and the manner brutish They want and would haue to defray the hard world or to bestow vpon their lusts and to maintaine themselues in pride of life but neither worke they because they thinke it is a sin to be idle nor because they looke for any other fruite of their labour saue the bringing in of the peny They see not whose commandement it is that they should labour Genes 3. therefore they goe through it with vexation discontentment distrust endlesse carking and tying God to their girdle to giue what successe they desire which if they get they take it for granted that he loueth them if not they storme To the impure all things are impure and so are their callings they doe the workes of them commonly not to shunne noysome lusts temptation and the fruites of sloth nor to serue Gods prouidence neither to sharpen and fit themselues thereby to religious exercises and to good duties nor to auoide offensiue burthening of others nor to doe good and relieue them that want c. and so to obey God in all nay to speake the truth when they are in their shops at markets in their fields they are far from setting God before their eyes much lesse doe they beleeue that God is with them there to blesse them in their worke as well as when they are occupied in duties meerely religious Sinister ends and causes doe compell the most to yeeld some obedience to Gods commandement but doubtlesse if all were now men of worth and might liue of themselues we should haue few workers As we see by their words saying Oh such a man is happie Why because he need not worke nor toyle as we doe but liue easily and enioy the world at will And by this they bewray that they could bee content to doe so too if necessitie vrged them not to doe otherwise Therefore their labour is as displeasing to God as their idlenesse in a manner as they vse it A wofull thing ans not without the curse of God vpon such as will not learne a better direction that whereas some goe about their worke in faith beleeuing that because they are Gods beloued therefore God will giue them rest blessing and successe others rise earely sit vp late drudge and droile eate the bread of care and drinke the water of affliction yet either they thriue not or at least they are as much to seeke of soule-prouision I meane grace and hope of saluation at the end of their wearisome life as at the beginning whereas it shoud haue been their first work after they came to yeeres of discretion Which should teach vs wisedome and not to giue God a short and formal pittance of seruice when we be at Church on the Sabbath but seeing that great worke is to seeke with the most therefore to giue all their diligence thereto that is to make their saluation sure that all the sixe daies we may wholly giue vp our selues to other affaires without so much as minding God or godlinesse For the Lord will haue vs serue him religiously as well in actions ciuill not religious of their owne nature as holy and this is the scope of his third Commandement which tieth the seruice of God to euery part of our liues in our common course of liuing as well as the second doth to religious duties and therefore must be extended to our particuler callings as being the greatest part of our time and wherein our liues are most taken vp But I will proceede in the next Sermon and here an end Now to proceed where I left THE THIRTIE EIGHT SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES WHile Gedeon was thus hard at worke and labouring the Angell came and spake comfortably vnto him as if he had bin praying or in the like exercise and not to terrifie him To teach vs that our businesse and works of our callings are no lets to vs frō hauing cōmunion and fellowship with God neither doe hinder his presence and comfortable being with vs. And the same may be said of our callings themselues ordained by him bee they meane and base or waightie Therefore the Lord was with Iacob in his iourney and in the way when hee was going from his brother Esaus wrath and rage And so hee made the Gospell effectuall in Lydia by Pauls preaching she being then a seller of purple and rich and not yet truly conuerted to God And the Lord blessed the two tribes in their calling and habitation saying Reioyce Zebulon in thy goings out that is in thy prosperous voiages on the seas and thou Ishachar in thy dwelling in tents meaning in thy quiet keeping at home about thy traffique and businesse And by this which I haue said let vs marke that if it be not long of our selues our lawfull callings and businesse are no hindrances of vs from the seruing of God holily and religiously as some thinke they be but that from them we may goe to prayer or the like exercise in good manner euen as wee may from these to them Although I may truly say this that for not well learning it few can ioyne these wisely and rightly together because their affections and delights are set too egerly towards that which sauers of the earth and of gaine which is the cause that measure is not commonly kept therin Dauid saying that he had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord then to dwell in the tents of the vngodly which he would not haue said if mens attendance vpon the basest worke in their lawful callings had been an hindrance to them from Gods seruice may by his words stay and comfort many weake Christians who thinke that they are much letted from the duties of godlinesse euen by the very vsing of their callings because they be not spirituall as prayer and the like exercises are But to end this let the vse of that which hath been said be thus much vnto vs that wee euer labour to be so innocent well gouerned in al our earthly businesse and workes of our calling that we may not driue the Lord from vs but haue him alwaies with vs by the spirit of truth direction and comfort as we haue heard he hath been with other and was here with Gedeon in their earthly affaires for that is the vsing of them aright and in their kinde The next thing in this verse is this that though the Lord sent his Angell to Gedeon for his owne reliefe and comfort and also the peoples yet wee see this was not done till they were brought neere to extremitie all helpe of man was past and they had no other refuge vnder God but to prouide for themselues by flying from their dwellings to saue their liues As for example Gedeon whose father was in some authoritie and therefore none of the poorest yet was at this point euen thrashing a little corne by the aide and nourishment wherof he and his might flie from the
prognosticate vnto what a passe they are like to grow if they had elbow roome For though none might liue happilier then they yet who for the most part doe lesse looke after it for as they in Moses absence from them but fortie daies made themselues a calfe to worship euen so the people are so brutish in these daies and disordered euen while their faithfull pastors liue with them that the greatest part of them take no good by them what did I say nay they liue most offensiuely vnder them A signe of a wofull condemnation ready to come vpon them all may see it is in their so doing for louing darkenesse in the cleare light of the Gospell more then it And though some of them who are more subtill doe carrie the matter more closely yet they are restrained by necessity or shame not reformed by grace and the power of the word And let others who are not so bad and yet not brought to true repentance let them I say make better vse of such helpes while they enioy them as they did in the Acts of the Apostles and especially let them see that all bee well betwixt God and them yea and let them get furniture of grace to vphold them afterward also lest too late they lament that they tooke no good by them and bewaile the want of them as Saul did Samuel when there is no helpe But heere in as much as we see these people held out in Gods seruice but for a time and that was while they had good gouernours and ouerseers liuing with them it auaileth much therefore to obserue in our selues what it is that maketh vs embrace religion and what is the chiefest thing that causeth vs to hold on the same A worthie point for all to learne and namely such as pretend they loue the Gospell it much concerneth vs I say to know and be assured whether it be fauour of men commodity credit example or other outward respect which moueth vs to professe any thing more zealously then some other doe or whether for conscience sake in that God commandeth vs so to doe and for the sauour and sweetnesse that wee finde therein and in the Gospell which wee heare For euen thereafter shal our welfare prosperity and perseuerance be For if wee haue tasted how good the Lord is and haue found that