ENGLANDS Third Alarm TO VVARRE Stirring up the whole Land as one Man to help the LORD and His servant David all the Faithfull in the World against most bloudy Adversaries mighty Hunters before the LORD In which Warre No Resistance is maintained but what has now as in Davids time a sweet agreement with Duty and affinity with the best Obedience No Resistance then or now of Regall Authority or Higher Power but of those who are the greatest Enemies thereunto Such were Sauls willing Helpers in his War against David such are the Kings Helpers in his Warre now against his best Subjects the Faithfull of the Land Jer. 48.10 Cursed be he that keepeth backe his Sword from bloud 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a Price be not ye the servants of men Joel 2.11 Feare not O Land be glad and rejoyce for the LORD will doe great things Gen. 8.1 God remembred Noah and every living thing and all the Cattell that was with him He will remember David and all his afflictions Psal 132.1 Chrysos Serm. 68. Oremus ut Christus suo semper regnet in Milite ut Miles semper suo triumphet in Rege Let us pray That Christ would evermore be King in his Souldier That His Souldier may evermore triumph in his King London Printed for Thomas Vnderhill in the second yeare of the Beasts wounding warring against the Lamb and those that are with Him Called Chosen and Faithfull 1643. TO THE READER This Epistle shewes the purpose of the Book what could not be shewed in the Tiâ—tle cleares the Duty of all good people to stand-up now all as one man Gives Arguments full to that purpose answers all materiall Arguments against is HEe that speaks to All speaks to none Words as Physicke cannot be applied to MAN under that generall notion but to this or that man in particular Therefore I intend all this unto thee who hast taken it into thy hand that thou maist lay it unto thy heart The noise of the Drum and sound of Warre still in thine eares has awakened thee sure no Sleeper now when such a Tempest lyes upon us unlesse thou art as one of those who can be secure in the midst of the Sea or lye asleepe upon the top of a Mast I suppose thee awakened and hearing thy selfe summoned to Warre Thy Call is from Heaven A supposition oâ—ly that the Reul enites and Gadites had built an Alâ—ar contrary to Godâ— command did stir-up the whole congregation of Israel to warre against them Iosb 22.12 So did the forcing a Concubine All Israel arose and were knit together as one man foure hundred thousand men to warre with Benjamin refâ—sing to give up 〈◊〉 Delinquents to death Iudg. 20.1.8.11.13 See Ep. p. 4. all the Lawes of Heaven and Earth have sealed thee thy Warrant for the cause is Gods His Peoples To maintain all that is dear to Him them in Earth Heaven Thy enemies are the Lords Enemies the most insulting that ever the Church was infested with for they are most of them home-bred that are helpers with the Beast of the same Countrey with thee and have the same Mother Besides they have the hornes of a Lamb they will fight under formall colours semblances shewes and pretences of Law and Justice which they carry upon their Swords point It will be the hottest Warre that ever was yet If these Adversaries have the day expect no more mercy from them then from the mouth of the Devourer be it Cannon Dragon Wolfe Lion or she Beare or from the Divell himselfe for indeed he playes Rex now he has armed the Edomite Papist I meane with a Sword and with a Sword Spirit though he be he must be resisted But in warring now Ob. I may resist the King No thou shalt resist no other Ans but that Evill Spirit which has put a Sword into an Edomites hand now and has engaged the heart of the King to her who has pawned the Jewels of the Kingdom to purchase Instruments of death thereby to lay waste the Kingdome of Israel and to dethrone the King thereof The soule of the King cleaves in love to her even her who bends all her power against the LORD CHRIST and His Kingdome And To purchase this cursed end which will cost the best Flower in their Crowne and they shall misse of it too when all is done To carry on this horrid designe they have joyned hearts and hands with Irish Rebels and English Monsters men skilfull to destroy whose hearts and hands are steeped in bloud and brawned in villanies There can be no question now of the lawfulnesse of resistance for thou shalt offer no more violence to the King and Kingdome then what thou shouldst offer to the Kingdom of Heaven a sweet violence in contending for the Faith and the trust of the Kingdome But some there are most contrary minded Ob. Lawyers and DIVINES both these are against the Covenant now which engageth to defensive Armes and they say their Reason and Conscience is against it too * and this their example may very well stumble thee Example may win much with unstable mindes Ans But surely the example of such men whose walking is as contrary to a common Light and principles as darknesse is to light as contrary to Christ His wayes and servants as the Divel is or as Hell is to Heaven surely the example of such men cannot perswade with thee These men have so long shut their eyes against a naturall light and so long laboured to stifle and choak a naturall Conscience that now they have not so much Logicke Reason I meane then has a Dog nor any more good Conscience then has a Beast I would rather my tongue should cleave to the roofe of my Mouth then that it should send forth the scum of a foule stomack or corrupt heart rotten speeches The Lord knowes I speake what I know and what all may know that will observe the conversation of these men Anti-Covenanters now like as the inti-petitioners before I will say it againe They have no more true Reason nor good Conscience then a Bâ—ast has No their pleasure and profit are their gods their glory their shame unreasonable men they are And this is the clearest evidence thereof that ever was given a â—â—ll 3.19 They mind earthly things No matter what such Cretians say alwayes Lyars evill Beasts slow Bellies Shew thy selfe a man bring forth the speare and stop the way against these Murtherers for even these men are as one of them Obad. 11.12 They stand on the other side They have looked on the day of their Brother They have rejoiced in the day of his destruction and have spoken proudly in the day of distresse these are as one of them Thou wilt wish that these may be cut off that so trouble us and bring forth the speare against those Murtherers whose notorious violences are more legible all over the Land Ob. No thou
Truth and Davids Mercies are sure There is Davids Hold-fast He has nothing to doe 't is not his part to trouble himselfe about this What Saul is or what the Keilites are he may enquire of the LORD about it and he shall be told That Sauls intentions are bloudy and the Keili es treacherous but he must not trouble himselfe about it not about what Saul will doe or the Keilites will doe David must doe his duty that is his part to doe let God alone with Saul and his Keilites they shall doe David no hurt but good a great deale so be David does hâ—s duty We have learnt our part also and what is our duty to doe now and now we proceed David was resolved to have defended himselfe and the Keilites he would not have sâ—ffered their City to be destroyed for his sake but advising with his Oracle and understanding how the Keilites were minded he quits the place and with his men marcheth away towards the Wildernesse Here a grave Question may be asked Why does the Lord suffer David to be put to his shifts Quest why is his condition so restlesse from place to place and no certaine place before he can fixe his foot stand still and breath himselfe he must run for his life For excellent Reasons the Lord did this Ans That David might know this woâ—â—d is a Wilâ—ernesse indeed not the place of his rest and that he mig t not trust in strong-holds neither nor in men therefore was his condition so fleeting and full of changes He must be raised to a Crowne it must be from a low bottome after mens hearts towards him are â—â—lly discovered and all his strong-holds are thrown down for GOD must be exalted in that day But of this towards the conclution Isa 10.11 when we shall see GOD performing His whâ—â—â— worke and what end He makes for then we shall â—ee the LORD is very pitifull and of tender mâ—â—ey Jam. 5.11 But we must wait fâ—r this as the Husbandman â—aiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it Therefore I will referre that to the last and give resolution here to another Question CHAP. II. Why did not the Neighbouring Israelites Come-in to help their Brethren and Sisters grievously oppressed by a cruell Lord and a bloudy Edomite Or why did they not relieve David now driven into the Wildernesse What Saul did and would have done is examined and who this Edomite was So it is made very cleare That Conscience could not hold-backe the neighbouring Israelites from standing-up every man in his place to defend himselfe and to withstand the notorious violences from Sauls and his Edomites hands HEre 's a strange sight Saul with his Edomites have smitten and burnt Nob a City of Priests and have destroyed Man and Beast there They make the like offer against Keilah to destroy that City for Davids sake They pursue David still with fire and sword and now they have driven him out into the wildernesse as he sayes himselfe from abtaing in the inheritance of the LORD Why does Israel suffer all this VVhy doe they not bring forth the speare to stop their Master Saul and his Edomite driving on furiously in the Path of the destroyer VVhy did not Israel withstand their Master Saul 2 Chro. 26.17 18. as AZariah with fourscore Priests more withstood VZZiah their King entring upon their office And why did they not deale with the Edomite as the Prophet caused that messenger to be dealt withall who had a Commission from King Ahab to fetch away his head 2 Kin. 6.32 VVhy did they not deale so or more roughly with the Edomite It is answered here boldly enough That Israel were a conscientious People they knew their duty they saw no VVarrant to make resistance let their King Murther Priest and People then Pillage rob and spoile them by his Servants like the high-lander theeves there meere Conscience keeps these neighbouring Israelites hands close in their Pockets the while It is their King they will not resist him meere conscience forbids them I would speake something here in the generall first Conscience is a tender thing and must be tenderly dealt with and not judged rashly But certaine it is we of the common fort have been and now are very little troubled in point of Conscience about such matters as these are we are not so conscientious of our duty as to commune with Conscience about it we minde other matters here Hab. 26. to lade our selves with thicke clay which we call private wealth neglecting the common How long It is a Prophets question and by an Interrogation he makes his Answer very strong and terrible untill they shall rise-up suddenly that shall bite thee and awake that shall vexe thee Veâ—s 7. and thou shalt be booties unto them To whom To Spoylers and Robbers That thicke clay wherein we have laboured shall be booties unto those Robbers there is the crosse indeed and if it were not for feare we would fight our selves out of slavery sure were it but to secure our private wealth but because we would rather be accounted Conscientious men then Cowards we will not hold-up our hands for feare it should be taken to be a lifting-up the hand against our King This were well now if we did make conscience in other things of Lying Swearing Blaspheming Cursing Robbing Spoiling c. and of all unjust gaine or if we did make conscience not to keep our Purses shut when the necessity of the Poore commanded us to open or if being able men and could goe a warfare at our owne proper cost we did make conscience of taking gaine of money when we stand-up for our selves our owne lives and liberties If we make conscience of these things wee might be accounted conscientious men in other matters in point of resistance for feare we make warre against the King wherein every true Israelite must make conscience or else quit that name for he is unworthy the name of Israel that does not make conscience at that sacred point To proceed a little in the generall GOD forbid that any Israelite in the world should Resist their King and make conscience so to doe Nay more for I keep to the story GOD forbid that an Israelite should have resisted Saul he is the Anointed of the LORD â—s was said the great Fiduciary of the Kingdome An Israelite will make conscience of resisting Saul I say Saul for hearken what Ahimelech sayes Be it far from me Let not the King impute any thing unto his servant nor to all the house of my Fathers 1 Sam. 22.15 What should not Saul impute unto Ahimelech That he resisted his Lord King Saul and intended ill unto him it was far from him so to doe And certainly it was and is far from all true Israelites in the world To resist Saul to oppresse him and doe him hurt The LORDS Anointed they remember that still
stedfastly heaven-ward then they are in heart againe and as bold as Lyons We read as followes CHAP. 4. Saul has shed bloud to his power is resolved to shed more summons Israel to come-in for that purpose They come at his call What to thinke of his Troopers It relates to the later and present time not to dishearâ—â—â— but to encourage all Israel David must be driven from out of all his strong Holds and forsaken of all his friends excellent Reason is given why it is so in the next Chapter SAul has done according as his will carrieth him and the Edomite according to his Commission And now their foot is entred into bloud they drive-on furiously in the Path of the destroâ—er and to Keilâ—h they march A man would thinke now that such a cruell Lord and such a bloudy Generall as is the Edomite should not have one man to goe out with him into the field no not one But see it is otherwise 1 Sam. 23.8 for we read Saul called all the People together to war And they came in at his call I examine not now what moved them thick and threefold as we say by Companies and Troopes to the number of three thousand men What to doe To safeguard Sauls person that was Sauls pretence against the insolencies of David who ye know or else ye know nothing ran away faster then Saul could march after though Saul made as much speed as possibly he could who was exceedingly MAD against the righteous and persecuted David even to strange Cities yet Saul was afraid of David and made his guard so strong Let it goe for I will not inquire into that matter being made so legible already I would rather enquire Who or what manner of persons these Souldiers were It is answered Chosen men out of all Israel that is noble rich valiant stout men learned men also the vile Priests and the treacherous Prophets Doubtlesse these were now as alwayes ever since ingaged in the warre against David and Chosen men out of Israel to that purpose And truly this must needs be a great disheartning to David and so to all Israel for Sauls foot is in the Path of the destroyer the Edomite is with him they are marching to Keilah to doe to that City as they did to Nob and yet GOD seemes to shine upon Saul and his Councell Saul calls and they come-in unto him no fewer them Three thousand châ—sen men out of all Israel To relate unto the present time as we goe along This has beene and is our present case The King in his warre against David now the faithful in his Land has the same advantages now as Saul and his Edomite had in the dayes of old though the King seduced by evill counsels is gone-up to the knees in bloud yet Nobles are come-in unto him rich men valiant men an Army of Scholars too Lawyers and Divines both to help-on the persecution with their Swords and with their Pens Such Instruments the King has Choice and Right-men for his service and they serve their Master heartily without gaine of money for they feed upon free cost all is theirs they can lay hold on Right-men indeed as heart could wish such as the Oratour tells me Philip of Macedon found He sought with diligent search for wicked men who w uld in a treacherous way bring his designes to passe against their owne Countrey-men and such be found Demost de falsa legatione pag. 204. in folio but yet saith the Oratour Philip found them more wicked then he himselfe could have wisheâ— They had plotted and hammered out such projects and contrivances against their owne Countrey and for Philipâ— ends as that Philip himselfe durst not frame-out unto them the like plot or desire the same either by Letter or Embassie so abominable those Instruments were Such instruments the King has worse indeed but more Right and straight to the Designes his Councell has laid-out unto him then he expected or perhaps could have desired And what Davids case is the faithfull of the LORD he knowes nothing that knowes not this He has Armies by Sâ—a and Armies by Land North and South East and West stand-up for his help and the Eâ—e of the LORD is upon them for good that is certaine though many are sicke amongst them and many fallen asleep even the Righteous are taken away Nay many are run-away and more have dealt treacherously as we have heard and shall hear few there are that be hearty to the cause and fewer yet that doe not serve for gaine of money and no money no march Thus they deal with Dâ—vid Ah Lord how does the enemy laugh at this Let his laugh GOD laughes too and His servants laugh also rejoycing alwayes in The LORD they will doe their worke let GOD alone to perfect His worke They will give in their hand to David he shall have their hearts too And no marvell all this not can it seeme any strange matter That many noble rich valiant learned men are now on the contrary side and enemies to David None of all these can endure afflictions with David not a wildernesse with David They cannot goe from soft beds to bard boards They must have their ease for the present for after time they leave it to the DECREE give them their portion here they are satisfied Nor can they conceive but That Saul with his three thousand will overcome David with his five hundred and then they shall receive what a King can give for he will be abundantly good to them now they have assisted him to complete his victory which wil never be over David and his men Yes you will say Saul will overcome David for he has ten for one This Saul understood no more then the Egyptians did when God set Himselfe betwixt them and Israel Ex 14.19 True if Saul were to fight with men David only and his men But Saul must fight with David and his GOD hee must overcome GOD before he overcome David You have not mans warrant now you have GODS warrant That Saul shall never overcome Let him call-in the chosen men out of Israel give them his Commission bid them cut and kill and slay there is their warrant yet they shall never overcome David for GOD is with David But yet Saul must have all the advantage that heart can wish and all the disadvantage must be on Dâ—vids side Saul must rise in his hopes oftentimes and David must fall very low and yet not at the lowest Saul must have the advantage counsell on his side and strength both and numbers also Thousands for Davids hundreds yet David is not troubled at all this for it is as good a signe as can be looked upon he looks to the Cause and to his GOD rolles himselfe and his concernments upon GOD and there he resteth his head and has peace in himselfe and in his way But here is a Triall now The LORD does more then seeme He does indeed
