W. Martial sculpsit.  
〈◊〉 not my Anointed,  
And do my Prophets no harm.  Psal: 105. 15. 
London Printed for Humphrey Mosley 1648.   

Il Davide Perseguitato DAVID Persecuted.  
Written in Italian BY The marquess Virgilio Malvezzi. And done into English By ROBERT ASHLEY. GENT.  
LONDON, Printed for Humphrey Moseley, at the sign of the Prince's arms in St Paul's Church yard. 1650.   

DAVID Persecuted.  
THEY that make a question whether it be true or no that God speaks any more to men, or indeed that men have any more intelligence from God; let them believe it for a certain that he speaks, but they are too deaf to hear the language; let them believe it for certain that he writes, but they are too blind to perceive the Character: he that will understand his voice, he that will read his letter, let him betake himself to the Holy writ, that is a Vocabulary, which the Spirit of God hath left us to explain his profound discourses by, that is a key to disclose all those obscure letters that are directed to us from heaven.  
Will you, O Princes, will you, O people, conceive what it is that God speaks when he sends a pestilence, when he sends a famine, when he sends war, when he brings estates to destruction, or in hazard to be destroyed? Go run over these names in the Vocabulary of the Almighty.  
But the weak and weary eyes of our mind eschew the light of the truth, they precipitate themselves into an abyss of miseries, and among the obscurities of the night grope for the splendour of the sun: Thus we renounce the prerogatives of the new law.  
It is not the way to get forth of the Clouds in which the Israelites walked, for men, but to change them. Those divine mysteries which they beheld only clouded up in darkness, are now most transparently observed in a clear sky; yet the causes of the Revolutions of States, of the increase of one, of the diminution of another, of the fall of Princes, of Famine, of Pestilence, of war, were openly displayed to them, and we on the contrary envelop them in the obscurity of a thousand ambiguities, as if that were not true which the greatest Divines have told us, that the Chastisements which came upon the Israelites befell them for our example.  
God speaketh but once (saith Job) and speaketh not again: the holy writ is that book in which he hath spoken: there than ought to be searched the causes of good or bad events, where clearly and for our sakes they are written.  
To frame politic aphorisms, to set down rules for it taken from profane authors, is in a manner to pretend that man's will is necessary and conducing.  
Nay I could find in my heart to say that it is an undeifying of God, and a deifying of the second causes: He makes them serve his turn, but them he serves not. He that in discussing upon natural events brings in God only for a reason, is but a poor Philosopher; and he that brings him not in, in Inquiries of politic occurrences, is but a poor Christian; when it is his pleasure that the fire which at one time scorched should at another cool, 
Vid. Da●  he must have recourse to his almighty power in working miracles, but he may very well without miracles give way, that the same action which at one time hath reared up a Prince, should at another sink him.  
Our too leaden wings cannot eagle us up from this base earth, we walk in a gloomy air, without lifting up our eyes to that most glorious sun of the Empireum.  
The politic treatises of the Gentiles which are but earthly, bring us back to earth, in that they have in them but earthly causes, but the holy instructions which are sent us from heaven producing heavenly causes, bring us home to heaven. O most benign Lord, may it please thee to give to drink of thy most clear and living water, this thirsty wretch who forsakes the stinking and muddy cisterns of the Gentiles, rather loathing them than satisfied with them.  
If I knew not myself unworthy to be taken out of the darkness of my gross ignorance, I would most humbly and upon my knees entreat thee for one ray which like the dawning leading me on to the most clear noon, might at this present in some part draw me out of the obscurity of this dim night, that I might discover those deep and profound mysteries which are concealed from the feebleness of our understandings.  
The Prophet Samuel reproves Saul, because that contrary to God's commandment, he had left Agag King of the Amalekites alive, and had not slain all his cattle.  
THe disobedience of Saul gives the last turn to the wheel of his greatness: It is a fire which consumeth crowns, for they are soldered with obedience. He knoweth not what belongs to matter of state that loseth this towards God: he teacheth others to forgo it toward their superiors, and as much as in him lies, destroys the compacture of the universe.  
Disobedience is the offspring either of the arrogance of the brain, or of the weakness of the senses; either that men think to do better than they are commanded, or that they are inclined to do worse; In one of these the frailty sometimes meets with compassion, in the other the contempt always provokes to vengeance: This can never be in regard of God, because it is not possible to be wiser than God, and when it is practised among men, although it may often seem to produce good fruit, yet is it always naught, as that which proceeds from an evil plant. Well ordered commonwealths have not forborn to punish it, though prosperous victories ill disciplined bringing with them more damage than defeatments do.  
Saul excuses himself in that the people had preserved the best of the spoil to sacrifice them to God: Obedience is better than Sacrifice (answers Samuel.)  
GOd had already ordained the Sacrifice when he had commanded that all the men, and all the cattle of the Amalekites should be slain; so many Priests they were, that were appointed to kill them, so many sacrifices as to be killed.  
There want not this day such Saul's, that sacrifice to God the sacrifices of disobedience. These golden mountains heaped up with impiety that seems sometimes to adorn them, defile the altars of God, they only garnish the ambition of man: he that thinks with these to pacify his divine majesty, incenseth it: as much as in him lies, with execrable blasphemy proclaims that majesty to be most wicked, and makes him partaker of his misdeeds, as if he were bound to be appeased with him, so he may but have a share in the purchases of his villainies.  
The Prophet replies, Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord bath rejected thee from being King. Saul says to him, I have sinned, return with me that I may worship the Lord.  
SEe the power of ambition, which hath oftentimes more force upon the hearts of men than the commandments of God have: He makes as if he repented, because he fears to lose the kingdom: he repents not because he cares not for losing Heaven But (Oh the deceivable judgements of men) because he repents not, he loseth the kingdom of Heaven; when happily had he repented, he had lost neither the kingdom nor heaven.  
He that will learn the best art for preserving of states, let him read the decalogue, he shall find there in ten lines dictated by the holy Ghost, those directions that are the most assured for the achieving of heaven, and the least deceitful for sovereignty upon earth: policy is a Sea so inconstant, so turbulent, that there is no place to be found in it where we have not seen one Prince or other cast away, it is a piece of Architecture so decayed, that it always threatneth to fall down, that to keep the frame of the world upon its basis, God, that heaven and earth may not be confounded, permits it still to be tottering, yet sometimes under those that observe his own precepts.  
Samuel offers to depart; Saul takes him by the skirt of his garment and tears it: Even so shall the kingdom of Israel be rent from thee, addeth the Prophet.  
Do not (Oh ye Princes) spoil your subjects; Let the vestments of the Priests be sacred in your eyes: he that spoileth the subject is not a Prince; he is a Tyrant: he loseth the name if he lose not the estate.  
God hath many times made garments express his intentions, peradventure because they are in some sort a part of ourselves while they are united to us. The spirits which continually exhale out of our bodies, are those that cause this union.  
The Coats of beasts are very certain signs of their nature, as the Garments of men are of their conceit, for as that apparels the one kind, so the other doth the other. Every country hath its difference of Garment because each hath its difference of conceit, which hath not a clothing of her own, hath not a Prince of her own: Against such a one peradventure one of the Prophets exclaimed in threatning terms when he said, Woe be to you which go clad in strange garments: It may go for a kind of a sure token, that if they have not a stranger to theri sovereign, they would have one. A horse's coat shows his constitution, and a man's his inclination.  
Saul answereth that he hath sinned, yet prays the Prophet again to return with him to the sacrifice, and to honour him before the Elders of the people.  
TO leap from Religion to hypocrisy, to offend and therewith to defend himself, is not to serve God, but to make God serve his turn, and when one cannot deceive him, to deceive others by him. The cause of so great an impiety is that execrable proposition never enough deplored, That 'tis all one, to be good, and to seem good. This may be true in regard of men whose knowledge is but opinion.  
No sooner was Saul made acquainted with the will of God, but he seeks how to hinder it; no sooner leaves he to be religious, but he becomes a Politician; as if the cunning of state which is not sufficient to defend us against men, were able to defend us against God.  
The certain knowledge that a Prince is to lose his estate, raises up many to look after it. There is no fearing of him whose fortunes the heavens oppose, and men are very gladly instruments of God's anger. If men were among us as zealous to remunerate the good as they are to chastise the bad, and rewards were equal to punishments, peradventure the world would be better than it is: but because punishment many times is accompanied with profit, and Reward with some loss, men are more inclined to punish than to reward: And it is very convenient that in this world the Chastisements should be greater than the Rewards, to make us know that in the other the Rewards shall be greater than the Chastisements.  
Samuel had said that he would not return, yet he returneth afterward, though not to sacrifice with Saul, yet to sacrifice Agag, not as Minister of hypocrisy, or of policy, but of Religion: he causes Agag to be brought before him, that he might slay him. He considers in him the Image of a Tyrant waxen fat with the blood and substance of his subjects, and trembling at the anger of God. The Prophet saith unto him; As thy sword hath made many women childless, so shall thy mother be made childless among women, and so he killeth him.  
KNow you why the Lord said, he that striketh with the sword, shall perish with the sword? To add force to the law of nature, that saith, do not that to another which thou wouldst not have done to thee: but little would this, if God had not added; for that which thou dost to another shall be done to thee: the one doth instruct, and the other terrify us. If God should not sometimes punish sins in this world, they would not believe that there is a God; if he should always punish sins in this world, men would think there were no other world for them but this.  
Samuel departeth to Ramah, and there mourneth for Saul, because God repenteth that he had made him King.  
PRinces may well think it is no shame to remove those from their charge, that carry themselves shamefully therein: yet need they not regard that false rule of policy, that to change their Ministers before their time is to submit themselves to their subjects, to accustom them to dislike of their governors, and a prejudicial thing to their dominion in permitting them not to have the election, yet at least the approbation of his Ministers, who may thereby be more apt to prefer the appetite of the people, before the service of the Prince. The malignity of men hath mistaken the terms, this is not to give way to the people, 'tis but to give them ear. It is no loss of authority, but a purchase, and it shall never accustom the subjects to complain of such officers which deserve well, to take away those who deserve ill.  
Man who is moulded of base matter attributeth to himself more oftentimes than to God; who though he can never repent, yet having chosen a Minister who turneth to evil, doth speak and work as if he repented. And man who on many occasions to repent, either repenteth not at all, or else proceeds, as if he had not repented.  
The lamentations of Samuel appease not God, and why should his weepings appease him for Saul, when Saul himself weeps not?  
HOw oft doth the righteous offer sacrifice for the sinner, whiles the sinner himself is sacrificing to the devil? whiles the one labours to appease God, the other provoketh him farther. It might seem unto God that the righteous intercessor were a liar in craving pardon for him that refuseth it, if God did not know that the sinner is like to a mad man, who oft hath need of one of understanding to speak to the Physician for him.  
God in some sort complains against Samuel, when he saith, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul? God could not (if one may say so) endure his lamenting, and not harken to his suit. These are those waters which in a manner offer violence to Heaven; The Spirit of God moveth upon such waters, and they make a river of oblivion in Paradise. The tears which are shed, the prayers which are said, and the supplications which are sent up to God for others, are as acceptable to God, and more peradventure than if they were made for themselves: They are esteemed of more merit, at least in regard of the morality of the action. Why th●● do some Princes persuade themselves, that they satisfy the obligatios wherein they are obliged to some one, when they yield him his suit which he hath made for another? Or to say more truly, why do some favourites believe that there is such an impiety in their Princes? Let them call to mind that the office of a favourite is the office of an angel, and ought therefore to present the suits and supplications of the subjects to their Lord, and to bring back the gracious grants of the Lord unto the subjects; he that doth the contrary is a devil, and no angel.  
Fill thy horn with oil (saith God to the Prophet) and go to Ishai the Bethleemite, for amongst his sons I have provided me a King: he answers, How can I go, for if Saul hear of it, he will kill me.  
THus he answereth, not because he feareth death, but because he is desirous to do service unto God; he much prizes his life in that case wherein to die is not to obey: Hence let those that are employed by their Princes learn that the death of the servant is seldom the service of the Lord. It ought indeed to be received courageously, but never to be encountered but when it is very useful, and when the dying is an obeying. A man of worth is a high prized instrument of the greatness of his Prince, if he cares not to preserve himself for his own sake, yet he ought to be careful of preservation for his Lord and Master's sake. Every man that is fitted to die is not fit to do service. It is true also what I have said even in the common soldier, (whose life rather than his brain is dedicated to the Prince's service) that he ought also to endeavour to obey, and not to die. He that runs headlong on death, doth not spend his life to the advantage, but casts it away to the loss of his Lord; his service is to overcome, and not to die, and indeed they lose that are slain. To expose needlessly to death that body which can do service to its Prince, but whiles it lives, is a most pernicious desire of vain glory, contrary to good policy, against good military discipline, and an affection full of deceit and flattery; into which even the Generals whose life is most precious, do often precipitate themselves, as if it were a greater bravery to fight than to command. But that Army is but in a bad taking (pardon me this digression) whose safety consisteth in the arm, not in the brain of the general. To know how to command well in war, is a part of the imaginative faculty. The imagination to work well requireth a good measure of heat, whose contrary is fear, which how little so ever it be, the other abates, and how little so ever that abates, the imagination is disturbed; whence it comes to pass that to be afraid and to command well cannot stand together: But how many are there that incited more by Honour than by Courage, do both fight and fear? these may handle the sword well, but yet not apt for command. The heating of the brain is not in our own power, as is the managing of the hands: we have no command over that, howsoever 〈…〉 dominion we have over 〈…〉 for otherwise 〈…〉 not blame 〈…〉 nature necessarily in us. Thence it follows that there is no greater or surer sign of a brave courage than to command well in a battle; where both Reputation and life, yea, and many times the State itself comes upon the stage.  
The Lord willeth Samuel to take him a calf out of the flock, and to say that he is come to do sacrifice.  
BEcause God could succour him by ordinary means, he would not have recourse to extraordinary. If he should always be doing of miracles, men would not think his Providence so great in creating the second causes; and if he never used miracles, he should not perhaps be known to be almighty. Where God worketh many miracles, there is commonly great need of them; and where there is such need, there is but little faith. When he is not known by his Impression, stamp, or Image, which he hath imprinted in the things by him created, than he findeth it requisite to make himself seen in the works of his omnipotency.  
Samuel obeyeth the Lord, goeth and calleth Ishai and his sons to the sacrifice, and looking on Eliab supposeth him to be the man whom he should anoint, because he is the tallest and the goodliest of person.  
Had the Prophet been of the opinion of those Philosophers, who have censured men of great stature to be void of wisdom, he would not at the first sight so much have respected the tallness of stature. I for my part am not of that opinion, but do hold it to be most false.  
