Sermon 8: 1 Samuel 2:11-17

11. And Elkanah went to Ramathah, to his house; and the boy was a minister in the sight of the Lord before the face of Eli the priest. 12. Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial, not knowing the Lord. 13. The custom of the priests with the people was that whoever offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come while the meat was being cooked, having a three-pronged fork in his hand. 14. And he would thrust it into the basin, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot; and whatever the fork brought up, the priest would take for himself. Thus they did to all of Israel who came to Shiloh. 15. Even before they burned the fat, the priest's servant would come and say to the one sacrificing: Give me meat to cook for the priest, for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw. 16. And the one sacrificing would say to him: Let the fat first be burned according to custom today, and then take as much as your soul desires. And he would answer and say to him: No, you will give it now, otherwise I will take it by force. 17. Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, because the men were drawing people away from the Lord's sacrifice.

First, we must observe here the obedience of Elkanah, bringing his son and entrusting him to the custody of the high priest, and in a certain sense renouncing his paternal right. For we know how tender is the affection of parents toward their children, especially toward infants with whom they play, whom they would not so easily entrust to just anyone, especially a stranger, so as to be deprived of their presence and sight. Nevertheless Elkanah fulfills the approved vow of his wife and gives and dedicates his son entirely to God's worship.

But behold, no small stumbling block: namely that the sons of Eli the priest, with whom the boy was to serve in the priesthood, were wicked and flagitious. What distress we may imagine seized him when he noticed that his son was not far from the path of perdition, because he was living among the most flagitious men and, as it were, the most certain plagues. But Anna had vowed him to God with a far different intention, and with a far different spirit had Elkanah fulfilled the vow and dedicated him to God — namely, that raised in purity he might serve God throughout the whole course of his life.

Behold indeed Eli's house as a most pestilential place, from which Elkanah might seem to have had the opportunity — and a most plausible one — to revoke his vow. And indeed one might rightly wonder why Elkanah, having obtained the boy from God, should leave him in the hands of flagitious men. But Elkanah overcame even this temptation and ratified his vow, even though he saw the priest's house to be utterly confused and depraved. But God nevertheless showed himself beneficent and merciful toward him, in that he did not allow Samuel, who was as it were plunged into the mire of those corruptions, to be infected; and he governed and protected him no differently than if he had fallen in with good teachers of morals — which was a far greater benefit than if it had happened otherwise.

For suppose we imagine that Eli's sons had been like angels, and indeed a mirror of holiness, modesty, and purity — certainly no pious person would deny that Samuel's upbringing would have been holier and better. But all the praise would have been attributed to human industry and labor, and would have detracted just as much from the grace of God. On the contrary, when, though raised in the company of flagitious, depraved, God-despising, gluttonous, fornicating men inclined to every crime, he is nevertheless kept unpolluted by God — is not that testimony of grace far more excellent and commendable than if he had received a better education? From this let us learn that for those of us who desire to serve God, the devil will place many things before our eyes by which we may be turned from our purpose, unless we firmly persevere in our holy resolve. It is certain, I say, that we can never undertake or begin anything for God's glory without experiencing the devil resisting and raising various obstacles. Therefore let us learn not to be turned from our purpose by any terrors, but imitating Elkanah's example, let us overcome whatever setbacks occur; and indeed, if it happens that we fall in with flagitious and wicked people, let us commend ourselves to God, so that just as he protected Samuel, he may also protect us by the grace and power of his Spirit, lest we ever be dragged to ultimate destruction by evil examples; and may he teach us more and more of our weakness, so that with all the more ardor and greater solicitude we may flee to him.

But let it be far from us to think that an opportunity has been offered for running about here and there and frequenting whatever company may entice us to vices; but rather let us be admonished that if perhaps we unwarily fall in among flagitious people instead of angels and religious men, then we should flee to God and hope for his grace and kindness toward us, firmly persuaded that he will never allow us to be infected by wicked company and dragged to ultimate destruction.

Moreover, when the sons of Eli are here called sons of Belial — that is, worthless and flagitious — let us not consider their vice to be some slight fault, since no one among mortals lives without some failing, because we never attain the perfection that is required. Rather, let us understand that a certain remarkable wickedness and contempt of God is being indicated. For the word 'Belial' designates the depraved and incorrigible, who are moved by no shame, restrained by no fear of God, but having cast off all shame and fear, are despisers of both God and men. Therefore we should know that Eli's sons were not merely flagitious and wicked, as you may see many people inclined to all kinds of vice, but that they were confirmed in malice and had steeled their face for every crime and cast off all shame, and had given no sign of reform.

How great, I ask, was the stumbling block for the whole people, that the priests — who approached closest to God, who interceded for the people, and who were indeed figures of our Lord Jesus Christ — were nevertheless accomplices in every crime, malice, perversity, and disorder? Therefore we must take the utmost care that we are never turned from the right path by the authority of men, when those who ought to have been guides on the way invite us by their example to every kind of crime. For if our faith depended on mortals, on how weak a support, I ask, would it rest? Therefore, even though pastors and teachers, and indeed the very pillars of the church, lead a disorderly and incorrigible life and drag us by their example into corruption, we must not think that we should depart from God's word; but all the more should we examine our life by its rule, applying to our use the doctrine of our Lord who commands that the faithful observe what the scribes and Pharisees, seated in the chair of Moses, teach, while condemning those who imitate their wicked behavior. For it is wrong that their example should detract even the slightest from the authority of the divine word. Therefore we must take care not to look at the deeds of people, except those that are good and just, so that we may pattern our morals and doctrine after them. But if their morals do not agree with or correspond to their doctrine, let us nevertheless have it firmly fixed in our minds that God is nonetheless to be sincerely worshipped, and his word is not to be despised on that account. But we shall say more about these matters shortly.

