festival he had been invited, and passed the day in abstinence and contemplation, sorrowing, doubtless, for a Father's folly, but most of all for the impending fate of an estimable Man and an adopted Brother.

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And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little Lad with him and he said unto his Lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot! And as the Lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. And when the Lad was come to the place of the arrow, which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the Lad, and said, 'Is not the arrow beyond thee?' And Jonathan cried after the Lad, Make speed, haste, stay not! And Jonathan's Lad gathered up the arrows and came to his Master. But the Lad knew not anything: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. And Jonathan his artillery unto his Lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the City!" -1 Sam. xx, 35. 40.

gave

Notwithstanding the agitation which the unexpected violence and unnatural conduct of Saul must necessarily have produced in the mind of Jonathan, and the duties which Self-preservation would dictate amidst the dangers that threatened his own life, Jonathan yet found room to treasure in his memory the peculiar plan with all its circumstances of minuteness, which had been mutually settled to favour the escape of David: withholding from him, in the spirit of the most exalted delicacy of feeling, even the knowledge of the dangers that beset his own paths, from his adherence to the interest of his Friend.

"And as soon as the Lad was gone, David arose out of a place towards the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed One Another, and wept One with Another, until David exceeded. And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace! forasmuch as we have sworn Both of us in the Name of The LORD, saying, The LORD Be between me and thee, and between my Seed and thy Seed for ever!' And he arose and departed; and Jonathan went

into the City."-1 Sam. xx, 41, 42.

Short as is this description of so interesting and affecting an interview between two such Friends, at a season so mutually afflictive, and under feelings withal of resignation to the Will, and of confidence in the Word of GOD, yet many are the sources of reflection to which it is calculated to give rise in order

to fill up the mere outline thus furnished us. It may be objected to David that

his reverence to Jonathan was too abject and almost approaching to idolatry; but something of deference was due to the difference of station as sanctioned by municipal regulations or usage, but still more was due from a persecuted Subject to his Prince, who had thus graciously and generously stept forward to redeem him from destruction: and gratitude to Man is not incompatible with the sense of higher obligation owing by us to The DEITY: whatever measure of it could be dealt out, should seem to such an occasion applicable, and even a little exceeding might be visited with a merciful judgment; but the effects of it on the mind of him, to whom it was addressed, may form some rule whereby to estimate it. Jonathan did not regard it as too servile, or he probably would have indicated displeasure at it; but, at the same time he was not inflated by it, for we see him still having The LORD, as above All and Over All, continually in view, and reviving in David's mind, in the same delicate and indirect way, the recollection of The DIVINE Promise in his favour, by referring to and virtually renewing the solemn compact of mutual love that had been made between them with reference to the change, that through faith in the Promises of GOD, Jonathan doubted not would, in the Appointed Season, come to pass in David's favour; than which nothing could be more calculated to administer consolation and support amidst the trials and distresses that then pressed upon him. And how must the agonies of David have been alleviated by the endearing attentions and Brotherly

feelings of his religious Friend! There must have been sensations of pleasure mingled with the pain he felt at being driven from all terrestial Objects dear to him, which the imagination, much less the pen, is unequal to describe. Such are the feelings of the Christian on being severed, by the visitation of Death, from the Friend whom he may have loved as his own Soul, with whom he may have taken sweet counsel, and walked to the House of The LORD together, when, on the contrary, left to struggle alone in the sea of trouble and in the fire of spiritual trial and temptation; but reflection soon comes to his aid and teaches him that he is not alone, but that The FATHER, The SON, and The HOLY GHOST are Unitedly with him, to Strengthen him under Human infirmity, to Uphold him in the hour of adversity, and in the season of affliction to Give him Succour and Consolation.

Having fulfilled to the utmost, not only the letter, but the spirit of his obligation, Jonathan returns with the fortitude of an approving conscience; indifferent, perhaps, to the fate that might await himself from any further display of the royal displeasure; or feeling in the fulness of faith, that as all Power, both in Heaven and Earth, Belongeth to GOD, so could not even the King hurt a hair of his head, unless it were Given him so to do from Above.

Then came David to Nob, to Ahimelech the Priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no Man with thee? And David said unto Ahimelech, the Priest, The King hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, 'Let no Man know anything of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee! and I have appointed my Servants to such and such a place. Now, therefore, what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present!' And the Priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread: if the young Men have kept themselves at least from Women.' And David answered the Priest, and said unto him, 'Of a truth Women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young Men are holy; and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.' So the Priest gave him hallowed bread; for there was no bread there but the shew bread, that was taken from before The LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. Now a certain Man of the Servants of Saul was there that day, detained before The LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the Herdmen, that belonged to Saul. And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the King's business required haste.' And the Priest said, The sword of Goliath, the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the Ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it! for there is no other, save that here.' And David said, 'There is none like that, give it me!”

