Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	age_n	old_a	participate_v	70	3	16.5780	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85769	The throne of David, or An exposition of the second of Samuell wherein is set downe the pattern of a pious and prudent Prince, and a clear type of of [sic] the Prince of Princes Christ Iesus the sonne of David and his spirituall kingdome by William Guild D.D. and minister of Gods word at King-Edward in Scotland.	Guild, William, 1586-1657.	1659 (1659)	Wing G2212; Thomason E984_8; ESTC R207805	271,425	357

that promise made to Abraham of the holy Land of his seed in whom all Nations should be blessed and multiplying thereof Of the whole possession of that land made to Israel in the desert deferred till the reigne of David of the reducing of the people out of Babylon after 70 yeares Davids inauguration here and as in our owne daies is commonly found in the experience of the estate of many good men and Princes 2. In the example of David patiently abiding the Lords leasure and in adversity neither doubting nor grudging neither using any unlawfull means we have the generall rule of the behaviour that the Godly should learne when they find themselves in the like condition in good causes which God hath promised to bless and in following of the same albeit the promise be slowly performed and the middes be troublesome let them not think that God hath not a care over them neither grudg as do impatient men neither doubt as do the weak in faith neither use unlawfull seconds as do the worldlings neither despaire as do the reprobate but following the examples of David Abraham Moses Joshua Daniel the Apostles and such assure themselves upon the conclusion of Christ that heaven and earth shall perish but one jot of Gods promise shall not alter and remember what Paul saith Rom. 8. 39. That nothing whatsoever is able to separate Gods chosen Children from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus and that all things in the end shall work together for their good who love him 3. Vers 1. The whole people are moved by Gods instinction to offer their voluntary obedience to David and albeit they had the word amongst them yet it was not followed because they wanted the inward perswader till now who is the holy Ghost so that the kingdome of David riseth not by violence and compulsion but by the inward perswasion of the holy Spirit whereupon we inferre in the generall literally and then mistically that the hearts of subjects to temporall princes are in the Lords hands to harden or mollifie them as he thinketh expedient to shew in them his favour or his wrath to their superiours and therefore if they will have obedience of their subjects let them subject their scepters to the obedience of God for he will honour them that honourt him and they that despise him shall be despised and therefore as the tiranny of these in authority is Gods punishment for the sinnes of inferiours so the rebellion of inferiours is a token of Gods ire against their Magistrates 4. As this is true in Davids temporall so it is true in Christs spirituall kingdome for it is not the externall hearing that moveth the heart albeit that thereby the incredulous be made inexcusable but it is the inward operation of the Holy Ghost which inwardly perswadeth and draweth the heart as the Loadstone doth the iron to the obedience of the Lords Word and so erecteth the kingdome of Christ into the soule of man No marvell then that the greatest part of the world remaine in infidelity and wickedness albeit Gods Word plentifully sounds in their eares because as a sound only there it evanisheth And as a feeling power descendeth not in the heart to take root downewards and bring forth fruit upwards as Christ therefore spoke of his body Iohn 6. 63. So it is the spirit which quickneth the Word without the same profiteth nothing 5. In this occasion and election or inauguration of David we inferre the generall rule of electing of Magistrates as well in regard of his qualities and forme of election as of the end wherefore he is to be elected As for his qualities 1. He must not be a stranger in birth much less in religion but must be of a conjunction naturall and spirituall with them whom he governeth otherwise there can be no sympathy nor symbolizing between ●hem 2. He must be able to governe which is called here to leade out and in Next the forme of his election should be by common and voluntary consent according to the constitution of the state and oath or obligation of right administration the rule whereof should be the Law of God and positive constitutions of the realme And last the end should be to feed the people caring that they be spiritually fed in the food of life and temporally that they be not spoiled or bereft of their meanes of the life corporall to be their guider protector father patron and to have a regard to all their necessities as the good pastour hath to his sheep and the Father to his family 6. By all this history it is evident that he is rather compelled and urged by the people to reigne over them then they are urged by him to give unto him the