l:tl6 [ontemplations. LIB. XIX. --------~--------~ Yet, perhaps there wanted not fome color ofpretence for this proceeding; they ! A couldnot but heare,that fomewords had paffedbetwixnhe Kingand Naboth·Haply it was fuggefled,that Nalmb had fecredy over·lalhed into faucy and contemptuous terms to his Soveraigne, fuch as neither might be well borne,nor yet(l:>y reafon of theirprivacy)legally convin«d; the bench of Itzrcelfhould but fupply a forme to the jufi matter,and defer< ofcondemnation;What was it forehe to give their hand to this obfcure midwifery ofJu£lice? it is enough thattheir King is an accufcr and \ witneffe ofthat wrong, which only their fentence can forn111ly revenge. All this c:m~ot walh their hands f~om ~he guilt ofblood;ifju(\ice be blind,in refpect ofparuahty, lhe may not be blm~ mrefpect ofthe grounds ofexecution; HadNaboth bceneabl•fphemer, ora traitor, yetthefe men were no better then murtherers· What difference is there betwixt the firoke ofMagi!hacie, and ofman-1laughter' B hut due conviction~ ' Wickedneffe never fpakeout ofathrone,and complained ofthe defect of in£lruments;Naboth was(itfeems)£lrictlyconfcionable,his fellow Citizens loofe,& lawl<ffe;theyare glad to havegotte fuch an opportunityofhis difpatch:no claufc of A. habt letter is not obfcrved;A fa(\ iswarned,thecity is affembled,Naboth is c6veoted, accufed,confronted,fentenced,£loned.His Vineyard is efcheated to the Cro,vne,Ahab takes fpeedy and quiet poffeffion.How filii cloth God fit in heaven,and look upon the complotsof treachery & villanies, as if they did not concern him: The fuccelle fo anfwers theirdefires,as ifboth heaven and eanh were their friends. lt isthe plague, which fcemes the felicity offinners, to fpeed well intheir lewd encerprifes; No reckoning is brought in the midll ofche meale, the end payes forall: Whiles Ahab is rejoycing inhis new garden-plot, and promifing himfelfe contentment C in this commo:lious enlargemenc,incomes Elijah,[enc from God with an errand of vengeance. Methinks,I feo how the Kings countenance changed; with what agaft eyes,and pale cheeks,he lookt upon that unwlecome Prophet: Little pleafure tooke he in his profpect,whiles it wascloggedwichfucha guefi:yechis tongue beginsfirll, . Hajlthou found me, 0 miRt emmJ~ Great is the power of confcience;upon the !all meeting(for ought wr know)AhabandEiijah parted friends; The Prophet had lacquayed his coach, and took a peaceable leave ac this townes end; now Ahabt hearc told him (neither needed any other mellenger) that God, and his Prophet were falne out with him;His cotinuing Idohtry,now fec6ded with blood,bids him look for nothing but frownes from hcaven,A guilty heart cari never be at peace:Had not .Ahab knowne how ill he had deferved ofGod,he had never faluted his Prophet by the name ohn enemy; Hee had never beene troubled to be found by Elijah, if his D owne brell had not found him out for an enemyto God :Much good may chy vineyard dothee,O thou Kingoflfrael,many fa ire flowers,and favoury h<rbes may thy I new garden yeeld chee1 pleafe thy felfe with thy ltzebel, in the triumph over the carcaffe ofa fcrupulous fubject; lee me rather die with Nab~tl•, then rejoyce with thee:His turn is over,thine is tocome:The£lones chat overwhelmed innocent Na- ' both,were nothing to thofe that fmice theo;H afttho• killed,(:;- al(otakenpo(fe{tio»?th•t faith the Lord,In theplace where dogt lickedthe bloodofNaboth, [ball dogt ltck thyblood, even thine. What meanellthou,O E/ijah,to chargechismurderupon Ahab~Hekepc his Chamber,l<{!bel wrote the Elders condemned,chepeople lloned;yec thou fayen, Haft thou killed~ Well did Ahab know that Jezebel could not give this vineyard with drie hands1yec was he content to wink ac vvhac lhe lhould do:He but lies filii whiles Tezebtl works:Only his Signctis foffred to walke forche fealing ofthis un1 · knowne purch~le: Thofe chat are cru£led with authority,may offend no leffe in conI nivency,orneo-leGl:,thCothers in act,in participation: Not only comrnand,confenr, I countcnance,.but very permillion feoffes publike perfons i.n ~hofe fins, which they tniPht and "'11 not prevent.Goclloves eo pumlh by recahauon: Naboth and Ahab fhai'bo'ch b\eed;Naboth by theffones ofthe}ezreelites; Ahab by the lhafcs ofthe Aramites;The dogs lhall call ofthe bloodofboth: What Ahab bath done in cruelty, he fl10ll fuffi:r injullice:Thecafcandcheendmakethcd>ffcrence happyonNabotht fide,on Ahabt wofuii1Naboth bleeds as a Martyr;Ahab as amunherer: \'V hac ever is Ahabt
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