THis Chapter presents us with the lively draught of a good Subject, and a faithful Minister, appearing both with an excel­lent lustre, in one Samuel; concerning whom I cannot but note, and commend one thing by the way; And that is his remarkable, and indeed admirable humility, in letting go the Scepter out of his hands, and standing still whilst God stript him of the Political Government; and afterwards hee behaved himself with as much quietness and faithful­ness, as though hee had lost nothing, or did not at all resent his loss. It appears that hee sate not in the Throne of Israel, to keep himself warm, to please his own ambitious spirit, but to do the work of God, and [Page 2] serve the necessities of the people: for when God had provided himself otherwaies, he willingly resign­ed, and became as though hee had never sitten there.

In the Chapter, wee have this Samuel the Prophet and Servant of the Lord sending Saul his anointed King of an Errand. 2 Saul going upon this Errand; but failing in the execution of it; in sparing what God had determined to the sword. 3 Samuel repro­ving and threatning Saul for his disobedience. 4 Saul repenting and worshipping God. 5 Samuel executing what Saul had left undone. 6 Samuel and Saul parting, in the two last verses. Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Sa­muel came no more to see Saul, until the day of his death: Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul; And the Lord repented that hee had made Saul King over Israel.

Samuel went no more to visit Saul, until the day of his death; i. e. hee went no more on purpose to instruct him, counsel him, or advise him (for hee afterwards saw him accidentally at Naioth in Ramah, chap. 19. 24.) whilst hee lived. Until the day of his death, i, e. never, the day of his death being reckoned into the number of his daies.

Note. I might here observe by the way, That Gods Mi­nisters may prudentially absent themselves from the hou­ses of wicked and disobedient persons, discountenance them, and shew strangeness towards them, that they may bee ashamed of their evil waies, and repent, and return to God. Thus the Apostle exhorts the godly Thessale­nians to estrange themselves from the disobedient, that they might bee ashamed, 2 Thes. 3. 14. And Sa­muel here would not be familiar with him, from whom God had estranged himself; hee refused to turn again [Page 3] with him to worship, vers. 26. he visited him no more, vers. ult. Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death—Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul.

In which words observe

• 1 An Action, Mourned.
• 2 The Agent, Samuel.
• 3 The Object, Saul.
• 4 The Modification of the Action, exprest in the word [Nevertheless] Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul.

Before I discourse particularly of the parts of the Text, I must necessarily answer a Question, upon the Answer to which the whole following discourse must depend, viz.

Quest. Whether Samuel did well or ill in mourning for Saul?

Answ. To which I answer, Hee did well in it.

Argum. But then will some say, Why did God forbid him to do it, as wee finde hee did? chap. 16. 1. And the Lord said to Samuel, how long wilt thou mourn for Saul? Will God forbid the doing of that which is well done?

Answ. 1 It is unquestionably lawful to mourn for others; Nay, it is a duty so to do, Rom. 12. 15. Weep with them that weep. God would not have his people walk by the Rule of the Stoicks, who condemned all kind of affection and sympathy: Hee who is a God of bowels, would not have his people to bee without all bowels of compassion. Nay, it is lawful to mourn o­ver the wicked, the enemies of God; as appears in the example of holy David, Psal. 35. 13, 14. As for mee, when they were sick (meaning the wicked, as ap­pears by the 11, and 12, verses) My cloathing was sack-cloth, I humbled my soul with fasting, I bowed down hea­vily, [Page 4] as one that mourneth for his Mother. And the Learned Ravanellus (in voce Luctus) saying, that wee ought to mourn for the miseries of others, commends this of Samuel for an example, who mourned for Saul, as it is in my Text: —Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul.

Answ. 2 God doth not absolutely forbid Samuel's mourning for Saul, but his immoderation, his excess; Hee doth not say, why dost thou mourn for Saul, but how long wilt thou mourn for him? It appears by this, that God had long suffered Samuel to mourn; but now hee thought hee had mourned enough, therefore hee takes him off, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul? God would not indeed have us exceed in our mourn­ing, so as thereby to make our spirits unfit for the du­ties of our callings. Especially Samuel must take heed of this excess, who was the Priest and Prophet of the Lord, and a publick person, upon the right frame of whose spirit much did depend. And therefore (if wee observe it) God seems to take him off from mourning, that hee might be fit to go about his work, chap. 16. 1. Fill thine horn with Oyl, go, I will send thee, &c. And happily this might be one reason, why God forbade the Priests, especially the High Priests, to make any mourning for the dead, as some Annotators do hint, upon Levit. 21. 1, 2, 3. Samuel is not forbidden here to mourn, but to mourn long: Hee went to his house, and mourned: But hee must not make his house an house of mourning, hee must not dwell in sorrow, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul?

