and then they raise those tempests which they cannot lay they do but bait they do not worrie our corruptions so they make vs chafe Thus in Elihues iudgement at least the cause why Iob did so beslir him and lay about him was because God had not dealt in extremity with him Thus Ionab who was tamed when he should be drowned was a little too lusty for a goard And surely brethren if our crosses were sometimes more I do not thinke but our firs would be fewer our outward carriage at least better Three ierkes sometimes make the child yeeld when one would make him dance and stamp Lastly crosses sometimes steale vpon vs before wee haue armed our selues and then it is a world to see how wee go downe the winde Dauid can say somewhat to this also he was fitted for crosses when the child borne in adultery died his heart was sofrned he had reason to expect its death sith he was told no lesse but here hee lookes for no such matter he giues in charge that the yong man Absalom an old traitor though his boy should be lookt vnto hee will not suffer himselfe to thinke that Absalom must die he will not be humbled for his fondnes past because hee did not meane to amend it and therefore this lies vpon him more heauy than sand he cannot beare it as he bore the other and thus we must leaue the point as we found it at first and tell our iudgements that one crosse foiles vs yea laics vs on our backe when another perhaps a stronger cannot stirre vs because the Lord sets on one more then another because we are lesse sound in one place then another because we are lesse mastered by one crosse then another because we are lesse prepared for one then another Now the point is prooued let vs not suffer it to passe without some vse though we be the briefer Learne hence at least a double point of wisdome the first respects our brethren them we must not too lightly censure for their weaknesse and tendernesse in some crosses though light sith that cannot be light which God will make heaute sith that may be light to one which is as a mountaine to another sith those our brethren may manfully beare farre sorer crosses then our selues though humbled in some particular sith briefly that which is heauy now may anon be light to them and that which now is as a thing of naught to vs may anon be somewhat if God shall set it on soft then my brethren let vs not be too eager vpon Dauid it may be we haue buried no Absalom as yet at least dying in such a sort it may be we would haue busled more then Dauid did Had Shimei so greeted vs or Saul so pursued vs like enough Dauid would haue beene at patience before vs in twenty other crosses and so may our brethren too euen those we most censure and therefore haue some patience and mercy toward the afflicted account not cuerie one proud and carnall and froward that is foiled when we stand The second lesson our selues must take forth and make it our owne and it lookes two waies as if it were on both sides the lease First if wee haue in some measure quitted our selues well in some one or few afflictions we must not presently triumph and grow secure as if the day were ours wee may now giue them the fall and by and by bee tript downe our selues if we looke not to our feet Dauid is before vs herein he fought more battles then twenty of vs and that with great courage and good successe yet is not Dauid able to stand against this crosse his Absalom his Absalom could not be forgotten And what though wee haue buried a friend It may be we know not what it is to burie a father a childe a wife a husband If Amnon bee dead we cannot tell what an Absalom may worke when his death shall be vntimely Say pouertie be no great burden to vs it may be paine and sicknesse will make vs roare if these blow ouer a cloud vpon our names may happilie trouble our patience if wee can bee patient when other mens faults are serued into vs and laid in our dish yet it may bee wee shall not claw it off so well if our kinsfolkes seruants parents children yoke-fellowes shall breake forth and vnmuzle the wicked against vs. O then let not him bragge that puts on harnesse as hee that puts it off let no man be secure but euer stand vpon his gard still readie to receiue and to award these blowes that fall vpon him like haile and shot and so if he doe then on the other side let him not cast away his buckler because hee was wrought a rap but looke better to his hand another time What though Dauid bee now downe hee may rise againe for all this and prooue himselfe old Dauid still though he be a little eclipsed yet may he shine forth afresh and make many an holy praier and Psalme after this and though he now flie yet may he fight and triumph againe ere hee die and so maiest thou too though for the present deiected That Peter that was once afraid of a wenches face will not after feare the threats of any aduersarie and hee who is sometimes base in a trifle may after play the man in greatest trials Say not then if I cannot beare the losse of a childe of a friend of a little wealth a little ease a little sleepe