ceremonies, shadows, and beggarly elements upon the coming of
the ark of the covenant of the Lord, with shouting, and with the sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making loud sounds with lyres and harps, 1Chr 13.2, 5, and 15.28. And not only the men, but the women of Israel, the daughters of Zion, appeared to publicly join in the praises and rejoicings on that occasion, 2Sam 6.19. But we read that the heart of one of David's wives, Michal, Saul's daughter, was not engaged in the affair. She did not appear with the others to rejoice and praise God on this occasion, but kept away, and stood at a distance, disaffected and disliking the management of it. She despised and ridiculed the transports, and the extraordinary manifestations of joy there were. The curse that she brought upon herself by this, was being barren till the day of her death.
Let this be a warning to us. Let us take heed in this day of bringing up the ark of God, that while we are the spouse of the spiritual David, in visibility and in profession, we do not show ourselves to indeed be the children of false-hearted and rebellious Saul, by standing aloof, and by not joining in the joy and praises of the day; and by disliking and despising the joys and affections of God's people, because they are to such a high degree — and thus bring the curse of perpetual barrenness upon our souls.
Let us take heed that we not be like the son of the bond woman, who was born after the flesh, who persecuted the one born after the Spirit, and mocked at the feasting and rejoicings that were made for Isaac when he was weaned — lest we be cast out of the family of Abraham as he was, Gen 21.8-12. That affair contained spiritual mysteries, and was typical of things that come to pass in these days of the gospel. This is evident by the apostle's testimony in Gal 4.23 to the end. And particularly, it seems to have been typical of two things:
1. The weaning of the church from its milk of carnal ordinances, ceremonies, shadows, and beggarly elements upon the coming of Christ; and the outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles. The church of Christ in the times of the Old Testament was in its minority, a babe. The apostle tells us that babes must be fed with