Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: October 3rd

And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness, and assurance for ever.- Isaiah 32:17.

The light of this day assures us the sun is risen upon the earth. That is not a more evident truth in nature, than this is in reason; that righteousness, once lost, can never be regained by all that sinful man can do. Consequently no peace can subsist between a holy, righteous God, and guilty, unrighteous man. "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." But who are the wicked? Even all those who through unbelief reject the truth as it is in Jesus. It is the essence of wickedness to oppose a righteous God, to reject the righteousness of Jesus, and to go about to establish one’s own inherent righteousness, so as not to submit to the righteousness of God Jesus. Hence the conscience is defiled with guilt, the heart impure, and the life is unholy. Yet pride blinds men’s eyes, and self-righteousness deludes their hearts with a false peace. For as there is but one atonement by which guilty sinners are pardoned, so there is but ONE righteousness, even the perfect righteousness of Jesus, by which alone unrighteous sinners are made righteous in the sight of God: he accepts no other; his law is honored by no other; the scriptures reveal no other; faith receives no other; the Spirit bears witness to no other; sinners have no other in which they can stand before God, enjoy peace with God. But possessing the righteousness of Jesus by faith, their minds enjoy a peace which passeth all understanding.

There are many things from a sinful nature, Satan, and the law, which tend to disquiet their minds daily. But this is the blessed effect of Jesus’ righteousness; it brings quietness to the conscience. This comforting thought, I am righteous: my Father hath put on me the best robe, which Jesus my elder brother wrought out for me. This quiets my mind; I am easy and satisfied; I can seek no better righteousness; I dare trust in no other. And this righteousness is presented with the clearest evidence, the strongest confidence, the fullest assurance. The triumphs of Jesus’ resurrection proclaim its acceptance with God. The Spirit testifies of it in the word, and gives assurance of salvation by it in the hearts of the faithful. Hence the holy boldness and happy rejoicing of faith before a righteous God. David’s address to Jesus is, "My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness, and thy salvation all the day. I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only."- Psalms 71:15-16. As there is but one faith, so saints in all ages had but one object to look to for righteousness, even Jesus. Therefore holy Paul prays, "that I may be found in him, not having mine own righteousness."- Philippians 3:9.

Behold! I have erred exceedingly. 1 Samuel 26:21.

I have selected this text for a peculiar purpose. At the close of the meditation, [I] shall assign the reason. In this chapter, we have an account of the heroic act of David’s faith in the Lord, his invincible courage, and his amazing tenderness towards Saul, his enraged enemy, by which he melted his heart, and overcame his cruel wrath. Let us view his conduct, and pray for grace to improve from it. (1st.) View his faith. Here was Saul, with three thousand chosen men, in pursuit of David, thirsting for his blood. They were at a very small distance from him. Behold, David proposes to go to Saul’s camp in the dead of the night, and asks, “Who will go down with me?”

Does not this seem to the eye of carnal reason, to be a most rash and dangerous attempt? Though it were at midnight- though they might be fallen into a deep sleep-yet out of such a number of men, one, or more might awake, and seize on David. Surely, it was going into the very jaws of death. But David’s faith surmounted his fears. His trust in his God rose superior to every carnal suggestion. O precious gift, of precious faith! Precious Lord, increase it in our souls. Abishai consents to go with him. They pass the king’s life-guards: Come into Saul’s camp. For behold, they were all like dead men. David and Abishai converse together: not a man hears or stirs. Why was this? How can we account for it? Why? “because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.” O my soul, learn courage from hence. When Giant Despair (as related in Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress) attempted to pursue the pilgrim, he was seized with his fits. All thy enemies are under thy Lord’s power. He can cast all into a deep sleep, or into the long sleep of death. And he will, sooner than thou shalt perish by them. Up faith. Down sense. Away with all carnal reasoning.

March on, nor fear to win the day,

Tho’ death and hell obstruct the way.

Now, (2d.) See, how David’s faith wrought by his works. When they had gotten safe into the camp, Saul lay sleeping, and his spear stuck into the ground at his head. Now for a strong temptation. Abishai said to David, “God hath delivered thine enemy into thy hands this day; let me smite him, I pray thee, with this spear to the earth at once, I will not smite him a second time.” See this specious reasoning. (1st.) He begins with God, who had delivered Saul into David’s hands. (2d.) Here was a fair opportunity, to revenge himself of his cruel enemy, and put an end to his troubles. And, (3d.) He promises to do it effectually, at a stroke. Now, who but a man after God’s own heart, could have withstood this? but David had a better way to kill his rage, and save his life. Here see an heroic act of faith working by love, and producing an unshaken obedience to God. He durst not stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed. See how conspicuous the grace of God shines in this Old Testament saint. O blush ye, who make David’s faith as nothing, compared to the faith of a New-Testament believer! (3d.) See the effects of David’s conduct. He carried away Saul’s spear and cruse from under his head, and upbraids the captain of his host, for not watching over his royal master. Saul hears of the affair, and cries out, “Is this thy voice, my son David?” Struck with David’s fine reasoning: melted down at his noble, generous conduct; and doubtless recollecting, this was the second time his life was in David’s hands, when he cut off the skirts of his robe in the cave, (1 Samuel 24:5.) Saul replies, “Behold I have played the fool, and erred exceedingly.”

O see hence, that faith works by love and patience. This will overcome, when wrath and resentment only add fuel to an enemy’s rage. May we not all take up Saul’s confession, and say in many instances, “I have erred exceedingly?” It shall begin at my door. I will confess (the Lord of love and patience pardon me) I have erred exceedingly, in contending for the truth, with too much of the fire of nature’s passion, instead of that holy zeal, which is accompanied with love. Those I have offended, I pray them to forgive, and humbly entreat their prayers for me, a poor sinner. O for a warm zeal, tempered with the fire of love. This is the likeliest means to cause them who err in spirit, to come to understanding, and they who murmur, to learn doctrine. (Isaiah 29:24.) But this is not the true reason of my choice of this text. But the printer of the former edition confessed he had erred, in printing the pages wrong, which obliged me to write a meditation on two pages. The next page should have been 279, for which the reader’s excuse is humbly entreated. In that 29th of Isaiah, (verse 19.) it is said, “The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord.” O my soul! “The joy of the Lord is thy strength,” (Nehemiah 8:10.) Beware then of every work which may interrupt thy holy, humble, spiritual joy, in the God of thy salvation. To joy in thy Lord always, is commanded, (Philippians 4:4.) Ever remember, it is connected with meekness; and the meek increase their joy. Seest thou those who err in spirit, and murmur against the doctrines of grace? Take St. Paul’s advice, “In meekness instructing those,” etc. 2 Timothy 2:25.

Lord save me from my daily faults,

I’m deeply prone to err:

Keep me, from anger’s fierce assaults,

By holy, loving fear.

Let meekness in my soul prevail,

And nature’s fire subdue:

Tho’ in myself I’m weak and frail,

Thro’ Christ I all can do.