The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 34
II. SAM. from the 13. Verſe to the 30.
FOllowes now the other two parts of this Chapter. The firſt whereof is Davids patience, and courſe that he takes by flying: whereby he declines the fury of his ſonne Abſolom. And 2. Ittai the Gittite, his conſtant and faithfull cleaving to David in his diſtreſs, (as Ruth did conſtantly cleave to Naomi, and would not leave her, Ruth. 1. 16.) and this is to the 24. verſ. The ſecond is, Davids prudence. 1. In ſending back Zadok with the Ark to Jeruſalem, and appointing his ſonne, and the ſonne of Abiathar, (who went back with their fathers) to be Davids intelligencers. And this to the 31. verſ. 2. In ſending likewiſe Huſhai the Archite, to inſinuate himſelfe into Abſoloms favour, and countermine the counſell of Achitophel: and by the ſonnes of Abiathar, and Zadok to certifie him of every thing which he heard.
In proſecuting of the firſt part of Davids patience, and flieing for the time. We ſhall conſider, 1. If flieing in the time of perſecution be lawfull, or agreeable to Chriſtian fortitude. 2. The cauſes of Davids flieing at this time. 3. The fact it ſelfe, and circumſtances thereof. And 4. The company or aſſociates of David herein. For reſolution then of the firſt, we diſtinguiſh flieing in time of perſecution, in three kinds. The firſt is deſertion. The ſecond, defection. The third is retreat. I call deſertion a deſperate abandoning, and deſerting of a good cauſe. I call defection, not only a deſertion of a good cauſe: but alſo the profeſſion of the contrary. And I call retreat, a neceſſary giving place, or ceding to violence, or flieing therefore for time and place. As for the firſt two ſorts, there is no queſtion but they are unlawfull: as well in cauſes civill, as religious. But as for the third, 1. We have Chriſts precept to his diſciples, Matth. 10. If they perſecute you in one Citie, flie to another. 2. We have the examples of Jacobs flieing to Laban from the furie of Eſau, Gen. 27. Moſes flieing from Pharaoh to the land of Midian, Exod. 2. David from Saul, 1 Sam. 19. And here from Abſolom, Eliah from Ahab, Joſeph and Mary from Herod, to Egypt with the Child Jeſus, and his diſciples from one place to another, as they were commanded. Which muſt be done, notwithſtanding upon theſe cautions. 1. That above all, reſpect be had to the glory of God, and good of his Church which muſt be preferred to our perſonall ſafety. 2. That reſpect be had to our lawfull calling. And 3. That in all theſe two extremities be eſchewed, to wit, Temeritie, and Timiditie: that men neither expoſe themſelves to unneceſſary dangers, neither yet for carnall feare refuſe thoſe that are neceſſary, when God calls them thereto, for witneſſing of the truth.
The ſecond is, the cauſes which moved David at this time to flie: which are, 1. The furie of the firſt motions of a deceived, and fiery incenſed people; and of an inſolent young Prince now their head, and leader: which fury David like a prudent and experienced warriour reſolves for the time to avoide. 2. David in this rebellion lookes to the correcting hand of God, according to Nathans propheſie, and therefore flies the fury of the inſtrument: and (as Verſ. 30.) humbles himſelfe bare-footed, and weeping for his ſinne that had procured the ſame, that ſo God might be firſt appeaſed, and then that he might the ſooner be rid of the rod. 3. David chooſes rather to flie, than to hazard a number of innocent people their lives, either who loyallie followed himſelfe: or who in ſimplicity of their hearts had followed Abſolom, like a tender father who looked to the good of his Children more then to his own credit or ſafety. 4. David being now aged, and like the ſunne ſetting, he ſaw that the multitude of the people, their eyes were on Abſolom, as the ſunne riſing, therefore it is ſaid, Verſ. 12. That the conſpiracy was ſtrong, and the people increaſed continually with Abſolom: and therefore it was not ſafe with the few, that followed him, to encounter with ſo great a multitude. And 5. He was exerciſed in mind between fear and hope, his feare not being ſo much upon the conſpiracy of Abſolom, as upon the apprehenſion of Gods juſtice, and with this he had hope of deliverance, looking and truſting in his mercy, and relying on his promiſe made to him concerning the perpetuity of his kingdome.
