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
them and so this first persecution ceassed 5 In which poynt if we come to our selues That the Gospell in these dayes is vnder the like persecution also and to the estate of these our dayes wherein we liue it is euident enough that although the course of the Gospell be in such sort blessed alreadie as that we may see that it is like to preuayle in the end yet is it so crossed also by many that it is not to be looked for of vs but that it is to passe through great tribulation before that it shall atteyne to the victorie that after ensueth And as it was Saul the King of Israel that so persecuted David and held him back so much as he could from the estate that God had prouided for him euen so we may see at this day also many Princes great states of Christendome much to hinder the course of the Gospell and as they finde opportunitie to serue their turne still to stirre vp persecution agaynst it But to the end that all things may so much the better appeare in euery poynt if wee consider the matter well we may plainly see The occasion of this persecution to be al one with the other that such as was the occasion and such as was the manner of that persecution of his such also is the occasion and such is the manner of this persecution of theirs also For first as touching the occasion of it not only Saul was so much mooued vnto it by that euil spirit to persecute David but these also out of the selfsame solicitation come forth with many of their persecutions agaynst the Gospell For though by the common corruption of nature themselues also are bent agaynst it euen of themselues without the solicitation or helpe of an other yet after that themselues are disposed still to abide in that corruption of theirs refusing the Gospell by which they should be begotten agayne the children of God it is most certeyne that they cannot bee alone in any such action of theirs as this For he that goeth about like a roring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure finding them so fit instruments for his purpose to trouble the course of the Gospell and to molest the professors thereof will soone bee with them and hurrie them headlong to and fro to his most aduantage So that it neede not to be doubted but is in it self so cleare as may be that most of our persecutions also that are by worldly and godlesse Princes raysed agaynst vs may well bee referred to that euill spirit that reigneth in the world and hath alreadie so strongly possessed these Saules of ours Neither is it only by this euill spirit of the Lord that these Saules of ours are so farre out of temper but for that it gréeueth them also to part with their kingdome Not that the Gospell doth any way meddle in the disposing of earthly kingdomes or to encomber the title of any whether it be by descent or election of one or mo or whatsoeuer other forme their state may haue but for that it calleth to account their maner of gouernment and sometime vrgeth them to make a plaine alteration of it For commonly it findeth the Princes of the world so farre out of order in their maner of gouernment in matters of religion very often and sometimes in such things also as do concerne their ciuill estate that it cannot but strongly vrge them to make alteration therein So farre therefore as they are wedded vnto their corrupt manner of gouernment and so farre as they account their kingdomes and states to stand therby so farre also may they stand in some doubt of their kingdomes by reason of the Gospell and feare that it will molest them therein And then is it in this respect also no great merueile if many of them be so ill minded towards the Gospell as such discourtesies of theirs do import On the other side as the towardlinesse of David was one of the matters that so much did whet Saul agaynst him so at this day also it is not the least that mooueth Princes to bee so greeuous agaynst the Gospell because they see that it is so likely to preuayle as it is For they see well enough that the Gospell hath the selfe same likelihoods to preuayle that David had For as touching that manner of gouernment which worldly Princes haue set vp of themselues but not agreeable to the word of God the text it self a. Ier. 23.1.8 Eze. 34.1.24 Nah. 3.17.19 Zec 11.8.15.17 Math. 15.13 2. Cor. 10.5 c. doth plainly witnesse more often then twise that it must be remooued and a better brought in in the place thereof And that it is the kingdome of Christ whereunto those others are to giue place and which is to succeede in their roumes is in like sort playnlie set downe b. Isay 9.5.6 Dan. 2.44.45 in many places or rather throughout the whole course of the Scripture from the beginning vnto the ending besides that in these dayes of ours not only such great things are done thereby but it hath gotten great fauour also That such great things are done thereby as before were done by David may sufficiently appeare in that which is before set downe and that it hath gotten such fauour with many is playnlie seene in these dayes of ours when as many Princes and States haue wholly yeelded to the obedience of it and not a fewe among those also that are most agaynst it Neither is it materiall in this case of ours that the annoynting of this our David hath not been in so publike manner as flesh and bloud would conceiue had been most conuenient Men may not looke to beare such a sway in the matters of God The Gospell is not therefore to be refused by any because they were not made priuie vnto the inauguration of it nor called vnto it God that is free and in nothing to hang vpon any is in such case especially to shewe it and euer to vse his freedome therein It proceedeth in the self same manner that was vsed in the other before As touching the manner of their persecution that vpon this occasion they haue raysed therein also they do fitly answer the patterne that we find in the other For first they labour themselues to do it in secret then do they openly fall vnto it In secret also sometimes they labour themselues to do it First in secret sometimes agayne they will haue it done by the hand of others And euen as Saul being the King would neuerthelesse by his owne hands haue taken him away in very ill manner so are there diuers of our Princes also that haue not thought it vnseemly for them to lend foorth their owne hands to the persecution of the Gospell altogether in as ill maner as Saul in that other If that which Saul meant agaynst David were no lesse then murther neither can these Saules of ours hold themselues contented with lesse
was The occasion of it that herein it pleased God to giue him In the persecution it selfe we are again to consider the occasion of it and then the maner of it likewise The occasion of it was in a maner the same that was before Davids good successe against the Philistims and for that the euill spirite of the Lorde was nowe againe come vpon Saul That Davids good successe against the Philistims should be some part of the occasion that now again he raised this persecution against him may well appeare for that it goeth immediatly before in the text that a 19.8 the warre began again with the Philistims and that David going foorth against them put them to flight and slewe them with a great slaughter For Saul must needes perceiue thereby that as that victory was honourable vnto him so must it make him the stronger also That the returne of the euill spirite of the Lord vnto him againe was an other part of the occasion also may likewise appeare for that it followeth immediatly after and before that any thing is noted of the maner of this persecution b 19.9 that the euil spirit of the Lord was vpon him at such time as when he first began this persecution The maner of it As touching the maner of it it is to be knowne that euen as first he went about to do it in secret afterward openly euen so now also hee still obserueth the same course In his secret practising of it Secretly first we are to note that first himselfe pursueth David and then ceasing for a time from that pursuit awaiteth when David by the oportunitie of a special time should vnwittingly come into his hands of his own accord Himselfe pursueth him first at hand and then somewhat further of a sunder At hand he did it as before when c 19.9.10 David was playing on his instrument something to ease him of those his passions at which time Saul was secretly determined with himselfe with his Iaueling that he had in his hande suddenly to haue stroken him vnto the wall and came so neere to the effecting of his purpose that he stroke at him smote his speare into the wall where David sate Somewhat further of he did it immediatly after when as David hereupon did flee to saue himself and that he did first by certaine messengers and then by himself By messengers he pursued him twise d 19.11.17 first to his own house whether he had escaped at that