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mother, &c. For (ver. 23.) the commandment (fays he) is a lamp, and the law is light, and reproofs of inftruction are the ways of life, to keep thee from the evil woman— And can there be a greater uniformity than betwixt that monition, and this; Give not thy ftrength unto women, nor thy ways to that which deftroyeth kings? And may not the reproofs, that follow, juftly be intitled reproofs of inftruction ?

WHEN thefe reproofs of inftruction are recited, then follows a poem in praise of an accomplished woman: and furely nothing can be more natural than the judgments of the best critics upon it; that Lemuel here characterizes his mother, in a poem written in honour of her: and if this mother be Bathsheba, as I think there is little doubt but it is, then is her conduct to Uriah fully justified, in thefe words: The heart of her busband doth fafely trust in her, so that he Shall have no need of spoil. This seems to me, peculiarly to characterize the prudent and faithful wife of a generous foldier; the husband of fuch a wife was under po peceffity of enriching himself by the vices of his profeffion; her frugal and prudent

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management of his affairs would undoubt. edly do it and who knows but this reflection might have been added to wipe off fome afperfions caft upon Bathsheba? efpecially when we confider the words that immediately follow, which acquit her of any fhare in the guilt of his death: She will do bim good, and not evil, all the days of his life.

IF these reasonings be right, (and I am greatly deceived, if they be not) then I think, far from vilifying the character of Bathsheba, her fon may be fairly justified, in concludeing of her, as he does, ver. 29, &c. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excelleft them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, he shall be praised: give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works · praise her in the gates.

CHA P.

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DAVID calls an Affembly 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.

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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, fo happily fulfilled, roufed him from his languor, and gave a new fpring 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, (inftances 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 compofed 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 poffeffion of the king, and of his fons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, into Jerusalem.

WHEN they were convened, David addreffed himself to them in a fpeech, the moft 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 says affects and interests 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 felect fome few paffages from it, that fo, by raifing the unfcriptural reader's curiosity, I may fend him with more eagerness to the original.

IT

IT 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 hiftorian 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 chofen 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 himfelf 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 feek for, all

the

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