1 whoredoms, and enchanted with her hellish | of corruption: the son of good Jehoshaphat witchcrafts now that just God, whom is lost in Ahab's daughter. thou and thy parents have so heinously despised, sends thee by me this last message of his vengeance; which, while he spake, his hand is drawing up that deadly arrow, which shall cure the former wounds with a worse. Too late now doth wretched Jehoram turn his chariot and flee, and cry, Treason, O Ahaziah There was treason before, O Jehoram! Thy treason against the majesty of God is now revenged by the treason of Jehu against thee. That fatal shaft, notwithstanding the swift pace of both the chariots, is directed to the heart of Jehoram: there is no erring of those feathers which are guided by the hand of destiny. Now he pays for his kind alliance, accompanying the son of Ahab in his death, whom he consorted with in his idolatry. Young Ahaziah was scarce warm in his throne, when the mismatched blood of Athaliah is required from him. Nothing is more dangerous than to be imped in a wicked family; this relation too often draws in a share both of sin and punishment. Who would not have looked that Jezebel, hearing of this bloody end of her son and pursuit of her ally, and the fearful proceedings of this prosperous conspiracy, should have put herself into sackcloth and ashes; and now, finding no means either of defence or escape, should have cast herself into such a posture of humiliation as might have moved the compassion of Jehu? Her proud heart could not suddenly learn to stoop; rather she recollects her high spirits, and, instead of humbling her soul by repentance, and addressing herself for an imminent death, she pranks up her old carcass, and paints her wrinkled face, and, as one that vainly hopes to daunt the courage of an usurper by the sudden beams of majesty, she looks out, and thinks to fright him with the challenge of a traitor, whose either mercy or How just are the judgments of God! It was in the field of Naboth, wherein Jehoram met with Jehu; that very ground called to him for blood. And now this new avenger remembers that prophecy which he heard out of the mouth of Elijah, in that very place, following the heels of Ahab, and is careful to perform it. Little did Jehu think, when he heard that message of Elijah, that his hands should act it. Now, as zealous of accomplishing the word of a prophet, he gives charge to Bidkar his cap-justice could not be avoided. Extremity tain, that the bleeding carcass of Jehoram should be cast upon that very plat of Naboth. O Naboth's blood well paid for! Ahab's blood is licked by dogs in the very place where those dogs licked Naboth's; Jehoram's blood shall manure that ground, which was wrung from Naboth; and Jezebel shall add to this compost. O garden of herbs dearly bought, royally dunged! What a resemblance there is betwixt the death of the father and the son, Ahab and Jehoram! Both are slain in their chariots, both with an arrow, both repay their blood to Naboth. And how perfect is this retaliation! Not only Naboth miscarried in that cruel injustice, but his sons also; else the inheritance of the vineyard had descended to his heirs, notwithstanding his pretended offence. And now, not only Ahab forfeits his blood to this field, but his son Jehoram also. Face doth not more answer to face, than punishment to sin. It was time for Ahaziah, king of Judah, to flee. Nay, it had been time long before to have fled from the sins, yea, from the house of Ahab. That brand is fearful which God sets upon him: "He did evil in the aight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab;" for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab. Affinity is too often guilty finds us such as our peace leaves us. Our last thoughts are spent upon that we most care for. Those, that have regarded their face more than their soul, in their latter end are more taken up with desire of seeming fair, than being happy. It is no marvel if a heart, obdured with the custom of sin, shut up gracelessly. Counterfeit beauty agrees well with inward uncleanness. Jehu's resolution was too strongly settled to be removed with a painted face, or an opprobrious tongue. He looks up to the window, and says, "Who is on my side, who?" There want not those everywhere, which will be ready to observe prevailing greatness. Two or three eunuchs look out; he bids them " throw her down:" They instantly lay hold on their lately adored mistress, and, notwithstanding all her shrieks and prayers, cast her down headlong into the street. What heed is to be taken of the deep professed services of hollow-hearted followers? All this while they have humbly, with smiles and officious devotions, fawned upon their great queen; now, upon the call of a prosperous enemy, they forget their respects, her royalty; and cast her down, as willing executioners, into the jaws of a fearful death. It is hard for greatness to know