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Old Samuel is forced to do a double execution, and that upon no less than two kings: the one upon Saul, in dividing the kingdom from him, who had divided himself from God: the other upon Agag, in dividing him in pieces, whom Saul should have divided. Those holy hands were not used to such sacrifices; yet did he never spill blood, more acceptably. If Saul had been truly penitent, he had, in a desire of satisfaction, prevented the hand of Samuel in this slaughter: now he coldly stands still, and suffers the weak hands of an aged prophet to be imbrued with that blood, which he was commanded to shed. If Saul might not sacrifice in the absence of Samuel, yet Samuel might kill in the presence of Saul. He was yet a judge of Israel, although he suspended the execution; in Saul's neglect, this charge reverted to him. God loves just executions so well, that he will hardly take them ill at any hand.

I do not find that the slaughter of Agag troubled Samuel; that other act of his severity upon Saul, though it drew no blood, yet struck him in the striking, and fetched tears from his eyes. Good Samuel mourned for him, that had not grace to mourn for himself. No man in all Israel might seem to have so much reason to rejoice in Saul's ruin as Samuel, since that he knew him raised up in despite of his government; yet he mourns more for him than he did for his sons, for himself. It grieved him to see the plant, which he had set in the garden of Israel, thus soon withered. It is an unnatural senselessness not to be affected with the dangers, with the sins of our governors. God did not blame this sorrow, but moderated it; "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul?" It was not the affection he forbade, but the measure. In this is the difference betwixt good men and evil, that evil men mourn not for their own sins; good men do so mourn for the sins of others, that they will hardly be taken off.

If Samuel mourn because Saul hath cast away God by his sin, he must cease to mourn, because God hath cast away Saul from reigning over Israel in his just punishment. A good heart hath learned to rest itself upon the justice of God's decree, and forgets all earthly respects, when it looks up to heaven. So did God mean to show his displeasure against the person of Saul, that he would shew favour to Israel; he will not therefore bereave them of a king, but change him for a better. Either Saul had slandered his people, or else they

were partners with him in the disobedience; yet, because it was their ruler's fault that they were not overruled, we do not hear of their smarting any otherwise than in the subjection to such a king as was not loyal to God. The loss of Saul is their gain; the government of their first king was abortive, no marvel if it held not. Now was the maturity of that state; and therefore God will bring them forth a kindly monarchy, settled where it should. Kings are of God's providing. It is good reason he should make choice of his own deputies; but where goodness meets with sovereignty, both his right and his gift are doubled. If kings were merely from the earth, what needs a prophet to be seen in the choice, or inauguration? The hand of Samuel doth not now bear the sceptre to rule Israel, but it bears the horn for the anointing of him that must rule. Saul was sent to him, when the time was, to be anointed; but now he is sent to anoint David. Then Israel sought a king for themselves, now God seeks a king for Israel. The prophet is therefore directed to the house of Jesse the Bethlehemite, the grandchild of Ruth; now is the faithful love of that good Moabitess crowned with the honour of a kingdom, in the succeeding generation. God fetched her out of Moab, to bring a king unto Israel.

While

Orpah wants bread in her own country, Ruth is grown a great lady in Bethlehem, and is advanced to be great grandmother to the king of Israel. The retributions of God are bountiful; never any man forsook ought for his sake, and complained of an hard bargain.

Even the best of God's saints want not their infirmities. He, that never replied when he was sent to reprove the king, moveth doubts, when he is bidden to go and anoint his successor. "How can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill me." Perhaps desire of full direction drew from him this question, but not without a mixture of diffidence; for the manner of doing it doth not so much trouble him, as the success. It is not to be expected, that the most faithful hearts should be always in an equal height of resolution: God doth not chide Samuel, but instruct him. He, which is wisdom itself, teacheth him to hide his counsels in an honest policy: "Take an heifer with thee, and say, I come to do sacrifice to the Lord." This was to say true, not to say all. Truth may not be crossed by denials or equivocations, it may be concealed in a discreet silence. Except in the case of an oath, no man is

bound to speak all he knows. We are not only allowed, but commanded to be innocently serpentine. There were, doubtless, heifers enough in Bethlehem; Jesse had both wealth and devotion enough, to have bestowed a sacrifice upon God, and his prophet. But to give a more perfect colour to his intention, Samuel must take an heifer with him: the act itself was serious and necessary. There was no place, no time, wherein it was not fit for a Samuel to offer peace-offerings unto God; but when a king should be anointed, there was no less than necessity in this service. Those, which must represent God to the world, ought to be consecrated to that Majesty whom they resemble, by public devotions. Every important action requires a sacrifice to bless it, much more that act which imports the whole church or commonwealth.

