vainglorious persons which they desire they would neuer giue him his due but take it to themselues insomuch as wee see that such doe not onely vaunt of their wealth birth strength and such like but if they haue onely some good qualitie as that they be prouident husbands or will keepe their promise and pay their due where it is owing they glorie thereof and disgrace other that faile therein though the most of their other doings may be cast as dung in their faces to their shame But giue we vnto God his due promise we to our selues nothing but vpon condition if God will and acknowledge wee him as the giuer and as one that hath right to dispose of that which he hath giuen vs and when we are denied successe in that which wee hope to bring to passe let vs in token that we confesse the Lord may iustly ioynt vs not fume and fret raile and curse and much lesse vtter we so much in words to others that we thinke we are accursed when wee see ourselues crossed but beare wee it meekly and patiently and the greater our gifts are which we haue receiued in more humble fruitfull and dutifull manner let vs shew our selues to vse them That Gedeon was bidden to send away many of the people and why we haue heard now let vs see who they are that be exempted from the warre and sent backe of which sort there were two and twentie thousand the text noteth them to bee those that were faint-hearted and timerous and so had God commanded in Deuteronomy that such should be sent backe lest they should discourage other Here this is to be considered when Gedeon their Captaine thought them meet for warre and God had called them also to that place and duty and giuen them gifts for that purpose though they waxed timerous in that they through faint-heartednes and sloth did not vse and employ their gifts the shame and sin was theirs though God sent backe I speake it for our owne edification and benefit for if many here were exempted by God from the battell and yet thought fit and meete by men doe not well bestow and vse these common gifts of the Spirit as skill and knowledge in manuary things pertaining to the bodie and this present life how much more may we thinke that about the more excellent gifts of the Spirit as illumination and matters belonging to the life to come men doe deceiue the expectation of those with whom they liue and be other I meane farre worse then they goe for Oh it is true that there are many persons who goe in the sight of men for good yet the Lord doth not account so of them but exempt them from his militant Church euen as he shoaleth out a great many of these souldiers as faint and vnfit for warre when they should come to fight with their enemies whom yet Gedeon thought meete persons for it and yet we know wee are much easilier deceiued in iudging about them then these Looke we therefore to it in a thing by infinite degrees more precious how God iudgeth of vs and hang wee not vpon the opinion of men For hee is not allowed whom men or ones selfe praiseth but whom God praiseth And therefore we are not to account of all that are among vs professing the Gospell no though they be not branded with notorious sins to be sound hearted and good Christians though we know no other by them till God make them manifest as he did these in their kind Is it for vs to iudge before the time but howsoeuer men iudge such as feare God and depart from euill as he himselfe commended Iob for such an one it is sure that they only are accepted of him More specially to applie this As the oddes betweene the faint-hearted and valiant souldiers was great euen three to one and yet all went about the seruice of God in outward shew so great disproportion there is among such as worship God betweene the lukewarme or indifferent sort of Christians and the feruent heartie and zealous worshippers Indeede God doth not inable nor allow vs to seuer the one from the other so that wee may determine how farre the number of the one exceedes the other as here he did Gedeon but wofull proofe bewraieth no lesse then I haue said And yet he that dismissed these white-liuered souldiers from the armie of Gedeon and onely accepted the seruice of these three hundred whom hee fitted for the purpose with faith and resolution will also exclude all hollow-hearted lukewarme and temporizing Christians from hauing a part among such as he will honour so farre as that he will not bee honoured by them I meane not that all Christians should bee martiall men and fit for the field but as Gods worke is diuers so a diuers kinde of spirit hee requireth in them that doe it in Gedeons men courage and might in Christians feruencie and resolution to walke with God For though wee haue no Midianites to fight withall yet we haue worse enemies both within vs and without and therfore haue need of spirituall magnanimitie to vse spirituall weapons against them And though we were not warre-faring men yet in that wee be but waifaring as all Christians are both we had need of feruencie and spirit For he that in generall commands Rom. 12. Be feruent or hot in spirit commands the same in prayer Iam. 5. saying be feruent therein likewise in hearing Be swift to heare telling vs that the violent snatch the kingdome to them c. and the like affection also we must haue in all duties Though in deede when dangers and troubles befall men for their profession then is a speciall occasion offered of expressing what courage is in them but if wee nourish not that grace daily in other duties how shall it be at hand when we haue greatest need of it And this I speake because I see that the ancient and heauenly fire which once appeared most worthily in many both in their entrance and progresse of their good course of pietie and a good conscience is turned to ashes and extinct or burnes so close and feeble that it can hardly be discerned and in stead thereof either a blockishnes and deadnes is come vpon men or a faint-hearted remisnesse and indifferencie as if men cared not greatly whether they professed or no and saue for names sake many could be content to be without it well enough And as for such their disgrace is as farre aboue these souldiers of Gedeon as their sinne for these were onely sent backe but the other the Lord vomits out of his mouth Some there are through Gods goodnesse euen as Gedeons three hundred who looke to the Spirit and good cause for it is the temper of a Christian but alas how few Besides that the diuell in stead of this grace brought in a franticke sort of furious persons whose zeale is to depart from the Church Now to
said if they were they would haue giuen them but that was no thanke to them but their owne benefit credit and honour but seeing they were not in his hands they vncourteously and barbarously denied it to them being their brethren and in subtiltie they did it lest they being ouercome of the Midianites they should haue been hardlier dealt withall by the Princes of Midian hearing that they had relieued their enemies And this subtilty ioyned with selfe-loue are the two strings to mens bow by the which they shoote out the most of their actions as arrowes For the good the most doe it is not done for the commandement nor for conscience sake but of selfe-loue for their owne priuate benefit hoping to be gainers thereby which may be done by the heathens for any religion or feare of God that is in it or when they hold back the good which in conscience they ought to doe of an euill minde they hold it back as these men of Succoth did for feare lest if they should doe it to some they should fare the worse at the hands of other as these men of Succoth here did A like point whereunto I obserued in the men of Ephraim And hereby wee may see what barbarous rudenesse was in these who yet were brethren and countrimen to the Israelites that to Gedeon their gouernour by whom they were vpholden in peace and who now was in the middest of this last worke of pursuing the Midianites and rescuing of Israel they should shew themselues so barbarous and voide of all humanitie Which was as if when the house top is on fire they in the nether part should lie still as though the fire could not hurt them or as if a man standing vpon the onely bough of an high tree and thereby only kept from danger of falling should with his hatchet cut it downe and by the fall of it breake his necke This rudenesse and irreligiousnes is in many brutish people at this day who are not onely no helpers in the wants and necessities of Gods people either for soule or bodie but hinderers yea and gripers of them Senselesse bloks they are who can neither heare see nor sauour any good towards any but as Nabal who not only gaue not any thing to Dauids men but rated them and railed on them thereby casting a mist as it were vpon his vnmercifulnes that it might seeme the more tollerable And this we may further note here in that they by their falsehood subtiltie and dastardlinesse sought to saue their liues that wee might not marueile when we see that some are readie to betray forsake yea and lend their helping hand to persecute their natiue Prince countrey and brethren yea and religion it selfe and all for the broken and shiuered hope of a transitorie life and safetie which yet they misse also oft times as is to be seene in that speech of Mordecai to Hester If we remaine in this danger doest thou looke to besafe For why God reuengeth such falsehood and cowardlinesse as our Sauiour saith He that will saue his life shall lose it The vse here of is that though life be sweete yet it is not to be preserued by subtiltie falsehood and preposterous feare when the Lord will haue it to bee brought into triall and requireth it at our hands Euen so in all other things subteltie and dastardlinesse is to be auoided and simplicitie and courage is to be practised Of this more God willing after in the conspiracie of the men of Schechem with Abimilek Now Gedeon threatneth the men of Succoth for their barbarousnes and boldnes towards him their deliuerer as they had iustly deserued euen to teare their flesh with the thornes of the desert The which he iustly did being their Magistrate for our Sauiour teacheth that hee who scorneth but his brother or neighbour is worthie of the highest degree of punishment And much more this which was committed against the gouernour might be thus met with and requited he not threatning them in wrath but vpon good consideration I will deferre speaking of the punishment till the inflicting of it be mentioned but let this be marked that Gedeon did euen then speake of preuailing against Zeba and Zalmunna without feare as if he had alreadie subdued them therefore he saith When the Lord hath deliuered them into my hands as not doubting but that he would then I will teare their flesh with briers In the meane time here let vs marke that hee left not off the greatest and most necessarie dutie which must of necessitie presently be done to wit the pursuing of the Midianites for the other namely the punishing of the men of Succoth which was to be done also but might better bee deferred This wisedome and discretion is to be learned of vs that of duties to be done of vs or euils to be auoided with the danger and punishment that followeth them that be first done in both which of necessitie must be first and yet the other not neglected nor omitted but in due season regarded also Instances may be these as there bee many other to visit parents in great sicknesse which requireth present duty without delay is to be preferred and performed rather then to iourney about profit though lawfull also which may as well be done another time Also to preferre hearing of a Sermon before common businesse if it be not to our greater hurt c. And this I say further that not onely common actions must giue place to seasons but euen one season to another In which our best rule is that wee preferre that season which occasioneth a worke of presentest vse although some other dutie of an higher nature offer it selfe Yea and here obserue that euen a ciuill season may sometime bee preferred before a religious As for example It falles out that a man is offered some fauour and hope of release out of some trouble which he is in or reconciliation with his aduersarie mightier then himselfe if he will vse some present helpe which else he cannot enioy or it may be he hath a summe of money to pay vpon a set day and that vpon a great forfeiture or he is sent vpon an errand of life and death say it be to fetch the Chirurgian to let his master or parent blood being in a desperate case otherwise or is commanded to serue the Prince c. Against these commeth some other opportunitie as of hearing the word of prayer in familie These bee all necessarie in their kinds and due times but in no wise ought to iustle aside the other more needfull to be done at that time and these may be attended vnto when leisure from the other will giue leaue the other are as the tide which staieth for no man Therefore we must beware lest through our ignorance though cloaked with honestie or neglect especially wilfull contempt we leaue the greater for the lesser Which causeth to the partie so offending shame
the action to be ordinarie but indeed this of Manoah had bin warrantable at any time as being grounded vpon diuine warrant commanding him so to doe And whereas it is againe obiected that Manoah not being of the tribe of Leui but of Dan ought not to offer sacrifice neither was that according to the law that hee did it is answered that hee gaue the flesh and the other things to the Angell whom he tooke to bee a Prophet that hee might offer them for the Prophets had an extraordinary calling that though they were not of the house of Aaron yet it was lawfull for them to sacrifice as Elia and Elisha did for when the Priests corrupted the pure worship of God the Lord stirred vp the Prophets to restore it againe But this was no Prophet ye will say I answere no hee was not but more then a Prophet and therefore the flesh and the other offering being laide on the rocke the Angell did wonderfully hee raised fire out of the rocke and consumed the sacrifice And the same we haue heard to haue been done in Gedeons sacrifice before for although it bee not expressely said here that fire was brought out of the rocke as there yet seeing there is no mention of any fire brought by Manoah and yet that the Angell is said to haue departed in the flame it is most likely that fire was stricken out of the stone the Angell ascended into heauen as though he would vse the flame insteade of a chariot and he dissolued the body which he tooke on him and went away in the fire which was a great wonder to them for Monoah and his wife were stricken with a great feare when they saw that he was an Angell of God and after that he appeared no more to them In that Manoah did as the Angell willed him turning that which hee would haue set before the man of God for meate into a sacrifice it teacheth how fit and ready we should be to be moued and ledde by good instruction to any duty that wee know not neither thought of before meekely receiuing the words of exhortation without resistance or vnwillingnesse This minde was in the Thessalonians to whom Paul writeth thus We are perswaded of you in the Lord that both yee doe already and will doe still the things that wee commande you meaning that they resolued with themselues to make the doctrine of the Apostles the rule of their life Thus should all Christians bee affected like the paterne that Paul giues the widowes that they should diligently be giuen not onely to the particular duties of compassion Rom. 12. but to euery good worke This commendeth the grace of God highly in all such as are thus prepared to serue God in euery part of their life that as they shall see what the good and acceptable will of God is toward them so they are ready still to new duties And so it doth much checke and accuse them who are slow and backward to any good thing that shall be required of them and readily yeelded to by their brethren they would be counted with the forwardest but yet in duties that like them not they will be reasoning against them though in some other they shew themselues commendable And yet for all that which I say let it be clearely seene that there is enough to binde their consciences to that whereto they should yeeld lest they be lead by company will or fancy and there is cause of this readinesse and alacritie in receiuing the word by the people if they consider that the Minister himselfe is tied to the like dutie in vttering it according to that charge of Peter feede the flocke of God with a ready minde not of constraint and the Apostle Paul confirmes it There is necessitie imposed vpon me and wo be to me if I preach not c. If then I doe this necessarie worke willingly it is thankworthie otherwise it is necessarie and I must doe it without thanks How shall this bee if the people hold off and pleade libertie to take and refuse what they please Therefore Cornelius Acts 10. professeth himselfe and his ready to heare whatsoeuer Peter should say from God to him And when he saith whatsoeuer he meaneth whether reproofe or commandement as well as comfort and instruction This she weth that not all that doe some duties doe them readily but either for finister respects or by halues as he in the Gospell who was bidden goe into the vineyard answered hee would but went not so many heare zealously but neuer weighing the worke of God nor forecasting the difficulties repent them of their forwardnesse Others readily yeeld to the truth in their minds as sound and good but their hearts come slowly forward they delight not therein nor approue it as liking that it should gouerne them Againe some things which the word requires we yeeld to for the outward action especially yea and stand stiffely in the defence of it as Iudas did for the relieuing the poore because in a diuers respect our desire concurreth with Gods commandement euen corruptly peruerting the end and vse of a good duty to our own benefit which ought onely tend to Gods glorie But here we doe not obey readily because the manner of obeying which is for conscience sake displeaseth vs as the artificer liketh it well that God calleth for diligence in his calling for his coueteous minds sake but to be occupied therein for the seruing of Gods prouidence the auoyding of noysome lusts and temptations the practise of his faith and patience thankfulnes contentment he hath no readines thereto yea this awkenesse is in the best that they like any dutie should bee vrged which others are tardie in and themselues prone vnto but to be drawn any further and to suffer exhortation and reproofe for their blemishes and errors that is vnwelcome So that readines and teachablenes humbly to giue place and curbe our contradicting and rebellious nature where God hath manifested his will vpon good ground is a rare gift of the spirit and attendeth onely vpon them who with Dauid haue a respect to all Gods commandements Excellent is that speech of Dauid O Lord thou saidst Seeke my face and I answered Lord I will seeke thy face Euen as the waxe applied to the seale receiues the impression and the holy instruments of musicke in the Temple sounded according to the skilfull blowing or fingering of Asaph and his brethren so pliant and tunable should our hearts be to the voice of God and make such harmony in his eares as he himselfe hath made inwardly in them as the seruant mentioned in the Gospell whose obedience in going comming and dooing seemed to be so prompt as if it were the eccho of his Masters voyce And such as haue attained any measure herein let them looke to this one thing that they be constant in so doing lest beside the expectation the diuell in time
yet were not so and all Diuines almost grant that Marie the mother of our Sauiour had no more children then Christ only and therfore they expound those places Mat. 13. 12. of his kinsmen and kinswomen And that this the Hebrew word here vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth a naturall brother is put as vsually for a kinseman also and the posteritie of brethren the Scripture is cleare and plentifull in shewing it Reade for Example Leuit. 25. where the word brethren signifieth the children of brethren Ouer your brethren the children of Israel ye shall not rule one ouer another with crueltie And numb 32. shall your brethren the children of Israel goe to warre and ye tarrie here In both places by brethren the Scripture meaneth the posteritie and children of the 12. sonnes of Iacob and so many other Scriptures doe And so to returne if this Othniel and Achsah had been within the degrees forbidden that he might not haue married her but it had been against the commandement of God who doubteth but that hee would haue been better aduised and that hee meant not in offering her to doe any thing that should offend God I say therefore if either Othniel or any other winning the citie could not lawfully haue married her Caleb would haue supplied his offer some other way to the contentment of the partie And vpon the answer to the question I say much like as vpon the answer of the former question as the matter requireth and giueth occasion Let none gather from this speech of Caleb that it is lawfull to marrie within degrees forbidden as though Caleb had made such a marriage for his daughter And although he were called his kinsman yet seeing it is not said he was his brothers or sisters sonne therefore I haue no necessarie occasion offered to answere the question whether Cosin Germans may marrie together but yet seeing I haue thus spoken of it I therefore signifie my iudgement agreeing with such as I haue read and conferred with and that is this that although the word of God doe not expressely forbid it yet seeing it prohibiteth those degrees that be further off it is of great probabilitie that Christishould more then in a common manner consider and examine for what weightie and speciall causes they doe imbrace and not abstaine from such marriages And me thinkes he hath giuen some watchword thereof vnto vs in this that the life of many couples so marrying together hath been found tedious and accompanied with mutual dislikes betwixt the parties when no reason could be seene thereof beside that and for proofe hereof it hath been acknowledged that to haue been the cause thereof For my part when the question hath been propounded to mee about such marriages I haue as I know the practise of many my betters to haue been I haue I say disswaded from them for inconueniences not as vnlawfull and so I leaue this point But to returne to Caleb although he had maried his daughter within degrees forbidden yet it had giuen no libertie to vs to doe so neither to doe any thing else that is vnlawfull or forbidden by the word of God forasmuch as we haue our direction there what we may do either in matters of marriage or in any thing else whatsoeuer And therefore wee ought little to regard examples that leade any other way And thus these obiections being answered I will proceed in th story And first that it is said here that Othniel being a valiant man took the citie Debir notwithstanding that the difficulties to win it were very great by this wee see that besides this verifieth the prouerb which is heere spoken of him that a mans gift preferreth him as the like may be said of Ioseph Daniel and others and that all men should seeke for the gifts of God which they may attaine to honour the giuer who preferreth them thereby I say besides that we may learne that Othniel being religious and his prayers being most faithfully made to God as we reade in the Chronacles so that God heard them and yet he tooke incouragement by the offer of Caleb to set vpon that great worke we may I say learne that euen godly men may take and vse the benefit of such incouragements as are lawfully offered them to the going about any worke that God commandeth them It is true indeed that euen his bare word alone ought to put life into vs and quicken vs to our duties and much more because there is a promise of blessing annexed to the obeying of euery commandement of his yea a great promise of reward but yet seeing we are weake because of the flesh that striueth against the spirit in vs therefore we haue need of all helpes and furtherance that may whet vs on And therefore though it was the dutie of Othniel to set against the enemies of God as the rest of the Israelites were bound to doe yet there is no doubt but he was much more earnestly set on by this incouragement So it is the dutie of euery faithfull minister of God to preach the Gospel diligently and willingly euen for the commandement of Christ If thou louest mee feede my lambes and my sheepe yet if the Lord blesse his labours plentifully and the people minister to him readily so that hee bee sufficiently prouided for no man doubteth but that hee shall doe his dutie much better as seeing thereby that hee is as good reason why hee should so bee highly and well regarded So a Christian man that laboureth with his hands in the calling God hath set him ought to bee occupied therein willingly and for conscience sake but if God blesse him with good successe he shall goe about the duties of it farre more chearefully and in better sort In all things we find it thus If the Gospell be soundly and diligently preached all ought to be ready to heare it but if magistrates themselues bee forward that way and cause others by their authoritie to doe the same so that they see the Gospel be had in good account shall it not thinke we quicken euen the best much more then they should otherwise be not that these meaner incouragemēts should most preuaile with men but the Lords commandement yet that shall the better doe it when these also be added to helpe our weakenes But to looke to these principally while the chiefe is neglected that is a thing meerely preposterous and the next way to pul downe al right maner of going about our duties what shewes thereof soeuer men wil make and how commonly so euer the the greatest part offend this way And yet God seeing the infirmitie of his people and their vnto wardnesse to godly duties and how hardly they are brought to the well discharging of them by his bare commandement hath drawne them on by fit rewards promises and incouragements For who doubteth that the deare seruants of God are much heartned and helped
commended in his casting downe their idolatrie that seeing God set not neither appointed the time when hee should doe it therefore hee did it in the night wherein hee might bee freest from resistance and danger Doue-like innocency and obedience to God must be ioyned with the wisdome of Serpents In many duties doing wee must watch the best opportunitie time and place vnlesse the Lord prescribe them to vs. So did Sampson in the great destruction of the Philistims watch time and place and tooke opportunitie when thousands of them were assembled to make themselues passe-time by mocking and laughing at him then he set his shoulders to the maine postes whereon the house stood and cast it downe vpon the Princes and the rest and slew thousands of them So it was said of Dauid hee did wisely whither soeuer hee went out and God was with him accordingly And it is a singular gift of God in his children to be wise in the things they take in hand that they giue no aduantage to the wicked nor the diuell but take the best and fittest occasions to bee well occupied as time and place giue leaue both in holding their profession generally and also in the doing of other particular duties that where they see inconuenience like to come they may by wise forecasting preuent the same and lay their most care where greatest danger is to bee seene and feared Wherein though all attaine not the same and like measure yet it is well when al labour as they are able to attaine it But some marre their good actions with the ill and vnwise manner in which they doe them As Iobs friends did in seeking to comfort him The particular instances are infinite But thinke we of them by this example For if Gedeon had gone about the work inioyned him rashly or vndiscreetly in the day time who seeth not that euen his obeying of God in such a mnner had marred all But Iael was blessed for her wisdome she shewed to pull downe Sisera And thus Abigail by her wisdome deliuered her house as Salomon saith and the wise woman mentioned in 2. Sam. who saued a whole citie The children of this generation teach vs herein And therefore pray we all for the spirit of wisedome that we not only doe that which we are commanded but that we studie to do it in the best sort we can and yet alwaies shunning as a rock carnall shifts and policies But of this the lesse shall serue being also often enlarged THE FORTIE TWO SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES WE haue heard of Gedeons faith and wisedome about the casting downe of the altar of Baal and wee may see a good reason why he was faine to vse the best and surest meanes for the effecting of it and for the ouerthrow of their idolatrie First seeing it was stablished among them and had taken roote therefore all that he could do was little enough to throw it downe And also for that the people were so superstitiously addicted thereto and so delighted in it But let vs now see in what outragious manner the people inquire after the man that had done it and when they with consent agreed that it was Gedeon how furiously they sought to haue him put to death Here many good points may be noted about idolaters which I will brieflie set downe First this how deepely idolatrie superstition and false worship is rooted in peoples hearts and ground fast as is to bee seene in these and through these stories and those in the booke of the Kings as the Philistims blind deuotion to their Dagon and the peoples fond and mad zeale in maintaining the false worship of Baal in Ahabs time their offerings to them their bowing downe and praying to them So that a man might haue as easily plucked their hearts out of their bellies as to haue disswaded and alienated their loue from them The reasons are first because as sinne so error is strong plausible and deceitfull Secondly God accurseth all that will not hearken to the truth so that they shall belieue lies and be bewitched therewith See and consider to this end Esay 44. 19. Thirdly the worst weeds haue deepest roots and corrupt customes or opinions because they agree with mans bad nature are not easily rooted out whereas those which are good and commendable are like precious plants or flowers which hardly take any roote at all and may be pluckt vp with two fingers As at this day the cursed reliques of heathenish and popish fashions how hardly are they laid downe looke but to some vaine and foolish customes and the â—ond deuotion of the superstitions all the yeere long in kneeling before stockes and stones and ye may easily guesse how hard a thing it is to remooue and expel them the like Gamaliel said of the doctrine of the Apostles If it be not of God ye shal not need to oppose it it wil fal of it self But we must know that God not working by miracle as he did then Satan and his complices will in these daies trie the vttermost and vse all meanes ere that come to passe yea as we may see they grow in experience and pollicie strength and resolution also to vphold their rotten building vntill as at death to be sure it shall it fall vpon their shoulders Whereas the true and pure worship of God what authoritie credit or heartie loue doth it find or obtaine at the hands of the most of them who professe it Nay they haue soone inough of it many reuolt and fall from it and they that retaine it doe it for the most part in a most dead and cold manner Insomuch as the diligentest preaching and earnestest perswasions doe scarcely preuaile so farre with men as that they get so much as a name of a good religion in the places where they dwell when yet if it were so their zeale is neither grounded vpon knowledge and if it be in some yet are they not stablished and setled therein and yet further euen of them there are very few that hold constantly in a good conscience the profession of their hope with ioy vnto their end And although this good conscience bee farre from the idolaters of our time for it can onely come from saith in Christ and assurance of his fauour whatsoeuer blind zeale and deuotion be in them yet therein they doe as I said before giue and ascribe much to their corrupt religion and false worship in cost in time spending about the same and feruencie therein aboue a number of vs to ours So that if they went vpon good grounds and had any promise from God for their so doing they might haue to reioyce aboue many of vs. But they and such of our selues as I compare with them in comming short of their zeale shal speed both alike while they I meane the Papists haue this cast in their teeth Who required this at your
