rest And now the Lord had omitted to punish them and had giuen them peace they fell againe to their old byas This teacheth how naturall it is for all flesh to decline and to fall to those sinnes which once they abhorred Our latter works should be better then our former but how rare is this to be seene no not in the better sort no vnlesse it be in them who do obserue their own frailtie how many waies they are ready to fall and lay daily for especiall grace of faith and good gouernment knowledge without fainting and wearines as at any time they haue done since they first began else I say it is hardly to be found And no lesse had need to be done of them because both old and new prouocations to euill are so many and strong and euer in the way that they will otherwise preuaile one time or other And therefore men should know and consider that they waite for a reward of great price and no man is crowned except hee striue for it lawfully and to the end therefore they should not be weary of weldoing neither faint in their good beginnings But oh to bee lamented many of the forwarder sort in times past are now growne to tempt God boldly and take vpon them to stint him in their prayers and other seruice and detract from it and coldly goe about it much like them who are driuen to worke dead worke with their creditors and are constrained rather to pay them therby the debt that they owe them then that they haue any wages to receiue for the same which kinde of worke all know how vnwillingly and wearisomly for the most part it is taken in hand And to speake a word of those who are not ingrafted into Christ at all by faith and to shew how awkly they come forward in the sincere receiuing the doctrine of the Gospell though wee know and so may they that the Lord beareth long with them to the end he may bring them to repentance yet how many of them may we obserue who though they liue vnder good teaching doe not verifie the Apostles words to Timothy of the wicked vngodly viz. that both for knowledge they are euer learning but neuer obtaining it and as for their practise they waxe worse and worse rather then that they haue so much as any purpose to set their hearts to seeke after true repentance For the fuller handling hereof let the reader looke backe into the former Chapters wherein the other reuolts of this people are mentioned In that it is said God gaue them when they had thus prouoked him into the hands of the Philistims as he vsed when they fell to the like sinnes to sell them to other nations about them and they and their fathers had so often found it so that they might haue knowne if they would that they should finde some such like thing againe as oft as they reuolted from him The Lords thus dealing with them I say not onely laieth foorth their boldnes in sinning which I haue spoken of but it certainly testifieth also what God will doe to them and to all others in such a case to wit that hee will surely be auenged of such his enemies who dare so boldly tempt him yea one time or other he will most certainly doe it And so let vs and especially such as take aduantage by deferring of Gods executing his iudgement to settle themselues the more to doe euill let vs tell to our owne hearts and that not doubtingly as the woman answered of the punishment to the Serpent which God had certainly annexed to the eating the forbidden fruite but assuredly And this let euery one that is wise apply to himselfe as a most vndoubted truth vpon the committing of those sinnes to the which hee is most in danger or else hee must looke to smart afterward But of this point and the next in this verse namely that he did so long continue the people in bondage to the Philistims because of their sinnes I haue spoken in another place The Lord purposing to raise vp one that should helpe his people doth first appoint his parents and them he mentioneth and describeth in this second verse and sheweth in the third how he sent word to the woman by his Angell that she should beare such a childe as should helpe to auenge their enemies in the fourth hee directeth her how to vse her selfe who should beare that childe and that she should not eate or drinke any forbidden or vncleane thing in the fifth he shewes a reason hereof to wit because the childe should bee no common person but a professed Nazarite And therewith he declareth what he should doe that is begin to saue Israel out of the hands of the Philistims Touching the first of these points of describing the parents of Samson I would say the more but that I see the holy Ghost omitteth and passeth by the commendation of their godlinesse here which yet by that which followeth appeareth to haue bin great But yet I will borrow somewhat from other places in this chapter to this purpose We may obserue in Scripture that vpon the like occasion sometimes a very liberall roome and commendation is allowed to the parents of worthie instruments One for all may serue of the parents of Iohn Baptist Luk. 1. 6. not so much described by circumstance of place and outward condition as by their grace and godlines This is here omitted and yet so as by the sequell of the historie in this chapter it may appeare they were a worthie couple and the holy Ghost as it were leauing it to the discretion of the reader to make vp their description by the good fruites and effects which are after recorded of them both as God willing shall be noted out of the text I doe here make mention of it as being to good purpose in the first mentioning of them Briefly then let vs note from this practise of the spirit of God how much it auaileth to the due setting out of a good posteritie to see from what manner of parents they are descended the godly progenitors being the crowne of a good progenie especially if the vnworthinesse and vnsutablenes of the yonger depriue them not of that honour which their elders haue purchased for them The godly parents are the roote whence the children euen by promise and couenant Exod. 20. are to deriue blessing vpon themselues if they bee faithfull Hence is it that all beleeuers are honoured with the spirituall priuiledge of being the sonnes of faithfull Abraham a greater by farre then to bee his degenerate children by carnall propagation Iohn 4. Secondly this insinuateth to Parents the dutie of care and gouernement seeing when the children are named as in the booke of Kings commonly there the parents are set in the forefront to beare the blame or to carrie away the honour if their children deserue well they may claime the praise of
SERMONS VPON THE WHOLE BOOKE of IVDGES and first the entrance into them I Confesse it is no small matter for a man to take vpon him to set foorth Lectures or Sermons of any part of the word of God especially of an whole booke thereof and the rather for that it is a matter of much greater difficultie and danger so to doe then to preach them seeing for mine owne part I would easilier be brought to preach three Sermons then to set foorth or penne one and besides we see that learned men I speake of many who might for their excellent gifts profit many and doe the Church much good are haraly drawne thereto I leaue their reasons to themselues perhaps they thinke it a needlesse worke to set foorth more bookes For mine owne part I knowing that many would reade little if there were not new bookes set foorth I thinke it to good purpose to labour in that kinde especially when the things set foorth are for the quickening vp of the present drowsie age And so I testifie my iudgement by my writings that I am of another minde not for that I would dissent from learned men or seeke glorie and praise by this my practise when to speake as the truth is I confesse freely that as I come many degrees behinde them in gifts for that purpose so I would not take vpon me this exercise of writing vnlesse I were led to it by waightie reasons but in the simplicitie of my heart I speake it that I set myselfe to this worke as I can haue time and leisure from my publike imployment in my Ministerie and other priuate duties euen to keepe myselfe from danger in this euill world as idlenesse too much tampering in the world and such like needlesse and hurtfull besinesse as well as for the desire I haue to benefit any other hereby and besides I thinke it better to benefit the Church while wee liue being but a short time other may rise vp after to perfit such beginnings then to burie our gifts vtterly and so to depriue it altogether of the same by death Also I see that euery age of men hath sundrie troubles annexed to it the old as well as the young and occasions are offered of sinning and offending God many waies by one occasion or other which are not thought of before they come In so much as when the danger of youth and of the former yeeres of our life is passed with inwara peace and without any grosse and iust offence to others which yet to doe is few mens cases and rarely obtained and not