piety ? Eli had reproved the impieties of his sons ; yet, because he had not authoritatively interposed to prevent or punish their abominations, God visited him with a very signal judgment. How reprehensible then must this prophet have been, who both connived at, and consented to, a crime, for which he was bound by the law to put even his own children to death ^! Let parents know, that if, by neglecting to " provide for their own household they deny the faith and become worse than infidels," much more must they incur the heaviest gviilt by neglecting to provide for their eternal interests ]
3. He even tempted another to the commission of sin —
[Here his conduct was most wanton and cruel. He knew how steadfastly the man of God had resisted every temptation, and had withstood every inducement either of hope or fear ; and behold, he calls falsehood to his aid, and pretends to a divine commission, in order that he may prevail to divert the holy man from his purpose, and to involve him in sin. Nor do we find that, when he was inspired to denounce the judgments of God against him for his transgression, he ever humbled himself, or implored pardon for his offence : methinks, the least he could have done would have been to intercede with God, as David did for his suffering people, " Let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house, and not against this poor man whom I have deceived':" but he felt no such compunction, notwithstanding the enormity of his offence. Unhappy he, who was thus led to offend ! But unhappier far that wicked man, who cast the stumbling-block before him'^ ! He probably thought it but a light matter to deceive a person in so small a point as this : but, if to tempt a Nazarite with wine was no light sin^, neither could this be light, "where the guilt of falsehood and blasphemy was superadded to that of causing his brother to offend."]
The success of the seducer leads us next to con- template,
II. The fate of the seduced —
There our proud hearts are almost ready to sit in judgment upon God. But " his ways are in the deep ;" " neither giveth he account of any of his matters :" and whether we discern the equity of his dispensa- tions or not, it becomes us to silence every murmuring thought with this, " Shall not the Judge of all the
^ Deut. xiii. 6 — 9, ' 2 Sam. xxiv. 17.
k Matt, xviii. 7. ' Amos ii. 12.