David's 
followers  are  strangers  to  this  Egyptian.  An  Amalekite  was  his 
master.  His  master  leaves  him  to  die  (in  the  field)  of  sickness  and 
hunger ;  these  strangers  relieved  him,  and  ere  they  know  whether 
they  might  by  him  receive  any  light  in  their  pursuit,  they  refresh 
his  dying  spirits  with  bread  and  water,  with  figs  and  ijusins; 
neither  can  the  haste  of  their  way  be  any  hinderance  to  their 
compassion.  He  hath  no  Israelitish  blood  in  him  that  is  utterly 
merciless. 

Perhaps  yet  David's  followers  might  also  in  the  hope  of  some 
intelligence  show  kindness  to  this  forlorn  Egyptian.  Worldly 
wisdom  teacbeth  us  to  sow  small  courtesies  where  we  may  reap 
large  harvests  of  recompense. 

No  sooner  are  his  spirits  recalled  than  he  requites  his  food  with 
information.    I  cannot  blame  the  Egyptian,  that  he  was  so  easily 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


426  Ziklag  spoiled  and  revenged.  book  xiv. 

induced  to  descry  these  unkind  Amalekites  to  merciful  Israelites ; 
those  that  gave  him  oyer  unto  death,  to  the  restorers  of  his  life : 
much  less  that,  ere  he  would  descry  them,  he  requires  an  oath  of 
security  from  so  bad  a  master.  Well  doth  he  match  death  with 
such  a  servitude. 

Wonderful  is  the  providence  of  God  even  over  those  that  are 
not  in  the  nearest  bonds  his  own.  Three  days  and  three  nights 
had  this  poor  Egyptian  slave  lien  sick  and  hunger-starved  in  tho 
fields,  and  looks  for  nothing  but  death,  when  God  sends  him  suc- 
cour from  the  hands  of  those  Israelites  whom  he  had  helped  to 
spoil :  though  not  so  much  for  his  sake  as  for  Israel's  is  this  hea- 
thenish straggler  preserved. 

It  pleases  God  to  extend  his  common  favours  to  all  his  crea- 
tures ;  but  in  miraculous  preservations  he  hath  still  wont  to  have 
respect  to  his  own.  By  this  means  therefore  are  the  Israelites 
brought  to  the  sight  of  their  late  spoilers,  whom  they  find  scat- 
tered abroad  upon  all  the  earth,  eating  and  drinking,  and  dancing 
in  triumph  for  the  great  prey  they  had  taken. 

It  was  three  days  at  least  since  this  gainful  foraging  of  Amalek ; 
and  now,  seeing  no  fear  of  any  pursuer,  and  promising  themselves 
safety  in  so  great  and  untraced  a  distance,  they  make  themselves 
merry  with  so  rich  and  easy  a  victory ;  and  now  suddenly,  when 
they  began  to  think  of  enjoying  the  beauty  and  wealth  they  had 
gotten,  the  sword  of  David  was  upon  their  throats.  Destruction 
is  never  nearer  than  when  security  hath  chased  away  fear.  With 
how  sad  faces  and  hearts  had  the  wives  of  David,  and  the  other 
captives  of  Israel,  looked  upon  the  triumphal  revels  of  Amalek ; 
and  what  a  change  do  we  think  appeared  in  them  when  they  saw 
their  happy  and  valiant  rescuers  flying  in  upon  their  insolent  vic- 
tors, and  making  the  death  of  the  Amalekites  the  ransom  of  their 
captivity !  They  mourned  even  now  at  the  dances  of  Amalek ;  now, 
in  the  shrieks  and  death  of  Amalek  they  shout  and  rejoice.  The 
mercy  of  our  God  forgets  not  to  interchange  our  sorrows  with  joy, 
and  the  joy  of  the  wicked  with  sorrow. 

The  Amalekites  have  paid  a  dear  loan  for  the  goods  of  Israel, 
which  they  now  restore  with  their  own  lives.  And  now  their  spoil 
hath  made  David  richer  than  he  expected :  that  booty  which  they 
had  swept  from  all  other  parts  accrued  to  him. 

Those  Israelites  that  could  not  go  on  to  fight  for  their  share 
are  come  to  meet  their  brethren  with  gratulation.  How  partial 
are  we  wont  to  be  to  our  own  causes !  Even  very  Israelites  will 


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cont.  vi.  The  death  of  Saul.  427 

be  ready  to  fall  out  for  matter  of  profit.  Where  self-lore  hath 
bred  a  quarrel,  every  man  is  subject  to  flatter  his  own  case.  It 
seemed  plausible,  and  but  just  to  the  actors  in  this  rescue,  that 
those  which  had  taken  no  part  in  the  pain  and  hazard  of  the  jour- 
ney should  receive  no  part  of  the  commodity.  It  was  favour  enough 
for  them  to  recover  their  wives  and  children,  though  they  shared 
not  in  the  goods.  Wise  and  holy  David,  whose  praise  was  no  less 
to  overcome  his  own  in  time  of  peace  than  his  enemies  in  war, 
calls  his  contending  followers  from  law  to  equity ;  and  so  orders 
the  matter,  that  since  the  plaintiffs  were  detained  not  by  will  but 
by  necessity,  and  since  their  forced  stay  was  useful  in  guarding 
the  stuff,  they  should  partake  equally  of  the  prey  with  their  fel- 
lows :  a  sentence  well  beseeming  the  justice  of  God's  anointed. 
Those  that  represent  God  upon  earth  should  resemble  him  in  their 
proceedings.  It  is  the  just  mercy  of  our  God  to  measure  us  by 
our  wills,  not  by  our  abilities ;  to  recompense  us  graciously  accord- 
ing to  the  truth  of  our  desires  and  endeavours ;  and  to  account 
that  performed  by  us,  which  he  only  letteth  us  from  performing. 
It  were  wide  with  us  if  sometimes  purpose  did  not  supply  actions. 
While  our  heart,  faulteth  not,  we,  fiat  through  spiritual  sickness 
are  fain  to  abide  by  the  stuff,  shall  share  both  in  grace  and  glory 
with  the  victors. 


THE  DEATH  OF  SAUL.— i  Samuel  xxxi;  i  Chronicles  x. 

The  witch  of  Endor  had  half  slain  Saul  before  the  battle :  it  is 
just  that  they  who  consult  with  devils  should  go  away  with  dis- 
comfort. He  hath  eaten  his  last  bread  at  the  hand  of  a  sorceress : 
and  now  necessity  draws  him  into  that  field  where  he  sees  nothing 
but  despair.  Had  not  Saul  believed  the  ill  news  of  the  counterfeit 
•Samuel,  he  had  not  been  struck  down  on  the  ground  with  words : 
now  his  belief  made  him  desperate.  Those  actions  which  are  not 
sustained  by  hope  must  needs  languish,  and  are  only  promoted  by 
outward  compulsion.  While  the  mind  is  uncertain  of  success,  it 
relieves  itself  with  the  possibilities  of  good :  in  doubts  there  is  a 
comfortable  mixture,  but  when  it  is  assured  of  the  worst  event,  it 
is  utterly  discouraged  and  dejected.  It  hath  therefore  pleased  the 
wisdom  of  God  to  hide  from  wicked  men  his  determination  of  their 
final  estate,  that  their  remainders  of  hope  may  hearten  them  to 
good. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


428  The  death  of  Saul.  book  xiv. 

'  In  all  likelihood  one  selfsame  day  saw  David  a  victor  over  the 
Amalekitea  and  Saul  discomfited  by  the  Philistines.  How  should 
it  be  otherwise?  David  consulted  with  God,  and  prevailed;  Saul 
with  the  witch  of  Endor,  and  perisheth.  The  end  is  commonly 
answerable  to  the  way.  It  is  an  idle  injustice  when  we  do  ill  to 
look  to  speed  well. 

The  slaughter  of  Saul  and  his  sons  was  not  in  the  first  scene  of 
this  tragical  field :  that  was  rather  reserved  by  God  for  the  last 
act,  that  Saul's  measure  might  be  full.  God  is  long  ere  he  strikes, 
but  when  he  doth,  it  is  to  purpose. 

First,  Israel  flees,  and  falls  down  wounded,  in  Mount  Gilboa. 
They  had  their  part  in  Saul's  sin,  they  were  actors  in  David's 
persecution  :  justly  therefore  do  they  suffer  with  him  whom  they 
had  seconded  in  offence.  As  it  is  hard  to  be  good  under  an  evil 
prince,  so  it  is  as  rare  not  to  be  enwrapped  in  his  judgments.  It 
waa  no  small  addition  to  the  anguish  of  Saul's  death  to  see  his 
sons  dead,  to  see  his  people  fleeing  and  slain  before  him.  They 
had  sinned  in  their  king,  and  in  them  is  their  king  punished. 

The  rest  were  not  so  worthy  of  pity ;  but  whose  heart  would  it 
not  touch  to  see  Jonathan,  the  food  son  of  a  wicked  father,  involved 
in  the  common  destruction  ?  Death  is  not  partial.  All  dispositions, 
all  merits,  are  alike  to  it ;  if  valour,  if  holiness,  if  sincerity  of  heart, 
could  have  been  any  defence  against  mortality,  Jonathan  had  sur- 
vived :  now  by  their  wounds  and  death  no  man  can  discern  which 
is  Jonathan.  The  soul  only  finds  the  difference  which  the  body 
admitteth  not.  Death  is  the  common  gate  both  to  heaven  and 
hell ;  we  all  pass  that  ere  our  turning  to  either  hand.  The  sword 
of  the  Philistines  fetcheth  Jonathan  through  it  with  his  fellows. 
No  sooner  is  his  foot  over  that  threshold,  than  God  conducteth  him 
to  glory.  The  best  cannot  be  happy  but  through  their  dissolution. 
Now  therefore  hath  Jonathan  no  cause  of  complaint.  He  is,  by 
the  rude  and  cruel  hand  of  a  Philistine,  but  removed  to  a  better- 
kingdom  than  he  leaves  to  his  brother ;  and  at  once  is  his  death 
both  a  temporal  affliction  to  the  son  of  Saul  and  an  entrance  of 
glory  to  the  friend  of  David. 

The  Philistine  archers  shot  at  random.  God  directs  their  arrows 
into  the  body  of  Saul.  Lest  the  discomfiture  of  his  people  and  the 
daughter  of  his  sons  should  not  be  grief  enough  to  him,  he  feels 
himself  wounded,  and  sees  nothing  before  him  but  horror  and 
=death ;  and  now,  as  a  man  forsaken  of  all  hopes,  he  begs  of  his 
armour-bearer  that  death's  blow,  which  else  he  must,  to  the  dou- 


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coxt.  vi.  The  death  of  Said.  429 

bling  of  his  indignation,  receive  from  a  Philistine.  He  begs  this 
bloody  favour  of  his  servant,  and  is  denied.  Such  an  awfulness 
hath  God  placed  in  sovereignty,  that  no  entreaty,  no  extremity 
can  move  the  hand  against  it.  What  metal  are  those  men  made  of 
that  can  suggest,  or  resolve  and  attempt  the  violation  of  majesty  ?• 

Wicked  men  care  more  for  the  shame  of  the  world  than  the 
danger  of  their  souls.  Desperate  Saul  will  now  supply  his  armour- 
bearer,  and,  as  a  man  that  bore  arms  against  himself,  he  falls  upon 
his  own  sword.  What  if  he  had  died  by  the  weapon  of  a  Philistine  ? 
so  did  his  son  Jonathan,  and  lost  no  glory.  These  conceits  of  dis- 
reputation prevail  with  carnal  hearts  above  all  spiritual  respecter. 
There  is  no  greater  murderer  than  vainglory.  Nothing  more  ar- 
gues a  heart  void  of  grace  than  to  be  transported  by  idle  popular 
rity  into  actions  prejudicial  to  the  soul. 

Evil  examples,  especially  of  the  great,  never  escaped  imitation. 
The  armour-bearer  of  Saul  follows  his  master,  and  dares  do  that 
to  himself  which  to  his  king  he  durst  not :  as  if  their  own  swords 
had  been  more  familiar  executioners,  they  yielded  unto  them  what 
they  grudged  to  their  pursuers. 

From  the  beginning  was  Saul  ever  his  own  enemy,  neither  did 
any  hands  hurt  him  but  his  own :  and  now  his  death  is  suitable  tQ 
his  life :  his  own  hand  pays  him  the  reward  of  all  his  wickedness. 
,  The  end  of  hypocrites  and  envious  men  is  commonly  fearfuL 
Now  is  the  blood  of  God's  priests  whioh  Saul  shed,  and  of  David, 
which  he  would  have  shed,  required  and  requited. 

The  evil  spirit  had  said  the  evening  before,  To-morrow  thou 
shalt  be  with  me ;  and  now  Saul  hasteth  to  make  the  devil  no  liar. 
Rather  than  fail,  he  gives  himself  his  own  mittimus. 

O  the  woeful  extremities  of  a  despairing  soul  plunging  him  ever 
into  a  greater  mischief  to  avoid  the  less !  He  might  have  been  a 
patient  in  another's  violence,  and  faultless;  now,  while  he  will 
needs  act  the  Philistines'  part  upon  himself,  he  lived  and  died  a 
murderer.  The  case  is  deadly  when  the  prisoner  breaks  the  gaol 
and  will  not  stay  for  his  delivery :  and  though  we  may  not  pass 
sentence  upon  such  a  soul,  yet  upon  the  fact  we  may  j  the  soul 
may  possibly  repent  in  the  parting ;  the  act  is  heinous,  and  such 
as  without  repentance  kills  the  soul. 

It  was  the  next  day  ere  the  Philistines  knew  how  much  they 
were  victors ;  then,  finding  the  dead  corpse  of  Saul  and  his  sons, 
they  begin  their  triumphs.  The  head  of  king  Saul  is  cut  off  in 
lieu  of  Goliath's;  and  now  all  their  idol  temples  ring  of  their  suc- 


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480  The  death  of  Saul.  book  xrv. 

cess.  Foolish  Philistines !  if  they  had  not  been  more  beholding  to 
Saul's  sins  than  their  gods,  they  had  never  carried  away  the 
honour  of  those  trophies.  Instead  of  magnifying  the  justice  of  the 
true  God,  who  punished  Saul  with  deserved  death,  they  magnify 
the  power  of  the  false.  Superstition  is  extremely  injurious  to  God. 
It  is  no  better  than  theft,  to  ascribe  unto  the  second  causes  that 
honour  which  is  due  unto  the  first;  but  to  give  God's  glory  to 
those  things  which  neither  act  nor  are,  it  is  the  highest  degree  of 
spiritual  robbery. 

Saul  was  none  of  the  best  kings ;  yet  so  impatient  are  his  sub- 
jects of  the  indignity  offered  to  his  dead  corpse,  that  they  will 
rather  leave  their  own  bones  amongst  the  Philistines  than  the 
carcass  of  Saul.  Such  a  close  relation  there  is  betwixt  a  prince 
and  subject,  that  the  dishonour  of  either  is  inseparable  from  both. 
How  willing  should  we  be  to  hazard  our  bodies  or  substance  for 
the  vindication  either  of  the  person  or  name  of  a  good  king,  while 
he  lives  to  the  benefit  of  our  protection !  It  is  an  unjust  ingrati- 
tude in  those  men  which  can  endure  the  disgrace  of  them  under 
whose  shelter  they  live ;  but  how  unnatural  is  the  villany  of  those 
miscreants  that  can  be  content  to  be  actors  in  the  capital  wrongs 
offered  to  sovereign  authority  I 

It  were  a  wonder,  if  after  the  death  of  a  prince  there  should 
want  some  pickthank  to  insinuate  himself  into  his  successor.  An 
Amalekite  young  man  rides  post  to  Ziklag  to  find  out  David,  whom 
even  common  rumour  had  notified  for  the  anointed  heir  to  the 
kingdom  of  Israel,  to  be  the  first  messenger  of  that  news  which 
he  thought  could  be  no  other  than  acceptable,  the  death  of  Saul ; 
and  that  the  tidings  might  be  so  much  more  meritorious,  he  adds 
to  the  report  what  he  thinks  might  carry  the  greatest  retribution. 
In  hope  of  reward  or  honour,  the  man  is  content  to  belie  himself 
to  David.  It  was  not  the  spear,  but  the  sword  of  Saul  that  was 
the  instrument  of  his  death ;  neither  oould  this  stranger  find  Saul 
but  dying,  since  the  armour-bearer  of  Saul  saw  him  dead  ere  he 
offered  that  violence  to  himself.  The  hand  of  this  Amalekite 
therefore  was  not  guilty,  his  tongue  was. 

Had  not  this  messenger  measured  David's  foot  by  his  own  last, 
he  had  forborne  this  piece  of  the  news,  and  not  hoped  to  advantage 
himself  by  this  falsehood.  Now  he  thinks,  "  The  tidings  of  a 
kingdom  cannot  but  please.  None  but  Saul  and  Jonathan  stood 
in  David's  way,  he  cannot  choose  but  like  to  hear  of  their  removal, 
especially  since  Saul  did  so  tyrannously  persecute  his  innocence. 


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i     cont.vi.  The  death  of  Saul.  431 

If  I  shall  only  report  the  fact  done  by  another,  I  shall  go  away 
but  with  the  recompense  of  a  lucky  post ;  whereas  if  I  take  upon 
me  the  action,  I  am  the  man  to  whom  David  is  beholden  for  the 
kingdom :  he  cannot  but  honour  and  requite  me  as  the  author  of 
his  deliverance  and  happiness/'  Worldly  minds  think  no  man  can 
be  of  any  other  than  their  own  diet ;  and  because  they  find  the 
respects  of  self-love  and  private  profit  so  strongly  prevailing  with 
themselves,  they  cannot  conceive  how  these  should  be  capable  of  a 
repulse  from  others. 

How  much  was  this  Amalekite  mocked  of  his  hopes  I  While 
he  imagined  that  David  would  now  triumph  and  feast  in  the 
assured  expectation  of  the  kingdom,  and  possession  of  the  crown 
of  Israel,  he  finds  him  rending  his  clothes,  and  wringing  his  hands, 
and  weeping  and- mourning  ;  as  if  all  his  comfort  had  been  dead 
with  Saul  and  Jonathan :  and  yet  perhaps  he  thought,  "  This 
sorrow  of  David  is  but  fashionable ;  such  as  great  heirs  make 
show  of  in  the  fatal  day  they  have  longed  for :  these  tears  will  be 
soon  dry ;  the  sight  of  a  crown  will  soon  breed  a  succession  of 
other  passions :"  but  this  error  is  soon  corrected;  for  when 
David  had  entertained  this  bearer  with  a  sad  fast  all  the  day,  he 
calls  him  forth  in  the  evening  to  execution ;  How  wast  thou  not 
afraid,  Baith  he,  to  put  forth  thine  hand  to  destroy  the  anointed 
of  the  Lord? 

Doubtless,  the  Amalekite  made  many  fair  pleas  for  himself, 
out  of  the  grounds  of  his  own  report:  "Alas!  Saul  was  before 
fallen  upon  his  own  spear:  it  was  but  mercy  to  kill  him  that 
was  half  dead,  that  he  might  die  the  shorter.  Besides,  his  en- 
treaty and  importunate  prayers  moved  me  to  hasten  him  through 
those  painful  gates  of  death.  Had  I  stricken  him  as  an  enemy, 
I  had  deserved  the  blow  I  had  given ;  now  I  lent  him  the  hand 
of  a  friend.  Why  am  I  punished  for  obeying  the  voice  of  a  king, 
and  for  perfecting  what  himself  began  and  could  not  finish  i  And 
if  neither  his  own  wound  nor  mine  had  despatched  him,  the  Phi- 
listines were  at  his  heels,  ready  to  do  this  same  act  with  insultation 
which  I  did  in  favour ;  and  if  my  hand  had  not  prevented  him, 
where  had  been  the  crown  of  Israel,  which  I  now  have  here  pre- 
sented to  thee  ?  I  could  have  delivered  that  to  king  Achish,  and 
have  been  rewarded  with  honour.  Let  me  not  die  for  an  act  well 
meant  to  thee,  however  construed  by  thee." 

But  no  pretence  can  make  his  own  tale  not  deadly :  Thy  blood 
be  upon  thine  own  head;  for  thine  own  mouth  hath  testified 


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432  Abner  and  Joab.  book  xiv. 

against  thee,  saying,  I  ham  slain  the  Lord's  anointed.  It  is  a 
just  supposition,  that  every  roan  is  so  great  a  favourer  of  himself 
that  he  will  not  misreport  his  own  actions,  nor  say  the  worst  of 
himself.  In  matter  of  confession,  men  may  without  injury  be 
taken  at  their  words.  If  he  did  it,  his  fact  was  capital ;  if  he  did 
it  not,  his  lie.  It  is  pity  any  other  recompense  should  befall  those 
false  flatterers,  that  can  be  content  to  father  a  sin  to  get  thanks. 
Every  drop  of  royal  blood  is  sacred :  for  a  man  to  say  that  he 
hath  shed  it,  is  mortal.  Of  how  far  different  spirits  from  this  of 
David's  are  those  men  which  suborn  the  death  of  princes,  and 
celebrate  and  canonize  the  murderers  I  Into  their  secret  let  not  my 
soul  come;  my  glory,  be  thou  not  joined  to  their  assembly. 


ABNER  AND  JOAB.— a  Samuel  ii,iii. 

How  merciful  and  seasonable  are  the  provisions  of  God !  Ziklag 
was  now  nothing  but  ruins  and  ashes.  David  might  return  to 
the  soil  where  it  stood;  to  the  roofs  and  walls  he  could  not  No 
sooner  is  he  disappointed  of  that  harbour,  than  God  provides  him 
cities  of  Hebron.  *  Saul  shall  die  to  give  him  elbowroom. 

Now  doth  David  find  the  comfort  that  his  extremity  sought 
in  the  Lord  his  God.  Now  are  his  clouds  for  a  time  passed  over* 
and  the  sun  breaks  gloriously  forth.  David  shall  reign  after  his 
sufferings.  So  shall  we,  if  we  endure  to  the  end,  find  a  crown 
of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall  give 
us  at  that  day. 

But  though  David  well  knew  that  his  head  was  long  before 
anointed,  and  had  heard  Saul  himself  confidently  avouching  his 
succession ;  yet  he  will  not  stir  from  the  heaps  of  Ziklag  till  he 
have  consulted  with  the  Lord.  It  did  not  content  him  that  he 
had  God's  warrant  for  the  kingdom,  but  he  must  have  his  in- 
structions for  the  taking  possession  of  it.  How  safe  and  happy  is 
the  man  that  is  resolved  to  do  nothing  without  God!  Neither 
will  generalities  of  direction  be  sufficient :  even  particular  circum- 
stances must  look  for  a  word.  Still  is  God  a  pillar  of  fire  and 
cloud  to  the  eye  of  every  Israelite,  neither  may  there  be  any 
motion  or  stay  but  from  him.  That  action  cannot  but  succeed 
which  proceeds  upon  so  sure  a  warrant. 

God  sends  him  to  Hebron,  a  city  of  Judah.   Neither  will  David 


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cont.  xiv.  Abner  and  Joab.  483 

go  up  thither  alone ;  but  he  takes  with  him  all  his  men,  with  their 
whole  households;  they  shall  take  such  part  as  himself:  as  they 
had  shared  with  him  in  his  misery,  so  they  shall  now  in  bis  pro* 
sperity.  Neither  doth  he  take  advantage  of  their  late  mutiny, 
which  was  yet  fresh  and  green,  to  cashier  those  unthankful  and 
ungracious  followers;  but  pardoning  their  secret  rebellions,  he 
makes  them  partakers  of  his  good  success.  Thus  doth  our  hea- 
yenly  Leader,  whom  David  prefigured,  take  us  to  reign  with  him 
who  have  suffered  with  him :  passing  by  our  manifold  infirmities, 
as  if  they  had  not  been,  he  removeth  us  from  the  land  of  our 
banishment,  and  the  ashes  of  our  forlorn  Ziklag,  to  the  Hebron  of 
our  peace  and  glory.  The  expectation  of  this  day  must,  as  it  did 
with  David's  soldiers,  digest  all  our  sorrows. 

Never  any  calling  of  God  was  so  conspicuous  as  not  to  find  some 
opposites.  What  Israelite  did  not  know  David  appointed  by  God 
to  the  succession  of  the  kingdom  ?  Even  the  Amalekite  could 
carry  the  crown  to  him  as  the  true  owner ;  yet  there  wants  not 
an  Abner  to  resist  him,  and  the  title  of  an  Ishbosheth  to  colour 
his  resistance. 

If  any  of  Saul's  house  could  have  made  challenge  to  the  crown, 
it  should  have  been  Mephibosheth,  the  son  of  Jonathan ;  who,  it 
seems,  had  too  much  of  his  father's  blood  to  be  a  competitor  with 
David. 

The  question  is  not,  who  may  claim  the  most  right,  but  who 
may  best  serve  the  faction.  Neither  was  Ishbosheth  any  other 
than  Abner's  stale.  Saul  could  not  have  a  fitter  courtier ;  whether 
in  the  imitation  of  his  master's  envy,  or  the  ambition  of  ruling 
under  a  borrowed  name,  he  strongly  opposed  David.  There  are 
those  who  strive  against  their  own  hearts  to  make  a  side,  with 
whom  conscience  is  oppressed  by  affection.  An  ill  quarrel,  once 
undertaken,  shall  be  maintained,  although  with  blood.  Now,  not 
so  much  the  blood  of  Saul  as  the  engagement  of  Abner  makes 
the  war. 

The  sons  of  Zeruiah  stand  fast  to  David.  It  is  much  how  a 
man  placeth  his  first  interest.  If  Abner  had  been  in  Joab's  room 
when  Saul's  displeasure  drove  David  from  the  court,  or  Joab  in 
9  Abner's,  these  actions,  these  events  had  been  changed  with  the 
persons.  It  was  the  only  happiness  of  Joab  that  he  fell  on  the 
better  side. 

Both  the  commanders  under  David  and  Ishbosheth  were  equally 
cruel :  both  are  so  inured  to  blood,  that  they  make  but  a  sport 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  P  f 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


434  Abner  and  Joab.  book  xiv. 

of  killing.  Custom  makes  sin  so  familiar,  that  the  horror  of  it  is 
to  some  turned  into  pleasure ;  Come,  let  the  young  men  play  be- 
fore us.  Abner  is  the  challenger,  and  speeds  thereafter;  for 
though  in  the  matches  of  duel  both  sides  miscarried,  yet  in  the 
following  conflict  Abner  and  his  men  are  beaten :  by  the  success 
of  those  single  combats  no  man  knows  the  better  of  the  cause : 
both  sides  perish,  to  show  how  little  God  liked  either  the  offer  or 
the  acceptation  of  such  a  trial :  but  when  both  did  their  best,  God 
punisheth  the  wrong  part  with  discomfiture. 

O  the  misery  of  civil  dissension !  Israel  and  Judah  were  bre- 
thren. One  carried  the  name  of  the  father,  the  other  of  the  son. 
Judah  was  but  a  branch  of  Israel ;  Israel  was  the  root  of  Judah : 
yet  Israel  and  Judah  must  fight  and  kill  each  other,  only  upon 
the  quarrel  of  an  ill  leader's  ambition. 

The  speed  of  Asahel  was  not  greater  than  his  courage.  It  was 
a  mind  fit  for  one  of  David's  worthies  to  strike  at  the  head,  to 
match  himself  with  the  best.  He  was  both  swift  and  strong ;  but 
the  race  is  not  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the  strong.  If  he 
had  gone  never  so  slowly,  he  might  have  overtaken  death :  now 
he  runs  to  fetch  it. 

So  little  lust  had  Abner  to  shed  the  blood  of  a  son  of  Zeruiah, 
that  ho  twice  advises  him  to  retreat  from  pursuing  his  own  peril. 
Asahel's  cause  was  so  much  better  as  Abner's  success.  Many  a 
one  miscarries  in  the  rash  prosecution  of  a  good  quarrel,  when 
the  abettors  of  the  worst  part  go  away  with  victory.  Heat  of 
zeal,  sometimes  in  the  indiscreet  pursuit  of  a  just  adversary, 
proves  mortal  to  the  agent,  prejudicial  to  the  service. 

Abner,  while  he  kills,  yet  he  flies ;  and  runs  away  from  his 
own  death  while  he  inflicts  it  upon  another. 

David's  followers  had  the  better  of  the  field  and  day.  The 
sun,  as  unwilling  to  see  any  more  Israelitish  blood  shed  by 
brethren,  hath  withdrawn  himself;  and  now,  both  parts  having 
got  the  advantage  of  an  hill  under  them,  have  safe  convenience  of 
parley.  Abner  begins,  and  persuades  Joab  to  surcease  the  fight ; 
Shall  the  sword  devour  for  ever  f  Knowest  thou  not  that  it  will 
be  bitterness  in  the  end  ?  How  long  shall  it  be  ere  thou  bid  the 
people  return  from  following  their  brethren?  It  was  his  fault, 
that  the  sword  devoured  at  all :  and  why  was  not  the  beginning 
of  a  civil  war  bitterness  ?  Why  did  he  call  forth  the  people  to 
skirmish,  and  invite  them  to  death  ? 

Had  Abner  been  on  the  winning  hand,  this  motion  had  been 


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cont.  vii.  Abner  and  Joab.  435 

thankworthy.  It  is  a  noble  disposition  in  a  victor  to  call  for  a 
cessation  of  arms ;  whereas  necessity  wrings  this  suit  from  the 
over-mastered.  There  cannot  be  a  greater  praise  to  a  valiant 
and  wise  commander  than  a  propension  to  all  just  terms  of  peace : 
for  war,  as  it  is  sometimes  necessary,  so  it  is  always  evil;  and 
if  fighting  have  any  other  end  proposed  besides  peace,  it  proves 
murder. 

Abner  shall  find  himself  no  less  overcome  by  Joab  in  clemency 
than  power.  He  says  not,  "  I  will  not  so. easily  leave  the  ad* 
vantage  of  my  victory ;  since  jfche  dice  of  war  run  on  my  side,  I 
will  follow  the  chance  of  my  good  success :  thou  shouldst  have 
considered  of  this  before  thy  provocation ;  it  is  now  too  late  to 
move  unto  forbearance:"  but,  as  a  man  that  meant  to  approve 
himself  equally  free  from  cowardice  in  the  beginning  of  the  con- 
flict, and  from  cruelty  in  the  end,  he  professeth  his  forwardness 
to  entertain  any  pretence  of  sheathing  up  the  swords  of  Israel ; 
and  swears  to  Abner,  that  if  it  had  not  been  for  his  proud  irrita- 
tion, the  people  had  in  the  morning  before  ceased  from  that 
bloody  pursuit  of  their  brethren.  As  it  becomes  public  persons 
to  be  lovers  of  peace,  so  they  must  show  it  upon  all  good  occa- 
sions ;  letting  pass  no  opportunity  of  making  spare  of  blood. 

Ishbosheth  was,  it  seems,  a  man  of  no  great  spirits ;  for,  being 
no  less  than  forty  years  old,  when  his  father  went  into  his  last 
field  against  the  Philistines,  he  was  content  to  stay  at  home. 
Abner  hath  put  ambition  into  him ;  and  hath  easily  raised  him 
to  the  head  of  a  faction  against  the  anointed  prince  of  God's 
people.  If  this  usurped  crown  of  Saul's  son  had  any  worth  or 
glory  in  it,  he  cannot  but  acknowledge  to  owe  it  all  unto  Abner; 
yet  how  forward  is  unthankful  Ishbosheth  to  receive  a  false  sug- 
gestion against  his  chief  abettor :  Wherefore  hast  thou  gone  in  to 
my  father's  concubine  ?  He  that  made  no  conscience  of  an  unjust 
claim  to  the  crown,  and  a  maintenance  of  it  with  blood,  yet  seems 
scrupulous  of  a  less  sin,  that  carried  in  it  the  colour  of  a  disgrace. 
The  touch  of  her  who  had  been  honoured  by  his  father's  bed, 
seemed  an  intolerable  presumption,  and  such  as  could  not  be  se- 
vered from  his  own  dishonour.  Self  love  sometimes  borrows  the 
face  of  honest  zeal.  Those  who  out  of  true  grounds  dislike  sins 
do  hate  them  all  indifferently,  according  to  their  heinousness: 
hypocrites  are  partial  in  their  detestation ;  bewraying  ever  most 
bitterness  against  those  offences  which  may  most  prejudice  their 
persons  and  reputations. 

pf  2 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


486  Abner  and  Joab.  book  xiv. 

It  is  as  dangerous  as  unjust  for  princes  to  give  both  their  ears 
and  their  heart  to  misgrounded  rumours  of  their  innocent  fol- 
lowers.    This  wrong  hath  stripped  Ishbosheth  of  the  kingdom. 

Abner,  in  the  mean  time,  cannot  be  excused  from  a  treacherous 
inconstancy.  If  Saul's  son  had  no  true  title  to  the  crown,  why 
did  he  maintain  it  ?  If  he  had,  why  did  he  forsake  the  cause  and 
person  ?  Had  Abner,  out  of  remorse  for  furthering  a  false  claim, 
taken  off  his  hand,  I  know  not  wherein  he  could  be  blamed,  ex- 
cept for  not  doing  it  sooner ;  but  now  to  withdraw  his  professed 
allegiance  upon  a  private  revenge  was  to  take  a  lewd  leave  of  an 
ill  action.  If  Ishbosheth  were  his  lawful  prince,  no  injury  could 
warrant  a  revolt.  Even  betwixt  private  persons,  a  return  of 
wrongs  is  both  uncharitable  and  unjust ;  however  this  go  current 
for  the  common  justice  of  the  world,  how  much  more  should  we 
learn  from  a  supreme  hand  to  take  hard  measures  with  thanks ! 
It  had  been  Abner's  duty  to  have  given  his  king  a  peaceable  and 
humble  satisfaction,  and  not  to  fly  out  in  a  snuff.  If  the  spirit  of 
the  ruler  rise  up  against  thee,  leave  not  thy  place;  for  yielding 
pacifieth  great  offences :  now  his  impatient  falling,  although  to  the 
right  side,  makes  him  no  better  than  traitorously  honest. 

So  soon  as  Abner  had  entertained  a  resolution  of  his  rebellion, 
he  persuades  the  elders  of  Israel  to  accompany  him  in  the  change : 
and  whence  doth  he  fetch  his  main  motive  but  from  the  oracle  of 
God?  The  Lord  hath  spoken  of  David,  saying.  By  the  hand  of 
my  servant  David  will  I  save  my  people  Israel  out  of  the  hand 
of  the  Philistines,  and  out  of  the  hand  of  all  their  enemies.  Abner. 
knew  this  full  well  before ;  yet  then  was  well  content  to  smother  a 
known  truth  for  his  own  turn ;  and  now  the  publication  of  it  may 
serve  for  his  advantage  he  wins  the  heart  of  Israel  by  showing 
God's  charter  for  him  whom  he  had  so  long  opposed.  Hypo- 
crites make  use  of  God  for  their  own  purposes,  and  care  only  to 
make  divine  authority  a  colour  for  their  own  designs.  No  man 
aver  heard  Abner  godly  till  now ;  neither  had  he  been  so  at  this 
time  if  he  had  not  intended  a  revengeful  departure  from  Ishbo- 
sheth. Nothing  is  more  odious  than  to  make  religion  a  stalking- 
horse  to  policy. 

Who  can  but  glorify  God  in  his  justice,  when  he  sees  the  bitter 
end  of  his  treacherous  dissimulation  ?  David  may,  upon  consider- 
ations of  state,  entertain  his  new  guest  with  a  feast;  and  well 
might  he  seem  to  deserve  a  welcome  that  undertakes  to  bring  all 
Israel  to  the  league  and  homage  of  David :  but  God  never  meant 


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cont.  vii.  Abner  and  Joab.  437 

to  use  so  unworthy  means  for  so  good  a  work.  Joab  returns 
from  pursuing  a  troop;  and,  finding  Abner  dismissed  in  peace 
and  expectation  of  beneficial  return,  follows  him ;  and,  whether 
out  of  envy  at  a  new  rival  of  honour,  or  out  of  the  revenge  of 
Asahel,  he  repays  him  both  dissimulation  and  death.  God  doth 
most  justly  by  Joab  that  which  Joab  did  for  himself  most  un- 
justly. 

I  know  not,  setting  the  quarrel  aside,  whether  we  can  worthily 
blame  Abner  for  the  death  of  Asahel,  who  would  needs,  after  fair 
warnings,  run  himself  upon  Abner's  spear;  yet  this  fact  shall 
procure  his  payment  for  worse.  Now  is  lshbosheth's  wrong 
revenged  by  an  enemy.  We  may  not  always  measure  the  justice 
of  God's  proceedings  by  present  occasions.  He  needs  not  make 
us  acquainted,  or  ask  us  leave,  when  he  will  call  for  the  arrear- 
ages of  forgotten  sins. 


BOOK  XV. 


TO  THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  MT  VERY  GOOD  LORD, 

WILLIAM,  LORD  BURLEIGH*, 

ALL  GRACE  AND  HAPPINESS. 

Right  Honourable, — There  are  but  two  books  wherein  we  can  read  God ; 
the  one  is  his  Word,  his  Works  the  other :  this  is  the  bigger  volume ;  that, 
the  more  exquisite.  The  characters  of  this  are  more  large,  but  dim j  of  that 
smaller,  but  clearer.  Philosophers  have  turned  over  this,  and  erred;  that, 
divines  and  studious  Christians,  not  without  full  and  certain  information.  In 
the  works  of  God  we  see  the  shadow  or  footsteps  of  the  Creator ;  in  his  word 
we  see  the  face  of  God  in  a  glass.  Happiness  consists  in  the  vision  of  that 
infinite  Majesty  •  and  if  we  be  perfectly  happy  above  in  seeing  him  face  to  face, 
our  happiness  is  well  forward  below  in  seeing  the  lively  representation  of  his 
face  in  the  glass  of  the  scriptures.  We  cannot  spend  our  eyes  too  much  upon 
this  object :  for  me,  the  more  I  see  the  more  I  am  amazed,  the  more  I  am 
ravished,  with  this  glorious  beauty.  With  the  honest  lepers,  I  cannot  be  con- 

•  [Second  Earl  of  Exeter,  grandson  of  William  Cecil,  created  Lord  Burleigh.] 


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438  Uzzahy  and  the  ark  removed.  book  xv. 

tent  to  enjoy  this  happy  right  alone :  there  is  but  one  way  to  every  man's  feli- 
city. May  it  please  your  lordship  to  take  part  with  many  your  peers  in  these 
my  weak  but  not  unprofitable  Contemplations;  which  shall  hold  themselves 
not  a  little  graced  with  your  honourable  name;  whereto,  together  with  your 
right  noble  and  most  worthy  lady,  I  have  gladly  devoted  myself  to  be 

Your  lordship's  in  all  dutiful  observance, 

JOS.  HALL. 


UZZAH,  AND  THE  ARK  REMOVED. 

2  Samuel  vi ;  i  Chronicles  xiii. 

Thb  house  of  Saul  is  quiet ;  the  Philistines  beaten ;  victory 
cannot  end  better  than  in  devotion ;  David  is  no  sooner  settled 
in  his  house  at  Jerusalem  than  he  fetcheth  Ggd  to  be  his  guest 
there.  The  thousands  of  Israel  go  now  in  an  holy  march  to  bring 
up  the  ark  of  God  to  the  place  of  his  rest.  The  tumults  of  war 
afforded  no  opportunity  of  this  service.  Only  peace  is  a  friend  to 
religion ;  neither  is  peace  ever  our  friend,  but  when  it  is  a  servant 
of  piety.  The  use  of  war  is  not  more  pernicious  to  the  body 
than  the  abuse  of  peace  is  to  the  soul.  Alas !  the  riot  bred  of  our 
long  ease  rather  drives  the  ark  of  God  from  us;  so  the  still 
sedentary  life  is  subject  to  diseases,  and  standing  waters  putrefy. 
It  may  be  just  with  God  to  take  away  the  blessing  which  we  do  so 
much  abuse,  and  to  scour  off  our  rust  with  bloody  war,  &c. 

The  ark  of  God  had  now  many  years  rested  in  the  obscure 
lodge  of  Abinadab,  without  the  honour  of  a  tabernacle.  David 
will  not  endure  himself  glorious,  and  the  ark  of  God  contemptible. 
His  first  care  is  to  provide  a  fit  room  for  God  in  the  head  of  the 
tribes,  in  his  own  city.  The  chief  care  of  good  princes  must  be 
the  advancement  of  religion.  What  should  the  deputies  of  God 
rather  do  than  honour  him  whom  they  represent? 

It  was  no  good  that  Israel  could  learn  of  Philistines.  Those 
pagans  had  sent  the  ark  back  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  Philistines  he  will  not  brook  from 
Israel.  Aliens  from  God  are  no  fit  patterns  for  children.  Divine 
institution  had  made  this  a  carriage  for  the  Levites,  not  for  oxen : 
neither  should  those  sons  of  Abinadab  have  driven  the  cart,  but 


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cont.  i.  Uzzali,  and  the  ark  removed.  489 

carried  that  sacred  burden.  God's  businesses  must  be  done  after 
his  own  forms,  which  if  we  do  with  the  best  intentions  alter,  we 
presume. 

It  is  long  since  Israel  saw  so  fair  a  day  as  this ;  wherein  they 
went,  in  this  holy  triumph,  to  fetch  the  ark  of  God.  Now  their 
warlike  trumpets  are  turned  into  harps  and  timbrels ;  and  their 
hands,  instead  of  wielding  the  sword  and  spear,  strike  upon  those 
musical  strings  whereby  they  might  express  the  joy  of  their 
hearts.  Here  was  no  noise  but  of  mirth ;  no  motion  but  pleasant. 
O  happy  Israel,  that  had  a  God  to  rejoice  in,  that  had  this  occa- 
sion of  rejoicing  in  their  God,  and  an  heart  that  embraced  this 
occasion !  There  is  nothing  but  this  wherein  we  may  not  joy 
immoderately,  unseasonably :  this  spiritual  joy  can  never  be  either 
out  of  time  or  out  of  measure.  Let  him  that  repoiceth,  rejoice 
in  the  Lord. 

But  now,  when  the  Israelites  were  in  the  midst  of  this  angel- 
like jollity,  their  hearts  lifted  up,  their  hands  playing,  their  feet 
moving,  their  tongues  singing  and  shouting,  God  sees  good  to 
strike  them  into  a  sudden  dump  by  the  death  of  Uzzah.  They 
are  scarce  set  into  the  tune,  when  God  mars  their  music  by  a 
fearful  judgment;  and  changes  their  mirth  into  astonishment 
and  confusion.  There  could  not  be  a  more  excellent  work  than 
this  they  were  about ;  there  could  not  be  more  cheerful  hearts 
in  the  performing  of  it ;  yet  will  the  most  holy  God  rather  dash 
all  this  solemn  service  than  endure  an  act  of  presumption  or 
infidelity. 

Abinadab  had  been  the  faithful  host  of  God's  ark  for  the  space 
of  twenty  years :  even  in  the  midst  of  the  terrors  of  Israel,  who 
were  justly  affrighted  with  the  vengeance  inflicted  upon  Bethshe- 
mesh,  did  he  give  harbour  unto  it;  yet  even  the  son  of  Abinadab 
is  stricken  dead  in  the  first  departing  of  that  blessed  guest. 
The  sanctity  of  the  parent  cannot  bear  out  the  sin  of  his  son. 
The  Holy  One  of  Israel  will  be  sanctified  in  all  that  come  near 
him :  he  will  be  served  like  himself. 

What  then  was  the  sin  of  Uzzah  ?  What  was  the  capital  crime 
for  which  he  so  fearfully  perished  i  That  the  ark  of  God  was  com- 
mitted to  the  cart,  it  was  not  his  device  only,  but  the  common  act 
of  many ;  that  it  was  not  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  Levites 
was  no  less  the  fault  of  Ahio  and  the  rest  of  their  brethren,  only 
Uzzah  is  stricken.  The  rest  sinned  in  negligence,  he  in  presump- 
tion.   The  ark  of  God  shakes  with  the  agitation  of  that  carriage ; 


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440  Uzzah,  and  the  ark  removed.  book  xv. 

he  puts  forth  his  hand  to  hold  it  steady.  Human  judgment  would 
have  found  herein  nothing  heinous.  God  sees  not  with  the  eyes 
of  men.  None  but  the  priests  should  have  dared  to  touch  the  ark ; 
it  was  enough  for  the  Levites  to  touch  the  bars  that  carried  it* 
An  unwarranted  hand  cannot  so  lightly  touch  the  ark  but  he 
strikes  the  God  that  dwells  in  it.  No  marvel  if  God  strike  thai 
man  with  death  that  strikes  him  with  presumption.  There  was 
well  near  the  same  quarrel  against  the  thousands  of  Bethshemesh 
and  against  Uzzah :  they  died  for  looking  into  the  ark,  he  for 
touching  it.  Lest  Israel  should  grow  into  a  contemptuous  famili- 
arity with  this  testimony  of  God's  presence,  he  will  hold  them  in 
awe  with  judgments. 

The  revenging  hand  of  the  Almighty,  that  upon  the  return  of 
the  ark  stayed  at  the  house  of  Abinadab,  upon  the  remove  of  the 
ark  begins  there  again.  Where  are  those  that  think  God  will  take 
up  with  a  careless  and  slubbered  service  ?  He,  whose  infinite  mercy 
uses  to  pass  by  our  sins  of  infirmity,  punisheth  yet  severely  our 
bold  faults.  If  we  cannot  do  any  thing  in  the  degrees  that  here- 
quireth,  yet  we  must  learn  to  do  all  things  in  the  form  that  ho 
requireth. 

Doubtless  Uzzah  meant  no  otherwise  than  well  in  putting  forth 
his  hand  to  stay  the  ark.  He  knew  the  sacred  utensils  that  were 
in  it,  the  pot  of  manna,  the  tables  of  the  law,  the  rod  of  Aaron, 
which  might  bo  wronged  by  that  over  rough  motion :  to  these  he 
offers  his  aid,  and  is  stricken  dead.  The  best  intention  cannot  ex- 
cuse, much  less  warrant  us  in  unlawful  actions.  Where  we  do 
aught  in  faith,  it  pleaseth  our  good  God  to  wink  at  and  pity  our 
weaknesses ;  but  if  we  dare  to  present  God  with  the  well  meant 
services  of  our  own  making,  we  run  into  the  indignation  of  God. 
There  is  nothing  more  dangerous  than  to  be  our  own  carvers  in 
matter  of  devotion. 

