death The dowry is set An hundred foreskins of the Philistims not their heads but their fore-skins that this victory might bee more ignominious still thinking why may not one Dauid miscarry as well as an hundred Philistims And what doth Sauls enuie all this while but enhance Dauids zeale and valour and glory That good Captaine litle imagining that himselfe was the Philistim whom Saul maligned supererogates of his master and brings two hundred for one and returnes home safe and renowmed Neither can Saul now flie off for shame There is no remedy but Dauid must bee a sonne where he was a riuall and Saul must feed vpon his owne heart since he cannot see Dauids Gods blessing graces equally together with mens malice neither can they deuise which way to make vs more happy then by wishing vs euill Michals wile THIS aduantage can Saul yet make of Dauids promotion that as his aduersarie is raised hyer so he is drawne neerer to the opportunitie of death Now hath his enuie cast off all shame and since those crafty plots succeede not he directly subornes murtherers of his riuall There is none in all the Court that is not set on to be an executioner Ionathan himselfe is sollicited to imbrue his hand in the blood of his frend of his brother Saul could not but see Ionathans clothes on Dauids backe hee could not but know the league of their loue yet because hee knew withall how much the prosperitie of Dauid would preiudice Ionathan hee hoped to haue found him his sonne in malice Those that haue the Iaundis see all things yellow those which are ouer-growne with malicious passions thinke all men like themselues I do not heare of any reply that Ionathan made to his father when he gaue him that bloody charge but he waites for a fit time to disswade him from so cruell an iniustice Wisdome had taught him to giue way vnto rage and in so hard an aduenture to craue aide of opportunitie If wee be not carefull to obserue good moods when we deale with the passionate we may exasperate in steed of reforming Thus did Ionathan who knowing how much better it is to be a good frend then an ill sonne had not onely disclosed that ill counsell but when hee found his father in the fields in a calmer temper laboured to diuert it And so farre doth the seasonable and pithy Oratory of Ionathan preuaile that Saul is convinced of his wrong and sweares As God liues Dauid shall not dye Indeed how could it be otherwise vpon the plea of Dauids innocence and well deseruings How could Saul say he should dye whom he could accuse of nothing but faithfulnes Why should hee designe him to death which had giuen life to all Israel Oft-times wicked mens iudgments are forced to yeeld vnto that truth against which their affections maintaine a rebellion Euen the foulest hearts do sometimes intertaine good motions like as on the contrary the holiest soules giue way sometimes to the suggestions of euill The flashes of lightning may be discerned in the darkest prisons But if good thoughts look into a wicked heart they stay not there as those that like not their lodging they are soone gone Hardly any thing distinguishes betwixt good and euill but continuance The light that shines into an holy heart is constant like that of the sunne which keeps due times and varies not his course for any of these sublunary occasions THE Philistims warres renue Dauids victories and Dauids victory renues Sauls enuie and Sauls enuie renues the plots of Dauids death Vowes oathes are forgotten That euill spirit which vexes Saul hath found so much fauor with him as to win him to these bloody machinations against an innocent His owne hands shall first bee imployed in this execution The speare which hath twise before threatned death to Dauid shall now once againe goe vpon that message Wise Dauid that knew the danger of an hollow frend and reconciled enemy and that found more cause to mind Sauls earnest then his own play giues way by his nimblenesse to that deadly weapon and resigning that stroke vnto the wall flees for his life No man knowes how to be sure of an vnconscionable man If either goodnes or merit or affinitie or reasons or oathes could secure a man Dauid had bin safe now if his heeles do not more befrend him then all these he is a dead man No sooner is he gone then messengers are sped after him It hath bin seldome seene that wickednesse wanted executioners Dauids house is beset with murderers which watch at all his dores for the opportunitie of blood Who can but wonder to see how God hath fetcht from the loynes of Saul a remedy for the malice of Sauls heart His owne children are the only meanes to crosse him in the sin and to preserue his guiltlesse aduersary Michal hath more then notice of the plot and with her subtle wit countermines her father for the rescue of an husband Shee taking the benefit of the night lets Dauid downe through a window He is gone and disappoints the ambushes of Saul The messengers begin to be impatient of this delay and