generally and partly in that which concerned David more specially That which did concerne the estate of both the Kingdoms generally was m 3.1 that the kingdom of Iudah euer increased and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker That which concerned David more specially was that he n 3.28.39 made it so well knowne how cleere he was from the bloud of Abner and that many of the contrary part o 5.2 did know that it was David and none other that was thereunto appointed of God He put him in possession of it by taking away Ishbosheth that had set vp himselfe against him and putting into the harts of the people now to yeeld their obedience vnto him Ishbosheth was taken away p 4.2.5.8 by two of his owne Captaines without the consent or knowledge of David and on their parts in verie ill and treacherous maner for the which David q 4.9.12 put them to death so soone as they brought that tidings vnto him Which being done then whole Israel r 4.1 being first striken with a great feare as vpon the death of Abner before so now vpon the death of Ishbosheth also Å¿ 5.1.3 no all come in to the number of t 1. Chro. 12.23.40 aboue three hundred forty and fiue thousand and those also u Ib. 38. with consent of the rest and making a couenant with him do annoint him King ouer all and so is David entered now into the possession of the whole 9 If now againe we returne to our selues there may we find that in these daies also God hath such a worke in hand among vs. That God hath so dealt for the Gospel likewise It hath pleased him alreadie to bring the Gospel to some part of the Kingdome thereunto apperteining and we trust that in the end he will bring it vnto the whole And this we hope so much the rather for that he obstrueth a much like course now as he did before and walking as it were in the selfe-same path giueth vs before hand to vnderstand thereby whether he meaneth to come in the end That first he maketh a way unto it For first we see that he maketh now as conuenient away vnto the Gospell and to the spirituall Kingdome of Christ as he did vnto David before partly in such things as concerne the preparing of those that do aduance the Gospel to be the meeter instruments to such a purpose but especially in remouing out of the way many of those that would be against it By preparing those that are to aduance the Gospell For to the end that such as are to aduance the Gospell may be the meeter to do the thing for the which they are ordeined he preserueth not only their persons to be in a readines against the time that they are to be imploied but their good name also in that point of dutie to their superiours for the most part of them though otherwise it is not vnlikely but that some particulars may in a great number be found that by infirmitie hasten thereunto somewhat faster then it were meete that they should So likewise he putteth into their hands wherewithall to make them such friends as they neede against the time that they shall haue occasion to vse them and sendeth in vnto them a further power to help to bring them vnto their right And by removing others out of the way Those also whome he hath remoued out of the way and daily yet doth more and more are both such as are the chiefe resisters of this ordinance of God and their adherents together withall In those that are the chiefe as they are the greatest cause of offence so may we see the hand of God heauiest on them For we may verie plainly see that the Lord denieth to giue any answer vnto them either immediatly betwixt him and them by secret inspiration or by inclining their hearts to such a course as it were meete for them to walke in or by the ministerie of any of those whome it pleaseth him in such case to vse For being destitute of the ministerie that haue their annointing in Iesus Christ needs must they be destitute of Urim also and so can they haue no answer by such An idolatrous and a massing Priesthood they haue that standeth vpon the inuention of man and vpon their owne vsurpation withall and for the better credit thereof they haue an outward kind of ointment also such as standeth on no ordinance of God and therefore is destitute of the inward grace without any question But such a ministerie as Christ himselfe did leaue vnto vs and by the Apostles his seruants was afterward deliuered vnto the Church faithfully distributing the word of life vnto the people and holding themselues contented there that is altogether wanting in them and therefore haue they in their greatest affaires no answer by Urim nor by the ordinarie ministerie of the word As for that which is extraordinarie it pleaseth not God now to vse the same to his children but very seldome much lesse to those that are without For they haue destroyed the Priestes of the Lord with all the crueltie that can bee deuised and that for no fault at all on their parts but only vpon pretenced quarels and causeles furmises of their owne And as the Lord doth in this sort before hand by such estraunging of himself from them giue them to vnderstand how much he is offended with them and iustly too so may we see that in the end likewise he taketh them away in such sort as may well betoken his displeasure therein also and many of them in as miserable and desperate manner as he tooke away Saul For as in the end he spared not himself whom Davids hands ofttimes had spared before so many of those that in these dayes of ours haue been principall doers in the persecuting of the Gospell of Christ and contriuing trecheries agaynst those that professe it being often spared before by those that iustly might haue been reuenged of them for those their trecheries haue at the length layd hands of themselues and so the iust iudgements of God that others in compassion and pitie would not themselues haue executed in most desperat manner vpon themselues Among the adherents of these wee may see likewise that not only such as of whom there was no better hope are taken away but also that some of our Ionathans likewise are wrapped vp together with them in the same iudgements such I meane as though they did beare good will themselues to the Gospel of Christ yet some way or other were such notwithstanding as by whom the course of the Gospell might haue been hindered But what may those that are enemies hope for when as such as for their owne parts are faithfull friends are notwithstanding by God himself sometimes remooued yet for no malice in them but for that by some other circumstance they might be offensiue to the kingdom of Christ Which
was blessed and so must stand it coulde not be altered If they desired so to destroy them that they shoulde bee no people or but a fewe it was playnly tolde them that they shoulde bee as the dust of the earth that is innumerable If they desired but to holde them vnder for that point they had their aunswere also that they had the strength of the Vnicorne and that as a Lion they shoulde anietly sende on their pray Easilie distressed by others when the Lord was offended with them but afterward invincible wheresoever they cam and rise vp and lie downe at their pleasure During the time that the Lorde was offended with them and for that cause woulde not giue them any entrie yet into the lande of promis nor to preuaile against their enimies a fewe of the Canaanites beate them away when they approched but somewhat neare to the border of them But afterwarde when the time of that his displeasure drewe towardes an ende and that nowe hee was disposed to bring them in and to make it known that they were his people howe notably did they preuaile in whatsoeuer they tooke in hande Nom. 21.3 They notably preuayled against certaine of the Canaanites that prouoked them in the way Ib. 21.35 they vtterly destroyed the two kingdomes of the Amorites that denied them passage and they did so great an execution against the Midianites who by their wiles had wonne certaine of the Israelites to idolatrie Nom. 31.32.35.49.50.25 and whoredome that being but twelue thousande in all they stewe the fiue kinges of the Midianits and Balaam their lewde Prophet with them and tooke a notable pray besides of sixe hundred threescore and fifteene thousand sheepe threescore twelue thousande beeues threescore and one thousande asses and thirtie and two thousand maidens and yet notwithstanding lost not one man of their companie whereupon they gaue a free-will offering of sixteene thousande seuen hundred and fiftie shekels of golde amounting vnto in our coine about 7468 ounces When they were to make their entrie howe did Iordan that great water stay his course beeing at that time strong and great and gaue them passage on the drie grounde and immediatly after how did those strong and high walles of Iericho of themselues fall downe on euery side as the people of Israel stoode about them A while after again when a great power of the enimies had gathered them selues together against the people of Israel Iosh 10.11.14 howe did the Lorde destroy a great number of them with haile from Heauen and howe did both the Sunne and the Mooone stay their course and stoode still where they were at the commaundement of Ioshua to giue them time and light to make an vtter destruction of them And so proceeding in the conquest hee slewe one and thirtie Kings tooke away their kingdomes and parted the same among the people But the whole course of the scriptures besides doe playnely witnes that howsoeuer it hath pleased God oft times to stay for a season the iust and due aduancement of his owne glorie and therein to holde his children vnder some harde and grieuous discipline yet in the ende and when the time appointed was come hee hath fully declared what regarde hee had both vnto the cause it selfe and vnto those that tooke part with it And seeing that by these fewe not culled out of the whole but taken as they lie together within that compasse it is apparant ynough what comfort we might haue in the rest that are of this kinde therefore it shall not bee needefull to prosecute all but to holde our selues contented onely with these 17 Wherein if yet this once more wee come in our selues what letteth The application of those former examples unto our selves and to the present estate of the Church now but that out of the examples before set downe wee also might rayse vnto our selues the selfe same comfort that before wee spake of Hath Ishmael beene so long grieuous to Izhak already and yet may wee in no wise hope that hee can bee cast out as yet Shall Esau still bee so heauie to Iaakob for the blessing that is bestowed on him shall hee make him still to runne his countrie and to serue in so harde a bondage else-where and shall the Lorde playnely pronounce that the elder shoulde bee subiect vnto the yonger and yet may we not after so long and grieuous banishmentes endured hope in the end to see the performaunce of that his promis no not nowe when wee see that from Heauen hee hath giuen vs such helpes and made vs so ready a way vnto it May wee in Ioseph so plainly behold the very cause why they haue bin so grieuous vnto vs liuely set forth in perfect colours and yet may we in no wise hope to find the like issue likewise in the end for what other cause haue they but for that they doe perceiue that God meaneth for to aduaunce the selfe same cause that wee haue in hande And seeing