[ontemplationl. LIB.XV. dare not the fafhion.White was ever the colour ofjo)',and Linnenwas light for ufe, A therefore he covers h1s PnncdyRobes Withwhite hnnen,and means to honor himfelfby his confotmityta Gods Minifkrs. Thofe that think there is difgrace in the Ephod,are fat from the fpmt ofthe man after Gods ownheart: Ndther can there be a greater argument ofa foule fou!e,then a diOike ofthegloriouscalling of God : Barren Mrc•l h:u:h roo n1any fans that fcorne rhe holy habit and exercifos:Ore looks thmugh her window,and feeingrhe attireand gellures ofher deuout husband,defpi· feth him inher hear~,ne1ther can 0Ie conceak hercomempr,butlike Sauls Daughter calls 1t proudly m Ius face (oh howglorzom "'"'the Kmgof !frarl thuday ;which"'"' uncovmd th/J day in tbe eyes oft heM•idem ofhisfer.-.nts '"'afoole tmcovcreth him{ilj.) Worldly hearts can fee nothing in actions ofzeale but folly and madnelfe: P1ety bath no relifh to their palate but dillallfull. ii DA v to s heart did neverfwell fa much at any reproach, as thisofhiswi!e; his love was for the time loll in bis anger; and asa man impatient ofno affront fa m·uch as in the way ofhis devotion,he returns a bitter check to his Miral,(lt J>M before the Lord,whtch chofo me r4tlm then thy Father,andall his houfo,&c. )Had nor Mica! twitted her Husband with the fliame ofhiszea!,fhe had not heardofthe fhamefull rejellionofher father;now fi nee !hewill be forgetting whofeWife 01ewas,fhe fl>all he put in mind whofe Daughter !he was.Contumelies that are call upon usinthe caufesofGod, may fafdy be repaied:lf we be meale-mourhed in rhefcoms ofRdigi· on,we are not patiem,but zeale-Ielfe: Herewe may nor forbeare her,rhat Jies in our bofome.Jf David had not loved Mic.l dearly,he had never flood upon thofe [ioints withAbner;Heknewthat if Abnercame to him,the kingdomeof!frad would accom- C pany him,and yet he fends him the charge ofnor feeing his face,except he brought UWi<AI,Sauls Daughter with him ; as ifhe would nor regard the Crowne ofifrael, whiles he wanted that Wife ofhis : Yet here he takes her up roundly,as if/he had been an enemy,not a partner ofhis bed. All rdaiions are aloofe off, in comparifon ofthatbetwixtGod and the foul;Hethat!oves Farher,orMother,or Wife,or Child· better then me(fairh our Saviour) is not worrhy ofme. Evetrrhe highell delight; ofour heartsmull be trampled upon,when they willlland our in rivalirywith God. .E Oh happy rcfolution ofthe royal! Propher,and Propheticall King oflfrael, (I will he yet more vile then thus, and will be low in mine own light :) he knew rhis very abafement Heroical!; and thatthe onelyway ro true glory, is,nor to be afl1amedof our lowell humiliation unto God: Well might he pronrife himfelfe honour from D thofe,whofe contempt (he had rhrearned; Theheartsofmen are not rheirowne,he that made them over-rules them,and inclines them to an hanotable com:eit ofrhofe that honor their Maker; So as holy men have oft-timos inward reverence, even where they have oulward indignities.Davidcame to blelfe his houfe,Mical b1ings a curfe upon her felf:Her (corns lhal make her chl!d(elfero the day ofher death;Bartennelfe was held in rhofetimes none ofthe leall judgements;God doth fa fevenge Davids quarrel! upon <.Mica!, that her fudden difgrace fl10ll be recompenced with perpetuall:She !ha! not be heldworthy ro bear a fon,rohim whom !he unjulllycontemned;How jull is it with God to provide whips forrhe backsoffcornersdt is no marvel! ifthofe that mock at goodnelfe,be plagued with conrinuall fruirlefne(lt. Mephibolheth and Ziba. 0 fooneas ever David can but breathehimfelffrom the puhlike cares,be callsback his thoughts to the deare remembrance ofhis Jonathan. Sa•ls fervant is likely to give him the bell inrdligence of Sauls[ons;The quefiion is therefore moved to Ziba ; Remainerh there none of the houfe of S Aul? and !ell fufpition might conceale the remainders ofan emulous !~ne, in feare ofrevenge inre~ded, he addes: On whom I may fl1eW the mercy of God for !Mathans fake! 0 fnendfh1p worthy ofthe Monuments ofEtermry,fit only to requite him whofc lovo was more then rhe love ofwomen: He doth not fay, , b
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