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manners were well known to him ; as one to whom war and glory, in the humility of his occupation, had been equal strangers ;-as one whom, in the elevation of their own views, they had despised and overlooked. His courageous bearing seemed a censure upon themselves. Their malignity was excited; and broke forth in the reproaches of his eldest brother Eliab. Why camest thou down hither?—and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle." Thus too was Christ received by his "brethren" in the flesh, the chosen nation of Israel. Thus too were they offended at the meekness of his habits; and the lowliness of his employment. They saw him nurtured amongst themselves; -they knew the humble and retired tenor of his early years; they beheld him poor-and in the world's eye, powerless;-they scanned him only by the outward eye; and in the haughtiness of their souls, exclaimed, with the mind of Eliab : "Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren, James, and Joses and Simon and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him?”* The type, and the antitype were received by their "brethren" with an equal indignity; and David, like Christ, had to overcome his kinsmen's envy and opposition, before he could enter on the real object of his coming.

* Matt. xiii. 54.

But the words spoken, carried from mouth to mouth, gradually reach the ears of Saul. Taken before that monarch, he repeats the same language, and declares at once his own eagerness for the combat. Saul, however willing to second his noble spirit, yet feels that the stake is great, and prudently enquires his pretensions to so dangerous an honor. "Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. And David answered, Thy servant kept his father's sheep; and there came a lion and a bear and took a lamb out of the flock; and I went out after him and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and smote him and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. And Saul said unto David Go, and the Lord be with thee."

A great moral scene was now to be enacted by the people of Israel in the sight of the world to all future generations. The shepherd stood in the place of Jesus. He kept his father's sheep; he kept them at Bethlehem; and from the self-same place did Jesus enter on his ministry. But the shepherd David-as Christ-was required to prove himself worthy of, and equal to the charge he had undertaken. It was required, that he should demonstrate that he was capable of defending them. And how was this accomplished? By a previous trial. The lion and the bear carried a lamb from the flock, and he smote them and subdued them.

Now these beasts are typical of the rough, outward nature;—of the animal passions which war against the soul.-David knew that they were typical; and therefore related them to Saul. There was no analogy whatever in the action of the two contests;-but there was a great analogy in the principle, and on that, David spoke. We may imagine the beasts to have been representatives of their known qualities. By cruelty;-craft ;-reliance on their own strength; -selfishness in their appetites;-the host of turbulent affections which are generated in human nature by sin.* David having wholly divested himself of these; having destroyed those enemies which would take from him the lamb - the meek, divine principles of his nature-proved himself, by the act, the good shepherd of his flock; and able to cope with the Powers of Darkness in the outward semblance of the Philistine. I would not press the similitude too closely; it is not essential-it is enough that it exists in its tendency and result;—but the victory of David in the trial previous to his combat for the emancipation of Israel, and the previous temptation of Christ, on the success of which depended his entrance into the lists to contend with the Arch Enemy for the dominion of the world, appear too nearly analogous in principle to require any lengthened argument of justification.

Saul saw in his victory over the lion and the bear, the earnest of future triumph, and therefore said,

* The same idea-that of taking beasts for human passions-is used by Dante in the beginning of the "Inferno." It is very common in Scripture, especially in the prophets, whence Dante, who was deeply versed in Biblical allegory, undoubtedly drew it.

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Go-the Lord be with thee." Still Saul was no spiritual character;-like Israel in after ages, he judged greatly by the outward aspect. He saw not with the true faith and reliance of David; and would fain have armed him with the armour of men ;-with ordinary defences;-the armour of the outward world; -the same, it will be observed, which Goliath himself made use of. But no sooner had he been armed, than he put them off him. them off him. He refused these external defences. "I cannot go with them"-he exclaimed, -"for I have not proved them." I have proved my Father's will; and know from experience of his given strength, that my reliance in Him shall not fail;-but these I know not;-these are of our adversaries. I have not proved them.

The Philistine, like the world to Christ, disdained David, because he seemed inferior to the purpose which he came to achieve. In the pomp and splendor of his own array,-put on and calculated to dazzle the multitudes, and in the audacity of his pride, he disdained the humble and lowly appearance of David, as unworthy to contend with him. He was a giant amongst men-the fit emblem of his nature-and he saw nothing in the slight stature and open countenance of his opponent, but merited the world's contempt. "Come to me!"-he furiously cries out"and I will give thy flesh to the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field!" Astonishing similitude! Come to us was the thought and deed of the Jews to the true Shepherd-the unarmed; unworldly; meek; godlike opponent of their vices;

Come to us, and we will give thy body to the Cross, thy life to utter destruction; "to the fowls

of the air, and the beasts of the field." The law of battle between Israel and the Philistines was this ;that the vanquished should perish as a nation and become servants to the victors. And what said the Jews to Jesus, the adversary of their worldliness and corruption? "It is expedient that thou diest for the people, that the nation perish not!"

"Thou comest to me"-the virtual reply of Christ "with a sword and a spear and a shield;"—with the arm of flesh and the powers of this world ;—but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts-the God of the armies of Israel, whom in thy deeds of old, and more—in thy rejection of myself, thou hast defied.

And in truth scarcely is the word spoken;-scarcely the blow, so long delayed, really given, before the great Defier of the Lord-the tyrant of the true Israel -lies groaning in death, and grovelling in the dust. He is not suffered to deal one single blow for his hated life, when Christ appears against him ;-but like the Tempter in an after age-falls powerless before the calm majesty, and sacred excellence of the Son of God. Sin is vanquished in Christ-and the Church of God—the faithful Israel—for ever saved from bondage.

There are many points in this glorious historic prophecy, that we have omitted; though of beautiful effect in giving roundness and completeness to it. Thus we find that "there was no sword in the hand of David." The religion of Christ was emphatically one of meekness, love and mercy. David struck not nor combated amongst the hosts of the evil world ; as Christ came not "to destroy men's lives but to