saying Oh that my people were wise and would consider their end And the Apostle asketh this question of the Romanes what fruite or pleasure they euer had in that which in the end brought shame to them The wise the foolish virgins giue cleere proofe vnto this the foolish contenting themselues to bee without oyle in their lampes that is to walke securely were therefore shut out the wise waiting with oyle in their lampes till the Bridegrome came and therefore thus watching to the end were taken in and receiued readily Looke vpon Absolon for all the aduancing of himselfe and on Adonia looke vpon Baltazar for all his iunketting with his choice companie in the holy vessels of the Temple and vpon Haman though he onely was bidden to the banquet with the King by Queene Hester and for all his other honour that hee had which yet he himselfe did not a little boast of was not the end of it greater shame then the best of it was glorie Looke vpon the young man to whom Salomon speaketh who reioyced as if he should neuer be old nor meeâ—e with worse cheare then iollitie and mirth was it not told him he should come to iudgement And what better end of his delicious life found the rich man in the Gospell then torments And thus I might heape vp examples infinitly both out of the Scripture and out of our own experience of them who had gotten much here and they were many in number in al ages that did thus as the Midianites of whom I now speake and were for their greatnes and in their time the talke of the world yet hauing no sure hold of heauen nor part in other happinesse then transitorie came to naught and were worse then nothing so as one may say of them as Christ said of Iudas It had been good for them that they had neuer been borne Therefore I conclude blessed is the man that hath an eye to the end of his actions and of all things which he beholdeth here vnder the sunne and so dealeth that hee may finde and enioy thereby a good end of his life therfore when the holy Ghost to the Hebrewes commended the faith of some he willeth the reader to consider what hath bin the end of the conuersation of such And the Psalmist sendeth vs to the end of the godly Marke saith he the end of the righteous for the end of him is peace But for these that will be merrie otherwise howsoeuer they goe to worke their end will be in heauinesse according to the words of our Sauiour Woe be to you that now laugh fow ye shall howle and weepe Now that it is said here they had fortie yeeres peace after this subduing of the Midianites it was a great benefit that God bestowed vpon them and so all that enioy it or a great part of it shall see cause to say if they reade and consider the bondage and woe that men are in to enemies and strangers Therfore we should carefully looke what good may be done in such times of libertie and freedome from great disturbance especially that when wee haue generally peace in the land there be no priuate breaches with neighbours at home nor in familie but a quiet life with both and the peace of a good conscience to Godward chiefly and aboue all things procured Looke of this at large in chap. 5. and elsewhere Now that which followeth concerning Gedeon in this verse is this that it is said after this victorie Gedeon liued after a sort a priuate life to proue and make it manifest that he desired not as he had told them before the empire contrary to Gods ordinance So it is with some offices among vs annuall or temporarie If hee had in this priuacie liued idlely or wickedly as one that had done enough before and now waxt weary it would haue been set downe as other faults be That which wee haue to learne by this is that we so vse authoritie countenance preferment or any such libertie which is more then common that we remember it must be laid downe againe and haue an end and that also perhaps in this life and therefore that we swell not neither be puffed vp thereby neither forget what wee haue been for that and such like promotion or aduancement is but borrowed And nothing is more common then to see age abased and in little regard so that The minde as the saying is is all in all yea such as the minde is such is the man For else what should be the priuiledge of a godly man in respect of other both in life and at death Some may better haue thousands and vse them more soberly then some can hundreds He that makes his prosperitie his heauen cannot but thinke the contrarie to bee his miserie and vndoing But he that neuer ioyed too much in that he had neuer laid it too neere his heart when he lost or for-went it It is the speech of a foole to say It is most miserable to haue bin happie A wise man is neither so lifted vp with inioying that which he knoweth is vanishing and mutable as if it were happines nor so deiected in the forgoing it as if he had lost it and as if his hope were past The immoderate desire of the minde is like to him who hauing vsed his body to a plenteous and delicate fare being afterward compelled to streighter allowance pineth and by the alteration of a full fat comely and strong body into a thinne meager pale and decaied sheweth that the change of his diet hath made him vnlike himselfe Whereas the sober minded resembleth him who tieth himselfe to an ordinarie as most agreeable to health and soundnes and although hee come to an extraordinarie diet yet he is a law to himselfe he eateth no more of many then he did before of a few dishes So that as the one mendeth him not so the other appaireth him not Thus saith the Christian with the Apostle I haue learned to abound I haue learned also to want in diuers estates to be the same euen contented and thankfull A rare portion aboue al earthly treasure and such as he needed not be ashamed to confesse he had learnd for he was borne to no such priuiledge as he was to be a free citizen of Rome as he told Lysias but was taught it by the Spirit of God only Wee haue great need to note this for many by office place authoritie and superioritie in Ministery and Magistracy haue and doe daily forget themselues and especially if great wealth accompany the same yea sometime where there is no great matter in the persons to cause it And therefore when God shall blow vpon their estate and cast it downe and they be constrained to come to abasement and to their old condition againe wherein they once liued they scorne and cast it off and shift by vnlawfull meanes to wind themselues
onely happie people because they are more righteous as they call it that is to say counted honest and ciuill dealers and such as cannot be blemished with any open blot and staine of infamie for oppression falshood vncleannesse and yet void of religion euen these also so many of them as will shew themselues wise indeed let them I say know they are in little better case thē the other in Gods account seeing they hate to be reformed And for all their vaunting themselues and the high conceit that they haue of their good estate toward God as if they were the only religious persons yet while they submit not their neck to the Lords yoke of obedience but abhorre and scorne such as they thinke go beyond them in sincere piety who make conscience of stricter matters as the world count them as idle speech pride of life foolish resting filthy pleasures railing slandering lying deceiuing c. euen they most certainely haue God their aduersary and because they repent not they shall likewise perish Doubtlesse it were I deny not to be wished that there were no worse in townes then these of the ciuiller sort and it were greatly for the benefit of the common-wealth that grosse villanies were rooted out among them common vertues practised as the outward worshipping of God and peace with men But yet these as the Scripture testifieth are farre from happinesse as before hath been noted the which I say partly lest these men should deceiue themselues and others with an erroneous conceit of that good which is not in them while they search not their hearts and purge out the filth that is there and yet glorie of repentance and partly that Gods people may see cause of endeuouring after a further measure of grace and true holinesse rather then to faint therein and breake off their good beginnings And the Lord doth oft times therefore plucke out such whole and ciuell men as they loue to bee counted by the eares from their fellowes and for the example of many other he suffereth them to disguise themselues grossely by falling into the sinnes for which they haue scorned and disclaimed others as adultery and boasted themselues to be free from them This I say God is faine to doe to them and then they crie out of their hollownesse ignorance vnbeliefe and euill heart being so conuicted which hath laid them in the dirt These before were no sinnes with them neither would they be brought once to thinke so whereas yet now that they haue committed the grosser they accuse themselues of smaller also Therefore they are happy who lay the foundation of their peace credit safety and true welfare toward God who lay it I say deeper then that storme or tempest wind or weather may cast it downe neuer ceasing till they haue by faith purged out the strength and poyson of those corrupt and bitter rootes of the euill heart and by the same faith haue obtained and found mercy with God that they may feare him and for a good conscience sake goe vnder if it must needs bee so discredit with bad men rather then for credits sake to smother conscience which building soone decaieth with the sandie ground-worke thereof But now to returne to the Shechemites againe I haue not yet noted nor set downe the particular sinne which they added to the rest that is to say that they help forward this cursed impe Abimelech to vsurpe the kingdome by giuing him such a peece of money out of their common treasurie which was the house of their Idol Baal-berith of whom we spak before cha 8. end with the which he was able to hire a band and company of leaud fellowes to guard and runne before and follow him as Absolon did the like when he tooke in hand such a like worke Whereby we may see to what vses many put their goods and how commendably they imploy them which they are put in trust with As for feeding the hungry with them or cloathing the naked or pitying the oppressed it is too base a matter for them to looke after though they shall know one day and that to their cost that they haue the poore among them to this end that they may doe good to them But the thought of such things is as far from them as the East is from the West yea it is death to them to part with the very shreds to good vses but they empty their purse to the bottome to bestow vpon their lusts in roytous life in drinking whoring and other excesse till they bee brought to a morsell of bread or else they be of another disposition namely to gather and increase their substance endlesly neither they themselues nor any wise man can tell why for if they haue posteritie to leaue it to which yet many want they should leaue them but that which remaineth after they haue done in their time and place many good deeds to diuers ciuill and religious necessary vses and otherwise accursed are they in that which they haue which for the most part doth no other good then the pleasing of the eie of the owner while they know many smart and are in penury that I say nothing of their wicked increasing of great part of it by oppression and defrauding of men whereof we haue too many wofull examples among vs from time to time The Lord therefore hath giuen them no heart to doe good with it which if they had they should consider also that there is somewhat else to bestow cost vpon as well as vpon themselues but especially vpon their lusts I meane the worship of God procuring a good Minister relieuing the distressed of all kinds as their abilitie will reach But they shew that God and his word are of meaner account with them then their lothsome lusts Touching this abuse of mens wealth and outward blessings sundry kinds of doctrine haue occasioned vs to speake before neither shall it bee needfull to make any set discourse vpon it in this place Onely I will adde a word or two touching this That they tooke these peeces out of the treasury of Baal-berith Whether they tooke it out of their treasure appointed to idolatrous vses for it is probable they had such a treasurie in imitation of the treasurie of the house of God or whether their common treasure was in some place of that Temple there laid vp as in a safe repositorie and free from the violence or sacriledge of robbers of which vse of temples especially in times of war and danger of pillage we reade in Prophane and Ecclesiastical writers euery where of this I say I will not affirme neither can I. Only I encline to the former opinion and do think that they robbed their Temple to supply the want of Abimelech and sacriledge may wel stand with treason and tyranny which spare neither things holy nor prophane But vpon coniectures I will collect nothing Whether soeuer they did sure it is that
of God to their owne hurt For seeing God by this holding off and forbearing of trials which wee could not beare doth require both exceeding thanks vpon serious recording of this manner of his dealing with vs from time to time as also a growing daily in strength to suffer greater troubles hereafter a grace not common how grossely do they inuert and abuse this purpose of God who make no other vse of his sparing and dandling them in the lap and armes but to weare out the feare or expectation of affliction altogether whereby the longer they are free the weaker they are to suffer What difference in this point will ye make betwixt these and such as to whom affliction is euer vnwelcome and intolerable I meane the vngodly Let all Christians beware therefore of this softnesse and tendernesse Furthermore we haue heard in the seuenth eighth verse that the Philistims and the Ammonites sore vexed Israel eighteene yeeres and in all that time they neuer durst take vp weapon against them vntill they repented but then they began with good courage to resist them and assembled themselues against them By the which it may be noted what liberty and courage true repentance bringeth with it The reason is this when men in their conscience see that they haue dealt trecherously with God and haue nourished and followed the desires of their owne hearts contrary to that they knew they should haue done they haue no hope in him at such times neither feele any heart or strength in themselues to deale against their enemies either ghostly or bodily This is that plague that God threatneth in Leuiticus that his people should not be able to stand before their enemies if they sinned against him and in the fifth Chapter of this booke it is said when Israel had prouoked the Lord there was no heart in them to stand against those that held them in bondage So that wee see how sinne disguiseth men and how preposterously it causeth things to goe with them when they are inchanted and carried away with the allurements and pleasures of it Which prooueth the contrary to be true to wit that the seruice of God is perfit freedome and that it is faith and godlinesse which onely giue courage and boldnesse as to a Lyon by well doing And seeing it cannot be denied that no bondage is like this to be bondmen to our lusts let all looke to receiue from God both reward and punishment in this life and hereafter accordingly as in their liues they haue sought either of both See Iudges 5. 8. and the notes vpon it This order that the people tooke for the choosing of their Gouernour was by the Lords direction as we may after see by his confirming it in sending his spirit vpon Iphtah He did it as by an outward incouragement to stirre them vp to fight against their enemies Euen as he did the like by Caleb who incouraged the people by the like meanes in such a like case saying in a difficultie of winning a Citie Hee that taketh it to him will I giue Achsah my daughter to wife which though the people ought to haue done I meane to fight against Gods enemies for his commandements sake onely yet they had neede of spurres and were the better drawne on by such incouragements Euen as Magistrates and Ministers owe duty of conscience to God in their place to beate downe sinne and aduance the Gospell but yet they are the better heartned thereto when both sorts are incouraged by the high Magistrate and the Minister beside by the readinesse of the people to their dutie And so euery other in his place shall be better set forward in well doing by temporary incouragements though Gods commandement be the strongest motiue So husbands and wiues should liue kindly together by bond and promise each to other for conscience sake but yet they doe this much better when each respecteth the other by yeelding mutually that which they owe each â—â— other THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE Booke of Iudges Vers 1. Then Gilead begat Iphtah and Iphtah the Gileadite was a valiant man but the sonne of an harlot 2. And Gileads wife bare him sonnes and when the womans children were come to age they thrust out Iphtah and said to him Thou shalt not inherit in our fathers house for thou art the sonne of a strange woman 3. Then Iphtah fled from his brethren and dwelt in the land of Tob and there gathered to Iphtah idle fellowes and went out with him IN this Chapter the person is mentioned who should goe before the people of Israel in the warre against Ammon And the summe of this Chapter with the parts which are foure is here further set downe to be this First the calling of Iphtah is mentioned vnto the 12. verse The second part is how he seekes to appease the Ammonits by messengers moouing them by reasons to desist from warre but all in vaine to vers 29. The third part containeth the ouerthrow of the Ammonites by Iphtah to vers 36. The fourth sheweth what fell out after and particularly how hee performed his vow which he had made to God if he might get the victory in vers 32. and this is to the end of the Chapter Now to come to the first part before Iphtah became their Guide and Captaine it is shewed how vnlikely it was that he should be so therefore he is described in the first verse to haue been the sonne of an harlot who ordinarily might be admitted to no such place In the second and third verse it is shewed how his brethren did therefore whether through pride and scorne or emulation or both expell him out of their fathers house so that he was faine to flie into another land and somuch the more hee was vnlike to be gouernour And yet God so brought it to passe by his prouidence that the Princes of Gilead euen such as had driuen him away were constrained to send for him againe euen him among all other whom they had banished from their fellowship to bee their guide according to their decree made in the former Chapter to wit seeing he had of all other begun warre with the Ammonites and so vpon agreement betwixt him and them hee yeelded to them and the Lord ouer-ruling the action he was elected Iudge ouer them and this to the 12. verse Now of these more particularly as they lie in order And first how he is described namely in these two points One that hee was the son of an harlot being the sonne of Gilead the other that he was yet a valiant man and of great courage and fit for warre So that by the first he was basely accounted of as he was base borne by the last he came to good estimation and credit among men as he well deserued For the first whereas Gilead the father of Iphtah tooke to him an harlot beside his lawfull wife we see he did not obey the
had neede oft to remember the words of our Sauiour saying Hereby shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye loue one another But I cannot tell how it commeth to passe that one man is a wolfe and lion to another yea euen such as dwell together neerer then in one towne by his Nabal-like churlishnes and blockish if not mischieuous behauiour who when they should also the more neerely be linked together doe thereby take occasion to be sooner wearie one of another to contend also and fall out for small trifles as there shal not want matter sundrie waies if men be not carefull to preuent the same Wherein yet this is worse that such as are euer at iarre with one or other that dwell neere them or with them doe couer their sinne by answering they agree well enough with others who are farre from them Whereas it were monstrous if we deserued bad report among them who know vs not For who seeth not that it is an easie matter to bee at peace with strangers with whom a man hath no dealings neither commeth oft in their company But the Apostle teacheth that we should fetch testimonie of our Christian behauiour and good conscience not so much from them that are a farre off where weseldome come but from them especially with whom wee dwell and conuerse vsually and deale for thus he saith to the Corinthians amongst whom he had liued This is our reioycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse wee haue had our conuersation in the world and most of all toward you And to draw to an end in this point also it should be throughly resolued to euery good Christian not to grieue and offend the meanest that he liueth with either by priuat contention or iniuring them or by any other reprochfull behauiour but to liue peaceably with them so much as in him lieth and to looke carefully that he do so and offer them friendly and good measure that so he may stop the mouthes of the ill disposed and haue interest in the other such persons when God shal visit them to bring them on to Christian religion and exhort them and so to haue hope to bring them to repentance and thereby to inioy the fruit of such wise kind and peaceable liuing with them in loue and inward comfort which passeth vnderstanding But yet if any will needs breake off from vs because wee will not haue fellowship with them in the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse and walke after the same excesse of riot that they doe here we must remember that we must ioyne speech with holinesse and no further And though it grieue vs forgoe that agreement which we cannot lawfully hold and wee should be comforted in this that we haue sought it as much as in vs lieth Thus as I haue shewed Gods people how to keepe neighbourhood and loue one with another that they may beware of strāgers which neuer doth good so I will giue a watchword to the vnruly and disobedient of their grosse and common contentions and iarres with such as they liue among wishing them to consider how wearisome they make their liues and displeasing and therefore to studie to liue quietly and not to be companions in euill with them to thinke thus that if Gods deare seruants sometime disagree and liue vnkindly for that they haue no more grace though they haue some then much more they should begin to auoid and mislike all such their vncharitablenesse and other ill parts of their liues who haue no grace and that speedily lest if they bite one another they be consumed one of another I deny not but they haue shew of neighbourly fellowship among them but it is most chiefly in wickednesse wherein many ioyne easily together but as concerning friendship they are inconstant and hollow and are onely friends while they haue that which they would haue and no longer nor no further And this of them briefly and by the way And now seeing I haue said I will adde a word to another sort and that is this that if the neerest in place and kindred should bee most neere in affection as the very law of nature teacheth and all will acknowledge how much more then the married couples In whom to see this band of loue broken it is not only strange but monstrous And let this shame all such to heare this seeing that which hath before been spoken in reproofe of others who offend this way shall most of all condemne them It followeth in the next verse Vers 4. And Iuda went vp and the Lord deliuered the Canaanites and the Perezites into their hands and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men Iudah as he was commanded of God so he did for so it is said here hee went vp c. so that as he counselled with the Lord what he should doe euen so when hee knew his mind he was as ready to obey This condemneth the rash zeale of many who are as readie to aske and goe to the word and pray in the congregation after their manner as the best but they consider not why they doe so as though they thought God were pleased with such halfe seruice as they vse much like to Saul who was forward to sacrifice thinking God to be highly pleased therewith but as for the obeying the commandement of God in destroying the Amalekites he was farre from it he did it by halues so that the Prophet Samuel was faine to say to him Hath God as great pleasure in burnt sacrifice as that his voice should be obeyed Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fat of rams So to make a shew of much forwardnesse and to haue no heart nor readinesse to doe as men pretend and to say Lord Lord and not to bee willing to doe his will is abomination to the Lord. For he loueth truth in the inward parts he saith Oh that there were an hart in this people to keepe all my commandements alwaies that it might goe well with them God cannot abide that men should shew more then is in them which also his seruant Paul abhorred to doe as we reade in that place to the Corinthians saying I would haue none thinke otherwise of me then they see in me Thus we see what vse we ought to make of this example of Iudah that is to giue God this honour that as wee pray and resort to him to know his will so we be as ready to indeuour to doe it and to seeke to be faithfull and true seruants vnto him rather then to be so accounted for it shall otherwise be little to our comfort This of Iudahs obeying now let vs see what the Lord did to him We haue heard of the promise made to thē by God of subduing the Canaanites now it is shewed how he performed it in this that the men of Iudah slew 10000.
liue well and to please God yea and for the obtaining of all these let them attend to sincere preaching not by fits but ordinarily and constantly as they may and so God will draw them out of the puddle in which other lie still and worke that grace in them whereby they shall be reformed to the image of Christ their head and to the similitude of the members of his body which are all vniformely gouerned by the same spirit which worketh alike fruits in all And this is the onely way to come by it But another thing is to be noted by these tribes beside which I haue said already and that is seeing they could not chuse but heare one of another what they did how one was led by the example of the other For though one easily agree with another in euill as I haue said before yet I cannot tell how it commeth to passe that when wee haue example also from others of any bad course we are much more easily riueted into it thereby Nay this example so much preuaileth that although wee haue Gods commandement neuer so plaine to the contrary with threates annexed thereto wee boldly breake through it and not onely affect and commit the same as in the former doctrine I said wee doe but wee beare it downe before vs as it were a streame It could not easily haue been thought that this people of Israel one tribe after another could there being so many of them haue sought their owne ease in making peace with the other nations hauing receiued so straite a commandement that they should expell them and yet they did so handle the matter among them that it was as it were vtterly forgotten among them and they grew to bee confirmed in a contrary course But when one tribe had broke the ice to another in breaking through the commandement it became as a matter that lay dead few looked after it So it would hardly haue been thought that Saphira could haue been brought to consent to the holding backe of that summe of money which was consecrated to so good and holy an vse which was by making a lye and standing stifly in it but when she knew her husbands mind and had him to goe before her therein so that he made no matter to commit such a trespasse shee was emboldened to doe it also by his example Likewise who would haue said that well nigh the whole city of Samaria should haue been drawne to receiue Simon Magus his sorceries but after that some had begun and there was none to reproue and shame them for it the rest fell to it hauing such examples before them And a man would wonder to see how such cleare streight charges as God hath giuen to men of departing from iniquitie and of not following the multitude to doe euill should be so troden vnder foot and cast behinde mens backs Ministers are commanded as they loue Christ they should feed his sheepe and his lambes the people that they should giue all diligence to make their calling and election sure young men not boldly take their pleasure and spend their youth licentiously old men that they should be patternes to the young in good life c. But as if God might be mocked hell agreed withall and as if the Scriptures that straitely vrge these things were an old wiues fable so they are regarded For what one of many either Minister maketh euer the more conscience of zealous and diligent preaching or how many of the other sorts feare the commandement to depart from euill It is enough to them that they haue others to goe before them in the euils which they doe For euen as sheepe and beasts follow the formost ranke whithersoeuer it leade them euen so these like beasts doe Thus by the seede of ill example sinne encreaseth and iniquitie aboundeth in all places till at length a confusion of all things follow in offices duties and estates both in Church and Common-wealth And the rather if men see such goe before them in euill as seeme to haue excellency in any gifts whereby they can maintaine their sinnes as by wealth learning authority or any such like In which respect the sinne of the tribe of Iudah was the greater in that they beleeued not that God would enable them to cast out the inhabitants of the valleyes seeing they had chariots of iron and so they becomming examples to their brethren therein and being the chiefest though they had done commendably in expelling many other of them therfore the rest of the tribes thought their sinne more tolerable and made the lesse of it though they yet had not so good a pretence for their doings as Iudah had But to returne to our selues we are to know that it is great boldnesse to follow bad examples the damnation of such sleepeth not Let not men bee deceiued God hath all these things and such like registred and writen not with inke and paper for then there were hope that in time they might bee worne out but in his remembrance which neuer faileth If Paul wish that men follow not his example so rare a patterne of piety further then hee followes Christ what shall they haue to answere who looke no further then to this that they see others doe so how odious soeuer their doings are Let that serue vs for doctrine concerning examples forasmuch as they that leade and towle vs on by their example cannot helpe vs to beare our punishment when their own shall be intolerable to them seeing company shall not ease the torments of the damned in hell howsoeuer heere they could ioyne hand in hand to commit their sinne with pleasure and consent And let vs bee so farre from following others in their doings further then they follow the rule that should guide vs all that our owne light may so shine before men that they may blesse God for vs and learne of vs. So shall wee shew our selues wiser then these tribes whose sinne we haue seene laid open vnto vs and bee well fenced against all danger by ill examples The last verses in this chapter now follow VERS 34. And the Amorites droue the children of Dan into the mountaine so that they suffered them not to come downe to the valley 35. And the Amorites dwelt still in mount Heres in Aijalon and in Shaalbim and when the hand of Iosephs familie preuailed they became tributaries 36. And the coast of the Amorites was from Maale-Akrabbim euen from Selah and vpward NOw in the shutting vp of the chapter the holy story bringeth in the tribe of Dan shewing that these Danites had not the liberty that the other tribes had for they yet had strength to expell the Canaanites that were in their lot and did not these were couped vp in a narrow roome vnto the mountaines and yet were not suffered to possesse them neither but they were not permitted at all to dwell in the vallies but their enemies had them out
liue in as that they may not bee able to denie them and all to the end they may the easilier be brought to repentance and not onely told in preaching what is sinne which I grant must be done but as farre as may bee they are to bee charged as guilty who are so and to bee vrged as they haue giuen cause so farre as that they may be pricked in their consciences vnlesse their hearts be flinty and so to say from their hearts we haue sinned And this is one principall point in preaching to be aimed at by Gods commandement to Timothy where it is said preach the word in season and out of season rebuke conuince and exhort with all lenity and this conuincing is most auaileable through Gods blessing among other meanes to awake the drowsie conscience and so to quiet and reforme it This is that which our Sauiour foretelleth vs in Saint Iohns Gospell that the spirit of God that is the power of the word inspired by the holy Ghost and preached by his Apostles and Ministers after his resurrection should conuince the world of sinne So we reade in the second of the Acts that Peter proued against the Iewes and conuicted them in their consciences that they had crucified the Lord of glory who consented thereto And it is said immediately following there when they heard it they were pricked in their hearts Thus when Dauid could easily yeeld to the truth generally set downe to him by Nathan but could goe no further namely to see himselfe faulty whose sinne reached to the heauens the Prophet Nathan conuinced him and told him saying thou art the man that hath dealt so cruelly and wickedly and then hee could say I haue sinned So in Sam. 24. when God had shewed Dauid his sinnes in numbring the people he repented and yeelded vers 17. Thus Paul dealt with the Romans when he sought throughly to make odious to them their former ill course What fruit had yee saith hee in those things whereof ye are now ashamed their consciences bare them witnesse that that they had none And as this kind of dealing with the people in our preaching is most profitable and like to doe most good so it is one of the hardest matters namely to rouze vp the conscience and to conuince it Profitable I say it is for that if it be awaked and pricked it cannot but acknowledge the sinne in all likelihood and bleed and so relent for it and craue pardon and abandon it which is the direct way whereby the holy Ghost guideth men to saluation but if any be drowsie and sleepy conscienced so that they be not moued by hearing any reproofes or doe striue against the light of their owne conscience being conuinced which is more or wax hardened which is worst of all and a most vnkind abusing of that gratious worke of God in them I bewaile their case for they not onely receiue not any benefit thereby but doe waxe worse and so depart from God so as they seldome returne to him againe for the most of them of which sort Iudas was and some others And yet these shifts men will vse when they are conuicted for either they are not pricked or struggle against it and seeke to shift it off or else they are hardened by the deceitfulnesse of sinne all which ought most carefully to be taken heed of To returne therfore it is profitable for the hearers to be oftentimes conuinced and otherwise our ministery doth them little good but so it is also hard to winde in with them and to pierce their hearts as I said I meane to bring the hearers to this point that they shall cry out and say euery one for his owne part I haue sinned For concerning the ministers who should bee one speciall meanes to doe it they for the most part abstaine from this worke altogether either winding vp all in obscurity that they are not vnderstood or at least contenting themselues with the bare propounding of the truth without applying it to the conscience or discouering the corruption of the heart that so the hearer may not escape This worke they leaue to the peoples discretion And alas they are so farre from working the word vpon themselues that they haue many starting holes and excuses for their sinnes and extenuate them and alleage their owne infirmities and other mens examples so that though they be stricken by our preaching as with an arrow yet they be harnessed and bumbaced in such wise that they will shift off the blow and not bee wounded thereby but rather will follow their owne euill courses the more and harden their hearts still who may well set the best side outward I denie not and for a while carrie a faire shew as though all were well with them but God knoweth their harts and let them be sure that their sinne shall find them out and it shall not goe well with them in the end The vse of this is that we so looke to our selues in the whole carriage of our liues that we feare not what may be said to vs or brought against vs so verifying the prouerbe the righteous is bold as a Lion and the rather seeing wee haue iudged our selues that wee may not bee iudged of the Lord and haue kept our consciences pure and good to the end we may not feare conuincing of them for the word of God can offer no violence to them who offer it first to themselues especially for any wilfull offending but yet if for all this we be found too light and in somethings worthy to be blamed as who can looke so narrowly about himselfe but he may be iustly charged or if wee breake out amisse then our dutie is to desire that the word may challenge vs euen for that and being conuinced of it let vs willingly and readily yeeld wherby we shall free our selues from the iust blame of blockish sleepy of secure and obstinate hearers But now I passe from this conuincing of them by the messenger of God to the expostulating with them for the breach of their couenant saying Why haue ye done this As if he should say in the person of God to them if ye can shew any reason why yeemay doe thus I giue you leaue come forth and make your answere but the people answered not a word in token that they held themselues guilty This teacheth that God is equall and righteous in his proceedings yea euen toward those who haue prouoked him as he saith in the like case by his Prophet to those that were the posterity of this people heere mentioned come and let vs reason together c. Hee doth not as men do who will smite them who haue done them wrong before they shall know why and are neuer willing to come to good conditions with them how tractable soeuer they might finde them These are indeed cruell and vnmercifull men who will not offer any
