Sermon 1: 1 Samuel 1:1-8

1. Now there was a certain man from the double Ramah of the Zophites in the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2. And he had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3. And this man went up from his city year by year to bow down and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, served as priests of the Lord. 4. And on the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5. But to Hannah he would give a single portion, very sorrowful, because he loved Hannah, and the Lord had closed her womb.

Among all the other things from which we can derive the greatest benefit, this should by no means be regarded as least: that we recognize that God has ruled and governed his church in every age. For unless it has been firmly fixed in our minds that he cares for us and rules us by his authority, it is certain that we will be troubled by perpetual fluctuation of spirit, and that the condition of us all will be most wretched. Indeed, I freely acknowledge that divine providence extends to the entire human race, so much so that it reaches even the animals themselves insofar as they were created by him, and manifests his beneficence in their daily sustenance. But I say that it is nonetheless conspicuous in a special way toward his church, which is the house of God. Therefore, from that special care with which he watches over us, this must be fixed in our minds: that he performs toward us not only the office of creator, as one would toward the work of his hands, but testifies a father's love toward his children in all things; and therefore in straits and difficulties we must take refuge in him. This is indeed a necessary doctrine, and one that greatly contributes to our instruction, if we have properly learned that God from every age has protected his church as with an outstretched arm. And although, provoked by men's sins, he has sometimes seemed to hide his face, indeed even to have cast off the care of his people, yet he gave place to his mercy and clemency, until the time when he would reveal himself more openly had arrived. Thus far we have seen judges raised up by God from time to time in the most difficult periods, who would bear the care of the people and foster them in peace. But now another form of governance appears: namely, Samuel the prophet was appointed, until Saul was chosen as king. Paul pursues this beautifully in Acts 13:17, teaching that God, after choosing Abraham's offspring as his own possession, did not cease to testify his beneficence toward that people with new benefits daily and with singular care, so that having embraced them with fatherly love, he protected the kingdom in the family of David, until the promised deliverer, our Lord Jesus Christ, should come. Paul notes these periods so that God's presence and continual favor toward this people might appear more clearly to all. For the family of Abraham through each successive age raised up the greatest men, who would govern it with good laws and protect it, then judges or liberators and defenders, until long before the promised David he set him as king over the whole people and placed him in possession of the kingdom. And at last, after the people had been sent into Babylonian captivity because of their corruption of morals, and although they returned to their homeland after seventy years, yet lay utterly defeated and shaken by great calamities, God gave the deliverer promised before the ages, our Lord Jesus Christ. At that time he testified that he had not forgotten the prostrate people, but had been mindful of his promises and had provided a deliverer for the church in his own time. Here, therefore, one of the states of the church worthy of remembrance is set before us for our consideration, namely that period which followed the time of the Judges, when God in his mercy restored the reformation of his worship among the people. For toward the end of the history of Judges we saw that there was a certain interruption of divine worship. It is certain that Paul calls the administration of judges God's governance for this reason: that with these or those judges raised up, God wanted the people to know and acknowledge that they were not wholly abandoned, so that they might be kept in their duty. But nevertheless God, having in a sense hidden his face, indeed even having seemed to cast off the care of his people, yet gave place to his mercy and clemency, until the time arrived when he would reveal himself more openly. God has in a sense hidden his face, with many and great crimes raging among that people, because those were also times in which there were none to govern and restrain the people. For Scripture says that everyone did what his own lust dictated, because there was no king in Israel. A stupendous dissolution indeed. For while other animals govern themselves without a king, it is not so with men, who must be held in their duty as if by a greater force. For so great is the corruption of mortals that, like giants, they rage against God himself and rush headlong into every crime. Hence the malice implanted in mortal minds must be recognized more and more, and their inclination to every shameful deed; and therefore magistrates are needed, by whose authority they may be restrained, lest by giving place to wicked passions they become worse than the very beasts, which have greater prudence in governing themselves than men do when destitute of magistrates, each being driven this way and that by his own lust. When therefore there was no king in Israel, how deplorable and disturbed the state of affairs was is clearer than daylight. But God demonstrated by the event itself that he had not forgotten his people, although he seemed completely alienated from them — and justly so, since so many crimes provoked the wrath of God, so that it was a manifest sign of divine vengeance when he allowed the people to follow their own will and lust. Nevertheless, God protected them in wondrous ways. For who has ever even heard by report of any tribe or nation having lived without a king or governor without the worship of God being either corrupted or completely abandoned, and the utmost confusion of affairs being introduced? But God so preserved by a certain special favor the covenant once entered into with Abraham and his offspring that he drew them out as it were from the underworld, making his power and might more illustrious by this means. But in order for God to restore the fallen state, it was necessary for the people to understand how far they had sunk into misery, so that even while he was avenging their crimes, they might nonetheless experience his faithfulness in keeping his promises — namely, that he never casts off his elect, and that he does not punish the descendants of Abraham as if he will have no further dealings with them. Although they deserved this indeed, yet he bears their wickedness out of his mercy. In sum, from this we may see that God, although gravely angered against the people whom he had as it were cast off, nonetheless gathered and raised them up again. From this let us learn, and as in a mirror behold God's judgments: namely, that God is not always so present to his church that everything in it happens according to his will and the prescription of his laws, but often on the contrary it appears from outward appearance that God has withdrawn far away, indeed has utterly cast off the church. This is surely an argument worthy of the greatest attention. For we hear the papists boasting that the church is never abandoned by God — by which they cover over their own ambition and the confusion they have introduced into the church, and deceive us, when they are accused by us of having violated divine worship and abolished ecclesiastical discipline. For they ask whether it can happen, since indeed the church must always be sustained and supported by God, that it should ever be abandoned by him; and therefore they conclude that one must not withdraw from their church, even if all things in it were carried topsy-turvy with pollutions and abominations, but that one must remain, because the church is never abandoned by God, and therefore cannot ever err. But indeed, as we heard above, Sacred Scripture teaches clearly enough — unless we wish to be willingly deceived — that God, although he never abandons his church, was nevertheless compelled by the ungrateful spirit of the people, who had given free rein to every shameful deed, to overthrow the political order, so that the resulting confusion and disturbance of all things might force the people to flee to God in shame and adopt a better mind. Therefore, when God proceeds to punish men's sins, even in the greatest clemency and gentleness, let us not think that he is so bound to persons that the church can never fail — that is, that those who preside over the church and sit at its helm can never stray from the truth. For it befits them to lead their flocks by goodness, modesty, and good morals, and to be a pattern to which the rest may conform. But this rarely happens, so that justly any who are of such character may be compared to a grain of wheat covered by a mass of chaff. Meanwhile God, as I said, is faithful to his promise, even if the outward appearance presents nothing of the sort to the eye. To this must also be added that the papists raise these objections against us only when they perceive that God has in some way withdrawn from us, and that we are torn apart like members of a mangled body in this or that direction. The complaints of the ancient church afflicted by various calamities are well known: 'Alas, Lord, you have broken down the hedge of your vineyard, and all who pass by the way tear it apart. The boars from the forest ravage it, and the beasts of the field devour it.' With what grief of soul, I ask, did the faithful pour forth these complaints, when they saw themselves as if cast off by God, who had forgotten his promises, and thus as having fallen from their hope as if deluded? But when we see here that the people, though in outward appearance abandoned by God — and such alienation that everything seemed to threaten nothing but the destruction of the church — were nevertheless raised up, with God showing himself the avenger and protector of those whom he had chosen as his own possession before all ages, who though most corrupt in morals had hoped in his mercy, let us also recognize the same favor of the Lord toward his church in our own times. For when such dense darkness had arisen in it that it was demented not only by idolatry but by various delusions of Satan — justly so, with God punishing men's ingratitude in this way, so that no further hope of salvation shone forth — yet God himself, unmindful of our sins, had mercy on us, and although we were unworthy of his favor, yet he revealed his constancy in keeping his promises. And indeed the greatest fruit and consolation returns to us from this comparison of that ancient church with our own, when he reveals his presence in the Word, by the preaching of which, gathered under his banners, we serve as soldiers. It should also be observed in this place that God, in accomplishing those great works, nevertheless follows a course that before men appears slight and contemptible and utterly foreign to human understanding, so that his greater power might become known to us.