present and then soone after e 19.18.21 to Naioth in Ramah whither he fledde after that he was fayne to leaue his own house to saue his life In the former of these his pursuites of David by his messengers he doth plainly shew himselfe to be egerly bent to haue his life both by his dealing with those his messengers so long as he stoode in hope to obtayne the pray hee desired and by his dealing with Michal his daughter Davids wife after that he saw he was escaped That dealing of his with those his messengers that conuinceth him to bee greedily bent to haue his life resteth in two principall points first that f 19.11 he gaue them charge to kill him when as he knew not how he himselfe might be able to reache him then when they brought him word that hee was in his bed sicke that g 19.15 he sent them againe to see him and to bring him away bed and all that he might slay him His dealing with Michal resteth likewise in these two pointes that h 19.17 hee rebuketh her for sending him away and counteth himselfe mocked therin And yet both she was his owne daughter and now also giuen by himselfe in mariage to David Of which two considerations as the former of them might well haue pacified him in such a case as this euen onely for that she was his daughter so the other ought to haue made him ashamed also that he should so much as looke for that she being his wife now shoulde haue bene so trecherous vnto her husband In the latter of his pursuits of David whē he heard that he was at Naioth in Ramah in one point he doth better cloake that greedinesse of his to haue his blood but in another he bewrayeth himselfe playnly again He cloaketh his greedinesse somewhat better in that nowe i 19.20 hee giueth no further charge that we read off but only to take him and to bring him vnto him which it may be was for the reuerence he bare vnto Samuel k 19.18 with whom David soiourned now That other point wherein notwithstanding hee plainly declared how greedily he was bent to haue him is for that hee sent l 19.20.22 so often for him by three seuerall companies that m 19.20 when as he vnderstood in how wonderful maner the first sort of them were defeated and strongly eluded and yet in very gracious manner by the mightie power of God By himself hee manned foorth this his pursuit when as he saw that his messengers had not done as he would haue them For then n 19 22. he went himselfe also loath to leese so goodly a pray when now hee did so certainly know where to haue him A straunge and yet a pitifull sight to see the King himselfe that should be a defence vnto the oppressed so greedily to followe vpon innocent bloode and of such a one too as both had deserued well before and whome he might so playnly see to be by the mighty hand of God defended now When so o 19.23.24 he was in his owne person in like sort defeated as all his three companies of catchpoles were before then he ceased for a time from that pursuit and awaited when David by the oportunitie of a speciall time should vnwittingly come into his handes of his owne accord Which speciall time was the p 20.5.18 new moone or the beginning of the moneth next approching and the opportunity which that time brought with it was for that at such times q 20.6 they held of custom solemne feasts vnto the Lorde and David at such times r 20.5.18 was to sit at meate with the king That Saul did secretely awayte this opportunity the text it selfe doth not directly say but yet may it bee gathered that so hee did both because that ſ 20.5.7 David conceiued that doubt of him and t 20.5 thereupon absented himselfe to preuent the perill and for that Saul u 20.30.31.33 was so very angry that hee was not there and x 20.31 therewithall commaunded Ionathan forthwith to send for him thither that he might slay him That all this while hitherto Saul in this sort pursued David but in secrete maner sauing onely that he did impart his meaning to those whom he vsed to that purpose so needes he must or at least a good part of it may hereby appeare both for that y 20.2.9 Ionathan was
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
the first she f 18.20 loued him as one whom she would be glad to make her husband that so wheras Saul g 17.25 before had promised to giue one of his daughters in mariage to him that should slay Goliath now he might the better performe it and David might thereby haue a readier way to that whereunto God had called him a little before and h 19.11.12 after saued his life likewise In the multitude we also finde not only that they thought very well of him for this his victorie but also that they did the like of his other behauiour besides in such things as were now at the first commended vnto him For this is his victorie i 18.6.7 they do not only welcome him home in very good manner out of all their cities and with their instrustuments of musick but also k 18.7 rightly apportion the commendation thereof yeelding to Saul the ordinary power the prayse of one thousand but vnto David or to the extraordinary goodnes of God no lesse than ten thousand And as for his other behauiour likewise in all such things wherein it pleased Saul to imploy him l 18.5 it is also recorded that he was accepted or highly ēstéemed in the sight of all the people and that is more euen in the sight of Sauls seruants also 3 Whether the Lord haue in like sort dealt in these dayes of ours is now to bee seene that is That such a like thing is in these dayes done on behalfe of the Gospell likewise whether in such sort he hath brought in any David vpon the want that is found in others as that by the nature and course of his dealing therein we may hope to see the same David to be by him not only aduaunced but established also for euer Concerning which it is most certeyne that in these dayes also he hath begun to aduance such a David and so fitly agreeing to the patterne that is here set downe as that wee may vpon good ground looke to see the full accomplishment thereof in his good time For whereas Christ and his Gospell can in no wise bee parted and seeing that the Gospell is the scepter of his kingdome here on earth whatsoeuer wisedome and power of God we finde in the manner of Davids aduancement looke by what right wee may translate the same from David vnto the person of Christ as from the figure vnto the trueth by as good right may wee translate it vnto the Gospell likewise the only Scepter of his kingdome on earth First therefore néedes must it also be so inseperably annexed vnto the gouernment that was promised to the tribe of Iudah that by vertue of the promise made vnto it wee may looke for the accomplishment in this likewise And it may be that for that cause especially God hath for so long a time in the late power of darknesse inured Christendome vnto so base and hard a gouernment much worse then was that same of Saules that so the lawfull and most blessed regiment of the Gospel otherwise irksome to flesh and blood might be more welcome not only to the children of God but euen to the common multitude also It may be also that seeing that Princes haue gouerned so ill as for the most part they haue al done few of them so tollerably as did King Saul therefore the Lord doth now begin to aduance the Gospell that so those godlesse and careles Princes may better see what their gouernment was that now by the Gospell they finde to bee so playnlie called vnto the checke and in many things so sharply reprooued and so flatly condemned likewise For it is meete that if the casting away of Saul will not serue to bee a warning vnto them then that they and their gouernment also should be remooued so farre as is néedfull that they be no hinderance to the Gospell of Christ In what sort it is annoynted In the outward annoynting that the Gospell hath had in these dayes of ours though wee denie not but great fault is found yet in effect is it none other but such as was in Davids also For if they say that the Gospell with vs was not at the first receiued by any publike consent of all no more was it at the beginning in the time of Christ and his Apostles neither had David at the first any such annoynting If they say that the wiser and greater sort made but little reckoning of it and had better liking to their owne profession yet therein also they alleage nothing els but the same that before we did see to be the portion of David likewise And seeing that the Gospell now hath the inward testimonie of the spirit in so plentifull measure for that now also the blind do see the deaffe do heare the lame do go the sicke are cured the dead are raysed and such like and the same not only in particular persons and seuerall congregations but in whole States and diuers mightie Kingdomes likewise such petite quarels about the outward annoynting can be no great matter when as the outward is by the inward so throughly confirmed But to make it more out of doubt may we not see if wee looke