[ontemplatipns. LIB. X I. lack ofpayment: Still God is even with it at lafl: Now he paics the Benjaminites A both that death whiCh thoy had lent tothe Ifraehtes, and that wherin they fiooJ mdcbted to their brother-hood of Gtheah: And now, that both arc met in death there is as much difference betwixt thofe Ifraelites, an.d thefc Benjaminites, as bdtwtxt Martyrs and Malcfal%ors. To dtc m a finne, ts. a fearcfull revengeof giving patro· nage to finne: The !\vord confumes thetr bodtes, another fire theu Cttics, whatfoevcr became oi their foulcs . Now mi•ht Rachelhave juflly wept for hercl1ildren, becaufe they werenot. for behold, th~ men, women, and children of her wicked Tribe, arc cut off; ~nel; fome few fcattered remam<(ers, ran away from thts vengeance, and lurked in caves and rocks, both for feare and fhame : There was 110 difference, but life, betwixt their brethren and them; the earth covered them both: yet unto. them doth rhe B revenge of Ifrac! ilretch it felfe,and vowe• to defiroy,if nor their perfons,yct their fucceffion; a. holdmg them unworthy to recetve any comfort by that fex,to '<Vhich they had been fo cruell, both in aa and maintenance. If the !fraelires l1ad not held marriage and iflue a very great 15fefftng, they hadnot thus r.even.gcd themfelves of B<nJamm: Now, they accounted the wtth-holdmg of thelf ivtves, a punin1ment fecond unto death. The bope of life in our poftemy, is the next contentment to an enjoytng of life inour felves,. They have !ivorne, and nmv upon cold blood repent them. Ifthe oath were not juft, whywould they take it ' And if,it.werc jufi,why did they recant it l lfthc act were juftifiable, what needed thefeteares ? Even a jufi oath may be rafhly taken: not only injuftice,but temerity of!ivearingendsin lamentation. In our very ci~il! c aaions, it is a weakndfe to doe that whicli we would after reverfe; but in our affaires with God; to check our felves too late, and to fieepe ouroathcs in teares, is a dangerous folly. Hedoth not command us to take voluntary oathes; He commands us tokeepe them. If we bind our felves to inconvenience, we may jufily complaine ofour own fetters: Oathes doe not only re'luire jufiice,but judgement· wife deliberation, no lcffe thari equity. Cl> ' Notconfciencc of their fact,butcommifcration of their brethren, led them to this publick repentance. 0 God, why il thiuometopaf/'e, that thwdayone Trihe of IfrMI P;p//wam? Even thejufieftrevengeof men is capable of pitty. Infultation in the rigour ofJufHce, argues cruelty; Charitable minds are grieved to fee that done, which theywould not wifh undone;the fmart ofthe olfenaer cloth not pleafe rhem, D which yet arc throughly difpleafed with the finne, and have given their hands to punHh it. God himfelfe takes no pleafure in the death of a finner, yet loves the puni01ment of Gnne: As a good parent whips his childe,yet we~ps himfclfe.There is a meafure in victory and revenge, if never fo juft; which to exceed, leefes mercy inthe fuit of Jufiice. . Ifthere were no fault in their feverity, itAeeded no excufc; and if there were a fault, it will admit ofno excufe: yet, as if they meant to 01jft offthe finne, they expoftulatewith God; 0 Lord G•d of Ifrwe/,,.hy inhilcome topaJJetiJilday? God gave them no commandofthis rigour;yea,he twice croft them in theexecution,and nmv in that which they intreatedofGod with tears,they challenge lum.It is 2 dangerous injufticc, to by the burtben ofour fins upon him which tempti:th no man, nor can E be temptedwith evill; whiles we would fo remove our fin, we double it. I A man that knew not the power ofan oath,wouldwonder arthis coutrarirtyio t11e affeCtions of!(racl:tbey arc forryforthc 03ughter of Benjamin;& yet thcv fl,vrhore that did not help them in tfie (laughter. Thciroathcals them to more blooJ: the ! excelfc ofthcir revenge upon Benjamin,may notexcufe the men ofGileaJ: If ever ~ oath might .look for a difperrfation,this might plead it;noiV,theydate POt bur ki 1 r!·e 1. men of Iahe1hGilead, lelltheylhould have leftupon themfelvs a great~r fin offpdrtn~ t:Jan punifl,ing.l ahefhGilead came not up toatdifrael,therfore al themhabit5t• nnm i Jie.Toexcmptour felves(IVhether outoffingularity,or ftubbornncs)frnmtre com- · , mon aClions of theChurcli,whcn"we are lawfully cal"d to them,is an offence worthy I of
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