Now let me afk this ftrenuous Affertor of Morality, what A&t of Rebellion these two worthy Men were guilty of in this whole Tranfaction? In order to incur the Imputation of that Crime, they fhould, I think, have determined to dethrone and murder Saul, and to fet up David in his Stead. But we find no fuch Determination, nor do we ever hear of any fuch being put in Execution. If there was any Act of Disloyalty, it was in Jonathan against himself, by giv ing up his own Right, if he had any, to the Crown of Ifrael, to David, which fome perhaps may think he could not lawfully do. But Jonathan was not even guilty of this; for his Father did not afcend the Throne of Ifrael by Heirship, but was elect ed King by the Almighty. The Govern ment therefore could not become heredi tary, till He, who had firft invested him with it, had made it fo. This, in all Probability, the divine Majefty would have done, had Saul fulfilled the Terms upon which his Creator had advanced him to the Throne; but as he broke his Part of the Covenant, he thereby forfeited all his Family's Pretenfions to the Government. The Part therefore, that Jonathan acted on this Occafion, was only in Obedience to the divine Command, which God afterwards highly rewarded, by preferving his Name and Pofterity in Ifrael, The Man then, who who accufes him of Rebellion in this Tranfaction, would have had him actually rebelled against his Maker; for fo he must have done, had he acted otherwise than he did *. How unjustly then has this truly worthy Character been traduced by Rancour and Malice? and what a noble Defender of the Honour of God muft this Man be reckoned, who would have commended a Man for fecuring the Poffeffion of the Throne of Ifrael to himself and his Heirs, contrary to the Will of his Creator? For I can af fign no other Reafon that can induce him to treat with more Favour and Candour the Character of Saul, than that of his Son Jonathan, unless it be their very different Behaviour. I hope enough has been said to clear these two worthy Perfonages of those heavy Crimes laid to their Charge by him, whom neither Religion, Juftice, Candour, nor any other laudable Motive, will oblige * What Hecuba said in Eurypides is exa&ly true in this amiable Friend of David, and in Saul his Father; Ὁ μὲν πονηρὸς οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν κακὸς A wicked Man ne'er ceases to be fo, to to keep within the facred Bounds of Truth. But to proceed on in David's Character. SA SECTION THE THIRD. AUL not contented with having obliged David to flee his Court, but his Malice against him grew fo inveterate, that he determined to purfue him; and, by every poffible Method that he could think of, was refolved to dispatch him. He therefore, in order to execute fuch his wicked Purpose, took 3000 chofen Men out of all If rael, and went to feek David and his Men upon the Rocks of the wild Goats. And be came to the Sheep-cotes by the Way, where was a Cave, and Saul went in to cover his Feet, and David and his Men remained in the Sides of the Cave *. Pro Saul's covering his Feet, is commonly thought to fignify his retiring thither to ease Nature; which Opinion the learned Dr. Chandler has espoused, in his Vindication of King David. But I think, with Submiffion to the Doctor, the Words are capable of another Meaning. The Syriac and Arabic Verfions, which are no contemptible Authorities, interpret the Expreffion in a very different Manner from our Tranflators, viz. That Saul went to fleep there. And it is highly probable, that Saul being greatly fatigued with his eager and almoft inceffant Purfuit, firft of David, then of the Philiftines, and now of David again, both needed and defired the Refreshment of Sleep; God alfo difpofing him thereunto, that David might have this notable Oppor Providence, we fee, conducted Saul into one of those Caverns, about which David refided, in order to give his faithful Servant an Opportunity of clearing himself of Difloyalty and Rebellion against his Sovereign; and, at the fame Time, to afford the World with an Inftance of the greatest Generofity that is to be met with in Hiftory, either facred or profane; though at the Hazard of becoming the Victim, not only of Saul's Rage and Fury, but likewife of his Servants Refentment, for thus rejecting the only Opportunity he might poffi bly ever have of ridding himself of his Enemy, and putting himself into a Condition of rewarding their Services. Had David been the Man his Enemies would reprefent him, would he have let flip this fine Opportunity of fatiating his Ambition and Revenge, by destroying his Enemy, and thereby fecuring his own Life, together with the Kingdom? Many Reasons might have been urged to justify fuch a Conduct, to almost the moft fcrupulous Perfon alive; nay, even the Law of Self-Prefervation would almoft have countenanced fuch a Procedure: But tunity to demonstrate his Integrity: And the Season perhaps being hot, Saul might chufe rather to fleep in the Cave, for the Benefit of the Shade. His being afleep too, afforded David a better Opportunity to cut off the Skirt of his Garment, than if he had gone upon the Purpose abovementioned. David David goes foftly up to him; and, instead of killing him, as many in the like Circumstances would have done, only cuts off the Skirt of his Garment; for which, as foon as he had done it, he expreffed an uncommon Remorse, esteeming it an Indignity, or at least a Want of due Respect to regal Authority, though he meant no more by it than to give his Father-in-Law an unexceptionable Proof of his Innocence and filial Duty. As foon therefore as Saul had quitted the Cave, David called after him in the most tender Manner, and intreated him not to entertain fuch unworthy, and therefore undeferved Sufpicions of him, nor to liften to the malignant Whispers of defamatory Tongues; fince he had now given him fo fignal a Proof, how much his Soul abhorred the Crimes with which he was fo unjuftly charged. The Merit of this noble and truly generous Procedure of David has by his modern Enemy been wholly taken away. For he will not fcruple to affert, that David acted cunningly in this Affair," being certain, that "he could entertain no Hopes that the Jews "would receive for their King a Man, who fhould embrue his Hands in the Blood of "the Lord's anointed, and therefore he only "privately cut off the Skirt of Saul's Robe, "and fuffered him to depart in Peace." But what Interpretation, how forced fo |