that for a time they haue kept it vnder why may we not hope that there is a time likewise when it is to preuayle against them and to attayne vnto the honour that is due vnto it In bondage likewise long wee haue beene with the children of Israel in the lande of Aegypt and may wee not looke with them also to bee deliuered When the Lorde wee see hath sent his Moses and Aaron with the worde of his mightie power when wee see that those his seruauntes faythfully doe their message to Pharaoh and require him in the name of the Lorde to let his people goe when wee see it is euident also that the Lorde so ioyneth with them that notably hee sheweth foorth his power before them all and strongly shaketh certayne of those states that stande against him must wee notwithstanding be so farre out of heart without former oppression that wee may in no case hope although wee haue so pregnant tokens that nowe the Lorde is in hande to worke foorth our wished deliueraunce And what though nowe it doe repent many of them that they haue set vs goe so much as they haue what though hearing that we are sometimes intangled in some wildernesse of theirs thereupon they come foorth against vs with a freshe power either to bring vs back into bondage againe or else to put vs all to the sword Is it of necessity that because they woulde so haue it therefore it must bee so in deede Can they in no wise otherwise take it but that if once we bee entangled then are they sure to preuaile agaynst vs When they haue seene such iudgementes of God before and themselues haue lately ynough sufficiently felt the hande of God in this quarrell can they notwithstanding neuer suspect that the wrath that of Lord which they haue so many ways so iustly prouoked may by such meanes trayne them foorth to further vengeance Or if the oportunitie of the place giue heart
so strong apart by themselues and in this quarell so knit together the one with the other the ecclesiasticall and ciuile together But when now the time was come the Priests that bare the Arke of the Lord could no sooner by the commandement of Ioshua step into the riuer and but profer to make their entrie but that by and by a wonder to see the waters parted and gaue them passage on dry ground Our Iericho also was verie strongly walled about But are not the walles thereof in good part falne alreadie and do they not yet daily fall more and more at least wheresoeuer the Priests do sound their trumpets and the people according thereto lift vp their voice and cry them downe Many Kings and Princes there are that haue gathered themselues together against our Ioshua also so soone as euer he hath made his entrie and though it were in so wonderfull maner that therein only they may plainly perceiue that his entrie was from aboue by the mightie hand of God yet were they not so touched therewith but that still they would bend their forces against him so much as they could But what haue they gained thereby Diuers of them haue sharply felt the mightie hand of God against them and what letteth but that we may looke to see these beginnings at the length to be brought to happy endings Certainly our Ioshua is to preuaile against all those that come against him and to diuide the promised land to the children of Israel Only let vs take héede to this that when God is so redie as to bestow these mercies on vs our selues be not so far to séeke whē we should receiue them or do not endeuour in such sort to addresse our selues thereunto as our own good and the nature of the cause doth require Let there be no want in vs and then shall we vndoubtedly sée the goodnes of God in the land of the liuing For he is faithfull that so hath promised 18 And now O Lord what els remayneth A Prayer upon this whole storie but that as thou hast alreadie begun to thy glorie and our comfort thus farre to aduaunce thy kingdome among vs euen so it would please thee to proceede vnto the ende euen to the full accomplishment of it The Gospell that thou hast sent vnto vs and which as thou hast aduaunced alreadie in some good measure so wee desire that it may be aduaunced still euery day more and more what is it els but the power and very Scepter of thine annoynted And what one is there among vs all that may reasonably doubt but that thine holy oyle is vpon it When thy holye spirit worketh so mightily with it euen that only doth sufficiently witnesse that it also is annoynted by thee The benefite that thereby redoundeth to others is so apparant and great that in that respect also it may not be doubted but that it procéedeth from thée and right well deserueth to be further aduaunced that so the benefite that commeth with it may be thereby enlarged to mo For by it also our troubled spirits and doubtfull hearts towards God are notably appeased and deepely setled in sound comfort and ioy in that we vnderstand thereby how thy wrath is appeased towards vs and that there is no damnation to those that are in thee And whereas wee also were as much in bondage to certayne of late as thy Israel was to those Philistims then and out faced likewise with a monsterous Goliath that defied thy saincts and often brake foorth into most blasphemous speaches agaynst thy trueth and of whom al thy people were so afrayd that they durst not abide his presence thou hast in these dayes and before our eyes by this the power of thy out-stretched and mightie arme so notably ouerthrowne and trodden downe that out-growne Champion of theirs and therewithall put the whole power of them to such a flight as that thereby thou hast deliuered many of thy people out of their hands and so vnioynted their power ouer the residue also that now it is no hard matter for any that will to deliuer themselues from this their tyrannie Neither can it bee denied but that in these dayes there are not a fewe that do beare it such a good will as that thereby thou hast made vnto it in these secondarie meanes with vs a readier way to come to the height that is due vnto it For not only the people generally do in many places beare good will vnto it and leauing the glorie of a thousand to Saul ascribe no lesse then ten thousand to it but many Ionathans also there are whose hearts thou hast in such sort touched that they haue it in so great not estimation only but euen admiration also that al they can do is too little for it Neither their furniture nor abiliments of honour are so deare vnto them but that it must haue them all and though it be their owne father that would do it any dishonor or hurt yet can they not suffer it at their hands neither but still preuent it so much as they can And whereas yet there are many likewise that are enemies vnto it yet doth not that enmitie of theirs proceede of other occasion then that of Saul did agaynst David nor yet is prosecuted in other manner For what other thing is there that so kindleth their hearts agaynst the Gospell but only the ill temper that is in them and for that they playnlie see that it is the thing that thou art disposed now to aduance and that themselues and their loose regiment must now come downe and giue place vnto it And that it might the better be knowne to bée of the same nature that the other was of how doth it proceed after one and the selfe same manner first in secret and openly after and yet very rageous not only agaynst David himself but also agaynst many others for his sake euen as their furie therein doth leade them A thing that though themselues perceiue not yet is it to vs and to all that are able to see a sufficient matter whereby to decipher both what it is they do impugne and who they are that do impugne it We see likewise and must needes acknowledge and as to our comfort we do behold it so do wee right gladly acknowledge it also that notably thou hast begun alreadie to aduaunce thy Gospell among vs that thou hast made it a readie way by preseruing encreasing and strengthning those by whom it pleaseth thee to aduance it and that thou hast alreadie subdued many countries and kingdomes vnto the obedience of the same and much weakned diuers of those that stand agaynst it In Hebron thou doest already reigne ouer the tribe of Iudah thine owne kindred and though Israel for many of them do as yet stand out agaynst thee yet those also hast thou weakened much and daily encreasest in strength agaynst them But O Lord such is thy maiestie and so worthie art thou to
THE Coronation of Dauid Wherein out of that part of the Historie of David that sheweth how he came to the Kingdome wee have set forth unto us what is like to be the end of these troubles that daylie arise for the Gospels sake By Edm. Bunny Psalm 89.20 I have found David my seruant with mine holy oyle have I annoynted him Imprinted at London by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Gubbin and Iohn Perin 1588. ¶ Vnto the right honorable Henry Earle of Huntingdon Knight of the most noble order of the Garter L. President of her Ma. Counsell in the North parts established and Lieutenant Generall of her Ma. people and forces there IT is sufficiently knowne to vs all that of late yeeres the Lord hath diuersly exercised vs vnder his gentle chasticing hand For hauing touched vs before in our cattle corn and that more is in certaine daungerous straunge and vnnaturall practices against our Soueraign tending to the ouerthrowe of vs all now of late he hath threatned vs with hostilitie and forrein inuasion and with the worst that a proud an idolatrous and an insolent people is able to do Wherein although hee hath not forgotten vs cleane but in the middest of those threatnings hath hitherto vsed great mercie towardes vs yet do we our selues plainly perceiue that as yet he hath not left off calling vpon vs but still doth put vs in mind of our wayes as otherwise also so especially by hostilitie now and by the continuance of our enimies malice against vs. Jn which case so long as we stand it is needefull we take good heede to these two thinges that the cause be right wherein wee stand and that we our selues do take it in hand in such sort as we ought to doe The equitie of the cause both is now and euer hath beene so plaine in it selfe seeing that it is for the Ghospels sake that so they bende themselues against vs that when of late I entred into a deeper consideration of these callings of God and thought it needefull to set foorth somewhat concerning the same yet notwithstanding J then thought it needelesse to bestow any labor in beating out that which was plaine ynough in it selfe and rather chose to imploy my pen in the other to shew in what sort this good cause of ours should be taken in hand of vs. Whereupon I did then set foorth an admonition out of the Prophet Joel the better to gather vs neerer to God by occasion of the scarcitie wherewith at that time wee were something touched a text that then did not onely in respect of that scarcitie but otherwise also and yet doth fitly agree to these present dayes and out of which we might take to our selues both then and now instruction and comfort in plentifull measure Since which time I haue often marked that what by our enimies themselues by their fauourites that are among vs and what by the weaknesse of diuers of vs likewise there is such a desperate fear conceiued of many that they are vtterly void of any good hope that these our troubles may be ouerblowne