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
Iudge was dead they returned and did worse then their fathers in following other gods to serue them and worship them they ceased not from their owne inuentions nor from their rebellious way 20. Wherefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he said because this people hath transgressed my couenant which I commanded their fathers and hath not obeyed my voice 21. Therfore will I no more cast out before them any of the nations which Ioshua left when he died 22. That through them I may proue Israel whether they will keepe the way of the Lord to walke therein as their fathers kept it or not 23. So the Lord left those nations and droue them not out immediately neither deliuered them into the hand of Ioshua NOw followeth the last branch of this second part of the chapter that is to say that when the Iudge died the people did worse then their fathers as is set downe in this verse whereupon the wrath of God was kindled against them as appeareth in the twentieth verse and then the fruit of it namely Gods punishing of them is set downe in verse 21. and the end why he did so in the 22. that was to proue them and therefore it is said in the last verse that God left the enemies in the land still in Ioshuas time and did not cast them out Now of these as they lie in order That it should bee thus with this people as in this verse it is said it is no lesse lamentable then wonderfull For when God had pitied them they groning to him and sent them Iudges who should deliuer them out of their oppressions and they likewise did deliuer them indeed after that blessing who would not haue said that they would haue proued a rare people in thankes and obedience vnto God Now therefore in that they turned another way when the Iudge was dead who was sent to deliuer them and kept not their couenant which they had made with God but rebelled against him what trercherie was this And to that end is their sinne aggrauated in this verse to wit that they did worse then their fathers but following their owne inuentions and euill waies By all which it is to be gathered what light-headednesse and inconstancy is in men who haue sometime made earnest profession of amendment also what lewdnesse accompanieth the same to set it on worke Heereupon it is that all good exercises of prayer and purposes of good life are soone forgotten and worne out of memory with many A simple minded man would thinke that where there hath been so much knowledge in people and shew of good conscience going with it as that they both doe cause confession of sinne and accusation of themselues with breaking forth into solemne protestation and couenanâ—â— of turning to God with all their heart he would thinke I say that if after ten or twelue yeeres absence from them he should returne againe that hee should finde rare profiting in the Christian trade at least much forwardnes in knowledge and in all good duties and they so setled therein that they could not be remoued any more from them But as people much to bee lamented they who might looke for such a thing shall be like rather to finde it farre otherwise and much worse as wee see heere it was with these And in stead of growing in knowledge and grace at least of setlednesse and stedfastnesse in their good beginnings they shall be found reuolters from the same rather as it goeth with men now adaies and to haue deuised with themselues or consulted with others about new waies and courses of life cleane contrary Some to fall in with Papist and sectaries other to bee drawne to whoredome and vncleannesse and the greatest part into depth of worldlinesse sutes vncharitable contentions and the like which though it be fearefull to heare of yet it is common and easie to be found euen while good exercises of preaching and some good neighbourhood continue and bee enioyed of them and therefore how much more shall this be found where such good meanes are wanting Oh if goodnesse preuaile not with them and haue not the vpper hand yea if it be not loued aboue all other things and in price aboue them and diligence vsed daily in the practise of good duties all shewes of the best beginnings will soone turne to the contrary And good reason it is that where men professe godlinesse which is the greatest riches and hath the promises of this life and of the life to come good reason I say that there they should not be ashamed to seeke by all meanes to aduance and honour it to the end that all may know the worthinesse and price of it and that it is not without reward euen in this world Which while few regard to doe they are worthily put to reproch and shame But heere beside that which hath been said a good occasion being offered out of all these verses together wee may gather a good direction for a great part of our life and that as well before affliction come as in the time of it and after deliuerance out of it Before it come and while God giueth vs leaue to serue him with cheerefulnesse which is a sweet portion in this life we should greatly labour to keepe well while we are well and not doe as this people did here to wit prouoke God to punish vs for sinning against him as the world doth negligently or wittingly Secondly if we haue for al our heed taking broken out against conscience which without good heed taking may full easily be we should cry to God after our fall from vnder our burthen not tarrying till we be driuen to it by extremity as these heere were and further when we cry to him wee should wait patiently and the rather because we haue by our sinne prouoked him against vs till God deliuer vs. Thirdly seeing he will most certainly helpe being thus sought to let vs beleeue and be perswaded that hee will heare vs graciously as wee see heere he did them who yet were great offenders and thus let vs strengthen and inable our selues to this patience with confidence Fourthly when wee be deliuered let vs afterward oft remember consider in what an vncomfortable estate we were before and how good and gracious the Lord hath been to vs to bring vs out of such aduersity and with daily thankes cleaue to him yet more neerely then before and in no wise prouoke him by renewing our sinnes as these did heere which were monstrous and to our owne cost be we well assured it shall be And thus if we be carefull to doe it shall goe well with vs and good daies shall we see as may be looked for in so bad a world and such as haue their thousands of gold shall not bee able to buy and purchase with all their abundance But to passe to the next
of Palme trees 14. So the children of Israel serued Eglon King of Moab eighteene yeeres Now followeth the second The summe whereof is this that the people of Israel prouoked God to anger againe by their sinnes when Othniel was dead And God strengthened the King of Moab against them with other most wicked confederates who oppressing them sore a long time they cried to the Lord as they had done before and hee stirred vp another sauiour one Ehud who deliuered them out of their grieuous bondage According to this briefe laying out of the story the parts may be discerned to be foure as in the former Which being easie to bee perceiued I will not stand to set them downe but speake of them as they lie in order The first thing heere to be noted is that the people againe wrought euill in the sight of the Lord as they had done before And this shewes that they broke out further then they did while Othniel liued or else nothing should haue been said more then before in his daies during whose time though they be not commended yet neither are they discommended Therefore to say nothing of either seeing I haue no ground for it let that be obserued whereof the text giueth iust occasion how prone and ready we are to break out assoone as we haue any opportunity Oh the flesh is soone wearie of pending in While we are well fenced against falles by good teaching and company I must needs say all is much the better with vs and we be the easilier kept from great offences Heere in this land especially where wee haue the purity of the Gospel and of the true worship of God established among vs for it is grosse indeed to fall from a good course while that is present and also while godly Magistrates are with vs to encourage vs as it was with them while Othniel liued But for all this as grosse as it is when men will let loose themselues with the times to the sinnes thereof and such helpes faile them as I haue spoken of what care soeuer hath been among them of honouring God in former times they are soone carried away euery man as he is disposed by his owne corruption one to some sinne and another to another And yet where all the forementioned outward helpes be we being easily brought to make common things of them the false heart will be ready to breake out and fasten delight in some sinfull pleasure or other if it be not strongly held in by grace as by a bridle Whereas we should rather grow vp stedfast in our hope curbing vp our vnmortified affections that so we might be vnoffensiue in our Christian course and the better be able to helpe to shelter other weake brethren from being ouercome and led away by strong tentations rather then our selues who haue tasted how good and bountifull the Lord is to be plunged into the depth of them by what occasions soeuer to their great offence I haue oft lamented and still doe the lamentable case and wofull estate of such who are easily and readily deceiued with the baits of sinne when I see to what shamefull shiftings and bondage they bring themselues by their yeelding thereto who might haue walked at great liberty toward God and with much comfort in their life But we must confesse that this should be much better done on euery side if diligent teaching were ioyned with good example in the chiefe to giue light and encouragement to the meaner sort and godly Magistrates according to their duties encouraging the good and ready to keepe vnder the bad and disobedient But oh that many of both sorts were not discouragers And yet without respect thereof euery particular person should looke to his owne waies not promising himselfe such helpes in this euill world to be euer at hand This be said of the peoples prouoking of God againe and of their breaking out after the death of Othniel Of other things which might be noted heere hauing already been spoken of I will forbeare to say any more both in this place and throughout the booke The punishment which God inflicted vpon the people for their renued sinnes which is the second thing in this example followeth in this and the next two verses and it was this that the King of Moab and other who assisted him held them in bondage eighteene yeeres and tooke Iericho which was called the city of Palme trees and set aide there the more to oppresse Israel seeing it was by the passage ouer Iordan toward Moab Where we see againe that if we shall waxe bold to sinne against the Lord hee will smite as we haue heard come it sooner or come it later But in that hee is said here to strengthen Moab and as it were to furnish him against his owne people the wicked Idolaters against his true worshippers onely for breaking forth now at this time heere mentioned to offend the Lord more then commonly it may seeme somewhat strange For these Ammonites and Amalekites were most vile enemies of God and grosse Idolaters But he will haue vs to know this that he doth often punish his owne people by them that are worse then they And as we see he sendeth these cursed nations vpon them so we need not doubt but that hee can and will send the very Papists as little as many loose Protestants feare it to vexe vs if we prouoke him euen as he hath done heretofore when the sinne of men and their knowledge was lesser then now it is And so the Lord speaketh in Deuteronomie Because ye haue prouoked me by that which is no God I will prouoke you by them whom ye haue despised as no people It is as harsh a thing to suffer by the meanes of such as be worse then our selues as it is for the child to be beaten by the seruant But God will suffer them partly because hee knowes that to be the way to abase men partly because their enemies will set it on to the purpose when they are let loose to hurt them through the malice that is in them euen as their father the diuell doth when he can But God would haue his owne learne by the smart which they sustaine by their trouble that their sinne is farre more odious then they account it yea then theirs who whip them because they haue been taught to know the Lord and couenanted to serue him but the other are strangers who are vnacquainted with his waies And all this is well to be marked because this errour sticketh fast and deepe in the minds of some that wee need not feare the Papists Spaniards Iesuites or any such Heretikes because we professe the true religion that they hate and worship Christ Iesus whom they dishonour And therefore hauing a good cause they say why should we feare God will fight for vs. I answere they must haue with their good cause a good conscience also for else they may as truly say
And if we be not sufficient of our selues hereunto then take wee aduice of those that be wiser then we For the which purpose Salomon saith Without counsell thoughts come to naught but in the multitude of counsellors there is stedfastnesse So we must bee sure that speciall care bee vsed as I haue said that when great and waighty businesse is imposed vpon vs all possible regard be had to see it well brought to passe and gone about This lesson being ill learned of Peter Christs beloued Apostle may warne vs by the exceeding danger that befell him thereby to put it better in practise For when Christ told him of a most waighty matter namely that hee should denie him Peter most sleightly regarded it answering rashly without consideration that he so little feared that which Christ told him of that he was ready to goe to prison and to death with him and so resting in his bold answere and deceiueable confidence that he had of his owne strength for want of aduised deliberation he fell into the sinne that his Master foretold him off and by a very small occasion denied him indeed and so his example is set downe and left to vs to learne wisedome thereby Moses did otherwise and farre better for when he was told that he must be sent to Pharaoh by the Lord to doe his message vnto him which seemed to him ouer difficult and waighty yet considering thereof aduisedly when he saw it was imposed vpon him by the Lord hee stouped to it fitted himselfe for it accordingly and well discharged it and prospered And let these two examples bee duely weighed and regarded of vs though contrary the one to the other and the more vrge vs to practise this doctrine and otherwise let vs not maruell that we thriue not in our waighty attempts if God be not reuerently harkened vnto in his watchword and warnings and as it is most meet duely attended vpon of vs. And this for the generall Now particularly let this teach vs that in doing those actions which specially tend to the glory of God we haue an eye also to the good of our brother Let vs carrie our selues so in our zeale toward God that in the meane season wee neglect not dutie toward men neither cause our loue towards our brethren to bee called into question This is to build in heauen and pull downe as fast vpon earth Ehud heere did farre otherwise It was highly commendable in Paul and became him well that he desired King Agrippas conuersion without enioyning him with that benefit his owne bands And it becommeth vs to be so wisely feruent in Gods cause that yet wee would not willingly hazard the safety liberty credit wealth and welfare of others by our zeale and suffering for it nay rather if there because redeeme their freedome by our owne damage and detriment Many are of this preposterous opinion that because they thinke themselues strong enough to vndergoe trouble and reproch for the Gospell and a good cause therefore they looke that all other zealous persons should doe so too and are ready to censure them sharpely who are not as they themselues seeme to be not regarding their weaknesse who not finding themselues fit to beare the burthen should bee pitied in that behalfe or else they thinke that it is a discredit to their good cause to suffer for it alone and thus they winde them into a dangerous snare with themselues by drawing them to promise and vndertake that which they be vnfit for Whereas we reade that some of the ancient and some of our late Martyrs who wisely and charitably tendring the peace and good of their weake brethren resolued to beare the brunt themselues and counselled them to prouide for their conscience by flight from persecution if they felt not themselues fit to goe vnder it For the rest looke in the next Sermon THE ONE AND TWENTIETH SERMON WHICH IS THE FIFTH ON THE THIRD CHAPter of the booke of IVDGES OF Ehud it followeth still of his conueying away the men when the Present was deliuered that all inconuenience might bee auoided on both parts of whom let vs learne not onely to bee warie that wee bewray not secrets vndiscreetly to any which hee wisely preuented by sending them away and therefore much more not to many But also as he did so let vs doe it agreeing with the rule of charity namely that if danger trouble or sorrow must needs ensue and follow by doing such things which wee goe about and must needs take in hand yet let our care be that the trouble bee no more to any then it must needs be nor the danger or heauines take hold of no more then must of necessity haue their part therein As Ehud saw the burthen lay vpon him hee might if hee would haue laid it vpon other beside himselfe but that in no wise hee would doe but sent the rest of the company home that they might be out of danger Which thing I well remember our Sauiour also most carefully practised and that with no lesse tender loue and kindnesse toward his weake Disciples For when the Priests and Iewes with their band of souldiers came to apprehend and take him they telling him when he demanded of them whom they sought that they sought him hee answered them If ye seeke me let these meaning his Disciples goe their way and the reason of that speech was that they might escape danger Much like to both these examples was the doing of the Shunamite in the second booke of the Kings For when her child was dead which the Prophet Elisha obtained of God for her shee hauing none before and shee knowing and beleeuing that it should be restored to life againe vnto her when she had talked with the Prophet and made her moue and complaint vnto him which shee saw shee might doe and yet returne home againe the same day what did shee thinke wee Surely this shee locked vp the dead child in the Prophets chamber which shee had perswaded her husband to build for him in their owne habitation to rest at when hee passed by and made his death knowne to none lest trouble and sorrow should thereby haue been caused to the whole family and neighbours thereabout and by faith had the child restored aliue vnto her againe The griefe and care for it must needs light on her and she sustained it her selfe and would haue no other to sorrow for it or be troubled about it But our sinne about this thing is great that when wee might with a little trouble to our selues free and ease many other yet wee raise and procure it to other also yea and wee bee not satisfied vnlesse they smart as well as we So farre are we off from regarding other and from seeking their peace who would liue peaceably by vs. As for example it is commonly to be seene how many rough and boysterous husbands grieue and disquiet both wise and family
which is translated message or errand doth not onely signifie a word or message by mouth but also a thing or deed such as that was which he did vnto him for he was sent from God to kill him euen as among the Latines Verbum res Quid hoc verbi est Quid hoc rei est both are one Now followeth the third thing and that is in this 20. verse namely of Ehuds last words to the King immediately before he killed him and of Eglons behauiour thereat as it is heere set downe let vs consider of which this I say In that he should so simply hearken to and beleeue him admit him into his secret parlour and that Ehud being a stranger should neither be suspected nor searched as the manner is and great reason was for it before hee should haue accesse to the King and that none of all the Kings attendants should aduise such a matter that hee should not bee suffered to stand on his feet before the King which was more suspitious but rather commanded to bee vpon his knees before him and then that hee should cause his owne company to goe out of the place and leaue them two onely together but especially to let Ehud depart before they saw all to be wel These I say and such like if the Lord had not blinded and cast a myst before them could neuer haue passed as they did And we may say it was much like that which we reade of Abner captaine of Sauls hoast and all his men to wit that when he imagined that Dauid pursued him and sought his life and should therefore haue more specially watched and attended the Kings person then at other times yet that euen then all the armie should be asleepe together where they lay in so much that Dauid challenged Abner for it was it not admirable For it could not haue been so in any reason except God had cast a sleepe vpon them to the end that Dauids integrity and innocency toward Saul might be knowne when there was seene no other way to shew it and all saw that would how he might haue killed Saul And hereby let vs learne that when God will haue any worke wrought or any thing brought to passe for his glory the good of his Church or destruction of his enemies he hauing many waies to bring it to passe will effect it through infinite difficulties without our troubling our selues about it For his prouidence alway ministreth to and makes way for his purpose till it be executed Dauid was so coped in by Saul at one time that there seemed no hope of escape but then the Lord whistled him away and set him about other businesse What lets and discouragements thinke wee had Noah to hold him from that great worke of building the Arke to the preseruing of the world and the Church of God I will leaue it to the consideration of the reader rather then spend the time in laying it forth In the bringing to passe Gods promise to Ioseph in his dreame what a long time was it before it was effected euen well nigh twentie yeeres and how vnlike and in the meane while how many difficulties were raised and set in the way to the frustrating of it as the malice and enuie of his brethren some of them intending and seeking to kill him but all the company consenting that he should be sold to strangers a farre off from whence they thought he should neuer haue bin any more seen of them neither his dreames come to passe and then his imprisonment also after all by the false accusation of his whorish mistrisse who would not haue said that by the meanes of all these he should haue been vtterly depriued of the benefit of the promises which God had made to him But could they preuaile was any iot of Gods word made voide so that it came not to passe And was all the cruell malice of Haman easily auoided in plotting the destruction of all the Iewes Gods people the day thereof being appointed the King perswaded by him to let all be as hee would haue it and no friend to them but they were as sheep appointed to be slaine but they that were in as great danger themselues that is to say Hester and Mardocai and when shee the Queene who was all their hope vnder God should goe about to helpe them out of the danger she brought her selfe thereby into the present perill of her life And yet because it could not be possible that the Church of God should be ouerthrowne did not he most strangely deliuer it But to let passe examples in Scripture euen thus the Lord hath and doth vphold his Church heere and there for a time against all enemies and lets and will doe till he hath accomplished and made vp his number And when wee see that he continueth his fauour more specially to any place or people through many trials let vs say the Lord hath done great and maruellous things for them and they had need to acknowledge his kindnesse and profit by it more then in common manner lest their account be harder to be made then other mens And to come to shew it more particularly and so to conclude this point if euery priuate person whom this concerneth could weigh through what difficulties as tentations and discouragements God hath brought him to hold and keepe faith and a good conscience both in the beginning middle part of his combate and conflicting daies and more specially when he hath well nigh runne his race and finished his course with ioy oh what thankes would he render to the Lord for it For all such may well remember how oft they haue said within themselues that they shall neuer be stablished and perseuere to the end and that the promise of heauen made to them is too good to be true And yet God hath so mixed his power with their weakenesse and so vpheld them beyond their expectation that hee hath brought them safely through all that they feared Oh I cannot sufficiently magnifie and commend this goodnesse of the Lord and withall the glorious worke of faith and what wonders they effect and yet little known or asked after But seeing the arme of the Lord is no more shortened now then in times past but he doth great things for them that beleeue at this day let vs also learne Dauids lesson Commit thy way to the Lord saith he and beleeue that he will effect it and he will doe it in deed without any needlesse and indirect trouble or fretting care of thine but if we beleeue not I deny not but that we may see as Elisha told the Prince of Israel and Mordicai Hester Gods promises performed to others which hee made as the vnbeleeuing Prince did but we shall haue no part therein our selues nor cause of sound reioycing thereat in as much as we had no exercise of our faith in beleeuing them Therefore this worthily
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
those that receiue them The example of Lot is alleaged who for the defence of those strangers that turned in vnto him offered much inconuenience to himselfe and his daughters that hee might free the strangers whom he receiued from iniurie The like is said of the care of that old man mentioned hereafter in this booke to the Leuite and his concubine whom he had receiued as strangers into his house Hereupon and by the like it is concluded that as it were by an vniuersall law the promises that are made to strangers for their safety should bee inuiolably kept The very Barbarians shewed much kindnes in a like case as wee reade in the booke of the Acts to Paul and his company entertaining them kindly yea and did more also then that vnto them for they laded them with necessaries at their departing To all that hath been said of faithfulnesse to bee shewed to such as it is promised to as Iael did I answere that I am of the same mind that it ought to be so and the Scripture doth straitely vrge the same But yet wee must know that no bands of familiarity and equity are so neerely ioyned together and so iust but that if God for causes best knowne to him command otherwise they are to bee broken And so it may seeme to bee of this act of Iael For seeing the Lord had now cursed and commanded to be destroyed these Canaanites and Sisera their captaine therefore neither shee nor any other might heere take vpon them to saue or spare them but doe to them as God directed them and so she did Thus the Leuites followed and obeyed Moses in killing their friends and kindred who had committed idolatry with the Calfe which they had made and pleased God highly in so doing In this respect and by vertue of this commandement of God Abraham went about to kill his sonne and they that thinke foolish pitie ought to be shewed contrary to the word of God let them remember what befell the King of Israel who when hee had spared Benhadad the King of Aram contrary to the word of God was reproued by the Prophet at the cōmandement of God in these words Because thou hast let goe out of thy hands a man whom I appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life And therefore to returne to Iael forasmuch as I see that the Lord was the only gouernour of this worke and commended her for it in the next chapter by Debora yea pronounced her blessed when the action of killing Sisera is spoken of therefore I conclude that she being certainly perswaded of Gods wil in that which she did and commanded of God so to doe her deceiuing of his hope was no more since in her then Abrahams attempt to kill his sonne was or the Leuites sleying of their kindred for their idolatry And this for answering the question The doctrine hath been taught already that wee haue no authority to follow her example but the word wherby our actions must be guided as by a rule and by no example without it Thus wee haue seene as I said in the beginning of the chapter that the Lord by Barak Debora and Iael subdued Sisera with his huge armie It followeth Vers 22. And behold as Barak pursued after Sisera Iael came out to meete him and said Come and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest and when he came into her tent behold Sisera lay dead and the naile in his temples Vers 23. So God brought downe Iabin the King of Canaan that day before the children of Israel Vers 24. And the hand of the children of Israel prospered and preuailed against Iabin the King of Canaan vntill they had destroyed Iabin King of Canaan NOw it is shewed how Iael came out to meete Barak who not finding Sisera among those who were slaine followed after him and she told him what she had done vnto him and thus she preuented Barak lest hee should wearie himselfe with seeking him and bee grieued when he found him not and hee came into her tent and found it so And by Baraks pursuing him it appeareth that Sisera was not deceiued in that hee feared it and warned Iael to preuent it Likewise it appeareth here that the Lord deliuered his people out of the hands of Iabin and destroied him Here let vs note two or three things and so come to an end of the whole chapter And first though Iael must imbrace and hold peace with Iabin yet wee see her heart went not with him neither did she like his crueltie and oppression of Gods people but sought to turne it away and she reioyced to see the people of God to preuaile and to helpe them all that she could as Nehemiah and Ester did vsing their fauour they found with Kings to this end It teacheth that the godly doe giue good testimonie how they dislike it when the wicked rule and haue all in their hands as Iael did here by her worthie helping to beate downe Iabins and Siseras power For as Salomon saith when they beare rule the people sigh And contrarily what ioy they haue when God giues them godly guides and makes them to prosper such as Moses and Iosua were with other who did more aduance the Lord and his true worship as it became them then they did themselues And so it is in meaner estates that we haue great cause to praise God when he feebleth and disgraceth the vngodly and prospereth the enterprises of his seruants in any place of superioritie and gouernment and so in meaner conditions And let all such as are vnder them glorifie God by bringing foorth much fruite when they enioy such liberties and let them feruently intreate for much good may be done in such times the Lord when it is otherwise to change it remembring that which is written in the Psalme Pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee I will procure thy peace c. Further we may learne that as Barak pursuing Sisera as he was commanded obtained a great blessing of God so shall all that incline their hearts to follow the commandements of God with a pure heart For it is the fruit of Gods promise and he is not pleased if wee walking wisely and diligently in our calling doe not beleeue the same For through vnbeleese wee depriue God of his honour and our selues of our owne due which hee hath freely and graciously bequeathed vs. But contrarily by giuing credit to God and walking in a good course as frailtie will permit we may in reuerence and yet in confidence looke surely for blessing either outward with other or at the least the inward ioy of a good conscience that is as continuall feasting which is alwaies a companion in such a case And therefore great pitie it is that wee should through our owne folly at any time depriue our selues of such a benefit And especially this