Elkanah is said to have had two wives, one of whom was barren. This at first glance is of small moment, but we ought to know that such is the nature of divine works that, although at the beginning they do not commend themselves by any great splendor, yet the infinite power, wisdom, and unspeakable justice of God Almighty, latent within them, must be looked up to with admiration. Moreover, it is beneficial that God deals with us in this way, for it is certain that if he proceeded by another route — say with great display and magnificence — we would not recognize him at work, nor render to him the glory that is due, but would rather attribute the divine work to fortune or to human strength. But when from slender beginnings, promising nothing great, an immense work arises and is completed beyond expectation, then it is necessary even for the unwilling to recognize the divine hand. Indeed, God's clemency is to be commended in this regard, as he supports human weakness, so that by this means he might rouse even the most malicious and sluggish and reveal himself to them — a subject on which I shall speak more at length hereafter.

Furthermore, the details inserted here about Elkanah's name, his relatives, city, tribe, and family indicate that Samuel was descended from the tribe of Levi, which appears far more clearly from 1 Chronicles chapter 6, where his entire family is described and his lineage traced back to Kohath, one of the sons of Levi. The place of habitation is called Ramah, from the family of the Zophites, which if you render word for word means the same as if you were to say 'watchmen' or 'scouts.' Although some interpret the word Zophim as meaning priest or prophet, this interpretation is too forced. For there is no doubt that the Zophim were two hills, either facing one another, or from which the whole region could be surveyed. Moreover, these details contribute not a little to the credibility of the history, with God raising up Samuel by whose agency, as with an outstretched arm, he would restore the fallen state of the people. For God wished to testify that he would be a father to those who had lain nearly submerged, not merely by raising up a governor, but especially by raising up prophets with far greater abundance and authority than in previous ages, so that a flourishing and delightful time might dawn. For in those times the word of God — as it is written below — had been scarce and precious, that is, the number of prophets had been small. And indeed Peter in Acts 3, where he shows that our Lord Jesus Christ must be received without contradiction, even by the irrefutable testimony of Moses himself, by whom we are referred to him in these words, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet from your brothers, like me; you shall listen to him in all things that he shall speak to you,' and taught that those who placed their trust in him would never be disappointed in their hope (from which it is clear that God was always present to the fathers and showed them the way of salvation), and that Moses was the herald of Christ the Lord — adds that all the prophets from Samuel onward declared that this salvation would be sent in its own time. Peter therefore teaches that God withdrew his face, as it were, for a time, when, having given no governor, the people were tossed about without a legitimate administration of the polity, and therefore religion, like coals buried under ashes whose glow therefore does not appear, had been obscured and as it were suffocated. But by raising up Samuel, God not only restored the previously prostrate state of the people, but also restored religion to its former dignity; and he used Samuel as a most faithful and most worthy minister and instrument for accomplishing so great a thing, and schools of the prophets were established, as we shall see hereafter, God willing. For this reason also this book bears the title of Samuel — not at all because it was written by Samuel, but because in Samuel the Lord produced a visible testimony of his favor in restoring the people. For who would not justly say that before Samuel was raised up, that nation was so defiled by corruption that God seemed to have been driven out of Israel, until at least one household would withdraw from the depraved morals of that age? Thus the name of God began to be invoked in the times of Samuel, whereas before, as we have said, the land was without a king, and therefore everyone conducted himself according to his own lust, the wicked were restrained by no punishments, and there was no authority of the priests. Indeed Phinehas himself — how great a man! so that he seems more like an angel than a man — was he not so despised by the ungrateful and reprobate people that they could be recalled from their insolence and rebellion against God by no restraints, but violated the law of God with the utmost rebellion and confusion, trampling it underfoot as it were? Now indeed the worship of God begins to be restored, though not without the greatest difficulties. For scarcely had the favor of God toward the people shone forth, scarcely had he begun to unfold his beneficence, when behold, the people are afflicted by new troubles — the Ark of God captured and the people routed by the enemy — as will be seen hereafter in its place. And so let it suffice to know thus far that this history is marked with the name of Samuel because God, reconciled to the people, began to perform the office of father and shepherd when Samuel was raised up.

Let us come to Elkanah. Here it should be observed that no virtues of his are praised here, since he is said to have had two wives, but rather a fault, common enough at the time yet intolerable nonetheless, and especially to be noted in a Levite. For although the people had given themselves this license without divine mandate, who can bear such an abuse of the sacred bond of marriage, especially in those who were appointed by God as guardians and defenders of his law and of true religion? Therefore it should be observed here that Elkanah does not gain glory from his virtues, so that the goodness of God might be all the more commended, since he willed that Samuel, so great a prophet, should be born from him, as we shall see hereafter. I acknowledge indeed the man's piety in observing what was prescribed by God's law regarding the worship of God in the sanctuary, which at that time was at Shiloh. Nevertheless, the fault must be noted by which he rendered himself unworthy of God's favor. For although he had been raised to such a dignity that he might teach the people, expound the law of God, enter the sanctuary, and by reason of his rank and authority approach God more closely than the rest, nevertheless, by taking two wives at the same time, he broke the covenant entered into with God, defiled the sacred institution of marriage, and overturned the worship and ordinance of God. He truly rendered himself unworthy to have God hear his prayers. Yet God, out of his immense mercy, blessed him, especially with Samuel being born from such a union as so great a prophet of God.

But, as I warned before, when Scripture sets before our eyes the faults even of the most illustrious men, it does so to this end: that we may not allow ourselves to be imposed upon knowingly and willingly, but that whenever God draws certain persons out of the dregs of this world, we should ascribe it to God's grace and mercy alone, not to any merits of men by which they might render themselves more worthy than others. For those virtues which we admire in men as if they were their authors — what are they but so many veils by which God's grace toward men is made more obscure? For does not God's goodness become cheap and abolished when justice and uprightness are attributed to a man, and he is so esteemed on account of them as if he abounded in all virtues? For what is any virtue but the free gift of God? But, as I said, so great is the depravity of our mind that God's beneficence is not perceived by us unless the faults of men appear by contrast. For this reason Paul says that God's goodness and mercy are conspicuous only in human weaknesses. To this must also be added that when vices proliferate in any commonwealth, few are those who are not polluted by them, and are struck as it were when plague is raging. I confess indeed that not at the very first moment does the plague seize the entire city; I confess that fire does not in one instant destroy the whole building, but the plague spreads gradually until at length even the air itself is infected. I think the same judgment must be made about vices, the same about evil custom and bad institutions, to which people gradually become accustomed until a deadly stupor has invaded the whole body, and it has blazed up in mutual conflagration, so that no remedy, or only a slight one, remains because of the deeply planted roots. Furthermore, if creeping evils and corruptions of this kind are met early, and fear is instilled in the populace, then the full force of fires and plague will collapse, weakened, and everyone will live an honest life in peace and tranquility. On the contrary, if they are not met, even though the contagion may not have polluted some at the beginning, yet in the course of time they will be seized by the same fire and pestilence as the rest. Who then would be surprised that Elkanah, though descended from a priestly line (although this does not exempt him from fault), was nevertheless deceived by custom and took two wives at the same time, since in that age bigamy was not regarded as a fault?

