SAUL AND THE WITCH OF ENDOR. MR. Editor,—Among the works me? thou art Saul! Saul said : which have an excellent tendency be not afraid : what sawest thou ? to promote sound and lively piety the woman answered, I saw gods among the youth of Germany, ascending out of the earth. Saul there is one entitled · Select asked: what form is he of? And Biblical Stories from the Old and she said, an old man cometh up, New Testament, after the style and he is covered with a mantle. of Hübner.' This little book, Then Saul perceived that it was which breathes a most excellent Samuel, and bowed himself to the spirit, is drawn up with all sim. earth. But Samuel said to Saul : plicity, and has already two years why hast thou disquieted me ? Saul ago passed through fourteen answered: I am sore distressed, editions. I offer to you on the for the Philistines make war upon present occasion, one of its stories me and God has forsaken me : from the Old Testament, with the therefore have I called for thee, practical applications, conceiving that thou mayest make known to that the whole work, if translated me what I shall do. Then said into English, would greatly com- Samuel, wherefore then dost thou mend itself to those families and ask of me, seeing the Lord is schools, where God is entreated for departed from thee? He will do the gift of love, of power, and of a unto thee as he said by me: he will sound mind. take the kingdom from thee, and Yours, R. G. give it to David a neighbour of thine, because thou hast not obeyed Samuel was dead, and all Israel his voice. Israel also will he sell bad mourned for him. Saul in his into the hand of the Philistines. better days bad put away those To-morrow shalt thou and thy sons that had familiar spirits, and be with me. wizards, out of the land. When Then was Saul sore afraid, and the Philistines gathered themselves fell to the earth powerless, for he again to battle, Saul also assembled bad eaten no bread all the day and his forces. But when he saw the all the night. But the woman drew Philistines his heart trembled Dear, and ministered unto him, and greatly: and he enquired of the the same night he went away. Lord, but the Lord answered him INSTRUCTION. not. Hereupon he asked after a 1. The wicked man learns at last, woman with a familiar spirit, and that good men are the best coun. his servant directed him to Endor. sellors. Saul disguised himself and went Saul had withdrawn himself from with two others to the woman, and Samuel. Now he wished to hear said to her : “ bring me bim' up him. Many despise and contemn whom I shall name unto thee, the godly, but on their death-bed She answered : thou knowest that they wish that such would pray by Saul hath cut off out of the land them, for then they feel that they those that have familiar spirits, cannot pray for themselves. why wilt thou cause me to die? 2. Fear and a bad conscience are But Saul sware to her, that no the causes of superstition. punishment should happen to her, Earlier in life Saul had right and said, bring me up Samuel, views, but afterwards resorted to a As soon as she saw Samuel she witch. All better knowledge had cried aloud : why hast thou deceived become obscured. He who will SEPT. 1828. 2 X still cleave to lusts, idleness, and Deut. xviii. 10.-" There shall black tempers, is not improved by not be found among you any that correct views. Before he is aware useth divination, or an observer of it he becomes a prey to super- of times, or an enchanter, or a stition. witch, or a charmer, or a consulter 3. When conscience troubles them, with familiar spirits, or a wizard, many men resort to every other or a necromancer; for all that do means than to self-humiliation before such things are an abomination God and reparation of evil. to the Lord.” Had Saul confessed his sin toward Who sin commits, doth false ways choose David, and the murder of the inno. And dreams, which do mislead him : cent, and besought pardon of the He goes astray in lying paths, Lord, God would have put away And dies through self-deceiving. his iniquity. But he expected that Send help, O Lord, that true to thee, God would pardon him, even while From self-deceit, I freed may be. he continued in his sin. And as Who sin commits, a load prepares, that was impossible, he sought help His noblest powers oppressing; from a witch. If a man do not Grows rash, and blind, and all unmeet abhor his iniquity and truly and nd For every holy doing. Oh, Father! grant that ne'er my soul earnestly purpose amendment, no May lose its righteous self-controul. peace of conscience can be found. 4. It is impossible to inquire of QUESTIONS. the dead, for they are in the hund Is mere disquietude of conscience the same as conversion ? of God. What ought Saul to have done, when God had forbidden it, for it is he found that God was no longer pleased contrary to the honour which is due with him? to the dead. God would not listen Has God laid futurity open to us? to a wizard, and the devil had no What sort of men, are they, who power over the righteous soul of divine for others ? Samuel. Can we know nothing about futurity? 5. Diviners are bad men, and What may the righteous look for? What the wicked ? deceive those who desire to be How then may you ascertain your deceived. future condition ? TO A YOUNG CHRISTIAN. My dear C.