they had not been at all When Achan had troubled Israel by taking the execrable thing the Lord tels Ioshua that therefore they could not stand before their enemies How much more if they themselues had sinned Oh mens sinnes turneth plenty into want courage into timerousnesse and fainting of heart and light into darkenesse and all out of kind Behold what it did in Ieroboam when hee stretched out his arme against the Prophet of God for reprouing him for his idolatry at Bethel his arme was immediately withered and dried vp that he could not draw it in againe So Gehazi when he had taken most wickedly both money and raiment of Naaman the Syrian pretending his masters sending him for it and after his returne had answered his master Elisha with a lie maruellous it is to say and against nature and any sound reason in mans iudgement what came vpon him euen a leprosie forthwith so that he went out a leaper as white as snow And the band of Priests Iewes and souldiers that came into the garden to apprehend and take our Sauiour Christ so boldly and trecherously yet suddenly they went backe like drunken men and fell to the ground astonished and vnfitted vtterly for such a purpose as to lay hold of him and that at one word spoken by our Sauiour and yet not in terrifying manner as he might haue done saying he was the man whom they sought So that in seeking him they were both lusty and ready to lay hold of him yet when they had found him they could doe nothing to him for their sinne had taken their power and ability from them For who is able to reckon vp how many waies God hath to visit astonish and terrifie men for their sinne Therefore among other punishments in Deuteronomy threatened this is one a trembling heart a sorrowfull mind and feare both day and night And if the Lord should not handle some thus other would not bee afraid but would abuse his Maiesty yea and faithfull people also much more grosly would tempt God then now they dare doe though euen now many doe it too boldly when they forget themselues But Hypocrites goe verie farre in sinning boldly as other doe who are like them therefore many are apalled among vs some hauing their wit and reason taken from them some become foolish some madde men other against nature laying violent hands vpon themselues their seuerall sinnes doe though no reason of man seeth it doe I say driue them to it This is another fruit to be ioyned to the former which sinne bringeth forth True it is indeed the Lord dealeth not thus in kind with all sinners nay wee see how impudent and brasen faced most bee in their leaud courses and set vp their bustles against the ordinance of God But though their foreheads bee of brasse yet their hearts be glassie their consciences if they would yeeld are as water powred forth they haue not the true Lion like courage and boldnesse which in their iollity they would haue all thinke that they haue but sin hath infeebled them they cannot abide the force and sting of their conscience but fall downe coward-like when it smiteth them neither can their sinne abide the hand of God which as it is euer readie to be reached foorth against them so when it is so indeed they are soone dismaied as Nabal was when he heard he should dye True it is they set a good face vpon the matter openly bragging and bracing as I haue said but when their conscience and they goe to it hand to hand as it doth but seldome then in their necessitie it is with them as if an armed man were vpon them their white liuerd hearts doe vtterly faile them And yet where is he that by such checkes of the word and his conscience and the feare of many arrestings of him from God doth once complaine and crie out of his estate and so seekes strength and recouerie out of it by faith peace and confidence with the true detestation of his sin which like a Witch so inchaunteth and disableth him of all courage and boldnesse and turnes him into a very coward and weakling Now in that men doe not perceiue this as they might easily do their blindfolding of themselues and hardning of their hearts is the cause thereof Now Debora turneth her selfe to diuers kinds of men and distinguisheth them one from another exhorting them all as she her selfe did to praise and magnifie God This I will lay open more plainly it being somewhat hard otherwise for some readers to vnderstand and discerne the same And first in this verse she beginneth with the chiefe of the armies and those that offered themselues willingly to the battell In the next verse she speaketh to the rich Merchants that rode on costly beasts that were as hee calleth them white Asses and such as sat in iudgement And thirdly in this same verse also she speaketh to all meaner persons that trauailed on foote seeing there was now libertie for them to passe to and fro in the high waies she moueth these I say to magnifie God Euen all sorts of people who went out and in by the gates of the citie for their businesse profit pleasure or any other necessarie vse In the second verse she nameth the very boyes and girles who could not safely goe out to draw water without danger of the archers who lay in waite secretly to shoote at them and so put them in perill and ieopardie of their liues or to be sore wounded these might now she saith fetch their water without feare of hurt Then she calleth to them who dwelt in villages and vnwalled townes their danger hauing been very great so as they were driuen away from their houses telling them that they might now returne home againe and dwel in them quietly as in times past and last of all she speakes to those who were wont to meete in the gates of the citie that is in the open places for iudgement All these she moues to praise the Lord for that he had now by that one deliuerance and victorie set them all at libertie and in peace Now to make our profit of these verses and more particularly to examine them and to begin with the ninth whereas she saith in this verse that her heart was set on the gouernours of Israel or which is all one her heart was toward them to prouoke them meaning the cause was so great why they should praise God that she could not chuse but speake to them as if she should say she desired most earnestly that the chiefe of the armie and the gouernours and captaines thereof and great men should praise God the reason was because they with her and Barak were the chiefe in that businesse and they going before them the other should the easiler be drawne by their example to follow And it liuely teacheth and setteth before the chief doers in such martiall affaires also the
things that will stand by vs and whereof we haue good warrant from Gods owne mouth which cannot deceiue vs nor frustrate our hope And if yee aske what this reioycing is that I meane I answere this to know that our names are written in heauen and to endeuour to haue alwaies a good conscience both before God and men to haue ioy in the holy Ghost and to be perswaded that a crowne of glorie is laid vp for vs when wee shall once lay downe this tabernacle of our body and shall haue finished this our course in this manner In a word our ioy ought to be in the Lord and in his alsufficiencie And let this be to vs in stead of the boastings that other make here of their vaine vncertaine and deceiuable hope and ioy as this was of these heathen and prophane Ladies who might haue waited and hoped for Siseras ioyfull returne till their eyes had fallen out of their heads before they could haue enioyed that which they looked for but as farre from it then as at the first More particularly in this 30. verse Debora being a Prophetesse laieth out in her song how the Ladies did descant of the diuiding of the spoile in these two points that besides their goods euery souldier got a maide or two but Sisera had precious things namely garments of diuers colours wrought by the needle which were very costly By the first that they must needs so immodestly and vnchastly breake foorth as Debora saith they did speaking of the common souldiers that euery one got a maide or two at his pleasure which if it were so was vnmeete talke for women to haue in their mouthes it sheweth where there is no true knowledge of God and his word there whoredome is but a pastime and may-game a matter to laugh at euen among women as well as men yea euen in the aged themselues who should goe before others in sobrietie we shall behold yet a delight to speake of see and heare vncleane actions and reports euen as other weightie matters are also lightly set by of them Which is the lesse marueile that it was so with them when euen where the Gospell is preached it may be seene to be so In so much that they may praise God highly who haue receiued light and conscience to make difference betwixt good and euill and to abhorre and haue in detestation this vngracious and rotten kinde of speech not beseeming Christians and all such cursed workes of darknesse which to doe is farre off from them who liue in darknesse and walke in vnbeliefe But these Ladies ascribe to Sisera the costliest and best things as we haue heard Where besides that wee see that they and all such deceiued themselues in their erroneous conceits as hath been shewed before so wee may see what are the things which be in best account with the ignorant and vnbeleeuers and they are iolitie earthly glorie and things costly and precious in the estimation of men As for thankes to God of whom they receiue all and for making heauen their treasure and portion it is no such matter as they are acquainted with or doe almost dreame of Which is still to teach Gods seruants how great their portion is who haue not the things of greatest price in this world their rest and treasure but things durable and eternall but more of this before Now by this acclamation with ioy Debora concludes her song praying that as Sisera triumphed so might al Gods enemies meaning that as he was destroyed so all like enemies of God might be and on the contrarie that all who loue the Lord may not only be preserued but multiplied and beautified with all good things euen as the Sunne groweth in his beautie to the noonetide Where first in that Sisera was shamefully slaine and returned no more home with victorie as his mother also did feare as much let vs learne that the euill which the wicked feare shall light vpon them Their feares are many as both the Scripture testifieth that feare shall be vpon them on euery side euen as their sorrowes also are many And whereas I noted before that they doe please themselues greatly in their hope of the best things some may thinke I contradict my selfe in saying they are afraid and fearfull I answere they may haue both feare I meane and hope at diuers times and yet neither of them good but hope deceiuable and feare troublesome Beside wicked persons are not all of the same kinde and feare is seene most in them who are least euill but boldnes is in the worser sort all wicked men incline to feare properly and naturally for it is a companion to sinne ignorance and vnbeliefe but they hope and presume wilfully and labour to expell feare which though in great part they doe indeede yet because no violent thing is continuall therefore oft times they mistrust and feare and suspition of trouble comes in place againe And we may see that list to marke it that it is so as in Balaam who wishing that hee might haue died the death of the righteous feared that he should not doe so The same I may say of many other For why they running deep in debt with God their conscience accuseth them that they shall one time or other be called to their vnwelcome account and so the thing that they feare shall come vpon them And yet will they not come to agreement with God by iudging themselues that so they may not bee iudged of him but bee free from all feare as frailtie will permit of his iudgement and therefore refusing so to doe their feare iustly falleth vpon them The saying of Salomon proueth that they haue many feares where hee saith the wicked slieth when no man pursueth him that is through feare And that may be seene to haue possessed the very Pharisies who yet bare it out most boldly before men by the words of Nicodemus bewraying his fellow Pharisies ill conscience through feare saying to Christ We know that thou art a teacher sent of God and acknowledge thy great miracles as if hee should haue added this though wee will not be knowne of any such thing before men yet thus it is with vs when wee meete and talke of thee together and are afraid But some will aske What then shall we doe to such shall we aduise them to shake off their feares and plucke vp their hearts against them Doubtlesse no this were to fight against their conscience and to make it impudent and hardned which is much worse whereas it did before but accuse them but if they cannot preuent such feare by remouing the cause thereof which is their sinne let them next to that be perswaded to repent for it We reade of the third Captaine that came to Eâ—as that beholding his two fellowes deuoured with fire from heauen for doing their message to the Prophet so imperiously and boldly he came
reuiued and refreshed thereby and how dead in good duties wee are and vnprofitable our consciences being Iudges without them And it is well if here by this we winde out of all poisoned baites that are laid for vs. And this of the first of the foure parts of the Chapter I haue spoken in this former part of this verse and somewhat also before in other Chapters that is of the peoples sinne The second part of the Chapter NOw it followes the second that is of the punishment that followed their sinne and how they cried to the Lord vnder it in these sixe verses Their punishment was seuen yeeres oppression by the Midianites as in this verse is to be seene and the manner of their oppressing them is set downe in the fiue verses following And for their oppression by the Midianites let it teach vs that it was iust because they had sinned For God scourgeth men iustly and not without their due desert Man suffereth for his sinne as the Prophet Ieremy saith So that if any should thinke they are hardly handled being punished of God let them proue themselues without sinne or else let them hold their peace Nay I will yeeld more then so to them let them be able but to proue this that they haue only offended through infirmitie and not rather wilfully and of knowledge and they shall either be freed altogether from great vexations in their liues or else they shall freely and without constraint confesse that God hath dealt iustly yea mercifully in so visiting of them rather then that he hath done them any wrong Thus much for this and that God will punish when men prouoke him by their transgressions as we may here learne I haue in other places shewed The manner of the Midianites oppressing the people of Israel was the spoiling them of their victuall namely corne and cattell for the space of seuen yeeres without which they could not liue Their corne they destroied when they had sowen their fields And they were driuen to make them cabins in the hollow places of the earth vnder the hils and rocks where they had holes and creuises to let in light to defend themselues from them and in the fields and lower parts of the earth they made them dennes and darke places not fit for habitation but in which they might safely lay their goods and substance to hide them from the Midianites They made also high towers and strong from which they might see a farre off which could not be beaten down easily and these shifts they were faine to make For their enemies were as grashoppers on the face of the earth and their camels and other beasts to destroy the fruites of the Israelites were almost without number What these Midianites were and of what stocke they came it is not necessarie to inquire seeing it is not set downe though some writers say that they had their beginnings thus that one of Abrahams sonnes which he begat of his wife Ketura builded a citie beyond Arabia in the South in the desert of the now called Saracens and called the name of it Midian or Madian and the people of it were called Midianites or Madianites and were supposed to be they of whom the Kenites came These brought with them the Amalakites and men of the East to helpe them This was a grieuous and sore affliction to be thus driuen to extremities for want of food And yet no other then was long before threatned among many other to come vpon them for their apostacie and idolatrie For what though we heare of no consuming of the people of Israel in battell yet beside that it could not be but that many of them were slaine by so long and violent assaulting them so what death is more cruell then by liuing to be famished and what miserie in this life greater then to be to seeke of foode where it can hardly be come by and yet that which is to bee reserued and had is scarcely fit to preserue life Here therefore by the contrary wee may see what a benefit of God this is when in a land and in cities townes and villages all people may be fed fit for their condition when there is no inuasion of forraine enemies to spoile and destroy the fruits of the earth whereby the inhabitants are preserued nor any famine by any other iudgement of God and when there is no iust cause of complaining in our streetes We know in the great famines that are mentioned in the Scriptures yea and in smaller famines in our owne remembrance what crying and lamentations there haue been In the daies of Abraham Isaac and chiefly of Iacob when they were forced to send into Egypt for corne In the time of Elimelek and Naomi when they were driuen from their dwelling in Bethelem Iuda to goe and soiourne in the land of Moab for want of food and after in the daies of Ioram King of Israel when the men had no other way to preserue their liues but by eating that which was against nature yea and yet they could hardly come by it and when the women did eate their own children as also in the last besieging of Ierusalem by the Romans And to what end speake I this but that we should lift vp our hearts and more feruently and oft be thankfull to God for this one benefit of plentie although who seeth not that it is indeed but one of many yea of infinite other which wee receiue And why doth God this Euen to the end men may follow their callings diligently and conscionably with cheerefulnes and with the same minde walke in the feare of the Lord continually And therefore the euill example in life that in the abundance of Gods earthly blessings doth flow euery where in drunkennesse and all lasciuiousnes doth draw vpon men greater plagues then wants and famine are and that is leanenes of soule blindnes vnbeliefe hardnesse of heart and impenitencie which if we had the spirit of the Prophets wee should deeply bewaile But to leaue such I adde this that for the quickning vp of the best it were fit for them when they grow to a meane and common esteeming of these benefits of God to suppose with themselues and put the case that they were in want and penurie euen in the state of this people of God by the oppression of the Midianites or the like As that when they haue sowne their seede it should be spovled before their faces so that they should not eate of it and that the prouision which they haue made for their liues should be carried away by enemies or taken from them and they famished for want of it it would make them better to value and prize such benefits and yeeld to the Lord a more holy and fruitfull vse of them Whereas commonly men doe not so till they be driuen to it by wants and decay in their substance then they can say Oh what plentie of Gods benefits
and keepe a memoriall as they here should haue done and were reproued for not doing of our deliuerances out of trouble and calamitie in which we saw that we might yea must haue lien ouerwhelmed and drowned if the Lord had not in good time brought vs out of them These deliuerances I say out of bondage prison sicknesse paine of body and anguish and torment of conscience and the like and how oft they haue been enioyed of vs and how comfortable and welcome vnto vs ought to be daily remembred and acknowledged with heartie praises to God as well as his benefits Hee who marketh them shall finde them many and great beside those that are common so that he may truly say God hath deliuered from many deaths And because of the peoples forgetfulnes in the former ages we see how oft they were put in minde of this one deliuerance out of the bondage of Egypt Therefore the Prophet Dauid and other holy Penmen of the Psalmes in the behalfe of the people doe so often call to minde and sometimes with admiration and astonishment Gods former deliuerances as the whole 124. Psalme witnesseth thus If the Lord had not been on our side may Israel say when men rose vp against vs they had swallowed vs vp quick the waters had ouerwhelmed vs c. Oh our forgetfulnesses of the like kindnesse of God it is enough to accuse to Godward though wee had no other sinnes seeing wee cannot be ignorant into what dangers and depths of sorrow we haue sometime been plunged when wee lay crying and complaining and perhaps praying also vnder the burthen of them that it would not haue bin thought that we could euer haue forgot the Lords kindnesse if he should euer haue brought vs out of them and yet when he hath done so yea againe and againe done so we haue with Pharaos Butler and the nine leapers forgot all Whereas we haue learned that many yeeres after euen as long as wee reape the benefit of such deliuerances yea euen till death we should praise God for the same according to that which was taught our fathers in the Psalme Let Israel now say that is long after their deliuerance that God is gracious and that his mercie endureth for euer Now I haue spoke but of thankes for deliuerance out of trouble to the which if we adde his benefits which are innumerable what can be required of vs lesse then this that in all things and alwaies wee should be thankfull And this bewraies the blockishnesse of such who being vrged to giue thankes aske wherefore what haue wee receiued more then others we enioy but our part in common blessings as the most doe c. As if thankfulnes were some extraordinarie dutie lying onely vpon some few persons rarely fauoured of God No the Lord requires no more of thee then he doth of them who are equall to thee nay inferiour to thee in benefits But thou like the swine takest all that commeth not regarding what or whence so thy turne be serued and thus deuourest many blessings through thy brutishnesse which a godly Christian would make matter of daily praise and inlarge the greatnesse of them by musing both how vnworthie he is of the least and how ill it should goe with him if he were but in the case of such as want them If the Lord should exercise such vnthankfull blockes with the diseases which many deare seruants of his suffer the paines of Colique Strangurie Burning feuers the Stone and giue them their portion in penury cleanenes of teeth nakednes sicknes c. they would then cease extenuating Gods benefits or cōparing themselues with such as are inriched with greater then themselues yea they would then thinke that freedome from chastisements were great cause of thankes though they wanted many blessings But to the full stomacke the hony combe is not sweete Others thinke this dutie discharged if they haue their tongues tipt with formall words of blessing and thankes though their hearts and loue be set vpon the blessing and not on the bestower of it and therefore out of the same fountaine commeth bitter as well as sweete they curse God as easily when the least thing crosseth them as they blesse him while hee pleaseth their humour by seasonable weather plentifull crops good successe in their affaires c. whereby they bewray that their thankes are but the froth of prophane persons and comming from their lusts being satisfied euen as their prayers also did in their troubles and extremities as Saint Iames speakes And a third sort there are better then the former who yet cannot be brought to season their whole life with this thanksgiuing as Paul requireth neither yet thinke themselues worthie of reproofe for vnthankfulnesse They say they hope it is neither lying nor whoring nor wronging c. which they suffer for when they are afflicted and as for this that they be not alwaies thankfull what sinne will we make it they cannot repeate they say the same words so often For answere I say vnthankfulnes indeed is no direct sinne against man but it is farre greater for it is an high degree of wrong offered to God and neuer goeth without an heart and life tainted with many lothsome euils corruptions Therfore let not these examples be rules for Gods people to follow let their whole life be an honouring of God by thanksgiuing and as they only can do it because they are beholding to his Maiestie for farre greater fauours then strangers so let them both in their prayers and otherwise in their vsuall practise entertaine this dutie also as a daily companion as a token that they do not vse Gods blessings to boldnes loosenes wantonnes or any other licentiousnes but get strength against them so that all their life may fare the better for their thankfulnes and other such good meanes as indeed a thankfull man weigh it aright is the onely good Christian and the life that is voide of it goeth with much disobedience as we shall see in the next doctrine In this tenth verse the man of God telleth them that the Lord charged them that they should not serue the gods of the Amorites and yet they did So that their obedience was like their thankes they neglected that so they did this There shall need no proofe that we are too like them in both Our liues witnesse it but O wretched people wee who receiuing a charge from him who hath done vs all the good that we could neuer haue desired and is all in all to vs yet as though we were tyed to him by no bond of dutie we refuse to be subiect and obedient to him in things he commands vs. The heathen Centurion could say I haue souldiers vnder me and I say to one goe and he goeth and to another come and be commeth and to my seruant doe this and he doth it And we who haue solemnely couenanted with the Lord and haue been as I
Midianites as farre as that lasted to carrie them By this we learne that God seeth it expedient in his wisdome sometime to leaue the godly long vnder the crosse and not to put an end to their troubles by and by as ordinarily he vseth to doe according to that which is said in the Psalme Heauinesse may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning And againe He that commeth will come and not tarrie But he knoweth well that when he vseth so to doe wee commonly conceiue hope thereby that our affliction be it sicknesse disease losse or any such will not hold vs long and therefore our deuotion is more short and cold and we in so doing neither honour God nor haue any proofe of our faith and patience neither experience another time after how to beare our trouble aright For the which cause the Lord sometime disappointeth our false hope and putteth vs to greater plunges by holding vs longer in our affliction to the end we may search our selues deeplier and we may be more throughly touched with the feeling of our sinnes and rebellions and so turne to him in faith and amendment For this cause the Lord holdeth vs sometime on the racke the longer as in paine sicknesse or penurie as also bondage to such as haue superioritie ouer vs and vse it to our great disquiet and wearying of vs and we pray and long to be deliuered but the Lord seemeth not to heare vs pray but letteth the burthen remaine still vpon vs. Wherefore thinke we doth he so when he professeth that he afflicteth not willingly neither delighteth therein and yet we lie in paine and griefe I answere the Lord seeth wee be not yet tamed and humbled sufficiently great hath the pride of our hearts been our inconstancie vnfaithfulnesse vncharitablenes also with other sinnes and our mindes are set on the world excessiuely and wandring after our diuers lusts And we are like to returne to these courses againe if we were set at libertie as soone as we desire therefore doth he seeke to weane vs from these and the like by continuing such vnwelcome crosses vpon vs. So wee are for the same causes depriued oft times of our deare companion in mariage which is a great part of death it selfe or driuen from our owne habitation into the fearefull prison which taketh much from the delight of liuing yea and we are tried with sudden dearth as oft times by excessiue raine and wet sometime by drouth as Gedeon here was in as hard a case being driuen to flie from his owne dwelling in a manner famished In these the like God leaueth his seruants for the causes which I haue mentioned and also to the end that his deliuerance and ease giuing after them all may be the more precious when it commeth hauing been so long desired and thirdly to this end he holdeth his roddes the longer ouer vs that patience may haue her perfect worke in vs and himselfe haue the whole praise An example of this which hath been said wee haue in Ioshua 7. where the people hauing promise of Gods assistance went against the men of Al not making question but they should speed as well as they had done before at Iericho But loc on the sudden they were smitten before their enemies This astonisht them till the Lord tels Ioshua the cause Ye looke saith the Lord it should be with ye as at other times but I see cause of the contrarie Looke well into the matter and ye shall find that there is sacriledge among ye and therefore ye cannot stand before your enemies So that though they were doing the worke of God yet because there was found in them this infection it made the Lord to crosse their hopes that so they might purge out their sinne and goe about the worke in a better manner Many wonder why the Lord saieth them long vpon their sicke beds whereas if they had their health they say they should worship him in publike and priuate with more cheerefulnes Wheras the Lord aimeth at a further matter and would purge out their coldnes hypocritie carelesnesse and other sinnes accompanying them euen in their good duties that so they may returne thereto with more reuerence and conscience We reade that Paul after his great lifting vp into heauen was buffered with vnwelcome temptations which though hee prayed that he might be rid of yet the Lord suspended his helpe that Paul might be humbled and fitted to vse his knowledge the more fruitfully Now followeth the salutation of the Angell the Lord is with thee thou valiant man If we marke the ebbe and low estate of Gedeon as we haue heard it was wonderfull to heare this newes brought him that the Lord was with him as it was lamentable to see in what distresse he was when hee heard the words of this message vttered to him For it was as much as if the Angel had said the Lord loueth thee as one of his deare ones and he is with thee euen now to comfort and preserue thee euen in this thy oppression and therfore none shall be against thee to hurt thee This was much to be said in such a time of calamitie to such an afflicted person And yet wee must know that it yeeldeth to vs the like instruction That euen in great outward troubles and inward disquietnes of minde when a body would thinke that God and all good men were our aduersaries yet in all this is God with vs whom he hath made a couenant with yea he loueth and careth for vs as deare and precious vnto him euen as Christ Iesus the sonne of his loue was though without beautie among men and as a withered branch despised Esay 53. Therefore the spouse in the Canticles saith I am blacke but comely O ye daughters c. meaning that the Lord Iesus her husband esteemed no whit lesse of her neither was she any whit lesse amiable in his eye being tanned in the sunne then when she was in her perfect beautie Indeede the sinne which causeth the Lord to afflict is odious but the affliction it selfe argueth that he makes much of vs because thereby he would purge out of vs that which he misliketh which affliction when it hath wrought kindly the Lord can soone change our hew and restore our former beautie as Iobs example witnesseth The reason is this he hauing once testified his loue freely vnto vs before at our effectuall calling and shedding it plentifully into our hearts by the holy Ghost saying to our soules I am your saluation and your exceeding great reward and your God alsufficient and binding vs to beleeue the same he remaineth like himselfe and changeth not and therefore hee requireth that wee should doe the same that is by faith hold it fast in our perswasion that he doth so And this is more that the Lord is so affected to vs in the depth of our afflictions as if we were freed
trouble so many waies wee nestle not our selues here below in any earthly delights so that we be vnwilling to heare of any change but rather looke for it and be armed against it and so the smart that commeth thereby shall not sting and astonish vs as otherwise it will And secondly seeing God seeth it meete in his wisdome to exercise vs with many afflictions he seeing that we haue need of them and all to the end that so he may the better hold vs vnder it is most absurd that we should in any sort seeke to fulfill the lusts of our hearts whereby wee multiply and bring further trouble vpon our liues The other thing therefore which we may note here by Gedeon is this how soone our faith is ouerwhelmed by affliction For though the Angell prooued it to him to his good contentment that he was the man which should deliuer Israel out of the oppression of the Midianites yet as though no such thing had been spoken to him nor beleeued by him by and by as soone as he perceiued that he was an Angell with whom he spake he thinking before that he was but a man of God behold how he is troubled afresh Although these two about which he was troubled were contraries to wit the promise of God in the first which hee doubted of and his feare in this last by seeing his Angell In the which to stay a while seeing it is the point now in hand we know he could not deliuer Israel as he was told and beleeued he should if he must die before the time came And yet not considering what he said he affirmed resolutely hee should die when yet Israel was not deliuered euen so are we much dazled and vnsetled by affliction Much like to Martha when her brother Lazarus was dead and Iesus was come thither she came mourning to him and said Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not been dead but now I know also said she that whatsoeuer thou askest of God he will giue it thee Wherein she testified that he could if it pleased him raise him vp againe And yet marke when Iesus after that went to the graue to raise him from death and bad them take away the stone Martha stood by forgetting what she had said before and answered Iesus as not belieuing that he could be raised to life O Lord it is too late he stinketh alreadie for he hath been dead foure daies And who doth not find it to be true which I haue said namely that faith which is well grounded and worketh now with comfort by loue shall easily be found to languish and waxe faint through doubting and feare if affliction come in the way to trie vs For why we are so prone to vnbeliefe that if we doe not at the first triall alwaies shew and bewray it which yet oft times we doe yea before the trouble come when we see but a likelihood of it we shall at least doe it if we be long held vnder the affliction and especially if it be any great matter as some sore losse paine or the like So that it is not without especiall cause that we are commanded by the Apostle not only to bee rooted but also to bee confirmed and to abound in faith with thanksgiuing Let vs consider to this end that it is but the fruit of our corruption thus to feare and doubt when wee should beleeue and to reason against Gods promises affirming that they cannot be performed when wee see likelihood of the contrary yea though we doe it not with any bad meaning as neither Gedeon did here yet it is our great sinne to offer God such dishonour let vs striue rather to beate downe our foolish feares and passions seeing it is most like and we are sure to speede the worst thereby and in that we giue place to our passions we shall do it to our cost although we repent for it Our Sauiour seeing Martha in that sudden feare and distrust checkes her saying Did I not say vnto thee if thou couldest belieue thou shouldest see the glory of God As if he should say Looke to my word looke not to the vnlikelihood Manoahs wife was stronger then Gedeon or her husband in the like case If God would haue slaine vs saith she he would not haue said we should haue a sonne and so ought Gedeon to haue reasoned God will not kill me now seeing I must deliuer Israel for these are contraries and thus when Manoahs wife saw that one of them must needs be false she rather confuteth her husband then the message of the Angell and concludeth doubtlesse we shall liue and not die for the word of God is more worth the resting vpon then our owne conceits And thus it should bee with vs that we be not alwaies off and on now carried with full saile of faith and by and by cast downe as if we had neuer been the men this ficklenesse is vnbeseeming vs. Men wish that it were alwaies alike with them and yet find the contrary because they kept not their eie fixed vpon the promise daily renewing their hold therein stedfastly as at any time before they did considering that as the Sun is alway the same whither it be ouer cast with cloudes or shine forth clearely so is Christ Iesus yesterday and to day and the same for euer vnchangeable in himselfe if wee change not our perswasion of him through vnbeliefe In this verse it is shewed that while Gedeon was thus perplexed with feare the Lord comforted him that hee being free from it might the better goe about that which was appointed him For we know what a dangerous hindrance to faith feare is And therefore what hart could hee haue to belieue that hee should worke such a deliuerance who feared death euery minute of an howre And the Angell put away his feare by promising him good successe and quietnesse of mind and that he should not dye This is the great goodnesse of God that he will not long leaue his faithfull people in pinching feare and pensiue heauines but in good time deliuereth them least they should be too much cast downe and discomforted And so the Scriptures testifie that God would not haue people left in troublesome passions as feare or sorrow which how troublesome they are our experience teacheth Ioshua was sore troubled when the people of Israel fell before the men of Ay but God soone put him out of it So likewise the good women in the Gospell were sore afraid by reason of the earthquake and the appearing of the Angell but he bid them not to be afraid euen as here he saith to Gedeon Peace be to thee Thus it were meet for all poore troubled consciences to mark diligently how comfortably God speaketh to them as that they should put away their needlesse ad hurtfull feares and griefes for the which cause the Lord willeth with a doubling his words Esay 40. 1.
