those few prevailed for the evill was from themselves the accursed thing is in Israels Camp There is a deep matter in it said Iob A root of wickednesse it must be discovered and rooted out before The LORD will take off His hand Who gave Iacob for aspoile and Israel to the robbers Did not The LORD Isa 42.24 He against Whom we have sinned For they would not walke in His wayes neither be obedient to His law Verse 25. Therefore He hath poured upon him the fury of His anger and the strength of battell The anger of the LORD is kindled against His people and He hath stretched forth His hand against them and their carcasses were torne in the midst of the streets Then the LORD was pacified towards His people was He not No for all this His anger is not turned away but His hand is stretched out still The Syrians before and the Philistines behinde and they shall devoute Israel with open mouth Now The LORD is pacified No not yet For all this His anger is not turned away but His hand is stretched out still And the very same reason now as then For the people tâ—rneth not unto Him That smiteth them neither doe they seeke The LORD of bosts Therefore His hand is stretched out still It is repeated againe and againe to assure us if we proceed in our sinning before The LORD He will proceed in punishing before all Israel and before the Sunne till we repent of our sins He will not repent of His sore plagues He will proceed to smite till our uncircumcised hearts be humbled till we can accept of our punishment and say from an ingenuous and humble spirit The LORD is righteous in all that He has done against us Till this be we shall finde it will be thus His anger is not turned away but His hand is stretched out still I will punish you seven times more for your sinnes and I will breake the pride of your power Levit. 26.18 i. e. If you will walk contrary to Me I will walk contrary to you And now consider we with all our hearts how contrary we have walked We thinke the wrath that lyes upon the land is sore and heavy and indeed it is so But consider we was it a light provocation to prophane The LORDS day to mar the beauty of it more then any other day The Bishops gave command for that you will say That is true Therefore the land has spewed them forth You shall heare more of their rough hand and bloudy designes But never any more of their unrighteous decrees and grievousnesse Be the Nations never so angry they shall never prevaile to bring in Bishops againe But the people were content to have it so to have The LORDS Day so prophaned to have such a scorne put upon it And therefore if we be trod-upon all the land over as mire in the streets And if the land should now lye-fallow and keep her Sabbaths we must acquit The LORD and say Hee is righteous But I will not reckon up particular sins for they are infinite We are conluded Great and marvellous are Thy workes LORD GOD ALMIGHTY just and true are Thy wayes Thou King of Saints for Thy judgements are made manifest Rev. 15.3 2. The LORD makes His Adversaries successefull gives them power over His people to put forth all their wrath against them as at this day I say all their wrath never was there such a wrath boiled to such a height of rage as now it is at this day for it is agâ—iâ—â—â— David and his men put forth by Davids King and his men which will be a scorching wrath and it shall be put forth to the utmost extent because under specious shewes and formall pretences to maintaine our Lawes by lawlesse men our Liberties by companies of Robbers our Religion by Papists the bloudiest men that are or ever were in the world haters of GOD and the power of godlinesse This will be a bloudy persecution the roughest hand will be put forth now that ever was put forth against the Church for it is put forth against David and his men as was said by Davids King and his men for Reasons so specious and formall in some mens eyes as aforesaid Never any Popes were greater oppressors then those that had the most specious names Pope Godly Pius Pope Harmlesse Innocent Pope Civill Vrban these were wicked Popes yet not more wicked then they who have a form and specious pretences They will make a people free by oppressing their Lawes and them under the foot of pride c. and their King glorious so they say by making him a Lord over a conquered Nation Vnum aliqueâ— voluptate ac deliciis flâ—ere gementibus undique ac lament antibus aliiâ— hoc non est Regni sed carceris esse custodem Th. Aâ—â— Vâ—â—p and that sayes Sir Thomas Moore is not to be a King over men but a Taylor over Captives To be a Keeper of a prison and not chiefe Guardian in a Kingdome Yet the LORD may suffer these men or rather beasts in the shape of men to goe-on to the length of their chaine and to prosper so as it may be said The Tabernacles of Robbers prosper and they that provoke GOD are secure into whose hand the LORD bringeth abundantly GOD is righteous so we are resolved But why is it so For excellent Reason That