Answ. 3 God doth in some particular cases forbid the doing of things that are otherwise lawful, the performance of things that are in themselves duties. [Page 5] Hee doth not only forbid many things which are in themselves indifferent, as 1 King. 13. 17. Act. 15. 29. But it is also his prerogative to dispence with his own commands, and to forbid (upon occasion) the perfor­mance of Moral duties. As for example, prayer is a duty, nay the Apostle exhorts, that prayer and inter­cession bee made for all men, 1 Tim. 2. 1. And yet in a particular case God forbids the Prophet to pray for the people, Jer. 7. 16. 11. 14. & 14. 11. The like pro­hibition hee gives Moses, Exod. 32. 10. To repay what is borrowed, is a moral duty, Rom. 13. 8. Owe no man any thing, &c. And yet upon occasion God dispenses with this duty, and commands the Israelites to borrow Jewels of the Egyptians, and not to restore them, Exod. 3. 22. Not that wee may dispense with our du­ties at our own pleasure, but God hath the preroga­tive to give dispensations. And therefore Jeremiah did pray for the people till God forbade him: The Israelites durst not to have spoiled the Egyptians, but that God bade them; And Samuel here mourned for Saul, till God discharged him, saying, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul?

So that notwithstanding God did afterwards pro­hibit Samuel to mourn for Saul, yet wee may safely conclude, that till then, hee did well to mourn for him. Therefore in my discourse I shall look upon Sa­muel as performing a duty in so doing, and shall pro­pound him as a pattern for us, that wee may go and do likewise. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul.

1 Let us consider the Agent, Samuel. And wee may consider him under these notions.

1 Samuel, an holy, gracious man, a man full of the Spirit of God, mourned. Some new lights, men pre­tending [Page 6] to a great Gospel-Spirit, preach nothing but priviledges, practise nothing but joy and spiritual re­joycing, saying, It is for low spirits, weak, puny Chri­stians to lye mourning, and weeping, and filling their souls with heaviness. But holy Samuel here was either yet below their spirits (which I cannot think he was) or beside their mind; And so indeed hee was, for hee mourned for Saul. Hee was beside their mind, and I doubt they besides themselves: For I am sure our Saviour pronounces a blessing upon Gospel-mour­ners, Mat. 5. 4. And I also know, that the most gra­cious spirits, have been ever the most tender, and sym­pathizing, and most mournful over the sins, and suf­ferings of others. Moses the familiar friend of God, who was faithful in all his house, though of a great and gracious spirit, mourned over the stiff-necked, hard­hearted, and rebellious Israelites. Josiah was a man of singular piety, and yet of singular tenderness. Elijah was a man full of the Spirit of the Lord, and yet full of complaints for the Idolatry and backslidings of the people, 1 King. 19. 10. David was a man after Gods own heart, and yet much in tears, Psal. 119. 28. 136, &c. Jeremiah was a man that found grace in the eyes of God, a man much of Gods mind, and hee was one of a mournful spirit: Hee wrings his hands, and fqueezes his eyes, nay, and drains his very soul too for tears, all up and down his Prophecie, especially, chap. 4. 19. 9. 1, 2. 13. 17. Nay, hee mourns bitterly for the desolation of Moab, a rebellious, uncircumcised people, Jer. 48. 31, 32. Paul a man of a Gospel-spirit, and otherwise of a great and undaunted spirit, thinks, that mourning for the sinful and impenitent, was a du­ty suitable enough to his spirit, 2 Cor. 12. ult. Wee [Page 7] may learn from the example of holy Samuel mour­ning for Saul, that mourning is not an exercise unbecom­ing the most gracious spirits.