them whom it may trust: perhaps the fairest semblance is from the falsest heart. It was a just plague of God upon wicked Jezebel, that she was inwardly hated of her own. He, whose servants she persecuted, raised up enemies to her from her own elbow. Thus must pride fall; insolent, idolatrous, cruel Jezebel, besprinkles the walls and pavement with her blood; and now those brains, that devised mischief against the servants of God, are strewed upon the stones; and she, that insulted upon the prophets, is trampled upon by the horses' heels: " The wicked is kept for the day of destruction, and shall be brought forth to the day of wrath." Death puts an end commonly to the highest displeasure. He, that was severe in the execution of the living, is merciful in the sepulture of the dead: "Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her, for she is a king's daughter." She, that upbraided Jehu with the name of Zimri, shall be interred by Jehu as Omri's daughter-in-law, as a Sidonian princess; somewhat must be yielded to humanity, somewhat to state. The dogs have prevented Jehu in this purpose, and have given her a living tomb, more ignoble than the worst of the earth; only the scull, hands, and feet of that va- | nished carcass, yet remain; the scull which was the roof of all her wicked devices, the hands and feet which were the executioners, these shall remain as the monuments of those shameful exequies; that future times, seeing these fragments of a body, might say, "The dogs were worthy of the rest: thus Jezebel is turned to dung and dog's meat; Elijah is verified, Naboth is revenged, Jezreel is purged, Jehu is zealous, and, in all, God is just." CONTEMPLATION III. JEHU KILLING THE SONS OF AHAB, AND THE PRIESTS OF BAAL. THERE were two prime cities of the ten tribes, which were the set courts of the kingdom of Israel-Samaria and Jezreel. The chief palace of the kingdom was Jezreel, the mother city of the kingdom was Samaria. Jehu is possessed of the one, without any sword drawn against him; Jezreel willingly changes the master, yielding itself to the victor of two kings, to the avenger of Jezebel: the next care is Samaria; either policy or force shall fetch in that head of the tribes. The plentiful issue of princes is no small assurance to the people. Ahab had sons enough to furnish the thrones of all the neighbour nations, to maintain the hopes of succession to all times. How secure did he think the perpetuation of his posterity, when he saw seventy sons from his own loins! Neither was this royal issue trusted either to weak walls or to one roof; but to the strong bulwarks of Samaria, and therein to the several guards of the chief peers: it was the wise care of their parents not to have them obnoxious to the danger of a common miscarriage, or of those emulations which wait upon the cloyedness of an undivided conversation, but to order their separation, so as one may rescue other from the peril of assault, as one may respect other out of a familiar strangeness. Had Ahab and Jezebel been as wise for their souls, as they were for their seed, both had prospered. Jehu is yet but in his first act: if all the sons of Ahab bleed not, the prophecy is unanswered; there shall be no need of his sword, his pen shall work all this slaughter. He writes a challenge to Samaria, and therein to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, daring them, out of the confidence in their defenced city, in their chariots and horses, in their associates and arms, to set up the best of their master's sons on his father's throne, and to fight for his succession. All the governors of Ahab's children conspire in one common fear. No doubt there wanted not in that numerous brood of kings, some great spirits, that, if at least they attained to the notice of this design, longed for a revenge, and suggested counsels of resolution to their cowardly guardians. Shall an audacious usurper run thus away with the crown of Israel? Shall the blood of Jezebel be thus traitorously spilt, thus wilfully forgotten? O Israelites, can you be so base, as to be ruled by my father's servant? Where are the merits of Ahab and Jehoram? What is become of the loyal courage of Israel? Doubtless ye shall not want able seconds to your valour. Do ye think the royal and potent alliances of our mother Jezebel, and the remaining heirs of Judah, can draw back their hands from your aid? will they endure to swallow so cruel an indignity? Stir up your astonished fortitude, O ye nobles of Israel! redeem your bleeding honour, revenge this treacherous conspirator, and establish the right of the undoubted heirs of your sovereign. But as warm clothes to a dead man, so are the motions of valour to a fearful heart: "Be-. hold, two kings stood not before him, how then shall we stand?" Fear affrights itself, rather than it will want bugs of terror. It is true, two kings fell before Jehu, but two kings unarmed, unguarded. Had