SAVL in DAVIDS Caue.

IT was the strange lot of Dauid, that those whom hee pursued, preserued him from those whom hee had pre­serued; The Philistims, whom [Page 2] Dauid had newly smitten in Keilah, call off Saul from smi­ting Dauid in the wildernesse, when there was but an hillock betwixt him and death: Wic­ked purposes are easily checked, not easily broken off. Sauls sword is scarce dry from the bloud of the Philistims, when it thirsts anew for the bloud of Dauid; and now in a renued chase, hunts him dry-foot tho­row euery wildernesse: The ve­ry desert is too faire a refuge for innocence; The hils and rocks are searched in an angry iealou­sie; the very wilde goats of the mountaines were not allowed to bee companions for him, which had no fault but his ver­tue. [Page 3] Oh the seemingly-vnequall distribution of these earthly things; Cruelty and oppression raignes in a palace, whiles good­nesse lurkes among the rockes and caues, and thinkes it hap­pinesse enough to steale a life.

Like a dead man, Dauid is faine to be hid vnder the earth, and seekes the comfort of pro­tection in darknesse: and now the wise prouidence of God leads Saul to his enemy without bloud; He, which before broght them within an hils distance without interview, brings them now both within one roofe; so as that whiles Saul seekes Da­uid and findes him not, hee is found of Dauid vnsought. If [Page 4] Saul had knowne his owne op­portunities, how Dauid and his men had interred themselues, he had saued a treble labour, of chase, of execution, and buriall, for had he but stopt the mouth of that caue, his enemies had layd themselues downe in their owne graues: The wisdome of God thinkes fit to hide from euill men, & spirits, those means and seasons, which might be (if they had been taken) most pre­iudiciall to his owne: Wee had been oft foyled; if Satan could but haue knowne our hearts: somtimes wee lye open to euils, and happy it is for vs that hee onely knowes it, which pitties in steed of tempting vs.

[Page 5] It is not long, since Saul sayd of Dauid (lodged them in Kei­lah) God hath deliuered him in­to mine hands, for he is shut in, seeing hee is come into a City that hath gates and bars; but now contrarily God deliuers Saul (ere he was aware) into the hands of Dauid, and without the helpe of gates and bars, hath inclosed him within the valley of the shadow of death: How iust it is with God, that those who seeke mischeefe to others, finde it to them selues; and euen whiles they are spredding nets, are insnared; Their deliberate plotting of euill, is surprized with a sudden judgement.

How amazedly must Dauid [Page 6] needes looke, when he saw Saul enter into the caue, where him­selfe was? what is this (thinkes hee) which God hath done? Is this presence purposed, or casu­all; is Saul here to pursue, or to tempt me? Where suddenly the action bewrayes the intent, and tels Dauid that Saul sought secre­cy and not him. The super­fluity of his maliciousnesse brought him into the wilder­nesse, the necessity of nature led him into the caue: Euen those actions wherin we place shame, are not exempted from a proui­dence. The fingers of Dauids followers itched to cease on their Masters enemy; and that they might not seeme led so [Page 7] much by faction, as by faith, they vrge Dauid with a promise from God; The day is come whereof the Lord said vnto thee, Behold I will deliuer thine enemie into thine hand, and thou shalt do to him, as it shall seeme good to thee. This argu­ment seemed to carry such command with it, as that Dauid not onely may, but must em­brue his hands in blood, vnlesse he will bee found wanting to God and himselfe, those temp­tations are most powerfull, which fetch their force from the pretence of a religious obedi­ence: Whereas those which are raysed from arbitrary and pri­uate respects, admit of an easie dispensation.

[Page 8] If there were such a prediction, one clause of it was ambiguous; and they take it at the worst: Thou shalt doe to him as shall seeme good to thee: that might not seeme good to him, which seemed euill vnto God. There is nothing more dangerous then to make construction of Gods purposes out of euentuall appearances, If carnall proba­bilities might be the rule of our iudgement, what could God seeme to intend other then Sauls death in offering him naked in­to the hands of those whom he vniustly persecuted? how could Dauids soldiers thinke that God had sent Saul thither on any o­ther errand, then to fetch his [Page 9] bane, and if Saul could haue seene his owne danger, hee had giuen himselfe for dead, for his hart guilty to his owne bloody desires could not but haue ex­pected the same measure which is meant: But wise and holy Dauid not transported either with misconcert of the euent, or fury of passion, or sollicitati­on of his followers dares make no other vse of this accident then the triall of his loyalty, and the inducement of his peace; It had beene as easie for him to cut the throate of Saul as his garment; but now his coate only shall be the worse, not his person; neither doth he in the moyming of a cloake seeke his [Page 10] own reuenge, but a monument of his innocence. Before Saul rent Samuels garment, now Da­uid cutteth Sauls; both were sig­nificant; The rending of the one, signified the Kingdome torne out of those vnworthy hands; the cutting of the other, that the life of Saul might haue beene as easily cut off.

Saul needs no other monitor of his owne danger, then what he weares. The vpper garment of Saul was laid aside, whiles he went to couer his feete; so as the cut of the garment, did not threaten any touch of the bo­dy, yet euen this violence offe­red to a remote garment strikes the hart of Dauid, which findes [Page 11] a present remorse for harmeful­ly touching, that which did once touch the person of his maister, Tender consciences are moued to regret at those acti­ons, which strong harts passe ouer with a carelesse ease. It troubled not Saul to seeke after the blood of a righteons ser­uant; there is no lesse difference of consciences then stomackes; Some stomacks will digest the hardest meates, and turne ouer substances, not in their nature edible, whiles others surret of the lightest food, and complaine euen of dainties: Euery gratious hart is in some measure scrupu­lous, and findes more safetie in feare, then in presumption: And [Page 12] if it be so strait as to curbe it selfe in from the libertie which it might take in things which are not vnlawfull, how much lesse will it dare to take scope vnto euill: By how much that state is better, where nothing is allowed, then where all things; by so much is the strict and timorous conscience better then the lawlesse. There is good likelyhood of that man which is any way scrupulous of his wayes; but he which makes no bones of his actions, is ap­parently hopelesse.

SINCE Dauids followers pleaded Gods testimony to him as a motiue to blood. Dauid ap­peales the same God for his pre­seruation [Page 13] from blood. The Lord keepe me from doing that thing to my maister the Lords anoynted; and now the good man hath worke enough to de­fend both himselfe and his per­secuter, himselfe, from the im­portunate necessitie of doing violence, and his maister from suffering it. It was not more ea­sie to rule his owne hands, then difficult to rule a multitude: Dauids troupe consisted of male-contents, all, that were in distresse, in debt, in bitternesse of soule were gathered to him: Many if neuer so well ordered, are hard to command, a few if disorderly, more hard; many and disorderly must needes be [Page 14] so much the hardest of all, that Dauid neuer atchiued any victo­rie like vnto this, wherein the first ouercame himselfe, then his soldiers.

AND what was the charme, wherewith Dauid allayed those raging spirits of his followers? No other but this; He is the A­noynted of the Lord. That ho­ly oyle was the Antidote for his blood; Saul did not lend Dauid so impearceable an Ar­mour, when he should incoun­ter Goliah, as Dauid now lent him in this plea of his vnction. Which of all the disconted out­lawes that lurked in that caue, durst put forth his hand against Saul, when they once heard, He [Page 15] is the Lords anoynted: Such an impression of awe hath the di­uine prouidence caused his I­mage to make in the harts of men, as that it makes traytors cowards; So as insteed of stri­king they tremble; How much more lawlesse, then the out­lawes of Israel are those profes­sed Ring-leaders of Christiani­ty; which teach and practise, and incourage, and reward, and canonize the violation of ma­iestie. It is not enough for those who are commanders of others to refraine their owne hands from euill, but they must care­fully preuent the iniquitie of their heeles, else they shall bee iustly reputed to doe that by [Page 16] others, which in their owne person they auoyded; the lawes both of God and man, presup­pose vs in some sort answerable for our charge: as taking it for granted, that wee should not vndertake those raynes, which we cannot mannage.

There was no reason Dauid should loose the thankes of so noble a demonstration of his loyalty; Whereto he trusts so much, that hee dares call backe the man by whom he was pur­sued; and make him iudge whether that fact had not de­serued a life. As his act, so his word and gesture imported nothing but humble obedience, neither was there more meeke­nesse [Page 17] then force in that seasona­ble perswasion; Wherein hee lets Saul see the error of his cre­dulity, the vniust slaunders of maliciousnesse, the oportunity of his reuenge, the proofe of his forbearance, the vndeniable euidence of his innocence; and after a lowly disparagement of himselfe, appeales to God for iudgement, for protection.

So liuely and feeling oratory did Saul finde in the lap of his garment, and the lips of Dauid, that it is not in the power of his enuy, or ill nature to hold out any longer. Is this thy voyce my sonne Dauid, and Saul lift vp his voyce and wept, and said: Thou art more righteous [Page 18] then I; Hee, whose harpe had wont to quiet the frenzy of Saul, hath now by his words calmed his fury; so as now hee sheds teares in steed of blood: and confesses his owne wrong, and Dauids integrity; And (as if he were new againe entered into the bounds of Naioth in Ramath) he prayes, and pro­phesies good to him, whom he maliced for good; The Lord render thee good for that thou hast done to mee this day; for now behold I know that thou shalt be king. There is no hart made of flesh, that some time or other relents not, euen flint and marble, will in some wether stand on dropes. I cannot think [Page 19] these teares and protestations fayned. Doubtlesse Saul meant as he said, and passed through sensible fits of good and euill: Let no man like himselfe the better for good motions; the prayse and benefit of those guests is not in the receit, but the retention.

Who, that had seene this mee­ting, could but haue thought all had beene sure on Dauids side? What can secure vs if not teares, and prayers and oathes? Doubt­lesse Dauids men which knew themselues obnoxious to lawes and creditors, began to thinke of some new refuge, as making account this new peeced league would be euerlasting; they loo­ked [Page 20] when Saul would take Da­uid home to the court, and dis­solue his army, and recompence that vniust persecution with iust honor; when behold in the loose, Saul goes home, but Da­uid and his men goe vp vnto the hold. Wise Dauid knowes Saul not to be more kinde, then vn­trusty; and therefore had rather seeke safely in his hold, then in the hold of an hollow and vnsteedy friendship. Heere are good words but no security, which therefore an experienced man giues the hearing, but stands the while vpon his own guard. No charity bindes vs to a trust of those, whom we haue found faithlesse; Credulity [Page 21] vpon weake grounds after pal­pable disapointments, is the daughter of folly: A man that is weatherwise, though he finde an abatement of the storme, yet will not stirre from vnder his shelter whiles hee sees it thicke in the winde, distrust is the iust gaine of vnfaithful­nesse.

Nabal and Abigail.

IF innocency could haue securd from Sauls malice, Dauid had not beene persecuted; and yet vnder that wicked King, aged Samuel dies in his bed. That there might be no place for enuy, the good Prophet had retyred him­selfe to the Schooles. Yet hee that hated Dauid, for what hee should bee, did no lesse hate Sa­muel for what hee had beene. Euen in the midst of Sauls ma­lignity, there remained in his [Page 23] heart impressions of awfulnesse vnto Samuel: hee feared, where he loued not. The restraint of God curbeth the rage of his most violent enemies, so as they cannot doe their worst. As good husbands, doe not put all their corne to the ouen, but saue some for seed, so doth God euer in the worst persecutions.

SAMVEL is dead, Dauid ba­nished, Saul tyranizeth, Israel hath good cause to mourne; it is no maruell if this lamentation be vniuersall. There is no Israe­lite that feeleth not the losse of a Samuel. A good Prophet is the common treasure, wherin euery gracious soule hath a share That man hath a dry heart, which [Page 24] can part with Gods Prophet without teares.

NABAL was according to his name foolish; yet rich and mighty. Earthly possessions are not alwayes accompanied with wit and grace. Euen the line of faithfull Caleb will afford an ill-condition'd Nabal. Vertue is not like vnto lands inheritable. All that is traduced with the seede, is either euill, or not good. Let no mam brag with the Iewes, that he hath Abram to his father; God hath raised vp of this stone, a sonne to Caleb.

ABIGAIL (which signi­fied her fathers ioy) had sorrow enough to bee matched with so vnworthy an husband; If her [Page 25] father had meant, shee should haue had ioy in herselfe, or in her life, he had not disposed her to an husband (though rich) yet fond and wicked; It is like hee married her to the wealth, not to the man. Many a childe is cast away vpon riches. Wealth in our matches, should bee as some graines or scruples in the balance, superadded to the gold of vertuous qualities, to weigh downe the scales; when it is made the substancc of the weight, and good qualities the appendance, there is but one earth poysed with another; which, wheresoeuer it is done, it is a wonder, if either the chil­dren proue not the parents sor­row, [Page 26] or the parents, theirs.

NABALS sheep-shearing was famous; Three thousand fleeces must needes require ma­ny hands; neither is any thing more plentiful commonly then a Churles feast: What a world was this, that the noble Cham­pion & Rescuer of Israel, Gods Anoynted, is driuen to send to a base Carle for victuals? It is no measuring of men by the depth of the purse, by outward pro­sperity. Seruants are oft-times set on horse-backe, whiles Prin­ces walke on foot. Our estima­tion must bee led by their in­ward worth, which is not alter­able by time, nor diminishable with externall conditions.

[Page 27] ONE rag of a Dauid is more worth, then the ward-robes of a thousand Nabals. Euen the best deseruings may want. No man may be contemned for his necessity; perhaps he may be so much richer in grace, as hee is poorer in estate; neither hath violence or casualty more im­pouerished a Dauid, then his po­uerty hath enriched him. Hee, whose folly hath made himselfe miserable, is iustly rewarded with neglect; but he, that suffers for good, deserues so much more honour from others, as his distresse is more. Our com­passion or respect must be ruled, according to the cause of ano­thers misery.

[Page 28] ONE good turne requires another; in some cases not hur­ting is meritorious: Hee that should examine the qualities of Dauids followers must needes grant it worthy of a fee, that Nabals flocks lay vntouched in Carmel; but more, that Dauids Souldiers were Nabals Sheep­heards; yea, the keepers of his shepheards, gaue them a just in­terest in that sheep-shearing feast, justly should they haue beene set at the vpper end of the table. That Nabals sheepe were safe, he might thanke his Shep­heards; that his Shepheards were safe, hee might thanke Da­uids Souldiers; It is no small benefit that wee receiue in a safe [Page 29] protection; well may we think our substance due, where wee owe our selues. Yet this chur­lish Nabal doth not onely giue nothing to Dauids messengers, but which is worse then no­thing, ill words; Who is Dauid, or who is the sonne of Ishai; There be many seruants now a dayes, that breake away from their Masters▪ Dauid asked him bread, he giues him stones. All Israel knew, and honored their Deli­uerer; yet this Clown, to saue his victuals, will needs make him a man, either of no merits of ill; either an obscure man, or a Fu­gitiue. Nothing is more cheap then good words; these Nabal might haue giuen, and been ne­uer [Page 30] the poorer; If he had beene resolued to shut his hands, in a feare of Sauls reuenge, he might haue so tempered his deniall, that the repulse might haue beene free from offence: But now his foule mouth doth not onely deny, but reuile. It should haue beene Nabals glory, that his Tribe yeelded such a Successor to the Throne of Israel; now in all likely hood, his enuy stirs him vp to disgrace that man, who surpassed him in honour and vertue, more then hee was surpassed by him in vertue and ease; Many an one speaks faire, that meanes ill, but when the mouth speakes foule, it argues a corrupt heart; If with S. Iames [Page 31] his verball benefactors, wee say onely, Depart in peace, warme your selues, fill your bellies, wee shall answer for hypocriticall vncharitablenesse, but if wee rate & curse those needy soules, whom we ought to releeue, wee shall giue a more fearefull ac­count of a sauage cruelty, in trampling on those whom God hath humbled. If healing with good words bee justly punisha­ble, what torment is there for those that wound with euill.

DAVID, which had all this while beene in the schole of pa­tience; hath now his lesson to seeke; Hee, who had happily digested all the rayling and per­secutions of a wicked Master, [Page 32] cannot put off this affront of a Nabal, Nothing can asswage his choler, but bloud; How sub­iect are the best of Gods Saints to weake passions, and if wee haue the grace to ward an expe­cted blow of temptations, how easily are wee surprized with a sudden foe. Wherefore serue these recorded weaknesses of holy men, but to strengthen vs against the conscience of our infirmities? not that we should take courage to imitate them in the euill, whereunto they haue been miscarried; But we should take heart to our selues, against the discouragement of our own euils.

THE wisdome of God hath [Page 33] so contriued it, that commonly (in societies) good is mixed with euill; wicked Nabal hath in his house a wise and good seruant, a prudent and worthy wife; That wise seruant is carefull to aduertise his Mistresse of the danger; his prudent Mistresse is carefull to preuent it.

THE liues of all his family were now in hazard: she dares not commit this businesse to the fidelity of a messenger, but forgetting her sex, puts herselfe into the errand; Her foot is not slow, her hand is not empty; According to the offence shee frames her satisfaction; Her husband refused to giue, shee brings a bountiful gift; her hus­band [Page 34] gaue ill words, shee swee­tens them with a meeke and humble deprecation; Her hus­band could say, Who is Dauid? she fals at his feet, her husband dismisses Dauids men empty, she brings her seruants laden with prouision; as if it had been on­ly meant to ease the repelled messengers of the carriage, not to scant them of the required beneuolence; No wit, no art could deuise a more pithy and powerfull Oratory: As all satis­faction, so hers, begins with a confession, wherein shee deeply blameth the folly of her hus­band: She could not haue been a good wife, if shee had not ho­noured her vnworthy head; If [Page 35] a stranger should haue termed him foole in her hearing, hee could not haue gone away in peace: Now to saue his life, she is bold to acknowledge his fol­ly: It is a good disparagement that preserueth. There is the same way to our peace in hea­uen; the only meanes to escape judgement, is to complaine of our owne vilenesse; shee plea­deth her ignorance of the fact, and therein, her freedome from the offence; she humbly craueth acceptation of her present, with pardon of the fault; she profes­seth Dauids honorable acts and merits; shee foretels his future successe and glory; she layes be­fore him the happy peace of his [Page 36] soule, in refraining from inno­cent bloud. Dauids brest, which could not through the seeds of grace, grow to a stubbornesse in ill resolutions, cannot but relent with these powerfull and fea­sonable perswasions; and now, in steed of reuenge, hee blesseth God for sending Abigail to meet him; he blesseth Abigail for her councell, hee blesseth the coun­cell for so wholsome efficacy, and now reioyceth more in be­ing ouercome with a wise and gracious aduice, then he would haue reioyced in a reuengefull victory.

A good heart is easily stayed from sinning, and is glad when it findes occasion to bee crossed [Page 37] in ill purposes; Those secret checks which are raised within it selfe, do readily conspire with all outward retentiues; It neuer yeelded to a wicked motion, without much reluctation, and when it is ouercome, it is but with halfe a consent; whereas peruerse and obdurate sinners, by reason they take full delight in euill, and haue already in their conceit swallowed the pleasure of sin, abide not to bee resisted, running on headily, in those wicked courses they haue propounded, in spight of oppo­sition; and if they bee forcibly stopped in their way, they grow sullen and mutinous. Dauid had not only vowed, but deeply [Page 38] sworne the death of Nabal, and all his family, to the very dog that lay at his doore; yet now he praiseth God, that hath giuen the occasion and grace to vio­late it. Wicked vowes are ill made, but worse kept. Our tongue cannot tye vs to com­mit sinne. Good men thinke themselues happy, that since they had not the grace to deny sin; yet they had not the oppor­tunity to accomplish it. If Abigail had fit still at home, Dauid had sinned, and she had dyed: Now her discreet admonition hath preserued her from the sword, and diuerted him from bloud­shed. And now, what thankes, what benedictons hath shee for [Page 39] this seasonable Councell. How should it encourage vs to ad­monish our brethren; to see that if wee preuaile, wee haue blessings from them; if we pre­uaile not, we haue yet blessings from God, and thankes of our owne hearts.

How neere was Nabal to a mischeefe, and perceiues it not? Dauid was comming at the foot of the hill to cut his throat, while hee was feasting in his house without feare; Little doe sinners know, how neere their iollity is to perdition. Many time judgement is at the thre­shold, whiles drunkennesse and surfet are at the boord. Had he beene any other then [...] Nabal, he [Page 40] had not sate downe to feast, till he had beene sure of his peace with Dauid; either not to expect danger, or not to cleare it, was sottish; So foolish are carnall men, that giue themselues ouer to their pleasures, whiles there are deadly quarrels depending against them in Heauen. There is nothing wherein wisdome is more seene, then in the tempe­rate vse of prosperity. A Nabal cannot abound, but he must be drunke and surfet; Excesse is a true argument of folly: We vse to say, that When drinke is in, wit is out; but if wit were not out, drinke would not be in.

It was no time to aduise Na­bal, while his reason was drow­ned [Page 41] in a deluge of wine. A beast or a stone is as capable of good councell, as a Drunkard. Oh that the noblest Creature should so farre abase himselfe, as for a little liquor, to lose the vse of those faculties, whereby he is a Man. Those that haue to doe with drinke or phrenzy, must be glad to watch times; So did Abigail, who the next morning presents to her husband, the view of his faults, of his danger, He then sees how neere hee was to death, and felt it not. That worldly minde is so apprehen­siue of the death that should haue beene, as that hee dies, to thinke he had like to haue dyed; Who would think a man could [Page 42] bee so affected with a danger past, and yet so sencelesse of a future, yea imminent? He that was yester-night as a beast, is now as a stone; hee was then ouer-merry, now dead and lum­pish; Carnall hearts are euer in extremity. If they bee once downe, their desection is despe­rate, because they haue no in­ward comfort, to mitigate their sorrow; What difference there was betwixt the disposition of Dauid and Nabal? How oft had Dauid beene in the valley of the shadow of death, and feared no euill? Nabal is but once put in minde of a death that might haue been, and is stricken dead.

It is just with God, that they [Page 43] who liue without grace, should dye without comfort; neither can we expect better, while wee goe on in our sins. The speech of Abigail smote Nabal into a qualme; that tongue had doubt­lesse oft aduised him well, and preuailed not; now, occasions his death, whose reformation it could not effect; shee meant nothing but his amendment; God meant to make that louing Instrument the meanes of his reuenge: she speakes, and God strikes; within ten dayes, that swound ends in death. And now Nabal payes deare for his vncharitable reproch; for his riotous excesse; That God, which would not suffer Dauid to [Page 44] right himselfe by his owne sword, takes the quarrell of his Seruant into his owne hand, Dauid hath now his ends with­out sin; reioycing in the just executions of God, who would neither suffer him to sinne in re­uenging, nor suffer his aduersa­ry to sin vnreuenged.

Our louing God is more an­gry with the wrongs done to his seruants, then themselues can be, and knowes how to pu­nish that justly, which we could not vndertake with wronging God, more then men haue wronged vs. He that saith, Ven­geance is mine, I will repay, repayes oft-times when we haue forgi­uen, when we haue forgotten; [Page 45] and cals to reckoning after our discharges; It is dangerous offending any fauorite of him, whose displeasure and reuenge is euerlasting.

How farre God lookes be­yond our purposes? Abigail came only to plead for an ill husband; and now God makes this iourney a preparation for a better; So that in one act, shee preserud an ill husband, and wonne a good one for the fu­ture; Dauid well remembers her comely person, her wife speeches, her gracefull carriage; and now, when modesty found it seasonable; he sendes to sue to her, which had beene his suppliant; she intreated for her [Page 46] husband, Dauid treates with her for his wife; her request was to escape his sword, hee wisheth her to his bed; It was a faire suite to change a Dauid for a Nabal; to become Dauids Queene, in steed of Nabals drudge; shee that learned hu­militie vnder so hard a Tuter, a­baseth her selfe no lesse when Dauid offers to aduance her; (Let thine hand-maid be a ser­uant to wash the feet of the ser­uants of my Lord) None are so fit to be great, as those that can stoope loewst: How could Dauid be more happy in a wife; he finds at once piety, wisdom, humility, faithfulnes, wealth, beauty? How could Abigail bee [Page 47] more happy in an husband, then in the Prophet, the Cham­pion, the Anoynted of God? Those mariages are well made, wherein vertues are mat­ched, and happinesse is mutuall.

Dauid and Achish.

GOOD motions that fall into wicked harts, are like some sparks that fall from the flint and steele, into wet tinder; lightsome for the time, but soone out. After Sauls teares and protestations, yet is he now againe, in the wildernes with three thousand men to hunt af­ter inocent Dauid: How in­uincible is the charity and loy­alty of an honest hart? The same hand that spared Saul in [Page 49] the caue, spares him sleeping in the field; The same hand that cut away the lappe of his mai­sters garment; caryed away his speare; that speare, which might as well haue caryed away, the life of the owner; is only born away for a proofe of the fideli­ty of the bearer. Still Saul is strong, but Dauid victorious, and triumphs ouer the malice of his persecutor; Yet still the victor flyeth, from him whom he hath ouercome; A man that sees; how farre Saul was trans­ported, with his rancorous en­uy, cannot but say, that hee was neuer more mad then when he was sober; For euen after he had said (Blessed art thou my sonne [Page 50] Dauid, thou shalt do great things and also preuaile;) yet still hee pursues him; whom hee grants assured to preuaile; what is this but to resolue to loose his la­bour in sinning? and in spight of himselfe to offend? How shamefull is our inequality of disposition to good? We know we cannot misse of the reward of well-doing, and yet doe it not; whiles wicked men cast away their endeauours vpon those euill proiects, whereof they are sure to faile; sinne blindes the eyes and hardens the heart, and thrusts men into wilfull mischiefes, how euer dangerous, how euer impossi­ble; and neuer leaues them till [Page 51] it haue brought them to vtter confusion.

THE ouer-long continu­ance of a tentation, may easily weary the best patience: and may attaine that by protracti­on, which it could neuer doe by violence; Dauid himselfe at last begins to bend vncler this triall; and resolues so to flee from Saul, as that hee runnes from the Church of God; and whiles he will auoyde the ma­lice of his master, ioynes him­selfe with Gods enemies. The greatest Saints vpon earth, are not alwayes vpon the same pitch of spirituall strength; He that sometimes said (I will not be affraid for ten thousand, now [Page 52] saies, I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul) He had wont to consult with God, now hee saies thus in his owne hart; How many euident experi­ments had Dauid of Gods deli­uerances; how certaine and cleare predictions of his future Kingdome; how infallible ear­nest was the holy oyle, where­with hee was anoynted, of the crowne of Israel? And yet (Da­uid said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul:) The best faith, is but like the twy-light, mixed with some degrees of darkness, & infidelity; We doe vtterly misreakon the greatest earthly holinesse, if we exempt it from infirmities, It is [Page 53] not long since Dauid told Saul, that those wicked enemies of his, which cast him out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, did as good as bid him; Goe serue other Gods, yet now is he gone from the inhe­ritance of God, into the land of the Philistims; That Saul might seeke him no more, hee hides himselfe out of the lists of the Church, where a good man would not looke for him: Once before had Dauid fled to this Achish, when hee was glad to scrabble on the doozes, and let his spittle fal vpon his beard, in a semblance of madnesse, that he might escape, yet now in a semblance of friendship, is hee [Page 54] returned to saue that life, which he was in danger to haue lost in Israel; Goliah the Champion of the Philistims, whom Dauid slew, was of Gath; yet Dauid dwells with Achish King of the Philistims in Gath; Euen a­mongst them whose fore-skins he had presented to Saul, by two hundreds at once, doth Dauid choose to reside for safety: Howsoeuer it was a weakenesse in Dauid, thus by his league of amity to strengthen the ene­mies of God, yet doth not God take aduantage of it for his ouerthrow, but giues him pro­tection, euen where his pre­sence offended; and giues him fauour where himselfe bore iust [Page 55] hatred; Oh the infinite pati­ence and mercy of our God, who doth good to vs for our euill, and in the very act of our prouocation vpholdeth, yea, blesseth vs with preseruation.

Could Saul haue rightly con­sidered it, hee had found it no small losse and impairing to his kingdome, that so valiant a Captaine, attended with sixe hundred able soldiers, and their families should forsake his land, and ioyne with his enemies; yet he is not quiet till he haue aban­doned his owne strength: The world hath none so great ene­my to a wicked man, as him­selfe; his hands cannot be held from his owne mischiefe; hee [Page 56] will needs make his friends, ene­mies; his enemies, victors, himselfe, miserable.

DAVID was too wise, to cast himselfe into the hands of a Philistim King, without assu­rance; What assurance could hee haue but promises? Those, Dauid had from Saul abundant­ly, and trusted them not; Hee dares trust the fidelity of a Pa­gan, hee dares not trust the vowes of a King of Israel; There may bee fidelity without the Church, and falshood with­in: It need not bee any newes to finde some Turks true, and some Christians faithlesse.

EVEN vnwise men are taught by experience, how [Page 57] much more they, who haue wit to learne without it? Dauid had well found, what it was to liue in a Court; He therfore, whom enuy droue from the Court of Israel, voluntarily declines the Philistim Court; and sies for a country-habitation; It had not beene possible for so noted a stranger, after so much Phili­stim-bloud shed, to liue long in such eminency, amongst the prease of those, whose sons, or brothers, or fathers, or allies, he had slaughtered, without some perilous machination of his ruine; therfore he makes suit for an earely remoue: (For why should thy seruant dwell in the cheefe City of the Kingdome [Page 58] with thee?) Those that would stand sure, must not affect too much height, or conspicuity; The tall Cedars are most subiect to winds and lightnings, whiles the shrubs of the valleyes stand vnmooued; Much greatnesse doth but make a fairer marke for euill; There is true firm­nesse and safety in mediocrity.

How rarely is it seene, that a man loseth by his modesty? The change fell out well to Da­uid of Ziklag, for Gath; Now he hath a City of his owne; All Israel, where he was anoynted, afforded him not so much pos­session: Now the City, which was anciently assigned to Iudah, returnes to the iust Owner; and [Page 59] is by this meanes entayled to the Crowne of Dauids Succes­sours. Besides, that now might Dauid liue out of the sight, and hearing of the Philistim Idolatries, and enioy God no lesse in the wals of a Philistim-City, then in an Israelitish wildernesse; withall, an happy opportunity was now opened to his friends of Israel, to resort vnto his ayd; the heads of the thousands that were of Manasseh, and many va­liant Captaines of the other Tribes, fell dayly to him, and raised his six hundred followers to an army, like the Host of God. The deserts os Israel could neuer haue yeelded Dauid so great an aduantage: That [Page 60] God, whose the earth is makes room for his own euery-where; and oft times prouideth them a forraine home, more kindely then the natiue; It is no matter for change of our soyle, so wee change not our God; If we can euery where acknowledge him, hee will no where bee wanting to vs.

It was not for Gods Cham­pion to be idle; no sooner is he free from Sauls sword, then hee begins an offensiue war against the Amalekites, Girzites, Geshu­rites: Hee knew these Nations branded by God to destruction; neither could his increasing ar­my be maintained with a little▪ By one act therefore, he both re­uenges [Page 61] for God, and prouides for his Host. Had it not beene for that old quarrell, which God had with this people, Da­uid could not be excused from a bloudy cruelty, in killing whole Countries, onely for the benefit of the spoyle: Now his Souldiers were at once, Gods Executioners, and their owne Forragers. The interuention of a command from the Almigh­ty, alters the state of any act; and makes that worthy of praise, which els were no better then damnable. It is now Iu­stice, which were otherwise murder; The will of God is the rule of good; what neede we enquire into other reasons, [Page 62] of any act or determination, when wee heare it comes from Heauen?

How many hundred yeeres had this brood of Cananites li­ued securely in their Country; since God commanded them to bee rooted out, and now pro­mised themselues the certainest peace? The Philistims were their friends, if not their Lords; The Israelites had their hands full, neither did they know any grudge betwixt them and their neighbours, when suddenly the sword of Dauid cuts them off, and leaues none aliue to tell the newes.