I  marvel  not  if  the  countenance  of  David  were  suddenly  changed, 
to  see  the  pale  face  of  death  in  one  of  the  chief  actors  in  this  holy 
procession.  He  that  had  found  God  so  favourable  to  him  in  ac- 
tions of  less  worth,  is  troubled  to  see  this  success  of  a  business  so 
heartily  directed  unto  his  God ;  and  now  he  begins  to  look  through 
Uzzah  at  himself,  and  to  say,  How  shall  tJie  ark  of  the  Lord  come 
tome?  Then  only  shall  we  make  a  right  use  of  the  judgments  of 
God  upon  others,  when  we  shall  fear  them  in  ourselves ;  and  finding 
our  sins  at  least  equal,  shall  tremble  at  the  expectation  of  the  same 
deserved  punishments.     God  intends  not  only  revenge  in  his  ex- 


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cont.  i.  Uzza/i,  and  the  ark  removed.  441 

ecution,  but  reformation :  as  good  princes  regard  not  so  much  the 
smart  of  the  evil  past,  as  the  prevention  of  the  future,  which  is 
never  attained  but  when  we  make  applications  of  God's  band,  and 
draw  common  causes  out  of  God's  particular  proceedings. 

I  do  not  hear  David  say,  "  Surely  this  man  is  guilty  of  some 
secret  sin  that  the  world  knows  not.  God  hath  met  with  him. 
There  is  no  danger  to  us.  Why  should  I  be  discouraged  to  see 
God  just  ?  We  may  go  on  safely  and  prosper."  But  here  his  foot 
stays,  and  his  hand  falls  from  his  instrument,  and  his  tongue  is 
ready  to  tax  his  own  unworthiness ;  How  shall  the  ark  of  the 
Lord  come  unto  me  ?  That  heart  is  carnal  and  proud  that  thinks 
any  man  worse  than  himself. 

David's  fear  stays  his  progress.  Perhaps  he  might  have  pro- 
ceeded with  good  success,  but  he  dares  not  venture  where  he  sees 
such  a  deadly  check.  It  is  better  to  be  too  fearful  than  too  for- 
ward in  those  affairs  which  do  immediately  concern  God.  As  it  is 
not  good  to  refrain  from  holy  businesses,  so  it  is  worse  to  do  them 
ill.  Awfulness  is  a  safe  interpreter  of  God's  secret  actions,  and  a 
wise  guide  of  ours. 

This  event  hath  helped  Obed-Edom  to  a  guest  he  looked  not 
for.  God  shall  now  sojourn  in  the  house  of  him  in  whose  heart 
he  dwelt  before  by  a  strong  faith :  else  the  man  durst  not  have  un- 
dertaken to  receive  that  dreadful  ark  which  David  himself  feared 
to  harbour.  0  the  courage  of  an  honest  and  faithful  heart !  Obed- 
Edom  knew  well  enough  what  slaughter  the  ark  had  made  amongst 
the  Philistines,  and  after  that  amongst  the  Bethshemites,  and  now 
he  saw  Uzzah  lie  dead  before  him ;  yet  doth  he  not  make  any 
scruple  of  entertaining  it ;  neither  doth  he  say,  "  My  neighbour 
Abinadab  was  a  careful  and  religious  host  to  the  ark,  and  is  now 
paid  with  the  blood  of  his  son,  how  shall  I  hope  to  speed  better  ?" 
But  he  opens  his  doors  with  a  bold  cheerfulness,  and  notwith- 
standing all  those  terrors  bids  God  welcome.  Nothing  can  make 
God  not  amiable  to  his  own.  Even  his  very  justice  is  lovely.  Holy 
men  know  how  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord  with  trembling,  and  can  fear 
without  discouragement. 

The  God  of  heaven  will  not  receive  any  thing  from  men  on  free 
cost.  He  will  pay  liberally  for  his  lodging,  a  plentiful  blessing 
upon  Obed-Edom  and  all  his  household.  It  was  an  honour  to  that 
zealous  Gittite  that  the  ark  should  come  under  his  roof,  yet  God 
rewards  that  honour  with  benediction :  never  man  was  loser  by 
true  godliness. 


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442  Uzzah,  and  the  ark  removed.  book  xv. 

The  house  of  Obed-Edom  cannot  this  while  want  observation. 
The  eyes  of  David  and  all  Israel  were  never  off  from  it  to  see  how 
it  fared  with  this  entertainment :  and  now,  when  they  find  nothing 
but  a  gracious,  acceptation  and  sensible  blessing,  the  good  king  of 
Israel  takes  new  heart,  and  hastens  to  fetch  the  ark  into  his  royal 
city.  The  view  of  God's  favours  upon  the  godly  is  no  small  en- 
couragement to  confidence  and  obedience.  Doubtless  Obed-Edom 
was  not  free  from  some  weaknesses.  If  the  Lord  should  have 
taken  the  advantage  of  judgment  against  him,  what  Israelites  had 
not  been  disheartened  from  attending  the  ark  ?  now,  David  and 
Israel  were  not  more  affrighted  with  the  vengeance  upon  Uzzah, 
than  encouraged  by  the  blessing  of  Obed-Edom.  The  wise  God 
doth  so  order  his  just  and  merciful  proceedings,  that  the  awfulness 
of  men  may  be  tempered  by  love. 

Now  the  sweet  singer  of  Israel  revives  his  holy  music,  and  adds 
both  more  spirit  and  more  pomp  to  so  devout  a  business.  I  did 
not  before  hear  of  trumpets,  nor  dancing,  nor  shouting,  nor  sacri- 
fice, nor  the  linen  ephod.  The  sense  of  God's  past  displeasure 
doubles  our  care  to  please  him,  and  our  joy  in  his  recovered  ap- 
probation. We  never  make  so  much  of  our  health  as  after  sickness, 
nor  never  are  so  officious  to  our  friend  as  after  an  unkindness. 

In  the  first  setting  out  of  the  ark,  David's  fear  was  at  least  an 
equal  match  to  his  joy ;  therefore,  after  the  first  six  paces,  he  of- 
fered a  sacrifice,  both  to  pacify  God  and  thank  him :  but  now,  when 
they  saw  no  sign  of  dislike,  they  did  more  freely  let  themselves 
loose  to  a  fearless  joy,  and  the  body  strove  to  express  the  holy 
affection  of  the  soul.  There  was  no  limb,  no  part  that  did  not 
profess  their  mirth  by  motion ;  no  noise  of  voice  or  instrument 
wanted  to  assist  their  spiritual  jollity.  David  led  the  way,  dancing 
with  all  his  might  in  his  linen  ephod.  Uzzah  was  still  in  his  eye : 
he  durst  not  usurp  upon  a  garment  of  priests,  but  will  borrow  their 
colour  to  grace  the  solemnity,  though  he  dare  not  the  fashion. 
White  was  ever  the  colour  of  joy,  and  linen  was  light  for  use ; 
therefore  he  covers  his  princely  robes  with  white  linen,  and  means 
to  honour  himself  by  his  conformity  to  God's  ministers. 

Those  that  think  there  is  disgrace  in  the  ephod,  are  far  from 
the  spirit  of  the  man  after  God's  own  heart :  neither  can  there  be 
a  greater  argument  of  a  foul  soul,  than  a  dislike  of  the  glorious 
calling  of  God.  Barren  Michal  hath  too  many  sons  that  scorn 
the  holy  habit  and  exercises :  she  looks  through  her  window,  and 
seeing  the  attire  and  gestures  of  her  devout  husband,  despiseth 


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cont.  i.  Uzzah,  and  the  ark  removed.  448 

him  in  her  heart ;  neither  can  she  conceal  her  contempt,  but,  like 
Saul's  daughter,  casts  it  proudly  in  his  face  :  O  how  glorious  was 
the  king  of  Israel  this  day  ;  which  was  uncovered  this  day  in  the 
eyes  of  the  maidens  of  his  servants,  as  a  fool  uncovereth  himself  I 
Worldly  hearts  can  see  nothing  in  actions  of  zeal  but  folly  and 
madness.     Piety  hath  no  relish  to  their  palate,  but  distasteful. 

David's  heart  did  never  swell  so  much  at  any  reproach  as  this 
of  his  wife :  his  love  was  for  the  time  lost  in  his  anger ;  and,  as  a 
man  impatient  of  no  affront  so  much  as  in  the  way  of  his  devotion, 
he  returns  a  bitter  check  to  his  Michal :  It  was  before  the  Lord, 
which  chose  me  rather  than  thy  father,  and  all  his  house,  &c. 
Had  not  Michal  twitted  her  husband  with  the  shame  of  his  zeal, 
she  had  not  heard  of  the  shameful  rejection  of  her  father  ;  now, 
since  she  will  be  forgetting  whose  wife  she  was,  she  shall  be  put 
in  mind  whose  daughter  she  was.  Contumelies  that  are  east  upon 
us  in  *the  causes  of  God  may  safely  be  repaid.  If  we  be  meal- 
mouthed  in  the  scorns  of  religion,  we  are  not  patient,  but  zealless : 
here  we  may  not  forbear  her  that  lies  in  our  bosom. 

If  David  had  not  loved  Michal  dearly,  he  had  never  stood  upon 
those  points  with  Abner.  He  knew  that  if  Abner  came  to  him,  the 
kingdom  of  Israel  would  accompany  him ;  and  yet  he  sends  him 
the  charge  of  not  seeing  his  face  except  he  brought  Michal,  Saul's 
daughter,  with  him ;  as  if  he  would  not  regard  the  crown  of  Israel 
while  he  wanted  that  wife  of  his  :  yet  here  he  takes  her  up  roundly, 
as  if  she  had  been  an  enemy,  not  a  partner  of  his  bed.  All  re- 
lations are  aloof  off  in  comparison  of  that  betwixt  God  and  the 
soul.  He  that  loves  father,  or  mother,  or  wifey  or  child,  better 
tlian  me,  saith  our  Saviour,  is  not  worthy  of  me.  Even  the  highest 
delights  of  our  hearts  must  be  trampled  upon  when  they  will  stand 
out  in  rivality  with  God. 

O  happy  resolution  of  the  royal  prophet  and  prophetical  king 
of  Israel !  I  will  be  yet  more  vile  than  thus,  and  will  be  low  in 
mine  own  sight.  He  knew  this  very  abasement  heroical,  and  th&t 
the  only  way  to  true  glory  is,  not  to  be  ashamed  of  our  .lowest 
humiliation  unto  God.  Well  might  he  promise  himself  honour 
from  those  whose  contempt  she  had  threatened.  The  hearts  of 
men  are  not  their  own :  he  that  made  them  overrules  them,  and 
inclines  them  to  an  honourable  conceit  of  those  that  honour  their 
Maker;  so  as  holy  men  have  ofttimes  inward  reverence,  even 
where  they  have  outward  indignities. 

David  came  to  bless  his  house;  Michal  brings  a  curs<3  upon 


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444  Mephibosheth  and  Ziba.  book  x\\ 

herself.     Her  scorns  shall  make  her  childless  to  the  day  of  her  j 

death.  Barrenness  was  held  in  those  times  none  of  the  least  judg-  , 

ments.     God  doth  so  revenge  David's  quarrel  upon  Michal,  that  t 

her  sudden  disgrace  shall  be  recompensed  with  perpetual.  She 
shall  not  be  held  worthy  to  bear  a  son  to  him  whom  she  unjustly 
contemned.  How  just  is  it  with  God  to  provide  whips  for  the 
backs  of  scorners !  It  is  no  marvel  if  those  that  mock  at  goodness 
be  plagued  with  continual  fruitlessness. 


MEPHIBOSHETH  AND  ZIBA.— 2  Samuel  ix. 

So  soon  as  ever  David  can  but  breathe  himself  from  the  public 
cares,  he  casts  back  his  thoughts  to  the  dear  remembrance  of  his 
Jonathan. 

Saul's  servant  is  likely  to  give  him  the  best  intelligence  of 
Saul's  sons.  The  question  is  therefore  moved  to  Ziba,  Remaineth 
there  none  of  the  house  of  Saul !  and,  lest  suspicion  might  con- 
ceal the  remainders  of  an  emulous  line,  in  fear  of  revenge  in- 
tended, he  adds,  on  whom  I  may  show  the  mercy  of  Qod  for 
Jonathan's  sake.  O  friendship  worthy  of  the  monuments  of 
eternity !  fit  only  to  requite  him  whose  love  was  more  than  tho 
love  of  women ! 

He  doth  not  say,  "Is  there  any  of  the  house  of  Jonathan  V9 
but,  "of  Saul?"  that,  for  his  friend's  sake,  he  may  show  favour 
to  the  posterity  of  his  persecutor.  Jonathan's  love  could  not  be 
greater  than  Saul's  malice,  which  also  survived  long  in  his  issue ; 
from  whom  David  found  a  busy  and  stubborn  rivality  for  tho 
crown  of  Israel ;  yet,  as  one  that  gladly  buried  all  the  hostility  of 
Saul's  house  in  Jonathan's  grave,  he  asks,  Is  there  any  man  left  of 
SauCs  house,  that  I  may  show  him  mercy  for  Jonathan's  sake  ? 
It  is  true  love,  that,  overliving  the  person  of  a  friend,  will  be 
inherited  of  his  seed ;  but  to  love  the  posterity  of  an  enemy  in 
a  friend,  it  is  the  miracle  of  friendship.  The  formal  amity  of  the 
world  is  confined  to  a  face,  or  to  the  possibility  of  recompense ; 
languishing  in  the  disability,  and  dying  in  the  decease  of  the 
party  affected.  That  love  was  ever  false  that  is  not  ever  con- 
stant, and  the  most  operative  when  it  cannot  be  either  known  or 
requited. 

To  cut  off  all  unquiot  competition  for  .the  kingdom  of  Israel, 
the  providenco  of  God  had  so  ordered,  that  there  is  none  left  of 


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cont.  ii.  Mephibosheth  and  Ziba.  445 

the  house  of  Saul,  besides  the  sons  of  his  concubines,  save  only 
young  and  lame  Mephibosheth :  so  young,  that  he  was  but  five 
years  of  age  when  David  entered  upon  the  government  of  Israel ; 
so  lame,  that  if  his  age  had  fitted,  his  impotence  had  made  him 
unfit  for  the  throne. 

Mephibosheth  was  not  born  a  cripple :  it  was  an  heedless  nurse 
that  made  him  so :  she,  hearing  of  the  death  of  Saul  and  Jona- 
than, made  such  haste  to  flee,  that  her  young  master  was  lamed 
with  the  fall.  I  wis  there  needed  no  such  speed  to  run  away 
from  David,  whose  love  pursues  the  hidden  son  of  his  brother 
Jonathan.  How  often  doth  our  ignorant  mistaking  cause  us  to 
run  from  our  best  friends,  and  to  catch  knocks  and  maims  of 
them  that  profess  our  protection! 

Mephibosheth  could  not  come  otherwise  than  fearfully  into  the 
presence  of  David,  whom  he  knew  so  long,  so  spitefully,  opposed 
by  the  house  of  Saul :  he  could  not  be  ignorant  that  the  fashion 
of  the  world  is  to  build  their  own  security  upon  the  blood  of  the 
opposite  faction ;  neither  to  think  themselves  safe  while  any  branch 
remains  springing  out  of  that  root  of  their  emulation :  seasonably 
doth  David  therefore  first  expel  all  those  unjust  doubts  ere  he 
administer  his  further  cordials :  Fear  not :  for  I  will  surely  show 
thee  kindness  for  Jonathan  thy  fathers  sake,  and  will  restore 
thee  all  the  fields  of  Saul  thy  father ;  and  thou  shalt  eat  broad 
at  my  table  continually. 

David  can  see  neither  Saul's  blood  nor  lame  legs  in  Mephi- 
bosheth, while  he  sees  in  him  the  features  of  his  friend  Jonathan : 
how  much  less  shall  the  God  of  mercies  regard  our  infirmities,  or 
the  corrupt  blood  of  our  sinful  progenitors,  while  he  beholds  us  in 
the  face  of  his  Son,  in  whom  he  is  well  pleased  ! 

Favours  are  wont  so  much  more  to  affect  us  as  they  are  less 
expected  by  us.  Mephibosheth,  as  overjoyed  with  so  comfortable 
a  word,  and  confounded  in  himself  at  the  remembrance  of  the 
contrary  deservings  of  his  family,  bows  himself  to  the  earth,  and 
says,  What  is  thy  servant,  that  thou  shouldest  look  upon  such  a 
dead  dog  as  I  am? 

I  find  no  defect  of  wit,  though  of  limbs,  in  Mephibosheth :  he 
knew  himself  the  grandchild  of  the  king  of  Israel,  the  son  of 
Jonathan,  the  lawful  heir  of  both  ;  yet,  in  regard  of  his  own  im- 
potency,  and  the  trespass  and  rejection  of  his  house,  he  thus 
abaseth  himself  unto  David.  Humiliation  is  a  right  use  of  God's 
affliction.    What  if  he  were  born  great  ?  If  the  sin  of  his  grand- 


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446  Mephibosheth  and  Ziba.  book  x* 

father  hath  lost  his  estate,  and  the  hand  of  his  nurse  hath  de- 
formed and  disabled  his  person,  he  now  forgets  what  he  was,  and 
calls  himself  worse  than  he  is,  a  dog :  yet,  a  living  dog  is  better 
than  a  dead  lion ;  there  is  dignity  and  comfort  in  life ;  Mephi- 
bosheth is  therefore  a  dead  dog  unto  David.  It  is  not  for  us  to 
nourish  the  same  spirits  in  our  adverse  estate  that  we  found  in  our 
highest  prosperity.  What  use  have  we  made  of  God's  hand  if  we 
be  not  the  lower  with  our  fall  ?  God  intends  we  should  carry  our 
cross,  not  make  a  fire  of  it  to  warm  us.  It  is  no  bearing  up  our 
sails  in  a  tempest. 

Good  David  cannot  disesteem  Mephibosheth  ever  the  more  for 
disparaging  himself:  he  loves  and  honours  this  humility  in  the 
son  of  Jonathan.  There  is  no  more  certain  way  to  glory  and 
advancement  than  a  lowly  dejection  of  ourselves.  He  that  made 
himself  a  dog,  and  therefore  fit  only  to  lie  under  the  table,  yea 
a  dead  dog,  and  therefore  fit  only  for  the  ditch,  is  raised  up  to 
the  table  of  a  king ;  his  seat  shall  be  honourable,  yea,  royal ;  his 
fare  delicious,  his  attendants  noble.  How  much  more  will  our 
gracious  God  lift  up  our  heads  unto  true  honour  before  men  and 
angels,  if  we  can  be  sincerely  humbled  in  his  sight !  If  we  miscall 
ourselves,  in  the  meanness  of  our  conceits,  to  him,  he  gives  us  a 
new  name,  and  sets  us  at  the  table  of  his  glory.  It  is  contrary 
with  God  and  men :  if  they  reckon  of  us  as  we  set  ourselves,  he 
values  us  according  to  our  abasements. 

Like  a  prince  truly  munificent  and  faithful,  David  promises  and 
performs  at  once.  Ziba,  Saul's  servant,  hath  the  charge  given 
him  of  the  execution  of  that  royal  word ;  he  shall  be  the  bailiff 
of  this  great  husbandry  of  his  master  Mephibosheth.  The  land 
of  Saul,  however  forfeited,  shall  know  no  other  master  than  Saul's 
grandchild. 

As  yet  Saul's  servant  had  sped  better  than  his  son.  I  read  of 
twenty  servants  of  Ziba,  none  of  Mephibosheth.  Earthly  posses- 
sions do  not  always  admit  of  equal  divisions.  The  wheel  is  now 
turned  up ;  Mephibosheth  is  a  prince,  Ziba  is  his  officer. 

I  cannot  but  pity  the  condition  of  this  good  son  of  Jonathan. 
Into  ill  hands  did  honest  Mephibosheth  fall ;  first,  of  a  careless 
nurse ;  then,  of  a  treacherous  servant :  she  maimed  his  body ;  he 
would  have  overthrown  his  estate.  After  some  years  of  eyeser- 
vice  to  Mephibosheth,  wicked  Ziba  intends  to  give  him  a  worse 
fall  than  his  nurse.  Never  any  court  was  free  from  detractors, 
from  delators ;  who,  if  they  see  a  man  to  be  a  cripple,  that  he 


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ii.  Mephibosheth  and  Ziba.  447 

cannot  go  to  speak  for  himself,  will  be  telling  tales  of  him  in  the 
ears  of  the  great:  such  an  one  was  this  perfidious  Ziba;  who, 
taking  the  opportunity  of  David's  flight  from  his  son  Absalom, 
follows  him  with  a  fair  present  and  a  false  tale,  accusing  his  im- 
potent master  of  a  foul  and  traitorous  ingratitude ;  labouring  to 
tread  upon  his  lame  lord  to  raise  himself  to  honour. 

Truehearted  Mephibosheth  had  as  good  a  will  as  the  best. 
If  he  could  have  commanded  legs,  he  had  not  been  left  behind 
David;  now,  that  he  cannot  go  with  him,  he  will  not  be  well 
without  him,  and  therefore  puts  himself  to  a  wilful  and  sullen 
penance  for  the  absence  and  danger  of  his  king :  he  will  not  so 
much  as  put  on  clean  clothes  for  the  time,  as  he  that  could  not 
have  any  joy  in  himself  for  the  want  of  his  lord  David. 

Unconscionable  miscreants  care  not  how  they  collogue,  whom 
they  slander,  for  a  private  advantage.  Lewd  Ziba  comes  with  a 
gift  in  his  hand,  and  a  smooth  tale  in  his  mouth :  "  0  sir,  you 
thought  you  had  a  Jonathan  at  home,  but  you  will  find  a  SauL 
It  were  pity  but  he  should  be  set  at  your  table  that  would  sit 
in  your  throne.  You  thought  Saul's  land  would  have  contented 
Mephibosheth,  but  he  would  have  all  yours.  Though  he  be  lame, 
yet  he  would  be  climbing.  Would  you  have  thought  that  this 
cripple  could  be  plotting  for  your  kingdom  now  that  you  are 
gone  aside  ?  Ishbosheth  will  never  die  while  Mephibosheth  lives. 
How  did  he  not  forget  his  impotence,  and  raised  up  his  spirits  in 
hope  of  a  day ;  and  durst  say,  that  now  the  time  was  come  wherein 
the  crown  should  revert  to  Saul's  true  heir."  0  viper !  if  a  ser- 
pent bite  in  secret  when  he  is  not  charmed,  no  better  is  a  slan- 
derer. Honest  Mephibosheth  in  good  manners  made  a  dead  dog 
of  himself  when  David  offered  him  the  favour  of  his  board  ;  but 
Ziba  would  make  him  a  very  dog  indeed,  an  ill-natured  cur,  that, 
when  David  did  thus  kindly  feed  him  at  his  own  table,  would  not 
only  bite  his  fingers,  but  fly  at  his  throat. 

But  what  shall  we  say  to  this!  Neither  earthly  sovereignty 
nor  holiness  can  exempt  men  from  human  infirmity.  Wise  and 
good  David  hath  now  but  one  ear ;  and  that  misled  with  credu- 
lity. His  charity  in  believing  Ziba  makes  him  uncharitable  in 
distrusting,  in  censuring  Mephibosheth.  The  detractor  hath  not 
only  sudden  credit  given  him,  but  Saul's  land.  Jonathan's  son 
hath  lost  unheard  that  inheritance  which  was  given  him  un- 
sought Hearsay  is  no  safe  ground  of  any  judgment.  Ziba  slan- 
ders ;  David  believes ;  Mephibosheth  suffers. 


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448  Mephibosheth  and  Ziba.  book  xt. 

Lies  shall  not  always  prosper.  God  will  not  abide  the  truth  to 
be  ever  oppressed.  At  last,  Jonathan's  lame  son  shall  be  found 
as  sound  in  heart  as  lame  in  his  body.  He  whose  soul  was  like 
his  father  Jonathan's  soul,  whose  body  was  like  to  his  grandfather 
Saul's  soul,  meets  David,  as  it  is  high  time,  upon  his  return ;  be- 
stirs his  tongue  to  discharge  himself  of  so  foul  a  slander.  The 
more  horrible  the  crime  had  been,  the  more  villainous  was  the 
unjust  suggestion  of  it,  and  the  more  necessary  was  a  just  apo- 
logy ;  sweetly  therefore,  and  yet  passionately,  doth  he  labour  to 
greaten  David's  favours  to  him ;  his  own  obligations  and  vileness ; 
showing  himself  more  affected  with  his  wrong  than  with  his  loss  ; 
welcoming  David  home  with  a  thankful  neglect  of  himself,  as  not 
caring  that  Ziba  had  his  substance,  now  that  he  had  his  king. 
David  is  satisfied,  Mephibosheth  restored  to  favour  and  lands : 
here  are  two  kind  hearts  well  met.  David  is  full  of  satisfaction 
from  Mephibosheth ;  Mephibosheth  runs  over  with  joy  in  David  : 
David,  like  a  gracious  king,  gives  Mephibosheth,  as  before,  Saul's 
lands  to  halves  with  Ziba ;  Mephibosheth,  like  a  king,  gives  all  to 
Ziba  for  joy  that  God  had  given  him  David. 

All  had  been  well  if  Ziba  had  fared  worse.  Pardon  me,  O 
holy  and  glorious  soul  of  a  prophet,  of  a  king  after  God's  own 
heart ;  I  must  needs  blame  thee  for  mercy,  a  fault  that  the  best 
and  most  generous  natures  are  most  subject  to.  It  is  pity  that  so 
good  a  thing  should  do  hurt ;  yet  we  find  that  the  best,  misused, 
is  most  dangerous.  Who  should  be  the  pattern  of  kings  but  the 
king  of  God  ?  Mercy  is  the  goodliest  flower  in  his  crown,  mutih 
more  in  theirs,  but  with  a  difference:  God's  mercy  is  infinite, 
theirs  limited :  he  says,./  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will;  they 
must  say,  "  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  should."  And  yet  he, 
for  all  his  infinite  mercy,  hath  vessels  of  wrath ;  so  must  they  : 
of  whom  his  justice  hath  said,  Thine  eye  shall  not  spare  them. 
A  good  man  is  pitiful  to  his  beast ;  shall  he  therefore  make  much  of 
toads  and  snakes !  0  that  Ziba  should  go  away  with  any  posses- 
sion, save  of  shame  and  sorrow ;  that  he  should  be  coupled  with 
a  Mephibosheth  in  a  partnership  of  estates  ?  0  that  David  had 
changed  the  word  a  little  I 

A  division  was  due  here,  indeed ;  but  of  Ziba's  ears  from  his 
head,  or  his  head  from  his  shoulders,  for  going  about  so  mali- 
ciously to  divide  David  from  the  son  of  Jonathan.  An  eye  for 
an  eye,  was  God's  rule.  If  that  had  been  true  which  Ziba 
suggested  against  Mephibosheth,  he  had  been  worthy  to  lose  his 


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1  cont.  in.  Hanun,  and  David's  ambassadors.  449 

head  with  his  lands:  being  false,  it  had  been  but  reason  Ziba 
should  have  changed  heads  with  Mephibosheth.  Had  not  holy 
David  himself  been  so  stung  with  the  venomous  tongues  that  he 
cries  out  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soiil,  What  reward  shall  be  given 
thee,  0  thou  false  tongue  ?  Even  sharp  arrows,  with  hot  burning 
coals.  He  that  was  so  sensible  of  himself  in  Doeg's  wrong,  doth 
he  feel  so  little  of  Mephibosheth  in  Ziba's?  Are  these  the 
arrows  of  David's  quiver?  Are  these  his  hot  burning  coals, 
Thou  and  Ziba  divide  ?  He  that  had  said,  Their  tongue  is  a 
sharp  sword,  now  that  the  sword  of  just  revenge  is  in  his  hand, 
is  this  the  blow  he  gives,  Divide  the  possession  ?  I  know  not 
whether  excess  or  want  of  mercy  may  prove  most  dangerous  in 
the  great ;  the  one  discourages  good  intentions  with  fear ;  the 
other  may  encourage  wicked  practices  through  presumption  : 
those  that  are  in  eminent  place  must  learn  the  midway  betwixt 
both ;  so  pardoning  faults,  that  they  may  not  provoke  them  ;  so 
punishing  them,  that  they  may  not  dishearten  virtuous  and  well- 
meant  actions  :  they  must  learn  to  sing  that  absolute  ditty, 
whereof  David  had  here  forgotten  one  part,  of  Mercy  and 
Judgment. 


HANUN,  AND  DAVID'S  AMBASSADORS.— 2  Samuel  x; 
i  Chronicles  xix. 

It  is  not  the  meaning  of  religion  to  make  men  uncivil.  If 
the  king  of  Ammon  were  heathenish,  yet  his  kindness  may  be 
acknowledged,  may  be  returned,  by  the  king  of  Israel.  I  say 
not  but  that  perhaps  David  might  maintain  too  strait  a  league 
with  that  forbidden  nation;  a  little  friendship  is  enough  to  an 
idolater :  but  even  the  savage  cannibals  may  receive  an  answer 
of  outward  courtesy.  If  a  very  dog  fawn  upon  us,  we  stroke 
him  on  the  head,  and  clap  him  on  the  side;  much  less  is  the 
common  band  of  humanity  untied  by  grace.  Disparity  in  spiritual 
professions  is  no  warrant  for  ingratitude.  He,  therefore,  whose 
good  nature  proclaimed  to  show  mercy  to  any  branch  of  Saul's 
house  for  Jonathan's  sake,  will  now  also  show  kindness  to  Hanun 
for  the  sake  of  Nahash  his  father. 

It  was  the  same  Nahash  that  offered  the  cruel  condition  to  the 
men  of  Jabesh-Gilead  of  thrusting  out  their  right  eyes  for  the 
admission  into  his  covenant.  He  that  was  thus  bloody  in  his 
design  against  Israel  yet  was  kind  to  David;   perhaps  for  no 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  Og 

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450  Hanun,  and  DavieTs  ambassadors.  book  x% 

cause,  so  much  as  Saul's  opposition :  and  yet  even  this  favour  is 
held  worthy  both  of  memory  and  retribution.  Where  we  have 
the  acts  of  courtesy,  it  is  not  necessary  we  should  enter  into  a 
strict  examination  of  the  grounds  of  it :  while  the  benefit  is  ours, 
let  the  intention  be  their  own.  Whatever  the  hearts  of  men  are, 
we  must  look  at  their  hands ;  and  repay,  not  what  they  meant, 
but  what  they  did. 

Nahash  is  dead.  David  sends  ambassadors  to  condole  his  loss 
and  to  comfort  his  son  Hanun.  No  Ammonite  but  is  sadly  affected 
with  the  death  of  a  father,  though  it  gain  him  a  kingdom.  Even 
Esau  could  say,  The  days  of  mourning  for  my  father  will  come. 
No  earthly  advantage  can  fill  up  the  gap  of  nature.  Those  chil- 
dren are  worse  than  Ammonites  that  can  think  either  gain  or 
liberty  worthy  to  countervail  a  parent's  loss. 

Carnal  men  are  wont  to  measure  another's  foot  by  their  own 
last:  their  own  falsehood  makes  them  unjustly  suspicious  of 
others.  The  princes  of  Ammon,  because  they  are  guilty  to  their 
own  hollowness  and  doubleness  of  heart,  are  ready  so  to  judge  of 
David  and  his  messengers ;  Thinkest  thou  that  David  doth  honour 
thy  father,  that  he  hath  sent  comforters  unto  thee?  Hath  not 
David  rather  sent  his  own  servants  to  thee  to  search  the  city, 
and  to  spy  it  out  to  overthrow  it  ?  It  is  hard  for  a  wicked  heart 
to  think  well  of  any  other ;  because  it  can  think  none  better  than 
itself,  and  knows  itself  evil.  The  freer  a  man  is  from  vice  himself, 
the  more  charitable  he  uses  to  be  unto  others. 

Whatsoever  David  was  particularly  in  his  own  person,  it  was 
ground  enough  of  prejudice  that  he  was  an  Israelite.  It  was  an 
hereditary  and  deep  settled  hatred  that  the  Ammonites  had  con- 
ceived against  their  brethren  of  Israel ;  neither  can  they  forget 
that  shameful  and  fearful  foil  which  they  received  from  the 
rescuers  of  Jabesh-Gilead,  and  now  still  do  they  stomach  at  the 
name  of  Israel.  Malice  once  conceived  in  worldly  hearts  is  not 
easily  extinguished;  but  upon  all  occasions  is  ready  to  break 
forth  into  a  flame  of  revengeful  actions. 

Nothing  can  be  more  dangerous  than  for  young  princes  to  meet 
with  ill  counsel  in  the  entrance  of  their  government;  for  both 
then  are  they  most  prone  to  take  it,  and  most  difficultly  re- 
covered from  it.  If  we  be  set  out  of  our  way  in  the  beginning 
of  our  journey,  we  wander  all  the  day.  How  happy  is  that  state 
where  both  the  counsellors  are  faithful  to  give  only  good  advice, 
and  the  king  wise  to  discern  good  advice  from  evil ! 


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cont.  in.  Hanuriy  and  David's  ambassadors.  451 

.  The  young  king  of  Ammon  is  easily  drawn  to  believe  his  peers 
and  to  mistrust  the  messengers;  and  having  now  in  his  conceit 
turned  them  into  spies,  entertains  them  with  a  scornful  disgrace  : 
he  shaves  off  one  half  of  their  beards,  and  cuts  off  one  half  of  their 
garments ;  exposing  them  to  the  derision  of  all  the  beholders. 
The  Israelites  were  forbidden  either  a  shaven  beard  or  a  short 
garment :  in  despite,  perhaps,  of  their  law,  these  ambassadors  are 
sent  away  with  both ;  certainly  in  a  despite  of  their  master  and 
a  scorn  of  their  persons. 

King  David  is  not  a  little  sensible  of  the  abuse  of  bis  messen- 
gers, and  of  himself  in  them ;  first,  therefore,  he  desires  to  hide 
their  shame ;  then  to  revenge  it. 

Man  hath  but  a  double  ornament  of  body,  the  one  of  nature, 
the  other  of  art :  the  natural  ornament  is  the  hair,  the  artificial 
is  apparel :  David's  messengers  are  deformed  in  both ;  the  one  is 
easily  supplied  by  a  new  suit,  the  other  can  only  be  supplied  out 
of  the  wardrobe  of  time.  Tarry  at  Jericho  till  your  beards  be 
grown.  How  easily  had  this  deformity  been  removed,  if,  as 
Hanun  had  shaven  one  side  of  their  faces,  so  they  had  shaven 
the  other.  What  had  this  been  but  to  resemble  their  younger 
age,  or  that  other  sex,  in  neither  of  which  do  we  use  to  place  any 
imagination  of  unbeseeming  ?  Neither  did  there  want  some  of 
.  their  neighbour  nations  whose  faces  age  itself  bad  not  wont  to 
cover  with  this  shade  of  hair.  But  so  respective  is  good  David 
and  his  wise  senators  of  their  country-forms,  that  they  shall  by 
appointment  rather  tarry  abroad  till  time  have  wrought  their 
conformity,  than  vary  from  the  received  fashions  of  their  own 
people.  Alas  I  into  what  a  licentious  variety  of  strange  disguises 
are  we  fallen !  The  glory  of  attire  is  sought  in  novelty,  in  mis- 
shapenness,  in  monstrousness.  There  is  much  latitude,  much 
liberty,  in  the  use  of  these  indifferent  things ;  but  because  we 
are  free,  we  may  not  run  wild ;  and  never  think  we  have  scope 
enough,  unless  we  outrun  modesty. 

It  is  lawful  for  public  persons  to  feel  their  own  indignities  and 
to  endeavour  their  revenge.  Now  David  sends  all  the  host  of  the 
mighty  men  to  punish  Ammon  for  so  foul  an  abuse.  Those  that 
received  the  messengers  of  his  love  with  scorn  and  insolency  shall 
now  be  severely  saluted  with  the  messengers  of  his  wrath.  It  is 
just,  both  with  God  and  men,  that  they  who  know  not  how  to 
take  favours  aright  should  smart  with  judgments.     Kindness  re- 

og  2 


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452  Hanun,  and  David's  ambassadors.  book  xt. 

pulsed  breaks  forth  into  indignation ;  how  much  more  when  it  is 
repaid  with  an  injurious  affront  I 

David  cannot  but  feel  his  own  cheeks  shaven,  and  his  own  coat 
cut,  in  his  ambassadors ;  they  did  but  carry  his  person  to  Hanun ; 
neither  can  he  therefore  but  appropriate  to  himself  the  kindness 
or  injury  offered  unto  them.  He  that  did  so  take  to  heart  the 
cutting  off  but  the  lap  of  king  Saul's  garment,  when  it  was  laid 
aside  from  him,  how  must  he  needs  be  affected  with  this  disdainful 
halving  of  his  hair  and  robes  in  the  person  of  his  deputies ! 

The  name  of  ambassadors  hath  been  ever  sacred,  and  by  the 
universal  law  of  nations  hath  carried  in  it  sufficient  protection 
from  all  public  wrongs,  neither  hath  it  been  ever  violated  with- 
out a  revenge.  O  God,  what  shall  we  say  to  those  notorious 
contempts  which  are  daily  cast  upon  thy  spiritual  messengers? 
Is  it  possible  thou  shouldest  not  feel  them,  thou  sbouldest  not 
avenge  them!  We  are  made  a  gazingstock  to  the  worlds  to 
angels,  and  to  men;  we  are  despised  and  trodden  down  in  the 
dust ;  who  hath  believed  our  report,  and  to  whom  is  the  arm  oj 
the  Lord  revealed  ? 

How  obstinate  are  wicked  men  in  their  perverse  resolutions ! 
These  foolish  Ammonites  had  rather  hire  Syrians  to  maintain 
a  war  against  Israel  in  so  foul  a  quarrel,  besides  the  hazard 
of  their  own  lives,  than  confess  the  error  of  their  jealous  mis- 
construction. 

It  is  one  of  the  mad  principles  of  wickedness,  that  it  is  a  weak- 
ness to  relent,  and  rather  to  die  than  yield ;  even  ill  causes,  once 
undertaken,  must  be  upheld,  although  with  blood;  whereas  the 
gracious  heart,  finding  his  own  mistaking,  doth  not  only  remit  of 
an  ungrounded  displeasure,  but  studies  to  be  revenged  of  itself, 
and  to  give  satisfaction  to  the  offended. 

The  mercenary  Syrians  are  drawn  to  venture  their  lives  for  a 
fee.  Twenty  thousand  of  them  are  hired  into  the  field  against 
Israel.  Fond  pagans,  that  know  not  the  value  of  a  man ! 
Their  blood  cost  them  nothing,  and  they  care  not  to  sell  it  good 
cheap.  How  can  we  think  those  men  have  souls  that  esteem  a 
little  white  earth  above  themselves ;  that  never  inquire  into  the 
justice  of  the  quarrel,  but  the  rate  of  the  pay ;  that  can  rifle 
for  drams  of  silver  in  the  bowels  of  their  own  flesh,  and  either 
kill  or  die  for  a  day's  wages  ? 

Joab,  the  wise  general  of  Israel,  soon  finds  where  the  strength 


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cont.  in.  Hanun,  and  David's  ambassadors.  453 

of  the  battle  lay ;  and  so  marshals  his  troops  that  the  choice 
of  his  men  should  encounter  the  vanguard  of  the  Syrians.  His 
brother  Abishai  leads  the  rest  against  the  children  of  Amnion, 
with  this  covenant  of  mutual  assistance :  If  the  Syrians  be  too 
strong  for  me,  then  thou  shall  help  me;  but  if  the  children  of 
Amman  be  too  strong  for  thee,  then  will  I  come  and  help  thee* 
It  is  an  happy  thing  when  the  captains  of  God's  people  join  together 
as  brethren,  and  lend  their  hand  to  the  aid  of  each  other  against 
the  common  adversary.  Concord  in  defence  or  assault  is  the  way 
to  victory ;  as,  contrarily,  the  division  of  the  leaders  is  the  over- 
throw of  the  army. 

Set  aside  some  particular  actions,  Joab  was  a  worthy  captain, 
both  for  wisdom  and  valour.  Who  could  either  exhort  or  resolve 
better  than  be  ?  Be  of  good  courage,  and  let  [us  play  the  men 
for  our  people,  and  for  the  cities  of  our  Ood;  and  the  Lord  do 
that  which  seemeth  him  good.  It  is  not  either  private  glory  or 
profit  that  whets  his  fortitude,  but  the  respect  to  the  cause  of 
God  and  his  people.  That  soldier  can  never  answer  it  to  God, 
that  strikes  not  more  as  a  justicer  than  as  an  enemy.  Neither 
doth  he  content  himself  with  his  own  courage,  but  he  animates 
others.  The  tongue  of  a  commander  fights  more  than  his  hand. 
It  is  enough  for  private  men  to  exercise  what  life  and  limbs 
they  have ;  a  good  leader  must  out  of  his  own  abundance  put 
life  and  spirits  into  all  others.  If  a  lion  lead  sheep  into  the 
field,  there  is  hope  of  victory.  Lastly,  when  he  hath  done 
his  best,  he  resolves  to  depend  upon  God  for  the  issue  ;  not 
trusting  to  his  sword  or  his  bow,  but  to  the  providence  of  the 
Almighty  for  success;  as  a  man  religiously  awful,  and  awfully 
confident,  while  there  should  be  no  want  in  their  own  endea- 
vours. He  knew  well  that  the  race  was  not  to  the  swift  nor 
the  battle  to  the  strong ;  therefore  he  looks  up  above  the  hills, 
whence  cometh  his  salvation.  All  valour  is  cowardice  to  that 
which  is  built  upon  religion. 

I  marvel  not  to  see  Joab  victorious  while  he  is  thus  godly.  The 
Syrians  flee  before  him  like  flocks  of  sheep,  the  Ammonites  follow 
them ;  the  two  sons  of  Zeruiah  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  pursue 
and  execute.  The  throats  of  the  Ammonites  are  cut  for  cutting 
the  beards  and  coats  of  the  Israelitish  messengers. 

Neither  doth  this  revenge  end  in  the  field ;  Rabbah,  the  royal  city 
of  Ammon,  is  stronger  beleaguered  by  Joab.  The  city  of  waters,  after 
well  near  a  year's  siege,  yieldeth :  the  rest  can  no  longer  hold. 


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454  David  with  Bathsheba  and  Uriah.  book  xv. 

Now  Joab,  as  one  that  desireth  more  to  approve  himself  a  loyal 
and  a  careful  subject  than  a  happy  general,  sends  to  his  master 
David,  that  he  should  come  personally  and  encamp  against  the 
city  and  take  it,  lest,  saith  he,  /  take  it,  and  it  be  called  after 
my  name.  O  noble  and  imitable  fidelity  of  a  dutiful  servant, 
that  prefers  his  lord  to  himself,  and  is  so  far  from  stealing  honour 
from  his  master's  deserts,  that  he  willingly  remits  of  his  own  to 
add  unto  his.  The  war  was  not  his,  he  was  only  employed  by  his 
sovereign.  The  same  person  that  was  wronged  in  the  ambassa- 
dors revengeth  by  his  soldiers.  The  praise  of  the  act  shall  like 
fountain-water  return  to  the  sea  whence  it  originally  came.  To 
seek  a  man's  own  glory  is  not  glory.  Alas !  bow  many  are  there 
who  being  sent  to  sue  for  God  woo  for  themselves  I  0  God,  it  is 
a  fearful  thing  to  rob  thee  of  that  which  is  dearest  to  thee,  glory  ; 
which  as  thou  wilt  not  give  to  any  creature,  so  much  less  wilt 
thou  endure  that  any  creature  should  filch  it  from  thee  and  give 
it  to  himself.  Have  thou  the  honour  of  all  our  actions,  who  givest 
a  being  to  our  actions  and  us,  and  in  both  hast  most  justly  re- 
garded thine  own  praise. 


DAVID  WITH  BATHSHEBA  AND  URIAH. 

2  Samuel  xi. 

With  what  unwillingness,  with  what  fear,  do  I  still  look  upon 
the  miscarriage  of  the  man  after  God's  own  heart !  0  holy  pro- 
phet, who  can  promise  himself  always  to  stand,  when  he  sees  thee 
fallen,  and  maimed  with  the  fall  ?  Who  can  assure  himself  of  an 
immunity  from  the  foulest  sins,  when  he  sees  thee  offending  so 
heinously,  so  bloodily  ?  Let  profane  eyes  behold  thee  contentedly, 
as  a  pattern,  as  an  excuse  of  sinning ;  I  shall  never  look  upon  thee 
but  through  tears,  as  a  woful  spectacle  of  human  infirmity. 

While  Joab  and  all  Israel  were  busy  in  the  war  against  Ammon, 
in  the  siege  of  Rabbah,  Satan  finds  time  to  lay  siege  to  the  secure 
heart  of  David. 

Who  ever  found  David  thus  tempted,  thus  foiled,  in  the  days  of 
his  busy  wars  ?  Now  only  do  I  see  the  king  of  Israel  rising  from, 
his  bed  in  the  evening.  The  time  was  when  he  rose  up  in  the 
morning  to  his  early  devotions,  when  he  brake  his  nightly  rest  with 
public  cares,  with  the  business  of  the  state.  All  that  while  he 
was  innocent,  he  was  holy ;  but  now  that  he  wallows  in  the  bed 


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cont.  iv.  David  with  Bathsheba  and  Uriah.  455 

of  idleness  he  is  fit  to  invite  temptation.  The  industrious  man 
hath  no  leisure  to  sin ;  the  idle  hath  neither  leisure  nor  power  to 
avoid  sin.  Exercise  is  not  more  wholesome  for  the  body  than  for 
the  soul,  the  remission  whereof  breeds  matter  of  disease  in  both. 
The  water  that  hath  been  heated  soonest  freezetb,  the  most  active 
spirit  soonest  tireth  with  slacking.  The  earth  stands  still  and  is 
all  dregs,  the  heavens  ever  move  and  are  pure.  We  have  no  rea- 
son to  complain  of  the  assiduity  of  work ;  toil  of  action  is  an- 
swered by  the  benefit;  if  we  did  less,  we  should  suffer  more. 
Satan,  like  an  idle  companion,  if  he  finds  us  busy,  flies  back,  and 
sees  it  no  time  to  entertain  vain  purposes  with  us.  We  cannot 
please  him  better  than  by  casting  away  our  work  to  hold  chat 
with  him.     We  cannot  yield  so  far  and  be  guiltless. 

