holy care of others but idly scrupulous The King of Israel could not chuse but see that onely Gods prohibition lay in the way of his designes not the stomacke of a froward subiect yet he goes away into his house heauy and displeased and casts himselfe downe vpon his bed and turnes away his face and refuses his meat Hee hath taken a surfet of Naboths grapes which marres his appetite and threats his life How ill can great hearts endure to be crossed though vpon the most reasonable iust grounds Ahabs place call'd him to the guardianship of Gods Law and now his heart is ready to breake that this parcell of that Law may not be broken No maruell if hee made not dainty to transgresse a locall statute of God who did so shamefully violate the eternall Law of both Tables I know not whether the splene or the gall of Ahab bee more affected Whether more of anger or griefe I cannot say but sicke hee is and keepes his bed and balkes his meat as if hee should die of no other death than the salads that hee would haue had O the impotent passions and insatiable desires of Couetousnesse Ahab is Lord and King of all the territories of Israel Naboth is the owner of one poore Vineyard Ahab cannot inioy Israel if Naboth inioy his Vineyard Besides Samaria Ahab was the great Lord Paramount of Damascus and all Syria the victor of him that was attended with two and thirty Kings Naboth was a plaine townsman of Iezreel the good husband of a little Vineyard Whether is the wealthier I doe not heare Naboth wish for any thing of Ahabs I heare Ahab wishing not without indignatiō of a repulse for somewhat of Naboths Riches and pouerty is more in the heart than in the hand He is wealthy that is contented hee is poore that wanteth more Oh rich Naboth that carest not for all the large possessions of Ahab so thou maist be the Lord of thine owne Vineyard Oh miserable Ahab that carest not for thine owne possessions whiles thou maiest not be the Lord of Naboths Vineyard He that caused the disease sends him a Physitian Satan knew of old how to make vse of such helpers Iezebel comes to Ahabs bed-side and casts cold water in his face and puts into him spirits of her owne extracting Dost thou now gouerne the Kingdome of Israel Arise eat bread and let thine heart be merry I will giue thee the Vineyard of Naboth Ahab wanted neither wit nor wickednesse Yet is hee in both a very nouice to this Zidonian dame There needs no other Deuill than Iezebel whether to proiect euill or to worke it Shee chides the pusillanimity of her deiected husband and perswades him his rule cannot be free vnlesse it belicentious that there should be no bounds for soueraignty but wil Already hath shee contriued to haue by fraud and force what was denied to intreaty Nothing needs but the name but the seale of Ahab let her alone with the rest How present are the wits of the weaker sex for the deuising of wickednes She frames a letter in Ahabs name to the Senatours of Iezreel wherein she requires them to proclaime a fast to suborne two false witnesses against Naboth to charge him with blasphemy against God and the King to stone him to death A ready payment for a rich Vineyard Whose indignation riseth not to heare Iezebel name a fast The great contemners of the most important Lawes of God yet can be content to make vse of some diuine both statutes and customs for their owne aduantage Shee knew the Israelites had so much remainder of grace as to hold blasphemy worthy of death Shee knew their manner was to expiate those crying sinnes with pulike humiliation She knew that two witnesses at least must cast the offender all these shee vrges to her owne purpose There is no mischiefe so deuillish as that which is cloked with piety Simulation of holinesse doubleth a villany This murder had not beene halfe so foule if it had not beene thus masked with a religious obseruation Besides deuotion what a faire pretence of legality is heere Blasphemy against God and his anointed may not passe vnreuenged The offender is conuented before the sad and seuere bench of Magistracie the iustice of Israel allowes not to condemne an absent an vnheard malefactor Witnesses come forth and agree in the intentation of the crime the Iudges rend their garments and strike their breasts as grieued not more for the sin than the punishment their very countenance must say Naboth should not die if his offence did not force our iustice and now he is no good subiect no true Israelite that hath not a stone for Naboth Iezebel knew well to whom she wrote Had not those letters fallen vpon the times of a wofull degeneration of Israel they had receiued no lesse strong denials from the Elders than Ahab had from Naboth God forbid that the Senate of Iezreel should forge a periurie belye truth condemne innocency broke corruption Command iust things we are readie to dye in the zeale of our obedience we dare not embrue our hands in the bloud of an innocent But she knew whom shee had engaged whom she had marred by making conscious It were strange if they who can countenance euill with greatnesse should want factors for the vniustest designes Miserable is that people whose Rulers in stead of punishing plot and incourage wickednesse when a distillation of euill fals from the head vpon the lungs of any State there must needs follow a deadly consumption Yet perhaps there wanted not some colour of pretence for this proceeding They could not but heare that some words had passed betwixt the King and Naboth Haply it was suggested that Naboth had secretly ouer-lashed into saucie and contemptuous termes to his Soueraigne such as neither might be well borne nor yet by reason of their priuacy legally conuinced the bench of Iezreel should but supply a forme to the iust matter desert of condemnation What was it for them to giue their hand to this obscure midwifery of Iustice It is enough that their King is an accuser and witnesse of that wrong which onely their sentence can formally reuenge All this cannot wash their hands from the guilt of bloud If iustice be blinde in respect of partialitie she may not be blinde in respect of the grounds of execution Had Naboth beene a blasphemer or a traitor yet these men were no better than murtherers What difference is there betwixt the stroke of Magistracie and of man-slaughter but due conuiction Wickednesse neuer spake out of a throne and complained of the defect of instruments Naboth was it seemes strictly conscionable his fellow Citizens loose and lawlesse they are glad to haue gotten such an opportunitie of his dispatch No clause of Ahabs letter is not obserued A fast is warned the Citie is assembled Naboth is conuented accused confronted sentenced stoned His vineyard is escheated to the Crowne Ahab takes speedy and
an enemy of God Hee knowes it more easie to adulterate religion than to abolish it That which God ordained for the auoydance of Idolatry is made the occasion of it a limitation of his holy seruices to Ierusalem How mischieuously doe wicked men peruert the wholesome institutions of God to their sinne to their bane Ieroboam could not be ignorant how fearefully this very act was reuenged vpon Israel in the wildernesse yet hee dares renew it in Dan and Bethel No example of iudgement can affright wilfull offenders It is not the mettall that makes his Gods but the worship the sacrifices What sacrifice could there bee without Priests No religion could euer want sacred masters of Diuine Ceremonies Gods Clergy was select and honourable branches of the holy stemme of Aaron Ieroboam rakes vp his Priests out of the channell of the multitude all Tribes all persons were good enough for his spurious deuotion Leaden Priests are well fitted to golden Deities Religion receiues either much honour or blemish by the quality of those that serue at her Altars We are not worthy to professe our selues seruants of the true God if we doe not hold his seruice worthy of the best Ieroboams Calues must haue sacrifices must haue solemne festiuities though in a day and moneth of his owne deuising In vaine shall wee pretend to worship a God if wee grudge him the iust daies and rites of his worship It is strange that hee who thought the dregs of the vulgar good enough for that Priesthood would grace those Gods by acting their Priest himselfe and yet behold where the new King of Israel stands before his new Altar with a Scepter in one hand and a Censer in the other ready to sacrifice to his new Gods when the man of God comes from Iuda with a message of iudgement Oh desperate condition of Israel that was so far gone with impiety that it yeelded not one faithfull monitor to Ieroboam The time was that the erecting of but a new altar for memory for monument on the other side Iordan bred a challenge to the Tribes of Reuben Gad and Manasses and had cost much Israelitish bloud if the quarrelled Tribes had not giuen a seasonable and pious satisfaction and now loe how the stronger stomach of degenerated Israel can digest new Altars new Temples new Gods What a difference there is betwixt a Church and Kingdome newly breathing from affliction and setled vpon the lees of a mis-used peace But oh the patience and mercy of our Long-suffering God that will not strike a very Ieroboam vnwarned Iudgement houers ouer the heads of sinners ere it light If Israel afford not a bold reprouer of Ieroboam Iuda shall When the king of Israel is in all the height both of his State and superstition honouring his solemne day with his richest deuotion steps forth a Prophet of God and interrupts that glorious seruice with a loud inclamation of iudgement Doubtlesse the man wanted not wit to know what displeasure what danger must needs follow so vnwelcome a message yet dares he vpon the commission of God doe this affront to an Idolatrous King in the midst of all his awefull magnificence The Prophets of God goe vpon many a thankelesse errand He is no messenger for God that either knowes or feares the faces of men It was the Altar not the person of Ieroboam which the Prophet thus threatens Yet not the stones are stricken but the founder in both their apprehensions So deare are the deuices of our owne braine to vs as if they were incorporated into our selues There is no opposition whereof we are so sensible as that of religion That the royall Altar should be thus polluted by dead mens bones and the bloud of the Priests was not more vnpleasing than that all this should bee done by a childe of the house of Dauid for Ieroboam well saw that the throne and the altar must stand or fall together that a sonne of Dauid could not haue such power ouer the Altar without an vtter subuersion of the gouernment of the succession therefore is he thus galled with this comminatory prediction The rebellious people who had said What portion haue we in Dauid heare now that Dauid will perforce haue a portion in them and might well see what beasts they had made themselues in worshipping the image of a beast and sacrificing to such a God as could not preserue his owne Altar from violation and ruine All this while I doe not see this zealous Prophet laying his hand to the demolition of this Idolatrous Altar or threatning a knife to the Author of this deprauation of religion Only his tongue smites both not with foule but sharpe words of menace not of reproach It was for Iosias a King to shed the bloud of those sacrificers to deface those Altars Prophets are for the tongue Princes for the hand Prophets must onely denounce iudgement Princes execute Future things are present to the Eternall It was some two hundred and sixty yeares ere this prophecy should bee fulfilled yet the man of God speakes of it as now in acting What are some Centuries of yeares to the Ancient of daies How slow and yet how sure is the pace of Gods reuenge It is not in the power of time to frustrate Gods determinations There is no lesse iustice nor seuerity in a delaied punishment What a perfect Record there is of all names in the roll of Heauen before they be after they are past what euer seeming contingency there is in their imposition yet they fall vnder the certainty of a decree and are better knowne in heauen ere they be than on earth whiles they are He that knows what names we shall haue before we or the world haue a being doth not oft reueale this peece of his knowledge to his creature here he doth naming the man that should bee two hundred yeeres after for more assurance of the euent that Israel may say this man speakes from a God who knowes what shall be There cannot bee a more sure euidence of a true Godhead than the foreknowledge of those things whose causes haue yet no hope of being But because the proofe of this prediction was not more certaine than remote a present demonstration shall conuince the future The altar shall rend in peeces the ashes shall be scattered How amazedly must the seduced Israelites needs looke vpon this miracle and why doe they not thinke with themselues whiles these stones rend why are our hearts whole Of what an ouer-ruling power is the God whom we haue forsaken that can thus teare the Altars of his corriualls How shall we stand before his vengeance when the very stones breake at the word of his Prophet Perhaps some beholders were thus affected but Ieroboam whom it most concerned in stead of bowing his knees for humiliation stretcheth forth his hand for reuenge and cries Lay hold on him Resolute wickednesse is impatient of a reproofe and in stead of yeelding to the voice
