Augustine of Hippo, on 1Sam 28:3

“Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel mourned for him, and buried him in Ramatha his city. And Saul had put away all the magicians and soothsayers out of the land.”

“As has been said already, the sacred record, like a faithful mirror, has no flattery in its portraits and either itself passes sentence upon human actions as worthy of approval or disapproval or leaves the reader to do so. And not only does it distinguish people as blameworthy or praiseworthy, but it also takes notice of cases where the blameworthy deserved praise, and the praiseworthy blame. Thus, although Saul was blameworthy, it was not the less praiseworthy in him to examine so carefully who had eaten food during the curse and to pronounce the stern sentence in obedience to the commandment of God. So, too, he was right in banishing those that had familiar spirits and wizards out of the land. And although David was praiseworthy, we are not called on to approve or imitate his sins, which God rebukes by the prophet.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.