From this let us learn, following the apostle's admonition, not to allow any bitter root to spring up — that is, evil customs by which we might be turned even slightly from the sincere worship of God. For if they have once grown up, they will have such strength that purity can scarcely be restored without some stain adhering. Moreover, it is likely that Elkanah took two wives out of an excessive desire for offspring, not out of an excessive itch for pleasure, since he is said to have loved his wife. Why then did he take a second wife on top of the first whom he loved? Perhaps someone might accuse him of fornication here, but the words of the context excuse him, since they attribute this act to the barrenness of the first wife. Nor should it therefore be said that this second marriage imposed upon the first was approved by God. But since those ancients had received promises from God concerning the blessing and multiplication of their seed, they were too inclined toward polygamy — especially since they had the special promise that the Messiah would come from their offspring, in whom all nations would be blessed, and they desired with the utmost prayers that he be born from them. But the law of marriage and the Lord's institution was not therefore to be violated. Therefore we must take care to keep ourselves within bounds; and if we are desirous of offspring, or of any other thing that is contrary neither to God's glory nor to our salvation, let us ask in prayer that it be granted to us by God, and let us commend the outcome to God. For God, in promising Abraham such a propagation of offspring as would surpass the sand of the seashore, neither wished to contradict himself nor to violate the order he had established. But the Israelites, being depraved by nature, had introduced great confusion and corruption. They must be examined by the standard of the divine Word; for the name of Israelites had been given them by the Lord not for filth and defilements of the flesh, but rather for holiness of life and constancy in prayer. For there is no change in God. Therefore, although Elkanah is seized with a love of begetting offspring and loves his first wife, yet he can by no means approve to God the taking of a second wife under the pretext of good intention. For although custom provides some appearance of excuse, yet the evil must always be regarded as what it is. For what, I ask, can Elkanah plead, except that he is said to have forgotten his office — that is, the priesthood — and to have transgressed the bounds of holiness?

It follows that he came on appointed days to worship. Some take 'days' to mean years. But it does not seem likely to me that men of the priestly order appeared in the sanctuary only once a year, since we read that three solemn feasts were established by the Lord to be celebrated annually. But if it was necessary for all the tribes to present themselves before God at those feasts, and for God to make as it were an inspection of his people, and for them openly to profess worship of him and obedience, and confessing their sins to implore his mercy — what was fitting for the priests, who ought to have been heralds, exhorting the people to render obedience to God and stirring them by their own example? Therefore it is not likely that Elkanah came to Shiloh to worship God only once a year, especially since the distance was not far, as he traced his origin from Levi. Some therefore think that he came annually to offer an extraordinary sacrifice beyond those which the Lord prescribed. But what prevents us from understanding by these words the appointed days which God had commanded the people to observe in the law for rendering the worship due to him?

For Elkanah is set before us here not as free from all blame, since he had taken a second wife in addition to the first, but not as a despiser of God who worshipped and venerated God with superfluous sacrifices. Moreover, that act of worship was the people's public profession of confessing that they owed all they had to God alone, giving thanks to him for so many benefits, imploring pardon for sins, and promising to order their lives according to God's will. The subject matter of this worship could indeed be explained at greater length, but we shall have profited greatly if this doctrine, firmly fixed in our minds, has taken deep root, which for the sake of aiding our memory we may refer to these three heads.

First, that when we are about to worship God, we acknowledge that we owe him all that we have, and giving thanks for past blessings, implore greater increases of his gifts for the future, and aid in straits and difficulties. Second, that as suppliants and confessing our sins like the accused, we pray that he may grant us true recognition of our sins and repentance, and have mercy on us who implore his pardon. Third and finally, that having denied ourselves and taken his yoke upon our shoulders, we profess ourselves ready to render him due obedience and to order our thoughts and affections according to the standard and sole will of his law.

To this must also be added that true worshippers of God must be empty of all evil thoughts and hatreds, if they wish the rites and ceremonies which they observe in worshipping God to be considered true and not feigned — such as genuflection, raising of hands or eyes to heaven, and similar things which ought to be directed to a true end. For it is certain that hypocrites have been accustomed to employ very many such ceremonies and gestures in worship, and seem to draw God to themselves with much wailing, as if beside themselves, when nevertheless they are troubled by internal hatreds and rivalries and cover their hypocrisy only with the name of religion. Therefore this must be carefully observed: God does not merely wish to be invoked or worshipped, but especially requires simplicity and integrity in worship.

I confess indeed that not a few acknowledge God as the giver and bestower of all good things, and present themselves as sinners before his judgment, beseeching grace and mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ, and commit themselves to be governed by his Word, displaying the utmost humility. Nevertheless, I say that worship is displeasing to God when the heart does not at all correspond to the words and those external rites. Such was the religion of Peninnah, Elkanah's second wife. Therefore we must labor to ensure that we do not approach the worship of God with hypocrisy and dissimulation; and so when we enter the church to hear the Word of God and to offer prayers, let us consider these three necessary things. First, we must acknowledge God as the sole author of all good things, so that whatever good things we have received we attribute to him alone, and for the future we ask to be governed by him, that we may never be left to ourselves. Second, we must so acknowledge our sins before his majesty that if we are pressed by the stings of conscience, we may be cast down all the more and, beholding our poverty, neediness, and misery — unless he helps us with his mercy — implore his pardon. Finally, because by nature we labor under such great distrust that we provoke his wrath against us rather than his favor, may he correct this weakness and so strengthen us by his power that, submitting our necks to his yoke and disposing ourselves to obedience, we may hope with greater confidence that we shall obtain his grace and pardon.

Moreover, to the solemn prayers sacrifices are also joined here, so that we may recognize that Elkanah diligently and properly observed the worship prescribed by God. Furthermore, I confess that those sacrifices were not necessary in themselves, but God had joined sacrifices to prayers in order to support the rudeness and weakness of the people that he had prescribed for them. Therefore it was fitting for Elkanah, as he offered sacrifices to God, to look to what was by far the most important element in sacrifices — namely, true and pure worship without hypocrisy. For in order that God might confirm his law all the more and keep the people in the covenant that had been entered into, he had joined sacrifices to prayers, so that the free remission of sins, which the sacrifices testified to, might follow the earnest contrition for sins. Therefore it was necessary for public confession of sins to accompany spiritual worship as well. Today we ought to be invited to the worship and fear of God by the sacraments which God instituted so that we might be more and more strengthened in faith. I acknowledge indeed that we are not bound today by the ceremonies of the law, because Christ has appeared as their substance. But it must also be confessed that we are neither angels nor so perfect that we do not still need to be led by the hand to the worship of God, as it were infants; and therefore we must make use of all those aids which God himself, well aware of our weakness, supplies. For this reason, when the assemblies of Christians gather in the church to hear the Word of God, they profess their mutual fellowship with one another; they offer prayers to God on behalf of the whole church, that they may obtain his grace and mercy through and on account of Jesus Christ alone, the author of our salvation; and they use the sacraments, a kind of ceremony, to support their faith.

