Works of Joseph Hall, Part 14
NABAL and ABIGAIL.
IF innocencie could hauehave ſecured from Sauls malice, Dauid had not bin perſecuted; and yet vnderunder that wicked King, aged Samuel dyes in his bed. That there might be no place for Enuie, the good Prophet had retyred himſelfe to the Schooles. Yet he that hated Dauid for what hee ſhould be, did no leſſe hate Samuel for what hee had bin. Euen in the midſt of Sauls malignitie, there remained in his heart impreſſions of awfulneſſe vntounto Samuel: he feared, where he loued not. The reſtraint of God curbeth the rage of his moſt violent enemies, ſo as they cannot doe their worſt. As good Husbands, doe not put all their Corne to the Ouen, but ſaue ſome for ſeede, ſo doth God euer in the worſt of perſecutions.
Samuel is dead, Dauid baniſhed, Saul tyrannizeth, Iſrael hath good cauſe to mourne; it is no maruell if this lamentation be vniuerſall. There is no Iſraelite that feeleth not the loſſe of a Samuel. A good Prophet is the common Treaſure, wherein eueryevery gracious ſoule hath a ſhare. That man hath a dry heart, which can part with Gods Prophet without teares.
Nabal was according to his name fooliſh; yet rich and mighty. Earthly poſſeſſions are not alwayes accompanied with wit and grace. Euen the Line of faithfull Caleb will afford an ill-conditioned Nabal. Vertue is not like vntounto Lands inheritable. All that is traduced with the ſeede, is either euill, or not good. Let no man bragge with the Iewes, that he hath Abram to his father; God hath raiſed vp of this ſtone a ſonne to Caleb.
Abigail (which ſignifieth her fathers ioy) had ſorrow enough to be matched with ſo vnworthy an Husband; If her father had meant, ſhee ſhould hauehave had ioy in herſelfe, or in her life, he had not diſpoſed her to an Husband (though rich) yet fond and wicked; It is like he married her to the wealth, not to the man. Many a childe is caſt away vponupon riches. Wealth in our matches, ſhould be as ſome graines or ſcruples in ballance, ſuper-added to the gold of vertuous qualities, to weigh downe the ſcales; when it is made the ſubſtancē of the weight, and good qualities the appendance, there is but one earth poyſed with another; which, whereſoeuer it is done, it is a wonder, if either the children proue not the Parents ſorrow, or the Parents, theirs.
Nabals Sheep-ſhearing was famous; Three thouſand …eeces muſt needes require many hands; neither is any thing more plentifull commonly than a Churles Feaſt: What a world was this, that the noble Champion and Reſcuer of Iſrael, Gods Annointed, is driuen to ſend to a baſe Carle for victuals? It is no meaſuring of men by the depth of the purſe, by outward proſperitie. Seruants are oft-times ſet on horſe backe, whiles Princes goe on foot. Our eſtimation muſt be led by their inward worth, which is not alterable by time, nor diminiſhable with externall conditions.
One rag of a Dauid is more worth, than the Ward-robes of a thouſand Nabals. Euen the beſt deſeruings may want. No man may bee contemned for his neceſſitie; perhaps he may be ſo much richer in grace, as he is poorer in eſtate; neither hath violence or caſualtie more impoueriſhed a Dauid, than his pouertie hath enriched him. He, whoſe folly hath made himſelfe miſerable, is iuſtly rewarded with neglect; but he that ſuffers for good, deſerues ſo much more honour from others, as his diſtreſſe is more. Our compaſſion or reſpect muſt be ruled, according to the cauſe of anothers miſery.
