2208. The Statute Of David For The Sharing Of The Spoil

No. 2208-37:313. A Sermon {a} Delivered On Lord’s Day Morning, June 7, 1891, By C. H. Spurgeon, At The Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.

And David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they also had made to stay at the brook Besor: and they went out to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him: and when David came near to the people, he greeted them. Then all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those who went with David answered, and said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them anything from the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, so that they may lead them away, and depart.” Then David said, “You shall not do so, my brethren, with what the Lord has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the company who came against us into our hand. For who will listen to you in this matter? but as his part is who goes down to the battle so shall his part be who remains by the supplies: they shall share equally.” And it was so from that day on, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day. {1Sa 30:21-26}

1. Those who associate themselves with a leader must share his fortunes. Six hundred men had left their homes in Judea; unable to endure the tyranny of Saul they had linked themselves with David, and made him to be a captain over them. Some of them were the best of men, and some of them were the worst: in this, resembling our congregations. Some of them were choice spirits, whom David would have sought, but others were undesirable people, from whom he might gladly have been free. However, no matter who they may be, they must rise or fall with their leader and commander. If he had the town Ziklag given to him, they had a house and a home in it; and if Ziklag was burned with fire, their houses did not escape. When David stood amid the smoking ruins, a penniless and a wifeless man, they stood in the same condition. This rule holds good with all of us who have joined ourselves to Christ and his cause; we must be partakers with him. I hope we are prepared to stand by this rule today. If there is ridicule and reproach for the gospel of Christ, let us be willing to be ridiculed and reproached for his sake. Let us gladly share with him in his humiliation, and never dream of shrinking. This involves a great privilege, since those who are with him in his humiliation shall be with him in his glory. If we share his rebuke in the midst of an evil generation we shall also sit upon his throne, and share his glory in the day of his appearing. Brethren, I hope most of us can say we are in for it, to sink or swim with Jesus. In life or death, where he is, there we, his servants, will be. We joyfully accept both the cross and the crown which go with our Lord Jesus Christ: we are eager to bear our full share of the blame, so that we may partake in his joy.

2. It frequently happens that when a great disaster occurs to a band of men, a revolt follows. However little it may be the leader’s fault, the defeated cast the blame for the defeat on him. If the fight is won, “it was a soldiers’ battle”; every man-at-arms claims his share of praise. But if the battle is lost, cashier the commander! It was entirely his fault; if he had been a better general he might have won the day. This is how people talk: fairness is out of the question. So in the great disaster of Ziklag, when the town was burned with fire, and wives and children were carried away captive; then we read that they spoke of stoning David. Why David? Why David any more than anyone else, it is hard to see, for he was not there, nor any one of them. They felt so vexed, that it would be a relief to stone someone, and why not David? Brethren, it sometimes happens, even to the servants of Christ, that when they fall into persecution and loss for Christ’s sake, the tempter whispers to them to throw out their profession. “Since you have been a Christian, you have had nothing but trouble. It seems as if the dogs of hell were snapping at your heels more than ever since you took upon you the name of Christ. Therefore, throw it out, and abandon the ways of godliness.” Vile suggestion! Rebel against the Lord Jesus? Dare you do so? Some of us cannot do so, for when he asks us, “Will you also go away?” we can only answer, “Lord, to whom should we go? You have the words of eternal life.” No other leader is worth following. We must follow the Son of David. Rebellion against him is out of the question.

   Through floods or flames, if Jesus lead,
   We’ll follow where he goes.

When a dog follows a man, we may discover whether the man is his master by seeing what happens when they come to a turn in the road. If the creature keeps close to its master at all turnings, it belongs to him. Every now and then you and I come to turns in the road, and many of us are ready, through grace, to prove our loyalty by following Jesus even when the way is hardest. Though the tears stand in his eyes and in ours; though we weep together until we have no more power to weep, we will cling to him when the many turn aside, and witness that he has the Living Word, and no one else on earth besides. May God grant us grace to be faithful to the death!

