silence, yea his forbearance. While he is offering, the Philistines fight with Israel, and God fights with the Philistines; The Lord thundered with a great thunder that day upon the Philistines, and scattered them. Samuel fought more upon his knees, than all Israel did besides. The voice of God answered the voice of Samuel, and speaks confusion and death to the Philistines. How were the proud Philistines dead with fear, ere they died, to hear the fearful thunder-claps of an angry God against them! to see, that heaven itself fought against them! He, that slew them secretly in the revenges of his ark, now kills them with open horror in the fields. If presumption did not make wicked men mad, they would never lift their hand against the Almighty: what are they in his hands, when he is disposed to vengeance? I Samuel vii.

THE MEETING OF SAUL AND SAMUEL.

SAMUEL began his acquaintance with God early, and continued it long he began it in his long coats, and continued to his grey hairs. He judged Israel all the days of his life. God doth not use to cast off his old servants; their age endeareth them to him the more: if we be not unfaithful to him, he cannot be inconstant to us.

At last, his decayed age met with ill partners; his sons for deputies, and Saul for a king. The wickedness of his sons gave the occasion of a change: perhaps Israel had never thought of a king, if Samuel's sons had not been unlike their father: who can promise himself holy children, when the loins of a Samuel and the education in the temple yielded monsters? It is not likely, that good Samuel was faulty in that indulgence, for which his own mouth had denounced God's judgments against Eli: yet this holy man succeeds Eli in his cross, as well as his place, though not in his sin; and is afflicted with a wicked succession: God will let us find, that grace is by gift, not by inheritance.

I fear Samuel was too partial to nature in the surrogation of his sons. I do not hear of God's allowance to this act. If this had been God's choice as well as his, it had been like to have received more blessing. Now all Israel had cause to rue, that these were the sons of Samuel; for now the question was not of their virtues, but of their blood; not of their worthiness, but their birth: even the best heart may be blinded with affection. Who can marvel at these errors of parents' love, when he that so holily judged Israel all his life, misjudged of his own sons?

It was God's ancient purpose, to raise up a king to his people: how doth he take occasion to perform it, but by the unruly desires of Israel? Even as we say of human proceedings, that ill manners beget good laws. That monarchy is the best form of government, there is no question. Good things may be ill desired; so was this of Israel. If an itching desire of alteration had not possessed them, why did they not rather sue for a reformation of their governors, than for a change of government? Were Samuel's sons

so desperately evil, that there was no possibility of amendment? or if they were past hope, were there not some others to have succeeded the justice of Samuel, no less than these did his person? What needed Samuel to be thrust out of place? What needed the ancient form of administration to be altered? He that raised up their judges would have found time to raise them up kings: their curious and inconstant new-fangledness will not abide to stay it, but with a heady importunity labours to over-hasten the pace of God. Where there is a settled course of good government, howsoever blemished with some weaknesses, it is not safe to be overforward to a change, though it should be to the better. He, by whom kings reign, says, They have cast him away that he should not reign over them because they desire a king to reign over them. Judges were his own institution to his people; as yet kings were not: after that kings were settled, to desire the government of judges had been a much more seditious inconstancy. God hath not appointed to every time and place, those forms which are simply best in themselves, but those which are best to them unto whom they are appointed; which we may neither alter till he begin, nor recal when he hath altered.

This business seemed personally to concern Samuel; yet he so deals in it, not as a party, not as a judge of his own case, but as a prophet of God, as a friend of his opposite: he prays to God for advice; he foretels the state and courses of their future king. Wilful men are blind to all dangers, are deaf to all good counsels. Israel must have a king, though they pay never so dear for their longing. The vain affectation of conformity to other nations overcomes all discouragements: there is no readier way to error, than to make others' examples the rule of our desires or actions. If every man have not grounds of his own whereon to stand, there can be no stability in his resolutions or proceedings.

