he removed with comfort enough from one Court to another from that on earth to that in Heaven I shall be the longer upon this bloody execution purposely and with the more enlargement That it may sparckle and flash in the face of him or them for there are such snakes in the world that would burne downe that house which hath preserved him would consume them and their houses who would have kept his not from fire only but from smelling of the smoake would shed the blood of those to his power who lay-out themselves all they have and all they are for the building-up and establishing of him and his house for ever We proceed So Ioash did so bloody was his command How so the Spirit of GOD gives us the reason of that unnaturall and most unkingly act Ioash the King remembred not the kindnesse which Jehojada his Father had done unto him but slew his Son k ver 22. There was never any wicked cruell mischievous rebellious Idolatrous to say all in one word unthankfull person in the world but he was a forget still person he remembred not the kindnesse of the LORD That great Benefactor nor the kindnesse of the servants of the LORD that spake good for him before the LORD and did him all the good that was Iudg. 8. 34 35. in their power And so forgetting all this he will not care how he deales with GOD nor how injuriously with the faithfull servants of GOD. Oh that we could consider not only what defilement and provocation is in sinne but also what unkindnesse and unthankfulnesse against God the fountaine that fills all our cisternes and if we forget this can make holes in them so as they shall hold no comfort did we remember this we would be thankfull to GOD and not forget the kindnesse of Man towards us as Ioash did he remembred not the kindnesse which Jehojadah his Father had done to him but slew his Son Not he the people did it and that is legible in the same place True and so is this at the commandement of the King what the King commands he does and so did wrong and violence to the blood of his best servant And what shall be done to him now The word indeed is gone out against him though a King A man that doth violence to the blood of any Pro. 28. 17. Nemo homicidae miseretur Iun. Gen. 9. 6. Exod. 29. 14. person shall flie to the pit let no man stay him d That is let no man pitty him saying It is a thousand pitties such a brave man should die No he has shed mans blood his blood must be shed and quickly too there must be no delay in the execution of judgement and justice he shall flee to the pit But it was Ioash the King that gave this command and he is accountable to none but GOD. Well be it so but he finds an heavy reckoning there he has slaine the faithfull servant of GOD the Sonne of Iehojada who was his Nurse his Father his Uncle his Guardian his Tutour his Councellour he was All to him next to GOD and he has slaine him in the Court of GODS House The Lord has smitten His Hand a Ezek. 22 13. at this which the people have done at the commandement of the King And there is a prayer put up to Heaven against Ioash the King just at the time this blood was shedding The LORD looke upon it and require it b ver 22. The Lord is just He will doe it He will take the matter into His owne Hand He will reckon with Ioash for this and speedily for blood never continues long upon the score Thus it was and so the LORD began with him afflicting him lightly at the first afterwards more grievously as His manner is We passe over now the expedition of Hazael against Iudah when Ioash was sore afraid and redeemed his peace at a deare rate m 2 King 12. 18. We will fixe our eye rather upon this That the LORD would now over-match him by a despicable enemy He sent a handfull of Syrians n 2 Chro. 24. 24 against him few or many is all one if the LORD leades the Hoast these made an in-rode upon his Land and slew the Princes of Judah The PRINCES marke that at whose perswasion the King had become a Rebell to the King of Kings they slew the PRINCES they hurried and pillaged the People notwithstanding their MILITIA and left the King in great diseases to be cured thereof by his owne mercilesse Vassalls who murthered him upon his bed So which is observable also The end of his time came then upon him then was the last yeare of his Reigne when he thought himselfe but beginning to live as he listed without controlement in the exercise of meere Power Supposing belike That he was no free PRINCE unlesse he did what hee listed and as long as one durst tell him the plain truth how great soever that mans deservings were that did so yea though GODS Commandement required it We will gather up some observations from hence and then conclude We observe 1. That Ioash his Militia had no power The Army of the Syrians come up a small company of men and the LORD delivered a very great Host into their hand Was not that ver 24. strange No there is a mighty reason why it was so because they had forsaken the LORD GOD of their Fathers He that forsakes God is as a man who in time of warr forsakes his Rock Castle or strong hold and exposeth himself to the mouth of the Cannon This forsaking of GOD is like the cutting of Samsons locks his strength goes presently from him and he becomes weake c Judg. 16. 19 Forsake GOD and ye forsake your strength and become weaker then women and shall not doe so much as wounded men Let sinners in Sion be afraid let fearfullnesse surprize the Hypocrites the Church cannot feare an Army of Papists though never so great an Host for they have forsaken GOD and are of no power But yet here is cause enough from this Scripture to make a revolted Nation bethinke themselves for 2. Here was more then a bare forsaking of GOD here was a serving of Idols they provoked him with their Images and strange vanities Then it was not possible they could be in any better Posture of Defence now the enemies are entred upon them then are so many naked men for we have read long since Idols make a People NAKED d Exo 32. 25. 3. Nor was this all the worst is The guilt of innocent blood lyeth upon the people they had shed it they were instruments 2 Chron. 28. 19 in that horrid execution Then in-come the Syrians upon Israel a small company of Rovers intending to pillage and away againe but finding the doores of the Kingdome wide open for the defence was gone this small company march-on Numb 22. 4. against Joash his huge Army bigg
abominations and so I met with a 4 h thing 4. The exactest patterne of posturing a Kingdom that ever was looked upon the very work you are upon now Shall it prosper The Lord knows I cannot tell and yet I have enquired of the Oracle I can tell it is your work and woe unto you if you do it not but how you hand-it I cannot tell nor by what line and levell you go nor do I take upon me to judge therof but till you make answer to God in that point you will never be answered Truely I cannot tell vvhat to say to men or their vvork The Oracle that is the word of God tels me they are fickle inconstant preposterous too they begin where they should end and end where they should begin the manner of Men. This only I can tell for so the Oracle tels me that when the Worthies of Israel Kings and Princes there Priest and People too in the Nonage of their King fell upon this great worke the Posturing their Kingdom they began vvith an Ordinance against Idolatry That is the Land vvasting sin nor did they mock God for vvhosoever lifted up his hand to a strange god him they cut-off d 2 Chr. 15. 13. Then behold breaking cutting burning drowning casting out of Idols all untill they had utterly destroyed them all * 2 Chro. 31. 1. Nay they cast down the talest person and Image in the Land The Queen Mothers Image her son Asa the King did not spare her no not her Then the work went on and they prospered Now as was said I take not upon me to judge by what line and levell the work is carried-on if as Iudahs vvork was we can the more heartily wish your prosperity in the name of the Lord for our lives to say no more the life of our lives is wrapt-up with it if otherwise and you work not as you have them for an ensample yet the worke of the Lord shall go-on that shall prosper He is vvorking now to make His Church a quiet habitation and He vvill bring His work about through the straits and by the crosse ways and wils of men though you should desert the work and vvith-draw your hands from should ring up the Lord Christ to His Throne He cals for your hand to honour you and wo to you if you with-draw but I say He needs you not He can set Himself in His throne without you His vvork shall go-on in despight of Devils or men As sure as the Lord lives His work shall go on What a proud word is that from a mans mouth Yes if it were not from Gods mouth Lift up thine eyes round about saith the Lord Esa 49. 14. now hearken what we say what shall we behold a company of Pillagers Robbers Spoylers It grieves our hearts to lift up our eys round about and behold The Lord give us patience that we may stand still and heare Him out and wait till He hath done His whole work for hearken what He saith to stay the heart All these gather themselvs and come to thee what to spoyle and rob the Church No to adorne and beautifie her The Church shall have many Vid calv children they shall flock-in unto her as the Chickens to the Hen as Children to their Mother and their graces shall abound and there is the Churches ornament But shall this be Yes the Lord hath sworne it shall be As I LIVE saith the LORD thou shalt surely cloath thee with them Esa 49. 