hundred fold that is promised and verefied in vs which is written in the Psalme that a day in Gods house is better to vs then a thousand else where then we may know that wee haue builded vpon a rocke and our building shall stand and till we meet with a better booty then that and may serue a better master then the Lord is which shall neuer be wee will keepe close to him and count his seruice to bee perfect freedome And to such as demand of vs whether wee will continue and hold on in a godly course or goe backe as Christ demanded of his Disciples we shall be able to answere with Peter whither shall wee goe wee are in the way to eternall life and we will not change our Christian course for any other Otherwise it is not enough to boast of our loue to God and to say Lord Lord when yet we will take no paines throughly to gage our harts and to see our affection well ordered that so good life may follow Now while the holy Ghost speaketh of the people how they followed the Lord all the daies of Ioshua and the godly elders hee stayeth a while about them giuing them this testimony that they had seene the workes of God which he had done among them meaning that they had not barely looked vpon them but obserued and as Mary did the words of the Angell had laid them vp in their hearts to consider them For what profited it then otherwise to see them For there is no doubt but that there were many more aliue at that time who had seene the miracles and great workes which the Lord had wrought in placing them in Canaan but they were not worth the naming seeing they had not also made vse of them but these had seen them in another manner so that they acknowledged the Lords power and goodnesse toward them thereby declaring that to be the cause of their constant seruing of God and cleaning to him euen because they had seene them And it is no lesse doubtlesse then a great cause of the godlinesse of them that haue any in them namely that they are such as haue seene and weighed Gods wonderfull acts as his mercy and gracious working by the power of the Gospell in themselues or other as also for that they haue had proofe of his mighty vpholding of theÌ„ in a good course against all aduersary power of the prince of darkenes and his band In like manner this hath hartened them to duty not a little for that as they haue seen it alwaies to go well with them while they feared the Lord and departed from euill so they â—â—ue seene the heauie hand of God to haue been against others that haue peruerted their waies followed a bad course so that although they haue prospered heere for a season yet when God in his due time hath blowne vpon their visored felicity they haue wanzed away in his displeasure This Salomon commendeth to vs in his example who professeth that it was his practise to behold and consider all things not impertinent matters as a busie bodie but profitable and especially the courses and issues of the righteous and wicked By which meanes hee attained to great experience and wisedome both to guide himselfe and others Euen as his father Dauid did also saying that he was made wiser then the ancient because he considered such things But this meditating of Gods wonderfull workes and namely this one the greatest of other how he hath appointed to saue some from vtter perdition and letteth others goe on in their sinnes though it be a strong motiue to draw men to God yet with griefe it may be spoken it is vtterly wanting among most men Their hearts are set on follie and vanity He that hath liued to see many laid in graue hath scarce a thought that hee shall follow and goe the way that all haue gone before him in As for that they heare that except they repent they shall all perish although they know their hearts are hardened so that they neither can repent nor haue the least desire after it yet they crie peace peace as though all were safe So that it may now iustly be complained of which Salomon hath long agoe bewrayed that the fooles eyes are in euery corner of the world meaning that they are busying themselues any way needlesly and amisse but as for things out of the world or aboue it that is as Saint Peter speaketh a farre off their eyes are sore and pur-blind they cannot looke after them and as the Prophet speaketh they
feare that God doth not marke vs for his enemies Which miserable condition the vnbeleeuers are alwaies in vnlesse they be hardened which is far worse as I said before for if his anger be kindled but a little as it is euer toward them a great deale happie are they that feare him I would not therefore bee a bad person if there were any way to shun it euen for this cause whereas yet all the terrors heere are but a glimps of those that follow afterwards And contrarily why should not the godly be content to beare some hardnesse heere seeing they are freed from the greatest terrours if they know their liberties both heere and heereafter But somewhat like this I spake of in Eglons example before Now I should proceed to speake of Barak hauing begun with Debora and said of her that which is occasioned by the text but I should haue no time thereto in this sermon therefore an end heere THE TWENTIE SIXE SERMON ON THE FOVRTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES WE haue heard of Deboras message to Barak in the two former verses Now followeth Baraks answere to her message in this eighth verse If saith hee thou wilt goe with me I will goe else not This answere of his seemes to yeeld little to Gods commandement sent to him by Deboras ministery neither to ascribe any thing to Gods promise and therefore shewes how he profited not by those two strong peswasions to leade to duty mentioned before but proues that hee ascribed more to her presence then to Gods promise which what could it be lesse then a great blemish in him as may bee seene by his amending his fault afterwards Whose faith is so highly renouned among the worthies in the epistle to the Hebrues Beside she was offended with him for his so answering and therefore it was doubtlesse infidelity in him If it bee asked why then is hee afterward so highly commended for his faith I answere that when the message came first to him the thing enioyned him from God by Deboras message seemed to be most full of difficulty For he was commanded to make commotion and to rebell against him that was King ouer them to wit this Iabin who was very great and mighty he was also charged to gather an armie of men together though hee was but a priuate man himselfe These things therefore for him to take in hand and that against such a fierce and strong captaine as Sisera was it made him afraid to set vpon such a worke and especially while he was vnexperienced in so great a triall and difficulty and this was the cause why hee could not beleeue except shee went with him that God would deliuer him with his men of warre into his hand But afterward weighing better the commandement of God and his promise God by his spirit assisting him hee beleeued the words of Debora and obeyed and so obtained the victory by faith as it is said in the forementioned place to the Hebrues And how vsually this falleth out and commeth to passe euen to the godly that at the first they doe stagger and doubt and beleeue not by and by and that through the strong reliques of the old Adam there is no man of God but hath proofe and yet for all that afterward they being strengthened by the spirit of God recouer themselues againe and beleeue confidently This is apparent in Dauid euen after he had beleeued saying O Lord wash mee throughly cleanse me for I am wholly filthy And againe Create in me a new spirit as if the old had been vtterly lost Also in Moses when he was first commanded to goe to Pharaoh how fearefull he was at the hearing of the message and how hee shrunke backe but afterward how boldly did he execute the same and deliuer it vnto him Euen so the best of vs when we heare of the death of our deare friends or of great losses that are befallen vs also at the beginning of great sicknesse and paine arresting vs oh how doe we faint and distrust that we shall neuer submit our selues and yeeld obediently to them though God command vs straitly to doe so while we cast both our eyes on the burthen and crosse that is on the the things that are seene as the Apostle speaketh and while wee are not yet come to our selues to looke vp to God with confidence and to things not seene but eternall But when we weigh how they come from him that loueth vs and therefore cannot intend our hurt we then submit our selues to God and stay vpon him for grace to go vnder all and waite patiently for a good issue And because our hearts arise oft times against our brethren