dom! It had been pity so poisonous a plant should have been fruitful: his pride shall supply nature, he rears up a stately pillar in the king's dale, and calls it by his own name, that he might live in dead stones, who could not survive in living issue; and now behold this curious pile ends in a rude heap, which speaks no language but the shame of that carcass which it covers. Hear this, ye glorious fools, that care not to perpetuate any memory of yourselves to the world, but of illdeserving greatness; the best of this affectation is vanity; the worst, infamy and dishonour; whereas the memorial of the just shall be blessed and if his humility shall refuse an epitaph, and choose to hide himself under the bare earth, God himself shall engrave his name upon the pillar of eternity.

There now lies Absalom in the pit, under a thousand gravestones, in every of which is written his everlasting reproach. Well might this heap overlive that pillar; for when that ceased to be a pillar, it began to be an heap, neither will it cease to be a monument of Absalom's shame, while there are stones to be found upon earth. Even at this day, very pagans and pilgrims that pass that way, cast each man a stone unto that heap, and are wont to say in a solemn execration, Cursed be the parricide Absalom, and cursed be all unjust persecutors of their parents, for ever. Fasten your eyes upon this woeful spectacle, O all ye rebellious and ungracious children, which rise up against the loins and thighs from which ye fell; and know that it is the least part of your punishment, that your carcasses rot in the earth, and your name in ignominy; these do but shadow out those eternal sufferings of your souls, for your foul and unnatural disobedience.

Absalom is dead: who shall report it to his father? Surely Joab was not so much afraid of the fact, as of the message. There are busy spirits that love to carry news, though thankless, though purposeless: such was Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, who importunately thrust himself into this service: wise Joab, who well saw how unwelcome tidings must be the burden of the first post, dissuades him in vain: He knew David too well, to employ a friend to that errand. An Ethiopian servant was a fitter bearer of such a message than the son of the priest. The entertainment of the person doth so follow the quality of the news, that David could argue afar off, "He is a good man, he cometh with good tidings." O how welcome deserve those messengers to be, that bring us

the glad tidings of salvation, that assure us of the foil of all spiritual enemies, and tell us of nothing but victories, and crowns, and kingdoins! If we think not their feet beautiful, our hearts are foul with infidelity and secure worldliness.

So wise is Ahimaaz grown by Joab's intimation, that though he out-went Cushi in his pace, he suffers Cushi to out-go him in his tale, cunningly suppressing that part which he knew must be both necessarily delivered, and unpleasingly received. As our care is wont to be where our love is, David's first word is not, how fares the host? but, "How fares the young man Absalom?" Like a wise and faithful messenger, Cushi answers by an honest insinuation, "The enemies of my Lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is;" implying both what was done, and why David should approve it being done. How is the good king thunder-struck with that word of his blackmoor; who, as if he were at once bereaved of all comfort, and cared not to live but in the name of Absalom, goes, and weeps, and cries out, "O my son Absalom! my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee! O Absalom, my son, my son!" What is this we hear? that he, whose life Israel valued at ten thousand of theirs, should be exchanged with a traitor's that a good king, whose life was sought, should wish to lay it down for the preservation of his murderer. The best men have not wont to be the least passionate. But what shall we say to that love of thine, O Saviour, who hast said of us wretched traitors, not "Would God I had died for you;" but I will die, I do die, I have died for you. O love, like thyself, infinite, incomprehensible, whereat the angels of heaven stand yet amazed, wherewith thy saints are ravished! "Turn away thine eyes from me, for they overcome me. O thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice; cause us to hear it ;" that we may in our measure answer thy love, and enjoy it for ever.

CONTEMPLATION IV.

Sheba's Rebellion.

It was the doom which God passed upon the man after his own heart, by the mouth of Nathan, that the sword should never depart from his house, for the blood of Uriah: after that wound healed by remission, yet this scar remains.

Ab

salom is no sooner cast down into the pit, than Sheba the son of Bichri is up in arms: if David be not plagued, yet he shall be corrected; first by the rod of a son, then of a subject. He I had lifted up his hands against a faithful subject; now a faithless dares to lift up his hand against him. Malice, like some hereditary sickness, runs in a blood; Saul and Shimei, and Sheba, were all of an house; that ancient grudge was not yet dead: the fire of the house of Jemini was but raked up, never thoroughly out; and now that, which did but smoke in Shimei, flames in Sheba; although, even through this chastisement, it is not hard to discern a type of that perpetual succession of enmity, which should be raised against the true King of Israel. O son of David, when didst thou ever want enemies! How wert thou designed by thine eternal Father, for a sign that should be spoken against! "How did the Gentiles rage, and the people imagine vain things! The kings of the earth assembled, and the rulers came together against thee." Yea, how do the subjects of thine own kingdom daily conspire against thee! Even now, while thou enjoyest peace and glory at thy Father's right hand, as soon shalt thou want friends as enemies upon earth.

