1332· Contemplation!. :--~--~~~~~~~~~~~~ -~~~--~~--------- think to rtbtU; for lf1hicJ. c.uft thDMbuild eft tlu waD thAt thou m•ifl bt thtir King.It u re- A porttd: and what faHhood may not plead this warrant~Whar can be more lyino then report~ Am•wg thehwhen:and wbo is more Ethnick then Sa•b•Oatr whar Pag~n can LIB.XXI. be worfe then amungrd Idolater~ A•dGafbm• faith it; Aske my fellow clfe;This Arabian was one of rhofe three heads of all the boltile combination, againft Jcrufalem,ogainft Nthtmlah; le would be wide with innocence ifenemies might be allow'J roaccufe. That tht It,.ts think to rebtO: A ftale fugge!Hon, bur once powerful! ; Malice bath learn'd eo mifcallallaltions;where the hands cannot be taxed,very thoughts ore pre. judged: For which CAu{i thou build eft tht rfiAii,that thoum1itjl btthtir King;Hewas never true Ifraelire that bathnot palfed fpigbrfull llanders1and mifconftrultions: Artu·- trxts knew his fervanr coo well, eo beleeve any rumor, that lhould have beene fo ·lhameldfe; The ambition of Ntbtmi•h was well knowne to reach only to the·cup B not to the Scepter of his Soveraigne 1 And yet, eo make up a found tale, Propbtts .,; (ub~rnedt• pwch, Thtreil• King in I•d•h :as ifchar l Jyall governour had corrupted the pulpits alfo; and had mtgbr them chc language ofrreafon. Bur what ofall this~ what iffome falfc tongue have whifpmd fuch idle tales ~ le is norlafe for thee, o Nthtmi•h,ro conremne report: Perhaps this newes lhall fly eo the Courr,and worke chee adead!y difpl<afure ere thou canft know thy fdfrraduced; Come rherefore,and kr us cake counfell together : Surely that man cannot be fpacing ofany thing, char is prodigall of his reputation. Ifought under heaven can fetch Nthemiah out of his hold, it is the care ofhis fame, But that woric governour fees anet fprcad neere unto this ftall; and therefore keeps aloof\-, not wichouc contempt of C thofdlie devices. Thtrtart no(Ne/; things done d4 th•• J4ytjl, hr1t tbo• foinejlthtmout •fthintofflntbe.rt: Someimpurarionsarc bcftanfwercd with ancg\edivedcniall: It falls our often that plainedealing puts craft our ofcountenance. Since neither force nor fraud cankillNthtmiab,rhcywill now trietodrawhiai into a fin, and thereby into a reproach; 0 God, that any Prophets tongue lhould be mercenary! shemaiab the Seer,is hired by Tobi•h,and SanbaUat,to affright theGovernor, with the noife ofhis intended murder; ond to advifc him forlhelter,ro flie rothe forbidden refuge of the Temple. The colour was faire;Violence is me~nt to thy perfan, no place but one can promife thee f>fery; The City hath as yet no gates; come therefore, and fhut thy fdfeup in the Temple, there ondy lhaltthoube free from all alfault~. Andwhat if Nthemiah had hearkened to this counfcll~ Sin, and lhame had follow. D ed; That holy ploce was for none but perfons facred, fuch as were privilcdged by blood, and fundion; others lhould prefume, and offend in entring; and now, what would the people fay~ What {hall become ofus whiles our Governor hides his head fot fcare! Where lhall we find a Temple eo fecure us~ What do we depending upon a cowardly leader~ Well did Nehemiah fore.caft tbefe circumftances,both ofad,and event,and there· fore refolving rodtftruft a Prophet chat pcrfwaded-him to the violation ofa Law, he r<jclts the motion with fcorne1 Sho•ldfoth aman "' 1flit! sho•ldI totintllht TtmJft tl favt my lift ! r_wiU 1101 g•~ : It is fir for great pcrfo_ns !O ftand upon the honour of their ~laces; Thctr very ftatlons lhould puf chafe fptrtts tnto them, that lhould make E them hate eo ftoope unto bafe conditions. , . . Had God fent this melfage, we know he hath power to dtfpenfe With htS owne Lawes;but w<ll might the contradiltion of a .Law_argue the mclfage nor fe_n~ ofGlild. God as he is one, fo dorh he perfidyagree wtth htmf<lfe. If any pnvate fpmt crolfea ·writtenword let him be accurfed.
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