Meditations Upon 1 Samuel 26:19, Text
Meditations upon 1 Sam. 26.19. in theſe words: Now therefore, I pray thee, let my Lord the King hear the words of his ſervant: If the Lord hath ſtirred thee up againſt me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, curſed be they before the Lord: for they have driven me this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, ſaying, Go ſerve other gods.
THeſe words ſpake David at a good diſtance of ground to King Saul, when he was purſuing him, and newly after he had now again ſaved Sauls life, as he had done but a little before in the cave (1 Sam. 24.) And they are a part of his anſwer to Saul, who awaking from his dead ſleep (while David took him napping, with all his guard about him, ſo as Abiſhai, at Davids command, took onelyonly Sauls ſpear, and pot of water at his head, having as good a will to have taken his life) and hearing Davids voice, ſaid unto him. Is this thy voice, my ſon David? Who ſaid, It is my voice, my Lord O King. Wherefore doth my Lord thus purſue after his ſervant? For what have I done? or what evil is in my hand? Now therefore, I pray thee, let my Lord the King hear the words of his ſervant, &c. So as (verſ. 18.) David pleads his innocency towards Saul; alſo his humility; alſo his fidelity and integrity, though the Lord had now the ſecond time cloſed this perſecuting tyrant into his hand, ſo as it was in his power to be revenged on him for all his murderous hatred, and inſatiable malice in ſeeking and purſuing his life. And whereas David asks him here, What evil have I done? he might as well have ſaid, What good have I not done, that thou ſhouldſt thus requite me? I could but now have ſmitten thee with thine own ſpear, where with formerl… thou *1 Sam. 19.attemptedſt to ſmite me to the wall, when thou hadſt bound thy ſelf with an oath, not to ſlay me; yea, …nd then alſo when I had again made a great ſlaughter of the Philiſtines thine enemies, whereby both thou and thy people were delivered. Thou calleſt me thy ſon, but haſt from the beginning uſed this relation as a ſnare to deſtroy me, and that by thoſe very enemies the Philiſtines, from wh…m through my God I have ſo often delivered both thee and all Iſrael. Now therefore, *1 Sam. 24.12.the Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but my band ſhall not be upon thee. And beſides all this, thou mayſt remember how thou didſt confeſſe unto me with tears, when before I ſpared thy life, *1 San. 14.17, 19. 1 Sam. 18.28that I had rewarded thee good for evil, and that thou kneweſt well that the Lord was with me, and that I ſhould ſurely be king: wherefore then fighteſt thou againſt God, in thus hunting after a flea in the wilderneſſe?
But come we to Davids words here: He prays his purſuer and perſecutor, ſaying, Let my Lord the King hear the words of his ſervant. His preface for attention, imports weight in his words, being alſo ſpoken to a King; and as his ſpeech came from an humble heart, ſo it was full of charity, earneſtly ſeeking (if poſſible) Sauls ſound repentance at length, after ſo many backſlidings, from his ſolemn promiſes, and hypocritical proteſtations. Nor did David thus ſpeak for Saul onelyonly, to deter him, but for all thoſe who either counſelled, or inſtigated, or aſſiſted him either with their power, or with their *As the Z…phites, chap. 26.1. & 23.19, 20.officiouſneſſe, in carrying tales to Saul where David hid himſelf from his fury, or through ungratefulneſſe would betray him into S…uls hand, whofe City he had but a few days before *As the men of Keilah, cha. 23 12.delivered from the Philiſtines. And now, ye noble Citizens, let a better ſpirit move you to hearken to Davids words here then was in Saul, at leaſt in caſe you ſhall finde your ſelves no leſſe in ſome meaſure concerned in them.