3. If we follow our leader like this and bear his reproach, the end and result will be glorious victory. It was a pitiful sight to see David leaving two hundred men behind him, and marching with his much diminished forces after an enemy who had gone, he scarcely knew where, who might be ten times stronger than his little band, and might kill those who pursued them. It was a melancholy spectacle for those left behind to see their leader a broken man, worn and weary like themselves, hurrying after the cruel Amalekite. How very different was the scene when he came back to the brook Besor more than a conqueror! Do you not hear the song of those who make merry? A host of men in the front are driving vast herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, and singing as they march, “This is David’s spoil!” Then you see armed men, with David in the midst of them, all laden with spoil, and you hear them singing yet another song; those who bring up the rear are shouting exaltingly, “David recovered all! David recovered all!” They, the worn-out ones who stayed at the brook Besor, hear the mingled song, and join first in the one shout, and then in the other; singing, “This is David’s spoil! David recovered all!”

4. Yes, we have no doubt about the result of our warfare. He who is faithful to Christ shall be glorified with him. That he will divide the spoil with the strong is never a matter of question. “The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”

5. The old truth by which we stand shall never be blotted out.

   Engraved as in eternal brass
      The mighty promise shines;
   Nor shall the powers of darkness rase
      Those everlasting lines.

We are certain as we live that the exiled truth shall celebrate its joyful return. The faith once and for all delivered to the saints may be downtrodden for a while; but do not rejoice over us, oh our adversaries: though we fall we shall rise again! Therefore we patiently hope, and quietly wait, and calmly believe. We drink from the brook Besor by the way and lift up our heads.

6. This morning I want to utter God-given words of comfort to those who are faint and weary in the Lord’s army. May the divine Comforter make them so!

7. I. I shall begin by saying, first, that FAINT ONES OCCUR EVEN IN THE ARMY OF OUR KING. Among the very elect of David’s army — heroes who were men of war from their youth up — there were hands that hung down, and feeble knees that needed to be confirmed. There are such in Christ’s army at most times. We have among us soldiers whose faith is real, and whose love is burning; and yet, for all that, just now their strength is weakened in the way, and they are so depressed in spirit, that they are obliged to stay behind with the supplies.

8. Possibly some of these weary ones had grown faint because they had been a good deal perplexed. David had so wrongfully entangled himself with the Philistine king, that he felt bound to go with Achish to fight against Israel. I dare say these men said to themselves, “How will this end? Will David really lead us to battle against Saul? When he could have killed him in the cave he would not, but declared that he would not lift up his hand against the Lord’s anointed; will he now take us to fight against the God’s anointed? This David, who was so great an enemy of Philistia, and killed their champion, will he war on their behalf?” They were perplexed with their leader’s movements. I do not know whether you agree with me, but I find that half-an-hour’s perplexity takes more out of a man than a month’s labour. When you cannot see your bearings, and do not know what to do, it is most trying. When to be true to God it seems that you must break faith with man, and when to fulfil your unhappy covenant with evil would make you false to your Christian professions, things are perplexing. If you do not walk carefully, you can easily get into a snarl. If Christians walk in a straight line it is comparatively easy-going, for it is easy to find your way along a straight road; but when good men take to the shortcut, that bypath across the meadow, then they often get into ditches that are not on the map, and fall into thickets and sloughs that they never counted on. Then is the time, for heart-sickness has come. These warriors may very well have been perplexed; and perhaps they feared that God was against them, and that now their cause would be put to shame; and when they came to Ziklag, and found it burned with fire, the perplexity of their minds added intense bitterness to their sorrow, and they felt bowed into the dust. They did not pretend to be faint, but they really were so; for the mind can soon act on the body, and the body fails sadly when the spirits are worried with questions and fears. This is one reason why certain of our Lord’s loyal-hearted ones are on the sick-list, and must remain in the trenches for a while.

9. Perhaps, also, the pace was killing to these men. They made forced marches for three days from the city of Achish to Ziklag. These men could do a good day’s march with anyone; but they could not foot it at the double-quick march all day long. There are a great many Christians of that kind — good, staying men who can keep on under ordinary pressure, doing daily duty well, and resisting ordinary temptations bravely; but at a push they fare badly: who among us does not? To us there may come multiplied labours, and we faint because our strength is small.

