10~4 1 [ontemplatio~s. L 1 n.X II. I not,they mull: fight, God mull: be fupplicated, what !hould Stu•l doe~ rather then A Go_d lhould wanta facrifice, and the people fatisfatlion, S•ul will command that, I wh1ch he knew S•mutl wou!d,1fhe were profem,both command,and execute: It is I not poflible (thinks he) thatGod 0Jould be difpleafed with a facrifice,hecannot but · bedifpleafed with indcvotion: Why doe the people run from me, but for wamof meanes to make God fure~ What lhould S•m•tl rather wi!h,then that we 010uld be godly~ The at! !hall bethe fame, the ondydilference !hall be in thep<rfon : IfS•- mutlbewanting to us,we will not be wanting to God; it is but art holy prevention to bedevout unbidden: Upon this conceit he commands afacrifice; S4Uis fins make nogreat ll1ew,yet are they frill hainoufly taken,the impiety ofthem was more hidden, and inward from all eyes,but Gods. If S•ul were among the Prophets before will he now be among the PrieOs ~ Can there be any devotion in difobedience~ o B vain man! What can it availe thee to facrifice to God againft God~ Hypocritesrcfl only in fonnalities; Ifthe outw.u·datl bedone,it fuiliceth them,though·the ground be ditlrufi, the manm:r unrever~nce,the carriage prefumption. \Vhat then 010uld Smt/havc done~ Uponthe truft of God and S<mudhe lhould have fiaid our the l.!fi houre, and have fecretly facrificed himfelfe, and his prayers unto tlm God,which loves Obedienceabove facrifice .Our faith is moft commfndable in rhe !aft at! ; It is no praife to hold our, umill we be hard driven: Then, when we are forfaken ofmcanes, to live byfaith in our God,i• wonhyofa Crown: God will have no wor!hip ofour devifing,we may onlydo what he bids us,not bid what he commandsnot.Never did any true piery arifeout ofthe corrupt puddle of mans brain ; Ifit Aow not from Heaven,it is odious to Heaven: Wh~t was it, that c did thus taint the v.tlour of S•t~l with thisweaknetfe,butdiftruft!He faw fome Ifraelitcsgoe,he thought all would goe1he faw the Philiftims come,hefaw SamNtl came not, hisdiffidence was guiltyofhismifdevotion: There is no fin, that bath not· his ground from unbdeefe; This as it was the tirft infetlionofour pure nature,fo is th~ true fource ofall corruption; man could not fin,ifhediftru£led not. The facrificeis no fooner ended,then S4mutl is come: and why came heno foo• ner ~ He could not be a Seer,and notknow howmuch hewas lookt for, how troublefome and dangerous his abfence mull: needsbe; He, that could tellSaul, that he fl1ould prophefie;could tell, that hewould facrifice; yet he purpofdy forbearesro come,forthe tryall ofhim, that mull: be the Champion ofGod. Samuel durft not have done thus,but by direetionfrom his Ma£ler:It is the ordinary tourfeofGod to D prove us by delaies, and to drive to exigent<, that we may lhew what we are: He that anointedS<ul,might lawfully fromGod comroll him:Theremuft bedifcretion, there maynot be partiality in our cenfures ofthe greateft: God makes difference of fins,none ofperfons 1 ifwe make differenceoffins aecordin~ to perfons, we are unf.1ithfull both to God and man.Scarce is Saulwarminhis Kmgdome,when he bath even lo£1 it. Sa'H'.Jttls firft wordsafrertheinauguratioo,are of Sau/s rejetlion, and the choice and eftablifl1ment ofhis Succeffor: It was ever Gods purpofe to fenle the Kingdome in }udah: He that took occafion by the peoples fin to raife up Saul in BeRjamin, takes occafion by Sauls fin to e£lab!i{h the Crowne upon Davit!. In humane probability the Kingdotnewas fixed upon S<ul, and his more worthy Son: InGods Decree it did butpaffe throughthehandsof Brlljamintoludah. Belides E trouble, how fickle are thefe earthlyglories ~ S4Ul doubtleffe lookt upon Ion<than, a• the Jnheritour ofhis Crowne; and behold, ere his peaceablePoffeflion,he hath loll: it from himfclf: Our fins ftrip us nor ofour hopes in heaven only, but ofour I earthly bleflings; The way toemailea comfortable profperiry upon our Seedafter J us, is our confcionablc obedience unto God. .
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=