to receive the blessings of God, without contempt of them that want; and have learned to be thankful without overliness. Envy, when it is once conceived in a malicious heart, is like fire in billets of juniper, which, they say, continues more years than one. Every year was Hannah thus vexed with her emulous partner, and troubled both in her prayers and meals. Amidst all their feastings, she fed on nothing but her tears. Some dispositions are less sensible, and more careless of the despite and injuries of others, and can turn over unkind usages with contempt. By how much more tender the heart is, so much more deeply is it ever affected with discourtesies: as wax receives and retains that impression, which in the hard clay cannot be seen; or, as the eye feels that mote, which the skin of the eye-lid could not complain of; yet the husband of Hannah, as one that knew his duty, labours, by his love, to comfort her against these discontentments : 66 Why weepest thou? Am I not better to thee than ten sons?" It is the weakness of good natures to give so much advantage to an enemy. What would malice rather have, than the vexation of them whom it persecutes? We cannot better please an adversary, than by hurting ourselves. This is no other than to humour envy, to serve the turn of those that malign us, and to drawn on that malice whereof we are weary; whereas carelessness puts ill-will out of countenance, and makes it withdraw itself in a rage, as that which doth but shame the author, without the hurt of the patient. In causeless wrongs, the best remedy is contempt. She, that could not find comfort in the loving persuasions of her husband, seeks it in her prayers: she rises up hungry from the feast, and hastens to the temple; there she pours out her tears and supplications. Whatsoever the complaint be, here is the remedy. There is one universal receipt for all evils, prayer; when all helps fail us, this remains, and, while we have an heart, comforts it. Here was not more bitterness in the soul of Hannah, than fervency; she did not only weep and pray, but vow unto God: if God will give her a son, she will give her son to God back again. Even nature itself had consecrated her son to God; for he could not but be born a Levite: but if his birth make him a Levite, her vow shall make him a Nazarite, and dedicate his minority to the tabernacle. The way to obtain any benefit, is to devote it, in our hearts, to the glory of that God of whom we ask it: by this means shall God both pleasure his servant, and honour himself; whereas, if the scope of our desires be carnal, we may be sure either to fail of our suit, or of a blessing. CONTEMPLATION VI.-ELI AND HANNAH. OLD Eli sits on a stool by one of the posts of the tabernacle. Where should the priests of God be, but in the temple? Whether for action or for oversight, their very presence keeps God's house in order, and the presence of God keeps their hearts in order. It is oft found, that those which are themselves conscionable, are too forward to the censuring of others. Good Eli, because he marks the lips of Hannah to move without noise, chides her as drunken, and uncharitably misconstrues her devotion. It was a weak ground whereon to build so heavy a sentence. If she had spoken too loud and incomposedly, he might have had some just colour for this conceit; but now, to accuse her silence, notwithstanding all her tears which he saw, of drunkenness, it was a zealous breach of charity. Some spirits would have been enraged with so rash a censure. When anger meets with grief, both turn into fury. But this good woman had been inured to reproaches, and besides, did well see the reproof arose from misprision, and the misprision from zeal; and therefore answers meekly, as one that had rather satisfy than expostulate, 66 Nay, my lord, but I am a woman troubled in spirit." Eli may now learn charity of Hannah. If she had been in that distemper whereof he accused her, his just reproof had not been so easily digested. Guiltiness is commonly clamorous and impatient, whereas innocence is silent, and careless of misreports. It is natural unto all men to wipe off from their name all aspersions of evil, but none do it with such violence as they which are faulty. It is a sign the horse is galled, that stirs too much when he is touched. tenuation: what if I should have been merry with wine? yet I might be devout. If I should have overjoyed in my sacrifice to God, one cup of excess had not been so heinous: now her freedom is seen in her severity. Those which have clear hearts from any sin, prosecute it with rigour, whereas the guilty are ever partial: their conscience holds their hands, and tells them that they beat themselves while they punish others. Now Eli sees his error, and recants it; and, to make amends for his rash censure, prays for her. Even the best may err, but not persist in it. When good natures have offended, they are unquiet till they have hastened satisfaction. This was within his office, to pray for the distressed: wherefore serves the priest, but to sacrifice for the people? And the best sacrifices are the prayers of faith. She that began her prayers with fasting and heaviness, rises up from them with cheerfulness and repast. It cannot be spoken how much ease and joy the heart of man finds in having unloaded his cares, and poured out his supplications into the ears of God; since it is well assured, that the suit which is faithfully asked, is already granted in heaven. The conscience may well rest, when it tells us, that we have neglected no means of redressing our affliction; for then it may resolve to look either for amendment, or patience. The sacrifice is ended, and now Elkanah and his family rise up early to return unto Ramah; but they dare not set forward, till they have worshipped before the Lord. That journey cannot hope to prosper, that takes no God with it. The way to receive blessings at home, is to