Sermon 96: 1 Samuel 26:19-25 continued

Let us pass on to David's remaining words. Since the Lord had delivered you today into my hand, but I would not put forth my hand against the anointed of the Lord. Now when David says that the Lord delivered Saul into his hand, it is not to be understood as if he were saying that it had been permitted by God to kill Saul, but that in the opinion of men this had been allowed him. That we may better understand this, we must hold that there are various ways of "delivering," since sometimes God delivers an enemy into the hand when in time of war he grants victory, and as if leading the enemy by the hand permits him to one's will. Therefore Moses thus addressed the people fighting against enemies, saying that he could give to slaughter those against whom they fought: for the war is just, and God himself permits the sword and gives power of striking and killing the enemy with the sword. God therefore delivers into the hand those whom he wills to be slain. Just as he hands criminals over to the judges, that they may inquire into their crimes and demand punishments according to their deserts, and discharge their office: fearing lest, if they let a criminal go unpunished, God should require an account from them. For evildoers are as a deposit of which they must render account to God: and this is one way of delivering, when God gives power to slay someone, and shows by no doubtful signs that this is his will. The other is when God offers indeed the opportunity of slaying an enemy, but does not grant the power. Why then is God said to deliver? Surely that he may test us ourselves, and may know whether we put a bridle on our affections of our own accord. For many indeed often greatly commend themselves if they have not carried out their will, and have inflicted no evil on enemies, nor offended them in person or in possessions: but with preposterous boasting, because the opportunity has not been offered to them, nor power given by God to avenge their enemies. Therefore then most especially appears before God our sincere will toward his worship and our love toward our neighbor, when nothing prevents us from harming them and avenging injuries, and yet of our own accord we govern our affections and abstain from all injury. Therefore although God sometimes so casts down our enemies and delivers them into our hands that the opportunity of removing them seems offered: yet not for this reason is power given to rage against them at the lust of our mind: but rather we are thus tested by God, whether we depend wholly on his will rather than on our affections, so as to abstain from the evil he has prohibited. Thus Saul was delivered into David's hands, as appears from the words of the context themselves, in which it is said that God sent sleep upon Saul and upon all his army. For therefore is it called the sleep of God, not only because it is most certain that the rest which God gives for repairing strength so that they may be sufficient for the daily labor is a divine gift and a singular testimony of his goodness toward us, no less than food and drink: but here mention is made of another sleep, namely a certain stupor by which God overwhelmed both Saul and all his army, and as it were struck with a hammer, so that they were utterly stunned. For God is wont, when about to deliver us from dangers, to render us watchful and attentive: or contrariwise, when about to oppress, to make men sluggish and stupid, to break the keenness of the eyes, to bring stupor on the ears, in short to render all the senses useless. Although besides this stupor another also is added of which Scripture speaks, when God threatens that he will send a spirit of stupor upon the despisers of his divine law, to show that he will so punish the despisers of his law as to take away their sense and transform them into brute animals. But here mention is made of natural sleep, by which Saul with his soldiers was so oppressed that he perceived nothing nor noticed when David entered into his camp. Not otherwise we see that God, about to form woman from Adam's substance, cast a deep sleep upon Adam, which indeed was a natural sleep: but by which God yet rendered the man insensible, that from him in sleep he might bring forth the body of the woman: so in this place the sleep of God is said to have fallen upon Saul, because God willed to deliver him into the hands of David. For if it had been that natural and common sleep, surely some of the three thousand men would have awakened Saul sleeping a deep sleep, nor would they have permitted David, accompanied by a single soldier, to enter the camp with impunity. But since they lay like trunks overwhelmed with deep sleep, from this it appears that God gave David occasion indeed of harming the enemy, but not power, and tested his patience. For which cause also David says that he would not put his hand against the anointed of the Lord. For he knew that it was not lawful for him to violate the person of the king, whatever occasion finally offered itself, because he had received that sacred anointing from the Lord. As for that anointing, we have spoken above, and we taught that it was a visible sign of royal dignity. For although Saul's kingdom was not perpetual, God yet had granted him such dignity and authority for a time, that the people should reverence him for so long as he should be sent who was to be the figure of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore David, well knowing this, abstains from all injury, intent on God's will, which he counted it impious to violate, until God himself should restrain his enemy by his hand. From this therefore let us first gather a doctrine necessary and useful to us in general: namely, that all those who from the name of Christ are called Christians are God's anointed, and that we must abstain from all molestation and injury, lest we violate the majesty of God himself and the asylum by which they are kept safe. But especially let us know that God is the protector and defender of kings, princes, and all superiors, lest any private person dare to inflict injury on them. But then most of all, when there is a question of that supreme kingdom of the Son of God, we must hold that his majesty, which appears especially in it, is to be venerated, and the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to be honored according to its desert: and accordingly that, if we are blasphemous against his word and have caused disturbances in his Church, and have given occasion of offense, God will restrain us, and will check us as those rising up against his majesty and butting at it with our horns. Therefore we must strive with the utmost zeal that we may be ready for the obedience and honor of him whom God has set over us as supreme king, and that with all modesty we may contain ourselves under the authority of those whom God has placed over us, raised to the highest grade of dignity.

