Contemplations. L Ill, IX. · fi:flion,and march .rmed before their brethren, .rill tficy had conquered alf Ca- A. naan. WJ:cther fuould we more commend, thc1r courage, or their charit ? Others were moved to fight with hope;they only with love:rhey could not win ~lore they might lofe themfelves; yet they will fight, both for that they had fomethina' and tha~ theu brethren rmght have. Thankfulneffe ;and love can dce more wit'h Gods Clllldrcn, than defire to merit, or neceflity: No true lfraelite can (if he mightchufe) abide to fit 1\ill beyond Jordan, when all his brethren arc in the field. Now,whcn all this warreofGodwas ended, and all Canaan is both won and divided1 they return_e to their ownc; yet not till they were difmil!cd by ] of!;.,_.: all the tweet attra8:1ves 0f1heu pt~vate love cannot haflen the1r peace.If!Jcaven be ne1·cr fo r;rc<t to us, yet may we not runne from this earthen warfare, till ourgreat capraine il1all pleafe to difchargc us.Ifrhefc Reuhcnites had departedfooner they B lnd been recalled, if not as cowards, furely as fugitives; now, they arc fent backe 1ntb v1aory and ble!ling. How fafe and happy Jtls to attend b-?th the call and the difpatchof God! Beiug returned in peace tO their home, their firtl: care is, not forT rophees, nor for houfes,but for an Alrarto God; an Alrar,not for facrifice,wh ich had been abominable, bur for a memoriall what God they ferve. The firftcare of true Ifraelites ' mu(\ be tbe fJfety of Religion;the world,as it is inf~nour in worth,fo mull it be i~ refpea: : he ne1er knew God aright, that can abide any competition with his M~e~ · The refl oftl·e Tribes no fooner heare newes oftheir ~ew Altar,bu: they gather to Shdoh, to fight ag,amtl: them: they had fcarce brearluqg from the Canaanitifu c warre, and now they will goe fight with their brethren: if th~ir brethren will .(as they fufpea:ed) rurne Idolarers, theycannot holdtnemany other than Cao~anites. The ReHbenites and their fellowes had newly fetlcd the r~tl:bf If;<)cl in t!Je\r paffcflions: and now ere they can he warme in their feates, lfr>,C'l N up in Armes to tlu\lfl them ou~ oftheir owne. The ~arredOf their f\tfpc.:ted Idolatry, rlJ~kcs the-m fptg~:~cu;b.ett the.Jr blood,or theube·ncfit~. lfraesfayci,Thefemenwere the firll: in our battels, and fuall bethe firfi ih ou~n!vengc f''they tbughr1vell for .us. we will try h<)w thdy' can fight-for' thekft(elVeS') Wbat ifl~hey w~re oti'r champioQs_? Their revolt fn>m God bath Jolf.th'lfln th'e'tb~rlk? of 'their fbrrner labours;' their Id9latry !hall make tHem ofbrethtoo, advecl';a'ies~llieir mvne bloo\1 fball give q~ndfell.to tbeir new 1\itar.' O ·tli:ible ~r\d 'r~ligious ze~le 9f Ifrael! Wo wou~d D thmkcnhcfe men thefonne• f!>f tb~m·tl'11lt dand!d .about t.he moltell Calfe ? that c6n(ecrared 2n Alta£to that IdoU. Now 'rlley are ready to die or kill, rather than endur~ an Altar w.itl1o ut an I doll ? Every<lvet(ure in matter ofReligioc,is worthy of(ufpiriolJ,WOrthy ofour·fpce<fy eppofi~'bn': •God-lookes for an early redrel\C of the firtl: beginnings of impiet)". As in treafons ormiitirife5~ wife Staref-men find it fafell to kdl the ferpent in tbe·egge; fo in motions of fp1rituall ali:etations, one fpoonefull of water will quench that fire at the firfi, which afterwards whole buc- 'kets cannot abate. : ·Yet doe not thefc zealous Ifraelit~s runrafb\r and.f'¥ioully upon their brethren, nor fay, V\'hat need weexpoflula~e? The faa: IS cleerO:':' whatca.re we for words, jwhen we fee their Altar ? What can tlus mean~, but e1thcr ferv1ce to a falfe ~od, E \Of divi(!\?9 in the ferv,i(e of the ttue?There can.be no e~cufe for fo man1fefl a mme: why doe we not rathcrtlunke of pum{hment, than fat!Sfachon? But they fend ere they goe and conH!lt ere theyexecute.Phi'I.W the f'?n af£/eazar ~he Priefi,~nd t~n Princcs(forcve.ry Tnbe one)are addreffed botb to mquire and d!ffivade;toJOquue ofthe purpofe oftlie [aa:; to diffivade fr.Om that which they i~agined was_purpofed. Wifdomeis ag9od guide to zeale, and.~:mely catLkecpc lt fro~ runmng out into futy:If difcreuon doe not hold 10 the_re•oes,goocLmt~ntJOns w~ll both br<ake. their owne necks, and the riders·:. yea, wblcbts tl:range,lWJthout tins, the zeale of God may lead us from Cod. . J' ·• " ':· . Not oncly wifedome, but charity move 'them to,t41s·meffage. For, grant they ~ had
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