[ontemplationl; LIB,XIIL A M 1 c H A L s wile. · - ·,, His advant>ge can S•ril yet make of D4vids promotion; that as his AdverfJry is raifed higher, fo he is dmvnenearer to the opportunity of death:Now harh his envy caft offalllhame;and lince thofe crafry plots fucceed nor,he d1rectly fubornes Murtherers ofhts nvall:Thereis none in all the Court that is not fee on to be an Ex'ecurioner: l~»•than himfelfe is follicired to imbrue his hand in the bloud ofhis friend, ofhis Brother. Saul could norbut fee IonAth•m cloathes on Davids back; he could not bur know the ll leagueoftheir love; yet becaufe he knew withall,howmuch the prQfperiry of David would prejudice Ionathan,he hoped to have found him his fon in malice:Thofe that have the Jaundis fee all things yellow; rhofe which are overgrown with malicious pallions,think all mcnlikethemfdves. I doe nor heare ofany reply thlt Ionathaw made to hisf:1ther when he gave him that bloudy charge; bur hewaits for a fir time to dilfwade him from fo crudl an injuftice: Wifdomehad taught him to giveway to rage,and in fQ hard an adventure to crave aidofopportunity: Ifwe be not carefull to obfrrvegood moods whenwe deale with rhepallionare,we mayexafperare in ftcad ofreforming: Thus did IDTI#· than, whoknowino how much better it is to be a good friend; tHen an ill fon, had not onely difclofcdchar ill counfell, bur when he found his father in the fields in a c calmer remper,laboured todivert it: And fo fardorh the fcafon.ble andpithy Oramry of Ionathan prevaile,rhar S••l is convinced of his wrong,and fweares, as God lives,D•vtd lhall not dye; Indoed how could it beorherwife,upon the plea of Davids innocence,and wdl defervings ~ HO\v could S•ul fay he lhoufd dye,whom he could accufe ofnothing bur fairhfulneffe ~ Why lhou\d he defigne him ro death, which hadgiven life to all Ifrael ~ Oft-time.s wicked mens judgements are forced to yedd unto that truth againll which their affections maintain a rebellion:Even the fouleft hearts doe fomerimes entertain good motions ; like as onthe contrary, the holieft foules gwe way fometimes to the fuggellions oftvill: The flalhes oflightning may be difcernedin the darkeft Prifons. But if good thoughrs looke into a wicked hearr,they ftay not thereas thofe that like not their lodging,they are foone D gone; Hardly anythingdillinguilhes betwixt good and evill,but continuance: The light that lhines into an holy heartis conllanr,like that ofthe Sun,which keeps due times,and varies not his courfe for anyofthefe fublunary occalions. The PhilifiimsWarres renue DAvids victories, and I>Avids vidory renue! Sards envy, and S.uls envy renues the plots of Davids death : Vowes and Oaths areforgotten: That evill fpirir which vexes Sarel hath found fo much favourwith him, as to win him ro thefe bloudy machinations againft an innocent 1 His owne hands lhall firft be imployed in rhis execution ; The Speare, which hath twice before threatned death to D•vid,lhall nowonce againc goe upon that mdfoge: Wife D•- vid that kRewthe danger ofan hollow friend, and reconciled enemy, and that found morecaufe to mindeSauls earnell,then his own play, gives way by his nim- E blenelfe,to that deadlyweapon,and religning tint llroke unto thewall, flies for his life.No man knowes how to be fure ofan unconfcionable man;Ifeichergoodnelfe, or merit, or affiniry, or reafons, or oarhs could fecuren man, Da"Vidhad bin fafe; now ifhis hedes doe nor more befrieod him then all rhefe, he is adead man. No foonerishe gone then melfengers arefpedafcer him: It harh beene feldome feene that wickednelfe wanted Executioners; Davids houfe is befer withMurderers, which watch at all his doores for the opportunity ofbloud: Who can but wonder to fee how God harh fercht from the loynes ofsaul aremedy for the maliceof Sarrls heart ~ His owne childr<n are the onely meanes to croffe him in the linne, and to preferve his guilrlelfe Adverfary 1 <.}lfichal harh more then notice of the plot, and with her fubtillwit countermines her father, for the refcue of L-----~----------------------------------------------~~
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