Contemplations vpon the principall passages of the holy story. The fourth volume. By Ios. Hall

Contemplations VPON THE Principall passages of the Holy STORY .

By IOS. HALL .

LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for Henry Fetherstone . 1618.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE , MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD , the LORD HAY , Baron of SALEY , one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuie COVNSELL . RIGHT HO:

Vpon how iust reason these my Contemplations goe forth so late after their fellowes , it were needlesse to giue account to your LO : in whose trayne I had the honor ( since my last ) to passe both the SEA , and the TWEDE . All my priuate studies haue gladly vayled to the publique seruices of my Soueraigne Master : No sooner could I recouer the happinesse of my quiet thoughts , then I renued this my diuine taske : Wherein I cannot but professe to place so much contentment , as that I wish not any other measure of my life , then it ; What is this other , then the exaltation of ISAACS delight to walke forth into the pleasant fields of the Scriptures , and to meditate of nothing vnder heauen ? Yea what other then IACOBS sweet vision of Angels , climbing vp and downe that sacred ladder , which GOD hath set betwixt heauen and earth ? Yea ( to rise yet hyer ) what other then an imitation of holy MOYSES , in his conuersing with GOD himselfe , on the Horeb of both Testaments ? And if I may call your LO : forth a little from your great affaires of Court and State , to blesse your eyes with this prospect , how happy shall you confesse this change of obiects ? and how vnwillingly shall you obtaine leaue of your thoughts to returne vnto these sublunary imployments ? Our last discourse left Gods ARKE amongst the Philistims ; now we returne to see what it doth there , and to fetch it thence : Wherein your LO : shall finde the reuenges of God neuer so deadly , as when he giues most way vnto men ; The vaine confidence of wickednes ending in a late repentance ; The fearefull plagues of a presumptuous sawcinesse with God , not preuented with the honestie of good intentions ; The mercy of God accepting the seruices of an humble faithfulnes in a meaner dresse . From thence you shall see the dangerous issue of an affected innovation , although to the better ; The errors of credulitie , and blinde affection in the holiest gouernors , guilty of the peoples discontentment ; The stubburne heddinesse of a multitude that once findes the reynes slacke in their necks , not capable of any pause , but their owne fall ; The vntrusty promises of a faire outside , and a plausible entrance , shutting vp in a wofull disappointment . What doe I forestall a discourse so full of choyce ; your LO : shall finde e●●cry line vsefull , and shall willingly confesse that the story of God can make a man not lesse wise , then good .

Mine humble thankfulnes knowes not how to expresse it selfe otherwise , then in these kinde of presents , and in my hearty prayers for the increase of your Honor , and Happinesse , which shall neuer bee wanting from

Your Lo: sincerely and thankfully deuoted , IOS: HALL .

Contemplations .

THE ARKE and DAGON .

MEN could not arise to such height of impiety , if they did not mistake God : The acts of his iust iudgement are imputed to impotence ; that God would send his Arke captiue to the Philistims , is so construed by them , as if he could not keep it : The wife of Phinehas cryed out , that glory was departed from Israel ; The Philistims dare say in triumph , that glory is departed from the God of Israel ; The Arke was not Israels , but Gods , this victory reaches higher then to men . Dagon had neuer so great a day , so many sacrifices , as now that he seemes to take the God of Israel prisoner ; Where should the captiue be bestowed , but in the custodie of the Victor : It is not loue , but insultation , that lodges the Arke close beside Dagon : What a spectacle was this , to see vncircumcised Philistims laying their profane hands vpon the testimonie of Gods presence ? to see the glorious mercy seat vnder the roofe of an Idoll ? to see the two Cherubins spreading their wings vnder a false God ?

OH the deepe and holy wisdome of the Almightie , which ouer-reaches all the finite conceit of his creature , who while he seemes most to neglect himselfe , fetches about most glory to his owne name ; He winks , and sits still on purpose , to see what men would doe , and is content to suffer indignitie from his creature , for a time , that he may be euerlastingly magnified in his iustice , and power : That honor pleaseth God and men best , which is raised out of contempt .

THE Arke of God was not vsed to such porters ; The Philistims carry it vnto Ashdod , that the victory of Dagon may be more glorious : What paines superstition puts men vnto , for the triumph of a false cause ? And if profane Philistims can thinke it no toyle to carry the Arke where they should not , what a shame is it for vs , if we doe not gladly attend it where we should ? How iustly may Gods truth scorne the imparitie of our zeale ?

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

GOD will let them sleepe in this confidence ; in the morning they shall finde , how vainely they haue dreamed . Now they begin to finde they haue but gloryed in their owne plague , and ouerthrowne nothing but their owne peace : Dagon hath an house , when God hath but a Tabernacle ; It is no measuring of religion by outward glory : Into this house the proud Phoenitians come , the next morning , to congratulate vnto their god , so great a captiue , such diuine spoiles , and in their early deuotions to fall downe before him , vnder whom the God of Israel was fallen : and lo , where they finde their god , fallen downe on the ground vpon his face , before him , whom they thought both his prisoner , and theirs : Their god is forced to doe that , which they should haue done voluntarily ; although God casts downe that dumbe riuall of his , for scorne , not for adoration . Oh yee foolish Philistims , could yee think that the same house could hold GOD & DAGON ? could yee thinke a senselesse stone , a fit companion and guardian , for the liuing GOD ? Had yee laid your Dagon vpon his face , prostrate before the Arke , yet would not God haue indured the indignitie of such a lodging ; but now , that yee presume to set vp your carued stone , equall to his Cherubins , go read your folly in the floore of your temple , and know that hee which cast your god so low , can cast you lower .

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

BVT this perhaps , was onely a mischance , or a neglect of attendance , lay to your hands , ô yee Philistims , and raise vp Dagon into his place ; It is a miserable god that needs helping vp ; Had yee not beene more senselesse then that stone , how could you choose but thinke , How shall hee raise vs aboue our enemies , that cannot rise alone ? how shall he establish vs in the station of our peace , that cannot hold his own foot ? If Dagon did giue the foyle vnto the God of Israel , what power is it , that hath cast him vpon his face , in his owne Temple ? It is iust with God , that those which want grace shall want wit too ; it is the power of superstition , to turne men into those stocks , and stones , which they worship : They that make them are like vnto them ; Doubtlesse , this first fall of Dagon was kept as secret , and excused as well as it might , and serued rather for astonishment , then conviction ; there was more strangenes then horror in that accident ; that whereas Dagon had wont to stand , and the Philistims fall downe , now Dagon fell downe , and the Philistims stood , and must become the patrons of their owne god ; their god worships them vpon his face , and craues more helpe from them , then euer he could giue : But if their sottishnes can digest this all is well . Dagon is set in his place , and now those hands are lift vp to him , which helped to lift him vp ; and those faces are prostrate vnto him , before whom he lay prostrate . Idolatry and superstition are not easily put out of countenance ; But will the ielosie of the true God put it vp thus ? Shall Dagon escape with an harmelesse fall ? Surely , if they had let him lye still vpon the p●●ement , perhaps that insensible statue had found no other reuenge ; but now , they will be aduancing it to the rood-loft againe , and affront Gods Arke with it , the euent will shame them , and let them know , how much God scornes a partner , either of his owne making , or theirs .

THE morning is fittest for deuotion , then do the Philistims flocke to the temple of their god ; What a shame is it for vs to come late to ours ? Although , not so much piety as curiositie did now hasten their speed , to see what rest their Dagon was allowed to get in his owne roofe ; and now behold their kinde god is come to meete them in the way ; some peeces of him salute their eyes vpon the threshold . Dagons head and hands are ouer-runne their fellowes , to tell the Philistims how much they were mistaken in a god .

THIS second fall breaks the Idoll in peeces , and threats the same confusion to the worshippers of it . Easie warnings neglected end euer in destruction . The head is for deuising , the hand for execution ; In these two powers of their god , did the Philistims cheifly trust ; these are therfore laid vnder their feet , vpon the threshold , that they might a farre of see their vanitie , and that ( if they would ) they might set their foote on that best peece of their god , whereon their heart was set .

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

How can the Philistims now misse the sight of their owne folly ? how can they bee but enough convicted of their mad idolatry , to see their god lye broken to morsells , vnder their feete ? euery peece whereof proclaimes the power of him that brake it , and the stupiditie of those that adored it ? Who would expect any other issue of this act , but to heare the Philistims say , we now see how superstition hath blinded vs ? Dagon is no god for vs , our hearts shall neuer more rest vpon a broken statue : That onely true God , which hath beaten ours , shall challenge vs by the right of conquest : But here was none of this ; rather a further degree of their dotage followes vpon this palpable conviction : They cannot yet suspect that god , whose head they may trample vpon , but in steed of hating their Dagon , that lay broken vpon their threshold , they honor the threshold , on which Dagon lay ; and dare not set their foote on that place , which was hallowed by the broken head , and hands of their Deity : Oh the obstinacie of Idolatry , which where it hath got hold of the heart , knowes neither to blush , nor yeeld , but rather gathers strength from that which might iustly confound it . The hand of the Almighty , which moued them not in falling vpon their god , falls now neerer them vpon their persons , and strikes them in their bodies , which would not feele themselues stricken in their Idoll : Paine shall humble them , whom shame cannot . Those which had entertained the secret thoughts of abhominable 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 themselues , in stead of their idolatry . I doe not heare them acknowledge it was Gods hand , which had stricken Dagon their god , till now , they finde themselues stricken : Gods iudgements are the racke of godlesse men ; If one straine make them not confesse , let them be stretched but one wrench hyer , and they cannot be silent . The iust auenger of sinne will not loose the glory of his executions , but will haue men know from whom they smart .

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

THEY iudge right of the cause , what doe they resolue for the cure ? ( Let not the Arke of the God of Israel abide with vs ) where they should haue said , let vs cast out Dagon , that we may pacifie and retaine the God of Israel , they determine to thrust out the Arke of God , that they might peaceably inioy themselues , and Dagon : Wicked men are vpon all occasions glad to be rid of God , but they can with no patience , indure to part with their sins , and whiles they are weary of the hand that punishes them , they hold fast the cause of their punishment .

THEIR first and onely care is to put away him , who as hee hath corrected , so can ease them . Folly is neuer separated from wickednes .

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

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

AT last , when the Philistims are well weary of paine & death , they are glad to be quit of their sinne ; The voice of the Princes and people is changed to the better , ( Send away the Arke of the God of Israel , and let it returne to his owne place , ) God knowes how to bring the stubbornnest enemie vpon his knees , and makes him doe that out of feare , which his best childe would doe out of loue and dutie : How miserable was the estate of these Philistims ? Euery man was either dead , or sicke : those that were left liuing ( through their extremitie of paine ) enuied the dead , and the the cry of their whole Cities went vp to heauen . It is happy that God hath such store of plagues and thunderbolts for the wicked : If he had not a fire of iudgment , wherewith the yron-hearts of men might be made flexible , he would want obedience , and the world peace .

THE ARKES Reuenge and Returne .

IT had wont to be a sure rule , wheresoeuer God is among men , there is the Church : Here onely it failed : The testimonie of Gods presence was many moneths amongst the Philistims , for a punishment to his owne people , whom he left ; for a curse to those forrainers , which entertained it ; Israel was seuen moneths without God : How do we thinke faithfull Samuel tooke this absence ? How desolate , and forlorne did the tabernacle of God looke , without the Arke ? There were still the Altars of God , his Preists , Leuites , tables , vailes , censers , with all the legall accoustrements : These without the Arke , were as the Sunne without light , in the midst of an eclipse : If all these had bin taken away , and onely the Arke had bin remayning , the losse had bin nothing to this , that the Arke should be gone , and they left : For what are all these without God , and how all-sufficient is God without these ? There are times , wherein God withdrawes himselfe from his Church , and seems to leaue her without comfort , without protection : Sometimes we shall finde Israel taken from the Arke , other-whiles the Arke is taken from Israel : In either , there is a separation betwixt the Arke and Israel : Heauy times to euery true Israelite , yet such , as whose example may releeue vs 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 testimony of his presence , was God present with them : It were wide with the faithfull , if God were not often-times with them , when there is no witnesse of his presence .

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

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

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

THE Philistims knew well , that it were bootlesse for them to offer , what they listed , their next suite is to be directed in the matter of their oblation : Pagans can teach vs , how vnsaf●● it is to walke in the waies of religion , without a guide , yet here , their best teachers can but guesse at their dutie , and must deuise for the people , that , which the people durst not impose vpon themselues : The golden Emerods and Mise were but coniecturall prescripts : With what securitie may wee consult with them , which haue their directions from the mouth and hand of the Allmighty ?

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

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

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

WHAT other warrant these superstitious Preists had for the maine substance of their aduise , I know not , sure I am , the probabilitie of the euent was faire ; that two kine neuer vsed to any yoke , should runne from their calues ( which were newly shut vp from them ) to draw the Arke home in a contrary way , must needs argue an hand aboue nature ; What else should ouer-rule brute creatures to prefer a forced cariage vnto a naturall burden ? What should carry them from their owne home , towards the home of the Arke ? What else should guide an vntamed and vntaught teame , in as right a path toward Israel , as their teachers could haue gone ? What else could make very beasts more wise , then their masters ? There is a speciall prouidence of God in the very motions of brute creatures ; Neither Philistims nor Israelites saw ought that droue them , yet they saw them so runne , as those that were led by a diuine conduct . The reason-lesse creatures also do the the will of their Maker ; euery act that is done either by them , or to them , makes vp the decree of the Almighty ; and if in extraordinary actions and euents his hand is more visible , yet it is no lesse certainly present in the common .

LITLE did the Israelites of Bethshemesh looke for such a sight , whiles they were reaping their wheat in the valley , as to see the Arke of God come running to them , without a conuoy ; neither can it be said , whether they were more affected with ioy , or with astonishment , with ioy at the presence of the Arke , with astonishment at the miracle of the transportation : Downe went their sickles , and now euery man runnes to reape the comfort of this better haruest , to meete that bread of Angels , to salute those Cherubims , to welcome that God , whose absence had bin their death : But , as it is hard not to ouer-ioy in a sudden prosperitie , and , to vse happinesse is no lesse difficult , then to forbeare it ; These glad Israelites cannot see , but they must gaze ; they cannot gaze on the glorious outside , but they must be ( whether out of rude iollity , or curiositie , or suspition of the purloyning some of those sacred implements ) prying into the secrets of Gods Arke : Nature is too subiect to extremities , and is euer either too dull in want , or wanton in fruition : It is no easie matter to keepe a meane , whether in good , or euill .

BETHSHEMESH was a Citie of Preists , they should haue knowne better , how to demeane themselues towards the Arke ; this priuiledge doubled their offence : There was no malice in this curious inquisition , the same eyes that lookt into the Arke , lookt also vp to heauen in their offerings , and the same hands , that touched it , offered sacrifice to the God that brought it . Who could expect any thing now but acceptation ? who would suspect any danger ? It is not a following act of deuotion , that can make amends for a former sinne : There was a death owing them , immediately vpon their offence , God will take his owne time for the execution ; In the meane while , they may sacrifice , but they cannot satisfie , they cannot escape . The kine are sacrificed , the cart burnes them that drew it : Here was an offering of praise , when they had more neede of a trespasse-offering ; many an heart is lifted vp in a conceit of ioy , when it hath iust cause of humiliation : God lets them alone with their sacrifice , but when that is done , he comes ouer them with a backe reckning for their sinne : Fifty thousand & seuenty Israelites are stroke dead for this vnreuerence to the Arke : A wofull welcome for the Arke of God into the borders of Israel ; It killd them for looking into it , who thought it their life to see it ; It dealt blowes , and death on both hands ; to Philistims , to Israelites ; to both of them for prophaning it : The one with their Idoll , the other with their eyes . It is a fearefull thing to vse the holy ordinances of God with an vnreuerent boldnesse . Feare and trembling becomes vs in our accesse to the Maiestie of the Allmighty : Neither was there more state , then secrecy in Gods Arke ; some things the wisdome of God desires to conceale : The vnreuerence of the Israelites was no more faulty , then their curiositie ; secret things to God , things reuealed to vs , and to our children .

THE REMOVE of the Arke .

I HEARE of the Bethshemites lamentation , I hear not of their repentanc , they complaine of their smart , they complaine not of their sinne , and for ought I can perceiue , speake , as if God were curious , rather then they faulty : ( Who is able to stand before this holy Lord god , and to whom shall he goe from vs ? ) as if none could please that God , which misliked them : It is the fashion of naturall men to iustifie themselues in their own courses ; If they cannot charge any earthly thing with the blame of their suffering , they will cast it vpon heauen : That a man pleads himselfe guilty of his owne wrong , is no common worke of Gods spirit . Bethshemesh bordred too neere vpon the Philistims ; If these men thought the very presence of the Arke hurtfull , why do they send to their neighbours of Kiriathiearim , that they might make themselues miserable ? Where there is a misconceit of God , it is no maruell , if there be a defect of charity : How cunningly do they send their message to their neighbours ? They doe not say , the Arke of God is come to vs of it owne accord , lest the men of Kiriath-iearim should reply , It is come to you , let it stay with you ; They say onely , the Philistims haue brought it ; they tell of the presence of the Arke , they doe not tell of the successe , lest the example of their iudgement should haue discouraged the forwardnes of their releefe ; and after all , the offer was plausible ; Come yee downe and take it vp to you , as if the honor had bin too great for themselus ; as if their modestie had beene such , that they would not forestall and engrosse happinesse from the rest of Israel .

IT is no boote to teach nature , how to tell her owne 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 euasions of those , which would put off miserie : Those of Bethshemesh were not more crafty , then these of Kiriathiearim ( which was the ground of their boldnes ) faithfull : So many thousand Bethshemites could not be dead , and no part of the rumor flie to them ; they heard , how thicke , not onely the Philistims , but the bordring Israelites fell downe dead before the Arke ; yet they durst aduenture to come , and fetch it , euen from amongst the carkasses of their brethren : They had bin formerly acquainted with the Arke , they knew it was holy , it could not be changeable , and therefore they well conceiued this slaughter to arise from the vnholinesse of men , not from the rigour of God , and therevpon can seeke comfort in that , which others found deadly : Gods children cannot by any meanes bee discouraged from their honor , and loue to his ordinances : If they see thousands strucke downe to Hell by the scepter of Gods kingdome , yet they will kisse it vpon their knees , and if their Sauiour be a rocke of offence , and the occasion of the fall of millions in Israel , they can loue him no lesse : They can warme them at the fire , wherewith they see others burned ; they can feede temperately of that , whereof others haue surfeted to death &c.

BETHSHEMESH was a Citie of Preists , the Leuites : Kiriathiearim a Citie of Iuda , where we heare but of one Leuite , Abinadab ; yet this Citie was more zealous for God , more reuerent , and conscionable in the entertainment of the Arke , then the other . We heard of the taking downe of the Arke by the Bethshemites , when it came miraculously to them , we do not heare of any man sanctified for the attendance of it , as was done in this second lodging of the Arke : Grace is not tyed either to number , or meanes . It is in spirituall matters , as in the estate : Small helps with good thrift enrich vs , when great patrimonies loose themselues in the neglect . Shiloh was wont to be the place , which was honored with the presence of the Arke ; Euer since the wickednes of Elies sonnes , that was forlorne , and desolate , and now Kiriath-iearim succeeds into this priuiledge : It did not stand with the royall liberty of God , no not vnder the law , to tye himselfe vnto places and persons : Vnworthines was euer a sufficient cause of exchange . It was not yet his time to stirre from the Iewes , yet hee remoued from one Prouince to another : Lesse reason haue we to thinke , that so God will reside amongst vs , that none of our prouocations can driue him from vs &c.

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

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

THE Philistims stood ouer them still , and threatned them with new assaults , the memory of their late slaughter , & spoile , was yet fresh in their mindes , sorrow for the euils past , and feare of the future fetcht them downe vpon their knees : It is not more necessarie for men to be cheered with hopes , then to be awed with dangers ; where God intends the humiliation of his seruants , there shall not want means of their deiection : It was happy for Israel that they had an enemie . Is it possible , that the Philistims after those deadly plagues , which they susteined from the God of Israel , should thinke of invading Israel ? Those , that were so mated with the presence of the Arke , that they neuer thought themselues safe , till it was out of sight , doe they now dare to thrust themselues vpon the new reuenge of the Arke ? It slew them , whiles they thought to honor it , and do they thinke to escape , whilest they resist it ? It slew them in their owne coasts , and do they come to it to seeke death ? yet behold no sooner do the Philistims heare , that the Israelites are gathered to Mizpeh , but the Princes of the Philistims gather themselues against them : No warnings will serue obdurate hearts , wicked men are euen ambitious of destruction ; Iudgements neede not to goe finde them out , they runne to meete their bane .

THE Philistims come vp , and the Israelites feare ; they that had not the wit to feare , whilst they were not frends with God , haue not now the grace of fearelesnes , when they were reconciled to God : Boldnes and feare 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 haue feared , since they had made their peace with the God of hostes ? Nothing should affright those , which are vpright with God . The peace , which Israel had made with God , was true , but tender ; They durst not trust their owne innocencie so much , as the prayers of Samuel ; Cease not to cry to the Lord our God for vs . In temporall things nothing hinders , but we may fare better for other mens faith , then for our owne : It is no small happinesse to be interessed in them , which are fauorites in the court of heauen ; one faithfull man in these occasions is more worth then millions of the wauering and vncertaine .

A good heart is easily wonne to deuotion : Samuel cries , and sacrificeth to God ; he had done so , though they had intreated his silence , yea his forbearance : Whiles he is offering , the Philistims fight with Israel , and God fights with the Philistims . ( The Lord thundred with a great thunder that day vpon the Philistims , and scattered them ) : Samuel fought more vpon his knees , then all Israel besides : The voice of God answered the voice of Samuel , and speakes confusion and death to the Philistims : How were the proud Philistims dead with feare , ere they died , to heare the fearefull thunder-claps of an angry God against them ? to see , that heauen it self fought against them ? Hee that slew them secretly in the reuenges of his Arke , now kills them with open horror in the fields : If presumption did not make wicked men madd , they would neuer lift their hand against the Allmighty ; what are they in his hands , when he is disposed to vengance .

THE MEETING of Saul and Samuel .

SAMVEL began his acquaintance with God early , and continued it long : He began it in his long coates , and continued to his gray haires : ( He iudged Israel all the daies of his life . ) God doth not vse to cast off his old seruants ; their age indeereth them to him the more ; If we be not vnfaithfull to him , he can not be vnconstant to vs : At last his decayed age met witly ill partners , His sonnes for deputies , and Saul for a King ; The wickednes of his sonnes gaue the occasion of a change : Perhaps Israel had neuer thought of a King , if Samuels sonnes had not beene vnlike their father ; Who can promise himselfe holy children , when the loynes of a Samuel , and the education in the Temple , yeelded monsters ? It is not likely ; that good Samuel was faulty in that indulgence , for which his owne mouth had denounced Gods iudgement against Hely : yet this holy man succeeds Hely in his crosse , as well as his place , though not in his sinne , and is afflicted with a wicked succession : God will let vs finde , that grace is by gift , not by inheritance .

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

IT was Gods ancient purpose to raise vp a King to his people : How doth he take occasion to performe it , but by the vnruly desires of Israel ? euen as we say of humane proceedings , that ill manners beget good lawes . That Monarchy is the best forme of gouernment , 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 gouernors , then for a change of gouernment ? Were Samuels sonnes so desperately euill , that there was no possibilitie of amendment ? Or if they were past hope , were there not some others to haue succeeded the iustice of Samuel , no lesse then these did his person ? What needed Samuel to be thrust out of place ? What needed the ancient forme of administration to be altred ? He that raised vp their Iudges , would haue found time to raise them vp Kings : Their curious , and inconstant new-fanglenes , will not abide to stay it , but with an heady importunitie labours to ouer-hasten the pace of God . Where there is a setled course of good gouernment ( howsoeuer blemished with some weaknesses ) it is not safe to be ouer-forward to a change , though it should be to the better . He , by whom Kings raigne , saies , they haue cast him away , that he should not raigne ouer them , because they desire a King to raigne ouer them : Iudges were his own institution to his people , as yet Kings were not ; after that Kings were setled , to desire the gouernment of Iudges , had bin a much more seditious inconstancy : God hath not appointed to euery time & place those formes , which are simply best in themselues , but those , which are best to them , vnto whom they are appointed ; which we may neither alter , till he begin , nor recall , when he hath altred .

THIS busines seemed personally to concerne Samuel , yet he so deales in it , not as a party , not as a iudge of his owne case , but as a Prophet of God , as a freind of his opposite ; He prayes to God for aduise , He fore-tells the state and courses of their future King : Wilfull men are blinde to all dangers , are deafe to all good counsells . Israel must haue a King , though they pay neuer so deare for their longing : The vaine affectation of conformitie to other Nations ouercomes all discouragements ; there is no readier way to error , then to make others examples the rule of our desires , ●●●nctions : If euery man haue ●●ot grounds of his owne , whereon to stand , there can be no stabilitie in his resolutions , or proceedings .

SINCE then they choose to haue a King , God will choose the King , which they shall haue . The kingdome shall begin in Beniamin , which was to indure in Iuda : It was no probabilitie , or reason , this first King should proue well , because he was abortiue ; their humor of innovation deserued to bee punished with their owne choise : Kish the father of Saul was mighty in estate ; Saul was mighty in person , ouer-looking the rest of the people in stature , no lesse then he should do in dignitie : The senses of the Israelites could not but be well pleased for the time , howsoeuer their hearts were afterwards ; when men are carried with outward shews , it is a signe , that God means them a delusion .

