the greatest sinner. The former may learn, from the fall of a man of such eminent virtues, to be humble and modest, diffident of their own strength and integrity, and always upon their guard. The latter may be encouraged, from the forgiveness he met with, after having been guilty of the worst of crimes, humbly to hope for mercy themselves, provided they do but imitate him in the sincerity of their repentance. And all men whatsoever have in him a most glorious pattern of true piety and devotion, and of a most fervent zeal for the honour of the Almighty; which were the qualities that entitled him to the distinguished character of the "Man after God's own heart."

Of his piety we have a remarkable instance in my text and the preceding verses; from which it appears at the same time, that this virtue was in him perfectly solid and genuine, guided by the best principles of truth and reason. The history, in brief, is this. The prophet Nathan had been sent by God to denounce his anger against David for the adultery and murder

murder of which he had been guilty, in the case of Uriah the Hittite. And though, upon his repentance, God was pleased to spare the life of the offender himself, yet he declares that the child, which David had by Bathsheba, after slie became his lawful wife, should surely die. Accordingly we read, that the Lord struck the child, and it was very sick. Upon which David, who was always a most fond and tender parent, besought God for the child, and fasted, and lay all night upon the earth; humbly hoping that God would hear his prayers, and revoke the sentence which he had passed. But, it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David, judging of him from their own notions, and what they had observed of the conduct of others in like cases, feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, "Behold, while the child was yet "alive, we spake unto him, and he would "not hearken unto our voice; how will "he then vex himself, if we tell him that

*

the child is dead? But when David saw "that his servants whispered, he perceived

VOL. IV.

U

" that

"that the child was dead: therefore he "said unto his servants, Is the child "dead? And they said, He is dead. "Then David arose from the earth, and "washed and anointed himself, and

changed his apparel, and came into the "house of the Lord and worshipped:" that is, in other words, laid aside the tokens of his grief, and attended, as usual, the public worship of God. Upon which his servants, struck with a behaviour, so contrary to their expectations, expostulate with him in the words of the text; "What

thing is this that thou hast done? Thou "didst fast and weep for the child, while "it was alive: But, when the child was "dead, thou didst rise and eat bread."

From David's behaviour on this occasion, I shall make it the business of the present discourse to draw some reflections, which will be of use to ourselves, either under those general afflictions of human life, to which we are all in turns exposed, or, more particularly, under the same, or a like calamity with David's, to which we all of us shall probably be one day *...* 5 'called;

called; and for which therefore we all of us ought to be fortified and prepared.

And 1st. We may learn from him, what is the best and wisest course we can take under any sort of affliction: namely, that like him, we should beseech the Lord, that we should fast, and weep, and pray. This was his constant practice in all his troubles: "When I am in heaviness," says he, "I will think upon God; when my heart is vexed, I will complain' un"to him. I will I will pour out my complaint "before him, and shew him my trouble?"

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And this practice of his is certainly agreeable to our natural notions of Godi For, to whom else should we apply in the day of our distress, than to the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort?

Prayer likewise is a means of God's own appointing, and therefore certainly the best means we can use of obtaining his favour and assistance. Thus our Lord directs us : "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find." Thus

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likewise St. Paul: "Let your requests be "made known unto God." And so St. James: "Is any among you afflicted?

Let him pray." And again he assures us, that "the effectual fervent prayer of "a righteous man availeth much."

We may learn farther from the example of David, that we are only to pray for any blessing, whilst things are yet in suspence, and there is nothing contrary to the ordinary course of nature in the petitions we make: But, when all is over, and we cannot be relieved without a miracle, it is highly improper and presumptuous to beg of God, that he would change the established order of his Providence in our behalf, David, whilst the child was alive, besought God for him: For there was nothing miraculous in his request: it was no unprecedented thing that a sick child should recover: and therefore he might hope, that God would be gracious unto him, and hear his prayer. But, when the child was actually dead, as he himself reasons, "Wherefore should I fast? Can

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I bring him back again?" And, though

there