put out and the Spark of his Fire shall not shine The Light shall be dark in his Tabernacle and his Candle shall be put out with him Job 18.5 6. i. e. his Honour and Glory shall be put out his Prosperity shall fade away and die 2. A good King is a good sign that God will not destroy the Kingdom 2 Kings 8.19 Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his Servant's sake as he promised him to give him always a Light and to his Children therefore God would not destroy Judah because he had promised David to give him a Light that is a Successor in his Throne to give Light to his People therefore the giving of that Light was a Preservation to Judah from Destruction When God was provoked by Solomon who threatned him for his Idolatry and Breach of Covenant to rend the Kingdom from him and give it unto his Servant he was pleased to add Howbeit I will not do it in thy Days for David thy Father's sake but I will rend it out of the Hand of thy Son He would not for David's sake to whom God promised a Lampalways 1 Kings 15.4 Nevertheless for David 's sake did the Lord his God give him a Lamp in Jerusalem to set up his Son and to establish Jerusalem 3. A good King is Light to a Kingdom as he is a cause of Joy and Gladness to a Kingdom A bad King may cause carnal and profane Joy to the Wicked but then he is the Cause and Grief and Trouble to them that fear God We are not to call that Light which makes the Wicked to rejoice in their Wickedness and to glory in their Shame but then we have a Light when the Righteous rejoice Whon the Righteous are in Authority the People rejoice but when the Wicked beareth Rule the People mourn Prov. 29.2 Light is borrowed to express Joy and Gladness Light is sown for the Righteous and Gladness for the upright in Heart Psal 97.11 Then had the Jews Light and Gladness and Joy and Honour Esther 8.16 What a Constellation of Blessings what Clusters of Mercies and all in the Flower arise and spring up in a Land when such a Light is set up in the Firmament of a Kingdom in the Orb of Soveraignty 4. A good King is the Light and Glory of a Kingdom the Light of a People when he doth restore set up resorm and maintain Religion in his Kingdom such a King was David such a Blessing was he to Israel When the Ark of God was taken the miserable sorrowful Wife of Phineas called her Child's Name Ichabod because the Glory was departed from Israel and she said The Glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken 1 Sam. 4.21 22. Surely Salvation is nigh them that fear him that Glory may dwell in our Land Psal 85.9 Christ is called A Light to the Gentiles and the Glory of his People Israel Luke 2.32 Therefore then it is that Glory dwells in the Land when the Glory of Christ shines in his Worship Ordinances and People The Glory and Liberty of the Gospel in its Ministry Ordinances and Profession of its Truth and Beauty of Holiness doth exalt a Nation advanceth it in great Honour and then Glory doth not come as a Traveller to see a Country or a wayfaring Man that tarrieth for a Night but dwelleth in a Land when Religion pure and undesiled is entertained with Reverence and Honour in the King's Court in the Houses of Nobles and hath a free Passage throughout a Nation and is delivered from unreasonable Men A religious King is then the Light of Israel when the Lights of the World are set up kept burning brought from under Bushels and set upon the Table when good Men may be as good as they will and the wicked may not be as vile and bad as they would be 5. A good King is a Light to a Kingdom when he reigns in Righteousness David's Prayer for Solomon was Psal 72.2 Give the King thy Judgments and thy Righteousness to the King's Son This was his Prayer for him who was a Lamp which God promised to raise up in his place and when a King doth reign in Righteousness then he imitates and represents the Sun of Righteousnes Christ Jesus the King the Scepter of whose Kingdom is a Scepter of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 2 Sam. 23.3 4. who ariseth with healing in his Wings The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over Men must be just ruling in the fear of God Now mark what a just King a religious King that ruleth in the Fear of the Lord shall be And he shall be as the Light of the Morning when the Sun riseth even a Morning without Clouds as the tender Grass springeth out of the Earth by clear shining after Rain i. e. he shall be a great Blessing a great Comfort and Cause of rejoicing to the People of God A King that reigns in Righteousness may yet further be compared to the Light as he doth by himself by his righteous Laws declare and enact what is just and right that by the Light of his Laws People may see the Light of the Rule and the Path of Righteousness that by his wise learned and upright Judges not to serve the Designs Will and sinful Pleasure of the King with a Commission during Pleasure to take away the Lives of innocent Men to countenance false Witnesses perplex or threaten the True disannul Charters and the like Righteousness may run down like a mighty stream When these do distribute Justice between the King and his People and Subject and Subject when the Righteous will not be sold for a pair of Shoes when Righteousness is administred without Partiality then the King will find the Benefit and Comfort of his own Light