better Subject he is and friend both and more right for Sauls designes the more he declares himselfe an enemy to David Why now David cannot trust Saul All his sweet words are lost if he be melting a little the Evill spirit and the Edomite will harden him againe So David will to his Strong-hold and is resolved upon the question To go to GATH out of Sauls reach else he could not avoid Sauls bloody hand he thought which pursued him so far even till he had driven David from out of the Inheritance of the Lord And so Sauls Evill spirit is fully discovered now and manifest He must be convinced also non-plussed and put to silence The Evill spirit shall bee convinced that he shall not be able to say a word but in way of acknowledgement and honest confession from a sound conviction That he is a lyar a murtherer and has erred exceedingly See how convincing Truth is from Davids mouth and how ingenuous Saul is in his confession 1 Sam. 26.21 I have played the foole and erred exceedingly He had indeed Saul Davids grand enemy is fully discovered convinced also yet David is not delivered no. though all Sauls Right men the Edomites implacable adversaries his false friends Keilites and Ziphites are made manifest too yet David is not delivered no not yet we shall see more reason for it anon first we must bring-this-up-to our time GOD delayes his Churches deliverances now for the same reason sure That the adversaries thereof might be fully manifest to all Israel The actings of the evill spirit President over the Kings Councell were not manifest enough sixe yeares agoe when they thrust a cursed Booke upon the Scots and after that the sword Nor when they called a Parliament in England not to ease the yokes but to ingage the Kingdome in that warre which would have â—ashed the people one against the other even the father and the son together Ierem. 13.14 This evill spirit was not manifest enough yet for wickednesse may bee established by a Law in Scotland and yet pretence very faire To establish True Religion Lawes and Liberties here in England And goodly and sweet words were spoken that way and much done touching Bishops and their Courts And all this while the evill spirit was as an Angell of light And his Actings more indiscernable then before But then the Designe touching the Army in the North changed the Divels colour quite and made him looke as black as soot as he is an Angel of darknesse But let the evill spirit alone he can cleare up himselfe againe he will not be made manifest yet No not when he prevailed by the evill Counsell To remove the Lieutenant of the Tower in whom all Israel could confide and placed a Murtherer there in that Strong-hold notwithstanding the evill spirit was not manifest enough No nor when he counselled the King to desert the Parliament No nor when he perswaded the King to call all Israel to war against David and all that had their hand with David under pretence of taking a guard to his person Nor when he made the Edomite Generall in the field MANAGER of all the Kings affaires here in Israels Land notwithstanding the evill spirit was not manifest enough yet But now we know what spirit they are of and who rules them For the Land is filled with bloud from corner to corner Zeph. 3.3 The Princes within her are roaring Lyons reade-on her Iudges are evening Wolves never such violences acted by Tartars Caniballs as by these Princes Surely I cannot tell what shall be done unto them these murtherers GOD knowes And that they have broken all the lawes of Heaven and Earth Divine and Humane such Children of Belial they are Iob 31.3 I cannot tell what strange punishment shall befall these workers of iniquity Doth not the LORD see their wayes and count all their steps We will leave them in His Hands Who has put a bridle in their lips But this I can tell What an execution The LORD would have done upon those who had wrought villany in Israel joyning themselves unto BAAL-PEOR Num. 25.3 as these unto as abominable an Idol as was that But they had not shed bloud in the defence of that Idol These Princes in name have filled the Land with bloud from corner to corner Yet hearken what The LORD sayes unto those who joyned themselves unto Baal-Peor as these to the Idol of Rome Take all the heads of the people Vers 4 and hang them up before the LORD against the Sun that the fierce anger of The LORD may be turned away from Israel We will wait Gods time for then they shall be made manifest indeed before Israel and before the Sun In the mean time the evil spirit is discovered and discerned plaine enough for by his meere motion he has prevailed with the King to seale a Commission to his Edomites To kill and to slay his good people to lay a City waste even a Mother in Israel And if they will doe so to their power They shall approve themselves in so doing his best subjects and truest friends so he blesseth murtherers whom GOD will lay if they repent not in the lowest hell They have compassion on their King why they Because they will to their power destroy a mother City in Israel They would have a whole Kingdome wasted Blessed be ye of the LORD ye have compassion on me does the King say Blessed be The LORD The discovering GOD Who has had compassion on His poore people trusting in His Name and on His dwelling place Blessed be GOD The Spirit that rules the King and his Councell is discovered the Edomites also those bitter enemies the Keilites and the Ziphites too those false and treacherous friends Take them in order The Edomites first Those called SPIRITVALL Lords They must be discovered how full of spirit they were Their spirit was not sufficiently discovered eight yeares ago when they forced a cursed Paper to be read in all the Churches there to publish a Declaration for Sports and Passe-times on The LORDS DAY Their spirit was not discovered by all this for this the people liked reasonably well They had an Advouson for liberty To riot on the LORDS DAY and they were glad of that The people had a grant from the Bishops The Bishops from the Archbishop he from the King and that should be sufficient warrant for them and every one of them to riot on the LORDS DAY And for every Minister from the Pulpit GODS mouth there To command the people so to do O abominable Yes they have justified the Heathen at this point And yet these Bishops are not discovered yet They are in their white Robes yet we shall see them in Scarlet by and by And yet not manifest to all the Christian world say they how spirituall they were when with the Scarlet Whore they would have rode in the bloud of Scotland up even unto their horses bridles by the
ENGLANDS Third Alarm TO VVARRE Stirring up the whole Land as one Man to help the LORD and His servant David all the Faithfull in the World against most bloudy Adversaries mighty Hunters before the LORD In which Warre No Resistance is maintained but what has now as in Davids time a sweet agreement with Duty and affinity with the best Obedience No Resistance then or now of Regall Authority or Higher Power but of those who are the greatest Enemies thereunto Such were Sauls willing Helpers in his War against David such are the Kings Helpers in his Warre now against his best Subjects the Faithfull of the Land Jer. 48.10 Cursed be he that keepeth backe his Sword from bloud 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a Price be not ye the servants of men Joel 2.11 Feare not O Land be glad and rejoyce for the LORD will doe great things Gen. 8.1 God remembred Noah and every living thing and all the Cattell that was with him He will remember David and all his afflictions Psal 132.1 Chrysos Serm. 68. Oremus ut Christus suo semper regnet in Milite ut Miles semper suo triumphet in Rege Let us pray That Christ would evermore be King in his Souldier That His Souldier may evermore triumph in his King London Printed for Thomas Vnderhill in the second yeare of the Beasts wounding warring against the Lamb and those that are with Him Called Chosen and Faithfull 1643. TO THE READER This Epistle shewes the purpose of the Book what could not be shewed in the Tiâ—tle cleares the Duty of all good people to stand-up now all as one man Gives Arguments full to that purpose answers all materiall Arguments against is HEe that speaks to All speaks to none Words as Physicke cannot be applied to MAN under that generall notion but to this or that man in particular Therefore I intend all this unto thee who hast taken it into thy hand that thou maist lay it unto thy heart The noise of the Drum and sound of Warre still in thine eares has awakened thee sure no Sleeper now when such a Tempest lyes upon us unlesse thou art as one of those who can be secure in the midst of the Sea or lye asleepe upon the top of a Mast I suppose thee awakened and hearing thy selfe summoned to Warre Thy Call is from Heaven A supposition oâ—ly that the Reul enites and Gadites had built an Alâ—ar contrary to Godâ— command did stir-up the whole congregation of Israel to warre against them Iosb 22.12 So did the forcing a Concubine All Israel arose and were knit together as one man foure hundred thousand men to warre with Benjamin refâ—sing to give up 〈◊〉 Delinquents to death Iudg. 20.1.8.11.13 See Ep. p. 4. all the Lawes of Heaven and Earth have sealed thee thy Warrant for the cause is Gods His Peoples To maintain all that is dear to Him them in Earth Heaven Thy enemies are the Lords Enemies the most insulting that ever the Church was infested with for they are most of them home-bred that are helpers with the Beast of the same Countrey with thee and have the same Mother Besides they have the hornes of a Lamb they will fight under formall colours semblances shewes and pretences of Law and Justice which they carry upon their Swords point It will be the hottest Warre that ever was yet If these Adversaries have the day expect no more mercy from them then from the mouth of the Devourer be it Cannon Dragon Wolfe Lion or she Beare or from the Divell himselfe for indeed he playes Rex now he has armed the Edomite Papist I meane with a Sword and with a Sword Spirit though he be he must be resisted But in warring now Ob. I may resist the King No thou shalt resist no other Ans but that Evill Spirit which has put a Sword into an Edomites hand now and has engaged the heart of the King to her who has pawned the Jewels of the Kingdom to purchase Instruments of death thereby to lay waste the Kingdome of Israel and to dethrone the King thereof The soule of the King cleaves in love to her even her who bends all her power against the LORD CHRIST and His Kingdome And To purchase this cursed end which will cost the best Flower in their Crowne and they shall misse of it too when all is done To carry on this horrid designe they have joyned hearts and hands with Irish Rebels and English Monsters men skilfull to destroy whose hearts and hands are steeped in bloud and brawned in villanies There can be no question now of the lawfulnesse of resistance for thou shalt offer no more violence to the King and Kingdome then what thou shouldst offer to the Kingdom of Heaven a sweet violence in contending for the Faith and the trust of the Kingdome But some there are most contrary minded Ob. Lawyers and DIVINES both these are against the Covenant now which engageth to defensive Armes and they say their Reason and Conscience is against it too * and this their example may very well stumble thee Example may win much with unstable mindes Ans But surely the example of such men whose walking is as contrary to a common Light and principles as darknesse is to light as contrary to Christ His wayes and servants as the Divel is or as Hell is to Heaven surely the example of such men cannot perswade with thee These men have so long shut their eyes against a naturall light and so long laboured to stifle and choak a naturall Conscience that now they have not so much Logicke Reason I meane then has a Dog nor any more good Conscience then has a Beast I would rather my tongue should cleave to the roofe of my Mouth then that it should send forth the scum of a foule stomack or corrupt heart rotten speeches The Lord knowes I speake what I know and what all may know that will observe the conversation of these men Anti-Covenanters now like as the inti-petitioners before I will say it againe They have no more true Reason nor good Conscience then a Bâ—ast has No their pleasure and profit are their gods their glory their shame unreasonable men they are And this is the clearest evidence thereof that ever was given a â—â—ll 3.19 They mind earthly things No matter what such Cretians say alwayes Lyars evill Beasts slow Bellies Shew thy selfe a man bring forth the speare and stop the way against these Murtherers for even these men are as one of them Obad. 11.12 They stand on the other side They have looked on the day of their Brother They have rejoiced in the day of his destruction and have spoken proudly in the day of distresse these are as one of them Thou wilt wish that these may be cut off that so trouble us and bring forth the speare against those Murtherers whose notorious violences are more legible all over the Land Ob. No thou
