death The dowry is set An hundred foreskins of the Philistims not their heads but their fore-skins that this victory might bee more ignominious still thinking why may not one Dauid miscarry as well as an hundred Philistims And what doth Sauls enuie all this while but enhance Dauids zeale and valour and glory That good Captaine litle imagining that himselfe was the Philistim whom Saul maligned supererogates of his master and brings two hundred for one and returnes home safe and renowmed Neither can Saul now flie off for shame There is no remedy but Dauid must bee a sonne where he was a riuall and Saul must feed vpon his owne heart since he cannot see Dauids Gods blessing graces equally together with mens malice neither can they deuise which way to make vs more happy then by wishing vs euill Michals wile THIS aduantage can Saul yet make of Dauids promotion that as his aduersarie is raised hyer so he is drawne neerer to the opportunitie of death Now hath his enuie cast off all shame and since those crafty plots succeede not he directly subornes murtherers of his riuall There is none in all the Court that is not set on to be an executioner Ionathan himselfe is sollicited to imbrue his hand in the blood of his frend of his brother Saul could not but see Ionathans clothes on Dauids backe hee could not but know the league of their loue yet because hee knew withall how much the prosperitie of Dauid would preiudice Ionathan hee hoped to haue found him his sonne in malice Those that haue the Iaundis see all things yellow those which are ouer-growne with malicious passions thinke all men like themselues I do not heare of any reply that Ionathan made to his father when he gaue him that bloody charge but he waites for a fit time to disswade him from so cruell an iniustice Wisdome had taught him to giue way vnto rage and in so hard an aduenture to craue aide of opportunitie If wee be not carefull to obserue good moods when we deale with the passionate we may exasperate in steed of reforming Thus did Ionathan who knowing how much better it is to be a good frend then an ill sonne had not onely disclosed that ill counsell but when hee found his father in the fields in a calmer temper laboured to diuert it And so farre doth the seasonable and pithy Oratory of Ionathan preuaile that Saul is convinced of his wrong and sweares As God liues Dauid shall not dye Indeed how could it be otherwise vpon the plea of Dauids innocence and well deseruings How could Saul say he should dye whom he could accuse of nothing but faithfulnes Why should hee designe him to death which had giuen life to all Israel Oft-times wicked mens iudgments are forced to yeeld vnto that truth against which their affections maintaine a rebellion Euen the foulest hearts do sometimes intertaine good motions like as on the contrary the holiest soules giue way sometimes to the suggestions of euill The flashes of lightning may be discerned in the darkest prisons But if good thoughts look into a wicked heart they stay not there as those that like not their lodging they are soone gone Hardly any thing distinguishes betwixt good and euill but continuance The light that shines into an holy heart is constant like that of the sunne which keeps due times and varies not his course for any of these sublunary occasions THE Philistims warres renue Dauids victories and Dauids victory renues Sauls enuie and Sauls enuie renues the plots of Dauids death Vowes oathes are forgotten That euill spirit which vexes Saul hath found so much fauor with him as to win him to these bloody machinations against an innocent His owne hands shall first bee imployed in this execution The speare which hath twise before threatned death to Dauid shall now once againe goe vpon that message Wise Dauid that knew the danger of an hollow frend and reconciled enemy and that found more cause to mind Sauls earnest then his own play giues way by his nimblenesse to that deadly weapon and resigning that stroke vnto the wall flees for his life No man knowes how to be sure of an vnconscionable man If either goodnes or merit or affinitie or reasons or oathes could secure a man Dauid had bin safe now if his heeles do not more befrend him then all these he is a dead man No sooner is he gone then messengers are sped after him It hath bin seldome seene that wickednesse wanted executioners Dauids house is beset with murderers which watch at all his dores for the opportunitie of blood Who can but wonder to see how God hath fetcht from the loynes of Saul a remedy for the malice of Sauls heart His owne children are the only meanes to crosse him in the sin and to preserue his guiltlesse aduersary Michal hath more then notice of the plot and with her subtle wit countermines her father for the rescue of an husband Shee taking the benefit of the night lets Dauid downe through a window He is gone and disappoints the ambushes of Saul The messengers begin to be impatient of this delay and now thinke it time to inquire after their prisoner Shee whiles them off with the excuse of Dauids sicknes so as now her husband had good leasure for his escape and layes a statue in his bed Saul likes the newes of any euill befalne to Dauid but fearing hee is not sicke enough sends to aide his disease The messengers returne and rushing into the house with their swords drawne after some harsh words to their imagined charge surprize a sicke statue lying with a pillow vnder his head and now blush to see they haue spent all their threats vpon a senselesse stocke and made themselues ridiculous whiles they would be seruiceable BVT how shall Michal answer this mockage vnto her furious father Hitherto she hath done like Dauids wife now she begins to be Sauls daughter He said to me Let me go or else I will kill thee Shee whose wit had deliuered her husband from the sword of her father now turnes the edge of her fathers wrath from herselfe to her husband His absence made her presume of his safety If Michal had not bin of Sauls plot he had neuer expostulated with her in those termes Why hast thou let mine enemy escape neither had shee framed that answer He said Let me goe I doe not finde any great store of religion in Michal for both shee had an image in the house and afterwards mocked Dauid for his deuotion yet nature hath taught her to preferre an husband to a father to elude a father from whom shee could not flee to saue an husband which durst not but flee from her The bonds of matrimoniall loue are and should bee stronger then those of nature Those respects are mutuall which God appointed in the first institution of wedlocke That husband and wife should leaue father and mother for ech others sake Treason is