Since then they chuse to have a king, God himself will chuse and appoint the king which they shall have. The kingdom shall begin in Benjamin, which was to endure in Judah. It was no probability or reason, this first king should prove well, because he was abortive their humour of innovation deserved to be punished with their own choice. Kish, the father of Saul, was mighty in estate; Saul was mighty in person, overlooking the rest of the people in stature, no less than he should do in dignity. The senses of the Israelites could not but be well pleased for the time, howsoever their hearts were afterwards: when men are carried with outward shews, it is a sign that God means them a delusion.

How far God fetches his purposes about! The asses of Kish, Saul's father, are strayed away: what is that to the news of a kingdom? God lays these small accidents for the ground of greater designs: the asses must be lost; none but Saul must go with his father's servant to seek them; Samuel shall meet them in the search; Saul shall be premonished of his ensuing royalty: little can we, by the beginning of any action, guess at God's intention in the conclusion.

Obedience was a fit entrance into sovereignty: the service was homely for the son of a great man; yet he refuseth not to go, as a fellow to his father's servant, upon so mean a search: the disobedient and scornful are good for nothing; they are neither fit to be subjects nor governors.

Kish was a great man in his country; yet he disdaineth not to send his son Saul upon a thrifty errand, neither doth Saul plead his disparagement for a refusal. Pride and wantonness have marred our times: great parents count it a disreputation to employ their sons in courses of frugality; and their pampered children think it a shame to do any thing, and so bear themselves as those that hold it the only glory to be either idle or wicked.

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Neither doth Saul go fashionably to work, but does this service heartily and painfully, as a man that desires rather to effect the command than please the commander: he passed from Ephraim to the land of Shalisha, from Shalisha to Salim, from Salim to Jemini whence his house came, from Jemini to Zuph, not so much as staying with any of his kindred so long as to victual himself: he that was afterward an ill king approved himself a good son. As there are diversities of relations and offices, so there is of dispositions; those, which are excellent in some, attain not to a mediocrity in other. It is no arguing from private virtues to public, from dexterity in one station to the rest: a several grace belongs to the particular carriage of every place whereto we are called, which if we want, the place may well want us.

There was more praise of his obedience in ceasing to seek, than in seeking: he takes care, lest his father should take care for him; that whilst he should seem officious in the less, he might not neglect the greatest. A blind obedience in some cases doth well, but it doth far better, when it is led with the eyes of discretion; otherwise, we may more offend in pleasing, than in disobeying.

Great is the benefit of a wise and religious attendant: such an one puts us into those duties and actions, which are most expedient and least thought of. If Saul had not had a discreet servant, he had returned but as wise as he came; now he is drawn in to consult with the man of God, and hears more than he hoped for. Saul was now a sufficient journey from his father's house; yet his religious servant, in this fremoteness, takes knowledge of the place where the prophet dwells, and how honourably doth he mention him to his master! Behold, in this city is a man of God; and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh to pass. God's prophots are public persons; as their function, so their notice concerns every man. There is no reason God should abate any of the respect due to his ministers under the Gospel: Saint Paul's suit is both universal and everlasting; I beseech you, brethren, know them that labour amongst you.

The chief praise is to be able to give good advice; the next is, to take it. Saul is easily induced to condescend; he, whose curiosity led him voluntarily at last to the Witch of Endor, is now led at first by good counsel to the man of God.

Neither is his care in going less commendable, than his will to go; for as a man that had been catechised not to go unto God empty-handed, he asks, What shall we bring unto the man? What have we? The case is well altered in our times: every man thinks, "What may I keep back?" There is no gain so sweet as of a robbed altar; yet God's charge is no less under the Gospel, Let him that is taught, make his teacher partaker of all. As this faithful care of Saul was a just presage of success, more than he looked for or could expect; so the sacrilegious unthankfulness of many. bodes that ruin to their soul and estate, which they could not have grace to fear.

He that knew the prophet's abode knew also the honour of his place. He could not but know that Samuel was a mixed person; the judge of Israel, and the seer: yet both Saul and his servant purpose to present him with the fourth part of a shekel, to the value of about our five-pence. They had learned, that thankfulness was not to be measured of good men by the weight, but by the will of the retributor: how much more will God accept the small offerings of his weak servants, when he sees them proceed from great love!