trust and not be afraid for The LORD IEHOVAH is my strength Isa 12.2 Looke unto Me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Isa 45.22 ENGLANDS Third Alarm to VVAR Against the Beast SECT III. 0200 DAvids story Sauls persecution is continued his hand is restrained but his heart is bloody and men are as their hearts are David delivers the Keilites yet they will deliver David into a murtherers hand A lesson from thence Saul holds-on his foot in the path of the destroyer Why does not Israel stand-up for Israel and for their temporall Saviour against an over-bearing Lord and an insulting Edomite The Answer will resolve the Case of Conscience and Israels duty touching that matter Saul drives-on furiously after David seemes to prosper gaines men The Chosen out of all Israel to carry-on his bloody designe and drives David from all his strong holds every one Davids GOD looks upon all this and suffers it to be done for excellent Reasons relating To David To his Adversaries and To GOD Himselfe and all relating to these times David was delivered then and he shall be delivered now but not before all his strong holds are cast downe The Tribes come in at last when the way was cleared before them and all good meanes used first All true Israelites will come in shortly To helpe The LORD against THE MIGHTY when That which letteth is taken away There is the Conclusion GODS Time is the best Time best to Advance His Glory and His Peoples Peace CHAP. 1. Davids story and Sauls persequution is continued his heart as bloody as before though after his march from Nob hee could draw no more blood for a Man is as his Will is David delivers the Keilites out of the hand of spoilers and the Keilites would deliver David into Sauls hands David will doe his Duty notwithstanding and leave the rest to God PRoud and haughty Scorner is his name Prov. 21.24 who dealeth in proud wrath The Edomite is he who had a Bloody Commission scaled unto him and has executed it accordingly Turne thee and fall upon the Friests because their hand is with David and the Edomite turned and did as aforesaid And so we have read a bloudy Tragedy Nec adhuc finitus Orestes scriptus at à tergo and yet we are not at an end Turne over the leafe on the backside we have as much more As much more I say in proposition and designe only not in conclusion which God makes that was and will be glorious still But much more endeavoured nothing done Much Action yet nothing effected to Sauls heart and purpose And yet was it a deadly Persecution True it was The LORD suffered the Evill Spirit to open by the hands of Saul and the Edomite a sluce or floodgate of wrath and there-out issued a mighty streame of blood But Hee That opens at pleasure and shuts also at pleasure Hee quickly shut 02 this Sluce and stopt this full streame So as Though Saul and his Edomite persecuted David I know not how many yeares after with deadly hatred yet they shed not one drop of bloud all that time A wondrous thing Psal 31.15 we cannot stand upon it My TIMES are in Thy hands sayes David They are indeed and it is Davids comfort that they are so that Davids life and all his concernments are in GODS hand He will dispose of all and all shall come through His hands and shal be transacted there all for Davids good in the end If not a Sparrow falls to the ground without your FATHER Matth. 10.29 then not one drop of Davids bloud sure Though Saul and his Edomite pursued-hard after David yet they shall draw no more blood Though five hundred drawne swords after our account nay five thousand drawn swords are about D viâ— round about as we shall see anon yet not one drop of bloud is drawne by Saul or his men Why then Qu. how is the story Tragicall you will say for we shall reade no more of men or garments rolled in Blood True we shall not and yet we shall see the Story is Tragicall Ans and Saul the King with the Edomite his Generall are as grievous persecutors as before The Divell was a murthâ—rer from the beginning So he will be to the end a murtherer stilâ— not because he actually sheds bloud every where at pleasure but bâ—â—â—use intentionally hee alwayes has a will to doe it Had the divell power in his hand but God has him in His Chaine if he could doe what he would doe hee would make the whole earth one stage to act a Tragedy which would destroy the stage whereon it is acted he would make the world a field of bloud HORMAH as was said utter destruction such a good wil. the divell has he has not power that must be let forth or restrained as GOD pleaseth and as it was here But this is the point The will makes the murtherer for A MAN IS AS HIS WILL IS And such an one was Saul and his Edomite both their wills were murtherous and destructive wasting was in their paths therefore they were murtherers men of blouds That it was so we shall well understand if we reade the Text. Saul and his Edomite pursue David What to doe To take away from him his Sword No the Text is cleare To take away his life 1 Sam. 19.1 They sought David every day To kill him sayes the Text. What care bloudy enemies for the Sword Their care is to sheath the Sword in Davids bowels that will satisfie and nothing else So the enemies Saul with his Edomite drive-on furiously towards â—his Citty and the other strong nolds Why doe they drive-on so furiously The ansâ—er is upon everlasting Record TO DESTROY THE CITY FOR DAVIDS SAKE But I will not huddle up things so I will proceed in order 1 Sam. 22.10 and keepe pace with Sauls and his Edomites march after David taking in the Remarkables by the way We shall see the Persecution was very sore and that Conscience could not hold backe the neighbouring Israelites from comming in to hold Sauls Sword and his Edomites hand from shedding bloud and acting such notorious violences This will be put to the question anon and resolved I hope to every reasonable mans satisfaction I will follow Saul and the Edomite a little in this march and David in his slight It was well for David that Doeg espied him at Nob for he knowes what will follow therefore he hastens thence and leaves the City as 〈◊〉 lefâ— â—odom or as a man leaves his house no sooner he is gone out thence but he sees it fall into ashes David flies bee knowes not well whither but for feare of Saul he went to Achish â—ing of Gath Thâ—â— the Kings servants hurt him by recording his commendations in a Panagerick and make him so sore afraid 1 Sam. 21.11 That he seemes not to be
they went along with him and they were slaine the same day TOGETHER Certainly it is not safe to goe one step forward with a man when we see plainly what way he goes and that he drives furiously on towards a cursed end If we see two men walke together we must needs thinke they are agreed for so sayes the Spirit they cannot walke together else yet we will not judge that all in the Kings Court are Enemies to David We think rather That some there be whose body is with their King and their heart with David We acknowledge That Relations are binders and Court-bands are shackles But yet there is no such binder in the world as our engagement to David Which Ionathan answered as a right precious and faithfull friend therefore no blame can lye upon him And in case we finde him persecuted GOD will beare us out in it if we cast off all orher bands and shackles and come to helpe David for then wee helpe The LORD against Whom the Adversary kicks when he kicks David And let the Adversary remember and all his men with him That Saul died and all his men That same day TOGETHER 4. Saul called together his men bade them follow him doe as he did pursue David and shed bloud to their power 2 Sam. 13.28 Be couragious and be valiant have not I commanded you So he said to his followers as Absalon to his Servants Smite David then kill him feare not my COMMISSION shall be your WARRANT for you and every one of you to beare you out in all violences you shall doe against David VVell GOD takes the matter into his owne hand and in the day of Recompences for Sion Saul is slaine and all his men together And then what good does it to his servants That they had their masters Command for what they did and his Commission for their Warrant The Servant has done his Masters worke as his charge was and the power in his hands and now the hang-man must pay him his wages They are the most unhappy servants in the world that are servants to men who will put their servants upon desperâ—te designes and then tell them that they shall have a Warrant for what they doe under the Great Seale which yet is of no more strength then are the Popes Paper-pardons from whom the LORD deliver us and from them and their commands who are not Masters of themselves It is good and safe to be at the command of that LORD who gives His Command and His Warrant and His Wages too He will beare-out His Servants in all they shall doe by Command from His Mouth That shall be their Warrant indeed To them and every one of them for what they doe and for so doing there is a sure reward And if the adversary shall thrust these men for doing their duty into a fiery furnace or Lions den yet GOD HAS COMMANDED That is their Warrant still and shall carry them boldly into the mouth of the devourers so as they shall quench the violence of the fire and stop the mouth of Lyons O how good a thing it is to be at the command of such a Master whose command is your Warrant your defence and reward too We have viewed the Armies on both sides Saul has most men and the most successefull he is and strong for the warre But GOD is with David Iob 9.19 and if we speake of strengâ—h Lo He is strong or of counsell Lo He is WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR the MIGHTY GOD or of Reward Lo there is no service to the service of That KING nor Wages like to that He gives Wo must proceed in the Chapter Saul has David in chase he will pursue him to the utmost extent of his chaine as farre as his hand can reach so farre we will follow him and so end the Chapter David and his men are hunted from Keilah whence they went whathersoever they could goe 1 Sam. 23.13 And the best way they could thinke-on in their distraction was to goe into a mountainous and wilde countrey where David abode in strong holds Vers 14. even in the wildernesse of Ziph And Saul sought him every day but God delivered him not into Sauls hand Ionathan Sauls sonne Vers 16. a true friend visits David in the wood strengthened his hand in GOD they two made a Covenant together then Ionathan returned to his house lest David in the wood in a strong hold there with the Ziphites Vers 17.18.19 20 Now they play their prankes give notice to Saul where Sauls abode is Saul takes this wondrous kindly counts it the Ziphites treacherous dealing a compassion blesseth them those Murtherers then bids them prepare his way Vers 21. Num dicebat mihi esse c. Trem. observe Davids haunt a subtle fellow he told me so himselfe sayes Saul when we were familiar together bring me word sayes Saul touching the certainty of Davids abode Vers 23. and his lurking places and I will goe up with you and search him out throughout all the thousands of Iudah Vers 22.23.25 See! Saul workes all by treachery if any help and successe in his way the divel helps him to it for he makes lyes and liars his refuge And Saul does as he said hee and his men went to seeke David And they told David Who told him Some in Sauls camp sure faithfull to David See! David has friends perhaps besides Ionathan Vers 19. in Sauls Court So he leaves Hachilah came down to Maon and before he could breath himself Saul hears where his abode is and pursues David even thither There David is in a maze knowes not in the world what way to take for Saul and his men have compassed him round But behold in passage the wonderfull workes of GOD towards David Saul pursues after David in all haste as after an enemy has him in a Coop makes no more conscience of destroying him then he does to eat bread Saul shall lose his advantage for now he must be told that an enemy indeed has invaded his land so Saul must hasten as fast against the Philistines as he hasted before in the pursuite of David c. for it is noted before Thus David escaped at this time and at all times Vers 29. and he now dwels in strong holds in En-gedi Saul has cleared his land of the Philistines 1 Sam. 24. now he drives after David as furiously as before for David is discovered againe and Saul is told where Davids abode is even among the wilde goats Vers 2. and upon the rockes there Saul a mighty hunter before the LORD hunts David with two thousand dogges and more not three thousand I thinke for the reason before said though so many were with him Notwithstanding Sauls Companies David shall have the better Saul had an advantage upon David before but could not take it David has an advantage now of Saul but will not take it farther then to declare
