them and so this first persecution ceassed 5 In which poynt if we come to our selues That the Gospell in these dayes is vnder the like persecution also and to the estate of these our dayes wherein we liue it is euident enough that although the course of the Gospell be in such sort blessed alreadie as that we may see that it is like to preuayle in the end yet is it so crossed also by many that it is not to be looked for of vs but that it is to passe through great tribulation before that it shall atteyne to the victorie that after ensueth And as it was Saul the King of Israel that so persecuted David and held him back so much as he could from the estate that God had prouided for him euen so we may see at this day also many Princes great states of Christendome much to hinder the course of the Gospell and as they finde opportunitie to serue their turne still to stirre vp persecution agaynst it But to the end that all things may so much the better appeare in euery poynt if wee consider the matter well we may plainly see The occasion of this persecution to be al one with the other that such as was the occasion and such as was the manner of that persecution of his such also is the occasion and such is the manner of this persecution of theirs also For first as touching the occasion of it not only Saul was so much mooued vnto it by that euil spirit to persecute David but these also out of the selfsame solicitation come forth with many of their persecutions agaynst the Gospell For though by the common corruption of nature themselues also are bent agaynst it euen of themselues without the solicitation or helpe of an other yet after that themselues are disposed still to abide in that corruption of theirs refusing the Gospell by which they should be begotten agayne the children of God it is most certeyne that they cannot bee alone in any such action of theirs as this For he that goeth about like a roring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure finding them so fit instruments for his purpose to trouble the course of the Gospell and to molest the professors thereof will soone bee with them and hurrie them headlong to and fro to his most aduantage So that it neede not to be doubted but is in it self so cleare as may be that most of our persecutions also that are by worldly and godlesse Princes raysed agaynst vs may well bee referred to that euill spirit that reigneth in the world and hath alreadie so strongly possessed these Saules of ours Neither is it only by this euill spirit of the Lord that these Saules of ours are so farre out of temper but for that it gréeueth them also to part with their kingdome Not that the Gospell doth any way meddle in the disposing of earthly kingdomes or to encomber the title of any whether it be by descent or election of one or mo or whatsoeuer other forme their state may haue but for that it calleth to account their maner of gouernment and sometime vrgeth them to make a plaine alteration of it For commonly it findeth the Princes of the world so farre out of order in their maner of gouernment in matters of religion very often and sometimes in such things also as do concerne their ciuill estate that it cannot but strongly vrge them to make alteration therein So farre therefore as they are wedded vnto their corrupt manner of gouernment and so farre as they account their kingdomes and states to stand therby so farre also may they stand in some doubt of their kingdomes by reason of the Gospell and feare that it will molest them therein And then is it in this respect also no great merueile if many of them be so ill minded towards the Gospell as such discourtesies of theirs do import On the other side as the towardlinesse of David was one of the matters that so much did whet Saul agaynst him so at this day also it is not the least that mooueth Princes to bee so greeuous agaynst the Gospell because they see that it is so likely to preuayle as it is For they see well enough that the Gospell hath the selfe same likelihoods to preuayle that David had For as touching that manner of gouernment which worldly Princes haue set vp of themselues but not agreeable to the word of God the text it self a. Ier. 23.1.8 Eze. 34.1.24 Nah. 3.17.19 Zec 11.8.15.17 Math. 15.13 2. Cor. 10.5 c. doth plainly witnesse more often then twise that it must be remooued and a better brought in in the place thereof And that it is the kingdome of Christ whereunto those others are to giue place and which is to succeede in their roumes is in like sort playnlie set downe b. Isay 9.5.6 Dan. 2.44.45 in many places or rather throughout the whole course of the Scripture from the beginning vnto the ending besides that in these dayes of ours not only such great things are done thereby but it hath gotten great fauour also That such great things are done thereby as before were done by David may sufficiently appeare in that which is before set downe and that it hath gotten such fauour with many is playnlie seene in these dayes of ours when as many Princes and States haue wholly yeelded to the obedience of it and not a fewe among those also that are most agaynst it Neither is it materiall in this case of ours that the