Thirdly, the action it ſelfe, is Davids flieing for the cauſes forenamed, the antecedent and firſt motive whereof, is a meſſenger that came to him. verſ. 13. With newes that all the people were following Abſolom heartily, and willingly. Whereupon David preſently reſolves withall his ſervants, to flie out of Jeruſalem ſpeedily: the reaſons whereof are two. 1. The eſchewing of their own danger. And 2. The danger of the Citie if they remained therein, till Abſolom came unto it, verſ. 14. Whereunto is ſubjoyned the yielding of Davids ſervants to this his reſolution, and his and their departure from Jeruſalem: leaving only ten of his Concubines behind him to keep his houſe, whom Abſolom afterwards defiled publickly; that Nathans propheſie might be fulfilled. Chap. 12. 11. The manner of his flieing is ſet down, verſ. 30. In a penitentiary way, beare-foot and weeping, for his ſinnes, that had procured this puniſhment: with whom in a compaſſionate manner, all the people that were with him alſo did weepe. The way by which he went is ſet down, verſ. 23. over brook Kidron, which was in a valley between Jeruſalem: and Mount Olivet, famous in the hiſtory of Chriſts paſſion, where he removed till the people who followed him joyned with him. With whom thereafter (as verſ. 30.) he went up by the aſcent of Mount Olivet, and from thence to the wilderneſs towards Jordan, and afterwards to Mahanaim in Gilead where the battle was fought, as we ſee, Chap. 17. 27.
Fourthly, The company which followeth David are, 1. His ſervants or domeſticks who prove loyall to him. 2. His guard the Cherethites, and Pelethites, verſ. 18. 3. The people that joyned with him, verſ. 23. 4. 600 Gittites that came with him from Gath, with their Captain Ittai: whom David perſwades to returne and remain in Jeruſalem. Whoſe reaſons are, 1. Becauſe he was a ſtranger, and in exile, and it was the Kings office, not to trouble or indanger ſuch: but rather to provide and care for their peace and quietneſs; which would be by his abiding with Abſolom, whom by a Catachreſtick forme of ſpeech he calleth King, becauſe he gave himſelfe out to be ſo: as verſ. 10. 2. Becauſe David had no certain place to abide in, nor proviſion, and therefore Ittai and his men, would be rather a burthen to him. 3. Ittai was but newly come, and his men to him: and therefore no reaſon that after their late travells, they ſhould be put to new trouble, and travelling. Wherefore by way of concluſion he gives him, and them, a kind and curteous valediction, verſ. 20. But Ittai (like Ruth to Naomi) will not be diſſwaded from going with David, and therefore he, and his men, they go forward with him. 5. The fifth ſort of perſons that follow David: are, Zadok and Abiathar the prieſts, with the Levites bearing the Ark. And as example to others they joyne with David according to their office: and owne (without regard of danger) his juſt cauſe, and they bring the Ark with them, for conſulting with Gods oracle if neceſſity required: for encouragement alſo of the people that were with David that Gods preſence would be with them, whereof the Ark was a ſymbole: and for making prayers for David, and his deliverance. Whom David directs back again, upon three ſeverall grounds. 1. His ſubmiſſion to God, and hope of returne to Jeruſalem. 2. From the prieſts office which he will have them to attend there. And 3. From a better ſervice they may do him there, verſ. 28. Whereupon they do obey.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. THe obſervations on this place, I reduce to the ſeverall perſons, and their actions mentioned therein, towit, David, his ſervants, the people that followed him: Ittai and his Gittites. And laſt, the Prieſts and Levites. And 1. In David wee ſee newes comes to him (like Jobs ſad tidings) that Abſolom was riſen up againſt him, and the hearts of all Iſrael were with him, (verſ. 13.) Where we ſee not only the truth of Gods threatnings, Chap. 12. 10. But alſo when God is to correct any for ſinne, before he want inſtruments, he will raiſe them out of their own bowels: as he did Synacheribs two ſonnes, 2 King. 19. 37. Who killed their Father in his idolatrous Temple, as alſo vermine out of Herods bowels, Act. 12. To conſume him, and here Abſolom againſt his Father David, to correct him.