his uprightnesse towards his Master As for wickednesse it does ever proceed from the wicked man This we have read before and the words are cleare and so Davids innocency is cleared as the noone day and Saul abundantly satisfied and his Evill spirit silenced for that time But yet David would not trust Saul No reason he should trust him in whom is no truth and from whom God is departed So David and his men gat them up into the hold in the hill of Hachilah Vers 22. 1 Sam. 26.1 among the Ziphites againe and these are as treacherous as before 'T is expected so Knave once and Knave still Treacherous persons will deal treacherously they saw Saul did deale so it was his common practise they would follow such a great Master he hearkened to lies and all his servants were wicked Pro. 29.12 But methinkes GOD does not deal so gratiously with His gracious Servant the poore man knows not whither to run hee went forward even now and now backward againe and still almost in the mouth of danger and hands of treacherous men Is this GODS kindnesse to His Friend may some say Yes indeed is it and we shall see it to be so anon Admirable Kindnesse wonderfull Providence strange Discoveries but we will remember all Davids adventures first In the meane time this will serve to beare-up our Spirits that it matters not whither David runs whether forward or backward so he keeps with GOD and GOD with him nay though he doe stray from GOD a little yet GOD will not leave David We proceed Saul reading the Ziphites Intelligence drives furiously with the three thousand men to Ziph againe where he knowes he has Right-men for his service what followes now in the Chapter we have read before but it is very well worth the paines to read the Chapter againe for besides the beholding GODS wonderfull hand there in working for David and casting his enemy into a deep sleep we shall observe there also That the divel was non-â—lust quite silenced he had not a word to say and yet David who could have trusted Saul very well durst not trust his Evill spirit but concludes It is better for him to make speed into the land of the Pâ—ilistines and thither he goes and dwells in Gath driven out from abiâ—ing in the inheritance of the LORD The King shewes David favour there assigneth him a Towne called Ziglag which must be smitten anon and burnt with fire Now we may suppose Davids case to be full of distraction David lookes on the right hand calls out Who is on my side who The Keilites thought he No but they are not their hand is with Saul Then he looked on the left hand to the Ziphites to see if they would helpe him No they are with Saul as Right as the other No help from men they are deceitfull and treacherous Then Dâ—vid lookes before him and hastened to that strong hold and the other and Saul drives him out thence also then into the Wildernesse he goes Saul hunts him there then to Gath and there he is out of Sauls reach whose power vvas stinted there when his vvill to doe David mischiefe vvas boundlesse Novv to the Relation it has vvith our time as it is at this day and then I will conclude the Chapter Indeed it relates it selfe Saul has thrust out a rough hand against David Davids LORD an Almighty Hand to deliver him from out of Sauls hand The hotter the persecution the more glorious the rescue But how did Saul gain advantage upon David By corruption in the Officers and base treachery which we call fine designes But the LORD wrought-forth glorious salvations for David hereby All shall yeeld pretious matter for his soule and spirit to work upon filling his mouth with MICHTAMS golden Songs of deliverance Michtam of David a golden jewell oâ— notable Song and so notes the excellency of these Psalmeâ— 16.56 57 58 59 60. So it was with David in those times So it will be with David The People and Friends of GOD unto the worlds end But these Michtams had beene lost this pretious Treasure of the Church had there not beene such fine devices such subtile contrivances against him had there not beene so much of Hell in all Sauls designes against David there had not been so much of Heaven in Davids Psalmes Nay had not David been in these and these straits had not his friends deceived him and all his Strong-holds too the Church had lost Davids MASCHILS also his Psalmes to give Instruction how to make advantage of an Adversary and of all the mischiefes he shall doe or intend to doe against David He could not have wanted any one thing was done against him by the violence of man either from their hand or from their tongue David could not have been so high above his Adversaries at the last had they not had him under at the first had not his Enemies dealing towards him been so base vile and treacherous David had not been so glorious The truth is Sauls violent dealing with David did David much good he could not have wanted it So likewise the treacherous dealing of the Keilites and Ziphites all this did him much good also And for his strong-holds he lost them with more advantage at the last then he gained them at the first These stood him in stead but for the present time to keepe Saul from his throat the losse of them turned unto infinite advantage To sum-up all that has beene spoken last David is come to Nob gets the sword into his hand the best Sword that ever was in the world for he sees The print of an Almighty hand upon it and carryes the revenge of The LORD along with him in it And now he thinks he shall be delivered No not yet Then he came to Keiliah he has wrought a strange deliverance for them Now he makes no doubt but they will worke for his deliverance with all their might No they are treacherous Then to Ziph he came to see what the Ziphites will doe As little as the Keilites all they can against David Friends prove themselves all false Strong-holds are all too weake yet all to make David strong in his GOD at the last to fill Davids mouth with MICHTAMS and with MASCHIL's pretious songs for deliverance and To give instruction Therefore though we see great reason why all should be even so with David yet we will soberly enquire more fully into all these matters for GOD will give us excellent resolution thereunto CHAP. 5. God suffer'd the Adversary to prevaile a while To worke-out his designes against David That thereby Davids spirit might be discovered to himselfe That his Adversarâ—es spirits might bee made manifest also and convinced And GODS Right-hand made glorious towards David This in all particulars relates to David The Faithfull of The LORD evermore VVHy does The LORD deale thus hardly for so it seemes Qu. with His gracious Servant Dâ—vid For
confidences and how their hearts departed from their GOD for so much as the heart drawes and inclines to the creature so much and by the very same steps and degrees it withdrawes from GOD so much of the world as comes-in so much of heaven goes-out This were excellent matter to dilate upon but every good mans spirit is fitted for such a worke selfe-searching and triall what spirit he is of and how it has been discovered to himselfe all this time O the murmurings of his spirit how many have they been what haste has he made If he be not delivered now he shall be tyred and can follow GOD in His way no longer It is not necessary nay nor possible to set downe the murmurings warpings hastinesses of the best mans spirit but he will confesse he has in his HASTE limited the Holy One of Israel and tyed GOD like a creature to his owne time and way A man would doe it at such a time and by such meanes Therefore GOD must doe so too GOD must worke like a man This argueth a great distemper of spirit and must be corrected Alas shall David be delivered at this present time It cannot be the Servant of the Lord must be instructed first to a constancy of spirit so as he can come to this Period and stop there David shall be delivered the fittest time and after such a manner as shall most gloriously exalt GODS Name and Davids comfort and that I hope will best content and so he will conclude Therefore he will doe his worke and let GOD alone to perfect His and he will let GOD alone to His owne Time and to His owne Way in confident assurance That if Davids deliverance be delayed there is mighty Reason why it is so and the prime Reason is that David may be discovered his owne spirit made fully manifest to himselfe Secondly That Davids adversaries every one may be discovered too all the Right-men his true Enemies and false friends all their fine designes all their horrid hellish machinations that all may be discovered and layed open before all Israel and before the Sun David thought GOD was slack touching His Promise He was indeed as we count slicknesse when things are not done and deliverance wrought by the very same meanes and at the very nicke of time which we in our haste have concluded upon GOD was not slacke nor is he slacke towards David He is working wonders for David and we shall see it anon Davids deliverance stayes a little Why That all Davids enemies may be discovered how wicked how pernicious they are how mightily they fight against GOD and His servant David The enemy must be clearly convinced too we will take this and Davids adversaries in order and proceed upon discovery First Sauls most malignant spirit shall be made as manifest and naked to Israels eye as his body was in the day he was born He made shewes of love to David all his shewes shall shrinke-up to nothing or prove reall hatred Saul would have it told David That the King delighted in him Does â—e so Heare what Saul sayes and tell your selfe Saul blesseth the Ziphites those Murtherers 1 Sam. 23.19 Blessed be ye of the LORD Why blessed Because they undertooke Davids destruction in designe in the manner as they did at Bristoll London Lincolne To deliver David into Sauls hands that he might doe to him according to all the desire of his soule What desire was that To sheath his sword in Davids bowels Will the Ziphites give such a price into Sauls hand that he may doe to David according to all the desire of his soule will they so Blessed are ye of the Lord O strange Nay it was not strange it was ordinary with Saul to blesse his Right-men Murtherers and no others Blessed are ye of the Lord. O monstrous what abominable words are these Saul blesseth the Ziphites I ask againe Why does he so Because the Ziphites have a fine designe upon David as our Right-men upon Bristoll c. as was said to deliver him into Sauls hand that Saul may doe to David as we understood before The Ziphites have that in designe and Saul blesseth them for it and so his wickednesse is shewne before the whole congregation Prov. 26. For