10. Worst of all, their grief came in just then. Their wives were gone. Although, as it turned out, they were neither killed nor otherwise harmed; yet they could not tell this, and they feared the worse. For a man to know that his wife is in the hands of robbers, and that he may never see her again, is great trouble. Their sons and daughters were also gone: no prattlers climbed their father’s knee, no gentle daughters came out to bid them “Welcome home.” Their homes were still burning, their goods were consumed, and they lifted up their voices and wept: is it at all amazing that some of them were faint after performing that doleful dirge? Where would you be if you went home this morning, and found your home burned, and your family gone, and did not know where? I know many Christians who get very faint under extraordinary troubles. They should not, but they do. We have reason to thank God that no temptation has happened to us except such as is common to men; and yet it may not seem so; but we may feel as if we were especially tested, like Job. Messenger after messenger has brought us bad news, and our hearts are not fixed on the Lord as they ought to be. To those who are faint through grief I speak just now. You may be like this, and yet you may be a true follower of the Lamb; and since God has promised to bring you out of your troubles, he will surely keep his word. Remember, he has never promised that you shall have no sorrows, but that he will deliver you out of them all. Ask those saints in heaven! Ask those to step out of the shining ranks who came there without trial. Will one of the leaders of the shining host give the word of command that he shall step forward who has washed his robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, but who never knew what affliction meant while here below? No one stirs in all that white-robed host. Does not one come forward? Must we wait here for ever without a response? See! instead of anyone stirring from their ranks, I hear a voice that says, “These are those who came out of great tribulation.” All of them have known, not only tribulation, but great tribulation. One promise of the New Testament is surely fulfilled before our eyes — “In the world you shall have tribulation.” When trouble came so pressingly on David’s men they felt their weakness and needed to halt at the edge of the brook.

11. Perhaps, also, the force of the torrent was too much for them. As I have told you, in all probability the brook Besor was only a hollow place, which in ordinary times was almost dry; but in a season of great rain it filled suddenly with a rushing muddy stream, against which only strong men could stand. These men might have kept on upon dry land, but the current was too fierce for them, and they feared that it would carry them off their feet and drown them. Therefore, David gave them permission to stop there and guard the supplies. There are many of our Lord’s servants who stop short of certain onerous service: they are not called to do what their stronger comrades undertake with joy. They can do something, but they fail to do more; they can also bear certain trials, but they are unable to bear more; they faint because they have not yet come to fulness of growth in grace. Their hearts are right in the sight of God, but they are not in any condition to surmount some particular difficulty. You must not overdrive them, for they are the feeble of the flock. Many are too faint for necessary controversy. I have found a great many of that kind around recently: the truth is very important, but they love peace. It is quite necessary that certain of us should stand up for the faith once delivered to the saints; but they are not up to the mark for it. They cannot bear to differ from their fellows; and they hold their tongues rather than contend for the truth. There are true hearts that, nevertheless, cannot defend the gospel. They wish well to the champions; but they seek the rear rank for themselves. And some cannot advance any further with regard to knowledge; they know the fundamentals, and feel as if they could master nothing more. It is a great blessing that they know the gospel, and feel that it will save them; but the glorious mysteries of the everlasting covenant, of the sovereignty of God, of his eternal love and distinguishing grace, they cannot grasp — these are a brook Besor which as yet they cannot swim. It would do them a world of good if they could venture in; but, still, they are not to be tempted into these blessed depths. To hear of these things rather wearies them than instructs them: they do not have enough strength of mind for the deep things of God. I would have every Christian wish to know all that he can know of revealed truth. Someone whispers that the secret things do not belong to us. You may be sure you will never know them if they are secret; but all that is revealed you ought to know, for these things belong to you and to your children. Take care you know what the Holy Spirit teaches. Do not give way to a faint-hearted ignorance, lest you are great losers by it. What is fit food for babes should not be enough for young men and fathers: we should eat solid food, and leave milk for the little ones.

