cuted and reviled by the High Prieft, Herod, and Rulers of the Jewish Nation.

SAUL being vanquished in Battle, and flain, He fucceeded to the whole Kingdom of Ifrael, according to the Appointment of Heaven: He fubdues all the Nations to the Banks of the Euphrates; and as the Commanders of his Army were Men of great Military Prowels, Valour, and Strength, fo in these He was fuperior to them all; his Courage being fuch, that He fingly charged through a whole. Troop; his Strength and Activity fo great, that a Bow of Steel was broken by his Arms; his Virtue and Humanity fo generous, that when Saul, his cruel Perfecutor, was fallen into his Power, He declines the Opportunity of killing him, and fo taking Poffeffion of the Kingdom to which He was appointed. The Conftancy of his Friendship, is most elegantly expreffed by himself, in his LAMENTATION upon the Death of his Friend 70nathan. He fees his Kingdom eftablished in PEACE, and leaves to Solomon his Succeffor a vaft Treasure for building the Temple.

THE only Disturbance of his Reign, was the Rebellion of Abfalom, which lafted but a few Months. This and the Plague being the Correction from Heaven for his Sins, (as he himself acknowledgeth.)

SO that it must be allowed, that he was not only the most HEROICK and OPULENT Prince that ever was in the World, but of the most exalted Genius both in POETRY and MUSICK.

FROM thefe Confiderations, there is reafon to conclude, that most of his Complaints proceeded from inward TRIALS, CONFLICTS, and TEMPTATIONS: which will appear, if the Expreffions in the Pfalins are duly confider'd, and compared with each other.

Pfalm vi. 1. O LORD, REBUKE me not in thine "ANGER, neither CHASTEN me in thy hot DISPLE A"C SURE.

d 2

2. Have

cr

"2. Have MERCY upon me, O LORD, for I am "weak: O LORD, heal me, for my Bones are vexed. 3. My Soul alfo is fore vexed; but thou, O LORD, how long?

cc

cc

4. Return, O LORD, deliver my SOUL: O fave me for thy Mercies fake.

"5. For in DEATH there is no Remembrance of "thee; in the GRAVE who fhall give thee Thanks? "6. I am weary with my GROANING, all the Night "make I my Bed to fwim; I water my Couch with <s my Tears.

દ

k

7. Mine Eye is confumed because of Grief; it "waxeth old, because of all mine Enemies.

cc

9. The LORD hath heard my SUPPLICATION; "the LORD will receive my PRAYER.

"Pf. xiii. 1. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD, for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy "Face from me?

«

"2. How long fhall I take Counfel in my Soul, having SORROW in my HEART daily? How long "fhall mine Enemy be exalted over me?

<<

3. Confider, and hear me, O LORD my God: LIGHTEN mine Eyes, left I fleep the Sleep of DEATH: (c 4. Left mine ENEMY fay, I have prevailed against "him; and those that trouble me, rejoice when I am

MOVED.

(c 5. But I have trufted in thy MERCY; my Heart "fhall rejoice in thy SALVATION.

"6. I will fing unto the LORD, because he hath "dealt bountifully with me.

"Pf. xviii. 4. The SORROWS of Death compaffed

me, and the Floods of ungodly Men made me afraid.

(c

5. The SORROWS of Hell compaffed me about; "and the SNARES of Death prevented me.

CC

"6. In my Diftrefs I CALLED upon the LORD, and CRIED unto my GOD: He HEARD my Voice out "of his Temple, and my CRY came before him, even (c into his Ears.

27. For

27. For thou wilt fave the AFFLICTED People, but "wilt bring down HIGH LOOKS.

"28. For thou wilt light my Candle; the LORD my GoD will enlighten my DARKNESS.

66

«c

32. It is GoD that girdeth me with STRENGTH, "and maketh my Way PERFECT.

Pf. xxv. 15. Mine Eyes are ever towards the "LORD; for he fhall pluck my Feet out of the Net. "16. Turn Thee unto me, and have Mercy upon me: for I am DESOLATE and AFFLICTED.

66

17. The TROUBLES of my Heart are enlarged: "O bring thou me out of my DISTRESSES.

"18. Look upon mine AFFLICTION and my PAIN, "and FORGIVE all my SINS.

"20. O KEEP my Soul, and DELIVER me: Let me “not be afhamed, for I put my TRUST in thee.

66 21. Let INTEGRITY and UPRIGHTNESS preferve "me, for I WAIT on thee.

