[ontemplationi. LIB. XIX. Judlh had called in Syriaagairi!l Ifrae11 and now Ifrael cals in Jucfahagainal Syria: A Thus rather thouId it be : It is fit that the more pure Church fhould joyne with the more corrupt,again!l a common Paganifhenemy. • · Ithofi14phat hath match' t with Ahab;not with a divorce ofhis devotion.Hee will tight,not without God, Inquire I pray thttatth• ,.ordoftheLord,tl day: Had he done thus fooner,I feare vlthaltah had nevercalled himTather:Thismorion wasnews in 1 Ifrael;lt was wont to be faid, Inquireof Baal: The good King ofJudah will bring i Religio.n into fafl1ionin the Counofifrael; Ahab had inquired ofhis Counfellors 1 What needed he be fo devoutas to inquire ofhis Prophets~ Onely Ithofoaphats pre~ I fence made him thus godly:It is an happy thing to converfewith the vmuous:their counfell and example cannot but leave jome tmClure behinde them ofagood·pro· fetlion,ifnotofpiety : Thofe that are truly religious dare not but take God with · ·~hem in all their affaires;with himthey can be as valiant,as timorous without him. B / Ahab ha<l Clergy enough,fuch as it was: Foure hundred prophetsofthe groves were referved fro appearing to Elijahs challenge\_thefe are nowconfulted by Ahab: they ltve to betray the hfe of111mwhofaved thetCS. Thefecare not fo muchto in· quire what Godwouldlay,aswhat Ahabwouldhave themfay;they {awwhichway the Kings heart vvas bent,that vvay they bent theirtongues:Got up,for the Lordfoal! 1 det~vtr it into the handufthe King: Falfe Prophets care onely topleafe; a plaulible falfhood palfes vvith them above an harfh truth.Hadthey feeo Ahab fearefull,they !<had faid,Peau,Pe•« ;now they fee him r~folute,warand vil:tory:Iris afearefull pre· fage ofruine when the Prophets confpire inalfentation. Their numberJConfent confidence hath ealily won credit with Ahab: We do all willingly beleevewhatwe with;Tehoji!Aphat is not fo foonefatisfied:Thefe prophets C 1 were(it is like) obtruded to him(a!lranger) fot the tme Prophets ofthe true Go<l: i he judiciousKing fees caufeto fufpect the,aud now perceivingat what altars they ( ferved,hates to re!l in their te!limony: Is thmnot htre aProphtt of#lt Lord btjides, that,.emight inquire of him~ One lingle Prophet fpeaking fromth aclesof God, is moreworth than foure hundred Baalites;Truthmay not ever be eafured by the poii;It is not number but weight that mull cary it in aCouncelofProphets;Afolid Verityin one mouth is worthy to preponderate light falfhood in a thoufand. Even King Ahab(as bad as he was) kept tale of.his prophets; and could give account ofone that was mitling: There is yet one man (Uichaiah the fon of Iml•h) by whomwe may inq11ire ofthe Lord; b11t I hate him,forhe doth not prtphecygoodconctrning me,but wiU. It isvery probable that Michaiah was that difguifed Prophet, who brought to Ahab thefearefull mellageofdifpleafure,andde•d1,for difmitling Btnha- D dad,for which he was ever lince full in prifon,deepe in difgrace;Ohcorrupt heart of felfe-condemned Ah.b!ifMlchaiah fpaketrue to thee,howwas ir evill?ifothers faid falfe,how was it good(& if Michaiah fJ~ake fro the Lord,whydoll thou hate him~ This hath wont to be the ancient lot otTruth, cenfure andhatred; Cenfure ofthe melfage,hatred ofthe bearer.To camall cares the melfage isevill,ifunpleafin<>;and ifplaulible,good;Ifit befweet,it cannot be poifon;ifbitter,it cannot be whole1ome: The di!lemper ofthe receiver is guiltyofthis m if ·conceit;In it felfe every truth as it is good,fo amiable;every falfhood loathfome,as evill; Alicke palare crye~ out of theta!l ofthofeliquors,which arewe! allowedofthehealthfui.Itis a ligneotagood !late ofthe foule,when every vendure can receive his proper judgement. E Wife and gocid'Iehofoaphatdilf wades Ahab from fo hard anopinion,andfeescaufe fo much more tO urg<;",t_he confultation of Michaiah, by how much he fiodes him more unpleafing;, 'I'IlJi!Gng of Jfrael ro fatisfie the importunity offo great, and deare an Allie,fcndsari'Officer for Michaiah; He knew well (belike) where to finde him; within thofe foure walls, where unju!l cruelty had difpoled ofthat innocent Seer;Outofthe obfcurity ofthe ptifon,is the poore Prophet letcht in thelight offo glorious a Confefliooftwo Kings,whothought this ConvocationofProphets not unworthyoftheirgreate!l reprefentation?fStateand Maj~!ly; :nere he ~nds ! tdtkiah,the leader ofthat f.llfe crue,not fpeakong only,but aCltngh1s predu~hon;Stgnes were no lelfe ufed byrhe Prophets, then words: this arch-flatterer bath made him homes
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