Lr B. XX. Jehu k!;Uing ~he fonr of, &c. A mall:m funnes,on his fathers throne, and tO fi~hr for his fuccdlion. ' All the Governours of Ahabr children confpir< in one common feare 1 no douht there wanted not in dtlt oum~rous brood of Kings, fome great fpirits rhac, if at leall: they attained to the notice o~this defigne, longed for • revenge, and fugge· ll:cd counfds ofrefolurion to their cowardly guardian<, Shall an audacious ufurper runne thus awoy with the Crmvnc of lfrarl? Shall the blood of Itubtl bee thus trair<roully fpilt, thus wilfully forgotten~ 0 I{rMiiw, can you be fo bafe, asro be ruled by my fathers fervanr ? Where are the merits of ..A hab , and !rhoram? What is become ofthe loyall courage of Ifrarl? Donbtldfe, )'CC /hall not want able Seconds to your valour ; Doe yce think the royal! and potent alliances ofour mother lt'{Jbtl; and the remaining hcires of l•dah, can draw back their B hands from your aide~ Will they endure <o fwJilow fo cruel! an indignity~ Stir up your all:onilhed fortitude, 0 yee Nobles oflfrad; rcdeemeyour bleeding honour, revenge this treacherous confpirator,aedellabltlh the right of the •lndoubte?heires ofyour Soveraigne. But as warme cloathes eo adead man, fo are the mouons ofvalour to a fearfull heart: Beholdtwo Ki•gs flood nil btfmhim,ho., thenfbal/ we fland? · Feare affrighrs it felfe rarherrhen it will want bugsofterror:lt istru<: Two Kin~s fell before Ieh•;bwt,two Kings uoarmed,unguarded; Had not the furpriz all of Ieh• taken advantageof the unfufpirious nakedndfe of rhefe rwo Princes, his viCtory llld not been rhus fucce!fofull, thuseafie. HJlfe one of1hofe twoKings, upon adverrifemenrand preparation,had abated rho fury ofthat hot I .ead<r. It is the fa(b;. C on of feare to repre[cor umo us alwaies the worfi: , in every evem : not looking at the inequality ofrhe advanrages,butthe m'fcryof thefuccdfe: as contrarily it isthe guife at fairh,and valour, by the good iffue ot one enrcrprife to raife up the heart to an expc:ll:ation and affur:mce ofmore. Thde mens beans are dead with their Kings, ndcher dare cntNtaine the hop:e ofafafe and profp,erous relifiance, bur bafely return , We tire th] [trv.tnts,And wit d#t •IIthat tho• foalt bid m, wewillnotmakeany King 1 doe tho• that ovhichisgood"' thine lJts•. Well may !eh• rhink, rhefo men which are thus dilloyall ro their charge, cannot be faith full to me; Iris their fearcthat drawes them to thi' obfervJtioo: Wrre they nor cowards,thcy would not be traitors to their Prince;1 fubjcCts to me : I m:ty ufc their hands,bur I will not rru(! them: lt is a rhankleffe ohedknce rhat is grounded D upon fcJrc;thcre can be no true fiddicy without love, :md r~V(:rencr. Nclcher is it orher betwixt God and us ; ifant of a dre3d of hdl we be officious, who lh1ll thank m forrhefc refpeClsro ourfdves? ' . 1 Asonerhat had railed 2lready the fweernelfc of a r<folure expedition; Ieh• writes hack infiamly, If 7tthttmine, And i{ytrvi/1 ht,rktnunt6 my voyct; t11ktytt the htdsofthe men JIUr tM4fttrs fonnts,and &6mt u mt to lt'{!etl to morrow thil timt. Valiant Ich11 was fa well acquainted with the nature of feare, that he well knew this pallion once grown dcfperare, would be ready to fwallow all conditions: fa farre therefore dotb his wifdome improve it, as to make rhefe Peeres his executioners; who prefc:mly upon the recc:ir ofhis charge turne cruell, and by ajoyor confcntfetch offthefevenryheads of thofe Princes, whom they uoderE rooke to guard ; whom they had fimcred with the hopes of greater honour. Nodoubt,but •mongll: fo many fonnes of Ahab, fame had fo demeaned themfdves,rhat they had woo zealous profdlionsoflove from their guardians:. Except per.haps death llole upon themiofieep, what rears,what lntreaues,what conJurauons mull here needs have been~ What have wee done, 0 yee Peers of Ifrael, that might deferve this bloody meafure ~ We are the fonnes of Ahab , . therefore have ye hitherto profelfed to obferve us1 what change is this~ why lhould that which h>th hitherto kept yoa loyall, now make you crucll ~ Isrhis the reward ofrhe long peaceable ~overomentofout father~ are thefe the Trophees of Ah•hs viCtories againll Ben!J•dad,lth•- rams 12.71
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