Contemplations. LIB. XVIII. ---;---;----:-~--. never wicked man that was not infatuace, and in nothing moce then in thofe things A wherein he hoped moll: eo tranfcendthe reach ofothns. A~ij•h lhunning the iniquity ofche times,was retired ro afolifary corner of Shiloh· no place could be too.private for an hone~ Prop~et,in fo extreme dcpravednes. Ye~ even there doth the Kmgoflfraeltake nonce ofh1s reclufion, and fends his wife to that poore cell, hden with prefents ; prefents thac dilfembled their bearer : had fl1e offered jewels,orgol l1 her grcatneffe had been fufpe6ted:now lhe brings loaves and cracknds,and hony,het hand anfwcrs herback:She gives as lhe feemes,not as lhe is: Something lbe mufl: g(ve, even when lbe acts the poorefl: client. ' The Prophets ofGod were not wont to have empty viGtations: they who hated bribes, yet rdufed not tokens ofgratitude : Yea the God of heaven who neicher needs our gt;ods,nor is capable of our gratificacions,yec would have no man to come B eo him gifc·!effe : Wo to thofe facrilegious hands, chat in fl:ead ofbringing to the Prophecs cary from them. llroh••m was a bad man,yet,as he had a towardly fon,fo he bad •nobedient wife dfe lhe had not wanted excufes to turne offboth the journey,& the difguife; againft the d1fguife lbe load pleaded the unbefeemingndfe tor her p<rf.Jn and Hare ; againfl: the journey,tbe perils offo long and folicary awalk;perhaps aLyon mighc be in che way; the Lyon that tore the Prophet in pieces;perhaps robbeiS1or ifnot they,pcr· baps her challitymight be in danger : an unguarded lolitarinelfe in che weaker fexe might be aprovocacion eo lome forced uncleanefs: lhe cafl: offall rhek lhifcing pro. je61ions offear,according to the wilofher husband,lhe changes her raiment .lbe fees up0nthe journey, and overcomes ir : What needed chis difguife to an old Prophet C whofe dimey., were fet with age~ All cloarhes,a\1 faces wereolike eo a blind Seer : Thevifions of Ahij•/, were inward;neicher was his bodily fight more dusky,then the ey<S of his mind were cleare& piercing:Ir was notthe commonlight otmcn wherby he faw bur divine illumination;chingsabfenr,rhings future,were no lelfe obvious to rhofe fpiriruall beames, then prefenr things are to us: Ere the quicke eyes of that greac Lady can difcern him,he bath efpied her1& as loone as he heares the lound of her feec,lhe heares from him the found ofher name, C•me in tho• wife •(Jeroboam: How God laughes in heaven at the frivolous fetches of crafty poliricians,and when they think themfelves moll: fure,lhames them with a deteaion,wirh a defeat~ What an idlenesiris for foohlh hypocrites to hoperhey can dacein a netunfeen ofheaven. Never before was this Q!een troubled eo heareofhtr felfe; now lhe is :he.very D name fl:ruck her wirhafl:onilhmcnt; and prepares her for the atfured horrour offollowing judgements,T•m font tothte JVith he•vy tydings;Goe teU Jeroboam: TI111J faith the Lord f]odoflfr•ei.Could this Lady ldfc wonder ac the mercy ofthis lli'eof God, chen creble at the fcqudofhis Jufl:icc!Lo Ifrad hach forfakeGod,yer God fl:il owns Uraei.Ifradhad gone awhoring,yet God harhnordivorced her:O the inRnit good. nes ofourlong fuffering God, whomourloulefl: fins cannot rob of his compaflions! Byhow much clearer Hrael was to God,fomuch moreodious is Imhoam char harh marr,ed Ifrael : Terrible is that venegancewhich God thundersagainfl: him by his Prophet,whofe pallionate melfage npbraids him with his promorions,chargerh him with bis fins,and lafl:ly denounceth his judgements:No mouth was finer to cafl: this royalcyjn the teerh of Ierohoam,then rhar,by which it was lirll foretold,fore-promi. E fed :Every circumfl:ance ofrhe advancement aggravates the fin, I exalted tlm: Thou couldefi not rife eo honour alone. I exaltedthee fi"•m •mong tht people : nor from the Peers;rhy rank was but common,before this rle:I exalted theeftom •m••g tbt P"fle to he APrl11ct 1 fubordinace height was not enough for thee, no !ear would ferve thee butarhrone1 Te• to he A Prinreofmy ptcple Ifrael: No Nation was for thee, bur my chofenone ; none but my royall inhenrance : Neither did I raife thee intoa vacam throne:aforlorne and forfaken Prinopality might be rhanklclfe:bur I rmt the Ki»g. tl1me •••J fro• ••llherfor tlrj f•ke, yea from what other bur the grandchilde of D•. vid? out of his hands did I wrcfl: the Scepter,to give it into thine Oh what high fa vours doth God fomecimes call: away upon unwonhy fubjetts ~ How do his abufed bounties double both their finne and judgement~ The
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