returne to the storie wee haue heard how two and twentie thousand were sent backe and that there were but ten thousand left to goe against more then an hundred thousand and yet that the Lord said that euen they were too many this teacheth that he would haue vs to learne to depend on him without meanes if hee see it to be expedient to be so but not otherwise and by those which are very weake and yet he would haue vs to be perswaded that he regardeth and seeketh our good euen when hee doth so But of this before He said moreouer to Gedeon that hee would trie these ten thousand for him and shew him who were fit that he himselfe might see it For men are dull and dimme eyed to behold Gods secret power and will to doe them good if he giue them not eyes of faith to behold them And why should it seeme strange that the Lord should doe more then wee can see and if wee shall see no likelihood thereof his power and goodnesse is the more to bee admired and magnified who sheweth it so manifestly in our weakenesse euen when men see not how As who saw that mightie Pharaoh Sisera and the Midianites here spoken of were like to be brought to such a downfall as they were but it was enough that God had said it And therefore our Sauiour Matth. 4. tels vs Man liueth not by bread onely but by the word of God and in like manner man thriues not by his wit prouidence care onely but by the blessing of God No his rising early and his late going to bed and eating the bread of sorrow shall not auaile to maintaine him if God plucke backe his hand from blessing it His apparell heates him not of it selfe but by the power of the word and promise Indeede the outward meanes men see taste and handle and therefore in a grosse manner rest in them and discerne no superiour power of God in them much lesse beleeue that it can worke without them so that if meanes faile of health safetie and successe they giue ouer hope especially if they see that some great outward barre and let stops their way whereas yet the three children tell the King of Babel That they beleeue the God whom they serue can deliuer them not onely without meanes but contrarie to meanes Doubtlesse in the Scripture wee haue a watchword giuen vs of this sinne euen in the matters of saluation it selfe For although none but the seede of Abraham ordinarily were elected and saued though extraordinarily some were before the comming of Christ yet they who onely relied vpon these outward meanes heard this spoken to them Say not within your selues we haue Abraham to our father for God is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham But because men separate in the matter of happinesse the true meanes appointed by God from the end they desire I meane faith repentance humiliation from election and saluation it is iust with God also to meete with them in kinde and to separate their carnall ends I meane wealth prosperitie and the like from the meanes which they vse vnlawfully and to his dishonour And further in that Gedeon was told that hee must take none but those whom God appointed and those hee must take it teacheth vs that Gods word must direct vs in all our actions both for peace and warre be the same neuer so meane and base and that whatsoeuer face wee set on matters yet if that be not the light to our steps we walke but in darknesse Now then we who take in hand so many things in the day and so throughout our life how can wee chuse but serue him after our owne fantasies if wee haue not that light plentifully dwelling in vs to guide vs Wherein it is no hard thing to see that God hath much against vs and that oft times when we be at the best seeing no man call tell the errors of his actions and life or how oft hee offendeth So that if hee should looke straightly what is done amisse who should be able to stand before him Here I will stay for this time THE FORTIE SIXE SERMON ON THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES HEere the Lord shewes Gedeon who they were that should goe with him to the warre when they were led to the waters and those were three hundred which lapped water out of their hands for these were industrious and fit for their businesse more then the other that drunk kneeling downe who were like to haue been an vnprofitable burden to the rest by their multitude and might haue giuen aduantage to their enemies by their vnreadinesse and delay if occasion should haue been offered And the thing that the Lord teacheth vs hereby is this that although he wil haue none to trust in themselues yet he would haue them ingenuous and industrious men fit for that which they are imployed about which thing is requisite in all callings and businesse for men to bee willing diligent and skilfull about that they professe and take in hand that with good conscience all may be performed so the contrary of Christians is to be auoided whether minister magistrate or priuate person the husband diligent handed the wife huswifely none lazie idle carelesse But of this I spake more in the story of Othoniel and Caleb before chap. 1. Here the Lord saith that by those three hundred men hee would deliuer Israel which was another strong confirmation of Gedeons faith for by this he was perswaded to obtaine that which hee had already begun to belieue And this ought to bee well marked of vs as the thing which wee haue great need off For who can so stedfastly belieue as he ought and hold constant therein but by daily and continuall meanes the Lord doth much reuiue and quicken our faith to hold on our hope and confidence which two graces wee must haue well setled in vs and as faith is strengthened in vs so are these two The excellencie of hope is seene in the epistle to the Corinths in these words God who hath deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs in him we hope also that he will deliuer vs. The Price and worthines of the other is to be seene clearely in the Epistle to the Hebrewes thus Cast not away your confidence for it hath great recompence of reward these two faith and confidence make their whole life sweet and ioyfull who had them both as Dauid who said of confidence which is the fruit of faith My heart is fixed I will sing and giue thanks The vse hereof is this that wee looke well to it that wee find our part in these by oft hearing and all manner of repetitions and experience of Gods promises concerning his fauour from time to time toward vs and therewith to marke our often faintings doubts and feares yea and that about one and the same action
For the noise of the trumpets with the mightie crie made by the men and the breaking of the pitchers with the light appearing did not onely astonish them but likewise so troubled them they being scarcely awaked out of their sleepe that they could not conceiue what it should meane but thought that many and great hoasts were rushing into their campe as the Aramites did into whose camp the lepers came And the Lord with all this striking them with a kinde of madnesse they tooke their owne fellow souldiers for their enemies and so most miserably slew one another the Ammonites and Moabites stood vp against them of mount Seir to destroy them though they were their fellow souldiers as we see also in the campe of the Aramites into which the lepers came This kinde of astonishing the enemies by Gedeon who was directed by God therein is worthie to be noted of vs to teach vs what kindes of terrors and vexings of a rebellious people the Lord hath in a readines to feare them yea and that when men thinke themselues best fensed against them out of feare of them and furthest off from falling into them Zimri and Cosbi were slaine suddenly and fearefully Chorah and his companie were swallowed vp of the earth when no likelihood could be seene thereof till it came The men of Ziklag wallowing like beasts on the ground drunken were slaine by Dauid when they looked not for it Abimilek by a piece of a milstone receiued his deadly wound and Absolon hanged by the haire of his head on an oke Thus I might goe on infinitly God hath many waies to scourge his enemies as he hath to deliuer and comfort his people There is no peace to the vngodly saith God Oh then how fearefull is it to be a wicked man for if Gods anger be kindled but a little how happie are all they that feare him for if he haue a controuersie with men and be against them oh what terrors are euery while like to fall on them till they be confounded of them Some will obiect that for all this many wicked persons walke securely and are as merrie and void of feares as the best of them all I answer first although God meetes them not with such bodily feares as here he amazed these heathens withall yet there is that within them commonly which euen in the middest of their merriments causeth their hearts to be heauie and presage no good vnto them at length This I say of such as are not hardned And who can expresse the bitter sorrowes and checks and feares which they feele who carrie an ill conscience about them which pursues them both sleeping and waking and not at Church onely but euen in their callings companies feastings pleasures when others thinke full little of it and themselues wish they could make truce for the while therewith that it might then be furthest off So that a poore Christian would not willingly change states with them to haue their greatest glorie except he might bee free from their troubled conscience which is like to the hand-writing vpon the wall of that wofull Belshazzar And this is their portion euen tempest fire snares as the Psalmist saith euen a sauour of hell before they come there As for those that haue learned how to strangle their conscience and smother it or who are waxen hardned let them know that there is no peace belonging to them though they stop their eare from hearing of terror And when God shall quicken and rouze vp their conscience woe be to them for it shall roare vpon them as a lion and yet God is greater Therefore if any such shall seeke how to be freed from this horror let them make their peace with God and so their conscience shall turne to be their friend but the rest may heare this doctrine as Nabal heard Abigails newes to their confusion It further appeareth by the effect what these fearefull meanes wrought which the holy storie setteth downe in this verse that the whole campe was astonished feared cried out and fled In which case let no man thinke that these meanes alone and apart from Gods work had any great force to feare especially to hurt the enemies for what was there in the blowing of the trumpets the breaking of the pitches or in their lampes to the getting of the victorie But the Lord put to his hand and helpe whereby the enemies were daunted and set beside themselues or else all that was done had been but ridiculous And he that made Goliahs head to be cut off with his owne sword he wil still blesse the vnlikely meanes as the world accounteth them yea and foolish also of our prayers sinceritie patience hope and the like to bring great things to passe yea and faith to ouercome the world without the which what are all other things whatsoeuer Still I say therefore as I said before blessed is the people whose God is the Lord Iehouah But of this occasion hath been offered to speake almost in euery Chapter In the 20. verse in that the people of Israel in their crie and noise that they made vttered these words The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon therein they testifie that God was the chiefe cause and Gedeon as the instrument appointed to bring that worke to passe Not as if they would deuide the victory betwixt God and him betweene whom there was no comparison but to signifie that as God was the chiefe and principall worker so it pleased him to vse Gedeon as his instrument to effect it The same it behooueth vs to do ascribe we to God the glory of all the good we doe yea and of our saluation especially which we seeke but know we that as Gods instruments we are to worke it on in feare and trembling and to giue all our diligence as the Apostle exhorteth to make our calling and election sure And so in all duties of faith that we performe acknowledge we that we receiue all gifts and abilitie to thinke and to doe that which is good and our selues to be Gods workemen and labourers vnworthy to be imployed by him euen as we see it to bee an honour to be in a Kings seruice And further by this let all captious cauillers take their answer who say that the people who depend vpon their Ministers make them their God Be it knowne to all such that as they detest such blasphemy so yet to the shame of all such scorners they honour them vnder God as the instruments of their saluation and acknowledge them as here Gedeons souldiers do him to be the hand which God putteth the sword of his spirit into for the conquering not of mens bodies but their soules and the bringing into subiection the thoughts of their hearts yea the whole powers of soule and body to the obedience of Christ In which respect Salomon praies that Gods Priests may bee clothed with saluation And Paul
shal be a bargaine and they will be readie to challenge and make claime of it how slightly soeuer the couenant was made but if it fall out ill and against them then they picke a quarrell and say they meant not so as the other taketh it And therefore such will not make their bargaines plaine nor their couenants sure and certaine but slightly conclude as though they agreed in one and depart one from another breaking off with such like words we shall agree vpon which vncertaine termes let no man that loueth his peace buy sell or deale as this world goeth except hee be willing to stand to the hardest and to take all measure that shall be offered him willingly In partnership also there are many secret and subtill deceiuings one of another when yet all good shewes of equitie shall be seene and it selfe to the full pretended Like vnto these are all such as promise great friendship to a man but if they perceiue their betters brooke not the person but frowne vpon them that shew any kindnesse to him then they must in a dishonest manner finde some fault with him also and alleage that they cannot therefore shew him the kindnes nor doe that for him that they had promised Is this to prouide things honest before men Is not such dealing apparent dishonestie So in aduersitie and disgrace right good men shall be iustled to the wall who yet if they be againe restored to their former estate and accounted of and in fauour with their betters they shall be sought vnto and regarded as Iphta was In all these and the like there is this dissembling to be seene which was in these Ephramites a manner of dealing contrarie to simplicitie and plainnesse and from good Christians as a maine blemish nay as a staine vtterly to be remoued and abandoned And this is bad enough euen in ciuill dealings but when it appeares in matter of religion farre worse and by infinite degrees to be detested whether it be shewed toward God or men I meane when as in a subtill politique manner not of feare and frailtie for then it is not so grosse though euill men will abstaine and conceale their affection to the Gospell till they see whether the time bee like to fauour or frowne vpon them in the meane while carrying such a darke and ambiguous countenance that no man can tell what to make of them And yet he that cannot carrie the matter thus but plainly bewray his opinion and iudgement is counted a foole and shiftlesse person as indeed hee is to the world-ward if there were nothing else to be regarded It is as possible to make a true cognizance for these temporizers as a coate for the Moone for they serue their belly their ambition their purse and as these leade them so they follow God they serue none for their religion is onely a stalking horse for them to play their part the more cunningly till their turne be serued The same I say of the committing this sin toward men what is more odious in a man then when he shall promise and pretend all loue and faithfulnes to his neighbour and yet meane and intend no such thing but practise the contrarie Now Gedeons milde answere followes to be considered which he maketh to this quarrell and expostulating of the Ephramites with him who if hee had answered their foolishnes with the like and had giuen them as good as they brought what a broile thinke we would there haue been betweene them But in that hee did not defend his doing by answering that hee was strong enough of himselfe and had no neede of their helpe which had been like to prouoke them the more against him neither commended his owne labour care and industrie which they could not willingly haue heard neither yet did vnuizer them by telling them that they quarrelled without a cause against him who had sought their helpe nor any way exasperated them but contrariwise yeelded as much to them as with truth and good conscience hee might neither did hee interpret their contentious words to come of bitter enuie as they gaue him cause but rather hee hath left a most commendable example of a meeke and patient seruant of God and respects all these of honest and lawfull emulation it teacheth right worthie matter and doctrine vnto vs. Namely how wee should deale with such as are insolent contentious fierie and such as thinke though neuer so vntruly that they haue wrong at our hands And that is that in such cases we must be well staied see that we giue men their ful due to wit not to crosse prouoke and exasperate thē but rather to seeme not to see the roote of bitternes that breaketh out of them but to containe our selues till a fitter time seeing they are not then in case to be told of it and we are to make the best of euery thing asswaging them with gentle answers especially if we be but their equals or inferiours and in one word not to answere a foole according to his foolishnes that is to giue as ill measure as he bringeth lest wee be like him but to remember that which we are taught in another place of the Prouerbs namely that it is a mans glorie to cease from strife and to consider and alwaies bearing this in minde that he is better that can rule his owne heart then he that subdueth a citie For except we thus giue place to such many euils are like to follow and fall out against vs in Church and Common-wealth in familie and in the course of our life which yet hereby may and will no doubt for the most part bee auoided or at least wise bee smaller and fewer Therefore let the yonger sort herein learne to yeeld to their elders and the inferiours to their betters though they deale not with them as they ought and should seeing wee see here that Gedeon and afterward Iphta being superiours did forbeare to deale with their inferiours as they might haue done and were iustly prouoked to doe Yea and let one learne and take out this lesson toward another after the manner that I haue set downe as husbands wiues masters seruants and other that peace with holinesse may be preserued among them And yet who is he that sheweth foorth this meeknesse and wisedome But as is to bee seene in the common iarrings and quarrels of men the most count it their glorie and boast of it afterward when their words bee fierce and more stinging then their fellowes and come out of a furnace seuen times hotter then his What saith he did he thinke I would turne my face for him or be put downe with words No I trow I gaue him the full measure that hee brought yea tenne for one I spared him not a whit Loe how fooles some out the froth of their owne shame Whereas Salomon shewes them their faces in a glasse who doe so when he saith An angrie man
of a Father fit to be vrged vpon such He that made thee without thee will not saue thee without thee He will not saue thee for thy labours sake but by thy labour They that gathered more Manna then their fellowes got nothing thereby but it fareth otherwise here gather much and haue much labour little and haue little euen as the Apostle speaketh of another thing on the contrary he that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly As we mete to the Lord so will he measure out to vs againe He that laboureth not eateâ—â— not but he that laboureth much enioyeth the fruite thereof some thirtie some sixtie some an hundred fold euen as his diligence is Oh it is strange to see how men set themselues to work in earthly businesse wherein yet they haue no absolute promise of thriuing because faith the chiefe help is wanting but here where the Lord hath tyed himselfe to blesse their labour with abundance men haue no list to stirre A mediocritie of wealth contenteth few and that maketh them so endlesse and restlesse in their desires and traulles but the commonnest measure of grace pleaseth them best because that is gotten with least trouble It is fearefull that men should doe so much for the fulfilling of their lusts and so little that they might excell in goodnesse But their reward is thereafter And in the meane season God puts as great difference betwix such as there is betweene Alexander Caesar or the like Captaines who were vnwearied also in their conquests and Gedeon or others like who fought the Lords battels and laboured therein by faith in his promises Now it followeth 14 And tooke a seruant of the men of Succoth and enquired of him and hee wrote to him the Princes of Succoth and the Elders thereof euen seuentie and seuen men 15 And he came vnto the men of Succoth and said Behold Zeba and Zalmunna by whom ye vpbrayed me saying Are the hands of Zeba and Zalmunna already in thy hands that we should giue bread vnto thy wearie men 16 Then he tooke the Elders of the citie and thornes of the wildernesse and briers and did teare the men of Succoth with them 17 Also he brake downe the tower of Penuel and slew the men of the citie NOw in these verses following it is shewed that when Gedeon had taken the Princes of Midian and was returned to Succoth he seeks diligently to know the names of the chiefe men and Elders thereof and he brought and shewed the Princes Zeba and Zalmunna vnto them for hee kept them aliue not to make his boast of them but that he might shew them that God had deliuered them into his hands as hee made no doubt thereof before that so they might be the more ashamed and accused for that which they had done to him and his men in denying them bread And thereupon hee did vnto them as he had threatned for he tare their flesh to wit of them of Succoth with the thornes and briers of the wildernesse and then ouerthrew the tower of the men of Penuel and slew the citizens either because they insulted more arrogantly then the men of Succoth did or else because they resisted Gedeon trusting in their tower and so were slaine Whether they of Succoth died by the paine punishment as it is most like or whether their flesh was onely torne and yet life remaining in them though the storie doth not declare yet we cannot be ignorant how sore and extreame the paine was What kinde of execution was done vpon the men of Penuel themselues in putting them to death the storie setteth not downe but as it is sure they were slaine so it is not without good probabilitie that the other were torne to death also Gedeon meeting this young man causeth him to set downe the names of the chiefe Elders and gouernours of Succoth in writing as it might be the names of the Aldermen and citizens for he would not trust his owne memorie in so waightie a matter And this hee did because hee would not flie vpon any in rashnes and anger and would be sure by that his aduised deliberation to punish onely those who were guiltie and those were the ancients of the citie As Salomon also was very attentiue in hearing the cause of the harlots To teach vs our dutie in this point that when any fall into our hands to be corrected by vs wee doe not at any time hastily in an angrie mood and without due consideration vse correction but weigh the cause rightly and not reuenge our selues by satisfying our brutish affections vpon the persons yea and to let them also see iust cause why they be corrected And in this wee resemble the Lord himselfe of whom Abraham saith It is farre from the Iudge of the whole world to destroy the righteous with the wicked Genes 18. It is an hard thing to be ruled by the word of God in correcting others whereas flesh looketh to nothing but to the will and reuenge of it selfe and not to the bettering of the partie and the good example of other and discharge of a good conscience before God Therefore S. Paul hath giuen a good rule to all by teaching one kind of correcters namely fathers that they should not be bitter to their children euen as Achan in a waightie case was wisely handled and kindly dealt with by Ioshua in a matter of life and death and was regarded in and concerning his soule when sore punishment was inflicted vpon his bodie Sundrie waies doe men shroud this cursed humour vnder the false habit of zeale or lawfull seueritie sometime to couer their ambition as Iehu in killing Ahabs posteritie sometime couetousnes as Saul in slaying some of the Amalekites sometime pride and reuenge as the Israelites in warring vpon the Beniamites All of them failed of the ground end manner or measure in executing the correction all which being neglected and not obserued doth marre the action be it neuer so lawfull in it selfe and necessarie As when the offending partie seeth not the cause of his correction or is cruelly handled by the correcter who maketh nor the end of his correction or punishment to be the sauing of the partie and to make the sinne odious that he is punished for and the same an example to other And here is iustly condemned the doing of them who say they cannot correct but in anger and while their hearts are exasperated against the partie is if they should say they can neuer doe it rightly or without sinne whereas God saith Be angrie but sinne not for anger doth nothing well Although what neede the word of God or the examples of the Saints bee vsed to shame them whom heathens may shame Of whom some prescribe rules to such as are angrie how they may bridle anger from râ—sh outrage and one among the rest told his seruant I had surely beaten thee but that I was angrie This doctrine is to be
companions are least pitied of men when the Lord entrappeth them in their owne snare Sooner would a man let loose a Lion if he durst out of the pit or the danger wherein it is then the Foxe because besides the hurtfulnesse it hath so many shifts to conueigh it selfe from danger and is so hardly catcht Who pitieth these men of Succoth and Penuel because they in seeking by subteltie to preserue their liues iustly were beaten with their owne rodde and lost them Whereas he who falles into danger either in a good quarrell or in his simplicitie is either saued by God or pitied in his ruine by men And is not this a double miserie when men are in distresse to heare others say of them they are well serued Heathens haue obserued this cowardly subteltie for who is more subtill then hee that is most fearefull to be euer vnprosperous and seldome euen in forren dissentions of Kings and States haue they sped well who haue held off and plaid the spectators of other mens successe For whosoeuer hath got the vpper hand they haue smarted if they whom they denied to succour they are made the prey of them whom they forsooke if the other yet they smart also in that they did onely forbeare for their sakes and not actually helpe So vnnaturall is it counted in a common calamitie to betray one enemie to another or not to helpe when we are able Which I speake not to excite men to parts taking alway in other mens iarres but to shew how iustly these were handled for their craftinesse in denying helpe not to strangers but their owne captaine And euen so how odious doth God make Newters and Temporisers in religion they are hated of Papist and Protestant and are as cursed as he that is hanged betwixt heauen and earth Touching the vse of this and how to abhorre this sinne reade before in the 2. doct of the 6. verse And these with like punishments for the like iniquities doe not light vpon other that are plaine vpright mercifull and in a word religiously circumspect in their carriage and who make conscience of their waies I doe not deny but that the best doe oft meete with sharpe persecutions but they are for good causes or else their troubles be but fatherly trials and corrections for their good so S. Peter saith If ye suffer for righteousnesse sake blessed are yee And againe If the will of God be that ye suffer it is better that ye suffer for wel-doing then for euill So that we see such haue to beare off the sharpenes and painefulnesse of their sufferings by their reioycing in the Lord and by the blessed estate that they are in whereas the other haue their punishments as forerunners of greater euen here before hand as the Apostle saith Indeed full often I confesse they shelter themselues to men-ward by their greatnesse and shift well inough when meane persons go to wracke According to the prouerbe Great men dote and poore men smart But when God who is higher then they as Salomon saith calleth thē to account as being their only competent Iudge when they haue broken through other iudgements by fauor feare or bribes as great flies breake through cop-webbes then they meete with their match As alas who seeth not what waies there are to bring this about As displeasure of prince factions and partakings treacheries challenges and highnesse of spirits As our owne English Chronicles for these 2. or 300 yeeres plentifully witnesse Now if the Lord spare not great ones let all fawning flatterers who seeke to such and willingly offer themselues as instruments of oppression cruelty and wrong because they looke to be safe vnder their wings from punishment as Ziba and such like let such feare I say for their patrons shall not shelter themselues howsoeuer they no doubt thinke otherwise And this be said of this point for the fuller handling of that which I noted vpon the 9. verse to the same purpose And here we may more particularly marke by the executing of punishment vpon these chiefe men of the citie rather then vpon the common citizens that as the greatest in place and authoritie haue many priuiledges aboue the meaner persons both in credit wealth estimation and commanding others so the Lord brings them foorth to the terrour of inferiours and they lie open to greater danger hurt and losse thereby then others doe and in time it breaketh out and appeareth if they doe ill behaue themselues in their places This is a great cause why men who are aboue other should carrie themselues humbly and not proudly as too many of them doe and also looke well to themselues in euery part of their dutie for a time will come when they shall pay for all and when their estate shall be such as the meanest vnder them would be full loth to be in their roome And to such I say as Dauid in Psalm 2. Be wise now therefore serue the Lord in feare and kisse the sonne yee mightie ones lest he crush you in peeces Happie then are all they that trust in him if his wrath be kindled Also the inferiors should here learne not to murmure against them because they are so farre aboue them for they sometime goe vnder more sore and heauy punishments then they themselues doe yea and though they behaue themselues commendably in their places yet God oft correcteth them more then some others lest they should kick vp their heele against him by meanes of their wealth and greatnesse as it is too common a thing for such to do So that as God hath his number among all estates both high and low so he nurtureth them all by afflictions according to his heauenly wisdome that they may safely in their appointed time be gathered to their fathers But here being a fit place to make an end I will stay for this time THE FIFTY THREE SERMON ON THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Vers 18. Then said he to Zeba and Zalmunna What manner of men were they whom ye slew as Tabor And they answered As thou art so were they euery one was like the children of a King 19. And he said They were my brethren euen my mothers children As the Lord liueth if ye had saued their liues I would not slay you 20. Then he said to Iether his first borne sonne Vp and slay them but the boy drew not his sword for he feared because he was yet but young 21. Then Zeba and Zalmunna said Rise thou and fall vpon vs for as the man is so is his strength And Gedeon arose and slew Zeba and Zalmunna and tooke away the ornaments that were on their Camels necks NOw after all this was done it followeth according to the diuision of the Chapter in the beginning of it how Gedeon executed punishment vpon the two Kings of Midian whom after hee had shewed them to the Princes of Succoth and Penuel hee purposed to punish And first seeing
they were great men he shewed courtesie to them in entring speech with them though hee needed not so to haue done And he asked what manner of men they were whom they slew at mount Tabor they answered they were like him and so goodly and well fauoured as if they had been a Kings sonnes Whereby it appeareth that Gedeon was a man of singular fauour and person When those men were slaine the storie setteth not downe but seeing the Midianites inuaded the land of Israel in the haruest time euery yeere it was like that then they did it He answered if they had not killed them he would haue saued them aliue And he commanded his eldest sonne to fall vpon them but he durst not being yet young and they likewise scorned that and bad him doe it himselfe So Gedeon did it This enquiring into the act before mentioned by Gedeon was that they might see that they iustly suffered For notwithstanding this he might and ought to haue put them to death for that God had appointed them thereto being grieuous enemies of the Church and the killing of the other two princes Oreb and Zeb who yet slew not his brethren is commended in the Psalme therefore he ought to haue slaine them euen for that cause This speech of his therfore that he would not haue killed them but for that they slew his brethren though pitifull yet was sudden and passionate and cannot be iustified So that howsoeuer they might haue pleaded for themselues otherwise sure it is their mouthes were stopped that they could aske no fauour in this respect seeing they had slaine his brethren and his enquiring into that action was commendable in him if he had proceeded no further nor so diepely engaged himselfe by oath This is one thing that is here to bee noted that as Gedeon did it is meete that all who are to be punished should see iust cause thereof by examining them and to cleare other who haue been suspected as was done by Ioshua at the commandement of God to Achan and so the innocent shall haue no cause to complaine It is good therfore in respect of them that they may not feare they shall bee pursued without cause and also let the guiltie see how they shall be dealt with to wit that they shall be brought to shame and punishment openlie But here partialitie must be farre off and anger and al euill affection remooued And this is to be specially considered of all such as shall execute punishment vpon malefactors or vse correction towards seruants children or such like And as for such whose sinnes are manifest to themselues or other and yet not punishable by mans law God will meet with them and come against them in his good time their own consciences giuing them to vnderstand that they doe that which is wicked in his sight and that they shall bee iudged for it if they speedily repent not But of this I haue spoken more largely in his enquiring of the Elders of Succoth as touching their fact in slaying them at Tabor in their iollitie more God willing shall bee said in the next replie of Gedeon Their answer that they were goodly men as if they had been the sonnes of a King doth teach vs that many for all their outward prerogatiues that they haue aboue other men in fauour birth manhood or honour and wealth yet haue no hold of them yea rather they are depriued of them in an houre though they hoped and pleased themselues in looking for the continuance of them for many yeeres as may be seene in these that slew and were slaine So was Sisera soone cut off and Eglon Iezabel and many others For they lie open to many more dangers then meaner persons especially being wicked as I haue said All that are wise therefore will beware how they please themselues or rest in any earthly thing here below but vse it soberly for their owne and the good of others being like in this changeable world to change also and that daily and their pompe and glory to turne to vanitie and in the middest of all painted felicitie of this world happy is he onely who glorieth and reioyceth in the Lord. Which doctrine I confesse is often iterated but when I consider the great necessitie thereof and how contrary the most mens practise is thereto I conclude that it is the wisdome of the Spirit of God to giue occasion of the same almost in euery sentence sometime and oft in some chapter to the end that the commonnesse of the sin might bee somewhat checked by the often repeating and reproouing therof And so it becommeth them that are wise to iudge and prepare their appetite where the holy Ghost hath prouided sauoury meate and instruction and not to be wearie of hearing where he is not wearie of teaching And here as the fittest place let vs behold these desperate Princes how they are brought forth to their answere for a fact which they little dreamt they should euer heare of againe or answer too namely for killing of those men whom they slew at mount Tabor Tush they in their iollitie had put them to the sword with the rest of the company no respect had of persons nay it is like the rather because they seemed to bee of note and worth and all to make boast of their gallant spirits victorious braue and proud stomacks not vnlike to him whose glory it was to cut off the thumbes of seuentie Princes and put them like dogges vnder his bord to gather crummes As touching the abuse of mens prosperitie I haue oft spoken and of the right vse thereof but here one word more particularly let me adde to warne men how they ought to demeane themselues in their places when by reason either of their great successe vnlooked for preferment or what other occasion soeuer their corrupt flesh might take to forget themselues I say let men beware what they do in their iolly lusty or merry moodes when they thinke they haue the world in a sling and none may controll them euen then I say let them controll themselues and take heed lest any insolent disdainefull cruell iniurious words or deeds breake out of the superfluitie of their pride and brauerie which hereafter either God or man might bring forth against them when they shall bee abased and in meaner condition Which counsell I giue not to them who are in these pangs for I know it little bootes to tell a drunken man You haue done that in your drunkennesse which you will repent of being sober but to arme men both against all such vnlawfull occasions as the most seeke after to the end they may vtter this stomack of theirs as gaming drinking challenges quarrels contentions and suites of law c. as also against the corrupt abuse euen of lawfull blessings which if a man be not very warie will tickle and pricke him forward at one time or other to some odious carriage of himselfe
