his repentance, that Nathan inftantly replied, The Lord alfo hath put away thy fin. Let the wicked for fake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord: for he is gracious, and merciful, and forgiveth iniquity, tranfgreffion, and fin.

The laft years of his life were embittered by private and public calamities: his fon Abfalom, having, in a great degree, ftolen the affections of the people from his aged father, broke out into open rebellion, and obliged him to flee from Jerufalem: but the rebels were foon defeated, and the young prince, as he fled upon a mule, was caught by his hair in the boughs of a thick oak, and fufpended between heaven and earth, till Joab, David's general, flew him. After which, the people reforted to the king with great fubmiffion and zeal: yet growing jealous, on account of the partial regard which he fhewed for his own tribe, they revolted against him under Sheba; but they were foon overpowered, and public peace was reftored.

While David was enjoying the fweets of peace and profperity, he was defirous, out of vain-glory and a foolish curiofity, to know the number and ftrength of his fubjects, and commanded Joab to take an ac

count of all the people. For this act of pride and arrogance, and for the wickednefs of the people in general, God fent a dreadful peftilence, which in a fhort time deftroyed feventy thoufand perfons; and the devaftation was ftill increafing, when God in his mercy heard the prayers of the penitent king, and put an end to the calamity.

At length, David, being about feventy years of age, and fenfible of the approach of death, gave his laft folemn advice to his fon Solomon, and urged this particular inftruction: Obferve the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his ftatutes and commandments: that thou mayeft profper in all that thou doeft, and whitherfoever thou turnest thyfelf.

CHAP. XXVI.

THE REIGN OF SOLOMON

Before SOLOMON, as foon as he was fetChrift tled firmly in his kingdom, appli1015. ed himself to the management of public affairs, and the encouragement of divine worship. The Lord looked down upon his conduct with approbation; and after a Sacrifice at Gibeon, appeared to him in a

dream, and promifed to give him whatever he should ask. The young prince did not afk for long life, or riches, or honour; hut confcious of the difficulty of governing an extenfive kingdom, and difpenfing juftice to a numerous people, he defired a wife and understanding heart. The prudence and modelty of this requeft procured for him not only fuch a degree of wisdom as exceeded that of all other men; but also a Fromife of thofe bleffings, which he had not asked, dependant upon his obedience to God. Seek ye firft the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things fhall be added unto you.

An opportunity foon offered for the trial of his wifdom; two women, bringing two children, the one dead and the other alive, came to him for juftice; both difowned the dead child, both claimed the living child, How could the truth be difcovered, and the infants be given to their proper mothers! Solomon had recourfe to the workings of nature for the difcovery of the fecret: he commanded, that the child for which they contended with equal warmth, should be divided, and half of it given to each woman, One of them was willing to have it fo divided; but the other cried out in defpair and agony, that it fhould not be fo; 0, my

Lord, give her the living child, and by nơ means fay it. This affectionate anxious defire to fave the life of the infant, manifefted the true mother; and Solomon accordingly gave her the child, to the fatiffaction of the whole affembly.

His wifdom was no lefs diftinguished in the government of his kingdom; and in many learned treatifes, which he wrote, upon the nature of plants and trees, and of beafts, birds, and fishes. Peace and plenty were diffused through his dominions, and by his extenfive alliances and commerce, gold and filver were brought to him in fuch abundance, that the riches of the world feemed to have been gathered together in the city of Jerufalem. Having by thefe means added a vaft quantity of materials to thofe which David had collected, he applied himself to the great work, which his father. had fo much at heart, and built a temple to the Lord. It was the moft beautiful and

magnificent edifice in the world. The grandeur and richness of it are thought to have exceeded all defcription. When it was finished, and the ark was depofited by the priests in the most holy place, the glory of the Lord filled the house, and appeared vi fibly, as it were, to take poffeffion of it. Then the king offered up a wife and devout

prayer, entreating God to hear favourably the fupplications which his people fhould at any time offer in or toward that holy temple; to avert the evils they fhould fear, and grant the bleffings they fhould ask.

The fame of the wifdom and magnificence of Solomon, was fpread through all the earth; and drew many perfons of wealth and learning from the moft diftant nations to his court. Particularly the queen of Sheba, a princefs as remarkable for underftanding, as for power and riches, came from the fartheft part of the fouth, to fee his glory, and be an ear-witnefs of his wisdom.

Solomon, however, fo beloved of God, and fo admired by men, did not perfevere in this happy state; but farted afide like a broken bow, and from the love of wisdom, degenerated to the love of women and idolatry. He took wives out of thofe nations, with which God had commanded the Ifrael ites not to make any alliance. These foon corrupted his heart, and drew him from the fervice of the true God; fo that he built temples for idols, and worshipped their gods and goddeffes, going after Ashtoreth, the goddefs of the Zidonians; and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites. Thus the glory he had obtained by his wif