be devout at the temple. She that before conceived faith in her heart, now conceives a son in her womb. God will rather work miracles, than faithful prayers shall return empty. I do not find that Peninnah asked any son of God, yet she had store; Hannah begged hard for this one, and could not till now obtain him. They which are dearest to God, do ofttimes, with great difficulty, work out those blessings, which fall into the mouths of the careless. That wise disposer of all things knows it fit to hold us short of those favours which we sue for; whether for the trial of our patience, or the exercise of our faith, or the increase of our importunity, or the doubling of our obligation. Those children are most like to prove blessings, which the parents have begged of God, and which are no less the fruit of our supplications than of our body. As this child was the son of his mother's prayers, and was consecrated to God ere his possibility of being; so now himself shall know, both how he came, and whereto he was ordained; and, lest he should forget it, his very name shall teach him both: "She called his name Samuel." He cannot so much as hear himself named, but he must needs remember both the extraordinary mercy of God, in giving him to a barren mother, and the vow of his mother, in restoring him back to God by her zealous dedication; and by both of them earn holiness and obedience. There is no necessity of significant names; but we cannot have too many monitors to put us in mind of our duty. It is wont to be the father's privilege to name his child; but because this was his mother's son, begotten more by her prayers than the seed of Elkanah, it was but reason that she should have the chief hand both in his name and disposing. It had been indeed in the power of Elkanah to have changed both his name and profession, and abrogate the vow of his wife; that wives might know they were not their own, and that the rib might learn to know the head; but husbands shall abuse their authority, if they shall wilfully cross the holy purposes and religious endeavours of their yoke-fellows. How much more fit is it for them to cherish all good desires in the weaker vessels, and, as we use, when we carry a small light in a wind, to hide it with our lap, or hand, that it may not go out. If the wife be a vine, the husband should be an elm, to uphold her in all worthy enterprises, else she falls to the ground, and proves fruitless. The year is now come about; and Elkanah calls his family to their holy journey, to go up to Jerusalem, for the anniversary solemnity of their sacrifice. Hannah's heart is with them, but she hath a good excuse to stay at home-the charge of her Samuel: her success in the temple, keeps her happily from the temple, that her devotion may be doubled, because it was respited. God knows how to dispense with necessities; but if we suffer idle and needless occasions to hold us from the tabernacle of God, our hearts are but hollow to religion. Now, at last, when the child was weaned from her hand, she goes up and pays her vow, and with it pays the interest of her intermission. Never did Hannah go up with so glad a heart to Shiloh, as now that she carries God this reasonable present, which himself gave to her, and she vowed to him; accompanied with the bounty of other sacrifices, more in number and measure than the law of God required of her: and all this is too little for her God, that so mercifully remembered her affliction, and miraculously remedied it. Those hearts which are truly thankful, do no less rejoice in repayment, than in their receipt; and do as much study how to show their humble and fervent affections for what they have, as how to compass favours when they want them; their debt is their burden, which, when they have discharged, they are at ease. If Hannah had repented of her vow, and not presented her son to the tabernacle, Eli could not have challenged him: he had only seen her lips stir, not hearing the promise of her heart. It was enough that her own soul knew her vow, and God, which was greater than it. The obligation of a secret vow is no less, than if it had ten thousand witnesses. Old Eli could not choose but much rejoice to see this fruit of those lips, which he thought moved with wine; and this good proof, both of the merciful audience of God, and the thankful fidelity of his handmaid: this sight calls him down to his knees: "He worshipped the Lord." We are unprofitable witnesses of the mercies of God and the graces of men, if we do not glorify him for others' sakes, no less than for our own. Eli and Hannah grew now better acquainted; neither had he so much cause to praise God for her as she afterwards for him; for if her own prayers obtained her first child, his blessings enriched her with five more. If she had not given her first son to God, ere she had him, I doubt whether she had not been ever barren; or, if she had kept her Samuel at home, whether ever she had conceived again. Now that piety which stripped her of her only child for the service of her God, hath multiplied the fruit of her womb, and gave her five for that one, which was still no less hers because he was God's. There is no so certain way of increase as to lend or give unto the owner of all things. virtue were as well entailed upon us as sin, one might serve to check the other in our children; but now, since grace is derived from heaven on whomsoever it pleases the Giver, and that evil, which ours receive hereditarily from us, is multiplied by their own corruption, it can be no wonder that good men have ill children; it is rather a wonder that any children are not evil. The sons of Eli are as lewd, as himself was holy. If the goodness of examples, precepts, education, profession, could have been preservatives from extremity of sin, these sons of a holy father had not been wicked; now neither parentage, nor breeding, nor priesthood, can keep the sons of Eli