L I B.XIII. D A v 1 o and G o L 1 A H. A challenge to privateDuels,in the attempt panaketh ofhis uncircumcilion, thou<>lj he fhould overcome; andofhis manner ofpunifhment, if in fuch privatecomba~es he caft away his life.For ofall fuch defperate prodigalswemay fay,thattheir heads are cut offby their owne fword, ifnot by their ownc hand. We cannot challen•e men,and not challenge God,whojuftly challengeth to himfdfboth to take veng~ ance,and to give fuccelfe.The mor,e Goliah challenges,and is un,lllfwered,the more is he puft up inthepride ofhis owrie power : And is there none of all Ifrael, that will anfwer this champion otherwife then with his heeles(Where is the courage!)f him that was higher then all Ifrael from the lhoulders upward(The time was,when Nd/Jajh the Ammonite had made that tyrannous demand ofthe right eyes of the Gileadites, that Sd•l could aske unasked, what ailtth thepeople to wttpt f and could 11 hew his o~cn in pieces to raife the fpirits of!frad, and now he ftands ftill, and fees the hoft turne their back,and never fo much as asks,What aileth the people to fly( the time was, when Saulllew fony thoufand Philiftims in one day, and perhaps Goliah was in that difcomfiture, and now one Philillim is fuffered by him to brave all Ilrael forty dayes. Whenceis this difference ( The fpirit of God, (the fpiritof fortitude) was now departedfrom him : !la111 was not more above himfdfe, when Godwaswith him, then he is below others, now that he is left ofGod; Valour is n6t tneerely ofnature : Natureis ever like it felfe; by this rule, he that is once valiant,fhould Aever turne coward : But now we fee the grearell fpirits inconftant, and thofe,which have given good proofs ofmagnanimity,atother times,have bewrayed White livers untotheirown reproach;Hethat is theGod ofholls,gives and takes C away tnens hearts at his pleafure: Neither is it otherwifc inour fpirituall combats, fometimesthe fame foule dare challenge all the powers ofdarknelfe, which other- \iJhiles gives m:ound toa temptation;We have no ftrength but what is given us,and iftheauthor ofallgood gifts remit his hand for our humiliation,either we light not orare foiled. .. Davidhath rlow lien long enough clofe amongll: his Aock in rhe fields ofBethleem, God fees a time to fend him to the piteht field oflfrad. Good old Ij/,ai ,that was doubtlelfe joyfull to think, that he had afforded three fons to the wars of his Kin•,is no lelfe carefull of their welfare and proviflon ;and who (amongft all the reft 'Ofhis feven Cons) fhall be pickt out for this fervice,but his youngeft fon David, whofe"'tormerand almoft worne-out acquaintance in Coun, and imployment un· D der Saul feemed to fit hiin beft fotthiserpnd: Early in the morning is Davidupon his way, yet not foearly,as to leave his tlock unprovided: Ifhis f.uhers commmd difmilfe him, yet will he ftay, till he have trufted his fheep with a careful! keeper; we cannot be faithfull fl1epheards, ifour fpirituall chargebe lelfe dearc unto us ; if when necef!ity cals us from our flocks;we depute not thofe, which are vigilant and confcionable. Ere Davids[pecd eanbring himto thevalley ofElah,both theArmies are on foot ready to joyne : He takes not this excufero ftay without, as a m:mdaunredwith the horror ofwar, but leavin~ his prefent with his ftrvant, he thrufts himfdfe into the thickeftofthe hoft, and falutes his brethren which were nol'lthinking ofnothing but killing or dying, when the protid champion of the Philiftims comes ftalking E forth betoreallthe rroups,and_renews this infolent challenge againft Ifrael: David fees the man,and hears his ckfiance,and looks about him,to f<"e what anfwer would begiven, and when he efpies nothing but pale faces and backs turned,he wonders, not fomuch, that one nian lhould dare alllfrad, as that all lfrad fhould run from oneman:Evenwhen they fly from Go/iah,rheytalk ofrhe reward,that fhould be given to that encounter and victory, which they dare not undertake, fo rhofe which have not grace to bdeeve,yrt can fay, There is glory laid up for the f.tithfull. Ever lince his anointing, was David polfelfed with Gods Spirit, and thetfby filled both with courage,andwifdome: The mote ftrange doth it[, eme ro him, that all Ifrael thould be tfms daftardly : Thofe that are themfelves eminent in any grace, cannot but wonder at themiferable defects ofothers,and themore alame they fee in others impetfeaions,the mote is their zeale in avoiding thofe errors in themfdves. Whiles I 051
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