now thinke it time to inquire after their prisoner Shee whiles them off with the excuse of Dauids sicknes so as now her husband had good leasure for his escape and layes a statue in his bed Saul likes the newes of any euill befalne to Dauid but fearing hee is not sicke enough sends to aide his disease The messengers returne and rushing into the house with their swords drawne after some harsh words to their imagined charge surprize a sicke statue lying with a pillow vnder his head and now blush to see they haue spent all their threats vpon a senselesse stocke and made themselues ridiculous whiles they would be seruiceable BVT how shall Michal answer this mockage vnto her furious father Hitherto she hath done like Dauids wife now she begins to be Sauls daughter He said to me Let me go or else I will kill thee Shee whose wit had deliuered her husband from the sword of her father now turnes the edge of her fathers wrath from herselfe to her husband His absence made her presume of his safety If Michal had not bin of Sauls plot he had neuer expostulated with her in those termes Why hast thou let mine enemy escape neither had shee framed that answer He said Let me goe I doe not finde any great store of religion in Michal for both shee had an image in the house and afterwards mocked Dauid for his deuotion yet nature hath taught her to preferre an husband to a father to elude a father from whom shee could not flee to saue an husband which durst not but flee from her The bonds of matrimoniall loue are and should bee stronger then those of nature Those respects are mutuall which God appointed in the first institution of wedlocke That husband and wife should leaue father and mother for ech others sake Treason is
strength from faith Dauids greatest conflict is with his freinds The ouercomming of their disswasions that he might fight was more worke then to ouercome his enemy in fighting He must first iustifie his strength to Saul ere he may proue it vpon Goliah Valor is neuer made good but by tryall He pleads the tryall of his puissance vpon the Beare and the Lyon that he may haue leaue to proue it vpon a worse beast then they Thy seruant slew both the Lyon and the Beare therefore this vncircumcised Philistim shall be as one of them Experience of good successe is no small comfort to the heart this giues possibilitie and hope but no certainty Two things there were on which Dauid built his confidence on Goliahs sin and Gods deliuerance seeing he hath railed on the host of the liuing God The Lord that deliuered mee out of the pawes of the Lion and the Beare he will deliuer me out of the hand of this Philistim Well did Dauid know that if this Philistims skin had bin as hard as the brasse of his shield his sinne would make it penetrable by euery stroke After all brags of manhood he is impotent that hath prouoked God Whiles other labour for outward fortifications happy and safe were we if wee could labour for innocence He that hath found God present in one extremitie may trust him in the next Euery sensible fauour of the Almighty invites both his gifts and our trust RESOLVTION thus grounded makes euen Saul himselfe confident Dauid shall haue both his leaue and his blessing If Dauid came to Saul as a shepherd he shall go toward Goliah as a warriour The attire of the King is not too rich for him that shall fight for his King and country Litle did Saul thinke that his helmet was now on that head which should once weare his crowne Now that Dauid was arrayed in the warlike habit of a King and girded with his sword he lookt vpon himselfe and thought this outside glorious but when hee offred to walke and found that the attire was not so strong as vnweeldy and that it might be more for show then vse he laies downe these accoustrements of honor and as caring rather to bee an homely victor then a glorious spoile he craues pardon to go in no clothes but his owne he takes his staffe in steed of the speare his shepherds scrip in steed of his brigandine and in steed of his sword he takes his sling and in steed of darts and iauelins hee takes fiue smooth stones out of the brooke Let Sauls coat be neuer so rich and his armour neuer so strong what is Dauid the better if they fit him not It is not to be inquired how excellent any thing is but how proper Those things which are helps to some may be encombrances to others An vnmeet good may be as inconuenient as an accustomed euill If we could wish another mans honor when we feele the weight of his cares we should be glad to be in our owne cote THOSE that depend vpon the strength of faith though they neglect not meanes yet they are not curious in the proportion of outward meanes to the effect desired Where the heart is armed with an assured confidence a sling and a stone are weapons enow To the vnbeleeuing no helps are sufficient Goliah though he were presumptuous enough yet had one shield caried before him another he caried on his shoulder neither will his