without much striuing and watching to enter in at the straight gate yet the diuell so much the more enuieth our credit in the Church and the comfort we haue from God in such an estate especially the Ministers and therefore hee doth the more bend his force against such that hee may in their latter end disgrace them by winding them into some reprochfull and foule offences that so he may as much as in him lieth make their former vertues and part of life to be ridiculous and of no account And therefore as I am not ashamed to confesse that I haue receiued wonderfull cause of thanksgiuing to God for his so great bountie and fauour towards me the most vnworthie in my younger yeeres to keepe me from the infection of the time and sins of the age wherein I haue liued yet God be mercifull to my many slips and infirmities so I am not I say ashamed to confesse that I feare in this my declining age hasting apace to the graue as with griefe of heart I haue seene in many that I may possibly yea and that full easily be drawne to an vnprofitable earthly idle and dead course of life and thereby to greater offending of God and blemishing of my profession and Ministerie vnlesse I should labour to preuent it by some set labour and study and so to hold fast that which I haue receiued of the Lord and that is by the occupying and vsing the gifts which he hath giuen me as in this kinde of studie namely of writing I may and also if I should not endeuour to grow forward in grace experience and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ from the which a man may be easily hindred by the error of the wicked rather then to looke what I haue done heretofore I might easily flatter myselfe thereby and so at least stand at a stay or which is worse goe backe and so lose my part of happinesse with them that continue to the end For I make chiefe account of that hauing it not in fruition as yet but by hope onely and I know it may easily and many waits be hindred and staied as Satan can handle the matter and as I see many goe to worke And for this cause I desire to be occupied vntill the Lord come and in this manner hauing more then one foote in the graue And to the end I may tye myselfe to liue the freer from dangerous falles and offences while I am here a stranger and absent from home and therefore I say I haue set myselfe to this kinde of worke as being not able through debilitie of body and lamenes to trauaile abroad and helpe other neighbours more then at home by preaching as I haue done since I first began where my labour was desired and by conferring much as occasion was offered as I vsed in health to doe And if any laugh at this which I haue said of my fearing myselfe as thinking it meere folly I cannot doe with it neither am moued for their so censuring me but I tell them this that while they feare not their frailtie also but count it foolishnes they hast apace to vtter miserie Now for taking this booke in hand to set out my Sermons vpon it which I haue before preached though I haue gone ouer in the course of my Ministerie many other besides this I take this booke in hand not as making comparison betwixt it and other bookes of Scripture but partly seeing no Lectures or Sermons are set out vpon it that I know to giue light and helpe to such as need it and partly at the earnest desire of those that heard my Sermons on it and if I may know and perceiue my labours in this to be thought worth the setting foorth I would be willing as much as in me lieth to doe the like in some other booke In this worke beside the people who are not brought vp in learning who may see that their whole life may be directed hereby and may much profit by it so I intended also in it to benefit Students and Preachers who are not yet experienced nor best furnished with matter for the edifying of the hearers so that beside the fruite they may reape hereby in common with the people so they may learne how to make vse of the historicall part of the Bible and learne to draw doctrine and instruction out of the examples
for me to speake of Gedeon Barak Iphtah and Samson these the holy Ghost commendeth And though some of them as men did sometime fall yet we are to thinke they returned and rose vp againe seeing the Scripture as I remember doth neuer condemne them So that in respect of them and by their helpe if the people could haue seene it and made benefit of it we may say they liued in a golden age Now whereas it is not so apparantly to be seene that this booke doth set foorth Christ vnto vs in all the commendations of these Iudges who yet is the end of all bookes of Scripture to such as demaund about it I answere that Christ is not cleerely set foorth in any of those bookes of the old Testament first written but darkly and by types and figures as God saw it meete for those ages and so wee are to thinke of this booke where the deliuerances from so great enemies as are mentioned herein are types of that great deliuerance and redemption of men wrought by Christ out of the iawes of the diuell And let the commending of sundrie of those Iudges by the holy Ghost satisfie vs that they could not haue been good men nor haue liued by faith as they were said to haue done if they had not beleeued in Christ and been sanctified thereby Besides what authoritie shall we giue to the old Testament if they who are commended in it to haue been men of God as diuers Kings and Prophets with many other did not liue and walke by faith seeing it is not expressely set downe without which they could not please God Now the summe of this booke is thus much first a declaration generally of the estate of the religion and manner of worshipping God which these Israelites vsed in their Common wealth from the death of Ioshua to Eli the Priest for the storie of Ruth containes things done in the daies of the Iudges Ruth 1. 1. and more particularly this booke layeth out their sinnes and Gods calling them out of them by sundrie warnings and iudgements vnto repentance with many fearefull examples of their reuolting and turning backe againe whereby may bee seene how corrupt they were both in religion and manners and this booke is a liuely glasse if we well consider it of this our age The parts of the booke are three The first setteth downe the slouthfulnesse of the Tribes in executing the commandements of God against their enemies and the punishment threatned for it Chap. 1. and 2. and their slouthfulnesse is illustrated by the contrarie course of Iudah and Simeon who were forward to goe against them as in Chapter 1. to verse 21. is to be seene The second part is from the 2. chapter to the 17. which treateth of the Iudges and their great actes according to occasions offered who in their due time were raised vp The third part is from chapter 17. to the end and setteth foorth some odious and monstrous acts committed in those confused times when there was no ordinarie Gouernour and therewithall the punishments which followed The author of this booke is vnknowne but yet the booke is canonicall and authorized also by the new Testament The time of the actes of it from the death of Ioshua to Eli the high Priest is gathered to be about 300 yeeres The end of this booke as shall better appeare in the particular handling of it is to instruct and perswade vs in this latter age of the world to carry our selues vprightly and in a streight and well ordred course both in prosperitie and aduersitie I meane to hold the feare of God in both and to keep hope and patience in and through out this our pilgrimage with prayer and repentance which if we do God will be no lesse with vs then he was with the good people mentioned herein The order which I purpose to obserue in the Lectures vpon this booke is first to giue the short summe of the Chapters then to deuide euery Chapter into parts for the better distinguishing the points thereof that they may be better vnderstood and more clearely seene into thirdly I giue the sense of the verses more fully and lay forth the doctrine with the reasons and vse thereof though for the most part they be not alwaies expressely set downe which manner of handling the diuerse histories of this booke as also I thinke the same of our preaching out of all other Scriptures namely that after the meaning and sense apt and fit instruction should bee drawne out with the application to the present state need and vse of the hearers plainely and pitbily as may be for their best edifying I hold meetest to be vsed And I weuld to God that there were consent giuen therto of al Preachers and that this course were aimed at I wish that euery one did not follow his owne priuate course who hath neuer learned any good way or order of preaching Whereby it commeth to passe that some fill their Sermons with the froth of their owne braines or the bare authorities of men and least proofe is brought out of the Scriptures Also some preach darkely to the little benefiting of the