THERE is no safety in pro­traction; with men, delay cau­seth [Page 63] forgetfulnesse, or abates the force of anger; as all violent motions are weakest at the fur­thest; but with him, to whom all times are present, what can be gained by prorogation? A­las, what can it preuaile any of the cursed seed of Canaan, that they haue made a truce with Heauen, and a league with Hell? Their day is comming, and is not the further off, because they expect it not.

MISERABLE were the straits of Dauid; while he was driuen, not onely to maintaine his ar­my by spoyle, but to colour his spoyle by a sinfull dissimulati­on; He tels Achish, that he had beene rouing against the South [Page 64] or Iudah, and the South of the Ierahmelites, and the South of the Kenites; either falsely, or doubtfully, so as hee meant to deceiue him, vnder whom hee liued, and by whom hee was trusted: If Achish were a Phili­stim, yet hee was Dauids frend, yea his Patron; and if hee had beene neither, it had not be­comne Dauid to bee false. The infirmities of Gods children ne­uer appeare, but in their extre­mities. It is hard for the best man, to say, how far he will bee tempted. If a man wil put him­selfe among Philistims, hee can­not promise to come forth in­nocent.

How easily doe we beleeue [Page 65] that which we wish; The more credit Achish giues vnto Dauid, the more sin it was to deceiue him. And now the conceit of this ingagement, procures him a further seruice. The Phili­stims are assembled to fight with Israel; Achish dares trust Dauid on his side; yea, to keepe his head for euer; neither can Dauid: do any lesse then promise his ayd against his owne flesh: Neuer was Dauid, in all his life, driuen to so hard an exigent: neuer was hee so extremely per­plexed; For what should he do now▪ To fight with Achish, he was tyed by promise, by merit▪ Not to fight against Israel, hee was tyed by his calling, by his [Page 66] vnction; Not to fight for A­chish, were to bee vnthankfull; To fight against Israel, were to be vnnaturall; Oh what an in­ward battle must Dauid needes haue in his brest, when he thinks of this battle of Israel, and the Philistims; How doth he wish now, that hee had rather stood to the hazard of Sauls perfecuti­on, then to haue put himselfe vpon the fauour of Achish; He must fight on one side, and on whether side soeuer hee should fight, he could not auoyd to be treacherous; a condition worse then death, to an honest heart; which way hee would haue re­solued, if it had comne to the execution, who can know, since [Page 67] himselfe was doubtfull? either course had beene no better then desperate. How could the Isra­elites euer haue receiued him for their King, who in the open field, had fought against them? And contrarily, if hee would haue fought against his frend, for his enemy; against Achish for Saul, he was now inuironed with jealous Philistims; and might rather looke for the pu­nishment of his treason, then the glory of a victory.

HIS heart had led him into these straits; the Lord findes a way to lead him out: The sug­gestions of his enemies do here­in befrend him; The Princes of the Philistims (whether of en­uy, [Page 68] or suspition) plead for Dauids dismission, (Send this fellow back, that he may goe againe to his place, which thou hast appoynted him, and let him not goe downe to the battle, lest he be an aduersary to vs.) No aduocate could haue said more, himselfe durst not haue sayd so much. Oh the wisdome, and goodnesse of our God, that can raise vp an aduersary to deliuer out of those euils, which our frends cannot; That by the sword of an enemy, can let out that apostume, which no Phy­sician could tell how to cure: It would be wide with vs som­times, if it were not for others malice.

There could not bee a more [Page 69] just question, then this of the Philistim Princes, What doe these Hebrewes here? An Israelite is out of his element, when he is in an army of Philistims: The true seruants of God are in their due places, when they are in oppo­sition to his enemies. Professi­on of hostility becomes them better then leagues of amity.

YET Achish likes Dauids con­uersation and presence so well, that he professeth himselfe plea­sed with him, as with an Angell of God; How strange it is to heare, that a Philistim should delight in that holy man, whom an Israelite abhors, and should be loth to be quit of Da­uid, whom Saul hath expelled. [Page 70] Termes of ciuility be equally o­pen to all religions, to all pro­fessions: The common graces of Gods children, are able to attract loue from the most ob­stinate enemies of goodnesse; If we affect them for by-respects of valour, wisdome, discourse, wit, it is their praise, not ours, But if for diuine grace and reli­gion, it is our praise with theirs.

SVCH now was Dauids con­dition, that hee must plead for that he feared, and argue against that which hee desired: (What haue I done? and what hast thou found in thy seruant, that I may not goe, and fight against the enemies of my Lord the King?) Neuer any newes could bee more cordiall [Page 71] to him then this, of his dismissi­on; yet must he seeme to striue against it, with an importunate profession of his forwardnesse to that act, which hee most de­tested.

One degree of dissimulation drawes on another; those which haue once giuen way to a faulty course, cannot easily, either stop or turne backe; but are in a sort forced to second their ill begin­nings, with worse proceedings. It is a dangerous and miserable thing, to cast our selues into those actions, which draw with them a necessity, either of offen­ding, or miscarriage.

Saul and the Witch of Endor.

EVEN the worst men may somtimes make head against some sinnes. Saul hath expelled the Sorcerers out of the land of Israel; and hath forbidden magicke vpon paine of death. He that had no care to expell Satan out of his owne heart, yet will seeme to driue him out of his kingdome. That wee see wicked men op­pose themselues to some sinnes, [Page 73] there is neither maruell, nor comfort in it: No doubt Satan made sport at this edict of Saul; what cares he to be banished in sorcery, whiles he is entertained in malice? He knew and found Saul his; whiles he resisted; and smiled to yeeld thus farre vnto his vassall: if wee quit not all sinnes, he will be content wee should, either abandon or per­secute some.

Where is▪ no place for holy feare, there will be place for the seruile; The gracelesse heart of Saul was astonied at the Phili­stims; yet was neuer moued at the frowns of that God, whose anger sent them, nor of those sinnes of his, which procured [Page 74] them. Those that cannot feare for loue, shall tremble for feare: and how much better is awe then terror? preuention then confusion? There is nothing more lamentable to see a man laugh when hee should feare; God shall laugh when such a ones feare commeth:

Extremiry of distresse, will send euen the prophanest man to God; like as the drowning man, reacheth out his hand to that bow, which he contemned whiles hee stood safe on the banke; Saul now asketh coun­sell of the Lord; whose Prophet he hated, whose priests he slue, whose anoynted he persecutes; Had Saul consulted with God [Page 75] when he should, this euill had not beene; but now, if this e­uill had not beene; he had con­sulted with God; The thanke of this act is due, not him, but to his affection; A forced piety is thankelesse, and vnprofita­ble; God will not answere him neither by dreames, nor by v­rim, nor by Prophets. Why should God answer, that man by dreames, who had resisted him waking? Why should he answer him by vrim, that had slaine his Priests? Why should he answer him by Prophets, who hated the Father of the Prophets, rebelled against the word of the Prophets?

It is an vnreasonable vne­quality [Page 76] to hope to finde God at our command, when wee would not be at his; To looke that God should regard our voyce in trouble, when wee would not regard his, in peace.

Vnto what mad shiftes are men driuen by despaire? If God will not answer, Satan shall; (Saul said to his seruants, seeke me a woman that hath a famili­ar spirit) If Saul had not known this course Diuelish, why did he decree to banish it, to mulct it with death? yet now against the streame of his conscience, he will seeke to those whom he had condemned; There needs no other iudge of Sauls act then himselfe; had hee not before [Page 77] opposed this sinne, he had not so haynously sinned in com­mitting it; There cannot bee a more fearefull signe of an heart giuen vp to a reprobate sence, then to cast it selfe wilfully into those sinnes, which it hath pro­claimed to detest. The declina­tions to euill are many times in­sensible, but when it breakes forth into such apparant effects, euen others eies may discerne it; What was Saul the better to fore-know the issue of his ap­proaching battaile? If this con­sultation could haue strength­ned him against his enemies, or promoted his victory, there might haue bene some colour for so foule an act; Now, what [Page 78] could hee gaine, but the satis­fying of his bootlesse curiosity; in fore-seeing that, which hee should not be able to auoyd?

Foolish men giue a way their soules for nothing; The itch of impertinent and vnpro­fitable knowledge, hath beene the heriditary distroyer of the sonnes of Adam and Eue; How many haue perished to know that which hath procured their perishing? How ambitious should wee bee to know those things, the knowledge wherof is eternall life.

Many a leud office are they put to; which serue wicked ma­sters; one while Sauls seruants are set to kill innocent Dauid; [Page 79] another while, to shed the blood of Gods Priests; and now they must goe seeke for a Witch: It is no small happinesse to attend them, from whom we may re­ceiue precepts and examples of vertue.

Had Saul bene good, he had needed no disguise; Honest actions neuer shame the doers; Now that hee goeth about a sinfull businesse, hee changeth himselfe; he seekes the shelter of the night, he takes but two followers with him; It is true, that if Saul had comne in the port of a King, the Witch had as much dissembled her condi­tion, as now he dissembleth his; yet it was not only desire to [Page 80] speed, but guiltinesse that thus altred his habit; such is the pow­er of conscience, that euen those who are most affected to euill, yet are ashamed to bee thought such as they desire to be.

Saul needed another face to fit that tongue, which should say (Coniecture to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me vp whom I shall name vnto thee;) An obdurate heart can giue way to any thing:

Notwithstanding, the pe­remptory edict of Saul, there are still Witches in Israel: Neither good lawes nor carefull execu­tions, can purge the Church from Malefactors; There will still be some that will ieopard [Page 81] their heads vpon the grossest sins; No garden can bee so cu­riously tended, that there should not be one weed left in it. Yet so farre can good statutes, and due inflictions of punishment vpon offenders, preuaile that mischeeuous persons are glad to pull in their heads; and dare not doe ill, but in disguise and darknesse. It is no small aduan­tage of Iustice, that it affrights sin, if it cannot be expelled; As contrarily, wofull is the condi­tion of that place, where is a publique profession of wicked­nesse.

This Witch was no lesse craf­ty then wicked; she had before (as is like) bribed Officers to [Page 82] escape inditement, lurke in se­crecy; and now shee will not worke her feats without securi­ty; her suspition proiects the worst; (Wherefore seekest thou to take me in a snare, to cause me to dye?) Oh vaine Sorceresse, that could bee wary to auoyd the punish­ment of Saul, carelesse to auoyd the judgement of God; Could wee fore-thinke what our sinne would cost vs, we durst not, but bee innocent: This is a good and seasonable answer for vs, to make vnto Satan, when he solli­cites vs to euill (Wherefore seekest thou to take me in a snare, to cause me to dye?) Nothing is more sure then this intention in the tempter, then this euent in the [Page 83] issue; Oh that we could but so much feare the eternall paines, as wee doe the temporary, and bee but so carefull to saue our soules from torment, as our bo­dies.

No sooner hath Saul sworne her safety, then shee addresseth her to her sorcery; Hope of im­punity drawes on sinne with boldnesse; were it not for the delusions of false promises, Sa­tan should haue no Clients. Could Saul be so ignorant, as to thinke that Magick had power ouer Gods deceased Saints, to raise them vp; yea, to call them downe from their rest? Time was, when Saul was among the Prophets. And yet now, that [Page 74] he is in the impure lodg of Di­uels, how sencelesse he is, to say, Bring me vp Samuel? It is no rare thing, to lose euen our wit and judgement together with gra­ces; How justly are they giuen ouer to sottishnesse, that haue giuen themselues ouer to sin?

The Sorceresse (it seemes) ex­ercising her coniurations in a roome apart, is informed by her Familiar, who it was that set her on worke; shee can therefore finde time, in the midst of her exorcismes, to binde the assu­rance of her owne safety, by ex­postulation, Shee cryed with a loud voyce, Why hast thou deceiued mee, for thou art Saul,) The very name of Saul was an accusation; Yet [Page 85] is hee so far from striking his brest, that doubting lest this feare of the Witch, should inter­rupt the desired worke, hee en­courages her, whom he should haue condemned; (Be not afraid;) He that had more cause to feare, for his owne sake, in an expecta­tion of just judgement, cheeres vp her, that feared▪ nothing but himselfe: How ill doth it be­come vs, to giue that counsell to others, whereof wee haue more need and vse in our owne persons?

As one that had more care to satisfie his curiosity, then her su­spicion, he asks, What sawest thou? Who would not haue looked, that Sauls haire should haue sta­red [Page 86] on his head, to heare of a spirit raised? His sinne hath so hardened him, that hee rather pleases himselfe in it, which hath nothing in it but horror; So far is Satan content to descend to the seruice of his seruants, that he will approue his fained obe­dience to their very outward sences; What forme is so glori­ous, that hee either cannot, or dare not vndertake? Here Gods ascend out of the earth; Else­where Satan transformes him into an Angell of light; What wonder is it, that his wicked In­struments appeare like Saints in their hypocriticall dissimulati­on? If wec will bee iudging by the appearance, we shall be sure [Page 87] to erre: No eie could distinguish betwixt the true Samuel, and a false spirit. Saul, who was well worthy to bee deceiued, seeing those gray haires, and that man­tle, inclines himselfe to the ground, and bowes himselfe; Hee that would not worship God in Samuel aliue, now wor­ships Samuel in Satan; and no meruel; Satan was now become his refuge in stead of God; his Vrim was darknesse, his Prophet a Ghost: Euery one that con­sults with Satan, worships him, though hee bow not, neither doth that euill spirit desire any other reuerence, then to bee sought to.

How cunningly doth Satan [Page 88] resemble, not onely the habit and gesture, but the language of Samuel, Wherefore hast thou dis­quieted me, and wherefore doest thou aske of mee, seeing the Lord is gone from thee, and is thine enemy? No­thin is more pleasing to that e­uill one, then to be solicited, yet in the person of Samuel, hee can say, Why hast thou disquieted mee? Had not the Lord beene gone from Saul, he had neuer comne to the diuellish Oracle of Endor, and yet the counterfetting spirit can say, Why dost thou aske of mee, seeing the Lord is gone from thee? Satan cares not how little he is knowne to bee himselfe; hee loues to passe vnder any forme, rather then his owne.

[Page 89] The more holy the person is, the more carefully doth Satan act him, that by his stale he may ensnare vs. In euery motion it is good to try the spirits, whether they bee of God; Good words are no meanes, to distinguish a Prophet from a Deuill; Samuel himselfe, whiles hee was aliue, could not haue spoken more grauely, more seuerely, more di­uinely, then this euill Ghost, For the Lord will rent thy Kingdome out of thy hand, and giue it thy neighbour Dauid, because thou obeyedst not the voyce of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath vpon the Amalekites, therefore hath the Lord done this vn­to thee this day: When the Diuell himselfe puts on grauity and re­ligion, [Page 90] who can maruell at the hypocrisie of men? Well may lewd men bee good Preachers, when Satan himselfe can play the Prophet; Where are those Ignorants, that thinke charita­bly of charmes and spels, be­cause they finde nothing in them, but good words? What Prophet could speake better words, then this Diuell in Sa­muels mantle? Neither is there at any time so much danger of that wicked spirit, as when hee speakes best.

I could wonder to heare Sa­tan preach thus prophetically, if I did not know, that as he was once a good Angell, so hee can still act what hee was; Whiles [Page 91] Saul was in consultation of spa­ring Agag, we shall neuer finde that Satan would lay any block in his way; Yea, then he was a prompt Orator, to induce him into that sin; now that it is past & gone; he can lade Saul with fearfull denunciations of judg­ment; Till wee haue sinn'd, Satan is a Parasite, when wee haue sinn'd, hee is a Tyrant: What cares hee to flatter any more, when hee hath what hee would? Now his onely worke is to terrifie, and confound, that hee may enioy what hee hath won; How much better is it seruing that Master, who when wee are most deiected with the conscience of euill, heartens [Page 92] vs with inward comfort, and speakes peace to the soule, in the midst of tumult?

Ziglag spoyled and reuenged.

HAD not the King of the Philistims sent Dauid away earely, his wiues, & his people and substance, which he left at Ziglag had beene vt­terly lost; Now Achish did not more pleasure Dauid in his inter­tainment, then in his dismissi­on. Saul was not Dauids enemy more in the persecution of his person, then in the forbearance [Page 94] of God enemies; Behold, thus late doth Dauid feele the smart of Sauls sin, in sparing the Ama­lekites; who, if Gods sentence had beene duely executed, had not now suruiued, to annoy this parcell of Israel.

As in spirituall respects, our sins are alwayes hurtfull to our selues, so in temporall, oft-times preiudiciall to posterity; A wic­ked man deserues ill of those, he neuer liued to see.

I cannot maruell at the Ama­lekites assault made vpon the Israelites of Ziglag; I cannot but maruell at their clemency; how just it was, that while Da­uid would giue ayd to the ene­mies of the Church, against If­rael; [Page 95] the enemies of the Church should rise against Dauid, in his peculiar charge of Israel: But whilst Dauid, rouing against the Amalekites, not many dayes be­fore, left neither man nor wo­man aliue, how strange is it, that the Amalekites inuading and surprizing Ziglag (in re­uenge) kill neither man nor woman? Shal we say that mercy is fled from the brests of Israe­lites, and rests in heathens? Or shall wee rather ascribe this to the gracious restraint of God, who hauing designed Amalek to the slaughter of Israel, and not Israel to the slaughter of A­malek, moued the hand of Israel, and held the hands of Amalek; [Page 96] This was that alone, that made the heathens take vp with an vn-bloody reuenge; burning only the walls, and leading a­way the persons. Israel crossed the reuealed will of God, in sparing Amalek; Amalek fulfills the secret will of God in spa­ring Israel.

It was still the lot of Amalek, to take Israel at all aduantages; vpon their first cōming out of Aegypt, when they were weary, weake, and vnarmed, then did Amalek assault them: And now, when one part of Israel was in the field against the Philistims, another was gone with the Phi­listims against Israel; the Amala­kites set vpon the coasts of [Page 97] both; and goes away laded with the spoyle: No other is to be exspected of our spirituall aduersaries, who are euer readi­est to assayle, when we are the vnreadiest to defend.

It was a wofull spectacle for Dauid and his Souldiers, vpon their returne to finde ruines and ashes in steed of houses, and in steed of their families, solitude; Their citie was vanished into smoake, their housholds into captiuity; neither could they know whom to accuse, or where to enquire for redresse; whiles they made account that their home should recompence their tedious journey with comfort, the miserable desola­tion [Page 98] of their home doubles the discomfort of their journey; what remained there but teares and lamentations? They lifted vp their voices, and wept, till they could weepe no more▪ Heere was plenty of nothing but misery and sorow. The heart of euery Israelite was brim-full of griefe; Dauids ran ouer; for besides that his crosse was the same with theirs, all theirs was his alone; each man lookt on his fellow as a partner of affliction, but euery one lookt vpon Dauid as the cause of all their affliction; and (as common displeasure is neuer but fruitfull of reuenge) they all agree to stone him as the [Page 99] auther of their vndoing, whom they followed all this while, as the hopefull meanes of their aduancements.

Now Dauids losse is his least griefe; neither (as if euery thing had conspired to torment him) can he looke besides the aggra­uation of his sorrow and dan­ger; Saul and his souldiers had hunted him out of Israel; the Philistim Courtiers had hunted him from the fauour of Achish; the Amalekites spoyled him in Ziglag; yet all these are easie aduersaries in comparison of his owne; his owne followers are so farre from pittying his participation of the losse, that they are ready to kill him, be­cause [Page 100] they are miserable with him. Oh the many and grie­uous perplexities of the man after Gods owne heart; If all his traine had ioyned their best helpes for the mitigation of his griefe, their cordials had beene too weake, but now the vexati­on that arises from their fury, and malice, drowneth the sense of their losse, and were enough to distract the most resolute heart; why should it be strange to vs, that we meete with hard tryals, when wee see the deare anoynted of God thus plunged into euils?

What should the distressed Son of Ishai now doe? whether should he thinke to turne him? [Page 101] to goe backe to Israel hee durst not; to goe to Achish he might not; to abide amongst those waste heapes he could not; or if there might haue beene har­bor in those burnt walls, yet there could bee no safety to re­maine with those mutinous spirits. (But Dauid comforted himselfe in the Lord his God;) oh happy and sure refuge of a faithfull Soule; The earth yeel­ded him nothing, but matter of disconsolation, and heauines; he lifts his eyes aboue the hills, whence commeth his saluation; It is no meruaile that God re­membred Dauid in all his trou­bles; Since Dauid in all his troubles, did thus remember [Page 102] his God; hee knew that though no mortall eye of reason; or sense could discerne any euasi­sion from these intricate euils, yet that the eye of diuine proui­dence had descryed it long be­fore; and that though no hu­mane power could make way for his safety, yet that the ouer­ruling hand of his God, could doe it with ease; His experience had assured him of the fidelity of his Guardian in heauen; and therfore he comforted himselfe in the Lord his God.

In uaine is comfort expected from God, if wee consult not with him. Abiathar the Priest is called for; Dauid was not in the court of Achish, without the [Page 103] Priest by his side; nor the Priest without the Ephod; Had these beene left behinde in Ziglag, they had beene miscarried with the rest, and Dauid had now beene hopelesse. How well it succeedes to the great, when they take God with them in his Ministers, in his ordinan­ces? As contrarily, when these are layd by, as superfluous, there can be nothing but vncertainty of successe, or certainty of mis­cheefe. The presence of the Priest and Ephod, would haue little auailed him without their vse; by them he askes counsell of the Lord in these straits. The mouth and eares of God, which were shut vnto Saul, are open [Page 104] vnto Saul, are open vnto Dauid; no sooner can he aske, then hee receiues answer; and the answer that he receiues is full of courage and comfort. (Follow, for thou shalt surely ouertake them, and recouer all) That God of truth, neuer disappoynted any mans trust. Dauid now findes, that the eye which waited vpon God, was not sent away weeping.

Dauid therfore, and his men, are now vpon their march after the Amalekite: It is no lingring, when God bids vs goe; They which had promised rest to their weary limbs, after their returne from Achish, in their harbour of Ziglag, are glad to forget their hopes, and to put their stiffe [Page 105] joynts vnto a new taske of mo­tion; It is no maruell, if two hundred of them were so ouer­tyred, with their former toyle, that they were not able to passe ouer the riuer Besor. Dauid was a true type of Christ. We follow him in these holy wars, against the spirituall Amalekites. All of vs are not of an equall strength; Some are carried by the vigour of their faith, through all dif­ficulties; Others, after long pressure, are ready to languish in the way; Our Leader is not more strong then pittifull; nei­ther doth hee scornfully cashier those, whose desires are hearty, whiles their abilities are vnan­swerable; How much more [Page 106] should our charity pardon the infirmities of our brethen; and allow them to sit by the stuffe, who cannot endure the march?

The same Prouidence, which appoynted Dauid to follow the Amalekites; had also ordered an Aegyptian to be cast behinde them. This cast seruant, whom his cruell Master, had left to faintnesse and famine, shall bee vsed as the meanes of the reco­uery of the Israelites losse; and of the reuenge of the Amale­kites. Had not his Master neg­lected him, all these rouers of Amalek, had gone away with their life and booty; It is not safe to despise the meanest vassal [Page 107] vpon earth. There is a mercy and care due to the most despi­cable peice of all humanity; wherein wee cannot bee wan­ting without the offence, with­out the punishment of God.

Charity distinguisheth an Is­raelite from an Amalekite. Da­uids followers are strangers to this Aegyptian; an Amalekite was his Master; His Master leaues him to dye (in the field) of sicknesse and hunger; these strangers releeued him: and ere they know, whether they might by him receiue any light in their pursuit, they refresh his dying spirits with bread and water, with figs and raisins; Neither can the haste of their way bee [Page 108] any hindrance to their compas­sion; Hee hath no Israelitish blood in him, that is vtterly mercilesse; Perhaps, yet Dauids Followers might also, in the hope of some intelligence, shew kindnesse to this forlorne Ae­gyptian. Worldly wisdome tea­cheth vs, to sow small courte­sies, where we may reape large haruests of recompence: No sooner are his spirits recalled, then hee requites his food with information. I cannot blame the Aegyptian, that hee was so easily induced, to descry these vnkind Amalekites, to merciful Israelites; those that gaue him ouer vnto death, to the restorers of his life; much lesse, that ere [Page 109] he would descry them; hee re­quires an oath of security, from so bad a Master; Well doth hee match death with such a serui­tude; Wonderfull is the Proui­dence of God; euen ouer those, which are not in the neerest bonds, his owne; Three dayes, and three nights, had this poore Aegyptian Slaue lyen sicke and hunger-starued in the fields, and lookes for nothing but death, when God sends him succour from the hands of those Israe­lites, whom hee had helped to spoile; though not so much for his sake, as for Israels, is this hea­thenish Stragler preserued.

It pleases God, to extend his common fauors to all his crea­tures; [Page 110] but in miraculous pre­feruations; he hath still wont to haue respect to his owne. By this means therfore, are the Israe­lites brought to the sight of their late spoylers, whom they finde scattered abroad, vpon all the earth, eating, and drinking, and dancing in triumph, for the great prey they had taken.

It was three dayes at least, since this gainefull forraging of Amalek; and now, seeing no feare of any Pursuer, and pro­mising themselues safety, in so great and vntraced a distance, they make themselues merry with so rich and easie a victory; and now suddenly, when they began to think of enioying the [Page 111] beauty and wealth they had gotten; the sword of Dauid was vpon their throats. Destru­ction is neuer neerer, then when security hath chased away feare. With how sad faces and hearts, had the wiues of Dauid, and the other Captiues of Israel, looked vpon the triumphall reuels of Amalek; and what a change, do we thinke, appeared in them, when they saw their happy and ualiant Rescuers, flying in vpon their insolent Victors, and ma­king the death of the Amale­kites, the ransome of their cap­tiuity; They mourned euen now at the dances of Amalek; now in the shriekes and death of Amalek, they shout and re­ioyce; [Page 112] The mercy of our God forgets not to enterchange our sorrowes with ioy, and the ioy os the wicked with sorrow.

The Amalekites haue paid a deare lone for the goods of Is­rael, which they now restore with their owne liues; and now their spoyle hath made Dauid ri­cher then he expected; that boo­ty which they had swept from all other parts accrewed to him.

Those Isralites that could not goe on to fight for their share, are comne to meete their bre­thren with gratulation. How partiall are wee wont to be vn­to our owne causes? Euen very Israelites will bee ready to fall out for matter of profit: where [Page 113] selfe-loue hath bred a quarrell, euery man is subiect to flatter his owne case. It seemed plau­sible, and but iust to the actors in this rescue, that those which had taken no part in the paine, and hazard of the journey, should receiue no part of the commodity. It was fauour e­nough for them to recouer their wiues & children, though they shared not in the goods. Wise and holy Dauid (whose praise was no lesse, to ouercome his owne in time of peace, then his enimies in warre) calls his contending followers from law to equity, and so orders the matter, that since the plaintifes were detained not by will, but [Page 114] by necessity; and since their for­ced stay, was vse-full in gar­ding the stuffe, they should par­take equally of the prey with their fellowes. A sentence well-beseeming the justice of Gods anoynted. Those that represent God vpon earth, should resem­ble him in their proceeding. It is the just mercy of our God, to measure vs by our wills not by our abilities; to recompence vs gratiously, according to the truth of our desires, and endea­uors; and to account that per­formed by vs, which hee only letteth vs from performing. It were wide with vs, if somtimes purpose did not supply actions. Whiles our heart faulteth not, [Page 115] we that through spirituall sick­nesse are faine to abide by the stuffe, shall share both in grace and glory with the victors.

The death of Saul.

THe Witch of Endor, had halfe slaine Saul before the battell: It is iust, that they who consult with deuils, should goe away with discomfort: He hath eaten his last bread, at the hand of a Sorceresse: and now necessitie drawes him into that field, where he sees nothing but despaire. Had not Saul beleeued the ill newes of the counterfait Samuel, he had not beene strook downe on the ground with [Page 117] words: Now his beleefe made him desperate; Those actions which are not sustained by hope; must needs languish: and are only promoted by outward compulsion: Whiles the minde is vncertaine of successe, it re­lieues it selfe with the possibili­ties of good: in doubts there is a comfortable mixture: but when it is assured of the worst euent, it is vtterly discouraged, and deiected. It hath therefore pleased the wisdome of God to hide from wicked men, his de­termination of their finall e­state, that their remainders of hope, may harten them to good;

In all likelyhood on selfe-same [Page 118] day, saw Dauid a victor o­uer the Amalakites, and Saul discomfited by the Philistims; How should it bee otherwise? Dauid consulted with God, and preuailed; Saul with the Witch of Endor and perisheth; The end is commonly answerable to the way; It is an idle iniustice when we do ill to look to speed well. The slaughter of Saul and his sonnes, was not in the first scene of this Tragicall field, that was rather reserued by God, for the last act, that Saules measure might be full: God is long ere he strikes, but when he doth, it is to purpose; First, Israel flees and falls downe wounded in mount Gilboa; [Page 119] They had their part in Sauls sinne: they were actors in Da­uids persecution: Iustly therfore doe they suffer with him, whom they had seconded in offence. As it is hard to be good vnder an euill Prince, so it is as rare, not to be enwrapped in his iudge­ments: It was no small additi­on to the anguish of Sauls death, to see his sonnes dead, to see his people fleeing, and slaine before him; They had sinned in their King, and in them▪ is their King punished. The rest were not so worthy of pittie; but whose heart would it not touch to see Ionathan, the good Sonne of a wicked Father, in­uolued in the common destru­ction. [Page 120] Death is not partiall: All dispositions, all merits are alike to it: If valour, if holines, if syncerity of heart could haue beene any defence against mor­tality, Ionathan had suruiued: Now by their wounds and death, no man can discerne which is Ionathan; The soule only findes the difference, which the body admitteth not; Death is the cōmon gate both to heauen and hell; we all passe that, ere our turning to either hand: The sword of the Phili­stims, fetcheth Ionathan through it with his fellowes: no sooner is his foot ouer that threshold, then God conducteth him to glory: The best cannot bee [Page 121] happy but through their disso­lution; Now therefore hath Ionathan no cause of complaint, he is by the rude and cruel hand of a Philistim, but remoued to a better Kingdome, then hee leaues to his brother: and at once is his death both a tempo­rall affliction to the Sonne of Saul, and an entrance of glory to the frend of Dauid.

The Philistim-archers shot at random: God directs their arrowes into the body of Saul; Least the discomfiture of his people, and the slaughter of his sonnes should not bee griefe e­nough to him, hee feeles him­selfe wounded, and sees no­thing before him but horror [Page 122] and death; and now as a man forsaken of all hopes, hee begs of his armor-bearer that deaths-blow, which els he must (to the doubling of his indignation) receiue from a Philistim. Hee begs this bloody fauour of his seruant, and is denyed: Such an awefulnes hath God placed in soueraigntie, that no intreaty, no extremity, can moue the hand against it: What mettall are those men made of, that can suggest or resolue, and at­tempt the violation of maiesty? Wicked men care more for the shame of the world, then the danger of their soule: Desperate Saul will now supply his armor-bearer; and as a man that bore [Page 123] armes against himselfe, hee falls vpon his owne sword. What if he had dyed by the weapon of a Philistim? So did his Son Io­nathan, and lost no glory: These conceites of disreputation pre­uaile with carnall hearts aboue all spirituall respects: There is no greater murderer then vain­glory: Nothing more argues an heart voyd of grace, then to be transported by ydle popula­rity into actions preiudiciall to the Soule.

Euill examples, especially of the great neuer escaped im­itation; the armour-bearer of Saul followes his master: and dares do that to himselfe, which to his King he durst not: as if [Page 124] their owne swords had beene more familiar executioners, they yelded vnto them, what they grudged to their pursuers. From the beginning was Saul euer his owne enemy, neither did any hands hurt him but his owne: and now his death is sutable to his life: his owne hand payes him the reward of all his wickednesse, The end of hypocrites, and enuious men is commonly fearefull: Now is the blood of Gods Priests, which Saul shed, and of Dauid, which he would haue shed, re­quired, & requited. The euil spi­rit had said the euening before, To morrow thou shalt be with mee: and now Saul hasteth to make [Page 125] the diuell no lyer: rather then fayle, he giues himselfe his own mittimus: Oh the wofull extre­mities of a dispayring Soule, plundging him euer into a greater mischiefe, to auoyd the lesse. Hee might haue beene a patient in anothers violence, and faultlesse; now whiles hee will needs act the Philistims part vpon himselfe, hee liued and dyed a murderer; The case is deadly, when the prisoner breakes the Iayle, and will not stay for his deliuery: & though wee may not passe sentence v­pon such a Soule, yet vpon the fact we may: the Soule may possibly repent in the parting, the act is haynous, and such as [Page 126] without repentance, kills the Soule.

