Common Places, Part 3 · Chapter 12 · Section 3
VVhether Dauid did well, in that (through feare of Saule) he fled vntounto the Philiſtines; and what we are to doo, if we should fall into the like troubles.
In 1 Sam. verſe. 27.30 How then (wilt thou ſaie) did not Dauid ſinne, when he fled vntounto Achis? Argumēts to proue that he ſinned not.There be ſome which defend him, and ſaie, that he might doo the ſame, without hurt of religion and faith. For why (ſaie they) is he héere to be blamed, ſéeing he was not reprooued before, when he fled into the land of the Moabites? 1. Sam. 22, 3Were they leſſe idolaters than were the Philiſtines? Further, he had at that time a moſt mightie enimie, and alſo vngratefull and vntruſtie kinſmen: was it méet for him to liue alwaies in danger? Beſides this, it behooued him to hauehave a regard, not onelie vntounto himſelfe, but vntounto them that depended on him: 1. Sam. 27, …for he had ſixe hundred ſoldiers, with their wiues & children, which led a hard life in the woods & foreſts. How had he béene able to hauehave mainteined them in Iudaea? Should he hauehave vſed violence againſt his owne countriemen and well-willers, and hauehave gotten meat for them by violence? And what they would hauehave giuen them of their owne accord, it ſufficientlie appéereth by the hiſtorie of Nabal. 1. Sam. 25.There were euen with Saule manie honeſt men, which fauored Dauid, and wiſhed him well; and for that cauſe they were oftentimes brought into danger. Which perill ſéemed to hauehave an vtter end, if Dauid ſhould lead his life out of the Hebrue confines. Wherefore he was to depart, if it had béene but for their ſakes onelie. For it is the dutie of an honeſt man, rather to ſuffer all things, than others for his ſake ſhould be caſt into perill. Moreouer, it was the part of a wiſe man, to vſe the occaſion, which God offered him: which vnleſſe he had doone, he might hauehave ſéemed to hauehave tempted God. But thou wilt ſaie; he had promiſes. I grant: but thoſe make not a man ſlothfull and diſmaid. What ſaie we to that, when Iohn. 4, 5.Chriſt himſelfe went vntounto the Samaritans, and vntounto the borders of Tyre and Sidon? Laſtlie it behooued that ſome end ſhould be appointed vntounto the ſinne of Saule, Matt. 15, 21.that he might ceaſe to perſecute the innocent man.
Arguments on the contrarie part.31 One the other part, this fact of Dauid may alſo be reprooued for manie cauſes. For firſt it ſéemeth an vnwoorthie thing, that Dauid (ſo notable a man) ſhould go as a ſuppliant vntounto the Philiſtines, being men which before time were not onelie ouercome by the Iewes, but alſo by himſelfe. For he ſéemeth to contemne the benefit of God, who hauing obteined victorie, will ſubmit himſelfe to the verie ſame man whom he ouercommeth. For this cauſe was Pompeius blamed, who hauing atchieued ſo manie acts, would afterward become an humble ſuiter vntounto Ptolome. But the ſtoutneſſe and great courage that was in Cato, is famous; bicauſe he forbad the people of Vtica, to ſéeke the fauour of Caeſar for his ſake. Moreouer, God forbad with verie ſtrict words, that the Iewes ſhould not enter in league with the baniſhed nations, ſuch as were the Philiſtines: nor yet that they ſhould deſire helpe of them that were vngodlie. Beſide this, Dauid, whom God aſſigned a ruler and prince ouer his people, now becommeth a fugitiue. What infamie it was counted to be a fugitiue.Which thing, what and how great an infamie it is, we are taught both by the light of nature it ſelfe, and alſo by the ciuill lawes. For in the Digeſts De captiuis & poſtliminio, in the law Poſtliminium, in the paragraph Filius, and in the paragraph, Tranſfugae; He that flieth vntounto his enimie, is depriued of the right in his owne citie. So that by this act, Dauid depriueth himſelfe of the publike inheritance of the people of God.
