which he then pursued of murdering. David, (for the Devil, the prompter of

all mischief, “was a Murderer from the beginning,) (John viii. 44.) but the superior influence of God's Holy-Spirit, frustrated the united purposes of the Monarch's Will and of the inciting Demon, by compelling the profane Mortal to join the Company of God's Prophets, headed by their leader Samuel; and to prophesy in their presence, as his wretched time-serving Messengers (whom he had previously sent on the same unlawful errand) had done before him; which proves,, that even

pro

*" And Saul' sent messengers to take Dávid: and when they saw the Company of Prophets prophesying, "and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spi-

rit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they "also prophesied. And when it was told Saul, he sent "other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And"Saul sent messengers again a third time, and they pro-

phesied also. Then went he also to Ramah, and came "to a great well that is in Sechu and he asked and "said, where are Samuel and David?" (for he seems to have had had intentions against both)" and one said, Behold,

profane and wicked persons may occasionally be controuled and influenced by the Holy-Spirit.

At another time Saul's design was frustrated by a sudden invasion of the Philistines, when he had even" com"passed David and his Men round “about to take them." (1 Sam. xxiii. 25-28..)

At some other times Saul's wicked purposes were overcome by the conviction of his own conscience, (or the Hereditary Knowledge of Good and Evil) which, on a fair remonstrance of the injured party, compelled him to ac

And he went

hold, they be at Naioth in Ramah. "thither to Naioth in Ramah: and THE SPIRIT OF "GOD WAS UPON HIM ALSO, and he went on and pro*phesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he

stripped off his Clothes also, and prophesied before "Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say is Saul also among the Prophets." (1 Sam. xix. 20-24.)

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knowledge

knowledge his Guilt, and desist for a time from his bloody designs. Two remarkable instances of such a Triumph of Reason or Conscience in Saul, are expressly recorded in the sacred Text.

When David had spared his persecutor in the Cave at Engedi, and privately cut off the skirt of his robe as a certain signal of his having been absolutely in his power, he appealed to the Monarch's REASON or natural Knowledge of GOOD and EVIL in a pathetic Remonstrance; and REASON became predominant even in him that was subject to the influence of an Evil-Spirit! Saul felt the bitter remorse of a wounded conscience, and yielded to conviction: “Is this thy voice,

my son David?" said he, and "lifted up his voice, and wept. And he said *" to David, Thou art more righteous than "I: for thou hast rewarded me GOOD, whereas I have rewarded thee EVIL. "And thou hast shewed this day how

that

*that thou hast dealt well with me: for"asmuch as when the Lord had deliver"ed me into thine hand, thou killedst me "not. For if a Man find his Enemy, "will he let him go well away ? Where

66

fore the Lord reward thee for that. "thou hast done unto me this day." Mark how the previous exercise of REA SON compelled the Monarch to bless the Man whose life he had so eagerly sought after but just before. Nay, Saul yielded even in the very point which had originally fired his resentment, (viz. the anxious jealousy for his royal dignity), which shews that by a due exercise of REASON the most violent pas sions may be subdued, and the influence even of evil Spirits (which always take advantage of the passions) may be effectually resisted; for Saul having now permitted REASON to exert itself as a principle of action, was ready to allow, that even the Crown and Regal Dignity, which of all other things he

"came upon Saul""he PROPHESIED "in the midst of the house;" (1 Sam. xviii. 10.) which unquestionably denotes an actual spiritual influence upon Saul; for it would be absurd to attribute such supernatural spiritual symp-. toms to a natural disorder! But as the

"prophesying or divining," which expression explains and confirms the true meaning of the Spirit of PYTHON. It is plain therefore that she was consulted, and did answer AS AN ORACLE, and thereby "brought her Masters much

gain :" which gain ceased with her oracular powers immediately on the ejection of the Spirit by Paul. These circumstances, when considered together, are neither symptoms of a natural distemper, nor indications of fraud or imposture, as if her pretension to Oracular Powers was without foundation! Besides, the Apostle made a clear personal distinction between the Spirit, and the Damsel ; for he said "TO THE SPIRIT" (not to the Damsel) "I "command THEE in the name of Jesus Christ to come out "of HER," &c.

The Evil-Spirit from God came upon Saul, &c. The Hebrew Word here rendered CAME, is the very same verb by which the Agency, or falling of THE HOLY SPIRIT upon Men is usually expressed; so that the manner of Inspiration, or spiritual communication with the Human Soul, is apparently the same in both cases, though the effects are as opposite as the nature of the Spirits.