well about vs that God hath made a way to the Gospell euen as before he did vnto David And though his wisedome and power be infinite and so he were able to deuise and vse many other wayes whatsoeuer yet may we not see that he hath done it in the self same maner that he vsed for David before that so by the former we might the sooner acknowledg his hand in the latter For first we may see How beneficiall the Gospell is made vnto divers First in comforting our troubled mindes that by the Gospell hee hath bestowed great benefits on many and namely such as it pleased him by the hands of David to bestowe vpon others It pleased God by the instrument and musik of David to giue vnto Saul some ease in those mad fits of his And doth hee not much more appease the troubled and desperate conscience of man with that spirituall and heauenly musik which by his Gospell hee bringeth vnto vs and by that notable Harmony that is betwixt the old Testament and the new in those great mercies of God towards all beléeuers now aswell as to the Patriarkes Prophets before and by the vertue of that Communion wherby he hath coupled all the Saints together in one And in what manner or measure soeuer the euill spirit departed from Saul and gaue him some respit whensoeuer David played on his Harpe vnto him sure wee are that when as now the sonne of David playeth on his instrument vnto vs by the preaching of the Gospell wee haue not only a great refreshing in our inward man but also are cleane rid of many euill spirits that before did much molest vs. The seruants of Saul taking his maladie to be but naturall thought of no other helpe but naturall
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
generally and partly in that which concerned David more specially That which did concerne the estate of both the Kingdoms generally was m 3.1 that the kingdom of Iudah euer increased and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker That which concerned David more specially was that he n 3.28.39 made it so well knowne how cleere he was from the bloud of Abner and that many of the contrary part o 5.2 did know that it was David and none other that was thereunto appointed of God He put him in possession of it by taking away Ishbosheth that had set vp himselfe against him and putting into the harts of the people now to yeeld their obedience vnto him Ishbosheth was taken away p 4.2.5.8 by two of his owne Captaines without the consent or knowledge of David and on their parts in verie ill and treacherous maner for the which David q 4.9.12 put them to death so soone as they brought that tidings vnto him Which being done then whole Israel r 4.1 being first striken with a great feare as vpon the death of Abner before so now vpon the death of Ishbosheth also Å¿ 5.1.3 no all come in to the number of t 1. Chro. 12.23.40 aboue three hundred forty and fiue thousand and those also u Ib. 38. with consent of the rest and making a couenant with him do annoint him King ouer all and so is David entered now into the possession of the whole 9 If now againe we returne to our selues there may we find that in these daies also God hath such a worke in hand among vs. That God hath so dealt for the Gospel likewise It hath pleased him alreadie to bring the Gospel to some part of the Kingdome thereunto apperteining and we trust that in the end he will bring it vnto the whole And this we hope so much the rather for that he obstrueth a much like course now as he did before and walking as it were in the selfe-same path giueth vs before hand to vnderstand thereby whether he meaneth to come in the end That first he maketh a way unto it For first we see that he maketh now as conuenient away vnto the Gospell and to the spirituall Kingdome of Christ as he did vnto David before partly in such things as concerne the preparing of those that do aduance the Gospel to be the meeter instruments to such a purpose but especially in remouing out of the way many of those that would be against it By preparing those that are to aduance the Gospell For to the end that such as are to aduance the Gospell may be the meeter to do the thing for the which they are ordeined he preserueth not only their persons to be in a readines against the time that they are to be imploied but their good name also in that point of dutie to their superiours for the most part of them though otherwise it is not vnlikely but that some particulars may in a great number be found that by infirmitie hasten thereunto somewhat faster then it were meete that they should So likewise he putteth into their hands wherewithall to make them such friends as they neede against the time that they shall haue occasion to vse them and sendeth in vnto them a further power to help to bring them vnto their right And by removing others out of the way Those also whome he hath remoued out of the way and daily yet doth more and more are both such as are the chiefe resisters of this ordinance of God and their adherents together withall In those that are the chiefe as they are the greatest cause of offence so may we see the hand of God heauiest on them For we may verie plainly see that the Lord denieth to giue any answer vnto them either immediatly betwixt him and them by secret inspiration or by inclining their hearts to such a course as it were meete for them to walke in or by the ministerie of any of those whome it pleaseth him in such case to vse For being destitute of the ministerie that haue their annointing in Iesus Christ needs must they be destitute of Urim also and so can they haue no answer by such An idolatrous and a massing Priesthood they haue that standeth vpon the inuention of man and vpon their owne vsurpation withall and for the better credit thereof they haue an outward kind of ointment also such as standeth on no ordinance of God and therefore is destitute of the inward grace without any question But such a ministerie as Christ himselfe did leaue vnto vs and by the Apostles his seruants was afterward deliuered vnto the Church faithfully distributing the word of life vnto the people and holding themselues contented there that is altogether wanting in them and therefore haue they in their greatest affaires no answer by Urim nor by the ordinarie ministerie of the word As for that which is extraordinarie it pleaseth not God now to vse the same to his children but very seldome much lesse to those that are without For they haue destroyed the Priestes of the Lord with all the crueltie that can bee deuised and that for no fault at all on their parts but only vpon pretenced quarels and causeles furmises of their owne And as the Lord doth in this sort before hand by such estraunging of himself from them giue them to vnderstand how much he is offended with them and iustly too so may we see that in the end likewise he taketh them away in such sort as may well betoken his displeasure therein also and many of them in as miserable and desperate manner as he tooke away Saul For as in the end he spared not himself whom Davids hands ofttimes had spared before so many of those that in these dayes of ours haue been principall doers in the persecuting of the Gospell of Christ and contriuing trecheries agaynst those that professe it being often spared before by those that iustly might haue been reuenged of them for those their trecheries haue at the length layd hands of themselues and so the iust iudgements of God that others in compassion and pitie would not themselues haue executed in most desperat manner vpon themselues Among the adherents of these wee may see likewise that not only such as of whom there was no better hope are taken away but also that some of our Ionathans likewise are wrapped vp together with them in the same iudgements such I meane as though they did beare good will themselues to the Gospel of Christ yet some way or other were such notwithstanding as by whom the course of the Gospell might haue been hindered But what may those that are enemies hope for when as such as for their owne parts are faithfull friends are notwithstanding by God himself sometimes remooued yet for no malice in them but for that by some other circumstance they might be offensiue to the kingdom of Christ Which
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
