they were holpen by him How slenderly he set in hand to séeke redresse in these matters may sufficiently appeare if we do but vnfould his doings herein and consider of them For certeyne it is that somewhat he did and such as might beare a reasonable shew and yet notwithstanding his doings being better considered he did in a manner nothing at all That somewhat he did That which might beare some reasonable shewe was first on behalfe of some part of the people then afterward somewhat that he did on behalfe of them all That which he did on behalfe of some part of them was that peece of seruice that he did at o 11.1.13 Iabesh Gilead one of the the Cities beyond Iorden which Nahash the King of the Ammonites had strongly besieged and when the Citizens sued for peace he would in no wise graunt it vnto them but vpon a very cruell and dishonorable condition which was that he might thrust out the right eye of euery one of them and so bring a perpetuall reproach vpon them and vpon the whole nation withall Wherevpon the spirit of the Lord comming vpon Saule he sent foorth his messengers to commaund the people forth-with to followe he quickly got a great number together made haste to Iabesh raysed the siege and gaue a notable ouerthrowe to the enemie Insomuch that whereas before certeyne euill persons made light account of him which also was easily put vp of the rest now were the people generally so farre in loue with this their new King that had not Saul himself stayed them needes would they haue had those ill persons to haue been sought out and for that their former contempt to be put to death now That which afterward he did on behalfe of them all was some part of it of his owne accord and some part agayne by the direct commandement of God Of his owne accord both he did somewhat at the first entrie into his kingdome and afterward he proceeded somewhat further also At his first entrie into his kingdom both p 13.2 he chose out 3000. men to haue in a readinesse vpon all occasions two thousand to attend vpon himselfe and the other thousand on Ionathan his sonne and q 13.5 when the Philistims now began to inuade them agayne he did not only r 13.35.16 addresse himselfe to giue them battaile but also when as ſ 14.1.15 by other meanes they were discomfited he t 14.20 followed vpon them and gaue vnto them a great ouerthrow That which somewhat after he did was in effect no more but this that he did his endeuour in some measure to deliuer his countrie from their enemies Which thing is deliuered vnto vs by two speciall poynts one how he esteemed of such as were meet for the warres the other in what sort he dealt with the enemie Concerning the former u 14 52. it is sayd that he made much of them Concerning the latter it is sayd first generally that x 14.47 not only he did still warre vpon them on euery side and that y 14.52 right sore agaynst the Philistims but also that he z 14.4 euer put them all to the worse and did a 14.48 much rid his people out of the hands of those that spoyled them More specially there are numbred among them not only those of whom we haue some storie set downe as the Ammonites Philistims and the Amalekites but others also of whom we haue no further storie as the Moabites Idumeans and the Kings of Zoba That which he did by the speciall commaundement of God was his expedition b 15.1.9 agaynst the Amalekites at such time as God was disposed to be auenged on them for an old iniurie that almost 400. yeres before they had done to the children of Israel as in the Wildernesse they were passing on to the land of promise In which expedition although he did not execute the iudgment of God agaynst them so strictly and fully as he was commaunded to do yet c 15.7.8 made he a great destruction of the enemie and besides that d 15.6 had a speciall care of the Kenites certeyne auncient friends of the children of Israel to get them out of the way But that it was nothing to speake of that they perished not with the other That yet notwithstanding all these goodly shewes he did in a manner nothing at all it appeareth in this for that the Lord doth flatly reiect him for the want that he found in him Which want of his was of the chiefe and principall matter of all that is of an heart or setled purpose in al things to awayt the Lords direction and then to frame his doings thereafter For seeing that now he was chosen to bee King of Israel that is both to susteyne the person of God among them and to gouerne them not as his owne but only as the people of God how could he but see that now of necessitie he must needes resigne himselfe vnto God euer to seeke his direction of him and in all things to do as he should appoynt That so he did not we haue deliuered vnto vs by two examples that playnlie declare how short he was in those two poynts one in that e 13.9 he awayted not the comming of Samuel the other in that f 15.9 he did not execute the sentence of GOD agaynst the Amalekites with that seueritie that was appoynted In both which notwithstanding we may see that he grewe so néere to his full duetie in those two poynts that a reasonable man would thinke he had done very well and yet in trueth he came very short of that which he ought to haue done in deede For as touching the former of them that is the awayting of Samuels comming the storie is this that Samuel promised to come thether vnto him g 10.8 both to instruct further what he should do and h 11.14 to renew or establish the kingdome vnto him with the generall consent of all before the Lord and therefore willed him there to abide till he came vnto him i 10.8 naming in deed but seauen dayes after the manner of their kinde of speach but yet not meaning any determinate number but that if he thought he taried somewhat long yet not to be wearie for so small a matter This platforme being layd forth vnto him now are wee to see how néere it is that he seemeth to come vnto it and how farre in trueth he commeth short of it He may seeme to come néere vnto it both in that he taried so long as he did and in that he had so good cause as he had then to breake vp He taried k 13.8 vntill the seauenth day and as it seemeth vntil the time of the euening sacrifice of that day it may be also that he taried fully the seauen dayes outright and so consequently altogether so long as the Prophet in strict letter required of him