lift-up the right hand of Davids Adversaries does David and Israel say Yes and so He may doe that He may exalt His owne Right-hand toward David anon Where we shall see That Davids cause is not carried on by number or multitude or by strength but by an over-ruling Hand And That GOD on Davids side answers all advantages on the Adversaries side both of number and strength and all disadvantages on Davids side in want of both Though for Thousands with Saul he can write but hundreds yet hee will not feare for GOD is with David and is departed from Saul and that answers all advantages on Sauls side and all disadvantages on Davids side as was said For now GOD delights to shew Himselfe and His Arme else we will not see it unlesse it be made most bare of flesh we would have many on our side so it will be but not yet but let us remember they may be too many for GOD to give us victory Iudges Eccles. 9.11 for we thinke The race must be to the swift and the battell to the strong When in Davids war it is quite contrary So much to Sauls Alarm to war his successe therein his numbers of men and how it relates to this war against David as it is at this day and answers Sauls seeming advantages and takes off the wonder there Now I come to examine what persons these were who come-in to Saul side to carry-on his persecution against David Saul called all the people together to war and they came-in by Troops an Host of three thousand chosen men What manner of persons were they Murtherers all I faâ— all nay GOD sayes all and every one of them were murtherers that were privy to Sauls intents and willingly followed the Commandement Marke that and marke we what we reade Saul spake to all his servants What to doe That they should kill David And they 1 Sam. 19.1.2 who did as Saul spake To their power were murtherers to their power And it was very possible to finde-out some Thousands chosen men in Israel who would kill David the faithfull of the LORD at this time for there were many Noble men in Israel and not many of these would give their hand to David conflict with him against him rather giving their hand to Saul Very probable it was so There were many rich men in Israel And whaâ— sayes the Apostle of them They despise they oppresse the poâ—re they draw them we need not make it a question Ia◠〈◊〉 2.6 our eyes have seene it befâ—re the judgement seat they blaspheme the worthy Name by which we are called Doubtlesse many of these were with Saul and bare their owne charges And I am more then halfe perswaded That Davids five hundred Troopers were but poore men a ragged Regiment very poore and almost naked for whence should they have supplies of necessaries GOD knowes surely man cannot tell I finde them in a wildernesse for the most part amongst wilde Goats No strange place to David and his Army They senâ— to a very Rich Man and he sent them a very churlish Aâ—swer but not one biâ— of bread And yet contented men they were whether paid or not paid and pillage they would not rather dye then doe wrong It it had or beene so they might have made brave pillage of Nabals sheep whereas they would not no not they Davids Souldiers 1 Sam. 25.16 they were a wall unto Nabals shepheards and their flockes both by night and by day And yet such a Nabal he was such a Churle and such a Foole when he made a feast like a King surfeited on his meat and was very drunke Nay before he was so distempered he would not give David no not a morsell This stirred Dâ—vids spirit not a little I passe it over here onely this in passage Davids spirit must be discovered to himselfe and that will be one maine Reason anon why his deliverance was delayed The Note is this The Rich Churlâ— mindes not David in the wildernesse nor shall he or his men taste of his morsels David shall taste of the Rich Mans spirit he will give David bad language and censure him withall Who is David A despicable person I warrant you he and his men are broken away from their Masters There 's his censure for as his name is so is he Nabal is his name and folly is with him Verse 25. he censures David at pleasure But it was well for the Rich man that Dâ—vid and his men were so neare his Shepherds and his Flocks had Sauls Troopers been so neare they would have taken them all for Booâ—ies and had they smelt-out Nabals feast they would not have sent Messengers unto him with a Blessing in their mouth Peace be both to thee Verse 6. and peace be to thy house and peace be unto all that thou hast Nor would they have spoken supplications Verse 8. Let the young men find favour in tâ—â—ne eyes for they come in a good day give I pray thee c. No they would not have prayed they would have commanded and done as the vile Priests did 1 Sam. 2.16 Thou shalt give it me now and if not I will take it by force Such a commanding Host was with Saul and past question such Priests were with him too to helpe-on the persecution for it was against David And never was there any persecution against David wherein the Priests were not most Active Ministers not knuckle deepe as we say but elbow deep in bloud as at this day We will take a view now of the Kings Army As before many Nobles there not many with David Rich men there such as the Apostâ—e has described great hunters before The LORD mighty to oppresse and to blaspheme The Name of their GOD. There are the vile Miniâ—ters too Isa 56.10 they kennell neare the Court even all your Dumb-Dâ—gs which cannot bâ—rke sleeping lâ—ing downe loving to slumber All these all over the Land are with the King now that his hand is against David and to strengthen his persecution They cave murthered Soules already now they will murther Bodies If they cannot with their hands they will set their heart to the worke and open their purses wide towards it Shall these and these men prosper Shall they carry-on their designe against David Shall they that hate The LORD lift-up the head Yes for a Time till GOD has perfected His work And His Adversaries have done theirs filling-up their measures and for other excellent Reasons which we shall heare anon We have seene now what Persons they ever have beene and are who have their hand against David murtherers all mighty hunters before The LORD And yet as I am not so foolishly ignorant to thinke That the vile Priests were not a part of Sauls Army either in Action or Affection contributing their Prayers and Purses towards the holy warre wherein they alwayes have beene a willing people of very large hearts So I am
confidences and how their hearts departed from their GOD for so much as the heart drawes and inclines to the creature so much and by the very same steps and degrees it withdrawes from GOD so much of the world as comes-in so much of heaven goes-out This were excellent matter to dilate upon but every good mans spirit is fitted for such a worke selfe-searching and triall what spirit he is of and how it has been discovered to himselfe all this time O the murmurings of his spirit how many have they been what haste has he made If he be not delivered now he shall be tyred and can follow GOD in His way no longer It is not necessary nay nor possible to set downe the murmurings warpings hastinesses of the best mans spirit but he will confesse he has in his HASTE limited the Holy One of Israel and tyed GOD like a creature to his owne time and way A man would doe it at such a time and by such meanes Therefore GOD must doe so too GOD must worke like a man This argueth a great distemper of spirit and must be corrected Alas shall David be delivered at this present time It cannot be the Servant of the Lord must be instructed first to a constancy of spirit so as he can come to this Period and stop there David shall be delivered the fittest time and after such a manner as shall most gloriously exalt GODS Name and Davids comfort and that I hope will best content and so he will conclude Therefore he will doe his worke and let GOD alone to perfect His and he will let GOD alone to His owne Time and to His owne Way in confident assurance That if Davids deliverance be delayed there is mighty Reason why it is so and the prime Reason is that David may be discovered his owne spirit made fully manifest to himselfe Secondly That Davids adversaries every one may be discovered too all the Right-men his true Enemies and false friends all their fine designes all their horrid hellish machinations that all may be discovered and layed open before all Israel and before the Sun David thought GOD was slack touching His Promise He was indeed as we count slicknesse when things are not done and deliverance wrought by the very same meanes and at the very nicke of time which we in our haste have concluded upon GOD was not slacke nor is he slacke towards David He is working wonders for David and we shall see it anon Davids deliverance stayes a little Why That all Davids enemies may be discovered how wicked how pernicious they are how mightily they fight against GOD and His servant David The enemy must be clearly convinced too we will take this and Davids adversaries in order and proceed upon discovery First Sauls most malignant spirit shall be made as manifest and naked to Israels eye as his body was in the day he was born He made shewes of love to David all his shewes shall shrinke-up to nothing or prove reall hatred Saul would have it told David That the King delighted in him Does â—e so Heare what Saul sayes and tell your selfe Saul blesseth the Ziphites those Murtherers 1 Sam. 23.19 Blessed be ye of the LORD Why blessed Because they undertooke Davids destruction in designe in the manner as they did at Bristoll London Lincolne To deliver David into Sauls hands that he might doe to him according to all the desire of his soule What desire was that To sheath his sword in Davids bowels Will the Ziphites give such a price into Sauls hand that he may doe to David according to all the desire of his soule will they so Blessed are ye of the Lord O strange Nay it was not strange it was ordinary with Saul to blesse his Right-men Murtherers and no others Blessed are ye of the Lord. O monstrous what abominable words are these Saul blesseth the Ziphites I ask againe Why does he so Because the Ziphites have a fine designe upon David as our Right-men upon Bristoll c. as was said to deliver him into Sauls hand that Saul may doe to David as we understood before The Ziphites have that in designe and Saul blesseth them for it and so his wickednesse is shewne before the whole congregation Prov. 26. For that is GODS designe too Saul shall not couzen the world any longer but GOD will turne Sauls blessings into curses Saul blesseth Murtherers GOD curseth them a treacherous and a murtherous Generation though they curse yet blesse thou So GOD will and curse them whom Saul blesseth Saul applauds their designes GOD abhorres them and their designes too and the Hang-man is appointed to give them their wages for their worke Observe further the Evill spirit of the man must be made more manifest for he saith ye have compassion on me What ye or who were they The same men who would lay a City waste so they might gratifie Saul in the destruction of David and this Saul calls compassion O blindnesse O desperate wickednesse he counts that a COMPASSION to his soule the working his will upon David which will destroy Sauls life here and his soule for ever Who is there that understands this and does not pray Lord leave me not in the lap of my owne will to run mine owne way and to accomplish my owne desire Does not many a man now-a-dayes count the granting of that a Compassion to his soule which being granted and effected to his hearts desire will destroy body and soule both eternally But I forbeare Here was a full discovery of Sauls spirit But let me speake a word for Saul for truely he had good things in him which must be remembred though the Evill spirits the Divell and his owne Spirit perverted all the contrary way Sauls good spirit was discovered too we fâ—â—de him weeping in one place and blessing David in another True But the Text sayes David would not trust him for all that Saul gave David good words and Blessings too and there was an Oath betwixt them and doubtlesse All was done heartily Saul did not treat with David and in the meane time carry on a fine designe to take away Davids life No doubtlesse Saul spake as he thought and meant to performe 1 Sam 24.22 But sayes the Text David would not trust Saul he and his Men got them up into the hold And the Reason was David knew an Evill Spirit haunted Saul an Edomite besides still at his Elbow and Saul had his foot entred into bloud up to the ankles David would not trust him Had Saul shed but a bottle of Bloud he might have bethought himselfe upon cold bloud as we say and repented and he might shew favour to an Edomite being his Herdsman But Saul has filled Nob with bloud from Corner to Corner And now that the Edomite is declared to be the Chiefe Malignant to Israel that ever was in Israels Land Saul approves of him the more The more bloud he hath shed the
trust and not be afraid for The LORD IEHOVAH is my strength Isa 12.2 Looke unto Me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Isa 45.22 ENGLANDS Third Alarm to VVAR Against the Beast SECT III. 0200 DAvids story Sauls persecution is continued his hand is restrained but his heart is bloody and men are as their hearts are David delivers the Keilites yet they will deliver David into a murtherers hand A lesson from thence Saul holds-on his foot in the path of the destroyer Why does not Israel stand-up for Israel and for their temporall Saviour against an over-bearing Lord and an insulting Edomite The Answer will resolve the Case of Conscience and Israels duty touching that matter Saul drives-on furiously after David seemes to prosper gaines men The Chosen out of all Israel to carry-on his bloody designe and drives David from all his strong holds every one Davids GOD looks upon all this and suffers it to be done for excellent Reasons relating To David To his Adversaries and To GOD Himselfe and all relating to these times David was delivered then and he shall be delivered now but not before all his strong holds are cast downe The Tribes come in at last when the way was cleared before them and all good meanes used first All true Israelites will come in shortly To helpe The LORD against THE MIGHTY when That which letteth is taken away There is the Conclusion GODS Time is the best Time best to Advance His Glory and His Peoples Peace CHAP. 1. Davids story and Sauls persequution is continued his heart as bloody as before though after his march from Nob hee could draw no more blood for a Man is as his Will is David delivers the Keilites out of the hand of spoilers and the Keilites would deliver David into Sauls hands David will doe his Duty notwithstanding and leave the rest to God PRoud and haughty Scorner is his name Prov. 21.24 who dealeth in proud wrath The Edomite is he who had a Bloody Commission scaled unto him and has executed it accordingly Turne thee and fall upon the Friests because their hand is with David and the Edomite turned and did as aforesaid And so we have read a bloudy Tragedy Nec adhuc finitus Orestes scriptus at à tergo and yet we are not at an end Turne over the leafe on the backside we have as much more As much more I say in proposition and designe only not in conclusion which God makes that was and will be glorious still But much more endeavoured nothing done Much Action yet nothing effected to Sauls heart and purpose And yet was it a deadly Persecution True it was The LORD suffered the Evill Spirit to open by the hands of Saul and the Edomite a sluce or floodgate of wrath and there-out issued a mighty streame of blood But Hee That opens at pleasure and shuts also at pleasure Hee quickly shut 02 this Sluce and stopt this full streame So as Though Saul and his Edomite persecuted David I know not how many yeares after with deadly hatred yet they shed not one drop of bloud all that time A wondrous thing Psal 31.15 we cannot stand upon it My TIMES are in Thy hands sayes David They are indeed and it is Davids comfort that they are so that Davids life and all his concernments are in GODS hand He will dispose of all and all shall come through His hands and shal be transacted there all for Davids good in the end If not a Sparrow falls to the ground without your FATHER Matth. 10.29 then not one drop of Davids bloud sure Though Saul and his Edomite pursued-hard after David yet they shall draw no more blood Though five hundred drawne swords after our account nay five thousand drawn swords are about D viâ— round about as we shall see anon yet not one drop of bloud is drawne by Saul or his men Why then Qu. how is the story Tragicall you will say for we shall reade no more of men or garments rolled in Blood True we shall not and yet we shall see the Story is Tragicall Ans and Saul the King with the Edomite his Generall are as grievous persecutors as before The Divell was a murthâ—rer from the beginning So he will be to the end a murtherer stilâ— not because he actually sheds bloud every where at pleasure but bâ—â—â—use intentionally hee alwayes has a will to doe it Had the divell power in his hand but God has him in His Chaine if he could doe what he would doe hee would make the whole earth one stage to act a Tragedy which would destroy the stage whereon it is acted he would make the world a field of bloud HORMAH as was said utter destruction such a good wil. the divell has he has not power that must be let forth or restrained as GOD pleaseth and as it was here But this is the point The will makes the murtherer for A MAN IS AS HIS WILL IS And such an one was Saul and his Edomite both their wills were murtherous and destructive wasting was in their paths therefore they were murtherers men of blouds That it was so we shall well understand if we reade the Text. Saul and his Edomite pursue David What to doe To take away from him his Sword No the Text is cleare To take away his life 1 Sam. 19.1 They sought David every day To kill him sayes the Text. What care bloudy enemies for the Sword Their care is to sheath the Sword in Davids bowels that will satisfie and nothing else So the enemies Saul with his Edomite drive-on furiously towards â—his Citty and the other strong nolds Why doe they drive-on so furiously The ansâ—er is upon everlasting Record TO DESTROY THE CITY FOR DAVIDS SAKE But I will not huddle up things so I will proceed in order 1 Sam. 22.10 and keepe pace with Sauls and his Edomites march after David taking in the Remarkables by the way We shall see the Persecution was very sore and that Conscience could not hold backe the neighbouring Israelites from comming in to hold Sauls Sword and his Edomites hand from shedding bloud and acting such notorious violences This will be put to the question anon and resolved I hope to every reasonable mans satisfaction I will follow Saul and the Edomite a little in this march and David in his slight It was well for David that Doeg espied him at Nob for he knowes what will follow therefore he hastens thence and leaves the City as 〈◊〉 lefâ— â—odom or as a man leaves his house no sooner he is gone out thence but he sees it fall into ashes David flies bee knowes not well whither but for feare of Saul he went to Achish â—ing of Gath Thâ—â— the Kings servants hurt him by recording his commendations in a Panagerick and make him so sore afraid 1 Sam. 21.11 That he seemes not to be
