stines
invading the land, and no doubt many godly joined and died in battle. Now
this is commended in scripture, as may be seen in David's funeral(389)
upon them, although it was known that Saul was an hater of God's people
and a persecutor, and that God had a controversy with him, and that these
3,000 that assisted him against David were also ungodly and wicked men.

_Answer 1_. These scriptures speak nothing to commend that particular act
of Jonathan's conjunction in war with his father. David in his epitaph
speaks much to the commendation of both Saul and Jonathan, as of excellent
warriors, and of Jonathan as a kind and constant friend to him, but there
is nothing touched of that point. If that place be pressed, it will follow
with much more evidence, that Saul was as good a man as Jonathan, and that
the people of God had great loss in his death. But none of these must be
pressed rigorously from a speech wherein he vents his affection and grief.
2. Suppose the natural bond of Jonathan to Saul his father, and the civil
bonds of the people to Saul their king, did oblige them to join with him
against the common enemy, yet we think they ought not to have associated
with these persecuting servants, and the 3,000 that pursued David, but
they ought to have pleaded for a purging of the army. 3. It is not
probable that there were many godly persons employed in that army. David
complains of that time, (Psal. xii.) that the godly man ceased, and the
faithful from among the children of men and that the wicked walked round
about when the vilest men were exalted. 4. Many of the laws of God have
not been much taken notice of, even by godly men, until the Lord hath
taken occasion to reprove them particularly, and so to mind(390) them of
their duty. It is likely the rule, (Deut. xxiii.) had not been considered
till the time of Jehoshaphat and Amaziah.(391) However it be, they had not
so many solemn and particular ties of oaths, and covenants, and vows, and
confessions, as we have lying on us. 5. Let no man wonder that such
particular escapes are not always reproved in scripture, who considers
that the fathers' polygamy, though so frequent among them, was not laid to
their charge.

_Objection 3_. Separation from the army, because of the sin of
magistrates, in employing such unqualified persons, is paralleled to
separation from church worship, because of the sin of the false
worshippers, and because the guides of the church do not excl