--------------------------------- Contemplations. SA u L in D A vI vs [d"Pe. c T was the ftrange lot of David,that thofe whom he purfued,preferved himfrom thofe whom he had preferved; The Philiflims whomVavidhnd newly fmitten in Keilah,call off Saulfrom fmitingDavidin the W'ildernelfe, when there was but an hillock betwixt him and death'; Wicked purpofes are eafily <hecked, not eafily broken off.Sa11ls Sword is fcarcedry from the bloud ofthe Philiflims,when it thirfls anew for the bloud ofDavid;and now inarencwed chafe, hunts him dry. foot through every wilderndfc.The very defm is too fair a refuge for D innocence ; Thehils and rocks are fearched in an angry jealoufie ; the very wildc Goats ofthe mounr:1ins were not allowed to becompanionsfor him,which had no fault but his verrue.uh the fecmingly.unequall diflriburion ofthefe enrrhly rhinos! Crudry nnd oppreffion rnignes inn Pnlace,whiles goodnelfe lurks among theRo~ks nnd Caves,nnd thinks it happinefl'eenough ro fle:tle a life. 1 zoe7 Like a dead mnn, David is fain robe hid under theemh, and feeks the comfort ofprorellion in darknefl'e: and now the wife providence of God leads Saul to his enemywithout bloud;He which before brought them within an hils dHbncewithour interview, brings them nowboth within one rooft: ; fo :JS thatwhiles S.'fttl feeks Davidnnd findes him not,he is foundofDavidunfought. If Sa11l had known his E own opportunities, how !Javid and his men had interred themfdves,he had faved a treble llbour,ofch,.fe,of execurion,and burial!; for had hebut flopt the mouth of that Cave,his enemies had bid thcmfdves down in their own Graves: The Wifedome ofGod thinksfit tO hide from evil! men,and fpi1 irs,thofemeanes and feafons, which might be(if they had bin taken) m of\ prejudici.11l to his own: we had been oft foyled if Sar:m could but have knowne our hems: (omerimes we lye open to evils, and happy it is fol" us that he ondy knowes it, which pitries in flead of rempri11g us. _ . It is not long fince Sau/ fnid of Da-vidJodged then in Keilah)God hath delivered 1 , him into mine hands, for he is !hut inJc:eing ht iscome into acity that hath gates. ond bars;but now contrnrily Goddelivers Sa11/(ere he was awarc)into the hands of I D•vid,and without the help ofgates and bars,hath indofed him wirhin the Valley ~~------------------------------------------~o~f·~~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=