ENGLANDS SECOND Alarm to VVar Against the Beast Saul with his Edomite has shed blood to his power He smites Israels City and destroyes his owne house overcame his People once and overthrew himselfe for ever It relates to what is done now Grave questions touching the Edomite his admission to Court and into office there how it relates to Papists now He has a Commission to destroy a City of Priests which he does with an utter destruction Excellent Reasons why The Lord suffered such a destruction to be executed upon Israel then And why he suffers the same now And why by an Edomites hand then and now Lament 4.21 Rejoyce and be glad It is a bitter mockery i.e. weepe and howle O Daughter Edom The Cup also shall passe thorow unto thee Thou shalt be drunken and shalt make thy selfe naked Isa 49.25.26 For thus saith The LORD The prey of the Terrible shall be delivered I will contend with him that contendeth with Thee I will feed them that spoile Thee with their owne flesh and they shall be drunken with their owne blood as with sweet wine LONDON Printed for Thomas Vnderhil in the second yeare of the Beasts wounding warring against The Lamb and those that are with Him Called Chosen and Faithfull 1643. ENGLANDS ALARM TO VVar against the Beast SECT II. THe Edomite is Sauls Scout now and his Generall in the Field anon Davids enemy alwaies The Priests accuser but can charge him with no more but what was his office to do therefore not so impudent as are the Edomites in our dayes Saul impleads the Priest gives him leave to make answer for himselfe which he doth clearly and fully and then is destroyed he and a City of Priests man woman and childe there and beast also This relates fully to our times Quaeries touching the Edomite Sauls taking him into his Court assigning him to office there and giving him commission to smite a City of Priests Quaeries touching that miserable destruction Gods judgements secret but just and righteous upon Ireland and England Yet the mischiefe done by man shall returne upon his owne head and his violent dealing upon his owne pate CHAP. I. David comes to Nob Doeg spies him there hastens to Saul tels him all his observations yet can lay nothing to the Priests charge but what was the Priests duty to doe Doeg tels truth yet loved lying The Edomites now more shamelesse DAvid comes to Nob to Abimelech the Priest there 1 Sam. 21. intreats a courtesie of him and the Priest does him a Hawfull favour whereof we shall heare more anon Doeg the Edomite Sauls chiefe Heardsman was there for Saul had a Scout to spy every where but none did his master better service to Sauls liking then Doeg did he was an Edomite that I would have noted and now being in Israels Land he was of his Religion too for that is a thing easily taken up and being at Nob has a faire pretence for that also as you may reade Religion called him thither and held him there a pretence only and no more for that bloudy wretch mindes not Religion not the solemne Acts thereabout he mindes only all that which passed betwixt Abimeleth and David that so he might doe mischiefe a mighty man that way And now having fed his eye and filled his mouth with observations hee hastened to his master Saul 1 Sam. 22.6 findes him in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah having his speare in his hand and all his servants standing about him It is worth the noting by the way what mischiefe this evill and perverse will actuated by his evill spirit has done unto Saul It had drowne him from his owne house and Court where he might have rested in peace with his servants about him he is now even Saul the King under a Tree with a speare in his hand when no enemy is neere him but himselfe and his evill spirit which he entertaines and hugges as his best friend though the worst enemy to Saul next to himselfe and the peace of the kingdome It is a true saying A man findes no such enemy in the world as he may finde himselfe to be to himselfe Chrysost The Greek Father has a full Treatise upon that matter I returne to the Tree againe where Doeg found his master him that had lost himselfe and heard him complaine bitterly to his servants That they had all conspired against him Why because they had not yet betrayed innocent David and delivered him as a prey up unto their masters hands This Saul calls a conspiracy with his sonne Ionathan a good man who withholds his fathers hands as long as he could from shedding innocent bloud and does according to Gods Commandement his utmost to deliver the innocent This Saul calls a stirring up his servant he meanes David against him Verse 9. to lye in wait as at