The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 37
II SAM: Chap: 16. from the 15. verſe to the end.
FOllowes now Abſoloms entry into Jeruſalem, the chiefe City of the Kingdome, and Achitophel as chiefe Counſellour with him. Where we have. 1. Huſhaj▪ his coming to Abſolom, and his gratulatory ſalutation of him as King, ingeminated to expreſs his hearty affection. 2. Abſoloms Ironicall accuſation, verſ. 17. For leaving David his friend in diſtreſs, and not adhering to him. Huſhais defence, by acknowledging him now to be King, by a double right. 1. Divine. 2. Humane. In reſpect that God, and all Iſrael had choſen him, whereunto therefore he ſubjoynes his promiſe of loyalty, verſ. 18. Next, he argues from equity, why he ſhould ſerve the ſame, becauſe he was the ſervant of his Father: and therefore he would ſerve him alſo. 3. Is ſet downe, verſ. 20. and 21. Abſoloms asking Counſell of Achitophel, what was beſt to be done for proſecuting this buſineſs of rebellion. Whereunto Achitophel anſwers by giving Counſell. 1. For ſecuring the rebellion in the continuance thereof, in this Chapter. And 2. That it may end in a full and finall victory, in the next Chapter.
Firſt then, for the ſecuring, and continuance of this rebellion, his Counſell is to commit inceſt with his Fathers concubines, that were left to keep the houſe, whereby the people ſhall heare that he was abhorred now altogether by his Father, and ſo their hands ſhould be made ſtrong, which ſo long as there were hope of reconciliation would be but faint, and their hearts doubtfull. So that his Counſell runnes on this, he ſuſpects that reconciliation may be between a ſonne that might relent, and a Father that would remit: and ſo thereon David might be avenged on his ſonnes prime Counſellours, and ſpeciall followers, for eſchewing whereof there was no way, but to engage Abſolom in ſome further fact which might be uncapable of pardon, and obſtruct all hope of reconciliation; whereupon enſues Abſoloms obeying of this wicked Counſell, verſ. 22. Wherein the filthineſs of the ſinne was not ſo great, as the impudency of the manner, in an eminent place, and in the ſight of all Iſrael, whereunto is ſubjoyned, verſ. 23. Of how high eſtimation and Authority, the Counſell of Achitophel, was both with David, and Abſolom, towit, as an oracle of God, and therefore ſo readily did Abſolom here follow the ſame.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. V. 16. HƲſhaj had a good cauſe, but uſes not lawfull meanes to go about the ſame. Which he did, by diſſimulation, and taking Gods name in vaine, in his gratulation of Abſolom, ſaying by way of prayer, God ſave the King, and that the Lord had made him King. Whereon we obſerve that the matter of a good cauſe, is no ſufficient warrant before God, or to the conſcience: except alſo the meanes for the accompliſhment thereof, be alſo good and lawfull, for we muſt not (according to the Apoſtles rule▪) do evill that good may come of it: therefore Abraham lyes for his own ſafety, and thereby expoſing his wifes chaſtity to danger, was ſinfull. So Rebecca's deceiving of her blind Iſaac, for conveighing the bleſſing to Jacob, and the Gibeonites lye, and diſſimulation in making peace with Iſrael.
2. Verſ. 17. Abſoloms accuſing of Huſhaj, for leaving his friend David in diſtreſs. We ſee howſoever his judgment was pregnant, to note the ſinne of ingratitude in another, and to tax the ſame, yet he ſees it not in a greater meaſure, being Davids ſonne, and in a groſſer manner of rebellion, in himſelfe. Where we obſerve, that every man is ready like the Phariſees, To ſpye the mote in their neighbours eye, but not the beame in their owne, Matth. 7. 3. and ſeverely to cenſure leſſer faults in others, than groſſer in themſelves: as we ſee, Judah did towards Tamar, Saul againſt Jonathan for taſting a little hony, contrary to his conſtitution: but making no conſcience of perſecuting righteous David, and killing the Lords Prieſts, even as at this day in the Romiſh Church: the breaking of her conſtitutions are cenſured damnable, whereas the breach of Gods lawes, are permitted and diſpenſed with.