IF those Philosophers believed the nearness of the brain to the stomach, doth trouble the operations of the understanding, and if they have also imagined to themselves, that the vital spirits which ascend from the heart, may be made animal spirits, for the service and operation of the brain are unapt for such effect, unless they be first somewhat cooled (because of the incompatibility of wisdom with heat) wherefore have they not also affirmed the taller sort of men to be wiser than the little, as having their brain farther distant from the perturbations of the stomach, and their spirits not so hot by reason of their long way, and larger distance from their original? Peradventure they are deceived, in that they believe that men are always great by the forming Power, through the superabundance of matter, not observing that many times there concurreth with it as a principal Instrument the quantity of heat, as it is commonly verified in those whose tallness is accompanied with slenderness. It hath therefore been noted as a true observation, that the tall men that have little heads, and the little men which have great, have more brain than the rest, which cometh to pass not as many have thought, because the little head in the great body, and the great in the little maketh a mediocrity in the ordinary stature of men; which is false if we measure the mediocrity of the part in respect of the whole of which it is a part: But because the little head in a great man, is a sign that the extension did proceed of heat, and by consequence that the littleness of that member cometh through defect of matter in the bony and fleshy parts, which being but small, produceth the thinner and more delicate Organs which do not obstruct, or hinder the operations of the brain. The little man having a great head, is an argument that it is full of brain, especially if he be but slender, for it cannot be ascribed to the thickness of the skull, because that Nature would rather have employed that matter to have made the man taller or greater. I am excusable if I seek by reason to overthrow this doctrine, because I am willing to verify it by the example of mine own stature.  
The Lord willeth Samuel not to regard the countenance of Eliab, nor the tallness of his stature, but he had refused him, judging not as men do by the outward appearance, but beholding the Heart.  
Lo here the vanity of metoposcopy and physiognomy is pointed at. Beauty or comeliness is a most perfect consonancy arising out of the symmetry and proportion of the first Qualities: It gets in the eye because it is fair; It attracts the will because it is good, it moves the understanding because it is true. The Poets in the vanity of their fables have haply come near unto the truth calling beauty by the name of the Sun, of the Stars, & of Heaven: It is certainly a piece of that Harmony which the motions and aspects of the Heavens, of the Sun, and of the stars do incite, and hath such a radiant light in itself, that (though we know not why) it doth if not enforce our minds, yet certainly incline them strongly. The Providence of God hath seldom informed the fairest body with the fairest mind, that men might not believe, that from the same Harmony of temperament of the stars, from which proceeds the beauty of the one, that of the other did proceed likewise.  
Ishai having finally brought forth his sons before Samuel to the number of seven, he refusing them all, asketh whether he hath no more: Ishai answering, there is yet one which is feeding of the sheep, the Prophet causeth him to be sent for, and anointeth him in the midst of his Brethren, being the same whom the Lord had appointed in the stead of Saul.  
GOd having at first chosen for King, the tallest that was in Israel, chooseth the second time the least that was in the house of Ishai: The first shall be last, and the last shall be first, (saith the Lord) who then chose the last to be the first. There is no difference of time with God, in whose eternity there is neither first nor second. The eldest may be stoutest, but are not usually the wisest. That tenderness that commonly enfeebleth the Children of our old Age, maketh the organs of their understanding more tender and delicate. The cold of him that engendereth, gives them the more wisdom, and his organs the better discourse: whence it comes, that if the last begotten be commonly the weakest, yet they are oft and many times the wisest. He that bringeth David from the sheephook to the sceptre, and exalteth him from the stable to the kingdom, it is he that humbled himself from his kingdom to the stable: he that is both a shepherd and a King, maketh him a King who was but a shepherd. There is a kind of analogy in all sorts of Commands. He that said that to know well how to order a table, was a sign that he knew also how to marshal an army, might as well say, that he that could well keep a flock of sheep, had the skill how to govern a people well.  
God from the fold hath taken Kings, from husbandry and hunting Tyrants. The husbandman will have the earth to produce that which naturally it doth not, and that it should produce he wounds it. The huntsman by shedding the blood of poor innocent beasts, groweth to be delighted in cruelty: But the shepherd conducts his flock to pasture, brings it back to the fold, preserveth it from maladies, and defends it from wolves: his taking their milk, & their wool, is a disburthening of them, not a wounding. Let Kings learn to take their Ministers sometimes even of the sheepfold. The best men are not always in the greatest Palaces: a lowly Cottage oftentimes encloses a high spirit, and a ragged rock a very clear diamond.  
The good spirit departeth from Saul, and the evil one entreth into him.  
God's refusals are the devils purchases: where the one departs, if the other enters not, he at least draws very near, either to perturb or to possess.  
Let us seek out one that can play well (say the servants of Saul) that the King may be eased, when he is molested by the evil spirit.  
THey believed peradventure that the melancholic humour being stirred up, they that are oppressed by it might be eased by melody.  
There have been some of opinion that melancholy is produced of the devil. The wiser sort if they did not believe that it is of his production, yet judged that it may easily prove to be of his introduction, and therefore termed it the Bath of the devil, because it is the Lees, because it is black, because it hath an analogy with the darkness of sin: The occasion of their belief was the seeing sometimes how by the fixation thereof men were lifted up or elevated in an ecstasy: Yea, and sometimes how the sharpness thereof irritating the brain, and stirring the Images therein, hath made some to speak things whereof before they were not held capable; whence I think it came to pass, that many oppressed with the greatness of the effects produced by this humour, have often judged the animal spirits to be infernal spirits.  
I deny not, there are found some melancholic persons possessed with devils, or that melancholy is an apt bath for the devil; but I affirm it not only of the gross, thick and dark melancholy, but even of that also which produceth the subtlest and lightest spirits. He hath need of active bodily instruments for his operations in the body. He joins himself therefore gladly with the subtlest and finest spirits, because they being in some sort of a middle nature, being corporeal and incorporeal, are a more proportionate receptacle for a spirit to unite himself to a thing that is merely corporeal. An ancient Sage believed that our soul which he imagined to be at first clothed with air, had need of the like organs to join it to the body, whereunto he thought it not united but assistant; neither are there wanting among the Divines those that have conceived the Angles to be clothed in like manner.  
They tell Saul of David, that he is strong, a valiant man of war, can play well, is a wise and a comely person, and that God is with him.  
HOw should the devil continue his possession, being to be assailed with so many prerogatives, but that finding in them some rays of the glorious archangel Michael, he must needs sly and hide himself in the bottomless pit of hell?  
Saul sendeth to Ishai for his son that keepeth the sheep, whom Ishai doth send unto him with some presents.  
MEn ought not to come before Princes without presents, nor to depart from them without thanksgivings.  
Saul maketh him his Armour-bearer, and writes unto his father that he doth not send him his son again, because he hath found favour in his sight.  
ANd who is he that is so gracious in the eyes of Saul? It is even he that is to take his kingdom from him: It is an extraordinary thing amongst men, that their loves become their overthrows: the affections of a corrupt mind, like those of adiseased body, are always pernicious; nor are they motions of Nature, but the motions of that which hath destroyed Nature, she inclines not to that which corrupts her, if she be not already corrupted; and if she be corrupted, she is dead, she is gone.  
David sung and played when Saul was vexed with the devil, and then the devil left him, not because of David's music, but his goodness.  
HAd the devil a body, music might haply be able to chase him out, being unable to endure the power of melody: he who is a friend to it, is an enemy to sin. One that writ hereof, took the delighting in harmony, to be a moral sign of predestination: sin discomposeth all the consonancies in man, making a discord between the inferior and superior parts, which is the cause of all evil, and finally of the last of all dissonancies, which is Death.  
If Health be but a Harmony of the Temperament, and sickness a dissonancy, why are humours molested? why farther distempered with divers medicaments, and not rather reduced to a true temper with consonancies? Music would be the truest medicine for all Maladies, if we knew the right and true proportion, and how to apply to each that kind of consonancy that would correct it: If any aromatic music hath been able to stir up the melancholic humour and to enrage it, why should not the contrary be effectual to qualify and restrain it?  
If Nature in our maladies did happily feel that due consonancy that were requisite, she would peradventure rouse up herself as well as the string of an Instrument; which though it be without life, yet stirs and moveth itself, as soon as it feeleth a perfect union. She discovers the truth hereof, in those that are stung or bitten by the Tarantula, when we see that Nature strives not to deliver herself from that poison, until she be first stirred with that consonancy, whose proportion doth correct her. This is not proper to that malady alone, but all other I believe would in the like manner be cured, if the Consonancies of all were as well known: But the ignorance of men, and the discomposed nature of sin, makes us run to the Physician, when we should have recourse to the Musician.  
The Philistines come to assault the Israelites, Saul with his army goeth to encounter them, each of them planteth his army on the edge of a hill, and leave the valley between them: There was in the Philistines Army a man called Goliath.  
He was a Giant, and he was a bastard; The Giant hath for his Correlative the rash and foolhardy: he being greater than men, thinks himself equal with God, as if where humanity doth end, there must needs divinity begin, and that there were not rather an infinite distance between. This is that Generation that opened the Cataracts of Heaven, which made the sea overflow the Land; antiquity could no way describe them so well as to describe their fighting against God. The greatest individuals of one Species, are for the most part Lucifer's.  
He was a Bastard, and Bastards are commonly valorous, because they come of Parents that were a norous. The Birth and Parentage, which ordinarily makes men hide their Talents, with the glories of their forepassed Ancestors, which bringeth them that are present and living asleep, hath no place in these who being oftentimes poor and despised, yet finding in themselves the spirit of those that begot them, in a desperate manner, get up to the steepest of the mount of Glory, always egged on by the bitter touches of their spotted beginning; the continual reproach and perpetual spur of generous spirits. But if on the contrary their minds be dejected with their miseries into a dead sleep, and will not be excited and awakened with the sharp stings of Honour, they are not worthy to be reckoned amongst men; whence it ariseth that Bastards most commonly light upon the extremes either of valour or of baseness.  
This Goliath desieth the Israelites to a single combat, he requires that the fortune of the whole war may he restrained to the fortune of one petty duel.  
TO hazard their whole fortune, without hazarding at the same time all their forces, hath been taken to be no well advised course: which yet peradventure might do well enough, if men could be content to lose all their fortune, before they had lost all their forces. The present victories then might facilitate the future. But such Conditions if ever they be promised, are very seldom observed. Such single Combats are but Preludiums to set battles, and the happy success therein is rather a sign that men may conquer, than that they have done it. The Constellation of that party whose Champion hath been Victor, is then taken to be stronger, when it shall appear that he is governed by that which appertains to the King, and not by his own peculiar.  
There was none amongst the Israelites, but was afraid of this man. The King promiseth to give him his daughter in Marriage, that shall overcome him.  
REwards make valour appear, which lay hid before: they produce it, they do not create it. It is great prudence in men to moderate their promises when they are in great dangers: To make too large ones, is a token of fearfulness, and oftentimes doth not prevent the danger, but changeth it: To deliver from great dangers, yields great reputation; Rewards increase strength and reputation, and strength endangers the State: From hence it comes that Promises are not kept, not because they are made with purpose not to keep them, but because men are changed with their change of fortune, and he that should perform, is no longer the same that promised.  
David, who was returned home, comes now into the army, to bring certain presents to the Officers, under whom his Brethren did serve: he inquires concerning the business in hand: he asks what shall be the reward. His elder brother rebukes him of pride and overweening.  
THis man discerns not Pride from Fortitude, because he looked on his brother with an envious eye, not with an eye of love. There are many virtues which have their operations common with vice, being distinguished only by the Intent: which because it cannot be seen, is judged of by others, and men's judgements are not always without passion, it seldom happens that they judge without error. He would not have any adventure on that which he dares not adventure on: Those defects that are common, seem rather the defects of mankind, than of any particular persons: he lays the blame on us, that by being free from such defects himself, acquits nature of them too.  
David is brought before Saul, who seeing him so young, telleth him that he is not able to fight with the Giant, who was experienced in war from his youth.  
PRinces ought not to put any upon a great enterprise, who hath not first been brought up and tried in things of the like nature. Danger hath not the same look with it when we are near it, as when we are at a distance; when 'tis far off from us, our understanding represents only the Honour and the Profit; but when we approach face to face, we see nothing oftentimes, but the horror of Death.  
It is true that Courage is a real thing in a man, yet nevertheless he knows not that he hath it, till experience hath made him know that he hath had it. There are many that prove better upon trial than they thought they should have done; and many come short of the opinion they had of themselves. Wise men are very fearful of danger, because they have considered well of it: but when they come to try it, and are no longer to consider of it, they stand no longer in fear of it. On the contrary, they which are of little judgement, imagining all things alike, when they find it otherwise than they imagined, they grow also many times to be other manner of men, than before they held themselves for.  
David to encounter this doubt of Saul, declareth how he had smitten bears, and how he had slain Lions.  
TO recount our own doughty Acts is oftentimes vanity, here it is of necessity: he did not rehearse it to show that he had overgone great dangers, but to undergo greater; not to be commended, but to be commanded.  
Saul resolves to let David go to fight; he puts on him his own Armour, which David being not able to manage, puts it off.  
EVen as little men cannot fight well with great Armour, so neither can the lesser Princes with those greater. He that hath not fitted himself with armour of his own, is not to fight in another's. Patroclus came not to his Death till he put on that of Achilles. This is the common Doctrine of the Politicians, yet I take it sometimes to fail in regard that there are often found men of that worth, that like Ostriges, they convert others arms into their own substance. This may come to pass, when one receiving an army without a Head, makes himself to be obeyed, and managing them by his valour, brings himself into great estimation; If Generals that were no Princes, have sometimes drawn by such means the Armies to be at their Devotion, and have gotten kingdoms by such Armies as were not their own, why should not a valorous Prince be able to do it by the arms of his Friends?  
David goeth with his staff and his sling, with five smooth stones against the Giant.  
He had no need of other Armour, he was armed with his confidence in God. He which hath this Armour, can never perish: If we happen to be deceived, 'tis because we deceive ourselves, having our confidence in those things in which we ought not, or not having so much as we ought; to bring forth a true act of Confidence, is a very difficult thing: There is requisite a great assistance of God to make one truly and only rely on the help of God. If such acts were more frequent amongst us, we should not haply account so many Events to be miracles. They that teach us how notwithstanding our Confidence in God, we ought to do as much as we can, or otherwise in stead of trusting in God we should presume upon him, their meaning may haply be, that it were but a rash presumption to persuade ourselves that we have produced any true act of Confidence; but not if we firmly believe that God for his part would assuredly help us, when we for our part should produce such an Act.  
The Giant derides David, curseth & disdains him, but he putting a stone in his sling, throws it at him, hitteth him in the forehead, makes him fall grovelling on his face to the ground, and running upon him cutteth off his head with his sword.  