12. Yet these fainting ones were, after all, in David’s army. Their names were in their Captain’s Register as much as the names of the strong. And they did not desert the colours. They had the same captain as the stoutest-hearted men in the whole regiment; they could call David “Master” and “Lord” as truly as the most lion-like man among them. They were in for the same dangers; for if the men in front had been beaten and had retreated, the enemy would have fallen on those who guarded the supplies. If the Amalekites had killed the four hundred, they would have made short work of the two hundred. They had work to do as necessary as that of the others. Though they did not have to fight, they had to take care of the supplies; and this eased the minds of the fighting men. I will be bound to say it was a great trial to them not to be allowed to march into the battle. For a brave man to see the troops go past him, and hear the last footfall of his comrades, must have been sickening. Who could cheerfully say, “I am left out of it. There is a glorious day coming, and I shall be absent. I shall, until I die, think myself accursed I was not there, and hold my manhood cheap that I did not fight with them on that glorious day.” It is hard to brave men to be confined to hospital, and have no drive at the foe. The weary one wishes he could be at the front, where his Captain’s eye would be upon him. He pants to strike down the enemies, and win back the spoil for his comrades.

13. Enough of this. I will only repeat my first point: fainting ones do occur even in the army of our King.

14. II. Secondly, THESE FAINTING ONES REJOICE TO SEE THEIR LEADER RETURN.

15. Do you see, when David went back they went to meet him, and the people who were with him. I feel very much like this myself. That was one reason why I took this text. I felt, after my illness, most happy to come out and meet my Lord in public. I hoped he would be here; and so he is. I am glad also to meet with you, my comrades. We are still spared for the war. Though laid aside for a while, we are again among our brethren. Thank God! It is a great joy to meet with you. I am sorry to miss so many of our church members who are laid aside by this sickness; but it is a choice blessing to meet so many of our kindred in Christ. We are never happier than when we are in fellowship with each other and with our Lord.

16. David greeted the stay-at-homes. Oh, that he might greet each one of us this morning, especially those who have been laid aside! Our King’s greetings are wonderful for their heartiness. He uses no empty compliments nor vain words. Every syllable from his lips is a benediction. Every glance of his eye is an inspiration. When the King himself comes near, it is always a feast day for us! It is a high day and a holiday, even with the faintest of us, when we hear his voice. So they went to meet David, and he came to meet them, and there was great joy. Yes, I venture to amend that, and say there is great joy among us now. Glory be to his holy name, the Lord is here! We see him, and rejoice with joy unspeakable.

17. David’s courtesy was as free as it was true. Possibly those who remained behind were half-afraid that their leader might say, “See here, you idle fellows, what we have been doing for you!” No; he greeted them, but did not scold them. Perhaps they thought, “He will upbraid us that we did not manage to creep into the fray.” But no; “he gives liberally, and does not upbraid.” He does not speak a word of upbraiding, for his heart pities them, and therefore he greets them — “My brethren, God has been gracious to us. All hail!” David would have them rejoice together; and give praise to the Most High. He will not dash their cup with a drop of bitter. Oh, for a greeting from our Lord at this good hour! When Christ comes into a company his presence makes a heavenly difference. Have you never seen an assembly listening to a preacher, all unmoved and stolid? Suddenly the Holy Spirit has fallen on the speaker, and the King himself has been visibly present among them in the midst of the assembly, and all have felt as if they could leap to their feet and cry, “Hallelujah, hallelujah!” Then hearts beat fast, and souls leap high; for where Jesus is found his presence fills the place with delight. Now, then, you weary ones, if you are here, any of you, may you rejoice as you now meet your Leader, and your Leader reveals himself to you! If no one else has a sonnet, I have mine. He must, he shall be praised. “You are the King of glory, oh Christ! All heaven and earth adore you. You shall reign for ever and ever.”

18. III. Thirdly, FAINT ONES HAVE THEIR LEADER FOR THEIR ADVOCATE. Listen to those foul-mouthed men of Belial, these wicked men: how they rail against those whom God has afflicted! They came up to David and began blustering — “These weaklings who were not in the fight, they shall not share the spoil. Let them take their wives and children and begone.” These fellows spoke with loud, harsh voices, and greatly grieved the feebler ones. Who was to speak up for them? Their leader became their advocate.

