Contempl4tions. · Lrn.XV. his Daughtcr,both ofthem worfethcn many deaths~ What revenge can he thinkof A f0r fo hainous a crime ldfe then death; &what ldfe then death is it te him to think ofa revenge~ Rape was by the Law ofGod,capitall1 how much more,wh:n iris fc. conded with in cell~ Angerwas nor punifhmen(,enough for fo high an offence. yet this is all rhat I hear of,from fo indulgenta Father, Caving tlm he makes up th~ rdl with forrow,punifhing his Sons out-rage in himfelf1 The bmernatured, and more gracious a man is, the more fubjea he is to thedanger ofan over-remiffeneffc,& the exceffe offavour and mercy: The milde injuflice is no leffe perilous to the Common-wealth then thecruell. IfDavid(perhaps out of theconfcience of his ownlate offence) will not punifh this fa a, his lpn .Abfol•m fhall: not out ofany care ofJuflice, but in a de fire of revenge. Two whole years,hath rhisflye Courrier fmothered his indignation, and fai- B ned kindnetre1elfe his invitation of Am11m in f!"'ciall, had been fufpeaed. Evengallane Abfal•m was a'great Sheep-maller;The bravery and magnificence ofa Courtier mufl be built upon the grounds of frugality; David himfelfe is bidden to this bloody Sbeep-fhearing; Ir was no otherwifemeant, but rhatthe Fathers eyes fhould berhe wirneffes oftbe Tragical! execution ofone Sonby another 1 Only Davids love kept him from that horrible fpecbcle.He is careful! not to be chlfgeable to that Son who cares not to overcharge his Fathers llomack with a Feall ofBlood. Am11m bath fo quire forgot his fin, that he dares goe ro frail in that houfe where Tam.r was mourning; and fufpeds not the kindndfe ofhim whom he had defcrved, ofa Brotherro make an enemy; nothing is more unfafe to betrufled, then the fair looks ofa fcflred hem:Where true Charityor jufl fatisfaCl:ion, havenor wrouaht a C found rcconciliation,malicedoth but lurk for the opportunity ofan advantage. 0 It was not for nothing that Abfi:lom deferred his revenge 1 which is now fo much more exquifite,as it is longerprotratted: What could be more fearful!. then when .4mn.ns heart was merry with Wine,to be fuddenly flricken wirh death~ Asifrhiscx· ccution had been no leffeintended to the Soule, then to the body; How wickedly foever this was done by A~f411m,r,et how jufl WlS:it with God, that he, who in two years impunity would fiode no le1fure ofrepem;mc'e, lhould now receive a puoifh· ment without pofiibility ofRepentance ~ 0 God,thouart righteous to reckon forrhofe fiones,which humane partiality or negligence hath omitted , and while thou punifh<ll fin with fin, ro punifh fin with • death; Ifeith't DAvid had called .Amno11 to account for this villany,or vfmn•n had D called himfdfe, the revenge hado'ot been fo defperate;Happy is the man that by an unfainrd Rc,pentance acquits his foul from his kn01vn evils, and improves the days ofhis peace eo the preventionoffumre vengeance;which if it be not done, the hand ofGod fhallas furely overtJke us in jndgemenr,as the hand ofSatan liath overtaken us in mifcariageunto fin. Abfaloms return and conj}iraciLJ. • Nfl. A a ofinju!lice draws on another; Theinjuflice of David, in 1 not punifl1ing the rape ofAmnon,procurcs the injuflice of Ahfalom 1E in punifhing Am110nwirh murder: That which the Father fhould have juflly revenged,and·did not; the Sonne revenges unjuflly. The rape ofa Sifler was no leffe worthy of death then the M11t· der of a Brother 1 Yea, this latter fin was therefore the lcffc, be· . caufe that brotherwos worthy ofdeath, though by another hand; whereas that Sifler was guilty ofnothing but model! beauty: yer he that knew thiS Rape paffcd over(two whole years)with impunity, d2res !'ot tr~fl the. mercy of~ Father, in the pardon ofhis Mt~tder1 bur for three years h1des IllS he.ad to t~e Coutr of his Grand-father the Kin a ofGdhur. Doubdeffe, that Heatherufl1 Pt~oce gave hima kind we! corn~, f<>r fo ~eritorious a reve'oge of the difl10aour done ro his own loyns•. No
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