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

OBEDIENCE was a fit entrance into soueraingty : The seruice was homely for the son of a great man , yet he refuseth not to goe , as a fellow to his fathers seruant , vpon so meane a search : The disobedient and scornefull are good for nothing , they are neither fit to be subiects nor gouernors : Kish was a great man in his country , yet he disdaineth not to send his son Saul vpon a thrifty errand , neither doth Saul plead his disparagement from a refusall . Pride and wantonnesse haue marred our times : Great parents count it a disreputation to imploy their sonnes in courses of frugalitie ; & their pampred children think it a shame to do any thing ; and so beare themselues as those , that hold it the onely glory to be either idle or wicked

NEITHER doth Saul goe fashionably to worke , but does this seruice hartily & painfully , as a man , that desires rather to effect the command , then please the commander : Hee passed from Ephraim to the land of Shalisha , from Shalisha to Salim , from Salim to Iemini , whence his house came ; from Iemini to Zuph , not so much as staying with any of his kinred , so long as to vittaile himselfe : He that was afterward an ill King , approued himselfe a good sonne . As there are diuersitie of relations , and offices ; so there is of dispositions ; those , which are excellent in some , attaine not to a mediocritie in other : It is no arguing from priuate vertues to publique ; from dexteritie in one station , to the rest : A seuerall grace belongs to the particular cariage of euery place , whereto we are called , which if we want , the place may well want vs .

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

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

THE cheife praise is to be able to giue good aduise ; the next is to take it . Saul is easily induced to condiscend ; He , whose curiositie led him voluntarily at last , to the witch of Endor , is now led at first by good counsell to the man of God ; neither is his care in going , lesse commendable , then his will to goe . For as a man , that had bin catechised not to go vnto God empty-handed , he askes , What shall we bring vnto the man ? What haue we ? The case is well altred in our times : Euery man thinks , what may I keep backe ? There is no gaine so sweet , as of a robbed altar ; yet Gods charge is no lesse vnder the Gospell , Let him that is taught , make his teacher partaker of all . As this faithfull care of Saul was a iust presage of successe , more then he looked for , or could expect ; so the sacrilegious vnthankfulnes of many , bodes that ruine to their soule and estate , which they could not haue grace to feare .

HE that knew the Prophets abode , knew also the honor of his place , hee could not but know , that Samuel was a mixt person : The Iudge of Israel , and the Seer ; yet both Saul and his seruant purpose to present him with the fourth part of a shekell , to the value of about our fiue pence : They had learned , that thankfulnes 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 weake seruants , when hee sees them proceede from great loue ?

THE very maides of the City can giue direction to the Prophet , they had listned after the holy affaires , they had heard of the sacrifice , and could tell of the necessitie of Samuels presence : Those that liue within the sun shine of religion , cannot but be somewhat coloured with those beames : Where there is practise and example of piety in the better for t , there will be a reflexion of it vpon the meanest : It is no small benefit to liue in religious and holy places , wee shall be much to blame , if all goodnes fall beside vs : Yea so skilfull were these damzels in the fashions of their publike sacrifices , that they could instruct Saul and his seruant , vnasked , how the people would not eat , till Samuel came to blesse the sacrifice . This meeting was not more a sacrifice , then a feast : These two agree well , we haue neuer so much cause to reioyce in feasting , as when wee haue duely serued our God : The sacrifice was a feast to God , the other to men : The body may eat and drinke with contentment , when the soule hath bin first fed , and hath first feasted the maker of both : Goe eat thy bread with ioy , and drinke thy drinke 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 formerly hallowed to God : All creatures were made good , & tooke holinesse from him , which gaue them their being ; Our sinne brought that curse vpon them ( which vnlesse our prayers remoue it ) cleaues to them still , so as we receiue them not without a curse : We are not our owne freinds , except our prayers helpe to take that away , which our sin hath brought , that so to the cleane all may be cleane : It is an vnmannerly godlessnes to take Gods creatures without the leaue of their maker , and well may God with-hold his blessing from them , which haue not the grace to aske it .

THOSE guests , which were so religious , that they would not eat their sacrifice vnblessed , might haue blessed it themselues : Euery man might pray , though euery man might not sacrifice ; yet would they not either eat , or blesse , whiles they looked for the presence of a Prophet . Euery Christian may sanctifie his owne meat , but where those are present , that are peculiarly sanctified to God , this seruice is fittest for them : It is commendable to teach children the practise of thanksgiuing , but the best is euer most meere to blesse our tables , and those especially , whose office it is to offer our prayers to God .

LITLE did Saul thinke , that his comming , and his errand was so noted of God , as that it was fore-signified vnto the Prophet , and now , behold Samuel is told a day before of the man , the time , the place of his meeting . The eye of Gods prouidenc is no lesse ouer all our actions , all our motions : We cannot goe any whither without him , he tells all our steps ; since it pleaseth God therefore to take notice of vs , much more should we take notice of him , & walke with him , in whom we moue ? Saul came beside his expectation to the Prophet , he had no thought of any such purpose , till his seruant made this sudden motion vnto him of visiting Samuel , and yet God saies to his Prophet , I will send thee a man out of the land of Beniamin . The ouer ruling hand of the Allmighty workes vs insensibly , and all our affaires to his owne secret determinations ; so as whiles wee thinke we doe our owne wills , we do his : Our owne intentions we may know , Gods purposes we know not ; we must go the way that we are called , let him lead vs to what end he pleaseth ; It is our dutie to resigne our selues , and our waies to the disposition of God , and patiently and thankfully to awaite the issue of his decrees . The same God , that fore-shewed Saul to Samuel , now points to him ( See this is the man ) , and commands the Prophet to annoint him gouernor ouer Israel : He , that told of Saul before he came , knew before he came into the world , what a man , what a King hee would be ; yet he chooseth him out , and inioynes his invnction . It is one of the greatest praises of Gods wisdome , that hee can turne the euill of men to his own glory : Aduancement is not euer a signe of loue , either to the man , or to the place : It had bin better for Saul , that his head had bin euer dry , some God raiseth vp in iudgement , that they may fall the more vneasily ; there are no men so miserable , as those , that are great and euill .

IT seemes that Samuel bore no great port in his outside , for that Saul not discerning him , either by his habit , or attendants , comes to him , and asks him for the Seer ; yet was Samuel as yet the Iudge of Israel , the substitution of his sonnes had not displaced himselfe : There is an affable familiaritie , that becommeth greatnesse ; It is not good for eminent persons to stand alwaies vpon the height of their state , but so to behaue themselues , that as their sociable cariage may not breed contempt , so their ouer-highnes may not breed a seruile fearefulnesse in their people .

How kindly doth Samuel intertaine , and invite Saul , yet it was he onely , that should receiue wrong by the future royalty of Saul ? Who would not haue looked , that aged Samuel should haue emulated rather the glory of his yong riuall , and haue looked churlishly vpon the man , that should rob him of his authoritie ? yet now , as if he came on purpose to gratifie him , hee bids him to the feast , he honors him with the cheife seat , he reserues a select morsell for him , hee tells him ingenuously the newes of his insuing soueraigntie ( On whom is set the desire of all Israel , is it not vpon thee , and thy fathers house ? ) Wise and holy men , as they are not ambitious of their owne burden , so they are not vnwilling to be eased , when God pleaseth to discharge them ; neither can they enuie those whom God lifteth aboue their heads : They make an Idoll of honor , that are troubled with their owne freedome , or grudge at the promotion of others .

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

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

The Inauguration of SAVL .

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

I cannot blame Saul for hiding himselfe from a kingdome , especially of Israel : Honor is heauy , when it comes vpon the best termes : How should it be otherwise , when all mens cares are cast vpon one ? but most of all in a troubled estate ? No man can put to sea without danger , but he that launcheth out in a tempest , can expect nothing , but the hardest euent ; such was the condition of Israel : Their old enemy the Philistims were stilled with that fearefull thunder of God , as finding what it was to warre against the Allmighty . There were aduersaries enow besides in their borders : It was but an hollow truce , that was betwixt Israel and their heathenish neighbours ; and Nahash was now at their gates . Well did Saul know the difference betweene a peacefull gouernment , and the perilous and wearisome tumults of warre : The quietest throne is full of cares , but the perplexed of dangers . Cares & dangers droue Saul into this corner to hide his head from a crowne : These made him chuse rather to lye obscurely among the baggage of his tent , then to sit gloriously in the throne of State . This hiding could doe nothing but 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 conceale him , brings him forth to the light , so much more longed for , as he was more vnwilling to be seene , and more applauded , as he was more longed for .

Now then when SAVL is drawne forth in the midst of the eager expectation of Israel , modestie and goodlinesse shew'd themselues in his face : The prease cannot hide him , whom the stuffe had hid ; As if he had bin made to be seene , he ouerlookes all Israel in height of stature , for presage of the eminence of his estate , ( from the shoulders vpward was he higher then any of the people . ) Israel sees their lots are fallne vpon a noted man ; one , whose person shewed , he was borne to be a King , and now all the people shout for ioy ; they haue their longing , and applaud their owne happinesse , and their Kings honor : How easie is it for vs to mistake our owne estates ? to reioyce in that , which we shall finde the iust cause of our humiliation ? The end of a thing is better then the beginning ; the safest way is to reserue our ioy , till wee haue good proofe of the worthines and fitnes of the obiect . What are we the better for hauing of a blessing , if we know not how to vse it ? The office and obseruance of a King was vncowth to Israel : Samuel therefore informes the people of their mutuall duties , and writes them in a booke , and laies it vp before the Lord ; otherwise , nouelty might haue beene a warrant for their ignorance , & ignorance for neglect : There are reciprocall respects of Princes and people , which if they be not obserued , gouernment languisheth into confusion ; these Samuel faithfully teacheth them . Though he may not be their Iudge , yet he will be their Prophet ; he will instruct , if he may not rule ; yea he will instruct him that shall rule : There is no King absolute , but he , that is the King of all gods : Earthly Monarchs must walke by a rule , which if they transgresse , they shall be accountable to him , that is higher then the highest , who hath deputed them . Not out of care of ciuilitie , so much as conscience , must euery Samuel labour to keepe euen termes betwixt Kings and subiects , prescribing iust moderation to the one ; to the other obedience and loyalty , which who euer indeuors to trouble , is none of the freinds of God , or his Church .

THE most and best applaud their new King , some wicked ones despised him , and said , How shall he saue vs ? It was not the might of his parents , the goodlinesse of his person , the priuiledge of his lot , the same of his prophesying , the Panegyrick of Samuel , that could sheeld him from contempt , or winne him the hearts of all : There was neuer yet any man , to whom some tooke not exceptions ; It is not possible either to please or displease all men , while some men are in loue with vice , as deeply , as others with vertue , and some ( as ill ) dislike vertue , if not for it selfe , yet for contradiction They well saw , Saul chose not himselfe , they saw him worthy to haue bin chosen , if the election should haue bin caried by voices , and those voices by their eyes ; they saw him vnwilling to hold , or yeeld , when he was chosen ; yet they will enuie him : What fault could they finde in him whom God had chosen ? His parentage was equall , his person aboue them , his inward parts more aboue them , then the outward ; Male-contents will rather deuise then want causes of flying out , and rather then faile , the vniuersall approbation of others is ground enough of their dislike . It is a vaine ambition of those , that would be loued of all : The spirit of God , when he inioynes vs peace with all , he adds ( if it be possible , ) and fauour is more then peace ; A mans comfort must be in himselfe , the conscience of deseruing well .

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

THE Gileadites were not more base , then Naash the Ammonite was cruell : The Gileadites would buy their peace with seruilitie , Nahash would sell them a seruile peace for their right eyes . Iephtha the Gileadite did yet sticke in the stomach of Ammon , and now they thinke their reuenge cannot bee too bloody : It is a wonder , that he , which would offer so mercilesse a condition to Israel , would yeeld to the motion of any delay ; Hee meant nothing , but shame and death to the Israelites , yet hee condiscends to a seuen dayes respite : Perhaps his confidence made him thus carelesse . Howsoeuer , it was the restraint of God that gaue this breath to Israel , and this opportunitie to Sauls courage and victory : The enemies of Gods Church can not be so malicious , as they would , cannot approue themselues so malicious , as they are ; God so holds them in sometimes , that a stander-by would thinke them fauourable . The newes of Gileads distresse had ●●oone filled and afflicted Israel , ●●he people thinke of no remedy , but their pity and teares ; Euills are easily greeued for , not easily redressed : Onely Saul is more stirred with indignation , then sorrow ; That God , which put into him a spirit of prophesie , now puts into him a spirit of fortitude : Hee was before appointed to the throne , not setled in the throne , hee followed the beasts in the field , when hee should haue commanded men . Now as one , that would bee a King no lesse by merit , then election , he takes vpon him , and performes the rescue of Gilead ; hee assembles Israel , hee leads them , he raiseth the siege , breaks the troopes , cuts the throats of the Ammonites : When God hath any exploit to performe , he raiseth vp the heart of some chosen instrument with heroicall motions for the atcheiuement : When all hearts are cold and dead , it is a signe of intended destruction .

THIS day hath made Saul a compleat King , and now the thankfull Israelites begin to inquire after those discontented mutiners , which had refused allegeance vnto so worthy a commander , ( Bring those men , that we may slay them : ) This sedition had deserued death , though Saul had bin foyled at Gilead ; but now his happy victory whets the people much more to a desire of this iust execution . Saul , to whom the iniurie was done , hinders the reuenge , ( There shall no man dye this day , for to day the Lord hath saued Israel ) that his fortitude might not goe beyond his mercy . How noble were these beginnings of Saul ? His prophesie shewed him miraculously wise , his battle and victory no lesse valiant , his pardon of his rebels , as mercifull : There was not more power shewed in ouercomming the Ammonites , then in ouercomming himselfe , and the impotent malice of these mutinous Israelites . Now Israel sees , they haue 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 iustice should be inseparable ; wheresoeuer these two goe asunder , gouernment followes them into distraction , and ends in ruine . If it had bin a wrong offred to Samuel , the forbearance of the reuenge had not bin so commendable , although vpon the day of so happy a deliuerance , perhaps it had not bin seasonable : A man hath reason to be most bold with himselfe ; It is no praise of mercy ( since it is a fault in iustice ) to remit an other mans satisfaction , his own he may .

Samuels contestation .

EVERY one can be a frend to him that prospereth ; By this victory hath Saul as welll conquered the obstinacie of his owne people : Now there is no Israelite , that reioyceth not in Sauls kingdome . No sooner haue they done obiecting to Saul , then Samuel begins to expostulate with them : The same day , wherein they began to be pleased , God shewes himselfe angry ; All the passages of their proceedings offended him , hee deferd to let them know it till now , that the kingdom was setled , and their hearts lifted vp ; Now doth God coole their courage and ioy , with a backe reckning for their forwardnes . God will not let his people run away with the arrerages of their sins , but when they least thinke of it , calls them to an account : All this while was God angry with their reiection of Samuel ; yet ( as fi there had beene nothing , but peace ) hee giues them a victory ouer their enemies , hee giues way to their ioy in their election , now hee lets them know , that after their peace-offerings , hee hath a quarrell with them . God may be angry enough with vs , whiles we outwardly prosper : It is the wisdome of God to take his best aduantages ; He suffers vs to go on , till we should come to enioy the fruit of our sinne , till wee seeme past the danger , either of conscience , or punishment ; then ( euen when we begin to be past the feeling of our sinne ) we shall begin to feele his displeasure for our sinnes : This is onely where he loues , where he would both forgiue , and reclaime ; He hath now to doe with his Israel : But where hee meanes vtter vengance , he lets men harden themselues to a reprobate senselessnes , and make vp their owne measure without contradiction , as purposing to reckon with them but once for euer .

SAMVEL had disswaded them before , he reproues them not , vntill now : If he had thus bent himselfe against them , ere the setling of the election , he had troubled Israel in that , which God tooke occasion by their sin to establish ; His opposition would haue sauoured of respects to himselfe , whom the wrong of this innovation chiefly concerned : Now therefore , when they are sure of their King , and their King of them , when hee hath set euen termes betwixt them mutually , he lets them see , how they were at odds with God : We must euer dislike sins , we may not euer show it ; Discretion in the choice of seasons for reprouing , is no lesse commendable and necessarie , then zeale and faithfulnes in reprouing : Good Physitians vse not to euacuate the body in extremities of heat or cold ; wise mariners do not hoyse sailes in euery winde .

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

IT was not so much the tryall of his cariage , that Samuel appealed for , as his iustification , not for his owne comfort , so much as their conviction : His innocence hath not done him seruice enough , vnlesse it shame them , and make them confesse themselues faulty . In so many yeeres wherein Samuel iudged Israel , it cannot be , but many thousand causes passed his hands , wherein both parties could not possibly bee pleased ; yet so cleare doth he finde his heart , and hands , that he dare make the greeued part iudges of his iudgment : A good conscience will make a man vndauntedly confident , and dare put him vpon any tryall ; where his owne heart strikes him not , it bids him challeng all the world , and take vp all commers : How happy a thing is it for a man to be his owne frend , and patron ? He needs not to feare forraine broiles , that is at peace at home : Contrarily , he that hath a false and foule heart , lyes at euery mans mercy ; liues slauishly , and is faine to dawbe vp a rotten peace with the basest conditions . Truth is not afraid of any light , and therefore dare suffer her wares to be caried from a dim shop-bord vnto the street dore : Perfect gold will be but the purer with trying , whereas falshood being a worke of darknes , loues darknes , and therefore seeks , where it may worke closest .

THIS very appellation cleared Samuel , but the peoples attestation cleared him more : Innocency & vprightnes becomes euery man well , but most publique persons , who shall be else obnoxious to euery offender . The throne and the pulpit ( of all places ) call for holines , not more for example of good , then for liberty of controlling euill : All Magistrates sweare to doe that , which Samuel protesteth hee hath done ; if their oath were so verified , as Samuels protestation , it were a shame for the State not to be happy : The sinnes of our Teachers are the teachers of sinne ; the sins of gouernors do both command , and countenance euill This very acquiting of Samuel was the accusation of themselues : For how could it be but faulty to cast off a faultlesse gouernor ? If he had not taken away an oxe , or an asse from them , why do they take away his authoritie ? They could not haue thus cleared Saul at the end of his raigne , It was iust with God , since they were weary of a iust ruler , to punish them with an vniust .

HE that appealed to them for his owne vprightnes , durst not appeale to them for their owne wickednes , but appeales to heauen from them . Men are commonly flatterers of their owne cases : It must be a strong euidence , that will make a sinner convicted in himselfe ; Nature hath so many shifts to cosen it selfe in this spirituall verdict , that vnlesse it be taken in the manner , it will hardly yeeld to a truth ; either shee will denie the fact , or the fault , or the measure ; And now in this case they might seeme to haue some faire pretences : For though Samuel was righteous , yet his sonnes were corrupt . To cut of all excuses therefore , Samuel appeales to God ( the highest Iudge ) for his sentence of their sin , and dares trust to a miraculous conviction . It was now their wheat haruest : The hot and dry ayre of that climate did not wont to afford in that season so much moist vapour , as might raise a cloud , either for raine , or thunder : He that knew God could , and would do both these , without the helpe of second causes , puts the tryall vpon this issue . Had not Samuel before consulted with his Maker , and receiued warrant for his act , it had bin presumption and tempting of God , which was now a noble improuement of faith : Rather then Israel shall go cleare away with a sinne , God will accuse and arraigne them from heauen . No sooner hath Samuels voice ceased , then Gods voice begins : Euery cracke of thunder spake iudgment against the rebellious Israelites , and euery drop of raine was a witnesse of their sin , and now they found they had displeased him , which ruleth in the heauen , by rejecting the man that ruled for him on earth : The thundring voice of God , that had lately in their sight confounded the Philistims , they now vnderstood to speake fearefull things against them . No maruell , if now they fell vpon their knees , not to Saul , whom they had chosen , but to Samuel , who being thus cast off by them , is thus countenanced in heauen .

Sauls sacrifice .

GOD neuer ment the kingdom should either stay long in the tribe of Beniamin , or remoue suddenly from the person of Saul ; Many yeres did Saul reigne ouer Israel , yet God computes him but two yeeres a King : That is not accounted of God to bee done , which is not lawfully done ; when God , which chose Saul , rejected 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 vsurper .

SAVL was of good yeeres , when hee was aduanced to the kingdom : His sonne Ionathan , the first yeere of his fathers raigne , could lead a thousand Israelites into the field , and giue a foyle to the Philistims : And now Israel could not thinke themselues lesse happy in the●●r Prince , then in their King ; Ionathan is the heyre of his fathers victory , as well as of his valour , and his estate . The Philistims were quiet after those first thunder-claps , all the time of Samuels gouernment , now they begin to stirre vnder Saul . How vtterly is Israel disappointed in their hopes ? That securitie and protection , which they promised themselues in the name of a King , they found in a Prophet , failed of in a warriour ; They were more safe vnder the mantle , then vnder armes : both enmity and sauegard are from heauen , goodnes hath bin euer a stronger guard , then valour : It is the surest policie alwaies to haue peace with God .

WE finde by the spoiles , that the Philistims had some battels with Israel , which are not recorded ; After the thunder had skared them into a peace , and restitution of all the bordring Cities , from Ekron to Gath , they had taken new heart , and so beslaued Israel , that they had neither weapon , nor Smith left amongst them , yet euen in this miserable nakednes of Israel , haue they both fought , and ouercome . Now might you haue seene the vnarmed Israelites marching with their slings , and ploughstaues , and hookes , and forkes , and other instruments of their husbandry against a mighty & well furnished enemie , and returning laded both with armes and victory . No armour is of proofe against the Almighty , neither is he vnweapned , that caries the reuenge of God : There is the same disaduantage in our spirituall conflicts , we are turned naked to principalities , and powers ; whilst wee goe vnder the conduct of the Prince of our peace , we cannot but be bold & victorious .

VAINE men thinke to ouer-power God with munition , and multitude : The Philistims are not any way more strong , then in conceit ; Thirty thousand chariots , six thousand horsemen , footmen like the sand for number , makes them scorne Israel no lesse , then Israel feares them . When I see the miraculous successe , which had blessed the Israelites , in all their late conflicts with these very Philistims , with the Ammonites , I cannot but wonder , how they could feare : They , which in the time of their sinne found God to raise such trophees ouer their enemies , run now into caues , and rocks , and pits , to hide them from the faces of men , when they found God reconciled , and themselues penitent . No Israelite but hath some cowardly blood in him : If we had no feare , faith would haue no maistery , yet these fearefull Israelites shall cut the throats of those confident Philistims ; Doubt and resolution are not meet measures of our successe : A presumptuous confidence goes commonly bleeding ●●ome when an humble feare retu●●nes in triumph . Feare driues those Israelites , which dare show their heads out of the caues vnto Saul , and makes them cling vnto their new King : How troublesome were the beginnings of Sauls honor ? Surely , if that man had not exceeded Israel no lesse in courage , then in stature , he had now hid himselfe in a caue , which before hid himself among the stuffe : But now , though the Israelites ran away from him , yet he ran not away from them ; It was not any doubt of Sauls valour , that put his people to their heeles , it was the absence of Samuel ; If the Prophet had come vp , Israel would neuer haue run away from their King : Whiles they had a Samuel alone , they were neuer well , till they had a Saul , now they haue a Saul , they are as farre from contentment , because they want a Samuel ; vnlesse both ioyne together , they thinke there can be no safetie . Where the temporall and spirituall state combine not together , there can follow nothing but distraction in the people : The Prophets receiue and deliuer the will of God , Kings execute it ; The Prophets are directed by God , the people are directed by their Kings . Where men doe not see God before them in his ordinances , their hearts cannot but faile them , both in their respects to their superiors , and their courage in themselues . Piety is the mother of perfect subiection : As all authoritie is deriued from heauen , so is it thence established ; Those gouernors that would command the hearts of men , must shew them God in their faces .

No Israelite can thinke himselfe safe without a Prophet : Saul had giuen them good proofe of his fortitude , in his late victory ouer the Ammonites , but then proclamation was made before the fight through all the country , that euery man should come vp after Saul , and Samuel : If Samuel had not bin with Saul , they would rather haue ventured the losse of their oxen , then the hazard of themselues : How much lesse should we presume of any safety in our spirituall combats , when we haue not a Prophet to lead vs ? It is all one ( sauing that it fauours of more contempt ) not to haue Gods Seers , and not to vse them : He can be no true Israelite , that is not distressed with the want of a Samuel .

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

WHAT then should Saul haue done ? Vpon the trust of God & Samuel he should haue staied out the last houre , and haue secretly sacrificed himselfe , and his praiers vnto that God , which loues obedience aboue sacrifice . Our faith is most commendable in the last act ; It is no praise to hold out , vntill we be hard driuen : Then , when we are forsaken of meanes , to liue by faith in our God , is worthy of a crowne : God will haue no worship of our deuising , wee may onely doe , what he bids vs , not bid , what he commands not . Neuer did any true piety arise out of the corrupt puddle of mans braine ; If it flow not from heauen , it is odious to heauen : What was it , that did thus taint the valour of Saul with this weaknes , but distrust ? He saw some Israelites goe , hee thought all would goe , he saw the Philistims come , he saw Samuel came not , his diffidence was guilty of his mis-deuotion : There is no sinne , that hath not his ground from vnbeleefe ; This , as it was the first infection of our pure nature , so is the true source of all corruption , man could not sinne , if he distrusted not .

THE sacrifice is no sooner ended , then Samuel is come , and why came he no sooner ? He could not be a Seer , and not know , how much he was lookt for , how troublesome and dangerous his absence must needs be ; He , that could tell Saul , that he should prophesie , could tell , that he would sacrifice ; yet he purposely forbeares to come , for the tryall of him , that must be the champion of God . Samuel durst not haue done thus , but by direction from his master : It is the ordinarie course of God to proue vs by delaies , and to driue vs to exigents , that we may shew what we are : He that annointed Saul , might lawfully from God controll 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 differences of sins according to persons , we are vnfaithfull both to God , and man . Scarce is Saul warme in his kingdome , when he hath euen now lost it : Samuels first words after the inauguration , are of Sauls rejection , and the choice and establishment of his successor : It was euer Gods purpose to settle the kingdom in Iudah ; He that tooke occasion by the peoples sinne to raise vp Saul in Beniamin , takes occasion by Sauls sin to establish the crowne vpon Dauid . In humane probabilitie the kingdom was fixed vpon Saul , and his more worthy sonne : In Gods decree it did but passe through the hands of Beniamin to Iudah . Besides trouble , how fickle are these earthly glories ? Saul doubtles lookt vpon Ionathan , as the inheritor of his crowne , and behold , ere his peaceable possession , he hath lost it from himselfe : Our sinnes strip vs not of our hopes in heauen onely , but of our earthly blessings ; The way to entaile a comfortable prosperitie vpon our seed after vs , is our conscionable obedience vnto GOD .