voluntarily at last to the witch of Endor is now led at first by good counsell to the man of God neither is his care in going lesse commendable then his will to goe For as a man that had bin catechised not to go vnto God empty-handed he askes What shall we bring vnto the man What haue we The case is well altred in our times Euery man thinks what may I keep backe There is no gaine so sweet as of a robbed altar yet Gods charge is no lesse vnder the Gospell Let him that is taught make his teacher partaker of all As this faithfull care of Saul was a iust presage of successe more then he looked for or could expect so the sacrilegious vnthankfulnes of many bodes that ruine to their soule and estate which they could not haue grace to feare HE that knew the Prophets abode knew also the honor of his place hee could not but know that Samuel was a mixt person The Iudge of Israel and the Seer yet both Saul and his seruant purpose to present him with the fourth part of a shekell to the value of about our fiue pence They had learned that thankfulnes was not to be measured of good men by the weight but by the will of the retributor How much more will God accept the small offerings of his weake seruants when hee sees them proceede from great loue THE very maides of the City can giue direction to the Prophet they had listned after the holy affaires they had heard of the sacrifice and could tell of the necessitie of Samuels presence Those that liue within the sun shine of religion cannot but be somewhat coloured with those beames Where there is practise and example of piety in the better for t there will be a reflexion of it vpon the meanest It is no small benefit to liue in religious and holy places wee shall be much to blame if all goodnes fall beside vs Yea so skilfull were these damzels in the fashions of their publike sacrifices that they could instruct Saul and his seruant vnasked how the people would not eat till Samuel came to blesse the sacrifice This meeting was not more a sacrifice then a feast These two agree well we haue neuer so much cause to reioyce in feasting as when wee haue duely serued our God The sacrifice was a feast to God the other to men The body may eat and drinke with contentment when the soule hath bin first fed and hath first feasted the maker of both Goe eat thy bread with ioy and drinke thy drinke with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy works The sacrifice was before consecrated when it was offered to God but it was not consecrated to them till Samuel blessed it his blessing made that meat holy to the guests which was formerly hallowed to God All creatures were made good tooke holinesse from him which gaue them their being Our sinne brought that curse vpon them which vnlesse our prayers remoue it cleaues to them still so as we receiue them not without a curse We are not our owne freinds except our prayers helpe to take that away which our sin hath brought that so to the cleane all may be cleane It is an vnmannerly godlessnes to take Gods creatures without the leaue of their maker and well may God with-hold his blessing from them which haue not the grace to aske it THOSE guests which were so religious that they would not eat their sacrifice vnblessed might haue blessed it themselues Euery man might pray though euery man might not sacrifice yet would they not either eat or blesse whiles they looked for the presence of a Prophet Euery Christian may sanctifie his owne meat but where those are present that are peculiarly sanctified to God this seruice is fittest for them It is commendable to teach children the practise of thanksgiuing but the best is euer most meere to blesse our tables and those especially whose office it is to offer our prayers to God LITLE did Saul thinke that his comming and his errand was so noted of God as that it was fore-signified vnto the Prophet and now behold Samuel is told a day before of the man the time the place of his meeting The eye of Gods prouidenc is no lesse ouer all our actions all our motions We cannot goe any whither without him he tells all our steps since it pleaseth God therefore to take notice of vs much more should we take notice of him walke with him in whom we moue Saul came beside his expectation to the Prophet he had no thought of any such purpose till his seruant made this sudden motion vnto him of visiting Samuel and yet God saies to his Prophet I will send thee a man out of the land of Beniamin The ouer ruling hand of the Allmighty workes vs insensibly and all our affaires to his owne secret determinations so as whiles wee thinke we doe our owne wills we do his Our owne intentions we may know Gods purposes we know not we must go the way that we are called let him lead vs to what end he pleaseth It is our dutie to resigne our selues and our waies to the disposition of God and patiently and thankfully to awaite the issue of his decrees The same God that fore-shewed Saul to Samuel now points to him See this is the man and commands the Prophet to annoint him gouernor ouer Israel He that told of Saul before he came knew before he came into the world what a man what a King hee would be yet he chooseth him out and inioynes his invnction It is one of the greatest praises of Gods wisdome that hee can turne the euill of men to his own glory Aduancement is not euer a signe of loue either to the man or to the place It had bin better for Saul that his head had bin euer dry some God raiseth vp in iudgement that they may fall the more vneasily there are no men so miserable as those that are great and euill IT seemes that Samuel bore no great port in his outside for that Saul not discerning him either by his habit or attendants comes to him and asks him for the Seer yet was Samuel as yet the Iudge of Israel the substitution of his sonnes had not displaced himselfe There is an affable familiaritie that becommeth greatnesse It is not good for eminent persons to stand alwaies vpon the height of their state but so to behaue themselues that as their sociable cariage may not breed contempt so their ouer-highnes may not breed a seruile fearefulnesse in their people How kindly doth Samuel intertaine and invite Saul yet it was he onely that should receiue wrong by the future royalty of Saul Who would not haue looked that aged Samuel should haue emulated rather the glory of his yong riuall and haue looked churlishly vpon the man that should rob him of his authoritie yet now as if he came on purpose to gratifie him hee bids him to
other mans satisfaction his own he may Samuels contestation EVERY one can be a frend to him that prospereth By this victory hath Saul as welll conquered the obstinacie of his owne people Now there is no Israelite that reioyceth not in Sauls kingdome No sooner haue they done obiecting to Saul then Samuel begins to expostulate with them The same day wherein they began to be pleased God shewes himselfe angry All the passages of their proceedings offended him hee deferd to let them know it till now that the kingdom was setled and their hearts lifted vp Now doth God coole their courage and ioy with a backe reckning for their forwardnes God will not let his people run away with the arrerages of their sins but when they least thinke of it calls them to an account All this while was God angry with their reiection of Samuel yet as fi there had beene nothing but peace hee giues them a victory ouer their enemies hee giues way to their ioy in their election now hee lets them know that after their peace-offerings hee hath a quarrell with them God may be angry enough with vs whiles we outwardly prosper It is the wisdome of God to take his best aduantages He suffers vs to go on till we should come to enioy the fruit of our sinne till wee seeme past the danger either of conscience or punishment then euen when we begin to be past the feeling of our sinne we shall begin to feele his displeasure for our sinnes This is onely where he loues where he would both forgiue and reclaime He hath now to doe with his Israel But where hee meanes vtter vengance he lets men harden themselues to a reprobate senselessnes and make vp their owne measure without contradiction as purposing to