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to obey is better than facrifice.-Thou haft rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Ifrael.

True religion confifts in doing the will of God with fincerity of heart. We must renounce not only this or that fin, but all fin; and muft obey not only this or that command, but all the commands of God, without exception or referve. Then shall I not be ashamed, then fhall I have confidence in thy favour and loving-kindness,. when I have refpect unto all thy commandments.-Saul was deeply affected with the denunciation of Samuel.

The

lofs of the divine favour was attended with great perplexity and horror: there is no peace to the wicked, faith the fcripture. In this unhappy fituation, he was advised to try the power of mufic, in order to divert his thoughts, and lull his mind to reft. For this purpose, David, a fhepherd, the fon of Jeffe, who was famous for playing fkilfully upon the harp and finging hymns, was recommended to him; and his mufic was so excellent, that it charmed the pasfions of the king, and in a great measure removed his disorder.

The Philistines returned with recruited forces against Ifrael; and, when both

armies were encamped near each other, Goliah, a giant, day after day, challenged any of the Ifraelites to decide the war by a fingle combat: but he was of fuch a prodigious ftature, that the foldiers of Saul were terrified at the fight of him, and fhrunk back from the encounter. Young David, however, who came in the mean time to vifit his brothers in the camp, as foon as he heard his infulting language, was moved with indignation, and refolved to fight the gigantic champion. For he trufted in the Almighty, by whofe affiftance he had formerly flain both a lion and a bear, which had affaulted his flocks; that He would alfo deliver into his hand this proud Philiftine, who had reproached and defied the armies of the living God.

The Ifraelites flood in amazement, and trembled for the adventurous ftripling, who went forward with only a fling in his hand, and a few pebble ftones in his fhepherd's bag. Goliah, on the other hand, treated him with infolent difdain, and threatened to give his flesh to the fowls of the air, and to the beafts of the field. But David, guided and fupported by an invifible power, flang a stone, which penetrated the head of his adverfary, fo that he fell upon his face to the earth. At

the fight of which, the Ifraclites, exult ing with joy, attacked the army of the dif mayed Philistines, and obtained a complete victory over them.

The admiration and applaufe expreffed by all the people in honour of David, excited fentiments of envy and jealousy in the breast of Saul.- What a wretched temper it is, to be miferable upon those occafions, which ought to give pleasure and delight; and to hate others for those excellencies, which fhould recommend them to our love!-This malignant difpofition, by degrees, fo far prevailed over Saul, that he refolved to deftroy David: but Jonathan, whofe foul was knit with the foul of David in friendship, informed him of his danger, and advised him to flee from the anger of his father. David therefore retired from his dominions to Gath, a city of the Philistines; where, being difcovered, and in danger of his life, he pretended to be mad. Having efcaped by this artifice, he fled to Adullam, where inany of his relations and friends, and others of broken fortunes and difcontented minds, reforted to him. He could not find however any reft or dwelling-place; for Saul, as it were, hunted him upon the moun

tains, and pursued him whitherfoever he

went.

It happened once, that Saul, being alone, entered into a cave, where David and fome friends had concealed themselves. The companions of David preffed him to put an end to all his diftreffes, by the death of his unjuft perfecutor; to which he mildly anfwered, God forbid that I should ftretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed. A good man will not take any unlawful advantage of his enemy; nor feek deliverance from danger by fuch methods as are inconfiftent with the will of God. Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: pray for them that perfecute you. When Saul was gone out of the cave, David called after him, and expoftulated with him concerning the unreasonablenefs of his hatred againft a man, who had never done him any injury; and who, having that day had it in his power to avenge himself, had yet fpared his life. Saul was melted into tenderness with this undeferved generofity and goodness, and laying afide his anger, returned to Jerufalém in peace.

Near the place of David's refidence lived Nabal, a man abounding in flocks and herds, but brutal and churlish in his ten

per. David, who by keeping his men under ftrict difcipline, protected the cattle of this man from plunderers, fent meffengers to him at the time of fheep-fhearing, requesting fome provifions. The felfi Nabal, however, not only refused, but treated the meffengers rudely, and spoke reproachfully of David himfelf; who was fo offended with the ingratitude and inhumanity of the man, that he threatened to deftroy him and his family. But Abigail, the wife of Nabal, a woman of a beautiful perfon and gentle difpofition, carried a rich fupply of provifion to David; and with her prefents and foft perfuafive words, appeafed his indignation, and prevented the fhedding of blood.-In a fhort time the Lord Imote Nabal, that he died; and afterwards David invited Abigail to come to him, and he married her.

The anger and hatred of Saul foon revived: he ungratefully forgot the generofity of David in fparing his life in the cave, and marched against him with three thoufand men into the wildernefs of Ziph. There David had another opportunity of killing Saul, and putting the crown upon his own head for going to view the camp, he entered into the tent of Saul, while he was Aleeping but his piety prevailed over his