ful Effect it would have upon his royal Maf ter. Here therefore can be no Blame laid upon David, as he was not at all acceffary to the obtaining this Compliment from the Women; nor did he, that I can find, give the leaft Encouragement to it. However, on this Account, his Sovereign ever after feverely perfecuted him; and had he not been fignally protected by his God, who would not permit the Jealousy of an enraged Monarch to defeat his divine Purpose, had certainly been destroyed by him.

But now let us fee in what Manner this much injured Man returned this ungrateful Ufage of his royal Mafter. When Saul attempted twice to murder him, by throwing his Javelin at him, whilft he was playing upon the Harp to him, in order to divert his Melancholy, do we find that David fought to revenge himself upon him, as too many in his Circumftances, and with his Expectations, it is to be feared, would have done? No, nothing like it; he only both Times avoided him, by quitting the Room where he was fitting, and piously addreffing himself to God, that he might not fall a Victim to his Rage: Nay afterwards, we do not find that he even fo much as upbraided him with fuch his Behaviour to> wards him, How few now-a-days would in the like Circumftances act in the Manner

this pious Youth did! and yet many of

thefe

thefe fhall take upon themselves to cenfure his Conduct, and abuse his Memory, even in thofe very particular Parts of it, for which he deferves most justly to be commended; thereby fhewing, that a virtuous Character gives them not fo much Pleasure, as the endeavouring to find a Flaw in that Character. The Reason why Characters of this noble Stamp with David's are fo difpleafing to Mankind in general, is, that they reprove their own degenerate Lives, which, fooner than be at the Trouble of reforming, they will depreciate the others all they can. Whether this be following that truly Chriftian Precept our Saviour has left us, viz. Doing as we would be done unto, I will leave them to determine. Yet these Men fet up for Moralifts, and pretend to undeceive Mankind, and free them from thofe Fetters which Religion has bound them with. To the more effectual accomplishing this their Defign, they fcruple not to call in Question the Authority of the facred Writings, and endeavour to reprefent thofe Characters recorded in them, which the Almighty has rendered facred by his Approbation, as the most infamous and abandoned. Amongst thefe, the Character of David has met with the fevereft Fate But to proceed.

Saul's Refentment against David in a hort Time became fo violent, that he was

at length obliged to hide himself from him. During this his Concealment, his Brother Jonathan, who was likewise his faithful and fincere Friend, came to comfort him in his Diftrefs. Confcious of his own Integrity, he appeals to this worthy Man, whether he had deferved this Ufage? What have I done? fays he; What is mine Iniquity? and what is my Sin before thy Father, that he feeketh my Life? And then generously adds, If thou findeft Iniquity in me, and thinkeft me worthy of Death, flay me thyself: He defired not to live, if his Friend could prove him guilty of any Crime for which he ought to die. Here I should have thought, that the most inveterate Malice could find nothing to blame, but muft, though unwillingly, be forced to applaud this noble and unreferved Behaviour of David: Yet even this Part of his Character is not left unattacked, but he is accused of having feduced Jonathan from the Duty and Allegiance which he owed to Saul, as his Father and King. In order to fee whether there be any Ground for fuch an Accufation, let us examine the Conduct of Jonathan on this Occafion; and I make no Doubt of being able to fhew, that it is as falfe as it is malicious.

After Jonathan found that David was obliged to fly from his Father, in order to preferve his Life; and knowing that this much injured Man had given his Father no

Reafon

Reafon for fuch cruel Treatment, he refolves, like a true Friend, to vifit and comfort him in this his Distress: Where, as foon as he came, his Friend appealed to him, Whether he thought him guilty of the Crimes laid to his Charge, or not; and if in his Opinion he was, himself to inflic the Punishment he thought he deferved. To this Appeal of David, Jonathan nobly anfwered, God forbid ! thou shalt not die: Which was the fame as if he had faid, God, who knoweth all Things, knowest thy Innocence; therefore I befeech him to` protect thee from Harm, fince thou haft done nothing worthy of Death. David then proceeds to beg of his Friend, that he would permit him to be abfent from the King's Table till the third Day, because in that Time it might be difcerned, whether the King was more favourably inclined to him than heretofore. This Request he granted him; and at the fame Time promised to inform him, whether Evil was determined against him by his Father, or not. What A&t of Difloyalty is here? What Want of Affection or Duty All Jonathan did in this Cafe was, only to preferve the Life of a worthy Man, who had been greatly injured by his Father, and keeping him from fhedding innocent Blood, which he knew must be odious in the Sight of God. In Answer to this, an Adverfary here fays,

"That

"That granting Jonathan, in this Particu "lar alone, was not guilty of Difloyalty, "yet as it was accompanied with a Cove❝nant between these two, that David fhould "be King of Ifrael in the Room of his Fa"ther, which was direct and open Rebel

lion in both against their lawful Sove"reign." A bold and confident Affertion of any particular Word or Action amongst many, too often gives it the Appearance of Truth, though it has no other Circumftance whereby to maintain its Ground, That this is the Cafe here, I should hope, may very easily be fhewn. For, firft, let me afk him, Where does he find fuch a Covenant? I am fure, no where in the facred Writings. Jonathan, indeed, being ac quainted with the divine Purpose concerning David, piously affures him, That he will be no Hindrance to it, left he should be found to fight against God; but that, after the Death of his Father, he should peaceably afcend his Throne, and that the Lord would then be with him, as he had been with his Father. He then proceeds to beg of him, that when he should thus be fettled upon the Throne, and all his Enemies should be cut off from before him, yet then he would not cut off his Kindness from his House for ever. To which David bound himself by an Oath, which, we fhall afterward fee, he very religiously obferved.

2

Now