Volume I Part 12 (2/2)

Each of these, in her view, was a decisive evidence against his suggestion, and a consoling reflection in this extraordinary and ambiguous moment.

The first was, _the acceptance of their sacrifices_. ”If,” said she, ”the Lord be pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands.” The law which prescribed the presentation of sacrifices, expressly represented them as ”a _sweet savour_ unto the Lord;” which implied not only an approbation of the offering, which was indeed of divine appointment, and could not therefore be rejected, but complacency in the wors.h.i.+pper. The _person_ could not be disowned, while the _presentation_ was acknowledged. If this sentiment needed any corroboration, the history of Cain and Abel would have furnished it. The acceptance and rejection of each was evinced by the divine treatment of their respective offerings. ”The Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering: but unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect.” When G.o.d entered into a solemn covenant with Abram, ”a smoking furnace and a burning lamp pa.s.sed between the divided pieces of the sacrifice, and consumed them.” At the dedication of the tabernacle, when ”the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people, there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat; which when all the people saw, they shouted and fell on their.

faces.” The dedication of the temple was signalized by a similar manifestation. ”Now, when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt-offering, and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house!” The same principle is fully-recognized by David, in the following supplications: ”The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble, the name of the G.o.d of Jacob defend thee: Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion: Remember all thy burnt-offerings, and accept thy burnt-sacrifice.”

The argument, therefore, of Manoah's wife was pious, legitimate, and conclusive: ”if _we_ were to be destroyed, our _services_ could not be approved.”

The people of G.o.d too frequently resemble Manoah; but their doubts and fears would soon subside, could they be persuaded to adopt the reasoning of his wife. Past experience is a solid basis for future expectations. A succession of spiritual mercies is a pledge of kind intention, and of continued favour. In periods of despondency, recur to days of religious prosperity and happiness, when the candle of the Lord shone upon you, and spiritual enjoyments were dispensed in the use of means. Have you not good evidence, that your sacrifices _have been_ received--your prayers heard, your dedication to G.o.d accepted? Have the spirit and efficacy of his promise evaporated in the lapse of time, ”I will never leave you, nor forsake you?” or have you no reason to say with holy antic.i.p.ation, ”Surely goodness and mercy _shall_ follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever?”

Feeble, imperfect, and disproportionate to our obligations, as all our offerings must be, they are acceptable to G.o.d by Jesus Christ. He has presented a sacrifice, ”once for all,” upon the cross, to which this subject naturally directs our attention, which const.i.tutes the foundation of human hope, and secures a welcome reception, and gives an available power to all the future offerings of faith. The figurative nature of the ancient dispensations renders it not improbable, that these humble Israelites perceived, in the memorable transactions they witnessed, some typical representation of the work of redemption, some glimpses of the great atonement, and of the principle upon which what they offered was accepted. This event was not intended merely to astonish or overawe, but to instruct; and the wife of Manoah presents a n.o.ble example of that profound attention, which it becomes us to pay to all the revelations of Heaven. If, in particular, the ”angels desire to look into” the mysteries of redeeming love, and consider the sabbath of eternity well employed in this research; mortals surely, who are more nearly interested, cannot devote the less sacred hours of time to a more important inquiry. Nor should they be satisfied with superficial, or indeed with _any_ attainments in spiritual wisdom, which is so unfathomable in its depths, and illimitable in its extent.

The second consideration, which led to the inference in their own favour drawn by Manoah's wife, was _the wonders which the angel had shown them_.