Even  David's  eyes  have  no  sooner  the  sleep  rubbed  out  of  them 
than  they  rove  to  wanton  prospects.  He  walks  upon  his  roof  and 
sees  Bathsheba  washing  herself,  inquires  after  her,  sends  for  her, 
solicits  her  to  uncleanness.  The  same  spirit  that  shut  up  his  eyes 
in  an  unseasonable  sleep,  opens  them  upon  an  enticing  object : 
while  sin  hath  such  a  solicitor,  it  cannot  want  either  means  or 
opportunity. 

I  cannot  think  Bathsheba  could  be  so  immodest  as  to  wash  her- 
self openly,  especially  from  her  natural  uncleanness.  Lust  is  quick- 
sighted  :  David  hath  espied  her  where  she  should  espy  no  be- 
holder. His  eyes  recoil  upon  his  heart,  and  have  smitten  him  with 
sinful  desire. 

There  can  be  no  safety  in  that  soul  where  the  senses  are  let 
loose.  He  can  never  keep  his  covenant  with  God  that  makes  not 
a  covenant  with  his  eyes.  It  is  An  idle  presumption  to  think  the 
outward  man  may  be  free  while  the  inward  is  safe.  He  is  more 
than  a  man  whose  heart  is  not  led  by  his  eyes ;  he  is  no  regene- 
rate man  whose  eyes  are  not  restrained  by  his  heart. 

O  Bathsheba,  how  wert  thou  washed  from  thine  uncleanness 
when  thou  yieldedst  to  go  into  an  adulterous  bed  I  Never  wert 
thou  so  foul  as  now  when  thou  wert  new  washed.  The  worst  of 
nature  is  cleanliness  to  the  best  of  sin :  thou  hadst  been  clean  if 
thou  hadst  not  washed ;  yet  for  thee  I  know  how  to  plead  infirmity 
of  sex  and  the  importunity  of  a  king :  but  what  shall  I  say  for 
thee,  O  thou  royal  prophet  and  prophetical  king  of  Israel  ?  Where 
shall  I  find  aught  to  extenuate  that  crime  for  which  God  himself 
hath  noted  thee  ?  Did  not  thy  holy  profession  teach  thee  to  abhor 
such  a  sin  more  than  death  ?    Was  not  thy  justice  wont  to  punish 


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456  David  with  Bathsheba  and  Uriah.  book  x* 

this  sin  with  no  less  than  death  ?  Did  not  thy  very  calling  call  thee 
to  a  protection  and  preservation  of  justice,  of  chastity,  in  thy  sub- 
jects ?  Didst  thou  want  store  of  wives  of  thine  own  ?  Wert  thou 
restrained  from  taking  more  ?  Was  there  no  beauty  in  Israel  but 
in  a  subject's  marriage-bed  ?  Wert  thou  overcome  by  the  vehe- 
ment solicitations  of  an  adulteress  ?  Wert  thou  not  the  tempter, 
the  prosecutor  of  this  uncleanness  ?  I  should  accuse  ihee  deeply  if 
thou  hadst  not  accused  thyself.  Nothing  wanted  to  greaten  thy 
sin  or  our  wonder  and  fear.  O  God,  whither  do  we  go  if  thou 
stay  us  not  ?  Who  ever,  amongst  the  millions  of  thy  servants,  could 
find  himself  furnished  with  stronger  preservatives  against  sin? 
Against  whom  could  such  a  sin  find  less  pretence  of  prevailing  ? 
0  keep  thou  us,  that  presumptuous  sins  prevail  not  over  us ;  so 
only  shall  we  be  free  from  great  offences. 

The  suits  of  kings  are  imperative.  Ambition  did  now  prove  a 
bawd  to  lust.  Bathsheba  yieldeth  to  offend  God,  to  dishonour  her 
husband,  to  clog  and  wound  her  own  soul,  to  abuse  her  body. 
Dishonesty  grows  bold  when  it  is  countenanced  with  greatness. 
Eminent  persons  had  need  be  careful  of  their  demands :  they  sin 
by  authority,  that  are  solicited  by  the  mighty. 

Had  Bathsheba  been  mindful  of  her  matrimonial  fidelity,  per- 
haps David  had  been  soon  checked  in  his  inordinate  desire :  her 
facility  furthers  the  sin.  The  first  motioner  of  evil  is  most  faulty ; 
but  as  in  quarrels,  so  in  offences,  the  second  blow  (which  is  the 
consent)  makes  the  fray.  Good  Joseph  was  moved  to  folly  by  his 
great  and  beautiful  mistress :  this  fire  fell  upon  wet  tinder,  and 
therefore  soon  went  out. 

Sin  is  not  acted  alone ;  if  but  one  party  be  wise,  both  escape. 
It  is  no  excuse  to  say,  "  I  was  tempted,"  though  by  the  great, 
though  by  the  holy  and  learned.  Almost  all  sinners  are  misled 
by  that  transformed  angel  of  light.  The  action  is  that  we  must 
regard,  not  the  person.  Let  the  mover  be  never  so  glorious,  if  he 
stir  us  to  evil  he  must  be  entertained  with  defiance. 

The  God  that  knows  how  to  raise  good  out  of  evil  blesses  an 
adulterous  copulation  with  that  increase  which  he  denies  to  the 
chaste  embracements  of  honest  wedlock.  Bathsheba  hath  con- 
ceived by  David ;  and  now  at  once  conceives  a  sorrow  and  care 
how  to  smother  the  shame  of  her  conception :  he  that  did  the 
fact  must  hide  it. 

0  David,  where  is  thy  repentance  ?  where  is  thy  tenderness 
and  compunction  of  heart?    where  are  those  holy  meditations 


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co n't.  iv.  David  with  Batlisheba  and  Uriah.  457 

which  had  wont  to  take  up  thy  soul  ?  Alas !  instead  of  clearing 
thy  sin  thou  labourest  to  cloak  it,  and  spendest  those  thoughts  in 
the  concealing  thy  wickedness  which  thou  shouldest  rather  have 
bestowed  in  preventing  it.  The  best  of  God's  children  may  not 
only  be  drenched  in  the  waves  of  sin,  but  lie  in  them  for  the  time, 
and  perhaps  sink  twice  to  the  bottom.  What  hypocrite  could  have 
done  worse  than  study  how  to  cover  the  face  of  his  sin  from  the  eyes 
of  men  while  he  regarded  not  the  sting  of  sin  in  his  soul  ? 

As  there  are  some  acts  wherein  the  hypocrite  is  a  saint,  so  there 
are  some  wherein  the  greatest  saint  upon  earth  may  be  a  hypocrite. 
Saul  did  thus  go  about  to  colour  his  sin,  and  is  cursed.  The  ves- 
sels of  mercy  and  wrath  are  not  ever  distinguishable  by  their  ac- 
tions. He  makes  the  difference,  that  will  have  mercy  on  wham 
he  will,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth. 

It  is  ratfe  and  hard  to  commit  a  single  sin*  David  hath  abused 
the  wife  of  Uriah,  now  he  would  abuse  his  person  in  causing  him 
to  father  a  false  seed.  That  worthy  Hittite  is  sent  for  from  the 
wars ;  and  now,  after  some  cunning  and  far-fetched  questions,  is 
dismissed  to  his  house,  not  without  a  present  of  favour.  David 
could  not  but  imagine  that  the  beauty  of  his  Bathsheba  must  needs 
be  attractive  enough  to  an  husband  whom  long  absence  in  wars  had 
withheld  all  that  while  from  so  pleasing  a  bed ;  neither  could  he 
think,  that  since  that  face  and  those  breasts  had  power  to  allure 
himself  to  an  unlawful  lust,  it  could  be  possible  that  Uriah  should 
not  be  invited  by  them  to  an  allowed  and  warrantable  fruition. 

That  David's  heart  might  now  the  rather  strike  him  in  com- 
paring the  chaste  resolutions  of  his  servant  with  his  own  light 
incontinence,  good  Uriah  sleeps  at  the  door  of  the  king's  palace, 
making  choice  of  a  stony  pillow  under  the  canopy  of  heaven,  ra- 
ther than  the  delicate  bed  of  her  whom  he  thought  as  honest  as  he 
knew  fair.  The  ark,  saith  he,  and  Israel,  and  Judah,  dwell  in 
teats;  and  my  lord  Joab,  and  the  servants  of  my  lord,  abide  in 
the  open  fields ;  shall  I  then  go  into  my  house  to  eat,  and  drink, 
and  lie  with  my  wife  ?  By  thy  life,  and  by  the  life  of  thy  soul, 
I  will  not  do  this  thing. 

Who  can  but  be  astonished  at  this  change;  to  see  a  soldier 
austere  and  a  prophet  wanton!  And  how  doth  that  soldier's 
austerity  shame  the  prophet's  wantonness  I  O  zealous  and  mor- 
tified soul,  worthy  of  a  more  faithful  wife,  of  a  more  just  master, 
how  didst  thou  overlook  all  base  sensuality,  and  hatedst  to  be 
happy  alone  I     War  and  lust  had  wont  to  be  reputed  friends. 


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453  David  with  Batlutheba  and  Uriah.  book  xv 

Thy  breast  is  not  more  fall  of  courage  than  chastity ;  and  is  so 
far  from  wandering  after  forbidden  pleasures  that  it  refuseth 
lawful. 

There  is  a  time  to  laugh,  and  a  time  to  mourn ;  a  time  to  em- 
brace,  and  a  time  to  be  far  from  embracing.  Even  the  best 
actions  are  not  always  seasonable,  much  less  the  indifferent  He 
that  ever  takes  liberty  to  do  what  he  may,  shall  offend  no  less 
than  he  that  sometimes  takes  liberty  to  do  what  he  may  not. 

If  any  thing,  the  ark  of  God  is  fittest  to  lead  our  tunes.  Ac- 
cordingly as  that  is  either  distressed  or  prospereth  should  we 
frame  our  mirth  or  mourning.  To  dwell  in  ceiled  houses  while 
the  temple  lies  waste  is  the  ground  of  God's  just  quarrel.  How 
shall  we  sing  a  song  of  the  Lord  in  a  strange  land  t  if  I  forget 
thee y  O  Jerusalem,  let  my  right  hand  forget  her  cunning ;  If  I 
do  not  remember  thee,  let  my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my 
mouth;  yea,  if  I  prefer  not  Jerusalem  to  my  chief  joy. 

As  every  man  is  a  limb  of  the  community,  so  must  he  be  af- 
fected with  the  estate  of  the  universal  body,  whether  healthful  or 
languishing.  It  did  not  more  aggravate  David's  sin,  that,  while 
the  ark  and  Israel  were  in  hazard  and  distress,  he  could  find  time 
to  loose  the  reins  to  wanton  desires  and  actions,  than  it  magni- 
fies the  religious  zeal  of  Uriah,  that  he  abandons  comfort  till  he 
see  the  ark  and  Israel  victorious.  Common  dangers  or  calamities 
must,  like  the  rapt  motion,  carry  our  hearts  contrary  to  the 
ways  of  our  private  occasions. 

He  that  cannot  be  moved  with  words  shall  be  tried  with  wine. 
Uriah  had  equally  protested  against  feasting  at  home  and  society 
with  his  wife ;  to  the  one,  the  authority  of  a  king  forceth  him 
abroad,  in  hope  that  the  excess  thereof  shall  force  him  to  the 
other.  It  is  like  that  holy  captain  intended  only  to  yield  so  much 
obedience  as  might  consist  with  his  course  of  austerity.  But 
wine  is  a  mocker.  When  it  goes  plausibly  in,  no  man  can  imagine 
how  it  will  rage  and  tyrannise.  He  that  receives  that  traitor 
within  his  gates  shall  too  late  complain  of  surprisal.  Like  unto 
that  ill  spirit,  it  insinuates  sweetly,  but  in  the  end  it  bites  like  a 
serpent,  and  hurts  like  a  cockatrice.  Even  good  Uriah  is  made 
drunk.  The  holiest  soul  may  be  overtaken.  It  is  hard  gainsaying 
where  a  king  begins  a  health  to  a  subject. 

Where,  O  where,  will  this  wickedness  end?  David  will  now 
procure  the  sin  of  another  to  hide  his  own.  Uriah's  drunkenness 
is  more  David's  offence  than  his.     It  is  weakly  yielded  to  of  the 


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3o.\T.  iv.  David  with  Bathsheba  and  Uriah.  459 

one,  which  was  wilfully  intended  of  the  other.     The  one  was  as 
the  sinner,  the  other  as  the  tempter. 

Had  not  David  known  that  wine  was  an  inducement  to  lust,  he 
had  spared  those  superfluous  cups.  Experience  had  taught  him, 
that  the  eye  debauched  with  wine  will  look  upon  strange  women. 
The  drunkard  may  be  any  thing  save  good.  Tet  in  this  the  aim 
failed.  Grace  is  stronger  than  wine :  while  that  withholds,  in  vain 
shall  the  fury  of  the  grape  attempt  to  carry  Uriah  to  his  own  bed. 
Sober  David  is  now  worse  than  drunken  Uriah.  Had  not  the 
king  of  Israel  been  more  intoxicate  with  sin  than  Uriah  with 
drink,  he  had  not  in  a  sober  intemperance  climbed  up  into  that  bed 
which  the  drunken  temperance  of  Uriah  had  refused. 

If  David  had  been  but  himself,  how  had  he  loved,  how  bad  he 
honoured  this  honest  and  religions  zeal  in  his  so  faithful  servant, 
whom  now  he  cruelly  seeks  to  reward  with  death!  That  fact 
which  wine  cannot  bide,  the  sword  shall.  Uriah  shall  bear  his 
own  mittimus  unto  Joab ;  Put  ye  Uriah  in  the  forefront  of  the 
strength  of  the  battle,  and  recule  back  from  him,  that  he  may 
be  smitten  and  die.  What  is  become  of  thee,  0  thou  good  Spirit, 
that  hadst  wont  to  guide  thy  chosen  servant  in  his  former  ways  ? 
Is  not  this  the  man  whom  we  lately  saw  so  heart-smitten  for  but 
cutting  off  the  lap  of  the  garment  of  a  wicked  master,  that  is  now 
thus  lavish  of  the  blood  of  a  gracious  and  well-deserving  servant  ? 
Could  it  be  likely  that  so  worthy  a  captain  could  fall  alone? 
Could  David  have  expiated  this  sin  with  his  own  blood  it  had  been 
but  well  spent ;  but  to  cover  his  sin  with  the  innocent  blood  of 
others  was  a  crime  above  astonishment. 

O  the  deep  deceitfulness  of  sin !  If  the  devil  should  have  come 
to  David  in  the  most  lovely  form  of  Bathsheba  herself,  and  at  the 
first  should  have  directly  and  in  plain  terms  solicited  him  to  mur- 
der his  best  servant,  I  doubt  not  but  he  would  have  spit  scorn  in 
that  face  on  which  he  should  otherwise  have  doted;  now,  by 
many  cunning  windings,  Satan  rises  up  to  that  temptation,  and 
prevails :  that  shall  be  done  for  a  colour  of  guiltiness  whereof  the 
soul  would  have  hated  to  be  immediately  guilty.  Even  those 
that  find  a  just  horror  in  leaping  down  from  some  high  tower,  yet 
may  be  persuaded  to  descend  by  stairs  to  the  bottom.  He  knows 
not  where  he  shall  stay  that  hath  willingly  slipped  into  a  known 
wickedness. 

How  many  doth  an  eminent  offender  draw  with  him  into  evil ! 
It  could  not  be  but  that  divers  of  the  attendants  both  of  David  and 


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460  Nathan  and  David.  book  xv 

Bathsheba  must  be  conscious  to  that  adultery.  Great  men's  sins 
are  seldom  secret.  And  now  Joab  must  be  fetched  in  as  acces- 
sary to  the  murder.  How  must  this  example  needs  harden  Joab 
against  the  conscience  of  Abner's  blood,  while  he  cannot  but  think, 
David  cannot  avenge  that  in  me  which  he  acteth  himself! 

Honour  is  pretended  to  poor  Uriah ;  death  is  meant  This 
man  was  one  of  the  worthies  of  David.  Their  courage  sought 
glory  in  the  difficultest  exploits.  That  reputation  had  never  been 
purchased  without  attempts  of  equal  danger. 

Had  not  the  leader  and  followers  of  Uriah  been  more  treache- 
rous than  his  enemies  were  strong,  he  had  come  off  with  victory ; 
now  he  was  not  the  first  or  last  that  perished  by  his  friends.  David 
hath  forgotten  that  himself  was  in  like  sort  betrayed  in  his  mas- 
ter's intention  upon  the  dowry  of  the  Philistines'  foreskins. 

I  fear  to  ask,  who  ever  noted  so  foul  a  plot  in  David's  rejected 
predecessor  ?  Uriah  must  be  the  messenger  of  his  own  death ; 
Joab  must  be  a  traitor  to  his  friend ;  the  host  of  God  must  shame- 
fully turn  their  backs  upon  the  Ammonites ;  all  that  Jsraelitish 
blood  must  be  shed ;  that  murder  must  be  seconded  with  dissi- 
mulation ;  and  all  this  to  hide  one  adultery  !  0  God,  thou  badst 
never  suffered  so  dear  a  favourite  of  thine  to  fall  so  fearfully,  if 
thou  hadst  not  meant  to  make  him  an  universal  example  to  man- 
kind of  not  presuming,  of  not  despairing.  How  can  we  presume 
of  not  sinning,  or  despair  for  sinning,  when  wc  find  so  great  a 
saint  thus  fallen,  thus  risen! 


NATHAN  AND  DAVID.— 2  Samuel  xii. 

Yet  Bathsheba  mourned  for  the  death  of  that  husband  whom 
she  had  been  drawn  to  dishonour.  How  could  she  bestow  tears 
enough  upon  that  funeral  whereof  her  sin  was  the  cause !  If  she 
had  but  a  suspicion  of  the  plot  of  his  death,  the  fountains  of  her 
eyes  could  not  yield  water  enough  to  wash  off  her  husband's 
blood.  Her  sin  was  more  worthy  of  sorrow  than  her  loss.  If 
this  grief  had  been  right  placed,  the  hope  of  hiding  her  shame 
and  the  ambition  to  be  a  queen  had  not  so  soon  mitigated  it; 
neither  had  she,  upon  any  terms,  been  drawn  into  the  bed  of  her 
husband's  murderer.  Every  gleam  of  earthly  comfort  can  dry 
up  the  tears  of  worldly  sorrow.     Bathsheba  hath  soon  lost  her 


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cont.  v.  Nathan  and  David.  461 

grief  at  the  court.  The  remembrance  of  an  husband  is  buried  in 
the  jollity  and  state  of  a  princess. 

David  securely  enjoys  his  Unpurchased  love ;  and  is  content  to 
exchange  the  conscience  of  his  sin  for  the  sense  of  his  pleasure. 
But  the  just  and  holy  God  will  not  put  it  up  so.  He  that  hates 
sin  so  much  the  more  as  the  offender  is  more  dear  to  him,  will 
let  David  feel  the  bruise  of  his  fall.  If  God's  best  children  have 
been  sometimes  suffered  to  sleep  in  a  sin,  at  last  he  hath  awakened 
them  in  a  fright. 

David  was  a  prophet  of  God ;  and  yet  he  hath  not  only  stepped 
into  those  foul  sins,  but  sojourns  with  them.  If  any  profession  or 
state  of  life  could  have  privileged  from  sin,  the  angels  had  not 
sinned  in  heaven,  nor  man  in  paradise. 

Nathan  the  prophet  is  sent  to  the  prophet  David  for  reproof, 
for  conviction.  Had  it  been  any  other  man's  case,  none  could 
have  been  mor  equicksighted  than  the  princely  prophet ;  in  his 
own,  he  is  so  blind,  that  God  is  fain  to  lend  him  others'  eyes. 
Even  the  physician  himself,  when  he  is  sick,  sends  for  the  counsel 
of  those  whom  his  health  did  mutually  aid  with  advice.  Let  no 
man  think  himself  too  good  to  learn.  Teachers  themselves  may 
be  taught  that  in  their  own  particular  which  in  a  generality 
they  have  often  taught  others.  It  is  not  only  ignorance  that  is 
to  be  removed,  but  misaffection. 

Who  can  prescribe  a  just  period  to  the  best  man's  repentance  ? 
About  ten  months  are  passed  since  David's  sin;  in  all  which 
time  I  find  no  news  of  any  serious  compunction.  It  could  not  be 
but  some  glances  of  remorse  must  needs  have  passed  through  his 
soul  long  ere  this ;  but  a  due  and  solemn  contrition  was  not  heard 
of  till  Nathan's  message ;  and  perhaps  had  been  further  adjourned 
if  that  monitor  had  been  longer  deferred.  Alas !  what  long  and 
dead  sleeps  may  the  holiest  soul  take  in  fearful  sins !  Were  it  not 
for  thy  mercy,  O  God,  the  best  of  us  should  end  our  spiritual 
lethargy  in  sleep  of  death. 

It  might  have  pleased  God  as  easily  to  have  sent  Nathan  to 
check  David  in  his  first  purpose  of  sinning ;  so  had  his  eyes  been 
restrained,  Bathsheba  honest,  Uriah  alive  with  honour :  now  the 
wisdom  of  the  Almighty  knew  how  to  win  more  glory  by  the 
permission  of  so  foul  an  evil  than  by  the  prevention :  yea,  he 
knew  how,  by  the  permission  of  one  sin,  to  prevent  millions. 
How  many  thousands  had  sinned,  in  a  vain  presumption  on  their 
own  strength,  if  David  had  not  thus  effended !  how  many  thou- 


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462  Nathan  and  David.  book  \ 

sands  had  despaired,  in  the  conscience  of  their  own  weaknesses,  if 
these  horrible  sins  had  not  received  forgiveness !  It  is  happy  for 
all  times  that  we  have  so  holy  a  sinner,  so  sinful  a  penitent 

It  matters  not  how  bitter  the  pill  is,  but  how  well  wrapped. 
So  cunningly  hath  Nathan  conveyed  this  dose,  that  it  begins  to 
work  ere  it  be  tasted.  There  is  no  one  thing  wherein  is  more  use 
of  wisdom  than  the  due  contriving  of  reprehension ;  which  in  a 
discreet  delivery  helps  the  disease,  in  an  unwise,  destroys  nature. 

Had  not  Nathan  been  used  to  the  possession  of  David's  ear, 
this  complaint  had  been  suspected.  It  well  beseems  a  king  to 
take  information  by  a  prophet. 

While  wise  Nathan  was  querulously  discoursing  of  the  cruel 
rich  man  that  had  forcibly  taken  away  the  only  lamb  of  his  poor 
neighbour,  how  willingly  doth  David  listen  to  the  story!  and 
how  sharply,  even  above  law,  doth  he  censure  the  fact ;  As  the 
Lord  liveth,  the  man  that  hath  done  this  thing  shall  surely  die  I 
Full  little  did  he  think  that  he  had  pronounced  sentence  against 
himself.  It  had  not  been  so  heavy,  if  he  had  known  on  whom  it 
should  have  lighted.  We  have  open  ears  and  quick  tongues  to 
the  vices  of  others.  How  severe  justices  can  we  be  to  our  very 
own  crimes  in  others'  persons.  How  flattering  parasites  to  an- 
other's crime  in  ourselves! 

The  life  of  doctrine  is  in  application.  Nathan  might  have  been 
long  enough  in  his  narration,  in  his  invective,  ere  David  would 
have  been  touched  with  his  own  guiltiness ;  but  now^that  the  pro- 
phet brings  the  word  home  to  his  bosom,  he  cannot  but  be  af- 
fected. We  may  take  pleasure  to  bear  men  speak  in  the  clouds; 
we  never  take  profit,  till  we  find  a  propriety  [property]  in  the 
exhortation  or  reproof. 

There  was  not  more  cunning  in  the  parable  than  courage  in 
the  application,  Thou  art  the  man.  If  David  be  a  king,  he  may 
not  look  not  to  hear  of  his  faults.  God's  messages  may  be  no 
other  than  impartial.  It  is  a  treacherous  flattery  in  divine  er- 
rands to  regard  greatness.  If  prophets  must  be  mannerly  in  the 
form,  yet  in  the  matter  of  reproof  resolute.  The  words  are  not 
their  own :  they  are  but  the  heralds  of  the  King  of  Heaven ; 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel. 

How  thunderstricken  do  we  think  David  did  now  stand !  how 
did  the  change  of  his  colour  bewray  the  confusion  in  his  soul, 
while  his  conscience  said  the  same  within  which  the  prophet 
sounded  in  his  ear  I   And  now,  lest  aught  should  be  wanting  to 


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;ont.  v.  Nathan  and  David.  463 

his  humiliation,  all  God's  former  favours  shall  be  laid  before  his 
eyes,  by  way  of  exprobration.  He  is  worthy  to  be  upbraided 
with  mercies  that  hath  abused  mercies  unto  wantonness.  While 
we  do  well,  God  gives,  and  says  nothing ;  when  we  do  ill,  he  lays 
his  benefits  in  our  dish,  and  casts  them  in  our  teeth,  that  our 
shame  may  be  so  much  the  more  by  how  much  our  obligations 
have  been  greater.  The  blessings  of  God,  in  our  unworthy  carriage, 
prove  but  the  aggravations  of  sin  and  additions  to  judgment. 

I  see  all  God's  children  falling  into  sin ;  some  of  them  lying  in 
sin ;  none  of  them  maintaining  their  sin.  David  cannot  have  the 
heart  or  the  face  to  stand  out  against  the  message  of  God ;  but 
now,  as  a  man  confounded  and  condemned  in  himself,  he  cries 
out,  in  the  bitterness  of  a  wounded  soul,  I  have  sinned  against 
the  Lord. 

It  was  a  short  word,  but  passionate ;  and  such  as  came  from 
the  bottom' of  a  contrite  heart.  The  greatest  griefs  are  not  most 
verbal.  Saul  confessed  his  sin  more  largely,  less  effectually.  God 
cares  not  for  phrases,  but  for  affections. 

The  first  piece  of  our  amends  to  God  for  sinning  is  the 
acknowledgment  of  sin.  He  can  do  little  tjiat  in  a  just  offence 
cannot  accuse  himself.  If  we  cannot  be  so  good  as  we  would,  it 
is  reason  we  should  do  God  so  much  right  as  to  say  how  evil  we 
are.  And  why  was  not  this  done  sooner  ?  It  is  strange  to  see 
how  easily  sin  gets  into  the  heart,  how  hardly  it  gets  out  of  the 
mouth.  Is  it  because  sin,  like  unto  Satan,  where  it  hath  got  pos- 
session is  desirous  to  bold  it,  and  knows  that  it  is  fully  ejected  by 
a  free  confession  ?  or  because,  in  a  guiltiness  of  deformity,  it  hides 
itself  in  the  breast  where  it  is  once  entertained,  and  hates  the 
light  ?  or  because  the  tongue  is  so  feed  with  self-love,  that  it  is 
loath  to  be  drawn  unto  any  verdict  against  the  heart  or  bands  ?  or 
is  it  out  of  an  idle  misprision  of  shame,  which,  while  it  should  be 
placed  in  offending,  is  misplaced  in  disclosing  of  our  offence? 
However,  sure  I  am  that  God  hath  need  even  of  racks  to  draw 
out  confessions ;  and  scarce  in  death  itself  are  we  wrought  to  a 
discovery  of  our  errors. 

There  is  no  one  thing  wherein  our  folly  shows  itself  more  than 
in  these  hurtful  concealments.  Contrary  to  the  proceedings  of 
human  justice,  it  is  with  God,  Confess,  and  live.  No  sooner  can 
David  say,  /  have  sirmed,  than  Nathan  infers,  The  Lord  also 
hath  put  away  thy  sin.  He  that  hides  his  sin  shall  not  prosper; 
but  he  that  confesseth  andforsaketh  them  shall  find  mercy.  Who 


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464  Nathan  and  David.  book  xt 

would  not  accuse  himself,  to  be  acquitted  of  God  ?  O  God,  who 
would  not  tell  his  wickedness  to  thee,  that  knowest  it  better  than 
his  own  heart,  that  his  heart  may  be  eased  of  that  wickedness 
which  being  not  told  killeth  ?  Since  we  have  sinned,  why  should 
we  be  niggardly  of  that  action  wherein  we  may  at  once  give 
glory  to  thee  and  relief  to  our  souls. 

David  had  sworn,  in  a  zeal  of  justice,  that  the  rich  oppressor, 
for  but  taking  his  poor  neighbour's  lamb,  should  die  the  death : 
God,  by  Nathan,  is  more  favourable  to  David  than  to  take  him 
at  his  word;  Thou  shalt  not  die.  O  the  marvellous  power  of 
repentance !  Besides  adultery,  David  had  shed  the  blood  of  inno- 
cent Uriah.  The  strict  law  was,  Eye  for  eye,  tooth  for  tooth  ; 
he  that  smiteth  with  the  sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword. 
Tet,  as  if  a  penitent  confession  had  dispensed  with  the  rigour  of 
justice,  now  God  says,  Thou  shah  not  die.  David  was  the  voice 
of  the  Law,  awarding  death  unto  sin ;  Nathan  was  the  voice  of 
the  Gospel,  awarding  life  unto  the  repentance  for  sin.  Whatso- 
ever the  sore  be,  never  any  soul  applied  this  remedy  and  died ; 
never  any  soul  escaped  death  that  applied  it  not. 

David  himself  shall  not  die  for  this  fact :  but  his  misbegotten 
child  shall  die  for  him.  He  that  said,  The  Lord  hath  put  away 
thy  sin,  yet  said  also,  The  sword  shall  not  depart  from  thine 
house.  The  same  mouth,  with  one  breath,  pronounces  the  sen- 
tence both  of  absolution  and  death:  absolution  to  the  person, 
death  to  the  issue.  Pardon  may  well  stand  with  temporal  af- 
flictions. Where  God  hath  forgiven,,  though  he  doth  not  punish, 
yet  he  may  chastise,  and  that  unto  blood :  neither  doth  he  fid- 
ways  forbear  correction  where  he  remits  revenge.  So  long  as 
he  smites  us  not  as  an  angry  Judge  we  may  endure  to  smart 
from  him  as  a  loving  Father. 

Yet  even  this  rod  did  David  deprecate  with  tears.  How  fain 
would  he  shake  off  so  easy  a  load  I  The  child  is  stricken,  the 
father  fasts,  and  prays,  and  weeps,  and  lies  all  night  upon  the 
earth,  and  abhors  the  noise  of  comfort.  That  child,  which  was  the 
fruit  and  monument  of  his  odious  adultery,  whom  he  could  never 
have  looked  upon  without  recognition  of  his  sin,  in  whose  face  he 
could  not  but  have  still  read  the  records  of  his  own  shame,  is  thus 
mourned  for,  thus  sued  for.  It  is  easy  to  observe  that  good  man 
over-passionately  affected  to  his  children.  Who  would  not  have 
thought  that  David  might  have  held  himself  well  appayd  that 
his  soul  escaped  an  eternal  death,  his  body  a  violent,  though  God 


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cont.  v.  Nathan  and  David.  465 

should  punish  his  sin  in  that  child  in  whom  he  sinned  ?  yet  even 
against  this  cross  he  bends  his  prayers  as  if  nothing  had  been  for- 
given him.  There  is  no  child  that  would  be  scourged  if  he  might 
escape  for  crying.  No  affliction  is  for  the  time  other  than  grievous, 
neither  is  therefore  yielded  unto  without  some  kind  of  reluctation. 

Far  yet  was  it  from  the  heart  of  David  to  make  any  opposition 
to  the  will  of  God :  he  sued,  he  struggled  not.  There  is  no  im- 
patience in  entreaties.  He  well  knew  that  the  threats  of  temporal 
evils  ran  commonly  with  a  secret  condition,  and  therefore  might 
perhaps  be  avoided  by  humble  importunity.  If  any  means  under 
heaven  can  avert  judgments,  it  is  our  prayers. 

God  could  not  choose  but  like  well  the  boldness  of  David's  faith, 
who,  after  the  apprehension  of  so  heavy  a  displeasure,  is  so  far 
from  doubting  of  the  forgiveness  of  his  sin,  that  he  dares  become 
a  suitor  unto  God  for  his  sick  child.  Sin  doth  not  more  make  us 
strange  than  faith  confident. 

But  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  the  strongest  faith  to  preserve  us 
from  all  afflictions.  After  all  David's  prayers  and  tears  the  child 
must  die.  The  careful  servants  dare  but  whisper  this  sad  news. 
They,  who  had  found  their  master  so  averse  from  the  motion  of 
comfort  in  the  sickness  of  the  child,  feared  him  incapable  of  com- 
fort in  his  death. 

Suspicion  is  quick  witted.  Every  occasion  makes  us  misdoubt 
that  event  which  we  fear.  This  secrecy  proclaims  that  which  they 
were  so  loath  to  utter.  David  perceives  his  child  dead,  and  now  he 
rises  up  from  the  earth  whereon  he  lay,  and  washes  himself,  and 
changeth  his  apparel,  and  goes  first  into  God's  house  to  worship, 
and  into  his  own  to  eat ;  now  he  refuses  no  comfort  who  before 
would  take  none.  The  issue  of  things  doth  more  fully  show  the 
will  of  God  than  the  prediction.  God  never  did  any  thing  but 
what  he  would.  He  hath  sometimes  foretold  that  for  trial  which 
his  secret  will  intended  not.  He  would  foretell  it :  he  would  not 
effect  it,  because  he  would  therefore  foretell  it  that  he  might  not 
effect  it.  His  predictions  of  outward  evils  are  not  always  absolute, 
his  actions  are.  David  well  sees  by  the  event  what  the  decree  of 
God  was  concerning  his  child,  which  now  he  could  not  strive 
against  without  a  vain  impatience.  Till  we  know  the  determinations 
of  the  Almighty,  it  is  free  for  us  to  strive  in  our  prayers ;  to  strive 
with  him,  not  against  him :  when  once  we  know  them,  it  is  our 
duty  to  sit  down  in  a  silent  contentation. 

While  the  child  was  yet  alive,  I  fasted  and  wept :  for  I  said, 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  H  h 

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466  Amnon  and  Tamar.  book  a 

Who  can  tell  whether  the  Lord  will  be  gracious  to  me,  that  the 
child  may  live  ?  but  now  he  is  dead,  wherefore  should  I  fast  ?  can 
I  bring  him  back  again  ? 

The  grief  that  goes  before  an  evil  for  remedy  can  hardly  be  too 
much ;  but  that  which  follows  an  evil  past  remedy  cannot  be  too 
little.  Even  in  the  saddest  accident,  death,  we  may  yield  something 
to  nature,  nothing  to  impatience.  Immoderation  of  sorrow  for 
losses  past  hope  of  recovery  is  more  sullen  than  useful ;  our  sto- 
mach may  be  bewrayed  by  it,  not  our  wisdom. 


AMNON  AND  TAMAR.— %  Samuel  xiii. 

It  is  not  possible  that  any  word  of  God  should  fall  to  the  ground. 
David  is  not  more  sure  of  forgiveness  than  smart.  Three  main 
sins  passed  him  in  this  business  of  Uriah;  adultery,  murder, 
dissimulation ;  for  all  which  he  receives  present  payment ;  for 
adultery,  in  the  deflouring  of  his  daughter  Tamar ;  for  murder, 
in  the  killing  of  his  son  Amnon;  for  dissimulation,  in  the  contriv- 
ing of  both.  Yet  all  this  was  but  the  beginning  of  evils.  Where  the 
father  of  the  family  brings  sin  home  to  the  house,  it  is  not  easily 
swept  out.  Unlawful  lust  'propagates  itself  by  example.  How 
justly  is  David  scourged  by  the  sin  of  his  sons,  whom  his  act 
taught  to  offend ! 

Maachah  -was  the  daughter  of  an  heathenish  king.  By  her  bad 
David  that  beautiful  but  unhappy  issue,  Absalom,  and  his  no  less 
fair  sister,  Tamar.  Perhaps  thus  late  doth  David  feel  the  punish- 
ment of  that  unfit  choice.  I  should  have  marvelled  if  so  holy  a 
man  had  not  found  crosses  in  so  unequal  a  match,  either  in  his 
person,  or  at  least  in  his  seed. 

Beauty,  if  it  be  not  well  disciplined,  proves  not  a  friend,  but  a 
traitor.  Three  of  David's  children  are  undone  by  it  at  once. 
What  else  was  guilty  of  Amnon's  incestuous  love,  Tamar's  ravish- 
ment, Absalom's  pride?  It  is  a  blessing  to  be  fair;  yet  such  a 
blessing,  as,  if  the  soul  answer  not  to  the  face,  may  lead  to  a  curse. 
How  commonly  have  we  seen  the  foulest  soul  dwell  fairest ! 

It  was  no  fault  of  Tamar' s  that  she  was  beautiful :  the  candle 
offends  not  in  burning,  the  foolish  fly  offends  in  scorching  itself 
in  the  flame :  yet  it  is  no  small  misery  to  become  a  temptation  unto 
another,  and  to  be  made  but  the  occasion  of  others'  ruin. 

Amnon  is  lovesick  of  his  sister  Tamar,  and  languishes  of  that 


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>nt.  vi.  Amnon  and  Tamar.  467 

unnatural  heat.  Whither  will  not  wanton  lust  carry  the  inordinate 
minds  of  pampered  and  ungoverned  youth  ?  None  but  his  half- 
sister  will  please  the  eyes  of  the  young  prince  of  Israel.  Ordinary 
pleasures  will  not  content  those  whom  the  conceit  of  greatness, 
youth,  and  ease  have  let  loose  to  their  appetite. 

Perhaps  yet  this  unkindly  flame  might  in  time  have  gone  out 
alone,  had  not  there  been  a  Jonadab  to  blow  these  coals  with 
ill  counsel.  It  were  strange  if  great  princes  should  want  some 
parasitical  followers  that  are  ready  to  feed  their  ill  humours. 
Why  art  thou9  the  king's  son,  so  lean  from  day  to  day  t  As  if 
it  were  unworthy  the  heir  of  a  king  to  suffer  either  law  or  con- 
science to  stand  in  the  way  of  his  desires :  whereas  wise  princes 
know  well  that  their  places  give  them  no  privilege  of  sinning ; 
but  call  them  in  rather  to  so  much  more  strictness  as  their 
example  may  be  more  prejudicial. 

Jonadab  was  the  cousin  german  of  Amnon.  Ill  advice  is  so 
much  more  dangerous  as  the  interest  of  the  giver  is  more.  Had 
he  been  a  true  friend,  he  had  bent  all  the  forces  of  his  dissuasion 
against  the  wicked  motions  of  that  sinful  lust,  and  had  showed 
the  prince  of  Israel  how  much  those  lewd  desires  provoked  God 
and  blemished  himself ;  and  had  lent  his  hand  to  strangle  them 
in  their  first  conception.  There  cannot  be  a  more  worthy  im- 
provement of  friendship  than  in  a  fervent  opposition  to  the  sins 
of  them  whom  we  profess  to  love.  No  enemy  can  be  so  mortal 
to  great  princes  as  those  officious  clients  whose  flattery  soothes 
them  up  in  wickedness :  these  are  traitors  to  the  soul,  and  by  a 
pleasing  violence  kill  the  best  part  eternally. 

How  ready  at  hand  is  an  evil  suggestion!  Good  counsel  is 
like  unto  well-water,  that  must  be  drawn  up  with  a  pump  or 
bucket;  ill  counsel  is  like  to  conduit-water,  which,  if  the  cock 
be  but  turned,  runs  out  alone.  Jonadab  hath  soon  projected 
how  Amnon  shall  accomplish  his  lawless  purpose.  The  way  must 
be  to  feign  himself  sick  in  body  whose  mind  was  sick  of  lost, 
and  under  this  pretence  to  procure  the  presence  of  her  who 
had  wounded  and  only  might  cure  him.  The  daily  increasing 
languor  and  leanness  and  paleness  of  love-sick  Amnon  might 
well  give  colour  to  a  kerchief  and  a  pallet. 

Now  it  is  soon  told  Pavid  that  his  eldest  son  is  cast  upon  his 
sick  bed.  There  needs  no  suit  for  his  visitation.  The  careful 
father  hastens  to  his  bedside,  not  without  doubts  and  fears.  He 
that  was  lately  so  afflicted  with  the  sickness  of  a  child  that  scarce 

h  h  2 

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468  Amnon  and  Tamar.  book 

lived  to  see  the  light,  how  sensible  mast  we  needs  think  he  would 
be  of  the  indisposition  of  his  first-born  son,  in  the  prime  of  his  age 
and  hopes ! 

It  is  not  given  to  any  prophet  to  foresee  all  things.  Happy 
had  it  been  for  David,  if  Amnon  had  been  truly  sick,  and  sick 
unto  death  ;  yet  who  could  have  persuaded  this  passionate  father 
to  have  been  content  with  this  succession  of  losses,  this  early  loss 
of  his  successor?  How  glad  is  he  to  hear  that  his  daughter 
Tamar's  skill  might  be  likely  to  fit  the  diet  of  so  dear  a  patient ! 
Conceit  is  wont  to  rule  much,  both  in  sickness  and  in  the  cure. 

Tamar  is  sent  by  her  father  to  the  house  of  Amnon.  Her  hand 
only  must  dress  that  dish  which  may  please  the  nice  palate  of 
her  sick  brother.  Even  the  children  of  kings,  in  those  homelier 
times,  did  not  scorn  to  put  their  fingers  to  some  works  of  hus- 
wifery :  She  took  flour  ^  and  did  knead  it,  and  did  make  cakes 
in  his  eight,  and  did  bake  the  cakes,  and  took  a  pan,  and 
poured  them  out  before  him.  Had  she  not  been  sometimes  used 
to  such  domestic  employments,  she  had  been  now  to  seek ;  neither 
had  this  been  required  of  her  but  upon  the  knowledge  of  her 
skill.  She  doth  not  plead  the  impairing  of  her  beauty  by  the 
scorching  of  the  fire,  nor  thinks  her  hand  too  dainty  for  such 
mean  services ;  but  settles  to  the  work  as  one  that  would  rather 
regard  the  necessities  of  her  brother  than  her  own  state.  Only 
prido  and  idleness  have  banished  honest  and  thrifty  diligence  out 
of  the  houses  of  the  great. 

This  was  not  yet  the  dish  that  Amnon  longed  for.  It  was  the 
cook,  and  not  the  cates,  which  that  wanton  eye  affected.  Un- 
lawful acts  seek  for  secrecy.  The  company  is  dismissed ;  Tamar 
only  stays.  Good  meaning  suspects  nothing.  While  she  presents 
the  meat  she  had  prepared  to  her  sick  brother,  herself  is  made  a 
prey  to  his  outrageous  lust.  The  modest  virgin  entreats  and 
persuades  in  vain.  She  lays  before  him  the  sin,  the  shame,  the 
danger  of  the  fact ;  and,  since  none  of  these  can  prevail,  fain 
would  win  time  by  the  suggestion  of  impossible  hopes.  Nothing 
but  violence  can  stay  a  resolved  sinner :  what  he  cannot  by  en- 
treaty, he  will  have  by  force.  If  the  devil  were  not  more  strong 
in  men  than  nature,  they  would  never  seek  pleasure  in  violence. 

Amnon  hath  no  sooner  fulfilled  his  beastly  desires,  than  he 
hates  Tamar  more  than  he  loved  her.  Inordinate  lust  never 
ends  but  in  discontentment.  Loss  of  spirits  and  remorse  of  soul 
make  the  remembrance  of  that  act  tedious  whose  expectation 


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**t.  vi.  Amnon  and  Tamar.  469 

promised  delight.  If  we  could  see  the  back  of  sinful  pleasures 
ere  we  behold  their  face,  our  hearts  could  not  but  be  forestalled 
with  a  just  detestation.  Brutish  Amnon,  it  was  thyself  whom 
thou  shouldst  have  hated  for  this  villany,  not  thine  innocent 
sister.  Both  of  you  lay  together ;  only  one  committed  incest. 
What  was  she  but  a  patient  in  that  impotent  fury  of  lust?  How 
unjustly  do  carnal  men  misplace  their  affections !  No  man  can 
say  whether  that  love  or  this  hatred  were  more  unreasonable. 
Fraud  drew  Tamar  into  the  house  of  Amnon ;  force  entertained 
her  within  and  drove  her  out.  Fain  would  she  have  hid  her 
shame  where  it  was  wrought,  and  may  not  be  allowed  it.  That 
roof,  under  which  she  came  with  honour,  and  in  obedience  and 
love,  may  not  be  lent  her  for  the  time  as  a  shelter  of  her  igno- 
miny. Never  any  savage  could  be  more  barbarous.  Shechem 
had  ravished  Dinah:  his  offence  did  not  make  her  odious:  his 
affection  so  continued,  that  he  is  willing  rather  to  draw  blood  of 
himself  and  his  people  than  forego  her  whom  he  had  abused. 
Amnon  in  one  hour  is  in  the  excess  of  love  and  hate ;  and  is  sick 
of  her  for  whom  he  was  sick.  She  that  lately  kept  the  keys  of 
bis  heart  is  now  locked  out  of  his  doors.  Unruly  passions  run 
ever  into  extremities,  and  are  then  best  appayed  when  they  are 
farthest  off  from  reason  and  moderation. 

What  could  Amnon  think  would  be  the  event  of  so  foul  a  fact ; 
which,  as  he  had  not  the  grace  to  prevent,  so  he  hath  not  the 
care  to  conceal  ?  If  he  looked  not  so  high  as  heaven,  what  could 
he  imagine  would  follow  hereupon,  but  the  displeasure  of  a  father, 
the  danger  of  law,  the  indignation  of  a  brother,  the  shame  and 
outcries  of  the  world  ?  All  which  he  might  have  hoped  to  avoid 
by  secresy  and  plausible  courses  of  satisfaction.  It  is  the  just 
judgment  of  God  upon  presumptuous  offenders,  that  they  lose 
their  wit  together  with  their  honesty,  and  are  either  so  blinded 
that  they  cannot  foresee  the  issue  of  their  actions,  or  so  besotted 
that  they  do  not  regard  it. 