JONATHANS victory and Sauls oath .

IT is no wonder if Saules courage were much cooled with the heauy newes of his reiection : After this he staies vnder the pomgranate tree in Gibeah , He stirs not toward the garrison of the Philistims : As hope is the mother of fortitude , so nothing doth more breede cowardlines , then despaire : Euery thing dismaies that heart , which God hath put out of protection : Worthy Ionathan ( which sprung from Saul , as some sweet impe growes out of a crabstock ) is therefore full of valour , because full of faith : He well knew , that hee should haue nothing , but discouragements from his fathers feare ; as rather choosing therefore , to auoide all the blocks , that might lye in the way , then to leap ouer them , he departs secretly without the dimission of his father , or notice of the people ; onely God leads him , and his armour-bearer followes him . O admirable faith of Ionathan , whom neither the steepnes of rocks , nor the multitude of enemies can disswade from so vnlikely an assault ! Is it possible , that two men , whereof one was weaponles , should dare to thinke of incountring so many thousands ? O diuine power of faith , that in all difficulties , and attempts , makes a man more then men , and regards no more armies of men , then swarmes of flies ! There is no restraint to the Lord , ( saith he ) to saue with many , or by few : It was not so great newes , that Saul should be amongst the Prophets , as that such a word should come from the sonne of Saul .

IF his father had had but so much diuinitie , he had not sacrificed : The strength of his God is the ground of his strength in God ; The question is not , what Ionathan can do , but what God can do , whose power is not in the meanes , but in himself : That mans faith is well vnder-layed , that vpholds it selfe by the omnipotencie of God ; thus the father of the faithfull built his assurance vpon the power of the Almighty . But many things God can doe , which he will not doe ; How knowest thou , Ionathan , that God will be as forward , as he is able , to giue thee victory ? For this ( saith hee ) I haue a watchword from God , out of the mouths of the Philistims : If they say , Come vp , we will go vp ; for God hath deliuered them into our hands : If they say , Tarie , till we come to you , we will stand still . Ionathan was too wise to trust vnto a casuall presage : There might be some farre fetcht coniectures of the euent from the word ; We will come to you , was a threat of resolution ; Come you to vs , was a challenge of feare ; or perhaps , Come vp to vs was a word of insultation , from them , that trusted to the inaccessiblenes of the the place , & multitudes of men . Insultation is from pride , Pride argued a fall , but faith hath nothing to do with probabilities , as that , which acknowledgeth no argument , but demonstration ; If there had not bin an instinct from God of this assured warrant of successe , Ionathan had presumed in steed of beleeuing , and had tempted that God , whom he professed to glorifie by his trust .

THERE can be no faith , where there is no promise , and where there is a promise , there can be no presumption : Words are voluntarie , The tongues of the Philistims were as free to say , Tary , as Come : That God , in whom our very tongues moue , ouer-ruled them so , as now they shall speake that word , which shall cut their owne throats : They knew no more harme in Come , then Tary , 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 owne destruction : The disposition of our words are from the prouidence of the Almighty , God and our hearts haue not alwaies the same meaning in our speeches : In those words , which we speake at random , or out of affectation , God hath a further drift of his owne glory , and perhaps our iudgment . If wicked men say , our tongues are our owne , they could not say so , but from him , whom they defie in saying so , and who makes their tongue their executioner .

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

IONATHAN is now on the top of the hill , and now , as if he had an Army at his heeles , he flies vpon the hoste of the Philistims , his hands that might haue bin weary with climbing , are immediately commanded to fight , and deale as many deaths , as blowes to the amased enemy : He needs not walke far for this execution ; Himselfe , and his armour-bearer in one halfe acres space haue slaine 20 Philistims : It is not long since Ionathan smote their garrison in the hill of Geba , perhaps , from that time his name & presence caried terror in it , but sure if the Philistims had not seene , and felt more then a man in the face , and hands of Ionathan , they had not so easily groueled in death : The blowes and shrikes cannot but affect the next , who with a ghastly noise ran away from death , and affright their fellowes no lesse , then themselues are affrighted : The clamour & feare runs on like fire in a traine to the very formost ranks ; Euery man would flie , and thinks there is so much more cause of flight , for that his eares apprehend all , his eyes nothing : Ech man thinks his fellow stands in his way , and therefore in steed of turning vpon him , which was the cause of their flight , they bend their swords vpon those , whom they imagine to be the hinderers of their flight ; and now a miraculous astonishment hath made the Philistims , Ionathans champions and executioners ; He followes , and 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 feare it selfe might preuent Ionathan in killing them , the earth it self trembles vnder them . Thus doth God at once strike them with his owne hand , with Ionathans , with theirs , & makes them run away from life , whiles they would flie from an enemy : Where the Almighty purposes destruction to any people , hee needes not call in forreine powers , he needs not any hands or weapons , but their owne ; He can make vaste bodies dye no other death , then their owne weight : Wee cannot be sure to be friends among our selues , whiles God is our enemy .

THE Philistims flie fast , but the newes of their flight ouer-runnes them euen vnto Sauls Pomgranate tree : The watchmen discerne a far of , a flight and execution ; search is made , Ionathan is found missing , Saul will consult with the Arke : Hypocrites , while they haue leisure , will perhaps be holy ; For some fitts of deuotion they cannot be bettered . But when the tumult increased , Sauls piety decreases : It is now no season to talke with a Priest ; withdraw thine hand Ahaiah , the Ephod must giue place to armes : It is more time to fight , then to pray ; what needs he Gods guidance , when he sees his way before him ? He that before would needs sacrifice , ere he fought , will now in the other extreme , fight in a wilfull indeuotion : Worldly minds regard holy duties no further , then may stand with their own carnall purposes ; Very easie occasions shall interrupt them in their religious intentions ; like vnto children , which if a bird do but flie in their way , cast their eye from their booke .

BVT if Saul serue not God in one kinde , he will serue him in another , if he honor him not by attending on the Arke , he will honor him by a vow ; His negligence in the one is recompenced with his zeale in the other . All Israel is adiured not to eat any food vntill the euening : Hypocrisie is euer masked with a blinde and thankles zeale : To waite vpon the Arke , and to consult with Gods Preist in all cases of importance was a direct commandment of God ; To eat no food in the pursuit of their enemies was not commanded : Saul leaues that , which he was bidden , and does that , which he was not required : To eat no foode all day was more difficult , then to attend an howre vpon the Arke ; The voluntary seruices of hypocrites are many times more painfull , then the duties inioyned by God .

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

THERE was a double mischeife followed vpon Sauls oth , 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 dye , then kill , they could neither runne , nor strike in this emptinesse ; Neither hands nor feet can doe their office , when the stomach is neglected : On the other , an vnmeet forbearance causes a rauenous repast : Hunger knowes neither choice , nor order , nor measure : The one of these was a wrong to Israel , the other was a wrong done by Israel to God : Sauls zeale was guilty of both : A rash vow is seldome euer free from inconuenience ; The heart that hath vnnecessarily entangled it self , drawes mischeife either vpon it selfe , or others .

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

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

Contemplations . THE THIRTEENTH BOOKE .

Contayning

Saul and Agag . The Rejection of Saul , and the choice of Dauid . Dauid call'd to the Court. Dauid and Goliah . Ionathans loue & Sauls enuie . Michals wile . Dauid and Ahimelec .

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Sr THOMAS EDMONDS Knight , Treasurer of his Maties Houshold , and of his most Honorable Priuy COVNSELL . RIGHT HO:

After your long and happy acquaintance with other Courts & Kingdoms , may it please you to compare with them the estate of old ISRAEL ; You shall finde the same hand swaying all scepters ; and you shall meet with such a proportion of dispositions , and occurrences , that you will say , men are still the same , if their names and faces differ ; You shall finde Enuie and Mutabilitie ancient Courtiers ; and shall confesse the vices of men still aliue , if themselues dye ; You shall see God still honouring those that honor him , and both rescuing innocence , and crowning it . It is not for mee to anticipate your deeper , and more iudicious obseruations . I am bold to dedicate this peece of my labour to your HONOR , in a thankfull acknowledgment of those noble respects , I haue found from you , both in FRANCE , and at home . In lieu of all which , I can but pray for your happines , and vow my selfe

Your Honors in all humble obseruance , IOS. HALL .

Contemplations .

SAVL & AGAG .

GOD holds it no derogation from his mercy to beare a quarrell long , where he hates : He , whose anger to the vessels of wrath is euerlasting , euen in temporall iudgement reuengeth late : The sins of his owne children are no sooner done , and repented of , then forgotten ; but the malicious sinnes of his enemies sticke fast in an infinite displeasure . ( I remember what Amalek did to Israel , how they laid wait for them by the way , as they came vp from Aegypt ) : Alas Lord , ( might Amalek say ) they were our forefathers , wee neuer knew their faces , no not their names , the fact was so farre from our consent , that it is almost past the memory of our histories : It is not in the power of time to raze out any of the arerages of God ; we may lay vp wrath for our posteritie : Happy is that childe , whose progenitors are in heauen , he is left an inheritor of blessing together with estate , whereas wicked ancestors loose the thanke of a rich patrimonie , by the curse , that attends it : He that thinks , because punishment is deferd , that God hath forgiuen , or forgot his offence , is vnacquainted with iustice , and knowes not , that time makes no difference in eternitie .

THE Amalekites were wicked Idolaters , and therefore could not want many present sinnes , which deserued their extirpation : That God , which had taken notice of all their offences , picks out this one noted sinne of their forefathers , for reuenge : Amongst all their indignities , this shall beare the name of their iudgment . As in legall proceedings with malefactors , one inditement found , giues the stile to their condemnation : In the liues of those , which are notoriously wicked , God cannot looke besides a sin , yet when he drawes to an execution , he fastens his sentence vpon one euill as principall , others as accessaries , so as at the last , one sinne , 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 , then their hard measure to Israel , yet God sets this vpon the file , whiles the rest are not recorded ; Their superstitions might bee of ignorance , this sinne was of malice : Malicious wickednesses of all other , as they are in greatest opposition to the goodnes and mercy of God , shall be sure of the payment of greatest vengeance . The detestation of God may be measured by his reuenge , ( slay both man , and woman , both infant , and suckling , both oxe , and sheepe , camel , and asse ) not themselues onely , but euery thing that drew life either from them , or for their vse , must dye : When the God of mercies speakes such bloody words , the prouocation must needs be vehement : sinnes of infirmitie doe but mutter ; spightfull sins cry loud for iudgement in the eares of God : Prepensed malice in courts of humane iustice aggrauates the murther , and sharpens the sentence of death .

WHAT then was this sinne of Amalek , that is called vnto this late reckning ? What ? but their enuious and vnprouoked onsets vpon the backe of Israel ; this was it , that God tooke so to heart , as that he not onely remembers it now by Samuel , but he bids Israel euer to remember it , by Moses : Remember how Amalek met thee by the way , and smote the hindmost of you , all that were feeble behinde thee , when thou wast faint & weary . Besides this , did Amalek meet Israel in a pitcht battell openly , in Rephidim , for that God payed them in the present ; The hand of Moses lifted vp on the hill , slew them in the valley : Hee therefore repeats not that quarrell , but the cowardly , and cruell attempts vpon an impotent enemy , sticke still in the stomacke of the Almighty : Oppression and wrong vpon euen termes , are not so hainous vnto God , as those , that are vpon manifest disaduantage : In the one , there is an hazard of returne ; In the other , there is euer a tyrannous insulation ; God takes still the weaker part , and will be sure therefore to plague them , which seeke to put iniuries on the vnable to resist .

THIS sinne of Amalek slept all the time of the Iudges , those gouernors were only for rescue , and defence ; now , so soone as Israel hath a King , and that King is setled in peace , God giues charge to call them to account : It was that , which God had both threatned & sworne , and now hee chooses out a fit season for the execution ; As we vse to say of winter , the iudgements of God do neuer rot in the skie , but shall fall ( if late , yet ) surely , yet seasonably : There is small comfort in the delay of vengeance , whiles we are sure it shall loose nothing in the way , by length of protraction .

THE Kenites were the ofspring of Hobab , or Iethro , father in law to Moses ; the affinitie of him , to whom Israel owed their deliuerance , and being , was worthy of respect ; but it was the mercy of that good and wise Midianite shewed vnto Israel in the wildernes , by his graue aduise , cheerefull gratulation , and aide , which wonne this gratefull forbearance of his posterity : He that is not lesse in mercy , then in iustice , as he challenged Amaleks sin of their succeeding generations , so he deriues the recompence of Iethros kindnes , vnto his far-descended issue : Those , that were vnborne many ages after Iethro's death , receiue life from his dust , and fauour from his hospitalitie ; The name of their dead grandfather saues them from the common destruction of their neighbours . The seruices of our loue to Gods children are neuer thanklesse , when wee are dead and rotten , they shall liue , and procure blessings to those , which neuer knew perhaps , nor heard of their progenitors : If we sowe good workes , succession shall reape them , and we shall be happy in making them so .

THE Kenites dwelt in the borders of Amalek , but in tents , ( as did their issue the Rechabites ) so as they might remoue with ease : They are warned to shift their habitations , left they should perish with ill neighbours : It is the manner of God , first to separate , before he iudge , as a good husband weeds his corne , ere it be ripe for the sickle , and goes to the fanne , ere he go to the fire : When the Kenites pack vp their fardels , it is time to expect iudgment ; Why should not we imitate God , and separate our selues that we may not be iudged ? separate , not one Kenite from another , but euery Kenite from among the Amalekites , else if we will needs liue with Amalek , we cannot thinke much to dye with him .

THE Kenites are no sooner remoued , then Saul falls vpon the Amalekites : He destroyes all the people , but spares their King : The charge of God was vniuersall , for man and beast : In the corruption of partiality , lightly the greatest escape : Couetousnes , or mis-affection are commonly guilty of the impunitie of those , which are at once most eminent in dignitie , and in offence : It is a shamefull hypocrisie to make our commoditie the measure and rule of our executions of Gods command , and vnder pretence of godlines to pretend gaine : The vnprofitable vulgar must dye ; Agag may yeeld a rich ransome : The leane and feeble cattle , that would but spend stouer , and dye 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 gaine , or for reuenge ? Went you to be purueyors , or executioners ? If you plead , that all those wealthy herds had bin but lost in a speedy death , thinke yee that he knew not this , which commanded it ? Can that be lost , which is deuoted to the will of the owner , & creator ? Or can ye think to gaine any thing by disobedience ? That man can neuer either do well , or farewell , which thinks , there can be more profit in any thing , then in his obedience to his maker : Because Saul spared the best of the men , the people spared the best of the cattle , ech is willing to fauour other in the sinne : The sinnes of the great command imitation , and doe as seldome goe without attendants , as their persons .

SAVL knew well , how much he had done amisse , and yet dare meet Samuel , and can say , Blessed be thou of the Lord , I haue fulfilled the commandement of the Lord : His heart knew , that his tongue was as false , as his hands had bin , and if his heart had not bin more false , then either of them , neither of them had bin so grosse in their falshood : If hypocrisie were not either foolish , or impudent , she durst not show her head to a Seer of God . Could Saul thinke , 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 lesse when we haue to doe with God himselfe , would dissimulation presume either of safety or secrecy ? Can the God that made the heart not know it ? Can he , that comprehends all things , be shut out of our close corners ? Saul was otherwise crafty enough , yet herein his simplicitie is palpable : Sin can besot euen the wisest man , and there was neuer but folly in wickednes .

No man brags so much of holines , as hee that wants it : True obedience is ioyned euer with humilitie , and feare of vnknowne errors ; Falshood is bold , and can say , I haue fulfilled the commandment of the Lord ; If Saul had bin truly obsequious , and holy , he had made no noise of it : A gracious heart is not a blab of his tongue , but rests and reioyceth silently in the conscience of a secret goodnes , those vessels yeeld most sound , that haue the least liquor : Samuel had reason to beleeue the sheep , and oxen aboue Saul ; their bleating and lowing was a sufficient conviction of a denied , and outfaced disobedience : God opened their mouthes to accuse Saul of their life , and his falshood ; but , as sin is crafty , and neuer wanted a cloke , where with both to hide and deck it selfe , euen this very rebellion is holy : First the act , if it were euill , was not mine , but the peoples ; and secondly , their intention makes it good . For these flocks and herds were preserued , not for gaine , but for deuotion : What needs this quarrell ? If any gaine by this act , it is the Lord thy God : His Altars shall smoke with these sacrifices , yee , that serue at them , shall fare so much the better ; this godly thriftines lookes for thanks rather then censure . If Saul had beene in Samuels clothes , perhaps this answer would haue satisfied him : Surely himselfe stands out in it , as that whereto hee dare trust , and after he heares of Gods angry reproofe , he auowes , and doubles his hold of his innocency ; as if the commanders shold not answer for the known sins of the people ; as if our intentions could iustifie vs to God , against God . How much adoe it is to bring sinners vpon their knees , & to make their tongues accuse their hands ? But it is no halting with the maker of the heart : He knew , it was couetousnes , and not piety , which was accessarie to this forbearance ; and if it had bin as was pretended , hee knew it was an odious impiety to raise deuotion out of disobedience : Saul shall heare and finde , that hee hath delt no lesse wickedly in sparing an Agag , then in killing an innocent Israelite , in sparing these beasts for sacrifice , then in sacrificing beasts that had bin vncleane : Why was sacrifice it selfe good , but because it was commanded ? What difference was there betwixt slaughter and sacifice , but obedience ? To sacrifice disobediently is wilfully to mocke God in honoring him .

The rejection of Saul and the choice of Dauid .

EVEN when Saul had abandoned God in disobedience , hee would not forgoe Samuel , yea though he reproued him ; when he had forsaken the substance , yet hee would maintaine the formalitie ; If he cannot hold the man , he will keepe the pledge of his garment , such was the violence of Sauls desire , that he will rather rend Samuels coat , then part with his person . Litle did Saul thinke , that he had in his hand the pawne of his owne rejection , that this act of kinde importunitie should carry in it a presage of his iudgement , yet so it did ; This very rending of the coate was a reall prophesie , and did bode no lesse , then the rending of the kingdome from him , and his posteritie : Wicked men , whiles they thinke by carnall meanes to make their peace , plunge themselues deeper into misery .

ANY stander by would haue said , what a good King is this ? how deere is Gods Prophet vnto him ? how happy is Israel in such a Prince , as thus loues the messengers of God ? Samuel , that saw the bottom of this hollow affection , reiects him , whom God had reiected ; he was taught to looke vpon Saul , not as a King , but as an offender , and therefore refuses with no lesse vehemencie , then Saul intreated : It was one thing , what he might doe , as a subiect , another what he must doe , as a Prophet ; Now he knowes not Saul any otherwise , then as so much the greater trespasser , as his place was higher ; and therefore hee doth no more spare his greatnes , then the God against whom he sinned ; Neither doth hee countenance that man with his presence , on whom he sees God to frowne .

THERE needs no other Character of hypocrisie , then Saul in the cariage of this one businesse with Agag and Samuel : First he obeyes God where there is no gaine in disobedience , then he serues God by halues , and disobeyes , where the obedience might be losse : He giues God of the worst ; he doth that in a colour , which might seeme answerable to the charge of God ; He respects persons in the execution ; He giues good words , when his deeds were euill ; He protests his obedience against his conscience ; He faces out his protestation against a reproofe ; When hee sees no remedy hee acknowledges the fact , denies the sin , yea he iustifies the act by a profitable intention ; When he can no longer maintaine his innocence , he casts the blame from himselfe vpon the people ; He confesseth not , till the sinne be wrung from his mouth ; Hee seeks his peace out of himselfe , and relies more vpon anothers virtue , then his owne penitency ; He would cloke his guiltinesse with the holinesse of anothers presence ; He is more tormented with the danger & damage of his sin , then with the offence ; He cares to hold in with men , in what termes soeuer hee stands with God ; Hee fashionably serues that God , whom he hath not cared to reconcile by his repentance : No maruell if God cast him off , whose best was dissimulation .

OLD Samuel is forced to do a double execution , and that vpon no lesse then two Kings : The one vpon Saul , in diuiding the kingdome from him , who had diuided himself from God ; The other vpon Agag , in diuiding him in peeces , whom Saul should haue diuided . Those holy hands were not vsed to such sacrifices , yet did he neuer spill blood more acceptably : If Saul had bin truly penitent , he had in a desire of satisfaction preuented the hand of Samuel in this slaughter ; Now he coldly stands still , and suffers the weake 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 : Hee was yet a Iudge of Israel , although he suspended the execution : In Sauls neglect , this charge reuerted to him ; God loues iust executions so well , that he will hardly take them ill at any hands .

I do not finde , that the slaughter of Agag troubled Samuel ; that other act of his seueritie vpon Saul , though it drew no blood , yet stroke him in the striking , and fetched teares from his eyes . Good Samuel mourned for him ; that had not grace to mourne for himselfe : No man in all Israel might seeme to haue so much reason to reioyce in Sauls ruine , as Samuel , since that hee knew him raised vp in despight of his gouernment ; yet he mournes more for him , then he did for his sonnes , for himselfe ; It greeued him to see the plant , which hee had set in the garden of Israel , thus soone withered : It is an vnnaturall senselessnes not to bee affected with the dangers , with the sins of our gouernors : God did not blame this sorrow , but moderated it ; How long wilt thou mourne for Saul ? It was not the affection he forbad , but the measure ; In this is the difference betwixt good men and euill , that euill men mourne not for their own sins , good men do so mourne for the sins of others , that they will hardly be taken off .

IF Samuel mourne because Saul hath cast away God by his sinne , he must cease to mourne , because God hath cast away Saul from raigning ouer Israel in his iust punishment : A good heart hath learn'd to rest it selfe vpon the iustice of Gods decree , and forgets all earthly respects , when it lookes vp to heauen . So did God meane to shew his displeasure against the person of Saul , that he would show fauour to Israel , he will not therefore bereaue them of a King , but change him for a better : Either Saul had slandred his people , or else they were partners with him in the disobedience ; yet ( because it was their rulers fault , that they were not ouer-ruled ) we do not heare of their smarting , any otherwise , then in the subiection to such a King , as was not loyall to God : The losse of Saul is their gaine ; the gouernment of their first King was abortiue , no maruell if it held not . Now was the maturitie of that State , and therefore God will bring them forth a kindly Monarchy setled where it should : Kings are of Gods prouiding , it is good reason he should make choice of his own deputies ; but where goodnes meets with soueraignty , both his right , and his gift are doubled : If Kings were meerly from the earth , what needs a Prophet to bee seene in the choice , or inauguration ? The hand of Samuel doth not now beare the scepter to rule Israel , but it beares the horne for the annointing of him , that must rule : Saul was sent to him , when the time was to be annointed ; but now , he is sent to annoint Dauid : Then Israel sought a King for themselues , now God seeks a King for Israel : The Prophet is therefore directed to the house of Ishai the Bethleemite , the grand-child of Ruth ; now is the faithfull loue of that good Moabitess crowned with the honor of a kingdome , in the succeeding generation : God fetcht her out of Moab , to bring a King vnto Israel : Whiles Orpah wants bread in her owne countrey , Ruth is growne a great Lady in Bethleem , and is aduanced to be great grandmother to the King of Israel . The retributions of God are bountifull ; neuer any man forsooke ought for his sake , and complained of an hard bargaine .

EVEN the best of Gods saints want not their infirmities ; He that neuer replied , when hee was sent to reproue the King , moueth doubts , when he is bidden to goe , and annoint his successor . ( How can I goe ? If Saul heare it he will kill mee . ) Perhaps desire of full direction drew from him this question , but not without a mixture of diffidence ; For the manner of doing it , doth not so much trouble him , as the successe : It is not to be expected , that the most faithfull hearts should be alwaies in an equall height of resolution . God doth not chide Samuel , but instruct him : He , which is wisdome it selfe , teacheth him to hide his counsels in an honest policie : ( Take an Heifar with thee , 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 denialls , or equiuocations , it may be concealed in a discreet silence : except in the case of an oath , no man is bound to speake all he knowes ; we are not only allowed , but commanded to be innocently serpentine . There were doubtles heifars enow in Bethleem , Ishai had both wealth and deuotion enough to haue bestowed a sacrifice vpon God , and his Prophet : But to giue a more perfect colour to his intention , Samuel must take an heifar with him : The act it selfe was serious and necessarie ; There was no place , no time , wherein it was not fit for a Samuel to offer peace-offrings vnto God ; but when a King should be annointed , there was no lesse then necessitie in this seruice . Those , which must represent God to the world , ought to be consecrated to that maiestie , whom they resemble , by publike deuotions : Euery important action requires a sacrifice to blesse it , much more that act , which imports the whole Church , or Common-wealth .

IT was great newes to see Samuel at Bethleem , hee was no gadder abroad , none but necessarie occasions could make him stirre from Ramah : The Elders of the Citie therefore , welcome him with trembling , not for that they were affraid of him , but of themselues ; they knew , that guest would not come to them for familiaritie , streight do they suspect , it was the purpose of some iudgment , that drew him thither : Com'st thou peaceably ? It is a good thing to stand in awe of Gods messengers , and to hold good termes with them vpon all occasions : The Bethlemites are glad to heare of no other errand , but a sacrifice ; and now must they sanctifie themselues for so sacred a businesse : We may not presume to sacrifice vnto God vnsanctified , this were to marre an holy act , and make our selues more prophane , by prophaning that , which should be holy .

ALL the Citizens sanctifie themselues , but Ishai & his sons were in a speciall fashion sanctified by Samuel : This businesse was most theirs , and all Israel in them ; the more God hath to do with vs , the more holy should we be . With what desire did Samuel looke vpon the sonnes of Ishai , that hee might see the face of the man , whom God had chosen ? And now , when Eliab the eldest sonne came forth , a man of a goodly presence , whose person seemed fit to succeede Saul , he thinks with himselfe ; This choice is soone made , I haue already espied the head , on which I must spend this holy oyle ; This is the man , which hath both the priuiledge of nature in his primogeniture , and of outward goodlinesse in proportion : Surely the Lords annointed is before him . Euen the holiest Prophet , when hee goes without God , runs into error : The best iudgment is subiect to deceit ; It is no trusting any mortall man , when hee speaks of himselfe : Our eyes can be led by nothing but signes and appearances , and those haue commonly in them either a true falshood , or vncertaine truth .