sword alone content him but he takes his speare too Dauids armour is his plaine shepherds russet and the brooke yeelds him his artillery and he knowes there is more safety in his cloth then in the others brasse and more danger in his peebles then the others speare Faith giues both heart armes The inward munition is so much more noble because it is of proofe for both soule and body If wee be furnished with this how boldly shall we meete with the powers of darknes and goe away more then conquerors NEITHER did the qualitie of Dauids weapons bewray more confidence then the number If he will put his life and victory vpon the stones of the brooke why doth he not fill his scrip full of them why will he content himselfe with fiue Had he bin furnished with store the aduantage of his nimblenesse might haue giuen him hope If one faile that yet another might speed But now this paucity puts the dispatch to a sudden hazard and he hath but fiue stones cast either to death or victory still the fewer helps the stronger faith Dauid had an instinct from God that he should ouercome hee had not a particular direction how he should ouercome For had he bin at first resolued vpon the sling and stone he had saued the labour of girding his sword It seems whiles they were addressing him to the combat hee made account of hand-blowes now he is purposed rather to send then bring death to his aduersarie In either or both he durst trust God with the successe and before hand through the conflict saw the victory It is sufficient that we know the issue of our fight If our weapons and wardes vary according to the occasion giuen by God that is nothing to the euent sure we are that if wee resist wee shall ouercome and if wee ouercome wee shall be crowned WHEN Dauid appeared in the lists to so vnequall an aduersarie as many eyes were vpon him so in those eyes diuers affections The Israelites lookt vpon him with pity and feare and each man thought Alas why is this comely stripling suffred to cast away himselfe vpon such a monster why will they let him go vnarmed to such an affray why will Saul hazard the honor of Israel on so vnlikely an head The Philistims especially their great Champion lookt vpon him with scorne disdaining so base a combatant Am I a dog that thou com'st to mee with staues What could be said more fitly Hadst thou bin any other then a dog ô Goliah thou hadst neuer opened thy fowle mouth to barke against the host of God and the God of hosts If Dauid had thought thee any other then a very dog he had neuer come to thee with a staffe and a stone THE last words that euer the Philistim shall speake are curses and brags Come to me and I will giue thy flesh vnto the fowles of the heauen and the beasts of the field Seldome euer was there a good end of ostentation Presumption is at once the presage and cause of ruine He is a weake aduersarie that can be killd with words That man which could not feare the gyants hand cannot feare his tongue If words shall first encounter the Philistim receiues the first foile and shall first let in death into his eare ere it enter into his forehead Thou com'st to mee with a sword and a speare and a shield but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts the God of the host of Israel whom thou hast railed vpon This day
shall the Lord close thee in my hand and I shall smite thee and take thine head from thee Here is another stile not of a boaster but of a Prophet Now shall Goliah know whence to expect his bane euen from the hands of a reuenging God that shall smite him by Dauid and now shall learne too late what it is to meddle with an enemie that goes vnder the invisible protection of the Almighty No sooner hath Dauid spoken then his foot hand second his tongue He runs to fight with the Philistim It is a cold courage that stands onely vpon defence As a man that saw no cause of feare and was full of the ambition of victory he flies vpon that monster and with a stone out of his bagg smites him in the forehead There was no part of Goliah that was capable of that danger but the face and that peece of the face the rest was defenced with a brasen wall which a weake sling would haue tried to batter in vaine What could Goliah feare to see an aduersarie come to him without edge or point And behold that one part hath God found out for the entrance of death He that could haue caused the stone to passe through the sheild and brestplate of Goliah rather directs the stone to that part whose nakednes gaue aduantage Where there is power or possibilitie of nature God vses not to worke miracles but chooses the way that lies most open to his purposes THE vaste forehead was a faire marke but how easily might the sling haue missed it if there had not bin another hand in this cast besides Dauids Hee that guided Dauid into this field and raised his courage to this combat guides the stone to his end and lodges it in that seat of impudence There now lies the great defier of Israel