hearers not to mention all which were endlesse And although for many other things I leaue the consideration therof to my reuerend and learned brethren yet in this I hope without ostentation and arrogating ought to myselfe I may be allowed to speake in regard of the long time which I haue spent in studying learning and practising as I haue been able the holie exercise of preaching And now to end these my Lectures this I say that beside the varietie of much good therein contained there are some points to good purpose occasioned touching faith and repentance and sundrie directions giuen how to seeke the Lord when we haue slipped and how to beare trouble aright Thus much I thought good to say before I enter into the seuerall Sermons euen to this end that some good light may be giuen as to him that marketh duly it may appeare Now I will proceed to the text itselfe THE FIRST SERMON VPON THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES VERS 1. And it came to passe after that Ioshua was dead that the children of Israel asked the Lord saying who shall goe vp for vs against the Canaanites to fight first against them VERS 2. And the Lord said Iudah shall goe vp behold I haue giuen the land into his hands IN this Chapter two things are chiefly contained to set downe the summe of the Chapter and parts of it together The first is the commendation of the tribe of Iudah to the 21. verse the cause we shall heare afterward The second is the setting downe of the sinne of the tribes that are mentioned after in that they slothfully suffered the Canaanites to liue by them and did not expell them and that is to the end of the Chapter Iudah is commended in a double manner first for the actes they did now at
notorious and knowne sinnes and let them endeauour to giue good example without wearinesse that so they may bee free from such fearefull offences And this be said of the peoples repentance To all the former instructions out of these two verses this I adde that if the bitter weeping of the people there caused the place to take the name from thence so that to this day it is retained and is called a place of weeping and further we see how long the remembrance of it is kept for many yeeres after then it doth strongly commend to vs what care we should haue while we liue to possesse the generations comming after vs of good examples giuen by vs among them that liue with vs which may doe good when we are gone either Ministers by their diligent and feruent preaching and godly liuing or the people in more then ordinary receiuing the message of the Gospell with thanksgiuing and other commendable fruits following The place of such inhabitants whether it receiue a name from such things done there as this Bochim did heere or no it is not so materiall But this is to bee thought that the remembrance of such good things done them might harten and encourage many that shall come after them not in that place onely but also in many other to follow such examples But whether they doe or no this is too true that no vile actions shall bee done to leade the people from God and goodnes no disorder I meane vnruly behauiour and reuell rout keeping but their example shall bee taken vp to be sure not onely of them that haue seene them but also of them who shall come after them hauing heard of them and be made customes if not petty lawes among themselues as the custome of spending the twelue daies at the Natiuity c. doth too truly testifie And thus I end THE THIRTEENTH SERMON ON THE BOOKE OF IVDGES The second part of the Chapter VERS 6. Now when Ioshus had sent the people away the children of Israel went euery man into his inheritance to possesse the land 7. And the people had serued the Lord all the daies of Ioshua and all the daies of the elders that outliued Ioshua which had seene all the great workes of the Lord that he had done for Israel 8. But Ioshua the sonne of Nun the seruant of the Lord died when hee was an hundred and tenne yeeres old 9. And they buried him in the coasts of his inheritance in Timnah-heres in mount Ephraim on the north side of mount Gaash 10. And so all that generation was gathered vnto their fathers and another generation arose after them which neither knew the Lord nor yet his workes which he had done for Israel 11. Then the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord serued Baalim 12. And forsooke the Lord God of their fathers which brought them out of the land of Egypt and followed other Gods euen the gods of the people that were round about them and bowed vnto them and prouoked the Lord to anger 13. So they forsooke the Lord and serued Baal and Ashteroth NOw followeth the second part of the chapter to the end which also containeth the summe of the rest of the second part of the booke vnto the 17. chapter and setteth downe the estate of the children of Israel vnto the death of Sampson and that was after this manner 1. The people prouoked God by their sinnes 2. God punished them for them and that by other nations 3. He raised vp Iudges to them and 4. When they cried vnto him deliuered them 5. After that they brake forth and fell to Idolatry againe And this was their estate all the time that passed till the acts mentioned in the 17. chapter as is shewed by perticular examples through all the chapters before that beginning in the third But if any see reason not to consent that these verses in this second part of this chapter doe lay forth the summe of the second part of the booke in generall it maketh no great matter He must yet grant that in them is set downe the estate of the people generally at the time after Ioshuas death who knew not the Lord and in the chapters following more perticularly vnto the seuenteenth chapter The distinct matters in this second part of the chapter are these fiue now mentioned 1. Their sinne 2. Their punishment 3. Their crying to God 4. Deliuerance 5. Their reuolting The first of them was their sinne the which is set downe from the eleuenth verse to the fourteenth with the occasion that they tooke to fall in that manner and that is from the sixth verse to the eleuenth And the occasion was the death of Ioshua and other good gouernours heere mentioned that outliued him for though in their time the people serued the Lord as heere it is said yet after them arose another generation that knew not the Lord and then they forsooke him Of these now as it followes in order And first let vs consider what is said of Ioshua then of the people and lastly of them both Of Ioshua first in his life and so come to his death then of the people after his death In that it is said of him that he had sent the people away to their inheritance before he died as it is recorded Iosh 24. it causeth a question to bee moued why hee had called them together before his death that appeareth in the chapter mentioned now throughout vnto the 28. verse and it was to this end to rehearse Gods benefits to them and to exhort them to serue the Lord and this was a little before his death at which time also he renewed a couenant betwixt the Lord and the people the like to which we reade that Iehoida did betwixt the Lord and Ioash the King And so did Nehemiah Iosiah and other whose rare godly example is set forth most clearly and liuely to be a patterne to all Christian magistrates euen the highest how they should count it their greatest honour to honour the Lord among the people and cause them to doe so likewise to aduance his true worship also and therefore to see true and sound doctrine taught and not to suffer superstition nor false opinions to bee thrust vpon the Church and to prouide as neare as may be that the people may know that they doe not require these things of them for fashion but in sincerity and that seeing the Lord is a plentifull rewarder of them that seeke him therefore they must not thinke themselues discharged in that they prouide for the outward peace of the people only wherein yet they doe very commendably but that they may liue godly also because vnder God they are the maintainers and preseruers of both tables And the best that they can yeeld the Lord for aduancing them is to serue him in feare themselues and kisse the sonne and prouide that others may doe so and that