when we see these weakenesses in them and begin to iudge and thinke too hardly of them for the same the Lord therefore letteth vs sometimes see the same or other such in our selues that so wee may learne to beare with the infirmities of them And when wee haue experience of this it causeth vs to bewaile tenderly the weaknesses that we see in our brethren and with the spirit of meeknesse helpe to hold them vp rather then by and by to censure them ouer sharply for the same And it is to be deepely bewailed to see how farre off many are from duty in this behalfe though otherwise religious and such as loue the truth frō their herts are ouercome with deadly cōceits against their brethrē when they see they haue fallen by infirmity are strongly incensed against them leaue thē to themselues neuer telling them of it kindly as if they see thē ouercome of impatience teastinesse anger or if their zeale feruency in seruing God be slaked abated or that they be offensiuely taken vp of and carried away with the world These and the like I confesse are rust causes to raise griefe in vs and are much to be disliked of vs when we espy them in such as be well thought of by vs and they are blemishes in them not to be borne with or allowed but yet for all that when wee shall see such things in them wee must beware that wee censure them not too hardly for who hath giuen vs authority to iudge them crying out vncharitably that there is no religion in them For though it cannot bee denied but that the diuell hath by watching his opportunitie got aduantage ouer them yet they being not vntractable but only deceiued in their so offending and yet in other parts of their liues they holding their care to please God and labouring to keepe a good conscience we must not for some one such weaknes fall by and by to such hard iudging of them and to depart from them which is vtterly against charitie and dutie but to think that there being so many snares to intangle men it may easily enough be so with them as wee may see it to be with our selues if we be not blinded with
wealthie and heads in societies that they ought to be the first in giuing good example both of praising God and in other commendable parts of Christian dutie For why The greatest haue a greater portion in Gods blessing and deliuerance then the meaner haue I meane they enioy much and haue much to lose and therefore they owe much while they enioy all in peace And secondly it is a goodly sight to behold Captaines in warre and Gouernours and Magistrates in peace and more particularly to descend lower and to come neerer the Commons Headboroughs in townes and the fathers of families to be lights in religion and holy practise to the rest and examples in the seruice of God and the inferiours to follow euen as the flocke followeth the bell-weather for they are both soone discouraged by their backwardnes and haue need of setting forward as by incouragement and good example they are easily brought to be Therefore the Lord in giuing charge to all by their families that they should remember to keepe holy the Sabbath beginneth with the gouernour thereof saying first thou shalt doe it then hee goeth forward to the sonne daughter and seruant Euen so on the contrary and much more when the greatest persons goe before the rest in ill example we see how readily they follow So wee reade that the Priests Leuites and guides of the people were the chiefe and first in taking to them and their sonnes strange wiues of the Amorites and Canaanites against the commandement of God and then many of the people followed them therein when they were returned out of the captiuitie Euen so wee might see it throughout if I should alleage many examples And so God be thanked in some sort wee see that where the chiefe men in any societie be forward in seeking knowledge and be zealous in flying euill and resisting it as their places will giue leaue and in following a good course their care and labour is not in vaine but to good purpose but where the guides of other as their Ministers masters of families and chiefe in townes are prophane lewd ill company keepers idle gamesters make-bates contentious and slanderers there yee may bee sure to finde them that are led by them and that depend vpon them to be sutable But otherwise if they see that the winde blowes against them then they hang downe the head and are nipt in the blossome and containe themselues And here see a note of difference betwixt the godly and the lewd The one with Ioshua vndertaketh for himselfe and his they will serue the Lord. The other like those Pharisies are not onely ill disposed themselues but doe also pull backe and pluck downe with them as many as they can from the best orders and companies And while men must liue with such rare is he who in such a case is a law to himselfe and can keepe his resolution rather to serue God alone then to giue ouer for want of companie But if any be better disposed then other among them they must fetch their light from other places for the most part or else bee in danger in the companie they come into to lose that little they haue and to be led into darknesse Now Debora hauing spoken of the chiefe doth by that occasion descend to name and mention the meaner sort of the armie to wit the two tribes of Naphtali and Zabulon who were willing to take that worke in hand against the Canaanites and were easily drawne to put to their helpe as appeareth chapt 4. 10. They therefore being so forward in so good a cause and thereby reaping so happie a fruite of their labour that is victorie ouer their enemies euen they I say lose not their due commendation but are brought in here by Debora as the woman in the Gospell who powred ointment on our Sauiour of whom he said this Wheresoeuer the Gospell should be preached that which she had done to him should be spoken of So the people that honoured God in this worke are praised by her which was also to their comfort Dauid saith of seafaring men that they could best speake of Gods wonders in the deepe so these being eye witnesses nay instruments and helpers forward of this deliuerance might best by experience speake of the goodnes of God therein and so no doubt did honour him for it and therfore God would honour them by regestring their memorie euen so there is nothing lost that we doe at Gods commandement and for his sake he is a plentifull paimaster and rewarder But in that both chiefe and meane were to praise God for the victorie she calleth thē to a renouncing of their owne strength or boasting of their owne arme which possibly they might haue done and to ascribe all to God as indeed she might well for what were a few of two of the meanest tribes of Zabulon and Naphtali able to doe against the entire forces and mightie armie of Iabin euen so they that are forward in Gods businesse vnlesse they grossely forget themselues they are readie to honour and praise him which cannot be without their owne comfort For these two agree well together that where there is readinesse to obey God there is the like in praising him and abasing of our selues and that also accompanied with ioy of heart And as it was heere with Debora so she sought to haue it with them and the same we see in Dauid when hee being aduised by Ahigail not to shed innocent blood he being easily perswaded by her counsell to forbeare did so and after it praised God highly and arrogated naught to himselfe for following her aduice when she had so wisely and in so good season ministred it vnto him and that wee may be sure was not without his owne reioycing Oh it well becommeth vs to bee forward in Gods matters and yet not to be proud for our so doing and there can come no worse end thereof then thankes to God who hath vsed vs as his instruments and comfort to our selues as wee may truly say who doe more thankfully and ioyfully partake the Word and Sacraments then they who haue with most profit receiued the Gospell and are most zealous welwillers to religion whereas the slothfull and they who are vntoward thereto neither finde any tast or sauour therein but are most diligent to promote ill causes they shall in stead of the prerogatiues of the other haue as they iustly deserue reproch vexation and other punishments of God euen in this life Therefore let all in humility bee carefull and ready to bee imployed in Gods busines and seruice and not to arrogate ought to themselues for that is the onely sweet life and to be desired and herein is our heauenly father glorified if we being forth much fruit In this verse she speakes vnto the rich and wealthy who for honour sake and the rule they had ouer the people did ride on costly beasts as we reade in chapter 10. 4.
