Egypt, as there was of the creation of man, Gen. i. 26. "And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our own likeness." This redemption of Israel was typical of our spiritual redemption. As Israel was redeemed from bondage, from the nations, and from their gods, and as the Lord wrought wonders for them, supplied them with manna, and guided them through the wilderness, so the Lord redeems his people out of their spiritual bondage, and opens the wonders of his love in the death of Christ, supplies his people with heavenly manna for their souls, guides them by his word and Spirit, and receives them into glory.

Ver. 26. And let thy name be magnified for ever."] -This ought to be at all times the desire of our souls, and the summary of all our prayers, the alpha and omega of them we are to begin with "Hallowed be thy name," and end with "Thine be the glory for ever.'

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Ver. 29. "And with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever."]-Literally this was spoken of the reign of the house or family of David upon the throne of Israel, but spiritually of Christ's reigning upon the throne of his father David: that is, Christ, the son of David, reigning over his spiritual Israel, as king in Zion, that his power, authority, and glory, may shine forth for ever, Luke i. 69.

CHAPTER VIII.

David having "sought first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof," settling the ark as soon as he was himself well settled, we are here told how "all other things were added to him." Here is an account, 1. Of his conquests. He triumphed, (1.) Over the philistines, ver. 1. (2.) Over the Moabites, ver. 2. (3.) Over the king of Zobah, ver. 5, 4, (4.) Over the Syrians, ver. 5-8, 13. (5.) Over the Edomites, ver. 14. 2. Of the presents that were brought him, and the wealth he got from the nations he subdued, which he dedicated to God, ver. 9-12. 3. Of his court, the administration of his government, ver. 15. and his chief officers, ver. 16-18. This gives us a general idea of the prosperity of David's reign.

VER. 2." And he smote Moab."]-In which we see even the fulfilment of Balaam's prophecy, Numb. xxiv. 17. Ver. 14. "And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went."--It seems that David went in person, and jeoparded his own life for the good of Israel in the high

places of the field, but God covered his head in the day of battle; and we find that David remembers the Lord's goodness to him, and from a grateful sense of the Lord's love to him, he dedicates the spoils of victory over the enemy to the honour of God's name, ver. 11. This was what crowned all his victories, and made them far outshine Alexander's and Cesar's; for they sought their own glory, but David aimed at God's glory in them all in which respect his conquests were figurative of Christ's conquests over sin and Satan, and his people's enemies, for the glory of his Father.

CHAPTER IX.

The only thing recorded in this chapter, is the kindness David shewed to Jonathan's seed for his sake. 1. The kind enquiry he made after the remains of the house of Saul, and his discovery of Mephibosheth, ver. 1-4. (2.) The kind reception he gave to Mephibosheth, when he was brought to him, ver. 5-8. (3.) The kind provision he made for him and his, ver. 9—13.

VER. 11." He shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons."-Thus David's kindness to Mephibosheth was figurative of the kindness of Christ," who was the root and offspring of David," to weak, impotent, and lame sinners: for the house of Saul rebelled against David, and therefore might justly have been rejected; but David was so far from rejecting the house of Saul, that he enquires "what kindness he can do to them." Thus the family of Adam had rebelled against the Lord, and might justly have been utterly rejected as transgressors; but, O amazing mercy! "the Son of God came to seek and to save them that were lost," Luke xix. 10. Hence it is, that the church is called a city, sought out and not forsaken," Isaiah Ixii. 12. And as David's kindness melted the heart of Mephibosheth, so the love of Christ melts the hard heart, bows the rebellious will, and sweetly wins the affections of the soul, especially when Christ favours the believer to eat of the bread of life at his table, as one of the king's sons."

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CHAPTER X.

This chapter gives us an account of a war David bad with the Ammonites, and the Syrians, their allies, with the occasion and success of it. 1. David sends a friendly embassy to Hanun, king of the Ammonites, ver. 1. 2. 2. He, upon a base surmise that it was ill intended, abused David's ambassadors, ver. 3, 4. 3. David resenting it, ver. 5. the Ammonites prepared war against him, ver. 6. 4. David carries the war into their own country, sends Joab and Abishai against them, who address themselves to the battle with a great deal of condnet and bravery, ver. 7-12. 5. The Ammonites, and the Syrians, their allies, were totally routed, ver. 13, 14. 6. The forces of the Syrians, which rallied again, were a second time defeated, ver. 15-19. Thus did David advance his own reputation, for gratitude in returning kindnesses, and justice in repaying injuries.

VER. 12. "And the Lord do that which seemeth him good."]-Only let us be valiant from a principle of love to our brethren Israel, who are our people, in whose peace we enjoy peace, and from a principle of love to God, for we are fighting for his cities. Thus the relation of persons or things, as they stand in to God, should endear them to us, and engage us to all that we can do for their safety and protection; for when through grace we are enabled to be conscientious in duty, we may with great satisfaction leave the event with God, but not think that our doing our duty is any obligation upon the Lord to grant the mercy we seek.

CHAPTER XI.

