command. Yet behold, through pride and covetousness he de- parted from the command, sparing Agag, to grace his triumph ; and preserving the best of the flocks and herds, to enrich him- self and his people. Thus by executing the command in part, and violating it in part, he shewed, that he made his own will, and not the will of God, the rule of his conduct. And what Wcis this but rebellion against the Most High ? It was justly so characterised by Samuel : and such is the interpretation which God will surely put on such conduct, wheresoever it be found. To be " partial in the law" is, in fact, to set aside the law; and to " offend against it willingly in any one point, is to be guilty of alP" ]
2. A stubbornness —
[Saul, on meeting Samuel, took credit to himself for having fulfilled the will of God'', Thus it is that sin blinds the eyes of men, and pufi^s them up with a conceit of having merited the divine approbation by actions which in their principle and in their measure have been radically wrong.
Samuel, to convince him of his sin, appealed to " the bleat- ing of the sheep, and the lowing of the oxen :" but Saul, with stubbornness of heart, persisted in avowing his innocence : yea, after the strongest remonstrances on the part of Samuel, authorized as they were, and commanded, by God himself, he still maintained, that he had done his duty, and that the people only were to blame ; nor were they materially wrong, since they had consulted no interest of their own, but only the honour of their God*^.
Here we see how sin hardens the heart also, and disposes men to resist conviction to the uttermost. Thus it was with our first parents at the first introduction of sin into the world: both of them strove to cast off" the blame from themselves, the man on his wife, and the woman on the serpent ^ : and how ready we are to tread in their steps, every day's observation and experience will teach us ]
Let us next turn our attention to, n. The reproof administered —
In our eyes perhaps this act of Saul may appear to have been only a slight and well-intentioned error ; but in the sight of God it was a very grievous sin: for " rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stub- bornness is as iniquity and idolatry." Whatever we may imagine, the neglecting to serve the true God is but little different, in the estimation of our Judge,
^ Jam. ii. 10. <" ver. 13. '' ver. 14 — 21. ^ Gen. iii. 12, 13.
299.] Saul's disobedience and punishment. 193
from the engaging in the service of a false god. Hence we find that the reproof administered was precisely such as the occasion called for.
We shall consider it in two points of view ;
1. As exposing his sin —
[We are not to imagine that Samuel intended to dis- parage the sacrifices which God had commanded. The many testimonies which God had given of his favourable acceptance of them sufficiently shewed, that, when offered in a becoming manner, with humility of mind and a view to the Sacrifice which should in due time be offered, they were highly pleasing in his sight. But, if put in competition with moral duties, and sub- stituted for obedience, they are hateful in the sight of God^. He " requireth truth in the inward parts ;" and more values the tribute of a thankful or contrite heart, than the cattle on a thousand hills ^. The excuse therefore that was offered by Saul was only a mockery and an insult to his God. And whoever shall attempt a commutation of outward services for inward integrity of heart and life, or shall think to atone for the want of one by the abundance of the other, will deceive himself to his eternal ruin^ ]