For here we have David for a type of Chriſt, as Davids Kingdom was a type of Chriſts Kingdom. And here we have Saul, a perſecuter of David for his Kingdoms ſake, a type of all perſecuring tyrants, and that under the name of King of Iſrael, under the name of Chriſtian, or Proteſtant Religion, perſecuting the ſpiritual Kingdom, and free-born ſubjects, *Revel. 1.6.yea, the Kings and Prieſts of Jeſus Chriſt, and all to uphold a tyra… nical, worldly and tranſitory kingdom. This tyrannical King Saul (according to Samuels prediction and deſcription of him, 1 Sam. 8.) with his ſervile and enſlaved people, ſo perſecute David and his from place to place, that they could now here reſt or breathe in their own native Country, but were driven to ſeek refuge even among their enemies, the Philiſtines, and that alſo at Gath, whoſe champion they had not yet forgotten to have been vanquiſhed by David, and their Army routed, and themſelves from time to time ſtill put to the worſt by David, whoſe very name was dreadful in all the land of the Philiſtines. So as it muſt needs be extreme neceſſity that ſhould drive David and his men to ſuch d…ngerous exigences as theſe. Or ſuppoſe that Saul and his did not ſeek to take away Davids life; nor the life of thoſe Worthies with him, but threatned them onelyonly, and were content they ſhould live and breathe in their own land, Joſh. 9.but in the ſame condition with the Gibeonites, to be bewers of wood and drawers of water to all the Congregation, but to be caſhiered, and for ever abandoned from and made incapable of all Offices of truſt or credit either in the Civil or Eccleſiaſtical State, and ſo to be made the vileſt and baſeſt of men, even the *1 Cor. 4.13.filth of the world, and the off ſoouting of all things. Were not a life upon ſuch conditions infinitely more bitter and intolerable then the vileſt and cruelleſt death, eſpecially to noble and heroick ſpirits, and who had been ſo prodigal of their deareſt blood for the ſaving of their Cou… try from Philiſtian Lordly domination? God for bid (you will ſay) that Saul and his ſhould ever have been ſo ingrateful and b…tiſhly minded, ſo to reward ſuch Worthies, that had ſo hig…ly deſerved of their native Country; and *Heb. 11.38.whom the world was not worthy of. Certainly (moſt wontby Citizens) I am perſwaded, that not even in that … modelled Common-Councel of London, out of which ſo many, honeſt, godly conſcientious men have been lately ſequeſtred, yet any one is to be found therein, that would approve of Sauls practices againſt faithful David, that fought ſo gloriouſly for Iſrael, but that ſuch a one muſt needs be bereft and ſtript of his very naturals, and principles of humanity, having the *Dan.heart of a beaſt, with his brains crackt; ſo void of all hope or imagination were it, to finde the leaſt atome of grace, Religion, or conſcience, other then deſperate atheiſm in ſuch a monſter, as being void of common reaſon, ſhould he not be voided out of Common Councel? But I leave it to your more ſad conſideration, and proceed to the matter of Davids ſpeech to Saul.
Which matter confiſts of two branches: 1. Concerning the Lord, 2. Concerning men. The firſt is in theſe words, If the Lord have ſtirred thee up againſt me, let him accept an offering. The ſecond in theſe; But if they be the children of men, curſed be they before the Lord: for, &c.
For the former of theſe: The Scripture teacheth us, that when Gods children, as David, are perſecuted by wicked men, as Saul, it is the Lord that ſtirreth up thoſe men againſt his people. Thus did the Lord ſtir up Pharaoh and the Egyptians againſt Iſrael, Rom. 9.17. Exod. 9 16. Bſal. 105.25. And in ſo doing, the Lord uſeth the wicked as his rod, or ſword, or ſtaff, or ſawe, or ſuchlike inſtrument, wherewith to chaſtiſe his people, (as Iſa. 10.15.) when thoſe wicked in the mean time are immediately ſet on by their own malice. And the Lord, in ſo delivering his people into the hand of the wicked, as he doth it for the good of his children, ſo he doth it in wrath to their perſecutors. It is the greateſt judgement in the world, for men to be given up to the power of their own wills to afflict and oppreſſe Gods people, Gen. 15.13.14. Exod. 9.16. Iſa. 10.15, 16.
Obj. But hath not the Lord a diſpoſing and over-ruling hand in all things that are done? Is there evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it? How then is it ſaid here, If the Lord hath ſtirred thee up? Or is there a time wherein the Lord may be ſaid not to ſtir up? And if ſo, when may the Lord be ſaid to ſtir up wicked men to afflict his people, or when not?