reckon with them but once for euer SAMVEL had disswaded them before he reproues them not vntill now If he had thus bent himselfe against them ere the setling of the election he had troubled Israel in that which God tooke occasion by their sin to establish His opposition would haue sauoured of respects to himselfe whom the wrong of this innovation chiefly concerned Now therefore when they are sure of their King and their King of them when hee hath set euen termes betwixt them mutually he lets them see how they were at odds with God We must euer dislike sins we may not euer show it Discretion in the choice of seasons for reprouing is no lesse commendable and necessarie then zeale and faithfulnes in reprouing Good Physitians vse not to euacuate the body in extremities of heat or cold wise mariners do not hoyse sailes in euery winde FIRST doth Samuel begin to cleare his owne innocence ere he dare charge them with their sinne He that will cast a stone at an offender must be free himselfe otherwise he condemnes and executes himselfe in another person The conscience stops the mouth of the guilty man and chokes him with that sinne which lyes in his owne brest and hauing not come forth by a penitent confession cannot find the way out in a reproofe or if he do reproue he doth more shame himselfe then reforme another He that was the Iudge of Israel would not now iudge himselfe but would be iudged by Israel Whose oxe haue I taken whose asse haue I taken or to whom haue I done wrong No doubt Samuel found himselfe guilty before God of many priuate infirmities but for his publike cariage hee appeales to men A mans heart can best iudge of himselfe others can best iudge of his actions As another mans conscience approbation can not beare vs out before God so cannot our owne before men For oft-times that action is censured by the beholders as wrong full wherein wee applaud our own iustice Happy is that man that can be acquited by himself in priuate in publike by others by God in both standers by may see more It is very safe for a man to looke into himselfe by others eyes In vaine shall a mans heart absolue him that is condemned by his actions IT was not so much the tryall of his cariage that Samuel appealed for as his iustification not for his owne comfort so much as their conviction His innocence hath not done him seruice enough vnlesse it shame them and make them confesse themselues faulty In so many yeeres wherein Samuel iudged Israel it cannot be but many thousand causes passed his hands wherein both parties could not possibly bee pleased yet so cleare doth he finde his heart and hands that he dare make the greeued part iudges of his iudgment A good conscience will make a man vndauntedly confident and dare put him vpon any tryall where his owne heart strikes him not it bids him challeng all the world and take vp all commers How happy a thing is it for a man to be his owne frend and patron He needs not to feare forraine broiles that is at peace at home Contrarily he that hath a false and foule heart lyes at euery mans mercy liues slauishly and is faine to dawbe vp a rotten peace with the basest conditions Truth is not afraid of any light and therefore dare suffer her wares to be caried from a dim shop-bord vnto the street dore Perfect gold will be but the purer with trying whereas falshood being a worke of darknes loues darknes and therefore seeks where it may worke closest THIS very appellation cleared Samuel but the peoples attestation cleared him more Innocency vprightnes becomes euery man well but most publique persons who shall be else obnoxious to euery offender The throne and the pulpit of all places call for holines not more for example of good then for liberty of controlling euill All Magistrates sweare to doe that which Samuel protesteth hee hath done if their oath were so verified as Samuels protestation it were a shame for the State not to be happy The sinnes of our Teachers are the teachers of sinne the sins of gouernors do both command and countenance euill This very acquiting of Samuel was the accusation of themselues For how could it be but faulty to cast off a faultlesse gouernor If he had not taken away an oxe or an asse from them why do they take away his authoritie They could not haue thus cleared Saul at the end of his raigne It was iust with God since they were weary of a iust ruler to punish them with an vniust HE that appealed to them for his owne vprightnes durst not appeale to them for their owne wickednes but appeales to heauen from them Men are commonly flatterers of their owne cases It must be a strong euidence that will make a sinner convicted in himselfe Nature hath so many shifts to cosen it selfe in this spirituall verdict that vnlesse it be taken in the manner it will hardly yeeld to a truth either shee will denie the fact or the fault or the measure And now in this case they might seeme to haue some faire pretences For though Samuel was
righteous yet his sonnes were corrupt To cut of all excuses therefore Samuel appeales to God the highest Iudge for his sentence of their sin and dares trust to a miraculous conviction It was now their wheat haruest The hot and dry ayre of that climate did not wont to afford in that season so much moist vapour as might raise a cloud either for raine or thunder He that knew God could and would do both these without the helpe of second causes puts the tryall vpon this issue Had not Samuel before consulted with his Maker and receiued warrant for his act it had bin presumption and tempting of God which was now a noble improuement of faith Rather then Israel shall go cleare away with a sinne God will accuse and arraigne them from heauen No sooner hath Samuels voice ceased then Gods voice begins Euery cracke of thunder spake iudgment against the rebellious Israelites and euery drop of raine was a witnesse of their sin and now they found they had displeased him which ruleth in the heauen by rejecting the man that ruled for him on earth The thundring voice of God that had lately in their sight confounded the Philistims they now vnderstood to speake fearefull things against them No maruell if now they fell vpon their knees not to Saul whom they had chosen but to Samuel who being thus cast off by them is thus countenanced in heauen Sauls sacrifice GOD neuer ment the kingdom should either stay long in the tribe of Beniamin or remoue suddenly from the person of Saul Many yeres did Saul reigne ouer Israel yet God computes him but two yeeres a King That is not accounted of God to bee done which is not lawfully done when God which chose Saul rejected him he was no more a King but a Tyrant Israel obeyed him still but God makes no reckoning of him as his deputy but as an vsurper SAVL was of good yeeres when hee was aduanced to the kingdom His sonne Ionathan the first yeere of his fathers raigne could lead a thousand Israelites into the field and giue a foyle to the Philistims And now Israel could not thinke themselues lesse happy in theâ—â—r Prince then in their King Ionathan is the heyre of his fathers victory as well as of his valour and his estate The Philistims were quiet after those first thunder-claps all the time of Samuels gouernment now they begin to stirre vnder Saul How vtterly is Israel disappointed in their hopes That securitie and protection which they promised themselues in the name of a King they found in a Prophet failed of in a warriour They were