vii. 45. and she enjoyed a temporary rest and profperity. But no terreftrial Canaan, no fecular advantages should make us forget, as the Jews did, and as Chriftians are apt to do, that the church is in the wilderness, while fhe is in the world; and that "there remaineth yet" another and far more glorious "reft "for the people of God," after which they ought ever to be aspiring. See Heb. iv. 9. 56. Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his teftimonies: 57. But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned afide like a deceitful bow. 58. For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. The Ifraelites, when fettled in the promised land, foon fhewed themselves to be the genuine defcendants of thofe men, who tempted God in the defert. We can hardly read two chapters in the book of Judges, but we meet with the words, " And the children of "Ifrael again did evil in the fight of the Lord." For this their frequent revolting they are compared to "a deceitful bow," which, when put to the trial, is fure to disappoint the archer, either dropping the arrow at his feet, or carrying it wide of the mark. Their zeal and love were either wholly relaxed and enervated by fenfuality and indolence, or elfe turned afide, and mifplaced on falfe objects of worship. Thus, in the prefent decline of religion, the devotion of the Romanists hath attached itself to faints, angels, and images; while that of Proteftants fleepeth, and must be awakened. In what manner, is known to God only. 59. When 59. When God heard this, he was toroth, and greatly abhorred Ifrael: 60. So that he forfook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men; 61. And delivered his frength into captivity, and his glory into the enemies hand. Rebellion against God will, fooner or later, draw down his vengeance, and caufe the most beloved nation to be" abhorred" by him: he will forfake the place of his refidence," the tent placed among men,” where he dwelleth by his Spirit; and the church, by which his "ftrength," and his "glory" are manifested to the world, fhall go " into captivity, and "the enemies hand." All this we are taught by that which came to pafs in Ifrael, when for the fins of priests and people, the ark of God, which then abode in Shiloh, was fuffered to fall into the hands of the Philiftines. 1. Sam. iv. The present ftate of Jerufalem, and of all the once flourishing eastern and African churches, fpeaks aloud the fame awful and concerning truth. "He that hath ears to hear let him hear." 62. He gave his people over alfo to the word: and was wroth with his inheritance. 63. The fire confumed their young men and their maidens were not given to marriage. 64. Their pricfts fell by the fword: and their widows made no lamentation. These verses refer to the flaughter of Ifrael by the Philistines, which was an effect of divine wrath, compared here, as elsewhere, to "a confuming fire;" they refer likewise to the death of old Eli, of Hophni and Phinehas, and the widow of Phinehas, who expired in child-bed, on hearing the mournful news, 1 Sam. iv. Hiftory abounds with the tragical ftories of wars and captivities: Scripture informs us, they are the judgments of God against fin: but calamities affect us not, till they become our own: it is well if they reform us, even when they do become fo. 65. Then the LORD awaked, as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man, that fhouteth, by reafon of wine. While, by God's permiffion, the Philistines were chaftifing his people for their fins, he held his peace, and feemed unconcerned, as one afleep. But when due chastisement had brought the delinquents to themselves, the cries of penitent Ifrael awakened, as it were, and called forth the zeal of the Lord of hofts, to vindicate his honour, and deliver his fervants: and then the vigour of his operations was fuch, as might be compared to the alacrity and courage of a mighty champion, when, refreshed and infpirited by wine, he attacks his adverfaries, and bears down all before him. Under all our fufferings, let us reft contented with this affurance, that God acts the part of a father; and will therefore remove the rod, when it has anfwered the end propofed. 66. And he fmote his enemies in the hinder parts; he put them to a perpetual reproach. The former clause of this verse may be rendered, "And he repulfed, or, drove his enemies back;" as Pfalm ix. 3. "When mine enemies are turned back," the words being the fame, in both places. But as that part of the facred history is here alluded to, in which the Philiftines are faid to have been plagued with "emerods," or " hemorrhoids," while the ark was amongst them, the paffage is generally 3 nerally rendered, as in our tranflation, and fuppofed to intend that particular plague. Thus much, how. ever, is certain, that Dagon fell before the ark, which his worshippers were glad to fend back, with acknowledgments of the vengeance inflicted on them by the fuperior power of the God of Ifrael, who could punish where, and when, and how he pleased. See 1 Sam. v. vi. 67. Moreover he refufed the tabernacle of Jofeph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim. 68. But chofe the tribe of Judah, the mount Sion which he loved. 69. And he built his fanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever. The ark, after it's return, went no more to Shiloh, which was in the tribe of Ephraim, the fon of Jofeph, but was brought firft to Kiriathaim, 1 Sam. vi. 21. a city of the tribe of Judah, and from thence, after a short stay at the house of Obed Edom, to mount Sion, 1 Chron. xiv. and xv. which was the chofen and highly favoured mount: where was afterwards erected, by Solomon, a magnificent and permanent habitation for the God of Jacob, during the continuance of the old difpenfation; a refemblance of that eternal temple, in which all the fulness of the Godhead hath fince dwelt bodily. The divine presence removed at this time to the tribe of Judah, because out of that tribe, after the rejection of Saul, came the great representative, as well as progenitor, of King Meffiah. 70. He chofe David alfo his fervant, and took him from the Sheep-folds. 71. From following the ewes great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, people, and Ifrael his inheritance. 72. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands. The call of David from a fheepfold to a throne teacheth us, that he who hath fhewed himself faithful in a few and fmall concerns, is worthy of promotion to more and more important cares; that the qualifications, requifite for the due discharge of high offices, are beft learned, at first, in an inferior station, efpecially if it be one that will inure to labour and vigilance; and that kings are to confider themfelves as "fhepherds;" which confideration would perhaps teach them their duty better than all the precepts in the world. From the last verse, relative to David's manner of conducting himself after his advancement, we learn, that integrity and discretion, when they meet in the fame perfon, form a complete Ruler, and one fit to represent that blessed person, who entered, like his father David, through fufferings into his glory; who governeth his church in wisdom and righteoufnefs; and of whom it is faid, by the evangelical prophet, "He fhall feed his flock like "a (hepherd, he fhall gather the lambs with his arm, "and carry them in his bofom, and fhall gently lead "those that are with young." Ifai. xl. 11. |