The ARK, its LOSS and RECOVERY, Or, some Meditations on the History recorded in the beginning of 1
Sam. in Meeter.
THe Ark in
Shiloh rested many a year;
1 Sam. 1.3.
Hophni and
Phineas Priests of God were there:
Though Priests of God,
Ch. 2.12.
yet Sons of
Belial;
The causers of their
own, and
fathers fall:
Their
ignorance and
scandal did disgrace
Their holy
function, and that holy
place.
To such, their
linnen Ephods but pretence.
It signifies, nor
light, nor
innocence;
But whited
Sepulchres; when that, which borders
On
Atheism,
Ch. 1.12.
is clad with
holy Orders.
Their
ignorance was gross, they knew not God,
Though in his house they had their whole abode:
15.
Their
scandal gross; rapacious
gluttony,
16.
And, its vile off-spring, brutish
lechery,
22.
The women at the Tabernacle doors;
This place a stews, those votaries made whores;
VVherefore their sin was great before the Lord;
17.
And men the
offrings of the Lord
abhorr'd:
It was so then, and will be so, where e're
A blockish, brutish Clergy,
domineer.
Their reverend father
Eli's made acquainted,
22.
VVith what debaucheries his Sons were tainted:
Sons of the
Church; whose
blazing vites will
No more be hid, then
beacons on a hill.
And what says he?
22.
alas he's very old;
And in this cause of God is very cold:
A feeble [why d'ye do so?
23.
with a why
Hear I this evil to your infamy?]
[Page 2]
24.
Away my Sons; for 'tis no good report,
I hear from all, that to me do resort;
Not only evils, that
your selves do do,
But that you make the
People wicked too▪
By vile
perswasions, and by viler
deeds,
The Vulgar is corrupted: He proceeds:
The
Iudg shall judg the man, whom
men implead;
25.
If
God's offended,
who shall intercede?
'Twas
good, and
grave reproof: but it was
less,
Then what was meet for such vile wickedness.
Oh! that but half so many sav'ry words
Might drop from any of those Spiritual
LORDS,
Who can't but know the
common fame's relation,
And hear the groans of a
whole mourning
Nation.
25.
But thus their gentle father could not stay them
From sinning; 'twas because the Lord would slay them.
God
hardens whom he means to
break: thus steel
Is poud'red: and his hand they'l surely feel
Zeph. 1:12.
Emptying, and
overturning, whom he sees,
And does permit, to
settle on their
lees.
26.
Mean while does
That is,
Asked of God.
Samuel grow; that
child of tears,
Child of a gracious Mothers
Vows and
prayers;
(That, when this cursed crew should be remov'd,
He might succeed) of
God, and
men belov'd.
He needs must
prosper, whom the Lord does
bles
[...]:
Needs must be
lov'd, where God plants loveliness:
He needs must
thrive, that has a
portion, where
It can't be lost, as it is often here:
Pray'rs put to
interest in
heav'n are better,
Where God by
Promises becomes the
debtor.
Ask'd, and receiv'd of God; return'd; accepted;
For, and from, such a child, what may
[...] expected?
And in a dark, and doleful day▪ 'tis well,
God
can raise
Samuel's for his
Israel.
27.
A man of G
[...]d to father
Eli came;
Did his
Sons vileness, and his
mildness blame:
28.
In Gods name thus bespeak them? Did I chuse
Your Fathers for my
Priesthood you abuse?
[Page 3]Did I appear in
Egypt to relieve them?
And after, Israels
Offrings did I give them?
Did God by
Forsan rum
[...] & Tit
[...]
Providence, or by
Permission,
Advance, and put them in so good condition?
Not only save them, when they were
so low;
But by his bounty made them
over flow?
Why
kick ye at mine
offring?
29
(like the teaching
Of those who often
preach 'gainst
often preaching).
Which I commanded have:
29
why are preferr'd
Thy graceless Sons
before me? thou hast err'd:
You feed your
Selves, and not my
Flock; you snatch
What's not your
share; you live upon the catch:
Things
inharmonious are, and out of tune,
Where Priests are fat, and
sacrifice Iejune.