Anſ. It is true, that at no time do the wicked lift up their hand of Gods people, Iſai. 10.15.but Gods hand ſtirs them up to the action; as the Ax cannot hew, unleſſe it be acted by the hand. Yet ſometimes God is not ſaid to ſtir up, as at other times: And that is, when there appears no external immediate cauſe moving a man to this or that action, then the Lord comes in for the immediate moving cauſe of it, and not man: as Exod. 21.13. And therefore in this place, the queſtion is put, If the Lord ſtirred up Saul, or, If the children of men did it. If the children of men were the immediate moving cauſe, in ſtirring up Saul to perſecute David, then the Lord cannot be ſaid to be the immediate moving cauſe. Where then there appears no other external cauſe moving, then is God the mover, and owns the action, as here, both in relation to Saul, in judgement, and to David, for chaſtiſement. And therefore David addeth here, If the Lord bath ſtirred thee up againſt me, let him accept an offering. As if he ſhould have ſaid, Though thou, Saul, haſt no cauſe thus to purſue me, yet true it is (if the Lord ſhall ſtrictly examine my carriage towards him, he may finde matter to provoke him to ſet thee on, as a fierce lion, to tear me in pieces. But, if ſo, that he have a quarrel againſt me, let him accept a *Weich was a Levitical expiation, typing out the true Sacrifice of Chriſt, the one Propitiatory for ſin, 1 Joh. 2.2.ſacrifice, or offering at my hand. But againſt thee, O King, I have not tranſgreſſed, that I ſhould ask pardon of the Lord for it; but herein I appeal to his juſtice, to *Pſal. 7.8. ſee the title of the Pſalm, in reference to Sauls quarrel againſt David.judge me according to my righteouſneſſe, and according to mine innocency that is in me.
Now touching the ſecond branch: But if they be the children of men that have ſtirred thee up againſt me, curſed be they before the Lord. Children of men are ſo named here, as being oppoſers and oppreſſours of the children of God. So David complained, when he fled from Saul, Pſal. 57.4. Such children of men then, as either ſtir up others, or do themſelves perſecute the children of God, they ſhew themſelves to be therein no other then the children of men, not the children of God. Nor doth this excuſe Saul, that he was egged to this by any of his Doegs, or flattering ſycophantizing Courtiers. Kings will never want bad Councellours, if they be bad themſelves. If a Ruler hearken to lyes (Prov. 29.12.) all his ſervants are wicked. If Saul were led by bad Councellours, he might thank himſelf, that either his example led them to it, or that he was led by them. Ahab followed Jezebels counſel to get Naboths life and vineyard, and that by an hypocritical way of a Faſt: But both he, and ſhe, and their houſe, and Kingdom paid dearly for it. Adam lays the fault on his wife, and ſhe on the Serpent: the Serpent is curſed, but they eſcaped not ſcot-free, ſo as the earth became accurſed for their ſakes. So here is a curſe imprecated upon thoſe children of men that ſtirred up Saul to perſecute David: But did not this Curſe involve Saul too? Did not the Lord forſake him? No Samuel now to pray for him, being before his death *1 Sam. 16.1.forbid any longer to mourn for him, as being rejected of God. And henceforth he proceeds from evil to worſe and worſe. Now the *Verſ. 14.Spirit of the Lord for the government of his kingdom departeth from him, and an evil ſpirit from the Lord troubled him. Now, *1 Sam. 28.6.when he enquired of the Lord, the Lord anſwered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Ʋrim, nor by Prophets. Then, *Verſ. 7.he ſends to ſeek out a Witch, to enquire of her. And all along, he ſtands to none of his promiſes and oathes made to David, but purſues him continually to make an end of him. And in the end he falls by the Army of the uncircumciſed Philistines, and being ſore wounded, he deſperately fell upon his own ſword, and ſo died.
Object. But David was a Prophet, and ſo might imprecate ſuch a curſe, which upon like occaſions we have not the like warrant ſo to do.
Anſw. Nor need we. This curſe is not taken off the file, but ſtands in force ſtill, and is recorded to admoniſh us, upon whom the ends of the world are come. If we counſel others to evil, or if we follow others counſel to do evil, both fall under the ſame curſe, under the ſame condemnation.