this day It followes Then answered Doeg The Edomite takes the words out of Sauls mouth as spoken to himselfe they were very pleasing to him and answers before he was asked for sure Saul does not question the Edomites readinesse in that service But he answers assureth Saul that hee is none of those conspirators with Ionathan in behalfe of David not he and he gives good testimony thereof for he tells all that which passed betwixt Abimelech and David there he tells all just as David knew it would be when he heard that Doeg the Edomite had spied him there Verse 22. We may observe Davids Psalme touching this matter and by the way how well fitted a cruell master is with a bloudy servant And so let it passe Psal 52. noting only this in this place and touching that Edomite how Doeg impleads Abimelech and what he layes to his charge he tells all and yet he tels nothing at all but what stands upon everlasting record to the Edomites shame and the Priests glory for this he sayes I saw the sonne of Iesse he meanes David but speakes as contemptibly of him as he thought fit at that time yet not so wickedly as the Edomites now adayes call David for they call him by as vile a name as David vile in his owne eyes but the more pretious in Gods eyes cals himselfe a dog I saw the sonne of Iesse come to Nob to Abimelech there Well 1 Sam. 22.9 whither should David goe persecuted by a cruell Lord but to a good Priest for direction from Gods mouth there was no hurt but good in all that The Priest enquired of the Lord for him It was well he did for hee did but his duty and gave David bread The Priest was bound to doe as much to his enemy much more to David for who so faithfull as David in all the kingdome Nay had he not done it though sacred bread he had destroyed David as bloudy men have done in Oxford denying the hungry soule bread there and suffering them to dye for want of water And gave David the sword of Goliab
oyle and yet drawn swords as we read But when we see the hand besmeared with bloud then we certainly conclude that the thoughts were of a scarlet colour and this is the sight or prospect we shall take a view of presently A bloudy execution done upon Nob yet bloudy though it be Saul pretends hee does it by helpe of God and the Law by the knowne Lawes of the Kingdome which that we may examine we will handle it not as an execution done but ready to be done else Saul might be said to doe as the Judge at Lidford who hanged a man in the forenoone and then heard his inditement and passed sentence over him in the afternoone not called the knowne Law of the kingdome then Mr. Iueil defence but Lidford Law to this day Saul was not to bad as to do so he hath slaine Abimelech but hee impleaded him first objects against him and heares what hee can say for himselfe Saul hath this to say against him That Abimelech and the son of Iesse Saul meanes David Ob. whom hee names with as little honour as can be were confederate together and had conspired against him 1 Sam. 22.13 Why have ye conspired against me thou and the sonne of Iesse A sore accusation Ans but of no weight validity or strength from Sauls mouth who calls all conspirators who will not shew Saul where David is that so he may shed innocent bloud according to the power in his hands Vers 8. that so he may shed innocent bloud according to the power in his hands Vers 13. All of you have conspired against me But what had the Priest done which might be called a Conspiracy a taking part with David That he should rise against Saul to lye in wait as it is at this day Thus Saul sayes and so he impleads Abimelech In that thou hast given bread Ob. and a sword and hast enquired of God for him We will take the last first Ans enquired of God for David It was the Priests office so to do nor was that the first time that the Priest enquired of the Lord for David Vers 15. nor did the Priest know the second amongst the many thousands of Israel who deserved better from the hands of Saul and all Israel then Dauid did and therefore why might not Abimelech enquire of the Lord for him There is all Reason and Law both that so the Priest should doe enquire of the Lord for David but reason will not serve nor the resolution of the Lord neither The enquiry was saith Iunius about the Shew-bread c Vt cognoseeree an sacros panes tantùm Sacerdotibus concessos gladium semel Deo sacratum ad alios usus transferre fas esset lawfull for the Priests onely to eat and the Sword consecrated to God Whether that or this might be translated unto other uses whereunto no doubt the Priest had full satisfaction That they might In such an extremity David