The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 1
II. SAM: Chap. 1. to the 17. Verſe.
THe principall argument of this chapter, is the report of the event of the battle between the Iſraelites and Philiſtines under Saul upon mount Gilboa, which generally comprehends theſe two particulars. 1. The report it ſelfe from the firſt verſe to the 17. The ſecond is, what fell out thereon, from the 17. verſe, even to the end.
In the report we have to conſider. 1. The matter and circumſtance thereof. 2. The triall and how it was accepted. And 3. the juſt reward of the reporter and actor therein.
1. The matter reported is the loſſe of the battle on Iſraels ſide, and death of Saul and Jonathan. The firſt circumſtance ſet down in the report, is, of the time, to have been the third day after Davids victory againſt the Amalikites, wherein the ſwiftneſs of the fame of the battle on Gilboa is to be noted, ſeeing in leſs then the ſpace of three daies; It is divulged from Gilboa which is ſituated in the territory of Iſachar, at the border of Jordan, in the eaſt march of Canaan, to David, in the land of the Philiſtines, dwelling then at Ziklag ſituate neer to the mediterranean, upon the Weſtpoint of Canaan, eſteemed to have been each part diſtant from the other, the bounds of a hundred miles or thereabout in the latitude of the land.
Next, the perſon reporter is called herein generall, one, and there after in ſpeciall, an Amalekite, probably the Son of one of that Nation whom Saul had formerly unlawfully ſpared in his expedition againſt Agag, and therefore God had reſerved him now to be his murtherer.
2. His carriage or behaviour is very crafty and cunning, he covereth his head with aſhes, he rents his garments, and doth moſt humble curteſy to David, as to his King. This geſture of his was uſed ever by ſuch, who were diſpleaſed for the publick calamity of the Lords People, as may be ſeen in the example of Joſhua, Ioſhua 7. 1 Sam. 4.and of the meſſinger that came to report the event of the battle to Heli. But as they uſed this forme uprightly, ſo doth this Amalekite uſe the ſame Hypocritically.
3. His Oration teſtifies his further Hypocriſy, which he uſeth very elaboratly and artificially, by degrees beginning at the generall, and coming to the particulars, aſcending from that which was moſt grievious, and ending with that which he thought unto David ſhould be moſt acceptable, and good news. in this manner, the People are fled, and many of them overthrown, alſo Saul and Jonathan his Son, are dead, ſo that both the King thy perſecutour, and Enemy, and Jonathan though thy friend, yet apparent Heir, between thee and the Kingdome, are both out of the way, and therefore this laſt news may aſſwage the grief of the former, the ſlaughter to wit, of thy Countrymen and People, (a crafty flatterer indeed.)
The King alſo as a prudent Prince, not facile to credit rumours, inquires, once and again, the certainty, he anſwers, that he ſpeaks as an ejewitneſſe that which he ſaw, and he affirmes the thing which he asked, and to ſeal up the truth of his ſpeechs, he makes a reall exhibition of the royall ornaments of the crown, and bracelet whereby he concludes with himſelf, liberally to be rewarded of David.
Concerning the matter of his report and verity thereof there are divers opinions amongſt the learned, ſome thinking it a manifeſt lie, made to gain favour, thanks, and reward, in reſpect that it ſeems directly contradictory to the verity of the forme of Sauls death, 1 Sam. 31. and 1 Chron. 10.
Others (as ſundry of the Rabbins, and Joſephus holdes the opinion) that he ſpake truly, granting (as is ſaid in the forenamed places) that Saul runne himſelf upon his owne ſword, and of that wound eſpecially he dyed, and that the Archers had formerly hit him, and wounded him likewiſe, but that immediatly not dyeing of theſe wounds eſpecially by this laſt given by himſelf, not entring ſo deep into his body, as he ſpeaks himſelf, (nam detinuit mè *The Hebren word is, Shabatz, &c. See, Exod. 28. 4. 11. 13.haec ocellata chlamys v. 9. And life being as yet within him, as he alſo in the ſame verſe teſtifies, therefore he deſires this Amalekite to ſtand upon him, (as being formerly fallen) and to kill him outright, which he performs, and thereby altogether is made to give up the ghoſt.
