David had not only vowed, but deeply sworn, the death of Nabal, and all his family, to the very dog that lay at his door; yet now he praiseth God, that hath given the occasion and grace to violate it. Wicked vows are ill made, but worse kept. Our tongue cannot tie us to commit sin. Good men think themselves happy, that since they had not the grace to deny sin, yet they had not the opportunity to accomplish it.

If Abigail had sat still at home, David had sinned, and she had died; now her discreet admonition hath preserved her from the sword, and diverted him from bloodshed. And now, what thanks, what benedictions, hath she for this seasonable counse!! How should it encourage us to admonish our brethren; to see, that if we prevail, we have blessings from them; if we prevail not, we have yet blessings from God, and thanks of our own hearts!

How near was Nabal to a mischief, and perceives it not! David was coming to the foot of the hill to cut his throat, while he was feasting in his house without fear. Little do sinners know, how near their jollity is to perdition. Many times judgment is at the threshold, while drunkenness and surfeit are at the board. Had he been any other than a Nabal, he had not sat down to feast till he had been sure of his peace with David: either not to expect danger, or not to clear it, was sottish. So foolish are carnal men, that give themselves over to their pleasures, while there are deadly quarrels depending against them in heaven.

There is nothing wherein wisdom is more seen, than in the temperate use of prosperity. A Nabal cannot abound, but he must be drunk and surfeit. Excess is a true argument of folly. We use to say, that when drink is in, wit is out; but if wit were not out, drink would not be in.

It was no time to advise Nabal, while his reason was drowned in a deluge of wine. A beast or a stone is as capable of good counsel as a drunkard. Oh that the noblest creature should so far abase himself, as for a little liquor to lose the use of those faculties, whereby he is a man! Those, that have to do with drink or phrensy, must be glad to watch times: so did Abigail, who, the next morning, presents to her husband the view of his faults, of his danger. He then sees, how near he was to death, and felt it not. That worldly mind is so apprehensive of the death that should have been, as that he dies, to think that he had like to have died. Who would think a man could be so affected with a danger past, and yet so senseless of a future, yea imminent? He, that was yesternight as a beast, is now as a stone: he was then over-merry, now dead and lumpish. Carnal hearts are ever in extremities. If they be once down, their dejection is desperate, because they have no inward comfort to mitigate their sorrow. What difference there was betwixt the disposition of David and Nabal! How oft had David been in the valley of the shadow of death, and feared no evil! Nabal is but once put in mind of a death that might have been, and is stricken dead. It is just with God, that they who live without grace should die without comfort; neither can we expect better, while we go on in our

sins.

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The speech of Abigail smote Nabal into a qualm. That tongue had doubtless oft advised him well, and prevailed not; now, it occasions his death, whose reformation it could not effect. She meant nothing but his amendment; God meant to make that loving instrument the means of his revenge: she speaks, and God strikes; and within ten days, that swoon ends in death.

And now Nabal pays dear for his uncharitable reproach, for his riotous excess. That God, which would not suffer David to right himself by his own sword, takes the quarrel of his servant into his own hand. David hath now his ends without sin; rejoicing in the just executions of God, who would neither suffer him to sin in revenging, nor suffer his adversaries to sin unrevenged.

Our loving God is more angry with the wrongs done to his servants, than themselves can be; and knows how to punish that justly, which we could not undertake without wronging God, more than men have wronged us. He, that saith, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, repays oft-times when we have forgiven, when we have forgotten, and calls to reckoning after our discharges. It is dangerous offending any favourite of him, whose displeasure and revenge is everlasting.

How far God looks beyond our purposes! Abigail came only to plead for an ill husband; and now God makes this journey a preparation for a better: so that in one act, she preserved an ill husband, and won a good one in the future. David well remembers her comely person, her wise speeches, her graceful carriage; and now, when modesty found it seasonable, he sends to sue her, which had been his suppliant. She entreated for her husband; David treats with her for his wife: her request was to escape his sword; he wisheth her to his bed. It was a fair suit to change a David for a Nabal; to become David's queen, instead of Nabal's drudge. She, that learned humility under so hard a tutor, abaseth herself no less when David offers to advance her; Let thine hand-maid be a servant, to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord. None are so fit to be great, as those that can stoop lowest. How could David be more happy in a wife: he finds at once piety, wisdom, humility, faithfulness, wealth, beauty? How could Abigail be more happy in a husband, than in the prophet, the champion, the anointed of God? Those marriages are well made, wherein virtues are matched, and happiness is mutual. 1 Sam. xxv.