it appeares that they had load enough vpon them as one would thinke and yet as though there had not bin enough said of the hand of God against them the holy Ghost addeth heere that whithersoeuer they went forth the hand of the Lord was against them as if it should bee said whatsoeuer they tooke in hand or went about it prospered not but they were crossed therein whereas of the godly we reade in the first Psalme the contrary to be said and set down The like is spoken by the Prophet Azaria to the people of Iuda in the secōd booke of Chronicles This though it be not seene of many nor marked of the disobedient and therefore not complained of yet their misery therefore is the greater seeing they goe on brutishly as the foole to the stocks and the oxe to the slaughter till a dart pierce through their liuer But some feele and perceiue it when God being angry with them his hand is against them as experience witnesseth though he deale not now so much nor apparantly against his enemies in bodily as spirituall plagues for doe not many loden with sorrow and misery crieout that God fighteth against them though there be no outward punishments to bee seene vpon them and that they neither prosper nor enioy any inward peace but are wearisome to themselues cursing their lot and wishing themselues out of the world nay laying violent hands vpon themselues for very anguish of heart and madnesse thinking falsely so to escape their misery And how heauie a thing is that thinke wee especially when they know not how to remedy it And as it is thus with them euen so Gods hand is euer with his faithfull seruants in all their waies which God hath set them in They are like the tree planted by the riuers of waters that bringeth forth fruit in due season and whatsoeuer they do it shall prosper Indeed this is the lesse seene to be because they finde it so hard a thing for them in the middest of so many discouragements to continue in their vprightnesse as we may see who marke it but they are oft vnsetled and broken off by the burthen of the flesh from their innocency or else are forced with much adoe to recouer themselues being fallen and are in great heauinesse thereby But while God vpholdeth them by his grace hee doth also make them well liking and to prosper yea in their weakest estate in respect of other and to recouer And whereas it is added that this pursuing of them by the Lord in all that they set their hand vnto was as he had sworne to them it is to teach vs that it could be no otherwise seeing God speaketh nothing in vaine much lesse if he sweare to it according to Samuels words the strength of Israel will not lie One iot or tittle of his word cannot faile It is farre more firme then the law of the Medes and Perfians which yet altered not So that if the Lord speake the word or sweare except it be conditionally whether it be a threatening to such as prouoke him or a promise of any good things to such as trust in him it shall most certainiy come to passe what attempts soeuer there be to the contrary as is daily to be seene And therefore it is to be wondred at that men are so little moued thereby but for all his threats go forward in their bad course till the euill threatened doe come vpon them and cause them to crie out euen as Gods seruants also doe smart when his promises being certaine are for all that not beleeued of them But this matter is oft occasioned And this bee said of the peoples sinne and of their punishment It followeth now in the text VERS 16. Notwithstanding the Lord raised vp Iudges which deliuered them out of the hands of their oppressors 17 But yet they would not obey their Iudges for they went a whering after other gods and worshipped them and turned quickly out of the way wherein their fathers walked obeying the Commandements of the Lord they did not so 18. And when the Lord had raised them vp Iudges the Lord was with the Iudges and deliuered them out of the hand of their enemies all the daies of the Iudge for the Lord had compassion of their gronings because of them that oppressed them and tormented them NOw follow the other things which I mentioned before in the sixth verse in laying out the points of this second part of the chapter and that is how the Lord raised them vp deliuerers in their oppressions when they cried vnto him who were called Iudges This cannot bee vnderstood of any one time seeing he sent not many Iudges at once among them in any time of their affliction Therefore hee sheweth heere to the end of the chapter what was the condition of the people of Israel and the changes and diuerse courses that they were in the time of the Iudges In few words it was thus when they cried to the Lord in their oppressions he pitied their grones and raised them vp Iudges which were deliuerers of them as I said and he was with them to blesse them and yet they turned away from him againe for all that and so he was prouoked to go against them afresh as is set downe in the latter end of this chapter in some of the verses that follow And first in that it is said in the eighteenth verse for these three verses are to bee ioyned and read together that they groned to the Lord vnder their oppressions who saw nothing amiffe in themselues before it must teach vs that calamities will search and stirre vs vp to griefe and to make our mone to God for very anguish of heart how carelesse and iollie soeuer wee haue been before when wee boldly prouoked him and when wee haue been so carelesse and headstrong as that nothing could serue to plucke downe our stomackes yet sore troubles haue broken our hearts as if we neuer had been otherwise Therefore when his word will not preuaile the Lord is faine euen to maister men by strong hand that at least hee may tame them by violence if he cannot bow them to repentance euen as men handle horses and such beasts as they cannot rule they cast them and keepe them vnder by binding them that so they may worke their pleasure on them The wilde Asse must be taken in her moneths when she cannot resist and this course the Lordis driuen to take with vs to wit to make our hearts to smart and to loade them with sorrowes or else there would bee no rule with vs thus I say he is faine to take vs downe According to that which is said in the Psal When he smote them they sought him yea they sought him early Pharaoh himselfe when he felt the smart of the plagues of Egypt sought for Moses to pray for him to the Lord. Long it is
it is to teach vs that which wee are hardly brought to beleeue namely that he is most ready to remit and to remoue his punishments yea when we haue prouoked him thereto by our sins if it repent vs. When Dauid confessed his sin the Prophet Nathan being sent of God to moue him to repentance and vnderstood by his confession that he did so answered him immediately thy sinnes are forgiuen thee So the posterity of this people heere mentioned when God had sent vpon them a strange iudgement in their wheat haruest euen thunder and raine that they might thereby perceiue and see that their wickednesse was great in asking a King contrary to Gods commandement who had forbidden them so to doe and the people had giuen testimony of their repentance in desiring Samuel to pray for them and confessing that sinne in asking a King and their other sinnes hee answered Feare not the Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people and I will not cease to pray for you but I will shew you the good and right way And the whole Scripture throughout is full of examples that tend to the same end So that it may boldly and truly bee said the Lord is gracious and of great kindlesse and repenteth him of the euill that hee had brought vpon his So that it remaines that this heauenly Scripture lie not by vs vnoccupied and without fruit and vse But seeing wee doe oft forget the Lord and thereby doe that which is euill in his eyes oh fickle and inconstant people that we are wee should not sleepe in our sinne but repaire to this remedie to rend our hearts rather then our garments and neuer to thinke our selues well till we haue recouered our losse and by faith see that wee are receiued into fauour with him againe for hee waiteth for this our humiliation and it shall neuer come before him in vaine and be frustrate but he will most certainly accept of it and as for vs we ought neuer to be quiet till wee doe so And wonderfull it is and to our great detriment that the way being so open to Gods mercy and louing kindnesse euen to them that stand in need of it while they smart for their prouocations of him it is I say to bee wondred at that so few take benefit by it yea and that assoone as they haue offended they hast not to returne to him againe but wander in vnbeleefe and hardnesse of heart till they bee driuen to it by meere necessity to bow and cry vnto God And the more wee bewray our blockishnesse herein in that wee bee so hardly brought vpon our knees when we haue sinned against God wee are to know for I thought it meet to vtter it that there are no knots nor difficulties in this doctrine namely that God will be found when hee is sought vnto and will heare when he is prayed to It is a most cleere and well approued truth and none faile of helpe but such as doe not either heartily seeke it if they know how or else such as are ignorant how to doe it And that which I haue said of repenting and returning to God when wee see some speciall fault committed either by negligence or wilfulnesse to wit that we should in solemne manner thus cry vnto God as we haue been taught euen so we ought to doe though there be no apparant wilfulnesse seene in our daily slips and infirmities