Selected quad for the lemma: hand_n
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A42784
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The rector of Bury's reply to the minister at Oswestry's answer; in a second letter to his friend
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Gipps, Thomas, d. 1709.
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1699
(1699)
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Wing G779B; ESTC R213346
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14,296
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22
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Probably he knew not his Name for he never calls him David but only Youth Stripling and Young Man Whereas all this was well known unto Saul before Chapter 16. 5. In the 18th Chapter the 6 7 8. Verses are manifestly broken off from the 17th Chapter which they ought immediately to follow but are interrupted with Five Versâ—s the last whereof acquaints us that Saul employ'd David in business of Importance set him over the Men of War That David behav'd himself Wisely and got the Favour of the People and of the Courtiers which must needs have happen'd after Saul's Triumphant Return from the slaughter of the Philistines which nevertheless we see is postpon'd to the 6 7 8. Verses These things being so I should think yet with Submission that the Course of the story should lie in the following Order whereby all the foremention'd inconvenience are avoided I would then immediately after the 15th Chapter read the 17th all but the 15th Verse and the 6 7 8. Verses of the 18th Chapter which make up a complete account of Saul's Expedition against the Philistines that Year and his Triumphant Return home But whereas in the 8th Verse of that 18th Chapter it is said that Saul was displeas'd because the People ascrib'd more unto David than unto the King and says he What can David have more but the Kingdom Therefore in the next place I would read Verse the 15th of the 17th Chapter But David observing that Saul was angry and himself in all likelihood defeated of the Promise of Saul's Daughter went and return'd from Saul to feed his Fathers Sheep at Bethlehem Now God among other Reasons to punish Saul's breach of Promise unto David and to recompence David another way sent Samuel to Anoint him Saul's Successor I would in the next place then read the 16th Chapter intirely to the end The latter part whereof is an Account how David return'd to Court to Play upon his Harp and thereby to refresh Saul when the Evil Spirit vexed him as also how he was made Saul's Armour-Bearer All this happen'd unto David because it was then well known that David was a Skilful Player on the Harp we may suppose he had in the Camp frequently diverted the Souldiers with his Instrument and also that he was a Valiant Man a Man of War and prudent in such matters for he had given proof of his Courage and Conduct before in the War with the Philistines When David with his Harp Chapter 16. 23. had refreshed Saul and the Evil Spirit was departed from him I cannot but think the King enter'd into some Discourse with him therefore I would here go to the 18th Chapter and first Verse to the end of the fifth And it came to pass when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul c. And David went out whither soever Saul sent him and behaved himself wisely And Saul set him over the Men of War and he was accepted in the sight of all the People and also in the sight of Saul 's Servants Lastly hence I skip to the 9th Verse And Saul being jealous of David who was thus become popular and perhaps having some secret Intelligence by this time that he had been Anointed to succeed in the Throne Eyed David from that day and forward This Jealousie brought again the Evil Spirit upon Saul so that in the very next the 10th Verse 't is said And it came to pass on the Morrow of that day when Saul began first to Eye David that the Evil Spirit from God came upon Saul c. The story afterward is regular It will I foresee well enough be askt how all this disorder could happen in the sacred History Whereunto I Answer that the matter of Fact seems to me so evident both from the perplexity of the Narrative as it lies at present in our Bible and from that perfect Agreement which must be confest to be in the parts of the story thus put together that I reekon this not a sufficient Objection Besides if I may be allow'd to account for this as the Learned do for other smaller Corruptions I need not despair of guessing at a probable way how this might come to pass Thus. The two greater Sections which make up the 16th and 17th Chapters as they now stand in our Bibles might have been written upon two different Rolls or loose Parchments so easily misplac'd or mistaken by the Copier taking up one for the other The Reader afterwards observing David who Chapter 16th was enter'd into Saul's Service was now chap. 17. no Body knows how for no account is given of it at home again with his Father at Bethlehem noted in the Margin from a Neighbouring place But David went and returned from Saul to feed his Father's Sheep at Bethlehem which by degrees slipt from the Margent into the Text here Again a Transcriber observing there was no express mention of any Discourse between Saul and David except that in Chapter 17. 