to us of David's meditations, upon an occafion fo very extraordinary; for furely a more memorable event was never recorded in history; nor a more moving fpectacle ever exhibited to mortal eyes! A king, venerable for his years and victories; facred in the characters both of his piety and prophecy; renowned for prowess, and revered for wifdom; reduced to the condition of a fugitive! to a fudden and extreme neceffity of flying for his life, from the prefence of his own fon, his darling and delight! and a whole country loudly lamenting his fate!

IN this condition David went up the Mount, and when he reached the fummit of it, fell down proftrate * before GOD: and again put up his prayers, for protection and deliverance, to that mighty Being, whoftilleth the raging of the fea, and the madness of the people; chiefly (as it is generally believed) in the words of the third Pfalm: and was immediately inspired with that confolation,

* Jofephus tells us, that when David reached the top of the mountain, he took a view of the city, and prayed to God, with abundance of tears. The candid reader will perhaps think it worth his notice, that Josephus fhould tell us, That David wept, and viewed the city, in the fame fpot, from which the evangelist informs us that our bleffed Saviour wept over it. K

VOL. III.

and

and strong confidence of conquering his enemies, recorded in the clofe of it, and, in all probability, poured out that moment, in the prefence of all his people: —Arise, O Lord; fave me, O my God; for thou haft Smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone. Thou haft broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people.

As David was going up the Mount, word was brought him, that Achitophel was among the confpirators: and the moment he heard it, he put up his humble and earnest fupplication to that GOD, who leadeth counfellors away fpoiled, and maketh the judges fools *: O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness. And when he had finished his devotions upon Mount, it pleafed God to furnish him, at that moment, with the means of effecting what he prayed for: for, behold, Hufhai the Archite, David's friend, came, that inftant, to meet him, with his coat rent, and earth upon his head: and David's good genius

the

the

*Job xii. 17. alfo ver. 20. He removeth away Speech of the trufty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

fuggefted

fuggefted to him, the fame inftant, the most probable method of defeating the devices of Achitophel, by the means of his friend.

HUSHA I was famous in the cabinet, but unpractifed in the camp: David therefore told him, That if he should go with him into the field, he would be a burden to him (he would but add to the number of his houfhold, not his foldiers); faying, That he himself had no fure refource, or means of support: but if he would return to the city, and fubmit to Abfalom, he might be a means of defeating the counfels of Achitophel, in his prince's favour; and at the fame time, have an opportunity of letting him into all the fecrets of the enemy, by informing Zadok and Abiathar of every thing that paffed, who would transmit the account by their fons. Accordingly Husbai returned to Jerusalem, and reached the city soon after Absalom had entered it.

СНАР. Х.

Ziba's treachery to Mephibofheth, and DAVID's too hafty grant of his fuppofed forfeiture. Shimei curfes DAVID, who will not fuffer him to be chaftifed. The Curfes in the Pfalms accounted for, from this Paffage. Hufhai infinuates himself into Abfalom's Favour, and by defeating Achitophel's Advice, faves DAVID.

WHE

HEN David knew with certainty, that Achitophel was among the confpirators, he faw his danger in all its strength. A hot-headed young man, high in vanity, extravagant in hope, and eafily overfet with fuccefs, was not an object of much terror, to a man of David's great experience, and confummate wisdom; but the prowess, popularity, and numbers of fuch a man, conducted by the calm fkill and prudence of an Achitophel, was fufficient matter of just fear. David, however, funk not under it; but

had

had recourse, as ufual, to the protection of that GOD, who only could deliver him, and who had never failed him in diftrefs; befeeching him to confound and infatuate the counfel of Achitophel. Achitophel was one of those prime politicians, (as they are deemed) who are often accounted wifer than others, merely because they are more wicked; for, having no restraint of confcience, or fear of GOD, they can often advise, and fometimes effect, what others cannot, that is, dare not; and are therefore, by fuch as judge only of things by their present advantage or expediency, admired as fage and fagacious; but are, in the account of all-feeing and unerring Wisdom, numbered among those whose wisdom is foolishness, and the end thereof are the ways of death.

DAVID Well knew, that the evil courfe in which Achitophel was embarked, could only be conducted by wicked measures; and therefore it was a duty of true religion, to befeech GoD to confound his counfels. And the most probable human means of effecting this, was, as he judged, by oppofing the counfels of Hufhai to them and he proceeded accordingly.