larly of one of them?" That he was a man sub"ject to like paffions as we are." Now, it must be owned, that David laboured, in common with the rest of the species, under the paffions, frailties, and defects of human nature. He was conquered by the prevalence of temptations, and the corruption of his own heart. But against the enormity of his crimes, fet down the anguish of his soul, and the fincerity of his repentance; his zeal for the worship of the true God, the fervour of his devotion, and the frequency of his prayers; in a word, balance the excellencies of the faint against the exceffes of the finner, and David will be found to have attained that perfection of penitence, which is couched in that gracious declaration of our Lord, "That joy fhall be in heaven over " one finner that repenteth, more than over ❝ ninety and nine just persons which need no re"pentance."

But it is high time for me to dismiss you. Indeed, my dear Doctor, when I first undertook to give you a specimen of Chandler's performances, I never thought I should have protracted my converfation to fuch an unreasonable length. However, I must crave your patience for one long letter more upon this fubject, which I defign fhall compleat all I have to fay upon it. By and

by

by my children will be at home, and their little impertinences will be your fecurity against prolix epiftles.

Dear Sir,

THE account which the Old Teftament gives of David's actions ought to be confidered by us as a very small abridgment. Had a fuller hiftory been necessary, undoubtedly we had been favoured with it. But whatever obscurity may rest upon some part of David's conduct, yet it is plain, that those parts of it, which immediately relate to our edification and comfort, are abundantly explicit. What referred to his regal capacity can affect us but very remotely. We are chiefly interested in those transactions, that reprefent him as a great finner and a great penitent. This hint leads me to reflections upon his crimes of murder and adultery; the former was the confequence of the latter. Dr. Chandler, in my humble opinion, hath not displayed his usual candour and strength of argument, in his criticism upon this subject. In truth, what he advances, in order to foften the king's guilt, favours of a puerility. The actions are deteftable, and cannot admit of any palliation. whatever. Indeed they are additionally heinous, P 4

when

when we confider that great and illuftrious officer to whom the injuries were offered. There is fomething fo manly and heroical in Uriah's refufing to pafs the night in dalliance with his wife, while his fellow foldiers lay encamped in the open fields, that we cannot read this paffage, without the highest admiration at his triumph over sense and paffion. On the other hand, we cannot, without grief and abhorrence, behold David practising the moft fhameful artifices to defeat the refolution and virtue of his general. The Scripture declares, that David even attempted to inflame Uriah by intemperance. But, notwithstanding the temptation fo far fucceeded, as to occafion drunkenness, yet the fumes of wine could not get the better of the foldier's refolve; for it is exprefsly faid, that "he "went not to his own houfe." David was chagrined at this difappointment; wherefore, being partly agitated by anger, and partly by fear of Bathfheba's pregnancy making a difcovery of his crime, he determined at all events to destroy the husband. The method he purfued appears to be peculiarly bafe. David, confcious of the valour and intrepidity of this faithful Hittite, meditates at scheme, whereby the excellent talents of that glorious general fhould work the means of his deftruction. His royal mafter knew very well, that if he was placed in the front of the battle, the

degree

degree of danger would furnish fresh acceffions of courage, and difpofe him to fuch exertions of military prowefs, as could hardly fail to prove the ruin of that heart wherein the moft illuftrious qualities were centered. However, David was determined, that if there was any thing farther to be done, which could ensure the death of Uriah, it fhould by no means be omitted. Guilt suggested, that there might be a bare poffibility of Uriah's escaping destruction, by the assistance and bravery of his own troops. Wherefore David fent a pofitive command to Joab, that when he saw Uriah engaged in the hottest of the battle, he should order the forces of the Ifraelites to fall back, and refign their leader to the vengeance of the enemy. This is a true and genuine detail of the aggravated circumstances of this dreadful murder; and, whoever reads the melancholy page, from which the above-mentioned particulars are drawn, muft acknowledge, that the facred penman hath not made the leaft attempt to palliate the enormities of David's tranfgreffion. Why then should Dr. Chandler fay, that the royal delinquent difcovered a greatness of mind in the very method which he had planned for the death of his gencral? The Doctor intimates, that David could have dispatched Uriah by private aflaffination; but chofe that, as he was a foldier, he fhould fall in the bed of ho

noura

nour, fighting for his country. Surely this refource is a pitiful fubterfuge, and reflects double infamy upon the head of the monarch. For where is the honour of a scheme, founded in adultery, and carried into execution by craft and diffimulation? Since the death of Uriah was a point deter mined, was not the guilt of this murder enhanced by the fraud and prevarication of the author thereof? Nay, private affaffination had, in all probability, been a more eligible method of death. For a fingle thruft of a poniard was fufficient to preclude all future complaints of the injured husband. The end could have been anfwered by a single blow; whereas the exposure of this truly great man to the arrows and fwords of a whole army, render

ed him obnoxious to a multitude of wounds; and thereby fuperadded the charge of cruelty to the other crimes of David. I will not take upon me to prove, that the king was aware of thefe circumftances of pain and suffering, becaufe the fcripture is filent about them. But I will venture to affirm, that fuch a reflection was very natural, and could only have been over-ruled and ftifled by the fears, hurries, and anxieties of a guilty mind. Nor can I quit this fubject without noticing the inhumanity of David's appointing Uriah to carry the letter, which contained the warrant for his deftruction. Must not the king

appear