One good turne requires another; in ſome caſes not hurting is meritorious: Hee that ſhould examine the qualities of Dauids followers muſt needes grant it worthy of a ſee, that Nabals flockes lay vntouched in Carmel; but more, that Dauids Souldiers were Nabals Sheepheards; yea, the keepers of his Sheepheards, gaue them a iuſt intereſt in that ſheep ſhearing Feaſt, iuſtly ſhould they hauehave beene ſet at the vpper end of the Table. That Nabals ſheepe were ſafe, hee might thanke his Sheepheards; that his Sheepheards were ſafe, he might thanke Dauids Souldiers; It is no ſmall benefit that wee receiue in a ſafe protection; well may wee thinke our ſubſtance due, where wee owe our ſelues. Yet this churliſh Nabal doth not onelyonly giuegive nothing to Dauids Meſſengers, but which is worſe than nothing, ill words; Who is Dauid, or Who is the ſonne of Iſhai; There be many ſeruants now adaies that breake-away from their Maſters. Dauid asked him bread, hee giueth him ſtones. All Iſrael knew, and honoured their Deliuerer; yet this Clowne, to ſaue his victuals, will needes make him a man, either of no merits or ill, either an obſcure man or a Fugitiue. Nothing is more cheape than good words; theſe Nabal might hauehave giuen, and beene neuer the poorer; If he had beene reſolued to ſhut his hands in a feare of Sauls reuenge, he might hauehave ſo tempered his denyall, that the repulſe might hauehave beene free from offence: But now his foule-mouth doth not onelyonly deny, but reuile. It ſhould hauehave bin Nabals glory, That his Tribe yeelded ſuch a Succeſſor to the Throne of Iſrael; now in all likelihood, his enuie ſtirs him vp to diſgrace that man, who ſurpaſſed him in honour and vertue, more than he was ſurpaſſed by him in wealth and eaſe; Many an one ſpeakes faire, that meanes ill, but when the mouth ſpeakes foule, it argues a corrupt heart; If with Saint Iames his verball Benefactors, wee ſay onelyonly, Depart in peace, warme your ſelues, fill your bellies, we ſhall anſwer for hypocriticall vncharitableneſſe; but if wee rare and curſe thoſe needy ſoules, whom wee ought to releeue, wee ſhall giuegive a more fearefull account of a ſauage cruelty in trampling on thoſe whome God hath humbled. If healing with good words be iuſtly puniſhable, what torment is there for thoſe that wound with euill?
Dauid, which had all this while been in the ſchoole of patience, hath now his Leſſon to ſeeke; Hee, who hath happily digeſted all the rayling and perſecutions of a wicked Maſter, cannot put off this affront of a Nabal; Nothing can aſſwage his choler, but bloud; How ſubiect are the beſt of Gods Saints to weake paſſions, and if wee hauehave the grace toward an expected blow of temptations, how eaſily are wee ſurprized with a ſudden ſoyle?
WHEREFORE ſerue theſe recorded weakneſſes of holy men, but to ſtrengthen vsus againſt the conſcience of our infirmities; Not that wee ſhould take courage to imitate them in the euill, whereunto they hauehave beene miſcarryed; But wee ſhould take heart to our ſelues, againſt the diſcouragement of our owne euils.
THE wiſdome of God hath ſo contriued it, that commonly (in Societies) good is mixed with euill, wicked Nabal hath in his Houſe a wiſe and good Seruant, a a prudent and worthy Wife; That wiſe ſeruant is carefull to aduertiſe his Miſtreſſe of the danger; his prudent Miſtreſſe is carefull to preuent it.