alas what shall become of me if it should come to fire and faggot How shall I part part I must with my dearest pledges and neerest friends and with all my goods Yes man heare me in one thing that I shall say Ionah may with more patience part with his life at one time then with a root at another and that God that can make light crosses heauy and shadowes of crosses looke like mountaines can if he call thee to them hee will make heauy crosses light and mountaines shadowes And thus briefly for that point Beare me companiethorow one point more and I will trouble you no further and will be briefe in that For whom doth Dauid thus mourne What is he whose death is thus lamented Heare him O my sonne my sonne Which sonne O Absalom Absalom Absalom is then the man And heerea strange matter is offered to those that know not the heart of a father The sonne practiseth against his fathers house robs him of his children abuseth him in his wiues seeketh to spoile him both of life and liuing and the father what doth he he weepes for him hee mournes ouer him hee would die for him thus doth Dauid In whom see what a kinde and godly fathers affection is to his childe No vndutifulnesse no practise on the childes part no not death itselfe can diuide betweene him and his child What though Absalom can forget Dauid yet Dauid cannot forget him what though hee be a very
vngratious impe yet he is my child my child saith Dauid I cannot but loue him and indeed he ouerloues him which I doe not commend but onely obserue to note the strength of parents loue if it bee naturall a loue indeede as strong as death as hot as fire like that which Salomon speakes of in another case which cannot bee put out with water nor bought out with siluer and can it be otherwise when parents bee religious sith God and nature both command grace and nature both enforce loue though not fondnes you that be parents saue me the proofe of this point and do but heare why I note it First do kind and godly parents so loue their children that you may sooner finde too much carnall then too little naturall affection in them then shall they neuer make it good to their owne or others soules that there is any goodnesse in them who beare no affection to their owne children Those parents that haue no naturall affection can they be spiritually affected Doth that spirit which makes vs louing to all lodge in the vnnaturall brest Can they loue Gods children that beare no loue to their owne bowels Can they loue their enemies can they call God Father that are tyrants to their owne children their owne flesh No no it argues grosse sinnes and a fierce conscience when men be so fierce and violent against mankinde I might say I must say themselues What parents not to feele their children when they crie Father not to finde their bowels mooued when they thinke of a childe what not of a religious childe Why then blush ye Dragons and be ye ashamed O Beares and Tigres that your Lords should be so beastlike say I nay so diuellish for what creatures but Diuels hate their seed Nay could Diuels haue naturall seed would they hate their owne trow yee But why spend we words on them who haue the curse vnder seale as Paul shewes Rom. 1.5 Secondly heere is somewhat for children also Is the affection of godly parents such that they cannot chuse but loue their children and out of their loue grieue at their vnkindnesse weepe for their impietie mourne for their sorrowes and take to heart their follie why then the children of such parents must take to heart their former stubbornnesse and for the time to come forbeare those practises that might be matter of griefe to their parents How canst thou refresh thy selfe with that which is a sword in the heart of thy dearest friends how canst thou thinke to escape the hand of God when thou wilt feed vpon the bloud of thine owne parents and make them as weary of the light as Dauid now is Is it not sufficient that already they haue cared and sighed and groaned and wept for thee but still thou wilt kill their soules with griefe What if thou canst shake it off Can a father shake out his heart Doth their loue nothing mooue thee nor their care northeir paines nor their teares nothing O that Absalom had seene or heard his fathers complaints he thought that now because he loued not his father his father could not loue him but that is thy errour cursed viper The father loues when the child hates and then can Dauid say most feelingly Handle the young man Absalom well when Absalom could say if shame did not stop his mouth Handle the old Carle Dauid roughly at my request yea then can Dauid die for Absalom when Absalom had as leese die as see Dauid liue Had Absalom knowne this would not he thinke you haue relented would not his rockie heart haue yeelded What could hee haue said if Dauid had said but this vnto him O Absalom O Absalom did I call thee Absalom for this Is this to be a childe Doest thou also thinke my griefes too few Was it not enough to be crossed in my familiars in my father in law in my owne brethren