The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 23
II. SAM. Chap. 9. from the 1. verſe to the end.
IN this Chapter is the Hiſtory of the reſtitution of Mephiboſeth, Jonathans Son, to the patrimony and Lands of his Father, and of Davids further kindneſſe to him according to that covenant made between Jonathan and David, 1 Sam. 20. 16, 17. This generall is divided in three particulars. 1. Davids inquiſition, if there were any of Sauls houſe, to whom he might ſhew favour for Jonathans cauſe, from the firſt verſe to the fifth. 2. The coming of Mephiboſeth to David, and his gracious receiving of him, and kindly dealing with him, from the fifth to the ninth verſe. 3. Davids reſtitution to Mephiboſeth of his Fathers Lands, and … beſtowed on him to eate at the Kings table, and making Ziba his ſervant, to be his favourer, or Chamber-lane. Again in the firſt part, which is Davids inquiſition, we have ſet down all the circumſtances, as likewiſe the anſwer, and reſolution thereof, 1. Is the time, when David (in the former Chapter) had pacified his Kingdome, by ſubdueing the bordering Enemies thereof without; and within had eſtabliſhed the government both of Church and ſtate, and ſo had prove a good Magiſtrate. Now he ſets himſelf to ſhew likewiſe that he is a good man, which two when they concurre, they make a Land happy. 2. The Perſons at whom he asks, are not named, but it ſeems to be his counſell, or neereſt courtiers. 3. The matter of the inquiſition is, if there be any left of Sauls houſe. 4. The end is, not for evill to cut of ſuch for his greater ſecurity, but to ſhew favour unto them for Jonathans ſake. For reſolving of which queſtion, or inquiſition, theſe of whom David inquired, call one unto the King Ziba, a ſervant of Mephiboſheths, who tell David, that Jonathan had a Sonne, who was lame of his feet, Mephiboſheth (otherwiſe called Meribaal, 1 Chron. 8. 34.) Who was in the houſe of Machir in Lodebar, which is a little Town in the Land of Gilead, from which place, where he lived in an obſcure and private manner, glad to have his life ſaved. 1. David ſends and brings him. 2. Beſide his obedience, is ſet down his humble reverence to David, as his ſovereigne, both by geſture falling on his face, and by word, profeſſing himſelf to be his ſervant. 3. Is ſet down Davids kind, and gracious dealing with him. 1. Forbidding him to fear. 2. Shewing unto him in the generall, that he would ſhew kindneſſe to him for Jonathans ſake, and in particular. 1. He would reſtore to him all the proper Land of his Grandfather Saul. And 2. he would ſo farre alſo honour him, that he ſhould eat at his table continually, where unto is ſubjoyned Mephiboſheths humble thanksgiving, both by his geſture of bowing, and words of admiration of ſuch bounty and honour to be beſtowed upon ſuch a dead Dog, as he was, for ſo he calls himſelf.
In the third part of this Chapter is ſet down Davids declaration to Ziba; what he had done, and was to do, to his Maſter Mephiboſheth…, and his appointing of him, his Sonnes, who were 15. and his ſervants who were 20. to till his Land for him, and bring in the fruits thereof to him, providing ſo for his eaſe, as well as for his honour and commodity, which charge Ziba willingly undergoes, and ſo Mephiboſheth dwelt in Jeruſalem, and did eat continually at the Kings table.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. WE ſee in this inquiſition of David, vers 1. And time thereof, that honour changes not manners, nor forgets he that kindneſſe now being King, which formerly he had with Jonathan, when he was his Fathers ſubject, and therefore ſeeing himſelf was dead, he reſolves to keep this kindneſſe ſtill, and ſhew it to any of his ofſpring.
2. In this inquiſition and deed of Davids, we ſee three notable vertues eminent in him. 1. Gratitude and thankfulneſſe to Jonathan for all his love, and favours, which in his life time he did ſhew to David, which now ſurvives Jonathan, and he ſhewes it to his Sonne, Mephiboſheth. Which ſerves to condemne this generation that is ſo ungrate both to the living, and to the dead. 2. Verity, which is the obſervation of what he promiſed to Jonathan, and to ſhew that his promiſe was a true promiſe, and not …lie, and his oath a true oath, and not perjury, both lying and perjury being moſt odious in any, but chiefly in a Prince, the one puniſhable by infamy, and the other by death.
3. Fidelity, which is different from verity, in that verity has words as the ſubject, and fidelity has works. And as verity is called the agreement of the minde with the word, ſo fidelity is the agreement of the word with the work.
