L 1 a.XV. Hanun11ndDavids dmk~ffadours. ) ll_OJ A whofe faces age it fdfha<\ not wont to cover with this fl1ade of liayre : But forefpetlive is good David, and his wife Senatqurs, of their Country-formes; that they fuail by appointment ra,thertarry_abroad, nil nme have wrought the_ir conformity,then varyfrom therecc1ved fafluons of the" owne people. Ab~, l~to what a licentious vanoty ofllranged1fgmfenre we falne ~- The glory ofAture IS fought innovdty,in mif-fl1ape~~dfe,in monfiroufneffe: There is much latirude,much !i7 berty in the ufe of thefe md1fferent thmgs; but becaufc we are free, we may not run wilde : and never thmke wee hav-e fcope enougli, uhlcffe we out•ruri modelty. . , , . . .. It is lawfuil forpubhke perfons, to feele their own 10d1gmnes, and to endeavour their revenge. Now David fends ail the hofi ofthe might}' men to puni(h Ammon, B for fo foule ,an abufe;Thofe that received theMeifengers ofhis love with fcorn and info!ency, fhail nowbefeverely falured _with the Mdfenges of his wrath. It is jufi both with God and men,tharthey,whoknowno! howro rakefavoursaright,fhould fmart with judgments.Kindneffe repulfed,breaks forth into indignation,howmuch morewhen it is repayed with an injurious affi:ont-: · , . . : Dav,id cannot bur feele his owne cheekes fhaven, and his owneCoare cut, in his Embaffadours ; they did but carry his perfon to Hanun ; neither can. he _therefore but appropriate tohimfdfe the kindneffe,or Injury offered unto them : He that did fo rake to heamhe cutting offbur the bpofKing Sa•is Garment, when it was laid aftde from him, how mufi he needs be affetled witlithisdifdainfuil halvingofhis haire and Robes, in the perfon of his depoties ~ The name ofErilbafTadours bath C beenever facred, and by the univerfall LawofNations,hath carryed in itlilflicieni proti:tlion, from all publike wrongs, neither hath it beene ever violated, without a reveng•.Oh God,what fhall we fay tothofe notoriouscontempts which aredaily cafi upon thy fpirituall Mdfengers~Is it pollible thou fhouldfi not feelethem, thou fhouldll not avenge them~ Weare made a gazing fiock to the world,to Angels and to men,we are defpifed and trodden dpwn in the dufi; who hath beleeved our repo(t,ahd to whoini~the Arme ofthe Lord revealed~ . · ' !-lowobflinate are wkked men in their perverfe refolotions! Thefe foolifl1 Ammenites had rather hire Syrians to mainrai~e a War againfi Ifrael in fo foule aquarrell, befides the hazard oftheir owne lives, tlien confeffe the errour oftheir jealous mifconfiruthon. . . . D It is one of the mad principles ofwickednelre,that iris aweakneffe to relent,and rather to Dye then yedd;Even ill caufes once underrak<n,mufi beupheld although \vith bloud; wherelS the gracious he>rr findin;; his own mifi~king,doth not onc!y. remit ofan ungrounded difpleafure,but fiudies to be revenged of it fdf, and to give fatisfJtlion to the offended. · The mercenary Syrians are drawn to vennm; their lives for a fee; twemy thoufand ofthem are hyred into the field againfi Ifrael; Fond Pagans that.know no: rhe value ofa man;theil bloud coil them nothing,& they care not to fell it good cheap; · How can we rhink thofe men have Soules, tlm efi.eeme a little white earth above themfelves ~- That never inquire into the }ufliceofthe quarrell, but the rare ofthe pay; that can riflefor dram's offilver, in the bowels oftheir owne llefh, andeither E kill or dye for adayes wages~ . , Jpab thewife General! oflfrael foone findes,where rhe firength ofrhe battle lay,. and.fo marfl1als his rroups,tharthe choice ofhis men fl1ould encounter tl)evantgard ofthe Syrians. His brother A~i[hai leads the refi againfi the children of vfmmon; with this covenant of mutuallalliflance, (ljthe Synans be too (/roRgfor me,thmtho" [halt help me; but ijthe chtldren ofAmmonbttooJlrongfor:hu,then ,.,{/Icomeandhelp thee;) It IS an happythmg, w~en rheCaptaines ofGods peoplejoyne together as brethren, and lend their handto the ayde ofeach other againfi the common adverfary. Concord in defence,or affaulr,isthe way to vitlory; as conrtarily tbedivifion ofthe leaders is the pverthrow of\he Army. . , Set afidefome particular a61ions,Ioab was a w~rthy Capraine,both for wifdmtie and valour. Whocou!deitherexhort or refolve better then he, (Be ofgoodioordg< in a·
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