27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 28 Therefore also I have lent

him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

LECTURE 452.

That we must devote ourselves unconditionally to God. It is obvious that Eli was somewhat hasty in his judgment; when he thought that Hannah had been guilty of drunkenness. And as it has been already mentioned, that his two sons Hophni and Phinehas were then officiating as priests, see ver. 3, this suggests, how often those, who are severe in judging others, are too lenient in that which most concerns themselves. When we add to this, that Hannah was not only not drunken, but engaged in most earnest prayer, we are reminded further, how commonly it happens, that the devout are censured without cause, by those, who in their own conduct, or in that of their own family, are blind to faults of the deepest dye. But if Eli erred, he was open to conviction. And the calm but firm reply of Hannah drew from him at once these words of blessing, "Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him." Let us learn from Eli, if we have been hasty in our judgment, to be not slow to retract our censure. Let us not be ashamed to own that we have been in error, even to those who may be to us, as Hannah was to Eli, in a subordinate situation. Let us be assured that nothing is more to our honour in the sight of God, whatever it may be in the sight of men, than to confess our faults when wrong, and to make the best amends in our power to those whom we have wronged.

The kind of vow which Hannah made on this occasion is referred to in the last chapter of the book of Leviticus; 27. 2-8; where we find directions for the redemption of those who might in this way be devoted to the service of the Lord. And we have instances in Scripture of vows made like this before us, on condition of God's granting some blessing earnestly desired. See Gen. 28. 20. That God should listen to any such conditional vow, and grant any blessing asked on such a mercenary principle, is a proof of his condescension to our weaknesses and wants. That He has taught us in the Gospel to pray pleading no services of ours, but only the merits of our Saviour, and to devote ourselves to Him heartily without reserve, and without condition, shews that He would have us rise above our natural infirmities, by humbling in ourselves our natural self conceit. When therefore we pray to God, let us in any case make no reserve, no condition, before Him; but let us be resolved, whether He grant us our petition or not, still to give Him our whole lives, our whole hearts, our whole selves. All, all, are his. All, all, are infinitely due to Him. He has lent to us, He has given to us, all we have. Shall we not lend Him, shall we not give Him, all?

The wickedness of Eli's sons. give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed. 11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.

21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

LECTURE 453.

How our praise of God may be at the same time prayer. Here in one case we see those who had the highest privileges, and the most weighty responsibility, led away by their lusts into the most grievous sins. In the other case we see one who had been unkindly provoked, and unjustly reproached, exalted by God's goodness, and inspired to declare the marvels of his grace; whilst her child ministers faithfully, according to his power, in the very services which Hophni and Phinehas were profaning. Great indeed was the sin of these sons of Eli, that they made men to abhor the offering of the Lord by their lawless rapacity. Though the Law had made ample provision for the maintenance of the priests, they took that to which the Law did not entitle them, they threatened force to those who withstood these unjust demands, and they were guilty of other most gross offences, as we learn from the charge afterwards set forth against them by their father. These were grievous abominations in themselves; and also most injurious in their consequences. For they brought the services of the tabernacle into abhorrence. The sins of God's ministers seldom come single. If found out, or suspected, they are sure to be hurtful to the sacred cause, in which the ministers of God are engaged.

But God can provide for his own honour, in ways we little think of; if we frustrate those means which He points out to us. When the sons of Eli are reprobate, and when Eli neglects to chastise them as he ought, a Samuel is born, and a Hannah is raised up to praise God in his holiness, and to rejoice in his salvation. She praised, and yet she "prayed" also. And our praise may be always prayer, like hers, if we desire in our hearts for God to have the glory, which our lips in praise ascribe to Him. Let us then with Hannah own that God is holy, wise, and just; and let us desire that He be so, let us rejoice that He is so. Let us be glad to know, as well as free to declare, that the world which we inhabit, and all things which are therein, are the works of his almighty hand, and are ordered in all their courses and events by his unerring wisdom. Let us feel assured, and be ready to assure others, that however wickedness may be allowed to flourish for a time, the adversaries of the Lord will in the end be destroyed. And whilst we trust that we shall ourselves receive sentence as his friends, let us thankfully acknowledge, that it is not by our own strength that we prevail, let us be glad that it is by the help of God, let us rejoice that it is He who keeps the feet of his saints, and who makes those whom He raises from the dust inherit the throne of glory.

Woe denounced against the family of Eli.

22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the

LECTURE 454.

They who despise God shall be lightly esteemed.

"Eli was very old," when he heard of the gross misconduct of his sons, and contented himself with reproving them gently, instead of punishing them sharply. Old age may account for this weakness. But we see in what follows, that old age cannot excuse it. If it should please God that we live to grow old, let us strive to grow daily in abhorrence against sin, in indignation against those who dishonour God, and in determination to check and to chastise them, as far as it belongs to us to do so. Eli was well aware that the sin of his sons was great, against the Lord, as well as against man. For thus he argues, where he ought to have chastised, "if one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him;" there was some trespass offering to be offered, and some reparation to be made, which the judge could point out, and so the transgressor be forgiven. This was provided for in the enactments of the Law. But the same Law had declared, that for presumptuous offences against God Himself no sin offering could be accepted. See Num. 15. 30. A warning in vain given to Hophni and Phinehas; for the Lord had now determined to slay them; but a warning which may lead us to reflect with thankfulness, that under the Gospel, "if any man sin," either against man or against God, "we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2. 1, 2. Oh how ought these glad tidings to win our hearts from sin by thankfulness! How well are they calculated to work in us the effect, for the sake of which St. John tells us that he wrote them, "these things write I unto you, that ye sin not!" 1 John 2. 1.

Let us be warned by the threatening of the man of God to Eli, that privileges such as ours cannot be abused with impunity, that to whomsoever much is given, of him will much be required, and that if we render not to God the services He requires, we shall find the promises which have been given us turned into a curse. As it is still true, that God will honour those who honour Him, it is also still most certain, that they who despise Him shall be lightly esteemed. If we honour ourselves, or any whom we love on earth, above God who dwells in heaven, if we get riches or pleasure to ourselves at the expence of God's honour and in violation of his commands, and above all if we kick at his sacrifice, if we spurn with insolence, or slight with cold neglect, the offering which He has commanded, and by our indifference help to bring contempt on the atonement of the death of Christ; then we may expect dishonour for glory, and instead of the praise of God, shame and vexation for ever.

God grant that we may be disposed to honour Him, by glorifying Christ! God grant that through his goodness we may share with Christ the glory which shall be revealed!