far we misliked sometimes our owne doings therein nor what we promised to the contrarie Not only in labouring for Kingdoms but in this quarel also oathes must be no oathes with vs now And that which is more this hideous quarell must so be manned and toughly followed that the common enemie must rather be suffered to do what he will then so much as a latchet wanting in this But as God then also gaue David some little helpe Such a like helpe as was affoorded to David before affoorded vnto the Gospell now in the companie that came vnto him so it pleaseth him now also not altogether to leaue those destitute whom the Saules of our time so busily persecute for the Gospels sake Those that are of the kindred of David and others besides that feele themselues indebted to God and are of a broken or troubled spirit will now and then be stealing to David do Saul in the meane time what he can to the contrary and so much the more as they see David so valiantly to imploy himself agaynst the Philistims How David was afterward brought to the kingdome 8 How it pleased God notwithstanding these persecutions to bring David at length to the kingdome is now to bee seene and first how he brought him to one part of it and then how he brought him to all the rest Vnto some part of the kingdome we finde that he brought him First but vnto some part of it immediatly after the death of Saul but not to the rest til Ishbosheth also the sonne of Saul was taken away In the former of which we are to note how conuenient a way he made him vnto it a little before he was to enter and then how he brought him to the fruition or vnto the reall possession of it He made him a conuenient way to enter both in such things as concerned the preparing of David vnto it What way was made vnto it First preparing David vnto it and then in remoouing certeyne others out of the way that otherwise might be an hinderance vnto him He prepared David vnto it both in preseruing him from such things as were agaynst him and in prouiding him one speciall helpe which made to his purpose Those things that made agaynst him were two one the perill of his person the other the hazard of his good name For the preseruation of his person the Lord was so good and gracious vnto him that a 27.1.2 when he was afrayd to tarie in Iudea and thereupon fled vnto Achish one of the Princes of the Philistims the Lord neuerthelesse gaue him safetie there also when as notwithstanding David b 27.8.9.11 so behaued himselfe there that it was great marueile that he brought not himselfe into greater daunger there then he was in before in Iurie as after we shall haue more conuenient place to declare The perill that his good name was in was for that being now among the enemies of Saul and being c 28.2 readie to go to the field with them agaynst him the Lord neuerthelesse d. 28.2.11 so prouided that he should not bee in the field that day that Saul should bee ouerthrowne whereas otherwise either himself might haue been some cause of his ouerthrowe or els at least he had been more open to that reproach That speciall helpe that it pleased God to bestowe vpon him and which made so much to his purpose at that present consisted in two principall poynts wherof the former was e 30.20 a great bootie or pray which by occasion that then fell out he got from certeyne of the Amalekites the other was a greater power of men that at that time also drew vnto him With his bootie he f 30.26.31 remembred his friends in Iury where he and his men were wont to haunt to the number of thirteene cities by name and to certeyne others besides a very good preparatiue to make his friends faster vnto him now that he was very soone after to stand in neede of their helpe for the kingdome That greater power of men that came vnto him * 1. Chro. 12.1.22 were diuers of the tribes of Benjamin Gad Iudah Manasses all actiue valiant and expert men and meet for the warres Who are sayd to haue resorted to him * Ib. 1.20 at Ziklag but because there is no mention but only of his former sixe hundred at his returne from the Amalekites therefore it is likely that they came not vnto him till he was returned thether agayne and that the same was shortly after that Saul receiued the ouerthrow At which time comming as they did they came very fitly for Davids purpose now that he was to enter the possession of some part of the Kingdome Those others that might bee some hinderance vnto him Then by taking others out of the way that would or might haue been some hinderance vnto him are especially Saul and his sonnes then also as many of the armie besides as being that way affected were there ouerthrowne That Saul himself would haue been an enemie to David in that quarell all his doings do so fully witnesse that wee need not to stand vpon that poynt of the matter and yet shall it bee good to consider more specially in what manner he the greatest enemie that David had and the strongest hinderance vnto his kingdom was remooued The manner whereof resteth in two principall poynts one how he might vnderstand himself to be altogether forsaken now before his death the other how he was accordingly brought to a miserable end He might vnderstand him self to be altogether forsaken both in the straungenesse that he found in the Lord towards him when after a sort he sought to haue some direction of him what he should do when now the Philistims came in agayne so strong vpon him and in that answer that was giuen by such as he in that case thought good to séeke vnto The straungenes that he found in the Lord towards him was such as that now g 28.5.15 in this great daunger approching and when he was so heartily afrayd thereof and he in this his distresse h 28.6 sought vnto him neuerthelesse the Lord gaue him i Ibid. no answer at all neither immediatly by dreames nor by the ministerie of others either ordinarie as by Urim or extraordinarie as by any Prophet And good reason it was that he which k 13.8.13.15.9 twise before had made so light account of the word of the Lord and now at this present did so hotely persecute David directly agaynst l â—â— 21. his owne knowledge of the ordinance of God leaning to David and that in so cruell and rageous manner as that for his sake and otherwise for no cause at all m 22.18 he slew so many Priestes of the Lord should at no hand finde any answer at the mouth of the Lord in this his distresse or whensoeuer he most should neede or faynest would
were many good things otherwise found that so they may the better vnderstand that although God doth put vp many greater matters at their hands since for a time yet may they before hand see how they are like to be dealt withall when the day of vengeance shall come vnlesse they prouide for it before Those other things which to that present time apperteined are two his outward annointing and the inward grace that was giuen withall 1. Sam. In his outward annointing we are to consider that it was but b 16.1.5.13 priuatly done in the house of Ishai or at the most but only in that one towne which was but little in respect of the whole people and yet notwithstanding a sufficient testimonie vnto himselfe and to those that knewe it and that both his father c 16.10.11 left out him in that account and Samuel the Prophet also d 16.6 could well haue setled his choice in one of the other The inward grace that was giuen withall was the e 16.13 Spirit of the Lord which then came vpon him and wherewith from that day forward he was endewed How effectually God did commend him to others may likewise appeare How beneficiall David was made both to the King and to the people for that shortly after he wrought forth of him some speciall benefit vnto others and in others likewise a speciall fauour to him againe The benefit that it pleased God to worke forth of him vnto others did partly respect Saul himself and partly the whole hoast of Israel That which respecteth Saul himselfe was that f 16.23 by his instrument he sometimes eased the Kings mind when by the euill spirit of the Lord he was vexed with his melancholy passions That which respected the whole hoast of Israel generally was the slaughter of Goliath Concerning which to the end that the benefit that it pleased God to worke forth of David in that action vnto them all generally may better appeare it shal be good more specially to consider both how sore an enemie that Goliath was vnto them and how notably David deliuered them from him How sore an enemie he was vnto them may soone appeare whether we consider what terror might iustly proceede from him to the children of Israel or whether we regard the great feare that they had of him The terror that might iustly proceede from him to them-wards doth partly arise out of the consideration of himselfe alone but chiefly of him and his companie together He alone was not only of g 17.4 extraordinarie stature and strength farre excéeding the ordinarie proportion of others and h 17.5.7 furnished with armour and weapon accordingly but also both a naturall enemie to the people of God and to their religion and so confident in himselfe and his companie that he i 17.10.45 defied the hoast of Israel and God himselfe His companie also might well be terrible to the people of Israel both because that they also were naturall enemies both to themselues and to the truth that they professed and sometimes before had the children of Israel in strong subiection The children of Israel were so afraid of him that k 17.11.24 they did not only feare to encounter him but also shrank aside at his presence for verie feare How notably David deliuered the people from these their enemies may likewise appeare not only in that which he did but also in the maner of doing it That which he did was that he destroyed l 17.49.51 that outgrowne monster Goliath and therewithall stroke such a terror into the hearts of all the other Philistims that forthwith m 17.51 they turned their backs and fled His maner of doing the same was notable both for vndertaking the attempt at the first and afterward in the performance of it In his vndertaking of it at the first we are to consider how strong temptation he had against it and whereby notwithstanding he conceiued vndoubted hope to preuaile The temptation that he had so strong against it was partly in Eliab his eldest brother and partly in Saul the King himselfe In his brother Eliab he found n 17.28 himselfe reuiled and disdained in plentifull measure only for that he did so much as talke of the matter in Saul likewise o 17.33 his