A compleat history and mystery of the Old and New Testament logically discust and theologically improved : in four volumes ... the like undertaking (in such a manner and method) being never by any author attempted before : yet this is now approved and commended by grave divines, &c. / by Christopher Ness ...

1 Samuel, CHAP. XII.

CHapter the Twelfth sheweth how Old Samuel Abdicates himself from the Office and Magistracy of Judge in that Publick Convention held at Gilgal, where Saul had now his Solemn Enthronization. Intrat Rex, exit Judex.

N. B. Saul comes in as a King, and Samuel goes out as a Judge: Samuel declares his own Abdication in a most excellent Oration. Remarks upon it are,

First, The Apologetical part of it: He begins his ensuing Apology with Arguments to move their Attention, that as He had hearkened unto them in confirming a King over them, so now they ought to Hearken unto him in this his Farewell Sermon, the Prologue whereof consists of three Arguments to make them attentive.

N. B. The first is drawn from his own Merits towards the Common-Wealth; appealing to their own Consciences concerning his Integrity and the Justice of all his Administrations, v. 1, 2, 3. to which the People gave an Ingenious and Publick Acquittance, v. 4.

N. B. The second, Is drawn from the Imbecility of his Age, v. 2. I am now unable to bear the burden of Government, therefore have I freely resigned it up into Saul's Hands; I now feel my self at much more ease, when that burden which so much pinched my Shoulders, is now removed to the Shoulders of Saul, whom you so impe∣tuously pressed upon me to make your King.

N. B. The third Argument is drawn from the Private Capacities of his Sons, v. 2. intimating, as he had made himself a private person by the resignation of his Power in so voluntary a manner, and was not Deposed by the People for any Male-Admini∣stration: So my Sons are much more now Private Persons, and subject to the Lash of the Law; wherein they have been wrongful to any. Deal with them as they have deserved, I will not intercede for them.

The Second Remark, is, The Reprehensory part of his Oration or Proposition, telling them, that notwithstanding their Peace-Offerings to God at the Inauguration of their King, Chap. 11.15. Yet God was not at peace with them, but had a just quarrel against them, saith he, for your violent voices in asking a King; your sinning hath been greater than yet you are aware of, and your sorrowing must be greater than yet ye have attained to: There must be a better proportion betwixt these two: Manasseh sinned greatly, and he humbled greatly, 2 Chron. 33.12. otherwise (saith Samuel) your sin will find you out, if you do not find it out, Numb. 32.23. You shall pine away in your Ini∣quity, Lev. 26.39. But if you Repent, Your sin shall not be your ruine, nor the ruine of your King, Ezek. 18.30. This is the scope of v. 7. to v. 19.

This in General only, now more Particularly. Samuel confirms his convincing them of the greatness of their Sin.

First, By opposing their former Experience of Gods Government of them, both under Moses and Aaron's Conduct, v. 8. and under the Judges, v. 9, 10. Unto their present Ingratitude in asking a King, when the former (Being Alsufficient) might have content∣ed them, v. 12. wherein Samuel argueth most accurately.

N. B. (1st.) By reminding them of the great things God had done for them, when Jacob (the Syrian, ready to perish, Deut. 26.5.) came with a few into Egypt, and being blest by God into a great Nation there, he was then cruelly oppressed, and then did the Lord raise up Moses to deliver them, and as a Captain to conduct them through the Wilderness, and seated some of them in those Conquered Lands beyond Jordan, yea and substituted Joshua to seat all the other Tribes in Conquered Canaan on this side of Jordan, &c. Thus in few words he includes a long series of Gods Providence towards Israel after they became a Nation, mentioning nothing of the Patriarchs before that came to pass. And

N. B. (2ly.) By reminding them of later Deliverances the Lord had wrought for them under all their Judges, when they had revolted from God, for which they had oft been sold into their Enemies hands, and as oft (upon their Repentance for their revolts) were delivered: And in the close of the Judges he nameth himself, not out of any Vain Ostentation, but for a just Vindication of himself, and for a necessary Justification of his following Reproof of their gross Ingratitude towards himself (as well as toward God) by whom God had so lately delivered them out of the hands of

the Philistines, Chap. 7.10, 11. All which might clearly them, that it was not any necessary Want, but meer Wantonness and Wilfulness, which prompted them so to a desire of an alteration of Government; and hereupon he lays a great stress upon their peremptory Word [Nay,] v. 12. But we will have a King, whatever it cost us, as if God were grown Impotent and Unfaithful to them.

Secondly, When Samuel had aggravated their present Ingratitude by opposing it to; their former experience, then, like a Pious Prophet, and a Prudent Preacher, he dips his Divine Nail in Oyl, that it might drive the Deeper in allaying the Tartness of his Reproof, with the Sweetness of his Counsel and Comfort; well knowing that Sowre and Sweet make the bes Sawce. Therefore he then (as it were) corrects himself, say∣ing, [Although you have grievously sinned in asking a King, through your incredulty and distrust in God, who hitherto hath been your King and Saviour; so faithfully pre∣serving you in all former Ages, that he never gave you any just cause to cast off his Government:] Yet seeing it is no wicked thing of it self, and in its own Nature to Ask a King; and seeing God hath now given you a King at your Asking: If for the time to come ye will Walk before the Lord unto all pleasing, and worthiness of his presence, Col. 1.10. then the Lord will not forsake you, but will vouchsafe both to direct and to protect both you and your King, v. 13, 14. But if ye will not fear the Lord, but Rebel against him, then will he pour forth his Plagues upon you, as he did upon that Race of Rebels (your Predecessors) and upon your King whom you have chosen, who shall not be able to secure you from Gods displeasure, v. 15.

