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same time, made to ourselves and our own habits of thought and action, of Life and conversation: Since They were Written under DIVINE Inspiration equally for our Instruction and Admonition. And when we know These Things, (and so manifest are They for such Great and Gracious and Eternal Purposes, that he who runs may read Them ;) happy, and only so, shall we be, if we act upon Them. And, on the contrary, wretched and miserable, and so everlastingly shall we be, if, as we have means and opportunity, and according to our ability in our several circumstances and situations, we regard Them not.

** St. Luke, in conclusion of his Gospel Record, after a like description of CHRIST's Benediction to His Disciples, and His Ascension in their Presence, adds, "And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and were continually in the Temple, praising and blessing GOD. Amen!"-Chap. xxiv. 52, 53.

Such is the effect of Faith; such the fruit of Holiness. There is a Joy unspeakable and Full of Glory, a Peace, that passeth the unspiritualized Man's understanding, a Hope, that almost realizes the Happiness of HEAVEN, which belong to them who, from their hearts, believe in the Necessity and Sufficiency of CHRIST's Mediation, and who, in submissiveness to The DIVINE Will, and in subjection to CHRIST's Authority, go the Way That He hath Appointed for them; neither Principalities nor Powers, neither derision nor scorn, neither evil report nor malicious persecution, neither pains nor bonds, nor even Death itself inducing them to turn away either to the right or to the left from such faith and obedience unto Holiness.

St. John, or his Disciple, to whom he confidingly delivered the manuscript of his Narrative of The Gospel, terminates his Record of The Gospel by this solemn verification of It, and with an assertion of the unnumbered and numberless Works and Manifestations of the Wisdom and Goodness of the Soul-Loving JESUS, saying, "There are also Many Other Things, Which JESUS Did, the Which, if They should be written every One, I suppose that even the World itself could not contain the Books, that should be written. Amen!"-John xxi. 25. Thus difficult does it seem to the Evangelist's mind to select, from So Rich and Exhaustless a Mine, the Treasures Which should do the fullest Justice to The DIVINE Mission of The SON of GOD. But happily, Enough is thus Furnished, under The HOLY SPIRIT's Guidance, to convict the heart of sin; to stir up the spirit of repentance ; to awaken a sense of hopelessness of DIVINE Favour, but through The Great and Gracious Peace Offering Made in the Mystery of the Condescending Merey and Love of The SON of THE MOST HIGH. And justly is The Gospel Interpreted as The Blessed Tidings of Reconciliation and Everlasting Peace unto All, who, with meek hearts and firm faith, so receive and apply It. Let us, therefore, "hold fast the faith, as There Proposed, in the Unity of The SPIRIT, and in the Bond of Peace; adding to that faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience Godliness, and to Godliness Brotherly kindness, and to Brotherly kindness charity;" that, believing in the Mercies of The FATHER, our CREATOR, and trusting in the Merits of The SON, our REDEEMER, and yielding to the Guidance of The HOLY SPIRIT, our SANCTIFIER, we may have the Assurance of Eternal Salvation and Sanctification. Thus will not CHRIST have Suffered for us in vain ; but we shall be Restored to the Likeness of His NATURE, and may cherish the hope of sharing the Riches of the Fulness of His Favour in Time and in Eternity. Amen! So be it, in Thy Mercy, and in Thy SON's Love, O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!

THE END.

765

INDEX

TO THE

SCRIPTURAL HISTORIES OF ABRAHAM AND DAVID.

SECOND EDITION.

CONTENTS OF THE HISTORY OF ABRAHAM.—

Introductory Remarks on the Connection of Abraham and David, both Prophetically
and Genealogically, with JESUS CHRIST, The MESSIAH

Abraham's birth and marriage

Removal from Ur to Canaan

The ALMIGHTY's Communing with Abraham, and His Signal Benediction.
Abraham's prompt obedience to The DIVINE Command, and removal with his
Nephew Lot

His piety and mode of worship

Address in adjusting a strife between Lot's and his Servants

His military courage and skill in the rescue of Lot from captivity, and forbearance
in declining a share in the spoil taken from the Enemy

Dedication of a Tenth of the Spoil to the Minister of GOD.
Melchizedec's invocation of The DIVINE Blessing on Abraham
Notice of this incident by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews

Intercession with GOD for a lineal Heir, lest the Steward should succeed to his effects
GOD's Encouraging Answer.

Abraham's belief in The DIVINE Promise, and The ALMIGHTY's Estimate thereof
St. Paul's reflections Thereon.

