Contemplations. Lis.XfX. fo faire,Ahah had not beene tempced : His 'yclets inchis evill guertinco the foule ,\ which now dares come forth at the mouch ; Give mtt 1/ry vine 1ud, that!,; hAve 1t for •gardmofherbs, beca•(ett" nem to my houfl, •nd I willgivtthtt a bmfr Yineyardfor it, or ij it ftemeg~od to thee, /Jvi/1 give thee th1 worth of it in mone! · Yet had Ahab fo much civility,andjufiice, that he would not wring Naboths patn,;,ony out ofhishandby force, but requires it upon a faire compofition, whether ofprice or o~ex~hange: H~s g~vemmeq~ was vicious, not tyrannicall ; Proprietyof good~ was mv10lably mamtamed by h•m; NolefTe waslV•both allowed to claime l rioht in his Vineyardthen Ah•b in his palace; This we owe to l~wfult Soveraincy to ~all ought our Qwne, and well worthy is this priviledge to be repaid with all humble & Joyall refpects.The motion of Ahab (had it b~ene wany other then an Ifralite) had been as Juft,equall,reafonable, as the repulfe had been rude,ehurlilh,inhumaine. It B is fit th~t Princes lhou~dreceive due f~tisfacti6inthe jufi deminds,not only oftheir -neceffiues,but convemence, and p!eafure; well may they challeng this retribution to the benefit ofourcom~t~on peace, and proteClion;ifthere b~any fweetneffe in our vineyards,any firength in our fields,we may thanketheir fcepters; Jufily may they expect fro_m us the c6moditie,t.he delight oftheir habitation;and ifwegladly yeeld not to thelf full elbow-roome,bothot fite & prov,fion,we can be nooiherchen ingrarefull;Yet dares not Nahothgivc any other anfwer to fo plaufible amotion, then, The kord fir~id it me, that I foouJdgive thee the inhtriWKt of my Fathm: The hone(\ Ifraelite faw violence in this ingeQuity; There are no ftronger commands, then rhe req4efis ofthe great,It is we\ rha~ Ah•~ wi.l not wrefi awaythispatrimony,it is not well that he deftred it;The land w~s notfomuch flood upon,as the law; One earth c might beas good as anOther, and monyequivQ!ent to eyrher:The Lord had forbidden tp alien their inheritance: Nabo1h di<l not fe:u:~ lQfle, but finne: What Nah•th might 110t lawfullydoe, AIM~ migh~not.law(ully require: It pleafed God to be very punttuall,and caurelous,both i~1i1e di(li,n{U&.and prefervation ofthe intireneffe of thefeJewifh inherit~nc~s: "Nothing but exrre&me neceffity might warrant a fale of land,and that,b\lt for a timc;ifnqr foo11er,yet at dle J ubile,ir moll revere to the firfi owner :It was nor without a co~Ufortable fignification,that whofoever hadonce his part in rhe land ofProm\fe, could never lofeit; Certain!y A hab couldnot but know this divi,ne refirie\i6,yet doubts not to fay, Gwe "' ' thyviney.,d; Theuncontionable wil know no other law but their profit,tbeir pleafure. A lawleffe greamefs bares alllimitations,and abides not to heare men lhould need any other warrant butwilt. D N ahot/,dares not be thus tractable;How gladlywocld he bequitofhis inheritance, ifGod would acquit him from the fin~ Not out ofwilfulne!le,bur obedience,doth this faithfull Ifraelite hold offfr6 this demand ofhisSoveraine;not daring topleafe an earthly King with offending the heavenly : When Princes command lawfnll things,God commands by them; when un\awfull,theycommand againft God; paffiveobedience we muftgive, ac!U~• wemay not1We fOllow them asfubordinate,not as oppoJite to the highefl. Who cannot but fee and pity·tho firaites ofhonefi NA,oth: Ahab requires what .God forbids;hemuftf>.llout eitherwith his God,or hisKing: Confcience caries him again!t policy; and he refolved no~ to fin,that he might be gracious. Foraworld be may not give hisVineyard:Thofe who arethemfelvei godleffe,thinkethe holy care E ofothers but idly fcrupulous: Th.e King ofi[rael could notchufe but fee that onely Gods prohibition lay in the way ofhis defignes,not the fiomacke ofa froward fubject;yet he goes away into his houfe heavy and difpleafed1and cafts himfelfe downe upon his bed, turnes away his face, and refufes his meat1Hee bath taken a furfee of Nahsths grapes which marres his appetite, and threat• his life : How ill can great hearts indure to bee croffed, thouuh upon the moft reafonable and juft grounds; Ahabs place call'dhimtotheGuardenlhipofGods Law;and now his heart is ready to breake, that this parcel! of that Law may not be broken :Nomarvell ifheemade not dainty to tranfgreffe a local! fiatute of God, who did folhamefully ~iolate the eternallLawofhoth Tables. I !mownot whethenhe fpleen;or the gal of A!Jab bemore alt"(t<ed;Whether mare ___________....._________________.::;of:.!-
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