Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	david_n	lord_n	saul_n	3,363	5	9.9017	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42772	An usefull case of conscience discussed and resolved concerning associations and confederacies with idolaters, infidels, hereticks, or any other known enemies of truth and godlinesse. By Master George Gillespie, late minister at Edinburgh. Whereunto is subjoyned a letter, written by him to the commissioners of the Generall Assembly, in the time of his sicknesse: together with his testimony unto this truth, written two dayes before his death.	Gillespie, George, 1613-1648.	1649 (1649)	Wing G762A; ESTC R213029	21,990	42

these confederates of Abraham Isaac and Solomon were either idolaters or wicked Laban indeed was an idolater But there are good interpreters who conceive that Abrahams three confederates feared God and that Abimelech also feared God because he speaketh reverently of God and ascribeth to God the blessing and prosperitie of those Patriarchs 'T is presumed also that Hiram was a pious man because of his Epistle to Solomon 2 Chron. 2. 11 12. however 2. Those confederacies were civill either for commerce or for peace and mutuall security that they should not wrong one another as that with Laban Gen. 31. 52. and with Abimelech Gen. 26. 29. which kinde of confederacy is not controverted 'T is objected also that the Maccabees h●d a Covenant with the Romans and L●cedemonian● 1 Macca 8. and 12. 1 2 Answ. 1. That Covenant is disallowed by many good Writers yea t is observed from the Story that they had not the better but the worse successe nor the lesse but the more trouble following it 2. The Story it self 1 Macc. 1. 12. tells us that the first motion of a confederacy with the heathen in those times proceeded from the children of Belial in Israel Lastly it may be objected that persons discontented and of broken fortunes were gathered to David and that he received them and became a Captain unto them 1 Sam. 22. 2. Answ. 1. Some think and 't is probable they were such as were oppressed and wronged by Saul● tyranny and were therefore in debt and discontented and that David in receiving them was a type of Christ who is a refuge for the afflicted and touched with the feeling of their infirmities 2. Whoever they were David took care that no prophane nor wicked person might be in his company Psal 101. yea Psal. 34. 11. which was penned at that same time when he departed from Achish and became Captain of those 400. men he saith to them Come ye children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord 3. I shall bring a better Argument from Davids example against the joyning with such associates in War as are known to be malignant and wicked Psal. 118. 7. The Lord taketh my part with them that help me therefore I shall see my desire upon mine enemies Psal. 54. 4. The Lord is with them that uphold my soul Upon this last place both Calvin and Gesuerus observe that although Davids helpers were few and weak y●t God being in them and with them his confidence was that they should prove stronger then all the wicked he intimateth also that if he had not known that God was with his helpers leading and inspiring them he had looked for no help by them 2 Chron. 25. 7 8. That Davids helpers in the War were lookt upon as sincere cordiall and stirred up of God may further appear from 1 Chron. 12. where David joyneth with himself fidos homines qui idem cum eo sentirent saith Lavater on the place faithfull men of his own minde he addeth that they were such as hated Sauls impiety and injustice and loved Davids vertue Vict. Strigelius calls them fideles amicos faithfull friends The Text it self tells u● that diverse of them joyned themselves to David while he was yet in distresse and shut up in Zicklag vers. 1. which was an Argument of sincerity also that some of Benjamin Sauls own tribe adjoyned themselves to David and the spirit came upon Amasa● who by a speciall Divine instinct spake to assure David of their sincerity vers. 2. 16. 18. They also who joined themselves with David after Sauls death vers. 23. were not of a double heart but of a perfect heart vers. 33. 38. and they all agreed that the first great businesse to be undertaken should be Religion the bringing back of the Arke 1 Chron. 13. 3 4. This point of the unlawfulnesse of confederacies with men of a false Religion is strangely misapplyed by Lutherans against confederacies with us whom they call Calvinists So argueth Tarnovius Tract. de Foederib But we may make a very good use of it for as vve ought to pray and endeavour that all who are Christs may be made one in him so we ought to pray against and by all meanes avoide fellowship familiaritie mariages and militarie confederacies with known wicked persons and such as are of a false or hereticall Religion I shall branch forth this matter in five particulars which God forebade to his people in reference to the Canaanites and other heathens which also partly by parity of reason partly by concluding more strongly will militate against confederacies and conjunctions with such as under the profession of the Christian Religion do either maintain Heresies and dangerous Errors or live a prophane and wicked life First God forbade all Religious Covenants with such and would not have his people to tolerate the gods images altars or groves of idolaters Exod. 23. 32. and 34. 13. Deut. 7. 5. Iud. 2. 2. And although the letter of the Law mention this in reference to the Canaanites yet the best reforming Kings of Iudah applyed and executed this Law in taking away the growes and high places abused by the Iewes in their superstion And what marvell If such things were not to be tollerated in the Canaanites much lesse in the Iewes Theodosius is commended for his suppressing and punishing Hereticks 2. God forbade familiar conversation with these heathens that they should not dwell together with his people nay nor in the land with them Exod. 23. 33 lest one of them being familiar with an Israelite might call him to a feast and make him eat of things sacrificed to idols Exod. 3● 15. Compare this with Iud. 1. 21. Psal. 106. 35. Now the Apostle layeth much more restraint upon us from conversing eting and drinking with a scandalous Christian 1 Cor. 5. 11. then with a Pagan or unbeleever 1 Cor. 1. 27. There is a conversing and companying with wicked persons which is our affliction not our fault that is when we cannot be rid of them do wh●t we can 1 Cor. 5. 10. which is an argument against separating and departing from a true Church because of scandalous persons in it The Apostle gives this check to such go where they will they shall finde scandalous persons all the world over There is again a conversing and companying with wicked persons which naturall and civile bonds our neare relations or our calling tyeth us unto as between husband and wife parent and child Pastor and people Magistrate and those of his charge But wittingly and willingly to converse and have fellowship either with hereticall or prophane persons whether it be out of love to them and delight in them or for our own interest or some worldly benefit this is certainly sinfull and inexcusable If we take care of our bodily safety by flying the company of such as have the plague yea if we take care of the safety of our beasts and would not to our knowledge suffer a