groueling and grinning in death and is not suffred to deale one blow for his life and bites the vnwelcome earth for indignation that he dies by the hand of a shepherd earth and Hell share him betwixt them such is the end of insolence and presumption O God what is flesh and blood to thee which canst make a litle peeble-stone stronger then a Gyant and when thou wilt by the weakest meanes canst straw thine enemies in the dust Where now are the two sheilds of Goliah that they did not beare off this stroke of death or wherefore serues that weauers beame but to strike the earth in falling or that sword but to behead his Master What needed Dauid load himself w th an vnnecessary weapon one sword can serue both Goliah and him If Goliah had a man to beare his sheild Dauid had Goliah to beare his sword wherewith that proud blasphemous head is seuered from his shoulders Nothing more honors God then the turning of wicked mens forces against themselues There is none of his enemies but caries with them their owne destruction Thus didst thou O son of Dauid foile Sathan with his owne weapon that whereby he ment destruction to thee and vs vanquished him through thy mighty power and raised thee to that glorious triumph and super-exaltation wherein thou art wherein we shall be with thee JONATHANS loue and SAVLS enuie BESIDES the discomfiture of the Philistims Dauids victory had a double issue Ionathans loue and Sauls enuie which God so mixed that the one was a remedy of the other A good sonne makes amends for a wayward father How precious was that stone that kill'd such an enemy as Goliah and purchased such a frend as Ionathan All Sauls Courtiers lookt vpon Dauid none so affected him none did match him but Ionathan That true correspondence that was both in their faith and valour hath knit their hearts If Dauid did set vpon a Beare a Lion a Gyant Ionathan had set vpon a whole host and preuailed The same spirit animated both the same faith incited both the same hand prospered both All Israel was not worth this paire of frends so zealously confident so happily victorious Similitude of dispositions and estates ties the fastest knots of affection A wise soule hath piercing eyes and hath quickly discerned the likenes of it selfe in another as we do no sooner looke into the glasse or water but face answers to face and where it sees a perfect resemblance of it selfe cannot chuse but loue it with the same affection that it reflects vpon it selfe No man saw Dauid that day which had so much cause to disaffect him none in all Israel should be a looser by Dauids successe but Ionathan Saul was sure enough setled for his time only his successor should forgo all that which Dauid should gaine so as none but Dauid stands in Ionathans light and yet all this cannot abate one iot or dram of his loue Where God vniteth hearts carnall respects are too weake to disseuer them since that which breaks off affection must needs be stronger then that which conioyneth it IONATHAN doth not desire to smother his loue by concealment but professes it in his cariage and actions He puts off the robe that was vpon him and all his garments euen to his sword and bow and girdle and giues them vnto his new frend It was not perhaps without a mysterie that Sauls clothes fitted not Dauid but Ionathans fitted him and these he is as glad to weare as he was to be disburthened of the other That there might be a perfect resemblance their bodies are suited as well as their hearts Now the beholders can say there goes Ionathans other selfe If there bee another body vnder those clothes there is the same soule Now Dauid hath cast off his russet coat and his scrip and is a shepherd no more he is suddenly become both a Courtier and a Captaine and a companion to the Prince yet himselfe is not changed with his habit with his condition yea rather as if his wisdome had reserued it selfe for his exaltation he so manageth a sudden greatnes as that he winneth all hearts Honour showes the man and if there be any blemishes of imperfection they will be seene in the man that is inexpectedly lifted aboue his fellowes He is out of the danger of folly whom a speedy aduancement leaueth wife IONATHAN loued Dauid the souldiers honored him the Court fauord him the people applauded him onely Saul stomackt him and therefore hated him because he was so happy in all besides himselfe It had bin a shame for all Israel if they had not magnified their champion Sauls owne heart could not but tell him that they did owe the glory of that day and the safety of himselfe and Israel vnto the sling of Dauid who in one man slew all those thousands at a blow It was enough for the puissant King of Israel to follow the chase and to kill them whom Dauid had put to flight yet he that could lend his clothes and his armour to this exploit cannot abide to part with the honor of it to him that hath erned it so deerly The holy