annoynting of this our David hath not been in so publike manner as flesh and bloud would conceiue had been most conuenient Men may not looke to beare such a sway in the matters of God The Gospell is not therefore to be refused by any because they were not made priuie vnto the inauguration of it nor called vnto it God that is free and in nothing to hang vpon any is in such case especially to shewe it and euer to vse his freedome therein It proceedeth in the self same manner that was vsed in the other before As touching the manner of their persecution that vpon this occasion they haue raysed therein also they do fitly answer the patterne that we find in the other For first they labour themselues to do it in secret then do they openly fall vnto it In secret also sometimes they labour themselues to do it First in secret sometimes agayne they will haue it done by the hand of others And euen as Saul being the King would neuerthelesse by his owne hands haue taken him away in very ill manner so are there diuers of our Princes also that haue not thought it vnseemly for them to lend foorth their owne hands to the persecution of the Gospell altogether in as ill maner as Saul in that other If that which Saul meant agaynst David were no lesse then murther neither can these Saules of ours hold themselues contented with lesse
was The occasion of it that herein it pleased God to giue him In the persecution it selfe we are again to consider the occasion of it and then the maner of it likewise The occasion of it was in a maner the same that was before Davids good successe against the Philistims and for that the euill spirite of the Lorde was nowe againe come vpon Saul That Davids good successe against the Philistims should be some part of the occasion that now again he raised this persecution against him may well appeare for that it goeth immediatly before in the text that a 19.8 the warre began again with the Philistims and that David going foorth against them put them to flight and slewe them with a great slaughter For Saul must needes perceiue thereby that as that victory was honourable vnto him so must it make him the stronger also That the returne of the euill spirite of the Lord vnto him againe was an other part of the occasion also may likewise appeare for that it followeth immediatly after and before that any thing is noted of the maner of this persecution b 19.9 that the euil spirit of the Lord was vpon him at such time as when he first began this persecution The maner of it As touching the maner of it it is to be knowne that euen as first he went about to do it in secret afterward openly euen so now also hee still obserueth the same course In his secret practising of it Secretly first we are to note that first himselfe pursueth David and then ceasing for a time from that pursuit awaiteth when David by the oportunitie of a special time should vnwittingly come into his hands of his own accord Himselfe pursueth him first at hand and then somewhat further of a sunder At hand he did it as before when c 19.9.10 David was playing on his instrument something to ease him of those his passions at which time Saul was secretly determined with himselfe with his Iaueling that he had in his hande suddenly to haue stroken him vnto the wall and came so neere to the effecting of his purpose that he stroke at him smote his speare into the wall where David sate Somewhat further of he did it immediatly after when as David hereupon did flee to saue himself and that he did first by certaine messengers and then by himself By messengers he pursued him twise d 19.11.17 first to his own house whether he had escaped at that present and then soone after e 19.18.21 to Naioth in Ramah whither he fledde after that he was fayne to leaue his own house to saue his life In the former of these his pursuites of David by his messengers he doth plainly shew himselfe to be egerly bent to haue his life both by his dealing with those his messengers so long as he stoode in hope to obtayne the pray hee desired and by his dealing with Michal his daughter Davids wife after that he saw he was escaped That dealing of his with those his messengers that conuinceth him to bee greedily bent to haue his life resteth in two principall points first that f 19.11 he gaue them charge to kill him when as he knew not how he himselfe might be able to reache him then when they brought him word that hee was in his bed sicke that g 19.15 he sent them againe to see him and to bring him away bed and all that he might slay him His dealing with Michal resteth likewise in these two pointes that h 19.17 hee rebuketh her for sending him away and counteth himselfe mocked therin And yet both she was his owne daughter and now also giuen by himselfe in mariage to David Of which two considerations as the former of them might well haue pacified him in such a case as this euen onely for that she was his daughter so the other ought to haue made him ashamed also that he should so much as looke for that she being his wife now shoulde haue bene so trecherous vnto her husband In the latter of his pursuits of David whē he heard that he was at Naioth in Ramah in one point he doth better cloake