1174 O:mtemplations. Lrn.XVIII. - thm owneprofit1 They do not lay,Rchgion W3SC~mupted in the !hutting upofthy A fathers dayes;ldolatry found the free favour ofPndls,and Tcmples,and factifices: Begin thy raignewith God1purge the Church,demolifh thofepiles ofabomination: abandon thole Idol-mongers, rdloredevotion to her purity : I hey are all for their peony,for their cafe : He on the other fide, is all for his will, for an imperious Sove· raignty ; withoucany regard either of their reformation or btisf•<llion : They were worthy of load that cared for nothing but their backs 1 and he worthy of fuch fubjctls, who profdled to affe<ll their mifcry and torment. Who would nocbuc have looked any whither for the caufe of this cvill, ra1hcr then to bcaven?ycr,the holy God challenges it to himfdfc: The caufe was from the Lord, that he mightperforme this faying by Abij•h the Shilonite to Imbo•m .. As finne is a punifhmcotoffinne,it is a pmof jullice: The holy One ofifrad dorh not B abhorre to ufee•en the groffell fins to his owne jull purpofes; whiles our wits are free to our owoe choice, his decrees are as ncceflary, as jall 1 Ifrad had for faken the Lord, and worfhippcd Ajbtamh, the goddcfi'c of the Zidonians, and Chtmofh, and Mlkhom: God owts them and Salomon a whippin~; Thcfrowardndft of Rtho6oam fhall pay it them;! fee Imbwns p'ot, the peoplesmfolencc,the young me~s mifad· vice, the Princes unreafonable aellcricy, meeting together (through che wife Pro- ·vidcoccofthe Almighty) unwittingly to accomplifl1 his moll julldeme: All theft might have done otherwife for any force that was offered to their will ; all would no more doe otherwife, then ifthere had been no predetermination in heaven; thac God may be magnified in hiswifdome, and jullice, whiles man wittingly perifherh in his folly. C · Thatthree daiesexpe~acion had warmed thcfe fmoaking Ifraelitcs, aad made chetB ready for a combu!\ion: upon fo peremprory a rcfolurionofrigour, the fl•mc ~u:llsout, Vfhich all the w~ters oftheWell of Btthlthtm could never quench : The funous mulmude Byes out mtoa defperate revolr;What portion h•vt "'in D•vld~nti· thtr ha'vt ,., inhtrlta•<t ilflht Son of ltf{t: TD J'N' Tents 0 Ifr.ul; now ,{tttuhi•Hw• ho11[e D•vid. How durll chefe feditious mourhes mention D•viJ in defiance~ Onewould have thought chat very name had been able eo have tempered their furie,& to have con· rained them within the limits ofobedience:It was the father of Rth1bo•m,and the foo of Davidthat had led llrael into Idolatry: Saumon hach drawne contempt upon his hher ~nd upon the fon:lflfrad have call offtheir God,is ic marvcll that they lhake D offhis Aooioced?Irrcligion is the way to difobedience: There can be no true fubjellion but out ofcoofcicoce: They cannot make confcienceof civil duties,who mak.e none ofdivine. In vaine Jhall Rthob#4m hope to prevaile by bis Officer,when himfdfe is rejetted: The perfonsofPrioccs carry in them ch3raCiers of Majclly; when their prefence workes nor,how fhould that meffage~ If Ador•m follicit chepcopletoo late w•• good words,they anfwer him with lloncs.Nothing is more uncratlable &violent,then an inrag<d multitude; It was time for Rehoboam to betake himfclfe to his Charct; bee faw thofe ftoncs were throwne at him,in his <.Ad, am: As the mefi'engcr luffetS for hisMaller, foche Maller fuff<rs in hismdl'eoger: Had Rtboboam been in Ad.ra,.·s clothes, this death had been his : Ooely flight can deliver him from thofe that E might have beene fubjc<lls : )crufalem muft be his refuge againft the ~onfpiracy of Shtchtm, Bleffed be God forlawfull government : Even a mutinous bocly cannot want an head : If the rebellious Ifraelitcs have call offtheir true Soveraignc, they mull choofe a falfe; It;,,.., the fon of Ntb41 mull be the man : He had need be ski!full and fit fure,thacfhall back the horfe whichhath call his F.ider: Ifracl could not have any where met with more craft and courage, then they found in this Leader. RthlhOA"' recurnes eo Icrufalem lighter by a crown then he went fonh; l•dah ar.d Btnj•mln flick llill fall to their loyalty: the example of ageneral! nbtllion cannot make them unfaichfull eo the houfeof D•vid : God will ever refcrve a r<mnant free from the common con~gioo : Tbofe Tribes, eo1pprove their valour, no l<ffc the_n rhm
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