murder. Abner shall find himself no less | furthering a false claim, taken off his hand, overcome by Joab in clemency, than power: I know not wherein he could be blamed, he says not, I will not so easily leave the except for not doing it sooner; but now to advantage of my victory; since the dice of withdraw his professed allegiance, upon a war run on my side, I will follow the chance private revenge, was to take a lewd leave of my good success: thou shouldest have of an ill action. If Ishbosheth were his considered of this before thy provocation; lawful prince, no injury could warrant a it is now too late to move unto forbearance. revolt. Even betwixt private persons, a But, as a man that meant to approve him- return of wrongs is both uncharitable and self equally free from cowardice in the be- unjust, however this go current for the comginning of the conflict, and from cruelty in mon justice of the world: how much more the end, he professeth his forwardness to should we learn, from a supreme hand, to entertain any pretence of sheathing up the take hard measures with thanks! It had swords of Israel; and swears to Abner, been Abner's duty to have given his king that if it had not been for his proud irrita- a peaceable and humble satisfaction, and tion, the people had in the morning before not to fly out in a snuff: "If the spirit of ceased from that bloody pursuit of their the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy brethren. As it becomes public persons to place; for yielding pacifieth great offences." be lovers of peace, so they must show it Now, his impatient falling, although to the upon all good occasions; letting pass no right side, makes him no better than traiopportunity of making spare of blood. torously honest. Ishbosheth was, it seems, a man of no great spirits; for being no less than forty years old when his father went into his last field against the Philistines, he was content to stay at home. Abner hath put ambition into him, and hath easily raised him to the head of a faction, against the anointed prince of God's people. If this usurped crown of Saul's son had any worth or glory in it, he cannot but acknowledge to owe it all unto Abner; yet how forward is unthankful Ishbosheth to receive a false suggestion against his chief abettor! "Wherefore hast thou gone into my father's concubine ?" He that made no conscience of an unjust claim to the crown, and a maintenance of it with blood, yet seems scrupulous of a less sin, that carried in it the colour of a disgrace: the touch of her, who had been honoured by his father's bed, seemed an intolerable presumption, and such as could not be severed from his own dishonour. Self-love sometimes borrows the face of honest zeal. Those who, out of true grounds, dislike sins, do hate them all indifferently, according to their heinousness; hypocrites are partial in their detestation, bewraying ever most bitterness against those offences, which may most prejudice their persons aud reputations. It is as dangerous as unjust for princes to give both their ears and their heart to misgrounded rumours of their innocent followers. This wrong hath stripped Ishbosheth of the kingdom. Abner, in the meantime, cannot be excused from a treacherous inconstancy if Saul's son had no true title to the crown, why did he maintain it? if he had, why did he forsake the cause and person. Had Abner, out of remorse for So soon as Abner hath entertained a re solution of his rebellion, he persuades the elders of Israel to accompany him in the change; and whence doth he fetch his main motive, but from the oracle of God?" The Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David will I save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies." Abner knew this full well before, yet then was well content to smother a known truth for his own turn; and now, that the publication of it may serve for his advantage, he wins the heart of Israel, by showing God's charter for him whom he had so long opposed. Hypocrites make use of God for their own purposes, and care only to make divine authority a colour for their own designs. No man ever heard Abner godly till now; neither had be been so at this time, if he had not intended a revengeful departure from Ishbosheth. Nothing is more odious, than to make religion a stalking-horse to policy. Who can but glorify God in his justice, when he sees the bitter end of this treacherous dissimulation? David may, upon considerations of state, entertain his new guest with a feast; and well might he seem to deserve a welcome, that undertakes to bring all Israel to the league and homage of David; but God never meant to use so unworthy means for so good a work. Joab returns from pursuing a troop, and finding Abner dismissed in peace, and expectation of a beneficial return, follows him; and, whether out of envy at a new rival of lionour, or out of the revenge of Asahel, he