Chap. 34.. Án Expofrtion upon the Bosh, of J o B. Vert. 30. (i Sara, 18. 17.) whereas Saul sought not the honour of God at all, nor the overthrow of the Phili(lines, fomuch,as the overthrow of David ; his intent was to take his own revenge upon David,. rather then Gods revenge on them:forhe hopedDavid would one time or other over-a& his valour againft the Philiflines, and lofe, his life, to win honour and reputation. How religioully didAnner (who was agreat Prince as David' called him) urge the promife of God tomake DavidKing, (2 Sam. 3. 18.) and yet 'cis plain.: in the Text, that his defigne was to i,:venge himfelf upon IJhbo (heth,whohad put(as he thought)an affront uponhim,rather then to be inflrumental for the fulfilling of the promife ofGod to Da- vid. yezebeta great Queen proclaimed aFaft (which is one of the higheft aó}s of Religion) whileher purpofewas only to get an opportunity to feafl her felf upon the de(Iru&ion of Naboth, and . to drink his innocent blood. HerodaKing (Matth. 2. R.) deli- red to have theyoung childe Chrifl,. that hemight come and. wor- fhip bim , but his defigne was to murder him and becaufe he could not have his will to kill him alone, he refolved. to kill him. . in the multitude, commanding all the infants offuch an age tobe flain, leahe fhould efcape. We have as fad inflance of this in two of thePatriarcks,(Gen.34)I do not fay they were hypocrites,: but,I fay, they a&ed a high Grain of hypocriüei and put on' a religiouspretence for the compailîng of revenge. D.nah, f acobs daughter being defiowred byShechem, he fued to have her for his wife, and would wipeoff the (lain of his lull by a legal, marri- age ; oldHamor pleaded for his fon, and pcob waswilling -e- nough ('tis like) to falve the credit of his daughter but the tons of Jacob anfwered Shechemand llamarhis father deceit"uIly (v. 13.) and they faid, we.cannot match with you, except you be ci "- cumcifed,. and fo beconìe Profel'yres to our Religion:If Sheri ern will be oftheir family, he mutt be of their faith; they flood not upon their fillers joynture, the matter fluck only upona fcrupleof confcience. What argument of greater zeal for God could they have given thenthis ? Yet while thefe religious words were in their,mouths,they had bloody fwoxxds in their hearts: And all this pretence for circumcifion, was only that they might have an ad- vantage, to comeupon them in their forenefs and det}róy them;. which (as the holyFlory tells us) they ['eon after efF ted. Thirdly,.Hypocritesoftn defigne. worldly gain, and ayme at the
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