1 Sam. xxi, 1. 9.

This incident in the life of David, of taking the shew bread, was Acknowledged by our SAVIOUR Himself, and Adduced by analogy as a justification of His Own Disciples before the Pharisees for plucking the ears of corn to satisfy their hunger, as they passed through some corn fields on a sabbath day, Adding, "for The SON of Man is LORD even of the Sabbath Day," thereby Intimating, that when acting in His Presence or in His Service for purposes of absolute necessity, the strict letter of the ceremonial Law may occasionally be departed from without offence in the Sight of GOD; "and Who art thou, O Man, that judgest Another, when CHRIST, The JUDGE of all Men, hath Suffered him to go free."(See Matt. xii, 1 to 8; Mark ii, 23 to 28; and Luke vi, 1 to 5.) The assertion of a falsehood before the Priest of The MOST HIGH, and in the

very House of GOD, is a fearful subject for contemplation; but the narrative of it here is irresistibly corroborative of the general truth of David's history, since a false Prophet or Scribe would have veiled this feature in David's character; but here everything is laid open as faithfully as in a mirror, and we see from thence that the greatest of Men, when left to themselves, or not following the Unerring Guidance of the Voice of DIVINE Truth, are poor, and helpless, and miserable Sinners, preferring darkness to light; clinging to this precarious state of existence, and almost indifferent about the other; as if this were to know no end, and the other be but the obtruding presence of a moment. But thanks be to GOD, Who is not Extreme to Mark what is done amiss; Who having Brought Light into the World, first by the Inspiration of His HOLY SPIRIT, and afterwards by the Presence of His Only and HOLY SON, is Ready to Lead us from the error of our ways, if we will but seek unto Him, and walk as in His Sight and in the confidence of His Protection. To David, the loss of his life, when persecuted for righteousness sake, would have been the fulness of blessedness-a transition from the unsatisfying state of this World, to the Glories of Immortality in the Visual Presence of GOD and of His Angels. David had boldly risked that life in his combat with Goliath, he had offered to surrender it to the sword of Jonathan, and why he should submit to falsehood as a means of preserving it against One not more powerful than Goliath, and equally under the controul of OMNIPOTENCE, it is hard to understand; but this shows that the wise Man is not himself, or in the same disposition, at all times; and it becomes us, therefore, in distrust of our own minds, which are so unstable, and so often influenced by unworthy passions and prejudices, to seek That Mind, Which was in CHRIST JESUS; that, having a reverential fear of GOD at all times operating as the predominant principle of our hearts, we may not fear what Man can do unto us. And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish, the King of Gath: and the Servants of Achish said unto him, 'Is not this David, the King of the Land? did they not sing One to Another of him in dances, saying, 'Saul hath slain his Thousands and David his Ten Thousands ?' And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish, the King of Gath, and he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. Then said Achish unto his Servants, Lo, ye see the Man is mad: wherefore then have brought him to me? Have I need of mad Men, that ye have brought this Fellow to play the mad Man in my presence? shall this Fellow come into my house?' David therefore departed thence and escaped to the cave Adullam.”—1 Sam. xxi, 10. 15., xxii, part of verse 1.

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How truly is the saying, that "the Children of this World are in their generation wiser than the Children of Light," exemplified in this line of conduct adopted by David. Had he resigned himself to the Guidance of The HOLY SPIRIT, his course would have been plain, and without subtilty of judgment, for the Secret of The LORD is with them that fear Him; but having given up himself to his own inventions in the spirit of a Child of this World, it cannot be denied that they displayed much ingenuity, and were peculiarly adapted to their end. But to what a state of abjectness and degradation may this love of life and desire for it at all hazards impel us; and how awful would have been the visitation of death even to the holy David, had it come upon him in the moment of such practised deceit! We are thus doubly instructed by David's example to shun the evil, and tread the good way; to put our confidence only, and at all times, in GOD against our open Enemies, and not to withdraw it when any other perils may, at any future time, surround us; or if, in the prevalence of Human infirmity, we should abandon it, and have done so for a season, like David to

make haste and tarry not, but to return again to our LORD, that He may Have Mercy upon us, and to our GOD, that He may abundantly Pardon us.

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And when his Brethren and all his Father's House heard it, they went down thither to him: and every One that was in distress, and every One that was in debt, and every One that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a Captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred Men.” -1 Sam. xxii, part of 1 and 2.

Notwithstanding the great reversal of his fortunes, Those who could best appreciate the merits of David, did not, amidst the royal persecution of him, desert him; but his nearest Kinsfolk, at the hazard of being overwhelmed in the same tyrannical edict of destruction, sought after him sorrowing, and at length, as the reward of their diligence, found the lost sheep, and had joy in his presence; but it was a joy clouded by the conviction, that danger still hung suspended over him; and, indeed, scarcely the most distant prospect of Human deliverance could have arisen to their view. How changed is now his condition-from the softness of a Court, from having Armies at his bidding, and the applause of Multitudes, acclaiming him more worthy than their King as a warrior, and spreading the fame of his wisdom as a Judge, we see heaped upon his own unmerited misfortunes the wants and necessities of Others, whether the effect of inevitable calamities, or produced by their own folly or injustice. But though sunk to so low an ebb of wretchedness himself, the resources of his mind and the integrity of his heart gave David, by universal acknowledgment, the title to precedency amongst these variously circumstanced Followers.

