[Long and obstinately had he contmued to sin against the convictions of his own conscience ; till at last he had provoked God to depart from him. Wliilst he was forsaken of liis God, the Philistines made war against him, and mvaded the land. Then he felt the need of an Almighty Protector, and sought to obtain direction and help from his offended God. But now God would not be found of him, or take any notice of his supphcations. In various ways had God been wont to com- municate his mind ; but now he would retm-n " no answer, either by Urim, or by a prophet, or by a dream."]
Such, alas ! is but too frequently the state of un- godly men —
[Many there are who ^'iolate habitually the dictates of their own conscience, till they " vex," and " grieve the Holy Spirit," and utterly " quench" his sacred motions. No wonder if at such times trouble come upon them : for indeed the whole creation are ready to " avenge the quarrel of God's covenant," whensoever he shall withdraw from us his protecting hand : and whatever our trials be, or from whatever quarter they come, they will be incomparably heavier, from the consciousness that " God himself is become our enemy." Under their trials the most hardened of men will begin to relent, and will " pour
out a prayer when God's chastening is upon them"
" When God slays them, then they will seek him," as the Psalmist says. But at such seasons they are often made to feel what " an evil and bitter thing it is to forsake the Lord." They call upon God, but " he will not hear them, because their hands are full of sin^:" yea, he even "laughs at their calamity, and mocks when their fear cometh^." He has repeatedly declared, that thus he would treat aU who should "set up idols in their hearts'':" and melancholy indeed is their state, who have no access to God in their troubles, nor any communications from him for their supports. Yet we can have but Httle acquaintance with the house of mourning, if we have not met with many such cases in the world.]
Such was the unhappy state of Saul. Let us next proceed to notice,
IL The expedient to which he resorted —
Now he wished for the counsel of that minister, whom when living he neglected and despised; — and.
To obtain an interview with Samuel, he had re- course to a witch —
a Isai. i. 15. » Prov. i. 26—28.
= Ezek. xiv. 1 — 7. and xx. 1 — 3. with Ps. Ixvi. 18.