1 Samuel 17

So we must not only bow the knee, give God worship, but bring presents, golden obedience. This is to glorify God when we stick at no service, we will fight under the banner of his gospel against regiments, and we say to him as David to King Saul (1 Samuel 17:32), "Your servant w…

Now what an infinite mercy of God is it, when he brings poor souls out of this house of bondage, when he gives them a jail delivery from the Prince of Darkness! Jesus Christ redeems captives: He ransoms sinners by price, and rescues them by force: As David took a lamb out of the…

Fourthly, seeing God's providence disposes all things, we are taught to gather observations of the same, in things both past, and present: that we may learn thereby to be armed against the time to come. Thus David when he was to encounter with Goliath, gathered hope and confiden…

These experiences are food for your faith in a wilderness condition (Psalm 74:14). By this David kept his heart in times of danger (1 Samuel 17:37), and Paul his (2 Corinthians 1:10). It was sweetly answered by Silenziarius, when one told him that his enemies lay in wait to take…

Objection. You say, But does not many a man pray for his brethren, and yet is not heard and accepted, did not Abraham pray for Ishmael? And what think you of Samuel's prayer for Saul, and yet says God, How long will you mourn for Saul (1 Samuel 17:6). I have cast him off, mourn…

And herein it is a wonder to see sometimes, how God's servants are strained, all for want of the life of faith in their souls; if God cut short with us, it is because we do not live in Christ, but in the spirit of grace, and think to walk by the strength of grace received, we lo…

From this Topick faith argues, and that very strongly and conclusively. So did David's faith in many exigencies: when he was to encounter the Champion of the Philistins, it was from former Providence that he encouraged himself, 1 Samuel 17:37 And the Apostle Paul improves his ex…

There are leading Providences, which how slight and trivial soever they may seem in themselves, yet in this respect justly challenge the first rank among Providential favors to us; because they usher in a multitude of other mercies, and draw a blessed train of happy consequences…

From Providences past, saints use to argue to fresh and new ones to come. So David, 1 Samuel 17:37 The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lyon, and out of the paw of the Bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistin. So Paul, 2 Corinthians 1:10 Who has del…

- 4. Eschewed evil. As they who write the acts or stories of great men, usually give us some description of their persons before they set down their undertakings or achievements (as you see in (1 Samuel 17:4-7) how the great giant Goliath is described) so here the Holy Ghost by…

In this, as in other instances, he was a man after God's own heart. When his own brother was so rough upon him without reason (1 Samuel 17:28), why came you down here, etc.? How mild was his answer? What have I now done? Is there not a cause? (verse 29). When his enemies reproac…

In Egypt God blessed Joseph with a faithful servant (Genesis 43:23). David, who ventured his life to save his father's sheep (1 Samuel 17:34), had many servants that ventured their lives for him (2 Samuel 21:17; 23:15). To this purpose may be applied that proverb which Christ of…

1. That they well moderate the labor to which they put their servants, so as they may be able for the time to undergo it, and to endure so long as their time of labor is appointed. It was a good reason which Saul rendered to keep David from entering combat with Goliath, because…

Leave it to God to give you that which is convenient, and suitable to your condition of life. A shoe may be too big for the foot, and a garment too great for the body, as Saul's armor was too large for little David; (1 Samuel 17) God will give you that which is convenient, that…

The Scripture does not only warn us, and show us the face of those lusts, which Satan works by to destroy us, but it arms us against them: Satan is never so worsted as when Scripture weapons are used: Those shafts strike Satan to the quick that are taken out of God's quiver. Dav…

The people of the Chinese say, that Europe has one eye, and they have two, and all the world else is blind: A proud man looks upon others with such an eye of scorn, as Goliath did upon David, 1 Samuel 17:42. When the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him.

He had been trained up to skill that way, yet he rests only in God's teaching of him (Psalm 18:32-34). It is the Lord that girds me with strength; he puts strength into his hands, so that a bow of steel is broken with my arms; and therefore it was that when he went against Golia…