to offer vp to God daily our sutable repentance for the same that so we may bee no time or not long in the least manner estranged no nor absent from God but continually goe in and out before him through the day and so all our life long which is our Paradise and felicity in this world And this be said of the first of the three examples as occasion hath been offered to the tenth verse THE NINETEENTH SERMON ON THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES WE haue heard how God raised vp a sauiour or deliuerer to the people of Israel when they cried to him in their oppression euen Othniel now it is shewed how he fitted and furnished him for so great a worke And that was thus Othniel being a priuate man and one of the meanest of his fathers house only somwhat enriched by his marrying of Acksah Calebs daughter and a man of some courage was the person whom the Lord stirred vp for this purpose And he being further off then many other from ability hereunto it is said that the Lord gaue him his spirit meaning the fruits of his spirit as knowledge and iudgement to vnderstand the matters of God and his will which are things most requisite for a gouernour and he gaue him also encrease of courage strength and wisedome for warre and besides them all certified him by his spirit that he was called of God to such a seruice Now all things being thus appointed by God he as it is said heere iudged Israel that is hee executed his office in taking vpon him the protection of his people wherein the Lord being with him hee rescued them out of bondage to liberty againe and gouerned them and restored the pure worship of God among them and more particularly concerning the subduing of the aduersary of Israel it is said that the Lord strengthened him against him that Cushan-rushathaim I meane and gaue him into his hands And this cleerely teacheth vs that all gifts of the spirit and all excellent effects therof they are none of ours they are the Lords he giueth and distributeth them at his pleasure as we see heere that it was the spirit of the Lord that came vpon Othniel whereby hee brought to passe the great things that he did And whatsoeuer is of any note in man for price and exceliency it is all of God and commeth from his meere bounty Alas there is no bird stripped of her feathers more bare and naked then man in himselfe is void of goodnesse for what hath he that he hath not receiued Insomuch as all that he hath to glory of is his sinne A most holy and approued truth which giueth God his due and layeth out man in his colours that hee is nothing else if her robbe not God of his honour and pranke not vp himselfe in his gifts he is nothing else I say but naked poore and a mirrour of misery Saul the King of Israel when he wrought so great a deliuerance for Israel against the Ammonites Moses and Ioshua in the mighty preuailing for them against the Heathen nations and that in spite of all their teeth who were the proudest of them yea and Salomon in all his royalties what had they to commend set out themselues withall but the gifts which God furnished them with How doe numbers iet vp and downe vaunting themselues who hauing some gifts giuen them of God but to a farre other
of the truth of Gods promise and that he did cast himself confidently thereupon Thus his faith grew and shewed it selfe apparantly So should we when we haue been much laboured with to belieue by the preaching of the Gospell and haue our selues also much been occupied in attaining thereto we should I say then look for the fruit thereof And namely to haue proofe of our faith indeed in and about the common difficulties wherein in times past wee haue bee foiled and found it almost impossible sometime or at least very vnlike that we should preuaile by faith euen there I say we should looke to haue some strength thereof otherwise then in former times As for example when a man seeth his sinnes and the guilt of them though he be truly humbled for them euen then to lift vp the hand of faith to heauen and lay hold on the mercy of God in Christ Also in time of temptation to resist temptation by beleeuing that God wil giue vs victorie Againe when a man must lose goods and life and all that hee hath for the Gospell or else to forsake it then to cleaue fast vnto it beleeuing that we shall be great gainers thereby And so when a man wanteth meat drink and apparrell yet euen then to acknowledge Gods prouidence though by weake meanes and rest in it peaceably In like manner hauing long heard the word and how we should make it profitable to our selues by belieuing it we should grow to this point that we should be wearie of our rouing and wandering of our sleeping of our discoursing and disputing against that which we like not being vnpleasant to our flesh and say with Samuel Speake Lord for now thy seruant heareth and is ready to rest in thy will whither reproouing commanding or incouraging yea and to be vpholden guided reformed or kept within compasse whither by the terrors commandements or promises of it So ought we in all other parts of dutie to be readie to say euery one for himselfe Lord now haue I learned how I should worke in my calling vse my peace and prosperitie behaue my selfe in secret and with others and walke throughout my life innocently and fruitfully belieuing that I shall not lose the fruit of my labour And further I blesse thy name I am ready to bee put the triall and am not altogether as in times past each occasion offered by thy Maiestie is welcome I am the more incouraged to stoope meekely vnder mine affliction when I see thou hast sent it for then I belieue thou art readier to assist mee in bearing it and that thou wilt giue a good issue out of it and therefore farre be it from me to be so plunged and amazed at trials as I haue been for that were to be euer learning and neuer come to knowledge yea it were alway to be a child going by the helpe of others and neuer alone which is the propertie of a changeling And thus doing wee shall find that which the good Martyr found that when God called him to the stake he endured the fire though before hee could not endure the flame of a candle to singe so much as his finger In these and such like to haue proofe of our faith is a thing much to bee reioyced in and a good signe that our faith groweth and is strengthened otherwise then it hath been in times past according to the saying of the Apostle to the Colossians Be rooted and grow in faith that ye may abound therein And so I might say of many things particularly as of impatience anger wrath vncleane and vnchast desires excessiue feare of trouble conceits terchinesse rash iudging and many other more when we haue pursued and had them in the chace disliking condemning and long time and oft praying against them we should looke for some victorie ouer them and by the faith in which we prayed to rest perswaded that such meanes shall not bee vsed of vs in vaine but looke that the rootes of them which were fast setled in our hearts before be now loosened in vs and more and more dailie and that it shall so appeare euen then when any new occasion shall bee offered and when we shall be prouoked to offend by any This will liuely shew though wee shall neuer be vtterly void of the reliques and exâ—crements of our corrupt and rebellious heart that our faith is better confirmed in the word that commandeth vs to purge them out And this a man would thinke were more to the honour of Christians then to boast and iangle of their faith and faile in the triall ridiculously which is an easie religion to learne if it might goe for payment To whom a man might say Where is now that tongue of thine which so lustily bragged of faith as Zebul said to Gaal cap. 9. Also we further see here that though Gedeon had the promise of God that he should ouercome the Midianites yet hee lies not still but serueth Gods prouidence by furnishing himselfe with a armie good as he could conueniently to goe against them And so we ought to vse ordinary meanes to bring any worke to passe appointed vs of God though wee haue the promise of good successe from him and yet againe on the other side we should not attribute any thing to them for that were to detract from God his due But of this before at large THE FORTIE FIVE SERMON ON THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES NOw to goeforward where I left in this verse God tels Gedeon that the people of his armie were too many to giue the victory vnto lest they should ascribe it to themselues This speech of the Lord sheweth how vnfit wee bee to haue any great matter committed to vs or to our trust and gouernment for wee are most prone to abuse it and therefore he is faine oft-times to take away many good things from vs lest they should much hurt vs though they might if wee could rightly vse them turne to our great good and the benefit of others This people of Israel if they had gone altogether to the battell and got the victory they would not haue acknowledged God to haue giuen it them but their owne power and skill and yet wee know how miserable they were a little before when Gedeon himselfe complained in what distresse they were and how low they were brought so that one would thinke they were vnfit inongh to ascribe ought to themselues and that they ought rather hauing been brought from such bondage as they had been in before yea and they might also easily haue seene cause to giue glory to God for it if they with two and thirtie thousand especially so many thousands of them being faint-hearted souldiours had subdued more then an hundred thousand persons And this is the more odious in this people because they would haue abhorred such a leaud conceit or quality in themselues while they remained vnder bandage yea if they had