After that David hath tryed, and found it to be of truth that Saul and Jonathan are dead, with great heavineſſe and regret doth he receive this news, and with great mourning and faſting, he bewails Saul, Jonathan, and the People, which mourning is upon two reſpects, the one naturall, the other godly and ſpirituall, this firſt was the ſorrow, 1. for the King, his Father in Law, and Lord, 2. for Jonathan his faithfull friend prevented by immaturity of violent death, before he could get occaſion of acquitting his former favours, and 3. for his People, his deareſt kinſmen and of one country with him. The ſpirituall, is the apprehenſion of Gods wrath thus puniſhing Church and Commonwealth for ſin, and making his People to fall ſo before their Enemies whereby the honour of the name of God would be reproached and blaſphemed amongſt the heathen.
The reward of this meſſenger, is death, by orderly proceſſe, firſt David accuſes, how durſt thou put thy hand on the Lords anointed? Next, he convicts him by his own confeſſion, which uncoactedly given, and not enforced by torture, is by all Laws holden pro confeſſo, then he condemneth and commandeth execution, upon good reaſons, the crime was capitall, the party confeſſed, David was a Judge, in Siklag, and the title by the death of Saul is increaſed, to the Kingdome.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. V. 1. BEfore, David had newly gotten a notable Victory over his Enemies the Amalekites, 1 Sam. 30.and recovered the prey of Ziklag, and now the Lord takes Saul his perſecutor alſo out of the way, and makes the news thereof ſpeedily to be brought unto him, by whoſe death he is promoted unto the Kingdome, ſo that the Lord heaps good things upon his choſen, and renewes his benefits to the godly, who rely upon him, and in patience poſſeſſeth there ſouls, witneſſe Jacob, and a cloud of others, that may be brought out of Scripture.
2. That Victory over the Amalekites was not without a preceding heavy diſaſter, and this news containes likewiſe a ſad theame, Jonathan his truſty friend and the Lords People, his dear Countrymen over whom he was to reigne, was likewiſe overthrown with Saul in battle, thus temper's the Lord the Cup that he gives his owne, comfort with the croſſe, and the mixture of ſome tartneſſe with his ſweeteſt morſels, leaſt they ſhould overcloy us, or we too much delight in them, therefore with extraordinary Revelations Paul muſt have ſome buffetings of Satan, leaſt he ſhould be puft up above meaſure, and leaſt we ſhould put our felicity in them here, or not thankfully with Job, be content, when he takes them back from us again, our ſweeteſt roſes muſt have there ſharp prickels.
3. God ſtirreth up an Amalekite, (vers 8.) an infidell in Religion, an adverſary to Iſrael, and particular Enemy to David, to become his favourer, and with all diligence to carry this meſſage, whereupon we collect the generall, that when the Church of God, or any members thereof, hath been in greateſt adverſities amongſt forrain Enemies, then God hath moved the hearts of there very adverſaries to be there beſt friends. Examples, Abraham with Abimelech, the Patriarches with the firſt Pharoah Moſes preſerved by the Daughter, and brought up in the court David with the King of Gath, and Moab, of the Prophets of God in Achabs time fed by the governours of his houſe, Obadiah, Daniel, the 3. Children, Ezra, Nehemiah, Ester, Mordecai, and ſundry others; Then let us not fear the loſſe, or want of friends, the Lord who framed the heart, hath the hearts of Kings and private men in his hands, which he will turne (as he did the heart of Eſau in an inſtant) to the comfort of ſuch as depend with David upon his protection and providence.
4. Vers 2. This meſſinger is a pattern of a cunning Hypocrite, & crafty flatterer, brought up in the Atheiſt Schools of prophane courts, temporizing in Religion, and in matters of ſtate compoſing his ingenie, geſture, manners and ſpeech to the perfiting of that altogether which he thought ſhould pleaſe the Prince, upon the reſpect of his own advantage without all care of conſcience. Such an intelligencer was Doeg unto Saul, & ſuch are may courtiers about Princes and great men now adayes, few Mordecaies, Nehemiah's, or Daniels being promoted, or few Ebed-melech's, or Obadiah's to be found in courts.
5. In his firſt report, of the fall of Prince and People in Battle, we ſee what is the miſerable eſtate of a People under a wicked King, oftimes they imitate his example, as is ſaid Regis ad exemplum, &c. and are puniſhed with him, yea, he is puniſhed in the perſon's, and body of his ſubjects, witneſſe 70000 of Iſrael falling by Peſtilence, for the preſumption of Davids numbring of the people, and there Saul for going to the witch of Endor, not onelyonly dyeth himſelf alone, but the people of the Lord are overthrown with him, on the contrary, O happy people that hath a godly Prince.
