ferved for its awful clofe. First, the people fly, and fall down wounded on Mount Gilboa-next, the fons of Saul are numbered with the flain. Death knows no partial distinctions-even Jonathan himfelf is involved in the common deftruction. If valour, if holiness, if fincerity of heart could have averted the fatal blow, Jonathan would have furvived-the fon of Saul would have lived, to fhare in the profperity of the fon of Jeffe-to rejoice in his poffeffion of a throne, to which himself made no pretenfions, the rival of David only in friendship and in virtue. GOD willed it otherwife-he had brighter rewards in store for that illuftrious youth than an earthly diadem. The arrows of the Philistines difmifs the royal Jonathan to a more exceeding weight of glory than that which he relinquifhed to the brother of his love.

MEANWHILE the miferable Saul beholds his legions scattered, his children lifeless,

lifeless, his enemies triumphant, his honour proftrate in the duft. Wounded in body, and desperate in mind, he sees nothing before him but agony and death-and now, deftitute of all hope, he requests that blow at the hand of his armour-bearer, which his indignant fpirit difdained to receive from a Philiftine. He asks, but he is denied-no entreaty, no extremity can move the arm of that faithful fervant against his lord. Had the unhappy monarch fhunned the reality of fin, as carefully as the appearance of dishonour, his fun had never fet in blood-he had neither lived, nor died a murderer.

WHAT a faithful fervant refuses to execute, his own rafh hand fhall accomplish. Wicked men regard the cenfure of the world more than the peril of their own fouls. What if Saul had died by the hand of a Philistine? Jonathan his fon did fo-and yet he died

with glory. The carnal heart fixes an idea of fhame to what is in itself either innocent or indifferent; and for the fake of idle popularity fcruples not to commit actions prejudicial to dearer and better interests.

Now is the blood of the innocent priests, and the meditated flaughter of David, required at the hands of the tyrant. From the beginning of his defection, to this laft act of violence, he was an enemy to himself and to his GOD. His death correfponds with his lifehis own arm pays him the reward of all his wickedness.

As yet his spirit lingers, and feems reluctant to depart from its earthly affociate. His armour-bearer has more fuccessfully imitated the defperate act of his lord, and is no more. Saul yet breathes, and drinks to the dregs the cup of fury. Chance brings an Amalekite to the scene of his fufferings—and he, who had been

once

once called and anointed by GoD, the pride and hope of Ifrael, the terrour of their enemies, the conqueror of Ammon, Amalek, and Philiftia, receives his laft blow at his own impaffioned request, from a wayfaring ftranger.. "Knowest thou not this of old, fince man was placed upon earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is fhort, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment? Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet he shall fly away as a dream, and fhall not be found-he fhall be chafed away as a vifion of the night. The eye alfo which faw him fhall fee him no more, neither shall his place any more behold him. He fhall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through. It is drawn, and cometh out of his body, yea, the glittering fword. paffeth through his heart. Terrours are upon him. The heavens fhall reveal

his iniquity, and the earth fhall rife up against him. This is the portion of a wicked man from GOD, and the heritage appointed him by the Almighty."

COMMON rumour had already fixed on David as the anointed heir to the kingdom of Ifrael-to be the first bearer of news fo grateful as the death of Saulto lay the enfigns of royalty at the feet of his fucceffor-to be entitled to the reward, not merely of a meffenger of glad tidings, but of one whofe hand, in destroying a tyrant, had done good fervice to the state-what splendid prospects for an Amalekite! "I am the man, to "whom David owes his kingdom-I "am the author of his deliverance and "of his happinefs." A mind wherein felf-love rules with abfolute dominion, is unable to comprehend the emotions of a generous heart.

How was this alien disappointed of his hopes, when he finds his tidings the occafion