that is GODS designe too Saul shall not couzen the world any longer but GOD will turne Sauls blessings into curses Saul blesseth Murtherers GOD curseth them a treacherous and a murtherous Generation though they curse yet blesse thou So GOD will and curse them whom Saul blesseth Saul applauds their designes GOD abhorres them and their designes too and the Hang-man is appointed to give them their wages for their worke Observe further the Evill spirit of the man must be made more manifest for he saith ye have compassion on me What ye or who were they The same men who would lay a City waste so they might gratifie Saul in the destruction of David and this Saul calls compassion O blindnesse O desperate wickednesse he counts that a COMPASSION to his soule the working his will upon David which will destroy Sauls life here and his soule for ever Who is there that understands this and does not pray Lord leave me not in the lap of my owne will to run mine owne way and to accomplish my owne desire Does not many a man now-a-dayes count the granting of that a Compassion to his soule which being granted and effected to his hearts desire will destroy body and soule both eternally But I forbeare Here was a full discovery of Sauls spirit But let me speake a word for Saul for truely he had good things in him which must be remembred though the Evill spirits the Divell and his owne Spirit perverted all the contrary way Sauls good spirit was discovered too we fâ—â—de him weeping in one place and blessing David in another True But the Text sayes David would not trust him for all that Saul gave David good words and Blessings too and there was an Oath betwixt them and doubtlesse All was done heartily Saul did not treat with David and in the meane time carry on a fine designe to take away Davids life No doubtlesse Saul spake as he thought and meant to performe 1 Sam 24.22 But sayes the Text David would not trust Saul he and his Men got them up into the hold And the Reason was David knew an Evill Spirit haunted Saul an Edomite besides still at his Elbow and Saul had his foot entred into bloud up to the ankles David would not trust him Had Saul shed but a bottle of Bloud he might have bethought himselfe upon cold bloud as we say and repented and he might shew favour to an Edomite being his Herdsman But Saul has filled Nob with bloud from Corner to Corner And now that the Edomite is declared to be the Chiefe Malignant to Israel that ever was in Israels Land Saul approves of him the more The more bloud he hath shed the
himselfe and so playes mad prankes Reader you cannot justifie David in all he did though one of the best men in those dayes nor may you condemn him Nor may you say if you had been in his case you would not have done as David did You know not what you might have done had you been in his case close pursued at the heels by a cruell Lord a bloudy Edomite Thou little knowest now what thou mightest have done then being in Davids case It is thy neighbours case now pitty them condemne them not but looke to thy owne standing and in whose strength thou doest stand Meditate Terrour and strengthen thy hand and thy heart in GOD against the day of trouble and treading downe Now proceed The Lord orders all even Davids mad prankes for Davids good He is not more affraid of Achish then Achish is affraid of David A mad fellow I have no need of him David shall not come into my house sayes Achish David cared not whether he came thither or no. Nay he counts it a mercy That he is escaped thence And now hee is gone to the Cave Adullam 1 Sam. 22. There his friends comfort him and he has an Army of five hundred men He goes on somewhat an indirect course we shall heare more of that anon for he was affraid The Prophet meets with him bids him goe backe againe into the land of Judah There Saul heares tidings of him and from Doegs mouth he heares of all that was done at Nob. Then followes a miserable destruction as we heard all the Priests slaine except one who escaped to bring David the heavy tidings of All that befell the Citty of Priests which yet David expected knowing it would be so because he saw the Edomite was there But David has escaped and being delivered hee will doe some service in testimony of his thankfull remembrance for that deliverance David heares that the Keilites were distressed the Philistines were fighting against them and notorious Pillagers they were almost as these in our dayes 1 Sam. 23.1 They robbed the threshing floores tooke from the poore People their provision they had layed-up against winter David cannot endure this wrong his Soule hates oppression where ever he sees it and to the LORD he goes for He is Davids Oracle The LORD delayes not David gives him present Answer Goe and smite the Philistines and save Keilah Verse 2. No but doe not said his men See! they crosse Gods command Verse 3. but they give good Reason for it so as they put David to a stand We are afraid say they of one man Saul who is behind us and wilt thou thrust thy selfe into the mouth of the Troopers before thee a legion of them A poore hand-full of men against the Armies of the Philistines a fronte Wilt thou so It must not be so The men spake like men very good reason but they who can speak no more are not for action they will hinder Davids victories Now David is at a stand and faints hastens to GOD againe thither he can retire himselfe still and refresh his fainting spirits enquires of The LORD and is established A gracious God! He does not reprove David for hearkning to his men after he had heard what God said but gives him the same answere as before And now David is upon his legges again and as bold as a Lion he will venture himself among Scorpions now what cares he who they are they are Gods enemies or how many they are they are but men all and miserable men David carries the revenge of God with him and he must prevaile and doe worthily God bids him goe against them and he will goe David waits but for GODS commission and that shall be a sufficient warrant for David indeed Let God alone with the rest In point of worke and good service we must divide with God Wee have to doe with no more but the Duty the doing Gods command as here Davids command was Goe and smite the Philistines David must goe for GODS command carries a good man as Abraham blind-fold he knowes not whither But the distracting troublesome part that which is above strength the difficulty the darksome part of the worke which so disheartned Davids men and so shakes the soule with feare that is not ours but Gods part It must bee rolled upon Him Who is mighty and set Faith to work there A little Man and a great Faith an hand-full of Men and an heart-full of Faith will doe great matters Put to flight Armies of Aliens So David did here he smote those Pillagers and saved the Inhabitants of Keilah And now there David is even at KEILAH amongst the inhabitants there he is amongst those whom he has indeared and engaged to him he thinkes by unrecountable favours This was told to Saul That David was come to Keilah and Saul was glad of that and so he said God hath delivered him into my hands 1 Sam. 23.7 for he is shut in by entring into a Towne that hath gates and barres And that he may take the opportunity which GOD put into his hand he thought which yet was but to discover Sauls spirit the treachery of the Keilites and his owne glorious Arme stretched out still against Saul and for his Servant David Saul calls all the People together to war to goe downe to Keilah to besiege David and his men there David understands all this and more for this was Davids advantage and comfort both GOD was with David and went along with him where ever David went a Refuge to Whom he could continually resort for counsell and direction from His Mouth So David understands all the purposes of Sauls heart and that the Keilites will prove Treacherous also Set a Marke upon these Keilites as we passe that we may know them where ever we meet them Wicked ungratefull people David has taken off their yokes delivered them out of the hands of Spoylers made them Free-men who were Slaves before David put his life in his hand would jeopard it for them stand up for them against an Army of Philistines In a word David did for these KEILITES as the Parliament have done for us and when all this is done ungratefull wretches as they are they are so far from standing up for David that they will betray him into Sauls hand O monstrous c. Deliver up deale treacherously with him who was the best friend they had in the world Give him up into the hand of Saul and his Spoylers the Edomites to be spoyled who had delivered them from out of the hands of Spoilers O monstrous But yet David must not repent of what he has done it was his duty he had a command for it Though Saul is a bloudy man and the Keilites treacherous GOD is faithfull He will but learne His Servants this great Lesson Not to trust in men but in the Living and Faithfull and True God Men will deale like men deceitfully GOD is
the Edomite in our sense and in Scripture language That Legion of the Papists now Raging and Rioting in our Land we shall resist the King too for this Edomite is the chiefe MANAGER next to the Divel of all the Kings affaires in this Kingdome his very best Subjects and truest Friends O horrible what words are these Papists his best Subjects It must passe for it has the Kings allowance he has declared it so he has proclaimed it so once and againe and a third time The Edomites in Ireland in England they are the Kings best Subjects those he may confide-in his heart may cleave to them in love when David The faithfull of the LORD are called Traitors every day and his good People Rebels all O David cannot be silent now any longer GOD knowes and all the Christian world knowes Davids heart is upright and his hands cleare and his prayer pure touching this matter Their hands have not shed innocent bloud nor have their eyes seen it but with indignation and Zeale against these Murtherers And we say That many Kings have beene seduced by evill counsels Many whose hearts have beene stolne away from their good people and given-up into their enemies hands cleaving to them in love and some have shed bloud to their power as Saul here and others after him But oh how loth I am to speake The Evill Counsellours have carried-on the King in the Path of the destroyer beyond all These for he has given a Commission to destroy his good people and makes shewes That his soule bleeds over them He pittieth his Peoples nakednesse and takes from them their cloathes hee calls them Rebels in Ireland and entertaines the same Rebels here He professeth to do all by helpe of GOD and the Law and all he does has a manifest contrariety to GOD and contradiction to the Law He professeth with his tongue to be for Religion indeed when his heart and hand is utterly against the professors of the same To take them from the Earth He professeth to maintaine his Peoples liberties and does all that is in the power of his hands to inthrall and oppresse his people To make their neckes bend to the Edomites yoake he would make beleeve his hand goes along with GOD when hee puts it forth against The Almighty in all his peoples sight as if he had an arm like GOD. But the bloudshed in both his Kingdomes this The Lord sees and heares the voice of it too And which maketh the voice yet louder The LORD heares how he chargeth it upon the innocent and blesseth the Murtherers those that have shed it indeed The LORD lay it close to the heart of his Majesty that his soule may bleed over the blood he hath shed That he may forbeare to say so till he does so That his soule may shed teares for the bloud he hath shed indeed and indeed Let others pray The LORD bring his Majesty home to his Parliament upon the wings of the Churches Prayers They that pray so pray well but they pray better who pray The Lord open the Kings eyes and heart that he may discerne the Path he has trod the way he is in and feele the working of that bloud shed upon his soule working in him a sorrow after a godly sort The LORD shew him the falshood the hypocrisie of his heart make it as manifest to him as it is to all his good People That his