not the surprisal of Jehu taken advantage of the unsuspicious nakedness of these two princes, his victory had not been thus successful, thus easy. One of those two kings, upon advertisement and preparation, had abated the fury of that hot leader. It is the fashion of fear to repre- | sent unto us always the worst, in every event, not looking at the inequality of the advantages, but the misery of the success: as, contrarily, it is the guise of faith and valour, by the good issue of one enterprise, to raise up the heart to an expectation and assurance of more. : These men's hearts are dead with their king's neither dare entertain the hope of a safe and prosperous resistance, but basely return, "We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us: we will not make any king; do thou that which is good in thine eyes." Well may Jehu think, These men, which are thus disloyal to their charge, cannot be faithful to me it is their fear that draws them to this observation; were they not cowards, they would not be traitors to their princes, subjects to me: I may use their hands, but I will not trust them. It is a thankless obedience that is grounded upon fear there can be no true fidelity without love and reverence. Neither is it other betwixt God and us; if out of a dread of hell we be officious, who shall thank us for these respects to ourselves? As one that had tasted already the sweetness of a resolute expedition, Jehu writes back instantly, "If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men, your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel to-morrow this time." Valiant Jehu was so well acquainted with the nature of fear, that he well knew this passion, once grown desperate, would be ready to swallow all conditions: so far, therefore, doth his wisdom improve it, as to make these peers his executioners, who presently, upon the receipt of his charge, turn cruel, and by a joint consent fetch off the seventy heads of those princes, whom they undertook to guard, whom they had flattered with the hopes of greater honour. No doubt but amongst so many sons of Ahab, some had so demeaned themselves, that they had won zealous professions of love from their guardians. Except, perhaps, death stole upon them in sleep, what tears, what entreaties, what conjurations, must here needs have been ! What have we done, Oye peers of Israel, that might deserve this bloody measure? We are the sons of Ahab, therefore have ye hitherto professed to observe us. What change is this? why should that which hath hitherto kept you loyal, now make you cruel? Is this the reward of the long peaceable government of our father? are these the trophies of Ahab's victories against Benhadad, Jehoram's against Hazael? If we may not reign, yet at least let us live: or, if we must die, why will your hands be imbrued in that blood which ye had wont to term royal and sacred? why will ye of tutors turn murderers? All pleas are in vain to them that are deafened with their own fears. Perhaps these expostulations might have fetched some dews of pity from the eyes, and kisses from the lips of these unfaithful tutors, but cannot prevent the stroke of death. These crocodiles weep upon those whom they must kill; and if their own sons had been in the place of Ahab's, doubtless they had been sacrificed to the will of an usurper, to the parent's safety. It is ill relying upon timorous natures: upon every occasion, those crazy reeds will break and run into our hands. How worthy were Ahab and Jezebel of such friends! They had been ever false to God, how should men be true to them? They had sold themselves to work wickedness, and now they are requited with a mercenary fidelity: for a few lines have these men sold all the heads of Ahab's posterity. Could ever the policy of Jezebel have reached so far, as to suspect the possibility of the extirpation of so ample an issue, in one night, by the hands of her trustiest subjects? Now she, that by her letters sent to the elders of Jezreel, shed the blood of Naboth and his sons, hath the blood of all her sons shed, by a letter sent from Jezreel to the elders of Samaria. At last, God will be sure to come out of the debt of wicked sinners, and will pay them with that coin, which is both most proper, and least looked for. Early in the morning, in that gate of Jezreel, where Ahab had passed many an unjust sentence, is presented unto Jehu the fearful pledge of his sovereignty, seventy ghastly heads of the sons of Ahab. Some carnal eye, that had seen so many young and smooth faces besmeared with blood, would have melted into compassion, bemoaning their harmless age, their untimely end. It is not for the justice of God to stand at the bar of our corrupted judgment. Except we include some grandchildren of Ahab within this number, none of these died before they were seasoned with hor rible idolatry; or, if they had, they were in the loins of Ahab, when