or at any time sorted to prosperous end For the enimie we see and often haue founde whensoeuer by his owne strength or our loosenesse he doth hope to preuail is then passing full of presumptuous boasting and resolute threates Their fauourites also doe as redily then get holde thereof and helpe them forward the best that they can euer blowing such terrors abroad and for the most part encreasing them also euer casting wheresoeuer they come great perils themselues And when they are foiled and haue gotten the worse and finde that God in those their attempts is flatly against them yet doe they not thereupon leaue of and turne vnto him but euer continue their former malice and busilie repayre their forces againe Among vs likewise as there be some that by such occasions drawe neerer to God and acknowledging that our sinnes deserue that we should be cleane cut off doe neuerthelesse in the goodnesse of the cause and the mercies of God conceiue good hope so are there others that refusing the comfort that those groundworkes do yeelde do so much relie on the iust desert of our sinnes and the seueritie of God against it or being of a timerous nature are stroken with such feare by the enimies threates and continuall malice and by the great perils that their confederates do cast at home that they haue left them no hope at all but verily thinke that in the end all will be naught Hauing therefore already done my endeuour by my former admonition out of Joel to stir vs vp to a sensible feeling of those gracious callings of God vnfeignedly to turne vnto him I haue nowe thought good out of some one text or other for to declare what comfort the faithfull may iustly conceiue out of the nature of the cause that we haue in hand being as it is for the gospels sake that we are so much maligned For which matter I haue made choice of that part of the historie of David that sheweth how he being annointed of God to the kingdom neuertheles could not come vnto it but thorough many perils with much busines before But although hee were kept out for a season and had many lets for a long time together cast in the way yet in the end he came to the crown and had it confirmed vnto himselfe and his line for euer Jn which storie we may see as it were in a table both what crosses we must looke for to be cast in the way of the gospel now how notwithstanding it shall preuail in the end against them all And as it was the godlesse and loose gouernment of Saul that gaue that occasion of remouing that same and of the bringing in of the godlier regiment of David euen so in the late days of ignorance the gouernmēt of most of our princes hath bine such so far short of that which it should as that it ought to be lesse maruel to any if now it the be pleasure of God to aduance the gospel the scepter of the sonne of David to reforme whatsoeuer before was decayed Which storie lieth in the latter part of the first booke of Samuel in the beginning of the second for which cause also seeing that it lieth altogether within this compasse therefore haue I but seldome set down in my quotations the name of the Book but the chapters verses only And seing that it goeth of this matter only wheras there are many other stories places of scripture besides that would yeeld the self same cōfort therfore haue J thoght The Coronatiō of David to be the meetest name for the treatise Now such as it is if it please your honour to accept in good part I thought it my duetie for to offer the same vnto you For beeing of this mind that as I wish the benefit therof vnto al so notwithstanding J speciall wish it to the people here
not left one stone vpon an other that was not shaken out of his place as for the timber and stone which they had prouided and that in great quantitie and their instruments or tooles wherewithal they should haue wrought and many of the people themselues they were destroyed by fier such as the Lord in extraordinarie maner cast vpon them As therefore Cyril at that time was able out of the Scriptures to minister sound comfort to the people of God agaynst that discomfortable case of theirs and as he was able accordingly did it so the godly in these dayes also haue in great plenty wherewithal to comfort those that are weake and that in their weaknes doubt very much whereunto these broyles may grow For now also these Iewes of ours haue obteyned the comfort and ayd of certeyn Iulians that they hope ere long to banish the Ghospel and to set vp Poperie agayne they haue also contriued and complotted their matters so that nothing they hope shal frustrate their vayn presumption therin But he that dwelleth in the heauens doth laugh them to scorne the Lord will haue them in derision Let the Lords watchmen but looke about them and they shal be able to finde and that in very plentifull measure wherwithal soundly to comfort and fully to establish the hearts of those that in their weakenesse so readilie feare that when tyrants begin to threaten and make preparation to do some mischief then is the Gospell not like to escape it and the power of darknesse that of late ouerwhelmed the face of the earth like to preuayle agaynst vs agayne To the which end as I wish those that can rightly do it diligently to beate out this poynt of doctrine to the people of God so my self also haue thought good to take in hand some such argument at this present and among so many places of Scripture that yéeld for this matter most singular comfort to deliuer some one to the instruction and comfort of those that in these dayes of ours do in such sort need to be called vpon For which cause I haue made choyce of that part of the storie of David wherein we haue set foorth vnto vs how being ordeyned to be King ouer Israel he was kept backe and notably exercised for a time and yet notwithstanding fully possessed thereof in the end For seeing that David was a figure of Christ and such as was the estate of Christ here on the earth such also must be the state of the Gospell whensoeuer the same is sent vnto vs therefore must it needes follow that as in that part of Davids historie wee may see a liuely description of those matters in Christ both how he was kept backe for the time and how in the end he was aduaunced so may we likewise therein behold the estate of the Gospell in these our dayes for both those matters that is how great resistance for a time it findeth among vs and how notwithstanding it is most sure to preuayle in the end The text therefore being so pregnant and so effectuall to such a purpose that I likewise may the better finde out in some good measure whatsoeuer doth belong therunto I humbly beseech that sonne of David our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to vouchsafe me that mercie that I may so do it as may soundly tend both to the aduancement of his eternall and only trueth and to the comfort of all those that vnfeignedly loue and embrace the same 2 And so being purposed by the goodnes and grace of God in such sort to vnfold that part of the storie of David What comfort we have in that which is alreadie done on behalfe of the Gospell as that our selues may now also the better sée what to thinke of those broiles that now are for the Ghospels sake and how we are to demeane our selues in the meane season it shal be good first to consider how far-forth we are holpen forward to good assurance by the accord that we find in that which is alreadie done héere among vs with that which in this historie of David we find to haue bin done before and then to aduise our selues further of the hope that we may conceiue of the full accomplishment of it for the time to come The good assurance whereunto we are holpen by the accord that we find in that which is alreadie done among vs with that which in this historie of David we find to haue bin done before wil best appeare if we shall first set downe the chiefe and principall parts of the historie it self and then lay vnto it from point to point such things as we find in these our dayes to agree thereunto The chiefe and principall points of the Storie it selfe are two how it pleased God to bring him foorth to be in a readines for that matter and afterward how he brought him vnto it That it pleased God first to bring him foorth to be in a readines for that matter may sufficiently appeare first by the maner that he vsed to make the matter known to David himselfe and then for that he did so effectually commend him to others Vnto himselfe he made it knowne for that by the ministerie of Samuel the Prophet he did annoint him thereunto In which his Annointing we are first to consider The Annointing of David vnto the Kingdome how it standeth with a certaine Propheticall direction that was giuen forth long before and then of certaine other things which to that present time apperteined That Propheticall direction that I now speake of was giuen forth by Jaakob himself on his deathbed among other blessings of his to his children namely a Gen. 49.8 10. that the chiefe gouernment should be in the tribe of Judah Whereas therfore Ishai the father of David was of the tribe of Judah which had the promis it is so much the more likely that some one might be taken thence vnto whome the Kingdome should be established then of the family of Kish the father of Saul being of the tribe of Benjamin vnto whome no such promis was made Insomuch that whereas it had pleased God now for a time to call Saul vnto the kingdom it may séeme that it was no more but to make a readier way vnto the other that was to stand and therewithal to set downe a patterne vnto all Princes that were to follow A readier way might be made thereby vnto the other that was to stand both for that thereby they should now be inured to some obedience and for that they were woont to obey not only a meane man by parentage and of the least tribe among them all but also in such hard cases somtimes as wilful regiment is wont to yeeld A patterne likewise may therein be left to all Princes whatsoeuer to take good heed to their maner of gouernment when as they may see with what seueritie the Lord did punish those two faults in the first King of Israel in whom there