It follows that the sons of Eli did not know the Lord — by which words their remarkable wickedness is indicated, because they had reached the height of crime and malice. For as long as some remnants of the fear of God remain in us, like certain sparks, we are not yet entirely stripped bare. But if forgetfulness of God has seized us, then we are plainly subjected to the devil, and are tossed about by him as reprobates and carried off at his will. And indeed, even though we may be distinguished by the greatest apparent virtues, unless the fear of God has come first, they will be nothing but pretense. On the other hand, if the fear of God, which is called true wisdom, has taken root in us, it produces those fruits by which we may rightly recognize that we were created for this end: to subject ourselves with all modesty to him by whom we were formed, and from whom we expect not only wealth and goods in this life, but above all eternal life.

The fear of God, therefore, is the fountain from which this wisdom and righteousness flow. For those who have only some confused notion of God and judge God from their own senses, and are ignorant of who and what he is and his power — they indeed never acknowledge or fear God as is fitting. I confess that they are restrained by some fear, but I say it is impossible for them to devote themselves to his worship with a sincere heart. Therefore God must first be known before he can be loved and worshipped; and this knowledge must strike deep roots in our minds, which will yield fruit in due time.

For when the reason for the wickedness of Eli's sons is given as their ignorance of God, we are taught that they would not have progressed to such a degree of wickedness if they had known God; and rather they would have come to the thought that it was right to worship God in all their life. Behold how the knowledge of God is like a soul, for animating and stirring us to divine worship. For just as the soul gives motion to the body, in the same way the fear of God imparts to us a life by which we are renewed and reformed. For thus he moves us by the breath of his Holy Spirit, so that we are directed to good works, as Paul testifies, addressing the Galatians in these words: If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit — as if to say: If we have been reborn by God's Spirit, let us demonstrate it in reality, namely by outward works; for otherwise, if it has not been done, then the fear of God will be absent — a fear that must be manifest in the whole course of human life through clear signs, namely good works. This is why the apostle says elsewhere that hypocrites profess to know God but deny him by their deeds. I confess indeed that many seem to glory in their knowledge of God, and indeed more than they ought, because they do so to their own condemnation. But such knowledge is confused and empty. For God must be known from the reading and hearing of his word in such a way that we are first cast down before his majesty; then that we may so taste his goodness toward us that we are swept into love for him. And since he has bestowed upon us this inestimable benefit of receiving us into the number of his children, let us in turn acknowledge him as Father. And these indeed are the fruits that flow from this knowledge, perennial throughout all of life, by which it may be known that we have made progress in the school of the Lord.

In this sense the prophet, inveighing against the idolatry of his time, adds that there was no knowledge of God in the land of Israel — as if indicating that the people could no longer be restrained from reaching the height of wickedness, since the fear of God had departed; this happened because God was not known in Israel.