IT hath been an ordinary thing in single combats, between a giantlike man and one of a meaner stature, that the little man hath had always the better: The Philosophers would attribute the cause to the Courage which is counted to be greater in the lesser heart; a small fire will heat a little room, when a larger will scarce be warmed with a great one. I have no assurance in this opinion, but would rather adventure (if I should not be thought too bold) to affirm that Courage consisteth not in the Heart, as is commonly held both by the ignorant vulgar, and many of the learned: Who knoweth that it is not rather produced by the same imaginative faculty out of which fear also proceedeth? how many that in their health were exceeding faint hearted, in raging fits have become rash and desperate, which was occasioned only by the heat of the brain? for if it proceeded from that of the Heart, they that are distempered with fevers should be always the most courageous: and what is it that makes hopeless men so resolute? Is it their Heart forsooth grown less or more heated than it was before? or their understanding rather which suggesteth unto them that there is no other way to escape death but by encountering it? To what purpose do men speak to cowards to animate them? Reason's may indeed work upon the brain, but are not able to heat the Heart: Who knoweth not, that the not knowing of the danger makes men adventurous? Whence it comes that the wisest are not always the most courageous. Hardiness (and herein I refer myself to the better learned) is a certain kind of madness, consisting haply in a hot distemper of the brain, which permitteth no consideration or discourse of the danger of Death. He that in fighting thinks he shall be slain, cannot fight courageously. And albeit the Philosophers define the valiant man to be such a one as knowing the perils goes to encounter them, because it is just and honest. I believe it ought to be understood before he entreth into those dangers, because after he is once engaged, if he knew them he would faint. A wise man was of the mind, that fencers were more fearful than others, because they knew the danger more than others: It is not therefore the Heart, but the brain, and if it come from the Heart, it must be in regard that the same is the original of all the operations of the mind. The Divines going a surer way, would resolve this problem by saying, that it hath been the pleasure of God by humility to overthrow Pride, and by the least things to abase the greatest: If it were not so not only in men, but also in States and Empires, there would be no tides and ebbs in the world, but he that was once the greatest should always so continue, seeing he could not be overcome by a lesser.  
The Politicians would allege disdain to be the cause: he that despiseth his enemy, doth not strive with all his might, but employing some part only, and that with no great heed, is often overcome by one who being weaker than he, opposeth him with the utmost of his strength and cunning: One of the greatest errors that I have observed in great Potentates, hath been to see how applying their forces on an enterprise, they have rather taken measure of the enemy than themselves, opposing against him only so much of their strength, as they conjectured to be answerable to the present affairs; and whereas with a greater power they might have been sure of victory, with an equal one they have either lost it, or at least prolonged the wars with more expense of men and money. It is very difficult to measure the proportion of things by their Beginnings. Children's garments must be allowed to be somewhat larger than themselves, lest they growing greater, the garments become too little. It is enough for a meaner man if at the beginning he be enabled to resist a greater, that so he may but get him reputation, and by the means thereof he can procure himself adherents and protectors.  
The Giant was no sooner slain, but the Army of the Philistines being discomfited, betakes itself to flight; and the Israelites pursue and slay them.  
THat army whose trust is in the straightness of some passage, in the height of any situation, in the strength of their Trenches, in the valour of a man, or in any one special thing of good defence, is easily overcome by him who shall be assuredly persuaded, that if he can but overthrow such a part, or slay such a man, or pass through the difficulties of such a hill, or such fortifications, he shall find no other resistance, and therefore shall he set forward very stoutly and courageously: Because men having once lost that by which they were confident they should overcome, being dejected, think there is nothing left that can defend them against the valour of their enemies. But that army which relies upon it entire self equally throughout is in a manner invincible; It may peradventure be routed, utterly discomfited it cannot: Every one will fight to the Death, because every one trusting in himself, will not distrust of the victory, until he hath lost his life.  
The slaughter being ended, David returns with the giant's head. Saul inquires of Abner who he is: Abner not knowing him, goes to meet him, and brings him unto Saul: He asks him whose son he is: he answers, he is the son of Ishai.  
SEe how fading or how displeasing the memory of benefits is in Princes; either Saul did not remember David, or else he was not willing to remember him: he that but a little before had found so much favour in his sight, hath now lost it both in his sight and memory: The memory of a benefit lasts well, if it lasts as long as the benefit, and the respect that is begotten thereby often dies before its Father. If Reasons may be rendered for the affection of a Prince towards a Courtier, be they drawn of Profit or out of Pleasure, or whether accompanied with honesty, yet is it a thing but of small continuance: If it follow Reason, it forms a habit of which cometh satiety, and if it be not grounded on Reason, the ground of such affection faileth. It is a vanity to think ourselves able to yield a reason of the affectionate favours of Princes: Those are great, and slowly will they end, for which there can no reason be given how they came to begin. There are stars which incline them thereunto by their influences, neither are those loves always happy, for neither are the aspects of these always favourable: In this manner haply that great scholar meant it, though he was not so understood, when he seemed to doubt, whether any reason could be given of the Inclinations of Princes, or whether they depended on the Course of their nativity. And whereas in all other occurrents he had showed himself a friend unto reason, he never spoke of this Argument or matter, but made a present recourse unto destiny, which having once coupled and conjoined with the course of the Nativity, there is no doubt but he meant it by the operation of the stars. Politicians may cease to teach the ways to obtain the favour of Princes; men must be borne to it, not taught it. A man may by his valour and wisdom make himself well esteemed, but yet not beloved.  
When he had made an end of speaking, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, in a knot of amity.  
Wonderful things are Friendship and Love, whence they proceed (with all respect, and far from all presumption be it spoken) men have not yet well declared for all their philosophy. Some have thought them to be the daughters of Abundance, and of Want; but this were a taxing of Love and amity with imperfection, and to deny the prime and chief love which we call the holy spirit: for in the three divine Persons there can be no defect. The rest of the Philosophers, have deduced the original from the similitude of the parties loving, some from the Heaven, some from the stars, some from the temper, some from the Manners, & some finally from the features, yet peradventure they have all mistaken: for if love came from the resemblance, a man should rather love the male than the female; and whereas Love is but seldom reciprocal, it should be always answered with like affection; seeing one thing cannot be said to be like another, but that the other must also be like to it. I believe that there are some Constellations conducing to Friendship, and others to Love, which produce in their subject, a kind of lovely Character which cometh not of the Temper, but rather of some (I know not what) celestial impressions which the Heavens and stars with their operations have left imprinted in that tender body, and that he is most beloved that hath most thereof, and that he who hath less cannot be the object of Love, but only of good will or respect. The reason whereof is because beauty is the object of Love: Yet not Beauty which is like unto ours, but that which is greater, otherwise there would not (no not in Patria) be any love towards God: And if sometimes here we love our equal, it is either because then we see none more worthy, or because we do not reflect thereon. But only that excellence which is in God is the adequate object of Love, because that only which is in God is the adequated object of our will: and if we could see him as he is, he should infallibly make us love with him. But because we are here as but in Via, he is not so represented to us: we turn our eyes to admire that celestial beauty where we find it best imprinted among us, and is often termed Gratia divisata, which consisteth neither in the symmetry of the Humours, nor the Proportion of the Lineaments, albeit it oftentimes accordeth and agreeth well with them both when it is not hindered by any defect in the matter, and so sometimes, but not always the fairest be the best beloved. Hence we may learn the reason of the little correspondence, and the much mutability in Love: It is not always counterchanged, for if the greater Beauty be beloved, that which is beloved will not love that which loveth it. It is changed as oft as there is represented to us greater beauty than which we love. Yet it is not sufficient that it be represented unto us, if we do not reflect upon with a desire, and therefore many leave not their first love, because they permit not any new object of love to enter into their mind.  
Saul suffereth not David to return home, but setteth him over his army: he is very gracious in the eyes of the people, and particularly of the servants of the King.  
THe subject that is grown great, diminisheth the glory of his Master: 〈…〉 shall a Prince take then 〈◊〉 but of slender worth? If he take not worthy men to 〈◊〉, how will he govern his kingdom? If he take such, how will he be a King? He is not King over others that hath in his Palace a greater man than himself. If his stare be unsettled, he loseth his state; if the state be safe, his reputation: With great reason men might complain of Nature, if they were not for the most part commanded by the better. He that holds the sceptre, is not the King, he is but the servant of his Minister who obeyeth him. Crowns come by Inheritance, 'tis true; but not the faculties of ruling: If fortune give those to whom she pleaseth, Nature disposeth the other to him that deserves. That Proposition of the Philosophers is most true, that some are bound to Command and others to obey: This is confirmed by him that divided the signs of the zodiac into commanding and obeying signs. This truth is not overthrown by seeing him to hold a sceptre that was borne fitter for the mattock; though he play the King, he is not a King.  
David cometh to Jerusalem, with the Head of the Giant, the women meet him, rejoicing, and ascribe more to him in their singing than to Saul, who is displeased thereat.  
SHort and unhappy are the favours of the People; short, for like the floating of the sea it is tossed with every wind; a Sea that in the same haven wherein one time it hath secured ships, another sinks them. Unhappy are they, because it is as a violent star, whose radiall beams may be good, but not lucky; it never raiseth any but to make their downfalls the greater: unhappy love because it hath for a Correlative the Prince's hatred: The Prince is not Lord of that people that loveth another better than him: If he be Master of their bodies and means, the other is Master over their Hearts and minds: But good God how shall a man behave himself? must a man's valour needs become his infelicity? A wise man may indeed not desire applause, but he cannot hinder it, except he leave those qualities for which he is applauded, or depart from them that applaud him. Ought he then to forgo the Talents which God hath bestowed on him? or employ them only among wild beasts in the horrid wildernesses, or in solitary places? The eminent virtue of men, if it be not the cause of their Death, is so of their Banishment: At the first they are sought to out of necessity, and then again they are expelled under colour of necessity. The Tree that was esteemed for its shadow, to shelter us from the heat of the summer, is afterwards cut down to defend us from the cold of the winter. The same man whom Princes embraced in the heat of their necessity, is he whom they cut down in the cold of their jealousy.  
Saul since that never looked aright on David.  
NAture teacheth when we look on our enemy to give a violent Metum to our aspect, whether by staring fiercely, or looking askew upon him, to strike him with our very spirits, and with the greatest quantity and worst quality that may be. He that thinks them not to issue out of the eyes, and that they proceed not to touch the object, when it is near them, is deceived, and he that believes it, will not deny that they have their operation on that subject. If the only diversity of the aspect make the self same radiation of the star, to be sometimes gracious, and sometimes deadly, why should not the eyes, being the stars of this little world, have power to diversify their effects, according to the diversity of their aspects.  
It was not long ere the devil assaulted Saul again; and when David played and sung, to deliver him from the oppression of the spirits, he with a spear in his hand would have slain him, but David avoided the blow and departed.  
THat Tyrant is put to a shrewd pinch, that is grown jealous of a subject of worth and reputation: If he kill him, he fears the rising of the people: If he suffer him, he doubts his raising of them. Now he accounts himself happy if in his oppressing him, he could make the faults of his will to be laid upon the ignorance of his understanding, and with the imputation of a madman smother that of an ungrateful. A most wicked piece of policy, to make our greatest defects the best instruments of our Government: There hath been one that made use of drunkenness, to secure himself of the most valorous man of his army; and Saul doth the like by his vexation with spirits to make David away: Such colourable carriages do move the ignorant rout to compassion, rather than to rebellion, whiles they give place to Princes to bewail the death of those, whom themselves have slain, and to make them believe that their tears of joy are tears of lamentation.  
Saul perceived that God was with David, when he could not slay him with the casting of his spear, from which his valour could not defend him because he did not expect it, neither his wisdom because he did not foresee it.  
He that will know when God is with his enemy (and this is a moral and not a natural knowledge) let him not consider the conquests made by his valour, and by that which we call Prudence, but the helps he receiveth from natural inanimate things, as Clouds, winds, fires, snow, ice, rain and tempests; for they, as it is written, fulfil the will of God. What availeth our valour if God be not with us? and what is our Prudence if God do not govern it? It is nothing (I speak of politic Prudence,) for it is a good connexion of present, things with the future and those that are past: but of that which is past, and which is present, we know but little, and of what is to come we know nothing: For my part (in regard of future things) I esteem that as we give unto God an unproper attribute of that which he hath not, so we suppose also a virtue in man which is not in him. God hath not properly any prescience, because there is nothing future in respect of him, neither is there any Prudence in man, because he knoweth not what is to come. That which is in God is more properly to be termed knowledge, because it is intuitive, and the other in man may be called Chance, because it works on a subject which may be or not be.  
Then Saul began to be afraid of David.  
THat the Prince should be afraid of his subject, and the subject stand in fear of his Prince, hath been accounted a harmony to hold the State happily together. This opinion howsoever it may seem a witty conceit, while such fear keeps in the mean, & groweth not excessive, notwithstanding is most false: It is true that hot and dry may be corrected by degrees, even as heavy and light may be their Counterpoises, because the degrees of the one are known, and the weight also of the other; but the affections of the mind can hardly be counterpoised, because they have no firmness nor measure. Fear hath too sharp a prick for those that produce it, and is too troublesome a passion to them that own it; the one with the qualities that make them to be feared, are spurred on forward after the Government: The other cannot willingly hold themselves, in, because fear is a motion that is not natural but violent. There is no man that desireth not to free himself of it: The greater part attempt it, and in attempting it the State is troubled. If the Prince be he that feareth, he turneth to be a Tyrant; and if any subject make himself feared, 'twill breed a conspiracy; if the whole communality, a Rebellion. The subject aught to fear the Justice of his Prince, and the Prince that of God; if a subject make himself feared, he is no longer a subject, or intends not to be so; if the Prince be afraid, he is no longer Prince, or not like long to be. To think to make a Prince good by Art, may chance prove but foppery; they are rather borne to it than brought to it: The goodness of a Prince consisteth in I know not what in expressible mystery, that cannot be known, nor can be taught: It wanteth nothing of the last Individuation which gives it the being, and that same being and no other. This conceit of mine resolves the problem that demandeth how it comes to pass, that many who in the managing of great affairs, were held to be capable of the highest dignity and Dominion, having after attained to it, been found to be unfit for it.  