What David said of the mournful report of Saul's death, may more fitly be applied to the sad story of this chapter, the adultery and murder David was guilty of." Tell it not in gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon." We wish we could draw a veil over it, and that it might never be known, might never be said, that David did such ill things as are here recorded of him; but it cannot, it must not be concealed; the scripture is faithful in relating the faults, eveu of those whom it most applauds, which is an instance of the sincerity of the penman, and an evidence that it was not written to serve any party; and even such stories as these "were written for our learning,” that “he that thinks he stands may take heed lest he fall;" and that others' harms may be our warnings. Many, no doubt, have been emboldened to sin, and hardened in it, by this story, and to them it is "a savour of death unto death;" but many have by it been awakened to a holy jealousy over themselves, and constant watchfulness against sin, and to them it is " a savour of life unto life." They are very great sins, and greatly aggravated, which here we find David guilty of. 1. He committed

adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, ver. 1-5. 2. He contrived to father the spurious brood upon Uriah, ver. 6-13. 3. When that project failed, he plotted the death of Uriah by the sword of the children of Ammon, and effected it, ver. 14-25. 4. He married Bathsheba, ver. 26, 27. Is this David! Is this the man after God's own heart! How is his behaviour changed, worse than it was before Abimelech! How is the gold become dim! Let him that readeth, understand what the best of men are, when God leaves them to themselves.

VER. 27. "But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord."]-David was guilty of adultery and murder, both of them crimes of a very heinous nature, which arose from sloth and wanton looks, ver. 2. David used, in the day of his trouble, to pray in the morning and evening, and at noon-tide; but this day, being at ease, it is to be feared that he had neglected all prayer and communion with God; thus idleness and sloth give great advantage to the tempter, and to the corruptions of our hearts, to overcome us. God sees and hates sin in his own people, and the more remarkable any are in their zeal for God, the more dishonour do their sins bring to the cause of God, because it is more ingratitude in them than in others. Let none therefore dare to encourage themselves in sin from the fall of David, which is not written for our example, but for our admonition and warning, or for rocks to sail by, and not split against; therefore let us learn to "stand in awe, and not sin," and say, Lord, " deliver us from evil;" for though pardoning love is magnified in forgiveness, yet shall any dare to sin, that grace may abound?" God forbid."

CHAPTER XII.

The foregoing chapter gave us the account of David's sin, this of his repent ance: though he fell, he was not utterly cast down, but by the grace of God recovered, and found mercy. Here is, 1. His conviction, by a message Nathan brought him from God, which was a parable that obliged him to condemu himself, ver. 1-6. And the reddition of the parable, in which Nathan charged him with the sin, ver. 7—9. and pronounceth sentence upon him, ver. 10-12. 2. His repentance and remission, with a proviso, ver. 13, 14. 3. The sickness and death of the child, and David's behaviour, ver. 15-23. in which he gave evidence of his repentance. 4. The birth of Solomon, and God's gracious message concerning him, in which God gave an evidence of his reconciliation to David, ver. 24-25. 5. The taking of Rabbah, ver. 26— 31. which is mentioned as a farther instance that God did not deal with David according to his sins.

VER. 13. "The Lord also hath put away thy sin."]When the Lord had by the prophet brought David's mind, through grace, to a sense of his sin, and a confession of it, he graciously reveals his pardoning love to him, and the prophet declares that "the Lord had put away his sin ;" and we may suppose that David beheld by faith the great sacrifice and sufferings of the glorious Messiah, who actually put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and by his death typically pointed out by the slain sacrifices the Lord had put away his sin; that is, he had transferred it all to the Messiah, as his surety and Saviour. It was imputed to Christ, and charged upon him, and thereby his conscience was eased, and the peace of his mind restored. Secondly, under a backsliding frame of soul we never seek after the Lord till he first seeks after us; for it seems to have been a great while after David had been guilty of adultery with Bathsheba, before he was brought to repentance for it: for when Nathan was sent to him, the child was born, ver. 14. So that it was about nine months that David lay under the guilt of that sin, and, for ought appears, unrepented of. What shall we think of David's state all this while? Can we imagine his heart never smote him for it? or that he never lamented it in secret before God? Nathan was sent to him immediately upon the birth of the child, when the thing by that means came to be publicly known and talked of, to draw from him an open confession of the sin, to the glory of God, and the admonition of others. But during these nine months, we may well suppose his comforts and the exercises of his graces, low, and his communion with God interrupted; during all that time, for certain, he penned no psalms, his harp was out of tune, and his soul like a tree in winter, that has life in the root only; therefore after Nathan had been with him, he prays, " Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and open thou my lips," Psalm li. 12-15.

Ver. 23. "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."]-This seems very expressive of David's satisfaction in the child's salvation, and in his own for where did David go when he died but to glory? therefore he said, "I shall go to him;" which would be a very low expression if it was only spoken of the grave: besides, it could be nothing less than a view by faith of his child's salvation that could give him such a wonderful composure and calmness of soul under the loss of the blessing which he so earnestly desired. "Is any afflicted? let him pray;" for weeping