the feast he honors him with the cheife seat he reserues a select morsell for him hee tells him ingenuously the newes of his insuing soueraigntie On whom is set the desire of all Israel is it not vpon thee and thy fathers house Wise and holy men as they are not ambitious of their owne burden so they are not vnwilling to be eased when God pleaseth to discharge them neither can they enuie those whom God lifteth aboue their heads They make an Idoll of honor that are troubled with their owne freedome or grudge at the promotion of others DOVBTLES Saul was much amased with the strange salutation and newes of the Prophet and how modestly doth he put it off as that which was neither fit nor likely disparaging his Tribe in respect of the rest of Israel his fathers familie in respect of the Tribe and himselfe in respect of his fathers familie neither did his humilitie stoope below the truth For as Beniamin was the yongest sonne of Israel so he was now by much the least Tribe of Israel they had not yet recouered that vniuersall slaughter which they had receiued from the hands of their brethren whereby a Tribe was almost lost to Israel yet euen out of the remainder of Beniamin doth God choose the man that shall command Israel out of the rubbish of Beniamin doth God raise the throne That is not euer the best and fittest which God chooseth but that which God chooseth is euer the fittest the strength or weaknes of meanes is neither spurr nor bridle to the determinate choices of God yea rather he holds it the greatest proofe of his freedome and omnipotencie to aduance the vnlikeliest It was no hollow and fained excuse that Saul makes to put of that which hee would faine enioy and to cause honor to follow him the more eagerly It was the sincere truth of his humilitie that so deiected him vnder the hand of Gods prophet Faire beginnings are no found proofe of our proceedings and ending well How often hath a bashfull childhood ended in an impudency of youth a strict entrance in licentiousnes early forwardnes in Atheisme There might be a ciuill meeknes in Saul true grace there was not in him they that be good beare more fruit in their age SAVL had but fiue pence in his purse to giue the Prophet The Prophet after much good cheere giues him the kingdome he bestowes the oyle of royall consecration on his head the kisses of homage vpon his face and sends him away rich in thoughts and expectation and now least his astonishment should end in distrust he settles his assurance by fore-warnings of those euents which he should finde in his way He tells him whom he shall meet what they shall say hovv himselfe shall be affected that all these and himselfe might be so many witnesses of his following coronation euery word confirmed him For well might he thinke He that can foretell me the motions and words of others cannot faile in mine especially when as Samuel had prophesied to him he found himselfe to prophesie His prophesying did enough foretell his kingdom No sooner did Samuel turne his backe from Saul but God gaue him another heart lifting vp his thoughts and disposition to the pitch of a King The calling of God neuer leaues a man vnchanged neither did God euer imploy any man in his seruice whom he did not inable to the worke hee set him especially those whom he raiseth vp to the supply of his owne place and the representation of himselfe It is no maruell if Princes excell the vulgar in gifts no lesse then in dignitie Their crownes and their hearts are both in one and the same hand If God did not adde to their powers as well as their honors there would be no equalitie The Inauguration of SAVL GOD hath secretly destined Saul to the kingdome it could not content Israel that Samuel knew this the lots must so decide the choice as if it had not beene predetermined That God which is euer constant to his owne decrees makes the lots to finde him out whom Samuel had annointed If once wee haue notice of the will of God we may be confident of the issue There is no chance to the Almighty euen casuall things are no lesse necessarie in their first cause then the naturall So farre did Saul trust the prediction and oyle of Samuel that he hides him among the stuffe He knew where the lots would light before they were cast This was but a modest declination of that honor which hee saw must come His very withdrawing shewed some expectation why else should hee haue hid himselfe rather then the other Israelites yet could he not hope his subducing himselfe could disappoint the purpose of God He well knew that hee which found out and designed his name amongst the thousands of Israel would easily finde out his person in a tent When once we know Gods decree in vaine shall wee striue against it Before we know it it is indifferent for vs to worke to the likeliest I cannot blame Saul for hiding himselfe from a kingdome especially of Israel Honor is heauy when it comes vpon the best termes How should it be otherwise when all mens cares are cast vpon one but most of all in a troubled