in my wife but my owne children must adde vnto my griefe Must Absalom that I loued so well Is it not sufficient that thou hast robbed mee of my children and brought mee almost to the graue but now thou wilt haue my crowne and my bloud Did I spare thee for this Was I a meanes of thy life and wilt thou be of my death Would I die to doe thee good and wilt thou die vulesse thou maist hurt me what thou my son Is not Dauid thy father Maacah thy mother dost not know vs c. canst thou forget vs hast thou been a father thy self yet risest vp against thy father what I say could Absalō haue said to such a salutatiō but he is not so happy to heare his father therefore he proceeds till vengeance will not suffer him to liue but hangs him vp against the sunne And let all disobedient and rebellious children take warning by this one thus hanged vp in gibbets and know that if the kindnes of their parents cannot breake their hearts and worke them to remorse the hand of God will bee vpon them and pursue them till the rauens of the vallies haue pickt out their eies and the flames of hell haue scized vpon their soules Last of all heere 's a word both of instruction and consolation for all sorts both parents and children high and low Is the loue of an earthly father if godly so great doth he take so much to hart the vnkindnesses of his children is he so sensible of their griefes so wounded with their sorrowes What then is the affection of our heauenly father towards vs how tenderly doth he take disobedience at our hands and therefore how great should our mourning be for our great and many contempts how ought wee to powre forth our soules in teares and to lament with a great lamention like that of the Egyptians for Iacob that of the Israelites for Iosiah that of a father for his first his onely sonne how deere should the name of our God be vnto vs how tenderly should wee take those contempts and indignities that are cast vpon him who is so feeling of euery sorrow that befals vs O Lord that we had an heart to weepe ouer Christ and that the rebukes of God did fall on vs ô that our owne sinnes could cause such teares as other mens did wring from Dauid O that the word would smite our hearts and cause water to gush out of these rockes ô that we stood affected to God as Mephibosheth to Dauid he mourned he fasted he wept in this distresse of Dauid we laugh we feast we do not we cannot weepe though we our selues haue risen against our soueraigne and holpen to dethrone him Ah brethren shall Dauid mourne for others sins in his Psalmes shall not wee for our owne Shall Dauids good subiects take to heart his afflictions shall not wee rebellion against our king shall Dauids seruants bee ready to smite him thorow that shall raile vpon him and shall 〈◊〉 our hearts arise when the name of our God
text i. when he had receiued newes touching Absaloms death the King i. Dauid Absoloms father Israels King was mooned the word importeth some great alteration in a man by reason either of some feare or griefe or anger or all Now howsoeuer all these did meet in Dauid yet in this place his motion is chiefely from griefe feare had the precedencie before whilest he was held in suspence and the issue of the battle was doubtfull anger tooke its place after when heâ— had more leasure to thinke on Ioab now griefe was predominant which at the first did amaze him and after vttered it selfe in teares and complaints When a man hath some deepe gash or sudden chop you shall haue for the present a great silence as it were and the flesh on each side will bee wanne and pale and then soone after the blood which had carried the newes to the heart issueth foorth most furiously such was Dauids wound in this place the newes struck into his heart and astonished him for the time but hauing a little recouered himselfe he powreth it forth as you heare and see Now in that good Dauid who is here termed the King is found thus deepely wounded vpon the receit of so heauy tidings and weepes so bitterly vpon so neare an occasion I meane the death of his dearest Absalom let vs hence note this in the generall from the party sorrowing and the occasion and measure of his sorrow laid togethers That Gods dearest children are exercised with neare and piercing crosses in this life It may seeme to bee no good congruitie to say that Dauid wept that king Dauid mourned for Christians to mourne being poore or Princes being wicked it is no strange matters but when a man hath God for his friend in heauen a kingdome on earth too what should trouble him yet for such a one the Lord hath crosses and those sharpe those neare those cutting Witnesso Dauid the man in question a man after Gods heart what a life had he in his father in law his time when went hee to bed with drie eies when liued hee a merry day what comfort in Michol his wife what troubles after Sauls death what breaches in his familie what heart breakings in his Thamar in his Amnon in his Absalom whilst he hued and now when a man would haue thought him spent and drawen drie how many