The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 17
II. SAM. 5. from the 11. verſe to the end.
FOllowes now the laſt two means wereby David grew great and was eſtabliſht in his Kingdome. 1. The amity of Hiram King of Tyrus. 2. Two great victories obtained againſt his Enemies the Philiſtines, betwixt which two, is inſerted Davids polygamy.
In the firſt it is ſaid that Hiram ſent meſſengers to David, next furniture of timber for building his houſe, as alſo maſons and Carpenters, we find the like affection of this King (or elſe his ſonne of the ſame name) in the dayes of Solomon, for the edifice of the temple. This City was firſt founded by the Phaenicians who being expelled from a City, Sidonia, which they firſt inhabited by the King of Askelon, taking the Sea, they landed in an Iſland where they founded this City Tyrus out of which there came many colonies after, who were the foundators of Carthage in Africke, and ſo the Poet calls Dido Phaenicia, a ſpeaking of the origen of Carthage he writs, urbs antiqua fuit, Tyrii tenuere coloni. It was ſituated betwixt Sidon and Caeſarea, and did abound with cedars, and free ſtones whereof the holy Land did not ſo abound, and therefore Hiram ſupplies David of his aboundance. The ſubſtance of Hirams meſſengers probably has been a congratulation of Davids coming to the Kingdome, and of his proſpering and growing great, therefore now he offers his amity to him, which he did not before when he was in adverſity, according to the Worldly cuſtome, as the Poet ſayes, Si fueris flix multos; numerabis amicos.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. V. 11. HIram is here commended. 1. For ſending meſſengers to David to congratulate his proſperity, a good diſpoſition, and not envious, to rejoyce at the proſperity of the godly.
2. He ſends furniture and workmen for building his houſe in Sion, whereof David ſtood in need in Canaan, where we ſee 1. That God in his wiſe diſpenſation hath not given all things to every Land, or Perſon, but as the Apoſtles ſhew by the fabrike of the body, there is a diverſity of diſpenſation that none may contemne another, but keep a ſeemly and neceſſary unity and coreſpondence together. 2. Whereupon followes the right rule of diſpenſation, which is, each land and Perſon ſhould communicate with others in the benefits of God the giver; that he may behonoured, and Gods people mutually may be conforted and mutuall charity entertained.
3. In this we have. 1. the myſtery alſo of the increaſe of Chriſts Church typified, by conjunction of the gentiles in building of the houſe of David, or Church of Jeſus Chriſts. 2. In Hirams commendation, we ſee that all ſuch who contribute to he building of the Church and advancement of the Goſpel their memory ſhall be fleſh and fragrant to all ages, like ointment poured out, and Maria Magdalens anointing of Chriſt, as we ſee in the regiſter of Scripture, whereas the remembrance of the wicked ſhall …ot, or ſtink in the records of poſterity.
4. David hath a good worke in hand, therefore the Lord moves the heart of a very gentile to help to promote the ſame, as he did alſo to the temple, which may be an encouragement to do good and be forward in good courſes and cauſes, Pharaoh in Egypt to Ioſeph, Cyrus to Serubabell, Ahaſuerus to Nehemiah, Darius to Eſdras, and Heathen, Philoſophers to defend the cauſe of God, and of his ſervants, as we read of Iuſtin Martyr and others converts.
5. Vers 12. The godly advert the Lords gracious dealing, and with a thankfull and humble heart acknowledge the ſame, which wicked and worldlings do not.
6. Princes and Magiſtrates ſhould ever remember for what end (next to Gods glory & his Churches good) they are advanced, which is, for the good of his people, and not their own private good, pleaſure, or preferment.
Vers 13. Followes how David in his great proſperity maries many Wives and Coucubines, which did proceed from wordly wit, & which he chooſes as a fit means to confirm his Kingdome, and ſetle it in his poſterity, and yet this diſagreed from Gods revealed will and inſtitution of marriage, and therefore did offend God, as the ſequels thereof did prove, in the diſagreement amongſt his Sonnes in challening of his ſucceſſion, Abſoloms ryſing againſt him, and defiling his Concubines, which cauſed Davids divorce from them, for notwithſtanding of the diverſity of names, it is thought that all the Concubines were married Wives, for in Iſrael whoredome was not permitted, and therefore they make … the difference, that the Concubines were not of a like rank, or authority in the family, and the Concubines Children ſucceeded not to the heritage, but ad bona mobilia, as we ſee Geneſ. 25. 5, 6.
The obſervatirn which we remarke on this, is, 1. How ready men are in proſperity to forget their due obedience to Gods will and commandements: as we ſee alſo in the matter of Ʋriah. 2. the cauſe of all errour in faith and manners is the declyning from Gods revealed will, and the following of our own wit and fancy, being the cauſe of all Popiſh ſuperſtition and will worſhip which ends in Idolatry, therefore ſaid our ſaviour concerning polygamy that from the beginning it was not ſo.
Vers 17. Followes the laſt part of the Chapter, towit, the warres betwixt David and the Philiſtines, and his victories over them. In which warres the Philiſtines, are perſuers; and David the defender. In the time of the civil warres between the houſe of David and Saul, theſe common Enemies were ſpectators, beholding the Jewes to wrake themſelves by their own inteſtine diſſentious…, but now when they finde peace ſetled in Iſrael, then they beginne to ſtir and perſue David, although they ſhould rather entertained peace with him, being now grown ſo potent, but by the ſecret counſell of God they are drawn to their own deſtruction, and blinded by Satan.