also yet did it please the goodnes of God to blesse the naturall helpe that they sought with supernatural operation So now likewise though many that know not their owne estate giue eare to the Gospell but only in some earthly respects yet those also oftimes are vouchsafed an extraordinarie and speciall blessing thereby accompanied with euerlasting peace Then in the overthrow of certeyne of our Philistims and of their Goliah withall As for the other benefite of David that belonged to the whole host of Israel by the ouerthrow of Goliath and consequently of the whole armie of the Philistims besides that is among vs so euidently and plainly performed by the Gospell of Christ that I shall not neede to stand to declare it For our Philistims also haue their Goliath an outgrowne monster of merueilous stature much greater a great deale as his Canonistes say and vsurpation wee knowe hath brought him vnto then the greatest of the great men of the earth his furniture likewise strong and fearefull a naturall enemie to the people of God and to God himselfe his mouth speaking proud and cruell things agaynst God and his people comming into the field with a mightie armie all enemies vnto the Trueth and to all the professors of it such as heretofore haue had the people of God in great subiection of whom also the children of Israel haue been so afrayd that they durst not abide their presence but haue fled from them by heapes none of them al hauing the heart to encounter with that strong mightie Giant so fearfully armed and blustering out so terrible speaches But now we also God be praysed haue our David in the power of the Gospell that Iesus Christ the sonne of David hath now in these dayes sent vnto vs. When our brethren disdayned to heare vs talke of any such matter when the wiser sort thought it impossible without Saules armour without any earthly helpe whatsoeuer vpon assurance of such like matters before atchieued with a sting a stone is Goliath with great courage incountered and with as good successe in a manner cleane ouerthrowne euen when the attempt was either distrusted or scorned of all The residue also of those godlesse and idolatrous Philistims seeing their champion so little able to stand before David are likewise discomfited and seeke to saue them selues by flight Such favours likewise shewed foorth to the Gospell as were shewed to David before so well as they can The fauours also that by the goodnesse of God are shewed to the Gospell and to those that professe it are not inferiour to those that were as before is declared shewed to David For God be thanked there be diuers euen of our earthly Princes such as are no better then Saul that seeing the dignitie and mightie working of the Gospell of Christ in these dayes of ours are so taken with the maiestie of it that themselues loue both it and many of those that professe it also as much as Saul at that time loued David and that was as the text sayth very well and to confirme the same the better both desire to reteyne it still and bestowe honorable roomes and of speciall credit on those that professe it Some Ionathans also and godly Princes we haue besides that loue the Gospell most entirely and for the Gospels sake and for the loue that they beare thereunto do gladly make a couenant with it and with those that professe it and from their owne backes most freely bestow vpon it and on those that professe it both ornaments of honor and conuenient furniture likewise Neither doth the Gospell altogether want those Michals neither that is such godly and Christian soules as though they be according to the flesh descended of Saul yet beare they so speciall a loue vnto David that both they desire to bee ioyned together in mariage with him and are readie at al times as need shall require to saue the liues of those that are of the Trueth wheresoeuer they come to any such daunger how neere soeuer they bee vnto them by whom such persecution is mooued And so farre as Michals good will may stand in stead in time to come to helpe to the kingdome so farre also she doth not sticke now to bestowe the same vpon him Amongst the multitude also many there be that are heartily glad to see our Philistims also with their Goliath to bee so much brought downe as they are to whom our David in that respect is merueilous welcome who also haue learned so to distinguish betwixt the speciall working of God and the secondary meanes that he vseth that although they giue vnto Saule his thousand also yet do they euer keepe their ten thousand for David alone Neither do they thus solemnize only this victorie of the Gospell but also conceiue a speciall good liking of the whole course and proceeding of it and not only those that are the freest and so may safelier like as they list without controulment but many of the seruants of our Sauls likewise such as on their maisters behalf haue no such cause to like of David Where we see thus much already there may we hope there is more behind and in due time to be accomplished 4 To find out now in what sort it pleased God to bring him to the kingdome That for a time David was exercised with great affliction before that he was brought unto the Kingdom after that once he had annointed him vnto it and so effectually commended him to others we are to knowe that he did not bring him vnto it till first he had notably exercised him with much affliction sundrie trials and many crosses cast in the way So are we first to consider of those his afflictions and then how it pleased God notwithstanding at length to bring him vnto the Kingdome His afflictions were such persecutions and molestations as it pleased Saul to stir vp against him Concerning which it is to be knowne that they were especially two whereof the former was finished with a reconciliation that was made by Jonathans meanes the other continued so long as Saul himself did liue His former persecution Concerning the former of these two we are first to sée vpon what occasion it was raised against him and then what was the maner of it The occasion of it was first his owne distemperature The occasion of it then the towardnes or likelyhood that David was in to come to the Kingdome His owne distemperature we may plainely sée might well be great not only because the euill spirit of the Lord a 16.14 was sent vnto him and b 16.15.18.10.19.9 oft did vexe him but also for that we may sée likewise that c 18.8.9.20.31 it gréeued him much to part with the Kingdome And then lesse marueile if he were so far out of temper and consequently so rageous withall when as he did so impatiently take so great a losse and sometimes also was extraordinarily
to reach Neither are they able to denie but that by the selfe same spirit which in others they persecute with all extremities many of themselues are so taken that they also prophecie in manie things in respect of that palpable error that both we and they were in before and of that knowledge that now we haue common vnto vs both In which case also if any man thinke that they should so reuerence either that speciall gift of Prophecie an euident worke of the spirit of God or his great goodnes to them 2. King 1.9.12 in that he doth not cast some fearefull iudgement vpon them as in the like case fire from heauen vpon many of those that came for Eliiah but doth so graciously compas them in or rather imbrace them with the armes of his rare and singular mercie this one example of Saul in this case a man no doubt nothing so ill as most of them may sufficiently teach how far such an one may be deceiued If that will not the daily experience of these daies of ours is so passing fruitfull in such examples that it only may put it cleane out of question And as Saul when he saw that he did no good in pursuing of him withdrew himselfe for a time to await some such opportunitie as that David might of himselfe haue falne into his hands and for that purpose stooke not to take a time appointed to speciall deuotion for to accomplish his bloudie enterprise so these likewise both await such opportunities and stick not for any solemnitie of the time whatsoeuer but can redily find in their hearts then to commit any iniquitie whatsoeuer when as the time doth specially call them vtterly to abandon all vngodlines and with all sinceritie and holines of mind to sanctifie themselues vnto the Lord. Then openly Comming vnto their open practises there also we find that their rage is so great that first others féele it for Davids sake and then Against others for the Gospels sake that they pursue David himselfe likewise all that they can And among others that find of their outrageous crueltie for Davids sake sometime Jonathan himselfe is not frée For néerenes of bloud in this case helpeth but little oftentimes and it were no hard matter to find a great Prince among vs that not only attempted vpon the like occasion to destroy his owne sonne but most vnnaturally and most vngodly did it in déede Neither can they be perswaded but that so many as fauour any thing at all the righteous cause of those that are oppressed and are sorie to sée such vnreasonable crueltie practised against them and such especially as professe the Gospell themselues and are entered into a couenant with it do all conspire their ouerthrowe and set vp their owne seruants against them Insomuch that not their owne retinue can be void of this suspition but that they also conspire against them vnlesse they be euer whispering in their eares whatsoeuer naughtines they can deuise both against the truth it selfe and against the professors of it But as for the Priests of the Lord they are euer sure to pay for it whensoeuer any quarell can be pretended against them no regard being had of the multitude nor of such as are innocent among them nor how iustly any thing they haue done might be excused nor how slender an accusation either in respect of the partie or thing it selfe is brought against them In what case they were in his time how poore and néedy he little regarded and it may be he did not so much as knowe it neither And yet must it néeds be verie apparant when as Ahimelech the high Priest had neither sustenance 21.4.9 wherewithall to releeue a man if neede were nor so much as a weapon for his iust defence but was faine to take of the Shew-bread for the one and the Sword of Goliath for the other that as it seemeth by the place it was in had now bin consecrated vnto the Lord. This without question he might haue perceiued and of dutie he should haue amended But heere he is blind and seeth nothing and yet in the other he is so verie sharp that for an hillok he hath quickly found no lesse then a mountaine Wherein also the Sauls of our time are nothing behind They neuer cast how to take any good order for the needfull honest maintenance of the true seruants of God and likely inough that they do not so much as conceiue that they haue any such want But if those seruants of God at any time slip if they tread their shoe awry neuer so little or if they haue not offended at all but only by vniust and hard construction yet if an accuser may once he found if any thing may be surmised against them it is inough by and by they must heare thou shalt surely dye Ahimelech thou and all thy fathers house Against the Gospel it selfe In their pursuites of our David also we may see that they follow the steps of the other If he be in a walled Citie he is forthwith shut vp in their hands and then must they make all the hast that they can that they leese not such an opportunitie as it All good deserts must then be forgotten and either must the Lords of Keilah falsly betray him that saued them and their Citie and treacherously deliuer him vp to the hands of his enemies or cast their Citie and themselues withall into the perill of present destruction Saul being so furiously bent as he was If we wote not what is become of him yet must he be fought for euery day that so in this matter we leese no time but so little as may be If any get knowledge where he haunteth and how we may come to obteine our desired pray then are they the blessed of the Lord and they forsooth haue compassion on vs and though they be such as could not detect him but that withall they must condemne themselues to be naught and to betray the godly and iust yet must such treachery be couered ouer with so goodly a name And if once we be in the chace and néere to our pray hardly can any thing turne vs aside whatsoeuer it be Neither doth it any thing auaile though David witnes plainly inough his owne integritie though our selues haue neuer so good experience of it and though for a time our hearts do breake and teares gush out to thinke how vnkindly we haue gone about to take away the life of him that so faithfully hath preserued ours It is no more but a morning clowd and we can no sooner heare of any other opportunitie offered but by and by we returne to our former bent and persecute David as freshly againe as euer we did Howsoeuer we may seeme to leaue off so long as we see not how to preuaile yet if once we get but some glimse of any good hope by and by we rush vnto it againe nothing at all regarding how