19. all as with an ornament and bind them on thee as a Bride doth For thy waste and thy desolate places and the Land of thy DESTRVCTION Mark that this Land shall be glorious for all this it shall rejoyce over her enemies the Land of thy destruction shall even now be too narrow by reason of the Inhabitants and they that swallowed thee up shall be farr away As I LIVE saith the LORD And this work in His Hand shall be perfected in His time Our time is now His time not yet till His whole work be performed Bryars and thorns are now set against the Lord in battell * Esa 27. 4. As sure as the Lord liveth He will go through them and burn them together in His own time when these thornes have bin to His people as those were to Manasseh when they have humbled His people been a sanctified meanes to purge the iniquity of Jacob for that is the fruit of thorns to the servants of God when their hearts shall be therby prepared for the great work of Reformation then the Lord will goe through these Bryars and thornes there shall be no more feare of them In the meane time the Lord will helpe His people with a little helpe so much as shall revive their hopes when they be fainting and keepe up their spirits in assured Confidence That the work shall be done then when Jacob shall most rejoyce and Israel shall be right c 1 Kin. 8. 59 60 61. glad * Ps 53. 6. Amen IT is this three and twentieth day of December 1641 ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament concerning Printing that this Book entituled The Kings Chronicle be printed IOHN WHITE THE KINGS CHRONICLE The Scope and purpose thereof To shew What the Militia is That all Kings and Princes and Nobles of the World have made it their worke To promote the same i. e. To strengthen themselves and set their Kingdome in a Posture of Defence But willing contraries and not so much missing as crossing the way They failed of the end so became great Examples THE Militia of the Kingdome is now pressing-on and advancing as great bodies moove or as we passe through a crowde or through Thornes now it putts-on-ward and then thrust-backe againe and yet it must goe-on through all oppositions and the more victoriously the greater the opposition is which must be great All that the Devills can doe to hinder it shall be done for it is a worke honourable and glorious of an immense weight and worth All conclude it to be so and this is the short description which all doe give of it The setting a Kingdome the King and People there in a posture of defence Wee may give severall descriptions of the same thing so of this though the first containes all It is the shutting in the Doores or Frontiers of a Kingdome and to shut them in so as was the doore of the Arke by GODS owne Hand a Gen. 7. 16. It is as the setting up of two Pillars 1 King 7. 21. JACHIN and BOAZ assuring the Land That in the LORD JEHOVAH is Salvation and strength b It is c. It is the maintaining the two staves b Zech 11. 10. 14. 1. The staffe of BEAUTY which I will call the ETERNALL GOSPELL being the stay and staffe of every particular Person and GLORY of the whole Nation 2. The staffe of BANDS The binding of a People
FOR THE DEVILS m ver 15. Reader marke that and FOR THE DEVILS and carry it home to the idolaters of our dayes But they will never beleeve you That when they serve GOD after their owne way they doe not serve Him but Devils and when they doe ordaine Priests for their Masse they doe ordaine them for the Devils They will not beleeve you in this That they doe now as Jeroboam did sacrifice to the Devils and make Priests to the Devils No not they they are wiser then so They make Altars and Priests and Sacrifices too all of their owne making as Aaron made a Feast to a Exod. 32. 5. JEHOVAH so indeed they say and they thinke they have a strong proofe from that which Aaron said not weighing what the LORD saies a little after They worshipped the Calfe they sacrificed to the Calfe That they did saith the LORD Why then they sacrificed to the ver 8. Devill and worshipped the Devill saith the Lord. Tell 1 Cor. 10. 20. them this though they will not regard it for they regard not what the LORD says but when you have told them so and bid them consider on it you have told them the truth and done your Duty Reade on After the fore-mentioned others also even such as set their hearts to seek the LORD GOD of Israel came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto the LORD GOD of their Fathers c ver 16. What followes now That whereon we must set a Marke So they strengthened the Kingdome of Judah They were the very MILITIA of the Kingdome Who such as set their hearts to seeke the LORD Here we must put the marke When they come to a City Towne or Country who set their hearts to seeke the LORD they bring a blessing along with them They fortifie the place exceedingly they make the City EXCEEDING STRONG they are the MILITIA of the City So it followes So THEY strengthened the Kingdome of Judah and made Rehoboam STRONG Yes Prince and people all are STRONG now why now Now that Priests and Levites are come unto them SUCH AS SET THEIR HEARTS TO SEEKE THE LORD It is notable also to consider how long the Prince and people continued Strong How long It is answered THREE YEARES o ver 17. for so long they walked in the way of David and Solomon What way was that GODS way sure an holy way and wee must set a marke there also The way a Prince must take to make himselfe and his Kingdome strong is to WALKE in the first p 2 Chro. 17. 3 WAY OF DAVID AND SOLOMON when David performed the Wills of GOD * Act. 13. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We will note no more but this in this Chapter concerning Rehoboam that he did against the Commandement for he multiplyed wives to himselfe q Deut. 17. 17. After this time when Rehoboam had established the Kingdome r 2 Chron. 12. and strengthened himselfe HE FORSOOK THE LAW of the LORD What followed that bad example Multitudes what way soever the King takes he goes not alone the people will presse and throng after him as here Chap. 12. in this place And ALL ISRAEL with him s ver 1. Note we therefore what a traine followes the King Jeroboam commands a CALVISH worship All Israel follow the Commandement Jeroboam is never mentioned but with his traine after him A Ruler hearkens to lyes What if he does or what is that to his Servants Yes for it followes ALL HIS SERVANTS are wicked t Pro. 29. 12. They will doe as their Master doth and thinke they doe well they will find a way or make a way after the Commandement they will goe REHOBO AM FORSOOKE THE LAW OF THE LORD AND ALL ISRAEL WITH HIM What then Then all was turned upside downe Bury me with my face downe-ward saith Diogenes Why so man Because said he the Rulers are naught and all will be nought presently now all will be turned upside downe and then my face will be upward againe in the fittest posture Just so with Rehoboam upside downe a marvellous alteration presently He that was strong before is now weake as water That which was sound is now become as rottennesse his Strength which seemed INFINITE u Nah. 3 9. mouldred away and became rottennesse his MILITIA fainted his strong-holds were like the first ripe figgs which fall into the mouth of the Eater x Nah. 3. 12. See there Rehoboam forsakes the Law of his GOD GOD forsakes him breakes downe his hedges takes away his DEFENCE from his Cities and strong holds exposeth him to the WILL of his Adversary which yet the LORD sets bounds unto and that we must note SHISHAK and he was Successour of that Aegyptian whose Daughter Solomon had married thereby the better to assure his estate which while he served GOD was by GOD assured against all and the greatest neighbouring Kings And when he forsooke Him it was torne asunder by his meanest vassals This Shishak distressed Judah for THEY HAD TRANSGRESSED AGAINST THE LORD a 2 Chron. 12. 2 and He left them in his hand But this helped the King and the people very much even their humbling themselves under Gods mighty hand and submitting saying THE LORD IS RJGHTEOVS b ver 6. Therefore the LORD did not stirre up all His wrath He would not destroy them altogether Neverthelesse because Rehoboam and his people would serve strange gods therefore they should be under the yoake of a strange King SERVANTS VNTO HIM c ver 7 8. And because they would change so good a Master they should know His service and the service of other Kings Judah should not get his neck from under the Egiptian yoake Moreover Shishak pilliged the house of the LORD and the Kings house for he TOOKE ALL thence his Shields of gold also instead of which Rehoboam made ver 9. Shields of brasse and they were good enough for him who had embased the Temple and impured the service there and a change fit enough for him too who was so ready to change the worship of his God Notwithstanding the Lord graunted to Prince and people SOME DELIVERANCE He would not destroy the King ALTOGETHER g ver 12. and also in Judah THINGS WENT WELL. But not long sure for the KING DID EVILL h ver 14. he humbled himselfe while the stroake was upon him he turned himselfe to the Lord till the Lord turned the wrath from him so long he did seemingly well But when the wrath was turned away he turned to his Idoll HE DID EVILL sayes the Text and renders a reason withall BECAVSE HE PREPARED NOT HIMSELFE TO SEEKE THE LORD And he did evill this is to be noted with the reason of the same The King humbled himselfe that is expressed his heart seemed to be humbled so as he could ACCEPT OF THE PVNISHMENT of his iniquiry a Lev. 26. 41. for he said The LORD is