bauds to adulterers and to spend that day leaud and vnseemely meetings and match-makings stage-playes and other reuell rout and all vnder the honest colour of exchanging commodities and maintaining their charge So that in stead thereof men and women set to sale their good name chastity sobriety and whatsoeuer else should bee pretious to the godly Now vnto these before mentioned of greater wealth and place whereas some thinke that in the next words shee speaketh to men of meaner state such as is said here dwelt by Middin a place they say where they met more vsually for a Mart or exchange of their wares which place being before intercepted by the enemies and now free for all to haue recourse to it and passe too and fro by the high waies shee exhorts them that repaired thither to praise the Lord. This opinion of theirs is gainsaid by the purest translations and beside one thing should bee vnderstood in both places to wit of traâ—â—ique and merchandise if it were so But the word Middin is not to be taken heere for the proper name of a place where wares were sold but the words dwelling by Middin are to bee translated thus sitting in iudgement As if she should say let men of authority and rich lawyers who may now sit in iudgement about ciuill causes let such praise the Lord because they may now doe it safely It is the honour credit peace and benefit of Magistrates and learned counsellors as also the welfare of the people that places of iudgement and iustice be frequented and vpholden as we see heere in England in our Terme times at Westminster and out of Terme in other places where equity and right are maintained and wrong and iniurie punished Oh it is a time full of desolation when through famine plague or any inâ—ection such places must lie vnoccupied in the times when they should be frequented and set a worke in deciding causes helping the innocent to his right and weeding out of euill doers Whereby we may gather how heauy times those were when iudgement ceased and the open places where iustice was ministred were laid wast and left voide And therfore we reade in the former chapter that the people could not enioy that liberty of publike iudgement seates but they were driuen to go priuately to Debora for iudgement not dwelling sumptuously in palace or castle famous in that respect or honourable but obscure vnder a Palme tree Now therfore as they when they might againe boldly and freely sit in iudgement are heere called to praise God for it So such persons with vs enioying such priuiledges ought to call themselues duely and daily to zealous thankesgiuing with such other duties as accompany the same yea their whole life should sauour thereof And they shall haue much to answere to God who do otherwise As for the people what duty they owe for enioying this benefit I will shew by a fitter occasion in the next verse But to let these goe of whom I haue spoke in this verse because Debora heere speaketh also to all such as went and walked by the way this should cause all such as goe to and fro about their businesse pleasure or other necessarie vses as trauellers to praise God highly for such liberties seâ—ing a little before that the high waies lay vnoccupied and to speake of the benefit thereof one to another to his praise and not to trauell to and fro in rude prophane and loose manner gabling like wild geese in vnciuill and rude sort as though they enioyed such liberties to offend God by them And much more ought their behauiour and communication to bee sober and Christian like when they goe to the house of God to bee edified by the word prayer and Sacraments and also when they returne home againe and in a word to walke harmelesse in all places which behauiour is much out of vse in this land and yet God bee thanked not altogether in some places But heere an end for this time THE THIRTIE TWO SERMON ON THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES NOw to proceed with the rest that I haue begun withall heree Debora speaketh to the seruants that in going forth to draw water for their necessary vse were not free from the archers who shot at them and put them to much paine trouble and danger or feare at least thereby Where we see that as they who are in the meanest places of seruice are not to bee suffered to enioy their liberty to liue idly but to be imployed and occupied as Dauid when he was young kept his fathers sheep and set to worke that they may be maintained thereby and such ought to be thankfull when they may goe to it in peace so they are to bee admitted also and taken into the number of them that worship God in the assembly and therefore ought duly to bee brought thither by their gouernours and taught there to know him Euen such as cut wood and draw water the very droyles in houses as they are called who doe the most seruile workes and therefore in some countries such as keepe swine sheepe and cattell which is more base then to serue them onely euen these I say being of them who are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ as well as other should be taught to honour God aright and to liue vnder his gouernment and therefore not suffered to liue brutishly as in some places they doe but be brought forth by their parents or rulers into the congregation of the faithfull to learne those things that concerne their happinesse and peace this being presupposed that there they shall be taught Which I speake to the shame of such masters and gouernours as neuer regard any such matter neither consider that they owe that education to them for the seruice they doe them and the vse they make of them and most of all that they owe it them by the band with which they are tyed to it by Gods commandement whereas the life of such is as miserable for their soule as they vnder the Turkes gallies for their bodies yea euen as asses who spend the day in toyle and then are thrust at night into emptie stables so are they sent after their tedious and brutish seruice vnto their wofull home and at last to hell as a heauie recompence of their labour Fie therefore vpon such tyrants And yet if some masters in conscience of the commandement doe for some it may be doe giue them more libertie to goe to the assemblie to worship God yet oft times another euill is in the way that when they come there they haue nothing taught them so that by one meanes or other all that list may see they die miserably of which sort oh that the number were not too great Thus much of these The next sort spoken to in this verse are they who dwelling in villages and vnwalled townes were left desolate and driuen from their habitations and they
without that what welfare can there be to the soule It cannot prosper but rather decaieth as a man that is sicke of a desperate discase and growes worse and worse till vtter consumption and death it selfe doe follow Therefore it is a worke of no small weight to trie our selues whether we loue God it will quite the cost abundantly If we can once get that wee are on the thriuing hand no feare but wee shall doe well and then wee giue good proofe thereof when wee loue and desire well to the brethren when nothing is too deare for himself and where there is still an earnest thirsting after both as all things that grow haue an appetite of growth these I say with more then a common care of honouring God in the place we liue in a daily longing home with vprightnes and constancie are euidences of our loue to God that cannot deceiue And this affection be wee well assured will breake out where it is by such fruite as I haue mentioned as Iosephs did vnto his brethren To this song of Debora the holy storie addeth this that God gaue his people by and after this victorie fortie yeeres rest and quietnes A great blessing euen so we all know what a benefit any great deliuerance is out of paine sicknesse prison bondage penurie or the like miserie especially when it is for long continuance But how much more then the sweete peace of conscience that passeth vnderstanding and ioy in the holy Ghost and that for long continuance after the trouble of minde and feare of damnation which was sometime But of this also elsewhere somewhat hath been said THE THIRTIE SIXE SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Vers 1. Afterward the children of Israel committed wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and the Lord gaue them into the hands of Midian seuen yeeres Vers 2. And the hand of Midian preuailed against Israel and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them dennes in the mountaines and caues and strong holds Vers 3. When Israel had sowne then came vp the Midianites the Amalekites and they of the East and came vpon them Vers 4. And camped by them and destroyed the fruite of the earth euen till thou come vnto Azzah and left no foode for Israel neither sheepe nor oxe nor asse Vers 5. For they went vp and their cattell and came with their tents as Grashoppers in multitude so that they and their camels were without number and they came into the land to destroy it Vers 6. So was Israel exceedingly impouerished by the Midianites therefore the children of Israel cried vnto the Lord. IN this Chapter it is shewed