It was the next day, ere the Philistims knew how much they were victors; then finding the dead corpes of Saul and his Sonnes, they begin their tri­umphs: The head of King Saul is cut off in lieu of Goliahs, and now all their Idoll temples ring of their successe; Foolish Phi­listims, If they had not beene more beholden to Sauls sinnes, then their Gods, they had neuer carryed away the honor of those trophees: In steed of mag­nifying the iustice of the true God, who punished Saul with deserued death, they magnifie the power of the false: Super­stition [Page 127] is extemely iniurious to God: It is no better then theft, to ascribe vnto the second causes that honor which is due vn­to the first: but to giue Gods glory to those things which neither act, nor are, it is the highest degree of spirituall rob­bery.

Saul was none of the best Kings: yet so impatient are his subiects of the indignity offe­red to his dead corps, that they will rather leaue their owne bones amongst the Philistims, then the carcasse of Saul. Such a close relation there is betwixt a Prince and subiect, that the dishonor of either is inseparable from both: How willing [Page 128] should wee bee to hazard our bodyes or substance fo the vin­dication either of the person, or name of a good King, whiles he liues to the benefit of our protection: It is an vniust in­gratitude in those men, which can endure the disgrace of them, vnder whose shelter they liue; but how vnnaturall is the villany of those miscreants, that can be content to bee actors in the capitall wrongs offred to soueraigne authority:

It were a wonder, if after the death of a Prince, there should want some Pick-thanke, to in­sinuate himselfe into his Suc­cessour: An Amalekite young manrides post to Ziklag, to find [Page 129] out Dauid, whom euen com­mon rumor had notified for the anoynted heyre to the King­dome of Israel; to bee the first messenger of that newes, which hee thought could bee no other then acceptable; the death of Saul: and that the tydings might be so much more meritorious, he addes to the report, what he thinkes might carry the greatest retribution: In hope of reward, or honour, the man is content to bely himselfe to Dauid: It was not the speare, but the sword of Saul, that was the in­strument of his death: neither could this stranger finde Saul, but dying, since the Armour-bearer of Saul saw him dead, ere [Page 130] he offred that violence to him­selfe: The hand of this Amale­kite therfore was not guilty, his tongue was: Had not this mes­senger measur'd Dauids foot, by his owne last, hee had forborne this peece of the newes; and not hoped to aduantage him­selfe by this falshood: Now he thinks; The tydings of a King­dome cannot but please: None but Saul and Ionathan stood in Dauids way: Hee cannot chuse, but like to heare of their remo­uall: Especially, since Saul did so tyrannously persecute his in­nocence. If I shall onely report the fact done by another, I shall goe away but with the recom­pence of a lucky Post; wheras, [Page 131] if I take vpon mee the action, I am the man, to whom Dauid is beholden for the Kingdome: he cannot but honour and re­quite me, as the author of his deliuerance and happinesse. Worldly mindes thinke no man can be of any other, then their owne diet; and because they finde the respects of selfe-loue, and priuate profit, so strongly preuailing with themselues, they cannot conceiue, how these should bee capable of a repulse from others.

How much was this Amale­kite mocked of his hopes: whiles he imagined, that Dauid would now triumph, and feast in the assured expectation of the [Page 132] Kingdome, and possession of the Crowne of Israel, hee findes him renting his clothes, and wringing his hands, and wee­ping, and mourning: as if all his comfort had been dead with Saul and Ionathan: and yet per­haps he thought: This sorrow of Dauid is but fashionable, such as great heyres make shew of in the fatall day they haue longed for; These teares will soone be dry; the sight of a Crowne will soon breed a succession of other passions: But this error is soon corrected: For when Dauid had entertained this Bearer, with a sad fast all the day: he cals him forth in the euening to executiō: (How wast thou not afrayd (saith [Page 133] he) to put forth thy hand, to destroy the Anoynted of the Lord:) Doubt­lesse, the Amalekite made many faire pleas for himselfe, out of the grounds of his owne report: Alas, Saul was before falne vpon his owne speare. It was but mer­cy to kill him, that was halfe dead, that he might die the shor­ter: Besides, his entreaty and im­portunate prayers, moued mee to hasten him, through those painfull gates of death: had I striken him as an enemy, I had deserued the blow I had giuen; now I sent him the hand of a frend: why am I punished for obeying the voyce of a King? and for perfiting what himselfe begun, and could not finish: [Page 134] And if neither his own wound, nor mine, had dispatched him, the Philistims were at his heeles, ready to doe this same act with insultation, which I did in fa­uour: and if my hand had not preuented them, wherehad been the Crowne of Israel, which I now haue here presented to thee: I could haue deliuered that to King Achish, and haue beene rewarded with honour: let mee not dye for an act well meant to thee, how euer con­strued by thee: But no pretence can make his owne tale not deadly. (Thy bloud bee vpon thine owne head, for thine owne mouth hath testified against thee saying, I haue slaine the Lords Anoynted.) It is a [Page 135] iust supposition, that euery man is so great a Fauourer of him­selfe, that he will not mis-report his owne actions, nor say the worst of himselfe: In matter of confession, men may without iniury be taken at their words: If he did it, his fact was capitall, If he did it not, his lye: It is pit­tyany other recompence should befall those false flatterers, that can be content to father a sinne, to get thankes. Euery drop of royall bloud is sacred: For a man to say that he hath shed it, is mortall. Of how farre diffe­rent spirits from this of Dauid, are those men, which suborne the death of Princes, and cele­brate and canonize the murthe­rers. [Page 136] Into their secret, let not my soule come, my glory, be thou not joyned to their assembly.

Abner and Joab.

HOw mercifull and seasonable are the prouisions of God? Ziglag was now nothing but ruines and ashes: Dauid might returne to the soyle where it stood, to the roofes and walls he could not: No sooner is he disapointed of that harbour, then God prouides him Cities of Hebron: Saul shall dye to giue him elbow-roome: Now doth Dauid finde the comfort that his extremity [Page 138] sought in the Lord his God: Now are his clowdes for a time passed ouer: and the Sun breaks gloriously forth: Dauid shall raigne after his sufferings. So shall we, if we indure to the end, finde a Crowne of righteous­nes, which the Lord the righte­ous Iudge, shall giue vs at that day: But though Dauid well knew that his head was long before anoynted, and had heard Saul himselfe confidently auou­ching his succession: yet he will not stirre from the heapes of Ziglag, till hee haue consulted with the Lord: It did not con­tent him, that he had Gods war­rant for the kingdome, but hee must haue his instructions for [Page 139] the taking possession of it: How safe and happie is the man that is resolued to do nothing with­out God? Neither will genera­lities of direction be sufficient; euen particular circumstances must looke for a word: still is God a piller of fire, and cloude to the eye of euery Israelite: neither may there be any moti­on or stay but from him; That action cannot but succeed, which proceeds vpon so sure a warrant:

God sends him to Hebron a city of Iudah: Neither will Da­uid goe vp thither alone, but he takes with him all his men with their whole housholds: they shall take such part as himselfe: [Page 140] As they had shared with him in his misery, so they shall now in his prosperity: Neither doth he take aduantage of their late mu­tinye (which was yet fresh and greene) to cashier those vn­thankefull, and vngracious fol­lowers, but pardoning their se­cret rebellions, he makes them partakers of his good successe. Thus doth our heauenly leader (whom Dauid prefigured) take vs to raigne with him who haue suffered with him: passing by our manyfold infirmities, as if they had not beene, he remo­ueth vs from the land of our banishment, and the ashes of our forlorne Ziklag, to the He­bron of our peace, and glory: [Page 141] The expectation of this day must (as it did with Dauids sol­diers) digest all our sorrows.

Neuer any calling of God was so conspicuous, as not to finde some opposites: What Is­raelite did not know Dauid, ap­pointed by God to the successi­on of the kingdome? Euen the Amalekite, could carry the Crowne to him as the true ow­ner: yet there wants not an Ab­ner to resist him, and the title of an Ishbosheth to colour his re­sistance: If any of Sauls house could haue made challenge to the Crowne, it should haue beene Mephibosheth the Sonne of Ionathan: Who, it seemes had too much of his Fathers blood [Page 142] to be a competitor with Dauid: the question is not who may claime the most right, but who may best serue the faction; Nei­ther was Ishbosheth any other then Abners stale: Saul could not haue a fitter Courtier: whe­ther in imitation of his masters enuy, or the ambition of ruling vnder a borrowed name, hee strongly opposeth Dauid: there are those who striue against their owne hearts, to make a side, with whom conscience is oppressed by affection: An ill quarrell once vndertaken shall be maintained, although with blood: Now, not so much the blood of Saul, as the ingage­ment of Abner makes the warre. [Page 143] The Sonnes of Zeruiah stand fast to Dauid: It is much, how a man placeth his first interest: If Abner had beene in Ioabs roome, when Sauls displeasure droue Dauid from the Court, or Ioab in Abners, these actions, these euents had beene changed with the persons: It was the only happines of Ioab that he fell on the better side:

Both the Commaunders vn­der Dauid and Ishbosheth were e­qually cruell: both are so inu­red to blood, that they make but a sport of killing▪ Custome makes sinne so familiar, that the horror of it, is to some tur­ned into pleasure. (Come let the young men play before vs.) Abner is [Page 142] [...] [Page 143] [...] [Page 144] the Challenger, and speeds ther­after: for though in the mat­ches of duell both sides misca­ried, yet in the following con­flict, Abner and his men are bea­ten: By the successe of those single combats no man knows the better of the cause: Both sides perish, to show, how little God liked either the offer, or the acceptation of such a triall, but when both did their best, God punisheth the wrong part with discomfiture.

Oh, the misery of ciuill dis­sention: Israel and Iudah were brethren: One carryed the name of the Father, the other of the Sonne: Iudah was but a branch of Israel, Israel was the [Page 145] root of Iudah: yet Iudah and Israel must fight, and kill each other; only vpon the quarrell of an ill leaders ambition. The speed of Asahel was not greater then his courage: It was a minde fit for one of Dauids wor­thies, to strike at the head, to match himselfe with the best: He was both swift and strong: but the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong: If he had gone neuer so slowly, he might haue ouertaken death: now he runnes to fetch it. So little lust had Abner to shed the blood of a Son of Zeruiah, that he twice aduises him to retreat from pursuing his owne perill: Asahels cause was so much better [Page 146] as Abners successe: Many a one mis-carries in the rash prosecu­tion of a good quarrell, when the Abettors of the worst part goe away with victory. Heat of zeale, sometimes in the vn­discreet pursuit of a just ad­uersary, prooues mortall to the agent, preiudiciall to the seruice.

Abner, whiles he kils, yet hee flyes, and runs away from his owne death, whiles hee inflicts it vpon another: Dauids fol­lowers had the better of the field and day; The Sun, as vn­willing to see any more Israeli­tish bloud shed by brethren, hath withdrawne himselfe: and now both parts hauing got the [Page 147] aduantage of an hil vnder them, haue safe conuenience of parley: Abner beginnes, and perswades Ioab to surcease the fight (Shall the sword deuoure for euer? Knowest thou not, that it will bee bitternesse in the end? How long shall it bee, ere thou bid the people returne from fol­lowing their brethren?) It was his fault, that the sword deuoured at all: and why was not the be­ginning of a ciuill war bitter­nesse? why did he call forth the people to skirmish, and inuite them to death? Had Abner been on the winning hand, this mo­tion had beene thank-worthy: It is a noble disposition in a Vi­ctor, to call for a cessatum of armes: wheras necessity wrings [Page 148] this suit from the ouer-maste­red. There cannot bee a greater praise, to a valiant and wise Commander, then a propensi­on to all just termes of peace: For warre, as it is sometimes ne­cessary, so it is alwayes euill; and if fighting haue any other end proposed besides peace, it proues murder. Abner shall find himselfe no lesse ouercome, by Ioab in clemency, then power; He sayes not, I will not so easi­ly leaue the aduantage of my victory: since the dice of war run on my side, I will follow the chace of my good successe: Thou shouldest haue conside­red of this before thy prouoca­tion: It is now too late, to moue [Page 149] vnto forbearance: but, as a man that meant to approue himselfe equally free from cowardise, in the beginning of the conflict, and from cruelty in the end; he professeth his forwardnesse, to entertaine any pretence of sheathing vp the swords of Is­rael; and sweares to Abner, that if it had not beene for his proud irritation, the people had in the morning before ceased from that bloudy pursuit of their brethren: As it becomes pub­lique persons to bee louers of peace, so they must shew it vp­on all good occasions: letting passe no opportunity of ma­king spare of bloud.

Ishbosheth was (it seemes) a [Page 150] man of no great spirits, for be­ing no lesse then forty yeeres old, when his father went into his last field against the Phili­stims, he was content to stay at home; Abner hath put ambition vnto him; and hath easily rai­sed him to the head of a faction, against the anoynted Prince of Gods people. If this vsurped Crowne of Sauls son, had any worth or glory in it, hee cannot but acknowledge, to owe it all vnto Abner, yet how forward is vnthankfull Ishbosheth to receiue a false suggestion against his cheefe Abettor: (Wherfore hast thou gone in, to my fathers Concu­bine?) He that made no consci­ence of an vniust claime of the [Page 151] Crowne, and a maintenance of it with bloud, yet seemes scru­pulous of a lesse sinne, that car­ried in it the color of a disgrace; The touch of her, who had beene honoured by his fathers bed, seemed an intolerable pre­sumption, and such as could not be seuered from his owne dis­honour: Selfe-loue sometimes borrowes the face of honest zeale. Those, who out of true grounds, dislike sins, doe hate them all indifferently, accor­ding to their haynousnesse; hy­pocrites are partiall in their de­testation; bewraying euer most bitternesse, against those offen­ces, which may most preiudice their persons and reputations.

[Page 152] It is as dangerous as vniust for Princes, to giue both their eares and their heart to mis­grounded rumors of their in­nocent followers: This wrong hath stript Ishbosheth of the Kingdome; Abner in the meane time cannot be excused from a trecherous inconstancy; If Sauls son had no true title to the Crowne, why did he maintaine it; If hee had, why did hee for­sake the cause and person? Had Abner out of remorse, for furthe­ring a false claime taken off his hand, I know not wherein hee could be blamed, except for not doing it sooner; But now to withdraw his professed allege­geance, vpon a priuate reuenge, [Page 153] was to take a lewd leaue of an ill action: If Ishbosheth were his lawfull Prince, no iniury could warrant a reuolt; Euen betwixt priuate persons, a returne of wrongs is both vncharitable, and vniust, how euer this goe currant for the common justice of the world, how much more should we learn from a supreme hand, to take hard measures with thankes? It had been Ab­uers duty, to haue giuen his King a peaceable and humble satisfa­ction, and not to fly out in a snuffe. If the spirit of the ruler rise vp against thee, leaue not thy place, for yeelding, pacifieth great offences; now, his impa­tient falling, although to the [Page 154] right side, makes him no better then trayterously honest.

So soone as Abner hath enter­tained a resolution of his rebel­lion; hee perswades the Elders of Israel to accompany him in the change: & whence doth he fetch his main motiue, but from the Oracle of God? (The Lord hath spoken of Dauid, saying, By the hand of my seruant Dauid, will I saue my people Israel, out of the hand of the Philistims, and out of the hand of all their enemies;) Abner knew this full well before, yet then was well content to smother a knowne truth for his owne turne, and now the publication of it may serue for his aduan­tage, he wins the heart of Israel, [Page 155] by shewing Gods Charter for him, whom he had so long op­posed: Hypocrites make vse of God for their owne purposes; and care onely to make diuine authority a colour for their owne designes; No man euer heard Abner godly till now; neither had hee beene so at this time, if hee had not intended a reuengefull departure from Ish­bosheth: Nothing is more odi­ous, then to make religion a stalking horse to policy.

Who can but glorifie God in his Iustice, when he sees the bit­ter end of this trecherous dissi­mulation: Dauid may vpon considerations of state, enter­taine his new guest with a feast; [Page 156] and well might he seeme to de­serue a welcom, that vndertakes to bring all Israel to the league and homage of Dauid: but God neuer meant to vse so vnwor­thy meanes, for so good a work. Ioab returnes from pursuing a troop, and finding Abner dis­missed in peace and expectation of a beneficiall returne followes him, and whether out of enuy, at a new riuall of honour, or out of the reuenge of Asahel, he repayes him both dissimulation and death; God doth most iust­ly by Ioab, that which Ioab did for himselfe most vniustly, I know not (setting the quarrell aside) whether we can worthily blame Abner for the death of [Page 157] Asahel, who would needes after faire warnings, run himselfe vp­on Abners speare: yet this fact shall procure his payment for worse. Now is Ishbosheths wrong reuenged by an enemy; wee may not alwayes measure the Iustice of Gods procedings, by present occasions; He needs not make vs acquainted, or aske vs leaue when hee will call for the arrerages of forgotten sins.

Ʋzzah and the Arke remoued.

THe house of Saul is quiet, the Philistims beaten, victory can­not end better then in deuotion; Dauid is no sooner setled in his house at Ierusalem, then hee fetcheth God to be his guest there; the thousands of Israel goe now in an holy march, to bring vp the Ark of God, to the place of his rest: The tumults of warre af­forded [Page 164] no oportunity of this seruice; only peace is a frend to religion, neither is peace euer our frend, but when it is a ser­uant of piety: The vse of warre is not more pernicious to the body, then the abuse of peace is to the Soule; Alas, the ryot bred of our long ease, rather driues the Ark of God from vs; so the still sedentary life, is subiect to diseases, and standing waters putrifie. It may bee iust with God, to take away the blessing which wee doe so much abuse, and to scoure off our rust with bloody warre, &c.

The Ark of God had now many yeares, rested in the ob­scure lodge of Abinadab, without [Page 165] the honor of a Tabernacle. Da­uid will not indure himselfe glorious, and the Ark of God contemptible, his first care is to prouide a fit roome for God; in the head of the Tribes, in his owne city; The chiefe care of good Princes, must be the ad­uancement of religion; What should the deputies of God ra­ther do, then honor him whom they represent? It was no good that Israel could learne of Phi­listims; Those Pagans had sent the Ark backe in a new cart; the Israelites saw God blessed that conduct, and now they practise it at home: But that which God will take from Phi­listims, he will not brook from [Page 166] Israel; Aliens from God are no fit patternes for children: Di­uine institution had made this a cariage for the Leuites, not for Oxen: Neither should those Sons of Abinadab haue driuen the cart, but caryed that sacred burden. Gods businesses must be done after his owne formes, which if we doe with the best intentions alter, wee presume:

It is long, since Israel saw so faire a day as this, wherein they went in this holy triumph to fetch the Ark of God; Now their warlike trumpets are tur­ned into Harpes and Timbrils; and their hands in steed of weilding the Sword and Speare, strike vpon those musicall [Page 167] strings whereby they might ex­presse the ioy of their hearts; heere was no noyse but of mirth, no motion but pleasant: oh happy Israel that had a God to reioyce in, that had this oc­casion of reioycing in their God, and an hart that embraced this occasion. There is nothing but this wherein wee may not ioy immoderately, vnseasona­bly; this spirituall ioy can ne­uer be either out of time, or out of measure▪ let him that reioy­ceth, reioyce in the Lord. But now when the Israelites were in the midst of this Angel-like io­lity, their hearts lifted vp, their hands playing, their feete mo­uing, their tongues singing and [Page 168] shouting, God sees good to strike them into a sudden dumpe by the death of Vzzah: They are scarce set into the tune when God mars their Musicke, by a fearefull iudgement; and changes their mirth into asto­nishment, and confusion; There could not bee more excellent worke then this they were a­bout; there could not be more cheerefull hearts in the perfor­ming of it, yet will the most holy God rather dash all this solemne seruice, then indure an act of presumption or infideli­ty. Abinadab had bene the faith­full host of Gods Ark, for the space of twenty yeares: euen in the midst of the terrors of Is­rael, [Page 169] who were iustly affrighted with the vengance inflicted v­pon Beth-shemesh, did he giue harbour vnto it; Yet euen the Son of Abinadab is striken dead, in the first departing of that blessed guest: The Sanctity of the Parent cannot beare out the sinne of his Sonne: The holy one of Israel will bee sanctified in all that come neare him: He will be serued like himselfe.

What then was the sinne of Vzzah? What was the capitall crime, for which he so feareful­ly perished? That the Arke of God was cōmitted to the Cart, it was not his deuice only, but the common act of many, That it was not caryed on the [Page 170] shoulders of Leuites, was no lesse the fault of Ahio, and the rest of their brethren; only Vz­zah is striken: The rest sinned in negligence, he in presumpti­on; the Ark God shakes with the agitation of that cariage; he puts forth his hand to hold it steddy; Humane iudgement would haue found heerein nothing haynous: God sees not with the eyes of men; None but the Priests should haue dared to touch the Ark; It was enough for the Leuites to touch the bars that carryed it; An vnwarran­ted hand cannot so lightly touch the Ark, but hee strikes the God that dwels in it: No maruell if God strike that man [Page 171] with death, that strikes him with presumption; There was wel-neare the same quarell a­gainst the thousands of Beth­shemesh, and against Vzzah; They dyed for looking into the Ark, he for touching it; least Israel should grow into a contemptuous familiarity with this Testimony of Gods pre­sence, he will hold them in awe with iudgements: The reuen­ging hand of the Almighty, that vpon the returne of the Ark stayed at the house of Ahinadab, vpon the remoue of the Ark begins there againe: Where are those that thinke God will take vp with a carelesse and slubbred seruice? He whose infinite mer­cy [Page 172] vses to passe by our sinnes of infirmity, punisheth yet seuere­ly our bold faults: If wee can­not doe any thing in the degrees that he requireth, yet wee must learne to doe all things in the forme that he requireth; Doubt­lesse Vzzah meant no otherwise then well in putting forth his hand to stay the Ark; He knew the sacred vtensills that were in it, the pot of Manna, the Tables of the Law, the rod of Aaron, which might bee wronged by that ouer-rough motion: to these hee offers his ayd, and is striken dead; The best intenti­ons cannot excuse; much lesse warrant vs in vnlawfull acti­ons; where wee doe ought in [Page 173] faith, it pleaseth our good God to wink at, and pitty our weak­nesses; but if we dare to present God with the well-meant serui­ces of our owne making, wee runne into the indignation of God; There is nothing more dangerous, then to be our owne caruers in matter of deuotion.

I maruell not if the counte­nance of Dauid were suddenly changed, to see the pale face of death in one of the cheefe actors in this holy procession: Hee that had found God so fauoura­ble to him in actions of lesse worth, is troubled to see this successe of a businesse so hearti­ly directed vnto his God; and now he begins to look thorow [Page 174] Vzzah at himselfe, and to say, (How shall the Arke of the Lord come to mee?) Then onely shall we make a right vse of the judg­ments of God vpon others, when we shall feare them in our selues, and finding our sins at least equall, shall tremble at the expectation of the same deser­ued punishments. God intends not onely reuenge in his execu­tions, but reformation; As good Princes regard not so much the smart of the euill past, as the pre­uention of the future; which is neuer attained, but when wee make applications of Gods hand; and draw common ca­ses out of Gods particular pro­ceedings.

[Page 175] I doe not heare Dauid say; Surely, this man is guilty of some secret sin, that the world knowes not; God hath met with him; there is no danger to vs; why should I bee discoura­ged to see God iust? Wee may goe on safely and prosper; but here his foot staies, and his hand fals from his instrument, and his tongue is ready to tax his owne vnworthinesse, (How shall the Arke of the Lord come vnto mee?) That heart is carnall and proud, that thinkes any man worse then himselfe; Dauids feare stayes his progresse; Perhaps, he might haue proceeded with good successe, but hee dares not venture, where hee sees such a [Page 176] deadly checke: It is better to bee too fearefull, then too for­ward in those affaires, which do immediately concerne God; As it is not good to refrain from holy businesses, so it is worse to doe them ill; Awfulnesse is a safe interpreter of Gods secret a­ctions, and a wise guide of ours.

This euent hath holpen Obed-Edom to a guest he lookt not for, God shall now soiourne in the house of him, in whose heart he dwelt before by a strong faith; else the man durst not haue vn­dertaken, to receiue that dread­full Arke, which Dauid himselfe feared to harbour; Oh the cou­rage of an honest and faithfull heart; Obed-Edom knew well e­nough [Page 177] what slaughter the Arke had made among the Phili­stims, and after that amongst the Beth shemites, and now hee saw Vzzah lye dead before him, yet doth hee not make any scru­ple of entertaining it, neither doth he say, My neigbour Abinadab was a carefull and religi­ous host to the Ark, and is now payed with the bloud of his son; how shall I hope to speede better; but he opens his doores with a bold cheerefulnesse, and notwithstanding all those ter­rors, bids God welcome: No­thing can make God not amia­ble to his owne; Euen his very Iustice is louely: Holy men know how to reioyce in the [Page 178] Lord with trembling, and can feare without discouragement.

The God of Heauen will not receiue any thing from men on free cost; hee will pay liberally for his lodging, a plen­tifull blessing vpon Obed-Edom, and all his houshold. It was an honour to that zealous Gittite, that the Arke would come vn­der his roofe; yet God rewards that honour with benediction: Neuer man was a loser by true godlinesse; The house of Obed-Edom cannot this while want obseruation; the eyes of Da­uid, and all Israel are neuer off from it, to see how it fared with this entertainment. And now, when they finde nothing, but a [Page 179] gracious acceptation and sensi­ble blessing, the good King of Israel takes new heart, and ha­stens to fetch the Arke into his royall City. The view of Gods fauours vpon the godly, is no small encouragement to confi­dence and obedience; Doubt­lesse, Obed-Edom was not free from some weaknesses; If the Lord should haue taken the ad­uantage of judgement against him, what Israelites had not been dishartned from attending the Arke? Now Dauid & Israel was not more affrighted with the vengeance vpon Vzzah, then encouraged by the blessing of Obed-Edom; The wise God doth so order his iust and mercifull [Page 180] proceedings, that the aweful­nesse of men may be tempered with loue. Now the sweet sin­ger of Israel reuiues his holy Musicke; and addes both more spirit and more pompe to so de­uout a businesse▪ I did not be­fore heare of trumpets, nor dan­cing, nor shouting, nor sacrifi­ces, nor the linnen Ephod; The sense of Gods passed displea­sure, doubles our care to please him, and our ioy in his recoue­red approbation; wee neuer make so much of our health, as after sicknesse, nor neuer are so officious to our frend, as after an vnkindnesse. In the first set­ting out of the Ark, Dauids feare was at least an equall match to [Page 181] his ioy; therefore after the first sixe paces hee offred a sacrifice, both to pacifie God, and thank him: but now when they saw no signe of dislike, they did more freely let themselues loose to a fearelesse ioy; and the bo­dy stroue to expresse the holy affection of the Soule; there was no limme, no part that did not professe their mirth by mo­tion, no noyse of voyce, or in­strument wanted to assist their spirituall iollity; Dauid led the way, dauncing with all his might in his linnen Ephod; Vz­zah was still in his eye; he durst not vsurpe vpon a garment of Priests; but hee will borrow their colour to grace the solem­nity, [Page 182] though he dare not the fashion; White was euer the co­lour of ioy, and linnen was light for vse; therfore he couers his Princely robes with white linnin, and meanes to honor himselfe by his conformity to Gods ministers. Those that thinke there is disgrace in the Ephod, are farre from the Spirit of the man after Gods owne hart; Neither can there bee a greater argument of a foule Soule, then a dislike of the glo­rious calling of God: Barren Mical hath too many Sons that scorne the holy habit and exer­cises: shee lookes through her window, and seeing the attyre and gestures of her deuout hus­band, [Page 183] despiseth him in her hart, neither can shee conceale her contempt, but like Sauls daugh­ter cast it proudly in his face (Oh how glorious was the King of Israel this day; which was vncouered to day in the eyes of the Maidens of his seruants, as a foole vncouereth himselfe.) Worldly harts can see nothing in actions of zeale, but folly and madnesse: Piety hath no relish to their palate but di­stastfull.

Dauids hart did neuer swell so much at any reproch, as this of his wife; his loue was for the time lost in his anger; and as a man impatient of no affront so much as in the way of his de­uotion, hee returnes a bitter [Page 184] checke to his Micall; (It was be­fore the Lord, which chose me rather then thy Father, & all his house, &c.) Had not Mical twitted her hus­band with the shame of his zeale, she had not heard of the shamefull reiection of her Fa­ther; now since shee will be forrgetting, whose wife she was, she shall be put in minde whose daughter she was. Contumelyes that are cast vpon vs in the cau­ses of God, may safely bee re­payed: If we be meal-mouthed in the scornes of religion, wee are not patient, but zeale-lesse: Heere we may not forbeare her, that lies in our bosome. If Dauid had not loued Mical dearely, he had neuer stood vpon those [Page 185] points with Abner; Hee knew that if Abner came to him, the Kingdome of Israel would ac­company him, and yet he sends him the charge of not seeing his face, except he brought Mi­cal, Sauls daughter with him; as if he would not regard the Crowne of Israel, whiles hee wanted that wife of his; Yet heere hee takes her vp roundly, as if she had bene an enimy, not a partener of his bed; All rela­tions are a loofe off, in compari­son of that betwixt God, and the Soule; He that loues Father, or Mother, or wife, or childe, better then me (saith our Saui­our) is not worthy of me. Euen the highest delights of our harts [Page 186] must be trampled vpon, when they will stand out in riuality with God. Oh happy resoluti­on of the royall Prophet, and propheticall King of Israel, (I will bee yet more vile then thus, and will bee low in mine owne sight) he knew this very abasement heroycall; and that the only way to true glory, is not to be ashamed of our low­est humiliation vnto God: Well might he promise himselfe ho­nor from those, whose con­tempt shee had threatned; The hearts of men are not their owne, hee that made them, o­uer-rules them, and inclines them to an honorable con­ceit of those that honor their [Page 187] maker; So as holy men haue oft-times inward reuerence, euen where they haue out­ward indignities. Dauid came to blesse his house, Mical brings a curse vpon her selfe; Her scornes shall make her childelesse to the day of her death; Barrennesse was held in those times, none of the least iudgements; God doth so re­uenge Dauids quarrell vpon Mical, that her sudden disgrace, shall bee recompenced with perpetuall: Shee shall not bee held worthy to beare a Sonne, to him whom she vniustly con­temned; How iust is it with God to prouide whips for the back scorners? It is no maruell if [Page 188] those that mocke at goodnesse, bee plagued with conti­nuall fruitles­nesse.

Mephibosheth and Ziba.

SO soone as euer Dauid can but breathe him­selfe from the pub­lique cares, hee casts backe his thoughts to the deare remembrance of his Ionathan. Sauls seruant is likely to giue him the best intelligence of Sauls sons; The question is therfore moued to Ziba; Remaineth there yet none of the house of Saul? and lest suspition might [Page 190] conceale the remainders of an emulous line in feare of reuenge intended, he addes: On whom I may shew the mercy of God for Ionathans sake. O frendship worthy of the monuments of eternity; fit onely to requite him, whose loue was more then the loue of women; Hee doth not say, Is there any of the house of Ionathan, but of Saul; that for his frends sake hee may shew fa­uour to the posterity of his Per­secutor. Ionathans loue could not bee greater then Sauls malice, which also suruiued long in his issue; from whom Dauid found a busie and stubborne riuality for the Crowne of Israel; yet as one that gladly buried all the [Page 191] hostility of Sauls house in Iona­thans graue, he askes, Is there am man left of Sauls house, that I may shew him mercy for Ionathans sake? It is true loue that ouer-liues in the person of a frend, will be in­herited of his seed▪ but to loue the posterity of an enemy in a frend, it is the miracle of frend­ship: The formall amity of the world is confined to a face; or to the possibility of recompence, languishing in the disability, and dying in the decease of the party affected: That loue was euer false, that is not euer con­stant, and then most operatiue, when it cannot bee either knowne, or requited.

