A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Commentary on 1 Samuel · Chapter 3
1 Samuel, CHAP. III.
CHapter The Third, is, a Narrative of Samuel's Divine Call to his Prophetical Office. Wherein,
The Firſt Remark is, The Circumſtances of Samuel's Call. As,
Firſt, The perſon (who called him) was the Lord himſelf, calling him no fewer than four times; v. 4.6, 8, 10. Through Samuel's miſtake of the Voice of God, for the Voice of Eli: Joſephus ſaith, that Samuel was now but twelve years Old, and therefore might it well be ſaid of him, that [he did not yet know the Lord.] v. 7. Namely, in that way peculiar to the Prophets, who had their Extraordinary Revelations from God's Spirit coming by times upon them; which the Rabbins call [Bath-Koll,] the Daughter of a Voice, wherewith young Samuel was not yet acquainted. Otherwiſe the ſame black brand put upon Eli's Son, (of whom it is ſaid [they knew not the Lord,] chap. 2.12.) might be upon Samuel too, who was Sanctified from the Womb, and undoubtedly had the ordinary, and experimental knowledge of God in his daily Miniſtring before him, even in his tender Years, who would not be Debauched by Eli's Sons of Belial, as above.
The Second Circumſtance is. The Time when, which is Threefold.
1. When the State of the Church was in a very low ebb: The Word of Prophecy was very precious at that time, ver. 1. a Prophet was very rare then, and few or none appeared with open Viſion by Name, tho' mention be made in general of a Prophet; Judg. 6.8. And of a man of God before. chap. 2.27. Yet this Samuel is called the firſt of the Prophets, by the Apoſtle Peter, Act. 3.24. as long before that, he is accounted the Head of them, 2 Chron. 35.18. becauſe he was the next famous Prophet to Moſes.
2. At that time, ver. 2. When the Lord had ſent the day before that Man of God mentioned, chap. 2.27. with heavy tydings to Eli, then the very next day, God calls and ſends Samuel with the ſame ſad meſſage. And,
3. In that time of the Natural Day; ver. 3. When the Lamps of the Golden Candleſtick were not yet extinguiſhed, which had been lighted the Evening before, Exod. 27.21. Levit. 24.3. 2 Chron. 13.11. So that this was betimes in the Morning, and before day that God called Samuel.
The Third Circumſtance is, The place where, in the Temple or Tabernacle.
N. B. (1.) By which it plainly appeareth; It was not the Cuſtom of the Jewiſh Church to burn day, (as is the ſaying) which yet the Superſtitious Romiſh Church doth; having their lighted Tapers burning upon their High Altars at Noon-day.
N. B. (2.) We muſt ſuppoſe the Levites Lodging, (wherein Samuel ſlept) was in ſome remoter part of the Sanctuary, or Tabernacle, for within them none might lodg or lay, &c.
The Second Remark, Concerns the Subſtance of this Word of Prophecy revealed to Samuel, (as the Firſt did the Circumſtances of his Call to be a Prophet) who might ſay to Eli, as Abijah afterward ſaid to Jeroboam's Wife; [I am ſent to thee with heavy tydings,] 1 King. 14.6. The revealing of which, would ſtrike ſuch Aſtoniſhment and trembling into the minds of Men, as Their Ears ſhould tingle to hear ſuch a Thunder-clap, ver. 11. This Young Prophet firſt became a Prophet againſt Eli's Houſe, (as afterward he was to all Iſrael, v. 22, 23.) and confirms what the Man of God in the ſecond Chapter had denounced againſt it; that in the Mouth of two Witneſſes, God's Will and Word might be Eſtabliſhed; Samuel declareth both Eli's Sins, and of his Sons, and their puniſhments Alſo ver. 12, 13. that their Sin was Inexpiable, ver. 14. (which ſome hence ſuppoſe was that Sin unto Death. 1 Joh. 5.16. For which there remaineth no more Sacrifice, Heb. 10.26.
N. B. This may hold true of his Sons, but not of himſelf; therefore their puniſhment was Irreverſible; ſeeing God had Sworn it, as well as ſaid; [When I begin, I will alſo make an end; ver. 12.] And indeed tho' the fall of Eli's Family was exceedding fatal, and formidable for their corrupting Gods Commonwealth; and making good that old ſaying [Like Prieſt, like People in prophaneneſs:] Yet even the Death of Eli was very diſmal, he dying the Death of an unredeemed Aſs, [By breaking his Neck] Exod. 13.13.
The Third Remark is, The Gracious carriage of this Young Prophet, when ſo high and Honourable a Preferment is put upon him by the Lord. Behold,
1. His Humility, tho' his Maſter, obſerving his towardlineſs to good, had beſtowed on him an Ephod (a Garment then uſed in Miniſtring to the Lord,) ch. 2.18. and his Mother had given him a Coat to wear under his Ephod, ver. 19. and no doubt ſhe ſpared no coſt in making this Coat fine enough; becauſe he was not only her onelyonly Son, but alſo the Son of her Love, (as Joſeph was to Jacob, to whom he gave a finer Coat than to any of his other Sons, Gen. 37.3.) Yet is he not made Proud with either his upper or under Garment, as moſt of ſuch Young Striplings amongſt us are; eſpecially if they ſhould be dignified to wear Miniſters Gowns at his Age.