attempt condemned as altogether impossible for him to bring to any good proofe The thing whereby he strengthned himself against these temptations was an inuincible faith p 17.34.37 vpon the experience of Gods goodnes towards him in two such like attempts before In his performance of it we sée likewise that he notably behaued himselfe both in his preparation towards it and in the execution it selfe when he came vnto it In his preparation we see that he q 17.39 refused Sauls armour and all the ordinarie furniture of war and tooke vnto him but only his r 17.40 Sling and a fewe stones for the same In the execution it selfe we plainly see that first he did notably ſ 17.45.47 rebuke the insolencie and pride of that mighty Giant and then though he had no other weapon but only his Sling yet did he t 17.48 hasten with maruelous courage to encounter with him What favour it pleased God to worke in others to David againe That speciall fauour that it pleased God to worke forth in others to him againe was partly found in the first benefit that redounded to Saul alone but much better in this that redounded to all In his first benefit that redounded to Saul alone we find thus much both that he did u 16.21 loue him verie well gaue therewithall good tokens of it one that he x 16.21 made him his harnes-bearer the other that he y 16.22 sent to his father to haue him still though z 17.15.55 as it seemeth David taried not long there In his latter that redounded to all we find that God procured him fauour both with certaine speciall persons and with the whole multitude also Those speciall persons were Saul himselfe and two of his children In Saul we find that a 18.2 now he would suffer him to returne no more vnto his father and that b 18.5 both he vsed him in diuers of his affaires and set him ouer his men of war Those two children of Saul in whose hearts God had wrought forth a fauour to Dauid were Jonathan his son and Michal his daughter In Jonathan was wrought a verie singular and rare good will insomuch that he is c 18.1.3 said not only to loue David as his owne soule but also to haue expressed the same by notable tokens One was that he d 18.3 made a couenant with him and that of loue the other that he e 18.4 tooke from his owne bodie and bestowed on him both abiliments of honour and furniture to the field likewise In Michal likewise was wrought such good will that both at
vexed by that euill spirit that from the Lord was sent vnto him The towardnes or likelihood that David was in to come to the Kingdom was first in that sentence of God that now it should be giuen to another then for that David was likeliest to be that other that God did speake of For the text doth not shew that he knew as yet of Davids annointing and because that he neuer said any thing to Samuel about it nor otherwise maketh any mention of it it is the most likely that he did not knowe of it Yet thus much he knew that d 13.14.15.23.26.28 Samuel had told him twise alreadie that the Lord had cast him away and now prouided himselfe of another and he might well see that David was likeliest to be that other both for that e 17.34.36.38.51 God had wrought such things by him and for the f 18.7 fauour that now he had gotten Concerning the maner of this his first persecution first he sought by secret meanes The maner of it First in secret to haue taken away the life of David and then he set in hand more openly with it Secretly he did attempt first by his owne hands to haue done it and then by the Philistims By his owne hands he would first haue done it at such time g 18.10 as he was in one of his fits as David was playing on his instrument to mitigate his passions euen on the morrow after that they came home from the slaughter of Goliath and the Philistims h 18.11 twise together he had in his mind for to haue executed this mischeuous purpose A wonderfull thing that he should be so minded though he had bin so minded but once not only in respect of the fact it selfe but also in respect of diuers circumstances thereunto apperteining The fact it selfe must néedes haue bin wilfull murther then the which there néeded no greater both to haue conuinced him of great iniquitie before men and vtterly to haue cast himselfe away before God The circumstances that are do chiefly appertaine vnto their persons but partly also vnto the time The persons are two Saul and David Saul being the King and so consequently being ordeined to be the mainteiner of equitie and a buckler and shield vnto the oppressed ought not to haue made such a fault himselfe besides that at that time being in one of his fits and sensibly féeling the hand of God vpon him for his former sinnes he should rather haue vsed it to his further amendment then so to take the aduantage of it to a further mischiefe David was not only innocent but also had in that verie matter for the which he should haue bin destroied deserued marueilous well both of all generally for that he had giuen so great an ouerthrowe vnto the common enimie of all and especially of Saul because they were by reason of the person that he susteined enemies to none so much as to him The time when he would haue done this mischiefe was the verie next day after that they were welcomed home from the victorie the people reioicing and singing vnto them that Saul had slaine his thousand and David his ten thousand as vnseasonable a time for such a purpose as could be deuised because that as yet the benefit that he had receiued was so fresh that it ought so to haue filled all the powers of his mind with all thankefull remembrāce as that there might haue bin no corner at all in his heart wherein so much as a little spark of so great vnthankfulnes might find any place In that he had this purpose twise it doth both argue his vnthankfulnes and ill dealing to be so much the greater and might be withall a warning to David not to thinke that because Saul had once failed when first he attempted to do him that mischiefe he would neuer for shame attempt it againe When this way failed he then thought good that it should be done by the Philistims his hand now should not be vpon him And that by the Philistims it might better be done he i 18.13 both gaue him the charge of a thousand men and would needes k 18.17.21 set him foorth one of his daughters in mariage also In giuing him charge ouer such a band of souldiers he would seeme not only to put him in trust but also to seeke his preferment and honour and yet in truth he sought nothing else but his ouerthrow hoping that by that occasion more boldly encountering with the enemie one time or other he should be ouerthrowne In setting him forth one of his daughters in mariage and in such sort as he did both l 18.22.25 earnestly labouring it by such meanes as he vsed and m 18.25 requiring of him no other dowry but an hundreth foreskins of the Philistims although in truth he sought n 18.17.21.25 nothing else in this also but only his ouerthrow yet herein did he séeke it more cunningly and therefore to David so much more dangerously for that hereby he would seeme both to beare a speciall fauour to David and in the ouerthrow of the enemy chiefly to respect the cause of religion The former of them is plaine inough in it selfe The latter also doth plainly appeare for that he doth not require their heads or other parts but only their foreskins which in those dayes was a speciall difference betwixt the people of God and the heathen When he had made some triall of those secret practises Then openly and found that they neuer came to any such proofe as he desired but on the other side o 18.27.28 that they were meanes to make David both much stronger and more renouned then he was before being able now to stay no longer he p 18.29.19.1 brake forth into open persecution and gaue speciall charge both vnto Jonathan and to all his seruants one way or other to make him away wherein it seemeth that he vsed Ionathan as one of whome he might be assured the others for the spedier dispatch of the matter It might séeme that he might make sure of Ionathan both because he was his sonne and especially because that the cause was his so néere as it was For being the Kings sonne and next to the Crowne by lineall descent it was likely in reason that he would haue bin as readie as Saul to haue taken David out of the way And his other seruants being many it was likely also that séeing he gaue the charge to them all it must needs be quickly dispatcht either for emulation among themselues who should first gratifie the King therein or for that some one or other among so manie was like to be found that would attempt any mischiefe whatsoeuer hauing once the Kings commandement for it Howbeit Ionathan héereupon so q 19.4.5 laboured the King after that r 19.2.3 first he had warned David to keepe himselfe close that he wrought a reconciliation betwixt
Insomuch that they which by vertue of their office ought to bee a shield and defence to all those that are oppressed themselues are readie euen with their owne hands to do that violence that in no wise they should suffer to be offered by any And as they are as forward as Saul in this so are they not behind in the other neither for diuers of them For on them also is layd the hand of God in sensible maner and in such sort either on their owne person or on their States as doth plainly vrge them vnto repentance and namely to striue no longer agaynst the Gospell offered vnto them and yet being vnder some such speciall hand of God they neuerthelesse haue a secret intent one way or other to make away the Gospell of Christ and vtterly to chace it away from the face of the earth And as David had deserued merueilous well in that very matter for the which he should haue been destroyed both of all generally and more specially of Saul so the Gospel likewise of those that crosse it so much as they do both generally of them altogether and more specially of those that are the leaders of them For the Gospell also in these our dayes and before our eyes wee standing by and looking thereon hath ouerthrowne those Philistims of ours which were both common enemies vnto all and specially to Princes themselues Common enemies they were vnto all whether wee respect the slauerie that they held vs in or whether wee respect the corruption of religion and life that they brought with them Vnto Princes more specially they were so daungerous enemies both because that they tooke them downe and got aboue them and for that the corruption that they bring with them