ll-10 [ontemplation.r. Lia.XIx-:- peremptory indignation ofthe people, then proceeding out pf anygenerality of his A Spirit: Neither dothhefay, I will nor, bur, I maynor, The proudSyrian (who would have taken it in foule fcom to be denied,rhough he had fentforall rhe heads of Ifr.el) fnuffes up the winde like thewild-Aife in the yvildemelfe, and brags, and threats, and fweares, 'I!::gods doefotomt, andmorealfo,iftheduft ofSamAri•fh•U fof jicefor handfuUsfor aUthepeopltthAtfoUtw mt: Not the men, not tho goods onelyof Samaria lhall be caryed away captive, but the very earthwhereonit llands·andthis with howmuch cafe~ No Souldier lhallneedtobe chargedwithmorethen'an hand~ full,to make a valley where the m~ herCityof lfrael once ~ood: Oh vaine boaller! In whom I know not whether pndeor folly be more emment : VWory is to be atchived, nottob~fworne: futureeventsare.nomattcrofanoath; Thy gods (if they had beene) m1ght have bccne calledas WJtnelfcsofthy intentions .not ofthat ll fucc~lfe, whercoftho~ wouldft be the ~uthor without them: Thy gods can doe norhmgto thee, nothmg for thee, nothmg for themfelves; all thine Aramites lh•ll not cary away one come offand out ot Ifr•el, except it bee upon the foles of their feet, in their lhamefulU!ight; It is well, ifthey can cary back thofe skinsthat theybrought thither: Letmt liim thAtgirdtth 011 his harntJJe hoaft himftlfe"' htthat pututh it •If: There is no caufe to feare thatman that trulls inhimfelfe. Manmay call the dice ofwar, but the difpofition ofthemis of the Lord. Ahah was lewd, but Benbadad was infolent; Iftherefore Ahah lhall be fcourged with the rodof Bent.•dads feare; Benhadadlha!l be {mittenwith thefivord of A!i.hs revenge; Ofall things God will notendure aprefumptuous, and felfe-confident Vaunter;after Eij•hs flight and complaint, yeta Prophet is addrclfed ro Ahah; 'Ih111 C fAith the Lord, Ha {I tt.o11foe'le aUthisgreAt multitude ? behold I will deliver it intD thine h1nd, this day, anJthou fbalt know that! am the Lord. Who can wonder enoughat this unweariable mercyof God~ After the fire and rainc fcrcht miraculoufly fromHeaven, Ahah had promifed much, performed nothing, yci againewill God blelfeand folicit him with viCtory; One ofthofe Prophets whom he perfecuted·to death lhall comfort his dejeetionwith the newes of ddiverance and triumph: Had this great worke beene wrought without premonition; eitherchance, or Baal, or the golden calveshad caryedaWilythe rhankes : Before-hand therefore thall Ahah know both rh~ Aurhorandthe meanes ofhis vietory; God forrhe Auther, the rwo hundred lhirtytwo young menofthe Princes for the meanes ; Whararethefe for theVanrgard, and feven rhoufand Ifraelits for the maine battell,againft the troups ofthree D and thirty Kings and asmanycenturies o(Syrians,aslfrael had fingle fouldiers~ An equality ofnumber had taken away the wonder of the event; but now, the God of hoallswill be confelfed in this ilfue,not the valour ofmen;Howindilferec it is with thee, 0 Lord,tofavebymany, or by few; to dellroy many or few? Aworld is no more to thee then aman; how eafieis it for thee to enable us to be more then Conquerors over Principalities & Powers:to fubduefpiriruall wickednelfes to flelh and blood~ Throughthee wee can doegreat things, yeawe can doe all thingsthrough theerhadlrengrheneft us ; Let nor us want faith, we are fure there can be no want in thy power or mercy. Thee<was nothing in Benhad•ds pavilions butdrink, and furfer,and jo!ity; as if winelhouldmakeway for blood; Securityis the certainulher ofdellruetion : we ne· E ver have fo mnch caufe to feare as whenwe feare nothing. This handfull oflfrael dares lookout (upon theProphetsalfurance) to the vaft hoaft of Benhadad : It is enough forrhat proud Pagan ro fit llill, and commandamongft his cups: To defile their fingers withthebloodoffo few,fcemed no maftery;rhat aa'would be inglorious on the part oftheVietors:More eaficmight rhey bring inthree headsof dead~ nemiesrhen onealive: Impcrioufly enough therefore doth this boallerour ofh1s chaireof ftate and cafe,command,Whtther they hu•ml outf orpe«<t,taketht111alive;or whether they he com~ outfor war, take them ~live;T~ere needs no mor~, bur,T•ke thtm, this field is wonWttha 'yord. ~ h the v••?eand t~noranr prcfum~ns ofwretched men, that will be reckomngwuhout, agamll thcJCMaker. Every Ifraelite kills his man,the Syrians flee,and cannotrunneaway from death: · BtnhadJ
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