The Justification of a Sinner, and Satan's Lawsuit with Him

William Huntington (1745-1813)

THE JUSTIFICATION OF A SINNER AND SATAN'S LAW-SUIT WITH HIM IN A DIALOGUE BETWEEN TWO MEN OF DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES.

PREFACE

COURTEOUS READER,

The following treatise is a spiritual medley of heavenly things; an entertainment for the minds and conscience of gracious souls, who, for the want of gospel light to discern the rich provision and stability of God's covenant, are often sunk to live beneath the privileges thereof. I have frequently heard people, who I believe to be truly gracious, declare themselves to be bowed down, and continually dejected, under the apprehensions of a dreadful scrutiny which they suppose the Saviour will have with them in the day of judgment. In order to remove the believer's groundless fears, to shew him the privileges of the covenant, and to excite; his gratitude to God, this little treatise is published.

The things that are considered, and attempted to be explained, are the spiritual resurrections of a sinner - his arraignment and justification - his spiritual birth, heirship, and inheritance - his evidences for heaven - the conflicts he hath with the devil - and the office of Christ as an Advocate.

And in order to convey my thoughts as intelligibly as possible, it is written by way of dialogue; question and answer being an excellent way of conveying information, and with which the word of God is replete.

The persons made choice of to carry on the dialogue, are Cushi and Ahimaaz, two servants of David, both styled in Scripture good men. Cushi is here represented as one wrought upon by grace, while he observed the visible hand of God with David; which he intended to shew how a Christian's life; and the hand of God with him, impresses the mind and convicts the conscience of a sinner. Ahimaaz is represented as running with tidings before he was sent; which is introduced as a caution to the many in our days, both learned and illiterate, who take on them the office of the ministry, without any spiritual qualification for it, or divine call to it; who are encouraged and emboldened by nothing else but pride, insensibility and ignorance. A thirst for human applause, and ignorance of the experience and wisdom of the Church - ignorance of the plague of the human heart - ignorance of the majesty of God, and the importance of the ministry, appear to be the basis and bulwark of too many.

The houses of Saul and David are introduced as prefiguring the family of the old Adam and the household of faith. Cushi's halting between the two, is intended to exhibit the struggles that the weak believer feels between the flesh and the spirit. The revival of the work of grace on Cushi, at the death of David, is introduced to shew that many young converts, who are a scourge to the servants of God in their lives, are brought to lament their death, being ignorant of their worth till they feel their loss; as Israel of old, who was a perpetual burden to Moses for forty years; but when he was dead, they bemoaned him for thirty days: or like Saul, who was so often a plague to pious Samuel in his life, yet would sell himself to the devil for a sight of his mantle when he was dead.

I have studied plainness in this work, and have endeavoured to be as intelligible to my reader as possible; not expecting that the consequence of the noble, the acquired knowledge of the scholar, the wisdom of the critic, the refined judgment of the polite and gay, will ever submit to a perusal of any performance of mine, unless it be to cavil at it. To be short, if any part of the revealed will of God be made plain to the seeker or to the believer; if his judgment be informed, his doubts and fears removed; if any blessing of the covenant be discovered; if his mind be entertained, his faith established, and his covenant God endeared to him, I trust my end is answered; and what the outside professor, or the open enemy to truth, may have to say, will have but little weight with me, except it be to pity him.

That the believer may read without prejudice, and profit by reading, is the desire and prayer of, Courteous Reader, thy willing servant and tried companion in tribulation,

W. HUNTINGTON.

THE JUSTIFICATION OF A SINNER ETC. ETC.

CUSHI having lost his royal master, took a solitary walk to reflect on the past experiences, and wonderful deliverances, left upon record by him; until, in a measure, he thought they became, according to his sensations, Like his own experience. He suddenly found his understanding much opened, worldly things vanished from his mind, and every thought of his heart appeared at command, which he employed in reflecting on past mercies, and in pleasing anticipations on future glory.

Reflections on his past conduct brought many things fresh to his mind, which afforded matter for real contrition. But the thoughts of God's long forbearance and slowness to anger dissolved his soul, and excited his warmest gratitude. He came suddenly to the brow of a little hill, which is called the Hill Mizar. Here Cushi meditated upon the former deliverance of his royal master.

On this spot, said he, his false hope gave way, and the burden of his sins sunk him into the keenest sensations of divine displeasure, which involved him in all real and imaginary horror. Here it was that he prayed out of the depths of despondency; and his prayer was answered by the Saviour in an open vision of death on the cross. Here my blessed master saw the crucifixion of the Son of God. Yea, he saw his persecutors pierce his hands and his feet. He saw them part his garment among them, and cast lots on his vesture. This made him so dotingly fond of this little hill. Who can describe the feelings of a soul encompassed with the fears of death, and chains of Guilt, when the great Redeemer appears burdened, as the sinner's sponsor, in all the agonies of an unparalleled sufferer, burdened with all his sins, under the awful arrest of vindictive justice, and sinking into the threefold shades of treble death?

Oh love, love, love! Love fixed upon an enemy - an enemy in open rebellion: love that would undertake to cope with divine vengeance: love that would expose truth, purity, and innocence, to ignominy, scorn and derision; and all to redeem, rescue, and reconcile a rebel to the best of sovereigns, and make the completely miserable eternally happy. My master's hope sprung from the visions, of sleuth, and pursued the resurrection of his adorable Lord, "to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that shall never fade away."

Surely it was an imperceptible faith that made him importune; and it was patience in importuning that brought him to such a blessed experience; and the experience of such a deliverance brought him to hope.

Oh that I may never forget, nor lose the sense of his deliverance; the petitions that he put up; nor this sacred spot, where his deliverance was wrought, here it was that he said, Oh, my God! my soul is cast down within me, and then raisest me up; therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites from the Hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep. Psalm, xlii. 6, 7.

Here it was that the clouds of God's displeasure against his sins began to gather thick over his head, and to threaten a fatal discharge on him. The water-spouts were felt, and justice spoke in them, demanding perfect obedience, or infinite punishment. This made him try to hasten his escape from the stormy wind and tempest. Blessed be God, who revealed his crucified Son to him, when under the cloud of impending judgment, whose blood, from the becalmed conscience of my royal master, met with the approbation and favour even of divine justice itself.

Well might the evangelical prophet say, and "a man shall be a hiding-place from the storm, a covert from the tempest, a river of water in a dry place, and the shadow of a great rock in this weary land." The Lord God of Israel did not reveal his dear Son to my valuable master with a drawn sword, as he did to Balaam, who said he should see him, but not now, and behold him, but not nigh, but he accompanied the vision with an appropriating faith. To see a Saviour and a judge in one person, without faith in his salvation, is of all sights the most afflicting, and would sink a soul for ever. "I had utterly fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living," Psalm, xxvii. 13.

Cushi now descended the hill Mizar, which led with a gradual descent into a verdant valley. Here he was blessed with a most ravishing view of the covenant of promise, which afforded matter of pleasing and delightful meditation, and every fresh discovery gave him fresh entertainment, which caused his soul to sink down into the sweetest rest and quietude, while the glorious beams of light and love shone with divine radiance upon his whole soul.

In this light, he saw a little river run through the midst of the vale, which his thoughts led him to trace to the fountain head; and he found it to be (what his royal master called) the still waters, Psalm, xxiii. 3 which came from the Father to the Son, and through the Son to us.

These waters forcibly reveal the Father's love, and the Son's salvation, and sanctify and make meet souls for heaven, without whose aid no promise comes with power, nor does the word quicken nor refresh the soul.

Poor Cushi, finding the good work, formerly begun, to be revived, and restoring grace so sweetly to operate on his soul, was afraid to engage again in state affairs, or in any other lawful calling, fearing a second relapse; which holy fear certainly was good. But as God does not light a candle to put it under a bushel, nor under a bed, that it should be hid, but on a candlestick, that it may give light to all that are in the house, it is necessary to let it shine before men, that they may see the light within, while it reflects its holy rays without. To be diligent in business, and fervent in spirit, is a command given to every Christian, and what the most eminent saints have been brought to submit to, from Abel, the first martyr, to Amos the prophet, and even from Jesus Christ, to Paul the tent-maker.

However, it was with much reluctance that Cushi left his lodgings, and the verdant meadow. But so conspicuous a proof of the faithfulness of his Lord, made him depart with this persuasion and confession, "the Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake," Ps. xxiii. 2, 3.

Cushi now rose up, and travelled off, most sweetly refreshed, and he intended to walk quite through the verdant valley, but he had not got far, before a bright cloud appeared in sight, and he expected a shower; and when it came over his head, he felt a most pleasing sensation on his spirit, wonderful motions in his mind, and a particular flow of affections, which for a while made him stand as one entranced, and he supposed he saw a real cloud. But this text occurred to his mind: "In the light of the King's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain" Prov. xvi. 15, And so he found it, for the thoughts of God in the promises dropped in such an abundant manner on him, that his cup overflowed, till he vented it in confession, adoration, thankfulness, and praise. "The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the well-spring of wisdom as a flowing brook," Prov. xviii. 4. Cushi, finding such divine light and understanding crowd in upon him, sadly wanted to minute down what he saw and felt, but his mind was so taken up, that all efforts to begin a diary proved vain; he had no thoughts at command for that; he was therefore forced to breathe out the overflowing of his joys to the fountain of life whence they came.

The church, when thus filled, is a fountain sealed, until the seal opens, and lets it forth. "A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed" Song, iv. 12. But when the spirit opens the heart, it plays all its streams into the fountain of divine fullness, from whence the streams came.

Thus the Lord "drinks his own wine with his own milk, and eats his own honey-comb with his own honey," Song, v. 1. Or, to speak in express terms, he is entertained with the fervent devotions produced by his own spirit, Thus God the Father, and God the Son, are glorified in the gracious soul by God the Holy Ghost. God is a spirit, and will be worshipped by his own spirit in us; and as a God of truth, he will be worshipped in truth; not as an object represented in a false light, nor with a false heart.

Cushi's devotions were truly divine, for he broke forth into the following expression of sympathy and gratitude to his much - slighted and long-neglected Lord. O thou source of all divine happiness, and fountain of light and life, who hath promised to the parched and barren souls of thine elect, both the former and the latter rain moderately in their season; I received thy blessed word at first with the dew of thy special grace to give it root; but, alas! worldly-mindedness soon caused my joys to wither; but thou hast revisited my barren heart, and made the "parched ground a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water." Astonishing, that a heart, once the "habitation of dragons, should be turned into a springing well," Isai. xxxv. Oh that I never may be left to wander from thy shadow main, nor to slight the sanctuary service of my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they will be still praising thee; blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them, "who, passing through the valley of Baca, make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools," Psalm, lxxxiv. 5, 8.

Cushi had now almost crossed the valley of Baca, and suddenly he espied a hill before him, with a gradual ascent, and he shortly began to ascend it; and the higher he went, the greater his joys were; till at last he vented the fullness of his soul in praise and acclamations of joy, saying, Oh my God, as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God doth cause righteousness and praise to spring forth in my once barren, but now revived heart, Isa. lxi. 11.