Who
honour me I'le
honour in mens eyes;
Lightly
esteem'd shall be,
3
[...]
who me
despise.
'Tis not
proud looks, big words, can men exempt
From
just disgrace, from a
deserv'd contempt.
The
swelling Toad did burst (if tales say true)
And then his lothsome garbage came in view.
Is not the
empty chaff lift up (I pray)
In winnowing only to be blown away?
'Tis not the
slippery hight secures at all:
Psal. 18.
Only procures (when't comes) the
greater fall.
The
proudest plumes must down, when God
disgraces,
By loss of
reputations first, then
places.
Thine arm of strength I will cut off,
3
behold
In all thine house shall not a man grow
old.
My pretious time they shall not idly spend;
But
end their
lives for
living to
no end.
Thou bringst an
enemy where I do dwell,
3
In all the
wealth I give to Israel.
These are the
true state enemies, that fall
Like angry
Sampson, ruine
selves and
all:
That by their wickedness do mischiefs bring,
Upon
themselves, their Country, and their King:
Those are the real Rebels that are so,
Both to their King above,
ch. 1
and him below:
[Page 4]These do, not only
call in enemies.
But make them
prosper in their enterprise:
These
weaken hearts,
and hands; divide, confound
Councels, and
actions; run a State on ground:
Not only do their
own Estates let fly,
But turn a
Nations wealth to beggery:
And yet (that they may still pass unsuspected)
Cry out of
others; Oh th'are disaffected.
3.
If any man of thine I do reprieve,
Thine eyes he shall consume, thine heart shall grieve:
The spreading branches of thine house I'le lop,
4.
Thy buds, thy blossoms, in the flow'r I'le crop:
And take this for a signal from on high,
Hophni, and
Phineas, in one day shall die.
Thus men of greatest Comforts are depriv'd,
When not
return'd, from whence they were deriv'd:
Thus greatest hopes are dash'd, by God confounded,
When upon ought, beside himself, they'r grounded.
5.
After which, I a
faithful Priest will raise,
Shall do, what's in my heart, unto my praise:
He'l mind my mind; his house shall be secure,
Before my
[...]nted
Christ for ever to endure.
Yea,
that's a faithful one indeed, that still
In
all his Ministrations, the will
Of God
reveal d in's Word does mind; the fashions,
Inventions, humours, fancies, pride, or passions,
His own, or others, never
yields unto:
He'l
thrive with God, though men do him
undo,
The face of God
for ever shall he see;
How e're
unfix'd on earth his station be.
[...].
Then every one, that of thine house remain,
Shall crouch a petty pension to obtain;
Shall beg a piece of Silver, bit of meat;
Shall beg an Office, he may have to eat.
Such
hireling Priests will for a piece of bread,
13.
Handfuls of Barley, that they may be fed,
19.
Condemn, whom God
acquits, and by a lie
Encourage souls, whom God
condemns to die.
[Page 5]But see, pride, avarice, to what it tends;
Lust, riot, rapine, see out where it ends.
Samuel,
Ch. 3.
the
Gracious Child, unto the Lord
Did minister; then
precious was the word:
The word, when
plentiful, had in derision,
Grew now esteem'd; there was no open vision.
God can
inhance his truths, and make men prise
His Gospel light, by
hiding's from their eyes.
He can make proud despisers, lofty scorners,
That
slight his word i'th'
streets, go
seek't in
corners,
Rais't by
depressions; free it by
restraints;
By
wicked shakings, can make
setled saints;
Thus counterplots he Satan,
Isa. 29.12, 13.
and his tools:
Thus
Noph, and
Zoan, Councellors are fools▪
When
Elies lamps were dim,
2.
Gods lamp had light;
His Candlestick not yet removed quite,
3.
Samuel lay down to sleep,
4.
[...]
whom God doth wake;
And unto
Eli ran he through mistake:
5.