Let us pass on to David's remaining words. "Therefore," he says, "behold, as your life was great in my eyes today, so shall my life be great in the eyes of the Lord, and he will deliver me from all distress." From these words it appears that David, although he well knew Saul's ungrateful mind, was nevertheless not wearied in doing good. Which is most worthy of singular observation, since it is implanted in all by nature that we repay each one according as he has done to us, and indeed this opinion has the force of law with all: but it appears that God on the contrary commands us to do good to enemies and to most unworthy men. Therefore we must imitate David's example, and as it were measure our actions by a rule set before us, so that although the will of our enemies be wicked, and they are hardened in evildoings, and assail us continually with new injuries, nevertheless we ought constantly to persevere in doing good to them, nor be moved from our duty by any injuries. Why so? Because our reward is laid up with God. And surely, unless our unbelief and impatience held us back, we would clearly see that it is far more profitable to us if men forget our benefits, which God yet remembers, than if we should receive reward and compensation from men according to our heart's wish. For if anyone should ask from whom we would rather be compensated, by God or by men, all would choose God; and yet if anyone expects from men any thanks or compensation for benefit, he will earn it by greater benefits, so much so that there is no need of words by which we are stirred to obedience, since we are too prone to it. But on the contrary, if men have been ungrateful and unmindful of our benefits, so that we fall away from all hope of remuneration, we are cold and despise them although God promises a reward, and commands us to hope for reward from him when men cease and labor with the vice of an ungrateful mind. What then will become of us? What excuse will we put forward for not trusting God? Surely we show in fact the greatest ingratitude, although in words we profess our obedience and obedience, and we sufficiently testify our distrust because we do not rest in his promises. To this vice is added another, namely impatience, that we think the time of remuneration will never come, since God never hastens, but holds the day, the month, the year suspended, so that we seem to have wasted our effort when we have devoted ourselves to his worship, and to have employed our zeal in vain in his obedience — which is indeed a most grave temptation. But truly let us learn to acquiesce in God's will, which is unchangeable, and in turn put a bridle on our affections, and lead our senses captive, that we may truly with David be able to say that God, although men are most ungrateful, will at length appear as the most equitable and most just judge, and will make plain in fact that our life, which is cheap and despised among men, is most precious to him.

And so much for David's words, by which he testified that he depended on God and awaited his remuneration: let us come to Saul's response: "Blessed are you, my son David, and you shall surely accomplish much and altogether prevail." When he calls David blessed, he pronounces the malediction of God on himself and on his own head: for that word "blessed" looks to God, since no one is blessed without God. For he is blessed whom God approves and holds in the number of his sons, and whom he blesses. But Saul was of his own accord persecuting David, and was seeking him to death as a most capital enemy. But David was blessed by God, and therefore Saul who was persecuting him had to be subject to God's curse, since he was fighting against him whom God favored. For not in vain God says: "I will be a friend to your friends and an enemy to your enemies"; and Scripture is full of such promises of God, by which God professes himself to be the shield, citadel, and bulwark of his own, and to defend the cause of his own, and to judge those by whom they have been oppressed. Since Saul was not ignorant of this, since this is implanted in all by nature, it appears that Saul was driven by a spirit of fury and madness, when with such hatreds he persecuted David, whom he confesses to be blessed: for in this way he subjected himself to the divine curse and willingly wished to be held in the number of the reprobate. And in this way God casts into a reprobate sense those who are hardened in vices and grow callous against his word, so that they no longer distinguish good from evil; finally there is fulfilled in them what St. Paul says in the first chapter of the epistle to the Romans: that those who did not glorify God were handed over by God to a mind devoid of all judgment, to do what is not fitting. Surely if Saul had been led by the fear of God, he would not have plunged himself headlong into that malediction we have heard but since he persecuted David of his own accord, whom yet he is compelled to bless, it was necessary that he should persevere in his begun malice and contumacy, until he was hurled headlong into the abyss of God's wrath without remedy. Let us therefore by this example learn to be wise, and to contain ourselves in simplicity and modesty, that we may be counted in the number of God's sons, and may be able to implore his blessing, and await a happy outcome of all our affairs.