that greedinesse of his to haue his blood but in another he bewrayeth himselfe playnly again He cloaketh his greedinesse somewhat better in that nowe i 19.20 hee giueth no further charge that we read off but only to take him and to bring him vnto him which it may be was for the reuerence he bare vnto Samuel k 19.18 with whom David soiourned now That other point wherein notwithstanding hee plainly declared how greedily he was bent to haue him is for that hee sent l 19.20.22 so often for him by three seuerall companies that m 19.20 when as he vnderstood in how wonderful maner the first sort of them were defeated and strongly eluded and yet in very gracious manner by the mightie power of God By himself hee manned foorth this his pursuit when as he saw that his messengers had not done as he would haue them For then n 19 22. he went himselfe also loath to leese so goodly a pray when now hee did so certainly know where to haue him A straunge and yet a pitifull sight to see the King himselfe that should be a defence vnto the oppressed so greedily to followe vpon innocent bloode and of such a one too as both had deserued well before and whome he might so playnly see to be by the mighty hand of God defended now When so o 19.23.24 he was in his owne person in like sort defeated as all his three companies of catchpoles were before then he ceased for a time from that pursuit and awaited when David by the oportunitie of a speciall time should vnwittingly come into his handes of his owne accord Which speciall time was the p 20.5.18 new moone or the beginning of the moneth next approching and the opportunity which that time brought with it was for that at such times q 20.6 they held of custom solemne feasts vnto the Lorde and David at such times r 20.5.18 was to sit at meate with the king That Saul did secretely awayte this opportunity the text it selfe doth not directly say but yet may it bee gathered that so hee did both because that ſ 20.5.7 David conceiued that doubt of him and t 20.5 thereupon absented himselfe to preuent the perill and for that Saul u 20.30.31.33 was so very angry that hee was not there and x 20.31 therewithall commaunded Ionathan forthwith to send for him thither that he might slay him That all this while hitherto Saul in this sort pursued David but in secrete maner sauing onely that he did impart his meaning to those whom he vsed to that purpose so needes he must or at least a good part of it may hereby appeare both for that y 20.2.9 Ionathan was
to shew that hee had the king in his handes to haue done with him whatsoeuer hee woulde Which when the king perceiued g 26.21.25 he was now againe for the time so mooued with it that presently hee brake of this his pursuit and so returned home againe The likelihoodes that Saul had giuen that he would neuer haue offered to David so hard measure againe were h 24.22 that he did acknowledge his fault in pursuing of him and besought his fauour vnto his seede and these with teares That speciall circumstaunce that dependeth heereon and somewhat better helpeth forward to shewe howe egerly he was set vpon David was that so much hee followed on him when as it had bene a great deale meeter to haue deale with the Philistims the common enimie because that they i 23.1 both came vnto Keilah and fought against it and k 23.27.28 afterward againe came into the land during the time of this his pursuing of innocent David The litle helpe that in this persecution God did giue him What helpe it pleased God to afford him in this persecution was in the company that came vnto him for his defence when hee was in distresse by that persecution to the number of sixe hundred men in all Whereof l 22.1.2 fower hundred came vnto him while he was at Adullam and other two hundred mo a while after For we haue mention of sixe hundred in all m 23.13 both when he departed from Keilah and n 30.10 when he went against the Amalekites that had spoyled Ziklag The first fower hundred o 22.1.2 were some of his kindred the residue such as were in debt or timber Of the other there is no speciall thing reported not so much as the time when they came vnto him Sauing that séeing they are found with David when he departed from Keilah and we haue no mention of them before it may seeme that they came vnto him while he was there And likely inough that seeing that David was knowne to be of great valour that such as were disposed to giue themselues to such aduenture would easily vpon such occasion resort vnto him 7 All which things if in these dayes we shall apply to our selues and lay thē to such doings as our eies haue often seene That this latter persecution of Davids is rightly exemplified in these dayes also against the Gospell and dayly yet sée we shall find them to agrée so fitly together as could be deuised and sufficiently to teach vs both what to looke for at the hands of many and how warily to behaue our selues in the meane season whether we respect the occasion of this his persecution or else but the maner whereby it procéedeth For if we respect the occasion of it The occasion whereon this persecution of ours is raysed what is it else that so much offendeth and so greuously incenseth the Sauls of