Saul made David a Colonel over a thousand soldiers, and said after that he would give him his daughter Merob to be his wife, supposing that to obtain her, he would so far adventure against the Philistines, that he would be slain.  
soul would that David should be slain, but God permitted not that he should be past the shame of being wicked, till it could no more hurt David, that Saul was past it. This error of advancing men that are rising, and not to know afterward how to take them down, hath often happened even to those that justly and without any offence of God ought to have done it. A star though but a Comet, because it is a light that is newly up, draweth all men's eyes to it, even theirs whose damage it threatneth. A man of worth can no sooner begin to appear, but Princes begin to embrace him, thinking to raise themselves by his Friendship, when indeed he raiseth himself by theirs, not heeding that in stead of growing they decrease. It is a difficult thing for one to advance himself, if he be not protected or impugned by a great one: Many times when one hath begun to advance another by protecting him, he raiseth him higher by crossing of him, not because it is likely he would then second him, but because he knoweth not how to extinguish him. Men are ashamed, yea, and sometimes afraid to show themselves open enemies of one that is thought to be their friend who hath deserved well of them, and is accounted valorous. They seek then by subtle sleights to overthrow him, and therewith advance him the more. They are not resolved to use force until their subtleties fail them, and when there is no security in using of force. Neither yet do I commend it if they then go about to second them, for the things that are forward in growing should never be seconded. Catiline by being opposed was overthrown, and though in Caesar it had not the like effect, it happened so, because he was first seconded, and afterwards opposed: Yet was it better once to resist than always to second him, because where the victory was doubtful, the loss had been certain. I am firmly persuaded that if Catiline had prevailed to be Emperor, and Caesar had been slain, the writers would have blamed the impugning of Catiline, and commended the opposing of Caesar; because there are many Politicians that make use of examples not to confirm their reasons, but to frame them. The errors of men consist in watering the Plant that groweth, placing it in their own garden, delighting in the Beauty of it, and not knowing that it is a kind of wolfs-bane, until they strain at it and pull it up, and then it killeth them. If the great ones knew what hurt they receive by showing themselves enemies to a little one, they would not permit any sparks to fly forth, if they were not such sparks as forthwith give fire to the gun, whose bullet should destroy them.  
Saul marries his daughter Merob to Adriel, whom he had promised to David, and causeth it to be told unto him, that he intendeth to give him his other daughter Michol that loved him: David answereth, that he is not worthy to be the King's son in law, because he is poor and of as meant pedigrees.  
MArriages are of power to further thing, formerly began, whether tending to enmity or to amity. Saul seeth not how in deceiving David he deceives himself; and thinking to lay an impediment in his way to the kingdom, he opens him the way thereunto. Some one hath made use of such means with better success, but with more cunning. He was a private person, and not yet a Prince, when he married his Sister to his equal, not unto his inferior, to lull him asleep without advancing him; and because he to whom he married her was not so wise as David, he hoped by such a marriage to have help to strengthen his side, and to find a just occasion to oppress his Kinsman. But Saul had no need of David's help to attain to that kingdom which he possessed already: he was without comparison greater than he, and might rather fear to increase the reputation of David, than to bring his prudent watchfulness asleep, which was not like to give him any just occasion to oppress him. It is no safe advice to advance men to the end to abuse them: The advancement is always successful, but there is difficulty often found in abasing them. This is written for one of the neatest pieces of policy, but I set it down amongst the most confused.  
Saul sendeth word to David, that he doth not disdain his poverty, and that he demands no other Dowry than a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.  
HEre comes now on the Stage one of the Engines which were hidden under the Honour of Marriage; to bring David in danger to be slain by the Philistines. If Nature had not often accompanied the most certain perils with the most conspicuous glories, it were a commendable course to expose them to such dangers whose reputation terrifies us; but because near the greatest downefals are the highest hills, it is not safe to let men climb up the tops of those mountains, where they may as well raise up as ruin themselves. Occasion is it which makes men wise, or which brings them to be known. He that at first sight could see into men of ability by a hidden token, should under pretence of Honour make them spend their days in delicacy and idleness, and not suffer men to have a sight of that light, which until it be stricken out doth never appear. The seeds of Plants that are kept in vessels of Gold, or of pearl, or of precious stone, are honoured thereby, but being as buried and become barren, they bring forth no buds unless they be first cast into the soil of the earth. Without motion there is no Augmentation. Resting is imperfection in things that may increase: In God only it is perfection, because in him there is no Augmentation. It is not in our power to make ourselves great. The utmost limit of our Actions is in the hand of men, or of Fortune. How many that have been very able in Potentiâ, have come to their grave without having any opportunity to perform an Act worthy their sufficiency?  
Saul speaketh to Jonathan, and to all his servants, that they should kill David: Jonathan advertiseth David, and putteth Saul in mind how much he is obliged to him, and what injustice it were to slay him.  
BUt of what effect be such Remonstrances of Obligations? The chief Obligation which a Tyrant pretends to have, is the conservation of his Dominion, and his greatest Justice is to put to death the best. To oblige were a thing very desiderable if it were only to oblige, and not to bind himself for a farther obliging. That Obligation which seemed complete to him that produced it, comes to be accepted but as a beginning by him for whom it was wrought. He that will bind another by benefits, must join them one to another: The report of the one must not cease before he hath added another. The links that are not chained one to another do not make up a chain. The resemblance hath a great force to move and receive in the Imagination even the phantasms that were dead.  
Time is a destroyer of all things; where it destroyeth not the greatness of men's Actions, it will destroy the marvelling at it: for it frames them into a habit, and that being once attained, makes the operations come on without difficulty, and without any reflecting. That which is passed already doth cancel the obligation of private men; and with Tyrants that also which is to come, whether they be grateful or ungrateful, they are always afraid, that they will oblige them either by their own rewards, or through discontent of not being rewarded, will make insurrection.  
The words of Jonathan seemed to have appeased Saul, who giveth order that David return to Court.  
THe Truth which passeth through our understanding doth not use to fly away so fast, but that our will taketh hold and embraceth it, unless the malice of our senses defile it. It is not so hard to withdraw a wicked man from his evil purposes, as it is difficult afterward to keep him in a good mind, thereto is requisite in a manner a perpetual assistance, for as soon as you leave him he returneth to that from which you withdrew him.  
David returneth to the Court as informer times.  
THey must not all be put to death of whose valour we stand in fear, that thereby we may be secured. To use a like proceeding is inconvenient, when the persons are of a different disposition. The benefits that serve to aid and provoke the wickedly minded against their Prince, are but as chains, whereby generous minds are drawn to their devotions. So that to oblige them is to bind them: But the ruin of the good proceeds from the multitude of the evil: which are not only evil, but do counterfeit as if they were good; so that because it is a difficult thing to discern Truth and falsehood, men will rather deceive themselves in hindering a thousand that aught to be cherished, than in cherishing one alone that aught to be hindered; and because it is easier to be ingrateful than to maintain their gratitude, though they believe not always that it is necessary to put deserving men to death, yet they feign sometimes that they believe it, that they may cover the baseness of their minds with the forcible jealousies of their sovereignty.  
The evil spirit returning again to molest Saul, when David played, Saul attempteth again to smite him to the wall with a spear, but he turneth aside and escapeth.  
WHen the subject once finds his Prince to be afraid of him, he stands always in fear of the Prince; such jealousies have no other fire to consume them but impossibility; for he that stands in fear, believes that whatsoever may happen unto him, will. The first peril we incur in any thing may be ascribed to fortune, the second if it be the same is commonly attributed to our indiscretion. But the goodness of David makes him to be excusable in regard his exceeding good conscience made him so adventurous: David trusteth Saul, because Saul might safely have trusted David. As we naturally imagine other men to look like ourselves, so we suppose them of our own conditions. That which shall happen to a man, is not always the same that should. The consequences of the future are fallible, because the Antecedents presupposed by us are false. He that knew well the customs and manners of all men as they are, and upon occasion should make use of them in conjecturing what is to come, should not need to have recourse to the vanity of Astrologers.  
Saul causeth David's house to be compassed with soldiers that should kill him, yet gives them not order to enter into the house, peradventure because in those times it was reputed too great a wickedness to kill one in his bed. Having given over himself a prey to wickedness, he had not haply as yet lost all respect unto goodness.  
THat men are not altogether wicked, nor yet perfectly good, is not peradventure because they know not how to be so, but because they cannot possibly be so: It consisteth rather in the strength of nature than of will: For if Nature have left no power to our feebleness to reach to the height of goodness, why shall we believe that she hath left any to our corruption to come to the extremity of evil? He that blamed a Tyrant in that behalf, and thereupon did pretend that their ruin was for the most preordained, declared his belief to be, that the mischiefs which are destructions were conservations: He discovered his not knowing, that the evil which is not a being, cannot subsist without the supporting of that good which is a being; and finally he made it manifest, that he had not read the Master of those Doctrines, with which he had honoured his writings, because his saying was, that the Tyrant, when he goeth not in the way of goodness, must not suffer it to be quite out of his sight, and that if he will not be good throughout, yet that he must at least have a moiety of goodness.  
Michol tells David what peril he is in; she lets him down through a window, and lays an Image in his place in the Bed.  
GOd makes use of the Acts of human wittiness, as Instruments of his Providence; those footsteps that fly it, are the self same that lead to it: Saul makes David his son in Law, to bring him to his end; and because he is his son in Law, he escapes it: That sentence, That the Destinies lead those that follow them, and draw those that are unwilling, is an unadvised saying. They that wrote it were deceived either in denying the Providence of God, or in the manner of expressing it: he disposeth all things sweetly: He conducteth them that go with a good will, and those that are unwilling to go, are conducted (if I may so say) by themselves.  
Saul sendeth some again to take David, they bring word that he is sick in his bed: Finally, he loseth all respect of bed, and will have him slain how ever; but instead of David they find an Image: Saul reproveth his daughter Michol, who excuseth herself by her husband's threats.  
MEn in their desires invest themselves so far in their own interest, that they make themselves believe that every one that knows them should cooperate with them: but if they also invested themselves in the interest of others, and did not consider every one in reference to themselves, but rather each one in reference to himself, and whereas they think but of theirs alone, they formed as many interests as there are men, they would not find themselves so oft deceived. Saul considereth Michol as his daughter, and by consequence in reference to himself; if he had considered her as David's wife, than he had considered her in reference to herself, and had not found it strange that she should save her husband out of her father's hands: When women depart from their friends houses, they oftentimes leave nothing behind them but Love.  
Saul sends some after David, they find him in the Company of the Prophets prophesying with them; he sends others after him, and they find him in like manner: In the end full of anger and fury, he goes himself, and he also remains with them, and prophesieth in like manner.  
THere are some so superstitious, that they account all things miraculous, because they are ignorant of their second causes: some again are so headstrong, as to deny all miracles because they know not the first cause; and in conclusion there want not those that are so sacrilegious, that they will rather acknowledge the devil to be the doer of such miraculous effects than God, because they themselves are more of the devil than God. I know not whether Saul might be reckoned among these, or whether knowing the miracle, he suffered himself nevertheless to be transported by his anger and fury to contend with the almighty. All sinners in regard of themselves do undeify him, yet there are found very few that do desire to undeify him, yet are there not wanting some, who in their choler would willingly they could reduce him to nothing, that hath brought them out of nothing. He that is in choler, I would say hath even lost his understanding, yea, I would think him stark mad, save that there remaineth only so much reason in him, as sufficeth to make his works worthy of chastisement: Choler (and perhaps I am not deceived) is a short fever; which if it were in the humours as it is in the spirits, would prove to be a frenzy, whereunto it is so near of kin, that if by the little while it continues it were not known from the other, there would scarce be any such piercing eye that could discern betwixt them: That little reason that remains in the choleric man makes him to differ from the mad man; yet makes him worse than he, because it makes him not only to err, but to sin.  
David flies, and going to meet Jonathan, he asketh him what evil he hath committed that should procure Saul to persecute him.  
He knew not peradventure that an eminent virtue is no less persecuted than an exorbitant Vice. I am of opinion that even Tyrants themselves do like well, that their Ministers be men of valour and worth, but they would measure them as they do cloth, by their arm, allowing them as much as will fit the person they represent, and no more: Good Ministers are sometimes better than the best, because the best are sometimes as dangerous as the worst are dishonourable. It is a happiness in Princes how good soever they be, to be served by good subjects equal to their affairs, for if they be of abilities above their employments, they neglect them, if beneath them, their employments ruin them. It is a fortunate thing therefore to happen on such as are fit for the purpose; seeing we have no Instrument by which the degrees of worth may be measured, neither any one that knoweth justly how much every office requireth.  
Jonathan answereth David that he should not need to fear, because his father would not resolve on any enterprise without communicating the same to him, and that he would advertise him thereof: But David doth not believe that Saul would acquaint him with his purpose.  
TO what end should a Tyrant communicate his Machinations? they are so shameful, that he cannot expect commendations: he is so distrustful, that he will not seek any counsel, and so far from trusting others, that he scarcely trusteth himself. One must needs believe this Truth, when we see that distrusting the better part of himself, which is Reason, his trust is wholly in his sense: when he communicates his thoughts, he doth not impart them to have conference about them, but to command, not to be counselled concerning them, but to have them put in execution. He hath no regard of sons, or brethren, or wife, or friend. The interest of State is all in all with him, and besides it he makes no account of any thing. A Tyrant is ordinarily so close by nature, and so enured by Art to conceal his intent, that when he would willingly be understood, he cannot sometimes make them understand them. For not only men know not what he thinks, but many times they understand not what he says.  
They agree that David should hide himself, and Jonathan should observe what the King saith when on the first day of the month he should note David's absence from the table, and that by a sign between them he should make known his father's intent. Then they depart as under renewing their oaths and covenants of friendship.  
THe first day of the month being come, Saul seeing that David appeared not, flattering his desire he would not believe that David absented himself for fear, but rather for some uncleanness: when he sees him not appear on the second day, he asketh Jonathan what is become of David, who answereth that he is gone to celebrate the solemnity; then Saul reproachfully reproveth his son for preferring his friendship with David before matter of State, by reason that while David lived he could not be established in the kingdom.  
To chastise an offence committed is proper to the Law: that which would be committed is reserved to God; that which may be committed is peculiar to a Tyrant: when it is not justice, but a point of State that seeks the life of a subject, there is scarce any remedy: if David had offended, he might have hoped for pardon, and haply have obtained it: But where there i● no offence there can be no recourse to clemency, nor expectation of it. Those merits that would have countervailed his faults, do condemn his innocencies. A great occasion it mu●● he to put an innocent to death, and because it is great, it is insuperable. When justice hath had her course in condemning, she leaves clemency her place to absolve; but where it is injustice to condemn, the putting to death proceeds of self interest. It is good for him that dies, if he die innocent; but in regard of the world it is better being guilty when he is condemned. He that hath done an offence, and demands pardon, speaks not a word but to the Prince's praise, he confesseth his fault, declareth the virtue of Justice in the Prince, and in demanding his pardon he shows that he doth also believe the virtue of clemency to be in him. But all the words of the innocent sound to the blame of the Prince; he shows him to be unjust, he declares him to be a Tyrant, he seeks not to pacify him; he incenses him, and cannot hope for mercy because he cannot ask it: if he pray the Prince to spare him his life, he must needs discover the cause that moves him to take it away, and because he discovers it, he is made worthy of Death.  
