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XXXIII.

SOLOMON.

AT length the hour approaches, which muft put a period to the life and forrows of David. And will not the towering ambition of Adonijah wait till the throne is vacant, before he fets up his prefumptuous claim? Too nearly refembling Abfalom in pride and oftentation, he rushes eagerly into the crimes, into the misfortunes of his brother. He too "prepares chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him." Abfalom and Adonijah were the darlings of their father; from their childhood they had known no rebuke, no contradiction. How rarely does this undue partiality VOL. II.

F

terminate

terminate in joy! Abfalom fought the life of David-Adonijah now grafps at

his crown.

THE government of Ifrael was as yet in the immediate appointment of God. He had chofen David as the fucceffor of Saul-He had fixed on Solomon to fupply the place of David. From that time, till the extinction of the royal authority in Judah, the fceptre passed in uninterrupted order from the father to his first-born fon.

MEANWHILE Adonijah wants not friends to fupport his ufurpation. Abiatha the priest, and Joab the captain of the hoft, the once faithful adherents to David, affift the afpiring prince with their presence and counfels. They had fhared the fortunes of their fovereign in all his former calamities-they now behold him on the bed of age and death, and they pay their homage to the rifing fun. The permanency of friendship,

as

as well as happiness, cannot be afcertained by man, till the last moments of his life. When we can no longer reward or punish, then will it appear who loved us for ourselves, and who affociated with us for their own advantage.

THE defignation of Solomon to the throne was made public by the voice of Heaven. GOD had fent him at his birth a meffage of honour and love-had promised him the privilege of building a temple to His glory, and, (in return for this pious fervice) the establishment of his throne for ever. In vain, therefore, does Adonijah frame his confpiracy-in vain does he fingle out his brother as the object of indignity and neglect. In the decay of David's body, his intellectual faculties were not impaired. "As the LORD liveth, who « hath redeemed my foul from all adverfity, Solomon my fon fhall fit on my throne this day." From the bed

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fickness he fteers the government of Ifrael with no unfteady hand. Inftantly he gives full directions for the regal inauguration of Solomon. Zadok the prieft, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, a warriour of unshaken fidelity, are commanded to take with them the royal guard, to place Solomon upon his father's mule, to carry him down in ftate to Gihon, to anoint him with the holy oil of the tabernacle, to found the trumpets, and proclaim him in the ftreets, to bring him back with triumph and magnificence to the court, and to fet him on the royal throne with all the due ceremonies of coronation.

How pleafing was this command to them, who in Solomon's glory faw their own fecurity! Benaiah applauds itand, not fearing a father's envy, in David's prefence wifhes that the throne of Solomon may be exalted above that of David. The people are ravished with

joy

joy at this hopeful fucceffion, and rend the earth, and fill the heaven, with the noife of their mufic and fhouting. "GOD "fave the king-Long live the king"Let the king live for ever!"

THE feaft of Adonijah, which begair in prefumption, terminates in horrour.. The ears of the guests are fuddenly. pierced with the found of thofe trumpets, which at once proclaim the triumph of Solomon, and their own confusion. Aftonishment, and fearful expectation of vengeance fills their fouls: and when the fon of Abiathar brings more certain intelligence of their disappointment, every heart is cold-every face pale-terrour gives wings to their feet. How fuddenly is this daring troop dispersed! Adonijah, their afpiring prince, flies to the horns of the altar-as diftrufting all hopes of life, fave thofe which he rested on the fanctity of the place, and the of his generous rival.

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mercy

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