These were of a nature, in her belief, to justify her conclusion, that G.o.d did by no means purpose their ruin, but the reverse. It appears from the general expression, that ”the angel did wondrously,” in connection with the mention of ”_all_ these things,” that some other manifestations, probably of a hieroglyphic or typical nature, were given antecedently, or as an immediate preparation to his miraculous ascent in the flame of the altar. This at least is certain, making a general application of the statement, that we are not only authorized to conclude from the privileges we enjoy, but from the spiritual discoveries we have made, that G.o.d is our Father and our Friend. He would not have pointed out our danger, and exhibited our remedy, if he had designed our ruin. Were we appointed to perish in our guilt, ”the Physician of souls” would never have been commissioned to visit us. To be shown, by Scriptural statement, by ministerial instruction, and by providential guidance, the way to heaven, is no indication of an appointment to destruction. Have you not discovered the evil of sin, the value of the soul, and the excellency of Christ? Have you not felt the sorrows of repentance, and the joys of faith? Have you not touched the outstretched sceptre, submitted to the chastising rod, and gloried in the cross? G.o.d does not impart a fixed aversion to all iniquity, an intense desire after holiness, habitual delight in his word, and desire after his presence and glory; he does not impress a sense of the infinite excellence of the Saviour, and a readiness to sacrifice every thing to his will, and for his sake, excepting to holy souls, which are ”born, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

The wife of Manoah adverted to a third source of consolation, at the period of this miraculous disappearance. She refers to _what they were told_. The a.s.surances they had received of the birth of a son, rendered it impossible they should die. She had received very minute directions, both respecting her offspring and herself, who was to be consecrated as a Nazarite, and to rise up as the deliverer of his country from the yoke of Philistia. Possibly, during the preparation of the sacrifice, the inquisitive spirit of this thoughtful woman induced her to seek a conversation, which the celestial messenger was not unwilling to encourage, and during which they might have received some further instructions. Our fears are apt to betray us into absurdities, and confuse the memory; so that good men, like Manoah, speak or act inconsistently with themselves, and their own more deliberate convictions. Happy they who are blessed with an intelligent awl pious companion, whose kind suggestions may detect their errors, refresh their recollections, quell their fears, and comfort their desponding hours! Thus ”two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour. For, if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but wo to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him.”

Obvious but important considerations are deducible from this narrative, which seem capable of an application to the general concerns of life, as well as to the inquiries of religion.

1. We should avoid precipitancy of judgment. The wife of Manoah, in this view, appears in advantageous contrast to her hasty husband. She did not suffer herself to be hurried into a discouraging inference, without reviewing the circ.u.mstances of the case, and allowing time for reflection.

In the common affairs of life, an inconsiderate eagerness, either to escape from danger or to possess good, is often itself productive of the disappointment it dreads; while a proper deliberation prepares the mind either for failure or success: and, in the pursuit of moral and religions inquiries, the same precipitancy is calculated to plunge into error, which, if it do not always endanger our salvation, may disturb our peace.

Jesus Christ has expressly exhorted us to close and deliberate investigation, intimating that our labour will be repaid by discovery; for ”searching the Scriptures,” and acquiring a knowledge of him respecting whom they ”testify,” and ”whom to know is life eternal,” are inseparably connected. On another occasion, when describing the true hearer of his word, he suggests a comparison equally and beautifully ill.u.s.trative of the necessity of a diligent use of the means of instruction, and that serious, profound, and careful inquiry, which is calculated to prevent an implicit submission to the opinion of others, or taking our religion upon trust.

”Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like. He is like a man which built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock; and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded upon a rock.”

2. It is wise, and may be useful, on all proper occasions, to avow our convictions. Selfishness and timidity may concur to suggest a different proceeding: but religion requires that we act upon principles superior to those of worldly policy. Manoah had every reason to be grateful to his wife, for the distinct and prompt avowal of her sentiments; which, though contradictory to his, were adapted to rouse him from his despondency and stupor. She was, no doubt, ready to sympathize with his distress; but duty to G.o.d, attachment to her husband, a consciousness of knowing the truth, and even a proper respect to herself, prompted a statement of her disagreement with his opinions. When religion claims our services, we must not withhold the offering of our lips, or the labour of our hands, through fear of danger or hope of gain. When truth demands that we should speak, or Providence that we should act, it would be criminal--it would be disgraceful, to continue silent or inactive.

To generalize and apply these remarks to the circ.u.mstances in which Christianity has placed us--it is required not only to believe in Christ, but explicitly to avow our sentiments of attachment to his Gospel by a public profession, whether we meet with the concurrence, or suffer the opposition, of our dearest friends. Timidity is natural to the female mind; but religion requires even the youngest and the weakest of the s.e.x, not to suffer even natural delicacy to degenerate, by excessive indulgence, into criminal shame. It does more, it enables women to become heroes and martyrs! Inflamed with the love it inspires, they have learned to see no lions, to fear no dangers, to feel no pains in the path of duty; not only evincing patience, but expressing joy.