Poor  Tamar  can  but  bewail  that  which  she  could  not  keep,  her 
virginity ;  not  lost,  but  torn  from  her  by  a  cruel  violence.  She 
rends  her  princely  robe,  and  laid  ashes  on  her  head,  and  laments 
the  shame  of  another's  sin,  and  lives  more  desolate  than  a  widow 
in  the  house  of  her  brother  Absalom. 

In  the  mean  time,  what  a  corrosive  must  this  news  needs  be  to 
the  heart  of  good  David,  whose  fatherly  command  had  out  of 
love  cast  his  daughter  into  the  jaws  of  this  lion !  What  an  insolent 


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470  Amnon  and  Tamar.  book  r 

affront  must  be  needs  construe  this,  to  be  offered  by  a  son  to  a 
father;  that  the  father  should  be  made  the  pander  of  his  own 
daughter  to  his  son !  He  that  lay  upon  the  ground  weeping  for 
but  the  sickness  of  an  infant,  how  vexed  do  we  think  he  was  with 
the  villany  of  his  heir,  with  the  ravishment  of  his  daughter ;  both 
of  them  worse  than  many  deaths !  What  revenge  can  he  think 
of  for  so  heinous  a  crime  less  than  death ;  and  what  less  than 
death  is  it  to  him  to  think  of  a  revenge  ?  Rape  was  by  the  law 
of  God  capital ;  how  much  more  when  it  is  seconded  with  incest ! 
Anger  was  not  punishment  enough  for  so  high  an  offence:  yet 
this  is  all  that  I  hear  of  from  so  indulgent  a  father ;  saving  that 
he  makes  up  the  rest  with  sorrow,  punishing  his  son's  outrage  in 
himself.  The  better  natured  and  more  gracious  a  man  is,  the 
more  subject  hg  is  to  the  danger  of  an  over-remissness,  and  the 
excess  of  favour  and  mercy.  The  mild  injustice  is  no  less  perilous 
to  the  commonwealth  than  the  cruel. 

If  David  (perhaps  out  of  the  conscience  of  his  own  late  offence) 
will  not  punish  this  fact,  his  son  Absalom  shall ;  not  out  of  any 
care  of  justice,  but  in  a  desire  of  revenge.  Two  whole  years  hath 
this  sly  courtier  smothered  his  indignation,  and  feigned  kindness ; 
else  his  invitation  of  Amnon  in  special  had  been  suspected. 

Even  gallant  Absalom  was  a  great  sheepmaster.  The  bravery 
and  magnificence  of  a  courtier  must  be  built  upon  the  grounds  of 
frugality. 

David  himself  is  bidden  to  this  bloody  sheepshearing.  It  was 
no  otherwise  meant  but  that  the  father's  eyes  should  be  the  wit- 
nesses of  the  tragical  execution  of  one  son  by  another.  Only 
David's  love  kept  him  from  that  horrible  spectacle.  He  is  careful 
not  to  be  chargeable  to  that  son  who  cares  not  to  overcharge  his 
father's  stomach  with  a  feast  of  blood. 

Amnon  hath  so  quite  forgot  his  sin,  that  he  dares  go  to  feast 
in  that  house  where  Tamar  was  mourning ;  and  suspects  not  the 
kindness  of  him  whom  he  had  deserved  of  a  brother  to  make  an 
enemy.  Nothing  is  more  unsafe  to  be  trusted  than  the  fair  looks 
of  a  festered  heart.  Where  true  charity  or  just  satisfaction  have 
not  wrought  a  sound  reconciliation,  malice  doth  but  lurk  for  the 
opportunity  of  an  advantage. 

It  was  not  for  nothing  that  Absalom  deferred  his  revenge, 
which  is  now  so  much  more  exquisite  as  it  is  longer  protracted. 
What  could  be  more  fearful,  than  when  Amnon's  heart  was  merry 
with  wine  to  be  suddenly  stricken  with  death  ?  As  if  this  execution 


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3ont.  vii.  Absalom's  return  and  conspiracy.  471 

had  been  no  less  intended  to  the  soul  than  to  the  body.  How 
wickedly  soever  this  was  done  by  Absalom,  yet  how  just  was  it 
with  God,  that  he  who  in  two  years'  impunity  would  find  no 
leisure  of  repentance  should  now  receive  a  punishment  without 
possibility  of  repentance ! 

O  God,  thou  art  righteous  to  reckon  for  those  sins  which  human 
partiality  or  negligence  hath  omitted ;  and  while  thou  punishest 
sin  with  sin,  to  punish  sin  with  death.  If  either  David  had  called 
Amnon  to  account  for  this  villany,  or  Amnon  had  called  himself, 
the  revenge  had  not  been  so  desperate.  Happy  is  the  man  that 
by  an  unfeigned  repentance  acquits  his  soul  from  his  known  evils, 
and  improves  the  days  of  his  peace  to  the  prevention  of  future 
vengeance ;  which  if  it  be  not  done,  the  hand  of  God  shall  as 
surely  overtake  us  in  judgment  as  the  hand  of  Satan  hath  over- 
taken us  in  miscarriage  unto  sin. 


ABSALOM'S  RETURN  AND  CONSPIRACY.— %  Samuel  xiv. 

One  act  of  injustice  draws  on  another.  The  injustice  of  David 
in  not  punishing  the  rape  of  Amnon  procures  the  injustice  of 
Absalom  in  punishing  Amnon  with  murder.  That  which  the 
father  should  have  justly  revenged  and  did  not,  the  son  revenges 
unjustly. 

The  rape  of  a  sister  was  no  less  worthy  of  death  than  the 
murder  of  a  brother ;  yea,  this  latter  sin  was  therefore  the  less, 
because  that  brother  was  worthy  of  death,  though  by  another 
hand ;  whereas  that  sister  was  guilty  of  nothing  but  modest 
beauty :  yet  he  that  knew  this  rape  passed  over  two  whole  years 
with  impunity,  dares  not  trust  the  mercy  of  a  father  in  the  par- 
don of  his  murder,  but  for  three  years  hides  his  head  in  the 
court  of  his  grandfather  the  king  of  Geshur.  Doubtless  that 
heathenish  prince  gave  him  a  kind  welcome  for  so  meritorious  a 
revenge  of  the  dishonour  done  to  his  own  loins. 

No  man  can  tell  how  Absalom  should  have  sped  from  the  hands 
of  his  otherwise  over-indulgent  father,  if  he  had  been  apprehended 
in  the  heat  of  the  fact.  Even  the  largest  love  may  be  over- 
strained, and  may  give  a  fall  in  the  breaking.  These  fearful 
effects  of  lenity  might  perhaps  have  whetted  the  severity  of 
David  to  shut  up  these  outrages  in  blood.  Now  this  displeasure 
was  weakened  with  age.     Time  and  thoughts  have  digested  this 


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472  Absalom  s  return  and  conspiracy.  book  * 

hard  morsel.  David's  heart  told  him  that  his  hands  had  a  share  in 
this  offence ;  that  Absalom  did  but  give  that  stroke  which  himself 
had  wrongfully  forborne ;  that  the  irrecoverable  loss  of  one  son 
would  be  but  wofully  relieved  with  the  loss  of  another :  he  there- 
fore, that  in  the  news  of  the  deceased  infant  could  change  his 
clothes  and  wash  himself,  and  cheer  up  his  spirits  with  die  reso- 
lution of,  I  shall  go  to  him,  he  shall  not  return  to  me,  comforts 
himself  concerning  Amnon ;  and  begins  to  long  for  Absalom. 

Those  three  years'  banishment  seemed  not  so  much  a  punish- 
ment to  the  son  as  to  the  father.  Now  David  begins  to  forgire 
himself;  yet  out  of  his  wisdom  so  inclines  to  favour  that  he 
conceals  it;  and  yet  so  conceals  it  that  it  may  be  descried  by 
a  cunning  eye.  If  he  had  cast  out  no  glances  of  affection,  there 
had  been  no  hopes  for  his  Absalom ;  if  he  had  made  profession 
of  love  after  so  foul  an  act,  there  had  been  no  safety  for  others : 
now  he  lets  fall  so  much  secret  grace  as  may  both  hold  up  Absa- 
lom in  the  life  of  his  hopes,  and  not  hearten  the  presumption  of 
others. 

Good  eyes  see  light  through  the  smallest  chink.  The  wit  of 
Joab  hath  soon  discerned  David's  reserved  affection :  and  knows 
how  to  serve  him  in  that  which  he  would,  and  would  not  accom- 
plish :  and  ijow  devises  how  to  bring  into  the  light  that  birth  of 
desire  whereof  he  knew  David  was  both  big  and  ashamed.  A 
woman  of  Tekoah  (that  sex  hath  been  ever  held  more  apt  for 
wiles)  is  suborned  to  personate  a  mourner,  and  to  say  that  by 
way  of  parable  which  in  plain  terms  would  have  sounded  too 
harshly ;  and  now,  while  she  lamentably  lays  forth  the  loss  and 
danger  of  her  sons,  she  shows  David  his  own;  and  while  she 
moves  compassion  to  her  pretended  issue,  she  wins  David  to  a 
pity  of  himself  and  a  favourable  sentence  for  Absalom.  We  love 
ourselves  better  than  others,  but  we  see  others  better  than  our- 
selves. Whoso  would  perfectly  know  his  own  case,  let  him  view 
it  in  another's  person. 

Parables  sped  well  with  David.  One  drew  him  to  repent  of  his 
own  sin ;  another,  to  remit  Absalom's  punishment :  and  now,  as 
glad  to  hear  this  plea,  and  willing  to  be  persuaded  unto  that  which 
if  he  durst  he  would  have  sought  for,  he  gratifies  Joab  with  the 
grant  of  that  suit,  which  Joab  more  gratified  him  in  suing  for; 
Go,  bring  again  the  young  man  Absalom. 

How  glad  is  Joab  that  he  hath  lighted  upon  one  act,  for  which 
the  sun  both  setting  and  rising  should  shine  upon  him!     And 


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cont.  vii.  Absalom  s  return  and  conspiracy.  473 

r  now  he  speeds  to  Geahur,  to  fetch  back  Absalom  to  Jerusalem. 

:  He  may  bring  the  long-banished  prince  to  the  city,  but  to  the 

court  he  may  not  bring  him ;  Let  him  turn  to  his  own  house,  and 

.  let  him  not  see  my  face. 

The  good  king  hath  so  smarted  with  mercy  that  now  he  is 
resolved  upon  austerity,  and  will  relent  but  by  degrees.  It  is 
enough  for  Absalom  that  he  lives,  and  may  now  breathe  his  na- 
tive air:  David's  face  is  no  object  for  the  eyes  of  murderers. 
What  a  darling  this  son  was  to  his  father  appears  in  that  after 
an  unnatural  and  barbarous  rebellion'passionate  David  wishes  to 
have  changed  lives  with  him ;  yet  now,  while  his  bowels  yearned, 
his  brow  frowned.  The  face  may  not  be  seen  where  the  heart 
is  set. 

The  best  of  God's  saints  may  be  blinded  with  affection,  but 
when  they  shall  once  see  their  errors  they  are  careful  to  correct 
them.  Wherefore  serves  the  power  of  grace  but  to  subdue  the 
insolencies  of  nature?  It  is  the  wisdom  of  parents,  as  to  hide 
their  hearts  from  their  best  children,  so  to  hide  their  countenances 
from  the  ungracious.  Fleshly  respects  may  not  abate  their  rigour 
to  the  ill-deserving.  For  the  child  to  see  all  his  father's  love,  it  is 
enough  to  make  him  wanton;  and  of  wanton,  wicked:  for  a 
wicked  child  to  see  any  of  his  father's  love,  it  emboldens  him  in 
evil,  and  draws  on  others. 

Absalom's  house  is  made  his  prison.  Justly  is  he  confined  to 
the  place  which  he  had  stained  with  blood.  Two  years  doth  he 
live  in  Jerusalem  without  the  happiness  of  his  father's  sight.  It 
was  enough  for  David  and  him  to  see  the  smoke  of  each  other's 
chimneys.  In  the  mean  time,  how  impatient  is  Absalom  of  this 
absence !  He  sends  for  Joab,  the  solicitor  of  his  return.  So  hard 
a  hand  doth  wise  and  holy  David  carry  over  his  reduced  son,  that 
his  friendly  intercessor  Joab  dares  not  visit  him. 

He  that  afterwards  kindled  that  seditious  fire  over  all  Israel 
sets  fire  now  on  the  field  of  Joab.  Whom  love  cannot  draw  to 
him,  fear  and  anger  shall. 

Continued  displeasure  hath  made  Absalom  desperate.  Five 
years  had  passed  since  he  saw  the  face  of  his  father ;  and  now  is 
he  no  less  weary  of  his  life  than  of  this  delay :  W/ierefore  am  I 
come  down  from  Oeshur  ?  it  had  been  better  for  me^o  have 
been  there  still :  now  therefore  let  me  see  the  king's  face ;  and  if 
there  be  any  iniquity  in  me>  let  him  kill  me.  Either  banishment 
or  death  seemed  as  tolerable  to  him  as  the  debarring  of  his 
father's  sight. 

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474  Absalom  s  return  and  conspiracy.  book  ii 

What  a  torment  shall  it  be  to  the  wicked  to  be  shut  out  for 
ever  from  the  presence  of  a  God,  without  all  possible  hopes  of 
recovery !  This  was  but  a  father  of  the  flesh,  by  whom  if  Absa- 
lom lived  at  first,  yet  in  him  he  lived  not ;  yea,  not  without  him 
only,  but  against  him,  that  son  found  he  could  live :  God  is  the 
Father  of  spirits,  in  whom  we  so  live  that  without  him  can  be  no 
life,  no  being.  To  be  ever  excluded  from  him  in  whom  we  live 
and  are,  what  can  it  be  but  an  eternal  dying,  an  eternal  perishing  ? 
If  in  thy  presence,  O  God,  be  the  fulness  of  joy,  in  thine  absence 
must  needs  be  the  fulness  of  horror  and  torment.  Bide  not  thy 
face  from  us,  0  Lord,  but  show  us  the  light  of  thy  countenance, 
that  we  may  live  and  praise  thee. 

Even  the  fire  of  Joab's  field  warmed  the  heart  of  David  while 
it  gave  him  proof  of  the  heat  of  Absalom's  filial  affection.  As  a 
man  therefore  inwardly  weary  of  so  long  displeasure,  at  last  be 
receives  Absalom  to  his  sight,  to  his  favour ;  and  seals  his  pardon 
with  a  kiss.  Natural  parents  know  not  how  to  retain  an  ever- 
lasting anger  towards  the  fruit  of  their  loins ;  how  much  less  shall 
the  God  of  mercies  be  unreconcilably  displeased  with  his  own, 
and  suffer  his  wrath  to  burn  like  fire  that  cannot  be  quenched ! 
He  will  not  always  chide,  neither  will  he  keep  his  anger  for 
ever.  His  wrath  endureth  but  a  moment.  In  his  favour  is 
life.  Weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the 
morning. 

Absalom  is  now  as  great  as  fair.  Beauty  and  greatness  make 
him  proud;  pride  works  his  ruin.  Great  spirits  will  not  rest 
content  with  a  moderate  prosperity.  Ere  two  years  be  run  out, 
Absalom  runs  out  into  a  desperate  plot  of  rebellion ;  none  but  his 
own  father  was  above  him  in  Israel.  None  was  so  likely,  in 
human  expectation,  to  succeed  his  father.  If  his  ambition  could 
but  have  contained  itself  for  a  few  years,  as  David  was  now  near 
his  period,  dutiful  carriage  might  have  procured  that  by  succession 
which  now  he  sought  by  force.  An  aspiring  mind  is  ever  impa- 
tient, and  holds  time  itself  an  enemy,  if  it  thrust  itself  impor- 
tunately betwixt  the  hopes  and  fruition.  Ambition  is  never  but 
in  travail,  and  can  find  no  intermission  of  painful  throes  till  she 
have  brought  forth  her  abortive  desires.  How  happy  were  we, 
if  our  afleotetion  could  bo  so  eager  of  spiritual  and  heavenly  promo- 
tions !  O  that  my  soul  could  find  itself  so  restless  till  it  feel  the 
weight  of  that  crown  of  glory ! 

Outward  pomp  and  unwonted  shows  of  magnificence  are  wont 
much  to  affect  the  light  minds  of  the  vulgar.     Absalom  therefore, 

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cont.  vii.  Absalom's  return  and  conspiracy.  475 

to  the  incomparable  comeliness  of  bis  person,  adds  the  unusual 
state  of  more  than  princely  equipage.  His  chariots  rattle  and  his 
horses  trample  proudly  in  the  streets.  Fifty  footmen  run  before 
their  glittering  master.  Jerusalem  rings  of  their  glorious  prince, 
and  is  ready  to  adore  these  continual  triumphs  of  peace. 

Excess  and  novelty  of  expensive  bravery  and  ostentation  in  pub- 
lic persons  give  just  cause  to  suspect  either  vanity  or  a  plot. 

True-hearted  David  can  misdoubt  nothing  in  him  to  whom  he 
had  both  given  life  and  forgiven  this.  Love  construed  all  this  as 
meant  to  the  honour  of  a  father's  court,  to  the  expression  of  joy 
and  thankfulness  for  his  reconcilement. 

The  eyes  and  tongues  of  men  are  thus  taken  up :  now  hath 
Absalom  laid  snares  for  their  hearts  also.  He  rises  early,  and 
stands  beside  the  way  of  the  gate :  Ambition  is  no  niggard  of  her 
pains :  seldom  ever  is  good  meaning  so  industrious :  the  more  he 
shined  in  beauty  and  royal  attendance,  so  much  more  glory  it  was 
to  neglect  himself,  and  to  prefer  the  care  of  justice  to  his  own  ease. 
Neither  is  Absalom  more  painful  than  plausible.  His  ear  is  open 
to  all  plaintiffs,  all  petitioners.  There  is  no  cause  which  he 
flatters  not;  See,  thy  matters  are  good  and  right.  His  hand 
flatters  every  comer  with  a  salutation,  his  lips  with  a  kiss.  AH 
men,  all  matters  are  soothed,  saving  the  state  and  government  : 
the  censure  of  that  is  no  less  deep  than  the  applause  of  all  others ; 
There  is  none  deputed  of  the  king  to  hear  thee.  What  insinua- 
tions could  be  more  powerful  ?  No  music  can  be  so  sweet  to  the 
ears  of  the  unstable  multitude  as  to  hear  well  of  themselves,  ill  of 
their  governors.  Absalom  needs  not  to  wish  himself  upon  the 
bench.  Every  man  says,  "  0  what  a  curious  prince  is  Absalom ! 
what  a  just  and  careful  ruler  would  Absalom  be  I  How  happy 
were  we  if  we  might  be  judged  by  Absalom.  Those  qualities 
which  are  wont  Bingle  to  grace  others  have  conspired  to  meet  in 
Absalom ;  goodliness  of  person,  magnificence  of  state,  gracious 
affability,  unwearied  diligence,  humility  in  greatness,  feeling  pity, 
love  of  justice,  care  of  the  commonwealth.  The  world  hath  not  so 
complete  a  prince  as  Absalom/7  Thus  the  hearts  of  the  people 
are  not  won,  but  stolen,  by  a  close  traitor,  from  their  lawfully 
anointed  sovereign. 

Over-fair  shows  are  a  just  argument  of  unsoundness.  No  na- 
tural face  hath  so  clear  a  white  and  red  as  the  painted.  Nothing 
wants  now  but  a  cloke  of  religion  to  perfect  the  treachery  of  that 
ungracious  son,  who  carried  peace  in  his  name,  war  in  his  heart : 


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476  Absalom *  return  and  conspiracy.  bookxv 

and  how  easily  is  that  pat  on !  Absalom  hath  a  holy  tow  to  be 
paid  in  Hebron  I  The  devout  man  had  made  it  long  since,  while 
he  was  exiled  in  Syria;  and  now  he  hastes  to  perform  it;  If  the 
Lord  shall  bring  me  back  again  to  Jerusalem,  then  will  I  serve 
the  Lord.  Wicked  hypocrites  care  not  to  play  with  God  that 
they  may  mock  men.  The  more  deformed  any  act  is,  the  fairer 
visor  it  still  seeketh. 

How  glad  is  the  good  old  king  that  he  is  blessed  with  so  godly 
a  son,  whom  he  dismisseth  laden  with  his  causeless  blessings! 
What  trust  is  there  in  flesh  and  blood,  when  David  is  not  safe 
from  his  own  loins  ? 

The  conspiracy  is  now  fully  forged,  there  lacked  nothing  but 
this  guilt  of  piety  to  win  favour  and  value  in  all  eyes ;  and  now  it 
is  a  wonder  that  but  two  hundred  honest  citizens  go  up  with  Ab- 
salom from  Jerusalem.  The  truehearted  lie  most  open  to  cre- 
dulity. How  easy  it  is  to  beguile  harmless  intentions !  The  name 
of  David's  son  carries  them  against  the  father  of  Absalom ;  and 
now  these  simple  Israelites  are  unwittingly  made  loyal  rebels. 
Their  hearts  are  free  from  a  plot,  and  they  mean  nothing  but 
fidelity  in  the  attendance  of  a  traitor.  How  many  thousands  are 
thus  ignorantly  misled  into  the  train  of  error !  Their  simplicity 
is  as  worthy  of  pity  as  their  misguidance  of  indignation.  Those  that 
will  suffer  themselves  to  be  carried  with  semblances  of  truth  and 
faithfulness  must  needs  be  as  far  from  safety  as  innocence. 


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CONTEMPLATIONS 

UPON  THB 

PRINCIPAL  PASSAGES 

OF  THB 

HOLY    STORY. 


THE  FIFTH  VOLUME. 


BOOK   XVI. 


TO  THB  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  AND  TRULY  NOBLE  LORD, 

FRANCIS,  LORD  RUSSELL  a, 

BARON  OF  THORNHAUGH  ; 
ALL  INCREASE  OF  HONOUR  AND   HAPPINESS. 

Right  Honourable, — You  shall  not  need  to  impute  it  to  any  other  reason 
besides  your  virtues,  that  I  have  presumed  to  shroud  this  piece  of  my  labours 
under  your  noble  patronage.  The  world  hath  taken  just  notice  how  much 
the  gospel  is  graced  by  your  real  profession;  wbom  neither  honour  hath 
made  overlie,  nor  wealth  lavish,  nor  charge  miserable,  nor  greatness  licen- 
tious. Go  on  happily  in  these  safe  and  gainful  steps  of  goodness,  and  still 
honour  the  God  that  hath  honoured  you.  In  the  mean  time,  accept  from  my 
unworthy  hands  these  poor  Meditations;  more  high  for  their  subject  than 
mean  for  their  author :  wherein  Shimei's  curses  shall  teach  you  how  unable 
either  greatness  or  innocence  is  to  bear  off  the  blows  of  ill  tongues;  and  bow 
baseness  ever  moulds  itself  according  to  the  advantage  of  times.  Ahithophel's 
depth,  compared  with  his  end,  shall  show  how  witless  and  insensate  craft  is 
when  it  strives  against  honesty;  and  how  justly  are  they  forsaken  of  their 
reason  that  have  abandoned  God.  The  blood  of  Absalom  and  Sheba  pro- 
claims the  inevitable  revenge  of  rebellion,  which  neither  in  woods  nor  walls 
can  find  safety.  The  late  famine  of  Israel,  for  the  forgotten  violence  offered 
to  the  Gibeonitee,  shows  what  note  God  takes  of  our  oaths,  and  what  sure 
vengeance  of  their  violation.  David's  muster,  seconded  with  the  plague  of 
Israel,  teaches  how  highly  God  may  be  offended  with  sins  of  the  least  appear- 
ance ;  how  severe  to  his  own ;  how  merciful  too  that  severity.  If  these  my 
thoughts  shall  be  approved  beneficial  to  any  soul,  I  am  rich.  I  shall  vow  my 
prayers  to  their  success,  and  to  the  happiness  of  your  honourable  family,  both 
in  the  root  and  branches ;  whereto  I  am,  in  all  humble  duty,  devoted, 

JOS.  HALL. 

a  [Second  Lord  Russell,  of  Thornhaugh,  afterwards  fourth  Earl  of  Bedford.] 


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47S  Shimei  cursing.  book  xvi. 

SHIMEI  CURSING.— 2  Samuel  xvi. 

With  a  heavy  heart,  and  a  covered  head,  and  a  weeping  eye, 
and  bare  feet,  is  David  gone  away  from  Jerusalem.  Never  did 
he  with  more  joy  come  up  to  this  city  than  now  he  left  it  with 
sorrow :  how  could  he  do  otherwise,  whom  the  insurrection  of 
his  own  son  drove  out  from  his  house,  from  his  throne,  from  the 
ark  of  God  ? 

And  now,  when  the  depth  of  this  grief  deserved  nothing  but 
compassion,  the  foul  mouth  of  Shimei  entertains  David  with 
curses.  There  is  no  small  cruelty  in  the  picking  out  of  a  time 
for  mischief.  That  word  would  scarce  gall  at  one  season  which 
at  another  killeth.  The  same  shaft  flying  with  the  wind  pierces 
deep  which  against  it  can  hardly  find  strength  to  stick  upright. 
The  valour  and  justice  of  children  condemn  it  for  injuriously 
cowardly  to  strike  their  adversary  when  he  is  once  down.  It 
is  the  murder  of  the  tongue  to  insult  upon  those  whom  God 
hath  humbled,  and  to  draw  blood  of  that  back  which  is  yet 
blue  from  the  hand  of  the  Almighty.  If  Shimei  had  not  pre- 
sumed upon  David's  dejection,  he  durst  not  have  been  thus  bold ; 
now  he  that  perhaps  durst  not  have  looked  at  one  of  those 
worthies  single,  defies  them  all  at  once,  and  doth  both  cast  and 
speak  stones  against  David  and  all  his  army.  The  malice  of 
base  spirits  sometimes  carries  them  further  than  the  courage  of 
the  valiant. 

In  all  the  time  of  David's  prosperity  we  heard  no  news  of 
Shimei :  his  silence  and  colourable  obedience  made  him  pass  for 
a  great  subject;  yet  all  that  while  was  his  heart  unsound  and 
traitorous.  Peace  and  good  success  hide  many  a  false  heart, 
like  as  the  snowdrift  covers  an  heap  of  dung,  which  once  melting 
away  descries  the  rottenness  that  lay  within.  Honour  and  welfare 
are  but  flattering  glasses  of  men's  affections.  Adversity  will  not 
deceive  us,  but  will  make  a  true  report,  as  of  our  own  powers,  so 
of  the  disposition  of  others. 

He  that  smiled  on  David  in  his  throne  curseth  him  in  his 
flight.  If  there  be  any  quarrels,  any  exceptions  to  be  taken 
against  a  man,  let  him  look  to  have  them  laid  in  his  dish  when 
he  fares  the  hardest  This  practice  have  wicked  men  learned  of 
their  master,  to  take  the  utmost  advantages  of  our  afflictions.  He 
that  suffers  had  need  to  be  double  armed  both  against  pain  and 
censure. 


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3ont.  i.  Shimei  cursing.  479 

Every  word  of  Shimei  was  a  slander :  he  that  took  Saul's  spear 
from  his  head,  and  repented  to  have  but  cut  the  lap  of  his  gar- 
ment, is  reproached  as  a  man  of  blood :  the  man  after  God's  own 
heart  is  branded  for  a  man  of  Belial.  He  that  was  sent  for  out  of 
the  fields  to  be  anointed  is  taxed  for  an  usurper.  If  David's  hand 
were  stained  with  blood,  yet  not  of  Saul's  house ;  it  was  his  ser- 
vant, not  his  master,  that  bled  by  him ;  yet  is  the  blood  of  the 
Lord's  anointed  cast  in  David's  teeth  by  the  spite  of  a  false 
tongue.  Did  we  not  see  David,  after  all  the  proofs  of  his  humble 
loyalty,  shedding  the  blood  of  that  Amalekite  who  did  but  say  he 
shed  Saul's  ?  Did  we  not  hear  him  lament  passionately  for  the 
death  of  so  ill  a  master,  chiding  the  mountains  of  Gilboa  on  which 
he  fell,  and  angrily  wishing  that  no  dew  might  fall  where  that 
blood  was  poured  out ;  and  charging  the  daughters  of  Israel  to 
weep  over  Saul  who  had  clothed  them  in  scarlet?  Did  we  not 
hear  and  see  him  inquiring  for  any  remainder  of  the  house  of 
Saul,  that  he  might  show  him  the  kindness  of  God?  Did  we 
not  see  him  honouring  lame  Mephibosheth  with  a  princely  seat 
at  his  own  table  ?  Did  we  not  see  him  revenging  the  blood  of  his 
rival  Ishbosheth  upon  the  heads  of  Rechab  and  Baanah  ?  What 
could  any  living  man  have  done  more  to  wipe  off  these  bloody 
aspersions?  Tet  is  not  a  Shimei  ashamed  to  charge  innocent 
David  with  all  the  blood  of  the  house  of  Saul.  How  is  it  likely 
this  clamorous  wretch  had  secretly  traduced  the  name  of  David 
all  the  time  of  his  government,  that  dares  thus  accuse  him  to  his 
face  before  all  the  mighty  men  of  Israel,  who  were  witnesses  of  the 
contrary  I 

The  greater  the  person  is,  the  more  open  do  his  actions  lie  to 
misinterpretation  and  censure.  Every  tongue  speaks  partially, 
according  to  the  interest  he  hath  in  the  cause  or  the  patient.  It 
is  not  possible  that  eminent  persons  should  be  free  from  imputa- 
tions :  innocence  can  no  more  protect  them  than  power. 

If  the  patience  of  David  can  digest  this  indignity,  his  train 
cannot.  Their  fingers  could  not  but  itch  to  return  iron  for  stones. 
If  Shimei  rail  on  David,  Abishai  rails  on  Shimei.  Shimei  is  of 
Saul's  family;  Abishai  of  David's:  each  speaks  for  his  own. 
Abishai  most  justly  bends  his  tongue  against  Shimei,  as  Shimei 
against  David  most  unjustly.  Had  Shimei  been  any  other  than  a 
dog,  he  had  never  so  rudely  barked  at  an  harmless  passenger : 
neither  could  he  deserve  less  than  the  loss  of  that  head  which  had 


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480  Shimei  cursing.  book  xt: 

uttered  such  blasphemies  against  God's  anointed.  The  zeal  of 
Abishai  doth  but  plead  for  justice,  and  is  checked ;  What  have  I 
to  do  with  you,  ye  sons  ofZeruidh  ?  David  said  not  so  much  to 
his  reviler  as  to  his  abettor.  He  well  saw  that  a  revenge  was 
just,  but  not  seasonable.  He  found  the  present  a  fit  time  to  suffer 
wrongs,  not  to  right  them ;  he  therefore  gives  way  rather  meekly 
to  his  own  humiliation  than  to  the  punishment  of  another.  There 
are  seasons  wherein  lawful  motions  are  not  fit  to  be  cherished : 
anger  doth  not  become  a  mourner :  one  passion  at  once  is  enough 
for  the  soul.  Unadvised  zeal  may  be  more  prejudicial  than  a 
cold  remissness. 

What  if  the  Lord,  for  the  correction  of  his  servant,  have  said 
unto  Shimei,  Curse  David;  yet  is  Shimei's  curse  no  less  worthy 
of  Abishai's  sword.  The  sin  of  Shimei's  curse  was  his  own ;  the 
smart  of  the  curse  was  God's.  God  wills  that  as  David's  chas- 
tisement which  ho  hates  as  Shimei  wickedness.  That  lewd 
tongue  moved  from  God ;  it  moved  lewdly  from  Satan.  Wicked 
men  are  never  the  freer  from  guilt  or  punishment  for  that  hand 
which  the  Holy  God  hath  in  their  offensive  actions.  Yet  David 
can  say,  Let  him  alone,  and  let  him  curse  ;  for  the  Lord  hath 
bidden  him;  as  meaning  to  give  a  reason  of  his  own  patience 
rather  than  Shimei's  impunity.  The  issue  showed  how  well 
David  could  distinguish  betwixt  the  act  of  God  and  of  a  traitor ; 
how  he  could  both  kiss  the  rod  and  burn  it.  There  can  be  none 
so  strong  motive  of  our  meek  submission  to  evils  as  the  acknow- 
ledgment of  their  original.  He  that  can  see  the  hand  of  God 
striking  him  by  the  hand  or  tongue  of  an  enemy,  shall  more  awe 
the  first  mover  of  his  arm  than  malign  the  instrument. 

Even  while  David  laments  the  rebellion  of  his  son,  he  gains  by 
it ;  and  makes  that  the  argument  of  his  patience  which  was  the 
exercise  of  it;  Behold,  my  son,  which  came  forth  of  my  bowels, 
seeketh  my  life ;  how  much  more  now  may  this  Benjamite  do  it  ? 
The  wickedness  of  an  Absalom  may  rob  his  father  of  comfort,  but 
shall  help  to  add  to  his  father's  goodness.  It  is  the  advantage  of 
great  crosses  that  they  swallow  up  the  less.  One  man's  sin  cannot 
be  excused  by  another's ;  the  lesser  by  the  greater ;  if  Absalom 
be  a  traitor,  Shimei  may  not  curse  and  rebel :  but  the  passion 
conceived  from  the  indignity  of  a  stranger  may  be  abated  by  the 
harder  measure  ef  our  own.  If  we  can  therefore  suffer  because 
we  have  suffered,  we  have  profited  by  our  affliction.     A  weak 


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roNT.  i.  Shimei  cursing.  .  481 

heart  faints  with  every  addition  of  succeeding  trouble :  the  strong 
recollects  itself,  and  is  grown  so  skilful  that  it  bears  off  one 
mischief  with  another. 

It  is  not  either  the  unnatural  insurrection  of  Absalom  nor  the 
unjust  curses  of  Shimei  that  can  put  David  quite  out  of  heart ; 
It  may  be  that  the  Lord  will  look  on  mine  affliction,  and  will 
requite  good  for  his  cursing  this  day.  So  well  was  David  ac- 
quainted with  the  proceedings  of  God,  that  he  knew  cherishing 
was  ever  wont  to  follow  stripes;  after  vehement  evacuations, 
cordials ;  after  a  dark  night,  the  clear  light  of  the  morning :  hope 
therefore  doth  not  only  uphold,  but  cheer  up  his  heart  in  the 
midst  of  his  sorrow.  If  we  can  look  beyond  the  cloud  of  our  afflic- 
tion, and  see  the  sunshine  of  comfort  on  the  other  side  of  it,  we 
cannot  be'so  discouraged  with  the  presence  of  evil,  as  heartened 
with  the  issue ;  as,  on  the  contrary,  let  a  man  be  never  so  merry 
within,  and  see  pain  and  misery  waiting  for  him  at  the  door,  his 
expectation  of  evil  shall  easily  daunt  all  the  sense  of  his  pleasure. 
The  retributions  of  temporal  favours  go  but  by  peradventures, 
It  may  be  the  Lord  will  look  on  mine  affliction ;  of  eternal, 
are  certain  and  infallible.  If  we  suffer,  we  shall  reign.  Why 
should  not  the  assurance  of  reigning  make  us  triumph  in  suf- 
fering ? 

David's  patience  draws  on  the  insolence  of  Shimei.  Evil  natures 
grow  presumptuous  upon  forbearance:  in  good  dispositions,  in- 
jury unanswered  grows  weary  of  itself,  and  dies  in  a  voluntary 
remorse ;  but  in  those  dogged  stomachs,  which  are  only  capable 
of  therestraints  of  fear,  the  silent  digestion  of  a  former  wrong  pro- 
vokes a  second.  Mercy  had  need  to  be  guided  with  wisdom,  lest 
it  prove  cruel  to  itself. 

O  the  base  minds  of  inconstant  timeservers !  Stay  but  a  while, 
till  the  wheel  be  a  little  turned,  you  shall  see  humble  Shimei  fall 
down  on  his  face  before  David  in  his  return  over  Jordan :  now, 
his  submission  shall  equal  his  former  rudeness ;  his  prayers  shall 
requite  his  curses :  his  tears  make  amends  for  his  stones :  Let  not 
my  lord  impute  iniquity  unto  me,  neither  do  thou  remember  that 
which  thy  servant  did  perversely  the  day  that  my  lord  the  king 
went  out  of  Jerusalem^  that  the  king  should  take  it  to  heart.  For 
thy  servant  doth  know  that  I  have  sinned.  Falsehearted  Shimei ! 
had  Absalom  prospered,  thou  hadst  not  sinned ;  thou  hadst  not 
repented :  then  hadst  thou  bragged  of  thine  insultation  over  his 
miseries  whose  pardon  thou  now  beggest  with  tears.    The  changes 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  I  i 


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482  Ahithophel.  book  vt 

of  worldly  minds  are  thankless,  since  they  are  neither  wrought 
out  of  conscience  or  love,  but  only  by  slavish  fear  of  just  punish- 
ment. 

David  could  say  no  more  to  testify  his  sorrow  for  his  heinous 
sins  against  God  to  Nathan,  than  Shimei  says  of  himself  to  David ; 
whereto  may  be  added  the  advantage  of  a  voluntary  confession  in 
this  offender,  which  in  David  was  extorted  by  the  reproof  of  a 
prophet:  yet  is  David's  confession  seriously  penitent;  Shimei's 
craftily  hypocritical.  Those  alterations  are  justly  suspected  which 
are  shaped  according  to  the  times  and  outward  occasions:  the 
true  penitent  looks  only  at  God  and  his  sin,  and  is  changed  when 
all  other  things  are  themselves. 

Great  offences  had  need  of  answerable  satisfaction.  As  Shimei 
was  the  only  man  of  the  house  of  Benjamin  that  came* forth  and 
cursed  David  in  his  flight,  so  is  he  the  first  man  (even  before 
those  of  Joseph,  though  nearer  in  situation)  that  comes  to  meet 
David  in  his  return  with  prayers  and  gratulations.  Notorious 
offenders  may  not  think  to  sit  down  with  the  task  of  ordinary 
services.  The  retributions  of  their  obedience  must  be  propor- 
tionable to  their  crimes. 


AHITHOPHEL.— a  Samuel  xvi,  xvii. 

So  soon  as  David  heard  of  Ahithophel's  hand  in  that  conspi- 
racy, he  falls  to  his  prayers;  0  Lord,  I  pray  thee,  turn  the 
counsel  of  Ahithophel  into  foolishness.  The  known  wisdom  of 
his  revolted  counsellor  made  him  a  dangerous  and  dreadful  ad- 
versary. Great  parts  misemployed  cannot  but  prove  most  mis- 
chievous.  When  wickedness  is  armed  with  wit  and  power,  none 
but  a  God  can  defeat  it :  when  we  are  matched  with  a  strong 
and  subtle  enemy,  it  is  high  time,  if  ever,  to  be  devout :  if  the 
bounty  of  God  have  thought  good  to  furnish  his  creatures  with 
powers  to  war  against  himself,  his  wisdom  knows  how  to  turn  the 
abuse  of  those  powers  to  the  shame  of  the  owners  and  the  glory 
of  the  giver. 

O  the  policy  of  this  Machiavel  of  Israel,  no  less  deep  than 
hell  itself!  "  Go  in  to  thy  father's  concubines,  which  he  hath 
Iqfi  to  keep  the  house ;  and  when  all  Israel  shall  hear  that  thou 
art  abhorred  of  thy  father,  the  hands  of  all  that  are  with  tfiee 
shall  be  strong.    The  first  care  must  be  to  secure  the  faction. 


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;ont.  ii.  AhithopheL         •  48S 

There  can  be  no  safety  in  siding  with  a  doubtful  rebel.  If  Ab- 
salom be  a  traitor,  yet  he  is  a  son.  Nature  may  return  to  itself: 
Absalom  may  relent ;  David  may  remit :  where  then  are  we  that 
have  helped  to  promote  the  conspiracy?  The  danger  is  ours 
while  this  breach  may  be  pieced.  There  is  no  way  but  to  engage 
Absalom  in  some  further  act,  incapable  of  forgiveness.  Besides 
the  throne,  let  him  violate  the  bed  of  his  father :  unto  his  treason 
let  him  add  an  incest  no  less  unnatural :  now  shall  the  world  see 
that  Absalom  neither  hopes  nor  cares  for  the  reconciliation  of  a 
father.  Our  quarrel  can  never  have  any  safe  end  but  victory ; 
the  hope  whereof  depends  upon  the  resolution  of  our  followers : 
they  cannot  be  resolute  but  upon  the  unpardonable  wickedness  of 
their  leader.  Neither  can  this  villany  be  shameful  enough  if  it  be 
secret.  The  closeness  of  evil  argues  fear  or  modesty ;  neither  of 
which  can  beseem  him  that  would  be  a  successful  traitor :  set  up 
a  tent  on  the  top  of  the  house,  and  let  all  Israel  be  witnesses  of 
thy  sin  and  thy  father's  shame.  Ordinary  crimes  are  for  vulgar 
offenders:  let  Absalom  sin  eminently,  and  do  that  which  may 
make  the  world  at  once  to  blush  and  wonder." 

Who  would  ever  have  thought  that  Ahithophel  had  lived  at 
court,  at  the  council  table  of  a  David  ?  Who  would  think  that 
mouth  had  ever  spoken  well  ?  Yet  had  he  been  no  other  than 
as  the  oracle  of  God  to  the  religious  court  of  Israel ;  even  while 
he  was  not  wise  enough  to  be  good.  Policy  and  grace  are  not 
always  lodged  under  one  roof.  This  man,  while  he  was  one  of 
David's  deep  counsellors,  was  one  of  David's  fools,  that  said  in 
their  hearts,  There  is  no  God ;  else  he  could  not  have  hoped  to 
make  good  an  evil  with  worse,  to  build  the  success  of  treason 
upon  incest.  Profane  hearts  do  so  contrive  the  plots  of  their 
wickedness,  as  if  there  were  no  overruling  power  to  cross  their 
designs  or  to  revenge  them.  He  that  sits  in  heaven  laughs  them 
to  scorn,  and  so  far  gives  way  to  their  sins,  as  their  sins  may 
prove  plagues  unto  themselves. 

These  two  sons  of  David  met  with  pestilent  counsel :  Amnon  is 
advised  to  incest  with  his  sister ;  Absalom  is  advised  to  incest  with 
his  father's  concubines:  that  by  Jonadab,  this  by  Ahithophel. 
Both  prevail.  It  is  as  easy  at  least  to  take  ill  counsel  as  to  give 
it.  Proneness  to  villany  in  the  great  cannot  want  either  pro- 
jectors to  devise  or  parasites  to  execute  the  most  odious  sins. 

The  tent  is  spread,  lest  it  should  not  be  conspicuous  enough,  on 
the  top  of  the  house.     The  act  is  done  in  the  sight  of  all  Israel. 

i  i  2 

Digitized  by  LjOOQIC 


484  Ahithophel  book  x\ 

The  filthiness  of  the  sin  was  not  so  great  as  the  impudency  of  the 
manner.  When  the  prophet  Nathan  came  with  that  heavy  message 
of  reproof  and  menace  to  David  after  his  sin  with  Bathsheba,  he 
could  say  from  God,  Behold,  I  will  raise  up  evil  against  thee 
out  of  thine  own  house,  and  will  take  thy  wives  before  thine 
eyes,  and  give  them  unto  thy  neighbour,  and  he  shall  lie  with 
thy  wives  in  the  sight  of  this  sun.  For  thou  didst  it  secretly: 
but  I  will  do  this  thing  before  ail  Israel,  and  before  the  sun. 
The  counsel  of  Ahithophel  and  the  lust  of  Absalom  have  fulfilled 
the  judgment  of  God.  O  the  wisdom  of  the  Almighty,  that  can 
use  the  worst  evils  well,  and  most  justly  make  the  sins  of  men  his 
executioners  I 

It  was  the  sin  of  Reuben  that  he  defiled  his  father's  bed ;  yet 
not  in  the  same  height  of  lewdness.  What  Reuben  did  in  a  youth- 
ful wantonness,  Absalom  did  in  a  malicious  despite :  Reuben  sinned 
with  one,  Absalom  with  ten;  Reuben  secretly,  Absalom  in  the 
open  eyes  of  heaven  and  earth :  yet  old  Jacob  could  say  of  Reu- 
ben, Thou  shalt  not  excel;  thy  dignity  is  gone;  while  Ahithophel 
says  to  Absalom,  "  Thy  dignity  shall  arise  from  incest ;  climb  up 
to  thy  father's  bed,  if  thou  wilt  sit  in  his  throne."  If  Ahithophel 
were  a  politician,  Jacob  was  a  prophet ;  if  the  one  spake  from 
carnal  sense,  the  other  from  divine  revelation.  Certainly,  to  sin 
is  not  the  way  to  prosper :  whatever  vain  fools  promise  to 
themselves,  there  is  no  wisdom,  nor  understanding,  nor  counsel 
against  the  Lord. 