2 Samuel a man mighty in prayer, mourned for Saul. Hee was so mighty in prayer with God, that when God would express a man prevalent in prayer, hee u­ses Samuels name, to signifie him by, Jer. 15. 1. Though Moses and Samuel stood before mee, yet could not my mind bee towards this people. Yet Samuel did not improve his interest at the Throne of grace against Saul, did not implore God for his ruine, but betook himself to his tears; Samuel mourned for Saul. Note. It is observable, That the servants of God who have been most strong in prayer, have rarely improv'd their interest at the Throne of grace against any, no not their enemies. Moses, when hee was sleighted and set at nought by the people, and threatned also, yet did not pray for their ruine, but for their relief rather, Exod. 17. 4. Such a spirit was holy David of, as you may see in his behaviour upon occasion of Shimei's cursing, 2 Sam. 16. 10. This was the spirit of holy Stephen, who was so full of the Holy Ghost, Act. 7. 60. Instead of putting up imprecations of wrath against them, hee depre­cates the wrath that might justly have fallen upon them, saying, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. This spirit was in our blessed Saviour, Mat. 26. 53, 54. Luk. 23. 34. and 9. 54, 55. And this spirit hee commends to all his, Mat. 5. 44. True indeed, sometimes wee finde the servants of God ready to pray against their enemies, in Scripture; But then it was either out of weakness, as the two Disciples, Luk. 9. 54. or being acted by an extraordinary, prophetical spirit, as Eli­jah, 2 King. 1. and David oft-times in the Psalms; or [Page 8] in passion, as Jer. 20. 15, 16. But you shall never hear any such thing from them, unless they were besides themselves (in passion) and so they must not bee imi­tated, or above themselves (extraordinarily▪ acted) and so wee cannot imitate them. But alas, how few such spirits, how little such moderation is to be found amongst us! If many hot spirits had as much strength with God, and interest in the Throne of grace, as Sa­muel had, wee should quickly have fire upon our heads; whereas Samuel, who was greater in power and might, improved not his might against Saul, but mourned for him. Nay, it is most sad of all, to hear Gods people groaning in prayer one against another; Insomuch that if the wise God, were not merciful to them in denying their prayers sometimes, they would set the world on fire; whereas they ought ra­ther to mourn for one another, as Samuel here, who was otherwise strong in prayer even to a Proverb.

3 Samuel a man as much hating Saul's manners, as any man, yet mourned for his condition. It is a hard thing to bee displeased at a mans manners, and yet nor to hate his person, nor to rejoyce in the evil that be­falls him. Commonly when wee are displeased with a mans actings, wee are proportionably pleased with his sufferings. To distinguish between a mans condi­tions, and his condition, so as to abbor the one, and yet to commiserate the other, is a great art; and such a one as David may seem sometimes not to have very well learnt, when hee rejoyced in the death of chur­lish Nabal, 1 Sam. 25. 39. Unless wee chuse rather to say, that David rejoyced, not that Nabal was dead, but that hee did not kill him, which yet doth not seem to bee all. However at any other time hee shews him­self [Page 9] an artist in this art to the life, as may appear to him that reads, Psal. 35. 11, 12, 13, 14. Oh admirable soul! oh wonderful self-denying frame of spirit! ready to dye for thine enemy that is sick? go in sack-cloth for the affliction of an unkinde adversary? Oh blessed soul! every one will admire thee, but who can imitate thee? oh labour wee all to bee ashamed of our selves, that one and the same hatred is so apt to comprehend the man with the manners; and for the future to imitate holy David, who although hee was offended at a persecuting Saul, yet lamented a dying Saul; and good Samuel, who although hee re­jected 2 Sam. 1. 17. a sinning Saul, vers. 26. yet mourned for a re­jected Saul, vers. 35. —Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul.

So much for the Agent, Samuel, and what may be gathered from him.

2 The Action, Mourned, Samuel mourned for Saul.

1 Wee may observe that hee did not rejoyce in Sauls rejection, much less in his sin, but mourned for him. It is the unkinde and sinful property of many men to make themselves merry with others misery, to re­joyce in their ruine, and to bee made lightsome by their heaviness; whereby they add weight to their burden, affliction to their bonds, and bitterness to their wormwood. This David is studious to prevent, 2 Sam. 1. 20. Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon, lest the daughters of the Philistins rejoyce, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. Thus did not holy Samuel, this did not compassio­nate David, as you saw in Psal. 35. 13, 14. Thus do not you; Rejoyce not in the evil that befalls any: Although you are offended with his sinful life, yet [Page 10] rejoyce not at his sad death; although you like him not standing, yet pity him falling, mourn for his fall: Although you bee troubled at his manners, yet de­light not in his troubles. But this I touch'd upon be­fore. Therefore

