mh_parser/vol_split/13 - 1Chronicles/Chapter 21.xml

<div2 id="iCh.xxii" n="xxii" next="iCh.xxiii" prev="iCh.xxi" progress="77.28%" title="Chapter XXI">
<h2 id="iCh.xxii-p0.1">F I R S T   C H R O N I C L E
S</h2>
<h3 id="iCh.xxii-p0.2">CHAP. XXI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iCh.xxii-p1">As this rehearsal makes no mention of David's sin
in the matter of Uriah, so neither of the troubles of his family
that followed upon it; not a word of Absalom's rebellion, or
Sheba's. But David's sin, in numbering the people, is here related,
because, in the atonement made for that sin, an intimation was
given of the spot of ground on which the temple should be built.
Here is, I. David's sin, in forcing Joab to number the people,
<scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.1-1Chr.21.6" parsed="|1Chr|21|1|21|6" passage="1Ch 21:1-6">ver. 1-6</scripRef>. II. David's
sorrow for what he had done, as soon as he perceived the sinfulness
of it, <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.7-1Chr.21.8" parsed="|1Chr|21|7|21|8" passage="1Ch 21:7,8">ver. 7, 8</scripRef>. III.
The sad dilemma (or trilemma rather) he was brought to, when it was
put to him to choose how he would be punished for this sin, and
what rod he would be beaten with, <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.9-1Chr.21.13" parsed="|1Chr|21|9|21|13" passage="1Ch 21:9-13">ver. 9-13</scripRef>. IV. The woeful havoc which was
made by the pestilence in the country, and the narrow escape which
Jerusalem had from being laid waste by it, <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.14-1Chr.21.17" parsed="|1Chr|21|14|21|17" passage="1Ch 21:14-17">ver. 14-17</scripRef>. V. David's repentance, and
sacrifice, upon this occasion, and the staying of the plaque
thereupon, <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.18-1Chr.21.30" parsed="|1Chr|21|18|21|30" passage="1Ch 21:18-30">ver. 18-30</scripRef>.
This awful story we met with, and meditated upon, <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.24.1-2Sam.24.25" parsed="|2Sam|24|1|24|25" passage="2Sa 24:1-25">2 Sam. xxiv.</scripRef></p>
<scripCom id="iCh.xxii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21" parsed="|1Chr|21|0|0|0" passage="1Ch 21" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iCh.xxii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.1-1Chr.21.6" parsed="|1Chr|21|1|21|6" passage="1Ch 21:1-6" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.21.1-1Chr.21.6">
<h4 id="iCh.xxii-p1.9">The Giants Subdued. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1017.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iCh.xxii-p2">1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and
provoked David to number Israel.   2 And David said to Joab
and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba
even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know
<i>it.</i>   3 And Joab answered, The <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p2.1">Lord</span> make his people a hundred times so many
more as they <i>be:</i> but, my lord the king, <i>are</i> they not
all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing?
why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?   4 Nevertheless
the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed,
and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.   5 And
Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all
<i>they of</i> Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred
thousand men that drew sword: and Judah <i>was</i> four hundred
threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.   6 But Levi
and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was
abominable to Joab.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxii-p3">Numbering the people, one would think, was
no bad thing. Why should not the shepherd know the number of his
flock? But God sees not as man sees. It is plain it was wrong in
David to do it, and a great provocation to God, because he did it
in the pride of his heart; and there is no sin that has in it more
of contradiction and therefore more of offence to God than pride.
The sin was David's; he alone must bear the blame of it. But here
we are told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxii-p4">I. How active the tempter was in it
(<scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.1" parsed="|1Chr|21|1|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): <i>Satan
stood up against Israel, and provoked David</i> to do it. Is is
said (<scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.24.1" parsed="|2Sam|24|1|0|0" passage="2Sa 24:1">2 Sam. xxiv. 1</scripRef>) that
<i>the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved
David</i> to do it. The righteous judgments of God are to be
observed and acknowledged even in the sins and unrighteousness of
men. We are sure that God is not the author of sin—he <i>tempts no
man;</i> and therefore, when it is said that he moved David to do
it, it must be explained by what is intimated here, that, for wise
and holy ends, he permitted the devil to do it. Here we trace this
foul stream to its foundation. That Satan, the enemy of God and all
good, should <i>stand up against Israel,</i> is not strange; it is
what he aims at, to weaken the strength, diminish the numbers, and
eclipse the glory of God's Israel, to whom he is <i>Satan,</i> a
sworn <i>adversary.</i> But that he should influence David, the man
of God's own heart to do a wrong thing, may well be wondered at.