the Edomite in our sense and in Scripture language That Legion of the Papists now Raging and Rioting in our Land we shall resist the King too for this Edomite is the chiefe MANAGER next to the Divel of all the Kings affaires in this Kingdome his very best Subjects and truest Friends O horrible what words are these Papists his best Subjects It must passe for it has the Kings allowance he has declared it so he has proclaimed it so once and againe and a third time The Edomites in Ireland in England they are the Kings best Subjects those he may confide-in his heart may cleave to them in love when David The faithfull of the LORD are called Traitors every day and his good People Rebels all O David cannot be silent now any longer GOD knowes and all the Christian world knowes Davids heart is upright and his hands cleare and his prayer pure touching this matter Their hands have not shed innocent bloud nor have their eyes seen it but with indignation and Zeale against these Murtherers And we say That many Kings have beene seduced by evill counsels Many whose hearts have beene stolne away from their good people and given-up into their enemies hands cleaving to them in love and some have shed bloud to their power as Saul here and others after him But oh how loth I am to speake The Evill Counsellours have carried-on the King in the Path of the destroyer beyond all These for he has given a Commission to destroy his good people and makes shewes That his soule bleeds over them He pittieth his Peoples nakednesse and takes from them their cloathes hee calls them Rebels in Ireland and entertaines the same Rebels here He professeth to do all by helpe of GOD and the Law and all he does has a manifest contrariety to GOD and contradiction to the Law He professeth with his tongue to be for Religion indeed when his heart and hand is utterly against the professors of the same To take them from the Earth He professeth to maintaine his Peoples liberties and does all that is in the power of his hands to inthrall and oppresse his people To make their neckes bend to the Edomites yoake he would make beleeve his hand goes along with GOD when hee puts it forth against The Almighty in all his peoples sight as if he had an arm like GOD. But the bloudshed in both his Kingdomes this The Lord sees and heares the voice of it too And which maketh the voice yet louder The LORD heares how he chargeth it upon the innocent and blesseth the Murtherers those that have shed it indeed The LORD lay it close to the heart of his Majesty that his soule may bleed over the blood he hath shed That he may forbeare to say so till he does so That his soule may shed teares for the bloud he hath shed indeed and indeed Let others pray The LORD bring his Majesty home to his Parliament upon the wings of the Churches Prayers They that pray so pray well but they pray better who pray The Lord open the Kings eyes and heart that he may discerne the Path he has trod the way he is in and feele the working of that bloud shed upon his soule working in him a sorrow after a godly sort The LORD shew him the falshood the hypocrisie of his heart make it as manifest to him as it is to all his good People That his uncircumcised heart may be humbled that he may abhorre evill and loath himselfe for what he has done Amen say I and all who wish that his soule may prosper He may come home to his Parliament and doe more hurt then good there unlesse his heart be humbled for all he has done first I remember very well the Eleventh King of Scotland the worst King that ever was I thinke yet was brought home to his Parliament I meane he came-up to his good People even to all the desire of their hearts for thus he did Those pernicious Counfellors he had many and they stole away his heart or he stole away theirs surely the King was worst because chiefest in the trespasse he suffered to be imprisoned and over some the wheele was turned And all this he did in deep dissimulation that he might the more freely with no resistance worke-out his owne will and doe according to his owne pleasure afterwards And so he did the yeare after by that time he saw all cleare before him the hearts of his Nobles gained for he gave the offenders into their hands and all was well and now they must be feasted They were glad of that and to supper they came which was served-up in a Lordly dish and after the meat Wine they are and dranke and their hearts were merry but the worst Wine was kept last towards the close of the Feast the Nobles were made drunke with their owne bloud as with sweet Wine A few escaped and those few by the helpe of the People rose-up against their King and slew him I shall not meddle with that though in the close of the worke I shall point to that King againe and another halfe as bad I conclude from hence That till the King be truly informed for what he has done That he has walked in the counsell of the ungodly his foot has stood in the way of sinners and he sitteth in the seat of the scornfull Till his heart be humbled for this Tâ—ll his soule cleaves to the ground for this and what else God and his conscience best knowes Till this be the King cannot come-back to his Parliament he caâ—not be to the heart and desires of his good People there Therefore pray we LORD turne the heart of the King give him a sight of what he has done and humble his soule in the sight of it th the hath blasphemed the Name of his GOD deal deceitfully with his Maker treacherouoy with His People abominably with His Day prophaning it by a Law He must be restlesse in his spirit till he hath vindicated That dishonour done to That Rest forcing and persecuting His best Servants touching that matter and shedding their bloud to his power ever since LORD give the King a sight of all this and of all that The Searcher of hearts and his owne heart knowes by himselfe and kindly humble him for all Then all the rest followes the King will be right for his Parliament his heart will be with them then it will be said and not till then What the King does pleaseth all his people and what his good people doe pleaseth the King Amen But if the King doe not his duty his people must doe theirs if hee looke not to his charge how he rules not his but Gods People THY PEOPLE sitting in GODS Throne Yet must the people look to their obedience they must be subject to the higher Power notwithstanding I come then to resolve what this higher Power is and the cases of conscience thereabouts Not touching the giving of
not so uncharitable as to thinke That all these three thousand were all murtherers They that were acquainred with Sauls minde and willingly followed the Commandement Those all were murtherers in the highest degree there is no doubt of all that But some there were a very few who followed Saul and crossed his commandement what they could So did Jonathan and how many more I cannot tell And others there were who followed Saul as sheepe are driven by the Shepheard when hee meanes to plunge them into the waters They did not properly follow Saul but were driven by the hand of violence as some of late have beene and as Saul himselfe was by the Divell To exemplifie this by the Edomites practice at this time The Edomite now in the North we have no other name for him has exercised such cruelties upon the inhabitants there to force them to his side tying their heads and heeles together till from some of them breath departed And by these Turkish inforcements he has gained many bodies to his side but David has their hearts And so we may conceive and so judge it was with men in Sauls Host because the Sacred Scripture gives us that allowance For we reade of no execution done upon Israel upon their Cities but by Saul and the Edomite Saul spake indeed to all his Servants That they would kill David and wee make no doubt many were active Instruments that way for the Edomite could not doe all his executions alone But that all this Host was ingaged upon this service and would have answered Sauls bloudy will had they come to a set Battell is more then I can tell or any man in the world for we have not a word for it Onely to cleare this and to say as much as needs in reference to the present tiâ—e also for all is plaine all along this I will say That whosoever amongst those three thousand did follow Saul and his Command though grieving for Conscience not asleep or seared will regret and recoile give checke sometimes and yet approving An. lib. 14 cap. 〈◊〉 In some Bookes the fourth Moerens ac laudans as Tacitus speakes of Burrhus in a case not unlike I say All such as followed Saul so though grieving yet approving and commending what Saul did these were as one of them Edomites murtherers in true judgement and Scripture account And if the Sacred Scripture accounts these men murtherers then GOD accounts them so and then what will their Commission and Warranâ— profit them Or can it bâ—are them out in these outrages they have committed when they are indeed the fiercest enemies that ever the Church had But I will draw-up to a conclusion of this matter with some few observations from all wee have read First 1. Here an Edomite has done all the mischiefe a Right-hand to Saul in his bloudy execution What was hee A meane man sure an Heards-man then he was lifted up higher and made Steward of Sauls house set over his Servants there Conferring of honours upon him engaged him to Saul and his service so Saul made him Generall in the Field O! This preferment these honoâ—rs are a sweet bait it takes a man strangely it will take a man quite from Dâ—vid that hath not his heart engaged to his GOD Saul knew what he did when he raâ—lâ—d the Edomite to honour he shall doe what Saul will have him doe He is more then a man who can shut his eyes against the glory of the world and contemne it for Daviâ—s sâ—ke A man without â—ruth of Grace is like a ship without ballast it cannot endure a stonne That can be content to passe over with a carelesse eye the pleasures and profits of the Court. and endure afflictions with David the friends of GOD. An HOTHAM who had the boldnesse when time was and GODS pleasure to maintaine David and his cause to out face a Prince could not out-face the glory of the world he is taken with the bait of honour gaine or I know not what and so hath undone what he did and made himselfe infamous to all generations The King has that at his dispose which will worke upon all complexions but honour for the proud workes strangely brings many to his side and makes them RIGHT for his service David is in a Wildernesse has little for himselfe and lesse for his friends but they that serve David serve Him heartily nothing can win them to Davids side but meere conscience of duty to GOD and His cause LORD stablish the heart with Grace a sleeting thing we are never sure of it and must never be secure about it shew it the excellencies in the LORD JESUS then we shall not be taken with the â—omp of the world Acts 24. a Phantasie nor be offended at the troubles of David Secondly there were many Noble many Rich many Stout many valiant men and many wife men on Sauls side but yet they must not be a dishonour to Israel all these must come-in under one Head and the Edomite their Generall must beare the envie and dishonour of that Naturall war for it is as Naturall for the Edomite to warre with David as for the fire to burne It is not said Israel smote Nob No The Edomite smote Nob and all his helpers some Israelites no doubt yet they goe under that name So here are two Kingdomes smitten with the sword Who smote them It shall not be said This Prince or That Prince This Noble-man or That Noble-man No The Edomite did it It shall not lye as a reproach upon England it shall cause her sorrow that her owne children whom she has dandled upon her lap have to their power eat out her bowels It is a grievous thing And that those Brethren in evill who ought themselves unto this Church should prove such vipers and doe her such mischiefe This is grievous But the dishonour of it shall not lye upon this Mother-Church but upon Rome it shall lye upon the children of that Edom and the Church shall remember them to all generations Who in the day of Ierusalem said Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof Thirdly though we doe not question Ionathans sincerity being well resolved at that point that he was a good man and a true friend to David and did him great service at the Court yet I thinke wee may question whether his bands of nature or Court-bands all very strong no doubt were strong enough to bind his bodily presence to continue with his father all the time his father persecuted David I determine nothing here because the Scripture is silent but thus the Scripture speakes out and we may set a marke upon it that if Ionathan was not slaine first which yet the Text seemes to say yet thus it was 1 Sam. 31.6 Saul died and his three Sonnes and his Armour-bearer and all his men that same day together TOGETHER they went along with Saul in a bloudy Path he did drive-on furiously but
they went along with him and they were slaine the same day TOGETHER Certainly it is not safe to goe one step forward with a man when we see plainly what way he goes and that he drives furiously on towards a cursed end If we see two men walke together we must needs thinke they are agreed for so sayes the Spirit they cannot walke together else yet we will not judge that all in the Kings Court are Enemies to David We think rather That some there be whose body is with their King and their heart with David We acknowledge That Relations are binders and Court-bands are shackles But yet there is no such binder in the world as our engagement to David Which Ionathan answered as a right precious and faithfull friend therefore no blame can lye upon him And in case we finde him persecuted GOD will beare us out in it if we cast off all orher bands and shackles and come to helpe David for then wee helpe The LORD against Whom the Adversary kicks when he kicks David And let the Adversary remember and all his men with him That Saul died and all his men That same day TOGETHER 4. Saul called together his men bade them follow him doe as he did pursue David and shed bloud to their power 2 Sam. 13.28 Be couragious and be valiant have not I commanded you So he said to his followers as Absalon to his Servants Smite David then kill him feare not my COMMISSION shall be your WARRANT for you and every one of you to beare you out in all violences you shall doe against David VVell GOD takes the matter into his owne hand and in the day of Recompences for Sion Saul is slaine and all his men together And then what good does it to his servants That they had their masters Command for what they did and his Commission for their Warrant The Servant has done his Masters worke as his charge was and the power in his hands and now the hang-man must pay him his wages They are the most unhappy servants in the world that are servants to men who will put their servants upon desperâ—te designes and then tell them that they shall have a Warrant for what they doe under the Great Seale which yet is of no more strength then are the Popes Paper-pardons from whom the LORD deliver us and from them and their commands who are not Masters of themselves It is good and safe to be at the command of that LORD who gives His Command and His Warrant and His Wages too He will beare-out His Servants in all they shall doe by Command from His Mouth That shall be their Warrant indeed To them and every one of them for what they doe and for so doing there is a sure reward And if the adversary shall thrust these men for doing their duty into a fiery furnace or Lions den yet GOD HAS COMMANDED That is their Warrant still and shall carry them boldly into the mouth of the devourers so as they shall quench the violence of the fire and stop the mouth of Lyons O how good a thing it is to be at the command of such a Master whose command is your Warrant your defence and reward too We have viewed the Armies on both sides Saul has most men and the most successefull he is and strong for the warre But GOD is with David Iob 9.19 and if we speake of strengâ—h Lo He is strong or of counsell Lo He is WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR the MIGHTY GOD or of Reward Lo there is no service to the service of That KING nor Wages like to that He gives Wo must proceed in the Chapter Saul has David in chase he will pursue him to the utmost extent of his chaine as farre as his hand can reach so farre we will follow him and so end the Chapter David and his men are hunted from Keilah whence they went whathersoever they could goe 1 Sam. 23.13 And the best way they could thinke-on in their distraction was to goe into a mountainous and wilde countrey where David abode in strong holds Vers 14. even in the wildernesse of Ziph And Saul sought him every day but God delivered him not into Sauls hand Ionathan Sauls sonne Vers 16. a true friend visits David in the wood strengthened his hand in GOD they two made a Covenant together then Ionathan returned to his house lest David in the wood in a strong hold there with the Ziphites Vers 17.18.19 20 Now they play their prankes give notice to Saul where Sauls abode is Saul takes this wondrous kindly counts it the Ziphites treacherous dealing a compassion blesseth them those Murtherers then bids them prepare his way Vers 21. Num dicebat mihi esse c. Trem. observe Davids haunt a subtle fellow he told me so himselfe sayes Saul when we were familiar together bring me word sayes Saul touching the certainty of Davids abode Vers 23. and his lurking places and I will goe up with you and search him out throughout all the thousands of Iudah Vers 22.23.25 See! Saul workes all by treachery if any help and successe in his way the divel helps him to it for he makes lyes and liars his refuge And Saul does as he said hee and his men went to seeke David And they told David Who told him Some in Sauls camp sure faithfull to David See! David has friends perhaps besides Ionathan Vers 19. in Sauls Court So he leaves Hachilah came down to Maon and before he could breath himself Saul hears where his abode is and pursues David even thither There David is in a maze knowes not in the world what way to take for Saul and his men have compassed him round But behold in passage the wonderfull workes of GOD towards David Saul pursues after David in all haste as after an enemy has him in a Coop makes no more conscience of destroying him then he does to eat bread Saul shall lose his advantage for now he must be told that an enemy indeed has invaded his land so Saul must hasten as fast against the Philistines as he hasted before in the pursuite of David c. for it is noted before Thus David escaped at this time and at all times Vers 29. and he now dwels in strong holds in En-gedi Saul has cleared his land of the Philistines 1 Sam. 24. now he drives after David as furiously as before for David is discovered againe and Saul is told where Davids abode is even among the wilde goats Vers 2. and upon the rockes there Saul a mighty hunter before the LORD hunts David with two thousand dogges and more not three thousand I thinke for the reason before said though so many were with him Notwithstanding Sauls Companies David shall have the better Saul had an advantage upon David before but could not take it David has an advantage now of Saul but will not take it farther then to declare
