of faith and worship. Still they afford us one of the noblest examples of sincerity. We admire their decision of character; and we respect, if we cannot always approve, the ardor of their zeal. Like them, we would believe, and worship, and act from our individual conviction, but our principle of toleration and forbearance we would carry much farther: we would extend to all others this same indulgence of the Most High. Their systen of doctrines, the age in which they lived, and the difficulties they were called to encounter, all produced a sternness of fibre more resembling the sword of the law than the right hand of the gospel. In their view, "freedom to worship God" rather formed a maxim for themselves, than one they were disposed to permit those dissenting from them to enjoy. Still be their memories revered. The plant they fostered, if not christian liberty, was heart-persuasion. It yet lives and shall live, watered with the dews of divine goodness. Green shall it grow over their graves, while its living freshness and healing power shall make glad the city of God. This mountain of their earthly worship they still remember with tenderest affection; and may we, who have ascended what we esteem one of its loftier and purer summits,-an eminence commanding a more inspiring view of the hopes of man, an elevation, as we believe, much nearer to the unclouded heaven they now occupy--may we emulate their militant virtues, and at last attain with them to that glorious temple of immortal life, where there is no mist of error, no night of trial, no shadow of imperfection, but

where the Fountain of light and the Light of the world are its glory forever.

T.

VINDICATION OF GOD'S EMPHATIC APPROVAL OF DAVID.

THERE is an assertion of the Deity, recorded in the Old Testament and repeated in the new, which I wish to vindicate, not from the suspicion, but from the semblance of favoritism or partiality. These words, I HAVE found DAVID A MAN AFTER MINE OWN HEART, form the assertion to which I refer. With some of the details of sacred history fresh in remembrance, we should hardly anticipate a declaration so solemn and unequivocal. This high commendation is quoted by St. Paul in the Acts from the first book of Samuel. I am not surprised that unbelievers, with very limited knowledge of the Bible, have misplaced much sarcasm and derision in regard to this declaration; nor do I wonder at the surprise and astonishment of many sincere Christians, that an individual so open to reproach as David, should receive so warm and emphatic a eulogium.

In justification of the monarch of Israel, it has been sometimes asserted, that what is affirmed in this passage relates to him in his public capacity, to his administration of the national affairs, and not to private character or domestic concerns. This remark seems to derive some force from the expression immediately following, that he would fulfil all the will or pleasure of God. This solu

tion of the difficulty, however, is to me quite unsatisfactory; but there are some other circumstances which ought to be remembered, and therefore, in order to our doing him impartial justice and nothing more, I shall endeavor to render them familiar. By no means ought we to embrace any sentiment or opinion, that will not bear the scrutiny of the strictest examination. In the character of David, we discover many traits to admire, and some to disapprove and condemn. His character indeed is eminently human; so natural, that when we perceive imperfection and crime blended with love of country and warmth of devotion, we immediately pronounce the historian impartial, and his picture to have been drawn true to the original. I may be allowed to observe here, that to an enlightened and well principled mind, no peculiarities of situation can justify sin: we always have power either to avoid or to overcome temptation. Were it not so, were transgression unavoidable and of irresistible might, I do not see with what justice we could be accounted criminal. Now any surmises of our Maker's injustice, or any apprehension of our own inability, the apostle has completely removed. He assures the Corinthian Christians, that no temptation or trial had befallen them, but such as was human or common to man; that God was a Being of such perfection, as to inspire the most untrembling confidence; that he will not suffer us to be tempted or tried above our ability; but, with the visitation of calamity, will make a way also for us to escape, endure, or rise superior to its power. Such views of human duty and assurance, so perfectly harmonizing with

the light from heaven and the light with which God has irradiated our minds, it gives us peculiar delight to cherish; and we may encourage ourselves with the persuasion, that the more we cherish them, the more shall we discern and acknowledge their divine beauty-the more shall we experience their salutary influence.

I observed in reference to David, that no peculiarities of situation could justify the commission of sin. At the same time, it appears to be a reasonable conclusion, that before the tribunal of Omniscience as well as in courts of human judicature, some allowance will be made for peculiarity of circumstances. I grant with the apostle, that we never are tried beyond our power of resistance; I grant too, that severity of trial affords opportunity of making higher attainments, and of securing a more glorious recompense. Still, He who knows the claylike moulding of our frame; who remembers that he breathed the breath of life into the dust of the earth; who, though he cause grief, will have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies; who does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men; who is not disposed to crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth; such a Being is too much of a father to take undue advantages, too much of a father to lie in ambush to seize his incautious victim, too much of a father not to be influenced by alleviating circumstances.

When, therefore, Samuel observed of David, 'Jehovah hath sought for himself a man after his own heart, and commanded him to be chief over his people'; and when Paul made allusion to the same event, and said,

'The God of this people of Israel hath raised up for them David to be their King, to whom also he gave this testimony, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, who will perform all my will ;' we are by no means to interpret the expression as implying untouched by sin, as implying that perfection of character which was to distinguish his more illustrious descendant. We ought to think of him as compassed with infirmity, like the most unexceptionable high priest mentioned in the epistle to the Hebrews; a man of strong passion, raised to the highest office in the kingdom, and by consequence exposed to violent temptation, as a man who hated his enemies with as perfect hatred as the bitterest and most vindictive Jew could desire ;-but still as a man, whose virtues had greatly the predominance; who not only covered his royal elevation with glory unrivalled, but deeply repented of his delinquencies, and showed the sincerity of his remorse and contrition by a life of active duty and exemplary devotion.

To Christians, who are enjoying the unobscured clearness of the gospel-to us on whom the ends of the ages are come, the character of David appears to more disadvantage than to his contemporaries. Compared with the present, his age may be called half civilized, just emerging from barbarism; and even if we justly term some parts of his conduct atrocious, what better course have some of the most christian Kings of modern times pursued? If we make proper allowances for the period at which he reigned, for the arbitrary spirit aud unlimited indulgences of eastern sovereigns, and for the extreme imperfec