One would think him one of those whom the wicked one touches not.
No, even the best saints, till they come to heaven, must never
think themselves out of the reach of Satan's temptations. Now, when
Satan meant to do Israel a mischief, what course did he take? He
did not <i>move God against them to destroy them</i> (as Job,
<scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Job.2.3" parsed="|Job|2|3|0|0" passage="Job 2:3"><i>ch.</i> ii. 3</scripRef>), but he
provoked David, the best friend they had, to number them, and so to
offend God, and set him against them. Note, 1. The devil does us
more mischief by tempting us to sin against our God than he does by
accusing us before our God. He destroys none but by their own
hands, 2. The greatest spite he can do to the church of God is to
tempt the rulers of the church to pride; for none can conceive the
fatal consequences of that sin in all, especially in church-rulers.
<i>You shall not be so,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Luke.22.26" parsed="|Luke|22|26|0|0" passage="Lu 22:26">Luke xxii.
26</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxii-p5">II. How passive the instrument was. Joab,
the person whom David employed, was an active man in public
business; but to this he was perfectly forced, and did it with the
greatest reluctance imaginable.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxii-p6">1. He put in a remonstrance against it
before he began it. No man more forward that he in any thing that
really tended to the honour of the king or the welfare of the
kingdom; but in this matter he would gladly be excused. For, (1.)
It was a needless thing. There was not occasion at all for it. God
had promised to multiply them, and he needed not question the
accomplishment of that promise. They were all his servants, and he
needed not doubt of their loyalty and affection to him. Their
number was as much his strength as he could desire. (2.) It was a
dangerous thing. In doing it he might be a cause of trespass to
Israel, and might provoke God against them. This Joab apprehended,
and yet David himself did not. The most learned in the laws of God
are not always the most quick-sighted in the application of those
laws.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxii-p7">2. He was quite weary of it before he had
done it; for <i>the king's word was abominable to Joab,</i>
<scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.6" parsed="|1Chr|21|6|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Time was when
whatever king David did <i>pleased all the people,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.3.36" parsed="|2Sam|3|36|0|0" passage="2Sa 3:36">2 Sam. iii. 36</scripRef>. But now there was a
general disgust at these orders, which confirmed Joab in his
dislike of them, so that, though the produce of this muster was
really very great, yet he had no heart to perfect it, but left two
tribes unnumbered (<scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.5-1Chr.21.6" parsed="|1Chr|21|5|21|6" passage="1Ch 21:5,6"><i>v.</i> 5,
6</scripRef>), two considerable ones, Levi and Benjamin, and
perhaps was not very exact in numbering the rest, because he did
not do it with any pleasure, which might be one occasion of the
difference between the sums here and <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.24.9" parsed="|2Sam|24|9|0|0" passage="2Sa 24:9">2
Sam. xxiv. 9</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iCh.xxii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.7-1Chr.21.17" parsed="|1Chr|21|7|21|17" passage="1Ch 21:7-17" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.21.7-1Chr.21.17">
<h4 id="iCh.xxii-p7.6">David's Numbering the
People. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p7.7">b. c.</span> 1017.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iCh.xxii-p8">7 And God was displeased with this thing;
therefore he smote Israel.   8 And David said unto God, I have
sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech
thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very
foolishly.   9 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p8.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying,   10 Go and tell David,
saying, Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p8.2">Lord</span>, I offer
thee three <i>things:</i> choose thee one of them, that I may do
<i>it</i> unto thee.   11 So Gad came to David, and said unto
him, Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p8.3">Lord</span>, Choose
thee   12 Either three years' famine; or three months to be
destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies
overtaketh <i>thee;</i> or else three days the sword of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p8.4">Lord</span>, even the pestilence, in the land,
and the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p8.5">Lord</span> destroying
throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself
what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.   13 And
David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into
the hand of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p8.6">Lord</span>; for very great
<i>are</i> his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
  14 So the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p8.7">Lord</span> sent
pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand
men.   15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it:
and as he was destroying, the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p8.8">Lord</span>
beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that
destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p8.9">Lord</span> stood by the threshingfloor of
Ornan the Jebusite.   16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw
the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p8.10">Lord</span> stand between
the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand
stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders <i>of
Israel, who were</i> clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
  17 And David said unto God, <i>Is it</i> not I <i>that</i>
commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned
and done evil indeed; but <i>as for</i> these sheep, what have they
done? let thine hand, I pray thee, <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p8.11">O
Lord</span> my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on
thy people, that they should be plagued.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxii-p9">David is here under the rod for numbering
the people, that rod of correction which drives out the foolishness
that is bound up in the heart, the foolishness of pride. Let us
briefly observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxii-p10">I. How he was corrected. If God's dearest
children do amiss, they must expect to smart for it. 1. He is given
to understand that God is displeased; and that it is no small
uneasiness to so good a man as David, <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.7" parsed="|1Chr|21|7|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. God takes notice of, and is
displeased with, the sins of his people; and no sin is more
displeasing to him than pride of heart: nor is anything more
humbling, and grieving, and mortifying to a gracious soul, than to
see itself under God's displeasure. 2. He is put to his choice
whether he will be punished by war, famine, or pestilence; for
punished he must be, and by one of these. Thus, for his further
humiliation, he is put into a strait, a great strait, and has the
terror of all the three judgments impressed upon his mind, no doubt
to his great amazement, while he is considering which he shall
choose. 3. He hears of 70,000 of his subjects who in a few hours
were struck dead by the pestilence, <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.14" parsed="|1Chr|21|14|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. He was proud of the multitude
of his people, but divine Justice took a course to make them fewer.
