Behold, here I am, witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it to you.

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor op. pressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of

hand.

any man's

And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.

And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fa thers up out of the land of Egypt.

Now therefore stand still that I may reason with you before the LORD, of all the righteous acts of the LORD which he did to you and to your fathers.

When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

And when they forgat the LORD their GoD, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand P.6

of

of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe. And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your GOD was your king.

Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired: and behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.

If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye, and also the king that reigneth over you, continue following the LORD your GOD.

But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.

Now therefore stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes.

Is it not wheat-harvest to-day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain: that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great which ye have done in the sight of the LORD in asking you a king.

So Samuel called unto the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy GOD, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil to ask us a king.

And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness; yet turn not aside from føllowing the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your

heart;

heart; and turn ye not aside: for then should ye gø after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain.

For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

Moreover, as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD, in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart ; for consider how great things he hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consume ed both ye and your king.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

By the affecting discourse which Samuel made to the Israelites, when he was going to resign the government into Saul's hands, we may learn, that he was not insensible to the indignity they had put upon him, after so many years faithful services; he therefore required, for the sake of his reputation, that if they had any crime to alledge against him, they would accuse him to his face, that he might have an opportunity of vindicating himself: they could do no less than bear an honourable testimony to the whole of his conduct, which had been regulated by the strictest rules of integrity and justice. Samuel left it to their consciences to reproach them, for deserting him in his old age, and proceeded to instruct them in their duty.

The Israelites were now rejoicing before GOD with their king, and as Saul's first act of royal power had been blessed with success, they might think there was no harm in their having desired to have a king: Samuel therefore called to mind the various successes they had experienced

experienced under the immediate direction of the LORD; and assured them that, if they wished for happiness, they must still place their whole dependance on their heavenly King, and then their new king might prove a blessing to them; but to shew that the LORD was really displeased with them, a miraculous sign was given; this brought the people to a sense of their sin, and they were glad to implore Samuel to intercede for their pardon, who assured them of his willingness to instruct them in their duty, and of his earnest prayers for their welfare; and comforted them under their present fears, in the name of the LORD, with promises, that if they would abstain from idolatry, and kept stedfast in the way of GoD's commandments, the LORD would still continue to bless both them and their king; but he warned them at the same time, that if they did wickedly, they would be consumed.

Samuel's instructions to Saul and the Israelites are suitable to all kings, and all people. An observance of the rules he prescribes, will infallibly bring prosperity and happiness on any nation. The violation of them will as certainly provoke the LORD to send down His judgments. A proper consideration of the numberless national and private blessings which are bestowed by the bountiful hand of Providence, will furnish the best motive for obedience. Let us then, as Samuel advised the Israelites, "consider how great things the LORD has done for us, that we may fear Him, and serve Him in truth, with all our heart; and never turn aside after vain things that cannot profit nor deliver."

SECTION

SECTION LXXIV.

SAUL OFFERETH A SACRIFICE-SAMUEL REPROVETH

HIM.

From 1 Samuel, Chap. xiii.

SAUL reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.

And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba: and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.

And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen and people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash eastward from Beth-aven.

When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel appointed: but Samuel came not to Gil gal: and the people were scattered from him.

And