Bethel p, _ Gilgal q, and Mizpeh 7, in thele places 5, _ __ a ef known by that name : or the houſe of God; to wit, Kirjath-jearim, where the Aik was 4q In the Eaſtern Border. + Towards the Welt. 5 He went to thoſe ſeveral places, partly in compliance with the people, whoſe convenience and benefit he was willing to purchaſe with his own trouble, making himiclt an irine- rant Judge and Preacher for their ſakes; and pert]y, that by his preſence in ieveral parts, be might the better obſerve, and reCtifie al] forts of miſcarriages againſt God or men. ; 17 And his return 2/45 tO Ramah : for there was his
houſe, and there he judged Iſrael, and there he builr
an altar unto the LOKD r.
+ Thar by joyning Sacrifices with his Prayers, he might the ber- 'ter obtain dircQion and afſittance from God upon all emergences. Objett. It was unlawful ro bui!d another Altar for Sacrifice beſides that before the Tabervaclez Deue. 12: 5, 13. Anſw. This was in part excuſed by the confuſion of thoſe times, wherein the Tabernacle and its Altar were Deſtroyed ; 25 15 moſt probable ; but moſt fully, be- cauſe this was done by Propherical Inſpiration, and Divine Diſpen- ſationy as appears by God's approbation and acceptance of the Sacri=
fices offered upon 1t.
CHAP. VIIL
Samuel makes his ſons Judges over Ijrael : Their Names : And ill Govern- «ment, 1 ==}, The People ask a King : Samuel is grieveds Prays: 4—— 6. God 1s diſpleaſed with the people : Bur commanas Samuel to bhearken to them, 7 —— 9 And to repreſent to them the Tyrannical Go- wernment of Kings, which he doth, to ==—1 8. The People continue in their Requeſt : Gd commandeth Samuel to yield to Fhem, 19==— 220 A Nd it came to paſs when Samuel was old 4, that
he made his ſons Judges þ over [ſrael.
s And {ſo unable for his former Travels and Labours. 5 Not Supreme Judges, for ſuch there was to be bur oney and that of God's chuling ; and Samuel {till kept that Oftice in his own hands, Chap. 7: 15. bur his Vicegerents or Deputizs, who might go about and determine matters, but with reſervation of a Right of Appeals to himſelf. He advanceth his ſons to this place, not fo much cur of paternal Indulgence, the ſad effe&s whereof he had ſeen in E!;
bur becauſe he had doub:leſs inſtru&ed them in a ſingular manner, ! ag
-ed them for the higheſt Employments; and be hoped thar :
-_ key he had fer +2 ard the Inſpection and Authority he fill had over them, w.uld have obliged them to diligence and faith- fulneſs in the execution of their Truſt.
2 Now the name of che firſt-born was Joe!, and the name of his ſecoad Abiah : rhey were judges in Beer-
ba c. _— In the ſouthern Border of the Land of Canaan, where he placed his ſons, becauſe theſe parts were very remote from his houſe at Ra- wah; where, and in the neighbouring places Samuel himſelt {ti1] excuted the Office of the Judge; ſending his ſons ro reſide and judge in diſtant places, for the calc and convenience of the people.
And his ſons walked not in his ways, but turned a-
# & £4 :&
judgements
a Opportunity and temptation drew forth and diſcovered that Corruption in them, which till now was hid from their Father,and ic may be, from themſelves.
4 Then all the elders e of Iſrael gathered themſelves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah:
e Either for Age, or Dignity, and Power.
5 And ſaid unto him, Behoid, thou art old, and thy ſons walk not in thy ways f: now * make us a king to judge us g, like all the nations þ.
f They feared, that Samuel would not live long ; and that cirher Alt.1.
he through infirmity and :ndulgence might leave the Governmenr in his ſons hands 3 or that they would invade and keep it, *fter their Father's Death ; and therefore they joyntly make their Complaints againſt them, and procure their removal from their places. Thus they are brought low, and cruſhed by thoſe very wicked ways by which they deligned to Advance and Eſtabliſh themſelves. So true IS it, That Honeſty is the beſt Policy, and Unrighreouſneſs the greateſt Folly. g Their concluſion out-run their Premiſes, and cheir Deſires excced their Reaſons or Arguments, which extended no turther than to the removal of Samu!'s ſons from their places, and the procuring ſome other juſt and prudent affiſtance ro S2:nue!'s Age. Nor was the grant of their Deſire a Remedy for their Diſeaſe, but rather an aggravation of it. For the ſons of their King mighr
and were like!y to be as corrupt as Szmuel's ſons ; and if they were, would not be fo eaſily removed as theſe were. þ i- e. As melt of the Nations about us have. Bur there was not the like reaſon - be. cauſe God had ſeparated them from all other Nations, and cautioned them againſt the imiration of their Examples, and had taken them into his own immediate Care and Government ; which priviledoe other Nations had nor. ”
© Hof,
Chap. VII, T
6 9 Bur the thing | diſpleaſed Samuel 5, when they + 11g, ,,
ſaid, Give us a king to judge us; and Samuel prayed evil int eyes of Fi. as Muel,
unco the LORD &.
# Nottheir Complaint of his Sons, but their deſire of a King, 15 apparent trom the following Words, and from the whole courſe of the Story. Which was ſo grievous to him ; partly becauſe of their Injuſtice and Ingraticude to himſelf, whoſe Government,though it had been ſo ſweer and beneficial to them, they plainly ſhew them- ſelves weary of; and principally, becauſe God was hereby diſho- noured and provcked, by that dittruſt of God, and that vain-glory and ambition, and thar itch after Changes, which were the mani- feſt Cauſes of this Deſire ; and becaule of that great ſervitude and miſery, which he wiſely foreſaw tne People would hereby bring upn themſelves, as he particularly informs them, wv. 11, &c. k For the pardon of their ſin, and deſire of diceftion and help from God In ti:15 great affair;
7 And the LORD ſaid unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people / in all that they ſay unto thee:
for they have nor rejected thee mm, but * have rejected * Chuy