« Pf. xxxi. 9. Have MERCY upon me, O LORD, " for I am in TROUBLE; mine Eye is confumed with "GRIEF, yea, my Soul and my BELLY.

"10. For my Life is fpent with GRIEF, and my "Years with SIGHING; my STRENGTH faileth, be"cause of mine INIQUITY, and my Bones are con"fumed.

cc

«

19. O how great is thy GOODNESS, which thou "haft laid up for them that TRUST in Thee, before "the Sons of Men.

"22. For I said in my hafte, I am cut off from "before thine Eyes; nevertheless, thou heardest the "Voice of my SUPPLICATIONS, when I cried unto thee,

"Pf. xxxii. 3. When I kept Silence, my BONES "waxed old, through my roaring all the Day long.

<< 4. For Day and Night thy Hand was heavy upon me; my MOISTURE is turned into the Drought " of Summer.

"

ແ

10. Many SORROWS fhall be to the WICKED; but "he that trufteth in the LORD, MERCY fhall compafs "him about.

"Pf.

:

Pf. xxxiv. 17. The RIGHTEOUS cry, and the "LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their "TROUBLES.

"18. The LORD is nigh unto them that are "of a BROKEN Heart, and SAVETH fuch as be of a CONTRITE Spirit.

<c

<<

19. Many are the AFFLICTIONS of the RIGHTE"ous, but the LORD delivereth him out of them "all,

"20. He keepeth all his Bones, not one of them "is broken.

(c 22. The LORD REDEEMETH the SOULS of his "Servants; and none of them that truft in him fhall "be DESOLATE.

cc

Pf. xxxviii. 1. O LORD, REBUKE me not in thy "Wrath, neither CHASTEN me in thy hot Difplea"fure.

'" 2. For thine Arrows stick fast in me, and thy "Hand preffeth me fore.

<c

3. There is no SOUNDNESS in my Flesh, because of thine ANGER; neither is there any REST in my "Bones, because of my SIN.

66

4

For mine INIQUITIES are gone over my Head,' "as an heavy BURDEN, too heavy for me.

66

5. My WOUNDS stink, and are corrupt, because "of my FOOLISHNESS.

"6. I am TROUBLED, I am BOWED DOWN greatly; "I go mourning all the Day long.

8991

cc 17. For I am ready to halt, and my SORROW is " continually before me.

"18. For I will declare mine INIQUITY, I will be SORRY for my SIN.

cc

FORSAKE me not, O LORD; O my GoD, "be not far from me.

<< 22 Make hafte to help me, O LORD my Sal

cc vation.

"Pf. xxxix. 8. Deliver me from all my TRANSGRESSIONS, make me not the REPROACH of the Foolish.

“9. I

R

9. I was dumb, I opened not my Mouth; because "thou didst it.

"10. Remove thy STROKE away from me, I am "confumed by the Blow of thine Hand.

"11. When thou with Rebukes doft CHASTEN "Man for SIN, thou makeft his Beauty to confume "away like a Moth: Surely every Man is VANITY.

"12. Hear my PRAYER, O LORD, and give "Ear unto my CRY; hold hot thy Peace at my Tears: "for I am a Stranger with thee, and a Sojourner, as "all my Fathers were...

"13. O fpare me, that I may recover STRENGTH, "before I go hence, and be no more.

"Pf. xl. I. I WAITED patiently for the LORD, and ❝he inclined unto me, and heard my

CRY.

"2. He brought me up alfo out of an horrible PIT, "out of the miry Clay, and fet my Feet upon a "Rock, and established my Goings.

Ni

"II... Withhold not thou thy tender MERCIES "from me, O LORD; let thy LOVING KINDNESS " and thy TRUTH continually preferve me.

•.66

"12. For innumerable EviLs have compaffed me "about; mine INIQUITIES have taken HOLD upon

me, fo that I am not able to LOOK up: They are more than the Hairs of my Head, therefore my "HEART FAILETH me.

"13. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: "LORD, make hafte to help me.

"17. I am POOR and NEEDY, yet the LORD "thinketh upon me: Thou art my HELP and my DELIVERER, make no tarrying,. O my Go D.

'

"Pf. xli. 4. I faid, LORD, be merciful unto me; "heal my SOUL, for I have SINNED against thee.

66

.I

Pf. lv. 4. My Heart is fore PAINED within me; "and the TERRORS of DEATH are fallen upon me.. 5. FEARFULNESS and TREMBLING are come upon me, and HORROR hath overwhelmed me.

66