of their sin and, for ought I can perceive, speak as if God were curious, rather than they faulty. "Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God, and to whom shall he go from us!" As if none could please that God, which misliked them. It is the fashion of natural men, to justify themselves in their own courses; if they cannot charge any earthly thing with the blame of their suffering, they will cast it on heaven. That a man pleads himself guilty of his own wrong, is no common work of God's Spirit. Beth-shemesh bordered too near upon the Philistines. If these men thought the very presence of the ark hurtful, why do they send to their neighbours of Kirjath-jearim, that they might make themselves miserable? Where there is a misconceit of God, it is no marvel if there be a defect of charity. How cunningly do they send their message to their neighbours! They do not say, the ark of God is come to us of its own accord; lest the men of Kirjath-jearim should reply, It is come to you, let it stay with you. They say only, the Philistines have brought it. They tell of the presence of the ark, they do not tell of the success, lest the example of their judgment should have discouraged the forwardness of their relief. And, after all, the offer was plausible; "Come ye down, and take it up to you:" as if the honour had been too great for themselves; as if their modesty had been such, that they would not forestall and engross happiness from the rest of Israel.

It is no boot to teach nature how to tell her own tale;

smart and danger will make a man witty. He is rarely constant, that will not dissemble for ease. It is good to be suspicious of the evasions of those which would put off misery. Those of Beth-shemesh were not more crafty than these of Kirjath-jearim (which was the ground of their boldness) faithful. So many thousand Beth-shemites could not be dead, and no part of the rumour fly to them. They heard how thick not only the Philistines, but the bordering Israelites, fell down dead before the ark; yet they durst adventure to come, and fetch it, even from amongst the carcasses of their brethren. They had been formerly acquainted with the ark, they knew it was holy, it could not be changeable; and therefore they well conceived this slaughter to arise from the unholiness of men, not from the rigour of God, and thereupon can seek comfort in that which others found deadly. God's children cannot, by any means, be discouraged from their

honour and love to his ordinances. If they see thousands struck down to hell by the sceptre of God's kingdom, yet they will kiss it upon their knees, and if their Saviour be a rock of offence, and the occasion of the fall of millions in Israel, they can feed temperately of that whereof others have suffered to death, &c.

Beth-shemesh was a city of priests and Levites. Kirjathjearim a city of Judah, where we hear but of one Levite, Abinadab; yet this city was more zealous for God, more reverent and conscionable in the entertainment of the ark, than the other. We heard of the taking down of the ark by the Beth-shemites, when it came miraculously to them; we do not hear of any man sanctified for the attendance of it, as was done in this second lodging of the ark. Grace is not tied either to number or means. It is in spiritual matters, as in an estate; small helps with good thrift enrich us, when great patrimonies lose themselves in the neglect. Shiloh was wont to be the place which was honoured with the presence of the ark. Ever since the wickedness of Eli's sons, that was forlorn and desolate, and now Kirjath-jearim succeeds into this privilege. It did not stand with the royal liberty of God, no, not under the law, to tie himself unto places and persons. worthiness was ever a sufficient cause of exchange. It was not yet his time to stir from the Jews, yet he removed from one province to another. Less reason have we to think, that so God will reside amongst us, that none of our provocations can drive him from us, &c.

Un

Israel, which had found the misery of God's absence, is now resolved into tears of contrition and thankfulness upon his return. There is no mention of their lamenting after the Lord while he was gone, but when he was returned, and settled in Kirjath-jearim; the mercies of God draw more tears from his children, than his judgments do from his enemies. There is no better sign of good nature or grace, than to be won to repentance with kindness. Not to think of God, except we be beaten into it, is servile. Because God was come again to Israel, therefore Israel is returned to God: if God had not come first, they had never come. If he, that came to them, had not made them come to him, they had been ever parted. They were cloyed with God, while he was perpetually resident with them: now that his absence had made him dainty, they cleave to him fervently and penitently in his

return. This was it that God meant in his departure, a better welcome at his coming back.

'I heard no news of Samuel, all this while the ark was gone. Now, when the ark is returned and placed in Kirjath-jearim, I hear him treat with the people. It is not like he was silent in this sad desertion of God; but now he takes full advantage of the professed contrition of Israel, to deal with them effectually, for their perfect conversion unto God. It is great wisdom, in spiritual matters, to take occasion by the forelock, and to strike while the iron is hot. We may beat long enough at the door, but till God have opened, it is no going in; and, when he hath opened, it is no delaying to enter. The trial of sincerity is the abandoning of our wonted sins. This Samuel urgeth; "If ye be come again unto the Lord with all your heart, put away the strange gods from among you, and Ashtaroth." In vain had it been to profess repentance, whilst they continued in idolatry. God will never acknowledge any convert, that stays in a known sin. Graces and virtues are so linked together, that he which hath one, hath all. The partial conversion of men unto God is but hateful hypocrisy. How happily effectual is a word spoken in season! Samuel's exhortation wrought upon the hearts of Israel, and fetched water out of their eyes, suits and confessions and vows out of their lips, and their false gods out of their hands; yet it was not merely remorse, but fear also, that moved Israel to this humble submission.