To cut of all vnquiet compe­tition [Page 192] for the Kingdome of Is­rael, the prouidence of God had so ordered, that there is none left to the house of Saul (besides the sons of his Concubines) saue onely young and lame Mephibo­sheth; so young, that he was but fiue yeeres of age, when Dauid entred vpon the gouernment of Israel; so lame, that if his age had fitted, his impotence had made him vnfit for the throne. Mephibosheth was not borne a Cripple, it was an heedlesse nurse that made him so: Shee hearing of the death of Saul and Ionathan, made such haste to flee, that her young Master was la­med with the fall: Ywis there needed no such speed to run [Page 193] away from Dauid; whose loue pursues the hidden son of his brother Ionathan: How often doth our ignorant mistaking, cause vs to run from our best frends, and to catch knocks and maymes of them that professe our protection?

Mephibosheth could not come otherwise then fearefully, into the presence of Dauid, whom he knew so long; so spitefully op­posed by the house of Saul: he could not be ignorant, that the fashion of the world is, to build their owne security vpon the bloud of the opposite faction; neither to thinke themselues safe, whiles any branch remains springing out of that root of [Page 194] their emulation: Seasonably doth Dauid therfore first, expell all those vniust doubts, ere hee administer his further cordials; (Feare not; for I will surely shew thee kindnesse, for Ionathan thy fathers sake, and will restore thee all the fields of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually:)

Dauid can see neither Sauls bloud, nor lame legs in Mepibo­sheth, whiles hee sees in him the features of his frend Ionathan; how much lesse shall the God of mercies regard our infirmities, or the corrupt bloud of our sin­full progenitors, whiles hee be­holds vs in the face of his son, in whom he is well pleased.

Fauors are wont so much [Page 195] more to affect vs, as they are lesse expected by vs; Mephibo­sheth as ouer-ioyed with so comfortable a word, and con­founded in himselfe at the re­membrance of the contrary de­seruings of his family, bowes himselfe to the earth, and sayes (What is thy seruant, that thou shouldst looke vpon such a dead dog as I am?) I finde no defect of wit, (though of limmes) in Mephibosheth, he knew himselfe the grand-childe of the King of Israel, the Son of Ionathan, the lawfull heyre of both, yet in regard of his owne impotency, and the trespasse and reiection of his house, hee thus abaseth himselfe vnto Dauid; Humilia­tion [Page 196] is a right vse of Gods afflictions; What if wee were borne great? If the sinne of his grandfather hath lost his estate, and the hand of his Nurse hath deformed and disabled his per­son, hee now forgets what hee was, and calls himselfe worse then hee is a, A dogge; Yet a liuing dogge, is better then a dead Lyon; there is dignity and comfort in life; Mephibosheth is therefore a Dead Dog vnto Dauid: It is not for vs to nourish the same Spirits in our aduerse estate, that wee found in our highest prosperi­ty; What vse haue we made of Gods hand, if wee bee not the lower with our fall? God in­tends [Page 197] wee should carry our crosse, not make a fire of it to warme vs; It is no bearing vp our sailes in a tempest; Good Dauid cannot dis-esteeme Mephi­bosheth euer the more for dispa­raging himselfe; he loues and honors this humility, in the Son of Ionathan; There is no more certaine way to glory and ad­uancement, then a lowly de­iection of our selues: Hee that made himselfe a dog, and there­fore fit only to lye vnder the ta­ble, Yea a dead dog, and there­fore fit only for the ditch, is raysed vp to the Table of a King; his seate shall bee hono­rable, yea, royall, his fare delici­ous, his attendance noble. How [Page 198] much more will our gracious God, lift vp our heads, vnto true honor before men and Angels, if wee can bee syncerely hum­bled in his sight? If wee mis­call our selues in the meane­nesse of our conceits to him, he giues vs a new name, and sets vs at the table of his glory; It is contrary with God and men; if they reckon of vs as wee set out our selues, hee values vs ac­cording to our abasements. Like a Prince truly munificent and faithfull, Dauid promises and performes at once; Ziba Sauls seruant hath the charge gi­uen him, of the execution of that royall word; He shall be the Bayliffe of this great husbandry of [Page 199] his master Mephibosheth; The land of Saul, how euer forfaited, shall know no other master then Sauls grand-childe; As yet, Sauls seruant had sped better then his Son▪ I read of twenty seruants of Ziba, none of Mephibosheth; Earthly possessions, doe not al­wayes admit of equall diuisi­ons; The wheele is now turned vp; Mephibosheth is a Prince, Ziba is his officer; I cannot but pitty the condition of this good Son of Ionathan; Into how ill hands did honest Mephibosheth fall, first, of a carelesse Nurse, then of a trecherous seruant; She may­med his body, hee would haue ouerthrowne his estate; After some yeares of eye seruice to [Page 200] Mephibosheth, wicked Ziba in­tends to giue him a worse fall then his nurse. Neuer any Court was free from detractors, from delators, who if they see a man to be a creeple, that hee cannot goe to speake for himselfe, will be telling tales of him, in the eares of the great; such a one was this perfidious Ziba; who taking the oportunity of Dauids flight from his Son Absalom, fol­lowes him with a faire present, and a false tale, accusing his im­potent master of a foule and trayterous ingratitude; labou­ring to tread vpon his lame Lord to rayse himselfe to ho­nor: True-harted Mephibosheth had as good a will as the best; [Page 201] if he could haue commanded legges, he had not beene left be­hinde Dauid: now that he can­not goe with him; hee will not be well without him; and ther­fore puts himselfe to a wilfull and sullen penance, for the ab­sence and danger of his King; hee will not so much as put on cleane clothes for the time, as he that could not haue any ioy in himselfe, for the want of his Lord Dauid; Vnconscionable miscreants care not how they collogue, whom they slander for a priuate aduantage; Lewd Ziba comes with a gifte in his hand, and a smooth tale in his mouth; Oh sir, you thought you had a Ionathan at home; but [Page 202] you will finde a Saul, It were pitty but hee should bee set at your table, that would sit in your throne; you thought Sauls land would haue contented Mephibosheth, but he would haue all yours; though hee bee lame yet hee would bee climbing; would you haue thought that this creple could be plotting for your kingdome, now that you are but gone aside? Ishbo­sheth will neuer die whiles Me­phibosheth liues: How did hee now forget his impotence, and raysed vp his spirits in hope of a day; and durst say, that now the time was comne, wherein the Crowne should reuert to Sauls true heyre, Oh viper: If a [Page 203] Serpent bite in secret when hee is not charmed, no better is a slanderer; Honest Mephibosheth in good manners made a dead dog of himselfe, when Dauid offred him the fauour of his board; but Ziba would make him a very dog indeed, an ill­natur'd curre, that when Dauid did thus kindely feed him at his owne table, would not only bite his fingers, but flye at his throat.

But what shall we say to this? Neither earthly soueraignty, nor holynesse can exempt men from humane infirmities. Wise and good Dauid hath now but one eare; and that misled; with credulity; His charity in belee­uing [Page 204] Ziba, makes him vnchari­table in distrusting, in censu­ring Mephibosheth. The detractor hath not only sudden credit gi­uen him, but Sauls land, Ionathans Son hath lost (vnheard) that inheritance, which was giuen him vnsought. Heare-say is no safe ground of any iudgement; Ziba slaunders, Dauid beleeues, Mephibosheth suffers.

Lyes shall not alwayes pro­sper, God will not abide the truth to be euer oppressed; At last Ionathans lame Son shall bee found as sound in heart, as lame in his body; Hee whose Soule was like his father Ionathans Soule, whose body was like to his grand-father Sauls Soule, [Page 205] meets Dauid (as it was high time) vpon his returne; bestirs his tongue, to discharge him­selfe of so foule a slaunder; The more horrible the crime had beene, the more villanous was the vniust suggestion of it, and the more necessary was a iust Apologie; Sweetly therefore, and yet passionately doth hee labour to greaten Dauids fa­uours to him; his owne obliga­tions and vilenesse; showing himselfe more affected with his wrong, then with his losse; wel­comming Dauid home with a thankfull neglect of himselfe, as not caring that Ziba had his sub­stance, now that he had his king. Dauid is satisfied, Mephibosheth re­stored [Page 206] to fauour and lands; here are two kinde harts well met. Dauid is full of satisfaction from Mephibosheth; Mephibosheth runs ouer with joy in Dauid: Dauid, like a gracious King, giues Me­phibosheth (as before) Sauls lands to halues with Ziba; Mephibo­sheth, like a King, giues all to Ziba, for joy that God had gi­uen him Dauid; All had beene well, if Ziba had fared worse; Pardon mee, ô holy and glori­ous soule of a Prophet, of a King, after Gods owne heart, I must needs blame thee for mer­cy: A fault that the best and most generous natures are most subiect to. It is pitty, that so good a thing should doe hurt; [Page 207] yet wee finde, that the best, mis­vsed is most dangerous: Who should be the patterne of Kings, but the King of God? Mercy is the gentliest flower in his Crowne, much more in theirs, but with a difference. Gods mer­cy is infinite, theirs limited; he sayes, I will haue mercy on whom I will: they must say, I will haue mercy on whom I should: And yet he, for all his infinite mercy, hath vessels of wrath, so must they; of whom his Iustice hath sayd, Thine eye shall not spare them: A good man is pitifull to his beast, shall hee therefore make much of toads & snakes? Oh that Ziba should goe away with any possession, saue of [Page 208] shame and sorrow; that hee should bee coupled with a Me­phibosheth in a partnership of e­states: Oh that Dauid had chan­ged the word a litle;

A diuision was due here in­deed; but of Ziba's eares from his head, or his head from his shoulders, for going about so maliciously, to diuide Dauid from the son of Ionathan; An eye for an eye, was Gods rule; If that had beene true, which Ziba suggested against Mephibo­sheth, he had been worthy to lose his head with his lands, being false, it had beene but reason, Ziba should haue changed heads with Mephibosheth; Had not ho­ly Dauid himselfe beene so stung [Page 209] with venomous tongues, that he cryes out in the bitternesse of his soule; What reward shall be giuen to thee, ô thou false tongue? euen sharp arrowes with hot burning coles. Hee that was so sensible of himselfe in Doegs wrong, doth he feele so little of Mephibosheth in Ziba's? Are these the arrowes of Dauids quiuer? are these his hot bur­ning coles (Thou & Ziba diuide?) He that had sayd, Their tongue isa sharp sword, now that hee had the sword of just reuenge in his hand, is this the blow hee giues, Diuide the possessions? I know not whether, excesse, or want of mercy, may proue most dangerous in the great; the one may [Page 210] discourage good intentions with feare; the other may en­courage wicked practices through presumption; Those that are in eminent place, must learne the mid-way betwixt both; so pardoning faults, that they may not prouoke them; so punishing them, that they may not dishearten vertuous and wel-meant actions; they must learne to sing that abso­lute ditty (whereof Dauid had here forgotten one part) of Mer­cy & Iudge­ment.

Hanun and Dauids Ambassadours.

IT is not the meaning of religion, to make men vnciuill; If the King of Ammon were heathe­nish, yet his kindnes may be ac­knowledged, may bee returned by the King of Israel. I say not, but that perhaps Dauid, might maintaine too strayt a league with that forbidden nation; A little frendship is enough to an Idolater; but euen the sauage [Page 212] Cannibals may receiue an an­swer of outward courtesie: If a very dog fawne vpon vs, wee stroke him on the head, and clap him on the side; much lesse is the common band of huma­nity vntyed by Grace: Dispari­ty in spirituall professions, is no warrant for ingratitude: Hee therfore, whose good nature proclaimed to shew mercy to a­ny branch of Sauls house, for Ionathans sake, will now also shew kindnesse to Hanun, for the sake of Nahash his father.

It was the same Nahash, that offered the cruell condition to the men of Iabesh Gilead, of thrusting out their right eyes for the admission into his coue­nant. [Page 213] He that was thus bloudy in his designes against Israel, yet was kinde to Dauid; perhaps for no cause so much, as Sauls opposition; And yet euen this fauour is held worthy both of memory; & retribution: where we haue the acts of courtesie, it is not necessary wee should enter into a strict examination of the grounds of it; whiles the benefit is ours, let the intention be their owne; What euer the hearts of men are, we must look at their hands, and repay, not what they meant, but what they did;

Nahash is dead, Dauid sends Ambassadours to condole his losse, and to comfort his sonne [Page 214] Hanun. No Ammonite, but is sadly affected with the death of a father, though it gaine him a Kingdome: Euen Esau could say, the dayes of mourning for my father will come; No earth­ly aduantage can fill vp the gap of nature: Those children are worse then Ammonites, that can thinke either gaine, or liber­ty, worthy to counteruaile a pa­rents losse.

Carnall men are wont to measure anothers foot, by their owne last; their owne falshood makes them vniustly suspitious of others. The Princes of Am­mon, because they are guilty to their owne hollownesse, and doublenesse of heart, are ready [Page 215] so to iudge of Dauid and his messengers (Thinkest thou that Da­uid doth honour thy father, that hee hath sent comforters vnto thee. Hath not Dauid rather sent his owne ser­uants to thee, to search the City, and to spye it out, to ouerthrow it;) It is hard for a wicked heart to think well of any other; because it can thinke none better then it selfe, and knowes it selfe euill: The freer a man is from vice himselfe, the more charitable he vses to be vnto others.

Whatsoeuer Dauid was parti­cularly in his owne person, it was ground enough of preiu­dice, that he was an Israelite; It was an hereditary and deep set­led hatred, that the Ammonites [Page 216] had conceiued against their bre­thren of Israel: neither can they forget that shamefull and feare­full foyle, which they receiued from the rescuers of Iabesh-Gi­lead; and now still doe they stomach at the name of Israel; Malice once conciued in world­ly hearts, is not easily extingui­shed, but vpon all occasions, is ready to break forth into a flame of reuengefull actions.

Nothing can be more dange­rous, then for young Princes, to meet with ill counsell in the en­trance of their gouernment; for both then are they most prone to take it, and most difficultly recouered from it; If we be set out of our way in the begin­ning [Page 217] of our journey, wee wan­der all the day; How happy is that state, where both the Coun­sellors are faithfull, to giue only good aduice; and the King wise to discerne good aduice from e­uill: The young King of Am­mon is easily drawne to beleeue his Peeres, and to mistrust the messengers; and hauing now in his conceit turned them into Spies, entertaines them with a scornefull disgrace; hee shaues off, one halfe of their beards, & cuts off one halfe of their gar­ments; exposing them to the derision of all beholders. The Israelites were forbidden either a shauen beard, or a short gar­ment; in despight, perhaps, of [Page 218] their Law, these Ambassadours are sent away with both: Cer­tainly in a despight of their Ma­ster, and a scorne of their per­sons.

King Dauid is not a little sen­sible of the abuse of his Messen­gers, and of himselfe in them; first therefore, he desires to hide their shame, then to reuenge it. Man hath but a double orna­ment of body, the one of na­ture, the other of Art; The naturall ornament is the haire, the artificiall is apparrell; Da­uids Messengers are deformed in both; The one is easi­ly supplyed by a new suit, the other can onely bee sup­plyed [Page 219] out of the ward-robe of Time; Tarry at Iericho till your beards be growne. How easily had this deformity beene re­mooued, if as Hanun had sha­uen one side of their faces, so they had shauen the other; what had this beene but to resemble their younger age, or that other sex, in neither of which, doe wee vse to place any imagination of vnbesee­ming; neither did their want some of their neighbour Nati­ons, whose faces age it selfe had not wont to couer with this shade of haire: But so respe­ctiue is good Dauid, and his wise Senators, of their country-formes; [Page 220] that they shall by ap­poyntment rather tarry abroad, till time haue wrought their conformity, then vary from the receiued fashions of their owne people. Alas, into what a licen­tious variety of strange disgui­ses are wee falne? the glory of attire is sought in nouelty, in mishapennesse, in monstrous­nesse: There is much latitude, much liberty in the vse of these indifferent things; but because wee are free, wee may not run wilde; and neuer thinke wee haue scope enough, vnlesse wee out-run modesty.

It is lawfull for publique per­sons, to feele their owne indig­nities, and to endeauour their [Page 221] reuenge. Now Dauid sends all the host of the mighty men to punish Ammon, for so foule an abuse; Those that receiued the Messengers of his loue, with scorne and insolency, shall now bee seuerely saluted with the Messengers of his wrath. It is just both with God and men, that they, who know not how to take fauours aright, should smart with judgements. Kind­nesse repulsed, breakes forth in­to indignation, how much more when it is repayd with an iniurious affront?

Dauid cannot but feele his owne cheekes shauen, and his owne cotes cut in his Ambassa­dors; They did but carry his [Page 222] person to Hanun; neither can hee therfore but appropriate to himselfe the kindnesse, or iniu­ry offered vnto them; He that did so take to heart the cutting off, but the lap of King Sauls garment, when it was layd a­side from him, how must hee needes bee affected with this disdainefull haluing of his haire and robes, in the person of his Deputies. The name of Ambassadours hath beene euer sacred, and by the vniuersall Law of Nations, hath carried in it sufficient protection, from all publique wrongs, nether hath it euer beene violated, without a reuenge. Oh God, what shall wee say to those [Page 223] notorious contempts which are dayly cast vpon thy spiri­tuall messengers? Is it possi­ble thou shouldst not feele them, thou shouldst not a­uenge them? Wee are made a gazing stocke to the world, to Angels and to men, wee are despised and trodden downe in the dust; Who hath beleeued our report, and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed?

How obstinate are wicked men in their peruerse resoluti­ons. These foolish Ammonites had rather hyre Syrians to maintaine a warre against Isra­el in so foule a quarrell, besides the hazard of their owne liues, [Page 224] then confesse the error of their iealous mis-construction.

It is one of the madde prin­ciples of wickednesse, that it is a weakenesse to relent, and ra­ther to Dye then yeild; Euen ill causes once vndertaken, must bee vpheld although with bloud; whereas the gracious hart finding his owne mis-ta­king, doth not only remit of an vngrounded displeasure, but studies to bee reuenged of it selfe; and to giue satisfaction to the offended.

The mercenary Syrians are drawne to venture their liues for a fee; twenty thousand of them are hyred into the field against Israel; Fond Pagans that [Page 225] know not the value of a man; their bloud cost them nothing, and they care not to sell it good cheape; How can wee thinke those men haue Soules, that e­steeme a little white earth a­boue themselues? that neuer inquire into the iustice of the quarell, but the rate of the pay, that can rifle for drams of siluer, in the bowels of their owne flesh, and either kill or die for a dayes wages?

Ioab the wise Generall of Is­rael soone findes, where the strength of the battle lay, and so marshalls his troupes, that the choyce of his men shall incoun­ter the vantgard of the Syrians. His brother Abishai leads the [Page 226] rest against the children of Am­mon; with this couenant of mutuall assistance, (If the Syrians be too strong for mee, then thou shalt helpe mee; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then will I come and helpe thee;) It is an happy thing, when the captains of Gods people ioyne together as brethren, and lend their hand to the ayde of each other against the common aduersary. Con­cord in defence, or assault is the way to victory; as contrarily, the deuision of the Leaders is the ouerthrow of the army.

Set aside some particular actions, Ioab was a worthy Cap­taine, both for wisdome and va­lour. Who could either exhort [Page 227] or resolue better then he, (Be of good courage, and let vs play the men, for our people, and for the cities of our God; and the Lord doe that which seemeth him good?) It is not either priuate glory or profit that whets his fortitude, but the re­spect to the cause of God, and his people; That Souldier can neuer answer it to God, that strikes not more as a Iusticer, then as an enemy; Neither doth hee content himselfe with his owne courage, but he animates others. The tongue of a Com­mander fights more then his hand; it is enough for priuate men to exercise what life and limmes they haue, a good Lea­der must out of his owne abun­dance, [Page 228] put life and spirits into all others; If a Lyon lead sheep into the field, there is hope of victory: Lastly, when he hath done his best, he resolues to de­pend vpon God for the issue: not trusting to his sword, or his bowe, but to the prouidence of the Almightie for successe; as a man religiously awfull, and aw­fully confident, whiles there should bee no want in their owne indeuours: he knew well that the race was not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, therefore hee lookes vp aboue the hills whence com­meth his saluation; All valour is cowardise to that, which is built vpon religion.

[Page 229] I maruel not to see Ioab victo­rious, whiles he is thus godly; The Syrians flee before him, like flocks of sheepe; the Amo­nites follow them; The two Sons of Zeruiah haue nothing to doe, but to pursue and exe­cute; The throates of the Amo­nites are cut, for cutting the beards and cotes of the Israeli­tish messengers; Neither doth this reuenge end in the field; Rabba the royall city of Am­mon is strongly beleguered by Ioab; the City of waters (after well-neare a yeares siege) yeil­deth; the rest can no longer hold out; now Ioab, as one that desired more to approue him­selfe a loyall and carefull sub­iect, [Page 230] then a happy Generall, sends to his master Dauid that he should come personally, and encampe against the City and take it; Least (saith he) I take it and it be called after my name. Oh noble and imitable fidelity of a dutifull seruant, that prefers his Lord to himselfe, and is so farre from stealing honor from his masters deserts, that he willing­ly remits of his owne, to adde vnto his. The warre was not his; he was only imployed by his Soueraigne; The same per­son that was wronged in the Ambassadors, reuengeth by his soldiers; the praise of the act shall (like fountaine water) re­turne to the sea, whence it originally [Page 231] came: To seeke a mans owne glory is not glory. Alas, how many are there, who being sent to sue for God, wooe for themselues. Oh God, it is a fear­full thing to robbe thee of that which is dearest to thee, glory; which as thou wilt not giue to any creature, so much l [...]sse wilt thou indure that any creature should filtch it from thee, and giue it to himselfe. Haue thou the honor of all our actions, who giuest a beeing to our acti­ons and vs, and in both hast most iustly regarded thine owne praise.

Dauid with Bathsheba and ƲRIAH.

WIth what vnwil­lingnes, with what feare, do I still look vpon the miscariage of the man after Gods owne hart? O holy Prophet, who can promise himselfe alwayes to stand, when he sees thee falne and maimed in the fall? Who can assure himselfe of an immu­nity from the foulest sins, when hee sees the offending so hay­nously, [Page 233] so bloudily? Let pro­fane eyes behold thee conten­tedly, as a patterne, as an excuse of sinning; I shall neuer looke at thee but through teares, as a wofull spectacle of humane in­firmity:

Whiles Ioab and all Israel were busie in the warre against Am­mon, in the siege of Rabbah, Sa­tan findes time to lay siege to the secure hart of Dauid; Who euer found Dauid thus tempted, thus foyled in the dayes of his busie warres? Now only doe I see the King of Israel, rising from his bed in the euening; The time was, when he rose vp in the morning to his early de­uotions; when hee brake his [Page 234] nightly rest with publique cares, with the businesse of e­state; all that while he was in­nocent, he was holy; but now that he wallowes in the bed of idlenesse, he is fit to inuite a tentation. The industrious man hath no leasure to sinne. The idle hath neither leasure nor po­wer to auoyd sinne; Exercise is not wore wholsome for the bo­dy, then for the Soule, the re­mission whereof breeds matter of disease in both: The water that hath beene heated, soonest freezeth; the most actiue Spirit soonest ty [...]eth with slackning; The earth stands still, and is all dregs; the heauens euer moue, and are pure. We haue no rea­son [Page 235] to complaine of the assidu­ity of work; the toyle of action is answered by the benefit; If wee did lesse wee should suffer more; Satan like an idle com­panion, if he finde vs busie, flies backe and sees it no time to en­tertaine vaine purposes with vs; Wee cannot please him better then by casting away our work, to hold chat with him; wee cannot yeild so farre and bee guiltlesse.

Euen Dauids eyes haue no sooner the sleepe rubbed out of them, then they roue to wan­ton prospects; He walkes vpon his roofe, and sees Bathsheba washing her selfe; inquires after her, sends for her, solicits her to [Page 236] vncleanenesse. The same Spirit that shut vp his eyes in an vn­seasonable sleepe, opens them vpon an intising obiect; whiles sinne hath such a Solicitor, it cannot want either meanes or opportunitie▪ I cannot thinke Bathsheba could bee so immo­dest, as to wash her selfe openly, especially from her naturall vn­cleanenesse; Lust is quick-sigh­ted; Dauid hath espyed her, where she could espye no beholder: His eyes recoyle vpon his hart, and haue smitten him with a sinfull desire.

There can bee no safety to that Soule, where the senses are let loose. He can neuer keep his couenant with God, that makes [Page 237] not a couenant with his eyes: It is an Idle presumption to thinke the outward man may be free, whiles the inward is safe: He is more then a man, whose hart is not led by his eies, he is no regenerate man whose, eyes are not restrayned by his hart.

Oh Bathsheba, how wert thou washed from thine vncleane­nesse, when thou yeildedst to goe into an adulterous bed? Neuer wert thou so foule: as now when thou wert new wa­shed; The worst of nature, is cleanlinesse, to the best of sinne: thou hadst beene cleane if thou hadst not washed; yet for thee, I know how to plead infirmity [Page 238] of sexe; and the importunity of a King; But what shall I say for thee, O thou royall Prophet, and propheticall King of Israel; where shall I finde ought to ex­tenuate that crime, for which God himselfe hath noted thee? Did not thine holy profession teach thee to abhorre such a sin more then death? Was not thy iustice wont to punish this sin with no lesse then death? Did not thy very calling call thee to a protection and preseruation of iustice, of chastity in thy subiects? Didst thou want store of wines of thine owne? wert thou restrayned from taking more? was there no beauty in Israel, but in a subiects mariage-bed? [Page 239] Wert thou ouercome by the vehement solicitations of an adulteresse? wert thou not the tempter, the prosecutor of this vncleanenesse? I should accuse thee deeply, if thou hadst not accused thy selfe; Nothing wanted to greaten thy sinne, or our wonder, and feare. O God, whither doe wee goe if thou stay vs not? Who euer amongst the millions of thy seruants could finde himselfe furnished with stronger preseruatiues a­gainst sinne? Against whom could such a sinne finde lesse pretence of preuailing? Oh keep thou vs, that presumtuous sins preuaile not ouer vs; So only shall wee be free from great of­fences.

[Page 240] The suites of Kings are impera­tiue; Ambition did now proue a bawd to lust. Bathsheba yeil­deth to offend God, to disho­nour her husband, to clogge and wound her owne Soule, to abuse her body: Dishonesty growes bold, when it is coun­tenanced with greatnesse. Emi­nent persons had need be care­full of their demaunds; they sinne by authority, that are soli­cited by the mighty.

Had Bathsheba beene minde­full of her matrimonial fidelity, perhaps Dauid had beene soone checked in his inordinate de­sire; her facility furthers the sinne. The first motioner of euill is most faulty, but as in [Page 241] quarels, so in offences, the se­cond blow (which is the con­sent) makes the fray. Good Ioseph was moued to folly, by his great and beautifull mistres, this fire fell vpon wet tinder, and therefore soone went out. Sinne is not acted alone; if but one party bee wise, both escape. It is no excuse to say, I was tempted, though by the great, though by the holy and learned; Almost all sinners are misled by that transformed Angel of light; The action is that wee must regard, not the person; Let the mouer be neuer so glorious, if he stirre vs to euill, hee must be intertained with defiance.

The God that knowes how [Page 242] to raise good out of euill, blesses an adulterous copulation with that increase, which hee denyes to the chast imbracements of honest wedlock: Bathsheba hath conceiued by Dauid; and now at once conceiues a sorrow and care how to smother the shame of her conception; He that did the fact, must hide it. Oh Dauid, where is thy repentance? Where is thy tendernesse and compun­ction of hart? Where are those holy meditations, which had wont to take vp thy Soule? Alas, in steed of clearing thy sinne, thou labourest to cloke it; and spendest those thoughts in the concealing of thy wic­kednesse, which thou shouldst [Page 243] rather haue bestowed in pre­uenting it: The best of Gods children may not onely bee drenched in the waues of sin, but lye in them for the time, and perhaps sinke twice to the bot­tome; What hypocrite could haue done worse, then study how to couer the face of his sin from the eyes of men, whiles heregarded not the sting of sin in his soule. As there are some acts, wherein the Hypocrite is a Saint, so there are some, wherin the greatest Saint vpon earth may be an Hypocrite; Saul did thus goe about to colour his sin, and is cursed; The vessels of mercy and wrath, are not e­uer distinguishable by their acti­ons. [Page 244] Hee makes the difference, that will haue mercy on whom he will, and whom he will, hee hardeneth.

It is rare and hard to commit a single sinne; Dauid hath abu­sed the wife of Vriah, now hee would abuse his person, in cau­sing him to father a false seede: That worthy Hittite is sent for from the wars; and now after some cunning, and far-fetcht questions; is dismissed to his house, not without a present of fauour; Dauid could not but imagine, that the beauty of his Bathsheba, must needes be attra­ctiue enough to an husband, whom long absence in wars, had with-held all that while [Page 245] from so pleasing a bed; neither could he thinke, that since that face, and those brests had power to allure himselfe to an vnlaw­full lust, it could bee possible, that Vriah should not bee inui­ted by them, to an allowed and warrantable fruition.

That Dauids heart might now the rather strike him, in compa­ring the chaste resolutions of his seruant, with his owne light incontinence; good Vriah sleeps at the doore of the Kings pa­lace, making choyce of a stony pillow, vnder the canopy of Heauen, rather then the delicate bed of her, whom hee thought as honest, as he knew faire. The Arke (saith he) and Israel, and Iudah, [Page 246] dwell in tents, and my Lord Ioab, and the seruants of my Lord, abide in the open fields; shall I then goe into mine house, to eat, and drinke, and lye with my wife; by thy life, and by the life of thy soule, I will not doe this thing. Who can but bee astonished at this change, to see a Souldier au­stere, and a Prophet wanton? And how doth that Souldiers austerity, shame the Prophets wantonnesse? Oh zealous and mortified soule, worthy of a more faithfull wife, of a more iust master, how didst thou ouer-looke all base sensuality, and hatedst to be happy alone? War and lust had wont to bee reputed frends; thy brest is not more full of courage then cha­stity, [Page 247] and is so far from wan­dring after forbidden pleasures, that it refuseth lawfull.

There is a time to laugh, and a time to mourne; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embracing; euen the best actions are not alwayes seasonable, much lesse the indif­ferent: He that euer takes liber­ty to doe what he may, shall of­fend no lesse, then he that some­times takes liberty to doe what he may not.

If any thing, the Arke of God is fittest to lead our times; according as that is either di­stressed, or prospereth, should we frame our mirth, or mour­ning. To dwell in sieled hou­ses, whiles the Temple lyes [Page 248] waste, is the ground of Gods iust quarrell. How shall wee sing a song of the Lord in a strange land; If I forget thee, ô Ierusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth; yea, if I prefer not Hie­rusalem to my cheefe ioy.

As euery man is a limme of the community, so must hee be affected with the estate of the vniuersal body, whether health­full, or languishing; It did not more aggrauate Dauids sin, that whiles the Arke and Israel was in hazard and distresse, he could finde time to loose the reynes to wanton desires, and actions, [Page 249] then it magnifies the religious zeale of Vriah, that he abandons comfort, till he see the Arke and Israel victorious.

Common dangers, or cala­mities must (like the rapt moti­on) carry our hearts contrary to to the wayes of our priuate oc­casions.

Hee that cannot bee mooued with words, shall be tryed with wine, Vriah had equally prote­sted against feasting at home, and society with his wife; To the one, the authority of a King forces him abroad, in hope that the excesse thereof shall force him to the other: It is like, that holy Captaine intended onely to yeeld so much obedience, as [Page 250] might consist with his course of austerity. But wine is a mocker, when it goes plausibly in, no man can imagine how it will rage and tyrannize; he that re­ceiues that Traytor within his gates, shall too late complaine of a surprizall. Like vnto that ill spirit, it insinuates sweetly, but in the end, it bites like a Ser­pent, & hurts like a Cockatrice. Euen good Vrias is made drunk; the holyest soule may bee ouer­taken; It is hard gaine-saying, where a King begins an health to a subiect; Where, oh where, will this wickednesse end? Da­uid will now procure the sin of another, to hide his owne; Vri­ahs drunkennesse is more Dauids [Page 251] offence, then his. It is weakly yeelded to of the one, which was wilfully intended of the o­ther. The one was as the sinner, the other as the tempter.