so ignoraunt of it and thereupon would needes assure David that his father had no such purpose and for that David himselfe z 20.5.6 did not as yet openly shunne him but absented himselfe vnder colour of other businesse Openly after But being now againe in this sort defeated of all his secret practises he thereupon setteth in hand again to lay all coulours aside now and openly to rush vpon it howsoeuer he may Wherein we haue set downe vnto vs first how he rageth against others for Davids sake then how hee persecuteth him self likewise His rage against others for Davids sake First raging against others for Davids sake did partly appear euen at that instant when Ionathan excused that absence of David but much more a litle after It did then partly appeare Against Ionathan because at that time both a 20.30 he fowly reuiled Ionathan his sonne and besides that b 20.33 cast his speare at him to haue slayne him A little after it did more fully appeare both in a certain speeche of his to his seruants in his cruelty against certain others In that speech of his to his seruants hee layeth greeuous things to the charge partly of them al that were present but especially of David and Ionathan also who then was absent Vnto the charge of his seruaunts hee layeth that c 20.8 they also and they all had conspired against him because they tolde him not Against his seruaunts that his sonne had made a couenaunt with David and had stirred vp David against him and that none of them were sory for him and d 20.7 that by all likelihoode they were wonne thereunto by some great promises of David both of commodities and of preferments Vnto the charge of Dauid and Ionathan he layeth e 20.8 that the one had conspired against him Against the Priests of the Lord. and to lye in wayte for him and that the other had made a couenant with him and set him on These others against whom he shewed such cruelty were certaine Priests of the Lorde and many others together with them Concerning which we are to note both how great cruelty he shewed and vpon howe small occasion His cruelty appeared for that he f 22.18 slew so many priests of the Lorde euen fourescore and fiue which his * 22.17 owne men abhorred so much that he could not get them to be executioners of his bloody commaundement and g 22.19 destroyed besides both men women and children Oxen Asses and Sheepe and the whole city of Nob where those Priestes had their aboade The occasion was small because the fault if any there were was but in h 22.9.10 one man Ahimelech only and that none other but that i 22 14.15 not knowing then but that David was in high fauour with Saul k 22.10 he both asked counsell for him of the Lord and did a little relieue him with some victuals and with a sworde such as David had good right vnto hauing wonne it of Goliath before in the field and all this l 22.9.22 but vpon the accusation onely of one euill person Then against David himself Doeg an Edomite After that so he had raged against others then doth he follow on David himselfe and that in such sort that it may appeare hee was egerly set not onely by the nature of those his pursuits in themselues but also by one speciall circumstance theron depending As touching the nature of those his pursuits in themselues it is set downe how he did follow vpon him first when David vpon certaine occasion was now gotten into a citie and then failing of his purpose there afterwards in the fields at large The citie was m 23.1 Keilah n Ios 15.22 in the tribe of Iudah whether o 23.5 David went to fight against the Philistims that came against it spoyled theraboutes whom when David had ouerthrowne he remained with the citizens of Keilah for a certaine season But when p 23.7.8 Saul came against him hoping now that he had him sure q 23.12.13 David vnderstanding that the lords of Keilah would not stand fast vnto him got him thence and so defeated Saul in that his enterprise How hee followed on him in the fields we haue the same first set downe generally then certaine of those his pursuits more specially Concerning the former there is no more set downe but this r 23.14 that he sought him euery day Concerning the other there are set downe three speciall pursuites one of them broken of by the comming in of the Philistims the other two by the kindnes faithfull caling of David himselfe That which was broken of by the comming of the Philistims did hassard David very sore partly for that the Ziphims who Å¿ 1. Par. 2.42 as it seemeth were of that Ziph that was sonne to Caleb and then were they of one tribe with David t 23.19.20 vndertooke to betray him and for that u 23.26 Saul hauing got that aduantage did so hotly pursue him that being for a time but on the one side of the hill while they were on the other at the length hee had compassed them in but as it seemeth vnwitting to him on euery side But then on the sudden x 23.27 he was fayne to breake off because he had word that the Philistims had entred already Of those others that were broken of by the kindnesse and faythfull dealing of David himselfe the former of them was in Engedi the other in Ziph. In the wildernes of Engedi it was that he pursued David so hotly euen y 24.2 among the tops of the rocks where no body els but only wild goats were wont to bee that in the ende z 24.45 12. he fell into Davids hands entering into a caue where David was and there finding that David had spared him when hee was in his handes thereupon a 24.22 he left of pursuing him for that present But hauing as yet his wonted blood-thirstinesse remaining in him though b 24.16.22 it were for a time somewhat flaked by that great and singular fauour that he found at the hands of David on his part altogether as much vnlooked for as vndeserued hee doth no sooner get opportunitie but foorthwith he returneth vnto his olde bias againe Heere therefore it is good to consider not onely how he came in with this his other pursuite but also howe fayre likelihoods he had giuen that hee would neuer haue done it againe He came foorth with his other pursuit by occasion of the Ziphims c 26.1 who nowe againe came and tolde him where David was whereupon d 26.2 he came foorth again with 3000 chosen men to set vpon him But David e 26.7 priuily comming into his campe when he and his company were fast a sleep f 26.12 tooke thence such tokens with him as whereby he was able
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
The Lord so estraunging him self vnto him he did not humble himself before his face nor so much the more earnestly seeke his fauour but presently turned aside to such as gaue themselues to ill artes and such as for that cause himself had n 28.3 9. before destroyed so farre as he could And the answer that so he receiued was altogether euill o 28.15.19 that the Lord was his enimie for that he did not execute his fierce wrath vpon the Amalekites and that now the Lord would deliuer him and his both his sonnes and his people into the hands of the Philistims Which heauie sentence was notwithstanding p 28.19 the next day after q 31 1 7. fully performed Ionathan r 23.17.18 it seemeth of himself would neuer haue molested David for the kingdome but fully would haue contented himself to haue been as a friend neere about him But yet were it likely that those that were of Saules faction would haue laboured for to haue set him vp agaynst David or if he would not then some other of his brethren as notwithstanding ſ 2.8.9 Ishbosheth was shortly after set vp agaynst him So that this way though not of himself yet by the solicitation of others it was likely enough that Ionathan also might haue been sinne hinderance vnto him As for Abinadab and Malchishua his other sonnes t 31.2 that together with Ionathan at that field were slaine they were more likely to haue been an hinderance to David because that as they were the sonnes of Saul so do we reade of no such fauour that they bare vnto David that were like to stay them from encombring of him in that action Those of the armie that in that quarell or controuersie held with Saul and with him were there ouerthrowne would no doubt if they had liued haue wrought what comber they could vnto David about the kingdome as afterward also those that remayned u 2.8.9 readily did and therewithall shewed what might be feared in the others That it pleased God therefore to take away those we may see that thereby he made a readier way vnto David to come to the kingdome To finde out how he brought him to the fruition of it it is to be noted The performance of the first part of the kingdome unto him that now that this way was prepared vnto it and the time was come wherein God was purposed to bring him to some part of the kingdome it self he wrought foorth such things as thereto apperteyned both in David himself and in the whole tribe of Iudah likewise In David now agayne he wrought x 2.1 to seeke vnto him for his direction both whether it was his pleasure that now he should enter vnto his kingdome and where he should begin the same and withall y 2.1 he gaue him direct and plaine answer to both those questions willing him now to enter into it and telling him likewise where to begin it and wrought in him z 2.2.3 to do accordingly In the whole tribe of Iudah likewise he so wrought that of their owne accord they * 2.4 came and made him their King at which time David was now agayne by them thereunto annoynted To finde out how he brought him to all the rest Afterward he brought him unto the whole Divers wayes exercising him for a season wee are to consider that