After  the  rebellion  is  secured  for  continuance,  the  next  care  is 
that  it  may  end  in  victory.  This  also  hath  the  working  head  of 
Ahithophel  projected.  Wit  and  experience  told  him  that  in  these 
cases  of  assault  celerity  uses  to  bring  forth  the  happiest  despatch, 
whereas  protraction  is  no  small  advantage  to  the  defendant.  Let 
me,  saith  he,  choose  out  now  twelve  thousand  men,  and  I  will  up 
and  follow  after  David  this  night :  and  I  will  come  upon  him 
while  he  is  weary  and  weak  handed.  No  advice  could  be  more 
pernicious ;  for  besides  the  weariness  and  unreadiness  of  David 
and  his  army,  the  spirits  of  that  worthy  leader  were  daunted  and 
dejected  with  sorrow,  and  offered  way  to  the  violence  of  a  sudden 
assault.  The  field  had  been  half  won  ere  any  blow  stricken. 
Ahithophel  could  not  have  been  reputed  so  wise  if  he  had  not 
learned  the  due  proportion  betwixt  actions  and  times.  He  that 
observeth  every  wind  shall  never  sow,  but  he  that  observeth  no 
wind  at  all  shall  never  reap. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


ont.  n.  AhithopheL  485 

The  likeliest  devices  do  not  always  succeed.  The  God  that  had 
appointed  to  establish  David's  throne,  and  determined  Solomon  to 
his  succession,  finds  means  to  cross  the  plot  of  Ahithophel  by  a 
less  probable  advice.  Hushai  was  not  sent  back  for  nothing. 
Where  God  hath  in  his  secret  will  decreed  any  event,  he  inclines 
the  wills  of  men  to  approve  that  which  may  promote  his  own 
purposes.  Neither  had  Hushai  so  deep  a  head,  neither  was  his 
counsel  so  sure  as  that  of  Ahithophel ;  yet  his  tongue  shall  refel 
Ahithophel  and  divert  Absalom.  The  pretences  were  fairer 
though  the  grounds  were  unsound.  First,  to  sweeten  his  oppo- 
sition, he  yields  the  praise  of  wisdom  to  his  adversary  in  all  other 
counsels,  that  he  may  have  leave  to  deny  it  in  this :  his  very  con- 
tradiction in  the  present  insinuates  a  general  allowance :  then  he 
suggests  certain  apparent  truths  concerning  David's  valour  and 
skill,  to  give  countenance  to  the  inferences  of  his  improbabilities : 
lastly,  he  cunningly  feeds  the  proud  humour  of  Absalom,  in  mag- 
nifying the  power  and  extent  of  his  commands,  and  ends  in  the 
glorious  boasts  of  his  fore-promised  victory.  As  it  is  with  faces, 
so  with  counsel,  that  is  fair  that  pleaseth.  He  that  gives  the 
utterance  to  words  gives  also  their  speed.  Favour,  both  of 
speech  and  men,  is  not  ever  according  to  desert,  but  according 
to  fore-ordination.  The  tongue  of  Hushai  and  the  heart  of  Ab- 
salom are  guided  by  a  power  above  their  own ;  Hushai  shall 
therefore  prevail  with  Absalom,  that  the  treason  of  Absalom  may 
not  prevail.  He  that  worketh  all  in  all  things,  so  disposeth  of 
wicked  men  and  spirits,  that  while  they  do  most  oppose  his  re- 
vealed will,  they  execute  his  secret ;  and  while  they  think  most  to 
please,  they  overthrow  themselves. 

When  Absalom  first  met  Hushai  returned  to  Jerusalem,  he 
upbraided  him  pleasantly  with  the  scoff  of  his  professed  friend- 
ship to  David ;  Is  this  thy  kindness  to  thy  friend  ?  Sometimes 
there  is  more  truth  in  the  mouth  than  in  the  heart ;  more  in  jest 
than  in  earnest.  Hushai  was  a  friend ;  his  stay  was  his  kindness : 
and  now  he  hath  done  that  for  which  he  was  left  at  Jerusalem ; 
disappointed  Ahithophel,  preserved  David.  Neither  did  his  kind- 
ness to  his  friend  rest  here ;  but,  as  one  that  was  justly  jealous 
of  him  with  whom  he  was  allowed  to  temporize,  he  mistrusts  the 
approbation  of  Absalom,  and,  not  daring  to  put  the  life  of  his 
master  upon  such  a  hazard,  he  gives  charge  to  Zadok  and  Abia- 
thar  of  this  intelligence  unto  David.  We  cannot  be  too  suspicious 


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486  Ahithophel.  book  iv 

when  we  have  to  do  with  those  that  are  faithless.  We  cannot  be 
too  curious  of  the  safety  of  good  princes. 

Hushai  fears  not  to  descry  the  secrets  of  Absalom's  counsel. 
To  betray  a  traitor  is  no  other  than  a  commendable  work. 

Zadok  and  Abiathar  are  fast  within  the  gates  of  Jerusalem. 
Their  sons  lay  purposely  abroad  in  the  fields.  This  message, 
that  concerned  no  less  than  the  fife  of  David  and  the  whole 
kingdom  of  Israel,  must  be  trusted  with  a  maid ;  sometimes  it 
pleaseth  the  wisdom  of  God,  who  hath  the  variety  of  heaven  and 
earth  before  him,  to  single  out  weak  instruments  for  great  ser- 
vices ;  and  they  shall  serve  his  turn  as  well  as  the  best :  no  coun- 
cillor of  state  could  have  made  this  despatch  more  effectual. 

Jonathan  and  Ahimaaz  are  sent,  descried)  pursued,  preserved. 
The  fidelity  of  a  maid  instructed  them  in  their  message ;  the 
subtlety  of  a  woman  saved  their  lives.  At  the  well  of  Rogel  they 
received  their  message ;  in  the  well  of  Bahurim  was  their  life  saved. 
The  sudden  wit  of  a  woman  hath  choked  the  mouth  of  her  well 
with  dried  corn,  that  it  might  not  bewray  the  messengers. 

And  now  David  hears  safely  of  his  danger  and  prevents  it ;  and 
though  weary  with  travel  and  laden  with  sorrow,  he  must  spend 
the  night  in  his  remove.  God's  promises  of  his  deliverance  and 
the  confirmation  of  his  kingdom  may  not  make  him  neglect  the 
means  of  his  safety.  If  he  be  faithful,  we  may  not  be  careless; 
since  our  diligence  and  care  are  appointed  for  the  factors  of  that 
divine  providence.  The  acts  of  God  must  abate  nothing  of  ours ; 
rather  must  we  labour,  by  doing  that  which  he  requireth,  to  further 
that  which  he  decreeth. 

There  are  those  that  have  great  wits  for  the  public,  none  for 
themselves :  such  was  Ahithophel ;  who  while  he  had  power  to 
govern  a  state  could  not  tell  how  to  rule  bis  own  passions.  Never 
till  now  do  we  find  his  counsel  balked ;  neither  was  it  now  rejected 
as  ill,  only  Hushai's  was  allowed  for  better.  He  can  live  no  longer 
now  that  he  is  beaten  at  his  own  weapon ;  this  alone  is  cause 
enough  to  saddle  his  ass,  and  to  go  home  and  put  the  halter 
about  his  own  neck.  Pride  causes  men  both  to  misinterpret  dis- 
graces and  to  overrate  them. 

Now  is  David's  prayer  heard,  AhithopheVs  counsel  is  turned 
into  foolishness.  Desperate  Ahithophel  I  What  if  thou  be  not  the 
wisest  man  of  all  Israel  ?  Even  those  that  have  not  attained  to  the 
highest  pitch  of  wisdom  have  found  contentment  in  a  mediocrity. 
What  if  thy  counsel  were  despised  ?    A  wise  man  knows  to  live 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


jont.  in.  The  death  of  Absalom.  487 

happily  in  spite  of  an  unjust  contempt.  What  madness  is  this,  to 
revenge  another  man's  reputation  upon  thyself;  and  while  thou 
strivest  for  the  highest  room  of  wisdom,  to  run  into  the  grossest 
extremity  of  folly  ?  Worldly  wisdom  is  no  protection  from  shame 
and  ruin.  How  easily  may  a  man,  though  naturally  wise,  be  made 
weary  of  life !  A  little  pain,  a  little  shame,  a  little  loss,  a  small 
affront,  can  soon  rob  a  man  of  all  comfort,  and  cause  his  own 
hands  to  rob  him  of  himself.  If  there  be  not  higher  respects  than 
the  world  can  yield  to  maintain  us  in  being,  it  should  be  a  miracle 
if  indignation  did  not  kill  more  than  disease :  now  that  God  by 
whose  appointment  we  live  here,  for  his  most  wise  and  holy  pur- 
poses hath  found  means  to  make  life  sweet,  and  death  terrible. 

What  a  mixture  do  we  find  here  of  wisdom  and  madness! 
Ahithophel  will  needs  hang  himself;  there  is  madness :  he  will 
yet  set  his  house  in  order;  there  is  an  act  of  wisdom.  And  could 
it  be  possible  that  he  who  was  so  wise  as  to  set  his  house  in  order 
should  be  so  mad  as  to  hang  himself?  that  he  should  be  careful 
to  order  his  house  who  regarded  not  to  order  his  impotent 
passions  ?  that  he  should  care  for  his  house  who  cared  not  for 
either  body  or  soul  ?  How  vain  it  is  for  a  man  to  be  wise,  if  he  be 
not  wise  in  God  I  How  preposterous  are  the  cares  of  idle  world- 
lings, that  prefer  all  other  things  to  themselves,  and  while  they 
look  at  what  they  have  in  their  coffers  forget  what  they  have  in 
their  breasts ! 


THE  DEATH  OF  ABSALOM.— 2  Samuel  xvii,  xviii. 

The  same  God  that  raised  enmity  to  David  from  his  own  loins 
procured  him  favour  from  foreigners ;  strangers  shall  relieve  him 
whom  his  own  son  persecutes.  Here  is  not  a  loss,  but  an  exchange 
of  love.  Had  Absalom  been  a  son  of  Ammon,  and  Shobi  a  son  of 
David,  David  had  found  no  cause  of  complaint.  If  God  take  with 
one  hand,  he  gives  with  another  :  while  that  divine  bounty  serves 
us  in  good  meat,  though  not  in  our  own  dishes,  we  have  good 
reason  to  be  thankful.  No  sooner  is  David  come  to  Mehanaim, 
than  BarziUai,  Machir,  and  Shobi  refresh  him  with  provisions. 
Who  ever  saw  any  child  of  God  left  utterly  destitute  ?  Whosoever 
be  the  messenger  of  our  aid,  we  know  whence  he  comes.  Heaven 
shall  want  power  and  earth  means,  before  an  of  the  household  of 
faith  shall  want  maintenance. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


488  The  death  of  Absalom.  book  xvi. 

Ue  that  formerly  was  forced  to  employ  his  arms  for  his  defence 
against  a  tyrannous  father-in-law,  must  now  buckle  them  on 
against  an  unnatural  son.  Now,  therefore,  he  musters  his  men, 
and  ordains  his  commanders,  and  marshals  his  troops ;  and  since 
their  loyal  importunity  will  not  allow  the  hazard  of  his  person, 
he  at  once  encourages  them  by  his  eye  and  restrains  them  with 
his  tongue ;  Deal  gently  with  the  young  man  Absalom  fof  my 
sake. 

How  unreasonably  favourable  are  the  wars  of  a  father !  0  holy 
David,  what  means  this  ill-placed  love,  this  unjust  mercy,  Deal 
gently  with  a  traitor  ?  but  of  all  traitors  with  a  son  ?  of  all  sons, 
with  an  Absalom,  the  graceless  darling  of  so  good  a  father  ?  and 
all  this  for  my  sake,  whose  crown,  whose  blood,  he  hunts  after  ? 
For  whose  sake  should  Absalom  be  pursued,  if  he  must  be  for- 
borne for  thine  ?  He  was  stiil  courteous  to  thy  followers,  affable 
to  suitors,  plausible  to  all  Israel ;  only  to  thee  he  is  cruel. 
Wherefore  are  those  arms,  if  the  cause  of  the  quarrel  must  be 
a  motive  of  mercy  ?  Tet  thou  sayest,  Deal  gently  with  the  young 
man  Absalom  for  my  sake.  Even  in  the  holiest  parents  nature 
may  be  guilty  of  an  injurious  tenderness,  of  a  bloody  indulgence. 

Or  whether  shall  we  not  rather  think  this  was  done  in  type 
of  that  unmeasurable  mercy  of  the  true  King  and  Redeemer  of 
Israel,  who  prayed  for  his  persecutors,  for  his  murderers ;  and 
even  while  they  were  at  once  scorning  and  killing  him  could  say, 
Father )  forgive  them,  for  tliey  know  not  what  they  do?  If  we 
be.  sons,  we  are  ungracious,  we  are  rebellious ;  yet  still  is  our 
Heavenly  Father  thus  compassionately  regardful  of  us.  David 
was  not  sure  of  his  success.  There  was  great  inequality  in  the 
number.  Absalom's  forces  were  more  than  double  to  his.  It 
might  have  come  to  the  contrary  issue,  that  David  should  have 
been  forced  to  say,  Deal  gently  with  the  father  of  Absalom;  but 
in  a  supposition  of  that  victory  which  only  the  goodness  of  his 
cause  bid  him  hope  for,  he  saith,  Deal  gently  with  the  young 
man  Absalom*  As  for  us,  we  are  never  but  under  mercy :  our 
God  needs  no  advantages  to  sweep  us  from  the  earth  any  mo- 
ment ;  yet  he  continues  that  life  and  those  powers  to  us  whereby 
we  provoke  him,  and  bids  his  angels  deal  kindly  with  us  and 
bear  us  in  their  arms,  while  we  lift  up  our  hands  and  bend  our 
tongues  against  heaven.  0  mercy  past  the  comprehension  of  all 
finite  spirits,  and  only  to  be  conceived  by  him  whose  it  is !  never 
more  resembled  by  any  earthly  affection  than  by  this  of  his  de- 


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jont.  in.  The  death  of  Absalom.  489 

puty  and  type ;  Deal  gently  with  the  young  man  Absalom  for 
my  sake. 

The  battle  is  joined.  David's  followers  are  but  a  handful  to 
Absalom's.  How  easily  may  the  fickle  multitude  be  transported 
to  the  wrong  side !  what  they  wanted  in  abettors  is  supplied  in  the 
cause.  Unnatural  ambition  draws  the  sword  of  Absalom ;  David's, 
a  necessary  and  a  just  defence.  They  that  in  simplicity  of  heart 
followed  Absalom  cannot  in  malice  of  heart  persecute  the  father 
.of  Absalom  :  with  what  courage  could  any  Israelite  draw  his  sword 
against  a  David?  or,  on  the  other  side,  who  can  want  courage  to 
fight  for  a  righteous  sovereign  and  father  against  the  conspiracy 
of  a  wicked  son  ? 

The  God  of  hosts,  with  whom  it  is  all  one  to  save  with  many 
or  with  few,  takes  part  with  justice,  and  lets  Israel  feel  what  it  is 
to  bear  arms  for  a  traitorous  usurper.  The  sword  devours  twenty 
thousand  of  them,  and  the  wood  devours  more  than  the  sword. 
It  must  needs  be  a  very  universal  rebellion  wherein  so  many 
perished.  What  virtue  or  merits  can  assure  the  hearts  of  the 
vulgar,  when  so  gracious  a  prince  finds  so  many  revolters? 

Let  no  man  look  to  prosper  by  rebellion :  the  very  thickets, 
and  stakes,  and  pits,  and  wild  beasts  of  the  woods  shall  conspire 
to  the  punishment  of  traitors.  Amongst  the  rest,  see  how  a  fatal 
oak  hath  singled  out  the  ringleader  of  this  hateful  insurrection, 
and  will  at  once  serve  for  his  hangman  and  gallows  by  one  of 
those  spreading  arms  snatching  him  away  to  speedy  execution. 

Absalom  was  comely,  and  he  knew  it  well  enough.  His  hair 
was  no  small  piece  of  his  beauty  nor  matter  of  his  pride.  It  was 
his  wont  to  cut  it  once  a  year ;  not  for  that  it  was  too  long,  but 
too  heavy  :  his  heart  would  have  borne  it  longer  if  his  neck  had 
not  complained.  And  now  the  justice  of  God  hath  plaited  a  halter 
of  those  locks.  Those  tresses  had  formerly  hanged  loosely  dishe- 
velled on  his  shoulders ;  now  he  hangs  by  them.  He  had  wont 
to  weigh  his  hair,  and  was  proud  to  find  it  so  heavy ;  now  his 
hair  poiseth  the  weight  of  his  body,  and  makes  his  burden  his 
torment.  It  is  no  marvel  if  his  own  hair  turned  traitor  to  him 
who  durst  rise  up  against  his  father.  That  part  which  is  misused 
by  man  to  sin  is  commonly  employed  by  God  to  revenge.  The 
revenge  that  it  worketh  for  God  makes  amends  for  the  offence 
whereto  it  is  drawn  against  God.  The  very  beast  whereon  Ab- 
salom sat,  as  weary  to  bear  so  unnatural  a  burden,  resigns  over 
his  load  to  the  tree  of  justice.    There  hangs  Absalom  between 


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490  The  death  of  Absalom.  book  xvi. 

heaven  and  earth,  as  one  that  was  hated  and  abandoned  both  of 
earth  and  heaven.  As  if  God  meant  to  prescribe  this  punishment 
for  traitors,  Absalom,  Ahithophel,  and  Judas,  die  all  one  death. 
So  let  them  perish  that  dare  lift  up  their  hand  against  God's 
anointed ! 

The  honest  soldier  sees  Absalom  hanging  in  the  oak,  and  dares 
not  touch  bim :  his  hands  were  held  with  the  charge  of  David, 
Beware  that  none  touch  the  young  man  Absalom.  Joab  upon 
that  intelligence  sees  him,  and  smites  him  with  no  less  than  three 
darts.  What  the  soldier  forbore  in  obedience,  the  captain  doth 
in  zeal ;  not  fearing  to  prefer  his  sovereign's  safety  to  his  com- 
mand ;  and  more  tendering  the  life  of  a  king  and  peace  of  his 
country  than  the  weak  affection  of  a  father.  I  dare  not  sit  judge 
betwixt  this  zeal  and  that  obedience,  betwixt  the  captain  and  the 
soldier :  the  one  was  a  good  subject,  the  other  a  good  patriot;  the 
one  loved  the  king,  the  other  loved  David,  and  out  of  love  dis- 
obeyed ;  the  one  meant  as  well  as  the  other  sped. 

As  if  God  meant  to  fulfil  the  charge  of  his  anointed  without 
any  blame  of  his  subjects,  it  pleased  him  to  execute  that  imme- 
diate revenge  upon  the  rebel  which  would  have  despatched  him 
without  hand  or  dart  Only  the  mule  and  the  oak  conspired  to 
this  execution ;  but  that  death  would  have  required  more  leisure 
than  it  was  safe  for  Israel  to  give,  and  still  life  would  give  hope 
of  rescue.  To  cut  off  all  fears,  Joab  lends  the  oak  three  darts  to 
help  forward  so  needful  a  work  of  justice. 

All  Israel  did  not  afford  so  firm  a  friend  to  Absalom  as  Joab 
had  been.  Who  but  Joab  had  suborned  the  witty  widow  of 
Tekoah,  to  sue  for  the  recalling  of  Absalom  from  his  three  years9 
exile  ?  Who  but  he  went  to  fetch  him  from  Geshur  to  Jerusalem  ? 
Who  but  he  fetched  him  from  his  house  at  Jerusalem,  whereto  he 
had  been  two  years  confined,  to  the  face,  to  the  lips  of  David  ? 
Tet  now  he  that  was  his  solicitor  for  the  king's  favour  is  his  exe- 
cutioner against  the  king's  charge.  With  honest  hearts  all  re- 
spects either  of  blood  or  friendship  cease  in  the  case  of  treason. 
Well  hath  Joab  forgotten  himself  to  be  a  friend  to  him  who  hath 
forgotten  himself  to  be  a  son.  Even  civilly  the  king  is  our  com- 
mon father ;  our  country  our  common  mother :  nature  hath  no 
private  relations  which  should  not  gladly  give  place  to  these.  He 
is  neither  father,  nor  son,  nor  brother,  nor  friend,  that  conspires 
against  the  common  parent.  Well  doth  he  who  spake  parables 
for  his  master's  son  now  speak  darts  to  his  king's  enemy,  and 


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iont.  in.  The  death  of  Absalom,  491 

pierces  that  heart  which  was  false  to  so  great  a  father.  Those 
i  darts  are  seconded  by  Joab's  followers,  each  man  tries  his  weapon 

upon  so  fair  a  mark. 

One  death  is  not  enough  for  Absalom :  he  is  at  once  hanged, 
shot,  mangled,  stoned.  Justly  was  he  lift  up  to  the  oak  who  had 
lift  up  himself  against  his  father  and  sovereign ;  justly  is  he 
pierced  with  darts  who  had  pierced  his  father's  heart  with  so 
many  sorrows ;  justly  is  he  mangled  who  hath  dismembered  and 
divided  all  Israel ;  justly  is  he  stoned  who  hath  not  only  cursed, 
but  pursued  his  own  parent. 

Now  Joab  sounds  the  retreat,  and  calls  off  his  eager  troops 
from  execution,  however  he  knew  what  his  rebellious  country- 
men bad  deserved  in  following  an  Absalom.  Wise  commanders 
know  how  to  put  a  difference  betwixt  the  heads  of  a  faction  and 
the  misguided  multitude,  and  can  pity  the  one  while  they  take 
revenge  on  the  other. 

So  did  Absalom  esteem  himself,  that  he  thought  it  would  be  a 
wrong  to  the  world  to  want  the  memorial  of  so  goodly  a  person. 
God  had  denied  him  sons :  how  just  it  was  that  he  should  want  a 
son  who  had  robbed  his  father  of  a  son ;  who  would  have  robbed 
himself  of  a  father,  his  father  of  a  kingdom !  It  had  been  pity  so 
poisonous  a  plant  should  have  been  fruitful.  His  pride  shall 
supply  nature :  he  rears  up  a  stately  pillar  in  the  king's  dale,  and 
calls  it  by  his  own  name,  that  he  might  live  in  dead  stones  who 
could  not  survive  in  living  issue:  and  now  behold  this  curious 
pile  ends  in  a  rude  heap,  which  speaks  no  language  but  the 
shame  of  that  carcass  which  it  covers.  Hear  this,  ye  glorious 
fools,  that  care  not  to  perpetuate  any  memory  of  yourselves  to 
the  world  but  of  ill-deserving  greatness.  The  best  of  this  af- 
fectation is  vanity;  the  worst,  infamy  and  dishonour:  whereas, 
the  memorial  of  the  just  shall  be  blessed ;  and  if  his  humility  shall 
refuse  an  epitaph,  and  choose  to  hide  himself  under  the  bare 
earth,  God  himself  shall  engrave  his  name  upon  the  pillar  of 
eternity. 

There  now  lies  Absalom  in  the  pit,  under  a  thousand  grave- 
stones, in  every  of  which  is  written  his  everlasting  reproach. 
Well  might  this  heap  overlive  that  pillar ;  for  when  that  ceased 
to  be  a  pillar,  it  began  to  be  a  heap ;  neither  will  it  cease  to  be 
a  monument  of  Absalom's  shame  while  there  are  stones  to 'be 
found  upon  earth.  Even  at  this  day  very  pagans  and  pilgrims 
that  pass  that  way  cast  each  man  a  stone  unto  that  heap,  and 


492  The  death  of  Absalom.  book  xvi. 

are  wont  to  Bay,  in  a  solemn  execration,  "  Cursed  be  the  parri- 
cide Absalom,  and  cursed  be  all  unjust  persecutors  of  their  pa- 
rents, for  ever."  Fasten  your  eyes  upon  this  woful  spectacle,  O 
all  ye  rebellious  and  ungracious  children,  which  rise  up  against 
the  loins  and  thighs  from  which  ye  fell :  and  know  that  it  is  the 
least  part  of  your  punishment  that  your  carcasses  rot  in  the 
earth,  and  your  name  in  ignominy:  these  do  but  shadow  out 
those  eternal  sufferings  of  your  souls  for  your  foul  and  unnatural 
disobedience. 

Absalom  is  dead.  Who  shall  report  it  to  his  father  ?  Surely 
Joab  was  not  so  much  afraid  of  the  fact  as  of  the  message. 
There  are  busy  spirits  that  love  to  carry  news,  though  thankless, 
though  purposeless;  such  as  Ahimaaz,  the  son  of  Zadok,  who 
importunately  thrust  himself  into  this  service.  Wise  Joab,  who 
well  saw  how  unwelcome  tidings  must  be  the  burden  of  the  first 
post,  dissuades  him  in  vain.  He  knew  David  too  well  to  employ 
a  friend  to  that  errand.  An  Ethiopian  servant  was  a  fitter  bearer 
of  such  a  message  than  the  son  of  the  priest.  The  entertainment 
of  the  person  doth  so  follow  the  quality  of  the  news,  that  David 
could  argue  afar  off,  He  is  a  good  man ;  he  cometh  with  good 
tidings.  O  how  welcome  deserve  those  messengers  to  be  that 
bring  us  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation ;  that  assure  us  of  the  foil 
of  all  spiritual  enemies ;  and  tell  us  of  nothing  but  victories  and 
crowns  and  kingdoms !  If  we  think  not  their  feet  beautiful,  our 
hearts  are  foul  with  infidelity  and  secure  worldliness. 

So  wise  is  Ahimaaz  grown  by  Joab's  intimation,  that,  though 
he  outwent  Cushi  in  his  pace,  he  suffers  .Cushi  to  outgo  him  in 
his  tale ;  cunningly  suppressing  that  part  which  he  knew  must  be 
most  necessarily  delivered  and  unpleasingly  received. 

As  our  care  is  wont  to  be  where  our  love  is,  David's  first  word 
is  not,  "  How  fares  the  host  ?"  but  How  fares  the  young  man 
Absalom  ?  Like  a  wise  and  faithful  messenger,  Cushi  answers  by 
an  honest  insinuation ;  The  enemies  of  my  lord  the  king,  and  all 
that  rise  against  thee  to  do  thee  hurt,  be  as  that  young  man  is; 
implying  both  what  was  done,  and  why  David  should  approve  it 
being  done.  How  is  the  good  king  thunderstruck  with  that  word 
of  his  blackamoor !  who,  as  if  he  were  at  once  bereaved  of  all 
comfort,  and  cared  not  to  live  but  in  the  name  of  Absalom,  goes 
and  weeps  and  cries  out,  0  my  son  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son 
Absalom!  would  Ood  I  had  died  for  thee,  0  Absalom,  my  son, 
my  son  I  Whai  is  this  we  hear  ?  that  he  whose  life  Israel  valued 


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cont.  iv.  Sheba' s  rebellion.  493 

at  ten  thousand  of  theirs  should  be  exchanged  with  a,  traitor's  ? 
that  a  good  king  whose  life  was  sought  should  wish  to  lay  it 
down  for  the  preservation  of  his  murderer  ?  The  best  men  have 
not  wont  to  be  the  least  passionate.  But  what  shall  we  say  to 
that  love  of  thine,  O  Saviour,  who  hast  said  of  us  wretched 
traitors,  not,  Would  God  I  had  died  for  you ;  but,  "  I  will  die ; 
I  do  die ;  I  have  died  for  you  V  O  love,  like  thyself,  infinite,  in- 
comprehensible ;  whereat  the  angels  of  heaven  stand  yet  amazed, 
wherewith  thy  saints  are  ravished.  Turn  away  thine  eyes  from 
me ;  for  they  overcome  me.  0  thou  that  dwellest  in  the  gardens, 
the  companions  hearken  to  thy  voice :  cause  us  to  hear  it ;  that 
we  may,  in  our  measure,  answer  thy  love,  and  enjoy  it  for  ever. 


SHEBA'S  REBELLION.— 2  Samuel  xx. 

It  was  the  doom  which  God  passed  upon  the  man  after  his 
own  heart  by  the  mouth  of  Nathan,  that  the  sword  should  never 
depart  from  his  house  for  the  blood  of  Uriah :  after  that  wound 
healed  by  remission,  yet  this  scar  remains ;  Absalom  is  no  sooner 
cast  down  into  the  pit,  than  Sheba  the  son  of  Bichri  is  up  in 
arms.  If  David  be  not  plagued,  yet  he  shall  be  corrected ;  first 
by  the  rod  of  a  son,  then  of  a  subject ;  he  had  lift  up  his  hand 
against  a  faithful  subject;  now  a  faithless  dares  to  lift  up  his 
hand  against  him. 

Malice,  like  some  hereditary  sickness,  runs  in  a  blood :  Saul 
and  Shimei  and  Sheba  were  all  of  a  house.  That  ancient  grudge 
was  not  yet  dead.  The  fire  of  the  house  of  Jemini  was  but  raked 
up,  never  thoroughly  out ;  and  now  that  which  did  but  smoke  in 
Shimei  flames  in  Sheba:  although,  even  through  this  chastise- 
ment, it  is  not  hard  to  discern  a  type  of  that  perpetual  succession 
of  enmity  which  should  be  raised  against  the  true  Ring  of  Israel. 
O  Son  of  David,  when  didst  thou  ever  want  enemies  ?  How  wert 
thou  designed  by  thine  eternal  Father  for  a  sign  that  should  be 
spoken  against!  how  did  the  Gentiles  rage,  and  the  people 
imagine  vain  things  !  The  kings  of  the  earth  assembled,  and  the 
rulers  came  together,  against  thee.  Tea,  how  do  the  subjects  of 
thine  own  kingdom  daily  conspire  against  thee !  Even  now,  while 
thou  enjoyest  peace  and  glory  at  thy  Father's  right  hand,  as  soon 
shalt  thou  want  friends  as  enemies  upon  earth. 


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494  Sheba's  rebellion.  book  xr 

No  eye  of  any  traitor  could  espy  a  just  quarrel  in  the  govern- 
ment of  David ;  yet  Sheba  blows  the  trumpet  of  rebellion  ;  and. 
while  Israel  and  Judah  are  striving  who  should  have  the  greatest 
part  in  their  reestablished  sovereign,  he  sticks  not  to  say,  We 
have  no  part  in  David,  neither  have  we  inheritance  in  the  son 
of  Jesse;  and  while  he  says,  Every  man  to  his  tents>  O  Israel, 
he  calls  every  man  to  his  own :  so,  in  proclaiming  a  liberty  from 
a  just  and  loyal  subjection,  he  invites  Israel  to  the  bondage  of  an 
usurper. 

That  a  lewd  conspirator  should  breathe  treason,  it  is  no  wonder ; 
but  is  it  not  wonder  and  shame,  that,  upon  every  mutinous  blast, 
Israel  should  turn  traitor  to  God's  anointed?  It  was  their  late 
expostulation  with  David,  why  their  brethren  the  men  of  Judah 
should  have  stolen  him  from  them  ;  now  might  David  more  justly 
expostulate,  why  a  rebel  of  their  brethren  should  have  stolen 
them  from  him. 

As  nothing  is  more  unstable  than  the  multitude,  so  nothing  is 
more  subject  to  distastes  than  sovereignty:  for  as  weak  minds 
seek  pleasure  in  change,  so  every  light  conceit  of  irritation  seems 
sufficient  colour  of  change.  Such  as  the  false  dispositions  of  the 
vulgar  are,  love  cannot  be  security  enough  for  princes  without 
the  awfulness  of  power.  What  hold  can  there  be  of  popularity, 
when  the  same  hands  that  even  now  fought  for  David  to  be  all 
theirs,  now  fight  against  him,  under  the  son  of  Bichri,  as  none  of 
theirs  ? 

As  bees,  when  they  are  once  up  in  a  swarm,  are  ready  to  light 
upon  every  bough,  so  the  Israelites,  being  stirred  by  the  late 
commotion  of  Absalom,  are  apt  to  follow  every  Sheba.  It  is  un- 
safe for  any  state  that  the  multitude  should  once  know  the  way 
to  an  insurrection ;  the  least  track  in  this  kind  is  easily  made  a 
path. 

Tet  if  Israel  rebel,  Judah  continues  faithful ;  neither  shall  the 
Son  of  David  ever  be  left  destitute  of  some  true  subjects  in  the 
worst  of  apostasies.  He  that  could  command  all  hearts  will  ever 
be  followed  by  some.  God  had  rather  glorify  himself  by  a 
remnant. 

Great  commanders  must  have  active  thoughts.  David  is  not 
so  taken  up  with  the  embroiled  affairs  of  his  state  as  not  to  intend 
domestic  justice.  His  ten  concubines,  which  were  shamelessly 
defiled  by  his  incestuous  son,  are  condemned  to  ward  and  widow- 
hood.    Had  not  that  constupration  been   partly  violent,  their 


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cont.  iv.  Sheba's  rebellion.  495 

punishment  had  not  been  so  easy;  had  it  not  also  been  partly 
voluntary,  they  had  not  been  so  much  punished :  but  how  much 
soever  the  act  did  partake  of  either  force  or  will,  justly  are  they 
sequestered  from  David's  bed.  Absalom  was  not  more  unnatural 
in  his  rebellion  than  in  his  lust :  if  now  David  should  have  re- 
turned  to  his  own  bed,  he  had  seconded  the  incest.  How  much 
more  worthy  of  separation  are  they  who  have  stained  the  mar- 
riage bed  with  their  wilful  sin ! 

Amasa  was  one  of  the  witnesses  and  abettors  of  Absalom's 
filthiness ;  yet  is  he,  out  of  policy,  received  to  favour  and  employ- 
ment, while  the  concubines  suffer.  Great  men  yield  many  times 
to  those  things  out  of  reasons  of  state,  which,  if  they  were  private 
persons,  could  not  be  easily  put  over. 

It  is  no  small  wisdom  to  engage  a  new  reconciled  friend,  that 
he  may  be  confirmed  by  his  own  act ;  therefore  is  Amasa  com- 
manded to  levy  the  forces  of  Judah. 

Joab,  after  many  great  merits  and  achievements,  lies  rusting  in 
neglect :  he  that  was  so  entire  with  David  as  to  be  of  his  counsel 
for  Uriah's  blood,  and  so  firm  to  David  as  to  lead  all  his  battles 
against  the  house  of  Saul,  the  Ammonites,  the  Aramites,  Absalom, 
is  now  cashiered,  and  must  yield  his  place  to  a  stranger,  late  an 
enemy.  Who  knows  not  that  this  son  of  Zeruiah  had  shed  the 
blood  of  war  in  peace  ?  But  if  the  blood  of  Absalom  had  not  been 
louder  than  the  blood  of  Abner,  I  fear  this  change  had  not  been  : 
now  Joab  smarteth  for  a  loyal  disobedience.  How  slippery  are 
the  stations  of  earthly  honours,  and  subject  to  continual  muta- 
bility !  Happy  are  they  who  are  in  favour  with  Him  in  whom 
there  is  no  shadow  of  change. 

Where  men  are  commonly  most  ambitious  to  please  with  their 
first  employments,  Amasa  slackens  his  pace.  The  least  delay  in 
matters  of  rebellion  is  perilous ;  may  be  irrecoverable :  the  sons  of 
Zeruiah  are  not  sullen  :  Abishai  is  sent,  Joab  goes  unsent,  to  the 
pursuit  of  Sheba.  Amasa  was  in  their  way ;  whom  no  quarrel  but 
their  envy  had  made  of  a  brother  an  enemy.  Had  the  heart  of 
Amasa  been  privy  to  any  cause  of  grudge,  he  bad  suspected  the 
kiss  of  Joab :  now  his  innocent  eyes  look  to  the  lips,  not  to  the 
hand  of  his  secret  enemy.  The  lips  were  smooth :  Art  tlwu  in 
health,  my  brotJier?  The  hand  was  bloody  which  smote  him 
under  the  fifth  rib.  That  unhappy  hand  knew  well  this  way  unto 
death,  which  with  one  wound  hath  let  out  the  souls  of  two  great 
captains,  Abner  and  Amasa ;  both  they  were  smitten  by  Joab ; 


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496  Sheba's  rebellion*  book  xvi  ' 

both  under  the  fifth  rib ;  both  under  a  pretence  of  friendship.  i 

There  is  no  enmity  so  dangerous  as  that  which  comes  masked  with 
love :  open  hostility  calls  us  to  our  guard ;  but  there  is  no  fence 
against  a  trusted  treachery :  we  need  not  be  bidden  to  avoid  an 
enemy,  but  who  would  run  away  from  a  friend  ?  Thus  spiritually 
deals  the  world  with  our  souls :  it  kisses  us  and  stabs  us  at  once. 
If  it  did  not  embrace  us  with  one  hand,  it  could  not  murder  us  with 
the  other :  only  God  deliver  us  from  the  danger  of  our  trust,  and 
we  shall  be  safe. 

Joab  is  gone,  and  leaves  Amasa  wallowing  in  blood.  That 
spectacle  cannot  but  stay  all  passengers.  The  death  of  great 
persons  draws  ever  many  eyes.  Each  man  says :  "  Is  not  this  my 
lord  Amasa  ?  Wherefore  do  we  go  to  fight,  while  our  general  lies 
in  the  dust  ?  What  a  sad  presage  is  this  of  our  own  miscarriage!" 
The  wit  of  Joab's  followers  hath  therefore  soon  both  removed 
Amasa  out  of  the  way  and  covered  him,  not  regarding  so  much 
the  loss  as  the  eyesore  of  Israel.  Thus  wicked  politics  care  not 
so  much  for  the  commission  of  villany  as  for  the  notice.  Smothered 
evils  are  as  not  done.  If  oppressions,  if  murder,  if  treasons  may 
be  hid  from  view,  the  obdured  heart  of  the  offender  complains  not 
of  remorse. 

Bloody  Joab,  with  what  face,  with  what  heart  canst  thou  pursue 
a  traitor  to  thy  king  while  thou  thyself  art  so  foul  a  traitor  to  thy 
friend,  to  thy  cousin  german,  and,  in  so  unseasonable  a  slaughter, 
to  thy  sovereign,  whose  cause  thou  professest  to  revenge?  If  Amasa 
were  now,  in  an  act  of  loyalty,  justly,  on  God's  part,  paid  for  the 
arrearages  of  his  late  rebellion,  yet  that  it  should  be  done  by  thy 
hand,  then  and  thus,  it  was  flagitiously  cruel :  yet,  behold,  Joab 
runs  away  securely  with  the  fact ;  basting  to  plague  that  in  an- 
other whereof  himself  was  no  less  guilty.  So  vast  are  the  gorges 
of  some  consciences,  that  they  can  swallow  the  greatest  crimes, 
and  find  no  strain  in  the  passage. 

It  is  possible  for  a  man  to  be  faithful  to  some  one  person  and 
perfidious  to  all  others.  I  do  not  find  Joab  other  than  firm  and 
loyal  to  David  in  the  midst  of  all  his  private  falsehoods,  whose 
just  quarrel  he  pursues  against  Sheba  through  all  the  tribes  of 
Israel.  None  of  all  the  strong  forts  of  revolted  Israel  can  hide 
the  rebel  from  the  zeal  of  his  revenge.  The  city  of  Abel  lends 
harbour  to  that  conspirator  whom  all  Israel  would  and  cannot 
protect.  Joab  casts  up  a  mount  against  it,  and,  having  environed 
it  with  a  siege,  begins  to  work  upon  the  wall ;  and  now,  after  long 


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ont.  iv.  Sheba's  rebellion.  497 

chase,  is  in  hand  to  dig  out  that  vermin  which  had  earthed  himself* 
in  this  burrow  of  Beth-maachah  ! 

Had  not  the  city  been  strong  and  populous,  Sheba  had  not  cast 
himself  for  succour  within  those  walls  ;  yet,  of  all  the  inhabitants, 
I  see  not  any  one  man  move  for  the  preservation  of  their  whole 
body;  only  a  woman  undertakes  to  treat  with  Joab  for  their 
safety.  These  men,  whose  spirits  were  great  enough  to  maintain 
a  traitor  against  a  mighty  king,  scorn  not  to  give  way  to  the 
wisdom  of  a  matron.  There  is  no  reason  that  sex  should  disparage 
where  the  virtue  and  merit  is  no  less  than  masculine.  Surely  the 
soul  acknowledgeth  no  sex,  neither  is  varied  according  to  the 
outward  frame.  How  oft  have  we  known  female  hearts  in  the 
breasts  of  men ;  and,  contrarily,  manly  powers  in  the  weaker 
vessels  !  It  is  injurious  to  measure  the  act  by  the  person,  and  not 
rather  to  esteem  the  person  for  the  act. 

She,  with  no  less  prudence  than  courage,  challcngeth  Joab  for 
the  violence  of  his  assault ;  and  lays  to  him  that  law  which  he 
could  not  be  an  Israelite  and  disavow ;  the  law  of  the  God  of 
peace,  whose  charge  it  was,  that  when  they  should  come  near  to 
a  city  to  fight  against  it,  they  should  offer  it  peace ;  and  if  this 
tender  must  be  made  to  foreigners,  how  much  more  to  brethren ! 
so  as  they  must  inquire  of  Abel  ere  they  battered  it.  War  is  the 
extreme  act  of  vindicative  justice  ;  neither  doth  God  ever  approve 
it  for  any  other  than  a  desperate  remedy ;  and  if  it  have  any 
other  end  than  peace,  it  turns  into  public  murder.  It  is  therefore 
an  inhuman  cruelty  to  shed  blood  where  we  have  not  proffered  fair 
conditions  of  peace,  the  refusal  whereof  is  justly  puuished  with  the 
sword  of  revenge. 

Joab  was  a  man  of  blood  ;  yet  when  the  wise  woman  of  Abel 
charged  him  with  going  about  to  destroy  a  mother  in  Israel,  and 
swallowing  up  the  inheritance  of  the  Lord,  with  what  vehemency 
doth  he  deprecate  that  challenge  ;  Ood  forbid,  Ood  forbid  it  me, 
that  I  should  devour  or  destroy  it  I  Although  that  city  with  the 
rest  had  engaged  itself  in  Sheba's  sedition,  yet  how  zealously  doth 
Joab  remove  from  himself  the  suspicion  of  an  intended  vastation ! 
How  fearful  shall  their  answer  be,  who,  upon  the  quarrel  of  their 
own  ambition,  have  not  spared  to  waste  whole  tribes  of  the  Israel 
of  God! 

It  was  not  the  fashion  of  David's  captains  to  assault  any  city  ere 
they  summoned  it :  here  they  did.  There  be  some  things  that  in 
the  very  fact  carry  their  own  conviction :  so  did  Abel  in  the  en- 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  K  k 


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498  The  Gibeonites  revenged.  book  xyj 

•tertaining  and  abetting  a  known  conspirator.  Joab  challengeth 
them  for  the  offence,  and  requires  no  other  satisfaction  than  the 
head  of  Sheba.  This  matron  had  not  deserved  the  name  of  wise 
and  faithful  in  Israel,  if  she  had  not  both  apprehended  the  justice 
of  the  condition,  and  commended  it  to  her  citizens;  whom  she 
hath  easily  persuaded  to  spare  their  own  heads,  in  not  sparing  a 
traitor's.  It  had  been  pity  those  walls  should  have  stood,  if  they 
had  been  too  high  to  throw  a  traitor's  head  over. 

Spiritually  the  case  is  ours.  Every  man's  breast  is  as  a  city  en- 
closed. Every  sin  is  a  traitor  that  lurks  within  those  walls.  God 
calls  to  us  for  Sheba's  head ;  neither  hath  he  any  quarrel  to  our 
person  but  for  our  sin.  If  we  love  the  head  of  our  traitor  above 
the  life  of  our  soul,  we  shall  justly  perish  in  the  vengeance.  We 
cannot  be  more  willing  to  part  with  our  sin  than  our  merciful  God 
is  to  withdraw  his  judgments. 

Now  is  Joab  returned  with  success;  and  hopes,  by  Sheba's 
head,  to  pay  the  price  of  Amasa's  blood.  David  hates  the  mur- 
der, entertains  the  man,  defers  the  revenge.  Joab  had  made 
himself  so  great,  so  necessary,  that  David  may  neither  miss  nor 
punish  him.  Policy  led  the  king  to  connive  at  that  which  his  heart 
abhorred.  I  dare  not  commend  that  wisdom  which  holds  the  hands 
of  princes  from  doing  justice.  Great  men  have  ever  held  it  a  point 
of  worldly  state  not  always  to  pay  where  they  have  been  conscious 
to  a  debt  of  either  favour  or  punishment,  but  to  make  time  their 
servant  for  both.  Solomon  shall  once  defray  the  arrearages  of 
his  father.  In  the  mean  time  Joab  commands  and  prospers ;  and 
David  is  fain  to  smile  on  that  face  whereon  he  hath  in  his  secret 
destination  written  the  characters  of  death. 


THE  GIBEONITES  REVENGED.— a  Samuel  xxi. 

The  reign  of  David  was  most  troublesome  towards  the  shutting 
up ;  wherein  both  war  and  famine  conspire  to  afflict  him*  Almost 
forty  years  had  he  sat  in  the  throne  of  Israel  with  competency 
if  not  abundance  of  all  things ;  now  at  last  are  his  people  visited 
with  a  long  dearth. 

We  are  not  at  first  sensible  of  common  evils.  Three  years' 
drought  and  scarcity  are  gone  over  ere  David  consults  with  God 
concerning  the  occasion  of  the  judgment;  now  he  found  it  high  time 
to  seek  the  face  of  the  Lord.  The  continuance  of  an  affliction  sends 


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x>iyt.  v.  The  Gibeonites  revenged.  499 

as  to  God,  and  calls  upon  us  to  ask  for  a  reckoning ;  whereas,  like 
men  stricken  in  their  sleep,  a  sudden  blow  cannot  make  us  to  find 
ourselves,  but  rather  astonisheth  than  teacheth  us. 

David  was  himself  a  prophet  of  God,  yet  had  not  the  Lord  all 
this  while  acquainted  him  with  the  grounds  of  his  proceedings 
against  Israel.  This  secret  was  hid  from  him  till  he  consulted 
with  the  Urim ;  ordinary  means  shall  reveal  that  to  him  which 
no  vision  had  descried.  And  if  God  will  have  prophets  to  have 
recourse  unto  the  priests  for  the  notice  of  his  will,  how  much  more 
must  the  people !  Even  those  that  are  inwardest  with  God  must 
have  use  of  the  ephod. 

Justly  it  is  presupposed  by  David  that  there  was  never  judg- 
ment from  God  where  hath  not  been  a  provocation  from  men ; 
therefore  when  he  sees  the  plague  he  inquires  for  the  sin.  Never 
man  smarted  causelessly  from  the  hand  of  divine  justice.  0  that 
when  we  suffer  we  could  ask  what  we  have  done,  and  could  guide 
our  repentance  to  the  root  of  our  evils ! 

That  God  whose  counsels  are  secret  even  where  his  actions  are 
open  will  not  be  close  to  his  prophet,  to  his  priest.  Without 
inquiry  we  shall  know  nothing;  upon  inquiry  nothing  shall  be 
concealed  from  us  that  is  fit  for  us  to  know. 

