The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 51
II. SAM. Chap. 24. from the 10. verſ. to the end.
FOllowes now after Davids ſinne. 1. Davids repentance, wherein are three things. 1. Davids contrition. 2. His confeſſion. And 3. his deprecation. In the firſt it is ſaid; That after he had numbred the people, which was after nine moneths, and twenty dayes, Davids heart ſmote him. Which is the ſame phraſe that is uſed, 1 Sam. 24. 5. Whereby is ſignified the awaking, and accuſation of his guilty conſcience, and ſenſe of his ſinne now, wherein he had layed ſo long in a deep, and dead ſecurity without either ſight, or ſenſe of his own guiltyneſſe before. Which ſmiteing is called, Pſal. 51. 17. The breaking and contrition of the heart. Whereupon enſues the ſecond part of his repentance, which is a confeſſion to God of his ſin, expreſt by two phraſes. 1. That he had ſinned greatly. And 2. that he had done very fooliſhly, and laſt, is his deprecation, That the Lord would take away the iniquity of his ſervant.
The ſecond thing which we have in the text is, the meſſage from God to David, which enſued upon his repentance. From the 10. verſ. to the 15. Wherein we have. 1. The time. 2. The meſſenger that is ſent to David. 3. The meſſage it ſelf, or Option given to David. And 4. Davids anſwer and election. Firſt then the time was, when David was up in the morning, the ſmiting of his conſcience raiſing him from his bed, which as he ſayes, Pſal. 6. 6. He had been watering with his tears in the night time before. 2. The meſſenger whom the Lord ſends to him is deſcribed from his name, Gad. 2. From his office, a Seer, and more particularly from his relation to David, that he was his Seer, or one whom familiarly David uſed to conſult with in his doubts, or difficulties. The word (Seer) being an ordinary ſtile given to the Prophets of God, becauſe of the Lords revealing by viſions, words, or dreams, of his will to them, and by them to others. As we ſee, 1 Sam. 9. 9. 3. The meſſage it ſelf is an Option of any of three plagues, whereby the Lord was to puniſh Davids people for their own ſinnes, that had angred him againſt them: and for Davids, in numbring of the people. 4. Davids anſwer and election, contains. 1. His perplexity, and ſtrait whereinto he was put. 2. His choyce of the Peſtilence. And 3. the reaſon of his choyce, from the greatneſſe of Gods mercy.
Thirdly, followes from the 15. verſ. to the 18. The execution of the plague, and ſtaying thereof, wherein we have. 1. From whom it is ſent, towit, the Lord. 2. How long it continued. 3. How many dyed thereof, towit, 70000. men. 4. By whom the execution was made, towit, by an Angell. 5. The Lords ſtaying of the deſtroying Angell. 1. When and where, towit, when he was ſtretching his hand upon Jeruſale… to deſtroy it. 2. How, by the direction of the Lord, ſaying. It is enough, ſtay thine hand. 3. Upon what ground, towit, the Lords compaſſion, and repenting him of the evill. And 4. Where this Angell was, towit, By the threſhing floor of Araunah. Now the Lord is ſaid to repent of the evill, (towit, of puniſhment, as is ſaid, There is no evill in the City which the Lord does not,) not properly, but per anthropopatheiam, when he does that in mercy what men uſe to do, when they repent of any evill, that they have done, and forbear the ſame.
Fourthly, followes for the ceaſing of the plague, and after the former direction of the ſtaying thereof. Davids prayer & humble ſupplication, wherein we have. 1. The occaſion thereof, towit, his ſeeing of the deſtroying Angell, who being an inviſible ſpirit, yet appeared in a viſible ſhape at this time to David, as the Angels did to Abraham, Lot, and others. 2. Davids humble confeſſion of his ſin, & that he had done wickedly. 3. His cleering of the people of any guiltineſſe, towit, in this his fact and ſinning, whom he calls ſheep for innocency, and relating to himſelf, who was as their ſhepheard and ruler. And 4. his preferring their ſafety to his own, and his Fathers houſe, and deſiring that the Lord would transferre the plague, and puniſhment rather on him, and it, than any wayes to let it lie on them.