them and theirs till restitution be made either in kind or to the poore the true heires of such goods if it cannot otherwise be to the pleasing of God as a fruit of their vnfained repentance So no man ought to buy or hire that which is passed ouer to another before nor couet wife seruant goods of another mans for that is nothing else but a taking of his right from him nor to receiue stolne goods for their aduantage So neither should the Pope vsurpe dominion S. Peter whose successor he saith he is forbidding dominion ouer the flocke for he hath no such authoritie as neither hath the best minister of Christ Gedeon answereth God shal raigne ouer them an holy speech for where shall they be found that will refuse a thing much lesse then a kingdome being offered nay how greedily would many haue fastened vpon a matter of small valew being offered them as the kingdome here was to him But some will aske Might not God raigne ouer them though hee had also I say Yes Neither was he of the Anabaptists opinion who thinke that such ciuill gouernment and subiection of people to Kings repugneth to Christian liberty And God raigned ouer his people when yet Saul and after him Dauid raigned ouer them also but his meaning was that the order that God had set of gouerning by such as had no continued gouernment should stand and not be peruerted by or for him or his but contrariwise to his power he would hinder it And God raigned indeed in the Common-wealth of the Israelites which florished in Gedeons time wherein the Elders were chosen by common consent some ecclesiasticall to giue the meaning of the law and others ciuill and temporall as men call it to rule the people thereby in which office if they did not well carrie themselues they were both punished and put from their places And if any warre fell out the Lord himselfe stirred vp Guides and Iudges and they were not chosen by men as appeares both by Chapter 1. 1. and after neither did their children succeed them and thus the Lord both in peace and warre ruled ouer them and so Gedeon meant that the office of the Iudge was no ordinary magistracy such as the King is but a temporary and occasionall much like to the Dictatorship of the Romans in respect of the vse wherto it serued although otherwise of diuine election immediatly not by men By this answere the singular modestie and the religious staiednesse and good gouernment of Gedeon appeareth who hauing occasion so fairely offered of possessing and inioying the kingdome refuseth it as resolutely as they offered it earnestly Hee is indeed the strong man who standeth out stoutly when the brunt commeth now Gedeous sinceritie and courage is tryed and now he plaieth the part of a truly heroicall captaine in reiecting the tentation that was set before him Which of how great force it was to batter and beate him down flat although meane persons cannot easily conceiue whose thoughts reach not so high yet by the comparing of great things with small may wel seeme to be forcible seeing that a little preferment fauour commendation or reward doth so bleare the eie and choake the conscience of many professors as if it were a petty Paradise In one instance consider of that which I say Gedeon refused a whole kingdome when it was offered him and the most desire vnlawfully a small commodity of their neighbours in comparison of a kingdome as his house and ground wife and seruant when they be denied them And yet many a bold person would bee ready to say euen of Gedeon He was a foole to refuse and neglect such an aduantage Doubtlesse he did it not for any feare or conscience of his owne insufficiency hee had been a man fir for the place if the office had been lawfull for him But the respect he had to Gods commandement was the meere cause that mooued him to denie and refuse A worthy paterne indeed of a man truly fearing God and making conscience of offending And so it be commeth vs both in sinnes of the grossest kind as adultery murther oppression from which the feare of God doth best and most safely keepe vs as Ioseph saith and also in the matter of a mans priuate gaine yea and that in the highest degree of a kingdome it becommeth vs I say to keep our consciences pure and good And yet for the smallest of these many a man otherwise vertuous would as the cōmon speech is straine a ioynt and think that for a kingdom he might venture to dispense with equity conscience And doubtles it is a great trial of a man what grace is in him when a matter of commodity promotion honour or the like of the greatest valew cannot surprise the conscience so neere is euery man to himselfe and indeed when these temptations assaile vtterly vnlike himself at other times This example of Gedeon most properly taxeth ambitious and aspiring spirits as wel Popish as other such as Absolons was not of immodesty onely but of insolencie also and intemperance the cause of all confusion in euery state especially being ioyned with discontentment and emulation But it were to bee wished that men of greater hope had but a little measure of Gedeons grace and were not rather led by the spirit of these whom I haue mentioned to wit that in meaner matters and of lesse valew they did not hardly containe and keepe themselues within compasse from coueting and laying claime to other mens commodities for the supplying of their owne wants and to seeke increase of that which they haue and not to looke after any thing which tends to the losse or hurt of other but that they liued contentedly with that which is theirs who ought in so liuely a glasse as this to behold how honourable a grace this was in Gedeon to rest satisfied in his estate as thinking that best befitting him which hee might enioy with Gods good liking and the quietnesse of his owne mind and as for other endlesse wishing or coueting to inhaunse himselfe which is most mens sinne hee had got the victory ouer himselfe in that behalfe which I thinke was a greater honour to him then all his conquest ouer the Midianites it being an ouerruling of himselfe and of his vaineglorious affection But to the shame of many Protestants I will adde one example euen an Heathen might set vs to schoole in this dutie who hauing subdued his enemies in battell and returned home with triumph was presented by some with a great masse of gold but he repelled thē with this answer I had rather rule them that owe the gold then be Lord and owner of the gold only or rather to be a seruant ruled and possessed by it Oh well were it for vs if the holy gouernment of our harts and affections were so pretious to vs Christians as it was to many of them who were Heathen whereas they were drawne by
which is best of all there are with infinite other vnutterable prerogatiues so many excellent and holy seruants of God gone before vs thither to welcome vs. Of which point see more by the like occasion of Ioshua and others in the former processe of this booke Now the last of the things that followed after the death of Gedeon is this to wit that the people of Israel for all that wee haue heard God did for them fell againe to Idolatrie and that most shamefully And by this we see what fearefull things follow the taking away of good gouernours which maintaine true religion For they by their authoritie haue contained and held the people within compasse who being dead they fall away Pray therefore earnestly for them and make we vse of their liues that we may leade a godly and peaceable life vnder them For contrariwise when other that know not the Lord rise vp in their roomes the people shall haue sorrow their bellies full The like may be said of godly preachers and parents what a losse it shall bee to the people of God whom they shall leaue behinde to forgoe them But of this at large in the second Chapter Their sins were these two One that they tooke Baal-berith as they called him for their God the other that they forgot the Lord their God This Idoll they called the Lord of league whose Image they set vp Herein consisted their worshipping of him that they acknowledged the good things that they receiued to bee giuen them of him and the remouing of their troubles to bee from him also And to ascribe these to a stocke what was it but to goe a whoring after it as here it is said they did from the true and liuing God And hauing ioyned themselues to him they forsooke and forgot the Lord God who had done all good things for them And this and no better is the worship and seruice which our deuoutest votaries in popery doe giue vnto the Lord at this day as to him that will compare the religion of the one with the other will easily and soone appeare See somewhat of this their sinne in Chapter 2. 11. 13. Furthermore this example teacheth how inconstant we are in all good beginnings and courses and how ready wee are to decline and turne away from thence euery one to that whereto his false and deceitfull heart carrieth him whether to Poperie or any other loose and vnfaithfull seruing of God in hypocrisie as to say Lord Lord and to draw neere to him with the body the heart being far from him while no conscience is made of dutie towards him Whereas the only forgetting of the kindnes of the Lord our God who onely hath fed preserued deliuered and inlightned vs vnto the life to come and who in one word hath been all in all vnto vs I say this onely forgetting him and the suffering of his benefits to slip out of our mindes is sinne of it selfe most grieuous and great without the other as we haue seene chap. 2. 2 3. and in this chapter also I haue said the like of this point vers 27. The vnthankfulnes of the people towards Gedeons posteritie is set downe in this verse which is further expressed in the next chapter as in this that they suffered his sonnes to be slaine their sinne is aggrauated hereby that he had done so great things for them as to deliuer them out of so fearefull bondage as we haue heard they were in to the Midianites But in this they did like themselues For not to repeate that which I haue said hereof twice in this chapter vers 18. 22. we may be sure of this as we see here in these that they who are vnfaithfull and vnthankfull to God are not to be trusted that they will deale better with men This both the heauenly order of the law of God teacheth and many examples also As Abraham said I saw that the feare of God was not in this place and therefore what trustinesse is to bee looked for to me of men And likewise that example of the vnrighteous Iudge sheweth as much that neither feared God nor reuerenced man This measure our Sauiour found among his owne countrey men when he had done many great good workes among them yet they would haue stoned him for them And why for they were not faithfull to God Doe we our duties therefore of conscience to God that so wee may not faile toward men For otherwise from vs nothing is to bee looked for but vnfaithfulnes to men and euill example vtterly vnbeseeming vs when time shall serue to bewray and sift vs which as the prouerbe saith is the mother of truth and reuealeth that which was long hidden Now to end the chapter with the answere of an obiection It is marueiled at that God suffered this Idolatrie and superstition so long vnpunished For such as obiect thus thinke that it fell out a little after the victorie as it is sure Gedeon asked of the people the earings that made the Ephod by and by after the victorie whereas yet Gedeon continued fortie yeeres after this But it is answered by S. Austine who in such a case being no article of our faith may haue his iudgement approoued and receiued being likely and not being answered by the Scripture He saith that though the gold was gathered soone after the victory yet the Ephod was not made by and by but long after to wit about the end of Gedeons life Or if it were made sooner yet it was not abused till toward his death But of vncertainties we are not to ground any instruction and therefore here an end THE FIFTIE FIVE SERMON IS CONtinued on the ninth Chapter of Iudges Verse 1. Then Abimelech the sonne of Ierubbaal went to Shechem to his mothers brethren and communed with them and with all the familie and house of his mothers father saying 2. Say I pray you in the audience of all the men of Shechem Whether is better for you that all the sonnes of Ierubbaal which are seuentie persons reigne ouer you either that one raigne our you Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh 3. Then his mothers brethren spake of him in the audience of all the men of Shechem all these words and their hearts were moued to follow Abimelech for said they he is our brother 4. And they gaue him seuenty peeces of siluer out of the house of Baal-berith wherewith Abimelech hired vaine and light fellowes which followed him 5. And he went vnto his fathers house at Ophrah and slew his brethren the sons of Ierubbaal about seuentie persons vpon one stone yet Iotham the youngest sonne of Ierubbaal was left for he hid himselfe 6. And all the men of Shechem gathered together with all the house of Millo and came and made Abimelech King in the plain where the stone was erected in Shechē THe summe of this Chapter I will first set
know and that to their cost that they should haue been examples vnto other in good life as they did professe without which they shall surely come to naught Besides the subtiltie of the hart there is another cause of this euen the craft of Satan who rules in his children teaching them how to contriue and warpe all subtile shifts and policies both to atchiue their euill purposes and to defend them being brought to passe And some of his schollers finding this trade to follow their hand as they desire make it their chiefe worke to inuent euill and mischiefe and excuses to couer it withall they are not where they would be if they be otherwise occupied Our mother Eue learned it from the beginning of him the father of shifts and lies for they goe together for her posteritie though some seeme to haue it entailed vnto them aboue others As who almost can be so suddenly come vpon but he hath a shift in readinesse and though all bee not a like plausible yet as the prouerb is a bad one is better then none at all By this let none thinke that all policie is forbidden for Nathan and Bathsheba had plotted a wise course but that was to the great good of Church and Common-wealth that by honest meanes against Adoniah as appeares by 1. King 1. and the substance of the deuice was true holy and to a religious end for it tended to serue Gods prouidence But their practise warranteth not Absolon Adoniah or any such as they whose policie is wicked and cursed much lesse the hellish plots of Iesuites and Papists for the bringing to passe their designes the setting vp or tolleration of their idolatrous religion though holinesse and the Catholike cause be still pretended and authoritie of their supreame Vicar The titles are goodly but the boxes are full of cursed drugges and poyson as lying slander calumnies treason murther cōfusion all badges of the prince of darkenesse whose Vicar he is Salt is good but if it hath lost his sauour it is good for nothing Wit and spirit present speech and policie are good but if they bee poysoned with those ingredients they lose their sauour grace and beautie and are good for nothing but to be vsed as proppes of the diuels kingdome Better were it for the cunningest craftes man in this trade to be defeated in all his purposes and to be conuicted and take shame of them then by such meanes to compasse them or being compassed to bolster them Neither is there any counsell against the Almightie his hand shall find them out at length and countermine them as blessed be his name hitherto hee hath done euen the deepest and furthest fetches of them Let all sorts learne by this and namely the simple hearted to thank God that he is no more acquainted with the depth of Satan I meane either the depth of sinne or the depth of subtile practises and shifts thereof and they who are more ready wittied let them turne it from playing the aduocate to such a fruitlesse client and submit it to the simplicitie of the word to be guided thereby which when all is done will prooue the safest when the other shall be as Adams figge-leaues Now behold here in these men who were of his mothers kindred how soone they hearkened vnto this corrupt motion of that Abimelech and so approued of his deuice and suite that they durst propound it to the rest of their neighbours which was too shamefull for themselues to open their eares vnto Like vnto whom is that practise of those Courtiers of Dauid ◠the aduancing of Adoniah among whom were also many of his brethren and kinsfolke By this we may see how kindred are blindfolded to beare one with another breaking through shame modestie yea and honestie also regarding no other thing but this that they are their flesh and they take part with them be the matter that moues them neuer so bad For example how are parents blinded in their children and carried by them almost to any perswasion and that without all Christian wisedom or regard being sometime incensed by them against those that are good and yet not reprouing but winking at their childrens faults and giuing them their will so farre till themselues blush smart for it to see to what boldnes they grow thereby nor taking it in any manner contentedly if their children though neuer so iustly be called to their answere for their doing and corrected but reuenging it rather and that with spitefulnes Euen so what disorders are faine to be suffered in townes while euery one forgetting the Apostles speech that it is an higher degree to back a sinner then to commit sinne holds with his owne kindred so that none must stirre against them but the towne is diuided into factions and parts taking for their cause and so it is also betwixt carnall friends where as kindred being neerer to a man then other good acquaintance or companie ought to bee the first that should bridle controle and helpe to hold vnder their kinsfolke from ill rule and disorder and as for friendship men should reach it out and shew it but according to conscience not daring to abuse the bond of nature to brotherhood in euill The which produceth dangerous effects both to the partie wronged the parties defended and also the parties themselues who countenance them as here both the whole common-wealth Abimelech and the Shechemites smarted all by this confederacie And the greater and the more authoritie such friends kindred or parents be of the more this doctrine toucheth them For as a common townesman may doe in a towne so a great person may doe in a shire a Prince in a kingdome euen set all in a combustion for a few malefactors sake as the Beniamites chap. 20. did for the defence of those Sodomites of Gibeah Let these therefore learne of the common speech Vsque ad ar as that is as farre as in conscience I may I will doe the part of a friend vnto you and of a parent but if ye draw me beyond that I leaue you neither will I to pleasure you make God my enemie Depart from me yee shall finde no aide at my hands yee adulterers riotous ill companions and workers of iniquitie And let all sorts take their lesson if not from the holy Ghost yet from an heathen who saw cause of prescribing this rule That especially this must be lookt to lest a man commit any thing iniurious or vnlawfull for his friends sake as he that professed he would burne downe the Tower of Rome if his great patrone willed him so to doe Such amitie fitteth Robbers and Traytors better then Christians Who should duly weigh whether the matter bee such as will stand with their profession credit and equitie otherwise to betray them is faithfulnes and to punish thē and as the law was to cast the first stone at them is good seueritie rather then to betray
the loue of the giuer of them in this his large and free bounty and especially considering that wee haue peace health and other publike and priuate blessings with them as I haue noted chap. 5. And yet who knoweth not that these serue vs here only in this temporall life things eternall are of another kind and farre more excellent Yea and yet that which we see in the creatures is nothing in comparison of that which should haue been if the sinne of man had not blemished and defaced the first beauty of their creation And howsoeuer in great prouidence the Lord haue released the curse due vnto them yet they come short of that they were when God saw all was good and so blessed them And all these his creatures for our need and Christian delight may we enioy boldly and without feare who are his redeemed ones by Christ and so restored to the right we had first in them and this we may doe with Gods good liking if we haue learned how to vse them to their kindly ends euen to admire at in our beholding them the wisdome power and bounty of the Creator gathering from that wee see proofes of his mercy prouidence and loue to vs in supplying vs with the good things we see not For by these in part he would haue vs know him as himselfe said Doe yee see how the grasse of the field the Lilies and other plants are cloathed with beautie in their seasons and beautifie the earth with their leaues flowers fruites the colour the sauour the abundance of them Then think saith he much more will he furnish you if you can beleeue it But further this wee must take great heed of lest these things being neere and sensible to vs cause such a through vewing and deepe beholding of them that our affections be snared by them and held from ascending vp and mounting vp to the Creator cursed be that view which causeth them to be loued with the loue of him that made them and himselfe excluded from the heart of him that enioyeth them Lastly this also is to bee highly regarded that we quicken vp our selues thereby to chearefulnesse in his seruice which is that good and ioyfull hart he speakes of in Deut. 28. breaking out into a sutable fruitfulnesse in duty toward him who hath enlarged himselfe so greatly to vs. For else when men swimme in blessings hauing corne wine and oile or as the Israelites had the milke and hony of Canaan in all plentie and yet either know not God aright or if they doe abuse their liberties and break out of their bounds alas they turne this varietie of Gods bounties and fauors into accusations against themselues and punishments they find no sweetnesse in them to purpose while they enioy them and they hasten also the remoueall of them vnseasonably and when it shall bee full vnwelcome Only the faithfull possesse them here and are led by them to long after the fruition of him in fulnesse hereafter who is much more glorious in himselfe then in them and in heauen where his honour dwelleth then here vpon earth which is but his footstoole By Abimelech and the Bramble which sought that they were vtterly vnfit for let vs marke that where ambition is it maketh the vnworthy to take vpon them that which the more worthy will not but vtterly refuse to doe For this cause wee must search our selues better in this point For want whereof the most are deadly sicke of this disease and feele it not It is bred in all by nature to aspire both in Minister and people That which a graue and godly man dares not doe in the Ministery that euery youth and bold fellow almost dares for his commoditie thrust himselfe into many preferments and is not ashamed So that which honest and ancient inhabitants abhorre and flie from as to contend and quarrell to iudge others and puffe vp themselues with a conceit of their gifts and to thinke other fooles in respect of themselues that yet dare other doe who in the best things come short and farre behind them The time hath been when through a reuerent and high conceit of the worke of the Ministerie though erroneously and amisse I must needs say some men altogether with drew themselues from it as thinking themselues wholly vnworthy of it and so buried many a talent in the earth But that was the extremity of modestie wee complaine in our age of the contrary ouerweening of our selues and vnder prising of it so that we can easily answer Pauls question To these things who is sufficient by another who is not sufficient Indeed since mē looked to the benefit and not to the burden which so occupieth an honest man that hee thinks lesse of the other and enquired rather into the quantitie of it rather then his owne qualitie and worthinesse while nothing but flourishing in apparrell iollitie pleasures good cheare and booncompanionship is thought to be the complement of the Ministery the answer I confesse is easie if the liuing be therafter who is not sufficient for these But Oh Bramble where is thy sweetnesse do men gather Grapes of thornes or figges of thistles doest thou thus teach in season and out of season is this thy feeding thy watching thy planting and watering Is this to cheare and not to grieue rather the heart of God and good men Oh who shall heale thy barrennes other barren creatures haue been cured by a miracle or art the wombe the earth the waters and if thou wert an Oliue a Vine or Figge-tree though not so fruitfull there were helpe for thee by cutting digging compassing remoouing but being a Bramble who shall make thee fruitfull Is it because there is no Oliue in the forrest that thou exaltest thy selfe who neither hast oyle of vnderstanding nor oyle of grace much lesse thy vessell full thereof that of thy abundance others may be refreshed Yea who if thou haddest thy due and the Lords forresters thou shouldest not I say not haue place aboue the other trees but not be allowed to stand among them at all But I conteine my selfe In this part following of the parable Iotham denounceth against the men of Shechem and Abimelech saying If yee haue done well in that yee haue done reioyce else your ioy shall God breake off Let vs by this see that all reioyce in their doings according to that they are whether they be good or bad but let vs be perswaded that to be the durable and sound ioy which God alloweth nay commandeth vs in all our doings as we see Deut. 28. and elsewhere to wit that which commeth from well doing and a good conscience But all other ioy is either wicked as Hamans Adonijas and Absolons or vaine and to be repented of as the young mans in Eccles and is a compound of bitter and sweete but the bitter is durable the sweete soone vanisheth when men are merrie and in their mirth suffer any knowne
sinne or dishonour of God among them their reioycing is not good but Christs woe meeteth with them when he saith Woe be to you that now laugh for you shall waile and weepe And when in the common course of our life we are led by the affection of ioy which hath no good ground nor warrant such ioy is euill and shall be turned into sorrow and woe And yet I deny not but mirth yea euen naturall mirth in things transitorie and indifferent is allowed so that it be moderated yea and especially if it be vsed to nourish spirituall ioy to which end it is ordained of God and for the supporting of our greatest infirmities euen as all other of Gods earthlie benefits are likewise And by this speech of Iotham wee gather that although good and bad meete together and both seeme to be merrie in their seuerall companie yet there is a greater oddes betwixt them then a man would imagine For the vngodly mans mirth is bred in the tongue and countenance and therefore is controlled by an heauie sad heart which tels him that if he considered aright of the matter hee hath small cause of being merrie but to turne his meriments into heauinesse The godly mans ioy is heartie entire sound and therefore lasteth and he cannot checke himselfe iustly except it be for that he is not so merrie as he ought to be And as Iotham saith here the wicked though they reioyce together yet they adde not each to the other any sound but onely frothie and deceitfull ioy by their fellowship the reason is because the ground of it is societie in euill But the godly as they ioy in secret both in Gods fauour and their happie estate and in the good duties which they doe as appeareth both in their going about them performing them and the fruite of both so when they meete together their ioy is encreased and multiplied euen as mirth is doubled by musicke and pleasure Whereas therefore the Christian complaines of much sorrow within and without his corrupt affections his loosenes his crosses reproch in the world bad example abundance of iniquitie temptations let such a man know that euen this sorrow of his is a good ground of his reioycing seeing that his sorrow is good He sorroweth for euill to see it so to abound but his sorrow is not euill His conscience still is good and so long his ioy is warrantable onely the ill conscience marres this feast of a quiet minded and merrie hearted Christian My reioycing is my good conscience saith the Apostle But if a good man will doe as a bad man his ioy is like his As for affliction if it come vpon him in his innocencie though it may dampe his outward mirth especially if he be not fitted for it yet it takes not ioy from his soule but it shall returne againe double and treble For their names being written in heauen and they knowing it to be so no affliction no nor the greatest malice of Satan can blot them out thence and therefore affliction to the godly is compared to sowing now we know sowing is the cause of haruest wherein is great ioy Therefore let them beware lest by their disguising themselues and wounding their consciēce they cause not to themselues needlesse complainings feares and sorrowes or halfe ioy in stead of sound and so doing they shall not neede to feare that Gods fatherly corrections shall hurt them And if they will see good daies and liue chearefully let them looke that out of a good heart they bring foorth no other but good fruites to bee reioyced in and flee euill of all sorts yea though the world count them but peazants and meacocks for their so doing The time shall come when all such iollie fellowes shall ioy as Abimelech and the Shechemites that is shall sit downe and put their heads betweene their knees for sorrow shame and miserie and yet a greater sorrow is behinde Iotham in mentioning his father saith that he put his life in danger to deliuer the Shechemites and so againe he requireth of the men of Shechem that they deale accordingly with his posteritie that is to say in vprightnes and righteousnes Wherein he speaketh as the Scripture doth euery where that men who haue had good measure offered them and stand vpon their knowledge ciuilitie and honestie and much more their profession should not behaue themselues as others who walke by example onely of the common sort and their own sensualitie and will Neither is that any better that some alleage that they do as much as law enioyneth them when as yet they may be conuicted of palpable iniurie and vnthankfulnes For a good man if there were no law will be a law to himselfe Oh! how much to be accounted is that faithfulnes which requites loue with kinde dealing but it is rare to be found but yet on the contrarie that is barbarous to yeeld euill for good as many doe and as these men of Shechem are heere charged by Iotham to haue done when yet wee haue learned that wee ought to render good for euill But I referre the reader to the first and last verses of the 8. Chapter wherein I haue more at large spoken of this point Here in that he foretelleth that one of them shall destroy another that is Abimelech the men of Shechem and they him euen as it came to passe it may teach vs that all ill practises and doings shall haue an euill end The kingdome on his part was wickedly sought and on their part as wickedly granted and how could the end be good the worke being euill howsoeuer for a time it appeare not Who were greater or faster knit in consent one with another then Iosephs brethren about sending and selling him away far from them where he should neuer trouble them as they counted it and hoped any more But what came of it were they not after strangled or rather haltered with that they had done When there arose but a little trouble against them did they not then crie out and confesse that their cruell handling of him yea and that long after was the chiefe cause of it So who are neerer ioyned together then theeues Yet there commeth a time of pealing one another wherein they cry out Oh we are vndone woe to vs that euer wee were linked in a confederacie together Who greater friends then the wicked that conspire together against goodnesse and good men but when it is bewraied and they by a greater and an ouerruling power are called to a reckoning what deadly hate is there betwixt them as we reade of Iudas and the wicked Priests And in shew where is there greater loue then betwixt these caualering and drunken companions who forsooth will be called the only good fellowes Doe they not embrace each other as Ioab did Abner in their armes when they goe about their pot-companionship And yet ere they
impatience and vnquietnes in their calamities But in both they are greatly to be pitied And although their bodily estate be to be lamented greatly yet is it farre worse with their soule as is manifest in their breaking out so fearefully and damnably into all manner of sinne with greedinesse Instances hereof in all conditions are too many In such as haue some religion because they haue no more store of it who seeth not that they are euer most loose secure forgetfull when they are most at hearts ease And in the badder sort it is more manifest who are quailed in their crosses and held downe by them from much euill but if they bee at hearts ease oh the loosenes sawcines quarrelling lashing out of needlesse and great expences rioting swearing that may be seene in them and scorning those that seeke to reclaime them though they be such as they ought to heare and whom they owe duty vnto and therefore should readily heare them whereas they regard nothing in their prosperitie but curse and blesse with one mouth I may say almost with one breath But to leaue these let the best looke well to themselues herein I meane that in both estates they may yeeld another manner fruite of their peace and prosperitie and bee carefull to haue a good conscience Of which argument seeing much is spoke by occasion in the former processe of this storie I cease to say any more To proceed These two Gaal and the Shechemites hauing each heartned the other and helped forward their defiance of Abimelech by feasting and iollitie which are great meanes yea as oyle to the flame to prouoke the proud stomacke of a man they now being well heat with meate and drinke presumptuously aske Who is Abimelech We may say truly where and when doe the wicked make an end For they goe from one sinne to another as one that runneth downe an hill and staieth not Now after all the rest they boast against him and defie and deface him and that in his absence Which teacheth the vnmeasurablenes and vnsaciablenes of the wicked in sinning how they goe on from one to another and neuer are willing to make an end and in stead of repenting for the former they adde greater sinnes vnto them and by that course harden their hearts in all manner of euill doing as they bee able with greedinesse and so grow past feeling vnto vtter impenitencie Many after they haue done euill haue some remorse as the brother in the Gospell who when he had not obeyed his father sending him to work in his vineyard but refused hee afterward bethought himselfe and went And the Prophet Ieremy wondred that they who offended relented not But when men goe from one sinne to another and cast not vp their gorge it is almost past hope to reclaime them Esau when he had sold his birth-right the signe of eternall life which one would haue thought had sinned fearefully enough in so doing yet he could not stay there but he must also iustifie the wicked fact that hee had done saying Of what valew is this birth-right vnto me But if this sinne rested onely in such as I haue spoken of wee that feare God might be sure that it could not be committed by vs but when we see how Peter was taken in this snare to sinne againe after he had once or twice denied his Master and that with swearing and cursing himselfe if he knew him and had been ready to haue done it an hundred times more if occasion had been offered how may not the best of vs feare the falling into it For in thus giuing place a little and in some things taking libertie to goe against conscience it is the next way to goe further as wee haue heard The best remedie against it is while we may to preuent it and to be so farre from such a course that we rather in feare and trembling to make an end of our saluation but if we haue already fallen then as soone as we can to rise out of it Now this Gaal wisheth that he were king for we must know that all the men of Shechem were not of one minde and this is the meaning of the phrase of speech that he vseth saying Who shall giue this people into mine hand The like ye may reade in the Psalme Who will giue me the wings of a Doue that is oh that I had them Euen the same that Absolom wished in a case much like this of Abimelechs Oh that I were made Iudge in the land Thus did this Gaal which noteth the pride and ambition that was in this base fellow his boasting being not farre off Which sinnes in him with the like in Abimelech brought to passe his and the peoples destruction To teach vs to beware of all sinne and of these particularly ambitious pride and boasting with the like in the which is wrapped vp when they come to their full growth irrecouerable mischiefe to the committers and intertainers of them as all sinnes doe threaten no better if they be not speedily broken off by repentance Whereunto Gods deare seruants being subiect euen as some of them haue tried and found it so alreadie that great sorrowes haue accompanied them long time as the fruite of such sinnes Dauid Sampson and others so we that remaine are taught if we will be wise to auoid carefully the beginnings and occasions of euill so shall we be sure to be free from great woe As for boasting it is but the superfluitie of the corrupt and proud scornefull heart arising not alway from some worthinesse or eminencie but a bare windie conceit of somewhat which is not As we see in the body when the gall is too full it ouerfloweth and coloureth the face with the excrement of that humour and when the inward parts are tainted the outward are full of breakings out and sores so when pride is at the full it swelleth and breaking out of the heart vtters it selfe by the mouth and behauiour But put the case there be some excellencie in him that boasteth doth boasting beseeme such a man nay doth it not impeach his worthinesse Therefore he that will auoid boasting let him soberly thinke of and vse Gods gifts both inward outward knowing who he is whence he receiued them how naked hee were without them and while hee hath them they are but borowed he himselfe is naked and destitute Neuer was an humble man a boaster except his boasting were as Pauls of his infirmities or of his gifts to honour the giuer and disgrace the enemies of Gods glorie Touching the particular point of ambition and the preseruatiue against it let the reader see more in the former chapter in Gedeons refusing the kingdome and also in this chapter in Iothams bramble aspiring to bee king ouer the trees Here therefore I end THE FIFTIE NINE SERMON ON THE NINTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Verse 30. And when Zebul