Who  can  choose  but  wonder  at  once,  both  at  David's  slackness 
in  consulting  with  God,  and  God's  speed  in  answering  so  slow  a 
demand  i  He  that  so  well  knew  the  way  to  God's  oracle  suffers 
Israel  to  be  three  years  pinched  with  famine  ere  he  asks  why  they 
suffer.  Even  the  best  hearts  may  be  overtaken  with  dulness  in 
holy  duties ;  but  0  the  marvellous  mercy  of  God  that  takes  not 
the  advantage  of  our  weaknesses  I 

David's  question  is  not  more  slow  than  his  answer  is  speedy  : 
It  is  for  Saul,  and  for  his  bloody  house,  because  he  slew  the  Gi- 
beonites. Israel  was  full  of  sins,  besides  those  of  Saul's  house. 
Saul's  house  was  full  of  sins,  besides  those  of  blood  :  much  blood 
was  shed  by  them,  besides  that  of  the  Gibeonites  ;  yet  the  justice 
of  God  singles  out  this  one  sin  of  violence  offered  to  the  Gibeonites, 
contrary  to  the  league  made  by  Joshua  some  four  hundred  years 
before,  for  the  occasion  of  this  late  vengeance.  Where  the  causes 
of  offence  are  infinite,  it  is  just  with  God  to  pitch  upon  some ;  it 
is  merciful  not  to  punish  for  all. 

Well  near  forty  years  are  past  betwixt  the  commission  of  the 
sin  and  the  reckoning  for  it.  It  is  a  vain  hope  that  is  raised 
from  the  delay  of  judgment.    JSo  time  can  be  any  prejudice  to  the 

K  k  2 

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500  The  Gibeonites  revenged.  book  xyi 

Ancient  of  days:  when  we  have  forgotten  our  sins,  when  the 
world  hath  forgotten  us,  he  sues  us  afresh  for  our  arrearages. 

The  slaughter  of  the  Gibeonites  was  the  sin,  not  of  the  present, 
but  rather  the  former  generation;  and  now  posterity  pays  for 
their  forefathers.  Even  we  men  hold  it  not  unjust  to  sue  the 
heirs  and  executors  of  our  debtors.  Eternal  payments  God  uses 
only  to  require  of  the  person ;  temporary,  ofttimes  of  succession. 

As  Saul  was  higher  by  the  head  and  shoulders  than  the  rest 
of  Israel  both  in  stature  and  dignity,  so  were  his  sins  more  con- 
spicuous than  those  of  the  vulgar.  The  eminence  of  the  person 
makes  the  offence  more  remarkable  to  the  eyes  both  of  God  and 
men. 

Neither  Saul  nor  Israel  were  faultless  in  other  kinds ;  yet  God 
fixes  the  eye  of  his  revenge  upon  the  massacre  of  the  Gibeonites. 
Every  sin  hath  a  tongue ;  but  that  of  blood  over-cries  and  drowns 
the  rest.  He  who  is  mercy  itself  abhors  cruelty  in  his  creature 
above  all  other  inordinateness.  That  holy  soul,  which  was  heavy 
pressed  with  the  weight  of  a  heinous  adultery,  yet  cries  out,  Deliver 
me  from  bloody  0  God,  tlie  God  of  my  salvation ;  and  my  tongue 
shall  joyfully  sing  of  thy  righteousness. 

If  God  would  take  account  of  blood,  he  might  have  entered  the 
action  upon  the  blood  of  Uriah  spilt  by  David ;  or  if  he  would 
rather  insist  in  Saul's  house,  upon  the  blood  of  Abimelech  the 
priest,  and  fourscore  and  five  persons  that  did  wear  a  linen  ephod ; 
but  it  pleased  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  the  Almighty  rather  to 
call  for  the  blood  of  the  Gibeonites,  though  drudges  of  Israel,  and 
a  remnant  of  Amorites.  Why  this  ?  There  was  a  perjury  attend- 
ing upon  this  slaughter.  It  was  an  ancient  oath,  wherein  the 
princes  of  the  congregation  had  bound  themselves,  upon  Joshua's 
league  to  the  Gibeonites,  that  they  would  suffer  them  to  live ;  an 
oath  extorted  by  fraud,  but  solemn  by  no  less  name  than  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel.  Saul  will  now  thus  late  either  not  acknowledge  it 
or  not  keep  it :  out  of  his  zeal  therefore  to  the  children  of  Israel 
and  Judah,  he  roots  out  some  of  the  Gibeonites ;  whether  in  a 
zeal  of  revenge  of  their  first  imposture,  or  in  a  zeal  of  enlarging 
the  possessions  of  Israel,  or  in  a  zeal  of  executing  God's  charge 
upon  the  brood  of  Canaanites.  He  that  spared  Agag  whom  he 
should  have  smitten,  smites  the  Gibeonites  whom  he  should  have 
spared.  Zeal  and  good  intention  is  no  excuse,  much  less  a  warrant, 
for  evil.  God  holds  it  an  high  indignity  that  his  name  should  be 
sworn  by,  and  violated.     Length  of  time  cannot  dispense  with  our 


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ont.  v.  The  Gibeonites  revenged.  501 

oaths,  with  our  vows :  the  vows  and  oaths  of  others  may  bind  us, 
how  much  more  our  own ! 

There  was  a  famine  in  Israel.  A  natural  man  would  have 
ascribed  it  unto  the  drought ;  and  that  drought  perhaps  to  some 
constellations.  David  knows  to  look  higher;  and  sees  a  divine 
hand  scourging  Israel  for  some  great  offence,  and  overruling  those 
second  causes  to  his  most  just  executions.  Even  the  most  quick- 
sighted  worldling  is  purblind  to  spiritual  objects,  and  the  weakest 
eyes  of  the  regenerate  pierce  the  heavens,  and  espy  God  in  all 
earthly  occurrences. 

So  well  was  David  acquainted  with  God's  proceedings,  that  he 
knew  the  removal  of  the  judgment  must  begin  at  the  satisfaction 
of  the  wronged.  At  once  therefore  doth  he  pray  unto  God, 
and  treat  with  the  Gibeonites ;  What  shall  I  do  for  you  ?  and 
wherewith  shall  I  make  the  atonement,  that  ye  may  bless  the 
inheritance  of  the  Lord  ?  In  vain  should  David,  though  a  prophet, 
bless  Israel,  if  the  Gibeonites  did  not  bless  them :  injuries  done  us 
on  earth  give  us  power  in  heaven :  the  oppressor  is  in  no  man's 
mercy  but  his  whom  he  hath  trampled  upon. 

Little  did  the  Gibeonites  think  that  God  had  so  taken  to  heart 
their  wrongs,  that  for  their  sakes  all  Israel  should  suffer.  Even 
when  we  think  not  of  it,  is  the  righteous  Judge  avenging  our 
unrighteous  vexations.  Our  hard  measures  cannot  be  hid  from  him ; 
his  returns  are  hid  from  us.  It  is  sufficient  for  us  that  God  can  be 
no  more  neglective  than  ignorant  of  our  sufferings. 

It  is  now  in  the  power  of  these  despised  Hivites  to  make  their 
own  terms  with  Israel :  neither  silver  nor  gold  will  savour  with 
them  toward  their  satisfaction :  nothing  can  expiate  the  blood  of 
their  fathers  but  the  blood  of  seven  sons  of  their  deceased  perse- 
cutor :  here  was  no  other  than  a  just  retaliation :  Saul  had  pu- 
nished in  them  the  offence  of  their  predecessors;  they  will  now 
revenge  Saul's  sin  in  his  children:  the  measure  we  mete  unto 
others  is  with  much  equity  remeasured  unto  ourselves:  every 
death  would  not  content  them  of  Saul's  sons,  but  a  cursed  and  igno- 
minious ;  hanging  on  the  tree :  neither  would  that  death  content 
them  unless  their  own  hands  might  be  the  executioners :  neither 
would  any  place  serve  for  the  execution  but  Gibeah,  the  court 
of  Saul :  neither  would  they  do  any  of  this  for  the  wreaking  of 
their  own  fury,  but  for  the  appeasing  of  God's  wrath ;  We  will 
hang  them  up  unto  the  Lord  in  Gibeah  of  Saul. 

David  might  not  refuse  the  condition;  he  must  deliver,  they 


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502  The  Gibeonites  revenged.  book  xyi. 

must  execute.     He  chooses  out  seven  of  the  sons  and  grandchildren  j 

of  Saul.    That  house  had  raised  long  an  unjust  persecution  against 
David ;  now  God  pays  it  upon  another  score. 

David's  love  and  oath  to  Jonathan  preserves  lame  Mephibo- 
sheth :  how  much  more  shall  the  Father  of  all  mercies  do  good 
unto  the  children  of  the  faithful,  for  the  covenant  made  with 
their  parents! 

The  five  sons  of  Adriel,  the  Meholathite,  David's  ancient  rival 
in  his  first  love,  which  were  born  to  him  by  Merab,  Saul's 
daughter,  and  brought  up  by  her  barren  sister  Michal,  the  wife  of 
David,  are  yielded  up  to  death.  Merab  was,  after  a  promise 
of  marriage  to  David,  unjustly  given  away  by  Saul  to  Adriel. 
Michal  seems  to  abet  the  match  in  breeding  the  children :  now  in 
one  act,  not  of  David's  seeking,  the  wrong  is  thus  late  avenged 
upon  Saul,  Adriel,  Merab,  Michal,  the  children.  It  is  a  danger- 
ous matter  to  offer  injury  to  any  of  God's  faithful  ones.  If  their 
meekness  have  easily  remitted  it,  their  God  will  not  pass  it  over 
without  a  severe  retribution. 

These  five,  together  with  two  sons  of  Rizpah,  Saul's  concubine, 
are  hanged  up  at  once  before  the  Lord,  yea,  and  before  the  eyes 
of  the  world.  No  place  but  an  hill  will  serve  for  this  execution. 
The  acts  of  justice,  as  they  are  intended  for  example,  so  they 
should  be  done  in  that  eminent  fashion,  that  may  make  them  both 
most  instructive  and  most  terrifying.  Unwarrantable  courses  of 
private  revenge  seek  to  hide  their  heads  in  secresy ;  the  beautiful 
face  of  justice  both  affects  the  light  and  becomes  it 

It  was  the  general  charge  of  God's  law,  that  no  corpse  should 
remain  all  night  upon  the  gibbet.  The  Almighty  hath  power  to 
dispense  with  his  own  command ;  so  doubtless  he  did  in  this  extra- 
ordinary case.    These  carcasses  did  not  defile,  but  expiate. 

Sorrowful  Rizpah  spreads  her  tent  of  sackcloth  upon  the  rock, 
for  a  sad  attendance  upon  those  sons  of  her  womb :  death  might 
bereave  her  of  them,  not  them  of  her  love.  This  spectacle  was 
not  more  grievous  to  her  than  pleasing  to  God  and  happy  to 
Israel.  Now  the  clouds  drop  fatness,  and  the  earth  runs  forth 
into  plenty.  The  Gibeonites  are  satisfied,  God  reconciled,  Israel 
relieved. 

How  blessed  a  thing  is  it  for  any  nation,  that  justice  is  impar- 
tially executed,  even  upon  the  mighty !  A  few  drops  of  blood 
have  procured  large  showers  from  heaven.  A  few  carcasses  are  a 
rich  compost  to  the  earth.   The  drought  and  dearth  remove  away 


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vi.  The  numbering  of  the  people.  508 

with  the  breath  of  those  pledges  of  the  offender.  Judgment 
cannot  tyrannize  where  justice  reigns :  as  contrarily,  there  can  be 
no  peace  where  blood  cries  unheard,  unregarded. 


THE  NUMBERING  OF  THE  PEOPLE. 
2  Samuel  xxiv ;  i  Chronicles  xxi. 

Israel  was  grown  wanton  and  mutinous.  God  pulls  them  down ; 
first  by  the  sword,  then  by  famine,  now  by  pestilence. 

O  the  wondrous  and  yet  just  ways  of  the  Almighty  I  Because 
Israel  hath  sinned,  therefore  David  shall  sin  that  Israel  may  be 
punished ;  because  God  is  angry  with  Israel,  therefore  David  shall 
anger  him  more,  and  strike  himself  in  Israel,  and  Israel  through 
himself. 

The  Spirit  of  God  elsewhere  ascribes  this  motion  to  Satan  which 
here  it  attributes  to  God.  Both  had  their  hand  in  the  work; 
God  by  permission,  Satan  by  suggestion ;  God  as  a  judge,  Satan 
as  an  enemy ;  God  as  in  a  just  punishment  for  sin,  Satan  as  in  an 
act  of  sin ;  God  in  a  wise  ordination  of  it  to  good,  Satan  in  a 
malicious  intent  of  confusion.  Thus  at  once  God  moved  and 
Satan  moved :  neither  is  it  any  excuse  to  Satan  or  David  that  God 
moved;  neither  is  it  any  blemish  to  God  that  Satan  moved. 

The  ruler's  sin  is  a  punishment  to  a  wicked  people.  Though 
they  had  many  sins  of  their  own  whereon  God  might  have  grounded 
a  judgemnt,  yet,  as  before  he  had  punished  them  with  dearth  for 
Saul's  sin,  so  now  he  will  not  punish  them  with  plague  but  for 
David's  sin.  If  God  were  not  angry  with  a  people  he  would  not 
give  up  their  governors  to  such  evils  as  whereby  he  is  provoked 
to  vengeance ;  and  if  their  governors  be  thus  given  up,  the  people 
cannot  be  safe.  The  body  drowns  not  while  the  head  is  above 
the  water ;  when  that  once  sinks,  death  is  near :  justly  therefore 
are  we  charged  to  make  prayers  and  supplications,  as  for  all,  so 
especially  for  those  that  are  in  eminent  authority.  When  we 
pray  for  ourselves,  we  pray  not  always  for  them ;  but  we  cannot 
pray  for  them  and  not  pray  for  ourselves :  the  public  wepl  is  not 
comprised  in  the  private,  but  the  private  in  the  public. 

What  then  was  David's  sin  ?  He  will  needs  have  Israel  and 
Judah  numbered:   surely   there   is   no  malignity  in  numbers; 


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504  The  numbering  of  the  people.  book  xxvi. 

neither  is  it  unfit  for  a  prince  to  know  his  own  strength  :  this  is 
not  the  first  time  that  Israel  hath  gone  under  a  reckoning.  The 
act  offends  not,  but  the  misaffection:  the  same  thing  had  been 
commendably  done  out  of  a  princely  providence,  which  now, 
through  the  curiosity,  pride,  misconfidence  of  the  doer,  proves 
heinously  vicious:  those  actions  which  are  in  themselves  indifferent 
receive  either  their  life  or  their  bane  from  the  intentions  of  the 
agent.  Moses  numbereth  the  people  with  thanks,  David  with 
displeasure.  Those  sins  which  carry  the  smoothest  foreheads  and 
have  the  most  honest  appearances  may  more  provoke  the  wrath 
of  God  than  those  that  bear  the  most  abomination  in  their  faces. 
How  many  thousand  wickednesses  passed  through  the  hands  of 
Israel  which  we  men  would  rather  have  branded  out  for  judgment 
than  this  of  David's !  The  righteous  Judge  of  the  world  censures 
sins,  not  by  their  ill  looks,  but  by  their  foul  hearts. 

Who  can  but  wonder  to  see  Joab  the  saint  and  David  the  tres- 
passer? No  prophet  could  speak  better  than  that  man  of  blood; 
T/ie  Lord  thy  God  increase  the  people  a  hundredfold  more  than 
they  be,  and  that  the  eyes  of  my  lord  the  king  may  see  it :  but 
why  doth  my  lord  the  king  desire  this  thing  ?  There  is  no  man 
so  lewd  as  not  to  be  sometimes  in  good  moods,  as  not  to  dislike 
some  evil;  contrarily,  no  man  on  earth  can  be  so  holy  as  not 
sometimes  to  overlash.  It  were  pity  that  either  Joab  or  David 
should  be  tried  by  every  act.  How  commonly  have  we  seen  those 
men  ready  to  give  good  advice  to  others  for  the  avoiding  of  some 
sins,  who  in  more  gross  outrages  have  not  had  grace  to  counsel 
their  own  hearts !  The  same  man  that  had  deserved  death  from 
David  for  his  treacherous  cruelty  dissuades  David  from  an  act 
that  carried  but  a  suspicion  of  evil.  It  is  not  so  much  to  be  re- 
garded who  it  is  that  admonisheth  us,  as  what  lie  briugs :  good 
counsel  is  never  the  worse  for  the  foul  carriage.  There  are  some 
dishes  that  we  may  eat  even  from  sluttish  hands. 

The  purpose  of  sin  in  a  faithful  man  is  odious,  much  more  the 
resolution.  Notwithstanding  Joab's  discreet  admonition,  David 
will  hold  on  his  course ;  and  will  know  the  number  of  the  people, 
only  that  he  may  know  it. 

Joab  and  the  captains  address  themselves  to  the  work.  In 
things  which  are  not  in  themselves  evil,  it  is  not  for  subjects  to 
dispute,  but  to  obey.  That  which  authority  may  sin  in  com- 
manding is  done  of  the  inferior,  uot  with  safety  only,  but  with 
praise. 


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cont.  vi.  The  numbering  of  Oie  people.  505 

Nine  months  and  twenty  days  is  this  general  muster  in  hand : 
at  last,  the  number  is  brought  in.  Israel  is  found  eight  hundred 
thousand  strong;  Judah,  five  hundred  thousand.  The  ordinary 
companies,  which  served  by  course  for  the  royal  guard,  (four  and 
twenty  thousand  each  month,)  needed  not  to  be  reckoned.  The 
addition  of  them,  with  their  several  captains,  raises  the  sum  of 
Israel  to  the  rate  of  eleven  hundred  thousand :  a  power  able  to 
puff  up  a  carnal  heart :  but  how  can  an  heart  that  is  more  than 
flesh  trust  to  an  arm  of  flesh  ?  O  holy  David,  whither  hath  a  « 
glorious  vanity  transported  thee  ?  Thou  which  once  didst  sing  so 
sweetly,  Put  not  your  trust  in  princes,  nor  in  the  son  of  man,  for 
there  is  no  help  in  him.  His  breath  departeth,  and  he  returneth 
to  his  earth;  then  his  thoughts  perish.  Blessed  is  lie  that  hath 
the  God  of  Jacob  for  his  help,  whose  hope  is  in  the  Lord  his 
God;  how  canst  thou  now  stoop  to  so  unsafe  and  unworthy  a 
confidence  ? 

As  some  stomachful  horse,  that  will  not  be  stopt  in  his  career 
with  the  sharpest  bit,  but  runs  on  headily  till  he  come  to  some 
wall  or  ditch,  and  there  stands  still  and  trembles ;  so  did  David. 
All  the  dissuasions  of  Joab  could  not  restrain  him  from  his  in- 
tended course.  Almost  ten  months  doth  he  run  on  impetuously, 
in  a  way  of  his  own,  rough  and  dangerous;  at  last  his  heart 
smites  him ;  the  conscience  of  his  offence,  and  the  fear  of  judg- 
ment, hath  fetched  him  upon  his  knees ;  0  Lord,  I  liave  sinned 
exceedingly  in  that  I  have  done :  th&%efore  now9  Lord,  I  beseech 
thee,  take  away  the  trespass  of  thy  servant ;  for  I  have  done  very 
foolishly.  It  is  possible  for  a  sin  not  to  bait  only,  but  to  sojourn 
in  the  holiest  soul ;  but  though  it  sojourn  there  as  a  stranger,  it 
shall  not  dwell  there  as  an  owner.  The  renewed  heart,  after 
some  rovings  of  error,  will  once,  ere  overlong,  return  home  to  it- 
self ;  and  fall  out  with  that  ill  guide  wherewith  it  was  misled,  and 
with  itself  for  being  misled ;  and  now  it  is  resolved  into  tears, 
and  breathes  forth  nothing  but  sighs  and  confessions  and  de- 
precations. 

Here  needed  no  Nathan,  by  a  parabolical  circumlocution,  to 
fetch  in  David  to  a  sight  and  acknowledgment  of  his  sin.  The 
heart  of  the  penitent  supplied  the  prophet.  No  other  tongue 
could  smite  him  so  deep  as  his  own  thoughts.  But  though  his 
reins  chastised  him  in  the  night,  yet  his  seer  scourges  him  in  the 
morning ;  Thus  saith  the  Lord>  I  offer  thee  three  things;  choose 
thee  which  of  them  I  shall  do  unto  thee.     But  what  shall  we  say 


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506  The  numbering  of  the  people,  book  xvi. 

to  this  ?  When  upon  the  prophet's  reproof  for  an  adultery  cloked 
with  murder,  David  did  but  say,  /  have  sinned,  it  was  presently 
returned,  God  hath  put  away  thy  sin;  neither  did  any  smart 
follow  bat  the  death  of  a  misbegotten  infant ;  and  now,  when  he 
voluntarily  reproveth  himself  for  but  a  needless  muster,  and 
sought  for  pardon  unbidden  with  great  humiliation,  God  sends 
him  the  three  terrible  scourges,  famine,  sword,  or  pestilence,  that 
he  may  choose  with  which  of  them  he  would  rather  to  bleed.  He 
,  shall  have  the  favour  of  an  election,  not  of  a  remission.  God  is 
more  angered  with  a  spiritual  and  immediate  affront  offered  to 
his  majesty,  in  our  pride,  and  false  confidence  in  earthly  things, 
than  with  a  fleshly  crime,  though  heinously  seconded. 

It  was  an  hard  and  woful  choice  of  three  years1  famine  added 
to  three  forepast ;  or  of  three  months'  flight  from  the  sword  of  an 
enemy;  or  three  days'  pestilence.  The  Almighty,  that  hath 
Predetermined  his  judgment,  refers  it  to  David's  will  as  fully  as 
if  it  were  utterly  undetermined.  God  hath  resolved ;  yet  David 
may  choose.  That  infinite  wisdom  hath  foreseen  the  very  will  of 
his  creature,  which,  while  it  freely  inclines  itself  to  what  it  had 
rather,  unwittingly  wills  that  which  was  Preappointed  in  heaven. 

We  do  well  believe  thee,  O  David,  that  thou  wert  in  a  wonder- 
ful strait.  This  very  liberty  is  no  other  than  fetters.  Thou 
needest  not  have  famine ;  thou  needest  not  have  the  sword ;  thou 
needest  not  have  pestilence :  one  of  them  thou  must  have :  there 
is  misery  in  all ;  there  is  misery  in  any.  Thou  and  thy  people 
can  die  but  once ;  and  once  they  must  die,  either  by  famine,  war, 
or  pestilence.  O  God,  how  vainly  do  we  hope  to  pass  over  our 
sins  with  impunity,  when  all  the  favour  that  David  and  Israel  can 
receive  is  to  choose  their  bane ! 

Yet,  behold,  neither  sins  nor  threats  nor  fears  can  bereave  a 
true  penitent  of  his  faith ;  Let  us  now  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
Lord;  for  his  mercies  are  great.  There  can  be  no  evil  of  punish- 
ment wherein  God  hath  not  a  band :  there  could  be  no  famine,  no 
sword  without  him :  but  some  evils  are  more  immediate  from  a 
divine  stroke ;  such  was  that  plague  into  which  David  is  unwill- 
ingly willing  to  fall.  He  had  his  choice  of  days,  months,  years, 
in  the  same  number;  and  though  the  shortness  of  time  prefixed  to 
the  threatened  pestilence  might  seem  to  offer  some  advantage  for 
the  leading  of  his  election,  yet  God  meant,  and  David  knew  it, 
herein  to  proportion  the  difference  of  time  to  the  violence  of  the 
plague ;  neither  should  any  fewer  perish  by  so  few  days'  pestilence 


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cor*T.  vi.  The  numbering  of  the  people.  507 

than  by  so  many  years'  famine :  the  wealthiest  might  avoid  the 
dearth,  the  swiftest  might  run  away  from  the  sword ;  no  man 
could  promise  himself  safety  from  that  pestilence.  In  likelihood 
God's  angel  would  rather  strike  the  most  guilty ;  however,  there- 
fore, David  might  well  look  to  be  enwrapped  in  the  common  de- 
struction, yet  he  rather  chooseth  to  fall  into  that  mercy  which  he 
had  abused,  and  to  suffer  from  that  justice  which  he  had  provoked  ; 
Let  us  now  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Lord. 

Humble  confessions  and  devout  penance  cannot  always  avert 
temporal  judgments.  God's  angel  is  abroad,  and  within  that 
short  compass  of  time  sweeps  away  seventy  thousand  Israelites. 
David  was  proud  of  the  number  of  his  subjects :  now  they  are 
abated,  that  he  may  see  cause  of  humiliation  in  the  matter  of  his 
glory :  in  what  we  have  offended  we  commonly  smart. 

These  thousands  of  Israel  were  not  so  innocent  that  they  should 
only  perish  for  David's  sin :  their  sins  were  the  motives  both  of 
this  sin  and  punishment :  besides  the  respect  of  David's  offence, 
they  die  for  themselves. 

It  was  no  ordinary  pestilence  that  was  thus  suddenly  and  uni- 
versally mortal.  Common  eyes  saw  the  botch  and  the  marks; 
saw  not  the  angel :  David's  clearer  sight  hath  espied  him,  after 
that  killing  peragration  through  the  tribes  of  Israel,  shaking  his 
sword  over  Jerusalem,  and  hovering  over  Mount  Sion :  and  now 
he,  who  doubtless  had  spent  those  three  dismal  days  in  the  sad- 
dest contrition,  humbly  casts  himself  down  at  the  feet  of  the 
avenger,  and  lays  himself  ready  for  the  fatal  stroke  of  justice. 

It  was  more  terror  that  God  intended  in  the  visible  shape  of 
his  angel,  and  deeper  humiliation;  and  what  he  meant  he 
wrought.  Never  soul  could  be  more  dejected,  more  anguished, 
with  the  sense  of  a  judgment ;  in  the  bitterness  whereof  he  cries 
out,  Behold^  I  have  sinned,  yea,  I  have  done  wickedly :  but  these 
sheep,  what  have  they  done  ?  let  thy  hand,  I  pray  thee*  be  against 
me,  and  against  my  father's  house.  The  better  any  man  is,  the 
more  sensible  he  is  of  his  own  wretchedness.  Many  of  those 
sheep  were  wolves  to  David.  What  had  they  done  ?  They  bad 
done  that  which  was  the  occasion  of  David's  sin,  and  the  cause  of 
their  own  punishment :  but  that  gracious  penitent  knew  his  own 
sin ;  he  knew  not  theirs  :  and  therefore  can  say,  /  have  sinned : 
what  have  they  done?  It  is  safe  accusing,  where  we  may  be 
boldest,  and  are  best  acquainted,  ourselves. 

O  the  admirable  charity  of  David,  that  would  have  engrossed 


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508  Tfte  numbering  of  the  people.  book  xvi. 

the  plague  to  himself  and  his  house  from  the  rest  of  Israel ;  and 
sues  to  interpose  himself  betwixt  his  people  and  the  vengeance ! 
He  that  had  put  himself  upon  the  paws  of  the  bear  and  lion  for 
the  rescue  of  his  sheep,  will  now  cast  himself  upon  the  sword  of 
the  angel  for  the  preservation  of  Israel :  there  was  hope  in  those 
conflicts;  in  this  yieldance  there  could  be  nothing  but  death. 
Thus  didst  thou,  O  Son  of  David,  the  true  and  great  Shepherd 
of  thy  Church,  offer  thyself  to  death  for  them  who  had  their 
hands  in  thy  blood,  who  both  procured  thy  death  and  deserved 
their  own.  Here  he  offered  himself  that  had  sinned  for  those 
whom  he  professed  to  have  not  done  evil ;  thou,  that  didst  no  sin, 
vouchsafedst  to  offer  thyself  for  us  that  were  all  sin :  he  offered 
and  escaped ;  thou  offeredst  and  diedst ;  and  by  thy  death  we  live, 
and  are  freed  from  everlasting  destruction. 

But,  0  Father  of  all  mercies,  how  little  pleasure  dost  thou 
take  in  the  blood  of  sinners !  It  was  thine  own  pity  that  inhi- 
bited the  destroyer.  Ere  David  could  see  the  .angel,  thou  hadst 
restrained  him  ;  It  is  sufficient :  hold  now  thy  hand.  If  thy  com- 
passion did  not  both  withhold  and  abridge  thy  judgments,  what 
place  were  there  for  us  out  of  hell? 

How  easy  and  just  had  it  been  for  God  to  have  made  the 
shutting  up  of  that  third  evening  red  with  blood !  His  goodness 
repents  of  the  slaughter,  and  calls  for  that  sacrifice  wherewith 
he  will  be  appeased. 

An  altar  must  be  built  in  the  threshingfloor  of  Araunah  the 
Jebusite.  Lo,  in  that  very  hill  where  the  angel  held  the  sword 
of  Abraham  from  killing  his  son  doth  God  now  hold  the  sword  of 
the  angel  from  killing  his  people.  Upon  this  very  ground  shall 
the  temple  after  stand.  Here  shall  be  the  holy  altar  which  shall 
send  up  the  acceptable  oblations  of  God's  people  in  succeeding 
generations. 

0  God,  what  was  the  threshingfloor  of  a  Jebusite  to  thee 
above  all  other  soils  ?  What  virtue,  what  merit  was  in  this  earth  ? 
As  in  places,  so  in  persons,  it  is  not  to  be  heeded  what  they  are, 
but  what  thou  wilt.  That  is  worthiest  which  thou  pleasest  to 
accept. 

Rich  and  bountiful  Araunah  is  ready  to  meet  David  in  so  holy 
a  motion,  and  munificently  offers  his  Sion  for  the  place,  his  oxen 
for  the  sacrifice,  his  carts  and  ploughs  and  other  utensils  of  his 
husbandry  for  the  wood :  two  frank  hearts  are  well  met :  David 
would  buy,  Araunah  would  give.    TBe  Jebusite  would  not  sell, 


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coxt.  vi.  Adonijah  defeated.  509 

David  will  not  take.  Since  it  was  for  God,  and  to  David,  Arau- 
nah  is  loath  to  bargain :  since  it  was  for  God,  David  wisheth  to 
pay  dear ;  J  will  not  offer  burnt  offerings  to  the  Lord  my  God  of 
that  which  doth  cost  me  nothing.  Heroical  spirits  do  well  become 
eminent  persons.  He  that  knew  it  was  better  to  give  than  to 
receive  would  not  receive,  but  give.  There  can  be  no  devotion  in 
a  niggardly  heart :  as  unto  dainty  palates,  so  to  the  godly  soul, 
that  tastes  sweetest  that  costs  most :  nothing  is  dear  enough  for 
the  Creator  of  all  things.  It  is  a  heartless  piety  of  those  base- 
minded  Christians  that  care  only  to  serve  God  good  cheap. 


BOOK  XVII. 


TO  MY  WORTHILY  MUCH  HONOURED  FRIEND, 

SIR    HENRY    MILDMAY,    KNIGHT*, 

MASTER  OF  THE  JEWEL  HOUSE, 
ALL  GRACE  AND  PEACE. 

Sir, — Besides  all  private  obligations,  your  very  name  challengeth  from  me 
all  due  services  of  love  and  honour.  If  I  have  received  mercy  to  bear  any 
fruit,  next  under  heaven  I  may  thank  the  stock  wherein  I  was  imped ;  which 
was  set  by  no  other  than  the  happy  hand  of  your  right  honourable  grandfather. 
How  have  I  so  long  forborne  the  public  testimony  of  my  just  gratulations  and 
thankful  respects  to  so  true  an  heir  of  his  noble  virtues  ?  Pardon  me  that  I 
pay  this  debt  so  late,  and  accept  of  this  parcel  of  my  well-meant  labours :  where- 
in you  shall  see  Solomon  both  in  his  rising  and  setting :  his  rising  hopeful  and 
glorious,  his  declination  fearful.  You  shall  see  the  proofs  of  his  early  graces ; 
of  mercy  in  sparing  Adonijah  and  Abiathar ;  of  justice  in  punishing  that  rival 
of  his  with  Joab  and  Shimei ;  of  wisdom  in  his  award  betwixt  the  two  harlots, 
and  the  administration  of  his  court  and  state ;  of  piety  in  building  and  hallowing 
the  temple ;  all  dashed  in  his  fall,  repaired  in  his  repentance.  I  have  no  cause 
to  misdoubt  either  the  acceptation  or  use  of  these  my  high  pitched  thoughts ; 
which,  together  with  yourself  and  your  worthy  and  virtuous  lady,  I  humbly 
commend  to  the  care  and  blessing  of  the  Highest;  who  am  bound  by  your 
worth  and  merits  to  be  ever 

Yours  sincerely  and  thankfully  devoted  in  all  observance, 

JOS.  HALL. 

■  [Grandson  of  Sir  Walter  Mildmay,  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  and  treasurer 
-to  Queen  Elizabeth.] 


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510  Adonijah  defeated.  book  rvn. 

ADONIJAH  DEFEATED.— i  Kings  i. 

David  had  not  so  carefully  husbanded  his  yeafs  as  to  maintain 
a  vigorous  age ;  he  was  therefore,  what  through  wars,  what  with 
sorrows,  what  with  sickness,  decrepit  betimes :  by  that  time  be 
was  seventy  years  old  his  natural  heat  was  so  wasted  that  his 
clothes  could  not  warm  him.  How  many  have  we  known  of  more 
strength  at  more  age  I  The  holiest  soul  dwells  not  in  an  impreg- 
nable fort.  If  the  revenging  angel  spared  David,  yet  age  and 
death  will  not  spare  him.  Neither  his  new  altar  nor  his  costly 
sacrifice  can  be  of  force  against  decay  of  nature.  Nothing  but 
death  can  prevent  the  weaknesses  of  age. 

None  can  blame  a  people  if  when  they  have  a  good  king  they 
are  desirous  to  hold  him.  David's  servants  and  subjects  have  com- 
mended unto  his  bed  a  fair  young  virgin,  not  for  the  heat  of  lust, 
but  of  life ;  that  by  this  means  they  might  make  an  outward  sup- 
ply of  fuel  for  that  vital  fire  which  was  well  near  extinguished 
with  age. 

As  it  is  in  the  market  or  the  stage,  so  it  is  in  our  life ;  one  goes 
in,  another  comes  out.  When  David  was  withering,  Adonijah  was 
in  his  blossom. 

That  son,  as  he  was  next  to  Absalom  both  in  the  beauty  of  his 
body  and  the  time  of  his  birth,  so  was  he  too  like  him  in  practice. 
He  also,  taking  advantage  of  his  father's  infirmity,  will  be  carving 
himself  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel.  That  he  might  no  whit  vary 
from  his  pattern,  he  gets  him  also  chariots  and  horsemen,  and 
fifty  men  to  run  before  him. 

These  two,  Absalom  and  Adonijah,  were  the  darlings  of  their 
father.  Their  father  had  not  displeased  them  from  their  childhood, 
therefore  they  both  displeased  him  in  his  age.  Those  children 
had  need  to  be  very  gracious  that  are  not  marred  with  pampering. 
It  is  more  than  God  owes  us  if  we  receive  comfort  in  those  children 
whom  we  have  overloved.  The  indulgence  of  parents  at  last  pays 
them  home  in  crosses. 

It  is  true  that  Adonijah  was  David's  eldest  son  now  remaining, 
and  therefore  might  seem  to  challenge  the  justest  title  to  the 
crown ;  but  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  in  so  late  an  erection,  had  not 
yet  known  the  right  of  succession.  God  himself,  that  had  ordained 
the  government,  was  as  yet  the  immediate  elector ;  he  fetched  Saul 
from  among  the  stuff  and  David  from  the  sheepfold,  and  had  now 
appointed  Solomon  from  the  ferule  to  the  sceptre.     And  if  Ado- 


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cont.  i.  Adonijah  defeated.  511 

nijah  (which  is  unlike)  had  not  known  this,  yet  it  had  been  his 
part  to  have  taken  his  father  with  him  in  this  claim  of  his  succes- 
sion ;  and  not  so  to  prevent  a  brother  that  he  should  shoulder  out 
a  father ;  and  not  so  violently  to  preoccupy  the  throne,  that  he 
should  rather  be  a  rebel  than  an  heir. 

As  Absalom,  so  Adonijah  wants  not  furtherers  in  this  usurpation, 
whether  spiritual  or  temporal :  Joab  the  general  and  Abiathar  the 
priest  give  both  counsel  and  aid  to  so  unseasonable  a  challenge. 
These  two  had  been  firm  to  David  in  all  his  troubles,  in  all  insur- 
rections ;  yet  now,  finding  him  fastened  to  the  bed  of  age  and  death, 
they  show  themselves  thus  slippery  in  the  loose.  Outward  hap- 
piness and  friendship  are  not  known  till  our  last  act :  in  the  im- 
potency  of  either  our  revenge  or  recompense,  it  will  easily  appear 
who  loved  us  for  ourselves,  who  for  their  own  ends. 

Had  not  Adonijah  known  that  Solomon  was  designed  to  the 
kingdom,  both  by  God  and  David,  he  had  never  invited  all  the 
rest  of  the  king's  sons,  his  brethren,  and  left  out  Solomon,  who 
was  otherwise  the  most  unlikely  to  have  been  his  rival  in  his 
honour :  all  the  rest  were  elder  than  he,  and  might  therefore  have 
had  more  pretence  for  their  competition.  Doubtless  the  court  of 
Israel  could  not  but  know  that  immediately  upon  the  birth  of 
Solomon  God  sent  him,  by  Nathan  the  prophet,  a  name  and  mes- 
sage of  love;  neither  was  it  for  nothing  that  God  called  him  Jedi- 
diah,  and  forepromised  him  the  honour  of  building  a  house  to  his 
name ;  and  in  return  for  so  glorious  a  service,  the  establishment 
of  the  throne  of  his  kingdom  over  Israel  for  ever :  notwithstanding 
all  which,  Adonijah,  backed  by  the  strength  of  a  Joab  and  the 
gravity  of  an  Abiathar,  will  underwork  Solomon  and  justle  into 
the  not  yet  vacant  seat  of  his  father  David.  Vain  men,  while,  like 
proud  and  yet  brittle  clay,  they  will  be  knocking  their  sides 
against  the  solid  and  eternal  decree  of  God,  break  themselves  in 
pieces. 

I  do  not  find  that  Adonijah  sent  any  message  of  threats  or  un- 
kindness  to  Zadok  the  priest,  or  Nathan  the  prophet,  or  Benaiah 
the  son  of  Jehoiada,  and  the  other  worthies ;  only  he  invited  them 
not  to  his  feast  with  the  king's  sons  and  servants.  Sometimes  a 
very  omission  is  an  affront  and  a  menace.  They  well  knew  that 
since  they  were  not  called  as  guests,  they  were  counted  as  enemies. 
Ceremonies  of  courtesy,  though  they  be  in  themselves  slight  and 
arbitrary,  yet  the  neglect  of  them  in  some  cases  may  undergo  a 
dangerous  construction. 


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512  Adonijah  defeated.  book  xyii. 

Nathan  was  the  man  by  whom  God  had  sent  that  errand  of 
grace  to  David  concerning  Solomon,  assuring  him  both  to  reign 
and  prosper ;  yet  now,  when  Adonijah's  plot  was  thus  on  foot,  he 
doth  not  sit  still  and  depend  upon  the  issue  of  God's  decree,  bat  he 
bestirs  him  in  the  business,  and  consults  with  Bathsheba  how  at 
once  to  save  their  lives  and  to  advance  Solomon  and  defeat  Ado* 
nijah.  God's  predetermination  includes  the  means  as  well  as  the 
end.  The  same  providence  that  had  ordained  a  crown  to  Solomon, 
a  repulse  to  Adonijah,  preservation  to  Bathsheba  and  Nathan,  had 
foreappointed  the  wise  and  industrious  endeavours  of  the  prophet 
to  bring  about  his  just  and  holy  purposes :  if  we  would  not  have 
God  wanting  to  us,  we  must  not  be  wanting  to  ourselves :  even  when 
we  know  what  God  hath  meant  to  us,  we  may  not  be  negligent. 

The  prophets  of  God  did  not  look  for  revelation  in  all  their  af- 
fairs :  in  some  things  they  were  left  to  the  counsel  of  their  own 
hearts.  The  policy  of  Nathan  was  of  use  as  well  as  his  prophecy : 
that  alone  hath  turned  the  stream  into  the  right  channel.  Nothing 
could  be  more  wisely  contrived  than  the  sending  in  of  Bathsheba 
to  David  with  so  seasonable  and  forcible  an  expostulation,  and 
the  seconding  of  hers  with  his  own. 

Though  lust  were  dead  in  David,  yet  the  respects  of  his  old 
matrimonial  love  lived  still;  the  very  presence  of  Bathsheba 
pleaded  strongly,  but  her  speech  more.  The  time  was  when  his 
affection  offended  in  excess  towards  her,  being  then  another's;  he 
cannot  now  neglect  her,  being  his  own :  and  if  either  his  age  or 
the  remorse  of  his  old  offence  should  have  set  him  off,  yet  she 
knew  his  oath  was  sure ;  My  lord,  thou  swarest  by  the  Lord  thy 
God  unto  thine  handmaid,  saying,  Assuredly  Solomon  thy  son 
shall  reign  after  me,  and  he  shall  sit  upon  my  throne*  His  word 
had  been  firm,  but  his  oath  was  inviolable :  we  are  engaged  if  we 
have  promised,  but  if  we  have  sworn  we  are  bound.  Neither  hea- 
ven nor  earth  have  any  gyves  for  that  man  that  can  shake  off  the 
fetters  of  an  oath,  for  he  cares  not  for  that  God  whom  he  dares 
invoke  to  a  falsehood ;  and  he  that  cares  not  for  God  will  not  care 
for  man. 

Ere  Bathsheba  can  be  over  the  threshold,  Nathan  (upon  com- 
pact) is  knocking  at  the  door.  God's  prophet  was  never  but  wel- 
come to  the  bedchamber  of  king  David.  In  a  seeming  strangeness 
he  falls  upon  the  same  suit,  upon  the  same  complaint  with  Bath- 
sheba. Honest  policies  do  not  misbecome  the  holiest  prophets. 
She  might  seem  to  speak  as  a  woman,  as  a  mother,  out  of  passion ; 


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cont.  i.  Adonijah  defeated.  518 

the  word  of  a  prophet  could  not  be  misdoubted :  he  therefore  that 
had  formerly  brought  to  David  that  chiding  and  bloody  message 
concerning  Bathsheba,  comes  now  to  David  to  sue  for  the  life  and 
honour  of  Bathsheba ;  and  he  that  was  sent  from  God  to  David 
to  bring  the  news  of  a  gracious  promise  of  favour  unto  Solomon, 
comes  now  to  challenge  the  execution  of  it  from  the  hands  of  a 
father ;  and  he  whose  place  freed  him  from  suspicion  of  a  faction, 
complains  of  the  insolent  demeanour  and  proclamation  of  Adonijah ; 
what  he  began  with  an  humble  obeisance,  shutting  up  in  a  lowly 
and  loving  expostulation ;  Is  this  thing  done  by  my  lord  the  king, 
and  thou  hast  not  showed  thy  servant  who  should  sit  on  the 
throne  of  my  lord  the  king  after  him  ?  As  Nathan  was  of  God's 
counsel  unto  David,  so  was  he  of  David's  counsel  both  to  God  and 
the  state :  as  God  therefore  upon  all  occasions  told  Nathan  what 
he  meant  to  do  with  David,  so  had  David  wont  to  tell  Nathan 
what  he  meant  to  do  in  his  holy  and  most  important  civil  affairs. 
There  are  cases  wherein  it  is  not  unfit  for  God's  prophets  to  meddle 
with  matters  of  state.  It  is  no  disparagement  to  religious  princes 
to  impart  their  counsels  unto  them  who  can  requite  them  with  the 
counsels  of  God. 

That  wood  which  a  single  iron  could  not  rive  is  soon  splitted  with 
a  double  wedge.  The  seasonable  importunity  of  Bathsheba  and 
Nathan  thus  seconding  each  other  hath  so  wrought  upon  David, 
that  now  his  love  to  Adonijah  gives  place  to  indignation ;  nature, 
to  a  holy  fidelity :  and  now  he  renews  his  ancient  oath  to  Bath- 
sheba with  a  passionate  solemnity;  As  the  Lord  liveth,  who  hath 
redeemed  my  soul  out  of  all  adversity,  even  as  I  swear  unto  thee 
by  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  saying »,  Assuredly  Solomon  thy  son 
shall  reign  after  me,  and  he  shall  sit  upon  my  throne  in  my 
stead;  so  will  I  certainly  do  this  day. 

In  the  decay  of  David's  body  I  find  not  his  intellective  powers 
any  whit  impaired :  as  one  therefore  that  from  his  bed  could  with 
a  perfect  (if  weak)  hand  steer  the  government  of  Israel,  he  gives 
wise  and  full  directions  for  the  inauguration  of  Solomon :  Zadok 
the  priest,  and  Nathan  the  prophet,  and  Benaiah  the  captain,  re- 
ceive his  grave  and  princely  charge  for  the  carriage  of  that  so 
weighty  a  business.  They  are  commanded  to  take  with  them  the 
royal  guard,  to  set  Solomon  upon  his  father's  mule,  to  carry  him 
down  in  state  to  Gihon,  to  anoint  him  with  the  holy  oil  of  the  ta- 
bernacle, to  sound  the  trumpets  and  proclaim  him  in  the  streets, 
to  bring  him  back  with  triumph  and  magnificence  to  the  court, 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  L  1 

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514  Adonijah  defeated.  book  xyii 

and  to  set  him  in  the  royal  throne  with  all  the  due  ceremonies  of 
coronation. 

How  pleasing  was  this  command  to  them  who  in  Solomon's 
glory  saw  their  own  safety  1  Benaiah  applauds  it,  and  not  fearing 
a  father's  envy,  in  David's  presence  wisheth  Solomon's  throne  ex- 
alted above  his.  The  people  are  ravished  with  the  joy  of  so  hope- 
ful a  succession,  and  break  the  earth  and  fill  the  heaven  with  the 
noise  of  their  music  and  shouting. 

