IJO:Z. . [ontemplationJ. L I a.XV. andiet IIJ play themen,for 0117 people,andfor the Citirs ofourcod; a•tdtht Lorddoe that A which feemtth htmgood? J It is not either private glory or profit that whers his fortitude, but the refpdc to the caufe ofGod and his people; that Souldier can never anfwer it to God, that (lr1kes not more as a}ulticc::r, then as an enemy . Neither cloth he content himfdfe with his owne courage, but he animates others. The tongue ofa Commander fights more then his hand; it is enough for private men ro exercifewhat life and limbs they have; a good Leader mu(! out ofhis own abundance,put hfe and fptms m to all others; If a Lyon leade fl~eep mco the field, there is hope of vi~ory: Laltly,.when he hath done his befi,he refolves to ~epend upon God forthe !lfue: nottrultmg to his fword,or h1s bow,but to the provtdenceofthe Almighty for fucceffc ; as a man religioufly awfull, and awfully confidept, whiles there fl10uldbe no want intheirowne endeavours: he kaew well that the race was B not ro the fwift, nor the battle to the ltrong, therefore he lookes up above the hils whence commerh his falvation. All valour is cowardife to that which is built upon Religion. · I ;;urvdl not to fee Ioab victorious, while he is thus godly; The Syrians flee before him like flocks of fl1eep, the Ammonites follow them; The two fonnes of Zermah ha,·e nothing to doe burro purfue and execute ; The rhroates of the Ammonites are cur,for cutting the Beards and Coatsofthe Ifraelirifh meffengers; Netthet cloth tlusrevengeend m the field; Rabba the royall Ctwof wmmon is ltrongly beleagured hy Ioab; The City ofwaters (after well-neare ayeares liege) yeelderh: the relt can no longer hold; Now J~ab,as one that delireth more ro approve himfelfe, a loyal! and a carefull fubject, then a happy General!, fends ro his C Matter DA"Jtd that he fhould come perfonally, and encampe againlt theCity, and take it ; L<jl (faitb he) I takeit,and it be calledafter my name. Ph noble and imitable fidtlity of a dutifult Servant, that_preferres his Lord to hi~\e,and is fo farrHrom Ilealing hon_our from his Ma~ers de~ens, that ne wil!in~its of his owne, to adde unto hts. The Warre was not Ius; he was o'nely tmplo~ by hts Sovcraigne; The fameperfonxhatlvas wronged in the Ambaffadors, revcngeth by his Souldiers ; The prai[e of the act !hall (like Fountain-water) returne to theSea, whence it originally came; To feek a mansown glory is nor glory.Alas,how manyare there, who being fentto fue for God, WOfleforthemfelves. Oh God, it is afearfi1ll thing to robbe thee oftharwhich is dearelt to thee,Glory;which as thou wilt not give to any Creature,fo much leffe wilt thou endure rhatany Creature fhould filch it from D thee, and giveitto himfelfc: Have thou the honour ofall our atlions, who giveft a being to our actions and us, and in both halt moll jultly regarded thine owne praife. David with BathfhebaandUriah. f::~~~~::!Itth what unwillingneffe, with what feare, doe I ltilllook'uponthe' m ifcarriage ofthe man after Gods owne heart~ 0 holy Prophet, who can promife himfelfalwaies to ltand,wfienhe fees thee fain, E and maymed with the fall1 Who can affure himfelfofan intmu. nity from the foulelt fins,when he fees thee oftC:nding fo hai8ouf. ly,fo bloudily ~ Let prophane eyes behold thee contentedly, as a pmerne,as an excufe oflinning ; I fl1all never look upon thee but through teares,as a wofull fpectacle ofhumanc infirmity. Whiles Ioaband all Ifrael were pulie in theWarre againfi Amman, in the liegeof Rabbath,Satan finds time to lay liege to the fecure heart of David. Whoever found David thus tempted,thus foy led in the daies ofhisbulie Wars~ Now only doe I fee the Kin<> oflfrael,riling from his bed in the evenmg; The tune was, when he rofe up in th~ morning to his early devotion; when hebrake his nightly r<lt with publike cares,withthe bulineffe ofthe State;all tbat wh1le he wasmnocent,he was holy;bur now
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