uncircumcised heart may be humbled that he may abhorre evill and loath himselfe for what he has done Amen say I and all who wish that his soule may prosper He may come home to his Parliament and doe more hurt then good there unlesse his heart be humbled for all he has done first I remember very well the Eleventh King of Scotland the worst King that ever was I thinke yet was brought home to his Parliament I meane he came-up to his good People even to all the desire of their hearts for thus he did Those pernicious Counfellors he had many and they stole away his heart or he stole away theirs surely the King was worst because chiefest in the trespasse he suffered to be imprisoned and over some the wheele was turned And all this he did in deep dissimulation that he might the more freely with no resistance worke-out his owne will and doe according to his owne pleasure afterwards And so he did the yeare after by that time he saw all cleare before him the hearts of his Nobles gained for he gave the offenders into their hands and all was well and now they must be feasted They were glad of that and to supper they came which was served-up in a Lordly dish and after the meat Wine they are and dranke and their hearts were merry but the worst Wine was kept last towards the close of the Feast the Nobles were made drunke with their owne bloud as with sweet Wine A few escaped and those few by the helpe of the People rose-up against their King and slew him I shall not meddle with that though in the close of the worke I shall point to that King againe and another halfe as bad I conclude from hence That till the King be truly informed for what he has done That he has walked in the counsell of the ungodly his foot has stood in the way of sinners and he sitteth in the seat of the scornfull Till his heart be humbled for this Tâ—ll his soule cleaves to the ground for this and what else God and his conscience best knowes Till this be the King cannot come-back to his Parliament he caâ—not be to the heart and desires of his good People there Therefore pray we LORD turne the heart of the King give him a sight of what he has done and humble his soule in the sight of it th the hath blasphemed the Name of his GOD deal deceitfully with his Maker treacherouoy with His People abominably with His Day prophaning it by a Law He must be restlesse in his spirit till he hath vindicated That dishonour done to That Rest forcing and persecuting His best Servants touching that matter and shedding their bloud to his power ever since LORD give the King a sight of all this and of all that The Searcher of hearts and his owne heart knowes by himselfe and kindly humble him for all Then all the rest followes the King will be right for his Parliament his heart will be with them then it will be said and not till then What the King does pleaseth all his people and what his good people doe pleaseth the King Amen But if the King doe not his duty his people must doe theirs if hee looke not to his charge how he rules not his but Gods People THY PEOPLE sitting in GODS Throne Yet must the people look to their obedience they must be subject to the higher Power notwithstanding I come then to resolve what this higher Power is and the cases of conscience thereabouts Not touching the giving of
the Sword Strong-holds and Forts Ammunition and the like into confiding hands To this there is enough said though I had said nothing I will say but this So long as these Strong-holds and Breast-workes doe stand they will bee a memoriall of the Kings illegall and most injurious dealing with a righteous people So long as these shall be spoken of will the injustice the bloudy proceedings of the King in the hands of bloudy Counsellours be remembred also to all generations We shall tell it to our children and they to their children That the King of England would have oppressed his owne people he would have inthralled their Lawes Liberties Religion And for the maintenance of all these their lives and all that was deare unto them did his people so fortifie and Breast-worke themselves against the fury and rage of their King in the hands of bloudy persecuters The Case of Conscience now The People must not stand up for their lives and liberties Ob. against murtherers for if they stand up against them they stand up against their King We deny that and conclude the Contrary Ans That a standing up against Murtherers is a standing up for their King To deliver him out of the hands of Murtherers It has an affiance with duty a full aspect and agreement thereunto Why but if you resist these Murtherers Obj You resist the King and if you resist the King You resist the Higher power and that is the Ordinance of GOD wherto we must be subject for Conscience sake Yes but wee are cleare mistaken in point of Power Ans Therefore I will aske a question and resolve it What is this higher Power Qu. I will tell you first what it is not It is not that Power Ans which the King may have a will to give and may commit to an Edomites hand It is not a destructive power that is from the Divell whereby Saul and his Edomite were inabled to lay waste one City and made faire-offer to destroy another Not such a Power whereby the King and his wicked Councell now indeavour the same destruction to two Kingdomes It is not such a Power What Power then Qu. A Power whereunto in case the King or his Edomite wrongs me Ans though the lowest in his Kingdome yet I may appeale from him or them for Righteous Judgement And this Power is the Law and in the high Court Who can determine what Law is and doe stand bound to right mee oppressed by a Contrary Power though the meanest of many Thousands and not worhty the dust I tread upon yet This Court stands bound to right me And if so be they stand so bound to a private Person we must note this by the way how much stronger is their obligation to two or three Kingdomes To stand up for Defence of Lawfull power against this Destructive Power And now we have learn't our duty and office too we would have the Pa liament stand up for us we made choice of them for that end The greatest shame in the world If wee should not stand up for the Parliament with our Swords in our hands or with what commeth next to hand in defence of Lawfull power and all that is deare or neere unto us involved in the same What! see a King seduced by evill Counsell giving up his power I say his power not the higher power into an Edomites hand and this Edomite flourishing with his Sword and displaying his Banners in Israels Land and Israel stand still the while What a shame to all Israel But blessed be God they doe not stand still they move and they doe great things as their GOD inables them Who gives Courage Spirit and invention when and where Hee pleaseth And where the Inhabitants of the Land are not over-powered by the King and his bloody party there they doe fortify the Cities and Townes and Breast-worke themselves there And these Forts and Breastworkes are like to remaine to after Generations an Eternall dishonour to the King now in the hands of desperate and pernicious Men For when the Childe shall aske Wherefore were these Forts and Breastworkes raised The Father will Answer The King of England seduced by evill Counsell would have destroyed the Parliament of England Laws Liberties Religion Life and all Therefore did the Parliament and all good people in defence of the Parliament and themselves raise up themselves and these Forts Strong-holds and Breastworkes so wee shall declare to our Children what the King by his pernicious Counsellors has done against his good people and what the Lord has done for them shall be had in perpetuall remembrance But will not this be called a resisting of the higher power Qu. Yes by those who understand not what higher power or Law meaneth Ans or judge it to be that which ruleth in their Members Or doe understand by power The Kings private will or that Commission he can give under the Great Seale such a KEEPER it hath into the hands of Edomites Davids utter and implacable enemies now not like but of the same generation with the Edomites in ancient dayes But is it not a Resistance of the Power Quest which is indeed the Ordinance of God No Ans but a contending for that Power the setling and establishing thereof in the Land by all lawfull meanes which GOD has not onely allowed but commanded That his people may live as His people in holinesse and righteousnesse giving obedience to their Master in Heaven and in Relation to Him to that power He has set over His people on earth This is more then enough to these questions which we finde so fully and excellently cleared to every eye but theirs who will not see though we should as the Proverbe is Shew them the Sun in our hand Si solem ipsum gestemus in manibus Last 7.1 I conclude then That they and they onely shew themselves conscientious men and to understand the weight of duty who stand-up now for their Lawes and Liberties and life of their lives their Religion so to deliver a captive King a distressed Church and State now in the hands of bloudy and most pernitious Counsellours And if all the people in the Land doe not stand-up now in this breach it is not because they want will but because they want power they are over-powered The Divell is as strong now and works as mightily now so does the Edomite also the Divels right hand in our Land as they did anciently in the Kingdome of Iudab But some make scruple here and conscience too for they say They have taken an Oath to serve the King Ob. and they cannot dispence with their Oath God forbid they should Let them serve the King and serve him heartily and faithfully but then they must not serve his private Will which they see enlived made strong and mighty by an Evill spirit now ruling against the Common-wealth and publike Faith of
stedfastly heaven-ward then they are in heart againe and as bold as Lyons We read as followes CHAP. 4. Saul has shed bloud to his power is resolved to shed more summons Israel to come-in for that purpose They come at his call What to thinke of his Troopers It relates to the later and present time not to dishearâ—â—â— but to encourage all Israel David must be driven from out of all his strong Holds and forsaken of all his friends excellent Reason is given why it is so in the next Chapter SAul has done according as his will carrieth him and the Edomite according to his Commission And now their foot is entred into bloud they drive-on furiously in the Path of the destroâ—er and to Keilâ—h they march A man would thinke now that such a cruell Lord and such a bloudy Generall as is the Edomite should not have one man to goe out with him into the field no not one But see it is otherwise 1 Sam. 23.8 for we read Saul called all the People together to war And they came in at his call I examine not now what moved them thick and threefold as we say by Companies and Troopes to the number of three thousand men What to doe To safeguard Sauls person that was Sauls pretence against the insolencies of David who ye know or else ye know nothing ran away faster then Saul could march after though Saul made as much speed as possibly he could who was exceedingly MAD against the righteous and persecuted David even to strange Cities yet Saul was afraid of David and made his guard so strong Let it goe for I will not inquire into that matter being made so legible already I would rather enquire Who or what manner of persons these Souldiers were It is answered Chosen men out of all Israel that is noble rich valiant stout men learned men also the vile Priests and the treacherous Prophets Doubtlesse these were now as alwayes ever since ingaged in the warre against David and Chosen men out of Israel to that purpose And truly this must needs be a great disheartning to David and so to all Israel for Sauls foot is in the Path of the destroyer the Edomite is with him they are marching to Keilah to doe to that City as they did to Nob and yet GOD seemes to shine upon Saul and his Councell Saul calls and they come-in unto him no fewer them Three thousand châ—sen men out of all Israel To relate unto the present time as we goe along This has beene and is our present case The King in his