teares doth hee spend afresh vpon his death these crosses come close cut deepe here are griefes in his familiars shall I say nay in his kinsfolkes his father his wiues at Ziklag his children his Absalom And was not Iacob in the same case was it nothing to be rended from his owne fathers house to liue in feare of his owne brother to be so vsed by his owne vncle to be so cosened of his owne wife to haue his onelie daughter deflowred to haue his dearest wife to die so vpon his hands to haue oue sonne banished another an adulterer another incestuous many murtherers neere crosses when vncle when cosins when wiues when children shall be our crosses And what would you say of Iob were his case your owne It may bee you would thinke it a losse to part with so much goods and cattell so soone to be worth a thousand pound in the morning and to haue all your grounds vnstockt by night it may be it would trouble our patience to heare the scornes of base fellowes and to see that contempt in our owne seruants but alas if our kindest friends should quippe vs and they that were religious censure vs if our owne wiues should begin to be wearie of vs and wee should haue the burying of ten children and first vnburie them and there see how louingly they sate together and what prouision was there made for the chearing of their hearts and heere plucke out one there another perhaps lim-meale and lay them all on an heape would not this haue wrought vpon vs But then if to all this there should be added such plagues on the body such terrors on the soule would wee not say our crosses were sharpe yes brethren we may say that Iobs were sharpe and sore and neere when friends when seruants when children when wife when God and all seeme to minister matter of griefe It shall be needlesse to draw you further in examples these are beyond exception whether you looke to the goodnes of the men or the greatnes of their crosses in all whom we see that verified which once Salomon the sonne and Dauid the father deliuered in more generall tearmes the one touching the number of the faithfuls afflictions that they come by seuens i troups in one and the same day the other touching both number and measures that they are many and great in number many in nature weightie as the word signifies both But leauing testimonies what might bee the cause that Gods best children are so sped Is it their religion Is it their profession No no it is because they are set with corruption if you will haue it all at once and therefore must be purged For first a little to enlarge our selues in the vnfolding of some few amongst many reasons Gods best children will sometimes venture on noisome meates and hurtfull poisons they will feede on the grosser sinnes they will drinke in very puddle I meane iniquities and when the child hath so done what should the father doe If Dauid will lie and commit adultery and fall to murther innocents what can God doe lesse for Dauid vnlesse he would haue him damned then scourge him thorowly what should hee doe but lay it on his skinne yea and lash his conscience and when he will bee walking so neere hels mouth take him by the heeles and make him beleeue he will throw him in what though he do cry what though he be crossed of his will Is it not better hee should cry here then in hell and receiue his payment here rather then his iudgement there Is it not better he should lose his sin then God his child So then one cause why the Lord doth thus lay load on his children here is because they defile themselues sometimes with grosse sinnes and therefore must haue much washing they take the deadliest poison and therfore must haue working physicke Dauid was gone so farre this way that to this place hee hath not recouered himselfe hee deales not like old Dauid as yet and therefore euery moneth almost hee must haue a purge and whosoeuer he be that will venture after him in these dangerous paths shall be sure to passe vnder the rod as Dauid did if he be Gods as Dauids was Secondly Gods children if they fall not to deadly poison yet will they surfet of lawfull meates and pleasures vnlawfully so childish we are when we are turned loose to delights that for our liues wee cannot keepe a meane wee cannot haue prosperity but wee will abuse it wee swell wee bragge wee snuffe we looke ouer our brethren and forget
