fair opportunity of conferring with David, under the character of her conductor, without coming to an open breach with Ibofheth.

Ir appears from the hiflory, that Abner had an abfolute afcendant over Ifhbofheth. For, when he threatened openly to transfer the kingdom to David, Ifkbofheth did not dare to make him any reply: and, if he now had a mind to be Michal's conductor, who could controul him?

HOWEVER, before he went, he took care to commune with the elders of Ifrael, and gain their consent to his purpose.

ABNER had as little religion, as many other minifters of ftate: and yet, in his conferences with the elders of Ifrael, he put the matter principally upon their duty to GOD. He told them, that David was the man they formerly wished for their king: and now was the time to put their wishes in execution. Nor ought they to hesitate upon doing fo, fince he was the man by whom GOD had declared he would deliver his people Ifrael from the Philistines, and from all their enemies.

THIS, doubtless, was a prophecy then well known amongst them: and the streights they were in from the Philiftines, who hemm'd them in closely on all fides, made it the more readily received.

WHEN Abner had fettled all things to his defire, he then waited upon David in perfon, to give him an account of all these conferences, and the iffue of them and was received, with his twenty attendants, as the reftorer of Michal, and the meffenger of so much good news, fhould be, with great joy and festivity. David feasted him and them; and Abner renewed his engagements to bring over all Israel to him.

How empty and ill-founded are the purposes of vain man! Abner, who promises kingdoms, cannot ensure to himself one fingle hour of life. David had fent him away, and he departed in peace, when Joab returned from fome expedition against the enemy, in which he had got the better; and hearing what had paffed, immediately went to David in the pride of his success, and the great spoil he had taken, to expoftulate with him upon the folly of receiving Abner in that manner, and placing any confidence in him,

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who only came thither to betray him. And then leaving the king, apparently, without. waiting for his answer, he sent meffengers after Abner, (unknown to David) to bring him back and when he returned, going up to him, under the pretence of a friendly falutation, he stabb'd him. Envy doubtless, and jealousy of Abner's great merit with David, in gaining over the tribes to him, were main motives to this bafe action, as well as revenge for the blood of Afabel; though it seems to have been concerted between the brothers, folely upon the foot of revenge: at least they avowed no other motive ; as appears from the text; which tells us, So Joab and Abishai his brother flew Abner, because he had flain their brother Afabel. One or both these were the real motives of the murder, though the pretence was fidelity to their fovereign, and excefs of care for his fafety.

WHEN David heard of this bloody murder, he cried out, (appealing to the Searcher of hearts for his innocency) I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever, from the blood of Abner the son of Ner : then breaking out into a bitter, but probably, a

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prophetick imprecation, he calls down the vengeance of GOD for it, upon the head of Joab, and his pofterity; agreeably to God's own declaration, that he will visit the fins of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation.

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AFTER this, the king commanded a general mourning to be made for Abner* wept over him; and buried him with all folemnity; himself attending upon the bier; which was not the cuftom of kings. And added this lamentation, which every eye will difcern to be truly poetick, in the most literal tranflation; tho' none have pretended to determine the measure.

As dies the criminal, fhall Abner die,
-Thy hands not bound,

Nor to the fetters were thy feet applied:

-As is their fate, that fall

Before the faces of the fons of guilt,
So art thou fallen † .

*And it is remarkable that the command began with Joab. 2 Sam. iii. 31.

He was killed as a traitor; but had he been really fo, he should have died in chains and fetters, after a fair trial.

AT

Ar the recital of thefe words, the grief became univerfal, and the whole people wept anew.

I CANNOT help obferving, that David here laments a man, who, if he had furvived, would in all probability have been the author of great evil to him. It should feem, that neither Joab nor Judah could well bear his being placed at the head of David's forces (for probably this was the first condition stipulated on Abner's part) and if he were fo placed, he seems to have been of a temper, to boast, (like the great Earl of Warwick under Edward the IVth) upon any occafion of difcontent, that he could make and unmake kings at his pleasure; and was daring enough to take his measures accordingly. So that his death, was, in all probability, one of the greatest bleffings that could befal David.

WHEN any one died among the Jews, it was customary with the friends of the family, to refort to the house immediately after the funeral, and bring the best provifions they had along with them, to fupport and refresh their friends in affliction, to the utmost of their power. And furely a more humane

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