The KING of Kings, if the heart of Saul were but right within him; but to ren der David's loyalty less questionable, Jonathan exhibits him as paying all the deference to his Earthly Monarch, that in reason could be expected from him, in asking of the Prime Minister, as it were, of his Kingdom, and the Chief Director of his Government, the Son of his bosom and the Heir Apparent of his Throne, permission to absent himself upon so justifiable an occasion; and in the spirit of the truest friendship, if blame could anywhere attach, Jonathan thus nobly and voluntarily takes it upon himself. So intoxicating, however, is passion, that it often destroys the very purpose which he, who suffers himself to be its victim, has most at heart. Saul had greater love for no Man than for Jonathan; it was the preservation of the Kingdom for him, in the ordinary line of Succession, that Saul most anxiously wished, and to give effect to that wish, he hesitated not at endeavouring to imbrue his hands in the blood of One, who under the Grace of HEAVEN, had been the Instrument of Salvation to him, his Kingdom, and his People But disappointed of the object of removing his Son's Rival, though for a time only, as he must have conceived, he now directs his rage against this very Son himself, at once pours forth violent invectives against him, alike cruel and offensive from their injustice and publicity, involving, at the same time, the character of One so tenderly dear to Jonathan as her, whose womb had borne him, whose care had nursed, and whose fondness had continually hung over him. But though the salvation of his Mother and himself were, however inconsistently, urged upon Jonathan as dependant upon the destruction of David, and Jonathan had witnessed the fierce bent of Saul's mind against David, yet did he not cease, amidst so much discouragement, to intercede for One, whom he knew to be faithful and loyal, though so persecuted; and supported by the pillar of a righteous conscience, he boldly challenges the King before his People to declare. the grounds of his accusation against David, though, doubtless, believing him at the same time utterly incapable of substantiating any. As too often is the case, where reason fails, force is resorted to: in the phrenzy of his fury Saul now seeks that life, for the preservation of which, more than for anything else, he had sought the life of Another. Into what horrible excesses is it thus seen that passion betrays us! if we yield to it, it so hurries us on from one indiscretion, and folly, and crime to another, that we in letter as in spirit wound our hearts' peace. With what earnestness, therefore, should we guard against its first impulses, whether in the shape of jealousy, avarice, lust, revenge, or otherwise, seizing it on its approach, ere it has fully fastened upon us, and using, like Saul, though in an opposite spirit, a javelin to pierce it to the wall, and rid ourselves of so dangerous and destructive an Enemy, who would rob us of our inheritance in The Kingdom of Heaven.

"So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his Father had done him shame."- -1 Sam. xx. 34.

Fierce as was the anger of Jonathan, yet did it not impel him to the commission of sin. His bravery was indisputable-his wisdom was acknowledged even by the King himself; but he neither put forth the one, nor exercised the other for any purpose of his Father's humiliation. He soon forgot the injustice practised towards himself in the depth of his sorrow for the unmerited persecution and imminent danger of his Friend. Instead of returning javelin for javelin, or convening a Council of the Kingdom to deliberate on the King's conduct, though this might have been the act of the second day, and might seem justified by an imperious necessity, under which Kings are subjected to responsibility, he withdrew from the sumptuous entertainment at which as to a solemn festival he had been invited, and passed the day in abstinence and contemplation;

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sorrowing, doubtless, for a Father's folly, but most of all for the impending fate of an estimable Man and an adopted Brother.

"And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out in 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 gave his artillery unto his Lad, and said unto him, 'Go, carry them to the City!'" -1 Sam. xx. 35, 40.

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 interests of his Friend.

"And as soon as the Lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward 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 terrestrial 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 control 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 ye 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.

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.

"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.

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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.

"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 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 poor 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 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