a servant. ditating black ingratitude against so faithful, so useful For even his defection at last may, perhaps, admit of being interpreted into a patronization of that particular plan for the succession, rather than into a rebellion against the superannuated monarch. His other charge was against Shimei, who reviled David at his retreat from Jerusalem, during Absalom's rebellion; but who made his submission to him, when he returned victorious: and whose pardon David had sealed with a solemn oath.* Attend we now to the cause of these reflections. After exhorting Solomon on his death-bed, to keep the satutes of the Lord, David proceeds: "Moreover, thou knowest also what Joab, the son of Zeruiah, did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. "Do therefore according to thy wisdom, AND LET NOT HIS HOAR HEAD GO DOWN TO THE GRAVE IN PEACE." This was afterwards fulfilled in the basest manner, by the administrator to this pious testament. David concludes thus:. “And behold, thou hast with thee Shimei, the son of Gera, a Benjaminite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse, in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword: "Now, therefore, hold him not guiltless for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; BUT HIS HOAR HEAD BRING THOU DOWN TO THE GRAVE WITH BLOOD."-That is to say, 'It is true, I promised not to put him to ' death, but thou art a wise man, and knowest what ' thou oughtest to do; thou knowest thyself not to be † 1 Kings ii. 5, 6, + Ver. 8, 9. 2 Sam. xix. 23. I "bound by that obligation; therefore his hoar head,' -&c. So saying, he expired.. This command was also executed in a manner, worthy the son of Such a Father! To take a retrospect view of the foregoing narrative; in few words may be seen the sum total of the whole. A shepherd youth is chosen by a disgusted prophet to be the instrument of his revenge on an untractable king. To this, end, he is inspired with ambitious hopes, by a private inauguration; is introduced to court, in the capacity of a harper; and by knocking down a man with a stone,whom, if he had missed once, he had four more chances of hitting, and from whom, at the last, he could have easily ran away; he was advanced to the dignity of son-in-law to the king. So sudden and unlooked for a promotion, within sight Lof the throne, stimulated expectations already awakenred; and Saul soon perceived reasons to repent his alaliance with him. Being obliged to retire from court, he assembled a gang of ruffians, the acknowledged outcasts of their country, and became the ringleader of a lawless company of banditti. In this capacity he seduces his brother-in law, Jonathan, from his allegiance and filial duty; and covenants with him, that if he obtained the kingdom, Jonathan should be the next person in authority under him. He obtains a settlement in the dominions of a Philistine prince, where instead of applying himself laudably to the arts of cultivation, -he subsists by plundering and, butchering the neighbouring nations. He offered his assistance to the Philistine armies, in the war against his own country, and father-in-law; and is much disgusted at their distrust of his sincerity. He, however, availed himself of the defeat and death of Saul, and made a push for the kingdom. Of this he gained only his own tribe of Judah but strengthened by this usurpation, he contested the remainder with Saul's son, Ishbosheth, whom he persecuted to the grave: Ishbosheth being assassinated by two villains, with intention to pay their * 1 Kings ii. 8, 9. i court to the usurper. He is now king of Israel in which capacity he plundered and massacred all his neighbours round him at discretion. He defiled, the wife of one of his officers, while her husband was ab. sent in the army and finding she was with child by him, he, to prevent a discovery, added murder to adultery; which being accomplished, he took the widow directly into his well-stocked seraglio. He then re'paired to the army, where he treated the subjected enemies with the most wanton inhumanity. A rebellion is raised against him by his son Absalom, which he suppressed, and invited over the rebel-general, to whom he gave the supreme command of his army, to the prejudice of the victorious Joab. After this he cut off the remainder of Saul's family, in defiance to the solemn oath by which he engaged to spare that unhappy race ; reserving only one cripple, from whom he had no apprehensions: and who, being the son of Jonathan, gave him the opportunity of making a merit of his gratitude. When he lay on his death-bed, where all mankind resign their resentments and animosities, his latest breath was employed in dictating two posthumous murders to his son Solomon! and, as if one crime more was wanting to complete the black catalogue; he cloathed all his actions with the most consummate bypocrisy professing all along the greatest regard for every appearance of virtue and holiness." These, Christians! are the outlines of the life of a Jew, whom you are not ashamed to continue extolling as a man after God's own heart! This Britons is the king to whom your late excellent monarch* has been compared!" What an impiety to the Majesty of Heaven! What an affront to the memory of an honest prince! It is with great joy the writer of these memoirs takes his leave of a story, with which, by this time, he is sufficiently disgusted. He entered upon it, however, from honest motives; and he concludes it with the conciousness of having performed a work, which he * George II. flatters himself will prove acceptable to all who entertain adequate conceptions of the eternal rectitude of that great Creator of the universe, whom they profess to adore. He despises all the pious ravings and anathemas which have been thundered against him by some reverend inquisitors: he expected them, has exposed them; and hopes he may, without offence finally reply in the words of their forgotten master, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." Those who estimate a man's religion by his implicitness to prescribed notions, and who think it their duty to stifle their living objections in compliance to the dead letter; (for objections they will have, and very strong ones too) such have, and will undoubtedly be shocked at this publication. Such may produce numerous texts in opposition to what is here produced; and can inspired writers be inconsistent with themselves? It is not at present necessary to discuss that question. Argue that point among yourselves; the printer will at least profit by your disputes; though you may happen to Explain a thing till all men doubt it, This, yet, is none of his concern. The love of truth is a motive which ought to supersede every other consideration for every other consideration is subordinate in comparison with it. Truth requires no tenderness of investigation, and scorns all subterfuges. It is, when displayed, divinely bright, One clear, unchang'd, and universal light. To rescue truth, therefore, from obscurity and disguise, is the most rational way of giving Glory to God in the highest; and on earth, peace: good-will toward men. * Query. END OF THE LIFE OF DAVID. |