comfortably expect benefit by them fure it is if these meanes keepe vs not dry-shod they will keepe our head aboue water wee shall bee but washed with Paul not drowned And this of that vse you shall find me briefe in all that followes A second vse is this Do Gods best children exceed sometimes in sorrow for outward things then must we not be altogether discouraged though we find our worldly greefe more then our spirituall sorrowe for this is a thing that may befall the best they may be immoderate in the one whē they are too short in the other the best haue many teares to bestow vpon some outward thing when they cannot without much trauell weep for their many sins was not this sometime good Dauids case But is not this will some say a vile thing that we should more grieue for outward things than for sin against God It is so and doth it not shew that we are wonderfull carnall It doth so why then what then How cā I be Gods child why how is Dauid did you euer heare him more loud for his sin then here for Absalom did hee not weep at Ziklag for outward things till he could vveep no more and yet for all this I vvould not say that Dauid loued outvvard things more then God or that his sinnes lay lighter then his crosses for first he had more sorrovv for his sin then he should or would haue had for outvvard losses vvhen hee vvas Dauid Secondly a little godly sorrovve is more then a great deale of vvorldly more I say in substance though not in bulke as a little balme vvater is vvorth a poole of mud a little gold comes to more then a great deale of brasse Thirdly his carnall and vvorldly forrovv vvas but a sudden storme a land-flood his spirituall a constant guest though it vvere composed and silèt as the deepest vvaters are most still yet vvas it deepe and soaking Novv vvhat vvee say of Dauid the same if you change the name must be vnderstood of euery good christian vvho is not to be considered according to that he is vvhen he is drunken vvith passion but according to that he is vvhen he is his ovvne man and in his vvits neither must vve looke vvhat men do but vvhat they meane and vvould do and therfore so long as vve desire to make our sin our greatest sorrovv and iudge our selues for our security so long as vve giue all entertainmēt to godly sorrovv stand to keep out worldly we are in Gods account more spirituall than carnall as with men he that keeps a constāt house all the yeere is said to keep a better house then hee that laies it on once in a twelue month And this for that point Now it followes Q my son From Dauids mourning and behauiour in this particular let vs note one thing more you heare the man you see his behauiour was Dauid wont to beare crosses so nothing so but you see how it fares with him now he can not helpe it Hence learne we that Gods children who beare some crosses with great wisedome and moderation are sometimes foiled in othersome and faile in both Who could behaue himselfe better then Dauid in the matter of Shimei who worse in the case of Nabal how sweete his carriage in many passages between Saul and him how admirable his behauiour in one childs death how absurd in anothers nay how diuersly affected with the cause of one and the same Absalom what gratious speeches did he once vtter when he fled from Absolom what a bedrole haue we here at his death who could more forget himselfe then place on such an occasion How farre was this from policy how farre vnlike his carriage in other places good Dauid the same that would make to heauen at other times so soone as the crosse had giuen him summōs the same that was vsed to beare afflictions as patiently as hee beares this to say no more immoderately And touching Iob could any man liuing behaue himselfe better in some crosses In all this saith the Lord summing vp his behauiour in the first conflict did not Iob sinne nor shew the least folly in charging folly vpon God in all which not in all that first conflict wherein he was so nearely toucht in his goods children but his behauiour it was most religious he humbled himselfe and worshipped his speeches very gratious The Lord hath done all he is righteous in all and blessed be his name Thus Iob at that time on that occasion but how afterward who he hee challengeth GOD into the schooles to dispute it out if he would not take the chalēge it was because he was notable to stād vnder his argumēts The like may be said of Ionah a man of good behauiour in the first chapter hee makes an honest confession both of his faith and of his fault lettles himselfe to die and lookes as if hee would to heauen anon but at another time in a smaller crosle he is no more like himselfe then an apple is like a nut hee chides handsmooth with God and will stand to it that God knowes not when a man speakes reasō if he would tearme him vnreasonable in his passion But what might be the reason to passe more instances of this so vvide a difference vvhat might be the cause that these so vvorthy champions are thus sometimes foiled I vvill tell you first It pleaseth God sometimes to set on a crosse and to make it stick by a man either because the same party vvould looke besides former crosses or kicke them off too lightly or else because he vvould let him see himselfe and knovv vvhat he is of himselfe or for some other cause vnknovvne to vs but alvvaies iust in it selfe and vvell knovven to God Now if he purpose so to doe either to withdraw his assistance or to increase the smart alas who can stand vnder it thus we see Gods best children more troubled now and then vvith a trifle in comparison than vvith greatest torments at another time and as Christs looking back on Peter did more affect him and worke vpon him vvhen hee pleased to vvorke vvith it then many words did at another time so many times a word misplaced a countenance mis-set doth more gaule vs then twenty greater matters when God is pleased to pay vs because euer that is the crosse which he will make the crosse that most pierceth which he sharpeneth most 2 Sometimes wee haue not denied our selues in some particular lust and then if a crosse light there it soone enters and eates deepe because we our selues do giue a sling vnto it an affection vnmortified is assoone wounded as a scaulded head is broken thus if you had hit Dauid any where else he had beene for you he could haue borne it but if you touch his Absalom you pare the quicke you touch his life Sometimes againe our crosses do not master vs they doe but nettle vs