the Ruler of the citie heard the words of Gaal the sonne of Ebed his wrath was kindled 31. Therefore he sent messengers to Abimelech priuily saying Behold Gaal the sonne of Ebed and his brethren become to Shechem and behold they fortifie the citie against thee 32. Now therefore arise by night thou and the people that is with thee and lie in waite in the field 33. And rise early in the morning as soone as the Sunne is vp and assault the citie and when he and the people that is with him shall come out against thee doe to him what thou canst 34. So Abimelech rose vp and all the people that were with him by night and they lay in waite against Shechem in foure bands 35. Then Gaal the sonne of Ebed went out and stood in the entring of the gate of the citie And Abimelech rose vp and the folke that were with him from lying in waite 36. And when Gaal saw the people he said to Zebul Behold there come people from the toppes of the mountaines And Zebul said to him the shadow of the mountaines seeme men vnto thee 37. And Gaal spake againe and said See there come folke downe by the middle of the land and another band commeth by the way of the plaine of Moonenim 38. Then Zebul said vnto him Where is now thy mouth that said who is Abimelech that we should serue him Is not this the people that thou hast despised goe out now I pray thee and fight with them 39. And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem and fought with Abimelech 40. But Abimelech pursued him and he fled before him and many were ouerthrowne and wounded euen vnto the entring of the gate 41. And Abimelech dwelt at Aranna and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem IN these 12. verses is shewed how the broile grew hotter betwixt Abimelech and the men of Shechem how they warred and fought one against the other whereby their destruction drew neerer And first how Zebul when he heard of the boasting of Gaal sent word to Abimelech therof for hee was his officer to gouerne the citie in his absence and he gaue him aduice what he thought best to be done and that is set downe in the foure first verses In the next foure it is shewed how Abimelech according to Zebuls counsell came out with the men that were with him neere to Shechem and lay in wait for Gaal and his retinue And thus the matter went forward of the destruction and ouerthrow of the men of Shechem and of Abimelech as I haue said and as in this third part of the Chapter was foretold and in the verses following doth clearely appeare In the last foure verses is shewed how Gaal and Abimelech met together not farre from the gate of the citie and many of them that followed Gaal were ouerthrowne and wounded and he himselfe cast out of the citie But now let vs pursue these verses more particularly First this must be knowne that as the men of Shechem had hired Gaal to bee their Captaine so Zebul was for Abimelech as a Deputy and Lieutenant set there by him to hold the people in subiection from rebellion and mutiny And it is said here first that Zebul could not beare the insolency of Gaal against Abimelech both for that he was vnder him and also for that he saw the bragging of the other was very shamefull insolent but his wrath was kindled against him and hearing the proud words and crackes of Gaal he was sore troubled increat and sent word to Abimelech thereof And from hence let some thing be noted By the one that is this boasting of Gaal which was meere froth and words without substance and so grosse that Zebul being seruant to Abimelech could not beare it wee may see the shamefulnesse of this sinne of bragging and cracking which none can abide nor heare willingly For why Boasters doe not consider how they can make good that which they say but in the pride of their hearts speak so to get praise of those who heare them as when they are vrged to stand to their word then to their shame they are driuen to run away and to goe from their word also as afterwards this Gaal did or else the Lord himselfe disableth them to performe that which they boast they would doe as hee did Benhadad when hee braggingly challenged all Ahabs goods and as he did Saul vaunting that he had now Dauid safe enough in his hands when hee was inclosed in a citie that had gates and barres So that both God and man are enemies to boasting man I say not onely religious but euen ingeneous and ciuill abhorre it To shame all such delight in it and to perswade all that are fit to learne better things to practise lowlinesse and humilitie in stead of such disguisednesse And this bee said of Zebuls wrath that it was kindled against Gaals boasting Now followeth the other thing that Zebul was incensed against Gaal for and that was because his bragges were against Abimelech his Master and therefore he sent him word thereof and yet there was no such consent and wel grounded loue betwixt them but for that he set this Zebul ouer the city in his absence which was but an outward fauour that soone changeth especially betwixt such as they were and for that he was a man as it seemes discreeter and more politicke then some other And this act of Zebul in that he could not beare this defiance that Gaal gaue out against Abimelech being his master this I say teacheth that much lesse ought a Christian to heare God dishonoured no nor his Prince railed on or to bee rebelled against by Popish enemies or leaud subiects but his heart should rise against it and he should in the speediest manner bewray and seeke remedie thereof and that not for feare of law which holdeth the concealers thereof as accessaries but much more for conscience sake Euen as a naturall child cannot beare it if he heare his father reproched and therfore the blasphemies against God giuen forth by Atheists and malicious enemies such as those were of cursed Rabsachee against Moses and Christ the Scriptures and worship of God And such as that was of the Pharisies who said to the man that was restored to his sight We know that this man meaning Iesus is a sinner and finally whatsoeuer such as there are many of this kind not fit to be spoken of before Christian eares they are all intolerable yea and meaner reproches giuen out against him ought not to be suffered as swearing forswearing filthie talking or the like but rather we should honour God in our bodies and soules for they are Gods And because hee that loueth him who begat loueth him who is begotten also therefore let this naturall affection and kind for Gods honour descend from him to the meanest of his Saints yea let it make
of Shechem died also about a thousand men and women AFter the forementioned slaughter and holding Gaal out of the citie the Israelites in Shechem thought among themselues that they would be auenged of Abimelech as it seemeth and they went out of the citie to pursue him They neuer considered what a punishment they had sustained already by their rash putting themselues vnder that vaine-glorious boaster Gaal but vnaduisedly followed their quarrell But he vnderstanding it tooke the aduantage of that their attempt and so disposed his bands of souldiers that hee set two of them to take those that came forth of the citie and slew them and hee and another band rushed to the entrance into the citie and hauing fought against it the whole day took it and slew the people in it and destroyed the citie and sowed salt in it If the men of Shechem had gone out of the citie but to walke or to doe some businesse as some perhaps would thinke they did Abimelech should not haue needed to prepare two or three bands of armed men to set vpon a few scatteringly here and there and those vnarmed comming forth to their worke or if they had gone out vpon pleasure what had he gained to haue gone forth with bands against a few persons But it is cleare therefore as I said and most certaine that they went out in warlike manner to fight with Abimelech though they went without Gaal their Captaine being much prouoked and incensed for the losse of their neighbours whom Abimelech had slaine the day before For they were many and for that they were now heated very much and more in spite rashnesse and desire of reuenge rather then good aduisednesse they went to worke being driuen and put to their shifts as they thought and that somewhat they must doe to him either that they must ouerthrow him or else they saw that hee would surelie root out them for to this it was now come that the word of God by Iotham might be fulfilled And by this we see to what desperate shifts men are driuen by their falsehood crueltie rashnesse vaine confidence in man and by the like sinnes and what wise man would looke for any better end of such doings If God had brought vpon them that trouble in their innocencie hee would haue taught them how to beare it whatsoeuer had been like to haue followed but now they runne vpon the swords point and therefore both they that sought to fight with him abroad and they that waited for to set vpon him and his men in the citie are both of them destroyed This is the best end that sinne bringeth vpon the committers And thus wilfulnesse stomacke and stubbornesse bring many to destruction while they who are contrary minded are in peace So contention whoring drunkennesse and riot doe the like in their kind and they that seeme to bee safest and freest from danger being of that sort may looke for no better fruit nor end of their euill doings but shame sorrow and a miserable death though not by enemies as these men of Shechem found it whether it bee in their beds or wrought by their owne hands all is one if repentance breake not off their euill course The which while Gods seruants behold and see to what a wofull end their euill doings bring many who yet in their iolitie thought themselues the only wise men of others and all fooles who walked in their innocencie and vprightnesse I say while Gods seruants see this they shall praise him highly for that they followed a better course by Gods direction and euen now I say when they see Gods threats executed vpon euill doers as they were told that it should be so in the middest of their prosperitie and iolitie And all that come after them shall see good cause and haue incouragement to hold on a Christian course and to turne neither on the right hand nor on the left although they shall see pietie and good conscience to be iustled to the walles and scorned yet shal the worst day of these that practise them be farre better then the best of the other for all their setting out of the matter for a while and when their time commeth in which they shall smart then shall Gods seruants reioyce in their owne sinceritie and innocencie Let the reader looke backe to the former chapter and inlarge this point by adding thereto that which hath been noted touching the sinne and iudgement of Succoth and Penuel Now followeth the further proceeding in and laying foorth of the ouerthrow of the men of Shechem Abimelech might for all the force of them goe and dwell safely in his house as he did at Arnmah not farre from Shechem their power being weakned and Gaal thrust out by Zebul But yet they rose vp against him as we haue heard of stomack if possibly they might any way be reuenged But their so doing being told to Abimelech turned to the destruction of them that did so and to them that were in the citie with it also as appeareth in these foure next verses Reade them in the text The Lord hauing purposed their ouerthrow did thus goe forward with it for he hath many waies to execute his iudgments threatned vpon his enemies It was a iust cause to astonish the rest when he began with the formost but alas where there is no counsell from God to direct them what can they do but waite their time to follow their fellowes in the like iudgement Euen so God sometimes sweepes away all the companie of bad men and euill workers in some one place at once as hee did whole kingdomes in Ioshuas time and made his people possesse and inhabit them Sometime he keepeth them vnder and wasteth his enemies by degrees and one after another as here as before I noted out of the space of Abimelechs raigne where the same point hath been handled So they that marke it shall finde that though hee giue them their scope and libertie for a time which hee doth that they may repent they in the meane while looking after no such thing I say they that mark it shall see how God either beginneth to blow vpon their prosperitie as the East wind in the Spring beginneth to nip and hold in the leaues that were comming foorth or else as a great frost doth all at once kill them so doth he suddenly send desolation vpon them one way or other when their time is come And therefore let no seruant of God feare or be dismaied for the greatnes and pride of such for in a small time their glorie and iollitie shall vanish it shall be no more seene there is a greater then they who will surely cut off their hope and lay their glorie in the dust Oh that the righteous could then praise God for that hee hath kept them in all those times of danger within their bounds not suffering them grossely to reach out their hands
set them to the hold to burne it But good enough for him and thus will men toile and indanger themselues for their pleasure and profit in most base manner though it come to nothing but that they soone lose all as hee did So doe all sorts of men for a poore liuing which yet they oft faile of notwithstanding Whereas in the meane while godlinesse which is the great riches lieth dead by them and by no perswasions can they be brought to seeke after that with the least delighting therein whilest yet God alloweth them time and trauell enough for things meet and necessary For example how duly come they to Sermons and to the Lords Supper though they might reape no small benefit thereby and so doe they accordingly sit wearie and sleepie at the preaching of the word when they be there And yet the most part of men these two actions with prayer being excepted shew not so much resemblance of religion in their whole life beside But oh that euen Gods faithfull seruants did not grow many of them to the like point shewing much vnto wardnesse at the Word and Sacrament when yet they haue approched to both with great reuerence and chearefulnesse in former times If men be asked how they can endure such toile and paines as they take for the world while they be so cold in duties to heauen ward their answere is Man is borne to labour and the world is hard If we labour not we shall neither haue food nor rayment This makes them as the Psalmist saith to rise earely sit vp late fare full hardly and all for a poore liuing Ah poore soules and what when they haue got it not to speake of this how many waies they offend God in getting it and yet they are oft times disappointed of that which they seeke either by their leaud spending it or Gods curse vpon it but I say What when they haue it Doe ye not see that at the solemne day of death when they count all their great gains and fruit of their labor that their soule is yet vnprouided for Was all their life little enough to feed and clothe their bodie and thinke they vpon so short a warning to prouide for their soule Is not a soule of much more value then a body is nay then a world And yet in getting saluation for the soule which the bodie shall fare the better for also yea euen here it shall bee the better able to doe earthly labour with chearefulnesse and without vexation who will put his finger in the cold water for it Who thinks not euery little time bestowed that way toylesome and tedious More particularly to giue all diligence to obtaine faith and repentance as we are commanded how vnwelcome is the charge thereof vnto vs which yet is easilier obtained and with more assured successe if wee so seeke it as if wee would find and is a more durable possession and of more necessary and daily vse and farre more pretious gaine and that which exceeds the riches of Princes without it Vpon the death-bed al this is confessed and yet not once in a whole quarter thought of while men haue life and strength because they want heart and will thereto And generally let all learne this by the men of Shechem how they ioyne themselues to the acquaintance of wicked men for hope of gaine pleasure or preferment for God will meet with and recompence such as they deserue at one time or other As here may be seene where Abimelech for his great promises was repaired and cleaued vnto but what got they in the end who did so Nay while they sought much what did they not lose of that which they had euen to their very liues themselues So they that intend that and seeke commoditie at the hands of such doe as I said in the last point saue one euen bring themselues into bondage to them if they haue any conscience to accuse them For beside this that they are taken vp with such thoughts to wit what gaine they shall get by them after which manner the diuell occupieth them to draw their minds from being better imployed beside this I say it must needs goe ill with them if they professe the Gospell and seeke to keepe a good conscience when they shall consider that by such as Papists Libertines prophane and bad liuers they be held in hope and flattered where the more they get the more they lose and they are then in best case when they haue least to doe with them But alas the most suspect not the seruitude that such labour to bring them into for the borrower is a seruant to the lender and much more the receiuer to the giuer while they hunt for the precious soule of him whose benefactors they would seeme to bee aiming at this marke especially some of them euen to make them the children of hel as fully as themselues be And yet which is farre worse they being so neere lincked in fellowship with them they are so bewitched by their enchaunting and intising words that they cannot tell how to bring themselues backe againe out of the Maze wherein they are I grant such make shift to digest those things till the day of their visitation come but then they be at their wits end Verse 50. Then Abimelech went to Theber and besieged Tebez and tooke it 51. But there was a strong Tower within the Citie and thither fled all the men and women and all the chiefe of the Citie and shut it to them and went vp to the top of the Tower 52. And Abimelech came vp vnto the Tower and fought against it and went hard vnto the doore of the Tower to set it on fire 53. But a certaine woman cast a peece of a milstone vpon Abimelech his head and brake his braine pan 54. Then Abimelech called hastily his Page that bare his harnesse and said vnto him draw thy sword and slay me that men say not of me a woman slew him and his Page thrust him through and he died 55. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead they departed euery man vnto his owne place 56. Thus God rendered the wickednesse of Abimelech which he did vnto his father in slaying his seuentie brethren 57. Also all the wickednesse of the men of Shechem did God bring vpon their heads so vpon them came the curse of Iotham the sonne of Ierubbaal THus we haue heard how God punished the men of Shechem for their sinne against Gedeons sonnes Now how Abimelech was also plagued for the same that the prophecy of Iotham might bee verified vpon them both is laid foorth in these words and followeth vnto the end To the former two mischiefes that Abimelech wrought against the men of Shechem in that he destroyed their Citie and the people that were in it and their strong place and hold that the rest resorted to for safetie and burnt it to these I say the holy story addeth
the places of high office and honour whereunto their excellent gifts haue lawfully aduanced them not degenerating by pride crueltie and couetousnesse the common companions of men bred meanely when they are got aloft I say when such are not regarded it is a great contempt not of them onely but of God in them for hee that despiseth the poore despiseth his Maker and much more hee that reprocheth them in authoritie to call them vpstarts or to defame them by their base blood that so their more eminent vertues may be blemished A common disease among the factious and flattering followers of great and vicious persons to staine the honour of such as are more truly noble then they in vertue and wisdome by this that they are but men of yesterday and cannot shew the Armes which their patrons can But whether is it better as hee in the history answered to raise vp a new or to bury the old Gentrie and Nobilitie Of this the lesse because I haue said somewhat in the two points before not impertinent hereto Now as we haue heard that God chose out of Ishaker a poore Tribe Tola to Iudge Israel so also we see here that he chooseth the Noble to bee Gouernours as he did this Iair here who for his wealth was able to giue a City to euery of his thirtie sonnes To teach vs that Nobilitie is no let to the gouerning of the common-wealth but the honourable and mightie hauing examples of their ancestors to prouoke them to vertue and many other helpes and complements to the well discharging thereof they may be seene in many respects to be the fittest this being added if they bee not lifted vp with insolency and high conceit of themselues which they haue no cause to do if they consider that they came of nothing and are but wormes meat and also if they would weigh their mutable state and how full of lamentables changes their liues be And to say the truth it is an vtter shame for vs that when God hath done much for vs we should be found vnfaithfull Neither is high place any greater impediment to priuate godlinesse then publike gouernment Although if euery man might tell his owne tale there is none so poore nor any so rich but will alleage somewhat why they should not be tied to dutie precise but liue as they thinke good and bee released from this burden as they count it whereby what doe they but lay stumbling blocks in their owne way Therefore wee may boldly giue it foorth as a rule in Christian practise it is a miserable and vnlawfull estate of life which cannot stand with the daily and carefull practise of Christianity Somewhat I deny not must be yeelded to the occasions and vnseparable businesse which attend vpon greatnesse but yet so farre foorth onely as men defalke and detract nothing from the substance of that high and great due which the greatest owe to a greater then themselues But yet if men dare goe thus farre they shall find that God wil not giue his honour to another but rather his iealousie wil breake out against them like fire that maintaine their honour by treading his vnderfoot Psalme 2. This be said of those things which were seuerall in these two Kings and which they did in their life now of that which was common to them both I meane their death For so it is said of both that they died and that was when their dutie each for his time was discharged in procuring and maintaining Gods true worship and outward peace to their countrie a long season thē they gaue place and were gathered to their fathers their bodies were laid in the earth in hope of the resurrection To teach vs that all of vs are here to doe our duties in our callings to serue God therein who hath giuen and committed to our trust talents with a charge to occupie them till he come and allowes none of vs to bury them in the earth but straightly forbids it to wit to bee idle and to suffer our gifts to rust in vs and to this end we inioy euery man his proper gifts The Lord hath set vs our habitations and stinted our time of dwelling in them with commandement that we should not be idle nor vnprofitable in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus nor in our particular calling but to attend thereunto for profitable vses to our selues and others and hath for that purpose appointed that we should haue comfortable fruite thereof in all necessarie things of this life to incourage vs to our duties that so we might be none of the refuse and idle hang-byes in the world and in both our generall and particular calling to serue God for conscience sake and with comfort To this end I say God hath set vs here alwaies to haue our eye vpon our departure and with good father Barzillai to prouide for our graue And when wee haue thus discharged our selues and the Lord shall giue vs warning by sicknesse paine disease of our end to bee at hand or call vs home with small warning wee should be readie for his comming to yeeld our soules into his hands and our bodies to the graue for a season in hope of receiuing them againe which shall be no hard matter for vs to doe who haue as strangers here prepared for it before as wee haue learned to doe Neither should we looke or desire to haue any more abode or continuance here but giue ouer our selues in peace and willingly commend our selues vnto the Lords safe keeping as I haue said And therfore in the meane time we should soberly vse all the transitorie helps of this life as wealth friends wife and our life it selfe so that they may not be clogs with their deceiuable shew to hold vs from farre better things And in the meane while take the best vse of them to profitable ends and doe the good that wee may doe by the helpe of them seeing in the graue there is no such thing to bee looked for And so the remembrance of the time well passed shall be most comfortable but as for those that are calling in for their cheare and merry making in this world otherwise then they are sure they shall be able well to giue their reckoning for it hereafter such can neither possibly dye well nor willingly vnlesse they bee desperate To the which purpose I haue spoken elsewhere as the diligent reader shall finde The second part of the Chapter Vers 6. And the children of Israel wrought wickednesse againe in the sight of the Lord and serued Baalim and Ashtoroth and the gods of Aram and the gods of Zidon and the gods of Moab and the gods of the children of Ammon and the gods of the Philistims and forsooke the Lord and serued not him 7. Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he sold them into the hands of the Philistims and into the hands
in great need of his help and was wished to vse it by godly Iehosaphat No saith he for I hate him and he doth not prophecie good for me but it had been better for him to haue been beholding to him So that in respect of such passions it is some restraint of nature and bridling of the corrupt heart in him that can seeke to his enemie And seeing God doth make vs all to stand in need one of another why should wee not make our hearts to bow and bend especially when it shall be also for our owne good and benefit Although I must say that this is not so commendable in vs nor profitable for vs thus farre to seeke to other when we may feare the better thereby for a naturall man will straine himselfe for aduantage but when we doe it to crosse ourselues and our euill hearts which rebell in vs and would carrie vs to the contrarie and so stoope to the ouercomming of the poyson and corruption that is in them and that also for conscience sake that we may please God therein this is a grace and worthie thing indeed This being done we should doe well to help one another and perswade each other to turne away to alienate rancour and stomacke from their enemies as Iacob hath commendably gone before vs herein to Esau and Dauid toward Saul and the Prophet Elisha did perswade the King of Israel to handle his enemies kindly which fell into his hands But yet on the other side we must take heed as well of flattering men in their euill as hating thē for wee may not sinne to obtaine and get mens fauour but beare our crosse contentedly if euer wee be driuen to seeke helpe of them whose sinne wee haue set outselues against for why wee haue done our duties though wee receiue ill measure for our good will and God will make a way for vs that al shall be well and he will if it be expedient turne their hearts towards vs for all that but as was said before let vs make none our enemies by needlesse prouoking of them but hold peace with all if it be possible yea euen with them that are our enemies For how would these here haue done if Iphtah had vsed them as they did him Or what had become of Iehoram 2. King 3. if Elisha had persisted in his reiecting the motion which he made because he and his father had scorned him and his predecessor Elija before Therefore be wee wise for God may so order it that to resist proud men euen they whom we haue prouoked in our rashnes may be in place to doe vs much hurt and that none saue the very persons whom we haue scorned can helpe vs in our neede When Saul was newly created King there were some iust of this humour and therefore they are called sonnes of Belial who defied him Tush say they what new vpstart is this how shall such a base fellow saue vs so that they would not acknowledge nor take him for their King But shortly after how should they haue done when Nahash came vpon them if that despised fellow as they accounted of him had not holpen them Then there was seeking to Saul and after the victorie it was demaunded by the people who were these that spake against Saul so despightfully saying Shall he raigne ouer vs bring them foorth and let them be slaine Therefore that we may auoid this shame and imputation of folly to be in our extreames now to abandon a man as nothing worth and after to seeke to him acknowledging him to be our onely helper let vs learne this moderation towards all as neither to be burdensome to the greatest nor yet beare a scornefull minde toward the meanest If the Samaritan and the man that fell among theeues had knowne each other before and the one scorned to be the better for the other is it like the one would haue loosed and relieued the other in that extremitie Yet we may well thinke in such a case hee must haue been of a rare proud stomack that would haue lien still wounded and in paine rather then be beholding to him that was there to helpe him And let me giue the poore a caueat concerning this humour for they that must depend vpon all yet hauing a proud heart wish that all depended vpon them and sometimes will vtter words to that effect and I say this vnto them It ill becommeth the richest and euen they may bee sure at one time or other to smart for their proud stomacks but much worse it beseemeth the poorest who rather as Salomon saith should vse all entreatie Let such breake their hearts and make holy vse of Gods affliction vpon them and submit themselues to the bearing of their burthen that so the hearts of the wealthier be not iustly hardned against them Also we see here in their desiring the helpe of Iphtah whom they had before expelled that oft times the things which men reiect God chuseth to doe great enterprizes by Which as it was most cleerely verified in our Sauour who being the stone which the builders refused was made the chiefe corner stone so was it also liuely verified in the Apostles after Paul himselfe saying of himselfe For all the good he had done and the rest we are al made a gazing stocke to the world to the Angels and to men And so at this day by whom doth the Lord gather his Church together but by them that are counted the abiects of the world or whom doth he make members of his Church but them and those to be dearest vnto him who are not counted meete to liue on the earth Therefore let no faithfull seruant of God be dismaied for the discourtesies and discouragements which he shall meete with by the vnthankfull world the Lord seeth their workes and hath them in neuer the lesse account but will plentifully reward them of which point I need not say much hauing so often handled it in this booke alreadie THE SIXTIE FIVE SERMON ON THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES NOw let vs proceed with Iphtah his answere made to the Elders of Gilead First therefore in this hee repeateth and rippeth vp their fault which in times past they had committed against him telling them that they now comming to him in their distresse he as he might well marueiled at it they neuer hauing made agreement with him And it is easie to be seene that in all this hee answered as he might lawfully doe putting away all gall and bitternes for it was meete they should secure him And euen so it is lawfull for vs by so good an occasion as was offered to him by them to doe as hee did in a like case to wit to rehearse mens great iniurying of vs when they would make nothing of them And yet all is not necessarie to be followed and practised of vs alwaies which Iphtah said to them here and namely his repeating
indeed vrge them about it as he had cause a question may arise how they could offer this to Iphtah to be their Iudge and how he could take it with a good conscience First seeing they had no authoritie to offer it Secondly seeing he and they both had this blocke in their way that a Bastard might not enter into the Congregation of the Lord to beare any office The answer is to both questions one that the Lord directed them thus to doe who is bound to no law and that he guided them herein the whole story through the Chapter testifieth The Lord excludeth such in Deuteronomy from bearing publike office and that to terrifie men from begetting Bastards who are in this world reprochfull and lie open to much miserie And yet how this forbidding that sinne preuaileth with men this the commonnesse of the sinne and this prophane practise of adulterers too too much bewraieth who thinke that by this meanes of bringing Bastards into the world that is the pitie they take of them they shall shunne the wearisome company of the wise and tediousnesse of children with the vnwelcome annoiances that they count to accompany both But oh monsters doe they thinke by auoiding the burden of the lawfull wife and children to escape the blot of vnlawfull libertie euen reprochfull whoredomes Doth not God set a brand both vpon them and their cursed fruit For it is prooued by experience that besides the discouragement which bastards are oppressed with as of scorne and opprobrie in the world which of it selfe is enough to hold them vnder the Lord denieth them commonly good education so that they prooue vagabonds curseth them with a more then common indisposition and aukenesse of nature to retaine instruction and gouernment And lastly there are few of them who are not tainted with vile and odious qualities such as they deriue from their vitious and vncleane parents And therefore the greater is their sinne who for all this his prohibition most wickedly fil the world with them cause them to be brought into so great calamitie Yet as the innocents cannot doe with it so God bee thanked they are not shouldred out from the hope of saluation for there is no respect of persons with God if they feare him But if they were cast off by the Lord yet such is the vnconscionable beastlinesse of those gracelesse persons that for their owne filthy lust they would thus endanger them as the loathsome practise of those vncleane Locustes the Popish Monkes and Friers both in this land and elsewhere hath abundantly witnessed to the world in former ages See more in the first verse of this Chapter Iphtah hauing found ill dealing at their hands before as we haue heard for that they were not lead by conscience and the feare of God when they cast him out but by partialitie vsed crueltie against him he did not therfore trust them vpon their word but requireth an oath of God at their mouthes as may be gathered by their making God a witnesse of the promise which they made vnto him and so tieth them to a sure couenanting with him For it had not otherwise been wisely prouided for by him and therefore when he went with the messengers to Mizpeh he rehearsed these things there before the Lord that so the promise which they made might stand sure God being desired to be the beholder and witnesse And here let vs learne that when men haue dealt vnfaithfully and dishonestly they haue no wrong offered them if they bee not credited as before no although they bee bound by bond whereas their bare word was taken while they went for honest men for they haue giuen iust cause to other to suspect their credit And by this which I say may be noted that one cause why men are in lesse credit now adaies is their vnfaithfull dealing And whereas some cannot be trusted nor borrow vpon their word or bond but for want of credit doe goe without that which would stand them in exceeding great stead for their vpholding and maintenance it is the fruit of their owne doings and that which they haue sought by their owne vntrustinesse and breaking of their promise whereby they haue lost their credit together with their honesty For in these daies many care not to deceiue yea and vndoe others and therefore come to nought themselues also for the most part whereas some other being faithful and conscionable vpon their bare credit liue and maintaine their charge by borrowing and by other mens forbearing them And whereas it is obiected on the behalfe of these vnthrifts and deceiuers that they must be borne withall though they cannot pay that which they haue borrowed I answer Some of them see no likelihood that they can repay so much as they will seeke to borrow and take into their hands of other mens goods which argueth little honesty and therefore are well content to wind it from them cunningly and craftily whereby also they impouerish some others will not diminish their occupying in the least manner though they goe aboue their reach nor detract from their belly and pastime to pay the owner therby shewing that they care not how he come by his due and right or whether he euer haue it againe or no. Now while these things are thus we may note that the beautie of religion is such if it be planted in men soundly and indeed as that it winnes credit to him that hath it for contrary dealing and maketh him to be approoued for his faithfulnesse conscionablenesse and honesty whereas he that is void of them liueth in vtter discredit and iust reproch And whereas ye will say some of them that make shew of religion doe yet deceiue and deale vntrustily with their creditors I answer it is not the shew of religion but the practise of it that carrieth the beauty with it that I speake of and if any that be taken to be religious offend this way know wee that it is not their religion that imboldneth them to such dealing but that they haue so little of it And so it is true also that some that haue credit deseruedly doe for the sweetnesse of the gaine if they take not heed hold their due from the owners sometimes though they may little reioyce in it And let them know that their sinne is the greater but yet all this notwithstanding there are some who dare not neither will by any meanes be brought to doe so And if ye aske me Why then doe men take bonds of such as are of approoued honesty and haue not broken nor lost their credit as if they were no better trusted then other common men I answer Not because they be distrusted but first seeing all are mortal and so men might lose their goods if they had no securitie for them by those in whose hands they are and secondlie that contention may not arise betwixt the posteritie of both parties that shal come after And againe
