[olJtemplations. LIB. IX. in the thankfull ipde.vours ofhis (ervant'i>that he patiently waits upon the leifure A ofour paformances. qidton intended a dmner,the Angel turned it into a facrifice. He, whofemeatanddrinke invas to doe his Fathors will, cals for the broth and fldh to be powred out upon the !lo_ne;a~d when q idton look'd.he !hould haye bleffcd,and eaten, be touches the feaft w1th h1s !laffe,and con fumes 1t w itb fire from the ll:onc, and departes. He did not !lrikt the ftonewith his !laffe (for the attritionof tiVO hard bodies would naturallybe11;et fire) but h~ touched the meat, and brought ' fire from the ftone: And now,whiles Gidton faw andwondred at the fpiritual act hcloftthc fight ofthe Agent. . ' Hee that came •yithout intreatinp;, would not have depaned without taking leave, but that he nught mcrcafe q uleons wonder, and that h1s wonder miobt increafe his fi!itb. His hlutation therefore 1vas not fo ftrang, as his farewell. "v!ro[ts B touched the rockewith his !iaffe, and brought forth water, and yet a man, and yet continued with the Ifraclites.This me!fcngertouches the !lone ~>ith his !laffe, and brings forth fire, and prefentlyvani!hes, that he may approve himfelfe a fpirit. Andnmv Gidton,when he had gathered up himfelfe, mull: ~etds thinke, He that can raifc fite O\tt ofa !ione, can raife courage and pmver out ofmy dead bre!l; He that by this lire bath confumed tbebrothand fleih, ~an by the feeble flame of my fortitudeconfume Midian. q tdeon did not fo much doubt before,as no1v he feared. We that !hallonce live With and be like the Angels, in the eftate of our impotency thinke wee cannot (eean Angel, andhve. qiJean was acknowledged for mighty/in valour, yet hee trembles at the fight of an Angel. Peter, that dud\ draw Ius fword upon Malcb"', C and all the tuineof Jud.s, yet feares when he thought he had fecne a fpirit. Our natural] courage cannot beareus out againft fpirituall objetts. ThiS Angel was homelyandfamihar, taking upon him for the time, a rofemblance of that flelb whereof he w?uld after,wards take the f~blia?ce;yet even the valiant Gidton quakes to ~ave feen lum: How awefulland glonous ls the Godof Angels,when he will be feen in the !late.of Heaven I The Angelthat departed for the wonder,yet retttFnes for the comfortofgi./eon· It is not t.fie wQnt of Gqd to leave bis children in amaze, but he brings them out j~ the fame mercy 1vhich led them in,and willm3{!11ifie hi• grace in the one, no lc!fc than his power i(l the other. Now (jideon growes acq!lainted with God, and entorchanges pledges of famili2- D rity; He build~ a~ Altar to God, ami God conferres witli him; and (as he ufes \Yherchcloves) imployes him. His firfi taskt mu!i be to de!lroythe god of the Midianircs, then the Idolaters tbemfelves. Whiles B•alr Altar and grove ftood in the hi.ll of Ophrah, Ifra~l !hou!d in vaine hope to prevaile: It mo!l ju!i with God, dtat jt~dgement !hou)d c0ntinue with the finne, and no le!fe mercy, if it may remove after it. Wouldeft thou faine be rid ofany judgement I Inquir~ what falfe Altars and groves thou haft in thy heart! downe with them firft. Firfrmu!l B.als altar be ruined, ere God's be_built;both may not !land togetl·er; The trueGod will have nofocicty whh Idols, neither will allow it lis. ·I doe not bearehim fay, That Altar and grovewhich were abufed toB..I, confecr:ir. now to me; but as one whofe holy j!'aloufiewill abidenowor£11ip til there he no Idolatry, E l]e fir!\ comm,ands down the monumeqts offuper!litwn, and tl'en itcjoyns hi own fcrvice; yet the waoclofPaa/r grove mu!i beufed to burnea facrific.e ur.ro God: When it was once cut downelGods dete!lation and their dangorceafed. Tl·e gr•od creatures of God that h.vebeen profaned to Idolatry,lllay,inachangc oftl:c•r ufe, be imploied to the holy fcrvic~of their Maker. . Though fome Ifrael.itc~wore penitent under this humiliation, yet Oil! many of themperftfted in thei~ wonted idolarry:t'•e very hou!llold of q idto"' frherwcre n.I! Baalitc•,and his nci!l''bours of Ophrah were in rl1e fame fin:yea,if his f.tr~cr lwl hm free,what did he wit!' !laa!< grove and altar I. He dares not therefore take his f,tl,cr< fcrvants, though he rooke his Bullocks, but.commands his owne. The Ma!lcr is • be!i
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