2. Ver. 14. Davids flieing for the time from the furie of his ſonne, and his followers. Shewes the great care he had of his peoples preſervation, both thoſe who were with himſelfe, and thoſe alſo who were deceived and miſled by Abſolom: and that, though he had a good cauſe, with many to defend it by force of Armes; and was a skilfull, valiant, and victorious Prince himſelfe, yet rather then he will hazard ſo much blood, and ſo many lives of the Lords people, he will cede for the time, and flie from unjuſt furie, and preferre that which is Salus populi and ſuprema lex to his own particular ſtanding. A worthy example of a pious and prudent Prince, which ſerves to condemne them who for their own ſtanding and preferment, care not to involve Kingdomes, and Commonwealths into moſt cruell warres, and to ſhed oceans of blood with the expence alſo of millions of Chriſtian men's lives. As we read in thoſe battles betweene Caeſar and Pompey, the bloody warres alſo of many Popes againſt Chriſtian Princes, and as we ſee the bloody miſeries of this age every where teſtifie.
3. David feares and flies, yet deſpaires not, for the extremities of true fortitude are preſumptuous confidence, and deſperate diffidence: the mideſt being moderate feare with hope: the one whereof breeds tempting of God, and diffidence is the mother of deſpaire. Therefore let men in afflictions feare God as a puniſher of ſinne in juſtice, but yet hope in God for mercy.
4. Where David ſaies to his ſervants, make ſpeed to depart, leſt Abſolom over take us ſuddenly, and ſmite the Citie with the edge of the ſword. We ſee, that it is the part of a prudent Prince, or any other who are wiſe: timely to fore ſee, and prevent dangers before they come, and neither to contemne appearances of what may befall, or to ſleep in careleſs ſecurity, as thoſe of Laiſh did, Judg. 18. 27. As alſo to be carefull for the good and ſafety of their people.
5. We ſee here alſo Davids condition contrary to Abſoloms, Davids being like a comedy, with a ſad and ſorrowfull beginning, but having a happy deliverance and joyfull ending, whereas Abſoloms condition is like a tragedy, a pompous and joyfull beginning, with joyfull acclamation as King, and a great following but a tragicall and ſorrowfull ending, and even ſuch is the caſe, and condition of the Godly, and the wicked: as we ſee, Pſal. 73. And in the example of Joſeph, David and Saul, the rich glutton and Lazarus, &c. And here of David and Abſolom: therefore let no man judge of the Godly by their croſſes and afflictions, that they who are not in Gods favour are unhappy, neither let any man Judge of Gods Works by their beginnings, as the former examples may teach us: but look to their end; and as we may ſee, Pſal. 126. 5, 6.
6. David has a good cauſe, but few followers, in reſpect of thoſe who followed Abſolom, with whom was the multitude of all Iſrael, as verſ. 12. and 13. And yet in the end is victorious: even ſo it fareth oftimes with good cauſes. And in ſpeciall with the cauſe of God, which in the time eſpecially of Antichriſts prevailing (as before in the time of Eliah, under Ahab) had few followers: therefore compared unto two witneſſes, Revel. 11. And as it was likewiſe when the Arrian hereſie ſo prevailed, that as Jeronie teſtifies, the whole world groaned under the ſame, and wondered that it was turned Arrian: but in the end, the truth has prevailed, and in the end ſhall prevaile more and more: when that myſticall whoore ſhall be made naked, and her fleſh eaten, and ſhe burnt with fire, Revel. 17. 16. and 18. 8.
7. Verſ. 16. Davids leaving of his ten Concubines to keep the houſe, (which was his only intention) was not without divine and ſecret providence, that by their defiling by Abſolom, the Lords Word by Nathan might be fulfilled, Chap. 12. 11. and his polygamie puniſhed. So that many things falls out beyond mens intention or expectation for the puniſhment of ſinne, wherein we ſee not the finger of God, and performance of his word, till they come to paſs.
8. Verſ. 25. In Davids ſending back the Prieſts and Levites with the Ark to Jeruſalem, we ſee the Juriſdiction that the civill Magiſtrate has over Church-men, according to that Apoſtolicall precept, Rom. 13. 1. To command them to do their office, and puniſh them if they tranſgreſs, either in negligence in their ſpirituall function, or againſt the lawes of the republick: as we ſee in Salomon puniſhing Abiathar for his conſpiracy with Adoniah, in … likewiſe in puniſhing the Arrians, and herein David commanding the Prieſts and Levites to returne to Jeruſalem to execute their office.