Thrice thus mistaken,
6.
he to
Eli ran;
Nor could
discern 'twixt voice of
God and
man:
.1
[...].
Poor novice! yet he knew not well the Lord;
7.
Nor fully was reveal'd to him the word.
O would too many were not to be found
Of
riper years, that can't
discern the sound
Of
words of
worthy men (unto this hour)
From spiritual Gospels mighty saving power!
But to old
Eli it Gods call appears;
8.
Who bids him say,
9.
speak Lord, thy servant hears:
He does so:
10.
then the Lord doth farther tell,
How he would do a thing in
Israel,
11.
Should make their ears to
tingle, who should hear it,
He'd Judgment bring,
12.
and
Elies house should bear it.
Their ears to
tingle, that would
tickled be?
[...]udgment on those, that hope yet to go free?
On
Elies house? who's on this message sent,
By
Elias bouse will certainly be
shent:
Rough preaching
will rough handling
meet; suspended
At least he'l be, till
Elie's power be ended.
[Page 6]When I begin (saith God)
I'le make an end▪
For
I have told him, I will Judgments send,
For his Sons unrestrained Villanies:
4.
I've sworn, it sha'nt be purg'd by sacrifice.
'Tis sad! but just:
Priests hainous crimes do cry
Louder, than others, for
severity.
If you (by place) draw
nigh him; know,
he's nigh you:
[...]t. 10.
Trembling remember
Nadab and
Abihu.
15.
Samuel lay til the morn; was then afraid
To tell old
Eli, what the Lord had said:
And well he might, expecting nought but scorn:
(I know, by whom, the like would ne're be born.)
7.
But
Eli will hear all; and does submit:
18.
'Tis the Lord: let him do what he sees fit.
A good
Submission: let it pattern be
To us in
fear'd or
felt calamitie:
19.
God was with growing
Samuel: none of all
His words to ground did unregarded fall:
[...]0.
Him an
establish'd Prophet
Israel knew:
21.
To whom in Shiloh
God himself did
shew.
By
God he's
own'd; to
Israel he's
known:
His
Call who'l call in
question? who'l disown?
'Tis
bold to slight
confess'd reality,
For want perhaps of some
formality.
Idle drones, angry Wasps (we know their honey)
They'l part with
wax to those, will part with
money:
But
Gospel-calls, though they're not
legal ones,
Will serve for
Gospel-ministrations.
He need not care, whom
Heavens broad-seal confirms,
To get earths
purchas'd seal, on
dirty terms.
4.
[...]
Now
Israel would forth in battel go
To fight the
Philistines their ancient foe:
But Oh alas! it was with little gain;
Israel is smitten, and four thousand slain.
In
hast they went,
without their
God; their loss
Returns them back again by weeping-cross.
Hot spurs may
easily begin a
fray,
Who,
not so easily can
win the day.
[Page 7]The Elders pause upon't, and thus advise;
Why hath▪
God smote us
by our
enemies?
Affliction makes men
serious; then they'l think,
Who 'tis, that bores their Keel▪ and
why they sink:
They
now discern,
whose arrows 'twere that smot them
Although they were
Philistian bows that shot them.
Come; let us have the Ark among us; then
God's hand will save us from the hands of men.
The Sons of
Eli to the Camp it bring;
4.
All
Israel did shout;
5.
the earth did ring:
When
Micha got a vagrant
Levite,
Judg. 17.
he
Forthwith expected g
[...]eat
Prosperity;
13
The
Temple,
Jer. 7.4
Temple of the Lord are these,
Were idle words; did idle people please:
The
Church, the
Church, is such an empty noise,
Where with some vaunt, that vaunt themselves of toys▪
Even such was this
poor Ark; an empty shew
When
God o'th Covenant himself
withdrew▪
Could less be look'd for, when
such Priests were by?
When't had such Cattel in its company.
6.
The
Philistins the noise and news did hear:
Thinking the
Hebrew, God was there, did
fear.
Did the
Philistins fear?
