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sure to go down into the garden. When the towering cedars are torn with violent winds, the dwarf shrubs in the vallies are undisturbed. The man that rides upon the red horse, stands among the myrtle trees that are in the bottom, Zech. i. 8.

Quot. David had experienced the powerful teaching of the Holy Spirit; whereby he had not only seen the truth, but had felt the power of it upon his heart: a sure criterion of his being interested in all the blessings of salvation.

Answ. That David was interested in all the blessings of salvation, none will deny: but, if our friend Timothy doth not describe this power, how is his poor timorous soul to know the difference between those who are blessed with a saving power, and those who are made partakers of the Holy Ghost, have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, and yet fall away? Heb. vi. 4, 5.

Quot. We do not find any of King Saul's expressions which intimate any thing of this nature; yet he was a man of great spirit, and appears to have had great courage and skill; for he had a heart given him to defend the kingdom by the sword: but any inroads or encroachments made on the worship of God, seemed not to affect him. Gallio like, he cared for none of these things.

Answ. This is not all true of King Saul. He proclaimed a fast to the Lord, when he had wrought a great salvation for Israel; he rebuked his whole army for sinning against God in eating

with the blood; and was so enraged at the devil's inroads and encroachments upon the land of Israel, that he cut off those that had familiar spirits, and wizards, out of the land, except the witch of Endor: and all this in his zeal for God; who saith, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." But when his zeal for religion was blown over, and he was given up to desperation, he was as furious against the priests of the Lord as he was formerly against the wizards. However, in this act, he did more execution with the sword of war, than our friend is likely to do with the sword of the Spirit.

Quot. David's heart is seen in his language. "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the delight of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple."

Answ. This evidence will not do, friend Timothy. David's faith, the pardon and forgiveness of David's sins, David's broken and contrite spirit, his godly sorrow, and genuine repentance, are all left out; all which are essential to salvation. Sinners must believe, or be damned; be forgiven, or die in their sins: be brought to contrition, or no Christ in the heart; to a godly sorrow, or no spiritual birth; to repent, or perish. Delighting and inquiring in God's sanctuary, is no saving evidence. Hypocrites may do this, as well as the righteous; and many have done it who will never be saved. "Yet they seek me daily, and delight

to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God."

Quot. If we had eyes given us to see what David saw, we should not be surprised to hear a king speak in such a strain.

of

Answ. True, friend Timothy: but God has not given you eyes to see, nor ears to hear, nor an heart to understand, to this day. This humble acknowledgment, and ingenuous confession, of yours, confirms what I have said, and must say of you, that you are too blind a guide to lead a timorous soul. How great, then, must the presumption of that person be, who assumes the office of a leader and pastor; who affects to be a star in the hand of the Saviour, a candle in the Lord's house, a burning and shining light in the heavens grace; who writes comments on the scriptures, spiritual magazines for the church at large, Looking-glasses for saints, and waymarks for timorous souls? And at the same time confesses, that if he was as much at an uncertainty in natural things. as he is in spiritual, he might hesitate whether he had any personal existence or no. And here he tacitly owns, that God has not given him eyes to see; and yet endeavours to let his light shine before men. "If the light that is in thee be darkness," according to your own confession, "how great is that darkness!"

Quot. Saul did not see that in which God

delighted.

Answ. Yes, he did: he saw that God delighted in righteousness, and that God delighted "And Saul lifted up his voice and

in his saints. wept; and he teous than I."

said to David, Thou art more righ"And now behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand." "Blessed be thou, my son David, thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail."

Quot. Samuel's company was lightly esteemed by Saul.

Answ. This is evident, by Saul's risking his soul in the hand of the devil himself to obtain the company even of the spectre, or phantom, of Samuel. And so far was Saul from lightly esteeming Samuel in his lifetime, that he was almost desperate when he forsook him, and cleaved to David.

Quot. When the kingdom was secured to himself, Samuel might retire to any place he pleased.

Answ. This appears plain, by Saul's waiting for Samuel seven days; and his running the risk of God's displeasure in forcing himself to offer an offering because he came not.

Quot. Two persons shall come from the same habitation to the worship of God: their religious sentiments alike, but their souls as different as life

and death. The heart of one breathing this language, 'My soul thirsts for God!' The other moves on toward the place with no more principle than the door on it's hinges. And can we behold this without glancing at the astonishing cause? "Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even he shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord." Indeed, those who attend not minutely to the cause, neglect giving glory to God; and while they indulge a selfish principle in being desirous of enjoying comfort, and at the same time regardless how God is considered and glorified, their comforts are diminished by their unscriptural conduct.

Answ. Here is a history and a mystery! The history is two persons, from one house, coming to worship God: their sentiments are alike; but they differ as much as life and death. The one thirsts for God, who is the God of all comfort: the other indulges a selfish principle in being desirous of enjoying comfort, which is thirsting for God. The living man, who thirsts for God, is one who observes these things; the dead man, who is desirous of enjoying comfort, is regardless how God is considered and glorified. The living man is арproved, as attending minutely to the cause. The dead man, who has no more principle than the door on it's hinges, is charged with indulging a selfish principle. The firm conclusion is, the living man understands the lovingkindness of the Lord, and the dead man has his comforts dimi

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