he sold himself to | work wickedness; and now it is just with God to punish Ahab's wickedness in this fruit of his loins. The holy severity of God, in the revenge of sin, sometimes goes so far, that our ignorance is ready to mistake it for cruelty. The wonder and horror of those two heaps hath easily drawn together the people of Jezreel. Jehu meets them in that seat of public judgment, and, finding much amazedness and passionate confusion in their faces, he clears them, and sends them to the true original of these sudden and astonishing massacres. However his own conspiracy, and the cowardly treachery of the princes of Israel, had been, not without their heinous sin, the visible means of this judgment, yet he directs their eyes to a higher authority, the just decree of the Almighty, manifested by his servant Elijah, who, even by the will- | ing sins of men, can most wisely, most holily fetch about his most righteous and blessed purposes. match, by the inoculation of one bud, hath tainted all the sap of the house of Judah. The two and forty brethren of Ahaziah are therefore sent after the seventy sons of Ahab, that they may overtake them in death, whom they came to visit: God will much less brook idolatry from the loins of a Jehoshaphat. Our entireness with wicked men feoffs us both in their sins and judgments. Doubtless, many Israelites, that were devoted to the family and allies of Ahab, looked (what they durst) awry at this common effusion of royal blood; yet, in the worst of the depravedness of Israel, there were some which both drooped under the deplored idolatry of the times, and congratulated to Jehu this severe vindication of God's inheritance: amongst the rest, Jonadab the son of Rechab was most eminent. That man was by descent derived from Jethro, a Midianite by nation, but incorporated into Israel; a man whose piety and strict conversation did both teach and shame those twelve tribes to which he was joined. He was the author of an austere rule of civility to his posterity, to whom he debarred the use of wine, cities, possessions. This old and rough friend of Jehu, out of his moving habitations, meets him, and applauds his success. He that allowed not wine to his seed, allows the blood of Ahab's seed poured out by the hand of Jehu: he, that shunned the city, is carried in Jehu's chariot to the palace of Samaria. How easily might Jehu have been deceived! Many a one professes uprightness, who yet is all guile. Jonadab's carriage hath been such, that his word merits trust. It is a blessing upon the plain-hearted, that they can be believed. Honest Jonadab is admitted to the honour of Jehu's seat, and called, instead of many, to witness the zeal of the new anointed king of Israel. If the peers of Samaria, out of a base fear, if Jehu, out of an ambition of reigning, shed the foul blood of Ahab's posterity, the sin is their own; but, in the meantime, the act is no other than what the infinite justice of God would justly work by their misintentions. Let these Israelites but look up from earth to heaven, these tragical changes cannot trouble them: thither Jehu sends them, wiping off the envy of all this blood, by the warrant of the divine pre-ordination. In obedience whereunto, he sends after these heirs of Ahab all his kinsfolk, favourites, priests, that remained in Jezreel. And now, having cleared these coasts, he hastens to Samaria: whom should he meet with in the way, but the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah? | They are going to visit their cousins the sons of Ahab. This young troop was thinking of nothing but jollity and courtly entertainment, when they meet with death. So suddenly, so secretly, had Jehu despatched these bold executions, that these princes could imagine no cause of suspicion. How could they think it might be dangerous to be known for the brethren of Ahaziah, or friends to the brethren of Jehoram? The just providence of the Almighty hath brought all this covey under one net. Jehu thinks it not safe to let go so many avengers of Ahaziah's blood, so many co-rivals of his sovereignty. The unhappy affinity of Je-ites, that looked for a happy restoration of hoshaphat with Ahab is no less guilty of this slaughter than Jehu's ambition: this While Jehu had to do with kings, his cunning and his courage held equal pace together; but now, that he is to deal with idolatrous priests, his wile goes alone, and prevails: he calls the people together, and, dissembling his intentions, says, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu shall serve him much; now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests, let none be wanting; for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live." What a dead paleness was there now in the faces of those few true-hearted Israel the religion of God! How could they choose but think, Alas! how are we fallen from our hopes! is this the change we looked for? was it