7.
fear all ye slighters,
In any case, ,gainst God, to be found fighters.
Wo unto us they cry, 'twas never thus;
They're mighty Gods; who shall deliver us?
'Twas never thus?
Extravagancies use
The inconsiderate vulgar to
amuse.
8.
Those are the Gods, that them from
Egypt brought;
That in the Wilderness such Wonders wrought.
Have
none,
9.
but
these, heard
Egypts Prodigies?
Wilderness-works? (Open, O Lord, mens
[...]yes!)
Now quit your selves like men, lest they be seen
To be our
Lords, that have our
vassals been.
Like
men! like
devils: for what mortal he
Dares to oppose, where God but
seems to be?
But Tyranny is loth to lose its profit:
They'l try to hold their slaves, what e're comes of it.
[Page 8]
10.
They fought like men indeed; for
Israel
VVere smitten, fled, and thirty thousand fell;
11.
And (which was worst) the Ark of God they gain;
And (which was just) the Sons of
Eli slain.
Thus the poor Ark (an
Idol made) is taken;
Nor helps it
self, nor
them, of
God forsaken.
Thus
threats are prov'd in their most sad conclusions,
Nor
Melancholy fancies, nor
delusions.
12.
A
Benjamite that day to
Shiloh fled,
VVith Garments rent, and earth upon his head.
Sad news comes
Thundring home, and rending hearts;
As
lightning quick, or feathred, wounding
darts.
13.
He came, where
Eli by the way did fit,
VVho for the Ark was in a trembling fit:
Not only for the
danger, which appear'd,
But
conscious of the
cause, of what he fear'd.
He told the Citizens, they all cry'd out;
14.
Eli does hear; demand what means the rout:
In hast the man comes in; the story told
1.
To him (who now was ninety eight years old.)
17.
Israel is
fled; that could not but affect him:
VVith a
great slaughter; that must
more deject him:
Thy
Sons are also
dead; that's
nigher to him:
The
Ark is
taken; that
quite overthrew him:
18.
For then he fell, old, heavy, and dime-ye'd,
He backwards fell, he brake his neck and dy'd:
He fell from off the feat, where he had sate
Forty years judging
Israel in the gate.
There lay a
Iudg condemn'd, and
executed:
There lay a
Purifying Priest
polluted:
Slain like a
sacrifice: one in disgrace.
Of
reverend age, and
honourable place;
As
man, (we may believe)
good in the main;
As
Father; by his fondness
justly slain.
God gave him
raynes, but (as is sadly shown)
Throwing them on the mad Colts necks; he's thrown.
His
grace, and
bad-good nature long contended;
VVhen this o'recame, it Tragically ended.
[Page 9]When
Phineas pregnant Widow heard of all;
19.
Th' Arks loss, her Fathers, and her Husbands fall;
She cry'd,
21.
gone is our
glory with our
God:
She dy'd,
22.
and nam'd Posthumous
That i
[...]
Where is the Glory
Ichabod
The glory gone from
Israel doth she cry?
Wast with the
brethren in iniquity?
No;
though they
ruffled it, yet
infamous.
Were they in life, in death calamitous.
Or did old
Elie's loss their glory dim?
Alas! his
glory's lost, e're
they lost
him.
No, no, it was the Ark; for it was there,
God's glory shone upon their Hemisphere.
She dy'd regardless of her Pr
[...]geny,
Crush'd in the ruines of her Family:
Her breath shortn'd by death, short'ns the story;
She breaths all in a word,
GONE IS OUR GLORY.
The Second Part. THE RECOVERY.
THe joll
Philistins do homeward hie,
Ch. 5.1.
With th' Ark, a Trophee of their victory:
From
Ch. 7.1
Eben
[...]ezer (other while, 'tis true,
A stone of help, now none, when God withdrew.)
To
Ashdod,
2.
there, their house of gods to stock ▪
In
Dagon's house they set it by their block.
The God of
Israel does much abhor it:
In
Dagons house?
Dagon must tumble for it:
For, when they early came
[...] perhaps to see
How well the
ark and
Dagon could
agree,
3.