more safe vnder the mantle then vnder armes both enmity and sauegard are from heauen goodnes hath bin euer a stronger guard then valour It is the surest policie alwaies to haue peace with God WE finde by the spoiles that the Philistims had some battels with Israel which are not recorded After the thunder had skared them into a peace and restitution of all the bordring Cities from Ekron to Gath they had taken new heart and so beslaued Israel that they had neither weapon nor Smith left amongst them yet euen in this miserable nakednes of Israel haue they both fought and ouercome Now might you haue seene the vnarmed Israelites marching with their slings and ploughstaues and hookes and forkes and other instruments of their husbandry against a mighty well furnished enemie and returning laded both with armes and victory No armour is of proofe against the Almighty neither is he vnweapned that caries the reuenge of God There is the same disaduantage in our spirituall conflicts we are turned naked to principalities and powers whilst wee goe vnder the conduct of the Prince of our peace we cannot but be bold victorious VAINE men thinke to ouer-power God with munition and multitude The Philistims are not any way more strong then in conceit Thirty thousand chariots six thousand horsemen footmen like the sand for number makes them scorne Israel no lesse then Israel feares them When I see the miraculous successe which had blessed the Israelites in all their late conflicts with these very Philistims with the Ammonites I cannot but wonder how they could feare They which in the time of their sinne found God to raise such trophees ouer their enemies run now into caues and rocks and pits to hide them from the faces of men when they found God reconciled and themselues penitent No Israelite but hath some cowardly blood in him If we had no feare faith would haue no maistery yet these fearefull Israelites shall cut the throats of those confident Philistims Doubt and resolution are not meet measures of our successe A presumptuous confidence goes coÌ„monly bleeding â—â—ome when an humble feare retuâ—â—nes in triumph Feare driues those Israelites which dare show their heads out of the caues vnto Saul and makes them cling vnto their new King How troublesome were the beginnings of Sauls honor Surely if that man had not exceeded Israel no lesse in courage then in stature he had now hid himselfe in a caue which before hid himself among the stuffe But now though the Israelites ran away from him yet he ran not away from them It was not any doubt of Sauls valour that put his people to their heeles it was the absence of Samuel If the Prophet had come vp Israel would neuer haue run away from their King Whiles they had a Samuel alone they were neuer well till they had a Saul now they haue a Saul they are as farre from contentment because they want a Samuel vnlesse both ioyne together they thinke there can be no safetie Where the temporall and spirituall state combine not together there can follow nothing but distraction in the people The Prophets receiue and deliuer the will of God Kings execute it The Prophets are directed by God the people are directed by their Kings Where men doe not see God before them in his ordinances their hearts cannot but faile them both in their respects to their superiors and their courage in themselues Piety is the mother of perfect subiection As all authoritie is deriued from heauen so is it thence established Those gouernors that would command the hearts of men must shew them God in their faces No Israelite can thinke himselfe safe without a Prophet Saul had giuen them good proofe of his fortitude in his late victory ouer the Ammonites but then proclamation was made before the fight through all the country that euery man should come vp after Saul and Samuel If Samuel had not bin with Saul they would rather haue ventured the losse of their oxen then the hazard of themselues How much lesse should we presume of any safety in our spirituall combats when we haue not a Prophet to lead vs It is all one sauing that it fauours of more contempt not to haue Gods Seers and not to vse them He can be no true Israelite that is not distressed with the want of a Samuel As one
same God which call'd Dauid to the Court wellcoms him thither His comelinesse valour and skill haue soone wonne him fauour in the eyes of Saul The giuer of all graces hath so placed his fauours that the greatest enemies of goodnes shall see somewhat in the holiest men which they shall affect and for which they shall honor the persons of them whose vertues they dislike as contrarily the Saints on earth see somewhat to loue in the worst creatures No doubt Dauid sung to his Harpe His Harpe was not more sweet then his song was holy Those Psalmes alone had bin more powerfull to chase the euill spirit then the musicke was to calme passions both together gaue ease to Saul and God gaue this effect to both because hee would haue Saul traine vp his successor This sacred musicke did not more dispell Sathan then wanton musicke invites him and more cheeres him then vs He plaies and danceth at a filthy song he sings at an obscure dance Our sinne is his best pastime whereas Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs are torment vnto the tempter and musicke to the Angels in heauen whose trade is to sing Alleluiahs in the Chore of glory Dauid and Goliah AFTER the newes of the Philistims army I heare no more mention of Sauls frenzy Whether the noise of warr diuerted those thoughtfull passions or whether God for his peoples sake tooke off that euill spirit least Israel might miscarry vnder a frantick gouernor Now Dauid hath leisure to returne to Bethleem The glory of the Court cannot transport him to ambitious vanitie He had rather be his fathers shepheard then Sauls armour-bearer All the magnificence and state which he saw could not put his mouth out of the taste of a retired simplicitie yea rather he loues his hook the better since he saw the Court and now his brethren serue Saul in his steed A good heart hath learnt to frame it selfe vnto all conditions can change estates without change of disposition rising and falling according to occasion The worldly minde can rise easily but when it is once vp knowes not how to descend either with patience or safety FORTY dayes together had the Philistims Israelites faced each other they pitched on two hills one in the sight of the other nothing but a valley was betwixt them Both stand vpon defence and aduantage If they had not ment to fight they had neuer drawne so neere and if they had bin eager of fight a valley could not haue parted them Actions of hazard require deliberation not furie but discretion must bee the guide of warre So had Ioshua destroyed the giantly Anakims out of the land of Israel that yet some were left in Azzah Gath and Ashdod both to shew Israel what aduersaries their forefathers found in Canaan whom they mastred as also that God might winne glory to himselfe by these subsequent executions Of that race was Goliah whose heart was as high as his head his strength was answerable to his stature his weapons answerable to his strength his pride exceeded all Because he saw his head higher his armes stronger his sword and speare bigger his shield heauier then any Israelite he defies the whole host and walking between the two armies braues all Israel with a challenge Why are yee come out to set your