heard to wit that the children of Israel did offer violence to themselues rather then they would in the least manner wrong other therefore they would much lesse take away so great a portion of ground from him with whom they had nothing to do neither were prouoked by him Where we learne this that we should neuer finde sweetnesse in comming by any profit amisse and namely with the hurting and wronging of other First seeing wee thereby prouoke God against vs for God is the auenger of such things and what is our life if God be against vs Besides as we deale to other so shall we be dealt with againe and lastly besides an ill name wee shall haue an ill conscience also as wee may see in Iudas And as we should offer hard measure to none so least of all to the poore and to such as cannot beare the losse and are not able to stand with vs in suite For wee being by the commandement of God to relieue them what pleasure should wee take in plucking from them and God threatens to heare their crie against their oppressors And yet how are the poore griped and pilled But he that obserueth it shall find that either God maketh themselues who so wrong them to crie out of it for feare of his reuenging hand one time or other or else it shall be to them I meane their sweete morsels as they count them which they take in by wronging other as the Israelites Quailes were who died with them while they were in their mouthes Euen so shall they haue small liking of their iniurie they doe that I say no more But let them rather make restitution and that speedily while they may in token of their repentance which is the onely good end that can be made of such doings This point hath oft come to hand and largely been insisted vpon See verse twelfth Only let vs marke the example of Iacob for the proofe of the doctrine who rather then he would giue Laban a quarrellous and vnreasonable man the least occasion to challenge him for pillage and robberie did more then he needed euen make good euery sheepe which was cassually destroyed or perished with his owne Now if all this our good dealing doe not preuaile with our euill aduersarie nor stop his mouth yet as Iacob answers Laban the Lord who seeth vs in secret will take our cause into his owne hand and plead for vs whereas otherwise although all men should stand out for vs yet our conscience and God being against vs wee should not be able to stand vnder our burthen Another reason Iphtah setteth downe in these verses thus Sihon king of the Ammonites would needs come out against vs as wee were going toward Canaan and God gaue him into our hands so that by him wee enioy this land which ye contend for and which he enioyed and therfore what haue ye to doe to claime it or what right haue yee vnto it For yee neuer possessed it but Sthon of whom we wonne it by the law of warre So that if the Lord our God hath cast him out and giuen his land to vs commest thou in who hast nothing to doe with it against vs to possesse it Hee further in the 24. verse sheweth that which he said cleerely by a similitude thus Yee Ammonites worship the Idoll Chemosh for your god and you thinke that the land which yee possesse yee inioy it by his benefit and so by good right so we haue this by the benefit of the true God and therefore we possesse it by very good right And as for Chemosh hee called not that idoll a God for that hee tooke it to bee so but for that the Ammonites so iudged it to be We may see here how farre we may lawfully enioy such things as are taken in warre and that is when the warre is lawfully taken in hand as by Israel it was That which we thereby obtaine by good successe that may we enioy as giuen into our hands by the Lord. And to speake of things more priuat the same may be said of all that God giueth vs by the good will of our friends or by our lawfull dealing and by Gods blessing in our calling But yet with this watchword that wee honour him therewith in Christian life and glad the hearts of Gods people thereby which we ought as well to do as to be able to prooue and shew that the commodities we enioy are no fruites of our owne rapine oppression couetousnesse and euill conscience but indeed the bequests of our father which as Iacob said the Lord our God hath bestowed as a blessing vpon vs his seruants seeking first the things that concerne our happinesse and God his kingdome and receiuing from him these smaller things againe in token of his allowing and approouing of vs. But this is an vsuall argument in this booke therefore I passe by it More particularly let vs note out of this verse in that Israel would not and was guided by God therein when he had great need so much as goe through the land of Sihon without his leaue learne we hence I say that no man may vsurpe or challenge to himselfe another mans right but euery man is to be content with his owne portion and allowance yea in this the Lord will haue the meanest free from the tyrannie of the greatest and taketh the cause of the poore into his owne hand against their potent enemies though there be none vpon earth that can iudge them as in the case of Ahab and Iezabels extorting Naboths vineyard doth appeare And the reason is good for next to the good of the Church the Lord hath a special care of vpholding of societie among men by order and good gouernment which are ouerthrowne when proprietie in goods and commodities is taken away by the vnequall vsurpation of the greater ouer the smaller And in truth as there is small oddes betwixt beasts and men when the common bands of equitie are broken so much lesse is it like that a Church can bee setled and established in such confusion and the greater is their sinne who euen in the Church exercise this mischieuous practise whereof not God who is the God of order but Satan is the author euen as he is of all other disorders Therefore let none be troublesome or iniurious to other more then he would be content that another should wrong or hurt him in that which is his None should be oppressed in bargaining or otherwise as the Lord by the Apostle hath giuen in charge which if it were well regarded much complaining of iniurie and hard dealing would cease But this is a branch of the other It came of the Lord that Sihon did not only deny passage to Israel through his land but also that he should prouoke them to warre that he might giue him and his land into their hands and withall giue them passage through his country Euen so it
first fruites consecrated to him that wee might vse the rest with thanksgiuing And in that she was his only childe it must needs increase his heauinesse that by his vow he had brought vpon himselfe when he saw he must be depriued of her and to this his sinne brought him in his rash vow making or whatsoeuer other sinnes they were that others may beware thereby And by this we learne that God for mens sinne will not spare to depriue them of that which is most deare vnto them One reason hereof is that the Lord meaneth to humble them deeply and to cause them to descend into themselues more seriously and to purge out the sinne that waiteth them a mischiefe and so to preuent it And therefore this vse wee should make of it that whensoeuer the Lord dealeth so with vs wee should know it is for the hardnes of our harts which otherwise and without such breaking of them will not be softned And let vs the lesse marueile at it when we finde it to be so for though he haue often gone about it by gentler meanes yet we know they haue not preuailed so that wee haue driuen him to deale more hardly with vs as wee count it and to handle vs more roughly as to wound vs so deeply by taking the things from vs which are most deare vnto vs. And if we are not to be accused for that our hearts are hardned by the deceitfulnes of sinne but that wee relent yet let vs know that God hath sufficient cause to afflict vs as to exercise and prepare vs for greater and to hold vs here as strangers But of this in another place although I haue often obserued it before in the seuerall stories of the punishments which fell vpon the idolatrous Israelites By this verse it may appeare