The words that follow — "You shall surely accomplish and altogether prevail" — signify that David would attain to royal dignity in spite of all opposition. But if Saul knew this, why then does he send David away from himself? Why does he not retain him with himself? Why did he not treat him honorably? Surely in this Saul's hardening more clearly appears, and the divine condemnation before he departed from the living, since fighting against David against his own conscience he was rising up against the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ in him. Was Saul indeed so insane as to retain the kingdom against the Lord's will? For he did not say in pretense that David would be king, but compelled because God had impressed this testimony more deeply upon his mind, not indeed as God is wont to seal his grace in the hearts of the faithful: for the signs which God gives us in the Church are like a seal which is impressed in soft wax. God therefore so seals his mercy in our minds, that we feel and perceive great sweetness from it, and therefore the Spirit of God is also called the seal of his promises, because by God's Spirit himself he gains authority with us and makes us give faith to them. But God in another way had impressed the testimony of David's kingdom on Saul's mind, namely as evildoers are wont to be branded with some mark either on the forehead or on another part of the body, which mark is so far from being an honor to them, that on the contrary it is perpetually for disgrace and infamy. Saul therefore speaks of David's kingdom because God had impressed this certainty on his mind, that David must reign. But let us learn from this to ask God so to inscribe the certainty of his promises on our minds, that we do not imitate Saul, but that he may rather make us flexible like wax to his obedience. To David indeed surely this promise of Saul brought no advantage or disadvantage: but God yet extorted it from him, that he might more and more confirm his servant David, even by the confession and asseveration of his most hostile enemy. For although Saul was resisting God's will and striving to overturn his decree, God yet extorted from him this confession against his will, that David's kingdom must be confirmed. Which divine testimony of truth surely had no small weight in raising up and consoling David. So Balaam of old we see hired out his work to lie, and under the pretext of prophecy to deceive: but yet against his mind he was compelled by God to bring forth what God commanded: by which fact God's people was more confirmed than if it had never happened. For although the prophets when speaking are organs and instruments of the Holy Spirit, and what they say is to be received by us with reverence and fear, and to be acquiesced in, yet when we see the compelled slaves of the devil himself bear testimony against themselves, and being forced with their great disgrace to profess the divine will, just as we see those condemned to punishment compelled to acknowledge the equity of their judge, it greatly helps us, and confirms us in God's promises. Thus therefore Balaam had to preach the deliverance of the people and its prosperous success, and openly to assert the truth of God, and to confess that the Lord God of Israel is not like mortals: for to speak the truth and his will is eternal, while yet mortals change every hour. Thus that impure Balaam, who had been hired to lie, was compelled to acknowledge the divine virtue and power, and to preach his ineffable and unchangeable truth. The same also Saul did toward David, whom he acknowledges and confesses indeed will reign, but nevertheless as before he persecutes with hostile mind and hates his kingdom. From this let us learn to confess God to be faithful and so to acquiesce in his promises, that we doubt not that they will yield to us in our advantage and utility, and that his will will be inevitably accomplished, although mortals oppose themselves to it with their strength.

