judgments were averted; if not, they were furely executed.

Now what is the infidel objection to these prophets? Why, truly, they were wild enthusiastick men, who foretold things at a venture: if they came to pafs, well and good, their credit was established; if they did not, why, then, fomething happened that altered the cafe. They never wanted evafions; they had always fome shift to bring themselves off. For example:

How might this history be objected to? Samuel, in his life-time, often reproved Saul for his guilt; and told him, that God had given away his kingdom from him for that guilt: but he never told him to whom, nor when the fentence fhould be executed upon him.

IT is true, Saul died in battle; and David, after fome time, fucceeded him. Who knows that this was the effect of that fentence? David might have died before this happened; and another might have fucceeded him, instead of David. Neither Saul, nor many of his court, believed one word that Samuel faid: And why should we? his kingdom was given away many years

before,

before, and yet Saul was in full poffeffion of it ftill: Could there be a fubject of more mockery upon prophets, and priests, and priest-craft, than this?

HOLD! fay the Scriptures; --- the fentence is fure, and shall be executed, though it be respited, and the criminal reprieved. And to evince this, beyond all poffibility of doubt, God raises the fame prophet, that predicted this event; and at the very inftant of predicting it, cautioned him against the guilt of divination *: I say, that prophet, who predicted this fentence, GOD now raises up from the dead, to confirm that sentence; to tell him, that the kingdom was that day to be taken from him, and would be divided; to name the very perfon to whom it was given; --- to confirm the fentence beyond all poffibility of cavil; to fhew by whom, and when, and where, and how it was to be executed ; to fhew, that the execution of it was inftant, and should be deferred no longer than the very next day : --- Was not this an occafion wor

*

141

I Sam. xv. 23. For rebellion is as the fin of witchcraft, (in Heb. divination) and ftubbornness as iniquity and idolatry.

thy

thy of the divine interpofition? Was not this Dignus Deo vindice nodus ?

ONE would think all this were fufficient to filence infidelity: but, alas! the human vanity and perverfeness are not so easily quelled. It is poffible ftill to object; That it was not Samuel that did all this.

Now the cafe ftands thus :

The

Scriptures fay, Samuel was feen on this occafion that Saul perceived it was

;

316

Samuel himself;

Saul heard him

;

111

that Samuel fpoke, and

denounced the divine judgments, and and the judgments he denounced were demonftrably fuch, as none but GOD could denounce. And fome men, that call themselves criticks, without attending to the text, the nature of the prophet's threats, or the reason of his appearance, say, it was not Samuel that did all this, but fome impoftor, or some evil fpirit; and they fay this the idleft reafons that ever were upon urged; reasons, that have already been abundantly confuted and expofed. And can it yet be made a queftion, which we shall believe ?

I HAVE but two obfervations to annex. The firft is; That the fon of Syrach, who feems

feems to have had as much wisdom, penetration, and piety as any critick that came after him, is clearly of opinion with the facred hiftorian, that it was Samuel himself, who foretold the fate of Saul and his house in this interview. And it is no ill prefumption, that his judgment was also that of the Jewish church upon this head.

THE next is; That whereas it hath been made a question, whether the Jews had any belief of the immortality of the foul; this history is a full decifion upon that point: And, perhaps, the establishment of that truth upon the foot of fenfible evidence, was not the lowest end of Samuel's appear ance upon this occafion,

СНАР.

CHAP. XXIV.

David goes with Achish to the Rendezvous of the Philiftine Army at Apheck. The Philiftine Lords wou'd fuffer him to go no farther. What enfued thereupon.

I'

T is now time to return to DAVID.

WE may eafily apprehend to what ftreights he was reduced, upon Achish's infifting, that he must go with him against Saul; he was now under a neceffity either of warring against his country, or betraying his benefactor. The alternative was, indeed, distressful: but it is easy to fee how a man of honour must determine himself under it. His prince had banished and outlawed him, innocent; and his people had joined in the fentence. Nevertheless,

he continued, as long as he could, not only not to injure either, but even to be beneficent to both. To be merciful and long-fuffering, to repay cruelty with tenderness, and basenefs with beneficence, he well knew was the nobleft character and refemblance of the

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