Cushi having gained the summit of the hill, saw a fine spreading tree, and under it a seat, with a man sitting thereon, who had a book in his hand.

The reader being pensive in thought, did not discern the approach of Cushi. Cushi perceiving this, approached as near as he could, without disturbing the attention of the reader, and stood still to hear him read. The passage that he was reading was, "and Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh; as it is said to this day. In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen." Gen. xxii. 14.

Cushi said unto him, understandest thou what thou readest? The good man started up in a surprise, and said, How can I, except some man should guide me; and he desired Cushi to sit down with him. I am glad, said Cushi, to find thee blessed with a sense of thy native ignorance, and endowed with a teachable spirit. Pride will not submit to learn of those whom God hath taught. I think a teachable spirit is one of the characteristics of a child of grace. The Jewish Pharisees, who were wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight, refused the tuition of God the Saviour, "became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened: professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." God has determined to destroy all grounds of boasting, and to stain the pride of all human glory. Hence it is that the prophet Isaiah foretold that God would take away all trust in the mighty man, and the man of war; the judge, and the prophet; and the prudent; and the ancient; the captain of fifty; and the honourable man; and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer; and the eloquent orator; and that he would give children to be their princes, and babes should rule over them." Isa. iii. 2, 3, 4, 5. Men of great natural or acquired parts can never submit, without humbling grace, to yield obedience to (what one calls) the foolishness of the cross.

However, the Prophet says, "Whom shall God teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts; for precept must be upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little." Isaiah, xxviii. 9, 10. This is a humbling declaration for "a counsellor, an astrologer, a star-gazer, or a monthly prognosticator, to regard." Isaiah, xlvii. 13. But as Paul says, "If any man will be wise, let him become a fool, that he may he wise."

But to give my dear brother an account of this mountain, on which we sit: I believe it to be Mount Moriah, which, perhaps, may signify the Lord revealing. If it does, it shews how those souls are exalted, whom the Lord condescendeth to teach, to whom he reveals his mind and will, though it be attended with bitterness, which may be included in the word Moriah. Mount Calvary, you see, is almost opposite, where our Lord was crucified; and he whom God teacheth on Mount Moriah, is sure to have some views of what was done on Mount Calvary. "The mountains shall bring peace to the people and the little hills by righteousness." Psalm, lxxii. 3. The grand design of divine teaching is, first, that we may know God in his law to be a holy, just God; and secondly, that we may know him reconciled in his Son; as a God reconciled to sinners. The gospel reveals him, "And this is life eternal, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent" Here the gospel is called the word of reconciliation.

Ahimaaz. If this is Mount Moriah, it is the very spot where God gave testimony to Abraham's faith, even from heaven; and to be sure he must ascend this mount with as heavy a heart as a mortal could carry. But God often lays the greatest burden on the faith of his favourites, just before he intends a deliverance. As speaketh the Lord by Moses, that he will appear "when he seeth that his people's power is none, that there is none shut up or left." Deut. xxxii. 36. And such conspicuous deliverances have a blessed tendency to endear God to his people, and excite their love and gratitude; and I doubt not but this was the case with Abraham. The thoughts of slaying his beloved son must go near his heart, and the simple expressions of Isaac, when he said, "Where is the lamb for the burnt offering," must touch Abraham's feelings very sensibly. But when he received his little one back to his arms, and obtained an articulate testimony of the love and approbation of his Maker, it must lift him as high in joy and heavenly-mindedness, as the thoughts of slaying him had sunk him in sorrow.

Cushi. I am glad to find thee, my brother, such an observer of the gracious dealing of God. If believers were to observe the various frames, changes, and deliverances that pass on their souls, and bring them to the word of God, they would be more comfortably established in the truth than they are.

Many gracious souls are strict observers of external forms, and modes of worship, to which they are led by the wisdom of men, and prejudiced in favour of, by the bigotry of men, instead of adhering to an experience on their own souls. "Let every man prove his own work (with Paul), then shall he have rejoicing in himself, and not in another;" that is, he shall rejoice in the power of God, not in the wisdom of men.

I believe Abraham had the sweetest views and sensations on this mount; that ever he had in all his pilgrimage. His son Isaac was a sweet type of Christ, the promised seed in whom all nations were to be blessed. The wood that Abraham laid in such particular order, prefigured the cross. The intended victim laid on the wood, represented the blessed Jesus; the meek and passive lamb, submitting to be nailed to the accursed tree: Abraham's knife shadowed forth the flaming sword of justice; once seen by our first parents at the east gate of Eden. By Abraham's parental love and affection for his son; the immutable love of God was exhibited, who so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, John, iii. 16, freely offering him up for us all. Abraham's joyful reception of his son (as it were from the dead), typified the cordial reception of Christ into the bosom of God the Father. As Isaac prefigured Christ as a lamb, and as the promised seed that should come, so the ram prefigured Christ as the everlasting father of all his sheep.

The horns of the ram represented Christ's kingly power, his clog hung by the horns in the thicket of bushes, skewed the submission of the Omnipotent Savour to the wicked hands of men, who are compared to briers and thorns, Cant. ii. 2. Thorns being edges of God's curse, skewed his being made a curse for us; and at he was to be crowned with thorns, was typified by the ram's being hung in the thorns by his head. Thus Abraham's faith saw the Saviour, both in his beloved son, and in the bleeding and burning ram; and to this agrees the Lord himself: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it and was glad." John, viii. 56.

Ahimaaz. It is a pretty light, my brother, that you have cast on that text; and the proof that you brought from the Saviour's mouth, is a confirmation of what you have said. But some of the learned tell us, that we should be very careful how we allegorize and spiritualize the scriptures, lest we get into the regions of fancy. Though I do believe there are many in our days who are stigmatized enthusiasts and fanatics, who are blessed with divine tuition, and wonderfully supported by the Holy Ghost; there is no limiting God, nor drawing lines for him to work by; and believe the heart that feels the keenest pierce from justice, is a most sensible of the balm of mercy. Where conviction draws the deepest furrow, the incorruptible seed will take the deepest root.

Such souls as experience the greatest change, have generally a brightest views of divine revelation. The darkest clouds are often succeeded by the brightest manifestations. "God discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death." Job, xii. 22. And such souls will ever be found to be the most spiritually minded, and the most heavenly in their conversation.

Cushi. I have heard of men giving such cautions, and of warning people against allegorizing the word of God, or giving it spiritual meaning; when I have thought that too many legalize a gospel, and make it more like a law than a covenant of grace; and make the Saviour more a law-giver than a law-fulfiller, by talking more of the commands of Christ, than of the infinite satisfaction made to law and justice by him.

This is a kind of remedial law, as some term it; such being ignorant of the killing power of the covenant of works; and strangers to the constraining power of the covenant of grace, have set up one of their own, in the very throne of the great Mediator, as a rival to him, who is the end of the law, and the author of faith.

What good can accrue to sinners, from a law of human invention, set up in the place of the Mediator, is hard to tell. Israel would have been consumed by the fire of God's jealousy, more than once, if Moses, the typical mediator, and Phineas, the typical high-priest, had not stood in the gap, or breach, that their rebellion had made between God and them. But how a gospel law of human manufactory is to fill a breach of infinite dimensions, and bring about a spiritual union and likeness, where there is an infinite disproportion, is a mystery that we despair of ever finding out; and a mystery that all the divines in the world can never explain to me.

But this conclusion we may warrantably draw, that if Noah, Daniel, and Job, could not stand before God, to make up the breach, we are sure no contrivance of man can do it. Besides, this law of human wisdom lays no weight upon him that is mighty to save; but the whole burden of conditions is laid on them that are dead to God, and without strength; and how the dead in sin are to perform such conditions, is another riddle which can never be explained.

The spouse, under the old economy, received many consolations from the types and shadows, while she eyed her beloved Saviour as the object of her future hopes; she called the two covenants her two breasts, and eyed the Mediator as the end of the law and the author of faith, and had light enough, under that dark dispensation, to see that no day's man was fit to make up the breach, but him. Feeling his love, she says, "A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts." Song, i. 13. Her faith viewing him as the fulfiller of the law, and the glory of the gospel, she rests satisfied with the sanctuary service, until the blessed period should arrive, when her beloved Lord should be revealed. "until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the Hill of frankincense." Song, iv. 6.

As for the caution against allegorizing and spiritualizing the word of God, I see the Saviour and his apostles perpetually at it.

Solomon's preference given to the lowly mind, in the presence prince, Prov, xxv. 7, is brought in by the Saviour as a check to the pride of Pharisees, in their choice of the highest and is intended to shew how he differs from the humbled believer, who, like the prodigal son, begins his religion with a sense of the plague of his own heart, and a keen hunger for the bread of heaven, before he sits down to feast on the fatted calf, Luke, x v.

Elihu's comparing his heart, filled with divine inspiration, to a bottle that had no vent, Job, xxxii. 19, is brought in by the Savior to shew the necessity of a new heart and a new spirit; "but new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are preserved," Matt. ix. 17.

Job's description of the eagle, Job, xxxix. 30, is introduced by gird, to skew the destruction of Jerusalem under the Roman eagle; but much more to shew the entertainment of heavenly minds, who by faith, "feed on his own flesh and blood, as their spiritual meat and drink," John, vi. 53; and sweetly prefigures the certain protection of the elect beneath the shadow of his wings great and terrible day.

The two mountains mentioned by Moses, Gerizim and Ebal, Deut. xxvii. 12, are an allegory. Mount Gerizim, where the blessings were to be pronounced, prefigured the church of Christ, on which the Spirit of God pronounces the benediction, and was a figure of "Mount Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessings, even life for evermore," Psalm, cxxxiii. 3.

Mount Ebal, from which the curses were to be pronounced, prefigured Mount Sinai, where the law and its curse were given, and is Hagar in the allegory, and "agreeth with Jerusalem that now is, and is in bondage with her children," Gal. iv. 24, 25, and reaches to every work-monger in the whole world, "for as many of the works of the law are under the curse," Gal iii. 10; so it will appear in the great day, when the Judge will say to Zion (on which himself was crowned king), Come, ye blessed of my father; - and to Hagar and her bond-children (who rejected reign), Go, ye cursed; these two will appear to be Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal with a witness; and there the blessing and the curse will remain to all eternity.

Ahimaaz. The things which you have mentioned, my brother, are consistent with the analogy of faith, and your method is well calculated to bring the word of God down to a holy familiarity with the weakest believer; which certainly is a method that every man of God ought to adopt, or aim at, more than shewing his human learning, or knowledge of the languages; for Paul says, "he would sooner speak five words to the edification of the church, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue," 1 Cor. xiv. 19. For, as he observes, an unintelligible teacher is a barbarian to the people, which made the apostle determine to use great plainness of speech, 2 Cor, iii. 12. And to be sure I have often felt the binding effects of legalizing the gospel myself, since I set out in the paths of wisdom; and have been entangled more than once by their legal ministry, Gal. v. 1.

But as for you, my brother, you have certainly great natural parts, a very strong memory, and have been very studious in the scriptures; this is plain, for you appear a ready scribe, well instructed in the law.