Jonathan demands of Saul, for what offence he doth persecute David: but the King in a rage casts a spear at him, and he flies.  
THere is nothing more offensive to a Prince than to require him to declare what he desires to conceal. The word (why) or (when) imports an Interrogation, ought never to be found in their mouths that treat with Princes: The interrogating hath I know not what superiority, because it obligeth one to answer, and Princes are not to be obliged, but rather to be obeyed.  
Jonathan riseth from the Table in a great anger, he goes the next morning where David was, and gives the sign according to their agreement. David comes out of the place where he was hid: Jonathan informs him of his success, and reiterating the oaths of their confederacy, and the tokens of their Amity, not without tender tears they depart asunder.  
WHat thing is Friendship? It is a union as one may say of two souls in one body, which in a sort do inform it, if not truly yet virtually; and if a soul be so much grieved when it is to depart out of an earthly body which it informed; why should it not also be grievous to depart from another soul which she loved? Such a departure should be but as a death, were it not that the distance of place doth not break off the union of those things that do not possess any place. But as in the parting of friends the souls are not so much afflicted, the bodies are grieved in foregoing the fomentation of those spirits that were a consolation to them. It is not credible that Nature having permitted us spirits to offend us with, hath not also granted that the spirits of a friend should be comfortable unto us. Otherwise the spirits of Hatred and of Love should be the selfsame.  
David flieth and cometh to Nob to Achimelech the Priest, who marveling to see him alone, demands the occasion thereof. David answers that he goes about the King's service, who hath so commanded.  
He saith truth, that he goes about the King's service, for in flying he doth the King good service by bereaving him of occasion to do a great outrage. His flight is not to escape chastisement for his offences, but to avoid the mischievous requ●tall of his benefits.  
O the lamentable condition of men of high desert, they have two most potent enemies, Envy and fear, the one very hardly to be overcome, the other impossible, nay rather the victory over the first makes the other the greater. Envy like a mountain, it the waters of valour increase, is sometimes overwhelmed: but fear like a ship, the more they increase, the higher doth it rise. What must they do then, that are so beset with impossibilities? Let them courageously make head against the obstacles of their good fortune, if where it is; and where not, let them give place to the evil. It is necessary sometimes even in a storm to strive against the wind, if we see the haven near at hand, but if it be far off, it is better to strike sail and run adrift than to make shipwreck. The most worthy when they are not the greatest, become the most infortunate: Valour can never clearly be discerned but only in a Prince: There, because it is profitable to the subjects, they reverence and fear it not, and because it is an honour to them, they commend and envy it not. It is so fair a thing, that if those two monsters fear and envy, did not deform it, men would even adore it, but haply God permitteth them to deform it, lest it should be adored, because it is adored over much when it is not so deformed. If it be true that it is agreeable to nature, that the best should command, it cannot be contrary to Nature, that the better should be feared by him that doth command. If the eminency of virtue could be laid aside, perhaps there would not some be wanting, that to lead a quiet life would willingly reduce themselves to that mediocrity that might keep them from contempt, and defend them from envy: But as that eminency is fair, and not easy to be acquired, so it is sometimes hurtful, because it cannot be laid aside.  
David receives the sword of the Giant Goliath from the Priest, and eats of the showbread, because he found no other sword for his defence, nor any other bread for his sustenance.  
NEcessity enforceth him, she sometimes makes that lawful which at all times is not so: It is a shield, which being ill used, works the ruin of the world. All misdeeds, how heinous soever, do withdraw themselves out of the danger of the Law, and in stead of being condemned to be borne withal, are invested with the cloak of necessity: there is no absolute necessity in man, because he is a free agent; if he suffer no outward violence, he hath none within him; those which we call necessities, and which we pretend that they free from the Law, are made to be such by the Law. They are necessary consequences by supposition, having a conditional antecedent for their foundation: But the suppositions that are not authorized by the Law, have no consistence; for otherwise, all the actions of men should be lawful, seeing all might be necessary by supposing a conditional antecedent before them, out of which a necessary consequence should arise by supposition. Therefore it is not true that necessity hath no Law, but it is very true that the necessity which hath no Law is only that which is an enemy to the Law.  
David flies to King Achish, but seeing himself and his virtues known, being much afraid of his envy, he feigneth himself to be mad, and changeth his countenance before him.  
HE that is borne into this great Theatre of the world, aught to know how to suit himself into sundry habits, that he may be enabled in this Comedy to represent many persons. When a man sees himself persecuted by envy, he must like the shellfish fructified by the dew of Heaven, cast away his pearl rather than be a prey to those that have him in chase. David puts on a form of madness, and by it brings Achish to put off his envy. The countenance of the former is transformed before the eyes of the latter, not that the effigies of the one is altered, but the intellect of the other: If it had pleased the Lord by his mercy and benignity to root up envy out of the world, how many Davids would change their countenances in the presence of Achish? But they that hate valour and virtue, let them (I beseech them) tell me what thing it is they think they hate, they hate even themselves. Virtue cannot be odious; if it be good, it is fair also; if it be fair, it is the object of love, and not of hatred. The envious is an ignorant Painter, or a malicious one; who in drawing the virtue of others deforms it; either he takes the perfections from it, or adds imperfections to it, and blames in another that which himself hath added of his own to it, or what he hath taken from it. Yet this were not much, if he did not also expose that picture to public view, that they who cannot see the original, might hate it.  
Take away David out of my presence, saith Achish; Have I any need of madmen?  
THis King is one of those that when the time comes shall call themselves fools, for having believed wisemen to be fools: I know not which error to be the greater, either to think wise men to be fools, or to account fools to be wise men: of this ignorance as out of a root arise all precipitated courses. The most dangerous person that is represented, and the greatest fool that can be found, is he that takes upon him to be wise.  
David departs thence, and saves himself in the cave of Adullam, where his brethren and all his father's house come unto him.  
AS a foreign war is the only remedy to unite the disordinate minds in commonwealths, so are enmities and persecutions to make an atonement in families. This is a true rule when the discords are not bloody, and when proceeding no farther than to some high terms, they are not grown to hatred.  
Those brethren that in a sort would have hindered the fortune of David, are they which now are willing to help him in his misery. Base minds applaud our felicities, and abandon us in our disasters; but they that are only corrupted by envy, retaining yet a kind of generosity, when their envy rather springs from desire of honour, than malignity, they run readily to assist their allies in their dangers: and if they go not to applaud them in their glory, it is not for that they desire not to see them great, but because they themselves would gladly be great.  
The malcontented also gathered together to David, and made him their captain.  
IT is impossible but there should be some such kind of people in a State. If the Prince be good, than the evil are malcontent; if he be evil, the good are: and some that are not displeased with the Prince's government, are so with their own, by which being ruinated and wasted, when they have no hope in quiet courses, they affect nothing but turbulencies. The state ought to beware of 2. most potent enemies, Hope and despair, for these two extremes are they that molest it, the greatest and the least of quality; the one supposing that their good fortune calleth them to a better estate: the other by their evil one are stirred to avoid the worst: for this cause I suppose was that City preferred by a professed politic Writer which is inhabited by the middle sort of men.  
The Prophet Gad adviseth David to depart, & to go into the land of Judah, and Saul hearing that David was seen there, complaineth greatly amongst his servants, that David being not able to give them vineyards nor houses, nor make them Commanders, nor otherwise reward them, should find followers and he be abandoned.  
PRinces do err when they think their Rebels should not be followed in hope of reward. I speak not of David who was a King and no rebel, one that was raised up, and not risen against his Prince; one that was flying from him, and not contending against him. The rewards expected of treachery are far greater than those that are yielded to fidelity. And what do not they promise, which promise that which is none of their own? what do they not give before they be well advised that it is their own? Disordinate minds are not content with ordinate rewards: their troublesome heads account quietness their enemy, and even those of a quiet disposition do sometimes surfeit of rest, because the natural desire of change makes felicity itself to be tedious.  
The Subjects serving their Prince, if they will be rewarded, oftentimes are driven to show some excessive merit, because there are few that think themselves bound to those whose service is bound to them: but he that follows a rebel, hath already merited of him in that he followeth him. That false proposition, that to work where one is obliged diminisheth his merit, is both pernicious to Princes, and prejudicial to Subjects. The obligation rather increaseth the merit, seeing reward is due to the Subject, not only for that which he presently performeth, but for his future actions which he hath obliged himself unto. The stranger that doth somewhat for the Prince's service, gives him only some fruit of his own tree, whereas the Subject hath given him the tree itself with all the fruit.  
Doeg the Idumean answereth Saul, that he saw David when he came to Achimelech the Priest, who gave him besides victuals, the sword of Goliath; the King sends to call him, and questions him thereabout. He who the truth being known, expected reward rather than punishment, doth not excuse himself as not guilty, but speaks with that confidence which rather proceeds of innocency than temerity, saying, And who is among all thy Servants more faithful than David the King's son in law, and readier to do all thy commandments? neither is this the first time that I have prayed the Lord for him. Far be the name of a rebel from me. I thought I had done service to thee, in doing service to thy chief favourite.  
THe subjects of the Tyrant that hath an inward favourite, are intang●ed in straits inextricable. Let them look for ruin at all hands, if they hate him when he is exalted, or if they love him when he falleth; yet what error do they commit in loving him, but that their Lord doth the same? He cannot find fault with others, unless he first condemn himself; and he deserves the greater chastisement, because he ought to have greater advertisement, in considering who he is whom he exalts above others. It is not the part of subjects to examine the actions of their sovereign: It is their glory to second them; and yet it is not sufficient to obey the commands of a Tyrant, if we dive not also into his secret thoughts. He that seeks to search into them, makes himself (as it were) guilty of death; he that doth not, easily becomes liable. He embraces sometimes such a one as he could be content were made away by his subjects, he dissembleth for his proper interest, yet permits not others to do so for theirs. If his thoughts were always bent toward the prosperity of his people, he were a wicked subject that did not bend himself wholly to his service.  
Saul commands Achimelech and all the Priests of Nob, to be slain.  
I Who have found elsewhere that the same proceeding which provoked Saul, had pacified a Tyrant, should wonder at the diversity of the effect, had it not been produced by the innocency of David, who left Achimelech no place to defend himself without condemning the King, not only of an oversight as it was in the other, but even of ingratitude, perfidiousness, and cruelty.  
Saul saith, kill Achimelech and all the Priests, but no man stirreth; he bids Doeg kill them, and he presently obeyeth.  
THe voice that commandeth in general, proceedeth not with so much sharpness, as that which is directed to some particular. The dividing of it into so many ears, makes so many divisions, that it becomes diminished in every of them. The rewards as also the punishments which are in common, come but slowly, but the private are as soon obtained, as they are deserved: he that would chastise general errors, or would reward the merits of all, as those of some particulars are; on the one side he would destroy the world, and the empty treasuries on the other: And therefore as in the great errors of a multitude, the proportio decupla is observed, so likewise in such great benefits, the like decimation is used, if not some greater proportion. Whence it comes that particulars are more easily wrought on to do well, and with greater difficulty to do evil the multitude, because their fear and hope of chastisement and reward is greater.  
Saul goeth afterward to Nob, where he killeth small and great, as well of the one sex as of the other, as well men as beasts.  
IF that City had been culpable, and David a rebel, Saul perhaps had taken no ill course, that being the first and only place. That Prince is sometimes the most pious, which upon occasion is most severe: his cruelty is deep, but not large, because if it be intensive, it is not extensive. It is true that where many Cities have rebelled, the using of greater in the first that is taken, doth not dishearten the rest, but makes them desperate and obstinate in their defence to their last breath. It is such an antidote as is not to be ministered to all that are diseased.  
Abiathar a son of Achimelech escapeth out of Nob, and cometh to David, who afflicts him greatly, saying that he is the cause of the death of so many persons.  
THis is an intolerable passion, because three most potent affections are the procurers of this grief, and enforce the revenge: The character of friendship melting the heart, the prick of honour which enkindles it, and finally the interest which excites it. To defend our friends is so profitable for the maintaining and increasing of Monarchies, that they which have been held to be most prudent have endeavoured it, even in places far remote from them, not to receive aid or service, but only to help and succour them: he that knoweth not how to make use of this rule, knoweth not how to rule. The greatest Rulers and Potentates of the world have made themselves great by this Art; yea this colour is so pleasing, that it dazleth the eyes of the people, and maketh them often applaud such a one, as under the colour of defending his friends, brings himself into the estates of others: but if he find great resistance there, seeing himself unable to offend those whom he would have opposed, he oppresseth them whom he should have defended.  
Word is brought unto David that the Philistines had invaded Keilah, and spoiled it: He asks counsel of the Lord, whether he shall go against them; who answers him, that he shall go, overcome, and defeat them.  
HE that will learn the way into matter of State, let him but observe David, let him not enterprise with fraud, but with valour: Let him not defile his hands with civil blood, but with that of the stranger; nor offend those whom he would have to be his subjects, but defend them. It is true indeed that most men grow great by fraud; not because it is more safe than valour, but because it is more easy; whence it comes that there are many fraudulent, but few that are valorous: notwithstanding the greater part even of those that by fraud have made themselves Masters, in seizing on the Country in which they were borne, have first manifested their valour either in enlarging or defending it. To defend the subjects of others, is to touch the finest string of State and Dominion; if the Lord grieve at it, he seems ungrateful; if he suffer it and say nothing, he is in little safety. The Subjects are not to be defended by any, but their own Prince: It is his proper office. He that arrogates it to himself, if he be not already, he will be in the Prince's room. The wisest Common weals have not been ignorant how much this point importeth, declaring that they knew it for a matter of much consequence, and of main importance, when they would not permit the Subjects themselves to be the defenders of themselves.  
Saul understanding that David is in Keilah, prepares to go and besiege him; which he foreseeing, causeth Abiathar to inquire of the Lord whether Saul will come or no, who answers he will. Then whether they of Keilah will deliver him into the hands of the King, and he answers they will.  
THe destruction of Nob had made the men of Keilah so ungrateful, as that they would have delivered him into the hands of his enemy, who had but at that instant delivered them out of the hands of their enemies. Gratitude works exceeding great effects in generous minds, and the greater when it hath brought forth: It is then surely prevailing over private interest, yet must it of force give place unto fear, to which all the passions give way, I mean in State affairs, because none of them can be used when we think ourselves to be thereby endangered, without which they cannot be exercised: It hath been disputed whether the Prince or the people are more ungrateful. I am of opinion that there is ingratitude everywhere to be found, if our being grateful cannot be without loss of our lives; yet rather in the people than in the Prince, because it is easier to find one man than many, to sacrifice his life to his reputation. But if the question be of augmenting or diminishing the State, I hold Princes to be the more ingrateful, because their interest is very great; and that of the people howsoever it be in their entire body as great, is but small notwithstanding in every particular: whence it comes that men more easily part with a little, though in many it be much, than one man alone with much, which in many would be but little.  