Moreover, how great was the stumbling block, how disgraceful and abominable the fact, that the priests — who ought to have been expositors of the law, and from whose lips wisdom ought to have been sought — that these very priests did not know God! But the faithful of that time ought to have passed over these things as if with closed eyes, for otherwise they could have been hurled headlong to destruction, with all zeal for divine worship removed from their minds. Therefore today, when we see those who ought to have been pillars of the church inclined to every crime, let us not on that account loosen the reins for ourselves too; for such an excuse would be worthless, as Christ himself testifies, saying that if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit. Therefore it is clear that today no excuse remains for those who, when called back to the fountains of pure evangelical doctrine, set up their prelates — namely, bishops, archbishops, and the rest of that rabble of men — and say that since they are governed by them, and these are held to be pillars of holy mother church, these same men must render to God an account for their souls, and this responsibility rests with them. Indeed, an account for souls must one day be rendered — for that threat in the prophet is true: that God will demand the souls from their hands. But will there really be any room left for excuse for those who willingly choose to perish and who are blind, and who strive against the splendor of salvation, since they delight in the foul wallowing-place of their own filth? And concerning these things, thus far. But the following must be carefully observed, and especially this: that the priests are said to have had a three-pronged fork in their hand, and to have thrust it into the cauldron, and to have taken for themselves whatever the fork lifted up — which was a most grievous abuse of their office. For it had been established otherwise by God's law, and how far they departed from its prescription is evident. And so their sin is made graver by the fact that it cannot be covered by any pretext of ignorance, since God had assigned to the priests their own proper portions, and the portions assigned to the priests by God himself were known even to children. For by God's command the right shoulder and also the breast belonged to them. But if this had not been expressly stated, they might have seemed to rest on some plausible excuse. But since God himself had specified the portions that would fall to them from the sacrifices, whatever they additionally drew out with the fork they were rightly said to seize beyond their office and against God's command. And so, thrusting the fork into the cauldron, they pulled out the choicest portions and stole them. But fouler and graver still was this: that before the fat was burned according to the law's prescription, the priest's servants demanded a portion of the raw meat. But those offering the sacrifices answered that the fat should first be burned upon the altar before anything should go to them — which was the surest testimony that everything was consecrated to God, and therefore the fat must above all be burned before God. Nevertheless, the sacrifices did not cease on that account, though the abuse was great. But how great was this wickedness! That a mortal man should reach such a height of pride as to rise up so insolently against his Creator — is this not a dreadful monstrosity? And yet this was no longer new, but it had become customary to seize meat by force from the cauldrons and pots, and to inflict such violence on God's sanctuary, that they rightly seemed to have lost all faithfulness. But truly, although they were most arrogant, the fear of God's presence should have deterred them from this wickedness, and the remembrance of their office — that they ought to stand before God as intercessors for the sins of the whole people. But what can you do? God's sanctuary had already been turned by them into a den of robbers. Hence it came about that sacrifices to the Lord were abandoned by many. From this it becomes clear to us what manner and how great a confusion of all things must arise when no place is left for the fear of God. And yet these priests ought at least to have had some care for their good name and reputation, lest they become a laughingstock to all and be received with mockery. But this concern did not touch them at all — namely, because they were blinded by God for not having rendered him due honor, they suffer the deserved punishments for their crimes. Therefore it was necessary that they, as we shall see hereafter, be seized for death, and as despisers of God be covered with every reproach and disgrace — those whom blind lust drove to the point where no regard for God, no regard for their office, no regard for decency remained, as they gave themselves over to plunder and let loose the reins for every violence. What meanwhile becomes of the wretched common people, who still attend God's sanctuary and duly observe the sacrifices? They patiently endure the injury and robbery, out of reverence for God. Was this not to invade God's temple, and to drive God himself from his place? So flagitious men, raised to some degree of dignity, usually boast of God's name, which they nevertheless hold in mockery. This is most conspicuous in that papist synagogue, in which you would say nothing shines but the sacred majesty of God, nothing but what is holy and religious, so that wretched and simple people are carried away in admiration. But if you examined the life and morals of those men, would you not rightly say that they have forsworn all religion and sanctity, and wish it utterly extinguished and abolished? But as for us, the greater their fury and madness in despising and trampling underfoot God's gifts, the more diligently let us take care that we are not moved even the slightest from the faith. For these are examples not of this age alone but of all ages. For the devil has never ceased to hunt some prey among men, and these are his most common arts in deceiving, assaulting, and devouring us. But we must resist firmly, and with all care and effort ensure that we are not turned away from the study of the divine word by the wickedness of men, and that no weariness of it seizes us — for it must always remain sacred and inviolate among us. Furthermore, this greatest and intolerable contempt of divine majesty in these priests must be noted by us: that they are said to have seized raw meat by force, unless the sacrificing people gave it to them voluntarily when asked. Is there then room for violence in the temple itself, as in a cave? For the circumstance of the response of those who offered sacrifices must be noted. They do not complain that more than a fair share is being taken according to the prescription, but patiently endure the injury, with these words: 'When the fat has been burned, take for yourself as much as your soul desires.' See how patiently they bore the injury inflicted on them. For they clearly perceive that these priests are seizing the sacred things by force, and yet they are not at all moved from their zeal and devotion for honoring God. The piety and religion of these wretched people is therefore all the more remarkable, in proportion as the impiety of the priests is greater, and the profane violation of all divine and human law more extreme. For the former patiently bear the injury; the latter, adding to the sum of their malice, arrive at the neglect of God's worship. Was not a proper portion assigned to the priests by God's own command and prescription? Indeed, but for this end: that they might honor God in the sanctuary with due worship. But here among these men all fear of God has collapsed, and mortal men — or rather worms — O enormous wickedness! — an enormous wickedness — they kick against God's command and wish to be preferred to God himself. For the greatest part of the sacrifices was the burning of fat, which the priests were commanded to remove from the slain animals and burn to the Lord upon the altar as an incense pleasing and sweet to him. But we must by no means think that the fat was in itself of such great value before God — especially since burned fat gives off an unpleasant smell to humans — but rather we must look to the end for which God commanded the fat to be burned to him. For it was an incense of a pleasing odor before God, and for this reason it is also called a sacrifice of sweet odor: because God did not look at external things visible to human eyes in order to receive sinners back into grace, but at the inward disposition and confession of those who, confessing their sins to God, implored the remission of sins. Therefore this incense had to be offered to God as a thing of greatest value, for obtaining the remission of sins, and through the way and efficacy of the external signs to approach God through our Lord Jesus Christ, whom those signs represented. But the priests counted these things as nothing, provided the pot was boiling and they obtained an abundance of roasted and boiled meat. From this it is evident that they had brazened their faces against the Lord, and were most defiant, and had been handed over by the Lord to Satan, as we shall hear further hereafter.

Finally, the gravity of the sins committed by them is noted in these words: that the sacrifices of the Lord had become cheap and were held in little esteem. The sin was grave in itself, as we have said, but it is made graver by the Holy Spirit, since the people are said on that account to have become disgusted with the sacrifices, to have despised the sanctuary, and to have become more remiss in God's worship. But we said above that this people ought to have been confirmed in God's worship by his grace and favor, because although many stumbling blocks daily presented themselves in the sanctuary itself that might deter them from their holy purpose, they nevertheless had continued in their duty. But now we hear that weariness finally seized them. This must be carefully observed by us, for we are taught by this example that even if we have overcome one or another temptation, yet unless we are sustained by God's own hand, we will eventually waver, and indeed fall away altogether from our duty. Therefore let us know that perseverance and constancy are of such a nature that they must be sought from the Lord in prayer, so that he may perfect the work begun in us and lead us steadfastly to the end — not for a day or for one or two years, but for our whole life, that we may happily continue in the course begun. Otherwise we shall be like those who, though ready to yield their rights and patiently endure any injuries for the sake of God's worship, yet when they see no end to these evils, lose heart and not only become more remiss in doing their duty but fall into contempt of the sacrifices and the sanctuary. And yet they are not for that reason excusable before God, for nothing must be taken from God even when men rage. But the weakness of all people in all ages is very great, and therefore we are commanded to implore God's grace when scandals and stumbling blocks arise, lest we ever stray from the right way and cast away religion.

