any occafion of difcontent, that he could make and unmake kings at his pleafure; and was daring enough to take his measures accordingly. So that his death was, in all probability, one of the greatest bleflings that could befal David. WHEN any one died among the Jews, it was cuftomary with the friends of the family to refort to the house immediately after the funeral, and bring the beft provifions they had along with them, to support and refresh their friends in affliction, to the utmost of their power. And furely a more humane and benevolent ufage never obtained in any country. The prefumption was, that people in affliction forgot, or, it may be, neglected, their proper refreshment, at a time when they moft needed it; and therefore it was the bufinefs of friendship, and one of its kindeft offices, to fupply that care. Agreeably to this ufage, all the people waited upon the king, to cause him to take meat, as the text expreffeth it, whilst it was yet day; but David absolutely refused to touch a morfel; and confirmed the refusal by an oarh, that he would taste nothing, till the fun went down. He was refolved to clear his innocence by all the tefts of real forrow; and, to fatisfy the people, that this was a juft occafion of grief, he put them in mind of his dignity to whom he paid it: Know ye not that there is a prince, and a great man, fallen this day in Ifrael? THIS Conduct had its fuccefs; the fincerity of the king's forrow was feen by all the people; and he was univerfally acquitted of all gut in Abner's X 3 Abner's death, Nor was this all: He took care to let his fervants know, (and they doubtless took care to inform the people) that nothing but the weak and unfettled condition of his affairs, hindered him from executing juft vengeance upon the author of it *. IN fhort, his whole behaviour on this occafion gave great fatisfaction to his people; as every part of his conduct did: As what foever the king did (faith the text) pleased all the people. Rare felicity of princes! Or fhall I add, felicity peculiar to David? WE learn from hence, that David was universally agreeable to his people: and, it may be, the advantages of his perfon did not a little contribute to his being fo. IT hath been observed by writers of all kinds, how much dignity a graceful mien and person have always given to kings and commanders; and I fhall beg leave briefly to obferve, once for all, that David had thefe advantages, added to all his other accomplishments, beyond moft, if not all other mortals. His beauty hath already been mentioned his fize was fuitable; Saul's armour fitted him, and Saul, we know, was higher than any of the people from his fhoulders and upwards (1 Sam. x 23). His own praises and thanksgivings to GOD, for the various bleffings of his being, demonftrate him remarkably 2 Sam. iii. 39. And I am this day weak, though anointed king ; and theje men, the fons of Zeruiah, be too hard for me. swift fwift and strong *; all which plainly infer dignity of perfon, and fair proportion. We cannot help forming to ourselves fome idea of perfons we admire, however imperfect; and mine, of David's perfon, hath, I own, been modelled by that of Claudian's Stilico †. Fam tunc confpectus, jam tunc venerabilis ibas, The moment we behold you, we admire: But to return: It is hardly poffible to dwell upon any relation like this of Abner, without being drawn into grave and serious reflections in confequence of it. *Thou makeft my feet like harts feet; mine arms can break a bow of fteel, Pfalm xviii. 33, 34. Which I am well affured no man now alive can do. † De laude Siliconis, lib. I. X 4 A great A great man fallen, and fallen by fo unexpected and fo furprifing a treachery! and in the very article of returning to his duty; and in the eve of a great revolution, feemingly depending upon his fate! TRUE-but then this great man fported with the lives of his brethren; and perhaps deliberately oppofed himself to the dictates of his known duty to GOD, for a series of years. He spilled the first blood fhed in this civil war ; and, it may be, all that was fhed: at leaft, we hear of none, after the battle of Gibeon. This is evident, David declined all occasion of combat with his adverfaries: we hear of him nowhere out of Hebron, during the whole course, of this long civil war. This furely may be numbered among his felicities, never to have drawn his fword upon a fubject, in a contest of seven (and a war of five) years continuance. IT is truc, Abner was now returned to his duty; but it is as true, that he returned to it now, as he departed from it before, upon a pique; and from motives of ambition, intereft, and revenge. He well knew the purpotes and declarations of GOD in relation to David, and yet he deliberately oppofed himself to them. And it is but juft in the appointments of Providence, (and nothing is more confpicuous in his government of the world) not to permit the wicked to effect that good, from wrong motives, which they once obfru&ted upon the fame principles. The occafions of duty, once notoriously neglected, feldom return, at leaft to equal equal advantage. Let no man decline the good that is in his power: if he once does fo, he is no more worthy to be the happy inftrument of effecting it, in the hand of God. To conclude; A GREAT revolution apparently depended upon Abner's fate; but it did fo only in the eye of human providence; as was plainly manifefted from the event. CHA P. IV. ISHBOSHETH'S Murder----A Militia of a most excellent Model inftituted by DAVID. Mr. BAYLE'S Cenfures upon DAVID's Intrigues with ABNER, confidered. WHEN Ibbofheth heard of Abner's death at Hebron, the text tells us, that his hands were feeble, and all the Ifraclites were troubled. He was greatly difmayed, as he well might for he was in effect difarmed: he had loft both his fword, and his fhield, in Abner. The people too were greatly concerned; for they loft their great and powerful agent with David; the man, in whom both he and they confided; the man (from his authority and credit both with the army and people) beft able to ́conduct and confirm the league, then agreed to |