battaile in aray Am not I a Philistim and you seruants to Saul Choose you a man for you and let him come downe to me giue me a man that we may fight together Carnall hearts are carried away with presumption of their owne abilities and not finding matches to themselues in outward appearance insult ouer the impotencie of inferiors and as those that can see no invisible opposition promise themselues certainty of successe Insolence and selfe-confidence argues the heart to be nothing but a lumpe of proud flesh THE first challenge of Duell that euer we finde came out of the mouth of an vncircumcised Philistim yet was that in open warre and tended to the sauing of many liues by aduenturing one or two and whosoeuer imitateth nay surpasseth him in challenge to priuate Duell in the attempt partaketh of his vncircumcision though he should ouercome and of his manner of punishment if in such priuat combats hee cast away his life For of all such desperate prodigalls wee may say that their heads are cut off by their owne sword if not by their owne hand Wee cannot challenge men and not challenge God who iustly challengeth to himselfe both to take vengeance and to giue successe The more Goliah challenges and is vnanswered the more is he puft vp in the pride of his owne power And is there none of all Israel that will answer this champion otherwise then with his heeles Where is the courage of him that was higher then all Israel from the shoulders vpward The time was when Nahash the Ammonite had made that tyrannous demand of the right eyes of the Gileadites that Saul could aske vnasked What aileth the people to weep and could hew his oxen in peeces to raise the spirits of Israel and now he stands still and sees the host turne their backe and neuer so much as asks what aileth the people to flee The time was when Saul slew forty thousand Philistims in one day and perhaps Goliah was in that discomfiture and now one Philistim is suffred by him to braue all Israel forty dayes whence is this difference The spirit of God the spirit of fortitude was now departed from him Saul was not more aboue himselfe when God was with him then he is below others now that he is left of God Valour is not meerely of nature Nature is euer like it selfe by this rule hee that is once valiant should neuer turne coward But now we see the greatest spirits inconstant and those which haue giuen good proofes of magnanimitie at other times haue bewrayed white liuers vnto their owne reproch Hee that is the God of hostes giues and takes away mens hearts at his pleasure Neither is it otherwise in our spirituall combats sometimes the same soule dare challenge all the powers of darknes which other-whiles giues ground to a temptation Wee haue no strength but what is giuen vs and if the author of all good gifts remit his hand for our humiliation either we fight not or are foyled DAVID hath now lien long enough close amongst his flock in the fields of Bethleem God sees a time to send him to the pitcht field of Israel Good old Ishai that was doubtles ioyfull to thinke that he had afforded three sonnes to the warres of his King is no lesse carefull of their wellfare and prouision and who amongst all the rest of his seuen sonnes shall be pickt out for this seruice but his yongest sonne Dauid whose former almost worne-out acquaintance in the Court and imployment vnder Saul seemed to fit him best for his errand Early in the morning is Dauid vpon his way yet not so early as to leaue his flock
euer odious but so much more in the mariage-bed by how much the obligations are deeper As shee lou'd her husband better then her father so shee lou'd her selfe better then her husband she saued her husband by a wile and now shee saues her selfe by a lye and looses halfe the thanke of her deliuerance by an officious slander Her act was good but shee wants courage to maintaine it and therefore seeks to the weake shelter of vntruth Those that do good offices not out of conscience but good nature or ciuilitie if they meet an affront of danger seldome comes off cleanly but are ready to catch at all excuses though base though iniurious because their grounds are not strong enough to beare them out in suffring for that which they haue well done WHITHER doth Dauid flee but to the Sanctuary of Samuel He doth not though he knew himselfe gracious with the soldiers raise forces or take some strong fort and there stand vpon his owne defence and at defiance with his King but hee gets him to the Colledge of the Prophets as a man that would seeke the peaceable protection of the King of heauen against the vniust furie of a King on earth Onely the wing of God shall hide him from that violence GOD intended to make Dauid not a warriour and a King only but a Prophet too As the field fitted him for the first and the Court for the second so Naioth shall fit him for the third Doublesse such was Dauids delight in holy meditations he neuer spent his time so contentedly as when he was retyred to that diuine Academie and had so full freedom to inioy God and to satiate himself with heauenly exercises The onely doubt is how Samuel can giue harbour to a man fled from the anger of his Prince wherein the very persons of both giue abundant satisfaction for both Samuel knew the counsell of God and durst doe nothing without it and Dauid was by Samuel anointed from God This vnction was a mutuall bond Good reason had Dauid to sue to him which had powred the oyle on his head for the hiding of that head which hee had anointed and good reason had Samuel to hide him whom God by his meanes had chosen from him whom God had by his sentence reiected Besides that the cause deserued commiseration Here was not a malefactor running away from iustice but an innocent auoyding murder not a traytor countenanc'd against his Souerayne but the deliuerer of Israel harbored in a Sanctuary of Prophets till his peace might be made EVEN thither doth Saul send to apprehend Dauid All his rage did not incense him against Samuel as the abettor of his aduersarie Such an impression of reuerence had the person and calling of the Prophet left in the minde of Saul that hee cannot thinke of lifting vp his hand against him The same God which did at the first put an awe of man in the fiercest creatures hath stamped in the cruellest hearts a reuerent respect to his owne image in his Ministers so as euen they that hate them do yet honor them SAVLS messengers came to lay hold on Dauid God layes hold on them No sooner doe they see a company of Prophets busie in those diuine exercises vnder the moderation of Samuel then they are turned from executioners to Prophets It is good going vp to Naioth into the holy assemblies who knowes how wee may bee changed beside our intention Many a one hath come into Gods house to carpe or scoffe or sleepe or gaze that hath returned a conuert THE same heart that was thus disquieted with Dauids happy successe is now vexed with the holinesse of his other seruants It angers him that Gods spirit could find no other time to seize vpon his agents then when he had sent them to kill And now out of an indignation at this disappointment himselfe will go and be his own seruant His guilty soule findes it selfe out of the danger of being thus surprized And behold Saul is no sooner come within the smell of the smoke of Naioth then hee also prophesies The same spirit that when hee went first from Samuel inabled him to prophesie returnes in