God's judgment upon that wicked house), as one insensible of the death of her father, of her husband, of herself, in comparison of this loss, calls her (then unseasonable) son Ichabod; and with her last breath, says, The glory is departed from Israel; the ark is taken. What cares she for a posterity, which should want the ark? What cares she for a son come into the world of Israel, when God was gone from it? And how willingly doth she depart from them, from whom God was departed! Not outward magnificence, not state, not wealth, not favour of the mighty, but the presence of God in his ordinances, is the glory of Israel; the subduing whereof is a greater judgment than destruction. Oh Israel, worse now than no people! a thousand times more miserable than Philistines: those pagans went away triumphing with the ark of God, and victory; and leave the remnants of the chosen people to lament, that they once had a God. Oh cruel and wicked indulgence, that is now found guilty of the death, not only of the priests and people, but of religion! Unjust mercy can never end in less than blood; and it were well, if only the body should have cause to complain of that kind cruelty. CONTEMPLATIONS. BOOK XII. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, MY SINGULAR GOOD LORD, BARON OF SALEY, ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL. Right Honourable,-Upon how just reason these my contemplations go forth so late after their fellows, it were needless to give account to your lordship, in whose train I had the honour, since my last, to pass both the sea and the Tweed. All my private studies have gladly vailed to the public services of my sovereign master. No sooner could I recover the happiness of my quiet thoughts, than I renewed this my divine task; wherein I cannot but profess to place so much contentment, as that I wish not any other measure of my life than it. What is this, other than the exaltation of Isaac's delight, to walk forth into the pleasant fields of the Scriptures, and to meditate of nothing under heaven? Yea, what other than Jacob's sweet vision of angels, climbing up and down that sacred ladder, which God hath set between heaven and earth? Yea to rise yet higher, what other than an imitation of holy Moses, in his conversing with God himself, on the Horeb of both Testaments? And if I may call your Lordship forth a little from your great affairs of court and state, to bless your eyes with this prospect, how happy shall you confess this change of objects! and how unwillingly shall you obtain leave of your thoughts, to return unto these sublunary employments! Our last discourse left God's ark amongst the Philistines; now we return to see what it doth there, and to fetch it thence: wherein your Lordship shall find the revenges of God never so deadly, as when he gives most way unto men; the vain confidence of wickedness ending in a late repentance; the fearful plagues of a presumptuous sauciness with God, not prevented with the honesty of good intentions; the mercy of God accepting the services of an humble faithfulness in a meaner dress. From thence you shall see the dangerous issue of an affected innovation, although to the better; the errors of credulity and blind affection in the holiest governors, guilty of the people's discontentment; the stubborn headiness of a multitude that once finds the rein slack in their necks, not capable of any pause, but their own fall; the untrusty promises of a fair outside, and a plausible entrance, shutting up in a woeful disappointment. What do I forestall a discourse so full of choice? Your Lordship shall find every line useful; and shall willingly confess that the story of God can make a man not less wise than good. Mine humble thankfulness knows not how to express itself otherwise, than in these kind of presents, and in my hearty prayers for the increase of your honour and happiness, which shall never be wanting from Your Lordship's sincerely and thankfully devoted, JOSEPH HALL. 295 CONTEMPLATION I.-THE ARK AND DAGON. 1 SAMUEL V. Ir men did not mistake God, they could not arise to such height of impiety. The acts of his just judgment are imputed to impotence: that God would send his ark captive to the Philistines, is so construed by them, as if he could not keep it. The wife of Phineas cried out, that glory was departed from Israel ; the Philistines dare say in triumph, that glory is departed from the God of Israel. The ark was not Israel's, but God's: this victory reaches higher than to men. Dagon had never so great a day, so many sacrifices, as now, that he seems to take the God of Israel prisoner: where should the captive be bestowed, but in custody of the victor? It is not love, but insult, that lodges the ark close beside Dagon. What a spectacle was this, to see uncircumcised Philistines laying their profane hands upon the testimony of God's presence! to see the glorious mercy-seat under the roof of an idol! to see the two cherubims spreading their wings under a false god! Oh the deep and holy wisdom of the Almighty, which overreaches all the finite conceits of his creatures; who, while he seems most to neglect himself, fetches about most glory to his own name. He winks and sits still on purpose, to see what men would do, and is content to suffer indignity from his creature for a time, that he may be everlastingly magnified in his justice and power that honour pleaseth God and men best, which is raised out of contempt. The ark of God was not used to such porters. The Philistines carry it unto Ashdod, that the victory of Dagon may be more glorious. What pains superstition puts men unto, for the triumph of a false cause! And if profane Philistines can think it no toil to carry the ark where they should not, what a shame is it for us, if we do not gladly attend it where we should! How justly may God's truth scorn the imparity of our zeal ! If the Israelites did put confidence in the ark, can we marvel that the Philistines did put confidence in that power, which, as they thought, had conquered the ark? The less is ever subject unto the greater: what could they now think, but that heaven and earth were theirs? Who shall stand out against them, when the God of Israel hath yielded? Security and presumption attend ever at the threshold of ruin. God will let them sleep in this confidence; in the morning they shall find how vainly they have dreamed. Now they begin to find they have but gloried in their own plague, and overthrown nothing but their own peace. Dagon hath a house, when God |