repays him both dissimulation and death. God doth most justly by Joab, that which Joab did for himself most unjustly. I know | not, setting the quarrel aside, whether we can worthily blame Abner for the death of Asahel, who would needs, after fair warnings, run himself upon Abner's spear; yet this fact shall procure his payment for the worse. Now is Ishbosheth's wrong revenged by an enemy. We may not always measure the justice of God's proceedings by present occasions: he needs not make us acquainted, or ask us leave, when he will call for the arrearages of forgotten sins. BOOK XV. CONTEMPLATION I. UZZAH, AND THE ARK REMOVED. THE house of Saul is quiet, the Philistines beaten: victory cannot end better than in devotion. David is no sooner settled in his house at Jerusalem, that he fetcheth God to be his guest there: the thousands of Israel go now, in a holy march, to bring up the ark of God to the place of his rest. The tumults of war afforded no opportunity of this service: only peace is a friend to religion; neither is peace ever our friend, but when it is a servant of piety. The use of war is not more pernicious to the body, than the abuse of peace is to the soul. Alas! the riot, bred of our long ease, rather drives the ark of God from us; so the still sedentary life is subject to diseases, and standing waters putrefy. It may be just with God to take away the blessing, which we do so much abuse, and to scour off our rust with bloody war. The ark of God had now many years rested in the obscure lodge of Abinadab, without the honour of a tabernacle. David will not endure himself glorious, and the ark of God contemptible: his first care is to provide a fit room for God, in the head of the tribes, in his own city. The chief care of good princes must be the advancement of religion: what should the deputies of God rather do, than honour him whom they represent! It was no good that Israel could learn of Philistines; those pagans had sent the ark back in a new cart; the Israelites saw that God blessed that conduct, and now they practise it at home: but that which God will take from Philistines, he will not brook from Israel: aliens from God are no fit patterns for children. Divine institution had made this a carriage for the Levites, not for oxen; neither should those sons of Abinadab have driven the cart, but carried that sacred burden. God's businesses must be done after his own forms, which if we do, with the best intentions, alter, we presume. It is long since Israel saw so fair a day as this, wherein they went, in this holy triumph, to fetch the ark of God. Now their warlike trumpets are turned into harps and timbrels; and their hands, instead of wielding the sword and spear, strike upon those nusical strings, whereby they might express the joy of their hearts: here was no noise but of mirth, no motion but pleasant. O happy Israel, that had a God to rejoice in! that had this occasion of rejoicing in their God, and a heart that embraced this occasion! There is nothing but this wherein we may not joy immoderately, unseasonably; this spiritual joy can never be either out of time, or out of measure: "Let him that rejoiceth, rejoice in the Lord." But now, when the Israelites were in the midst of this angel-like jollity, their hearts lifted up, their hands playing, their feet moving, their tongues singing and shouting, God sees good to strike them into a sudden damp by the death of Uzzah. They are scarce set into the tune, when God mars their music by a fearful judgment, and changes their mirth into astonishment and confusion. There could not be a more excellent work than this they were about; there could not be more cheerful hearts in the performing of it; yet will the most holy God rather dash all this solemn service, than endure an act of presumption or infidelity. Abinadab had been the faithful host of God's ark for the space of twenty years: even in the midst of the terrors of Israel, who were justly affrighted with the vengeance inflicted upon Bethshemesh, did he give harbour unto it; yet even the son of Abinadab is stricken dead, in the first departing of that blessed guest. The sanctity of the parent cannot bear out the sin of his son. The Holy One of Israel will be sanctified in all that come near him: he will be served like himself. What, then, was the sin of Uzzah? what was the capital crime for which he so fearfully perished? That the ark of God was committed to the cart, it was not his device only, but the common act of many; that it was not carried on the shoulders of the Levites, was no less the fault of Ahio, and the rest of their brethren. Only Uzzah is stricken : the rest sinned in negligence; he in presumption: the ark of God shakes with the agitation of that carriage; he puts forth his hand to hold it steady. Huinan judgment would have found herein nothing the prevention of the future, which is never attained, but when we