The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 20
II. SAM. Chap. 7. to the 18. verſe and 1 CHRON. 17.
THe generall ſubject of this Chapter is the Hiſtory of Davids deliberation to build a Temple for God, and the ſtay thereof, which is comprehended in four particulars. 1. Davids deliberation, and concluſion, with the conſent there to, and approbation of the Prophet Nathan, from the 1. Verſe to the 4. 2. The impediment and reaſons thereof, revealed by God to his Prophet Nathan, and by him to David from the 4. Verſe to the 12. 3. The promiſe made by God to David that his So… Solomon ſhould perform that intended work by him, and that hi… Kingdome ſhould endure for ever, from the 12. Verſe to the 18 And 4. Davids thankſgiving to God for his gracious acceptatio… of his intention, and promiſe of his favour to him, and to hi… houſe, and for all his paſt benefits, that he had beſtowed on him▪ For the more clear underſtanding of all which former things, confer with this, 1 Chron. 17. and 22. 1 Kings 6. and 8. and Pſal. 89.
Firſt then is ſet downe Davids deliberation with Nathan to build a Temple to the Lord, and his Arke, which he had brought to his houſe in Sion, of the which there are aſſigned three ſeverall reaſons. 1. From the opportunite of the time, which is ſaid to bee, when David was ſetled in his houſe, and God had given him reſt round about from all his Enemies, and which has relation to Deut. 12. 3. 2. From the duty of gratitude which has a warrant from the word of God, that ſeeing God had given him a houſe, peace and ſuch preferment, therefore he would build a houſe likewiſe to God. 3. Ab honeſto, or ſeemlineſſe, by a compariſon a minori ad majus, that it is not ſeemly and honeſt that he ſhould dwell in a houſe of Cedar, and the Arke of God ſhould dwell within curtaines.
Next followes Nathans approbation of ſo holy an intention, and promiſe that the Lord ſhould be with him in the performance, but not having firſt conſulted, and had warrant from the Lord, he ſhews herein his temerity & raſhneſs, therefore the Lord that very night reveales his will in the contrary to Nathan, and by him to David; not that David did evill in this his intending, for 1 King. 8. 18. The Lord ſaid to him, Whereas it was in thy heart to build an houſe to my name, thou didſt well. But from the performance thereof he diſſwades him, by three arguments. The firſt is, Vers 5. by way of interrogation equivalent to a negative, as if he would ſay, thou ſhalt not build an houſe to me, not having a calling from me to that work: the reaſon whereof is elſwhere ſet down, becauſe he was a man of blood, and had warres with thoſe about him on every ſide, as we ſee, 1 King. 5. 3. And ſo …e was called to another work, to fight the battles of the Lord. The ſecond argument is, from the practiſe of God & Davids predeceſſors: Gods practiſe being, not to dwell in any ſuch materiall houſe, ſince he brought them out of Egypt, but walking in a Tabernacle, & not commanding them to build any ſuch houſe unto him, or quarrelling with them for not doing ſo, but onelyonly injoyning them, to feed his people Iſrael, and they obeying. The third argument is, after the rehearſall, of all Gods goodneſſe to David, from a low eſtate advancing him to a royall dignity, and giving him victory over all his Enemies, and his people reſt and peace under him, as alſo that he ſhould eſtabliſh the Kingdome to him, and his poſterity, then he tells him that he had appointed his Son (meaning Solomon) to be the man that ſhould build the Temple, Vers 13. To whom he promiſes to be a Father, Vers 14. And he ſhould be a Son unto him, &c. OnelyOnly in the words, Vers 16. and elſwhere. That his Kingdome, and Throne ſhould be eſtabliſhed for ever, lies a difficulty, ſeeing we ſee the contrary now, and long ago when the Scepter departed from Judah, &c. I anſwer, 1. This (for ever) is interpreted, Vers 19. not to ſignify properly an eternity of indurance, as in ſome other places; but (as the words are) a great while to come, & ſo the Scripture doth expone it ſelf. 2. This eſtabliſhment (for ever) may be underſtood not of the externall, and temporall Kingdome of David himſelf, who was the type of Chriſt, who is called the Son of David, but of the Spirituall Kingdome of Chriſt Jeſus under the Goſpel, who was of the ſeed of David, according to the fleſh, and of whom it is ſaid, Iſai. 9, 7. That of the increaſe of his government there ſhall be no end.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. V. 1. IT is ſaid, that the Lord gave David reſt from all his Enemies, which ſhewes us that the godly have had, ſtill have, and ſhall have Enemies to the Worlds end: this being the emnity that was proclaimed in Paradiſe between the ſeed of the Woman, and ſeed of the Serpent, which ſhewed it ſelf at firſt in the murther of Abell, and proceeds from Satans malice, and the corrupt nature of man, Geneſ. 6. 5. Whence it is that the Church of Chriſt is compared to a Lilly amongſt Thornes, Cant. 2. 2.