9. David likewiſe for his preſervation, relyes only on the mercy of God, and that God would work that work without the preſence of the Ark, albeit it was the externall ſacrament and ſigne of Gods preſence, whereupon we ground this generall. That grace or remiſſion of ſinnes, comes from the free mercy of God in Chriſt, and is not tyed to ſacraments: which as they ought not to be contemned, being neceſſary, as we ſay, neceſſitate precepti: but not that they are ſo neceſſary, neceſſitate medii: that grace and ſalvation ſhould be thought to be tyed unto them.
10. Verſ. 26. Where David ſaies, Let the Lord do to me what ſeemeth good to him. In him we ſee the duty of a Godly ſoule under any croſs to ſubmit humbly to the good will of God, as our Saviour ſaid, Let this cup paſs from me, notwithſtanding not my will be done but thine, O Father: and indeed this is the work of one truly humbled and mortified, and is a preſage of comfort and deliverance in the end.
11. Verſ. 30. Likewiſe in Davids going bare-foot and weeping as he went: we ſee his right apprehenſion that this proceeded from the hand of God, correcting him for his former ſins, before whom therefore he humbles himſelfe after this manner. Which teaches us the right uſe of corrections that they ſerve us as a Pedagogy to repentance for our ſinnes, for there is no evill (towit, of puniſhment) in the Citie which God does not, and therefore as Hoſ. 6. 1. We ſhould turne to him who ſmites us, and whoſe fatherly hand chaſtiſes us for our good, as we ſee Heb. 12. 10. And therefore the Lord uſes bloody tyrants, as Nebuchadnezzar, and the King of Aſſyria, Herod, and others as Abſolom here, but as rods in his hand to execute his judgments, as he does ſometimes inſenſible creatures againſt the wicked, as water, fire, the aire, the ſea, the earth, and the baſeſt creatures, as lice and vermine, wherewith he plagued Pharaoh, and Herod.
12. Verſ. 15. Having ſpoken and obſerved all the former in David: we ſee next in the perſons of his Servants a laudable and worthy example of fidelity to their Maſter, and of obedience to his juſt commands, with all promptitude being ready, and offering to do what he ſhould direct them. The like we ſee in Abrahams ſervant, Gen. 24. And which is injoyned to all others, Epheſ. 5. 6.
13. Verſ. 21. In Ittai the Gittite and his 600. men that were ſtrangers, their conſtant reſolution to abide with David, and take part with him in life and death, when his own Son had unnaturally rebelled againſt him, and ſought after both his life, and eſtate. We ſee, and collect an argument of courage and comfort to the godly afflicted, that when thoſe who are neereſt foreſake them, or become their Enemies, the Lord will never forſake them, but ſtirre up ſtrangers to aſſiſt them, and be their trueſt friends, and comforters. As we ſee in Joſeph when he was hated, and ſold by his brethren, in the friendſhip likewiſe of Achiſh King of Gath to David, when he was perſecuted by his own Father in Law Saul, of Jethro likewiſe Prince of Midian to Moſes, when he was put in ſuch danger by one of his own people, of Ebedmelech the Ethiopians favour to Jeremie, chap. 38. And of Ittai's aſſiſtance here of David in his greateſt diſtreſſe and deſertion. For the Lord has the hearts of all men in his hands, and if he be our friend we ſhall not want friends.
14. Verſ. 23. and 30. In the people, and all the countries weeping with David. We ſee the tender ſympathy that we ſhould have with thoſe who are in diſtreſſe, eſpecially who neerly concerne us in any ſort of relation, as we are commanded, Rom. 12. 15. to weep with them who weep, and to rejoyce with them that rejoyce: and a wo is denounced againſt ſuch who rejoyce when the Church of God, or the members thereof are in diſtreſſe, or who regard not the affliction of Joſeph, Amos 6. 6. This want of ſympathy ſhewing that they are not of the communion of Saints.
15. Verſ. 24. In the Prieſts and Levites, their loyall cleaving to David. We ſee a worthy and imitable example for all Eccleſiaſticall perſons to follow, in ſiding with a good cauſe laying aſide all feare of danger, and in being exemplar to all others by word, and practiſe of love, & loyalty to their Prince, and ſoveraigne Magiſtrate, whom God ſets over them.