might refresh his hungry soule with that bread and in such a danger which God was privie to hee might take Goliah sword to defend himself therewith and to prevent Saul from seizing upon it first 1 Sam. 21 10. the more easily thereby to further his bloudy designe upon David But yet there is some more question touching the Sword as for the bread it was made for man and not man for bread That is a cleared case from the Lord Christs owne mouth Touching the Sword there is all the question now Saul a King pretends himselfe Master of the same as of Keilah for all the strong holds and ammunition there did belong to Saul they were all his proper goods and therefore Abimelech giving the sword to David he did it that he should use it against Saul to lye in wait So Saul forceth the accusation Whereunto Abimeleth makes a faire and full answer That Saul was no more Lord of the one then of the other he had no more propriety or right in the sword then in the bread nor the one nor the other were Sauls but the Lords laid-up both before the Lord and consecrated to Him But the Lord hath no nead of bread or of a sword His people Israel have need of both and as their need required so Israel might take the Bread thereby to sustaine life and the Sword thereby to defend life David tooke it for that end and according to the minde and will of God whose intent was cleare That Goliabs sword now lawfully wrested out of his hand and in Davids hand then layed up before the Lord should be for the defence of Israel and to fortifie Israel against their enemies to the worlds end And so the case is resolved about Keilah too a City that had gates and bartes not Sauls City now to batter downe though he would presume so farre about Davids eares but His City whose the kingdome was the Lords kingdome and trusted onely to Saul for the defence of Israel and no further And yet that Abimelech may deliver no more to Saul but what is justifiable by the Law of heaven and earth he assureth him that what he sayes is from Gods Mouth for there he enquired and received answer as aforesaid and thereupon his warrant to give David Bread and Sword both Moreover he addes be it far from him 1 Sam. 22.14 the Priest of the Lord to entertaine a disloyall thought against his Master the Lords Anointed enquiring of the Lord for David and giving him bread and a sword he knew David to be a faithfull person none like him in all Sauls house nor more honourable being the Kings Son-in-Law and for any thing else hee knew nothing lesse or more As honest and satisfying an answere had it been spoken to any mans eare but Sauls as ever came from a Priests mouth for it was taken from Gods Mouth but Saul is resolved before hand upon the Question for nothing can satisfie Sauls thirst but Davids bloud and because Abimelech stood in Sauls way and for reliefe of David Saul will have the Priests bloud Vers 16. And the King said thou shalt surely dye Abimelech See! There is an argument Abimelech cannot answere when a man drives furiously onward in a bloudy way neither law nor reason shall stop him nor the Angel with his drawne sword in the way Nay Saul stops not there he speaks more bloudy words yet and will doe as he speakes What I am loth to mention it from the mouth of a King and King of Israel the great Fiductary of the kingdome there I had rather a Philistin said it such an unkingly word so devoid of all reason and humanity but yet Israels King sayes it and we must repeat it after him Thou and all thy fathers house Ah Lord what a bloudy word is this what a bloudy man is that An Evill spirit came upon Saul indeed haunts him still and drives him on Lord deliver us from him for the man is
said Luther having his eyes shut up and living in Monkery Why then when they are declared to bee so So Rebellious to the Lawes of the King of Heaven So Trayterous to the Crowne of the King and Kingdome Let it bee done unto him according to the Judgement of our Law The Hangman must doe his Office see what that cord will doe To the other Questions Wherefore the King taketh the Edomites Atheists and Papists Davids Enemies all To his side Why his heart cleaveth to such Enemies as these in love His Answer is advising with pernicious Counsellors in whose hand he is as Sauls was Because he is perswaded These are Men faithfull to his Person and Right for his Service so they are indeed and will defend him from David who as he seems to say lyes in wait for him as it is at this day and as David lay in wait for Saul in those dayes So we may mocke men but God will not be mocked It were endlesse and needlesse to tell stories touching this matter