2. We ſee the curbing, and reſtraining power of God over all ſuch, that as he calmed the ſtorm, Matth. 8. 24. So he can calme the rage of all the wicked againſt his Church in his owne good time, as he did Eſau's againſt Jacob, and as he gave reſt here to David from all his Enemies.
3. It is ſaid that God gave him reſt, which ſhewes: That of reſt from troubles, & of all good things we ſhould acknowledge God to be the Author, and therefore be thankfull to him. For which it is ſaid, Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all. And Pſal. 50. 15. call upon me (ſayes the Lord) in the day of thy trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou ſhall glorify me.
4. Vers 2. In Davids intention to build an houſe to God, we ſee what ſhould be the right uſe of Princes, or others, their proſperity and peace, towit, the giving of themſelves in teſtimony of their thankfulneſſe to God, to the eſtabliſhment of Religion within their dominions, or houſes.
5. In the intending to build a houſe to God, he conſults with Nathan the Lords Prophet, to teach us. That in matters that concerne Religion, or the worſhip of God, we ſhould conſult with the true Prophets and Paſtours of God, whoſe lips ſhould preſerve knowledge, and the people ſhould enquire of the Law of God at their mouths.
6. We ſee in David a moſt religious diſpoſition; Laudable and imitable, who thinks it an unſeemly thing that he ſhould dwell in a houſe of Cedar, and Gods Arke ſhould dwell within curtaines. Which ſhould teach many great men to think ſo, that their houſes ſhould not be like pleaſant, & glorious pallaces, and Gods houſe, or Church wherein he is worſhipped ſhould be ſo baſe and beggerly, like cottages.
7. Vers 3. In Davids reſolution, as likewiſe Nathans approbation thereof, we ſee that both do erre, whereby we ſee. How unſure is that warrant, or direction in matters of Religion, that is grounded onelyonly upon humane authority without the expreſſe and clear warrant of the oracle of God, and of his Word. Though the intention were never ſo praiſe worthy, or plauſible.
8. Likewiſe we ſee, that the beſt intentions even of the beſt are dangerous to be approved, or followed, without a warrant from the Word of God: as is ſaid, though never ſo ſpecious, as we ſee, Col. 3. 23. Saepe enim coruſcat in conſpectu operant is, quod ſordefcit in conſpectu judicantis.
9. Vers 4. God reduces David from his errour, not immediatly, by ſpeaking to David; but mediatly by ſpeaking to him by Nathan, to ſhew. That this honour God will have his true Miniſters to enjoy, that by them, as his meſſengers, and Embaſſadors he will his people to know his will: as by interpreters Joſeph would ſpeak to his Brethren, though he could immediatly (as he did at laſt) ſpeak to themſelves, and who heareth them heareth him, and who deſpiſeth them, deſpiſeth him.
10. The Lord manifeſts his will to Nathan, as a faithfull Prophet, that ſo he may faithfully deliver the ſame to David, as there after alſo he did in the matter of Ʋriah, which was Davids great happineſſe. So that happy is that Prince, and people that has a faithfull Miniſtry, who will reveal to them the whole counſel of God, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Act. 20. 27.