estate No man can put to sea without danger but he that launcheth out in a tempest can expect nothing but the hardest euent such was the condition of Israel Their old enemy the Philistims were stilled with that fearefull thunder of God as finding what it was to warre against the Allmighty There were aduersaries enow besides in their borders It was but an hollow truce that was betwixt Israel and their heathenish neighbours and Nahash was now at their gates Well did Saul know the difference betweene a peacefull gouernment and the perilous and wearisome tumults of warre The quietest throne is full of cares but the perplexed of dangers Cares dangers droue Saul into this corner to hide his head from a crowne These made him chuse rather to lye obscurely among the baggage of his tent then to sit gloriously in the throne of State This hiding could doe nothing but show that both he suspected lest he should be chosen and desired he should not be chosen That God from whom the hills and the rocks could not conceale him brings him forth to the light so much more longed for as he was more vnwilling to be seene and more applauded as he was more longed for Now then when SAVL is drawne forth in the midst of the eager expectation of Israel modestie and goodlinesse shew'd themselues in his face The prease cannot hide him whom the stuffe had hid As if he had bin made to be seene he ouerlookes all Israel in height of stature for presage of the eminence of his estate from the shoulders vpward was he higher then any of the people Israel sees their lots are fallne vpon a noted man one whose person shewed he was borne to be
word We will come to you was a threat of resolution Come you to vs was a challenge of feare or perhaps Come vp to vs was a word of insultation from them that trusted to the inaccessiblenes of the the place multitudes of men Insultation is from pride Pride argued a fall but faith hath nothing to do with probabilities as that which acknowledgeth no argument but demonstration If there had not bin an instinct from God of this assured warrant of successe Ionathan had presumed in steed of beleeuing and had tempted that God whom he professed to glorifie by his trust THERE can be no faith where there is no promise and where there is a promise there can be no presumption Words are voluntarie The tongues of the Philistims were as free to say Tary as Come That God in whom our very tongues moue ouer-ruled them so as now they shall speake that word which shall cut their owne throats They knew no more harme in Come then Tary both were alike safe for the sound for the sense but he that put a signification of their slaughter in the one not in the other did put that word into their mouth whereby they might invite their owne destruction The disposition of our words are from the prouidence of the Almighty God and our hearts haue not alwaies the same meaning in our speeches In those words which we speake at random or out of affectation God hath a further drift of his owne glory and perhaps our iudgment If wicked men say our tongues are our owne they could not say so but from him whom they defie in saying so and who makes their tongue their executioner No sooner doth Ionathan heare this invitation then he answers it He whose hands had learned neuer to faile his heart puts himselfe vpon his hands and knees to climbe vp into this danger the exploit was not more difficult then the way the paine of the passage was equall to the perill of the enterprise that his faith might equally triumph ouer both he doth not say how shall I get vp much lesse which way shall I get downe againe but as if the ground were leuell and the action dangerles he puts himselfe into the view of the Philistims Faith is neuer so glorious as when it hath most opposition and will not see it Reason lookes euer to the meanes Faith to the end and in steed of consulting how to effect resolues what shall be effected The way to heauen is more steepe more painefull O God! how perilous a passage hast thou appointed for thy labouring pilgrims If difficulties will discourage vs we shall but climbe to fall When we are lifting vp our foot to the last step there are the Philistims of death of temptations to grapple with giue vs but faith turne vs loose to the spight either of earth or hell IONATHAN is now on the top of the hill and now as if he had an Army at his heeles he flies vpon the hoste of the Philistims his hands that might haue bin weary with climbing are immediately commanded to fight and deale as many deaths as blowes to the amased enemy He needs not walke far for this execution Himselfe and his armour-bearer in one halfe acres space haue slaine 20 Philistims It is not long since Ionathan smote their garrison in the hill of Geba perhaps from that time his name presence caried terror in it but sure if the Philistims had not seene and felt more then a man in the face and hands of Ionathan they had not so easily groueled in death The