1294 ~ l(jngs1o. ContemplationS.~ LIB. XX. Bec4#Ji thtJrat,t •g•inft 111e, •ntl thy tumult il Clme '1 11111mint ""'• thtref,t I wilptn A my lmk lnt1thy nofi,•nd "'1 bridk Into thy lits: And If! ill turne thee bA<k bJ the "'"1 thlo c•mejl. Loe StnMhtrib,thc God ofheavenmakesa beaRofthee, who hall fobrutiilily fpuraed at his name, If th6ube a ravcnou~ Beare, he bath an hook for thy nofthrils: If rhou_be a refly ho~fe, ~e hath a b;1dle for thy moath~ la fpightofthce thou lbalt follow h1s hook, or h1s bndle; and ilialt bee l<d to thy JUft Oume by ei. the~ . I It is nor for uno be the Lords ofo_urown a~hotU ; Thll! fAith the L~rd<~nrtrning the King•fAj[Jrt•; Ht jbAlllllt mne tnt.othu C11y, "' ' Jb••t•n "''""htrt,nor """before it withjbitld ,nort•ft • bAnk •g•infl zt1bytht .,., th•t """"' p,.a he retorn &<.Impotent men,what are we in the handsof the Almighty ! .we purpofe, bee o~e.rules, we talk ofgr~at m~(ters,and think to doe wonders; he blowes. upon our projects, B and they van!lh wnh our [elves: He that bath fer bounds to the Sea, bath appointed limits to the rage of the proudeft enemies, yea,even the Devils them!lelves ar< confined; Why boaft yeeyour felves, 0 yee Tyranrs,that ye can doe mifchiefe! ye are !linted: and even within thofe lifts, is confufion. 0 tbeTroph<es ofdivine )ufiicd ThAt vtry nighttb1 AIJgtll iftht L~rd wmllot, •nilfmott in tht "'"!' •ftht A Jljri•nun h•ntlrtdJo•rtfrore ••tl fivt th1uJAnil,A11dwhtn thtJ r~Je t•rly in thenmning,bthllilt./Jty wtrt•R dtd "'!'• How fpeedy an execution was this,how miraculous? No humane arme ililll have the gloryof1his vitlory;It was God that was defied by that prefumpruou~ AlfjriAN3 It is-God tharlhnll right his own wrongs; Had the EgyptiAn, or Ethi•piu forces been come up,though the fame God had done thiswork by them , yet fome praife c ofthis Oaughter had perhaps cleaved to their fingers. Now an inviJible hand ilieds all this bloud;that his very <nemies may clearebim from all partncrfhip of rev<nge. Go now wicked StnA<htrib,and tel ofthe Goqs of HAm4th and Arp•d,& Sephar 04 ;,, and Htn•,1nd luAh,which thou baft deftroyed,and fay, that Ht"{tkJAhs God is but as one oftbcfe: Goe,and adde this Daityto.the number of thy conquefts: Now fay, thatBt\!ki•hsGod in whom heuu~dhath ,de,cived hiro, and graced>thy Triumphs. • ' J With fhame and griefenough is that ilieaped Tyran returned to his Nini11ie, having lcftbehinde him,al~ the pride and !lrengthof .AffjriA,for compoft to the Jewi!hfields. Well wereitforthee 0 Stn4<herib,ifchou couldfr efcapethus; vengeance. waits for thee at home,and welcomes thee into thy place; whil<s thou an wor!hip- D ing in the houf~ofNi{r~eh thy god,two ofthine own fons iliall be thine ex~cution<rs. S« now inchat falfe Deity ofthine canpreferve thee from that !lrokc which th< true God fends th<e by the hand of thine ow11 Aeili ; He that llew thine hoaft by his Aogds,ll3ycs thee by thy fons : The lltme Angell that !tilled all thof< thoufands cou~·d as eafilyhave (mitten thee; but he r31h~t refervc:s thee for the further rorm;nt ofan unnatural! !lroke,rhat thou mayeft fee too late, how eafie it is for· him in fpight ofrby god, toarme thine own loynosagainlhhee. Thouartaveng<d10 God,thouarravenged plentifully ofthine enemies. Who· foever,firives with thc.,,is fure togain nothing but lolfe, but lbame, but death, but 1 htl! . The Alf1riA»s are llaine,St»Athtrilds rewarded for his blafphemy: ltrtif4lt•is refcued,Ht"{tki•h rejoyces,the nation~ wonder and tremble. 0 love theLord all ye E 15-liots,forthc Lord prcfervcth· th" fJithfull., and plenteoully rcwardeth the proud doer. Hezekiah Jicfv recovered, vifited. IIE"{tki•h WAS freed from the fiegeof the AfiJTiAns , but bee is·furpr. ifed witha difcafe : hethatdeliver<d him from the hand of his enemies, fmir.:s bim With lickndfe: ·God doth notlet us loofe from all af!liaions, when he redeernes u~from oile. To think thlllr Hf1.!kim was other notJ thankcfull enough · for
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=