But now what or whom doth all this concern? Or what is it to this famous City, as to thoſe whoſe Body Repreſentative (as themſelves hold) the Common Councel, this ſhould be inſcribed? Certainly much, every manner of way. Shall I deal clearly? Surely I muſt: Otherwiſe, I ſhould neither fear God, nor love you, nor deſire the honour and ſafety of this City. Which God forbid. It was ſaid of old of Judah, *Jer. 17.1.The ſin of Judah is with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond. O that it might not be ſaid ſo of London! But is not the ſin of London written, publiſhed, and made conſpicuous in the eyes of all the world? I beſeech you conſider what you have done. Read over again, and ponder well thoſe frequent preſſings, importune Petitions, Remonſtrances, Repreſentations, what daily purſuance of them to the Two Houſes of Parliament, wherein, among many good things, you were ſo importunate to have thoſe Worthies of our Nation (whoſe endeavours God hath crowned with ſo many glorious Victories over potent enemies) to be trampled under feet, abaſed, diſgraced, caſt out of all Places of honour, credit, or truſt, either in Church or Common-weal, and to be for ever diſabled and made uncapable thereof, who have from the firſt to this day all along ſhewed themſelves ſo faithful, affectionate, valiant, and prodigal of their deareſt lives, and all to deliver this City and Kingdom from becoming a ſpoil and prey to thoſe, who had long ago, in their enlarged and inſatiable deſires, ſwallowed up London at a morſel. And your caſting out of Common-Councel and Militia ſundry honeſt men, for no other known cauſe, but becauſe honeſt, as a leading caſe to the Parliament to do the like, is of the ſame nature with the former. But whence is this? or what heathen ſtories or Turkiſh hiſtories can furniſh us with any ſuch examples as theſe? Certainly the Grecian *foreign a Law, by votes or little ſhells put into a pot, for the baniſhment of their moſt famous Worthies for ten yeers, as Ariſtides, Camillus, &c.Oſtraciſmon is no way parallel, being a Law to baniſh ſome one in the City, eminent for his vertues, as Ariſtides, for ten yeers. How is it poſſible then, that ſuch things ſhould proceed from men profeſſing to be Chriſtians? Certainly they could not come from men that had but humane Principles; much leſſe from the Common-Councel of ſo famous a City as London is. 'Tis true indeed, and is not denied, that you have acted theſe things, and have owned them. But I beſeech you, were there no children of men that have ſtirred you up to theſe things. No nocturnal Conclaves whence theſe counſels ſprung? Certainly, whoever they be (and you know beſt) though they be in as high eſteem with you, as if they were Angels of light, or Oracles from heaven, yet (by thi… Scripture) curſed they are before the Lord, becauſe they have inſtigated you to remonſtrate and repreſent the faithful in the Land, and the Preſervers of Iſrael (ſuch as David was) odious and vile to the Parliament, thereby to bring that Body Repreſentative, and ſo the whole Body of the Land, under a moſt damnable guilt of unnatural ingratitude, and diabolical malice, in driving thoſe our brethren and benefactors from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, 1 Sam. 16.19.as Saul, with his children of men, did David, which wrapped them all in the Curſe.