19. First, do you notice, he pleads their unity? The followers of the son of Jesse are one and inseparable. David said, “You shall not do so, my brethren, with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us.” “We are all one,” says David. “God has given the spoil, not to you only, but to us all. We are all one company of brothers.” The unity of saints is the consolation of the feeble. Brethren, our Lord Jesus Christ would refresh his wearied ones by the reflection that we are all one in him. I may be the foot, all dusty and travel-stained; and you may be the hand, holding out some precious gem; but we are still one body. That friend is the brow of holy thought, and another is the lip of persuasion, and a third is the eye of watchfulness; but still we are one body in Christ. None of us can do without his fellow; each one ministers to the benefit of all. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you.” We are all one in Christ Jesus. Surely this ought to comfort those of you who, by reason of feebleness, are made to feel as if you were very inferior members of the body: you are still living members of the mystical body of Jesus Christ your Lord, and let this suffice you. One life is ours, one love is ours, one heaven shall be ours in our one Saviour.

20. David further pleaded free grace, for he said to them, “You shall not do so, my brethren, with what the Lord has given us.” He did not say, “With what you have conquered, and fairly earned in battle,” but “what the Lord has given us.” Look upon every blessing as a gift, and you will not think anyone excluded from it, not even yourself. The gift of God is eternal life; why should you not have it? Do not deny to anyone of your brethren any comfort of the covenant of grace. Do not think of any man, “He ought not to have so much joy.” It is all of free grace; and if free grace rules the hour, the least may have it as well as the greatest. If it is all of free grace, then, my poor struggling brother, who can hardly feel assured that you are saved, yet if you are a believer, you may claim every blessing of the Lord’s gracious covenant. God freely gives to you as well as to me the provisions of his love; therefore let us be glad, and not judge ourselves according the manner of the law of condemnation.

21. Then he pleaded their necessity. He said, “These men stayed by the supplies.” No army fights well when its camp is unguarded. It is a great thing for a church to know that its supplies are well guarded by a praying band. While some of us are teaching in the Sunday School or preaching in the street, we have great comfort in knowing that a certain number of our friends are praying for us. To me it is a boundless solace that I live in the prayers of thousands. I will not say who does the better service — the man who preaches, or the man who prays; but I know this, that we can do better without the voice that preaches than without the heart that prays. The petitions of our bedridden sisters are the wealth of the church. The kind of service which seems most commonplace among men is often the most precious to God. Therefore, as for those who cannot come into the front places of warfare, do not deny them seats of honour, since, after all, they may be doing the greater good. Remember the statute, “They shall share equally.”

22. Notice that David adds to his pleading a statute. I like to think of our great Commander, the Lord Jesus, making statutes. For whom does he legislate? For the first three? For the captains of thousands? No. He makes a statute for those who are forced to stay at home because they are faint. Blessed be the name of our Lord Jesus, he is always looking after the interests of those who have no one else to care for them! If you can look after your own cause, you may do so; but if you are so happy as to be weak in yourself, you shall be strong in Christ. Those who have Christ to care for them are better off than if they took care of themselves. He who can leave his concerns with Christ has left them in good hands. Vain is the help of self, but all-sufficient is the aid of Jesus.

23. To sum up what I mean: I believe the Lord will give to the sick and the suffering an equal reward with the active and energetic, if they are equally concerned for his glory. The Lord will also make a fair division to the obscure and unknown as well as to the renowned and honoured, if they are equally earnest. Oh, do not tell me that she who raises her boy for Christ shall miss her reward from him by whom an apostle is repaid! Do not tell me that the woman who so conducts her household that her servants come to fear God, shall be forgotten in the day when the “Well dones” are distributed to the faithful! Homely and unnoticed service shall have honour as surely as that with which the world is ringing.

24. Some of God’s people are illiterate, and they have very little native talent. But if they serve the Lord as best they can, with all their heart, they shall take their part with those who are the most learned and accomplished. He who is faithful over a little shall have his full reward of grace. It is accepted according to what a man has. We may possess no more than two mites, but if we cast them into the treasury, our Lord will think much of them.

