LrB.X. A CONTEMPLATIONS. B THE TENTH BOOK. J E P t HA. 9 Srael, that had now long sone a whoring from GoJ, hath beene punifhed by the regimental the Concubines fonne, and at !all: feekes protection from the fon of an harlot: It is no fmall mifery to bcobljgcdunrotheunworthy. The Concubines fon, made fute ro them· Tl1ey make filte to thefon ofthe barlo" It was no fault of Jeptha tha~ C he had an ill morhcr, yet is he branded With the indi~nityof his bafiardy; neither would God concealc this blemlfh ofnature, which] eptha could neither avoide nor remedy. God,. to 01tw his detellation of wlloredome, revenges it !)Ot ohely upon 'the aCtors, but upon their illue: Hence he.harh .01ut outthe bafe fonne from the <;:ongregation of lfrael, to the tenth generation, that a tran{ient evill micrht have a during re()roach attending it; and that «frer the death of the· Adulrere~, yet his fhame might Ilvc. Bur, that God,who jufily ties men ro hislawes, will not abide tha.r we fhould tie him toour !awes, or his owne; He can both reetifie and ennoble tl\e blood of] eptha. That no m,an fhould be·too much d1fcouragedwith the errors of his propJgarion,eve•1 the bafe fon ofman may be the lawfully begotten of God; and though he be call our from the i~heritahce of his brethren upon earth, may be tJ !1lrrutteJtotheT<)ngdomeofifrael. . , . . . I heare no pra.CC ofthe lawful!ffueof Gt!rad;onel yrh1s m1f-begorten fon 1s cornmended for his valour,and fet atthc fierne oflfracl: The common gifts efGod,refpeet not rhc ihrentag_c orblOO<l, but are indifferently fcattered where he pleafes to let them fall. Thecuoice of the Almi!lhty is notguided by our rules; As iu fpirituall, fo in earr~ly things, it iS"nor in !urn that wilfeth. If God would have men glory in thefeoutward pnvileges,hewouldbeflow them upon none_but thc~vorthy. Now,who can be proud offtrct!gth or gre•tnc{fe,wben he fees h1m that 1s Qllt fo hbnefi, yet is mort valiant, and inore advanced? Had cot Jeptha been bafc, he had Hot been thr~f\ out; and il he hid not been thttifi out fr.om his brethren, l1c had ntvtr been tqe taptaine of Ifracl. By contrary pafes to ours, it pleafeth God to E bo\ue to his myhc ends :andhow ufually doth he looke the contrary way, to that llcmoves?Nolllancan meafurc t he concluiion of Gods aet by his begmning: He rbat fetches g~i.:>d otlt ofevill, rai(cs the glory ofmen out ofthl'ir ruine. Men love l? goe the n~trc!i way, and often faile: God cemmonly goes about,and in his own nme coincs Jnr~ly home. The Gileadites were not fo forward to expel! Jeptba, as glad to recall him: No Ammonire rl1rcatned tiremwhen they parted with fuch M belper : Now,whorn they caftout intheir peace,they fetch home in their danger and mifery.That God, who neverga'c ought in vainc, will finde a time to make ufc of any gtft that bee ?arh bellowed upon men: <he ,·alour of ]eptba f112ll not ruf\ in ~is fecrecy, but be 1mplo1cd to the common prefervation oflfrael.Neccflitywlldnvc us to fcek up a\ our
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