Now what is to be done, that (if poſſible) this curſe may be removed, and the ſin expiated? Some, perhaps, will ſay, that no doubt thoſe concerned in the ſaid Remonſtrance or Repreſentation, are now well ſatisfied, the City and Army do well accord together, and do both joyntly ſtand for Juſtice; and the Common-Councel hath in a late Petition deſired, that, ſatisfaction being made by Delinquents, an Act of Amneſtia or Oblivion may be paſſ…d and confirmed, for an utter abolition and final reconcilement of all parties and differences, for ſetling of peace, love and unity among the ſubjects of this Kingdom. A bleſſed Petition. But, dear Chriſtians, there is one thing remains to be done, beſides this peace, love, and unity among our ſelves, and with men; and that is, our peace with God: otherwiſe, as Jehu ſaid to Jehoram, What Peace? Certainly God requires this of you, the Common-Councel of London, for that which you have done againſt your brethren in the Army, and elſewhere (onelyonly becauſe in point of judgement they differ from you, though they have hazarded their lives for you) which as it is a high breach of charity, and an unſampled ingratitude, ſo it is moſt odious and abominable before God, whoſe Juſtice and Wrath, if not appeaſed by faith in Chriſt, accompanied with ſyncere Repentance, and publike Humiliation, will undoubtedly (if Gods Word be true concerning Saul, and other in the like caſe) break forth upon you and your Councellours, yea upon City and Kingdom: For *Gal. 6.God is not mocked: for whatſoever a man ſoweth, that ſhall he reap. In King Davids time, 2 Sam. 21.a famine of three …rs was in the Land. For what cauſe? David enquires of the Lord, and the Lord anſwered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody houſe, becauſe be ſlew the Gibeonites. Why? Saul was now dead; and doth the Lord now under Davids Raign puniſh Iſrael for Sauls ſin? Yes: Gods forbearance is no forgiveneſſe, his patience is no payment. And though Saul was dead yet Iſrael being acceſſory to Sauls ſin, God puniſheth them. And becauſe Saul ſlew the Posterity of the Gibeonites, God now requires it at the hands of Sauls Poſterity. The Gibeonites demand of David ſeven of Sauls ſons to be hanged, which is granted. But why ſhould all this ado be for the Gibeonites? for theſe Gibeonites were not of the children of Iſrael, but a remnant of the Amorites. I, but the children of Iſrael had ſworn unto them. Now obſerve it well: As Saul in his zeal for the children of Iſrael ſlew the Gibeonites; ſo the Lord, now in his zeal, both puniſheth the children of Iſrael with three yeers famine, and ſlayeth ſeven of Sauls ſons for ſatisfaction to the Gibeonites. Now if the Lord were ſo zealous and exact in his Juſtice in ſo puniſhing Sauls ſinful zeal, and avenging the ſlaughter of the Gibeonites, though aliens in Iſrael; what impunity can they look for at the hands of the righteous God, who (out of what zeal ſoever, be it for thoſe new lords to be ſet over them, as the peoples zeal was to have Saul for their King, rather then the Lord, 1 Sam. 8.7.) are ſo extremely injurious and oppreſſive, and that to their brethren, their own natural Country-men, yea perhaps kindſmen too, and (that which is above all other relations) their preſervers and deliverers from utter ruine and deſtruction of them and theirs, and that with the extreme hazard of their own lives, interpoſing their bodies between the City and utmoſt imminent mortal deſtructive danger, and that in a juncture of time when the enemy was in the top of his ſtrength, and in the ruff of his jollity, fully reſolving the day was his, before it dawned; and on the other ſide, our Army conſiſting of raw Souldiers, and no leſſe raw Offices, was at the loweſt ebbe, and given for loſt, as men that durſt not engage, and whom the enemy ſuppoſed would rather flee then fight: ſo injurious (I ſay) as to go about, in ſtead of putting at leaſt Lawrel Crowns upon their heads, to make them level with the Gibeonites, to purchaſe their lives with being hewers of wood and drawers of water to the whole Nation, as glad that they may but breathe in the common air, and live of a morſel of bread, to lengthen their miſerable lives, ſo much worſe then death, by how much theſe are men of a more noble and heroick ſpirit, then ſo dearly to prize a moſt ignominious life, after ſo many large proffers of their deareſt blood to purchaſe a moſt glorious death. No greater injury nor indignity can be done to welldeſerving Vertue, then to recompence it with impious Scorn. David would not ſuffer thoſe Worthies of his to be ſent back with diſgrace, 1 Sam. 10.with their beards half ſhaven, and their garments cut off to their huttocks by Hanun the Ammonite, to whom he had ſent to congratulate his new Crown, 2 Sam. 12.26-31.but to revenge ſuch an indignity, gathered an Army, wherewith he brought under the proud Ammonite, ſo as he took his Royal City, and the Crown from his head, and put the people under ſawes, and under harrows of iron, and made them paſſe thorow the brick-kiln; and thus did he to all the Cities of the children of Ammon: and all this (I ſay) for one diſgrace put upon Davids ſervants, though new garments and their new grown beards might ſeem to heal all again. And will not our David, Jeſus Chriſt (trow you) avenge ſuch horrible indignities as your Remonſtrances and Repreſentations have caſt upon his Worthies, and ſuch as have done more for you then a complement; and ſo much the more, when the diſgraces put upon them reflect upon himſelf, whoſe power and goodneſſe hath by them, as his ſervants and inſtruments, atchieved ſo great things for you, the City, Kingdom, Parliament? Could any thing have been invented more diſhonourable to Chriſt, and more darkening the bright beams of his glory ſhining forth in thoſe famous acts of his, wrought by this Army, then thu…, not onelyonly to bury ſuch glory under an infamous act of eternal oblivion, but to brand thoſe ſervants of his with the Thracian notes of perpetual villainage? Nor do I, but the thing it ſelf ſpeak and proclaim this. Your Remonſtrance and Repreientation are extant to all the world.
