David's heart did never swell so much at any reproach, as this of his wife: his love was for the time lost in his anger; and, as a man impatient of no affront so much as in the way of his devotion, he returns a bitter check to his Michal; It was before the Lord, which chose me rather than thy father, and all his house,' &c. Had not Michal twitted her husband with the shame of his zeal, she had not heard of the shameful rejection of her father; now, since she will be forgetting whose wife she was, she shall be put in mind whose daughter she was. Contumelies, that are cast on us in the causes of God, may safely be repaid. If we be meal-mouthed in the scorns of religion, we are not patient, but zealless: here, we may not forbear her, that lies in our bosom.

If David had not loved Michal dearly, he had never stood on those points with Abner. He knew, that if Abner came to him, the kingdom of Israel would accompany him; and yet he sends him the charge of not seeing his face, except he brought Michal, Saul's daughter, with him; as if he would not regard the crown of Israel, while he wanted that wife of his yet here he takes her up roundly, as if she had been an enemy, not a partner of his bed. All relations are aloof off, in comparison of that betwixt God and the soul. He, that loves father, or mother, or wife, or child, better than me,' saith our Saviour, is not worthy of me.' Even the highest delights of our hearts must be trampled on, when they will stand out in rivality with God.

O happy resolution of the royal prophet, and prophetical king of Israel! I will be yet more vile than thus, and will be low in mine own sight.' He knew this very abasement heroical; and that the only way to true glory, is, not to be ashamed of our lowest humiliation unto God. Well might he promise himself honor from those, whose contempt she had threatened. The hearts of men are not their own: he that made them overrules them, and inclines them to an honorable conceit of those that honor their Maker; so as holy men have ofttimes inward reverence, even where they have outward indignities.

David came to bless his house; Michal brings a curse on herself. Her scorns shall make her childless to the day

of her death. Barrenness was held in those times none of the least judgments. God doth so revenge David's quarrel on Michal, that her sudden disgrace shall be recompensed with perpetual. She shall not be held worthy to bear a son, to him whom she unjustly contemned. How just is it with God, to provide whips for the backs of It is no marvel, if those that mock at goodness be plagued with continual fruitlessness.-2 Sam. vi. 1 Chron. xiii.

scorners!

MEPHIBOSHETH AND ZIBA.

So soon as ever David can but breathe himself from the public cares, he casts back his thoughts to the dear remembrance of his Jonathan.

Saul's servant is likely to give him the best intelligence of Saul's sons. The question is therefore moved to Ziba; 'Remaineth there none of the house of Saul?' And, lest suspicion might conceal the remainders of an emulous line, in fear of revenge intended, he adds, 'On whom I may show the mercy of God for Jonathan's sake.' O friendship worthy of the monuments of eternity! Fit only to requite him, whose love was more than the love of wo

men!

He doth not say, 'Is there any of the house of Jonathan?' but, of Saul?' that, for his friend's sake, he may show favor to the posterity of his persecutor. Jonathan's love could not be greater than Saul's malice, which also survived long in his issue; from whom David found a busy and stubborn rivalty for the crown of Israel: yet, as one that gladly buried all the hostility of Saul's house in Jonathan's grave, he asks, 'Is there any man left of Saul's house, that I may show him mercy for Jonathan's sake?' It is true love, that, overliving the person of a friend, will be inherited of his seed; but to love the posterity of an enemy in a friend, it is the miracle of friendship. The formal amity of the world is confined to a face; or to the possibility of recompense; languishing in the disability, and dying in the decease of the party affected. That love was ever false, that is not ever constant, and the most operative, when it cannot be either known or requited.

To cut off all unquiet competition for the kingdom of

Israel, the providence of God had so ordered, that there is none left of the house of Saul, besides the sons of his concubines, save only young and lame Mephibosheth : so young, that he was but five years of age, when David entered on the government of Israel; so lame, that, if his age had fitted, his impotence had made him unfit for the throne.

Mephibosheth was not born a cripple: it was a heedless nurse, that made him so: she, hearing of the death of Saul and Jonathan, made such haste to flee, that her young master was lamed with the fall. I wis, there needed no such speed to run away from David; whose love sues the hidden son of his brother Jonathan. How often doth our ignorant mistaking cause us to run from our best friends; and to catch knocks and maims, of them that profess our protection!

pur

Mephibosheth could not come otherwise than fearfully into the presence of David, whom he knew so long, so spitefully, opposed by the house of Saul. He could not be ignorant, that the fashion of the world is, to build their own security on the blood of the opposite faction; neither to think themselves safe, while any branch remains springing out of that root of their emulation: seasonably doth David therefore, first, expel all those unjust doubts, ere he administer his further cordials; Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness, for Jonathan thy father's sake ; and will restore thee all the fields of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.'