Solomon's  guests  had  now  at  last  better  cheer  than  Adonijah's, 
whose  feast  (as  all  wicked  men's)  ended  in  horror.  No  sooner 
are  their  bellies  full  of  meat  than  their  ears  are  full  of  the  sound 
of  those  trumpets  which  at  once  proclaim  Solomon's  triumph  and 
their  confusion.  Ever  after  the  meal  is  ended  comes  the  reckoning. 
God  could  as  easily  have  prevented  this  jollity  as  marred  it ;  but 
he  willingly  suffers  vain  men  to  please  themselves  for  a  time  in 
the  conceited  success  of  their  own  projects,  that  afterwards  their 
disappointment  may  be  so  much  the  more  grievous.  No  donbt  at 
this  feast  there  was  many  a  health  drunken  to  Adonijah,  many  a 
confident  boast  of  their  prosperous  design,  many  a  scorn  of  the 
despised  faction  of  Solomon ;  and  now,  for  their  last  dish,  is  served 
up  astonishment  and  fearful  expectation  of  a  just  revenge.  Jona- 
than, the  son  of  Abiathar  the  priest,  brings  the  news  of  Solomon's 
solemn  and  joyful  enthronization :  now  all  hearts  are  cold,  all  faces 
pale,  and  every  man  hath  but  life  enough  to  run  away.  How  sud- 
denly is  this  braving  troop  dispersed  I  Adonijah,  their  new  prince, 
flies  to  the  horns  of  the  altar,  as  distrusting  all  hopes  of  life  save 
the  sanctity  of  the  place  and  the  mercy  of  his  rival. 

So  doth  the  wise  and  just  God  befool  proud  and  insolent  sinners 
in  those  secret  plots  wherein  they  hope  to  undermine  the  true  Son 
of  David,  the  Prince  of  peace.  He  suffers  them  to  lay  their  heads 
together,  and  to  feast  themselves  in  a  jocund  security  and  pro- 
mise of  success  ;  at  last,  when  they  are  at  the  height  of  their  joys 
and  hopes,  he  confounds  all  their  devices,  and  lays  them  open  to 
the  scorn  of  tho  world  and  to  the  anguish  of  their  own  guilty 
hearts. 


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jont.  ii.  David's  end  and  Solomon's  beginning.  515 


DAVID'S  END  AND  SOLOMON'S  BEGINNING, 
i  Kings  ii ;  i  Chronicles  xxix. 

It  well  became  Solomon  to  begin  his  reign  in  peace.  Adonijah 
receives  pardon  upon  his  good  behaviour,  and  finds  the  throne  of 
Solomon  as  safe  as  the  altar. 

David  lives  to  see  a  wise  son  warm  in  his  seat,  and  now  he  that 
had  yielded  to  succession  yields  to  nature. 

Many  good  counsels  had  David  given  his  heir,  now  he  sums 
them  up  in  his  end.  Dying  words  are  wont  to  be  weightiest ;  the 
soul  when  it  is  entering  into  glory  breathes  nothing  but  divine. 

I  go  the  way  of  all  the  earth.  How  well  is  that  princely  heart 
content  to  subscribe  to  the  conditions  of  human  mortality,  as  one 
that  knew  sovereignty  doth  not  reach  to  the  affairs  of  nature  I 
Though  a  king,  he  neither  expects  nor  desires  an  immunity  from 
dissolution ;  making  no  account  to  go  in  any  other  than  the  com- 
mon track  to  the  universal  home  of  mankind,  the  house  of  age. 
Whither  should  earth  but  to  earth  ?  And  why  should  we  grudge 
to  do  that  which  all  do  ? 

Be  thou  strong  therefore,  and  show  thyself  a  man.  Even  when 
his  spirit  was  going  out  he  puts  spirit  into  his  son ;  age  puts  life 
into  youth,  and  the  dying  animates  the  vigorous.  He  had  well 
found  that  strength  was  requisite  to  government,  that  he  had  need 
to  be  no  less  than  a  man  that  should  rule  over  men.  If  greatness 
should  never  receive  any  opposition,  yet  those  worlds  of  cares  and 
businesses  that  attend  the  chair  of  state  are  able  to  overlay  any 
mean  powers.  A  weak  man  may  obey,  none  but  the  strong  can 
govern. 

Graceless  courage  were  but  the  whetstone  of  tyranny ;  take 
heed,  therefore,  to  the  charge  of  the  Lord  thy  Ood,  to  walk  in  his 
ways  and  to  keep  his  statutes.  The  best  legacy  that  David  be- 
queaths to  his  heir  is  the  care  of  piety.  Himself  had  found  the 
sweetness  of  a  good  conscience,  and  now  he  commends  it  to  his 
successor.  If  there  be  any  thing  that  in  our  desires  of  the  prosper- 
ous condition  of  our  children  takes  place  of  goodness,  our  hearts 
are  not  upright.  Here  was  the  father  of  a  king  charging  the  king 
his  son  to  keep  the  statutes  of  the  King  of  kings ;  as  one  that 
knew  greatness  could  neither  exempt  from  obedience  nor  privilege 
sin;  as  one  that  knew  the  least  deviation  in  the  greatest  and 
highest  orb  is  both  most  sensible  and  most  dangerous.     Neither 

lU 


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516  David's  end  and  Solomon's  beginning.  book  xvii. 

would  he  have  his  son  to  look  for  any  prosperity  save  only  from 
welldoing  :  that  happiness  is  built  upon  sand  or  ice  which  is  raised 
upon  any  foundation  besides  virtue.  If  Solomon  were  wise,  David 
was  good ;  and  if  old  Solomon  had  well  remembered  the  counsel 
of  old  David  he  had  not  so  foully  miscarried. 

After  the  precepts  of  piety  follow  those  of  justice,  distributing 
in  a  due  recompense,  as  revenge  to  Joab  and  Shimei,  so  favour  to 
the  house  of  Barzillai. 

The  bloodiness  of  Joab  had  lien  long  upon  David's  heart.  The 
hideous  noise  of  those  treacherous  murders,  as  it  had  pierced  hea- 
ven, so  it  still  filled  the  ears  of  David.  He  could  abhor  the  villany, 
though  he  could  not  revenge  it.  What  he  cannot  pay  he  will  owe, 
and  approve  himself  at  last  a  faithful  debtor :  now  he  will  defray 
it  by  the  hand  of  Solomon.  ^  The  slaughter  was  of  Abner  and 
Araasa :  David  appropriates  it :  Thou  knowest  what  Joab  did  to 
me.  The  sovereign  is  smitten  in  the  subject :  neither  is  it  other 
than  just  that  the  arraignment  of  mean  malefactors  runs  in  the 
style  of  wrong  to  the  king's  crown  and  dignity.  How  much  more 
dost  thou,  O  Son  of  David,  take  to  thyself  those  insolences  which 
are  done  to  thy  poorest  subjects,  servants,  sons,  members  here 
upon  earth  !  No  Saul  can  touch  a  Christian  here  below  but  thou 
feelest  it  in  heaven  and  complainest. 

But  what  shall  we  think  of  this  ?  David  was  a  man  of  war, 
Solomon  a  king  of  peace ;  yet  David  refers  this  revenge  to  Solo- 
mon. How  just  it  was  that  he  who  shed  the  blood  of  war  in  peace, 
and  put  the  blood  of  war  upon  his  girdle  that  was  about  his  loins, 
should  have  his  blood  shed  in  peace  by  a  prince  of  peace !  Peace 
is  fittest  to  rectify  the  outrages  of  war.  Or  whether  is  not  this 
done  in  type  of  that  divine  administration  wherein  thou,  0  Father 
of  heaven,  hast  committed  all  judgment  unto  thine  eternal  Son? 
Thou,  who  couldst  immediately  either  plague  or  absolve  sinners, 
wilt  do  neither  but  by  the  hand  of  a  Mediator. 

Solomon  learned  betimes  what  his  ripeness  taught  afterwards; 
Take  away  the  wicked  from  the  king,  and  his  throne  shall  be 
established  in  righteousness.  Cruel  Joab  and  malicious  Shimei 
must  be  therefore  upon  the  first  opportunity  removed.  The  one 
lay  open  to  present  justice  for  abetting  the  conspiracy  of  Adonijah, 
neither  needs  the  help  of  time  for  a  new  advantage ;  the  other 
went  under  the  protection  of  an  oath  from  David,  and  therefore 
must  be  fetched  in  upon  a  new  challenge.  The  hoar  head  of  both 
must  be  brought  to  the  grave  with  blood,  else  David's  head  could 


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ont.  ii.  David *s  end  and  Solomon's  beginning.  517 

.  not  be  brought  to  his  grave  in  peace.  Due  punishment  of  male- 
factors is  the  debt  of  authority.  If  that  holy  king  have  run  into 
arrearages,  yet,  as  one  that  hates  and  fears  to  break  the  bank,  he 
gives  orders  to  his  paymaster :  it  shall  be  defrayed,  if  not  by  him, 
yet  for  him. 

Generous  natures  cannot  be  unthankful :  Barzillai  had  showed 
David  some  kindness  in  his  extremity :  and  now  the  good  man 
will  have  posterity  to  inherit  the  thanks.  How  much  more 
bountiful  is  the  Father  of  mercies  in  the  remuneration  of  our  poor 
unworthy  services !  Even  successions  of  generations  shall  fare  the 
better  for  one  good  parent. 

The  dying  words  and  thoughts  of  a  man  after  God's  own  heart 
did  not  confine  themselves  to  the  straits  of  these  particular  charges, 
but  enlarged  themselves  to  the  care  of  God's  public  service.  As 
good  men  are  best  at  last,  David  did  never  so  busily  and  carefully 
marshal  the  affairs  of  God  as  when  he  was  fixed  to  the  bed  of  his 
age  and  death.  Then  did  he  load  his  son  Solomon  with  the 
charge  of  building  the  house  of  God.  Then  did  he  lay  before  the 
eyes  of  his  son  the  model  and  pattern  of  that  whole  sacred  work, 
whereof  if  Solomon  bare  the  name,  yet  David  no  less  merits  it. 
He  now  gives  the  platform  of  the  courts  and  buildings.  He 
gives  the  gold  and  silver  for  that  holy  use :  a  hundred  thousand 
talents  of  gold,  a  thousand  thousand  talents  of  silver,  besides  brass 
and  iron  passing  weight.  He  weighs  out  those  precious  metals 
for  their  several  designments.  Every  future  vessel  is  laid  out 
already  in  his  poise,  if  not  in  his  form.  He  excites  the  princes  of 
Israel  to  their  assistance  in  so  high  a  work :  he  takes  notice  of 
their  bountiful  offerings.  He  numbers  up  the  Levites  for  the 
public  services,  and  sets  them  their  tasks.  He  appoints  the  singers 
and  other  musicians  to  their  stations;  the  porters  to  the  gates 
that  should  be.  And  now,  when  he  hath  set  all  things  in  a  desired 
order  and  forwardness,  he  shuts  up  with  a  zealous  blessing  of  his 
Solomon  and  his  people,  and  sleeps  with  his  fathers.  O  blessed 
soul,  how  quiet  a  possession  hast  thou  now  taken,  after  so  many 
tumults,  of  a  better  crown !  Thou  that  hast  prepared  all  things 
for  the  house  of  thy  God,  how  happily  art  thou  now  welcomed  to 
that  house  of  his,  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens  I 
Who  now  shall  envy  unto  good  princes  the  honour  of  overseeing 
the  businesses  of  God  and  his  Church,  when  David  was  thus  punctual 
in  these  divine  provisions  ?  What  fear  can  be  of  usurpation  where 
they  have  so  glorious  a  precedent  ? 

Now  is  Solomon  the  second  time  crowned  king  of  Israel ;  and 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


518  David? $  end  and  Solomon's  beginning.  book  rv 

now  in  his  own  right,  as  formerly  in  his  father's,  sits  peaceably 
upon  the  throne  of  the  Lord.  His  awe  and  power  come  on  faster 
than  his  years. 

Envy  and  ambition,  where  it  is  once  kindled,  may  sooner  be  hid 
in  the  ashes  than  quite  pnt  out.  Adonijah  yet  hangs  after  his 
old  hopes :  he  remembers  how  sweet  he  found  the  name  of  a  king ; 
and  now  hath  laid  a  new  plot  for  the  setting  np  of  his  cracked 
title.  He  would  make  the  bed  a  step  to  the  throne :  his  old  com- 
plices are  sure  enough :  his  part  would  gather  much  strength,  if  he 
might  enjoy  Abishag,  the  relict  of  his  father,  to  wife.  If  it  were 
not  the  Jewish  fashion,  as  is  pretended,  that  a  king's  widow  should 
marry  none  but  a  king,  yet  certainly  the  power  both  of  the 
alliance  and  friendship  of  a  queen  must  needs  not  a  little  advance 
his  purpose.  The  crafty  rival  dare  not  either  move  the  suit  to 
Solomon  or  effect  the  marriage  without  him,  but  would  cun- 
ningly undermine  the  son  by  the  suit  of  that  mother  whose  suit 
had  undermined  him.  The  weaker  vessels  are  commonly  used  in 
the  most  dangerous  suggestions  of  evil. 

Bathsheba  was  so  wise  a  woman,  that  some  of  her  counsels  are 
canonized  for  divine ;  yet  she  saw  not  the  depth  of  this  drift  of 
Adonijah;  therefore  she  both  entertains  the  suit  and  moves  it. 
But  whatever  were  the  intent  of  the  suitor,  could  she  choose  but 
see  the  unlawfulness  of  so  incestuous  a  match  ?  It  is  not  long  since 
she  saw  her  late  husband  David  abominating  the  bed  of  those 
his  concubines  that  had  been  touched  by  his  son  Absalom ;  and 
can  she  hold  it  lawful  that  his  son  Adonijah  should  climb  up  to  the 
bed  of  his  father's  wife  ?  Sometimes  even  the  best  eyes  are  dim, 
and  discern  not  those  things  which  are  obvious  to  weaker  sights. 
Or  whether  did  not  Bathsheba  well  see  the  foulness  of  the  suit, 
and  yet  in  compassion  of  Adonijah's  late  repulse,  wherein  she  was 
the  chief  agent,  and  in  a  desire  to  make  him  amends  for  the  loss 
of  the  kingdom,  she  yields  even  thus  to  gratify  him  ?  It  is  an 
injurious  weakness  to  be  drawn  upon  by  any  by-respects  to  the 
furtherance  of  faulty  suits  of  unlawful  actions. 

'  No  sooner  doth  Bathsheba  come  in  place,  than  Solomon  her  son 
rises  from  his  chair  of  state,  and  meets  her,  and  bows  to  her,  and 
sets  her  on  his  right  hand ;  as  not  so  remembering  himself  to  be 
a  king  that  he  should  forget  he  was  a  son.  No  outward  dignity 
can  take  away  the  rights  and  obligations  of  nature.  Had  Bath- 
sheba been  as  mean  as  Solomon  was  mighty,  she  had  carried  away 
this  honour  from  a  gracious  son. 

Yet  for  all  these  due  compliments,  Bathsheba  goes  away  with  a 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


3ont.  ii.  David's  end  and  Solomon's  beginning.         519 

denial  Beverence  shall  she  have,  she  shall  not  have  a  condescent. 
In  the  acts  of  magistracy  all  regards  of  natural  relations  must  give 
way.  That  which  she  propounded  as  a  small  request  is  now, 
after  a  general  and  confused  engagement,  rejected  as  unreasonable. 
It  were  pity  we  should  be  heard  in  all  our  suits.  Bathsheba 
makes  a  petition  against  herself,  and  knows  it  not:  her  safety 
and  life  depend  upon  Solomon's  reign ;  yet  she  unwittingly  moves 
for  the  advancement  of  Adonijah.  Solomon  was  too  dutiful  to 
check  his  mother,  and  too  wise  to  yield  to  her :  in  unfit  supplica- 
tions we  are  most  heard  when  we  are  repelled.  Thus  doth  our 
God  many  times  answer  our  prayers  with  merciful  denials,  and 
most  blesseth  us  in  crossing  our  desires. 

Wise  Solomon  doth  not  find  himself  perplexed  with  the  scruple 
of  his  promise.  He  that  had  said.  Ask  on9for  I  will  not  say  thee 
nay,  can  now  swear,  God  do  so  tome  and  more  also,  if  Adonijah 
have  not  spoken  this  word  against  his  own  life.  His  promise 
was  according  to  his  supposition ;  his  supposition  was  of  no  other 
than  of  a  suit,  honest,  reasonable,  expedient ;  now  he  holds  himself 
free  from  that  grant,  wherein  there  was  at  once  both  sin  and 
danger.  No  man  can  be  entangled  with  general  words  against 
his  own  just  and  honest  intentions. 

The  policies  of  wicked  men  befool  them  at  last.  This  interces- 
sion hath  undone  Adonijah,  and  instead  of  the  throne  hastens  his 
grave.  The  sword  of  Benaiah  puts  an  end  to  that  dangerous  ri- 
vality. 

Joab  and  Abiathar  still  held  champerty  with  Adonijah.  Their 
hand  was  both  in  his  claim  of  the  kingdom  and  in  the  suit  of 
Abishag.  There  are  crimes  wherein  there  are  no  accessaries; 
such  is  this  of  treason. 

Abiathar  may  thank  his  burden  that  he  lives:  had  he  not 
borne  the  ark  of  the  Lord  before  David,  he  had  not  now  carried 
his  head  upon  his  shoulders :  had  he  not  been  afflicted  with  David, 
he  had  perished  with  Adonijah :  now,  though  he  were  in  his  own 
merit  a  man  of  death,  yet  he  shall  survive  his  partners :  Get  thee 
to  Anathoth,  unto  thine  own  fields.  The  priesthood  of  Abiathar, 
as  it  aggravated  his  crime,  so  it  shall  preserve  his  life.  Such 
honour  have  good  princes  given  to  the  ministers  of  the  sanctuary, 
that  their  very  coat  hath  been  defence  enough  against  the  sword 
of  justice :  how  much  more  should  it  be  of  proof  against  the  con- 
tempt of  base  persons ! 

Besides  his  function,  respect  is  had  to  his  sufferings.     The  fa- 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


520  The  execution  o/Joab  and  Shimei.  book  xm 

ther  and  brethren  of  Abiathar  were  slain  for  David's  sake ;  there- 
fore for  David's  sake  Abiathar,  though  worthy  of  death,  shall 
live.  He  had  been  now  a  dead  man  if  he  had  not  been  formerly 
afflicted.  Thus  doth  our  good  God  deal  with  us :  by  the  rod  he 
prevents  the  sword ;  and  therefore  will  not  condemn  us  for  our 
sins,  because  we  have  suffered. 

If  Abiathar  do  not  forfeit  his  life,  yet  his  office  he  shall :  he 
must  change  Jerusalem  for  Anathoth,  and  the  priesthood  for  a 
retired  privacy. 

It  was  fourscore  years  ago  sinoe  the  sentence  of  judgment  was 
denounced  against  the  house  of  Eli :  now  doth  it  come  to  execu- 
tion. This  just  quarrel  against  Abiathar,  the  last  of  that  line, 
shall  make  good  the  threatened  judgment.  The  wickedness  of 
Eli's  house  was  neither  purged  by  sacrifice  nor  obliterated  by 
time.  If  God  pay  slowly,  yet  he  pays  sure.  Delay  of  most  cer- 
tain punishment  is  neither  any  hinderance  to  his  justice  nor  any 
comfort  to  our  miseries. 


THE  EXECUTION  OF  .JOAB  AND  SHIMEI. 

i  Kings  ii. 

Abiathar  shall  live,  though  he  serve  not.  It  is  in  the  power 
of  princes  to  remit  at  least  those  punishments  which  attend  the 
breach  of  human  laws :  good  reason  they  should  have  power  to 
dispense  with  the  wrongs  done  to  their  own  persons. 

The  news  of  Adonijah's  death  and  Abiathar's  removal  cannot 
but  affright  Joab ;  who  now  runs  to  Gibeon,  and  takes  sanctuary 
in  the  tabernacle  of  God.  All  his  hope  of  defence  is  in  the  horns 
of  the  altar.  Fond  Joab,  hadst  thou  formerly  sought  for  counsel 
from  the  tabernacle,  thou  hadst  not  now  needed  to  seek  to  it  for 
refuge ;  if  thy  devotions  had  not  been  wanting  to  that  altar,  thou 
hadst  not  needed  it  for  a  shelter.  It  is  the  fashion  of  our  foolish 
presumption  to  look  for  protection  where  we  have  not  cared  to 
yield  obedience. 

Even  a  Joab  clings  fast  to  God's  altar  in  his  extremity,  which 
in  his  ruff  and  welfare  he  regarded  not.  The  worst  men  would  be 
glad  to  make  use  of  God's  ordinances  for  their  advantage :  neces- 
sity will  drive  the  most  profane  and  lawless  man  to  God.  But 
what  do  these  bloody  hands  touching  the  holy  altar  of  God? 


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cont.  in.  The  execution  of  Joab  and  Shimei.  521 

Miserable  Joab,  what  help  canst  thou  expect  from  that  sacred 
pile  ?  Those  horns  that  were  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  beasts 
abhor  to  be  touched  by  the  blood  of  men :  that  altar  was  for  the 
expiation  of  sin  by  blood,  not  for  the  protection  of  the  sin  of 
blood.  If  Adonijah  fled  thither  and  escaped,  it  is  murder  that 
pursues  thee  more  than  conspiracy :  God  hath  no  sanctuary  for  a 
wilful  homicide. 

Tea,  such  respect  doth  Benaiah  give  to  that  holy  place,  that 
his  sword  is  unwilling  to  touch  him  that  touches  the  altar.  Those 
horns  shall  put  off  death  for  the  time,  and  give  protraction  of 
the  execution,  though  not  preservation  of  life. 

How  sweet  is  life,  even  to  those  who  have  been  prodigal  of 
the  blood  of  others,  that  Joab  shifts  thus  to  hold  it  but  some  few 
hours. 

Benaiah  returns  with  Joab's  answer  instead  of  his  head ;  Nay, 
but  I  will  die  here;  as  not  daring  to  unsheath  his  sword  against 
a  man  sheltered  in  God's  tabernacle  without  a  new  commission. 
Young  Solomon  is  so  well  acquainted  with  the  law  of  God  in  such 
a  case  that  he  sticks  not  at  the  sentence.  He  knew  that  God 
had  enacted,  If  a  man  come  presumptuously  upon  his  neighbour 
to  slay  him  with  guile ;  thou  shalt  take  him  from  mine  altar,  that 
he  may  die.  He  knew  Joab's  murders  had  not  been  more  pre- 
sumptuous than  guileful ;  and  therefore  he  sends  Benaiah  to  take 
away  the  offender,  both  from  God  and  men,  from  the  altar  and 
the  world. 

No  subject  had  merited  more  than  Joab.  When  proclamation 
was  made  in  Israel,  that  whoever  should  smite  the  Jebusites  first, 
he  should  be  the  chief  and  captain,  Joab  was  the  man ;  when 
David  built  some  part  of  Jerusalem,  Joab  built  the  rest ;  so  as 
Jerusalem  owes  itself  to  Joab  both  for  recovery  and  reparation : 
no  man  held  so  close  to  David ;  no  man  was  more  intent  to  the 
weal  of  Israel;  none  so  successful  in  victories:  yet  now  he  is 
called  to  reckon  for  his  old  sins,  and  must  repay  blood  to  Amasa 
and  Abner.  It  is  not  in  the  power  of  all  our  deserts  to  buy  off 
one  sin  either  with  God  or  man.  Where  life  is  so  deeply  for- 
feited, it  admits  of  no  redemption. 

The  honest  simplicity  of  those  times  knew  not  of  any  infamy 
in  the  execution  of  justice.  Benaiah,  who  was  the  great  marshal 
under  Solomon,  thinks  not  his  fingers  defiled  with  that  fatal 
stroke.  It  is  a  foolish  niceness  to  put  more  shame  in  the  doing  of 
justice  than  in  the  violating  of  it. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


522  The  execution  ofJoab  and  Shimei.  book  xyi; 

Id  one  act  Solomon  hath  approved  himself  both  a  good  ma- 
gistrate and  a  good  son ;  fulfilling  at  once  the  will  of  a  father 
and  the  charge  of  God,  concluding,  upon  this  just  execution,  that 
upon  David,  and  upon  his  seed,  and  upon  his  house,  and  upon 
his  throne,  there  shall  be  peace  for  ever  from  the  Lord;  and 
inferring,  that  without  this  there  could  have  been  no  peace. 

Blood  is  a  restless  suitor,  and  will  not  leave  clamouring  for 
judgment  till  the  mouth  be  stopped  with  revenge.  In  this  case, 
favour  to  the  offender  is  cruelty  to  the  favourer. 

Now  hath  Joab  paid  all  his  arrearages  by  the  sword  of  Be- 
naiah.  There  is  no  suit  against  his  corpse ;  that  hath  the  honour 
of  a  burial  fit  for  a  peer  of  Israel,  for  the  near  cousin  to  the 
king.  Death  puts  an  end  to  all  quarrels.  Solomon  strikes  off 
the  score  when  God  is  satisfied.  The  revenge  that  survives 
death,  and  will  not  be  shut  up  in  the  coffin,  is  barbarous,  and 
unbeseeming  true  Israelites. 

Only  Shimei  remains  upon  the  file.  His  course  is  next ;  yet 
so,  as  that  it  shall  bo  in  his  own  liberty  to  hasten  his  end.  Upon 
David's  remission,  Shimei  dwells  securely  in  Bahurim,  a  town  of 
the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  Doubtless,  when  he  saw  so  round  justice 
done  upon  Adonijah  and  Joab,  his  guilty  heart  could  not  think 
Solomon's  message  portended  ought  but  bis  execution;  and  now 
he  cannot  but  be  well  pleased  with  so  easy  conditions,  of  dwelling 
at  Jerusalem,  and  not  passing  over  the  brook  Eidron.  What 
more  delightful  place  could  he  choose  to  live  in  than  that  city 
which  was  the  glory  of  the  whole  earth?  what  more  pleasing 
bounds  could  he  wish  than  the  sweet  banks  of  Kidron  ?  Jerusa- 
lem could  be  no  prison  to  him  while  it  was  a  paradise  to  his 
betters;  and  if  he  had  a  desire  to  take  fresh  air,  he  had  the 
space  of  six  furlongs  to  walk  from  the  city  to  the.  brook.  He 
could  not  complain  to  be  so  delectably  confined.  And  besides, 
thrice  every  year  he  might  bo  sure  to  see  all  his  friends  without 
stirring  his  foot. 

Wise  Solomon,  while  he  cared  to  seem  not  too  severe  an  ex- 
actor of  that  which  his  father  had  remitted,  prudently  lays  insen- 
sible twigs  for  so  foul  an  offender.  Besides  the  old  grudge,  no 
doubt  Solomon  saw  cause  to  suspect  the  fidelity  of  Shimei,  as  a 
man  who  was  ever  known  to  be  hollow  to  the  house  of  David. 
The  obscurity  of  a  country  life  would  easily  afford  him  more  safe 
opportunities  of  secret  mischief.  Many  eyes  shall  watch  him  in 
the  city.     He  cannot  look  out  unseen ;  he  cannot  whisper  un- 


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in.  The  execution  ofjoab  and  Shimei.  523 

heard.  Upon  no  other  terms  shall  he  enjoy  his  life,  which  the 
least  straying  shall  forfeit. 

Shimei  feels  no  pain  in  this  restraint.  How  many  nobles  of 
Israel  do  that  for  pleasure  which  he  doth  upon  command !  Three 
years  hath  he  lived  within  compass,  limited  both  by  Solomon's 
charge  and  his  own  oath.  It  was  still  in  his  power,  notwith- 
standing David's  caveat,  to  have  laid  down  his  hoar  head  in  the 
grave  without  blood.  The  just  God  infatuates  those  whom  he 
means  to  plague.  Two  of  Shimei's  servants  are  fled  to  Gath; 
and  now  he  saddles  his  ass,  and  is  gone  to  fetch  them  back. 
u  Either,"  he  thinks,  "  this  word  of  Solomon  is  forgotten,  or  in 
the  multitude  of  greater  affairs  not  heeded,  or  this  so  small  an 
occurrence  will  not  come  to  his  ear."  Covetousness  and  pre- 
sumption of  impunity  are  the  destruction  of  many  a  soul.  Shimei 
seeks  his  servants  and  loses  himself.  How  many  are  there  who 
cry  out  of  this  folly  and  yet  imitate  it !  These  earthly  things 
either  are  our  servants  or  should  be :  how  commonly  do  we  see 
men  run  out  of  the  bounds  set  by  God's  law  to  hunt  after  them, 
till  their  souls  incur  a  fearful  judgment ! 

Princes  have  thousands  of  eyes  and  ears.  If  Shimei  will  for 
more  secresy  saddle  his  own  ass,  and  take,  as  is  like,  the  benefit 
of  night  for  his  passage,  his  journey  cannot  be  hid  from  Solomon. 
How  wary  had  those  men  need  to  be  that  are  obnoxious !  With- 
out delay  is  Shimei  complained  of,  convented,  charged  with  vio- 
lation both  of  the  oath  of  God  and  the  injunction  of  Solomon ; 
and  that  all  these  might  appear  to  be  but  an  occasion  of  that 
punishment  whose  cause  was  more  remote,  now  is  all  that  old 
venom  laid  before  him  which  his  malice  had  long  since  spit  at 
God's  anointed ;  Thou  knowest  all  the  wickedness  whereto  thine 
heart  is  privy  that  thou  didst  to  David  my  father. 

Had  this  old  tally  been  stricken  off,  yet  could  not  Shimei  have 
pleaded  aught  for  his  life :  for  had  he  said,  "  Let  not  my  lord 
the  king  be  thus  mortally  displeased  for  so  small  an  offence ; 
who  ever  died  for  passing  over  Kidron  ?  what  man  is  the  worse 
for  my  harmless  journey  ?"  it  had  soon  been  returned,  "  If  the 
act  be  small,  yet  the  circumstances  are  deadly :  the  commands  of 
sovereign  authority  make  the  slightest  duties  weighty :  if  the 
journey  be  harmless,  yet  not  the  disobedience."  It  is  not  for 
subjects  to  poise  the  prince's  charge  in  the  scales  of  their  weak 
constructions,  but  they  must  suppose  it  ever  to  bo  of  such  im- 
portance as  is  pretended  by  the  commander. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


524  Solomons  choice,  book  xvil 

Besides  the  precept,  here  was  a  mutual  adjuration.  Shimei 
swore  not  to  go ;  Solomon  swore  his  death  if  he  went :  the  one 
oath  must  be  revenged,  the  other  must  be  kept :  if  Shimei  were 
false  in  offending,  Solomon  will  be  just  in  punishing.  Now  there- 
fore that  which  Abishai  the  son  of  Zeruiah  wished  to  have  done  in 
the  greenness  of  the  wound  and  was  repelled,  after  long  festering 
Benaiah  is  commanded  to  do.  The  stones  that  Shimei  threw  at 
David  struck  not  so  deep  as  Benaiah's  sword :  the  tongue  that 
cursed  the  Lord's  anointed  hath  paid  the  head  to  boot.  Vengeance 
against  rebels  may  sleep,  it  cannot  die :  a  sure,  if  late,  judgment 
attends  those  that  dare  lift  up  either  the  hand  or  tongue  against 
the  sacred  persons  of  God's  vicegerents.  How  much  less  will  the 
God  of  heaven  suffer  unrevenged  the  insolences  and  blasphemies 
against  his  own  Divine  Majesty !  It  is  a  fearful  word,  he  should 
not  be  just  if  he  should  hold  these  guiltless. 


SOLOMON'S  CHOICE,  WITH  HIS  JUDGMENT 
UPON  THE  TWO  HARLOTS. 

i  Kings  iii ;  2  Chronicles  i. 

After  so  many  messages  and  proofs  of  grace,  Solomon  begins 
doubtfully  both  for  his  match  and  for  his  devotion.  If  Pharaoh's 
daughter  were  not  a  proselyte,  his  early  choice  was  (besides  un- 
warrantable) dangerous.  The  high  places  not  only  stood,  but 
were  frequented  both  by  the  people  and  king.  I  do  not  find 
David  climbing  up  those  mishallowed  hills  in  an  affection  of  the 
variety  of  altars :  Solomon  doth  so,  and  yet  loves  the  Lord,  and 
is  loved  of  God  again.  Such  is  the  mercy  of  our  God,  that  he 
will  not  suffer  our  well  meant  weaknesses  to  bereave  us  of  his 
favours:  he  rather  pities  than  plagues  us  for  the  infirmities  of 
upright  hearts. 

Gibeon  was  well  worthy  to  be  the  chief,  yea  the  only  high 
place.  There  was  the  allowed  altar  of  God :  there  was  the  taber- 
nacle, though  as  then  severed  from  the  ark :  thither  did  young 
Solomon  go  up :  and  as  desiring  to  begin  his  reign  with  God,  there 
he  offers  no  less  than  a  thousand  sacrifices. 

Solomon  worships  God  by  day :  God  appears  to  Solomon  by 
night.    Well  may  we  look  to  enjoy  God  when  we  have  served 


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co  nt.  iv.  with  his  judgment  upon  the  two  harlots.  525 

him.  The  night  cannot  but  be  happy,  whose  day  hath  been 
holy. 

It  was  no  unusual  course  with  God  to  reveal  himself  unto  his 
servants  by  dreams :  so  did  he  here  to  Solomon ;  who  saw  more 
with  his  eyes  shut  than  ever  they  could  see  open,  even  him  that 
was  invisible. 

The  good  king  had  offered  unto  God  a  thousand  burnt  sacrifices, 
and  now  God  offered  him  his  option ;  Ask  what  I  shall  give  thee. 
He  whose  the  beasts  are  on  a  thousand  mountains  graciously 
accepts  a  small  return  of  his  own.  It  stands  not  with  the  munifi- 
cence of  a  bountiful  God  to  be  indebted  to  his  creature.  We 
cannot  give  him  aught  unrecompensed.  There  is  no  way  wherein 
we  can  be  so  liberal  to  ourselves  as  by  giving  to  the  Possessor  of 
all  things.  And  art  thou  still,  O  God,  less  free  unto  us,  thy 
meaner  servants,  under  the  gospel  ?  Hast  thou  not  said,  Whatso- 
ever ye  shall  ash  the  Father  in  my  name,  it  shall  be  given  you  t 
Only  give  us  grace  not  to  be  wanting  unto  thee,  and  we  know 
thou  canst  not  suffer  any  thing  to  be  wanting  unto  us. 

The  night  follows  the  temper  of  the  day,  and  the  heart  so  useth 
to  sleep  as  it  wakes.  Had  not  the  thoughts  of  Solomon  been  in- 
tent upon  wisdom  by  day,  he  had  not  made  it  his  suit  in  his  dream. 
There  needs  no  leisure  of  deliberation :  the  heart  was  so  forestalled 
with  the  love  and  admiration  of  wisdom,  that,  not  abiding  the  least 
motion  of  a  competition,  it  fastens  on  that  grace  it  had  longed  for; 
Give  unto  thy  servant  an  understanding  heart  to  judge  thy 
people. 

Had  not  Solomon  been  wise  before,  he  had  not  known  the 
worth  of  wisdom;  he  had  not  preferred  it  in  his  desires.  The 
dunghill  cocks  of  the  world  cannot  know  the  price  of  this  pearl. 
Those  that  have  it  know  that  all  other  excellences  are  but  trash 
and  rubbish  unto  it. 

Solomon  was  a  great  king,  and  saw  that  he  had  power  enough ; 
but  withal  he  found  that  royalty  without  wisdom  was  no  other 
than  eminent  dishonour.  There  is  no  trade  of  life  whereto  there 
belongs  not  a  peculiar  wisdom,  without  which  there  is  nothing 
but  a  tedious  unprofitableness ;  much  more  to  the  highest  and 
busiest  vocation,  the  regiment  of  men. 

As  God  hath  no  reason  to  give  his  best  favours  unasked,  so 
hath  he  no  will  to  withhold  them  where  they  are  asked. 

He  that  in  his  cradle  had  the  title  of  beloved  of  God  is  now  be- 
loved more  in  the  throne  for  the  love  and  desire  of  wisdom. 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


526  Solomon's  choice,  book  xvil 

This  soil  could  never  have  borne  this  fruit  alone.  Solomon 
could  not  so  much  as  have  dreamed  of  wisdom  if  God  had  not  put 
it  into  him ;  and  now  God  takes  the  suit  so  well,  as  if  he  were  be- 
holden to  his  creature  for  wishing  the  best  to  itself;  and  because 
Solomon  hath  asked  what  he  should,  he  shall  now  receive  both 
what  he  asked  and  what  he  asked  not ;  riches  and  honour  shall 
be  given  him  into  the  match.  So  doth  God  love  a  good  choice, 
that  he  recompenses  it  with  overgiving.  Could  we  but  first  seek 
the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness,  all  these  earthly  things 
should  be  superadded  to  us.  Had  Solomon  made  wealth  his 
boon,  he  had  failed  both  of  riches  and  wisdom :  now  he  asks  the 
best,  and  speeds  of  all.  They  are  in  a  fair  way  of  happiness 
that  can  pray  well. 

It  was  no  discomfort  to  Solomon  that  he  awaked  and  found  it 
a  dream,  for  he  knew  this  dream  was  divine  and  oracular ;  and  he 
already  found  in  his  first  waking  the  real  performance  of  what 
was  promised  him  sleeping ;  such  illumination  did  he  sensibly  find 
in  all  the  rooms  of  his  heart,  as  if  God  had  now  given  him  a  new 
soul. 

No  marvel  if  Solomon,  now  returning  from  the  tabernacle  to 
the  ark,  testified  his  joy  and  thankfulness  by  burnt  offerings  and 
peace  offerings  and  public  feastings.  The  heart  that  hath  found 
in  itself  the  lively  testimonies  of  God's  presence  and  favour  can- 
not contain  itself  from  outward  expressions. 

God  Ukes  not  to  have  his  gifts  lie  dead  where  he  hath  conferred 
them.  Israel  shall  soon  witness  they  have  a  king  enlightened  from 
heaven,  in  whom  wisdom  did  not  stay  for  heirs,  did  not  admit  of 
any  parallel  in  his  predecessors.  The  all-wise  God  will  find  occa- 
sions to  draw  forth  those  graces  to  use  and  light  which  he  hath 
bestowed  on  man. 

Two  harlots  come  before  young  Solomon  with  a  difficult  plea. 
It  is  not  like  the  prince's  ear  was  the  first  that  heard  this  com- 
plaint :  there  was  a  subordinate  course  of  justice  for  the  determi- 
nation of  these  meaner  incidences.  The  hardness  of  this  decision 
brought  the  matter  through  all  the  benches  of  inferior  judicature, 
to  the  tribunal  of  Solomon. 

The  very  Israelitish  harlots  were  not  so  unnatural  as  some  now- 
adays that  counterfeit  honesty.  These  strive  for  the  fruit  of  their 
womb,  ours  to  put  them  off. 

One  son  is  yet  alive,  two  mothers  contend  for  him.  The  chil- 
dren were  alike  for  feature,  for  age ;  the  mothers  were  alike  for 


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:ont.  iv.  with  his  judgment  upon  the  two  harlots.  527 

reputation.  Here  can  be  no  evidence  from  others'1  eyes.  Whether's 
now  is  the  living  child,  and  whether's  is  the  dead  ?  Had  Solomon 
gone  about  to  wring  forth  the  truth  by  tortures,  he  had  perhaps 
plagued  the  innocent  and  added  pain  to  the  misery  of  her  loss  : 
the  weaker  had  been  guilty,  and  the  more  able  to  bear  had  car- 
ried away  both  the  child  and  the  victory.  The  countenance  of 
either  of  the  mothers  bewrayed  an  equality  of  passion :  sorrow 
possessed  the  one  for  the  son  she  had  lost,  and  the  other  for  the 
son  she  was  in  danger  to  lose.  Both  were  equally  peremptory  and 
importunate  in  their  claim.  It  is  in  vain  to  think  that  the  true 
part  can  be  discerned  by  the  vehemence  of  their  challenge :  false- 
hood is  ofttimes  more  clamorous  than  truth.  No  witnesses  can  be 
produced.  They  two  dwelt  apart  under  one  roof,  and  if  some 
neighbours  had  seen  the  children  at  their  birth  and  circumcision, 
yet  how  little  difference,  how  much  change  is  there  in  the  favour 
of  infants !  How  doth  death  alter  more  confirmed  lines ! 

The  impossibility  of  truth  makes  the  guilty  more  confident, 
more  impudent.  The  true  mother  pleads  that  her  child  was  taken 
away  at  midnight  by  the  other,  but  in  her  sleep ;  she  saw  it  not, 
she  felt  it  not,  and  if  all  her  senses  could  have  witnessed  it,  yet 
here  was  but  the  affirmation  of  the  one  against  the  denial  of  the 
other,  which  in  persons  alike  credible  do  but  counterpoise. 

What  is  there  now  to  lead  the  judge,  since  there  is  nothing 
either  in  the  act,  or  circumstances,  or  persons,  or  plea,  or  evidence, 
that  might  sway  the  sentence  ?  Solomon  well  saw  that  when  all 
outward  proofs  failed  there  was  an  inward  affection,  which  if  it 
could  be  fetched  out  would  certainly  bewray  the  true  mother.  He 
knew  sorrow  might  more  easily  be  dissembled  than  natural  love : 
both  sorrowed  for  their  own,  both  could  not  love  one  as  theirs : 
to  draw  forth  then  this  true  proof  of  motherhood  Solomon  calls 
for  a  sword. 

Doubtless  some  of  the  wiser  hearers  smiled  upon  each  other, 
and  thought  in  themselves,  "What !  will  the  young  king  cut  these 
knotty  causes  in  pieces  ?  Will  he  divide  justice  with  edged  tools  ? 
Will  he  smite  at  hazard  before  conviction?1'  The  actions  of  wise 
princes  are  riddles  to  vulgar  constructions ;  neither  is  it  for  the 
shallow  capacities  of  the  multitude  to  fathom  the  deep  projects  of 
sovereign  authority.  That  sword  which  had  served  for  execution 
shall  now  serve  for  trial ;  Divide  ye  the  living  child  in  twain, 
and  give  the  one  half  to  the  one,  and  the  other  half  to  the  other. 
0  divine  oracle  of  justice,  commanding  that  which  it  would  not 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


528  Solomons  choice,  Sfc.  book  xvil 

have  done,  that  it  might  find  out  that  which  could  not  be  dis- 
covered !  Neither  God  nor  his  deputies  may  be  so  taken  at  their 
words  as  if  they  always  intended  their  commands  for  action,  and 
not  sometimes  for  probation. 

This  sword  hath  already  pierced  the  breast  of  the  true  mother, 
and  divided  her  heart  with  fear  and  grief  at  so  killing  a  sentence. 
There  needs  no  other  rack  to  discover  nature,  and  now  she  thinks, 
"  Woe  is  me  that  came  for  justice  and  am  answered  with  cruelty ; 
Divide  ye  the  Hiring  child  I  Alas !  what  hath  that  poor  infant  of- 
fended, that  it  survives  and  is  sued  for  ?  How  much  less  miserable 
had  I  been  that  my  child  had  been  smothered  in  my  sleep,  than 
mangled  before  mine  eyes !  If  a  dead  carcass  could  have  satisfied 
me,  I  needed  not  to  have  complained.  What  a  woful  condition 
am  I  fallen  into  who  am  accused  to  have  been  the  death  of  my 
supposed  child  already,  and  now  shall  be  the  death  of  my  own !  If 
there  were  no  loss  of  my  child,  yet  how  can  I  endure  this  torment 
of  mine  own  bowels  ?  How  can  I  live  to  see  this  part  of  myself 
sprawling  under  that  bloody  sword?"  And  while  she  thinks  thus, 
she  sues  to  that  suspected  mercy  of  her  just  judge:  0  my  lord, 
give  her  the  living  child,  and  slay  him  not ;  as  thinking,  "  If  he 
live,  he  shall  but  change  a  mother ;  if  he  die,  his  mother  loseth 
a  son :  while  he  lives  it  shall  be  my  comfort  that  I  have  a  son, 
though  I  may  not  call  him  so ;  dying,  he  perisheth  to  both :  it  is 
better  he  should  live  to  a  wrong  mother  than  to  neither."  Con- 
trarily,  her  envious  competitor,  as  holding  herself  well  satisfied 
that  her  neighbour  shall  be  as  childless  as  herself,  can  say,  Let  it 
be  neither  mine  nor  thine,  but  divide  it.  Well  might  Solomon  and 
every  hearer  conclude,  that  either  she  was  no  mother  or  a  monster 
that  could  be  content  with  the  murder  of  her  child,  and  that  if 
she  could  have  been  the  true  mother,  and  yet  have  desired  the 
blood  of  her  infant,  she  had  been  as  worthy  to  have  been  stripped 
of  her  child  from  so  foul  unnaturalness  as  the  other  had  been 
worthy  to  enjoy  him  for  her  honest  compassion.  Not  more  justly 
than  wisely  therefore  doth  Solomon  trace  the  true  mother  by  the 
footsteps  of  love  and  pity,  and  adjudgeth  the  child  to  those  bowels 
that  had  yearned  at  his  danger. 

Even  in  morality  it  is  thus  also.  Truth,  as  it  is  one,  so  it  loves 
entireness ;  falsehood,  division.  Satan,  that  hath  no  right  to  the 
heart,  would  be  content  with  a  piece  of  it;  God,  that  made  it  all, 
will  have  either  the  whole  or  none.  The  erroneous  church  strives 
with  the  true  for  the  living  child  of  saving  doctrine :  each  claims 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


cont.  v*  The  temple.  529 

it  for  her  own :  heresy,  conscious  of  her  own  injustice,  could  be 
content  to  go  away  with  a  leg  or  an  arm  of  sound  principles,  as 
hoping  to  make  up  the  rest  with  her  own  mixtures ;  truth  can- 
not abide  to  part  with  a  joint,  and  will  rather  endure  to  lose  all 
by  violence,  than  a  piece  through  a  willing  connivancy. 


THE  TEMPLE.— i  Kings  v,  vi ;  2  Chronicles  ii,  iii,  iv. 

It  is  a  weak  and  injurious  censure  that  taxeth  Solomon's  slack- 
ness in  founding  the  house  of  God.  Great  bodies  must  have  but 
slow  motions.  He  was  wise  that  said,  "  The  matters  must  be  all 
prepared  without  ere  wo  build  within."  And  if  David  have  laid 
ready  a  great  part  of  the  metals  and  timber,  yet  many  a  tree 
must  be  felled  and  squared,  and  many  a  stone  hewn  and  polished, 
ere  this  foundation  could  be  laid ;  neither  could  those  large  cedars 
be  cut,  sawn,  seasoned  in  one  year;  four  years  are  soon  gone  in 
so  vast  a  preparation. 