of God rebelleth Iust and discreet reprehension doth not more reforme some sinners than exasperare others How easie is it for God to coole the courage of proud Ieroboam the hand which his rage stretches out dries vp and cannot be pulled backe againe and now stands the King of Israel like some anticke statue in a posture of impotent indeuour so disabled to the hurt of the Prophet that hee cannot command that peece of himselfe What are the great Potentates of the world in the powerfull hand of the Almighty Tyrans cannot bee so harmefull as they are malicious The strongest heart may bee brought downe with affliction Now the stout stomach of Ieroboam is fallen to an humble deprecation Intreat now the face of the Lord thy God and pray for me that my hand may be restored me againe It must needs be a great streight that could driue a proud heart to beg mercy where he bent his persecution so doth Ieroboam holding it no scorne to be beholden to an enemy In extremities the worst men can be content to sue for fauour where they haue spent their malice It well becomes the Prophets of God to bee mercifull I doe not see this Seer to stand vpon termes of exprobration and ouerlie contestations with Ieroboam to say Thine intentions to mee were cruell Had thine hand preuailed I should haue sued to thee in vaine Continue euer a spectacle of the fearefull iustice of thy Maker whom thou hast prouoked by thine Idolatry whom thou wouldst haue smitten in my persecution but hee meekely sues for Ieroboams release and that God might abundantly magnifie both his power and mercy is heard and answered with successe Wee doe no whit sauour of heauen if we haue not learned to doe good for euill When both winde and Sunne the blasts of iudgement and the beames of fauour met together to worke vpon Ieroboam who would not looke that hee should haue cast off this cumbrous and mis-beseeming cloke of his Idolatry and haue said Lord thou hast striken mee in iustice thou hast healed mee in mercy I will prouoke thee no more This hand which thou hast restored shall bee consecrated to thee in pulling downe these bold abominations Yet now behold hee goes on in his old courses and as if God had neither done him good nor euill liues and dies idolatrous No stone is more hard or insensate than a sinfull heart The changes of Iudgement and mercy doe but obdure it in stead of melting The Seduced Prophet IEroboams hand is amended his soule is not that continues still drie inflexible Yet whiles hee is vnthankfull to the Author of his recouery he is thankfull to the instrument he kindly inuites the Prophet whom he had threatned and will remunerate him whom he endeuoured to punish The worst men may be sensible of bodily fauours Ciuill respects may well stand with gracelessenesse Many a one would be liberall of their purses if they might bee allowed to bee niggardly of their obedience As God so his Prophet cares not for these waste curtesies where he sees maine duties neglected More pietie would haue done well with lesse complement The man of God returnes a blunt and peremptory deniall to so bounteous an offer If thou wilt giue me halfe thine house I will not goe in with thee neither will I eat bread or drinke water in this place Kindnesse is more safely done to an Idolater than taken from him that which is done to him obligeth him that which is taken from him obligeth vs his obligation to vs may be an occasion of his good our obligation to him may occasion our hurt the surest way is to keepe aloofe from the infectiously wicked The Prophet is not vnciuil to reiect the fauor of a Prince without some reason He yeelds no reason of his refusall but the command of his God God hath charged him Eat no bread nor drinke no water nor turne againe by the same way that thou camest It is not for a Prophet to plead humane or carnall grounds for the actions of his function Hee may not moue but vpon a diuine warrant would this Scer haue look't with the eyes of flesh and blood he might haue found many arguments of his yeeldance He is a King that inuites me his reward by enriching me may benefit many and who knowes how much my further conuersation may preuaile to reforme him how can he be but well prepared for good counsell by my miraculous cure how gainfully should my receit of a temporall courtesie be exchanged with a spirituall to him All Israel will follow him either into Idolatry or reformation which way can be deuised of doing so great seruice to God and the Church as by reclaiming him what can yeeld so great likelihood of his reclamation as the opportunitie of my further entirenesse with him But the Prophet dares not argue cases where hee had a command what euer become of Ieroboam and Israel God must be obeyed Neither profit nor hopes may carrie vs crosse to the word of our Maker How safe had this Seer beene if he had kept him euer vpon this sure ward which he no sooner leaues than he miscarries So deeply doth God detest Idolatry that he forbids his Prophet to eat the bread to drinke the water of a people infected with this sinne yea to tread in those very steps which their feet haue touched If this inhibition were personall yet the grounds of it are common No pestilence should be more shunned than the conuersation of the mis-religious or openly scandalous It is no thank to vs if their familiaritie doe not enfeoffe vs of their wickednesse I know not what to thinke of an old Prophet that dwels in Bethel within the ayre of Ieroboams Idoll within the noyse of his sacrifices that liues where the man of God dares not eat that permitted his sonnes to bee present at that Idolatrous seruice If hee were a Prophet of God what did he now in Bethel why did hee winke at the sinne of Ieroboam what needed a Seer to come out of Iuda for the reproofe of that sinne which was acted vnder his nose why did he lye why did his family partake with Idolaters If he were not a Prophet of God how had he true visions how had he true messages from God why did he second the menacing word of that Prophet whom he seduced why did he desire that his owne bones might be honoured with his Sepulcher Doubtlesse he was a Prophet of God but corrupt restie vicious Prophecy doth not alwaies presuppose sanctification many a one hath had visions from God who shall neuer inioy the vision of God A very Balaam in his extasies hath so cleere a reuelation of the Messiah to come as scarce euer any of the holiest Prophets yea his very Asse hath both her mouth miraculously opened and her eies to see and notifie that Angel which was hid from her Master Yea Satan himselfe sometimes receiues notice from God of his
had rather bee selfe-condemned than wise and penitent As for that old Seer it is like Ieroboam knew his skill but doubted of his fincerity that man was too much his neighbour to be good Ahijahs truth had beene tried in a case of his owne Hee whose word was found iust in the prediction of his kingdome was well worthy of credit in the newes of his sonne Experience is a great encouragement of our trust It is a good matter to bee faithfull this loadstone of our fidelity shall draw to vs euen hearts of iron and hold them to our reliance As contrarily deceit doth both argue and make a bankrupt who can trust where he is disappointed O God so oft so euer haue we found thee true in all thy promises in all thy performances that if we doe not seeke thee if we doe not trust thee in the sequell we are worthy of our losse worthy of thy desertions Yet I doe not see that Ieroboam sends to the Prophet for his aid but for his intelligence Curiosity is guilty of this message and not deuotion he calls not for the praiers not for the benediction of that holy man but for meere information of the euent He well saw what the prayers of a Prophet could doe That which cured his hand might it not haue cured his sonne Yet he that said to a man of God Intreat the face of the Lord thy God that hee may restore my hand saies not now in his message to Ahijah Intreat thy God to restore my Sonne Sinne makes such a strangenesse betwixt God and man that the guilty heart either thinks not of suing to God or feares it What a poore contentment it was to foreknow that euill which hee could not auoid and whose notice could but hasten his misery Yet thus fond is our restlesse curiosity that it seekes ease in the drawing on of torment He is worthy of sorrow that will not stay till it comes to him but goes to fetch it Whom doth Ieroboam send on this message but his wife and how but disguised Why her and why thus Neither durst he trust this errand with another nor with her in her owne forme It was a seceet that Ieroboam sends to a Prophet of God none might know it but his owne bosome and she that lay in it if this had beene noised in Israel the example had beene dangerous Who would not haue said The King is glad to leaue his counterfeit deities and seeke to the true Why should we adhere to them whom he forsakes As the message must not be knowne to the people so shee that beares it must not bee knowne to the Prophet her name her habit must bee changed shee must put off her robes and put on a russet coat she must put off the Queene and put on the peasant in stead of her Scepter she must take vp a basket and goe a masked pilgrimage to Shiloh Oh the fondnes of vaine men that thinke to iuggle with the Almighty and to hide their counsells from that all-seeing ere If this change of habit were necessary at Bethel yet what needs it at Shiloh though she would hide her face from her subiects yet why would she not pull off her muffler and shew her selfe to the Prophet Certainly what policy began guiltinesse must continue Well might shee thinke there can be no good answer expected of the wife of Ieroboam my presence will doe no lesse than solicit a reproofe No Prophet can speake well to the consort of a founder of Idolatry I may perhaps heare good as another though as my selfe I can looke for nothing but tidings of euill Wicked hearts know they deserue ill at Gods hands and therefore they doe all they can to auoid the eies of his displeased iustice and if they cannot doe it by colours of dissimulation they will doe it by imploration of shelter they shall say to the rocks Fall on vs and couer vs. But oh the grosse folly mixt with the craft of wickednesse could Ieroboam thinke that the Prophet could know the euent of his sonnes disease and did hee thinke that hee could not know the disguise of his Wife the one was present the other future this face was but wrapt vp in a clout that euent was wrapt vp in the counsell of God Yet this politique head presumes that the greater shall be reuealed where the lesser shall be hid There was neuer wicked man that was not infatuate and in nothing more than in those things wherein he hoped most to transcend the reach of others Ahijah shunning the iniquity of the times was retired to a solitary corner of Shiloh no place could be too priuate for an honest Prophet in so extreme deprauednesse Yet euen there doth the King of Israel take notice of his reclusion and sends his Wife to that poore cell laden with presents presents that dissembled their bearer had shee offered iewels or gold her greatnesse had beene suspected now she brings loaues and cracknels and honie her hand answers her backe She giues as she seemes not as she is Something she must giue euen when she acts the poorest client The Prophets of God were not wont to haue empty visitations they who hated bribes yet refused not tokens of gratitude Yea the God of heauen who neither needs our goods nor is capable of our gratifications yet would haue no man to come to him gift-lesse Woe to those sacrilegious hands that in stead of bringing to the Prophets carry from them Ieroboam was a bad man yet as he had a towardly sonne so he had an obedient wife else she had not wanted excuses to turne off both the iourney and the disguise against the disguise she had pleaded the vnbeseemingnesse for her person and state against the iourney the perills of so long and solitary a walke perhaps a Lion might bee in the way the Lion that tore the Prophet in peeces perhaps robbers or if not they perhaps her chastity might be in danger an vnguarded solitarines in the weaker sex might be a prouocation to some forced vncleannesse she casts off all these shifting proiections of feare according to the will of her husband she changes her rayment she sets vpon the iourney and ouercomes it What needed this disguise to an old Prophet whose dimme eies were set with age All clothes all faces were alike to a blinde Seer The visions of Ahijah were inward neither was his bodily sight more duskie than the eies of his minde were cleare and piercing It was not the common light of men whereby he saw but diuine illumination things absent things future were no lesse obuious to those spirituall beames than present things are to vs Ere the quicke eies of that great Lady can discerne him he hath espied her and so soone as hee heares the sound of her feet she heares from him the sound of her name Come in thou Wife of Ieroboam How God laughes in heauen at the friuolous fetches of craftie
