101.8 [ontemplationr. -----~----' on his head,the Kiffesofhomag~ upon his face,& fends himaway rich in thoughts, A and expecbtJOn; and now left Ins aftomfl1mem fl1ould end mdt!lrutl,he ftttlt:s his affurance,by forewarnings ofthofe events,whtch he fl1ould find in his way: He tels himwhom he flllll meet,what they !hall fay, how himfelfflull ~ affdkd· that all thefe,and himfelfmight be fo many wirnelfes ofhis following Coron1rion ~ every word confirmed htm. For well mtght he thmk,He that can foretell me the motions and words ofothm,cannot fail in mine;efpeciallywhen(as Samuel had prophelied to hun)h~found htmfelfto prophelie;hiSprophefymgdtd enough foretell his Kingdome. No fooner dtd Sa~tmel turn hiS back fro"' Saul, but God gave him another hem, lifting up his thoughrs and difpolition t~ the pitch ofa King: the calling of Godneverleavesa man unchanged, neitherdtd God ever tmploy any man in his fervice,whom he did not enable to the work he {er him; efpeciallrthofe whom he ll raifeth up to the fupply of his own place,and the reprefenration o himrelf. It is no marvel! ifPrinces excel! the vulgar in gifts,no leffe then in dignity: Their Crowns and their hearts are both in one and the fame hand; If...od did not adde to their powers,as well as their honours, there would be no equality!.. crhe lnauguratioiJ of Saul. D bath fect·etly deftined Saul to theKingdome ; it could not content Ifrael,thatSamuel knew this, the lots muft fo decide the choyce, as ifit had notbin predetermined; That God, which is ever conlbnr to his C ownedecrees,makesthe lots to finde him out,whom Samutl had anoin. , : Ifonce we have notice of the will ofGod, we may be confident oftheiffue: There is no chance to the Almighty ; even cafuaU things are no lelfe necelfary in their firft caufe, th~n the natural!. So farre did Sitt~l rruft theprediCtion, and oyle ofSam11el, that he hide~ him among theftuffe: He knew where the lots would)ight Leforethey were caft:Tbis wa~buo amodeft declination ofthat honour which he faw muft come ; His very withdrawing Chewed fame expeCbtion why el(e f1,ould he have hid himfelfe,rather then the other Ifraelites ~ yet could he not hopehis fubducing himfdf, could difappoint the purpofe ofGod : He well knew, that he, which found out and defigned his name amongft the thoufands of Ifrael, 1 would ealily finde out his perfon in a Tent : Whenonce we k.nowGods decreel irf D vainefball we ftrive againft it: Before we know it, it is indifferent for us to.work to the likeliefr. IcannotblameSI#Ifor hiding himfelf fromaKingdome, efpeciallyof Ifrael: Honoris heavy wben it comes upon the ~ft tearmes : Howlhould it beotherwife whenall mens cares art caft upon one~ but moftofallin a troubled eftate~ No man can put to Sea withput danger,but he thatlancheth forth ina tempeft,canexpeCt nothing but the hardeft event; fuch was the condition of!frael : Their oldenemy the Philiftims were ftilled with that fearful! thuo<ler of God, as finding what it was to war aga\nft the Almighty.Therewere adverfaries enough lx'lides intheir borders: It wasbut an hollow.o;nce,that wa.s.Pet)vix~ lfrael and theirHeathenilhneighbors; and;l'{ah4{b was now,attheir gates. Well did Saulknow rh• diffi,rence betweene a E peac<lfijllgovernmql\t,and the perillous andwearifome tumultsofwarre.T.he quietefr, Th1Me is full ofc~res,but the perplexed,<ifdangers. Cares and dangers drove SaMl intG rhis corntr tp,hide his head from a Crown: Thefe made him.chufe rather• to lie obfcur~ly among the baggageo~his Terit;then to lit g!oriouOy in theThrone · ofSmte. This hiding could doe norhmg but Jhew, that both he fufpefred left he' !hou!d bet:hofen,and'<ielired h(;'fitoulp not bqchofen: Tba~ .God fromwhom the hils_3SldJhe rocks could nor concoale him, brings him fonlntil the light, fo mutlr mot:e longed for, as' lie wasmoreunwilling to he feene; ambmore applaud.ed,z he was more longed for. . _. . hlow then.\vhen s .u4 is drawnforth mthe mtddeft ofthe ~[!'t expeC!at10n of Ifrad:, modefty and godlim:ife!hewedthetrifel ves in hisface dfhe p[eafc: canno - hide
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