warre against David now the faithful in his Land has the same advantages now as Saul and his Edomite had in the dayes of old though the King seduced by evill counsels is gone-up to the knees in bloud yet Nobles are come-in unto him rich men valiant men an Army of Scholars too Lawyers and Divines both to help-on the persecution with their Swords and with their Pens Such Instruments the King has Choice and Right-men for his service and they serve their Master heartily without gaine of money for they feed upon free cost all is theirs they can lay hold on Right-men indeed as heart could wish such as the Oratour tells me Philip of Macedon found He sought with diligent search for wicked men who w uld in a treacherous way bring his designes to passe against their owne Countrey-men and such be found Demost de falsa legatione pag. 204. in folio but yet saith the Oratour Philip found them more wicked then he himselfe could have wisheâ— They had plotted and hammered out such projects and contrivances against their owne Countrey and for Philipâ— ends as that Philip himselfe durst not frame-out unto them the like plot or desire the same either by Letter or Embassie so abominable those Instruments were Such instruments the King has worse indeed but more Right and straight to the Designes his Councell has laid-out unto him then he expected or perhaps could have desired And what Davids case is the faithfull of the LORD he knowes nothing that knowes not this He has Armies by Sâ—a and Armies by Land North and South East and West stand-up for his help and the Eâ—e of the LORD is upon them for good that is certaine though many are sicke amongst them and many fallen asleep even the Righteous are taken away Nay many are run-away and more have dealt treacherously as we have heard and shall hear few there are that be hearty to the cause and fewer yet that doe not serve for gaine of money and no money no march Thus they deal with Dâ—vid Ah Lord how does the enemy laugh at this Let his laugh GOD laughes too and His servants laugh also rejoycing alwayes in The LORD they will doe their worke let GOD alone to perfect His worke They will give in their hand to David he shall have their hearts too And no marvell all this not can it seeme any strange matter That many noble rich valiant learned men are now on the contrary side and enemies to David None of all these can endure afflictions with David not a wildernesse with David They cannot goe from soft beds to bard boards They must have their ease for the present for after time they leave it to the DECREE give them their portion here they are satisfied Nor can they conceive but That Saul with his three thousand will overcome David with his five hundred and then they shall receive what a King can give for he will be abundantly good to them now they have assisted him to complete his victory which wil never be over David and his men Yes you will say Saul will overcome David for he has ten for one This Saul understood no more then the Egyptians did when God set Himselfe betwixt them and Israel Ex 14.19 True if Saul were to fight with men David only and his men But Saul must fight with David and his GOD hee must overcome GOD before he overcome David You have not mans warrant now you have GODS warrant That Saul shall never overcome Let him call-in the chosen men out of Israel give them his Commission bid them cut and kill and slay there is their warrant yet they shall never overcome David for GOD is with David But yet Saul must have all the advantage that heart can wish and all the disadvantage must be on Dâ—vids side Saul must rise in his hopes oftentimes and David must fall very low and yet not at the lowest Saul must have the advantage counsell on his side and strength both and numbers also Thousands for Davids hundreds yet David is not troubled at all this for it is as good a signe as can be looked upon he looks to the Cause and to his GOD rolles himselfe and his concernments upon GOD and there he resteth his head and has peace in himselfe and in his way But here is a Triall now The LORD does more then seeme He does indeed
not so uncharitable as to thinke That all these three thousand were all murtherers They that were acquainred with Sauls minde and willingly followed the Commandement Those all were murtherers in the highest degree there is no doubt of all that But some there were a very few who followed Saul and crossed his commandement what they could So did Jonathan and how many more I cannot tell And others there were who followed Saul as sheepe are driven by the Shepheard when hee meanes to plunge them into the waters They did not properly follow Saul but were driven by the hand of violence as some of late have beene and as Saul himselfe was by the Divell To exemplifie this by the Edomites practice at this time The Edomite now in the North we have no other name for him has exercised such cruelties upon the inhabitants there to force them to his side tying their heads and heeles together till from some of them breath departed And by these Turkish inforcements he has gained many bodies to his side but David has their hearts And so we may conceive and so judge it was with men in Sauls Host because the Sacred Scripture gives us that allowance For we reade of no execution done upon Israel upon their Cities but by Saul and the Edomite Saul spake indeed to all his Servants That they would kill David and wee make no doubt many were active Instruments that way for the Edomite could not doe all his executions alone But that all this Host was ingaged upon this service and would have answered Sauls bloudy will had they come to a set Battell is more then I can tell or any man in the world for we have not a word for it Onely to cleare this and to say as much as needs in reference to the present tiâ—e also for all is plaine all along this I will say That whosoever amongst those three thousand did follow Saul and his Command though grieving for Conscience not asleep or seared will regret and recoile give checke sometimes and yet approving An. lib. 14 cap. 〈◊〉 In some Bookes the fourth Moerens ac laudans as Tacitus speakes of Burrhus in a case not unlike I say All such as followed Saul so though grieving yet approving and commending what Saul did these were as one of them Edomites murtherers in true judgement and Scripture account And if the Sacred Scripture accounts these men murtherers then GOD accounts them so and then what will their Commission and Warranâ— profit them Or can it bâ—are them out in these outrages they have committed when they are indeed the fiercest enemies that ever the Church had But I will draw-up to a conclusion of this matter with some few observations from all wee have read First 1. Here an Edomite has done all the mischiefe a Right-hand to Saul in his bloudy execution What was hee A meane man sure an Heards-man then he was lifted up higher and made Steward of Sauls house set over his Servants there Conferring of honours upon him engaged him to Saul and his service so Saul made him Generall in the Field O! This preferment these honoâ—rs are a sweet bait it takes a man strangely it will take a man quite from Dâ—vid that hath not his heart engaged to his GOD Saul knew what he did when he raâ—lâ—d the Edomite to honour he shall doe what Saul will have him doe He is more then a man who can shut his eyes against the glory of the world and contemne it for Daviâ—s sâ—ke A man without â—ruth of Grace is like a ship without ballast it cannot endure a stonne That can be content to passe over with a carelesse eye the pleasures and profits of the Court. and endure afflictions with David the friends of GOD. An HOTHAM who had the boldnesse when time was and GODS pleasure to maintaine David and his cause to out face a Prince could not out-face the glory of the world he is taken with the bait of honour gaine or I know not what and so hath undone what he did and made himselfe infamous to all generations The King has that at his dispose which will worke upon all complexions but honour for the proud workes strangely brings many to his side and makes them RIGHT for his service David is in a Wildernesse has little for himselfe and lesse for his friends but they that serve David serve Him heartily nothing can win them to Davids side but meere conscience of duty to GOD and His cause LORD stablish the heart with Grace a sleeting thing we are never sure of it and must never be secure about it shew it the excellencies in the LORD JESUS then we shall not be taken with the â—omp of the world Acts 24. a Phantasie nor be offended at the troubles of David Secondly there were many Noble many Rich many Stout many valiant men and many wife men on Sauls side but yet they must not be a dishonour to Israel all these must come-in under one Head and the Edomite their Generall must beare the envie and dishonour of that Naturall war for it is as Naturall for the Edomite to warre with David as for the fire to burne It is not said Israel smote Nob No The Edomite smote Nob and all his helpers some Israelites no doubt yet they goe under that name So here are two Kingdomes smitten with the sword Who smote them It shall not be said This Prince or That Prince This Noble-man or That Noble-man No The Edomite did it It shall not lye as a reproach upon England it shall cause her sorrow that her owne children whom she has dandled upon her lap have to their power eat out her bowels It is a grievous thing And that those Brethren in evill who ought themselves unto this Church should prove such vipers and doe her such mischiefe This is grievous But the dishonour of it shall not lye upon this Mother-Church but upon Rome it shall lye upon the children of that Edom and the Church shall remember them to all generations Who in the day of Ierusalem said Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof Thirdly though we doe not question Ionathans sincerity being well resolved at that point that he was a good man and a true friend to David and did him great service at the Court yet I thinke wee may question whether his bands of nature or Court-bands all very strong no doubt were strong enough to bind his bodily presence to continue with his father all the time his father persecuted David I determine nothing here because the Scripture is silent but thus the Scripture speakes out and we may set a marke upon it that if Ionathan was not slaine first which yet the Text seemes to say yet thus it was 1 Sam. 31.6 Saul died and his three Sonnes and his Armour-bearer and all his men that same day together TOGETHER they went along with Saul in a bloudy Path he did drive-on furiously but