No eye of any traitor could espy a just quarrel in the government of David; yet Sheba blows the trumpet of rebellion; and while Israel and Judah are striving who should have the greatest part in their re-established sovereign, he sticks not to say, "We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse;" and, while he says, "Every man to his tents, O Israel," he calls every man to his own; so, in proclaiming a liberty from a just and loyal subjection, he invites Israel to the bondage of an usurper.

That a lewd conspirator should breathe treason, it is no wonder; but is it not wonder and shame, that, upon every mutinous blast, Israel should turn traitor to God's anointed? It was their late expostulation with David, why their brethren, the men of Judah, should have stolen him from them. Now might David more justly expostulate, why a rebel of their brethren should have stolen them from him. As nothing is more unstable than the multitude, so nothing is more subject to distastes than sovereignty; for as weak minds seek pleasure in change, so every light conceit of irritation seems sufficient colour of change: such the false dispositions of the vulgar are! Love cannot be security enough for princes, without the

awfulness of power: what hold can there be of popularity, when the same hands, that even now fought for David to be all theirs, now fight against him, under the son of Bichri, as none of theirs? As bees, when they are once up in a swarm, are ready to light upon every bough; so the Israelites, being stirred by the late commotion of Absalom, are apt to follow every Sheba. It is unsafe for any state, that the multitude should once know the way to an insurrection; the least track in this kind is easily made a path. Yet, if Israel rebel, Judah continues faithful; neither shall the son of David ever be left destitute of some true subjects in the worst of apostasies. He, that could command all hearts, will ever be followed by some: God had rather glorify himself by a remnant.

Great commanders must have active thoughts: David is not so taken up with the embroiled affairs of his state, as not to intend domestic justice. His ten concubines, which were shamelessly defiled by his incestuous son, are condemned to ward and widowhood. Had not that constupration been partly violent, their punishment had not been so easy; had it not also been partly voluntary, they had not been so much punished; but how much soever the act did partake of either force, or will, justly are they sequestered from David's bed: Absalom was not more unnatural in his rebellion than in his lust: if now David should have returned to his own bed, he had seconded the incest. How much more worthy of separation are they, who have stained the marriage-bed with their wilful sin!

Amasa was one of the witnesses and abettors of Absalom's filthiness; yet is he, out of policy, received to favour and employment, while the concubines suffer. Great men yield many times to those things, out of reasons of state, which, if they were private persons, could not be easily put over. It is no small wisdom to engage a new reconciled friend, that he may be confirmed by his own act: therefore is Amasa commanded to levy the forces of Judah. Joab, after many great merits and achievements, lies rusting in neglect: he, that was so entire with David, as to be of his counsel for Uriah's blood, and so firm to David, as to lead all his battles against the house of Saul, the Ammonites, the Aramites, Absalom, is now cashiered, and must yield his place to a stranger, late an enemy. Who knows not that this son of Zeruiah had shed the blood of war in peace? But if the blood of Absalom had not been

louder than the blood of Abner, I fear this change had not been. Now Joab smarted for a loyal disobedience. How slippery are the stations of earthly honours, and subject to continual mutability! Happy are they who are in favour with Him, in whom there is no shadow of change!

Where men are commonly most ambitious to please with their first employments, Amasa slackens his pace. The least delay, in matters of rebellion, is perilous, may be irrecoverable. The sons of Zeruiah are not sullen; Abishai is sent, Joab goes unsent to the pursuit of Sheba, Amasa was in their way, whom no quarrel but their envy had made of a brother an enemy. Had the heart of Amasa been privy to any cause of grudge, he had suspected the kiss of Joab; now his innocent eyes look to the lips, not to the hand of his secret enemy; the lips were smooth: "Art thou in health, my brother?" The hand was bloody, which smote him under the fifth rib; that unhappy hand knew well this way unto death, which with one wound hath let out the souls of two great captains, Abner and Amasa; both they were smitten by Joab, both under the fifth rib, both under a pretence of friendship. There is no enmity so dangerous as that which comes masked with love. Open hostility calls us to our guard; but there is no fence against a trusted treachery. We need not be bidden to avoid an enemy; but who would run away from a friend? Thus spiritually deals the world with our souls, it kisses us, and stabs us at once: if it did not embrace us with one hand, it could not murder us with the other: only, God deliver us from the danger of our trust, and we shall be safe.

Joab is gone, and leaves Amasa wallowing in blood; that spectacle cannot but stay all passengers. The death of great "Is not this persons draws ever many eyes: each man says, my lord Amasa?" Wherefore do we go to fight, while our general lies in the dust? What a sad presage is this of our own miscarriage! The wit of Joab's followers hath therefore soon both removed Amasa out of the way, and covered him, not regarding so much the loss, as the eye-sore of Israel. Thus wicked politics care not so much for the commission of villany, as for the notice. Smothered evils are as not done: if oppressions, if murder, if treasons may be hid from view, the obdured heart of the offender complains not of