And as it is declared in the ſame place; He is a fugitiue, which in the time either of warre, or of truce, flieth either vntounto the enimies; or vntounto them, which be neither enimies, nor yet fréends, and receiueth aſſurance of them. And he hath loſt the benefit of the Poſtliminian lawe, which is debarred from the right of recouering of his owne goods and countrie. Againe, De capite minutis; Thoſe men are declared to be enimies vntounto the common weale. He which helpeth an enimie, either by his trauell, or by kéeping of companie with him, incurreth the crime of high treaſon, and is guiltie of betraieng either his prince or countrie. And in this crime, not alonlie the act it ſelfe is regarded, but alſo the will; ſo that the ſame be euidentlie enough knowen. If anie Chriſtian at this daie, being capteine of the warres, ſhould flie on the Turks part with his ſoldiers; he ſhould not onelie be counted a runnagate, but alſo incurre a greater reproch. [Yea, and if he ſhould doo the ſame but euen to an other chriſtian prince, that is an enimie vntounto his owne naturall prince and countrie, he ſhould be iudged a runnagate and traitour.]
And it is credible, that ſome couenant was made, that Dauid ſhould beare armes againſt Saule; and ſéeke his life, whom he had twiſe alreadie ſpared. Moreouer, who is that, which doubteth, but that Saule did inſolentlie boaſt of this running awaie of Dauid, and told his fréends in reproch of him; that he, whom they attributed ſo much vntounto, was a runnagate, a faithleſſe man, a forſaker both of his people and religion? And it is verie likelie, that thoſe men, when they heard thoſe things, ſcarſelie refrained themſelues from teares. And albeit that Saule appéered before to behaue himſelfe vniuſtlie, when he thruſt out Dauid; yet might he now ſéeme to hauehave a iuſt cauſe of condemnation againſt him. Beſides this, he being a Iew borne, and a frée man; yet called he himſelfe a retainer and ſeruant of Achis. 1. Sam. 28, 2.He alſo (ſo much as in him laie) ſubuerted the counſels of God: Ibid. 27, 12.for God had choſen him to be a king, who ſhould defend his people; howbeit he reuolted vntounto the enimie, and made war euen againſt his owne people. This indéed was rather to plaie the part of a robber, than the part of a king. And he humbled himſelfe there, where he was to hauehave ſerued in perpetuall bondage; and that (which is a thing moſt gréeuous) he was to doo it vntounto a wicked and a barbarous king. For ſo Achis himſelfe pronounced, that it ſhould come to paſſe; Thou ſhalt be (ſaith he) my ſeruant for euer. He was conſtrained alſo to win the tyrants fauour, by no honeſt practiſe: for he made a lie, and applied his ſpéech vntounto his will; namelie, 1. Sam. 28, 2.that he did ſomewhile inuade his owne nation the Iewes, ſomewhile the Kenites, and ſomewhile the Ierahmelites. Howbeit, there be ſome, which ſaie, that Dauid lied not at all, when he ſaid, that he fought againſt the ſouth part of Iuda; 1. Sa. 27, 10.for that thoſe places apperteined to the lot of Iuda, Ioſua. 15.as it appéereth by the deſcription of Ioſua: albeit that they had not as yet entred into that whole inheritance. But howſoeuer this be, let it be of what value it can. Surelie, theſe things be ſpoken by Dauid, for to hauehave the fauour of the tyrant; and that (which may not be borne) with a mind to deceiue.
