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father of the prophets, rebelled against the word of the prophets?It is an unreasonable inequality, to hope to find God at our command, when we would not be at his; to look that God should regard our voice in trouble, when we would not regard his in peace. Unto what mad shifts are men driven by despair! If God will not answer, Satan shall; Saul said to his servants, Seek me a man that hath a familiar spirit. If Saul had not known this course devilish, why did he decree to banish it, to mulet it with death? yet now, against the stream of his conscience, he will seek to those whom he had condemned.

There needs no other judge of Saul's act, than himself. Had he not before opposed this sin, he had not so heinously sinned in committing it. There cannot be a more fearful sign of a heart given up to a reprobate sense, than to cast itself wilfully into those sins, which it hath proclaimed to detest. The declinations to evil are many times insensible; but when it breaks forth into such apparent effects, even others' eyes may discern it.

What was Saul the better, to foreknow the issue of his approaching battle? If this consultation could have strengthened him against his enemies, or promoted his victory, there might have been some colour for so foul an act; now, what could he gain, but the satis fying of his bootless curiosity, in foreseeing that, which he should not be able to avoid?

Foolish men give away their souls for nothing. The itch of impertinent and unprofitable knowledge, hath been the hereditary disease of the sons of Adam and Eve. How many have perished to know that, which hath procured their perishing! How ambitious should we be to know those things, the knowledge whereof is eternal life!

Many a lewd office are they put to, which serve wicked masters. One while, Saul's servants are sent to kill innocent David; another while, to shed the blood of God's priests; and, now, they must go seek for a witch. It is no small happiness to attend them, from whom we may receive precepts and examples of virtue.

Had Saul been good, he had needed no disguise. Honest actions never shame the doers. Now, that he goeth about a sinful business, he changeth himself: he seeks the shelter of the night: he takes but two followers with him. It is true, that if Saul had come in the port of a king, the witch had as much dissembled her condition, as now he dissembleth his; yet it was not only desire to speed, but guiltiness, that thus altered his habit. Such is the power. of conscience, that even those who are most affected to evil, yet are ashamed to be thought such as they desire to be.

Saul needed another face to fit that tongue, which should say, Conjecture to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whom“ L. shall name unto thee. An obdurate heart can give way to any thing.

Notwithstanding the peremptory edict of Saul, there are still witches in Israel. Neither good laws, nor careful executions, can purge the Church from malefactors. There will still be some, that

will jeopard their heads upon the grossest sins. No garden can be so curiously tended, that there should not be one weed left in it. Yet so far can good statutes, and due inflictions of punishments upon offenders, prevail, that mischievous persons are glad to pull in their heads; and dare not do ill, but in disguise and darkness. It is no small advantage of justice, that it affrights sin, if it cannot be expelled; as contrarily, woeful is the condition of that place, where is a public profession of wickedness.

The witch was no less crafty than wicked. She had before, as is like, bribed officers to escape indictment, to lurk in secrecy; and now she will not work her feats without security. Her suspicion projects the worst; Wherefore seekest thou to take me in a snare, to cause me to die? O vain sorceress, that could be wary to avoid the punishment of Saul; careless to avoid the judgment of God!

Could we forethink what our sin would cost us, we durst not but be innocent. This is a good and seasonable answer for us to make unto Satan, when he solicits us to evil; Wherefore seckest thou to take me in a snare, to cause me to die? Nothing is more sure, than this intention in the tempter, than this event in the issue. Oh that we could but so much fear the eternal pains, as we do the temporary; and be but so careful, to save our souls from torment, as our bodies!

No sooner hath Saul sworn her safety, than she addresseth her to her sorcery. Hope of impunity draws on sin with boldness. Were it not for the delusions of false promises, Satan should have no clients.

-Could Saul be so ignorant, as to think that magic had power over God's deceased saints, to raise them up; yea, to call them down from their rest? Time was, when Saul was among the prophets; and yet now, that he is in the impure lodge of devils, how senseless he is, to say, Bring me up Samuel! It is no rare thing, to lose even our wit and judgment together with graces. How justly are they given to sottishness, that have given themselves

over to sin!

