The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 154
SECT. CLIV.
THE impiety and wickedneſs of the times was now ſo great that the word of the Lord was precious, there was no open viſion; that is, there was not a man openly known to whom the Lord appeared in Viſions, or whom he ſent forth among the people with a word of Propheſie in his mouth. So that the Lord did not now reveal his mind to them by his Prophets, as he uſed to do at other times. See Pſal. 74.9. And this is mentioned probably for the honour of Samuel to whom the Lord was pleaſed to appear at ſuch a time as this, and to re-eſtabliſh in him the Prophetick Office; See 2 Chron. 35.18. and Act. 3.24. And the particular time when the Lord appeared to him is alſo ſet down, which was when Eli (being very old and his eyes dim) was laid down in his place, that is, to take his reſt in that place and in that lodging which belonged to him as High-Prieſt near unto the Court of the Tabernacle, and it was towards the morning before the Lamps that were in the Golden Candleſtick in the Tabernacle were gone out, or the oyl ſpent. See Exod. 30.7. Samuel being laid down to ſleep in a Chamber near unto him, the Lord calls him, who awaking, and ſuppoſing his Maſter Eli had called him, ran to him, but Eli told him that he did not call him, and therefore bids him lye down again. The Lord calls Samuel a ſecond time, and he runs again to Eli, who tells him he did not call him, and bids him go to his bed again. Samuel was not yet acquainted with that way whereby the Lord did uſe to make known himſelf to his Prophets, viz. by Viſions, neither had there been as yet any ſuch revelation made unto him. The Lord calls him a third time, and he running again to Eli, ſuppoſing that he had called him, Eli then perceived that the Lord had appeared unto him, he bids him therefore go and lye down again, and if he heard the voice calling him any more, he ſhould ſay, Speak Lord, for thy ſervant heareth. Samuel lying down again, the Lord came and ſtood and called Samuel, Samuel, (appearing poſſibly in a viſible ſhape), he anſwered as Eli had bidden him, Speak Lord, for thy ſervant heareth; then the Lord ſaid to him, Behold I will do a thing in Iſrael at which both the ears of every one that heareth it ſhall tingle, (See 2 King. 12.12.) meaning the diſcomfiture of the Iſraelites, the taking of the Ark, the death of Eli's Sons, and Eli's falling down backward, and breaking his neck; his daughter-in-law Phinehas's wife falling preſently into the pains of Travel, and dying; Judgments ſo dreadful and hideous, that every one that heard of them muſt needs be filled with horrour, and aſtoniſhment. And then will I perform againſt Eli all things that I have ſpoken concerning his houſe. And though it may be ſome time e're I begin thus to viſit him, yet when I have once begun I will not ceaſe till I have made an end. For I have told him that I will judg his houſe for ever, (that is puniſh it till it be utterly ruined) for the iniquity which he knew his Sons committed, and yet he reſtrained them not, neither chiding them ſeverely as he was a Father, nor depoſing them from their office as he was the High-Prieſt, nor puniſhing them corporally as he was a Judg. Therefore I have ſworn unto the houſe of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's houſe ſhall not be purged with Sacrifice, nor offering for ever; that is, that the temporal puniſhment denounced againſt them ſhould not be kept off, or averted by any Sacrifices or Oblations whatſoever, though by their unfeigned repentance they may prevent their eternal miſery.
Samuel having heard theſe ſad words, roſe in the morning and opened the doors of the Tabernacle (which ſeems at this time to be houſed as we ſhewed before) but he was affraid to acquaint Eli with the things revealed to him in this Viſion, becauſe he knew that ſuch tidings would wound his heart, and he feared to offend him by bringing ſuch a diſpleaſing meſſage unto him; Eli therefore call'd him, and charg'd him to declare all that the Lord had ſaid unto him; for being conſcious of his Sons leudneſs, and his own too great indulgence towards them, he apprehended that ſome heavy ſentence was denounced from the Lord againſt him, and therefore he was ſo eager to know it, that he ſaid, God do ſo to thee and more (a)See Notes on Ruth 1.17.alſo, if thou hideſt any thing from me. Hereupon Samuel told him all; Eli in an humble ſubmiſſive manner, replies, It is the Lord let him do what ſeemeth him good. After this Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and ſuffered none of his words to fall to the ground, but exactly perform'd what he had foretold by him; and all Iſrael even from Dan to Beerſheba knew that Samuel was eſtabliſhed to be a Prophet of the Lord, and effectually call'd and ſent to execute this office among them, and that God had firmly ſetled him in it by making good his own word in his mouth. So that after the long intermiſſion and ceſſation of Prophetical Viſion, (whereby the word of the Lord was become rare and precious, as we have ſhew'd before) the Lord renewed this gift of Propheſie by appearing in Shiloh unto Samuel, and revealing his mind and will unto him by Prophetical Viſions and Inſpirations (b)v. 21. By the word of the Lord, ſome underſtand that God did by his Eternal and Eſſential Word, viz. Chriſt, the Wiſdom of the Father, reveal his mind to Samuel., that he might reveal it unto the people.
1 Sam. Ch. 3. whole Chapter.