Had not Dauid knowne, that wine was an inducement to lust, he had spared those superfluous cups. Experience had taught him, that the eye debauched with wine, will looke vpon strange women: The Drunkard may bee any thing saue good. Yet in this the ayme failed; Grace is stronger then wine; Whiles that with-holds, in vaine shall the fury of the grape at­tempt to carry Vriah to his own bed. Sober Dauid is now worse then drunken Vriah. Had not [Page 252] the King of Israel beene more intoxicate with sin, then Vriah with drinke, he had not in a so­ber intemperance climbed vp into that bed, which the drun­ken temperance of Vriah refu­sed.

If Dauid had beene but him­self, how had he loued, how had he honoured this honest and re­ligious zeale, in his so faithfull seruant; whom now he cruelly seekes to reward with death? That fact which wine cannot hide, the sword shall; Vriah shall beare his owne Mittimus vnto Ioab; Put yee Vriah in the fore front of the strength of the battle, and recule backe from him, that he may bee smit­ten, and die.) What is becomne of [Page 253] thee, ô thou good Spirit, that hadst wont to guide thy chosen seruant in his former wayes? Is not this the man, whom wee lately saw so heart-smitten, for but cutting off the lap of the garment of a wicked Master, that is now thus lauish of the bloud, of a gracious and well-deseruing Seruant? Could it be likely, that so worthy a Cap­taine could fall alone? Could Dauid haue expiated this sinne with his owne bloud, it had beene but well spent, but to co­uer his sinne with the innocent bloud of others, was a crime a­boue astonishment. Oh the deepe deceitfulnesse of sinne; If the Deuill should haue comne [Page 254] to Dauid, in the most louely forme of Bathsheba her selfe, and at the first should haue directly, and in termes, solicited him to murder his best seruant; I doubt not, but hee would haue spat scorne in that face, on which he should otherwise haue doted; now, by many cunning win­dings, Satan rises vp to that ten­tation, & preuailes; that shall be done for a colour of guiltinesse, whreof the soule would haue hated to be immediately guilty; Euen those, that find a iust hor­rour, in leaping downe from some hie tower, yet may be per­swaded to descend by stayres to the bottome. Hee knowes not where hee shall stay, that hath [Page 255] willingly slipt into a knowne wickednesse.

How many doth an eminent offender draw with him into euill? It could not be, but that diuers of the attendants both of Dauid and Bathsheba must be conscious to that adultery; Great mens sinnes are seldome secret; And now Ioab must bee fetcht in, as accessary to the murder: How must this exam­ple needes harden Ioab against the conscience of Abners blood? Whiles he cannot but thinke, Dauid cannot auenge that in me, which he acteth himselfe.

Honor is pretended to poore Vriah, death is meant. This man was one of the worthies of Da­uid; [Page 256] their courage sought glory in the difficultest exploits: That reputation had neuer bene pur­chased without attempts of e­quall danger; Had not the lea­der and followers of Vriah: beene more trecherous, then his enemies were strong, hee had comne off with victory; Now, he was not the first or last that perished by his frends. Dauid hath forgotten, that himselfe was in like sort betrayed in his masters intention, vpon the dowry of the Philistim-fore­skins. I feare to aske, Who euer noted so foule a plot in Dauids reiected predecessour? Vriah must be the messenger of his owne death, Ioab must be a tray­tor [Page 257] to his frend, the host of God must shamefully turne their backs vpon the Ammonites, all that Israelitish blood must bee shed, that murder must bee se­conded with dissimulation, and all this to hide one adultery. O God thou hadst neuer suffered so deare a fauorite of thine to fall so fearefully, if thou hadst not meant to make him an vni­uersall example to mankinde; of not presuming, of not de­spayring; How can wee pre­sume of not sinning, or despaire for sinning, when we finde so great a Saint thus fallen, thus risen.

Nathan and Dauid.

YEt Bathsheba mour­ned for the death of that husband, whō she had bene drawn to dishonor: How could shee bestowe teares enow vpon that funerall, whereof her sinne was the cause? If shee had but a su­spicion of the plot of his death, the fountaines of her eyes could not yeild water enough to wash off her husbands blood; Her sin was more worthy of sorrow, [Page 259] then her losse. If this griefe had beene right placed, the hope of hiding her shame, and the am­bition to be a Queene had not so soone mittigated it; neither had she vpon any termes beene drawne into the bed of her hus­bands murtherer. Euery gleame of earthly comfort can drye vp the teares of worldly sorrow. Bathsheba hath soone lost her griefe at the Court; The re­membrance of an husband is buryed in the iollity and state of a Princesse. Dauid securely in­ioyes his ill-purchased loue, and is content to exchange the con­science of his sinne, for the sense of his pleasure. But the iust and holy God will not put it vp so; [Page 260] he that hates finne so much the more, as the offender is more deare to him, will let Dauid feele the bruise of his fall. If Gods best children haue beene some­times suffered to sleep in a sin, at last he hath awakened them in a fright.

Dauid was a Prophet of God, yet he hath not only stept into these foule sinnes, but soiournes with them; If any profession or state of life could haue priui­ledged from sinne; the Angels had not sinned in heauen, nor man in Paradise: Nathan the Prophet is sent to the Prophet Dauid, for reproofe, for conui­ction, Had it beene any other mans case, none could haue [Page 261] bene more quick-sighted then the Princely Prophet, in his owne he is so blinde, that God is fayne to lend him others eyes. Euen the Phisition himselfe when he is sicke, sends for the counsell of those whom his health did mutually ayde with aduise. Let no man think him­selfe too good to learne; Tea­chers themselues may be taught that in their owne particular, which in a generality they haue often taught others; It is not only ignorance that is to be re­moued, but mis-affection.

Who can prescribe a iust pe­riod to the best mans repen­tance? About ten moneths are passed since Dauids sinne; in all [Page 262] which time I finde no newes of any serious compunction; It could not be but some glaunces of remorse must needes haue passed thorough his Soule long ere this; but a due and solemne contrition was not heard of till Nathans message; and perhaps had bene further adiourned, if that Monitor had beene longer deferred; Alas, what long and dead sleepes may the holyest Soule take in fearefull sinnes; Were it not for thy mercy, O God, the best of vs should end our spirituall lethargie in a sleep of death:

It might haue pleased God as easily to haue sent Nathan to check Dauid in his first purpose [Page 263] of sinning; So had his eyes beene restrayned, Bathsheba ho­nest, Vriah aliue with honor; now the wisdome of the Al­mighty knew how to winne more glory by the permission of so foule an euill, then by the preuention; yea, he knew how by the permission of one sinne, to preuent millions; how many thousand had sinned in a vaine presumption on their owne strength, if Dauid had not thus offended; how many thousand had despayred in the conscience of their owne weakenesses, if these horrible sinnes had not receiued forgiuenesse. It is hap­pie for all times, that wee haue so holy a sinner, so sinfull a pe­nitent; [Page 264] It matters not how bit­ter the pill is, but how well wrapped; so cunningly hath Nathan conueyed this dose, that it begins to worke ere it bee ta­sted; there is no one thing wherin is more vse of wisdome, then the due contriuing of a re­prehension, which in a discreet deliuery helps the disease, in an vnwise, destroyes nature.

Had not Nathan bene vsed to the possession of Dauids eare; this complaint had beene suspe­cted. It well beseemes a King to take information by a Pro­phet. Whiles wise Nathan was querulously discoursing, of the cruell rich man that had force­ably taken away the only [Page 265] Lambe of his poore neighbour, how willingly doth Dauid listen to the story, and how sharply (euen aboue law) doth he cen­sure the fact? As the Lord liueth the man that hath done this thing shall surely dye.) Full little did he thinke that he had pronounced sentence against himselfe; It had not bene so heauy, if he had knowne on whom it should haue light; We haue open eares & quick tongues to the vices of others; How seuere Iusticers we can be to our very owne crimes in others persons? how flatte­ring parasites to anothers crime in our selues? The life of do­ctrine is in application; Nathan might haue beene long enough [Page 266] in his narration, in his inue­ctiue, ere Dauid would haue bene touched with his owne guiltinesse; but now that the Prophet brings the word home to his bosome, he cannot but be affected. Wee may take plea­sure, to heare men speake in the clouds, we neuer take profit till we finde a propriety in the ex­hortation, or reproofe; There was not more cunning in the parable, then courage in the application (Thou art the man) If Dauid be a King, hee may not look, not to heare of his faults; Gods messages may be no other then vnpartial. It is a trecherous flattery in diuine errands to re­gard greatnesse: If Prophets [Page 267] must be mannerly in the forme, yet in the matter of reproofe, resolute: The words are not their owne, They are but the Heralds of the King of heauen, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel.

How thunder-striken do we thinke Dauid did now stand? how did the change of his co­lour bewray the confusion in his Soule; whiles his conscience said the same within, which the Prophet sounded in his eare? And now least ought should be wanting to his humiliation, all Gods former fauours shall bee layd before his eyes, by way of exprobration: He is worthy to be vpbraided with mercies, that hath abused mercyes vnto wan­tonnesse; [Page 268] whiles we doe well, God giues and sayes nothing, when we doe ill, hee layes his benefits in our dish, and casts them in our teeth, that our shame may bee so much the more; by how much our obli­gations haue bene greater. The blessings of God in our vnwor­thy caryage proue but the ag­grauations of sinne, and addi­tions to iudgement.

I see all Gods children falling into sinne, some of them lying in sinne; none of them main­tayning their sinne; Dauid can­not haue the hart, or the face to stand out against the message of God, but now as a man con­founded, and condemned in [Page 269] himselfe, hee cryes out in the bitternesse of a wounded Soule, (I haue sinned against the Lord) It was a short word, but passio­nate; and such as came from the bottome of a contrite hart; The greatest griefes are not most verball: Saul confessed his sinne more largely, lesse effectu­ally; God cares not for phrases, but for affections. The first peece of our amends to God for sinning, is the acknowledge­ment of sinne; He can do little that in a iust offence cannot ac­cuse himselfe: If we cannot be so good as we would, it is rea­son we should do God so much right, as to say, how euill we are. And why was not this don soo­ner? [Page 270] It is strange to see how easi­ly sin gets into the hart, how hardly it gets out of the mouth; Is it because sinne, like vnto Sa­tan, where it hath got possessi­on is desirous to hold it; and knowes that it is fully eiected by a free confession? or, because in a guiltinesse of deformity, it hides it selfe in the brest where it is once intertained, and hates the light? or because the tongue is so fee'd with selfe-loue, that it is loath to bee drawne vn­to any verdict against the hart, or hands? or, is it out of an idle misprision of shame, which whiles it should bee placed in offending, is mispla­ced in disclosing of our offence?

[Page 270] Howeuer, sure I am, that God hath need euen of racks to draw out confessions, and scarce in death it selfe, are we wrought to a discouery of our errors.

There is no one thing, wher­in our folly shewes it selfe more, then in these hurtfull conceale­ments: Contrary to the procee­dings of humane Iustice, it is with God, Confesse and liue; no sooner can Dauid say, I haue sinned, then Nathan infers, The Lord also hath put away thy sin. He that hides his sins shall not prosper, but hee that confesseth and for­saketh them, shall finde mercy Who would not accuse him­selfe, to be acquitted of God? O God, who would not tell his [Page 272] wickednes to thee, that knowst it better then his owne heart, that his heart may bee eased of that wickednesse, which being not told, killeth? Since we haue sinned, why should we be nig­gardly of that action, wherein wee may at once giue glory to thee, and releefe to our soules?

Dauid had sworne in a zeale of Iustice, that the rich Oppres­sour, for but taking his poore neighbours lambe, should dye the death; God, by Nathan, is more fauourable to Dauid, then to take him at his word; Thou shalt not dye: O the maruellous power of repentance; Besides a­dultery, Dauid had shed the bloud of innocent Vriah; The [Page 273] strict law was eye for tye, tooth for tooth; He that smiteth with the sword, shall perish with the sword; Yet, as if a penitent con­fession had dispensed with the rigor of Iustice, now God saies, Thou shalt not dye. Dauid was the voyce of the Law, awarding death vnto sin; Nathan was the voyce of the Gospell, awarding life vnto the repentance for sin. Whatsoeuer the sore bee, neuer any soule applyed this remedy, and dyed; neuer any soule esca­ped death, that applyed it not.

Dauid himselfe shall not dye for this fact; but his mis-begot­ten childe shall dye for him; He that sayd, The Lord hath put away thy sin, yet sayd also, The sword shall [Page 274] not depart from thine house.

The same mouth, with one breath, pronounces the sentence both of absolution, and death, Absolution to the person, death to the issue. Pardon may well stand with temporall afflicti­ons. Where God hath forgiuen, though he doe not punish, yet he may chastize, and that vnto bloud; neither doth he alwaies forbeare correction, where hee remits reuenge. So long as he smites vs not as an angry Iudge, wee may indure to smart from him, as a louing father.

Yet euen this rod did Dauid deprecate with teares: how faine would he shake off so easie a lode? The childe is stricken; [Page 275] the father fasts and prayes, and weepes, and lyes all night vpon the earth, and abhors the noyse of comfort; That childe, which was the fruit and monument of his odious adultery, whom hee could neuer haue looked vpon, without a recognition of his sin; in whose face he could not but haue still read the records of his own shame, is thus mour­ned for, thus sued for; It is easie to obserue that good man ouer­passionately affected to his chil­dren. Who would not haue thought, that Dauid might haue held himselfe well appayd, that his soule escaped an eternall death, his body a violent: though God should punish his [Page 276] sin, in that childe, in whom hee sinned: Yet euen against this crosse, he bends his prayers, as if nothing had been forgiuen him: There is no childe that would be scourged, if he might escape for crying; No affliction is for the time other then greeuous; neither is therfore yeelded vnto, without some kinde of relucta­tion. Far yet was it from the heart of Dauid, to make any op­position to the will of God; he sued, he strugled not; There is no impatience in entreaties; He wel knew, that the threats of tē ­poral euils, ran commonly with a secret condition; and therfore might perhaps bee auoyded by humble importunity: If any [Page 277] meanes vnder Heauen can auert judgements, it is our prayers.

God Could not chuse, but like well the boldnesse of Da­uids faith, who after the appre­hension of so heauy a displea­sure, is so far from doubting of the forgiuenesse of his sin, that hee dares become a Sutor vnto God for his sicke childe. Sinne doth not make vs more strange, then faith, confident.

But, it is not in the power of the strongest faith, to preserue vs from all afflictions; After all Dauids prayers and teares, the childe must dye. The carefull seruants dare but whisper this sad newes: They, who had found their Master so auerse [Page 278] from the motion of comfort, in the sicknesse of the childe, fea­red him vncapable of comfort in his death.

Suspition is quick-witted; Euery occasion makes vs mis­doubt that euent, which wee feare; This secrecy proclaymes, that which they were so loth to vtter; Dauid perceiues his childe dead, and now he rises vp from the earth whereon hee lay, and washes himselfe, and changeth his apparrell, and goes first into Gods house to worship, and then into his owne to eat; now he refuses no comfort, who be­fore would take none; The issue of things doth more fully shew the will of God, then the predi­ction; [Page 279] God neuer did any thing, but what hee would; hee hath sometimes foretold that for tri­all, which his secret will inten­ded not; hee would foretell it, hee would not effect it, because hee would therfore foretell it, that he might not effect it; His predictions of outward euils are not alwayes absolute, his acti­ons are; Dauid well sees by the euent, what the decree of God was, concerning his childe; which now he could not striue against, without a vaine impa­tience; Till wee know the de­terminations of the Almighty, it is free for vs to striue in our prayers; to striue with him, not against him; when once [Page 280] wee know them, it is our duty to sit downe in a silent conten­tation;

(Whiles the childe was yet aliue, I fasted and wept, for I sayd, Who can tell whether the Lord will bee gracious to mee, that the childe may liue, but now hee is dead, Wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him backe a­gaine?)

The greefe that goes before an euill for remedy, can hardly bee too much, but that which followes an euill, past remedy, cannot bee too little: Euen in the saddest accident, death, we may yeeld something to nature, nothing to impatience: Im­moderation of sorrow, for losses past hope of recouery, is [Page 281] more sullen, then vse-full; our stomach may be bewray­ed by it, not our wisdome.

Amnon and Tamar.

IT is not possible, that any word of God should fall to the ground: Dauid is not more sure of forgiuenesse, then smart: Three maine sins passed him in this businesse of Vriah; Adultery, murder, dissimulation: for all which, he receiues present pay­ment, for adultery, in the deflou­ring of his daughter Thamar; for murder, in the killing of his son Amnon; for dissimulation in [Page 283] the contriuing of both. Yet all this was but the beginning of euils. Where the father of the fa­mily, brings sinne home to the house, it is not easily swept out: Vnlawfull lust propagates it selfe by example; How iustly is Dauid scourged by the sin of his sons, whom his act taught to offend?

Maacah was the daughter of an Heathenish King; By her, had Dauid that beautifull, but vnhappy issue; Absalom, and his no lesse faire sister, Thamar: Perhaps, thus late doth Dauid feele the punishment of that vnfit choyce: I should haue maruelled, if so holy a man had not found crosses in so vn­equall [Page 284] a match, either in his person, or at least in his seed.

Beauty, if it be not well disci­plin'd, proues not a frend, but a traytour; three of Dauids chil­dren are vndone by it at once; What els was guilty of Amnons incestuous loue, Thamars rauish­ment, Absaloms pride? It is a bles­sing to bee faire, yet such a bles­sing, as if the soule answer not to the face, may lead to a curse; How commonly haue we seene the foulest soule dwell fairest? It was no fault of Thamars, that she was beautifull; the candle offends not in burning, the foo­lish flye offends in scorching it selfe in the flame; yet it is no small misery to become a ten­tation [Page 285] vnto another; and to be made but the occasion of others ruine. Amnon is loue-sicke of his sister Tamar, and languishes of that vnnaturall heat. Whither will not wanton lust, carry the inordinate mindes of pampered and vngouerned youth; None but his halfe-sister, will please the eyes of the young Prince of Israel: Ordinary pleasures will not content those, whom the conceit of greatnesse, youth, and ease, haue let loose to their ap­petite.

Perhaps, yet this vnkindely flame might, in time, haue gone out alone, had not there beene a Ionadab, to blow these coles with ill counsell. It were strange, if [Page 286] great Princes should want some parasiticall followers, that are ready to feede their ill humours. Why art thou, the Kings son so leane from day to day? As if it were vn­worthy the heyre of a King, to suffer either law, or conscience, to stand in the way of his de­sires: Whereas wise Princes know well, that their places giue them no priuiledge of sin­ning: but call them in rather to so much more strictnesse, as their example may be more pre­iudiciall.

Ionadab was the cozen ger­man of Amnon; Ill aduise is so much more dangerous, as the interest of the giuer is more; Had he been a true frend, he had [Page 287] bent all the forces of his disswa­sion, against the wicked moti­ons of that sinfull lust; and had shewed the Prince of Israel how much those lewd desires prouo­ked God, and blemished him­selfe; and had lent his hand to strangle them in their first con­ception. There cannot bee a more worthy improuement of frendship, then in a feruent op­position to the sinnes of them; whom wee professe to loue: No enemy can be so mortall to great Princes, as those officious clients, whose flattery soothes them vp in wickednesse; These are traytors to the Soule, and by a pleasing violence kill the best part eternally.

[Page 288] How redy at hand is an euill suggestion? Good counsell is like vnto well water, that must be drawne vp with a Pumpe, or bucket; Ill counsell is like to Conduit-water, which if the cocke be but turned, runs out alone; Ionadab hath soone pro­iected how Amnon shall accom­plish his lawlesse purpose. The way must bee to fayne himselfe sicke in body, whose minde was sicke of lust; and vnder this pretence to procure the presence of her, who had woun­ded, and only might cure him.

The daily-increasing lan­guor, and leanenesse, and pale­nesse of loue-sicke Amnon might well giue colour to a kercheife, [Page 289] and a pallet. Now it is soone told Dauid that his eldest Sonne is cast vpon his sickebed; there needs no suit for his visitation; The carefull father hastens to his bed-side, not without doubts and feares▪ He that was lately so afflicted with the sick­ness of a childe that scarce liued to see the light, how sensible must we needs thinke he would be, of the indisposition of his first borne Sonne, in the prime of his age and hopes; It is not giuen to any Prophet to foresee all things; Happy had it beene for Dauid, if Amnon had beene truly sicke, and sick vnto death; yet who could haue perswaded this passionate father to haue [Page 290] beene content with this succes­sion of losses, this early losse of his successor: How glad is hee to heare, that his daughter Ta­mars skill might be likely to fit the dyet of so deare a patient. Conceit is wont to rule much both in sicknesse, and the cure. Tamar is sent by her father to the house of Amnon; Her hand only must dresse that dish, which may please the nice Pa­late of her sicke brother. Euen the children of Kings, in those homelyer times, did not scorne to put their fingers, to some workes of huswifrie: (She tooke floure and did knead it, and did make cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes, and tooke a panne, and poured [Page 291] them out before him.) Had she not beene sometimes vsed to such domestique imployments, shee had bene now to seeke; neither had this bene required of her, but vpon the knowledge of her skill: She doth not plead, the impayring of her beauty by the scorching of the fire; nor thinkes her hand too dainty for such meane seruices; but fettles to the worke, as one that had rather regard the necessities of her brother, then her owne state: Only pride and idlenesse, haue banisht honest and thrifty diligence, out of the houses of the great.

This was not yet the dish that Amnon longed for. It was the [Page 292] Cooke, and not the cates which that wanton eye affected. Vn­lawfull acts seeke for secrecy; The company is dismissed, Ta­mar only stayes; Good meaning suspects nothing; Whiles shee presents the meat she had prepa­red, to her sicke brother, her selfe is made a pray to his outra­gious lust. The modest virgin intreats, and perswades in vain; she layes before him the sinne, the shame, the danger of the fact; and since none of these can preuaile, faine would win time by the suggesting of vn­possible hopes; Nothing but violence can stay a resolued sin­ner; What he cannot by intrea­ty, he will haue by force. If the [Page 293] Diuell were not more strong in men, then nature, they would neuer seeke pleasure in violence. Amnon hath no sooner fulfilled his beastly desires, then he hates Tamar more then he loued her. Inordinate lust neuer ends but in discontentment; Losse of spirits, and remorse of soule make the remembrance of that act tedious, whose expectation promised delight. If we could see the back of sinfull pleasures, ere wee behold their face, our harts could not but bee forstal­led with a iust detestation. Bru­tish Amnon, it was thy selfe whom thou shouldst haue ha­ted for this villany; not thine innocent sister; Both of you [Page 294] lay together; only one commit­ted incest: What was she but a patient, in that impotent fury of lust? How vniustly doe carnall men mis-place their affections? No man can say whether that loue, or this hatred were more vnreasonable: Fraud drew Tha­mar into the house of Amnon, force intertained her within; and droue her out. Faine would she haue hid her shame where it was wrought, and may not bee allowed it; That roofe vnder which, shee came with honor, and in obedience and loue, may not be lent her for the time as a shelter of her ignominy. Neuer any sauage could be more bar­barous: Shechem had rauished [Page 295] Dinah, his offence did not make her odious; his affection so continued, that he is willing rather to draw blood of him­selfe and his people, then forgoe her whom he had abused; Am­non in one houre is in the excesse of loue and hate; and is sicke of her, for whom he was sicke; She that lately kept the keyes of his hart, is now lockt out of his doores. Vnruly passions runne euer into extremities, and are then best apayd, when they are furthest off from reason and moderation.

What could Amnon thinke, would be the euent of so foule a fact, which as he had not the grace to preuent, so he hath not [Page 296] the care to conceale? If he lookt not so hie as heauen, what could he imagine would follow here­vpon, but the displeasure of a fa­ther, the danger of law, the in­dignation of a brother, the shame and out-cryes of the world; All which hee might haue hoped to auoyd by secre­sie, and plausible courses of sa­tisfaction. It is the iust iudge­ment of God vpon presumptu­ous offenders, that they lose their wit, together with their honesty; and are either so blin­ded, that they cannot fore-see the issue of their actions, or so besotted that they doe not re­gard it.

Poore Thamar can but bewaile [Page 297] that which she could not keepe, her virginty, not lost, but torne from her by a cruell violence: She rends her princely robe, and layes ashes on her head, and la­ments the shame of anothers sinne; and liues more desolate then a widdow, in the house of her brother Absalom.

In the meane time, what a corosiue must this newes needs be to the heart of good Dauid, whose fatherly command had out of loue, cast his daughter into the iawes of this Lyon? What an insolent affront must hee needs construe this, to bee offred by a Sonne to a father; that the father should be made the Pandar of his owne daugh­ter [Page 298] to his sonne? He that lay v­pon the ground weeping for, but the sicknes of an infant, how vexed doe wee thinke he was with the villany of his heyre, with the rauishment of his daughter, both of them worse then many deaths? What reuenge can he thinke of, for so haynous a crime lesse then death; and what lesse then death is it to him, to thinke of a re­uenge? Rape was by the law of God, capitall, how much more, when it is seconded with incest? Anger was not punish­ment enough for so hye an of­fence; Yet this is all that I heare of, from so indulgent a father, sauing that he makes vp the rest [Page 299] with sorrow; punishing his sons outrage in himselfe; The better-naturd, and more graci­ous a man is, the more subiect he is to the danger of an ouer re­missenesse, and the excesse of fa­uour and mercy: The milde iniustice is no lesse perilous to the common-wealth, then the cruell.

If Dauid (perhaps out of the conscience of his owne late of­fence) will not punish this fact, his sonne Absalom shall: not out of any care of iustice, but in a desire of reuenge. Two whole yeares, hath this slie Courtier smothered his indignation, and fayned kindenesse; els his inui­tation of Amnon in speciall, had [Page 300] beene suspected. Euen gallant Absalom was a great sheep-ma­ster; The brauery and magni­ficence of a Courtier, must bee built vpon the grounds of fru­gality; Dauid himselfe is bidden to this bloody sheep-shearing; It was no otherwise meant, but that the fathers eyes, should be the witnesses, of the tragicall execution of one son by ano­ther; Only Dauids loue kept him from that horrible spectacle: He is carefull not to be charge­able to that son, who cares not to ouer-charge his fathers sto­mach with a feast of blood.

Amnon hath so quite forgot his sinne, that hee dares goe to feast in that house where Tamar [Page 301] was mourning; and suspects not the kindenes of him, whom he had deserued, of a brother to make an enemy; Nothing is more vnsafe to be trusted, then the faire looks of a festered hart: Where true charity or iust satis­faction, haue not wrought a sound reconciliation, malice doth but lurk for the opportu­nity of an aduantage.

It was not for nothing, that Absalom deferred his reuenge; which is now so much the more exquisite, as it is longer protracted: What could be more feareful, then when Amnons hart was merry with wine, to be sud­denly striken with death? As if this execution had bene no lesse [Page 302] intended to the Soule, then to the body; How wickedly soe­uer this was [...]one by Absalom, yet how iust was it with God, that he, whom in two yeares impunity would finde no lea­sure o [...] repentance, [...]ould now receiue a punishment without possibility of repentance.

O God, thou art righteous to reckon for those sinnes, which humane partiality or negli­gence hath omitted, and whiles th [...]u punishest sinne with sin, to punish sinne with death; If either Dauid had called Amnon to account for this villany, or Am­non had called himselfe, the re­uenge had not beene so despe­rate; Happy is the man that by [Page 303] an vnfayned repentance ac­quits his soule from his known euils, and improues the dayes of his peace to the preuention of future vengeance; [...]hi [...]h if it be not d [...]ne, the hand of God shall as surely oue [...]ake vs in iudgement, as the hand of Satan hath ouertaken vs in miscariage vnto sin.

Absaloms returne and conspiracy.

ONE act of iniustice drawes on another; The iniustice of Da­uid, in not punishing the rape of Amnon, procures the iniustice of Absalom, in punish­ing Amnon with murder: That which the father should haue iustly reuenged, and did not; the son reuenges vniustly; The rape of a sister was no lesse wor­thy of death; then the murder [Page 305] of a brother; Yea, this latter sin was therefore the lesse, because that brother was worthy of death, though by another hand; whereas that sister was guilty of nothing but modest beauty: yet he that knew this rape passed ouer (whole two yeeres) with impunity, dares not trust the mercy of a father, in the pardon of his murder; but for threeyeers, hides his head in the Court of his Grand-father, the King of Geshur. Doubtlesse, that hea­thenish Prince gaue him a kinde welcome, for so meritorious a reuenge of the dishonour done to his owne loynes. No man can tell, how Absalom should haue sped from the hands of his [Page 306] otherwise ouer-indulgent Fa­ther, if he had beene apprehen­ded in the heat of the fact. Euen the largest loue may bee ouer­strayned, and may giue a fall in the breaking; These fearefull effects of lenity, might perhaps haue whetted the seuerity of Da­uid, to shut vp these outrages in bloud; Now this displeasure was weakned with age: Time and thoughts haue digested this hard morsell; Dauids heart told him, that his hands had a share in this offence; that Absalom did but giue that stroke, which him­selfe had wrongfully forborne; that the vnrecouerable losse of one son, would bee but wofully releiued with the losse of ano­ther; [Page 307] Hee therefore, that in the newes of the deceased infant could change his clothes, and wash himselfe, and cheere vp his spirits, with the resoluti­on of, I shall goe to him, he shall not returne to mee, comforts himselfe concerning Amnon; and begins to long for Absolom.

Those three yeeres banish­ment seemed not so much a pu­nishment to the son, as to the fa­ther; Now Dauid begins to for­giue himselfe; yet out of his wisdome, so inclines to fauour, that he conceales it; and yet so conceales it, that it may bee de­scryed by a cunning eye; If hee had cast out no glances of affe­ction, there had beene no hopes [Page 308] for his Absalom, if hee had made profession of loue after so foule an act, there had beene no safety for others; now hee lets fall so much secret grace, as may both hold vp Abfalom in the life of his hopes, and not hearten the pre­sumption of others.

Good eyes see light thorow the smallest chinke; The wit of Ioab hath soone discerned Dauids reserued affection; and knowes how to serue him in that which hee would, and would not ac­complish: and now deuises how to bring into the light, that birth of desire, wherof he knew Dauid was both big, and asha­med. A woman of Tekoah (that sex hath beene euer held [Page 309] more apt for wiles) is suborned to personate a mourner, and to say that, by way of parable, which in plaine termes would haue sounded too harshly; and now whiles she lamentably laies forth the losse & danger of her sons, she shewes Dauid his owne; and whiles she moues compas­sion to her pretended issue, shee wins Dauid to a pitty of him­selfe, and a fauourable sentence for Absalom. We loue our selues better then others, but wee see others better then our selues; who so would perfectly know his owne case, let him view it in anothers person.

Parables sped well with Da­uid; One drew him to repent of [Page 310] his owne sin; another, to remit Absaloms punishment; And now, as glad to heare this plea, and willing to bee perswaded vnto that, which if he durst, he would haue sought for, he gratifies Ioab with the grant of that suit, which Ioab more gratified him in suing for; Goe bring againe the young man Absalom.

How glad is Ioab, that hee hath light vpon one act, for which the Sunne, both setting and rising, should shine vpon him? and now he speeds to Ge­shur, to fetch back Absalom to Ie­rusalem: he may bring the long-banished Prince to the City; but to the Court hee may not bring him. (Let him turne to his owne [Page 311] house, and let him not see my face.)