Cushi. I believe men of the greatest natural parts in all the world, are at this time either deists or atheists. The greatest scholars are in the greatest confusion: - the most studious men are the most ignorant of God - and those of the strongest memory are the most freighted with the rubbish of heathenism. The greatest natural logician is the farthest from the basis of sound reason; and he that is wisest in his own conceit, is the greatest enemy to the wisdom of God.

Natural abilities are the gift of God; and if they are not influenced by the holy Ghost, they are always turned against the giver. But the spiritual man will own with Paul, that if a man be wise in divine mysteries, the word of wisdom is given him. If discerning, it is in divine light that he sees light. If stable in confidence, the word of faith is given him. If divinely knowing, the word of knowledge is given him. If strong in memory, it is the Spirit that brings all things to his remembrance, whatsoever the Lord hath said unto him. All these things worketh that one, and the self same Spirit, dividing his gifts severally as he will, I Cor. xii. II. God will never give the glory of his grace to men's brains, nor his praise to graven images, Isa. xlii. 8.

Ahimaaz. True, my brother; "every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, or shadow of turning" James, i. 17. And every gracious man will acknowledge this to the honour of the great benefactor; for as the prophet says, "let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the mighty man in his might; nor the rich man in his riches. But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord," Jer. ix. 24. And indeed I have always found the most pure liberty, the greatest love, and the greatest encouragement to confidence in God, ministered to my soul from such pure and evangelical conversation as yours. But I would wish to be led by the voice of my teachers, and so to steer between the two extremes. For my part, I am for the middle way.

Cushi. I do not rightly understand thee, my brother. If by way, you mean the way to God, the middle way is one of your own devising. There are but two ways to heaven that God has devised; the one is by perfect, spiritual, and perpetual obedience, agreeably to the command. "He that doth these things, even he shall live in them. If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." The other way is, by faith in Christ, which Paul calls "the new and living way which God the Saviour hath consecrated through the veil; that is to say, his flesh," Heb. x. 20.

These are the only two ways that lead to life, that are opened in the scriptures; therefore, he that devises a middle way, is in reality a despiser of both. If a man will enter into life by works, righteousness must be a perfect conformity to the law. This must be his legal righteousness; and if perfect, it gives him a legal right. The gospel righteousness is one ready wrought out by the surety, and received by the faith, both which must be brought from the law.

The Pharisee, he sticks to the old covenant, and trusts in his merit, being too proud to beg. The sensible sinner, he is humbled to receive the wedding garment, as the gift of God. The way to God, by faith in Christ, Paul calls the new and living way, to shew that the other is both dead and old; and, indeed, it is a way that none but the Saviour ever went to God in.

The flaming sword has cut off all that ever attempted to touch the tree of life in that way. "By the deeds of the law shall no living be justified." Therefore, the middle way that my brother speaks of, is a way that was never cast up by any of the servants of God. The law says to all that are under the law, there is none righteous, no not one. God will never meet any sinner (as a reconciled God) in that way: "He meeteth none but those that rejoice, and work righteousness, and those that remember him in his way," Isaiah, lxiv. 5

Never attempt an entrance where God has never opened a door; the end of such, according to Peter, will be worse than their beginning; for, as he says, it had been better for them not to have known the right way at all. The Father dwelleth in me, and I in him, says Christ; and Christ crucified is the only way to the Father. I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by me.

The prophets and apostles laboured hard to clear and cast up this highway; and those that God guides into it, are to say, "Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling blocks out of the way of my people," Isaiah, lvii. 14; lxii. 10.

As thou hast received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, and never aim at a middle path. God complains of this, and says, " My people have forgotten me; they have burned incense to vanity; and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths in a way not cast up," Jer, xviii. 15.

Ahimaaz. You seem to be quite an original; that is, you are for the pure old apostolic religion, and for a perseverance in spiritual worship, in the naked simplicity and truth of the gospel; which is certainly right, and I believe that the main current of scripture runs in your channel. Those who watch the Spirit's teaching, and compare it with the word of God, and who find the approbation of God with them, and testimony of a good conscience, certainly walk the safest, and will find the most sensible support from the Almighty in a trying hour.

Your conversation is very spiritual, and very entertaining to me. It brings a deal of my past experience fresh to my mind; and, for my part, I know not when I have met with so agreeable a companion, nor when I have spent so comfortable a hour.

Cushi. It is to be lamented that there appears so little spiritual conversation among professing people. Heavenly conversation, cheerfully delivered, keeps the word of God alive in one's heart. It causes it to dwell richly there, in all utterance, in all knowledge, and spiritual understanding. It stirs up the gift of God that is in a man; and the more such an one scattereth the truth, the more he increaseth his stock, Prov. xi. 24. So that the speaker is edified, as well as the hearer; for, as Solomon says, "he that watereth, shall be watered also himself," Prov. Xi. 25.

Ahimaaz. True, my brother; but all the children of God have not that experience and judgment that you seem to be favoured with. There are many hoping souls that cannot find words to press a reason of their hope. They are bashful, timorous, and perplexed with many doubts and fears; and they are fearful of speaking wrong, or laying a presumptuous claim to that which they have no right to, as the tempter often suggests.

Besides, there are many professors who have more head-knowledge than heart-felt experience, and these often criticise and contradict the simple lispings of a babe in grace; and when they have been served so a few a times, they are like parrots, you cannot make them talk again.

Cushi. That is what I never liked. I have often heard strange muddy language from a young Christian; but I never chose to stop his mouth, if I found but the least savour with it; for although a great I is brought in at every sentence, as the chief agent, yet after they have had a few falls, I have observed that the great pronoun has been left quite out of the question, except it has appeared in its proper place, in declaring what evil they have done, or what Free grace has done for them. In this God fulfils his promise, "by turning to the people a pure language," Zeph. iii, 9. Poor Peter lost the great I in Satan's sieve, and so do others; but as for criticising their words, and contradicting them, is very wrong. When weak believers have been served so, they will act with their tongue as a young child does with its feet; after they have deceived it once or twice, it will hang about the mother, and you cannot make it venture upon them again.

For my part, I am very fond of having a weak believer in company: He, and the poor sensible sinner, the diligent seeker, and the earnest inquirer; are the people that the old Christian find's the greatest liberty with, as may be seen in Ezekiel's ministry. He stands dumb before a carnal multitude of lifeless professors, without a word to say. "I will make thy tongue-cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover," Ezek. iii. 26.

But to the young believer, who had fled to the God of Israel for refuge, his tongue was loosed. "In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shaft speak and be no more dumb," Ezek. xxiv. 27.

Our great apostle boasted of this. "O ye Corinthians, our mouth is opened unto you - our heart is enlarged," 2 Cor. vi. 11. But in Rome he found his spirit chained, and his tongue fettered; and therefore he solicits an interest in the Ephesians' prayers for him, that utterance might be given him - that he might open his mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which he was an ambassador in bonds, that therein he might speak boldly as he ought to speak, Eph. vi. l9, 20.

Ahimaaz. It is true, my brother; we generally find young believers the most thirsty after divine knowledge; and the most attentive to the lips of wisdom; and, as the prophet says, the priest's lips should preserve knowledge, that "inquiring souls may seek the law at his mouth," Malachi, ii.7. Yet you know they are not capable of supporting an argument, or carrying on spiritual conversation, which is the point that you are insisting upon.

Cushi. I would sooner be in company with a "young and a wise child, than with an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished," Eccl. iv. 13. Our Saviour's company consisted altogether of such weaklings; and one half of the parables left upon record, were drawn from the mouth of the Saviour by simple inquiry. By their asking him questions, they drew water with joy out of that well of salvation, Isa. xii. 3.

And I wish there was a little more of this in practice in our days. Many young Christians would be useful to old ones, by stirring up the well-spring of life in them; and would, at the same time, find their own bowels refreshed, by the spiritual counsel, advice, or instructions, which themselves might draw. The established Christian that has drunk into the Saviour's spirit, has a divine spring within him, which is often low for want of thirsty babes to draw it out. The Lord has promised, that whosoever cometh unto him, and drinks, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water; if the weak believer would grow, let him draw, John, vii. 37, 38.

And on the other hand, an experienced minister, by being in company with young believers, and observing their questions and answers, gets a more satisfactory reason of the hope that is in them, than he can get at an appointed church meeting, for which they have prepared themselves by premeditation; and are often led and confounded by an audience.

Ahimaaz. It is a great blessing to a young Christian to have an experienced pastor to attend on, in his doubtful state; for the impressions of God's laws on a sinner's heart, are as difficult to as the hand-writing on the wall of Belshazzar's palace. The king trembled when he saw the fingers that wrote, Dan. v. 5. And we tremble no less when we feel the hand-writing that is against us, Col. ii. 14. And he that becomes an interpreter, as I was to Job, must have the Spirit of God in him; for it is inspiration of the Almighty that must give him understanding Job xxxii. 8.

The queen of Babylon saw the need of this, when she perceived the emptiness and ignorance of the astrologers and Chaldeans. "There is a man," said she, "in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods [implying that the spirit of unholy devils was in the others]; and in the days of thy father light and underling and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, chaldeans, soothsayers; for as much as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and skewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation," Daniel, v. 11,12.

This woman has drawn a most excellent portrait of a minister of the spirit; and as she found the need of such a spirit in her husband's confusion, so many foolish virgins, who now call inspiration enthusiasm, will in the great and terrible day of the Lord, for the same inspiration; "give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out." Solomon calls the divine impressions of God's made by the Spirit of God, deep waters.

Cushi. Yea, and when these deep waters are stirred by a spiritual conversation, they will spring up, and influence both the lions and the tongue of the speaker as they rise. "Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out," Prov, xx. 5. And as these waters are drawn forth, so they refresh, strengthen, purify, and comfort others that hear the conversation; as speaketh the wise man "The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters; and the well-spring of wisdom as a flowing brook," Prov. xviii. 4. An experimental believer has always something to say, when young Christians ask him questions; for the "heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips," Prov. xvi. 23.

Ahimaaz. Indeed, my brother, I feel the blessed effects of what you assert on my own spirit, for I find my understanding much enlightened into the word of God, my heart is enlarged, my affections are warmed, my bowels are refreshed, and my judgment much established. For my part, I never met with so precious a companion before. Such conversation leaves no guilt on the conscience; it does not send one home with a secret sting, as has too often been the case with me, when I have left a company that had nothing to discourse about but worldly matters. I have felt the wretched effects of it afterwards in my closet, when I have come to face God in prayer; while, on the other hand, divine converse furnishes the mind with a suitable frame for prayer and praise; and I think this is Solomon's meaning, when he says, "A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth," Prov. xii. 14. But what would some think of this conversation of ours? I believe it would appear mere nonsense to many of our learned masters of arts.

