evil of life-practical religion, belief in the providence of God, confidence in his wisdom, hope in his goodness" (Dymond,' Essays'). "Nor love thy life, nor hl\te; but whl\t thou liv'st Live well, how long or short, permit to Heaven"(' Par. Lost,' bk. x.). Ill. THE EVIL EXAMPLE OF MEN IN HIGH STATION IS ONLY TOO FAITHFULLY IMITA'rED. "And when his armour-bearer," &c. (ver. 5). He had faithfully fought by his side to the Inst, and feared to take away his life ( of which he was appointed guardian) • perhaps out of reverence for his sacred person; doubtless, also, he dreaded to fall ali,·e into the hands of the Philistines and to be put to a shameful death by them; and now, incited by bis example, "dares to do that to himself which to his kino- he d nrst not" Example is proverbially powerful. No one, especially if he occupy a position of power and influence, can do wrong without thereby inducino- others to follow, who thus share his guilt and may not have equal excuse for their tr:'nsgreasion. According to Jewish tradition the armour-bearer was Doeg the Edomite (eh. xxii. 18, 19), "a partner before of his master's crimes, and now of his punishment." "That Saul and bis armour-bearer died by the same sword is, I think, sufficiently evident. 'Draw thy sword,' says he to him, 'and thrust me through;' which when he refused, 'Saul took the swod and fell upon it.' What sword? (Not his own, for then the text would have said so.) Why, in the plain, natuml, grammatical construction, the sword before mentioned must be the sword now referred to, that is, the armour-bearer's. Saul and his executioner both fell by that very weapon with "·hich they had before massacred the priests of God 11 (Delany). IV. THE IN NOCENl' OFTEN SUFFER ALONG WITH THE GUILTY. "And the Philistines sic\\· Jonathan," &c. (vers. 2-6). It is impossible not to lament the untimely fate uf the friend of David and of God. The sins of the father were visited upon the son. But let it be considered tbat-1. God is the supreme Proprietor of every human life, and bas a right to dispose of it as it p!eases him. Moreover, "death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned 11 (Rom. v. 12). 2. He baa united men to each other in relations more or less intimate, whereby they necessarily affect each other for good as well as for evil. 3. The sufferings of the godly, in consequence of their connection with the wicked, serve many beneficent purposes. The death of Jonathan would deepen the impresAion of the severity of the Divine judgment on tho house of Saul for disobedience, and be a perpetual warning. It also made David's accession to the throne clearer and more indisputable. 4. The godly cannot experi- ence the worst sufferings of the wicked-remorse, fearfulness, despair; and if some are called to an early death in the path of duty, they are only called a little earlier than others to their inheritance in "a better country, that is, a. heavenly," an eternal kingdom. "Joy past compare; gladness unutterable; Imperishable life of peace and love; Ex haustless riches and unmeasured bliss." D.•
Vers. 7-10. (G11,JJOA.)-T/ie c!iasti~ement of Is-rael. The thunderstorm of which tbey were long ago warned ( eh. xii. 18, 25) had now: burst upon the people_ of Israel. Since tb<l capture of the ark they had not expenenced so great a calamity, and in it tlie fatal results of their demand for a king were made manifest. Although tlie demand was evil it contained an element of good, and was complied with by God in judgrnent rni~gled with rnen:y. "As no people c~n show a _v!sible theocri~cy, so 110 monarchy can be accused, simply as such, of usurl?mg _the D1v111e prero~aJ1ve. But i;till the transaction does involve a moral lesson, which hea at the foundatwn of nil sound policy, condemning tlie abandonment of principle on the _plea of expe- diency, a11d pointing by the example of Israel the ,~oom of _eve? na~1on th~t see~s safety and power in a course known to be wrong (P. Smith, Ancient H1stO!"Y ). They bad their own way, yet the purpose of God was not defeated, but acc~mph~bed l~ss directly;and in 6Uch a manner as to convince thel!I of the folly of the1~ dences, and exhibit bis oYer-ruling wisdom and power. Wlnlst they pursued then. course under a king " acc·ording to the will_ of man,'.' their Di,;ine Ki!_1/s was prepa~1_ng " a. man after his own heart to be captam over his people ( eh. xm, H; Acts xu•, 22). -CU. XXXI. 1-13.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 569