2 Samuel did not insult ever Saul, but mourned for him. It is the manner of many ignoble, unchristian, and impotent spirits, to trample upon a man when God hath him down, to tread upon him whom provi­dence hath laid low: Thus did the Philistins insult o­ver captive Sampson, Judg. 16. 25. Call for Sampson, and let him make us sport. Thus did Edom to Jacob in the day of Jerusalem's visitation, Psal. 137. 7. Obad. vers. 12. Thus God knew that the enemies of Israel would do, if hee should scatter his people into corners, Deut. 32. 27. But thus did not Samuel here: Hee looked not on the day of Saul, hee behaved not him­self proudly, hee magnified not his mouth against him; But Samuel mourned for Saul. Hath God made our enemies to stoop to us? let us not tread upon them; hath hee conquered them? let not us triumph imperiously, and insult over them: But rather, the more God humbles a man by afflicting him, the more let us humble our selves for his affliction, as David did, Psal. 35. 13. and as Samuel did here, Samuel mour­ned for Saul. He did not insult over him, hee did not taunt and reproach him, as the most malicious Jews did our blessed Saviour, hanging upon the cross, (Mat. 27. 41, &c.) who fed their greedy eyes with his suffe­rings, and their revengeful natures with his blood, but hee mourned for Saul. Go wee and do likewise.

3 Hee did not blaze and divulge his miscarriages, but bewailed them. Oh gracious spirit, and far different [Page 11] from that of cursed Ham, who saw his Fathers naked­ness, and went and told his two brethren without, Gen. 9. 22. But Samuel when hee saw that God had stript Saul of his royal Robes, and made him naked, took another way; Hee went home to his house, and mourned for him. It is much the sin of this genera­tion, even censoriousness, and that constant prone­ness, which wee see in all men almost, to proclaim, divulge, and depredicate the infirmities, and blaze the failings of others, especially Ministers, and men of publick place. Instead of relieving a brother that is overtaken with a fault (according to the Apostles counsel, Gal. 6. 1.) wee are apt to report his faults, and tell our brethren without, to make him vile, to sto­ry out his infirmities, instead of restoring him. As for Ministers, you are not ignorant how precious the ointment of their good names ought to bee, and of what concernment it is that their credits should bee preserved entire and spotless; you cannot bee igno­rant, how tender the Apostle commands men to bee of the same, charging Timothy not to receive an accusa­tion against an Elder, but before two or three witnesses, 1 Tim. 5. 19. which tenderness it appears that Con­stantine was largely indued withall, who would have thrown his own royal Robe over an adulterous Bishop, if hee had seen him in the evil act. And as for Magi­strates, and men of secular dignity, Solomon charges to use them with a singular tenderness, Eccles. 10. 20. Curse not the King, no not in thy conscience: And the Apostle Peter, in that hee makes this a character of the most desperate presumption, to speak evil of dig­nities, 2 Pet. 2. 10. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. But alas, the impudence of this generation, [Page 12] and their presumption, is such, that if a brother bee overtaken in a fault, all the world must know it: Men do not only receive, but even raise and report accusa­tions against Elders; and speak most virulently, and ignominiously of the Rulers of the people. To this evil and impudent generation, I only say, that the Lord will certainly execute judgement upon them; and e­ven cause them to eat those hard speeches, which they speak against him. For they that speak reproach­fully of Gods Vicegerents, and Embassadors, do re­proach God himself, whose representative they are. Learn wee all to have a singular tenderness towards all men; tell not their faults abroad with Ham, but go home and mourn over them with holy Samuel.—Ne­vertheless Samuel mourned for Saul.

4 Hee did not stir up sedition, nor raise an insurre­ction against Saul, but mourned for him. Although hee carried himself sinfully, and managed his people foolishly, yet discontented Samuel stirred not up his own spleen, nor the peoples rage against him, but went home and mourned for him. Of such a King, saith learned Cartwright, are those words, Eccles. 10. 20. to bee understood, as though one should say (in allusion to the Apostle, 1 Pet. 2. 18.) not only of the good and gentle, but also of the froward, and foolish. Note. This is also to bee considered, that Samuel at this time knew that God had in his decree rejected Saul from being King; and also that Samuel was a man of migh­ty power and interest in the Israelitish hearts; And upon these accounts hee had a great advantage to have made an insurrection, and a fair pretence at hand, wherewithall to cover and excuse it, when hee had done: Yet a David sometimes spared him, so Sa­muel [Page 13] here pitied him, Samuel mourned for Saul.

This may at least teach us to use a singular tender­ness to the persons, and powers of constituted Magi­strates, and to take heed how wee vilifie the one, or weaken the other, [...], lest hap­pily wee bee found to fight against God, as Gamaliel said in another case; but rather to mourn over them with Samuel—Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul.

So much for the Action, and the considerables in it.

3 The Object of this mourning. Who was it that this Samuel thus mourned for? hee mourned for Saul, Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul. Now we may consider Saul under these notions amongst others.

