The oyle of gladnesse. Or, Comfort for dejected sinners. First preached in the parish church of Banbury in certaine sermons, and now published in this present treatise. By William Whately minister there.

CHAP. I.

WHen agood chy∣rurgion mee∣teth with a fe∣stered sore:

First, hee applyeth cor∣rasives and cleansing things, to cate out the dead and proud flesh, and to draw away the filth and putrifaction. This done, he layes healing playsters to perfect the cure. So did the Lord proceed with David, his wounds did stink and were putrified, as him∣selfe speakes in the Psalme. The Lord had used reproofe by Na∣thans mouth, and cor∣rection by his own hand. These sharper medicines had wrought excellent well upon him, and

brought him to a serious confession, and a solemne fast of seven daies conti∣nuance, (as in likely.) Now it was time to give him some comfort, and make him to heare joy and gladnesse, that the broken bones might re∣joyce. This is done in the verses which I have read. And here he hath, first comfort in his owne minde, by which he was able to comfort Bathshe∣ba. For he should have beene a poore comfor∣ter of her, unlesse he had first comforted himselfe: secondly outward com∣fort,

in giving him a son by her, and giving that sonne 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 se∣cond Iedidiah, the Lord will love him, because both God did love him, and he was to bee an in∣strument of abundance of prosperity and peace to Israel; yea because God would love him with a constant love; for Iedidiah signifies the Lord will make to love. And now the breach be∣twixt

God and David is fully made up. For in calling Salomon by that name, he would signifie that he was now at peace with David. And by cal∣ling him Iedidiah, hee would signifie that the Lord did love him also. The words are plaine enough, and the matter will bee fuller under∣stood, if you reade in 1 Chron. 22.9. where Da∣vid tells Salomon, that God tels him that a son should bee borne unto him, whose name should be Salomon, and that hee would give him rest and

peace; whence it is ap∣parant, that even before the childe was borne, GOD sent to him to give him this name, and to let him understand, that this sonne was hee that was meant in the former prophesie of Na∣than, who must raigne after him, and build the house of the Lord. Now this could not but exceedingly rejoyce Da∣vid to make him assured that God was reconciled to him, because he would choose a sonne of his, be∣gotten of the same wo∣man, after the sin, to be

King after him, to build him a house.

Now let us see what instructions we may ga∣ther out of these words.