25. Some dear servants of God seem always to be defeated. They seem sent to a people whose hearts are made gross and their ears dull of hearing. Still, if they have truthfully proclaimed the Word of the Lord their reward will not be according to their apparent success, but according to their fidelity.

26. Some saints are constitutionally depressed and sad; they are like certain lovely ferns, which grow best under a constant drip. Well, well, the Lord will gather these beautiful ferns of the shade as well as the roses of the sun; they shall share his notice as much as the blazing sunflowers and the saddest shall rejoice with the gladdest. You Little-Faiths, you Despondencies, you Much-Afraids, you Feeble-Minds, you who sigh more than you sing, you who would but cannot, you who have a great heart for holiness, but feel beaten back in your struggles, the Lord shall give you his love, his grace, his favour, as surely as he gives it to those who can do great things in his name. Certain of you have only a scant experience of the higher joys and deeper insights of the kingdom, and it may be that you are in part faulty because you are so backward; and yet, if true to your Lord, your infirmities shall not be considered as iniquities. If lawfully detained from the field of active labour this statute stands fixed for ever, for you as well as for others: “As his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies: they shall share equally.”

27. IV. Now, fourthly, FAINT ONES FIND JESUS TO BE THEIR GOOD LORD IN EVERY WAY.

28. Was he not a good Lord when he first took us into his army of salvation? What a curious crew they were who enlisted under David! “Everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him, and he became a captain over them.” He was a captain of ragamuffins; but our Lord did not have a better following. I was a poor wretch when I came to Christ; and I should not wonder if that word is near enough to the truth to describe you. I was a good-for-nothing, head over heels in debt, and without a penny to pay. I came to Jesus so utterly bankrupt, that no one else would have wanted me. He might well have said, — “No, I have not come to this — to march at the head of such vagrant beggars as these.” Yet he received us graciously, according to his promise, “He who comes to me I will in no wise cast out.” Since then, how graciously has he borne with us! We are not among those self-praising ones who have performed such wonders of holiness; but we mourn our shortcomings and transgressions; and yet he has not cast away the people whom he foreknew. When we look back upon our character as soldiers of Christ, we feel ashamed of ourselves, and amazed at his grace. If anyone had told us that we should have been such poor soldiers as we have been, we should not have believed them. We do not excuse ourselves: we are greatly grieved to have been such failures. Yet our gracious Lord has never turned us out of the ranks. He might have drummed us out of the regiment long ago; but here we are still enrolled, upheld, and smiled on. What a captain we have! No one can compare with him for gentleness. He still acknowledges us, and he declares, “They shall be mine in that day when I make up my jewels.”

29. Brethren, let us exalt the name of our Captain. There is no one like him. We have been in distress since then: and he has been in distress with us. Ziklag smoked for him as well as for us. In all their affliction he was afflicted. Have you not found it so? When we have come to a great difficulty like the brook Besor he has gently eased his commands, and has not required of us what we were unable to do. He has not made some of you pastors and teachers, for you could not have borne the burden. He has abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence. He has suited the march to the foot, or the foot to the march. How sweetly he has smiled on what we have done! Have you not wondered to see how he has accepted your works and your prayers? You have been startled to find that he did answer your feeble petitions. When you have spoken a word for Jesus, and God has blessed it, why you have thought, “Surely there is a mistake about this! How could my feeble word have a blessing on it?” Beloved, we follow a noble Prince. Jesus is the chief among ten thousand for tenderness as well as for everything else. How tenderly considerate he is! How gentle and generous! He has never said a stinging word to us ever since we knew him. He is that kind of riches which has no sorrow added to it. He has rebuked us; but his rebukes have been like an excellent oil, which has never broken our heads. When we have left him, he has turned and looked at us, and so he has cut us to the quick; but he has never wounded us with any sword except what comes out of his mouth, whose edge is love. When he goes away from us, as David did from those two hundred who could not keep up with him, yet he always comes back again in mercy, and greets us with favour. We wonder to ourselves that we did not hold him, and vow that we would never let him go; but we wonder even more that he should come back so speedily, so heartily, leaping over the mountains, hurrying like a roe or a young hart over the hills of division. Lo! he has come to us. He has come to us, and he makes our hearts glad at his coming. Let us indulge our hearts this morning as we take our share in the precious spoil of his immeasurable love. He loves the great and the small with equal love; let us be joyful all around.

