The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 272

haps light enough to indicate the wisdom and goodness of even a limit to God's patience. 1. The privileges of responsible beings imply a probation for their use. The primary notion of a responsible being is one blessed with privilege, and able to use or abuse it at will. But men are constituted so as to derive much wisdom from experience, and hence failure in the use of privilege, in a few instances, may possibly create an experience that will constrain to a more careful observance of duty when newly imposed. Life is full of helps to ohediP-nce as well as of hin- drances. But as time is required for the development of responsibility, so it is obvious that the possession of privilege involves a limit to the period for use or abuse. Government without a reckoning would be no government. Everlasting patience is inconsistent with responsibility attendant on privilege. 2. In a moral order, where beings are closely inter-related, breach of duty affects others. Saul's conduct could not end in himself. He, as fount of authority and influence, would damage his people hy every act of disobedience to the Divine command. The repeated sins of men nre so many attacks oh the common welfare of the universe. God "desiretli not the death of a sinner," but that he should "turn and live;" but he is tlie Guardian of right, of good, of peace, and of all that enters into the true welfare of the entire universe, and hence there is a love most deep and a wiAdom unsearchable in not allowing the wilful sinner any longer to be exempt from the restraints which jndgment imposes. 3. Repeated acts of disobedience reveal to God a state of mind which will not benefit by further favours. Every act of sin brings man lower in the moral scale. But while mercy and gentleness afford the sinner every possible chance to recover what is lost, it is possible for the habit of sin to gain such power over the entire man that to the eye of the Eternal his last chance of improving additional opportunities is clean gone. Samuel's distress at the abandonment of Saul (ver. 11) was natural, and if his cry all night was intercession, it was only what might be expected of a good man who knows only in part. The intercession of Moses (Num. xiv. 15-23) was for pardon, and was partially successful. Samuel's would appear to have been for pardon in the form of Saul's continuance in the kingly office with the usual Divine sanctions. It is, however, obvious that the judgment of God was based on his perfect knowledge that the heart of Saul was too far gone to be trusted any further. It is an awful fact that a man may, by transgression, work himself into such a condition that all is lost on him, and will be lost. God, knowing this, may cease to be long-suffering, and reject him as "nigh unto cursing" (Heb. vi. 6-8). 4. The holiness of God requires vindicatio11,. Every pang which followed Saul's earlier sins and every rebuke.from Samuel was some vindication of the holi- ness of God. The private and subjective recognition by the sinner of an insulted holiness is not all that the government of God requires. He is a jealous God ; he will be honoured in the eyes of all people. Continued long-suffering followed by judgment renders holiness more conspicuous than when judgment forestall• long-suffering. General lessons: - 1. We should never forget that every day affords us new opportunities of keeping God's commands. 2. It will repay the effort if we endeavour to form an estimate of the privileges conferred on us in the past, and the extent to which we have drawn on the patience of God. 3. If we are deliberately disobedient in any office of trust, we may some day look for a grave judgment. 4. \Ve are not always competent to see the wisdom of God's severity, and may possibly pray for \\'hat is not to be granted. Vers. 12-23.-The sin of rebellion. The facts are-1. Saul, hoving raised a monument in honour of his victor~ meets Samuel with a pious salutation, as though all were well. 2. On being reminded of the presence of spoil, Saul explains by 11aying that it ~vas spar~d for the worship of God in sacrifi?e. 3. Samuel,. refe~rir!g to the instructions received from God, presses home upon 1nm the fact of his guilt m diAoheying the Lord. 4. Saul, in response, maintains that ~ubstantially )10 hus obeyed the voice of the Lord, but that tht: people spared the spoil for a rehg-:ous purpose. 15. Samuel therefore urges the great truth that rigid obedience to God is the primary nnd essen~inl duty ~vithout which all else is sinful, and that rebellion is a ~in as '.·.ainous us those wl1ich men admit to be most Yile. 6. Samuel declares to Saul ~ii ) ~AM. T  274 t1rn Fmsr DOOK OF SAMUEL. [cH. XV. 1-iiC,.