Furthermore, if someone professes the worship of God yet treats the sacraments instituted by Christ, along with the rest of ecclesiastical discipline, as worthless, who would not justly call him a despiser of God, a profaner of the Word, and one who too impudently boasts of the title of believer? For example, if someone were to neglect baptism or the holy Eucharist, claiming that it suffices for him to have God as father and Jesus Christ as his only savior, would he not — inasmuch as he rejects the sacraments, the signs and tokens of God's grace without which no one has access to him — justly be regarded as a despiser and enemy of God? For whoever has carelessly despised the instruments given to us for obtaining salvation, which otherwise we cannot even grasp in our minds, much less obtain, unless by those means we ascend step by step to God as by certain stairs — such a person is alienated from God and unworthy of his grace.

And so much for the sacrifices. Now we must consider those words by which it is said that Elkanah, after the sacrifices, gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters, but to Hannah, his first wife, an honored portion. These last words are variously explained by interpreters. For some explain it as a double portion, given sadly because she did not bear children; others say he sent the portion with a sad face; others translate it as a choice portion, because he loved her more than Peninnah. Others say that Hannah's portion was given to her in a different manner than to the others — as though, because Peninnah had children, he distributed to each their own portion, but to Hannah, who was alone and set apart, he kept a portion as a token of love. This sense seems to me the most fitting and simplest: that portions could not be sent to Hannah as to the other wife who brought a large family with her, and therefore Elkanah could not testify his love toward her because on account of her barrenness she was as it were excluded from the others.

What is said about the portions pertains to the ritual of the law. For God had established certain laws regarding sacrifices, of which Elkanah was not ignorant. For the priest received his portion; then the one who had offered the sacrifice gave portions to friends and celebrated a feast with them in the Lord's presence. Thus Elkanah administered the portions of the sacrifice. The children indeed had to eat of the sacrifice at home; nonetheless, portions of the mother or of others did not by any means go to them. So Hannah too had to be served her food, like the others, though she was set apart; but yet a portion was given to her alone, with which she had to be content, and she had to eat it elsewhere than in the Lord's presence. Hence her sadness: that while the rest feasted in God's presence according to God's law, she was in a sense exiled.

Now the sons of Eli are said to have been serving as priests when Elkanah came to sacrifice. These words must be noted, for hereafter we shall see them wholly depraved, having cast off all shame — as those who turned God’s sanctuary into a den of robbers, taking whatever portions of sacrifices they wished contrary to God’s law, and who defiled it with fornications, violating the virgins who had come to worship. The profligate and detestable life of Eli’s sons — how much offense and disgust with the sacrifices could it have caused, I ask, to Elkanah and the others who came to Shiloh to sacrifice and worship God, when they saw those men so profligate, without faith, law, conscience, or fear of God, who ought to have led the way for others as examples of all piety and holiness? Nevertheless we see this stumbling block overcome by Elkanah. And indeed this is worthy of observation. For from this we must learn that although we ought to detest vices in anyone, we should not therefore withdraw from the assemblies and from the truth and pure worship of God, even if those who hold the greatest authority among men are most corrupt. Or if we see the ministers of the Word themselves living in a way that does not befit the dignity of their office, we should not therefore depart from the truth of the doctrine. For it is not fitting that God’s glory and truth should depend on the holiness of mortals, so as to be increased or diminished according to whether mortals have lived holy or dissolute lives.

Therefore, taught by the example of this man, we must make every effort that the ardor by which we ought to be carried into the love of God does not cool in us, even though the whole world collapses in vices and those who ought to have led the way by examples of good works we see immersed in and indulging their vices. Rather, let us, having separated ourselves from them as far as is in our power, abominate their impure life and examples all the more, knowing that the closer we approach them in morals, the further we withdraw from God. For although the greatest part of the world rushes headlong, corrupted by vices, yet the Word of God will retain its dignity and authority among the elect.

With the remaining matters deferred to another time, come, brothers, let us before the majesty of our God, the best and greatest, become suppliants, and having confessed our sins, let us pray that we may make daily greater progress in his fear, so that renouncing ourselves and all wicked desires and passions to which we are by nature devoted, we may so devote ourselves to his worship that we do not merely simulate religion with outward ceremonies, but venerate and worship him with our whole heart, so that at last we may experience his help as true and sincere, not feigned, worshippers. And may he so graciously bear with our weaknesses that, although nothing good appears in us, he may not cease to embrace us with his favor, etc.

6. And her rival also provoked her greatly, so as to disturb her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7. And so it happened year after year: when she went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her in this way, so that she wept and did not eat. 8. And Elkanah her husband said to her, ‘Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?’

In yesterday’s sermon we learned that the worship of God must never be abandoned by us, even though we are provoked to evil by a thousand of the worst examples; and that we should not look at what this or that person does, but rather close our eyes to the stumbling blocks of men of whatever condition or rank, so that if we have entered upon the straight path of virtue and piety, we may never turn aside to the left or to the right, but always press on tirelessly along the straight road. And even if those who ought to have been the pattern of holiness and piety have become corrupt, we should not recoil, since they bring the evil upon themselves, even if divine vengeance advances against them with slow pace.

For it is not fitting that anything should be taken from God, or that the dignity of his law should be diminished, because of the wickedness and insolence of men. We must now speak of the quarrels and disputes between Hannah and Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah. Here we should observe how inclined mortals are to violating the worship of God. For when Elkanah went up to Shiloh with his family to sacrifice in the sanctuary, should not whatever hatreds or quarrels were carried on at home have been consigned to oblivion, since they were about to present themselves before the Lord and come into the sight of his majesty, as God often says in the law? Then we must consider the purpose of this journey and worship at the sanctuary established by the Lord. Nor should we think that God took delight in some running about of men and women — such dreams as those from whom pilgrimages were devised imagined, as if God were worshipped by men’s toil in running here and there. Rather, he wished the ark of his covenant, the altar of incense, and the sacrifices to serve as a bond by which the people might be fostered in mutual harmony and peace. Therefore if those whom no closer tie bound were required, when appearing before God, to maintain peace and harmony, how much more those joined by intimate family bonds? What is more absurd, what more repugnant to the worship of God, I ask, than quarrels and strifes among those who are united by the closest bonds of kinship?

Those who sacrificed to God seemed to wish to testify and profess openly that they desired to worship God from the heart. Yet behold Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, boasting about the portions of the sacrifices and abusing them as an occasion for quarrels, and as it were openly mocking God. Here moreover it should be noted that at that time God’s people came to the sanctuary both to pray and to sacrifice, so that they might be more certain of being heard. For although it was fitting for each of the faithful to pray to God privately at home with sure confidence of being heard, yet God wished to provide a special testimony of his presence in the sanctuary, so that coming as it were into his sight, they might be more and more confirmed in the divine favor and goodwill toward them.