3. In Abſoloms accuſation, we ſee alſo who is to be accounted a true friend, towit, he only, who not only in proſperity: but alſo in adverſity proves ſo, as Jonathan did to David, and as is ſaid, Prov. 17. 17.
4. Verſ. 21. Achitophel gives counſell to Abſolom, to go into his Fathers Concubines, that by inceſtuous fact all hope of reconciliation with his Father might be obſtructed. Where we ſee that prophane hearts, ſo contrives the plots of their wickedneſs againſt Gods law, as if there were no God, or over ruling power, to croſs their deſignes, or to puniſh them: and therefore this foole (though otherwiſe accounted) had ſaid in his heart there was no God.
5. The ſcope of this Counſell, we ſee was to foment and increaſe the flame of diſcord, between David and Abſolom: but not to quench the ſame, which ſhewes unto us Satans nature in his inſtruments, and as he firſt divided between God and man, and afterward between man and man, as between Cain and Abell, &c. So he continues: whereas God is the God of peace ſo are his Children peaceable, as we ſee between Abraham and Lot, and peace makers, as we ſee Matth. 5. 9.
6. Where he ſaies, that by ſo doing, the hands of all who were with Abſolom, ſhould be ſtrong. We ſee the blind folly of the wicked, who think that to ſinne, is the way to proſper: whereas Pſal. 1. 3. and in the examples of the holy Patriarch's, Joſeph, and Godly Kings, we ſee the contrary, and as is ſhewne to us, 2 Chron. 14. 7.
7. Verſ. 22. Abſolom is counſelled by Achitophel, to commit inceſt with his Fathers concubines, as Amnon was, how to commit inceſt with his own Siſter: both Counſellours prevaile, and both who were counſelled, obey his wicked counſell to their own deſtruction. Where we ſee that it is as eaſy to one (wanting grace and Gods Word and ſpirit to be their Counſellours) to take ill counſell: as it is to them who give it, and proneſſe to villany in great men, want never either projectours to deviſe, or Paraſites like Doeg, to execute the moſt odious ſinnes, at leaſt to excuſe them, and ſo farre God gives way to their ſinnes, as their ſinnes may prove plagues to themſelves.
8. The tent is ſpred on the top of the houſe, and Abſolom goes in to his Fathers, Concubines in the ſight of all Iſrael. And ſo that is fulfilled, which was threatned by Nathan, Chap. 12. 12. So that the Counſell of Achitophel, and fact of Abſolom have fulfilled the judgement of God. Where we may admire the Wiſdome of God that can uſe the worſt of evills well, and moſt juſtly make the ſinnes of men his executioners.
9. Verſ. 23. Where it is ſaid, that Achitophels Counſell in theſe dayes was counted as the oracle of God. We ſee that great parts miſimployed proves moſt miſchievous, as leaning, eloquence, worldly wiſdome and the like, and when wickneſſe is armed with wit and power like Nilus it overfloweth all the banks, ſo that great need have they who have great parts, to ſeek the ſanctified uſe of them, and this makes our condition the more dangerous that we have to deal daily with a powerfull, and ſubtile Enemy Satan, and therefore, as David did Chap. 15. 31. In the caſe of Achitophel, we ought to be devout in prayer, and to watch as our ſaviour exhorts us.
10. We ſee alſo in Achitophel that policy and grace, or piety, lodge not ever under one roofe. And Pharaoh may ſay, Exod. 1. 10. Let us deal wiſely with them. While in the mean time he was dealing fooliſhly, and wanting grace to ſeaſon and ſanctify his wiſdome, he was drawing on the plagues of God on himſelf and his Land, and in end utter deſtruction.