turnes Rehoboams brasse into gold Some of these vessels it seemes Abijam Asaes father had dedicated to God but after his vow inquired yea with-held them Asa like a good son payes his fathers debts his owne It is a good signe of a well-meant deuotion when we can abide it chargeable as contrarily in the affaires of God a niggardly hand argues a cold and hollow heart All these were noble and excellent acts the extirpation of Sodomy the demolition of Idols the remouall of Maachah the bountious contribution to the Temple but that which giues true life vnto all these is a sound root Asaes heart was perfect with the Lord all his daies No lesse laudable workes than these haue proceeded from Hypocrisie which whiles they haue carried away applause from men haue lost their thankes with God All Asaes gold was but drosse to his pure intentions But oh what great and many infirmities may consist with vprightnesse What allayes of imperfection will there be found in the most refined soule Foure no small faults are found in true-hearted Asa First the high-places stood still vnremoued What high places There were some dedicated to the worship of false gods these Asa took away There were some mis-deuoted to the worship of the true God these he lets stand There was grosse Idolatry in the former there was a weake will-worship in the latter whiles he opposes impietie hee winkes at mistakings yet euen the varietie of altars was forbidden by an expresse charge from God who had confined his seruice to the Temple With one breath doth God report both these The high-places were not remoued yet neuerthelesse Asaes heart was persit God will not see weaknesses where he sees truth How pleasing a thing is sinceritie that in fauour thereof the mercy of our iust God digests many an error Oh God let our hearts goe vpright though our feet slide the fall cannot through thy grace be deadly how euer it may shame or paine vs. Besides to confront his riuall of Israel Baasha this religious King of Iudah fetches in Benhadad the King of Syria into Gods inheritance vpon too deare a rate the breach of his league the expilation of the Temple All the wealth wherewith Asa had endowed the house of the Lord was little enough to hire an Edomite to betray his fidelitie and to inuade Israel Leagues may be made with Infidels not at such a price vpon such termes There can bee no warrant for a wilfull subornation of perfidiousnesse In these cases of outward things the mercy of God dispenseth with our true necessities not with the affected O Asa where was thy pietie whiles thou robbest God to corrupt an Infidell for the slaughter of Israelites O Princes where is your pietie whiles yee hire Turkes to the slaughter of Christians to the spoile of Gods Church Yet which was worse Asa doth not onely imploy the Syrian but relies on him relies not on God A confidence lesse sinfull cost his Grandfather Dauid deare And when Hanani Gods Seer the Herald of heauen came to denounce war against him for these sinnes Asa in stead of penitence breakes into choler Fury sparkles in those eyes which should haue gushed out with water Those lips that should haue call'd for mercy command reuenge How ill doe these two agree The heart of Dauid the tongue of Ieroboam That holy Grandfather of his would not haue done so when Gods messenger reproued him for sin he condemned it and himselfe for it I see his teares I doe not heare his threats It ill becomes a faithfull heart to rage where it should sorrow and in stead of submission to persecute Sometimes no difference appeares betwixt a sonne of Dauid and the sonne of Nebat Any man may doe ill but to defend it to out-face it is for rebels yet euen vpright Asa imprisons the Prophet and crusheth his gainsayers It were pittie that the best man should be iudged by euery of his actions and not by all The course of our life must either allow or condemne vs not these sudden eruptions As the life so the Death-bed of Asa wanted not infirmities Long and prosperous had his reigne beene now after fortie yeares health and happinesse he that imprisoned the Prophet is imprisoned in his bed There is more paine in those fetters which God put vpon Asa than those which Asa puts vpon Hanani And now behold he that in his warre seekes to Benhadad not to God in his sicknesse seekes not to God but to Physitians We cannot easily put vpon God a greater wrong than the alienation of our trust Earthly meanes are for vse not for confidence We may we must imploy them we may not relye vpon them Well may God challenge our trust as his peculiar which if we cast vpon any creature wee deifie it Whence haue herbs and drugs and Physitians their being and efficacy but from that diuine hand No maruell then if Asaes gout strucke to his heart and his feet carried him to his graue since his heart was miscarried carried for the cure of his feet to an iniurious mis-confidence in the meanes with neglect of his Maker ELIjAH with the SAREPTAN WHo should be match't with Moses in the hill of Tabor but Elijah Surely next after Moses there was neuer any Prophet of the old Testament more glorious than hee None more glorious none more obscure The other Prophets are not mentioned without the name of their parent for the mutuall honour both of the father and the sonne Elijah as if he had beene a sonne of the earth comes forth with the bare mention of the place of his birth Meanenesse of descent is no blocke in Gods way to the most honourable vocations It matters not whose sonne hee be whom God will grace with his seruice In the greatest honours that humane nature is capable of God forgets our parents As when we shall be raised vp to a glorious life there shall be no respect had to the loines whence we came so it is proportionally in these spirituall aduancements These times were fit for an Elijah an Elijah was fit for them The eminentest Prophet is reserued for the corruptest age Israel had neuer such a King as Ahab for impiety neuer so miraculous a Prophet as Elijah This Elijah is addressed to this Ahab The God of Spirits knowes how to proportion men to the occasions and to raise vp to himselfe such witnesses as may be most able to conuince the world A milde Moses was for the low estate of afflicted Israel milde of spirit but mighty in wonders milde of spirit because he had to doe with a persecuted and yet a techy and peruerse people mighty in wonders because he had to doe with a Pharaoh A graue and holy Samuel was for the quiet consistence of Israel A fierie-spirited Elijah was for the desperatest declination of Israel And if in the late times of the depraued condition of his Church God haue raised vp some spirits that haue beene more warme and
kill and make aliue yea of himselfe hee can doe neither with God a Worme or a fly may kill a man without God no Potentate can do it much lesse can any created power both kill and reuiue since to restore life is more than to bereaue it more than to continue it more than to giue it And if leprosie be a death what humane power can either inflict or cure it It is a trouble to a well-affected heart to receiue impossible commands To require that of an inferiour which is proper to the highest is a derogation from that supreme power whose propertie it is Had Iehoram beene truly religious the iniurie done to his Maker in this motion as he tooke it had more afflicted him than the danger of his owne quarrell Belike Elisha was not in the thoughts of the King of Israel He might haue heard that this Prophet had made aliue one whom hee killed not Himselfe with the two other Kings had been eye-witnesses of what Elisha could doe yet now the Calues of Dan and Bethel haue so taken vp his heart that there is no roome for the memorie of Elisha whom hee sued to in his extremitie now his prosperitie hath forgotten Carnall hearts when need driues them can thinke of God and his Prophet when their turne is serued can as vtterly neglect them as if they were not Yet cannot good Elisha repay neglect and forgetfulnesse Hee listens what is done at the Court and finding the distresse of his Soueraigne profers that seruice which should haue beene required Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes Let him come now to me and he shall know that there is a Prophet in Israel It was no small fright from which Elisha deliuers his King Iehoram was in awe of the Syrians euer since their late victorie wherein his Father Ahab was slain Israel and Iudah discomfited nothing was more dreadfull to him than the frownes of these Aramites the quarrell which he suspected to bee hatched by them is cleared by Elisha their Leper shall be healed both they and Israel shall know they haue neglected a God whose Prophet can doe wonders Many eies doubtlesse are fastned vpon the issue of this message But what state is this that Elisha takes vpon him hee doth not say I will come to him but Let him come now to mee The three kings came down once to his tent it is no maruell if he preuēt not the iourney of a Syrian Courtier It well beseemes him that will bee a suiter for fauour to bee obsequious Wee may not stand vpon termes of our labour or dignitie where we expect a benefit Naaman comes richly attended with his troupes of seruants and horses and waites in his Charet at the doore of a Prophet I doe not heare Elisha call him in for though hee were great yet hee was leprous neither doe I see Elisha come forth to him and receiue him with such outward courtesies as might be fit for an honourable stranger for in those rich clothes the Prophet saw an Aramite and perhaps some tincture of the late-shed bloud of Israel Rather that hee might make a perfect triall of the humilitie of that man whom he meanes to gratifie and honour after some short attendance at his doore he sends his seruant with a message to that Peere who could not but thinke the meanest of his retinue a better man than Gehezies master What could the Prophet haue done other to the lacquay of Naamans man He that would be a meet subiect of mercy must bee thoroughly abased in his owne conceit and must bee willingly pliable to all the conditions of his humiliation Yet had the message carried in it either respect to the person or probabilitie of effect it coudl not haue beene vnwelcome but now it sounded of nothing but sullennesse and vnlikelihood Goe and wash in Iordan seuen times and thy flesh shall come again to thee and thou shalt be cleane What wise man could take this for any other than a meere scorne and mockery Goe wash Alas What can water doe It can cleanse from filthinesse not from leprosie And why in Iordan What differs that from other streames and why iust seuen times What vertue is either in that channell or in that number Naaman can no more put off nature than leprosie In what a chafe did he fling away from the Prophets doore and sayes Am I comne thus farre to fetch a flout from an Israelite Is this the issue both of my iourney and the Letters of my King Could this Prophet finde no man to play vpon but Naaman Had he meant seriously why did he thinke himselfe too good to come forth vnto me Why did he not touch mee with his hand and blesse mee with his prayers and cure me with his blessing Is my misery fit for his derision If water could doe it what needed I to come so farre for this remedie Haue I not oft done thus in vaine Haue we not better streames at home than any Israel can afford Are not Abana and Pharphar riuers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel Folly and pride striue for place in a naturall heart and it is hard to say whether is more predominant Folly in measuring the power of Gods ordinances by the rule of humane discourse and ordinary euent pride in a scornfull valuation of the institutions of God in comparison of our owne deuices Abana and Pharphar two for one Riuers not Waters of Damascus a stately Citie and incomparable Are they not Who dares deny it Better not as good than the waters not the riuers all the waters Iordan and all the rest of Israel a beggerly Region to Damascus No where shall we finde a truer patterne of the disposition of nature how she is altogether led by sense and reason how she fondly iudges of all obiects by the appearance how she acquaints her selfe onely with the common rode of Gods proceedings how she sticks to her owne principles how she mis-construes the intentions of God how shee ouer-conceits her owne how she disdaines the meane conditions of others how she vpbraids her opposites with the proud comparison of her owne priuiledges Nature is neuer but like her selfe No maruell if carnall mindes despise the foolishnesse of preaching the simplicitie of Sacraments the homelinesse of ceremonies the seeming inefficacie of censures These men look vpon Iordan with Syrian eies One drop of whose water set apart by diuine ordination hath more vertue than all the streames of Abana and Pharphar It is a good matter for a man to be attended with wise and faithfull followers Many a one hath had better counsell from his heels than from his elbowes Naamans seruants were his best friends they came to him and spake to him and said My Father If the Prophet had bid thee doe some great thing wouldst thou not haue done it How much rather then when hee saith to thee Wash and be cleane These men were seruants not of the humour but of the
taken her part of so prodigious a banquet with-drawes her childe and hides him from the knife Hunger and enuy make the Plaintiffe importunate and now she craues the benefit of royall iustice She that made the first motion with-holds her part of the bargaine and flies from that promise whose trust had made this mother childlesse Oh the direfull effects of famine that turnes off all respects of nature and giues no place to horror causing the tender mother to lay her hands yea her teeth vpon the fruit of her owne body and to receiue that into her stomacke which she hath brought forth of her wombe What should Iehoram doe The match was monstrous The challenge was iust yet vnnaturall This complainant had purchased one halfe of the liuing childe by the one halfe of hers dead The mother of the furuiuing Infant is pressed by couenant by hunger restrained by nature To force a mother to deliuer vp her childe to voluntarie slaughter had beene cruell To force a Debtor to pay a confessed arerage seemed but equall If the remaining childe be not dressed for food this mother of the deuoured childe is both robbed and affamished If he bee innocent bloud is shed by authoritie It is no maruell if the question astonished the Iudge not so much for the difficultie of the demand as the horror of the occasion To what lamentable distresse did Iehoram finde his people driuen Not without cause did the King of Israel rend his garments and shew his sack-cloth well might he see his people branded with that ancient curse which God had denounced against the rebellious The Lord shall bring a Nation against thee of a fierce countenance which shall not regard the person of the old nor shew fauour to the young And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine owne body the flesh of thy sonnes and of thy daughters The tender and delicate woman her eies shall be euill towards her young one that commeth out from betweene her feet and towards the children which she shall beare for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitnesse Hee mournes for the plague hee mournes not for the cause of this plague his sin and theirs I finde his sorrow I finde not his repentance The worst man may grieue for his smart onely the good heart grieues for his offence In stead of being penitent Iehoram is furious and turnes his rage from his sins against the Prophet God doe so to me and more also if the head of Elisha the sonne of Shaphat shall stand on him this day Alas what hath the righteous done Perhaps Elisha that