David departs into the desert of Ziph, to hide himself in the wood. Saul hears of it, and follows him in vain: But Jonathan goeth to him, comforts him, and saith, he is assured that he shall reign over Israel.  
SEe here the force of friendship, which makes Jonathan rejoice that David is to take the kingdom from him. Albeit that friendship seemeth to be without interest, yet is it not altogether without interest. The affection that we bear to ourselves, is the rule of all our affections. They who have supposed that a friend loveth another more than himself, have haply been deceived, for if sometimes a man loseth his life, his goods and estate for his friend, it is not in regard that he wishes more good to another, than to himself, but because he acknowledgeth no other goods but virtues, which he gaineth, when gloriously for his friend he forgot those of fortune. But they that love riches, their estate and their life above virtue, when they saw some forgo their goods (which they so much esteemed) for their friend, were easily induced to think that they loved not themselves so much as their friend.  
I was never of opinion that it was any imperfection, to love himself above others, but have rather esteemed it an imperfection not to love himself more than others. He that erreth not in this, shall never offend; because he that sinneth, destroying God as much as he can, destroyeth himself, or as much as he may: seeing that all his good is depending on the goodness of God.  
The Ziphines' give notice to Saul that David had hid himself in their woods, and they conduct him where he is: David finds himself out of hope, seeing himself encompassed round about. But Saul is advertised by a messenger, that the army of the Philistines was entered into the land.  
SInners many times have no recourse unto God, but in their utmost extremity, and many times God delayeth the deliverance of the faithful to prove them, and then he heareth them: but those other are seldom delivered out of their dangers, but they return eftsoons to their misdoings. He suffers them to return thither whence their fear had withdrawn them, which departs as soon as he hath delivered them. To reserve himself from aiding his friends till they be in extremity, is a thing well befitting in God, who can help whensoever he will, and then willeth when it is best; but in men that have no power according to their will, it is perilous. When it moves not to distance, yet it diminisheth the obligation, and most commonly produceth ingratitude. There is a kind of proceeding put in ure (yet not always with good success) by Potentates when they have received some disgust for the satisfying of two affections, their anger and their interest; to suffer those that have given them distaste, to be mortified, but not to be opposed. This course is rather to be practised with enemies, and may prove well when the enmity proceeds not of emulation, if at least that act do not lift him up to a higher sphere. It is a difficult thing for a corrival not to be always an enemy, when such emulation hath one degenerated into hatred: and when he ceaseth to be an enemy, he will cease also to be a corrival, either having passed into a further degree, or being so overpassed himself. Though Saul were more enraged against David, yet he leaves pursuing him to go against the Philistines, with whom he hath more interest. Physicians do sometimes not only not assuage a grief, but suffer it also to grow; whiles they cure, a putrid fever happeneth. He is very unwise, that for the healing of a part is careless of the whole, which when it dieth, the part dies with it.  
David being retired into the holds of Engaddi, Saul returns to pursue him even in rocky places, having vanquished the Philistines, and entering into a Cave for his necessary business, he happened into the same, in which David and his men were hid; where they persuade David to kill him, but he is contented only to cut off a lap of his garment.  
TO kill the chief Commander of an army, if he be gracious with it, when he that killeth him hath not another army, is the revenge of a private person to discharge his passion of hatred, but not of a Prince that desireth dominion. The army is thereby incensed, maketh presently another chief, thinks to revenge the loss of their Prince, hateth the murderer, and is more ready to die against him, than serve under him. David, who was in the way to the kingdom by man●uetude and fortitude, accompanied with the fear of God, and by consequence a reverence toward his King, ●nd humility withal, could forgo those virtues, and take to him revenge with irreverence and cruelty, without loss of reputation. He that is come forward with one virtue, ought rather to die than to change it: there are some who having gotten reputation by one manner of proceeding, cannot alter it, because it is natural to them; others will not, because they have prospered with it▪ and those ought never to change, whose demeanour hath ever been virtuous. That power which is rising, because it riseth commonly by the means of reputation, must beware of losing it, and prefer it even before life, for therewith all its good is lost. Politicians have esteemed this rule to be so true, that they have made it an universal one, and will have a Prince rather to hazard his estate and life, than to lose by means of Peace, Truce, or tribute his reputation. I subscribe not to their opinion, yet do I agree, that if the greatness of a Prince consist in his reputation, he ought rather to die than to lose it; but if it be founded on store of money and people which are his subjects, let him yield to the time, make peace and truce ever, though it be with disadvantage of reputation; let him become tributary, though it be to an inferior nation, and leave not any thing undone how mean soever, (so it be not against God's Law) rather than to adventure his estate; for any thing is better than to put that in jeopardy. If that be not lost, it is never out of season to recover whatsoever is lost: Its prudence in Princes and no infamy; they ought not to abhor any thing that may augment or maintain their dominion. Private men write such weak rules, because they measure them by their own compass: Every degree of men hath his proper and peculiar kind of reputation differing each from other, so far forth that many things accounted infamous in one degree, are well reputed in another. A Prince that hath a great estate never loseth his reputation, if he lose not his estate, for his estate is his reputation. The world is in a confusion in such sort, that men of one degree leaping into that of others by confounding the divers degrees, have confounded all the world. The Merchant will take upon him the Gentleman, and the Gentleman the part of the Prince; the religious, that of the soldier; and where the reputation of the one consists in suffering and forgiving of injuries, he leaps into that of the other, whiles he seeks to require and revenge. I am to be excused if I am long in this matter, which is the cause of great errors in the world; for if every one would follow his own profession, it would soon be known that reputation consists in knowing well how to perform his own profession.  
David being on one side of a mountain, seeing Saul on the other, calleth unto him and showeth him his garment, assuring him of his good will, complaineth that he is persecuted, but blameth the King's Ministers, and not the King himself. Saul hearing that malice is imputed to his servants, doth not excuse himself by them, but layeth the fault on himself.  
IT is an ordinary thing of malcontented men to complain, though not of the Prince himself, yet of his Ministers. That when David doth here out of modesty, is done often by others out of subtlety. To rise against the government, makes the name of a rebellion the less odious, deceives the people, yea, many times, the Princes themselves for a while, who sometimes discern not at the first the ambition that cometh masked under discontentment. Prince's ought therefore to have their Ministers about them of singular goodness, and of tried prudence, that upon the first rumor they may be well assured of the falsehood of such complaints, and break the heads of such horrible Serpents at their first appearing. The reverence that the people bear toward the Prince is so great, that it would be a difficult thing to stir them up against him, but by first beguiling them; and though it be all one to rise against the government, and to rebel against the Prince, (because either the Prince is he that governeth, or he that governs is the Prince's Minister) yet it appears not at first with so foul a face. It is true indeed that an insurrection of the people is occasioned by a bad Minister, in which case the Prince doth always amiss to chastise him. In the people there is not always one desire covered under another, but if the great ones arise against the government, it is not because they are not well governed, but because they would be governors themselves; to satisfy their demands were to consent to lose the sovereignty, seeing such will not be satisfied, till they obtain it.  
Samuel dieth, he is buried with honour, and is by the people most tenderly bewailed.  
I Know not whether mourning for the dead proceedeth of piety, or of mere interest: It may favour peradventure of piety to bewail when he dieth, but not after he is dead: who would not have compassion of his friend, while he sees him, or imagines tormented with the grievous agonies of death. Men are certainly in very great pain, for they are in the pain due to a very great fault: And who would not after rejoice to see him departed victorious over human frailty, and to triumph over death itself, without having left any other spoil in that conflict than his body, and that for a very short time?  
To lament the dead (if one may say) is then most impious, when it seems most pious: and then ought most to be done, when it seems not due at all. The death of the righteous, at which we ought to rejoice, makes us to mourn; and that of the wicked, which we ought most to lament, doth rejoice us. It is no friendly but an envious part to be grieved at the death of that friend, whose life may make us believe that he enjoys his deserved glory. But it is a part of piety to be sorry at their death, whose wickedness doth make us doubt that they are cast headlong into hell. The world is so full of snares that the good should not desire to be in it, because there they may be corrupted; and so great is the mercy of the Lord our God, that the wicked should desire to be therein, that they may be amended. But if we are grieved in regard of our own interest, is it not more available that our friends pray to God for us, than to men? He that thinks he hath lost his friend when he dieth, if he believe the immortality of the soul, and doth not think him damned, must then believe that the Characters of his virtues are lost with God. O how true it is that all our errors do spring and grow from our muddy senses! They acknowledge no interest but earthy, no happiness but worldly; and albeit man is elevated by his better part unto a more excellent knowledge, yet he cannot desire it as he ought, because he cannot know it as it is.  
David went unto the wilderness of Rachan, and understanding that there dwelled near thereabout a man exceeding rich in flocks and other possessions, whose name was Nabal; he sent unto him on the day of sheep-shearing, to demand some relief of provision and victuals: But Nabal not only denieth him, but with ill words provoking him, declaring his avarice, to be accompanied with malice.  
IT is an ordinary thing in denying of benefits to accompany the denial with injuries; I know not whether it be to cloak their avarice with hate, or because such men loving their goods as dearly as their lives, when one demands to have any of them, are incensed with anger, as if he sought so much of their blood; or else that it comes to pass, because men in denying what is demanded, think they have made him their enemy that demanded it, and framing him such in their imaginations, speak of him not as one that is become such, but as of one that is so already. Peradventure also Nabal denies with arrogancy to accomplish David's desire, doubting his guiltiness might seem to be some sign that he stood in fear of violence, and to show that he doth not fear it, himself in terms begins to use it.  
David is incensed by the answer of Nabal, and sets forward to destroy him and all his house. But Abigail, Nabals wife, being a prudent and a beautiful woman, hearing of David's request, and her husband's denial, goes with many beasts laden with victuals to meet David, and beginneth with excuse of her husband's ignorance, and foolishness. She entreats him to accept of the present she brought, and pardon her husband: And so David is appeased.  
WOmen are of so great force in persuading, that it hath been held all one to harken to them, and to grant their requests. He that forbade them to be brought up in learning, had an eye perhaps not only to their difficulty of understanding, but also to their facility in persuading. He that was judged by the Lord God to be the wisest, made use of such an instrument; and that tyrant who was written among the most circumspect, was afraid of this force. Women have always delight joined with their words, and where delight is, there is also persuasion. If the understanding doth not agree to it, the will consents: so that when that which they say cannot be believed, yet they which have said it must not be displeased. Their tears are their Enthymems, their beauty is their sword: where they do not procure love, there they move compassion; yea, and sometimes they persuade the better, because they have no skill in persuading: There is no cunning suspected where there is no science, yet there is more thereof in their countenance than in all rhetoric. It is lawful to forgo all fierceness in favour of a sex that is so amorous: The weakness of it makes us not ashamed to lay down all our wrath to it, yea, rather makes him ashamed that doth not lay it down,  
David doth bless God and Abigail, for having by her prudence diverted him from revenging himself of Nabal.  
IT is a great good hap to be taken off from a necessity of revenging himself. He that can divert it and doth not, deserveth great blame; he that hindereth it, great commendation; and he meriteth more that desireth to be so diverted. But there are many now a days desirous of such necessities, which if they be but small, they seek to augment them, and fain some when they find none. They account it a glory to revenge, and the name of revengeful, glorious. This is a proper art for those who having no talents by which they make themselves known to be men, will make themselves known to be beasts; they know not how to make themselves honoured, therefore they will make themselves feared, as if reputation and fear were all one. The vulgar rout breed such kind of people by applauding them, but such applauses turn to their ruins, seeing the quarrels which begin among the greater sort are for the most part quenched with the blood of the meaner. City's will never be rid of these bloodthirsty companions, till they cease from commending their bloody proceedings, neither will the way to such false praise ever be stopped up, till the way to the true, shall be laid open; which then only will be effected, when Princes and States give place and occasion to their Subjects to make known their true valour, and reward them according to their due deservings.  
Abigail returns to Nabal, and because she finds him drunken, she forbears till the morning to speak unto him, and then tells him what had passed; which when he had heard, his heart was dead within him as a stone, and within few days he dies.  
WHy should Nabals heart become dead, seeing his offence was pardoned? or rather why should not his heart be dead, seeing he had offended? David doth not cast him down, it is only his own conscience. He that offends his neighbour unjustly offends his own reason, and although his neighbour hath pardoned him, she never pardons him: the revenge taken of him, is the remembrance of his offences. Nabal cannot believe that revenge to be abolished, whose characters being blotted out the memory of men, are written in heaven; for then are they written there, when they are struck out here. He doth not perfectly pardon, who doth not pray God to pardon, which if he do, he doth not thereby diminish the offences, but in some sort increaseth them. If the Judges, whom the Holy Ghost calleth gods, did resemble God in punishing of sins, as they desire to be like God in superiority above others, there would not be so much offending, and there would be more pardoning. A man hath no sooner forgiven an offence, but the Judge also pardons it; yea, sometimes also the Judge hath absolved before the party hath pardoned. That savage fierceness of never pardoning an enemy would soon be abolished, if their pardoning did augment the offences in the judiciary seats of men, as it doth in a sort before the tribunal or high Justice of God. But when the offended pardoneth, the offences are written above, though here being remitted they are canceled.  
David taketh Abigail being a woman of singular beauty and prudence to wife, and Saul gives his daughter, who was first the wife of David, unto Phalti.  
WHo desires to marry to Beauty, may hap to meet with a devil: for the devil also hath some beauty. But he that desires to be joined with Prudence, if he marry not an angel, yet he is surely married to an angelical virtue. Prudence is a fire which converts all Antimony into medicine, makes her pleasing that's deformed, makes her tolerated that is poor, and her quietly enjoyed that is fair: for it is a bezoar that corrects the venom of beauty; It makes it majestical, and not lascivious, and being majestical it is the daughter of the radiant beams of Jupiter, not of Venus; rather enforcing reverence, than enflaming desire. He that sees her, conceits her a thing impossible to obtain, and the will never fixeth upon impossibilities; if it be not fixed it reflects on the object, if it do not reflect, it loves not for the often reflections are the producers of love.  
The Ziphims go to Saul, and advertise him that David is in their deserts, and he goes to seek him with 3000. chosen soldiers.  