is smitten 〈◊〉 when our father is railed vpon nay shall Dauid 〈…〉 out my son my son for a wretch that would haue kâ—â—â— hâ—â—â— and shall not we mourne ouer Gods son whom wâ—â—â—â—â— mine yes brethren we must mourne if we will be comforted 〈◊〉 make Gods case ours if he shall make ours his which 〈…〉 then behold what comfort is here offered for 〈◊〉 is there such affection in an earthly father what then may we expect at Gods hand who is an heauenly father whose loue as farre exceedeth ours as the heauens are aboue the earth can Dauid I lead you no further loue Absaloms such a child because a child can his heart came after him can he be pacified toward him at Ioabs request when he hath slaine his sonne and is it not possible that GOD should be frieÌ„ds with v8 at Christs request though we haue slaine our selues and the Lord of life Can Dauid loue Absalom when he hath defiled his concubines when he seeks his kingdome his life can he then die for him when Absalom would be his death can hee doe all this though his sonne doth not submit doth not repent doth not craue pardon but is vp in armes against him and will not God whose loue is infinite for Christs sake forgiue his children when they come vnto him coÌ„fesse their fault be sorry for it and desire amendment O my brethren do not we wrong God exceedingly when wee will not yeeld him as kind as Dauid say thou hast beene as bad as euer Absalom was vnholy vncleane vnnaturall would not Dauid be friends with Absalom if he had confessed his fault and shall we doubt of God O but Dauid was fond God is iust yea but the question is whether Dauid hath more fond loue than God hath true loue say it were his fault here is the point is there so much badnes in Dauid as there is goodnes in God nay I put it vpon thy selfe whatcan thy child doe but thou canss pardon the trespasse against thee so now he will behon 〈◊〉 wherefore then for conconclusion this I say what soeuer thy sinnes be never 〈◊〉 downe discouraged despairein thy selfe but ever hope the best of God so long 〈◊〉 itself his meanes thou hearest that he is a mâ—â—â—s ust 〈◊〉 do now as Benbadad did to Ahab humbl◠〈…〉 confessethy sinnes bewaile them 〈◊〉 off 〈…〉 of them and endeauour new obedie 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 hadst as many sins vpon thee 〈…〉 the sea shore and those 〈◊〉 great 〈…〉 shoul◠〈◊〉 find mercy and be pardoned 〈◊〉 sin 〈…〉 ere find God onely insinite Thus in a more generall maner we haue run thorow the chiefe maâ—ters of this text Now it shall sulfice to name onely the particulars or rather some few of them such as are these following In that 〈◊〉 this stirre it for Absalom 〈◊〉 delight we see that the more Gods children serther hearts on an outward thing the more they shall bee crossed in it Let David please him solse too much in Absalom and Dauid shall smart for is this his greatest ioy shall prooue his greast cnosse Againe if Gods people can bee content that their children should crosse God God will bee content â—â—t their children shall he crosses to them If David will be so tidde that his child must not bee chid nor shent God will bee so good as to give him his payment for it Againe if Rulere wil giue life when God calles for death they shall help ether themselues him to sorrow and their friends so spared to shall if Dauid will be so nice alas prety ducke who can find in his heart to execute yea or to correct such a sweet baby and so let him goe God will finde a time to pay Dauid and to reach Absalom for it Againe in Dauid we see that in the best when crosses come the flesh will play its part and lay about its while Dauid must run himselfe out of hiâ—â—h before anâ— can stand on 〈◊〉 ground c. FINIS 1. Sam. 10. 10. 11. Vide Vatabl. ad locum Polyd. Virgil. Adag 374. Doct. 1. Read his life in the bookes of Samuel Read his story from the 28 of Gen. to the 46. Chap. Pro. 24.16 Psal 34.19 Reason 1. Psal 30. 2. Kings 20. Vse 1. Mat. 7.14 Act. 12. Doct. 2. Iob 3. Ionah 4.1 Chapter 4. Reasons 7. Vse 1. Rules 1. 1. Sam. 30.6 Chap. 4.6 Act. 27. Act. 27. 1. Sam. 30.4 Doct. 3. Read 1. Sam. 25. 2. Sam. 16. 2. Sam. 12. c. 2. Sam. 15.26 c. Iob 1. vlr verse See chap. 13 3.16.21 23.3.4.5 c. Reason 1. Iob 35. penult 2. Sam. 12. Vse 1. 1. Pet. 2.13 Doct. 4. Cant. 8. Vsc 1. 5 verse Zach 12 Psalm 119 156 2 Sam 10 As Leuir 24 11 1. King 20