6. Vers 10. Saul dyeth by the edge of the ſword, even by that ſame death which he had intended againſt David, and yet, David is alive, thus is it verified that the wicked dig a pit for the godly but they themſelves ſhall fall therein, and the ſouls of the Lords choſen ſhall eſcape as a bird out of the ſnare, witneſſe, Hamans Gallowes, Daniels Lyons denne, the 3. Childrens firy Fornace, and Suſannas Judgment turned over on the two elders with many more, and recent practic…s of the adverſaries of Religion, diſcovered, diſappointed, and puniſhed death: which they prepared for others,2 Chr. 20. 12. being firſt made there own portion. It is good then for us, ever to have our eyes with good Jehoſhaphat towards the Lord, and his protecting providence, committing our cauſes to him, for he will repay, and we expecting his good time to poſſeſſe our ſouls in patience. Alſo 1 Sam. 22. 18. He ſlew the Lord Prieſts and Levites with the ſword, and now by the ſword their blood is avenged on him.
7. The wonderfull providence of God herein likewiſe may be ſeen, that David being amongſt the Philiſtims, and in ſuch credit with the King of Gath, yet his hand is kept clean of the blood of Saul, and of Iſrael, being commanded by the remanent Princes of the Philiſtims to go back, becauſe they diſtruſted him, which albeit he thought it a diſgracefull reputation, yet at laſt he found that it turned to the beſt (as all things do to the godly) being hereby delivered from the guilty imputation of the blood of Saul, and of Iſrael, by the provident grace of God, which he ſhould have incurred, if he had gone foreward, and in reſpect that he went back by command, eſchewing on the other part either the blame of timorous cowardlineſſe, or any other of ingratitude, or whatſoever the Philiſtims could charge him withall.
8. V. 5. David in his frequent inquiſition, is here an example to all men (but to Judges eſpecially) not to truſt before they diligently trye, for too haſty credulity and facility to credit whatſoever is obtruded to believe, whether in temporall, or ſpirituall things, without due tryall foregoing, is and ever hath beene hurtfull. Therefore the men of Berea are commended for ſearching the Scriptures, if thoſe things which Paul taught were ſo, or no, and it is the Apoſtles command to trye the Spirits whether they be of God, or no, before we believe them, Salomon would wiſely trye which of the two harlots ſpoke truly before he would adjudge the Child to either of them,1 King. 13. and for lack of tryall by what Spirit the old Prophet ſpake. Iddo was ſeduced and deſtroyed by a Lyon in the way.
9. Vers 9. In the ſecond more particular report of Sauls death, we ſee qualis vita, Iudg. 9.finis ita, a wicked life hath ofteneſt a godleſſe and deſperate death, witneſſe Abimelech of Sechem, Achitophell, Zimri, 1 King. 16.Judas and others, and in this place Saul wounded by the Archers, next running himſelf on his own ſword, and to be dead outright, urging an Amalekite to come upon him for that effect, let men live then the life of the righteous if they would dye the death of the righteous, and if they would dye in the Lord, let them live in the Lord, Revel. 14. 13.
10. We ſee here, that blood requires blood at Gods hands be what priviledged Perſon a man will be before the World, Saul had ſhed innocent blood, eſpecially that of the Lords Prieſts, upon a wrong accuſation by the information of Doeg, therefore though a King, his blood muſt be ſhed partly by the hand of his Enemy, 2. by his own hand, and laſtly, by the hand of a baſe Amalekite. So ever like ſins almoſt craves alike puniſhments, witneſſe Pharaohs land plagued with blood, for the blood of the Iſraelite males, his firſt borne deſtroyed, as he deſtroyed theirs, and he with his Army drowned, as he drowned their Children in water, likewiſe Adonibezeks juſt retribution Judg. 1. 7. Which he there acknowledgeth, confirmeth the ſame.
11. The fearfull terrour of a deſperate accuſing conſcience appears in Sauls death, making him weary of his life; for anguiſh is upon me (ſaith he) and makes mee greedily to expoſtulat and ſeek after death, thinking ſomewhat thereby to be eaſed, but (alaſs) that worm dyeth never, the gnawing thereof rather beginning after death, then ending by death, witneſſe the like terrour & torture of this fury, Judas, and many more, who have become reuthleſſe butchers and burrean's of themſelves, fugare conſcientiam, & ab ea fruſtra fugere nitentes, eſſaying but in vain to chaſe away from the conſcience, as if it were poſſible to flie from themſelves, and falling in the flame (as we ſay) by flying the frying pan.