1 Saul a King, Samuel mourned for King Saul. Saul was the annointed of God, the rightful King of Is­rael, chosen by Gods appointment and direction. And although Samuel was at first against the office of a King, yet when God had appointed a King over them, and settled him amongst them, hee was a loyal subject, a faithful counsellor, so as no man more, nor indeed like him. The best men are the best for any purpose; the best in every relation; the best Kings, the best subjects, the best Masters, the best servants, the best every thing. Note. It is worth observing, that as God hath been ever careful to give commands con­cerning his Magistrates and Vicegerents, so the best men have been alwaies most careful to observe those commands, have carried it most tenderly, reverently, and obsequiously towards them. Samuel here had still a secret respect for Gods annointed, —Neverthe­less Samuel mourned for Saul. Consider what was said under the last particular.

[Page 14] 2 Saul an enemy. In probability Saul was by this time become Samuels enemy. There is a passage in the fourth verse of the 26 ^th. chapter, that may seem to strengthen this conjecture. When Samuel came to Bethlehem, it is said, that the Elders of the Town trem­bled at his coming, and said, comest thou peaceably? whereupon the Dutch Annotations suppose, that the Bethlehemites heard that Saul was provoked against Samuel, because hee had pronounced him a man re­jected of God, and therefore thought that Samuel had fled from Saul. It seems to appear also that Sa­muel suspected him, that hee had no great confidence in his friendship, by the second verse of the same chap­ter. And indeed, if wee consider the carnal ambiti­ous, revengeful frame of Saul's spirit, wee may justly conclude, that it was almost impossible that he should bee any other than an enemy to Samuel. Yet Samuel mourned for this Saul, this enemy. And so did Da­vid for them that persecuted and spoiled him, Psa. 35. Our blessed Saviour, who wept over persecuting Je­rusalem, and bewailed it with ingeminations, doth set us a copy to write after; that wee also should pray for them that persecute us, bewail the sins and sufferings of. them that hate us; Their sins wee must bewail, be­cause they intrench upon the honour of God, and en­danger their own souls, which ought to bee dear unto us: Their sufferings wee must bewail out of Chri­stian and brotherly compassion, as Samuel did here. —Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul.

3 Saul a wicked man, a disobedient man: Samuel mourned for this Saul; nay, because Saul was this, therefore hee mourned for him. Do yee see a wicked, prophane, and sinful wretch? some will be [Page 15] ready to laugh at him, others to neglect him, some perhaps in an over-hot zeal to curse him. Oh but do you admonish him, labour to reform him, pray for him: If all this prove ineffectual, yet pity him, mourn over him. Is the Name of the great God dis­honoured, his commandements broken, his waies de­spised? is the precious soul of thy brother indanger­ed, and hee ready to go to Hell headlong? Oh who can chuse but mourn, who would not bee a Sa­muel here? A wicked man is the greatest, the fit­test object of pity in the world, and that upon the ac­count of his wickedness. The prophaneness of beg­gars had more need of pity, than their wants; their Ignorance and Atheism cries louder for our prayers and tears, than their poverty for our alms. When Je­remiah thought of the afflictions of the Jews, hee calls to his eyes, Jer. 9. 1. But when hee thought of their obstinacy, and perverseness, hee calls to his soul for tears, Jer. 13. 17. When hee speaks of their capti­vity, his eye ran down with tears: But when hee thought of their impiety, his soul wept in secret, as you may see him, as it were purposely, varying the phrase in that place. But when sin and misery meet together in a man, then let the eyes and the soul conspire together to bewail him. When Saul hath rejected the Commandements of God, and God hath rejected Saul too, then Samuel goes home, and mews up himself in mourning, —Samuel mourned for Saul.

To this I might add also, that Samuel mour­ned for Saul, who succeeded him in the Govern­ment of the Nation, even his own eyes looking on. Men are usually apt to bee glad of the reje­ction of a competitor, of one that stands between [Page 16] them and preferment, of one whose election was their exclusion: But so did not Samuel here; which also commends in him, and commends to us a self-denying, humble, gracious disposition of mind. Thus much for the Object, Saul, and what may bee considered in him.

Lastly, Let us consider the Modification of the Action, exprest in the word [Nevertheless] which doth necessarily suppose something: For being a Conjunction Redditive, it must have one Ad­versative or more.