government for he saw that it was not so much honos as onus teaching hereby all those who are to undertake any function in Church or Commonwealth not to runne before they be sent nor to thrust themselves in at the window till they be lawfully let in at the doore and as they have the inward and effective calling of God fiting them for the work so to expect the outward and declarative calling of man suiting them to the work The Lord will therefore give wisdome and skill to Bezaleel and Aholiab but Moses must call them 7. Vers 3. The covenant of mutuall observance of duty which they make it is before the Lord who did heare not only the words of their league but did see the sincerity of their hearts therein and whom they acknowledged not only as a solemne witness to beare record but as a just judge and severe revenger of the breach So before this same Lord we ought to consider that both we and our secretest actions yea the very thoughts of our hearts are patent and as in his presence whose al-seeing eye beholdeth all things watchfully we ought to walk fearing to speak or do either wickedly or hypocritically seeing as Elisha said to Gehezi his heart goeth ever with us and he will make no other but our own wickedness to find us out 8. Vers 4. In the Chronology of Davids life and reigne as we see that the people get a great benefit from God in having a Prince given them of ripe age experience and ability to governe being 30 yeare old when he began to reigne where women and Children are given in Gods wrath so on the other part we see also that long life and a prosperous government in a Princes person is a great blessing likewise and old age as Salomon saith is a Crowne of Glory when it is found in the way of righteousness therefore honour thy Father and Mother saith the Lord that thy daies may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God hath given thee the long life is a reward and the contrary as a punishment is denounced against the house of Eli 1 Sam. 2. 32. II. SAM Chap. 5. from the 6. Verse to the 11. THe first

might not goe with the King for the forenamed reasons he makes offer of his Sonne Chimham to go with him he to do to him what he thought good Which offer David doth kindely accept and promiseth that whatsoever he would ask of him he would do for him And so having blessed Barzillai he dismisses him home again and so goes on in his journey to Gilgall a famous place in the territory of Benjamin neer to Jericho accompained with Chimham the tribe of Judah and the halfe of the people of Israel The second action is between the ten tribes of Israel and the tribe of Judah the men of Israel complaining to David of the men of Judah That they had stolen him away and brought him and his houshold and men over Iordan and so despised them whose advice should been first had in bringing back their King To whom the men of Iudah answer that they were first in that action 1. Because the King was neer of kinne unto him being of that tribe and therefore collecting that they where causesly angry at them for that cause 2. They shew that it was not for any benefit or reward that they expected or had for this their being first in his conduct To whom these of Israell reply especially concerning that right by kindred to David which the men of Judah pretended affirming that their right to him was greater as having ten parts in him because they were ten tribes whereas they were but one whereby arises such a contention between them in bitter speeches that it occasioned the rebellion of Sheba in the next Chapter and in which contention it is said That the words of the men of Judah were fiercer then the men of Israell OBSERVATIONS 1. V. 33. IN Davids kinde remembrance of Barzillais favour and bounty to him when he was in distresse and in the gracious offer that he now makes unto him for the same We see the praise worthy vertue of gratitude commendable in all persons as the contrary vice is odious and especially in Princes for which we see the thenth leper who was healed by Christ and came back to give him thanks so commended as likewise Pharaoh his gratitude to Joseph in giving Goshen to his Father and friends to whom his successor proved so ungratefull thereafter and was plagued in like manner Davids gratitude to the King of Ammon ungrately requited which was the cause of the Ammonites utter ruine likewise Eliahs gratitude to the Widdow of Sareptah Elisha's to the Woman of Shunem Davids also to the posterity of Jonathan and our Saviours promise That a cup of cold water shall not be given to one of his which shall want its reward as he also shewes at the last day how it shall be said When I was hungry ye fed me not c. Inherit therefore the Kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the World Which should teach us to be thankfull both to God as we see Psal 103. 