It was great news to see Samuel at Bethlehem; he was no gadder abroad, none but necessary occasions could make him stir from Ramath. The elders of the city therefore welcome him with trembling; not for that they were afraid of him, but of themselves; they knew that guest would not come to them for familiarity: straight do they suspect it was the purpose of some judgment that drew him thither. "Comest thou peaceably?" It is a good thing to stand in awe of God's messengers, and to hold good terms with them, upon all occasions. The Bethlehemites are glad to hear of no other errand, but a sacrifice; and now must they sanctify themselves for so sacred a business. We may not presume to sacrifice unto God unsanctified; this were to mar an holy act, and make ourselves more profane, by profaning that which should be holy.

All the citizens sanctify themselves, but Jesse and his sons were in a special fashion sanctified by Samuel. This business was most theirs, and all Israel in them; the more God hath to do with us, the more holy should we be. With what desire did Samuel look upon the sons of Jesse, that he might see the face of the man whom God had chosen! And now, when Eliab the eldest son came forth, a man of a goodly presence, whose person seemed fit to succeed Saul, he thinks with himself, This choice is soon made, I have already espied the head on which I must spend this holy oil; this is the man which hath both the privilege of nature in his primogeniture, and of outward goodliness in proportion; surely the Lord's anointed is before me. Even the holiest prophet, when he goes without God, runs into error; the best judgment is

subject to deceit; it is no trusting to any mortal man, when he speaks of himself. Our eyes can be led by nothing but signs and appearances, and those have commonly in them either a true falsehood, or uncertain truth.

That which should have forewarned Samuel, deceived him; he had seen the proof of a goodly stature unanswerable to their hopes, and yet his eye errs in the shape. He that judgeth by the inside both of our hearts and actions, checks Samuel in his misconceit; "Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature, because I have refused him; for God seeth not as man seeth." The king with whom God meant to satisfy the untimely desires of Israel, was chosen by his stature: but the king with whom God meant to please himself, is chosen by the heart. All the seven sons of Jesse are presented to the prophet; no one is omitted whom their father thought capable of any respect. If either Samuel or Jesse should have chosen, David should never have been king. His father thought him fit to keep sheep, his brethren fit to rule men; yet even David, the youngest son, is fetched from the fold, and, by the choice of God, destined to the throne. Nature, which is commonly partial to her own, could not suggest ought to Jesse, to make him think David worthy to be remembered in any competition of honour; yet him hath God singled out to rule.

God will have his wisdom magnified in the unlikelihoods of his election. David's countenance was ingenuous and beautiful; but if it had promised so much as Eliab's, or Aminadab's, he had not been in the fields while his brethren were at the sacrifice. If we do altogether follow our eye, and suffer ourselves to be guided by outward respects in our choice, for God or ourselves, we cannot but go amiss. What do we think the brethren of David thought, when they saw the oil poured upon his head? Surely, as they were envious enough, they had too much repined, if they had either fully apprehended the purpose of the prophet, or else had not thought of some improbability in the success; either they understood not, or believed not, what God would do with their brother; they saw him graced with God's Spirit above his wont, but perhaps foresaw not whither it tended. David, as no whit changed in his condition, returns to his sheep again, and, with an humble admiration of God's gracious respect to him, casts himself upon the wise and holy decree of the Almighty, resigning

himself to the disposition of those hands which had chosen him; when suddenly a messenger is sent from Saul, to call him in all haste to that court whereof he shall once be master. occasion is no less from God than the event.

The

CONTEMPLATION II.

David called to the Court.

THAT the kingdom is, in the appointment of God, departed from Saul, it is his least loss; now the Spirit of God is also departed from him: one spirit is no sooner gone, but another is come; both are from God. Even the worst spirits have not only permission, but commission from heaven for the infliction of judgment. He, that at first could hide himself among the stuff, that he might not be king, is now so transported with this glory, that he grows passionate with the thought of foregoing it. Satan takes advantage of his melancholic dejection, and turns this passion into frenzy. God will have even evil spirits work by means; a distempered body, and an unquiet mind, are fit grounds for Satan's vexation. Saul's courtiers, as men that were more witty than religious, advise him to music: they knew the strength of that skill in allaying the fury of passions, in cheering up the dejected spirits of their master. This was done like some fond chirurgeon, that, when the bone is out of joint, lays some suppling poultices to the part, for the assuaging of the ache, in the mean time not caring to remedy the luxation.

If they had said, Sir, you know this evil comes from that God whom you have offended, there can be no hope but in reconcilement; how easy is it for the God of spirits to take off Satan! labour your peace with him by a serious humiliation; make means to Samuel to further the atonement; they had been wise counsellors, divine physicians; whereas now, they do but skin over the sore, and leave it rankled at the bottom. The cure must ever proceed in the same steps with the disease, else in vain shall we seem to heal; there is no safety in the redress of evils, but to strike at the root. Yet, since it is no better with Saul and his courtiers, it is well it is no worse: I do not hear either the master or servants say, This is an ill spirit, send for some magician that may countermand him: there are forcible enchantments for these spiritual vexations;

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