from the sons of Belial. If our chil dren be good, let us thank God for it; this was more than we could give them: if evil, they may thank us, and themselves: us for their birth-sin; themselves for the improvement of it to that height of wickedness. If they had not been sons of Eli, yet being priests of God, who would not have hoped their very calling should have infused some holiness into them? But now, even their white ephod covers foul sins; yea, rather, if they which serve at the altar degenerate, their wickedness is so much more above others, as their place is holier. A wicked priest is the worst creature upon earth. Who are devils but they which were once angels of light? Who can stumble at the sins of the evangelical Levites, that sees such impurity even before the ark of God? That God which promised to be the Levite's portion, had set forth the portion of his ministers; he will feast them at his own altar; the breast and the right shoulder of the peace-offering was their morsel. These bold and covetous priests will rather have the flesh-hook their arbiter, than God. Whatsoever those three teeth fasten upon, shall be for their tooth; they were weary of one joint, and now their delicacy affects variety; God is not worthy to carve for these men, but their own hands; and this they do not receive, but take; and take violently, unseasonably. It had been fit God should be first served; their presumption will not stay his leisure: ere the fat be burned, ere the flesh be boiled, they snatch more than their share from the altar; as if the God of heaven should wait on their palate; as if the Israelites had come thither to sacrifice to their bellies. And, as commonly a wanton tooth is the harbinger of luxurious wantonness, they are no sooner fed, than they neigh after the dames of Israel. Holy women assemble to the door of the tabernacle; these varlets tempt them to lust, that came thither for devotion: they had wives of their own, yet their unbridled desires rove after strangers, and fear not to pollute even that holy place with abominable filthiness. O sins too shameful for men, much more for the spiritual guides of Israel! He that makes himself a servant to his tooth, shall easily become a slave to all inordinate affections. That altar, which expiated other men's sins, added to the sins of the sacrificers. Doubtless many a soul was the cleaner for the blood of the sacrifices which they shed, while their own were more impure; and as the altar cannot sanctify the priest, so the uncleanliness of the minister cannot pollute the offering; because the virtue thereof is not in the agent, but in the institution; in the representation, his sin is his own, the comfort of the sacrament is from God. Our clergy is no charter for heaven. Even those, whose trade is devotion, may at once show the way to heaven by their tongue, and by their foot lead the way to hell. It is neither a cowl, nor an ephod, that can privilege the soul. the judge of Israel, should have impartially judged his own flesh and blood; never could he have offered a more pleasing sacrifice, than the depraved blood of so wicked sons. In vain do we rebuke those sins abroad, which we tolerate at home. That man makes himself ridiculous, that, leaving his own house on fire, runs to quench his neighbour's. I heard Eli sharp enough to Hannah, upon but a suspicion of sin, and now how mild I find him to the notorious crimes of his own! "Why do you so, my sons? it is no good report; my sons, do no more so." The case is altered with the persons. If nature may be allowed to speak in judgment, and to make difference, not of sins, but of offenders, the sentence must needs savour of partiality. Had these men but some little slackened their duty, or heedlessly omitted some rite of the sacrifice, this censure had not been unfit; but to punish the thefts, rapines, sacrileges, adulteries, incests of his sons, with "why do ye so?" was no other than to shave that head, which had deserved cutting off. As it is with ill humours, that a weak dose doth but stir and anger them, not purge them out, so it fareth with sins: an easy reproof doth but encourage wickedness, and makes it think itself so slight as that censure importeth. A vehement rebuke to a capital evil is but like a strong shower to a ripe field, which lays that corn which were worthy of a sickle. It is a breach of The sin of these men was worthy of contempt, yea, perhaps their persons; but for the people therefore to abhor the offerings of the Lord, was to add their evil unto the priests, and to offend God, because he was offended. There can no offence be justly taken, even at men, much less at God for the sake of men. No man's sins should bring the service of God into dislike: this is to make holy things guilty of our pro-justice, not to proportionate the punishfaneness. It is a dangerous ignorance, not to distinguish betwixt the work and the instrument; whereupon it oft comes to pass, that we fall out with God, because we find cause of offence from men, and give God just cause to abhor us, because we abhor his service unjustly. Although it be true, of great men especially, that they are the last to know the evils of their own house; yet either it could not be, when all Israel rung of the lewdness of Eli's sons, that he only should not know it; or, if he knew it not, his ignorance cannot be excused; for a seasonable restraint might have prevented this extremity of debauchedness. ment to the offence: to whip a man for a murder, or to punish the purse for incest, or to burn treason in the hand, or to award the stocks to burglary, it is to patronize evil, instead of avenging it. Of the two extremes, rigour is more safe for the public weal, because the over punishing of one offender frights many from sinning. It is better to live in a commonwealth where nothing is lawful, than where every thing. Indulgent parents are cruel to themselves and their