3. In keeping promiſe and covenant, according to the Law, we ſee that David, though a King and Lawgiver to others, yet he ſubjects himſelf unto the Law, to be an obſerver thereof himſelf: as a good example to others to follow, as is ſaid, Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis, and as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom. 2. 21. Thou that teaches another, teaches thou not thy ſelf? So thou who wouldeſt have another obſerve Lawes, ſhouldeſt thou not be examplar in obſerving the Lawes thyſelf? A neceſſary leſſon and good example for all Princes, and Paſtours, Magiſtrates and Miniſters to follow.
4. This kindneſſe that David would ſhew to any that is left (ſayes David) of Sauls houſe, ſhewes plainly hereby, and by the finding out but of one poor lame man of it, that the Lord for Sauls wickedneſſe & cruelty, had quite deſtroyed that houſe of his, though a potent King. Which ſheweth what ſinne does to the greateſt houſes, (though royall) and to others inferiour, being like the worm at the root of Jonas flouriſhing gourd, which made it ſoon to decay.
5. This kindneſſe that he would ſhew, he ſayes, it is for Ionathans ſake, where we ſee. 1. That the fruit of wel doing lives longer then himſelf who is the doer, and thereby he leaves a bleſſing and good treaſure behinde him to his poſterity. And 2. that it is a happy thing to be the ofſpring of a good parent, chiefly, if they inſiſt in their godly footſteps.
6. Vers 3. This kindneſſe is called the kindneſſe of God, which David ſayes he was to ſhew for Ionathans ſake, to denote firſt the greatneſſe of the kindneſſe, as ſundry things in Scripture has this denomination for the ſame ſignification, as the montain of God, &c. As alſo 2. to ſhew that this was agreeable to Gods commandment, that promiſes being Lawfull, and ſpecially oathes ſhould be keeped, as we ſee Pſal. 25. And which ſhould be the rule of all, our actions and motive thereto. And 3. that the ſam… would be acceptable to God, which ſhould be the ſcope of all … doings.
7. Vers 5. Mephiboſheth being lame of his feet, and lurking in an obſcure place, farre againſt his expectation, is called both to riches and honour, ſo graciouſly doth the Lord deal with ſuch whom he viſits one way, he comforts them another way, … though he ſuffer ſome a long time, to lie as it were low in the duſt, yet at laſt he lifts them up, not looking for it, as he did to Joſeph, as he called Saul alſo to be King when he was ſeeking his Fathers Aſſes, and David from the ſheepcoat, as alſo the Apoſtles from their fiſh boates, &c.
8. This humility which Mephiboſheth ſhewes both in geſture and words, being a Princes Sonne, gives a good and imitable example to all others to follow, and verifies that of Gods Word, That before honour goes humility, but God reſiſts the proud while he gives grace to the humble, and ſpecially to be humble, when God has humbled any, as he had done Sauls houſe. Therefore though he calls himſelf not onelyonly a Dog, but alſo a dead Dog, fitter for a ditch, or at beſt like a Dog to lie under a table, yet he is honoured to ſit as a Prince at a royall table.
9. Vers 7. We ſee here great liberality in David towards Mephiboſheth, which is a worthy vertue in a Prince, ſo that it be towards right Perſons, for good cauſes, and in a moderate meaſure, not to exhauſt their own treaſure and lay heavy burthens on their people, for the enriching of a few, perhaps not well deſerving: as on the contrary covetouſneſſe and a niggardly diſpoſition is moſt unſuteable to a Prince, or great man.
10. Vers 9. Davids not onelyonly beſtowes upon Mephiboſheth honour and riches, but alſo being lame and impotent to travell, he provids for his eaſe, by laying the charge on Ziba of tilling his Land, and gathering in the fruits thereof, which ſhewes Davids care of him, as well as his kindneſſe to him, and his compaſſionate diſpoſition to one, that had ſuch a bodily infirmity, as an example to others to follow the like compaſſion.
11. Likewiſe, vers 11. Though he was lame on both his feet, yet he is not therefore the more diſpiſed, or leſſe honoured by David, to eat at his table as one of the Kings Sonnes. Teaching …s thereby to deſpiſe none, or the leſſe to regard them becauſe by …ome bodily infirmity the hand of God had viſited them, but to …ity them, and be thankfull to God for his dealing more indulgently towards our ſelves. Alſo, David looks not on Sauls blood his perſecutor, in lame Mephiboſheth, but on Jonathans deſerving, how much leſſe will the God of mercies regard our infirmities, or corrupt blood of our ſinnefull pregenitours, whiles he beholds … in the merits of him in whom he is well pleaſed.