Whereupon the Lord who ſent firſt a ſad meſſage to David, by the ſame meſſenger Gad, gives him now a comfortable aſſurance of mercy, and deliverance of his people from the plague of Peſtilence, and in teſtimony of Davids thankfulneſſe for the ſame, Gad by a warrant from God directs him to erect an altar to the Lord, in that very place, where he ſaw the deſtroying Angell, towit, In the threſhing floor of Araunah the Jebuſite. Which thing David readily went about to perform, as the Lord had comm…nded (ſayes the text) although it was Gad, as the meſſenger who ſpake unto him, and for this end went up to the floor of Araunah, conferres with him, byes the floor of him, erects the Altar, offers thereon burnt, and peace offerings, and ſo the plague was ſtayed from Iſraell. Wherein we have to conſider. 1. Who this Araunah was. 2. Where was this place. 3. Why this Altar was erected. 4. Araunahs liberall offer, and his pious prayer. 5. Davids modeſt refuſeall, and the cauſe thereof, with his buying of the floor, and Oxen, and the price thereof. 6. Davids building of an Altar, and offering thereon. And 7. the happy ſucceſſe that followed hereupon, towit, the ſtaying of the plague of Peſtilence.
1. As for Araunah he is called by Nation, and pedigree a Iebuſite, or Cananite, but now a Proſelite, and of the Iewiſh religion, as may be ſeen by his offer and prayer. 2. This floor was on mount Moriah, and therefore it is ſaid, that David went up to it. 3. This Altar was to be erected, that the plague might ſtay from the people. 4. Araunah therefore for the ſervice of God, and good of his people, and love to the King, and eſpecially, as a preſage of the vocation of the Gentiles, liberally offers not onelyonly his threſhing floor freely, but alſo his Oxen, and threſhing inſtruments, and inſtruments of the Oxen, as their yokes, and ſuch like for wood, which liberality of his is extolled highly, that he did this as a King to the King. Who notwithſtanding modeſtly refuſes it upon this reaſon, that according to the Law a man muſt offer to God of that which is his own, and therefore. 5. Buyes it, and the Oxen for 50. ſhekells of ſilver, whereupon. 6. David offers (having built the Altar) burnt offerings, and peace offerings for expiation of Gods wrath, and propitiation. And ſo 7. this was the ſucceſſe, The Lord was intreated for the Land, and the plague ceaſed. Not that this is to be referred to theſe ſacrifices, as the cauſe, but by way of Metonymie; When the name of the cauſe is transferred to the effect.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. V. 10. IT is ſaid; That Davids heart ſmote him after he had numbred the people. Whereby we obſerve, the difference between the wicked & the Godly, that albeit the Godly ſin yet they lye not ſtill impenitently in ſinne, and ſecurity, as the other do, but by grace, and repentance, they riſe againe: and their hearts ſmites them for the ſinne, which they have committed, as we may ſee here in David, in Hezekiah, Peter, and others.
2. We ſee here likewiſe, that the committing of ſinne, is like John's eating of that little book, Revel. 10. 10. Which was ſweet in his mouth, but thereafter bitter in his belly: or like thoſe locuſts, Revel. 9. 8. Who had alluring haire as women, but had Lyons teeth that bite, and Scorpions tailes which ſtinge: even ſo ſinne in the committing thereof is pleaſant, but in the end when the conſcience is awaked, is painfull, as Manaſſah, Mary Magdalen, and David found both in the matter of Ʋriah, and this. Who therefore would eſchew, the ſower of ſinne, both here and hereafter, let them eſchew the poyſonable ſweet thereof.
3. Davids heart ſmites him, after the numbring of the people, which was after nine moneths and more. Where we ſee, as it is Satans policy, when he has moved men to commit ſinne, ſo thereafter to lull them a ſleep in ſecurity, even ſo that the Godly when they have ſinned, may lye a long time in this ſinfull ſleep, before they awake: as David did in the matter of Ʋriah, till the Lord by Nathan awaked him, and as here he did in the numbring of the people, therefore as our firſt care ſhould be not to ſinne, ſo our next care and prayer to God, ſhould be that if we ſinne, he us ſuffer not to lye ſtill in ſecurity, with impiety joyning impenitency.