They found their Idol faln; before the place,
Where
stood the Ark,
Dagon lay on his face.
Lets turn our thoughts a while, and view the damp
Is cast upon their triumph; see them stamp;
Tear their hairs; beat their breasts, perplext to see
Their
captive-present conqueror to be:
Lets view the
secret power, and
equity,
That moves the work of this Catastrophie.
[Page 10]The
Ark was
Gods appointment; mans conceit
Was
Dagon, and his worship butla cheat.
Humane inventions on the
ground must lie,
Though shoulder'd up by
power and
policy,
[...]ek. 43.8.
If this be seen in a
Philistian land,
Can
post by
pillar in the
Temple stand?
4.
They set him
up again, and on the morrow.
They find him down again,
more to their sorrow,
Without, or
head, or
hand, there lay the lump:
Only to
Dagon now was left the stump.
If
one fair fall does not make them give o're
Their
Wrestlings with the Lord, he'l give them
more.
The
former down-fall
gently did bespeak'em,
And warn them to
submit; the
next will break 'em.
5.
Therefore, nor Priests, nor Worshippers, will tread
Upon the threshold, where he lost his head.
And what is done for men of
like conditions,
To
cure them, does
augment their superstitions:
r. 51.9.
Thus
Babylon will not be heal'd at all:
Therefore shall irrecoverably fall:
Without
advising-head, or
helping-hand
Was now
their God; but
heavy on the Land.
6.
The
hand of
Israel's God, the Lord of hosts,
Was upon
Ashdod, and on all its coasts;
With
Emerods smote he them.—he so thinks fit,
While th'
Ark's detain'd, they shall not
easy sit.
[...]ek. 13.20.
They may sow
pillows, cushions, to be eas'd;
But 'twill
not do, while God remains displeas'd.
7.
The men of
Ashdod, when they saw 'twas so;
When they
perceiv'd the
cause of all their wo;
They said, let's keep the Ark of God no more,
Whose hand on us, and
Dagon, lies so sore.
The eyes of
Dagonites are open'd, who
Discern for what they're plagu'd and
what to do.
Would
others, that have felt the hand of God,
Would learn of
Philistines to
hear the rod:
8.
They call their Lords, their
Law-givers, to tell,
What should be done with th 'Ark of
Israel:
[Page 11]
[...]ho (
loath as yet to let it go) consent,
Such was the wisdom of that Parliament)
[...]o have it had about to
Gath; they'l
try
Experiments, if
there 'twil quiet lye.
Thus were the
Syrian privy Councellors
wife.
When they their King so gravely did advise
To try the Plain,
1 Kin. 20.22.
and promis'd him success;
When in the event they found it nothing less.
Nothing does more 'gainst men God's anger fix,
Then when they think to
baffle him with tricks.
Their
law is put in
Execution,
To
Gath 'tis carry'd;
9.
see what comes thereon:
See if the
laws of
men will
bear them out.
And
justifie their tumbling it about:
A very sore destroying
whipping-rod
Of an avenging, of an angry God.
With Emerods also did he smite them
all,
Princes, and People, high, low, great, and small.
Who
share in
sin, must
sorrows also
share,
What state, or quality, soe're they are.
Whilst in their
secret parts those Emerods be,
Th' afflicted
felt, what others could not
see:
Much like the
secret smarts, and inward twinging
Of
seared hearts, when they are
further singeing.
The men of Gath,
10.
thus
wearied with't, would have it
To Ekron sent; the Ekronites do
wave it.
They would not have the
stone so
burthensome,
Zach. 12.3.
The
builders breaking, grinding stone to come
Within their quarters,
Mat. 21.44.
for that they had seen it
Hurtful to
others; they'l
not meddle in it.
They all cry'd out, With us it shall not stay:
They've brought the Ark to us, that us will slay.
What if it do? their Lords seem to reply;
Die
Martyrs of our
Laws, your
loyalty.
