The oil of gladnessThe oyle of gladnesse

CHAP. I.

When a good chirurgeon meeteth with a festered sore: ⟨p. 2⟩First, he applieth corrosives and cleansing things, to cate out the dead and proud flesh, and to draw away the filth and putrefaction. This done, he lays healing plasters to perfect the cure. So did the Lord proceed with David, his wounds did stink and were putrefied, as himself speaks in the Psalm. The Lord had used reproof by Nathans mouth, and correction by his own hand. These sharper medicines had wrought excellent well upon him, and ⟨p. 3⟩brought him to a serious confession, and a solemn fast of seven days continuance, (as in likely.) Now it was time to give him some comfort, and make him to hear joy and gladness, that the broken bones might rejoice. This is done in the verses which I have read. And here he hath, first comfort in his own mind, by which he was able to comfort Bathsheba. For he should have been a poor comforter of her, unless he had first comforted himself: secondly outward comfort, ⟨p. 4⟩in giving him a son by her, and giving that son two names, and that by the message of Nathan the Prophet, one Shelomo, that is, peaceable or his peace, or the peace of the Lord, and the second Jedidiah, the Lord will love him, because both God did love him, and he was to be an instrument of abundance of prosperity and peace to Israel; yea because God would love him with a constant love; for Jedidiah signifies the Lord will make to love. And now the breach betwixt ⟨p. 5⟩God and David is fully made up. For in calling Solomon by that name, he would signify that he was now at peace with David. And by calling him Jedidiah, he would signify that the Lord did love him also. The words are plain enough, and the matter will be fuller understood, if you read in