11. Vers 5. David a King, is called here Gods ſervant who is King of Kings, the faireſt flower in any Kings crowne, and higheſt and beſt title they can claime; to be called the ſervants of God.
12. The firſt arguments by which he inhibits him to be the builder of Gods houſe, is, becauſe he had not a calling thereto, which ſhould teach us. That although the work be good in it ſelf which a man may do, yet if he have not a calling thereunto, he ought not to meddle therewith, or run before he be ſent, as we ſee in the examples of Ʋzzah, and Ʋzziah: and on the contrary, as we ſee in Chriſt, the holy Prophets, and bleſſed Apoſtles.
13. Vers 8. The Lord remembers David, that he may be humble & thankfull, from what a low condition he brought him, even from the ſheepcoat to ſo high and royall dignity: therefore let not men marvell to ſee the like doing of the Lord, now adays, in raiſing ſome, and throwing down others. And let ſuch with whom the Lord ſo deals, remember their low eſtate, and be humble; and what is their duty in their higher place, eſpecially to honour him, who has honoured them, and to be thankfull. Let us alſo remember from how low an eſtate of Satans ſlaves, God… ha… advanced us to be a royall Prieſthood, Rev. 1. 6. And to be God ſervants.
14. V. 9. and 10. The Lord ſhewes that it was he, by his mercifull and powerfull preſence with David, that had cut of his Enemies, and made him great, and his people in a peaceable eſtat… under him, to teach him, and all Princes, and others to aſcribe their proſperity, and good condition to the Lord, and to give him the glory of all.
15. V. 11. Where it is told David, that in reſpect he intended to build a houſe to God, the Lord likewiſe ſhould make him a houſe. We ſee that the Lord will not ſuffer the good and laudable intentions of the godly to be unrewarded: much more their pious and commendable actions, no, not a cup of cold water given to one of his, which ſhall want its reward. Which ſhould be a great encouragement to pious and good works.
16. As it is God that raiſes great houſes; ſo it is he that brings down great houſes for their ſinning againſt him, and this is the cauſe why many great houſes in the Land are fallen, and their honour laid in the duſt, becauſe they honoured not God, as they ought in time of their proſperity.
17. Vers 12. Where it is ſaid, (when thy dayes are fulfilled) we ſee the ſhortneſſe of mans life, numbred not like the richfools Arithmetike by many years, but by dayes, as Jacob profeſſed,Job 14. 1. and 14. and theſe few and evil, ſo did Job count his life, but by dayes, as Moſes alſo taught the people to do, Pſal. 90. 12.
18. Likewiſe we ſee here that your life is limited, and there is a fulfilling of our dayes, which cannot beyond Gods pleaſure be ſhortned, or prolonged, he being that ſecret Palmoni, or numberer, which we ſee profeſſed by Job 7. 1. and 14. 14.
19. Where it is ſaid, when David ſhould ſleep with his Fathers, we ſee, what the death of the godly is, as Rev. 14. 13. And therefore no more to be feared, then ſleep which makes us ly down in our beds: or reſt to a weary traveller, or a hard labourer, Job 7. 2. Which made the Apoſtle to deſire to be diſſolved that he might be with Chriſt, and Revel. 14. 13. to call it a reſt from our labours.
20. The Lord promiſes after Davids death to bleſſe his poſterity, whereby we ſee that it is true which the Lord ſayes, Exod. 20. 6. That he will ſhew mercy to thouſands of them, who love him, and keep his commandments, and that it is a happy bleſſing to come of good, and godly parents, if their ofſpring inſiſt in their footſteps.