Beliall evermore as deeply in love with vice as good men are with vertue and as over-hasty in their choyce so as quickly out of love with it despised him saying This is a King indeed as little helpe can be expected from him as from one of us Shall this man save e ver 27. us Saul was so wise as to hold his peace at that time for he could not value himselfe as yet he tooke no notice of their contempt Then Nahash the Ammonite came up 1 Sam. 11. 1. and encamped against Jabesh Gilead the People there fall presently upon Propositions for Peace Make a Covenant with us say they and we will serve thee Agreed said the Ammonite ver 1. but upon this condition that I may thrust out all your RIGHT-EYES f ver 2. That is the condition of an Ammonite you must never expect better from him Hard termes indeed The Ammonite was perswaded no doubt of an advantage sufficient against Israel for 1. He knew that many of the Israelites did not willingly submit to their new King 2. He remembred that the Philistines had not long before slaine thirty foure thousand of their men of warre g 1 Sam 42. 10 Besides he had used great care and diligence that the Israelites should have no Smithes to make them Swords and Speares d 1 Sam. 13. 19. Neither was it long before that the Bethshemites perished by the hand of GOD more then fifty Thousand e 1 Sam. 6. 19. These respects and what els I know not made the Ammonite so proud in his Demands He will have their Eyes and their right-Eyes It would lay a reproach upon all Israel indeed and utterly disinable them for the Warre for though a man may doe much by the help of the left-Eye as some did with the left-Hand yet these Gileadites using to carry a Target upon their left-Armes which could not but shaddow their left-Eyes should by loosing their right be utterly disinabled to defend themselves Better a just Warre then a dishonourable Peace Gold may be bought too deare so may peace Had Israel given their right-eyes for peace they had done then as some would doe now purchase peace with the losse of Faith and a good Conscience Give Israel peace Good LORD but let them not accept of it upon an Ammonites termes with the losse of their right-Eyes We reade on Saul observes the people weeping enquires the reason understands it was because the Ammonites had made such a proposition for peace Marke now And the Spirit of GOD came upon Saul Now there is question about Israels parting with their right-Eyes The Spirit ver 6. of GOD came upon Saul raised up Sauls spirit to the height of indignation so that his anger was kindled GREATLY ver â— And that his indignation might appeare he hewes his Oxen in peeces summons all his people thereby assuring them their Oxen shall be served so too if they doe not every man of them fit for Warre make their appearance presently for they must venture the best blood in their veines to preserve their right-Eyes The people will doe it for though the blood in their veines is deare unto them yet their right-Eyes are dearer But wee must note as followes The feare of the LORD fell on the people What then And they came out with one consent And so the Warre began and was quickly ended for this unreasonable Demand put courage into the King and people both So Saul set his Army in Battell-aray Then he put 1 Sam. 11. 11. the people in three Companies and they came into the midst of the Hoast in the morning watch and slew the Ammonites untill the heate of the Day f. And they that remained of the Enemies were so scattered that they who demanded the two Eyes from the people were not left no not two of them together And that was notable for as Samson said GOD avenged them of the Ammonites for demanding their two Eyes Judg 16. 28. And so let all Thine enemies perish O Lord who thinking they have an advantage against Israell will not give him peace unlesse he will give them his right-Eye Now the People were well pleased with Saul for they judge of Persons and things by the issue and successe they have violent lovers of the Prosperous are base vassalls to him that flourisheth and as dispitefully cruell against those whom any worldly accident hath throwne downe we have a valiant King said they and who are they that spoke so contemptuously of him bring the men that we may put them to Death And Saul said there shall not a man be put to Death this Day for to Day the Lord hath wrought salvation for Israell d 1 Sam. 11. 13 He had indeed hee gave Israel courage and glorious victories over that insolent adversary who delighted in proud wrath and Saul did his duty in making acknowledgement and giving the Glory to GOD. All this while Saul prospers for Samuell a good man and well experienced in Government do's all and all to render Saul Prosperous and confirmed in his Kingdome So according to Samuells advice King and people went downe to Gilgall made Saul King before the LORD there and there they sacrificed Sacrifices of Peace-offerings before the LORD ver 15. and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoyced greatly In the next Chapter Samuell reasons with the People before Chap. 12. the Lord of all His righteous Acts Convinceth them mightily touching his own Innocency and uprightnesse in judging them and the Lords Goodnesse towards them from the dayes of Moses unto that day Adviseth them to continue in His Goodnesse and quickens them thereunto with a mighty threat and so concludes the Chapter Now Saul the third time is acknowledged King having Reigned two Yeares over Israel he did Reigne many Yeares Chap. 13. but no more in Gods account He computes him but two 1 Sam. 13. 1 Yeares a King for a Reason which followes strengthened himselfe with a Guard of Three thousand chosen men of which he assigned a thousand to attend upon his Sonne Jonathan Jonathan with his small Regiment surpriseth a Garrison of the Philistines smites them so that he did but enrage the Enemies with that surprise for presently the Philistines assembled Thirty thousand Charrets and six Thousand Horse-men and ver 5. People as the Sands in multitude and so Invade Judea This suddaine Invasion strikes such a terrour into the Israelites that some hid themselves others fled and went over Jordan others for they were all in a strait and distressed went trembling to Saul yet in Gilgal who feared as much as they And now ver 6 7. was the time when Saul should have cleaved fast to GOD and His Command for he was affraid and then said David I will trust in Thee and waite for my hope is in Thee And this Saul seemes to doe and but seemes for being appointed to attend the comming
of Samuell Seven Dayes He did attend till the last and till part of that was spent too But we must keepe our selves precisely to GODS time and wait-it-out to the last minute which a faithlesse man a man of an hasty spirit ever can never doe For he will make haste as Saul did And then seeing Samuell came not and how the Case stood with him for he had pollitick reasons enough if these might Our Faith is most commendable in the last Act It is no praise to hold out untill we be hard driven D r. Halls Contempl guide us He forced d ver 12. himselfe made a breach upon his conscience first then upon GODS Command and an intrusion upon Samuels office and offered a burnt-offering Samuell comes in the Nick of Time while Saul was upon this holy worke with his unholyed hands heard Sauls excuse and plea for himselfe which helped him not No excuse will serve our turne nor plead our not observance of GODS Command from the mouth of His servant e 1 Sam 10. 8. He that would not heare this charge of the Lord to observe and doe it must heare the Judgement of the Lord denounced by the same mouth Thou hast done FOOLISHLY f Chap. 13. 13. there is folly in every sinne and the more sinne the more the folly Thou hast not kept the Commandement of the Lord therefore thou shalt not keepe still thy Kingdome Thou wouldest not establish thy selfe in the Power and Might of the Lord therefore the Kingdome shall not be established unto thee The Lord hath sought Him a Man after His owne heart to whose seed the Kingdome of Israel shall be continued for ever g ver 14. And now the Lord accounts Saul a King no longer he has the Title the Name of a King and no more in Gods account now that he hath not kept the Law the Charge of the Lord which He commanded him If Saul makes no account of the Law of GOD the King of Kings this Great King will not account Saul His Deputy King surely that is notable But yet Saul shall see a mighty Deliverance and therin what the Lord can doe for those that keepe close to Him and His command will trust in Him live upon Him by Faith when all meanes faile for there is the tryall Thus it was while the state of Israel stood in these hard termes and the Philistines full of hope that having parted their Army into three Troopes g 1 Sam. 13. 17 they might spoile and destroy many parts at once Jonathan strengthned by GOD in whom there is no restraint to save by many or by few h 1 Sam. 14. 6. and followed with his Esquire only scaled a Mountaine whereupon a Company of Philistines were lodged the rest of their Army being encamped in the plaine adjoyning Their comming was discovered to the Adversary and he playes upon them jeeres and mocks at them very insolently as men use to doe a little before their Destruction Come up to us and wee will shew you a THING i ver 12. Jonathan and his Esquire tooke the invitation as a good presage climbed up upon their hands and feet and fell upon the Adversary so the Enemies fell before Jonathan and his Armour-bearer slew after him k ver 13. then they shewed the Enemy a THING which he little looked for It is dangerous to put a scorne upon them who carry the revenge of God along with them Faith and a good conscience are the strongest guard and weapons both and the surest pollicy alwayes is what we should not make it a question To have peace with GOD for then He goes along with us and will be an Enemy to all our Enemies It followes This Allarum on the top of the Hill quickly amazed the next Companies then went downe into the Valley caused such a confusion there that they slaughtered one another instead of Enemies There was also a trembling in the Hoast and in the Field and among all the People all trembled for it was a very great TREMBLING Psal 15. 