Furthermore, that this is called a great sin before the Lord warns those through whom scandals come that they will one day render account to God for their deeds, and that a dreadful vengeance awaits them, at the slightest thought of which they must shudder completely, unless they are utterly devoid of feeling. For that most certain sentence of the Lord himself stands: 'Woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes; it would be better for him that a millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.' Who would not shudder entirely at this sentence of the future judge? But if those who ought to have preceded others in holiness of life are instead examples of wickedness and all impiety, so as to lead others from the right way and remove all fear of God, you would rightly call such men flagitious and incorrigible, and guilty of an inexpiable crime. And these wickednesses which are narrated here about those priests, alas, may be seen renewed in our own times. For although you may see many unbelievers everywhere who have no care for the gospel, yet there are many people of both the lowest and highest rank, otherwise devoted to divine worship, who, beholding the criminal and disgraceful life of the Roman clergy, abstain from their assemblies and divine services. For when they see that the archbishops, bishops, abbots — the greatest ornaments of the church, as they call them — and the rest of the horde of priests and monks have cast away all fear of God, are full of greed and plunder, and finally simulate the Curii while living in Bacchanalian fashion, with what disposition do you think they can be affected toward that simulated worship? And indeed I confess that their churches everywhere resound with frequent little songs they call Hallelujah, and reverberate with the frequent murmuring of masses and prayers for the dead; finally there is no end of ceremonies and rites. But although the wretched populace frequents such 'missifications' and seems to retain some formula of faith, they consider these things mere play and are disgusted by them, and therefore cast away all care for God's worship. But it behooves us to render due honor to God with all the greater zeal, the greater is the wickedness of men in profaning the things sanctified by God — and not to lose heart or give up, but to venerate the sacred majesty of God more and more, and to keep his religious worship safe and sound. But it behooves especially teachers and pastors, to whom the care of instructing others is committed, to meditate on this doctrine, and to take care that the chair of truth should not through any fault of theirs come into the contempt of men, nor that God's worship should be neglected, nor that the sacraments should become cheap through their misdeeds and wicked life, or not be administered faithfully enough. For it cannot be that the wretched common people, however rude and ignorant, beholding the disgraceful life of these men and receiving the sacraments administered by the same, should not gradually come to despise them, or at least not honor them with due reverence. Therefore those whom God has honored by making them stewards of his word must carefully take care that through their fault God's word and the Christian religion should not come into contempt, for they will one day render account to God of their administration. Although these things properly belong to those to whom the administration of the divine word has been committed, they pertain also to each individual, even the least, to whom God has revealed his word. For we must live holy and religious lives, so that though we are enticed by the wicked morals of wicked and flagitious men, we may never be moved from the right, never from our duty. For God honors us with the greatest honor when, living holy lives, we adorn the doctrine of God our Savior, as the apostle himself teaches. On the other hand, it is most certain that those who profess Christianity and glory in the name of God's children, while living disgracefully, cause the doctrine of salvation to be defamed, and stained and profaned with a certain mark of infamy. And the Holy Spirit testifies that this happens through the vice of men — but who would bear with equanimity that God's majesty should be obscured, or even injured, by the malice and sins of men? Nor is it right that because men are inclined to vice, the doctrine which is the rule of what is right and honorable should get a bad name. And yet we see this happening through the malice of men, and we experience, alas, all too much, that on account of the wickedness of certain people, sound doctrine is held of little or no account. But with all the greater care and zeal must we apply ourselves to this: that we walk before men in such a way as to give no one any occasion to make light of divine things — whether the divine word or the most sacred sacraments. And indeed I confess that the rites and ceremonies of our sacraments are not the same as those of the legal sacraments; nevertheless, it is certain that through them God reveals himself and his will to us, as far as is expedient and useful for us. And therefore we must apply ourselves with greater zeal to this care, that while living among unbelievers we place no stumbling block before them. But why does Paul command us to conduct ourselves with all men so that God may be glorified? Because wicked and flagitious men try by every means to drag us into error, so that God may not be glorified. That is why they scrutinize each of our deeds and words, to catch us off guard and, as if having won a victory over us, to triumph, mocking God and his word. And all these things happen daily and fall before our eyes, with wicked and flagitious men surrounding us on every side, and seeking in us an occasion for blaspheming God, so that they may mock God and his word more and more. Therefore we must take great care not to be blind to wicked men who profane the truth of God with blasphemies and pollute whatever pertains to his worship — but let us seek whatever will serve for edification, and let us flee whatever would cause stumbling. Let us also be cautious how useful this doctrine is that is set before us, and how seriously it must be weighed, lest we provoke and draw upon ourselves divine vengeance for all eternity, if we have given cause for profaning and despising that worship and honor which God by his right demands as due to him, that he may be glorified and blessed forever.

Finally, when we see the sons of Eli condemned here by the judgment of the Holy Spirit, let us learn how highly God esteems the holy offerings, and let us therefore be more and more stirred to fulfill the duties of our calling and office. For it must be known that the preaching of the gospel is like a sacrifice before God. And so Paul shows himself a priest in Romans 15, through the preaching of the gospel, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be pleasing to God. Let us therefore willingly offer such sacrifices to God, who has dedicated us to himself by his word, and let us know that whatever we perform as our duty is a sacrifice of sweet odor to him. And though these things be small and slight, and of almost no moment, he still deigns to honor them with the name of sacred sacrifices. With what zeal, then, with what devotion ought we to be moved and impelled to consecrate and offer ourselves to God, and to pray to him that he would govern our will and understanding, and incline us to do the things he has established for the salvation of his church? Therefore come, brethren, let us all with one accord apply ourselves to this care; and since God accepts and values such offerings, let us zealously flee whatever would cast any obstacle in our way, and fulfill what he has established for his worship. But here in turn we must take the greatest care that we neither take anything away from his word nor add anything to it; but that we reject all human inventions, and know that the aim of hearing the divine word, of public prayers, and of the administration of the sacraments is God's honor and glory — and so that we may not turn aside even the slightest from his worship, and not be turned away from him, whatever misfortunes may befall, nor be affected by any weariness. But it is time, etc.