DAVID AND ACHISH.

Good motions that fall into wicked hearts, are like some sparks that fall from the flint and steel into wet tinder; lightsome for the time, but soon out. After Saul's tears and protestations, yet he is now again in the wilderness with three thousand men, to hunt after innocent David.

How invincible is the charity and loyalty of an honest heart! The same hand, that spared Saul in the cave, spares him sleeping in the field: the same hand, that cut away the lap of his master's

away

garment, carried his spear; that spear, which might as well have carried away the life of the owner, is only borne away for a proof of the fidelity of the bearer.

Still Saul is strong, but David victorious, and triumphs over the malice of his persecutor; yet still the victor flieth from him, whom he hath overcome.

A man, that sees how far Saul was transported with his rancorous envy, cannot but say, that he was never more mad than when he was sober; for even after he had said, Blessed art thou, my son David, thou shalt do great things, and also prevail, yet still he pursues him, whom he grants assured to prevail: what is this, but to resolve to lose his labour in sinning, and in spite of himself to offend? How shameful is our inequality of disposition to good! We know we cannot miss of the reward of well-doing, and yet do it not; while wicked men cast away their endeavours upon those evil projects, whereof they are sure to fail. Sin blinds the eyes, and hardens the heart, and thrusts men into wilful mischiefs, however dangerous, however impossible; and never leaves them, till it have brought them to utter confusion.

The over long continuance of a temptation, may easily weary the best patience; and may attain that by protraction, which it could never do by violence. David himself at last begins to bend under this trial; and resolves so to fly from Saul, as he runs from the Church of God; and while he will avoid the malice of his master, joins himself with God's enemies.

The greatest saints upon earth are not always upon the same pitch of spiritual strength. He, that sometimes said, I will not be afraid of ten thousands, now says, I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul. He had wont to consult with God; now he says thus in his own heart. How many evident experiments had David of God's deliverances; how certain and clear predictions of his future kingdom; how infallible an earnest was the holy oil, wherewith he was anointed, of the crown of Israel! And yet, David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. The best faith is but like the twilight; mixed with some degrees of darkness and infidelity. We do utterly misreckon the greatest earthly holiness, if we exempt it from infirmities. It is not long, since David told Saul, that those wicked enemies of his, which cast him out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, did as good as bid him, Go serve other gods; yet now is he gone from the inheritance of God, into the land of the Philistines. That Saul might seek him no more, he hides himself out of the lists of the Church, where a good man would not look for him.

Once before had David fled to this Achish; when he was glad to scrabble on the doors, and let his spittle fall upon his beard, in a semblance of madness, that he might escape; yet now, in a semblance of friendship, is he returned to save that life, which he was in danger to have lost in Israel. Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, whom David slew, was of Gath; yet David dwells with Achish, king of the Philistines, in Gath: even amongst them whose

fore-skins he had presented to Saul, by two hundreds at once, doth David choose to reside for safety. Howsoever it was a weakness in David, thus by his league of amity to strengthen the enemies of God, yet doth not God take advantage of it for his overthrow, but gives him protection, even where his presence offended; and gives him favour, where himself bore just hatred. Oh the infinite patience and mercy of our God, who doth good to us for our evil; and in the very act of our provocation upholdeth, yea, blesseth us with preservation!

Could Saul have rightly considered it, he had found it no small loss and impairing to his kingdom, that so valiant a captain, attended with six hundred able soldiers and their families, should forsake his land, and join with his enemies; yet he is not quiet, till he have abandoned his own strength. The world hath none so great enemy to a wicked man, as himself: his hands cannot be held from his own mischief: he will needs make his friends, enemies; his enemies, victors; himself, miserable.