Finally it follows that David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place: from which it again appears that David did not greatly trust those plausible words of Saul: and although Saul had addressed him as a son and had blessed him, yet David's notice of Saul's malice and wicked obstinacy was sufficient. Therefore let us hold that, when God lays open to us the wickedness of our enemies, it is permitted to us to take care, and not to throw ourselves into their snares, and we must use prudence and counsel, which God himself has suggested, to escape their frauds and deceits. Indeed the faithful must perpetually walk in simplicity, as Christ admonishes, but yet they ought not for this reason to throw themselves headlong into dangers, and as it were with closed eyes be carried into the snares of the wicked and bring upon themselves their ultimate ruin. Which is most worthy of observation in these times in which the wickedness of the enemies of the faith is known, who, it is most certain, will omit no kind of cruelty to utterly destroy the Church if the opportunity be granted to them. But since occasion and opportunity are not offered, they flee to fox-like frauds, and with marvelous flatteries strive to attack the unwary faithful, in the meantime greatly commending their repentance and promising a better mind for the future. Truly, if faith were given to those fraudulent men, in a moment the faithful would be destroyed. Therefore the faithful must take care for themselves, especially when no faith, no ...integrity, no candor of soul in those who fight against God and his Church, who, if they could, would tear them like wild beasts, who thirst for nothing but blood, and we should, as far as we are able, hinder them from raging against the unwary at the very first opportunity, and bring them back to their senses, just as we see Saul did. Grave, I confess, were David's temptations, in that he convicted Saul of faithlessness once and again, and nonetheless always experienced the same condition, compelled to endure his life under Saul's faithlessness, now in a cave and cavern, now also harassed and pressed by thirst, hunger, cold, heat, and finally by many miseries and afflictions. Let us therefore learn from this that, while God exercises us with various calamities and afflictions and removes from us every ground for joy, we ought not on that account to lose heart and shrink back from our duty, but rather to seize from this an occasion for turning ourselves to God with true repentance and, by David's example, for consoling ourselves in the midst of afflictions. A rare virtue, I confess; for you will scarcely find one in a thousand who, when overwhelmed by many afflictions, does not gravely complain and lose heart: for one will say that ever since he embraced the gospel he has been wondrously vexed; another will cry out that it is strange that no rest is given to the wretched, while to their adversaries everything seems to succeed according to the desire and pleasure of their soul, and accordingly will wish that God might grant him, if not exactly the same condition as the adversaries, at least something like it. But let us learn to moderate our affections, and although we may be unjustly treated and tormented by the enemies whom we have spared, let us never on that account be moved away from the invocation of God, but bearing injuries patiently let us discharge our duty, and not take it ill that meanwhile our enemies enjoy deep quiet while we drink the water of distress: just as in this place we see David departing on his way, and not about to enjoy deep quiet and tranquility, but to wrestle with new difficulties, and like a wretched and needy man, an exile from his fatherland, to lead a hard and harsh life. That condition truly seemed grievous and intolerable, and one that would by conjecture cast him into despair, but because he placed his hope in God and consoled himself in him, therefore he bore that wretched condition patiently, and was unwilling to commit himself to the treachery of Saul. Saul on the contrary returned to his place, and enjoying calm and prepared affairs was held in esteem and honor among his subjects, surrounded by many soldiers whom he had obedient to his commands. From which let us learn that, when our enemies enjoy prosperity and God seems as it were to fortune them, we should not on that account be indignant or lose heart, but yet cautiously escape their fury and madness, and despise as smoke about to vanish in a moment, and patiently bear whatever trials God may send upon us to test us, until he himself offers us the matter of joy. For at the opportune time God will turn the weeping and tears of his own into the highest joy, but the joy and felicity of his enemies into gnashing of teeth and final destruction.

Now then come, etc.