their Adversaries may fill up their measure apace and heighten their destruction which will be in all His peoples sight as lifted-up even to the Skies Their rage reacheth to heaven so shall their judgment also Secondly GOD useth the wicked as Scullions to try His people and to purge and to make them white so perfecting His praise and His Churches salvation to make His people MEET for deliverance as we shall heare by and by GOD does not suffer this viperous generation to run at large laxis habenis as a best with reines on nâ—ck that they might satisfie their lusts upon His people though so they do and GOD suffers it to be done but that is not Gods end this God intends The purifying the purging the humbling of His servants that their lusts may be subdued the lusts of the Eye of the world and Pride of life This is Gods end the very purpose of His heart to make a people meet for deliverance when this is done the Rod shall be cast into the fire the tabernacles of the Robbers shall be destroyed and they sent to their owne place We wait and God waits We have waited three yeares God has waited eighty yeareâ— we wait for deliverance GOD waits for glory in waiting to shew mercy we shall have our waitings in good time when His people shall be truly humbled for then they shall see their desire upon their enemies and give GOD the glory of all His worke even of His strange workâ— for Thirdly When His people are meet for deliverance they shall be delivered
wilt say for thou art not resâ—lved of any other resistance that is lawfull but by prayer and fasting and so a Spirit must be resisted too Ans Thou maist read and be fully satisfied touching this matter towards the close of this work therefore I will say nothing to it here See chap. 7. Ob. But thy Relations are such that thou canst not goe forth to battell * It is as cleafe as the Sun that the resistance the Covenant â—ow engageth unto is against the Evill Spirit whâ—ch now woâ—keth effectually in the children of disobedience Therfore it had been a wonde it the Divel and his children did not now contend against it mad with rage because the entring into this Covenant and standing to it will destroy Satants Kingdâ—me This commands a set discourse though wo ds are lost pon such men Be not willingly ignorant at this Point Ans Is there any relation nearer then that to thy God to His Church to His People to thy Countrey But I will not examine thee strictly at this point touching thy Relations he is not good who is not answerable there I would gain thy heart to the worke and for thy Relations otherwise I leave to GOD and thy Conscience onely this I say If ever there was a time when all the People of the Land were called forth to stand-up as one man now is the time * Now Altars are built contrary to the command And the Spouse of Christ is FORCED before her LORDS face Never was there such a Cause as thâ—s to make all Israel arise and to knit them together all as one man See Ep p. 1. Doe thy duty now gird up thy loines and put on thy harnesse and goe forth thy selfe to battle and not another for thee Pity thy Country and thy dwelling place keepe the Wolves from thine owne doore Remember the poore sheepe there wives children sucklings all these were a prey to the Edomite once so they will be now If thou wilt not quit thy selfe like a man Gird-up thy loynes and put on thy harnesse and boast in The Lord all the day long Though the Enemy be strong so is God too Neh. 4.16 Jer. 20.11 Who is great and a terrible one mighty to deliver The enemy is wise so is God too The Counsellour The enemy is many one God is enough to answer all discouragements He workes most gloriously with a few Joshua 1. Heb. 13.5 five Negatives to ascertaine the Affirmative and to give the Chuâ—ch strong consolation for ever and those a few and weake people Boast in The Lora all the day long be strong and of a good courage for He has said five times in one breath He will Never never never never never leave thee nor forsake thee Object But He seemes to forsake His people for they are fallen downe Answ As good a sign as any the sacred word gives us That now is the Time when God will build His People up so as they shall stand fast like Mount Sion He builds-up but not before all is fallen to ruines in the Soul and in His Church and so runnes the promise Act. 15.16 After this I will returne and will bâ—â—ld againe the Tabernacle which is FALLEN DOWN and I will build againe the RVINES thereof and I will set it up But thou hast not a heart to reach forth thy hand to help them Ob. that are fallen so low into the Deepes and their Adversary is so high Choose thee these people shall rise without thy hand Ans and thou shalt be trodden downe by the foot of pride But consider what a poore discouragement this is The Righteous are fallen low No disparagenent as long as GOD is highest It is His glory to worke for His People when they are lowest and their power as gone then Gâ—d comes-in Deut. 32.6 