how Right-handed-men Papists have beene to their Kings and their Kingdomes in all Ages Thank Master Prynne I will name him againe being resolved to anger the Divell and all his Bishops he has told us enough and abundantly satisfied us at this point I proceed Saul may say David lay in wait to take away his life therefore he tooke the Edomite to his side to defend him from Davids sword when the truth was Saul persecuted David thorough the Thousands of Israel and that he might doe to David according to all the desire of his soule he tooke the Edomite to his side a Mighty Adversary to Israel and as Skilfull to destroy The very same Reason and no other now wherefore the King in the hands of bloudy and pernicious Adversaries takes Atheists and Papists to him now why he cleaves to them in love Because they are mighty to doe mischiefe skilfull to shed bloud as is legible now in Ireland and England both But this we must note Though Sauls excuse for taking to himselfe such a guard and such a Captaine over them was not so specious as it was ridiculous yet there was bloodshed in good earnest which was charged heavily upon Saul for it ruined him and all his house and all together as we reade We must apply this now and approve our selves faithfull to the Soul of our King That his Conscience may speak-out before it be too late and he speechlesse then commonly the Conscience speakes loudest That the Conscience may speak-out and in season we apply and reade on So will the bloud-shed in Ireland and England by the Edomites in both places bee charged upon the King whose servants they are and whose Commission they have such a pernicious Counsell he has Turne thou and fall upon the Priest and people all whose hand is with David and the Edomite turned c. This is the Edomites Commission now against all that have an hand with David And therefore all the Bloud they have shed there or here shall be charged upon the King Not the bloud of Ireland sure Ob. not a drop Yes every drop Ans though it be an Occan a. He called them Rebels Ob. and caused them to be proclaimed so in forty Papers at least and Rebels with an accent We remember some such matter Ans and as it harpened saw the Proclamation but it was not hearty if so then not onely the Publique Cryer but every Post and Pillar had proclaimed them Rebels for so the Kings best Subjects were proclaimed the yeare before We understand a The bloud a Ruler commands to be shed or suffers to be shed The Lord chargeth upon the Rulers score Thou hast killed 2 Sam. 12.9 2 Kings 21.19 well when a thing is done heartily for then the whole Land shall ring of it every City and Towne there every Church and Chappell nor so onely Stockes and Stones shall be taught to speake and to proclaime Rebels so good Subjects were proclaimed Rebels Rebels indeed as those in Ireland not so proclaimed but coldly and faintly God He knowes His Majesty made offer to goe himselfe and fight with the Rebels B. his stomack did so rise against them We remember his Secretary wrote some such matter A. but the Secretary knew the stomack of his wicked Counsell rose against Hull and was cager upon that place to take the Ammunition thence which they would have had first and have gone to suppresse the Rebels afterwards we remember this very well And his Majesty sayes his soule bleedeth over the bloudshed in Ireland B. We doe not certainly know what his Majesty sayes A. for we cannot thinke that we reade his words His Secretary has told us so much and truly I can forbeare him no longer he is one of the vilest Hypocrites in all the world one of the vile Counsellours sure who perswaded the King to intercept the provision of Cloathes and other things sending over to a poore peeled naked people and then would make us beleeve They pirty the peoples nakednesse and their soules bleed over their misery The Kings party make all supplyes over to the Rebels there to make them the more able for the shedding of more bloud and then tells us The Kings heart bleeds over the bloodshed there They call them Rebels there and call them over hither to do the like execution here and here they doe it with all their might and yet the Secretary tels us The Kings soule bleeds over this bloudshed O hellish blasphemy horrible hypocrisie If the Secretaries bloud and all the bloud that runnes in the veins of that Hellish Counsell about his Majesty were shed it would not redeeme the wrong they have done to the King their Master I doe not adde and the Kindome by these notorious Blasphemies Contradictions Remonstrances and Contra-Remonstrances declaring one thing with the Tongue and then the