excellent Reasons has The LORD done all this First Ans I. 1. The Lord will discover David to himselfe Saul shall prosper yet longer he shall have fine devices and neat contrivances against David he shall corrupâ— by flattery and worke mightily by treacheries And David shall continue in his straits yet longer Why That Sauls spirit might be fully manifest and all his fine prankes fully opened to the world That is true as we shall heare presently But there is a maine and prime cause first to be considered on That David may be discovered to himselfe Alas David knows not himselfe yet he shall before he be delivered and his adversary shall helpe him exceedingly at this high point To discover Davids spirit to himselfe wherewith in probability David had not beene acquainted had not Saul persecuted him from place to place As first 1. Suppose Saul and David had come to a good understanding and then to an agreement before David came to Nob Then David had not beene acquainted with his lying spirit I will but point at things for excellent reason that GOD may have the glory for I like not to stay upon the Saints infirmities The truth was David had a lying spirit and he hath told all the world so much who will heare him It was customary to him to tell a lye he came to the Priest at Nob and slaps him in the mouth with foure lyes before he came to a full stop And he traversed the way of lying till he came to Achish in Gath and then he was in the way of lying too David shall not be delivered yet fully This lying spirit must bee discovered to David first And blessed be GOD Who sanctified Sauls rough hand towards David and the treacheries of men for this high end The making Davids lying spirit manifest to himselfe so as he can abhor himselfe for it and desires of his GOD nothing more then That He would remove out of sight now upon his deepe humiliation these wicked shifts Psal 119.29 Remove from mee sayes hee the way of lying 2. Davids spirit could close with the creature it could rest it selfe upon the Arme of flesh he had done a notable service for the Keilites now thought he they whom I have so and so delivered from such and such dangers They will be fast friends unto me I may rest upon them No if that be his thought he shall be hunted yet further till he see clearly That men are vanity deceitfull and light upon the ballance There is no trust to be put in men Saul may take them off with a profer of honour gaine or the like But David may trust in GOD He is faithfull Davids spirit shall be restlesse till it winde-up it selfe by GODS power above man all humane props and hath bottomed it selfe upon GOD an Almighty foundation So for Strong-holds too he must be driven from them all because his spirit could secure it selfe so well in such hiding-places David must not be delivered yet till he be acquainted with his owne spirit at this point also That David may say Surely Thou onely art my strong-hold and my Hiding place But more of this when we come to Ziglag 3. David had a very shifting fleeting spirit bessides his mad pranks which we will not recall he fluttered from place to place I cannot tell how warrantable his way was either when he went to the King of Moab or afterwards to Gath True it was David was hardly driven Saul still at his heels and Saul was driven by the divell It would make the wisest man run and flye also to get out of the divels reach But yet surely the Prophet advised David well Get thee into the land of Iudah David must be advised whither he runs and suffer reproofe too What makest thou with the King of Moab 1 Sam. 21.5 Get thee into the land of Iudah It seemes spoken by way of reproofe David would thrust himselfe into this place and into that here he might have refuge and there No David must be taught now and Saul shall be his good master That these are but shifts vaine thoughts These places being trusted unto as we shall see anon are but like childrens castles which they have framed with their owne hands not likely to bee of any continuance GOD must be Davids refuge whereto he may continually resort 4. David was very impatient of delayes he could not wait till GOD had perfected His worke A man of an hasty spirit If he was not delivered at this time then GOD was slacke as he counted slacknesse And if not delivered at the other time just when he would have it Then all men were lyars Samuel and all Non Deispiritu propheticè sed c. Psa 116.11 All his promises touching a Kingdome were but words and they vanish into winde hee shall never be King but by Sauls hand he shall fall he said so in his HASTE haste indeed all men are lyars It is well then Accellerando cum praeceps raperetur in perturbatione carnis Ibid. David shall not be delivered till he has got more power over his spirit more constancy there Till he can be long-suffering endure and wait GODS time which is evermore best for David Now I may be the briefer in relating to these times God seemes to deale hardly with His Friends They are not delivered They expected That at such a time deliverance would be and at such a time but yet deliverence is delayed and a rough hand is put-out against them to the uttermost as it is at this day It is well it is so for GOD does all things well Alas what a little ease of Iron yoakes would have pleased His People How little of purity in GODS Ordinances Quicquid Deuâ— instituerit faciendum praeceperit certum est non esse rem nihili sed pretiosam utilem etiamsi externâ facie stâ—pulâ fabali aut casiâ nuce esset inanioâ— levior Luth. Cat. de Bap. Tempore sâ—o Is â— 60.12 would have pleased them well might they have had their Will and their Time A little though nothing is liâ—tle there and the least swerving from the Rule makes a great Rent and greatly to bee stood upon But I say and I doe but point at it how little would have served the turne would GOD have left His People to their own time and way GOD is better to them then they are to themselves Blessed be His Name He has provided better for them above their prayers and beyond their hopes They shall have a deliverance if they will wait a little A full Reformation But â—hey must leave GOD to His Owne Time and Way But how are the spirits of the best men discovered by these seeming delayes unto themselves Even David the best servants of the LORD made lyes their Refuge That they did and it is plainly discovered unto them now that so they did so also the warpings of their spirits and their vaine
better Subject he is and friend both and more right for Sauls designes the more he declares himselfe an enemy to David Why now David cannot trust Saul All his sweet words are lost if he be melting a little the Evill spirit and the Edomite will harden him againe So David will to his Strong-hold and is resolved upon the question To go to GATH out of Sauls reach else he could not avoid Sauls bloody hand he thought which pursued him so far even till he had driven David from out of the Inheritance of the Lord And so Sauls Evill spirit is fully discovered now and manifest He must be convinced also non-plussed and put to silence The Evill spirit shall bee convinced that he shall not be able to say a word but in way of acknowledgement and honest confession from a sound conviction That he is a lyar a murtherer and has erred exceedingly See how convincing Truth is from Davids mouth and how ingenuous Saul is in his confession 1 Sam. 26.21 I have played the foole and erred exceedingly He had indeed Saul Davids grand enemy is fully discovered convinced also yet David is not delivered no. though all Sauls Right men the Edomites implacable adversaries his false friends Keilites and Ziphites are made manifest too yet David is not delivered no not yet we shall see more reason for it anon first we must bring-this-up-to our time GOD delayes his Churches deliverances now for the same reason sure That the adversaries thereof might be fully manifest to all Israel The actings of the evill spirit President over the Kings Councell were not manifest enough sixe yeares agoe when they thrust a cursed Booke upon the Scots and after that the sword Nor when they called a Parliament in England not to ease the yokes but to ingage the Kingdome in that warre which would have â—ashed the people one against the other even the father and the son together Ierem. 13.14 This evill spirit was not manifest enough yet for wickednesse may bee established by a Law in Scotland and yet pretence very faire To establish True Religion Lawes and Liberties here in England And goodly and sweet words were spoken that way and much done touching Bishops and their Courts And all this while the evill spirit was as an Angell of light And his Actings more indiscernable then before But then the Designe touching the Army in the North changed the Divels colour quite and made him looke as black as soot as he is an Angel of darknesse But let the evill spirit alone he can cleare up himselfe againe he will not be made manifest yet No not when he prevailed by the evill Counsell To remove the Lieutenant of the Tower in whom all Israel could confide and placed a Murtherer there in that Strong-hold notwithstanding the evill spirit was not manifest enough No nor when he counselled the King to desert the Parliament No nor when he perswaded the King to call all Israel to war against David and all that had their hand with David under pretence of taking a guard to his person Nor when he made the Edomite Generall in the field MANAGER of all the Kings affaires here in Israels Land notwithstanding the evill spirit was not manifest enough yet But now we know what spirit they are of and who rules them For the Land is filled with bloud from corner to corner Zeph. 3.3 The Princes within her are roaring Lyons reade-on her Iudges are evening Wolves never such violences acted by Tartars Caniballs as by these Princes Surely I cannot tell what shall be done unto them these murtherers GOD knowes And that they have broken all the lawes of Heaven and Earth Divine and Humane such Children of Belial they are Iob 31.3 I cannot tell what strange punishment shall befall these workers of iniquity Doth not the LORD see their wayes and count all their steps We will leave them in His Hands Who has put a bridle in their lips But this I can tell What an execution The LORD would have done upon those who had wrought villany in Israel joyning themselves unto BAAL-PEOR Num. 25.3 as these unto as abominable an Idol as was that But they had not shed bloud in the defence of that Idol These Princes in name have filled the Land with bloud from corner to corner Yet hearken what The LORD sayes unto those who joyned themselves unto Baal-Peor as these to the Idol of Rome Take all the heads of the people Vers 4 and hang them up before the LORD against the Sun that the fierce anger of The LORD may be turned away from Israel We will wait Gods time for then they shall be made manifest indeed before Israel and before the Sun In the mean time the evil spirit is discovered and discerned plaine enough for by his meere motion he has prevailed with the King to seale a Commission to his Edomites To kill and to slay his good people to lay a City waste even a Mother in Israel And if they will doe so to their power They shall approve themselves in so doing his best subjects and truest friends so he blesseth murtherers whom GOD will lay if they repent not in the lowest hell They have compassion on their King why they Because they will to their power destroy a mother City in Israel They would have a whole Kingdome wasted Blessed be ye of the LORD ye have compassion on me does the King say Blessed be The LORD The discovering GOD Who has had compassion on His poore people trusting in His Name and on His dwelling place Blessed be GOD The Spirit that rules the King and his Councell is discovered the Edomites also those bitter enemies the Keilites and the Ziphites too those false and treacherous friends Take them in order The Edomites first Those called SPIRITVALL Lords They must be discovered how full of spirit they were Their spirit was not sufficiently discovered eight yeares ago when they forced a cursed Paper to be read in all the Churches there to publish a Declaration for Sports and Passe-times on The LORDS DAY Their spirit was not discovered by all this for this the people liked reasonably well They had an Advouson for liberty To riot on the LORDS DAY and they were glad of that The people had a grant from the Bishops The Bishops from the Archbishop he from the King and that should be sufficient warrant for them and every one of them to riot on the LORDS DAY And for every Minister from the Pulpit GODS mouth there To command the people so to do O abominable Yes they have justified the Heathen at this point And yet these Bishops are not discovered yet They are in their white Robes yet we shall see them in Scarlet by and by And yet not manifest to all the Christian world say they how spirituall they were when with the Scarlet Whore they would have rode in the bloud of Scotland up even unto their horses bridles by the
space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs And yet their spirit not discovered yet Nor when they would have established themselves by an Oath A peculiar enstalment to the High Priest the GOD of our salvation as I shall shew in another Treatise purposely for them To cleare their Spirit to the world how spirituall they were But they would not be discovered then Nor by all the good offices they did the Church in Scotland and Ireland and their mother Church here in England who sayes of them Bloudy fathers have ye beene unto me bloudy fathers have ye beene And yet they are not manifest yet not yet When they would have made void and null as the phrase is All the Votes and Acts of Parliament for the Churches good And was not their spirit discovered now I cannot say No now for all Israel said Yes and they themselves said Yes too◠when they cast themselves out of the Court with their owne hands But yet they will be made more manifest What bloudy wayes have they prosecuted what divellish projects to wrest themselves into their places againe If any there are so divelishly minded so forsaken of common Reason and light of nature that they will give these spirituall men their right hand to lift-them-up to their chaire again though they make way thither through a field of BLOOD yet these Bishops will say Blessed are ye of the Lord ye have compassion on us These men are discovered sure how spirituall they are So are the Temporall Lords too all discovered and fully manifest to all Israel by their deceit guile couzenage their lying not unto man but to the LORD by their justifying the wicked whom the Lord abhorres by their Treacheries Treasons more then bloudy conspiracies now they are manifest enough Lord Digby manifest enough What KEEPERS the Great Seale has manifest enough and what a Recorder the City has manifest enough The LORD turne the Wheele over them all who would turne the Lawes into wormewood and justice into gall and would turne three Kingdomes upside-downe and make Cities ruinous heaps But they are discovered the Keilites too the Ziphites also friends in shew bloudy adversaries in deed These must be convinced also for the Churches innocency must be made manifest and they must put to silence the ignorance of wicked men and this is next to be considered on The LORD brings Saul into Davids Cave 1 Sam. 24.3 there David and his men encompasse him round as Saul and his men encompassed David in the Chapter before Now they come to Parley David cleares his innocency stops the divels mouth opens Sauls mouth for David and against himselfe convinceth Saul makes him weep That 's GODS end They must come to a Parley the second time for the divell is not non-plussed yet he shall be anon 1 Sam. 26.6 7 GOD puts it into Davids heart to goe downe to Sauls campe He causeth a deep sleep to fall upon Saul and his company then David does as we read returning back and standing at a distance he calls-out to Saul and so they come againe to a Parley and now the divell has not a word to say the spirit seemes to depart a little for then Saul heares David speake and so speakes himselfe as if he would make David weep and beleeve that there shall be a sweet agreement betwixt them for ever for Saul blesseth his sonne David and assureth him he shall doe great things 1 Sam. 26.25 and also shall still prevaile O that I could bring up this to this time But I cannot The divell is more mighty now and more shamelesse now then he was then if more can be as surely it can be for as length of time and experiences therein may make him more cunning so more wicked more shamelesse as at this day I can say GOD has brought the King and His Parliament to a Parley once and againe but still the malice of this evill Councell appeared wickednesse still proceeded from the wicked man but how wonderfully was the innocency of David the faithfull servants of the Lord cleared The LORD had this designe now He will make manifest the Adversaries treachery and His Servants innocency and he brings it about thus His Servants shall because they will treat upon a way to accommodate a Peace The LORD left men to goe their owne way not so warrantable by His Word to treat with implacable adversaries that He might bring to passe His owne will and bring good to His people It was conceived by all rationall men that on the Kings party nothing was intended really and indeed but mischiefe and bloudy treachery as is now manifest to the world But GOD suffered it to goe on brought sweet out of that sower good out of that evill The Evill spirit is silenced now the Malignants have not what to say O blessed be GOD He can doe what He pleaseth and what He does is for the good of His Israel This last Treaty betwixt King and Parliament has non-plussed the Divell his MANAGERS all are put to silence now they have not what to say and yet they are not ashamed True the wicked cannot be ashamed Were they sayes the Spirit ashamed when they had committed abomination oppressed GODS Poore to their power shed bloud to their power profaned the LORDS DAY by a Law when they endevoured to establish their cursed Hitrarchy by an Oath were they ashamed Or when they decreed unrighteous decrees and prescribed grievousnesse were they ashamed When they had committed these and these abominations Ier. 6.15 were they ashamed Nay They were not at all ashamed neither could they blush The wicked are discovered now nay they have discovered themselves and they are convinced some of them carry a mighty conviction within their Bosome And the Divell is put to silence too so I said I did not say the wicked are ashamed I know well they who have entred the path of the Destroyer and will pursue it they are hardened and brawned in evill They cannot blush But now what great matter have we gained by all this the wicked are manifest now 〈…〉 they are convinced too and yet nor David nor the Church are delivered Delivered nay they are in as bad a case as before and deliverance further off for ought we see True for David must be lower yet and the Churches deliverance further out of sight then now it is for ought we know But I pray you make answere to this and consider well on it Has David been a loser by any thing that has fallen out unto him all this long time so hee thought it of Sauls persecution No you will say for indeed you must say so David has been a great gainer by all this that hath happened unto him in the day wherein the LORD was pleased to exercise him with sore afflictions he has gained experience of his owne spirit how lying warping murmuring hasty proud and stout it was all this he has gained and
Israelite wherein Israel now must not be wanting neither but doe as Israel did and as their Brethren in Scotland have done of late and in ancient Times DAvid greatly distressed has encouraged himselfe in The LORD his GOD then enquiring of The LORD is commanded to pursue after his enemies and assured without faile to recover all His army is but in an ill case for service six hundred in all two hundred so faint that they could not go Notwithstanding GOD who hangs the greatest waights upon the weakest wyers does the greatest matters by the weakest instruments has done His worke by these weake men But yet that all Israel may attest Davids innocency and secure him from Sauls and his Edomites insolencies GOD sends them all-in now to help David And in they come with a blessing in their mouths Peace peace be unto thee and peace be unto thine belpers for thy GOD helpeth thee 1 Chro. 12.18 Here is a grave question now touching the manner of resistance If the Tribes come-in not to resist Saul Obj but as affirmed before his private will or spirit like a strong man keeping possession in Sauls heart and holding his tenure therein more firmly by the activity and effectuall working of the evill spirit which came upon Saul and never left him to the day of his death If so Then me thinkes this kinde should have beene cast forth by Prayer and Fasting The meaning is Israel should not have taken Bow and Arrowes Shield and Buckler into their hands but have fallen downe upon their knees and have prayed for their Master and so by mighty-wrastlings have dispossessed Saul of his own spirit so by mighty in him This had been according to the Rule and word of The LORD Christ Matth. 17.21 This kind is not cast forth but by Prayer and Fasting To this I reply first and doe grant 1. That this kinde while it does act as a spirit is to be resisted by the spirit of Prayer and so alwayes has beene cast forth But when his actings are more open and visible upon any person as upon that Lunatick there Then if there had beene force enough to resist him the father of the childe would not have called it a Resistance of his childe which was but the restraining of the childe from falling into the fire and into the water So we see in this case There might have been a resisting of the divell which had had an affiance and good agreement with duty Much more then had this Lunaticke Person played the Edomite flourished with his sword slaine all he met man woman and childe sucklings too beasts also made Cities ruinous heaps Should Israel goe to prayer now Pray the divell to be quiet So they might have beene killed upon their knees Israel knew the divell well enough and the Edomite too That the more they prayed them the fiercer they would be as Rabshakeh cried the louder in the Jewish language the more he was prayed to speake in the Syriacke tongue 2 Kin. 18.28 When the divell has put a sword into an Edomites hand we must not use supplications but put force to force and conjure-out the divell with the Sword If the divell make you bleed try a conclusion whether you cannot make the divell bleed which is very poffible sayes Zanchie and he has a large discourse upon it and touching the methods of Satan The divell acts now by the hand of an Edomite he must be resisted by the hand of an Israelite This first I affirm 2. That Israel Priests and People there went by their Rule doubtlesse they had used all fair means before they tooke the sword in hand They had prayed for Saul and to make their prayer the more fervent they fasted for him also But here was a sad case you read it before Saul has murthered those Priests who were the likeliest men in all Judah to pray and fast for him he murthered them Indeed it was as sad a case as I thinke is imaginable for whereas he might have had groanes and Prayers put up to the throne of grace in his behalfe from the Priests mouth he makes the good Priests groane because of his oppression The good Priests would have cryed for him spake good for him before his and their LORD night and day Saul regards not that he has shed their bloud and now their bloud cries against him night and day How long LORD how long â—er thou doest avenge our bloud that is shed Truely this is an heavie case certainly Israel went by rule they prayed for their King they were not wanting in that point Indeed there is one thing touching this matter which seemed strange to me All this time which Soul has cast away and worse then lost in persecution of David I heare not one word of counsell or Prayer from Samuels mouth that good old Prophet It is true before this persecution begun we read Samuel came no more to see Saul 1 Sam. 15 35. till the day of his death Yet me thinkes it is very cleare and expresse though not in words that Samuel prayed for Sauâ— Neverthelesse Samuel mourned for Saul sayes the Text Then he prayed for him sure 1 Ioâ—n 5.16 There is a sin unto death sayes Saint Iâ—hn I doe not say that be shall pray for it But sayes another If thou maist not pray for him yet maist thou grieve Si non ores gema tamen sortassis gemitus tuas penetâ—et quo oratio non pâ—aesumat tendere and â—â—â—urne for him perhaps thy sighes groanes and in urnings of thy sâ—irit may ascend thither where thy prayer presumes not to come Samuel MOVRNED for Saul That was a servent prayer And certainly the LORD answered Samuels Prayer touching Saul though not as Samuel desired yet as best pleased the Lord. He answered him and in a very effectuall way and manner of answering for thus we read So David fled and escaped the hands of Saul and came to Ramih 1 Sam. 19 18. and told him all that Saul had done to him all Sauls ungodly deeds and hard words committed against David he told Samuel all and they dwelt together at Naioth Saul heares of this thing and where Davids abode is and he sent messengers to take David GOD prevented them Verse 20. and made a change of them quickly no sooner came they thither but they doe for the time as others did they prophesie Saul heares all this he will have his Will sends more Messengers and thither they came and it was with them as it was with the former Ver. 21. they prophesie also Then Saul went himselfe to Ramah for he will have David whether GOD will or no But when he comes thither he is changed for that season and does as all his messengers befâ—re him and then it became a Proverbe How was this sudden change made in Sauls messengers and in himselfe It is answered The Spirit of GOD came upon them That is true