Jesus Christ was ”not ashamed to call us _brethren_,” to a.s.sume our nature, to fill our humble station, to suffer our sorrows, or to die for us an ignominious death; he is not ashamed to own his connection with us now he is in the highest heavens, or to be engaged in preparing a mansion, in his Father's house, for our final reception. Shall we be ashamed of him, or of his cause? Shall we tremble to avow our attachment, if we feel it? This would expose us to the censure of our own consciences, to the reproach of a dishonourable, hesitating, indecisive conduct; and, above all, to the Saviour's final malediction, as the Judge of mankind. It is the design of Christ to establish an interest in the world; and this is to be maintained, not by fear, but by firmness: not by temporal compliances, but by holy resistance; not by sloth, inactivity, and shrinking into a corner, but by ”putting on the whole armour of G.o.d.” Not to be _for_ Christ is to be _against_ him--neutrality is enmity--a refusal to enlist under his banners is disloyalty, rebellion, and treason!

3. The providence of G.o.d does never _really_, though it may _apparently_ and to human apprehension, contradict his word or discredit his character.

The present manifestation of the angel in flame and terror, did not subvert the confidence which the wife of Manoah felt in his past declarations, nor excite despondency respecting future events. The fears of her husband did not shake her faith in the promises of G.o.d, nor did the incomprehensible nature of the mystery blind her perceptions of the concealed mercy. We are very inadequate judges of the divine conduct. It is neither possible, nor proper, that we should know the mighty plan of his operations; and it can never be a sufficient reason, even under the most disastrous circ.u.mstances, for questioning the goodness or wisdom of his dispensations that _we_ cannot comprehend them. The designs of G.o.d are very imperfectly unravelled in the present world. We can see but to a short distance, nor is it necessary that we should. _Some_ light from the sacred page beams across the path of life; but if we cannot at present attain all we may wish to know, let us be contented to wait for the manifestations of eternity. In the mean time we may rest a.s.sured, that whatever is thought contradictory in the dispensations of Providence to the written word, is but _seemingly_ so. It is so merely because we cannot now see the connecting links, the unbroken chain of events, which, when the clouds that obscure this earthly atmosphere shall be finally dispersed, will become distinctly and for ever visible.

Hannah.

Chapter X.

Section I.

Religion a Source of Peace--Account of Elkanah and his two Wives--Peninnah reproaches Hannah--Sin of despising others for their Infirmities--the Family at s.h.i.+loh--Elkanah endeavours to console his Wife--her Conduct and Prayer--Eli's unjust Imputation--Hannah's Defence, and her Accuser's Retractation--Return from s.h.i.+loh--Birth of Samuel--his Weaning.

”Where there is _piety_,” says an excellent commentator, ”'tis pity but there should be _unity._” There is, however, too frequent occasion to deplore the dissentions of families, whose religious profession induces us to expect the prevalence of peace and harmony. Nevertheless, these inconsistencies are so far from being justly chargeable upon religion, that they furnish the most decisive evidence of its value. It is in consequence of a departure from its genuine spirit, and a compliance with the suggestion of evil principles and pa.s.sions, that individuals are rendered miserable and families distracted. The renewal of that ”right spirit” which it inculcates, is the direct means of restoring personal comfort and domestic tranquillity.

The Psalmist represents ”the law of the Lord” as ”_perfect:”_ it is the only solid-basis of human felicity; and every hope that is differently founded, must prove, inevitably prove, a shadowy super-structure. A deviation from the order and appointments of Heaven is a proportionate departure from happiness; for this order and these appointments do not result from caprice, but a perfect combination of goodness and wisdom. The divine system of legislation is formed with a merciful regard to our best interests, and an entire knowledge of our nature. Its arrangements are not arbitrary, but kind; and obedience is no less essential to our real welfare, both present and eternal, than it is expressive of a just regard to our obligations. In opposing the requirements of G.o.d, man is an enemy to himself; his resistance is not only culpable, but ruinous.

<script>