contrary with the Hand so making us beleeve That the King their Master is as one of them Obeb 11. which we tremble to think-of as notorious an Hypocrite as was he wee have often read of and we have never read the like till this day whose foot stood in the path of the destroyer did drive-on furiously there weeping all along as he went That is the expression Jer. 41.6 as if his soule had bled over the bodies which he had slaine when yet he went-on furiously resolved to slay more and so many he had slaine that he has filled a great Pit with the slame GOD beholds all this and will require it Rebels in Ireland howsoever proclaimed against for fashion sake are the Kings good Subjects here helping on the Designe And they who opposed their Bloody Designes here and there not in designe onely but in execution are called Traytors and Rebells both and all heartily Here is a double Iniquity We do not pray for we deprecat against the Judgement but the Lord lookes upon this and
will of The Lord it should be so for note we where the Lord gives Commission to the Sword to goe forth Ezek. 9.5 spare and pitty none neither old nor young neither man nor woman He does say Come not neare any man upon whom is the marke i. e. to hurt them He does not say Come not neare My Sanctuaries the Priests or their Cities The Holy Ghost chargeth the Sword to beginne there And begin at my Sanctuary We cannot be ignorant what the use is the Apostle Peter would have Priests and people 1 Pet 4.17.18.19 good and bad make hereof If judgement must begin at the house of GOD what shall the end bee of them that obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly appeare It strikes terrour to the wicked but strong consolation to the godly Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their soules to Him in well doing as unto A Faithfull Creator But with them and their house the Sword begins for note we who is the Butt of the Edomites malice b Si fuerit sublimis fit despicabilis c. Si bonus est quispiam quasi mâ—lus spernitar Si malns est quasi bonus honoratâ—r Salv. li. 4. p. 113. against whom then and now he drawes his Arrow with all his strength It is that he may shoot at and kill the upright in heart The Priests of The Lord then the servants of The Lord now Is there any one whose hand is with David any one who feares God above many any one who as his Lord and Master loveth Righteousnesse and hateth Iniquity Is he such an one beat him stone him slay him hang-him he is a deg use him like a Dog the Parliaments Dog his hand is with David that is Reason enough with an Edomite turne about and stay him for he is no friend to Caesar Blessed be God That this man can count his cost and account the reproach of Christ great riches And blessed be God that according to their sufferings shall their consolations be full measure pressing downe and running over he remembers his masters words in the world tribulation What more that which makes amends for all in Me peace that 's enough Iohn 16.33 But let me aske these Edomites this question Have they a Warrant for what they doe Yes they will say they have a Commission from the King under the Great Seale of England An honest man is the KEEPER the while which runnes evermore thus For the doing of these notorious violences this commission shall be to you and them and every one of them a sufficient warrant But O that they could remember That God is an avenger of these things and when He makes Inquisition for bloud then he that granted this Commission and hee that executed it Ezek. 22.14 shall fall both together Their heart cannot endure nor can their hands bee strong in the day The LORD shall deale with them and with the KEEPER too who hath wickedly betrayed the great trust of the Kingdome Come we now to the people 1. The children and sucklings there they were slaine The Edomite has made the like slaughter in our dayes for he has slaine the mother and the childe together I thinke the childe in the mothers wombe We need say very little more unto it then this The Sword was in the Edomites hand then it is in his hand now the Papist I meane still as bloudy now and ever as the Edomite ever was and what hee was you shall heare anon 2. We must say The LORD is righteous and these sucklings had finned though not after the similitude of Adams transgression Indeed it is a sad sight but we may shut the eye yet see into this case as farre with our eye shut as open for truly now we are in the darke wee are come to the secrets of GODS Decree and there we leave these Sucklings and Children all Only I will tell my thoughts which have ground from holy Scripture