that the king should take it to his heart; for thy servant doth know that I have sinned," False-hearted Shimei! had Absalom prospered, thou hadst not sinned, thou hadst not repented; then hadst thou bragged of thine insultation over his miseries, whose pardon thou now beggest with tears. The changes of worldly minds are thankless, since they are neither wrought out of conscience nor love, but only by slavish fear of just punishment. David could say no more to testify his sorrow, for his heinous sins against God, to Nathan, than Shimei says of himself to David, whereto may be added the advantage of a voluntary confession in this offender, which in David was extorted by the reproof of a prophet; yet is David's confession seriously penitent, Shimei's craftily hypocritical. Those alterations are justly suspected, which are shaped according to the times and outward occasions. The true penitent looks only at God and his sin, and is changed when all other things are themselves. Great offences had need of answerable satisfaction. As Shimei was the only man, of the house of Benjamin, that came forth and cursed David in his flight, so is he the first man (even before those of the house of Joseph, though nearer in situation) that comes to meet David in his return with prayers and gratulations. Notorious offenders may not think to sit down with the task of ordinary services; the retributions of their obedience must be proportionable to their crimes. CONTEMPLATION II. So soon as David heard of Achitophel's hand in that conspiracy, he falls to his prayers: "O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness." The known wisdom of his revolted counsellor made him a dangerous and dreadful adversary. Great parts misemployed cannot but prove most mischievous. When wickedness is armed with wit and power, none but a God can defeat it; when we are inatched with a strong and subtle enemy, it is high time, if ever, to be devout, If the bounty of God have thought good to furnish his creatures with powers to war against himself, his wisdom knows how to turn the abuse of those powers to the shame of the owners, and glory of the giver. O the policy of this Machiavel of Israel, no less deep than hell itself! "Go in to thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and when all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father, the hands of all that are with thee shall be strong." The first care must be to secure the faction. There can be no safety in siding with a doubtful rebel. If Absalom be a traitor, yet he is a son. Nature may return to itself, Absalom may relent, David may remit; Where then are we that have helped to promote the conspiracy? the danger is ours, while this breach may be pieced. There is no way but to engage Absalom in some further act, uncapable of forgiveness: besides the throne, let him violate the bed of his father; unto his treason let him add an incest no less unnatural; now shall the world see that Absalom neither hopes nor cares for the reconciliation of a father. Our quarrel can never have any safe end but victory, the hope whereof depends upon the resolution of our followers; they cannot be resolute, but upon the unpardonable wickedness of their leader: neither can this villany be shameful enough, if it be secret. The closeness of evil argues fear, or modesty; neither of which can beseem him that would be a successful traitor. Set up a tent on the top of the house, and let all Israel be witnesses of thy sin, and thy father's shame. Ordinary crimes are for vulgar offenders. Let Absalom sin eminently, and do that which may make the world at once to blush and wonder. Who would ever have thought that Achitophel had lived at court, at the council-table of a David? Who would think that mouth had ever spoken well? Yet had he been no other than as the oracle of God to the religious court of Israel, even while he was not wise enough to be good. Policy and grace are not always lodged under one roof. This man, while he was one of David's deep counsellors, was one of David's fools, that said in their hearts, "There is no God;" else he could not have hoped to make good an evil with worse, to build the success of treason upon incest. Profane hearts do so contrive the plots of their wickedness, as if there were no overruling power to cross their designs, or to revenge them. He that sits in heaven laughs them to scorn, and so far gives way to their sins, as their sins may prove plagues unto themselves. These two sons of David met with pestilent counsel; Amnon is advised to incest with his sister, Absalom is advised to incest with his father's concubines; that by Jonadab, this by Achitophel; both prevail. It is as easy at least to take ill counsel, as to give it. Proneness to villany in the great, cannot want either projectors to devise, or parasites to execute the most odious sins. The tent is spread, lest it should not be conspicuous enough, on the top of the house. The act is done in the sight of all Israel. The filthiness of the sin was not so great, as the impudency of the manner. When the prophet Nathan came with that heavy message of reproof and menace to David, after his sin with Bathsheba, he could say from God, "Behold, I will raise up evil against thee, out of thine own house, and will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them to thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun for thou didst it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before this sun. The counsel of Achitophel, and the lust of Absalom, have fulfilled the judgment of God. O the wisdom of the Almighty, that can use the worst evils well; and most justly make the sins of men his executioners ! It was the sin of Reuben that he defiled his father's bed; yet not in the same height of lewdness. What Reuben did in a youthful wantonness, Absalom did in a malicious despite: Reuben sinned with one, Absalom with ten: Reuben secretly, Absalom in the open eyes of heaven and earth; yet old Jacob could say of Reuben," Thou shalt not excel; thy dignity is gone:" while Achitophel says to Absalom, Thy dignity shall arise from incest; climb up to thy father's bed, if thou wilt sit in his throne." Achitophel was a politician, Jacob was a prophet; if the one spake from carnal sense, the other from divine revelation. Certainly, to sin is not the way to prosper: whatever vain fools promise to themselves, there is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord. After the rebellion is secured for continuance, the next care is, that it may end in victory; this also hath the working head of Achitophel projected. Wit and experience told him, that, in these cases of assault, celerity uses to bring forth the happiest dispatch; whereas protraction is no small advantage to the defendant," Let me (saith he) choose out now twelve thousand men, and I will up, and follow after David this night; and I will come upon him when he is weary and weak-handed." No advice could be more pernicious; for, besides the weariness and unreadiness of David and his army, the spirits of that worthy leader were daunted, and dejected with sorrow, and offered way to the violence of a sudden assault. The field had been half won ere any blow stricken. Achitophel could not have been reputed so wise, if he had not learned the due proportion betwixt actions and times. He that observeth every wind shall never sow; but he that observes no wind at all shall never reap. The likeliest devices do not always succeed. The God that had appointed to establish David's throne, and determined Solomon to his succession, finds means to cross the plot of Achitophel by a less probable advice. Hushai was not sent back for nothing. Where God hath, in his secret will, decreed any event, he inclines the wills of men to approve that which may promote his own purposes. Neither had Hushai so deep an head, neither was his counsel so sure as that of Achitophel, yet his tongue shall refel Achitophel, and divert Absalom. The pretences were fairer, though the grounds were unsound; first, to sweeten his opposition, he yields the praise of wisdom to his adversary in all other counsels, that he may have leave to deny it in this; his very contradiction in the present, insinuates a general allowance. Then he suggests certain apparent truths concerning David's valour and skill, to give countenance to the inferences of his improbabilities. Lastly, he cunningly feeds the proud humour of Absalom, in magnifying the power and extent of his commands, and ends in the glorious boasts of his fore-promised victory. As it is with faces, so with counsel, that is fair that pleaseth. He that gives the utterance to words, gives also their speed. Favour, both of speech and men, is not ever according to desert, but according to fore-ordination. The tongue of Hushai, and the heart of Absalom, is guided by a power above their own; Hushai shall therefore prevail with Absalom, that the treason of Absalom may not prevail. He that worketh all in all things, so disposeth of wicked men and spirits, that, while they do most oppose his revealed will, they execute his secret, and, while they think most to please, they overthrow them selves. When Absalom first met Hushai, returned to Jerusalem, he upbraided him pleasantly with the scoff of his professed friendship to David, "Is this thy kindness to thy friend?” Sometimes there is more truth in the mouth than in the heart, more in jest than in earnest. Hushai was a friend, his stay. was his kindness; and now he hath done that for which he was left at Jerusalem, disappointed Achitophel, preserved David; neither did his kindness to his friend rest here, but, as one that was justly jealous of him with whom he was allowed to temporize, he mistrusts the approbation of Absalom; and, not daring to put the life of his master upon such an hazar gives charge to Zadok and Abiathar of this intelligence David. We cannot be too suspicious, when we have with those that are faithless. We cannot be too curious of the safety of good princes. J Jo - Hushai fears not to descry the secrets of Absalom's counsel: to betray a traitor is no other than a commendable work. Zadok and Abiathar are fast within the gates of Jerusalem; their sons lay purposely abroad in the fields; this message, that concerned no less than the life of David, and the whole kingdom of Israel, must be trusted with a maid. Sometimes it pleaseth the wisdom of God, who hath the variety of heaven and earth before him, to single out weak instruments for great services; and they shall serve his turn, as well as the best. No counsellor of state could have made this dispatch more effectual: Jonathan and Ahimaaz are sent, descried, pursued, preserved. The fidelity of a maid instructed them in their message, the subtilty of a woman saved their lives. At the well of Rogel they received their message, in the well of Bahurim was their life saved: the sudden wit of a woman hath choked the mouth of her well with dried corn, that it might not bewray the messengers; and now David hears safely of his danger, and prevents it; and, though weary with travel, and laden with sorrow, he must spend the night in his remove. God's promises of his deliverance, and the confirmation of his kingdom, may not make him neglect the means of his safety. If he be faithful, we may not be careless, since our diligence and care are appointed for the factors of that divine Providence: the acts of God must abate nothing of ours; rather must we labour, by doing that which he requireth, to further that which he decreeth. There are those that have great wits for the public, none for themselves. Such was Achitophel, who, while he had power to govern a state, could not tell how to rule his own passions: |