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relief and counsel; the hand of God going out against him; the miserable end that he made, together with the wonderful deliverances that God wrought for David; Samuel's attachment to him; the best of saints loving him, and the almighty power of God levelling all his enemies, and exalting him on the throne of Israel, in spite of all opposition, these things so confirmed me in the faithfulness and truth of David's God, that an invisible power led me to one greater than David; and a sudden thought struck me, that David was an eminent type of the much desired and long looked for Messiah, who is the only sovereign of Israel, David's son, and David's Lord.

This divine dictator led my mind forth to traverse David's life and conduct, as representing the life of one greater; and from that time I traced all up to David's antitype, and there my misconstructions were rectified, and all my doubts resolved.

I considered first his descent from a low family; his mean calling as a shepherd; his "ruddy countenance,” 1 Sam.xvi. 12; his being but "a stripling," xvii. 56; and his slender legs, Psalm cxlvii. 10; all typical of Him that was so long foretold, who was to be "fairer than the children of men," Psalm xlv. 2; and called "the woman's seed." David's effeminate appearance, and masculine exploits, led me to contemplate perpetually on the mighty deeds that were to be performed in future, by one whose appearance would be altogether as unheroic as that of David's. David's killing the Philistines to obtain a wife, led me to consider what the promised Messiah had done when he gave Egypt for our ransom; and what he would do in future in behalf of this spouse, when "the wicked

shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressors for the upright," Prov. xxi. 18.

Ahimaaz. But you know that Saul's daughter was not a gracious woman; she was taken away from David, and given to another; then how could she be a type of the spouse of Christ?-besides, it is said that she despised him, and was smitten with barrenness for it.

Cushi. All this is true; yet Michal was bone of David's bone, and flesh of his flesh, by marriage; but she never knew David's Lord, nor was she a partaker of David's sure mercies; yet she was, in my opinion, a type.

By virtue of the union between the Godhead and manhood of Christ, which took place at his incarnation, the bond woman (I mean the whole body of professors who are under the law) may say, that Christ is flesh of their flesh, and bone of their bone; for he was born of a woman, and born under the law. And indeed on this account the bond woman is called a divorced wife, Jer. iii. 8; and judged of God as one that has broken wedlock, Ezek. xvi. 38; and therefore put away, according to their legal covenant that allows a divorce, which Israel never rightly considered; and, therefore, being espoused only by the covenant of works, their marriage covenant was conditional; they broke wedlock, were divorced and put away; and, as the bond woman was not included in the covenant of grace, the legal covenant, for want of their obedience, afforded them no more claim on the Lord as an husband. But the elect are not betrothed to the Saviour by the law of works, but "in loving kindness, in mercies," and that for ever, Hosea ii. 19.

Thus the real church is not only bone of his bone, by virtue of his incarnation, but is made of one spirit with him by regeneration; for God says, "two shall be one flesh; but he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit," 1 Cor. vi. 16, 17. Thus Saul's daughter was a type of a false church, though not of a true one; her being joined to another man shews the apostasy of false professors; and, as she was taken from David, so God takes away every fruitless professor: "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away.' And if they continue until the last day in their professions it matters not. The foolish virgins were shut out of the marriage chamber; and none will enter with the bridegroom into the wedding but those that have oil in their vessel, or the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, Matt. ii. 5.

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I considered the poor distressed troop that went to the cave of Adullam as prefiguring the poor sensible distressed sinner, who becomes the follower of Jesus Christ. Those that are discontented with the world and sin are glad to find contentment in a Saviour; and those that are in distress on account of fear and bondage are glad to find relief in their God; and all that are sensible of their debts are thankful for a surety. And, to be plain, I found myself in a spiritual sense one of this number, and was by an invisible power led to follow David's antitype as such.

Ahimaaz. I beg pardon, my brother, for breaking into your discourse, but I find my heart warmed, and my mind much enlightened by what you say, therefore I hope you will excuse me. Pray what do you think of David's covenant with Abigail when she met with him, and of his marriage with her? She

seemed to be one after his own heart, both as a sensible woman and a saint of God. She prophesied to David, and spiritualized her husband's name, applying it to his nature: "Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal; for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him," 1 Sam. xxv. 25. Do offer me your thoughts that circumstance; for I evidently see that there is a spiritual vein of choice gospel that runs through the whole body of divine revelation.

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Cushi. There certainly is; but, in running of parallels between the types and their antitypes, the types always come short, and are but faint representations of what is represented by them. What was Esau's birthright when compared to that which is signified? And what is David when compared to the fruit of his body, and his Lord who was to sit upon his throne?

Ahimaaz. True, my brother; yet we may entertain ourselves, and open our own thoughts to each other on the word of God, without offending the almighty Saviour, for he bids us " search the scriptures;" for he says, "they testify of me.". I believe the Bible to be like its author. God is a Spirit, and his word is spiritual, for it is given by inspiration of God; and to handle it spiritually proves a spiritual discernment, and makes it a spiritual entertainment for the souls of believers, whom Paul calls spiritual : "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man," 1 Cor. ii. 15; Hosea ix. 7.

Cushi. To legalize the word of God to a heavenborn soul is the way to obscure his evidences, and

bring him into bondage whom the Lord hath made free, John viii. 36. The man that does this is a minister of the letter, not of the spirit, 2 Cor. iii. 6. Such a preacher is disobedient to the divine command; God says, "Do the work of an evangelist," 2 Tim. iv. 5; and the believer, who is deprived of his freedom by him, is disobedient also; for the Spirit says, "Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free, and be not again entangled with the yoke of bondage," Gal. v. 1.

I considered Abigail's coming to David as prefiguring every elected soul that God brings to his dear Son: "No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him," John vi. 44. Christ, in the character of a bridegroom, receives such into spiritual union with himself, and holds them fast in the bond of everlasting love for ever: "I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you," John xiv. 20. Thus the Lord receives the souls that his Father draws to him as his own beloved bride: "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom," John iii. 29. Abigail came to David with spiritual language and prophecy in her mouth, and expressed a spiritual union with him, a love to him, predicting his safety on earth, and his eternal existence in the favour of God; and I believe she foresaw that herself was to be his wife.

Observe, she comes first to David, as all sinners do to Christ, with a prayer in her mouth: "I pray thee forgive the trespass of thine handmaid." Secondly, she comes with a full persuasion of the establishment and safety of David's house: " For the Lord will certainly make my Lord a sure house." So comes the sinner by faith to Christ, being persuaded there is

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