this advanced age, long continue both to you, and you to us! And may you conclude your bleffed life, as you have led it, after the example of your LORD and SAVIOUR, doing good! THIS end, and this example, we all fhould have in view, in all our purposes, as, I trust in GOD, the author of this book had, both in publishing it to the world, and infcribing it to you; for in truth, he expects no addition, either of honour or intereft, to him, from this unauthentic proof of his being, with the trueft veneration and efteem, Your GRACE'S Moft dutiful, and most obedient, bumble Servant. CONTENTS. AVID, beholding Bathsheba bathing and hath criminal Commerce with her : David takes Bathsheba to his Houfe, and makes her his Wife. GOD fends Nathan the Prophet to rebuke him, and denounce Some Account of Nathan the Prophet. The Child born of Bathfheba fickens. David fafts, and humbles himself before GOD in his behalf; but to no purpose The Child dies. David's remarkable Refignation to of of Rabbah, and takes it: deposes Hanun ; and puts the remaining Ammonites to Tamar is ravished, and inhumanly treated, by her own Brother. That Rape is revenged by his Death. Abfalom, who flew him, Joab's Device to get Abfalom recalled by means of the wife Woman of Tekoah, fuc- ceeds. Being brought back to Jerufalem, he is not admitted to the King's Presence ; CHA P. IX. Abfalom breaks out into open Rebellion, and Achitophel joins him. David flies from Jerufalem, puts up his Prayers to Go D; and is fupported in his Diftrefs CHA P. X. 118 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 132 CHA P. XI. Hufhai ferids David Intelligence of all that paffed in Abfalom's Council, earnestly intreating him to pass over Jordan that very Night; which was done accordingly. Achitophel's fudden and fad End. Mr. Bayle's important Decifion upon Hufhai's Deception af Abfalom confidered, with all the Deference due to it. CHA P. XII. 149 David goes to Mahanaim, and gathers an Army. Abfalom paffes the Jordan, and pitches in the Land of Gilead: David fends out his Forces against him, under the Command of Joab, Abishai, and Ittai CHA P. XIII. 159 David, grieving to Excess, is reproved by Joab, and brought to appear in public. Measures are concerted with Zadok and Abiathar, for his Refloration. The King returns to his Capital CHA P. XIV. 175 A Contest arifes between the Tribes about reftoring the King. A Rebellion enfues: Amafa is commanded by David to quell it, but murdered by Joab: Sheba, the Leader of the Rebellion, takes Refuge in Abel Maacha, where he is befieged by Joab: A wife Matron intercedes for the City CHAP. XV. 184 Judea is vifited with a Famine. The Cause. of the Divine Wrath. The Means and Method appointed to appease it. Mr. Chubb's Charge against David, upon this Head, confidered and refuted 206 CHAP. XVI. David enters into new Wars with Philiftia. A Conjecture concerning the Caufe of them. The first and last Edition of the eighteenth Pfalm (published upon this Occafion) briefly COM |