here agayne wee haue noted vnto vs first how it pleased God to exercise him for a time and then how it pleased him in the end to bring him vnto it As touching that exercise of his in the meane season it resteth in two principall poynts one the substance or nature of it the other the time of the continuance The substance or nature of it is such as hath two principall poynts of hardnesse the one that he was wrongfully kept from the greatest part of his kingdome the other that when opportunitie was offered as David tooke it to come to his full right therein although he was readie for to haue taken the benefite of such opportunitie yet he found that it came to no proofe in the end He was wrongfully kept from the greatest part of his kingdome because that a 2.8.9 Ishbosheth was set vp by Abner directly contrary to the ordinance of God and because that b 2.10 but one tribe only claue vnto David and all the others were drawne vnto Ishbosheth the sonne of Saul and yet no better then a plaine vsurper now The opportunities that David was so ready for to haue taken to haue come to his right thereby but yet came to no proofe in the end were two whereof the one was but only for a part of that which yet stood foorth agaynst him the other seemed to offer the whole That which was but only for some part of it was c 2.4 that the inhabitants of Iabesh-Gilead hauing buried Saul d 2.5.7 David thereupon taking occasion to send vnto them to giue them thankes for it and to assure them of a good turne at his hands if it came in his way did withall somewhat inuite them to take him for their King as the tribe of Iudah had done alreadie But e 2.8.9 Abner belike fearing that the same ambassage of David was like enough to take effect if it were not in time preuented forth-with speedeth himself to those parts there setteth vp Ishbosheth to be their King and to rule not only ouer those two tribes and an halfe beyond Iorden but also ouer all the rest and so was David herein preuented That which seemed to offer the whole was whē Abner f 3.8 being grieued with Ishbosheth his Lord and Soueraigne vnto whom he had plight his alleageance for that he was by him iustly reproued for a fault that he made and yet it may be ouer-slenderly esteemed also g 3.12.20 came vnto David for to bring the whole kingdome vnto him being false vnto him whom he had set vp a little before Neuerthelesse David h 3.20.21 was content so to haue receiued it if so it had falne out But God that had determined of a more orderly course for David to come vnto it gaue no successe to that inordinate way For Abner i 3.26.27 was slaine before he could returne to do it and so was David in that also defeared The time of continuance k 2.11 was somewhat better then seauen yeares during which time l 3.1 the house of Saul and the house of David were at variance about the Kingdome and euer among tried their quarell by the sword But then bringing him vnto the full fruition of it How it pleased God to bring him to the whole in the end hath likewise two principall points first how he made him some way vnto it then how he put him in possession of it The why that he made him vnto it was partly in that which concerned the estate of both the Kingdomes
course if wee see that the Lord hath at any time taken wee neede not to doubt but that now he meaneth to haue the kingdome of Christ more fully aduanced when as wee see that he doth so much remooue whatsoeuer offences are in the way We may see likewise Then that he hath given in some good measure the thing it selfe that he hath not only made away vnto it but that alreadie he hath in some good measure aduanced that kingdome of his among vs. For as then he did put into the heart of David to seeke vnto him and wholly to referre himself to his direction and then stirred vp the whole tribe of Iudah to receiue him likewise so now in like manner he hath both put into the hearts of diuers Princes to seeke the Lord and to take their direction of him and withall hath stirred vp many therein to yéeld their alleageance vnto them But as then it was no other tribe among them all that at the first did so readily yeeld to the kingdome of David but only the tribe of Iudah whereof David him self came and which had the greatest promise of spirituall blessing so now likewise we finde not that all generally receiue the Gospell at least not so readily when the same is first preached vnto vs but that it is only those that are of the spirituall linage in Christ and to whom God hath vouchsafed in those things that apperteyne to the kingdome of God a more speciall blessing then otherwise he hath done to many others This being done That we are in such sort exercised before before that God bring all the whole generally vnto the obedience of the scepter of Christ wee may finde likewise that God is disposed to exercise vs euen as he exercised him before both in respect of the nature of that his exercise and in the respect of the continuance also For as touching the nature of it diuers hopes and likelihoods are likewise giuen to those that do earnestly wishe the aduauncement of the kingdome of Christ which notwithstanding come to no proofe in the ende Sometimes it seemeth that when some haue yéelded their obedience alreadie others thereupon might bee more easily perswaded to come in also But that course can no sooner be taken but that some Abner or other will quickly crosse it and in no wise suffer Iabesh-Gilead to come in so soone And they on the other side may well be readie and very forward to do such a poynt of ciuil duetie as to commit the bodie of Saul to buriall and yet notwithstanding bee nothing the néerer to any sincere loue of the Gospell Insomuch that as David when he sawe that noble minde in them thereupon belike conceiuing good hope that they might easily haue been induced to his alleageance was notwithstanding deceiued therein so wee likewise may be as farre to seeke if where wee finde in such ciuill dueties so heroicall mindes wee hope that they also might soone bee wonne to the Gospell of Christ It is very true that for the most part of base mindes little good may be looked for to the kingdome of Christ and that our best hope for such matters lieth in those that are more nobly minded which also it may be was a good secondarie cause why so many Capteynes and Souldiers who for the most part are more nobly minded at least if it be their owne disposition that hath brought them to that kinde of life are found in the Bible but especially in the new Testament so readily to haue imbraced the trueth and to haue ioyned themselues vnto the professors of it But yet in such also may we bee often deceiued if we relie ouermuch vnto it Sometimes agayne there is hope conceiued that if Ishbosheth and Abner fall out and Abner thereupon bee purposed to reuoult and to reduce the kingdome to David then will the matter be soone at an end and that it must needes bee a sure and a readie way to put David in possession of the whole But that course also doth not finde so good successe in the ende as to flesh and bloud it might seeme that it would God is most honorable in all his doings and though sometimes he turneth such deuises to good in the end yet to those that awayt him in godly patience he layeth foorth in his good time more orderly meanes to atteyne to the thing that they desire especially when the matter concerneth the aduancement of his kingdome here on earth As for the time it is not so much as to be expected that the Gospell should by and by be spread abroad ouer all As it had a time to come to so low an ebbe as in these dayes of ours we haue found it to be at so must it haue a time agayne to get vp to that heighth that we would gladly wish to see it in if so it might stand with the pleasure of God And that the likelihoods are great that the Gospell is ere long to bee much more aduanced But as David after that he had reigned ouer one part only for the time was afterward brought vnto the whole so our trust is that our Israelites also that now stand out will at length remember themselues and with one consent submit themselues vnto the scepter and kingdome of Christ Their leaders they may find although that they be the contrary partie yet to bee innocent of the bloud of all such Abners as opposing themselues agaynst the kingdome of Christ haue iustly falne but not by the hand or consent of David into the like iudgements of God At least though men be so subiect vnto their owne infirmitie and so caried away sometimes by their affections that euer in such poynts all can not be so fully excused yet those also are so free herein that any reasonable man may hold himself therein contented and whatsoeuer thereof wanteth in man that is fully supplied by Christ For he came not into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might bee saued and so is there no man that needeth to doubt but that he is absolutely free from the bloud of all Neither may these Israelites of ours see only that David is free from the bloud of such Abners as otherwise of themselues or by the hands of others haue iustly perished but also that it is he that ought to reigne and that is ordeyned of God to bee their King Of which they haue so euident proofe both in the word and many other wayes besides that we need not to stand vpon it especially if the comparison bée betwixt those base ordinances of man which they would haue so highly aduanced and the excellencie of the glorious Gospell of Christ vnto whom all power is giuen in heauen in earth and also in hell If therefore the children of Israel were by such things in David induced to make a couenant with him and to yeeld their alleageance vnto him how much rather may these
