foon warned him of his danger, and cautioned him to hide himself for that night in a fecret place which they had agreed upon; affuring him, that he would the next day take an occafion of communing with his father about him, near the place of his concealment, and acquaint him with the iffue of the conference. They met accordingly, and Jonathan's friendship difplayed itself in all its glory.

THERE is fomething fo powerful in the cordial, candid, feafonable, and affectionate interceffion of a true friend, as can hardly be refifted; as can hardly fail to work its way into the most obdurate breast.

WHEN Saul communicated his defign to his fervants and his fon, Jonathan received it in a prudential and well-judged filence; he would not openly oppose his father's

*Doubtless Jonathan chofe this as the place of conference with Saul, that, if his interceffion thould prove ineffectual, and Saul's anger should break out into loud threats, as probably it would, David might be warned of his danger; or, if Saul fhould prove inexorable, and yet keep his paffion within bounds, Fonathan himfelf might by fome complaint, or fome fignal agreed on, give his friend fome indication of his ill fuccefs; which, poffibly, he might otherwife find no opportunity of communicating to him with that dispatch which his danger might require.

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purposes, neither would he irritate him (now, probably, in a paffion) by an untimely oppofition; he waited with the patience of a wife phyfician, to adminifter his medicine when the patient was in best temper to receive it: he watched his time, and the next day, in the cool of the morning, drew his father into a retired and fecret conference; and then it was, that he urged his interceffion with so much fidelity and address, added to a dutiful zeal, and most becoming concern for his father's honour, that Saul's heart was foftened, and his refentments conquered. Hear the interceffion in his own words: the text tells us, first, in the general, that he fpake good of his friend; and then added, Let not the king fin against his fervant, against David; because he hath not finned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good; for he did put his life in his hand, and flew the Philiftine, and the Lord wrought a great falvation for all Ifrael: thou faweft it, and didft rejoice. Wherefore then wilt thou fin against innocent blood, to flay David without a caufe?

THE intelligent reader will, I am perfuaded, find, in all the feeming fimplicity

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of this plain and fhort interceffion, all the ftrength of reasoning, and all the skill and delicacy of address, that could poffibly be crouded into fo few words. He had much more to say in David's favour; but he well knew, that to enumerate his merits, would be to inflame his father's en mity; and therefore, tho' he mentioned David's merits in general, he infifted only upon that single point in which Saul himfelf had fome merit, and much complacence; and he well knew, that the bare remembrance of it would bring back to his father's mind the greatness and the generosity of the prize proposed, which excited David's valour, and the felicity and glory of the event, in which Saul himself had so great a share.

THUS he judged; and how rightly he did fo, the event fufficiently informs us: And Saul (faith the text) hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan : and Saul fware, As the Lord liveth, he shall not be flain.

THE generous reader will easily judge with what a flow of joy Jonathan received this affurance, and how eagerly he communicated it to his friend; how gladly he brought him back, introduced him to his father, and, in all appearance, reinftated him in his former favour. How

HOWEVER, this gleam of fun-fhine lafted not long. A new war broke out with the Philistines: David again commanded in it, and was again fuccefsful. A decifive battle was fought the enemy was defeated with a great slaughter, and utterly put to flight; and David returned to court victorious and fafe; and with him Saul's envy, and its attendant spirit.

DAVID had now too much merit, and too many virtues, to be borne any longer; and he muft die, for the fame reason that, Seneca tells us, Græcinus Julius did, because he was a better man than it was expedient for the tyrant that he should be *. His kingdom, he knew, was given away to a better man : And who fo eminently a better man than himfelf, as David! And now, when the evil fpirit from the Lord came upon Saul, he had recourse to his ufual remedy; David played, but it was to the deaf adder, which refused to hear the voice of the charmer.

How fad and fhocking a fcene was this! David labouring with all his study and skill to relieve Saul's anguish; and Saul, in the fame inftant, meditating his destruction!

Sen. de Benef. lib. 2. c. 21.

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fitting fullen, and determined, with his javelin in his hand, watching his opportunity, and waiting, perhaps, until the power of mufick had fo far calmed his fpirits as to steady his hand, he darted his spear at David with all his might, and with fuch force, that, he happily declining it, it pierced and stuck into the wall: and David fled.

THE reflecting reader cannot fail to observe and to adore the Providence by which David was once more fo fignally protected and delivered. Nor can he well avoid revolving in his mind, that very late and folemn oath by which Saul obliged himself to abstain from David's deftruction; an obligation now facrificed to the gratification of that evil spirit that reigned within him.

How others have obferved, I cannot say ; but I believe it will generally be found true, that whenever we meet with any account of a murderous, a treacherous, a perjured prince, we may expect to be foon informed of fome fignal judgments and chastisements from GOD upon him. And give me leave to add, that, in the little circle of my own obfervation, I have very feldom (if ever) been difappointed.

WHEN