that idolatrous Prince a naturall enemie to the people of God and for that he did it vpon distrust of the prouidence of God to be safe at home In his demeanour while he was there we find that he did not only y 27.8.9.11 deale very ill with certeyne of the people of those quarters the Geshurites Girzites and Amalekites destroying man woman and child leauing none to complayne of his doings and the better to couer his doings from Achish his friend z 27.10 deepely dissembled the same vnto him but also that a 28.2 29.8 he was content and readie to go to the field vnder Achish agaynst the Israelites his owne countrimen and the people of GOD That hereby may appeare that our infirmities also can not iustly hinder his good hope in us of the accomplishment of that which alreadie he hath begun and agaynst the King his maister The reason why wee may looke to enioy a further manifestation of the kingdome of Christ that in some measure alreadie is aduaunced among vs is so dispersed throughout this whole discourse of the historie wee haue in hand that heere we shall not néede to stande thereupon specially But this is the thing that héere I would note that if such were the purpose of God then to aduance his owne glorie and to do his people good that notwithstanding these imperfections of David yet he would not be hindered thereby but went on forward vnto the end there is no cause why we neede to doubt of the same purpose of God now likewise for the aduancement of his truth when we see that it should so plainly tend to his glorie and to the benefit of his people and in this David of ours that is in the Gospell of Iesus Christ there cannot be found not only no so grosse infirmities but also no blemish at all no not the least that can be conceiued And as for those that now do wish the aduancement of it both professing it themselues and commending the same vnto others the best that they can although they be sinners yet seeing that David also was not exempted and this worke standeth not on the desert or merit of man as we haue great cause to hope it if we respect the excellencie of the Gospell it selfe so in this case haue we no great cause to doubt it neither though we do find no small infirmities in those that professe it What want there was in the government then why David should be brought to the kingdome 14 The occasion whereupon David was brought to the kingdome was the want that was found in Saul that reigned before him Which that we may the better perceiue we need to consider but these two things in how ill estate the common wealth of Israel was when he came vnto it and how slenderly he set in hand to redresse the same That the common wealth of Israel was in ill case The hard estate of the cōmon wealth of Israel when Saul came to it Subiect unto a forreyne people it appeareth sufficiently in these two things that the people were so much ouerlayd by grieuous seruitude to a forreyne nation and that the forreyne people to whom they were subiect were so idolatrous or so cleane contrarie to them in religion How much they were ouerlayd by greeuous seruitude may likewise appeare both for that the text it self doth plainly say it and by other vndoubted tokens that there are found The text it self doth plainly say it for that it telleth vs a 13.6 that at that time the people were in great distresse Those other vndoubted tokens thereof are two one how the people at that time demeaned themselues the other what want there was of such warlike furniture as was conuenient The peoples demeanour at that time was that they had not the heart to looke their enemie in the face but that some of them b 13.6 hid themselues in caues and in holes and in rockes and in towers and in pits on that side of Iordan that was next to the Philistims some others agayne did leaue that part of the countrie and c 13.7 went ouer Iordan vnto the land of Gad and Gilead so to bee farther from the daunger of them The want that they had of such warlike furniture as was conuenient was very great both for that the Philistims did not suffer any d 13.19 Smith or Cutler to dwell among them by whom they might haue had some weapons made no e 13.20.21 not so much as for their instruments of husbandrie but either must carie them to the Philistims to bee mended or sharpened there or els might not haue but only the helpe of the file at home and for that among all the people that followed Saul to withstand the enemie which also were but very fewe but only about f 13.15 sixe hundred in all when the others were gone that g 13.8.11 gat themselues away for feare there h 13.22 was not so much as either a sword or a speare found but only with the King him self and his sonne That the people to whom they were subiect were idolatrous and directly contrary to them in religion And those idolatrous is most apparant not only for that they were none of the people of Israel but of the Gentiles and enemies vnto the people of God but also for that the text doth make particular mention both of one speciall Idol that they worshipped and of their blasphemous dealing agaynst the true and liuing God That one speciall Idoll that they worshipped was i Iud. 16.23 Dagon being as the learned do note 1. Sam. 5.2 for the vpper parts like to a beautifull woman and for the nether like to a fish as the text also doth ascribe to the vpper parts both k 5.4 head and hands and saith that the residue that remayned as Tremelius translateth representeth a l Ibid. fish Their blasphemous dealing agaynst the true and liuing Lord doth not only appeare in their deliuering vp of the Arke of the Lord m 5.2 into the Temple of their Idoll Dagon as though that their Idoll had been the better and that by his power they had then preuayled agaynst the God of Israel but also in that n David doth charge that great monsterous beast their champion Goliath for to haue rayled on the God of the host of Israel And though he were but one man yet seeing he was their common champion and came foorth in the name of them all they may all by good right be charged therewith And then when themselues are not only so corrupt in the highest matter of all euen in religion but also so contrarie vnto the Trueth and so blasphemous to GOD himself it could not bee otherwise but that in these things the common wealth of Israel must needes be in hard and pitifull case that was in such thraldome vnto so ill a people as these How little
The cause that himself alleadgeth why he was so bolde as to breake vp then was l 13.11.12 for that the people began to steale away apace and seeing that the enemies lay so neere as they did he thought he might seene bee driuen to encounter with them and that he would bee loath to do before he had sacrificed vnto the Lord. But it may bee further that seeing he was m 10.6.9.10 11.6 before endued in some good measure with the Spirit of God and his kingdome so much established as n 11.12 before it was both by his victorie against the Ammonites and for that the people there vpō that occasion accepted of him he was now perswaded that neither he needed any further instruction of the Prophet nor any further inauguration by his ministerie before the Lord especially at such a time when as those other considerations in reason required such hast as they did Short he came o 13.13.14 for that he awayted not that further instruction and that further renewing or establishing of the kingdome to him before the Lord notwithstanding that the Prophet taried so long as he did and notwithstanding those reasons he had so much to hasten Now as touching the latter of them wherein his doings do lye more open than in the other he might seeme to haue gon very néere to the Lords commaundement for that he p 15.8.9.10 destroyed so much as he did and for that the residue that they did not destroy yet q 15.15 brought they away and to r 15.15 offer in sacrifice vnto the Lord. But yet was he short ſ 15.18.19.22.23 for that vpon his owne reason and the liking of those that were with him he did not execute the sentence of God to the vttermost poynt that was commanded and withall turned vnto the pray or greedily sought some aduantage therby That as good occasion hath bin offered now to advāce the kingdome of Christ in the want of government that was before and yet is as before to advance the kingdome of David for the want of government that was in Saul 15 To come to our selues we are to consider whether the estate of Christendome were in any such miserie now as the estate of Israel was then and if it were whether such as haue raigned among vs and yet do haue better imploied thēselues then Saul did vnto the redresse of whatsoeuer they find out of square For if the estate of Christendome also were of late or yet is in many places as far out of square as then the estate of Israel was and those that haue reigned or yet do be in most places as short of their dutie as Saul was then it is not to be denied by any but that the like occasion being offered now as we find to be offered then the like hope may be conceiued now also of the aduancement of the kingdome of Christ alreadie begun as heerein we find of the kingdome of David that vpon that occasion was now first aduanced First therefore as towching the estate that Christendome was in In what estate Christendom was vnder Poperie and yet is before these daies of the Gospell and yet is where the Gospell is not receiued and among all those that after a sort receiue it so far-forth as they do not soundly receiue it in effectuall maner it may soone appeare that it was altogether as ill as was the estate of Israel then as yet also it is either fully agréeable thereunto where the Gospell is so much reiected or somewhat fauoring of it where the Gospell is not so fully receiued in such proportion as yet they hold it out from among them For whereas the text said of them that the people were in distresse not only a Math. 24.29 Luk. 21.25.26 2. Tim. 3.1.5 Apo. 8.13.9.1.5 the text it selfe doth likewise fore-shew in many places that such should be those daies of vengeance procéeding from the wrath of the Lord that now we speake of but also both the histories do so plentifully witnes the same and the experience of those daies hath made so sensible demonstration thereof vnto vs that no body now can be either altogether ignorant or but so much as doubtfull of it So likewise where were there any then to be found that durst looke those enimies of ours in the face or rather who did not either hide themselues in the most secret places that they could thinke of or else abandoning their owne countries and houses got them farther off out of danger for such hath bin the power of those our Philistims of the Church of Rome