Cushi. As for master of arts, it appears to me an arrogant title. Professor of arts would sound much better; for there is a mystery in every art that has puzzled the best of them, and ever will. "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning" He is the grand master of all; and in the strictest sense there is no other; because there are so many mysteries in every art that they are not masters of. Hence I have often thought that A.M. and M.A. have stood for two lies. The best art is divinity; and I believe this is one of the last that many young students are put to the study of. They must be filled with heathenism first; and if God calls them by grace, their heathen stock serves for fuel, into which the devil often throws his darts, by tempting them to atheism and deism. The man that knows God, and himself, is the happiest, the wisest, the most useful, and always will appear the brightest character in the world: for it is said that the kind of Babylon communed with such, "and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah. Michael, and Azariah; therefore stood they before the king: and in all matters of wisdom and understanding that the king required of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all realm," Dan. ii. 19, 20.

The best botanist in the world is that man that can give the most saving description of the tree of life, that blessed plant of renown, Ezek. xxxiv. 29. Job tells you the root of it was found in him, Job. xix. 28 Paul says, the wild Gentiles were grafted into it, and partook of its fatness, Rom. xi. 19. John says, "the leaves of it are for the healing of the nations;" compare Rev. i. 2, with Isaiah, liii. 5. Ezekiel tells us, "the fruit thereon shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine," Ezek. xlvii. 12 and the spouse tells us its branches are for a shadow, Song, ii.3. The Lord favour you and me with a heart-felt union with this tree, then shall our leaf never wither, nor shall we cease from yielding fruit: "He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing."

Indeed the Christian has something to do with various arts. He is an astronomer when he has found out the bright and morning star, Rev. xxii. 16, and sensibly felt it rise in his heart, 2 Peter, i.19. This blessed light is succeeded by the heat of the Sun of righteousness shining on the soul "with healing in his beams," Mal. iv. 2. The best star that ever the eastern sages found, was that which led them to Bethlehem, where the star of Jacob lay, Num. xxiv. 17. We may say the same of all other arts. God make us such navigators as shall gain the haven of everlasting rest; and such geographers as shall find out the new heaven and the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Blessed be that philosopher that has found the pearl of great price; and for ever blessed be that anatomist that has crucified and dissected the old man with his affections and lusts. And is not that man the best prognosticator, that, from the testimony of a good conscience, can say with the Psalmist, "he shall guide me with his counsel, and receive me into glory?" If so, then I take it for granted that he also will be found to be the best builder at last, "who has heard the gospel and obeyed it; and, like a wise master-builder, has dug deep and founded his faith and hope on the rock of Israel; when the rains descend. and the winds blow, and the floods come and beat violently upon that house, it could not be moved, because it was founded upon a rock," Luke, vi. 48. All arts and sciences besides these, will be of little use in the day of judgment; and as they have a tendency to hit graceless men up with pride, and to set them above the pure and simple word of God, they are not worthy of the name of wisdom, as speaketh the prophet: "The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is there in them?" Jer. viii. 9.

God, as the God of nature, hath given many excellent gifts and parts to men, though fallen. Beauty, wit, skill, and wonderful ingenuity, as may be seen in the writings of atheists, deists, and other heatherns; but, without preventing grace be given, they are sure to be exercised to the dishonour of the bountiful Giver. The greatest part of our university education consists in plundering the natural abilities of heathens. I have observed men of acquired learning, who have discoursed with the sublimity of a Homer, yet at the same time seemed as destitute of natural and spiritual abilities as Peter the wild boy, who was found in the woods of Hanover. Such only shine in the natural abilities of others; and their borrowed language, from the native idiot, is as distinguishable as the parrot's note from the person's voice which it mimics; for, as the wise man saith, "excellent speech becometh not a fool," Prov. xvii. 7.

Ahimaaz. To be sure there are no acquirements like the pure gifts which flow from God, who is the giver of every good and of every perfect gift; and when God gives Grace to sanctify a natural gift, then it is of great use; "a man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men," Prov. xviii. 16. And certainly it is a great blessing to the church of God, while Christ, the stone of help, is the substance of the gilt, and used in the awakening of sinners, and establishing of saints: "a gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; whithersoever it turneth it prospereth," Prov. xvii. 8. And for my part, I have read many volumes of learned and gracious men's nervous reasoning against error, and erroneous men; such as volumes of sermons to prove the being of a God, the authenticity of the scriptures, the reasonableness of the Christian religion, &c. which I could never get either establishment or comfort from.

Cushi. The volumes of sermons, and other treatises, that have been written to prove the being of a God, have brought many to doubt of such a being, where no doubt ever rose before about it. And as for proving the authenticity of scripture by scholastic reasoning, it is like lighting of a taper to find out the sun when he shines in his meridian. All systems of error that have ever been published, are like Ahab's harness - there are always joints enough left open for the arrow of vengeance; the word of God is sufficient to mar every false system, however compiled, and that God will let them know when he sweeps away the refuges of lies.

The natural propensity of a man to sin against the light of nature, the guilt that he is perpetually stung with the fear of death and judgment that he is always in bondage to, the checks that he feels before the commission of sin, the violence that he is obliged to offer to his conscience afterwards, the reflections that he often makes, and the judgments that appear abroad in the earth, &c. &c. are quite sufficient, not only to prove the existence of God, but the cognizance that he daily takes both of them and their actions. And this is sufficient also to prove the authenticity of his word: for there is not a corruption that stirs in man's heart, not a lascivious thought that roves on his mind, not a crime that he commits, not a cogitation that he feels, nor a judgment that he fears, but what are discovered by a divine ray in the secret oracles, and flash many awful convictions on the conscience of every transgressor. This shews the law written in their hearts and if an appeal to God, to scripture, to conscience, to creation, and to the accomplishment of the prophecies, are not sufficient to convince them, scholastic reasoning will hardly do it. The man that will daringly deny the hourly verdict of his thoughts, and the perpetual decision of his own conscience, is more hardened than the devil himself; for Satan never denied the conviction that he felt, nor the vengeance he feared, in all the outcry that he made in the days of our Lord's ministry. There is not an erroneous man in all the world but what fulfils some part or other of the scriptures. God has promised to "send strong delusions, that men may believe a lie," and be damned for rejecting the truth, and taking pleasure in unrighteousness; therefore I think such desperate sinners are not worth the notice of a divine; "they are subverted, and sin, being condemned of their own consciences," Tit. iii. 1; and "to reprove such scorners, is to get one's self a blot," Prov. ix. 7.

The Almighty, as the God of salvation, can never be discovered in his gracious purposes but in his own rays; as saith our blessed apostle, "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," 2 Cor. iv. 6.

Ahimaaz. My dear brother, I never felt my soul so sweetly entertained and established in my life, as I have by your conversation. I have often wished to know the mind and will of God in many of these particulars which you have mentioned; you are as Elihu was to Job, "according to my wish in God's stead," Job, xxxiii. 6; for I am like the two disconsolate disciples, when the Saviour overtook them, and opened up, explained, and applied the scriptures, till their hearts burned within them. And indeed, if you had not spoken against the sufficiency of human learning, I should have thought you a professor of the languages, a doctor of divinity, a master of arts, a critical reviewer, an antiquarian, and a fellow of the royal society.

Cushi. You may take me just as you please. I profess something of the language of Canaan; and I think he is the best doctor that is the most useful to souls; a sound divine is a professor of the best art; the man that knows truth from error, is a valuable critic; he that has made his calling and election sure, is a good antiquarian; and he that is sound in faith, is a fellow of that society that is "divinely and eternally royal," 1 Peter, ii. 9; Rev. v. 10.

Ahimaaz. I perceive thou art a man of humour, as well as a man of grace, and certainly have a competent measure of natural abilities, as well as a profound experience; this I think appears plain to any observer; and as God has been pleased to send both into a ministerial channel, I believe they will appear much to his own honour, the good of his own people, and to the confusion of the enemies of his cause.

Cushi. What I am, I am by creation and grace; you may discover me better than I can discover myself. But be assured of this, that there never were five pounds laid out upon me for human polishing since I have been in the world; nor is my deficiency in human learning any impediment in the way of usefulness. If God the Holy Ghost prepares a man's heart, and takes possession of it, he will create the fruit of the lip also, and give that man "a mouth and wisdom that all his adversaries shall never be able to gainsay or resist." And for my part, I have often thought that human leaning has robbed God of one half of the glory that is due to him. I have read Cave's Lives of the Fathers till my heart has heaved at the work to see how the creature has been exalted. The leading account of every character is the piety of their ancestors; just as if grace was hereditary: secondly, their aptness to outstrip all others in human learning: thirdly, their mortifying their bodies in a cave; just as if the devil and the old man of sin was not to be found in a cave, as well as in a city. And as for the Holy Ghost, he is hardly mentioned, though there is no such thing as "mortifying any one deed of the flesh (to good purpose) but through him," Rom. viii. 13; and if grace be mentioned in that book, it is slightly touched just at the conclusion of a narrative.

Calamy's Life of Baxter is just such another rotten jumble of human excellency. The Holy Ghost is the regenerator, the renewer, and the ornamentor of every real Christian; and if he be not glorified by us, we shall surely be debased by him; "for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed," 1 Sam. ii. 30; or, as the Saviour says, "he that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted," Matt. xxiii. 13.

Ahimaaz. It is right, certainly, that God "in all things shall be glorified through Jesus Christ." But allowances, my brother, must be made: some Christians have been drawn altogether by love, without any convictions at all; these, not feeling the plague of their hearts, nor the awful arrest of divine justice, will remain of a legal tincture, and their language is far from being pure. These are not properly evangelized, they are not brought off from all confidence in the flesh, consequently they will not savour so sweet of the dear Redeemer as those who have been chased by the terrors of law and justice to embrace him as their only refuge, and lay hold of him as the only hope set before them.

Cushi. God is a free agent, and will work on his people as it pleaseth him; but to be converted without repentance, to be born again without soul travail, to be forgiven without being convinced we have nothing to pay, to be healed without feeling our sickness, and to be saved before we find our selves lost, is a mystery to me, and must remain so.

That God often begins to allure a soul by gospel promises, I do not deny; but such generally find travail, and sickness too, before they arrive at God's tabernacle, or dwell on his holy hill. I have observed some persons, who have had their sharpest struggles with law and conscience, even on their death beds; and the very pains of death have hastened the pains of their spiritual birth, so that the birth of their souls just preceded the death of their bodies; such have gone to glory, full fraught with the cordials of divine consolation. This I think agrees with the gospel sense of this text: "But when the people of the land shall come before the Lord, in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship, shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate, shall go forth by the way of the north gate; he shall not return by the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it," Ezek. xlvi. 9. And although some, as you observe, are very legal, and savour too much of the flesh, yet I believe, if they belong to God, that he will permit their fleshly confidence so often to deceive them, that they will be led to feel after him, who makes his strength perfect in our weakness; and as his blessed arm is made bare to them, they will be careful to speak to the honour of him whose power they feel; thus he turns to the people a pure language.

Ahimaaz. I have formerly observed several things which you have mentioned; and while you have been speaking, they have occurred fresh to my mind; but I have not been so strict an observer of the works of God, and of the blessed teachings of the Holy Spirit, as you have, which is both my sin and my loss; as speaketh the Psalmist, "Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord," Psalm, cvii. 43; and the more the loving-kindness of the Lord is seen, the more is the faith of a believer increased and encouraged. And sometimes God permits an unbeliever to be forcibly struck with real convictions, while he beholds the visible hand of God in supporting and bringing his own children out of difficulties - as the Queen of Sheba was struck at Solomon's wisdom; their false hopes give way, and their language is like that of the Psalmist, "I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord, in the land of the living," Ps. xxvii. 13.