blowes and shrikes cannot but affect the next who with a ghastly noise ran away from death and affright their fellowes no lesse then themselues are affrighted The clamour feare runs on like fire in a traine to the very formost ranks Euery man would flie and thinks there is so much more cause of flight for that his eares apprehend all his eyes nothing Ech man thinks his fellow stands in his way and therefore in steed of turning vpon him which was the cause of their flight they bend their swords vpon those whom they imagine to be the hinderers of their flight and now a miraculous astonishment hath made the Philistims Ionathans champions and executioners He followes and kills those which helped to kill others and the more he killed the more they feared and fled and the more they killed each other in the flight and that feare it selfe might preuent Ionathan in killing them the earth it self trembles vnder them Thus doth God at once strike them with his owne hand with Ionathans with theirs makes them run away from life whiles they would flie from an enemy Where the Almighty purposes destruction to any people hee needes not call in forreine powers he needs not any hands or weapons but their owne He can make vaste bodies dye no other death then their owne weight Wee cannot be sure to be friends among our selues whiles God is our enemy THE Philistims flie fast but the newes of their flight ouer-runnes them euen vnto Sauls Pomgranate tree The watchmen discerne a far of a flight and execution search is made Ionathan is found missing Saul will consult with the Arke Hypocrites while they haue leisure will perhaps be holy For some fitts of deuotion they cannot be bettered But when the tumult increased Sauls piety decreases It is now no season to talke with a Priest withdraw thine hand Ahaiah the Ephod must giue place to armes It is more time to fight then to pray what needs he Gods guidance when he sees his way before him He that before would needs sacrifice ere he fought will now in the other extreme fight in a wilfull indeuotion Worldly minds regard holy duties no further then may stand with their own carnall purposes Very easie occasions shall interrupt them in their religious intentions like vnto children which if a bird do but flie in their way cast their eye from their booke BVT if Saul serue not God in one kinde he will serue him in another if he honor him not by attending on the Arke he will honor him by a vow His negligence in the one is recompenced with his zeale in the other All Israel is adiured not to eat any food vntill the euening Hypocrisie is euer masked with a blinde and thankles zeale To waite vpon the Arke and to consult with Gods Preist in all cases of importance was a direct commandment of God To eat no food in the pursuit of their enemies was not commanded Saul leaues that which he was bidden and does that which he was not required To eat no foode all day was more difficult then to attend an howre vpon the Arke The voluntary seruices of hypocrites are many times more painfull then the duties inioyned by God In what awe did all Israel stand of the oath euen of Saul It was not their owne vow but Sauls for them yet comming into the wood where they saw the hony
same God which call'd Dauid to the Court wellcoms him thither His comelinesse valour and skill haue soone wonne him fauour in the eyes of Saul The giuer of all graces hath so placed his fauours that the greatest enemies of goodnes shall see somewhat in the holiest men which they shall affect and for which they shall honor the persons of them whose vertues they dislike as contrarily the Saints on earth see somewhat to loue in the worst creatures No doubt Dauid sung to his Harpe His Harpe was not more sweet then his song was holy Those Psalmes alone had bin more powerfull to chase the euill spirit then the musicke was to calme passions both together gaue ease to Saul and God gaue this effect to both because hee would haue Saul traine vp his successor This sacred musicke did not more dispell Sathan then wanton musicke invites him and more cheeres him then vs He plaies and danceth at a filthy song he sings at an obscure dance Our sinne is his best pastime whereas Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs are torment vnto the tempter and musicke to the Angels in heauen whose trade is to sing Alleluiahs in the Chore of glory Dauid and Goliah AFTER the newes of the Philistims army I heare no more mention of Sauls frenzy Whether the noise of warr diuerted those thoughtfull passions or whether God for his peoples sake tooke off that euill spirit least Israel might miscarry vnder a frantick gouernor Now Dauid hath leisure to returne to Bethleem The glory of the Court cannot transport him to ambitious vanitie He had rather be his fathers shepheard then Sauls armour-bearer All the magnificence and state which he saw could not put his mouth out of the taste of a retired simplicitie yea rather he loues his