1268 [ontemplations. LIB. XX. Doubtleffe I<h.,•ms head was now full ofthoughts: neither knew he what con. A ftrudion to put upon this approching troupe.; Perhaps, the SJYi•ns (he thinkes) may have recovr:red R•moth; and chafed thegarnfonof Ifrad; netthet cm he imaoine whetherthefe fuould be hoftilevid:ors, 0r vanquifhed fubjed:s,orconfpiringrebds. Everyway this routwasdreadfull. Ohith.,.m, thou beginft thy feares too late· Hadftthou been afraid to provoke the God ofifrad, thine innocencie had yedded no roome to thcfe terrors. An horfcmao isd1fpatcht todifcoverthe meaning of this defcried concourfe: He meets them,aod inquires ofpeace;butreceivesa fhort aofwer. WhAt haft th••t• d~e withpt•et\turn thm behim/ tm? A fecond is addrelfed; with the fame fuccdfc. Both attend the train of Ithu inftead ofreturning; Indeed iris not for private perfoos to hope to rectifie the publike atfaires, when they are grown to an height of diforder B and from thence to a ripendfe of mif-cariage : Sooner may a well-meaning ma~ hurt himftlfe,then redreffe the common danger. . Thefe melfengers were nowwithin the mercyofa multitude, had they but endeavoured to retiro, they bad perifhed as wilfully, as vainly: Whofoever will bee ftriving againft the torrent of a jutl judgement, muft needs be caried down in the ftream : So'metimes there is as much wifdome in yedding, as courage in rdi· ftance. Had this troupe been far off,the watch-man could not havedefcried the arrivall ofthe mclfengcrs,their turningbehinde,the manner ofthe march; l<hu was a noted Captaine, his catiage and mocion was obferved more full offire, then his fdlowes; The dTiving u like le hutsfor he driveth fuTilujly: God mak., choice of fit infirumErs, C as of mercy,fo ofrevenge, Thefe fpirits were necdfull for fo tragical! a fcene as was now preparing in Ifrad. ' Ith.,.m and ..A h•ziab,as netled withthis forced patience of expetlation, can no longer keep their feats; but will needs haften their charers; and fetch that cortly fatisfatlion,which would not be fent,but given. Theyare infatuated,which !hall perifh: othcrwife IthOT Am had been warned enough by the forceable retention of his meffengers , to cxpetl none but an enemie. A friend·, or a fubjctl could not have been unwilling to be known, to be lookt for; Now,forgetting his wounds,he will goe to fetch death. Yet when he fees Ieh•, whom he left a fubje<'i, hopes ftrivc with his doubts, Is it ptace,Ieht~l what may bethe reafon ofthisfudden journey~ Is the army foiled by 0 the SJTiAwtl Is Ramoth recovered~ or bath the llightofrhe enemy left thee no further work~ oris fomcothcr ill newes guilty ofthy hJfte~What means this unwifhed prefence,and return~ There needs noftay for ananfwcr; the very face of TehM, and thofc fparklingey., ofhis fpake fury,and death to Iehoram; which yet his tongue angerly feconds: Wh.r puce, f• long A! the wh<rtd1mts •f th; mother Ieubtl, And her witch&r.jir•refo many l Wicked Tyranr,what fpeakeft thou ofpeace with men, when thou haft thus long waged war with the Almighty~ That curfedmother ofthine bath nurfed thee with blood,and trained thee up io abominable Idolatriee. Thou art not more h<rs , then her finne is thine ; thou art polluted with het E fpirituall whoredomes, and inchantcd with her hdlifh witchcrafts: Now thar ju{t God whom thou, and ~hy parenrs have fo hainoufly delpited, fends thee by mec this !aft melfa~e of hiS vengeance; Which whiles hee fpakc, his hand is drawing up that deadly arrow, which fhlll cure the former wounds with a worfc. , Too late now doth \vretchcd Ithoramtarn his charct, and lice, and crie Treafon, 0 ..A hai•h; There was trcafon before,O lthoTAm; thy trcafon againft theMajefty ofGod, is now revenged by the trcafon of fthM againftthce. That fatall fhaft,notwithftanding rhe fwift pace of both the charets, is dired:ed to the heart of Ieh~r•m;thcre is noerring of thofe feathers which arc guided by the handofdd\inie. How
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