[Footnote: The little prayers appended to each homily in the manuscript, which are themselves not everywhere complete, we shall henceforth omit.]

11. Elkanah went to Ramah, to his house; and the boy ministered before the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest. 12. Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they did not know the Lord. 13. The custom of the priests with the people was this: whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come while the meat was being cooked, with a three-pronged fork in his hand. 14. And he would thrust it into the basin, kettle, cauldron, or pot, and whatever the fork brought up, the priest would take for himself. Thus they did to all Israel who came to Shiloh. 15. Even before they burned the fat, the priest's servant would come and say to the one sacrificing: 'Give me meat to roast for the priest, for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.' 16. And the one sacrificing would say to him: 'Let the fat be burned first according to the custom today, and then take as much as you wish.' But he would answer: 'No, you will give it now, or I will take it by force.' 17. Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, because the men treated the Lord's offering with contempt.

First, we must observe here the obedience of Elkanah, who brought his son and entrusted him to the care of the high priest, in a sense relinquishing his parental rights. For we know how tender is the affection of parents toward their children — especially toward infants with whom they play — and they would not so easily hand them over to just anyone, especially a stranger, so as to be deprived of their presence. Nevertheless, Elkanah fulfilled the approved vow of his wife and gave and dedicated his son entirely to the worship of God.

But behold, a stumbling block of no small size: the sons of Eli the priest, with whom the boy was to serve in the priesthood, were wicked and depraved. We may imagine what distress seized Elkanah when he noticed that his son was not far from the path of ruin — living among the most corrupt men, as if among the most certain sources of infection. But Hannah had dedicated the child to God with a far different intention, and with a far different spirit had Elkanah fulfilled the vow and dedicated him to God — namely, that raised in purity he might serve God throughout the whole course of his life.

Eli's house was indeed a most dangerous place, from which Elkanah might have seemed to have every excuse — and a very plausible one — to revoke his vow. One might rightly wonder why Elkanah, having obtained the boy as a gift from God, would leave him in the hands of corrupt men. But Elkanah overcame even this temptation and honored his vow, even though he saw the priest's household to be utterly disordered and depraved. Yet God showed Himself good and merciful toward him in this: He did not allow Samuel — plunged as he was into the mire of those corruptions — to be infected by them; He governed and protected him no differently than if he had been placed with upright and godly teachers — which was a far greater blessing than if it had happened otherwise.

For suppose we imagine that Eli's sons had been like angels, a model of holiness, restraint, and purity — certainly no one would deny that Samuel's upbringing would then have been holier and better. But all the credit would have gone to human effort and training, and just as much would have been taken away from the grace of God. On the contrary, when, though raised in the company of corrupt, depraved, God-despising, gluttonous, and immoral men inclined to every crime, he is nevertheless kept pure by God — is not that testimony of grace far more excellent and praiseworthy than if he had received a better education? From this let us learn that those of us who desire to serve God will have many things set before our eyes by the devil to turn us from our purpose — unless we firmly hold to our holy resolve. For it is certain that we can never undertake or begin anything for God's glory without experiencing the devil resisting us and raising various obstacles. Therefore let us learn not to be turned from our purpose by any discouragement; and imitating Elkanah's example, let us overcome whatever setbacks come; and if it happens that we fall among corrupt and wicked people, let us commit ourselves to God, so that just as He protected Samuel, He may also protect us by the grace and power of His Spirit, lest we ever be dragged to ruin by evil examples — and may He teach us more and more of our own weakness, so that with all the greater earnestness and care we may flee to Him.

But far be it from us to think that this provides an excuse to go about freely and keep company with whoever may entice us to vice; rather, let us be warned that if we happen unwarily to fall among corrupt people instead of among godly and upright ones, we should flee to God and hope in His grace and kindness toward us — firmly persuaded that He will never allow us to be infected by wicked company and dragged to final ruin.

Moreover, when the sons of Eli are here called sons of Belial — that is, worthless and corrupt — let us not suppose their vice was some minor fault, as though no one lives without some failing, because we never attain the perfection that is required. Rather, let us understand that a remarkable and particular wickedness and contempt of God is being pointed out here. For the word 'Belial' designates the depraved and incorrigible — those moved by no shame, restrained by no fear of God, who having cast off all shame and reverence, despise both God and people. Therefore we should understand that Eli's sons were not merely wicked and morally loose, as you may see many people inclined to various vices, but that they were hardened in their wickedness, had steeled themselves for every kind of crime, cast off all shame, and showed no sign of repentance.