1 Although Samuel and his Counsel was rejected of Saul, Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul. Sa­muel had been at much pains with Saul, to instruct him in his duty, to counsel him in his affairs, to re­prove him for his faults, and behaved himself in all things as though hee had been his guardian; And yet found no success of his pains; his instru­ctions were not followed, his counsel was disobey­ed, his reproofs despised, and all his indeavours made unsuccesseful. And yet this Samuel thus re­jected, mourned for Saul, which doth commend in him an excellent spirit of patience and lenity, and reproves the impatience and spleenishness of the most in the world, who think if they bee at pains to fore-warn, counsel, or reprove their bro­ther, and hee do not hearken to them, they have sufficiently discharged their duty, they need do no more. Of this mind was not holy Samuel; hee though that after hee had done this, and more than this, it was his duty to mourn for Saul. The good example of this good man, may ex­hort us all to do the like; especially it may teach [Page 17] Gods Ministers their duty, after all discourage­ments, and contempts that they meet with in the world, from obstinate and unthankful per­sons. Are their people froward, dull, careless, ignorant, idle? Is their counsel scorned, their re­proofs sleighted, their words made wind of, all their importunate pains, and incessant prayers unsuccesseful? why yet something remains to bee done, and that is all they can do, even to mourn for them. See the resolution of the tender-hearted Prophet Jeremiah, Jer. 13. 17. If yee will not hear; what then? will hee curse them, revenge himself upon them? No. But will hee not at least desist, leave them, cast off all further care of them? No. What then? why, My soul shall weep in secret places for your pride. Oh that men had betaken themselves to their eyes, to their preces and lachry­mae, to the wringing of their hands, when they be­took themselves to the arming of their hands to revenge themselves upon their brethren; our in­testine confusions had yet been to begin, whereas now they are not at an end, and God knows when they will bee: If wee had shed as much tears, as wee have done blood, wee had not had so much guilt abiding upon us, nor so much misery amongst us, and it had been a Sacrifice the more pleasing to God of the two. And as for Ministers, if they preach well, pray well, exhort well, reprove well, yet if they do not mourn well too, they have not discharged their duty well; not so well as Samuel did here, —Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul.

2 Although Saul and his authority was rejected of God, yet Samuel mourned for Saul. Many men when [Page 18] they see God hath cast a man down, are ready to cast him off too, and all care of him, all thoughts of him; persecute and take him, for God hath forsaken him. If a Viper do but stick upon a mans hand, if God shall banish him, impoverish him, or any way afflict him, they conclude him to bee a murderer (with the Barbarians, Act. 28. 4.) or an hypocrite (with Job's friends, Job 4. 7. and 8. 6.) they pass sen­tence upon him presently, and never look more af­ter him. But bee it so, that God hath indeed re­jected and cast off a person, or a people, yet the gra­cious soul cannot chuse but bee affected, afflicted with it, and pity them. A good man, a right Samuel, is so much a friend to Gods justice, that hee cannot but approve Gods sentence passing upon man; and yet hee is so full of bowels, that hee cannot but la­ment the execution of it upon his brother, as Sa­muel did here, —Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul.

3 Although Samuel went not to see Saul, yet Samuel mourned for Saul. Samuel out of prudence absented himself from Saul; But yet out of piety and pity he mourned for Saul. Discretion may sometimes per­swade us to some discouraging strangeness towards wicked men, yet compassion will not suffer the god­ly man to estrange his bowels from them; Sa­muel mourned for Saul; Samuel would not bestow his eyes to see Saul, but hee would employ them to weep over him. The like sweet mixture of these two eminent graces, discretion, and compassion, wee may see in David not suffering Absolom to see him, 2 Sam. 13. and yet full of bowels towards him, as wee see here in Samuel not going to see Saul, but yet lamenting [Page 19] him; the one seeming to imitate the other; oh that wee could imitate either! All love doth not con­sist in frequent visits: For as I may bee visited, and yet hated, so I may bee neglected, and yet pitied. And they are better friends, that stay at home, and mourn for you, than they that visit you, to cor­rupt, and ensnare you. Every man will bee prone enough to bee a stranger to a man in anger, even malice it self will take the first part of the verse, will bee a Samuel there: but withall hee mourned for him, whom hee had no more any reason to visit; Oh that wee were all Samuels here! Thus you see the Modification of the action. Although God had rejected Saul, and Samuel had rejected Saul, and Saul had rejected both God and Samuel, Neverthe­less Samuel mourned for Saul.

Having all along mixed doctrine and application, (I pray God it may prove more successefully, than it is methodically) nothing remains further, but that (which I commit to God to work) wee all go, and do likewise.