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And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said unto the King of Moab, Let my Father and my Mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you! till I know what GOD will Do for me:' And he brought them before the King of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.”1 Sam. xxii, 3, 4.

The Nearest Relatives of David, except his Wife, fled to him, doubtless apprehensive that Saul would vent his wrath upon them and to their destruction, if remaining within his power: and with all the tenderness of filial affection and feeling, David, unwilling that his Father and his Mother should be exposed to such a life of peril as had been allotted to himself, and be reduced to a station so destitute of those comforts they had been accustomed to receive (and which their advancing years rendered additionally necessary), sought for them an asylum of security and peace in the neighbouring Nation of the Moabites, whose King, though not a worshipper of The True GOD, had more of humanity in his nature than the King of Israel, though that King had been anointed by the Prophet of The LORD, had attended and participated in the ceremonial rites of the Church of The MOST HIGH; but it is not the blood of bulls and of goats, and an observance of outward forms of religion, that can be Acceptable before The LORD, where there is not a corresponding obedience and devotion of the heart; and truly enviable is the lot of the Heathen, who hath not known GOD, but follows with faithfulness the law of his conscience, studious of doing good, and who would be a Worshipper in spirit and in truth, if the Light of Revelation had been Visited upon him; when compared with the nominal Servant of The MOST HIGH, the Professor of His faith, but the Violator of His Laws. As between this Israelite and this Heathen, so is the comparison between ignorance and knowledge amongst different members of any variety of Communities, or of the same Communion in the Judgment of The KING of Kings; and the untutored Savage is nearer to the Kingdom of Heaven, if he keep his heart from thinking and his hand from doing evil, than the chief Minister of CHRIST'S Religion upon Earth, if the Religion of CHRIST animate not his bosom. Amidst

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occasional exercises of his free will in following his own inventions for his personal safety, we again see David in spirit resigning himself to The LORD of Life and Light and all Things, waiting with patience the Adoption, to wit, the Redemption of his body; thereby indirectly communicating the most exalted consolation to his Parents on their further separation from him, and from their native soil, to sojourn in a strange and idolatrous Land, as giving them the assurance that he had faith in the Promises of GOD, and doubted not that in GOD'S Appointed Season Salvation would come unto his House.

"And the Prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the Land of Judah ! Then David departed, and came into the Forest of Hareth."-1 Sam. xxii, 5.

Even in a desert and in a cave, amongst them whose follies and imprudencies had made them amenable to the outraged justice of their Country, GOD, for the sake of David, left not Himself without a Witness, and Withheld not from David His Merciful Guidance, but through the Inspiration of The HOLY SPIRIT Operating on the mind of a Fellow-Mortal with David, Imparted to him such Counsel as was profitable towards his temporal good; and David was not unmindful of the Word, but obeyed The SPIRIT of Truth in the spirit of humility and devotion. The Way wherein we should All go, and the Land to which we should All direct our steps, are clearly Pointed out to us by DIVINE Revelation. May, therefore, this act of David, in implicitly obeying The DIVINE Injunction, be adopted by us as an example to go when The LORD Calleth to us, and to take the Way that He Graciously Pointeth out!

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When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the Men that were with him (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his Servants were standing about him): then Saul said unto his Servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites! Will the Son of Jesse give every One of you fields and vineyards, and make you all Captains of Thousands, and Captains of Hundreds; that All of you have conspired against me; and there is None that sheweth me that my Son hath made a league with the Son of Jesse, and there is None of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my Son hath stirred up my Servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?"—1 Sam. xxii, 6. 8.

Deceiving himself, Saul deceived Others also; for neither was Jonathan leaguing for any purpose hostile to his Father's real interest, nor was David unfriendly to his Master's government, their own safety being at stake, they therefore only shunned the presence of so unnatural a Father, and so bloodthirsty and tyrannical a King: but Saul chose to put a different construction upon their conduct to answer his diabolical purpose, and knowing, in the subtilty of an evil mind, how essential it was to work upon the passions of his People in order to make them instrumental to his object, he artfully paints to them his loving Son as a Rebel to his House, and his faithful Son in Law as a Rival for his Empire. Through what a labyrinth of despicable conduct, ultimately as hateful to ourselves as to Others, does the indulgence of one criminal passion often lead us; and how does it tend to involve Others in unhappiness by making them, through ignorance, Accessories to guilty purposes! "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil!" thus "sinning as it were with a cart rope," by dragging Others into the train of their abominable courses.

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Then answered Doeg, the Edomite, which was set over the Servants of Saul, and said, 'I saw the Son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech, the Son of Ahitub: and he inquired of The LORD for him; and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath, the Philistine.' Then the King sent to call Ahimelech, the Priest, the Son of Ahitub, and all his Father's House, the Priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the King. And Saul said, Hear now, thou Son of