1094 [onttmplt~~ionr. L1a.XV. !--~:_~~~~~~~~~ rad that had a God to rejoyce i~,' that had this occa!ion ofrejoycing in their God, A and an heart that embraced th1• occafion. There 1s nothmg bmthis wherein wee may not joy immoderately,onfeafonably; this fpiriruall joy can never b< either o'ur oftime, or out ofmeafure: Let him that rejoyceth,rejoycein the Lord. But now when the !fraelires were in the midft of this Angel-like jollity, their hearts lifted up,their hands playing, their feet moving, their tongues finging and fl1outing God fees good_ro !hike them into a fudden dumpe_ by the death of rzza!J: J"h~y are· fcarce f<t mto the rune, when God marres rhe1r Mufique, by a fearful! judgement. and changes theirmirrh into aftonilhment, and confu!ion; There could nor bee~ more excellent work then this they were about; there couldnor bee more chearfull hearrs in the performing ofir, yet will the 1uoll holy God rather dafl1 all this folemne fervice, then endure an a&ofprefumption or infidelity. Abinadab had beene B the faithfull Hoft ofGods Ark for the fpaceofnventy yeares: even in the midll ofthe terrors of lfrael, who were jullly affrighred with the vengeance inflicted upon Deth-lhemeflJ,did he give harbor unto it;Yet even the fon of Ahinadab is ftricken dead, in the firft departing ofthat bleffed gueft: The Sanctity ofthe Parent cannot beareoutthe fin ofhisSon: The Holyone oflfrael will be fan&ified in alll'hat come neere him :He will be ferved like himfdfe. What then was the fin ofvr.za!J? Whatwas the capitall crime,forwhich he fo fearfullyperilhed! That the ArkofGod was committed to the Cart, it was not his device only,but the common a&ofmany; That it was nor caried on the lhoul. dersofLevires,was no leffethe fault of <-A!Jio, and the reft oftheir Brethren; only rzuh is llricken: The rellfinned in negligence,be in prefumption;the Ark ofGod C !hakeswith the agitation ofrhar carriage; he puts forth his hand to hold it lleddy : Humane judgement would have founcfhetein nothing haynous: God fees nor with the eyes ofmen; None but the Prieftslhouldhave dared to touch the Ark; It was enough for the Levites to touch the barres that carryed it: An unwarranted hand cannot fo lightly touch the Ark,bur he ftrikes the God that dwels in it: No marvell ifGod ftrikethat man with death, that ftrikes himwithPrefumption ; There was well-nccre the fame quarrell againft the thoufattds ofBethlhemelh,andagainft rz. -"•h; Theydyed for looking into theArk,he fortouching it; !ell: lfraellhouldgrow into acontemptuous familiarity with this TeftimonyofGods prefence,hewill hold them in awe with Judgments.The revenging hand ofthe Almighty, that upon the retumeofthe Arkftaied atthe houfe of v!bi11adaS, upon the remove of the Ark p begins there again : Where are thofe that think God will rake up with a careleffe and llubbred fervice ~ He whofe infinite mercy ufes to paffe by our fins ofinfirmity,punilherh yet feverely our bold faults : Ifwe cannot doe anything in thedegrees thathe requireth;yet we mull learn to do all things in the forme that he requireth; Doubtleffe r::.z•h meant no otherwiferhenwell, in purring forth his hand toftay the Ark; He knew rhefacred Urenfils that were in it, thePorofManna, theTablesofthe Law, the Rod of Aaro11, which might be wronged by that over-rough motion:ro thefe he offers his aid,and is ftricken dead:The belt intention·cannotex, cufe;much leffe warrant us in unlawfull a&ions:where wedo ought in fairh,irpleafcth ourgood God ro wink at, and pittyour weakneffes ; but if wee dare to prefent God with the wel-meanr Cervices ofour ownmaking, we run into the indigna- E rionofGod; There is nothing more dangerous then to bee ourownecarvers in matter of Devotion. I marvell nor ifrhe countenance of D•vid were fuddenly changed, to fee tho pale face ofdeath in oneofthe chiefe Actors in this holy Proceflion: Hee that had found God fo favourable tohim in actions ofleffe worrh,is troubled to f<e this facceffe ofa bulinelfe fo heartily directed unro his God; and now he begmsrolooke rhorow v zu!J athimfdfe, and to fay, (Ho..,fo•llthe Arkeofr!Je Lordwmllm< ?) Thenonely fl1ali we make a right ufe ofrhe judgements ofGod upon others, when we !hall feare them in our felves,and finding our finnes at leall equall,flllli tremble at the expectation ofthe fame deferved punilhments.God intends nor only revenge in his execution,but reformation;Asgood Princes regard not fo much the fmart of the
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