mind at this time. He faw and knew the hand of God in the extraordinary prefervation of David, and yet he perfifted to pursue his ruin.

To all this may be added, that Saul's fear and hatred of David, which, the text tells us, were increased on this occafion, are a farther and full confirmation of the fame truth; inasmuch as the flaughter of two hundred men, by the hands of a thousand, within the limits of a proper space of time, had neither been matter of envy or enmity to Saul, who had himself atchieved far greater exploits.

NOTWITHSTANDING the imminent danger David now ran, there is no question, but Saul would ftill have been glad of fome pretence for not performing his promife: but the flipulation being fo public, and repeated, it was impoffible to elude it.

HOWEVER, David's danger ended not here; Saul cafily forefaw, that this dowry of David's would naturally excite the enmity of the whole Philiftine nation against him, as it quickly did; for the Philistine forces now affembled and warred against Ifrael. And I believe it will be matter of no doubt, with the thinking reader, at whom their vengeance was chiefly aimed. Had Saul gone out against them in perfon on this occafion, there is no doubt but he had been a joint object of their refentment. But there is no reason, from the text, to believe that he did; and I think it probable, that he chofe rather to Jet David ftand the fingle mark of their fury: but to no purpose; for David's fuccefs and repuration

reputation always increafed with his danger David (lays the text) behaved himself more wifely than all the fervants of Saul, jo that his name was much fet by.

If it be asked, why Saul required a dower of fore-skins, rather than of heads? the answer is

obvious. Heads would have made no diftinction between Jews and Philistines: and Saul, whofe fufpicions were all awake, furmifed to himself, that David, in that cafe, might flay an hundred of his fubjects, and bring theirs, instead of Philistines heads; and therefore he required fo many fore skins, which the Ifraelites had not, that he might be fure he killed fo many enemies. And, therefore, Jofephus, who changes the condition from fore-skins to heads, hath, with great fubmiffion, very injudiciously departed from the facred text.

THERE is one obvious inference from this account, and that is, that the Philiftine nation had not yet practised the rite of circumcifion.

CHAP. VIII.

Saul's Perfecutions continued. fignal Deliverances.

David's

AND now Saul's deteftation of David could no longer be kept within the bounds of fecret machinations, but broke out into outrage; infomuch that he communes both with his fon

d

and fervants to deftroy him; or, to speak in the ftyle of Tacitus, he difclofed his wicked purpose 3 and, for that reafon, could not execute it*.

SURELY, nothing could be more providential for David, than that Jonathan was let into the fecret. This faithful friend 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 itfelf in all its glory.

THERE is fomething fo powerful in the cordial, candid, feasonable, 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 oppofe his father's purposes, neither would he irritate him (now, probably, in a paf

Detexit facinus, fatuus; & non implevit.

Doubtlefs Jonathan chole this as the place of conference with Saul, that, if his interceffion fhould prove ineffectual, and Saul's anger thould break out into loud threats, as probably it would, David might be warned of his danger; or, if Saul should prove inexorable, and yet keep his paffion within bounds, Jonathan himself 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 difpatch which his danger might require.

fion) by an untimely oppofition; he waited, with the patience of a wife physician, 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 secret conference; and then it was, that he urged his interceflion with so much fidelity and address, added to a dutiful zeal, and moft becoming concern for his father's honour, that Saul's heart was foftened, and his refentments conquered. Hear the interceffion of his own words: the text tells us, first, in general, that he spake 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 of this plain and short interceffion, all the ftrength of reafoning, 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 enmity; and therefore, tho' he mention'd David's merits in general, he infilted only upon that fingle point in which Saul himself had fome merit, and much compla

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 fo great a fhare.

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

THE generous reader will eafily 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, reinstated him in his former favour.

HOWEVER, this gleam of fun-fhine lafted not long. A new war broke out with the Philiftines: 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 fpirit.

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, Gracinus Julius did, because he was a better man than it was expedient for the tyrant that he fhould be *. His kingdom, he knew, was given

* Sen. de Benef. 1. 2. c. 21.

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