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
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
Land and hold their hands Can they endure to see 85. Priests slaine in one day their City smote with the edge of the Sword both Men and Women Children and Sucklings and Oxen and Asses and Sheepe with the edge of the Sword and by the command of the Evill spirit Can they endure to see all this and stand still the while seeing an Edomite not onely buffeting Israel but utterly destroying a City in Israel Conscience could not hold backe Israel that is certaine But perusing the Text I perswade my selfe thus it was The sentence was hasty from the King hee did indeed suffer Ahimelech to plead for himselfe but Saul was resolved upon the question though there was a parley or treaty betwixt them as if they would come to a good understanding and so end the matter yet Saul was resolved what to doe as some Judges have beene resolved in the Case before they came to their Court to heare the matter To take away Ahimelechs life And he was quicke in doing of it No sooner Ahimelech had given-in his Answer as good Reason and Law both as ever was given but Saul passed his sentence Thou shalt surely dye Ahimelech c. And so it was it was presently done as Saul commanded the evill spirit on him for an Edomite had the doing of it and it was done suddenly on that day he slew 85. Priests and smote their City Man and Beast there On that day A suddaine execution for the evill spirit is strong and as cunning too we are not ignorant of his devices but know not halfe the depths of Sathan he surprized the City before the inhabitants were aware much lesse could the neighbouring Israelites be provided to come-in and rescue their Brethren so suddenly surprized for the Divell watcheth whom and when hee may destroy Besides it was not an ordinary strength that could give checke to and mate That evill spirit working so effectually in Saul and the Edomite the Manager of the Divels and Sauls wrath See we now how all this relates to the present Time And if wee shall finde That the Divell has as active instruments now and Managers of his wrath against Israel as once he had Then I hope wee shall make no more scruple of Conscience to resist the Divell now than the Israelites did make then VVith Gods helpe we will examine the matter and resolve the case of Conscience at that point CHAP. 3. This persecution comes-up to our Times as bloudy now as ever any was in any time The Papists now of the same generation with the Edomites then and as bloudy now as then Our engagements to withstand them In so doing we stand for the King What should be our prayer for him and a case of Conscience touching our obedience to him resolved and the chiefe Objections touching that matter THis persecution of David mannaged by King Saul and the Edomite comes fully up to our times though in the degrees of cruelty and execution thereof it falls much short of what is done now Saul and the Edomite in those dayes destroyed a City of Priests for Davids sake and would have destroyed Keilah also The King by his wicked Counsell have the same execution more then upon designe they have executed the same wrath upon two kingdomes But two Cities then one destroyed the other in designe for destruction Two kingdomes here For Davids sake then The same Reason now because the hands of the godly are with David now I will not spend time now to prove this That the Atheists and Papists are the same in these dayes with the Edomites in Sauls dayes Their words and actions make too sufficient proofe thereof For they have done Psal 137.7 as their Fathers said before them in the day of Ierusalem RASE IT RASE IT EVEN TO THE FOVNDATION THEREOF Children of Edom sure enough So they said in ancient time so they say now So they pursued their Brother with the Sword then so they pursue him now They shewed no pitty then they shew no pitty now They did smiâ—e and burne Cities then they doe the same now Reader I could stuffe my Pages from out of the Records of time with the most horrid horrible divellish c. But I purposely forbeare for thou art satisfied touching this matter from what thou hast heard seene and felt Therefore thou wilt make no question here for Conscience sake Thou wilt resist the Edomite according to the power in thy hand for Conscience sake Conscience of thy vow in Baptisme thou hast vowed there to renounce the divell then this Edomite sure he must be renounced too he is singular but a Legion who is the great MANAGER of all the divels affaires against the â—ity of GOD all the Christian world over Who but the Edomite he does all hee transacts all all the divels affaires come through his hands whether they concerne his Warre or his Peace there is not a Pin to choose if his Peace were not the worst of the two in conscience of thy Vow in Baptisme thou must renounce the Edomite the Sonne as well as the Father the divels Right-hand the Manager of all his affaires upon earth I say it againe that it may bee remembred alwayes Secondly in Conscience to thy oath of Allegeance Thou hast taken an oath to subject thy selfe to the Power GOD has set over thee and that is a Power which cannot be perverted to base ends against GOD and the power of Godlinesse it cannot be Committed to an Edomites hand nor can he be the MANAGER thereof Wee shall heare more of this anon 3. In Conscience of thy Covenant entred-into You are not your own now you are bought with a price you are GODS a sworn Servant to Him You have sworne and will not repent to serve the Living GOD and not the Lusts of Men You have entred into Covenant by the helpe of GOD you are resolved to stand to it and then to stand-up against all those who stand up against GOD and His Truths revealed in His Word We are fully and clearly resolved at this point To stand-up for GOD against the Edomites of these times for Conscience sake nay for the Common-wealths sake as our Countrey-men stood up against the Wolves our Land would not beare them Sect. 2 chap. 6. say some nay the Land would not endure them say I for so sayes my Author too Every man stood-up with his weapon in his hand and out they thrust the Wolves they could not endure them The time will come when we shall doe so with these Edomites too else we cannot maintaine our Lawes our Liberties our Lives and which is the Life of our Lives and should be the Crown of our rejoycing The Gospel we cannot maintaine that if we doe not thrust out the Edomites for they will Thrust us from the Gospel and the Gospel from us We are resolved in this case of conscience touching the Edomite Resistance of him But here is a greater case If wee resist