32. Verse 58. concluded that the five first Verses of the 18th Chap. should be plac'd immediately after the 17th Chapter as they now stand in our Bibles Such kind of Accounts as these Criticks are wont to give of other mistakes why may not this that I have now offer'd pass as probable at least Possible I cannot admit of the Prolepsis which the inspir'd Pen-Men of the History would never have fallen into after such a gross manner as renders the whole story extremely confus'd and impossible to be clearly understood In a word the Thread of the History is so often broken that it seem'd necessary to restore the parts to their Natural Order wherein I do believe they were first written But supposing the Sacred Historian fell so often into the Prolepsis yet it may be be granted I hope that we have gain'd thus much by this Attempt that the genuine Order of time when things successively happen'd is here discover'd and render'd easy to be understood which I am Principally concern'd for But as for the explanations of several Difficulties in this History which the Criticks in the Synopsis who do not insist upon the Prolepsis have furnished us with I shall in the last place shew that they are weak forc'd and have no probability at all in them It is said upon Chapter 17. 55 58. that David was not then sufficiently known unto Saul because he frequently went from Court home to feed his Father's Sheep Therefore the King enquir'd of him and of his Family A. It is incredible Saul should suffer his Armour-Bearer to retire so often to feed Sheep or frequently dispense with his Absence who was to be constantly at hand to Play upon the Harp when ever the Evil Spirit came upon Saul Besides if David frequently went home he frequently return'd unto Court and so was better known unto the King It is said Saul was taken up with the weighty Affairs of the Kingdom so that altho' he formerly knew David and his Family
ch 16. 18. yet he had forgot him ch 17. especially being often troubled with the Evil Spirit A. Saul was not at that time troubled with the Evil Spirit it is manifest If he had been often troubled with it yet he lost not his Memory and Understanding thereby ch 18. 10 11. ch 19. 9 10 11. David at the Combat with Goliah was but Stripling twenty years old haply for he was but 30 at Saul's Death 2 Sam. 5. 4. so that there could not be sufficient time between Saul's making him his Armour-Bearer and the Combat for Saul to have forgot David In a word Princes in their Consulations about the Affairs of State are wont to confer with their Principal Officers and Ministers of whom doubtless David the Armour-Bearer was one at least had frequent Occasions to attend his Master and lastly being often admitted into Saul's Presence to Play upon the Harp it is Morally impossible Saul could in a little time forget him and his Father's House It is said Princes are not wont to know their Servants especially who have Merited at their Hands therefore Saul made himself strange unto David ch 17. 55 58. tho' otherwise he could not chuse but know him A. Saul had no reason to dissemble his knowledge of David David had oblig'd him by refreshing him with his Harp and scaring away the Evil Spirit But then Saul had rewarded him with the Honourable Office of Armour-Bearer That which make Princes to forget or to pretend to forget their Subjects is when they cannot or will not recompense them But this was not the case Again David had slain Goliah and occasion'd thereby the total defeat and overthrow of the Philistines this was a noble and deserving exploit Right But this was not the time nor was it to any purpose at present to hide his former knowledge of David For all David's pretence now unto a further reward of his Services was his successful Combate and slaughter of the Giant and preservation of the Armies of Israel thereby As to the reward of this Action it matter'd not whether Saul had or had not been acquainted with David formerly Still the reward was due though Saul had never before seen or known him It is said David's Face was changed and his Beard grown so that Saul knew him not again A. How could David's Beard be grown who was as yet but a Youth a Stripling and a Beardless Boy ch 17. It is said he appear'd now before Saul like a Shepherd and not in his Courtly Habit so that Saul knew him not A. 'T is as easie to say he appear'd at first ch 16. before the King in his Shepherd's Garb which Saul might easily know again It is finally said that Saul only enquir'd after the Lineage of David for he knew his Person well enough A. If Saul knew and remember'd David's Person he could not have been ignorant of his Pedegree Tribe and Family which were well known unto Saul when he made him Armour-Bearer ch 16. 18 19 22. To conclude many Incongruities in this story are not at all indeavour'd to be accounted for Those excuses wherewith some of 'em are palliated seem so trivial weak and ill grounded that I am hereby farther and more firmly convinc'd that the order of the story has been some way or other disturb'd and ought some way or other to be rectify'd Whether I have contributed any thing thereunto I leave to the Judgment of other Men. There are two or three Observables more in the Order of the story as 't is found in our Bibles which ought not to be forgot David was Anointed and then advanc'd to be Saul's Armour-Bearer ch 16. God questionless designing hereby to make way for his succeeding Saul in the Throne But David tho' there had happen'd no disgust between him and the King return'd to keep his Father's Sheep Ch. 17. 15. and Jesse entertain'd him which was as much as in them lay to defeat the Purpose of God and expect another way than what God had appointed for his attaining the Crown Ch. 17. It might also be ask'd why did not the Armour-Bearer present himself to his Master make a tender of his Service according to his Office Whence was it that he needed to be introduc'd into the King's Presence by some Courtier and was receiv'd as a mere Stranger With what Face could Eliab Challenge Saul's Armour-Bearer with Pride and Naughtiness of Heart for attending his Master in the War In a word is it likely the King's Armour-Bearer should appear in the Field with his Shepherd's Habit ch 17. As yet then he had been neither Anointed nor taken into Saul's Service but was a mere Shepherd and by Consequence the 17th Chapter ought to be before the 16th at least is before it in the Order of time though the 16th by a bold Prolepsis was put first by the Historian THE END