for certain ages that it was past the power of Princes and much rather of meaner estates to deale with them after that by their slacknes before they had now got the bridle into their téeth As for any furniture against the wars who knoweth not but that they swept all as cleane from vs as euer the Philistims did from them For whereas the word of God is the swoord of our warfare as b Math. 4.4.7.10 Christ in his owne person hath taught vs and as the c Ephes 6.17 Apostle likewise doth call it what part thereof did they leaue vnto vs in our mother-toong or in such sort as we might be able in time of néede to attaine thereunto neither the old Testament nor the new neither the Prophets nor the Apostles nor Christ himselfe neither the preachings nor yet the writings of any of their And this haue they done in so greedie and watchfull maner that as among the children of Israel only King Saul and Jonathan his sonne were found to haue either sword or speare and yet being but sixe hundred in all it had bin but a small matter if fo many had had weapons ynow thrée-fold ouer so likewise with vs though in that corrupt time there were not many that so much misliked the seruititude they were in that they could be content to take part with their Princes against those other Philistims of theirs but that it had bin as small a matter for them to haue had weapons ynow yet among them also but few were found heere and there one with some rare and principall man and otherwise not so much as one among them all Neither were our Philistims content to spoile vs of our weapons only but they tooke away all such artificers also or men of learning as were able to make any mo Insomuch that as they for the repairing of their instruments of husbandrie were faine to séeke vnto the Philistims or else at home might neuer haue but the vse of a file a seely and a busie help for the mattok coulter and share so we likewise euen for the artes and liberall sciences were driuen to séeke vnto these Philistims of ours that they only might giue the heate and haue the hammering of all those matters And if any of vs thought much in those things to be so beholding to them or would
it 27. Though they curse yet thou wilt blesse they shal arise and be confounded but thy seruant shall rejoyce 28. Prove me ô Lord and trie me examine my reynes and my heart 26.2 Teach me thy way ô Lord and I will walke in thy trueth knit my heart unto thee that I may feare thy name 86.11 Send thy light and thy trueth let them leade me let them bring me unto thy holy mountaine and to thy tabernacles 43.3 Set a watch ô Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips 141.3 Incline not mine heart unto evill that I should commit wicked workes with men that work iniquitie and let me not eate of their delicates 4. Let the righteous smite me for that is a benefite and let not him reprove me and it shall be a precious oyle that shall not breake mine head for within a while I shall even pray in their miseries 5. Praeserve thou my soule for I am mercifull my God save thou thy servant that trusteth in thee 16.2 Rejoyce the soule of thy servant for unto thee ô Lord do I lift up my soule 4. The Argument of three other Psalmes that do apperteyne to the third sort Thirdly he conceiueth good hope in the goodnesse of God and doth not only acknowledge the same vnto him but laboureth also to strengthen himself therein more and more Vnto which three other Psalmes likewise do apperteyne The first Psalme of the third sort The Argument In this first Psalme he expresseth the confidence that he hath in the goodnes of God in respect of the cause that he hath in hand and notably stirreth vp himself thervnto yet but generally and more specially after in those two that follow And wee likewise may hereby not only expresse such confidence as we haue but see whereunto wee may iustly rise our cause being now all one with his then and how we are to stirre vp our selues vnto it The Psalme The 6. Psalme O Lord my God in thee I put my trust save me from al that persecute me and deliver me 7.1 Have mercie upon me ô God have mercie upon me for my soule trusteth in thee and in the shadow of thy wings will I trust til these afflictions do overpasse 57.1 For thou ô Lord art a pitifull God and mercifull slow to anger and great in kindnesse and trueth 86.15 Mine eyes looke unto thee ô Lord God in thee is my trust leave not my soule destitute 141.8 For thou Lord art good and mercifull and of great kindnesse unto al men that call upon thee 86.5 My soule cleaveth unto thee for thy right hand upholdeth me 63.8 Thus I behold thee as in the Sanctuarie when I behold thy power and glorie 2. When I was afrayd I trusted in thee 65.3 Thy vowes are upon me ô God I will render praises to thee 56.12 In God do I trust I will not be afrayd what man can do unto me 11. Whē I crie thē shal mine enemies turne back this I know for God is with me 9. Thou hast counted my wandrings put my teares in thy bottel are not they in thy register 8. That thy beloved may be delivered helpe with thy right hand and heare me 60.5 And now thou hast given a banner to them that feare thee that it may bee displayed because of thy trueth 4. The Lord is in his holy place the Lords throne is in the heavens his eyes will consider his ey-lids will trie the children of men 11.4 God judgeth the righteous and him that contemneth God every day 7.11 I will walk in mine innocencie redeeme me therefore be mercifull unto me 26.11 I will lay me downe and sleepe also in peace for thou Lord only makest me dwel in safetie 4.9 The second Psalme of the third sort The Argument In this Psalme he doth more specially expresse his confidence agaynst his enemies that though they be many and mightie and fiercely bent yet shall they notwithstanding be ouerthrowne And in the cause that we haue in hand we may in like sort make that account if there be no fault in our selues and so hereby we are to rayse vp our selues vnto the like confidence also The Psalme The 7. Psalme IN the Lord put I my trust how say ye then to my soule flee to your mountaine as a bird 11.1 How long will ye say tush the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Iaakob regard it 94. 7 Take heed ye unwise among the people ô ye fooles when will ye understand 8. He that planteth the eare shall he not heare or he that formeth the eye shall he not see 9. Or he that chasticeth the nations shall he not correct he that teacheth man 10. knowledge shall he not know But thou ô Lord shalt have thē in derisiō thou shalt laugh at al the heathē 59.8 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanitie 94.11 He is strong but I will wayt upon thee for God is my defence 59.9 Behold he shall trauaile with wickednesse for he hath conceaved mischief but he shall bring forth a lye 7.14 His mischief shall returne upon his owne head and his crueltie shall fall upon his owne pate 16. My mercifull God will praevent me God will let me see my desire upon mine enemies 59.10 The Lord will trie the righteous but the wicked and him that loveth iniquitie doth his soule hate 11.5 He hath also praepared him deadly weapons he will ordeyne his arrowes for them that persecute me 7.13 Except he turne he hath whet his sword he hath bent his bow made it ready 12. Vpon the wicked he shall rayne snares fire and brimstone and stormie tempest this is the portion of their cup. 11.6 And thou ô God shalt bring them downe into the pit of corruption the bloudie and deceytfull men shall not live halfe their dayes but I will trust in thee 55.23 Therefore they that seeke my soule to destroy it they shall go into the lowest parts of the earth 63.9 They shall cast him downe with the edge of the sword and they shal be a portion for foxes 10. He shall reward evill unto mine enemies oh cut them off in thy wrath 54.5 Through God we shall do valiantly for he shall tread downe our enemies 60.12 God hath spoken in his holinesse therfore I will rejoyce I shall devide Sichem and measure the valley of Sucoth 60.6 Gilead shall be mine and Manasseth shall be mine Ephraim also shall be the strength of my head Iudah is my lawgiuer 7. Moab is my washpot over Edom will I cast out my shoe Palestina shew thy self joyfull for me 8. Who will leade me into the strong cities who will bring me into Edom 9. The third
Psalme of the third sort The Argument In this likewise he doth more specially expresse his confidence yet not so directly of the enemies now but only on behalfe of himself and others of the godlier sort shewing that although their case bee hard yet shal they not miscarie but shall haue a readie helpe in their mightie and merciful God By direction whereof we likewise in the cause that we haue in hand and so farre as our selues are no hinderance vnto our selues are to rayse vp our faith vnto the fulnesse of this assurance that we finde in him The Psalme The 8. Psalme GReat are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all 34.19 Surely the Lord will not fayle his people neither will he forsake his inheritance 94.14 The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and delivereth them 34.7 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous his eares are open unto their cry 18. I know that the Lord will auenge the afflicted and judge the poore 140.12 Why art thou cast downe my soule and unquiet within me wayt on God for I will yet give him thanks for the helpe of his praesence 42.5 Surely the righteous shall praise thy name the just shall dwel in thy praesence 140.13 For judgemēt shal return to justice al the upright in heart shal follow after it 94.15 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousnes his countenāce doth behold the just 11.7 For he will stand at the right hand of the poore to save him from them that would condemne his soule 109.30 He keepeth al his bones not one of them is broken 34.20 The Lord will graunt his louing kindnesse in the day and in the night will I sing of him even a prayer unto the God of my life 42.8 I will say unto God which is my rock why hast thou forgotten me why go I mourning when the enemie oppresseth me 9. Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will ever prayse thee 84.4 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee and in whose heart is thy wayes 5. Blessed is the man whom thou chasticest ô Lord and teachest him in thy law 94.12 That thou mayst give him rest from the dayes of evill whilest the pit is digged for the wicked 13. The lions do lack and suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good 34.10 Why art thou then cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me wayt on God for I wil yet give him thanks he is my praesent help my God 43.5 Behold God is mine helper the Lord is with them that uphold my soule 54.4 My defence is in God who praeserveth the upright in heart 7.10 The Lord is my refuge and my God is the rock of my hope 94.22 He will send from heaven and save me from the reproofe of him that would swallow me God will send his mercie and his trueth 57.3 The Lord shal judge his people judge thou me ô Lord according to my righteousnesse and according to mine innocencie that is in me 7.8 For thy louing kindnes is ever before mine eyes therefore have I walked in thy trueth 26.3 I will rejoyce in God because of his word I trust in God and will not feare what flesh can do unto me 56.4 Thou hast given me more joy of heart then they have had when their wheat and their wine did abound 4.7 Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me wayt on God for I will yet give him thanks he is my praesent help and my God 42.11 I will call upon God and the Lord will save me 55.16 Evening and morning and at noone day will I pray and make a noyse and he will heare me 17. He hath delivered my soule in peace from the battell that was agaynst me for many were with me 18. God shall heare and afflict them even he that reigneth of old 19. O Lord of hosts blessed is the man that trusteth in thee 84.12 Let Israel wayt on the Lord from hence-forth for ever 131.3 The Argument Fourthly he vpbraideth his enemies triumpheth ouer then charging them with great malice in heart and the same to breake forth of them plentifully in word and deede and withal that they shal certeynly come to confusion to the comfort of the godly and to the glorie of God himself A very good course for vs also to follow in these dayes of ours and such as we neede not to estraunge from our selues whensoeuer we can finde in our hearts to clense vs truely from our wonted sinnes and in the goodnesse of this our cause to cleaue to the Lord. The Psalme The 9. Psalme IS it true ô ye congregation I speake ye justly ô sonnes of men judge ye vprightly 58.1 Yea rather ye imagine mischief in your hearts your hands execute crueltie upon the earth 2. The wicked are straungers from the wombe even from the bellie have they erred and speake lyes 3. Their poison is even like the poison of a serpent like the deaffe adder that stoppeth his eare 4. Which heareth not the voyce of the inchanter though he bee most expert in charming 5. O ye sonnes of men how long will ye turne my glorie into shame loving vanitie and seeking lyes 4.2 For be ye sure that the Lord hath chosen to himself a godly man the Lord will heare when I call unto him 3. Tremble and sinne not examine your owne heart upon your bed and be still 4. What doth thy deceitfull tung bring unto thee or what doth it auayle thee 120.3 It is as the sharpe arrowes of a mightie man and as the coales of Iuniper 4. Why boastest thou thy self in thy wickednesse ô man of power the loving kindnesse of God endureth daylie 52.1 Thy tongue imagineth mischief and is like a sharpe rasour that cutteth deceitfully 2. Thou doest love evill more then good and lies more then to speake the trueth 3. Thou lovest all words that may destroy ô deceitfull tung 4. So shall God destroy thee forever he shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy tabernacle and roote thee out of the land of the living 5. The righteous also shall see it and feare and shall laugh at him saying 6. Behold the man that tooke not God for his strength but trusted in the multitude of his riches and put his strength in his malice 7. He hath made a pit and digged it and is falne into the pit that he made 57.6 Because he remembred not to shewe mercie but persecuted the afflicted and poore man and the sorowfull hearted to slay him 109.16 As he loved cursing so shall it come unto
body is faythfully and effectually exercised the meeter is hee if other things want not to such a purpose and our Prophets except their calling are nothing meet or then any others by the ordinary course of Gods dealing with vs nowe but onely so farre as in this point they haue the aduantage and there by are better inabled then others are The lesser that Princes them selues are exercised in Gods holy word the vnlikelier they are to gouerne their affayres by the leuell thereof and the vnlikelier they are themselues to doe it the more doe they neede to haue the helpe of those that can And for the most part wee see it to be the maner of God that giuing the soueraignty or stroke vnto one direction and counsell hee giueth oft times more fully to others In his want that he felt in that his banishment of the exercise of religion in that thereby he was kept from the tabernacle and from the publique worship of God as it sheweth a notable good disposition in him so may it teach as like wise howe precious a treasure wee ought to account it to haue accesse to the Temple of God and euer to haue a part in those thinges that there are done but in the publique seruice of God and for our owne instruction besides And the more plainly that we may finde it to bee our manner that the greater we are the more doe we for the moste part absent our selues from those assemblies and either breake vs for our honour or ease vnto our priuate chapels at home or altogether absent our selues from all places of publique worship the more needefull is it that wee shoulde remember what David was in that respect a man of great honour and calling imployed about great and waighty affayres and so deepely in daunger of his life for a long time nowe that hee had ynough to one to keepe him selfe from the iawes of death and yet complayning moste of this that he was kept from the house of the Lord and from his inheritance there In the mind that he caried towardes others What minde to carie towards others first towards his enimies we find that although he was careful of his owne safety yet against them might hee neuer vse any euill practise Out of his care for his owne safety wee also may learn to take this lesson not only that it is lawful for such to defend themselues against vniust violence but also that it is expedient that so they should It is meet that we take good heede that the Sauls of our time in any of their mad moodes do vs not some displeasure on the sudden it is meete also that we behaue our selus wisely in al things so much the rather for that the enimy doth diligētly await al such occasions as wherby he may be able any way to annoy vs so to come to any part of his desire And as for such helps as draw vnto those that in such case are now molested it may be also that some-times they are such as of whom in some respects they might be ashamed yet in no wise to bee refused being such as the Lord thinketh good to sēd vs. And seeing that Christ himself hath none other we are so much the rather for to content our selues with the like especially when as we may hope that he that giueth so few simple at the first wil at length giue mo and better as we sée that heere-tofore he dealt with David himselfe If God also vouchsafe of his goodnes to bestow any Jonathans on vs such as will deale faithfully for vs and themselues are desirous and readie to be in league with vs it is our parts again both to vse their help as occasion serueth not to refuse to be in league of friendship with such But as we may vse such lawfull meanes for our owne defense so must we take heed that we lay no violent hands on any of the Lords annointed such I meane as are his annointed to vs and vnto whome we are none other but meere subiects Insomuch that if God at any time bring them into our hands and neuer so eagerly bent vpon vs yet are we to know that they are not therefore brought into our hands that we should take them at that aduantage but that by sparing them we should declare how much we abhor to séeke our own safetie or peace by inordinate wayes Neither are we to content ourselues only to bear them no heauier minds but that we can be cōtent to spare thē but also to beare them so sound good will as that we do in hart detest any violence done vnto them and vnfeignedly mourne when their ease is such as any way deserueth to be lamented Then also comming to others we are to haue that care of the hard estate or distresse of others that although we be in hard case our selues yet should we be ready if it lye in vs to help such others as are in néede If any of these Philistims of ours come and spoile any Keilah of our neighbours adioyning though we haue busines inough of our owne yet if it be in vs to help those distressed neighbours of ours we may not slip from their iust defence in time of néede But being in armes then are we especially for to take heede that we and our companie be not grieuous to those among whom we abide or by whom we passe as occasion serueth Better a great deale so to vse them that both we may do our selues good and still they may be our faithfull friends then by ill dealing to make them our enemies and to hurt our selues withall A rule that is so little regarded with vs whēsoeuer we are in armes that lightly we do more hurt to our neighbours and friends in lying by them then to our enemies in warring vpon them Our souldiers also are much forgotten and haue their due inter-cepted by those that are their leaders Though euer we send them foorth like men yet seldom find we but that they are beggars when they returne But besides that is no wisedom so hardly to vse so néedfull helps it is iniurie also and great oppression so far to defraud those that lay downe their liues in our quarell and the greater that the cause is about which we are to imploy them the more doth it aggreuate whether our folly or else our fault wherewithall in this case we are to be charged As for our friends I trust I néede not speak for them but sure it is that if they be not from time to time wel remembred as abilitie and opportunitie serueth and that not only that so we may the better keepe them to our own benefit but also of the inward and vnfeigned thankfulnes of the heart we are in great ieopardie with God that seethe our in-most thoughts iustly to leese those that we do so loosely keepe In both these therefore if we regard to hold on that course that David did
or but in needfull maner to help forward the cause it selfe that we haue in hand which as we know is of more price then to be hassarded by the want of either of these we must be liberall vnto the one and thankfull also vnto the other 12 That which may séeme to go against that hope of ours that expecteth a further accomplishment of these things to vs That this goodnes of God towards David was not founded on Davids excellencie is the difference that is supposed to be betwixt David to whom it was performed before and all those is whom the application that we haue made doth séeme to promis the same now Concerning which difference first it is to be knowne that though such a difference there be yet may it not abolish this hope that we speake of and then are we more specially to examin what is the difference that is betwixt vs. That although such a difference there be yet is it not to abolish the hope that we speake of may sufficiently appeare for that such mercie of God towards vs is not measured forth vnto vs according to the measure of our deserts but so far-forth as he in his wisedome is determined for to aduance his honor among vs. For if the case be of that nature that the worthines or vnworthines of the persons be not respected then though the difference that is betwixt vs were much greater then it is yet may it not bar vs of that hope That God is purposed of himselfe euer more and more to increase his goodnes towards vs and that thence ariseth great hope unto us that in such case may arise vnto vs. But thus rather we are to gather that the Lord is so fully purposed more and more to shew or open himselfe to the world that he will still hold on that course of himselfe not respecting whether those on whom he bestoweth such further manifestation of his glorie