THAT which should haue fore-warned Samuel , deceiued him ; he had seene the proofe of a goodly stature vnanswerable to their hopes , and yet his eye errs in the shape : He , that iudges by the inside both of our hearts and actions , checks Samuel in this mis-conceit : ( Looke not on his countenance , nor on the height of his stature , because I haue refused him ; for God seeth not as man seeth ) : The King , with whom God meant to satisfie the vntimely desires of Israel , was chosen by his stature , but the King with whom God ment to please himselfe is chosen by the heart . All the seuen sonnes of Ishai are presented to the Prophet , no one is omitted whom their father thought capable of any respect ; If either Samuel or Ishai should haue chosen , Dauid should neuer haue bin King : His father thought him fit to keep sheep , his brethren fit to rule men ; yet euen Dauid ( the yongest sonne ) is fetcht from the folde , and by the choice of God destined to the throne : Nature , which is commonly partiall to her own , could not suggest ought to Ishai , to make him thinke Dauid worthy to bee remembred in any competition of honor , yet him hath God singled out to the rule .

GOD will haue his wisdom magnified in the vnlikelihoods of his election : Dauids countenance was ingenuous , and beautifull , but if it had promised so much as Eliabs , or Abinadabs , he had not bin in the fields , whiles his brethren were at the sacrifice : If we doe altogether follow our eye , and suffer our selues to be guided by outward respects in our choice for God , or our selues , we cannot but goe amisse . What do we thinke the brethren of Dauid thought , when they saw the oyle powred vpon his head ? surely ( as they were enuious enough ) they had too much repined , if they had either fully apprehended the purpose of the Prophet , or else had not thought of some improbabilitie in the successe : Either they vnderstood not , or beleeued not , what God would doe with their brother ; They saw him graced with Gods spirit aboue his wont , but perhaps foresaw not , whither it tended : Dauid ( as no whit changed in his condition ) returnes to his sheep againe , and with an humble admiration of Gods gracious respect to him , casts himself vpon the wise and holy decree of the Almighty , resigning himselfe 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 lesse from God , then the euent .

Dauid call'd to the COVRT .

THAT the kingdome is ( in the appointment of God ) departed from Saul , it is his least losse ; Now the spirit of God is also departed from him ; One spirit is no sooner gone , but another is come ; both are from God : Euen the worst spirits haue not onely permission , but commission from heauen , for the infliction of iudgment . He that at first could hide himselfe among the stuffe , that he might not be King , is now so transported with this glory , that he growes passionate with the thought of forgoing it : Sathan takes vantage of his melancholike dejection , and turns this passion into frenzy . God will haue euen euill spirits worke by meanes ; A distempred body , and an vnquiet minde are fit grounds for Sathans vexation : Sauls courtiers , as men that were more witty , then religious , aduise him to musicke : They knew the strength of that skill in allaying the fury of passions , in cheering vp the dejected spirits of their master : This was done like some fond Chirurgian , that when the bone is out of ioynt , laies some soupling pultesses to the part , for the asswaging of the ach , in the meane time not caring to remedie the luxation .

IF they had said , Sr , you know this euill comes from that God , whom you haue offended , there can be no help but in reconcilement ; how easie is it for the God of spirits to take off Sathan ? labour your peace with him by a serious humiliation ; make meanes to Samuel to further the attonement ; they had bin wise counsellors , diuine Physicians ; whereas now they doe but skin ouer the sore , and leaue it rankled at the bottome : The c●●mu●● must euer proceed in the same steps with the disease , else in vaine shall wee seeme to heale ; There is no safety in the redresse of euills , but to strike at the root . Yet since it is no better with Saul and his courtiers , it is well it is no worse ; I doe not heare either the master , or seruants say , This is an ill spirit , send for some Magitian , that may countermand him : There are forcible enchantments for these spirituall vexations ; If Samuel will not , there are witches , that may giue ease : But as one , that would rather be ill , then do worse , hee contents himselfe to doe that , which was lawfull , if vnsufficient . It is a shame to say , that he , whom God had reiected for his sin , was yet a Saint to some , that should be Christians , who care not , how much they are beholden to the Diuell in their distresses , affecting to cast out Diuels by Beelzebub : In cases of losse , or sicknes they make Hell their refuge , and seeke for no patronage , but of an enemy : Here is a fearefull agreement ; Sathan seeks to them in his temptations , they in their consultations seeke to him , and now they haue mutually found ech other , if they euer part , it is a miracle .

DAVID had liued obscurely in his fathers house , his onely care and ambition was the wellfare of the flocke he tended , and now , whiles his father and his brothers neglected him as fit for nothing but the field , he is talked of at Court : Some of Sauls followers had beene at Ishai's house , and taken notice of Dauids skill , and now that harpe , which he practised for his priuat recreation , shall make him of a shepherd a Courtier : The musicke , that hee meant onely to himselfe and his sheep , brings him before Kings : The wisdom of God thought fit to take this occasion of acquainting Dauid with that Court , which he shall once gouerne . It is good , that our education should perfect our children in all those commendable qualities , wherto they are disposed : Litle do we know , what vse God meanes to make of those faculties , which wee know not how to imploy . Where the Almighty purposes an aduancement , obscuritie can be no preiudice ; small meanes shall set forward that , which God hath decreed .

DOVBTLES old Ishai noted ( not without admiration ) the wonderfull accordance of Gods proceedings , that he , which was sent for out of the field to be annointed , should now be sent for out of the country into the Court , and now he perceiued , God was making way for the execution of that which he purposed ; hee attends the issue in silence , neither shall his hand faile to giue furtherance to the proiect of God : He therefore sends his sonne laden with a present to Saul : The same God , which call'd Dauid to the Court , wellcoms him thither ; His comelinesse , valour , and skill haue soone wonne him fauour in the eyes of Saul . The giuer of all graces hath so placed his fauours , that the greatest enemies of goodnes shall see somewhat in the holiest men , which they shall affect , and for which they shall honor the persons of them , whose vertues they dislike ; as contrarily the Saints on earth see somewhat to loue in the worst creatures .

No doubt Dauid sung to his Harpe ; His Harpe was not more sweet , then his song was holy : Those Psalmes alone had bin more powerfull to chase the euill spirit , then the musicke was to calme passions ; both together gaue ease to Saul ; and God gaue this effect to both , because hee would haue Saul traine vp his successor : This sacred musicke did not more dispell Sathan , then wanton musicke invites him , and more cheeres him , then vs : He plaies and danceth at a filthy song , he sings at an obscure dance : Our sinne is his best pastime , whereas Psalmes , and hymnes , and spirituall songs are torment vnto the tempter , and musicke to the Angels in heauen , whose trade is to sing Alleluiahs in the Chore of glory .

Dauid and Goliah .

AFTER the newes of the Philistims army , I heare no more mention of Sauls frenzy : Whether the noise of warr diuerted those thoughtfull passions ; or whether God for his peoples sake tooke off that euill spirit , least Israel might miscarry vnder a frantick gouernor . Now Dauid hath leisure to returne to Bethleem : The glory of the Court cannot transport him to ambitious vanitie ; He had rather be his fathers shepheard , then Sauls armour-bearer : All the magnificence and state , which he saw , could not put his mouth out of the taste of a retired simplicitie ; yea rather he loues his hook the better , since he saw the Court ; and now his brethren serue Saul in his steed . A good heart hath learnt to frame it selfe vnto all conditions , & can change estates without change of disposition , rising and falling according to occasion : The worldly minde can rise easily , but when it is once vp , knowes not how to descend either with patience , or safety .

FORTY dayes together had the Philistims & 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 vpon defence and aduantage ; If they had not ment to fight , they had neuer drawne so neere ; and if they had bin eager of fight , a valley could not haue parted them : Actions of hazard require deliberation ; not furie but discretion must bee the guide of warre .

So had Ioshua destroyed the giantly Anakims out of the land of Israel , that yet some were left in Azzah , Gath , and Ashdod : both to shew Israel , what aduersaries their forefathers found in Canaan , & whom they mastred ; as also that God might winne glory to himselfe by these subsequent executions : Of that race was Goliah , 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 armes stronger , his sword and speare bigger , his shield heauier then any Israelite , he defies the whole host , and walking between the two armies , braues all Israel with a challenge ; ( Why are yee come out to set your battaile in aray ? Am not I a Philistim ? and you seruants to Saul ? Choose you a man for you , and let him come downe to me : giue me a man , that we may fight together ) . Carnall hearts are carried away with presumption of their owne abilities , and not finding matches to themselues in outward appearance , insult ouer the impotencie of inferiors ; and as those , that can see no invisible opposition , promise themselues certainty of successe : Insolence and selfe-confidence argues the heart to be nothing , but a lumpe of proud flesh .

THE first challenge of Duell , that euer we finde , came out of the mouth of an vncircumcised Philistim ; yet was that in open warre , and tended to the sauing of many liues , by aduenturing one or two ; and whosoeuer imitateth , nay surpasseth him in challenge to priuate Duell , in the attempt partaketh of his vncircumcision , though he should ouercome , and of his manner of punishment , if in such priuat combats hee cast away his life . For of all such desperate prodigalls wee may say , that their heads are cut off by their owne sword , if not by their owne hand . Wee cannot challenge men , and not challenge God , who iustly challengeth to himselfe both to take vengeance , and to giue successe . The more Goliah challenges , and is vnanswered , the more is he puft vp in the pride of his owne power : And is there none of all Israel , that will answer this champion otherwise then with his heeles ? Where is the courage of him that was higher then all Israel from the shoulders vpward ? The time was , when Nahash the Ammonite had made that tyrannous demand of the right eyes of the Gileadites , that Saul could aske vnasked , What aileth the people to weep ? and could hew his oxen in peeces to raise the spirits of Israel , and now he stands still , and sees the host turne their backe , and neuer so much as asks , what aileth the people to flee ? The time was , when Saul slew forty thousand Philistims in one day , and perhaps Goliah was in that discomfiture , and now one Philistim is suffred by him to braue all Israel forty dayes ; whence is this difference ? The spirit of God ( the spirit of fortitude ) was now departed from him : Saul was not more aboue himselfe , when God was with him , then he is below others , now that he is left of God ; Valour is not meerely of nature : Nature is euer like it selfe , by this rule , hee that is once valiant , should neuer turne coward : But now we see the greatest spirits inconstant ; and those , which haue giuen good proofes of magnanimitie , at other times , haue bewrayed white liuers vnto their owne reproch ; Hee that is the God of hostes , giues and takes away mens hearts at his pleasure : Neither is it otherwise in our spirituall combats , sometimes the same soule dare challenge all the powers of darknes , which other-whiles giues ground to a temptation ; Wee haue no strength , but what is giuen vs , and if the author of all good gifts remit his hand for our humiliation , either we fight not , or are foyled .

DAVID hath now lien long enough close amongst his flock in the fields of Bethleem , God sees a time to send him to the pitcht field of Israel : Good old Ishai , that was doubtles ioyfull to thinke , that he had afforded three sonnes to the warres of his King , is no lesse carefull of their wellfare , and prouision ; and who ( amongst all the rest of his seuen sonnes , shall be pickt out for this seruice , but his yongest sonne Dauid , whose former & almost worne-out acquaintance in the Court , and imployment vnder Saul , seemed to fit him best for his errand ▪ Early in the morning is Dauid vpon his way , yet not so early , as to leaue his flock vnprouided : If his fathers command dismisse him , yet will he stay , till he haue trusted his sheep with a carefull keeper ; wee cannot be faithfull shepherds , if our spirituall charg be lesse deare vnto vs ; if when necessity cals vs from our flocks , we depute not those , which are vigilant and conscionable .

ERE Dauids speed can bring him to the valley of Elah , both the Armies are on foot ready to ioyne : He takes not this excuse to stay without , as a man daunted with the horror of warre , but leauing his present with his seruant , he thrusts himselfe 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 Philistims comes stalking forth before all the troopes , and renewes his insolent challenge against Israel : Dauid sees the man , and heares his defiance , and lookes about him , to see what answer would be giuen , and when hee espies nothing but pale faces , and bucks turned , hee wonders , not so much , that one man should dare all Israel , as that all Israel should runne from one man : Euen while they flee from Goliah , they talke of the reward , that should be giuen to that encounter , and victory , which they dare not vndertake ; so those which haue not grace to beleeue ; yet can say , there is glory laid vp for the faithfull . Euer since his annointing , was Dauid possessed with Gods spirit , and thereby filled both with courage , and wisdome : The more strange doth it seeme to him , that all Israel should be thus dastardly : Those , that are themselues 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 zeale in auoyding those errors in themselues .

WHILES base hearts are moued by example , the want of example is incouragement enough for an heroicall minde : Therefore is Dauid ready to vndertake the quarrell , because no man else dare do it : His eyes sparkled with holy anger , and his heart rose vp to his mouth , when he heard this proud challenger : ( Who is this vncircumcised Philistim , that he should reuile the host of the liuing God ? ) Euen so , ô Sauiour , when all the generations of men ran away affrighted from the powers of death and darknes , thou alone hast vndertaken , and confounded them .

WHO should offer to daunt the holy courage of Dauid , but his owne brethren ? The enuious heart of Eliab construes this forwardnes , as his own disgrace : Shall I ( thinks he ) be put downe by this puisne ? shall my fathers yongest sonne dare to attempt that , which my stomach will not serue mee to aduenture ? Now therefore hee rates Dauid for his presumption ; and in steed of answering to the recompence of the victory , ( which others were ready to giue ) he recompenceth the very inquiry of Dauid with a check : It was for his brethrens sake , that Dauid came thither , and yet his very iourney is cast vpon him by them , for a reproch ; Wherefore cam'st thou downe hither ? and when their bitternes can meet with nothing else to shame him , his sheepe are cast in his teeth : Is it for thee , an idle proud boy , to be medling with our martiall matters ? doth not yonder Champion looke , as if hee were a fit match for thee ? what mak'st thou of thy selfe ? or what dost thou thinke of vs ? ywis it were fitter for thee to be looking to thy sheepe , then looking at Goliah ; the wildernes would become thee better then the fields : Wherein art thou equall to any man thou seest , but in arrogance and presumption ? The pastures of Bethleem could not hold thee , but thou thought'st it a goodly matter to see the wars : I know thee , as if I were in thy bosome ; This was thy thought , There is no glory to bee got among fleeces , I will goe seeke it in armes ; Now are my brethren winning honor in the troopes of Israel , whiles I am basely tending on sheepe , why should not I be as forward as the best of them ? This vanity would make thee strait of a shepherd , a soldier , and of a soldier a champion ; get thee home , foolish stripling , to thy hooke , and thy harpe ; let swords & speares alone to those , that know how to vse them .

IT is quarrell enough amongst many to a good action , that it is not their owne ; there is no enemie so ready , or so spightfull , as the domesticall : The hatred of brethren is so much more , as their blood is neerer : The malice of strangers is simple , but of a brother is mixt with enuie : The more vnnaturall any qualitie is , the more extreame it is ; A cold winde from the south is intollerable : Dauids first victory is of himselfe , next of his brother ; Hee ouercomes himselfe in a patient forbearance of his brother , hee ouercomes the malicious rage of his brother with the mildnes of his answer : If Dauid had wanted spirit , he had not bin troubled with the insultation of a Philistim ; If he had a spirit to match Goliah , how doth he so calmely receiue the affront of a brother ? What haue I now done ? is there not a cause ? That , which would haue stirred the choler of another , allayeth his : It was a brother , that wronged him , and that his eldest ; neither was it time to quarrell with a brother , whiles the Philistims swords were drawne , and Goliah was challenging . O that these two motiues could induce vs to peace ; If we haue iniurie in our person , in our cause , it is from brethren , and the Philistims looke on : I am deceiued , if this conquest were lesse glorious , then the following : He is fit to be Gods champion , that hath learned to bee victor of himselfe .

IT is not this sprinkling of cold water , that can quench the fire of Dauids zeale , but still his courage sends vp flames of desire , still he goes on to inquire , and to proffer : He , whom the regard of others enuie can dismay , shall neuer doe ought worthy of enuie : Neuer man vndertooke any exploit of worth , and receiued not some discouragement in the way , This couragious motion of Dauid was not more scorned by his brother , then by the other Israelites applauded : The rumor flies to the eares of the King , that there is a yong man desirous to encounter the gyant ; Dauid is brought forth : Saul , when he heard of a champion , that durst goe into the lists with Goliah , looked for one as much higher then himselfe , as he was taller then the rest ; he expected some sterne face , and brawny arme ; yong and ruddy Dauid is so far below his thoughts , that he receiues rather contempt , then thanks : His words were stout , his person was weake ; Saul doth not more like his resolution , then distrust his abilitie , ( Thou art not able to goe against this Philistim to fight with him ; for thou art a boy , and he is a man of warre from his youth ) : Euen Saul seconds Eliab in the conceit of this disparitie , and if Eliab speak out of enuie , Saul speaks out of iudgment ; both iudge ( as they were iudged of ) by the stature : All this cannot weaken that heart , which receiues his strength from faith : Dauids greatest conflict is with his freinds ; The ouercomming of their disswasions , that he might fight , was more worke , then to ouercome his enemy in fighting : He must first iustifie his strength to Saul , ere he may proue it vpon Goliah ; Valor is neuer made good , but by tryall : He pleads the tryall of his puissance vpon the Beare and the Lyon , that he may haue leaue to proue it vpon a worse beast then they ; Thy seruant slew both the Lyon and the Beare , therefore this vncircumcised Philistim shall be as one of them . ) Experience of good successe is no small comfort to the heart , this giues possibilitie and hope , but no certainty : Two things there were on which Dauid built his confidence , on Goliahs sin , and Gods deliuerance , ( seeing he hath railed on the host of the liuing God : The Lord that deliuered mee out of the pawes of the Lion and the Beare , he will deliuer me out of the hand of this Philistim ) . Well did Dauid know , that if this Philistims skin had bin as hard as the brasse of his shield , his sinne would make it penetrable by euery stroke . After all brags of manhood he is impotent , that hath prouoked God : Whiles other labour for outward fortifications , happy and safe were we , if wee could labour for innocence : He that hath found God present in one extremitie , may trust him in the next ; Euery sensible fauour of the Almighty , invites both his gifts , and our trust .

RESOLVTION thus grounded , makes euen Saul himselfe confident : Dauid shall haue both his leaue , and his blessing : If Dauid came to Saul , as a shepherd , he shall go toward Goliah , as a warriour : The attire of the King is not too rich for him , that shall fight for his King and country ; Litle did Saul thinke , that his helmet was now on that head , which should once weare his crowne : Now that Dauid was arrayed in the warlike habit of a King , and girded with his sword , he lookt vpon himselfe , and thought this outside glorious ; but when hee offred to walke , and found that the attire was not so strong , as vnweeldy , and that it might be more for show , then vse , he laies downe these accoustrements of honor , and as caring rather to bee an homely victor , then a glorious spoile ; he craues pardon to go in no clothes , but his owne ; he takes his staffe in steed of the speare , his shepherds scrip in steed of his brigandine , and in steed of his sword he takes his sling , and in steed of darts and iauelins , hee takes fiue smooth stones out of the brooke : Let Sauls coat be neuer so rich , and his armour neuer so strong , what is Dauid 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 encombrances to others : An vnmeet good may be as inconuenient , as an accustomed euill : If we could wish another mans honor , when we feele the weight of his cares , we should be glad to be in our owne cote .

THOSE , that depend vpon the strength of faith , though they neglect not meanes , yet they are not curious in the proportion of outward meanes to the effect desired : Where the heart is armed with an assured confidence , a sling and a stone are weapons enow ; To the vnbeleeuing no helps are sufficient : Goliah , though he were presumptuous enough , yet had one shield caried before him , another he caried on his shoulder , neither will his sword alone content him , but he takes his speare too . Dauids armour is his plaine shepherds russet , and the brooke yeelds him his artillery , and he knowes , there is more safety in his cloth , then in the others brasse ; and more danger in his peebles , then the others speare . Faith giues both heart , & armes : The inward munition is so much more noble , because it is of proofe for both soule and body : If wee be furnished with this , how boldly shall we meete with the powers of darknes , and goe away more then conquerors ?

NEITHER did the qualitie of Dauids weapons bewray more confidence , then the number : If he will put his life and victory vpon the stones of the brooke , why doth he not fill his scrip full of them ? why will he content himselfe with fiue ? Had he bin furnished with store , the aduantage of his nimblenesse might haue giuen him hope ; If one faile , that yet another might speed : But now this paucity puts the dispatch to a sudden hazard , and he hath but fiue stones cast either to death or victory ; still the fewer helps the stronger faith : Dauid had an instinct from God , that he should ouercome , hee had not a particular direction , how he should ouercome . For had he bin at first resolued vpon the sling and stone , he had saued the labour of girding his sword : It seems , whiles they were addressing him to the combat , hee made account of hand-blowes , now he is purposed rather to send , then bring death to his aduersarie : In either , or both , he durst trust God with the successe , and before hand ( through the conflict ) saw the victory : It is sufficient , that we know the issue of our fight : If our weapons and wardes vary according to the occasion giuen by God , that is nothing to the euent ; sure we are , that if wee resist , wee shall ouercome , and if wee ouercome , wee shall be crowned .

WHEN Dauid appeared in the lists to so vnequall an aduersarie , as many eyes were vpon him , so in those eyes , diuers affections : The Israelites lookt vpon him with pity and feare , and each man thought ; Alas , why is this comely stripling suffred to cast away himselfe vpon such a monster ? why will they let him go vnarmed to such an affray ? why will Saul hazard the honor of Israel on so vnlikely an head ? The Philistims , especially their great Champion , lookt vpon him with scorne , disdaining so base a combatant ; ( Am I a dog , that thou com'st to mee with staues ? ) What could be said more fitly ? Hadst thou bin any other , then a dog ( ô Goliah ) thou hadst neuer opened thy fowle mouth to barke against the host of God , and the God of hosts : If Dauid had thought thee any other then a very dog , he had neuer come to thee with a staffe and a stone .

THE last words , that euer the Philistim shall speake , are curses and brags : ( Come to me , and I will giue thy flesh vnto the fowles of the heauen , and the beasts of the field ) . Seldome euer was there a good end of ostentation : Presumption is at once the presage , and cause of ruine : He is a weake aduersarie , that can be killd with words : That man , which could not feare the gyants hand , cannot feare his tongue : If words shall first encounter , the Philistim receiues the first foile , and shall first let in death into his eare , ere it enter into his forehead : ( Thou com'st to mee with a sword , and a speare , and a shield ; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts , the God of the host of Israel , whom thou hast railed vpon : This day shall the Lord close thee in my hand , and I shall smite thee , and take thine head from thee ) . Here is another stile , not of a boaster , but of a Prophet : Now shall Goliah know , whence to expect his bane , euen from the hands of a reuenging God , that shall smite him by Dauid , and now shall learne too late , what it is to meddle with an enemie , that goes vnder the invisible protection of the Almighty . No sooner hath Dauid spoken , then his foot & hand second his tongue : He runs to fight with the Philistim ; It is a cold courage that stands onely vpon defence : As a man , that saw no cause of feare , and was full of the ambition of victory , he flies vpon that monster , and with a stone out of his bagg smites him in the forehead : There was no part of Goliah , that was capable of that danger , but the face , and that peece of the face ; the rest was defenced with a brasen wall , which a weake sling would haue tried to batter in vaine : What could Goliah feare to see an aduersarie come to him without edge or point ? And behold , that one part hath God found out for the entrance of death : He that could haue caused the stone to passe through the sheild and brestplate of Goliah , rather directs the stone to that part , whose nakednes gaue aduantage : Where there is power , or possibilitie of nature , God vses not to worke miracles , but chooses the way that lies most open to his purposes .

THE vaste forehead was a faire marke , but how easily might the sling haue missed it , if there had not bin another hand in this cast besides Dauids ? Hee that guided Dauid 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 lies the great defier of Israel groueling and grinning in death , and is not suffred to deale one blow for his life , and bites the vnwelcome 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 . O God , what is flesh and blood to thee , which canst make a litle peeble-stone stronger then a Gyant , and when thou wilt , by the weakest meanes canst straw thine enemies in the dust ? Where now are the two sheilds of Goliah , that they did not beare off this stroke of death ? or wherefore serues that weauers beame , but to strike the earth in falling ? or that sword , but to behead his Master ? What needed Dauid load himself with an vnnecessary weapon ? one sword can serue both Goliah , and him ; If Goliah had a man to beare his sheild , Dauid had Goliah to beare his sword , wherewith that proud blasphemous head is seuered from his shoulders : Nothing more honors God , then the turning of wicked mens forces against themselues : There is none of his enemies , but caries with them their owne destruction . Thus didst thou , O son of Dauid , foile Sathan with his owne weapon , that , whereby he ment destruction to thee and vs , vanquished him through thy mighty power , and raised thee to that glorious triumph , and super-exaltation , wherein thou art , wherein we shall be with thee .

JONATHANS loue , and SAVLS enuie .

BESIDES the discomfiture of the Philistims , Dauids victory had a double issue ; Ionathans loue , and Sauls enuie , which God so mixed , that the one was a remedy of the other ; A good sonne makes amends for a wayward father : How precious was that stone , that kill'd such an enemy as Goliah , and purchased such a frend as Ionathan ? All Sauls Courtiers lookt vpon Dauid , none so affected him , none did match him but Ionathan : That true correspondence , that was both in their faith and valour hath knit their hearts : If Dauid did set vpon a Beare , a Lion , a Gyant ; Ionathan had set vpon a whole host , and preuailed : The same spirit animated both , the same faith incited both , the same hand prospered both : All Israel was not worth this paire of frends , so zealously confident , so happily victorious : Similitude of dispositions and estates ties the fastest knots of affection : A wise soule hath piercing eyes , and hath quickly discerned the likenes of it selfe in another , as we do no sooner looke into the glasse or water , but face answers to face ; and where it sees a perfect resemblance of it selfe , cannot chuse but loue it with the same affection , that it reflects vpon it selfe .