Abraham's mode of relieving his Wife Sarah from the offensive manner of Hagar,
her Bond-Woman, towards her

His

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prayer for Ishmael, his Son by Hagar

The Renewed Promise to and Covenant with Abraham, and the Appointed Change
in his and his Wife's names

Circumcision instituted

Abraham entertains The SON of GOD and attendant Angels

DIVINE Testimony to Abraham's Family and Household arrangements

Supplication to have the Impending Judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah Averted
Faith in GOD's Omniscience, and submission to His Justice.
Abraham's disingenuousness with Abimelech, in calling Sarah his Sister
Efficacy of Abraham's prayer on Abimelech's behalf

Birth of Isaac: his Circumcision

Hagar's mockery of Sarah on becoming a Mother; Sarah's resentment; effect on
Abraham; GOD's Sanction of Hagar and Ishmael's dismissal by Abraham.

Abraham's treaty of peace with Abimelech

Abraham's remonstrance on the violence shown by Abimelech's Servante
Accommodation between them

The great Trial of Abraham's faith and obedience unto Holiness, when Called upon

to sacrifice his Son Isaac

The progress towards the Appointed Place of Offering

Recall of The DIVINE Injunction

Substitution of a ram for an offering

DIVINE Estimate of such obedience, and Promise of endless Generations to Abraham,
and the Crowning Glory of being the Stock from Which The MESSIAH

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Its prominent connection with That of The MESSIAH

DIVINE Appointment of him to be King on Saul's disaffection to GOD's Command
The Prophet Samuel's anointing him as the Chosen amongst Jesse's numerous Sons,
though the Youngest

GOD's Previous Annunciation of His Preference for David

Reflections thereon

Saul's mental malady consequent on GOD's Rejection of him

The Communication of DIVINE Grace to David; Its Consistency with Free
Agency

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Further success against the Philistines

Saul casts a javelin at David, which he avoids, and escapes

Michal's contrivance to defeat Saul's purpose to sacrifice David to his jealousy

David goes to Samuel at Ramah

Saul informed thereof

Saul sends Messengers and goes himself to Ramah: Prophetic Influence produced
on All

David removes from Ramah, and has an interview with Jonathan

David's Expostulation at Saul's unmerited treatment of him: Jonathan's promise
further to intercede for him

Jonathan's pledge to David to give him every countenance and succour in his power,
and to follow any wish expressed by David

Plan suggested by David to Jonathan to sound Saul, by Jonathan's permission for
David's absence from the King's Table on a Festival

Covenant between Jonathan and David of perpetual friendship between them and
their Generations

Jonathan arranges to give secret intelligence to David of Saul's feeling on David's
absence being made known to him

Result of the first day of the Festival

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On the second day, when Saul informed by Jonathan, the violence of the King's
anger such, that he cast a javelin at Jonathan, which the Prince avoided
Effect of such outrage on Jonathan's mind, confirmatory of his fear and grief on
David's account

47

47, 48

Jonathan's fulfilment of his promise to David

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Affecting interview between Jonathan and David, and the piety it exhibiteth
David flees to Nob: His interview with Ahimelech, the Priest, and obtains from him
Shew-bread, and Goliath's sword, under a false representation: Doeg, an
Edomitish Servant of Saul, being present

David's flight to Achish, King of Gath, and feigns madness to escape being treated
as an Enemy

His escape to the Čave of Adullam

David's Brethren join him, and about 400 Supporters: their character

His intercession to have protection given to His Father and Mother by the King of

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David's removal to the Land of Judah by the warning of the Prophet Gad
Saul's remonstrance with his Servants as suspecting their favouring David's conceal-

ment

Doeg's betrayal of David's reception by Ahimelech and the Priest of Nob

Saul's summons of Ahimelech and his Household: the accusation and defence
Saul's sentence of death upon them: All the Servants, but Doeg, refuse to
execute it

Fell destruction both of the Priests and of the Inhabitants and City of Nob
Abiathar, the Son of Ahimelech, escapes and flies to David, and is succoured by him
Keilah being invaded by the Philistines: David consults the Oracle of GOD, and
under Such Sanction, decides to go to its relief

David's Followers beset him with their fears; and David again seeks for and obtains
The DIVINE Sanction to go

David's rescue of Keilah, and acquisition of great spoil

David having fears that the Inhabitants of Keilah might betray him to Saul,
consults The Oracle, and being thereby Forewarned, leaves Keilah with his
Followers

