LI s.XII. SaulandSamuels metting. IG%.7 A nations; fo as whiles we thinkto doe our ownwils,we do his. -;0::-,-,r-o_w_n_l:-.n..,.ie-n-ti:-an-s ,___..:__/ we m:iy know,Gods purpofes we kilow not;we mull: go the way rhatwcarocal!ed · let him lead us towhatend he pleafeth; it is our duty ro refigneourfclves and ou~· wayes to the difpoGtionof God, and patiently and thankfully to await the iffi1c of his decrees. The fame God that fore-fhtwed Sa!ll to SAmllt!, now points to bim (Su,thu is the man,) and commands the Prophet to anoint him Gorernourover Jf. rael: He,thattold ofSat~/beforchecame,knewbefore he came into the world,what a man,whata King he would be; yet he chufeth him our,andinjoynes his inunClion. It is one ofthe greate!l: praifes ofGods wifdome, that he can turlie tlie ovill of men to his own glory.Advancc:ment is nor ever aligneoflove either to [heman,or to the place.It had been better for Sail/, that his bead had been euer dry: fame God B raifeth up in judgement, that theymay fall themore uneatily; there are no men fo miferable,as thofe that are great and evill. Itfeemes that Samuel bore no great port in his our-fide, for that Saul not difcerning him, either by hi~ habit, or attendants, comes to him, and askes him for the Seer; yetwas Samud as yet the Judge oflfrld, the fub!l:itutionof his Sonnes had not difplaced himfelfe : There is an affable familiarity that becommeth GreatndTe; It is not good for eminent perfons to !l:and alwaies upon rhe height oftheir !l:ate, but fo to behave themfdves, that as their fociable carri1ge may not breed contempt, fo their over.highnelfe may not breed a fervile fearfulndf<> in their peo_ple. How kindly doth Sairlutl entertain and invite Saul,yec it was he only that lhould C receive wrong by the fumre royalty of S4U/? Who would not have looked that aged Samuel flJould have emulated rather theglory of his young rivall, and have looked churlilhly upon rhe man thac fhould rob him ofhis authority~ yet now, as ifhe came on purpofe to gratifie him;he bids him eo the fea!l:,he honours himwith the chiefe f.ar, hee referves a fdeCl inorfell for him, he tells him ingenuoufly the newes ofhis infuing Soveraignty, (on whom,; fit thedeflre ofalllfrael, is it not11pon thcedlldthyfothmhOtiJi ?) Wife and holy men, as they are not ambitious of their owne burden ,fa they arenot unwilling to be ea{~d,whenGod pleafeth todifchar11e them ; ne1ther can they envy thofe whom God hfterh above thetr heads : They make an Idol ofhonour, that are troubled with their owne freedome, or grudge at the promotion ofothers. I D Doubtlelfe Satl/was much amazed with this !l:range f:Uutation, and newes ofrhe· Prophet, and how mode!l:ly doth he pmit off, os rhat, which \9as neither fit, rtor likely; difparosing his Tribe in refpcCl ofthe re!l:oflfrael,his Farhm Family,in re. fpcClofthe TrJbe, and himfdfe in refpett of his Fathers Family; neither did his humility !l:oopbelow-the truth: For,as Bmjamin w~s the younge!l: fon oflfrael, fo he was now by much,the lea!l: Tribeoflfrad;They had notyec recovered that uni· verfallllaughrer which they had received from the hands of their brethren,whereby aTribe was aimoil: loft ro Ifrad; yet evenOut ofche remainder of Bcnjamindoth God chufethe man,rhatlhall command Ifrael;out ofthe rubbia1 of Benjamin dorh God raiferhe Throne.That i• not ever the bell: and fatte!l: which God choofeth,but that which God choofeth is everthe fitte!l: ; the !lrellgth or weakneffeofmeanes is E neither fpur nor bridle to the determinate choyces ofGod,yea ratherhe holds ic t~e greace!l: proofe ofhis freedome,and omnipotency,ro advance the unlikeliefi.It was nohollow and fained excufe,that Sat•lmakesto put offrhat,which hewould fain in. joy,and to caufe honour to follow him themore eagerly: It was the fincere truthof his humility, that fo dejeCled him under <he hand of Gods Prophet. Faire beginnings are no found proofe qfour proceedings a11d ending well : How often h.rh a balhfull childhood ended in an impudency of youth, a !l:riCl entrance in licencioufneffc;_,early fo11waidneffe in Arheifme ~ There might be a civill meckneffe ins.,tl, true grace ther6wasnot in him; they rhat he good, beare more fruit in their age. Saulhad but five ponce in his purfe to give theProphet:The Prophet aftermuch good cbeeregives him the Kingdome, he be!l:owes the oyle of royall confecration· on
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