is so contrary as it is vnto the right and orderly gouernment of any state The time likewise is the same with these that it was with Saul immediatly after that they haue receiued by the benefite of the Gospell so many good blessings as ought to haue filled all the powers of them with most thankfull estimation thereof And whereas Saul as yet had this purpose with him but twise these of ours haue had it more often and therewithall doe both shewe themselues more playnlie and leaue a sufficient warning to others how little in such case they are to be trusted But when themselues are not able so to performe their secret intents then will they seeme busily to seeke the preferment of those whom they would haue so fayne dispatched then must they bee put in some speciall trust then must there bee treatie of some speciall mariage Which things are so cleare in themselues that wee neede not take any paynes to shewe them this only shal be sufficient for vs to knowe what they meane when any of that sort do offer such fauours to any of vs. Our selues may yet very well remember and cannot forget it would we neuer so fayne what hurt the cause of religion susteyneth by accepting such courtesies from them And yet notwithstanding as in some particular cases the cause of religion hath been for a time hindred thereby so hath it been at other times and that very often by such kinde of dealing notably holpen though full sore agaynst their wils God of his goodnesse so disposing that the same that they had layd as a baite or snare vnto vs should turne to some great aduantage to the cause of the Gospell withall be a snare to those that layd it And as Saul would seeme in that his preferment of David not to seeke the ouerthrowe of any but only of the common enemie of both so hath it been the manner of diuers among vs with such colour to cast those into daunger by whom they haue seene the cause of the Gospell to be mainteyned To warre on the Turke for the holy land was wont to bee an old tale to such a purpose but that being knowne vnto all and their deuise being growne much finer now they handle their matters so much more cunningly and so much the hardlier can bee espied Whereby notwithstanding themselues do finde that they haue preuayled so little Then openly that as with Saul they haue walked in the darke for a time so do they as readily with him also breake forth into open tyrannie For howsoeuer it be the manner of such to dispatch their purposes in secret if they may yet when in such sort they cannot come to the end of their wicked endeuours then doe they fall openly in hande therewith howsoeuer they can thinke that any way is open vnto them And as Saul gaue a more speciall charge vnto Ionathan for the execution of that matter and then generally to all his seruaunts besides so these likewise take the same course that so they may the sooner attain vnto their desire They specially stirre vp all such Ionathans as they haue among them that is all such as may seeme to bee touched any thing nere with the quarrell that they haue taken vpon them hoping that the neerer that they are touched with it the more willing and ready they will be to ioyne with them in this kind of quarrel the best that they can And to the end that it faile not to be done they in like sort giue the same charge to all their seruaunts generally that howsoeuer it may fall out that some of them cannot be induced vnto it and others may want such opportunities or such other meanes as were needefull to such a purpose yet among so many there might euer bee some by whome it might bee as fully effected as themselues coulde desire In which point the likelihood in this case is so much the greater as we may see that the commaundement of a King to doe such a matter is in it selfe neuer so strong as when there is a perswasion conceiued that the same hath a further warrant from the head of the church that cannot erre and beeing done as they thinke on the behalfe of the catholicke Church is not onely allowable but commendable also and meritorious Princes we may thinke may haue their infirmities and be ready somtimes without any cause to take away such as they are offended withall But when it is further not onely warranted but strongly also vrged by him that is thought to do all things by the onely direction of Gods holy spirite that carieth such a colour with many as that they thinke they neede no more to excuse them for any thing whatsoeuer it bee euen before the iudgement seat of God himselfe 6 As touching the latter of those persecutiōs that against David were raised by Saul His latter percecution as it was by Saul more egerly followed then the former so God on the other side afforded David a litle more help in this then he did in the other So are we here to cōsider first of the persecutiō it felf as it was raised against him by Saul and then of that helpe What the persecution it selfe
Israelites of ours be induced therby to make a couenant with Iesus Christ and to yeeld themselues to his kingdome For if David were free from Abners bloud and if he were ordeyned of God to bee their King as in trueth he was and if the matter were so euident in him that now they all did playnlie perceiue it much more must those things be in Christ and in his Gospell in farre greater measure without comparison and so consequently much more euident also in him And so it is not to bee doubted that how farre of soeuer these Israelites of ours do yet stand out agaynst Christ and his word yet is there a time which God hath appoynted when as they shall mislike their folly and with one consent make him their king that so he may enter into the whole For if the children of Israel were so effectually touched at the length to yeeld vp their obedience to David that they came with so great a number and those the principal men of them al and with the consent of all the rest it may not bee doubted but that Christ also his eternall trueth shal haue the same in some good time performed likewise And seeing that David was but a figure Iesus Christ is the trueth it self so much the rather may we hope that as wee sawe the glorie of Christ at the comming in of the Gentiles a great deale greater then was this of David at the cōming in of al the Israelites so we may now also atteyne to sée the like general assent in some good time yéelded to the Gospell of Christ by the states people of Christendome that in some good measure may proportionably answer the comfortable patterne that we haue seene alreadie in Christ 10 But so beeing come to good opportunity to treat of the hope that we may conceiue of this matter that is What course it is wherein we may iustly conceive this hope aforesaide of a further accomplishment of the kingdome of Christ by his worde we are to consider first what is the course wherein wee may conceiue the hope aforesayde then howe to aunswere that which may seeme to goe against it Concerning the former of these two we are to knowe that if wee woulde exactly haue it we are to gather it not onely out of this booke of the historie but also out of all such Psalmes as belong vnto this compasse of time But because the historie will be sufficient for this matter and more agreeable vnto the order that hitherto we haue obserued we shal holde our selues contented therewith and yet because that out of those Psalmes we may learne howe to exercise our selues to good purpose in these our troubles in the end wee shall consider of those also both to see how David exercised him selfe therein and how we may doe the like our selues Keeping our selues therefore but vnto the historie at this present wee are there to marke what is the course that David held in these matters and then how wee may in these dayes of ours apply the same vnto our selues In the course that David helde in these matters we are to consider what minde he caried first towardes God and then towards others What mind David caried towards God Seeking after spirituall comfort Towardes God wee may finde that hee bare a very good minde so soone as euer this persecution was raysed agaynst him and in the course of all his dealings afterward also For at the first so soone as euer persecution was raysed against him hee being forced to steppe aside to auoid the present daunger forthwith got him to the godlier sort first vnto Samuel at Ramah and then vnto Ahimelech the Priest Vnto a 19 18. Samuel hee came when Saul had mist of him b 19.10 himselfe and thereupon presently c 19 11. sent vnto his house to ouertake him there and to dispatch him Whereupon being driuen to saue himselfe by flight he tooke his course to Samuel the Prophet there belike in this distresse to seeke some comfort in the Lorde Shortly after vnderstanding more fully by the helpe of Ionathan that Saul was fully bent to destroy him being then occasioned again to saue him selfe by flight d 22.1 he came to Ahimelech the Priest belike to worship the Lorde there and to see what comfort so he might finde in this his perillous and troublesome case And as thus he began when persecution was first raised against him so held he on in al the course of his dealings besides For wheras Abiathar one of the Priests and sonne to Ahimelech escaping that great cruell slaughter that Saul did make of al the whole company of the Priests at Nob for his safetie and succour came vnto David althoughe it were a dangerous matter for him to giue any entertainment vnto him beeing so far in displeasure himselfe as he was yet e 22 23. did he not only receiue him but such loue bare he to the Priests of the Lorde he willed him also to be of good comfort and told him plainly the with him he should not miscary so far as he should be able to help Ever inquiring of the Lord in all his great and doubtfull affayres And hauing so gotten one of the pristes of the Lord vnto him accustomably in his waighty affairs he asked consel of the Lord that so he might be able to direct his waies the better to the good liking and pleasure of God As for example when word was brought him that the Philistims were come against Keilah f 23.2 he asked counsell of the Lord whether he should goe against them or not At which time although the Lord bad him go yet because that his company made further question g 23.4 he asked the Lord of the same point agayne and agayne receiued the same aunswere of him So likewise during the time that he was at Keilah after that hee had deliuered them from their enimies hearing that Saul was determined to come against him and then wisely premeditating with himselfe in what daunger he was like to bee if the Lords of Keilah would not stand fast vnto him although in reason he might haue presumed that after so good deserts of his hee needed not to doubt of any of them especially so very soone after yet knowing how easily he might be deceiued if he should rest ouermuch in men there againe h 23.10.12 he sought to the Lord to know in deede whether Saul would come thither and if he came whether the Lordes of Keilah would deliuer him and his men into his hands Whereunto the Lord aunswered both that Saul would come in deede and that the Lordes of Keilah notwithstanding his former deserts would deliuer him if there he taried into his handes In like manner when at his returne he found Ziklag spoiled and his souldiers in their impatience were about to haue stoned him * 30.6.8 he in this distresse pluckt vp his heart and
