2 Samuel 15

If the sinner could help it, God should no longer be God. 4. Sin is an act of disingenuity and unkindness; God feeds the sinner, keeps off evils from him, bedecks him with mercy, but the sinner not only forgets God's mercies, but abuses them: he is the worse for mercy; like Absa…

It was now a sad time with David, he was flying for his life from Absalom; it was no small affliction to think that his own son should seek to take away his father's life and crown. David wept and covered his face (2 Samuel 15:30). Yet at this time says he, I will lay me down in…

8. We highly take God's name in vain, when we prefix God's name to any wicked action. I say, the mentioning of God in a wicked design is taking his name in vain (2 Samuel 15:7). I pray, says Absalom, let me pay my vow which I vowed to the Lord, in Hebron.

Lying is a sin that does not go alone; it ushers in other sins. Absalom told his father a lie, that he was going to pay his vow at Hebron (2 Samuel 15:7), and this lie was a preface to his treason. Lying is such a sin as takes away all society and converse with men: how can you…

Lying is a sin that does not go alone, it ushers in other sins. Absalom told his father a lie, that he was going to pay his vow at Hebron (2 Samuel 15:7), and this lie was a preface to his treason. Where there is a lie in the tongue, it shows the devil is in the heart.

Let us be exhorted whatever troubles God does exercise us with, aequo animo ferre, to resign up our wills to God, and say, Your will be done: Which is fittest, that God should bring his will to ours, or we bring our will to his? Say as Eli (1 Samuel 3:18), It is the Lord, let hi…

See, Abraham's faith will lead him from country to country; and Job's will carry him through life and death. And noble David is not behind for his part; for he will lose his kingdom, if God will have it so: 2 Samuel 15:26. If (says David) God say, I have no delight in you, lo he…

The inhabitants of Jericho pay dearly for their disobedience in this case: God sets the Israelites as Lords over them: and because they will not yield to become their servants, they die for it. David's practice was commendable in this case: for, when he was put out of his own Ki…

Answer. We are to pray against their sins, counsels, enterprises, but not against their persons. Thus prayed David against Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15:31): Lord I pray you bring the counsel of Ahithophel to foolishness. And thus did the apostles pray against their persecutors (Acts…

Our Savior prayed that the cup might be taken away, but with submission to his Father's will (Luke 22:42). And this David had learned when he said, But if he thus say, behold I have no delight in you, behold here I am, let him do to me as seems good in his eyes (2 Samuel 15:26).

2. Grace is a well-advised and resolute thing, and has the eyes of providence to say in possible events, What if my scarlet embrace the dunghill, and providence turn the tables. 3. It is like wisdom (grace is wise to see afar off) to fore-act faith, and resolve to lie under God'…

Whereas there is no true Christian that does most esteem the having of Christ, but does not only seek Christ without respect of loaves, or money, or of a quiet conscience in time of death, but even in the very time of this life, when he seeks after the ordinances of God in this…

As sometimes the case so stands, that if a man do betake himself to spiritual duties, he shall perhaps find the more favor in the eyes of men, and to please authority, if it take the better side; and so from a heavy baseness of their hearts to such regards; they will have respec…

Secondly, our cries are to be directed to God with subjection to his will. Read the example of Christ (Mark 14:36) and of David (2 Samuel 15:26). This condemns the practice of many men.

It is here supposed to be the Christians great duty, under the apprehensions of approaching troubles to resign his will to Gods, and quietly commit the events and issues of all to him, whatever they may prove. Thus did David in the like case and circumstances, 2 Samuel 15. 25, 2…

Thus when the Sea divided it self, just upon Israels cry to Heaven, Exodus 14:10 When so signal a victory is given to Asa, immediately upon that pathetical cry to Heaven, Help us O Lord our God, 2 Chron. 14. 11, 12. When Ahitophel shall go and hang himself, just upon that prayer…

That is, You shall love and praise God rightly and straightly, neither bent to yourselves, nor your profits. Such spirit had David, when he being driven from Jerusalem by his son Absalom, was of that mind that he being cast away forever, would never look to come again, neither i…

Secondly, Sometimes the soul by says addresss it self in a peculiar manner to the Soveraignty of Gods will; whereby he is gracious to whom he will be gracious, and merciful to whom he will be merciful, which as was shewed, is another considerable Spring or principle of forgivene…