The liues of all his family were now in hazard: ſhee dares not commit this buſineſſe to the fidelitie of a meſſenger, but forgetting her ſexe, puts her ſelfe into the errand; Her foot is not ſlow, her hand is not empty; According to the offence ſhee frames her ſatisfaction; Her Husband refuſed to giuegive, ſhee brings a bountifull gift; her Husband gaue ill wordes, ſhee ſweetens them with a meeke and humble deprecation; Her Husband could ſay, Who is Dauid, ſhee falles at his feete; her Husband diſmiſſes Dauids men emptie, ſhee brings her Seruants laden with prouiſion; as if it had bin only meant to eaſe the repelled Meſſengers of the carriage, not to ſcant them of the required beneuolence; No wit, no art could deuiſe a more pithy and powerfull Oratory: As all ſatisfaction, ſo hers beginnes with a confeſſion; wherein ſhee deeply blameth the folly of her Husband: Shee could not hauehave beene a good Wife, if ſhe had not honoured her vnworthy head; If a ſtranger ſhould hauehave termed him foole in her hearing, hee could not hauehave gone away in peace: Now to ſaue his life, ſhee is bold to acknowledge his folly: It is a good diſparagement that preſerueth. There is the ſame way to our peace in heauen; the only meanes to eſcape iudgement, is to complaine of our owne vileneſſe; ſhee pleadeth her ignorance of the fact, and therein, her freedome from the offence; ſhee humbly craueth acceptation of her preſent, with pardon of the fault; ſhee profeſſeth Dauids honorable acts and merits; ſhee foretels his future ſucceſſe and glory; ſhee layes before him the happy peace of his ſoule, in refraining from innocent bloud. Dauids breſt, which could not through the ſeeds of grace, grow to a ſtubborneſſe in ill reſolutions, cannot but relent with theſe powerfull and ſeaſonable perſwaſions; and now in ſteed of reuenge, hee bleſſeth God for ſending Abigail to meet him; he bleſſeth Abigail for her counſell, he bleſſeth the counſell for ſo wholſome efficacy, and now reioyceth more in being ouercome with a wiſe and gracious aduice, than he would hauehave reioyced in a reuengefull victory.
A good heart is eaſily ſtayed from ſinning, and is glad when it findes occaſion to bee croſſed in ill purpoſes; Thoſe ſecret checkes which are raiſed within it ſelfe, doe readily conſpire with all outward retentiues; It neuer yeelded to a wicked motion, without much reluctation, and when it is ouercome, it is but with halfe a conſent; whereas peruerſe and obdurate Sinners, by reaſon they take full delight in euill, and hauehave already in their conceite ſwallowed the pleaſure of ſinne, abide not to be reſiſted, running on headily, in thoſe wicked courſes they hauehave propounded in ſpight of oppoſition; and if they bee forcibly ſtopped in their way, they grow ſullen and mutinous. Dauid had not only vowed, but deeply ſworne the death of Nabal, and all his Family, to the very dogge that lay at his doore; yet now hee prayſeth God, that hath giuen the occaſion and grace to violate it. Wicked Vowes are ill made, but worſe kept. Our tongue cannot tye vsus to commit ſinne. Good men thinke themſelues happie, that ſince they had not the grace to denie ſinne, yet they had not the opportunitie to accompliſh it. If Abigail had ſit ſtil at home, Dauid had ſinned, and ſhee had dyed: Now her diſcreete admonition hath preſerued her from the ſword, and diuerted him from bloud-ſhed. And now, what thankes, what benedictions hath ſhee for this ſeaſonable counſell? How ſhould it encourage vsus to admoniſh our brethren; to ſee that if wee preuaile, wee hauehave bleſſings from them; if wee preuaile not, wee hauehave yet bleſſings from God, and thankes of our owne hearts.
How neere was Nabal to a miſchiefe, and perceiues it not? Dauid was comming to the foot of the hill to cut his throate, while hee was feaſting in his houſe without feare; Little doe Sinners know, how neere their iollitie is to perdition. Many times iudgment is at the threſhold, whiles drunkenneſſe and ſurfet are at the boord. Had hee beene any othet than a Nabal, hee had not ſate downe to feaſt till hee had beene ſure of his peace with Dauid; either not to expect danger, or not to cleare it, was ſottiſh; So fooliſh are carnall men, that giuegive themſelues ouer to their pleaſures, whiles there are deadly quarrels depending againſt them in Heauen. There is nothing wherein wiſdome is more ſeene, than in the temperate vſe of proſperitie. A Nabal cannot abound, but he muſt be drunke and ſurfet; Exceſſe is a true argument of folly: We vſe to ſay, that when drinke is in, wit is out; but if wit were not out, drinke would not be in.