how Israel againe prouoked the Lord by their wickednesse vers 1. And how the Lord punished them by the Midianites to vers 6. Then that they cried vnto the Lord and he reproued them to vers 11. And lastly how he called Gedeon and prepared him to deliuer them and this is to the end of the Chapter The first part of the Chapter TO begin with their sinne it appeares that they did grieuously prouoke the Lord as they had sometime before done as in the third and fourth Chapters it appeares where their punishment was likewise a long time continued vpon them But yet after the death of Debora and Barak the valiant deliuerers of them out of the hands of the Canaanites they did againe depart from the good course wherein they had liued before and fell againe to idolatrie and other sinnes This be said of their sinne as may be gathered out of the first verse and the 25. With the which to begin for our further benefit the instruction that we are to take out of from hence is this That seeing in all the stories before set downe as well as this of the punishing of Israel they begin thus The children of Israel did againe that which was euill in the sight of the Lord seeing I say it is thus we may learne that it is naturally ingrafted in the heart of man that though there bee holy affections kindled in it by some good meanes yet in time they dye and wane away and in stead of them the heart is carried againe to the euill that it most desireth And it being thus with them that haue some goodnesse and beginnings of faith in them what are all the faire shewes of hypocrites when they be at the best but a morning dew So that though men may perhaps serue God for a while in a good manner yet they are gone from it before wee be aware waxing wearie and prouoking God afresh this sicklenes and inconstancie are so deeply rooted in them and thereupon it falleth out that they are carried away by the error of the wicked and inticements of the world from a good course to be fashioned like other men though it be very grosse and absurd which they fall to A great reason hereof is this that the best are renewed but in part and much corruptiō remaineth to be purged out of thē which requireth the taking vp of their thoughts and care which it is meet they should take knowledge of that so they may see that they haue worke enough and haue little cause to be idle and waxe wearie of it I meane beside many other duties of crossing and subduing the euill of their hearts especially seeing their reward is so great in so doing And yet with griefe it may be said that in all ages both persons and Churches little considering this haue fallen to this course that I now complaine of As they in the Psalme who started aside like a broken bow The people in Exodus did the like who in the absence of Moses from them but a few daies fell most shamefully to idolatrie So the people mentioned in S. Iohn who counted Iohn Baptist a burning light and for a time reioyced in him whereby yee may gather it was but for a time These with many too long to be stood vpon doe shew how soone men decline from a good course And wel it were with vs in this latter age if we looked better to our selues then they did but as well persons and families as almost whole townes wanze and waxe cold in their seruing of God who yet were sometime of the forwarder sort of professors a few God reserueth who desire to keepe their first loue to the Gospell and their brethren that they may be a seed in euery corner of the land almost to teach the generations to come if the world continue to feare the Lord aright hee hauing appointed a remnant to remaine and a Church though small vnto the worlds end Which being so teacheth the best of vs what need we haue to desire to enioy the best meanes and namely the sincere preaching of the Gospell whereby we may grow on in grace and knowledge of Christ and cleaue neerely to him considering how oft wee haue been by Gods gracious working in vs
them and condemne them for that they go before them in knowledge the feare of God while they being wedded to their will take scorne to learne of them nay it were well if they would learne of good teachers and that they abused not their authoritie to curbe and discourage their children But as for the third sort most wofull is their estate when like father like child as the head is so is the foote all ignorant brutish and vngodly as Esay saith Now further by Ioash his answer let vs consider some thing and then by the people as occasion is offered In him by the speeches he vsed note we the properties of a worthie magistrate to wit to defend Gods true worship and to cast downe idolatrie to oppose himselfe against the seditious and cauillers and other wicked men euen vnto death His countenance courage and power beside his affection ought to be manifested in Magistrates for the defence and stablishing of all Gods seruice and so should it be also in meaner men But the commonnesse of euil and the strength that it hath got in al places dulleth the edge of the most of these now a daies And this slacknesse and coldnesse in Magistrates is as truly the cause why iniquitie so aboundeth as any other so that if euill hauing the vpper hand doe cause both publike officers of iustice and priuate persons to be more vnable to resist it and so the more vnwilling to goe about to punish it they may thanke themselues Dauid professeth of himselfe that betimes he would cut off from the house of God the wicked that is all scorners and maligners of the sound worship and worshippers of God Oh it were to be wished indeed in that we pray no more earnestly for such wee iustly complaine that all gouernours were of Dauid his minde that so the rest might liue vnder their authoritie an honest and quiet life free from the noisomnes of such goates as by their hornes and stinch pester the sheepe which would faine liue peaceably and serue the Lord by them For when the common sort see swearing blasphemie the contempt of the Sabbath drunkennesse and other abominations to swarme in many places who seeth not that both they dare more boldly doe the same and that they who will not shall be scorned and grieued to see them We may further note here that sinne ought to be so odious and in so vile account that we should be much grieued to behold the maintaining of it and them that will stand for it For now that Ioash was himself armed against idolatry he demaunds if they the blind people would stand for it and plead for Baal And yet they might haue replied we plead no more for him then thou thy selfe hast done and that very lately in whose groue Baal was placed But now the case was altered with Ioash euen as it was with Paul when he preached the Gospell which he had persecuted before It is a notable token of repentance when mens affections and desires are quite changed from the euill things which before they could not be drawne from yea and when they breake out into holy indignation at themselues and other for the sins which they committed against God although they know them forgiuen And surely an vpright hearted man would thinke that all should abhorre the sin that he hateth and it grieueth him to see another deceiued and held in the snare that he himself hath bin holden in therfore counts it absurd that any should maintaine and delight in it whereas the contrary now a daies may bee seene that hee is diligently marked that will stand against it and so few there be so well minded that they may soone be noted Their shamefull boldnes is likewise to be marked by the words of Ioash here saying Will ye plead for Baal he that doth so let him die before the morning Who although they saw the Magistrate against them yet they were so blind that they stood in the defence of their idolatrie And euen so we may say Great is the boldnes that is growne vp in this age while not only they doe the euils openly which men and women in former ages haue blushed for the secret doing of the same be it the sinne of Zimri and Cozby or the like but also such dare reuile and raile vpon those who speake against their lewd doings But these truly verifie the saying The wicked men and deceiuers waxe worse And how should it be that in the last daies should be so perilous times if as the day of the world groweth neerer to an end so sinne waxed not more and more out of measure sinfull And that both for the number of sinnes for we see new additions and fashions daily and for the measure also I meane the greedines impudencie and pertinacie of sinners who are not ashamed of their euils but with the harlot in the Prouerbs who wipeth her selfe as cleane of all her filthinesse as if she had been a virgin Wee see whores were growne by that time to a degree of boldnes for Tamar was iudged an whore by her father because she had couered her face But this maske is long agoe pluckt off not onely from them that bee of her occupation but the most spirituall adulterers now a daies are so farre from being ashamed to shew their faces that they are not thought masters of their trade if they dare not spit in the face of modestie and all reprouers And what is to be said of the aged and men in wealth who haue somewhat to beare them out when euen youthes of both sexes whose honour should be their blushing which euen heathens called the Colour of vertue are brasen faced and inferiours of al sorts take vp that cursed speech who is Lord ouer vs But oh who doth not see the Lords marke set vpon them while by shame and sorow their belliesful with other miseries they come daily euery one in his course to a wofull end Furthermore it was well answered by Ioash Let Baal plead for himselfe meaning if he can what need you if he cannot it were a shame to pleade for such a god as could not plead his owne cause As Elias also in the like case said to the blind people and so it may be said to all maintainers of Idolatrie and such like abomination If the Idols be gods whom they worship let them keepe themselues from the fire And they who will needs thinke their doings to be good in maintaining and reasoning for such stockes let them waite and see what will be the end thereof and what will come of them They were well set a worke to plead for him who was so farre from helping them in their neede that hee could not reuenge his owne cause against such as would deface him and so are all that are like them such a master he is whom they serue Lastly out of this verse 31. and the