first suppose our selues to that pliablenes of mind that we may be 〈◊〉 readily to fall in with whatsoeuer motion it is that the Spâ—â—â—â— of God shall stir vp in vs. In which case as I said before 〈◊〉 I againe that we neede none other but only to 〈…〉 Psalmes in order as they lye and adde this further not only that we neede none other but also that we can not haue as I do take it so perfect a course any way else And for those that are disposed to take that course it is not amisse heere to set downe what those Psalmes are that do apperteine to this compas of time and to the matter that now we speake of Wherein because there is some diuersitie of opinion among the best approued authors therefore I cannot promis to do it but in such sort as that some may take exception vnto it as that either there are mo that might be referred vnto this place or else that some of those that are taken in by me to that account might better be spared For though most of them be such as by the text it selfe are plainly noted to appertein vnto that time yet others again there are that haue no such euidencie in the matter and yet by good circumstances are most likely to belong vnto it And those that are of this sort I take to be a sixt part of the whole or to the number of twenty and fiue not that I preiudice the iudgement of any that inclineth to another opinion either on the one side or on the other but that I content my selfe to set downe Which are those Psalmes that David made in this time of his trouble 4.7.11.26.34.35.42.43.52.54.55.56.57.58.59.60.63.84.94.109.116.120.131.140.141 In what case they may fit us best wheÌ„ they are drawne unto certeyne principall heads what by the search that I haue made I find to be the most likely Which 25. also are these the 4 the 7 the 11 the 26 the 34 and 35 the 42 and 43 the 52 54 55 56 57 58 59 the 60 and 63 the 84 the 94 the 109 the 116 the 120 the 131 the 140 and 141. But now because that many of vs are not any thing neere in such sort exercised as David was nor of so quick and nimble spirits to any good therefore in that order and course that they lye they do not so much affect many of vs as otherwise they would that lightly haue not any such feeling but only of some one or two speciall matters euery one as he findeth himselfe to be more specialy touched or if we haue feeling of mo besides yet because we are not so thoroughly exercised therein we are not able in such fort as those Psalmes direct vs so redily to go from one to another but incline rather either still to abide in some one for that one time of our prayers or at least not to depart from it vnto another but by some such maner of digression as might serue by little and little to draw our minds as it were by degrées from the same that we haue in hand vnto that other with the which we should fall in And yet is it good for vs to consider that in such case we are not to thinke of our selues alone but to lay before vs the estate of all generally and of euery member in particular Which course if we take then is there nothing in these Psalmes of his but such as at all times doth fitly belong either to our selues or to some others that are members with vs of the misticall bodie of Christ But because that many there are that caÌ„ not take so perfect a course for this cause haue I thought it worth the labour to sort such things as we haue in those Psalmes vnto certaine principall heads that as those that can redily go with David and are so exercised haue that course that is méetest for them in the Psalmes themselues so others likewise that are lesse exercised or not so redie may haue wherein they may be fruitfully occupied in any of those points wherewith David at this time was exercised And those chiefe and principall points wherewith David was exercised wheÌ„ he made those Psalmes What those chief and principall heads are whereunto the effect of all those Psalmes may be reduced as may appeare by the matter or substance of them were generally but two For either he considereth of the hard estate that by meanes of his enimies he was in or else of the goodnes of God towards him When he considereth of the hardnes of that estate that by meanes of his enimies he was in sometimes he doth but vnfold it and sometime he praieth against it When he considereth of the goodnes of God towards him sometimes he is occupied in declaring that trust and confidence that he hath in God notwithstanding all his calamities and euils whatsoeuer sometime he promiseth that he will be thankfull And the better to declare what trust and confidence he hath in God notwithstanding all his calamities and euils whatsoeuer he doth both professe the same vnto God and so frameth his speach vnto others withall as that thereby also he doth plainly declare that there was in him a notable confidence Which his speach vnto others resteth in two principall points one that he vpbraideth the enemie and as it were triumpheth ouer him the other that he comforteth the godly and being himselfe in great distresse neuerthelesse he will be a comforter to others So if we marke they all do make sixe principall heads For either he vnfoldeth the estate he was in or prayeth against it or sheweth his confidence in God or vpbraideth the enimie or comforteth the godly or is occupied in thanksgiuing Which being sixe may yéeld one to euery day in the weeke and all to the Sabboth The first also and the last do each of them yeeld a couple of Psalmes the second and third each of them three and the fourth and the fift are both but single The reason whereof will better appeare in the arguments of them as héere-after ensueth to euerie one 20 The Argument of both the Psalmes of the fyrst sort He first vnfoldeth the hard case that he was in which also may be a right patterne being rightly applied of the estate of many of those that professe the Gospell And as Dauid so opened his case then so is it good for vs also to open our case now The fyrst Psalme of the first sort The Argument In the former of these two Psalmes he sheweth the rage of the enimie how they gather themselues together how proudly and cruelly they vse their toongs how ill and wicked they are in their deedes and on his part how vndeserued The Psalme The fyrst Psalme O God the proud are risen agaynst me and the assemblies of the violent men have sought my soule and have not set thee before them 86.14 For straungers are risen up agaynst me tyrants seeke my soule they have not
to shew that hee had the king in his handes to haue done with him whatsoeuer hee woulde Which when the king perceiued g 26.21.25 he was now againe for the time so mooued with it that presently hee brake of this his pursuit and so returned home againe The likelihoodes that Saul had giuen that he would neuer haue offered to David so hard measure againe were h 24.22 that he did acknowledge his fault in pursuing of him and besought his fauour vnto his seede and these with teares That speciall circumstaunce that dependeth heereon and somewhat better helpeth forward to shewe howe egerly he was set vpon David was that so much hee followed on him when as it had bene a great deale meeter to haue deale with the Philistims the common enimie because that they i 23.1 both came vnto Keilah and fought against it and k 23.27.28 afterward againe came into the land during the time of this his pursuing of innocent David The litle helpe that in this persecution God did giue him What helpe it pleased God to afford him in this persecution was in the company that came vnto him for his defence when hee was in distresse by that persecution to the number of sixe hundred men in all Whereof l 22.1.2 fower hundred came vnto him while he was at Adullam and other two hundred mo a while after For we haue mention of sixe hundred in all m 23.13 both when he departed from Keilah and n 30.10 when he went against the Amalekites that had spoyled Ziklag The first fower hundred o 22.1.2 were some of his kindred the residue such as were in debt or timber Of the other there is no speciall thing reported not so much as the time when they came vnto him Sauing that séeing they are found with David when he departed from Keilah and we haue no mention of them before it may seeme that they came vnto him while he was there And likely inough that seeing that David was knowne to be of great valour that such as were disposed to giue themselues to such aduenture would easily vpon such occasion resort vnto him 7 All which things if in these dayes we shall apply to our selues and lay thē to such doings as our eies haue often seene That this latter persecution of Davids is rightly exemplified in these dayes also against the Gospell and dayly yet sée we shall find them to agrée so fitly together as could be deuised and sufficiently to teach vs both what to looke for at the hands of many and how warily to behaue our selues in the meane season whether we respect the occasion of this his persecution or else but the maner whereby it procéedeth For if we respect the occasion of it The occasion whereon this persecution of ours is raysed what is it else that so much offendeth and so greuously incenseth the Sauls of our time but only the good successe of the sonne of David against these Philistims of ours and for that same euill spirit of the Lord doth hereupon help to kindle the furious rage of them against vs For seeing that the Gospell euer now and then getteth in these daies of ours some good hand against all those that seeke to suppresse it they see verie well that if it may still hold on this course it were like shortly to come to passe not only that their craft