{"author":null,"canonical_references":[],"database_sha256":"8cfbe7284c6936871d57c02dc6aa63ebbdfd4722422d539dd9f716e46e91112e","date_end":null,"date_start":null,"edition_year":null,"id":"sermonindex-ecf-1465","native_reference":{"book_number":90,"chapter_from":7,"chapter_to":7,"system":"MyBible module coordinates (mapping unverified)","verse_from":7,"verse_to":7},"public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"verse-keyed-module-record","review_required":["English edition and exact text","author/work attribution","dating","verse mapping and citation kind","reuse and attribution","split author quotations and deduplicate"],"review_status":"unreviewed","source_html":"<p><b>Bede</b>: And the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered in Mizpah, etc. The enemies of the truth heard that, with the Lord preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, all the people gladly listened to Him; and unclean spirits, specifically the princes of the impious (wherefore they are also called the rulers of darkness by the Apostle [Ephesians VI]), rose up against the state of the Church, or rather, against each of the faithful, to be attacked with wicked snares. Concerning their wicked uprising, we have previously discussed while expounding the name Baalim.<br/><i>— Commentary on Samuel</i></p><p><b>Bede</b>: When the children of Israel heard this, they were afraid, etc. The disciples of Christ, fearing the face of the persecuting Jews, watched and prayed, as He commanded, that they would not enter into temptation; and, suddenly struck by the storm of temptations, they said: Lord, save us, we are perishing. They are also remembered to have prayed frequently in afflictions after His ascension (Matt. VIII). This same practice offers us also, who are tempted, a very beneficial safeguard, that our soul may be delivered from the fear of the enemy.<br/><i>— Commentary on Samuel</i></p><p><b>Gregory the Dialogist</b>: 15. For when the foreign gods have been removed, the fast completed, and the scrutiny of examination carried out by the preacher, the princes of the Philistines ascend against Israel: because when we advance to a higher life, the malign spirits, who always envy those who act well, are more hostile to us. And because they seek to cast us down from the height of an innocent life, they are said to ascend. For to ascend, for malign spirits, is to raise themselves up to assault the hearts elevated through heavenly desire. Because also against the more perfect soldiers of Christ, battles are stirred up not by any random evil spirits, but by stronger demons, it is not the Philistines who are reported to ascend against Israel, but the satraps of the Philistines. Princes also preside over many. Therefore by this, that the satraps are said to ascend against Israel, it can reasonably be gathered that to test the patience of the elect, not one evil spirit is assigned to each of the elect, but innumerable ones; so that from their achieved victory, the glory of the faithful may be the more abundant, the heavier the battles that have been inflicted upon them. Yet amid these same battles, the recently converted are accustomed to tremble greatly: for suddenly they find themselves on a field of struggle, beyond the experience of their custom. On one side they behold desires armed against them, which had long served them peaceably; on the other side, heavenly love invites them not to abandon the good things they have begun. On one side the spirit elevates the mind, on the other the flesh weighs it down; and since they cannot know the measure of their end, they are greatly terrified by the uncertainty of their election. Whence it is also fittingly added here: \"When the children of Israel heard this, they were afraid before the face of the Philistines.\"</p><p>16. For they fear the face of the Philistines, so that they do not fear what follows after them. For what is the face of evil spirits, if not worldly desire? For in this appearance, whoever is composed is conformed to their image. But because Israel is said to have feared not the face of the Philistines, but \"from the face\" of the Philistines, this both reveals the minds of the elect and also, by a hidden reason, reproves the foolishness of the reprobate. For they feared not \"the face,\" but \"from the face\": because, namely, for holy men, what they behold outwardly is one thing, and what they dread inwardly is another. For even if they sometimes consider the flourishing world with human reason, they suddenly lift the eyes of the mind, drawing them back to those evils that follow the joys of the world, and they tremble, as it were, \"from the face,\" who avoid present delights lest they encounter the punishments that follow. But on the contrary, the reprobate, who by no means fear this face of the Philistines, do not escape the onslaughts of their pursuing ferocity. For while they embrace the vain joys of the world with all their strength, they are seized by perpetual afflictions through the power of demons. Against whom, indeed, the Truth threatens, saying: \"Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation in your life\" (Luke 6:24). Hence also, denouncing them, He says: \"Woe to you who laugh, for you shall weep\" (ibid., 25). As if He were saying otherwise: Because you by no means tremble at the face of the Philistines, when their pursuing forces rush upon you, you cannot find the refuge of salvation. Then indeed fear is present, but He who might help is not present. The punishment of wickedness is given without hope of deliverance; and those who desired the blandishments of the Philistines' face in the love of the world feel how horrible are the Philistines' consequences. Rightly, therefore, it is said of the Israelites, in the type of the elect: \"They feared from the face of the Philistines\": because, namely, while they skillfully order for themselves a manner of living, they do not resolve to fear eternal evils when they come, but they tremble at temporal desire, on account of which those evils are inflicted. And because they believe they can obtain this not so much by their own merits as by the intercession of their elders, there follows: \"And they said to Samuel: Do not cease to cry out for us to the Lord our God, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.\"<br/><i>— Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 3, Chapter 5</i></p>","source_html_sha256":"fb7100c1ff1650775a8370f419465b34b35a56add32a2988a677ebadaca7c332","source_module":"ECF","source_row_id":1465,"source_url":"https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/ecf/","text_sha256":"7cfd3d763d1813e782f4d0974a27f61ff36000fcba8559fc298d340a0531b046","translator":null,"work":null}