1 Samuel 21

Beware of this fallacy; delay strengthens sin, hardens the heart, and gives the devil fuller possession of a man. (1 Samuel 21:8) The king's business requires haste; so the business of salvation requires haste; do not put off an hour longer. Volat ambiguis mobilis alis hora — wh…

3. Humility: The humble soul looks on its sins, and how it has provoked God, he says not his afflictions are great, but his sins are great, this makes him lie at God's feet and say, I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him (Micah 7:9). Thus a su…

2. After this, it was retained, and set up as it seems upon the walls of the Temple, as a monument of that miraculous mercy and healing, which they had formerly received by it in the Wilderness. And this use of it was not instituted, but only indifferent, and it seems to be of t…

And as God puts him in mind of his mercy he had shown to him before for the encouragement of his faith, so the people of God have made use of them to this end. Goliath's sword was counted by David the fittest for his defense in his flight, because it had been a monument of God's…

For this purpose galleries were constructed around the walls of the temple, in which they had “chambers,” (1 Kings 6:5.) The law did not, indeed, forbid a priest to enter his house, but, as it did not permit those who ate the show-bread to come near their wives, (1 Samuel 21:4,)…

There was also another external requisite to the preparing and sanctifying of themselves; and that was by abstaining for a time from the lawful use of the marriage bed; you have the command expressly in that 19th Exodus 15. Be ready against the third day, come not at your wives;…

Prop. 2. That therefore such sinners shall not stand in the sight of God. Could that Philistian prince say (1 Samuel 21:14, 15), the man is mad, therefore then have you brought him to me? Have I need of mad men? &c.

Why should the Lord [illegible] wise, choose such weaklings, aged and decrepit, who shall not be able to strike one stroke for him in the defense of his Truth, or set one foot forward in [illegible] ways of his Statutes? As Achish spoke of David when he came to the [illegible] a…

First, God is exceedingly pleased with such a frame of heart. God says of a contented Christian, as David once said of Goliath's sword, There is none like that, give it me (1 Samuel 21:9). If you would please God, and be men of his heart, be contented.

If we do not run, and so run, we shall never obtain the prize; if a man were to run for a wager of three or four millions, would he not run with all celerity and swiftness? The king's business requires haste (1 Samuel 21:8); if any should say to us, where are you going so fast?…

There's none of us would have our meat come up upon a dirty dish, and much less God. When David asked for some holy showbread from the Priests, he tells him as well, that the vessels of the young men, that were to carry it, were holy (1 Samuel 21:5). So must our hearts be, when…

Now if it fall out otherwise, that policy be used, and any of these four caveats be not observed, then it loses both the name and nature of true policy, and becomes fraud, craft, and deceit, and so is condemnable. Example hereof we have in David (1 Samuel 21:14), who when he cam…