No man saw Dauid that day , which had so much cause to disaffect him ; none in all Israel should be a looser by Dauids successe , but Ionathan : Saul was sure enough setled for his time , only his successor should forgo all that , which Dauid should gaine ; so as none but Dauid stands in Ionathans light , and yet all this cannot abate one iot , or dram of his loue : Where God vniteth hearts , carnall respects are too weake to disseuer them , since that , which breaks off affection , must needs be stronger , then that which conioyneth it .

IONATHAN doth not desire to smother his loue by concealment , but professes it in his cariage and actions : He puts off the robe , that was vpon him , and all his garments euen to his sword , and bow , and girdle , and giues them vnto his new frend : It was not perhaps without a mysterie , that Sauls clothes fitted not Dauid , but Ionathans fitted him , and these he is as glad to weare , as he was to be disburthened of the other : That there might be a perfect resemblance , their bodies are suited , as well as their hearts : Now the beholders can say , there goes Ionathans other selfe ; If there bee another body vnder those clothes , there is the same soule : Now Dauid hath cast off his russet coat , and his scrip , and is a shepherd no more , he is suddenly become both a Courtier , and a Captaine , and a companion to the Prince ; yet himselfe is not changed with his habit , with his condition : yea rather ( as if his wisdome had reserued it selfe for his exaltation ) he so manageth a sudden greatnes , as that he winneth all hearts : Honour showes the man , and if there be any blemishes of imperfection , they will be seene in the man , that is inexpectedly lifted aboue his fellowes : He is out of the danger of folly , whom a speedy aduancement leaueth wife .

IONATHAN loued Dauid , the souldiers honored him , the Court fauord him , the people applauded him , onely Saul stomackt him , and therefore hated him , because he was so happy in all besides himselfe : It had bin a shame for all Israel , if they had not magnified their champion : Sauls owne heart could not but tell him , that they did owe the glory of that day , and the safety of himselfe and Israel , vnto the sling of Dauid , 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 Dauid had put to flight ; yet he , that could lend his clothes and his armour to this exploit , cannot abide to part with the honor of it to him , that hath erned it so deerly : The holy songs of Dauid had not more quieted his spirits before , then now the thankfull song of the Israelitish women vexes him : One litle ditty ( of Saul hath slaine his thousand , and Dauid his ten thousand ) sung vnto the timbrels of Israel , fetcht againe that euill spirit , which Dauids musicke had expelled : Saul needed not the torment of a worse spirit , then enuie . Oh the vnreasonablenes of this wicked passion ! The women gaue Saul more , and Dauid lesse , then he deserued : For Saul alone could not kill a thousand , and Dauid in that one act of killing Goliah , slew in effect , all the Philistims that were slaine that day ; & yet because they giue more to Dauid , then to himselfe , he that should haue endited , and begun that song of thankfulnes , repines & growes now as mad with enuie , as he was before with greefe : Truth & Iustice are no protection against malice ; Enuy is blind to all obiects , saue other mens happines : If the eyes of men could be contained within their owne bounds , & not roue forth into comparisons , there could be no place for this vicious affection ; but when they haue once taken this lawless scope to themselues , they loose the knowledge of home , & care only to be imploied abroad in their own torment .

NEVER was Sauls brest so fit a lodging for the euill spirit , as now , that it is drest vp with enuie : It is as impossible , that Hell should be free from Diuels , as a malicious heart ; Now doth the frantick King of Israel renue his old fitts , and walks , and talks distractedly ; He was mad with Dauid , and who but Dauid must be called to allay his madnesse ? Such as Dauids wisdom was , he could not but know the termes , wherein he stood with Saul ; yet in the lieu of the harsh & discordous notes of his masters enuy , hee returnes pleasing musicke vnto him : He can neuer be good Courtier , nor good man , that hath not learned to repay , if not iniuries with thanks , yet euill with good . Whiles there was a harpe in Dauids hand , there was a speare in Sauls , wherewith he threatens death , as the recompence of that sweet melody : Hee said ( I will smite Dauid through to the wall ) . It is well for the innocent , that wicked men cannot keep their owne councell : God fetcheth their thoughts out of their mouthes , or their countenances for a seasonable preuention , which else might proceed to secret execution : It was time for Dauid to withdraw himselfe , his obedience did not tye him to be the marke of a furious Master ; He might ease Saul with his musicke , with his blood hee might not : Twise therefore doth hee auoide the Presence , not the Court , not the seruice of Saul .

ONE would haue thought rather , that Dauid should haue bin affraid of Saul , because the Diuell was so strong with him , then that Saul should be affraid of Dauid , because the Lord was with him ; yet we finde all the feare in Saul of Dauid , none in Dauid of Saul : Hatred and feare are ordinary companions : Dauid had wisdom and faith to dispell his feares , Saul had nothing but infidelitie , & deiected , selfe-condemned , distempred thoughts , which must needs nourish them ; yet Saul could not feare any hurt from Dauid , whom he found so loyall , and seruiceable : He feares only too much good vnto Dauid ; and the enuious feare is much more , then the distrustfull : Now Dauids presence begins to be more displeasing , then his musick was sweet ; Despight it selfe had rather preferre him to a remote dignity , then indure him a neerer attendant : This promotion increaseth Dauids honor & loue ; and this loue and honor aggrauates Sauls hatred and feare .

SAVLS madnes hath not bereaued him of his craft : For perceiuing how great Dauid was growne in the reputation of Israel , he dares not offer any personall , or direct violence to him , but hires him into the iawes of a supposed death , by no lesse price , then his eldest daughter , ( Behold mine eldest daughter Merab : her will I giue thee to wife , onely be a valiant sonne to mee , and fight the Lords battels ) . Could euer man speake more graciously , more holily ? What could be more graciously offred by a King , then his eldest daughter ? What care could be more holy , then of the Lords battels ? yet neuer did Saul intend so much mischeife to Dauid , or so much vnfaithfulnes to God , as when he spake thus : There is neuer so much danger of the false-hearted , as when they make the fairest weather : Sauls speare bad Dauid be gone , but his plausible words invite him to danger : This honor was due to Dauid before , vpon the compact of his victory ; yet he , that twise inquired into the reward of that enterprise , before he vndertooke it , neuer demanded it after that atchieument ; neither had Saul the iustice to offer it , as a recompence of so noble an exploit , but as a snare to an enuied victory . Charity suspects not : Dauid construes that , as an effect and argument of his Masters loue , which was no other but a childe of enuie , but a plot of mischeife ; and though he knew his owne desert , and the iustice of his claime to Merab ; yet hee in a sincere humilitie disparageth himselfe , and his parentage with a Who am I ?

As it was not the purpose of this modesty in Dauid to reject , but to sollicite the proferd fauor of Saul ; so was it not in the power of this bashfull humiliation to turne backe the edge of so keene an enuie : It helps not that Dauid makes himselfe meane , whiles others magnifie his worth : Whatsoeuer the colour was , Saul ment nothing to Dauid but danger and death ; and since all those battels will not effect that which he desired , himselfe will not effect that which he promised : If he cannot kill Dauid , he will disgrace him ; Dauids honor was Sauls disease : It was not likely therefore , that Saul would adde vnto that honor , whereof he was so sicke already : Merab is giuen vnto another , neither do I heare Dauid complaine of so manifest an iniustice ; Hee knew , that the God , whose battels hee fought , had prouided a due reward of his patience : If Merab faile , God hath a Michal in store for him , shee is in loue with Dauid ; his comelines and valour haue so won her heart , that shee now emulates the affection of her brother Ionathan : If shee be the yonger sister , yet shee is more affectionate : Saul is glad of the newes , his daughter could neuer liue to doe him better seruice , then to be a new snare to his aduersarie : Shee shall bee therefore sacrificed to his enuie , and her honest and sincere loue shall bee made a baite for her worthy and innocent husband ( I will giue him her , that shee may be a snare vnto him , that the hand of the Philistims may be against him ) : The purpose of any fauour is more then the value of it : Euen the greatest honors may bee giuen with an intent of destruction ; Many a man is raised vp for a fall . So forward is Saul in the match , that he sends spokes-men to sollicite Dauid vnto that honour , which he hopes will proue the high-way to death : The dowry is set ; An hundred foreskins of the Philistims ; not their heads , but their fore-skins , that this victory might bee more ignominious ; still thinking , why may not one Dauid miscarry , as well as an hundred Philistims ? And what doth Sauls enuie all this while , but enhance Dauids zeale , and valour , and glory ? That good Captaine litle imagining , that himselfe was the Philistim , whom Saul maligned , supererogates of his master , and brings two hundred for one , and returnes home safe , and renowmed : Neither can Saul now flie off for shame ; There is no remedy but Dauid must bee a sonne , where he was a riuall , and Saul must feed vpon his owne heart , since he cannot see Dauids ; Gods blessing graces equally together with mens malice , neither can they deuise , which way to make vs more happy , then by wishing vs euill .

Michals wile .

THIS aduantage can Saul yet make of Dauids promotion , that as his aduersarie is raised hyer , so he is drawne neerer to the opportunitie of death ; Now hath his enuie cast off all shame , and since those crafty plots succeede not , he directly subornes murtherers of his riuall : There is none in all the Court that is not set on to be an executioner ; Ionathan himselfe is sollicited to imbrue his hand in the blood of his frend , of his brother . Saul could not but see Ionathans clothes on Dauids backe ; hee could not but know the league of their loue , yet because hee knew withall , how much the prosperitie of Dauid would preiudice Ionathan , hee hoped to haue found him his sonne in malice ; Those that haue the Iaundis see all things yellow ; those which are ouer-growne with malicious passions , thinke all men like themselues .

I do not heare of any reply that Ionathan made to his father when he gaue him that bloody charge ; but he waites for a fit time to disswade him from so cruell an iniustice : Wisdome had taught him to giue way vnto rage , and in so hard an aduenture to craue aide of opportunitie : If wee be not carefull to obserue good moods when we deale with the passionate , we may exasperate , in steed of reforming ; Thus did Ionathan , who knowing how much better it is to be a good frend , then an ill sonne , had not onely disclosed that ill counsell , but when hee found his father in the fields , in a calmer temper , laboured to diuert it : And so farre doth the seasonable and pithy Oratory of Ionathan preuaile , that Saul is convinced of his wrong , and sweares , As God liues , Dauid shall not dye ; Indeed , how could it be otherwise , vpon the plea of Dauids innocence , and well deseruings ? How could Saul say he should dye , whom he could accuse of nothing but faithfulnes ? Why should hee designe him to death , which had giuen life to all Israel ? Oft-times wicked mens iudgments are forced to yeeld vnto that truth , against which their affections maintaine a rebellion : Euen the foulest hearts do sometimes intertaine good motions ; like as on the contrary , the holiest soules giue way sometimes to the suggestions of euill : 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 soone gone ; Hardly any thing distinguishes betwixt good and euill , but continuance ; The light that shines into an holy heart is constant , like that of the sunne , which keeps due times , and varies not his course for any of these sublunary occasions .

THE Philistims warres renue Dauids victories , and Dauids victory renues Sauls enuie , and Sauls enuie renues the plots of Dauids death : Vowes & oathes are forgotten : That euill spirit which vexes Saul hath found so much fauor with him , as to win him to these bloody machinations against an innocent ; His owne hands shall first bee imployed in this execution ; The speare , which hath twise before threatned death to Dauid , shall now once againe goe vpon that message : Wise Dauid that knew the danger of an hollow frend , and reconciled enemy , and that found more cause to mind Sauls earnest , then his own play , giues way by his nimblenesse , to that deadly weapon , and resigning that stroke vnto the wall , flees for his life . No man knowes how to be sure of an vnconscionable man ; If either goodnes , or merit , or affinitie , or reasons , or oathes could secure a man , Dauid had bin safe ; now if his heeles do not more befrend him then all these , he is a dead man . No sooner is he gone then messengers are sped after him ; It hath bin seldome seene that wickednesse wanted executioners ; Dauids house is beset with murderers , which watch at all his dores , for the opportunitie of blood : Who can but wonder to see how God hath fetcht from the loynes of Saul a remedy for the malice of Sauls heart ? His owne children are the only meanes to crosse him in the sin , and to preserue his guiltlesse aduersary ; Michal hath more then notice of the plot , and with her subtle wit countermines her father , for the rescue of an husband : Shee taking the benefit of the night lets Dauid downe through a window ; He is gone , and disappoints the ambushes of Saul : The messengers begin to be impatient of this delay , and now thinke it time to inquire after their prisoner ; Shee whiles them off , with the excuse of Dauids sicknes , ( so as now her husband had good leasure for his escape ) and layes a statue in his bed ; Saul likes the newes of any euill befalne to Dauid , but fearing hee is not sicke enough , sends to aide his disease ; The messengers returne , and rushing into the house with their swords drawne , after some harsh words to their imagined charge , surprize a sicke statue lying with a pillow vnder his head ; and now blush to see they haue spent all their threats vpon a senselesse stocke ; and made themselues ridiculous , whiles they would be seruiceable .

BVT how shall Michal answer this mockage vnto her furious father ? Hitherto she hath done like Dauids wife ; now she begins to be Sauls daughter ; ( He said to me , Let me go , or else I will kill thee ) . Shee whose wit had deliuered her husband from the sword of her father , now turnes the edge of her fathers wrath from herselfe to her husband ; His absence made her presume of his safety : If Michal had not bin of Sauls plot , he had neuer expostulated with her in those termes , Why hast thou let mine enemy escape ? neither had shee framed that answer , He said , Let me goe : I doe not finde any great store of religion in Michal , for both shee had an image in the house , and afterwards mocked Dauid for his deuotion ; yet nature hath taught her to preferre an husband to a father ; to elude a father from whom shee could not flee , to saue an husband , which durst not but flee from her : The bonds of matrimoniall loue are , and should bee stronger then those of nature ; Those respects are mutuall which God appointed in the first institution of wedlocke ; That husband and wife should leaue father and mother for ech others sake . Treason is euer odious , but so much more in the mariage-bed by how much the obligations are deeper .

As shee lou'd her husband better then her father , so shee lou'd her selfe better then her husband ; she saued her husband by a wile , and now shee saues her selfe by a lye ; and looses halfe the thanke of her deliuerance , by an officious slander ; Her act was good , but shee wants courage to maintaine it ; and therefore seeks to the weake shelter of vntruth : Those that do good offices not out of conscience , but good nature or ciuilitie ; if they meet an affront of danger , seldome comes off cleanly , but are ready to catch at all excuses , though base , though iniurious ; because their grounds are not strong enough to beare them out in suffring for that , which they haue well done .

WHITHER doth Dauid flee but to the Sanctuary of Samuel ? He doth not ( though he knew himselfe gracious with the soldiers ) raise forces , or take some strong fort , and there stand vpon his owne defence , and at defiance with his King : but hee gets him to the Colledge of the Prophets ; as a man that would seeke the peaceable protection of the King of heauen against the vniust furie of a King on earth : Onely the wing of God shall hide him from that violence .

GOD intended to make Dauid not a warriour , 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 . Doublesse ( such was Dauids delight in holy meditations ) he neuer spent his time so contentedly , as when he was retyred to that diuine Academie , and had so full freedom to inioy God , and to satiate himself with heauenly exercises : The onely doubt is how Samuel can giue harbour to a man fled from the anger of his Prince ; wherein , the very persons of both giue abundant satisfaction : for both Samuel knew the counsell of God , and durst doe nothing without it ; and Dauid was by Samuel anointed from God : This vnction was a mutuall bond ; Good reason had Dauid to sue to him , which had powred the oyle on his head , for the hiding of that head which hee had anointed ; and good reason had Samuel to hide him , whom God by his meanes had chosen , from him whom God had by his sentence reiected : Besides , that the cause deserued commiseration ; Here was not a malefactor running away from iustice , but an innocent auoyding murder ; not a traytor countenanc'd against his Souerayne , but the deliuerer of Israel harbored in a Sanctuary of Prophets till his peace might be made .

EVEN thither doth Saul send to apprehend Dauid : All his rage did not incense him against Samuel as the abettor of his aduersarie ; Such an impression of reuerence had the person , and calling of the Prophet left in the minde of Saul , that hee cannot thinke of lifting vp 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 a reuerent respect to his owne image in his Ministers ; so as euen they that hate them , do yet honor them .

SAVLS messengers came to lay hold on Dauid , God layes hold on them : No sooner doe they see a company of Prophets busie in those diuine exercises , vnder the moderation of Samuel , then they are turned from executioners to Prophets . It is good going vp to Naioth , into the holy assemblies , who knowes how wee may bee changed beside our intention ? Many a one hath come into Gods house to carpe , or scoffe , or sleepe , or gaze , that hath returned a conuert .

THE same heart that was thus disquieted with Dauids happy successe , is now vexed with the holinesse of his other seruants . It angers him that Gods spirit could find no other time to seize vpon his agents , then when he had sent them to kill : And now out of an indignation at this disappointment , himselfe will go , and be his own seruant ; His guilty soule findes it selfe out of the danger of being thus surprized ; And behold Saul is no sooner come within the smell of the smoke of Naioth , then hee also prophesies : The same spirit that , when hee went first from Samuel , inabled him to prophesie , returnes in the same effect now that he was going ( his last ) vnto Samuel : This was such a grace as might well stand with reiection ; an extraordinary gift of the spirit , but not sanctifying : Many men haue had their mouthes opened to prophesie vnto others , whose hearts haue bin deafe to God ; But this ( such as it was ) was far from Sauls purpose , who in steed of expostulating with Samuel , falls downe before him ; and laying aside his weapons , and his robes , of a Tyran proues ( for the time ) a disciple : All hearts are in the hand of their maker ; how easie is it for him that gaue them their being , to frame them to his owne bent ? Who can bee afraid of malice , that knowes what hooks God hath in the nosthrills of men and Diuels ? what charmes he hath for the most serpentine hearts ?

DAVID & AHIMELEC .

WHo can euer iudge of the children by the Parents , that knowes Ionathan was the sonne of Saul ? There was neuer a falser heart then Sauls ; there was neuer a truer frend then Ionathan ; Neither the hope of a kingdome , nor the frownes of a father , nor the feare of death can remoue him from his vowed amitie : No sonne could be more officious , and dutifull to a good father ; yet he layes downe nature at the foot of grace ; and for the preseruation of his innocent riuall for the kingdom , crosses the bloody designes of his owne parent : Dauid needs no other counsellor , no other aduocate , no other intelligencer then he ; It is not in the power of Sauls vnnaturall reproches , or of his speare , to make Ionathan any other then a frend , and patron of innocence : Euen after all these difficulties , doth Ionathan shoot beyond Dauid , that Saul may shoot short of him : In vaine are those professions of loue , which are not answered with action ; Hee is no true frend that ( besides talke ) is not ready both to do , and suffer .

SAVL is no whit the better for his prophesying ; he no sooner rises vp from before Samuel , then he pursues Dauid . Wicked men are rather the worse for those transitorie good motions they haue receiued . If the swine be neuer so cleane washed , shee will wallow againe : That we haue good thoughts , it is no thanke to vs ; that we answer them not , it is both our sin and iudgment .

DAVID hath learned not to trust these fits of deuotion , but flyes from Samuel to Ionathan , from Ionathan to Ahimelech ; when hee was hunted from the Prophet , he flees to the Priest ; as one that knew iustice and compassion should dwell in those brests which are consecrated vnto God .

THE Arke and the Tabernacle were then separated ; The Arke was at Kiriath-iearim , the Tabernacle at Nob ; God was present with both : Whither should Dauid flee for succour but to the house of that God , which had annointed him .

AHIMELECH was wont to see Dauid attended with the Troopes of Israel , or with the Gallants of the Court ; it seems strange therefore to him , to see so great a Peere and Champion of Israel come alone ; These are the alterations to which earthly greatnes is subiect ; Not many dayes are past , since no man was honored at Court but Ionathan and Dauid ; now they are both for the time in disgrace ; Now dare not the Kings sonne in law , brother to the Prince both in loue and mariage , show his head at the Court ; nor any of those that bowed to him , dare stirre a foote with him ; Princes are as the Sunne , and great subiects are like to Dialls , if the Sun shine not on the Diall , no man will looke at it .

EVEN hee that ouercame the Beare , the Lyon , the Gyant , is ouercome with feare : Hee that had cut off two hundred foreskins of the Philistims had not circumcis'd his own heart of the weake passions that follow distrust ; Now that he is hard driuen , hee practises to helpe himselfe with an vnwarrantable shift : Who can looke to passe this pilgrimage without infirmities , when Dauid dissembleth to Ahimelec ? A weake mans rules may be better then the best mans actions ; God lets vs see some blemishes in his holiest seruants , that we may neither be too highly conceited of flesh and blood , nor too much deiected when we haue bin miscarried into sinne . Hitherto hath Dauid gone vpright , now he begins to halt with the Preist of God ; and vnder pretence of Sauls imployment , drawes that fauour from Ahimelech which shall afterwards cost him his head .

WHAT could Ahimelech haue thought too deare for Gods annointed , for Gods Champion ? It is not like but that if Dauid had sincerely opened himselfe to the Preist as he had done to the Prophet , Ahimelech would haue seconded Samuel in some secret and safe succour of so vniust a distresse ; whereas hee is now by a false colour led to that kindnesse which shall be preiudiciall to his life : Extremities of euill are commonly inconsiderate ; either for that wee haue not leasure to our thoughts , or perhaps ( so as we may be perplexed ) not thoughts to our leasure : What would Dauid haue giuen afterwards to haue redeemed this ouer-sight ?

VNDER this pretence hee craues a double fauour of Ahimelech ; The one of bread for his sustenance , the other of a sword for his defence : There was no bread vnder the hands of the Preist but that which was consecrated to God ; and whereof none might taste , but the deuoted seruants of the Altar ; Euen that which was with solemne dedication set vpon the holy Tables before the face of God ; a sacramentall bread presented to God with incense , figuring that true bread that came downe from heauen ; Yet euen this bread might in case of necessitie become common and be giuen by Ahimelech , and receiued by Dauid and his followers : Our Sauiour himselfe iustifies the act of both ; Ceremonies must giue place to substance ; God will haue mercy and not sacrifice ; Charity is the summe and the end of the law ; That must be aymed at in all our actions ; wherin it may fall out , that the way to keepe the law may be to breake it ; the intention may be kept , and the letter violated ; and it may be a dangerous transgression of the law to obserue the words , and neglect the scope of God ; That which would haue dispensed with Dauid for the substance of the act , would haue much more dispensed with him for the circumstance ; The touch of their lawfull wiues had contracted a legall impuritie , not a morall ; That could haue bin no sufficient reason why in an vrgent necessitie they might not haue partaked 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 incapacitie , the one , as they were seculars , the other , as vncleane ; he saw the one must be , he feared least the other should be ; as one that wished as litle indisposition ( as possibly might be ) in those which should be fed from Gods table .

IT is strange that Dauid should come to the Preist of God for a sword ; Who in all Israel was so vnlikely to furnish him with weapons , as a man of peace , whose armour was onely spirituall ? Doubtlesse Dauid knew well where Goliahs sword lay ; as the noble relique of Gods victorious deliuerance , dedicated to the same God , which wonne it ; at this did that suite ayme ? None could be so fit for Dauid , none could be so fit for it as Dauid : Who could haue 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 then mettall and forme ; Dauid could neuer cast his eye vpon it , but he saw an vndoubted monument of the mercifull protection of the Almighty ; there was therefore more strength in that sword , then sharpnes ; neither was Dauids arme so much strengthned by it as his faith ; nothing can ouercome him , whiles he carries with him that assured signe of victory : It is good to take all occasions of renuing the remembrance of Gods mercies to vs , and our obligations to him .

DOEG the master of Sauls herdmen ( for hee that went to seeke his fathers asses before hee was King , hath herdes & droues now that he is a King ) was now in the court of the Tabernacle , vpon some occasion of deuotion ; Though an Israelite in profession , he was an Edomite no lesse in heart then in blood ; yet hee hath some vow vpon him , and not onely comes vp to Gods house , but abides before the Lord : Hypocrites haue equall accesse to the publique places , and meanes of Gods seruice : Euen he that knowes the heart , yet shuts his dores vpon none , how much lesse should we dare to exclude any , which can onely iudge of the heart by the face ?

DOEG may set his foote as farre within the Tabernacle , as Dauid ; he sees the passages betwixt him , and Ahimelech , and layes them vp for an aduantage ; Whiles hee should haue edified himselfe by those holy seruices , he carps at the Preist of God , & ( after a lewd misinterpretation of his actions ) of an attendant , proues an accuser ; To incurre fauour with an vniust master , he informes against innocent Ahimelech ; and makes that his act , which was drawne from him by a cunning circumuention : When wee see our auditors before vs , litle do we know with what hearts they are there ; nor , what vse they will make of their pretended deuotion : If many come in simplicitie of heart to serue their God , some others may perhaps come to obserue their teachers , and to pick quarrels where none are ; Only God and the issue can distinguish betwixt a Dauid , and a Doeg , when they are both in the Tabernacle . Honest Ahimelech could litle suspect that he now offered a sacrifice for his executioner ; yea for the murtherer of all his family : Oh the wise and deepe iudgements of the Almighty ! God owed a reueng to the house of Eli , and now by the delation of Doeg , he takes occasion to pay it ; It was iust in God , which in Doeg was most vniust ; Sauls cruelty , and the trechery of Doeg do not loose one dram of their guilt by the counsell of God ; neither doth the holy counsell of God gather any blemish by their wickednesse ; If it had pleased God to inflict death vpon them sooner without any pretence of occasion , his iustice had bin cleare from all imputations ; now , if Saul and Doeg be in steed of a pestilence or feuer , who can cauill ? The iudgements of God are not alwaies open , but are alwaies iust ; He knowes how by one mans sinne to punish the sinne of another , and by both their sins and punishments to glorifie himself . If his word sleep , it shall not dye ; but after long intermissions breaks forth in those effects which wee had forgotten to looke for , and ceased to feare . O Lord , thou art sure when thou threatnest , and iust when thou iudgest ; Keepe thou vs from the sentence of death , else in vaine shall we labour to keepe our selues from the execution .

Contemplations VPON THE HISTORY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT .

THE FIRST BOOKE :

Contayning The Angell and Zachary . The Annuntiation . The Birth of CHRIST . The Sages and the Starre . The Purification . Herod and the Infants .