The good King hath so smar­ted with mercy; that now hee is resolued vpon austerity; and will relent but by degrees; It is enough for Absalom that hee liues, and may now breathe his natiue ayre; Dauids face is no ob­iect for the eyes of a murtherer: What a Dearling this son was to his father, appeares in that, after an vnnaturall and barba­rous rebellion, passionate Dauid wishes to haue changed liues with him; yet now, whiles his bowels yearned, his brow frow­ned; The face may not be seen, where the heart is set. The best of Gods Saints may be blinded with affection; but when they [Page 312] shall once see their errors, they are carefull to correct them. Wherfore serues the power of Grace, but to subdue the inso­lencies of nature? It is the wis­dome of parents, as to hide their hearts from their best children, so to hide their countenances from the vngracious: Fleshly re­spects may not abate their rigor to the ill deseruing. For the childe to see all his fathers loue, it is enough to make him wan­ton, and of wanton, wicked: For a wicked childe, to see any of his fathers loue, it emboldens him in euill, and drawes on o­thers.

Absaloms house is made his prison; Iustly is he confined to [Page 313] the place which hee had stained with blood; Two yeeres doth hee liue in Ierusalem, without the happinesse of his fathers sight; It was enough for Dauid and him, to see the smoke of ech others chimnies. In the meane time, how impatient is Absalom of this absence? Hee sends for Ioab, the Solicitor of his returne; So hard an hand, doth wise and holy Dauid carry ouer his redu­ced sonne, that his frendly Inter­cessor, Ioab, dares not visit him. Hee, that afterwards kindled that seditious fire ouer all Israel, sets fire now on the field of Ioab; whom loue cannot draw to him, feare and anger shall; Con­tinued displeasure hath made [Page 314] Absalom desperate; Fiue yeeres are passed, since hee saw the face of his father; and now he is no lesse weary of his life, then of this delay; (Wherefore am I comne downe from Geshur? It had beene better for mee, to haue beene there still: Now therefore let mee see the Kings face, and if there bee any iniquity in me, let him kill me.) Either banish­ment, or death, seemed as tole­rable to him, as the debarring of his fathers sight. What a tor­ment shall it bee to the wicked, to be shut out for euer, from the presence of a God, without all possible hopes of recouery? This was but a father of the flesh, by whom, if Absalom liued at first, yet in him he liued not, yea, [Page 315] not without him onely, but a­gainst him that son found hee could liue; God is the Father of Spirits, in whom wee so liue, that without him can be no life, no being; to bee euer excluded from him, in whom wee liue and are, what can it be but an e­ternall dying, an eternall peri­shing? If in thy presence, ô God, be the fulnes of ioy, in thine ab­sence, must needs be the fulnes of horror and torment; Hide not thy face from vs, ô Lord, but shew vs the light of thy countenance, that we may liue, and praise thee.

Euen the fire of Ioabs field, warmed the heart of Dauid, whiles it gaue him proofe of the [Page 316] heat of Absaloms filiall affection. As a man therefore inwardly weary of so long displeasure, at last hee receiues Absalom to his sight, to his fauour; and seales his pardon with a kisse: Natu­rall parents, know not how to retaine an euerlasting anger to­wards the fruit of their loynes; how much lesse shall the God of mercies, be vnreconcileably dis­pleased with his owne; and suf­fer his wrath to burne like fire that cannot be quenched? Hee will not alwayes chide, neither will he keepe his anger for euer; His wrath endureth but a mo­ment, in his fauour is life; wee­ping may endure for a night, but ioy commeth in the morning.

[Page 317] Absalom is now as great, as faire; beauty and greatnesse make him proud; pride works his ruine; Great spirits will not rest content with a moderate prosperity: Ere two yeeres bee run out, Absalom runs out into a desperate plot of rebellion; None but his owne father was aboue him in Israel; None was so likely, in humane expectati­on, to succeed his father; If his ambition could but haue con­tained it selfe for a few yeeres, (as Dauid was now neere his pe­riod) dutifull carrige might haue procured, that by succession, which now he sought by force. An aspiring minde is euer im­patient, and holds Time it selfe [Page 318] an enemy, if it thrust it selfe im­portunately betwixt the hopes and fruition: Ambition is ne­uer but in trauell, and can finde no intermission of painefull throwes, till shee haue brought forth her abortiue desires: How happy were we, if our affectati­on could be so eager of spiritual and heauenly promotions; Oh that my soule could finde it selfe so restlesse, till it feele the weight of that crowne of glory.

Outward pompe, and vn­wonted shews of magnificence, are wont much to affect the light mindes of the vulgar. Ab­salom therefore to the incompa­rable comelinesse of his person, addes the vnusuall state of a [Page 319] more-then-princely equipage His Charets rattle, and his hor ses trample proudly in the streets; Fifty foot-men runne before their glittering master; Ierusalem rings of their glori­ous Prince; and is ready to adore these continuall triumphs of peace. Excesse and nouelty, of expensiue brauery and ostenta­tion in publique persons, giues iust cause to suspect either vani­ty, or a plot; True-harted Dauid can misdoubt nothing in him, to whom hee had both giuen life, and forgiuen death▪ Loue construed all this, as meant to the honor of a fathers Court, to the expression of ioy and thank­fulnes for his reconcilement: [Page 320] The eyes and tongues of men are thus taken vp; now hath Absalom laid snares for their hearts also; Hee rises early, and stands beside the way of the gate; Ambition is no niggard of her paynes; seldome euer is good meaning so industrious; The more hee shined in beauty and royall attendance, so much more glory it was to neglect himselfe, and to prefer the care of iustice to his owne ease; Nei­ther is Absalom more painefull then plausible, his eare is open to all plaintiues, all petitioners: there is no cause Which he flat­ters not, See thy matters are good and right; his hand flatters euery commer with a salutation, his [Page 321] lips with a kisse. All men, all matters are soothed, sauing the state and gouernment; the cen­sure of that is no lesse deep, then the applause of all others, (There is none deputed of the King to heare thee.) What insinuations could be more powerfull; No musick can be so sweet to the eares of the vnstable multitude, as to heare well of themselues, ill of their gouernours; Absalom needs not to wish himselfe vpon the Bench; Euery man sayes, Oh what a curteous Prince is Absa­lom? What a iust and carefull ruler would Absalom be? How happy were wee, if wee might bee iudg'd by Absalom? Those qualities which are wont single [Page 320] [...] [Page 321] [...] [Page 322] to grace others, haue conspired to meet in Absalom; goodlines of person, magnificence of state, gracious affability, vn­wearied diligence, humility in greatnes, feeling pitty, loue of iustice, care of the Common­wealth; The world hath not so complete a Prince as Absalom; Thus the harts of the people are not won, but stolne by a close traytor from their lawfully-a­nointed Soueraigne. Ouer-faire showes are a iust argument of vnsoundnes; no naturall face hath so cleare a white and red, as the painted: Nothing wants now but a cloke of religion, to perfect the trechery of that vn­gracious Sonne, who carryed [Page 323] peace in his name, warre in his hart: and how easily is that put on? Absalom hath an holy vow to be paid in Hebron; The deuout man had made it long since, whiles hee was exiled in Syria, and now hee hasts to per­forme it, (If the Lord shall bring me backe againe to Ierusalem, then I will serue the Lord;) wicked hy­pocrites, care not to play with God that they may mock men. The more deformed any act is, the fayrer visor it still seeketh.

How glad is the good old King, that he is blessed with so godly a Son; whom he dismis­seth laden with his causelesse blessings: What trust is there in flesh and blood when Dauid is [Page 324] not safe from his owne loynes? The conspiracy is now fully forged, there lacked nothing but this guilt of piety to win fauor and value in all eyes; and now it is a wonder, that but two hundred honest Citizens goe vp with Absalom from Ieru­salem: The true-harted lie most open to credulity: How easie it is to beguile harmelesse intenti­ons? The name of Dauids Son carryes them against the father of Absalom, and now these sim­ple Israelites, are vnwittingly made loyall rebells. Their harts are free from a plot, and they meane nothing, but fidelity in the attendance of a traytor. How many thousands are thus [Page 325] ignorantly misled into the train of error; Their simplicity is as worthy of pitty, as their mis­guidance of indignation. Those that will suffer themselues to be carryed with semblances of truth and faithfulnesse, must needs be as farre from safety, as inno­cence.

CHRIST among the Doctors.

EVEN the spring showes vs what we may hope for of the tree in Summer; In his nonage therfore, would our Sauiour giue vs a taste of his future proofe, least if his per­fection should haue shewed it selfe without warning to the world, it should haue beene in­tertained with more wonder, then beleefe; now this act of [Page 332] his Childe-hood shall prepare the faith of men by fore-expe­ctation; notwithstanding all this early demonstration of his diuine graces, the incredulous Iewes could afterwards say, whence hath this man this wis­dome and great workes? What would they haue said, if he had suddenly leapt forth into the cleare light of the world? The Sunne would dazle all eyes, if hee should breake forth at his first rising into his full strength; now he hath both the day-star to goe before him, and to bid men looke for that glorious body, and the liuely colours of the day, to publish his approch, the eye is comforted, not hurt [Page 333] by his appearance.

The Parents of Christ went vp yearely to Ierusalem at the feast of the Passouer; the law was onely for the males, I doe not finde the blessed virgin bound to this voyage, the wea­ker sexe receiued indulgence from God: yet shee knowing the spirituall profit of that iour­ney, takes paines voluntarily to measure that long way euery yeare; Piety regards not any distinction of sexes or degrees, nether yet doth Gods acceptati­on; rather doth it please the mercy of the highest, more to reward that seruice, which, though he like in all, yet out of fauour he will not impose vpon [Page 334] all! It could not be but that she whom the holy ghost ouersha­dowed, should bee zealous of Gods seruice: those that will go no further then they are drag­ged in their religious exercises, are no whit of kinne to her whom all generations shall call blessed.

The childe Iesus in the mino­rity of his age, went vp with his Parents to the holy solemni­ty, not this yeare onely, but in all likelyhood others also; hee in the power of whose God-head, and by the motion of whose Spirit, all others ascen­ded thither, would not himselfe stay at home. In al his examples he meant our Instruction: this [Page 335] pious act of his nonage inten­ded to lead our first yeares into timely deuotion. The first li­quor seasons the vessell for a long time after: It is euery way good for a man, to beare Gods yoke euen from his Infancy: it is the policie of the deuill to discourage early holynes: hee that goes out betimes in the morning, is more like to di­spatch his iourney, then he that lingers till the day bee spent. This blessed Family, came not to looke at the feast & be gone; but they duely stayd out all the appointed dayes of vnleauened bread: they and the rest of Is­rael could not want houshold businesses at home; those secular [Page 336] affaires could not either keepe them from repayring to Ierusa­lem, or send them away imma­turely; Worldly cares must giue place to the sacred: Except wee will depart vnblessed, we must attend Gods seruices till wee may receiue his dismission:

It was the fashion of those times and places, that they went vp, and so returned by troupes, to those set meetings of their holy festiuals. The whole pa­rish of Nazareth went and came together, Good-fellow­ship doth no way so well, as in the passage to Heauen: much comfort is added by society to that iourney, which is of it selfe pleasant; It is an happy word, [Page 337] Come let vs go vp to the house of the Lord: Mutual incourage­ment is none of the least bene­fits of our holy assemblies: Ma­ny sticks layd together, make a good fire, which if they lye sin­gle, lose both their light and heat.

The feast ended, what should they do, but return to Nazareth? Gods seruices may not bee so at­tended, as that wee should neg­lect our particular callings: Himselfe cals vs from his owne house to ours: and takes plea­sure to see a painfull Client: They are fouly mistaken, that thinke God cares for no other trade, but deuotion: Piety & di­ligence must keep meet changes [Page 338] with each other; neither doth God lesse acept of our returne to Nazareth, then our going vp to Ierusalem.

I cannot thinke that the bles­sed Virgin, or good Ioseph, could be so negligent of their diuine charge, as not to call the childe Iesus, to their setting forth from Ierusalem: But their backe was no sooner turned vpon the Temple, then his face was to­wards it; hee had businesse in that place, when theirs was ended: there hee was both worshipped and represented: hee, in whom the God-head dwelt bodily, could do nothing without God: his true father led him away from his suppo­sed: [Page 339] Sometimes the affaires of our ordinary vocation, may not grudge to yeeld vnto spiri­tuall occasions: The Parents of Christ knew him well, to be of a disposition, not strange, nor sullen and stoycall, but sweet and sociable: and therfore they supposed, he had spent the time and the way, in the company of their frends and neighbours: They doe not suspect him wan­dred into the solitary fields, but when euening came, they go to seeke him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance: If hee had not wonted to conuerse for­merly with them, hee had not now beene sought amongst them: Neither as God, nor man [Page 340] doth he take pleasure in a sterne froward austerity, and wilde re­tirednesse: but in a milde affa­blenesse, and amiable conuersa­sation.

But, ô blessed Virgin, who can expresse the sorrowes of thy perplexed soule; when all that euening-search could affoord thee no newes of thy Son Iesus▪ Was not this one of those swords of Simeon, which should pierce thorow thy tender brest? How didst thou chide thy cre­dulous neglect, in not obseruing so precious a charge, and blame thine eyes, for once looking be­side this obiect of thy loue? How didst thou, with thy care­full husband, spend that restlesse [Page 341] night, in mutuall expostulati­ons, and bemonings of your losse? How many suspicious imaginations did that while racke thy greeued spirit? Per­haps thou mightst doubt, lest they which layd for him, by Herods command, at his birth, had now by the secret instigati­on of Archelaus, surprized him in his child-hood: or it may be, thou thoughtst thy diuine Son had now withdrawne himselfe from the earth, and returned to his heauenly glory, without warning: or peraduenture, thou studyedst with thy selfe, whe­ther any careles on thy behalfe, had not giuen occasion to this absence.

[Page 342] Oh deare Sauiour, who can misse and not mourne for thee? Neuer any soule conceiued thee by faith, that was lesse afflicted with the sense of thy dissertion, then comforted with the ioy of thy presence: Iust is that sor­row, and those teares seasona­ble, that are bestowed vpon thy losse; What comfort are we ca­pable of, whiles we want thee? What relish is there in these earthly delights without thee? What is there to mitigate our passionate discomforts, if not from thee? Let thy selfe loose, ô my soule, to the ful­nesse of sorrow, when thou fin­dest thy selfe bereeued of him, in whose presence is the fulnesse [Page 343] of ioy, and deny to receiue com­fort from any thing, saue from his returne.

In vaine is Christ sought a­mong his kinred, according to the flesh: So far are they still from giuing vs their ayd, to find the true Messias, that they lead vs from him: Backe againe there­fore are Ioseph and Mary gone, to seeke him at Hierusalem; Shee goes about in the City, by the streets, and by the open places, and seekes him whom her soule loueth: She sought him, for the time, and found him not. Doe we thinke she spared her search, the euening of her returne, shee hastes to the Inne, where she last left him; where missing him, [Page 344] shee inquires of euery one shee met, Haue you not seene him, whom my soule loueth? At last, the third day, shee findes him in the Temple: One day was spent in the journey towards Galile; another in the returne to Ierusalem: The third day re­couers him: Hee, who would rise againe the third day, and be found amongst the liuing, now also would the third day bee found of his Parents, after the sorrow of his absence. But where wert thou, ô blessed Iesu, for the space of these three daies? Where didst thou bestow thy selfe, or who tended thee, whiles thou wert thus alone at Hieru­salem? I know, if Hierusalem [Page 345] should haue beene as vnkinde to thee, as Bethelem, thou couldst haue commanded the Heauens to harbour thee, and if men did not minister to thee, thou couldst haue commanded the seruice of Angels, but since the forme of a seruant, called thee to a voluntary homelinesse, whe­ther it pleased thee to exercise thy selfe thus early, with the difficulties of a stranger, or to prouide miraculously for thy selfe; I inquire not, since thou reuealest not, only this I know, that hereby thou intendest to teach thy parents, that thou couldest liue without them, and that not of any indigency, but out of a gracious dispensation, [Page 346] thou wouldst ordinarily de­pend vpon their care.

In the meane time, thy diuine wisdome could not but fore-know all these corroding thoughts, wherewith the heart of thy deare mother must needs bleed, through this sudden dere­liction; yet wouldst thou leaue her for the time to her sorrow: Euen so, ô Sauior, thou though­test fit to visit her, that bore thee with this earely affliction; Ne­uer any loued thee, whom thou doest not sometimes exercise with the greefe of missing thee, that both we may be more care­full to hold thee, and more ioy­full in recouering thee. Thou hast sayd, and canst not lye, I [Page 347] am with you to the end of the world: but euen whiles thou art really present, thou thinkest good to be absent vnto our ap­prehensions: yet if thou leaue vs, thou wilt not forsake vs; if thou leaue vs for our humiliati­on, thou wilt not forsake vs to our finall discomfort; thou mayst for three dayes hide thy selfe; but then wee shall finde thee in the Temple; None euer sought thee with a sincere de­sire, of whom thou wert not found: Thou wilt not bee ei­ther so little absent, as not to whet our appetites, nor so long, as to fainten the heart. After three dayes wee shall finde thee; and where should wee [Page 348] rather hope to finde thee then in the Temple? There is the ha­bitation for the God of Israel, there is thy resting place for e­uer; Oh all yee that are greeued with the want of your Sauiour, see where yee must seeke him: In vaine shall yee hope to finde him in the strects, in the Ta­uernes, in the Theaters, seek him in his holy Temple: Seeke him with piety, seeke him with faith, there shall yee meet him, there shall yee recouer him. Whiles children of that age were play­ing in the streets, Christ was found sitting in the Temple, not to gaze on the outward glo­ry of that house, or on the gol­den Candle­sticks, or tables, but [Page 349] to heare and appose the Do­ctors; Hee, who as God, gaue them all the wisdome they had, as the Son of man hearkens to the wisdom he had giuen them: He, who sate in their hearts, as the Author of all learning and knowledge, sets in the midst of their schoole, as an humble Di­sciple: That by learning of them, he might teach all the younger sort humility, and due atten­dance vpon their Instructours, he could at the first haue taught the great Rabbins of Israel, the deepe mysteries of God; but because hee was not yet called by his Father, to the publique function of a Teacher, hee con­tents to heare with diligence, [Page 350] and to aske with modesty, & to teach onely by insinuation. Let those consider this, which will needes run as soone as they can go: and when they find ability, thinke they need not stay for a further vocation of God, or men; Open your eyes, yee rathe ripe Inuaders of Gods Chaire: and see your Sauior in his youn­ger yeeres, not sitting in the e­minent pulpits of the Doctors, but in the lowly floores of the Auditors: See him that could haue taught the Angels, listning in his minority, to the voyce of men; Who can think much, to learne of his Ancients, when he looks vpon the Son of God, sit­ting at the feet of the Doctors of [Page 351] Israel. First he hears, thē he asks: how much more doth it con­cern vsto be hearers, ere we offer to be teachers of others; hee gathers that hears, he spēds that tea­cheth; if we spend ere we gather, we shall soon proue bankrupts.

When he hath heard, he askes, and after that, hee answers: doubtlesse those very questions were instructions, and meant to teach more then to learne: Ne­uer had these great Rabbins heard the voyce of such a tutor: in whom they might see the wisdome of God so concealing it selfe, that yet it would bee knowne to be there: No mar­uell then if they all wondred at his vnderstanding and answers▪ [Page 352] Their eyes saw nothing but hu­mane weakenesse, their eares heard diuine sublimity of mat­ter; betwixt what they saw, and what they heard, they could not but bee distracted with a doubting admiration. And why did ye not (ô ye Iewish teachers) remember That to vs a Childe is borne, and vnto vs a Son is giuen, and the gouernment is vpon his shoul­der, and his name shall bee called Wonderfull, Counsellor, the mighty God, the euerlasting Father, the Prince of peace? Why did ye not now bethinke yourselues, what the starre, the Sages, the Angels, the Shepheards, Zachary, Simeon, Anna, had premonished you. Fruitlesse is the wonder that [Page 353] endeth not in faith; No light is sufficient where the eyes are held through vnbeliefe or pre­ [...]udice.

The Doctors were not more amazed, to heare so profound a childe-hood, then the parents of Christ were to see him among the Doctors; the Ioy of finding him, did striue with the asto­nishment of finding him thus, And now, not Ioseph (he knew how little right he had to that diuine Son) but Mary breakes forth into a louing expostulati­on (Son why hast thou dealt so with vs;) that she might not sceme to take vpon her as an imperi­ous mother, it is like she reserued this question till shee had him [Page 354] alone: Wherein she meant rather to expresse griefe then co [...] reption: Onely heerein th [...] blessed virgin offended, that he inconsideration did not suppose (as it was) that some hy [...] respects, then could be due to flesh and bloud, called away th [...] Son of God from her, that wa [...] the daughter of man: She tha [...] was but the mother of his humanity, should not hau [...] thought that the busines o [...] God must for her sake bee neg­lected: Wee are all partiall to our selues naturally, & prone to the regard of our owne rights; questionlesse this gracious saint would not for all the world, haue willingly preferd her own [Page 355] attendance, to that of her God: through heedlesnesse shee doth so: her Son and Sauiour is her monitor: out of his diuine loue reforming her naturall: How is [...]t that ye sought me? Knew ye not [...]hat I must goe about my Fathers businesse? Immediately before the blessed virgin had said, thy father and I sought thee with heauy hearts: Wherein both according to the supposition of the world, she called Ioseph the father of Christ, and according to the fashion of a dutifull wife, shee names her Ioseph, before her selfe. She well knew that Ioseph had nothing but a name in this bu­sines, she knew how God had dignified her beyond him; yet, [Page 356] she saies: Thy father and I sough [...] thee; The Sonne of God stand not vpon contradiction to hi [...] mother, but leading he thoughts from his supposed father, to his true; from earth t [...] heauen, he answers (Knew ye no [...] that I must goe about my Father [...] businesse?) It was honor enough to her that hee had vouchsafed to take flesh of her; It was his eternall honor, that hee wa [...] God of God; the euerlasting Son of the heauenly Father; good reason therefore was it that, the respects to flesh: should giue place to the God of Spirits▪ How well contented was holy Mary with so iust an answer, how doth she now again in her [Page 357] hart, renew her answer to the Angell (Behold the seruant of the Lord, be it according to thy word.

We are all the sonnes of God in another kinde. Nature and the world thinkes wee should attend them; we are not wor­thy to say, we haue a Father in heauen, if we cannot steale a­way from these earthly distra­ctions, and imploy our selues in the ser­uices of our God.

Christs Baptisme.

IOHN did euery way fore-runne Christ, not so much in the time of his birth, as in his office; nether was there more vnlikenesse in their disposition and carriage, then similitude in their functi­on; both did preach and bap­tise; only Iohn baptised by him­selfe, our Sauiour by his disci­ples; our Sauiour wrought mi­racles by himselfe, by his disci­ples; Iohn wrought none by [Page 359] either; Wherein Christ meant to shew himselfe a Lord, and Iohn a seruant; and Iohn meant to approue himselfe a true ser­uant to him, whose harbinger he was; hee that leapt in the wombe of his mother, when his Sauiour (then newly con­ceiued) came in presence, bestir­red himselfe when hee was brought forth into the light of the Church, to the honor and seruice of his Sauiour: he did the same before Christ, which Christ charged his disciples to doe after him, preach and bap­tise. The Gospell ran alwayes in one tenor, and was neuer but like it selfe; So it became the word of him in whom there is [Page 360] no shadow by turning, and whose word it is, I am Iehoua, I change not.

It was fit, that hee which had the Prophets, the starre, the Angels to foretell his comming into the world, should haue his Vsher to goe before him, when he would notifie himselfe to the world; Iohn was the voyce of a Cryer, Christ was the word of his Father; it was fit this voyce should make a noyse to the world, ere the word of the Father should speake to it; Iohns note was still, repentance; the axe to the root, the fan to the flowre, the chaffe to the fire; as his rayment was rough, so was his tongue, and if his food were [Page 361] wilde hony, his speech was stinging locusts: Thus must the way be made for Christ in euery hart: Plausibility is no fit preface to regeneration: if the hart of man had continued vp­right, God might haue beene intertained without contradi­ction; but now violence must be offered to our corruption, ere we can haue roome for grace; if the great way-maker doe not cast downe hills, and rayse vp vallyes in the bosomes of men, there is no passage for Christ; neuer will Christ come into that soule, where the herald of repentance hath not beene be­fore him.

That Sauiour of ours, who [Page 362] from eternity lay hid in the counsell of God, who in the fulnes of time so came, that hee lay hid in the wombe of his mother, for the space of forty weekes; after hee was come, thought fit to lye hid in Naza­reth, for the space of thirty yeares, now at last begins to shew himselfe to the world, and comes from Galile to Iordan. He that was God alwayes, and might haue beene perfect man in an instant, would by degrees rise to the perfection both of his manhood, and execution of his mediator-ship; to teach vs, the necessity of leasure in spirituall proceedings; that many suns, and successions of seasons, and [Page 363] meanes must be stayd for, ere we can attaine our maturity; and that when we are ripe for the imployments of God, wee should no lesse willingly leaue our obscurity, then wee tooke the benefit of it for our prepara­tion. He that was formerly cir­cumcised, would now bee bap­tised; what is baptisme but an Euangelicall circumcision? What was circumcision but a legall baptisme? One both sup­plyed and succeeded the other; yet the author of both will vn­dergoe both; He would be cir­cumcised to satisfie his Church that was, and baptised to sancti­fie his Church that should bee; that so in both Testaments hee [Page 364] might open away into heauen. There was in him neither fil­thines, nor fore-skin of corrup­tion, that should need either knife, or water; He came not to be a Sauiour for himselfe, but for vs, we are all vncleanenesse, and vncircumcision, he would therefore haue that done to his most pure body, which should be of force to cleare our impure soules; thus making himselfe sinne for vs, that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him.

His baptisme giues vertue to ours. His last action (or rather passion) was his baptising with blood, his first was his baptiza­tion with water, both of them [Page 365] wash the world from their sins. Yea, this latter did not only wash the soules of men, but washeth that very water, by which wee are washed; from hence is that made both cleane and holy, and can both cleanse and hallow vs; And if the very hadkerchiefe which touched his Apostles, had power of cure, how much more that Water, which the sacred body of Christ touched? Christ comes far, to seeke his baptisme: to teach vs (for whose sake he was baptised) to wait vpon the ordinances of God; and to sue for the fauour of spirituall blessings; They are worthlesse commodities, that are not worth seeking for; it is [Page 366] rarely scene, that God is found of any man vnsought for: that desire which only makes vs ca­pable of good things, cannot stand with neglect.

Iohn durst not baptize vnbid­den: his Master sent him to doe this seruice, and behold the Ma­ster comes to his seruant, to call for the participation of that pri­uiledge, which he himselfe had instituted, and enioyned; how willingly should wee come to our spirituall Superiors, for our part in those mysteries, which God hath left in their keeping; y [...], how gladly should wee come to that Christ, who giues vs these blessings; who is giuen to vs in them.

[Page 367] This seemed too great an ho­nour for the modesty of Iohn to receiue; If his mother could say, when her blessed cozen the Virgin Mary, came to visit her (Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?) how much more might hee say so, when the diuine Son of that mother, came to call for a fauor from him? I haue neede to bee baptized of thee, and commest thou to me? O holy Baptist, if there were not a greater borne of women then thou; yet thou couldest not be borne of a wo­man, and not neede to be bapti­zed of thy Sauiour. Hee bapti­zed with fire, thou with water; Little would thy water haue a­uailed [Page 368] thee without his fire, If he had not baptized thee, how wert thou sanctified from the wombe? There can be no flesh without filthinesse; neither thy supernaturall conception, nor thy austere life could exempt thee from the need of baptisme: Euen those, that haue not liued to sin after the similitude of A­dam, yet are they so tainted with Adam, that vnlesse the second A­dam clense them by his baptisme they are hopelesse; There is no lesse vse of baptisme vnto all, then there is certainty of the need of baptisme; Iohn baptized without; Christ within. The more holy a man is, the more sensible he is of his vnholinesse; [Page 369] No carnall man could haue said (I haue need to be baptized of thee;) neither can he finde, what he is the better for a little Font-water. The sence of our wretchednes, and the valuation of our spiri­tuall helps, is the best tryall of our regeneration: Our Sauiour doth not deny, that either Iohn hath need to be baptized of him, or that it is strange, that he should come to be baptized of Iohn, but he will needs thus far, both ho­nor Iohn, and disparage himselfe, to be baptized of his Messenger; he that would take flesh of the Virgin, education from his Pa­rents, sustenance from his crea­tures, will take baptisme from Iohn: It is the prayse of his mer [Page 370] cy, that hee will stoope so low, as to bee beholden to his crea­tures, which from him receiue their being and power, both to take and giue. Yet not so much respect to Iohn, as obedience to his Father, drew him to this poynt of humiliation, (Thus it behooues vs to fulfill all righteous­nesse.) The counsels and ap­poyntments of God, are righte­ousnesse it selfe; There needs no other motiue, either to the ser­uant, or the Son, then the know­ledge of those righteous pur­poses. This was enough to lead a faithfull man thorow all difficulties and inconueniences; neither will it admit of any re­ply, or any demurre: Iohn yeel­deth [Page 371] to this honour, which his Sauiour puts vpon him, in gi­uing baptisme to the Authour of it: Hee baptized others to the remission of their sinnes: now hee baptizes him by them, they are remitted both to the Baptizer, and to o­thers.

No sooner is Christ baptized, then hee comes forth of the water: The element is of force, but during the vse: It turnes common, when that is past, neither is the water soo­ner powred on his head, then the Heauens are opened, and the Holy Ghost descendeth vpon that head which was bap­tized: The Heauens are neuer [Page 372] shut, whiles either of the Sacra­ments is duely administred, and receiued: neither doe the Hea­uens euer thus open without the descent of the Holy Ghost: But now that the God of Heauen is baptized, they open vnto him, which are opened to all the faithfull by him: and that Holy Ghost which proceeded from him, together with the Father; ioynes with the Father in a sensi­ble testimony of him; that now the world might see what inte­rest hee had in the Heauens, in the Father, in the Holy Spirit, and might expect nothing but diuine, from the enttance of such a Mediator.

CHRIST tempted.

NO sooner is Christ comne out of the water of Baptisme, then he enters into the fire of Tentation: No soo­ner is the Holy Spirit descended vpon his head, in the forme of a Doue, then hee is led by the spirit to be tempted. No sooner doth God say (This is my Son) then Satan sayes, (If thou bee the Son of God.) It is not in the pow­er, either of the gtft or seales of [Page 374] Grace, to deliuer vs from the as­saults of Satan; they may haue the force to repell euill suggesti­ons, they haue none to preuent them; yea, the more we are in­gaged vnto God by our pub­lique vowes, and his pledges of fauour, so much more busie and violent is the rage of that euill one, to encounter vs; Wee are no sooner stept forth into the field of God, then hee labours to wrest our weapons out of our hands, or to turne them a­gainst vs.

The voyce from Heauen, ac­knowledged Christ to bee the Son of God; this diuine Testi­mony did not allay the malice of Satan, but exasperate it: Now [Page 375] that venomous Serpent swels with inward poyson, and hastes to assayle him, whom God hath honored from Heauen. O God, how should I looke to escape the suggestious of that wicked one, when the Son of thy loue cannot bee free? when euen grace it selfe drawes on enmity? That Enemy, that spared not to strike at the head, will he for­beare the weakest and remotest lim? Arme thou mee therefore, with an expectation of that e­uill I cannot auoyd, Make thou me as strong, as he is malicious; Say to my soule also (Thou art my Son) and let Satan doe his worst.

All the time of our Sauiours [Page 376] obscurity, I doe not finde him set vpon; Now, that hee looks forth to the publique execution of his diuine Office, Satan bends his forces against him: Our priuacy, perhaps, may sit down in peace, but neuer man did en­deauour a common good with­out opposition. It is a signe, that both the work is holy, & the Agent faithfull, when wee meet with strong affronts.

We haue reason to bee com­forted with nothing so much, as with resistance, If we were not in a way to do good, we should finde no rubs; Satan hath no cause to molest his owne, and that whiles they goe about his owne seruice; Hee desires no­thing [Page 377] more, then to make vs smooth paths to sin; but when we would turne our feet to ho­linesse, hee blocks vp the way with tentations.