wee may imagine some colours of this displeasure fore-threatned this iudgement but they deserued it perhaps he might haue auerted it by his prayers their vnrepentance disabled him Perhaps hee perswaded Iehoram to hold out the siege though through much hardnesse he foresaw the deliuerance In all this how hath Elisha forfeited his head All Israel did not afford an head so guiltlesse as this that was destin'd to slaughter This is the fashion of the world the lewd blames the innocent and will reuenge their owne sinnes vpon others vprightnesse In the midst of all this sad estate of Samaria and these stormes of Iehoram the Prophet sits quietly in his owne house amongst his holy Consorts bewailing no doubt both the sinnes and misery of their people and prophetically conferring of the issue when suddenly God reueales to him the bloudy intent and message of Iehoram and he at once reueales it to his fellowes See yee how this sonne of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head Oh the vnimitable libertie of a Prophet The same God that shew'd him his danger suggested his words He may bee bold where we must bee awfull Still is Naboths bloud laid in Iehorams dish The foule fact of Ahab blemisheth his posteritie and now when the sonne threats violence to the innocent murder is obiected to him as hereditary He that foresaw his owne perill prouides for his safetie Shut the doore and hold him fast at the doore No man is bound to tender his throat to an vniust stroke This bloudie commission was preuented by a propheticall fore-sight The same eye that saw the executioner comming to smite him saw also the King hasting after him to stay the blow The Prophet had beene no other than guiltie of his owne bloud if he had not reserued himselfe a while for the rescue of authoritie Oh the inconstancie of carnall hearts It was not long since Iehoram could say to Elisha My father shall I smite them now he is readie to smite him as an enemie whom hee honoured as a father Yet againe his lips had no sooner giuen sentence of death against the Prophet than his feet stirre to recall it It should seeme that Elisha vpon the challenges and expostulations of Iehorams messenger had sent a perswasiue message to the King of Israel yet a while to wait patiently vpon God for his deliuerance The discontented Prince flies off in an impotent anger Behold this euill is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer Oh the desperate resolutions of impatient mindes They haue stinted God both for his time and his measure if he exceed either they either turne their backs vpon him or flie in his face The position was true the inference deadly All that euill was of the Lord they deserued it he sent it What then It should haue beene therefore argued Hee that sent it can remoue it I will wait vpon his mercie vnder whose iustice I suffer Impatience and distrust shal but aggrauate my iudgement It is the Lord let him doe what he will But now to despaire because God is iust to defie mercy because it lingers to reiect God for correction it is a presumptuous madnesse an impious pettishnesse Yet in spight of all these prouocations both of King and people Elisha hath good newes for Iehoram Thus saith the Lord To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flowre bee sold for a Shekell and two measures of Barley for a Shekell in the gate of Samaria Miserable Israel now sees an end of this hard triall One daies patience shall free them both of siege and famine Gods deliuerances may ouer-stay our expectation not the due period of his owne counsels Oh infinite mercy when man saies No longer God sayes To morrow As if hee would condescend where hee might iudge and would please them who deserued nothing but punishment The word seemed not more comfortable than incredible A Lord on whose hand the King leaned answered the man of God and said Behold if the Lord would make windowes in heauen might this thing be Prophesies before they be fulfilled are riddles no spirit can areed them but that by which they are deliuered It is a foolish and iniurious infidelity to question a possibilitie where wee know the message is Gods How
stirring than those of common mould we cannot censure the choyce when we see the seruice The first word that wee heare from Elijah is an oath and a threat to Ahab to Israel As the Lord God of Israel liueth before whom I stand there shall not be dew nor raine these yeares but according to my word He comes in like a Tempest who went out in a whirlwind Doubtlesse he had spoken faire peaceable inuitations to Israel though we heare them not This was but the storme which followed his repulse their obstinacy After many solicitations and warnings Israel is stricken by the same tongue that had praied for it Elijah dares auouch these iudgements to their head to Ahab I doe not so much wonder at the boldnesse of Elijah as at his power Yea who so sees his power can no whit wonder at his boldnesse How could he be but bold to the face of a man who was thus powerfull with God As if God had lent him the keies of heauen to shut it vp and open it at pleasure he can say There shall be neither dew nor raine these yeares but according to my word Oh God how farre it hath pleased thee to communicate thy selfe to a weake man What Angell could euer say thus Thy hand ô Lord is not shortned Why art thou not thus maruellous in the ministers of thy Gospell Is it for that their miracles were ours Is it for that thou wouldst haue vs liue by faith not by sense Is it for that our taske is more spirituall and therefore more abstracted from bodily helps we cannot command the sunne with Ioshua nor the thunder with Samuel nor the raine with Elijah It shall content vs if we can fixe the Sunne of righteousnesse in the soule if wee can thunder out the iudgements of God against sinne if we can water the earthen hearts of men with the former and latter raine of heauenly doctrine Elijahs mantle cannot make him forget his flesh whiles hee knowes himselfe a Prophet hee remembers to be a man he doth not therefore arrogate this power as his owne but publisheth it as his masters This restraint must be according to his word and that word was from an higher mouth than his He spake from him by whom he sware whose word was as sure as his life and therefore he durst say As the Lord liueth there shall be no raine Man onely can denounce what God will execute which when it is once reuealed can no more faile than the Almightie himselfe He that had this interest and power in heauen what needed he flee from an earthly pursuit Could his prayers restraine the clouds and not hold the hands of flesh and blood Yet behold Elijah must flee from Ahab hide him by the brooke Cherith The wisdome of God doth not thinke fit so to make a beaten path of miracles as that he will not walke beside it He will haue our owne indeuours concurre to our preseruation Elijah wanted neither courage of heart nor strength of hand and yet he must trust to his feet for safetie How much more lawfull is it for our impotency to flee from persecution Euen that God sends him to hide his head who could as easily haue protected as nourished him He that wilfully stands still to latch dangers tempteth God in stead of trusting him The Prophet must be gone not without order taken for his purueyance Oh the strange Cators for Elijah I haue commanded the Rauens to feed thee there I know not whether had beene more miraculous to preserue him without meat or to prouide meat by such mouthes The Rauen a deuouring and rauenous fowle that vses to snatch away meat from others brings it to him Hee that could haue fed Elijah by Angels will feed him by Rauens There was then in Israel an hospitall Obadiah that kept a secret table in two seuerall caues for an hundred Prophets of God There were seuen thousand faithfull Israelites in spight of the Diuell who had neuer bowed knee to Baal Doubtlesse any of these would haue had a trencher ready for Elijah and haue thought himselfe happy to haue defrauded his own maw for so noble a Prophet God rather chooses to make vse of the most vnlikely fowles of the ayre than their bountie that hee might giue both to his Prophet and vs a pregnant proofe of his absolute command ouer all his creatures and win our trust in all extremities Who can make question of the prouisions of God when he sees the very Rauens shal forget their owne hunger and puruey for Elijah Oh God thou that prouidest meat for the fowles of the ayre wilt make the fowles of the ayre prouide meat for man rather than his dependance on thee shall be disappointed Oh let not our faith be wanting to thee thy care can neuer bee wanting to vs. Elijah might haue liued for the time with bread and water neither had his fare beene worse than his fellowes in the caues of Obadijah but the munificence of God will haue his meales better furnished the Rauens shall bring him both bread and flesh twice in the day It is not for a persecuted Prophet to long after delicates God giues order for competency not for wantonnesse Not out of the daintie compositions in Iezebels kitchin nor out of the pleasant Wines in her celler would God prouide for Elijah but the Rauens shall bring him plaine and homely victuals and the riuer shall affoord him drinke If we haue wherewith to sustaine nature though not to pamper it we owe thankes to the giuer Those of Gods family may not be curious not disdainfull Ill doth it become a seruant of the highest to be a slaue to his palate Doubtlesse one bit from the mouth of the Rauen was more pleasing to Elijah than a whole Table-full of Ahab Nothing is more comfortable to Gods children then to see the sensible demonstrations of the diuine care and prouidence The brooke Cherith cannot last alwaies that streame shall not for Elijahs sake be exempted from the vniuersall exsiccation Yea the Prophet himselfe feeles the smart of this drought which he had denounced It is no vnvsuall thing with God to suffer his owne deare children to be inwrapped in the common calamities of offenders Hee makes difference in the vse and issue of their stripes not in the infliction The corne is cut downe with the weeds but to a better purpose When the brooke failes God hath a Zarephath for Elijah In stead of the Rauens a Widdow shall there feed him yea her selfe by him Who can enough wonder at the pitch of this selectiue prouidence of the Almightie Zarephath was a towne of Sidon and and therefore without the pale of the Church Pouertie was the best of this Widow she was a Pagan by birth heathnishly superstitious by institution Many Widowes were in Israel in the daies of Elijah when the heauen was shut vp three yeares and six moneths when great famine was throughout all the land but vnto
Lord first passeth by him with the terrible demonstrations of his power A great and strong wind rent the mountaines and brake the rockes in peeces That tearing blast was from God God was not in it So was hee in it as in his other extraordinary workes not so in it as by it to impart himselfe to Elijah it was the vshier not the carriage of God After the wind came an Earthquake more fearfull than it That did but moue the ayre this the earth that beat vpō some prominences of earth this shook it frō the Center After the earth-quake came a fire more fearfull than either The other affected the eare the feeling but this lets in horror into the Soule by the eye the quickest and most apprehensiue of the senses Elijah shall see Gods mighty power in the earth ayre fire before hee heare him in the soft voice All these are but boystrous harbingers of a meeke and still word In that God was Behold in that gentle and milde breath there was omnipotency there was but powerfulnesse in those fierce representations There is not alwayes the greatest efficacy where is the greatest noise God loues to make way for himselfe by terror but hee conuaies himselfe to vs in sweetnesse It is happy for vs if after the gusts and flashes of the Law wee haue heard the soft voice of Euangelicall mercy In this very mount with the same horror had God deliuered his Law to Moses and Israel It is no maruell if Elijah wrap his face in his mantle His obedience drawes him forth to the mouth of the caue his feare still hides his head Had there not beene much courage in the Prophets faith hee had not stood out these affrightfull fore-runners of the diuine presence though with his face couered The very Angels do no lesse before that all-glorious Maiestie than vaile themselues with their wings Farre bee it from vs once to thinke of that infinite and omnipotent Deitie without an humble awfulnesse Feare changes not the tenor of Elijahs answer Hee hath not left one word behind him in the caue I haue beene very iealous for the Lord God of hosts because the children of Israel haue forsaken thy Couenant throwne downe thine Altars and slaine thy Prophets with the sword and I euen I onely am left and they seeke my life to take it away I heare not a direct answer from the Prophet to the demand of God then he had said I run away from the threats of Iezebel and here I hide my head from her malicious pursuit His guiltinesse would not let him speake out all He had rather say I haue beene iealous for the Lord God of Hosts than I was fearefull of Iezebel We are all willing to make the best of our owne case but what he wants of his owne accusation hee spends vpon the complaint of Israel Neither doth hee more bemone himselfe than exclaime against them as Apostates from Gods Couenant Violaters of his Altars murtherers of his Prophets It must needs bee a desperate condition of Israel that driues Elijah to indite them before the throne of God That tongue of his was vsed to plead for them to sue for their pardon it could not be but a forceable wickednes that makes it their accuser Those Idolatrous Israelites were well forward to reformation The fire and raine from heauen at the praiers of Elijah had wonne them to a scorne of Baal onely the violence of Iezebel turned the stream and now they are re-setled in impietie and persecute him for an enemy whom they almost adored for a benefactor otherwise Elijah