himselfe and so playes mad prankes Reader you cannot justifie David in all he did though one of the best men in those dayes nor may you condemn him Nor may you say if you had been in his case you would not have done as David did You know not what you might have done had you been in his case close pursued at the heels by a cruell Lord a bloudy Edomite Thou little knowest now what thou mightest have done then being in Davids case It is thy neighbours case now pitty them condemne them not but looke to thy owne standing and in whose strength thou doest stand Meditate Terrour and strengthen thy hand and thy heart in GOD against the day of trouble and treading downe Now proceed The Lord orders all even Davids mad prankes for Davids good He is not more affraid of Achish then Achish is affraid of David A mad fellow I have no need of him David shall not come into my house sayes Achish David cared not whether he came thither or no. Nay he counts it a mercy That he is escaped thence And now hee is gone to the Cave Adullam 1 Sam. 22. There his friends comfort him and he has an Army of five hundred men He goes on somewhat an indirect course we shall heare more of that anon for he was affraid The Prophet meets with him bids him goe backe againe into the land of Judah There Saul heares tidings of him and from Doegs mouth he heares of all that was done at Nob. Then followes a miserable destruction as we heard all the Priests slaine except one who escaped to bring David the heavy tidings of All that befell the Citty of Priests which yet David expected knowing it would be so because he saw the Edomite was there But David has escaped and being delivered hee will doe some service in testimony of his thankfull remembrance for that deliverance David heares that the Keilites were distressed the Philistines were fighting against them and notorious Pillagers they were almost as these in our dayes 1 Sam. 23.1 They robbed the threshing floores tooke from the poore People their provision they had layed-up against winter David cannot endure this wrong his Soule hates oppression where ever he sees it and to the LORD he goes for He is Davids Oracle The LORD delayes not David gives him present Answer Goe and smite the Philistines and save Keilah Verse 2. No but doe not said his men See! they crosse Gods command Verse 3. but they give good Reason for it so as they put David to a stand We are afraid say they of one man Saul who is behind us and wilt thou thrust thy selfe into the mouth of the Troopers before thee a legion of them A poore hand-full of men against the Armies of the Philistines a fronte Wilt thou so It must not be so The men spake like men very good reason but they who can speak no more are not for action they will hinder Davids victories Now David is at a stand and faints hastens to GOD againe thither he can retire himselfe still and refresh his fainting spirits enquires of The LORD and is established A gracious God! He does not reprove David for hearkning to his men after he had heard what God said but gives him the same answere as before And now David is upon his legges again and as bold as a Lion he will venture himself among Scorpions now what cares he who they are they are Gods enemies or how many they are they are but men all and miserable men David carries the revenge of God with him and he must prevaile and doe worthily God bids him goe against them and he will goe David waits but for GODS commission and that shall be a sufficient warrant for David indeed Let God alone with the rest In point of worke and good service we must divide with God Wee have to doe with no more but the Duty the doing Gods command as here Davids command was Goe and smite the Philistines David must goe for GODS command carries a good man as Abraham blind-fold he knowes not whither But the distracting troublesome part that which is above strength the difficulty the darksome part of the worke which so disheartned Davids men and so shakes the soule with feare that is not ours but Gods part It must bee rolled upon Him Who is mighty and set Faith to work there A little Man and a great Faith an hand-full of Men and an heart-full of Faith will doe great matters Put to flight Armies of Aliens So David did here he smote those Pillagers and saved the Inhabitants of Keilah And now there David is even at KEILAH amongst the inhabitants there he is amongst those whom he has indeared and engaged to him he thinkes by unrecountable favours This was told to Saul That David was come to Keilah and Saul was glad of that and so he said God hath delivered him into my hands 1 Sam. 23.7 for he is shut in by entring into a Towne that hath gates and barres And that he may take the opportunity which GOD put into his hand he thought which yet was but to discover Sauls spirit the treachery of the Keilites and his owne glorious Arme stretched out still against Saul and for his Servant David Saul calls all the People together to war to goe downe to Keilah to besiege David and his men there David understands all this and more for this was Davids advantage and comfort both GOD was with David and went along with him where ever David went a Refuge to Whom he could continually resort for counsell and direction from His Mouth So David understands all the purposes of Sauls heart and that the Keilites will prove Treacherous also Set a Marke upon these Keilites as we passe that we may know them where ever we meet them Wicked ungratefull people David has taken off their yokes delivered them out of the hands of Spoylers made them Free-men who were Slaves before David put his life in his hand would jeopard it for them stand up for them against an Army of Philistines In a word David did for these KEILITES as the Parliament have done for us and when all this is done ungratefull wretches as they are they are so far from standing up for David that they will betray him into Sauls hand O monstrous c. Deliver up deale treacherously with him who was the best friend they had in the world Give him up into the hand of Saul and his Spoylers the Edomites to be spoyled who had delivered them from out of the hands of Spoilers O monstrous But yet David must not repent of what he has done it was his duty he had a command for it Though Saul is a bloudy man and the Keilites treacherous GOD is faithfull He will but learne His Servants this great Lesson Not to trust in men but in the Living and Faithfull and True God Men will deale like men deceitfully GOD is
his uprightnesse towards his Master As for wickednesse it does ever proceed from the wicked man This we have read before and the words are cleare and so Davids innocency is cleared as the noone day and Saul abundantly satisfied and his Evill spirit silenced for that time But yet David would not trust Saul No reason he should trust him in whom is no truth and from whom God is departed So David and his men gat them up into the hold in the hill of Hachilah Vers 22. 1 Sam. 26.1 among the Ziphites againe and these are as treacherous as before 'T is expected so Knave once and Knave still Treacherous persons will deal treacherously they saw Saul did deale so it was his common practise they would follow such a great Master he hearkened to lies and all his servants were wicked Pro. 29.12 But methinkes GOD does not deal so gratiously with His gracious Servant the poore man knows not whither to run hee went forward even now and now backward againe and still almost in the mouth of danger and hands of treacherous men Is this GODS kindnesse to His Friend may some say Yes indeed is it and we shall see it to be so anon Admirable Kindnesse wonderfull Providence strange Discoveries but we will remember all Davids adventures first In the meane time this will serve to beare-up our Spirits that it matters not whither David runs whether forward or backward so he keeps with GOD and GOD with him nay though he doe stray from GOD a little yet GOD will not leave David We proceed Saul reading the Ziphites Intelligence drives furiously with the three thousand men to Ziph againe where he knowes he has Right-men for his service what followes now in the Chapter we have read before but it is very well worth the paines to read the Chapter againe for besides the beholding GODS wonderfull hand there in working for David and casting his enemy into a deep sleep we shall observe there also That the divel was non-â—lust quite silenced he had not a word to say and yet David who could have trusted Saul very well durst not trust his Evill spirit but concludes It is better for him to make speed into the land of the Pâ—ilistines and thither he goes and dwells in Gath driven out from abiâ—ing in the inheritance of the LORD The King shewes David favour there assigneth him a Towne called Ziglag which must be smitten anon and burnt with fire Now we may suppose Davids case to be full of distraction David lookes on the right hand calls out Who is on my side who The Keilites thought he No but they are not their hand is with Saul Then he looked on the left hand to the Ziphites to see if they would helpe him No they are with Saul as Right as the other No help from men they are deceitfull and treacherous Then Dâ—vid lookes before him and hastened to that strong hold and the other and Saul drives him out thence also then into the Wildernesse he goes Saul hunts him there then to Gath and there he is out of Sauls reach whose power vvas stinted there when his vvill to doe David mischiefe vvas boundlesse Novv to the Relation it has vvith our time as it is at this day and then I will conclude the Chapter Indeed it relates it selfe Saul has thrust out a rough hand against David Davids LORD an Almighty Hand to deliver him from out of Sauls hand The hotter the persecution the more glorious the rescue But how did Saul gain advantage upon David By corruption in the Officers and base treachery which we call fine designes But the LORD wrought-forth glorious salvations for David hereby All shall yeeld pretious matter for his soule and spirit to work upon filling his mouth with MICHTAMS golden Songs of deliverance Michtam of David a golden jewell oâ— notable Song and so notes the excellency of these Psalmeâ— 16.56 57 58 59 60. So it was with David in those times So it will be with David The People and Friends of GOD unto the worlds end But these Michtams had beene lost this pretious Treasure of the Church had there not beene such fine devices such subtile contrivances against him had there not beene so much of Hell in all Sauls designes against David there had not been so much of Heaven in Davids Psalmes Nay had not David been in these and these straits had not his friends deceived him and all his Strong-holds too the Church had lost Davids MASCHILS also his Psalmes to give Instruction how to make advantage of an Adversary and of all the mischiefes he shall doe or intend to doe against David He could not have wanted any one thing was done against him by the violence of man either from their hand or from their tongue David could not have been so high above his Adversaries at the last had they not had him under at the first had not his Enemies dealing towards him been so base vile and treacherous David had not been so glorious The truth is Sauls violent dealing with David did David much good he could not have wanted it So likewise the treacherous dealing of the Keilites and Ziphites all this did him much good also And for his strong-holds he lost them with more advantage at the last then he gained them at the first These stood him in stead but for the present time to keepe Saul from his throat the losse of them turned unto infinite advantage To sum-up all that has beene spoken last David is come to Nob gets the sword into his hand the best Sword that ever was in the world for he sees The print of an Almighty hand upon it and carryes the revenge of The LORD along with him in it And now he thinks he shall be delivered No not yet Then he came to Keiliah he has wrought a strange deliverance for them Now he makes no doubt but they will worke for his deliverance with all their might No they are treacherous Then to Ziph he came to see what the Ziphites will doe As little as the Keilites all they can against David Friends prove themselves all false Strong-holds are all too weake yet all to make David strong in his GOD at the last to fill Davids mouth with MICHTAMS and with MASCHIL's pretious songs for deliverance and To give instruction Therefore though we see great reason why all should be even so with David yet we will soberly enquire more fully into all these matters for GOD will give us excellent resolution thereunto CHAP. 5. God suffer'd the Adversary to prevaile a while To worke-out his designes against David That thereby Davids spirit might be discovered to himselfe That his Adversarâ—es spirits might bee made manifest also and convinced And GODS Right-hand made glorious towards David This in all particulars relates to David The Faithfull of The LORD evermore VVHy does The LORD deale thus hardly for so it seemes Qu. with His gracious Servant Dâ—vid For
I know not how much more He has gained a full sight of all his adversaries their malice treacheries and falshoods are all made manifest his adversaries are convinced too and the Evill spirit silenced also Why then the Church will trust in their GOD for ever and well they may the LORD deales so and so with David His faithfull servant He delaied Davids deliverance it stayed as a Child comming to the birth when there is no power to bring forth but yet all this slacknesse as we call it in our haste was but to open Davids mouth the wider that he might be more filled with MICHTAMS and with MASCHILS Blessed be GOD then that the Churches deliverance does seeme to linger to be long a comming Blessed be His Name it is GODS doing and he does all things well and this He does now deferring His Churches deliverance is best of all Is it not best of all that the Church sees now more clearly into the way of their owne spirits and more through into the Path of the destroyer and into the very intents and purposes of her Adversaries Certainly if her deliverance be longer delayed as we call delay it is best for the Church still for all her straits shall be a meanes to open her mouth the wider to let in and give forth her MICHTAMS and her MASCHILS If deliverance stayes it is because there must be more discovery yet even of Gods Right-hand with David and this comes now to be considered on for it containes much Thirdly We will read Davids case first how wonderfully God made bare His arme towards him though he did not complete His deliverance yet This will be quickly done Then I will bring it up to these times even as it is at this day where we shall see the Church had seen very little of God had she been delivered after the manner and at the time they would have made choice of But GOD delaying the time from day to day the Church sees much in God every day See it in David first Had not Saul sought David every day to kill him David had not seene GODS hand so wonderfully reached-forth towards him in his salvation How wonderfully was David delivered from the Lions mouth at Nob A wonderful hand is reached out to David when he is delivered from treacherous persons that dealt treacherously Then in the wildernesse of Maon where the LORD wrought as wonderfully for David as He did for the children of Israel when He set-up a pillar betwixt the Egyptians and Israel assuring their adversary but he will not understand who must perish that he must overcome GOD first who lookes to overcome Israel So here is a Rocke of Separation as was said before so wonderfull was GOD in Davids deliverance as in Hachilah and in the wildernesse of Ziph where Ionathan helped David to strengthen his band in GOD and then did Davids GOD strengthen His hand towards David ever more strong towards His servants then when they are in a wood So also in the Philistines Countrey and when Davids City was burnt But I must referre this burning of Ziglag to the last for it was his last refuge and when David sate in ashes there he was nearest to his Crowne To apply this to our times 1 Sam. 23.26 1 Sam. 26. Had the Church been delivered with a deliverance as we had accounted a deliverance not a halfe deliverance but had we been delivered so as would have served our desires capacious and large as the Sea towards the world and things there but straitned to better and higher matters When the Lords and Commons went downe into the North three yeares agoe Then where had beene our Parliament Yet was Gods Hand wonderfull towards His people there Had it been granted to us from that high Court quickly after their sitting there according to the desires of our soules feeling no burden but what presseth and pincheth the outward man That the hurtfull sword should not hurt us at that time that should be sheathed our yokes should be taken off the shoulders ship-money and the like most illegall taxations then had we an ignorant and bruitish people rested our selves wonderously contented we had had enough And the Clergy also a sound part of them had been well enough too had the high Court freed them from that horrible Oath but for the ET-CAETERA'S there there let them be the Clergy thought not of those mischiefes minding the Oath onely that abominable invention I might goe-on but I must stand still and admire too little O the goodnesse of our GOD Hee would not grant our desires He would give us a deliverance indeed He will have things done in order the Prison-doores shall be opened to His servants and fast shut upon His adversaries He will make His enemies who sayd they were Bishops and were not Spirituall and were not Rev. 2.9 Lords and were not whose Blasphemy the LORD knowes He will make those uncase themselves and plucke-off their owne vizards and throw out themselves too at the last with their owne hands He will turne His wheele over the head that consulted against Him and throw downe those Powers that exalted themselves against His hidden one GOD would have glorious things done whether we would or no so as we can say now we were too hasty God has done all things well admirably well hitherto He has cast on the â—â—sâ—â—ps throwne downe their bloody Courts taken away those cu sed Oaths they shall be no more for a snâ—re and a traâ— How wonderfull was GODS right-hand here His people will trust Him for after times If He delayes deliverance it is to make bare His arme more which is best for His people if in patience and with an holy resignation of themselves into His hands they can wait for Him Wait does the hasty and impatient man say the LORD is consuming his house in the fire of His wrath and heat of His sore displeasure No no let GOD alone with His house and houshold all that the LORD does doe is but to exalt His owne Right-hand in all His peoples sight in His Churches deliverance and to open the Churches mouth wide in praise and thanksgiving So we will put the exalting of Gods hand and the exalting of His praise both together 4. Had not the pit of destruction been made wide and deep for Daviâ— his mouth had not been so wide open nor his heaâ—t so inlarged to the Praises of His GOD If he had not been in the depths he had not sung the high Praises of His GOD. Now so many deliverances so Many MICHTAMâ— and how many enemies were discovered so many Masâ—â—ils these pretious songs we find here and â—here And some Psalms TO BRING TO REMEMâ—Râ—Nâ—E Psal 38.70 It was necessary the Church should passe through these and those straâ—ts here and there a Gulfe else she would not have made use of her â—reasure which Daviâ— has prepared for tâ—em I might Reflâ—ct back now an