But nothing is more opposed to prayers than discord, hatreds, and rivalries. For I beseech you, how can you stretch out suppliant hands to God — hands with which you would want to gouge out the eyes of the one praying beside you? What great perversity of mortals! To approach God feigning and displaying concord, while yet pressing down hatreds and rivalries in their hearts? Is this not to lie to God too impudently? Therefore to pray to God and to harbor hatreds toward brothers are utterly incompatible things. For God wills that prayers be a token of our mutual fellowship with our brothers. And he commands those who pray not merely to plead their own case, but also to seek the welfare and salvation of their neighbors, and to ask for the salvation of the whole church with special care and concern. Thus we see that Christ, when teaching his followers to pray, prescribed these words. For no one is taught to ask privately for his own daily bread, but for the whole church, when we say with these words: ‘Give us today our daily bread; forgive us our debts.’ Therefore Peninnah is guilty of great profanation of the divine name in provoking and irritating Hannah, and her impudence is all the greater and more outrageous because she harasses and provokes her bedfellow all the more, the quieter and more peaceable she is. Truly Peninnah was inhuman, who, loosening the reins of her pride against one by whom she had not been harmed, was so insolent. But what was the cause of such great rivalries? Namely, a certain greater testimony of God’s beneficence toward Peninnah in making her fruitful. But the wicked seize from this an occasion for doing evil.

1. There was a man from the double Ramah of the Zophites in the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2. He had two wives; one was named Hannah, and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. 3. Every year this man went up from his city to bow down and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli — Hophni and Phinehas — served as priests of the Lord. 4. On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5. But to Hannah he would give a single portion — and a sorrowful one — because he loved Hannah, and the Lord had closed her womb.

Among all the things from which we can draw the greatest benefit, this must not be overlooked: we need to recognize that God has ruled and governed His church in every age. Unless it is firmly settled in our minds that He cares for us and governs us by His authority, we will be tossed about by constant anxiety, and the condition of all of us will be utterly wretched. I freely acknowledge that God's providence extends to the entire human race — indeed, it even reaches the animals themselves, insofar as He created them and provides for their daily needs. But I say that His care is conspicuous in a special way toward His church, which is the house of God. From that special care with which He watches over us, this must be settled in our minds: He does not merely perform the role of creator toward us, as one would toward the work of His hands, but shows a father's love toward His children in all things — and therefore in times of trouble and difficulty we must take refuge in Him. This is a necessary doctrine, one that greatly helps our growth, if we have properly learned that God has protected His church in every age as if with an outstretched arm. Although He has sometimes seemed to hide His face — provoked by the people's sins, even appearing to abandon the care of His people — He still made room for His mercy and patience until the time came when He would reveal Himself more openly. Up to this point we have seen judges raised up by God from time to time during the most difficult periods, bearing the care of the people and keeping them in peace. But now a different form of governance appears: Samuel the prophet was appointed, until Saul was chosen as king. Paul traces this beautifully in Acts 13:17, teaching that after God chose Abraham's offspring as His own possession, He never stopped showing His goodness toward that people through daily benefits and singular care — embracing them with fatherly love, protecting the kingdom in the family of David, until the promised deliverer, our Lord Jesus Christ, should come. Paul marks off these periods so that God's presence and continual favor toward this people would become more clearly visible to all. For through each successive age, the family of Abraham produced great men to govern it with good laws and protect it — first judges, then liberators and defenders — until long before the promised time He set David as king over the whole people and placed him in possession of the kingdom. At last, after the people had been sent into Babylonian captivity because of their corrupt morals, and although they returned to their homeland after seventy years, yet remained thoroughly beaten down and shaken by great calamities, God gave the deliverer He had promised before the ages: our Lord Jesus Christ. At that moment He made clear that He had not forgotten His prostrate people, but had remained faithful to His promises and provided a deliverer for His church in His own time. Here, then, one memorable state of the church is set before us for our consideration — that period which followed the time of the Judges, when God in His mercy restored the right worship of God among the people. Toward the end of the book of Judges we saw that divine worship had fallen into a kind of neglect. Paul calls the administration of the judges God's governance for this reason: by raising up one judge or another, God wanted the people to know and acknowledge that they had not been wholly abandoned, so that they might be kept in their duty. But nonetheless, God had in a sense hidden His face — even appearing to have abandoned the care of His people — yet He made room for His mercy and patience until the time came when He would reveal Himself more openly. God had hidden His face while great and many crimes were raging among that people, for those were times in which there was no one to govern and restrain them. Scripture says that everyone did what his own desires dictated, because there was no king in Israel. That was a shocking breakdown of order. Other animals manage themselves without a king, but it is not so with men, who must be held to their duty by a stronger force. So great is the corruption of human nature that people rage against God like giants and rush headlong into every kind of evil. Therefore the wickedness planted in human hearts must be more and more recognized — along with our tendency toward every shameful act — and this is why rulers are needed, by whose authority people may be restrained, so that by giving in to wicked desires they do not become worse than the very beasts, which govern themselves with more wisdom than men do when they are left without rulers, each one driven in every direction by his own desires. When there was no king in Israel, how desperate and chaotic the state of affairs was is perfectly clear. But God showed by the outcome itself that He had not forgotten His people — even though He had seemed completely estranged from them, and justly so, since so many crimes had provoked His wrath, and it was itself a clear sign of divine judgment when He allowed the people to follow their own will and desires. Yet God protected them in remarkable ways. Who has ever even heard of any tribe or nation living without a king or governor — without the worship of God being either corrupted or completely abandoned — without utter confusion being introduced into all affairs? But God so preserved the covenant once made with Abraham and his offspring by a certain special favor that He drew them out as if from the pit, making His power and might all the more glorious by this means. For God to restore the fallen state, it was necessary for the people to understand how far they had sunk into misery — so that even while He was punishing their crimes, they might still experience His faithfulness to His promises, namely that He never casts off His elect, and that He does not punish the descendants of Abraham as though He will have nothing more to do with them. Although they certainly deserved this, He bore their wickedness out of His mercy. In short, we can see from this that God, although deeply angered against the people He had in a sense cast off, nonetheless gathered and raised them up again. From this let us learn, and see as in a mirror God's judgments: God is not always so visibly present to His church that everything in it happens according to His will and the rule of His law, but it often appears from outward circumstances that God has withdrawn far away — indeed, that He has utterly abandoned the church. This is truly an argument worthy of the closest attention. We hear the papists boasting that the church is never abandoned by God — by which they cover their own ambition and the confusion they have introduced into the church, and deceive those who accuse them of having violated divine worship and abolished church discipline. They ask whether it can possibly happen — since the church must always be sustained and supported by God — that it could ever be abandoned by Him; and therefore they conclude that no one should separate from their church, even if everything in it were turned upside down with pollutions and abominations, because the church is never abandoned by God and can therefore never err. But as we heard above, Scripture teaches clearly enough — unless we choose to be willingly deceived — that God, although He never abandons His church, was nonetheless moved by the people's ungrateful spirit, who had given free rein to every shameful act, to overturn the political order so that the resulting confusion and turmoil would force the people to flee to God in shame and adopt a better mind. Therefore, when God moves to punish people's sins even in the greatest mercy and gentleness, let us not think He is so bound to particular persons that the church can never fail — that is, that those who preside over the church and hold its helm can never stray from the truth. It is fitting that they lead their flocks by goodness, humility, and godly lives, and serve as a pattern for others to follow. But this rarely happens, so that those of such character may justly be compared to a grain of wheat buried under a heap of chaff. Meanwhile God, as I said, is faithful to His promise, even when outward appearances show nothing of the sort. We must also add that the papists raise these objections against us only when they perceive that God has in some measure withdrawn from us, and that we are torn apart in every direction like the limbs of a dismembered body. The laments of the ancient church afflicted by various calamities are well known: 'Lord, You have broken down the wall of Your vineyard, and all who pass by tear it apart. The boars from the forest ravage it, and the beasts of the field devour it.' With what grief of soul, I ask, did the faithful pour out these cries, when they saw themselves as though cast off by God, who had forgotten His promises — as though their hope had been snatched away and they had been left without it? But when we see here that the people — though in outward appearance abandoned by God, and in such a way that everything seemed to point toward nothing but the destruction of the church — were nevertheless raised up, with God revealing Himself as the avenger and protector of those He had chosen as His own possession before all ages, who though deeply corrupt in morals had hoped in His mercy, let us also recognize the same favor of the Lord toward His church in our own time. For when such thick darkness had fallen upon the church — a darkness born not only of idolatry but of many delusions of Satan, God justly punishing human ingratitude in this way so that no hope of salvation seemed to remain — yet God Himself, setting aside our sins, had mercy on us, and though we were unworthy of His favor, He revealed His faithfulness to His promises. And indeed the greatest comfort returns to us from this comparison of that ancient church with our own, when He reveals His presence in the Word, by the preaching of which we are gathered under His banner and serve as soldiers. It should also be noted here that God, in accomplishing those great works, nevertheless follows a course that appears slight, contemptible, and utterly foreign to human understanding — and does so precisely so that His greater power might become known to us.