posterity. Eli could not have devised which way to have plagued himself and his house so much, as by his kindness Com-to his children's sins. What variety of judgments doth he now hear of from the messenger of God! First, because his old age (which uses to be subject to choler) inclined now to misfavour his sons, therefore there shall not be an old man left of his house for ever; and because it vexed him not enough to see his sons enemies to God in their profession, therefore he shall see his enemy in the habitation of the Lord; and because himself forbore to take venge. plaints are long muttered of the great, ere they dare break forth into open contestation. Public accusations of authority argue intolerable extremities of evil. Nothing but age can plead for Eli, that he was not the first accuser of his sons. Now, when their enormities came to be the voice of the multitude, he must hear it by force; and doubtless he heard it with grief enough, but not with anger enough: he that was ance of his sons, and esteemed their life | further cells of the Levites, he is easily above the glory of his Master, therefore raised from his sleep; and even in the night God will revenge himself, by killing them runs for his message to him who was raboth in one day; and because he abused ther to receive it from him. Thrice is the his sovereignty by conniving at sin, there- old man disquieted with the diligence of his fore shall his house be stripped of this servant; and, though visions were rare in honour, and see it translated to another; his days, yet is he not so unacquainted with and, lastly, because he suffered his sons to God, as not to attribute that voice to him please their own wanton appetite, in taking which himself heard not. Wherefore, like meat off from God's trencher, therefore a better tutor than a parent, he teaches those which remain of his house shall come Samuel what he shall answer: 66 Speak, to his successors to beg a piece of silver, Lord, for thy servant heareth." and a morsel of bread. In a word, because he was partial to his sons, God shall execute all this severely upon him and them. I do not read of any fault Eli had, but indulgence; and which of the notorious offenders were plagued more? Parents need no other means to make them miserable, than sparing the rod. Who should be the bearer of these fearful tidings to Eli, but young Samuel, whom himself had trained up! He was now grown past his mother's coats, fit for the message of God. Old Eli rebuked not his young sons, therefore young Samuel is sent to rebuke him. I marvel not, while the priesthood was so corrupted, if the word of God were precious, if there were no public vision. It is not the manner of God to grace the unworthy. The ordinary ministration in the temple was too much honour for those that robbed the altar, though they had no extraordinary revelations. Hereupon it was, that God lets old Eli sleep (who slept in his sin), and awakes Samuel, to tell him what he would do with his master. He which was wont to be the mouth of God to the people, must now receive the message of God from the mouth of another: as great persons will not speak to those with whom they are highly offended, but send them their checks by others. The lights of the temple were now dim, and almost ready to give place to the morning, when God called Samuel; to signify perhaps, that those which should have been the lights of Israel, burned no less dimly, and were near their going out, and should be succeeded with one so much more lightsome than they, as the sun was more bright than the lamps. God had good leisure to have delivered this message by day, but he meant to make use of Samuel's mistaking; and therefore so speaks, that Eli may be asked for an answer, and perceive himself both omitted and censured. He that meant to use Samuel's voice to Eli, imitates the voice of Eli to Samuel: Samuel had so accustomed himself to obedience, and to answer the call of Eli, that lying in the It might have pleased God, at the first call, to have delivered his message to Samuel, not expecting the answer of a novice unseen in the visions of God; yet doth he rather defer it till the fourth summons, and will not speak till Samuel confessed his audience. God loves ever to prepare his servants for his employments, and will not commit his errands but to those whom he addresseth, both by wonder and attention, and humility. Eli knew well the gracious fashion of God, that, where he intended a favour, prorogation could be no hindrance; and therefore, after the call of God thrice answered with silence, he instructs Samuel to be ready for the fourth. If Samuel's silence had been wilful, I doubt whether he had been again solicited; now God doth both pity his error, and requite his diligence, by redoubling his name at the last. Samuel had now many years ministered before the Lord, but never till now heard his voice; and now hears it with much terror, for the first word that he hears God speak is threatening, and that of vengeance to his master. What were these menaces, but so many premonitions to himself that he should succeed Eli? God begins early to season their hearts with fear, whom he means to make eminent instruments of his glory. It is his mercy to make us witnesses of the judgments of others, that we may be forewarned, ere we have the occasions of sinning. I do not hear God bid Samuel deliver his message to Eli. He, that was but now made a prophet, knows, that the errands of God intend not silence; and that God would not have spoken to him of another, if he had meant the news should be reserved to himself: neither yet did he run with open mouth unto Eli, to tell him this vision unasked. No wise man will be hasty to bring ill tidings to the great; rather doth he stay till the importunity of his master should wring it from his unwillingness; and then, as his concealment showed his love, so his full relation shall approve |