deserue it or not And yet notwithstāding he doth oftimes withall auenge himselfe with great seueritie on many of those that do receiue the grace of God in vaine Howbeit for this time it shall be sufficient for vs to consider how we may find him to hold this course that euer as the world groweth néerer to the consumation thereof and so consequently the full aduancement of the kingdome of God the more approacheth so doth he likewise more and more aduance his glorie on earth not respecting the desert or worthines of those that liue whether they were better or worse then those that were before or after in their seuerall times do follow This may we see in the whole course of the world generally and in both those sorts of people the Iewes and the Gentiles with whome it pleased God to deale more specially This to be apparant in the whole course of the world generally In the whole course of the world generally we may behold that he was much more gracious vnto the world when he chose vnto him one people among them all and bestowed the Law vpon them then for the space of two thousand yéeres almost he was to those that liued before among whome he chose to himselfe no one people stock or familie that we do reade of but only a few seuerall persons on whom also he bestowed no such knowledge as afterward he did on those others So likewise when afterward he vouchsafed to enlarge the kingdome of God to all nations and to their better instruction to bestow the Gospell vpon them we may plainly perceiue that heerein he was much better to the world now then he was before vnto it for that now he hath taken in all nations indifferently and giuen vnto them the truth it selfe whereas before he tooke but one and gaue vnto thē but figures also But shall we therefore say that those ages that haue succéeded are better then those that were before Or may we not herein plainly perceiue that he in such case doth nothing respect either the worthines or the vnworthines of those on whom he bestoweth such mercies but only that himselfe at all times doth euen as he in himselfe hath ordeined To come to the Iewes In his dealing with the Iewes that first were chosen the peculiar people of God Abraham Izhak and Iaakob had but the promises made but their posteritie in proces of time had the accomplishmēt of all those promises The people that came out of Aegypt perished in the wildernes but those which followed came into the land of promis Moses could but sée it from the top of a mountaine a far off but to Joshua was it giuen to enter in to make a conquest of it and to diuide it vnto the people For a time they had in a maner but a popular state but afterward they grew to a Kingdome At the first they had but the Law but afterward had they the Prophets also Christ was for a time but verie obscurely propounded vnto them by those figures and shadowes of the Law but afterwards by the preaching of the Prophets a great deale more plainly opened vnto them The glorie of the first Temple was verie great but could not in any wise compare with the latter The Kingdome of Christ was much aduanced among the Iewes by his own preaching and works while he was on the earth among them but nothing like to that which afterward folowed by the ministerie of the Apostles when himself was taken vp from among them Should we therefore hereupō prefer before Abraham Izhak Iaakob that imbased posteritie of theirs that after followed Ioshua before Moses and the Disciples of Christ before Christ himselfe Or should a popular estate be preferred before a Kingdome the former Temple before the latter the ceremonies and shadows of the Law before the plainnes truth of the Gospel Yet so must it be if God should haue bestowed those greater blessings according to the dignitie of the persons or if he held not a set course to make his goodnes more apparantly knowne to those that follow after then vnto those that went before In his dealing with the Gentiles Among the Gentiles we may sée the selfe-same course obserued also For though there were not many of thē at the first got into the faith of Christ yet a while after they were innumerable though for a time they were excedingly hated and vnder most bitter persecution yet shortly after they were honored of all and enioied the faith in peace After which time manie of those Churches were caried away with error againe and in those which remained the truth of God was verie much corrupted also according as the scripture foreshewed before and as the sinne of the world had iustly deserued Whereupon God in mercie disposed to call back certain of those Churches againe vnto their former faith in him and to that end raising vp to the world notable men mightily furnished with his holie spirit although we find that vnto them and to many
vnto them as sometimes hauing vs in the cause that wee susteine at great aduantage hauing the Sea before vs our enimies behinde and such rockes on eyther side as doe yeelde no passage by them at al can they in no wise so much as think that in such case God knoweth howe to deliuer those that are his and hath yet left him wayes ynow beyond the deuise and reach of man If nowe they annoy vs as wee are in our way trauelling towardes the lande of promis what doe they else but as the Amalekites did before and if they take part with them in their sinne may wee not hope that they shall bee made partakers of their vengeance also Let Moses on the top of the hill in the sight of the hoast of the Lord and in the sight of all their enimies aduaunce the Lordes Standard if he bee olde and therefore somewhat weake and bee not able still to aduaunce it in such sort as hee shoulde let Aaron and Hur bee supporters vnto him that so the Lordes Standard may still be aduaunced and then it neede not to bee doubted of any but that our Amalekites also shall soone bee beaten backe and taught to giue more quiet passage to the children of Israel as they are at the Lordes appointment to passe by their borders And if these Amalekites of ours in this large space of repentaunce that God doth giue them will in no time turne to the Lorde why may we not looke but that on them the Lorde will at the length bring an vtter destruction euen before our eyes in sight vnlesse it please him of mercie to spare them or to reserue them to heauier iudgements against that day when he shall call to account all the vngodly of the earth for all their vngodly deedes which they haue vngodlie committed and for all their cruell speakings which vngodly sinners haue spoken against him That as yet wee are not so fully entered into the possession of our inheritance whome may we thanke so much as our selues For when God woulde haue brought vs in wee made light account of it and did not beleeue his goodnes towardes vs wee woulde needes haue searchers to goe and see whether it were so good a lande and whether we should bee able to get it God had already told vs both that it was a notable land and that hee woulde giue it vnto vs but that woulde not serue If men of our owne choyce did not tell vs so too wee thought it no wisedome so soone to yeelde vnto the bare worde of God alone and wee were not ashamed to put to his triall euen the trueth of God himselfe and to make him to stande at our barres and there to bee tried by the verdict of lying men What reason therefore but that hauing done so great dishonour or vilany rather to the God of all trueth and glorie wee should iustly hee excluded for a time from that comfortable fruition of this land of promis that nowe wee would so fayn enioy But seeing that wee the children of those our great auncestours haue so long beene kept out and borne the iniquitie of our parentes refusall what letteth but that nowe when wee see that God beginneth to perfourme his mercies towards vs wee may hope that the time of that wrath of his is almost expired and that nowe hee is willing and reedie to bring vs in and to put vs in full possession If wee also haue had our Moabites and Midianites that haue busily sought to infringe our peace and to make a breach into the good estate that God hath giuen vs and haue hiered their Balaams against vs if not once or twice but verie often they haue assayed by secrete practises to doe vs some mischiefe If they haue multiplied their masses against vs and neuer so often reiterated that sacrifice of theirs which they call vnbloodie but yet is bloddy and cruell in deede must wee therefore doubt that sometime or other they shall preuayle and that the Lorde will cast vs head-long downe into that insatiable gulfe of their blood-thirstinesse Or many wee not rather hope on behalfe of the quarrell that wee haue in hande that as at that time he confounded all their deuices and made frustrate all their attempts and turned the cruell and deadly cursing that they had intended into a ritche and speciall blessing so nowe likewise hee will in like sort accurse all their open attemptes and secrete counsels that neuer they shall bee able to preuayle against the cause that wee haue in hande but that euen by their owne endeuours they must come downe more and more Est 6.18 If not onely the wiser friendes of Haman but euē Zaresh his wife likewise espied that whereas they perceiued nowe that Mordecai whose destruction hee sought was founde to bee one of the people of God he should neuer preuaile against him but should certainly fall before him more and more howe much rather ought wee to bee assured and what dulnes were it not to perceiue that seeing they haue alreadie attempted the like crueltie against the people of God vtterly to destroy them all but now in these dayes haue begun to fall before them they shoulde not nowe bee neare to their end and dayly more and more come downe before those that they woulde haue deuoured the inuincible race that is borne a newe not of corruptible seede but of incorruptible the eternall trueth of the liuing God And if wee coulde open but the eares of our mindes by fayth no doubt wee might finde that euen in their secrete corners among themselues many of them haue such speaches one with another complaining of their own ruinous state and setting it downe for a verie truth and that themselues do looke for no other but that in this cause we are so blessed of God himself as that their cursings can take no place but that the cause we haue in hand must still preuaile and that their impugning of it can be of no force but against themselues Not long since we graunt that a few of them did verie often and very easily put to flight many of vs and if any stood against them they easily bereft them of their libertie lands and life But those were the daies of the heauie wrath of the Lord and the time as then was not come wherein God meant to shew forth his power on their behalf But as the Israelites did shortly after when the time of vengeance was ouerblowne notably preuaile against the Canaanites Amorites and Midianites cleane beyond all expectation so what letteth but that the Lord hauing alredie begun to worke so mightily for vs also in the quarell we haue in hand we may with good comfort lift vp our heads and confidently looke for the full performance of it at his good pleasure Iordan with vs also had filled the brinks and séemed at the first vtterly to deny all passage to any that would attempt to enter in earthly power they were