1 Samuel 3

1. The preaching of the Word, which is the sounding of God's silver trumpet in men's [reconstructed: ears]; God does not speak by an oracle, he calls by his ministers. Samuel thought it had been only the voice of Eli, that called to him, but it was God's voice (1 Samuel 3:6). So…

How much have we done, to cause God to withdraw his Spirit, and suffer us to fall finally? Yet that he should keep us, let his name be blessed, and his memorials eternized, who keeps the feet of his saints (1 Samuel 3:9). 3. See from where it is that the saints do persevere in h…

2. We become accessory to the sins of others, by not hindering them when it is in our power: Qui non prohibet cum potest, jubet: If a master of a family sees his servant break the Sabbath, or hears him swear, and lets him alone, does not use the power he has to suppress him, he…

They might correct out of a mood, but God does it [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] for our profit (Hebrews 12:10). Therefore say as Eli, it is the Lord, let him do what seems good to him (1 Samuel 3:18). What gets the child by struggling but more blows?

The Thessalonians heard the Word Paul preached, as if God himself had spoken to them (1 Thessalonians 2:13): When you received the Word of God, which you heard of us, you received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the Word of God. When Samuel knew it was the Lor…

Quest. 4. What this patient submission to God's will is? Answ. It is a gracious frame of soul, whereby a Christian is content to be at God's dispose, and does acquiesce in his wisdom (1 Samuel 3:18): It is the Lord, let him do what seems him good (Acts 21:14): The will of the Lo…

If his dominion be absolute, sure his disposal should be acceptable. It was so to good Eli (1 Samuel 3:18), It is the Lord, let him do what seems good to him. And it was so to David (Psalm 39:9), I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because you did it.

Murmuring is a stone in God's way; murmuring is an anti-providence, a little God, setting itself against the true God, that stirs all in wisdom; and the murmurer does what he can to stop up God's way. Old Eli, when he heard sad news, says (1 Samuel 3:18), "It is the Lord, [illeg…

And which is more, as he has respect to all God's commandments, so he has respect to all God's commandments in all his ways, there is a double universality of obedience, and they both hold forth this truth; it brings into subjection every thought and imagination to the will of C…

If God gave them hearts to listen to what he spoke to them in God's name, then God will listen to them. If we speak, and do as Eli taught Samuel to say, Speak, Lord, for your servant hears (1 Samuel 3:10). If we come before God with such a resolution, that whatever God speaks to…

To be short, where the feeling of God's love takes place, so as this principle be once fixed in our hearts, that he is our father, it shall not much dismay nor trouble us to be heaved up, or cast down, according as it pleases him: for faith will teach us that there is nothing mo…

This way of God's speaking the children of Israel were not able to bear, therefore they desired that Moses might speak to them, but that God would not speak to them thus any more, lest they should die (Exodus 20:19). At other times God spoke with a more still and gentle voice, a…

For as a good man once said, mercies are best known by the back, and most prized when most wanted. In those days the word of the Lord was precious, there was no open vision (1 Samuel 3:1). It is with spiritual as with temporal food, slighted when plenteous, but if a famine once…

The word of God is gospel indeed, good tidings to the meek (Isaiah 61:1); they will entertain it and bid it welcome; the poor in spirit are evangelized (Matthew 11:5), and Wisdom's alms are given to those that with meekness wait daily at her gates, and like beggars wait at the p…

3. It frees them from the guilt of their children's sin, so as they are not accessory thereto, as Eli was. For correction is the last remedy that a parent can use: if by that he can do no good, it is presupposed that he has done his utmost endeavor: in which respect, though the…

Usually we are more sensible of the benefit of the word in the want of it, than we are in the enjoyment of it. (1 Samuel 3:1) The word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no open vision. When the public ministry of the prophets was rare and scarce, then it was prec…

He is so able that he can secure us in his work, so good that we should not trouble ourselves about his will, but refer it to him without hesitancy, which if we could bring our hearts to, it would ease us of many burdensome thoughts, and troublesome cares; (1 Peter 4:19) Therefo…

If we look to the ministry only, and not to the authority, we are in danger to slight it; certainly shall not profit by it. Many do so, as Samuel thought Eli called him, when it was the Lord (1 Samuel 3:7-8); but when we consider who is the author of it, then it calls for our re…

But men in love with their lusts, make a woeful use of this consideration, hardening themselves in their conceit, that there shall never be a change, and so sin more securely. See the like in other things: (1 Corinthians 7:29), (1 Corinthians 15:32), (Jude 24), (Romans 6:2), (2…

Many a child and servant that has come to prison and execution, have made this sad complaint, my parents, my master never gave me warning, never showed me the danger of sin, nor instructed me in the way of the Lord, the way of righteousness and holiness! beware of this. And when…

What should the meaning of this be? See (1 Samuel 3:13), and there it is cleared up; for says God, I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not — he did not give them so much as a sour look, o…

Whereas an honest heart that is willing to be convinced, he looks most at that where there is most light, and most strength, and is desirous to attend that which gives in greatest evidence to overcome the heart. So Eli spoke to Samuel (1 Samuel 3:17), hide nothing from me. Job (…

First, submission to God's will; when we carry ourselves calmly without swelling or murmuring under the dispensations of providence. 1 Samuel 3:18: It is the Lord; let him do what seems him good. The meek-spirited Christian says thus: Let God do what he will with me; let him car…

It is like the flower that opens and closes with the sun; so it opens to God and closes to temptation. This is the motto of a new-born saint (1 Samuel 3:9): Speak, Lord, your servant hears. When God bids his children pray in their closets, mortify sin, and suffer for his name, t…

But when our spirits are calmed, and we are wrought to a sweet submission to God's will; we accept of the punishment, Leviticus 26:41, and do in patience possess our souls, Luke 21:19. When we say as Eli, 1 Samuel 3:18. It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.

Eli was a good man, and yet the threatening of God took hold on him, and his house; and David though a godly man, yet the sword never departed from his house; so that the threatenings belong to God's people, and we must so account them; else we shall read the word in vain, when…