confidence for ever We must then behold these two warriours the disadvantage in their persons their Armour and weapons all which make the victory more glorious and tell us plainly That it is of mighty concernment to the Church for ever 1. The Combitants are Goliah a Giant a man of warre from his youth and David but a Youth as Saul said a stripling ver 33. 2. Their Armour there is no comparison there for David ver 56. has none at all But reade I pray you how Goliah is furnished When the Church reads it and well considers on it then they thinke they shall never feare their Adversaries any more Thus you reade An Helmet of brasse upon his head a Coat of Maile about his body Greaves of Brasse upon his leggs c ver 5 6. and a Target of Brasse between his shoulders 3. The Weapons as unequall too Goliah had a Sword and a Speare and a Man carrying his Shield before him David is his own Man well able to carry his Armour himselfe for his Armour is but a Staffe and a Sling and a Scrip and a few smooth Stones within it There were all the disadvantages in sight and whosoever walked by sight would have disdained David as Goliah did and have given Goliah the victory before they fought And yet there were those advantages on Davids side and some of them in sight that it was not possible but David must have the victory For 1 Goliah was a Philistine David an Israelite Goliah hated of GOD David was beleved for the Disproportion otherwise in the bulkinesse of the body c. that is of no account This is a mans advantage and promotes him which sets him nearer to GOD. That heightens him which makes him little in his owne eyes and great in the favour of God Goodnesse is a better safeguard then Greatnesse No matter how bigge the Churches Adversary is how sterne or how bigge he lookes though a man of might and of warre and has a face like a Lyon What though Put it downe for a conclusion drawn from the experiences of all ages what He is as weake as water and as a Dove a Hose 7. 11. without an heart THAT hath PROVOKED GOD. Goe-on and feare no colours for this was written for the generation to come And 2 None of all that Armour before mentioned is of proofe It cannot keepe off the vengeance of the d Job 15. 25. Almighty Goliah stretched forth his hand against God and strengthened himselfe against the Almighty What then His Armour shall doe him no good The LORD will runne upon e ver 26. him even on his neck upon the thick bosses of his bucklers It was so and it will be so to the worlds end Object But David seemes to be a naked man Answ True he seemed to be so but he was in compleat Armour from the head to the foot The Lord was his Defence he had said of the LORD Thou art my shield and buckler Psal 18. And 3. What is a Sword and Speare vaine things and so is he that formed them these shall not prosper against David But Esa 54. 17. are not these instruments as like to prosper in Goliahs hand as a sling and a stone in Davids hand No This stone and this sling must prosper for it must doe execution upon Gods enemies and because these are unlikely things therefore more likely to prosper GOD will doe the greatest matters by the smallest instruments Why That He may have all the glory that is the reason Surely the Lord will confound the enemies of His Church by means and wayes very improbable and unlikely as weake as water We cannot tell for perhaps it never came into our thoughts what meanes the Lord will use in confounding the pride of his Adversaries But thus we have heard and seene and so we reade foolish things in 1 Cor. 1. 27 28 29. mans conceit shall confound the wise weake things the things which are mighty base things and things that are despised hath God chosen and things which are not to bring to naught things that are Why all this That no flesh should glory in His presence And 4. We must observe the manner how these Souldiers addresse themselves to the Battell Goliah marched on like a Philistine cursing David as he went David went on with ver 43. blessings in his mouth Goliah maketh toward David in his owne strength and the strength of his gods David goeth against him not in his own strength but in the Name of the Lord of Hosts the God of the Armies of Israel What follows Whom thou hast defied And will God helpe them who have cursed His children blasphemed His Name and defied His Hoast certainly God will destroy them utterly And this was Davids confidence and touching himselfe also he should overcome and be victoriovs for he had sought his God and He is never sought in vaine he trusted in God He will never deceive that Trust he went on in the Name of the Lord of Hosts it was not possible then he should returne ashamed Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so for His mercy endureth for ever As David set his foot upon Goliah so shall the Church the servants of the Lord set their foote upon the neck of their Adversaries nay they shall wash their feete in the blood of the slaine there is the conclusion We reade on and find that after this victory Saul enquires after David takes so full notice of him now that indeed he Eyed him continually from that day forward and he bends all the force of his Militia against David He ceaseth not to offend David therewith till the day of his death How David defended himselfe and how justly will be enquired into and resolved in a fitter place so as he that will understand it may be fully satisfied therein and he that will be ignorant let him be ignorant still Saul did seeke the life of David from that very day he had the victory over Goliah in which bloody mind he continued till he dyed We will then turne over and looke upon him in the power of the Enemy and in the hands of death and heare him what he saith for there-out we may pick a great lesson To take our season of seeking after God We reade When Saul saw the 1 Sam. 28. 