TO MY MVCH HONORED , AND RIGHT WOR full FREND , Sr HENRY YELVERTON Knight , Atturney Generall to his Maiestie . Right Worshipfull ,

IT is not out of any satiety , that I change from the old Testament to the new ; These two , as they are the brests of the Church , so they yeeld milke equally wholsome , equally pleasant vnto able nurselings . Herein I thought good to haue respect vnto my reader , in whose strength there may be difference . That other brest perhaps , doth not let downe this nourishing liquor , so freely , so easily : Euen so small a variety refresheth a weake infant ; Neither wid there perhaps want some palates , which will finde a more quicke and pleasing rellish in this fresher sustenance ; These I thought good to please with a taste , ere they come to sate themselues with a full meale of this diuine nourishment ; in emulation of the good Scribe , that brings forth both old , and new . If it please God to inable my life and opportunities , I hope at last , to present his Church , with the last seruice of the Historie of either page : wherein my ioy , and my crowne shall be the edification of many . In the meane time , I dedicate this part vnto your name , whom I haue so much cause to obserue , and honor : The blessing of that God ( whose Church you haue euer made your cheife Client ) be still vpon your head , and that honorable Society which reioyces in so worthy a leader . To it , and your selfe , I shall be euer ( as I haue cause ) humbly and vnfainedly deuoted

IOS. HALL .

The Angell and Zachary .

WHEN things are at the worst , then God begins a change : The state of the Iewish Church was extreamely corrupted , immediately before the newes of the Gospell ; yet , as bad as it was , not onely the Preisthood , but the courses of attendance continued , euen from Dauids time till Christs : It is a desperately depraued condition of a Church , where no good orders are left : Iudea passed many troubles , many alterations , yet this orderly combination endured aboue an eleuen hundred yeares : A setled good will not easily be defeated , but in the change of persons will remaine vnchanged , and if it be forced to giue way , leaues memorable footsteps behinde it : If Dauid foresaw the perpetuation of this holy ordinance , how much did hee reioyce in the knowledge of it ? who would not be glad to do good , on condition , that it may so long out-liue him ?

The successiue turnes of the legall ministration held on in a line neuer interrupted : Euen in a forlorne and miserable Church there may be a personall succession : How litle were the Iewes better for this , when they had lost the Vrim and Thummim , sinceritie of doctrine and manners ? This stayed with them , euen whiles they and their sons crucified Christ ; What is more ordinary , then wicked sonnes of holy parents ? It is the succession of truth and holines , that makes or institutes a Church , what euer become of the persons : Neuer times were so barren , as not to yeeld some good : The greatest dearth affords some few good ●●ares to the gleaners : Christ would not haue come into the world , but he would haue some faithfull to entertaine him : He , that had the disposing of all times and men , would cast some holy ones into his owne times : There had bin no equalitie , that all should either ouer-runne , or follow him , and none attend him . Zachary and Elizabeth are iust ; both of Aarons blood , and Iohn Baptist of theirs : whence should an holy seed spring , if not of the loines of Leui ? It is not in the power of parents to traduce holinesse to their children : It is the blessing of God , that feoffes them in the vertues of their parents , as they feoffe them in their sins : There is no certainty , but there is likelihood , of an holy generation , when the parents are such : Elizabeth was iust , as well as Zachary , that the fore runner of a Sauiour might be holy on both sides : If the stocke and the griffe be not both good , there is much danger of the fruit : It is an happy match , when the husband and the wife are one , not only in themselues , but in God , not more in flesh , then in the spirit : Grace makes no difference of sexes , rather the weaker carries away the more honor , because it hath had lesse helps : It is easie to obserue , that the new Testament affordeth more store of good women , then the old : Elizabeth led the ring of this mercy , whose barrennesse ended in a miraculous fruit both of her body , & of her time .

This religious paire made no lesse progresse in vertue , then in age , and yet their vertue could not make their best age fruitfull : Elizabeth was barren : A iust soule and a barren wombe may well agree together : Amongst the Iewes barrennesse was not a defect onely , but a reproch , yet while this good woman was fruitfull of holy obedience , shee was barren of children : As Iohn , which was miraculously conceiued by man , was a fit fore-runner of him , that was conceiued by the Holy Ghost , so a barren matron was meet to make way for a virgin .

None , but a sonne of Aaron , might offer incense to God in the Temple ; and not euery son of Aaron , and not any one at all seasons : God is a God of order , & hates confusion no lesse then irreligion : Albeit hee hath not so straitned himselfe vnder the Gospell , as to tye his seruice to persons , or places , yet his choice is now no lesse curious , because it is more large : Hee allowes none , but the authorised ; Hee authoriseth none but the worthy : The Incense doth euer smell of the hand , that offers it ; I doubt not but that perfume was sweeter , which ascended vp from the hand of iust Zachary : The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to God : There were courses of ministration in the legall seruices : God neuer purposed to burthen any of his creatures with deuotion : How vaine is the ambition of any soule , that would lode it selfe with the vniuersall charge of all men ? How thanklesse is their labour , that do wilfully ouerspend themselues in their ordinary vocations ? As Zachary had a course in Gods house , so he carefully obserued it ; The fauour of these respites doubled his diligence : The more high and sacred our calling is , the more dangerous is our neglect : It is our honor , that wee may be allowed to waite vpon the God of heauen in these immediate seruices : Woe be to vs , if wee slacken those duties , wherein God honors vs more , then wee can honor him .

Many sonnes of Aaron , yea of the same family serued at once in the Temple , according to the variety of imployments : To auoide all difference , they agreed by lot to assigne themselues to the seuerall offices of each day ; The lot of this day called Zachary to offer incense in the owter Temple : I do not finde any prescription they had from God of this particular manner of designement : Matters of good order in holy affaires may be ruled by the wise institution of men , according to reason and expediencie .

It fell out well , that Zachary was chosen by lot to this ministration , that Gods immediate hand might be seene in all the passages , that concerned his great Prophet , that as the person , so the occasion might bee of Gods owne choosing : In lots and their seeming cusuall disposition , God can giue a reason , though we can giue none : Morning and euening , twife a day their law called them to offer Incense to God , that both parts of the day might be consecrate to the maker of time : The owter Temple was the figure of the whole Church vpon earth , like as the holy of holiest represented heauen : Nothing can better resemble our faithfull prayers , then sweet perfume : These , God lookes , that we should ( all his Church ouer ) send vp vnto him morning and euening : The eleuations of our hearts should be perpetuall , but if twise in the day we do not present God with our solemne invocations , wee make the Gospell lesse officious , then the law .

That the resemblance of prayers and incense might be apparent , whiles the Preist sends vp his incense within the Temple , the people must send vp their prayers without : Their breath and that incense , though remote ●●n the first rising , met , ere ●●hey went vp to heauen : The people might no more goe into the holy place to offer vp the incense of prayers vnto God , then Zachary might go into the holy of holies : Whiles the partition wall stood betwixt Iewes and Gentiles , there were also partitions betwixt the Iewes , and themselues : Now euery man is a Preist vnto God ; Euery man ( since the vaile was rent ) praies within the Temple : What are we the better for our greater freedome of accesse to God vnder the Gospell , if wee doe not make vse of our priuiledge ?

Whiles they were praying to God , he sees an Angell of God As Gedeons Angell went vp in the smoake of the sacrifice , s●● did Zacharies Angell ( as it were ) come downe in the fragrant smoke of his incense : It was euer great newes to see an Angell of God , but now more ; because God had long with-drawne from them all the meanes of his supernaturall reuelations : As this wicked people were strangers to their God in their conuersation , so was God growne a stranger to them in his apparitions ; yet now , that the season of the Gospell approched , he visited them with his Angels , before hee visited them by his sonne : He sends his Angell to men in the forme of man , before hee sends his sonne to take humane forme : The presence of Angels is no nouelty , but their apparition ; they are alwaies with vs , but rarely seene , that wee may awfully respect their messages , when they are seene ; In the meane time our faith may see them , though our senses do not ; their assumed shapes doe not make them more present , but visible .

There is an order in that heauenly Hierarchy , though wee know it not : This Angell , that appeared to Zachary was not with him in the ordinary course of his attendances , but was purposely sent from God with this message : Why was an Angell sent ? and why this Angell ? It had bin easie for him to haue raised vp the propheticall spirit of some Simeon to this prediction ; the same Holy Ghost , which reuealed to that iust man , that he should not see death , ere he had seene the Messias , might haue as easily reuealed vnto him the birth of the fore-runner of Christ , and by him to Zachary : But God would haue this voice , which should go before his son , come with a noise ; Hee would haue it appeare to the world , that the harbinger of the Messiah should bee conceiued by the maruelous power of that God , whose comming hee proclaimed : It was fit the first herald of the Gospell should begin in wonder : The same Angell , that came to the blessed Virgin with the newes of Christs conception , came to Zachary with the newes of Iohns , for the honor of him , that was the greatest of them , which were borne of women , and for his better resemblance to him , which was the seede of the woman : Both had the Gospell for their errand , one as the messenger of it , the other as the author ; Both are foretold by the same mouth .

When could it be more fit for the Angell to appeare vnto Zachary , then when prayers and incense were offred by him ? Where could hee more fitly appeare , then in the Temple ? In what part of the Temple more fitly , then at the Altar of Incense ? and whereabouts rather , then on the right side of the Altar ? Those glorious spirits as they are alwaies with vs , so most in our deuotions , and as in all places , so most of all in Gods house : They reioyce to bee with vs , whiles we are with God , as contrarily they turne their faces from vs , when we go about our sinnes .

He that had wont to liue , and serue in the presence of the master , was now astonished at the presence of the seruant ; so much difference there is betwixt our faith , and our senses , that the apprehension of the presence of the God of spirits by faith goes downe sweetly with vs , whereas the sensible apprehension of an Angell dismaies vs : Holy Zachary , that had wont to liue by faith , thought hee should dye , when his sense began to be set on worke ; It was the weaknes of him , that serued at the Altar without horror , to be daunted with the face of his fellow seruant : In vaine do we looke for such ministers of God , as are without infirmities , when iust Zachary was troubled in his deuotions with that , where with he should haue bin comforted : It was partly the suddennes , and partly the glory of the apparition , that affrighted him : The good Angell was both apprehensiue , and compassionate of Zacharies weaknes , and presently incourages him with a cheerfull excitation : ( Feare not Zacharias ) . The blessed spirts , though they doe not often vocally expresse it , doe pitty our humane frailties , and secretly suggest comfort vnto vs , when we perceiue it not : Good and euill Angels , as they are contrary in estate , so also in disposition ; The good desire to take away feare , the euill to bring it : It is a fruit of that deadly enmity , which is betwixt Sathan and vs , that hee would , if he might , kill vs with terror ; whereas the good spirits affecting our releefe and happinesse , take no pleasure in terrifying vs , but labour altogether for our tranquilitie and cheerefulnesse .

There was not more feare in the face , then comfort in the speech ; Thy prayer is heard : No Angell could haue told him better newes ; Our desires are vttered in our prayers : What can we wish , but to haue what we would ? Many good suites had Zachary made , & amongst the rest for a sonne : Doubtlesse it was now some space of yeeres , since he made that request : For he was now slricken in age , and had ceased to hope ; yet had God laid it vp all the while , and when he thinks not of it , brings it forth to effect : Thus doth the mercy of our God deale with his patient , and faithfull suppliants : In the feruor of their expectation he many times holds them off , and when they least thinke of it , and haue forgotten their owne suite , he graciously condiscends : Delay of effect may not discourage our faith , It may be God hath long granted , ere wee shall know of his grant . Many a father repents him of his fruitfulnes , and hath such sonnes , as he wishes vnborne : But to haue so gracious , and happy a sonne , as the Angell foretold , could not be lesse comfort , then honor to the age of Zachary : The proofe of children makes them either the blessings , or crosses of their parents : To heare what his son should be before hee was ; to heare that he should haue such a sonne ; A sonne , whose birth should concerne the ioy of many ; A sonne , that should bee great in the sight of the Lord ; A sonne , that should be sacred to God , filled with God , beneficiall to man ; An harbinger to him , that was God and man , was newes enough to preuent the Angell , and to take away that tongue with amasement , which was after lost with incredulitie .

The speech was so good , that it found not a sudden beleefe : This good newes surprized Zachary ; If the intelligence had taken leisure , that his thoughts might haue had time to debate the matter , hee had easily apprehended the infinite power of him that had promised ; the patterne of Abraham and Sara ; and would soone haue concluded the appearance of the Angell more miraculous then his prediction : Whereas now , like a man maskered with the strangenesse of that he saw and heard , he misdoubts the message , and askes : How shall I know ? Nature was on his side , and alledged the impossibility of the euent , both from age and barrennesse ; Supernaturall tidings at the first hearing astonish the heart , and are entertained with doubts by those , which vpon further acquaintance giue them the best welcome .

The weake apprehensions of our imperfect faith are not so much to be censured , as pittied : It is a sure way for the heart , to be preuented with the assurance of the Omnipotent power of God , to whom nothing is impossible : so shall the hardest points of faith goe downe easily with vs : If the eye of our minde looke vpward , it shall meet with nothing to auert , or interrupt it ; but if right forward , or downeward , or round about , euery thing is a blocke in our way .

There is a difference betwixt desire of assurance , & vnbeleefe , wee cannot be too carefull to raise vp to our selues arguments to settle our faith ; although it should be no faith , if it had no feet to stand vpon , but discursiue : In matters of faith , if reasons may be brought for the conuiction of the gaine-sayers , it is well , if they be helps , they cannot be grounds of our beleefe : In the most faithfull heart there are some sparks of infidelitie ; so to beleeue , that wee should haue no doubt at all , is scarse incident into flesh and blood : It is a great perfection , if we haue attained to ouercome our doubts . What did mis-lead Zachary , but that , which vses to guide others , Reason ? ( I am old ; and my wife is of great age , ) as if yeeres , and dry loynes could be any let to him , which is able of very stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham : Faith and reason haue their limits ; where reason ends , faith begins ; and if reason will bee encroching vpon the bounds of faith , shee is straight taken captiue by infidelitie : We are not fit to follow Christ , if wee haue not denied our selues ; and the cheefe peece of our selues is our reason : We must yeeld God able to do that , which we cannot comprehend , and we must comprehend that by our faith , which is disclaimed by reason ; Hagar must be driuen out of dores , that Sara may rule alone .

The authoritie of the reporter , makes way for beleefe in things , which are otherwise hard to passe ; although in the matters of God , we should not so much care , who speakes , as what is spoken , & from whom : The Angell tells his name , place , office , vnasked , that Zachary might not thinke any newes impossible , that was brought him by an heauenly messenger : Euen where there is no vse of language , the spirits are distinguished by names , and ech knowes his owne appellation , & others : He that gaue leaue vnto man his image , to giue names vnto all his visible and inferior creatures , did himselfe put names vnto the spirituall ; and as their name is , so are they mighty and glorious : But least Zachary should no lesse doubt of the stile of the messenger , then of the errand it selfe : He is at once both confirmed , and punished with dumbnesse : That tongue , which moued the doubt , must be tyed vp : He shall aske no more questions for forty weekes , because he asked this one distrustfully .

Neither did Zachary loose his tongue for the time , but his eares also , he was not onely mute , but deafe ; For otherwise , when they came to aske his allowance for the name of his sonne , they needed not to haue demanded it by signes , but by words : God will not passe ouer slight offences , and those which may plead the most colourable pretences in his best children , without a sensible checke : It is not our holy intirenesse with God , that can beare vs out in the least sin ; yea rather the more acquaintance we haue with his maiesty , the more sure wee are of correction , when wee offend : This may procure vs more fauour in our well-doing , not lesse iustice in euill .

Zachary staied , and the people waited ; whether some longer discourse betwixt the Angell and him , then needed to bee recorded , or whether astonishment at the apparition & newes , with-held him , I inquire not ; the multitude thought him long , yet though they could but see a farre off , they would not depart , till hee returned to bless them : Their patient attendance without , shames vs , that are hardly perswaded to attend within , whiles both our senses are imployed in our diuine seruices , and we are admitted to be coagents with our Ministers .

At last Zachary comes out speechles , and more amases them with his presence , then with his delay : The eyes of the multitude , that were not worthy to see his vision , yet see the signes of his vision , that the world might be put into the expectation of some extraordinary sequell : God makes way for his voice , by silence ; His speech could not haue said so much , as his dumbnes : Zachary would faine haue spoken , and could not ; with vs too many are dumbe , and need not : Negligence , Feare , Partialitie stop the mouthes of many , which shall once say , Woe to me , because I held my peace . His hand speaks that , which he cannot with his tongue , and he makes them by signes to vnderstand that , which they might read in his face ; Those powers we haue , we must vse : But though he haue ceased to speake , yet hee ceased not to minister ; Hee takes not this dumbnes for a dismission , but staies out the eight daies of his course , as one , that knew the eyes , and hands , and heart would be accepted of that God , which had bereaued him of his tongue : We may not streight take occasions of with-drawing our selues from the publique seruices of our God , much less vnder the Gospell : The Law , which stood much vpon bodily perfection , dispensed with age for attendance : The Gospell , which is all for the soule regards those inward powers , which whiles they are vigorous , exclude all excuses of our ministration .

The Annuntiation of CHRIST .

THE spirit of God was neuer so accurate in any description , as that which concerns the incarnation of God : It was fit no circumstance should bee omitted in that story , whereon the faith and saluation of all the world dependeth : Wee cannot so much as doubt of this truth , and be saued ; no not the number of the month , not the name of the Angell is concealed : Euery particle imports not more certainty , then excellence : The time is the sixth month after Iohns conception , the prime of the spring : Christ was conceiued in the spring , borne in the Solstice : Hee , in whom the world receiued a new life , receiues life in the same season , wherein the world receiued his first life from him ; and he which stretches out the daies of his Church , and lengthens them to eternitie , appeares after all the short and dimme light of the Law , and inlightens the world with his glory : The messenger is an Angell ; A man was too meane to carry the newes of the conception of God : Neuer any busines was conceiued in heauen , that did so much concerne the earth , as the conception of the God of heauen in a wombe of earth : No lesse then an Arch-Angell was worthy to beare this tidings , and neuer any Angell receiued a greater honor , then of this embassage .

It was fit our reparation should answer our fall ; an euill Angell was the first motioner of the one to Eue a Virgin , then espoused to Adam in the garden of Eden : A good Angell is the first reporter of the other to Mary a Virgin espoused to Ioseph , in that place , which ( as the garden of Galile , had a name from flourishing : No good Angell could be the author of our restauration , as that euill Angell was of our ruine ; But that , which those glorious spirits could not doe themselues , they are glad to report as done by the God of Spirits : Good newes reioyces the bearer ; with what ioy did this holy Angell bring the newes of that Sauiour , in whom we are redeemed to life , himselfe established in life and glory ? The first preacher of the Gospell was an Angell , that office must needs be glorious , that deriues it selfe from such a predecessor : God appointed his Angell to be the first preacher , and hath since called his Preachers Angels : The message is well suited ; An Angell comes to a Virgin , Gabriel to Mary ; He that was by signification the strength of God , to her that was by signification exalted by God , to the conceiuing of him , that was the God of strength : To a maide but espowsed ; a maide for the honor of Virginitie , espoused , for the honor of mariage : The mariage was in a sort made , not consummate , through the instinct of him , that ment to make her not an example , but a miracle of women : In this whole worke God would haue nothing ordinary ; It was fit , that shee should be a maried Virgin , which should be a Virgin-mother : Hee that ment to take mans nature without mans corruption , would be the sonne of man without mans seed , would be the seede of the woman without man ; and amongst all women of a pure Virgin ; but amongst Virgins , of one espoused , that there might be at once a witnes , and a guardian of her fruitfull Virginitie : If the same God had not bin the author of Virginity and Mariage , hee had neuer countenanced Virginitie by mariage .

Whither doth this glorious Angell come to finde the mother of him , that was God , but to obscure Galile ? A part , which euen the Iewes themselues despised , as forsaken of their priuiledges , ( Out of Galile ariseth no Prophet ) . Behold an Angell comes to that Galile , out of which no Prophet comes , and the God of Prophets and Angels descends to be conceiued in that Galile , out of which no Prophet ariseth : He that filleth all places , makes no difference of places ; It is the person , which giues honor and priuiledge to the place , not the place to the person ; as the presence of God makes the heauen , the heauen doth not make the owner glorious : No blinde corner of Nazareth can hide the blessed Virgin from the Angell ; The fauors of God will finde out his children , wheresoeuer they are withdrawne .

It is the fashion of God to seeke out the most despised , on whom to bestow his honors , we cannot runne away as from the iudgments , so not from the mercies of our God : The cottages of Galile are preferred by God to the famous pallaces of Ierusalem , he cares not how homely hee conuerse with his owne : Why should we be transported with the outward glory of places , whiles our God regards it not ? We are not of the Angels dyet , if wee had not rather bee with the blessed Virgin at Nazareth , then with the proud dames , in the Court of Ierusalem : It is a great vanity to respect any thing aboue goodnes , and to dis-esteeme goodnes for any want . The Angell salutes the Virgin , he prayes not to her ; He salutes her as a Saint , he prayes not to her as a Goddess : For vs to salute her , as hee did , were grosse presumption ; For neither are we , as he was , neither is shee , as shee was : If hee that was a spirit saluted her , that was flesh and blood here on earth , it is not for vs , that are flesh and blood to salute her , which is a glorious spirit in heauen : For vs , to pray to her in the Angels salutation , were to abuse the Virgin , the Angell , the salutation .

But how gladly doe wee second the Angell in the praise of her , which was more ours , then his ? How iustly doe we blesse her , whom the Angell pronounceth blessed ? How worthily is shee honoured of men , whom the Angell proclaimeth beloued of God ? O blessed MARY , he cannot blesse thee , he cannot honor thee too much , that deifies thee not : That which the Angell said of thee , thou hast prophesied of thy selfe , we beleeue the Angell , and thee : All generations shall call thee blessed , by the fruit of whose womb all generations are blessed : If Zachary were amased with the sight of this Angell , much more the Virgin : That very sexe hath more disaduantage of feare : If it had bin but a man , that had come to her in that secrecy and suddennes , shee could not but haue bin troubled ; how much more , when the shining glory of the person doubled the astonishment .

The troubles of holy mindes end euer in comfort : Ioy was the errand of the Angell , and not terror . Feare ( as all passions ) disquiets the heart , and makes it for the time vnfit to receiue the messages of God : Soone hath the Angell cleared these troublesome mists of passions , and sent out the beames of heauenly consolation into the remotest corner of her soule by the glad newes of her Sauiour : How can ioy , but enter into her heart , out of whose womb shall come saluation ? what roome can feare finde in that brest , that is assured of fauour ? Feare not Mary ; for thou hast found fauour with God : Let those feare , who know they are in displeasure , or know not they are gracious : Thine happy estate calls for confidence , and that confidence for ioy : What should , what can they feare , who are fauoured of him , at whom the Diuels tremble ? Not the presence of the good Angels , but the temptations of the euill strike many terrors into our weaknes ; wee could not bee dismaied with them , if we did not forget our condition : Wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe , but the spirit of adoption , whereby we cry Abba Father : If that spirit ( O God ) witnesse with our spirits , that wee are thine , how can we feare any of those spirituall wickednesses ? Giue vs assurance of thy fauor , and let the powers of Hell doe their worst .

It was no ordinary fauour , that the Virgin found in heauen : No mortall creature was euer thus graced , that he should take part of her nature , that was the God of nature ; that hee , which made all things , should make his humane body of hers ; that her wombe should yeeld that flesh , which was personally vnited to the Godhead ; that shee should beare him , that vpholds the world : Lo , thou shalt conceiue and beare a Sonne , and shalt call his name Iesus . It is a question , whether there bee more wonder in the conception , or in the fruit ; the conception of the Virgin , or Iesus conceiued : Both are maruelous , but the former doth not more exceed all other wonders , then the latter exceedeth it . For the childe of a Virgin is the reimprouement of that power , which created the world : but that God should be incarnate of a Virgin , was an abasement of his maiestie , and an exaltation of the creature beyond all example . Well was that childe worthy to make the mother blessed : Here was a double conception ; one in the wombe of her body , the other of the soule : If that were more miraculous , this was more beneficiall ; That was her priuiledge , this was her happinesse : If that were singular to her , this is common to all his chosen : There is no renewed heart , wherein thou , O Sauiour , art not formed againe . Blessed be thou , that hast herein made vs blessed . For what wombe can conceiue thee , and not partake of thee ? Who can partake of thee , and not be happy ?

Doubtlesse the Virgin vnderstood the Angell , as he ment , of a present conception , which made her so much more inquisitiue into the manner & meanes of this euent : How shall this be , since I know not a man ? That shee should conceiue a sonne by the knowledge of man after her mariage consummate , could haue bin no wonder : But how then should that sonne of hers be the sonne of God ? This demand was higher , how her present virginitie should bee instantly fruitfull , might be well worthy of admiration , of inquiry : Here was desire of information , not doubts of infidelitie ; yea rather this question argues faith : It takes for granted , that , which an vnbeleeuing heart would haue stucke at : Shee saies not , who and whence art thou ? what kingdom is this , where , & when shall it be erected ? But smoothly supposing all those strange things would be done , shee insists onely in that , which did necessarily require a further intimation , and doth not distrust , but demand : Neither doth shee say , this cannot be , nor how can this be ; but how shall this be ? so doth the Angell answer , as one , that knew he needed not to satisfie curiositie , but to informe iudgment , and vphold faith : He doth not therefore tell her of the manner , but of the author of this act ; The Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee , and the power of the most High shall ouershadow thee : It is enough to know , who is the vndertaker , and what he will doe : O God , what doe wee seeke a cleare light , where thou wilt haue a shadow ? No mother knowes the manner of her naturall conception ; what presumption shall it bee for flesh and blood , to search how the sonne of God tooke flesh and blood of his creature ? It is for none , but the Almighty to know those works , which he doth immediately concerning himselfe ; those that concerne vs , he hath reuealed : Secrets to God , things reuealed to vs .