make applications of God's hand, and draw common causes out of God's particular proceedings. heinous. God sees not with the eyes of mien: none but the priests should have dared to touch the ark; it was enough for the Levites to touch the bars that carried it, an unwarranted hand cannot so lightly I do not hear David say, Surely this man touch the ark, but he strikes the God that is guilty of some secret sin that the world dwells in it. No marvel if God strike knows not; God hath met with him, there that man with death, that strikes him with is no danger to us; why should I be dispresumption: there was well near the same couraged to see God just? We may go on quarrel against the thousands of Bethshe- safely and prosper. But here his foot stays, mesh, and against Uzzah; they died for and his hand falls from his instrument, and looking into the ark, he for touching it: his tongue is ready to tax his own unworlest Israel should grow into a contemptu- thiness: "How shall the ark of the Lord ous familiarity with this testimony of God's come unto me?" That heart is carnal and presence, he will hold them in awe with proud that thinks any man worse than himjudgments. The revenging hand of the self. David's fear stays his progress: perAlmighty, that, upon the return of the ark. haps he might have proceeded with good staid at the house of Abinadab, upon the success, but he dares not venture, where remove of the ark, begins there again. he sees such a deadly check. It is better Where are those that think God will take to be too fearful than too forward, in those up with a careless and slubbered service? affairs which do immediately concern God. He whose infinite mercy uses to pass by As it is not good to refrain from holy busiour sins of infirmity, punisheth yet severely nesses, so it is worse to do them ill: awfulour bold faults. If we cannot do any thingness is a safe interpreter of God's secret in the degrees that he requireth, yet we actions, and a wise guide of ours. must learn to do all things in the form that he requireth doubtless Uzzah meant no otherwise than well, in putting forth his hand to stay the ark; he knew the sacred utensils that were in it, the pot of manna, the tables of the law, the rod of Aaron which might be wronged by that over-rough motion; to these he offers his aid, and is stricken dead: the best intention cannot excuse, much less warrant us in unlawful actions. Where we do aught in faith, it pleases our good God to wink at and pity our weaknesses; but if we dare to present God with the well-meant services of our own making, we run into the indignation of God. There is nothing more dangerous than to be our own carvers in matters of devotion. I marvel not if the countenance of David were suddenly changed, to see the pale face of death in one of the chief actors in this holy procession. He, that had found God so favourable to him in actions of less worth, is troubled to see this success of a business so heartily directed unto his God: and now he begins to look through Uzzah at himself, and to say, "How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?" Then only shall we make a right use of the judgments of God upon others, when we shall fear them in ourselves, and, finding our sins at least equal, shall tremble in the expectation of the same deserved punishments. God intenes not only revenge in his execution, but reformation; as good princes regard not so much the smart of the evil past, as a This event hath holpen Obed-Edom to guest he looked not for: God shall now sojourn in the house of him, in whose heart he dwelt before by a strong faith, else the man durst not have undertaken to receive that dreadful ark, which David himself feared to harbour. O the courage of an honest and faithful heart! ObedEdom knew well enough what slaughter the ark had made among the Philistines, and after that among the Bethshemites, and now he saw Uzzah lie dead before him: yet doth he not make any scruple of entertaining it; neither doth he say, My neighbour Abinadab was a careful and religious host to the ark, and is now paid with the blood of his son; how shall I hope to speed better? But he opens his doors with a bold cheerfulness, and, notwithstanding all those terrors, bids God welcome. thing can make God not amiable to his own; even his very justice is lovely. Holy men know how to rejoice in the Lord with trembling, and can fear without discouragement. No The God of heaven will not receive any thing from men on free cost: he will pay liberally for his lodging; a plentiful blessing upon Obed-Edom, and all his household. It was an honour to that zealous Gittite, that the ark should come under his roof; yet God rewards that honour with benediction: never man was a loser by true god. liness. The house of Obed-Edom cannot this while want observation; the eyes of David and all Israel were never off from it. O how glorious was the king of Israel this day, which was uncovered this day in the eyes of the maidens of his servants, as a fool uncovereth himself!" Worldly hearts can see nothing in actions of zeal, but folly and madness. Piety hath no relish to their palate, but distasteful. 