How great, I ask, was the stumbling block for the whole people — that the priests, who drew nearest to God, who interceded for the people, and who were indeed types of our Lord Jesus Christ — were nonetheless accomplices in every crime, wickedness, perversity, and disorder? Therefore we must take the utmost care that we are never turned from the right path by the authority of human beings, when those who should have been guides on the way invite us by their example to every kind of sin. For if our faith depended on mortals, on how weak a foundation, I ask, would it rest? Therefore, even if pastors and teachers — indeed the very pillars of the church — live disorderly and unrepentant lives and drag us by their example into corruption, we must not think that we should depart from God's Word; rather, all the more should we examine our lives by its rule, applying to ourselves the teaching of our Lord who commands His people to observe what the scribes and Pharisees seated in the chair of Moses teach, while condemning those who follow their wicked behavior. For it is wrong that their example should detract even slightly from the authority of God's Word. Therefore we must take care not to look at people's deeds except insofar as they are good and just, so that we may pattern our morals and doctrine after them. But if their conduct does not match or correspond to their teaching, let us still have it firmly fixed in our minds that God is nonetheless to be sincerely worshipped, and His Word is not to be despised on that account. But we shall say more about these matters shortly.

It follows that the sons of Eli did not know the Lord — by which words their remarkable wickedness is pointed out, because they had reached the height of crime and malice. For as long as some remnants of the fear of God remain in us, like dying embers, we are not yet entirely stripped bare. But if forgetfulness of God has seized us, then we are plainly given over to the devil, tossed about by him as reprobates and carried off at his will. And indeed, even though we may seem distinguished by the greatest virtues, unless the fear of God has come first, they will be nothing but a performance. On the other hand, if the fear of God — which is called true wisdom — has taken root in us, it produces those fruits by which we may rightly recognize that we were created for this end: to subject ourselves with all humility to Him by whom we were formed, and from whom we expect not only wealth and good things in this life, but above all eternal life.

The fear of God, therefore, is the fountain from which wisdom and righteousness flow. Those who have only a vague notion of God, who judge God by their own sense of things, and who are ignorant of who He is, what He is, and what His power is — such people never truly acknowledge or fear God as is fitting. I grant that they are held back by some fear, but I say it is impossible for them to devote themselves to His worship with a sincere heart. Therefore God must first be known before He can be loved and worshipped; and this knowledge must strike deep roots in our minds, where it will bear fruit in due time.

When the reason given for the wickedness of Eli's sons is their ignorance of God, we are taught that they would not have progressed to such a degree of wickedness if they had known Him; and they would instead have come to the conviction that it was right to worship God in all of their lives. See how the knowledge of God is like a soul — it animates and stirs us to the worship of God. For just as the soul gives motion to the body, in the same way the fear of God imparts to us a life by which we are renewed and reformed. For God moves us by the breath of His Holy Spirit, so that we are directed to good works — as Paul testifies, addressing the Galatians in these words: 'If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit' — as if to say: if we have been reborn by God's Spirit, let us demonstrate it in reality through outward works; for if this has not happened, the fear of God is absent — a fear that must be visible throughout the whole course of human life through clear signs, namely good works. This is why the apostle says elsewhere that hypocrites profess to know God but deny Him by their deeds. I grant that many seem to glory in their knowledge of God — indeed more than they ought — because they do so to their own condemnation. But such knowledge is confused and empty. For God must be known through the reading and hearing of His Word in such a way that we are first brought low before His majesty — and then may so taste His goodness toward us that we are swept into love for Him. And since He has bestowed upon us this priceless benefit of receiving us into the number of His children, let us in turn acknowledge Him as Father. And these are the fruits that flow from this knowledge — enduring throughout all of life — by which it may be seen that we have made progress in the Lord's school.

In this sense the prophet, denouncing the idolatry of his time, adds that there was no knowledge of God in the land of Israel — as if indicating that the people could no longer be restrained from reaching the height of wickedness, since the fear of God had departed; and this happened because God was not known in Israel.