should be in perill to be set at naught Act. 19.27.37 but also that the Temple of their great Goddesse Diana should be despised and her magnificence should be destroied whome almost all Europe and as they would haue it thought the world did worship whereunto if they haue any speciall fit of that euill spirit of the Lord adioined it is lesse maruell then if all the companie of them thereupon growe to some rageous vprore no maruell then if they be full of wrath and cry out as if they were mad Great is Diana of the Ephesians No maruell then if in their furie they rush together into the common Hall if they catch and hurrie with them Gaius and Aristarchus Pauls companions if some of them draw forth Alexander out of the multitude and others thrust him forward as fast that getting him forth they may there dispatch him as they list if it be a sufficient cause for them all to stop their eares to whatsoeuer he were able to say for his defence only for that he was a Iew and if hauing no cause at all of any concourse much lesse of such a tumultuous vprore yet notwithstanding a shout almost for two howers among them doth rise crying Great is Diana of the Ephesians And when once they are set on such a gog it is not then to say in how eager maner they are like to follow on the seruants of God nor how outrageous crueltie they are like to practise against all such as on the behalfe of the Gospell of Christ shall stand in their way And yet notwithstanding if we come to the maner of such dealing of theirs In what maner it is prosecuted we shall commonly find that for the most part they euer proceede in such sort as the patterne before prescribeth vnto vs and almost euen after the selfesame manner that before they find in the other First in secret For first they do euer desire to do it in secret maner so neere as they can and then if they find that so they cannot they stick not likewise to rush vpon it howsoeuer they thinke occasion offered And as Saul would now again first haue done it by his owne hands in another mad fit of his so to haue coloured the matter the better and now came verie néere vnto it belike because that David did ouermuch trust the oath that he did take to the contrarie a little before euen so we may see that our Sauls also would not stick with their owne hands to put such things in execution especially the case being such as would affoord them any reasonable coulour vnto it whereunto they also come oftimes ouer néere for that vpon their promises and oathes they are ouermuch trusted When themselues are not able to do it then do they imploy others about it and that howsoeuer oportunitie is offered neither sparing such as be sick but séeking to haue them bed and all nor so much as able either to hold pacience with any though neuer so néere that any way frustrate their wicked attempts or to find any other meaning if so they should but that they are mocked therein And that which is more when they find themselues in such sort defeated as that they may plainly perceiue that it is no meaner then God himselfe that doth resist them and though he do the same also in neuer so good and gracious maner yet will they neuer be warned thereby nor any thing staied in their wicked attempts but euer run on to the vttermost point that they are able
to reach Neither are they able to denie but that by the selfe same spirit which in others they persecute with all extremities many of themselues are so taken that they also prophecie in manie things in respect of that palpable error that both we and they were in before and of that knowledge that now we haue common vnto vs both In which case also if any man thinke that they should so reuerence either that speciall gift of Prophecie an euident worke of the spirit of God or his great goodnes to them 2. King 1.9.12 in that he doth not cast some fearefull iudgement vpon them as in the like case fire from heauen vpon many of those that came for Eliiah but doth so graciously compas them in or rather imbrace them with the armes of his rare and singular mercie this one example of Saul in this case a man no doubt nothing so ill as most of them may sufficiently teach how far such an one may be deceiued If that will not the daily experience of these daies of ours is so passing fruitfull in such examples that it only may put it cleane out of question And as Saul when he saw that he did no good in pursuing of him withdrew himselfe for a time to await some such opportunitie as that David might of himselfe haue falne into his hands and for that purpose stooke not to take a time appointed to speciall deuotion for to accomplish his bloudie enterprise so these likewise both await such opportunities and stick not for any solemnitie of the time whatsoeuer but can redily find in their hearts then to commit any iniquitie whatsoeuer when as the time doth specially call them vtterly to abandon all vngodlines and with all sinceritie and holines of mind to sanctifie themselues vnto the Lord. Then openly Comming vnto their open practises there also we find that their rage is so great that first others féele it for Davids sake and then Against others for the Gospels sake that they pursue David himselfe likewise all that they can And among others that find of their outrageous crueltie for Davids sake sometime Jonathan himselfe is not frée For néerenes of bloud in this case helpeth but little oftentimes and it were no hard matter to find a great Prince among vs that not only attempted vpon the like occasion to destroy his owne sonne but most vnnaturally and most vngodly did it in déede Neither can they be perswaded but that so many as fauour any thing at all the righteous cause of those that are oppressed and are sorie to sée such vnreasonable crueltie practised against them and such especially as professe the Gospell themselues and are entered into a couenant with it do all conspire their ouerthrowe and set vp their owne seruants against them Insomuch that not their owne retinue can be void of this suspition but that they also conspire against them vnlesse they be euer whispering in their eares whatsoeuer naughtines they can deuise both against the truth it selfe and against the professors of it But as for the Priests of the Lord they are euer sure to pay for it whensoeuer any quarell can be pretended against them no regard being had of the multitude nor of such as are innocent among them nor how iustly any thing they haue done might be excused nor how slender an accusation either in respect of the partie or thing it selfe is brought against them In what case they were in his time how poore and néedy he little regarded and it may be he did not so much as knowe it neither And yet must it néeds be verie apparant when as Ahimelech the high Priest had neither sustenance 21.4.9 wherewithall to releeue a man if neede were nor so much as a weapon for his iust defence but was faine to take of the Shew-bread for the one and the Sword of Goliath for the other that as it seemeth by the place it was in had now bin consecrated vnto the Lord. This without question he might haue perceiued and of dutie he should haue amended But heere he is blind and seeth nothing and yet in the other he is so verie sharp that for an hillok he hath quickly found no lesse then a mountaine Wherein also the Sauls of our time are nothing behind They neuer cast how to take any good order for the needfull honest maintenance of the true seruants of God and likely inough that they do not so much as conceiue that they haue any such want But if those seruants of God at any time slip if they tread their shoe awry neuer so little or if they haue not offended at all but only by vniust and hard construction yet if an accuser may once he found if any thing may be surmised against them it is inough by and by they must heare thou shalt surely dye Ahimelech thou and all thy fathers house Against the Gospel it selfe In their pursuites of our David also we may see that they follow the steps of the other If he be in a walled Citie he is forthwith shut vp in their hands and then must they make all the hast that they can that they leese not such an opportunitie as it All good deserts must then be forgotten and either must the Lords of Keilah falsly betray him that saued them and their Citie and treacherously deliuer him vp to the hands of his enemies or cast their Citie and themselues withall into the perill of present destruction Saul being so furiously bent as he was If we wote not what is become of him yet must he be fought for euery day that so in this matter we leese no time but so little as may be If any get knowledge where he haunteth and how we may come to obteine our desired pray then are they the blessed of the Lord and they forsooth haue compassion on vs and though they be such as could not detect him but that withall they must condemne themselues to be naught and to betray the godly and iust yet must such treachery be couered ouer with so goodly a name And if once we be in the chace and néere to our pray hardly can any thing turne vs aside whatsoeuer it be Neither doth it any thing auaile though David witnes plainly inough his owne integritie though our selues haue neuer so good experience of it and though for a time our hearts do breake and teares gush out to thinke how vnkindly we haue gone about to take away the life of him that so faithfully hath preserued ours It is no more but a morning clowd and we can no sooner heare of any other opportunitie offered but by and by we returne to our former bent and persecute David as freshly againe as euer we did Howsoeuer we may seeme to leaue off so long as we see not how to preuaile yet if once we get but some glimse of any good hope by and by we rush vnto it againe nothing at all regarding how