10:3, 4. And David when things were brought into extream confusion by the Rebellion of Absolom followed by the Ungodly multitude of the whole Nation, relinquishs all other arguments and Pleas, and lets goe complaints in a resignation of himself and all his Concernments unto the…

1. A shameful condition (Isaiah 20:4). 2. A present sad affliction, the sense whereof makes men careless of what is adorning; So David (2 Samuel 15:30), under heavy affliction, walks barefooted. 3. An unfitness for travel: Therefore, when the people were to be in readiness for t…

You know by what insinuations Absalom stole away the hearts of the people — by those of justice and kindness; he kissed them, he did perijcere oscula, adorare vulgus, as the historian says of Otho. And you know he said (2 Samuel 15:4), "Oh that I were a judge in the land, then I…

When God's anger is kindled, ours must be stifled; such is the law of meekness, that whatever pleases God must not displease us: David was in a better frame when he penned the 56th Psalm, the title of which, some think, speaks the calmness and submissiveness of his spirit when t…

But Moses seeing Gods mind, that he would rather have him venture himself in joining with his people in affliction, and that this was the way, whereby God would honor himself by him, he was content to let go all those reasonings, and yield up himself to Gods own way: God will so…

Expediency depends much upon circumstances, and consequences which may follow upon the doing of any thing: in observing which the wisdom of him who has power to have a thing done, or not done, especially appears. When David suffered not Hushai his good friend, and wise counselor…

And the elders of his house arose, and went to him to raise him up from the earth; but he would not: neither did he eat bread with them. And when he was driven from his palace by Absalom, and was in danger of his life every moment (which some interpreters think to be the case in…

See how he complains, verse 1: "Lord how are they increased that trouble me, many are they that rise up against me." You shall find in 2 Samuel 15:12: "The people increased continually with Absalom." A multitude against him, and the rest durst not be for him, their hearts were h…

Lord, if you will you can make me clean. (2 Samuel 15:25-26) And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city; if I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation: But if he thus say, I have no delight…

Applying it to David's case, some think it fulfilled when the Amalekites spoiled Ziklag (1 Samuel 30), and took the women captive, and the spoil of the city. Some understand it of the time when Absalom and his party rifled his house, and defiled his concubines (2 Samuel 15). 2.…

Pray mark, in the general case he observes justice, in his own faithfulness. The Book called Midrash Tillim refers these words to David's flight from Absalom, when he went to Mount Olivet weeping; it was an ill time then with David, he had no security then for his life; being dr…

They dare venture to say and do whatever evil may serve their turns, and maintain what they do without either fear or care, to hear or reform, because they have others to maintain them in what they do. As the Scripture speaks of Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 15:12): The conspira…

First, the Saint improves his earthly things for an heavenly end, where layest you up your treasure? doest you bestow it on your voluptuous paunch, your hawks and your hounds, or lockest you it up in the bosome of Christs poor members? what use makest you of your honor and great…

It was no doubt great content to David, that he had the hearts of his people so, as Whatever the King did, pleased them all. And surely God took it as well, that what he did pleased David; for indeed David was as content under the rule and disposure of God as the people were und…

Philippians 4:12. I know both how to be abased, and how to abound: everywhere, and in all things I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. If I die, it is good; if I live, it is good; if I be full, and rich, it is good; if I be hungry,…

So the end which Noah proposed unto himself in the building of the Ark, was the preservation of himself and others, according to the will of God, he made an Ark to preserve himself and his family from the flood, according to all that God commanded him, so did he (Genesis 6:22).…

This word therefore, whether the act of God towards men, or of men towards God, or of men among themselves, or of one towards another be expressed thereby, is always used in a Forensick sense, and does not denote a Physical operation, Transfusion or Transmutation. 2 Samuel 15:4.…

1. Towards others, yet be proud; who more humble than Absalom in his outward behavior? 2 Samuel 15:5. When any man came near to do him obeisance, Absalom took him by the hand and kissed him.

There is a long chain, and concatenation of God's ways, counsels, decrees, actions, events, judgments, mercies; and there is white, and black, good and evil, crooked and straight interwoven in this web, and the links of this chain, partly gold, partly brass, iron and clay, and t…

Men create fools' paradises to themselves, and then walk up and down in them; as, if they had money enough, what pleasures they would have; if they were in such places of preferment, how they would carry themselves. To allude to that Absalom said (2 Samuel 15:4) — Oh if I were a…