5. Hoast of the Philistines his heart greatly trembled What should he doe now Let him goe to the Prophet that he cannot doe for the Prophet is dead There are other wayes to be taken and whereby to know Gods mind and other Prophets also if not let him enquire of the LORD so he does Saul enquired of the Lord but no answer now The Lord ver 6. had answered him fully and plainly what His will and pleasure was Saul hearkned not for he obeyed not Now he askes againe and againe all in vaine He that would not hearken when he might and was commanded shall
of Samuell Seven Dayes He did attend till the last and till part of that was spent too But we must keepe our selves precisely to GODS time and wait-it-out to the last minute which a faithlesse man a man of an hasty spirit ever can never doe For he will make haste as Saul did And then seeing Samuell came not and how the Case stood with him for he had pollitick reasons enough if these might Our Faith is most commendable in the last Act It is no praise to hold out untill we be hard driven D r. Halls Contempl guide us He forced d ver 12. himselfe made a breach upon his conscience first then upon GODS Command and an intrusion upon Samuels office and offered a burnt-offering Samuell comes in the Nick of Time while Saul was upon this holy worke with his unholyed hands heard Sauls excuse and plea for himselfe which helped him not No excuse will serve our turne nor plead our not observance of GODS Command from the mouth of His servant e 1 Sam 10. 8. He that would not heare this charge of the Lord to observe and doe it must heare the Judgement of the Lord denounced by the same mouth Thou hast done FOOLISHLY f Chap. 13. 13. there is folly in every sinne and the more sinne the more the folly Thou hast not kept the Commandement of the Lord therefore thou shalt not keepe still thy Kingdome Thou wouldest not establish thy selfe in the Power and Might of the Lord therefore the Kingdome shall not be established unto thee The Lord hath sought Him a Man after His owne heart to whose seed the Kingdome of Israel shall be continued for ever g ver 14. And now the Lord accounts Saul a King no longer he has the Title the Name of a King and no more in Gods account now that he hath not kept the Law the Charge of the Lord which He commanded him If Saul makes no account of the Law of GOD the King of Kings this Great King will not account Saul His Deputy King surely that is notable But yet Saul shall see a mighty Deliverance and therin what the Lord can doe for those that keepe close to Him and His command will trust in Him live upon Him by Faith when all meanes faile for there is the tryall Thus it was while the state of Israel stood in these hard termes and the Philistines full of hope that having parted their Army into three Troopes g 1 Sam. 13. 17 they might spoile and destroy many parts at once Jonathan strengthned by GOD in whom there is no restraint to save by many or by few h 1 Sam. 14. 6. and followed with his Esquire only scaled a Mountaine whereupon a Company of Philistines were lodged the rest of their Army being encamped in the plaine adjoyning Their comming was discovered to the Adversary and he playes upon them jeeres and mocks at them very insolently as men use to doe a little before their Destruction Come up to us and wee will shew you a THING i ver 12. Jonathan and his Esquire tooke the invitation as a good presage climbed up upon their hands and feet and fell upon the Adversary so the Enemies fell before Jonathan and his Armour-bearer slew after him k ver 13. then they shewed the Enemy a THING which he little looked for It is dangerous to put a scorne upon them who carry the revenge of God along with them Faith and a good conscience are the strongest guard and weapons both and the surest pollicy alwayes is what we should not make it a question To have peace with GOD for then He goes along with us and will be an Enemy to all our Enemies It followes This Allarum on the top of the Hill quickly amazed the next Companies then went downe into the Valley caused such a confusion there that they slaughtered one another instead of Enemies There was also a trembling in the Hoast and in the Field and among all the People all trembled for it was a very great TREMBLING Psal 15. 