12. Vers 8. Herein is the juſt judgement of God manifeſt, that Saul is now murthered by an Amalekite, whom he had againſt Gods expreſſe command by Samuel, preſerved. Let no man therefore be wiſer, nor (through prepoſterous pity) ſeem more mercifull then God, but ſpare where he commands to ſpare, and ſtrik, where he commands ſo to doe, otherwiſe they ſhall find it to be true, which experience too well hath taught, that thoſe whom Magiſtrates ſpare is by indulgence, and abuſe of the ſword they become their cutthroats, or griefs, as the Cananits which being tolerated in the Land, were to the Iſraelites thornes in their ſides, and prickes in their eyes, to condemne therefore the Innocent, and let the guilty go free, are both alike abomination to the Lord, (ſaith Salomon) and this David alſo found in ſparing inceſtuous Amnon, and murdering Abſolom.
13. V. 9. This Amalekite obtrudes Sauls own deſire to be the warrant of his fact, which hereafter we ſee is admitted no excuſe by David, wherein as we ſee the nature of the wicked to be ready to commit villany upon ſlender motives, ſo we ſee that a wicked command upon no pretext ought to be obeyed, neither can it be free from the check of conſcience, nor puniſhment of upright juſtice, all pretenſes being but like Adams figtree leaves, or his naughty excuſe of his wifes entiſement.
14. The reſpects of Davids mourning for Saul, Jonathan, and the People, both internall, or ſpirituall, and externall, or naturall, I mentioned before, onelyonly this is to be obſerved, that there is a double death to be lamented of Magiſtrates, the one corporall, as here, the other ſpirituall, which is the corruption of their manners; and as it is moſt prejudiciall, to Church, or Commonwealth, ſo is it moſt to be deplored of all,1 Sam. 15. 35. and this made Samuel to go home to Ramah, and lament for Saul, all his dayes, this ſpirituall death is a ſure fore runner oftimes of a fearfull temporall.
15. V. 15. We ſee here the happy beginnings of a godly Kingdome, in the reward of this reporter, conſiſting in two points. 1. in the rejecting of diſſimulate Hypocriſy, & cunning flattery, whereby this Amalekite had covered his greedy deſign of reward by counterfeiting the behaviour of thoſe who deplored a publick calamity, by doing humble obſervance to David, by reporting a peece of acceptable ſervice done unto him as he ſuppoſed, and by bringing Sauls Crown unto him, 2. In executing upright Juſtice upon him, who had confeſſed with his own mouth Ceſ-majeſty, or treaſon, whereby David, doth as he would be done to, and cleareth himſelf hereby of all deſire he had of Sauls death by any indirect means, confirming ſo his innocency, ſo frequently before atteſted to Saul himſelf, and the integrity of his heart.
16. It is not Lawfull then (we perceive) to any one ſubject for what cauſe ſoever to put violent hands on their Lawfull Prince & ſupream Magiſtrate, for if he be evill it is for our ſins, therefore returne to God by unſained, repentance, and pray for him & then he will either remove, or reform him in his good time, and if he command things unlawfull, let us obey rather God then man, and eſchew his unjuſt wrath ſo far as we can, but if God call us to ſuffering, therein let our care be that we ſuffer not for evil doing, and yeeld patiently and conſtantly to the Lords calling, never in all this lifting up our hand againſt the Lords anointed, nor reſiſting by violence, but according to Davids example in all his behaviour towards this wicked King Saul, conforming our ſelves, and according to the rule preſcribed unto us in the word of God, Rom. 13.
17. Laſt of all, we ſee how wonderfully the wicked are diſappointed of their purpoſes, this Amalekite looked for favour, thanks, and benefit, but by wickedneſſe and an unjuſt fact to attaine thereto, eſpecially at the hands of a godly man, was the wrong way, & therefore he is juſtly rewarded according to his deſert, by death, thus Satan ever blindes, & deceives the wicked, like Laban, making them to ſerve for one thing promiſed, but changing their wages and giving them another thing in performance. You ſhall be like God, (ſaid he unto Eve) but the contrary was found true, and Pharaoh thought that he wrought wiſely, by burdens and bondage to waſte Iſrael, & redact them to a few number, but they increaſed the more, and when he had eſſayed all means, he proved the fool notwithſtanding, making his Land to be plagued, his firſt borne ſlain, and himſelfs with his people drowned.
11. Alſo we ſee the wicked are the cauſe of there own perdition, and a guilty conſcience ſnares it ſelf, therefore doth David conclude, thy blood be upon thy own head, for thy own mouth hath confeſſed, &c.