David when he was in the refining pot melting there His presence would be with him as with the three Worthies He will moderate the fire if He does not quench it the extream heat of the enemies rage against David he shall do David no hurt blessed be His Name But yet behold the Ciâ—y is burnt with fire wives sons and daughters taken captives Davids wives too Learne then 4. How corruptible our Ziglags are how uncertaine our comforts there like Ionas Gourd they cast a shadow in the morning and we sit contentedly under them at night they are withered David and his men a very few dayes ago had every man an house wives and children round about them and David had a City a place of refuge to go unto Now their houses lye in ashes and all their delectable things taken thence Let us consider well on it and reade the Case once more David and his men are gone from home they returne in ashes their houses smitten and burnt all their comforts taken thence It was Davids case and theirs whose hand was with David Then why maâ— it not be ours LORD teach us by this example not to set our eyes upon our Ziglags not our hearts upon our comforts there A great lesson for this time and because of our dotings that way a maine reason why The LORD infinitely wise and exceeding loving to Daviâ— suffers his Ziglag to lye in ashes before his eyes haply David and his men had set their eyes upon that place and their comforts there they had delighted in them too much Whosoever does so David must not therefore his Ziglag shall be smitten and burnt with Fire But we do not see the worst of Davids case yet His City is burnt it is possible for David a valiant man to get another His wives are taken captives he may recover them againe but he cannot doe all this without his men and see hâ—s case they will turn from him or turn against him for they spake of stoning him It is the saddest case that ever I read I meane an outward case and so every man will say that observes it David is in a strange Countrey he has a shelter there It is burnt with fire all his comforts taken thence O for a friend now to comfort him he has not one They that should comfort him are miserable comforters Their soule is grieved every man for his sons and daughters then they spake of stoning David Israels old doings Their father 's dealt little better with Moses If they wanted bread or water or were in danger then presently they blamed Moses So here these men are smitten whose ever was the hand it was GODS rod and they speak of smiting David Surely David is in a sad and a darksome condition he walks now in the shadow of death but GOD will be a light unto him and David looks for Him even for a light to rise in this obscurity I remember there was a Kingdom which wanted an heire Competitors there were enow It was agreed upon amongst the Nobles That he should be King who could first spy the Suns rising You will imagine now that many eyes were turned eastward intent that way for they looked for a Kingdom and yet not all one amongst many and but one looked as stedfastly westward and got a Kingdom by it for without controversie he spied the beams of the rising Sun first striking upon the high places of the earth westward Here is the patience of the Saints They can wait upon GOD stay His leasure leave Him to His own way and Time Who created the light and formed the darknesse His servants expect now the clearest manifestation of the light of GODS countenance towards them there Isa 58.10 where the Sun of all their outward comforts set Thy light shall rise in obscurity and Thy darknesse shall be as the noone day Every man expects light in the morning and to see the Sun rise in the East But to expect light to rise in the West where the Sun of all our comforts here below sets here is the wisedome and patience of the Saints also And it is a wonderfull Promise In the morning it shall be light Are those the words No for that runs along vvith our sense too but vvhen vve think the time vvill be darkest as novv in Davids case vvhen the Sun of all his comforts is set novv to expect light there is the wisedome and patience of the Saints and they have a vvonderfull promise for it praised be His glorious Name But it shall come to passe Zech. 147. That at EVENING IT SHALL BE LIGHT It shall be the lightest Time vvith David vvhen he expects it vvill be darkest i.e. When he is in the shadovv of death AT EVENING IT SHALL BE LIGHT vvhich Davids GOD vvill create for David and that is a glorious light We can novv resolve our selves vvhy The LORD vvill have it night vvith David vvhy He vvill have the Sun of all his outvvard comforts goe dovvne and set all at once Why To indeare light unto him VVhile the Sun shines and it is day vvith us light is but an ordinary thing and but an ordinary rate set upon it an excellent creature though it be But vvhen neither Sunne nor Moone nor Stars appeare in the night of our affliction then to have light come-in unto us as to Paul and Silas in the prison this indeares light novv it is light indeed To have a light arise in obscurity that is comfortable indeed in this evening of our distractions in the night of our affliction it shall be light That is a glorious promise and it is a new Creation The LORD suffers the adversary to over-power David to take from him all was his all below that David could take delight in Now would we say David is an undone man No we are deceived the enemy cannot undoe a man he may distresse him for a minute or an houre but he cannot undoe him the enemy cannot take GOD from a man and till that be done till GOD be gone from a man he is never undone Nay the more fierce and violent the enemy is upon David the nearer GOD is to him as wee are nearest our children when trouble and paines are upon them then we are nearest them so is GOD too and He is the Fountaine of Light be it Even-tide or Mid-night with us He maketh it day where-ever He is And now His Servant David will set his face more stedfastly to looke after this light now that his shadow is so dark If his comforts be not removed from his eye the streame of his affections will not run cleare towards the Spring-head The Living Fountain of light and comfort David must finde a nothingnesse in the creature before he can finde all in GOD. He cannot be taught that great lesson but by losses after losses David must be a King just and mercifull therefore he must feele oppression and grone under it He must see
affliction and be acquainted with it David is rising a pace to his Crown It must be from the lowest bottome and when he was there in dust and ashes though he thought not so the Crown was hastning to his head For he did not faint in his minde But David encouraged himselfe in The LORD Mighty words and they make David strong and mighty in his GOD. All was gone All the discouragements that the world could lay upon David lyes now upon him yet he can encourage himselfe in GOD and so makes-up all his losses in one GOD. Indeed GOD is all-sufficient And now GOD turnes the heart of his men unto David againe And they march forth against the enemy in the strength of The LORD and fetch all back againe If David can encourage himselfe in GOD he shall see the streame turned presently as the rivers in the South If we can beleeve trust perfectly That which we think cannot be is possible and shall be That which we thinke is gone shall all turn back againe If we can be patient we shall receive all againe with advantage This in passage I would rather set a marke upon the time when David was delivered David was delivered but not before he was driven from all his strong-holds not before his-last place of refuge was smitten and burnt with fire not before all his comforts were taken from him and his men spake of stoning him Then he was delivered when to the eye of Reason deliverance was farthest off cleane out of sight I conclude from hence that David now all the faithfull of the LORD shall be delivered but not yet deliverance is comming-on and perfecting every day even by those meanes and wayes whereby we thinke it is set further backe but it will not be perfected not compleated as it shall be in time and as we call complete before all strong-holds and brest-workes are cast downe and destroyed I cannot be mistaken here I doe not meane that all the strong holds forts and brest-workes before our eyes must be destroyed before the Church shall be delivered no the Church is alwayes allowed the wisdome of the serpent to stand upon her guard and in her watch-tower to fortifie and brest-worke themselves against an insulting adversary who if he should prevaile will tread upon the head of the righteous more heavily then ever yet they were trod upon so as their neckes shall bow downe to the foot of pride shall be trod upon as the mire in the streets Blessed be GOD His servants have so fortified themselves and His blessings be upon the heads of those who have given forth their heart and hand to the raising these works for I verily beleeve these will be very serviceable to the Church till the very time when her LORD will make her a quiet habitation all the time before is like to be Troublous The meaning then is not That these forts and brest-workes before our eyes must be destroyed before the Church is delivered though it is very notable that so it was with David all was downe before he was raised quite forsaken before GOD took him up But all the Churches strong-holds within must be destroyed their vaine confidences their brest-works within raised there by these without making the Church confident and secure trusting in them these must be destroyed before the Church can be delivered Nay if these brest-workes and strong holds within be not destroyed they will destroy us they will put deliverance further backe and destroy these without I meane our trusting in them expecting salvation from them will destroy us and them it will bring a curse upon all the sword shall impoverish thy fenced Cities saith the LORD Ier. 5.17 Why will the Lord suffer the Adversarie to doe so Because His People set their hearts that way and departed from the LORD they expected salvation from their fenced Cities it is as idolatrous every whit as to expect salvation from stockes and stones therefore the LORD would impoverish their fenced Cities wherem thou TRVSTEDST with the sword their trust in these things destroyed the things and persons too But more of this in the eighth and last Chapter Our deliverance is delayed we shall see reason why it is so we are very high now and exalted but GOD must be exalted in that day We do indeed many of us lye among the Pots like as Scullions betwixt the Raunges i.e. sore troubles are upon us Psal 63.13 In summis angustiis sordibus squalore vixeritii Metaphora a calonibus castrensibus Iunius and our eyes have seen adversity and yet because our out-sides shew forth no such thing our outward garbe is so unsutable to Mourners to those that are sultied among Pots because our faces doe not change colour yet nor our cloaths we doe not take shame unto our selves Therefore GOD will not take off our reproach we shall see more adversity before GOD will put glory upon us before we shall be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and yellow gold But more of thâ—s anon Now David is delivered for all his strong holds are downe and he can encourage himselfe in the Lord when all the discouragements that could be were upon him when he was weakest then was he strongest when he was driven from all his strong holds when all his comforts were removed when his men turned themselves against him then GOD comes in when no help from earth there is much from heaven GOD loves to shew himselfe for David when they can see nothing but His right hand put forth in their salvation Blessed be GOD a refuge that never failed David He comes-in when all goes out a present help in trouble Refuge failed me said David in his Maschil when he was in the Cave no man careth for me Psal 142.4 my owne servants speake of stoning me did he say at that time but then he encouraged himselfe in the LORD his GOD and said Thou art my refuge O! blessed be GOD Be the Nations never so angry and the earth unquiet Ier. 3.23 the Sea of this world never so tempestuous yet His servants eyes are ever to the LORD they can put-in into that harbour and they are secure I conclude Truely in vaine is salvation hoped for from the hills and from the multitude of mountaines Trulâ— in the LORD our GOD is the salvation of Israel Isa 29.19 The meeke shall increase their joy in the LORD and the poore among men shall rejoice in the Holy one of Israel In the way of thy judgements O Lord Isa 26.8 have we waited for thee the desire of our soule is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee Amen CHAP. 7. A grave Question resolved Touching the manner how a Spirit is to be resisted If he acts like a Spirit then by the spirit of Prayer wherein Israel neither was nor is wanting If hee acts by the hand of an Edomite then he must be resisted by the sword of an