again asked counsell of the Lord whether hee shoulde followe on those that had done it and whether that voyage shoulde bee prosperous vnto him And so receiuing aunswere to his desire hee set in hande with the voyage and not onely recouered all they had lost but also gained much more vnto it Afterwarde againe when worde was brought him that Saul and his sonnes were slayne in the fielde so that nowe the kingdome was deuolued vnto him and the time came that he was to enter into the possession of it in which case there are not many of the moste godly that these dayes haue that would awayt any playner or further calling yet would he in no wise take that course or be so bolde as to step one foote towardes it vntill the time that he had i 2. Sam. 2.1 first inquired of the Lord both whether it was his pleasure that now he shoulde make any entrie into the kingdome and in what city he shoulde begin But being aunswered in both these pointes he them foorthwith addressed himselfe to doe accordingly It may be also that when hee was with Ahimelech hee did there likewise by the ministery of Ahimelech aske counsell of the Lord both because that * 22.10 Doeg doth so charge Ahimelech and because that * 22.15 Ahimelech doth net deny it But otherwise wee haue no mention in the Text it selfe that so hee did And yet notwithstanding Ahimelechs aunswere doth wel import that at other times before he had done it so consequently that it was an vsuall exercise with David so to doe Neither did hee onely thus religiously hang on the Lorde himselfe Obeying the Prophets of the Lord. but also on a time k 22.5 when the Prophet Gad but one of the seruauntes of the Lorde came vnto him willing him not to abide in the holde which for a time he had taken in the land of Moab for his owne safety and with the Kinges good licence therein first obteined but to returne into Iury againe him also in this point hee redily obeyed And yet was it but such as wee terme a matter of state and in reason full of daunger and so consequently no good aduice neither doth the text declare that it was the worde of the Lorde but onely that the Prophet did will him so to doe Longing after the Sanctuary Neither was he so deuoutly giuen to reuerence God himselfe and his seruauntes but euen the place it selfe of Gods worship and the assembly of the people of God were so dear vnto him that l 26.19 he specialy complained of the want therof vnto Saul as the greatest and most grieuous part of al his troubles as m Psal 84.3 elswhere also he doeth very grieuousslye complaine of that matter not vnto Saul who might thinke it to be nothing els but of ostentation but to God himself apart from men that in that point his estate was so miserable that the estate of the birds of the ayre What minde he caried towards others Towardes his enimies that might approche the sanctuary of the Lorde was better then his How good a minde he caried to others may likewise appeare two speciall wayes first and principally by his dealing with his enimies but partly also by his dealing with others besides His enimies that nowe we speake of who were the causers of these his troubles were to make account of none other but Saul for his time and after him Ishbosheth his sonne and Abner the generall of his army Against all which he so defended himselfe that neuerthelesse he neuer sought by any yll meanes to take away them so to ease himselfe of his troubles the sooner For his own needefull and iust defence we finde that n 18.11.19.10 euer he tooke diligent heed vnto Saul that he did him no displeasure on the suddayne and that o 18.14.30 wisely he behaued him selfe in all his wayes Then also not despising the helpe of others such as it pleased God to offer vnto him we finde likewise that p 22.2 he tooke such aydes as came vnto him of their owne accord though otherwise many of them were so infamous and base as many of a nice kind of holines would haue disdayned and both q 20.5.8 vsed the help of Ionathan his friende and r 23.18 renued his bond of amity with him But as touching any euill practise against any of those his enimies first as touching Saul we finde that he spared him Å¿ 24.3.7.26.7.11 twice when as not onely himselfe might haue done it very easily without any danger to his owne person or shedding any mans bloud besides but also if hee woulde but haue suffered them others woulde haue done it for him and that when as without his knowledge one had destroyed him in the fielde and brought him word of it hee t 2. Sam. 1.2.16 both auenged the death of the one with the death of the other and besides that u Ibid. 17.27 mourned heartily for him As for the others he likewise both x 3.31.35 mourned for Abner and y 4.9.12 auenged Ishbosheths death that hough these had hitherto kept a great part of his kingdome from him and nowe that these were taken away hee mght well perceiue that it must needes presently come all to his handes Those others besides with whome David is founde heere to haue dealt so well are partly straungers or those that were further of from him and partly his friendes or those that were neerer vnto him Towardes the oppressed Of the former sort we may account the Citizens of Keilah and such of the country as among whome he soiourned With the Citizens of Keilah his dealing was that although z 23.3 hee was in distresse himselfe and it was daungerous for him to bee acknowen where hee was yet a 23.5 both readily hee came to their helpe and valiantly deliuered them also With those others of the countrie among whome hee soiourned howe hee dealt Towardes those among whome he soiourned wee haue it not so playnely set downe But so farre as one storie may be some helpe to gather it and one circumstaunce of likelihood besides we may well conceiue that he dealt very wel with them That one storie that I speake of is of his good dealing towardes Nabal by whome while he soiourned b 25.7.15.21 hee did not suffer his souldiers to pray vpon him or to take any thing from him thought c 25.2.3 he were but a churle and very wealthy but moreouer d 25.16 was a wall or defence vnto him and to all that hee had both day and night against any that would So that if this were his manner of dealing with others also by whome hee soiourned no doubt it was maruellous good That circumstaunce of likelihood that I doe meane is that when he got that bootie from the Amalekites e 30.26.31 hee did so friendly remember many of
they were holpen by him How slenderly he set in hand to séeke redresse in these matters may sufficiently appeare if we do but vnfould his doings herein and consider of them For certeyne it is that somewhat he did and such as might beare a reasonable shew and yet notwithstanding his doings being better considered he did in a manner nothing at all That somewhat he did That which might beare some reasonable shewe was first on behalfe of some part of the people then afterward somewhat that he did on behalfe of them all That which he did on behalfe of some part of them was that peece of seruice that he did at o 11.1.13 Iabesh Gilead one of the the Cities beyond Iorden which Nahash the King of the Ammonites had strongly besieged and when the Citizens sued for peace he would in no wise graunt it vnto them but vpon a very cruell and dishonorable condition which was that he might thrust out the right eye of euery one of them and so bring a perpetuall reproach vpon them and vpon the whole nation withall Wherevpon the spirit of the Lord comming vpon Saule he sent foorth his messengers to commaund the people forth-with to followe he quickly got a great number together made haste to Iabesh raysed the siege and gaue a notable ouerthrowe to the enemie Insomuch that whereas before certeyne euill persons made light account of him which also was easily put vp of the rest now were the people generally so farre in loue with this their new King that had not Saul himself stayed them needes would they haue had those ill persons to haue been sought out and for that their former contempt to be put to death now That which afterward he did on behalfe of them all was some part of it of his owne accord and some part agayne by the direct commandement of God Of his owne accord both he did somewhat at the first entrie into his kingdome and afterward he proceeded somewhat further also At his first entrie into his kingdom both p 13.2 he chose out 3000. men to haue in a readinesse vpon all occasions two thousand to attend vpon himselfe and the other thousand on Ionathan his sonne and q 13.5 when the Philistims now began to inuade them agayne he did not only r 13.35.16 addresse himselfe to giue them battaile but also when as ſ 14.1.15 by other meanes they were discomfited he t 14.20 followed vpon them and gaue vnto them a great ouerthrow That which somewhat after he did was in effect no more but this that he did his endeuour in some measure to deliuer his countrie from their enemies Which thing is deliuered vnto vs by two speciall poynts one how he esteemed of such as were meet for the warres the other in what sort he dealt with the enemie Concerning the former u 14 52. it is sayd that he made much of them Concerning the latter it is sayd first generally that x 14.47 not only he did still warre vpon them on euery side and that y 14.52 right sore agaynst the Philistims but also that he z 14.4 euer put them all to the worse and did a 14.48 much rid his people out of the hands of those that spoyled them More specially there are numbred among them not only those of whom we haue some storie set downe as the Ammonites Philistims and the Amalekites but others also of whom we haue no further storie as the Moabites Idumeans and the Kings of Zoba That which he did by the speciall commaundement of God was his expedition b 15.1.9 agaynst the Amalekites at such time as God was disposed to be auenged on them for an old iniurie that almost 400. yeres before they had done to the children of Israel as in the Wildernesse they were passing on to the land of promise In which expedition although he did not execute the iudgment of God agaynst them so strictly and fully as he was commaunded to do yet c 15.7.8 made he a great destruction of the enemie and besides that d 15.6 had a speciall care of the Kenites certeyne auncient friends of the children of Israel to get them out of the way But that it was nothing to speake of that they perished not with the other That yet notwithstanding all these goodly shewes he did in a manner nothing at all it appeareth in this for that the Lord doth flatly reiect him for the want that he found in him Which want of his was of the chiefe and principall matter of all that is of an heart or setled purpose in al things to awayt the Lords direction and then to frame his doings thereafter For seeing that now he was chosen to bee King of Israel that is both to susteyne the person of God among them and to gouerne them not as his owne but only as the people of God how could he but see that now of necessitie he must needes resigne himselfe vnto God euer to seeke his direction of him and in all things to do as he should appoynt That so he did not we haue deliuered vnto vs by two examples that playnlie declare how short he was in those two poynts one in that e 13.9 he awayted not the comming of Samuel the other in that f 15.9 he did not execute the sentence of GOD agaynst the Amalekites with that seueritie that was appoynted In both which notwithstanding we may see that he grewe so néere to his full duetie in those two poynts that a reasonable man would thinke he had done very well and yet in trueth he came very short of that which he ought to haue done in deede For as touching the former of them that is the awayting of Samuels comming the storie is this that Samuel promised to come thether vnto him g 10.8 both to instruct further what he should do and h 11.14 to renew or establish the kingdome vnto him with the generall consent of all before the Lord and therefore willed him there to abide till he came vnto him i 10.8 naming in deed but seauen dayes after the manner of their kinde of speach but yet not meaning any determinate number but that if he thought he taried somewhat long yet not to be wearie for so small a matter This platforme being layd forth vnto him now are wee to see how néere it is that he seemeth to come vnto it and how farre in trueth he commeth short of it He may seeme to come néere vnto it both in that he taried so long as he did and in that he had so good cause as he had then to breake vp He taried k 13.8 vntill the seauenth day and as it seemeth vntil the time of the euening sacrifice of that day it may be also that he taried fully the seauen dayes outright and so consequently altogether so long as the Prophet in strict letter required of him