GOD And how miserable when they brake covenant with Him He that has put this purpose of heart into them 〈…〉 in the purpose of their heart for ever and make the heart of the people firme stable and upright with their GOD in this great maâ—â—â—r Amen Hâ—therto we have seene GOD working wonderfully for His people in their straits and grievous afflictions discovering â—heir hearts an◠〈◊〉 â—o themselves and if their afflictions continue yet longerâ— it is that there may be more discovery made of the way and pâ—â—de of their spiriâ—s That when GOD calls them to mourning they may not make then cloaths so gay but be as those whom GOD will humble 2. Discoverinâ— the adversaries to His people their wiles projects and bâ—â—â—d◠〈◊〉 signes against His Church and if deliverance staves and is â—â—â—cke in comming it is that more discovery may be made this way also and that the adversary may be yet more convinced 3. That GODS Right hand may be more manifest with His people And 4. His peoples mouths may be more open to sing the high praises of their GOD. And because deliverance lingers and is slacke in comming as we count slâ—cknesse it is because there might be more discovery made of all the particulars before mentioned I will draw up to a conclusion of the Chapter Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O LORD and teaâ— est them out of thy Law We must not stop there but read on in the Psalme thereby to strengthen our spirits that we may stand st lâ— and wait for GOD in the way of His judgements there are sad matters yet behind we have scene Dâ—vid brought very low but not yet at the lowest we shall see him and heare him out of the depths but he is delivered out of them all David now many the faithfull Servants of the LORD are in Davids case which we shall read by and by their Ziglags are smitten and burnt with fire we are sure in a sad case if we knevv it and which speaks sadly to our hearts our case is like to be sadder yet we are low and are like to be lovver for un-answerable Reasons vvhich vve shall heare fully anon This in short because vve doe not humble our selves under GODS Almighty hand He has layed us lovv vve are high our spirits are proud and stout Hovv does that appeare As plainly as the nose in your face by the provision vve make for our backs and bellies I say no more here but this vve should not be more stout but more humble because our Ziglags vve call properly ours are not burnt yet These are burnt round about us the fire has taken the State and Church-house and vve should as men doe in such a case plucke dovvne every thing that exalts it selfe I remember a note of Master Ainsworths touching Israel In Deut. When the sword of GOD is abroad vvarre famine pestilence though amongst the heathen people â—et it is GODS sword and a calamity we must pray and faâ—t we must say they humble our selves the onely way to keep it from eâ—â—â—ing our dooreâ— The sword is bâ—tâ—ed in heaven novv our ovvne land is vvatered vvith our bloud and dunged vvith our carcases and vve vvould have the svvord to rest and be still No it cannot vve must fall lovv in our spirits and rise high in our saith before this vill be It is a true saying also Calamity knockes at that mans doore and will enteâ— Calamiâ—as illiuâ— fâ—â—â— pulâ—â—â— qui alio 〈◊〉 noâ—â—movetuâ— wâ—â—â— minalesse of the calamity upon his neighbour and brother We conclude novv vve are like to see heavier times because vve have not vvell observed the vvay of our ovvne spirits nor the operaâ—â—â—n of GODS hand not the meaning of â—is Rod tovvâ—â—â—â— us all this vvhile vve are not humbled Well blessed be 〈◊〉 vvâ—at ever it be and blessed be His Name vvho useth Princes and Nobles of the earth as Scullions indeed to cleare and vvash His Vessels appâ—â—â—â— to hâ—nour But that vve may not faint in out â—â—deâ— bâ—t exâ—ect vvith patience the salvation of GOD We vv lâ— proâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 vvâ—â—â—â— vve broke off and give no rest to our spirits â—â—ll vve have â—â—xed them upon an everlasting â—â—undaâ—â—on vvhereupon vve may stand still and abide the raine and the vvindes tâ—e stormes and haâ—â—e even the stâ—â—â—s of great Waters in Davids assurance and confidence Psal 94.22 Verse 23. That the LOâ—D is my defence and my GOD is the rocke of my refuge And He shall bring upon my adversaries their owne iniquity and shall â—ut them off in then owne wickednesse Yea the LORD our GOD shall cut them off Amen CHAP. 6. Davids troubles have a happy close but his case is very sad first The Churches case now is read in Davids case then therefore we record former deliverances very wonderfull to strengthen our assurance in a deliverance to come which will be more glorious the longer it stayes Quere's touching Davids case now at the lowest with resolution from Gods mouth thereunto which speaks comfortable words to David but sad things to us Our strong holdâ— as well as Davids must be cast downe before we are delivered I See the Land said one after he had beene long upon the Sea and escaped many dangers there We can say as much touching Davids adventures as a private man and what end God makes That is glorious still but David must endure first Wee read before that David came to Gath the King there respects him very well assigneth him a City called Ziglag which David might lay claime to Iâ—sh 14 31. being assigned long before by Iâ—shuah to the Tribe of Iudah and now fell to David by lot David was there but he could not sit still there he was for action the service of his GOD and his Countrey and abroad he goes though his body be among the Philistines yet his heart is in Iudah and to doe Saul his Master all the good service he can and his adversaries all the hurt he is able Hereon depends a very notable story because of some very notable circumstances thereabouts specially touching the sword An hurtfull instrument but yet could do David no hurt being wholly at Gods dispose and that is very comfortable specially at that time which I would have insisted upon a little but that I finde my selfe prevented in a little Paper called A staffe of comfort whereunto I referre the Reader if please him That which concernes us here is David has put himselfe upon a very hot service and overcomes where-ever he goes for he carries the Revenge of GOD with him After execution done he retires to Ziglag 1 Sam. 30.3 comming thither he finds it smitten and burnt with fire the Amalekites had been there had done as we read and had taken thence all Davids earthly comforts every one Truely a very hard and sad case Saul has hunted him from all his strong holds those in Israel those in
the Wildernesse and now by the favour of Achish he has one City of Refuge more assigned to him David is stept aside the Amalekites invade the City the while Smite it and burne it with fire and take away all his comforts the desire of his eyes and the delight of his heart all his comfort thence He heares devouring words besides to adde to his griefe Ah Lord what a sad case is this I shall propose some Quere's about it anon because the resolution thereunto will instruct us very much It will state and resolve our questions too and if not satisfie us yet will make us silent But first observing my method all along hitherto we must see how this relates to the present time also And blessed be GOD we see it very clearly it relates fully to our times for our Ziglags are smitten and burnt with fire Yes and our case is more like Davids still David heares devouring words from those he put as much confidence in as could be put upon men too much These talke of stoping him It is our case too we made lyes our refuge we put confidence in men because they are many in that Arm because it is strong And wha doe we heare Surely that which troubles us as much as it did David when his men spake of stoning him That men will prove themselves men deceitfull and treacherous That there is as much or more danger from them then from professed Adversaries VVell yes indeed it is well blessed be GOD let Him take what way He pleaseth so He will cast downe all our strong-holds our vaine confidences I know the Adversary laughs now VVell GOD laughes also and His People may laugh too at their owne folly and bee ashamed also the more the more they looked to multitudes Should not a people loâ—ke to their GOD Stay themselves upon an Almighty Arme Oh blessed be GOD who by every dayes experience of His faithfulnesse and mans unfaithfulnesse instructs His people to discretion To doe now as David did then encourage themselves in The LORD their GOD. And they that can doe so are in a good case as David was here and never nearer and closer to his GOD then when the creature was remotest from his eye never more encouragement from GOD then when he had most discouragement from man Therefore now though there be a casting downe yet these faithfull servanâ—s of The LORD are neare to a raising-up if not to a kingdome in this world yet in a better world which shall not be shaken and that is best of all So now Davids case though it relates not fully to our case yet it tells us what The LORD will doe for His people in after time we hope shortly raise them out of the Ashes so soone not sooner as their strong-holds All their vaine confidences shall bee destroyed As these fall so His people rise wherein we shall have a cleare understanding anon I would call-to remembrance first how wonderfully GOD has wrought for his Church and People that so we might not faint in our mindes but as doubtlesse Gods people doe encourage our hearts in GOD to strengthen us at the present and in after time He has wrought for His Church as strange a deliverance within these foure yeares as was that from out of Egypt That through the Red Sea And the bringing-back from Bâ—bâ—lâ—n so strange a deliverance has GOD wrought I conceive the Church has passed through her greatest strait already Before the sitâ—ing of the last Parliament and a moneth after she went through the greatest gulfe wherein she almost wonders at this day but GOD in Christ is only wonderfull how she passed it â—ver and was not swallowed-up therein Certaine it is That then at that time the Church was brought to the brow of the hill she as her LORD before her pâ—ssed thrâ—ugh the midst of â—er adversaries she knows not how nor have we poore people well and rightly considered on it how wonderfull that deliverance was Had we not had comm n thoughts about it it had not been as t tâ—is day I was a cheape deliverance indeed Isa 9.5 not bâ— the battell of the Warriâ—ur with whom is a confused 〈◊〉 anâ— garmenâ—s rolled in bloud The LORD brought it about by His oâ—ne out streâ—ched Arme. He hath bâ—oke the yoake of â—iâ— buâ—then and the sâ—asâ—eâ—â—is hoâ—â—er thâ— rod of his oppressour as in the day â—f â—idian And He put His pâ—ople to liâ—tle Cost all this while But bâ—cause the cheapneâ—â—e of thâ—t delâ—verance has taken awaâ— very much from the worth and wâ—â—â—ht of the saâ—e therefore sure it is that The LORD will not deliver Hâ—s Church now But by tâ—â— battell of the Waâ—â—â—oâ—â— with confâ—sâ—â— noisâ— and garments â—â—lleâ— in blâ—â—d I purposely insist upon this wonderfull deliverance the Church has had the more to strengthen our haâ—d in GOD against the time to come I do not well understand who Gâ—g â—nâ— Magog are who are her secret who are the Churches open enemies Nor can I â—ell whether the Tuâ—ke may noâ— molest her before she be taken from the earth or made a qâ—iet â—abitation there But this I conceive anâ— yeâ— I will not call it a conceit That as Davids deliverance was most aâ—â—â—rable which yet at present he took least notice of because the dâ—nger was over before he knew it covered and kept close under shâ—wes and pretences of extraordinary favours and acts of grace So were the Churches deliverances also all these three yeares before the war against her was open and manifest but more particularly admirable about three yeares agoe And I verily perswade my selfe the Papists shaâ—l never have the like advantages against her as they have had She has escaped â—heir great snare that is broken And though she was â—n her Advâ—rsâ—ries teeth as a prey there they were sure of her and made no more conscience to devoure her then to eate bread yet she is delivered O wonderfull Truly as wonderfull I think every whit as her deliverance will be then when her open Adversaries shall think verily to swallow her up quick for then when her enemy has prepared his Instruments of death is bigge with expectation Then the LORD will smite his bow out of his left hand Ezek. 39.3 and cause his arrowes to fall out of his Right hand Will it be surely so Yes it is as sure as if it were done Behold it is come and it is done saith the Lord. Surely the Churches deliverance three yeares agoe is as admirable as this will be And marke how the LORD has followed His victory over His Churches adversaries ever since Then He sent in the Heads of the Tribes and He has covered their heads with His owne wing ever since Their abode was among Scorpions yet were they not stung their soule was among Lions yet not devoured they were amongst those that were set on fire yet they were delivered O wonderfull Yes when GOD begins to deliver in delivering
He will deliver He will deliver indeed And see how graciously He has dealt with His Servants that serve Him with a willing mind He has given them successe ever since even to admiration and sent-them-in supplies and prospered those supplies after a wonderfull manner They have been in straits so often but these have served to make their way more passable and their enlargement more glorious I have recalled all this recording the yeares by-past and remembring the Right-hand of the Most High to strengthen and fortifie our spirit that we may not faint in the day of trouble when our Ziglags are smitten and burnt over our heads GOD is He who hath delivered 2 Cor. 1.10 saith the Apostle And so he concludes comfortably for the present and for after time But give me leave to reason a little as flesh bloud will whether we will or not Though GOD has delivered it does not therefore follow that He will deliver He had delivered His People from these and these enemies yet when His People had provoked Him by their images and strange vanities the LORD tells them plainly He will deliver them no more And why may not we expect to heare the same words Ye have rebelled more and more therefore I will deliver you no more We might indeed expect to heare the same words if the LORD in shewing mercy to a land did consult with the People of the Land with their deservings and the merit of their workes which he does not doe but with His free Mercy Goodnesse and loving Kindnesses consulting with Himselfe He hath delivered us from SO GREAT A DEATH marke that SO GREAT A DEATH for we had it not before when the righteous were pressed out of measure above strength when they were brought to the brow and brinke of the hill purposely to throw them downe headlong thence when they despaired even of life when the sentence of death was received in themselves when GOD doth deliver after such a manner as this such an unexpected glorious manner which heaven and earth stand wondring at from so great a death when He turneth the cap ivity of a People as Jordan back when He worketh so strangely so wonderfully this is an evident token that though the deliverance be not perfected yet it is perfecting The LORD doth watch over it and is working and contriving what way to make it more glorious for His Name is engaged upon it It may goe-backe till it be out of sight it may have many stops in comming-on againe it may fall into the depths where we can finde no bottome nor any humane helpe whereby it may rise again Notwithstanding GOD is working gloriously all this while so as we may say even now Now when they that hate the Lord lift-up the head why yet deliverance goes-on the LORD watcheth it and promoteth it and as it is in the Text. He dotâ— deliver while He is fitting His servants and making them MEET for deliverance And the more we shall see the Pit opened before us and hell there the more the way to deliverance shal be opened and the more of heaven we shall see there to doubt thereof were to provoke the LORD as they did at the SEA even at the RED SEA And now I suppose we are better fitted by all this to read over Davids case and therein our owne anon when I have given or rather not I but the Lord a resolution to certaine Quere's touching Davids case why the LORD dealt so bitterly with him Indeed David was greatly distressed a great desolation before his eyes but his eyes are to The LORD and that will helpe all David is as low brought as can be yet not too low for GOD to raise againe if He puts under His hand it is done and it is His glory to put forth His right hand at a dead lift David has said Try me O LORD and prove me the LORD will doe it he shall be tryed as silver is tryed but God his God will stand by him while he melts David shall be at no losse onely the drosse shall goe forth and his scum David had said Thou art my portion O LORD he had not said so had he not found what poore portions of comfort the creature yeelds us here below in the day of trouble David had prayed The LORD bring me to the rocke that is higher then I The LORD will doe it by unbottoming him of all creature confidences Alas how are we deceived we fooles build our house here as if so be we expected alwayes faire weather No we must build so as those who know the Raine will fall Windes will blow stormy haile will beat upon our house Heb. 11.10 We may read Abraham lookt for a City that hath foundations but not before all his strong-holds were downe and he was driven from all his foundations his creature-comforts here below We see already excellent Reasons why David was laid so low but I will speake of them very briefly in this order First David is in a strange land he lookes for peace there No he had no peace in his owne land and expects he to have it amongst the Philistines GOD will not give David rest from all adversity in the Philistines land David must not sit downe at rest till he be returned to his owne People And there is not the place of his rest neither our expectations from worldly things will deceive us it is good to learn how uncertaine these things are betimes that we may put no trust in them 2. Davids Ziglag is smitten and burnt with fire That David might now well understand what kinde of thing his Ziglag is casuall and hazardous He smote Amalecks town a few dayes ago Now Amaleck smites Davids town These are the changes here below up and downe The Adversary was smitten yesterday David to day a great difference in the stroke because GOD ordered it we can conclude neither love nor hatred from these things Do we hear that the Adversaries Right hand is lifted-up has smitten and burnt Davids City and he goes on valiantly as if he would carry all before him Be not dismaid at this it is no new thing Davids case he is low now but he will be up again and confound the Adversary anon and be more then conquerour It was said of the Romanes They were put to the worse in many skirmishes and light battels but never in a War They were worsted in the world many times never conquered there but they conquered the world This truly relates to David and his Warriours They are worsted in the world but yet in Christ they have overcome the world and shall be more then conquerours there anon after they have endured like good souldiers a little hardnesse 3. Davids Ziglag is smitten all his delectable things taken captive thence but not one slaine The Sword is in the enraged Amalekites hand yet does drinke no bloud nor eate flesh I told you before GOD would stand by