had not complained of what they had beene Who would thinke it Iezebel can doe more than Elijah No miracle is so preualent with the vulgar as the sway of authority whether to good or euill Thou art deceiued O Elijah Thou art not left alone neither is all Israel tainted God hath children and Prophets in Israel though thou see them not Those cleere eyes of the Seer discerne not the secret store of God they look't not into Obadiahs caues they look't not into the closets of the religious Israelites hee that sees the heart can say I haue left me seuen thousand in Israel all the knees which haue not bowed to Baal and euery mouth which hath not kissed him According to the fashion of the wealthy God pleaseth himselfe in hidden treasures it is enough that his owne eies behold his riches Neuer did he neuer wil he leaue himselfe vnfurnished with holy clients in the midst of the foulest deprauations of his Church The sight of his faithful ones hath sometimes been lost neuer the being Doe your worst O yee Gates of Hell God will haue his owne He that could haue more will haue some that foundation is sure God knoweth who are his It was a true cordiall for Elijahs solitarinesse that hee had seuen thousand inuisible abettors neither is it a small comfort to our weaknesse to haue companions in good for the wickednesse of Israel God hath another receit the oyle of royall and propheticall vnction Elijah must anoint Hazael king of Syria Iehu King of Israel Elisha for his successor All these shall reuenge the quarrels of God and him one shall begin the other shall prosecute the third shall perfect the vengeance vpon Israel A Prophet shall auenge the wrongs done to a Prophet Elisha is found not in his study but in the field not with a booke in his hand but a plough His father Shaphat was a rich farmer in Abel-Meholah himselfe was a good husband traind vp not in the schooles of the Prophets but in the thrifty trade of tillage and behold this was the man whom God will picke out of all Israel for a Prophet God seeth not as man seeth Neither doth hee choose men because they are fit but therefore fits them because hee hath chosen them his call is aboue all earthly institution I heare not of ought that Elijah said Onely hee casts his cloake vpon Elisha in the passage That mantle that act was vocall Together with this signe Gods instinct teacheth the amazed sonne of Shaphat that he was designed to an higher worke to breake vp the fallow grounds of Israel by his propheticall function He findes a strange vertue in that robe and as if his heart were changed with that habit forgets his teme and runs after Elijah and sues for the leaue of a farewell to his Parents ere he had any but a dumbe command to follow The secret call of God offers an inward force to the heart and insensibly drawes vs beyond the power of our resistance Grace is no enemie to good nature well may the respects to our earthly parents stand with our duties to our Father in heauen I doe not see Elisha wring his hands and deplore his condition that he shall leaue the world and follow a Prophet but for the ioy of that change hee makes a feast those oxen those vtensils of husbandry whereon his former labours had
themselues all thine Aramites shall not carry away one corne of sand out of Israel except it be vpon the soles of their feet in their shamefull flight It is well if they can carry backe those skins that they brought thither Let not him that girdeth on his harnesse boast himselfe as hee that putteth it off There is no cause to feare that man that trusts in himselfe Man may cast the dice of warre but the disposition of them is of the Lord. Ahab was lewd but Benhadad was insolent If therefore Ahab shall be scourged with the rod of Benhadads feare Benhadad shall be smitten with the sword of Ahabs reuenge Of all things God will not endure a presumptuous and selfe-confident vaunter after Elijahs flight and complaint yet a Prophet is addressed to Ahab Thus saith the Lord Host thou seene all this great multitude behold I will deliuer it into thine hand this day and thou shalt know that I am the Lord Who can wonder enough at this vnweariable mercy of God After the fire and raine fetcht miraculously from Heauen Ahab had promised much performed nothing yet againe will God blesse and solicit him with victory One of those Prophets whom he persecuted to death shall comfort his deiection with the newes of deliuerance and triumph Had this great work beene wrought without premonition either chance or Baal or the golden calues had carried away the thankes Before hand therefore shall Ahab know both the Author and the meanes of his victory God for the Author the two hundred thirty two young men of the Princes for the means What are these for the Vant-gard and seuen thousand Israelites for the maine battell against the troups of three and thirty Kings and as many centuries of Syrians as Israel had single souldiers An equality of number had taken away the wonder of the euent buâ— now the God of hosts will be confessed in this issue not the valour of men How indifferent it is with thee O Lord to saue by many or by few to destroy many or few A world is no more to thee than a man How easie is it for thee to enable vs to be more than Conquerours ouer Principalities and Powers to subdue spirituall wickednesses to flesh and bloud Through thee we can doe great things yea wee can doe all things through thee that strengthnest vs Let not vs want faith we are sure there can bee no want in thy power or mercy There was nothing in Benhadads pauilions but drinke and surfet and iollity as if wine should make way for bloud Security is the certaine vsher of destruction We neuer haue so much cause to feare as when wee feare nothing This handfull of Israel dares looke out vpon the Prophets assurance to the vast host of Benhadad It is enough for that proud Pagan to sit still and command amongst his cups To defile their fingers with the bloud of so few seemed no mastery that act would be inglorious on the part of the Victors More easily might they bring in three heads of dead enemies than one aliue Imperiously enough therefore doth this boaster out of his chaire of state and ease command Whether they be come out for peace take them aliue or whether they be come out for warre take them aliue There needs no more but Take them this field is wonne with a word Oh the vaine and ignorant presumptions of wretched men that will bee reckoning without against their Maker Euery Israelite kils his man the Syrians flee and cannot runne away from death Benhadad and his Kings are more beholden to their horses than to their gods or themselues for life and safety else they had beene either taken or slaine by those whom they commanded to be taken How easie is it for him that made the heart to fill it with terrour and consternation euen where no feare is Those whom God hath destin'd to slaughter he will smite neither needs hee any other enemy or executioner than what he findes in their owne bosome We are not the masters of our owne courage or feares both are put into vs by that ouer-ruling power that created vs Stay now O stay thou great King of Syria and take with thee those forgotten handfuls of the dust of Israel Thy gods will doe so to thee and more also if thy followers returne without their vowed burden Learne now of the despised King of Israel from henceforth not to sound the triumph before the battell not to boast thy selfe in the girding on of thine harnesse as in the putting off I heare not of either the publike thanksgiuing or amendment of Ahab Neither danger nor victory can change him from himselfe Benhadad and he though enemies agree in vnrepentance the one is no more moued with mercy than the other with iudgement Neither is God any changeling in his proceedings towards both his iudgement shall still follow the Syrian his mercy Israel Mercy both in fore-warning and re-deliuering Ahab Iudgement in ouerthrowing Benhadad The Prophet of God comes againe and both foretels the intended re-encounter of the Syrian and aduises the care and preparation of Israel Goe strengthen thy selfe and marke and see what thou doest for at the returne of the yeere the King of Syria will come vp against thee God purposeth the deliuerance of Israel yet may not they neglect their fortifications The mercifull intentions of God towards them may not make them careles The industry and courage of the Israelites fall within the decree of their victory Security is the bane of good successe It is no contemning of a foiled enemy the shame of a former disgrace and miscarriage whets his valour and sharpens it to reuenge No power is so dreadfull as that which is recollected from an ouerthrow The hostility against the Israel of God may sleepe but wil hardly die If the Aramites sit still it is but till they be fully ready for an assault Time will shew that their cessation was onely for their aduantage neither is it otherwise with our spirituall aduersaries sometimes their onsets are intermitted they tempt not alwaies they alwaies hate vs their forbearance is not out of fauour but attendance of opportunity happy are we if out of a suspicion of their silence wee can as busily prepare for their resistance as they doe for our impugnation As it is a shame to be beaten so yet the shame is lesse by how much the victor is greater to mitigate the griefe and indignation of Benhadads foile his parasites ascribe it to gods not to men an humane power could no more haue vanquish't him than a diuine power could by him be resisted Their gods are gods of the hills Ignorant Syrians that name gods and confine them varying their deities according to situations They saw that Samaria whence they were repelled stood vpon the hill of Shemer They saw the temple of Ierusalem stood vpon mount Sion they knew it vsuall with the Israelites to sacrifice in their high places perhaps they
aggrauates an euill And if the Israelite bee thus reuenged that smote not a Prophet what shall become of Ahab that smote not Benhadad Euery man is not thus indulgent an easie request wil gaine blowes to a Prophet from the next hand yea and a wound in smiting I know not whether it were an harder taske for the Prophet to require a wound than for a well-meaning Israelite to giue it Both must be done The Prophet hath what he would what he must will a sight of his owne bloud and now disguised herewith and with ashes vpon his face he way-layes the King of Israel and sadly complaines of himselfe in a reall parable for dismissing a Syrian prisoner deliuered to his hands vpon no lesse charge than his life and soone receiues sentence of death from his owne mouth Well was that wound bestowed that struck Ahabs soule through the flesh of the Prophet The disguise is remoued The King sees not a Souldier but a Seer and now finds that he hath vnawares passed sentence vpon himselfe There needs no other doome than from the lips of the offender Thus saith the Lord Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to vtter destruction therefore thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people Had not Ahab knowne the will of God concerning Benhadad that had been mercy to an enemy which was now crueltie to himselfe to Israel His cares had heard of the blasphemies of that wicked tongue His eies had seene God goe before him in the example of that reuenge No Prince can strike so deepe into his state as in not striking In priuate fauour there may be publike vnmercifulnesse AHAB and NABOTH NAboth had a faire vineyard It had beene better for him to haue had none His vineyard yeelded him the bitter Grapes of death Many a one hath bin sold to death by his lands and goods wealth hath beene a snare as to the soule so to the life Why doe we call those goods which are many times the bane of the owner Naboths vineyard lay neere to the Court of Iezebel it had beene better for him it had beene planted in the wildernesse Doubtlesse this vicinitie made it more commodious to the possessor but more enuious and vnsafe It was now the perpetuall obiect of an euill eye and stirred those desires which could neither be well denyed nor satisfied Eminency is still ioyned with perill obscuritie with peace There can be no worse annoyance to any inheritance than the greatnesse of an euill neighbourhood Naboths vines stood too neere the smoake of Iezebels chimneys too much within the prospect of Ahabs window Now lately had the King of Israel beene twice victorious ouer the Syrians no sooner is he returned home than he is ouercome with euill desires The foyle he gaue was not worse than that he tooke There is more true glorie in the conquest of our lusts than in all bloudy Trophees In vaine shall Ahab boast of subduing a forraine enemy whiles he is subdued by a domesticke enemy within his owne breast Opportunitie and Conuenience is guiltie of many a theft Had not this ground lien so faire Ahab had not beene tempted His eye lets in this euill guest into the soule which now dares come forth at the mouth Giue me thy vineyard that I may haue it for a garden of herbes because it is neere to my house and I will giue thee a better vineyard for it or if it seeme good to thee I will giue thee the worth of it in money Yet had Ahab so much ciuilitie and iustice that he would not wring Naboths patrimony out of his hand by force but requires it vpon a faire composition whether of price or of exchange His gouernment was vicious not tyrannicall Proprietie of goods was inuiolably maintained by him No lesse was Naboth allowed to claime a right in his vineyard than Ahab in his palace This wee owe to lawfull Soueraigntie to call ought our owne and well worthy is this priuiledge to be repaid with all humble and loyall respects The motion of Ahab had it beene to any other than an Israelite had beene as iust equall reasonable as the repulse had beene rude churlish inhumane It is fit that Princes should receiue due satisfaction in the iust demands not onely of their necessities but conuenience and pleasure well may they challenge this retribution to the benefit of our common peace and protection If there bee