30. There is one choice thing which he will do that should make us love him beyond measure. David, after a while, went up to Hebron to be made king over Judah. Shall I read to you from the second book of Samuel? “And his men who were with him” (and among the rest these weak ones who could not pass over the brook Besor), “and his men who were with him David brought up, every man with his household: and they lived in the cities of Hebron.” {2Sa 2:3} Yes, he will bring me up, even me! He will bring you up, you faintest and weakest of the band. There is a Hebron where Jesus reigns as anointed King, and he will not be there and leave one of us behind. There is no kingdom for Jesus without his brethren, no heaven for Jesus without his disciples. His poor people who have been with him in faintness and weariness shall be with him in glory, and their households. Hold on to that additional blessing. Please, hold on to it. Do not let that word slip — “and their households.” I fear we often lose a blessing on our households through clipping the promise. When the jailer asked what he must do to be saved, what was the answer? “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.” You have heard that answer hundreds of times, have you not? Did you ever hear the rest of it? Why do preachers and quoters snip off corners from gospel promises? It runs like this: “You shall be saved, and your household.” Lay hold of that blessed enlargement of grace, “and your household.” Why leave out the wives and the children? Will you let the Amalekites have them? Do not be satisfied without household salvation. Let us plead this word of the Lord this morning: — Oh you blessed David, whom we have desired to follow, who has helped us so graciously even to this day, when you are in your kingdom graciously remember us, and let it be said of us, “and David went up there, and his men who were with him David brought up (they did not go up by themselves) every man with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron”; “Every man with his household.” I commend that word to your careful notice. Fathers, have you yet seen your children saved? Mothers, are all those daughters brought in yet? Never cease to pray until it is so, for this is the crown of it all, “Every man with his household.”

31. What I have to say lastly is this: how greatly I desire that you who are not yet enlisted in my Lord’s band would come to him because you see what a kind and gracious Lord he is! Young men, if you could see our Captain, you would go down on your knees and beg him to let you enter the ranks of those who follow him. It is heaven to serve Jesus. I am a recruiting sergeant, and I would gladly find a few recruits at this moment. Every man must serve someone: we have no choice concerning that fact. Those who have no master are slaves to themselves. Depend on it, you will either serve Satan or Christ, either self or the Saviour. You will find sin, self, Satan, and the world to be hard masters; but if you wear the livery of Christ, you will find him so meek and lowly of heart that you will find rest for your souls. He is the most magnanimous of captains. There never was his equal among the choicest of princes. He is always to be found in the thickest part of the battle. When the wind blows cold he always takes the bleak side of the hill. The heaviest end of the cross always lies on his shoulders. If he tells us to carry a burden, he carries it also. If there is anything that is gracious, generous, kind, and tender, yes lavish and superabundant in love, you always find it in him. These forty years and more I have served him, blessed be his name! and I have had nothing but love from him. I would be glad to continue yet another forty years in the same dear service here below if it so pleased him. His service is life, peace, joy. Oh, that you would enter into it at once! May God help you to enlist under the banner of Jesus even today! Amen.

[Portion Of Scripture Read Before Sermon — 1Sa 30]
{See Spurgeon_Hymnal “The Lord’s Day — Sweet Rest” 917}
{See Spurgeon_Hymnal “The Christian, Privileges, Unchanging Love — The Refiner Sitting By The Fire” 731}
{See Spurgeon_Hymnal “The Christian, Privileges, Unchanging Love — ‘I Will Never Leave Thee’ ” 733}

{a} This was Mr. Spurgeon’s last sermon before his death to the Metropolitan Tabernacle congregation.

