d--an angel, though
clothed in human flesh and blood, with a message of peace and wisdom. And
if any such should speak to us words of peace and wisdom, soothing us and
rebuking us at once, and appealing to those feelings in us which are
really the most noble, just because they are the most gentle, then let us
not turn away in pride, and wrap ourselves up in our own anger, but let
us receive these words as the message of God--whether they come from the
lips of a woman, or of a servant, or even of a little child, for if we
resist them we surely resist God--who has also given to us His Holy
Spirit for that very purpose, that we may hear His message when He
speaks. It was the Spirit of God in David which made him feel that
Abigail's message was divine. The Spirit of God, hidden for a while
behind his dark passions, like the sun by clouds, shone out clear again,
and filled all his soul with light, showing him his duty, and giving back
peace and brightness to his mind.

God grant that whenever we are tried like David we may find that that
Holy Spirit has not left us, but that even if a first storm of anger
shall burst, it shall pass over quickly, and the day star arise in our
hearts, and the Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon us, and
give us peace.

XIV. DAVID'S LOYALTY; OR, TEMPTATION RESISTED.

"So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul
lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at
his bolster; but Abner and the people lay round about him. Then said
Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this
day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even
to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. And
David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his
hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? David said
furthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day
shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. The
Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's
anointed; but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his
bolster, and the cruise of water, and let us go."--1 SAM. xxvi. 7-11.

David stands for all times as the pattern of true loyalty--loyalty under
the most extreme temptation. Knowing that he is to be king himself
hereafter, he yet remains loyal to his king tho