The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 19
II SAM: Chap: 6. from the 17. verſe to the end.
FOllowes now the fixing and eſtabliſhment of the Ark in his place at Sion, which David had prepared for it, his ſacrificing to the Lord, and his bleſſing of his people, and royall beneficence towards them: after the performance whereof, when he came into his houſe to bleſs his houſhold likewiſe. He finds a new matter of griefe and indignation, miniſtred unto him by a prophane woman, the daughter of a prophane Father: Michal, his own wife, and Sauls daughter, who firſt Verſ. 16. deſpiſed him in her heart for dancing before the Ark. And next, burſts …orth now in open and unreverent upbraiding and mocking him, is if in doing as he did, he had forgotten royall dignity, gravity, and ſutable carriage: and had made himſelfe contemptible to the very loweſt and baſeſt of his people, even the hand maids of his …ervants: and behaved himſelfe not as a King, but as one of the moſt raſcall multitude; or as one of the vaine fellowes ſhameleſly …ncovereth himſelfe. Whereby ſhe not only ſheweth her pro…hane irreligious diſpoſition towards God, and his ſervice; but …er audacious, irreverent and unbeſeeming miſcarriage, both as a ſubject to her ſovereigne: and as a dutifull wife towards her husband; for which ſhe juſtly receiveth a ſharp check, and a bitter reply from her husband, and a ſad puniſhment of barrenneſs inflicted upon her from God to the day of her death.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. V. 17. DAvid makes his Pallace a Sanctuary by ſetting in it the Lords Tabernacle, and Ark of the Covenant: a good example for all Princes, and others to follow in advancing of religion and to make their houſe, like a Church, or houſe of God, by ſetling religious exerciſes therein of the Word, prayer and praiſing of God, and a ſuteable religious practiſe, as the Lord praiſed Abraham for this, Gen. 18. 19. And as Joſhua reſolved to do Joſh. 24. 15. And as we ſee here in David, Pſal. 101. 2, 3, 4. &c. All his former victories ending now in devotion.
2. When David had ſetled the Ark, and performed his worſhip to God by Sacrificing, Verſ. 18. He bleſſed the people in the name of the Lord of hoſtes, which he did both as a Prophet, and as a pious loving Princed praying to God for them, and wiſhing from God a bleſſing to them. Wherein we ſee the patterne of a Godly, and a loving Prince, which is not only to rule his people by Lawes, and good Example: but likewiſe to pray for the welfare of his people, (as they alſo ſhould do for him) and to beg a bleſſing from God upon them, and upon his government over them.
3. The Lord is called here by David, the Lord of hoſtes, whereby he thankfully inſinuates, who was the Author of all his former victories, and ſucceſs of his hoſtes, or Armies, even the Lord, who is the Lord of hoſtes, and has innumerable hoſtes of Angells and other inferiour creatures ready at his command, to fight for his own, and be avenged on his Enemies, as we ſee in Pharaoh's plagues, and Herods deſtruction, Act. 12. and elſewhere. Which may be a comfort to the Godly, and a terrour to their foes.
4. Verſ. 19. With bleſſing of the people David joynes beneficence, and liberality in giving and dealing to the whole multitude of Iſrael, as well women as men, a quantity of bread, of fleſh, and of wine for their entertainment; ſo it is a good thing when benedicere and benefacere goes together. And when in a Prince, is ſeen not only piety towards God, but love and liberality towards his people, and that he is rather carefull to ſupply their wants, and neceſſities, then any waies by ſad exactions and the like, to bring them to want and neceſſity.
5. David, when he is quieted from externall troubles, and as he had firſt bleſſed his people … now (Verſ. 20.) to bleſs his houſe, as a religious Maſter of a Family taking ſpeciall care thereof. He falls now into domeſtick diſcontents, by Michal Sauls daughter, and his wife, her ſcornfull and proud upbraiding. Thus are the Godly ſtill exerciſed with ſome croſſe, or other, which like Jobs meſſengers fall, one on the back of another. Thus we ſee was Abraham exerciſed in the perſons of Hagar and Iſhmael. Iſaac in Eſa… and his wives, the daughters of Heth. Jacob in the perſons of Dinah. Simeon and Levi, and ſelling of Joſeph, Samuel in his two ſonnes, and David here, and ſadly hereafter. In Amnon, Tamar and Abſolom.
6. David here is a type of Chriſt, who as he was deſpiſed, and reproached by his own, ſo was Chriſt when he came into the world, as we ſee Joh. 1. 12. And no greater enemies had his Apoſtles, and Church then the falſe Apoſtles, and his owne people the unbelieving Jewes, and hereafter the Arrian hereticks and others; who yet profeſſed to be for the truth of the Goſpell, and the Church of Chriſt. And laſt of all, Antichriſt and his followers who pretend to be the only true Church of Chriſt, and yet are the moſt dangerous enemies, and perſecutors thereof.
