Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/256

 kindness, bring  unhappiness  and  even  eternal  ruin  both  on  themselves and on  their  parents. It is  a strict  duty  of  parents  to  punish  the wrong-doings of  their  children. It is  a false  love,  and  a great  misfortune for children  when  parents  are  weak  and  over  indulgent. Holy Scripture says: “He  that  spareth  the  rod  hateth  his  son:  but  he  that  loveth  him corrected! him betimes”  (Prov.  13,  24).

Grace cannot  be  obtained  without  repentance.  The  Israelites  thought that if  they  had  the  Ark  with  them,  God  would  be  sure  to  protect  them and give  them  the  victory. But how  could  the  tables  of  the  law  inside the Ark  avail  them,  if  they  no  longer  carried  the  law  of  God  in  their hearts? They ought  first  to  have  sincerely  repented,  and  then  God would have  been  gracious  to  them. Nothing holy,  not  even  the  Sacraments, can  help  us,  if  we  do  not  first  turn  to  God  and  cast  away  strange gods, i.  e.  sinful  habits  and  passions.

Resistance to  God's  grace.  Samuel,  the  “asked  or  heard  of  God”, was, as  his  very  name  signifies,  a child  of  grace. He did,  in  fact, receive many  graces  from  God;  but  then  he  faithfully  co-operated  with them, and  thus  became  in  time  the  reformer  and  saviour  of  his  people when they  were  in  adversity. Heli’s sons  were  also  highly  favoured  by God. They were  called  to  the  priesthood  by  right  of  their  birth;  they grew up  in  the  Tabernacle,  and  had  the  good  example  of  their  father before their  eyes  from  their  youth  up;  but  they  resisted  God’s  grace, lightly rejected  their  father’s  warnings,  and  drew  on  themselves  the displeasure of  the  best  among  the  people. By their  misuse  of  grace their hearts  grew  harder  and  harder. Once more  God  tried  to  move them, by  letting  them  know  through  Samuel  that  the  day  was  not  far off when  He  would  punish  them  and  their  father,  but  they  would  not profit by  this  grace. Still hardened  in  sin,  they  went  out  to  fight,  and died an  impenitent  death  at  the  hands  of  the  enemy.

Hearkening to  the  word  of  God.  Whenever  we  hear  the  word  of God  (whether  in  sermons,  or  instructions  &amp;c.),  we  should  say  with  Samuel: “Speak,  Lord,  for  Thy  servant  heareth.”  We  should  listen  eagerly to the  word  of  God  which  He  speaks  to  us  through  the  mouths  of  His priests. “He that  heareth  you,  heareth  Me”,  said  our  Lord  (Luke  10,  16).

Worthy and  unworthy  Communion.  The  Ark  brought  blessing  and divine protection  to  the  Israelites  as  long  as  they  feared  God,  but  when they forgot  Him  and  would  not  repent,  it  brought  them  misfortune  and defeat, and  even  brought  plagues  and  pestilence  on  the  Philistine  idolaters. Thus it  is  with  the  Most  Holy  of  the  New  Covenant. Holy Communion brings  priceless  blessings  to  the  penitent,  but  a curse  and eternal damnation  to  the  impenitent.

Do you  promptly  obey  the  commands  of your  parents  and  those  who  are  set  over  you? Do you  go  to them  as  soon  as  you  are  called? Do you  rise  in  the  morning