LIB. XI. E 1 r and AN N A. A She that was c~nfuredfor drunken, cenfures drunkcnne!fc more deeply than her reprover;(ount not thine han~-maidfar a daughter of Beiial. T_he drunkards 1\ile begins in lawle[~e!f~, proceeds m unprofitablcne!fc, endsm mtfcry; and all !hut up in the denommaubn ofthlSJcde<>rce. A Son ofBc!tal. If .A nna had been tainte with this lit\ ne, !he would bave denyod it with more. favour, and havedifclaimed it with an extenuation ; What if I !hould l)ave been merry with wine? yet I might be devout: If I !hould have over-joyed in my facrificeto God, one cup ofexce!fc had not been fo hainous :now het frccdomc is fccn in her fcvcrity. Thofe which have cleare hearts from any finnc, profccutc it with rigour; whereas the guilty arc ever partial_!.: their confcience holds their hand, and rcls tbem tbat they beat themfelvcs whtles rhey pumO> others. B Now Eli fees his error, and recants it; and to make amends for his ra!h ccnfurc, praycs ror her. Even the bell may erre, but not perfill in it: VJhen good natures have offended, theyare unquiet, till they have hal\encd fati sfa&lon.T1Jis was within his oftice,to pray for the dil\re!fed: Wherefore ferves the Priell,but to facrifi.cc for the people? and the bell facrifices are the prayers offaith. She that began her prayers with falling and hcavine!fe, rifes up from,thcm with chcercfulnc!fe and re pall. It cannot be fpoken, how much cafe and joy the heart of man finds in having unloaded his cares,and powred out his fupplications into the cares ofGod; fince it is well aOured, that the fuitc which is faitl1fully asked, is already granted in heJvcn. The confciencc may well refr, when 1t tcls us, that wee have ucgle&cd no mcanes ofredrcffing our affii&ion; for then it may refolve to C Iooke either for amendmcnt,or patience. · The facrifice is ended, and no.v E/kanah and his family rife up early to returne unto 'F.Jtmah: but they dare not fer forward till they have wor!hipped before the Lord.ThatjourneJCCannor hope to profpcr,that takes notGodwith it.'fhe way to receiveblellings at home, is tobe devout at the Temple. She that before conceived faith in her heart, now conceives a fon in her wombe: God will rather work miracles than faithful! prayers !hall return empty. I do not find that Teninna asked any fonofGod, yet !he had !lore; .Anna begged hard for this one,and could nor til now obtain him. They which are dearel\ to God,do ofttimes with great difficulty worke out thofe bleffings,which full into the mouths of the carelefle.That wife difpoferofall things,knows it fit to hold us !hortofthofe D . favors whichwe fue for,whethei forthe trial ofour patience,or the exercifeofour faith, or the increafe ofour importunity,or the doubling ofour obligation. Thofe children arc moll like to prove bleffings, which the parents have begged of God; and which are no le!fc the fruit ofour fupplications,than ofour body.As this tbilde was the fon of his mothers prayers, and was confecrated to God ere his poffibility of being; fo now himfelfe !hall know, both ho1v hee came, and whercto he was ordained ; and !ell he !hould forget it, his very name !hall teach him both;(Sbe called!Ju· name Samuel.) He cannot fomuch as hcare himfelfnamed but he muO: needs remember both thee<traordinary mercy of God, in giving hi~ to a barren mother; and the vmv of his mother, in rel\oring him backe to God by her zealous dedication; and by both ofthem learne holine!fe and obedience. There E is no necellity offignificant names; bur we cannothave too many monitors toput us in mind of our duty. . It is wont to be the fathers priviledge to name his childe; but bccaufe this was his mothers fonne, begotten more by her prayers, than the feed of Elkanah 1t was but reafon, that !he 010uld have the chiefc hand, both in his name a11d' difpofing. It had been in indeed the power of Elkanah, to have changed both his name andprofeffi?n, and abrogate the vo\v of_his wife; that wives might knoW, they were not thelfowne; ana that the Rib mtght Iearncto knOIV the Head: But husbands !hall abufc their authority, ifthey !haf!wilfully cro!fe the holy purpofes and rehgious indeavours oftheir yoke-fellowes. HmYmuchmore fit is it for them to chcn!h all good defires in the weaker ve!fels ? and as we ufe, wbcnwe carry a fmall IIOOI
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