Works of Joseph Hall, Part 8
DAVID called to the Court.
THat the Kingdome is (in the appointment of God) departed from Saul, it is his leaſt loſſe; Now the Spirit of God is alſo departed from him; One ſpirit is no ſooner gone, but another is come; both are from God: Euen the worſt ſpirits hauehave not onelyonly permiſſion, but commiſſion from Heauen, for the infliction of iudgement. He that at firſt could hide himſelfe among the ſtuffe, that he might not be King, is now ſo tranſported with this glory, that he growes paſſionate with the thought of forgoing it: Satan takes vantage of his melancholicke deiection, and turnes this paſſion into frenzy. God will hauehave euen euill ſpirits worke by meanes; A diſtempered body, and an vnquiet mind are fit grounds for Satans vexation. Sauls Courtiers, as men that were more witty, then religious, aduiſe him to Muſicke: They knew the ſtrength of that skill in allaying the fury of paſſions, in cheering vp the deiected ſpirits of their Maſter: This was done like ſome fond Chirurgian, that when the bone is out of ioynt, layes ſome ſoupling Pulteſſes to the part, for the aſſwaging of the ach, in the meane time not caring to remedie the luxation.
If they had ſaid, Sir, you know this euill comes from that God whom you hauehave offended, there can be no helpe but in reconcilement; how eaſie is it for the God of Spirits to take off Satan? labour your peace with him by a ſerious humiliation; make meanes to Samuel to further the atonement; they had beene wiſe Counſellors, diuine Phyſitians; whereas now they doe but skin ouer the ſore, and leaue it rankled at the bottome: The cure muſt euer proceed in the ſame ſteps with the diſeaſe, elſe in vaine ſhal we ſeem to heale; There is no ſafety in the redreſſe of euills, but to ſtrike at the root. Yet ſince it is no better with Saul and his Courtier, it is well it is no worſe; I doe not heare either the Maſter, or ſeruants ſay, This is an ill ſpirit, ſend for ſome Magitian, that may countermand him: There are forcible Enchantments for theſe ſpirituall vexations; If Samuel will not, there are Witches, that may giuegive eaſe: But as one, that would rather be ill, then doe worſe, he contents himſelfe to doe that, which was lawfull, if vnſufficient. It is a ſhame to ſay, that hee, whom God had reiected for his ſin, was yet a Saint to ſome that ſhould bee Chriſtians, who care not, how much they are beholden to the Deuill in their diſtreſſes, affecting to caſt out Deuils by BeelZebub: In caſes of loſſe, or ſickneſſe they make Hell their refuge, and ſeeke for patronage, but of an enemy: Here is a fearefull agreement; Satan ſeekes to them in his temptations, they in their conſultations ſeeke to him, and now they hauehave mutually found each other, if they euer part, it is a miracle.
Dauid had liued obſurely in his fathers houſe, his onelyonly care and ambition was the welfare of the flocke he tended, and now, whiles his father and his brothers neglected him as fit for nothing but the fied, hee is talked of at Court: Some of Sauls followers had beene at Iſhai's houſe, and taken notice of Dauids skill, and now that harpe, which he practiſed for his priuate recreation, ſhall make him of a Shepherd a Courtier: The Muſick, that he meant onelyonly to himſelfe and his ſheepe, brings him before Kings: The Wiſdome of God thought fit to take this occaſion of acquainting Dauid with that Court, which he ſhall once gouerne. It is good, that our education ſhould perfect our children in all thoſe commendable qualities, whereto they are diſpoſed: Little doe we know, what vſe God meanes to make of thoſe faculties, which we know not how to imploy. Where the Almighty purpoſes an aduancement, obſcuritie can be no preiudice; ſmall meanes ſhall ſet forward that, which God hath decreed.
Doubtleſſe, old Iſhai noted (not without admiration) the wonderfull accordance of Gods proceedings, that hee, which was ſent for out of the field to bee anointed; ſhould now bee ſent for out of the Countrey into the Court, and now hee perceiued, God was making way for the execution of that which he purpoſed; hee attends the iſſue in ſilence, neither ſhall his hand faile to giuegive furtherance to the proiect of God: He therefore ſends his ſonne laden with a Preſent, to Saul: The ſame God which called Dauid to the Court, welcomes him thither; His comelineſſe, valour, and skill hauehave ſoone wonne him fauour in the eyes of Saul. The giuer of all graces hath ſo placed his fauours, that the greateſt enemies of goodneſſe ſhall ſee ſomewhat in the holieſt men, which they ſhall affect, and for which they ſhall honour the perſons of them, whoſe vertues they diſlike; as contrarily the ſaints on earth ſee ſomwhat to louelove euen in the worſt creatures.
No doubt Dauid ſung to his harpe; his harp was not more ſweet then his ſong was holy: Thoſe Pſalmes alone had beene more powerfull to chaſe the euill ſpirit, then the Muſicke was to calme paſſions; both together gaue eaſe to Saul; and God gaue this effect to both, becauſe he would hauehave Saul traine vp his Succeſſor: This ſacred Muſick did not more diſpell Satan, then wanton Muſick inuites him, and more cheers him, then vsus: He phyes and danceth at a filthy Song, he ſings at an obſcure dance: Our ſinne is his beſt paſtime, whereas Pſalmes, and Hymnes, and ſpirituall Songs are torment vntounto the Tempter, and Muſick to the Angels in Heauen, whoſe trade is to ſing Alleluiahs in the Chore of glory.