The sorceress, it seems, exercising her conjurationis in a room apart, is informed by her familiar, who it was that set her on work. She can therefore find time, in the midst of her exorcisms, to bind the assurance of her own safety, by expostulation; She cried with a loud voice, Why hast thou deceived me, for thou art Saul? The very name of Saul was an accusation; yet is he so far from striking his breast, that, doubting lest this fear of the witch should interrupt the desired work, he encourages her, whom he should have condemned; Be not afraid. He, that had more cause to fear for his own sake in an expectation of just judgment, cheers up her, that feared nothing but himself. How ill doth it become us, to give that counsel to others, whereof we have more need and use in our own persons!

As one, that had more care to satisfy his own curiosity than her suspicion, he asks, What sawest thou? Who would not have looked,

that Saul's hair should have stared on his head, to hear of a spirit raised? His sin hath so hardened him, that he rather pleases him* self in it, which hath nothing in it but horror.

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So far is Satan content to descend to the service of his servants, that he will approve his feigned obedience to their very outward senses. What form is so glorious, that he either cannot or dare not undertake? Here, gods ascend out of the earth; elsewhere, Satan transforms him into an angel of light. What wonder is it, that his wicked instruments appear like saints, in their hypocritical dissimulation?

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If we will be judging by the appearance, we shall be sure to err. No could distinguish betwixt the true Samuel and a false spirit. Saul, who was well worthy to be deceived, seeing those grey hairs and that mantle, inclines himself to the ground, and bows himself. He, that would not worship God in Samuel alive, now worships Samuel in Satan: and no marvel; Satan was now become his refuge instead of God; his Urim was darkness, his prophet a ghost. Every one, that consults with Satan, worships him, though he bow not; neither doth that evil spirit desire any other reverence, than to be sought unto.

How cunningly doth Satan resemble, not only the habit and gesture, but the language of Samuel; Wherefore hast thou dis quieted me? And wherefore dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is gone from thee, and is thine enemy? Nothing is more pleasing to that evil one, than to be solicited ; yet, in the person of Samuel, he can say, Why hast thou disquieted me? Had not the Lord been gone from Saul, he had never come to the devilish oracle of Endor; and yet the counterfeiting spirit can say, Why doest thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is gone from thee? Satan cares not how little he is known to be himself: he loves to pass under any form, rather than his own. The more holy the person is, the more carefully doth Satan act him; that by his stale, he may ensnare us.

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every motion, it is good to try the spirits, whether they be of God. Good words are no means to distinguish a prophet from a devil. Samuel himself, while he was alive, could not have spoken, * more gravely, more severely, more divinely, than this evil ghost ; For the Lord will rent thy kingdom out of thy hand, and give it thy neighbour David: because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon the Amalekites, therefore hath the Lord done this unto thee this day. When the devil himself puts on gravity and religion, who can marvel at the hypocrisy of men? Well may lewd men be good preachers, when Satan himself can' play the prophet. Where are those ignorants, that can think cha ritably of charms and spells, because they find nothing in them but good words? What prophet could speak better words, than this devil in Samuel's mantle? Neither is there at any time so much danger of that evil spirit, as when he speaks best.

I could wonder to hear Satan preach thus prophetically, if I did not know, that, as he was once a good angel, so he can still act

what he was.

While Saul was in consultation of sparing Agag, we shall never find that Satan would lay any block in his way: yea, then he was a prompt orator, to induce him into that sin; now that it is past and gone, he can load Saul with fearful denunciations of judgment. Till we have sinned, Satan is a parasite; when we have sinned, he is a tyrant. What cares he to flatter any more, when he hath what he would? Now, his only work is to terrify and confound, that he may enjoy what he hath won. How much better is it serving that Master, who, when we are most dejected with the conscience of evil, heartens us with inward comfort, and speaks peace to the soul in the midst of tumult! 1 Sam, xxviii,

ZIKLAG SPOILED AND REVENGED. HAD not the king of the Philistines sent David away early, his wives and his people and substance, which he left at Ziklag, had been utterly lost; now Achish did not more pleasure David in his entertainment, than in his dismission.

