L I B.XIII. D A v 1 n called to the-[o11r-t.-- A D A v r o called to the [ourt. Hat the Kmgdome is (in the oppointment of God) departed from Saul,it is his lean lolfe; Now the Spirit ofGod is alfo departed from him;One fpirit is no fooner gou..e,but anorh~r is come;. both'are from God: Even the worn fpirits have not one!y permiilion,but commiilion from Heaven for the infliltion ofjudgement. He that at firn could hide himfelfe among the nuffe, thJt he might not be King, is now fo tranfported wirh this glory , tlm he grows pailionate wirh the thought offorgoing it : Satan B rokes vantage ofhis melancholickdejellion,and turns thls pal!ion intofrenzy. God will have even evill fpirits work by means; A di!lempered body, and an unquiet mind are fit grounds for Sarans vexation. Sat~ls Courtiers, as men that were more witty,rhen religious, advifc him to Mulick : They knew the ftrength ofthat skill in allaying thefury ofpailions,in cheering up the dejedcdfpirits of their Maftcr: This was done like fome fond Chirurgian,that when the bone is out ofjoyot,hyes fome foupling Pulreffcs to the part, fonhe affwaging ofthe ach, in the meane time not caring to remedy the luxorion. Ifthey had faid, Sir,youk.nowrhis evill comes from that God whom you have offended, there can be no help bur in reconcilement, how ealie is it for the God of Spiritsto take offSatan ~ Labour your peace with him by a ferious humiliation; C make means to Samuel ro further rhe atonement; they had been wife Counfdlors, divine Philitians; whereas now they doe but skin over the fore,and leave it rankled at the bottome : The curemull ever proceed in the fame !lcpswith the difea!e,elfe in vain!hall we feem to heale;There is no fafery in the redreffe ofevils,burro !lrike atthe root.Yet fince it isno betterwith Saul & hisCourricrs,itis wel it is no worfe. I doenot heare either the Maner,or fervaots fay, This is an ill fpirit, fend for fome Magitian, rhat may countermand him : There are forcibk Enchantments for rhefe fpirituall vexations;lf Samuel will not,thereareWitches,that may giveeafe:Bur as one,thar would rather be ill,then doe worfe,he contents himfdf to doe th:ir,which was lawfull,ifunfufficiem.It is a 01ame to fay,that he, whomGod had rejec1ed for his lin, was yeta Saint to fome that lhould be Chrinians, who care not how much D they are beholding to rhe devil in their dinreffes, aff<Ciingto call out devils by Bul- '{!bub.- In cafes ofloffe,or !ickndle,rhcy make Hdl their refuge, andfeekfor patronage, bUt ofah encmk: Here is a fearfUl I agreemem; S:.tran feeks to them in his temptations, they in their confu!tarions feek to him, and cow thoy have mutually found each orher,ifrhty ever parr, iris amiracle. David had lived obfcurdy in his fathers houfe, his onelycare and ambition was thewelfare ofth~ flock he rended,and now, whiles his f.1therand his brorhersnegleded him as fir for nothing bur rhe field,he is talked of at the Court:Some ofS•:ds followers had beene at Ijhai's hmlfe, and taken notice of Dav idsskill, and nt>w rhat harp which he pratliced for his private recreation, !hall make himofa Shepheard a Courtier: TheMuftck, that he meant only ro hitnfdfand his lheep, brings him beE fore Kings: The Wifedome o~od thought fit ro rake this occafwn ofacquainting David with that Court,which l!'e Oull once governe. Iris good, that oureducation lhould perfect.our children in all rhofe commendablequalities,whereto they are difpofed: Little doe weknow,what ull: God means to make ofthofe faculties,which we knownot how to imploy. Where the Almighty purpofes an advancement, obfcurity can be no prefudice ; fmall means !hall fet forward rhar, which God hath decreed. Doubrleffe,old Ifoai noted (not wirhour admiration) rhew.onderfull accordanc~ ofGods proceedings, that he, which was fent for, out ofthe field to be anointed, lhould now be fent for out ofthe Coumrey into the Court, and now he perceived, Godwas making way for the executionofthat whichhe purpofcd; be attends the ilfuein lilence,neither !hall his hand faile to give furrhet3ll' c ro rbe projeCl of(;od: Tru He 104-9
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