32 But let vsus ſée what euils followed after this flieng awaie. That citie, which Dauid had receiued as a gift from the king, was ſacked by the Amalekites; 1. Sam 30, 1.ſo that he was miſerablie conſtrained to bewaile the miſhap of his owne citizens. I ſpeake nothing how he was conſtrained to change that imperiall power & ſtrength into théeuerie: Ibidem 17. & 27, 11.for he ſiue all, he ſpared neither age nor ſex, leaſt the king ſhould hauehave anie ſuſpicion of his doing. Further, he diuided the preie with the tyrant; and this he did, not once or twiſe onlie, but ſo long as he was there. In the meane while, he was conſtrained to ſuffer the diſhoneſtie of being at attonement with Achis, and to profeſſe himſelfe openlie an enimie vntounto his countrie. Beſides this, it ſéemed to be no wiſe mans part, to commit himſelfe vntounto a reconciled friend. Indéed men are wont to vſe the helpe of them, with whom they are returned into amitie; but that is onelie for the time that they hauehave néed. For what elſe may we iudge that Achis in the meane time thought of Dauid, but that he was a man rude and barbarous, which could find in his hart to warre againſt his owne nation? Auguſtus was woont to ſaie; I louelove treaſon, but a traitor I louelove not. And what harts the Philiſtines had towards Dauid, 1. Sam. 29, 3it ſufficientlie appéereth by the hiſtorie: for when they ſhould méet togither; What make theſe Hebrues héere, (ſaid they?) How can they better pleaſe their owne king than by our bloud? Héere dooth Dauid openlie profeſſe himſelfe to be an enimie vntounto his countrie: and Achis admitteth him to be the garder of his perſon. And when Dauid, through the earneſt ſute of the Philiſtines, ſhould be ſent home, he tooke it gréeuouſlie, ſaieng; What hauehave I committed?
What ſhall we ſaie, that in all this ſpace there were heard no praiers; there were written no pſalmes? No maruell: for theſe things were doone by the counſell of man, without the commandement of God. No wilt thou ſaie; it was not of neceſſitie that he ſhould aſke counſell of God. Yes verelie; God in the 26. chapter of Numerie verſe. 21.commandeth in expreſſe woords, Dauid ought to hauehave aſked counſell of God.that in ſuch things counſell ſhould be aſked of him; Ioſue (ſaith he) the ſonne of Nun, ſhall ſtand before Eliazer, and ſhall receiue the oracle of him: according wherevnto he ſhould go in and out. But Dauid was a capteine of the people, 1. Sam. 22, 5 1. Sam. 30, 7and in verie déed had before time aſked counſell of the Lord, and to the ſame intent he alſo returned afterward: but now we ſée no ſuch thing to be doone by him. He ſéemeth to hauehave changed his nature, togither with his place: for before that time, he did nothing but that which was plaine and ſincere; at this time he did all things craftilie and deceitfullie: and he ſéemeth now by warre to aſſaile Saule the king, whom he before preſerued. But Achis, bicauſe he beléeued that Dauid would imitate the dooings of them, whoſe words he had followed, did not make verie diligent inquiſition of his dooings.
And to conſider this matter more narrowlie; this defection of Dauid brought great loſſe vntounto the Iewes. For, as it appéereth out of the twelfe chapter of the firſt booke of Paralipomenon, verſe. 22.That this act of Dauid brough… detriment vntounto the Iewes.there flocked vntounto him a great number of ſoldiers, from all parts of Iudaea; ſo that he had now a great companie of bands, euen as the armie of God. By meanes whereof it came to paſſe, that Achis fought onelie with ſome part of the Iewes, and not with their whole ſtrength: for they which ſhould hauehave helped Saule, were fled vntounto Dauid. But if ſo be they had remained in the borders, they might hauehave inuaded the land of the Philiſtines; and ſo either hauehave deliuered, or elſe helped their owne countrie. Furthermore, the modeſtie of Saule may ſufficientlie condemne the raſhnes of Dauid: for he, when he had almoſt caught Dauid, left him; to the intent he might repell the Philiſtines, whome he heard at the ſelfe-ſame time to hauehave inuaded his countrie; and ſo he preferred the common wealth before his priuate hatred. But Dauid, when he ſawe his countrie in danger, ioined himſelfe with a moſt cruell enimie, that by a publike deſtruction he might reuenge priuate hatred; and complained, that he might not be permitted vntounto that battell. But thou wilt ſaie, that he fained: it may well be, and I contend not for the matter; but in the meane time he helped not his countrie.
