1074\ [oTJtemplationr. LIB.XlV. - more mad then when hewas fober; For even after h~ had faid (Bleffed art thoumy A fon Davtd, thou lhalt doe grelt thmgs and alfo _prevaile; ) yet {hll he purfues him, whom hegrams affured to prevaile ; what IS thts bur to refolve rolofchis labour in linnina,and in fpight of)limfdfto offend~ How lhamefull is our inequality of dtfpofinon to good ~ We know we cannot mtffe ofthe rewardofwel-doina and yet doeir not; whil<s wicked men caft away their endeavours upon rhofe ev'ftl projeers, whereofthey are fure to f.1ile,lin blinds the eyes and hardens the heart and rhrufts men into wilfull mifchiefes,how ever dangerous,how ever impoffible ~and never leaves them nlltt have brought them to utter confulion. The overlong continuance of a rentation, may ealily weary the belt patience, andmay attainethar by protraction, which it could never doe. by violence; David himfelfatlaft begins to bend under this tryall; and refolvesfotof!ye fcom Sanl, as B he runs from the Church ofGod ; and whiles he will avoid the maliceof his Ma. fi.r,joyneshimfelfwith Gods enemies. The greatefi Saints upon eann, are not alwaies upon the fame pitch of fpirituall fuength; He that fometimes [aid (I will not be afraid often thoufands,now faies,I lhall oneday perilhby thehand of Sui.) He had wont to confult with God,now he [ayes rhus in his owne heart. How many evident experiments had David of Gods deliverances; how cert•in andcleare · prediClions ofhis future Kingdome; how infallible an eamefi was the holy Oyle, wherewith he was anointed, of the Crowne oflfrael ~ And yet( David faidin his h<art,(l fl1all now perifh one day by the hand of SauL· )The belt faith is but like the twi-light, mixed with fomede~rees ofdarkneffe, and infidelity; We doe utterly mifreckon the greateft earthly holineffe, ifwe exempt it from infirmities ; Icisnot C long, fince Davtd told Saul, that thofe wickedenemiesofhis, which caft himout' from abiding inthe inheritance oftheLord,did as goodas bidhim,Goe ferve otha gods ;yet now is he gone from the inheritance ofGod, into the Land ofthe Philiftims; ThatSattlmighr feek him no more, he hides himfelfe out of rheliftsoftbe Church,whereagood man would not look for him:Once before had Da'llidlled to this Achifh,when he was glad to [crabble on thedooroo, and let his fpirrle fall upon his beard,i11 a femblance ofmadneffe,that he might eR:ape; yet nowina femblance offriendfhip, is he returned to fave that life, which he was in danger to haveloft in Ifrael. Goliab the Championofthe Philiftims, whomDavidllew,was ofGath; yet DAvid dwels with Achijh King ofthe Philifiims inGath;even amongft themwhofe fore-skins he had prefenred to Sat•l,bytwo hundreds at once, dorh Dwid chufeto D refide for fafery: Howfoever it was aweakneffein David,tlms byhis leagueofamity to flrengthen the enemies ofGod, yet doth not God take advantageofit for his overthrow,bur gives him proretlion, even where his prefenceoJfended; and gives him favour where himfdfe bor~ juft hatred; Oh the infinitepatience and mercy of ourGod, who doth good to us for our evill, and in the very at! ofour provocation upholderh,yea,blefferh us with prefervarion ! Could Sau/ have nghrly confidered it, hehad found it no [mall Loffe and impayring to his Kingdome, that fovaliant a Capraine, attended with fixe hundredable Soldiers, and their Families, fl10uld forfake his Land, and joynewith his ene~; yet lteis norquiet rill he have abandoned his own fireogrh: The world both aone fo great enemy to a wicked man,as himfelf; his hands cannot be held from his own E mifchiefe; he will needs make his friends, enemies; his enemies,vittors; ~1imfelfe, miferablc. David was too wife, to caft himfelfinto the hand ofa Philiftim King without affurance; VVharaffurance could he have bur promifes ~ Thofe, v;wid had from Sa•/ abundantly, and rrufted them not; He dares rruft the fideliry.of a Pagan; he dares nor truft the vowes ofaKing oflfrad: There maybe fidelity without the Church,an falfhood within: It need not be any newes to finde fomeTurks rrue,and fome Chriftians f.1irhleffe. Even unwife men are taught by experience,howmuch more they who havewit to learne without it~ David had well found, what it was to live in a Court; Hee therefore, whom envy drove from the Court of Ifrael, voluntarily declines the Phiuflim
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