David when he was in the refining pot melting there His presence would be with him as with the three Worthies He will moderate the fire if He does not quench it the extream heat of the enemies rage against David he shall do David no hurt blessed be His Name But yet behold the Ciâ—y is burnt with fire wives sons and daughters taken captives Davids wives too Learne then 4. How corruptible our Ziglags are how uncertaine our comforts there like Ionas Gourd they cast a shadow in the morning and we sit contentedly under them at night they are withered David and his men a very few dayes ago had every man an house wives and children round about them and David had a City a place of refuge to go unto Now their houses lye in ashes and all their delectable things taken thence Let us consider well on it and reade the Case once more David and his men are gone from home they returne in ashes their houses smitten and burnt all their comforts taken thence It was Davids case and theirs whose hand was with David Then why maâ— it not be ours LORD teach us by this example not to set our eyes upon our Ziglags not our hearts upon our comforts there A great lesson for this time and because of our dotings that way a maine reason why The LORD infinitely wise and exceeding loving to Daviâ— suffers his Ziglag to lye in ashes before his eyes haply David and his men had set their eyes upon that place and their comforts there they had delighted in them too much Whosoever does so David must not therefore his Ziglag shall be smitten and burnt with Fire But we do not see the worst of Davids case yet His City is burnt it is possible for David a valiant man to get another His wives are taken captives he may recover them againe but he cannot doe all this without his men and see hâ—s case they will turn from him or turn against him for they spake of stoning him It is the saddest case that ever I read I meane an outward case and so every man will say that observes it David is in a strange Countrey he has a shelter there It is burnt with fire all his comforts taken thence O for a friend now to comfort him he has not one They that should comfort him are miserable comforters Their soule is grieved every man for his sons and daughters then they spake of stoning David Israels old doings Their father 's dealt little better with Moses If they wanted bread or water or were in danger then presently they blamed Moses So here these men are smitten whose ever was the hand it was GODS rod and they speak of smiting David Surely David is in a sad and a darksome condition he walks now in the shadow of death but GOD will be a light unto him and David looks for Him even for a light to rise in this obscurity I remember there was a Kingdom which wanted an heire Competitors there were enow It was agreed upon amongst the Nobles That he should be King who could first spy the Suns rising You will imagine now that many eyes were turned eastward intent that way for they looked for a Kingdom and yet not all one amongst many and but one looked as stedfastly westward and got a Kingdom by it for without controversie he spied the beams of the rising Sun first striking upon the high places of the earth westward Here is the patience of the Saints They can wait upon GOD stay His leasure leave Him to His own way and Time Who created the light and formed the darknesse His servants expect now the clearest manifestation of the light of GODS countenance towards them there Isa 58.10 where the Sun of all their outward comforts set Thy light shall rise in obscurity and Thy darknesse shall be as the noone day Every man expects light in the morning and to see the Sun rise in the East But to expect light to rise in the West where the Sun of all our comforts here below sets here is the wisedome and patience of the Saints also And it is a wonderfull Promise In the morning it shall be light Are those the words No for that runs along vvith our sense too but vvhen vve think the time vvill be darkest as novv in Davids case vvhen the Sun of all his comforts is set novv to expect light there is the wisedome and patience of the Saints and they have a vvonderfull promise for it praised be His glorious Name But it shall come to passe Zech. 147. That at EVENING IT SHALL BE LIGHT It shall be the lightest Time vvith David vvhen he expects it vvill be darkest i.e. When he is in the shadovv of death AT EVENING IT SHALL BE LIGHT vvhich Davids GOD vvill create for David and that is a glorious light We can novv resolve our selves vvhy The LORD vvill have it night vvith David vvhy He vvill have the Sun of all his outvvard comforts goe dovvne and set all at once Why To indeare light unto him VVhile the Sun shines and it is day vvith us light is but an ordinary thing and but an ordinary rate set upon it an excellent creature though it be But vvhen neither Sunne nor Moone nor Stars appeare in the night of our affliction then to have light come-in unto us as to Paul and Silas in the prison this indeares light novv it is light indeed To have a light arise in obscurity that is comfortable indeed in this evening of our distractions in the night of our affliction it shall be light That is a glorious promise and it is a new Creation The LORD suffers the adversary to over-power David to take from him all was his all below that David could take delight in Now would we say David is an undone man No we are deceived the enemy cannot undoe a man he may distresse him for a minute or an houre but he cannot undoe him the enemy cannot take GOD from a man and till that be done till GOD be gone from a man he is never undone Nay the more fierce and violent the enemy is upon David the nearer GOD is to him as wee are nearest our children when trouble and paines are upon them then we are nearest them so is GOD too and He is the Fountaine of Light be it Even-tide or Mid-night with us He maketh it day where-ever He is And now His Servant David will set his face more stedfastly to looke after this light now that his shadow is so dark If his comforts be not removed from his eye the streame of his affections will not run cleare towards the Spring-head The Living Fountain of light and comfort David must finde a nothingnesse in the creature before he can finde all in GOD. He cannot be taught that great lesson but by losses after losses David must be a King just and mercifull therefore he must feele oppression and grone under it He must see
affliction and be acquainted with it David is rising a pace to his Crown It must be from the lowest bottome and when he was there in dust and ashes though he thought not so the Crown was hastning to his head For he did not faint in his minde But David encouraged himselfe in The LORD Mighty words and they make David strong and mighty in his GOD. All was gone All the discouragements that the world could lay upon David lyes now upon him yet he can encourage himselfe in GOD and so makes-up all his losses in one GOD. Indeed GOD is all-sufficient And now GOD turnes the heart of his men unto David againe And they march forth against the enemy in the strength of The LORD and fetch all back againe If David can encourage himselfe in GOD he shall see the streame turned presently as the rivers in the South If we can beleeve trust perfectly That which we think cannot be is possible and shall be That which we thinke is gone shall all turn back againe If we can be patient we shall receive all againe with advantage This in passage I would rather set a marke upon the time when David was delivered David was delivered but not before he was driven from all his strong-holds not before his-last place of refuge was smitten and burnt with fire not before all his comforts were taken from him and his men spake of stoning him Then he was delivered when to the eye of Reason deliverance was farthest off cleane out of sight I conclude from hence that David now all the faithfull of the LORD shall be delivered but not yet deliverance is comming-on and perfecting every day even by those meanes and wayes whereby we thinke it is set further backe but it will not be perfected not compleated as it shall be in time and as we call complete before all strong-holds and brest-workes are cast downe and destroyed I cannot be mistaken here I doe not meane that all the strong holds forts and brest-workes before our eyes must be destroyed before the Church shall be delivered no the Church is alwayes allowed the wisdome of the serpent to stand upon her guard and in her watch-tower to fortifie and brest-worke themselves against an insulting adversary who if he should prevaile will tread upon the head of the righteous more heavily then ever yet they were trod upon so as their neckes shall bow downe to the foot of pride shall be trod upon as the mire in the streets Blessed be GOD His servants have so fortified themselves and His blessings be upon the heads of those who have given forth their heart and hand to the raising these works for I verily beleeve these will be very serviceable to the Church till the very time when her LORD will make her a quiet habitation all the time before is like to be Troublous The meaning then is not That these forts and brest-workes before our eyes must be destroyed before the Church is delivered though it is very notable that so it was with David all was downe before he was raised quite forsaken before GOD took him up But all the Churches strong-holds within must be destroyed their vaine confidences their brest-works within raised there by these without making the Church confident and secure trusting in them these must be destroyed before the Church can be delivered Nay if these brest-workes and strong holds within be not destroyed they will destroy us they will put deliverance further backe and destroy these without I meane our trusting in them expecting salvation from them will destroy us and them it will bring a curse upon all the sword shall impoverish thy fenced Cities saith the LORD Ier. 5.17 Why will the Lord suffer the Adversarie to doe so Because His People set their hearts that way and departed from the LORD they expected salvation from their fenced Cities it is as idolatrous every whit as to expect salvation from stockes and stones therefore the LORD would impoverish their fenced Cities wherem thou TRVSTEDST with the sword their trust in these things destroyed the things and persons too But more of this in the eighth and last Chapter Our deliverance is delayed we shall see reason why it is so we are very high now and exalted but GOD must be exalted in that day We do indeed many of us lye among the Pots like as Scullions betwixt the Raunges i.e. sore troubles are upon us Psal 63.13 In summis angustiis sordibus squalore vixeritii Metaphora a calonibus castrensibus Iunius and our eyes have seen adversity and yet because our out-sides shew forth no such thing our outward garbe is so unsutable to Mourners to those that are sultied among Pots because our faces doe not change colour yet nor our cloaths we doe not take shame unto our selves Therefore GOD will not take off our reproach we shall see more adversity before GOD will put glory upon us before we shall be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and yellow gold But more of thâ—s anon Now David is delivered for all his strong holds are downe and he can encourage himselfe in the Lord when all the discouragements that could be were upon him when he was weakest then was he strongest when he was driven from all his strong holds when all his comforts were removed when his men turned themselves against him then GOD comes in when no help from earth there is much from heaven GOD loves to shew himselfe for David when they can see nothing but His right hand put forth in their salvation Blessed be GOD a refuge that never failed David He comes-in when all goes out a present help in trouble Refuge failed me said David in his Maschil when he was in the Cave no man careth for me Psal 142.4 my owne servants speake of stoning me did he say at that time but then he encouraged himselfe in the LORD his GOD and said Thou art my refuge O! blessed be GOD Be the Nations never so angry and the earth unquiet Ier. 3.23 the Sea of this world never so tempestuous yet His servants eyes are ever to the LORD they can put-in into that harbour and they are secure I conclude Truely in vaine is salvation hoped for from the hills and from the multitude of mountaines Trulâ— in the LORD our GOD is the salvation of Israel Isa 29.19 The meeke shall increase their joy in the LORD and the poore among men shall rejoice in the Holy one of Israel In the way of thy judgements O Lord Isa 26.8 have we waited for thee the desire of our soule is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee Amen CHAP. 7. A grave Question resolved Touching the manner how a Spirit is to be resisted If he acts like a Spirit then by the spirit of Prayer wherein Israel neither was nor is wanting If hee acts by the hand of an Edomite then he must be resisted by the sword of an
but sure there is something in this Ver. 20. and Samuel standing as appointed over them Doubtlesse this change upon Saul the restraint of his bloudy hand the thrusting-backe of his sword three times successively was the fruit of Samuels words and answere of his prayers for an in behalfe of David and to withhold Saul from shedding innocent blood I make mention of it here To shew that all faire and warrantable wayes were used prayers and supplycations were put-up for Saul while there was time for it and persons fit for that service which did properly belong to Samuel and the Priests not to the Heads of the Tribes It was their time now to appeare in the Field there to hold up their hands with their Swords for Saul in pursuance of his own way and to satisfie his will hath commanded the Edomite and Nob is destroyed and Saul is hasting to Keilah and hath called together five thousand men David and his men must look to have the roughest hand put out against them that ever was put forth for it is Sauls hand and his Edomites as it is at this Day Therfore I will cleare Israels duty now touching their prayers for their King now as I have cleared their practice in taking-up Defensive Armes That they have performed their duty at that point just as belongeth to the Israel of GOD. Armies appeare in the field in a seeming opposition to the King yet not so indeed but in opposition to his wicked Councell carryed on and acted by that evill spirit who now workes so effectually all over all the Christian world Now the Objection is That Christians should make no Resistance no not of the Devill but by prayer and fasting I have denyed that and made it cleare That when the Devill acts by the hand of an Edomite then he must be resisted by the sword of an Israclite We must make him bleed a spirit though he be if he maketh us bleed Yet I say as Israel then so have Israel now taken the old way of disposessing the Divell by prayer and fasting They have made petitions to their King prayers and supplications have been put-up to him So many and so servent That Israel may be said in this behalfe to be a praying people wrastlers with GOD for their King and their King may be said to be a King of prayers But yet there is no Answer of prayer Yes there is as shall appeare by and by though yet not such an Answer as Israel could desire with all their hearâ—s And for this it is a sad thing to consider Whether the sighing of the poore under his oppression hath not thrust-back the sighings and groanes of the poore for and in his behalfe whether the blood he hath shed for he hath given a commission to the Edomite the Papist an old Adversary to Israell vvhether this blood he hath spi t like water cryes not lowder in the eares of the LORD for Revenge Then the prayers of his faithfull servants can doe for mercy vve cannot resolve it but it yeelds a sad consideration Yet certain it is The true Israell of GOD Ministers and people may see a Return of prayer for and in behalfe of their King which appeares thus The King by the motion of his evill Councell pursued a way not good he sent a cursed Booke into Scâ—tland vvorse then a Sword against David This destroyes the body That the soule This Booke was rejected by the best Law and Reason that ever was read Facile est quic quid in presenti faculonocet illud grave c. Salv. de Eccl. lib. 2. yet the King vvas pleased to force it upon them and they forced it away The King pressed by an evill Councell pressed-on and sent Messengers again and again and then the Sword pressed on Then he vvent himselfe to the borders as often as Saul sent Messengers to fetch David-in The third time he went himselfe And vvhat he did there for and in behalfe of David I meane the true servants of GOD he knowes and GOD knowes and more then tvvo or three in the vvorld for his ovvn hand has made it legible pursuing David vvith the Sword and those that have an hand vvith David ever since His heart could not be vvith David the faithfull in the LORD in one Kingdome and his hand against them in another But how comes it to passe that the King we must speake out now or never has driven on-vvard furiously more then 4. yeares together pressing-on against the dravvn sword and yet the svvord has not taken him off from the earth We must say GOD is exceedingly patient and long-suffering but sure the prayers of them vvhom he persecutes has hitherto been as a shield over his head to keep off that deadly shower vve read of from falling on his hayry scalpe Psal 116. Prayers have turned back from him the svvord of the destroyer vvherevvith he assayed tvvice to have destroyed his native people or to make their necks stoop to an iron yoake Prayers have vvithheld from his lippes That horrible draught the portion of their Cup vvho vvalke in such vvayes fier and brimstone and an horrible tempest His good people have put up prayers for their King they are not wanting therein If they are wanting to their King it is in reproofes in telling him in plaine and down-right words as the Prophets before him That he is in a perishing way Certainly if they are wanting to their King it is in this they have not sent him a writing such as Iehoranâ— received wherein was written Lamentations Mourning and Woe 2 Chro. 21.12 They have sought GOD for their King and they have not sought Him in vaine therfore it is that he yet drives-on furiously to destroy David and those that have an hand with David and against the Angels sword in his way and yet the sword has not cut him off from the earth And his good people are not a weary they will continue seeking GOD for him still though he revile them they will blesse him See Thank-off p. 83.83 though defamed they entreat being persecuted they will suffer it For this is his good Peoples duty theirs whose duty it is to lye on their face but not theirs to whom GOD sayes now as unto Ioshua GET THEE VP there is an accursed thing which has thrust you from the Lord and it must be thrust away they must be cut off from the earth who have taken peace thence and have put forth their power to dethrone the LORD Christ Ioshus then and the Worthies of the LORD now must not lye upon their faces but according to the power that GOD has put into their hands they must oppose these actings of the evill spirit working effectually with the Princes of the earth I Remember now what the Scots did not 3. Yeeres agoe but almost as many hundred Their King Iames the third lived an idle life from the beginning of his Reigne which was the Seventh