The ſecret will of God excuſeth not Dauid.33 But thou wilt ſaie, that GOD by this meanes would puniſh Saule: I grant it. But we ought not to hauehave regard vntounto the ſecret will of God, but vntounto his will as it is expreſſed in the lawe: for vntounto that muſt all our actions be directed. Further, we ought to beware, that we come not into infamie by our owne default. And when Dauid violated thoſe borders of the Philiſtines, he ſéemeth to hauehave violated the rite of gheſtſhip: for it may be, that either they paid tribute or cuſtome vntounto Achis. But bicauſe it is vncerteine, in what ſtate they ſtood towards him, I will not ſpeake much concerning that matter. This is certeine, that he would hauehave béene reuenged of Saule, and I ſée not how that can be defended. For if thou wilt ſaie, that he ment not ſo ill towards Saule; thou ſhalt prooue nothing thereby. For if at this daie ſome great profeſſor amongſt vsus, ſhould (as God forbid) go on the Papiſts ſide: although he ſhould ſaie that he would neither diſpute nor write againſt the Goſpell; yet what maner of man would we take ſuch a one to be? Certeinlie I am ſore afraid, when I heare ſome men ſaie, they had rather be Papiſts than Zuinglians. Doubtles we would neuer ſo ſpeake of them. But Dauid humbled himſelfe, not onelie vnderunder the reſt of the Iſraelites, but alſo vnderunder the ſoldiers of Saule. [This excuſeth not:] for thoſe men defend their countrie, this man fighteth againſt it.
1. Macc. 7, 5. 2. Macc. 1. 7.In the hiſtorie of the Macchabeis, Iaſon and Alcymus, and ſuch other like (either for reuenge or ambition ſake) gathered themſelues vntounto the Macedonians. The ſame thing did Dauid at this time: he was euer the thunderbolt of war, and to what part ſoeuer he inclined, he caried with him a great force to the victorie; yet neuertheles he would be abſent, when he might hauehave broght great profit. But admit he would not fight againſt his owne nation. The ſame end vndoubtedlie had followed him, that happened vntounto Coriolanus and Themiſtocles. Coriolanus, when he refuſed to fight againſt the Romans, was ſlaine by the Volſcians. The end of fugitiues.Themiſtocles, when he would not aſſaile his owne countrie, dranke poiſon. Alcibiades alſo was for the ſame cauſe ſlaine. Such in a maner is the end of fugitiues, vnleſſe GOD take pitie vponupon them. A great deale the more gréeuous it is, that ſéeing Dauid knew for certeintie, that he ſhould be king; he might alſo hauehave knowne, that of neceſſitie he ſhould hauehave war with the Philiſtines. How then ſuffered he himſelfe now to be ouercome by their benefits, ſo as he might not fight againſt them, without a great blemiſh of ingratitude?
I might bring manie other things, but theſe ſéeme to be ſufficient at this time: wherefore I conclude, that I cannot in anie wiſe allow this fact of Dauid. And I am not onelie led by reaſon ſo to iudge, but by example alſo: for if ſo be that our Emperors ſoldiers, at this daie, ſhould go vntounto warfare with the Turke; how greatlie would that be to the hinderance of chriſtianitie? But in vaine doo I make complaint: in verie déed we had experience thereof of late daies in Hungarie. And I would to God, that in this were ſhe end of euils. Perhaps thou wilt ſaie, that God, by a ſecret perſuaſion, warned Dauid to go vntounto Achis. I anſwer; firſt, that it is more than I knowe; ſecondlie, that it is not verie probable: for God warned him before hand, that he ſhould returne into Iudaea. But yet howſoeuer it be, this I ſaie, that that example is not ſet foorth for vsus to be followed. Herein Dauid committed ſinne; although not vntounto death: his faith did after a ſort wax féeble, but it was not vtterlie extinguiſhed.