David was too wise to cast himself into the hand of a Philistine king, without assurance. What assurance could he have, but promises? Those, David had from Saul abundantly, and trusted them not: he dares trust the fidelity of a pagan; he dares not trust the vows of a king of Israel. There may be fidelity without the Church, and falsehood within. It need not be any news, to find some Turks true, and some Christians faithless.

Even unwise men are taught by experience; how much more they, who have wit to learn without it! David had well found, what it was to live in a court; he therefore, whom envy drove from the court of Israel, voluntarily declines the Philistine court, and sues for a country habitation. It had not been possible for so noted a stranger, after so much Philistine bloodshed, to live long in such an eminency, amongst the press of those, whose sons, or brothers, or fathers, or allies, he had slaughtered, without some perilous machination of his ruin; therefore he makes suit for an early remove; For why should thy servant dwell in the chief city of the kingdom with thee? Those, that would stand sure, must not affect too much height or conspicuity. The tall cedars are most subject to winds and lightnings, while the shrubs of the vallies stand unmoved. Much greatness doth but make a fairer mark for evil, There is true firmness and safety in mediocrity.

How rarely is it seen, that a man loseth by his modesty! The change fell out well to David, of Ziklag for Gath. Now he hath a city of his own, All Israel, where he was anointed, afforded him not so much possession, Now the city, which was anciently assigned to Judah, returns to the just owner; and is, by this means, entailed to the crown of David's successors. Besides that, now might David live out of the sight and hearing of the Philistine idolatries; and enjoy God, no less in the walls of a Philistine city, than in an Israelitish wilderness: withal, a happy opportunity was now opened to his friends of Israel, to resort unto his aid. The heads of the thousands that were of Manasseh, and many valiant captains of the other

tribes, fell daily to him, and raised his six hundred followers to an army, like the host of God. The deserts of Israel could never have yielded David so great an advantage. That God, whose the earth is, makes room for his own every where; and oft-times provideth them a foreign home, more kindly than the native. It is no matter for change of our soil, so we change not our God. If we can every where acknowledge him, he will no where be wanting to us.

It was not for God's champion to be idle. No sooner is he free from Saul's sword, than he begins an offensive war against the Amalekites, Gezrites, Geshurites. He knew these nations branded by God to destruction: neither could his increasing army be maintained with a little: by one act therefore, he both revenges for God, and provides for his host. Had it not been for that old quarrel, which God had with this people, David could not be excused from a bloody cruelty, in killing whole countries, only for the benefit of the spoil; now, his soldiers were at once, God's executioners, and their own foragers. The intervention of a command from the Almighty alters the state of any act; and makes that worthy of praise, which else were no better than damnable. It is now justice, which were otherwise murder. The will of God is the rule of good. What need we inquire into other reasons of any act or determination, when we hear it comes from heaven?

How many hundred years had this brood of Canaanites lived securely in their country, since God commanded them to be rooted out, and now promised themselves the certainest peace! The Philistines were their friends, if not their lords, The Israelites had their hands full; neither did they know any grudge betwixt them and their neighbours; when suddenly, the sword of David cuts them off, and leaves none alive to tell the news. There is no safety in protraction. With men, delay causeth forgetfulness, or abates the force of anger; as all violent motions are weakest at the furthest: but with him, to whom all times are present, what can be gained by prorogation? Alas! what can it avail any of the cursed seed of Canaan, that they have made a truce with heaven and a league with hell? Their day is coming; and is not the further off, because they expect it not.

Miserable were the straits of David; while he was driven, not only to maintain his army by spoil, but to colour his spoil by a sinful dissimulation. He tells Achish, that he had been roving against the south of Judah, and the south of the Jerahmeelites, and the south of the Kenites; either falsely or doubtfully, so as he meant to deceive him, under whom he lived, and by whom he was trusted. If Achish were a Philistine, yet he was David's friend, yea his patron; and if he had been neither, it had not become David to be false. The infirmities of God's children never appear, but in their extremities. It is hard for the best man, to say how far he will be tempted. If a man will put himself among Philistines, he cannot promise to come forth innocent.

How easily do we believe that which we wish! The more credit Achish gives unto David, the more sin it was to deceive him; and