how sore Iphtahs daughters meeting of him did trouble him as both by his word hee testified saying Oh thou that shouldest haue been my chiefe earthly comfort thou I say art one that hast chiefly cast me downe Also by signes thereof hee shewed it in that hee cut his garments for sorrow after the manner of the Hebrewes when they saw that some great calamitie was suddenly befalne them as in Ioel and other places it appeareth And he shewes the reason that hee hauing vowed to offer her to the Lord he might not he said goe backe such was his ignorance that he knew not there was libertie giuen by the Lord in that case to redeeme that which a man had vowed amisse This verse affoordeth vs many good lessons and first by this that she was such a trouble to him after hee had gotten the victorie and that the Lord pulled him downe so sore thereby by this I say we are taught that God seeth it expedient thus to deale with his seruants oft times that when hee hath exalted them by some great fauour bestowed vpon them lest they should take too much delight therein and so become surfeited therewith hee addeth some affliction to it or taketh away some part of the benefit which point I haue at large handled in chap. 8. vers 1. of this booke yet I will here adde somewhat This appeareth therefore in sundrie particulars as in our goodly shew and likelihood of fruitfull haruests and hope of other commodities commonly wet or drie cold or heate immoderate and other changes and casualties cut off a great part of our hope So in marriage wealth credit and such like the Lord addeth sicknesse some losses or other affliction or holdeth the feare of them ouer our heads as the parent doth the rodde ouer the childe to weane vs from too great pleasure taking in them Euen as we reade in all ages he hath done the like So Isaak and Rebecca in their kind and comfortable marriage had Esau their sonne to bee a vexation to them in his most wicked marriage and before that sometime a famine and sometime the ill dealing of strangers with them So Iob for all his wealth had his crosses and namely his wife yea hee was so acquainted with this truth and Gods dealing with his deare children that hee said in the middest of his prosperitie that he looked for his change And who doth not see it necessarie that the Lord should deale thus with vs For else it should bee found so to be with vs as it was in the daies of Noah when they did eate and drinke marrie and were married and made that the chiefe end of their liuing here whereas godlinesse being the great riches and a day passed therein being better then a thousand in any estate beside the Lord would haue vs claspe about that and be ready to learne by little and little that wee haue no hold of any transitory thing here below though lawfull but we should count one thing necessary though we be occupied about many And to make good the doctrine that I haue gathered out of this verse to wit of Gods keeping vs vnder some way in the middest of our prosperitie I conclude that if Paul had neede to be buffeted lest hee should be lifted vp aboue measure we may lay our hand vpon our mouth and say God hath most iust reason to deale thus with vs as I haue said Now if hee seeth it meete thus to exercise vs lest wee should bee lifted vp then much more if we haue already been so and passed our bounds in any such manner Now to goe forward by these words of Iphtah Oh my daughter thou art of them that trouble me and by the deepe and sudden sorrow which they testifie to haue then possessed him by them I say wee may see and obserue another thing that the best delights and greatest pleasures of this life in which wee haue had exceeding comfort as hee had in his daughter may possibly and doe often turne to our great sorrow and discontentment We see the same in Iacob when his sonnes hating their brother Ioseph had dipped his coate in blood to hide their owne sinne and brought it to their father to make him thinke that he had been slaine by some wilde beast when he saw it hee brake out in a great passion and said This is my sonnes coate an euill beast hath deuouted him Oh what heauinesse tooke hold of him euen from and by him who was his ioy and most deare vnto him And thus it is with vs as it was with them So consider how deare Absolom was to his father Dauid and when word was brought him of his death how heauily did he take it how did he wish and desire that hee might haue lost his owne life to haue saued his as his words vttered in most patheticall and lamentable manner doe testifie where he thus crieth out Oh Absolom my sonne my sonne would God I had died for thee oh Absolom my sonne my sonne Euen so what sore disquiets and corsiues are many children to their parents wiues to their
as if it it had been sword staffe or other weapon And when hee had slaine them hee shewed what heapes hee had made with so slight a helpe or instrument Heere we see that these Philistims lately so exceedingly ioyfull did not onely lose their ioy but their liues also And this may tell vs yet a heauier thing then the former For it teacheth that for the most part looke what fearefull and blind estate the blind and bad people liue in and chuse to repose themselues in in the same they continue for the most part and end their daies For is there almost any place left for amendment Therfore the Apostle saith The wicked and the deceiuer wax worse and worse and when they crie peace peace and all things are safe then commeth destruction suddenly vpon them before they be aware as the trauell vpon a woman with child and they shall not be able to auoide it When the rich man in the Gospell reioyced most in that he had he was nearest a wofull end So Baltazzer when he was drinking wine merrily with his Princes and Concubines in the vessels of the Temple then the fearfull hand writing appeared on the wall hauing this meaning God hath finished thy kingdome So Agag And as such liue so they die Although I denie not but God where it pleaseth him can giue a new hart where it is sought and cause such vanity to bee distasted as wherein men haue delighted and worke found reioycing instead thereof Therefore chuse wee the best delights and so the longer we hold them the soundlier wee shall enioy them vntill we keepe them vnto our end Another thing that he did was that when he had slaine an heape he correcteth himselfe when hee smote them on both sides with the iaw-bone they preasing about to take him and he saith two heapes or many as if he should haue said heapes vpon heapes had been slaine by him And seeing hee knew that God gaue him the strength thereto hee being a godly man why doth he vtter these words but that al might see and acknowledge what a great worke God had wrought by him and that by a weake meane euen with the iaw bone of an Asse To teach vs that where the Lord will haue vs execute iustice without pitie vpon euill doers we must not faint nor be negligent to doe his commandement vpon them as Samson did here Ioshua before on Achan Ehud vpon the King of Moab and Shamgar on the Philistims God will haue the wicked smart for their trespasses openly committed to smart I say by men according to the weight and hainousnesse of them and vtterly forbiddeth foolish pity to be shewed in such a case according to the saying of Salomon It is an abomination to iustifie the wicked The like may be said against that foolish pity which ariseth in vs when wee behold Gods immediate hand vpon them and yet wee ought not then for all this to insult ouer them but we must ascribe honour to God with those 24. Elders in the Reuelation and Dauid vpon the death of Nabal Now followeth the third point that as Samson honoured God in shewing what hee had done by him in slaying heapes of men euen a thousand so he added this thereto that he gaue a name to the place where hee did it as a memoriall thereof that all posterity comming after might know vnto the end of the world what great things God did for his people against their enemies The name of it he called Ramath-Lehi as if he should haue said the lifting vp of a iaw-bone which remaineth as a monument of Gods mighty worke by him euen to this day Thus and by this meanes Gods seruants haue praised him in times past as in the booke of Numbers Ioshua and other is to bee seene as well as other times by songs and dances that wee all may marke and remember his benefits and great workes and praise him among the generations following to the quickening and comforting of his people and the feare of his enemies although not in the same manner that some haue done in ages past But of this before once or twice The fourth part of the Chapter Vers 18. And he was sore athirst and called on the Lord and said Thou hast giuen this great deliuerance into the hand of thy seruant and now shall I die for thirst and fall into the hand of the vncircumcised 19. But God claue an hollow place that was in the iaw and there came water