An anſwer to the arguments by which Dauids fact is defended.34 Now muſt I diſſolue thoſe arguments, which we obiected on the other part. Wherefore (ſaie they) is he more reprooued now, than he was before, when he went vntounto the Moabites? I anſwer, that the conſideration was otherwiſe, both of the time, of Dauids mind, and of the nation. For firſt, he did not then drawe ſo manie ſoldiers with him. Secondlie, he went not with the mind to warre on the Moabites ſide; but that he might place among them his old father and mother. Neither had he as yet receiued the word of the Lord, to returne: for there he was firſt admoniſhed by Gad [the prophet] that he ſhould returne into Iewrie. Neither were the Moabites ſo ſtrange vntounto the Iewes, as were the Philiſtines: Gen. 19, 37.for they were of the poſteritie of Lot. And God, verſe. 9.in the ſecond chapter of Deuteronomie, had ſtrictlie commanded the Iewes, that they ſhould not meddle with their féelds: wherefore the reaſon is not alike. But whether Dauid did well, in going to the Moabites; I doo not here diſpute. Certeinlie, it appéereth that the ſame iournie pleaſed not GOD verie well; in that he afterward willed him to be called backe by Gad. But he was vrged, both by the perſecution of Saule, and by the treaſon of his owne kindred; that of neceſſitie, either he was to die, or elſe to flie vntounto the Philiſtines. Naie rather, by this flight he did not auoid danger, but he changed one for another: for he caſt himſelfe into a more dangerous ſtate among the Philiſtines, than if he had taried ſtill in Iudaea. But it is not the part of a wiſe or godlie man, through feare and féeble courage, to take in hand or doo thoſe things, which are not conuenient for his perſon.
Saule purſueth thée: The Ziphits betraie thée, but God hath bewraied their lieng in wait vntounto thée; ſo as they ſhall not be able to hurt thée: Saule againe and againe commeth into thy danger. But it is a gréeuous thing thus to liue perpetuallie. Admit it be ſo; yet God by theſe kind of chaſtiſements, frameth thée to be a king in time to come. Bréeflie; Theſe things thou dooeſt, either for the miſtruſt thou haſt in God; or elſe in hatred of the croſſe. If for miſtruſt ſake, refer thy ſelfe vntounto the promiſes of God; and conſider what he hath before time doone for thy ſake. If in hatred of the croſſe, rather lament thou this infirmitie of fleſh, which ſo cleaueth to our nature, as it may not be remooued, no not from the moſt holie men. As touching that argument, wherein it is ſaid, that either we muſt flie, or elſe ſuffer death: it is weak and vnperfect. For adde a third point; namelie, that thou tarrie there, where the Lord hath placed thée, and thou ſhalt hope that he will no leſſe be preſent now with thée, than he hath béen before time. Thou ſaieſt that it behooued Dauid, not onelie to hauehave a regard vntounto himſelfe; but alſo vntounto the ſixe hundred ſoldiers, which he had with him. The Iewes would not of their owne accord giuegive him anie thing; to wring from them by violence, it was not lawfull for him: but the mind was to be eleuated vntounto God; he had promiſed that he would bring helpe, and that he would ſtand to his couenants. He ſhuld not in anie wiſe hauehave departed from his ſtation, wherein God had placed him. Further, there was no néed, that either he ſhould hauehave vſed violence, or expected the liberalitie of his owne countriemen. The Philiſtines were borderers, being enimies vntounto the name of the Iewes, and alreadie condemned of God: from them it was lawfull to take preies; for ſo he did before, and God did proſper his indeuours.
Conſideration was to be had of fréends, who bicauſe they ſéemed to fauour Dauid that was baniſhed, were ill intreated by Saule. Certeinlie, friends ought not raſhlie to be contemned: but we muſt take héed, leaſt while thou wouldſt deliuer them, thou bring not a greater infamie vponupon them. For it was a farre more gréeuous thing, that Dauid fled vntounto the Philiſtines, than that he was condemned by Saule: but thou muſt rather ſuffer death, than that others ſhould come in perill for thy ſake. But we muſt not alwaies reſpect that which is magnificall and glorious, but that which is pleaſing vntounto God. The occaſion offered, was not to be contemned. I anſwere: He doth thoſe things, that we may the more eaſilie ſuffer aduerſities. Further, it had béene his part, to hope that GOD will not alwaies ſuffer the better ſort to be afflicted; or that the church ſhould be oppreſſed with continuall might. This ſhould a wiſe man thinke. If he had doone otherwiſe, it had béene to hauehave tempted God. No verelie, he ſhould rather hauehave put his truſt in God, & hauehave taried in that place, wherevnto God had called him.
