1250 j . [ontemplarions. LIB.XX. ---- then fourc hundr;d peeces of!ilv<r:neith<r was this f~arcity ofviduals only, but of A all otheroecdfanes for humane ufe; that the belly mtghr nor oomplaine alone rbe wholemanwaHqually pinched. ' .If he King oflfrad is neither exempted from the judgment, nor yet yeelds under it:He walks upon the walls ofhis Samaria, toover-fee theWatches fer, the Enoines ready ,~he Guards ehanged, together with ~he pofiure of the enemy; when a\vgman cryes to him our ofthe City,Htlpmy Lml, o King: Nexrro God what refuge have we io all·our neaeffities, but his Anointed ~ Earthly Soveraignry can aid us in the Clfo of rheinjufiice ofmen,but what can it doe agaiofi the judgemenrs ofGod ~ 1 the Lmld• not help thtt,whtn;tfh•lll help thtt! ••t •ftht barnjlfDr, 1r o•t •f the willt· prtffi?Even thegrearcfi powers mull: fioopto affiiCiioos in themfdves; how fhould they beable to pre.ventthem in others ~ To fue for aid where is an utter impotence B of rcdrelfe,is but to upbraid theweakoelfe,aod.31reravaterhe mifery of thofe whom weimplore,Ithorammifiakes rhefuir: The fuppliam calls to him for a wofnl peece ofjufiice:Two mothers have agreed to eat their fons1the one hath yeelded hers to be boykd and eaten; the other, afcer fhe bath taken her part of fo prodigious a banquet,with-draws herchild, and hides him from the knife; hungerand envy make the Plaintiffe importunate; and now fhe craves the benefit ofRoyall Jull:ice. Shee that made the firtl motion,with-holds her partof th< bargaine, and flyes from tbat promife,whofe trufi had made this morherchildlelfe. Oh thedirefull effeli"s of famine, that turnes offall refpeds ofnatur.e, and givesno place to horrqr, caufing ' the tender mother to lay her hands, yea, her teeth upon thefruitof her own body; aod eo receive that into her fiomack, which (he hath brought forth of her worrllle: 'What C fhould Ithor.m do~ The match wasmonfirous: The challenge was jufi, yet uonatu. rail:This complainant had purchafed one halfe of the liviag childe , by the one half ofhcrs,dead.The·mother ofthe furviving Infant is prelfed by covenant, by hun<>er· reficairied by nature. To force a mother to deliver up heri::hilde to voluntary fia~gh: ter,had been crudl To force a debt<r to paya confdfedarerage, fi:emed but equal: If the remaining child be not drelftd for food, this mother ofthe devourtd child is both robbed,:md affamifhed :Ifbe be, innocent blood is flJedby·authorlJY. It is no matvell ifthe quefiion afionithed the Judge;· not fo much tor' the difficul_ty of the demand1as thl: horror ofthe occafipn; to what lamentabledifirelfe did Ith6r4m find his people driven~ Not without cau{e did the King of Ifrael rend his gam!ems , and (hew his fackcloth;wel might be fee his people branded with that ancient corfe w' ' God had denounced againfi the rebellious : Tht Lordj/Mii brl~g aNati111 •gAi»jl thrt D •f• fierctrcUIJttnance, which foal/ nil rtg.rdtht;rrfon•ftht •Id nor jhtw f••m~r to the roung1 4ndht fh•ll befttgt thtt In .u thy gatu1A'ndth•ufh•lt w tluftuiufthint o,.n h• dy ,theflefb •{thy fo•s,•~d •fthy d•ughms:Thettndtr •nd Jelic•tt w•m•n,htrJes j/Ml bt tvill towdrls her young Ollt thAt com111tth ~utfr~m httwttn htr/(t~,- 1111dtowAr the cbi/.. Jrcn >vhichfoe fh•li bilre.for foe foal/tAt thtm f~' w•niOf•O lhlrlgs{tmtl] in tbt {lege & \ flraitnef{t .He mournes for the pla.gue,he mourncs not for the caufe of this plague,his fin, antl theits : I find his forrow, I find not his repentance. The worfi man may grieve for his fmart,onl y the good heart grieves for his offence ; In ll:ead of being penitent, lthoram is furious,and mroes his rage from his fins, againfi the Prophet ; Goddot fo IDmt •ndmort •lfo,iftht htadofEiifo•,thtfon•fShaph•t,fh•lfliJidon himthis (lay: Alas,what hath the righteous done~ Perhaps EliJh•(that we may imagine fome E c.olours.ofthis difpleafure)forc.rhreatned this judgement; but they deferved it: perhaps he might have averred it by his prayers1rhdr unrepent.mce difabled him : Perhaps he perfwaded Ithoram to hold out the fiege; though through much hardoe!f<: he forr-faw the deliverance. In.all tbishow bath Elifh• forfeited his head~ All Ifrael cid not afford an head fo guiltlelfe,as thiuhat was defiined to Daughter. This is the fafhion ofthe world;the lewd blames the inooceot, and will revenge their oivn fins upon others uprighmelfe, In the midfi ofall this fad ei>atwfSamaria,and rhefe fiormesof Ieh.ram,the Pro· I phet fits quietly in his own houfe,amongfi his holy Confom; bewailing no doubt both the fins, and mifery of their people;aod prophetically conferriog of the iffhe; .. when .
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