a fon? that fon an Abfalom? the gracelefs darling of fo good a father? and this for thy fake, whofe crown he had ufurped, whofe blood he was thirsting after? For whofe fake fhould Abfalom be purfued, if he is fpared for thine? He was courteous to thy followers-affable and plaufible to all Ifrael-cruel and implacable only to thee. And yet thou fayest, " Deal gently with the young man "Abfalom for my fake."

O PERFECT type of that ineffable mercy of the true King and Redeemer of Ifrael, who prayed for his perfecutors, for his murderers, and, while they were at once fcorning and killing him, could fay, Father, forgive them, for they "know not what they do!" If we are fons, we are ungracious, we are rebellious-but still our heavenly Father hath compaffion upon us-continues that life to us, and those endowments, by which we provoke him and bids his holy anE 4 gels

gels spare us, and carry us in their arms. O the depth of the riches of the love of GOD! How unutterable is his goodnefs, and his love paft finding out!

THE battle is joined-David's followers are only an handful, in comparifon with thofe of Abfalom. But what the pious king wants in numbers, is fupplied by the justice of his caufe. The fword of Abfalom is unfheathed by defperate ambition-David's, in his own neceffary and juft defence. By faith he was confident of victory-by faith, when the hoft shouted for the battle, he conjured the leaders of his army to spare his fon.

THEY who had at firft followed Abfalom in their fimplicity, cannot now perfecute his father in malice. With what could any Ifraelite draw his

courage fword against David? On the contrary, who could want zeal and alacrity to fight for a righteous king and father, against the confpiracy of a wicked child? The

God

GOD of armies, who at his pleasure can fave with many or with few, takes part with juftice, and lets Ifrael feel what it is to bear arms for an impious ufurper. The sword devours them by thousands, and the wood devours more than the fword." Let no man hope to profper by rebellion-the very trees, and thickets, and pits, and wild beafts of the woods fhall confpire to the punishment of traitors. Among the reft, a fatal oak fingles out the leader of this vile infurrection, and with one of its spreading arms fnatches him away to speedy execution. The beauty of Abfalom was every way ruinous. Those treffes, which once hung loosely difhevelled on his fhoulders, now fupport the weight of his body, and make his pride his torment. Behold him fufpended between heaven and earth, as one defervedly abandoned both by GoD and man! As if the divine justice had selected this punishment

for

for treason, Abfalom, Ahithophel, and Judas all die the fame death. So fhall they perish, who lift up their hands against the LORD's anointed!

A SOLDIER paffes by, and fees, but dares not strike, the rebellious prince. His arm was reftrained by the public charge of David, "Beware that none "touch the young man Abfalom."Joab, on the contrary, when he hears the tidings, haftens to the place, and without hesitation fixes his javelin in the offender's heart. His zeal accomplishes what the foldier's obedience had forborne. He feared not to prefer the fafety of his fovereign, to his command-regarding the life of David, and the peace of Ifrael, more than the weak affection of a father. That zeal, and that obedience, were both deferving of praife-the loyal fubject equals the ardent patriot-the one revered his king, the other loved his mafter, and by that love difobeyed. All

his

Ifrael did not afford Abfalom fo firm a friend as Joab had once proved himfelf. He taught the woman of Tekoa to intercede with David for his recal, after his three years' exile. He brought him up from Gefhur to Jerufalem. He led him into the presence, into the arms of parent. Yet now he who had thus promoted the interests of Abfalom, in honeft difobedience takes away a life fo justly forfeited. Joab forgot that he was the friend of one who had forgotten that he was a fon. The king is our common father; our country, our common mother-nature has no private charities, more dear, more facred than thefe. He is neither father, nor fon, nor brother, nor friend, who confpires against the public welfare.

THE dart of Joab is feconded by the weapons of his followers. Abfalom dies as it were by a variety of deaths. The hand of divine retribution makes his

crimes