11.66 [ontemplatiom. LIB. XX. - and the~ have followed Ithu to his lodging~. Sur_ely,the wifdome of God hath pur. A pof~lypuchtupon this feafon, thanhe pubhke view _of a facr<d mdl'enger, and the halhe"evocatioa of fo noted a perfoa,to fuch a fecrecie, might prepare the hearts of thofe Commanders oflfrad,to the exprtlation_offame great ddigne. The inmoft room is but clofe enough forthlS atl; Ere many houres, all lfrael fl1all know that, which yet may not be trufted witbone eye; ThegoodndfeofGod makes wife, provifion for the fafety of his melfengers,and whiks he imploies their fervice, prevents their dangers. Bm how is it that ofall the Kings ofthe ten tribes, none was ever anointed but Iehu? Is it foithatthe God,who would nor countenance the ercllion of that ufurpcd r~r~:me,wo~dd _countenance the alteration~ (~r is it, th~r by t~is vifible t~ftimony of d1vme ordmmon , the courage ofthe Ifrad111fl1 Captatoes might be ratfed up to fe- B condthehigh and boldattempt of him, whom they faw dtftined from heaven to rule~ ' Together with the oile ofthis untlion,h<re was a charge of revenge; A revenge ofthe blood of the Prophets,upon lt<.Jbtf;of wickedneffe and Idolatry, upon Ah4b: neitherwas the, exr.irpation ofthis lewd family fore-prophdied onely to !thu bur injoyned. · ' Elij•h foretold,and the world expected fome fearfull account ofthe abominable crueltie,& impierie ofthataccurfed houfe;Now it is called for, when it feemed forgotten : ..Ah•h flnll have no po!leritie, lt<.Jbtl flllll h1ve no tombe , bur the dogs. This wofull doomeis committed ro lthuts execution. Oh the fure,though patienr,juftice ofthe Almighty: not ondy ..Ahah and It<.f· C htl had beenbloody, and idoiJttous, bur lftael was dmvne into the partnedhip of theircrime<; All thefe f!Ja\1 fbarein the judgement: Elij•hs complaint in the cave now receives this late anf,ver ,H Azael Onll plaguelfrad ; lthu 01Jil plague the houfe of Ahab and ltzebtl;Eiijbats fervant thus f<eonds Elijlws M1fter: When wickedncfs is ripe in the field,God will nor let it fl1 ,ed to grow againe, and curs it up by a juft, and feafonable vengeance: .Ahabs drouping under the threat bath put off the judge. meat ftoOJ his own dayes;now it comes,and fweeps away his wife, his ilfue; and falls heavie uponhis fubjefb. Pleafe your felves, 0 ye vain finners, in the flow pace of vengeanc~1it will be neither Jdfe cerraine, nor more eafie for the delay; rather it were to pay for that leifure in the extremity. The Prophet bath done his errand,and is gone. l•h• rerurnesro his fellowes, with 0 his head nor more wet with oile, then bufied with thoughts : no doubt, his face be• wrayed fame inward tumults, anddiftratlioos ot' imagination ; neither feemed he to recurn the fJme he went our. They aske therefore, Is all wtU? rvhtrtforuame rhu m•d feU•w ,. thttf The ProphetsofGod were to thefe i<!Jlarrous Ifradites,like comets; wbo were never feen without the porrendment of a mifchiefe: When the priefts oftheir B•IIJ were quietly focrificing, all was well, but nowwhen a Prophet ofGod comes in fighr,their guiltinelfe askes, Is aD well? All would be well bur for their lins;they feare nor rhefc,rhey feare theirreprover. Ifrad was come to agood pnfle, when the Prophets of God went with them for mad men: Oh ye B44litifh Ruffians, whither bath your impiety and profanene!fe cariedyou, that ye ihould thus blafpheme the fervams of the Jiving God~ Ye that E runneon madding after vaine Idols , raxe the fober guides of true worlhip, for madnelfe. Thus !t becomes the godldf<renemies pf truth, the heralds ofour pari; ence,to m if-call Oq)" innocence, to revile our moll holy prolcffion: What wonder is itthat Gods molfenger aremad men unto thofe,ro whom the wifdome of God is foolilhnelfe ~ The melfage was nor delivered to lthu for a concealment, but for publication: Silencecouldnoteffetlthe word rharwas told him; common notice mull; Ttt kn.,vtht man, anti hiJ ""'""miwi•n: The habit ihowes you the man; the calling ihowes you his errand: Even Prophets were diftinguilhed ~y their cloar~es1 Their mantle was not the common weare; why lhould not thts facred vocauon be known by a peculiar attire~ Thde Captaines had nor called him a mad-man, if
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