The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 27

invisible and eternal nigh, teaching dependence on God, and exciting desire for bis help (Isa. !xvi. 13, 14). 2. Singnlar prosperity-unexpected recovery from illness, extraordinary deliverance from danger, unwontcd providential and spiritual benefits, temporal success. 3. Sp,;ritual exercises-in public worship, private meditation 1 religious profession. 4. Starting-points of life-a birthday, the first day of a new year, t~e co?1me~cen:ient of ~ fresh _enterpnse .. The_se things ~re often occasi?nB of spiritual Illummat10n and 1mpress10n, mountam heights that nse above the mists of ordinary life ; and it is well to embody the views and feelings then entertained in fixed purposes, definite resolutions, solemn vows for future guidance and help. "Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God" (Ps. lxxvi. 11). III. THEY SHOULD ALWAYS BE MADE IN A PROPER SPIRIT. With-I. Due delibera- tion (Eccles. v. 2), so as to ascertain "what the will of the Lord is,'' and what we- may reasonably hope to accomplish, lest they should become a burden and tempta- tion. 2. A sense of dependence on Divine grace; and not in a self-righteous spirit, as if our service were exceedingly meritorious, and deserved to be richly rewarded. 3. Humble and earnest prayer for the aid of the Divine Spiri'.t. Vows made in our own strength are "as the morning cloud and the early dew." 4. Faith in Christ, the perfect pattern of self-surrender and self-sacrifice, the way of approach to God, the medium of Divine blessing. "Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar " ( Pe. cxviii. 27). IV. WHEN MADE THEY OUGHT TO BE STRICTLY FULFILLED. Their making is optional, voluntary ; not so their performance. Their obligation -1. Changes not with a change of feeling, even with respect to those things which are, in themselves, indifferent. "The things which are in insight willed Must be in hours of gloom fulfilled." 2. Rests 1tpon the same ground as that of the obligation of_pi·omises generally, and is specially strong because of their sacred character. 3. Is enforced by the conse- quences of their observance or neglect. Their fulfilment is a means of grace. Broken vows undermine the foundations of character, interfere with Divine fellowship, and pave the way to destruction (Eccles. v. 4-6). 4. Requires their performance with sincmty (in the sense intended, not by the substitution of something else, not in part merely), cheerf1tlness (Ps. cxvi. 17, 18), and promptitude. "Defer not." "There is a Greek mythical story of the treatment oi the goddess Juno by l\fandra- bulus the Samian. This man had, under her auspices, and by her directions, dis- covered a golden mine. In the first flush of gratitude he vowed to her a go!den ram ; however, he presently exchanged- that for a silver one, and again that for a very small braes one, and that for nothing at all" (Trench). "It is storied of a merchant that in a great storm at sea vowed to Jupiter, if he would save him and his vessel, to give him a hP.catomb. The storm ceaseth, and he bethinks that a hecatomb was unreasonable; he resolves on seven oxen. Another tempest comes, and now again he vows the seven at least. Delivered, then alsu he thought that seven were too many, and one ox would serve his turn. Yet another peril comes, and now be vows solemnly to foll no lower; if he might be rescued. an ox Jupiter shall have. Again freed, the ox sticks in his stomach, and he would fain draw his devotion to a lower ratr. ; a Bheep was sufficient. But 11t last, being set ashore, he thought a sheep too much, and purposeth to carry to the altar only a few dates. But by the way he eats up the dates, and lays on the altar only the shells. After this manner do many perform their vows" (Adams, vol. L p. 112).-D. Vers. 13-18. (SHILOH.)-Undeserved rebuke. The duty of rebuking others when they do evil is often enjoined (Levit. xix. 17; 1 Thess. v. 14), and is especially incumbent on those who occupy positions of authority. But how seldom is rebuke given or received aright I Eli, the aged judge and high priest, sitting on the judg- ment-aeat, " by a post of the temple of_ the Lord," and observing a woman exhibiting signs of excited feeling, severely rebuked her for being intoxicated with wine. In hie words, and what followed, we hnve rebuke- I. UTTERED WITHOUT JUSTICE (vers. 13, 14). There was certainly apparent ground for the judgment he formed ; for excitement caused by wine was probably  22 THE FIIlST BOOK OF SAMUEL. [CH. I. 9-28,