ticular nation and at any particular time, His own fecret and righteous purposes, whether of mercy or of vengeance, will be moft efficaciously promoted.

He knew what king was moft fitting for the Ifraelites: and that king he gave to them.

I purpose to lay before you the leading circumftances in the conduct of Saul and

afterwards to deduce, for your edification, fome of the inferences which they fuggeft.

I. In the early behaviour of Saul, after the period when he is introduced in the Scriptures to our notice, there is much to prepoffefs us in his favour. When he is addreffed by Samuel as the perfon on whom the defire of Ifrael fhould speedily be fixed; his reply bears strong indications of modefty. The fame modefty is afterwards difplayed, when he hides himself among the furniture of the tents from the choice and admiration of the people. When, by the cafting of the lots before God, his appointment to the throne has been announced to the affembled tribes of Ifrael; he unoftentatiously returns to his father's house, and difdains not to occupy himself as heretofore in the fuperintendence of the flocks

flocks and herds. When the children of Belial, wicked and rebellious men, contemptuously demand; How shall this man fave us? and defpife him and offer to him no presents, no teftimonies of the respect due to the delegate of Heaven: he sustains the infult with patience; he holds his peace. When the rest of the people, warmed in their attachment to their new monarch by his victory over the Ammonites, exclaim, Who is he that faid, Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men, that we may put them to death: he ftrenuoufly interposes to fave the offenders; and interpofes, apparently, from motives of reverence and gratitude to God. There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to-day the Lord hath wrought falvation in Ifrael.

The fruit, however, correfponds little with the bloffom. The impreffions produced by early fymptoms of moderation and of refpect for his fovereign Benefactor are foon to be effaced. The hour of ferious

trial comes on. A vast army of Philistines invades the land. The inhabitants conceal themselves from the enemy in caves, in thickets, and among the rocks. Saul with difficulty affembles a fcanty body of troops almoft deftitute of weapons of war. He

has

has been directed not to march towards the invaders until a folemn facrifice unto God fhall have been celebrated in the camp by Samuel, who has previously fixed seven days as the period within which he fhall arrive (b). For the purpose, as we may conclude, of exercising and putting to proof the faith of Saul, the approach of Samuel is delayed. The feventh day is paft; and Samuel appears not. The foldiers of Saul, weary and difpirited, melt away. What meafure fhall the king adopt? Shall he liften to the voice of duty, which commands him to wait with patience for the arrival of Samuel, to whom it belongs to offer the facrifice; and in pious confidence to leave the event to God? Or fhall he liften to political expediency, which tells him that he has tarried feven days, according to the fet time that Samuel appointed (c): that the absence of the prophet beyond the appointed time will be a fufficient apology, though he fhould perform the facrifice himself: and counfels him to perform it immediately, left the forces which yet remain fhould defert him? Saul, impatient and weak in faith,

(5) See ch. x. 7, 8.

(c) Ch. xiii. 8.

fnatches

fnatches at the feeming advantage of the moment and shrinks not from purchasing it at the price of difobedience. He calls for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. Scarcely has he made an end of offering the burnt-offering, when Samuel arrives. Saul endeavours partly to extenuate, partly to vindicate his conduct; pleads the critical emergency; and talks of having reluctantly forced himself to undertake the facrifice. The prophet at once cuts off all excufes by a declaration, to the truth of which the understanding and the confcience of the king bear witnefs: Thou haft done foolishly: thou haft not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee. And he proceeds to inform the disobedient monarch, that had he been faithful under this trial of humility, his kingdom-fhould have been for ever established by the Moft High but that now the Lord has fought out a man after his own heart, and ordained him to be captain over his people, because thou, O Saul, haft not kept that which the Lord commanded thee. Thou haft done. foolishly: thou haft not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God.

In the next memorable circumftance in the conduct of Saul, the folly of fin is. exemplified

exemplified by an inftance of extreme ráfhnefs and violence. God, by a miraculous interpofition of his power overthrows before Jonathan the hoft of the Philistines. Saul, breathing vengeance against them, and apprehenfive that, if the Ifraelites fhall pause to take the smallest refreshment, an additional number may escape, ftraitly charges the people with an oath, Gurfed be the màn that eateth any food until evening; that I may be avenged on mine enemies. What are the confequences of this adjuration? In the first place the Ifraelites are distressed with extreme faintness through want of fuftenance and the flaughter of the Philiftines proves far lefs extenfive than it might have been had their purfuers been allowed to refresh themselves, although in the most hafty manner, with the honey, which they found in great abundance in a wood through which they paffed. In the next place, Saul 'brings a curfe upon, the head of his own fon. Jonathan, not having been present when his father bound, all the people by oath to abstain during the whole of the day from food; eats a small quantity of honey in the wood. The duty of habitual circumfpection and the exceeding finfulness of fin, are not feldom indiVOL. II. cated

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