If thou wilt reade thou shalt finde excellent Reason why The Lord suffers His people to lie low as in the Deeps their adversaries to be above It is for DISCOVERY-sake Chap. 5. that the hearts of His owne people may be discovered to themselves That the Adversary may be discovered too his rage and malice before in the heart secret there may bee made manifest to all Israel And that Gods right hand may be discovered also made glorious before all the peoples sight friends and adversaries both If then God suffers His people to bee lâ—w it is that their proud spirit may faâ—l and their Faith may rise Now say again and make thy boast of it before thy Adversaries who say These people whom they call GODS people are low Ans Their GOD is above above all their rage Exod. 18.11 above all their water-floods aboâ—e all wherein the Enemy deals proudly He is above all And He will set His people above and through these adversaries down like a Milstone into the great waters We have GODS Word for it a Rev. 18.21 and that is as much as the Heavens and Earth have for their continuance And Israel have had an example for it before their eies â—hey sanke as Lead in the mighty waters b Ex. 15.10 This gives the Church assured confidence for ever That by the greatnesse of Thine arme these enemies also shall be as STILL AS A STONE c Verse 16. Remember God stopped the mouthes of these Lyons then when out soules lay amidst those devourers God is the same still He will doe so still He has put an hooke in their nose Note there are bridles in the lips of these Beasts at this time Gird up thy loynes and stand fast in the faith and for the maintaining of it till thou die While thou canst stand stand fighting when thou must fall fall praying And if thou doest not rise againe victoriously here thou shalt rise gloriously anon else The Lord has not spoken by the mouth of His Servants Patriarchs Prophets Apostles in those daies nor by the Messengers of the Churches and glory of Christ in these dayes But thou art resolved at that point Thou LORD wilt blesse the righteous Psal 5.12 Isa 26.3 with favour wilt Thou compasse him as with a Shield Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee Perfect peace So we read and it is a full reading but it is peace peace A double Peace In famine enough then peace in war peace then peace in life and peace in death then peace indeed a perfect peace Now no peace in the North nor in the West nor in any quarter in the Christian world nor no peace can be till the greaâ— Whore be at peace with the Saints and the divell at peace with the Church and that will never be what ever offers and semblances there be that way but to him whose heart is stayed upon his GOD peace peace The Peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keepe your heart and minde through Jesus Christ Amen Behold God is my salvation I will
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
contracted by long rest and so Israel might be like a Dove without an heart an Asse and a strong Asse couching downe betwixt burthens laid upon them by Saul and his bloudy Courtiers for Saul commands and the Edomite smote Nob and overthrowes all who stood-up for or had an hand with David And all Israel stood shrinking up their armes into their sleeves as we reade in Xenophon The Persians were wont to doe before their King in homage and subjection to all his commands But as I said I will not conclude so That a deadnesse of spirit was upon Israel at this time I beleeve there was a more commanding cause then that which with-held Israel at that time Wee shall heare that anon when I have taken off the imputation of treason and rebellion charged upon David by his master Saul for David a private man doth defend himselfe as well as hee can and would have fortified Keilah had they not proved treacherous to him and the lawfulnesse of this may be questionable by all Israel as well as by Saul himselfe Whether David in defending Keisah Quest had not maintained it against Saul It was not against Saul Ans It was against the notorious violences of his evill spirit those David would have withstood But Keilah was Israels City Saul the King of Israel Qu. why would David fortifie that City As it is more then probable he would have done had not the Keilites proved themselves ungratefull and treacherous Because David knew That Saul secretly practised mischiefe against him Ans and would destroy Keilah for his sake All this is written 1 Sam. 22. Therefore hee thrust himselfe into Keilah would have fortified that place But Saul might thrust out David thence for it was Sauls City Qu. was it not No it was Israels City Sauls for Israels good to defend Israel Ans not to destroy Israel We are sure of that But David had strong-holds here and there Qu. and did Breast-worke himselfe against Saul his master No Ans not against Saul his master but against those notorious violences the actings of the evill spirit upon Saul his master Against these