(14) And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place. (15) Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, (16) Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. (17) And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
I hope the Reader will not overlook how the Lord is working while we are unconscious. Saul is in quest of his asses, the servant hath no anxiety but this, whereas all the great events which were to follow in Saul's life were folded up in the result of this interview with Samuel. Of all the subjects upon earth, what can be so sweet and interesting to the review of a gracious mind, as the first dawnings of grace. Reader! if you are the happy partaker of it, I shall find no difficulty in getting you to pause in this place and remark, how that grace first manifested itself to you notwithstanding all your undeservings, how surprising, how unexpected, how unlooked for, when Jesus first looked upon you in your blood, and bade you live. Your care, like Saul and his servant's for the asses, was about nothing else than fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and the pursuits of the world; and then it was, the eye of Jesus was marking you out for his grace as the eye was upon Saul, when the Lord had told Samuel in his hearing concerning him for a kingdom.