the first she f 18.20 loued him as one whom she would be glad to make her husband that so wheras Saul g 17.25 before had promised to giue one of his daughters in mariage to him that should slay Goliath now he might the better performe it and David might thereby haue a readier way to that whereunto God had called him a little before and h 19.11.12 after saued his life likewise In the multitude we also finde not only that they thought very well of him for this his victorie but also that they did the like of his other behauiour besides in such things as were now at the first commended vnto him For this is his victorie i 18.6.7 they do not only welcome him home in very good manner out of all their cities and with their instrustuments of musick but also k 18.7 rightly apportion the commendation thereof yeelding to Saul the ordinary power the prayse of one thousand but vnto David or to the extraordinary goodnes of God no lesse than ten thousand And as for his other behauiour likewise in all such things wherein it pleased Saul to imploy him l 18.5 it is also recorded that he was accepted or highly ēstéemed in the sight of all the people and that is more euen in the sight of Sauls seruants also 3 Whether the Lord haue in like sort dealt in these dayes of ours is now to bee seene that is That such a like thing is in these dayes done on behalfe of the Gospell likewise whether in such sort he hath brought in any David vpon the want that is found in others as that by the nature and course of his dealing therein we may hope to see the same David to be by him not only aduaunced but established also for euer Concerning which it is most certeyne that in these dayes also he hath begun to aduance such a David and so fitly agreeing to the patterne that is here set downe as that wee may vpon good ground looke to see the full accomplishment thereof in his good time For whereas Christ and his Gospell can in no wise bee parted and seeing that the Gospell is the scepter of his kingdome here on earth whatsoeuer wisedome and power of God we finde in the manner of Davids aduancement looke by what right wee may translate the same from David vnto the person of Christ as from the figure vnto the trueth by as good right may wee translate it vnto the Gospell likewise the only Scepter of his kingdome on earth First therefore néedes must it also be so inseperably annexed vnto the gouernment that was promised to the tribe of Iudah that by vertue of the promise made vnto it wee may looke for the accomplishment in this likewise And it may be that for that cause especially God hath for so long a time in the late power of darknesse inured Christendome vnto so base and hard a gouernment much worse then was that same of Saules that so the lawfull and most blessed regiment of the Gospel otherwise irksome to flesh and blood might be more welcome not only to the children of God but euen to the common multitude also It may be also that seeing that Princes haue gouerned so ill as for the most part they haue al done few of them so tollerably as did King Saul therefore the Lord doth now begin to aduance the Gospell that so those godlesse and careles Princes may better see what their gouernment was that now by the Gospell they finde to bee so playnlie called vnto the checke and in many things so sharply reprooued and so flatly condemned likewise For it is meete that if the casting away of Saul will not serue to bee a warning vnto them then that they and their gouernment also should be remooued so farre as is néedfull that they be no hinderance to the Gospell of Christ In what sort it is annoynted In the outward annoynting that the Gospell hath had in these dayes of ours though wee denie not but great fault is found yet in effect is it none other but such as was in Davids also For if they say that the Gospell with vs was not at the first receiued by any publike consent of all no more was it at the beginning in the time of Christ and his Apostles neither had David at the first any such annoynting If they say that the wiser and greater sort made but little reckoning of it and had better liking to their owne profession yet therein also they alleage nothing els but the same that before we did see to be the portion of David likewise And seeing that the Gospell now hath the inward testimonie of the spirit in so plentifull measure for that now also the blind do see the deaffe do heare the lame do go the sicke are cured the dead are raysed and such like and the same not only in particular persons and seuerall congregations but in whole States and diuers mightie Kingdomes likewise such petite quarels about the outward annoynting can be no great matter when as the outward is by the inward so throughly confirmed But to make it more out of doubt may we not see if wee looke well about vs that God hath made a way to the Gospell euen as before he did