1 Samuel 16

To think God is in this place, he beholds us, would add wings to prayer, and oil to the flame of our devotion. 2. Is God's knowledge infinite, study sincerity, be what you seem; (1 Samuel 16:7). The Lord looks upon the heart. Men judge of the heart by the actions, God judges of…

And as he can raise up other passions, so also fears and terrors, jealousies, and distrusts — to fear where no fear is. Thus he handled Saul when God left him to him: 'An evil spirit from the Lord troubled him' — or, as most read it, 'terrified him' (1 Samuel 16:15). And in rais…

Thus he left David to Satan, to provoke him to sin as well as Judas; therefore that provocation to number the people, as it is imputed to Satan and his malice (1 Chronicles 21:1), so also to God and his anger in giving leave first to Satan (2 Samuel 24:1). And as an evil spirit…

God promised Abraham a son, in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed (Genesis 12.3): But he performed it not of 30 years after (Genesis 21.2). He gave David the kingdom of Israel, and anointed him by Samuel, 1 Samuel 16.13. But he attained it not of many years afte…

When the devil is gone, the Angels come. Certainly it is true on the contrary (1 Samuel 16:14), The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him: and it is true in this sense, if we entertain the Temptation, we banish the good Angels from…

Thus Abram speaks the truth in part, calling Sarah his sister, and conceals it in part, not confessing her to be his wife (Genesis 12:10). Thus Samuel by God's appointment reveals that he came to Gilgal to offer sacrifice, and conceals the anointing of David, that he might save…

It is certainly true, that “every man is tempted,” as the Apostle James says, (1:14) “by his own lust:” yet, as God not only gives us up to the will of Satan, to kindle the flame of lust, but employs him as the agent of his wrath, when he chooses to drive men headlong to destruc…

For though they know experimentally what true Religion is, in the internal Exercises of it; yet these are what they can neither feel, nor see, in the Heart of another. There is nothing in others, that comes within their View, but outward Manifestations and Appearances; but the S…

So the Evil Spirit came upon him to excite out of his own adust Melancholy, discontents, fears, a sense of Guilt, as also to impress terrifying thoughts and Apprehensions on his Imagination. For so it is said an Evil Spirit from the Lord [[original in non-Latin script]], 1 Sam.…

So (Exodus 19:20), when the people were to be prepared to receive the law, the Lord says to Moses, Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, that is, prepare the people, or warn the people that they prepare themselves for the receiving of the law. And likewise in (…

And therefore we are to obey our parents in whatever honest calling and employment they will set us. David, though destined to a kingdom, is yet by his father Jesse appointed to keep the sheep (1 Samuel 16:11). We ought not, till at last we are emancipated and set free by their…

Fourthly, it is no lie to conceal part of the truth, when it is not expedient or necessary to be known. Thus (1 Samuel 16:2), God himself instructs Samuel, when he sent him to anoint David king over Israel, that he should answer, he came to sacrifice to the Lord; which was truth…

We have no certain account of the time when David was first endued with the spirit of prophecy; but it is manifest, that it either was at the time that Samuel anointed him, or very soon after; for he appears soon after acted by this spirit, in the affair of Goliath: and then gre…

Behold thou desirest the Truth in the inward Parts. 1 Samuel 16:7. Man looketh on the outward Appearance, but the Lord looketh on the Heart.

Yet further, although in Jericho they destroyed men, women, and cattel, and so it was more accursed then Ai, for there the cattel were saved; yet in Jericho the gold, silver, brass, iron, were consecrated unto God, Iosh. 7:19 but so it must not be in Amalek, for that must be mor…

All the services which servants perform to their masters must be done in truth and uprightness. The Apostle gives this direction to Christians who have to do not only with masters according to the flesh (who only see the outward appearance) but also with the master of spirits wh…

Masters and mistresses are flesh and blood as well as servants, and so subject to weakness, sickness, old age, and other distresses, wherein they may stand in great need of servants' help: servants therefore must be faithful in affording them the best help that they can. Saul's…

1. It is the inward man that is esteemed with God, and therefore that's it the saints mainly look after. God does not look upon men according to their outward condition, pomp, and appearances in the world, but according to the inward endowments of the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Man'…

In some cases we may conceal something (Luke 9:21): Our Savior strictly charged them, and commanded them to tell nobody that he was the Christ. (1 Samuel 16:2): When the Lord sent Samuel to anoint David, Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill me.

It is not enough that the life seem good, and many good actions be performed, unless the heart be purified; otherwise we do with the Pharisees, wash the outside of the platter (Matthew 23:25-26), when the inside is full of extortion and excess. It is the heart God looks after (1…

So here like a bottle in the smoke. And you must consider that this was spoken of David, that ruddy youth, of whom it was said (1 Samuel 16:12), Now he was ruddy, of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. But great sorrows had made an alteration, and afflictions do quic…

It was said concerning Eliab, David's elder brother, when it was conceived that he should be the man appointed for the kingdom, and indeed holy Samuel was deceived in his goodly stature, 'Surely this is the Lord's Anointed.' The Lord himself checks his judgment, 'Man looks on th…

But before I make an end of speaking of it, I ask our Massing doctors, since they know that obedience is more esteemed of God than oblations, and that he more requires that his voice be hearkened to, than that sacrifices be offered: how they believe that this manner of sacrifici…

But take a man with a pricked conscience only, and he is so far from being weaned from this thing, as that he will plunge himself deeper into them; he thinks that if he fill himself with business, or merry company, it will drive away heart qualms; as Cain to marrying, and then t…