IOU [ontemplationr; had beene fuch, that theywould not fordbll and engroffc bappineffe from the reil A ofrfrael. It is no boot to ceachN,ture how to tell berowntale,finart onddanaer wil nllke a man witty: He is rarely confhnr,thlt will nor diffembleforeafe. It~ good to be fufpicious ofthe evafions ofrhofe which would put offmifery. Thofe ofBcthfhemeflJ were not more crafty then thefe of Kiriath- jearim (which was the ground of their boldneffe) f.1ithfull : So many rhoufand Bethfl1emires could nor be dead, and no part ofthe rumour llie to them: they heard how thick,not onely the Philiflims but the bordering Ift3dites fell downedead before the Arke; yet they dutfl ar;l: venture to come, and fetch it, even from imongfl the carkaffes of their brethren: They had bin formerly acquainted with rhe Arke, they knew it was holy, it could not be changeable, and therefore they well conceived this llaughrer to arife from B the unholineffe ofmen, not from the rigour ofGod, and thereupon can feek corn. fort in that, which or hers f0und deadly: Gods children cannot by any meanes be difcouraged from their honour, and love to his Ordinances: If they fee thoufands firuck down to Hell by the Sceprer of Gods Kingdome, yet they willkiffe it upon their knees, and iftheir Saviour be aRock ofoffence,and theoccafion ofrhe fall ofmillions in Ifrael, they can love him no ldfe: They can Wltme rhemat the fire, wherewith they fee others burned; they can feed temperatelyofthat, whereof others have furfeited to death, &c. Bethfhemefhwas a City ofPriefls and Levites: Kiriath· jearim a City of Juda wherewe heare but ofone Levire, t..A binttdab; yet rhis City was more zealous fo; God,more reverent and confcionable in the entertainment of the Arke, then the c other. We heard of the taking down of the Ark by the Bethfhemires, when it eame miraculoufly to them ; we doe not heare ofany man (anGlified for the otten. dance ofit, aswas done in_th_is fe~~nd lodging ofthe Ark :Grace is nortyed either to number, or meanes. It 1S m fpmtuall matters, as m the cflate: Small helps with g0od r)lrift igrich us, when great patrimonies lofethemfelves in the cegletl:. Shi- ,lohwaswont to be the placewhich was horroured with the prefence of the Ark; Ever fince the wickedndfe of Elies Sonnes,that was forlorn,and defolate,and now Kiriath-jearimfuceeeds into this priviledge: It did not fiand with the royal\ liberty ofGod,no nor under the Law, to rye htmfelf unto places and perfons: Unwonhi-1 neffe wasevera fufficient caufe of exchange. It was not yet his time to flir from the Jews,yot he removed from one Province toanother: Leffe reafon have we to think, D t.hatfQ God will rdide amongfi us, that noneof our provocations can drive him from us,&c. Ifrael, which had found themifery ofGods abfence,is now refolved into teares ofcontritiou,rtnd thankfulneffe upon his rerurne: There is no mention of their lamentingafter the Lord,while he was gone,but when he was rcrurned,and ,Ceded in Kiriath- jearin'l : The mercies ofGod drawmore reares from hischildren, then his. judgements do frottl hisenemies:Thereis no better fign ofgood nature or gtace, thenrobe won to re.pemancewith kindneffe: Not ro think of God, exceptwebe beaten unto it, is fervile: Becaufe God was comeagaine to Ifrael,rherefore Ifrael is returned to God; IfGod had not comdirfl,they had never come: Ifhe,rhat came tb them, h~d not mlde thel)l come to,,im, they had bin evet patted. They were .E cloyed withGod,while he was perpetually refidentwith them,nowrhacl1isabfence had made him daimy,they Cleave to himfervently, and penitently in his rerurne: X his was it,thatGod meant in hisdeparture,abenerwelcome at hiscomming back. I h'eatd no ncwes of SAmr~tl all this while the Ark was gone: Nowwhen the Ark is returned and plated in Kiriath-jearim, I heare him treatwith the people. It is not like,he was filemin this fad deferrion ofGod;but now he takes full advantage ofrhe prOfeffed conrritioq of!frael, to dealewirh them dfectually,for cheir.perfe& converfion unto God. Iris greatwifdome in fpiriruall matters, to tal-<= Occafionby the fore-lock~ and to,:flrike whiles r,be iron is hot: We may bear long enough at the doore, but rill God have opened, it is no going in, and wl~n he hath opened,it ~no delaylng~o enter•. T)le tryall of fincerity is the abandoning ofour wonted - tlnnes:
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