vnto David And though his wisedome and power be infinite and so he were able to deuise and vse many other wayes whatsoeuer yet may we not see that he hath done it in the self same maner that he vsed for David before that so by the former we might the sooner acknowledg his hand in the latter For first we may see How beneficiall the Gospell is made vnto divers First in comforting our troubled mindes that by the Gospell hee hath bestowed great benefits on many and namely such as it pleased him by the hands of David to bestowe vpon others It pleased God by the instrument and musik of David to giue vnto Saul some ease in those mad fits of his And doth hee not much more appease the troubled and desperate conscience of man with that spirituall and heauenly musik which by his Gospell hee bringeth vnto vs and by that notable Harmony that is betwixt the old Testament and the new in those great mercies of God towards all beléeuers now aswell as to the Patriarkes Prophets before and by the vertue of that Communion wherby he hath coupled all the Saints together in one And in what manner or measure soeuer the euill spirit departed from Saul and gaue him some respit whensoeuer David played on his Harpe vnto him sure wee are that when as now the sonne of David playeth on his instrument vnto vs by the preaching of the Gospell wee haue not only a great refreshing in our inward man but also are cleane rid of many euill spirits that before did much molest vs. The seruants of Saul taking his maladie to be but naturall thought of no other helpe but naturall
to shew that hee had the king in his handes to haue done with him whatsoeuer hee woulde Which when the king perceiued g 26.21.25 he was now againe for the time so mooued with it that presently hee brake of this his pursuit and so returned home againe The likelihoodes that Saul had giuen that he would neuer haue offered to David so hard measure againe were h 24.22 that he did acknowledge his fault in pursuing of him and besought his fauour vnto his seede and these with teares That speciall circumstaunce that dependeth heereon and somewhat better helpeth forward to shewe howe egerly he was set vpon David was that so much hee followed on him when as it had bene a great deale meeter to haue deale with the Philistims the common enimie because that they i 23.1 both came vnto Keilah and fought against it and k 23.27.28 afterward againe came into the land during the time of this his pursuing of innocent David The litle helpe that in this persecution God did giue him What helpe it pleased God to afford him in this persecution was in the company that came vnto him for his defence when hee was in distresse by that persecution to the number of sixe hundred men in all Whereof l 22.1.2 fower hundred came vnto him while he was at Adullam and other two hundred mo a while after For we haue mention of sixe hundred in all m 23.13 both when he departed from Keilah and n 30.10 when he went against the Amalekites that had spoyled Ziklag The first fower hundred o 22.1.2 were some of his kindred the residue such as were in debt or timber Of the other there is no speciall thing reported not so much as the time when they came vnto him Sauing that séeing they are found with David when he departed from Keilah and we haue no mention of them before it may seeme that they came vnto him while he was there And likely inough that seeing that David was knowne to be of great valour that such as were disposed to giue themselues to such aduenture would easily vpon such occasion resort vnto him 7 All which things if in these dayes we shall apply to our selues and lay thē to such doings as our eies haue often seene That this latter persecution of Davids is rightly exemplified in these dayes also against the Gospell and dayly yet sée we shall find them to agrée so fitly together as could be deuised and sufficiently to teach vs both what to looke for at the hands of many and how warily to behaue our selues in the meane season whether we respect the occasion of this his persecution or else but the maner whereby it procéedeth For if we respect the occasion of it The occasion whereon this persecution of ours is raysed what is it else that so much offendeth and so greuously incenseth the Sauls of our time but only the good successe of the sonne of David against these Philistims of ours and for that same euill spirit of the Lord doth hereupon help to kindle the furious rage of them against vs For seeing that the Gospell euer now and then getteth in these daies of ours some good hand against all those that seeke to suppresse it they see verie well that if it may still hold on this course it were like shortly to come to passe not only that their craft should be in perill to be set at naught Act. 19.27.37 but also that the Temple of their great Goddesse Diana should be despised and her magnificence should be destroied whome almost all Europe and as they would haue it thought the world did worship whereunto if they haue any speciall fit of that euill spirit of the Lord adioined it is lesse maruell then if all the companie of them thereupon growe to some rageous vprore no maruell then if they be full of wrath and cry out as if they were mad Great is Diana of the Ephesians No maruell then if in their furie they rush together into the common Hall if they catch and hurrie with them Gaius and Aristarchus Pauls companions if some of them draw forth Alexander out of the multitude and others thrust him forward as fast that getting him forth they may there dispatch him as they list if it be a sufficient cause for them all to stop their