throw tho re$ponsibility for the result upon themselves alone. The watchman who warns the wicked, even if ·they tum not from their way, "bath delivered his soul" (Ezek. xxxiii. 9); and the faithful minister is "unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish" (2 Cor. ii. 15). IV. THAT THE POPULAR DESIRE IS S0METlMES EFFECTUALLY CORRECTED BY BEING QRATIFIED (vers. 19-22). 1. In spite of every admonition, men can and do persist in their sinful desire. "Nay; but we will have a king over us." Their self-will appears more plainly than before. Expo8tulation only makes it stronger. They will have their way. And God, who coerces not whom he has endowed with moral freedom, pem1its them to do so. 2. By their persistency they even obtain of him the fulfilment of their request. "Make them a king," is his final response to Samuel, who "rehearsed the words in his ears," and now dismisses them "every man unto his city," to await the speedy accomplishment of their desire. The evil which would have resulted from its refusal is thus averted. The principle of the theocracy is preserved. Jehovah continues to rule over Israel; and they recognise his authority in so far, at least, as to leave the selection and appointment of a king in his hands. His. sovereign will encircles and controls their purposes. But he does not, by grant- ing their request, sanction their sin. On the contrary-3. In its fulfilment he inflicts upon them a just chastisement, and teaches them, by the experience of its legitimate results, the folly of their devices. Their first king is a man after their own heart, reflects their sin, and brings overwhelming calamity on himself and them. " I gave thee a king in µii.11e anger'' (Hosea xiii. 11 ; Ps. cvi. 15 ). '' God, when he is asked for aught amiss, showeth displeasure when he giveth, bath mercy when he giveth not. The devil was heard in asking to enter the swine, the apostle was not heard when he prayed that the messenger of Satan might depart from him." 4. He pre- pares ,them thereby to receive as their ruler" a man after his own heart" (eh. xiii. 14), who· shall conduct them to power and honour, and foreshadow him who is higher than the kings of the earth. How wonderfully are the Divine purposes fulfilled in and through the errors and sins of men I "In a very remarkable sense the vox populi was the vox .Dei, even when the two voices seemed most utterly out of harmony .... The Jews were asking for heavy punishment, without which the evil which was in them could not have been brought to light or cured. But they were asking also for something besides punishment, for that in which lay the seeds of a higher blessing. Beneath this dark counteifeit image was hidden the imnge of n true King reigning in righteousness ; the asserter of truth, order, unity in the land ; the Helper of the poor, who would not judge after the sight of his eyes, nor reprove after the hearing of his ears ; but would smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips would slay the wicked" (Maurice).-D.
Ver. 6.-'l'lie benefit of prayer. ".And Samuel prayed unto the Lord." The blessings obtained in answer to prayer are real and manifold. Some of them am outward and material-daily bread, health, safety, life. God is "in all, above nil, and through all," the personal and free Ruler of the universe, and able to grant our petitions for temporal good in harmony with the established order of nature. The mind and will of man can produce changes in the material world without disturbing that order; much more can the eternal mind and will do the same. Other blessings are inward and spiritual-wisdom, righteousness, peace, and joy. The " Father of spirits" has access to the human spirit, interpenetrates it as light the atmosphere, ]10lds communion with it, and disposes it to holiness. Spiritual bleesings are incom- parably more valuable than material. What we are determines our relation to S'lrrounding • objects. And beneficial changes wrought within are followed by similar chang·es in the world without. "In prayer we make the nearest appro:1ches unto God, and lie open to the influences of Heaven. Then it is that. the Sun of right- eousness doth visit us with his directest rays, and dissipateth our darkness, and imprinteth his image on our souls" (Scougal).
"Speak to him, thou, for he hears, nnd spirit with spirit can meet. Closer is he thnn breathing, 1m<l nea.rer than hands and feet" (Ten.11yson \. 15G THE FIHST BOOK 01<' SAMUEL. [rn. VIII. 1-22.