any sweetnesse in our vineyards any strength in our fields we may thanke their scepters Iustly may they expect from vs the commoditie the delight of their habitation and if we gladly yeeld not to their full elbow-roome both of site and prouision we can be no other than ingratefull Yet dares not Naboth giue any other answer to so plausible a motion than The Lord forbid it me that I should giue thee the inheritance of my Fathers The honest Israelite saw violence in this ingenuitie There are no stronger commands than the requests of the great It is well that Ahab will not wrest away this patrimony it is not well that he desired it The land was not so much stood vpon as the law One earth might be as good as another and mony equiualent to either The Lord had forbidden to alien their inheritance Naboth did not feare losse but sinne What Naboth might not lawfully doe Ahab might not lawfully require It pleased God to be very punctuall cautelous both in the distinction and preseruation of the intirenesse of these Iewish inheritances Nothing but extreme necessitie might warrant a fale of land and that but for a time if not sooner yet at the Iubile it must reuert to the first owner It was not without a comfortable signification that whosoeuer had once his part in the land of Promise could neuer lose it Certainly Ahab could not but know this diuine restriction yet doubts not to say Giue me thy vineyard The vnconscionable will know no other law but their profit their pleasure A lawlesse greatnesse hates all limitations and abides not to heare men should need any other warrant but will Naboth dares not be thus tractable How gladly would hee be quit of his inheritance if God would acquit him from the sinne Not out of wilfulnesse but obedience doth this faithfull Israelite hold off from this demand of his Soueraigne not daring to please an earthly King with offending the heauenly When Princes command lawfull things God commands by them when vnlawfull they command against God passiue obedience wee must giue actiue wee may not wee follow then as subordinate not as opposite to the highest Who cannot but see and pittie the straits of honest Naboth Ahab requires what God forbids hee must fal out either with his God or his King Conscience carries him against policy and he resolues not to sinne that he might be gracious For a world hee may not giue his vineyard Those who are themselues godlesse thinke the
of Israel doth not so trust his Prophets that hee dares trust himselfe in his owne clothes Thus shall he elude Michaiahs threat Iwis the iudgement of God the Syrian shafts cannot finde him out in this vnsuspected disguise How fondly doe vaine men imagine to shift off the iust reuenges of the Almightie The King of Syria giues charge to his Captaines to fight against none but the King of Israel Thus doth the vnthankfull Infidell repay the mercy of his late victor Ill was that Snake saued that requites the fauour of his life with a sting Thus still the greatest are the fairest marke to enuious eyes By how much more eminent any man is in the Israel of God so many more and more dangerous enemies must he expect Both earth and hell conspire in their opposition to the worthiest Those who are aduanced aboue others haue so much more need of the guard both of their owne vigilancy and others prayers Iehoshaphat had like to haue paid deare for his loue Hee is pursued for him in whose amity he offended His cries deliuer him his cries not to his pursuers but to his God whose mercy takes not aduantage of our infirmitie but rescues vs from those euils which we wilfully prouoke It is Ahab against whom not the Syrians onely but God himselfe intends this quarrell The enemy is taken off from Iehoshaphat Oh the iust and mightie hand of that diuine prouidence which directeth all our actions to his owne ends which takes order where euery shaft shall light and guides the arrow of the strong Archer into the ioynts of Ahabs harnesse It was shot at a venture fals by a destiny and there fals where it may carrie death to an hidden debtor In all actions both voluntary and casuall thy will O God shall bee done by vs with what euer intentions Little did the Syrian know whom he had striken no more than the arrow wherewith he stroke An inuisible hand disposed of both to the punishment of Ahab to the vindication of Michaiab How worthily O God art thou to bee adored in thy iustice and wisdome to bee feared in thy iudgements Too late doth Ahab now thinke of the faire warnings of Michaiah which hee vnwisely contemned of the painfull flatteries of Zedekiah which he stubbornly beleeued That guiltie bloud of his runnes downe out of his wound into the midst of his charet and paies Naboth his arerages O Ahab what art thou the better for thine Iuory house whiles thou hast a blacke soule What comfort hast thou now in those flattering Prophets which tickled thine eares and secured thee of victories What ioy is it to thee now that thou wast great Who had not rather be Michaiah in the Iayle than Ahab in the Charet Wicked men haue the aduantage of the way godly men of the end The Charet is washed in the poole of Samaria the dogges come to claime their due they licke vp the bloud of the great King of Israel The tongues of those brute creatures shall make good the tongue of Gods Prophet Michaiah is iustified Naboth is reuenged the Baalites confounded Ahab iudged Righteous art thou O God in all thy waies and holy in all thy workes AHAZIAH sicke and ELIJAH reuenged AHaziah succeeds his father Ahab both in his throne and in his sin Who could looke for better issue of those loines of those examples God followes him with a double iudgement of the reuolt of Moab and of his owne sicknes All the reigne of Ahab had Moab beene a quiet Tributarie and furnished Israel with rich flockes and fleeces now their subiection dies with that warlike King and will not be inherited This rebellion tooke aduantage as from the weaker spirits so from the sickly body of Ahaziah whose disease was not naturall but casuall Walking in his Palace of Samaria some grate in the floore of his Chamber breakes vnder him and giues way to that fall whereby he is bruised and languisheth The same hand that guided Ahabs shaft crackes Ahaziahs lattesse How infinite varietie of plagues hath the iust God for obstinate sinners whether in the field or in the chamber hee knowes to finde them out How fearelesly did Ahaziah walke on his wonted pauement The Lord hath laid a trap for him whereinto whiles he thinkes least he fals irrecouerably No place is safe for the man that is at variance with God The body of Ahaziah was not more sicke than his soule was gracelesse None but chance was his enemy none but the God of Ekron must be his friend He looks not vp to the Omnipotent hand of diuine iustice for the disease or of mercy for the remedy An Idoli is his refuge whether for cure or intelligence We heare not till now of Baal-zebub this new God of flies is perhaps of his making who now is a suter to his owne erection All these heathen deities were but a Deuill with change of appellations the influence of that euill spirit deluded those miserable clients else there was no flie so impotent as that out-side of the God of Ekron Who would think that any Israelite could so far dote vpon a stocke or a Fiend Time gathered much credit to this Idoll in so much as the Iewes afterwards stiled Beel-zebub the Prince of all the regions of darknesse Ahaziah is the first that brings his Oracle in request and paies him the tribute of his deuotion Hee sends messengers and saies Goe enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recouer of this disease The message was either idle or wicked idle if he sent it to a stocke if to a deuill both idle and wicked What can the most intelligent spirits know of future things but what they see either in their causes or in the light of participation What a madnesse was it in Abaziah to seeke to the posterne whiles the fore-gate stood open Could those euill spirits truly foretell euents no way pre-existent yet they might not without sinne be consulted the euill of their nature debarres all the benefit of their information If not as Intelligencers much lesse may they be sought to as gods who cannot blush to heare and see that euen the very Euangelicall Israel should yeeld Pilgrimes to the shrines of darknesse How many after this cleere light of the Gospel in their losses in their sicknesses send to these infernall Oracles and damne themselues wilfully in a vaine curiositie The message of the Iealous God intercepts them with a iust disdaine as heere by Elijah Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that ye goe to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron What can be a greater disparagement to the true God than to be neglected than to stand aside and see vs make loue to an hellish riuall were there no God in Israel in heauen what could we doe other what worse This affront of what euer Ahaziah cannot escape without a reuenge Therefore thus saith the Lord Thou shalt not come downe from that bed on which
my father the charet of Israel and the horse-men thereof Shaphat of Abel-meholah hath yeelded this title to Elijah the naturall father of Elisha to the spirituall neither of them may bee neglected but after the yoke of oxen killed at the farewell wee heare of no more greetings no more bewailings of his bodily parent and now that Elijah is taken from him hee cries out like a distressed Orphane My father my father and whē he hath lost the sight of him he rends his clothes in peeces according to the fashion of the most passionate mourners That Elisha sees his master halfe-way in heauen cannot take away the sorrow of his losse The departure of a faithfull Prophet of God is worthy of our lamentation Neither is it priuate affection that must sway our griefe but respects to the publike Elisha saies not onely My father but the charet and horse-men of Israel That wee haue forgone a father should not so much trouble vs as that Israel hath lost his guard Certainly the view of this heauenly charet and horses that came for Elijah puts Elisha in minde of that charet and horsemen which Elijah was to Israel These were Gods charet Elijah was theirs Gods charet and theirs are vpon the same wheeles mounted into heauen No forces are so strong as the spirituall the prayers of an Elijah are more powerfull than all the Armies of flesh The first thing that this Seer discernes after the separation of his master is the nakednesse of Israel in his losse If we muster Souldiers and leese zealous Prophets it is but a wofull exchange Elijahs Mantle fals from him in the rising there was no vse of that whither he was going there was whence he was taken Elisha iustly takes vp this deare monument of his glorified master A good supply for his rent garments This was it which in presage of his future right Elijah inuested him withall vpon the first sight when he was ploughing with the twelue yoke of oxen now it fals from heauen to his possession I doe not fee him adore so precious a relique I see him take it vp and cast it about him Pensiue and masterlesse doth hee now come backe to the bankes of Iordan whose streame he must passe in his returne to the Schooles of the Prophets Ere while he saw what way that riuer gaue to the mantle of Elijah he knew that power was not in the cloth but in the Spirit of him that wore it to trie therefore whether he were no lesse the heire of that spirit than of that garment he tooke the mantle of Elijah and smote the waters and said Where is the Lord God of Elijah Elisha doth not expostulate and challenge but pray As if he said Lord God it was thy promise to me by my departed master that if I should see him in his last passage a double portion of his Spirit should be vpon me I followed him with my eies in that fire and whirlewind now therefore O God make good thy gracious word to thy seruant shew some token vpon mee for good make this the first proofe of the miraculous power wherewith thou shalt indue me Let Iordan giue the same way to me that it gaue to my master Immediatly the streame as acknowledging the same Mantle though in another hand diuides it selfe and yeelds passage to the successor of Elijah The fifty sonnes of the Prophets hauing beene a farre off witnesses of these admirable euents doe well see that Elijah though translated in bodie hath yet left his Spirit behinde him they meet Elisha and bow themselues to the ground before him It was not the out-side of Elijah which they had wont to stoop vnto with so much veneration it was his Spirit which since they now finde in another subiect they intertaine with equall reuerence No enuy no emulation raiseth vp their stomackes against Elijahs seruant but where they see eminent graces they are willingly prostrate Those that are truly gracious doe no lesse reioyce in the riches of others gifts than humbly vnder-value their owne These men were trained vp in the schooles of the Prophets Elisha at the plough and cart yet now they stand not vpon termes of their worth and his meannesse but meekely fall downe before him whom God will honour It is not to be regarded who the man is but whom God would make him The more vnlikely the meanes is the more is the glory of the workman It is the praise of an holy ingenuitie to magnifie the graces of God where euer it finds them These yong Prophets are no lesse full of zeale than reuerence zeale to Elijah reuerence to Elisha They see Elijah carried vp into the ayre they knew this was not the first time of his supernaturall remouall Imagining it therefore possible that the Spirit of God had cast him vpon some remote mountaine or valley they profer he labour of their seruants to seeke him In some things euen professed Seers are blind Could they thinke God would send such a charet and horses for a lesse voyage thā heauē Elisha knowing his master beyond all the sphere of mortalitie forbids thē Good will makes them vnmānerly their importunity vrges him till he is ashamed not his approbation but their vehemence carries at last a condescent Else he might perhaps haue seemed enuiously vnwilling to fetch backe so admired a master loth to forgoe that mantle Some things may be yeelded for the redeeming of our own vexatiō auoidāce of others mis-constuctiō which out of true iudgment we see no cause to affect The messengers tired with three dayes search turne backe as wise as they went some men are best satisfied when they haue wearied themselues in their owne waies nothing will teach them wit but disappointments Their painefull error leads them to a right conceit of Elijahs happier transportation Those that would finde Elijah let them aspire to the heauenly Paradise Let them follow the high steps of his sincere faithfulnesse strong patience vndaunted courage feruent zeale shortly let them walke in the waies of his holy constant obedience at last God shall send the fiery charet of death to fetch them vp to that heauen of heauens where they shall triumph in euerlasting ioyes ELISHA Healing the Waters Cursing the Children Releeuing the Kings IT is good making vse of a Prophet whiles wee haue him Elisha stayed some-while at Iericho the Citizens resort to him with a common suit Their structure was not more pleasant than their waters vnwholesome and their soyle by those corrupt waters They sue to Elisha for the remedy Why had they not all this while made their mone to Elijah was it that they were more awed with his greater austerity Or was it that they met not with so fit an opportunity of his commoration amongst them It was told them what power Elisha had exercised vpon the waters of Iordan now they ply him for theirs Examples of beneficence easily moue vs to a request expectation