16. and the Earth quaked too and behold the multitude melted away and they went on beating downe one another When God appeares for His Church and in His Glory He will spoile the stout-hearted there will be a great Trembling mighty men shall Tremble and multitudes shall melt away as the Snow before the Sunne And remember we still Jonathans confidence in his God Faith will carry a man over rocks and mountaines no way but is passible to faith and no worke but is possible It is Jonathans confidence what can hinder God said he The Lord can doe what He will doe and it may be that the Lord will worke for us else we shall doe nothing for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or few It is possible said Jonathan it may be ver 16. nay it is very likely That the Lord will work for us now They that can trust in God can regard Armies of Men no more then Armies of Flis D r. Halls Contemp for He hath put a spirit of fortitude upon us two and being so few now He shall have all the GLORY That consideration mooves strongly and so it workes for thus it was every mans Sword was against his fellow and there was a very great discomfiture Moreover the Hebrewes that were with the Philistines became of their party fearing to be spoiled by them tooke advantage of this destruction saw ver 20. plainely now which side was strongest the manner of men fell in there to Saul and Jonathan and slew of the Philistines great numbers and they that hid themselves before came out of their holes now and hearing that the Philistines fled even they also followed hard after them in Battell So the LORD gave Saul a glorious victory that day and he ver 22. saw the prophecy fulfilled One did chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight And this was a good day Saul and k Deut. 32 30. his people found a great spoile they might have eate and drunke thereof and have praised God with the more chearfullnesse of heart for indeed the people were weary and faint Saul will not have it so he will be an enemy to himselfe hath a way by himselfe pleasing in his owne eye and that way he takes he adjures the people saying Cursed be the man that eateth any food untill evening l ver 24. so none of the people tasted any food No though the LORD who gave them a good day and gave them leave to be cheery and comfortable The voluntary services of Hypocrites are many times more painfull then the duties enjoyned by God but their manner is to leave that which is commanded and doe that which is not required Contmpl on that day did almost drop meate into their mouthes yet no man put his hand to his mouth Why for the people feared the Oath
will of Saul and obeyed the holy will of GOD. A servant must not obey his Master to the prejudice of his Master he must not obey his Master against his Master his suddain will against his deliberate will And truly it appears from the Text that as the Peoples plea for Jonathan was the same which Jonathan used for David The LORD wrought a 1 Sam. 19. 5. great salvation for all Israel thou sawest it and didst reioyce wherfore then wilt thou sinne against innocent bloud to slay Jonathan without a cause So Saul better bethinking himself was as well or better pleased with it Certain it is Saul was then much encouraged then he ceased from following the Philistines and fought against all his enemies on every side and whethersoever hee turned himselfe he vexed them a ver 46 47. But he bent the strength of this battell against the Amalekites smote them and delivered Israël out of their hands b ver 48. yet so as he strengthned himself still against the Philistines with whom he had sore warre all his dayes and when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man he tooke him unto him But yet ver 52. Saul must not leave the Amalekites so he had smote them and delivered Israel out of their hands that was well for that time But that is not enough against Amaleck an old subtill Adversary and as bloody and GOD remembers him of old how treacherously b 1 Sam. 15. 2. he dealt with His people walking along the way doing no hurt would rather dye then do wrong and pillage these poore people Amaleck smote even all that were feeble not able to make any resistance when they were faint and weary he smote them as he do's that seares not c Deut. 25. 15 18. GOD. Now this comes into remembrance with the LORD for the debts of cruelty as of mercy are never forgot they shall be repaied and with great advantage Saul stands charged with this revenge he must execute this vengeance he must wash the Churches feet in the blood of these slaine GOD has provided him a mighty Army now for this very time and end for the execution of this vengeance he numbers his Host finds them to be no fewer then two hundred 1 Sam. 25 4. and ten thousand fighting men and now he must powre down upon the Churches treacherous Adversary The fury of GODS anger and the strength of battell e Esa 42. 25. Saul smote Amaleck before now he must destroy him utterly and all that they have he left Amaleck a name before now he must blot 1 Sam. 15. 3. out the remembrance of Amaleck from under Heaven he must not forget it f Deut. 25. 