Elkanah is said to have had two wives, one of whom was barren. At first glance this seems a minor detail, but we should understand that this is how God's works are: though they do not announce themselves with any great splendor at the outset, we must look upon them with wonder, for within them lies hidden the infinite power, wisdom, and unspeakable justice of God Almighty. Furthermore, it is good for us that God works this way, because if He were to proceed by a different route — say with great display and magnificence — we would not recognize Him at work, nor give Him the glory He deserves, but would instead credit the divine work to fortune or to human strength. But when from small, unpromising beginnings an immense work arises and is accomplished beyond all expectation, then even the most resistant must acknowledge the hand of God. Indeed, God's mercy is to be praised in this, for He accommodates Himself to human weakness so that He might stir up even the most stubborn and indifferent and make Himself known to them — a subject I will develop more fully later.

The details included here about Elkanah's name, relatives, city, tribe, and family indicate that Samuel was descended from the tribe of Levi, which becomes far clearer in 1 Chronicles 6, where his entire family is described and his lineage traced back to Kohath, one of the sons of Levi. His place of residence is called Ramah, from the family of the Zophites — a word that, rendered literally, means something like 'watchmen' or 'scouts.' Some interpret Zophim to mean 'priest' or 'prophet,' but this reading is too strained. There is no doubt that Zophim refers to two hills, either facing one another or from which the whole region could be surveyed. These details contribute considerably to the credibility of this history — for God raised up Samuel as the instrument by whose agency, as with an outstretched arm, He would restore the fallen state of the people. God wanted to show that He would be a father to those who had nearly perished, not merely by raising up a ruler, but especially by raising up prophets with far greater abundance and authority than in previous ages, so that a time of flourishing and new life might dawn. For in those days the word of God — as the text below records — had been rare and precious; that is, prophets were few. Peter in Acts 3, demonstrating that our Lord Jesus Christ must be received without question — even on the irrefutable testimony of Moses himself, who pointed to Him with the words, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet from your brothers, like me; you shall listen to him in all things that he shall speak to you' — taught that those who placed their trust in Christ would never be disappointed in their hope. From this it is clear that God was always present with the fathers and showed them the way of salvation. Moses was the herald of Christ the Lord. Peter adds that all the prophets from Samuel onward declared that this salvation would be sent in its own time. Peter therefore teaches that God had withdrawn His face for a time, when, having given no ruler, the people were tossed about without a lawful order, and therefore religion — like coals buried under ashes whose glow cannot be seen — had been obscured and as it were snuffed out. But by raising up Samuel, God not only restored the previously fallen state of the people, but also restored religion to its former dignity, using Samuel as His most faithful and most worthy servant and instrument for accomplishing this great thing; and schools of the prophets were established, as we shall see later, God willing. This is also why this book bears the name of Samuel — not at all because Samuel wrote it, but because in Samuel the Lord produced a visible testimony of His favor in restoring the people. For who would not rightly say that before Samuel was raised up, that nation was so defiled by corruption that God seemed to have been driven out of Israel — until at least one household would withdraw from the depraved morals of that age? So the name of God began to be called upon in the days of Samuel, whereas before, as we said, the land was without a king, everyone did as he pleased, the wicked were restrained by no punishment, and the priests had no authority. Consider Phinehas himself — a man of such stature that he seemed more like an angel than a man — yet even he was so despised by an ungrateful and reprobate people that no restraints could recall them from their insolence and rebellion against God; they violated the law of God with the utmost defiance and disorder, trampling it underfoot. But now the worship of God begins to be restored — though not without the greatest difficulties. For scarcely had God's favor toward the people begun to shine, scarcely had He begun to unfold His goodness, when the people were struck by new troubles: the Ark of God was captured and the people were routed by their enemies, as we will see later in its place. For now, it is enough to know that this history bears the name of Samuel because God, reconciled to His people, began to act as father and shepherd when Samuel was raised up.

Let us turn to Elkanah. We should note that no virtues of his are praised here; instead, a fault is mentioned — one common enough at the time, yet still intolerable, and especially noteworthy in a Levite. Although the people had allowed themselves this practice without any divine mandate, how can such an abuse of the sacred bond of marriage be tolerated — especially in those appointed by God as guardians and defenders of His law and of true religion? We should therefore observe that Elkanah is not presented here as a virtuous example, so that God's goodness might be all the more glorified — since He willed that Samuel, so great a prophet, should be born from him, as we shall see later. I do acknowledge the man's piety in observing what God's law required regarding worship at the sanctuary, which at that time was at Shiloh. Nevertheless, the fault must be noted by which he made himself unworthy of God's favor. For although he had been elevated to such a position that he might teach the people, expound God's law, enter the sanctuary, and by reason of his rank and office approach God more closely than others, still — by taking two wives at the same time — he broke the covenant made with God, defiled the sacred institution of marriage, and overturned God's own ordinance. He truly made himself unworthy to have God hear his prayers. Yet God, out of His immense mercy, blessed him — especially in that Samuel, so great a prophet of God, was born from such a union.

But as I said before, when Scripture sets before our eyes the faults even of the most illustrious men, it does so for this reason: that we may not deceive ourselves, but that whenever God draws certain persons out of the depths of this world, we may ascribe it entirely to God's grace and mercy — and not to any merits of men by which they might make themselves more worthy than others. Those virtues which we admire in men as though they belonged to the men themselves — what are they but veils that obscure God's grace toward men? For does not God's goodness become cheap and diminished when righteousness and uprightness are attributed to a man, and he is esteemed for them as though he were overflowing with all virtues? What is any virtue, after all, but the free gift of God? But, as I said, so great is the corruption of our minds that we do not perceive God's goodness unless human faults appear by contrast. This is why Paul says that God's goodness and mercy shine most clearly in human weakness. We must also add that when vices run rampant in any community, few are those who are not infected by them — struck, as it were, when a plague is spreading. I grant that a plague does not seize an entire city in an instant; I grant that fire does not consume an entire building in a single moment — but the plague spreads gradually until at last even the air itself is infected. I think the same must be said of vices and of evil customs and corrupt practices, to which people gradually grow accustomed until a deadly numbness has invaded the whole body and it has been inflamed by mutual contagion — so that no remedy, or only a weak one, remains because the roots have grown so deep. On the other hand, if creeping evils and corruptions of this kind are addressed early, and the people are made to fear them, then the full force of fires and plague will collapse and weaken, and everyone will live an honest life in peace and quiet. But if they are not addressed, even those who were not infected at the beginning will in time be seized by the same fire and pestilence as everyone else. Who then would be surprised that Elkanah — though descended from a priestly line, which does not excuse his fault — was nevertheless misled by custom and took two wives at once, since in that age taking two wives was not regarded as a fault?