'Tis
four to
one; the major part out-vote you;
If you obey not,
factious we must note you.
On t'other hand, the
Ekronites do seem,
For all this
talk, much other wise to deem.
[Page 12]We think it neither faction, nor treason,
T'
appeal from you to
common sense, and
reason.
If't be a
law, repeal't; there's nought, but
need;
And make
another better in its stead.
11.
They congregate their Lords, and them petition,
Oh send it to its place with expedition.
For if it here with us do longer stay,
The hand of God will
sweep us
all away:
12.
Many were dead; the rest were sick; the cry
Of all the City mounted to the sky.
The sky does Eccho't back unto the ground;
And all their
neighbours hear the doleful sound.
6.1.
Sev'n months by them the Ark had been restrain'd:
(But if
seven years with them 't had been detaīn'd,
What work would it have made? sure at this rate
Th'ad all been gone, and their land
desolate.)
And that it is not so in
other places,
Where
th' Ark's expos'd to manifold
disgraces;
1
The
appointed worship of the Lord
forbidden,
And many of his
useful talents hidden;
Where the
Ark, and
Samuel are
separated;
That such a people are not
desolated,
It only can ascribed be to this,
That God
long suffering, and
patient is:
2.
Priests and Diviners next to
Convocation to
(To save the remnant of a ruin'd Nation)
Are call'd and ask'd; How shall we do (we pray)
In sending of this Ark of God away?
We
can not keep it longer, need, must send it:
Tell us, but
how we may not more offend it.
3
It seems among the
Lords they had no places;
No
[...]oters, but
advisers in the
cases
To them
propos'd: they are demanded now,
Not what is to be done; but only how.
In any wise let it not empty go,
(Say they) but with a
Trespass-offring: so
You shall do, what in
justice does become you;
And know why's hand is not removed from you.
[Page 13]Five Emerods, and five Mice of gold, for all
The five
Philistian Lords,
4.
on whom did fall
The common Plague; and
peradventure these
The offended God of
Iacob shall appease.
Give Glory to the God of
Israel,
5.
[...]nd
per adventure then shall all be well.
Why then like
Pharaoh,
6.
and th'
Egyptians are ye?
VVho
could not force the
Israelites to tarry;
Their God wrought wonders on those
stubborn-hearted;
Made them to let them go, and they departed.
'Tis strange, and w at could never be expected
From such: Idolaters, unless directed,
As
Balaam the VVitch: such good advise,
Such sober words, whence could they have their
rise?
Do but observe the
principle within;
You'l find it
fear, not
faith, and therefore
sin:
On
Peradventures only they proceed;
They could not
hope, that God would do't indeed
Make a new Cart, tye to't two kine, from whom
Unus'd to draw,
7.
shut up their calves at home;
Lay the Ark on it;
8.
therein let it ride:
The Jewels in a coffer by its side:
Then let it go;
9.
and let us
trial make;
[...]f the way to
Bethshemeth then it take,
Then 'twas indeed
their God, did thus undo us:
If not; then 'twas a
chance did happen to us.
A chance? blind VVizards! Is not yet the hand
Of God above
perceiv'd against the Land?
Shall
Fortune rob
wise, and
just Providence?
If you want
Faith, where's
Reason? where is
Sence?
When men will still for
Signes and
Wonders call,
The
last experiment's their
final fall.
[...]ll this was done according as instructed;
10.
[...]nd God himself homewards the Ark conducted;
[...]he unaccustom'd heifers do not stray;
11.
[...]ut to
Bethshemeth keep the ready way.
brutes, that act only by
ivstinct, may
earken to God, and nature disobey;
[Page 14]No wonder,
men of conscience, do prefer
Gods laws, before the laws of men that err.
Nor doubt I, if the
Gospel might go
free,
'Twould run its
own course, and most glorious be.
Lowing back to their Calves they
onward go,
To see, if possibly it could be so.
The
Philistins do follow to the borders:
See Nature's God inverting Nature's orders.
13.