of fauours What ailed the waters of Iericho Surely originally they were not ill affected No men could be so foolish as to build a citie where neither earth nor water could be vsefull Meere prospect could not carrie men to the neglect of health profit Hiel the Bethelite would neuer haue reedified it with the dāger of a curse so lately as in the daies of Ahab if it had bin of old notorious for so foule an annoyance Not therefore the ancient malediction of Ioshua not the neighborhood of that noysome lake of Sodome was guilty of this disease of the soyle waters but the late sinnes of the inhabitants He turneth the riuers into a wildernesse and water-springs into a drie ground a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein How oft haue we seene the same field both full and famishing How oft the same waters both safe and by some irruption or new tincture hurtfull Howsoeuer naturall causes may concurre heauen and earth and ayre and waters follow the temper of our soules of our liues are therfore indisposed because we are so Iericho began now to make it selfe capable of a better state since it was now become a receptacle of Prophets Elisha is willing to gratifie his hosts it is reason that any place should fare the better for the presence of Diuines The medicine is more strange than the disease Bring me a new Cruse and put salt therein Why a Cruse why new why Salt in that new Cruse How should Salt make water potable Or if there were any such vertue in it what could a Cruse full doe to a whole current Or if that measure were sufficient what was the age of the Cruse to the force of the Salt Yet Elisha calls for Salt in a new Cruse God who wrought this by his Prophet is a free agent as he will not binde his power to meanes so will he by his power binde vnlikely meanes to performe his will Naturall proprieties haue no place in miraculous workes No lesse easie is it for God to worke by contrary than subordinate powers The Prophet doth not cast the Salt into the channell but into the spring of the waters If the fountaine be redressed the streames cannot be faultie as contrarily the purity and soundnes of the streame auailes nothing to the redresse of the fountaine Reformation must begin at the well-head of the abuse The order of being is a good guide to the methode of amending Vertue doth not run backward Had Elisha cast the Salt into the brooks and ditches the remedy must haue striuen against the streame to reach vp to the spring now it is but one labour to cure the fountaine Our heart is a well of bitter and venomous water our actions are the streames In vaine shall we cleanse our hands whiles our hearts are euill The Cruse and the Salt must be their owne The act must be his the power Gods He cast the Salt into the spring and said Thus saith the Lord I haue healed these waters there shall not be from thence any more death or barrennesse Farre was it from Elisha to challenge ought to himselfe Before when he should diuide the waters of Iordan he did not say Where is the power of Elisha but Where is the Lord God of Elijah and now when he should cure the waters of Iericho he saies not Thus saies Elisha but thus saith the Lord I haue healed these waters How carefull is the man of God that no part of Gods glory should sticke to his owne fingers Iericho shal know to whom they owe the blessing that they may duly returne the thankes Elisha professes he can do no more of himselfe than that Salt than that Cruse onely God shall worke by him by it and what euer that almighty hand vndertakes cannot faile yea is already done neither doth he say I wil heale but I haue healed Euen so O God if thou cast into the fountaine of our hearts but one Cruse-full of the Salt of thy Spirit we are whole no thought can passe betweene the receit and the remedie As the generall visitor of the Schooles of the Prophets Elisha passeth from Iericho to that other colledge at Bethel Bethel was a place of strange composition there was at once the golden Calfe of Ieroboam and the Schoole of God True religion and idolatrie found a free harbour within those walls I doe not maruell that Gods Prophets would plant there there was the most need of their presence where they found the spring head of corruption Physitians are of most vse where diseases abound As he was going vp by the way there came forth little children out of the cittie and mocked him and said to him Goe vp thou bald-head Goe vp thou bald-head Euen the very boyes of Bethel haue learned to scoffe at a Prophet The spight of their idolatrous parents is easily propagated Children are such as their institution Infancy is led altogether by imitation it hath neither words nor actions but infused by others If it haue good or ill language it is but borrowed and the shame or thanke is due to those that lent it What was it that these ill-taught children vpbraided to the Prophet but a sleight naturall defect not worthy the name of a blemish the want of a little haire at the best a comely excrement no part of the body Had there beene deformitie in that smoothnesse of the head which some great wits haue honored with praises a faultlesse and remedilesse eye-sore had beene no fit matter for a taunt How small occasions will be taken to disgrace a Prophet If they could haue said ought worse Elisha had not heard of this God had crowned that head with honor which the Bethelitish children loaded with scorne Who would haue thought the rude termes of waggish boyes worthy of any thing but neglect Elisha lookes at them with seuere browes and like the heire of him that cald downe fire vpon the two Captaines and their fifties curses them in the name of the Lord Two she-Beares out of the wood hasten to be his executioners and teare two and fortie of them in peeces O fearefull example of diuine Iustice This was not the reuenge of an angry Prophet it was the punishment of a righteous Iudge God and his Seer lookt through these children at the Parents at all Israel he would punish the parents mis-nurturing their children to the contemptuous vsage of a Prophet with the death of those children which they had mis-taught He would teach Israel what it was to mis-use a Prophet And if he would not endure these contumelies vnreuenged in the mouthes of children what vengeance was enough for aged persecutors Doubtlesse some of the childrē escaped to tell the newes of their fellowes what lamentation doe we think there was in the streets of Bethel how did the distressed mothers wring their hands for this wofull orbation And now when they came forth to fetch the remnants of their
owne flesh what a sad spectacle it was to finde the fields strawed with those mangled carkeises It is an vnprofitable sorrow that followes a iudgement Had these Parents beene as carefull to traine vp their children in good discipline and to correct their disorders as they are now passionate in bemoaning their losse this slaughter had neuer been In vaine doe wee looke for good of those children whose education wee haue neglected In vaine doe wee grieue for those miscarriages which our care might haue preuented Elisha knew the successe yet doth he not balke the Citie of Bethel Doe we not wonder that the furious impatience of those parents whom the curse of Elisha robbed of their children did not breake forth to some malicious practise against the Prophet Would wee not thinke the Prophet might misdoubt some hard measure from those exasperated Citizens There lay his way he followes God without feare of men as well knowing that either they durst not or they could not act violence They knew there were Beares in the wood and fires in heauen and if their malice would haue ventured aboue their courage they could haue no more power ouer Elisha in the streets than those hungry beasts had in the way Whither dare not a Prophet goe when God cals him Hauing visited the schooles of the Prophets Elisha retires to mount Carmel and after some holy solitarinesse returnes to the Citie of Samaria He can neuer be a profitable Seer that is either alwaies or neuer alone Carmel shall fit him for Samaria contemplation for action That mother Citie of Israel must needs affoord him most worke Yet is the throne of Ahaziah succeeded by a brother lesse ill than himselfe than the parents of both Ahabs impietie hath not a perfect heire of Iehoram That sonne of his hates his Baal though he keepes his calues Euen into the most wicked families it pleaseth God to cast his powerfull restraints that all are not equally vicious It is no newes to see lewd men make scruple of some sinnes The world were not to liue in if all sinnes were affected by all It is no thanke to Ahab and Iezebel that their sonne is no Baalite As no good is traduced from parents so not all euill there is an Almightie hand that stops the foule current of nature at his pleasure No Idolater can say that his childe shall not be a conuert The affinitie betwixt the houses of Israel and Iuda holds good in succession Iehoram inherits the friendship the aid of Iehoshaphat whose counsell as is most likely had cured him of that Baalisme It was a iust warre whereto he solicites the good King of Iudah The King of Moah who had beene an ancient Tributarie from the daies of Dauid falls now from his homage and refuses to pay his hundred thousand Lambes and hundred thousand Rammes with fleeces to the King of Israel The backes of Israel can ill misse the wooll of Moah they will put on iron to recouer their cloth Iehosaphat had beene once well chid well frighted for ioyning with Ahab against Aram yet doth he not sticke now againe to come into the field with Iehoram against Moab The case is more fauourable lesse dangerous Baal is cast downe The Images of the false gods are gone though the false Images of the true God stand still Besides this rebellious Moab had ioyned with the Syrians formerly against Iudah so as Iehoshaphat is interessed in the reuenge After resolution of the end wisely doe these Kings deliberate of the way It is agreed to passe through Edom that Kingdome was annexed to the Crowne of Iudah well might Iehoshaphat make bold with his owne It was it seemes a march farre about in the measure of the way but neerest to their purpose the assault would be thus more easie if the passage were more tedious The three Kings of Israel Iudah Edom together with their Armies are vpon foot They are no sooner comne into the parching wildes of Edom than they are ready to die for thirst If the channels were farre off yet the waters were further the scorching beames of the Sunne haue dried them vp and haue left those riuers more fit for walke than entertainment What are the greatest Monarchs of the world if they want but water to their mouthes What can their Crownes and Plumes rich Armes auaile them when they are abridged but of that which is the drinke of beasts With dry tongues and lips doe they now conferre of their common misery Ieboram deplores the calamitie into which they were fallen but Iehoshaphat askes for a Prophet Euery man can bewaile a mischiefe euery man cannot finde the way out of it still yet I heare good Iehoshaphat speake too late Hee should haue inquired for a Prophet ere he had gone forth so had hee auoided these straits Not to consult at all with God is Iehorams sinne to consult late is Iehoshaphats the former is atheous carelesnesse the latter forgetfull ouer-sight The best man may slacken good duties the worst contemnes them Not without some specialty from God doth Elisha follow the camp Else that had beene no Element for a Prophet Little did the good King of Iudah thinke that God was so neere him Purposely was this holy Seer sent for the succour of Iehoshaphat and his faithfull followers when they were so farre from dreaming of their deliuerie that they knew not of a danger It would bee wide with the best men if the eie of diuine prouidence were not open vpon them when the eie of their care is shut towards it How well did Elisha in the warres The strongest squadron of Israel was within that breast All their armours of proofe had not so much safetie and protection as his Mantle Though the King of Israel would take no notice of the Prophet yet one of his Courtiers did Here is Elisha the sonne of Shaphat which powred water on the hands of Elijah This follower of Iehoram knowes Elisha by his owne name by his fathers by his masters The Court of Israel was profane and Idolatrous enough yet euen there Gods Prophet had both knowledge and honour His very seruice to Elijah was enough to winne him reuerence It is better to bee an attendant of some man than to be attended by many That he had powred water on Elijahs hands was insinuation enough that he could powere out water for those three Kings The three Kings walke downe by the motion of Iehoshaphat to the man of God It was newes to see three Kings going downe to the seruant of him who ranne before the charet of Ahab Religion and necessitie haue both of them much power of humiliation I know not whether more Either zeale or need will make a Prophet honored How sharply dares the man of God to chide his Soueraigne the King of Israel The libertie of the Prophets was no lesse singular than their calling He that would borrow their tongue must shew their Commission As God reproued Kings for their sakes