Cushi. The man that watches the dealings of God with him, both in providence and grace, he shall find the Lord's promise daily verified: I will, says God, make all my goodness pass before thee. Such watchful souls shall see many an obstacle removed, many a precious promise turned up, many an intricate providence made straight, many a knotty experience unriddled, many an enemy entangled in his own counsel, many a hint dropped for faith to catch, many a glorious beam to direct his steps, and many a sweet drop of divine consolation will be poured as an oil on his soul, which will dissolve the stubborn heart, and divinely sweeten and soften every unruly faculty: "Thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord, and with favour will he compass him as with a shield."

The penitential moan of Adam, as pathetic Milton paints it, is worth the notice of every tender-hearted Christian:

This most afflicts me, that departing hence,
As from his face I shall be hid, depriv'd
His blessed count'nance; here I could frequent
With worship place by place where he vouchsafed
Presence divine, and to my sons relate
On this mount he appear'd, under this tree
Stood visible, among these pines his voice
I heard, here with him at this fountain talked
So many grateful altars I would rear
Of grassy turf, and pile up every stone
Of lustre from the brook, in memory,
Or monument to ages, and thereon
Offer sweet-smelling gums, and fruits and flowers.
In yonder nether world where shall I seek
His bright appearances, or footsteps trace?
For though I fled him angry, yet recall'd
To life prolong'd and promis'd race, I now
Gladly behold though but his utmost skirts
Of glory, and far off his steps adore.

The answer is as sweet as the other is moving:

Doubt not but in valley and in plain
God is as here, and will be found alike
Present, and of his presence many a sign
Still following thee, still compassing thee round
With goodness and paternal love, his face
Express, and of his steps the track divine.

Ahimaaz. Certainly a man cannot live in the fear of God, unless he doth consider himself daily in the immediate presence of him; and to feel his supporting hand, to enjoy the testimony of his Spirit, to find his approbation with one, and his power manifested in leading one on, and holding one up in the face of all opposition, enables a man to rejoice, and say with the Psalmist, "the Lord is on my side, I will not fear what man can do unto me." And I have often thought that God has, and still doth, reveal himself by his Spirit to many souls in the world who have not the word of God preached to them by men; or, in other words, who have not the means of grace as we have; and I have at times got comfort from these thoughts with respect to the poor heathens.

Cushi. As I observed before, God is a free agent; but I do not desire to be wise above what is written. I have read the prophecies of the ten Sibyls, and certainly there is a deal of truth in them, though it be sung with wild notes; and if they are allowed to be prophetesses of the Lord, they are witnesses in your favour. But our great Apostle doth not countenance you at all: "It is written," saith he, "that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved; how then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed; and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard; and how shall they hear without a preacher, and how shall they preach except they be sent?" Rom. x. 14; and Christ says, "Preach the gospel to every creature, and he that believes shall be saved, and he that believes not shall be damned," Mark, xvi. 16, 17; and again, "This gospel must be preached in all the world for a witness, and then shall the end come," Matt. xxiv. 14. I believe, if you and I were to travel throughout the heathen world, where they are destitute of the word of God, we should never be able to find a soul converted to Christ; nor do I read that Paul found one in all his travels.

Ahimaaz. I think, in some things, then art rather too contracted, my brother; for my part, I would wish ever to possess an open and catholic spirit. I have observed many things in thy conversation that discover an unbecoming narrowness. Paul tells us that "we should not be straitened in our bowels: and he speaks unto us, as his children, that we should be enlarged," 2 Cor. vi. 12, 13. It was a sweet spirit that God gave Solomon; it is said that "he gave him enlargement of heart, as the sand that is upon the sea-shore," 1 Kings, iv. 29. And this is what that eminent saint of God (I mean Jabez) prayed for; it was, that God wouldest bless him indeed, and enlarge his coast," 1 Chron. iv. 10; and I hope that God will favour thee with the same, my brother, for indeed a narrow, contracted, bigoted spirit, is a very bad one.

Cushi. I am much obliged to thee, but there are several expressions of yours which I object to. I have often that Moses himself, if he was upon earth in our day, would be accused of a narrow spirit; for he declares to an audience of six hundred thousand souls, "Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; the great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs and those Great miracles; yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. And I have led you forty years in the wilderness," Deut. xxix. 2, 3, 4, 5. This part of Moses's doctrine would be censured in the present day, as the effects of a contracted spirit; and certainly it differed much from the universal spirit of Corah, Abiram, and Dathan; for though Moses declared Israel to be blind, ignorant, and insensible, yet they declared them all sanctified, and in the presence of God, and warmly rebuked the bigotry of Moses and Aaron: "For they gathered themselves together against Moses, and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them; wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?" Numb. xvi. 3. The contracted sermon of Moses, and the declaration of this catholic company, differ widely. Moses declares them blind and insensible - these declare them all holy, and God's presence among them; but it happened with there according to the wise man's saying, "There is a just man (as they supposed themselves to be) that perisheth in his righteousness; and there is a wicked man (as they supposed Moses) that prolongeth his life in his wickedness," Eccl. vii. 15; and so it happened here - for Moses outlived Corah and all his company. They perished from the congregation with all their candour - they went into the pit alive with all that they had; while Moses, with all his contracted spirit, died at the mouth of the Almighty; or, as it might be rendered, without offering any violence to the text, that God kissed him to death.

Jesus Christ himself was viewed as one of a contracted spirit, when he told the Nazarenes, "that many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, but to none of them was Elias sent but to Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow: and many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them were cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian." These sovereign and discriminating acts of God, appeared to the Saviour's audience as the effects of a contracted spirit, and therefore they were determined to break his neck: "And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill (whereon their city was built), that they might cast him down headlong," Luke, iv. 25-29. But the Scribes and Pharisees were of a more catholic spirit; for they excommunicated none unless he confessed the true faith of Christ: "For the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue," John, ix. 21. Nor did the Pharisees presume to anathematise any but the real elect of God, "this people that know not the law are cursed," John, vii. 49. You see these open catholic clergy admitted all to their communion, but the Saviour and his few chosen followers. So the devil had full possession of the synagogues, while the rulers and scribes defended their sire, and stuck to his counsel: "Have any of the rulers believed on him?" John, vii. 48. No, they adhered to their own progenitor; and it was not without cause that the Saviour said unto them, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do," John, viii. 44.

Ahimaaz. You are got quite into irony, my brother; there was no call for such a tart reply. I only meant that Christians should judge charitably, and not entertain too contracted an opinion of a very few being saved; and by an open and catholic spirit, I mean, that we should love all ranks of professing people, though they differ from us in doctrines and worship; we should spread the mantle of love over their errors, where we have reason to believe that the root of the matter is in them.

Cushi. I desire to love all that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth. This is the love that Paul possessed; he loved all that loved our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth; and if they love Christ sincerely, the root of the matter is in them; and if they love him in truth, then they will not differ from us in doctrine. That soul that loves Christ in truth, will not stand in need of thy mantle to cover his errors, for love is the root of all real evangelical obedience; while, on the other hand, enmity is the root of all rebellion: and although a young believer cannot see eye to eye with an old one, yet he will not fight against any truth that is brought from the word of God; love will produce the obedience of faith-charity believeth all things. The soul that opposes any plain truth does not love Christ in truth, nor does he love him in sincerity, because he is not obedient. The new creation is full as uniform as the old; God did not send man into the world to walk about without a head, nor does he create a soul anew without giving him an understanding: "We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding," 1 John, v. 20. God has not only promised the spirit of love, but he has promised the spirit of a sound mind also. I have heard people talk of persons being evangelists in heart, though legal in judgment; but Christ tells us that we are to know the heart by that which proceeds from it; if so, an erroneous judgment proves a rotten heart. My reason for answering thee so sharply is, because I have heard so much of late about an open catholic spirit, that it seems to be a cant word, that stands for any thing or nothing. We have many in our days who seem to be very open in their sermons, crying out, "Come all, Jesus stands with open arms to receive you; roll yourselves upon him: my soul for yours if he casts you out." And yet these men that preach this universal gospel, are so incensed at the cordial-reception of a returning prodigal, that they would rob him of his kid, and stop his mouth from declaring what God has done for his soul. I am a living witness of this truth, and so are thousands more Their resentment has run so high, that the entreaties of the Father of all Mercies is not sufficient to bring them into an acquiescence with his sovereign display of discriminating grace. It appears as if they would have been better pleased if he had perished in his own deceivings, than they are at the Father's receiving him safe and sound.

Now Moses was of a different spirit from these; for although his doctrine was nothing like theirs in latitude, yet his heart was as wide as their sermons. When a young man ran and told Moses, saying, "Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camps, and Joshua said, My lord Moses forbid them; his open reply is, Enviest thou for my sake? I would to God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that he would put this Spirit upon them," Numb. xi. 27, 28, 29. If this be an open spirit in reality, how little of it have they got who will load a sound testimony with scandal, and use their utmost endeavour to hinder the usefulness of those that God is pleased to send into the church.

The bible will hardly furnish us with a minister (who pretends to preach Christ) of such a spirit as this, except it be Diotrephes; and God says nothing in his favour. "I wrote unto the church (said John); but Diotrephes who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words; and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church," 3 John, 9, 10. This man is one of a catholic spirit; he kept John himself out of the pulpit; he forbad his epistles being read to the congregation; he would admit no labourer that John sent into his pulpit, and those that would have let them preach in their houses, he forbad also; and if they disputed his usurped authority, he excommunicated them; or, as the text saith, he cast them out of the church. This man was a lord over God's heritage; and this wretched spirit is cherished too much in our days.

For my part I wish never to hear the word catholic again. It is a word that, I believe, was coined in Egypt at the time of the dispute between that dreadful monster Arius, the grandfather of our present Arians, and Athanasius, whom God raised up to oppose him. The cause of Satan against Christ, carried on by Arius, was called the Arian cause, or the Arian faith; while, on the other hand, the cause of truth, pleaded by Athanasius, by way of distinction, was called the catholic cause, or catholic faith; so that those souls that enjoyed the Father's love, the Saviour's atonement, and the Holy Ghost's testimony in their souls, were styled people of the catholic faith; while those that ridiculed and abused the Lord Jesus Christ, declaring him a mere creature, were called Arians, being the recipients of his damnable heresy, as the Holy Ghost styles it, 2 Pet. ii. 1.

While the true faith flourished at Rome, those believers that were of that city were styled Roman Catholics; but as they have now trusted a pope in opposition to Christ, and have cast out his word, and introduced their own superstitions vanities instead of it, and yet appropriate the name catholic to themselves, it is now big with nothing but mischief: for he is deemed the best catholic that opposes truth, kills the saints, and burns the bible; therefore it is high time to drop the word, and bring in those that are better understood, and that are of a more ancient date; such as, saints, believers, children of God, disciples of Christ, partaker of the Spirit, the household of faith, &c. are terms that have a better meaning than a catholic man, catholic spirit, and catholic church. Let us be no longer plunderers of the whore of Babylon; let her names go with her relics, merit, and all the rest of her trumpery, and let us say, Good rid of bad rubbish.