only ambition that hath set this edge upon the sword of Jehu? It was not the person of Ahab that we disliked, but the sins: if those must still succeed, what have we gained? Woe be to us, if only the author of our misery be changed, not the condition, not the cause of our misery. On the other side, what insultations and triumphs sounded everywhere of the joyful Baalites! what glorying of the truth of their profession, because of their success! what scorns of their dejected opposites! what exprobrations of the disappointed hopes and predictions of their adverse prophets! what promises to themselves of a perpetuity of Baalism! How did the dispersed priests of Baal now flock together, and applaud | each other's happiness, and magnify the devotion of their new sovereign! Never had that idol so glorious a day as this for the pomp of his service: before, he was adored singly in corners; now solemn sacrifices shall be offered to him by all his clients, in the great temple of the mother city of Israel. I can commend the zeal of Jehu; I cannot commend the fraud of Jehu. We may come to our end, even by crooked ways. He that bade him to smite for him, did not bid him to lie for him. Falsehood, though it be but tentative, is neither needed nor approved by the God of truth. If policy have allowed officious untruths, religion never. Nothing wanted now, but the sacrifice. No doubt whole herds and flocks were ready for a pretence of some royal hecatombs, whereof some had now already smoked on their altars. O Jehu, what means this di lation? If thou abhorrest Baal, why didst thou give way to this last sacrifice? why didst not thou cut off these idolaters, before this upshot of their wickedness? Was it, that thou mightest be sure of their guiltiness? was it, that their number, together with their sin, might be complete? What acclamations were here to Baal! what joy in the freedom of their revived worship! when all on the sudden, those that had sacrificed, are sacrificed. The soldiers of Jehu, by his appointment, rush in with their swords drawn, and turn the temple into a slaugh ter-house. How is the tune now changed! what shrieking was here! what outcries! what running from one sword to the edge of another! what scrambling up the walls and pillars! what climbing into the windows! what vain endeavours to escape that death which would not be shunned! Whether running, or kneeling, or prostrate, they must die. The first part of the sacrifice was Baal's ; the latter is God's: the blood of beasts was offered in the one; of men in the other. The shedding of this was so much the more acceptable to God, by how much these men were more beasts than those they sacrificed. O happy obedience! God was pleased with a sacrifice from the house of Baal: the ido of Baal turned to a draught, though even thus less unclean, less noisome, than in the former perfumes; and, in one word, Baal is destroyed out of Israel. By this device the house of Baal is well furnished, well filled; not one of his Che-laters are slain, the idols burnt, the house marim either might or would be absent; not one of those which were present might be unrobed. False gods have ever affected to imitate the true : even Baal hath temples, altars, priests, vestments: all religions have Who, that had seen all this zeal for God, allotted peculiar habits to their highest de- would not have said, Jehu is a true Israelvotions. These vestments, which they mis-ite? Yet he, that rooted out Ahab, would called sacred, are brought forth and put on. for the glory of this service. Jehu and Jonadab are first careful that this separation be exact: they search and see that no servant of the Lord be crept into that throng. What should a religious Israelite do in the temple of Baal? Were any such there, he had deserved their smart, who would partake with their worship; but if curiosity had drawn any thither, the mercy of Jehu seeks his rescue. How much more favourable is the God of mercies, in not taking advantage of our infirmities! Well might this search have bred suspicion, were it not, that in all those idolatrous sacrifices, the first care was to avoid the profane even Baal would admit no mixture; how should the true God abide it? not be rid of Jeroboam: he, that destroyed Baal, maintained the two calves of Dan and Bethel. That idolatry was of a lower rank, as being a mis-worship of the true God: whereas, the other was a worship of the false. Even the easier of both is heinous, and shall rob Jehu of the praise of his uprightness. A false heart may laudably quit itself of some one gross sin, and in the meantime hug some lesser evil that may condemn it ; as a man recovered of a fever may die of jaundice or a dropsy: we lose the thank of all, if we wilfully fail in one. It is an entire goodness that God cares for: perhaps such is the bounty of our God, a partial obedience may be rewarded with a temporal blessing, as Jehu's severity to |