Yeere of his Age He was no sooner Marryed but hee Doted and had a speciall gift in flattering himselfe Excluâ—a Nobilitate And those about him few or none of the Nobility the worst he could pick from cut of the Cities or Country quickly learnt the Court-Art and could flatter as well as their King but none more accurately then the Priests could doe They told their King he might doe what he listed he was King and his will was the Law Thereafter he might punish and might pardon and bestow his honours as he would and not as the Common Law wills but saies the Author all as hee wills so it must bee will was Law and King both and Commands all What a miserable Confusion was here The face of the Kingdome quite changed Nobles could not be heard nor the Law neither and good Men were Silent Some base Men or quite degenerate had the eare of their King and his heart and commanded his hand and they did all till they had almost undone all for they Monopolized the Common good of all the Subjects their King They Ingrossed his heart that deare Commodity So as That which should be as Rivers of water to Refresh the whole Kingdome they made as a sealed fountaine quite shut-up to all honest Men and open to c. In the Nick of Time there came an Ambassadour out of England if I well remember to treat of Peace and to seale it with a Marriage when the Prince and Princesse should come to age So great a businesse required consultation The King calls a Parliment He with his wicked Counsell has his end satisfaction of a Private will and to enlarge Private wealth The Nobles and Commons have their end the Common-wealth the publike Faith and Trust of the Kingdome They are all assembled the Lord Douglasse a faithfull Minister of State is their Speaker his Speech is long that which relates to the present is short He tells them wherefore they were called together what their Kings end what theirs the Kings businesse requires no haste the matters of the Kingdome does he opens unto them the sinke of the Court shewes the Nobles and Commons their Vassalage under these the vilest persons who stanke all the Kingdome over We are Nobles sayes he ye and we are a free people yet if we looke not to it quickly we must be made servants to the basest Masters the lusts of our King and his favourites who have stollen away our King his heart is gone quite alienated from his friends and betrayed to his enemies No sooner this was spoken and his speech ended but out he and the rest went Nobles and Commons and to the Court gate What is the mattes sayes the King We will plucke the evill Counsellours from your side said they The Question was quick the Answer was as quick They will have their demands and they have them those evill Counsellours the Plague and Pests of the King and Kingdome all but one and he was a youth too ingenuous to learne the art so quickly is spared at the request of the King but all the rest are given over unto them and they as quickly hang them up How did they doe for Ropes That might be a question indeed being so neare the Court gates Vt câ—m funes in re subâ—ta decsseâ—â— They made an honest shift for they hanged these evill men up with their horses bridles Perfidious Scots said some three years agoe Honest Scots say I and shall say so till I read and finde the contrary They will bestirre themselves when they see a Kingdome neare to ruine There is not the like story but a very notable one of Dursthus their eleventh King mentioned befoâ—e hee was slaine in battell by his owâ—e subjectâ— They â—re blamed for it to this day that they brake their Oath with their King No they did not he brake with them and was the most perfidious King that you shall read of in any Chronicle The case is plaine and the manner of resistance cleared to be as becommeth Israel then and now But all Israel comes not in now as they did then to help the LORD against the Mighty There will be excellent Reason given for this in the next Chapter CHAP. 8. Mans extremity is Gods opportunity David had a glorious deliverance when he was made meet for it So shall the Church have when their adversaries have filled up their measures When Gods People are purified in their furnace then their God will send them glorious Saviours and a glorious Salvation In the meane time they hold fast their confidence DAvids helpers came-in he was raised to a glorious condition here on earth the Crowne was set upon his head presently and there is mighty Reason why it was so His head was made meet for a Crowne he was fitted for deliverance All his strong holds were downe all his Altars the lying vanities whereto he trusted were as Chalke stones that are beaten asunder Isa 27.8 He was greatly distressed forsaken of all humane helps refuge failed all is gone and all the discouragements in the world were upon him yet at such a time he fainted not but encouraged himselfe in the LORD his GOD Then he could exalt GOD in that day Psal 18.12 he could say of Him Thou art my strength my Rocke my Fortresse c. he called upon the LORD in that day SO he was saved from his enemies and from the hand of Saul 2 Sam. 22. Our case is otherwise our helpers come-not-in as to David all as one man we are yet greatly distressed True you will say in some quarters of the Land but it is not every mans case and God forbid it should be so all the Land over So say I too Amen And yet it must be every mans case I meane not to suffer all alike the spoyling of our goods but to be affected and afflicted for what others our Brethren and Sisters doe suffer that way this must be every mans case to have a sympathy a fellow-feeling of what others doe suffer wee must suffer all in compassion before we are dâ—livered every man must beare his part Heb. 10.33 partly sayes the Apostle whilest we were made a gazing stocke both by reproaches and assliâ—â—ions and partly while ye became companions of them that were so used If we examine our case by this Scripture it will tell us how fit and meet wee are for deliverance which we wonder does linger so long The sword has greatly distressed our land how has it wrought upon the oppressed therein or what compassion in those who have not yet been oppressod by it Surely it may be answered Perdidistis utilitatem calamitatii miseâ—rimi fâ—cti estis pessimi permansistis Aug. de Civis l. 1. c. 33. that the most of us have lost the fruit of all this sore wrath which has lyon upon our neighbours these many yeares and upon our owne land these few moneths which yet
suddenly then the Lord will send them meet Saviours It is true GOD can worke by what instruments he pleaseth but He will not use base and inglorious instruments to worke forth a glorious salvation such as He has now in designe not such as pretend to have an hand with David and work all the mischiefe they can against David and those that have an hand with him and drinke the health of those who have sworne the destruction of David and in pursuance of that shed bloud to their power These men who have drunke a way their wits and their valour and their healths and cursed away their soules the Lord has rejected they shall not if they would doâ— Him service in this warre He will purge His Armies as He has done the Courts He will have Noble Instruments I meane faithfull such as feare GOD above many to carry on these designes and to bring about a worke of this nature Certainly they must be Mosesses and Ioshua's and Davids by which He will worke forth this glorious deliverance when GOD does glorious things wee shall see they are done by glorious instruments so it was in ancient times so it will be now We smote Og and all his people till there was none left to him remaining And a huge fellow this was King of Bashan who remained of the remnant of the Gyants and we tooke all his Cities at that time Deut. 3.3.4 5. there was not a City which we tooke nâ—t from them threescore Cities and these were fenced with high walls gates and barres besides unwalled Townes a great many Who was he that was so victorious Moses the faithfull Servant of the Lord. It is as notable how successefull Ioshua Moses Successor was when the accursed thing was removed we never read the like untill this day He came upon his enemies like a tempest destroyes all as he goes he passed-on to that strong-hold looked upon it and tooke it upon that day sayes the Text That is the account he gives us He came looked upon Makkedah Libnah Lachish Eglon Hebron and Hazor the heads of the Kingdomes tooke them on that day destroyed them neither left they any to breath Some adversaries melted before him others submitted others stood-it-out and quickly fell to his foot which Joshua set upon their neckes and gives Israel assured confidence for ever Thus shall the LORD doe against all the enemies against whom you fight But when are a people meet for such Saviours Quest When the people can love such Saviours Ans and not dote upon them When they can pray for them but not trust in them when they can use them as glorious Instruments in Gods hands but not leane upon them for that is to depart from an Almighty Hand the Church LEANES upon her BELOVED When they can give them their due thankes honour and praise and God all the glory O how faulty have we been at this point therefore how has The LORD pluckt some of those instruments from us those that were most faithfull If we give Gideons sword the preheminence we undo him and overthrow all and weakned the strength of others because we looked so stedfastly towards them How hath he discovered the treachery of others And all this that we may take our hope wholly off from the creature and six it fully upon Him vvho is faithfull If The LORD shevv us no more blessed be His Name that He hath shevved us so much and that He hath strengthned the hand of any of His Servants to bring salvation to His Israel notvvithstanding Israel is so prone to idolize Men. I must give resolution to one question more VVhen are a people fit and meet for such a salvation GOD has novv upon designe Qu. When their uncircumcised hearts are humbled Ans when they can indeed and in truth acknowledge their contrary walking It is a sad relation I read from 2. great persons who had travelled all Germany over that they found the Protestants there sarte more wicked under their pressures and calamitie then when they were in their ease and prosperity Ier. 6.29 and accept of the punishment for walking so contrary to the rule and will of GOD when their drosse and scum is sod forth in the furnace of their affliction this must be before we are delivered GOD does not deliver out of the furnace before His people are purified therein We think we have lyen long in the furnace But what have we profited by lying there so long Is not he that was proud proud still he that was filthy filthy still Is not the great scum sod in and are not the Bellows burnt As The Lord complaineth We are Brasse and Iron indeed an ordinary fire ordinary affliction will not melt us And though some are more tender and with Iosiah will quickly melt at the very hearing of wrath denounced yet these things must be soberly enquired into by all before we be delivered 2. A people are meet for deliverance when the accursed whether persons or things are destroyed from amongst them then Ioshuah was mighty and prevailed and not before Iosh 7.11 Till the accursed were destroyed from amongst Israel Israel were accursed and lying on the face could not help them That is a resolved Case 3. A people is meet for deliverance when all their Strong-holds are down I do not meane those before our eyes though this may he All our Forts and â—reast-workes must be destroyed before our eyes also as Davids was I say it may be so and likely so because it is so hard a matter to have them and not to Trust in them And if we do trust in them then they must be impoverished saith The LORD All our strong-holds must downe All wherein thou trustedst that is out of question Every thing that exalts it selfe against GOD must down for GOD will be exalted in that day It will be a glorious deliverance His people shall be greatly exalted Their enemies all shall be strangely confounded None of the glory of this wonderfull salvation shall be given to the Arm of flesh GOD will have all He is dainty at that point He will not give His glory to another To conclude we think GOD is long in comming and salvation sleepeth No GOD will come in the fittest season His salvation shall come and not stay It shall come and in such a season and in such a glorious manner as His people shall say Salvation could not have come in a fitter time It is certaine that the Servants of The LORD shall acknowledge they could not have wanted any one thing Their LORD has done in shew and semblance for their Adversaries and against them His own people their falling before their enemies has made them fall low before their GOD and rise high in their faith and to hold their confidence the faster They could not have wanted those blowes in the North no nor those blowes in the West which were like those stones thrown
To come more particularly to the point that we may resolve Conscience anon we will see first what Saul did and by whose Instigation he did it Then who this Edomite was What Saul did is legible before written in bloudy Characters which will remaine unto the worlds end By whoâ—e instigation he did it This is as legible also By the instigation of the Divel vexing and tormenting Saul effectually working in him together with his owne spirit thereby agitated stirred-up and boyled to the heigth of extreme wrath against David and all those that wished well unto or had their hand with David This being premised I conclude first That Conscience could not hold-backe Israel from helping their Brethren in the day of distresse and treading downe for who did so oppresse Israel at this time It must be answered Saul their King for he had hands and feet and other Instruments besides to execute the wrath but all he did was by the divels motion that Evill spirit upon him which hurried him from place to place so as he did not goe but was driven and all his way long he breathed out threatnings against David By the motion of this Evill spirit and his owne which every man Saul also are bound to resist did Saul doe all this Therefore whatsoever Israel makes conscience of they cannot make conscience of resisting the divell or the private will which by the helpe of the divell has done all the violences that ever were done in the world I presume this is a cleared case therefore I leave it for if Saul acted by an Evill spirit will flye at Israels throat they can make no conscience in the world to resist him I meane the bloudy actings and notorious violences of the divell Secondly Israel must looke upon Saul now the great Fiduciary of the Kingdome betraying that trust into an Edomites hand then smiting Israels City Man and Beast there Conscience well informed now calls-in Israel to help their distressed Brethren so far as was in the power of their hands to helpe grant so much power in their hands that they could and were able to relieve their Brethren and yet would not then Conscience will be so far from pleading their excuse that it will condemne them as accessary to that murder and bloodshed Israel stands charged not to suffer bloud to be shed so farre as they can hinder the shedding of it Deut. 21.7 Our hands have not shed this bloud nor have our eyes seene it That is Conscience to quit their Eyes in this case as well as their hands had their Eyes seene innocent bloud-shedding as in this case and not come-in to rescue the Innocent they had not been innocent Conscience then did not hold Israel backe from comming-in all as one man to rescue Nob the Priests and People there now greatly distressed and to deliver David Rather Conscience rightly informed engageth Israel upon all this being in the power of their hands for it is to shew mercy to their Brethren in this time of their great distresse and treading down by the foot of pride Thirdly they had shewne mercy indeed to Saul their Master even to his soule could they have conjured that Evill spirit and overcome him solacing and delighting himselfe as his manner is in proud wrath and wherewith their Master Saul was sore vexed that like the Lunaticke man he falls oft times into the fire and oft times into the water i.e. into most imminent apparent and destructive dangers Doubtlesse it had been a point of pure love duty and conscience to have resisted him to have with-held him driving-on furiously to shed bloud Had Israel done so they had shewne themselves conscientious men who understood their duty and entirely loved their King and therefore would not suffer him to doe that which would undoe him for ever O! it had been an act of mercy and of a well instructed conscience if Israel had every man to his power as one man stept-in and withstood Saul in his bloudy way and all the true Israel in the world would have acquitted them so doing and said in meere pitty and compassion to Saul and that which should be dearest unto him have they done this with-held their Master from shedding bloud Nay Saul himselfe had he ever come to himselfe but the Evill spirit haunted him to the day of his death would have thanked Israel for so doing But here though nothing can be said for Saul in justification of what he did yet much is said against them that had any hand with David That they were Rebells and Traitors all against the King and so Saul himselfe chargeth all his servants and all the Priests too All of you have conspired against me 2 Sam. 22. Vers 8. Vers 13. and why have ye done so An heavie charge but yet no honest man made any account of it as a charge of dishonour They counted it a cheape word a great honour rather being the Cognizance of the choicest men of all Israel and they could glory in it defamed for rigâ—teousnesse sake for the very best and choicest men in those dayes were called Conspirators Rebels to their King David was called so I know not how often and the Edomite the Rightest man and best Subject yet let us heare what may be charged upon these so defamed men though nothing can be proved That Ob. had Israel rose up to defend themselves and their Brethren they had withstood their King No Ans they had stood for him and had done him an infinite service could they have delivered their King from the power of the Evill spirit and his owne Will and from the hands of the Edomite who withstood the King indeed and fought against his Crowne Peace and Dignity But if Israel Ob. standing up in their own defence had not withstood Saul yet they had resisted the ordinance of God and they must make conscience there Yes Ans great Reason they should let Israel make conscience evermore of resisting Saul their King or their Kings power for that power is the ordinance of GOD and hee that resisteth the ordinance of GOD doth resist GOD. That is true but these orders disorders rather of the evill spirit and of mans perverse will are not the ordinance of GOD Therefore to resist these is to obey GOD and to resist the divell Make conscience evermore of resisting Saul the King the power which GOD hath intrusted him with but never make conscience of resisting the evill spirit ruling and commanding in Saul the King he did nothing in prosecution of David but by suggestion from that evill spirit mighty in Saul and in other of Israels Kings and Queenes And this spirit was pro tempore Dominus fac totum therefore it could not be conscience that kept Israel quiet and still the while A sinfull and base fearfulnesse iâ— might be yet I will not be so bold as to determine that a stupidity a benummednesse a drossinesse of spirit