hook the better since he saw the Court and now his brethren serue Saul in his steed A good heart hath learnt to frame it selfe vnto all conditions can change estates without change of disposition rising and falling according to occasion The worldly minde can rise easily but when it is once vp knowes not how to descend either with patience or safety FORTY dayes together had the Philistims Israelites faced each other they pitched on two hills one in the sight of the other nothing but a valley was betwixt them Both stand vpon defence and aduantage If they had not ment to fight they had neuer drawne so neere and if they had bin eager of fight a valley could not haue parted them Actions of hazard require deliberation not furie but discretion must bee the guide of warre So had Ioshua destroyed the giantly Anakims out of the land of Israel that yet some were left in Azzah Gath and Ashdod both to shew Israel what aduersaries their forefathers found in Canaan whom they mastred as also that God might winne glory to himselfe by these subsequent executions Of that race was Goliah whose heart was as high as his head his strength was answerable to his stature his weapons answerable to his strength his pride exceeded all Because he saw his head higher his armes stronger his sword and speare bigger his shield heauier then any Israelite he defies the whole host and walking between the two armies braues all Israel with a challenge Why are yee come out to set your battaile in aray Am not I a Philistim and you seruants to Saul Choose you a man for you and let him come downe to me giue me a man that we may fight together Carnall hearts are carried away with presumption of their owne abilities and not finding matches to themselues in outward appearance insult ouer the impotencie of inferiors and as those that can see no invisible opposition promise themselues certainty of successe Insolence and selfe-confidence argues the heart to be nothing but a lumpe of proud flesh THE first challenge of Duell that euer we finde came out of the mouth of an vncircumcised Philistim yet was that in open warre and tended to the sauing of many liues by aduenturing one or two and whosoeuer imitateth nay surpasseth him in challenge to priuate Duell in the attempt partaketh of his vncircumcision though he should ouercome and of his manner of punishment if in such priuat combats hee cast away his life For of all such desperate prodigalls wee may say that their heads are cut off by their owne sword if not by their owne hand Wee cannot challenge men and not challenge God who iustly challengeth to himselfe both to take vengeance and to giue successe The more Goliah challenges and is vnanswered the more is he puft vp in the pride of his owne power And is there none of all Israel that will answer this champion otherwise then with his heeles Where is the courage of him that was higher then all Israel from the shoulders vpward The time was when Nahash the Ammonite had made that tyrannous demand of the right eyes of the Gileadites that Saul could aske vnasked What aileth the people to weep and could hew his oxen in peeces to raise the spirits of Israel and now he stands still and sees the host turne their backe and neuer so much as asks what aileth the people to flee The time was when Saul slew forty thousand Philistims in one day and perhaps Goliah was in that discomfiture and now one Philistim is suffred by him to braue all Israel forty dayes whence is this difference The spirit of God the spirit of fortitude was now departed from him Saul was not more aboue himselfe when God was with him then he is below others now that he is left of God Valour is not meerely of nature Nature is euer like it selfe by this rule hee that is once valiant should neuer turne coward But now we see the greatest spirits inconstant and those which haue giuen good proofes of magnanimitie at other times haue bewrayed white liuers vnto their owne reproch Hee that is the God of hostes giues and takes away mens hearts at his pleasure Neither is it otherwise in our spirituall combats sometimes the same soule dare challenge all the powers of darknes which other-whiles giues ground to a temptation Wee haue no strength but what is giuen vs and if the author of all good gifts remit his hand for our humiliation either we fight not or are foyled DAVID hath now lien long enough close amongst his flock in the fields of Bethleem God sees a time to send him to the pitcht field of Israel Good old Ishai that was doubtles ioyfull to thinke that he had afforded three sonnes to the warres of his King is no lesse carefull of their wellfare and prouision and who amongst all the rest of his seuen sonnes shall be pickt out for this seruice but his yongest sonne Dauid whose former almost worne-out acquaintance in the Court and imployment vnder Saul seemed to fit him best for his errand Early in the morning is Dauid vpon his way yet not so early as to leaue his flock