For Samuel also put together a high panegyric upon himself, when he anointed Saul, saying, Whose ass have I taken, or calf, or shoes? Or have I oppressed any of you? And yet no one finds fault with him. And the reason is because he did not say it by way of setting off himself, but because he was going to appoint a king, he wishes under the form of a defense [of himself] to instruct him to be meek and gentle. . . . But when he saw that they [the people] would not be hindered by any of these things [the ways of the king] but were incurably distempered, he thus both spared them and composed their king to gentleness. Therefore he also takes him to witness. For indeed no one was then bringing suit or charge against Saul that he needed to defend himself, but Samuel said those things in order to make him better. And therefore also he added, to take down his pride, If you will listen, you and your king, such and such good things shall be yours, but if you will not listen, then the reverse of all.

In this way, too, Samuel, who judged the people so many years and bore rule over Israel without any pride, in the end cleared himself. . . . In this strain also the apostle Paul, inasmuch as he had a good conscience, said to the Corinthians, For we are not as many [are], who corrupt the Word of God: but in sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.^[1] We have injured no one, corrupted no one, circumvented no one.^[2]

That mighty deed Samuel is said to have accomplished through prayer is something that everyone who genuinely relies on God can accomplish spiritually even now, since he has become worthy of being heard. . . . For every saint and genuine disciple of Jesus is told by the Lord, Lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life.^[1] In this time of harvest the Lord does a great thing before the eyes of those who hear the prophets. For when the one adorned with the Holy Spirit calls to the Lord, God gives from heaven thunder and rain that waters the soul, so that he who once was in evil may stand in great awe of the Lord and his minister of goodness, manifested as venerable and august by the requests that are heard. And Elijah, who shut up heaven for the wicked for three and a half years, later opened it. This, too, is always accomplished for everyone who through prayer receives the rain of the soul, since the heavens were previously deprived of it because of his sin. ON PRAYER 13.5.^[2]

Let us see if Samuel persistently importuned God in this way. We read in the book of Kings [Samuel] that he prevented God from venting his wrath against the people, and although it was harvest time, the Lord sent rain, thunder and lightning. What does Scripture say in Samuel? And there came hailstones and struck down the Philistines.^[3] See how wise the fire, how wise the hail! Where Samuel is, the thunderbolts do not dare to strike, for they see the prophet of God, they see the Levite. Samuel’s hands were threatening the thunderbolts. He was praying, and the lightning strokes were held back. Why have I said all this? Because Moses and Aaron and Samuel with different titles performed the same mighty deeds. Let us bless the Lord to whom be glory forever and ever.

For he who loves Christ also loves his flock. . . . David in this way came to be king, having been seen first to be affectionately-minded toward them. So much indeed, though yet young, did he grieve for the people, as to risk his life for them, when he killed that barbarian.^[1] . . . And Samuel too was very affectionate; when it was that he said, But God forbid that I should sin in ceasing to pray to the Lord for you. In like way Paul also, or rather not in like way but even in a far greater degree, burned toward all his subjects.