David in the Wilderness of Ziph: Interview there between Jonathan and David:
Interchange of a Covenant of love and devotedness between them
The Ziphites betray David's retreat to Saul; his exultation thereat
Saul's pursuit of David in the Wilderness of Maon, when called away by a Philistine
invasion

David removes to En-gedi, where Saul seeks him; but is himself surprised in the
Cave, and the skirt of his garment is secretly cut off by David
David restrains his Men, when Saul was thus in his power, from sacrificing him
David proves to Saul the personal danger he was in; and David's remonstrance at
Saul's unjustifiable persecution of him

Saul, stung with Self-condemnation, acknowledges David's righteousness; proclaims
his future Succession to the Throne; and exacts an oath of consideration
towards Saul's Family, which David gives

Saul's return; but David's continuance at En-gedi

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Death of Samuel, and his burial, and the general lamentation thereat
David removes to the Wilderness in Paran in the neighbourhood of Nabal, and his

wife Abigail: On their sheep-shearing festival David sends a Deputation to
greet them, and to seek his bounty, David and his followers having contri-
buted to watch over their flocks

Nabal's stern and insulting rejection of David's embassage
David's exasperation at such unmerited treatment, and resolution to avenge it:
Nabal's Servant's representation to Abigail his Wife, of the danger likely to
arise from his conduct

Abigail's wise conduct on the occasion, in her personal intercession with David to
avert his anger and impending chastisement
David's pious acknowledgment of Abigail being thus Made an Instrument in GOD's
Hand to Rescue him from the commission of the contemplated slaughter of
the whole Household of Nabal

Abigail cautiously apprizes Nabal of the imminent danger that had been averted
from him: the effect thereof: Nabal struck with death
David treats for marriage with Abigail; and she becomes his Wife
David's after-marriage with Ahinoam: Michal having been given by Saul to Phalti.
The Ziphites again betray David's retreat; and Saul's pursuit of him: David sends
out spies
David advances on Saul's retirement, and, taking Abishai with him, has Saul in his
power, and is urged by Abishai to take his life; but declines, as Saul was the
LORD's Anointed, and takes only his spear and bottle of water

David's prophetic view of the fatal Destiny awaiting Saul, and of his own Deliver-
ance, from GOD

David's remonstrance with Abner, the Captain of Saul's Host, for leaving the King
defenceless in David's power

David's expostulation with Saul for his unjustifiable hostility

Saul's confession of his error; he pronounces a blessing on David

David's continued fear of Saul leads him to seek refuge in Philistia, with Achish

He obtains a grant from Achish of the City of Ziklag

David's subtle invasion of the Geshurites, Gezerites, and Amalekites, and false repre-
sentation to Achish, who is thereby led to cherish an Enemy in his confi-

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War between the Philistines and the Israelites renewed; and Achish purposes
employing David on the occasion, and to elevate him in his Army

On the death of Samuel, and on Saul's having put away the Wizards of the Land,
Saul consults the Oracle of GOD, but is not Answered; and, amidst his fears,
he seeks a revelation from a Familiar Spirit, a Woman at En-dor: Interview
between them; and, in the result, the Spirit of Samuel is raised, which con-
firms the Predetermined Destruction of Saul and his Sons, and the final
Establishment of David in the Kingdom
Remonstrance of the Princes of Philistia with Achish for Countenancing David; and
rejection of him from taking part in the impending battle, as suspected of
favouring his own Country's cause: Achish advises him to depart secretly
In David's absence from Ziklag, at the Court of Achish, the Amalekites invade and
carry all the Inhabitants and Stock away, and burn the City
The exasperation of his Followers at their calamity almost vented upon
David: His
exemplary piety under the bereavement
Consulting The DIVINE Oracle, David is encouraged to pursue the Captors: meet-
ing with a deserted Egyptian from their Army, their line of march is dis-
closed by him, and David and two-thirds of his Followers pursue and put
them to the rout, recovering the captives and the plunder, besides great
spoil
Division of the spoil; David's considerate interference to secure a portion for the
third of His Followers, who from exhaustion, had not been able to join the
Force: David points to The GOD of Battles as the SOURCE of their
success and establishes a liberal and general rule for the division of spoil
David gratefully sends portions of the spoil to various places, where he and his Men
had been wont to sojourn

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Battle between the Philistines and the Israelites in Mount Gilboa: Jonathan and his
two Brothers are slain; and Saul, being wounded, seeks death at the hand of
his Armour-Bearer, but in vain; and falls on his own sword
Indignities offered by the Philistines to the dead body of Saul: They take possession
of the Cities deserted by the routed Israelites

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