cumbrance to him; and the idea of this he could not endure.

It would be wise for the old, and happy for others, if all of them felt such a delicacy; yet how often do they insist on being carried to scenes of enjoyment, where they require from those who should be otherwise occupied attentions incessant and fatiguing, and where their dissatisfaction, which they cannot conceal, mars the comfort of all around them! The shattered bark is fit only for the sheltered lake, and if it is towed out to sea, much toil may be expected by those who take it in charge, and fear and trembling by those who have their place in it.

It is best for the old to remain with those who know their humours, and can accommodate themselves to them, and what is necessary to their comfort, and will be eager to obtain it. And it will also be wise for all who are in middle life, to endeavour to make such provision for the helpless period of old age, that they may neither be necessitated to be a burden to their friends nor to the public. Dependence on any earthly prop is painful to the feelings. Where a man is obliged to be so by misfortunes which have deprived him of the savings of his years of industry, he is exempted from those bitter feelings which wring the heart of him who was idle when he should have been busy, and destitute of all foresight where he ought to have been provident. How noble was the spirit of a good man, to whom the idea of being a burden on his friends and the public was intolerable, who wished that he might earn his last meal, and to whom his request was granted; for he was at his usual labour

two days before his departure! Such a spirit was once more common than it is now. If Barzillai could not bear the thought of being an encumbrance to David, whose generosity and kindness would have made him deem it none, how painful must be the thought to a right-hearted man, that he is felt and complained of as a burden, and that the supply he is compelled by necessity to receive is given with such an angry scowl, and with such harsh reflections! There are, indeed, too many cases in which a clamorous suppliant harasses by the frequency of his claims, and disgusts by the confidence of his pretensions; but there are others in which the meek and lowly are frowned on and repulsed. How easy would it be for Providence to make the scorner feel the misery of dependence, and of dependence aggravated by cold neglect or insolent upbraiding! Such inhumanity is permitted, that the spirit of independence may be more generally cherished and more highly prized.

5. In this passage we see the solicitude of Barzillai for the interests of his son. There are many in the world, who, if they cannot enjoy particular scenes, are unwilling that others should go to them; but such was not the temper of this man; nor did he, like a peevish cynic, think with contempt and scorn of the dignities and advantages of the world, and deem them unworthy of the pursuit of any. Like a wise man, he saw the attractions of the court, and he saw also its snares; and though he felt it by no means a suitable place for one so advanced in years as himself, he considered that his son was at that time of life that he could relish it, and that he might be useful to a king whom it was his delight to oblige.

It would be most criminal in a parent to labour to fix a son in a scene which he himself shunned on account of its perilous nature; but it cannot be wrong to fix him in one which his father is too old to occupy.

It is most worthy of notice with what modesty he makes this proposal for his son: he was not like the mother of the two sons of Zebedee, who came to our Lord and said to him, "Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom;"* for his request was not made till after David's urgent entreaty that he should accompany him; and, instead of specifying what post or what office he wished his son to fill, he left it entirely to the wisdom and kindness of his royal master. This is a pattern worthy to be copied by parents soliciting the favour of others to their children; and while it may be necessary that the mode in which you wish them to show their countenance should be specified, the time and the measure of this should be left to their own liberality and discretion. There are seasons when applications of this kind come with more propriety and force than others, and these ought to be improved.

And if a desire may thus be expressed to men in behalf of young persons by their aged parents and friends, much more eager should they be in seeking that the great Redeemer may receive them among his followers, and bless them with the tokens of his favour. We may err as to the kindness, the virtue, or the sufficiency of those to whose patronage we commit the young; but all fulness dwells in our Re

Matt. xx. 21.

deemer, and he hath said, "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also shall my servants be."

6. Another amiable feature of the character of Barzillai noted in this passage is his modest sense of his own services. Nothing is more common than for men to entertain and to express a high conceit of any benefit they may have conferred, any sacrifice they have made, or any hardship they have endured for others. They are seldom satisfied with any gratitude which is expressed, and with any return which is offered for it. Amidst the retirement and inactivity of old age the mind dwells on what it has done, and feels disposed to solace itself under the indolence and infir mities of that period by magnifying past efforts, and to remind those in whose behalf they were made, of their obligations to their active kindness. Men do not love to be told of such services, and are apt to consider it as an impeachment of their gratitude, and as originating in vanity, or in a more mercenary motive. What has been done to kings is recorded in the annals of families, and talked of from generation to generation as the proudest distinction of their name, and the noblest inheritance transmitted by an ancestor. But how different was the temper of Barzillai! The service he had done to David was valuable in itself, and was especially so in the time and place at which it was paid: of it the king entertained a far higher sense than he did; for he said, why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?

* John xii. 26.

It is rare to find an earthly benefactor corresponding in grateful sensibility, or in the return of benefits to the kindness shown him; but when it is the case, we ought to mark it with due approbation; and delightful it must be to such persons to have it said, You have much more than repaid me.

The feelings of Barzillai are those of the just, in reference to the notice God is pleased to take of their humble efforts to serve him. Such was the temper of David, when, after God's gracious acceptance of his design to build him an house, and his promise of mercy to him and to his seed, he went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto ? And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come: and is this the manner of man, O Lord God?"* Such will be their feelings in judgment, when the Redeemer shall call them to his glory, and notice the work and labour of love which they showed to his name. Their answer shows how strongly they feel themselves to have been but unprofitable servants; and through eternity they

be conscious that the rewards of Heaven are all belce, and be astonished that what was so defective frien He honoured by an approbation so ample, and

iety of Barzillai is the last feature of his

text presents to us. Many years Month of his parents, and God