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over it through the power and grace of God. If not purged out, it will defile and destroy our whole souls.]

2. Of seeking help in the creature—

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[God is the only refuge of sinful man: wherever we may look, there is no help for us in any other. Not only are men and devils unable to assist us; even all the angels in heaven would be incapable of affording us any effectual help. Whatever creature we rest upon, it will prove only as a broken reed, which will pierce the hand that rests upon it." We must learn in every difficulty to say with Jehoshaphat, "Lord, I have no power against this great company that cometh against me, neither know I what to do; but mine eyes are upon Theeh."]

3. Of giving way to despondency

[To despair, is to seal our own condemnation. We must never conclude, that, because God has forsaken us," he will be no more entreated." Had Saul himself truly and unfeignedly implored mercy at his hands, God would not have utterly cast him off. "God never did, nor ever will, say to any, Seek ye my face in vain."]

h 2 Chron. xx. 12.

CCCIX.

i Judg. x. 10-16.

ENCOURAGEMENT IN GOD.

1 Sam. xxx. 6. But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

IN seasons of prosperity the superior happiness of a Christian is not visible to all, but in adverse circumstances he has a manifest advantage over others. The ungodly, when the cisterns from whence they draw their water are broken or emptied, have no comfort left: but when every stream is dried up, the godly have still access to the Fountain itself. This was experienced by the Church of old, and it is beautifully exemplified in the history before us. David was in great trouble, being suspected by the Philistines, plundered by the Amalekites, and threatened by his own soldiers: but in the midst of all he encouraged himself in God.

We shall shew,

a Hab. iii. 17, 18.

I. What reason he had to do so

Though reduced to the greatest extremities, David derived encouragement,

1. From the perfections of God as revealed in the word

[He was no stranger to the character of God as it was revealed to Moses', or to the unnumbered illustrations of it which the history of his nation afforded him: consequently he knew that there was nothing too hard for God to effect, or too great for him to give.]

2. From the experience which he himself had had of God

[The lion, the bear, the Philistine giant, and the murderous rage of Saul, had given him abundant proofs of God's superintending providence: these he called to mind in this season of trial and distress, and wisely judged, that, with such a Friend on his side, he had no cause for fear.]

3. From the covenant which God had made with him

[God had covenanted with him to give him the throne of Israel; hence he was assured that his life should be spared till this promise was accomplished. It was in this view that he was enabled to call God HIS God; and the thought of this relation to God added ten-fold confidence to his soul.]

While we admire the conduct of David in this particular, let us consider,

II. What reason we have to do likewise

Certainly the grounds of David's encouragement are equally calculated for our support

[God is still the same almighty and gracious Being as ever his arm is not shortened, nor is his ear heavy with respect to us. We may also see much of his goodness in our own experience. Wonderful have been the ways in which he has dealt with us for the awakening, preserving, and sanctifying of our souls. He has also covenanted with us that "he will never leave us nor forsake us," nor shall one jot or tittle of his word ever fail. Are not these then grounds of encouragement to us as well as to David?]

b Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7.

c 1 Sam. xvii. 37. xviii. 11. and xix. 10, 11.

d Ps. xlii. 6. lxxvii. 10, 11.

f Heb. xiii. 5.

e 2 Cor. i. 10.

But we have far greater reason to encourage ourselves in God than David had.

We have seen more stupendous displays of God's power

[David had read of the wonders wrought in Egypt and the wilderness: but what were these wonders when compared with the victories gained over all the passions and prejudices of the world by the preaching of a few poor fishermen?]

We have beheld more astonishing exercises of his love

[The history of the Jews records many instances of God's love towards them: but what were these when compared with the gift of his dear Son to die for us, and of his Holy Spirit to renew us? These things are as much beyond any thing that David had ever seen, as the substance is beyond the shadow.]

We have experienced more abundant proofs of his faithfulness

[How many promises, made to the Church at large, have been accomplished by the mission of Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit! And all the members of the Church, from its first establishment to the present moment, have found the promises of the Gospel fulfilled to them in their season! In proportion therefore as God's faithfulness has been tried and ascertained, our confidence in him must be increased.] APPLICATION

1. Let us endeavour to secure God as our God[Unless God be ours, we can have but little reason to encourage ourselves in him. Let us then look to Christ, that through him we may find acceptance with God; so shall God be our Friend, our Father, and our "eternal great Rewards."] 2. Let us encourage ourselves in God

[We must expect to meet with many difficulties and troubles: nor can we find any grounds of encouragement in ourselves, but in God there is all that we can either need or desire. Are we then discouraged by outward difficulties or inward corruptions? let us direct our eyes to him, as our compassionate, almighty, and ever faithful Friend. Let us, like David, chide our unbelief; and henceforth say with him, "In the day of my trouble I will call upon Godi."]

g Gen. xv. 1. John i. 12. 2 Cor. vi. 18.

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2 SAMU E L.

CCCX.

THE DEATH OF ABNER.

2 Sam. iii. 31-34. And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier. And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

AFTER the death of Saul, David was anointed king in Hebron: but still he reigned over one tribe only; for Abner had prevailed on the other eleven tribes to adhere still to the house of Saul, and to make Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, their king. From the disinterestedness and forbearance which David manifested during all the persecutions which he experienced from Saul, we can have no doubt but that he would have rested satisfied with the government of one tribe, till God in his providence should open the way for the full possession of the throne of Israel: but Ishbosheth and his adherents accounted David an usurper, and therefore waged incessant war with him for seven years. At last however a circumstance occurred, which seemed likely to effect the promised union of all the tribes under David as their head. Ishbosheth had offended Abner by accusing him of illicit intercourse with a concubine of

a 2 Sam. ii. 10, 11. with 2 Sam. iii. 1.

Saul and Abner, filled with resentment, determined to transfer his allegiance to David, and to carry over all the eleven tribes with him. Ishbosheth, knowing that Abner's influence would effect this measure, acquiesced in it, and submitted to the terms prescribed by David as a preliminary to the league which should be made between them: he sent and took Michal, Saul's daughter, from Phaltiel her husband, and gave her up to David, from whom she had been wrongfully withheld. Every thing was now ready to be carried into execution: Abner had succeeded in his conference with David, and nothing remained but to bring over the heads of the eleven tribes to the plan proposed. But behold, the treachery of Joab defeated and destroyed the plan. Joab, just returned from an expedition against the Philistines, heard what Abner had done; and immediately expostulated with David on his credulity, for suffering Abner so to impose upon him: and then, sending privately in David's name to Abner, as though some further communication with him was wanted, he met Abner on his return, and took him aside, and slew him.

This murderous act of Joab's, together with its attendant circumstances, will furnish us with some very useful, and, at this time, seasonable', observations.

We observe then,

I. That there is no crime so atrocious, but a person under the influence of a vindictive spirit will commit it

[Revenge was the principle from which Joab, in concert with his brother Abishai, acted on this occasion: Abner had slain his brother Asahel; and they sought to avenge his death. But if they had candidly considered, they might have found in this matter an occasion for gratitude rather than resentment: for Abner had exercised towards Asahel a forbearance and tenderness that could not reasonably have been expected; nor

b Just after the assassination of Mr. Perceval, before the presenting to the Prince Regent the Address from Cambridge.

c ver. 27, 30.

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