eares to whatsoeuer he were able to say for his defence only for that he was a Iew and if hauing no cause at all of any concourse much lesse of such a tumultuous vprore yet notwithstanding a shout almost for two howers among them doth rise crying Great is Diana of the Ephesians And when once they are set on such a gog it is not then to say in how eager maner they are like to follow on the seruants of God nor how outrageous crueltie they are like to practise against all such as on the behalfe of the Gospell of Christ shall stand in their way And yet notwithstanding if we come to the maner of such dealing of theirs In what maner it is prosecuted we shall commonly find that for the most part they euer proceede in such sort as the patterne before prescribeth vnto vs and almost euen after the selfesame manner that before they find in the other First in secret For first they do euer desire to do it in secret maner so neere as they can and then if they find that so they cannot they stick not likewise to rush vpon it howsoeuer they thinke occasion offered And as Saul would now again first haue done it by his owne hands in another mad fit of his so to haue coloured the matter the better and now came verie néere vnto it belike because that David did ouermuch trust the oath that he did take to the contrarie a little before euen so we may see that our Sauls also would not stick with their owne hands to put such things in execution especially the case being such as would affoord them any reasonable coulour vnto it whereunto they also come oftimes ouer néere for that vpon their promises and oathes they are ouermuch trusted When themselues are not able to do it then do they imploy others about it and that howsoeuer oportunitie is offered neither sparing such as be sick but séeking to haue them bed and all nor so much as able either to hold pacience with any though neuer so néere that any way frustrate their wicked attempts or to find any other meaning if so they should but that they are mocked therein And that which is more when they find themselues in such sort defeated as that they may plainly perceiue that it is no meaner then God himselfe that doth resist them and though he do the same also in neuer so good and gracious maner yet will they neuer be warned thereby nor any thing staied in their wicked attempts but euer run on to the vttermost point that they are able
to reach Neither are they able to denie but that by the selfe same spirit which in others they persecute with all extremities many of themselues are so taken that they also prophecie in manie things in respect of that palpable error that both we and they were in before and of that knowledge that now we haue common vnto vs both In which case also if any man thinke that they should so reuerence either that speciall gift of Prophecie an euident worke of the spirit of God or his great goodnes to them 2. King 1.9.12 in that he doth not cast some fearefull iudgement vpon them as in the like case fire from heauen vpon many of those that came for Eliiah but doth so graciously compas them in or rather imbrace them with the armes of his rare and singular mercie this one example of Saul in this case a man no doubt nothing so ill as most of them may sufficiently teach how far such an one may be deceiued If that will not the daily experience of these daies of ours is so passing fruitfull in such examples that it only may put it cleane out of question And as Saul when he saw that he did no good in pursuing of him withdrew himselfe for a time to await some such opportunitie as that David might of himselfe haue falne into his hands and for that purpose stooke not to take a time appointed to speciall deuotion for to accomplish his bloudie enterprise so these likewise both await such opportunities and stick not for any solemnitie of the time whatsoeuer but can redily find in their hearts then to commit any iniquitie whatsoeuer when as the time doth specially call them vtterly to abandon all vngodlines and with all sinceritie and holines of mind to sanctifie themselues vnto the Lord. Then openly Comming vnto their open practises there also we find that their rage is so great that first others féele it for Davids sake and then Against others for the Gospels sake that they pursue David himselfe likewise all that they can And among others that find of their outrageous crueltie for Davids sake sometime Jonathan himselfe is not frée For néerenes of bloud in this case helpeth but little oftentimes and it were no hard matter to find a great Prince among vs that not only attempted vpon the like occasion to destroy his owne sonne but most vnnaturally and most vngodly did it in déede Neither can they be perswaded but that so many as fauour any thing at all the righteous cause of those that are oppressed and are sorie to sée such vnreasonable crueltie practised against them and such especially as professe the Gospell themselues and are entered into a couenant with it do all conspire their ouerthrowe and set vp their owne seruants against them Insomuch that not their owne retinue can be void of this suspition but that they also conspire against them vnlesse they be euer whispering in their eares whatsoeuer naughtines they can deuise both against the truth it selfe and against the professors of it But as for the Priests of the Lord they are euer sure to pay for it whensoeuer any quarell can be pretended against them no regard being had of the multitude nor of such as are innocent among them nor how iustly any thing they haue done might be excused nor how slender an accusation either in