2. And to men who have deserved well of us 2. Barzillai is said to have been a very rich and great man and in Davids distresse both helps and hazards with him Whereby we observe the right use of riches and a great estate towit when occasion calls for it both to help and hazard in a good cause wherein either Church or Commonwealth or both have their interest and not to mispend upon pride ryot or superfluities farre lesse to use their greatnesse or bestow their goods for persecuting Gods Church and opposing his cause As we see that Roman Antichrist and his followers which are the hornes of the beast doe Revel 17 12 13. 3. Vers 34. Barzillai speaks of the shortnesse of his life and Vers 37. Of his death and buriall teaching all thereby especially the aged in the midst of their greatnesse and prosperity to be mindefull ever of these things which made Joseph of Arimathea to have his tombe into his garden which made Moses also to teach Gods people Psal 90. 12. to pray Teach us Lord to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto Wisdome This was Jobs waiting Job 14. 14. All the dayes of his appointed time till his change should come and which like practice counting every day the day of our death account and entring into eternity if it were ours daily it would further our mortification of sinne and prevent falling therein where as while men with the rich fool being in health and strength promised to themselves long life they lull their souls in security put off repentance and amendement of life and are snatcht away by death unawares and presented to judgement 4. This remembrance of the shortnesse of his life of death and buriall weanes Barzillai from regarding worldly or court delights and from high offered promotion so that he becomes dead to the World in affection before he be dead in the World in condition Which in like manner should teach us how to wean our hearts from regarding any worldly pleasures or profit honour or advancement and specially not to hunt after the same by unlawfull meanes as many do by seriously considering how short momentary an a time we have to enjoy the same how uncertain also the honour of death is and that we must leave all when we go to the grave and are presented to judgment 5. V. 41. When David had made an end of the troubles raised by Absoloms rebellion by the victory which he had obtained over him now followes a new trouble by the division dissention that fell out between the tribe of Judah the other ten tribes of Israel So that we see as is said of old age Eccl. 12. 3. That the cloud returne after raine so in this life the Godly may expect trouble after trouble as one wave followeth in the neck of another or as Jobs messengers of evill newes came one after another 6. We see here also Satans pollicy to hinder a good work which was an unanimous and peaceable reduction of David by raising a dissention between the tribes of Judah and Israel who were of one stock of one religion under one King and fellow members of one Commonwealth And which hath ever been Satans practise since he made the first division between God and our first parents as we see in that attempt of dissention between Abraham and Lot Cain and Abell Saul and David Korah and Moses Israel and the Ephramites Judg. 12. Israel and the Benjamites Judg. 21. Israel and Judah here and Paul and Barnabas Act. 15. ●9 And in the Schismes that he hath ever stirred up in the Christian Church and still does to hinder the Gospell and make the greater way to the propagating of his damnable errours 7. We see here likewise in this dissention from whence it and all other the like proceeds to wit from envy jealousy and pride for precedence and preheminence as Salomon speaketh saying by pride cometh contention which was the cause of of Joabs killing of Abner and thereafter

as the Prophet saith they conquer shame and destruction to themselves as the Psalmist likewise found by experience I looked after the ungodly and he was not but the just inherit the earth 3. Vers 14. The cruell and barbarous nature of the wicked is seen in Abner delighting to feed his eies with bloodshed and slaughter and counting no more of it but as a game whereas the Godly man regardeth the life of his beast but the very mercies of the wicked are cruell this nature they participate of their severall masters the Godly who are called the meek of the earth of that meek Lamb Jesus and the wicked the gyants of the earth of that roaring Lyon Satan who ever goeth about seeking whom he may destroy and hath been a manslayer from the beginning 4. Vers. 16. The sad and unfortunate event of this singular combat all of them on both sides being slain proveth the unlawfulnesse of such practises whether they obtrude the triall of a title or right that otherwise cannot be decided for a warrant or a meanes to stay further effusion of blood neither of which is here effectuate for albeit Davids title be undoubtedly good yet all of his men here doe fall as oftimes in Monomachies it happeneth the innocent to receive the foil not that hereby we should accuse God for n●t regarding innocence but justly so that he punisheth presumption and will not be holden to blesse with good successe unlawfull practises without and against a warrant of his approbation not staying for his time of clearing what is in doubt but thrusting ourselves into his room and as for the battle it joyneth hereupon presently so that it was