That Parents now seeing their Sucklings snatched from their breasts and their children from out of their deare armes and from under their wings because the Parents have an hand with David pray marke that may take more comfort in such a violent death theirs or their childrens then if they had seen them dye on their bed For I doe assure you That I have read of some Parents who have beene very ambitious of such a Martyrdome Oh! to have an hand with David to help him against the mighty and an heart with Christ and to suffer for this and so it is at this Day is a glorious kind of Martyrdome that it is 3. The People are destroyed Men and Women there Answ I will Answer againe The Edomite did it a sworne Enemy to Israel as we have read once and againe he did it who does thirst after Bloud and yet not he alone It cannot bee reasonably conceived That he alone a single man could act such an horrid execution but helped and strengthned with Sauls bloudy Courtiers some more of that generation or Bastard Israelites as Cruell as the Edomite was every whit And let me say too for it must be observed strengthened also with the Peoples Sinnes I meane the Sinues of that City The Inhabitants there did doubtlesse strengthen the Edomite and the Bastard Israelites against their City and their selves Nostris peccatis Barbarâ— fortes sunt nostris vitijs Romanus superat exercitus Hiero. Epist l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid Pelus Ep. l. 1 Ep. 294 p. 66. a The Peoples sins made the Edomite strong we Include all Davids Enemies under that Name against the People of Israel Doubtlesse it was so for I Read the like expression full for our Instruction The Sinnes of Israel strengthned Eglon (b) Iudg. 3.14 against Israel Marke it Eglon then and the Edomite now had a Will alwaies as the Divell has to doe Israel mischiefe But nor Eglon them nor the Edomite now no nor the Divell neither mighty though he be nor this Adversary nor that nor the other have strength and power of themselves To doe Israel mischiefe for hurt they cannot doe I say Will they have still Power they have none of themselves till GOD lets it forth till He strengthens them against His People for their Sinnes against Him The God of all Wisedome Power and Grace So we Read And the Children of Israel did Evill againe in the fight of the Lord. Observe that expression by the way and you will observe That God Markes what is done amisse Hee sees Sin in His People for you Read here and every where before the Eyes of The LORD Iudg. 3.12 in the sight of the LORD And The LORD strengthened Eglon against Israel Why It is repeated againe Because Israel had done Evill in the Sight of The LORD Therefore Eglon was so strong against Israel then The Edomites after that time and
does in these dayes as followes and what Saul did first Saul was Davids Lord on earth but he hunts after Davids soule that hee might not live upon the ground Saul is Davids King and Davids persecutor The Priests King and the Priests murtherer by the hand of an Edomite Ah Lord who can expresse the miserable plight and how dolefull the condition is the evill spirit has driven Saul into He is Israels King and he is smiting Israels City The great Fiduciary of the Kingdome and the greatest Traytor there This tells us what is done now David is persecuted now and his King seduced by Edomites Davids adversaries persecutes him because who so faithfull as he in all the Kingdome A defendor of the Faith and by his evill Counsell a destroyer of the Faith A maintainer of the Gospel in profession and a persecutor of the faithfull Ministers publishers of the same the Messengers of the Church and the glory of Christ The great Fiduciary of the Kingdome yet seduced by an evill Councell he betrayes that great Trust Englands King and Englands destroyer The Lord of their Cities and waster of the same Are not these grievous words Yes they must be so plaine Truth direct and home what expectation of any good but from such-like-words If ever the King come to himselfe finde himselfe lost for murtherers have stolne him away then such words as these will be to his heart and may serve to usher-in Pardon peace and comfort for the sowrer the herbes the sweeter the Passeover whereas pleasing words from vile flatterers his Court Chaplaines have wounded their Master and left him more then halfe dead Such words as these may kill him out-right and by Gods grace quicken him againe to a life indeed I am glad I have spoken for first I have said no more but what is already told in Gath and published in the streets of Aschalon Secondly what if it were not told by me