But against whom was this plot directed ? Even against David, a pro- phet and a king, a kingly prophet, a man after God's own heart, 1 Sam. xiii. 14 ; Acts xiii. 22, though not according to theirs ; a sacred person, and therefore inviolable. ' Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm,' Ps. cv. 15, was a prohibition from heaven. David was a man emi- nent in goodness, and goodness invested in greatness is a fair mark for envy to shoot at. "What men for sloth care not to do, for weakness cannot, or for pride will not, imitate, that they malign, sitting cursing and fi-etting at the bottom of the hill, at those which thej^ see go above them, whose hfe giveth witness against them. When goodness shines forth, it presently meets with envy, until it come to the height to be above en^'y, as the sun at the highest hath no shadow. Envy hath an ill eye. It cannot look on goodness without grief. The spirit that is in us lusteth after envy. Pur- suing of goodness in men, and men for goodness, is a sin of a deep dye,
300 THE saint's safety in evil times.
because whosoever hates a man for goodness, hates goodness itself; and he that hates goodness itself hates it most in the fountain, and so becomes a hater of God himself; and if Christ were in such a man's power he should escape no better than his members do. For Christ is joined either in love or hatred with his cause and children. He and his have common friends and common enemies. Men think they have to deal with silly men, but they shall one day find that they have to deal with the great Lord of heaven and earth.
But what was the manner of carrying their design ? This cruel plot was cunningly carried, for they kill him in his good name first, and accuse him as an enemy to the state, that so their slanders may make way for violence. Satan is a liar first, and then a murderer, yea therefore a liar that he may be a murderer the better. He is first a serpent, then a bar ; and first a lion couchant, then a lion rampant. He teaches his scholars the same method. Cruelty marcheth fui'iously, and under warrant with privilege, when it hath slander to countenance it. Taint men once in the opiuion of the world, and then they lie open to any usage. It is not only safe but glorious to oppose such, and thus virtue comes to have the reward due to wickedness, and passes imder public hatred. The open cause and pretence is one, and the inward moving cause another, which perhaps hes hid till the day of ' revelation of the secrets of all flesh,' Rom. ii. 5, as in a clock the wheels and the hand appear openly, but the weights that move all are out of sight.
But what course took David herein ? Innocency was his best apology, and when that would not do, then patience. He saw God in the wrongs he suffered, ' God bade Shimei,' &c., 2 Sam. xvi. 10. But this invites more injuries, therefore by prayer he lays open his soul to God. David's prayer prevailed more in heaven than Ahithophel's policy could do on earth. Carnal men are pregnant and fuU of wiles and fetches* to secure themselves, but godly men have one only refuge and hiding-place, yet that is a great one, namely, to run to God by prayer, as to their rock and tower of defence in their distresses. From all this that hath been said there ariseth these conclusions : —
First, that even the best oj God's saints are liable to be the subjects of the plots of wicked men. (1.) From an antipathy between the two contrary seeds in them. (2.) Because God will not have his children love the world, therefore he sufiers the world to hate them. (3.) They are strangers here, and therefore no wonder if they find strange entertainment from them that think themselves at home. There hath ever been from the beginning of the world a continual conspiracy of Satan and his instruments against God and goodness. Emperors and kings became Christians, but Satan never yet became a, Chidstian, but hath always bestirred himself to maintain the first division, and never yet wanted a strong faction in the world.
Secondly, observe that it is tlie character of a man wicked in an high degree, to contrive wickedness. The reason is: (1.) Because it is a disposition of such as are given up by God to a reprobate sense, audit is reckoned among other vile sins, that they are full of maliciousness, and inventors of ill, &c. A son of Belial carries a froward heart and devises mischief, Prov. vi. 14. (2.) It shews that malice is so connatural to such, that they cannot sleep unless they cause some to fall ; ' wickedness comes from the wicked ' (as naturally and speedily), Prov. iv. 10, as poison from a spider. (3.) It argues such kind of men work out of a vicious habit, which is a stamping of a second ill nature upon the former, whenas their hearts are exercised * That is. ' artifices.' — G.