for Righteousness and Judgment will be the Stability or Establishment of his Throne For by Righteousness the Throne is established Prov. 16.12 6. The King is a Light to Israel as David was for the Security and Protection received from him The Sun and Shield are well joined for the Comfort and Protection of God's People Psal 84.11 The Shields of the Earth belong unto the Lord Psal 47.7 Kings and Magistrates are those Shields and they are Nursing-Fathers and Nursing-Mothers they are like a Pillar of Fire for the Direction and Protection of Israel Hezekiah in the Type of Jesus Christ was foretold that he should be a King to reign in Righteousness and the Princes under him should rule in Judgment when it was so it followeth that he should be a hiding-place from the Wind and a Covert from the Tempest a hiding-place and Covert from the Wind and Tempest raised by the Devil and his Angels to trouble and unsettle the Nation 's Peace and Order and to keep off the Wind and Tempest Persecution and Tribulation which blow and beat upon the Church of God such a Light was David to Israel A Man
better to keep at home and receive Enemies from abroad and repel them or carry the War abroad into the Enemies Countries But certainly the Reasons and Circumstances of this War well known to our wise King perswade it is best where it is God hath provided for us a wise watchful couragious Queen in full Authority to govern and watch over us at home who is worthy to be trusted under God There are more Princes engaged in this War beside the King and other Dominions concerned and if God do but break that Devourer at home and deal with him as God rewarded Adonibezek it will keep him from ravaging abroad as he hath done Hunt him down he will be glad to hide in his own Den. Nothing is more to be fear'd than a Composition with him for being faithless he will no longer keep Conditions of Peace than he can gather Strength to break them 3. You say you would not have him venture his Person I say let us express all the loyal and truly-Christian Care we can and all the true Zeal we can for his Preservation but let us consider that it hath been the manner and use of the greatest Kings and the best of Commanders to go to the Wars and command in Battels Not to speak of the famous Conquerors of the World was there such a Man in the World as Abraham was Gen. 14.13 14 15 16. And this holy Abraham goes in the Head of his armed Men in Person and leaves not the charge of them to his Confederates How like a Souldier did he command and marshal his Men and he was not a Spectator but an Actor in the Fight What a Man was Joshua who had the Name and Spirit of a Saviour he went and did not take care to send to the Battels of the Mighty The same might be enlarged in David even to a declining Age and of other Kings 4. A King may be as safe in a Camp as in his Court read Psal 3.5 I laid me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me Ver. 6. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of People that have set themselves against me round about Arise O Lord save me O my God c. Psal 27.3 4 5. But then remember these Men were strong in Faith and much in Prayer Not to exceed in length Let us who are sensible of the great Favour of God towards us in our King and Queen be upon our Duties which are two 1. Trust 2. Prayer 1. Trust God with all our Heart Look upon our Lamps as subject to Mortality to fainting to be quenched but let us look to the God of Israel above the sading Light of Israel Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved all the Ends of the Earth for I am God and none else Kings cannot save themselves but it is God who giveth Salvation to Kings Psal 144.10 Salvation belongeth to the Lord Psal 3.8 Psal 44.6 Psal 33.16 2 Chron. 14 11. And a King that trusteth in the Lord will not trust to his Bow c. to the greatest Numbers of Men nor Preparations for War He was a King and a Prophet that dehorteth us from trusting in Princes Psal 146.3 4 5. 2. Trust the Lord of Hosts with our King and Queen As we are to cast all our private Burdens upon the Lord and to commit our private Ways Affairs and Concernments to the Lord so let us cast the great Concernment of the Kingdom and all the People of God in the Kingdom The King trusteth in the Lord Psal 21.7 O let us trust also in the Lord and trust our Light to his gracious watchful and mighty Providence O that we could trust the mighty God of Jacob with his Church and People when as low and weak as Jacob when he is called Jacob Jacob is low and weak Now is the time for right trusting in God And the more Trust and Confidence we place in the King and Queen and the more we exceed in love to them the more cause have we to have a right Trust in God 1. Trust the King as far as a King is to be trusted with our Armies with our Purses with our national Interests abroad and at home and the more our disaffected Back-friends have contemned him let us honour and trust him the more But when we have trusted much to his Wisdom Integrity Valour Conduct and Experience let us not make an Idol of him let us not forget God nor forget that he it is that teacheth his Hands to war and his Fingers to fight 2. Trust God in this Cause and War as if we had no King to trust to for we must trust God alone Only the Lord be with thee as he was with Moses Jos 1.17 He only is my Rock and my Salvation he is my Defence I shall not be greatly moved My Soul wait thou only upon God for my Expectation is from him He only is my Rock and my Salvation I shall not be moved In God is my Salvation and my Glory the Rock of my Strength and my Refuge is in God Trust in him at all times ye People Surely Men of low degree are Vanity and Men of high degree are a Lye Psal 62.2 5 c. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in Princes Psal 118.9 All Nations compassed me about but in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them vers 10. 3. Trust not in Means with the least neglect of God yet use God's Means in trusting God Trust God in the use of Means above Means trust not God without Means when Means may be had of God's appointment Set your selves in array but then stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord 2 Chron. 20.17 David would not trust in his Bow but he would make use of his Bow Though the Means be but as Rams-horns and the tumbling of Barley-loaves yet do as God would have us Presumption is no Trust 4. Trust God with giving supplying renewing disposing and prospering Means but do not limit God to any one Way or Time or Person Mordecai was a Wonder he was confident that God would deliver the Jews he made use of Hester as a proper as a very proper Instrument to work upon the King but his Trust was not limited to her but if she fail'd Deliverance shall come from another place Hester 4.14 No King in England without dishonour to any was so like to carry on the Work of God and to do the Service of his Church as our present King is he hath done much already Was ever King so trusted by so many Princes Who was so engaged being so provoked by the Enemy so prepared with depth of Thoughts and Privacy with Industry beyond Strength or encouraged by Deliverances as He Yet still let us not limit the most High God and the more we trust God the more we love our King O long may this Lamp burn and shine but he can no longer give Light
THE Great Concern and Zeal OF A LOYAL PEOPLE FOR A GOOD KING'S PRESERVATION In the HAZARDS of WAR And the Duty of such a People opened and enforced In one of our MONTHLY-FASTS in a Country Parish By the Minister thereof LONDON Printed for Ionathan Robinson at the Golden-Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1691. To all that sincerely fear God and honour King WILLIAM and Queen MARY THE Word of Authority to us is To your Prayers as the Word of a Commander to his Souldiers To your Arms. The Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal but Spiritual Mighty through God to the pulling down of the strong Holds of Satan not only in the Hearts of Vnbelievers and Enemies of the Gospel battering yea casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledg of God and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. but the same spiritual Weapons are mighty against all the visible Armies and strong-Holds of the Devil under the Command of his Vice-Royes the declared Enemies of the true Church of Christ yea and of Mankind also according to the extent of their Power What mighty things are recorded to be done by One of those Weapons of our Warfare mighty through God in sensible Weakness and Self-distrust And what shall I more say For the Time will fail me to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Sampson and of Jephtha of David also and Samuel and of the Prophets who through Faith subdued Kingdoms c. Heb. 11.32 33. Take notice how the Prophets Men of Peace are enroll'd among the Men of War And no wonder that when Victories and Conquests even over Kingdoms are attributed to Faith that then the Prophets should have an eminent place among the greatest Men of greatest Name And this Power of Faith is not lost but wants Exercise for this is the Victory which overcometh the World even your Faith 1 John 5.4 5. And that which overcometh the World and that mighty evil Spirit in it can subdue a Kingdom at any time when God pleaseth and the time of its destruction is come This Faith is exercised in Prayer and by Prayer winning and engaging the mighty God of Jacob the Lord of Hosts to be on our side Our Enemies cannot stand before us they shall fall and perish the strong shall be as Tow. One Man shall chase a thousand and two ten thousand Deut. 32.30 Jos 23.10 The Church of God is both beautiful and formidable Cant. 6.4 Terrible as an Army with Banners Her Majesty and Stateliness is set forth as an Army with Banners and her exceeding great Power in her Faith and Prayers Believers in regard of the Power of their Faith are more terrible than Armies saith Excellent Mr. Durham If one Jacob as a Prince prevailed and by his Strength had Power with God Hos 12.3 4. What cannot many do that weep and make Supplications What cannot an Army of Believers do What cannot an Army do that by an united Faith with Sighs and Weeping take Heaven by violence Faithless spiritless faint formal Prayers put into rank and file and displayed in the finest Eloquence do no Service at all such Prayers do but beat the Air. That same Language in which God speaks to us is the most proper for us to pray to God that Word by which God worketh Faith in us is that which best suiteth the Prayer of plain-hearted Faith It is an Observation of Eminent Mr. Charnock which deserves to be engraven on our Hearts When God