16. and the Earth quaked too and behold the multitude melted away and they went on beating downe one another When God appeares for His Church and in His Glory He will spoile the stout-hearted there will be a great Trembling mighty men shall Tremble and multitudes shall melt away as the Snow before the Sunne And remember we still Jonathans confidence in his God Faith will carry a man over rocks and mountaines no way but is passible to faith and no worke but is possible It is Jonathans confidence what can hinder God said he The Lord can doe what He will doe and it may be that the Lord will worke for us else we shall doe nothing for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or few It is possible said Jonathan it may be ver 16. nay it is very likely That the Lord will work for us now They that can trust in God can regard Armies of Men no more then Armies of Flis D r. Halls Contemp for He hath put a spirit of fortitude upon us two and being so few now He shall have all the GLORY That consideration mooves strongly and so it workes for thus it was every mans Sword was against his fellow and there was a very great discomfiture Moreover the Hebrewes that were with the Philistines became of their party fearing to be spoiled by them tooke advantage of this destruction saw ver 20. plainely now which side was strongest the manner of men fell in there to Saul and Jonathan and slew of the Philistines great numbers and they that hid themselves before came out of their holes now and hearing that the Philistines fled even they also followed hard after them in Battell So the LORD gave Saul a glorious victory that day and he ver 22. saw the prophecy fulfilled One did chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight And this was a good day Saul and k Deut. 32 30. his people found a great spoile they might have eate and drunke thereof and have praised God with the more chearfullnesse of heart for indeed the people were weary and faint Saul will not have it so he will be an enemy to himselfe hath a way by himselfe pleasing in his owne eye and that way he takes he adjures the people saying Cursed be the man that eateth any food untill evening l ver 24. so none of the people tasted any food No though the LORD who gave them a good day and gave them leave to be cheery and comfortable The voluntary services of Hypocrites are many times more painfull then the duties enjoyned by God but their manner is to leave that which is commanded and doe that which is not required Contmpl on that day did almost drop meate into their mouthes yet no man put his hand to his mouth Why for the people feared the Oath
will of Saul and obeyed the holy will of GOD. A servant must not obey his Master to the prejudice of his Master he must not obey his Master against his Master his suddain will against his deliberate will And truly it appears from the Text that as the Peoples plea for Jonathan was the same which Jonathan used for David The LORD wrought a 1 Sam. 19. 5. great salvation for all Israel thou sawest it and didst reioyce wherfore then wilt thou sinne against innocent bloud to slay Jonathan without a cause So Saul better bethinking himself was as well or better pleased with it Certain it is Saul was then much encouraged then he ceased from following the Philistines and fought against all his enemies on every side and whethersoever hee turned himselfe he vexed them a ver 46 47. But he bent the strength of this battell against the Amalekites smote them and delivered Israël out of their hands b ver 48. yet so as he strengthned himself still against the Philistines with whom he had sore warre all his dayes and when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man he tooke him unto him But yet ver 52. Saul must not leave the Amalekites so he had smote them and delivered Israel out of their hands that was well for that time But that is not enough against Amaleck an old subtill Adversary and as bloody and GOD remembers him of old how treacherously b 1 Sam. 15. 2. he dealt with His people walking along the way doing no hurt would rather dye then do wrong and pillage these poore people Amaleck smote even all that were feeble not able to make any resistance when they were faint and weary he smote them as he do's that seares not c Deut. 25. 15 18. GOD. Now this comes into remembrance with the LORD for the debts of cruelty as of mercy are never forgot they shall be repaied and with great advantage Saul stands charged with this revenge he must execute this vengeance he must wash the Churches feet in the blood of these slaine GOD has provided him a mighty Army now for this very time and end for the execution of this vengeance he numbers his Host finds them to be no fewer then two hundred 1 Sam. 25 4. and ten thousand fighting men and now he must powre down upon the Churches treacherous Adversary The fury of GODS anger and the strength of battell e Esa 42. 25. Saul smote Amaleck before now he must destroy him utterly and all that they have he left Amaleck a name before now he must blot 1 Sam. 15. 3. out the remembrance of Amaleck from under Heaven he must not forget it f Deut. 25. 19. The charge is as full from Samuels mouth and he was the mouth of the LORD as could be put into words and it is the last Proposition of Peace that Saul shall receive from the LORD if he hearkens and do's accordingly a blessing follows if not he shall heare the curse and feele it too cursed is he that doth the WORKE of the LORD deceitfully execution of judgement upon the Churches Adversary is the worke of the LORD and when the LORD gives the Sword a charge Cursed is he that keepeth backe the Sword from blood We have heard the charge The Israel of GOD have the same Adversary now as Israel Jer. 48. 10. had then not in name but in nature the same An old Adversary as treacherous as bloudy If their superstition be out of ignorance as in part it may be yet their cruelty is from malice Israel stands charged against this Adversary as fully now as Saul then this I could make as cleare as the Sunne But because I have no space to make paralells here I must let it passe and take in three things here more essentiall to the Text. 1. How Saul answers this charge Deceitfully 2. What his Defence is weak and fruitles 3. How Samuell argues the case and at length convinceth him 1. Saul heard Samuell in all this he gave him his eare but his heart went his owne way he did not obey or if he obeyed it was by halves and an half obedience in GODS account is none at all he did not obey indeed f Exod. 23. 22. as the expression is often he did not follow the command FVLLY g Numb 14. 24 he utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the Sword and every thing that was VILE and REFVSE that they destroyed utterly h 1 Sam. 15. 9. But the BEST and all that was good he would not utterly destroy Nay the chiefest head of all he spareth that delicate person the King him he spared whose ver 3. Sword had made so many women childlesse him he spared he ver 32. would not smite him with the Sword he was too precious in Sauls eyes being King and the more vile in Samuels eyes as appears afterwards for he hewed Agag in peeces before the Lord in Gilgall A murtherer whatever he be King or no King must not be spared He has Polluted the Land for bloud it defileth the Land and the Land cannot be cleansed of that bloud but by the blood of him that shed it * Num. 35. 33. Saul spared him and the sailings as we heard the same partiality is used still the greatest sinners and sins escape still that which is pleasing in our eye and desirable we will have spared Thus Saul halves out his duty and his obedience is in GODS account as his execution upon Amaleck VILE and REFVSE We must then note once for all That a right obedience is strait to the Rule carries levell to the command and does fully therafter 2. And we will take Sauls Defence and Samuels arguing against it altogether Saul has done so contrary as we heard and yet he thought in his conscience see how unable we are to see our selves and how blind we in our own ways how brawned also the conscience may be by often forcing the same Saul thought verily that he had done very well and so he pleads for himself and Samuell against him and a great while it is for it is the greatest work in the world to convince a sinner indeed it is GODS work the hand of GOD must be there before Samuell can convince Saul that in sparing the Enemies of the LORD he has committed a sin which is as the sinne of witch-craft We must heare his plea for the heart is cunning and has a thousand shifts excuses and puts-off this he sayes first The people spared d 1 Sam. 15. 15 c. Samuel fits him there a Rulers plea has not half the strength he thinks it has this excuse will Plus Peccat Author quam Actor aggravate his fault The people spared said Saul No thou didst spare saith Samuell the charge was given to thee it is not considerable what the people do in such a plain case ever 18.