This warre is ſet forth from all the circumſtances, as, time, place, perſons, occaſion, form of proceeding, battles, events and finall end.
1. The time is when David looks for greateſt quietneſſe. 2. The place is the valley of Rephaim which is a fruitfull part betwixt Jeruſalem, and Bethlehem towards the ſouthweſt. 3. The perſons are the Philiſtines, Davids and the Jewes common Enemies. 4. The cauſe is, to withſtand the riſing of Davids Kingdome. 5. The form of proceeding is diverſe, for David counſults and followes, Gods command, the Philiſtines depend upon their Idols which they carried with them as Vers 21. 6. The event is victory on Davids part, and ſhame and deſtruction on the Philiſtines, and the laſt the greateſt, from Gaba the Metropolitan of Benjamin to Gazar a City in the Territory of Ephraim, ſo that Davids honour and fame is increaſed by his Enemies troubles moved againſt him.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. WHen David is in greateſt honour and looks for greateſt quietneſſe, then his Enemies make him greateſt inquietation, where we ſee what the eſtate of Gods Church is, when ſhe is in greateſt peace and flouriſhing: then ſhe is moſt expoſed to the fury of Satan, and her Enemies, therefore in time of calm, as Matth. 8. 24. prepare for a ſtorm, neither let us be diſcouraged when we ſee Satan with all his diſplayed forces riſe up againſt the riſing and flouriſhing of Religion, but conſider that this hath ever been the Churches lot, and look to the joyfull iſſue of all Satans and his inſtruments oppoſition, which ſhall be joyfull to his Church, and confuſion of his Enemies.
2. We ſee here the envious nature of the wicked, by the inſtigatiō of him, that is called the envious man, and envyed our firſt parents happy eſtate, and ſo here his inſtruments envy David growing great, and the proſperity of Gods people under him.
3. The divers form that is uſed by David, and the Philiſtines in their proceeding, David en…uiring of the Lord, and the Philiſtines confiding in their multitude and idols, which ſhewes that the godly in all their troubles, or enterpriſes conſult with God and his mouth, and rely upon him, whereas Idolaters confide in their Idols, and have their recourſe to creatures, and rely on the arme of fleſh, as in 88. the Spaniſh did in their invincible Armado.
4. Davids faith and obedience is ſeen herein that as God directs, ſo he obeyes, not fearing the greatneſſe of the Philiſtines hoſt, and on the Lords word he builds his confidence, as we ſhould in like manner ours.
5. Vers 20. Though David ſmote them, yet he aſcribes all the victory only to God, ſaying, The Lord hath broken out upon my Enemies, as a breach of waters, ſuch is the humility of the Godly looking ever up to the Lords hand, & giving him the glory of all.
6. The calling of the place Baal perazim, or the breach of waters, or plain of breaches, ſhewes that the godly deſire ever to keep in freſh memory the mercies, and deliverances that hee gives unto them, Pſalm. 103. 1, 2.
7. Alſo we ſee as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, though many be the troubles of the godly, yet the Lord delivers them out of them all.
8. Vers 21. Whereas there they left their images and David and his men burnt them, we ſee 1. the vanity of idols that can not help in the day of diſtreſſe, as in 88. and 2. We ſee what ſhould be done with idols, as the Lord hath commanded, Deut. 7. 25.
9. Whereas Vers 22. the Philiſtines yet again came up againſ… David, we ſee 1. the reſtles and irreconciliable malice of the wicked, driven on by Satan, which they have againſt God and his Church. 2. how blind they are, in not ſeeing by their former experience that the hand of God was againſt them and made a breach upon them. 3. We ſee that Satan leades men in wicked courſes to their own deſtruction in the end.
10. Vers 23. David will do nothing without direction from God, and conſulting with him, this being the onelyonly ſure way to proſper, which wee alſo ſhould follow, and therefore the Lord readily anſwers, and directs him of new what he ſhould do.
11. Vers 24. The Lord not onelyonly directs what David ſhould do, which he obeyes, but it is ſaid, that the Lord ſhould go out before him to ſmite the hoſt of the Philiſtines, which is a great comfort to the godly who follow Gods direction, that his powerfull preſence, as their generall, marches before them to proſper them, and overcome their Enemies, as it is, or may be a terrour to their Enemies, Joſua. 5. 14.
12. God fights for David both by ordinary, and alſo extraordinary means, as the ſhaking of the tops of the mulberry Trees, whence we gather how impoſſible it is for man to fight againſt God, and his Church, ſeeing he is the Lord of hoſtes, who hath ſo many armies, and by the moſt contemptible of his creatures is able to overthrow the moſt mighty: as we ſee in the plagues of Egypt, the Rams hornes, their ſound againſt Jericho, Gideons pitchers, Herods lice, and here a ſhaking of the tops of Trees. A comfort as is ſaid to ſuch as fight under ſuch a Captain and his colours, as it is a terrour to his Enemies, and ſuch who riſe up againſt him, or againſt his Church.