Justly is that taken from us, weakened, or embittered to us, which
we are proud of. David must have the people numbered: <i>Bring me
the number of them,</i> says he, <i>that I may know it.</i> But now
God numbers them after another manner, <i>numbers to the sword,</i>
<scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.12" parsed="|Isa|65|12|0|0" passage="Isa 65:12">Isa. lxv. 12</scripRef>. And David
had another number of them brought, more to his confusion than was
to his satisfaction, namely, the number of the slain—a black bill
of mortality, which is a drawback to his muster-roll. 4. He sees
the destroying angel, with his sword drawn against Jerusalem,
<scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.16" parsed="|1Chr|21|16|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. This could
not but be very terrible to him, as it was a visible indication of
the anger of Heaven, and threatened the utter destruction of that
beloved city. Pestilences make the greatest devastations in the
most populous places. The sight of an angel, though coming
peaceably and on a friendly errand, has made even mighty men to
tremble; how dreadful then must this sight be of an angel with a
drawn sword in his hand, a flaming sword, like that of the
cherubim, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of
life! While we lie under the wrath of God the holy angels are armed
against us, though we see them not as David did.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxii-p11">II. How he bore the correction. 1. He made
a very penitent confession of his sin, and prayed earnestly for the
pardon of it, <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.8" parsed="|1Chr|21|8|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>.
Now he owned that he had sinned, had sinned greatly, had done
foolishly, very foolishly; and he entreated that, however he might
be corrected for it, the iniquity of it might be done away. 2. He
accepted the punishment of his iniquity: "Let thy hand be <i>on me,
and on my father's house,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.17" parsed="|1Chr|21|17|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. I submit to the rod, only let
me be the sufferer, for I am the sinner; mine is the guilty head at
which the sword should be pointed." 3. He cast himself upon the
mercy of God (though he knew he was angry with him) and did not
entertain any hard thoughts of him. However it be, <i>Let us fall
into the hands of the Lord, for his mercies are great,</i>
<scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.13" parsed="|1Chr|21|13|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Good men,
even when God frowns upon them, think well of him. <i>Though he
slay me, yet will I trust in him.</i> 4. He expressed a very tender
concern for the people, and it went to his heart to see them
plagued for his transgression: <i>These sheep, what have they
done?</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="iCh.xxii-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.18-1Chr.21.30" parsed="|1Chr|21|18|21|30" passage="1Ch 21:18-30" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.21.18-1Chr.21.30">
<h4 id="iCh.xxii-p11.5">Ornan's Threshing-Floor. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p11.6">b. c.</span> 1017.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iCh.xxii-p12">18 Then the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p12.1">Lord</span> commanded Gad to say to David, that David
should go up, and set up an altar unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p12.2">Lord</span> in the threshingfloor of Ornan the
Jebusite.   19 And David went up at the saying of Gad, which
he spake in the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p12.3">Lord</span>.
  20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four
sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.  