thereout and when he had drunke his spirit came againe and he reuiued wherfore he called the name thereof En-hakkoreh which is in Lehi vnto this day 20. And he iudged Israel in the daies of the Philistims twentie yeeres NOw followeth the fourth and last part of this Chapter wherein is shewed what an exceeding great thirst Samson had after the slaughter of these Philistims and that he prayed to God and he giue him water so that he reuiued and so he praised God there And 〈…〉 time that hee iudged Israel is in the last place adioyned and set downe â—â—ch was twentie yeres By this thirst of his the Lord would haue him to know himselfe and to be held vnder lest by that which hee had done to the Philistims hee might haue been lifted vp aboue that which was meet Thus he dealeth with his intermixing his chastisements with blessings that both they may be held in humility by the one and yet may haue sufficient encouragement to abide constantly in a good course and not forget the Lord and become high minded as they are easily brought to bee by the other to wit his benefits And thus the Lord saw good to deale euen with Paul himselfe who was buffeted by Satan when hee had been listed vp to the third heauen by the rauishing of Gods spirit yet hee had that humour remaining in him which needed setling and cooling that his ioy might be kept within holy lists and bounds And the same I haue noted in that famous accident of Iphtah his daughter whom God set on to abase him that hee might proceed on to the triumph more soberly Wee must thinke Gods seruants are deare to him when hee sticketh not to bereaue them of their preciousest delights to the end they may hold their delight in him and not turne their sweetnesse into bitternes I meane their holy reioycing into fleshly presumption The reason hereof is because else God cannot trust vs in the businesse he sets vs about except hee giues vs coolings and abasements to consume the superfluity of our hypocrisie conceitednesse of our selues pride and security which are as vnfit dealers in heauenly matters as Nadab and Abihu their strange fire was to kindle incense or offer sacrifice withall And secondly the Lord honoreth many of his deare seruants whose faith and setlednesse in grace and freedome from such grosse staines hee is priuie vnto by giuing them
the destruction of many of the Philistims brought vpon them by his meanes hee himselfe losing his life with them But before he did it he tooke his best opportunity to bring it to passe For he being set betwixt the pillers as was said in the former verse hee asketh of the seruant that led him to set him so as hee might feele them with his shoulders which he spake as though hee would haue eased and rested himselfe being wearied with grinding in the prison and by bearing his chaines and bolts but intending indeed to seeke the best opportunity to cast downe the house vpon the Philistims Here first marke this that he notwithstanding he had lost his eyes which should haue guided his body yet hee was not vnmindfull of the worke of his calling namely to plague the Philistims Gods enemies and therefore he vsed the help of the seruant to further him thereto We should all learne to remember and consider for all our troubles and discouragements those weightie charges and duties which are in our power to performe that wee leaue them not by occasion thereof neither lay them aside as wee are easily brought to doe thereby So that although wee haue not all incouragement and abilitie thereto as were to be desired yet we should vse that which we haue and may come by Rare is the example of Ionah in this behalfe that being in the Whales belly where for streightnes of roome noisomenes and stinch hee could a man would thinke doe nothing yet euen there made his faithfull prayer to God and vpheld himselfe by faith For notwithstanding we are disabled altogether to performe some duties by necessitie yet those which wee may wee should with Samson labour to performe and haue a care to discharge them I speak this for that many professors of the Gospell hauing receiued a checke from some of their betters for being more forward in religious duties then other or then is well liked and for making more conscience of their waies then the most I say they sustaining a rebuke for the same are discouraged and are ready to leaue off their Christian course altogether at least their feruencie and forwardnesse which is vtterly vnmeete for them to doe for so they shew that they feare man more then God and so they cut him short of his due as they thinke good which is in no wise tollerable Whereas if they were seruants tenants or otherwise inferiours to such superiours as should abridge and depriue them of some helpes and liberties which might further them to the discharge thereof yet ought they not through feare to giue ouer the duties which they may performe but the rather constantly to hold out therein and practise the same in al points as they may For what shall all help of man be to them if God be against them Moses would not leaue the least dutie vndone to please Pharao I remember what I haue read of a valiant Roman Captaine in a fight by sea that first hee aduenturing to put foorth his hands to catch at the gable of the enemies ship with eagernes to surprise her and draw her to his owne Nauie as prisoner lost his right hand by the sword of the enemie which being cut off he haled againe with the left hand thinking to pull her away but in the attempt lost his left hand also when he saw himselfe disarmed of his hands he being neere fell downe and with his teeth drew the ship with such violence that hee wonne her in the despite of the defenders thereof I bring in this as an allusion to shew the exceeding resolution of carnall men in the aduancing of their purposes for honour wealth or fleshly proiects but in this matter of our holy profession wherein God is highly honoured if wee bring forth much fruit who takes not a repulse by the smallest discouragement either from being zealous therein and an ordinary worshipper of God or for being carefull ouer his family or a liberal relieuer of the distressed Saints or from walking in his particular calling with a good conscience or to be short from seruing God inwardly and outwardly with labour and attendance as the cause requires Also who being shut out one way seekes passage another trying all meanes rather yea and though disappointed in part yet to do somewhat rather then nothing Paul indeed being restrained from publike preaching sat not still but did what he could in prison so that his bands were as famous as his liberty not saying with Elija therein weake Take my life now Lord for Iezabel giues no permission to thy Prophets to teach openly but makes a racket of them If we may honour God in publike let vs if not then among a few if not so yet in our family if we be sequestred from al these yet in our spirit and that shall be our discharge before God But if any shall say I haue offered God my seruice in his Church and hee refuseth it therefore he must pardon me if I haue the smaller list to be otherwise occupied this is madnesse and follie or else sloth and hypocrisie Oh saith many a son wife seruant ye little know what a father husband or master or landlord I haue to discourage me otherwise I can tell what I could doe in seruing God as well as other Well marke what Paul saith If thou be a seruant though streitned doe as thou maist the worst master cannot make thee cold without thine own consent although if thou be free vse it rather And therefore it was a great sinne in Dauid when hee was driuen to his shifts by Saul to offer his helpe to Achish against the Church make the best of it that we can For want of incouragement must not coole our affection though it may hinder action much lesse may it excuse discontentment or that which is worse And seeing such sullennes argueth that there is no resolute purpose indeed to dutie therefore many such grow loose and consciensles in their trouble for affliction will search a man and others being in time inlarged and set free are as barren hypocrites after as euer before they were plentifull in their complaints of their miserie We must thinke Zachary and Elizabeth had as many dismaiments as we vnder Herod and in so corrupt a time let vs be as they and wee shall be borne with for being no forwarder But here an end for this time THE EIGHTIE EIGHT SERMON ON THE XVI CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES HEre to goe forward as Samson was preparing to bring to passe that great slaughter of the Philistims so the Lord had prepared the persons for him to execute it vpon them Therefore it is said here that the house was full of men and women and all the Princes of the Philistims were vpon the house prouision being made where they might best see aboue three thousand men to behold Samson and please themselues therein Which cleerely laieth out the