The Sword And The Trowel. Edited by C. H. Spurgeon.
Contents for June, 1891.
Practical Effort for Truth the best Protest against Error. By C. H. Spurgeon.
Altar-Fire.
Charles Cook in Western London.
“The larger Hope.”
Mending the Nets.
Chinese Proverbs and Quaint Maxims.
Good Advice to Unsettled Minds.
What is True Success in the Ministry?
Friendly Aid for a Brother Preacher. By C. H. Spurgeon.
The Soul’s Venture.
Conference Comfits. {Sweets}
Impressions of the Conference of 1891.
Notices of Books.
Notes.
Pastors’ College, Metropolitan Tabernacle.
Pastors’ College Missionary Association.
Stockwell Orphanage.
Colportage Association.
Society of Evangelists.
Surrey Gardens Memorial Schools
Metropolitan Tabernacle Colportage Association Annual Report.
Price 3d. Post free, 4 Stamps.
Passmore & Alabaster, Paternoster Buildings; and all Booksellers.

Public Worship, The Lord’s Day
917 — Sweet Rest
1 My Lord, my love, was crucified,
      He all the pains did bear;
   But in the sweetness of his rest
      He makes his servants share.
2 How sweetly rest thy saints above
      Which in thy bosom lie!
   The church below doth rest in hope
      Of that felicity.
3 Welcome and dear unto my soul
      Are there sweet feasts of love;
   But what a Sabbath shall I keep
      When I shall rest above!]
4 I bless thy wise and wondrous love,
      Which binds us to be free;
   Which makes us leave our earthly snares,
      That we may come to thee!
5 I come, I wait, I hear, I pray!
      Thy footsteps, Lord, I trace!
   I sing to think this is the way
      Unto my Saviour’s face!
                        John Mason, 1683.

The Christian, Privileges, Unchanging Love
731 — The Refiner Sitting By The Fire
1 God’s furnace doth in Zion stand;
      But Zion’s God sits by,
   As the refiner views his gold
      With an observant eye.
2 His thoughts are high, his love is wise,
      His wounds a cure intend;
   And though he does not always smile,
      He loves unto the end.
3 Thy love is constant to its line,
      Though clouds oft come between:
   Oh could my faith but pierce these clouds,
      It might be always seen.
4 But I am weak, and forced to cry,
      Take up my soul to thee:
   Then, as thou ever art the same,
      So shall I ever be.
5 Then shall I ever, ever sing,
      Whilst thou dost ever shine:
   I have thine own dear pledge for this;
      Lord, thou art ever mine.
                           John Mason, 1683.

The Christian, Privileges, Unchanging Love
733 — “I Will Never Leave Thee” <11s.>
1 Oh Zion, afflicted with wave upon wave,
   Whom no man can comfort, whom no man can save;
   With darkness surrounded, by terrors dismay’d,
   In toiling and rowing thy strength is decay’d.
2 Loud roaring the billows now nigh overwhelm,
   But skilful’s the Pilot who sits at the helm,
   His wisdom conducts thee, his power thee defends,
   In safety and quiet thy warfare he ends.
3 “Oh fearful! oh faithless!” in mercy he cries,
   “My promise, my truth, are they light in thine eyes?
   Still, still I am with thee, my promise shall stand,
   Through tempest and tossing I’ll bring thee to land.
4 “Forget thee I will not, I cannot, thy name
   Engraved on my heart doth for ever remain:
   The palms of my hands whilst I look in I see
   The wounds I received when suffering for thee.
5 “I feel at my heart all thy sighs and thy groans,
   For thou art most near me, my flesh and my bones,
   In all thy distresses thy Head feels the pain,
   Yet all are most needful, not one is in vain.
6 “Then trust me, and fear not; thy life is secure;
   My wisdom is perfect, supreme is my power;
   In love I correct thee, thy soul to refine
   To make thee at length in my likeness to shine.
7 “The foolish, the fearful, the weak are my care,
   The helpless, the hopeless, I hear their sad prayer:
   From all their afflictions my glory shall spring,
   And the deeper their sorrows, the louder they’ll sing.”
                           James Grant, 1784, a.