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invite you to here; for they are defcribed in the Prophet to have two wings to cover their Eyes, two to cover their Feet, and two to fly.

&c.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son,

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The Eighth Sermon.

I SAM. xxv. 10, II.

And Nabal answer'd David's Servants, and faid, Who is David? and who is the Son of Jeffe? There be many Servants now adays that break away every Man from his Mafter. Shall I take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my fhearers, and give it to men whom I know not whence they be?

TH

HE Occafion of these words was this; David being reduc'd to the want of Neceffaries in the Wilderness, sends ten Servants to Nabal with this Meffage. V. 6, 7,8. And thus fhall ye fay to him that liveth in profperity, Peace be both to thee and peace be to thine Houfe, and peace be unto all that thou hast. And now I havebeardthat thou hast shearers: now thy Shepherds which were with us, we burt'em not,neither was there ought missing unto them all the while they were in Carmel. Ask thy young men,and they will shew

thee;

thee: wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: (for we come in a good day) give, I pray thee, what foever cometh to thine hand, unto thy Servants, and to thy Son David. The Petition, you see, is from one in streights to one in profperity. The Matter of it is modest and reasonable: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand, the plaineft of thy Provifion, what thou canft fpare from thy ftate and store: For I expect not thou fhouldft diminish the glory of thy Entertainment, or retrench any thing from the Mirth, the Joy, or Luxury of thy Guefts to fupply our Wants. The grounds of the Request are clear and ftrong; For befides the general Obligation which Prosperity lays upon all Men to fuccour the Diftrefs'd and Needy, David had a more particular and immediate Title to the Charity and Munificence of Nabal. For when his Servants, and his Flocks were in his power, he had not only abstain❜d from the leaft wrong and violence towards either, himself, which was no small courtefie in Military Men: but had been a fecurity and guard to 'em against that of all others. So that Nabal was bound in Juftice as well as Generofity, in Gratitude as well as Charity, to

have given David a gracious and obliging Answer. Especially when we add to all, that this Petition of David was made with all the decent Infinuation and Address imaginable. Thus fhall ye say to the great Man, Peace be both to thee, &c. behold we come unto thee in a good day; let the young men find favour in thine eyes; give I pray thee unto thy Servants and unto thy Son David. To this Petition who cou'd have expected the Answer in my Text? an Answer wherein I cannot tell which to condemn moft; the Sordidness, or the Pride, the Infolence, or the Folly. the Ingratitude, or the Inhumanity, of it. And Nabal answer'd, &c.

In these words I fhall confider two things,

1. The Perfons concern'd in 'em, The Supplicant and the Refufer. And Nabal anfwer'd David's Servants.

2. Nabal's Apology for his Uncharitableness, Who is David? and who is the Son of Jeffe? There be many Servants now adays, &c.

1. Of the Supplicant or Petitioner.

This was David, David, whose least Title was the Son of Jeffe. He was the Son-in-law of King Saul, and by God's appointment Heir of the Kingdom,

But

I

But what was more than all this together, he was a good Man, and a Prophet; a a Man after God's own heart. will not mention the Comeliness of his Perfon, the Greatnefs of his Mind, the Accomplishments of his Education, or the Brightness of his Natural Parts. I will not infift on his Love of his Country,or his celebrated Friendship for Jonathan I'll not praise his Courage or Conduct in the Field; nor his Experience, or Sufficiency in Councel, or Civil Affairs nor will I take notice what his Merit towards the Publick was; or how far the Peace and Glory of his Country was owing to his fingle Vertue. I will only fay, That neither Prophane nor Sacred History ever afforded a nobler Subject for Panegyrick than David. But this is not my business; all that belongs to me to obferve here is, that David was such a one, that a Man who had the =leaft Zeal for God, or for his Country; who had any Notion of Vertue or Honour; who had, in a word, any Soul, or any Senfe, wou'd have thought it one of the most fortunate Accidents of his Life; and the Crown and Perfection of his Profperity, to have seen David his Supplicant, and to have found

himself

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