is little wisdome in them to doe so but a bold tempting of God we see what strange alterations fall out in their liues that their estate changeth from that it was I say not as other mens by age sicknesses diseases onely for to them we are all subiect but from towardnesse hope and likelihood of goodnesse which they had sometime and therefore they should haue been rooted and growne forward therein and such as neuer had any waxe much worse and worse and by their afflictions they be much disguized For by that time that cruell enemies domesticall or forraigne I meane in the world haue oppressed them as both may easily bee or suites debt suretiship or prison haue molested them which commonly fall out to be or the vnrulinesse and disobedience in children the vnfaithfulnesse and leaudnesse of seruants and the vnpeaceablenesse and vnappeasablenesse in neighbours and landlords with great iniuries offered by them shall vexe them together with sicknesse and other calamities which meet with them I say when some of these as mothes in a garment haue eaten into them the beautie of their estate is decaied and consumed in these cases I say they are altered and changed as if they had neuer been the persons So that as Elimelech by famine was constrained to change his dwelling and good Dauid by his owne sonne was almost driuen from his kingdome euen so and much more when sundry of the forementioned waies shall afflict bad men doe they not shew the vncertaine hold that they haue and yet they haue no hold of any better of the things which are in greatest price heere among men together with the reproches and disgraces that befall them that I say nothing of sundry kinds of death to cut them off from all and are sufficient proofes of that which I say So that we haue good cause to beare a low saile euen when we be at the highest and to thinke we haue little when we haue the most And to looke for our change in our prosperitie and to make heauen our habitation against we go hence and the earth with the pompe and beautie of it but as small and vncertaine riches Indeed all the glory of these things must haue his end yet commonly where God is not prouoked much there is no vnseasonable change of mens prosperitie into misery but a kindly inioying it with Gods good liking though sometime God afflict thus for other ends as Iob c. And because many of Gods deare ones prouoke him to turne their blessings and delight temporall as in wife children goods beautie strength c. into sorrowes and punishments which must be so or else it would bee worse with them let them also beware that they breake not out further against him least by any sinne wilfully committed and not repented of speedily they cause and procure this to themselues that they be roughly handled of him more then commonly euen like other men and that particularly by the grosse abuse of these outward things themselues where to they are subiect they bee not deformed and disguized by strange and rare afflictions God hath all good things in store for his but he can also soone strip them thereof as Ieremie saith in the person of the Iewes euen as hee withholdeth them altogether from some other And this I thought good to say though somewhat of this argument hath been said before It followeth how God furnished Gedeon with gifts of the spirit both wisdome and courage whereby according to that which hee had said to him before Goe in this thy power and thou shalt saue Israel out of the hands of Midian he was new fitted for it Which teacheth that when God appointeth his seruants to any charge or businesse of his hee inableth them to goe through it and ministreth helpe to them accordingly So Paul saith in a farre greater worke then this of Gedeons that God counted him faithfull and put him in his seruice after he had appointed him thereunto So Saul when he was chosen King had gifts giuen him to gouerne God making him thereby as the text saith another man So the Lord dealeth with those whom hee maketh Ministers of the Gospell that they shall doe his message to the people faithfully and diligently and plainely and powerfully to the iust challenging of them who boldly take vpon them so waightie a calling as doth concerne the sauing or destroying the soules of men hauing no furniture of preaching the Gospell soundly and clearely neither any care to looke that way nor other grace bestowed vpon them Now Gods worke is not onely some great seruice as Gedeons to fight and Pauls to preach and Moses to deliuer Israel from Egypt but euen to liue in the married estate to walke in a calling publike or priuate and much more to professe the name of Christ in what condition soeuer And when we speake of Gods calling a man to this worke I meane not any sensible calling by voice as here Gedeon extraordinarilie was but when a man entreth into these estates functions or actions by direction and warrant of the lawfulnesse or necessitie thereof from the word and ordination of the Church Vsing also the holiest and best meanes to obtaine faith knowledge wisdome and conscience to discharge them well to such I say God will not be wanting although they may thinke that their case is not as Gedeons and yet they had need bee no weaker in faith nor lower brought then he was and that they are but seely priuate persons yes God will so blesse them and prosper their lawfull enterprises yea though they deeme themselues vnfit to vndertake such workes or vnable to goe through them that so as they shall haue cause to blesse the Lord and wonder at his loue and faithfulnesse to them when they who goe about the same to obserue how he assisteth and blesseth them and on the other side how they who relie vpon their own head and pollicie shall wanze come to nothing and be resisted by him as we reade of such as being commanded to goe against the Canaanites refused but would needs goe fight against them being forbidden and therefore they were sore discomfited But of this I haue spoken before Gedeon being thus furnished was in couraged to go against Gods enemies and so much the more seeing he had such successe before by the promise of the Angell Where note how well things prosper with vs and goe forward when we are certaine that we be set a worke by the Lord and more particularly when we are furnished with faith in his promises for the present and time to come and heartned by the experience of Gods helpe in the time past For it was not for nothing that the Lord meaning to set him a worke about a greater seruice gaue him good proofe first as of his owne weakenes so of his assistance in the lesser I meane in the destroying of Baal of which point more hereafter if God