When thou wast little wast thou not made the HEAD of the Tribes ver 17. The HEAD and that sees for the body and heares for the body and leads-on for the body the head has all the admirable pieces and powers within and without seated there as in a watch-Tower for that very end That the body receive no detriment for want of sound counsell and direction if the head go aright the body cannot go wrong if it do go crookedly the head can quickly rectifie it if it can do it's office The people are like Sheep they cannot lead but they will follow It follows The Lord annointed thee King over Israel Then thou must not tell me what the people did That they spared Thou hast spared Thine Eye hath pittied him when it had bin mercy indeed to have shown no pitty Let me tell my thoughts here and how I was mistaken I thought Saul could do no wrong for he was King but cleare it is as the Sun that wrong he did and that all the blame of that wrong is charged upon him Why Because he was head over the people their King But Saul is not convinced yet no not with all this See! when the conscience is brawned and hardned in it's own way and work how hard a matter is it to make it sensible Has Saul done wrong Heare him what he says Yea I have 2 Sam. 15. 21. obeyed the voyce of the Lord and have gone the way which the Lord sent me I took Agag alive and have kept him alive here he is do with him what thou pleasest he is King and I thought fit to spare him for his People they are utterly destroyed True it is the fat sheep and oxen those chief things should have bin destroyed too for that was thy charge but the people thinking themselvs wiser reserved those chief things for excellent purpose What was that To sacrifice unto the LORD thy GOD. As specious a pretence as could be Though Saul was lame in his obedience as all men are nay he was infinitly short here yet his heart was sound to GOD-ward and toward his Religion as hearty a soul as was in the world if we can believe words he had reserved the best things What to do To sacrifice unto the LORD thy GOD. Now Samuell will stop Sauls mouth and make him speechles presently For Religion is his pretence the established Religion now a Sacrifice forsooth and burnt-offerings Do's he flash so with his false light before the eyes of a Seer Now Samuell will thunder 3. Vain man Dost thou boast of Religion A binder to God and walkest loose with Him or fast but when Thou pleasest Speakest thou of a Sacrifice before the LORD the Great GOD and art a rebell before Him Wilt thou make a shew to come-up to the LORD with the Sacrifice in thy hand and yet walkest every step contrary to His command Tell me for thou shalt be witnesse in so cleare a case did the Lord or I from His mouth speak a word unto thee of a Sacrifice unto Him Thy eare is witnesse thy conscience also That the Lord said OBEY MY VOYCE d Jer. 11. 4. â— He said not Thou shalt sacrifice unto me He loathes a Sacrifice from that hand which acteth contrary to his mouth It is an abomination as Sorcery or Witch-craft in the eyes of His glory Thou hast slain an Oxe for Sacrifice it is as if thou hadst slaine a man no better in Gods account even such an abomination Thou wilt sacrifice a Lambe and the male of thy flocke that is thy pretence goe cut-off a Doggs neck it is all one one or the other in point of acceptation for Thou hast chosen THINE OWN WAYS e Esa 66. 5. It is the obedient ear that finds acceptance with the LORD and his eare open and the hand that acts according to GODS command from thence a Sacrifice has a sweet savour Saul is now as a dumb-man speaks not yet but hearkens when he shall heare a word of comfort Never If he had hearkned before he might have heard a blessing now he must heare the curse which still followes a deceitfull worke Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD He hath rejected thy sacrifice But that is not all Saul could have endured that though nothing more grievous to a true Israelite then the casting forth of his prayer Saul must heare more He hath also rejected thee from being King That went to his heart The punishment of his sinne rejection from his Kingdom High place in the world credit and esteeme in the eyes of men was Sauls glory He is touched there in the tenderest part and that opens his mouth to confession and that is full now and ingenious Indeed he spake much better than they who will not be accounted half so wicked I have sinned c. he prayes Samuell to pardon his sinne Samuell cannot Then to returne againe with him Samuell will not and he gives him Ver. 24. ver 25. his reason puts it upon the file for everlasting record Thou ver 26. hast reiected my word The word of the LORD I will not returne with thee who hast entertained me with a complement all this while not regarding my word though the word of the LORD and that all the world may know how dangerous a thing it is to reject this word Samuell adds what Saul must here the second time nay the third time if we have observed it and all that follow after him for it is written for the generations to come Thou hast cast GODS word behind thy backe GOD will cast thee from thy Royall estate GOD hath reiected thee from being King over Israel And it is twise repeated in this place because it is certaine ver 26. As Samuell was turning about to goe away Saul holds him by his skirt so desirous he was of the Prophets stay with him and to have a comfortable word from him and he held him so fast and the Prophet was so resolved to go his way that he rent the Prophets mantle and so received a sad token and sad words besides touching the fullfilling of what was threatned The word of the LORD was rejected the threat was denounced from the mouth of the LORD all created strength could not hinder the execution of the same word and now Saul had the signe in his hand Thou hast rent my mantle the LORD hath rent the Kingdome of Israel from thee this Day ver 28. and hath given it to a neighbour of thine that is better then thou Samuell could not give Saul a word of comfort now Sauls time is past his season over Samuell had spoken to him many words for his Direction he would have none of them Now he shall not have one word of comfort While the Angell of GOD His SPIRIT or His PROPHETS in His Name are with us be we well aware of it That we Exo. 23. 20 21. obey their voyce and
provoke them not if we do they will depart from us and then woe unto us we shall heare heavy newes at the parting So when Samuell had done execution upon Agag very confident that having escaped Sauls Sword he should escape the Prophets weake hand also but it was not so when Agag said The bitternesse of death is past when he was at the height of his hopes then Samuell laid him ver 32. low and hewed him in peeces and when he had done so he left Saul and saw him no more neverthelesse Samuell mourned for Saul Indeed it was a sad case And ponder it well all we that forget GOD and reject His word for if so the next newes we must looke to heare is a rejection from the Kingdome And if it were from out of a Kingdome that may be shaken the news would be more tolerable but it is a casting-out from that Kingdome which shall never be shaken But as Saul was shaken so shall we be shaken out of it if we walk as he did so contrary The LORD doth not blame Samuell for this his mourning but tels him he may mourne too long for him whom He hath rejected * 1 Sam. 16. 1 Fill thine horne with oyle and annoint him whom I have provided A man after Mine own Heart and most pleasing in Mine eyes but the most unlikely in mans eyes and amongst his brethren for man chooseth by the Eye and I the LORD by the heart The Prophet startled at this goes a little backward for the best Prophet that ever was in the world had his infirmities How can I go says he if Saul heare it he will kill me a 1 Sam. 16. â— Doe as I bid thee sayes the LORD winking at his infirmity go the way I set thee in and be not affraid of a man if there were a hundred Sauls and every haire on their heads a Sword they could not hurt thee doe thy duty goe as I bad thee and feare not Take all cautious wayes be as wise as a Serpent for that allowance is given thee so thou beest as innocent as a Dove Samuell went and did accordingly David designed to the Kingdome before is now annoynted with fresh oyle but soft he is not King yet he must go as every true Israelite to his Crown he shall passe through the straites hee shall fetch many a weary step before he comes thither up and downe then up againe and then againe so low that he thinkes he shall never rise againe he thought Samuell a very lyar b Ps 116. 11. Video Samuelem non Dei spiritu Prophetice c. Jun. that told him of a Crown But more of this in a fitter place Saul is in the Throne now and having turned his backe against the LORD the Philistines turne their faces upon him Their late Disasters they impute to second causes A Philistin cannot see the Hand of GOD unlesse it be as plaine as was the writing upon the wall c Dan. 5. 5. so visible it was a chance a mistaken Alarum whereby their Army possessed with a panique feare had fallen to rout They have mustered their Army againe and encamped themselves so neare Sauls Army that they must try it out in a Battle But yet to save shedding much bloud they would decide the matter by single combat and out-steps Goliah a mighty fellow that feared neither GOD nor Man he under-takes to defie the whole Host of Israel provokes them with despightfull words as a Philistine will doe who perswades himself that all power in heaven and earth is in his hands and so he blasphemed the LIVING GOD David heard all this and more for he was come up to the host to spie d 1 Sam. 17. 