extreame out-rages and riots David did fortifie and Breast-worke himselfe And where ever we reade of these strong-holds and Breast-works there we shall reade of Sauls bloudy persecution against David Israels best friend and temporall Saviour Therefore will those strong holds be an eternall dishonour to King Saul till the Records of Time be lost 1 Sam. 26.19 1 Sam. 23.14 David did get up to his strong-hold where be abode and there he did Breast-worke himselfe Why It is answered for Saul sought every day to kill him It is upon ever-lasting Record an eternall dishonour to King Saul so to persecute his best servant for who so faithfull as David in all his Kingdome And if David a private man did so fortifie himselfe to safe-guard his owne throat much more might all Israel for their owne and Davids sake stand-up against the insolencies of a private will and an evill spirit acting thereby Whatever held in Israel from comming-out armed at this time conscience it was not To let the King doe what a Tyrant does make will his law and doe what he pleaseth and yet Israel stand still the while behold all this with open face hold their hands in their pockets or shrinke them up into their sleeves in homage forsooth to the Evill spirit commanding in Saul and in obedience to the Edomite executing that command Surely the like was never done since the beginning of the world untill this Day For here is the King of Israel smiting Israel the great Fiduetary of the Kingdome to whom Cities and Townes Priests and People are all intrusted betraying this Trust into an Edomites hands And so he that should next to GOD uphold and preserve Israel destroyes Israel and will lay their Cities waste And all this that he may be avenged of David one of the best men and best subjects he had in his Kingdome We are well resolved now in point of Israels subjection to that power which GOD had intrusted Saul with thereby to be a Terrour to the evill not to good workes Rom. 13.3 And that if Israel had stood-up in their owne and Davids defence they had not stood-up against Saul but for him and against the notorious violences the actings of the evil spirit by Sauls and his Edomites hands And so I come to enquire concerning this Edomite who he was VVhen we know him we shall see plainly that Israel could make no scruple of conscience to stand up in resistance of him who stood up against the Crowne and peace of Israels King and Kingdome VVho this Edomite was How bloudy his minde against Israel VVho was this Edomite A Childe of Edom who in the day of Hierusalem said Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof And The LORD remembers this and chargeth the Edomite with it Amâ—s 1 11. hee did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pitty and his anger did teare perpetually and kept his wrath for ever The LORD threatens the Edomite in the same place also For three transgressions of Edom and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof A finite number for an infinite for three transgressions and for foure But his bloudshed his cruelty towards his brother that shall set deepe upon his score Though the LORD should passe over six transgressions of Edom yet the seventh GOD will not passe over I will not turne away the punishment thereof Edom has broken all the bands of Nature O take heed of breaking those bands of Nature and brother like kindnesses the Edomite did so he did pursue his brother with the sword and when he had his brother under his hands he cast-off all pitty his anger did teare as wee reade before An old adversary to Israel Num. 20.14 The Edomite knew of all the travell that befell his brother Yet he will not shew his brother the least favour he will not suffer him to passe by the Kings high way though Israel will not be chargeable to the Edomite for a drop of water or a mouthfull of grasse if my Cattell drinke of thy water then we will pay for it A reasonable request as ever was asked yet the Edomite would not grant it He would give his brother a stone for bread and for a fish a Serpent so he answered his brothers request and then came-out against his brother with much people and a strong hand When In the day of Iacobs trouble And now see what he has done He had no sooner the word of command from Sauls mouth but hee answers it with his hand Turne thou and fall upon the Priests And Doeg the Edomite turned and pursued his Brother with the sword and shewed no pity Ah Lord Can an Israelites heart endure to see this An Edomite flourishing with his sword in Israels
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
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