Ammonites before he got the victorie for theirs and the safetie of their brethren Thirdly their false accusing of him that he had not called them to helpe him in the conflict boldly making a lie in so charging him whereas hee had called them and they refused to come which shewed their disobedience to him who by his authority might command them and lastly their threatning to burne him and his house a fruit of their sedition and to void this their stomake of the baggage in it it is said they went Northward to Gilead against Iphtah that is to contend and fight with them To make some vse hereof first we see that such as beare the face of honest men and liue in countenance among their neighbours as these Ephramites did may yet possibly become and proue seditious Pride of it selfe is able to set men forward to it as it did Absolon and these here Much more ease and idlenesse ill counsell and enuy with such like And though the sprigges of it bud forth full fast and are readie too easily to yeeld fruit in all yet we must haue an especiall care that they grow not but let them be pruned-off yea and a digging at the roote betimes had need to be that the branches may wither See what I haue noted of this point out of the face of the Shechemites chap. 9. 2. 3. Now for the remedie hereof seeing pride and discontentment are the causes hereof let the heart bee kept with all diligence from nourishing of such affections and thoughts and to cracke pride and pull it downe thinke we of our selus as we are euen such as if we could see our faces in the cleare glasse of Gods law should appeare more loathsome then the most deformed Lazer such is the filthinesse of our inborne corruption and foule litter of most monstrous sinnes that proceed from thence so farre off should we be from swelling and thinking our selues to be great yea petty Angels as we are readie to doe whereby we imagine we be too good to be in subiection to our betters in the Lord yea or to the Lord himselfe in obeying his word There are many who accuse the sincere preachers and professors of the Gospell as seditious and tumultuous yea enemies of good order c. A man would not thinke that the accuser were like to bee stained with the crime which he chargeth vpon another But when for want of the feare of God some of the ciuillest and such as stand for law and gouernment in townes shal be puld out for notorious malefactors either in this crime of sedition as Demetrius and his fellowes or in any other riot and disorder while they whom they chargde shall be found innocent then they wish they had been a little preciser in that kind and confesse that onely conscience can resist these temptations to sinne They make a shift for a while to conceale their leaudnesse but if forcible occasions and prouocations assault them they haue no power to withstand them Thus much of this Looke vpon the quarrelling of the Ephramites with Gedeon Chap. 8. Secondly their bitter and causelesse contentions threatning to burne him and his house where they had cause rather to haue been highly thankfull to him doth teach of what mettall and disposition some be that they cannot liue in their place innocent and harmelesse with other but take vpon them to dominere ouer them holding them in feare of them when yet the Lord hath commanded that wee should not be many masters neither suffer any to liue in feare by vs. Such were the Iewes against Paul for this sin of contending with others though it be odious wheresoeuer it be found yet when it is raised for religion it is monstrous and they that hate their neighbours for their weldoing and for that they cannot ioyne with them in their vnfruitfull and shamelesse workes of darknesse but reprooue them rather such I say hate them with a deadly hatred and cannot in their disliking and malicious conceits against them be pacified or reconciled to them their wrath is vnapeazable as we reade that Cains for that very cause was towards his brother Abel that his brothers deeds were good and his euill This ought to teach vs not onely to liue peaceably with those that are quietly disposed though they be not framed to liue Christianly but also to doe our best to winne and perswade them to looke after the life to come and to feare God and that first by our innocent liuing among them and good example giuing vnto them and then by little and little drawing them forward by good instruction admonition or otherwise as there shall bee cause But especially it should vrge vs to be more neerely knit in brotherly loue one Christian with another and to beare the infirmities which we see each in other and helpe one another out of them rather then to take a pritch and conceit one against another and so to cause strangenes and breaking of fellowship wherein many offend greatly till they be forced by the hard vsage that they finde among the bad sort to make more account of their brethren afterward then they did before But of this often To the former doctrine this may be added as a limme or branch of it that ciuill men not Heathenish onely as the King of Ammon chap. 11. but Professors also sometimes as we see these Ephramites did to adde strength to their contentions and braules and to giue them more libertie therein will I say not sticke to set out their dislikes and accusing of other with lyes and false chargings of them that so they may seeme to haue iust cause to hate and contend as that wicked Ziba did bring into disfauour disgrace that innocent man Mephibasheth with Dauid as much as in him lay with lyes and false accusations Let the odiousnes of such dealing make the speaking of the truth to be more set by of vs and yet for loues sake to our brethren not to vrge the vtmost that we may doe though we might doe it iustly which is the right and kinde shewing of our loue to them Let the reader see chap. 11. 13. And by the vnthankfulnes of these Ephramites which it is no marueile to see in them towards Iphtah they being branded with such grosse euils as we haue heard to bee in them let vs learne what Gods seruants may looke for in this world for all their loue and labour in procuring the peace and welfare of other and in bringing them to good truly vnthankfulnes they may looke for if not ill will and the fruite thereof and that recompence is rendred them for all their good will to go about to bring the wicked world to a better point I meane in labouring to acquaint them with God They owe them more then all that they haue is worth as wee may see by Pauls words to Philemon yea and it is cleere also by the word of
it iustly as a blessing and rewarde of their education to the shame I speake it of such loose persons as whose childrens religion shameth the ignorance and vngodlinesse of their parents Thirdly this redoundeth to the honour of God and his faithfulnesse when one posteritie after another for some generations shall bee found to know the God of their fathers in whose steps to walke it is to them a worthy commendation before men but much more in the sight of God as Timothy a godly childe and grandchild is commended Secondly here in that the Lord doth raise a deliuerer out of the tribe of Dan in which this place Zorah was neere to Eshtaol and verse 25. sheweth this tribe being one of the meanest It teacheth that God will serue himselfe by the meaner sort as well as by the mightier and greater when it pleaseth him For if he furnish them with gifts fitting for that he setteth them about whereof they are as capeable as the other thereby he enables them for the worke which not their birth or wealth alone can doe as we haue seene before Therefore it is not for vs to scorne and reproach such whom the Lord by their gift will exalt though this be to be added that neither meane nor mighty shall haue any cause in the end to reioyce in their preferment otherwise then they haue well and rightly vsed their place and themselues in it with their gifts And as I haue said of outward place and aduancement in the world so I say of inward grace and gifts of the spirit That euen out of the meane or middle sort of people the Lord chuseth many yea most to be heires of saluation and to vse our Sauiours words Matth. 11. to be seasoned with the Gospell by beleeuing for so I expound the words And doubtlesse in comparison of these few great ones are called nay many who haue striuen against mediocritie of estate which yet Agur preferreth as the best to serue God in they haue forsaken their owne mercy See more in the tenth chapter 1. 2. 3. verses thereof The Angell speaketh to her of her barrennesse that she might receiue the message of bearing a childe more thankefully and ioyfully for barrennesse in those daies was generally holden a kinde of curse as I noted in chap. 12. the end and fruitefulnesse a blessing but wee see that God turneth this curse to a blessing and it was counted no doubt by this woman a great worke of his mercy that hee gaue a childe to her being barren as well as of his power as Dauid reckons it Thus doth the Lord make way for the thankfull entertaining of his mercies by laying before vs our want and insufficiencie and yet all is little enough to procure that affection except it be a little at first for in a very short time our mindes are changed with the time and we rather looke vpon that we enioy then looke backe vpon our former penurie or the author of our change So that the Lord is faine to vpbraide vs by his vndeserued kindenesse as hee did Dauid by his taking from the sheepefold in stead of reaping the fruite thereof in praise and dutie which is verified well in many of them that haue mourned and complained long of the heauie burden that oppressed their conscience which they feared as Hezekiah once did that they should neuer bee eased of and at length met with such comfort as they long wished for for although at the first obtaining thereof they indented with God that hee should bee all in all with them yet in time they haue worne out the remembrance of such kindenes as Pharaohs butler did Iosephs Let such and all others whose conscience beares them witnesse that the Lord hath made them fruitfull of barren in what kinde soeuer but that they haue brought forth sower grapes and wilde oliues and made themselues barren againe of fruitfull let them I say looke backe and view the matter yet better and pay their rearedges which they are run into with God lest at length they wish they had bin beholding to God for lesse except their fruit might haue made the Lord as I may