Dand"s head. In this dire extremity his from bodily exhaustion, as he hnd gone all the one wish is to pry into futurity aud learn his day and all the night without food. It was fate. There is no submission to God, no this long-continued violent emotion of feeling soi-row for disobedience, no sign of even a which had driven Saul to this rash enterprise; wish for amendment; it is to unholy arts but fasting and agony of mind were the worst thnt he looks, simply that he may know what possible preparation for a visit to one used to n fc,, more honrs will make known to all. cajole her victims by pretended magical arts, Neglecting his duties as a general and king, and gifted, as people of her class usually are, instead of ma king ,rise preparation for the with great shrewdness. But practised as she -coming fight, he disguises himself, takes a was in deceit, yet even in her triumph over dangerous and wearisome journey round the her enemy she felt, when she saw him swoon enemies' camp, arri-es at his destination by away, a natural sympathy for his misery and night, and, exhausted ,nth hunger and men- weakness, and urged him to take food. Per- tal agitation, seeks there for the knowledge haps she saw that without it he could never unattainable in any upright manner from a have got back to the Israelite camp. At first reputed "itch. He has rejected God, lost all he refused, but the necessity of it was so the strength and comfort of true religion, and plain, that when the two men with him also is become the nctim of abject superstition. urged it, he at last consented. So he arose Whether he were the nctim also of the from the earth, and sat upon the bed. During woman's arts, or of his own sick fantasy, is this colloquy he had remained prostrate upon not a matter of much consequence; tho the ground, but now he seated himself, not on interest of the narrative lies in the revelation a bed, but upon the raised bank, or divan, it makes to us of Saul's mental and moral which runs along the wall of an Oriental state ; and scarcely is there in the whole of house, and is furnished with carpets and Scripture anything more tragic than this cushions for men to sit or lie upon. There !llarrative, or any more intense picture of the he rested, a prey, we may well· believe, to depth of degradation to which a noble but bitter thoughts, while the woman hastily perverse intellect is capable of falling. prepared a meal, killing a calf and baking Vers. 20-25.-Saul fell straightway all unleavened cakes, as there was no time to aloDg, i,. e. at full length, on the earth. He leaven the dough. And so "they ate, and fainted, partly from mental distress, partly rose up, and departed that night."
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-5.-The operation of moral causes. The facts are-1. On war arising between the Philistines and Israel, Achish reminds David of his obligation to assist him in battle. 2. David, although answering ambiguously, is trusted by Achisb, who promises him promotion. 3. On the opposing forces being· assembled, Saul's heart faints for fear of his enemy. The narrative shows that both David and Saul were at the same time in embarrassed circumstances, and each as the consequence of his ilin. They were bent on totally diverse objects, but neither of them was in a position of safety. The penalties of transgression were being paid. We see here an instance of- I. THE QUESTIONABLE AMBIGUITIES OF LIFE. David's false step in yielding to unwarrantable fear followed as it was by actions unworthy of his fair fame, was now developing to ; crisis in wliich t!i6 principles of bis entire life ''.'ould ~e put !o an unaroidable test. His heathen fnend and protector naturally claimed !us help m tLe coming strugffle with Israel. Painfully must David have winced as Achish, trusting to his hon°our and grntitude, reminded him of his obligations. Altho~gh h( had simulated hostility to Israel for his own selfish purposes, and had done lumself and his countrymen a wrong by allowing it to be supposed that he could ever be their enemy, yet there was enough of fidelity in his heart to save hi!n. from so dire an evil as was suggested by Achish. To escape from the_ awkward pos1t!on, recourse ,~as had to the craft of an ambiguous statement, ~o, which he a_nd Ach1sh attached different meanings. The common judgment on Davids conduct will be ad verse. Even thou~h some would apologise for it under the pie~ of danger, _yet they must con?emn !ts essential falsehood. It is not lawful to palliate our deceit by reference to difficulties created by our own misconduct. Plain, straightforward words and_ c:on~uct, e~en in times of perplexity. are not only morally best, but, e':'en from a utihtanan p_om~ _of view. are most conducive to permanent welfare. It 1s to be feared that amb1gu1ties abou;1d in life more than becomes a Christian profession. There is conduct as well as language admitting of double interpretation. We should always nim to be and en. xxvm. 1--25. J THE FIRST BOOK OF SA:MUEL.