tentions, the wars, the horrid crimes, the racking pains and loathfome difeafes, which luxury has introduced into the world and it will abate one's contempt for that coarse and frugal manner of ancient living, which was upon the plan of fimple nature. And let people. that are apt to defpife plain diet, reflect alfo that the Saviour of men, who for our fakes became poor, ufed to feed thankfully, on coarfe barley-bread, and broiled fishes.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE EARLY PIETY, AND EMINENT CHARACTER OF SAMUEL.

1....

Now

A. M. about 2880.

OW there was a certain man of Mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah; and Hannah his wife bare a lon, and called his name Samuel, faying, I have asked him of the Lord. And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly facrifice. But Hannah went not up; for fhe laid unto her husband, I will not go up until the child he weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and abide there forever.

2....And Elkanah her husband faid unto her, Do what feemeth thee good. And when fhe had weaned the child, he took him up with her, and brought him un. to the houfe of the Lord in Shiloh, and brought the child unto Eli the priest. And the faid, Oh, my lord! as thy foul liveth, my lord, I am the woman, who stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which

I asked of him: therefore alfo I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth, fhall he be lent to the Lord.*

3....And Samuel miniftered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when the came up with her hufhand to offer the yearly facrifice. And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favor with God, and also with men.

4. Now the fons of Eli were fons of Belial; they knew not the Lord and the fin of the young men was very great before the Lord. And Eli was very old, and heard all that his fons did unto all Ifrael; and how they wrought wickedness with the women who affembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

5...And he said unto them, Why do ye fuch things? For I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. Nay, my fons; for it is no good report that I hear ye make the Lord's people to tranfgrefs. If one man fin against another, the judge fhall judge him: but if a man fin against the Lord, who fhall intreat for him? Notwith

*It is a remark worthy of notice, that feveral of the most eminent lights which have been in the world, were born of mothers of fingular piety; and from them received the first rudiments of their education.

Children, during feveral of their earliest years, are chiefly with their mother from her they receive their first impreffions; and those first impreffions are a fort of indelible characters: they are not eafly worn off.

In this view, a good minded, difcreet and faithful mother is the very first and choiceft bleffing to a family Bleed are the mothers, who choose rather to emplay their teifure in rearing their tender offspring, and Pouring virtuous inftruction into their minds, than in fcenes of fashionable amufement.

ftanding they hearkened, not unto the voice of their father, becaule the Lord would slay them.*

6....And the child Samuel miniftered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vifion. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and before the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord,and while Samuel was laid down to fleep; that the Lord called Samuel. And he anfwered, Here am I.

7....And he ran unto Eli, and faid, Here am I; for thou calledit me: And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the Lord called again, Samuel. And Samuel arose, and went to Eli, and faid, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called thee not, my fon; he down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.

8... And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and faid, Here am I;

* The Lord will flay, or deftroy thofe wicked children who defpife and fcoff at their parents, and refuse to hearken to their good counfel and inftruction.

The Bible declares, that the eye that mocketh at his father, and refufeth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley fhall pick it out, and the young eagles fhall

eat it.

According to this awful declaration and threatening, difobedient children often die untimely and unnatural deaths. Many fuch children have at length become fo wicked, that, for a warning to others, they have been hung up high in the air on gibbets; where their bodies were left to perish and confume: and, the ravens and eagles, and other greedy birds, have picked out their eyes and eaten them.

forthou didst call me.' And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli faid unto Samuel, Go, lie down ; and it fhall be, if he call thee that thou fhalt fay, Speak, Lord, for thy fervant heareth. S Samuel went and lie down in his place. And the Lord called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel anfwered, Speak, for thy fervant heareth.

9.And the Lord faid unto Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Ifrael, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it fhall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have fpoken concerning his houfe: when I begin, I will alfo make an end.

10....For I have told him that I will judge his houfe forever, for the iniquity which he knoweth because his fons, made thenifelves vile, and he reftrained them not. Therefore the iniquity of Eli's houfe fhall not be purged with facrifice, nor offerings forever.

11....And Samuel lie until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord and Samuel feared to flew Eli the vifion. Then Eli called Samuel, and faid, Samuel, my fon. And he anfwered, Here am I. And he faid, what is the thing which the Lord bath faid unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me. And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from bim. And Eli faid, It is the Lord; let him do what feemeth him good.

12....And Samuel grew and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all. Ifrael knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himfell to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

13...And Samuel judged-Ifrael all the days of his life. And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and

Gilgal, and Mizpeh; and judged Ifrael in all those places. And his return was to Ramah for there was

his house.

;

CHAPTER XX.

A YOUNG SHEPHERD CONQUERING A GIANT.

1...

A. M. about 2945.

Now

OW the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah. And Saul and the men of Ifrael were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and fet the battle in array against the Philiftines. And the Philif. tines flood on a mountain on the one fide, and Ifrael ftood on a mountain, on the other fide: and there was a valley between them.

2....And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philiftines,named Goliath of Gath, whofe height was fix cubits and a fpan. (about eleven feet.) And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail: and the weight of the coat was five thoufand thekels of brafs. And he had greaves of brafs upon his legs, and a target of brass between his thoulders.

3....And the staff of his fpear was like a weaver's beam, and his fpear's head weighed fix hundred fhekels of iron and one bearing a shield went before him. And he flood and cried unto the armies of Ifrael and faid unto them, Why are ye come out to fet your battle in array? Am not I a Philiftine, and ye fervants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.