Ahimaaz. I find you are no friend to the Roman Catholics, and yet you are beholden to them; for your Common Prayer books were entirely of their composing, only our reformers purged out some few popish dregs-such as praying to saints and angels, &c. &c. And you know we have many good and able ministers of Jesus Christ, who exalt its excellency publicly above all extempore prayer; and others who were not in the establishment when they took on themselves the ministry, are taking the form with them, even at the risk of the bishop's displeasure; yea, and some have spent hundreds, if not thousands of pounds at law, in order to secure the use of it. What do you think of this?

Cushi. Suppose I was to go tomorrow into a town where the gospel had never been preached, and where there was not a soul to be found that was converted to Christ, and I should preach from this text, "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his," Rom. viii. 9; and I was to declare, first, the sufficiency of a form of godliness without the power; secondly, the necessity of regeneration; thirdly, shew the operations of the spirit from the word of God; fourthly, that God seeketh spiritual worshippers; and lastly prove, that the Holy Ghost is sufficient to work faith, to sanctify the soul, and prepare it for the reception of Christ; and sufficient also to lead the believer on in a course of spiritual devotion, as the spirit of Grace and of supplication; and four souls, under this discourse, should be convinced of the sufficiency of their formality; should you not think that I had acted the faithful part in handling the above text in that manner? and that God had approved of it by four persons being; under it?

Ahimaaz. I should think that you had taken the nest step that could be taken to undermine their sandy foundation, and to shew them the necessity of being made new creatures in Christ: and I am fully persuaded that God's word would bear you out.

Cushi. Then suppose there should come a gospel minister the week following into the church, and he should preach up the excellency of the form, cast a few reflections on dissenters, and speak lightly of extempore prayer, and settle these four convinced souls on their old bottom again, would he not "build up that which I had destroyed?" Gal. ii. 18; and if so, who would be the transgressor?

Ahimaaz. Certainly he would.

Cushi. Then you have decided this matter? And I believe there are many in our days, who are destitute of grace, bitterly prejudiced against many ministers that God has sent, who preach and pray as the Spirit gives them utterance, who hear the gospel, but place all their hopes in the form. And when these unleavened formalists hear a gospel ministry cry up the excellency of the form, and ridicule spiritual petitions, their self righteous souls are fed with the venom of asps; their native prejudice against pious dissenters is fixed the firmer, and they are wickedly and deceitfully established on the old basis of depraved nature this is no part of the work of an evangelist.

Ahimaaz. Do you think, my brother, that ever the Lord Jesus set their own souls at liberty in answer to the form of prayer? One would think that he had, as they speak so highly of it, and so lightly of extempore prayer.

Cushi. No; God permits none to prevail with him, but those who by the Spirit's intercession pour out their souls before him in faith, under a sense of want, and in a language expressive of their own troubles. And I will be bold to say, that if my brother could be in the study of these good men on some Saturday evening, or Sunday morning, when their bible is as a sealed book, Satan buffeting them, their mind confused, their judgments bewildered, a congregation gathering together, and no text opened to them, no thoughts springing up, altogether unfurnished for the pulpit; he would then see them upon their knees before God at hard work, without any service-book in their hands; he would hear their groaning petitions; see their tears; and be convinced that the whole business was carried on between God and their own souls by those very extempore prayers which they publicly speak so lightly of.

Ahimaaz. If this be the case, we must act with good men's bigotry, as the Saviour bids us to do with bad men's precepts: he tells us, "not to do as the Pharisees do, but to do as they say;" but here we must not do (in this matter) as these good men say, but as they do.

Cushi. If you do so, you will do right; for if the supplications of the Holy Spirit will not prevail with God, no human compositions can.

Ahimaaz. I believe there was at one time near two thousand ministers of the gospel in this country that exposed themselves to many hardships for their non-conformity to the Common Prayer; at times has led me to think very lightly of their sufferings; I have heard many good men who preach the same doctrine that they did, and yet contend for, and highly extol, the kings that their consciences could never conform to. I have thought that their non-conformity was the effect of a stubborn and rebellious spirit, and their sufferings were only in defence of a blind and misled conscience. This must be the case of those non-conformists, or our present advocates for the form must be in the wrong, one of it; and I confess your present conversation it has brought it as a puzzling matter of debate afresh to my mind; and for my part I am not able to decide it.

Cushi. It is true there were great numbers that suffered hunger, cold, and nakedness: moreover bonds and imprisonments; yea, and even death itself, rather than conform to the rules of the Common Prayer Book. And if they did it in defence of a blind or misled conscience, we may say of their sufferings as David said of the death of Saul's general" - died Abner as a fool dieth," 2 Sam. iii. 33. Yet I think it is easy to the matter between the ancient non-conformists and our present advocates: the non-conformists had the whole word of God on their side, but the others have not.

It is a blessed thing that men have no dominion over our faith, and that our faith is to stand in God's power, not in man's wisdom; but he that attempts to establish my faith on a human forms endeavours to settle it in the wisdom of men, instead of the of God. Faith is the gift of God the Father: a grace from god the Saviour's fullness; and is wrought in man by the operation of God the Holy Ghost; and in the promised aid of God, and in the powerful operations of Father, Son, and Spirit, it must stand, and nowhere else.

I know there are many venerable and valuable characters, whom God has called to the ministry since their first ignorant attempt to qualify themselves for it at a university; and in that sphere they will shine, while they abide with God, wherein they were called; but as the current of scripture does not flow in that channel, and as their souls were not delivered in answer to that form, and as they make use of extempore prayer in their families, and between God and their own souls, I think they might forbear their public reflections on those prayers which have done so much for them.

Ahimaaz. Pray, my dear brother, what may I call thy name?

Cushi. My name is Cushi.

Ahimaaz. Of what country, pray?

Cushi. I am an Israelite; and blessed be God, through his rich grace I hope I am an Israelite indeed.

Ahimaaz. That I firmly believe; for flesh and blood could never reveal the things unto thee that I have heard from thee; surely the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel; and the light and savour that my soul has felt under thy conversation is an additional proof of it, for the excellency and the power of religion is all of God. I wish my brother would relate a little of the dealings of God with him; I should be all attention - my heart is sweetly becalmed - my seat is pure easy; I do not believe that I should be tired if I was to sit here all night; nor do I believe that I should feel the want of food; my very body has lost its appetite since my soul has been at this banquet.

Cushi. I can hardly help laughing at thee, my brother, for thou sayest I could sit all night, when we have done that already; it was twelve o'clock yesterday when we met under this tree, and now it wants half an hour of the same; we have sat just twenty-three hours and a half; surely, if some people were to hear thee, they would say as the giddy multitude did of Peter and John, "that they were full of new wine." As for thy body having lost its appetite is no wonder; the body and soul are closely united, and both interested in the covenant of grace. If the soul is burdened, the countenance of the body will proclaim it; the knees will tremble under its burden, and the whole animal frame will feel the effects of it. But, on the other hand, if the soul be enrapt in the vision of faith, as Paul was, it is so forgotten that the soul cannot relate whether the body was in the company or not; when the soul is indulged with the smiles of God, the body forget both its wants and its infirmities, as Elijah did when his body fasted forty days, after the angels had entertained him under the juniper tree; or like Abraham, who at almost an hundred years old, ran to the tent and ordered an entertainment for the best guests that ever visited the world.

David certainly heed some meaning when he said, "My heart my flesh crieth out for the living God," Psalm, lxxxiv. 2; on the other hand, the terrors of God on his soul made "the beauty of his body to consume away like a moth," Psalm, xxxix. 11. But I shall proceed to give my dear brother some account of the dealings of God with me, and I shall do it with pleasure; never find my spirit more in its element than when, like David, I am telling others who fear God, "what he hath done for my soul," Psalm, lxvi. 16. And indeed I think this is doing the work of an evangelist, much more than relating what we have for God.

In my younger days I was one of a melancholy turn of mind, was kept in perpetual bondage through the fear of death; and at certain seasons I was rather devotional, after the manner of the Jews, but very ignorant of the nature and being of Jehovah. Nor did I ever rightly consider his omnipresence, his universal providence, his care for, nor his government of the world, until the great stir was made in Israel about David, the son of Jesse, killing the Goliath of Gath. The report of that wonderful act forcibly struck me; the thoughts of his formidable and panoplied antagonist, and the unarmed stripling (I mean David) going against him with no other armour than faith in God, whom he so often styles the shield of his help; surely, he was clad with zeal for the Lord God of Israel, as with a cloak. His bold declaration to his formidable adversary, and the wonderful event that justified his confident prediction, wrought wonderfully upon me, and effectually brought me to believe, "verily that there is a God that judgeth in the earth."

From that time I was led to watch narrowly the hand of God with that eminent man; and in my heart said, as Ruth said to Naomi, "Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." I saw him in so blessed a state, and so visibly defended and upheld by the Almighty, that at times I was provoked to jealousy, and secretly envied him his happiness, yet would have given all the world for a part or lot in David's God, whom he so often styles the portion of his soul.

Ahimaaz. You bring many things to my mind; but to break in upon your warm conversation would extinguish the glowing fervour of your spirit; go on, my brother, I am all attention.

Cushi. I soon heard of Saul's hatred to David, of his cruel jealousy, and of his attempting to kill him; and some, who were very much attached to Saul, represented David in a bad light, and took the part of Saul as one appointed, anointed, and set up by God himself, to be king over Israel. These things at times staggered me; and David's killing the Philistines, and scalping three hundred of them, in order to obtain Saul's daughter for His wife, was very puzzling to me. But I still observed that the protecting and delivering hand of God was evidently with him.

Jonathan, who I believe was a good man, his tender regard for David, his espousing his cause, and exposing himself to all the rage and malice of his father, and loving him as his own soul, often brought me to believe that there was a divine union between them; and indeed before ever I obtained boldness to speak to the sweet Psalmist of Israel, I felt something of the same blessed unction on my own soul. One thing greatly confounds me, and that was David's going down to the cave of Adullam, and appearing at the head of such a set of vagrants; - for all that were in distress, and all that were in debt, and all that were discontented, they gathered themselves unto him, and he became a captain over them, 1 Sam. xxii. 2. This I could not easily get over, that such a set of men should join themselves to him; and that a favourite of heaven should put himself as commander in chief at the head of such a ragged regiment.

But when Saul's awful apostasy from God was made known of his seeking to the witch of Endor for relief and counsel, of the band of God that went out against him, of the miserable end that he made, together with the wonderful deliverances that God wrought for David, of Samuel's attachment to him, of the best of saints loving him, and of the almighty power of God that levelled all his enemies, and exalted him on the throne of Israel, in spite of all opposition, I was so confirmed 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 l was an eminent type of the much desired and long-looked for Messiah, who is the only sovereign of Israel, David's sun, 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, and 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 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 a husband. 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," 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 two (saith God) 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; and 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: 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. xxv.