19. The charge is as full from Samuels mouth and he was the mouth of the LORD as could be put into words and it is the last Proposition of Peace that Saul shall receive from the LORD if he hearkens and do's accordingly a blessing follows if not he shall heare the curse and feele it too cursed is he that doth the WORKE of the LORD deceitfully execution of judgement upon the Churches Adversary is the worke of the LORD and when the LORD gives the Sword a charge Cursed is he that keepeth backe the Sword from blood We have heard the charge The Israel of GOD have the same Adversary now as Israel Jer. 48. 10. had then not in name but in nature the same An old Adversary as treacherous as bloudy If their superstition be out of ignorance as in part it may be yet their cruelty is from malice Israel stands charged against this Adversary as fully now as Saul then this I could make as cleare as the Sunne But because I have no space to make paralells here I must let it passe and take in three things here more essentiall to the Text. 1. How Saul answers this charge Deceitfully 2. What his Defence is weak and fruitles 3. How Samuell argues the case and at length convinceth him 1. Saul heard Samuell in all this he gave him his eare but his heart went his owne way he did not obey or if he obeyed it was by halves and an half obedience in GODS account is none at all he did not obey indeed f Exod. 23. 22. as the expression is often he did not follow the command FVLLY g Numb 14. 24 he utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the Sword and every thing that was VILE and REFVSE that they destroyed utterly h 1 Sam. 15. 9. But the BEST and all that was good he would not utterly destroy Nay the chiefest head of all he spareth that delicate person the King him he spared whose ver 3. Sword had made so many women childlesse him he spared he ver 32. would not smite him with the Sword he was too precious in Sauls eyes being King and the more vile in Samuels eyes as appears afterwards for he hewed Agag in peeces before the Lord in Gilgall A murtherer whatever he be King or no King must not be spared He has Polluted the Land for bloud it defileth the Land and the Land cannot be cleansed of that bloud but by the blood of him that shed it * Num. 35. 33. Saul spared him and the sailings as we heard the same partiality is used still the greatest sinners and sins escape still that which is pleasing in our eye and desirable we will have spared Thus Saul halves out his duty and his obedience is in GODS account as his execution upon Amaleck VILE and REFVSE We must then note once for all That a right obedience is strait to the Rule carries levell to the command and does fully therafter 2. And we will take Sauls Defence and Samuels arguing against it altogether Saul has done so contrary as we heard and yet he thought in his conscience see how unable we are to see our selves and how blind we in our own ways how brawned also the conscience may be by often forcing the same Saul thought verily that he had done very well and so he pleads for himself and Samuell against him and a great while it is for it is the greatest work in the world to convince a sinner indeed it is GODS work the hand of GOD must be there before Samuell can convince Saul that in sparing the Enemies of the LORD he has committed a sin which is as the sinne of witch-craft We must heare his plea for the heart is cunning and has a thousand shifts excuses and puts-off this he sayes first The people spared d 1 Sam. 15. 15 c. Samuel fits him there a Rulers plea has not half the strength he thinks it has this excuse will Plus Peccat Author quam Actor aggravate his fault The people spared said Saul No thou didst spare saith Samuell the charge was given to thee it is not considerable what the people do in such a plain case ever 18.
he removed with comfort enough from one Court to another from that on earth to that in Heaven I shall be the longer upon this bloody execution purposely and with the more enlargement That it may sparckle and flash in the face of him or them for there are such snakes in the world that would burne downe that house which hath preserved him would consume them and their houses who would have kept his not from fire only but from smelling of the smoake would shed the blood of those to his power who lay-out themselves all they have and all they are for the building-up and establishing of him and his house for ever We proceed So Ioash did so bloody was his command How so the Spirit of GOD gives us the reason of that unnaturall and most unkingly act Ioash the King remembred not the kindnesse which Jehojada his Father had done unto him but slew his Son k ver 22. There was never any wicked cruell mischievous rebellious Idolatrous to say all in one word unthankfull person in the world but he was a forget still person he remembred not the kindnesse of the LORD That great Benefactor nor the kindnesse of the servants of the LORD that spake good for him before the LORD and did him all the good that was Iudg. 8. 