ELl's SUBMISSION TO THE DIVINE REBUKES,
1 Sam. iii. 18. And Samuel told him every wliif, and hid nothing from, him. And he said, It is the Lord: let him do 2vhat seemeth him good.
IT is of the nature of sin to harden the heart, and to prevent the declarations of God from having their due influence on the mind^. It operates in this manner, wherever it is found : the righteous, no less than the wicked, experience the same effects, in proportion as it gains an ascendant over them. Eli had neglected to exert that authority, which, as God's high-priest, and as a parent, he ought to have exercised over his abandoned sons : and God sent a prophet to him, " a man of God," to reprove him, and
a Heb. iii. 13.
285.1 ELl's SUBMISSION TO THE DIVINE REBUKES. 131
to warn him of the judgments which his sin would bring both on himself and his posterity''. But this message seems to have produced no good effect. God therefore used another method of awakening his conscience : he revealed himself to Samuel by an audible voice, and renewed to him the declarations, that had been before made in vain. The voice was new to Samuel; and, taking it for Eli's voice, he repeatedly attended on the aged priest : but when, according to the direction of Eli, he had requested the further manifestation of God's will, he received from God the communication he desired. It does not appear that he would of himself have imparted to Eli the information he had received : but when adjured to it by Eli himself, he could not refrain. The points for our present consideration are,
I. The fidelity of Samuel —
[The tidings were of a most dreadful nature : and to de- liver them must have been a distressing office to Samuel. But Samuel was not elated by the revelation that had been made to him ; nor was he hasty to denounce the judgments wliicli he was commissioned to declare*'; yet on the other hand, when fee was solemnly called upon to disclose the whole, he would not dissemble, nor conceal any thing ; but related to Eli eveiy minute particular.
In this we have an excellent model for God's servants in every age. They should deliver only what they themselves have received from God: nor, in delivering that, should they delight to denomice the judgments of God, or exult over those whom they are constrained to condemn : yet they should, with becoming fidelity, " declare the whole counsel of God : " they should " keep back nothing that can be profitable " to those to whom they are sent; but should "commend themselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God."
The consciousness of their own youth or weakness should not keep them from discharging their duty aright : they should declare the whole truth to all, whether old or young, professors or profane: " Havmg received God's word, they must speak his wordfaithfuUyd."]
Whilst we approve of the fidelity of Samuel, we must also of necessity admire,
" 1 Sam. ii. 27—35. <= Jer. xvii. 16. ^ Jer. xxiii. 28.