Saul was not David's enemy more, in the persecution of his person, than in the forbearance of God's enemies. Behold, thus late doth David feel the smart of Saul's sin, in sparing the Amalekites; who, if God's sentence had been duly executed, had not now survived, to annoy this parcel of Israel,

As, in spiritual respects, our sins are always hurtful to ourselves; so, in temporal, oft-times prejudicial to posterity, A wicked man deserves ill of those, he never lived to see,

I cannot marvel at the Amalekites' assault made upon the Isra elites of Ziklag: I cannot but marvel at their clemency. How just was it, that, while David would give aid to the enemies of the Church against Israel, the enemies of the Church should rise against David in his peculiar charge of Israel! But, while David, roving against the Amalekites, not many days before, left neither man nor woman alive, how strange is it, that the Amalekites, invading and surpris ing Ziklag, in revenge, kill neither man nor woman! Shall we say that mercy is fled from the breasts of Israelites, and rests in heathens? or shall we rather ascribe this to the gracious restraint of God, who, having designed Amalek to the slaughter of Israel, and not Israel to the slaughter of Amalek, moved the hands of Israel, and held the hands of Amalek? This was that alone, that made the heathens take up with an unbloody revenge; burning only the walls, and leading away the persons. Israel crossed the revealed will of God, in sparing Amalek; Amalek fulfils the secret will of God, in sparing Israel.

It was still the lot of Amalek, to take Israel at all advantages. Upon their first coming out of Egypt, when they were weary, weak, and unarmed, then did Amalek assault them; and now, when one part of Israel was in the field against the Philistines, another was gone with the Philistines against Israel, the Amalekites set upon the coasts of both, and go away laden with the spoil:

to other is to be expected of our spiritual adversaries, who are ever readiest to assail, when we are the unreadiest to defend.

It was a woeful spectacle for David and his soldiers upon their return, to find ruins and ashes, instead of houses; and instead of their families, solitude. Their city was vanished into smoke, their households into captivity; neither could they know whom to accuse, or where to inquire for redress. While they made account, that their home should recompense their tedious journey with comfort, the miserable desolation of their home doubles the discomfort of their journey. What remained there, but tears and lamentations? They lifted up their voices, and wept, till they could weep no more. Here was plenty of nothing, but misery and sorrow.

The heart of every Israelite was brimful of grief. David's ran over; for, besides that his cross was the same with theirs, all theirs was his alone: each man looked on his fellow as a partner of affliction, but every one looked upon David as the cause of all their affliction; and, as common displeasure is never but fruitful of revenge, they all agree to stone him, as the author of their undoing, whom they followed all this while, as the hopeful means of their advancements.

Now David's loss is his least grief. Neither, as if every thing had conspired to torment him, can he look besides the aggravation of his sorrow and danger. Saul and his soldiers had hunted him out of Israel; the Philistine courtiers had hunted him from the favour of Achish; the Amalekites spoiled him in Ziklag; yet all these are easy adversaries, in comparison of his own: his own followers are so far from pitying his participation of the loss, that they are ready to kill him, because they are miserable with him. Oh the many and grievous perplexities of the man after God's own heart! If all his train had joined their best helps for the mitigation of his grief, their cordials had been too weak; but now, the vexation, that arises from their fury and malice, drowneth the sense of their loss, and were enough to distract the most resolute heart. Why should it be strange to us, that we meet with hard trials, when we see the dear anointed of God thus plunged in evils?

What should the distressed son of Jesse now do? whither should he think to turn him? To go back to Israel, he durst not; to go to Achish, he might not; to abide amongst those waste heaps, he could not; or, if there might have been harbour in those burnt walls, yet there could be no safety to remain with those mutinous spirits. But David comforted himself in the Lord his God. O happy and sure refuge of a faithful soul! The earth yielded him nothing, but matter of disconsolation and heaviness: he lifts his eyes above the hills, whence cometh his salvation.

It is no marvel, that God remembereth David in all his troubles, since David in all his troubles did thus remember his God! He knew, that, though no mortal eye of reason or sense could discern any evasion from these intricate evils, yet that the eye of divine Providence had descried it long before; and that though no hu man power could make way for his safety, yet that the over ruling