PREFACE. THESE Expositions are simple and familiar. They have met with acceptance from those I esteem. They may do good, or yield comfort, or give hope to others. December 1, 1859. We have read in the course of our expositions of the two books of Samuel the varied fortunes, the alternate lights and shadows, the ups and downs, of that remarkable reign which here draws to its close. This book opens with an intensely interesting history of the brilliant reign and advancing splendours of Solomon, whose name literally translated is, " The perfect and the peaceful," and whose character was, in its measure, its incidents, and its victories, a type and foreshadow of the true Perfect and the true Peaceful, the Prince of peace, the Saviour of sinners. This history contains a record of Judah and Israel during a period of 120 years, beginning in the year 1015 before Christ, and ending at 896. David at 70 years of age began to grow old. This is almost the first intimation that we have on record that at 70 years of age men were beginning to feel old. The Patriarchs began to feel old at 100 and 120, but in David we see the first national instance, at least on a remarkable and high level, of old age being set down at 70 years. This can in some degree be accounted for by the fact that his reign was, from first to last, a most turbulent one. His whole personal history was a severe struggle-sometimes for existence, sometimes for his crown-but always a struggle-either in his own heart with remorse, regret, self-accusation, and other conflicting passions; or with his enemies, constantly laying snares for him, or seeking to upset his throne, and put an end to his dynasty. We all know too well it is not the excessive exercise of the hand, or the excessive exertion of the foot, but the undue employment of the brain that hurries man to early old age or to a premature grave. Most people in these days grow old not from the legitimate and fair weight of years, but from high pressure applied to the brain, the most sensitive, and, when excessively excited, the most destructive organ in the human frame. If people were more temperate, not merely in eating and in drinking, which is right, but in thinking also-more temperate in studying, in speaking, in buying and selling, in fears and hopes, in the feverish excitements of the sunshine and the consequent depression of the shadow, man's life, humanly speaking, would be much more protracted than it is now. I have not the least doubt that David's early senility or old age arose very much from the extreme pressure which had laid upon |