-It gives me pleasure salvation of those of your dear to address you, considering that you relatives, who are still afar off, have been brought to see your state " without hope and without God by nature as a sinner, and, under in the world.” While a believer the influence of the same teacher, in Jesus deeply feels his obligations have been led to Jesus Christ for to do all he can for the spread of the salvation, Oh may you be enabled glorious gospel around him ; surely every day you live, to be showing the salvation of his own relatires by the fruits of holiness in your must have the prior claim in all his conduct and conversation, that you exertions; like Andrew, of whom " are passed from death unto life" you read St. John i. 41. he will and “become a new creature in « first find his own brother and say Christ Jesus.” unto him, we have found the It is indeed pleasing to me to Messias.” This, I trust, will be reflect on the change God hath your conduct, I am sure you have wrought in you, and I trust that felt concerned for the souls of your " the grace bestowed” will be daily relatives, and I would say to you, evidenced by your efforts for the make some corresponding effort for Modern Christianity. 339 their deliverance from their present perhaps by hatred to sin.-Rememdangerous state ; Oh it is a danger- ber, my dear C. that the most disous state indeed to be living at ease, sipated of your dear relatives is not while destitute of faith in Christ; in a more hopeless state than you without prayer, while so much in were, though your outward conneed of the salvation he hath dition and deportment was more wrought out; without hope, while consistent. Oh no, we meet on in hourly danger of eternal misery. equal grounds in a state of nature; Be thankful, that God who has had the strict moralist, while destitute of “ thoughts of mercy towards you,” faith in Christ (if such a description and manifested his love, by, making be correct) is as much in danger of you “ willing in the day of his eternal misery as the drunkard and power,” is still " rich in mercy to the Sabbath-breaker, and be it also all those who call upon him," “his remembered that there is not an ear is not heavy that he cannot evil habit or practice committed by hear” your supplications for the the most depraved of your relatives, salvation of your relatives, neither but the seeds of such evil were in is his “arm shortened that he your heart, though the same tempcannot save” them as well as you; tation to evil practice was not in you have every encouragement to your way; there is then no obstacle plead with God on their behalf, and in the way of the salvation of your remember, that God in promising relatives, that did not exist in your to“ build up Jerusalem like a own case, and as God has had flock” has said “ For all this I mercy on you, take courage to will be inquired of by the house of plead with importunity for them, Israel, to do it for them, saith the remembering that, the promises of Lord.”-I have sometimes feared his grace still remain in all their that pious persons do not exercise force and efficacy. “Whosoever as much faith in prayer when cometh unto me I will in no wise pleading for their unconverted cast out,” and “ whatsoever ye ask friends as they ought, under a notion in faith, believing, that ye shall reof their exceeding sinfulness; God ceive. Oh may you“ pray without having in mercy opened their own ceasing” for your friends and relaeyes to see their sinful state before tives, continue in prayer, and unite him, makes sin to appear so ex- your affectionate entreaties and ceedingly sinful, that they are in invitations, with your consistent danger of thinking the natural state conduct, to convince them that the of their relatives to be almost hope- Gospel is indeed “ worthy of all less, and they are ready to conclude acceptation ;” and that solid peace that the obstacles in the way of the and lasting happiness is only to be salvation of these persons are now found in true religion. more insuperable than when God May you be favoured to see in mercy“ called themselves out many of them “born again.” Such of darkness into marvellous light;" is the prayer of your affectionate this is an error, though produced Cousin. MODERN CHRISTIANITY. PERHAPS, Mr. Editor, there are few passages of that volume which is written by inspiration of God, which admit of a more extensive application to professing Christians, than these words of our Lord to Peter. The Saviour had been predicting his approaching sufferings, and the Apostle with an inconsiderate warmth of affection took him and began to rebuke him, saying, “ Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee: sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and But he turned, and said unto him, satisfaction for the sins of the whole Get thee behind me Satan, thou world; but they shrink from the art an offence unto me: for thou conclusion—that without that sasavourest not the things that be crifice no mercy could have been of God, but those that be of men." proclaimed; they fancy, that the Peter understood not the divine declaration in their case, at least, purpose, he felt not the necessity admits of some exception or modiof an atoning sacrifice, his mind fication ; they suppose, that they was filled with ideas of wealth, and can do somewhat to recommend honour, and authority; and he had themselves to the divine favour, no conception that the way to that they can, at least in part, make the crown lay through the cross; amends for their transgressions ; hence he incurred the rebuke of forgetting, that if their own obedihis Master, and has left a caution ence could at all avail as a merito all succeeding professors, how torious ground of hope, then Christ they presume to advance their own is dead in vain. Contemplate the opinions in opposition to the word extent and spirituality of the law; of God. Men cannot indeed now remember that every transgression transgress exactly in the same way brings the sinner under a curse ; as this Apostle did. The events pre- that by the works of the