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
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
others of his people then he gaue a notable light yet find we also that the light which he gaue vnto thē was far inferior vnto that which now he hath giuen forth to many others otherwise far inferior vnto them In which case we are not in deserts or worthines to prefer those that follow vnto those that were before as though that God for that cause were so much better to them because he found them better then others but euer to ascribe all to the meere goodnes of God nothing at all in such case respecting whether men are worthy or not whome euer he should find without question to be of themselues as void of all deserts and woorthines as could be deuised But thus rather we are to gather that as the Sunne the neerer it is to his rising the more light it spreadeth forth on the face of the earth so Christ also the Sonne of righteousnes the néerer that he is to aduance his glorious Kingdome vnto that fulnes that is due vnto it and that the faithfull are put in hope once to behold the more doth he increase his comfortable blessings in the meane season that so we may be so much the better prepared thereunto against the time that he shall bestow that fulnes vpon vs. Among all the men of the world that euer were are or shal be Christ only excepted there is not one of that desert or worthines in him-selfe before God that might procure any such speciall blessing of him nor till God him-selfe of speciall fauour hath otherwise wrought it not one of vs all any thing better than any other The enlarging of his goodnes vnto the world is altogether his owne and none of ours it proceedeth nothing at all from vs but altogether and only from him 13 But now more specially to examin what is the differēce that is betwixt vs we are to consider That on Davids part there is no such differēce betwixt him at that time and the children of God since whether it be such as may iustly import that although God were so gracious to him yet is there no cause for vs to thinke that well may he be as gracious to vs. But the truth is that we find no such difference betwixt vs as maketh any odds for this matter whether we respect but those things only that concerne his owne person or the occasion whereupon it pleased God to bring him to the Kingdome For if we respect those things that concerned his owne person the euent it selfe will plainly declare that he had not all those mercies of God bestowed vpon him so much for himselfe as for the people whom he was to gouerne Insomuch that whether David were without his infirmities or not and those that on the behalfe of the Gospell were to be aduanced now had their infirmities many and great yet were not such odds betwixt the persons of any such force as might bar vs of the hope before described But it cannot be denied but that David had his infirmities and that as he notwithstanding otherwise had good cause to await the full accomplishment of those great mercies that God had begun to bestowe vpon him so we also haue such reason for vs as that in like maner we may looke to enioy a further manifestation of the Kingdome of Christ that in some measure alreadie is aduanced among vs. The infirmities of David such as belong to the compas of time that now we speake of Of Davids infirmities for we are not in this case to search any further are of two sorts some of them such as in some sense might be excused others againe so apparantly euill as in no wise may be defended Such as in some sense might be excused Those that in some sense might be excused do most of them arise out of the troubles that he had in hand but one there is that was nothing at all so far as we read occasioned thereby Those also that arose out of his troubles are some of them belonging to that compas of time wherein Saul himselfe liued one to the time of Ishbosheth his sonne Of those that belong to the time of Saul two there were when first for altogether he fled the presence of Saul and two others also shortly after when now he had openly professed to flye his presence for his owne safetie Eating of the Shew-bread The two former are that he did eate a 21.4.6 the Shew-bread and that he did take back again the b 21.87.9 sword of Goliath to his owne priuate vse For the Shew-bread it may seeme that he is in some measure c Mat. 12.3.4 Mar. 2.25.26 Luc. 6.3.4 excused by Christ And yet because it is by the Law plainly d Lev. 24.9 Exo. 29.33 set downe that only the Priest might eate thereof and Christ himselfe in the places alleadged doth so acknowledge it cannot be auoided but that néedes it must be either a breach of the law of God or that Davids face therein was extraordinarie If it were a breach of the law of God then do not those words of Christ tend to excuse him but only to put them in mind how themselues might he able to find how great their malice was towards Christ and his Disciples that could so easily put vp that in David and so hardly exact this of them As whē the e Ioh. 8.3.7 adulteresse was brought vnto him and he willed that whosoeuer he were among them that was without sin he should cast the first stone at her he did not therby excuse her lewdnes or made no reckoning of the Law of God but himselfe not medling to be her iudge rebuked thē also that they were so prying into other folks sinnes and so forgetfull of then owne But his fact might verie well be extraordinarie also and so no breach of the law of God nor to be reckoned among his infirmities if we could any way be certaine that so it were such as that f Nomb. 25.7.8 knowne fact of Phinehas is most commonly taken to be and such as was that fact of Christ himselfe as he came in the forme of a seruant when he g Ioh. 2.14.17 Math. 21.12.13 scourged the buiers and sellers out of the Temple For so it pleaseth God sometimes so thoroughly to seize vp to holie vses and so fully to possesse the children of God that in their zeale they are caried beyond the bounds that the Law prescribeth and yet in no wise to the impeachment or derogation of the Law prescribed to all In which sense whether David in that want of other victuals did it or not yet do those words of our Sauiour teach that the same fact h Math. 12.2 which the Pharises misliked in the Disciples might be of that kind for ought that they did knowe to the contrarie and that such an other they had long before in David himselfe And seeing that David was a man subiect to infirmitie as
that idolatrous Prince a naturall enemie to the people of God and for that he did it vpon distrust of the prouidence of God to be safe at home In his demeanour while he was there we find that he did not only y 27.8.9.11 deale very ill with certeyne of the people of those quarters the Geshurites Girzites and Amalekites destroying man woman and child leauing none to complayne of his doings and the better to couer his doings from Achish his friend z 27.10 deepely dissembled the same vnto him but also that a 28.2 29.8 he was content and readie to go to the field vnder Achish agaynst the Israelites his owne countrimen and the people of GOD That hereby may appeare that our infirmities also can not iustly hinder his good hope in us of the accomplishment of that which alreadie he hath begun and agaynst the King his maister The reason why wee may looke to enioy a further manifestation of the kingdome of Christ that in some measure alreadie is aduaunced among vs is so dispersed throughout this whole discourse of the historie wee haue in hand that heere we shall not néede to stande thereupon specially But this is the thing that héere I would note that if such were the purpose of God then to aduance his owne glorie and to do his people good that notwithstanding these imperfections of David yet he would not be hindered thereby but went on forward vnto the end there is no cause why we neede to doubt of the same purpose of God now likewise for the aduancement of his truth when we see that it should so plainly tend to his glorie and to the benefit of his people and in this David of ours that is in the Gospell