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
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
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