## HOMILIA XCVII.

Let us move on to David's remaining words. He says: 'The Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord's anointed.' When David says the Lord delivered Saul into his hand, he does not mean God had given him permission to kill Saul — only that in human eyes the opportunity had been given. To understand this clearly, notice that there are different kinds of 'delivering.' Sometimes God delivers an enemy into one's hand by granting victory in battle — leading the enemy, so to speak, directly into your power. Moses spoke this way to the people fighting their enemies, telling them God had given them those enemies to strike down — because the war was just and God Himself had permitted the sword, giving them authority to kill. God therefore delivers into the hand those He wills to be slain. Just as He hands criminals over to judges to investigate their crimes, demand punishment according to their deserts, and discharge their office — for if the judges let a criminal go unpunished, God will require an account from them. Evildoers are a deposit for which judges must render account to God. That is one kind of delivering: God gives the power to slay someone and makes His will unmistakable. The other kind is when God offers the opportunity to harm an enemy but does not grant the power. Why is God then said to deliver? In order to test us — to see whether we will put a bridle on our own emotions of our own accord. Many people highly commend themselves if they have not carried out their will and have not harmed enemies in person or property — but they boast absurdly, because the opportunity was never offered and God never gave them the power to take revenge. Our sincere love of God and neighbor shows most truly before God when nothing actually prevents us from harming others and avenging injuries — and yet we govern our emotions of our own accord and abstain from all harm. Therefore, when God sometimes brings our enemies low and seems to deliver them into our hands as if presenting us with the opportunity to remove them — this does not mean He has given power to rage against them at the dictates of our own desire. Rather, He is testing us: whether we will depend wholly on His will rather than our emotions, abstaining from the evil He has forbidden. This is how Saul was delivered into David's hands, as the text itself shows — God sent a deep sleep on Saul and all his army. This sleep is called 'the sleep of God' not only because the ordinary rest God gives to restore strength is itself a divine gift and testimony of His goodness toward us — no less than food and drink — but here a special kind of sleep is meant: a stupor by which God overwhelmed Saul and all his army, striking them as if with a hammer, leaving them completely senseless. God is accustomed to make us watchful and alert when He is about to deliver us from danger — and conversely, when He is about to bring judgment, He makes men sluggish and dull, dulling the eyes, stopping the ears, rendering all the senses useless. There is another kind of stupor besides this natural one — the spirit of deep sleep God threatens to send on those who despise His divine law, showing He will punish the despisers of His law by taking away their senses and reducing them to animals. But here the text speaks of natural sleep — a sleep so heavy that Saul and his soldiers perceived nothing and noticed nothing when David entered the camp. Similarly, when God was about to form woman from Adam's side, He cast a deep sleep on Adam — natural sleep, but one by which God rendered the man insensible so He could bring forth the woman's body while he slept. So here, the sleep of God fell on Saul because God willed to deliver him into David's hands. Had it been ordinary natural sleep, surely some of those three thousand men would have awakened their soundly sleeping king, and would never have permitted David and a single companion to enter the camp unchallenged. Since they all lay like logs overwhelmed in deep sleep, it is clear that God gave David the occasion to harm his enemy — but not the power. He was testing his patience. For this reason David says he would not stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed. He knew it was not lawful to violate the person of the king, whatever opportunity presented itself, because Saul had received that sacred anointing from the Lord. We have spoken of that anointing above, explaining that it was a visible sign of royal dignity. Though Saul's kingdom was not permanent, God had granted him such dignity and authority for a time — that the people should honor him until the One came who would be the figure of our Lord Jesus Christ. David, knowing this clearly, abstained from all harm and kept his eyes on God's will, which he thought it impious to violate, until God Himself would restrain his enemy by His own hand. From this let us first draw a lesson necessary and useful for all: all those who are called Christians by the name of Christ are God's anointed, and we must abstain from all molestation and injury toward them — lest we violate the majesty of God Himself and the shelter under which He keeps them safe. Above all, let us know that God is the protector and defender of kings, princes, and all those in authority, so that no private person should dare to harm them. And especially, when the supreme kingdom of the Son of God is in question, let us hold that His majesty, which shines there above all, must be honored — the name of our Lord Jesus Christ given all the glory it deserves. If we are blasphemous against His Word, cause disorder in His church, and give occasion for offense, God will restrain us and check us as those who lift their horns against His majesty. Let us therefore strive with all our strength to be ready to honor and obey the One whom God has set over us as supreme King, and with all humility keep ourselves under the authority of those God has placed over us, raised to the highest rank.

Let us move on to David's remaining words. He says: 'As your life was precious in my eyes today, so may my life be precious in the eyes of the Lord, and may He deliver me from all distress.' These words show that David, though he knew Saul's ungrateful heart all too well, was not worn down or discouraged from doing good. This is most worthy of attention. It is planted in all of us by nature to repay people in kind — this principle has virtually the force of law with everyone. Yet God commands us to do the opposite: to do good to enemies and to the most ungrateful. We must imitate David's example and measure our actions by the standard set before us — so that even when our enemies have a wicked will, are hardened in wrongdoing, and assault us continually with new injuries, we nonetheless persevere in doing good to them, unmoved from our duty by any injury. Why? Because our reward is laid up with God. If unbelief and impatience did not hold us back, we would clearly see that it is far more profitable when people forget our kindness — yet God remembers it — than to receive reward and recognition from people according to our desires. If anyone were asked whether they would rather be compensated by God or by people, everyone would choose God. And yet the moment someone expects gratitude or repayment from people for a kindness done, we go to extraordinary lengths to earn it — so eager are we in that direction that no exhortation is needed. But if people are ungrateful and forget our kindness, so that all hope of recognition fades, we grow cold and stop bothering — even while God promises a reward and commands us to hope in Him when people fail us. What then will become of us? What excuse will we give for not trusting God? We show in practice the greatest ingratitude — though in words we profess obedience — and we sufficiently prove our distrust by not resting in His promises. To this failing is added another: impatience. We think the time of reward will never come, since God never seems to hurry — He holds the day, the month, the year in suspense. We begin to feel we have wasted our effort serving Him and applied our zeal in vain — which is indeed a very serious temptation. But let us learn to rest in God's will, which is unchangeable, put a bridle on our emotions, and bring our senses captive — so that we may truly say with David: though people are completely ungrateful, God will at last prove Himself the most fair and just judge, and will show in fact that our life — which is cheap and despised among people — is most precious to Him.