21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went
out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with
<i>his</i> face to the ground.   22 Then David said to Ornan,
Grant me the place of <i>this</i> threshingfloor, that I may build
an altar therein unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p12.4">Lord</span>: thou
shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed
from the people.   23 And Ornan said unto David, Take
<i>it</i> to thee, and let my lord the king do <i>that which is</i>
good in his eyes: lo, I give <i>thee</i> the oxen <i>also</i> for
burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the
wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.   24 And king
David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full
price: for I will not take <i>that</i> which <i>is</i> thine for
the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p12.5">Lord</span>, nor offer burnt offerings
without cost.   25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six
hundred shekels of gold by weight.   26 And David built there
an altar unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p12.6">Lord</span>, and offered
burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p12.7">Lord</span>; and he answered him from heaven by
fire upon the altar of burnt offering.   27 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p12.8">Lord</span> commanded the angel; and he put up
his sword again into the sheath thereof.   28 At that time
when David saw that the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p12.9">Lord</span> had
answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he
sacrificed there.   29 For the tabernacle of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p12.10">Lord</span>, which Moses made in the wilderness, and
the altar of the burnt offering, <i>were</i> at that season in the
high place at Gibeon.   30 But David could not go before it to
enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxii-p12.11">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxii-p13">We have here the controversy concluded,
and, upon David's repentance, his peace made with God. <i>Though
thou wast angry with me, thy anger is turned away.</i> 1. A stop
was put to the progress of the execution, <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.15" parsed="|1Chr|21|15|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. When David repented of the sin
God repented of the judgment, and ordered the destroying angel to
<i>stay his hand</i> and <i>sheath his sword,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.27" parsed="|1Chr|21|27|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. 2. Direction was given
to David to rear an altar in the threshing-floor of Ornan,
<scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.18" parsed="|1Chr|21|18|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. The angel
commanded the prophet Gad to bring David this direction. The same
angel that had, in God's name, carried on the war, is here forward
to set on foot the treaty of peace; for angels do not desire the
woeful day. The angel could have given this order to David himself;
but he chose to do it by his seer, that he might put an honour upon
the prophetic office. Thus the revelation of Jesus Christ was
notified by the angel to John, and by him to the churches. The
commanding of David to build an altar was a blessed token of
reconciliation; for, if God had been pleased to kill him, he would
not have appointed, because he would not have accepted, a sacrifice
at his hands. 3. David immediately made a bargain with Ornan for
the threshing-floor; for he would not serve God at other people's
charge. Ornan generously offered it to him gratis, not only in
complaisance to the king, but because he had himself <i>seen the
angel</i> (<scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.20" parsed="|1Chr|21|20|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>),
which so terrified him that he and his four sons hid themselves, as
unable to bear the brightness of his glory and afraid of his drawn
sword. Under these apprehensions he was willing to do anything
towards making the atonement. Those that are duly sensible of the
terrors of the Lord will do all they can, in their places, to
promote religion, and encourage all the methods of reconciliation
for the turning away of God's wrath. 4. God testified his
acceptance of David's offerings on this altar; He <i>answered him
from heaven by fire,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p13.5" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.26" parsed="|1Chr|21|26|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>. To signify that God's anger was turned away from
him, the fire that might justly have fastened upon the sinner
fastened upon the sacrifice and consumed that; and, upon this, the
destroying sword was returned into its sheath. Thus Christ was made
sin and a curse for us, and it pleased the Lord to bruise him, that
through him God might be to us, not a consuming fire, but a
reconciled Father. 5. He continued to offer his sacrifices upon
this altar. The brazen altar which Moses made was at Gibeon
(<scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p13.6" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.29" parsed="|1Chr|21|29|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>), and there
all the sacrifices of Israel were offered; but David was so
terrified at the sight of the sword of the angel that he <i>could
not go thither,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p13.7" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.30" parsed="|1Chr|21|30|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>. The business required haste, when the plague was
begun. Aaron must go quickly, nay, he must <i>run,</i> to make
atonement, <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p13.8" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.46-Num.16.47" parsed="|Num|16|46|16|47" passage="Nu 16:46,47">Num. xvi. 46,
47</scripRef>. And the case here was no less urgent; so that David
had not time to go to Gibeon: nor durst he leave the angel with his
sword drawn over Jerusalem, lest the fatal stroke should be given
before he came back. And therefore God, in tenderness to him, bade
him build an altar in that place, dispensing with his own law
concerning one altar because of the present distress, and accepting
the sacrifices offered on this new altar, which was not set up in
opposition to that, but in concurrence with it. The symbols of
unity were not so much insisted on as unity itself. Nay, when the
present distress was over (as it should seem), David, as long as he
lived, sacrificed there, though the altar at Gibeon was still kept
up; for God had owned the sacrifices that were here offered and had
testified his acceptance of them, <scripRef id="iCh.xxii-p13.9" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.21.28" parsed="|1Chr|21|28|0|0" passage="1Ch 21:28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. On those administrations in
which we have experienced the tokens of God's presence, and have
found that he is with us of a truth, it is good to continue our
attendance. "Here God had graciously met me, and therefore I will
still expect to meet with him."</p>
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