David  had  not  been  so  entire  a  friend  to  Hiram  if  Hiram  had 
not  been  a  friend  to  God.  Solomon's  wisdom  hath  taught  him  to 
make  use  of  so  good  a  neighbour  of  a  father's  friend.  He  knew 
that  the  Tynans'  skill  was  not  given  them  for  nothing.  Not  Jews 
only,  but  Gentiles,  must  have  their  hand  in  building  the  temple  of 
God:  only  Jews  meddled  with  the  tabernacle,  but  the  temple  is 
not  built  without  the  aid  of  Gentiles ;  they  together  with  us  make 
up  the  Church  of  God. 

Even  pagans  have  their  arts  from  heaven :  how  justly  may  we 
improve  their  graces  to  the  service  of  the  God  of  heaven  I  If  there 
be  a  Tyrian  that  can  work  more  curiously  in  gold,  in  silver,  in 
brass,  in  iron,  in  purple,  and  blue  silk,  than  an  Israelite,  why 
should  not  he  be  employed  about  the  temple  ?  Their  heathenism 
is  their  own,  their  skill  is  their  Maker's.  Many  a  one  works  for 
the  Church  of  God  that  yet  hath  no  part  in  it 

Solomon  raises  a  tribute  for  the  work,  not  of  money,  but  of 
men.  Thirty  thousand  Israelites  are  levied  for  the  service ;  yet 
not  continuedly,  but  with  intermission :  their  labour  is  more  ge- 
nerous and  less  pressing :  it  is  enough  if  they  keep  their  courses 
one  month  in  Lebanon,  two  at  home ;  so  as  ever  ten  thousand 
work  while  twenty  thousand  breathe.  So  favourable  is  God  to  his 
creature,  that  he  requires  us  not  to  be  overtoiled  in  the  works  of  his 
own  service.     Due  respirations  are  requisite  in  the  holiest  acts. 

The  main  stress  of  the  work  lies  upon  proselytes,  whose  both 

BP.  HALL,  VOL.  I.  Mm 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


580  The  temple.  book  xvh 

number  and  pains  were  herein  more  than  the  natives'.  An  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  of  them  are  employed  in  bearing  burdens,  in 
hewing  stones ;  besides  their  three  thousand  three  hundred  over- 
seers. Now  were  the  despised  Gibeonites  of  good  use,  and  in  vain 
doth  Israel  wish  that  the  zeal  of  Saul  had  not  robbed  them  of  so 
serviceable  drudges. 

There  is  no  man  so  mean  but  may  be  some  way  useful  to  the 
house  of  God.  Those  that  cannot  work  in  gold  and  silver  and 
silk,  yet  may  cut  and  hew ;  and  those  that  can  do  neither,  yet 
may  carry  burdens.  Even  the  services  that  are  more  homely  are 
not  less  necessary.  Who  can  dishearten  himself  in  the  conscience 
of  his  own  insufficiency,  when  he  sees  God  can  as  well  serve  him- 
self of  his  labour  as  of  his  skill  ? 

The  Temple  is  framed  in  Lebanon  and  set  up  in  Sion.  Neither 
hammer  nor  axe  was  heard  in  that  holy  structure.  There  was 
nothing  but  noise  in  Lebanon,  nothing  in  Sion  but  silence  and 
peace.  Whatever  tumults  are  abroad,  it  is  fit  there  should  be  all 
quietness  and  sweet  concord  in  the  Church.  O  God,  that  the  axes 
of  schism  or  the  hammers  of  furious  contentions  should  be  heard 
within  thy  sanctuary  1  Thine  house  is  not  built  with  blows ;  with 
blows  it  is  beaten  down.  O  knit  the  hearts  of  thy  servants  to- 
gether, "  in  the  unity  of  the  spirit  and  the  bond  of  peace ;"  that 
we  may  mind  and  speak  the  same  things ;  that  thou  who  art  the 
God  of  peace  may  est  take  pleasure  to  dwell  under  the  quiet  roof  of 
our  hearts. 

Now  is  the  foundation  laid  afad  the  walls  rising  of  that  glorious 
fabric  which  all  nations  admired,  and  all  times  have  celebrated 
Even  those  stones  which  were  laid  in  the  base  of  the  building  were 
not  ragged  and  rude,  but  hewn  and  costly.  The  part  that  lies 
covered  with  earth  from  the  eyes  of  all  beholders  is  no  less  pre- 
cious than  those  that  are  more  conspicuous :  God  is  not  all  for  the 
eye ;  he  pleaseth  himself  with  the  hidden  value  of  the  living  stones 
of  his  spiritual  temple.  How  many  noble  graces  of  his  servants 
have  been  buried  in  obscurity,  not  discerned  so  much  as  by  their 
own  eyes,  which  yet  as  he  gave  so  he  crowneth  I  Hypocrites  re- 
gard nothing  but  show,  God  nothing  but  truth. 

The  matter  of  so  goodly  a  frame  strives  with  the  proportion 
whether  shall  more  excel :  here  was  nothing  but  white  marble 
without;  nothing  but  cedar  and  gold  within.  Upon  the  hill  of 
Sion  stands  that  glittering  and  snowy  pile  which  both  inviteth 
and  dazzleth  the  eyes  of  passengers  afar  off:  so  much  more 


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cont.  v.  The  temple.  581 

precious  within  as  cedar  is  better  than  stone,  gold  than  cedar. 
No  base  thing  goes  to  the  making  up  of  God's  house.  If  Satan 
may  have  a  dwelling,  he  cares  not  though  he  patch  it  up  of  the 
rubbish  of  stone,  or  rotten  sticks,  or  dross  of  metals :  God  will 
admit  of  nothing  that  is  not  pure  and  exquisite :  his  Church  con- 
sists of  none  but  the  faithful ;  his  habitation  is  in  no  heart  but  the 
gracious. 

The  fashion  was  no  other  than  that  of  the  tabernacle ;  only  this 
was  more  costly,  more  large,  more  fixed :  God  was  the  same  that 
dwelt  in  both ;  he  varied  not :  the  same  mystery  was  in  both. 
Only  it  was  fit  there  should  be  a  proportion  betwixt  the  work  and 
the  builder :  the  tabernacle  was  erected  in  a  popular  estate,  the 
temple  in  a  monarchy  :  it  was  fit  this  should  savour  of  the  muni- 
ficence of  a  king,  as  that  of  the  zeal  of  a  multitude.  That  was 
erected  in  the  flitting  condition  of  Israel  in  the  desert ;  this,  in 
their  settled  residence  in  the  promised  land :  it  was  fit,  therefore, 
that  should  be  framed  for  motion,  this,  for  rest.  Both  of  them 
were  distinguished  into  three  remarkable  divisions,  whereof  each 
was  more  noble,  more  reserved  than  other. 

But  what  do  we  bend  our  eyes  upon,  stone  and  wood,  and 
metals?  God  would  never  have  taken  pleasure  in  these  dead 
materials  for  their  own  sakes,  if  they  had  not  had  a  further  in- 
tendment. 

Methinks  I  see  four  temples  in  this  one.  It  is  but  one  in 
matter ;  as  the  God  that  dwells  in  it  is  but  one  :  three,  yet 
more,  in  resemblance ;  according  to  division  of  them  in  whom  it 
pleaseth  God  to  inhabit ;  for  wherever  God  dwells  there  is  his 
temple.  O  God,  thou  vouchsafest  to  dwell  in  the  believing  heart. 
As  we  thy  silly  creatures  have  our  being  in  thee,  so  thou,  the 
Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  hast  thy  dwelling  in  us.  The  heaven 
of  heavens  is  not  able  to  contain  thee,  and  yet  thou  disdainest 
not  to  dwell  in  the  strait  lodgings  of  our  renewed  soul.  So  then, 
because  God's  children  are  many,  and  those  many  divided  in  re- 
spect of  themselves  though  united  in  their  Head,  therefore  this 
temple,  which  is  but  one  in  collection,  as  God  is  one,  is  manifold 
in  the  distribution,  as  the  saints  are  many ;  each  man  bearing 
about  him  a  little  shrine  of  this  infinite  Majesty :  and,  for  that  the 
most  general  division  of  the  saints  is  in  their  place  and  estate, 
some  struggling  and  toiling  in  this  earthly  warfare,  others  tri- 
umphing in  heavenly  glory,  therefore  hath  God  two  other  more 
universal  temples ;  one,  the  Church  of  his  saints  on  earth,  the 

Mm  7, 


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592  The  temple.  book  xvn. 

other,  the  highest  heaven  of  his  saints  glorified.  In  all  these,  O 
God,  thou  dwellest  for  ever,  and  this  material  house  of  thine  is  a 
clear  representation  of  these  three  spiritual.  Else  what  were  a 
temple  made  with  hands  unto  the  God  of  spirits  ?  And  though 
one  of  these  was  a  true  type  of  all,  yet  how  are  they  all  exceeded 
each  by  other !  This  of  stone,  though  most  rich  and  costly,  yet 
what  is  it  to  the  living  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  our 
body  ?  What  is  the  temple  of  this  body  of  ours  to  the  temple  of 
Christ's  body,  which  is  his  Church  ?  And  what  is  the  temple  of 
God's  Church  on  yarth  to  that  which  triumpheth  gloriously  in 
heaven  ? 

How  easily  do  we  see  all  these  in  this  one  visible  temple ! 
which  as  it  had  three  distinctions  of  rooms,  the  Porch,  the  Holy 
Place,  the  Holy  of  Holies,  so  is  each  of  them  answered  spi- 
ritually :  in  the  Porch  we  find  the  regenerate  soul  entering  into 
the  blessed  society  of  the  Church ;  in  the  Holy  Place,  the  Com- 
munion of  the  true  visible  Church  on  jearth,  selected  from  the 
world ;  in  the  Holy  of  Holies,  whereinto  the  high  priest  entered 
once  a  year,  the  glorious  heaven,  into  which  our  true  high  priest, 
Christ  Jesus,  entered  once  for  all,  to  make  an  atonement  betwixt 
God  and  man. 

In  all  those  what  a  meet  correspondence  there  is  both  in  pro* 
portion,  matter,  situation ! 

In  proportion : — The  same  rule  that  skilful  carvers  observe  in 
the  cutting  out  of  the  perfect  statue  of  a  man,  that  the  height  be 
thrice  the  breadth,  and  the  breadth  one  third  of  the  height,  was 
likewise  duly  observed  in  the  fabric  of  the  temple ;  whose  length 
was  double  to  the  height  and  treble  to  the  breadth;  as  being 
sixty  cubits  long,  thirty  high,  and  twenty  broad.  How  exquisite 
a  symmetry  hast  thou  ordained,  O  God,  betwixt  the  faithful  heart 
and  thy  Church  on  earth  with  that  in  heaven ;  how  accurate  in 
each  of  these,  in  all  their  powers  and  parts,  compared  with  other ! 
So  hath  God  ordered  the  believing  soul,  that  it  hath  neither  too 
much  shortness  of  grace,  nor  too  much  height  of  conceit,  nor  too 
much  breadth  of  passion.  So  hath  he  ordered  his  visible  Church, 
that  there  is  a  necessary  inequality  without  any  disproportion ;  a 
height  of  government,  a  length  of  extent,  a  breadth  of  jurisdic- 
tion, duly  answerable  to  each  other  :  so  hath  he  ordered  his  tri- 
umphant Church  above,  that  it  hath  a  length  of  eternity  an- 
swered with  a  height  of  perfection  and  a  breadth  of  incomprehen- 
sible glory. 


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jo>*t.  v.  The  temple.  538 

In  matter : — AH  was  here  of  the  best.  The  wood  was  precious, 
sweet,  lasting ;  the  stones  beautiful,  costly,  insensible  of  age ;  the 
gold  pure  and  glittering :  so  are  the  graces  of  God's  children  ; 
excellent  in  their  nature,  dear  in  their  acceptation,  eternal  in 
their  use :  so  are  the  ordinances  of  God  in  his  Church ;  holy, 
comfortable,  irrefragable:  so  is  the  perfection  of  his  glorified 
saints ;  incomparable,  unconceivable. 

In  situation  : — The  outer  parts  were  here  more  common  ;  the* 
inward  more  holy  and  peculiarly  reserved.  I  find  one  court  of 
the  temple  open  to  the  unclean,  to  the  uncircumcised :  within 
that  another,  open  only  to  the  Israelites ;  and  of  them  to  the 
clean :  within  that  yet  another,  proper  only  to  the  priests  and 
Levites  ;  where  was  the  brazen  altar  for  sacrifice  and  the  brazen 
sea  for  washings ;  the  eyes  of  the  laity  might  follow  their  obla- 
tions in  hither,  their  feet  might  not :  yet  more,  in  the  covered 
rooms  of  the  temple  there  is  whither  the  'priests  only  may  enter, 
not  the  Levites ;  there  is  whither  the  high  priest  only  may  enter, 
not  his  brethren.  It  is  thus  in  every  renewed  man,  the  individual 
temple  of  God :  the  outward  parts  are  allowed  common  to  God 
and  the  world ;  the  inwardest  and  secretest,  which  is  the  heart, 
is  reserved  only  for  the  God  that  made  it.  It  is  thus  in  the 
Church  visible :  the  false  and  foul-hearted  hypocrite  hath  access 
to  the  holy  ordinances  of  God,  and  treads  in  his  courts ;  only  the 
true  Christian  hath  entire  and  private  conversation  with  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel ;  he  only  is  admitted  into  the  Holy  of  Holies,  and 
enters  within  the  glorious  veil  of  heaven. 

If  from  the  walls  we  look  unto  the  furniture,  what  is  the 
altar,  whereon  our  sacrifices  of  prayer  and  praises  are  offered  to 
the  Almighty,  but  a  contrite  heart  ?  what  the  golden  candle- 
sticks, but  the  illumined  understanding,  wherein  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  his  divine  will,  shineth  for  ever  ?  what 
the  tables  of  shew-bread,  but  the  sanctified  memory  which 
keepeth  the  bread  of  life  continually  ?  Yea,  if  we  shall  presume 
so  far  as  to  enter  into  the  very  closet  of  God's  oracle,  even  there, 
O  God,  do  we  find  our  unworthy  hearts  so  honoured  by  thee, 
that  they  are  made  the  very  ark  wherein  thy  royal  law  and  the 
pot  of  thy  heavenly  manna  are  kept  for  ever ;  and  from  whose 
propitiatory,  shaded  with  the  wings  of  thy  glorious  angels,  thou 
givest  thy  gracious  testimonies  of  thy  good  Spirit,  witnessing 
with  ours  that  we  are  the  children  of  thee,  the  living  God. 

Behold,  if  Solomon  built  a  temple  unto  thee,  thou  hast  built  a 


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■sS 


534  Solomon  and  the  queen  qfSheba.  book  xvil 

r  temple  unto  thyself  in  us.     We  are  not  only,  through  thy  grace, 

^  living  stones  in  thy  temple,  but  living  temples  in  thy  Sion.     O 

do  thou  ever  dwell  in  this  thy  house,  and  in  this  thy  house  let 

f.  us  ever  serve  thee.     Wherefore  else  hast  thou  a  temple,  but  for 

thy  presence  with  us  and  for  our  worshipping  of  thee?    The 

time  was  when,  as  thy  people,  so  thyself  didst  lodge  in  flitting 

tents,  ever  shifting,  ever  moving :  thence  thou  thoughtest  best  to 

sojourn  both  in  Shiloh  and  the  roof  of  Obed  Edom.     After  that, 

thou  condescendedst  to  settle  thine  abode  with  men,  and  wouldst 

dwell  in  a  house  of  thine  own  at  thy  Jerusalem.     So  didst  thou  in 

the  beginning  lodge  with  our  first  parents  in  a  tent,  sojourn  with 

Israel  under  the  Law,  and  now  makest  a  constant  residence, 

under  the  Gospel,  in  the  hearts  of  thy  chosen  children,  from 

whence  thou  wilt  remove  no  more :  they  shall  remove  from  the 

world,  from  themselves ;  thou  shalt  not  remove  from  them. 

Wheresoever  thou  art,  O  God,  thou  art  worthy  of  adoration. 
Since  thou  ever  wilt  dwell  in  us,  be  thou  ever  worshipped  in  us. 
'Let  the  altars  of  our  clean  hearts  send  up  ever  to  thee  the 
V  sweetest  perfumed  smokes  of  our  holy  meditations,  and  faithful 
prayers,  and  cheerful  thanksgivings.  Let  the  pure  lights  of  our 
faith  and  godly  conversation  shine  ever  before  thee  and  men,  and 
never  be  put  out.  Let  the  bread  of  life  stand  ever  ready  upon 
the  pure  and  precious  tables  of  our  hearts.  Lock  up  thy  law  and 
thy  manna  within  us,  and  speak  comfortably  to  us  from  thy 
mercyseat.  Suffer  nothing  to  enter  in  hither  that  is  unclean. 
Sanctify  us  unto  thyself,  and  be  thou  sanctified  in  us. 


SOLOMON  AND  THE  QUEEN  OF  SHEBA. 
1  Kings  x ;  2  Chronicles  ix. 

God  hath  no  use  of  the  dark  lanterns  of  secret  and  reserved 
perfections:  we  ourselves  do  not  light  up  candles  to  put  them 
under  bushels.  The  great  lights,  whether  of  heaven  or  earth, 
are  not  intended  to  obscurity ;  but,  as  to  give  light  unto  others, 
so  to  be  seen  themselves. 

Dan  and  Beersheba  were  too  strait  bounds  for  the  fame  of 
Solomon,  which  now  hath  flown  over  all  lands  and  seas,  and 
raised  the  world  to  an  admiration  of  his  more  than  human  wis- 
dom.   Even  so,  0  thou  everlasting  Ring  of  Peace,  thy  name  is 


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3o>*t.  vi.  Solomon  and  the  queen  of  Slieba.  535 

great  among  the  Gentiles.  There  is  no  speech  nor  language 
where  the  report  of  thee  is  not  heard ;  the  sound  of  thee  is  gone 
forth  through  all  the  earth.  Thy  name  is  an  ointment  poured 
out ;  therefore  the  virgins  love  thee. 

No  doubt,  many  from  all  coasts  came  to  learn  and  wonder ; 
none  with  so  much  note  as  this  noble  daughter  of  Cham ;  who 
herself  deserves  the  next  wonder  to  him  whom  she  came  to  hear 
and  admire.  That  a  woman,  a  princess,  a  rich  and  great  queen, 
should  travel  from  the  remotest  south,  from  Saba,  a  region 
famous  for  the  greatest  delicacies  of  nature,  to  learn  wisdom,  is  a 
matchless  example.  We  know  merchants  that  venture  to  either 
Indies  for  wealth;  others  we  know  daily  to  cross  the  seas  for 
wanton  curiosity ;  some  few  philosophers  we  have  known  to  have 
gone  far  for  learning ;  and  amongst  princes  it  is  no  unusual 
thing  to  send  their  ambassadors  to  far  distant  kingdoms  for  trans- 
action of  businesses  either  of  state  or  commerce :  but  that  a  royal 
lady  should  in  person  undertake  and  overcome  so  tedious  a 
journey,  only  to  observe  and  inquire  into  the  mysteries  of  nature, 
art,  religion,  is  a  thing  past  both  parallel  and  imitation.  Why 
do  we  think  any  labour  great,  or  any  way  long,  to  hear  a  greater 
than  Solomon  ?  How  justly  shall  the  queen  of  the  south  rise  up 
in  judgment  and  condemn  us,  who  may  hear  Wisdom  crying  in 
our  streets,  and  neglect  her  I 

Certainly,  so  wealthy  a  queen  and  so  great  a  lover  of  wisdom 
could  not  want  great  scholars  at  home  :  them  she  had  first  apposed 
with  her  enigmatical  demands :  and  now,  finding  herself  unsatis- 
fied, she  takes  herself  to  this  oracle  of  God.  It  is  a  good  thing 
to  doubt ;  better  to  be  resolved :  the  mind  that  never  doubts 
shall  learn  nothing ;  the  mind  that  ever  doubts  shall  never  profit 
by  learning :  our  doubts  only  serve  to  stir  us  up  to  seek  truth  ; 
our  resolutions  settle  us  in  the  truth  we  have  found.  There  were 
no  pleasure  in  resolutions  if  we  had  not  been  formerly  troubled 
with  doubts ;  there  were  nothing  but  discomfort  and  disquietness 
in  doubts  if  it  were  not  for  the  hope  of  resolution.  It  is  not  safe 
to  suffer  doubts  to  dwell  too  long  upon  the  heart ;  there  may  be 
a  good  use  of  them  as  passengers,  dangerous  as  inmates ;  happy 
are  we  if  we  can  find  a  Solomon  to  remove  them. 

Fame,  as  it  is  always  a  blab,  so  ofttimes  a  liar.  The  wise 
princess  found  cause  to  distrust  so  uncertain  an  informer,  whose 
reports  are  still  either  doubtful  or  fabulous,  and,  like  winds  of 
streams,  increase  in  passing.     If  very  great  things  were  not 


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536  Solomon  and  the  queen  o/Sheba.  book  xvu. 

spoken  of  Solomon,  fame  should  have  wronged  him ;  and  if  but 
just  rumours  were  spread  of  his  wisdom,  there  needed  much  cre- 
dulity to  believe  them.  This  great  queen  would  not  suffer  herself 
to  be  led  by  the  ears,  but  comes  in  person  to  examine  the  truth 
of  foreign  relations.  How  much  more  unsafe  is  it  in  the  most  im- 
portant businesses  of  our  souls  to  trust  the  opinions  and  reports 
of  others!  Those  ears  and  eyes  are  ill  bestowed  that  do  not 
serve  to  choose  and  judge  for  their  owners. 

When  we  come  to  a  rich  treasure,  we  need  not  be  bidden  to 
carry  away  what  we  are  able.  This  wise  lady,  as  she  came  far 
for  knowledge,  so,  finding  the  plenty  of  this  vein,  she  would  not 
depart  without  her  full  load:  there  was  nothing  wherein  she 
would  leave  herself  unsatisfied :  she  knew  that  she  could  not 
every  day  meet  with  a  Solomon,  and  therefore  she  makes  her 
best  use  of  so  learned  a  master :  now  she  empties  her  heart  of  all 
her  doubts,  and  fills  it  with  instruction.  It  is  not  good  neglect- 
ing the  opportunities  of  furnishing  our  souls  with  profitable,  with 
saving  knowledge.  There  is  much  wisdom  in  moving  a  question 
well,  though  there  be  more  in  assoiling  it :  what  use  do  we  make 
of  Solomon's  teacher,  if  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Christ  we  leave  our 
hearts  either  ignorant  or  perplexed  ? 

As  if  the  errand  of  this  wealthy  queen  had  been  to  buy  wisdom, 
she  came  with  her  camels  laden  with  gold  and  precious  stones 
and  rich  odours ;  though  to  a  mighty  king,  she  will  not  come  to 
school  empty-handed.  If  she  came  to  fetch  an  invaluable  trea- 
sure, she  finds  it  reason  to  give  thanks  unto  him  that  kept  it. 
As  he  is  a  fool  that  hath  a  price  in  his  hand  to  get  wisdom  and 
wants  a  heart ;  so  is  he  unthankful  that  hath  a  heart  to  get  wis- 
dom and  hath  no  price  in  his  hand ;  a  price,  not  countervailable 
to  what  he  seeks,  but  retributory  to  him  of  whom  he  seeks.  How 
shameful  is  it  to  come  always  with  close  hands  to  them  that 
teach  us  the  great  mysteries  of  salvation ! 

Expectation  is  no  better  than  a  kind  enemy  to  good  deserts. 
We  lose  those  objects  which  we  overlook.  Many  had  been  ad- 
mired if  they  had  not  been  overmuch  befriended  by  fame,  who 
now.  in  our  judgment,  are  cast  as  much  below  their  rank  as  they 
were  fore-imagined  above  it.  This  disadvantage  had  wise  Solomon 
with  this  stranger,  whom  rumour  had  bid  to  look  for  incredible 
excellencies ;  yet  so  wonderful  were  the  graces  of  Solomon,  that 
they  overcame  the  highest  expectation  and  the  liberalest  belief; 
so  as  when  she  saw  the  architecture  of  his  buildings,  the  provi- 


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cont.  vi.  Solomon  and  the  queen  of  Sheba.  587 

sions  of  his  tables,  the  order  of  his  attendants,  the  religion  of  his 
sacrifices,  she  confessed  both  her  unjust  incredulity  in  not  believ- 
ing the  report  of  his  wisdom,  and  the  injury  of  report  in  under- 
rating it ;  /  believed  not  the  words  till  I  came,  and  mine  eyes 
had  seen  it,  and  lo,  the  one  half  was  not  told  me.  Her  eyes 
were  more  sure  informers  than  her  ears.  She  did  not  so  much 
hear  as  see  Solomon's  wisdom  in  these  real  effects.  His  answers 
did  not  so  much  demonstrate  it  as  his  prudent  government. 
There  are  some  whose  speeches  are  witty  while  their  carriage  is 
weak,  whose  deeds  are  incongruities  while  their  words  are  apo- 
phthegms. It  is  not  worth  the  name  of  wisdom  that  may  be. 
heard  only  and  not  seen :  good  discourse  is  but  the  froth  of 
wisdom ;  the  pure  and  solid  substance  of  it  is  in  well-framed 
actions:  If  we  know  these  things,  happy  are  we  if  we  do 
them. 

And  if  this  great  person  admired  the  wisdom  and  buildings, 
the  domestic  order  of  Solomon,  and  chiefly  his  stately  ascent  into 
the  house  of  the  Lord,  how  shou]fl  our  souls  be  taken  up  with 
wonder  at  thee,  0  thou  true  Son  of  David  and  Prince  of  ever- 
lasting Peace,  who  receivedst  the  Spirit  not  by  measure !  who 
hast  built  this  glorious  house  not  made  with  hands,  even  the 
heaven  of  heavens !  whose  infinite  providence  hath  sweetly  dis- 
posed of  all  the  family  of  thy  creatures  both  in  heaven  and  earth  ! 
and  who,  lastly,  didst  ascend  up  on  high,  and  leddest  captivity 
captive,  and  gavest  gifts  to  men ! 

So  well  had  this  studious  lady  profited  by  the  lectures  of  that 
exquisito  master,  that  now  she  envies,  she  magnifies  none  but 
them  who  may  live  within  the  air  of  Solomon's  wisdom  ;  Happy 
are  the  men,  and  happy  are  thy  servants,  which  stand  continually 
before  thee,  and  that  hear  thy  wisdom ;  as  if  she  could  have  been 
content  to  have  changed  her  throne  for  the  footstool  of  Solomon. 
It  is  not  easy  to  conceive  how  great  a  blessing  it  is  to  live  under 
those  lips  which  do  both  preserve  knowledge  and  utter  it :  if  we 
were  not  glutted  with  good  counsel  we  should  find  no  relish  in 
any  worldly  contentment  in  comparison  thereof;  but  he  that  is 
fxdl  despiseth  an  honeycomb. 

She  whom  her  own  experience  had  taught  how  happy  a  thing 
it  is  to  have  a  skilful  pilot  sitting  at  the  stern  of  the  state,  bless- 
eth  Israel  for  Solomon,  blesseth  God  for  Israel,  blesseth  Solomon 
and  Israel  mutually  in  each  other ;  Blessed  be  the  Lord  thy  Ood, 
which  delighteth  in  thee,  to  set  thee  on  the  throne  of  Israel. 


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538  Solomon  'and  the  queen  of  Sheba.  book  xvn. 

Because  the  Lord  loved  Israel  for  ever,  therefore  made  he  thee 
king,  to  do  judgment  and  justice. 

It  was  not  more  Solomon's  advancement  to  be  king  of  Israel, 
than  it  was  the  advancement  of  Israel  to  be  governed  by  a  Solo- 
mon. There  is  no  earthly  proof  of  God's  love  to  any  nation 
comparable  to  the  substitution  of  a  wise  and  pious  governor :  to 
him  we  owe  our  peace,  our  life,  and,  which  is  deservedly  dearer, 
the  life  of  our  souls,  the  Gospel.  But,  O  God,  how  much  hast  thou 
loved  thine  Israel  for  ever,  in  that  thou  hast  set  over  it  that 
righteous  Branch  of  Jesse  whose  name  is  Wonderful,  Counsellor, 
the  mighty  God,  the  Everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace: 
in  whose  days  Judah  shall  be  saved,  and  Israel  shall  dwell 
safely  I  Sing,  0  heaven,  and  rejoice,  O  earth,  and  break  forth 
into  singing,  O  mountains ;  for  God  hath  comforted  his  people, 
and  will  have  everlasting  mercy  upon  his  afflicted. 

The  queen  of  Sheba  did  not  bring  her  gold  and  precious  stones 
to  look  on,  or  to  recarry,  but  to  give  to  a  wealthier  than  herself. 
She  gives  therefore  to  Solomog  an  hundred  and  twenty  talents  of 
gold,  besides  costly  stones  and  odours.  He  that  made  silver  in  Jeru- 
salem as  stones  is  yet  richly  presented  on  all  hands.  The  rivers 
still  run  into  the  sea;  to  him  that  hath  shall  be  given.  How 
should  we  bring  unto  thee,  O  thou  Ring  of  Heaven,  the  purest 
gold  of  thine  own  graces,  the  sweetest  odours  of  our  obediences ! 
Was  not  this  withal  a  type  of  that  homage  which  should  be  done 
unto  thee,  0  Saviour,  by  the  heads  of  the  nations  ?  The  kings  of 
Tarshish  and  the  isles  bring  presents ;  the  kings  of  Sheba  and 
Saba  bring  gifts;  yea,  all  kings  shall  worship  thee,  all  nations 
shall  serve  thee.  They  cannot  enrich  themselves  but  by  giving 
unto  thee. 

It  could  not  stand  with  Solomon's  magnificence  to  receive  rich 
courtesies  without  a  return.  The  greater  the  person  was,  the 
greater  was  the  obligation  of  requital.  The  gifts  of  mean  persons 
are  taken  but  as  tributes  of  duty:  it  is  dishonourable  to  take 
from  equals  and  not  to  retribute.  There  was  not  therefore  more 
freedom  in  her  gift  than  in  her  receipt;  her  own  will  was  the 
measure  of  both.  She  gave  what  she  would ;  she  received  what- 
soever she  would  ask :  and  she  had  little  profited  by  Solomon's 
school  if  she  had  not  learned  to  ask  the  best :  she  returns,  there- 
fore, more  richly  laden  than  she  came :  she  gave  to  Solomon  as  a 
thankful  olient  of  wisdom ;  Solomon  returns  to  her  as  a  munifi- 
cent patron,  according  to  the  liberality  of  a  king.    We  shall  be 


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cont.  vii.  Solomon's  defection,  589 

sure  to  be  gainers  by  whatsoever  we  give  unto  thee,  O  thou  God 
of  wisdom  and  peace !  O  that  we  could  come  from  the  remote 
regions  of  our  infidelity  and  worldliness  to  learn  wisdom  of  thee, 
who  both  teachest  and  givest  it  abundantly,  without  upbraiding, 
without  grudging ;  and  could  bring  with  us  the  poor  presents  of 
our  faithful  desires  and  sincere  services :  how  wouldst  thou  receive 
us  with  a  gracious  acceptation;  and  send  us  away  laden  with 
present  comfort,  with  eternal  glory ! 


SOLOMON'S  DEFECTION.— i  Kings  xi. 

Since  the  first  man  Adam,  the  world  hath  not  yielded  either 
so  great  an  example  of  wisdom  or  so  fearful  an  example  of  apo- 
stasy as  Solomon.  What  human  knowledge  Adam  had  in  the  per- 
fection of  nature  by  creation,  Solomon  had  by  infusion ;  both  fully, 
both  from  one  fountain.  If  Adam  called  all  creatures  by  their 
names,  Solomon  spake  from  the  cedars  of  Lebanon  to  the  moss 
that  springs  out  of  the  wall ;  and  besides  these  vegetables,  there 
was  no  beast,  nor  fowl,  nor  fish,  nor  creeping  thing,  that  escaped 
his  discourse.  Both  fell ;  both  fell  by  one  means :  as  Adam,  so 
might  Solomon  have  said,  The  woman  deceived  me.  It  is  true 
indeed  that  Adam  fell  as  all ;  Solomon  as  one ;  yet  so  as  that  this 
one  is  the  pattern  of  the  frailty  of  all.  If  knowledge  could  have 
given  an  immunity  from  sin,  both  had  stood. 

Affections  are  those  feet  of  the  soul  on  which  it  either  stands 
or  falls.  Solomon  loved  many  outlandish  women :  I  wonder  not 
if  the  wise  king  miscarried.  Every  word  hath  bane  enough  for  a 
man:  'women,'  'many  women,'  'outlandish,'  'idolatrous;'  and  those 
not  only  had,  but  doted  on.  Sex,  multitude,  nation,  condition, 
all  conspired  to  the  ruin  of  a  Solomon.  If  one  woman  undid  all 
mankind,  what  marvel  is  it  if  many  women  undid  one  ?  Yet  had 
those  many  been  the  daughters  of  Israel,  they  had  tempted  him 
only  to  lust;  not  to  misdevotion :  now  they  were  of  those  nations 
whereof  the  Lord  had  said  to  the  children  of  Israel,  Go  not  ye  in 
to  them,  nor  let  them  come  in  to  you ;  for  surely  they  .will  turn 
your  hearts  after  their  gods.  To  them  did  Solomon  join  in  love : 
who  can  marvel,  if  they  disjoined  his  heart  from  God  ? 

Satan   hath  found  this  bait  to  take  so  well,  that  he  never 


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540  Solomotfs  defection.  book  xvii. 

changed  it  since  he  crept  into  paradise.  How  many  have  we 
known  whose  heads  have  been  broken  with  their  own  rib !  In 
the  first  world  the  sons  of  God  saw  the  daughters  of  men,  and 
took  them  wives  of  all  they  liked :  they  multiplied  not  children, 
but  iniquities.  Balaam  knew  well  if  the  dames  of  Moab  could 
make  the  Israelites  wantons  they  should  soon  make  them  idola- 
ters. All  lies  open  where  the  covenant  is  not  both  made  with 
the  eyes  and  kept. 

It  was  the  charge  of  God  to  the  kings  of  Israel  before  they 
were,  that  they  should  not  multiply  wives.  Solomon  had  gone 
beyond  the  stakes  of  the  law,  and  now  is  ready  to  lose  himself 
amongst  a  thousand  bedfellows.  Whoso  lays  the  reins  on  the  neck 
of  his  carnal  appetite  cannot  promise  where  he  will  rest. 

O  Solomon,  where  was  thy  wisdom  while  thine  affections  run 
away  with  thee  into  so  wild  a  voluptuousness?  What  boots  it 
thee  to  discourse  of  all  things  while  thou  misknowest  thyself? 
The  perfections  of  speculation  do  not  argue  the  inward  powers  of 
self-government.  The  eye  may  be  clear  while  the  hand  is  pal- 
sied. It  is  not  so  much  to  be  heeded  how  the  soul  is  informed,  as 
how  it  is  disciplined :  the  light  of  knowledge  doth  well,  but  the 
due  order  of  the  affections  doth  better.  Never  any  mere  man 
si  nee  the  first  knew  so  much  as  Solomon ;  many  that  have  known 
less  have  had  more  command  of  themselves.  A  competent  estate 
well  husbanded  is  better  than  a  vast  patrimony  neglected. 

There  can  be  no  safety  to  that  soul  whore  is  not  a  strait  curb 
upon  our  desires.  If  our  lusts  be  not  held  under  as  slaves,  they 
will  rule  as  tyrants.  Nothing  can  prevent  the  extremity  of  our 
miscarriage  but  early  and  strong  denials  of  our  concupiscence. 
Had  Solomon  done  thus,  delicacy  and  lawless  greatness  had  not 
led  him  into  those  bogs  of  intemperance. 

The  ways  of  youth  are  steep  and  slippery,  wherein,  as  it  is 
easy  to  fall,  so  it  is  commonly  relieved  with  pity ;  but  the  wanton 
inordinations  of  age  are  not  more  unseasonable  than  odious ;  yet 
behold  Solomon's  younger  years  were  studious  and  innocent ;  his 
over-hastened  age  was  licentious  and  misgoverned ;  for,  when 
Solomon  was  old,  his  wives  turned  away  his  heart  after  other 
gods.  If  any  age  can  secure  us  from  the  danger  of  a  spiritual 
fall,  it  is  our  last ;  and  if  any  man's  old  age  might  secure  him,  it 
was  Solomon's ;  the  beloved  of  God,  the  oracle,  the  miracle  of 
wisdom.  Who  would  have  looked  but  that  the  blossoms  of  so 
hopeful  a  spring  should  have  yielded  a  goodly  and  pleasant  fruit 


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vii.  *  Solomon's  defection.  541 

in  the  autumn  of  age?  yet  behold  even  Solomon's  old  age  vi- 
cious. There  is  no  time  wherein  we  can  be  safe  while  we  carry 
this  body  of  sin  about  us :  youth  is  impetuous ;  mid-age  stubborn ; 
old  age  weak ;  all  dangerous.  Say  not  now,  "  The  fury  of  my 
youthful  flashes  is  over,  I  shall  henceforth  find  my  heart  calm 
and  impregnable,"  while  thou  seest  old  Solomon  doting  upon 
his  concubines,  yea,  upon  their  idolatry. 

It  is  no  presuming  upon  time  nor  means  nor  strength.  How 
many  have  begun  and  proceeded  well  who  yet  have  shamed 
themselves  in  their  last  stage  I  If  God  uphold  us  not,  we  cannot 
stand :  if  God  uphold  us,  we  cannot  fall.  When  we  are  at  the 
strongest,  it  is  the  best  to  be  weak  in  ourselves;  and  when  at  our 
weakest,  strong  in  him,  in  whom  we  can  do  all  things. 

I  cannot  yet  think  so  hard  of  Solomon  that  he  would  project 
his  person  to  Ashteroth  the  goddess  of  the  Sidonians,  or  Milcom 
the  idol  of  the  Ammonites,  or  Chemosh  the  abomination  of  Moab. 
He  that  knew  all  things  from  the  shrub  to  the  cedar  could  not 
be  ignorant  that  these  statues  were  but  stocks,  or  stones,  or  me- 
tals ;  and  the  powers  resembled  by  them  devils.  It  is  not  like  he 
could  be  so  insensate  to  adore  such  deities ;  but  so  far  was  the  uxo- 
rious king  blinded  with  affection,  that  he  gave  not  passage  only  to 
the  idolatry  of  his  heathenish  wives,  but  furtherance. 

So  did  he  dote  upon  their  persons  that  be  humoured  them  in 
their  sins :  their  act  is  therefore  his,  because  his  eyes  winked  at 
it ;  bis  hand  advanced  it.  He  that  built  a  temple  to  the  living 
God  for  himself  and  Israel  in  Sion,  built  a  temple  to  Chemosh  in 
the  Mount  of  Scandal  for  his  mistresses  of  Moab  in  the  very  face 
of  God's  house.  No  hill  about  Jerusalem  was  free  from  a  chapel 
of  devils.  Each  of  his  dames  had  their  puppets,  their  altars,  their 
incense.  Because  Solomon  feeds  them  in  their  superstition,  he 
draws  the  sin  home  to  himself,  and  is  branded  for  what  he  should 
have  forbidden.  Even  our  very  permission  appropriates  crimes  to 
us.  We  need  no  more  guiltiness  of  any  sin  than  our  willing  to- 
leration. 

Who  can  but  yearn  and  fear  to  see  the  woful  wreck  of  so  rich 
and  goodly  a  vessel  I  0  Solomon,  wert  not  thou  he  whose  younger 
years  God  honoured  with  a  message  and  style  of  love  ?  to  whom 
God  twice  appeared ;  and,  in  a  gracious  vision,  renewed  the  cove- 
nant of  his  favour  ?  whom  he  singled  out  from  all  the  generation 
of  men  to  be  the  founder  of  that  glorious  temple  which  was  no 
less  clearly  the  type  of  heaven  than  thou  wert  of  Christ,  the  Son 


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542  Solomon's  defection.  book  xyiu. 

of  the  ever-living  God  ?  Wert  not  thou  that  deep  sea  of  wisdom 
which  God  ordained  to  send  forth  rivers  and  fountains  of  all  di- 
vine and  human  knowledge  to  all  nations,  to  all  ages !  Wert  not 
thou  one  of  those  select  secretaries  whose  hand  it  pleased  the 
Almighty  to  employ  in  three  pieces  of  the  divine  monuments  of 
sacred  Scriptures  ?  Which  of  us  dares  ever  hope  to  aspire  unto  thy 
graces  ?  Which  of  us  can  promise  to  secure  ourselves  from  thy 
ruins  1  We  fall,  0  God,  we  fall  to  the  lowest  hell,  if  thou  prevent 
us  not,  if  thou  sustain  us  not.  Uphold  thou  me  according  to  thy 
word,  that  I  may  live;  and  let  me  not  be  ashamed  of  my  hope. 
Order  my  steps  in  thy  word,  and  let  not  any  iniquity  have 
dominion  over  me.  All  our  weakness  is  in  ourselves;  all  our 
strength  is  in  thee.  O  God,  be  thou  strong  in  our  weakness,  that 
our  weak  knees  may  be  ever  steady  in  thy  strength. 

But  in  the  midst  of  the  horror  of  this  spectacle,  able  to  affright 
all  the  sons  of  men,  behold  some  glimpse  of  comfort.  Was  it  of 
Solomon  that  David  his  father  prophesied;  Though  he  fall,  he 
shall  not  be  utterly  cast  down  ;  for  the  Lord  upholdeth  him  with 
his  hand  ?  If  sensible  grace,  yet  final  mercy  was  not  taken  from 
that  beloved  of  God :  in  the  hardest  of  this  winter  the  sap  was 
gone  down  to  the  root,  though  it  showed  not  in  the  branches. 
Even  while  Solomon  removed,  that  word  stood  fast ;  He  shall  be 
my  son,  and  I  will  be  his  father.  He  that  foresaw  his  sin 
threatened  and  limited  his  correction;  If  he  break  my  statutes, 
and  keep  not  my  commandments*  then  will  I  visit  his  transgres- 
sion with  a  rod*  and  his  iniquity  with  stripes ;  nevertheless*  my 
lovingkindness  will  I  not  utterly  take  from  him*  nor  suffer  my 
faithfulness  to  fail;  my  covenant  will  I  not  break;  nor  alter 
the  thing  that  is  gone  out  of  my  mouth. 

Behold,  the  favour  of  God  doth  not  depend  upon  Solomon's 
obedience ;  if  Solomon  shall  suffer  his  faithfulness  to  fail  towards 
his  God,  God  will  not  requite  him  with  the  failing  of  his  faith- 
fulness to  Solomon:  if  Solomon  break  his  covenant  with  God, 
God  will  not  break  his  covenant  with  the  father  of  Solomon,  with 
the  son  of  David :  he  shall  smart,  he  shall  not  perish.  O  gra- 
cious word  of  the  God  of  all  mercies ;  able  to  give  strength  to 
the  languishing ;  comfort  to  the  despairing ;  to  the  dying,  life ! 
Whatsoever  we  are,  thou  wilt  be  still  thyself,  O  Holy  One  of 
Israel;  true  to  thy  covenant,  constant  to  thy  decree:  the  sins 
of  thy  chosen  can  neither  frustrate  thy  counsel  nor  outstrip  thy 
mercies. 


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3ont.  vii.  Solomon's  defection.  543 

Now  I  see  Solomon  of  a  wanton  lover  a  grave  preacher  of 
mortification.  I  see  him  quenching  those  inordinate  flames  with 
the  tears  of  his  repentance.  Methinks  I  hear  him  sighing  deeply 
betwixt  every  word  of  that  his  solemn  penance  which  he  would 
needs  enjoin  himself  before  all  the  world ;  I  have  applied  my  heart 
to  know  the  wickedness  of  folly,  even  the  foolishness  of  madness; 
and  I  find  more  bitter  than  death  the  woman  whose  heart  is  as 
nets  and  snares,  and  her  hands  as  bands :  whoso  pleaseth  God 
shall  be  delivered  from  her;  but  the  sinner  shall  be  taken  by 
her. 

Solomon  was  taken  as  a  sinner,  delivered  as  a  penitent.  His 
soul  escaped  as  a  bird  out  of  the  snare  of  the  fowlers ;  the  snare 
was  broken,  and  he  delivered.  It  is  good  for  us  that  he  was 
both  taken  and  delivered;  taken,  that  we  might  not  presume; 
and,  that  we  might  not  despair,  delivered.  He  sinned,  that  we 
might  not  sin ;  he  recovered,  that  we  may  not  sink  under  our 
sin. 

But,  0  the  justice  of  God,  inseparable  from  his  mercy !  Solo- 
mon's sin  shall  not  escape  the  rod  of  men.  Bather  than  so  wise 
an  offender  shall  want  enemies,  God  shall  raise  up  three  adver- 
saries unto  Solomon;  Hadad  the  Edomite,  Rezin  the  king  of 
Aram,  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat ;  whereof  two  were  foreign, 
one  domestical.  Nothing  but  love  and  peace  sounded  in  the  name 
of  Solomon ;  nothing  else  was  found  in  his  reign  while  he  held 
in  good  terms  with  his  God ;  but  when  once  he  fell  foul  with  his 
Maker  all  things  began  to  be  troubled.  There  are  whips  laid 
up  against  the  time  of  Solomon's  foreseen  offence  which  are  now 
brought  forth  for  his  correction.  On  purpose  was  Hadad  the 
son  of  the  king  of  Edom  hid  in  a  corner  of  Egypt  from  the  sword 
of  David  and  Joab,  that  he  might  be  reserved  for  a  scourge  to 
the  exorbitant  son  of  David.  God  would  have  us  make  account 
that  our  peace  ends  with  our  innocence.  The  same  sin  that  sets 
debate  betwixt  God  and  us,  arms  the  creatures  against  us.  It 
were  pity  we  should  be  at  any  quiet  while  we  are  fallen  out  with 
the  God  of  peace. 

END  OF  VOL.  I. 


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