34 35. in their power And so forgetting all this he will not care how he deales with GOD nor how injuriously with the faithfull servants of GOD. Oh that we could consider not only what defilement and provocation is in sinne but also what unkindnesse and unthankfulnesse against God the fountaine that fills all our cisternes and if we forget this can make holes in them so as they shall hold no comfort did we remember this we would be thankfull to GOD and not forget the kindnesse of Man towards us as Ioash did he remembred not the kindnesse which Jehojadah his Father had done to him but slew his Son Not he the people did it and that is legible in the same place True and so is this at the commandement of the King what the King commands he does and so did wrong and violence to the blood of his best servant And what shall be done to him now The word indeed is gone out against him though a King A man that doth violence to the blood of any Pro. 28. 17. Nemo homicidae miseretur Iun. Gen. 9. 6. Exod. 29. 14. person shall flie to the pit let no man stay him d That is let no man pitty him saying It is a thousand pitties such a brave man should die No he has shed mans blood his blood must be shed and quickly too there must be no delay in the execution of judgement and justice he shall flee to the pit But it was Ioash the King that gave this command and he is accountable to none but GOD. Well be it so but he finds an heavy reckoning there he has slaine the faithfull servant of GOD the Sonne of Iehojada who was his Nurse his Father his Uncle his Guardian his Tutour his Councellour he was All to him next to GOD and he has slaine him in the Court of GODS House The Lord has smitten His Hand a Ezek. 22 13. at this which the people have done at the commandement of the King And there is a prayer put up to Heaven against Ioash the King just at the time this blood was shedding The LORD looke upon it and require it b ver 22. The Lord is just He will doe it He will take the matter into His owne Hand He will reckon with Ioash for this and speedily for blood never continues long upon the score Thus it was and so the LORD began with him afflicting him lightly at the first afterwards more grievously as His manner is We passe over now the expedition of Hazael against Iudah when Ioash was sore afraid and redeemed his peace at a deare rate m 2 King 12. 18. We will fixe our eye rather upon this That the LORD would now over-match him by a despicable enemy He sent a handfull of Syrians n 2 Chro. 24. 24 against him few or many is all one if the LORD leades the Hoast these made an in-rode upon his Land and slew the Princes of Judah The PRINCES marke that at whose perswasion the King had become a Rebell to the King of Kings they slew the PRINCES they hurried and pillaged the People notwithstanding their MILITIA and left the King in great diseases to be cured thereof by his owne mercilesse Vassalls who murthered him upon his bed So which is observable also The end of his time came then upon him then was the last yeare of his Reigne when he thought himselfe but beginning to live as he listed without controlement in the exercise of meere Power Supposing belike That he was no free PRINCE unlesse he did what hee listed and as long as one durst tell him the plain truth how great soever that mans deservings were that did so yea though GODS Commandement required it We will gather up some observations from hence and then conclude We observe 1. That Ioash his Militia had no power The Army of the Syrians come up a small company of men and the LORD delivered a very great Host into their hand Was not that ver 24. strange No there is a mighty reason why it was so because they had forsaken the LORD GOD of their Fathers He that forsakes God is as a man who in time of warr forsakes his Rock Castle or strong hold and exposeth himself to the mouth of the Cannon This forsaking of GOD is like the cutting of Samsons locks his strength goes presently from him and he becomes weake c Judg. 16. 19 Forsake GOD and ye forsake your strength and become weaker then women and shall not doe so much as wounded men Let sinners in Sion be afraid let fearfullnesse surprize the Hypocrites the Church cannot feare an Army of Papists though never so great an Host for they have forsaken GOD and are of no power But yet here is cause enough from this Scripture to make a revolted Nation bethinke themselves for 2. Here was more then a bare forsaking of GOD here was a serving of Idols they provoked him with their Images and strange vanities Then it was not possible they could be in any better Posture of Defence now the enemies are entred upon them then are so many naked men for we have read long since Idols make a People NAKED d Exo 32. 25. 3. Nor was this all the worst is The guilt of innocent blood lyeth upon the people they had shed it they were instruments 2 Chron. 28. 19 in that horrid execution Then in-come the Syrians upon Israel a small company of Rovers intending to pillage and away againe but finding the doores of the Kingdome wide open for the defence was gone this small company march-on Numb 22. 4. against Joash his huge Army bigg