disadvantages, which sometimes dragged it from its true bias, and forced it to take a turn directly opposite to its natural bent. His circumstances exposed him to a variety of injuries and insults; the liveliness of his sensations made him feel them, the impetuosity of his passions made him resent them, too strongly. And yet, though every thing thus concurred to stimulate his revenge, though the guilt of indulging it was not then so apparent and so acknowledged as it now is, yet did he, on one memorable occasion, resist the strongest impulses of this importunate and ungovernable passion, though tempted to gratify it by the most. inviting opportunity on his inveterate enemy, whose past conduct would almost have justified any extremity; and whose removal would not only have put an immediate end to his distresses, but, in all appearance, opened his way to the attainment of his utmost wishes, and raised him at once from an exile to a king. *

It is but justice also to add, that this

* 1 Sam. xxiv. Vide Peters on Job, p. 352.

prince had a sensibility of soul, which, though it gave too keen an edge both to his relish of pleasure and his resentment of injury, yet gave at the same time an uncommon fervour to his repentance, a peculiar vigour and vivacity to all his virtues; rendered him most feelingly alive to the noblest and the tenderest sentiments; and inspired him with every liberal and social affection that can warm the human breast. "O Absa"lom, my son, my son," are words that will go to every parent's heart that has experienced the same misfortune, and speak to it with a force and eloquence that has never yet been equalled. He had, moreover, as his inimitable writings abundantly testify, a most ardent spirit of devotion, and a boundless zeal for the honour of God and the interests of his Religion: and the general tenour of his conduct, when left to its own natural course, very clearly evinced, that he was, upon the whole, a conscious observer and a strenuous asserter of the Divine laws, a most disinterested and active patriot, the tenderest of parents, and the most affectionate of friends.

At the same time, however, that we do

justice to the virtues of king David, we must acknowledge and lament his faults, which were undoubtedly great, and in one flagrant instance more especially, justly subject him to the severest reproach. But while we censure him on this account, as he deserves, it will be our wisdom to look well also to ourselves. To the Infidel it is matter of unspeakable triumph, that the man after God's own heart should have been betrayed into such dreadful crimes. But to the Christian it must be a subject of most serious concern and alarm, to observe so striking a proof of the frailty and weakness of human nature, even when strengthened by mature years, and confirmed by early habits of virtue and religion. It holds out to him a most awful lesson, how indispensably necessary it is, even for men of the best dispositions and most exalted piety, to keep their hearts with all diligence; to watch and to guard those passions, which they feel most predominant in their souls, with unremitting vigilance, to the latest period of their lives; and to apply most fervently and frequently for that help from above, which is promised in the Gospel to every sincere

believer, and without which our utmost efforts and our firmest resolutions will, in some unguarded and unsuspected moment, give way to the impetuosity of passion, and we shall be unexpectedly plunged into an abyss of guilt and misery.

But, above all things, let us beware of perverting the example of David to our own ruin, and of considering his deviations from duty, not as they truly are, a warning to us against danger, but as an encouragement to us to tread in the same unhallowed paths of vice. Let us not flatter ourselves, that because HE, so devout, so religious, so distinguished by the favour of Heaven, was once most fatally seduced into sin, that we may therefore commit the same or similar crimes with impunity. On the contrary, if these crimes appear so odious and detestable, even in a Jewish monarch, who had to plead in his excuse (though all excuse was vain) the temptations of a court, the manners of the times, the peculiarity of his own circumstances, and the liberties too often taken by men in his situation: they must assume a much more frightful aspect

in a private Christian, who has none of those mitigating pleas to offer, who lives in much more enlightened and civilized times, has much stricter rules of moral conduct presented to him in the Gospel, is called to a much higher degree of purity and holiness, has far more powerful aid from Heaven to support him in his duty, more terrible punishments to work upon his fears, and more glorious rewards to animate his hopes.

Let it be remembered too, that the offences of David were by no means passed over with impunity; that he was severely punished for them by the remorse of his own conscience, by the deep affliction into which they plunged him, by the wretched consequences they drew after them, and by the heavy and positive penalties denounced and inflicted upon him by God himself.

Hear how the repenting monarch bemoans himself in the anguish of his soul, and then say, whether his situation was an enviable one; whether you would chuse to imitate his misconduct, and take the consequences.