respect of the partie or thing it selfe is brought against them In what case they were in his time how poore and néedy he little regarded and it may be he did not so much as knowe it neither And yet must it néeds be verie apparant when as Ahimelech the high Priest had neither sustenance 21.4.9 wherewithall to releeue a man if neede were nor so much as a weapon for his iust defence but was faine to take of the Shew-bread for the one and the Sword of Goliath for the other that as it seemeth by the place it was in had now bin consecrated vnto the Lord. This without question he might haue perceiued and of dutie he should haue amended But heere he is blind and seeth nothing and yet in the other he is so verie sharp that for an hillok he hath quickly found no lesse then a mountaine Wherein also the Sauls of our time are nothing behind They neuer cast how to take any good order for the needfull honest maintenance of the true seruants of God and likely inough that they do not so much as conceiue that they haue any such want But if those seruants of God at any time slip if they tread their shoe awry neuer so little or if they haue not offended at all but only by vniust and hard construction yet if an accuser may once he found if any thing may be surmised against them it is inough by and by they must heare thou shalt surely dye Ahimelech thou and all thy fathers house Against the Gospel it selfe In their pursuites of our David also we may see that they follow the steps of the other If he be in a walled Citie he is forthwith shut vp in their hands and then must they make all the hast that they can that they leese not such an opportunitie as it All good deserts must then be forgotten and either must the Lords of Keilah falsly betray him that saued them and their Citie and treacherously deliuer him vp to the hands of his enemies or cast their Citie and themselues withall into the perill of present destruction Saul being so furiously bent as he was If we wote not what is become of him yet must he be fought for euery day that so in this matter we leese no time but so little as may be If any get knowledge where he haunteth and how we may come to obteine our desired pray then are they the blessed of the Lord and they forsooth haue compassion on vs and though they be such as could not detect him but that withall they must condemne themselues to be naught and to betray the godly and iust yet must such treachery be couered ouer with so goodly a name And if once we be in the chace and néere to our pray hardly can any thing turne vs aside whatsoeuer it be Neither doth it any thing auaile though David witnes plainly inough his owne integritie though our selues haue neuer so good experience of it and though for a time our hearts do breake and teares gush out to thinke how vnkindly we haue gone about to take away the life of him that so faithfully hath preserued ours It is no more but a morning clowd and we can no sooner heare of any other opportunitie offered but by and by we returne to our former bent and persecute David as freshly againe as euer we did Howsoeuer we may seeme to leaue off so long as we see not how to preuaile yet if once we get but some glimse of any good hope by and by we rush vnto it againe nothing at all regarding how
or but in needfull maner to help forward the cause it selfe that we haue in hand which as we know is of more price then to be hassarded by the want of either of these we must be liberall vnto the one and thankfull also vnto the other 12 That which may séeme to go against that hope of ours that expecteth a further accomplishment of these things to vs That this goodnes of God towards David was not founded on Davids excellencie is the difference that is supposed to be betwixt David to whom it was performed before and all those is whom the application that we haue made doth séeme to promis the same now Concerning which difference first it is to be knowne that though such a difference there be yet may it not abolish this hope that we speake of and then are we more specially to examin what is the difference that is betwixt vs. That although such a difference there be yet is it not to abolish the hope that we speake of may sufficiently appeare for that such mercie of God towards vs is not measured forth vnto vs according to the measure of our deserts but so far-forth as he in his wisedome is determined for to aduance his honor among vs. For if the case be of that nature that the worthines or vnworthines of the persons be not respected then though the difference that is betwixt vs were much greater then it is yet may it not bar vs of that hope That God is purposed of himselfe euer more and more to increase his goodnes towards vs and that thence ariseth great hope unto us that in such case may arise vnto vs. But thus rather we are to gather that the Lord is so fully purposed more and more to shew or open himselfe to the world that he will still hold on that course of himselfe not respecting whether those on whom he bestoweth such further manifestation of his glorie deserue it or not And yet notwithstāding he doth oftimes withall auenge himselfe with great seueritie on many of those that do receiue the grace of God in vaine Howbeit for this time it shall be sufficient for vs to consider how we may find him to hold this course that euer as the world groweth néerer to the consumation thereof and so consequently the full aduancement of the kingdome of God the more approacheth so doth he likewise more and more aduance his glorie on earth not respecting the desert or worthines of those that liue whether they were