Samuel's judicial character.
1 Sam. vii. 15 — 17. And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. And his return tvas to Ramah; for there tvas his house ; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the Lord.
AS there are times and seasons commended to our special attention on a religious account, so there are
291.] Samuel's judicial character. 155
particular occasions which it is proper for us to no- tice, on account of the interest they create in the pubhc mind, and the facihty they afford for imparting instruction suited to them. The pomp with which the judges of the land are surrounded, when they go their circuits for the purpose of dispensing justice through the land, is calculated to make a good im- pression upon the community at large ; and to fill all ranks of men with gratitude to God, for the protec- tion which they enjoy, under the dominion of laws wisely enacted and well administered. We avail ourselves of the opportunity now offered, to set before you the judicial character of Samuel, (than whom there never existed a more diligent or impartial judge,) with a view to trace a parallel between the privileges enjoyed by Israel under his government, and those with which we are favoured in this happy land.
In the prosecution of this subject I will state,
I. The advantages of Israel under the government of Samuel —
Perhaps, amongst all the governors of Israel, there was not one that maintained a more blameless cha- racter than Samuel. Indeed, he is distinguished in Scripture as inferior to none, not excepting even Moses himself^ : and in our text, we see how emi- nent he was,
1. In the administration of justice — [Though he had all the cares of government iipon his hands, yet did he, from year to year, make a circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeli, in order to take cognizance of the violations of the law^, and to decide w^ith equity all the cases that should be brought before him. Now, this was a very great benefit, not to those particular places only, but to all the country round about them : for it tended to uphold the au- thority of the laws : it gave to all an assurance that their grievances should be redressed, and that those who dared to violate the law should not go unpunished. Thus it conduced to the peace and welfare of society in general, inasmuch as it checked the commission of outrage amongst the lawless, and
^ Ps. xcix. 6. Jer. xv. ].