28 there in the PRIDE and NAUGHTINESSE of his heart said his naughty brother for he envied David he shall have as many discouragements from man as may be yea from the sonnes of this Master Thou shouldest be with thy sheepe that is thy worke what makest thou heare He came downe to enquire of their welfare in this dangerous time and he brought them Bread and Cheese that might have stopped a brothers mouth for that was his arrand from their father But GOD had another businesse for David to doe now he shall make a famous entrance into publike notice of the People And so David stands out notwithstanding all the pull-backs he will encounter with Goliah that he will for he remembred well what GOD had done for him he had taken a Lyon by the beard and a Beare too both rose up against him but he pluck'd them downe and laid them both low enough Did Davids hand gaine this Deliverance No GOD with him gave him this victory * ver 35 36 37 a little before as an experiment that David must trust him now and so David will trust in GOD for ever So he puts himselfe in a posture of offence buckles his Armour about him What Armour Armour of proofe it was I cannot shew it to your Eye so Spirituall it is That which was in sight was very weake as the Churches Armour is and contemptible both his Person and his Armour Yet David said to Saul let no mans heart faile because of this Philistine ver 32. Thy servant will goe and fight with him Then reade the reasonings betwixt Saul and David as are the reasonings betwixt flesh and spirit David answers all with an experience of Gods good hand with him Learne we of David to treasure-up experience from Time past and promises for the Time to come and goe he will and fight with the Philistine Why then said Saul goe and the LORD be with thee d ver 37. A gratious word but goe like a Warriour in compleate Armour take mine and on with it so David did But he could not goe in it e ver 39. No indeed for no Armour will fit David but Armour of Gods appointing be it never so contemptible and that he had provided before and being well girt with that intimated before he tooke a staffe in his hand and some Choyce stones cut of the Brooke and when the Philistine thought verily to swallow David up he darted a stone which the Lord carried to the Philistines forehead made it sinke down therein f ver 49. and down he falls upon his face to the Earth Then David skipt to him and having no Sword in his Hand g ver 50. that made the conquest more glorious drew out the Philistines Sword and therewith shaved off his crown by the neck And having discomfited the whole Hoast now and exposed them to slaughter away he brought the head to Jerusalem but the Armour he put in his Tent h ver 54. Now we must turne backe and looke over all this againe for mighty reason for as Davids slaying the Lyon and the Beare made him confident he should serve the Giant so too So Davids victory over Goliah then gives the Church assured
enquire now and have no answer Saul enquired of the LORD the ver 6. LORD answered him not neither by Dreames nor by Vrim nor by Trophets What will he doe now He is resolved to enquire of the Devill to see what he will say See here a sad case That man is in straits indeed who expects enlargement from the Devill But marke his complaint that he puts up to the Devill I am sore distressed he took a bad way for ver 15. help to seek for it from his greatest Enemy But what troubles him The Philistines make warre against me Nay that was not it so they did before the Moabites too the Ammonites Amalekites the Arabians also all the world warred against Israel therefore the trouble was not in that No but here it was this was the trouble and sore affliction which was like a Sword in his bowels yea like the gall of Aspes there GOD is departed FROM ME This was it I-cabod the Glory is gone the Nations are angry they will come upon the Land from every quarter Let them come they shall not distresse the Land with all their strength But does this follow God is departed from a Land then all created strength cannot safeguard the same if the Enemies were all wounded men yet they shall destroy all the Land and take the spoile And this was Sauls case God is departed from me The saddest complaint that ever was heard Consider well of it and you will say so too suppose the Adversary entring the doores treading upon the mans heele pangs are come upon him the paine as of a woman in travell his Soule is upon his lipps he is entring into the chambers of Death and his case is the same with Sauls here GOD is departed from him He answers him not Certainly neither teares nor sighs nor sobbs can point out this mans complaint the grievousnesse of this case exceeds all comparison And this was Sauls case then that it may not be our case anon Let us consider with all our hearts how equall and just it was that God should leave Saul at this time and afford him no answer God was with Saul prospered him exceedingly gave him glorious victories Saul was not aware of all this God answered him againe and againe told him what His expresse will was Saul rejected it now God departs from him and answers him no more A man will drive hard for comfort at such a time but he will mistake his way as Saul did his goes for the living to the dead nay worse from Esa 8. 16. God to the Devill he seekes answer there at the Devils Oracle And behold worse and worse Saul cannot endure to heare it but falls straight-way all along on the Earth c ver 20. When he sought counsell of God he was alwayes victorious Now that he sought counsell from the Oracle of the Devill this was the answer Who can be thy friend now God is thine enemy Thou didst not execute the fierce wrath of the Lord upon Amalek * A dangerous omission not to execute the wrath of the Lord upon His Churches Adversaries old fierce and treacherous therefore must that wrath be executed upon thee and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me c. And so it was for answerably it follows That both himselfe and his three sons with his neerest and faithfull servants were all slaughtered by the Philistines his body with the bodyes of his Sonnes as a spectacle of shame and dishonour were hung over the walls of Bethsan and there had remained till they had found buriall in the bowells of ravenous Birds had not the gratefull Gileadites of Jabes stolne their carcasses thence and interred them This was the end of Saul such as might tell all the world That now the blood of Gods Priests * 1 Sam. 22. 19 which Saul shed and of David which he would have shed was required and requited Let us note it more particularly What was his end very desperate The Battell went sore against him and he was sore wounded of the Archers Then he said unto his Armour-bearer draw thy Sword and thrust me * 1 Sam 31. 4. throw therewith His Armour-bearer refused Did he well in disobeying Yes for he disobeyed the desperate will of Saul which a man may doe and yet doe the greatest right See Childs Patrimony p. 36. and justice to the King Yes though he had held Saul from falling upon his own Sword and so restrained him from being a selfe-murtherer But Saul was left to himselfe and so he died he tooke a Sword and fell upon it A desperate execution He was an Enemy to good men while he lived and now he died he is an Enemy to himselfe He lived and died a murtherer he fell upon his own Sword and so Saul died His buriall we reade before His life death and buriall all three well agree together The greatest part of his life was spent in persuance of Gods friend see the Relation all along The last Act of his life was violence upon himselfe from his own hand He had driven David the head of his Tribes and after Oyle had been powred upon him and who so faithfull among all Sauls servants as David was d 1 Sam. 22. 14. from abiding in the Inheritance of the Lord Sauls head was taken off and his body exposed to the weather fastned to a wall no more accounted 1 Sam. 31. 9 10. of then a despised broken Idoll or a vessell wherein is no pleasure Saul had slaine the chiefe Priest and all his Fathers Ier. 22. 28. house then Priests of the Lord he had smitten their City with 1 Sam. 22. 16 17. the edge of the Sword and all therein with the edge of the Sword it is twice repeated to shew the bloodinesse of that ver 19. execution Now his lot shall fall-out unto him and this the portion of his measures All Sauls Sonnes are slaine he is Ier. 13. 25. written a Man Childlesse to all Generations some of his seed remained but none prospered to sit upon the Throne and Rule any more in Judah * Ier. 22. 30. We must repeate this once more for so I find it in the Sacred Writ because we may receive from it a sure instruction That we doe not transgresse against the ANGELL of the LORD nor reject His Word That we continue seeking Exod 23. 20. Counsell at His mouth and if He answer not yet wait if we die let us die seeking while we waite there is hope depart from Him there is no hope goe after other gods and then certaine destruction as to Saul So Saul died and his three Sonnes and all his House died together for his transgression which 1 Chro 10. 6. ver 13. he committed against the Lord even against the word of the Lord which he kept not and also for asking Counsell of one that had a familiar spirit to enquire of it
