[ontemplationr. LIB. XX. whom Ithljht~A bath preferv.ed. Mifchief fometimes failes of thofe appointmentS A. wherein it thinks to have made the fureft work; God laugbes inheaven at the plo~ of !yrants;and befooles themin t~Gil"dcepe~ p~jeets. He had faid to D•vid,oftht frMtt ofthJ bit/1 ,.,a I ji1NfM 1hy fl~t; In vam lllall ~arth and hell coofpire to fruftrate it. · Sixeyeares bath I••jb, and his nurfe been h~d in a clofe cdl of the Temple: Tho[~ rooms wer~ delhn•d onely t.o the holy Tnbe 1 yet now rejoyce to harbour fuchagucft; ThertgouroftheordmaryLaw muft yeeld to cafes of fo important necellity. All this could not pollibly bee done and continued without the privity of m~ny faithfull Priefts and Levires; whowere as carefull to keep this counftll, as hopefull ofrheilfneofit: It is not hard for many hoocft hearts to agree in a religious fecre. B cie;Needs muft thofe lips be fhut,which God bath fealed up. Iudah had not boen uled to fuch ayoke; long had it groaned under the tyranny • not of awoman only, but ofan Idolatrous Sydonian: Ifany ofthat fexe might have claimed that Scepter, none had fo much right to it,as Ieh•fh•h• her felfe; But good Ith•i•d• the Prieft,who had rather bea loyall guardian to the King, then an huf. band to a Q!ecn , now findes time to fet on foot the juft title of l••fb; and to put him inrothe mif.ufurped throne ofhis father Ah.r.l•h. In the fcvcoth yeare, therefore, be fends for the Captaines, and the Guard1 and having fworne tbtm fecrecy, byundoubted witoelfes makes faith unto them of the truth of their native Prince, thus happily refcued from the bloody knife of ,his mercilelfe Grandmother;marfhals thegreat bufinelfe ofhis Inaugura'tion1 gives c every one his charge; fetsevery one hisftation; and fo difpofes of his holy forces, as was moft needfull for the fafety oftheKnig,therevengc of the Ufurper, the pre. ventioa oftumalts,the eftablifhment ofthe Crowne upon theowners head in Peace and joy. There was none ofall thefe agents who did not hold the bufinelfe ro bee his owne. Every rrue fubjett ofludab was feelingly inrerelfed in this fervice; neither was there any of them , who was nor fecretly heart-burned all this while, with rhe barefull government of this Idolatrous Tyraonelfe : And now this inwa!<l fire is glad to find avent; How gladly doe rbey addrelfe tbemfdves to rbis welcome imployment! The greateft partof this fecret band were Levires, who might therefore both meet together with leaft fufpirion, and bee more fecurely D ttofted by Ieh•i•da, under whom they f<rved; Even rhat holy Prieft of God in. aead of teaching rhe Law , fets the Guard, orders the Capraines, ranges the troopesofludah; and inftead ofa Cenfer, brings forth the Speares and Shidds of David; the Temple is, fortbe prefent, a Fidd, or an Artillery-yard 1 and the Ephods are turned into harnelfe. That houfe, in the rearing wheteof not the noyfe ofa hammer might be beard, now admits of the clafhing of armour, and rhe fccret murmurs of fome military atchievement. No circumlbnces either of place, or calling,ar<fopunltuall, as that publique necellity .may nor difpeofe with their alteration. All things ate now ready for this folemnity ' Each man rejoyces to fixe apon his own tooting; and longs to feerhe face of their long-concealed Soveraigne 1 and E vowes his bloud to the vindication of the common liberty, ro the punifhment ofa cruel! intruder: Now Ith1iada brings forth unrorhem the Kings Sonne, and prefenrs him to the Peeres, and people; Hardly can the multitude contaiae it fdfe from fhol1ting out roo foone : One fees in his countenanc~ the features of his father, <..Ah•'{}•h; another dfhiS Grand-father, IthlrAf"l a third profelfes to difcerne in him fome lines, arid fafhion of his great gl':lnd-father Ith•fh•Phill; all find in his f.1cethc naturall imprellions of Majefty 1 and reade in it the hopes, yea the propheciesoftheirfatilrehappinclfc. Nor with more joy, then fpeed, ilothithDi- •d• accomplifh all the rites ofthe Corolllltion. BefGre that young King could knowwhat was d6De to him; he is anoitned,trowned1 pr&nted wlt~ the booke ofrhe Law: Thole ceremonies were inftrtl~ivc 1 -and no doubt, re!J•i.,J• failed · not
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