would do any mighty Work in the World he stirs up his People to pray for it and their Prayers by his own appointment have a mighty influence upon the Government of the World for when they come before him in behalf of his Church in general he doth indulge them a greater Liberty and Boldness and as it were a kind of Authority over him than upon other occasions of their own Isa 45.11 Thus saith the Lord The Holy One of Israel and his Maker Ask of me things to come concerning my Sons and the Work of my Hands command ye me God would be more positively Treat of Provid p. 71. Fol. confidently and familiarly dealt with about the Concerns of his Sons though they were things to come to pass in after-Ages Rev. 8.3 4. The great Changes in the World are an Answer to those Prayers which are offered unto God Holy Brethren The Work of God hath been very great in some eminent part of the World in some Countries and Kingdoms and the Prayers of the Faithful have prevailed much But was there ever at any one time so great a Work as is now a doing in our Days Are not the great Affairs of the Sons of God in all Protestant Churches I say in all Protestant Churches drawing near to a Determination The Issue of this War is like to be the Rise or Fall not only of many in Israel but of all the Israel of God confederate in the true Religion of Jesus Christ O then is not this the time for us to be of one Heart and Soul deeply humbled sincerely mourning crying and sighing for the Abominations that are yet in our Jerusalem Cities and Countries weeping and making Supplication and with the most reverent and awful Adoration make us bold with the Highest Majesty of the Holy One the Saviour in a time of trouble as he alloweth us Monsieur Jurieu fulfilling of Prophecies and others Even to command him concerning his Sons and the time to come which many of his Servants wait for and say as Luther Fiat voluntas mea Let my Will be done Holy Brethren partakers of the Heavenly Calling Give me leave to engage you to be more abundant in the fervent Prayers of Faith and of true Penitent reformed in Heart and Life Consider how much of this great Work lies upon you at this time Who can tell what your Prayers may do under God by his appointment The Proclamation for these Fasts reacheth to the Realm of England the Dominion of Wales Town of Berwick upon Tweed O that all from sixteen to sixty in these Bounds were fit for Prayer to bear Arms these spiritual Arms O then how might we hope that even she that tarrieth at Home and is fervent in her Closet may divide the Spoils of the greater Spoiler of all he can lay hands on But O how weak are we how divided how unprepared What Help can we look for from them that are disaffected to the King and Queen and troubled at this glorious Revolution How do they murmur that God should do what seemeth him good for his Peoples Good How many are there that do not as much as appear to Fast How many are for the Liturgy of James not the Apostle's which hath been reputed spurious by many of our most Learned Divines and Bishops but the Apostate's How many half yea half-quarter observers of those Holy and solemn Days How like are these to old
with him and fought against the Philistines and David waxed faint And Ishbi-benob which was of the Sons of the Giant the weight of whose Spear weighed three hundred Shekels of Brass in weight he being girded with a new Sword thought to have slain David But Abishai the Son of Zeruiah succoured him and smote the Philistine and killed him Then the Men of David sware unto him saying Thou shalt go no more out with us to battel that thou quench not the Light of Israel THese words are a very remarkable plece of Story which is compleat in it self and therefore I need not look upon what goes before it in this Chapter I crave your earnest attention to the Matter I intend to handle for your Instruction this part of the Day and have but patience till I come to the Application then I hope you will see that what I shall deliver to you will be very suitable to the Work and Duty of this Day and not only so but will direct you what to do every Day till God shall turn our Fasts into Thanksgivings The true Reason of my chusing this Text and that upon this Solemn Day which requires an extraordinary seriousness with the Application of the whole strength of our Hearts and exercise of every Grace is not at all to flatter much less to idolize our King and Queen which would be the worst of Services to them and to our selves by provoking God to quench the Light of Israel but really to shew you as plainly and as convincingly as I can how deeply our Hearts should be affected with our own Condition how earnest we should be with God to preserve our Supreme Governours and especially our King in the Labours and Dangers of this War and how we should behave our selves under all those Circumstances under which the Sovereign and over-ruling Providence of the infinitely Wife and Almighty God hath subjected us And I was moved to these Considerations which I shall commend to you by the great Thoughts of Heart which possess many honest religious and tender Persons Why say they will our King hazard his Person in this War who is in danger not only from the Craft and Malice of the open Enemy in the Field but Treachery even in his Camp Why will the Parliament and the Kingdom let him What