4. In Davids confeſſion, ſaying he had ſinned greatly, and done very fooliſhly. We ſee that he neither excuſes his ſinne, as our firſt parents did, nor extenuates his ſinne, as Saul did in ſparing Agag, and the cattle: nor defends his ſinne, as Simeon and Levi did, but rather aggravates his ſinne, that he had ſinned greatly. This being the practice ever of them, who are truly humbled, and this being the beſt, …and only way to obtaine pardon, as we ſee in the example of the Publican, and parable of the returning Prodigall, and of David in this place.
5. Whereas David ſaies, that in ſinning he had done very fooliſhly. We ſee that it is not without cauſe, that ſinners are called fooles in Scripture, though never ſo worldly wiſe, as the nich foole in the Goſpell: and where it is ſaid, the foole hath ſaid in his heart there is no God, and that ſinne is folly, as Tamar ſaid to Amnon, 2 Sam. 13. 12. Whereas they only are truly wiſe, who are Godly, the feare of God being the beginning of wiſdome, and they only make a wiſe choice of things, preferring pleaſures for ever more, to ſinnefull periſhing pleaſures, and a heavenly kingdome to earthly profit▪ they alſo like the wiſe ſteward, provide for time to come, as alſo foreſee and prevent dangers, like wiſe Abigall, takes alſo with warnings, as David did with Jonathans. And as our Saviour adviſeth, agree with their adverſary, while they are on the way. Whereas the fooliſh ſinner does none of theſe fortnamed.
6. In Davids prayer for remiſſion of his ſinne, he calles himſelfe Gods ſervant. Whereby we ſee, that although at ſome time, through frailty, or force of temptation, a Godly man may fall into ſome provoking ſinne, beſide thoſe of daily incurſion, yet their deſire, and ordinary c…ſe of life, is to ſerve God, from which therefore, as from the greater part they are ſo denominated: as the wicked are called ſinners, though ſometimes they have done ſome act, that ſeemeth good and pious, as Joab here in his diſſwading of David to number the people.
7. Verſ. 11. The Prophet Gad is called Davids Seer. Where we obſerve not only the neceſſity, and utility, of faithfull paſtours, who ſhould be Seers, or watchmen, as they are called, Ezek 33. 2. And give warning to Gods people, of their danger and duty. But likewiſe whereas Gad in a particular manner, is called Davids Seer. We have in David a good, and Godly, example of imitation for Magiſtrates and great men, to adjoyne to themſelves, ſome worthy, and able ſervant of God, and have them in their company, with whom they may communicate their ſpirituall condition, and conſult with them in the matters of God, and of their ſalvation, which is that one thing moſt neceſſary, as our Saviour ſpoke unto Martha.
8. Verſ. 12. Albeit David repented in manner aforeſaid for his ſinne, yet he muſt be corrected, not that we eſtabliſh hereby, that doctrine of remiſſion of the fault, but not of the puniſhment, which Romaniſts uſe for their ſatisfactions, and purgatory, but to ſhew, that when God has pardoned the ſinne, yet he inflicts the temporall correction, not as an evill of puniſhment, but as a medicinall good, and preſervative from ſinne in time coming, and not as a judge puniſhing a malef…ctour, but as a wiſe and loving Father correcting his Child, as the Apoſtle ſhewes, Heb. 12. Or like a wiſe, and skillfull Phyſitian, giving a purge to his patient, and applying a corraſive to the corruption. So that the Lords dealing herein, is not Penall but Paternall and Medicinall.
9. Verſ. 13. Davids ſinne muſt be puniſhed, with one of three …ore plagues, the Sword, the Famine, or the Peſtilence. Whence we collect, that if for ſuch a fact, which in it ſelfe, was not ſinfull, (a Prince to cauſe to number his people) ſo good a man as David was, ſo ſeverely puniſhed, being one according to Gods own heart. What may wicked flagitious ſinners, for manifeſt, and ſcandalous ſinnes expect? and if this was done to the green tree, what may withered branches look for?
10. Verſ. 14. David chooſes rather to fall in the hand of God, by the Peſtilence, then fall into the hand of man, by the Sword, for with the Lord is mercy, whereas with man is cruelty. And this is the reaſon which David gives of his choice, (for his mercies are great) ſaies he, ſo that the Godly in the midſt of their ſharpeſt corrections, they ever by faith apprehend mercy, and that the Lord tempers their moſt bitter cup, with the ſweetneſs of fatherly love. Whereas the wicked drink of the wine, of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture, into the cup of his indignation, as is ſaid, Revel. 14. 10.
