the Shechemites is shed by Abimelech; the blood of Abimelech is spilt by a woman. The retaliations of God are sure and just, and make a more due pedigree than descent of nature.

The pursued Shechemites fly to the house of their god Berith: now they are safe: that place is at once a fort, and a sanctuary. Whither should we fly in our distress, but to our God? And now this refuge shall teach them what a god they have served. The jealous God whom they had forsaken, hath them now where he would, and rejoices at once to be avenged of their god and them. Had they not made the house of Baal their shelter, they had not died so fearfully. Now, according to the prophecy of Jotham, a fire goes out of the bramble, and consumes three cedars, and their eternal flames begin in the house of their Berith. The confusion of wicked men rises out of the false deities which they have doated on.

Of all the conspirators against Gideon's sons, only Abimelech yet survives; and his day is now coming. His success against Shechem hath filled his heart with thoughts of victory; he hath caged up the inhabitants of Tebez within their tower also; and what remains for them, but the same end with their neighbours? And behold, while his hand is busy in putting fire to the door of their tower, which yet was not high (for then he could not have discerned a woman to be his executioner) a stone from a woman's hand strikes his head: his pain in dying was not so much as his indignation to know by whom he died; and rather will he die twice, than a woman should kill him. If God had not known his stomach so big, he had not vexed him with the impotency of his victor. God finds a time to reckon with wicked men, for all the arrearages of their sins. Our sins are not more our debts to God, than his judgments are his debts to our sins, which at last he will be sure to pay home. There now lies the greatness of Abimelech : upon one stone had he slain his seventy brethren,

and now a stone slays him: his head had stolen the crown of Israel, and now his head is smitten. And what is Abimelech better that he was a king? What difference is there between him and any of his seventy brethren whom he murdered, save only in guiltiness? They bear but their own blood; he, the weight of all theirs. How happy a thing is it to live well, that our death, as it is certain, so may be comfortable! What a vanity it is to insult in the death of them, whom we must follow the same way?

The tyrant hath his payment, and that time which he should have bestowed in calling for mercy to God, and washing his soul with the last tears of contrition, he vainly spends in deprecating an idle reproach; "Kill me," that it may not be said he died by a woman: a fit conclusion of such a life! The expectation of true and endless torment doth not so much vex him, as the frivolous report of a dishonour: neither is he so much troubled with Abimelech's frying in hell, as Abimelech is slain by a woman. So vain fools are niggardly of their reputation, and prodigal of their souls. Do we not see them run wilfully into the field, into the grave, into hell! and all lest it should be said, they have but as much fear as wit.

BOOK X.

CONTEMPLATION I.

JEPHTHAH.

ISRAEL, that had now long gone a whoring from God, hath been punished by the regiment of the concubine's son, and at last seeks protection from the

son of a harlot. It is no small misery to be obliged unto the unworthy. The concubine's son made suit to them; they made suit to the son of the harlot. It was no fault of Jephthah that he had an ill mother, yet is he branded with the indignity of his bastardy; neither would God conceal this blemish of nature, which Jephthah could neither avoid nor remedy. God, to show his detestation of whoredom, revenges it not only upon the actors, but upon their issue. Hence he hath shut out the base son from the congregation of Israel, to the tenth generation, that a transient evil might have a during reproach attending it; and that after the death of the adulterer, yet his shame might live. But that God, who justly ties men to his laws, will not abide that we should tie him to our laws, or his own: he can both rectify and ennoble the blood of Jephthah. That no man should be too much discouraged with the errors of his propagation, even the base son of man may be the lawfully begotten of God; and though he be cast out from the inheritance of his brethren upon earth, may be admitted to the kingdom of Israel.

I hear no praise of the lawful issue of Gilead; only this mis-begotten son is commended for his valour, and set at the stern of Israel. The common gifts of God respect not the parentage or blood, but are indifferently scattered where he pleases to let them fall. The choice of the Almighty is not guided by our rules as in spiritual, so in earthly things, it is not in him that willeth. If God would have men glory in these outward privileges, he would bestow them upon none but the worthy.

Now, who can be proud of strength or greatness, when he sees him that is not so honest, yet is more valiant, and more advanced? Had not Jephthah been base, he had not been thrust out: and if he had not been thrust out from his brethren, he had never been the captain of Israel. By contrary paces to ours, it pleaseth God to come to his own ends and how

usually doth he look the contrary way to that he moves! No man can measure the conclusion of God's act by his beginning. He that fetches good out of evil, raises the glory of men out of their ruin. Men love to go the nearest way, and often fail. God commonly goes about, and in his own time comes surely home.

The Gileadites were not so forward to expel Jephthah, as glad to recall him. No Ammonite threatened them, when they parted with such an helper: now, whom they cast out in their peace, they fetch home in their danger and misery. That God, who never gave ought in vain, will find a time to make use of any gift that he hath bestowed upon men. The valour of Jephthah shall not rust in his secrecy, but be employed to the common preservation of Israel. Necessity will drive us to seek up all our helps, even those whom our wantonness hath despised.

How justly are the suits of our need upbraided with the errors of our prosperity! The elders of Gilead now hear of their ancient wrong, and dare not find fault with their exprobation; "Did ye not hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? how then come ye now to me in time of tribulation?" The same expostulation that Jephthah makes with Gilead, God also at the same time makes with Israel; "Ye have forsaken me, and served other gods; wherefore should I deliver you any more? Go, and cry unto the gods whom ye have served." As we, so God also finds it seasonable, to tell his children of their faults, while he is whipping them. It is a safe and wise course, to make much of those in our peace, whom we must make use of in our extremity: else it is but just, that we should be rejected of those whom we have rejected.

Can we look for any other answer from God than this? Did ye not drive me out of your houses, out of your hearts, in the time of your health and jollity?

Did ye not plead the strictness of my charge, and the weight of my yoke? Did not your wilful sins expel me from your souls? What do you now crouching and creeping to me in the evil day? Surely, O God, it is but justice, if thou be not found of those which were glad to lose thee! It is thy mercy, if, after many checks and delays, thou wilt be found at last. Where an act cannot be reversed, there is no amends, but confession; and if God himself take up with this satisfaction, "He that confesses, shall find mercy;" how much more should men hold themselves well paid with words of humility and deprecation!

Jephthah's wisdom had not been answerable to his valour, if he had not made his match beforehand: he could not but know how treacherously Israel had dealt with Gideon. We cannot make too sure work, when we have to do with unfaithful men. It hath been an old policy to serve ourselves of men, and, after our advantage, to turn them up. He bargains therefore for his sovereignty, ere he win it; "Shall I be your head?" We are all naturally ambitious, and are ready to buy honour even with hazard. And if the hope of a troublesome superiority encouraged Jephthah to fight against the forces of Ammon, what heart should we take in the battles of God, against spiritual wickednesses, when the God of heaven hath said, "To him that overcomes, will I give power over nations, and to sit with me in my throne.' O that we could bend our eyes upon the recompence of Our reward! how willingly should we march forward against those mighty Ammonites! Jephthah is noted for his valour, and yet he intreats with Ammon, ere he fights. To make war any other than our last remedy, is not courage, but cruelty and rashness. And now, when reason will not prevail, he betakes himself to his sword.

As God began the war with Jephthah, in raising up his heart to that pitch of fortitude; so Jephthah began his war at God, in craving victory from him,