I considered the poor distressed troop that went to the cave of Adullam, as prefiguring the poor sensible distressed sinners who become the followers 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 him; and of his marriage with her? She seemed to be one after his own heart, both as a sensible woman and as a saint of God. She prophesied 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, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him," I Sam. xv, 25. Do offer me your thoughts upon that circumstance; for I evidently see that there is a spiritual vein of choice that runs through the whole body of divine revelation.

There certainly is; but in running 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 Esau's birthright when compared to that which it 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 our own thoughts to each other on the word of God, offending the Almighty Saviour, for he bids us to "search the scriptures;" and says, "they testify of him." 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 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 heaven-born 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 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 to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him," John, vi, 44. Christ, in the character of a bridegroom, receives such ritual union with himself, and holds them fast in the 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 hath the bride is 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, and predicts 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, first, she comes 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 security in his house, and nowhere else; and the Saviour is called David, Ezek. xxvii. 25; and his church is called the house of David to this day, Zech, xii. 10. Thirdly, he assigns a reason for this, "because my lord fighteth the battles of the Lord," even as Christ overcame the world: "Yet a man is risen up to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul," as Judas and the Pharisees did the Saviour's. "But the soul of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God," as representing the union between the Saviour's human nature and his godhead. "And the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out as out of the middle of a sling;" as the Saviour will one day cast away the enemies of his cross.

Thus she came to David with spiritual language; and "every one that hath learned of the Father cometh unto me" (says Christ). Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the kind of Israel (saith Nathaniel). Thou art Christ the Son of God (says Peter). Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee (says the Saviour), but my Father which is in heaven. Abigail now concludes with a persuasion of the King's exaltation, and a petition in her own favour: "And it shall come to pass, when the Lord shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;" as Christ was to be afterwards "upon the throne of David, to order it and establish it with justice and judgment for ever," Isaiah, ix. 7; "but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid;" as the poor thief upon the cross said unto the Saviour, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. The answer that Abigail got contains a blessing on the Lord for his goodness, a blessing on Abigail whom the Lord had shut, and a cordial acceptance of her person; "And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the God of Israel, which sent thee this day to me; and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with my own hand. So David received of her that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and accepted thy person," 1 Sam. xxv. 35. These blessings may typify the blessings the Lord gave on the mount. David's not avenging himself, shews how the Saviour left his Father to take away Judas, and "every other branch in him that beareth not fruit;" and thirdly, it shews the prevalent intercession which believing souls make for the wicked; as Abraham's intercession for Lot and the inhabitants of Sodom was a staying of the Lord's hand, for a time, from the four cities of the plain; and as Abigail's intercession kept the sword of David "from Nabal and all his house."

Ahimaaz. It is said of Abigail, that she was "a woman of understanding, and of a beautiful countenance; but the man was churlish and evil in his doings," 1 Sam, xxv. 8. I wonder that a gracious woman should submit to be so unequally yoked together with an unbeliever; and especially with such an evil churl as he was.

Cushi. We are all as closely wedded to the law, as a covenant of works, as she was to Nabal; and the law is as churlish as ever Nabal was; for it not only threatens us with the anger of God, but with hell also; hence it is said to be an "adversary," Luke, 7, 58, and "against us," Col. ii. 14. And as Abigail was barren to Nabal, so is the sinner to God under the law; but when Nabal was dead, then she married David. So when we see the law to be a killing letter, "and that it cannot give life or fruitfulness," Gal. iii. 21, then we may go and be espoused to the spiritual David, "who is to be a prince for ever," Ezek. xxxvii. 25, as Abigail was to typical David. Paul is very plain upon this: "Know ye not, brethren (for I speak to them that know the law), how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband; so then, if while her husband liveth she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God," Rom. vii. 1, 2, 3, 4.

Ahimaaz. David certainly was a most eminent type of the Messiah; and blessed be God, I can see a great deal of choice gospel matter and experience where I never expected to find any; and I find that the humble approach of Abigail to David, her intercession for her household, her humble petition for herself, her free-will offering to feed his followers, and her earnest desire of being remembered in future by him, tallies with my own experience; for I could have put my mouth in the dust, if so be there might be hope for me in the dear Redeemer, Lam. iii. 29. And I wrestled hard with the Lord for my friends also, as she did for hers; and as for the followers of Christ, I took pleasure in relieving them when I could; and, like her, I then begged, and still beg to be remembered in future by the Lord; and I am sure I have often obtained as sweet an answer from David's Lord, as she did from David; and some of the same words in it, "Go in peace, I have accepted thee," has often been a sensible answer to my prayers.

If David was so sweet a type of the Messiah, then his ambassadors; that he sent to great Nabal in his name, must be typical of the ambassadors of Christ; for they said to Nabal, "Peace be unto all that thou hast." And this agrees with the Saviour's message sent by his ambassadors: "Into whatsoever house you enter, say, Peace be to this house; and if the Son of Peace be there, your peace shall come upon it, and there abide, eating and drinking such things as are set before you," Luke x. 5, 6, 7. What do you think of this? Do not you think it right? for they were to carry peace from David, and receive victuals from Nabal, but he gave them none.

Cushi. I think you are very right; and they fared just as many of the Lord's ambassadors do in our days; they neither receive their message, nor afford them relief, but impiously rail on them as Nabal did, asking, "Who is David? shall I give my victuals unto men whom I know not whence they be?" Thus he sent the ambassadors away, both empty and ashamed. But what was the consequence? why you see that the message of peace was received by a daughter of peace, namely Abigail; "and the sword was drawn against every male in all the house," lam. xxv. 13, 22. And though, by the intercession of the daughter of peace, the sword was sheathed for a time, yet "the Lord God of recompenses will surely requite," Jer. li. 56. And that many of our legal self righteous worldlings will find, one or other, as Nabal and Israel of old did, when there will be no son nor daughter of peace left to stand in the gap. Abigail's intercession prolonged Nabal's life but a few days; and Israel of old at one time, found no intercessor, and consequently no respite. "And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by messengers rising up betimes and sending, because he had passion on his people and on his dwelling-place; but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and used his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy," 2 Chron. xxxvi. 15, 16. Even so the Saviour will one one day punish the covetous worldlings as God punished Nabal. "I was an hungered, and you gave me no meat;" this was the crime of Nabal, who refused to relive the Lord's anointed; and as David's wrath was kindled for the contempt of his message, and the indignity done to his servants, so will the Lord say, "As ye did it not unto these my brethren, ye did it not unto me; and these shall go away into everlasting punishment," Matt. xxv. 46.

Ahimaaz. I see that every part of God's word is pregnant with divine instruction, and affords the child of God sweet entertainment; but David's messengers met with better treatment when they went to espouse Abigail to David: she treated them with the greatest civility; they did not go home ashamed as before.

Cushi. And so will all the Lord's servants be treated by the elect; whom, as Paul says, they are sent "to espouse to the one husband, that they may present them as chaste virgins to Christ," 2 Cor. ii. 2.

Thus I have shewed thee, my brother, by what way I was led first, namely, by observing the good hand of the Lord upon another, even David, as many others have done since. From these observations I was brought to an acquaintance with David, and to enjoy an union with hire; and in time I became one of his messengers after he was established on the throne of Israel, and continued with him all the time that Absalom's conspiracy was carried on against him, and. even to his death.

I was with the army of David when the rebels were defeated in the wood of Ephraim, 2 Sam. xviii. 6. And I was sent by Joab, the king's commander, to bear tidings to the citizens of Mahanaim of the death of the conspirator, and of the defeat of the rebels, 2 Sam. xviii. 21. But alas! it happened to me, as it has done to many more; I began to be lifted up in my office; I thought it so great a thing to be a messenger of the Lord's anointed; and indeed it was, for God evidently blessed and prospered every faithful friend that David had: but, to my shame, I forgot myself, and my bountiful Benefactor also, who had brought me not only to be a loyal subject of David, but a subject of a spiritual and an everlasting kingdom; nor did I daily acknowledge, as I ought to have done (and as I used to do), the good hand of God with me, which had fixed my station so nigh the king's person. My first backsliding step was ingratitude; and the next sin which always attends it, is remissness in duty, and this leads to carnal security, and these procured my wretched fall, which soon followed; for, as Solomon says, - "a haughty spirit goes before a fall."

Ahimaaz. The dealings of God, both in providence and grace, have been wonderful with you indeed; and one would think that a soul so deeply impressed with a sense of divine goodness, and daily compassed about with such visible displays of the tender care and rich mercy of God, could never become so insensible and ungrateful; but alas, I know by sad experience, "that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it?" Jer. xvii. 9.

But pray, what was your fall, my brother? for I long to compare notes with you, for I have been down myself, as shall be related before we part, if God permit and you approve, for I am neither tired nor hungry, nor do I believe I shall if I sit here all the week.

Cushi. Why, as I grew proud and self-sufficient, I grew independent of God, and neglected prayer; this gradually brought deadness and barrenness on my soul, and consequently I became dry and unsavoury in my conversation; some of the king's devotional friends began to slight me on this account, and when I perceived this I began to shun the most spiritual part of the royal household, and to cleave to them who were but half hearted to David: and this led me to associate with some who secretly favoured the house of Saul. This alienation of affection from David alienated my affections from David's God also; the man the saints of God in his heart can find no communion with God himself; "he that hateth his brother abideth in darkness," and if he does, he cannot find his way to God. From this time I felt an hatred rise in my heart against the Lord's anointed, and against his most loyal friends; and when I have heard the king exult and triumph in the discriminating favour of God towards him, I was inwardly galled at it, and especially on recollecting that speech which he made to his wife Michal, "It was before the Lord which chose me before thy father, and before all his house to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel; therefore I will play before the Lord," 2 Sam, vi. 21. I shall not relate the wretched construction that my wicked mind put upon the words, but I found an enmity rise in my heart against him; nor could I rejoice in his rapturous speeches, and heavenly acclamations, as I formerly had done. I found the words of pious Job to be true - "Envy slays the silly one," Job. v. 2. But the circumstance that wound my jealousy and envy up to the height, was David's giving up the five sons of Saul to the Gibeonites, to be hanged on the mountain of Gilboa, 2 Sam. xxi.

Thus my love waxed cold to David, and I consequently lost my sweet fellowship with his God; and all by a false spirit. I also justified in my heart the conduct of "Rizpah, the daughter of Ajah, when she took sackcloth and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of heaven to rest on their bodies by day, nor the beasts of the field by night,"2 Sam. xxi. 10. All my rebellion was levelled at God himself, who had left Saul, but swore to David that he would never leave him. We be to that man that knowingly espouses an interest that God has blasted; this was my sin, and I paid dear for it; I acted contrary to the visible testimony of God, which justified the king: "for David's servants performed all that the king commanded, and the Lord was entreated for the land," 2 Sam. xxi. 14.

Who could ever think that there could be such deception as this vessel of mercy? That a heart once in union with the saints, and inflamed with love to God, could ever be so damped in affection, both to God and his family, as to feel a sensible enmity against both, and be prejudiced in favour of apostates? But, as my royal master says, What is man?

Ahimaaz. And pray how did the Lord deliver thee, my brother?

