Lr n. XIX. .l\haziahjick_,&c. Afufpected difguife,How fondly do vaine men im•gine tO fhift offthe juft revenaes oflhe Almighty~ " The KingofSyriagives charge to his Captainesto light againfl none, but the · King of!frael;Thus doth the unthankfull lnhdelrep1y the mercyofhis latevitlor; Ill was the Snake faved,tha< requites the favour ofhis life, with a fling; Thus flill the gteatefl are the faireft marketo envious eyes. By howmuch more eminent any man is in the Ifrael ofGod ,f<> many more,and mort dangerousenemiesmull he expea!Both earth and htll confpire in their oppoficion to the worthiefl, Thofe who are advanc~d above others,have fo much more needoftheguard,both oftheir own vigilancy, and others prayers. Ithojhapat had like tO have payd dearfor his love; B He is pur(ued,for him,in vvhofe amitiehe offended1Hiscryesdeliver him;his cries, not to his purfuers,but tO his God1whofe mercy takes not advantage ofour infirmity, but re!cues us from thofe evils, vvhich vve vvilfully provoke:lt is Ahab againft whom, nottqe Syrians only,but God himfclfe intends this quarrell;The enemy is taken offfrom ltho/haphat; Oh the jufl and mighry hand ofthat divine providence, vvhich direCieth all our adions tO his owne ends; vvhich takes ordervvhereevery fh1ft fballljght;and guides the arrow ofthe flrong Archer,into the JOynts of Ahabs harneffe;lt was fbot at a vemure,fals by a defliny1and rhere fal s vvherc it may carie death tO an hidden debtor;ln alladions both voluntary and cafual,thy wiiO God, !hall be done by us,with what ever cntentions Littledid the Syrian know whom he had flriken,no more then the arrow wherewith he flroke;An invifi ble hand difpo· fed ofboth,to thepunifhment of Abab,tothe vindicati:onof MichaiAhi~ow worehi· ly,O God, art thou to be adored in thy jufiice, and wifdome, to be feared in thy C judgments! foo latedoth A!Jab now think ofthe fairewarningsof Michaiah,wbich he unwifelf c6temned1ofthe painfullflmeriesof Ztdtkiah,which he flubbornlybeJeeved;That guilty blood ofhis runs downe out of his vvound,intothe midfl ofhis charet,•nd paycs Naboth his arrerages; 0 Ahab, vvhat art thou the better for thine Ivory houfe,vvhiles thou haft a blacke foulc~ What comfort hafl rhou now,in thofe flattering prophecs,•vhich tickled thine eares,andfecurcd thee ofviCioriesrWhat joy is it to thee now,thatthou w•fl great~ Who had nor rather be Mtchaiah in the Jayle,thon Ahab in the Charet~Wicked men have the advantage of the way,godly men of the end: The Charet is wafhed in d1c poole ofSamaria, the dogges come to cl•imecheir due.- they lickeup the blood ofthe King of!frael: The tOngues of thofe brute creatures 01all make good the tongue of Gods Prophet: Michaiah is ju. D flified,Nahothis revenged,rhe Baalitesconfounded,Ah•b judged: Righttous art tho11 0 Godin all th7 wa7ts, andholy in all thy works. Ahaziahjick_e,and Elijah revenged. Jr!"!t~JihrazraJJ fucceeJed his father Ah•h, both in his Throne,and in his finne.- Who could lookefor better iffue ofthofe loines, ofthofeexamples? God lollowes him with a double judgemenr,oftherevolt of MMb,and ofhisowne fickneffe: All the reigue of Ahab, had Moab becne aquiet Tributarie1and furni01ed lfrael with rich flocks,and fleeces; now their E fubjeCiion dies with thatwarlike King,andwil not beinherited:This rebellion took advamage,as from the weaker fpirics,fo from the fickly bodyof Ahaziah, whofe dif· eafe was nQ[namral,bU[ cafual ~walking in bis Palace ofSamari:~:,fome grate in the floore of his Chamber,breaks under him,and gives way 10 that fall, whereby he is , bruifed,and bcnguiOJeth' The fame htnd that guided Ahabs 01aft, crocks Ahaziahs lmeffe' How infinite variety of plagues hath th'e jufl God for ob!linatc finners? whether in the field or in thechamber,he knows to find rhem ou" How feardefly I did Ahazi.1h walkeon his wonred pavement~ The Lord bath laid a crappe for him, ! ~I I whereinto,whilcs he thinks leafl,he fals irrecoverably:No pla<e isf•fe forth< man I th:Lt is at variancewith God. ! , The body of .dhaz iah was not more ficke,tlten his fou!e wasgraceleffe, None 1 --'-----------.--· -- .~ ~ ~~ ·--·~ 4 _... __ . ·--'--4-- ~ll~~-
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