our time but only the good successe of the sonne of David against these Philistims of ours and for that same euill spirit of the Lord doth hereupon help to kindle the furious rage of them against vs For seeing that the Gospell euer now and then getteth in these daies of ours some good hand against all those that seeke to suppresse it they see verie well that if it may still hold on this course it were like shortly to come to passe not only that their craft should be in perill to be set at naught Act. 19.27.37 but also that the Temple of their great Goddesse Diana should be despised and her magnificence should be destroied whome almost all Europe and as they would haue it thought the world did worship whereunto if they haue any speciall fit of that euill spirit of the Lord adioined it is lesse maruell then if all the companie of them thereupon growe to some rageous vprore no maruell then if they be full of wrath and cry out as if they were mad Great is Diana of the Ephesians No maruell then if in their furie they rush together into the common Hall if they catch and hurrie with them Gaius and Aristarchus Pauls companions if some of them draw forth Alexander out of the multitude and others thrust him forward as fast that getting him forth they may there dispatch him as they list if it be a sufficient cause for them all to stop their eares to whatsoeuer he were able to say for his defence only for that he was a Iew and if hauing no cause at all of any concourse much lesse of such a tumultuous vprore yet notwithstanding a shout almost for two howers among them doth rise crying Great is Diana of the Ephesians And when once they are set on such a gog it is not then to say in how eager maner they are like to follow on the seruants of God nor how outrageous crueltie they are like to practise against all such as on the behalfe of the Gospell of Christ shall stand in their way And yet notwithstanding if we come to the maner of such dealing of theirs In what maner it is prosecuted we shall commonly find that for the most part they euer proceede in such sort as the patterne before prescribeth vnto vs and almost euen after the selfesame manner that before they find in the other First in secret For first they do euer desire to do it in secret maner so neere as they can and then if they find that so they cannot they stick not likewise to rush vpon it howsoeuer they thinke occasion offered And as Saul would now again first haue done it by his owne hands in another mad fit of his so to haue coloured the matter the better and now came verie néere vnto it belike because that David did ouermuch trust the oath that he did take to the contrarie a little before euen so we may see that our Sauls also would not stick with their owne hands to put such things in execution especially the case being such as would affoord them any reasonable coulour vnto it whereunto they also come oftimes ouer néere for that vpon their promises and oathes they are ouermuch trusted When themselues are not able to do it then do they imploy others about it and that howsoeuer oportunitie is offered neither sparing such as be sick but séeking to haue them bed and all nor so much as able either to hold pacience with any though neuer so néere that any way frustrate their wicked attempts or to find any other meaning if so they should but that they are mocked therein And that which is more when they find themselues in such sort defeated as that they may plainly perceiue that it is no meaner then God himselfe that doth resist them and though he do the same also in neuer so good and gracious maner yet will they neuer be warned thereby nor any thing staied in their wicked attempts but euer run on to the vttermost point that they are able
also yet did it please the goodnes of God to blesse the naturall helpe that they sought with supernatural operation So now likewise though many that know not their owne estate giue eare to the Gospell but only in some earthly respects yet those also oftimes are vouchsafed an extraordinarie and speciall blessing thereby accompanied with euerlasting peace Then in the overthrow of certeyne of our Philistims and of their Goliah withall As for the other benefite of David that belonged to the whole host of Israel by the ouerthrow of Goliath and consequently of the whole armie of the Philistims besides that is among vs so euidently and plainly performed by the Gospell of Christ that I shall not neede to stand to declare it For our Philistims also haue their Goliath an outgrowne monster of merueilous stature much greater a great deale as his Canonistes say and vsurpation wee knowe hath brought him vnto then the greatest of the great men of the earth his furniture likewise strong and fearefull a naturall enemie to the people of God and to God himselfe his mouth speaking proud and cruell things agaynst God and his people comming into the field with a mightie armie all enemies vnto the Trueth and to all the professors of it such as heretofore haue had the people of God in great subiection of whom also the children of Israel haue been so afrayd that they durst not abide their presence but haue fled from them by heapes none of them al