DAVID calls an Assembly of his People, in which Solomon's Election to the Throne is confirmed. His Speech, and Thanksgiving to GOD, upon that Occafion. His laft Inftructions to his Son Solomon.

W

HETHER David's refentment at Adonijah's late attempt upon the crown, or the joy conceived by him at feeing his fon Solomon feated upon the throne, and God's promifes to him, and his own to Bathsheba, so happily fulfilled, roused him from his languor, and gave a new spring to his blood; or whether his disorder was one of those loads, under which languid nature fometimes labours, until, aided by exterior vital warmth, it is enabled to throw it off, (instances of which are well known in the world, and famed in history) we cannot fay: we are only informed thus far; That he recovered his ftrength and spirits to fuch a degree, before he died, as to

be

be able to call an affembly of his people, and get his election of Solomon to the throne confirmed in it.

THIS affembly was composed of all orders and degrees of men of eminence in the nation, both civil and military: David (faith the text) affembled all the princes of Ifrael, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that miniftered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and the captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the fubftance and possession of the king, and of his fons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, into Jerufalem.

WHEN they were convened, David addreffed himself to them in a speech, the most natural and unlaboured of any I have ever met with; but at the fame time, as every fentence in it flows clearly from the fulness of his heart, every thing he fays affects and interefts the hearer, and carries him directly into all the speaker's views.

To do juftice to this oration, I fhould tranfcribe it intire; but I chose rather to select some few paffages from it, that fo, by raifing the unfcriptural reader's curiofity, I may fend him with more eagerness to the original.

IT

Ir is probable, that the king had a throne erected in the affembly, and that he and his fon fat together upon it: although the facred. historian informs us no further, than that David the king ftood up upon his feet, and faid Hear me, my brethren, and my people.

WHEN he had thus engaged their attention, by these kind compellations; he proceeds to tell them, That he had it in his heart to build an house of reft, for the Ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for a foot-ftool for his and their GOD; and had made preparations accordingly; but was exprefly prohibited by GOD to proceed in the work, (because he had been a man of war, and had shed blood) who had chosen his fon Solomon to carry it on, and complete it ; with folemn affurances of establishing his throne, if he continued in his duty and obedience. And, forafmuch as the happiness of his people was nearly interested in his establishment, he proceeds to apply himself to them in the following manner :

Now therefore, in the fight of all Ifrael, the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep, and seek for, all

the

the commandments of the Lord your God; that ye may poffefs this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you, for ever.

THEN turning to his fon, with a noble apoftrophe And thou, Solomon my fon, know thou the God of thy father, and ferve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind: for the Lord fearcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou feek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou for fake him, he will caft thee off for ever. Take heed now; for the Lord hath chofen thee to build an house for the fanctuary: be ftrong, and do it. How strongly does he urge the obligations that lay upon him, to profecute the work with all poffible attention and application, from the distinguished honour done him by Almighty God, by his fpecial defignation of him to that noble office!

THEN David gave Solomon the plan of the whole work, with all its courts, treafuries, and apartments, all which he had by the Spirit; with a complete fcheme of the whole temple-fervice; courfes of the priefts, Levites, officers, and attendants of

all

all kinds, with exact patterns of all inftruments, vessels, and utenfils, for every kind of service; together with fufficient quantities of the feveral metals, of which they were to be formed; gold by weight, for things of gold; and filver, for things of filver.

THIS done, David again exhorts his fon to refolution and vigour, in carrying on the work; and affures him of the affiftance both of the people and princes towards it.

THEN turning to his people, he tells them, That Solomon his fon, whom alone GOD had chofen for this mighty undertaking, was young and tender, and the work great; for the palace was not for man, but the LORD GOD: That, as for himself, he had made the beft preparations he could for it; gold and filver, brass and iron, and wood, and precious ftones of all kinds and colours : moreover, because he had fet his affections upon the houfe of his GoD, he had, over and above all his other prepa-. rations, provided of his own proper goods, three thousand talents of pure gold of Ophir, and feven thousand talents of refined filver, to overlay the walls of the houses. And when he had faid this, he put the question

directly