of Iesus Christ there cannot be found not only no so grosse infirmities but also no blemish at all no not the least that can be conceiued And as for those that now do wish the aduancement of it both professing it themselues and commending the same vnto others the best that they can although they be sinners yet seeing that David also was not exempted and this worke standeth not on the desert or merit of man as we haue great cause to hope it if we respect the excellencie of the Gospell it selfe so in this case haue we no great cause to doubt it neither though we do find no small infirmities in those that professe it What want there was in the government then why David should be brought to the kingdome 14 The occasion whereupon David was brought to the kingdome was the want that was found in Saul that reigned before him Which that we may the better perceiue we need to consider but these two things in how ill estate the common wealth of Israel was when he came vnto it and how slenderly he set in hand to redresse the same That the common wealth of Israel was in ill case The hard estate of the cōmon wealth of Israel when Saul came to it Subiect unto a forreyne people it appeareth sufficiently in these two things that the people were so much ouerlayd by grieuous seruitude to a forreyne nation and that the forreyne people to whom they were subiect were so idolatrous or so cleane contrarie to them in religion How much they were ouerlayd by greeuous seruitude may likewise appeare both for that the text it self doth plainly say it and by other vndoubted tokens that there are found The text it self doth plainly say it for that it telleth vs a 13.6 that at that time the people were in great distresse Those other vndoubted tokens thereof are two one how the people at that time demeaned themselues the other what want there was of such warlike furniture as was conuenient The peoples demeanour at that time was that they had not the heart to looke their enemie in the face but that some of them b 13.6 hid themselues in caues and in holes and in rockes and in towers and in pits on that side of Iordan that was next to the Philistims some others agayne did leaue that part of the countrie and c 13.7 went ouer Iordan vnto the land of Gad and Gilead so to bee farther from the daunger of them The want that they had of such warlike furniture as was conuenient was very great both for that the Philistims did not suffer any d 13.19 Smith or Cutler to dwell among them by whom they might haue had some weapons made no e 13.20.21 not so much as for their instruments of husbandrie but either must carie them to the Philistims to bee mended or sharpened there or els might not haue but only the helpe of the file at home and for that among all the people that followed Saul to withstand the enemie which also were but very fewe but only about f 13.15 sixe hundred in all when the others were gone that g 13.8.11 gat themselues away for feare there h 13.22 was not so much as either a sword or a speare found but only with the King him self and his sonne That the people to whom they were subiect were idolatrous and directly contrary to them in religion And those idolatrous is most apparant not only for that they were none of the people of Israel but of the Gentiles and enemies vnto the people of God but also for that the text doth make particular mention both of one speciall Idol that they worshipped and of their blasphemous dealing agaynst the true and liuing God That one speciall Idoll that they worshipped was i Iud. 16.23 Dagon being as the learned do note 1. Sam. 5.2 for the vpper parts like to a beautifull woman and for the nether like to a fish as the text also doth ascribe to the vpper parts both k 5.4 head and hands and saith that the residue that remayned as Tremelius translateth representeth a l Ibid. fish Their blasphemous dealing agaynst the true and liuing Lord doth not only appeare in their deliuering vp of the Arke of the Lord m 5.2 into the Temple of their Idoll Dagon as though that their Idoll had been the better and that by his power they had then preuayled agaynst the God of Israel but also in that n David doth charge that great monsterous beast their champion Goliath for to haue rayled on the God of the host of Israel And though he were but one man yet seeing he was their common champion and came foorth in the name of them all they may all by good right be charged therewith And then when themselues are not only so corrupt in the highest matter of all euen in religion but also so contrarie vnto the Trueth and so blasphemous to GOD himself it could not bee otherwise but that in these things the common wealth of Israel must needes be in hard and pitifull case that was in such thraldome vnto so ill a people as these How little
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
body is faythfully and effectually exercised the meeter is hee if other things want not to such a purpose and our Prophets except their calling are nothing meet or then any others by the ordinary course of Gods dealing with vs nowe but onely so farre as in this point they haue the aduantage and there by are better inabled then others are The lesser that Princes them selues are exercised in Gods holy word the vnlikelier they are to gouerne their affayres by the leuell thereof and the vnlikelier they are themselues to doe it the more doe they neede to haue the helpe of those that can And for the most part wee see it to be the maner of God that giuing the soueraignty or stroke vnto one direction and counsell hee giueth oft times more fully to others In his want that he felt in that his banishment of the exercise of religion in that thereby he was kept from the tabernacle and from the publique worship of God as it sheweth a notable good disposition in him so may it teach as like wise howe precious a treasure wee ought to account it to haue accesse to the Temple of God and euer to haue a part in those thinges that there are done but in the publique seruice of God and for our owne instruction besides And the more plainly that we may finde it to bee our manner that the greater we are the more doe we for the moste part absent our selues from those assemblies and either breake vs for our honour or ease vnto our priuate chapels at home or altogether absent our selues from all places of publique worship the more needefull is it that wee shoulde remember what David was in that respect a man of great honour and calling imployed about great and waighty affayres and so deepely in daunger of his life for a long time nowe that hee had ynough to one to keepe him selfe from the iawes of death and yet complayning moste of this that he was kept from the house of the Lord and from his inheritance there In the mind that he caried towardes others What minde to carie towards others first towards his enimies we find that although he was careful of his owne safety yet against them might hee neuer vse any euill practise Out of his care for his owne safety wee also may learn to take this lesson not only that it is lawful for such to defend themselues against vniust violence but also that it is expedient that so they should It is meet that we take good heede that the Sauls of our time in any of their mad moodes do vs not some displeasure on the sudden it is meete also that we behaue our selus wisely in al things so much the rather for that the enimy doth diligētly await al such occasions as wherby he may be able any way to annoy vs so to come to any part of his desire And as for such helps as draw vnto those that in such case are now molested it may be also that some-times they are such as of whom in some respects they might be ashamed yet in no wise to bee refused being such as the Lord thinketh good to sēd vs. And seeing that Christ himself hath none other we are so much the rather for to content our selues with the like especially when as we may hope that he that giueth so few simple at the first wil at length giue mo and better as we sée that heere-tofore he dealt with David himselfe If God also vouchsafe of his goodnes to bestow any Jonathans on vs such as will deale faithfully for vs and themselues are desirous and readie to be in league with vs it is our parts again both to vse their help as occasion serueth not to refuse to be in league of friendship with such But as we may vse such lawfull meanes for our owne defense so must we take heed that we lay no violent hands on any of the Lords annointed such I meane as are his annointed to vs and vnto whome we are none other but meere subiects Insomuch that if God at any time bring them into our hands and neuer so eagerly bent vpon vs yet are we to know that they are not therefore brought into our hands that we should take them at that aduantage but that by sparing them we should declare how much we abhor to séeke our own safetie or peace by inordinate wayes Neither