21. Vers 13. Where it is ſaid, that Davids Sonne, towit, Solomon, ſhould build a houſe to his name, which was a greater honour to him, then the honour of his Kingdome, we ſee that in like manner it is the greateſt honour, that any Prince can attain unto, to be the builder, not of a materiall houſe, but of the Church of Chriſt, and promoter of his truth, like a nurſing Father to the Church: as the godly Kings of Judah were, and the godly Chriſtian, and Orthodox Emperours, which would to God, that all Chriſtian Kings would now adayes conſider, and that they would not prop up Antichriſts throne, and perſecute the true Church of Chriſt. For this ſhould be the way of the eſtabliſhment of their Kingdomes, as is here promiſed to him who ſhould build the Temple.
22. Verſ. 14. The Lord ſaies moreover that he ſhould be his Father, and he his ſonne: which is the greateſt honour that any King can have, and the only true nobility which Kings, or any can claime unto, and wherein to their ſingular comfort the pooreſt Godly houſe has a ſhare and perceive therein the admirable love of God, as the Apoſtle ſhewes, 1 Joh. 3. 1.
23. But as this is the ground of ſingular, and manifold comforts (as of his love to us, even when he is correcting us, Heb. 12. 6. His care for us, his protection of us, and granting any good thing to us &c.) So this teaches us alſo our duty of ſonnes, to love him, to obey him, to honour him, to ſerve him, to be zealous, of his honour, to relye in him, and his Fatherly goodneſs: for all things we ſtand in reach of▪ and at laſt, for that heavenly inheritance which he has prepared for us.
24. And if he commit iniquity, where it is ſaid, I will chaſtiſe him with the rods of men, &c. We ſee the Godlieſt may have, and have their own failings and falls▪ as we ſee in David, Salomon, and Peter, when they are …eft never ſo little, or ſhort while to themſelves, or force of temptation: and therefore ſhould eve… be watchfull over themſelves with prayer; and as is ſaid, Phil 2. 12. Be working out your owne ſalvation with feare, and wit trembling.
25. Alſo here we ſee, what the committing of iniquity procures, even to the Godlieſt, towit, ſharp correction, as David and Salomon found. And therefore let not the wicked (though ſpared for a time) expect impunity, but that dreadfull puniſhment abides them, who neither repent, as the Godly do: and who make a trade of ſinne as, Pſal. 1. 1. and as we ſee, Pſal. 73. 18. Nor yet let any think that want of correction, and proſperity here, is a mark of Gods Children.
26. We ſee alſo, when the Godly are corrected, that thoſe whom the Lord permits to trouble, and afflict them, are called the Children of wickedneſs, Verſ. 10. They are nothing elſe but like the rods of men, wherewith they chaſtiſe their deareſt Children for their good: and therefore as the Godly with David in Shimeis railing, and as Job ſpoke, Job. 1. 21. They ſhould look up to the hand of God: ſo when the Lord by ſuch hath ſufficiently chaſtiſed them: he will caſt the rod in the fire; which ſhould be a terrour to all wicked perſecutors, and troublers of his Iſrael.
27. Where it is ſaid, Verſ. 15. (But my mercy ſhall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul.) Here we ſee with what ſweetneſs the Lord tempers the bitter cup of the ſufferings of his own, which ſhould comfort them in their ſharpeſt corrections, and be their prayer. And what is the difference between the puniſhments of the wicked, and corrections) of the Godly: the one is a mixed cup with the ſweetneſs of mercy, tending to converſion, like the dealing of a Father with his Child: the other a cup of wrath without mixture of mercy or love, as we ſee, Revel. 14. 10. Tending to everſion, like the dealing of a Judge with a malefactor condemned to death.
28. Verſ. 17. Where it is ſaid, That according to theſe words, and according to all this viſion, ſo did Nathan ſpeak unto David. We ſee the fidelity of the Lords. Prophet, which all his ſervants in the Miniſtry ſhould imitate, and that he is not aſhamed to recall, and recant what formerly he had ſaid to David, Verſ. 3. Upon better ground and information from the Lord. Which ſhould teach all men humbly ever to ſubmit to truth, and quit errour; and not to ſtand upon their owne credit, in maintaining what once they have profeſſed without retractation: the contrary whereof we ſee good Aug…ſtine did to his ever and ſingular commendation.