1 Samuel 2

Thirdly, God has mercies for all sorts. Mercies for the poor (1 Samuel 2:8): He raises the poor out of the dust. Mercies for the prisoner (Psalm 69:33): He despises not his prisoners.

His spring feeds all our cisterns; he drops his holy oil of grace upon us. Fourthly, God is holy transcendently (1 Samuel 2:2): "There is none holy as the Lord." No angel in heaven can take the just dimensions of God's holiness.

For the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed (1 Samuel 2:3). Glorious things are spoken of God; he transcends our thoughts and the angels' praises.

His kingdom rules over all; that is, the kingdom of his providence: This kingdom we do not pray for, when we say Your Kingdom come; for this kingdom is already come: God exercises the kingdom of his providence in the world (Psalm 75:7). He puts down one, and sets up another: Not…

Parents are as it were in the room of God; if they would teach you the fear of the Lord, you must listen to their words as oracles, and not be as the deaf adder to stop your ears. Eli's sons hearkened not to the voice of their father (1 Samuel 2:25), but they were called sons of…

His high birth, his learning, his legal righteousness, but he disclaims all in point of justification, and lays them under Christ's feet to tread upon. No angel could with all his holiness lay down a price for the pardon of one sin (1 Samuel 2:25). If a man sin against the Lord,…

(5) Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 4:23, 24; Joshua 24:19; Ezekiel 16. (6) Leviticus 10:1, 2; Numbers 16:3, 8, 9, 32, 35; 1 Samuel 2:28, 29; 2 Samuel 6:6, 7; 2 Chronicles 26:16, 19; 1 Corinthians 11:30. Explication.

Now, the Lord God approving of him, he has the hearts of all men in his hands, inclining them where he wills: and if it does stand with his glory, he will cause them to like, and to speak well of him, that does believe. Many, indeed, get great applause in the world, which little…

And this answer seems the better, because we may have some reason to think that God will save of every nation some, but no ground to imagine he will save all of any nation: much less all of every nation. 2. Here we may see, that God honoreth those his servants that honor him, as…

It is a rehearsal of those special mercies and particular experiences that the Lord has done for a believer, when his soul was brought into great adversity; and when the Lord delivered him, the Spirit of God in the days of his mirth brings into his mind, and causes him with hear…

For it might be said that although another Priest was fore-told to arise, yet this might respect only an extraordinary call to the same office, and not a call to an office of another kind or order. Aaron was called by God immediately and in an extraordinary manner; and all his p…

Now this were unrighteous in God, who sees and knows the heart, and knows that actions have their good and evil, if not solely yet principally from their respect thereunto. The Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed, said Hannah, when Eli judged her drunk, but…

Hence among the Jews [illegible] He is a Name of God, expressing his immutable self-subsistence. But it will be said that there are in the Scriptures many declarations of God's altering his purpose and counsels, and repenting him of what he had before determined, being grieved a…

He makes men great or small, high or low, eminent or obscure, as it seems good to him. He raises up the poor from the dust, and lifts up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory, for the pillars of the earth are the Lo…

Thirdly, others there be which expound it thus: He descended into hell, that is, Christ Jesus, when he was dying upon the cross, felt and suffered the pangs of hell and the full wrath of God seizing upon his soul. This exposition has its warrant in God's word, where hell often s…

God is first transcendently holy. There is none holy as the Lord (1 Samuel 2:2). The blessed seraphims cover their faces, and cry holy, holy, but what angels can take the just dimensions of his sanctity? they are too low of stature to measure these pyramids.

Once more, God's permission of error conduces to the just ruin of his enemies: Offences must be, but woe be to that man by whom they come (Matthew 18:6, 7). So (1 Samuel 2:25), Eli's Sons would not hearken to the voice of their Father, because the Lord had a mind to slay them. B…

(3) The mercies of God have been melting mercies to others, melting their souls in love to the God of their mercies. So Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1): when she received the mercy of a son, 'My soul,' said she, 'rejoices in the Lord' — not in the mercy, but in the God of the mercy. And s…

5. Mortify therefore your members, that are on earth, fornication, uncleanness, etc. Beza, Piscator, and others think it probable that Christ uttered this prayer to his Father, in the Syriac tongue, because the Evangelist uses the word [illegible], to be lifted up from the earth…

Therefore after their inward confusion, there followed also an outward confusion and shame among men, according to that saying: The Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain (Exodus 20:7). And again: They which despise me, shall be despised (1 Samuel 2:30). Co…

It is written (says he) that the mother of many children, and she which has a husband must be sick and die and contrariwise, that the barren and she which has no children, must have abundance of children. After the same manner Hannah sings in her song, out of which Isaiah the Pr…

Lastly, fearful judgments of God belong to ministers of wicked lives. Destruction befalls the sons of Eli and their families, because they by lewd example made the people of God to sin (1 Samuel 2:24). The like befell the sons of Aaron for their presumption.

And the precept of Saint Paul, commanding Timothy, that he should so reprove, as that he convict the conscience of the sin, when he says, Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and DOCTRINE (2 Timothy 4:2): now this is done by showing the true meaning of the law and the…

Light is sown for the Righteous, and Gladness for the Upright in Heart. Rejoice in the Lord ye Righteous, and give Thanks at the Remembrance of his HOLINESS. 1 Samuel 2. 2. There is none HOLY as the Lord; for there is none beside thee; neither is there any Rock like our God.