Thirdly and Lastly, Samuel drives his Nail of Reproof and Conviction to the very Head by a marvellous Thundring, Lightning and Tempestuous Rain in the very throng of Wheat Harvest, v. 16, 17, 18. 'Tis certain that in Judea they had only the former and the latter Rains, their Harvest seasons being more certain, and the Weather more temperate than it commonly is found in our Northern-Islands: Therefore such an un∣seasonable Storm to hinder Harvest (which God had promised should not cease, Gen. 8.21. and Rain rately obstructed it, Prov. 26.1. Amos 4.7.) this made it the more Amazing a Miracle. Therefore as Samuel had bid them before [Stand and Hear,] v. 7. so now he bids them [Stand and See,] v. 16. that they might take in Instruction by those two Learned Senses, (as Aristotle calls them) the Doors and Windows of the Soul, that even the Deaf might Hear, and the Blind might Behold, Isa. 42.18. lest God should Desert them, and leave them desolate, Jer. 6.8.

N. B. Though Old Samuel could not Thunder and Lighten loud enough in his Elegant Oration to Israel to make them both Hear and See, yet sure I am, the God of Samuel did it effectually: 'Tis said, [All the People saw the Thundrings and the Lightnings and were affrighted at such a dreadful Promulgation of the Law,] Exod. 20 18. As Moses had God to Second him there, so Samuel had the same good Second here, to convince them of their Sin in asking a King, and casting off God, who had such a power as to slay them with Thunderbolts for their Sin.

The Third Remark is the effect of all: Namely, Israel's Repentance, v. 18, 19. This was a powerful Conviction to them upon many Accounts; as, (1.) That such a Prodi∣gious Storm should arise in their Wheat Harvest, when the parching Heat of the Sun doth Naturally dry up all Vapours and Exhalations. (2.) That it should be a very Fair Day when Samuel foretold this, and no appearance of any Black Cloud Arising, Psal. 147.8. (3) That the Storm should fall so suddenly, as did that upon Sodom; The Sun shone upon Lot, when God Rained the Fire of Hell from Heaven upon that Wicked City, Gen. 19.23, 24. (4.) That it fell with such Violence, (far beyond ordinary Storms) as they feared to be knock'd down Dead by it. (5.) That such dreadful Flashes of Fire should bolt forth out of the midst of a Vast Confluence of Water, and that with such confounding Cracks. (6) That this whole Prodigy should be procured by the Prayer of Samuel only. All these things made them fear both the Lord and Samuel: The Lord, because he most frightfully Thundred; and Samuel, because he had not only Prayed, but also had Prevailed for those frightful Thundrings: Now was the time of Reflecting severely upon their mad folly; saying, what Fools are we to Cast off from us, (1.) The Government of such a God, at whose command are all things, both in Heaven and Earth, and hath such terrible Tempests at his Beck, Call and Command? And, (2.) The Government of such a Judge, as is so prevailent with this great God; and can open and shut Heaven by his Prayers: We have declared his Innocency, v 4. We have heard his Wisdom in this excellent Oration: We have seen his Patience all the time of his Judgship; and now we cannot but admire his

Power with God, yet could we not rest satisfied with such a Governour; tho' they said not thus, they might well think thus; yet this they said upon Record [Pray for thy Servants unto the Lord thy God that we die not, &c.] Ver. 19. Where Note, (1.) So conscious were their Thunder-struck Consciences of their own guilt, that they had no confidence of praying for themselves, but begs Samuel to save them from Death. (2.) They call themselves Samuel's Servants, when they had deserted his service, and be∣taken themselves to a New, and another Master, to wit, Saul. Mendoza therefore lookt upon it like the common Court-Complement of our Day [Your Servant, Sir] when indeed Men are too saucy to be so to whom they say so. (3.) They call the Lord, Samuel's God; they are both afraid and ashamed to call him their God, because they had so highly offended him, and knew God would not hear sinners, Joh. 9.31. And (4.) They feared that this terrible Tempest would destroy both their Persons and their Harvest. (5.) By the occasion of this later Sin, they came to a sight and sense of all their other former Sins. 6.) And when Samuel saw them truly humbled, he prayed down the Storm, as he had prayed it up, &c.

The 4th Remark is, The Epilogue of Samuel's Oration after all; ver. 20. to 25. wherein he gives them Caution, Counsel and Comfort. (1.) A word of Caution: [Beware of Vain Idols] turn not aside to them, as ye oft have done heretofore; if ye do, at your peril; they will not only prove unprofitable, but most pernicious; both you and your King shall perish thereby, ver. 20, 21, 25. (2.) A word of Counsel; [Cleave close to God, and he will cleave as close to you. Deus non deserit nisi deserentem. Austin. His own Ho∣nour is engaged, ver. 22. and he abhors to forfeit it, forsaking none, but such as first for sake him, 2 Chron. 15.2. (3.) A word of Comfort, bidding them first not to despair, fear not with a Desponding fear, v. 20. Secondly, God hath made you his own pecu∣liar People. Exod. 19.5. not from your Merit, but from his free Mercy, Deut. 7.7. and 9.5. He hath chosen you for his Love, and will still love you for his Choice, and Rest in his Love, Zeph 3.17. And here, ver. 23. Thirdly, He promiseth them his Prayers, ver. 23. tho' they had disobliged him, and made him now pray against them in procuring this Tempest (which tho' it might hinder their Harvest, and did fill their hearts with fears, yet did it help to heal their Souls, and give them a sight of their sins;) saying, Nay, I will not only now pray for you, but I will also preach to you, as your Prophet, tho' not your Judge; but do you serve God both without dissimula∣tion, and without diminution of God's due, otherwise neither my praying for you, nor preaching to you can at all profit you. Be ye Dutiful to God, and God will be Mer∣ciful to you, &c.