will become of us if we should be so unhappy as to lose Him in this unsettled and distracted State when there are so many secret Discontents and such open Talk Beloved we cannot be too much concerned for the Safety of their Sacred Persons the Peace of these Kingdoms and the Preservation of our Religion both at Home and Abroad The Glory of God the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus and the Salvation of our Souls by the Means of Grace are as much concerned in the Success of this War as ever at any time to any People This War is not a War for outward Peace and Liberty nor for Glory and Renown for Riches and Trade or any other temporal End or Interest only but for the true Interest of the Kingdom of God among us and of the Protestant People of God in all Nations where they are or soon will be in danger if God doth not shew himself to be on our Side There are many Interests of many Princes and People in this one Bottom and all united in one King and submitted to his Conduct under God If these should be divided we should be weakned and fail but if he should miscarry we must needs sink for a time and many Countries suffer Shipwrack and then not only the Estates Liberties Properties Bodies and Lives but precious Souls and the Ark of God would fall into the Power of the Cruel The Philistines would soon over-run our Land and they who seem to wish for their coming would feel the Miseries of their coming as soon as they who fast and pray with all sincerity to keep them out and be less able to endure them If the Light of our Israel should be quenched O how tempestuous would it be round about What a Day would it be of Gloominess and thick Darkness O far be it from those who desire that Evil Day ever to see it come may they all go to their Graves in peace before that Inundation of Woes and Miseries break down our Banks 'T is true we have more to lose now at once than ever our Forefathers had and therefore when we consider our Sins we have more cause to fear than ever But let this comfort and encourage us to offer up strong Prayers and Cries to the God of Heaven to God our Saviour that the Glory of God's Truth Mercy and Grace being so specially and imminently concerned in this War that his Wisdom and Power will the more sincerely appear for the preservation of Israel and the Light of Israel Call up Faith and Hope to put forth all their strength into those Prayers which go not out of feigned Lips O for a strong Faith at the head of our Godly Sorrows and Humiliation for Sin this Day O for the Assistance of the mighty Spirit of Prayer and Supplication to send up yea to carry our fervent Prayers to Heaven Is the Spirit of God departed from his praying wrestling Jacobs in England and gone to our Enemies Hearts Is God is the Ark of God in their Camp Hath not God prepared his Arrows against the Persecutors What inhumane Persecutions are the greatest of them guilty of But as my Thoughts run on this String of Hope I am checked by the sight of the great and many Sins of these Kingdoms for which God might bring us under the Sword of our Enemies and even deliver up the Ark the Church into their hands O that every Congregation were weeping and mourning before the Lord this Day and casting away our Iniquities O that this Day were a Day of confessing and forsaking those Sins for which God might justly hide his Face from us O that we were exercising of Revenge upon our selves for all our Abominations O that we were sighing and crying for all the Abominations done in the midst of our Jerusalem and that all in their Places would become zealous for the Glory of God resolving every one to mortify his own Sins disarming the Traitors against God Church and State in his own Heart and setting themselves against Sin in others that God may be reconciled to us and intreated for the Kingdom But yet as bad as we are are we not God's People Are there not some Fifties among us for whose sake God will spare us But not to insist upon such Arguments for Hope let us build upon one it is a strong and a standing Argument by inverting the Word of God and humbly turning it upon him Thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sakes O House of Israel but for my holy Name 's sake Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded
Sister 's Son Whence observe It is under God and next to a Guard of Angels 1 Chron 2.16 a great Security for a King to have a Confident and approved valiant trusty Friend at hand in time and place of Danger such a Man was Abishai How Abishai come now to be so near David's Person we do not know whether he was there by Command as in his Place or whether brought thither by the Providence of the Lord of Battel there he was at hand for this eminent Service Whence we will observe 1. It is the Providence of God over David to place a valiant loyal Friend to succour him in great Weakness and great Danger So let us in all our David's Danger pray that God Exod. 15.3 who is called a Man of War and the Lord of Hosts would place an Abishai near his Person to succour him in time of need 2. It is a great Duty and Praise of a valiant loyal Captain as Abishai was to take care of the Person of a good and valiant King and interpose between him and Death or Harm 3. Abishai's care and business was not to carry David out of the Field and to leave it with him the great Siâ—n