From this let us learn, following the apostle's warning, not to allow any bitter root to take hold — that is, evil customs by which we might be turned even slightly from the sincere worship of God. Once such customs have grown up, they gain such strength that purity can scarcely be restored without some stain remaining. Furthermore, it is likely that Elkanah took two wives out of an excessive desire for offspring, not out of an excessive craving for pleasure, since he is said to have loved his wife. Why then did he take a second wife in addition to the first, whom he loved? Someone might charge him with wrongdoing here, but the words of the text excuse him by pointing to the barrenness of his first wife. Yet that does not mean this second marriage — added on top of the first — was approved by God. Those ancient men had received promises from God concerning the blessing and multiplication of their offspring, and so they were far too inclined toward taking multiple wives — especially since they had the specific promise that the Messiah would come from their lineage, in whom all nations would be blessed, and they longed with all their hearts that He might be born from them. But even so, the law of marriage and the Lord's own institution was not to be violated. We must therefore take care to keep ourselves within bounds; and if we desire offspring, or anything else that is not contrary to God's glory or our salvation, let us ask in prayer that God grant it, and commit the outcome to Him. When God promised Abraham a multiplication of offspring that would exceed the sand of the seashore, He did not intend to contradict Himself or to overthrow the order He had established. But the Israelites, being corrupt by nature, had introduced great confusion and disorder. They must be measured by the standard of God's Word, for the name of Israelites had been given them by the Lord not for fleshly impurity and defilement, but for holiness of life and constancy in prayer. For there is no change in God. Therefore, even though Elkanah was moved by a desire to have children and loved his first wife, he could not justify before God the taking of a second wife under the pretext of good intentions. Although custom provides some appearance of excuse, the evil must always be seen for what it is. What can Elkanah plead, after all, except that he had forgotten his office — that is, the priesthood — and had transgressed the bounds of holiness?

It follows that he came on appointed days to worship. Some take 'days' to mean years. But it does not seem likely to me that men of the priestly order appeared in the sanctuary only once a year, since we read that three solemn feasts were established by the Lord to be celebrated annually. If it was required of all the tribes to present themselves before God at those feasts — to let God, as it were, review His people, and for them publicly to profess their worship of Him and their obedience, and to confess their sins and implore His mercy — what was fitting for the priests, who should have been heralds, urging the people to render obedience to God and stirring them by their own example? It is not likely, then, that Elkanah came to Shiloh to worship God only once a year, especially since the distance was not great, and he traced his origin from Levi. Some therefore suppose that he came annually to offer an extraordinary sacrifice beyond what the Lord had prescribed. But what prevents us from understanding these words to mean the appointed days that God had commanded the people to observe in His law for rendering Him the worship He was due?

For Elkanah is presented here not as a man free from all blame — since he had taken a second wife — but not as a despiser of God who sought to honor God merely with excessive sacrifices. That act of worship was the people's public profession: an acknowledgment that they owed everything they had to God alone, a thanksgiving for His many benefits, an appeal for pardon from sins, and a promise to order their lives according to God's will. This subject could indeed be developed at greater length, but we will have gained greatly if this teaching is firmly rooted in our minds — which for the sake of memory we may summarize under three headings.

First, when we come to worship God, we acknowledge that we owe Him everything we have, give thanks for past blessings, and implore greater increases of His gifts for the future, along with His help in times of trouble and difficulty. Second, coming as suppliants and confessing our sins like those standing before a judge, we pray that He would grant us true recognition of our sins and genuine repentance, and have mercy on us as we beg His pardon. Third and finally, having denied ourselves and taken His yoke upon our shoulders, we declare ourselves ready to render Him the obedience He is due and to order our thoughts and desires according to the standard and sole authority of His law.

We must also add that true worshippers of God must be free of all evil thoughts and hatreds if they want the outward acts they perform in worship — such as kneeling, raising of hands or eyes to heaven, and similar gestures — to be regarded as genuine and not merely performed. For it is certain that hypocrites have habitually employed many such ceremonies and gestures in worship, appearing to draw God close with much weeping and display, as though beside themselves, while all along they harbor internal hatreds and rivalries and cover their hypocrisy with nothing more than the name of religion. Therefore this must be carefully noted: God does not merely want to be invoked or worshipped — He especially requires simplicity and integrity in worship.

I acknowledge that many people do recognize God as the giver of all good things, present themselves as sinners before His judgment, seek grace and mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ, and commit themselves to be governed by His Word, displaying great humility. Nevertheless, I say that worship is displeasing to God when the heart does not match the words and outward ceremonies. Such was the religion of Peninnah, Elkanah's second wife. We must therefore work to ensure that we do not approach the worship of God with hypocrisy and pretense — so that when we enter the church to hear the Word of God and to offer prayers, we keep these three necessary things in mind. First, we must acknowledge God as the sole author of all good things, so that whatever good we have received we credit to Him alone, and for the future we ask to be governed by Him, that we may never be left to ourselves. Second, we must confess our sins before His majesty in such a way that when pressed by the sting of conscience, we are cast down all the more — beholding our poverty, neediness, and misery — and, unless He helps us with His mercy, we plead for His pardon. Finally, because by nature we are so prone to distrust that we provoke His wrath rather than His favor, may He correct this weakness and so strengthen us by His power that, bowing our necks under His yoke and preparing ourselves for obedience, we may hope with greater confidence that we will obtain His grace and pardon.

Sacrifices are also joined to the solemn prayers here, showing that Elkanah carefully and rightly observed the worship God had prescribed. I grant that those sacrifices were not necessary in themselves, but God had attached sacrifices to prayers as a support for the people's weakness and limited understanding. It was fitting, therefore, for Elkanah, as he offered sacrifices to God, to keep his eyes on what was by far the most important element of sacrifice — namely, true and pure worship without hypocrisy. For in order to confirm His law all the more and to keep the people in the covenant that had been entered into, God had joined sacrifices to prayers, so that the free forgiveness of sins — which the sacrifices testified to — might follow genuine sorrow for sin. Public confession of sins had to accompany spiritual worship as well. Today we should be drawn to the worship and fear of God by the sacraments that God instituted so that we might be strengthened more and more in faith. I acknowledge that we are not bound today by the ceremonies of the law, because Christ has appeared as their substance and fulfillment. But we must also confess that we are neither angels nor so perfect that we do not still need to be led by the hand to the worship of God, like infants — and therefore we must make use of all those helps which God Himself, well aware of our weakness, provides. For this reason, when Christian congregations gather in the church to hear the Word of God, they declare their fellowship with one another, offer prayers to God on behalf of the whole church — that they may obtain His grace and mercy through Jesus Christ alone, the author of our salvation — and they use the sacraments as a kind of support for their faith.

Furthermore, if someone claims to worship God yet treats the sacraments instituted by Christ — along with the rest of church discipline — as worthless, who would not rightly call him a despiser of God, a profaner of the Word, and someone who too boldly claims the title of believer? For example, if someone were to neglect baptism or the Lord's Supper, claiming that it is enough for him to have God as Father and Jesus Christ as his only Savior, would he not — by rejecting the sacraments, the signs and tokens of God's grace, without which no one has access to Him — justly be regarded as a despiser and enemy of God? Whoever carelessly treats as nothing the instruments given to us for obtaining salvation — instruments without which we cannot even grasp salvation in our minds, much less obtain it, since it is only by these means that we ascend step by step to God as on stairs — such a person is estranged from God and unworthy of His grace.