The
Bethshemites were reaping in the Fields,
When th' Ark to them a joyful object yields,
Harvest's a
joyful time to all; then more,
When God his Ark to
Israel did restore,
But 'tis
as sad to them, that think, and say,
The Ark in
Harvest-time was ta'ne away.
The food for
bodies will not much delight,
Where there wants
food for
spiritual appetite.
14.
The Cart came into
Ioshuah's grounds, and stood
At the great stone: ev'n
there they clave the wood
O'th' Cart; therewith the beasts to God they burn'd
16.
This seen, the Lords o'th'
Philistins return'd:
17.
Left Mice, and Emerods, for each City one;
Gath, Ekron, Gaza, Ashdod, Askelon.
Mice marr'd the Land, and Emerods hurt the men
They left Memorials of both; and then
Return'd, return'd? methinks they should have stai
[...]
And with the
Israelites to God have pray'd,
Whereas they only saw't; 'tis poor to
see
A
sacrifice, and not
partakers be.
Th'ad joyn'd in worship, been with
Israel one;
Had their
Conviction been
Conversion:
2 Pet. 2.22.
But
dogs will to their
vomit; swine to
mire;
Philistins to be
Philistins desire.
They care
not to be priviledg'd by God;
They only care how to
escape his rod.
Where the Cart stay'd, they sacrific'd; the
place
Their holy thankfulness does not
disgrace;
But rather
dignifies; such
quick address,
Suitable to their
present thankefulness
[Page 15]Is better than
thanks-givings in
disguise.
Of fine
conceited for mal pageantries.
Thus far 'twas well;
19.
but wrath (at last alas)
Against the
Bethshemites enkindled was;
For that into the Ark irreverently
They look't; for which 'bove fifty thousand die.
Irreverence will be punish'd in
professors,
As well as
irreligion in
oppressors.
Too
hot the Ark was for its
rude bereavers;
Too
heavy likewise for its
rude receivers.
They greatly do lament their loss, and cry'd;
VVho can before this holy Lord abide?
How jealous is our God!
20.
Can any tell?
VVho can with everlasting burnings dwell?
Isa. 33.2
To
whom shall he go up
from us? they sent
To
Kiriath-jearim and represent,
How the
Philistins brought the Ark again:
Ch. 7.1
Pray them to fetch it, with them to remain.
They bring it up, where
Twenty years it rested:
Eleazar for its keeping is invested.
There with
Abinadab it stay'd,
2.
until
David remov'd it to its
holy hill.
Rest, O rest, thou Ark of strength,
After tossings to and fro;
Quietly repose at length,
After
storms do over blow.
Noah's Ark thus quiet sat
After the flood on
Ararat.
Now thy
wicked Priests are outed;
Dagon's faln to the ground;
Wearied Philistins are routed;
Bold Peepers have a mortal wound;
All thine enemies are crush'd;
About thee all the noise is hush'd.
Only, let poor
Israel's
Lamenters for thy
privacy
Have access to him,
Ch. 7.2.
that dwells
In thee: (and yet remains on high.)
Content, without approach to thee.
[...]eut. 10.
[...]5.
The
manuscript of God on high,
The
copy of his Sacred
Will
Is treasur'd in thy cavity:
Glories of heaven do thee fill.
The embleme of his presence lies
In thee the
type of
Mysteries.
[...]xod 37.
[...]7.
The
Mercy-seat is plac't alost;
On that the
[...]
Cherubims do
ride;
From thence the
Oracles are
sought;
For that the Lord does there reside.
[...]uitare.
How can a soul, that is devout,
Such heavenly glories be without?
O thou
God o'th'
Covenant
The
Ark o'th'
Covenant us restore;
Vouchsa e therewith such grace to grant,
That we may
forfeit it no more.
Let
Covenant-mercy Covenant-servants free
From those, that
Covenant-contemners be.
Now sing to the praise and glory of God, a part of the 2
Psal. beginning at the 10 vers.
As it is meeter'd by
Simple Honesty, use this
old translation well; if you
will not, use a better.
FINIS.