The Philistines stood over them still, and threatened them with new assaults; the memory of their late slaughter and spoil was yet fresh in their minds; sorrow for the evils past, and fear of the future, fetched them down upon their knees. It is not more necessary for men to be cheered with hopes, than to be awed with dangers. Where God intends the humiliation of his servants, there shall not want means of their dejection. It was happy for Israel that they had an enemy. Is it possible that the Philistines, after those deadly plagues which they sustained from the God of Israel, should think of invading Israel? Those that were so mated with the presence of the ark, that they never thought themselves safe till it was out of sight, do they now dare to thrust themselves upon the new revenge of the ark? It slew them while they thought to honour it, and do they think to escape whilst they resist it? It slew them in their own coasts, and do they come

to it to seek death? Yet, behold, no sooner do the Philistines hear that the Israelites are gathered to Mizpeh, but the princes of the Philistines gather themselves against them. No warnings will serve obdurate hearts: wicked men are even ambitious of destruction. Judgments need not to go find them out; they run to meet their bane.

The Philistines come up, and the Israelites fear; they that had not the wit to fear, whilst they were not friends with God, have not now the grace of fearlessness, when they were reconciled to God. Boldness and fear are commonly misplaced in. the best hearts; when we should tremble, we are confident; and when we should be assured, we tremble. Why should Israel have feared, since they had made their peace with the God of hosts? Nothing should affright those which are upright with God. The peace which Israel hath made with God was true, but tender. They durst not trust their own innocency, so much as the prayers of Samuel; "Cease not to cry to the Lord our God for us." In temporal things, nothing hinders but we may fare better for other men's faith than for our own. It is no small happiness to be interested in them. which are favourites in the court of heaven. One faithful man, in these occasions, is more worth than millions of the wavering and uncertain.

A good heart is easily won to devotion. Samuel cries, and sacrificeth to God: he had done so, they had intreated his silence, yea, his forbearance. While he is offering, the Philistines fight with Israel, and God fights with the Philistines, though "the Lord thundered with a great thunder that day, upon the Philistines, and scattered them." Samuel fought more upon his knees, than all Israel besides. The voice of God answered the voice of Samuel, and speaks confusion and death to the Philistines. How were the proud Philistines dead with fear ere they died, to hear the fearful thunder-claps of an angry God against them! to see that heaven itself fought against them! He that slew them secretly, in the revenges of his ark, now kills them with open horror in the fields. If presumption did not make wicked men mad, they would never lift their hand against the Almighty: what are they in his hands, when he is disposed to vengeance!

CONTEMPLATION IV.

The Meeting of Saul and Samuel.

SAMUEL began his acquaintance with God early, and continued it long. He began it in his long coats, and continued to his grey hairs. He judged Israel all the days of his life. God doth not use to put off his old servants; their age endeareth them to him the more: if we be not unfaithful to him, he cannot be unconstant to us. At last his decayed age met with ill partners, his sons for deputies, and Saul for a king. The wickedness of his sons gave the occasion of a change. Perhaps Israel had never thought of a king, if Samuel's sons had not been unlike their father. Who can promise himself holy children, when the loins of a Samuel, and the education in the temple, yielded monsters! It is not likely that good Samuel was faulty in that indulgence, for which his own mouth had denounced God's judgment against Eli: yet this holy man succeeds Eli in his cross, as well as his place, though not in his sin, and is afflicted with a wicked succession. God will let us find, that grace is by gift, not by inheritance.

I fear Samuel was too partial to nature in the surrogation of his sons; I do not hear of God's allowance to this act; if this had been God's choice, as well as his, it had been like to have received more blessing. Now all Israel had cause to rue, that these were the sons of Samuel: for now the question was not of their virtues, but of their blood; not of their worthiness, but their birth. Even the best heart may be blinded with affection. Who can marvel at these errors of parents' love, when he, that so holily judged Israel all his life, misjudged of his own sons!

It was God's ancient purpose to raise up a king to his people. How doth he take occasion to perform it, but by the unruly desires of Israel; even as we say of human proceedings, that ill manners beget good laws. That monarchy is the best form of government, there is no question: good things may be ill desired; so was this of Israel. If an itching desire of alteration had not possessed them, why did they not rather sue for a reformation of their governors, than for a change of government? Were Samuel's sons so desperately evil, that there was no possibility of amendment? or, if they were past hope, were there not some others to have succeeded the justice of Samuel,