The very maids of the city can give direction to the prophet: they had listened after the holy affairs, they had heard of the sacrifice, and could tell of the necessity of Samuel's presence: those, that live within the sunshine of religion, cannot but be somewhat coloured with those beams: where there is practice and example of piety in the better sort, there will be a reflection of it upon the meanest it is no small benefit to live in religious and holy places; we shall be much to blame, if all goodness fall beside us, skilful were these damsels in the fashions of their public sacrifices, that they could instruct Saul and his servant, unasked, how the people would not eat, till Samuel came to bless the sacrifice.

Yea so

This meeting was not more a sacrifice, than it was a feast: these two agree well; we have never so much cause to rejoice in feasting, as when we have duly served our God. The sacrifice was a feast to God, the other to men: the body may eat and drink with contentment, when the soul hath been first fed, and hath first feasted the Maker of both; Go eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy drink with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy works.

The sacrifice was before consecrated, when it was offered to God; but it was not consecrated to them, till Samuel blessed it: his blessing made that meat holy to the guests, which was formerly hallowed to God. All creatures were made good, and took holiness from him which gave them their being our sin brought that curse upon them, which, unless our prayers remove it, cleaves to them still, so as we receive them not without a curse. We are not our own friends, except our prayers help to take that away, which our sin hath brought, that so to the clean all may be clean: it is an unmannerly godlessness, to take God's creatures without the leave of their Maker; and well may God withhold his blessing from them, which have not the grace to ask it.

Those guests, which were so religious, that they would not eat their sacrifice unblessed, might have blessed it themselves: every man might pray, though every man might not sacrifice; yet would they not either eat or bless, while they looked for the presence of a prophet. Every Christian may sanctify his own meat, but where those are present that are peculiarly sanctified to God, this service is fittest for them. It is commendable to teach children the practice of thanksgiving; but the best is ever most meet to bless our tables, and those especially, whose office it is to offer our prayers to God.

Little did Saul think, that his coming and his errand was so noted of God, as that it was fore-signified unto the prophet; and now, behold Samuel is told a day before of the man, time, and place of his meeting. The eye of God's providence is no less over all our actions, all our motions. We cannot go any whither without him; he tells all our steps: since it pleaseth God therefore to take notice of us, much more should we take notice of him, and walk with him in whom we move!

Saul came beside his expectation to the prophet: he had no thought of any such purpose, till his servant made this sudden motion unto him of visiting Samuel, and yet God says to his prophet, I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin. The overruling hand of the Almighty works us insensibly and all our affairs to his own secret determinations; so as while we think to do our own wills we do his. Our own intentions we may know; God's purposes we know not: we must go the way that we are called, let him lead us to what end he pleaseth: it is our duty to resign our selves and our ways to the disposition of God, and patiently and thankfully to await the issue of his decrees.

The same God, that foreshewed Saul to Samuel, now points to him, See, this is the man; and commands the prophet to anoint him governor over Israel. He, that told of Saul before he came, knew before he came into the world, what a man, what a king the would be; yet he chuseth him out, and enjoins his inunction. It is one of the greatest praises of God's wisdom, that he can turn the evil of men to his own glory. Advancement is not ever a sign of love, either to the man or to the place. It had been better for Saul, that his head had been ever dry: some God raiseth up in judgment, that they may fall the more uneasily: there are no men so miserable as those, that are great and evil.

It seems that Samuel bore no great port in his outside, for that Saul, not discerning him either by his habit or attendants, comes to him, and asks him for the seer: yet was Samuel as yet the judge of Israel: the substitution of his sons had not displaced himself. There is an affable familiarity, that becometh greatness: it is not good for eminent persons to stand always upon the height of their state, but so to behave themselves, that, as their sociable carriage may not breed contempt, so their over-highness may not breed a servile fearfulness in their people.

How kindly doth Samuel entertain and invite Saul! Yet it was he only, that should receive wrong by the future royalty of Sauk