appearance, and mafculine 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 confider what the promised Meffiah had done when he gave Egypt for our ranfom; and what he would do in future in behalf of this fpoufe, when the wicked shall be a ranfom for the righteous, and the tranfgreffors for the upright. Prov. xxi. 18.

Abimaaz. But you know that Saul's daughter was not a gracious woman; fhe was taken away from David, and given to another, and how could fhe be a type of the fpoufe of Chrift?-befides, it is faid that the defpifed him, and was fmitten with barrennefs for it.

Cufbi. 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 fhe a

partaker of David's fure mercies; yet fhe was, in my opinion, a type.

By virtue of the union between the godhead and manhood of Chrift, which took place at his incarnation, the bond-woman (I mean the whole body of profeffors who are under the law) may fay, that Chrift is flesh of their flefh, 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.

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 Ifrael never rightly confidered; 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 hufband. But the elect are not betrothed to the Saviour by the law of works, but they are betrothed to him in loving-kindness, in mercies, and that for ever, Hofea 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 two (faith God) fhall be one flefb, but he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit, I Cor. vi. 16, 17. Thus Saul's daughter was a of a false church, though not of a true one; type and her being joined to another man fhews the apoftafy of falfe profeffors; and as she was taken from David, fo God takes away every fruitless profeffor-every branch in me that beareth not fruit be taketh away, and if they continue until to the last day in their profeffions it matters not. The foolish virgins were shut out of the marriage chamber-none will enter with the bridegroom into the wed

ding

that went

ding but thofe that have oil in their veffel, or the Spirit of Christ in their hearts. Matt. xxv. I confidered the poor diftreffed troop to the cave of Adullam, as prefiguring the poor fenfible diftreffed finners who become the followers of Jefus Chrift. Thofe that are difcontented with the world and fin, are glad to find contentment in a Saviour; and thofe that are in diftrefs on account of fear and bondage, are glad to find relief in their God; and all that are fenfible of their debts are thankful for a furety. And, to be plain, I found myself in a spiritual fense one of this number, and was by an invifible power led to follow David's antitype as fuch.

Abimaaz. I beg pardon, my brother, for breaking into your difcourfe, 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 he met him; and of his marriage with her? She feemed to be one after his own heart, both as a fenfible woman and as a faint of God. She prophefied to David, and spiritualized her husband's name, and applies it to his nature.-Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal; for as his name is, fo is be; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. 1 Sam. xxv. 25. Do offer me your thoughts upon that circumftance; for I evidently fee that there is a fpiritual vein of

choice gospel that runs through the whole body of divine revelation.

Cufbi. There certainly is; but in running of parallels between the types and the antitypes, the types always come short, and are but faint representations of what is represented by them. What was Efau's birth-right when compared to that which it fignified; and what is David when compared to the fruit of his body, and his Lord who was to fet upon his throne?

Abimaaz. 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 fcriptures; and fays, they teftify of him. I believe the Bible to be like its Author; God is a fpirit, and his word is fpiritual; for it is given by infpiration of God; and to handle it fpiritually proves a spiritual difcernment, and makes it a fpiritual entertainment for the fouls of believers, whom Paul calls fpiritual.-But be that is fpiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 1 Cor. ii. 15. Hofea ix. 7.

Cufbi. To legalize the word of God to a heaven-born foul, is the way to obfcure his evidences, and bring him into bondage whom the Lord hath made free. John viii. 36. The man that does this is a minifter of the letter-not of the Spirit. 2 Cor. iii. 6. bedient to the divine

Such a preacher is difocommand. God fays, Do

the

the work of an evangelift, 2 Tim. iv. 5; and the believer who is deprived of his freedom by him is difobedient alfo; for the Spirit fays, Stand faft in the liberty wherewith Chrift has made you free, and be not again entangled with the yoke of bondage. Gal. v. I.

I confidered Abigail's coming to David as prefiguring every elected foul that God brings to his dear Son. No man can come to me, except the Father which bath fent me draw him. John vi. 44. Chrift, in the character of a bridegroom, receives fuch into fpiritual union with himself, and holds them faft in the bond of everlafting love for ever; 1 am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. John xiv. 20. Thus the Lord receives the fouls that his father draws to him as his own beloved bride-He that bath the bride is bridegroom. John iii. 29. Abigail came to David with fpiritual language and prophecy in her mouth, and expreffed a spiritual union with him, a love to him, and predicts his fafety on earth, and his eternal existence in the favour of God; and I believe fhe forefaw that herself was to be his wife.

Obferve, first, fhe comes to David, as all finners do to Christ, with a prayer in her mouthI pray thee forgive the trefpafs of thine handmaid. Secondly, fhe comes with a full perfuafion of the establishment and fafety of David's houfe,For the Lord will certainly make my lord a fure

boufe.