not take the paines to seeke so far they had laid the coast so sure in all such cases that what we were loath to take of them we were sure but hardly to find any where else And as a man may easily gesse why those Philistims allowed the Israelites to haue no weapons nor any to make them so is it as easie in these daies also to say what the cause is why ours likewise allow not the people to haue the Scriptures among them nor any to shew vs what they require or to leade vs into the knowledge of them They pretend and boldly beare the peeple in hand that the Scriptures are both hard and dangerous but the truth is they would keepe vs in bondage still and therefore can they in no wise allowe vs to haue our weapons They are hard in déede for them to answer and therefore deale they so hardly with them They know that to their estate they are dangerous and therefore make they so great danger to let vs haue them But now if we come to the idolatrie and to the blasphemie of the Philistims there will it most plainly appeare that in both those points these our Philistims do far excéede both in number of idols and in multitude of blasphemies also And then being so idolatrous as they are and so blasphemous vnto the true and liuing God looke how much more these two vices are found in them so much more miserable must out estate be vnder these then was that other of the children of Israel vnder that other idolatrous people In this case Christendome stoode vnder that late power of darknes that ouerwhelmed the face of the earth and wheresoeuer that power of darknes doth yet remaine in the whole or in part there may a man quickly find the like miserie as yet remaining so far as will serue to answer the other in due proportion How little the most of our Princes have holpen this distresse of the people Now therefore we are to consider in what sort our Princes haue set in hand to come in with their help and namely this one thing whether they also haue not so slenderly done it but that it may be as néedfull now to haue the Gospel aduanced amōg vs to supply the defect that is in them as the wisdom of God found néedful then to bring in David Somewhat they have done to supply whatsoeuer wanted in Saul And first it is in no wise to be denied but that diuers things they haue done and daily do that are able to make a goody shew and yet on the other side is it true againe that few of them do better than Saul and many much worse Some few God be thanked there are that haue deliuered the people that are vnder their charge from that cruel Nahash of Rome that in no wise yéeldeth to conditions of peace vnlesse that he might thrust out our right eies by depriuing vs of the word of God and so bring vpon vs perpetuall shame and not only haue done it but also haue done it in as valiant maner and with as feruent and quick a zeale as euer Saul did accomplish the other Others there be that either mind it nothing at all as little or nothing apperteining to them or as a matter of small importance or else but faintly or very slenderly meddle therewith Of those that help forward so bad a course or do no more but only beare with it I say nothing at this prefent although of that companie there be not a few that full ill represent the person they beare Sith lesse will serue we shall not néede so far to charge thē In like sort we haue among vs that before-hand prouide them of competent forces to be imploied against the enimie as néede shall require and to that end also make much of such men as they find méete for the war that they haue in hand and readily stand when occasion is offered in the face of the enimie vsing also whatsoeuer aduantage falleth vnto them the best that they may It may be also that there are some but those are but few that without intermission continually war on all the enimies of the Gospell of Christ on euerie side especially against those our Philistims and against all others by whom the people of God are spoiled And yet notwithstanding though so they do yet vnlesse they euer put them to the worse likewise in that point must they needs come short of Saul Neither is it to be doubted of any but that diuers of our Christian Princes there are that by the vertue of Gods commandement and in respect of iustice it selfe alreadie haue executed and daily yet do the iudgements of God against all our Amalekites whatsoeuer that heretofore haue bin so offensiue or yet are vnto any of the people of God that at any time passe from the bondage of ignorance error or sin by the wildernes of this present life vnto the land of eternall promis the kingdome of God who being possessed with a speciall care on the behalfe of all that are friends to the people of God do neuerthelesse destroy the enimie with a mightie destruction These things no doubt at least in some measure are found among our Christian Princes and needs must they make wheresoeuer they are a great good shew of performing all that is required But the chiefe thing is wanting A full resignation of themselves But then as in Saul the chiefe was wanting so is it likely in this case to be with vs likewise For although they acknowledge that God hath called them thereunto and that they are to gouerne in his name yet are there not many that altogether resigne thēselues vnto him and fully determin or set down with themselues than in all their waies they will be haue themselues as those that represent the person of God and as those that haue the managing or gouernment not of their owne but only of his Seldome is it seene that in all things they purpose and fully determin euer to await the direction of God and they is frame their doings according Such an inward sound resolution is far to seeke in many of them And as the compas of scripture that now we are in sheweth the same to be wanting in Saul but only by those two special points before rehearsed so we likewise shall neede none other to find the same also to be wanting in vs. For there are not many that in such case would await the comming of the Prophet to inuest them further in their kingdome and better to instruct them what they should do neither can they find in their hearts in such sort to punish certaine offendors as God hath commanded that they should Awaiting the Prophet As for awaiting the Prophets comming because it was in one point especialy but extraordinarie and peculiar to that case therefore do they take no part thereof to belong to themselues For though it were in that case méete to
so strong apart by themselues and in this quarell so knit together the one with the other the ecclesiasticall and ciuile together But when now the time was come the Priests that bare the Arke of the Lord could no sooner by the commandement of Ioshua step into the riuer and but profer to make their entrie but that by and by a wonder to see the waters parted and gaue them passage on dry ground Our Iericho also was verie strongly walled about But are not the walles thereof in good part falne alreadie and do they not yet daily fall more and more at least wheresoeuer the Priests do sound their trumpets and the people according thereto lift vp their voice and cry them downe Many Kings and Princes there are that haue gathered themselues together against our Ioshua also so soone as euer he hath made his entrie and though it were in so wonderfull maner that therein only they may plainly perceiue that his entrie was from aboue by the mightie hand of God yet were they not so touched therewith but that still they would bend their forces against him so much as they could But what haue they gained thereby Diuers of them haue sharply felt the mightie hand of God against them and what letteth but that we may looke to see these beginnings at the length to be brought to happy endings Certainly our Ioshua is to preuaile against all those that come against him and to diuide the promised land to the children of Israel Only let vs take héede to this that when God is so redie as to bestow these mercies on vs our selues be not so far to séeke whē we should receiue them or do not endeuour in such sort to addresse our selues thereunto as our own good and the nature of the cause doth require Let there be no want in vs and then shall we vndoubtedly sée the goodnes of God in the land of the liuing For he is faithfull that so hath promised 18 And now O Lord what els remayneth A Prayer upon this whole storie but that as thou hast alreadie begun to thy glorie and our comfort thus farre to aduaunce thy kingdome among vs euen so it would please thee to proceede vnto the ende euen to the full accomplishment of it The Gospell that thou hast sent vnto vs and which as thou hast aduaunced alreadie in some good measure so wee desire that it may be aduaunced still euery day more and more what is it els but the power and very Scepter of thine annoynted And what one is there among vs all that may reasonably doubt but that thine holy oyle is vpon it When thy holye spirit worketh so mightily with it euen that