Ln.XI. The defolationof BEN rAM I N. A The defolationof BEN I AM I N. Hefc"rnorfcl<could not chufe but cut the hearts oflfraclwith horrour paflion; horrourof the act, and compaflion of the fufferer: now their zeale drawes them together, either for f:aisfJction, revenge. Who would not have looked that the hands of BMjamin I fhonld liave beene firO: upon Gibeah ; and that tbey rljould have , readily fcnt rhe heads of rl1e offenders for a fccond fervice after the gobbets of the Concubine? But now,in O:eadof punil11ing the finne, they paBI tronize the actors :and will rather die in refiO:ing jufiice, than live and profpcr in furtheri ng ir. Sure-ly, lfracl haJ one Tribe too man7.: all Benjamin is turned into Gibeah, the fonnes not of Benjamin., but of Belia. The abetting of evil!, i• worfc than the J commiflion ; This may be upon infirmity, but that mull be upon refolution. I E2fic ptmilhmcnt is roo much f.tvour to finne: connivcnce is much worfe: but rhc defence of it (and that unto blood) is intolerable. Had not rhefe men been I both wicked and qu.rrellous, they had not drawne their fiv9rds in fo foulc a caufe. Peaceable difpofitions arc hardly drawne ro fight for innocence: yet thefe : Bcnjaminircs (as ifrhcywerein love with villany, and out of choriry with God) >rill be thnvilfull Ch.>mpions of lcwdncffe. Howcan Gibeah repent them of that C >rickedneffc, which all Benjamin will make good, in fpight of their confciences 1 I Even where 1innc is fupprcffcd, ir will rife; bur where it is encouraged, it infults . and ryr.mnites. I Irwasmnrcjufl that Ifrad fhould rife againft Benjamin, rhanrbarBenjamin l:houlJ nfe for G1beah, by >oow much it is better tp punifh offenders, than to I fhelrer the offenders from punifhing. And yet the wickedneffe of Benjamin fpecl better for the time, than tlphoneO:y of Ifra"cl. TIVice was the better part foyled by the leffe, andworfe; The good caufe wos ' fent backe with fhame: the evil! returned with victory and triumph. 0 God! their hand was for thee in the 'fighr,and rhy hand was with them in their fall; They hadnot fought for thee, but by rhee; ne1ther could they have m1~carned 111 the light, 1f thou liadft not fought l) agamfl them; Thou art JUfl and holy 111 both. The caufe was rlnne: the finne in nunag) .lg nf it,\vas their owric. T_bey fought in an holy quarrcll, but with confiderce in thcmfclves:for,as prefum111g ofvietory,they askeof Ciod,notwhat fhould be their fucce"ffc,bur who fhoull berheir Captaine. Number and innocence made them too fccurc: ltwas juft thereforewith God~ to let them feele, that even good zeale cannot beare our prcfumptwn; a!<d that v1aory ltes not m the caufc, bUt in the Go.! that owncs it. · / Who ca~not imagine how much the Benjaminites infulred in their double field, and day I And no1v began to think God wac on their fide: thofefivords which had been tJught the way into forty thoufand bodies of their brethren, cannot feare a newcncounrer. Wicked men cannot fee their profperity a peece of tbeir curfe, E neither can examine their actions, but the events. Soone after, they fhall find what it was, ro add blood unto filthineffe,~nd that the victory ofanevill caufe,is the way , to nunc and confufion. i I 010ttld have feared, lea this double difcomfirure fhould have made Ifrael eith~rdi!lrnflfull,nrwearyof a gooJ caufe:but O:ill I finde them no leffc couragious, with more humility. Now,rhey fait, and weep, and facrince: Thefe weapons had b'en viClorious in their firO:affault; Benjamin had never been in danger ofpride for oVcrcomming, ifthis humi!iation of lfrael had prevenrcd the fig~·r. It is fC"ldomc fcen,butth.lt which we doe with feare, profpereth; whereas confidence in undertJ.i.:ing, layes even good endeavours in the dull. 'N Jckc.\ndfc could never brag~e ofany long profperity, no• complaine of the lacke
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