say beholding to them for more then they haue yeelded To him that hath shall be giuen hee shall receiue fauour vpon fauour that keepes the old in precious remembrance and regard occupying for him whose the talents are which are occupied whereas he who hath not shall forgoe still till he haue lost all that is he that hath forgotten him of whom he receiued that which hee hath shall both lose that for which he hopeth yea and the principall to which he hath This for one point Besides by this example the Lord sheweth vs how hee turneth his chastisements to benefits vnto his people as the issue of Iobs afflictions witnesseth For if they from whom he taketh away any good things and correcteth receiue not greater outward benefits then they forgoe yet if they waite on God they shall haue proofe of the graces that are in them as faith patience and obedience as oft I haue already noted in this booke which are farre more sweete to them then any outward libertie which they lose and forgoe So then let the people of God prouide to walke before him with vprightnesse and they shall see whether their life bee not replenished with comforts and they followed with many a token from God of his loue to them and pleasure in them by all which they shall finde their daies vpon earth to be sweetely passed and they exceedingly well prouided for till they be taken to glorie The Angell in prescribing to the woman that shee should drinke no wine nor eate no vncleane thing said so because the childe that she should beare should be a Nazarite to the Lord who by the law of the Nazarite was himselfe to bee tied to certaine ceremonies for that time of his so being the one was that he should also abstaine from wine secondly that no rasor should come on his head thirdly that hee should not touch or come neere any dead body of this reade further in the booke of Numbers Now a Nazarite was one that was separated from others and more particularly such a one as serued the Lord in a more strict manner then other did as for Samson who was to continue this estate throughout his life he was a peculiar person and therefore a type of Christ not onely in death and that most victorious but euen in life wherein our Sauiour fulfilled all righteousnesse The signification of the Nazarite was this that the Lord would haue all that come neere vnto him and will be in his seruice to be separated from the common sort which doe not examine their waies after the rules of Gods word but walke after their owne hearts desire And hereby and vnder a ceremony hee requireth that of his which in plaine words he doth elsewhere saying ye shall therefore be
in the inferior appetite of the soule through originall sinne that whereas it was created most obedient and subiect to the pure light of the vnderstanding in all things now it is so infeebled and infatuated that it resisteth the iudgement of the minde and led away by the strength of any allurement euen contrary to that knowledge which still remaineth to guide it So that it is degegenerate and become most brutish and sottish and so bewraieth it selfe euen in them that otherwise goe for none of the simplest or vnciuill sort This offering of her money by these Princes of the Philistims and that also in such liberall maner which was as much as an hundred pound a piece of our money well nigh by the estimation of the shekell which they reckoned by for a common shekell was as much as twentie pence with vs and therefore eleuen hundred want little of an hundred pound at that rate This offering I say of so many hundreds to her according to the number of the Princes that came to her might easily draw on to their purpose such an one as was but light inconstant and false-hearted to Samson as harlots are without respect of the money Which teacheth vs that this hireing of people for money hath bin and is as readie a way to draw them to any lewd practise as it is commonly offered hath bin in all ages but neuer more then in this and especially by the Popish crue in the attempting of desperate murthers c. The like hath bin noted in the fact of Abimelech chap. 9. who hired lewd fellowes with the money of the Shechemites and that wofull example of the Priests preuailing thereby with Iudas one of the twelue Apostles to betray his Master and in hireing the watchmen Matth. 28. to defame the Resurrection may be notable presidents hereof And I mention this point to this end that seeing it is as common as odious that it may not reach also to Gods faithfull seruants to doe either the one or the other either to set a worke others or to sell their helpe either to corrupt or to be corrupted by money for they go together and are mutuall causes and effects of each other to bring wicked purposes to passe which in so euill an age as this is farre more subtile and skilfuller then the former to doe mischiefe may too soone preuaile by custome euen among them Touching the cost they were at see more in chap. 17. 2. Thus wee haue heard how this wicked woman was hired by the Philistim Princes to this wofull worke of deceiuing Samson which was the first point of the two as appeareth in the fourth verse in the second part of this chapter Now it followeth how she went to worke and preuailed and this is the second This is declared and laid foorth in the verses following to the 21. But she not obtaining at one time that which she sought she set vpon him fundrie times Foure seuerall attempts are expressed here to haue been made by her to this end and the first of them is to bee seene in these foure next verses Of these therefore as they follow in order In her first attempt we must not thinke that she went about it simply by asking him the question where his strength lay but as they had taught her to deceiue him so there is no doubt but she flattered him pretending that she marueiled at his so great strength and that she reioyced not a little for that she had a louer indued with such an excellent gift and qualitie and therefore that she as one louing him againe and trustie to him for his kindnesse towards her desired of him to know where that great strength of his did lie By this we see what boldnesse men though furnished with excellent gifts doe cause and cherish in harlots by hauing fellowship and keeping companie with them Samson was a man so spoken of for his manhood that such as were of good courage durst not be bold to looke him in the face yet she a base housewife dares boldly demaund of him weightie matters and the greatest secrets So the whorish daughter of an whorish mother Herodias I meane being so farre admitted as to dance before Herod the King being permitted to demand what recompence she listed euen to the halfe of his kingdome shamed not to aske the head of Iohn Baptist whom not onely all the people but euen Herod himselfe reuerenced and stood in feare of And these are the wares which the strumpets fardall is stuft withall euen subtiltie crueltie falsehood all so tempered together in this demaund of Delilah that a man knowes not which qualitie of them all is predominant and among the rest this whereof we now speake insolent impudencie and shamelesnesse It is the practise of this cursed kinde euen at this day with their Paramours to demaund of them vnreasonable pledges of vncleane loue as appeares by the embezeling of their patrimonie for their maintenance and sometimes causing them to spend euen their blood in their quarrell or by their occasion It is a true saying that too much familiaritie breedeth contempt But much more if it be in euill and in no euill sooner then in this kind I meane in whoredome A thing notoriously exemplified in that harlot Iezabel who so much abused the remissenes of Ahab as to insult ouer him as her vnderling It is the common phrase of them that are the companions of harlots to call themselues their seruants and them their mistresses But in deed they are their vassals and slaues and yet their bondage as great as it is and ioyned with miserie is sweete to them although indeed but a sweete poyson but it is a reward good enough for such employment And yet many chuse this kinde of life as a libertie rather then honest mariage But to returne to that which I said of familiaritie it is not meete for the best to swell I confesse and to bee high minded but humble and meeke toward all yet with grauitie whereby the bad may be afraid of them and not think them fit companions for them except they change their qualities and the good may cling and ioyne to their companie and acquaintance without feare But to haue familiaritie with the bad in euill is vtterly vnlawfull and serues onely to confirme and make them bold in wickednesse Thus is many a man otherwise worthie as Samson was brought into meane account by indiscreete and vnseasonable laying open his minde where hee should not euen so did he imbolden this woman thereby to aske him how he may bee bound and hurt the which how absurd a thing it was either for him to incourage her or for her to propound to him who seeth not Samson in answering her who should not haue admitted her to speake to him of any such matter and telling her how hee might be bound did make way to all the euill that followed