him the more ; but, if not, let his advice be nevertheless wel- come to our mind ; and let him be highly esteemed by us in proportion to his fidelity'.]
3. What need have we all to pray against tempta- tion—
[We may, like David, have withstood the greatest trials, and yet fall, like him, by those wliich are comparatively light. We are far from being at all times alike. We have not a stock of grace at our own command : it is not the light of one hour, or of one minute, that will suffice for the next ; nor is it any measure of grace already received, that will enable us to stand fast in the Lord. We must receive fresh communications every moment, and look continually to the Lord for guidance and support. Let us then beg of God to " hedge up our way with thorns ^ ; " and, if preserved by him from falling, let us acknowledge him as the only source of our stability ^]
' Prov. ix. 8, 9. and xxv. 12. and xxviii. 23.
k Hos. ii. 6, 7. 1 Ps. xxvi. 12. and xli. 12, 13.
1 Sam. xxvii. 1 . And David said in Ms heart, I shall now perish one day hy the hand of Saul.
OF the dispositions of men their fellow-creatures can judge only by external signs, either in word or deed: but God discerns them as they exist in the inmost recesses of the heart, and puts a just con- struction upon every motion there. It does not appear that David had disclosed to any one his feel- ings on the occasion before us: but the all-seeing God has told us what was the language of his heart : " David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul."
It will be a profitable subject for our consideration, if we inquire,
I. In what light we should regard these fears of David —
Beyond all doubt, there was great occasion for fear —
[ J%e malignity of Saul against him was deeply rooted. From the moment that Saul heard persons celebrating the