perswaded to yoake his people yet GOD will yoake them and so we find it in the Text Rezon was an Adversary to Israel b 1 King 11. â—5 all the dayes of Solomon And what did he doe He abhorred Israel Hadad also another Adversary an Idolatrous King shall not want Adversaries he did Israel mischiefe Put this together he abhorred Israel did Israel mischiefe One of these is enough but altogether made Israels voake grievous And this was so all the dayes of Solomon after his Wives had turned away his heart Ob. But this was past and Solomon was dead and gone why should his yoke be remembred which by his Idolatrous services he had laid upon the people An. Those be things the people cannot forget They doe remember their yokes their affliction and misery the Wormewood and the Gall. Besides The yokes which strange gods bring upon Israels neckes will not quickly off and will make no small impression there We must thinke them grievous to Israel at this time specially to the good Priests there they might see the root and cause of them vexation gives understanding and so move the King to remove the cause and the evill together In charity we must thinke so That Israel saw now That corruption in Religion abominable Priests and their services were the cause of Israels heavy yokes and grievous servitude That Solomon loving strange wives and doting upon their gods turned his heart from the GOD of Israel and from the children of Israel so they would move their King joyntly and with one consent for the removing of the cause and of the evill both together We will now looke over what we have been long upon for great reason I premised this which is so legible The King of Israel married strange wives clave to them in love and doted upon their gods The conclusion thence is That then an heavy yoke was laid upon Israel and they served a grievous servitude for the heart of their King was turned from the GOD of Israel his hand must be turned against the children of Israel to lay an heavy yoke upon them To put a bride into their jawes causing them to erre * Esa 30 28. It is a conclusion drawne from the experience of all ages upward to this day That Idols comming into Israels land bring yokes with them and GOD sends judgements after them Charity concludes also That when Israel and All Israel Petition their King then as David said is there not a cause a 1 Sam. 17. 19 Sound wisdome and discretion makes no question of it It remaines now that we reade over the Petition once more short easie and ingenious 1. Then how the King entertaines it 2. The Counsells he takes about it 3. The answer he returns unto it 4. Then how the people relish it These we will run-over in order The Petition we will reade first Thy Father made our yokes heavy now therefore ease thou SOMEWHAT the greevous servitude of thy Father and 2 Chro. 10 4 his yoke that he put upon us and we will serve thee What answer makes the King he will consider of it take advice and afterwards speak his mind 1. It was the wisest answer that we shall reade from his Jud. 19. 30. mouth and yet no true wisdome in it at all He will take time to consider of it of what of doing Judgement and Justice to his people It is a matter that admits no question therefore no deliberation Some things are not to be deliberated-on Not whither I will worship GOD or no according to His Rule Not whether I will turne from Idols to serve the LIVING GOD I may consider what it will COST me but not whether I will doe it or no I cannot make question there for conscience sake The word is plaine So nor might Rehoboam deliberate on the matter The manner may admit deliberation The doing Judgement and Justice to his people easing somewhat their heavy yoke and grievous servitude This admitted no deliberation The case was as plaine as the case of the three children wherein they were not carefull to make answer b Dan. 3. 16. Quideliberavit defivit And certainly when a man will deliberate what way to take when the good way is plain before him and the case as cleare as the Sun It is because he is resolved not to ballance the counsels but to desert the cause to forsake the good path and to turne into a way of his own We reade on and find it just so here The Kings way was plain before him the case was resolved by his good Grand-father from the Oracle of GOD The GOD of Israel said the ROCK of Israel spake to me HE THAT RVLETH OVER MEN MVST BE JVST c 2 Sam. 23. 3. RVLING in the fear of the LORD And it was written in a book for his Father Solomon that he might learne and doe thereafter He shall judge Thy people with righteousnesse and Thy poore with judgement Thou shalt judge the poore of the people and breake in Ps 71. 2. peeces the oppressour In so cleare a case then and to so just a Petition the King might have returned a gracious answer and presently have sent away his people glad 2. But he will doe all things with Counsell and there is no hurt in that for he will consult with old men and that was wisely done indeed if he had not been resolved before hand to doe the contrary to take his owne way They are well seen in State matters and well read in point of government the hardest point having long studied both Times Books and Men. Surely the Reader long 's to heare what they will say what counsell they give to the King This it was and this the purpose of their Counsell Be kind to the people love and kindnesse gaines upon the heart exceedingly They are Childeren of Israel shew Thy self a Father unto them for so thou art and then thou keepest thy place and they will keep theirs and all will be done in love the best Commander in the world Thou art above them by the head to leade to counsell them to provide for them do not set them under thy foot Be not froward with thy children for that will teach them frowardnes and they wil be froward too Please them humour them specially at the first and thou shalt have their hearts forever Stoop to them now and thou shalt not fall nor hurt thy Crown for thou shalt stoop but to Law and Right-reason Be a Servant to thy Servants this one Day thinke it not much to serve them to Day and they will be thy servants to morrow and all thy dayes However thou 1 Kin. 12. 7. dost doe not show them the Yoke for then so like an untamed 2 Chron. 10. 7. Heiser Israel is not used to the Yoke they will shew thee the heele Be kind to Thy people and please them thic once Put a bridle on thy lipps open thy mouth
bowells for they were his Brethren But he slew his Bretheren with the Sword besides divers also of the Princes of Israel * He was of a mischievous nature but could dissemble deepely to win the good opinion of his Father Bretheren for closing with his Wise in her Idolatrous services and having the râ—ines in his hand we see how bloody he was S r. W R. Hist of the World ever 4. The GOD of recompences meets with him anon For the debts of Cruelty and Mercy are never left unsatisfied They may lye for a time but they shall encrease both Principall and Vse shall be payed at once he has shed blood blood will pursue him he shall be made Pro. â—8 17. drunke with it his Sword has made his Mother childlesse the Sword of the LORD will make him wivelesse and childlesse at once this we shall see anon We will observe him in his way now what way goes he He leaves the good way of his good Father traverseth his own way a way pleasing in his own eyes the way of the Kings c ver 6. of Israel The King of Judab now does just as the house of Ahab And the SPIRIT of GOD is cleare at this point giving us the reason why the Sonne left the good way of his Father a wise King and a better Man to walke in the way of the house of Ahab for he had saith the Spirit the Daughter of Ahab * Athaliah Sister to Ahab Son of Omri to wife Truely when I first read the Chapter to gather observations from it and saw such a slaughter such an effusion of blood I verily thought I should read this presently for he had the 2 King 8. 26. Daughter of Ahab to wife A pestilent woman a very firebrand ordained by God to consume a great part of the Noblest Houses in Judah even of those men or their children whose worldly wisedome regardlesse of Gods pleasure had brought her in Jehoram was imped into this wicked stock the family of Ahab he had a notorious murdresse Idolatresse and it was verily thought an Aduliresse also to his Wife Now you may reade-on without the booke And he wrought that which was evill in the eyes of the LORD f ver 6. It was very likely that would follow for he that regards not into what House he matcheth himselfe will be as regardlesse how evill his works are and that they are wrought in the eyes of the LORD Indeed he wrought that evill which consumed and ruined himselfe and his whole family and yet not all not every person there for the LORD remembring Mercy in the midst of Judgement as His manner is and promise was would not quite put-out the light of Israel because of the good word He spake to David concerning that matter d ver 7. But Jehoram shall be vexed every veine in his heart and made an example of wrath to all that will match in an Idolatrous house That we may hate Jehorams way which was the way of the House of Ahab as we doe the end of the same for it was ruine and destruction to him and his whole house and his Kingdome too we will trace Jehorams stepps in his way that we may reade with all observation what those evills were which he wrought in the way of the house of Ahab before the eyes of the Lord Then we will see how the Lord meets with him in that way how gently He deales with him at the first and how severely at the last for patience abused turnes into fierce wrath We will observe in our passage by what