better or worse then those that were before or after in their seuerall times do follow This may we see in the whole course of the world generally and in both those sorts of people the Iewes and the Gentiles with whome it pleased God to deale more specially This to be apparant in the whole course of the world generally In the whole course of the world generally we may behold that he was much more gracious vnto the world when he chose vnto him one people among them all and bestowed the Law vpon them then for the space of two thousand yéeres almost he was to those that liued before among whome he chose to himselfe no one people stock or familie that we do reade of but only a few seuerall persons on whom also he bestowed no such knowledge as afterward he did on those others So likewise when afterward he vouchsafed to enlarge the kingdome of God to all nations and to their better instruction to bestow the Gospell vpon them we may plainly perceiue that heerein he was much better to the world now then he was before vnto it for that now he hath taken in all nations indifferently and giuen vnto them the truth it selfe whereas before he tooke but one and gaue vnto thē but figures also But shall we therefore say that those ages that haue succéeded are better then those that were before Or may we not herein plainly perceiue that he in such case doth nothing respect either the worthines or the vnworthines of those on whom he bestoweth such mercies but only that himselfe at all times doth euen as he in himselfe hath ordeined To come to the Iewes In his dealing with the Iewes that first were chosen the peculiar people of God Abraham Izhak and Iaakob had but the promises made but their posteritie in proces of time had the accomplishmēt of all those promises The people that came out of Aegypt perished in the wildernes but those which followed came into the land of promis Moses could but sée it from the top of a mountaine a far off but to Joshua was it giuen to enter in to make a conquest of it and to diuide it vnto the people For a time they had in a maner but a popular state but afterward they grew to a Kingdome At the first they had but the Law but afterward had they the Prophets also Christ was for a time but verie obscurely propounded vnto them by those figures and shadowes of the Law but afterwards by the preaching of the Prophets a great deale more plainly opened vnto them The glorie of the first Temple was verie great but could not in any wise compare with the latter The Kingdome of Christ was much aduanced among the Iewes by his own preaching and works while he was on the earth among them but nothing like to that which afterward folowed by the ministerie of the Apostles when himself was taken vp from among them Should we therefore hereupō prefer before Abraham Izhak Iaakob that imbased posteritie of theirs that after followed Ioshua before Moses and the Disciples of Christ before Christ himselfe Or should a popular estate be preferred before a Kingdome the former Temple before the latter the ceremonies and shadows of the Law before the plainnes truth of the Gospel Yet so must it be if God should haue bestowed those greater blessings according to the dignitie of the persons or if he held not a set course to make his goodnes more apparantly knowne to those that follow after then vnto those that went before In his dealing with the Gentiles Among the Gentiles we may sée the selfe-same course obserued also For though there were not many of thē at the first got into the faith of Christ yet a while after they were innumerable though for a time they were excedingly hated and vnder most bitter persecution yet shortly after they were honored of all and enioied the faith in peace After which time manie of those Churches were caried away with error againe and in those which remained the truth of God was verie much corrupted also according as the scripture foreshewed before and as the sinne of the world had iustly deserued Whereupon God in mercie disposed to call back certain of those Churches againe vnto their former faith in him and to that end raising vp to the world notable men mightily furnished with his holie spirit although we find that vnto them and to many
so strong apart by themselues and in this quarell so knit together the one with the other the ecclesiasticall and ciuile together But when now the time was come the Priests that bare the Arke of the Lord could no sooner by the commandement of Ioshua step into the riuer and but profer to make their entrie but that by and by a wonder to see the waters parted and gaue them passage on dry ground Our Iericho also was verie strongly walled about But are not the walles thereof in good part falne alreadie and do they not yet daily fall more and more at least wheresoeuer the Priests do sound their trumpets and the people according thereto lift vp their voice and cry them downe Many Kings and Princes there are that haue gathered themselues together against our Ioshua also so soone as euer he hath made his entrie and though it were in so wonderfull maner that therein only they may plainly perceiue that his entrie was from aboue by the mightie hand of God yet were they not so touched therewith but that still they would bend their forces against him so much as they could But what haue they gained thereby Diuers of them haue sharply felt the mightie hand of God against them and what letteth but that we may looke to see these beginnings at the length to be brought to happy endings Certainly our Ioshua is to preuaile against all those that come against him and to diuide the promised