nor as aforesaid yet all created strength cannot stop the mouth of blouds so loud it cries Irelands bloud what an Ocean of bloud is there Cyciters bloud Burminghams bloud Banburies bloud shedding of this bloud was counted a fine device as Bristols bloud intended to be shed Oxfords bloud Bloud here and there and everywhere whereto the hand could reach O what a voice is here as the voice of many waters or Thunders Is there a voice that can out-cry I meane cry louder to Heaven and in the Eares of the Lord then can the voice of blouds yes the voice of bloud cries louder then the bloud of Abel or the blouds shed from righteous Abel unto this day and there is the hope of Israel concerning their King The voice of the bloud of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 that speakes better things then that of Abel Better things that cryed from the earth for a curse upon the earth and Cain there Gen. 4.12 This cries in Heaven for mercy to such sinners on earth who can say not with Cain My punishment but my sin is greater then I can beare yet not too great for Christ to beare a Redeemer that is strong a Saviour to the utmost There is hope in Israel concerning that And here is ground of hope too because these Stephens the slain all the day long can pray for their King all the day long crying with a loud voice not more for themselves at such a time then for their King saying Lord lay not this sinne to our Kings charge Amen Amen CHAP. 4. Quaeries touching the Edomite whether by the knowne Lawes of Israels Kingdome Saul might entertaine him in his Court grant him a Commission to smite a City of Priests whether any reason for that whether single or plurall and whether by any possible meanes an Edomite may be made serviceable to Israel How it relates to the present exemplifying the History of our Time VVHy does King Saul take an Edomite into his Court Qu. to be an Officer there It is answered in effect before Ans Saul is King and he knew himselfe so to be Qu. and will chuse his owne Officers may he not No indeed Ans he may not unlesse it be to be his Heardsman and there should be caution and some consultation about that too Questionlesse he must not chuse a servant to be chiefe in his house to transact the great affaires of his Kingdome there without the allowance and consent of All Israel because Saul does not chuse for himselfe but for the whole Kingdome But it is written Ob. Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite Yes Ans that is most true it is the charge of the Lord and we have the Reason Deut. 23.8 For he is thy brother Nor shalt thou ab or an Egyptian because thou wast a stranger in his land What is the meaning of this This we must not be unnaturall nor must we forget old favours But it does not follow from hence I hope that therefore Saul might take an Edomite make him a Chiefe Ruler in his house or that he might put considence in an Egyptian for the charge is contrary And if Saul will entertaine an intimacy and familiarity with an Edomite an old adversary to Israel as we have heard and seene and shall make it more legible yet It does plainly argue 3 Sect. Saul to be no true friend to Israel Sauls heart cannot be upright toward Israel when it cleaves to Israels adversary in love He cannot heartily desire the peace of Israel and heartily love an enemy to that peace I pray let us aske some more questions touching the Edomite I will answer by the Booke then good Law and Reason both Why did Saul make the Edomite Generall in this warre against David Qu. Saul gives someanswer to that with a little Reason Ans Because his sonne Ionathan stirred-up David to lye in wait for Saul as at this day 1. Sam. 22.8 As at this day indeed Qu. But this answer makes us more unresolved then before for all the world knowes that Ionathan was a good man and David as good as he besides we finde David fleeing away from the face of Saul like a Partridge and Saul hunting him like a Dog Let us heare Reason I pray you Was it not That the Edomite might recover the sword our of Davids hand No no that could not be it Ans for when Saul speakes out his minde freely as sometimes he did for a wicked heart will discover it selfe amongst his Servants he does not bid them fetch the sword from David but kill him And Saul spake to Ionathan and to all his servants 1 Sam. 19.1 that they should kill David It is Davids life not the sword that is aimed at And the Edomite was a Right man for that service for he was a mighty man mighty to do mischiefe and skilfull to destroy Whom David and All them that had an hand with David That is the direct Answer Saul indeed spake