Who can wonder enough at the sawcines of that bold Spirit, that dares to set vpon the Son of the euerliuing God? who can wonder enough at thy meek­nes & patience, ô Sauiour, that wouldst be tempted? He wan­ted not malice and presumption to assault thee, thou wantedst not humility to endure those as­saults. I should stand amazed at this voluntary dispensation of thine, but that I see the suscepti­on of our humane nature, layes thee open to this condition. It [Page 378] is necessarily incident to man­hood, to be liable to tentations; Thou wouldest not haue put no flesh, if thou hadst meant vt­terly to put off this consequence of our infirmity: If the state of innocence could haue beene a­ny defence against euill moti­ons, the first Adam had not been tempted, much lesse the second. It is not the presenting of tenta­tion that can hurt vs, but their entertainment. Ill counsell is the fault of the Giuer, not of the Re­fuser, We cannot forbid leudeies to look in at our windowes, we may shut our dores against their entrance; It is no lesse our praise to haue resisted, then Satans blame to suggest euill. Yea, ô [Page 379] blessed Sauiour, how glorious was it for thee, how happy for vs, that thou wert tempted? Had not Satan tempted thee, how shouldest thou haue ouer­comne? Without blowes there can be no victory, no triumph: How had thy power been ma­nifested; if no aduersary had tri­ed thee? The first Adam was tempted & vanquished, the se­cond Adam, to repay and repaire that foile, doth vanquish in being tempted. Now haue we not a Sauiour, and High-Priest, that cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but such an one, as was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sin; how boldly ther­fore [Page 380] may we goe vnto the Throne of grace, that wee may receiue mercy, and finde grace of help in time of neede: Yea, this Deuil was for vs; Now we see by this conflict of our Al­mighty Champion, what man­ner of Aduersary we haue, how hee fights, how hee is resisted, how ouercomne. Now our ve­ry temptation affords vs com­fort, in that wee see, the dearer we are vnto God, the more ob­noxious we are to this trial; nei­ther can wee be discouraged by the haynousnesse of those euils, wherto we are moued, since we see the Son of God solicited to Infidelity, Couetousnes, Idola­try; How glorious therfore was [Page 381] it for thee, ô Sauior, how happy for vs, that thou wert tempted?

Where then wast thou temp­ted, O blessed Iesu; or whither wentest thou to meet with our great aduersary? I doe not see thee led into the market-place, or any other part of the city, or thy home-sted of Nazareth, but into the vast wildernesse, the ha­bitation of beastes; a place that caryeth in it, both horror and oportunity; why wouldst thou thus retyre thy selfe from men, but as confident Champions are wont to giue aduantage of ground, or weapon, to their Antagonist, that the glory of their victory may be the greater: So wouldst thou, O Sauiour, in [Page 382] this can but with our common enemy, yeeld him his owne tearmes for circumstances, that thine honour and his foyle may be the more; Solitarynesse is no small helpe to the speed of a ten­tation; Wo to him that is alone, for if he fall, there is not a se­cond to lift him vp; Those that out of an affectation of holines seeke for solitude, in rocks and caues of the deserts, doe no o­ther then runne into the mouth of the danger of tentation, whiles they thinke to avoyd it. It was enough for thee, to whose diuine power the gates of hell were weakenesse; thus to challenge the Prince of dark­nesse; Our care must be alwaies [Page 383] to eschue all occasions of spiri­tuall danger; and (what we may) to get vs out of the reach of tentations.

But O the depth of the wis­dome of God; How camst thou ô Sauiour, to be thus tempted? That Spirit whereby thou wast conceiued, as man, and which was one with thee and the Fa­ther, as God, Led thee into the wildernesse to bee tempted of Satan; Whiles thou taughtest vs to pray to thy Father, Lead vs not into temptation, thou meantest to instruct vs, that if the same Spirit lead vs not into this pe­rilous way, we goe not into it; We haue still the same conduct; Let the path bee what it will, [Page 384] how can wee miscarry in the hand of a Father. Now may we say to Satan as thou didst vnto Pilate; thou couldst haue no power ouer me, except it were giuen thee from aboue; The spirit led thee, it did not driue thee; heere was a sweet inuitation, no com­pulsion of violence; So abso­lutely conformable was thy wil to thy deity, as if both thy na­tures had but one volition; In this first draught of thy bitter potion, thy Soule said in a reall subjection, Not my will, but thy will be done: We imitate thee, ô Sa­uiour, though we cannot reach to thee; All thine are led by thy Spirit; Oh teach vs to forget that we haue wils of our owne. [Page 385] The spirit led thee; thine inuin­ [...]ible strength did not animate thee into thi [...] combat vncalled, What doe we weakelings so far presume vpon our abilities, or successe, as that we dare thrust our selues vpon temptations vnbidden, vnwarranted? Who can pitty the ship-wracke of those Mariners, which will needs put forth, and hoise sayles in a tempest?

Forty dayes did our Sauiour spend in the wildernesse, fasting, and solitary, all which time was worne out in temptation; how euer the last brunt, because it was most violent, is only ex­pressed; Now could not the Aduersary complaine of disad­vantage, [Page 386] whiles he had the ful scope both of time and place to doe his worst; And why did i [...] please thee, ô Sauiour, to fas [...] forty dayes, and forty nights [...] vnlesse as Moses fasted forty daies at the deliuery of the law and Elias at the restetution o [...] the law; So thou thoughtest fit at the accomplishment of the law, and the promulgation of the Gospell, to fulfill the time of both these tipes of thine, wherin thou intendedst our wonder, not our imitation; Not our i­mitation of the time, though of the act. Heere were no faulty desires of the flesh, in thee to be tamed, no possibility of a freer and more easie ascent of the [Page 387] soule to God, that could be af­fected of thee, who wast per­fectly vnited vnto God, but as for vs thou wouldest suffer death, so for vs, thou wouldst suffer hunger, that wee might learne by fasting, to prepare our selues for tentations: In fasting so long thou intendedst the ma­nifestation of thy power; in fasting no longer, the truth of thy manhood; Moses and Elias, through the miraculous susten­tation of God, fasted so long, without any question made of the truth of their bodies; So long therefore thou thoughtest good to fast, as by reason of these precedents, might be with­out preiudice of thine humani­ty, [Page 388] which if it should haue plea­sed thee to support, as thou couldst, without meanes, thy very power might haue opened the mouth of cauills agains [...] the verity of thine humane na­ture; That thou mightest ther­fore well approue, that ther [...] was no difference betwixt the [...] and vs, but sinne; thou tha [...] couldst haue fasted withou [...] hunger, and liued withou [...] meate; wouldst both feed, and fast, and hunger.

Who can be discouraged with the scantnesse of frends, or bo­dily prouisions, when hee sees his Sauiour thus long destitute of all earthly comforts, both of society and sustenance. Oh the [Page 389] policie and malice of that old Serpent, when he sees Christ be­wray some infirmity of nature in being hungry, then he layes sorest at him by tentations; His eye was neuer off from our Sa­uiour▪ all the time of his seque­stration; and now that he thinks he espies any one part to lye o­pen, he driues at it with all his might; We haue to doe with an aduersary, no lesse vigilant then malicious; who will bee sure to watch all opportunities of our mischiefe, and where he sees any aduantage of our weakenesse, will not neglect it. How should we stand vpon our guard for preuention; that both we may not giue him occasi­ons, [Page 390] of our hurt, nor take hurt by those we haue giuen.

When our Sauiour was hun­gry, Satan temptes him in mat­ter of food; not then, of wealth or glory; He well knowes both what bayts, to fish withall, and when, and how to lay them; How safe and happy shall wee be, if we shall bend our greatest care where we discerne the most danger?

In euery tentation there is an appearance of good; whether of the body, or minde, or estate; The first is the lust of the flesh, in any carnall desire, the second the pride of hart, and life; the third the lust of the eyes; To all these, the first Adam is tempted, [Page 391] and in all miscarryed; the se­cond Adam is tempted to them all, and ouercommeth; The first man was tempted, to a car­nall appetite by the forbidden fruit, to pride by the suggestion of being as God; To couetous­nesse, in the ambitious desire of knowing good and euill; Satan hauing found all the motions so success-full with the first A­dam in his innocent estate, will now tread the same steps in his temptations of the second; The stones must bee made bread; there is the motion to a carnall appetite; The gard and atten­dance of Angels must bee pre­sumed on, there is a motion to pride; The Kingdomes of the [Page 392] earth, and the glory of them must be offered, there, to coue­tousnes and ambition.

Satan could not but haue heard God say, This is my welbe­loued Son, he had heard the mes­sage and the Caroll of the An­gels; he saw the Starre, and the iourney, and offrings, of the Sa­ges, he could not but take no­tice of the gratulations of Za­chary, Simeon, Anna; he well knew the predictions of the Prophets; yet now that hee saw Christ fainting with hunger, as not comprehending how infirmi­ties could consist with a God­head, he can say, (If thou bee the Son of God;) Had not Satan knowne that the Son of God [Page 393] was to come into the world, he had neuer said (If thou be the Son of God) His very supposition conuinces him; The ground of his tentation, answers it selfe; If therefore Christ seemed to be a meere man, because after for­ty dayes he was hungry, why was he not confessed more then a man, in that for forty daies he hungred not? The motiue of the tentation is worse then the motion, (If thou be the Son of God) Satan could not choose ano­ther suggestion of so great im­portance. All the worke of our redemption, of our saluation, depends vpon this one truth, Christ is the Son of God; How should hee else haue ransomed [Page 394] the world, how should he haue done, how should he haue suffe­red that, which was satisfactory [...]o his fathers wrath? how should his actions, or passion beene va­luable to the sinnes of all the world? What maruell is it if we that are sonnes by adoption, be assaulted with the doubts of our interest in God, when the natu­rall Son, the Son of his essence is thus tempted? Since all our comfort consists in this point, heere must needes bee laid the chiefe battery; and heere must be placed our strongest de­fence.

To turne stones into bread, had beene no more faulty in it selfe, then to turne water into [Page 395] wine: But to doe this in a di­strust of his Fathers prouidence, to abuse his power and liberty in doing it, to worke a miracle of Satans choyce, had beene disagreeable to the Son of God: There is nothing more ordina­ry with our spirituall enemy, then by occasion of want to moue vs to vnwarrantable courses; Thou art poore, steale; Thou canst not rise by honest meanes, vse indirect; How easie had it beene for our Sauiour, to haue confounded Satan by the power of his Godhead? But he rather chooses to vanquish him by the sword of the Spirit, that he might teach vs how to resist and ouercome the powers of [Page 396] darknesse? If hee had subdued Satan by the almighty power of the deity, wee might haue had what to wonder at, not what to imitate; now hee vseth that weapon, which may be familiar vnto vs, that he may teach our weakenesse how to be victori­ous; Nothing in heauen or earth can beat the forces of hell, but the word of God; How care­fully should wee furnish our selues with this powerfull mu­nition; how should our hearts and mouthes bee full of it? Teach mee O Lord the way of thy statutes; O take not from mee the words of Truth; Let them bee my songs in the house of my pilgrimage; So shall I make answer to my blas­phemers. [Page 397] What needed Christ to haue answered Satan at all, if it had not beene to teach vs, that tentations must not haue their way; but must be answered by resistance; and resisted by the word.

I doe not heare our Sauiour auerre himselfe to bee a God; against the blasphemous insi­nuation of Satan; neither doe I see him working this miracu­lous conuersion, to proue him­selfe the Son of God; but most wisely hee takes away the ground of the tentation; Satan had taken it for granted, that man cannot be sustayned with­out bread; and therefore infers the necessity of making bread of [Page 398] stones; Our Sauiour shewes him from an infallible word, that he had mislaied his sugge­stion; That man liues not by vsuall food only, but by euery word that proceedeth from the mouth of God; Hee can either sustaine without bread, as hee did Moses and Elias, or with a miraculous bread, as the Israe­lites with Manna, or send ordi­nary meanes miraculously, as foode to his Prophet by the Ra­uens, or miraculously multiply ordinary meanes, as the meale and oyle to the Sareptan wid­dow: All things are sustained by his almighty word: Indeed we liue by food, but not by any vertue that is in it without God; [Page 399] without the concurrence of whose prouidence, bread would rather choke, then nourish vs; Let him withdrawe his hand from his creature; in their grea­test abundance we perish; Why doe we therefore bend our eyes on the meanes, and not looke vp to the hand that giues the blessing?

What so necessary depen­dance hath the blessing vpon the creature, if our ptayers hold them not together; As we may not neglect the meanes, so wee may not neglect the procure­ment of a blessing vpon the meanes, nor bee vnthankefull to the hand that hath giuen the blessing.

[Page 400] In the first assault, Satan moues Christ to doubt of his fathers prouidence, and to vse vnlawfull meanes to help him­selfe: in the next, he moues him to presume vpon his Fathers protection, and the seruice of his blessed Angels; He grounds the first vpon a conceit of want, the next of abundance; If he be in extremes, it is all to one end, to mislead vnto euill: If wee cannot be driuen downe to de­spaire, he labours to lift vs vp to presumption; It is not one foile that can put this bold spirit out of countenance: Tentations, like waues, breake one in the necke of another; Whiles wee are in this warre-fare, wee [Page 401] must make account, that the re­pulse of one tentation doth but inuite another.

That blessed Sauiour of ours, that was content to be led from lordan into the wildernes, for the aduantage of the first ten­tation, yeelds to be led from the wildernesse to Ierusalem, for the aduantage of the second; The place doth not a little auaile to the act: The wildernesse was fit for a tentation, arifing from want, it was not fit for a tentati­on mouing to vain-glory. The populous City was the fittest for such a motion; Ierusalem was the glory of the world, the Temple was the glory of Ieru­salem, the pinacles, the highest [Page 402] peece of the Temple, there is Christ content to be set for the opportunity of tentation: O Sauiour of men, how can wee wonder enough at this hu­mility of thine, that thou wouldst so farre abase thy selfe, as to suffer thy pure and sacred body to bee transported by the presumptuous and malicious hand of that vnchaste spirit? It was not his power, it was thy patience, that deserues our ad­miration, Neither can this seem ouer-strange to vs, when wee consider, that if Satan bee the head of wicked men, wicked men are the members of Satan; What was Pilate, or the Iewes that persecuted thine innocence, [Page 403] but lims of this Diuell? and why are we then amazed, to see thee touched, and locally tran­sported by the head, when wee see thee yeelding thy selfe ouer, to be crucified by the members? If Satan did the worse, and grea­ter, mediately by their hands, no maruell if hee doe the lesse and easier, immediately by his own, yet neither of them without thy voluntary dispensation. Hee could not haue looked at thee, without thee; And if the Son of God, did thus suffer his owne holy and precious body, to bee carried by Satan, what wonder is it, if that Enemy haue some­times power giuen him, ouer the sinfull bodies of the adopted [Page 404] Sons of God. It is not the strength of faith, that can secure vs from the outward violences of that euill One; This diffe­rence I finde betwixt his spiri­tuall and bodily assaults: those are beaten backe by the shield of faith, these admit not of such repulse; As the best man may bee lame, blinde, dis­eased, so through the permission of God, he may be bodily vexed by that olde Man-slayer; Grace was neuer giuen vs for a target against externall afflictions.

Me thinkes I see Christ, hoy­sed vp on the highest battle­ments of the Temple; whose very roofe was an hundred and thirty cubits high; and Satan [Page 405] standing by him with this speech in his mouth; Well then, since in the matter of nourish­ment, thou wilt needes depend vpon thy Fathers prouidence, that he can without meanes su­staine thee, take now further tri­all of that prouidence, in thy miraculous preseruation; Cast thy selfe down from this height; Behold, thou art here in Ierusa­lem, the famous and holy City of the world; here thou art, on the top of the pinacle of that Temple, which is dedicated to thy Father, and, if thou be God, to thy selfe; the eyes of all men are now fixt vpon thee, there cannot be deuised a more ready way to spred thy glory, and to [Page 406] proclaime thy Deity, then by casting thy selfe headlong to the earth. All the world will say, there is more in thee, then a man; and for danger, there can bee none; What can hurt him, that is the Son of God? and wherefore serues that glorious Guard of Angels, which haue by diuine commission, taken vp­on them the charge of thine hu­manity? since therefore in one act, thou mayst bee both safe, and celebrated, trust thy Father, and those thy seruiceable spirits with thine assured preseruation, Cast thy selfe downe: And why didst thou not, ô thou malig­nant spirit, endeauour to cast downe my Sauiour, by those [Page 407] same presumptuous hands, that brought him vp, since the de­scent is more easie then the rai­sing vp? was it for that, it had not beene so great an aduantage to thee, that hee should fall by thy meanes, as by his owne? falling into sinne, was more then to fall from the pinacle; still thy care and sute is, to make vs Authours to our selues of e­uill; thou gainest nothing by our bodily hurt; if the soule be safe: Or was it rather for that, thou couldst not? I doubt not, but thy malice could as well haue serued, to haue offered this measure to himselfe, as to his holy Apostle soone after; but he that bounded thy power, [Page 408] tether'd thee shorter; Thou couldst not, thou canst not doe what thou wouldst. Hee that would permit thee to carry him vp, binds thy hands from cast­ing him downe: And wo were it for vs if thou wert not euer stinted:

Why did Satan carry vp Christ so high, but on purpose, that his fall might bee the more deadly; so deales hee still with vs, he exalts vs, that we may be dangerously abased; Hee puffs men vp with swelling thoughts of their owne worthinesse, that they may bee vile in the eyes of God, and fall into condemnati­on: It is the manner of God, to cast downe, that he may raise, to [Page 409] abase that he may exalt; Con­trarily, Satan raises vp, that hee may throw downe, and intends nothing but our deiection, in our aduancement.

Height of place giues oppor­tunity of tentation; Thus busie is that wicked one, in working against the members of Christ. If any of them bee in eminence aboue others, those hee labours most to ruinate▪ They had need to stand fast, that stand high; Both there is more danger of their falling, and more hurt in their fall.

Hee that had presumed thus far, to tempt the Lord of life, would faine now draw him al­so to presume vpon his Deity; [Page 410] If thou bee the Son of God, cast thy selfe downe. There is not a more tryed shaft in all his quiuer, then this; a perswasion to men, not to beare themselues too bold vpno the fauor of God; Thou art the Elect and Redemed of God; sin, because grace hath a­bounded, sin, that it may a­bound; Thou art safe enough, though thou offend, be not too much an aduersary to thine owne liberty: False Spirit, it is no liberty to sin, but seruitude rather, there is no liberty, but in the freedome from sin; Eue­ry one of vs, that hath the hope of Sonnes, must purge him­selfe, euen as hee is pure, that hath redeemed vs: Wee are [Page 411] bought with a price, therefore must wee glorifie God in our bodies and spirits, for they are Gods; Our Son-ship teacheth vs awe and obedience, and therefore, because we are Sons, we will not cast our selues downe into sin.

How idly doe Satan and wic­ked men measure God, by the crooked line of their owne mis­conceit: Ywis, Christ cannot be the Son of God, vnlesse hee cast himselfe downe from the pinacle; vnlesse he come down from the Crosse. God is not mercifull, vnles he humor them in all their desires, not iust, vn­lesse hee take speedy vengeance, where they require it; But when [Page 412] they haue spent their folly vpon these vaine imaginations, Christ is the Son of God, though hee stay on the top of the Temple, God will bee mercifull, though wee miscarry, and iust, though Sinners seeme lawlesse. Neither will he be any other then he is, or measured by any rule, but himselfe.

But what is this I see, Satan himselfe with a Bible vnder his arme, with a Text in his mouth, It is written, He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee? How still in that wicked One doth subtilty striue with presumption? Who could not, but ouer-wonder at this, if hee did not consider, that since the Deuill dared to touch the [Page 413] sacred bódy of Christ with his hand, hee may well touch the Scriptures of God with his tongue? Let no man hence­forth maruell, to heare heretikes, or hypocrites, quote Scriptures, when Satan himselfe hath not spared to cite thē; what are they the worse for this, more then that holy body, which he tran­sported? Some haue been poy­soned, by their meats & drinks, yet either these nourish vs, or nothing: It is not the letter of the Scripture that can carry it, but the sence; if we diuide these two, wee prophane and abuse that word wee alledge. And wherfore doth this foule Spirit vrgea Text, but for imitation, [Page 414] for preuention, and for successe? Christ had alledged a Scripture vnto him, hee re-alledges Scrip­ture vnto Christ: At least wise, he will counterfet an imitation of the Son of God; Neither is it in this alone; what one act euer passed the hand of God, which Satan did not apishly attempt to second? If we follow Christ in the outward action, with contrary intentions, wee follow Satan, in following Christ. Or, perhaps, Satan meant to make Christ hereby weery of this weapon; As wee see fashions, when they are ta­ken vp of the vnworthy. are cast of by the great, It was doubtles, one cause, why Christ [Page 415] afterwards forbad the Diuell euen to confesse the truth, because his mouth was a slander. But chiefely doth he this, for a better colour of his tentation: He guilds ouer this falfe mettall with Scripture, that it may passe currant; Euen now is Satan transformed into an Angel of light, and will seeme godly for a mischeife; If hypocrites make a faire show to deceiue with a glorious lustre of holinesse, we see whence they borrowd it: How many thousand soules are betrayd by the abuse of that word, whose vse is soueraigne and sauing. No diuell is so dan­gerous as the religious diuell. If good meate turne to the nou­rishment, [Page 416] not of nature, but of the disease, we may not forbeare to feed, but indeauour to purge the body of those euill humors, which cause the stomach to worke against it selfe. O God, thou that hast giuen vs light, giue vs cleare and sound eyes, that we may take comfort of that light thou hast giuen vs; Thy word is holy, make our hearts so, and then shall they finde that word, not more true then cordiall; Let not this di­uine table of thine, bee made a snare to our soules.

What can be a better act then to speake Scripture? It were a wonder if Satan should doe a good thing well; He cites scrip­ture [Page 417] then, but with mutilation, and distortion; it comes not out of his mouth, but maymed and peruerted; One peece is left out, all misapplyed; Those that wrest or mangle Scripture for their owne turne, it is easie to see from what schoole they come. Let vs take the word from the author, not from the vsurper: Dauid would not doubt to eate that sheep, which hee pulled out of the mouth of the Beare or Lyon; (Hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee:) Oh comforta­ble assurance of our protection; Gods children neuer goe vnat­tended; Like vnto great Princes we walke euer in the midst of our guard; though inuisible, [Page 418] yet true, carefull, powerfull; What creatures are so glorious as the Angels of heauen, yet their maker hath set them to serue vs: Our adoption makes vs at once great and safe; Wee may be contemptible and igno­minious in the eyes of the world, but the Angels of God obserue vs the while, and scorne not to wait vpon vs in our homeliest occasions; The Sun, or the light may wee keepe out of our houses, the ayre we can­not; much lesse these fpirits, that are more simple and immateri­all: No walls, no bolts, can se­uer them from our sides: they accompany vs in dungeons, they goe with vs into our exile; [Page 419] How can wee either feare dan­ger, or complaine of solitari­nesse, whiles we haue so vnsepe­rable, so glorious companions?

Is our Sauiour distasted with Scripture, because Satan mislaies it in his dish? Doth he not rather snatch this sword out of that impure hand, and beat Satan with the weapon which hee a­buseth; (It is written, Thou shalt not tempt thy Lord thy God;) The Scripture is one, as that God, whose it is; Where it carryes an appearance of difficulty or in­conuenience, it needs no light to cleare it, but that, which it hath in it selfe. All doubts that may arise from it, are fully an­swered by collection; It is true [Page 420] that God hath taken this care, and giuen this charge of his owne; he will haue them kept, not in their sinnes; they may trust him, they may not tempt him; hee meant to incourage their faith, not their presumpti­on. To cast our selues vpon an immediate prouidence, when meanes faile not, is to disobey, in steed of beleeuing God; we may challenge God on his word, we may not straine him beyond it; wee may make ac­count of what he promised, we may not subiect his promises to vniust examinations; and where no need is, make triall of his power, iustice, mercie, by deui­ses of our owne. All the Diuels [Page 421] in hel, could not elude the force of this diuine answer; and now Satan sees how vainely he tem­pteth Christ to tempt God.

Yet againe for all this, doe I see him setting vpon the Son of God: Satan is not foyled when he is resisted: neither diffidence, nor presumption can fasten vp­on Christ, he shall be tryed with honor; As some expert Fencer that challenges at all weapons, so doth this great enemy; In vaine shall we plead our skill in some, if we faile in any; It must be our wisdome to be prepared for all kinde of assaults: As those that hold townes and forts doe, not only defend themselues from incursions, but from the [Page 422] cannon and the Pioner; still doth that subtil Serpent trauerse his ground for an aduantage; The Temple is not hye enough for his next tentation; He there­fore carryes vp Christ to the top of an exceeding high moun­taine; All enemies in pitcht fields striue for the benefit of the hill, or riuer, or winde, or sunne; That which his seruant Balac did by his instigation, himselfe doth now immediately, change places in hope of preuailing. If the obscure country will not moue vs, hee tries what the Court can do, if not our home, the Tauerne, if not the field, our closet,; As no place is left free by his malice, so no place must [Page 423] be made preiudiciall by our carelesnesse; and as wee should alwayes watch ouer our selues, so then most, when the oportu­nity carries cause of suspicion.

Wherfore is Christ caryed vp so high but for prospect? If the kingdomes of the earth and their glory, were only to be re­presented to his imagination; the valley would haue serued; If to the outward sence, no hill could suffice; Circular bodyes though smal, cannot be seene at once. This show was made to both, diuers kingdomes lying round about Iudea were repre­sented to the eye; The glory of them to the imagination; Satan meant the eye could tempt the [Page 424] fancy; no lesse then the fancy could tempt the will. How ma­ny thousand soules haue dyed of the wound of the eye; If we doe not let in sinne at the win­dow of the eye, or the dore of the eare, it cannot enter into our hearts.

If there bee any pompe, ma­iesty, pleasure, brauery in the world, where should it be but in the Courts of Princes, whom God hath made his Images, his deputies vpon earth? There is soft rayment, sumptuous feasts, rich Iewels, honorable atten­dance, glorious triumphs, roy­all state, these Satan laies out to the fairest show: But oh the craft of that old Serpent; Many [Page 425] a care attends greatnesse; No creature is without thornes: High seats are neuer but vnea­sie; all those infinite discontent­ments, which are the shaddow of earthly soueraignety, he hides out of the way; nothing may bee seene, but what may both please and allure. Satan is still and euer like himselfe; If tenta­tions might be but turnd about and showne on both sides, the kingdome of darknesse would not be so populous. Now when­soeuer the Tempter sets vpon a­ny poore soule, all sting of con­science, wrath, iudgement, tor­ment is concealed, as if they were not; Nothing may ap­peare to the eye but pleasure, [Page 426] profit, and a seeming happinesse in the inioying our desires; those other wofull obiects are reser­ued for the farewell of sinne; that our misery may bee seene and felt at once; When we are once sure, Satan is a Tyrant, till then, he is a Parasite: There can be no safety, if we do not view as well the backe as the face of ten­tations.

But oh presumption and im­pudence, that hell it selfe may be asham'd of; The Diuell dares say to Christ, All these will I giue thee, if thou wilt fall downe and wor­ship mee; That beggerly spirit, that hath not an inch of earth, can offer the whole world to the maker; to the owner of it; [Page 427] The slaue of God would be a­dord of his Creator; How can we hope he should be sparing of false boasts, and of vnreasona­ble promises vnto vs, when hee dares offer kingdomes to him by whom kings raigne?

Tentations on the right hand are most dangerous; how ma­ny that haue bene hardned with feare, haue melted with honor; There is no doubt of that soule that will not bite at the golden hooke.

False lyers and vaineglorious boasters, see the top of their pe­digree; If I may not rather say, that Satan doth borrow the vse of their tongues for a time; Whereas faithfull is he that hath [Page 428] promised; who will also doe it. Fidelity and truth is the issue of heauen.

If Idolatry were not a deare sinne to Satan, he would not be so importunate to compasse it; It is miserable to see how hee drawes the world insensibly in­to this sin, which they professe to detest; Those that would ra­ther hazard the furnace, then worship gold in a statue, yet doe adore it in the stampe, and finde no fault with themselues. If our hearts be drawne to stoope vn­to an ouer-high respect of any creature, wee are Idolaters. O God, it is no maruell if thy ie­lousie be kindled at the admissi­on of any of thine owne works [Page 429] into a competition of honor with their Creator.

Neuer did our Sauiour say, Auoid Satan, till now; It is a iust indignation, that is conceiued at the motion of a riuality with God, Neither yet did Christ ex­ercise his diuine power in this command, but by the necessary force of Scripture, driues away that impure Tempter; It is writ­ten, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serue: The rest of our Sauiours an­swers were more full and direct, then that they could admit of a reply, but this was so flat and absolute, that it vtterly daunted the courage of Satan, and put him to a shamefull flight, and [Page 430] made him for the time, weary of his trade.

The way to bee rid of the troublesome solicitations of that wicked one, is continued resistance. Hee that forcibly droue the tempter from him­selfe, takes him off from vs, and will not abide his assaults per­pctuall; It is our exercise and triall, that hee in­tends, not our confusion.

Simon called.

AS the Sun in his first rising, drawes all e [...]es to it; So did this Sun of righteousnes, when hee first shone forth into the world; His miraculous cures drew Patients, his diuine doctrine drew Auditors, both together drew the admiring multitude by troopes after him. And why doe wee not still fol­low [Page 432] thee, ô Sauiour, thorow deserts and mountaines, ouer land and seas, that wee may bee both healed, and taught. It was thy word, that when thou wert lift vp, thou wouldst draw all men vnto thee; Behold, thou art lift vp long since, both to the tree of shame, and to the throne of heauenly glory, Draw vs, and we shall run after thee; Thy word is still the same, though proclaimed by men, thy vertue is still the same, though exerci­sed vpon the spirits of men; Oh giue vs, to hunger after both, that by both, our soules may be satisfied.

I see the people, not onely following Christ, but pressing [Page 433] vpon him; euen very vnman­nerlinesse findes here both ex­cuse and acceptation; They did not keepe their distances in an awe to the Maiesty of the Spea­ker, whiles they were rauished with the power of the speech, yet did not our Sauiour checke their vnreuerent thronging, but rather encourages their for­wardnesse. Wee cannot offend thee, ô God, with the importu­nity of our desires; It likes thee well, that the Kingdom of Hea­uen should suffer violence. Our slacknesse doth euer displease theee, neuer our vehemence.

The throng of Auditors for­ced Christ to leaue the shore, and to make Peters ship his Pul­pit; [Page 434] Neuer were there such nets cast out of that fisher-boat be­fore; whiles hee was vpon the land, he healed the sicke bodies by his touch; now that he was vpon the sea, he cured the sicke soules by his doctrine; and is purposely seuered from the multitude, that hee may vnite them to him. Hee that made both sea and land, causeth both of them to conspire to the op­portunities of doing good.

Simon was busie, washing his nets: Euen those nets that caught nothing, must bee wa­shed, no lesse then if they had sped well: The nights toyle doth not excuse his dayes work: Little did Simon thinke of lea­uing [Page 435] those nets, which hee so carefully washed; and now Christ interrupts him with the fauour and blessing of his graci­ous presence; Labour in our callings (how homely soeuer) makes vs capable of diuine be­nediction.

The honest Fisher-man, when hee saw the people flocke after Christ, and heard him speake with such power, could not but conceiue a generall & confuse apprehension of some excellent worth in such a Teacher, and therefore is glad to honour his ship with such a guest; and is first Christs host by sea, ere hee is his Disciple by land; An hum­ble and seruiceable entertain­ment [Page 436] of a Prophet of God, was a good foundation of his future honour; Hee that would so ea­sily lend Christ his hand, and his ship, was likely soone after to bestow himselfe vpon his Sauiour.

Simon hath no sooner done this seruice to Christ, then Christ is preparing for his re­ward; when the sermon is en­ded, the ship-roome shall bee payd for abundantly; Neither shall the Host expect any other pay-master then himselfe: Lanch forth into the deepe, and let downe your nets to make a draught: That ship which lent Christ an op­portunity of catching men vp­on the shore, shall bee requited [Page 437] with a plentifull draught of fish in the deepe: It had beene as ea­sie for our Sauiour, to haue brought the fish to Peters ship, close to the shore, yet as chusing rather to haue the ship carried to the shole of fish, hee bids (Lanch forth into the deep:) In his mira­cles, hee loues euer to meet na­ture in her bounds; and when she hath done her best, to supply the rest by his ouer-ruling pow­er; The same power therefore, that could haue caused the fishes to leap vpon dry land, or to leaue themselues forsaken of the waters, vpon the sands of the Lake, will rather finde them in a place naturall to their abiding (Lanch out into the deepe.)

