J. Church

“ Haweis also remarks—“It is incredible that the Devil should have any power over the souls of the righteous; nor can we conceive God would, to countenance such an abomination, suffer the holy Prophet to appear: the soul which was in heaven could not come up out of the earth, nor the glorified spirit be troubled as this apparition pretended, much less could Samuel say, Saul should be with him to-morrow, whose impenitent end, gives no hope of his happiness.” ”

“ Bishop Patrick observes, “It is not in the power of witches, to disturb the rest of good men, or bring them back into the world when they please; nor would the true Samuel have acknowledged such a power in magical hearts, but to Saul this was a proper device of Satan, to draw veneration from him, to possess him with an opinion of the divination, and so to rivet him in the Devil’s interests.” ”

“ Coming to the kingdom, God furnished him with natural abilities for the government of the people. Hence it is said, God gave him another heart—not the new heart and the right spirit he has promised his people, but a mind capable of managing the affairs of a kingdom. ”

“ Such may make a fair shew in the flesh, for a season; may be useful in some external things to others, as the scaffolding to a building, which will be taken away when the building is compleat; and if not immediately by death, yet will, sooner or later, take offence and stumble at the word, leave their profession, find their gifts wither; hide that talent in a napkin; mount the scorner’s chair; go from bad to worse; stab religion in its vitals, and are by and by, given up to a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation. ”

“ The loss of the light of God’s countenance, loudly proclaims the direful effects of the believer’s sin, sloth, and unbelief—O! for grace p. 8to fly from sin as from the face of a Serpent—O! for grace to cleave to Jesus continually. But the Lord may be said to leave a man, when he withdraws his sustaining, creative, providential hand, as in the case of some who are lunatic; of others who push into dreadful crimes, and suffer for them; and of others, who are left to their own pride and despair, and who rush headlong, by their own hands, into an awful eternity. ”

“ This is our refuge, our remedy, our joy, our triumph, our present and eternal all: and that we have the most important evidence of interest in these capital blessings, by being led from every other refuge; and under a sense, a daily view of our need, we are enabled to fly for a refuge, to lay hold on this hope; nor can we have a pain, a sorrow, a cross, a misery of any kind, from sin, Satan or the world, but the holy Spirit designs thereby really to endear the Lord Jesus to us, as he is revealed in the word. There is another most blessed consideration for our faith, viz. ”

“ Soon after this advancement, Saul distinguished himself in some very great exploits, but fell an awful victim to his pride, which was manifested in his envying David, whose fame began to spread among his people. Who can stand before envy? After God had so particularly honoured David, Saul’s sun set at noon day, while light was rising on David, never to go dawn. The enmity of Saul was great indeed, which set him upon the awful act of murder ”

“ Unto what mad spirit are men driven by despair!—if you will not answer Satan shall. Could Saul be so ignorant as to think that magic had power over God’s deceased saints, either to raise them up, or call them down from their rest?”
Dr. Smith, who published his comment on the Bible in 1735, observes, “Many controversies have been about Samuel’s apparition, but I am entirely of opinion that it was neither in the Devil’s, or the Witch’s power to raise up the true Samuel, to make him appear there ”

“ The person of Jesus is the delight of the Father, the glory of heaven, and the foundation of the Church, considered as God-man Mediator.—The glories of his person is revealed in the word, but we must die to see them in full perfection, and no doubt that will be an heaven worth dying for: but blessed be God we are not wholly in the dark about these excellencies, so runs the promise, They p. 4shall all know me, from the least to the greatest.—His person is truly blessed; his love is immutable ”

“ The great enemy of souls might be permitted to personate the p. 24departed Prophet, as such he appears to Saul’s view like Samuel. That it could not be Samuel himself, is I think, evident from other considerations. Neither Satan nor his instruments can have power over glorified saints; neither could the soul of Samuel be said to come up out of the earth, when we know that the spirits of just men made perfect, are with the Lord. ”

“ If a soul is groaning under guilt, he says, I will he merciful to your unrighteousness, and your sins and iniquities I will remember no more. If we feel our sins too strong for us, he promises he will subdue them. If we are made sensible of our backsliding, he says, I will heal your backslidings. If in great difficulties, and we know not which way to get out of them, he says, I will bring the blind by a way they p. 6know not: I will guide thee with mine eye. If harrassed by the Devil, he promises to bruise him under our feet shortly. ”