law shall dicted by our Lord, and objected no flesh be justified in God's sight; to by Peter, have been exactly that we are accounted righteous fulfilled ; but, Oh! how often are before God, only for the merits the express declarations of revela of our Lord and Saviour Jesus tion, or the plainest directions from Christ by faith, and not for our holy writ, treated with somewhat own works or deservings, and come of the same levity, and inconsidera cast thyself at the foot of the cross, tion, which Peter evinced on this renounce every other dependance, occasion. gladly embrace the promised mercy, “ Thou savourest not the things and gratefully exclaim, “ Thanks that be of God, but the things that be unto God for his unspeakable be of men” may be said to many gift.” who are called Christians, with “ Thou savourest not the things respect to the grand and distin- that be of God, but the things that guishing doctrine of the atonement be of men" may be said to many, offered up by the Son of God for with reference to the effect which the sins of a lost and ruined world. the reception of the doctrine of the They will agree to the general doc- atonement should produce on their trine, that man is very far gone spirit and temper, their conduct from original righteousness: they and conversation. “Ye are not will perhaps allow, that he is justly your own, but bought with a price, exposed to the divine displeasure, therefore glorify God with your and that he cannot of himself put bodies and souls, which are his ; ” away the wrath of an offended “whether ye eat or drink, or whatGod; but, they do not really be- soever ye do, do all to the glory lieve that it was only by the cross of God." Alas! how few seem to of Christ; only in virtue of his regard these precepts as binding sacrifice, that mercy could be ex. upon themselves. “They profess tended to transgressors, they have that they know God, yet in works been taught to profess that the they deny him ;" “ they are called Lord Jesus Christ, by his one to liberty, yet they forget the Aposoblation of himself, once offered tle's caution, and their liberty too on the cross for our redemption, often approximates to licentiousness. made there a full, perfect, and This, indeed, appears a very prevalent evil in the present day; and partial and erroneous view of the it may therefore be allowable to word of God, and who are conenter somewhat more fully on the sequently rejecting in their own topic. · Profession is not Principle, practice and their own circles the while yet the existence of profes- very precepts which God has inculsion leads many to conclude, that cated. They maintain for instance their principles are correct, and to that salvation is of grace; that flatter themselves all shall be well, without the influence and operation though, in various respects, they of the Holy Spirit all human means are obviously deficient. Thus many and ordinances are in vain. That profess great attachment to the God can work without means. Redeemer's cause, and are deeply That he will carry on his work in interested, as they suppose, in the his own way. That his counsel promotion of his kingdom, while shall stand, and he will do all his they are far from labouring to pleasure ; and thence they practibring every thought into subjection cally infer that the employment of to the obedience of Christ; they certain means and the adoption traverse through the land in sup- of some particular line of conduct port of the Bible, Missionary, or are really unimportant. They will Jewish cause, they are anxious that bring their children under the the gospel should be preached to word; but they are very remiss in all nations; they sympathize with applying that word to their hearts the wrongs of injured Africa; they and consciences. They will discuss endeavour to rescue the Hindoo the merits of a preacher and the Widow from the burning pile; they distinctive features of a sermon, engage in a crusade against the but they shrink from any thing intolerance and superstition of the like a practical and personal appliRomish Priesthood, but their own cation. There is nothing of habispirit and temper is unsubdued. tual, daily self-denial. Their politeYou find them arrogant, confident, ness renders their carriage easy, overbearing, self-willed, determined and their houses comfortable to on carrying every thing their own mere worldly persons. Family way. Prudence is cowardice; dis prayer is neglected or hurried cretion and expediency is the fear over. There is no previous preof man ;-they sit in judgment paration, no subsequent improveupon others, as though they could ment. The conversation is on detect the very secrets of the heart; indifferent and trifling subjects and hesitate not to adopt the most immediately before it is equally contemptuous language concerning trifling and worldly immediately eminent and useful characters, whose after. The precepts, “Thou shalt long-acquired experience induces in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, them to pause before they commit and not suffer sin upon him." themselves to a plausible project; “Exhortone another daily, lest any or who foresee that the line to of you be hardened through the wbich they are called, may perhaps deceitfulness of sin” are practically issue in results widely different blotted out of their Bibles; and it from what the projectors anticipate. would be the extreme of rudeness to To such it may well be said, “ Ye hazard a remark which might make know not what spirit ye are of.” the worldling feel uncomfortable. “ Thou savourest not the things Profession is now creditable. The which be of God, but those that offence of the cross has now ceased. be of men.” |