How great a stumbling block it was — how disgraceful and intolerable — that the priests, who should have been teachers of the law and from whose lips people should have sought wisdom, did not themselves know God. The faithful of that time had to pass over these things as if with eyes closed, because otherwise their zeal for worshipping God would have been completely destroyed. Today, when we see those who should have been pillars of the church given over to every kind of crime, we must not use that as an excuse to loosen the reins for ourselves. Such an excuse would be worthless, as Christ Himself makes clear when He says that if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit. This means that no excuse remains today for those who, when called back to the pure fountains of evangelical doctrine, simply point to their bishops, archbishops, and the rest of that rabble, saying that since these men are held to be pillars of the holy church, they are responsible for their souls. Certainly, an account for souls will one day be required — for the prophet's warning is true: God will demand souls from their hands. But will there be any excuse left for those who willingly choose to perish, who are blind, who fight against the light of salvation, and who delight in wallowing in their own filth? Enough on these matters. But the following must be carefully noted: the priests are said to have had a three-pronged fork, which they thrust into the cauldron and took for themselves whatever it pulled up — a most serious abuse of their office. God's law had established things quite differently, and how far they had departed from its commands is obvious. Their sin was all the more serious because it could not be excused by ignorance — God had assigned the priests their proper portions, and even children knew what those portions were. By God's command, the right shoulder and the breast belonged to them. Had this not been spelled out clearly, they might have had some plausible excuse. But since God Himself had specified exactly what portions were due to them from the sacrifices, anything they pulled out with the fork beyond that was rightfully called theft — taken against God's command. So they thrust their forks into the cauldrons and stole the choicest portions. But even worse than this was their demand that the priest's servants receive a portion of raw meat before the fat was burned on the altar as the law required. Those offering the sacrifices answered that the fat must first be burned before God before anything could go to the priests — and this response showed clearly that everything in the sacrifice was consecrated to God, and the fat above all had to be offered to Him first. Still, the sacrifices did not stop, even though the abuse was great. But how wicked this was! That a mortal man could rise to such a height of pride as to defy his Creator so brazenly — is this not a dreadful thing? And yet this was no longer anything new — it had become customary to seize meat by force from the cauldrons and pots, and to inflict such violence on God's sanctuary, that these priests had clearly abandoned all faithfulness. The fear of God's presence should have restrained them from such wickedness, and so should the memory of their office — that they stood before God as intercessors for the sins of the whole people. But what could you do? They had already turned God's sanctuary into a den of robbers. As a result, many people abandoned offering sacrifices to the Lord altogether. This shows us clearly what kind of total collapse follows when the fear of God is no longer present. These priests should at least have cared about their reputation, to avoid becoming a public mockery. But this did not concern them at all — because they had refused to give God the honor due Him, He had blinded them, and they were now suffering the deserved punishment for their crimes. It was therefore necessary that they — as we shall see later — be seized for death and covered in reproach and disgrace as despisers of God, since blind greed had driven them to the point where they had no regard left for God, for their office, or for basic decency, and they gave themselves over to plunder and every kind of violence. What happened meanwhile to the ordinary people, who still came to God's sanctuary and faithfully observed the sacrifices? They patiently endured the injury and the robbery, out of reverence for God. Was this not an invasion of God's temple — driving God Himself from His own place? Corrupt men raised to some position of dignity often parade God's name publicly, while secretly holding it in mockery. This is most visible in the papist system, where everything appears to shine with sacred majesty — all holy, all religious — so that simple and naive people are swept away in admiration. But if you looked closely at the lives and morals of those men, you would rightly say they have renounced all true religion and wish to see it utterly extinguished. As for us, the greater their fury and madness in despising and trampling God's gifts, the more diligently we must ensure that we are not moved even slightly from the faith. These are examples not of one age alone but of every age. The devil has never stopped hunting prey among people, and these are his most common tactics for deceiving, attacking, and destroying us. We must resist firmly, and take every care that the wickedness of others does not turn us away from the study of God's Word, and that we never grow weary of it — for it must remain sacred and inviolable among us. We must also note this greatest and most intolerable contempt of divine majesty: that the priests are said to have seized raw meat by force, unless the worshippers voluntarily gave it to them when asked. Is there room then for violence in the temple itself, as though it were a cave of thieves? Notice how the worshippers responded: they did not complain that the priests were taking more than the law permitted — they simply endured the injury patiently, saying, 'When the fat has been burned, take as much as you wish.' See how patiently they bore the wrong done to them. They clearly saw that the priests were seizing sacred things by force, yet they were not moved at all from their devotion and zeal for honoring God. The piety of these ordinary worshippers stands all the more remarkable against the backdrop of the priests' impiety and their profane violation of every divine and human law. The people patiently bore the injury; the priests, adding to their wickedness, arrived at outright contempt of God's worship. Had God not assigned a proper portion to the priests by His own command? He had — and for this purpose: so they would honor God in the sanctuary with fitting worship. But in these men all fear of God had collapsed, and they — mortal men, or rather worms — in enormous wickedness, kicked against God's command and wanted to be placed above God Himself. The greatest part of the sacrifices was the burning of the fat, which the priests were commanded to remove from the slain animals and burn to the Lord on the altar as a pleasing and sweet offering to Him. We must not think the fat was of great value in itself before God — burned fat gives off an unpleasant smell to humans — but rather we must consider the purpose for which God commanded it to be burned. It was a pleasing aroma before God, and for this reason it is called a sweet-smelling offering: because God did not look at the outward things visible to human eyes in order to receive sinners back into grace, but at the inward disposition and confession of those who, confessing their sins to God, sought the forgiveness of sins. This offering therefore had to be presented to God as something of the highest value, as the means for obtaining forgiveness of sins — and through the power of these external signs, to approach God through our Lord Jesus Christ, whom those signs represented. But the priests cared nothing for any of this, as long as the pot was boiling and they got their fill of roasted and boiled meat. From this it is clear that they had hardened their faces against the Lord, were utterly defiant, and had been handed over by the Lord to Satan — as we shall hear more about later.

Finally, the gravity of these sins is made plain by these words: that the sacrifices of the Lord had become cheap and were held in contempt. The sin was serious in itself, as we have said, but the Holy Spirit makes it even more serious by noting that the people had become disgusted with the sacrifices, had begun to despise the sanctuary, and had grown increasingly lax in their worship of God. We noted above that this people should have been strengthened in their worship of God by His grace, because even though many stumbling blocks arose daily in the sanctuary itself that might have turned them away from their holy purpose, they had continued in their duty nonetheless. But now we hear that weariness finally overtook them. This is an important lesson for us, because this example teaches us that even if we have overcome one temptation after another, unless God's own hand holds us up, we will eventually waver and fall away from our duty altogether. We must therefore understand that perseverance and steadfastness are gifts that must be sought from God in prayer — that He would complete the work He has begun in us and lead us faithfully to the end, not just for a day or a year or two, but for the whole course of our lives, so that we may finish well the race we have begun. Otherwise we will be like those who, though ready to give up their rights and patiently endure any injury for the sake of worshipping God, eventually lose heart when they see no end to these evils — and not only grow slack in their duty but fall into contempt of the sacrifices and the sanctuary. Even so, this does not excuse them before God, for nothing must be taken away from God simply because people rage against His worship. But human weakness in every age is very great, and therefore we are commanded to ask God for His grace when stumbling blocks and scandals arise, so that we never stray from the right path or cast away true religion.