So much for David's words, by which he testified that he depended on God and awaited His reward. Let us come to Saul's response: 'Blessed are you, my son David — you will surely accomplish much and will altogether prevail.' When Saul calls David blessed, he is in effect pronouncing a curse on himself and his own head — for the word 'blessed' looks to God, and no one is blessed apart from God. The person who is blessed is the one God approves, holds among His sons, and blesses. But Saul was willingly persecuting David and seeking to put him to death as his deadliest enemy. David was blessed by God — and therefore Saul, who was persecuting him, had to be subject to God's curse, since he was fighting against the one God favored. Not without reason God says: 'I will be a friend to your friends and an enemy to your enemies.' Scripture is full of such promises, in which God declares Himself the shield, fortress, and bulwark of His own — defending their cause and judging those who oppress them. Since Saul was not ignorant of this — for it is planted in all people by nature — it is clear that a spirit of fury and madness was driving him. He was persecuting with such hatred the very man he confesses to be blessed — and by doing so he was willingly putting himself under the divine curse and placing himself among the reprobate. This is how God gives over to a reprobate mind those who harden themselves in vice and grow callous against His Word, until they can no longer tell good from evil. What Paul says in Romans 1 is fulfilled in them: those who did not glorify God were handed over to a mind devoid of all judgment, to do what is unfitting. If Saul had been led by the fear of God, he would not have plunged headlong into the curse we just heard. But since he went on persecuting David of his own will — even while being compelled to bless him — it was necessary that he should continue in his begun malice and stubbornness until he was cast headlong into the abyss of God's wrath, beyond all remedy. Let us therefore learn wisdom from this example and keep ourselves in simplicity and humility — that we may be counted among God's sons, invoke His blessing, and await a happy outcome of all our affairs.

The words that follow — 'You will surely accomplish much and altogether prevail' — mean that David would attain royal dignity despite all opposition. But if Saul knew this, why did he send David away? Why did he not keep him close? Why did he not treat him honorably? This shows all the more clearly Saul's hardening — and God's condemnation of him even before his death — since he fought against David against his own conscience, rising up in David's person against the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Was Saul really so insane as to try to hold onto the kingdom against the Lord's will? He did not say in pretense that David would be king — God had pressed this certainty more deeply into his mind. But not in the way God normally seals His grace in the hearts of the faithful. The signs God gives us in the church are like a seal pressed into soft wax — God seals His mercy in our minds in such a way that we feel and perceive great sweetness from it. The Spirit of God is also called the seal of His promises, because through God's own Spirit, His promises gain authority with us and we believe them. But God had impressed the testimony of David's kingdom on Saul's mind in a very different way — as criminals are branded with a mark on their forehead or elsewhere, which is no honor to them but a perpetual mark of shame and disgrace. Saul spoke of David's kingdom because God had stamped this certainty on his mind: David must reign. Let us therefore ask God to inscribe the certainty of His promises on our minds in such a way that we do not imitate Saul — but are instead made pliable as wax to His obedience. Saul's pronouncement brought David no practical advantage or disadvantage — yet God drew it from him so that He might confirm His servant David all the more, even through the testimony and admission of his most hostile enemy. Though Saul was resisting God's will and striving to overturn His decree, God extracted this confession from him against his will: that David's kingdom must be established. This divine testimony of truth was by no means small in encouraging and comforting David. We saw the same with Balaam long ago — hired to lie and deceive under the guise of prophecy, he was compelled by God against his own will to speak what God commanded. This actually confirmed God's people more than if it had never happened. Though the prophets when they speak are instruments of the Holy Spirit, and their words are to be received with reverence and obeyed — yet when we see the devil's own compelled servants bearing testimony against themselves, forced to profess God's will to their own great shame, just as criminals under sentence are compelled to acknowledge the justice of their judge, it greatly helps and confirms us in God's promises. So Balaam had to preach the deliverance and prosperity of God's people, openly declare God's truth, and confess that the Lord God of Israel is not like mortals — for while mortals change from hour to hour, to speak truth and His will is eternal. So that impure Balaam, hired to lie, was compelled to acknowledge the divine power and to preach His unfathomable and unchanging truth. Saul did the same toward David — acknowledging and confessing that David would indeed reign, while continuing to pursue him with hostility and hating his kingdom. Let us therefore learn to confess God as faithful and rest so fully in His promises that we do not doubt they will work to our advantage — and that His will will inevitably be accomplished, even when people array their strength against it.

