ciples, to make so material an alteration in their government without first consulting God, and having the sanction of his authority. So far from consulting him, it appears from the whole history, that they insisted upon having a king, in opposition to the divine will, and in defiance of all the consequences which Samuel foretold. At the expiration of the theocracy, Saul was privately anointed king, and afterwards publicly proclaimed at Mizpeh. From the time of his anointing, to his death in Gilboa, he reigned over Israel forty years. It would not be consistent either with our purpose, or with the time usually allotted to these exercises, to enter into a minute detail of the events of his reign. He drew upon himself the displeasure of God, by disobeying his express command, in relation to the extermination of the Amalekites, whom he had, at the time when they opposed Israel in the wilderness, devoted to utter destruction. From this period to the end of his reign, he is presented to us as an object of pity! It is said, "the spirit of God forsook him, and "an evil spirit troubled him." It is probable that we are to understand by these terms, that the immediate direction which he was accustomed to receive from God was withdrawn-o "The Lord answered him neither by prophets nor by dreams: that his wisdom and prudence forsook him that he was subject to a wearing, melancholy disorder: that he was given up to his evil passions and inclinations; and that a spirit of envy, hatred, and cruelty, took place of a spirit of uprightness, candour, and mercy. Perhaps actual possession of an evil spirit, such as those so clearly proved in the days of Christ, is to be understood. Josephus so considers it, and describes its operations as superinducing a sensation of suffocation, resembling those emotions which the evangelists describe as attending demoniacal influences: at least a species of madness seems intended. David was early introduced at court; he had previously been anointed king in private in place of Saul; and while his amiable qualities, and his valour in vanquishing Goliath, drew upon him the affections of the people, they excited the fears, and the hatred, of the jealous monarch, who persecuted him even to the extremities of his kingdom, and aimed at nothing less than his destruction. While the father was seeking the life of this amiable young man, his son was attached to him by the most sincere affection, and "Jonathan loved David as his own soul." Never was the influence, the delicacy, the beauty of friendship, painted by so masterly an hand, as that of the sacred historian on this occasion. To read it unmoved, is to carry in one's bosom a rock of adamant, and not an heart of flesh; and to attempt to heighten it's effect, would be as futile and as absurd as to think of adding brighter and softer colours to the radiance, with which the pencil of nature paints the west at sun-set. Saul at length fell in the field of battle against the Philistines at Gilboa, and (Oh, the ravages of war!) in the same unhappy conflict, Jonathan perished also*. It was upon this melancholy occasion, that his surviving friend wrote that affecting lamentation, which has been the admiration of ages. "O beauty of Israel, slain upon thy own "mountains! How are the mighty fallen! Tell "it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of "Askelon: lest the daughters of the Philistines "rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircum"cised triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, on "C you be neither dew, nor rain, nor fields "affording oblations: for there the shield of "the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, the armour of the anointed with oilt. "From the blood of the slain, from the slaughter "of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan was not * See note 1, at the end of this Lecture. "withheld, and the “ turned in vain. sword of Saul never reSaul and Jonathan were "lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their "death they were not divided: they were "swifter than eagles, they were stronger than "lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over "Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with delights, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the "midst of the battle! O Jonathan, slain upon "thine own mountains! I am distressed for "thee, my brother Jonathan! very pleasant "hast thou been unto me! Thy love to me was "wonderful! surpassing the love of women! "How have the mighty fallen! How have the weapons of war perished!" David succeeded to the throne of his kingdom, and through a period of forty (or if you reckon from the time in which he was anointed, forty-eight) years, he reigned beloved by the people, and distinguished by divine favour. Few characters discover so complete a combination of excellence and of defect as that of David. Yet, from first to last, you may trace the "man after God's own heart," humble, contrite, affectionate, and sincere! Few reigns have discovered greater fluctuations of triumph and of affliction. Amid the glory to which the Israelites were rising under his rule, and the zenith of which they had neatly attained, hist life was chequered by trial. He was surrounded by enemies, and engaged in almost perpetual warfare. His domestic peace, was destroyed, by the dishonour of his daughter, and by the slaughter of his son who effected it. He was driven from his kingdom by the rebellion of Absalom. A pestilence of three days ravaged his empire, and destroyed seventy thousand persons. And the last moments of a turbulent life, were disturbed, and embittered, by the conspiracy of his son Adonijah against Solomon, whom he had nominated as his successor. Before his death, David had formed the design of building a temple to God, which was realized by Solomon. He had prepared most of the materials, had drawn up the plan according to Divine instructions, and left full and clear directions to his son respecting it. We entreat your attention, for a few moments, prior to our enlargement on this purpose, till we bring down the monarchy to it's close. In the days of Rehoboam, the kingdom of Israel was divided; and two distinct lines of kings succeeded to the thrones of Judah and of Israel. According to the prediction of Jacob, the " sceptre did "not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from "beneath his feet, till Shiloh came." The ten tribes of Israel were carried away captive, and E e |