which, from the Concern that is expreffed in each of them, are by way of Distinction ftiled the penitential Pfalms.

First, I am to confider his Behaviour upon God's having ftruck the Child that Uriah's Wife bare unto him. Upon Da vid's generous and noble Confeffion of his Sins, and the fincere Sorrow that attended it, the Prophet Nathan immediately, we find, received a Commiffion from the Almighty, to remit the fpiritual Part of his Punishment, viz. that he should not undergo the fecond or eternal Death, as a Proof of which his Life, which, on Account of the Crimes he had been guilty of, was legally forfeited, fhould likewife be fpared. But then at the fame Time he affured him, that because by this Deed he had given that Occafion to the Enemies of the Lord to blafpheme, that the Child that should be born unto him should furely die, and that the other Part of the Punishment he had threatened him with should likewife in its due Time be fulfilled. As foon therefore as his Wife was delivered, the Lord, according as his Prophet had de clared, ftruck the Child, and it was very Sick. David, who was truly fenfible on what Account this Sickness was inflicted, was moved with the deepest Anguish and Sorrow for the Occafion. He wanted not then any Monitor to recal his wandering Thoughts,

Thoughts, for his own Heart fufficiently - teftified to him the Enormity of the Crimes he had been guilty of, and what a Stain his Soul had thereby contracted. But though he knew his own Guilt was great, and for that Reafon he was juftly deferving of the Punishment that was inflicted on him, yet he had often experienced the infinite Mercies of the Almighty, and that upon the earneft Intreaties of his Creatures, efpecially when accompanied with Weeping, Fafting and Mourning, he was fometimes perfuaded to reverse his Decrees concerning them. David therefore befought God for the Child, and be fafted, and went in, and lay all Night upon the Earth: And his Earneftness on this Occafion was fo great, that tho' the Elders of his House by all the Methods of Perfuafion that they could make use of, would have raised him up from the Earth, and have had him take fome Refreshment, yet he refufed and was not to be prevailed. upon. It was not fo much the lofing the Child that David on this Occafion was fo much affected for (though that in all Probability was fome Part of his Concern) but the Caufe it was owing to, that fo deeply troubled him, as his Behaviour upon the Death of the Child evidently fhews. For when the Child was dead, his. Servants feared to tell him of it: For they faid, Behold, while the Child was yet alive, we spoke K

unto

unto him, and he would not hearken unto our Voice: How will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the Child is dead. They reasoned in this Manner, because they imagined that David's Concern was wholly for the Child, and therefore wifely concluded, that if his Grief for the Child's Sickness was fo great, he would most certainly be inconfolable, when he fhould come to be informed that the Child was dead. But as foon as David perceived by the Behaviour of his Servants. that what they would endeavour to conceal from him had really happened, he put the Question to them, and was answered in the Affirmative. Since now it was impoffible for him to reverse what the Almighty had executed, the good Man piously acquiefces under this his Difpenfation, and refigns without a Murmur to the Will of his Providence.

The first Thing therefore he did was to go and offer up his Addreffes to the Almighty, thereby declaring to the World, with what pious Refignation he submits himself to God: He then returns to his House, and receives the neceffary Refreshments of Nature, as if nothing had happened. This Behaviour of David's, fo contrary to what the Generality of the World practife, greatly aftonifhed his Servants, and they were unable to account for it. They said therefore unto him, What thing

is this that thou hast done? Thou did fast and weep for the Child, while it was alive, but when the Child was dead, thou didst rife and eat Bread; for they feemed by this Queftion to be rather offended in beholding him thus upon the Child's Death returning to himfelf again and his former Enjoyments, imagining, it is probable, that from this Circumftance his Grief was not so great as he pretended it was, and therefore that he was not fo much affected as he had appeared to them. But to this their Enquiry the Royal Patriarch moft wifely and piously replied, faying, While the Child was yet alive, I fafted and wept, for I faid, who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the Child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I faft? Can I bring him back again? I fhall go to him, but he foall not return to me.. Which is as much as if he had said, whilst there is Life, there is Room for Hope, and it is my Duty to do all I can by Prayer and Supplication to Him in whofe Hands are the Iffues of Life, as well as by all human Means to endeavour to restore him to his bodily Health. But now he is dead, wherefore fhould I faft and weep? Can I bring him back again? That were impious as well as foolish to expect or defire. God. has now determined his Fate, and it becomes me to acquiefce in his Difpenfations, and patiently without any repining fubmit

myself to his bleffed Will. This Confideration however remains to me for my Comfort, that he is now in the beft Hands; and that I fhall go, if I endeavour to imitate the Innocency of this Babe, to the fame Place, where he now enjoys uninterrupted Happiness, though he shall not return again to this wretched Scene of Misery and Woe.

To a Person who impartially and attentively confiders the Behaviour of David on this melancholy Occafion, it must, I should think, appear to have been wholly influenced by the Motives of Piety and an entire Refignation to the Divine Will, and at the fame Time impreffed with a deep Sense of his own Unworthiness. How unlike to this is the general Behaviour of Mankind? When Providence permits the evil Effects of our Vices to take Place, how widely different do we act? Inftead of following the Example of David, and like him bewailing our manifold Sins and Iniquities, and pioufly acquiefcing in whatever he shall think fit to inflict upon us, we murmur and repine at his Difpenfations, impiously impute to him the fatal Confequences of our own Folly, and fooner than fupport them, rafhly put a Period to our Lives, and with all our Sins unrepented of, rush as it were into his offended Prefence. And And yet fuch as these shall pretend to startle at Da

vid's