This answer was not so full , but that a thousand difficulties might arise out of the particularities of so strange a message , yet after the Angels solution , wee heare of no more obiections , no more interrogations : The faithfull heart , when it once vnderstands the good pleasure of God , argues no more , but sweetly rests it selfe in a quiet expectation ; Behold the seruant of the Lord , be it to me according to thy word . There is not a more noble proofe of our faith , then to captiuate all the powers of our vnderstanding and will to our Creator , and without all sciscitations to goe blindfold , whither hee will lead vs : All disputations with God ( after his will knowne ) arise from infidelitie : Great is the mysterie of godlines , and if we will giue nature leaue to cauill , wee cannot be Christians . O God , thou art faithfull , thou art powerfull : It is enough , that thou hast said it ; In the humilitie of our obedience we resigne our selues ouer to thee : Behold the seruants of the Lord , bee it vnto vs , according to thy word .

How fit was her wombe to conceiue the flesh of the sonne of God by the power of the spirit of God , whose brest had so soone by the power of the same spirit conceiued an assent to the will of God ; and now of an handmaid of God , she is aduanced to the mother of God : No sooner hath shee said ( be it done ) then it is done , the Holy Ghost ouer-shadowes her , and formes her Sauiour in her owne body . This very Angell , that talkes with the blessed Virgin could scarse haue bin able to expresse the ioy of her heart in the sense of this diuine burden : Neuer any mortall creature had so much cause of exultation : How could shee , that was full of God be other then full of ioy in that God ? Greefe growes greater by concealing ; Ioy by expression : The holy Virgin had vnderstood by the Angell , how her cozen Elizabeth was no lesse of kin to her in condition ; the fruitfulnesse of whose age did somewhat suite the fruitfulnes of her virginitie : Happinesse communicated doubles it selfe ; Here is no strayning of curtesie ; The blessed maide , whom vigor of age had more fitted for the way , hastens her iourney into the hill-country to visit that gracious Matron , whom God had made a signe of her miraculous conception : Only the meeting of Saints in heauen can parallell the meeting of these two Cosins : The two wonders of the world are met vnder one roofe , and congratulate their mutuall happines : When wee haue Christ spiritually conceiued in vs , we cannot be quiet , till we haue imparted our ioy : Elizabeth that holy Matron did no sooner welcome her blessed Cozen , then her babe welcomes his Sauiour ; Both in the retired closets of their mothers wombe are sensible of ech others presence ; the one by his omniscience , the other by instinct : He did not more fore-runne Christ , then ouer-runne nature : How should our hearts leap within vs , when the son of God vouchsafes to come into the secret of our soules , not to visit vs , but to dwell with vs , to dwell in vs .

The birth of CHRIST .

AS all the actions of men , so especially the publike actions of publike men are ordered by God to other ends then their owne : This Edict went not so much out from Augustus , as from the court of heauen . What did Caesar know Ioseph and Mary ? His charge was vniuersall to a world of subiects , through all the Roman Empire : God intended this Cension onely for the blessed Virgin and her son , that Christ might bee borne , where he should : Caesar ment to fill his cofers , God ment to fulfill his prophesies , and so to fulfill them , that those , whom it concerned might not feele the accomplishment : If God had directly commanded the Virgin to goe vp to Bethleem , shee had seene the intention , & expected the issue ; but that wise moderator of all things , that works his will in vs , loues so to doe it , as may be least with our fore-sight , and acquaintance , and would haue vs fall vnder his decrees vnawares , that we may so much the more adore the depths of his prouidence : Euery creature walks blindfold , onely he that dwells in light , sees whither they goe .

Doubtles , blessed Mary ment to haue bin deliuered of her diuine burden at home , and litle thought of changing the place of conception for another of her birth : That house was honored by the Angell , yea by the ouer-shadowing of the Holy Ghost , none could equally satisfie her hopes , or desires : It was fit , that hee , which made choice of the wombe , wherein his sonne should be conceiued , should make choice of the place , where his son should be borne : As the worke is all his , so will hee alone contriue all the circumstances to his owne ends : O the infinite wisdom of God in casting all his designes ! There needs no other proofe of Christ , then Caesar & Bethleem , and of Caesars , then Augustus ; his gouernment , his Edict pleads the truth of the Messias : His gouernment , now was the deep peace of all the world vnder that quiet scepter , which made way for him , who was the Prince of peace : If warres be a signe of the time of his second comming , peace was a signe of his first : His Edict , now was the scepter departed from IVDA : It was the time for Shilo to come ; No power was left in the lewes , but to obey : Augustus is the Emperor of the world , vnder him Herod is the King of Iudea ; Cyrenius is president of Syria ; Iurie hath nothing of her owne . For Herod , if he were a King , yet he was no Iew , and if he had bin a Iew , yet he was no otherwise a King , then tributary and titular : The Edict came out from Augustus , was executed by Cyrenius ; Herod is no actor in this seruice : Gaine and glory are the ends of this taxation , each man profest himselfe a subiect , and payed for the priuiledge of his seruitude : Now their very heads were not their owne , but must be payed for to the head of a forreine State : They which before stood vpon the termes of their immunitie , stoope at the last : The proud suggestions of Iudas the Galilean might shed their blood , and swell their stomacks , but could not ease their yoke , neither was it the meaning of God , that holinesse ( if they had bin as they pretended ) should shelter them from subiection : A tribute is imposed vpon Gods free people : This act of bondage brings them liberty : Now when they seemed most neglected of God , they are blessed with a Redeemer ; when they are most pressed with forreine soueraintie , God sends them a King of their owne , to whom Caesar himself must be a subiect : The goodnes of our God picks out the most needfull times for our releefe , and comfort : Our extremities giue him the most glory .

Whither must Ioseph & Mary come to be taxed , but vnto Bethleem Dauids Citie ? The very place proues their descent : He that succeeded Dauid in his throne , must succeed him in the place of his birth : So cleerely was Bethleem designed to this honor by the Prophets , that euen the Preists and the Scribes could point Herod vnto it , and assure him , the King of the Iewes could bee no where else borne . Bethleem iustly the house of bread , the bread that came downe from heauen is there giuen to the world ; whence should we haue the bread of life , but from the house of bread ? O holy Dauid , was this the well of Bethleem , whereof thou didst so thirst to drinke of old , when thou saidst ; O that one would giue me drinke of the water of the well of Bethleem ! Surely that other water , when it was brought thee by thy Worthies , thou powredst it on the ground , and wouldst not drinke of it : This was that liuing water , for which thy soule longed , whereof thou saidst elsewhere ; As the heart brayeth after the water brookes , so longeth my soule after thee O God : My soule thirsteth for God , for the living God .

It was no lesse then foure daies iourney from Nazareth to Bethleem : How iust an excuse might the blessed Virgin haue pleaded for her absence ? What woman did euer vndertake such a iourney so neere her deliuery ? and doubtles Ioseph , which was now taught of God to loue and honor her , was loth to draw forth a deere wife in so vnweldy a case , into so manifest hazard : But the charge was peremptory , the obedience exemplary ; Their desire of an inoffensiue obseruance euen of heathenish authoritie , digests all difficulties : We may not take easie occasions to withdraw our obedience vnto supreme commands ; yea how didst thou ( O Sauiour ) by whom Augustus raigned , in the womb of thy mother yeeld this homage to Augustus : The first lesson , that euer thy example taught vs , was obedience .

After many steps are Ioseph and Mary come to Bethleem : The plight , wherein shee was , would not allow any speed , and the forced leisure of the ionrney causeth disappointment : the end was worse then the way ; there was no rest in the way , there was no roome in the Inne : It could not be , but that there were many of the kinred of Ioseph & Mary at that time in Bethleem : For both there were their auncestors borne , if not themselues ; and thither came vp all the cosens of their blood : yet there and then doth the holy Virgin want roome to lay either her head , or her burthen . If the house of Dauid had not lost all mercy and good nature , a daughter of Dauid could not so neere the time of her trauell , haue bin destitute of lodging in the Citie of Dauid . Litle did the Bethleemites think , what a guest they refused . Else they would gladly haue opened their dores to him , which was able to open the gates of heauen to them . Now their in hospitalitie is punishment enough to it selfe : They haue lost the honor and happinesse of being host to their God : Euen still , O blessed Sauiour , thou standest at our dores and knockest ; Euery motion of thy good spirit tells vs , thou art there : Now thou commest in thy owne name , and there thou standest , whiles thy head is full of the deaw , and thy locks wet with the drops of the night : If wee suffer carnall desires , and worldly thoughts to take vp the lodgings of our heart , and reuell within vs , whiles thou waitest vpon our admission , surely our iudgment shall be so much the greater , by how much better wee know , whom we haue excluded ? What do we cry shame on the Bethleemites , whilest wee are wilfully more churlish , more vnthankfull ?

There is no roome in my heart for the wonder at this humilitie : He , for whom heauen is too strait , whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe , lies in the strait cabbin of the wombe , and when hee would inlarge himselfe for the world , is not allowed the roome of an Inne : The many mansions of heauen were at his disposing , the earth was his , and the fullnes of it , yet he suffers himselfe to bee refused of a base cottage , and complaineth not : What measure should discontent vs wretched men , when thou ( O God ) farest thus from thy creatures ? How should we learne both to want and abound , from thee , which abounding with the glory and riches of heauen , wouldst want a lodging in thy first welcome to the earth ? Thou camest to thy own , & thy own receiued thee not : How can it trouble vs to be reiected of the world , which is not ours ? What wonder is it , if thy seruants wandred abroad in sheeps skins , and goats skins , destitute & afflicted , when their Lord is denied harbour ? How should all the world blush at this indignitie of Bethleem ? He that came to saue men , is sent for his first lodging to the beasts : The stable is become his Inne , the cratch his bed : O strange cradle of that great King , which heauen it selfe may enuie ! O Sauiour , thou that wert both the maker and owner of heauen , of earth , couldst haue made thee a pallace without hands , couldst haue commanded thee an empty room in those houses , which thy creatures had made ? When thou didst but bid the Angels auoide their first place , they fell downe from heauen like lightning ; and when in thine humbled estate thou didst but say , I am he , who was able to stand before thee ? How easie had it bin for thee to haue made place for thy selfe in the throngs of the stateliest Courts ? Why wouldst thou be thus homely , but that by contemning worldly glories thou mightst teach vs to contemne them ? that thou mightst sanctifie pouerty to them , whom thou callest vnto want ? that since thou , which hadst the choice of all earthly conditions , wouldst be borne poore and despised , those , which must want out of necessitie , might not thinke their pouerty greeuous .

Here was neither frend to entertaine , nor seruant to attend , nor place wherein to be attended , onely the poore beasts gaue way to the God of all the world : It is the great mysterie of godlinesse , that God was manifested in the flesh , and seene of Angels , but here , which was the top of all wonders , the very beasts might see their maker : For those spirits to see God in the flesh , it was not so strange , as for the brute creatures to see him , which was the God of spirits : He , that would be led into the wildernes amongst wilde beasts to be tempted , would come into the house of beasts to be borne , that from the height of his diuine glory his humiliation might bee the greater : How can we be abased low enough for thee ( O Sauiour ) that hast thus neglected thy selfe for vs ?

That the visitation might be answerable to the homelinesse of the place , attendants , prouision , who shall come to congratulate his birth , but poore shepherds ? The Kings of the earth rest at home , and haue no summons to attend him , by whom they raigne : God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mighty : In an obscure time ( the night ) vnto obscure men ( shepherds ) doth God manifest the light of his Sonne , by glorious Angels : It is not our meannesse ( O God ) that can exclude vs from the best of thy mercies ; yea thus far dost thou respect persons , that thou hast put downe the mighty , and exalted them of low degree .

If these shepherds had beene snorting in their beds , they had no more seene Angels , nor heard newes of their Sauiour , then their neighbours ; Their vigilancie is honored with this heauenly vision : Those which are industrious in any calling , are capable of further blessings , whereas the idle are fit for nothing but temptation . No lesse then a whole Chore of Angels are worthy to sing the hymne , of Glory to God for the incarnation of his Sonne : What ioy is enough for vs , whose nature he tooke , and whom he came to restore by his incarnation ? If we had the tongues of Angels , wee could not raise this note high enough to the praise of our glorious Redeemer .

No sooner do the shepherds heare the newes of a Sauiour , then they runne to Bethleem to seeke him : Those , that left their beds to tend their flocks , leaue their flocks to inquire after their Sauiour : No earthly thing is too deere to bee forsaken for Christ : If we suffer any worldly occasion to stay vs from Bethleem , wee care more for our sheepe , then our soules : It is not possible , that a faithfull heart should heare where Christ is , & not labour to the sight , to the fruition of him . Where art thou ( O Sauiour ) but at home in thine owne house , in the assembly of thy Saints ? Where art thou to be found , but in thy word and sacraments ? yea there thou seekest for vs , if there wee haste not to seeke for thee , wee are worthy to want thee , worthy that our want of thee here , should make vs want the presence of thy face for euer .

The SAGES and the STARRE .

THE shepherdes and the cratch accorded well ; yet euen they saw nothing , which they might not contemne ; neither was there any of those shepherds that seemed not more like a King , then that King , whom they came to see . But oh the diuine maiestie , that shined in this basenesse ! There lies the babe in the stable , crying in the manger , whom the Angels came downe from heauen to proclaime , whom the Sages come from the East to adore , whom an heauenly starre notifies to the world , that now men might see , that heauen & earth serues him , that neglected himselfe . Those lights , that hang low are not farre seene , but those which are high placed are equally seene in the remotest distances . Thy light , O Sauiour , was no lesse then heauenly : The East saw that , which Bethleem might haue seene : Oft-times those , which are neerest in place , are farthest off in affection : Large obiects , when they are too close to the eye , doe so ouer-fill the sense , that they are not discerned . What a shame is this to Bethleem ? The Sages came out of the East to worship him , whom that village refused : The Bethleemites were Iewes ; The wisemen Gentiles : This first entertainment of Christ was a presage of the sequell ; The Gentiles shall come from far to adore Christ , whiles the Iewes reiect him .

Those Easterlings were great searchers of the depths of nature , professed Philosophers , them hath God singled out to the honor of the manifestation of Christ : Humane learning well improued makes vs capable of diuine : There is no knowledge , whereof God is not the author ; he would neuer haue bestowed any gift , that should lead vs away from himselfe ; It is an ignorant conceit , that inquiry into nature should make men Atheous : No man is so apt to see the starre of Christ , as a diligent disciple of Philosophie : Doubtlesse this light was visible vnto more , onely they followed it , which knew it had more then nature : He is truely wise , that is wise for his owne soule : If these wise men had beene acquainted with all the other starres of heauen , and had not seene the starre of Christ , they had had but light enough to lead them into vtter darknesse : Philosophy without the starre is but the wispe of error .

These Sages were in a meane betweene the Angels and the shepherds : God would in all the ranks of intelligent creatures haue some to be witnesses of his Sonne : The Angels direct the shepherds , the starre guides the Sages ; the duller capacitie hath the more cleare and powerfull helps : The wisdome of our good GOD proportions the meanes vnto the disposition of the persons : Their Astronomy had taught them this starre was not ordinary , whether in site , or in brightnes , or in motion ? The eyes of nature might well see , that some strange newes was portended to the world by it : But that this starre designed the birth of the Messias , there needed yet another light : If the starre had not besides had the commentarie of a reuelation from God , it could haue led the wisemen onely into a fruitlesse wonder : Giue them to bee the ofspring of Balaam , yet the true prediction of that false Prophet was not enough warrant : If he told them the Messiah should arise , as a starre out of Iacob , he did not tell them , that a starre should arise far from the posteritie of Iacob , at the birth of the Messiah : He that did put that prophesie into the mouth of Balaam , did also put this illumination into the heart of the Sages : The spirit of God is free to breath where he listeth : Many shall come from the East and the West to seeke Christ , when the children of the kingdome shall be shut out : Euen then God did not so confine his election to the pale of the Church , as that he did not sometimes looke out for speciall instruments of his glory .

Whither do these Sages come , but to Ierusalem ? where should they hope to heare of the new King , but in the mother Citie of the kingdom ? The conduct of the starre was first only generall to Iudea ; the rest is for a time left to inquiry : They were not brought thither for their owne sakes , but for Iuries , for the worlds ; that they might helpe to make the Iewes inexcusable , and the world faithfull : That their tongues therefore might blason the birth of Christ , they are brought to the head Citie of Iudea , to report , & inquire : Their wisdome could not teach them to imagine , that a King could be borne to Iudea , of that note and magnificence , that a starre from heauen should publish him to the earth , and that his subiects should not know it : and therefore as presupposing a common notice , they say , Where is he , that is borne King of the Iewes ? There is much deceit in probabilities , especially when we meddle with spirituall matters . For God vses still to goe a way by himselfe .

If we iudge according to reason and appearance , who is so likely to vnderstand heauenly truths , as the profound Doctors of the world ? these God passeth ouer , and reueales his will to babes : Had these Sages met with the shepherds of the villages neere Bethleem , they had receiued that intelligence of Christ which they did vainely seeke from the learned Scribes of Hierusalem : The greatest Clarks are not alwaies the wisest in the affaires of God ; these things go not by discourse , but by reuelation .

No sooner hath the starre brought them within the noise of Ierusalem , then it is vanished out of sight : God would haue their eyes lead them so farre , as till their tongues might bee set on worke to winne the vocall attestation of the cheife Preists , and Scribes to the fore-appointed place of our Sauiours natiuitie : If the starre had caried them directly to Bethleem , the learned Iewes had neuer searched the truth of those prophesies , wherewith they are since iustly convinced : God neuer withdrawes our helps , but for a further aduantage : Howsoeuer our hopes seeme crossed , where his name may gaine , we cannot complaine of losse .

Litle did the Sages thinke , this question would haue troubled Herod ; they had ( I feare ) concealed their message , if they had suspected this euent : Sure , they thought it might be some son , or grandchild of him , which then held the throne , so as this might winne fauour from Herod , rather then an vnwelcome feare of riualitie . Doubtlesse they went first to the Court ; where else should they aske for a King ? The more pleasing this newes had bin , if it had falne vpon Herods owne loines , the more greeuous it was to light vpon a stranger : If Herod had not ouer-much affected greatnesse , he had not vpon those indirect termes aspired to the crowne of Iewry ; so much the more therefore did it trouble him to heare the rumor of a successor , and that not of his owne . Setled greatnesse cannot abide either change , or partnership : If any of his subiects had moued this question , I feare , his head had answered it . It is well , that the name of forreyners could excuse these Sages : Herod could not be brought vp among the Iewes , and not haue heard many and confident reports of a Messias , that should ere long arise out of Israel ; and now when hee heares the fame of a King borne , whom a starre from heauen signifies and attends ; hee is netled with the newes : Euery thing affrights the guilty : Vsurpation is full of ielousies , and feare no lesse full of proiects , and imaginations ; it makes vs think euery bush a man , and euery man a theefe .

Why art thou troubled ( O Herod ) ? A King is borne , but such a King , as whose scepter may euer concurre with lawfull soueraignty ; yea such a King , as by whom Kings doe hold their scepters , not loose them : If the wise men tell thee of a King , the starre tells thee , he is heauenly : Here is good cause of securitie , none of feare : The most generall enmities and oppositions to good arise from mistakings ; If men could but know , how much safety and sweetnes there is in all diuine truth , it could receiue nothing from them but welcomes & gratulations : Misconceits haue bin still guilty of all wrongs , and persecutions . But if Herod were troubled ( as Tyrannie is still suspicious ) why was all Ierusalem troubled with him ? Ierusalem , which now might hope for a relaxation of her bonds , for a recouery of her liberty , and right ? Ierusalem , which now onely had cause to lift vp her drouping head in the ioy and happinesse of a redeemer ? yet not Herods Court , but euen Ierusalem was troubled ; so had this miserable Citie beene ouer-toyled with change , that now they were setled in a condition quietly euill , they are troubled with the newes of better : They had now got an habit of seruilitie , and now they are so acquainted with the yoke , that the very noise of liberty , ( which they supposed would not come with ease ) began to be vnwelcome .

To turne the causes of ioy into sorrow argues extreame deiectednes , and a distemper of iudgment no lesse then desperate : Feare puts on a visor of deuotion ; Herod calls his learned Councell , and as not doubting , whether the Messiah should be borne , he askes , where he shall be borne ? In the disparition of that other light , there is a perpetually fixed starre , shining in the writings of the Prophets , that guides the cheefe Preists & Scribes directly vnto Bethleem : As yet enuie , and preiudice had not blinded the eyes , and peruerted the hearts of the Iewish teachers ; so as now , they clearely iustifie that Christ , whom they afterwards condemne , and by thus iustifying him condemne themselues in reiecting him : The water , that is vntroubled yeelds the visage perfectly : If God had no more witnesse , but from his enemies , wee haue ground enough of our faith .

Herod feared , but dissembled his feare , as thinking it a shame , that strangers should see , there could any power arise vnder him , worthy of his respect or awe : Out of an vnwillingnes therefore to discouer the impotency of his passion , hee makes litle adoe of the matter , but onely , after a priuy inquisition into the time , imploies the informers in the search of the person ; Goe , and search diligently for the babe &c. It was no great iourney from Ierusalem to Bethleem , how easily might Herods cruelty haue secretly suborned some of his bloody Courtiers to this enquiry , and execution ? If God had not ment to mocke him , before hee found himselfe mocked of the wise-men , he had rather sent before their iourney , then after their disappointment : But that God , in whose hands all hearts are , did purposely besot him , that he might not finde the way to so horrible a mischeefe .

There is no villany so great , but it will maske it selfe vnder a show of piety : Herod will also worship the babe ; The curtesie of a false Tyrant is death ; A crafty hypocrite neuer meanes so ill , as when he speaks fairest : The wise-men are vpon their way , full of expectation , full of desire ; I see no man either of the Citie , or Court to accompanie them ; Whether distrust , or feare hindred them , I inquire not , but of so many thousand Iewes , no one stirres his foote to see that King of theirs , which strangers came so farre to visit : yet were not these resolute Sages discouraged with this solitarinesse , and small respect , nor drawne to repent of their iourney , as thinking , What doe we come so farre to honor a King , whom no man will acknowledge ? What meane we to trauell so many hundred miles to see that , which the inhabitants will not looke out to behold ? but cheerfully renew their iourney to that place , which the ancient light of prophesie had designed ; And now behold , God incourages their holy forwardnesse from heauen , by sending them their first guide , as if hee had said , What neede yee care for the neglect of men , when yee see heauen honors the King , whom yee seeke ? What ioy these Sages conceiued , when their eyes first beheld the re-appearance of that happy starre , they onely can tell , that after a long and sad night of tentation , haue seene the louing countenance of God shining forth vpon their soules : If with obedience and courage wee can follow the calling of God , in difficult enterprises , we shall not want supplies of comfort . Let not vs be wanting to God , we shall be sure , he cannot be wanting to vs .

He that led Israel by a pillar of fire into the land of promise , leads the wise-men by a starre , to the promised seede : All his directions partake of that light , which is in him ; For God is light : This starre moues both slowly and low , as might be fittest for the pace , for the purpose of these pilgrims : It is the goodnes of God , that in those meanes wherein we cannot reach him , hee descends vnto vs . Surely when the wise-men saw the star first stand still , they looked about to see , what Pallace there might be neere vnto that station , fit for the birth of a King , neither could they thinke that sory shedde was it , which the starre ment to point out ; but finding their guide setled ouer that base roofe , they go in to see , what guest it held . They enter , and , O God , what a King doe they finde ! how poore ? how contemptible ? wrapt in clowts , laid in straw , cradled in the manger , attended with beasts ! what a sight was this , after all the glorious promises of that starre , after the predictions of Prophets , after the magnificence of their expectation ?

All their way afforded nothing so despicable , as that babe , whom they came to worship : But as those , which could not haue bin wise-men , vnlesse they had knowne , that the greatest glories haue arisen from meane beginnings , they fall downe , and worship that hidden maiestie : This basenesse hath bred wonder in them , not contempt ; they well knew , the starre could not lye : They , which saw his starre a farre off in the East , when he lay swadled in Bethleem , do also see his royalty further of , in the despised estate of his infancy : A royalty more then humane : They well know , that starres did not vse to attend earthly Kings ; and if their ayme had not bin higher , what was a Iewish King to Persian strangers ? answerable therefore hereunto was their adoration . Neither did they lift vp empty hands to him , whom they worshipt , but presented him with the most precious commodities of their country , Gold , Incense , Myrrh ; not as thinking to enrich him with these , but by way of homage acknowledging him the Lord of these : If these Sages had bin Kings , and had offred a princely weight of gold , the blessed Virgin had not needed in her purification to haue offred two yong pigeons , as the signe of her penury : As God loues not empty hands , so he measures fulnes by the affection : Let it be Gold , or Incense , or Myrrhe , that we offer him , it cannot but please him , who doth not vse to aske , how much , but how good .

The PVRIFICATION .

THere could be no impuritie in the son of God , and if the best substance of a pure Virgin caried in it any taint of Adam , that was scowred away by sanctification in the womb , and yet the Sonne would be circumcised , and the mother purified : He that came to be sinne for vs , would in our persons be legally vncleane , that by satisfying the law , he might take away our vncleannesse : Though hee were exempted from the common condition of our birth , yet he would not deliuer himselfe from those ordinary rites , that implied the weaknes , and blemishes of humanitie : Hee would fullfill one law to abrogate it , another to satisfie it ; Hee that was aboue the law , would come vnder the Law , to free vs from the Law : Not a day would be changed , either in the circumcision of CHRIST , or the purification of MARY . Here was neither conuenience of place , nor of necessaries for so painfull a worke , in the stable of Bethleem , yet he that made , and gaue the Law , will rather keep it with difficultie , then transgresse it with ease .

Why wouldest thou , O blessed Sauiour , suffer that sacred foreskin to be cut off , but that by the power of thy circumcision , the same might bee done to our soules , that was done to thy body ? wee cannot bee therefore thine , if our hearts bee vncircumcised : Do thou that in vs , which was done to thee for vs ; cut off the superfluitie of our maliciousnesse , that we may be holy in , and by thee , which for vs wert content to bee legally impure .

