The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

SERMONS. 69was received and heard, yet, after fo determined andlb rough an anfwer, they have not patience to remonilrateagain. Nothing is fo contemptible as threats^even by a prince, when it is well known tli^t fuchthreats cannot be put in execution. Without beingabafhed, tliey, in the king*s very face, avow and announcetheir revolt. And I cannot help thinking,that in the king's pre fence they exprefs their indignationwith fome degr^se of infolence •, for, " whenall Ifrael faw thatt'ne king hearkened not unto them,the people anfvrered the king, faying, Wliat portionhave we ia David ? neither have we inheritance inthe fon of Jefle : To your tents, O Ifrael ! now feeTo thine houfe, David. So Ifrael departed to theirtents." What portion have we in David ? we arenot of that tribe : What inheritance have we. in thefon of Jefle ? it is none of our concern to becomeflaves, to fupport the haughty pride of a king fprungfrom fo poor a family as that of Jefle ifor they fpakefo by way of contempt. There is even a fort of challengegiven, a defiance of Rehoboam ; fee to thinehoufe, David ; we are able to defend ourfelves ; wedefy thy power. To your tents, O Ifrael ! fo Ifraeldeparted to their tents.Rehoboam was the third king of that race. Theoriginal family of Jewifh kings v/as that of Saul, afterwhofe death, his fon, Ifhbolheth, as I have faid, reigned{even years : It is, however, remarkable, that theifraelites feek not for a king in that family. Perhapsthere was none of the family alive who was fitmade king : David had delivered feven brave men,fons of Saul, to the Gibeonites, to be hanged at Gibeahof Saul, to turn away the anger of the Lord into bea time of famine. And Mephibofheth, Jonathan'sfon, if alive, was lame. But in thofe days, it wasnot a regard to family, but efleem of military accomplifhments,which made people choofe one to be theirking. Thus the Ifraelites faid to David at Hebron,