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and rain that day: And all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. And all the people faid unto Samuel, Pray for thy fervants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: For we have added, unto all our fins, this evil, to ask us a king.

This penitent Confeffion, prevail'd with the good Prophet, to conclude his Speech with a comfortable and wholsome Exhortation; That, if they would but take care to walk in the Ways of the LORD and to ferve Him, they would have nothing to fear; because He would not forfake his People, utterly, for his Promife, and for his great name's fake. Moreover, adds he, as for me, God forbid that I should fin against the LORD, in ceafing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the LORD, and ferve him, in truth, with all your heart; For, confider how great things He hath done for you. But, if ye ftill do wickedly, ye shall be confumed; both ye and your king.

After this, Saul having difpleas'd God, was rejected and forfaken by him, even during the Life of Samuel; who was commanded by God to anoint David, in his

ftead.

1 Sam.

ix. 21.

ftead.

And, to fhew that God was no Refpecter of Perfons, in this Cafe; and had no Regard to any particular Tribe, Family, or even Seniority, in his Appointments of this Kind, we may perceive that xvi. Saul was a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Ifrael, and his family, the leaft of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin; and David was the youngest of eight fons of Jee the Bethlemite, of the Tribe of Judah.

7, &c.

After the Death of Saul, therefore, David came up to Hebron; and there the Men of Judah came to him, and anointed him 2 Sam. King over Judah. And there he reign'd Seven years and fix months; until he had iii. 1. utterly defeated all thofe of the House of Saul, who afpir'd to, and for fome Years held Poffeffion of, the Kingdom of Ifrael.

ji. II.

&c.

V. I,

Then
came all the tribes of Ifrael to David
unto Hebron, and Spake, faying; Behold,
we are thy bone and thy flesh: And the
LORD bath faid to thee, Thou shalt feed my
people Ifracl, and thou shall be a captain over
Ifrael. So, all the elders of Ifrael came to
the king to Hebron; and king David made a
league with them in Hebron, before the
LORD.

LORD. And they anointed David king over
Ifrael.

He it was that took Jerufalem out of the Hands of the Jebusites, the ancient Inhabitants of it; and built a Fort upon Mount Zion, and pitch'd a Tabernacle there, in which he plac'd the Ark of the LORD; and, being in most things, obfervant of the Commands of God, was tolerably fucceffful in all his Undertakings.

But, when he grew to be in Years, he was vex'd by fome of his elder Sons, who form'd Parties, and afpir'd to the Throne, during his Life. He therefore order'd Nathan the Prophet, and Zadok the Priest, and others of the principal Men who kept themselves attach'd to him, to anoint Solomon, his Son by the Wife of Uriah the Hittite, to be King in his ftead. All which they did accordingly. Zadok the Priest Kingsi took an horn of oyl out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the Trumpet, and all the people faid, God fave king

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Solomon.

Of these three firft Kings, Saul forfeited

I

39.

I

xiii. 9.

the Favour of God, by prefuming to offer 1 Sam. Sacrifices himself, and thereby ufurping

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&c.

II.

the High-Prief's Office. And again, in not obeying the Voice of the LORD, by fparing Agag the King of the Amalekites, and the best of the Sheep, Oxen, &c. when ----xv. 2, God had commanded him, utterly to destroy all that they had, and spare them not. After ---xvi. 14. this we read, that the spirit of the LORD departed from him, and an evil spirit poffefs'd him, in the ftead thereof. And then, -xviii. no wonder that we find him throwing a javelin once with an Intent to murder one of his fubjects, of whofe rifing Glory he --xx.33. grew to be jealous; and again, making the fame Attempt upon his own Son: Nor, ---xxii. that he order'd fourscore and five Priefts of the LORD to be put to death, because they had fuffered David, whom perhaps they were not able to refift, to eat a Piece of --xxviii. Bread: Nor that he went to consult a wretched Woman, who had the Reputation of having a familiar fpirit; when God had commanded in the Law, that no such should be fuffer'd to live.”

17.

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Though David, who fucceeded him, was, in many Respects, zealous for the Honour of God, yet once he prov'd fo frail as to let his Piety be fubdued by an unlawful Luft,

2

Luft, to fuch a Degree as to tempt him to take away another man's wife from her huf- z Sam. xi. band; and then, contrive to have him mur- 4. 15. der'd, that he might enjoy her without Interruption.

iii. I.

&c.

Solomon, his Son, though a Prince of great perfonal Endowments, and highly favour'd by God, no fooner fucceeded to the Throne, but we are told that in Oppofition to God's exprefs Command in the Law, he married a strange woman, the Kings Daughter of Pharaoh King of Egypt; and, by Virtue of this Alliance, had great Numbers of borfes brought from Egypt; and not ---x. 28. only fo; but that he loved many strange --- xi. 1, women; women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; nations, concerning which, the LORD had faid unto the children of Ifrael, Ye shall not go in unto them, neither shall they come in unto you; for they will furely turn away your heart after their gods. Yet Solomon clave unto them in love: and had feven hundred wives, princeffes; and three hundred concubines: And his wives turned away kis heart after other gods.

2

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