11. Verſ. 5. It is ſaid (ſo the Lord ſent a Peſtilence upon Iſraell.) Where we obſerve that the Peſtilence, and ſuch other plagues, or puniſhments, that come on man for ſinne, are ſent from God: and come not by chance or fortune (as men ſpeak) nor are to be attributed, only to the diſtemper, or corruption of the aire, or the like ſecundary cauſes, but are to be acknowledged, to come from the ſinne-chaſtiſing hand of God, and therefore that for the removing of them, we ſhould by true repentance, and humiliation, with David here, have our recourſe to him.
12. Of this plague, it is recorded that there died, 70000. men. Where we may ſee, that wherein men offend, commonly they ſmart, David was proud of the number of his ſubjects, and now they are greatly diminiſhed, that he may ſee cauſe of humiliation, in the matter of his glory. The like we may ſee in the ſtrength of Sampſon, and the beautifull haire of Abſolom.
13. Verſ. 16. When the Angell ſtretched forth his hand upon Jeruſalem to deſtroy in, the Lord repented him of the evill, and commanded the Angell to ſtay his hand, ſaying, It is enough. Where we may obſerve the Lords bowells, of compaſſion towards his people, even when he is moſt ſharply ſmiting, and his preventing mercy, before that David make his ſubſequent ſupplication, for ſtaying of this plague.
14. Here likewiſe we ſee, that the Lord hath his Angells ready to execute his will, as his miniſtring ſpirits, either in juſtice or mercy, whoſe example of promptitude, or obedience, we are taught by our Saviour, in the Lords prayer to follow, and to do his will on earth, as it is in heaven. Whoſe great power alſo we may ſee, in ſo ſhort a time, deſtroying ſo many thouſands: being but one Angell. As we ſee likewiſe in the deſtruction of the firſt borne, in one night through all Egypt, and of one hundred, fourſcore, and five thouſand of Aſſyrians, by one Angell alſo, in one night of Sinacheribs Army, 2 King. 19. 35. Whence we may collect, how mighty a guard the Godly have, as we ſee, Gen. 32. 2. and 2 King. 6. 7. And how much more mighty is the Almighty God, whoſe miniſtring ſpirits they are, and do attend his will.
15. Where the Lord ſayeth to the Angell (it is enough,) We ſee that as the Lord mixes the cup, of his ſharpeſt, and moſt bitter chaſtiſements with mercy and love: ſo likewiſe the Lord, like a wiſe and skilfull Phyſitian meaſures his cup, and will not lay upon any, more then they can beare, but with the correction in his own good time, he will give the iſſue and delivery: thus he who ſets Limits to the raging ſea, did Limit the time how long, his people ſhould remaine, in the bondage of Egypt, and thereafter in the captivity of Babylon. As he did here, how long this deſtroying Angell ſhould ſmite with his ſword of Peſtilence. And O how little pleaſure, doth the Lord take in the death of ſinners, ere David could ſee the deſtroyer, the Lord had reſtrained him, whoſe compaſſions, if they did not both withhold, and abridge his judgments, what could we look for, but hell and deſtruction.
16. Verſ. 17. In Davids ſupplication to God, we ſee his admirable Love, to his poore ſubjects, who would ingroſſe the plague to himſelfe, and his houſe, from this people of Iſraell, and ſues to interpoſe himſelfe between them, and the deſtroyer. Thus did our Saviour Chriſt, and ſonne of David, (who is that good, and great ſhepheard of his ſheep,) offer himſelfe to death, which they had deſerved, yea more, did dye for them, and interpoſed himſelfe between the Fathers wrath and them, to deliver them there from, and from everlaſting deſtruction, and as David did for his people, ſtill interced's for his Church to the worlds end.
17. We ſee likewiſe though David ſaw the Angell, with the deſtroying ſword above Jeruſalem, yet he ſupplicates not the Angell, but him who is the God of Angells, and of heaven and ear…h, which ſhewes us, how farre the practice of this holy King, and Prophet, doth diſagree from the practice, and doctrine of Romaniſts, who pray to Saints and Angells, and ſo gives that religious worſhip to the creature, which is only due to the Creator, as we have ſhewen before: and is ſo farre from ahe example, which we have in the Word of God, Revel. 22. 9. …nd that Apoſtolicall precept, Coll. 2. 18.
