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No. 81.]

[Vol. IV.

THE PENNY

SUNDAY READER.

EDITED BY THE REV. I. E. N. MOLESWORTH,

RECTOR OF ST. MARTIN'S, CANTERBURY, AND ONE OF THE

SIX PREACHERS OF CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL.

ST. MARTIN'S CHURCH, CANTERBURY,

IN WHICH CHRISTIANITY WAS FIRST EMBRACED BY A

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KINGS SHALL BE THY NURSING FATHERS AND THEIR QUEENS THY NURSING MOTHERS.-Isaiah xlix. 23.

CANTERBURY:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED, EVERY WEDNESDAY,

AT THE OFFICE OF THE KENTISH OBSERVER.
TO BE HAD Or G. BARNES, KING'S ARMS LIBRARY;

AND OF ALL BOOKSELLERS.

LONDON AGENTS-MESSRS. RIVINGTON'S, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD,

Just Published, Price Threepence, (Printed to bind up with the Penny Sunday Reader,) GOD'S GLORY DECLARED IN THE HEAVENS;

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THE announcement of the eclipse, to which this discourse refers, had escaped the observation of the Author, till long after the PENNY SUNDAY READER for the 15th of May had been printed, and he was, therefore, prevented from offering, as he would otherwise have done, in that Number, reflections suitable to the occurrence. As the best means of supplying the omission, he has printed the Sermon which he addressed to his parishioners on the occasion; and this forms his apology for putting forth a publication of so little pretension.

CANTERBURY:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED AT THE

KENTISH

OBSERVER GENERAL PRINTING OFFICE;

TO BE HAD OF MESSRS. RIVINGTON, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD, AND WATERLOO PLACE; AND ALL BOOKSELLERS.

** Vols 1 and 2 of the PENNY SUNDAY READER, for 1835, may now be had of all booksellers, price 2s. 9d. each, neatly bound in cloth, with the wood-cut of St. Martin's Church, Canterbury, printed on the cover.

It should be noted that these two vols., though published in 1835, form a comment on the Collects, &c., and a manual of Sunday reading, adapted to every year.

C. W. BANKS, PRINTER, ST. GEORGE'S STREET, CANTERBURY.

No. 81. [THE PENNY SUNDAY READER. [Vol. IV.

July 17, 1836.-Seventh Sunday after Trinity.

MORNING PRAYER-FIRST PROPER LESSON. 2 Samuel, xxi.

THE important station which David occupies in the Jewish History, and the distinguished manner in which he is spoken of by the spirit of prophecy, as to his relation to the Messiah, seem to have induced those, who selected our Lessons, to dwell with considerable attention on his example and changes of fortune. We have seen him in his fall, and in the punishments which followed it; and we shall once more see him in favour with God in his penitence, and rebuked again, when lifted up by that favour to pride. There are not many circumstances requiring special notice, or explanation, in these Lessons; but these backslidings of David, may tend to impress upon us all, (not upon the weak only, but upon the strong and experienced), the necessity both of being religious, and also of cherishing and strengthening our faith, and of praying God in the words of the Collect to Graft in our hearts* the love of thy name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

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"We read in this chapter," says Travell, "that towards the latter end of David's reign there was a fumine in the land for three successive years. This punishment, it seems, was inflicted on account of Saul's having killed the Gibeonites, at the time when he commanded the priests to be

* See remarks on Collect, Vol. II. No. 31.

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slain in the city of Nob, as may be seen in the twentysecond chapter of the first book of Samuel, though the Gibeonites are not mentioned there by name. It must be remembered that in the days of Joshua, the children of Israel had made a solemn covenant of peace with the Gibeonites, and had bound themselves never to molest them. As Saul therefore had broken this treaty by murdering some of the Gibeonites, and the people of Israel had not endeavoured to prevent it, God thought fit at this time to include the Israelites in the punishment of famine, as well as the posterity of Saul. David, being fully sensible of the justice of God in this dispensation, inquired of the Gibeonites what satisfaction would pacify them, and make them be reconciled to the people of God. They replied, that it was not riches which they coveted, nor the life of any man, except of that family by whom they had been so much injured but on them they demanded a speedy vengeance, and that seven of Saul's sons should be given them to be publicly executed, in order to appease the anger of God. And that it might strike terror, they required that this atonement should be made in the very city where Saul had lived.

"David, it may be presumed by the divine direction, complied with their demand; and accordingly he delivered up to them seven of Saul's descendants to be dealt with at their pleasure. This execution took place in the beginning of harvest, which was usually a very dry season, and peculiarly so at this time. And Rizpah, the mother of two of these unhappy sufferers, probably with the hopes of being permitted to bury them, erected a tent upon the spot where they hung: and she had the bodies constantly watched day and night, until the time that God was pleased to send rain upon the earth; a blessing which was considered as an acceptance of the atonement, and as an earnest of future plenty. This pious action of Rizpah was so pleasing to David, that it urged him to bestow also a proper burial upon the remains of Saul and Jonathan, who were slain by the Philistines, and whose bodies were afterwards stolen from them, and buried under a tree. These remains, together with the seven carcases, had an honourable burial given them, and plenty was restored to the land."

The remainder of the chapter seems to be the portion of the history more immediately connected with the design of the selection of the Lesson. It relates the returning favor of God, to gild the latter days of David, (after his many sufferings and deep penitence,) with victory and triumph. He, and his valiant captians, overcome several mighty giants, and gain many repeated victories over their old enemies, the Philistines, who are completely discouraged by their losses. And, with his triumphs, the love of his once rebellious people waxes strong, and they express their affection in the entreaty that he will not go out any more to battle, lest they should be deprived of their beloved king, and the light of Israel be quenched.

EVENING PRAYER-FIRST PROPER LESSON. 2 Samuel xxiv.

BUT even yet once more, we are to witness, and take warning by, the frailty of even this illustrious servant of God; lest when the sun of God's favour may shine upon us, we forget the "Author and giver of all good things," and be lifted up with pride and self-sufficiency. This was David's case.

Not

withstanding all the painful lessons he had received, he could not stand firm against temptations. The great increase and triumphs of his people, when God's favor had returned, as we stated above, caused him to turn his thoughts too much upon his own greatness and power, as the monarch over such a people, and he wished to gratify his vanity, by having an exact number of his people taken. He was tempted to this, as is expressly stated in the 21st chapter of the 1st book of Chronicles, by Satan, who, as leading

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