Israelite wherein Israel now must not be wanting neither but doe as Israel did and as their Brethren in Scotland have done of late and in ancient Times DAvid greatly distressed has encouraged himselfe in The LORD his GOD then enquiring of The LORD is commanded to pursue after his enemies and assured without faile to recover all His army is but in an ill case for service six hundred in all two hundred so faint that they could not go Notwithstanding GOD who hangs the greatest waights upon the weakest wyers does the greatest matters by the weakest instruments has done His worke by these weake men But yet that all Israel may attest Davids innocency and secure him from Sauls and his Edomites insolencies GOD sends them all-in now to help David And in they come with a blessing in their mouths Peace peace be unto thee and peace be unto thine belpers for thy GOD helpeth thee 1 Chro. 12.18 Here is a grave question now touching the manner of resistance If the Tribes come-in not to resist Saul Obj but as affirmed before his private will or spirit like a strong man keeping possession in Sauls heart and holding his tenure therein more firmly by the activity and effectuall working of the evill spirit which came upon Saul and never left him to the day of his death If so Then me thinkes this kinde should have beene cast forth by Prayer and Fasting The meaning is Israel should not have taken Bow and Arrowes Shield and Buckler into their hands but have fallen downe upon their knees and have prayed for their Master and so by mighty-wrastlings have dispossessed Saul of his own spirit so by mighty in him This had been according to the Rule and word of The LORD Christ Matth. 17.21 This kind is not cast forth but by Prayer and Fasting To this I reply first and doe grant 1. That this kinde while it does act as a spirit is to be resisted by the spirit of Prayer and so alwayes has beene cast forth But when his actings are more open and visible upon any person as upon that Lunatick there Then if there had beene force enough to resist him the father of the childe would not have called it a Resistance of his childe which was but the restraining of the childe from falling into the fire and into the water So we see in this case There might have been a resisting of the divell which had had an affiance and good agreement with duty Much more then had this Lunaticke Person played the Edomite flourished with his sword slaine all he met man woman and childe sucklings too beasts also made Cities ruinous heaps Should Israel goe to prayer now Pray the divell to be quiet So they might have beene killed upon their knees Israel knew the divell well enough and the Edomite too That the more they prayed them the fiercer they would be as Rabshakeh cried the louder in the Jewish language the more he was prayed to speake in the Syriacke tongue 2 Kin. 18.28 When the divell has put a sword into an Edomites hand we must not use supplications but put force to force and conjure-out the divell with the Sword If the divell make you bleed try a conclusion whether you cannot make the divell bleed which is very poffible sayes Zanchie and he has a large discourse upon it and touching the methods of Satan The divell acts now by the hand of an Edomite he must be resisted by the hand of an Israelite This first I affirm 2. That Israel Priests and People there went by their Rule doubtlesse they had used all fair means before they tooke the sword in hand They had prayed for Saul and to make their prayer the more fervent they fasted for him also But here was a sad case you read it before Saul has murthered those Priests who were the likeliest men in all Judah to pray and fast for him he murthered them Indeed it was as sad a case as I thinke is imaginable for whereas he might have had groanes and Prayers put up to the throne of grace in his behalfe from the Priests mouth he makes the good Priests groane because of his oppression The good Priests would have cryed for him spake good for him before his and their LORD night and day Saul regards not that he has shed their bloud and now their bloud cries against him night and day How long LORD how long â—er thou doest avenge our bloud that is shed Truely this is an heavie case certainly Israel went by rule they prayed for their King they were not wanting in that point Indeed there is one thing touching this matter which seemed strange to me All this time which Soul has cast away and worse then lost in persecution of David I heare not one word of counsell or Prayer from Samuels mouth that good old Prophet It is true before this persecution begun we read Samuel came no more to see Saul 1 Sam. 15 35. till the day of his death Yet me thinkes it is very cleare and expresse though not in words that Samuel prayed for Sauâ— Neverthelesse Samuel mourned for Saul sayes the Text Then he prayed for him sure 1 Ioâ—n 5.16 There is a sin unto death sayes Saint Iâ—hn I doe not say that be shall pray for it But sayes another If thou maist not pray for him yet maist thou grieve Si non ores gema tamen sortassis gemitus tuas penetâ—et quo oratio non pâ—aesumat tendere and â—â—â—urne for him perhaps thy sighes groanes and in urnings of thy sâ—irit may ascend thither where thy prayer presumes not to come Samuel MOVRNED for Saul That was a servent prayer And certainly the LORD answered Samuels Prayer touching Saul though not as Samuel desired yet as best pleased the Lord. He answered him and in a very effectuall way and manner of answering for thus we read So David fled and escaped the hands of Saul and came to Ramih 1 Sam. 19 18. and told him all that Saul had done to him all Sauls ungodly deeds and hard words committed against David he told Samuel all and they dwelt together at Naioth Saul heares of this thing and where Davids abode is and he sent messengers to take David GOD prevented them Verse 20. and made a change of them quickly no sooner came they thither but they doe for the time as others did they prophesie Saul heares all this he will have his Will sends more Messengers and thither they came and it was with them as it was with the former Ver. 21. they prophesie also Then Saul went himselfe to Ramah for he will have David whether GOD will or no But when he comes thither he is changed for that season and does as all his messengers befâ—re him and then it became a Proverbe How was this sudden change made in Sauls messengers and in himselfe It is answered The Spirit of GOD came upon them That is true
Yeere of his Age He was no sooner Marryed but hee Doted and had a speciall gift in flattering himselfe Excluâ—a Nobilitate And those about him few or none of the Nobility the worst he could pick from cut of the Cities or Country quickly learnt the Court-Art and could flatter as well as their King but none more accurately then the Priests could doe They told their King he might doe what he listed he was King and his will was the Law Thereafter he might punish and might pardon and bestow his honours as he would and not as the Common Law wills but saies the Author all as hee wills so it must bee will was Law and King both and Commands all What a miserable Confusion was here The face of the Kingdome quite changed Nobles could not be heard nor the Law neither and good Men were Silent Some base Men or quite degenerate had the eare of their King and his heart and commanded his hand and they did all till they had almost undone all for they Monopolized the Common good of all the Subjects their King They Ingrossed his heart that deare Commodity So as That which should be as Rivers of water to Refresh the whole Kingdome they made as a sealed fountaine quite shut-up to all honest Men and open to c. In the Nick of Time there came an Ambassadour out of England if I well remember to treat of Peace and to seale it with a Marriage when the Prince and Princesse should come to age So great a businesse required consultation The King calls a Parliment He with his wicked Counsell has his end satisfaction of a Private will and to enlarge Private wealth The Nobles and Commons have their end the Common-wealth the publike Faith and Trust of the Kingdome They are all assembled the Lord Douglasse a faithfull Minister of State is their Speaker his Speech is long that which relates to the present is short He tells them wherefore they were called together what their Kings end what theirs the Kings businesse requires no haste the matters of the Kingdome does he opens unto them the sinke of the Court shewes the Nobles and Commons their Vassalage under these the vilest persons who stanke all the Kingdome over We are Nobles sayes he ye and we are a free people yet if we looke not to it quickly we must be made servants to the basest Masters the lusts of our King and his favourites who have stollen away our King his heart is gone quite alienated from his friends and betrayed to his enemies No sooner this was spoken and his speech ended but out he and the rest went Nobles and Commons and to the Court gate What is the mattes sayes the King We will plucke the evill Counsellours from your side said they The Question was quick the Answer was as quick They will have their demands and they have them those evill Counsellours the Plague and Pests of the King and Kingdome all but one and he was a youth too ingenuous to learne the art so quickly is spared at the request of the King but all the rest are given over unto them and they as quickly hang them up How did they doe for Ropes That might be a question indeed being so neare the Court gates Vt câ—m funes in re subâ—ta decsseâ—â— They made an honest shift for they hanged these evill men up with their horses bridles Perfidious Scots said some three years agoe Honest Scots say I and shall say so till I read and finde the contrary They will bestirre themselves when they see a Kingdome neare to ruine There is not the like story but a very notable one of Dursthus their eleventh King mentioned befoâ—e hee was slaine in battell by his owâ—e subjectâ— They â—re blamed for it to this day that they brake their Oath with their King No they did not he brake with them and was the most perfidious King that you shall read of in any Chronicle The case is plaine and the manner of resistance cleared to be as becommeth Israel then and now But all Israel comes not in now as they did then to help the LORD against the Mighty There will be excellent Reason given for this in the next Chapter CHAP. 8. Mans extremity is Gods opportunity David had a glorious deliverance when he was made meet for it So shall the Church have when their adversaries have filled up their measures When Gods People are purified in their furnace then their God will send them glorious Saviours and a glorious Salvation In the meane time they hold fast their confidence DAvids helpers came-in he was raised to a glorious condition here on earth the Crowne was set upon his head presently and there is mighty Reason why it was so His head was made meet for a Crowne he was fitted for deliverance All his strong holds were downe all his Altars the lying vanities whereto he trusted were as Chalke stones that are beaten asunder Isa 27.8 He was greatly distressed forsaken of all humane helps refuge failed all is gone and all the discouragements in the world were upon him yet at such a time he fainted not but encouraged himselfe in the LORD his GOD Then he could exalt GOD in that day Psal 18.12 he could say of Him Thou art my strength my Rocke my Fortresse c. he called upon the LORD in that day SO he was saved from his enemies and from the hand of Saul 2 Sam. 22. Our case is otherwise our helpers come-not-in as to David all as one man we are yet greatly distressed True you will say in some quarters of the Land but it is not every mans case and God forbid it should be so all the Land over So say I too Amen And yet it must be every mans case I meane not to suffer all alike the spoyling of our goods but to be affected and afflicted for what others our Brethren and Sisters doe suffer that way this must be every mans case to have a sympathy a fellow-feeling of what others doe suffer wee must suffer all in compassion before we are dâ—livered every man must beare his part Heb. 10.33 partly sayes the Apostle whilest we were made a gazing stocke both by reproaches and assliâ—â—ions and partly while ye became companions of them that were so used If we examine our case by this Scripture it will tell us how fit and meet wee are for deliverance which we wonder does linger so long The sword has greatly distressed our land how has it wrought upon the oppressed therein or what compassion in those who have not yet been oppressod by it Surely it may be answered Perdidistis utilitatem calamitatii miseâ—rimi fâ—cti estis pessimi permansistis Aug. de Civis l. 1. c. 33. that the most of us have lost the fruit of all this sore wrath which has lyon upon our neighbours these many yeares and upon our owne land these few moneths which yet