stepps and degrees the Lord proceeds against him smiting him in his outwards first afterwards in his bowells we will observe the order briefly and then we will treat more largely upon it The Lord plucks him by the Crowne first strikes off a piece thence not very considerable and yet not wholly contemptible then takes away a Flower the chiefe ornament of the same then holds him up to the wind his Kingdome also and so dissolved his substance For the Lord tooke away the hedge His defence throwes-open his gates and barrs and in-came the adversary from every quarter yet the Lord has not done will ye provoke the Lord to anger are ye stronger then He Jehoram takes advise of his Wife followes her way and stretcheth out his hand against the LORD At the last the Lord lifted him-up to the wind indeed dissolveth his substance shatters him and his house all to pieces he would provoke the Lord slayes his Wives and Children strikes him in the bowells and yet there is not an end That we may put all due observation upon all this we will reade it all over againe in order 1. We will pace with him in his way that we may learne to hate it It is the way of the house of Ahab and he walkes in it stoutly as if he had an arme like GOD. Whatever concerned his Kingdome he communicates to his Queene takes her counsell she was the Daughter of Ahab what she said was Law then her Lord offers violence to the Law changeth the Ordinances breakes the everlasting Covenant for thus he does he for sakes the b ver 10. Lord God of his Fathers What followes this forsaking Moreover he made high places in the Mountaines of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication ver 11. Some there were both Priests and others to whom the good King deceased observing in his life time with sorrow enough what way his Son inclined gave speciall charge both touching spirituall causes and temporall matters And these would not yeeld as we shall see anon to those illegall proceedings of Jehoram But he was King and might doe he thought as his Wife counselled him she was Daughter of Omri and Sister of Ahab for that must still be remembred she would counsell him to do as he listed he made innovations in Religion used compulsion there and was if not the very first the first that is registred to have set-up irreligion and Idolatrous services BY FORCE and compelled Judah thereto d ver 11. Then the good Priests began to looke about them for their eyes were open and upon Jehoram long before but now they lay their heads together and consult what is to be done and what way they must take now that they see which way their King takes Speake to him they dare not they durst as well shake a Lyon by his clawes his Queene a woman of a Masculine spirit and very wicked had so raised the spirit of her King against GOD and good Men that he was now such a son of Belial that a man could not speake to him f 1 Sam. 25. 17. A cruell persecutor he for he murthered his owne Bretheren and divers of the Princes as we heard who then durst stand before him or speake the truth unto him or trust him after these bloody executions Certaine it is the
enough to lick up that handfull of Syrians as an Oxe licketh up the grasse But what disaster or amazement happened amongst the Israelites I know not but they had for saken GOD and blood was upon them and these handfull of Syrians gave the Army of Judah a notable overthrow So that great Host was delivered-up into their hands What became of Joash the King He did not escape sure He thought it a token of his liberty to despise the service of GOD and a manifest proof of his being King because he could command to the block the Sonne of that Father to whom he stood most deeply engaged for singular and unrecountable benefits Certainly he did not escape and so we find it in the Text These Adversaries executed iudgement against Joash * ver 24. IGNOMINIOVS iudgement saith the old Translation It is evident enough they had him in their hands and handled him ill-favouredly not as Ioash the King but as Ioash the murtherer And being not worth the carrying away for he was a diseased man and the worst luggage they dismissed him leaving him in sore diseases to be cured thereof by his mercilesse vassals and they finding him on his bed quickly dispatched him out of the way and so cured him of all his worldly ver 25. pain But see how GOD meated forth the punishment to Ioash the King 1. Ioash gave commandement to slay the best servant he had in the world his owne servants execute judgement upon Ioash for the blood of the Sonnes whether Ioash had slain more or no I do not well understand but so we reade the sons of Jehojada the Priest 2. Ioash slew that Prophet in the Court of GODS House He defiled that house with the Priests blood now his house shall be polluted with his own blood 3. Ioash slew him neare that place of refuge not long before Ioash his Sanctuary In the Court of GODS House His Servants slay him on his bed a place deputed for repose and quiet rest Have me to bed saith the wearied sick-man when he is tyred out with paine and sorrows yet have me to bed though he can but count the clock there yet there he lies waiting when the LORD will command sleepe for him and give him some refreshment there There on his bed Ioash feeles the hand of the murtherer Sitting in a chaire saith Austin is a safe Posture but we know who fell out thence 1 Sam. 4. 18. and brake his necke He was indeed an old man and heavy but the newes of the Arke bowed him downe and brake his heart first The Father would assure us thereby That Death may meet us when and where we lesse looke for it I would Aug. de Civ 22 adde this more pertinent to this place A Summer parlour f Judg. 3. 20. seemes a safe place for repose and quiet And a Brothers feast g 2 Sam 13. 23. hath no shew of danger A Bed seemes a safe place also specially then when the Enemy is departed and there are none about the bed but a mans owne servants and yet the hand of Justice hath met with the sinner in all these places and meeted forth unto him according to his measures But that Ioash was slaine on his bed certainly there the Holy Ghost hath set a mark The good Priest thought himselfe safe Where In the Court of GODS House and he expected no violence to be offered him there much lesse from Ioash who found that place his Sanctuary Yet Ioash his hand does execution upon the Priest there for he commanded it in the Court of GODS House Now Ioash shall have his measures he is lying upon his Bed The Enemy is departed those of his owne house his Servants are round about him if he can sleep that has blood for his pillow he lookes for it on his bed But behold instead of sleep he sees the Sword reaching to his heart Ioash expected his own servants were about him for another purpose To turn him on his bed for he could not turne himself being left in great distresses and to make it as easie for his tyred body and wasted spirits as they could But they are there for another purpose to execute GODS vengeance for the blood of the sonnes of Jehojada They that have shed blood to their power will not consider this for their heart is hardned and brawned in villanies and now they have drunke blood their thirst thereof cannot be quenched But he that is wise layes this to heart and stoppeth his eare from hearing of blood remembring by this example That GOD makes inquisition for blood He finds it out and repayes it in a full measure pressing downe and running over So the just GOD meeted forth his measures to Ioash His owne Servants flew him upon his bed and he died Then they buried him nothing carefull in the choyce of the place They would remove so unsightly an object from before their eyes and find out some hole for him in the City there about but they were carefull not to lay him in Bed with his good Fathers They buried him but not in the Sepulchers of the Kings And Amaziah his sonne raigned in his stead THE ACTS OF AMAZIAH CHAP. VI. Amaziah begins well does that which is good but not with a good heart He executes Judgement and Justice He expects strength by those from whom the GOD of Power is departed and helpe from helplesse things So hee provokes GOD invites and hastens his owne destruction AMAZIAH begins well for he did that which 2 Chro. 25. 1. was right in the sight of the LORD But there was one grace wanting the chief grace ver 2. of a Christian that was SINCERITY or truth of heart which we may call a Christians perfection in this life his Perfection is a striving after perfection in sincerity and with an upright heart This Sincerity the King wanted and that is all which GOD accounts of He did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD no fault for the matter and substance of his work Where was the fault then In the manner of performance and that is all in all with the LORD He did right but not with a perfect heart This requires our marke Actions may be very faire and the heart may be foule Actions may be strait and right when the heart stands crooked and perverse Looke we to our hearts what sincerity and truth is there for that is greatly to be regarded not what I doe but with what heart I doe it What say we then to those men who regard neither the matter nor manner of their worke neither what they doe nor how they doe it Mighty Hunters before the LORD who shed blood to their power and with a rage that reacheth up unto Heaven What say we to such bloody men Not a word The LORD will speake unto them in His wrath and vex them in His sore displeasure He will require of them what they have done