the same effect now that he was going his last vnto Samuel This was such a grace as might well stand with reiection an extraordinary gift of the spirit but not sanctifying Many men haue had their mouthes opened to prophesie vnto others whose hearts haue bin deafe to God But this such as it was was far from Sauls purpose who in steed of expostulating with Samuel falls downe before him and laying aside his weapons and his robes of a Tyran proues for the time a disciple All hearts are in the hand of their maker how easie is it for him that gaue them their being to frame them to his owne bent Who can bee afraid of malice that knowes what hooks God hath in the nosthrills of men and Diuels what charmes he hath for the most serpentine hearts DAVID AHIMELEC WHo can euer iudge of the children by the Parents that knowes Ionathan was the sonne of Saul There was neuer a falser heart then Sauls there was neuer a truer frend then Ionathan Neither the hope of a kingdome nor the frownes of a father nor the feare of death can remoue him from his vowed amitie No sonne could be more officious and dutifull to a good father yet he layes downe nature at the foot of grace and for the preseruation of his innocent riuall for the kingdom crosses the bloody designes of his owne parent Dauid needs no other counsellor no other aduocate no other intelligencer then he It is not in the power of Sauls vnnaturall reproches or of his speare to make Ionathan any other then a frend and patron of innocence Euen after all these difficulties doth Ionathan shoot beyond Dauid that Saul may shoot short of him In vaine are those professions of loue which are not answered with action Hee is no true frend that besides talke is not ready both to do and suffer SAVL is no whit the better for his prophesying he no sooner rises vp from before Samuel then he pursues Dauid Wicked men are rather the worse for those transitorie good motions they haue receiued If the swine be neuer so cleane washed shee will wallow againe That we haue good thoughts it is no thanke to vs that we answer them not it is both our sin and iudgment DAVID hath learned not to trust these fits of deuotion but flyes from Samuel to Ionathan from Ionathan to Ahimelech when hee was hunted from the Prophet he flees to the Priest as one that knew iustice and compassion should dwell in those brests which are consecrated vnto God THE Arke and the Tabernacle were then separated The Arke was at Kiriath-iearim the Tabernacle at Nob God was present with both Whither should Dauid flee for succour but to the house of that God which had annointed him AHIMELECH was wont to see Dauid attended with the
iustly doe we blesse her whom the Angell pronounceth blessed How worthily is shee honoured of men whom the Angell proclaimeth beloued of God O blessed MARY he cannot blesse thee he cannot honor thee too much that deifies thee not That which the Angell said of thee thou hast prophesied of thy selfe we beleeue the Angell and thee All generations shall call thee blessed by the fruit of whose womb all generations are blessed If Zachary were amased with the sight of this Angell much more the Virgin That very sexe hath more disaduantage of feare If it had bin but a man that had come to her in that secrecy and suddennes shee could not but haue bin troubled how much more when the shining glory of the person doubled the astonishment The troubles of holy mindes end euer in comfort Ioy was the errand of the Angell and not terror Feare as all passions disquiets the heart and makes it for the time vnfit to receiue the messages of God Soone hath the Angell cleared these troublesome mists of passions and sent out the beames of heauenly consolation into the remotest corner of her soule by the glad newes of her Sauiour How can ioy but enter into her heart out of whose womb shall come saluation what roome can feare finde in that brest that is assured of fauour Feare not Mary for thou hast found fauour with God Let those feare who know they are in displeasure or know not they are gracious Thine happy estate calls for confidence and that confidence for ioy What should what can they feare who are fauoured of him at whom the Diuels tremble Not the presence of the good Angels but the temptations of the euill strike many terrors into our weaknes wee could not bee dismaied with them if we did not forget our condition Wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father If that spirit O God witnesse with our spirits that wee are thine how can we feare any of those spirituall wickednesses Giue vs assurance of thy fauor and let the powers of Hell doe their worst It was no ordinary fauour that the Virgin found in heauen No mortall creature was euer thus graced that he should take part of her nature that was the God of nature that hee which made all things should make his humane body of hers that her wombe should yeeld that flesh which was personally vnited to the Godhead that shee should beare him that vpholds the world Lo thou shalt conceiue and beare a Sonne and shalt call his name Iesus It is a question whether there bee more wonder in the conception or in the fruit the conception of the Virgin or Iesus conceiued Both are maruelous but the former doth not more exceed all other wonders then the latter exceedeth it For the childe of a Virgin is the reimprouement of that power which created the world but that God should be incarnate of a Virgin was an abasement of his maiestie and an exaltation of the creature beyond all example Well was that childe worthy to make the mother blessed Here was a double conception one in the wombe of her body the other of the soule If that were more miraculous this was more beneficiall That was her priuiledge this was her happinesse If that were singular to her this is common to all his chosen There is no renewed heart wherein thou O Sauiour art not formed againe Blessed be thou that hast herein made vs blessed For what wombe can conceiue thee and not partake of thee Who can partake of thee and not be happy Doubtlesse the Virgin vnderstood the Angell as he ment of a present conception which made her so much more inquisitiue into the manner meanes of this euent How shall this be since I know not a man That shee should conceiue a sonne by the knowledge of man after her mariage consummate could haue bin no wonder But how then should that sonne of hers be the sonne of God This demand was higher how her present virginitie should bee instantly fruitfull might be well worthy of admiration of inquiry Here was desire of information not doubts of infidelitie yea rather this question argues faith It takes for granted that which an vnbeleeuing heart would haue stucke at Shee saies not who and whence art thou what kingdom is this where when shall it be erected But smoothly supposing all those strange things would be done shee insists onely in that which did necessarily require a further intimation and doth not distrust but demand Neither doth shee say this cannot be nor how can this be but how shall this be so doth the Angell answer as one that knew he needed not to satisfie curiositie but to informe iudgment and vphold faith He doth not therefore tell her of the manner but of the author of this act The Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most High shall ouershadow thee It is enough to know who is the vndertaker and what he will doe O God what doe wee seeke a cleare light where thou wilt