Finally, we read that David went on his way and Saul returned to his place. This again shows that David placed little trust in Saul's plausible words — and though Saul had called him son and blessed him, David's awareness of Saul's malice and stubborn wickedness was enough. Let us hold this: when God exposes to us the wickedness of our enemies, we are permitted to protect ourselves — not throwing ourselves into their traps. We must use the prudence and wisdom God Himself supplies to escape their deceptions. The faithful must always walk in simplicity, as Christ urges — but that does not mean throwing themselves headlong into danger and, with eyes shut, stumbling into the snares of the wicked and bringing ruin upon themselves. This is especially important in our time, when the wickedness of the enemies of the faith is well known — people who will certainly spare no form of cruelty to destroy the church if given the opportunity. Since opportunity is not always available to them, they resort to cunning deceptions and use remarkable flattery to attack unsuspecting believers, meanwhile speaking loudly of their own repentance and promising a better spirit in the future. If faith were given to these deceptive people, the faithful would be destroyed in a moment. Therefore the faithful must take care for themselves — especially when there is no faith, no ...integrity, no honest dealing in those who fight against God and His church. If they could, they would tear the faithful like wild beasts — they thirst for nothing but blood. As much as we are able, we should prevent them from raging against the unsuspecting at the first opportunity and bring them to their senses, as we see was the case with Saul. David's temptations were severe, I admit. He exposed Saul's faithlessness once and again, yet always faced the same condition — forced to live out his life under Saul's treachery, now in caves, now pressed by thirst, hunger, cold, heat, and all manner of misery. Let us therefore learn from this: when God tests us with various troubles and takes away every ground for joy, we must not on that account lose heart and shrink from our duty. Instead, let us take this as the occasion to turn to God with genuine repentance and, following David's example, find consolation in the midst of afflictions. This is a rare virtue, I admit — you will scarcely find one in a thousand who, when overwhelmed by many troubles, does not complain bitterly and lose heart. One says that ever since embracing the Gospel he has been wonderfully beset with troubles. Another cries out that it is strange that no rest is given to the suffering, while to their adversaries everything seems to succeed exactly as they wish — and so they wish God might grant them, if not the same condition as their adversaries, at least something like it. But let us learn to moderate our emotions. Though we may be unjustly treated and tormented by enemies we have spared, let us never be moved from calling on God. Bearing injuries patiently, let us discharge our duty and not take it badly that our enemies enjoy deep peace while we drink the water of distress — just as here we see David going on his way, not to enjoy peace and tranquility but to wrestle with new difficulties, a miserable and needy exile from his homeland, living a hard and harsh life. That condition truly seemed grievous and beyond bearing — one that by all reckoning should have cast him into despair. But because he placed his hope in God and found comfort in Him, he bore that wretched condition patiently and refused to commit himself to Saul's treachery. Saul, on the other hand, returned to his place, enjoying calm and a well-ordered life, held in esteem and honor by his subjects, surrounded by many soldiers obedient to his commands. Let us learn from this: when our enemies prosper and God seems, as it were, to bless them — let us not be indignant or lose heart. Let us cautiously keep out of their reach, regard their success as smoke about to vanish in a moment, and patiently bear whatever trials God sends to test us, until He Himself gives us reason to rejoice. For at the right time God will turn the weeping and tears of His own into the highest joy — and the joy and prosperity of His enemies into gnashing of teeth and final ruin.

Now then come, etc.

## HOMILIA XCVII.