66 to see how it fared with this entertainment. | Saul's daughter, casts it proudly in his face : And now, when they find nothing but a gracious acceptation and sensible blessing, the good king of Israel takes new heart, and hastens to fetch the ark into his royal city. The view of God's favours upon the godly is no small encouragement to confidence and obedience. Doubtless, Obed-Edom was not free from some weaknesses: if the Lord should have taken the advantage of judgment against him, what Israelites had not been disheartened from attending the ark? Now David and Israel were not more affrighted with the vengeance upon Uzzah, than encouraged by the blessing of Obed-Edom. The wise God doth so order his just and merciful proceedings, that the awfulness of men may be tempered with love. Now the sweet singer of Israel revives his holy music, and adds both more spirit and more pomp to so devout a business. I did not before hear of trumpets, nor dancing, nor shouting, nor sacrifice, nor the linen ephod. The sense of God's past displeasure doubles our care to please him, and our joy in his recovered approbation; we never make so much of our health as after sickness, nor ever are so officious to our friend as after an unkindness. In the first setting out of the ark, David's fear was at least an equal match to his joy; therefore, after the first six paces, he offered a sacrifice, both to pacify God and thank him but now, when they saw no sign of dislike, they did more freely let themselves loose to a fearless joy, and the body strove to express the holy affection of the soul: there was no limb, no part, that did not profess their mirth by motion; no noise of voice or instrument wanted to assist their spiritual jollity: David led the way, dancing with all his might in his linen ephod. Uzzah was still in his eye: he durst not usurp upon a garment of the priests', but will borrow their colour to grace the solemnity, though he dare not the fashion. White was ever the colour of joy, and linen was light for use: therefore he covers his princely robes with white linen, and means to honour himself by his conformity to God's ministers. Those that think there is disgrace in the ephod, are far from the spirit of the man after God's own heart: neither can there be a greater argument of a foul soul, than a dislike of the glorious calling of God. Barren Michal hath too many sons that scorn the holy habit and exercises. She looks through her window, and seeing the attire and gestures of her devout husband, despiseth him in her heart: neither can she conceal her contempt, but, like | David's heart did never swell so much at any reproach, as this of his wife: his love was for the time lost in his anger; and, as a man impatient of no affront so much as in the way of his devotion, he returns a bitter check to his Michal : It was before the Lord, which chose me, rather than thy father, and all his house," &c. Had not Michal twitted her husband with the shame of his zeal, she had not heard of the shameful rejection of her facher: now, since she will be forgetting whose wife she was, she shall be put in mind whose daughter she was. Contumelies, that are cast upon us in the causes of God, may safely be repaid. If we be meal-mouthed in the scorns of religion, we are not patient, but zealless: here we may not forbear her that lies in our bosom. If David had not loved Michal dearly, he had never stood upon those points with Abner: he knew, that if Abner came to him, the kingdom of Israel would accompany him; and yet he sends him the charge of not seeing his face, except he brought Michal, Saul's daughter, with him; as if he would not regard the crown of Israel, while he wanted that wife of his yet here he takes her up roundly, as if she had been an enemy, not a partner of his bed. All relations are aloof off, in comparison of that betwixt God and the soul: "He that loves father, or mother, or wife, or child, better than me (saith our Saviour), is not worthy of me." Even the highest delights of our hearts must be trampled upon, when they will stand out in rivalry with God. O happy resolution of the royal prophet and prophetical king of Israel!" I will be yet more vile than thus, and will be low in mine own sight." He knew this very abasement heroical; and that the only way to true glory, is not to be ashamed of our lowest humiliation unto God. Well might he promise himself honour, from those whose contempt she had threatened. The hearts of men.are not their own: he that made them overrules them, and inclines them to an honourable conceit of those that honour their Maker; so as holy men have ofttimes inward reverence, even