Contemplations. LIB. XVII. No fubjetl had merited more then lo•b; When proclamation wasmade in Ifrad A that whoever lhould fmite the )ebufit<s firft,he lhould be the Chiefe and Captain/ 1146 was rhe man: WhenDavid built fomepart of )erufalem,r.,h builtthereft· f~ as )erufalemowes it fclfe to Tl4h,b.othfor recovery,and reparation;No man held fo clofc to DA'IIid;no man was more mtent to the weale oflfrael, none fo fuccdftful in vidories1yet now he is cald ro reckon for his old finnes, and muft repay blood ro A. ""f.o,and ..A hntr: It is not in the power ofall our defects to buyoffone finne either with God or man : where lifeis fo deeply forfaited, it admits ofno redempti~n . The honeft fimplicity ofthofe times knew not ofany infamy in the execuri~n of Jufitce. Bt•Atah, who was the gre.ar Marlhall ~nder S•fomon, rhmkes not his fingers defiled wtth rhar fatall ftroke. It ts a foohlh mcendfe to purmore fi1ame in rhe do. ing ofju!\ice, then in the violating ofit. B In one ad. S•f•mon hath approved himfelfe both a good Magifirare, and a good fonne, fulfilhog at once the w1ll ofa father and the chargeofGod, concluding upon this jufi execmion, that, <~pon DAvid, •ndup•n hu fted, Anti "P'• hu hou[i, .nd11pon his Thront,thmJb•U hept.ceforever from the Lord;and inferring,thar without this there couldhave bten no peace. Blood is a reltle!fe fuitor, and will not leave clamoring for judgement, till the mouth be !loppedwtth revenge. In thts cafe favour to the offender is cruelty to the favourer. Nowhathl••hpaidallhisarreragesbythefwordof Bm•i•h; there is no fuita· gainft his corps;tbat hath the honor ofa buriall fit for a Peereof Ifrael,for the neer cozen to the King. Death pucsan end eo all quarrelsr S•l•m•m ftrikcs off th<skore C when God is fatisfied: The revenge that furviv.s death and will not bee lhur up i~ the Coffin, is barbarous, and unbcfeeming true Ifraelites. Onely Shimei remaines upon the file, his courfeis next,yet fo,as that it {hall be io his a\-:ne liberty to hafien his end; Upo~ D•vids remiflion,Shimti dwels fecurdy in Bahunm,a rown ofrhe TnbeofBt"J•••,;Doubtletre,when hefaw fa round jufiice done upon Adllfij•h,and TDAb,his guilty heart could not think s.{,,,.,IJ metrage por. tended ought but his execution;and now he cannot but be well pleafed with fo eafie conditions,ofdwelling at Ierufalem, lnd not palling overthe brook Kidron; What more ddighrfull place could he chufe to live in,then that City,which was the glory ofrhe whole earth!Whatmore plea!ing bounds could he with then the fweet banh ofKidron?!erufalem could be no prifon to him, whil.s it was a Paradife to his bet· D ters,and ifhe had adefire ro take fre01 ayre,he had the fpace of fix furlongs to walke from thecity to the brooke. He could nor complaine to be fo ddedably confined : And befides, thrice every yeare bee might be fure to fee all his friends withour fiirring hisfact . WifeS•I•mMwhiles he cared to foeme nor too fevereanexadorofthat, which his father had remitted, prudently !ayes infenfible twigs forfo foulean offender. Be· fides the old grudge,no doubt S•l•m•" faw caufe to fufpeCithe fidelity ofshimti;as a man wbo was ever knowne to be hollow to t.he houfe ofD•vid1the obfcnriry of a Country life would eafily afford him more fafe opportunities off<eret mifchief;Ma· ny eyes lhall watch him in the city;hecannot look our unfcen,hecannor whifperunheard: Upon no othertermes lhall hecnjoy his life, which rheleaft ftraying lhall E forfait. Shimei !~des no paine in this refiraint; How many Npbles oflfrael doe that for pleafure,whichhe doth upon command!Three yeares bathhe lived within compatfe limited both by S•l•mons charge & his own oath:It was fiill in his power (notwith· (\andin a D•vids Caveat) to have laid downe his hoare-head in the grave, without blood: The juft God infatuat<S thofe whom he mcanes to plague: Two of Shimeiu fervants are fled to Gath;& now he faddles his Alfe &is gone to fetch them bade; Either (he rhinkes) thio word of S•t.mon is forgotten, or in the multitude ofgreater affaires nor heeded; onhis fofmall an occurrencewill not come to his care : Covereoufndl'e and prefumption of impunityare t~ e deftruCiion ofmany a foule; Shi•ei feekes his fervanrs, and lofcs himfdfe;How many are there who cry out ofthis folly and
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