hundred yeeres then Come-up taking in o our Serious thoughts That wonderfull yeere of â—8 Then the 5th of November 1605. And then 1639. when thâ— second Spanish Fleet was upon our English shore from which our Deliveâ—anâ—e wâ—s more miraculous then was that in 88. because from this lâ—st wee were delivered before we thought of the danger and the snare broken before wee would see it and so up all along to this day But I shall Recall but these three last yeeres TO BRING TO REMâ—MBRANCE how wonderfull The LORD was towards His People in Scotland and here three yeeres agoe Indeed wee have need of all those straits we were in To bring to Remembrance The wonderfull workes of the LORD The operation of His hand in making TWAâ—â—ONE so making Peace Soâ—emâ—eâ—y Recorded on the Seventh of September 1641. And Many dayes of Thanksgiving and opening wide the Churches Mouth Since and before To bring to Remembrance The Churches Deliverance from blooâ—y Courts Cursed Oathes Sore oppressions grievous yoakes vexing Bryars grieving Thornes Divellish Machinations horrid inventions upwards to this day to this very day the 15 of June 1643. To bring to Remembrance What Truely I cannot expresse it I see so much of Hell in it such depths of Sathan That I cannot expresse it But to bring to Remembrance The Admirable kindnesses Wonderfull Providences glorious Discoveries And now I can condemne my owne hasty Spirit and I hope can more quietly Rest upon GOD for after Time The Truth was I thought verily and so did Thousands besides My selfe thinke That if the high Court did Propositi n it once more Treat Spend Time that may with implacable Adversaries If so They will breake us all in pieces Thought I and wiser men then my selfe specially the best affected in the City And yet truly not to belie my selfe I did verily believe That GOD is in heaven and did LAUGH all the while and His Faithfull Servants might laugh too but yet so bruitish My thoughts were Treat once more and break us all So I thought and so though many more not so well considering what GOD had done before and what He might doe then with another Treaty But now having so many experiences we can quietly resigne the matter into GODS hand Let men alone to their worke and GOD alone to His worke and let us doe our duty That is our worke GOD will not breake Hâ—s people not He though men should proposition it again as some will goe neare to doe yet He will not break H s people but He will break His Adversaries as it is at this day Had there not beene those offers to Peace from the contrary side fained and treacherous There had not beene a discovery of those Right Men in Oxford and London Their fine devices the depths of Satan our Adversaries had not so broken themselves and we had not had our good day Thursday the 15. of June To call to remembrance all the forementioned and our old Protestatiâ—n To humble and shame us for it and so to enter into a New a New Covenant Vow and Oath If that bloudy designe had not been and been discovered which was to ruine King Kingdome Lawes Liberties Religion and all So horrid a designe it was and is acknowledged to be by those who should have been Actors in it upon sound conviction we hope true and deepe humiliation for it If such a designe had not been and been disclosed Then had not Shecaniah I meane the Nobles and Worthics of the Land thought upon the way â—zra 10 2. The only way to recover and save a distressed State and Church sinking into the pit of destruction We have done so and so yet there is hope in Israel concerning these things Nâ—w therefore let us make a Covâ—nant with our GOD To put away all persons and things which have thrust GOD from us Let us make a Covenant to doe so and stand to it So spake Shecaniah then So said in effect our Nobles and Worthies now And so they entred into the way the only way to recover a sick and languishing State to raise it up from the dead before the Pit close its mouth upon us VVe know not what will become of it Not how we enter into it nor how we shall stand to it VVe know some will be grieved and have indignation against the Holy Covenant And have intelligence with them that forsake The holy Covenant VVe must leave this to whom it does belong and doe our duty Blesse we GOD who put such a prize into our hands To strengâ—â—en our hands in GOD by renewing our Covenant againe VVe entred into Covenant formerly and some of the chiefest amongst us have done wickedly against the Covenant Dan. 11. corrupted by flatteries and corrupting and so are left to miserable delusions And we the best of us all have done weakly against the Covenant None of us have dealt truly None have kept close to it and to our GOD. And yet is there hope in Israel concerning this To make a Covenant with our GOD firmer and surer laying our heart a fleeting slippery thing under Sacred bands and feâ—ters stronger then Brasse That we will keepe closely with our GOD VVe Yes we Mr. Cal. Sermon and our house As it has been excellently charged upon us will serve our GOD VVho has done all these things for us VVe are firmly resolved to serve Him not as we have served Him but in Sincerity and Truth And being so resolved we will put away all persons and things which stop-up the currant and streame of blessings hindring good from comming-in