Contemplations. L1a.XVIJ. ofhis owne. Ir lbads nor with the munificence ofa boumi!ull God to be indebted ~o his crearure,":e cannot give him ought u~r~compenced: There is no way whereID we can be fo hberall to our felves,as by giVIng to the polfclfor ofall things. And art thou ftili,O God,klfe free unto us thy meaner fervanrs underrhe Gofpell ~· Hlfi thou not faid,Wh•t J•evtr yee fo•f/ ASke the FAt her;, m; 1wne,itfo•U begiven y•u?Only give us grace not robewanting unto thee, and we know thou canfi nor futfer any thing to be wanting unto us. The night follow<S the temper ofthe day; and the heart foufcthrofleepe as it wakes: Had not the thoughts of Sal•m•n been intent upon wifdome by day, h~ had nor made it his fuit in his dreame: There needs nokifure ofdeliberation: The heart was fo fo.r..ftalled with t~~ lo~e, and admiration of ~ifdome, that not abiding rhc leaft mouon of a competmon,Jt fafiens on that grace 1t had longed for:Give11111•thy B firv•nt An uwderft•nding heArt,to judge thy pt~ple. Had not S•l•m•n beon wife bdore he had not knowne the worth ofwtfdome, he had not pr<ferred it in his delires; The dung-hill cockes oftheWorld cannot know theprice ofthis pearle; thofe that have it, ~now that all other excellencies are but trafh,& rubbi!h unto ir.S•l•mon was a ~rear Ki~g,and faw that he had power e~ough,but withall, he fo~nd that royalty, without wtfdome, was no other then em!Dent dt!honour; There ts no trade oflife wheretotbcre belongs not opeculiarwifdome; without which there is nothing but a tedious unprofirablenetre; much more to the highdt, and bulieft vocation, rhe regiment ofmeo:As God harh no reafon ro give his befi favours unasled; fo barb lte no will to with.holdrhem where they ~re asked. Hee that in his cradle had the title of Bel•vtd •f G•tl, is now beloved more in the c throne for the love and defire ofwifdome;this foile could never have born this fruit alone;SA!om•n could not fo much ashave dreamed ofwifdome,ifGod had not put ir into him; and now God takes the fuit fo \veil, as ifhe were beholden to his'creature forwifhing the bell: to it felfe : and becaufe S•l•m•nharh asked what he fbould bee !hall now receive both what he asked,and what he asked not:Riches and honor'fhall be given him into the match.So cloth God love a good choyce,rhat he recompenfes it with over-giving:Couldwe but firft feek the KingdomeofGod and his righceoufnelfe,all thefe earthly things fhould be foper-added to us;Had S•l•m•n made wealth his boon,he had failed both ofriches and wifdome;now he as~es the befi,and fpeeds of all; They are in a faire way ofhappineffe that can pray well;lt was nodif-comfort to S•l•mDn, that he awaked and found it a dreame; for he ~new this dreame was di· D vine, and oracular;and he alreadyfound in his fir(! waking, the reall performance of what was promifed him fleeping : Such illumination did be fenfibly fin de in all the roomesofhis heart,as ifGod had now given him anew foul:'No marvel! ifS•l•••n now returning from the Tabernacle tothe Ar~e, tefiified his joy and thankfulneffe by burnt-offerings, and peace-offerings, and publike feafiings; The heart that bath found in it felfc the lively tefiimonies ofGods prefence,aAd favour ,cannot containc it felfe from outward exprellions. Godlikes not to have his gifts lie dead where he bath conferred them11fracl !hall foon witndle they have a King enlightened from heaven; in whom wifdomc did not (lay for heires,did not admit ofany parallel in his predecelfors.The all-wife God wit find occalions to draw forth thofe graces to ufe and light,which he bath beftow- E ed on man;Two Harlots come before young S•lomMwith a difficult plea; Iris not like,the Princes earewas the firfi that heard this complaint;there was a fubordinare courfe ofjufiice for the determinotion ofthefe meaner incidences: the hardndfeof this decilion brought the matter,thr'?~gh all the bechesof inferior judicature,to the Tribunal of S•l•m•n; The very IfraelmfhHarlots were not fo unnatural as fomc now adayes that counterfeit honefiy; Thefe ftrive fJr the fruit oftheir womb,ours ro put them off;One Con is yet alive,rwo mothers contend for him.The children were ali~e for feature, for age. the motherswere alike for reputation: here can he no evidence from others eyes;Whethers now is the living Child,and wherhers is thedead?Had SAl.,.., gone about to :vring forth .the truth by rorturcs,he had perhaps plagued the innocenr,and added pame to the mtfery ofher lolfejthe weaker had been guilty,and rhc
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