7. Verſ. 16. It is ſaid, that Michal deſpiſed David firſt in her heart, and now Verſ. 20. She uttereth her contempt by the ſpeeches of her mouth, wherein we ſee. 1. Where Satan and ſinne firſt beginnes: towit, at the ſpring and root of the heart, to poyſon the ſame; which therefore we ſhould watch over with all diligence, and remember that which the Lord requires, my ſonne give me thy heart. 2. We ſee that where the heart is once poyſoned, and poſſeſt, ſinne and Satan never reſt till they proceed further, and come to a ripe harveſt: as we ſee in our firſt parents. In the luſting of the ſonnes of God before the deluge after the daughters of men. In Simeon & Levies wrath againſt Sechem, Cains againſt Abell, Achans coveting the Babyloniſh garment &c. And Judas coveting the 30. peeces of Silver, &c. So that principiis obſta, is a good rule.
8. In Michal's fact we ſee the prophane diſpoſition of irreligious perſons, who count all actions of zeal to be but folly, & who cannot content to be irreligious themſelves, but to ſit down (as Pſa. 1. 1.) In the chaire of the ſcorner, and to be the mockers of Religion, and of a religious diſpoſition in others, which indeed is the putting on the very kepſtone of wickedneſſe and prophaneneſſe.
9. In this fact of hers, we ſee alſo the groſſe breach of matrimoniall duty, who being Davids Wife, ſhould have reverenced him, as her Husband, as is commanded, Eph. 5. 33. And was done by the holy women of old, 1 Pet. 3. 6. And not reproachfully, nor ſcornfully upbraided him: a vice therefore to be eſchewed in all godly Wives, who ought to obey their Husbands in all Lawfull things, but ſimply, alwayes to reverence them.
10. In this ſpeech of Michal's, we ſee likewiſe exorbitant pride, cenſuring her Husbands Laudable, and godly practiſe, as a baſe, ſhameleſſe and fooliſh fact, more be ſeeming the baſeſt, and vileſt fellowes: then the dignity and gravity of a King, and ſo ſhe would aſcribe to herſelf greater wiſdome, and care of keeping ſtate dignity then David had, and doth impute unto him baſeneſſe and folly. Where we ſee how great and dangerous … ſinne pride is; whereby miſcarriage on her part, ſo groſſely is produced: whereby alſo we ſee contention comes to be between moſt conjunct perſons, whereby ſhe procures from David a moſt ſharp, and ſarcaſtike anſwer; and whereby alſo ſhe procures from God a ſore and ſad puniſhment, and her name with the black cole of infamy regiſtred unto all poſterity. And therefore this ſhould teach not onelyonly humility to all Women, and obſerving of matrimoniall duty herein, in being of a meek and quiet Spirit, as is injoyned, 1 Pet. 3. 4. And accounting their wiſdome inferiour to their Husbands, who are godly and wiſe, as David was, but alſo it ſhould teach all Perſons to avoid pride, as they would the bitter fruits of that forbidden Tree, and contrary to that, which is Satans ſinne, to learn of Chriſt to be meek and humble.
10. Verſ 21. In Davids anſwer to Michal he ſhewe, that what he did, he did it out of humility, as before the Lord, who had rejected the houſe of Saul her Father, and had advanced him to be ruler over Iſrael, and therefore in regard that it was before the Lord, who had been ſuch a promoter of him to ſo high a place, he could not be humble enough, and therefore he would be more vile yet, and baſe in his own fight. Where we ſee, that it is not the mocking of a Religious diſpoſition, or bitter reproaching thereof, that will diſcourage the truly godly to deſiſt from their duty, but that conſtantly they will the more rather inſiſt therein, upon the motive of remembrance of Gods goodneſſe towards them beyond others, and what he requires therefore at their hands.
11. Vers 22. Where David ſhewes to Michal, that he wil be yet more baſe in his own eyes, and ſo ſtudy ſelf-deniall and humility, and yet by doing ſo, he ſhould be had in honour of theſe maide ſervants, that ſhe ſpoke of, who would, or did contemne him. (as ſhe ſaid) We learn hereby, that humility and baſeneſſe in ones owne ſight is the readier way to be honoured of others: then a puft up heart by pride, and hawty, and high looks, which God reſiſts and diſappoints, when he giveth grace and …referment to the godly and humble, as we ſee in the example …f Mordecai and Haman, as alſo that the heart is in Gods hand, …hich he moveth to honour them, who honour him.
12. Vers 23. Michal is not onelyonly puniſhed for her pride and …ornfull reproaching, by Davids ſharp and bitter reply to her, …ut likewiſe ſhe is plagued of God, by barrenneſſe all her life, …nd depriving her of the comfort of Children, or ſucceſſion: …hich amongſt the Iſraelits was counted a great reproach, and doubtles was a great grief to herſelf. So that we ſee not onelyonly what is the fruit of ſinne which it produceth, eſpecially prophanity, and mocking of piety, but likewiſe how the Lord will avenge the quarrels of his own, and the wrong, or indignities that is done unto them. Therefore ſaid he, Saul, Saul why perſecutes thou me? And ſo tender is he and ſenſible of their injuries, That who touches them, touches the apple of his owne eye.
13. Where it is ſaid that ſhe had no Child till the day of her death, that is, none all her life time: not that hereby is meant, that ſhe had any after her death, which forme of ſpeech ſerves to ſhew the meaning of that place, Matth. 5. 26. Which Papiſts alleadge for mens ſatisfactions in purgatory, where it is ſaid, That they ſhall not come forth of priſon, till they have payed the uttermoſt farthing, that is, never, and as it is ſaid Matth. 1. 25. Of Joſeph that he knew not Mary, till ſhe brought forth her firſt borne Son, and called his name Jeſus.