[Page 438] Rather in a desire to gratifie and obey his guest, then to plea­sure himselfe, will Simon bestow one cast of his net; Had Christ enioyned him an harder taske, he had not refused; yet not without an allegation of the vnlikelyhood of successe, (Ma­ster wee haue trauailed all night, and caught nothing; yet at thy word I will let downe the net.

The night was the fittest time for the hopes of their trade; not vniustly might Simon misdoubt his speed by day, when hee had worne out the night in vnpro­fitable labour: Sometimes God crosseth the fayrest of our ex­pectations, and giues a blessing to those times and means wher­of [Page 439] we despayre. That paynes cannot be cast away which we resolue to loose for Christ.

Oh God, how many doe I see casting out their netsin the great lake of the world, which in the whole night of their life haue caught nothing; They conceiue mischiefe and bring forth ini­quity; They hatch Cokatrices eggs, & weaue the spiders web; he that eateth of their egs dyeth, and that which is troden vpon, breaketh out into a Serpent; Their webs shal be no garment, neither shall they couer them­selues with their labours.

Oh ye sonnes of men, how long will ye loue vanity and follow after lyes? Yet, if wee haue thus vainely [Page 440] mispent the time of our darkenesse; Let vs at the com­mand of Christ, cast out our new-washen nets; our humble and penitent obedience, shall come home laden with blessings, (And when they had so done, they inclosed a great multitude of fi­shes, so that their net brake:) What a difference there is betwixt our owne voluntary acts, and those that are done vpon command; not more in the grounds of them, then in the issue? those are oft-times fruitlesse, these e­uer successfull: Neuer man threw out his net at the word of his Sauiour, and drew it backe empty; who would not obey thee, ô Christ, since thou dost so [Page 441] bountifully requite our weakest seruices?

It was not meere retribution that was intended in this euent, but instruction also: This act was not without a mistery; He that should be made a fisher of men, shall in this draught fore­see his successe; The kingdome of heauen is like a draw-net, cast into the sea, which when it is full men draw to land; The ve­ry first draught that Peter made after the complement of his A­postleship, inclosed no lesse then three thousand soules. Oh po­werfull Gospell, that can fetch sinfull men from out of the depthes of naturall corruption: Oh happy soules, that from the [Page 442] blinde and muddy cells of our wicked nature, are drawne forth to the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God. Simons net breaks with the store; Abundance is sometimes no lesse troublesome then want; the net should haue held, if Christ had not meant to ouer-charge Simon both with blessing and admiration: How happily is that net broken, whose rupture drawes the fisher to Christ. Though the net brake, yet the fish escaped not; Hee that brought them thither to be taken, held them there till they were taken, (They beckened to their partners in the other ship, that they should come and help them;) There are other ships in partner­ship [Page 443] with Peter, he doth not fish all the lake alone; There cannot be a better improuement of so­ciety, then to helpe vs againe, to releeue vs in our profitable la­bours; to draw vp the spirituall draught into the vessell of Christ, and his Church: wher­fore hath God giuen vs part­ners, but that he should becken to them for their ayd in our ne­cessary occasions? Neither doth Simon slacken his hand, because he had assistants. What shall we say to those lazie fishers, who can set others to the drag, whiles themselues looke on at ease; ca­ring onely to feede themselues with the fish, not willing to wet their hands with the nett?

[Page 444] What shall wee say to this ex­cesse of gaine? The nets breake, the ships sinke with their bur­den: Oh happy complaint of too large a capture! O Sauiour, if those Apostolicall vessels of thy first rigging, were thus ouer­layd, ours flote and totter with an vnballasted lightnes: Thou, who art no lesse present in these bottoms of ours, lade them with an equall fraight of conuerted soules, and let vs prayse thee for thus sinking.

Simon was a skilful Fisher, and knew well the depth of his trade, and now perceiuing more then Art or nature in this draught, hee fals downe at the knees of Iesus, saying, (Lord, goe [Page 445] from mee, for I am a sinfull man.) Himselfe is caught in this net: He doth not greedily fall vpon so vnexpected and profitable a booty, but hee turnes his eyes from the draught to himselfe, from the act to the Author, ac­knowledging vilenesse in the one, in the other Maiesty; (Goe from me Lord, for I am a sinfull man.)

It had beene pitty the honest Fisher-man should haue beene taken at his Word: Oh Simon, thy Sauiour is comne into thine owne ship to call thee, to call o­thers by thee vnto blessednesse, and doest thou say, Lord, goe from me? As if the Patient should say to the Physician; Depart from me, for I am sicke. It was the [Page 446] voyce of astonishment, not of dislike; the voyce of humility, not of discontentment: yea, be­cause thou art a sinfull man, therfore hath thy Sauiour neede to come to thee, to stay with thee; and because thou art hum­ble in the acknowledgement of thy sinfulnes, therfore Christ de­lights to abide with thee, and will call thee to abide with him; No man euer fared the worse for abasing himselfe to his God; Christ hath left many a soule, for froward and vnkinde vsage, neuer any for the disparage­ment of it selfe, and intreaties of humility. Simon could not de­uise how to hold Christ faster, then by thus suing to him, to be [Page 447] gone, then by thus pleading his vnworthinesse.

O my soule be not weary of complaining of thine owne wretchednesse, disgrace thy selfe to him that knowes thy vilenes; be astonished at those mercies which haue shamed thine ill de­seruings; Thy Sauiour hath no power to goe away from a pro­strate hart; Hee that resists the proud, hartens the lowly (Feare not, for I will make thee hence-forth a fisher of men.) Lo, this humili­ty is rewarded with an Apostle­ship: What had the earth euer more glorious, then a legacy from heauen? He that bad Christ goe from him, shall haue the ho­nor to goe first on this happy [Page 448] errand; This was a trade that Simon had no skill of: it could not but be enough to him, that Christ said, I will make thee; the miracle shewd him, able to make good his word; hee that hath power to command the fishes to be taken, can easily en­able the hands to take them.

What is this diuine trade of ours then, but a spirituall pisca­tion? The world is a sea; soules like fishes swim at liberty in this deep, the nets of wholsome do­ctrine, draw vp some to the shore of grace and glory; How much skill, and toyle, and pati­ence, is requisite in this art? Who is sufficient for these things? This sea, these nets, the [Page 449] fishers, the fish, the vessels are all thine, ô God; doe what thou wilt in vs, and by vs; Giue vs a­bility and grace to take, giue men will and grace to bee taken, and take thou glo­ry by that which thou hast giuen.

The marriage in Cana.

WAS this then thy first miracle, ô Sa­uiour, that thou wroughts in Cana of Galile? And could there be a greater miracle then this, that hauing bene thirty yeares vpon earth, thou didst no miracle till now? That thy diuinity did hide it selfe thus long in flesh; that so long thou wouldst lye obscure in a corner of Galile, vnknowne to that world thou [Page 451] camest to redeeme? That so long thou wouldst strayne the patient expectation of those, who euer since thy Star, waited vpon the reuelation of a Messi­as? Wee silly wretches, if wee haue but a dram of vertue, are ready to set it out to the best show, thou who receiuedst not the Spirit by measure, wouldst content thy selfe with a willing obscurity, and concealedst that power that made the world, in the roofe of an humane brest, in a cottage of Nazareth. O Sa­uiour, none of thy miracles is more worthy of astonishment, then thy not doing of miracles. What thou didst in priuate, thy wisdome thought fit for secre­cy; [Page 452] but if thy blessed mother had not beene acquainted with some domesticall wonders, she had not now expected a miracle abroad; The starres are not seene by day; the Sun it selfe is not seene by night: As it is no small art to hide Art, so is it no small glory, to conceale glory; Thy first publique miracle gra­ceth a marriage; It is an ancient and laudable institution, that the rites of matrimony should not want a solemne celebration; When are feasts in season, if not at the recouery of our lost ribbe? If not at this maine change of our estate, wherein the ioy of obtaining, meets with the hope of further comforts? The Son [Page 453] of the Virgin, and the Mother of that Son are both at a wedding; It was in all likelyhood some of their kindred, to whose nuptiall feast, they were inuited so farre; yet was it more the honor of the act, then of the person, that Christ intended; He that made the first marriage in Paradise, bestowes his first miracle vpon a Galilean marriage; Hee that was the author of matrimony and sanctified it, doth by his holy presence, honest the resem­blance of his eternall vnion with his Church: How boldly may we spit in the faces of all the impure aduersaries of wed­locke, when the Sonne of God pleases to honor it?

[Page 454] The glorious bride-groome of the Church, knew well how ready men would bee to place shame, euen in the most lawfull coniunctions; and therfore his first worke shall be, to counte­nance his own ordinance. Hap­py is that wedding, where Christ is a guest; O Sauiour, those that marry in thee, cannot marry without thee; There is no holy marriage whereat thou art not (how euer inuisible) yet truely present, by thy Spirit, by thy gracious benediction. Thou makest marriages in heauen, thou blessest them from heauen. Oh thou, that hast betrothed vs to thy selfe in truth and righteousnesse, doe thou [Page 455] consummate that happy marri­age of ours in the highest hea­uens.

It was no rich or sumptuous Bridall, to which Christ with his Mother, & Disciples vouch­safed to come, from the further parts of Galile; I finde him not at the magnificent feasts or tri­umphs of the great; the proud pompe of the world, did not agree with the state of a seruant; This poore needy bride-groom wants drinke for his guests. The blessed virgin (though a stran­ger, to the house) out of a chari­table compassion, and a frendly desire, to maintaine the decen­cy of an hospital intertainment, inquires into the wants of her [Page 456] host; pittyes them, bemones them, where there was power of redresse; (When the wine failed, the the mother of Iesus said vnto him, They haue no wine.) How well doth it beseeme the eyes of pie­ty, and christian loue to looke into the necessities of others? She that conceiued the God of mercies, both in her heart, and in her wombe, doth not fixe her eyes vpon her owne trencher, but searcheth into the penury of a poore Israelite, and feeles those wants, whereof he complaines not; They are made for them­selues, whose thoughts are only taken vp with their owne store, or indigence.

There was wine enough for a [Page 457] meale, though not for a feast: and if there were not wine e­nough, there was enough wa­ter; yet the holy virgin com­plaines of the want of wine; and is troubled with the very lacke of superfluity; The boun­ty of our God reaches not to our life only, but to our con­tentment; neither hath hee thought good to allow vs only the bread of sufficiency, but somtimes of pleasure. One while that is but necessary, which some other time were superfluous. It is a scrupulous iniustice to scant our selues, where God hath bene liberall.

To whom should wee com­plaine of any want, but to the [Page 458] maker and giuer of all things? The blessed virgin knew to whom she sued; She had good reason to know the diuine na­ture and power of her Sonne: Perhaps the Bride-groome was not so needy, but if not by his purse, yet by his credit, he might haue supplyed that want; or, it were hard if some of the neigh­bour-guests (had they bene du­ly solicited) might not haue furnished him with so much wine, as might suffice for the last seruice of a dinner; but blessed Mary knew a nearer way; she did not thinke best to lade at the shallow channell, but runs rather to the well-head, where she may dip, and fill the [Page 459] firkins at once, with ease. It may bee shee saw that the traine of Christ (which vnbidden fol­lowed vnto that feast, and vn­expectedly added to the num­ber of the guests) might help forward that defect, and there­fore she iustly solicites her Son Iesus for a supply: Whether wee want bread, or water, or wine; necessaries or comforts, whither should we runne, ô Sauiour, but to that infinite munificence of thine, which neither denieth, nor vpbraideth any thing? We can­not want, wee cannot abound, but from thee, Giue vs what thou wilt, so thou giue vs con­tentment with what thou giuest.

[Page 460] But what is this I heare? A sharp answer to the suit of a mo­ther? (Oh woman what haue I to do with thee?) He whose sweet mild­nesse and mercy, neuer sent a­way any suppliant disconten­ted, doth he only frowne vpon her that bare him? He that com­mands vs to honor father and mother, doth hee disdaine her whose flesh he tooke? God for­bid: Loue and duty doth not exempt parents from due ad­monition. She solicited Christ as a mother, he answers her as a woman: If she were the mother of his flesh, his deity was eter­nall; She might not so remem­ber her selfe to be a mother, that she should forget she was a wo­man; [Page 461] nor so looke vpon him as a Son, that shee should not re­gard him, as God; Hee was so obedient to her as a mother, that withall she must obey him as her God; That part which he tooke from her shall obserue her; She must obserue that na­ture, which came from aboue; and made her both a woman, and a mother. Matter of miracle concerned the Godhead only; Supernaturall things, were a­boue the sphere of fleshly relati­on; If now the blessed virgin will be prescribing, either time, or forme vnto diuine acts, O woman, what haue I to doe with thee, my houre is not come. In all bodily actions his stile was, O mother; [Page 462] in spirituall and heauenly, O wo­man. Neither is it for vs in the holy affaires of God, to know any faces, yea, if we haue known Christ heretofore according to the flesh, henceforth know wee him so no more.

O blessed virgin, if in that heauenly glory wherin thou art, thou canst take notice of these earthly things, with what indig­nation, Dost thou looke vpon the presumptuous superstition of vaine men, whose suits make thee more then a solicitor of di­uine fauours? Thine humanity is not lost in thy mother-hood, nor in thy glory: The respects of nature reach not so high as hea­uen; It is far from thee to abide [Page 463] that honour, which is stolne from thy Redeemer.

There is a marriage, whereto we are inuited, yea, wherein we are already interessed, not as the guests only, but as the Bride; in which there shall be no want of the wine of gladnesse: It is mar­uell, if in these earthly banquets there be not some lacke; In thy presence, ô Sauiour, there is ful­nesse of ioy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore. Blessed are they, that are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb.

Euen in that rough answer, doth the blessed Virgin descry cause of hope. If his houre were not yet comne, it was ther­fore [Page 464] comming; when the expe­ctation of the guests, and the necessity of the occasion had made fit roome for the miracle, it shall come forth, & challenge their wonder. Faithfully there­fore, and obseruantly, doth shee turne her speech from her Son to the Wayters (Whatsoeuer hee saith vnto you, doe it.) How well doth it beseeme the mother of Christ to agree with his Father in Heauen, whose voyce from Heauen sayd, This is my welbelo­ned Son, heare him; She that sayd of her selfe, Be it vnto mee accor­ding to thy word, saies vnto others, Whatsoeuer hee saith to you, doe it. This is the way to haue miracles wrought in vs, obedience to his [Page 465] Word. The power of Christ did not stand vpon their officious­nesse; he could haue wrought wonders in spite of them; but their peruerse refusall of his commands, might haue made them vncapable of the fauour of a miraculous action: Hee that can (when hee will) con­uince the obstinate, will not grace the disobedient. Hee that could worke without vs, or a­gainst vs, will not worke for vs, but by vs.

This very poore house, was furnished with many and large vessels, for outward purificati­ons; As if sin had dwelt vpon the skin, that superstitious peo­ple sought holinesse in frequent [Page 466] washings; Euen this rinsing fouled them, with the vnclean­nesse of a traditionall will-wor­ship. It is the soule which needs scouring; and nothing can wash that, but the bloud, which they desperately wished vpon themselues, and their children; for guilt, not for expiation. Purge thou vs, ô Lord, with hyssop, and we shall bee cleane, wash vs and we shall be whiter then snow.

The wayters could not but thinke strange of so vnseasona­ble a command; (Fill the water­pots.) It is wine that wee want, what doe we go to fetch water; Doth this holy man mean thus to quench our feast, and coole [Page 467] our stomachs? If there bee no remedy, wee could haue sought this supply vnbidden; yet so far hath the charge of Christs mo­ther preuailed, that in steede of carrying flagons of wine to the table, they goe to fetch pailes­full of water from the ci­sternes. It is no pleading of vn­likelyhoods against the com­mand of an Almighty power.

Hee that could haue created wine immediately in those ves­sels, will rather turne water into wine; In all the course of his mitacles, I doe neuer finde him making out of nothing; all his great workes are grounded vp­on former existences; he mul­tiplyed the bread, hee changed [Page 468] the water, he restored the withe­red lims, hee raysed the dead; and still wrought vpon that which was, and did not make that which was not: What doth he in the ordinary way of na­ture, but turne the watery iuyce that arises vp from the root, in­to wine; he will onely doe this now suddenly, and at once, which he doth vsually by insen­sible degrees. It is euer duly ob­serued by the Son of God, not to doe more miracle then hee needes.

How liberall are the prouisi­ons of Christ? If he had turned but one of those vessels, it had beene a iust proofe of his pow­er, and perhaps that quantity [Page 469] had serued the present necessity; now hee furnisheth them with so much wine, as would haue serued an hundred and fifty guests for an intire seast; Euen the measure magnifies at once, both his power and mercy. The munificent hand of God, re­gards not our neede onely, but our honest affluence: It is our sin and our shame, if wee turne his fauour into wantonnesse. There must be first a filling, ere there be a drawing out: Thus, in our vessels, the first care must be of our receit; the next, of our expence: God would haue vs cisternes, not channels.

Our Sauiour would not bee his owne taster, but he sends the [Page 470] first draught to the Gouernour of the feast. He knew his own power, they did not; Neither would he beare witnes of him­selfe, but fetch it out of others mouthes; They that knew not the originall of that wine, yet praysed the taste; (Euery man at the beginning, doth set forth good wine, and when men haue well drunk, then that which is worse, but thou hast kept the good wine vntill now;) The same bounty that expressed it selfe in the quantity of the wine, shewes it selfe no lesse in the ex­cellence: Nothing can fall from that diuine hand not exquisite: That liberality hated to pro­uide crab-wine for his guests. It was fit, that the miraculous [Page 471] effects of Christ, (which came from his immediate hand) should be more perfect, then the naturall. O blessed Sauiour, how delicate is that new wine, which we shall one day drinke with thee, in thy Fathers King­dome. Thou shalt turne this water of our earthly affliction, into that wine of gladnesse, wherewith our soules shall bee satiate for euer. Make haste, ô my Beloued, and bee thou like to a Roe, or to a young Hart, vpon the mountaine of spices.

The good Centurion.

EVEN the bloudy trade of warre yeel­ded worthy Clients to Christ: This Ro­man Captaine had learned to beleeue in that Iesus, whom ma­ny Iewes despised: No nation, no trade, can shut out a good heart from God: If hee were a Forrainer for birth; yet he was a Domestique in heart; Hee could not change his bloud, hee could ouer-rule his affections; [Page 473] Hee loued that Nation, which was chosen of God; and if hee were not of the Synagogue, yet he built a Synagogue; where hee might not bee a Party, hee would be a Benefactor; Next to being good, is a fauouring of goodnesse; We could not loue religion, if we vtterly wanted it: How many true Iewes were not so zealous? Either will, or abi­lity lacked in them, whom duty more obliged; Good affections doe many times more then sup­ply nature: Neither doth God regard whence, but what wee are.

I doe not see this Centurion come to Christ, as the Israelitish Captaine came to Elias in Car­mel, [Page 474] but with his cap in his hand, with much suit, much sub­mission, by others, by himselfe; He sends first the Elders of the lewes, whom hee might hope, that their nation & place, might make gracious: then, lest the imployment of others might ar­gue neglect, he seconds them in person; Cold and fruitlesse are the motions of frends, where wee doe wilfully shut vp our owne lips: Importunity can­not but speede well in both. Could wee but speake for our soules, as this Captaine did for his seruant, what could we pos­sibly want? What maruell is it, if God bee not forward to giue, where wee care not to aske; or [Page 475] aske, as if wee cared not to re­ceiue? Shall wee yet call this a suit, or a complaint? I heare no one word of entreaty; The lesse is sayd, the more is concealed, It is enough to lay open his wants; He knew well, that hee had to deale with so wise and mercifull a Physician, as that the opening of the malady was a crauing of cure: If our spiri­tuall miseries bee but confessed, they cannot faile of redresse.

Great variety of Suitors resor­ted to Christ; One comes to him for a son, another for a daugh­ter, a third for himselfe: I see none come for his seruant, but this one Centurion; Neither was hee a better man then a Ma­ster: [Page 476] His seruant is sicke; hee doth not driue him out of doores, but layes him at home; neither doth he stand gazing by his beds-side, but seekes forth; He seekes forth, not to Witches, or Charmers, but to Christ; he seekes to Christ, not with a fa­shionable relation, but with a vehement aggrauation of the disease. Had the Master beene sicke, the faithfullest seruant could haue done no more: He is vnworthy to bee well serued, that will not somtimes wait vp­on his followers. Conceits of inferiority, may not breed in vs a neglect of charitable offices; so must we look downe vpon our seruants, here on earth, as that [Page 477] wee must still looke vp to our Master, which is in heauen.

But why didst thou not, ô Centurion, rather bring thy ser­uant to Christ for cure, then sue for him absent? There was a Paralytick, whom faith and charity brought to our Sauiour, and let downe thorow the vn­couered roofe, in his bed; why was not thine so carried, so pre­sented? Was it out of the strength of thy faith, which assured thee, thou needest not shew thy ser­uant to him, that saw all things? One and the same grace, may yeeld contrary effects; They, because they beleeued, brought the Patient to Christ, thou broughtest not thine to him, be­cause [Page 478] thou beleeued it; Their act argued no lesse desire, thine, more confidence; Thy labour was lesse, because thy faith was more: Oh, that I could come thus to my Sauiour, and make such mone to him for my selfe: Lord, my soule is sicke of vnbe­leefe, sicke of selfe-loue, sicke of inordinate desires, I should not neede to say more; Thy mercy, ô Sauiour, would not then stay for my suit, but would preuent me (as here) with a gracious in­gagement, I will come and heale thee; I did not heare the Centu­rion say, Either come, or heale him; The one he meant, though hee sayd not, the other, he nei­ther sayd, nor meant: Christ [Page 479] ouer-giues, both his words and intentions; It is the manner of that diuine munificence, where he meets with a faithfull suitor, to giue more then is requested; to giue when he is not reque­sted. The very insinuations of our necessit [...]es are no lesse vio­lent, then successefull: Wee thinke the measure of humane bounty, runs ouer, when we ob­taine but what wee aske with importunity; that infinite goodnesse keeps within bounds, when it ouer-flowes the desires of our hearts.

As he said, so hee did; The word of Christ ei [...]her is his act, or concurres with it; He did not stand still when hee said, I will [Page 480] come, but hee went as hee spake. When the ruler intreated him for his sonne (Come downe ere hee dye) our Sauiour stird not a foote; The Centurion did but complaine of the sicknes of his seruant, and Christ vnasked, saies, I will come and heale him; That he might be farre from so much as seeming to honor wealth, and despise meanenesse, he that came in the shape of a seruant, would goe downe to the sicke seruants pallet, would not goe to the bed of the rich rulers sonne; It is the basest mo­tiue of respect, that ariseth mere­ly from outward greatnesse. Either more grace, or more need, may iustly challenge our fauou­rable [Page 481] regards, no lesse then pri­uate obligations.

Euen so, ô Sauiour, that which thou offeredst to doe for the Centurions seruant, hast thou done for vs; We were sick vnto death; So farre had the dead palsy of sinne ouertaken vs, that there was no light of grace left in vs; When thou wert not content to sit still in heauen, and say, I will cure them; but addest also, I will come and cure them; Thy selfe came downe accordingly to this miserable world, and hast personally healed vs; So as now we shall not dye but liue, and declare thy works, ô Lord; And oh! that we could enough praise that loue and mercy, which [Page 482] hath so graciously abased thee, and could be but so low deiect­ed before thee, as thou hast stoo­ped low vnto vs; that we could be but as lowly subiects of thy goodnesse, as wee are vnwor­thy.

Oh admirable returne of hu­mility: Christ will goe downe to visit the sicke seruant; the master of that seruant sayes, Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come vnder my roofe: The Iewish Elders, that went before to mediate for him, could say, (He is worthy that thou shouldst doe this for him; but the Centurion, when hee comes to speake for himselfe (I am not worthy) They said, He was worthy of Christs [Page 483] miracle; He saies hee is vnwor­thy of Christs presence: There is great difference betwixt o­thers valuations, and our owne; Sometimes the world vnder­rates him that findes reason to set an high price vpon himselfe; Somtimes againe, it ouer-values a man that knowes iust cause of his owne humiliation; If others mistake vs, this can be no war­rant for our error; Wee cannot be wise, vnlesse wee receiue the knowledge of our selues by direct beames, not by reflection; vnlesse we haue learned to con­temne vniust applauses; and scorning the flatteryes of the world, to frowne vpon our owne vilenesse, Lord I am not worthy.

[Page 484] Many a one if he had bene in the Centurions cote, would haue thought well of it; A Cap­taine, a man of good ability and command, a founder of a Syna­gogue, a Patron of religion: yet he ouerlookes all these, and when he casts his eye vpon the diuine worth of Christ, and his owne weakenesse, he saies, I am not worthy; Alas Lord I am a Gen­tile, an alien, a man of blood, thou art holy, thou art omnipotent. True humility will teach vs to finde out the best of another, and the worst peece of our selues; Pride contrarily showes vs nothing, but matter of admiration in our selues; in others, of contempt. Whiles hee confest himselfe vn­worthy [Page 485] of any fauour; he ap­proued himselfe worthy of all. Had not Christ bene before in his heart, hee could not haue thought himselfe vnworthy to intertaine that guest within his house; Vnder the low roofe of an humble brest, doth God euer delight to dwel; The stare of his Pallace may not bee measured by the height, but by the depth: Brags & bold faces do oft-times carry it away with men, nothing preuailes with God, but our vo­luntary deiections.

It is fit the foundations should be laid deep, where the building is high; The centurions humi­lity was not more lowe; then his faith was lofty; that reaches [Page 486] vp into heauen, and in the face of humane weaknesse descrye omnipotence; Only say the word, and my seruant shall be whole.

Had the Centurions roof [...] bene heauen it selfe, it could not haue bene worthy to be comne vnder, of him, whose word was almighty, and who was the Al­mighty word of his Father, Such is Christ confessed by him that saies Only say the word; none, but a diuine power is vnlimited; neither hath faith any other bounds then God himselfe. There needs no footing to re­moue mountaines, or Deuills, but a word; Doe but say the word, ô Sauiour, my sinne shall be remitted; my soule shall bee [Page 487] healed, my body shall be raysed from dust; both soule and body shall be glorious.

Whereupon then was the steddy confidence of the Good Centurion? He saw how po­werfull his own word was with those, that were vnder his com­mand, (though himselfe were vnder the command of ano­ther) the force whereof extended euen to absent performances; well therefore might he argue, that a free and vnbounded po­wer, might giue infallible com­mands, and that the most obsti­nate disease, must therfore needs yeild to the becke of the God of nature: weakenesse may show vs what is in strength; By one [Page 488] drop of water we may see what is in the maine Ocean; I maruell not if the Centurion were kinde to his seruants, for they were dutifull to him; he can but say, Doe this, and it is done; these mutuall respects draw on each other; cheerefull and diligent seruice in the one, calls for a due and fauourable care in the other; they that neglect to please, can­not complaine to bee neglected.

Oh that I could be but such a seruant to mine heauenly Ma­ster; Alas, euery of his com­mands, sayes, Doe this, and I doe it not; Euery of his inhibitions sayes, Doe it not, and I doe it, He sayes, Goe from the world, I run to it; he sayes, Come to mee, I runne [Page 489] from him: Woe is mee, this is not seruice, but enmity; how can I looke for fauour, whiles I returne rebellion; It is a graci­ous Master whom wee serue; there can bee no duty of ours, that he sees not, that he acknow­ledges not, that he crownes not; we could not but be happy, if we could be officious.

What can be more maruelous then to see Christ maruell? All maruelling supposes an igno­rance going before, and a knowledge following some ac­cident vnexpected: now who wrought this faith in the Cen­turion, but he that wondred at it? Hee knew well what hee wrought, because hee wrought [Page 490] what he would; yet he wondred at what he both wrought, and knew, to teach vs, much more to admire that which hee at once knowes and holds admi­rable.

Hee wrought this faith as God, he wondred at it as man; God wrought, and man admi­red, he that was both, did both; to teach vs where to bestow our wonder. I neuer finde Christ wondring at gold, or siluer, at the costly and curious workes of humane skill or in­dustry; Yea, when the Disciples wondred at the magnificence of the Temple, he rebuked them rather: I finde him not won­dring at the frame of heauen [Page 491] and earth, nor at the orderly dis­position of all creatures and e­uents; the familiarity of these things intercepts the admirati­on; But when he sees the grace or acts of faith, he so approues them, that he is rauished with wonder; Hee that reioyced in the view of his creation, to see that of nothing, he had made all things good, reioyces no lesse in the reformation of his crea­ture, to see, that hee hath made good of euill: Behold thou art faire, my loue, behold thou art faire, and there is no spot in thee; My sister, my spouse, thou hast wounded my heart, thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes.

[Page 492] Our wealth, beauty, wit, lear­ning, honor may make vs ac­cepted of men, but it is our faith only, that shall make God in loue with vs; And why are we of any other saue Gods diet, to bee more affected with the least measure of grace in any man, then withall the outward glories of the world? There are great men whom we iustly pit­ty, we can admire none but the gracious.

Neither was that plant more worthy of wonder in it selfe, then that it grew in such a soyle, with so little help of raine and Sun; The weaknesse of meanes, addes to the prayse and accepta­tion of our proficiency: To do [Page 493] good vpon a little is the com­mendation of thrift; it is small thanke to bee full-handed in a large estate; As contrarily, the strength of meanes doubles the reuenge of our neglect: It is not more the shame of Israel, then the glory of the Centurion, that our Sauiour sayes, I haue not found so great faith in Israel; Had Israel yeelded any equal faith, it could not haue beene vnespyed of those all-seeing eyes; yet were their helps so much greater, then their faith was lesse; and God neuer giues more then hee re­quires: Where we haue laid our tillage, and compost, and seed, who would not looke for a crop? but if the vncultured fal­low [Page 494] yeeld more, how iustly is that vnanswerable ground neer to a curse?

Our Sauiour did not mutter this censorious testimony to himselfe, nor whisper it to his Disciples, but he turned him a­bout to the people, and spake it in their eares, that hee might at once worke their shame and e­mulation: In all other things, except spirituall, our selfe-loue makes vs impatient of equals, much lesse can we indure to bee out-stripped by those, who are our professed inferiours. It is well, if any thing can kindle in vs holy ambitions: Dull and base are the spirits of that man, that can abide to see another [Page 495] ouertake him in the way, and out-run him to Heauen.

Hee that both wrought this faith, and wondred at it, doth now reward it, Goe thy wayes, and as thou hast beleeued, so bee it vnto thee; Neuer was any faith vn­seene of Christ, neuer was any seene without allowance, neuer was any allowed without re­muneration: The measure of our receits in the matter of fa­uour, is the proportion of our beleefe; The infinite mercy of God (which is euer like it selfe) followes but one rule in his gifts to vs, the faith that he giues vs: Giue vs, ô God, to beleeue, and bee it to vs as thou wilt; it shall bee to vs aboue that we will.

[Page 496] The Centurion sues for his seruant, and Christ sayes, So bee it vnto thee; The seruants health is the benefit of the Master; and the Masters faith is the health of the seruant; And if the pray­ers of an earthly master, preuai­led so much with the Sonne of God, for the recouery of a seruant, how shall the intercessi­on of the Son of God, preuaile with his Father in Heauen, for vs that are his impotent chil­dren and seruants vpon earth? What can we want, ô Sauiour, whiles thou suest for vs? Hee that hath giuen thee for vs, can deny thee nothing for vs, can deny vs nothing for thee; In thee we are happy, and shall be [Page 497] glorious; To thee, ô thou migh­ty Redeemer of Israel, with thine eternall Father, together with thy blessed Spirit, one God infinite, and incomprehen­sible, be giuen all praise, honour, and glory, for euer and euer. AMEN.