SEe how the pride of Saul is not mitigated with the humility of David, perhaps because the pride was joined with interest, and the humility with reputation. The proud man becomes meek, not when his enemy hath humbled himself, but when he himself hath humbled him. That humility that is begotten by fear, doth ever mitigate the pride that is not brutish: he that believed otherwise might haply have been deceived, by confounding the one with interest, and the other with greatness of mind. The proud man will have his enemy bow unto him; but if then when he boweth down, his deeds lift him up, he doth not mitigate, but rather exasperate him, because instead of magnifying him, he doth afflict and confound him. All the wise, yea, and wily men do humble themselves to him that persecutes them; when their humility increaseth their reputation, which it always doth, when separated from dobility. The greatest pride that may be found, goes clad in the habit of humility▪ and oftentimes is not discerned by others, but him only against whom it is employed: and because by the rest it is not discovered, they cannot oppose against it without being blamed.  
David being informed of Saul's arrival, and having gotten some knowledge of his strength, calls unto him Achimelech and Abishai; asks them who will go with me into the army of Saul, and Abishai answers, I will go.  
WHen Princes confer a degree of honour on a subject, they will make choice themselves; but in a matter of danger, they use to leave him to his own choice: and whereas the subject thinks to make his merit the greater, by how much it is the more voluntary; the Prince on the contrary sometimes holds himself less obliged to him whom he hath least obliged. I blame not this proceeding, so it be not of purpose to avoid to be beholding, but to be assured of the sufficiency and love of the subject. To expose him to danger and to love him, do not very well agree. To make one to offer himself in a voluntary manner, is not sufficient argument of such affection, if without much entreaty his offer be accepted.  
David and Abishai go to the camp of Saul, where they find the Guard, the King himself, and all his soldiers asleep.  
THe Lord God ordinarily in the effects of the world suffers his hand to be seen of them only that are very sharp sighted, because he works by natural instruments; yet sometimes also he will be seen even of those that are blind, because he works by the supernatural a●me of his Omnipotency. When there are operations perceived to be contrary to the ordinary course, that the watchful are found sleeping, that the prudent are overseen, that the valiant are faint hearted; there they that are well sighted may discern the hidden finger of God, who when he intendeth the ruin of some house or kingdom, or any other place, takes from it those that might save it; or otherwise altars them in such sort, that they oppose not his designs: sometimes also taking away the mark of natural things, he sends an angel to burn Cities, to destroy Armies, and raiseth up captains, that with the light of a torch or a lamp make Cities fall down; and then there is no eye so blind, but seeth therein the Almighty hand of God.  
Abishai would have slain Saul, David would not permit him, but takes away his spear and his pot of water.  
WHo will wonder at David, that having been as a Lion when he slew the Giant Goliath, he now shows himself a lamb in suffering Saul to live, if he were a figure of that God, who to the sinner was a lamb, and a Lion to the devil. He that aimeth at a dignity, in showing himself faint-hearted in obtaining it, will not prove courageous when he hath obtained it. David did not forbear to slay Saul for any reason of State, but abstained from it for the reverence and fear of God. Where hath that man been found, that knew this piece of policy at any time? It is too finely wrought to be disdiscerned by the eyes of those that are blinded with the passions of desire to rule or revenge, until having obtained the dominion or the revenge they desired, their eyes happily are cleared; then they begin to consider that which they should have considered before, they are afraid of the example which themselves have begotten; whence it came to pass that many have revenged the death of those Princes, of which themselves have been the procurers. They are terrified in their seat of State, they hate their sceptre, as if it threatened violent death to him that treads on it or hold it: They stand in fear of the stars that rule over that kingdom, as if the vanity of those were true, as it is most false; who have believed that the violent constellations of kingdoms, with a very little help of the King's Horoscope had the power to kill them.  
David calleth out to Abner, and reproves him for not having kept the King duly.  
I Know not whether this were good policy to provoke the general of the army, but I know that Abner after the death of Saul, was he that made all the war against David.  
He complains again to Saul of his being persecuted, saying, if God hath stirred thee up against me, let him be appeased with sacrifice; if men have done it, accursed be they of God.  
HE speaks not of appeasing men, he knows that malignity may be extinguished, but never appealed, and that no other sacrifice doth extinguish it, but the suffering of himself to be extinct. He that practiseth malignity is base, he that gives ear to it is weak, 'tis not the part of a prudent or a wary man. It is a sword that is sharp on every side, one cannot strike with it, but is wounded himself: he is irksome to those that hear him, among whom while he seeks to endamage another, he loseth his own reputation, but yet he is harkened to; and why they harken to him, and how this is wrought I know not, neither will I teach nor learn it: For I hold the profession so infamous, that if I did contemplate the means of the practice thereof, I should accuse myself to be guilty in the tribunal of detraction. To teach others how to be malicious, is a great malignity, and would be a great madness in me: I should sharpen that sword that hath wounded me so oft, and should make myself master of a profession which I never practised but passively.  
Saul confesseth again that he hath sinned, and prayeth David to return, who answers; Let one come to fetch the King's spear; but speaks not of his returning.  
THe great favourites of Princes if they once fall, they fall headlong, they are gone, they cannot up again. The cause that shall separate them from their Lord must needs be great, there is no returning. The ordinary middle sized Courtiers, may sometimes fall and sometimes rise. The angel fell, and so did man, but the man returned into grace, and not the angel; because the nature of man was not so great a favourite, as was that of the angel. If a prince be but simply angry with his favourite▪ so that his anger doth not end in discharging and turning him away, it is a sign of love. We are very angry with them, whom we love entirely. It is a security of being a favourite, because the anger which may be vented when it is not kept in by fear, is entertained by love, and is finally a confirmation of the inward affection; being (as one may say) a certain venting of matters, which being kept in the Prince's breast would ruin the Courtier, and uttered with choler, they call back the love to his beginning, which according to the property of all human things receiveth satiety and corruption in time.  
David saith in his heart, I shall one day fall into the hands of Saul: It is better for me to go into the land of the Philistines.  
HE that hath need of fortune for his preservation, let him be well assured that she is not always helpful, let him withdraw himself out of danger: because he had her on his side, let him look to have her against him▪ and conclude that the longer she hath lasted, the sooner his end will come. This is a precept which one shall rather find written than observed; perhaps because the nature of men which is in their disasters to complain of fortune, in their good success to boast of their own worth doth not permit them to be afraid of being abandoned of those helps, which they know not how or whence they obtained: so that the vows which are hanged up in the Temple of Fortune, are more to pacify her, than to be thankful to her. He therefore that of necessity to maintain himself in state, is driven either to the help of Fortune, or his best skill and cunning; let him live always in fear, for in the end the instability of the one, and the deceitfulness of the other, will let him fall into the hands of Saul. That Monarchy or Common weal is not stable which is not founded on forces, laws, and ordinances of their own. That clock which hath no Gnomon, and which receiveth its motion either from springs or counterpoises cannot long endure without erring.  
David with his men go to Achish, the King of Seth, which when Saul understood, he left off pursuing him.  
IT seems lawful to fly among the pagans when there is no other way to save himself, so that he live not like a Pagan; and he is not always to be blamed, that hath recourse to their help for the recovery or defence of his own estate. It hath been sometimes also permitted to help them against other pagans, so the help we yield them be in favour of reason and right. But it shall be always recorded for a great fault to succour, to encourage, to move or to counsel the idolaters to an invasion of the states of true believers, for that were not to go against men, but against God, to lessen his kingdom, and to enlarge the confines of the devil.  
David saith unto Achish, I am not worthy to dwell in the head City with thee. Appoint me, I beseech thee some other place: then Achish assigned him Ziklag.  
Dauid withdraws himself from the Court of King Achish; not because Courts are to be forsaken, but he retires himself, because his different religion and great valour, would have made him suspected and feared. I am not of their mind that blame and condemn the Court, it is the true Paragon of virtuous men: there is no place where vice is sooner discovered, and virtue more rewarded. It is a light by which men's hearts are seen and discerned, yea, it is a most clear test to distinguish natural gold from that of alchemy. He that hath great talents let him hasten thither, for there they are gloriously spent and employed. Let him not regard the complaints of those whose talents, how great soever they have been, have not adv●nced them. It may perhaps be found, if they were examined, that they were not printed with the stamp of prudence, and so of no value, because he that had them could not utter them, or because he would have them go for more than they were worth. He that excels in any art or science, if he have not withal some eminent place in Court, he complains that virtues are not regarded. Princes for the most part both esteem and reward all men according to the greatness of their quality, not of their ambition: and ●f any one complain, it is thought he hath more of that than of the other. A great part of the errors in the world ariseth hence, not because every one doth not give place to his better, but because every one doth not know his better; and indeed, it is a difficult thing to know him, because he goes not always clad in the same cloth. Men deceive themselves in equivocating from a greatness, with an addition to an absolute greatness; believing oftentimes, because they are esteemed the best in some one thing, that therefore they should be the best esteemed. He only in regard he is the greatest in his profession, shall be in great repute above others, whose profession shall be in estimation above others.  
David with his men goes forth of the city to spoil and destroy certain idolatrous countries, and returning to Achish, makes him believe that he hath been to endamage the Isra●lites; and the King thereupon is persuaded that he might assure himself of David, believed that he had so far provoked the Israelites, that he could no more be reconciled.  
MAny Princes when they were grown jealous of the fidelity of a subject, have used the like means to be secured of him, and the chiefest among rebels do commonly ground their hopes in putting those that follow them in despair. Yet all such rampires are very weak, and easily overthrown, as soon as assaulted with the engine of reason and state. It facilitateth pardons, makes offences to be forgotten, and overcomes all desires, because the desire of dominion, is the first begotten and eldest of all the affections. The Princes that are wary and circumspect, do think themselves only assured of that faith which is either enforced, or interessed.  
The Philistimes prepare a great army to go against Saul. Achish inviteth David to go with him, and he accepts of his invitation.  
I Would not that this place should serve for any example to any Christian Princes, to accompany any Infidels in oppressing the faithful: he had no thought of bringing the Philistines into the Land of Israel, but he was brought into the possession of that kingdom by Achish, unto which God had elected him. The Philistines went not to fight against the kingdom, but against the King; as was clearly seen, when after the overthrow given to Saul, they returned to their own houses, leaving Mephibosheth to rule and reign in Israel.  
The Philistimes pitch their tents in Shunem, and Saul with his army in Gilboa, Saul had all the Magicians and soothsayers that had spirits in their belly to be slain: perhaps they had given out that the kingdom should come into the hands of David. But he stayed not long from seeking out the relics of those whom he had so persecuted: for being afraid when he had seen the host of the Philistines, he asked counsel thereupon of the Lord, and when he could have no answer, makes recourse to the devil.  
IT was said by a Politician, that Diviners are a sort of men deceiving those that have hope in them, unfaithful to those that command; which should always be prohibited, and ever retained in his city. But how should they be forbidden, and yet retained? only because that they that did so prohibit them, were the same that also retained them There were two sorts of professors in time past running the same fortune among Princes. The cunning poisoners, and the fortune tellers: they kept still th'one sort that they might poison others, and sometimes did banish them that they might not be poisoned by them themselves. To th'other, they ran to know the nativities of great persons: the Princes belike thinking by violence to enforce the senses, if at any time they should raise up a subject to reign; yet they drove them away again, lest others in the Prince's nativity should seek out the time of his death, or should seek the rather to procure it, supposing heaven and the stars to be favourable to it.  
Saul therefore disguised with two in his company, goeth to a woman having a familiar spirit; she refuseth and excuseth her art, for fear of the king; but Saul swearing that no harm should come unto her, she by her skill raiseth up Samuel, as Saul had requested; who (were it either an illusion or a vision) clear it is, that being questioned by Saul, tells him what was to come.  
TO seek to know things to come by means of the devil, is a great error: to seek it by the stars, is sure a greater arrogancy; by this men pretend a science, by th'other a revelation. The one we may yet know by the permissive will of God, but the other passeth our understanding; and he that thinks by this means to know what is to come, pretends also to be God, for God only knoweth the future without any revelation: But perhaps there is no other difference betwixt these professions, (setting aside the odiousness of the name) saving that in the one, men run voluntarily to the devil; in the other, ignorantly. Who knows that those astrological figures, are not as the circles of Negromacers, & that those same signs, and those stars have not a proportion correspondent with their characters, by means of which, they bring the devil sometimes to foretell what is to come, but ever to deceive them? And if perchance the devil is he that doth by such arts reveal it, why do they seek unto him? If to get evil, it is a mere madness; if to get some good, it is to much simplicity to believe that the devil will be a minister of any good.  
Samuel saith unto Saul, that he, and his sons, and a part of the people shall die in battle, because he fulfilled not the will of God in the victory against the Amalekites.  
THe Prince is often the occasion of the sins of the people and the people of those of the Prince; the one in permitting, the other in applauding them. Sometimes also God chasteneth the people for the Prince's sins, not because it hath demerited with them, but because it hath so deserved. It is true indeed that when his Divine Majesty sends the scythe of chastisement, it cuts down the good as well as the bad; because that which he sends into the world, is not the same which doth sever the wheat from the darnel.  
Saul fainteth at the hearing of such bitter news, and afterward by the entreaty of the woman, with the persuasion of his servants, having eaten somewhat, returneth to his army.  
HEre are seen two contrary effects in oneself subject, faintness, and fortitude; Saul seemeth to faint, when his heart failed at the hearing of his dea●h foretold: again, he seems valiant when he returns to his Army, in which he knows that the next day he shall die. But haply fears may be like unto loves: as the security of enjoying a thing that is desired, doth diminish the desire, so the assurance of falling into a thing that we feared, diminisheth the fear of it. Saul's blood within him made some sudden motion at that unexpected blow; but he afterward reflecting on it with his understanding, and imagining death as already present, he discharged his fear, but hath nothing to do with any other time, but with the future.  
The armies gather together, that of the Philistimes in Aphek, the other of the Israelites in Israel; but the Princes of the Philistimes seeing David with Achish, advised him to send him away, because he could no way better than with their heads regain the favour of his king.  
INterest is of such force with men in their operations, that it is accounted weakness to trust him, whose interest may move him to betray us. Sincere and plain dealing hath nothing to do in this case in matters of policy: whoso presupposeth it in any, is sometimes deceived▪ and because he is sometimes deceived, he doth never presuppose it. It cannot be believed without making some error in policy, or without some error already made. He that makes use of it after long experience doth not err, yet erred then when he made experience of it.  
Achish although David had not been with him above six months, saith that he had been with him some years, to make it believed that if he had been evil, he should have known him.  
IT is not altogether impossible to refrain nature a long time, but it is so in the utmost confines of possibility. There is requisite thereunto a perpetual assistance of judgement; nature is always ready to move according to her inclination, if she be not always withheld: and if through headlessness or weariness she be left unto herself, she falls like a stone to her own centre. Here hence comes that little truth which is found in astrological predictions, or rather which we make them have; because our inclination is a mover that continually worketh in us, and doth not always find a continual resistance. That which is violent is said to be of little continuance, not only for the necessity in him that useth the violence to be always working; but also because he is therewith so wearied, that either weariness or satiety makes him to cease.  