18. Verſ. 18. It is ſaid that Gad came to David, and ſaid, Go reare an Altar to the Lord. And verſ. 19. It is ſaid, that David went up to do ſo, as the Lord had commanded, So that David reverenced, and obeyed the Word of the Prophet, as the Word of God, which ſhould ſerve as a good, and imitable example, to all people of high, and low degree, to heare, reverence and obey that, which is taught out of the Word of God, and warranted therefrom by his faithfull Miniſters, not as the word of man, but as the Word of the Lord, this being the cauſe of ſo ſmall reſort, to the hearing thereof, ſo little attention thereto, or reverence and obedience to the ſame, and conſequently of ſo great looſneſs of life, and abounding in ſinne, that Gods Word which is preached, is not accounted to be Gods Word, and that they that heare not the ſam… (as our Sav…our ſpeakes) heare not him.
19. This Alter muſt be reared up, in the threſhing floore of Arannah the Jebuſite, which was (as we have ſhewne) upon Mount Moriah, ſo that on that very hill, where the Angell held the ſword of Abraham, from killing his ſonne Iſaac, who was a tipe of Chriſt: doth God now with hold the ſword of the Angell, from killing his people, and upon this very ground after, did the temple alſo ſtand, where the holy Altar ſhould be, whereon the expiatory, and propitiatory, ſacrifices for Gods people, ſhould be offered up in ſucceeding generations, not without a myſterie of that oblation of Chriſt Jeſus (as is ſaid) prefigured by Iſaac, and whoſe bleſſed body, was the true Temple, tiped by that of Solomon, as Chriſt himſelfe ſhewes, Joh. 2. 19. And his oblation of himſelfe, is that expiatory, and propitiatory ſacrifice, by which Gods wrath is appeaſed, and we reconciled unto God his Father, neither was that alſo without a myſterie, that it was on the floore of a Jebuſite, prefiguring thereby the calling of the Gentiles.
20. Verſ. 22. David having declared to Arannah, the cauſe of his coming up unto him, for buying his threſhing floore, to reare an Altar to the Lord, that the plague might be ſtayed from the people, he meets David in ſo holy a motion, and liberally offers the ſame freely in gift unto him, with his oxen, and wooden uteuſills for a fire, to the b…rnt offering. Where we ſee that a Godly heart, will part with any thing that is needfull, and may ſerve for the worſhip of God, who is the giver of all good things, which we have here: and of all good things which we hope, or look and long for hereafter. Which ſerves to rebuke and condemne, the tenacious, and baſe avaricious diſpoſition, of many in this age, who can part with nothing, for the maintenance of Gods worſhip, or promoting of religion, or any good work.
21. Verſ. 23. Arannah's liberality, and princely munificence, is therefore highly praiſed by the ſpirit of God, and regiſtrate to all after ages, in the holy Scripture, that all theſe things did Arannah, as a King gives to a King, and that he ſaid to David the Lord God accept thee. Whereupon we obſerve, that what is done by a pious heart, to the honour and worſhip of God, ſhall never want its own reward, and bleſſed remembrance, as was the breaking of that box of precious oyntment, by Mary Magdalen upon Chriſts head, and as here is the remembrance, and regiſtrating both of Arannahs liberality, and power: whereas on the contrary, the remembrance and name of the wicked ſhall rot, and either be buried in oblivion, or elſe like the parcells of traitours, and malefactours bodies that are executed, and fixt up in publick places, remaine to poſterity, as a badge of eternall infamy.
22. Verſ. 24. Since it was for God, and to David, Arannah would give, but ſeeing it was for God, and offering ſacrifice, (which ſhould be of his own ſubſtance) David will not take. O laudable and pious contention, into which, would God or in like, all contentions amongſt Chriſtians were reſolved. David therefore, who knew that it was, more bleſſed to give, than receive, therefore would not receive from Arannah, what he offered in gift, but as Abraham delt in like manner, with the ſonnes of Heth, (Gen. 23.) He would buy it of him, as he did for 50. ſhekells of ſilver, and built there an Altar unto the Lord, and offered thereon burnt offerings, and peace offerings, and ſo the Lord was intreated for the Land, and the plague ceaſed. To which God, Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt, inviſible and indiviſible, be all honour, praiſe and glory, for ever more. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Guild, The Throne of David (1659)