Lxs.XVII. Salomons choife, &c. A and yet imitate it : Thd.earrhly things drh<r ar< our fervanrs or fhould be 1 how commonly doe we f.e men run our of the bounds, fer by Gods Law, to hunr after them, rill their foules incurrea fear<full judgement~ Princes have rhoufandsofeyes & earrs:If shimti wil for more fecrdie fadle his own Affe,•nd rake(as is like)rhe b<nefir ofnighc,forhis paffage;his journey cannor be hid from s al•mon. How warie had rbofe men need robe that are obnoxious~ Without dday is shimticomplained of,convenred,charged with violationboth ofrheoarh of God,and the injunClion of Salomon;and that allthefe might appeare to be but an occafion of that punifhmenr,whofe caufe was more remore, now isall that old venom laid before him,which his malice had longfince fpir at Gods anointed: Tboukn•wefl a8the wickednef!e, whmto thine heart is privy, thAt thou didjl 11 David "'J father. Had this old rally been llricken off; yet could nor Shimel havepl:ad<d ought for B his Jife:For,had he faid;Letnor my Lord the King be thus mortally difpleafed for fo fmall an offence:Who ever died for palling over Kidron~ What man is rhe worfe for my harmdeffe journeydr had foon been retMtned.Tfrhe aCI be fmall, yerrhe circiillances ar< deadly : The commands ofSoveraigneauthority make the lleightell du· ties weighty; If the journey be harmddl'e,yer nor the difobediencdris not for fubjeCls to poife the Princes charge in the fcaks of rhdr weake confirudions; bur they mull fuppofe irev<r to be offuch importance, as is pretended by the Commander: Bdides rhe pr<cepr,here was a muruall adjumiontShimti fwore nor to goe1 Sal•m•n fwore his death it he went; the one oath mull be rc·JCnged, the other mull be kept : lfShimti were falfe in offending,Sal•mon will be jull in punifhing. Now therefore, that which vdbifbai the (on of Ztrviah wifhed ro have done in rhegreenodfe ofrhe c wound, ond was repelled\ after long fellering Btnaiah is commanded todoe: The fiones that Shimeithrewat David llruck nor fo deep,as Benaiahs fword; The tongue char curfed the Lords anointed harh paid the head ro boot,Vengeance againll rebels may ll:ep, it cannot die: A fure, if lare,judgemenr arrends thofe rhardarelifr up eitherrhe hand ortongue againll the facred perfonsofGods vice-gerents.How much Idle will rhe God of heaven fuffer unrevenged rhe infolencies, and blafphemies againfl his owne divine MJjefty ~ It is a fearefull word, He !hould not be jull ifhee fhould hold rhefe guiltlelfe. D Salomons [hoife,with hiljudgement upon the two Harlots. ~~~~J Fcer fo many melfages and proofes ofgrace, Sa/.,.on begins doubtfully both for his match, and for his devotion: IfPh.r..hsdaughter were not a Profclyre,his earely choyce was(bdides unwarrantable) dangerous: The high places nor onely llood, bur were frequented, both by the people,and King; I doe nor finde Davld climbing up Joa..ol:!~~~ rhofe mif.hallowed hills,in an affeClion of the varietyofAlrars5sal•· m.n dorh fo,and yer loves the Lord,and is loYed ofGod againe: Such is the mercy ofour God,that he will nor fuffer our we!. meant weakneffes to bereave us ofhis favours: he rather pities, then plagues us for the infirmities ofupright hearts. E Gib"" was well worthy to be the chiefe,yeathe oncly high places There was the allowed Altar ofGod, there was the Tabernacle,rhou~:h (as then) fcvered from the Arke,thither did young Sal'""" go up 1and,os defiring to begin his raignc with God, there he cffers no lelfe then a thou(and facrific<S. Salom•n worfhips God by day\ God appeares to Sa/omon by night\ Well maywe lookero enjoy God, when we have ferved him; The night cannot but be happy whofe day harh been holy. It was no uoufuall courfe with God to reveale himfelfunto his fervants bydreams; Sodid he hereto Sal•"'"'; Who faw more with his eies !hur,rhenever they could fee open,even him rhar was invifible: The good King had offered unro God a rhoufand burnt facrifices,and now God offered him his option, Ask whAt IjbaOgive thtt: He whofe the beafts are on a thoufand mounraines gracioully accepts a fmdl returne Eeeee of
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