land to the children of Israel Only let vs take héede to this that when God is so redie as to bestow these mercies on vs our selues be not so far to séeke whē we should receiue them or do not endeuour in such sort to addresse our selues thereunto as our own good and the nature of the cause doth require Let there be no want in vs and then shall we vndoubtedly sée the goodnes of God in the land of the liuing For he is faithfull that so hath promised 18 And now O Lord what els remayneth A Prayer upon this whole storie but that as thou hast alreadie begun to thy glorie and our comfort thus farre to aduaunce thy kingdome among vs euen so it would please thee to proceede vnto the ende euen to the full accomplishment of it The Gospell that thou hast sent vnto vs and which as thou hast aduaunced alreadie in some good measure so wee desire that it may be aduaunced still euery day more and more what is it els but the power and very Scepter of thine annoynted And what one is there among vs all that may reasonably doubt but that thine holy oyle is vpon it When thy holye spirit worketh so mightily with it euen that only doth sufficiently witnesse that it also is annoynted by thee The benefite that thereby redoundeth to others is so apparant and great that in that respect also it may not be doubted but that it procéedeth from thée and right well deserueth to be further aduaunced that so the benefite that commeth with it may be thereby enlarged to mo For by it also our troubled spirits and doubtfull hearts towards God are notably appeased and deepely setled in sound comfort and ioy in that we vnderstand thereby how thy wrath is appeased towards vs and that there is no damnation to those that are in thee And whereas wee also were as much in bondage to certayne of late as thy Israel was to those Philistims then and out faced likewise with a monsterous Goliath that defied thy saincts and often brake foorth into most blasphemous speaches agaynst thy trueth and of whom al thy people were so afrayd that they durst not abide his presence thou hast in these dayes and before our eyes by this the power of thy out-stretched and mightie arme so notably ouerthrowne and trodden downe that out-growne Champion of theirs and therewithall put the whole power of them to such a flight as that thereby thou hast deliuered many of thy people out of their hands and so vnioynted their power ouer the residue also that now it is no hard matter for any that will to deliuer themselues from this their tyrannie Neither can it bee denied but that in these dayes there are not a fewe that do beare it such a good will as that thereby thou hast made vnto it in these secondarie meanes with vs a readier way to come to the height that is due vnto it For not only the people generally do in many places beare good will vnto it and leauing the glorie of a thousand to Saul ascribe no lesse then ten thousand to it but many Ionathans also there are whose hearts thou hast in such sort touched that they haue it in so great not estimation only but euen admiration also that al they can do is too little for it Neither their furniture nor abiliments of honour are so deare vnto them but that it must haue them all and though it be their owne father that would do it any dishonor or hurt yet can they not suffer it at their hands neither but still preuent it so much as they can And whereas yet there are many likewise that are enemies vnto it yet doth not that enmitie of theirs proceede of other occasion then that of Saul did agaynst David nor yet is prosecuted in other manner For what other thing is there that so kindleth their hearts agaynst the Gospell but only the ill temper that is in them and for that they playnlie see that it is the thing that thou art disposed now to aduance and that themselues and their loose regiment must now come downe and giue place vnto it And that it might the better be knowne to bée of the same nature that the other was of how doth it proceed after one and the selfe same manner first in secret and openly after and yet very rageous not only agaynst David himself but also agaynst many others for his sake euen as their furie therein doth leade them A thing that though themselues perceiue not yet is it to vs and to all that are able to see a sufficient matter whereby to decipher both what it is they do impugne and who they are that do impugne it We see likewise and must needes acknowledge and as to our comfort we do behold it so do wee right gladly acknowledge it also that notably thou hast begun alreadie to aduaunce thy Gospell among vs that thou hast made it a readie way by preseruing encreasing and strengthning those by whom it pleaseth thee to aduance it and that thou hast alreadie subdued many countries and kingdomes vnto the obedience of the same and much weakned diuers of those that stand agaynst it In Hebron thou doest already reigne ouer the tribe of Iudah thine owne kindred and though Israel for many of them do as yet stand out agaynst thee yet those also hast thou weakened much and daily encreasest in strength agaynst them But O Lord such is thy maiestie and so worthie art thou to
