L 1 8;XV. Uzzah,andthevfrkeremo"Ved. j 1095 A rheevill pJfi, as the prevention ofrhc future; whidtis never ana;nc:d but whenwe\---- moke applicotions ofGods band: and draw common caufcs out ofGods particular · I proceedings. . . . 1 doe not hearc D•vid fay;Surely, thts man "gUilty offome fecret fin, that tbe World knows not,God hath met wah him,thne tsnodangerto us,why lhould I be difcouraged to fee God jult; we maygoe onfafdy and prolper: Bmbcre his foot 1 fiaies,and Ius hjnd fals from his Infrrumem,andhisrongue is ready eo raxc; his own l unworthineff~,( 1-/orr Jl~ullthe Ark ofthe Lordcome unto me? )That heart is carnall and 1 proud,tbat thinks any man worfc then himfdf; D•vids feare'fbies his progrdfe: Pnhaps he mrobr have proceeded with goocf fuccdfc, but he dares not vemure, 1 where hefees fuch adeadly check:lt is better robe too fearfull,r!Jen too forward in B Ehofe affJm:s,wluch doe tmmedtardy concerne Ged ; As tt ts nor good to refraine I from holy bufinenes,fo iris worfc ro doe tbcm ill; Awfulnetfe is a Cafe Interpreter.· ofGods fecrer actions, and a wife guideofours. . T H 1 sevent bath holpen obtd-Edom to a guelt he lookt not for, God flull now fojournein the houfe ofhim, in whofeheart he dwelt before by a llrong faith: elfe themon durll not have undertaken to receive that dreadful! Arke, which D•vid himfdfe feared to harbour; Oh the courage ofan honelt and faithful! heart! obed1 Ed•m knew well enough what flaughter the Ark had made amonglt the Philillims, 3nd after rhat amongll the Bethfil<mires, and now he faw r::.z.ah Iye dead before him, yttdorh he not moke any fcruple ofentertaining it, neither dorh he fay, My Neighbour Abrnadab was a carefull aud religionsbolt to theArk, and isMw payed with the bloud ofhis fon: how lhall I hope to {peed better!but he opens his doores C witb abold chearfulnetTe,and notwirhllanding all thofe terrors,bidsGod welcome: Nothing can make God not amiable to his own;Even his very jultice is lovely:Holy men know how ro rejoyce in the Lord withrrembling,and can feare wirhout difcouragemenr. . . , . The God ofheaven wJ!I not recerve any thmg from men on free-colt: he will pay liberally for hislodging,a plenrifull bleffing upon obed-Edom,andatl his houfehold. It was an honour to that zealous Girrite,th:lt the Ark lhould come under his roofe; yet God rewardsrhat honour with benedit\ion; Never man was a lo{erby true godlinetfe. The houfe of obtd-Edom cannot this while wantobfervation: the eyes of Dav.d,and ai!Ifrael were never offfrom it, to fee how itfored wirh this enD teruinmenr. Andnow,whenrheyfinde nothing, but a grado~.:s acceptation and fenfible ble!Ting, the good King of Ifrael takes new hem, and haltens to ferch the Arke into his royoll Ciry. The viewofGodsf.1vvurs upon the Godly, is no final! encouragement w confidence and obedience : Douhtldfc-, oh~d.Edom was not free from Come weaknetfes ; Ifthe Lord fhould have taken rhe advantage ofjudgemeni againlt him, what Ifraelites h:td not been difi1earrened from attending the Arke; NowDa'tlidand Ifrael was not more afti·ighted with rhe vengeance upon Y'{__z,ab, then encouroged by the bletling of ob,d-Edom .- The wife God doth {oorder his jult and merciful! proceedings,that the awfulneffe of men may be tempered with love.Now the fweet lingtr oflfrael revives hi< holy Muficke;and addes bothmore fpirir and more pompe to {o devout a bufinetfe: I did not before heare of TrumE pets,nor dancing, nor lhouting,nor facrilice, nor the linnen Ephod : The fenfe of Gods paffcd dtfp!eafure,doubks our care to plea{e ltim,and our joy in his recol'ered approbation: we nevermakefo much of our heolth ;JS after fickneffc, nor nevet· arc foofficious to ourfriend, as afrer an unkindneffe In rhe firll fming out of the Arke, DAv1ds feare was at !call an equall march to his joy ; therefore after rhe firll: fixe paces he offered a f.1crifice,both to pacific God,and rhank him: but now when I they faw no ligneofdiOike, they did more freely !tt themfdves loo{e to a fearloffe joy, and the body ltrovetoexpreffe rite holy aftetlion of the foule; there was no hmbc,no part that dtd ootprofetfe their mirth by motion;no noyfe ofvoyce,orinltrument wanted to o!Tilt their fpi rituall jol!ity;D•vid led the way,dancing with all his might in his linneo Ephod: Pz::.ah was ltillin his eye, hedurlt notufurpupona gorment ofPriells, but will borrow rheircolour to grace the folemniry, though he Z z z'z > dare
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