haue a shadow No mother knowes the manner of her naturall conception what presumption shall it bee for flesh and blood to search how the sonne of God tooke flesh and blood of his creature It is for none but the Almighty to know those works which he doth immediately concerning himselfe those that concerne vs he hath reuealed Secrets to God things reuealed to vs. This answer was not so full but that a thousand difficulties might arise out of the particularities of so strange a message yet after the Angels solution wee heare of no more obiections no more interrogations The faithfull heart when it once vnderstands the good pleasure of God argues no more but sweetly rests it selfe in a quiet expectation Behold the seruant of the Lord be it to me according to thy word There is not a more noble proofe of our faith then to captiuate all the powers of our vnderstanding and will to our Creator and without all sciscitations to goe blindfold whither hee will lead vs All disputations with God after his will knowne arise from infidelitie Great is the mysterie of godlines and if we will giue nature leaue to cauill wee cannot be Christians O God thou art faithfull thou art powerfull It is enough that thou hast said it In the humilitie of our obedience we resigne our selues ouer to thee Behold the seruants of the Lord bee it vnto vs according to thy word How fit was her wombe to conceiue the flesh of the sonne of God by the power of the spirit of God whose brest had so soone by the power of the same spirit conceiued an assent to the will of God and now of an handmaid of God she is aduanced to the mother of God No sooner hath shee said be it done then it is done the Holy Ghost ouer-shadowes her and formes her Sauiour in her owne body This very Angell
vnprouided If his fathers command dismisse him yet will he stay till he haue trusted his sheep with a carefull keeper wee cannot be faithfull shepherds if our spirituall charg be lesse deare vnto vs if when necessity cals vs from our flocks we depute not those which are vigilant and conscionable ERE Dauids speed can bring him to the valley of Elah both the Armies are on foot ready to ioyne He takes not this excuse to stay without as a man daunted with the horror of warre but leauing his present with his seruant he thrusts himselfe into the thickest of the host and salutes his brethren which were now thinking of nothing but killing or dying when the proud champion of the Philistims comes stalking forth before all the troopes and renewes his insolent challenge against Israel Dauid sees the man and heares his defiance and lookes about him to see what answer would be giuen and when hee espies nothing but pale faces and bucks turned hee wonders not so much that one man should dare all Israel as that all Israel should runne from one man Euen while they flee from Goliah they talke of the reward that should be giuen to that encounter and victory which they dare not vndertake so those which haue not grace to beleeue yet can say there is glory laid vp for the faithfull Euer since his annointing was Dauid possessed with Gods spirit and thereby filled both with courage and wisdome The more strange doth it seeme to him that all Israel should be thus dastardly Those that are themselues eminent in any grace cannot but wonder at the miserable defects of others and the more shame they see in others imperfections the more is their zeale in auoyding those errors in themselues WHILES base hearts are moued by example the want of example is incouragement enough for an heroicall minde Therefore is Dauid ready to vndertake the quarrell because no man else dare do it His eyes sparkled with holy anger and his heart rose vp to his mouth when he heard this proud challenger Who is this vncircumcised Philistim that he should reuile the host of the liuing God Euen so ô Sauiour when all the generations of men ran away affrighted from the powers of death and darknes thou alone hast vndertaken and confounded them WHO should offer to daunt the holy courage of Dauid but his owne brethren The enuious heart of Eliab construes this forwardnes as his own disgrace Shall I thinks he be put downe by this puisne shall my fathers yongest sonne dare to attempt that which my stomach will not serue mee to aduenture Now therefore hee rates Dauid for his presumption and in steed of answering to the recompence of the victory which others were ready to giue he recompenceth the very inquiry of Dauid with a check It was for his brethrens sake that Dauid came thither and yet his very iourney is cast vpon him by them for a reproch Wherefore cam'st thou downe hither and when their bitternes can meet with nothing else to shame him his sheepe are cast in his teeth Is it for thee an idle proud boy to be medling with our martiall matters doth not yonder Champion looke as if hee were a fit match for thee what mak'st thou of thy selfe or what dost thou thinke of vs ywis it were fitter for thee to be looking to thy sheepe then looking at Goliah the wildernes would become thee better then the fields Wherein art thou equall to any man thou seest but in arrogance and presumption The pastures of Bethleem could not hold thee but thou thought'st it a goodly matter to see the wars I know thee as if I were in thy bosome This was thy thought There is no glory to bee got among fleeces I will goe seeke it in armes Now are my brethren winning honor in the troopes of Israel whiles I am basely tending on sheepe why should not I be as forward as the best of them This vanity would make thee strait of a shepherd a soldier and of a soldier a champion get thee home foolish stripling to thy hooke and thy harpe let swords speares alone to those that know how to vse them IT is quarrell enough amongst many to a good action that it is not their owne there is no enemie so ready or so spightfull as the domesticall The hatred of brethren is so much more as their blood is neerer The malice of strangers is simple but of a brother is mixt with enuie The more vnnaturall any qualitie is the more extreame it is A cold winde from the south is intollerable Dauids first victory is of himselfe next of his brother Hee ouercomes himselfe in a patient forbearance of his brother hee ouercomes the malicious rage of his brother with the mildnes of his answer If Dauid had wanted spirit he had not bin troubled with the insultation of a Philistim If he had a spirit to match Goliah how doth he so calmely receiue the affront of a brother What haue I now done is there not a cause That which would haue stirred the choler of another allayeth his It was a brother that wronged him and that his eldest neither was it time to quarrell with a brother whiles the Philistims swords were drawne and Goliah was challenging O that these two motiues could induce vs to peace If we haue iniurie in our person in our cause it is from brethren and the Philistims looke on I am deceiued if this conquest were lesse glorious then the following He is fit to be Gods champion that hath learned to bee victor of himselfe IT is not this sprinkling of cold water that can quench the fire of Dauids zeale but still his courage sends vp flames of desire still he goes on to inquire and to proffer He whom the regard of others enuie can dismay shall neuer doe ought worthy of enuie Neuer man vndertooke any exploit of worth and receiued not some discouragement in the way This couragious motion of Dauid was not more scorned by his brother then by the other Israelites applauded The rumor flies to the eares of the King that there is a yong man desirous to encounter the gyant Dauid is brought forth Saul when he heard of a champion that durst goe into the lists with Goliah looked for one as much higher then himselfe as he was taller then the rest he expected some sterne face and brawny arme yong and ruddy Dauid is so far below his thoughts that he receiues rather contempt then thanks His words were stout his person was weake Saul doth not more like his resolution then distrust his abilitie Thou art not able to goe against this Philistim to fight with him for thou art a boy and he is a man of warre from his youth Euen Saul seconds Eliab in the conceit of this disparitie and if Eliab speak out of enuie Saul speaks out of iudgment both iudge as they were iudged of by the stature All this cannot weaken that heart which receiues his
