prefent help in trouble? Wherefore fhould we fear in the day of adverfity, because of the fury of the oppreffor, as if he were ready to destroy? Thou, even thou art He, that comforteth, defendeth, fighteth for us-and where is the fury of the oppreffor?

THOU turneft the face of the wicked against themselves-thou makest thine enemies the inftruments of their own deftruction. The fword of Goliath, in the hand of David, avenges the honour of GoD, and brings victory and glory to Ifrael.

WHEN the generations of men fled away in terrour from the powers of darkness, thou, O Saviour, didft undertake our caufe alone-thou, O Son of David, by thy death deftroying death, didft overcome the enemy with his own weapons. Now is come falvation, and ftrength, and the kingdom of our GOD, and the power of his CHRIST-he hath

ranfomed

ranfomed us he hath delivered us from the grave. He is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of GoD-angels, and authorities, and powers being made fubject unto him,

XXIX.

SAUL.

THE DEATH OF SAUL.

WHAT a striking difference do we behold in the fate of individuals, and of nations, as it pleases the divine justice to profper, or to punish! When the Philiftines fet themselves in array against GOD, a ftripling can be the occafion of their discomfiture-when they fight the LORD's battles, by arming against sacrilegious tyranny, the prefence of a powerful monarch, or even of the ark itself, gives no fecurity to Ifrael. Then "the LORD breaketh in pieces the ftaff of the ungodly, and the fceptre of the rulers. The man, who fmote the people in wrath with a continual ftroke, the oppreffor,

preffor, who ruled the nations in anger, is perfecuted, and none hindereth."

THE prediction of Endor had alinoft flain Saul before the battle. He had forfaken the LORD-he had held communion with demons-he had received his laft morfel at the hand of a forcerefsand now neceffity draws him into that field, where he fees nothing but death and defpair. The prophecy of the counterfeit Samuel funk into the heart of the apoftate monarch. Those fatal words have already stricken him to the ground. He expects, in horrour and confternation, the doom, which, however denounced, he is too confcious of having deserved. While the mind is uncertain of fuccefs, it relieves itself by the probability of good-even in lefs promifing circumftances, there is fome mixture of hope. Thus far the spirit of a man may sustain his infirmities; but a wounded spirit who can bear? Not a ray of light penetrates through

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through the gloom-the waters overwhelm the defpairing fufferer, and the ftream goeth over his foul. The wages of fin is death; while the gift of God is eternal life, through JESUS CHRIST our Lord.

It is probable, that the fame moment faw David victorious over the Amalekites, and Saul defeated by the Philiftines. David confulted with GOD, and prevailed-Saul with the powers of darkness, and perifhed. The effect is proportionate to its caufe-the end corresponds with the means which led to it. "I call heaven and earth to record a

tr

gainst you," faith the voice of God, "that I have fet before you life and "death, bleffing and curfing.. Have I

any pleasure at all in the death of him "that dieth?"

THE flaughter of Saul and of his fons did not take place in the commencement of this tragedy-thefe fad events were re