12.20 Contemplations. LIB. XIX· nor ~he numberof the Prophets could abate one wordof his true (though difplea- A fing)melfage;The King oflfrael lhal heare,rhat he ismif-ledby Iyers,theybya devili:Surely Jeh8jbaph•t cannot.\>utwonder at fo unequal! a conrenrio:ro fee one filly Prophet affronring foure hundred;withwhom lefr c6fidence lhould carry it,behold Zedekiah more bold,more zealqus:If Michtiah have given him(wirh his fellowes) the lye, he gives Michaiah the fifr: before thefe two great Guardians ofpeace and jufrice,fwaggering zedekiah fmires Michaiah on the face;& wirh rhe blow exp~llulates; Which w•y went the fPirit of tht Lord from me, tojfe.ke unto thee? For a Prophet to fmite a Prophet, in the face oftwo Kings,was inro)erably infolent· the all wasmuch unbefeeming the perfon,morethe prefence; Prophets mayrepro~e,rhey may not llrike;It was enough for Ahab to punilh with the hand;no weaponwas for zedeki<h,bur his rongue;neither could rhisrudeprefumprion have been well taken, B ifmalice had nor made magillracy infenfibly ofthis ufurpation;Ahahwaswell content to fee that hated mouth beatenby any hand. It is no new conditionofGo.ds faithful meffengers to fmart for fayingtruth.Fallhood doth nor more bewrayit felf in any thing then in blowes;Truth fulfers, whiles errour perfecutcs;None aremore ready to boafr ofthe Spirit ofGod,then thofe that have the leafr; As in velfels,the full are tilent. 1 Innocent Michaiah, neither defends, nor complaines; Ir would have wellbefeemed the religious King of J udah,to have fpoken in rhe caufe ofthedumbe, to have checked infolent z edtkiah; He is content to give way to rhis tide ofperemptory, and generalloppotition:The helples Prophet llands alone,yet !ayesabout him with his tongue, Behold, thou fo•lt foe in that day, when thou foalt go intoaninmr<hamber, C andhideth1ftlf. Now the proud Baalitelhewedhimfelfe toomuch;ere long he lhall be glad to lurke unfeene; his homes ofiron cannot beare off his danger. The fonne of .Ahab cannotchufe but,in the zeale ofrevenging his fathers deadlyfcducemenr,call for that falfe headof zedeki•h: Invaine lhall that Impofror feeke to hide himfelfefrom jullice: Bur, in the meane while . he goes away with honour, Michaiah with cenfure. Take Michal•h, andc<ry him backe 16 Amon, the Govm10ur ofthe City, and to To-fbthe Kings (o»ne,and(ay, Thus faith the King, Putthisftllow in prifon, andftedhim 'lllith breadofafjli<1ion,andwith water ofafjliBion,umiUI come inpeace. · An hard doome ofT111th; The Jayle for his lodging; coorfe bread and water for his food, lhdl but re!ervc Michaiah for afurther revenge. The retUrne of Ah1b 0 lhall bethe bane of the Prophet: Was notthis he th.r advifed Bmhadad, not to boall in the purring on his Armour,as in theungirding ir;and dorh he now promife himfelfe peace and viClory, before he buc~le it on ~ No warning will dilfwade rhe wilfull; .Soalfured doth Ahab make himfelfe offuccelfe,tbat he threats ere he goe, what be will doe when he retUrnesin peace: How JUfrlydoth God deride the mil· reckonings ofproud and foolilh men; If Ahab had no other tinnes, his very confidence Otall defeathim; yet the Prophet cannotbe overcome in his refolution; bee knows his grounds cannotdeceive him,anddare therefore call rhe credit ofhis funClion upon this iiTue: Ifth01• relinne at all inpeace, the Lcrd bath not fPoken by mee : And bee faid, Hearken, 0 people, every one oj JO"; Let him never bee c•lled a Pro· phet,thar dare not trufr his God:This was no advenmre therefore of reputation, or E life; tince bee knew whom he bekeved, the event was no leffe fure, then ifir had beene pall : Hee is no God that is not confiant to him!elfe : Hath bee fpoken, and lhall he not performe ~ What hold have wefor our foules, but hiseternall word~ The being ofGod is nor more fure,thcn his promifes,then his femences ofjudgemenr. Well may we appeale tbetefiimonie of the world in both: ifthere bee not plagues for rhe wicked; ifthere be not rewards forthe righteous,God bath norfpoken byus. Not .Ahabonely,butgoodJ EltOsHAPHH iscaried with the multitude, Their forces are joynedagainfr Ramoth: The Kingof Ifrael dorh not fo trufrhis Prophets, that he dares trufr himfelfe in liis owne clo.rhes : Thus lhall bee elude MtChatabs threat;I wis,rhejudgementofGod,the Syrian lhafrs cannot finde himout inthisunfufl lied
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