Contemfttttions. Lra.XIX. Prophet~ Would we not think the Prophctmightmil<lonbtforae-har~meafb~ A from thofe exafperatcd Citizens? There lay this way1 he lollowes God, without feare ofmen; lS .well knowing that either they durft not,or they could not a~ violence,theyknew there were Beares in the wood,and fires in heaven, & iftheir malic: .vould have venturedabove their courage, theycould have no more pow<r over Elifba in the 1\reets,thenthofe hungry beal\s had in the way.Whitller dare not a Prophet goe when God cals him ~ Having vifited the fchoolewf the Prophet>, Eiifh• retires to mount Carmtl,and afterfome holy folitarineffe,returnes to the City of Samaria: He can never be a profitable Seer, that is either alwaies or never alone:Carmelfhall fit him for Samaria;comemplation for a~ ion: That mother City of Ifratl mu!l needs afford him moll: work: Yet is the throne of Aha::.iab fucceeded by a brother lelfe ill then himfelfe, then the parents of both : Ahabs impiety hath B not a per le~ heire of Iehoram:That Son ofhis hates his Baa!,though he keepes his calves. Even into the moll: wicked families it pleafeth God to call his moll powerful rell:raints,that all are not equallyvicious: It is nonewes to fee lewd menmake fcrupleoffome fins:The world were notto live in,ifall fins wereaffeaed by all.It is no thank to Ahab and Iezebelthat their fonne is no Baalite :•As no good is traduced from Parems,fonot a! evil!;There is an almighty hand that llops the foule currentofnature,at his pleafure:NoIdolater canfay,that hischild fhal notbe a convert . The affinity betwixtthe houfes of I [rat! and /t<dah,holds good in fucceffion; Jehoram inheritsthefriendfhip, the aid of Iehofbaphat: whofe counfell(as is moll likely)hadcured him of that Baaliline. It was a good warre whereto he folicits the good King ofludah. The King of Moab (whohad beenan ancient tributary from c the daies ofDavid)falls now from his homage, & refufes to pay his hundredthourand Lambs,an hundred thoufand Rammes with fleeces,tothe Kingof I(r•e!; The backesof Ifrael can ill miffe the wool ofMu.b,they wil put on iron to recovertheir cloth. :fehojbaphat had beenonce well chid, wellfrighted for joyning wich Ab'4b againfl Aram; yet doth he not ftick now againe to comeinto the field with Itlmam againll Moab:The caufe is more favourable,lelfe dangerous;Baa/ iscafi downe:The Images of the falf~ Gods are gone, though the falfe Images of the true God ll:and llill;befide,this rebelliousMoab had joynedwith the SJ7iansformerlyagainll: I11dah, fo as Jehofbaphat is interelfcd in the revenge. After refolution of<he end,wifely doe1hefcKings deliberate ofthe way. It is agreed to palfe through Edom; That Kingdome was annexed to the Crown of J•- D dab; well might Iehojhaphat make bold with his owne : It was(it feemes)a march farre about in the meafurcof the \vay;but neerefl !Otheirpurpofe:thealfault would be thus more eafie ifthe paffageweremore tedious:The three Kings of lfraei,IIIdah, Edom,together with their Armies,are upon foot. They are no fooner come intothe patching wildes o[Edom,thcn they are ready to die for thirll; If<he channels were farre off,yet the waters were funher; rhe fcorching beames of,the Sun have dried them up; and have left thofe rivers more fit for walke, then entenainmen!:What are the greatcll: Monarchs ofthe world, ifthey want but water to their mouthes~ What can their Crownes, and Plumes, and rich armesavaile them, when they are abridged·but ofthat which is the drink ofbeafis ~ With dry tongues and lips,doe theynowconfer of their coml)lon mifcry:lehor4m deplores the calamity intowhich ll. theywere falne;but Ieh•fbaphat askes for a Prophet:Every mancan bewaile amilcry;every man cannot finde the wayout ofit:!lill yet I hearegood lehojbaphat fpeak too late:He fhould have inquired for a Prophet ere he hadgone forth; fo had he avoided thefe ll:raits:Nor to confult at all with God, is Jehor-ms fin; to confult late, islehofbaphats;the former is atheousC11relelfenelfe;the latter, forgetfullover-light: The bell: man may flackengood duties,the worft contemnes them. Nor without fome fpccialty from God cloth Elifh• follow the cam pc: Elfe, that had been no Element for a Prophet: Little did the good King of Iudah think that God was foneere him:Purpofdy was this holy Seer fent forthe fuc~our of Te?ofha phat, and his faithfull followers, when they were fo fa~ fro~ dreammg of the~r delivery, thauhey knew not ofa danger: It would be wtdeWtth the bell: men,tf the eye
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