of Affection and Loyalty in many a Coward but he stood by fainting David to succour him in the Encounter and to win the Day This is true Fidelity both to the King and Israel also 4. Whoever the Person be who defends David in a time of Danger deserves to be remembred and honoured for it and it is an Honour to his Person and to his House Here David's Second is named Abishai and his Family noted Abishai the Son of Zeruiah both remembred and honoured by this sacred Penman and the Service is not only done to a King's Person but to the King's Kingdom 5. Nay further not only Men but God himself takes notice of and rewards with Honour that Person or more that succour David when he is faint in fighting the Lord's Battels And this should be a great Encouragement to all that are in chief Place or near the Person of our King to expose themselves to sight for the King's Preservation It is an Honour to their Name an obliging Service to the King and Israel also and they may do it with Success upon the Enemy and Safety to themselves and what can be more to embolden and inspirit a Person to engage an Enemy 6. The most valiant and stoutest King may stand in need of Succour and it 's no dishonour to the greatest King to accept the Service for he must know and acknowledg he cannot always hold out nor conquer all with his own Hands 7. That such as come in to succour a King in time of Danger should not hinder nor be slack nor make as though he did but do his work effectually Abishai did not make a shew but effectually succour'd him this is a sign of Courage Skill and Fidelity The Lord that provided one to succour David at a hard push deliver our King from treacherous Standers by and Cowards This must be one of our Petitions for him that either God would bind up the Hands of every villanous Ishbi-benob or send him some one or more to succour him as he did David 2. Abishai smote the Philistine and killed him The Son of the Giant was over-tall and too big for any ordinary Man to deal with yet as big as he was here is one that fears him not but strikes and strikes home too he smote and killed him The Action is roundly expressed he smote the Philistine and killed him He was not long about him but made short work with him he smote him and kill'd him The Courage of Abishai and his Skill and Vigor appear in the Stroak But could Abishai come within his reach Could not the Giant fence and keep him off at Sword 's point and Arm 's length No he could not it seems he had bulk enough a great mass of Flesh might hang upon his great Bones he might have neither true Courage nor Skill but lay at catch to take David at an advantage of Weakness and act the Coward 's part But now David is not deserted but succoured Abishai strikes once for all and kills him Look upon both these in their contrary Sides The Son of the Giant is for the Philistines against Israel really against God and against his Church Abishai is David's Officer and Servant a Commander under him as he was under God From Particulars we must not conclude Universals But God permits his Enemies now what he permitted then yea they have not only many Men of great bulk and stature in one Kingdom but like the Horses of Egypt they are Flesh and not Spirit and in another not raw and fleshy Bodies without Courage but disciplin'd Armies and Veteranes And they want not for new Swords not for any Inventions and Furniture for all Occasions suppose some excel in Bulk in Flesh and Bones and yet want Skill and Courage for a noble and honourable Attempt suppose others be Men expert in War who excel in Skill but want true Courage suppose they exceed in Number and are more than we are but are such as will not stand shall we then only venture and reckon according to Sense and Reason This is unworthy of the People of the mighty and living God who should look by Faith upon him and upon David though weak yet in the Hand of God and thus we ought to do Then let us make such Observations as these to encourage our Faith and Hopes waiting upon God by Prayer 1. There are none so great so strong so big in the Enemies Army but God can find out Men to fetch them down The Philistines had an Ishbi-benob and David had an Abishai on his side who proved too hard for him 2. When the Enemies of David exceed in Stature Strength and Arms it makes them but the more bold to venture and design what will prove to their own Destruction The Philistines were appointed for destruction and when they thought themselves fit for War they were fit for Destruction They made many Wars against David and before David appeared but never had success but when the Sins of Israel were ripe for Punishment Our Enemies are as like them as if they were descended from them how Philistine-like did they use Sampson The Inhumanities of our Enemies are a reproach to Nature of which they have as little as they have of Grace and true Religion Our Enemies are given to burn and make desolate they cannot rest from troubling David raising War after War and what but Bitterness in the latter end is and will be the Fruit of their Wars and Commotions Their very Giants are for the Slaughter because every Battel against them is the Lord's therefore they cannot stand 3. A great a bold a daring Enemy of David is as soon killed as the weakest what could be sooner done And Abishai smote the Philistine and kill'd him and