hauing the heart to encounter with that strong mightie Giant so fearfully armed and blustering out so terrible speaches But now we also God be praysed haue our David in the power of the Gospell that Iesus Christ the sonne of David hath now in these dayes sent vnto vs. When our brethren disdayned to heare vs talke of any such matter when the wiser sort thought it impossible without Saules armour without any earthly helpe whatsoeuer vpon assurance of such like matters before atchieued with a sting a stone is Goliath with great courage incountered and with as good successe in a manner cleane ouerthrowne euen when the attempt was either distrusted or scorned of all The residue also of those godlesse and idolatrous Philistims seeing their champion so little able to stand before David are likewise discomfited and seeke to saue them selues by flight Such favours likewise shewed foorth to the Gospell as were shewed to David before so well as they can The fauours also that by the goodnesse of God are shewed to the Gospell and to those that professe it are not inferiour to those that were as before is declared shewed to David For God be thanked there be diuers euen of our earthly Princes such as are no better then Saul that seeing the dignitie and mightie working of the Gospell of Christ in these dayes of ours are so taken with the maiestie of it that themselues loue both it and many of those that professe it also as much as Saul at that time loued David and that was as the text sayth very well and to confirme the same the better both desire to reteyne it still and bestowe honorable roomes and of speciall credit on those that professe it Some Ionathans also and godly Princes we haue besides that loue the Gospell most entirely and for the Gospels sake and for the loue that they beare thereunto do gladly make a couenant with it and with those that professe it and from their owne backes most freely bestow vpon it and on those that professe it both ornaments of honor and conuenient furniture likewise Neither doth the Gospell altogether want those Michals neither that is such godly and Christian soules as though they be according to the flesh descended of Saul yet beare they so speciall a loue vnto David that both they desire to bee ioyned together in mariage with him and are readie at al times as need shall require to saue the liues of those that are of the Trueth wheresoeuer they come to any such daunger how neere soeuer they bee vnto them by whom such persecution is mooued And so farre as Michals good will may stand in stead in time to come to helpe to the kingdome so farre also she doth not sticke now to bestowe the same vpon him Amongst the multitude also many there be that are heartily glad to see our Philistims also with their Goliath to bee so much brought downe as they are to whom our David in that respect is merueilous welcome who also haue learned so to distinguish betwixt the speciall working of God and the secondary meanes that he vseth that although they giue vnto Saule his thousand also yet do they euer keepe their ten thousand for David alone Neither do they thus solemnize only this victorie of the Gospell but also conceiue a speciall good liking of the whole course and proceeding of it and not only those that are the freest and so may safelier like as they list without controulment but many of the seruants of our Sauls likewise such as on their maisters behalf haue no such cause to like of David Where we see thus much already there may we hope there is more behind and in due time to be accomplished 4 To find out now in what sort it pleased God to bring him to the kingdome That for a time David was exercised with great affliction before that he was brought unto the Kingdom after that once he had annointed him vnto it and so effectually commended him to others we are to knowe that he did not bring him vnto it till first he had notably exercised him with much affliction sundrie trials and many crosses cast in the way So are we first to consider of those his afflictions and then how it pleased God notwithstanding at length to bring him vnto the Kingdome His afflictions were such persecutions and molestations as it pleased Saul to stir vp against him Concerning which it is to be knowne that they were especially two whereof the former was finished with a reconciliation that was made by Jonathans meanes the other continued so long as Saul himself did liue His former persecution Concerning the former of these two we are first to sée vpon what occasion it was raised against him and then what was the maner of it The occasion of it was first his owne distemperature The occasion of it then the towardnes or likelyhood that David was in to come to the Kingdome His owne distemperature we may plainely sée might well be great not only because the euill spirit of the Lord a 16.14 was sent vnto him and b 16.15.18.10.19.9 oft did vexe him but also for that we may sée likewise that c 18.8.9.20.31 it gréeued him much to part with the Kingdome And then lesse marueile if he were so far out of temper and consequently so rageous withall when as he did so impatiently take so great a losse and sometimes also was extraordinarily