so did not they sticke to reproue Kings for his sake Thus much freedome they must leaue to their successors that wee may not spare the vices of them whose persons we must spare Iustly is Iehoram turn'd off to the Prophets of his father and the Prophets of his mother It is but right and equall that those which we haue made the comfort and stay of our peace should be the refuge of our extremitie If our prosperitie haue made the world our God how worthily shall our death-bed be choaked with this exprobration Neither would the case beare an Apologie nor the time an expostulation Iehoram cannot excuse he can complaine he findes that now three Kings three Kingdomes are at the mercy of one Prophet it was time for him to speak faire nothing sounds from him but lamentations and intreaties Nay for the Lord hath called these three Kings together to deliuer them into the hand of Moab Iehoram hath so much grace as to confesse the impotencie of those hee had trusted and the power of that God whom hee had neglected Euery sinner cannot see and acknowledge the hand of God in his sufferings Already hath the distressed Prince gained something by this misery None complaines so much as he none feeles so much as he All the rest suffer for him therefore he suffers in them all The man of God who well sees the in-sufficiency of Iehorams humiliation layes on yet more load As the Lord liueth before whom I stand Surely were it not that I regard the presence of Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah I would not looke toward thee nor see thee Behold the double Spirit of Elijah the master was not more bold with the father than the seruant was with the sonne Elisha was a subiect and a Prophet Hee must say that as a Prophet which hee might not as a subiect As a Prophet he would not haue lookt at him whom as a subiect hee would haue bowed to It is one thing when God speakes by him another when he speakes of himselfe That it might well appeare his dislike of sinne stood with his honour of Soueraigntie Iehoshaphat goes away with that respect which Iehoram missed No lesse doth God and his Prophet regard religious sinceritie than they abhorre Idolatry and profanenesse What shall not be done for a Iehoshaphat For his sake shall those two other Princes and their vast Armies liue and preuaile Edom and Israel whether single or conioyned had perished by the drought of the desert by the sword of Moah One Iehoshaphat giues them both life victory It is in the power of one good man to oblige a world wee receiue true though insensible fauours from the presence of the righteous Next to being good it is happy to conuerse with them that are so if we bee not bettered by their example wee are blest by their protection Who wonders not to heare a Prophet call for a Minstrell in the midst of that mournfull distresse of Israel and Iudah Who would not haue expected his charge of teares and prayers rather than of Musicke How vnseasonable are songs to an heauy heart It was not for their eares it was for his owne bosome that Elisha called for Musicke that his spirits after their zealous agitation might be sweetly composed and put into a meet temper for receiuing the calme visions of God Perhaps it was some holy Leuite that followed the Campe of Iehoshaphat whose minstrelsie was required for so sacred a purpose None but a quiet breast is capable of diuine Reuelations Nothing is more powerfull to settle a troubled heart than a melodious harmony The Spirit of prophesie was not the more inuited the Prophets Spirit was the better disposed by pleasing sounds The same God that will reueale his will to the Prophet suggests this demand Bring me a Minstrell How many say thus when they would put God from them Profane mirth wanton musicke debauches the soule and makes no lesse roome for the vncleane Spirit than spirituall melodie doth for the Diuine No Prophet had euer the Spirit at command The hand of the Minstrell can do nothing without the hand of the Lord Whiles the Musicke sounds in the eare God speakes to the heart of Elisha Thus saith the Lord Make this valley full of ditches Ye shall not see wind neither shall ye see raine yet that valley shall be full of water c. To see wind and raine in the height of that drought would haue seemed as wonderfull as pleasing but to see abundance of water without wind or raine was yet more miraculous I know not how the sight of the meanes abates our admiration of the effect Where no causes can be found out we are forced to confesse omnipotency Elijah releeued Israel with water but it was out of the cloudes and those cloudes rose from the sea but whence Elisha shall fetch it is not more maruellous than secret All that euening all that night must the faith of Israel and Iudah be exercised with expectation At the houre of the morning sacrifice no sooner did the bloud of that Oblation gush forth than the streames of waters gushed forth into their new channels and filled the Countrey with a refreshing moisture Elijah fetcht downe his fire at the houre of the euening sacrifice Elisha fetcht vp his water at the houre of the morning sacrifice God giues respect to his owne houres for the encouragement of our obseruation If his wisdome hath set vs any peculiar times we cannot keepe them without a blessing The deuotions of all true Iewes all the world ouer were in that houre combined How seasonably doth the wisdome of God picke out that instant wherein he might at once answer both Elishaes prophesie and his peoples prayers The Prophet hath assured the Kings not of water onely but of victory Moab heares of enemies and is addressed to warre Their owne error shall cut their throats they rise soone enough to beguile themselues the beames of the rising Sunne glistering vpon those vaporous and vnexpected waters carried in the eies of some Moabites a semblance of bloud a few eies were enough to fill all eares with a false noise the deceiued sense mis-carries the imagination This is bloud the Kings are surely slaine and they haue smitten one another now therefore Moab to the spoile Ciuill broyles giue iust aduantage to a common enemy Therefore must the Camps be spoiled because the Kings haue smitten each other Those that shall bee deceiued are giuen ouer to credulitie The Moabites doe not examine either the conceit or the report but flie in confusedly vpon the Camp of Israel whom they finde too late to haue no enemies but themselues As if death would not haue hastened enough to them they come to fetch it they come to challenge it It seizeth vpon them vnauoidably they are smitten their Cities razed their Lands marred their Wells stopped their trees felled as if God meant to waste them but once No onsets are so furious as the
profit of their master Some seruile Spirits would haue cared onely to sooth vp not to benefit their Gouernour and would haue incouraged his rage by their owne Sir will you take this at the hand of a base fellow Was euer man thus flouted Will you let him carrie it away thus Is any harmlesse anger sufficient reuenge for such an insolence Giue vs leaue at least to pull him out by the cares and force him to doe that by violence which hee would not doe out of good manners Let our fingers teach this saucy Prophet what it is to offer an affront to a Prince of Syria But these men loued more their masters health than his passion and had rather therefore to aduise than flatter to draw him to good than follow him to euill Since it was a Prophet from whom he receiued this prescription they perswade him not to despise it intimating there could bee no fault in the sleightnesse of the receit so long as there was no defect of power in the commander that the vertue of the cure should be in his obedience not in the nature of the remedie They perswade and preuaile Next to the Prophet Naaman may thanke his seruants that he is not a Leper He goes downe vpon their intreatie and dips seuen times in Iordan his flesh riseth his leprosie vanisheth Not the vniust furie and techinesse of the patient shall crosse the cure lest whiles God is seuere the Prophet should bee discredited Long enough might Naaman haue washed there in vaine if Elisha had not sent him Many a Leper hath bathed in that streame and hath come forth no lesse impure It is the word the ordinance of the Almightie which puts efficacy into those meanes which of themselues are both impotent and improbable What can our Font doe to the washing away of sinne If Gods institution shall put vertue into our Iordan it shall scoure off the spirituall leprosies of our hearts and shall more cure the soule than cleanse the face How ioyfull is Naaman to see this change of his skinne this renouation of his flesh of his life Neuer did his heart finde such warmth of in ward gladnesse as in this streame Vpon the sight of his recouerie hee doth not post home to the Court or to his family to call for witnesses for partners of his ioy but thankfully returnes to the Prophet by whose meanes he receiued this mercy He comes back with more contentment than hee departed with rage Now will the man of God be seene of that recouered Syrian whom hee would not see leprous His presence shall be yeelded to the gratulation which was not yeelded to the suit Purposely did Elisha forbeare before that he might share no part of the praise of this worke with his Maker that God might be so much more magnified as the meanes were more weake and despicable The miracle hath his due worke First doth Naaman acknowledge the God that wrought it then the Prophet by whom he wrought it Behold now I know there is no God in all the earth but in Israel Oh happy Syrian that was at once cured of his leprosie and his mes-prison of God Naaman was too wise to thinke that either the water had cured him or the man hee saw a diuine power working in both such as he vainly sought from his Heathen Deities with the heart therefore hee beleeues with the mouth he confesses Whiles hee is thus thankfull to the author of his cure he is not vnmindfull of the instrument Now therefore I pray thee take a blessing of thy seruant Naaman came richly furnished with ten talents of siluer six thousand peeces of gold ten changes of rayment All these and many more would the Syrian Peere haue gladly giuen to bee deliuered from so noysome a disease No maruell if he importunately offer some part of them to the Prophet now that he is deliuered some testimonie of thankfulnesse did well where all earthly recompence was too short The hands of this man were no lesse full of thanks than his mouth Dry and barren professions of our obligations where is power to requite are vnfit for noble and ingenuous spirits Naaman is not more frank in offering his gratuitie than Elisha vehement in refusing it As the Lord liueth before whom I stand I wil receiue none Not that he thought the Syrian gold impure Not that he thought it vnlawfull to take vp a gift where he hath laid downe a benefit But the Prophet will remit of Naamans purse that he may win of his soule The man of God would haue his new conuert see cause to be more enamoured of true pietie which teacheth her Clients to contemne those worldly riches and glories which base worldlings adore and would haue him thinke that these miraculous powers are so farre transcending the valuation of all earthly pelfe that those glittering treasures are worthy of nothing but contempt in respect thereof Hence it is that he who refused not the Shunamites table and stoole and candlesticke will not take Naamans present There is much vse of godly discretion in directing vs when to open when to shut our hands Hee that will not be allowed to giue desires yet to take Shall there not I pray thee bee giuen to thy seruant two mules load of earth for thy seruant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other Gods but vnto the Lord. Israelitish mold lay open to his carriage without leaue of Elisha but Naaman regards not to take it vnlesse it may be giuen him and giuen him by the Prophets hand Well did this Syrian finde that the man of God had giuen a supernaturall vertue to the water of Israel and therefore supposed hee might giue the like to his earth Neither would any earth serue him but Elishaes else the mold of Israel had beene more properly craued of the King than the Prophet of Israel Doubtlesse it was deuotion that moued this suit The Syrian saw God had a proprietie in Israel and imagines that he will be best pleased with his owne On the sudden was Naaman halfe a Proselyte still here was a weake knowledge with strong intentions Hee will sacrifice to the Lord but where in Syria not in Hierusalem Not the mold but the Altar is that God respects which he hath allowed no where but in his chosen Sion This honest Syrian will bee remouing God home to his Countrey hee should haue resolued to remoue his home to God And though he vowes to offer no sacrifice to any other god yet he craues leaue to offer an outward curtesie to Rimmon though not for the Idols sake yet for his masters In this thing the Lord pardon thy seruant that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there and he leaneth on my hand and I bow my selfe in the house of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy seruant in this thing Naaman goes away resolute to professe himselfe an Israelite for Religion all the Syrian Court shall