where they have outward indignities. David caine to bless his house; Michal brings a curse upon herself; her scorns shall make her : childless to the day of her death. Barrenness was held in those times none of the least judgments. God doth so revenge David's quarrel upon Michal, that her sudden disgrace shall be recompensed with perpetual: she shall not be held worthy to bear a son to him whom she unjustly contemned. How just is it with God to provide whips for the backs of scorners! It is no marvel if those that mock at goodness be plagued with continual fruitlessness. CONTEMPLATION II. MEPHIBOSHETH AND ZIBA. So soon as ever David can but breathe himself from the public cares, he casts back his thoughts to the dear remembrance of his Jonathan. Saul's servant is likely to give him the best intelligence of Saul's sons: the question is therefore moved to Ziba, "Remaineth there none of the house of Saul?" And, lest suspicion might conceal the remainders of an emulous line, in fear of revenge intended, he adds, "On whom I may show the mercy of God for Jonathan's sake?" O friendship worthy of the monuments of eternity! fit only to requite him whose love was more than the love of women! He doth not say, Is there any of the house of Jonathan?-but of Saul?-that, for his friend's sake, he may show favour to the posterity of his persecutor. Jonathan's love could not be greater than Saul's malice, which also survived long in his issue, from whom David found a busy and stubborn rivality for the crown of Israel yet, as one that gladly buried all the hostility of Saul's house in Jonathan's grave, he asks, "Is there any man left of Saul's house, that I may show him mercy for Jonathan's sake?" It is true love, that, overliving the person of a friend, will be inherited of his seed; but to love the posterity of an enemy in a friend, it is a miracle of friendship. The formal amity of the world is confined to a face, or to the possibility of recompense, languishing in the disability, and dying in the decease of the party affected. That love was ever false that is not ever constant, and the most operative when it cannot be either known or requited. : To cut off all unquiet competition for the kingdom of Israel, the providence of God had so ordered, that there is none left of the house of Saul, besides the sons of his concubines, save only young and lame Mephibosheth: so young, that he was but five years of age when David entered upon the government of Israel: so lame, that, if his age had fitted, his impotency had made him unfit for the throne. Mephibosheth was not born a cripple; it was a heedless nurse that made him so. She, hearing of the death of Saul and Jonathan, made such haste to fly, that her young master was lamed with the fall. Certainly there needed no such speed to run away from David, whose love pursues the hidden son of his brother Jonathan. How often doth our ignorant mistaking, cause us to run from our best friends, and to catch knocks and maims of them that profess our protection! Mephibosheth could not come otherwise than fearfully into the presence of David, whom he knew so long, so spitefully opposed by the house of Saul. He could not be ignorant that the fashion of the world is to build their own security upon the blood of the opposite faction; neither to think themselves safe, while any branch remains springing out of that root of their emula. tion. Seasonably doth David therefore first expel all those unjust doubts, ere he administer his further cordials: "Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the fields of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually." David can see neither Saul's blood, nor lame legs in Mephibosheth, while he sees in him the features of his friend Jonathan : how much less shall the God of mercies regard our infirmities, or the corrupt blood of our sinful progenitors, while he beholds us in the face of his Son, in whom he is well pleased! Favours are wont so much more to affect us, as they are less expected by us. Mephibosheth, as overjoyed with so comfortable a word, and confounded in himself at the remembrance of the contrary deservings of his family, bows himself to the earth, and says, "What is thy servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as 1 am?" I find no defect of wit, though of limbs, in Mephibosheth: he knew himself the grandchild of the king of Israel, the son of Jonathan, the lawful heir of both; yet in regard of his own impotency, and the trespass and rejection of his house, he thus abaseth himself unto David. Humiliation is a right use of God's affliction. What if he was born great? If the sin of his grandfather hath lost his estate, and the hand of his nurse hath deformed and disabled his person, he now forgets what he was, and calls himself worse than he is. a dog." Yet, "a living dog is better than a dead lion." There is dignity and comfort in life; |