Cushi. The death of David shocked my very soul, and awfully alarmed my conscience; and the report of his last dying words, "Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure; for this is all my salvation, and all my desire," Sam. xxiii. .5, extorted Balsaam's confession from my heart, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his," Num. xxiii. 10. I soon felt the loss of the sweet Psalmist of Israel; and found, by woeful experience, what a dreadful thing it is to cherish enmity against a favourite of heaven whom God is determined to bless. But in reading my royal master's writings, which God was pleased to bless, I felt my soul revisited with the blessings of real repentance for my past folly, for which I must ever remain a debtor to the unchangeable love of God. I found my mind fit for nothing but silent solitude, and therefore I took David's book of Psalms in my hand, and determined to tread in all the footsteps (if possible) that he had gone; and when I came to any spot where he had been visited by the Lord, and delivered from any particular trouble, my soul felt such an unutterable love to him as cannot be expressed; indeed I never knew his worth till I felt my loss. And verily God made me feel all that I had read of his writings, just as if it was all my own experience; surely this is going forth by the footsteps of the flock, Song i. 8.

I went and wept over his sepulchre by the hour, and felt an affection to his remains, as I believe the sleeping dust of Samuel and other holy prophets had often affected David himself - He had took pleasure in the stones of Zion, and favoured the dust thereof, Psalm cii. 14. Thence I came into the valley of Becca, and read what David said of that; and I am sure I enjoyed and felt every word of it, until I took his words as my own, and spoke to my long suffering and propitious Redeemer in the language of his eminent type and faithful servant David; and, through the superabounding and recovering grace of my covenant God, I am arrived at Hermon. Blessed be God, I have been now for some weeks under the sweet teaching of that divine instructor that taught me the path of life at first, and God grant that I never may fall, nor stray from him again, neither in heart nor in life.

Ahimaaz. Wonderful are the works of God, and wonderful has mercy been to thee, my brother; I think the union you have with David's spirit in his writings, is what another means he says, "We are come to mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the spirits of just men made perfect," &c. Heb. xii. 22. The real believer, that has fellowship with the Father and the Son, by the Holy Ghost, is of one spirit with all the heavenly family; for we find a union of sentiment with them - we see as they saw - and are in the path of tribulation that they were in; are under the influence of the same spirit, and find a love to them, a union with them, and a hope of joining them, and enjoying their company all eternity.

Cushi. It certainly is the apostle's meaning; for we are united to the same end of influence that glorified souls enjoy above; there is but one blessed Spirit that unites the elect family both of heaven and earth to one head; only we "have but the first-fruits Spirit," Rom. viii. 23, while they enjoy "the inheritance of the saints in light," Acts, xxvi. 18; for, as a good man says, Grace is glory begun below, and glory is grace in perfection. But let me hear a little of the dealings of God with thee, my brother.

Ahimaaz. Pray do not you know me?

Cushi. No, not that I recollect.

Ahimaaz. Do not you remember a person that pressed upon o carry tidings after the death of Absalom, when the rebels routed in the woods of Ephraim?

Cushi. Yes, I do, his name was Ahimaaz, a fresh coloured young man. He was one that brought the wretched counsel of Ahitophel to David.

Ahimaaz. You are right; and I am the man. "Hushai the Archite sent me with tidings to the king," 2 Sam. xvii. 14, and I was obliged to stay by "Enrogal, the king's gardens, for fear of being taken by Absalom's spies; and at last I was hid in a well by a good woman who was a lover of David," 2 Sam. xvii. 17, 18,19.

Cushi. Why you are much altered since that time.

Ahimaaz. Yes; I have had a good deal to humble me since that, and blessed be God for it; for though I have been sorely afflicted, yet it has been for the good of my soul; for I find where there are no inward nor outward trials, there is no growth in grace; but when once a heart has been thoroughly humbled, a little cross will bring it low.

Cushi. I am glad at my heart to see thee, my brother; and especially to find thee a lover of the great and blessed Messiah.

Ahimaaz. Not more glad than I am to see thee, and especially to find thee a scribe so well instructed.

Cushi. But do tell me how thou camest acquainted with David at first, for I almost forgot thee; for, to the best of my remembrance, thou didst not abide long in the king's service; nor do I remember the cause, nor the time of thy going out.

Ahimaaz. My father's "name was Zadok, a priest and a Levite," 2 Sam. xv. 24; and he received a charge from David "to carry the ark from following him back to the city," ver. 15. My father being a priest and a Levite, he was much in favour with the king; and indeed David sometimes styled him a seer and a prophet; and therefore, as David's confidant, he sent him back as a spy over the conspirators, and I went with him, as you read; "The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer"? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiather," 2 Sam. xv. 27.

My being the son of a pious priest, as well as a seer, I learned to talk of religious matters fluently; and being kept close to the worship of the Jews, as well as to family prayer, I was capable of speaking in prayer, and had an outside appearance of sanctity; and indeed thought at times that I was a real saint and prophet of God, as well as my father: but, alas! I have found since, that grace is not hereditary; it is the gift of God, and from God we must receive it for ourselves, if ever we are saved.

Cushi. All the principles of religion that children learn by rote from their parents, be they ever so sound, they will give them all up when they are brought under deep convictions; and be just as self righteous and as self-willed as the most stubborn Pharisee in the world, until God brings them out of bondage, and then he will apply those wholesome truths to their heart, which before had only a lodging in their head.

Ahimaaz. Indeed, my brother, that is a true assertion, I know it by experience; whatever doctrines are instilled into people's heads by men, will easily be drove out by men, unless God apply them by the Holy Ghost.

But to proceed: I was sent by my father, in company with Jonathan, to carry tidings to David from Hushai; and when we had delivered our message to the king, I considered myself a consequence; first as the son of a seer - secondly as a messenger to the king, and, thirdly, as a loyal subject to David when so many rebelled against him. This was followed with the tidings of Ahithophel's having hanged himself. I saw the Lord had answered David's prayer when he said, "O Lord turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness;" and was much surprised at the terrible judgments by which God had answered it. I secretly 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 side, because I was with the Lord's anointed. And indeed this awful judgment falling on so great a man, in answer to David's simple prayer, so 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 Absalom was slain, and thought myself a man as sufficient to bear tidings as any in Palestine. I earnestly pressed upon Joab to let me go, but Joab would not send the tidings by me, though I used much importunity.

Cushi. You are not the first man, my brother, that has been forward at this work, nor will you be the last; those that have the fewest tidings to bear are the most forward to run, and they that have nothing to say are sure to outrun them that have; but if ever God sends them with tidings, they will have all their ground to run over again; for if they are true messengers, they must go all the way in regeneration which they went before in external profession.

Ahimaaz. True, my brother; and so I have found it: for after Joab called and sent you with the tidings, I was grieved at it, though he told me that I should bear tidings another day, but then I had 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 said Run; so I set off by the way of the plain, and so outran you, 2 Sam. xviii. 18 to 23.

Cushi. Ah, that is often the case now-a-days; there are many before they are sent: 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 so - there: are last that shall be first, and first last; for many are called by the gospel, but few chosen of God, and fewer still to bear tidings, Matt. xx. 16. "The race," says the wise man, "is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong," Eccl. ix. 11. Many a wise man has mistaken the road, and missed the mark, while "the fool has not erred in the path," Isa. xxxv. 8; and when the great spoil was divided, "the lame have took the prey," Isa. xxxiii. 23.

But pray what were the chief motives that so strongly 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 less danger when he runs with tidings, for he is exposed to the arrows of every scouting party.

Ahimaaz. I have often observed that when the citizens of Zion have set a watchman upon their walls, to observe the approach of an enemy to their liberties, or an ambassador of peace; if the latter has appeared, as soon as the "watchman lifted up his voice, and gave the watch-word," Isa. lii. 8, the citizens would immediately climb upon the walls, and when they saw the messenger gain the summit of a hill, they would cry out, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth," Isa. lii. 7; and as soon as he drew nigh the walls the porter would open the door with such joy to see him, and cry out, "Come in, thou blessed of the Lord, why standest thou without?" Gen. xxiv. 31. And as soon 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 stood publishing them, some would smile, others weep, some triumph, and same could hardly keep audience for joy; and when he has ended his oration, some have wept over him, others have thanked God for sending him, others wishing to hear the same tidings over again; and, to be short, all those that prized their liberties have showered the blessings of heaven upon his head. Indeed some few, that knew not what a citizen's liberties were worth, have gone away railing at the messenger and message both; but the citizens who were free men, have followed them up with such sharp rebukes, and have so justified wisdom's messenger and message, that they have skulked away with a fallen countenance, like those who once accused the adulterous woman before the great Messiah.

By these observations I clearly saw that there was a double honour belonging to the office; and I have secretly envied the messenger, and coveted the honour of his holy calling, These were my motives; and I thought with myself thus: - My father is a priest - I have good learning, and can speak with a more audible voice than he, and have sublime expressions at command to convey tidings, - arid 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 Messiah, and not of us; and "those that honour him he will honour," 1 Sam. ii. 30.

Ahimaaz. Blessed be God I know that now; but, as I before observed, these were my motives; and as I knew the citizens of Mahaniam would all be longing for tidings, I was determined to get their praise; therefore I strove to outrun you, though I sweat for it.

Cushi. And when you came to the city, pray what did you say.

Ahimaaz. Oh, I made a poor tale of it; "The king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? and I answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was," 2 Sam. xviii. 29.

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

Ahimaaz. No, far from; their seeing me run so fast raised their expectation very high; and the watchman crying out, "The running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok," 2 Sam, xviii. raised it still higher, so that they expected good tidings, and an eloquent oration from the son of the seer. But, alas, all their expectations were cut off; and their very countenances were expressive of the effects of their starving disappointment; my false gift, of which I had boasted, was (as wisdom says) "a cloud, and wind without rain," Prov. xxv. 14; and so the citizens found it, for they got neither refreshment nor hope from my tidings.

Cushi. But I suppose you thought that you should cut a figure among them when you set off, did you not?

Ahimaaz. O yes, that I did; for I thought the very word tidings, and a few encominums put upon the king, would be enough to set all the citizens in an ecstasy; for I had observed in the tidings of others, that many praises on the king were introduced, therefore I was determined not to leave these out.

Cushi. And did you cry out tidings, and praise the king.

Ahimaaz. And you may be sure that I tried to mimic others as well as I could; I made a great outcry, I bowed my knees, and I praised the king: "I called out and said to the king, All is well, and I fell down to the earth on my face before the king, and said Blessed be the Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men drat lifted up their hand against my lord the king," 2 Sam. xviii. 28; but when they began to inquire into particulars, I was obliged to tell them that "I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was," 2 Sam. xviii. 29.

Cushi. And suppose any of the citizens had asked you who sent you, what should you have said to them?

Ahimaaz. Had that been the case, I could not have answered them at all, for indeed I was not sent; I only got leave of Joab to run after you, when indeed my intent was to run before you, and that only for the sake of applause.

Cushi. The man that bears tidings, ought to shew both his mission and commission; and if the citizens are satisfied with these, they will shew him respect, and give him audience too, whether his tidings be disagreeable or pleasing. How wouldest thou have acted if they had scrutinized thy knowledge of heraldry