him and as he loved not blessing so shall it be farre from him 17. As he clothed himself with cursing like a rayment so shall it come into his bowels like water and like oyle into his bones 18. For the backbiters shall not be established upon the earth evill shall hunt out the cruel man to destruction 140.41 And in the evening they shall go to and fro and barke like dogges and go about the citie 59.14 They shall runne here and there for meat and surely they shall not be satisfied though they tarie all night 15. The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance be shall wash his feete in the bloud of the wicked 58.10 And men shal say verily there is fruite for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth the earth 11. And he wil recompence them their wickednesse and destroy them in their owne malice yea the Lord our God shall destroy them 94.23 But I shal be like a greene Oliue tree in the house of God for I trusted in the mercie of God for ever and ever 52.8 But malice shall slay the wicked and they that hate the righteous shall perish 34.21 The Argument Fiftly he calleth on the godly to their further incouragement shewing the great goodnesse of God towards them and that in the way of godlines whatsoeuer their troubles are yet notwithstanding they shall neuer fall A very good exercise for vs also in respect of the weaknesse of many and loosenes of others the shorter that Dauid is in this matter and the more thereby we are left to our selues the more carefull we ought to be thereof The Psalme The 10. Psalme WHo will rise up with me agaynst the wicked or who will take my part agaynst the workers of iniquitie 94.16 Come ye children hearken unto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. 34.11 Tast ye and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him 8. Offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse and trust in the Lord. 4.5 Praise ye the Lord with me and let vs magnifie his name together 34.3 Feare the Lord ye his saints for nothing wanteth to those that feare him 9. What man is he that desireth life and loveth long dayes for to see good 12. Keepe thy tung from evill and thy lips that they speake no guile 13. Eschew evill and do good seeke peace and follow after it 14. Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall nourish thee he will not suffer the righteous to fall for ever 55.22 The righteous crie and the Lord heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles 34.17 The Lord is neere unto them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as be afflicted in spirit 18. Last of all hauing layd all these things together before him he notably acknowledgeth the great goodnesse of God towards him and promiseth thankes and praise And so it is our duetie likewise in such sort to vnfould the goodnesse towards vs in all these poynts before rehearsed as that thereby we stirre vp our selues euer to be thankefull more and more Vnto which apperteyne these two Psalmes following The first Psalme of the sixt sort The Argument In the former of them he doth no more but promise or set downe with himself that he will be thankefull A good purpose in him and such as is as iustly deserued at our hands also The Psalme The 11. Psalme I Will give thankes alway unto the Lord his praise shall be in my mouth continually 34.1 I will give thanks unto the Lord greatly with my mouth and praise him among the multitude 109.30 I wil praise thee ô Lord my God withal my heart yea I wil glorifie thy name for ever 86.13 And my tung shall utter thy righteousnesse and thy prayse every day 35.28 That I may declare with the voyce of thanks-giving and set forth al thy wonderous works 26.7 I will praise thee ô Lord among the people and I wil sing unto thee among the nations 57.9 So will I give thanks in the great congregation I will praise thee among much people 35.18 Thus will I magnifie thee all my life and lift up mine hand in thy name 63 4. My soule shal be satisfied as with marrow and fatnes and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lips 5. When I remembred thee upon my bed and when I thinke upon thee in the night watches 6. Because thou hast been my helper therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce 7. Thy loving kindnesse is better than life therefore my lips shall praise thee 3. For thy mercie is great unto the heavens and thy trueth unto the clowdes 57.10 For great is thy mercie towards me and thou hast delivered my soule from the lowest grave 86.13 For thou hast delivered my soule from death and also my feete from falling that I may walke before God in the light of the living 56.13 All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee which deliverest the poore from him that is too strong for him yea the poore that is in miserie from him that spoyleth him 35.10 When I sayd my foote slideth thy mercie ô Lord stayed me 94.18 In the multitude of my thoughts in mine heart thy comforts have rejoyced my soule 19. Hath the throne of iniquitie fellowship with thee which forgeth wrōg for a law 20. My foote standeth in uprightnes I will praise thee ô Lord in the congregations 26.12 O Lord God the strength of my saluation thou hast covered my head in the day of battell 140.7 Among the Gods there is none like unto thee and there is none that can do like unto thy works 86 8. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship thee ô Lord and shall glorifie thy name 9. For thou art great and doest wondrous things thou art God alone 10. O Lord of hosts how amiable is thy Tabernacle 84.1 For a day in thy Courts is better than a thousand other-where I had rather be a dorekeeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse 10. For the Lord God is the Sunne and shield unto us the Lord will give grace and glorie and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke uprightly 11. I will sing of thy power and will praise thy mercie in the morning for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble 56.16 Vnto thee ô my strength wil I sing for thou art my defence my merciful God 17. S. D. G.