only doth sufficiently witnesse that it also is annoynted by thee The benefite that thereby redoundeth to others is so apparant and great that in that respect also it may not be doubted but that it procéedeth from thée and right well deserueth to be further aduaunced that so the benefite that commeth with it may be thereby enlarged to mo For by it also our troubled spirits and doubtfull hearts towards God are notably appeased and deepely setled in sound comfort and ioy in that we vnderstand thereby how thy wrath is appeased towards vs and that there is no damnation to those that are in thee And whereas wee also were as much in bondage to certayne of late as thy Israel was to those Philistims then and out faced likewise with a monsterous Goliath that defied thy saincts and often brake foorth into most blasphemous speaches agaynst thy trueth and of whom al thy people were so afrayd that they durst not abide his presence thou hast in these dayes and before our eyes by this the power of thy out-stretched and mightie arme so notably ouerthrowne and trodden downe that out-growne Champion of theirs and therewithall put the whole power of them to such a flight as that thereby thou hast deliuered many of thy people out of their hands and so vnioynted their power ouer the residue also that now it is no hard matter for any that will to deliuer themselues from this their tyrannie Neither can it bee denied but that in these dayes there are not a fewe that do beare it such a good will as that thereby thou hast made vnto it in these secondarie meanes with vs a readier way to come to the height that is due vnto it For not only the people generally do in many places beare good will vnto it and leauing the glorie of a thousand to Saul ascribe no lesse then ten thousand to it but many Ionathans also there are whose hearts thou hast in such sort touched that they haue it in so great not estimation only but euen admiration also that al they can do is too little for it Neither their furniture nor abiliments of honour are so deare vnto them but that it must haue them all and though it be their owne father that would do it any dishonor or hurt yet can they not suffer it at their hands neither but still preuent it so much as they can And whereas yet there are many likewise that are enemies vnto it yet doth not that enmitie of theirs proceede of other occasion then that of Saul did agaynst David nor yet is prosecuted in other manner For what other thing is there that so kindleth their hearts agaynst the Gospell but only the ill temper that is in them and for that they playnlie see that it is the thing that thou art disposed now to aduance and that themselues and their loose regiment must now come downe and giue place vnto it And that it might the better be knowne to bée of the same nature that the other was of how doth it proceed after one and the selfe same manner first in secret and openly after and yet very rageous not only agaynst David himself but also agaynst many others for his sake euen as their furie therein doth leade them A thing that though themselues perceiue not yet is it to vs and to all that are able to see a sufficient matter whereby to decipher both what it is they do impugne and who they are that do impugne it We see likewise and must needes acknowledge and as to our comfort we do behold it so do wee right gladly acknowledge it also that notably thou hast begun alreadie to aduaunce thy Gospell among vs that thou hast made it a readie way by preseruing encreasing and strengthning those by whom it pleaseth thee to aduance it and that thou hast alreadie subdued many countries and kingdomes vnto the obedience of the same and much weakned diuers of those that stand agaynst it In Hebron thou doest already reigne ouer the tribe of Iudah thine owne kindred and though Israel for many of them do as yet stand out agaynst thee yet those also hast thou weakened much and daily encreasest in strength agaynst them But O Lord such is thy maiestie and so worthie art thou to
rule ouer all that not only those that are neerest vnto thee but the farthest also euen to the vttermost ends of the earth ought to yeeld their obedience to thee True it is that in David we found very good things and such as might well commend him to vs vnto the place that thou at the length didst call him vnto towards thee a speciall good regard to thy will and a delight in thee and thine and towards others a very good heart not only to his acquaintance and friends but euen to straungers and enemies also But whence had David these but from thee In him they were but in some measure and in comparison but in small portions neither in thee they are immeasurable and in greater aboundance than can be conceiued He was but a shepheard at the first though it pleased thee after to make him a King The basenes of his estate before might be no hinderance at all vnto him to his further aduancement when the time was come wherein thou diddest meane to bestowe it vpon him Thy Sonne our Lord hath been thou knowest a Shepheard alreadie he disdayned not to abase himselfe vnto it and he stucke not for any traueile or paines that did apperteyne to the full accomplishment of it And should he not haue as readie a way thence to the kingdome as David had Or could the sonne of Ishai bee so aduaunced and shall not the eternall Sonne of the Father the God of all power and glorie and to whom only al kingdom and maiestie doth only belong haue as readie a way vnto it Our selues we graunt by whom we would haue this kingdom of thine to be aduanced are farre short in al such graces as were meete for those that should bee vouchsafed that speciall fauour But neither is there any flesh and bloud in thy sight found worthie of any such fauour neither is it meete that for our vnworthines thy kingdome should not bee aduanced on earth in such sort as to thy glorie doth apperteyne and may stand with thy pleasure here on earth And seeing that it pleased thee in the face of thine annoynted to vouchsafe that fauour to David thy seruant notwithstanding that of himselfe he was no better then any others and notwithstanding those great infirmities of his that were found in him after his calling wee humbly beseech thee in those thy mercies so to couer whatsoeuer corruption is in vs as that for it thou suffer not the aduancement of thy kingdome to be hindred among vs. Israel thou seest for a great part of vs is yet in bondage vnto those Philistims of ours and by them kept vnder in miserable slauerie and grosse idolatrie and such as thou hast set vp among vs to proceede and go forward with this our deliuerance do for the most part so little remember that part of their duetie that therein they do but very little and many of them nothing at all Saul did somewhat and merueilous well in comparison of many of ours not only when his kingdome was better confirmed as agaynst the Philistims and Amalekites also but euen at his first enterance likewise when as he was but newly come to his kingdome and the same did hang but loosely vnto him as yet as in that valiant expedition of his agaynst the Ammonites at Iabesh-Gilead But the lesse O Lord that they haue done and are disposed as yet to do the more needfull is it for thée to take some further order for it both for the reliefe of thy distressed people and for the aduancement of thy kingdome among vs. The lesse likewise that our meane and base estate here in this life is capable of so great prosperitie and glorie as to thy kingdome of right apperteyneth the more we desire that it would please thee to hasten the time of the second comming of our Lord and Sauiour that he taking downe this Tabernacle on earth may set vp thy pallace for euer in heauen and there aduaunce thy glorious kingdome euen to the full The cause O Father wee knowe is thine and wee are thine and now hauing made our prayers to thee we humbly beseech thee to heare the same euen in the face of thine annoynted Iesus Christ thy Sonne our Lord to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be ascribed al power thanks kingdome and glorie for euer and euer Amen The exercise that David vsed more specially described Of the exercise of David in those Psalmes that he made in the time of trouble 19. IN what sort David exercised himselfe in those his troubles is alreadie declared so far as the course of the historie yéelded But then it was noted withall that it might be farther gathered out of the Psalmes those I meane that he made in those his troubles as occasion from time to time was giuen him Of which as then I promised to 〈◊〉 somewhat to the end of the treatise so now I meane by the greatnes of God héere to performe it that so we may with one 〈◊〉 the selfe-same labour see both how David in that case was occupied and how we also might in these daies of ours to good purpose imploy our selues And first the truth is that if we were of that good temper that David was of we néeded none other In whâ—â—â— they 〈◊〉 fit us likâ—â— but euen those Psalmes in order as they lye that then he made so oft as our occasion is none other then was that of his wherevpon they were made For then being in like sort exercised they would as fitly agree vnto vs as they did vnto him if we were of such disposition as that we could so fitly and redily apply them to our case as he at that time did apply them to his But then must we be of a quick and a nimble spirit and well experienced in such maner of exercise as it pleaseth the Lord to vse towards his children so that we may at once and as it were with one breath redily fall in with all sorts of passions and affections whatsoeuer that the spirit of God in such case stirreth vp in those whom it pleaseth him to exercise For so shall we find that David did in most of the Psalmes that euer he made not only in these that now we speake of but in most of the residue also sometime beginning with a praier and by and by falling into thanksgiuing sometime acknowledging his great feare of the enimie and streight way growing to inuincible boldnes sometime complaining of the great corruption of the world and forthwith reposing himselfe in the goodnes of God But the formes and examples hereof are so many and diuers that it were hard to reckon them vp and it is sufficient for vs vnto the purpose that now we haue in hand to be thus far warned before that we can hardly apply most of the Psalmes to our vse sauing only when we are in such sort exercised as David was at the time when he made them and vnlesse we