David seems to be grieved that Achish will not take him with him, not knowing that he hath given him any occasion to the contrary: Achish answers that in his eyes he is an angel of God, but the Princes of the army are not pleased in him.  
Lo here a means how one may lose his inward familiarity with a Prince, and get not his favour. The conspiracy of great ones where they bear great sway, undoubtedly either doth ruin the favourite, or trouble the state, whensoever he that is greatest with the Prince, is not the greatest among them. In such a case men would not be ashamed to bow unto him, to whom though he were not the favourite, he ought to bow: and there would be opened unto them a clear way without any dirty flattery, or thorny danger, to run a happy course between obsequiousness, and odious liberty; but this seldom or never happens: whether by the cunning of Princes, or by nature, I know not. This Art teacheth them that the greatest in the state may not be called into inward favour without danger of dominion, from which he is but one pace distant. Nature teacheth to lift up the lowly, and to beat down the mighty: and this nature is dictated of God, who raiseth the poor from the dunghill to place him among Princes, even with the Princes of his people: It is signified by the stars, whose radiation is then thought to be great, powerful, and glorious; which lifting men from low estate, doth seat them with Princes. It is finally manifested in the earth, whiles it favourably cherisheth and raiseth up those plants that are not wrapped in gold, that is resplendent, but buried in the baseness of the soil that is unclean. What instruction may then be given to favourites for eschewing the hatred of great ones? The wittiest politician seems to commend such a subject, as contenting himself to be the greatest of the great ones in authority about the Princes, cared not to exceed the meaner ones in dignity: I take this to be want of knowledge, how to make one's best benefit of the fortunes that befall one, or rather an abusing of them: and that it is no way sufficient to extirpate envy, which is rooted in favour, and not in honour. How many have been seen to lose their favours with the Prince, retaining still their dignity; and of objects of envy to become the objects of compassion. He that thinks riches and honours are envied, is deceived: It is the command, the applause, and obsequiousness, that they bring with them: if these were separated from the King, it were no desirable thing to be a King. A very small reverence, and a very little place, is sufficient to satisfy what our bodies require: but the whole world is not enough to quench the thirst of the mind; which stands also with reason, because the body may easily find his object in a bodily world. But the mind which is a spirit, never finds it where there is no spirit. It deceives itself sometimes in running with the body after some bodily thing, as toward a proper object; but no sooner is the same obtained, but the error is discovered. Those pleasing tastes which some altogether sensual do account but as smoke, which are the obsequiousness, the reuerences, the applauses, these are the greatest food to the mind, because these are the least corporeal.  
There are a thousand other precepts written for favourites, both to defend them from the hatred of the great, and from every other occasion that might work their overthrow. Some also I could add which are not mentioned by others, but because they are all vain and frivolous, I will not fill up the page with such vanities and weaknesses: I will say one only thing, being the truest and securest course to maintain himself in the Prince's favour, which may well be performed, and may well be spoken of; yet can it not be learned nor taught, which is, to preserve always the love of the Prince, and the manner how to preserve it. It is true, that the favourite never falls without some cause, but the same causes have not always the same effects: for sometimes they are surmounted by an affection greater than their own; if this stands firm and sure, there can be no danger; if this shrinks, than the ruin is at hand: not because he falls without cause, but because 'tis impossible not to give some cause, and then the lesser have more force than at another time the greater would. A constellation which would scarce have caused a simple ter●ian in youth (by consent of those that write these vanities in Astrology) is sufficient to kill one in his decrepit age. He that would not have his love decline, let him hold both his eyes always fixed upon the Prince, never depart from him, never seek any other but him; for as soon as he turns his eyes to himself or others, he is undone. His greatness, his affections, his pleasures, and delights, must be in his Prince. Neither let him think that by this means he may miss of preferments, but rather that he shall be sure of them, and peradventure with less envy. He that possesseth things that are subject to envy, and takes no delight in them, is rather to be pitied, than envied. But who is he that will do so, saving the man that is full of affection, and most tenderly enamoured of his Lord. It is a thing that cannot be reduccd into Art, though it be easily known. Affectation differs much from affection, which if he hath not, let him not imitate; for such imitations are odious in the school of love: they that will maintain themselves in the Prince's favour with Art, their Art fails them, and they then fail with their Art.  
David departs from the army, and returns with his men to Ziklag, whereby they find that the Amalekites have burnt the City, and carried away all the inhabitants prisoners, with David's wives also; and the people therewith enraged, would have stoned him.  
IT is no marvel that this multitude would have stoned innocent David: men being angry, seek some subject on which they may discharge their passion; yet if they find not those that offend them, they suppose whomsoever they meet to be the same; yea, and sometimes when there appears before them no other, on which they may revenge themselves, they beat the pavement with their feet, and the walls with their fists. And this is no such folly as many do imagine, but an instinct of nature; which feeling the heart suffocated by so great a quantity of fiery spirits, seeks to ease herself by diverting some part of them in the exercising of some action.  
The passions of the people are too distemperate going always to extremes, which is not proper to the people, as they are a people, but as they are a multitude; in which every one hath his particular passion, and participateth also with that of the others, and with that participation increaseth his own. I have sometimes doubted, (but I say it is not a thing undoubted) that in this increasing the contracting at least of the spirits hath some part: considering that a multitude of people gathered together, finds nothing to stay it from going whither it may go without separating, and whither they would not go with less danger if they were separated: from whence may be taken an instruction for them that will fortify themselves in a place that they have regard to accommodate in such manner, that the fortification itself may be able to withstand the incursion of a multitude; or otherwise, not think their strength sufficient to maintain it with neither fire nor shot.  
David asks counsel of the Lord thereupon what shall be done, and suddenly turns to follow the steps of the Amalekites.  
THis is the best way to withdraw himself out of danger, to divert an angry multitude to the true object of their anger, that thereby they may forsake the false.  
They finally find out the Amalekites, fight with them, and overcome them; recovering the prey with the prisoners: and the spoil which they had taken, David will have divided with those that kept the baggage, and were not at the fight.  
THe captain of a malcontented company, had need be both valorous, and circumspect: That heat that stirs up a multitude, whether for love to their leader, or anger against their Prince, groweth soon cold, and then gives place to a comparison, to which succeedeth repentance; the consequence whereof, is either the killing of their captain, or the abandoning of him: Neither is it sufficient for the eschewing of such a danger, to have once gotten a great reputation: time consumeth it, and how great soever it be, reduceth it to nothing. It is necessary to link it into a chain, not suffering the report of a great action to cease, without renewing it with another as great or greater. David because his flying from Saul might take from him the reputation he had gotten in subduing the Giant, no sooner begins to fly, but he fights and overcomes the Philistimes, that had sacked ●eilah; and because that flight is an argument of fear, and that fear brings a loss of reputation, he makes it known that he could twice have killed the King, to give his flight the title of reverence, and to take away the imputation of fear. Afterward being returned to Ziklag, that the malcontented might not have leisure to make any reflections on him to his harm; and desirous to maintain his reputation, he oftentimes with honour and profit to himself assaulteth the infidels; and finally vanquisheth the Amalekites, and recovereth that reputation, the diminution whereof, had brought him into the peril of being stoned.  
The Philistimes fight with the Israelites, and have broken the body of their army, and slain three of the King's sons; the strength of the whole charged Saul, when he turning to his Armour-bearer, prays him to kill him, that he might not be a derision to the uncircumcised; which when he refused, Saul sets his own sword against his breast, and falling on it, kills himself.  
I Know not how the description of death to be the utmost of all terrible things, should be understood: If in this life the utmost of all delectable things be not to be had, why should the utmost of the terrible? One of the contraries cannot be admitted, but the other must also be granted. Now to live, not being the utmost of delectable things, teacheth that to die is not the utmost of the terrible. The not finding in this our world any object that is the last of delectable and of terrible things (if we will not suppose the powers without an object) makes us believe that it is in the other world, and in that other world is God seen and not seen. But he that described death the last of all terrible things, meant it of things in this world; which would be true, if spoken of the last in number, and not in weight: for otherwise, if it be such in itself, it must then be always such unto all: And yet we read of many men that have embraced it, to eschew some other thing, which we must needs believe was more terrible to them. He that wonders at a resolution so extravagant as makes a man kill himself, may marvel at nature also, which being sometimes terrified at death doth prevent it.  
The Armour-bearer of Saul, seeing what his Lord had done, draws out likewise his sword, and kills himself. Some Writers are of opinion that this was Doeg the Edomite, Saul's favourite; who lest he should be punished by his successor, killed himself.  
THe favourites of a Prince that hath a successor, if they die not before Saul, yet they die often with Saul. I know not how to steer them from this rock: there hath been one, that seeing no other remedy, made at the sovereignty itself, and was just there destroyed. There hath been also that turned his back to the West, and sat his eyes toward the East, and towards those rays that would have been deadly to him, had not that Sun been then under the line of the Horizon. As the sons of Princes cannot endure any companion in domination, no more will Princes in their love. He that thinks there is no envy betwixt the father and the son, is deceived. The honours done to the son, if they increase that of the father, do rejoice him; but if they diminish his, they make him sorrowful; which because it falls out but seldom, men suppose there is no such thing. When the favourite hath hope that by course of nature he shall survive the Prince, it is a hard matter for him not to have an eye to the future; toward which if he cast a look, he loseth that which is present: but he deserves no favour, that desires or thinks to outlive his Lord. The greatest felicity that may befall the former, (it being not lawful for any violently to charge upon death) would be to end his life just when the latter dieth. It is hard to die before him, because it is no easy thing to leave one that is his Patron, and his Love. He that blames Princes for having favourites, would have them inhuman and vile: What thing is a man that hath no love? or wherein may a Prince show gracious unto others, or see himself his own greatness, but in advancing of others? and how or why should he advance them, if he doth not love them? Would they have him always masked? would they not allow him any, to whom he may unstrip himself, and discover the secrets of his heart? He that will give to Princes (that which surely they ought to have) leave to descend sometimes from their throne of majesty, and to confer their inward cogitations with any one, he must allow a favourite▪ If the Prince lay aside his majesty, withal he would grow contemptible; if his secrets should be imparted unto many, they could not be secrets; but if he be familiar but to one, open but to one, he is then the favourite. It is wished by them that are not beloved above the rest, that the Prince would love all alike: but why should he love all alike, since he is not beloved himself of all alike? A well devoted subject ought to be grieved that any one loveth his Lord more than he, and not that his Lord loves another more than himself. This would be a desire to tyrannize over the affections of Princes, which men ought to reverence. He that could make his love more fervent, than that of the favourite, might peradventure make himself the greater favourite: but commonly men strive to unhorse him by malice, and not by virtue, because it is more easy to envy, than to love. Give me leave also further to affirm (if without offence I may) that it cannot be any blame to have a favourite, unless men will say that Christ our Lord was to be blamed, whose favourite was Saint John.  
One passing by chance near unto Saul, who longed to die, and asked him whence he was; and the other answering that he was an Amalekite: Saul prayeth him to kill him, which he excuseth.  
O The unspeakable providence of God he peradventure permitted not Saul to kill himself, he consented that his sin should kill him. One of the Amalekites, whom against the will of God he had saved alive, God will have to put him to death. That sinner spoke for all sinners, & spoke divinely, that said, My sin is always against me. We have no enemies, but we make some: nor is Saul alone slain by his sin, for there be but few men that are not also killed by theirs. And it is very particular, that one particular should kill them; seeing it was the same that brought death into all the world: O how pleasant, and how profitable are the precepts of God He is a physician (under favour be it spoken) not only for the soul, but for the body also. He hath left us better rules in a few leaves to preserve our health, than are contained in the great volumes of the books of the Gentiles.  
King Saul dieth after he had reigned many years, and with the King, dieth a great part of the people, which had demanded a King.  
FAvours are not therefore demanded of God that he may do them, but because he will do them; he doth them by means of our prayers: they are obtained with the Optative, not with the Imperative mood. He that will command them, deserves then only to be heard when it is to his harm; to have been heard to teach him that is God, neither to be taught, nor to be commanded. Wherefore then it was that Saul did lose his life, and wherefore the kingdom of Israel went out of his Progeny, is easily resolved by them, who omitting the manifold other causes, have recourse to that alone, which is the first, and chief, and prime cause: from whose well, all the rest proceed. But why God willeth the destruction of Kings and kingdoms, would be easy also to show, were it not the will of God, is not always effective, but sometimes also permissive: he wills that such as forsake him, lose their kingdoms; and that they that follow him, obtain them. Moreover, how and when it comes to pass that he permitteth sometimes those that follow him to be abased, and those that abandon him to be exalted, I do not know, and others peradventure know as little. Those Princes than that are not in God's favour, let them always fear, how prosperous soever they are: Being not able to allege any cause of their happiness, they must needs be afraid; if they be great, they know not why they are so: and it is to be doubted that such greatness cannot long endure; whereof no cause can be given for which it began. He who happening to come into the house of a fortunate man, did suddenly depart thence, certainly he meant it not of them that God maketh happy and successful, but of those whom God permitteth so to be. The ruin of Saul came peradventure of his own great prosperity, his being from a base estate exalted to a kingdom, confirmed and settled therein with happy success, in stead of making him the more devout, made him more confident, yea, more rash and unadvised. Let us not make it lawful to serve him the less, who hath prospered us to the end; we should serve him the more, as if the gifts or graces which God vouchsafeth us were but for our pleasure, and not for his glory. A great sort of men offend their God in their prosperity, and pray unto him in their adversity; yet is he still the same God, when he delivereth us out of misery and distress, and when he overturneth our fortunate courses and proceedings. It may seem peradventure, that to deliver out of disasters doth more manifest the Divinity, than to abase prosperous fortunes; whence it is that men are more confident in his mercies, than fearful of his vengeance. There is no man how wicked soever, but doth some good thing whereunto he afterward ascribes the cause of his good success, and equivocating between the reward, and the grace given him, hath no fear of losing what he pretends to have deserved. On the contrary, there is no man so good, but he committeth some evil whereunto for the most part he attributeth the cause of his misfortune, and equivocating between God's chastising and his exercising of him, sends up sometimes his supplications to God, when he should rather have sent thanksgivings; as if the world which is the place of meriting and demeriting, were the place also of rewarding and punishing.  
To conclude, let us pray his divine majesty, that he will be always pleased to end the persecutions of the Davids, with the death of the Saul's: And all to the glory and honour of his great Name; in which I end this book, as I desire also to end my life.  
FINIS.