Theo. There was great likelihood, that the servants which gave Saul this counsel, as the history witnesseth, were his Physicians, who had met together to consult of his disease.1 For, when any sickness, or other inconvenience falleth upon the wicked, they never consider, that it is the hand and rod of the Lord that is laid upon them, without they be enforced thereto, with the great blows of a maul, as was laid upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians.2 And therefore, where they should look up unto heaven, they still look grovelling down to the earth, and run rather unto creatures, then unto the Creator.
And again, they that are about them, & ⟨image 123⟩like them, never give them other direction. Wherefore, when Saul was not well at ease, he must needs send for remedy for his disease. And his most excellent remedy had been, to have sent for some sound Prophet or Preacher, to have told Saul of the grievous and great sins which he had committed, whereby the wicked spirit had so great power over him, to torment him as he did: For, by these and such like speeches, he must needs have been brought to repentance, and so have fled to the mercies of God, whereby he might have obtained his favour, and remission of his sins: for, if he had grown to an atonement with God, through true and faithful repentance, he should have found at Gods hands, that remedy that was most necessary for him. For, that God, who had stricken him in his just judgement, could, and also would, have healed him in mercy. But because that Saul, had so long dallied with God, & persevered so long in his wicked doing, contrary to his own conscience, as that god would not once vouchsafe to give him that grace to have recourse unto him, nor suffer him have any man in his Court, & about him, to give him that counsel.
Theo. There was great likelihoode, that the seruantes which gaue Saule this counsel, as the historie witnesseth, were his Phisitions, who had met together to consult of his disease.1 For, when anye sickenesse, or other inconuenience falleth vpon the wicked, they neuer cōsider, that it is the hande and rodde of the Lorde that is layde vppon them, without they bee enforced thereto, with the greate blowes of a mawle, as was layde vppon Pharaoh and the Egyptians.2 And therefore, where they should looke vp vnto heauen, they stil looke groueling downe to the earth, and runne rather vnto creatures, then vnto the Creator.
And agayne, they that are about them, & ⟨image 123⟩like them, neuer giue them other direction. Wherefore, when Saul was not well at ease, hee must needes sende for remedy for his disease. And his moste excellent remedy had beene, to haue sent for some sound Prophete or Preacher, to haue told Saul of the grieuous and great sinnes which he had committed, whereby the wicked spyrit had so great power ouer him, to tormēt him as he did: For, by these and suche lyke speeches, he must needes haue been brought to repentance, and so haue fled to the mercies of God, whereby he might haue obtained his fauour, and remission of his sinnes: for, if he had growne to an attonemēt with God, through true and faithful repentance, he shoulde haue founde at Gods handes, that remedye that was moste necessary for him. For, that God, who had striken him in his iust iudgement, could, and also woulde, haue healed him in mercy. But because that Saul, had so lōg dallied wt God, & perseuered so long in his wicked doing, cōtrary to his own cōscience, as yt god would not once vouchsafe to giue him that grace to haue recourse vnto him, nor suffer him haue ani mā in his Court, & about him, to giue him that counsel.
