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But, to proceed: I was fent by my father, in company with Jonathan, to carry tidings to David from Hufhai; and when we had delivered our meffage to the king, I confidered myself a man of confequence; firft, as the fon of a feer,-fecondly, as a messenger to the king,-and, thirdly, as a loyal Jubject to David when so many rebelled against him. This was followed with the alarming tidings of Abithophel's having hanged himself. I faw the Lord had anfwered David's prayer when he faid, O Lord, turn the counsel of Abithophel inte foolishness; and was much surprised at the terrible judgments by which God had answered it. I fecretly thanked God in my heart that I was not like Ahithophel, and was not a little pleased with my loyalty; and truly I thought myself on the Lord's fide, because I was with the Lord's anointed. And indeed this awful judgment falling on fo great a man, in answer to David's fimple prayer, fo fired my zeal, that I followed the king to Mahanaim, and went with the king's forces against the rebels; and was with Joab when Abfalom was flain, and thought myself a man as fufficient to bear tidings as any in Paleftine. I earnestly preffed upon Joab to let me go, but Joab would not fend the tidings by me, though I used much importunity.

Cufbi. You are not the first man, my brother, that has been forward at this work, nor will you be the laft; thofe that have the feweft tidings to

bear

bear are the most forward to run, and they that have nothing to fay are fure to outrun them that nave; but if ever God fends them with tidings, they will have all their ground to run over again; for if they are true meffengers, they must go all the way in regeneration which they went before in external profeffion.

Abimaaz. True, my brother; and fo I have found it; for after Joab had called and fent you with the tidings, I was grieved at it, though he told me that I should bear tidings another day, but then I bad no tidings ready; however, I importuned him again to let me run after you, but he refused; but I wearied him with my importunity until he faid, Run; fo I fet off by the way of the plain, and fo outrun you. 2 Sam. xviii. 18 to 23.

Cufbi. Ah, that is often the cafe now-a-days; there are many that run before they are fent; and if one takes the path of tribulation, and the other the way of the plain, no wonder if the latter, in the judgment of men, outruns the former. But in the eyes of the Lord it is not fo,-there are laft that fhall be firft, and first laft; fo many are called by the gofpel, but few chofen of God, and fewer ftill to bear tidings. Matt. xx. 16. The race, fays the wife man, is not to the fwift, nor the battle to the frong. Eccl. ix. 11. Many a wife man has mistook the road, and miffed the mark, while the fool has not erred in the path, Ifa. xxxv. 8; and when the great spoil was divided, the lame have took the prey. Ifa.

xxxiii. 23.

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But pray what were the chief motives that fo ftrongly induced you to bear tidings? for the man who waits for tidings in the field of battle is in imminent danger, nor is he in lefs danger when he runs with tidings, for he is expofed to the arrows of every scouting party.

Abimaaz. I have often obferved that when the citizens of Zion have fet a watchman upon their walls, to obferve the approach of an enemy to their liberties, or an ambaffador of peace; if the latter has appeared, as foon as the watchman lifted up his voice, and gave the watch-word, Ifa. lii. 8, the citizens would immediately climb upon the walls, and when they faw the meffenger gain the fummit of an hill, they would cry out, How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publifheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publifheth falvation; that faith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth, Ifa. lii. 7; and as foon as he drew nigh the walls, the porter would open the door with fuch joy to see him, and cry out, Come in, theu blefed of the Lord, why' ftandeft thou without? Gen. xxiv. 31. And as foon as he came in, all the inhabitants of the city would flock round him from every quarter, to hear what the tidings were; and while he has food publishing them, fome would fmile, others weep, fome triumph, and fome could hardly keep audience for joy; and when he has. ended his oration, fome have wept over him, others. thanked God for fending him, others withing to hear the fame tidings over again; and, to be fhort, all those

thofe that prized their liberties have bleffings of heaven upon his head.

fhowered the Indeed fome few, that knew not what a citizen's liberties were worth, have gone away railing at the meffenger and his meffage both; but the citizens who were free men have followed them up with such sharp rebukes, and have so justified wisdom's meffenger and meffage, that they have fkulked away with a fallen countenance, like those who once accufed the adulterous woman before the Great Meffiah.

By thefe obfervations I clearly faw that there was a double honour belonging to the office; and I have fecretly envied the meffenger, and coveted the honour of his holy calling. Thefe were my motives; and I thought with myself thus:-My father is a prieft, I have good learning, and can fpeak with a more audible voice than he, and have fublime expreffions at command to convey tidings,—and who more fit than I?

Cushi. Ah, my brother, but there is a power that attends a real tidings-bearer which no audible voice can command; the power is of the Meffiah, and not of us; and those that boncur bim he will bonour. 1 Sam. ii. 30.

Abimaaz. Bleffed be God I know that now; but, as I before obferved, thefe were my motives; and as I knew the citizens of Mahanaim would all be longing for tidings, I was determined to get their praife; therefore I ftrove to outrun you, though I fweat for it.

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Cufbi. And when you came to the city, pray what did you fay?

Abimaaz. Oh, I made a poor tale of it; The king faid, Is the young man Absalom fafe? and I anfwered, When Joab fent the king's fervant, and me thy fervant, Ifaw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. 2 Sam. xviii. 29.

Cufbi. And pray how did the citizens receive you, my friend; did they exult and triumph, and blefs your feet for bringing good tidings?

"Abimaaz. No, far from it; their feeing me run fo faft raised their expectation very high; and the watchman crying out, The running of the foremost is like the running of Abimaaz, the fen of Zadok, 2 Sam. xviii 27, raifed it fill higher, fo that they expected. good tidings, and an eloquent oration from the fon of the feer. But, alas, all their expectations were cut off, and their very countenances were expreffive of the effects of their ftarving difappointment; my false gift, of which I had boafted, was (as wifdom fays) a cloud and wind without rain, Prov. xxv. 14; and fo the citizens found it, for they got neither refreshment nor hope from my tidings.

Cufli. But I fuppofe you thought that you fhould cut a figure among them when you fet off, did you

not?

- Akimaaz. O yes, that I did; for I thought the very word tidings, and a few encomiums put upon the king, would be enough to fet all the citizens

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