But what might be the cauſe of all this calamity? A monſtrous conception ſure, that brings forth ſuch a monſtrous birth. Why, the reaſon is (were there any reaſon at all in it) that thoſe Worthies of the Army do not in all things concur in their judgements with you (I would ſay, with your Teachers, whoſe judgement is yours) about the things controverted at this day, touching Chriſts Spiritual Kingdom, while they would rack mens Conſciences to conform to ſuch a Church-Government as they are never able (for all their titular Jus divinum) to make out from Scripture-evidence. So as ſuch forcing of the Conſcience (otherwiſe informed and perſwaded by the Word of God) as it is a horrible violation of our late Solemn Covenant for a Reformation in all things according to the Word of God; ſo it is no leſſe Antichriſtian Tyranny over mens ſouls, then that which the Pope and Prelates have exerciſed over us, if not worſe, Jer. 28.13.when the woodden yokes of the Prelates being broken, ſeem now to be turned and multiplied into many thouſand yokes of iren. Conſider therefore, ye worthy Citizens, whether it was not the very ſpirit of Antichriſt breathed upon you by thoſe who have changed the name, but not the nature of Prelatical Uſurpation, that hath thus impoſed upon your facile Credulity, begotten of your high opinion of them, to undertake ſuch a horrid attempt for the perpetual enthralling and vaſſalizing of both ſouls and bodies of thoſe who have been your Deliverers, and who have abundantly proved themſelves to be (next under God) the beſt and faithfulleſt friends that either you, or the City, or our native Country of England have in all the world at this day.
Therefore, moſt dear Citizens and Country-men, Acts 3.13, 14▪ 15, 17.let me uſe the Apoſtle's words to you, which he did to thoſe that had (through the ſubornation of their Synedrion, the Prieſts and Phariſees) by their lond Vote, Crucifigs, Crucifige, killed the Prince of life, ſaying, Now brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did alſo your Rulers. And certainly (I affirm it again and again) never could your own genius (being ingenuous men, and of a generous breeding and education) ever have led you into ſuch a miſerable Maze, had not your over-credulous hearkning to ſome other's Counſel, enſnared your over-confident preſuming on ſome ſuppoſed good in it, (as Eve, through the Serpents ſubtilty, ſuppoſed to be in the eating of the forbidden tree) ſo leading your harmleſſe intentions captive at their will, to be the inſtruments of ſerving their ungodly & unnatural deſigne. Let me therefore adde, and apply to you (as the moſt ſoveraign and onelyonly remedy to cure the wound of your conſcience before God, and of your honour with men) that exhortation of the Apoſtle, Acts 3.19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your ſin may be blotted out, when the time of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord. Make your peace with God, and ſo with your own conſcience, as well as with men; and for that end, petition the Parliament for a Solemn and Publike Faſt-day, wherein your humble and ſyncere confeſſion before all, may ſtop the mouth of ſo crying a ſin, that God may have his glory, and you his mercy, and both Parliament, City and Country impunity, eſpecially whoſe ſpirits ſhall ſympa…hize, and bear a part with you, and chiefly thoſe, who have had the prime ſhare with you in the ſin, either in counſelling you to it, or not deterring you from it (for either of theſe ways the ſin is theirs, Ezek. 3.18, 19. Matth. 5.19.) that ſo they may be the firſt to ſhare in the ſhame, and your ſelves not the laſt.
FINIS.
End of the text · Henry Burton, Meditations Upon 1 Samuel 26:19 (1647)