There was shame in thy birth , there was paine in thy circumcision ; After a contemptible welcome into the world , that a sharp rasor should passe through thy skin for our sakes , ( which can hardly endure to bleed for our owne ) it was the praise of thy wonderfull mercy , in so early humiliation : What paine , or contempt should we refuse for thee , that hast made no spare of thy selfe for vs ? Now is Bethleem left with too much honor , there is Christ borne , adored , circumcised : No sooner is the blessed Virgin either able , or allowed to walke , then she trauels to Ierusalem , to performe her holy rites for her selfe , for her sonne ; to purifie her-selfe , to present her sonne : She goes not to her owne house at Nazareth , shee goes to Gods house at Hierusalem : If purifying were a shadow , yet thanksgiuing is a substance ; Those whom God hath blessed with fruit of body , and safety of deliuerance , if they make not their first iourney to the Temple of God , they partake more of the vnthankfulnes of Eue , then Maries deuotion .

Her forty daies therefore were no sooner out , then Mary comes vp to the holy Citie : The rumor of a new King borne at Bethleem , was yet fresh at Ierusalem , since the report of the wise-men , and what good newes had this bin for any pick-thank to carry to the Court , Here is the babe , whom the star signified , whom the Sages inquired for , whom the Angels proclaimed , whom the shepherds talkt of , whom the Scribes and high Preists notified , whom Herod seeks after ? yet vnto that Ierusalem , which was troubled at the report of his birth , is Christ come , and all tongues are so lockt vp , that he , which sent from Ierusalem to Bethleem to seeke him , findes him not , who ( as to countermine Herod ) is come from Bethleem to Ierusalem . Dangers that are aloofe of , and but possible , may not hinder vs from the dutie of our deuotion : GOD saw it not yet time to let loose the furie of his aduersaries , whom he holds vp , like some eager mastiues , and then onely lets goe , when they shall most shame themselues , and glorifie him .

Well might the blessed Virgin haue wrangled with the law , and challenged an immunitie from all ceremonies of purification ; what should I neede purging , which did not conceiue in sin ? This is for those mothers , whose births are vncleane , mine is from God , which is puritie it selfe : The law of Moses reaches only to those women , which haue conceiued seed , I conceiued not this seed , but the Holy Ghost in mee : The law extends to the mothers of those sonnes , which are vnder the law , mine is aboue it : But as one , that cared more for her peace , then her priuiledg , and more desired to bee free from offence , then from labour and charge , shee dutifully fulfils the law of that God , whom shee carried in her wombe , and in her armes : Like the mother of him , who though he knew the children of the kingdome free , yet would pay tribute vnto Caesar : Like the mother of him , whom it behoued to fulfill all righteousnes : And if shee were so officious in ceremonies , as not to admit of any excuse in the very circumstance of her obedience , how much more strict was shee in the maine duties of morality ? That soule is fit for the spirituall conception of Christ , that is conscionably scrupulous in obseruing all Gods commandements , whereas he hates all alliance to a negligent , or froward heart .

The law of purification proclaimes our vncleannesse : The mother is not allowed after her child-birth to come vnto the Sanctuary , or to touch any hallowed thing , till her set time bee expired ; What are wee , whose very birth infects the mother that beares vs ? At last , she comes to the Temple , but with sacrifices , either a lambe , and a pigeon , or turtle , or ( in the meaner estate ) two turtle doues , or yong pigeons : Whereof one is for a burnt offring , the other for a sinne-offring : The one for thanksgiuing , the other for expiation : For expiation of a double sinne , of the mother , that conceiued , of the childe , that was conceiued . We are all borne sinners , and it is a iust question , whether we doe more infect the world , or the world vs ? They are grosse flatterers of nature , that tell her , shee is cleane : If our liues had no sinne , we bring enough with vs ; the very infant , that liues not to sinne as Adam , yet he sinn'd in Adam , and is sinfull in himselfe . But oh the vnspeakable mercy of our God! we prouide the sin , he prouides the remedy : Behold an expiation well neere , as early , as our sinne ; the blood of a yong lambe , or doue , yea rather the blood of him , whose innocence was represented by both , cleanseth vs presently from our filthinesse . First went circumcision , then came the sacrifice , that by two holy acts ; that which was naturally vnholy , might be hallowed vnto God ; Vnder the Gospell our baptisme hath the force of both : It does away our corruption by the water of the spirit ; It applies to vs the sacrifice of Christs blood , whereby wee are clensed : Oh that wee could magnifie this goodnesse of our God , which hath not left our very infancy without redresse , but hath prouided such helps , as whereby we may be deliuered from the danger of our hereditary euils .

Such is the fauorable respect of our wise God , that he would not haue vs vndoe our selues with deuotion , the seruice he requires of vs is ruled by our abilities : Euery poore mother was not able to bring a lambe for her offring , there was none so poore , but might procure a paire of turtles or pigeons . These doth God both prescribe , and accept from poorer hands , no lesse , then the beasts of a thousand mountaines ; Hee lookes for somewhat of euery one , not of euery one alike : Since it is hee , that makes differences of abilities ( to whom it were as easie to make all rich ) his mercy will make no difference in the acceptation : The truth and heartinesse of obedience is that , which he will crowne in his meanest seruants : A mite from the poore widow is more worth to him , then the talents of the wealthy .

After all the presents of those Easterne worshippers ( who intended rather homage , then ditation ) the blessed Virgin comes in the forme of pouerty with her two doues vnto God ; she could not without some charge lye all this while at Bethleem , she could not without charge trauell from Bethleem to Ierusalem ; Her offring confesseth her penury ; The best are not euer the wealthiest : Who can despise any one for want , when the mother of Christ was not rich enough to bring a lambe for her purification ? Wee may be as happy in russet , as in tissue .

While the blessed VIRGIN brought her son into the Temple , with that paire of doues , here were more doues then a paire : They , for whose sake that offring was brought , were more doues , then the doues that were brought for that offring : Her sonne , for whom shee brought that doue to be sacrificed , was that sacrifice , which the doue represented : There was nothing in him , but perfection of innocence , and the oblation of him is that , whereby all mothers and sonnes are fully purified : Since in our selues we cannot be innocent , happy are we , if we can haue the spotlesse doue sacrificed for vs to make vs innocent in him .

The blessed Virgin had more businesse in the Temple then her owne ; shee came , as to purifie her selfe , so to present her sonne : Euery male , that first opened the wombe was holy vnto the Lord : He that was the sonne of God by eternall generation before times , and by miraculous conception in time , was also by common course of nature consecrate vnto God : It was fit the holy mother should present God with his own : Her first borne was the first borne of all creatures : It was he , whose Temple it was , that he was presented in , to whom all the first borne of all creatures were consecrated , by whom they were accepted , and now is he brought in his mothers armes to his own house , and as man is presented to himself as God : If Moses had neuer written law of Gods speciall propriety in the first borne , this sonne of Gods essence and loue had taken possession of the Temple ; His right had bin a perfect law to himselfe : Now his obedience to that law , which himselfe had giuen , doth no lesse call him , thither , then the challenge of his peculiar interest .

He that was the Lord of all creatures ( euer since hee stroke the first borne of the Aegyptians ) requires the first male of all creatures , both man and beast , to be dedicated to him ; wherein God caused a miraculous euent to second nature , which seemes to challenge the first and best for the maker : By this rule , God should haue had his seruice done onely by the heyres of Israel : But since God for the honor and remuneration of LEVI , had chosen out that Tribe to minister vnto him , now the first borne of all Israel must be presented to God , as his due , but by allowance redeemed to their parents : As for beasts , the first male of the cleane beasts must bee sacrificed , of vncleane exchanged for a price : So much moralitie is there in this constitution of God , that the best of all kindes is fit to be consecrated to the Lord of all . Euery thing we haue is too good for vs , if we thinke any thing wee haue too good for him .

How glorious did the Temple now seeme , that the owner was within the walls of it ? Now was the houre , and guest come , in regard whereof the second Temple should surpasse the first : This was his house built for him , dedicated to him : There had hee dwelt long in his spirituall presence , in his typicall : There was nothing either placed , or done within those walls , whereby he was not resembled , and now the body of those shadowes is come , & presents himselfe , where hee had bin euer represented : Ierusalem is now euery where : There is no Church , no Christian heart , which is not a Temple of the liuing God : There is no Temple of God , wherein Christ is not presented to his father : Looke vpon him ( O God ) in whom , thou art well pleased , and in him , and for him be well pleased with vs .

Vnder the Gospell we are all first borne , all heires : Euery soule is to bee holy vnto the Lord , we are a royall generation , an holy preisthood : Our baptisme as it is our circumcision , and our sacrifice of purification , so is it also our presentation vnto God : Nothing can become vs but holinesse . O God , to whom we are deuoted , serue thy selfe of vs , glorifie thy selfe by vs , till we shall by thee be glorified with thee .

HEROD and the INFANTS .

WEL might these wise men haue suspected Herods secrecy ; If hee had ment well , what needed that whispering ? That which they published in the streets , he asks in his priuy chamber ; yet they not misdoubting his intention , purpose to fulfill his charge : It could not in their apprehension but bee much honor to them , to make their success knowne , that now both King and people might see , it was not fancie that led them , but an assured reuelation : That God , which brought them thither , diuerted them , and caused their eyes shut to guide them the best way home .

These Sages made a happy voyage : For now they grew into further acquaintance with God : They are honored with a second messenger from heauen : They saw the starre in the way , the Angell in their bed : The starre guided their iourney vnto Christ , the Angell directed their returne : They saw the starre by day , a vision by night : God spake to their eyes by the star , he speaks to their heart by a dream : No doubt , they had left much noise of Christ behinde them : They , that did so publish his birth by their inquiry at Ierusalem , could not be silent , when they found him at Bethleem : If they had returned by Herod , I feare they had come short home ; Hee that ment death to the babe for the name of a King , could meane no other to those , that honored and proclaimed a new King , and erected a throne besides his : They had done what they came for ; and now that God , whose businesse they came about , takes order at once for his sonnes safety , and for theirs : God , which is perfection it selfe , neuer begins any busines , but he makes an end , & ends happily ; When our waies are his , there is no danger of miscariage .

Well did these wise-men know the difference , as of stars , so of dreames ; they had learn't to distinguish betweene the naturall and diuine , and once apprehending God in their sleepe , they follow him waking , and returne another way . They were no subiects to Herod , his command pressed them so much the lesse , or if the being within his dominions had beene no lesse bond , then natiue subiection , yet where God did countermand Herod , there could be no question , whom to obey : They say not , we are in a strange country , Herod may meet with vs , it can be no lesse then death to mocke him in his owne territories , but cheerfully put themselues vpon the way , and trust God with the successe : Where men command with God , wee must obey men for God , and God in men , when against him , the best obedience is to deny obedience , and to turne our backs vpon Herod .

The wise-men are safely arriued in the East , & fill the world full of expectation , as themselues are full of wonder : IOSEPH and MARY are returned with the babe to that Ierusalem , where the wise-men had inquired for his birth . The Citie was doubtlesse still full of that rumor , and litle thinks , that he , whom they talke of , was so neere them : From thence they are , at least , in their way to Nazareth , where they purpose their abode : God preuents them by his Angell , and sends them for safety into Aegypt ; Ioseph was not wont to be so full of visions : It was not long since the Angell appeared vnto him to iustifie the innocency of the mother , and the deity of the sonne ; now he appeares for the preseruation of both , & a preseruation by flight : Could Ioseph now choose , but thinke , Is this the King , that must saue Israel , that needs to be saued by me ? If he be the son of God , how is he subiect to the violence of men ? How is hee Almighty , that must saue himselfe by flight ? or how must he flie to saue himselfe out of that land , which he comes to saue ? But faithfull Ioseph hauing bin once tutored by the Angell , and hauing heard , what the wise-men said of the starre , what SIMEON and ANNA said in the Temple , labours not so much to reconcile his thoughts , as to subiect them , and as one , that knew it safer to suppress doubts , then to assoile them , can beleeue , what hee vnderstands not , and can wonder , where he cannot comprehend .

Oh strange condition of the King of all the world ! He could not be borne in a baser estate , yet euen this he cannot enioy with safety . There was no roome for him in Bethleem , there will be no roome for him in Iudea : He is no sooner come to his owne , then hee must flie from them ; that he may saue them , hee must auoide them : Had it not bin easie for thee ( O Sauiour ) to haue acquit thy selfe from Herod , a thousand wayes ? What could an arme of flesh haue done against the God of spirits ? What had it bin for thee to haue sent Herod fiue yeeres sooner vnto his place ? what to haue commanded fire from heauen on those , that should haue come to apprehend thee ? or to haue bidden the earth to receiue them aliue , whom shee ment to swallow dead ? We suffer misery , because wee must , thou , because thou wouldest : The same will that brought thee from heauen into earth , sends thee from Iury to Aegypt ; as thou wouldst be borne meane and miserable , so thou wouldst liue subiect to humane vexations , that thou , which hast taught vs , how good it is to beare the yoke euen in our youth , mightst sanctifie to vs early afflictions . Or whether ( O Father ) since it was the purpose of thy wisdom to manifest thy Sonne by degrees vnto the world , was it thy will thus to hide him for a time , vnder our infirmitie ? and what other is our condition ? we are no sooner borne thine , then wee are persecuted . If the Church trauell , and bring forth a male , shee is in danger of the Dragons streames : What doe the members complaine of the same measure , which was offred to the head ? both our births are accompanied with teares .

Euen of those , whose mature age is full of trouble , yet the infancy is commonly quiet , but here life and toyle began together . O blessed Virgin ! euen already did the sword begin to peirce thy soule : Thou which wert forced to beare thy Sonne in thy wombe from Nazareth to Bethleem , must now beare him in thy armes from Iury into Aegypt ; yet couldst thou not complaine of the way , whilest thy Sauiour was with thee ; His presence alone was able to make the stable a temple , Aegypt a paradise , the way more pleasing then rest . But whither then ? O whither doest thou carry that blessed burthen , by which thy selfe and the world are vpholden ? To Aegypt , the slaughter-house of Gods people , the furnace of Israels ancient affliction , the sinke of the world : Out of Aegypt haue I called my sonne ( saith God ) . That thou calldst thy Sonne out of Aegypt , O God , is no maruell ; It is a maruell , that thou calld'st him into Aegypt ; but that wee know , all earths are thine , and all places and men are like figures vpon a table , such as thy disposition makes them : What a change is here ? Israel the first borne of God , flies out of Aegypt into the promised land of Iudea ; Christ the first borne of all creatures flies from Iudea into Aegypt : Aegypt is become the Sanctuary , Iudea the Inquisition-house of the Sonne of God : He , that is euery where the same , makes all places alike to his : Hee makes the fiery furnace a gallery of pleasure , the Lyons denne an house of defence , the Whales belly a lodging chamber , Aegypt an harbour .

He flees , that was able to preserue himselfe from danger , to teach vs , how lawfully we may flee from those dangers , we cannot auoide otherwise : It is a thankless fortitude to offer our throat vnto the knife : He , that came to dye for vs , fled for his owne preseruation , and hath bid vs follow him ; When they persecute you in one Citie , flee into another : We haue but the vse of our liues , and we are bound to husband them to the best aduantage of God and his Church : God hath made vs , not as butts to be perpetually shot at , but as the marks of rouers moueable , as the winde & sun may best serue .

It was warrant enough for Ioseph and Mary that God commands them to flee , yet so familiar is God growne with his approued seruants , that hee giues them the reason of his commanded flight : ( For Herod will seeke the yong childe to destroy him ) : What wicked men will doe , what they would do , is knowne vnto God before hand : He that is so infinitely wise to know the designes of his enemies before they are , could as easily preuent them , that they might not be , but he lets them runne on in their own courses , that he may fetch glory to himselfe out of their wickednesse .

Good IOSEPH hauing this charge in the night , staies not till the morning ; no sooner had God said Arise , then he starts vp , and sets forward : It was not diffidence , but obedience that did so hasten his departure ; The charge was direct , the businesse important : He dares not linger for the light , but breaks his rest for the iourney , and taking vantage of the darke , departs toward Aegypt : How knew he this occasion would abide any delay ? We cannot be too speedy in the execution of Gods commands , we may be too late : Here was no treasure to hide , no hangings to take down , no lands to secure ; The poore Carpenter needs doe no more , but lock the dores , and away : Hee goes lightly , that wants a lode : If there bee more pleasure in abundance , there is more securitie in a meane estate : The Bustard or the Ostridge , when he is pursued , can hardly get vpon his wings , whereas the Larke mounts with ease ; The rich hath not so much aduantage of the poore in the enioying , as the poore hath of the rich in leauing .

Now is Ioseph come downe into Aegypt : Aegypt was beholden to the name , as that whereto it did owe no lesse then their vniuersall preseruation : Well might it repay this act of hospitalitie to that name and blood : The going downe into Aegypt had not so much difficultie , as the staying there : Their absence from their country was litle better , then a banishment ; but what was this other , then to serue a prentiship in the house of bondage ? To be any where saue at home , was irkesome , but to be in Aegypt so many yeeres amongst idolatrous pagans , must needs be painfull to religious hearts : The command of their God , & the presence of Christ makes amends for all : How long should they haue thought it to see the Temple of God , if they had not had the God of the Temple with them ? How long to present their sacrifices at the Altar of God , if they had not had him with them , which made all sacrifices accepted , and which did accept the sacrifice of their hearts ?

HEROD was subtle in mocking the wise-men , whiles he promised to worship him , whom he ment to kill ; now God makes the wise-men to mock him in disappointing his expectation : It is iust with God to punish those , which would beguile others with illusion : Great spirits are so much more impatient of disgrace ; How did Herod now rage and fret , and vainly wish to haue met with those false spies , and tells , with what torments he would reuenge their trechery , & curses himself for trusting strangers in so important a busines ?

The tyrants suspition would not let him rest long : Ere many daies hee sends to inquire of them , whom he sent to inquire of Christ . The notice of their secret departure increaseth his ielousie , and now his anger runs mad , and his feare proues desperate : All the infants of Bethleem shal bleed for this one ; And ( that he may make sure worke ) he cuts out to himself large measures both of time , and place : It was but very lately that the star appeared , that the wise-men re-appeared not : They asked for him , that was borne , they did not name , when he was borne : Herod for more securitie ouer-reaches their time , and fetches into the slaughter , all the children of two yeeres age : The Preists & Scribes had told him , the towne of Bethleem must bee the place of the Messia's natiuity : He fetches in all the children of the coasts adioyning ; yea his own shall for the time be a Bethleemite : A tyrannous guiltinesse neuer thinks it selfe safe , but euer seeks to assure it selfe in the excesse of cruelty : Doubtlesse he , which so priuily inquired for Christ , did as secretly brew this massacre : The mothers were set with their children on their laps , feeding them with the brest , or talking to them in the familiar language of their loue , when suddenly the executioner rushes in , and snatches them from their armes , and at once pulling forth his commission & his knife , without regard to shrikes or teares , murthers the innocent babe , and leaues the passionate mother in a meane betweene madnes and death . What cursing of Herod ? what wringing of hands ? what condoling ? what exclaiming was now in the streets of Bethleem ?

O bloody Herod , that couldst sacrifice . so many harmlesse liues to thine ambition ! What could those infants haue done ? If it were thy person , whereof thou wert affraid , what liklyhood was it , thou couldst liue , till those sucklings might endanger thee ? This newes might affect thy successors , it could not concerne thee , if the heat of an impotent and furious enuie had not made thee thirsty of blood : It is not long , that thou shalt enioy this cruelty ; After a few hatefull yeeres thy soule shall feele the weight of so many innocents , of so many iust curses .

He , for whose sake thou killdst so many , shall thee strike with death , and then what wouldst thou haue giuen to haue bin as one of those infants whom thou murtherest ? In the meane time , when thine executioners returned , and told thee of their vnpartiall dispatch , thou smiledst to thinke , how thou hadst defeated thy riuall , and beguiled the starre , and deluded the prophesies ; whiles God in heauen , and his Sonne on earth laugh thee to scorne , and make thy rage an occasion of further glory to him , whom thou mentest to suppress .

He that could take away the liues of others , cannot protract his owne : Herod is now sent home ; The coast is cleare for the return of that holy family ; Now God calls them from their exile : Christ and his mother had not stayed so long out of the confines of the reputed visible Church , but to teach vs continuance vnder the crosse : Sometimes God sees it good for vs not to sip of the cup of affliction , but to make a diet-drinke of it , for constant and common vse : If he allow vs no other liquor for many yeeres , we must take it off cheerfully , and know , that it is but the measure of our betters .

IOSEPH and MARY stirre not without a command ; their departure , stay , remoouall is ordred by the voice of God : If Aegypt had beene more tedious vnto them , they durst not moue their foote , till they were bidden : It is good in our owne businesse to follow reason , or custom , but in Gods businesse , if we haue any other guide but himselfe , we presume , & cannot expect a blessing .

O the wonderfull dispensation of God in concealing of himselfe from men ! Christ was now some fiue yeere old ; hee beares himselfe as an infant , and knowing all things , neither takes nor giues notice of ought concerning his remoouall , and disposing , but appoints that to be done by his Angell , which the Angell could not haue done , but by him : Since hee would take our nature , he would be a perfect childe , suppressing the manifestation & exercise of that Godhead , whereto that infant nature was conioyned . Euen so , O Sauiour , the humilitie of thine infancy was answerable to that of thy birth : The more thou hidest and abasest thy selfe for vs , the more should we magnifie thee , the more should we deiect our selues for thee .

Vnto Thee with the Father & the Holy Ghost be all honor and glory now and for euer . Amen .

FINIS .

Contemplations VPON THE Principall passages of the Holy STORY .

The FOVRTH VOLVME .

By IOS. HALL .

LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for Henry Fetherstone . 1618.

Contemplations . THE TWELVTH BOOKE .

Contayning

The Arke and Dagon . The Arkes Reuenge & Returne . The Remoue of the Arke . The meeting of Saul and Samuel . The Inauguration of Saul . Samuels Contestation . Sauls sacrifice . Ionathans victory & Sauls oath .

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE , MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD , the LORD HAY , Baron of SALEY , one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuie COVNSELL . RIGHT HO:

Your Lo: sincerely and thankfully deuoted , IOS: HALL .

Contemplations . THE ARKE and DAGON .

MEN could not arise to such height of impiety , if they did not mistake God : The acts of his iust iudgement are imputed to impotence ; that God would send his Arke captiue to the Philistims , is so construed by them , as if he could not keep it : The wife of Phinebas cryed out , that glory was departed from Israel ; The Philistims dare say in triumph , that glory is departed from the God of Israel ; The Arke was not Israels , but Gods , this victory reaches higher then to men . Dagon had neuer so great a day , so many sacrifices , as now that he seemes to take the God of Israel prisoner ; Where should the captiue be bestowed , but in the custodie of the Victor : It is not loue , but insultation , that lodges the Arke close beside Dagon : What a spectacle was this , to see vncircumcised Philistims laying their profane hands vpon the testimonie of Gods presence ? to see the glorious mercy seat vnder the roofe of an Idoll ? to see the two Cherubins spreading their wings vnder a false God ?

OH the deepe and holy wisdome of the Almightie , which ouer-reaches all the finite conceit of his creature , who while he seemes most to neglect himselfe , fetches about most glory to his owne name ; He winks , and sits still on purpose , to be what men would doe , and is content to suffer indignitie from his creature , for a time , that he may be euerlastingly magnified in his iustice , and power : That honor pleaseth God and men best , which is raised out of contempt .

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

GOD will let them sleepe in this confidence ; in the morning they shall finde , how vainely they haue dreamed . Now they begin to finde they haue but gloryed in their owne plague , and ouerthrowne nothing but their owne peace : Dagon hath an house , when God hath but a Tabernacle ; It is no measuring of religion by outward glory : Into this house the proud Phoenitians come , the next morning , to congratulate vnto their god , so great a captiue , such diuine spoiles , and in their early deuotions to fall downe before him , vnder whom the God of Israel was fallen : and lo , where they finde their god , fallen downe on the ground vpon his face , before him , whom they thought both his prisoner , and theirs : Their god is forced to doe that , which they should haue done voluntarily ; although God casts downe that dumbe riuall of his , for scorne , not for adoration . Oh yee foolish Philistims , could yee think that the same house could hold GOD & DAGON ? could yee thinke a senselesse stone , a fit companion and guardian for the liuing GOD ? Had yee laid your Dagon vpon his face , prostrate before the Arke , yet would not God haue indured the indignitie of such a lodging ; but now , that yee presume to set vp your carued stone , equall to his Cherubins , go read your folly in the floore of your temple , and know that hee which cast your god so low , can cast you lower .

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

BVT this perhaps , was onely a mischance , or a neglect of attendance , lay to your hands , ô yee Philistims , and raise vp Dagon into his place ; It is a miserable god that needs helping vp ; Had yee not beene more senselesse then that stone , how could you choose but thinke , How shall hee raise vs aboue our enemies , that cannot rise alone ? how shall he establish vs in the station of our peace , that cannot hold his own foot ? If Dagon did giue the soyle vnto the God of Israel , what power is it , that hath cast him vpon his face , in his owne Temple ? It is iust with God , that those which want grace shall want wit too ; it is the power of superstition , to turne men into those stocks , and stones , which they worship : They that make them are like vnto them ; Doubtlesse , this first fall of Dagon was kept as secret , and excused as well as it might , and serued rather for astonishment , then conviction ; there was more strangenes then horror in that accident ; that whereas Dagon had wont to stand , and the Philistims fall downe , now Dagon fell downe , and the Philistims stood , and must become the patrons of their owne god ; their god worships them vpon his face , and craues more helpe from them , then euer he could giue : But if their sottishnes can digest this all is well . Dagon is set in his place , and now those hands are lift vp to him , which helped to lift him vp ; and those faces are prostrate vnto him , before whom he lay prostrate . Idolatry and superstition are not easily put out of countenance ; But will the ielosie of the true God put it vp thus ? Shall Dagon escape with an harmelesse fall ? Surely , if they had let him lye still vpon the pauement , perhaps that insensible statue had found no other reuenge ; but now , they will be aduancing it to the roodlost againe , and affront Gods Arke with it , the euent will shame them , and let them know , how much God scornes a partner , either of his owne making , or theirs .

THEIR first and onely care is to put away him , who as hee hath corrected , so can ease them . Folly is neuer separated from wickednes ▪