It was no time to aduiſe Nabal, while his reaſon was drowned in a deluge of wine. A beaſt or a ſtone is as capable of good counſell as a Drunkard. Oh that the nobleſt Creature ſhould ſo farre abaſe himſelfe; as for a little liquor, to loſe the vſe of thoſe faculties, whereby he is a Man. Thoſe that hauehave to doe with drinke or phrenzy, muſt be glad to watch times; So did Abigail, who the next morning preſents to her Husband, the view of his faults, of his danger; Hee then ſees how neere hee was to death, and felt it not. That worldly minde is ſo apprehenſiue of the death that ſhould hauehave beene, as that he dies, to thinke that he had like to hauehave died; Who would thinke a man could be ſo affected with a danger paſt, and yet ſo ſenſeleſſe of a future, yea imminent? He that was yeſter-nighr as a beaſt, is now as a ſtone; he was then ouer-merry, now dead and lumpiſh; Carnall hearts are euer in extremitie. If they bee once downe, their deiection is deſperate, becauſe they hauehave no inward comfort, to mitigate their ſorrow. What difference there was betwixt the diſpoſition of Dauid and Nabal? How oft had Dauid beene in the valley of the ſhaddow of death, and feared no euill? Nabal is but once put in minde of a death that might hauehave beene, and is ſtricken dead.
It is iuſt with God, that they who liue without grace, ſhould die without comfort; neither can we expect better, while we goe on in our ſinnes. The ſpeech of Abigail ſmote Nabal into a qualme; that tongue had doubtleſſe oft aduiſed him well, and preuailed not; now, occaſions his death, whoſe reformation it could not effect; ſhee meant nothing but his amendment; God meant to make that louing inſtrument the meanes of his reuenge: ſhee ſpeakes, and God ſtrikes; and within tenne dayes, that ſwound ends in death. And now Nabal payes deare for his vncharitable reproach; for his riotous exceſſe; That God, which would not ſuffer Dauid to right himſelfe by his owne Sword, takes the quarrell of his Seruant into his owne hand, Dauid hath now his ends without ſinne; reioycing in the iuſt executions of God, who would neither ſuffer him to ſinne in reuenging, nor ſuffer his Aduerſaries to ſinne vnreuenged.
Our louing God is more angry with the wrongs done to his ſeruants, than themſelues can be, and knowes how to puniſh that iuſtly, which we could not vndertake without wronging God, more than men hauehave wronged vsus. He that ſaith, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, repayes oft-times when we hauehave forgiuen, when we hauehave forgotten; and cals to reckoning after our diſcharges; It is dangerous offending any Fauourite of him, whoſe diſpleaſure and reuenge is euerlaſting.
How farre God lookes beyond our purpoſes? Abigail came onelyonly to pleade for an ill Husband; and now God makes this iourney a preparation for a better; So that in one act, ſhe preſerued an ill Husband, and wonne a good one for the future; Dauid well remembers her comely perſon, her wiſe ſpeeches, her gracefull carriage; and now, when modeſty found it ſeaſonable, hee ſends to ſue her, which had beene his Suppliant; ſhe intreated for her Husband, Dauid treates with her for his Wife; her requeſt was to eſcape his Sword, hee wiſheth her to his bed; It was a faire ſuite to change a Dauid for a Nabal; to become Dauids Queene, in ſtead of Nabals D…udge; ſhee that learned humility vnderunder ſo hard a Tutor, abaſeth her ſelfe no leſſe when Dauid offers to aduance her; (Let thine Hand-mayde bee a Seruant to waſh the feete of the Seruants of my LORD.) None are ſo fit to bee gre t, as thoſe that can ſtoope loweſt; How could Dauid bee more happy in a Wife; hee findes at once Pietie, Wiſedome, Humilitie, Faithfulneſſe, Wealth, Beautie? How could Abigail bee more happie in an Husband, than in the Prophet, the Champion, the Annointed of God? Thoſe Mariages were well made, wherein Vertues are matched, and Happineſſe is mutuall.