are we to content ourselues only to bear them no heauier minds but that we can be cōtent to spare thē but also to beare them so sound good will as that we do in hart detest any violence done vnto them and vnfeignedly mourne when their ease is such as any way deserueth to be lamented Then also comming to others we are to haue that care of the hard estate or distresse of others that although we be in hard case our selues yet should we be ready if it lye in vs to help such others as are in néede If any of these Philistims of ours come and spoile any Keilah of our neighbours adioyning though we haue busines inough of our owne yet if it be in vs to help those distressed neighbours of ours we may not slip from their iust defence in time of néede But being in armes then are we especially for to take heede that we and our companie be not grieuous to those among whom we abide or by whom we passe as occasion serueth Better a great deale so to vse them that both we may do our selues good and still they may be our faithfull friends then by ill dealing to make them our enemies and to hurt our selues withall A rule that is so little regarded with vs whēsoeuer we are in armes that lightly we do more hurt to our neighbours and friends in lying by them then to our enemies in warring vpon them Our souldiers also are much forgotten and haue their due inter-cepted by those that are their leaders Though euer we send them foorth like men yet seldom find we but that they are beggars when they returne But besides that is no wisedom so hardly to vse so néedfull helps it is iniurie also and great oppression so far to defraud those that lay downe their liues in our quarell and the greater that the cause is about which we are to imploy them the more doth it aggreuate whether our folly or else our fault wherewithall in this case we are to be charged As for our friends I trust I néede not speak for them but sure it is that if they be not from time to time wel remembred as abilitie and opportunitie serueth and that not only that so we may the better keepe them to our own benefit but also of the inward and vnfeigned thankfulnes of the heart we are in great ieopardie with God that seethe our in-most thoughts iustly to leese those that we do so loosely keepe In both these therefore if we regard to hold on that course that David did
or but in needfull maner to help forward the cause it selfe that we haue in hand which as we know is of more price then to be hassarded by the want of either of these we must be liberall vnto the one and thankfull also vnto the other 12 That which may séeme to go against that hope of ours that expecteth a further accomplishment of these things to vs That this goodnes of God towards David was not founded on Davids excellencie is the difference that is supposed to be betwixt David to whom it was performed before and all those is whom the application that we haue made doth séeme to promis the same now Concerning which difference first it is to be knowne that though such a difference there be yet may it not abolish this hope that we speake of and then are we more specially to examin what is the difference that is betwixt vs. That although such a difference there be yet is it not to abolish the hope that we speake of may sufficiently appeare for that such mercie of God towards vs is not measured forth vnto vs according to the measure of our deserts but so far-forth as he in his wisedome is determined for to aduance his honor among vs. For if the case be of that nature that the worthines or vnworthines of the persons be not respected then though the difference that is betwixt vs were much greater then it is yet may it not bar vs of that hope That God is purposed of himselfe euer more and more to increase his goodnes towards vs and that thence ariseth great hope unto us that in such case may arise vnto vs. But thus rather we are to gather that the Lord is so fully purposed more and more to shew or open himselfe to the world that he will still hold on that course of himselfe not respecting whether those on whom he bestoweth such further manifestation of his glorie deserue it or not And yet notwithstāding he doth oftimes withall auenge himselfe with great seueritie on many of those that do receiue the grace of God in vaine Howbeit for this time it shall be sufficient for vs to consider how we may find him to hold this course that euer as the world groweth néerer to the consumation thereof and so consequently the full aduancement of the kingdome of God the more approacheth so doth he likewise more and more aduance his glorie on earth not respecting the desert or worthines of those that liue whether they were better or worse then those that were before or after in their seuerall times do follow This may we see in the whole course of the world generally and in both those sorts of people the Iewes and the Gentiles with whome it pleased God to deale more specially This to be apparant in the whole course of the world generally In the whole course of the world generally we may behold that he was much more gracious vnto the world when he chose vnto him one people among them all and bestowed the Law vpon them then for the space of two thousand yéeres almost he was to those that liued before among whome he chose to himselfe no one people stock or familie that we do reade of but only a few seuerall persons on whom also he bestowed no such knowledge as afterward he did on those others So likewise when afterward he vouchsafed to enlarge the kingdome of God to all nations and to their better instruction to bestow the Gospell vpon them we may plainly perceiue that heerein he was much better to the world now then he was before vnto it for that now he hath taken in all nations indifferently and giuen vnto them the truth it selfe whereas before he tooke but one and gaue vnto thē but figures also But shall we therefore say that those ages that haue succéeded are better then those that were before Or may we not herein plainly perceiue that he in such case doth nothing respect either the worthines or the vnworthines of those on whom he bestoweth such mercies but only that himselfe at all times doth euen as he in himselfe hath ordeined To come to the Iewes In his dealing with the Iewes that first were chosen the peculiar people of God Abraham Izhak and Iaakob had but the promises made but their posteritie in proces of time had the accomplishmēt of all those promises The people that came out of Aegypt perished in the wildernes but those which followed came into the land of promis Moses could but sée it from the top of a mountaine a far off but to Joshua was it giuen to enter in to make a conquest of it and to diuide it vnto the people For a time they had in a maner but a popular state but afterward they grew to a Kingdome At the first they had but the Law but afterward had they the Prophets also Christ was for a time but verie obscurely propounded vnto them by those figures and shadowes of the Law but afterwards by the preaching of the Prophets a great deale more plainly opened vnto them The glorie of the first Temple was verie great but could not in any wise compare with the latter The Kingdome of Christ was much aduanced among the Iewes by his own preaching and works while he was on the earth among them but nothing like to that which afterward folowed by the ministerie of the Apostles when himself was taken vp from among them Should we therefore hereupō prefer before Abraham Izhak Iaakob that imbased posteritie of theirs that after followed Ioshua before Moses and the Disciples of Christ before Christ himselfe Or should a popular estate be preferred before a Kingdome the former Temple before the latter the ceremonies and shadows of the Law before the plainnes truth of the Gospel Yet so must it be if God should haue bestowed those greater blessings according to the dignitie of the persons or if he held not a set course to make his goodnes more apparantly knowne to those that follow after then vnto those that went before In his dealing with the Gentiles Among the Gentiles we may sée the selfe-same course obserued also For though there were not many of thē at the first got into the faith of Christ yet a while after they were innumerable though for a time they were excedingly hated and vnder most bitter persecution yet shortly after they were honored of all and enioied the faith in peace After which time manie of those Churches were caried away with error againe and in those which remained the truth of God was verie much corrupted also according as the scripture foreshewed before and as the sinne of the world had iustly deserued Whereupon God in mercie disposed to call back certain of those Churches againe vnto their former faith in him and to that end raising vp to the world notable men mightily furnished with his holie spirit although we find that vnto them and to many