He had promiſed to helpe him. But the promiſe of God maketh not men to be as ſtocks or blocks, that it ſhould not be lawfull for anie man to prouide for himſelfe. I grant it doth not: howbeit, we ought by faith to wait for the helpe of God; we muſt not ſtep backe through feare and miſtruſt. If there were no ſuretie to liue in the court of Saule, much leſſe ſafetie was it to liue among the Philiſtines. Chriſt went vntounto the men of Tyre and Sidon, and to the Samaritans. I know he did: but that was not to take their part againſt the Iewes; but to teach them the Goſpell, that he might bring them to God, & heale them, and beſtowe benefits vponupon them. Some end was once to be appointed vntounto the ſinnes of Saule: but yet not ſo, as thou ſhouldſt caſt thy ſelfe into greater ſinnes. Manie fond and miſerable men will hauehave Maſſes and Dirges to be ſaid for the ſoules of them that be dead. But while they would deliuer them out of purgatorie, let them take héed, that they themſelues run not headlong into hell. Paule warneth, that We ought not to doo euill, Rom 3, 8.that good may come thereof. Wherefore this fact was neither godlie, nor yet beſéeming for the perſon of Dauid. So that we confeſſe, he ſinned as well in this, as in other things.
35 But Auguſtine vponupon the pſalmes, ſaith; that Sinne is of two ſorts; one of neceſſitie, Of what kind Dauids ſinne was.and another (as he himſelfe ſpeaketh) of abundance & plentie. If queſtion be aſked of manie, wherefore they ſteale: they will anſwer, that neceſſitie conſtraineth them, to the intent they may hauehave wherewith to maintaine their wife and children. In déed this is ſome neceſſitie, yet it is not abſolute; it is but onelie by ſuppoſition: if a man be of that mind, that he will in anie wiſe liue and maintaine himſelfe, by what means ſo euer it be. Others there are, who being rich, yet they neuer ceaſe pilling of the poore: and that not of anie neceſſitie that they hauehave, but of an inſatiable couetouſneſſe. The ſinne of Dauid belonged vntounto the former ſort. Neither doo I ſpeake this, to extenuate his ſinne; but onelie that it may be vnderſtood, vntounto what kind his ſinne ought to be referred. In explaning of all the arguments, we hauehave ſhewed what we are to doo, if perhaps we fall into the like trouble. Now let vsus ſée, what, by this fact of Dauid, What by this face of Dauid, may be gathered to our edifieng.may be gathered for our edifieng. Firſt, we ought here as in a glaſſe, to behold our owne infirmitie: for God would hauehave that to be knowen to vsus, not that we ſhuld the more fréelie ſin, but that we ſhould bewaile our owne ſtate, and ſigh towards heauen.
Moreouer, we ſée of what ſinceritie the holie ſcriptures be: for they doo not onlie ſet foorth vntounto vsus the vertues of holie men, but alſo their errors and ſinnes; leaſt we ſhould truſt in our owne ſelues, as though we are to determine of our owne ſtrength. Auguſtine in his 49. ſermon De tempore; After we ſhall be come (ſaith he) to another life, we ſhall ſtand firmelie; for we ſhall ſée the chéefe felicitie, from the which we cannot be drawen by anie vile and mortall goods. But here we onelie ſée, as through a glaſſe, and in a darke ſaieng. Wherfore when other good things are ſet before vsus, we be oftentimes drawen awaie, and doo fall: ſo that it is our part in this life, to wreſtle ſo much as we can. But eſpeciallie we muſt take héed, that we flie not to them, which be enimies to the Goſpell: for; Heb. 6, 5.He which hauing once taſted the good gift of God, & vertues of the ſpirit, falleth awaie againe, there remaineth vntounto him no more ſacrifice for ſinne; but a fearefull waiting for the iudgement of God. And ſéeing the diuell is a moſt gréeuous enimie of God, we muſt take héed that we flie not vntounto him with our powers. Theſe things by the dooing of Dauid, may be tranſferred vntounto vsus. To flie away and war on the enimies part, is in no wiſe lawfull.