rather a spurre than a bridle to further effusion of blood than hinder the same 5. In Ioab yeilding to Abner and in the young men obtempering them both Ioabs losse of such valiant twelve Champions their losse of themselves teaches what it is to obey an unlawfull challenge and ungodly command rashly ad aras then let our obedience be to superiours and ever Marshall God aright giving him the first place to obey rather him than man in election and him before man in Location and with holy wisdome and Christian care of others of whose life or welfare we ought not to be prodigall laying aside pride foolish temerity and lavish carelesnesse of the estate of them whom we may command and to behave and impale our selves in offer or acceptation within the Limites of the Lords command 6. In denominating the place the field of the strong men Helkathhazairim to wit where they were slain we see that inconsiderately oftimes without any such intention of the Authours by the providence of God monuments of the memory of things are erected whereby God will not only have good things to keep record but the facts of turpitude for their further detestation to have there own remembring thus was the field which was bought with the price of our saviour named Aceldama that proud towre of Nimrod called Babel the place where Israel murmured for wa tearmed Meribah with sundry the like examples seeing therefore post fata facta after death deeds have their own remaining by record remembrance let us be carefull that they be such as rather may be blazed with happy fame then blotted with haplesse infamie and seeing this place is so called to testify the enormity of the fact let us fight that good fight onely whereof the Apostle speakes which is between the flesh and the Spirit which onely hath the profitable end the glorious theater the godly armour and the blessed reward of assured triumph II. SAM Chap. 2. from the 17. verse to the 26. COncerning the ensueing battle we have to resolve whether warres are Lawfull or unlawfull we answer that publick warres undertaken by publick authority are Lawfull as that answer of the Baptists to the souldiers Christs direction to give Caesar that which was Caesars the commendation of the centurion the Laws of warfare set down by God himself to the Israelites the practise of their godliest Patriarches Judges and Kings the title of God himself the Lord of hosts that which is said 1 Sam. 25. 28. And the Apostolick Canon of the Magistrates sword all do testify providing they have these four causes and caveats the matter be punishment of vice the forme right proceeding the efficient Lawfull authority and the end that peace and piety may be obtained The Anabaptists hold the contrary because it is forbidden say they to revenge or resist evil and it is against Christian patience recommended by Christ and his Apostles as also against the nature of Christs Kingdome Isa 2. 4. Micah 4. 2. To all this it is answered that private revenge is onely forbidden and in that place of the Prophets he speaketh not against publick Lawfull warres but sheweth how the hearts of the godly shall be affected one to another albeit of divers nations which peace and love shall begin and grow here but be perfected hereafter And in some sort too even private warres in defense or resistance are Lawfull when by circumstances the Magistrates help cannot be implored for protection in which case as one of the ancients affirmeth the Magistrate seemeth quietly to consent to the deed and which is called inculpata tutela OBSERVATIONS 1. V. 17. A sore battle ensueth on this former combat whereby we see that of smal-provocations and infortunate beginnings great troubles oftimes arise witnesse the abuse of the Levites wife and the Benjamites froward answer the event which was the occasion of the pitifull overthrow of that whole tribe which might at first if the like practise as that of the men of Abel had been followed been wisely prevented 2. The servants of Abner fall before the servants of David so that a right and just cause may ever ordinarily look for Victory being prosecuted aright for as Hezekiah said concerning the King of Ashur there are more with us then with him for with him is the arme of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us even so that same protecting presence albeit the eye of the body like Gehezies while it was opened cannot perceive the same doth still attend and give a happy successe to all upright affaires so that if God be with us who can be against us and if that captain of the Lords hoste that appeared unto Joshua stand armed on our side we need not doubt of Victory ordinarily in any just cause and quarrel between us and any adversary whosoever witnesse Abraham against the 5. Kings Israels deliverance from Pharaoh their battles under Moses Joshua and their Judges David against Goliath and here against Abner with sundry others 3. Yet Abner here hath the greater forces eleven tribes against one The arme of man therefore is vain to trust unto neither is the race to the swift nor the battle to the strong but the Victory is of the Lord who will have the glory of