Samuel's encounter with Saul. I Sam. chap. 15 from ver. 13 to ver. 30.…Samuels encounter with Saul. I Sam. chap. 15 from ver. 13 to ver. 30.…

Now in this verse, it followeth, how Samuel tells Saul, what God had ⟨p. 56⟩said to him that night, to wit, that he had advanced him to the kingdom, when he was mean and base, therefore that he ought to have honoured and obeyed him, whom he had so preferred: yea, (saith he) when the Lord commanded thee to destroy utterly the Amalekites, thou diddest not as he commanded thee, how canst thou answer this? Furthermore he said, that thou soughtest thine own gain and glory, by disobeying him, therefore it repenteth him that he made thee King. In these three verses among other things, note this generally, which the Lord complaineth of, that when men are of mean estate and low, they can prize Gods benefits ⟨p. 57⟩at an high reckoning, and count them great and precious, as Saul did the raising him to the Kingdom, counting himself unworthy of it, but when they once wax mighty, they forget themselves, and make his benefits common things, little worth even as he did, not reverencing and obeying him that honoured him. A most worthy instruction, and fit for our time, wherein may be found so infinite persons, which for want of well learning it, have undone themselves, having their own consciences to accuse them, and their mouths to witness against them: who, when they were base and of no account, were glad of every small blessing of God, counting ⟨p. 58⟩themselves unworthy of the same: but when God hath lifted them up above their expectation, how soon have they grossly & shamefully degenerated from their former mind and thought, as if they had never been the same persons? And yet I speak not of the mad, rude, and ignorant sort of the world, (who being without common honesty, and civility, what other thing is to be looked for at their hands▪) but of such as are under good teaching, and will as readily consent to the doctrine, and speak against such as are offenders, as soon as any; who yet most woefully do show their inconstancy, and disguisedness to the whole world.

NOw in this verse, it followeth, how Samuel tels Saul, what God had ⟨p. 56⟩said to him that night, to wit, that he had aduanced him to the kingdome, when he was meane and base, therefore that hee ought to haue honoured and obeyed him, whome he had so preferred: yea, (saith he) when the Lord commaunded thee to destroy vtterly the Amalakites, thou diddest not as hee commaunded thee, how canst thou answere this? Furthermore hee said, that thou soughtest thine owne gaine and glorie, by disobeying him, therefore it repenteth him that he made thee King. In these three verses among other things, note this generally, which the Lord complaineth of, that when men are of meane estate and lowe, they can prize Gods benefits