ir,-1. Pervei·ted religiousness. Iler history might have shown that she possessed ,1 1,1on·than ordinary measure of the religions sentiment prevalent in women, and tl,at it had been (as it often is) misdirected by the influences under which she fpll She was at first a Yictim of superstition, and llfterwards, finding herself perhaps endowed with peculiar and mysterious susceptibilities, and looked up to by others on account of her superior "wisdom," practised on their superstitious fears, in part deceind and in part deceiving. The mischief of the perversion of the religious sentiment (in deception, bigotry, cruelty, &c.) is incalculable. 2. Secret criminal- ity. If she had Ji,·ed among the heathen from whom her art was derived, she mig·ht have been held in general repute, like the orncles of Greece. But in Israel necro- mancy was condemned as treason against the Divine King, an abomination associated with and promotive of the worship of idols, and she displayed a daring impiety in practising it even in secret. "The Hebrew witch, or she who communicated or attempted to communicate with an evil spirit, was justly punished with death, though her communication with the spiritual world might either not exist at all, or be of a nature much less intimate than has been ascribed to the witches of later days; nor does the existence of the law against the witches of the Old Testament sanction in any respect the severity of similar enactments, subsequent to the Christian revelation, against a different class of persons accused of a very different species of crime " (Sir W. Scott). 3. Unholy cupu:liiy. The desire of g·ain, to which she may have been urged by necessitous circumstances, was probably her principal motive in practising her art at the risk of life. The same desire leads to the basest actions, and eveu turns godliness into ungodliness. It is " a root of all evil. 11 4. Perpetual .fear of disco,ery and suspicion of deception on the part of those to whose wisbes she ministered, and of whose weaknesses she made traffic (ver. 9). The sword of justice hangs o,er the head of secret transgressors, and suffers them not to enjoy a moment's peace. 5. Skilj1il dec.eption. Saul thought to deceive her, but was himself deceived by her, and fatally deluded. Whatever may have been her power in magic, clair- voyance (Keil), and ventriloquism (Isa. x.xix. 4), she certainly professed what she did not possess (ver. 11) ; employed it in "cunning craftiness," and became (whether designedly or undesignedly) accessory to his ruin (1 Chron. x. 14). How much of the po"·er which is now abused and made a curse might if properly used become a blessing! 6. Kindly sympathy and ministration. On observing his heavy fall (for she ,ms apparently in the same room) she came to his side, and seeing that he was "sore troubled," felt a woman's pity, spoke to him in soothing tones as to a wilful child, requested him to gratify her wishes in eating "a morsel of bread II to strengthen him, in return for her obeying his voice ( with "a talkativeness characteristic of this class of women, and a certain humour"), perhaps called his servants, and with them constrained him. Her heart was not dead. "She had one ea!£ that she was very fond of, and one that she took a great deal of care of,"and fed it herself; for she was a woman that got her living by the labour of her own hands, and had no other pos- session but that one calf; this she killed, and made ready its flesh, and set it before his servants and himself. Now it is but just to recommend the generosity of this woman 11 (Josephus). 7. Pitiable desolation. Saul is gone forth into the night to meet his fate. Left to herself, distrusted and distrustful, feared and fearful, without 1he consolations of religion, she is as much an object of pity as of blame. "We take leaYe of her, as she took leave of the ruined king, with a pitying heart,"-D.
Vera. 11-15.-A God-forsaken man. I. FonEBODING BEFORE THE BATTLE. As the clouds gather blackness before a storm, so the mind of King Saul became more than ever dejected and gloomy before his defeat and death on Mount Gilboa. He who in the beginning of his reign struck so bold_ly at the Philistines, and_ threw -off their yoke from the neck of Israel, was no,~ afraid at the approach of theu h~st, and "his heart greatly trembled." Not that !us natural courage had deserted him, but, amidst all the disorder of his brain, this one thing he knew, that it was the God of Israel who had given him success against the Philistines, and now he found himself without God. There was no priest with the nrmy to obtain Divine direction by the Urim and Thummim. Saul had slain the priests. There was no prophet to biing messages from God. By liis breach with Samu"! Saul had alienated from his en. XXVIII. 1--2l.,.J THE FIJtST BOOK OF SAilUEL. 539