L 1 s.X II. 'The remo"/Je'Ofthe d rke. / i oz1 A or with alloniihment; with joy at the prefence ofthe Ark,with allonifhment at the.' Miracle ofthe tranfporta.tion: Down wenr their Sickles,and now everyman runs to reap the comfort ofthis betterharvell,to meet that Bread ofAngels,to falure thofe Cherubims, to welcome that God, whofe abfence had bin their death : l\ut as it is hard not to over-joy in a fudden profperity,and,to ufe happindfc is no leffe difficulr, then to forbeare it; Thefe glad !frJdites cannot fee but they mull gazc;theycannot gne on the glorious out-fide, but they mull be (whether out ofrude jollity, or curiofity, or fufpition ofthe purloining fomeofthofe facred implements) prying into thefecretsof Gods Ark: Nature is too fubjeClto extrcmities,and is ever either too dull in w:mc,or wanton in fruition: Iris no eafie matter eo keep a meane)whether in good or evill. B Beth0Jeme0J was a City ofPriclls, they fuould have knowne better how to demeane themfelves towards the Arke; this priviledgedoubled theiroffence. There was no malice in this curious inquifition, the fa\ne eyes that lookt into the Arke, lookt alfo up to heaven in their Offerings, and the f.1me hands that touched it, offered facrtlice to the God that brought it.Who could expectany thingnow buracceptation(who would fufpeCl any dangerdt is not a following aCl ofdevotirJn tlmcan make amends for a former fin : There was adeath owing them,immediately upon their offence, God will take his owne time for the execution; In the mcane·while, they.may f.1crifice,but they cannot fatisfic,they cannot efcape. The Kine are facrificed,the Cart burnes them thar drew it : Here was an offering ofpmif<, .when they had more need ofa trefpaffe offering; many an heart is lifted up in aconcdt·ofjoy, C when it hath jull caufeofhumiliation:God lets them alone with their Sacrifice,bur when that is done, he comes over them with aback.reckoning for their fiOI: ·Fi&f thoufand and feventy Ifraelites are llruck dead for this unreverence to the Ark : A wofull welcome for the Ark of God into the borders of Ifi'ael. Itkilled them for looking into it,who thoughtit theirlife to fee it; Itdealt b1owes,and death on both' hands; to Phiiillims,ro Ifraelites;toboth ofthem for prophaning it : The one \vitlf their Idol,theother with their eyes. It is afearful! thing to ufe the holy Ordhjances 1 ofGod with an unreverent boldneffe.Feare ~nd trembling become us in oul''<ictefltt to theMajelly ofthe Almighty:Neither was theremore frate,then fectefie'in Gdds Arke;fome things the wifdome ofGod ddires to conce3le;The unrever<'nceofrh<! Ifraeliteswas no morefaulty,then their curiofity; fecretthings to Go'd, thingirez D vealed to us and to our children. .T The remove of the eAr:f<.:• • Heare oftheBethf\lemires lamentation, I heare notoftheir repentance ; they complaine of1heirfmart, they complainc not oftheir fin; atid for ought I can perceive, fpeake, as ifGod werecurious, rather then they faulty : (Who is able to]land befor. tU. holy Lord God, and to whomJba/1 he goeftom as?) As ifnone could plcaf<:thatGod which miflikedthem: It is the£,_ ihion of rlaturall me~ to Ju.llifie themfelves in their owne courfts ~ ifthey cannoi ch"rge any eal'thly thmg With the blameofthe•r fuffenng, they will cafl 1t opbn E Heaven: That aman pleads himfelfe guiltyofhis ownWrohg, is no c01mnon work ofGods Spirit. Beththemdh bordered too neate upbn' thePhilillims'; If thefe men thought the very prefence of the Arke hurtful!, wby doe the)' fend to their neighbours ofKiriath-jearim,thatthey mightmale themfdves miferable ~Where there is a milconceit of God, it is no marvel! if there be a defect of Charity : How cunningly doe they fend their meff•gt!totheirneiahbours~ They doe not fay,the ArkeofGod is come to us of it own<! accord,lell~hemenofKidath-je"rim ihould reply1 lt is C?meto you, let it llaywitt1 you: Tliey f.1y only, Tire Philifl•ms have brought 1t; they tell oftheprefence ofthe Arke,they doenot tell ofthe fucceffe, !ellthe ex3mple oftheir judgement 010uld havo difcouraged t'he forwardnelfe oftheir reliefe: And after all,the offerwas ~laufible; CMtt 7' db.Plil and ta~l tt"P to you ;as•fthe honour had been too gt,atfor tliemfdves, ~s 1f-tho1t rtrodefi;r I ------~---------------------R~r~rr~--------------~_b~_=ad~-----7)
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