2. His Modeſty is very Marvelous, not only in doing his Duty with diligence… in waiting on his Maſter, and not diſcouraged at his own double, yea treble miſtake and diſappointment, but readily riſes out of his warm Bed, and Runs to Eli every time that he was called upon.
N. B. Many Sluggiſh Apprentices would not have been ſo ready to Riſe Three times, &c.
But Modeſt Samuel was more Morigerous to his Dim-ſighted Maſter, fearing he might need his helping hand (tho' weak) in ſome duty which his own Debauched Sons would not do for him: But alſo his Modeſty moſt appeared, both in his doing the former Office of a Door-keeper; [Opening the Doors in the Morning,] tho' he were now called of God to be a Prophet. And likewiſe he was not forward, but fearful to Reveal the Divine Oracle to Eli, which yet he might not Conceal, ver. 15.
3. His Faithfulneſs alſo here is manifeſt in not hiding any thing (of that which God had ſpoke to him) from his Maſter Eli: [He told him every what,] ver. 18. Tho' there was not one drachm of Comfort in the whole Oracle. Had Samuel in this Caſe conſulted with Fleſh and Blood, he might thus have Argued againſt a faithful diſcharge of his Errand God now ſent him: [Oh what a piece of Confidence, if not Impudence, will it be in me, a Pupil, in daring to deliver ſuch a direful Meſſage to my Aged Tutor; poſſibly he will look upon it, as one of my Childiſh Dreams only.] But by this time Samel underſtood the meaning of that ſpecial Providence of God, in letting him run three ſeveral times to Eli, till Eli perceived that it was the Lord that called the Child, v. 8. And that he had from God ſome Divine Revelation; ſo Eli could not look upon it as a vain fancy in his ſleep: Yea, and Samuel had learnt likewiſe that Gods Truths muſt faithfully be ſpoken, however heinouſly they be taken.
N. B. Would to God all Miniſters could learn (both Old and Young) this great leſſon of faithfulneſs from Young Samuel.
The Fourth Remark is, Eli's Reception of this rigid Revelation from God by Samuel in two Reſpects.
The Firſt is, Eli was conſcious to himſelf of great guilt, both in his Villanous Sons, and in himſelf for indulging their Villany, his Conſcience was a ſore Conſcience, but theirs were ſeared Conſciences, and therefore could he preſage no good from God; hereupon he adviſes his Pupil to hide nothing from him, but to tell his Tutor all that God had told him, v. 16, 17.
Secondly, When Eli had heard God's ſevere Sentence, he calmly cryeth, [it is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good.] v. 18. as if he had ſaid, the Lord Jehovah hath a Soveraign Abſolute Power over all the Sons and Daughters of Men, and may diſpoſe of me and mine, and of all Created Beings according to his good pleaſure, unto which I freely ſubmit, well knowing there be better things in Gods Will than in my own: I reſolve, my Will ſhall be ſwallowed up, and melted down into the Will of God, and tho' I have been a bad Earthly Father to my Evil Sons; yet would I be a good Son to my good Heavenly Father: So I humbly accept of the puniſhment of mine Iniquity, Levit. 26.41. The will of the Lord be done; Act. 21.14. 'Tis true, there be ſome that cenſure Eli for thus ſaying, [Thy Holy Will be done,] taking theſe Words in the worſt Senſe, as ſpoken in Hypocriſie, and not in Humility; So S. Ephrem, Gregory and Rupertus; becauſe he did not correct his own fault, nor his Sons when reproved of God, &c. But alas, he was now too Old and Dim-ſighted to do it. Therefore all Expoſitors do generally judge more Charitably, that here is Eli's Holy ſubmiſſion to God's Heavenly Will: Neither Excuſing his own Iniquity, nor Accuſing God of Auſterity; but in Offering himſelf up thus to Gods Juſtice, he humbly Confeſſeth his own Sin: See much more of this Subject in my Church Hiſtory, in the (13th) Plot, pag. 111, 112, 113, &c. To which I refer my Reader.
The Fifth and laſt Remark is, The event of all theſe things; Namely, the Authority of Samuel over all Iſrael, was Eſtabliſhed hereby; v. 19, 20, 21. All Iſrael now heard the report, that the Lord was returning to them with the Spirit of Prophecy, which the Iniquity of thoſe times had quite extinguiſhed, and that the Lord was preſent with Young Samuel, ſo, That he grew in Wiſdom and Stature, and in favour with God and Man, as our Saviour did, Luk. 2.52. And how he had frequent Revelations after this firſt time from the Lord as he Miniſtred to him in Shiloh, and how all his Oracles were infallible, God ſuffering none of ſuch precious Liquor to be loſt by being ſpilt upon the ground: All the People that reſorted to this place from Dan to Berſheba; (That is, from the North to the South part of Judea,) might hear all this from the Mouth both of Old Eli, and of Young Samuel, which muſt Influence them much to Eſtabliſh Samuel in the ſtead of Superannuted Eli.