David can see neither Saul's blood, nor lame legs, in Mephibosheth, while he sees in him the features of his friend Jonathan: how much less shall the God of mercies regard our infirmities, or the corrupt blood of our sinful progenitors, while he beholds us in the face of his Son, in whom he is well pleased!

Favors are wont so much more to affect us, as they are less expected by us. Mephibosheth, as overjoyed with so comfortable a word, and confounded in himself at the remembrance of the contrary deservings of his family, bows himself to the earth, and says, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?'

I find no defect of wit, though of limbs, in Mephibo

sheth: he knew himself the grand-child of the king of Israel, the son of Jonathan, the lawful heir of both; yet, in regard of his own impotency, and the trespass and rejection of his house, he thus abaseth himself unto David. Humiliation is a right use of God's affliction. What if he were born great? If the sin of his grandfather hath lost his estate, and the hand of his nurse hath deformed and disabled his person, he now forgets what he was, and calls himself worse than he is, 'A dog:' yet, ‘A living dog is better than a dead lion;' there is dignity and comfort in life; Mephibosheth is therefore a 'dead dog' unto David. It is not for us to nourish the same spirits in our adverse estate, that we found in our highest prosperity. What use have we made of God's hand, if we be not the lower with our fall? God intends we should carry our cross, not make a fire of it to warm us. It is no bearing up our sails in a tempest.

Good David cannot disesteem Mephibosheth ever the more for disparaging himself: he loves and honors this humility in the son of Jonathan. There is no more certain way to glory and advancement, than a lowly dejection of ourselves. He, that made himself a dog, and therefore fit only to lie under the table, yea a dead dog, and therefore fit only for the ditch, is raised up to the table of a king; his seat shall be honorable, yea, royal; his fare delicious, his attendance noble. How much more will our gracious God lift up our heads, unto true honor before men and angels, if we can be sincerely humbled in his sight! If we miscall ourselves, in the meanness of our conceits, to him, he gives us a new name, and sets us at the table of his glory. It is contrary with God and men: if they reckon of us as we set ourselves, he values us according to our abasements.

Like a prince truly munificent and faithful, David promises and performs at once. Ziba, Saul's servant, hath the charge given him, of the execution of that royal word; 'He shall be the bailiff of this great husbandry of his master Mephibosheth.' The land of Saul, however forfeited, shall know no other master than Saul's grandchild.

As yet, Saul's servant had sped better than his son. I

read of twenty servants of Ziba, none of Mephibosheth. Earthly possessions do not always admit of equal divisions. The wheel is now turned up; Mephibosheth is a prince, Ziba is his officer.

I cannot but pity the condition of this good son of Jonathan. Into ill hands did honest Mephibosheth fall; first, of a careless nurse; then, of a treacherous servant: she maimed his body; he would have overthrown his estate. After some years of eye-service to Mephibosheth, wicked Ziba intends to give him a worse fall than his nurse. Never any court was free from detractors, from delators; who, if they see a man to be a cripple, that he cannot go to speak for himself, will be telling tales of him in the ears of the great: such an one was this perfidious Ziba; who, taking the opportunity of David's flight from his son Absalom, follows him with a fair present and a false tale, accusing his impotent master of a foul and traitorous ingratitude; laboring to tread on his lame lord, to raise himself to honor.

True-hearted Mephibosheth had as good a will as the best. If he could have commanded legs, he had not been left behind David; now, that he cannot go with him, he will not be well without him, and therefore puts himself to a wilful and sullen penance, for the absence and danger of his king: he will not so much as put on clean clothes for the time, as he that could not have any joy in himself, for the want of his lord David.

Unconscionable miscreants care not how they collogue, whom they slander, for a private advantage. Lewd Ziba comes with a gift in his hand, and a smooth tale in his mouth; O sir, you thought you had a Jonathan at home, but you will find a Saul. It were pity, but he should be set at your table, that would sit in your throne. You thought Saul's land would have contented Mephibosheth, but he would have all yours. Though he be lame, yet he would be climbing. Would you have thought that this cripple could be plotting for your kingdom, now that you are gone aside? Ishbosheth will never die, while Mephibosheth lives. How did he now forget his impotence, and raised up his spirits in a hope of day; and durst say, that now the time was come, wherein the crown