vvhen God hath purposely set so many Beacons upon those rockes and Shelves that we may beware of them O why shall we be so mad as still to run upon them It was reproved in the time of the Judges Iudg. 2. 1 2 3. It was reproved in the time of the Kings A●abs Covenant with Benhadad Asa's Covenant with Benhadad Ahaz his confederacy with the Assyrian Iehosaphats association first with Ahab then with Ahaziab Amaziahs association with those 100000. men of Ephraim when God was not with them all those are plainly dis●llowed and condemned Moreover that reproof Ier. 2. 18. And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt to drink the waters of Sihor Or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria to drink the waters of the river the Chaldee hath thus what have yee to do to associate with Pharaoh King of Egypt And what have ye to do to make a Covenant with the Assyrian Again after the captivity Ezra 9. the Iewes mingling of themselves with the heathen is lamented Fifthly the great and precious promises of God may encourage us so as we shall never say to the wicked a confederacy for upon condition of our avoiding all such confederacies and con●unctions God promiseth never to break his Covenant with us Iudg. 2. 1 2. and to receive us as his Sons and Daughters 2 Cor. 6. 14 16 17 18. Sixthly t is one of Gods great mercies which he hath Covenanted and promised I will purge out from among you the Rebels and them that transgresse against me Ezek. 20. 38. Why should we then forsake our own mercy and despise the counsell of God against our own soules Seventhly as it was in Asa his experience 2 Chron. 16. 7● 8. so it hath been in our own God hath done his greatest works for us when we were most unmixed with such men There is another Objection which at the writing hereof I have met with 'T is Davids confederacy and association both with Abn●r 2 Sam. 3. 12 13. and with Amasa 2 Sam. 19. 13. whom according to agreement he made Generall of of his Hoste 2 Sam. 20. 4. although both of them had been Davids enemies and born Arms against him Abner being also scandalous both for his whoredome 2 Sam. 3. 7. and his treachery against Ishbosheth in aspyring to the Crown which is collected from his going in unto Saules Concubine as Absolom did unto Davids afterward yea for that he had born Arms against David when he knew that God had swo●n to make David King and so against the light of his conscience 2 Sam 3. 9. 18. Answ. 1. Peter Martyr commenting upon those places disalloweth Davids practise in both these cases especially his League with Abner Should we follow these two examples not being allowed or commended in Scripture or should we not rather avoid such consederacies because of many examples thereof plainly condemned in the Word of GOD 2. Whatsoever may be conceived to be allowable or excusable in these examples of David yet it cannot be applyed except in like cases When David●ovenanted with Abner he was but King of Iudah Abner undertaks to bring about all Israel to him and that he should make him reigne over all the tribes whereas otherwise there was no appearance of Davids subduing of all the other t●ibes but by a long and bloudy War Again when David cov●nanted and capitulated with Amasa he was in a manner fled our of the land for Absolon 2 Sam. 19. 9. and was forced to abide in the land of Gilead beyond Iordan fearing also as interpreters observe that the men of Iudah having strengthened Ierusalem and kept it with a garrison for Absolom and having done so much in assisting Absolom against David should grow desperate in holding out against him hoping for no mercy therefore he is content to make Amasa Generall of his Army upon condition that he would cause the men of Iudah to bring him back to Ierusalem which Amasa moves the men of Iudah to do 2 Sam. 19. 14. for it was done by his authoritie as Iosephus also writeth nor could it be done without his authority for Absolom and Ahitophel being dead Amasa had the whole power and sole headship of that Army and of all that faction that had followed Absolom Now then let them that will plead for the lawfulnesse of confederacies with wicked persons from these examples of David first make the case alike that is that the wicked one have power of an Army and of a great part of the body of a Kingdome to make them either continue in Rebellion and enmity or to come in and submit Next let it be remembred that both Abner and Amasa did a great service which was most meritorious at the hands of men for the good peace and safety of King and Kingdom and they did it at that time also when David was but weak and they had power enough to have continued a War against him Which is a very rare case far different from the case of such as have done are doing all that they can to pervert and mislead many thousands of the people of God instead of reduducing many thousands to obedience as Abner and Amasa did 3. There are some other answers proper to the one case and the other There is nothing in the Text to prove that David made such a Covenant with Abner as the Grecians call {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or that the Covenanted to make him General of his Army as afterwards he Covenanted with Amasa for at that time he could have no colour of reason for casting Ioab out of his place as afterwards he had Therefore I understand with Sanctus that the League which Abner sought from David was Foedus pacis a Covenant of peace Hyerome readeth fac mecum amicitias make friendship with me for before they had been enemies So that this League is not of that kind which is chiefly controverted As for Amasa I shall not go about as some have done to excuse or extenuate his fault in joining with Absolom as not being from any malice or wicked intention against David his Uncle But there is some probability that Amasa was a penitent and hopefull man Sure David had better hopes of him then of Ioab And if it be true which Iosephus writeth that before David sent Zadok and Abiathar to the men of Iudah and to Amasa frequent messages came from them to the King desireing to be received into his favour however Amasa being so willing and ready to do so much for David when hee might have done so much against him David as he could not do his busines without him so he had some ground to hope well of him considering withall that Amasa was not set upon this businesse by any offence or displeasure at the other party as Abner was 4. Even as this example so far as concerneth the laying aside and casting off of Ioab and not