strength from faith Dauids greatest conflict is with his freinds The ouercomming of their disswasions that he might fight was more worke then to ouercome his enemy in fighting He must first iustifie his strength to Saul ere he may proue it vpon Goliah Valor is neuer made good but by tryall He pleads the tryall of his puissance vpon the Beare and the Lyon that he may haue leaue to proue it vpon a worse beast then they Thy seruant slew both the Lyon and the Beare therefore this vncircumcised Philistim shall be as one of them Experience of good successe is no small comfort to the heart this giues possibilitie and hope but no certainty Two things there were on which Dauid built his confidence on Goliahs sin and Gods deliuerance seeing he hath railed on the host of the liuing God The Lord that deliuered mee out of the pawes of the Lion and the Beare he will deliuer me out of the hand of this Philistim Well did Dauid know that if this Philistims skin had bin as hard as the brasse of his shield his sinne would make it penetrable by euery stroke After all brags of manhood he is impotent that hath prouoked God Whiles other labour for outward fortifications happy and safe were we if wee could labour for innocence He that hath found God present in one extremitie may trust him in the next Euery sensible fauour of the Almighty invites both his gifts and our trust RESOLVTION thus grounded makes euen Saul himselfe confident Dauid shall haue both his leaue and his blessing If Dauid came to Saul as a shepherd he shall go toward Goliah as a warriour The attire of the King is not too rich for him that shall fight for his King and country Litle did Saul thinke that his helmet was now on that head which should once weare his crowne Now that Dauid was arrayed in the warlike habit of a King and girded with his sword he lookt vpon himselfe and thought this outside glorious but when hee offred to walke and found that the attire was not so strong as vnweeldy and that it might be more for show then vse he laies downe these accoustrements of honor and as caring rather to bee an homely victor then a glorious spoile he craues pardon to go in no clothes but his owne he takes his staffe in steed of the speare his shepherds scrip in steed of his brigandine and in steed of his sword he takes his sling and in steed of darts and iauelins hee takes fiue smooth stones out of the brooke Let Sauls coat be neuer so rich and his armour neuer so strong what is Dauid the better if they fit him not It is not to be inquired how excellent any thing is but how proper Those things which are helps to some may be encombrances to others An vnmeet good may be as inconuenient as an accustomed euill If we could wish another mans honor when we feele the weight of his cares we should be glad to be in our owne cote THOSE that depend vpon the strength of faith though they neglect not meanes yet they are not curious in the proportion of outward meanes to the effect desired Where the heart is armed with an assured confidence a sling and a stone are weapons enow To the vnbeleeuing no helps are sufficient Goliah though he were presumptuous enough yet had one shield caried before him another he caried on his shoulder neither will his sword alone content him but he takes his speare too Dauids armour is his plaine shepherds russet and the brooke yeelds him his artillery and he knowes there is more safety in his cloth then in the others brasse and more danger in his peebles then the others speare Faith giues both heart armes The inward munition is so much more noble because it is of proofe for both soule and body If wee be furnished with this how boldly shall we meete with the powers of darknes and goe away more then conquerors NEITHER did the qualitie of Dauids weapons bewray more confidence then the number If he will put his life and victory vpon the stones of the brooke why doth he not fill his scrip full of them why will he content himselfe with fiue Had he bin furnished with store the aduantage of his nimblenesse might haue giuen him hope If one faile that yet another might speed But now this paucity puts the dispatch to a sudden hazard and he hath but fiue stones cast either to death or victory still the fewer helps the stronger faith Dauid had an instinct from God that he should ouercome hee had not a particular direction how he should ouercome For had he bin at first resolued vpon the sling and stone he had saued the labour of girding his sword It seems whiles they were addressing him to the combat hee made account of hand-blowes now he is purposed rather to send then bring death to his aduersarie In either or both he durst trust God with the successe and before hand through the conflict saw the victory It is sufficient that we know the issue of our fight If our weapons and wardes vary according to the occasion giuen by God that is nothing to the euent sure we are that if wee resist wee shall ouercome and if wee ouercome wee shall be crowned WHEN Dauid appeared in the lists to so vnequall an aduersarie as many eyes were vpon him so in those eyes diuers affections The Israelites lookt vpon him with pity and feare and each man thought Alas why is this comely stripling suffred to cast away himselfe vpon such a monster why will they let him go vnarmed to such an affray why will Saul hazard the honor of Israel on so vnlikely an head The Philistims especially their great Champion lookt vpon him with scorne disdaining so base a combatant Am I a dog that thou com'st to mee with staues What could be said more fitly Hadst thou bin any other then a dog ô Goliah thou hadst neuer opened thy fowle mouth to barke against the host of God and the God of hosts If Dauid had thought thee any other then a very dog he had neuer come to thee with a staffe and a stone THE last words that euer the Philistim shall speake are curses and brags Come to me and I will giue thy flesh vnto the fowles of the heauen and the beasts of the field Seldome euer was there a good end of ostentation Presumption is at once the presage and cause of ruine He is a weake aduersarie that can be killd with words That man which could not feare the gyants hand cannot feare his tongue If words shall first encounter the Philistim receiues the first foile and shall first let in death into his eare ere it enter into his forehead Thou com'st to mee with a sword and a speare and a shield but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts the God of the host of Israel whom thou hast railed vpon This day