he
hearing of this message, "Saul returned from pursuing after David, and
went against the Philistines." It is true, the Lord did provide for his
servant David's escape, by this means: but, if ye consider Saul, he took
it not so. Nothing moved him to leave this pursuit but the condition of
the land, by the invading of an enemy. Three things might have moved
Saul to stay and pursue David. 1. He hath him now in a strait, and hath
such advantage, that he might have thought not to come readily by the
like. 2. That altho' the Philistines be enemies, yet David is the most
dangerous enemy; for he aimeth at no less than the crown. It were better
to take conditions off the enemy, than to suffer David to live, and take
the crown. 3. He might have said, if I leave David at this time and
fight with the Philistines, and be beaten, he will get a power in his
hand to undo me and my posterity. These may seem strong motives; but
Saul is not moved with any of them. The present danger is the
Philistines invading the land, and this danger is to be opposed, come of
the danger from David what will. As if Saul had said, I will let David
alone, I will meet with him another time, and reckon with him: now
there is no time for it, the Philistines are in the land, let us make
haste against them. I wish that many of our countrymen had as great a
love to their country, and as public a spirit for it, as this profane
king had, then there would not be so many questions for acting, as men
make this day.

The objections I have been touching are in men's thoughts and heads.
First, some say, now the malignants are under, for this enemy is their
rod. It is best to put them out of having any power: yea, there are some
who would more willingly go to undo these, whom they account malignants,
than against the common enemy, who are wasting the land. If they had
Saul's resolution, they would say, the Philistines are in the land, let
them alone, we will reckon with them at another time; we will now go
against the common enemy.

They have also the second objection, the malignants are more dangerous
enemies than the sectaries. I shall not now compare them to equal
distance, and abstract from the present danger: but I shall compare them
to the present posture of affairs. I am sure the sectaries having power
in their hands, and a great part of the land in their possession, are
far more dangerous than malignants, who have no power for the present:
and therefore, the