Section 10. The first considerable thing in God's command to this purpose is the authority with which it is accompanied — it is indispensably necessary that we should be holy on account of the authority of God's command; God himself uses this argument (Malachi 1:6), and there ar…

Who is like you glorious in holiness! There is none holy as the Lord; for there is none besides you, neither is there any rock like our God! (1 Samuel 2:2) And this is recommended and enjoined to his holy ones as the special matter of their joy and praise: Rejoice in the Lord yo…

Almighty God having made you the instrument, of that deliverance and peace, which in the County of Essex, we do enjoy, next to his own goodness, the remembrance thereof is due to your name. Those who honor him, he will honor, and those who despise him shall be lightly esteemed (…

They are the Lord's Bishops. 2 Corinthians 5:20. Stewards (1 Corinthians 4:1; Titus 1:7), men of God (1 Samuel 2:27; 1 Timothy 6:11), rulers (Hebrews 13:7, 17), lights (Matthew 5:14), salt (Matthew 5:13), fathers (1 Corinthians 4:15), and by many more such like terms are they de…

"[⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], fire from Heaven, the fifth thing. But as this argument is ridiculous, both in general in wire-drawing conclusions from letters deficient or redundant in writing, and in particular in reference to this word, which in other places is written as in th…

The Prophet promised who. 1 Samuel 2:10. Hanna's Prophecy of Christ.

Thus she thought, now shall I have the honor of raising Abraham's family; now I am at least as good a woman as my mistress — thus she despised Sarah. Again, 1 Samuel 2:30, where the Lord says concerning Eli's sons, Them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me, shall…

And in Psalm 33 says David also: The rich shall want and suffer hunger: but they which seek the LORD, shall want no manner of thing that is good. Likewise also said Anna the mother of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 2): They that were filled before, are sold for bread: and they tha…

May not an Intercessor be obtained to plead in the behalf of the guilty soul? Eli determines this matter, 1 Samuel 2:25. If one man sinagainst another, the judge shall judge him; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him?

The law of God's presence in respect of providential dispensations, and all special privileges attending it, is quite of another importance: it is purely conditional, as you may see in my text. The tenor of it is expressed to the height (1 Samuel 2:30): I said indeed that your h…

But nothing will move a sinner; the rocks will sooner rend than his heart. If all that I have said will not prevail, it is a sign ruin is toward (1 Samuel 2:25). They hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

Such a one we read of, Judges 6:8: "The Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them," etc. Such a one it seems to have been that we read of, 1 Samuel 2:27: "and there came a man of God to Eli," etc. But there was no such order of men upheld in Israel fo…

I cause to die, and I cause to live. Hannah so sings (1 Samuel 2:6): Jehovah causeth to die, and causeth to live; he causeth to go down to the grave, and to come up again; the Lord maketh poor, and he maketh rich; he maketh low, and he maketh high; so the passive verb is used. W…

In which dispensation, 1. Such as are more proud with plenty of means and plague themselves with abundance, occasion the truth of this; that Christ sends the rich empty away, and throws the mighty down from their seats, and their golden and silken chairs (Luke 1:52–53). And the…

And as for creatures, there was none in heaven or earth that was meet to undertake this office. For if one man sin against another, the judge shall judge herein; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him? (1 Samuel 2:25). There is not any days-man between us t…

And your gravity and awful composedness therein will contribute very much to the preserving of your authority, and will command respect abundantly more than your noise and chiding. Masters of families (and masters of schools too) have need, in this matter, to behave themselves w…

In this sense is it used in that frequent expression, if I have found grace in your sight: that is, if I be freely and favorably accepted before you. So he gives grace, (that is, favor) to the humble (James 4:6; Genesis 39:21; chapter 41:37; Acts 7:10; 1 Samuel 2:26; 2 Kings 25:…

2. That he will sorely revenge the rebellion of evil wives: for again he has said, they that despise me, shall be despised. We know that fellows in office are ready to stand for the credit of one another's place, and to maintain the honor thereof: and that not without good reaso…

Upon these grounds holy men have not spared to rebuke their children as there was occasion (Genesis 9:25; Genesis 34:30; Genesis 49:4). Though Eli did somewhat in this duty, yet because he was not more severe therein, he brought destruction both upon himself and his children (1…

It is notable, that Pharaoh in his distress sent for Moses and Aaron, and not for the magicians. The consciences of wicked men are open at such a time, and they know God's children have special favor, and great audience with him; and he having the hearts of all men in his hands,…

2. We pray for strength to withstand his darts, that we may take the armor of God, and withstand the evil one (Ephesians 6:13). Alas! of ourselves, we cannot deliver ourselves from the least evil, or stand out against the least assault; therefore it is God alone that must keep t…

Does God take care of oxen? He deals bountifully with his enemies, but much more does he preserve the feet of his saints (1 Samuel 2:9). The care of his providence has its degrees; it is more intensively exercised about things of worth and value, and most of all about the life o…

God gives men over that trust in themselves. For the Lord takes it to be his honor to be the saints' guardian, to keep the feet of his saints (1 Samuel 2:9). He will be owned and depended upon.

5. Self-Confidence: When we think to bear it out with natural courage and resolution, and will be playing about the cockatrice's hole, and dallying with temptation: As Peter's confidence, you know how dear it cost him (John 18:16-17). It is God who keeps the feet of his saints,…

In its infancy there may be some relics of fear in a Christian; as (John 19:39), Nicodemus at first came to Jesus by night: but a grown faith counts it no loss of honor, or impeachment of dignity, to become vile for God. 4. The eternal recompense, (1 Samuel 2:30), Those that hon…

1. That natural comforts are the gifts of God (1 Timothy 1:17). He gives us richly all things to enjoy; and sets forth the bounds of our habitation where and how much we shall have; and gives and takes these things at his pleasure; raising up some from the dunghill, pulling down…