And wee will advance those persons and doe those things which may procure good to our souls and peace to King and Kingdome VVe will enter into Covenant upon this being firmly resolved so to doe even as Israel under grievous Adversaries Num. 21.12 oppressing some Israelites and imprisoning other some and vexing all Israel Then they vowed a vow unto The LORD That if He would be pleased INDEED to deliver them from that oppressing Adversary They would make sure worke with the Adversary he should annoy and vexe them no more Then I will utterly destroy their Cities Nor will we make gaine of the spoiles but devote all to Thee The giver of Victories Now marke how well pleased The LORD was with this Vow And The LORD hearkned to the voice of Israel and they did as they had vowed for they called the place HORMAH a curse or utter destruction Vers 3. Now The LORD be praised and evermore blessed be His holy Name Who has put it into the heart of His Servants to do this thing the ONE THING NECESSARY at this time an ONELY VVAY to save a Nation as appeareth fully by the words of Shecaniah YET THERE IS THIS HOPE and as clearly in the story of Asa VVhere we reade how the case was with Israel when Israel were loose with their GOD how successefull when the people made a covenant with their
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
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
against Saint Steven They did knocke them closer to their GOD. They could not have wanted that unfaithfulnesse in some nor the treacheries in others or the weaknesses of others they could not have wanted any of all this for all this has greatly advanced the Wisdome Power Goodnesse and Faithfulnesse of GOD. All has made His people wise in the wisedome of GOD and strong in the power of His might If they had not beene so weak once they had not been so strong now If they had not seen what fooles they were they had not been so wise now If they had not been filled with sorrow once their joy had not been so brim-ful now Their salvation could not have come sooner if it had it had not been so well their hearts had not been so prepared for mercy for such ordinances so agreeable to His holy will If they had not been hewed and hacked they had not been polished stones so fitted for a spirituall building In a word their sicknesse has beene better to them then their health their war better to them then peace their prison better then liberty their fallings before their enemy has made them more victorious and in deaths often has made their lives more glorious in the face of heaven and earth Now blessed be GOD. Who dost all things well and in the best time as shall be best to advance Thy glory and Thy peoples salvation Blessed be GOD Why then do with Thy people what Thou wilt take Thine own Time and Way to do with them what Thou pleasest Wilt Thou suffer the Plow-men to make yet longer surrowes upon the backes of the righteous Blessed be Thy Name Thou wilt make the field of Thy Church more fruitfull thereby Shall there be a treading downe by the foot of pride yet longer It is that Thy people may rise in their faith more gloriously Shall Thy people lye yet longer in the deeps it is that one deepe may call upon another the depth of misery to the depth of mercy Shall Thy people lye longer amongst the Pots It is that they may be more glorious as are the wings of a Dove Psal 68.13 covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold Wilt Thou keepe Thy people longer in the furnace It is that Thy people may come forth as silver seven times purified in the fire Thou wilt do Thy people good by all this blessed be Thy Name Yet remember LORD Thy Servants are flesh too their strength is not the strength of stones nor are their bones of brasse Let not the rod of the wicked lye alwayes upon the backes of the righteous lest they also put out their hand to wickednesse lift up the foot to the perpetuall desolation The spirit will faile before Thee LORD hasten Thy work LORD strengthen the hands and the hearts of Thy Servants for they are called by Thy Name and their trust is in Thee Thou wilt save Thou wilt deliver for it is Thy promise Thy Servants will not be beaten from Thee but by their blowes closer to Thee They are well content since Thou art pleased so to see the Tabernacle of David fallen downe Now they looke Thou wilt binde it up firme and stable as a quiet habitation Act. 15.16 a Tabernacle that shall not bee taken downe not one of the stakes thereof shall ever bee removed Isa 33.20 what Thy Servant Iacob said once the seed of Iacob will say ever Gen. 49. I have waited for Thy Salvation O LORD It shall come at the fittest time and by the fittest meanes Even so Amen Hab. 3 17.18.19 Although the Figtree shall not flourish c yet I will rejoyce in The LORD c. Isa 12.1 And in that Day thou shalt say O LORD I will praise Thee Though Thou wast angry with me Thine Anger is turned away and Thou comfortest me Finis tertiae Sectionis