Enough, then, about the sacrifices. Now we must consider the words that describe how Elkanah, after the sacrifices, gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters, but gave an honored portion to Hannah, his first wife. These last words are variously explained by interpreters. Some explain it as a double portion, given with sorrow because she had no children; others say he sent the portion with a sorrowful expression; still others translate it as a choice portion, because he loved her more than Peninnah. Others say that Hannah's portion was given differently from the others — as though, since Peninnah had children, he distributed to each their own portion, but gave a special portion to Hannah, who was alone and set apart, as a token of his love. This last reading seems to me the most fitting and straightforward: that portions could not be sent to Hannah in the same way as to the other wife who came with a large family, and therefore Elkanah could not show his love for her in the same way, because her barrenness had as it were excluded her from the rest.

The mention of portions relates to the ritual of the law. God had established specific laws regarding sacrifices, and Elkanah was not ignorant of them. The priest received his portion; then the one who had offered the sacrifice gave portions to friends and held a feast with them in the Lord's presence. This is how Elkanah distributed the portions of the sacrifice. The children certainly ate from the sacrifice at home — but portions belonging to the mother or to others did not by any means go to them. So Hannah too had to receive her share of the food like the others, though she was set apart; yet a portion was given to her alone, and she had to be content with it and eat it apart from the others in the Lord's presence. Hence her sadness: while the rest feasted in God's presence according to God's law, she was in a sense shut out.

Now, the sons of Eli are said to have been serving as priests when Elkanah came to sacrifice. We should take note of these words, because later we will see these men thoroughly corrupt, having cast off all shame — turning God's sanctuary into a den of robbers, taking whatever portions of sacrifices they wanted in violation of God's law, and defiling the sanctuary with sexual immorality by violating the women who had come to worship. How much offense and disgust with the sacrifices, I ask, must the reckless and detestable lives of Eli's sons have caused Elkanah and the others who came to Shiloh to sacrifice and worship — when they saw those men so debauched, without faith, law, conscience, or fear of God, who ought to have led the way for others as examples of all piety and holiness? And yet we see Elkanah press past this stumbling block. This is truly worth noting. From this we must learn that although we should detest vices in anyone, we must not therefore withdraw from the assemblies or from the truth and pure worship of God, even when those who hold the greatest authority among men are deeply corrupt. Even if we see the ministers of the Word themselves living in ways that do not befit their office, we must not on that account depart from the truth of the doctrine. God's glory and truth must not be made dependent on the holiness of mortal men, so that they rise or fall according to whether those men have lived holy or dissolute lives.

Taught by this man's example, we must make every effort to ensure that the fire of our love for God does not grow cold in us — even if the whole world collapses into vice, and those who should have led the way with good examples are seen wallowing in their sins. Rather, having separated ourselves from them as much as possible, let us reject their corrupt lives and examples all the more, knowing that the closer we draw to them in conduct, the further we move from God. For although the great mass of the world rushes headlong, corrupted by vices, the Word of God will still hold its dignity and authority among the elect.

Setting aside the remaining matters for another time, come, brothers, let us kneel before the majesty of our God — the best and greatest — and having confessed our sins, pray that we may make daily greater progress in His fear, so that renouncing ourselves and all wicked desires and passions to which we are by nature drawn, we may so devote ourselves to His worship that we do not merely simulate religion with outward ceremonies, but venerate and worship Him with our whole heart — and so at last experience His help as true and sincere worshippers, not performers. And may He graciously bear with our weaknesses so that, even though nothing good appears in us, He may not cease to embrace us with His favor.

6. Her rival also provoked her greatly, to disturb her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7. This happened year after year: when she went up to the house of the Lord, her rival would provoke her in this way, so that she wept and could not eat. 8. Elkanah her husband said to her, 'Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?'

In yesterday's sermon we learned that we must never abandon the worship of God — even when we are provoked to evil by a thousand of the worst examples — and that we should not look at what this or that person does, but instead close our eyes to the stumbling blocks set by people of whatever rank or status. Having set our feet on the straight path of virtue and piety, we must never turn aside to the left or the right, but always press on tirelessly along the straight road. And even if those who should have been models of holiness and piety have become corrupt, we must not recoil — for they bring the evil upon themselves, even if God's judgment advances against them at a slow pace.

Nothing must be taken from God, and the dignity of His law must not be diminished because of the wickedness and insolence of men. We must now speak of the quarrels and disputes between Hannah and Elkanah's other wife, Peninnah. We should notice here how ready people are to defile the worship of God. When Elkanah went up to Shiloh with his family to sacrifice in the sanctuary, should not any hatreds or quarrels carried on at home have been set aside — since they were about to present themselves before the Lord and come into the sight of His majesty, as God says repeatedly in the law? Consider the purpose of this journey and of the worship at the sanctuary that the Lord had established. We should not think that God took delight in the mere physical movement of men and women going here and there — the sort of fantasy from which pilgrimages were invented, as if God were worshipped by the effort of running from place to place. Rather, He wanted the ark of His covenant, the altar of incense, and the sacrifices to serve as a bond by which the people might be drawn into mutual harmony and peace. If even those with no close family ties were required, when appearing before God, to maintain peace and harmony — how much more those joined by the closest family bonds? What is more absurd, what more contrary to the worship of God, I ask, than quarrels and strife among those united by the closest bonds of kinship?

Those who sacrificed to God appeared to want to testify and publicly confess that they desired to worship Him from the heart. Yet behold Peninnah — Elkanah's other wife — boasting about the portions of the sacrifices and using them as an occasion for quarrels, openly mocking God. We should also note that in those days God's people came to the sanctuary both to pray and to sacrifice, so that they might be more assured of being heard. For although it was right for each believer to pray to God privately at home with full confidence of being heard, God also wished to give a special testimony of His presence in the sanctuary, so that by coming as it were into His sight, they might be more and more confirmed in His divine favor and goodwill toward them.

But nothing is more opposed to prayer than discord, hatred, and rivalry. I ask you — how can you stretch out your hands in supplication to God when those same hands you would gladly use to harm the person praying beside you? What great perversity in mortal men — to approach God while pretending to be at peace, all while pressing hatred and rivalry down in their hearts. Is this not to lie to God with the most brazen impudence? To pray to God and to harbor hatred toward your brothers are utterly incompatible. For God intends prayer to be a sign of our mutual fellowship with our brothers. He commands those who pray not merely to plead their own case, but also to seek the welfare and salvation of their neighbors, and to ask for the salvation of the whole church with particular care and concern. We see this in the prayer that Christ taught His followers. No one is taught to ask privately for his own daily bread, but for the whole church together, when we say: 'Give us today our daily bread; forgive us our debts.' Peninnah is therefore guilty of a serious profanation of the divine name by provoking and irritating Hannah — and her insolence is all the greater and more outrageous because she harasses and torments her the more violently, the more quiet and peaceable Hannah is. Peninnah was truly inhuman — unleashing the full force of her pride against one who had never harmed her. But what was the cause of such great rivalry? It was simply that God had shown a greater token of His goodness toward Peninnah by making her fruitful. But the wicked seize even such blessings as occasions for doing evil.