Beyond this, the fact that this is called a great sin before the Lord is a warning to those through whom stumbling blocks come: they will one day answer to God for their deeds, and a dreadful punishment awaits them — one that should make them tremble at the mere thought of it, unless they are completely without feeling. For the Lord's own certain word stands: 'Woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes; it would be better for him that a millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.' Who would not shudder at this verdict from the coming Judge? And if those who should have led others in holiness of life instead become examples of wickedness and impiety — leading others away from the right path and stripping away all fear of God — you would rightly call such people corrupt and incorrigible, guilty of a crime that cannot be paid for. Sadly, these same wickednesses narrated here about those priests may be seen repeated in our own time. You may see many unbelievers everywhere who have no interest in the gospel — but there are also many people of every rank, otherwise devoted to worship, who observe the criminal and shameful lives of the Roman clergy and withdraw from their assemblies and services entirely. When they see that archbishops, bishops, abbots — the supposed great ornaments of the church — and all the rest of the mob of priests and monks have cast away all fear of God, are full of greed and plunder, and live like men given over to drunken excess while pretending to be models of virtue, how do you think they can be anything but repelled by that false worship? I grant that their churches everywhere ring with the little songs they call Hallelujah, and echo with the constant murmuring of masses and prayers for the dead — and there seems to be no end to their ceremonies and rites. But although the common people fill these so-called worship services and seem to maintain some form of faith, they privately regard all of it as a game, are disgusted by it, and therefore abandon any real care for God's worship. It is therefore our duty to honor God with all the greater zeal, precisely because people's wickedness in profaning God's sacred things is so great — we must not lose heart or give up, but instead reverence God's holy majesty more and more, and keep His worship safe and sound. This duty falls especially on teachers and pastors, who are entrusted with instructing others — they must be careful that through any fault of theirs the seat of truth does not fall into contempt, that God's worship is not neglected, and that the sacraments are not cheapened by their misconduct and wicked lives, or administered unfaithfully. It is simply unavoidable: when ordinary people — however simple or uneducated — observe the disgraceful lives of these ministers and receive sacraments from their hands, they will gradually either despise those sacraments or fail to honor them with proper reverence. Therefore those whom God has honored by making them stewards of His Word must take careful account that through their fault God's Word and the Christian faith do not come into contempt, for they will one day answer to God for how they managed what was entrusted to them. Although this responsibility belongs especially to those charged with administering God's Word, it also applies to every individual — even the least — to whom God has revealed His Word. We must all live holy and godly lives, so that even when wicked and corrupt people try to lure us away, we are never moved from what is right or from our duty. God gives us the highest honor when we live holy lives that adorn the doctrine of God our Savior, as the apostle himself teaches. On the other hand, it is absolutely certain that those who claim to be Christians and glory in the name of God's children while living shamefully cause the doctrine of salvation to be defamed and stained with the mark of disgrace. The Holy Spirit testifies that this happens through human sin — but who can bear calmly the thought that God's majesty is obscured or even damaged by the malice and sins of people? Nor is it right that because people are inclined to vice, the doctrine that is the rule of all that is right and honorable should get a bad name. And yet we see this happening through human malice, and we experience all too painfully that on account of the wickedness of certain people, sound doctrine is held in little or no account. We must therefore apply ourselves with all the greater care and zeal to walking before others in such a way that we give no one any occasion to make light of divine things — whether God's Word or the most sacred sacraments. I grant that the rites and forms of our sacraments are not the same as those of the Old Testament sacraments; nevertheless, it is certain that through them God reveals Himself and His will to us, as far as is useful and beneficial for us. We must therefore apply ourselves with greater zeal to this: that while living among unbelievers we place no stumbling block before them. Why does Paul command us to conduct ourselves among all people in such a way that God may be glorified? Because wicked and corrupt people try by every means to drag us into error, so that God may not receive glory. That is why they scrutinize every one of our actions and words — looking for a chance to catch us off guard, and, as though having won a victory over us, to mock God and His Word in triumph. All of this happens daily and falls before our eyes, with wicked people surrounding us on every side and looking for any occasion to blaspheme God, so that they may mock Him and His Word all the more. We must therefore take great care not to close our eyes to those who profane God's truth with blasphemies and pollute whatever belongs to His worship — instead, let us seek what builds up, and flee whatever causes stumbling. Let us also weigh carefully how important this teaching is and how seriously it must be taken, lest we provoke God's eternal vengeance upon ourselves by giving cause for the profaning and despising of that worship and honor which God rightly demands as His due — He who is to be glorified and blessed forever.

Finally, when we see Eli's sons condemned here by the judgment of the Holy Spirit, let us learn how highly God values the holy offerings — and let us be stirred all the more to fulfill the duties of our calling and office. We must know that the preaching of the gospel is itself like a sacrifice before God. So Paul describes himself as a priest in Romans 15:16, through the preaching of the gospel, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be pleasing to God. Let us therefore willingly offer such sacrifices to God, who has dedicated us to Himself through His Word — and let us know that whatever we perform as our duty is a sweet-smelling offering to Him. Even though these things may seem small and insignificant, He still deigns to honor them with the name of sacred sacrifices. With what zeal then, with what devotion, should we be moved to consecrate and offer ourselves to God — praying that He would govern our will and understanding and incline us to do what He has established for the salvation of His church? Come then, brothers and sisters — let us all together apply ourselves to this with one purpose; and since God accepts and values such offerings, let us eagerly flee whatever would cast an obstacle in our way, and fulfill what He has established for His worship. But we must also take the greatest care neither to take anything away from His Word nor to add anything to it — rejecting all human inventions, and understanding that the purpose of hearing God's Word, of public prayer, and of the administration of the sacraments is God's honor and glory — so that we may not turn aside from His worship even slightly, and may not be turned away from Him by any misfortune, nor overcome by any weariness. But it is time to close.

The brief prayers appended to each sermon in the manuscript — which are themselves not complete in every case — will be omitted from this point forward.