seeing there are such deceiuers in the world as would prouoke euen the honest to contention if they can see any hole open or espie any aduantage And this rule holdeth also firme and good in religious actions before God For as it is the honour of a Christian to continue constant in his loue to the truth and the Church of God the fruit whereof is a sound and good report so if a man begin to warpe and bewray his hollownesse or treachery in either his staine is not easily washt out neither can he looke for that currant estimation or reuerēce which before he had nor scarce obtain so much afterward as to be credited for all his profession Although men will be trust their vessels with oyle or wine while they be sound whole yet if they begin to leake and run they will not commit any thing vnto them which is in danger of losing Our Sauiour asked Peter but once Whom sayest thou that I am and tooke his word when he deserued no other whereas afterward hee was not satisfied with one nor two professions of his affection Simon louest thou me good reason he had made a great cracke in his credit and therefore he that had forsworne Christ deserued not vpon his owne bare word and answere to be beleeued And those who haue deceiued the opinion of the Church touching their religion by falling into error and schisme or their pietie and honesty by grosse offences may thanke themselues if euer afterward the people of God haue them in a iealousic As we reade in the Ecclesiasticall historie that when once the baptized partie reuolted either from his religion or good conscience as Miriam by her arrogancie the Church admitted him not without serious repentance and confession of his fault But if he slipt the second time they practised greater seueritie towards them enioyning them not repentance only but for a space of time to remaine out of the Church as in famous Yea some euen of the reuerendest Fathers of those times as Cyprian and others grew to this erronious opinion that such were not to be admitted without rebaptization as if their former seale had been quite puld off by their sin I meane the seale of forgiuenesse Therefore let all Christians looke to their standing the didiuell if it be possible will quite ouerthrow them but if he cannot hee will foile them and take away the crowne of their reioycing which is their faithfulnesse and constancie And he is an impudent person who hauing foully dishonored God and his profession wil hold vp his head boldly and claime his old priuiledge Doe we not see that among men one periured or a forger is disabled from euer bearing any witnesse against or for any in publike court And haue not all men such a one in suspition Doth not treason taint euen the blood of the traitor so that euen when he is loyall he goeth for no better and hee who hath got a patent of restitution or pardon for his fellonie doth he not forfeit it by a second offence in the like kind But of this enough Another thing worth the marking is this that in as much as Iphtah went so easily from his iust quarrell that hee had against them of Gilead and had so soone done when he had wisely told them that which concerned them to heare and when they had assured him of that which he demanded by this I say we are taught not to hold in our harts an iniurie against vs by any but soone to remit an offence for it is an honour to passe by it He mentioneth the matter but once to them and once requireth security but goeth no further And who seeth it not to be a great grace in any man to doe so for therein he doth after the example of the Lord himselfe who doth not follow things against vs hotly but sheweth great lenitie and kindnesse And as we should not be rigorous and cruell in our dealings to prouoke men with our bitternes to wrath so should we make an end of controuersies as soone and in as few words as may be as for other causes so not in the least respect for this seeing in many words commonly there is much sinne Of this somewhat was said before in vers 4. but especially looke backe into Chap. 8. verse 2. And further learne what hath been the religiousnesse of an oath in times past to wit such that if it were once offered and taken there was no more question but the controuersie was ended As we see Rahab hauing it granted her by oath of the spies that she and her fathers house should bee saued aliue at the destruction of Ierrico rested satisfied Therefore men must looke to what they sweare seeing an oath is not to bee violated vnlesse it were made for the accomplishment of euill in which case the keeping of it were double sinne as Heroas was and the least euill therein is great And as heed must be taken how men sweare so must they who offer the oath to other that it be so done that they to whom it is ministred may be free from snare so that they may doe it as the Prophet speaketh in truth righteousnesse and iudgement Therefore such as draw men by oath to fulfill their desire and to doe things against conscience haue the more to answer for Men then must not be drawne and forced thereto to which they cannot yeeld nor of themselues rashly sweare to doe that which they approoue not but abhorre Iphtah doubted no more after the oath but goeth after the army But an oath is not strong enough now adaies to hold a man fast neither can wee safely rest in it for the deciding of controuersies although the Lord hath taught vs otherwise Now for the further ratifying of the couenant betwixt them it is rehearsed before the Lord in Mizpeh by them for thus the men of Gilead say We couenant with thee before the Lord to doe as we say and that he may punish vs if we breake it Therefore such as are common swearers are not to be admitted to this solemne oath either in accusation or decission of controuersies For as I said they haue lost their credit they haue often falsified their oathes for how should a common swearer auoid common periury and therefore that which another man vseth reuerently and with conscience such rush vpon commonly and carelesly through a prophane habit being herein worse then Heathens who counted not such worthie of societie but intestabiles as they called them that is such as were not to be admitted as witnesse And commonly such they are who prostitute themselues for gaine to sweare falsely before the Magistrate of whom there are many and some the Lord shoaleth out from among their fellowes as notorious monsters branding some with in famie and misery and terrifying the consciences of other with hellish feares if not with despaire And a step to
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
is that many doe wilfully and stiffely oppose themselues against the innocent as by suites of law vntill their wealth bee consumed as the fat of lambes against the Sunne Others meddle needlesly where they haue no cause oft times neither can by any reason bee disswaded yea and some with their betters through a proud stomack contrary to the counsell of Salomon because the Lords meaning is to let them fall into euill and to suffer them to meet with their match that they may pay for their griping of their vnderlings and smart for their owne sinne For otherwise he would as he is able hold them back some way And thus adulterers drunkards cauillers and such wilfull persons go forward but to their confusion And so Elies sonnes were hardned that they might be destroyed And Pharao in not suffering Israel to depart So Ahab would not heare Micaiah that so he might fall at Ramoth And had Iudas proceeded on to betray his Master thinke we hauing had so faire a warning by him a little before enough to haue cooled his courage and to haue holden him backe from such an attempt but that he was a cursed vessell of wrath appointed to misery And happie is he who relenteth and meekely submitteth himselfe to God by resisting his wicked attempts and stopping his bad course lest by kicking against the pricks he goe forward to his sorrow and destruction And this is much more verified in such as will take no counsell by the reproofe of the law of God but turne away their eares from it yea liue a long time vnder it vnprofitably till they waxe obdurate surely thus they do because they of al others are the vnhappy people whō the Lord hath not purposed by his promise and the ministery of the Gospell to conuert and saue Else why should it not be the case of all aswellas of some Now if any will cauill against this and say either that God is bound to deale with them as he did with Paul whom hee saued by violence as it were or that God in so hardning men is the author of their perdition I answere to the first that God is a free agent bound to none of his creatures he need not at al stop them in their euill course much lesse to striue with them when they breake through his opposing of them as Balaam did in his iourney to the King of Moab For the latter I say that the Lord need not cause any mans destruction for if he stay him not he runneth on to it of his owne accord and as for the Lord he finds matter of sinne in him he neede not infuse any and therfore if he doe not mollifie the heart it waxeth hard of it selfe without his hardning of it And here further we see that the wilfulnesse and stiffeneckednesse of euill and rebellious persons redoundeth to the benefit of Gods seruants many times who haue to doe with them The reason is that God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the lowly Whereby it commeth to passe that such wilfull persons meete with much hardnesse they prouoke other against them and although they want not power yet by crueltie violence and rashnesse they runne themselues against a rocke and contrarily algoeth much the better with the other for the most part though sometime they be borne downe and in suites and comprimises their innocency and good dealing is seene and rewarded Thus the Lord gaue sentence on Dauids side against Saul and chose him rather then his house and rewarded the innocencie of the one and gaue vp the other to a reprobate sense And by these two verses we see that Gods seruants may with good security and boldnes vse and inioy the possessions and goods which God hath giuen to them and by much better reason then other who think that to be their owne which they haue howsoeuer they haue come by it whereas these haue no sanctified vse of any thing they enioy hauing no right nor title to it from God by Christ who is heire of al although the meanes be lawfull which they vse but besides that they come vnlawfully many of them by much of it they I meane The other not only haue right to it by Christ but also haue sought it by a good conscience and the vse is accordingly blessed vnto them This I say we may learne by that Iphtah answered the King of Ammon thus Thou thinkest it to be thine which Chemosh as thou imaginest hath giuen thee much more we may enioy this land of the Amorites which the Lord hath giuen vs. But this I toucht in the 18. verse In the frame of this argument wee may obserue the arguers discretion He conuinceth his aduersarie by a ground confessed by himselfe handling it comparatiuely after this manner Thou saith he thinkest thou hast good right to that which is giuen thee and that by Chemosh so doe I account my selfe to hold that firmely which Iehouah my God hath granted me Wee know he might haue said much more may I lay claime to Iehouah his gift then thou to thy Idoll who indeed hath no more authoritie then deitie He might haue discoursed much and that truly touching the difference betweene God and an Idoll Heathens and Iewes the true Church of God But to what purpose he might haue been ridiculous but he could not by such dispute haue conuicted him To teach vs that all men must not bee alike handled in confutatation of their errors heresies prophane customes but by grounds acknowledged by themselues they must bee vrged to confesse the truth of conclusions which they would not acknowledge No man putteth new wind into old vessels No man punisheth a Frenchman by English law for why he takes not himselfe to stand bound to a law which he neuer consented vnto the law Ciuil is not like the Common law Sometime we may take the true confession of our aduersarie as an argument against him and this is the more forcible of the two both because it is a truth and therefore of it selfe confuteth the contrary necessarily and also because we consent with him therein whereby we shew that wee would not dissent from him at all if it were possible to auoid it And sometimes wee may vse his owne confession against him though it be false so it bee to conuince him and doe him good for otherwise we must not abuse his errour to hurt him and this manner of arguing though it conclude not directly yet it is strong against him that holdeth it The Apostle Paul being to conuict the Athenians of their false worship first argues from an absurd confession of their own absurd in reason Ye worship saith he an vnknowne God as the title of your Altar importeth and therefore ye know not how ye worship whereupon doubtlesse your worship is a preposterous and false worship And we know Paul vseth one kind of Apologie to Heathen Festus and Felix another to Agrippa a Iew borne
husbands and these againe to them and one deare friend to another And what vexations haue many mens goods been to them as their house and land when they haue brought them to naught and when they haue seene they must forgoe them And how haue other mens pleasures stung them at the heart when they hauing been the ioy thereof they haue forsaken them Oh if men durst or could be perswaded to bewray it when they haue seene they must dye and leaue all how haue they been wrapped in deadly sorrow and thraldome thereby so neere were their hearts knit to their earthly delights that they haue been able to thinke of no good thing to helpe them to saluation and to make their account well to God no nor to entertaine any good aduice and instruction if it had been offered them And what may bee the reason of all this Truly this seeing they haue so greatly abused them by setting them in the Lords place and their harts vpon them so impotently and fondly directly contrary to Gods commandement giuing this charge If riches encrease set not your hearts vpon them And to make this their sinne the greater they must know that they who are not brought as yet to faith in Christ and true repentance so that they bee by him intitled to them who is Lord and heire of all they haue no right to any of their lawfullest pleasures and profits no not their children by Gods allowance hauing lost the same right by Adams sinne which indeede once was giuen in Adams innocencie And yet euen the godliest must vse them soberly and learne to enioy them with Gods allowance as they may when they resolue with contentment to leaue them and when they are put to necessarie profitable godly vses for that is indeed to learne to want them as we are commanded and haue example thereof when God will so haue it And otherwise they who haue had most shall wish they had had least And if yee will aske if there be nothing that men may safely and boldly reioyce in I answere Yes let them reioyce in beleeuing in hope patience and a good conscience that ioy shall not be taken from them Besides in this verse in that Iphtah said his daughter troubled him and yet it was by no ill behauiour let it be an instruction for children that they had not need to be crosses to their parents by loosenes and disobedience for their parents are many waies grieued by them in other respects as to see them crossed and brought behinde hand in the world by pouertie or for that they thriue not in their outward estate so for their other sundrie troubles that befall them and with these when they looke to haue them the staffe of their old age then if they see them taken away by death or crossed by their awke and bad matches if then they also with the like to these shall vexe them in their life how can they chuse but bring their gray haires with sorrow to their graue Monsters therefore and vnnaturall children are they who knowing that from their very conception birth they are occasions of griefe and heauinesse of heart to their parents many waies who take thought for them also afterward in euery part of their life how to bring them vp and prouide for them monsters I say they are who doe yet adde more heart smart and greater griefe to them by their vnrulinesse stoutnesse loftines of minde riot ill spending their time and goods with lewd companions and many other euill waies euen so many as who can reckon them vp But this point hath been diuersly occasioned already and more directly concernes the 36. verse following And because he saith he could not goe backe but must execute his vow many marueile he should be so ignorant that he knew not the law in Leuiticus concerning the redeeming of a sonne or a daughter in such a case for so might hee haue done But hee being driuen out of his fathers house because he was base borne and banished fell to a souldiers life it might the rather be therefore that he was lesse acquainted with the law of God But it is more marueilous that being so famous a thing that the high Priest should not be consulted with by the motion of some of his friends especially there remaining two moneths before the vow was put in execution But his ignorance it was that held him in that grieuous error And it is a watch-word to all Gods people to labour against it seeing he being ignorant of this one point brought such sorrow and woe vpon his owne head for who findes not likewise that want of knowledge in some one point or want of care to remember that which he knowes which in effect is all one hath been a sore blemish to him among his betters who can espie his ignorance or else through the want of it hee hath runne vpon rocks I meane indangered himselfe to doe that to his shame and griefe which knowledge thereof would haue guided him to haue done to his owne great comfort Oh seeke we therefore sauing knowledge and all that is necessarie while we may and as wee may it is a crowne to an humble and sanctified person and in a doubtfull case doe we not as Iphtah here did to neglect the seeking of resolution when and where we may haue it And let them who liue vnder an ordinary Ministerie vnprofitably repent betimes and redeeme the time for it is a great plague of God to bee euer learning and neuer comming to the knowledge of the truth And such as want meanes let them quicken their appetite the more and labour to set the best price vpon knowledge and wisedome which is the holy vse of it For hee that matcheth these with the most precious iewels and searcheth after thē as gold hee is like to finde them soonest The other passeth by them vnknowne at vnawares as he that walketh ouer mines and treasure hidden in the earth neuer the wiser But the text giuing occasion rather to vrge this care vpon the better sort we may iustly bewaile it how long it is ere euen many a good Christian attaine to that measure of competent and necessarie knowledge which might guide his course I speake not now of exact knowledge in all points much lesse of curious knowledge of things lesse pertinent which yet many seeke after more greedily then they doe the other like distempered stomackes which feede vpon trash rather then good nourishment Now what makes it so difficult a thing as it is Sometime an inuincible defect in nature in which case I confesse a tractable and modest minde may pleade an excuse from God in others a conceit that if Christ be knowne in any sort it skils not whether other matters bee knowne or no which is a foolish opinion and collection Others and the most heare badly or adde no priuate helpe of their owne reading or
vse of the memory by conference Therefore as contraries be cured by contraries so let euery mā seeing his disease addresse himselfe to the cure We see that ignorance in the law of the land sometimes breedes a man such trouble and losse as makes him rue it all his life long much more then a man would thinke in the law of God For example many a man through ignorance though otherwise wel-minded is drawne into bad company and by such entised to leaudnesse or made drunke or snared by rash promises bargaines suretiships Others ioyne with their religion abuse of their lawful liberties and are ouertaken therein grossely in vnlawfull gaming 's and ill spending of the time lasciuiousnesse foolish mirth and many other blemishes Some doubting of the lawfulnes of a thing which they earnestly desire to doe entangle themselues which if they had knowledge they durst not doe So it is rare but a goodly sight to see a man order his steppes by knowledge and to haue fellowship with the light and the contrary besides the other named inconueniences much dishonoureth the profession it selfe of the Gospell Further to omit that he might haue redeemed her as I said and to speake no more of his ignorance in that point note we this that his care was great in keeping a good conscience a good conscience I say according to the knowledge he had though I confesse it cannot bee in it selfe a good conscience which is not a sound conscience But an euill conscience it may bee euen to doe a thing lawfull if it be contrary to that which a man is perswaded though erroniously And it appeares Iphtah sought to keepe a good conscience in asmuch as he spareth not his onely child to the end that hee might please God as he thought by performing his vow For there was nothing else could cause him to bring such sorrow vpon himselfe by offering his only daughter in sacrifice but the shunning and auoiding of a greater sorrow namely the bringing of God to bee against him as hee feared hee should haue done if he had not offered her according to his vow His care to keep a good conscience in that he thought he knew teacheth all Gods people in that which they know to be faithfull Better is he by many degrees who in that which hee knowes is carefull to doe the same then another who swelleth with pride and is puffed vp with great knowledge in the letter when he seeth not the end of it much lesse attaineth to it which is by loue to edifie and doe good to himselfe and others by it But in them who be vpright hearted toward God as the good women were that accompanied our Sauiour on earth that is verified which hee spake If ye know these things happie are yee if yee doe them c. And contrarily he that offendeth in the least teaching others so to do shall be least in the kingdome of God Now to this we must adde that which in part was toucht before that men must beware of that corrupt conceit of Popery that conscience for such is all true deuotion may bee in a thing where knowledge is not Nay they go further for they are so bold as to say that deuotion is the fruit of ignorance It proceeded not from Iphtah his ignorance but from his grace that he was so deuout That which ignorance properly brings forth is error and wilworship deuotion is neither caused by ignorance no nor yet by knowledge without faith and grace though knowledge must guide and perfect it afterward Now to this lamentable complaint of the father to wit Iphtah let vs heare the kind and dutifull answere of the daughter My father saith she if thou hast vowed any thing to the Lord concerning me as she perceiued by him he had for euery word is not recorded in a briefe history I yeeld obediently to thee and am willing to confirme and helpe to make good thy vow Her obedience or rather desire of obedience to her father was highly commendable euen as his was to God but yet in the respect before named to wit because she thought her fathers vow was lawfull as himselfe thought it must bee performed and kept for shee ought and might haue denied to haue yeelded where her father had so vainely and needlessely vowed if she had knowne that her father had had libertie by the law of God to redeeme her But she to please God as shee supposed and that her father might not offend him neither by breaking his vow did submit her selfe and makes no exclamation at the heare-say of it nay doth not so much as question about and discusse it with a scrupulous mind And marke further that she saith it was not grieuous for her to die seeing the enemies of God were ouerthrowne This her readie and obedient affection setting aside the error thereof is a cleare glasse for youth to looke in to shew their readinesse in obeying their parents it being agreeable to the law of God which is required of them and so in obeying their gouernours set ouer them And as shee said in her owne case for her selfe so should they say euery one for himself vnto them farre bee it from mee that I should procure or bee a meane of your sorrow Children that are teachable may heare her and learne when they may or must speake and how to doe it And that is thus that whereas reuerence obedience and thankfulnesse is required of them so they bee readie accordingly in the performing of them all vnto them to doe their duties Their humble and kind words should comfort and glad their parents hearts and yet they should looke carefully to be found sutable also in their deeds And these were as double armour to them when the wicked children wound and lay open their parents to reproch among the bad sort and are corruption to their bones These should make them not to be ashamed of them as their children And blessed is the man that hath his quiuer full of such arrowes they shall defend him from the ill tongues of his enemies Euen so the common ill behauiour of the most children and namely their words and answers which they giue to their parents chattingly stoutly saucily yea and with gybes and taunts some of them they are to their parents as I haue said reproch and poyson to their owne soules But to make this point more sull and cleare here let all good children learne this duty from God that with their ready and willing mind submitting themselues to their parents they ioyne also wisdome and sound knowledge to direct them wherein to obey that so they may not commend their affection onely but the whole duty to their father in heauen aswell as to their father in earth I speake not this as if I would teach them to contest with their parents or descant with them about their lawfull demands but to beware left by obeying man in a good intent they offend
that answer is to be made to false accusations when they bee proudly giuen out against vs and are to our reproch and hurt as these of the Ephramites were against Iphtah such I say are not to be suffered to passe lest the authors of them bee imboldned thereby to doe so still yea and goe further So Salomon teacheth saying Answere a foole according to his folly lest he be wise in his owne conceit and so he waxe bold to make a practise of it For though wee walking in our innocencie and vprightnes in all good conscience should not regard the taunts and vniust reproches of euill tongues which they commonly send after vs much lesse hearken what they say of vs for then wee should neuer be quiet yet in weightie matters that touch our profession and the credit thereof we ought if we can obtaine it to vse the helpe of the Magistrate both to restraine the slanderer in which respect Mephibosheth complained to Dauid of Ziba and to procure vnto him his due vnlesse he repent But especially take wee heed that we giue them no iust cause to speake euill of vs while wee suffer as euill doers for so wee bring a double punishment vpon our selues And because much seed of contention is sowne in the world by bad persons this I say further of it that it is our part and dutie to roote it vp as fast and as much as in vs lieth And if ye aske how that is done I answere besides that which before I said we should carefully looke that we take all in good part if it may be but if it cannot be yet in defending our innocencie let vs shew all meeknes and striue against all bitternesse if the offender see his fault we haue good blessing of our labour if not it is lawfull to goe further and according to the greatnes of the fault so let satisfaction be vrged at his hands but in any wise let vs see that wee keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace This I thought good to adde to that I haue said before in the eleuenth chapter in Iphtah his answere to the Elders of Gilead and in his replie to the King of Ammons lying answere To come more particularly to the matter we see that whereas they make this the chiefe cause of their quarrell against him that he called them not to helpe against the Ammonites hee telleth them hee did call them but they would not come So that he conuinceth them of a lye But who would thinke that so many should consent together so boldly to maintaine a false matter And men of the visible Church and of the tribe of Ephraim one of the famous tribes among the rest Therefore they who at this day doe carrie their heads aloft both for their profession and outward estate in the world haue great cause to suspect and feare themselues both in and about this sinne and the like But to terrifie and withhold men from standing stiffe in a lye let that fearefull example of Gehazi preuaile with them with such like in Scripture The heart of man is false and naught and will easily carrie men to that which is odious and vile especially if the matter sauour of profit or pleasure and selfeloue shall so blindfold them that they shall not see the euill they haue done till they smart for it vnlesse they be such as keepe a narrow watch ouer their hearts and a searching into them faithfully to finde out that which is amisse And this that it may be done God hath giuen vs two especiall good helpes the first is our comming to the light that our euill deedes may that way be made knowne to vs. The other our owne examinings priuatly of our waies and arraigning of our selues before God that so we may cast out such filthinesse of lying dissembling and the like sins See branch 3. of verse 1. These Ephramites dealt with Iphtah as the men of Succoth and Penuel dealt with Gedeon when hee followed the Princes of Midian to wit Zeba and Zalmunna for they dealt roughly and vnkindly with him So these when Iphtah their gouernour sent to them for helpe they most vndutifully denied it and yet which was much worse they came and quarrelled with him now when hee had got the victorie for that as they shamelesly affirmed he had not called them to the battell and so they would bee thought to haue deserued as much fame and commendation in that victorie as Iphtah seeing they boasted that they were as ready to haue gone against the Ammonites as he when indeed they meant it not Therein they bewrayed two foule faults very odious and to bee taken heed of the one hard-heartednes and barbarous vnkindnes not to helpe their brethren in their need the case being their owne as well as theirs and this was ioined with disobedience in that Iphtah was their gouernour The other fault was their subtiltie in that they did which way and on which side soeuer the victorie should goe prouide for themselues By the first we are taught to beware of this vnkindnes and incompassionate hard heartednes to bee senselesse of the miseries and necessities of our brethren but to be moued with pitie toward them in their distresses and this wee should doe as for the commandement of God and other causes so for this that we our selues are subiect to fall into the like troubles and doe also at one time or other In which case our consciences beare vs witnesse that we are iustly forsaken of other and left to sinke in our sorrowes and smart by our calamities and that none should offer themselues to pitie vs seeing wee shewed â—o little mercie and kindnes to other before in the like troubles but were rather hard hearted towards them And it is doubtlesse one cause as wee may see by the euill seruant who had no pitie on his fellow and therefore his master was wroth with him and deliuered him to the tormentors it is one cause I say why God afflicteth vs for as much as we should otherwise neuer pitie our brethren in their troubles but thereby we learne commiseration towards them Looke chap. 5. in Deboras complaint of the 〈◊〉 and chap. 8. vers 6. and 8. The other fault was their subtiltie and double dealing for they hauing an ill conscience propounded this to themselues that if the Ammonites had the victorie ouer Iphtah then they should be free from hurt and danger seeing they had not stirred against them to aide him and if Iphtah should preuaile against them as he did then they would come forth florishing boldly with a lye affirming that they had cause to take it hardly for that hee got the victorie proudly with a few and would not call them to bee partakers with him and so they did indeede And thus they had as men say two strings to their bow This falsehood is so common in the world
euery blast of winde the frowning of my betters the want of encouragement from men or because I see these things are not in price and account among such as cannot iudge If I onely serue God faithfully of many that liue in the same towne carelesse and prophane will God be ashamed of me before so many or rather will hee not acknowledge me and reiect them for all their multitude Oh then what a wretched part were it for me to be ashamed of him before men or to feare base and sinfull man whose breath is in his nostrils more then God who can cast body and soule into hell But of this point see chap. 8. verse 11. compared with former In saying God deliuered the Ammonites into his hands without their helpe as it is manifest he did wee see first how gratiously God prouided for this his seruant that whereas hee could by no meanes procure aide from these Ephramites the Lord dealt so for him that hee needed them not but went through as prosperously as if he had obtained their best assistance For why God will not forsake his that trust in him hee is their helpe and defence in time of neede in so much that if father and mother forsake them hee taketh them vp This is a thing which greatly flesheth the vngodlie who alas little know what refuge the righteous haue in time of neede to wit that if they haue friends might and wealth they thinke they can ouermatch their aduersarie and then they thinke hee hath no shift as for the Lord they exclude him but he must either fall into reproch or make shipwracke of his conicience although if God see it expedient hee disappointeth and frustrateth their hope Thus the enemies of Dauid Daniel and our Sauiour insulted when they had contriued their purposes so mischieuously to manward that they saw no way for them whom they pursued to escape Now say the Iewes let vs see if God will helpe him at this pinch But oh fooles if God were farre off also from his when you are hottest in your furie against them ye said somewhat indeed but loe he is then neerest them to carrie them through and laugh their enemies to sâ—orne Iphtah was desirous here of the Ephramites helpe but being denied the Lord so wrought that they were the first that complained and not hee There needed no Ephramites helpe the Lord of hoasts being on his side to make a supply And let this be added as an encouragement to them whom I spake of in the last doctrine that their hakednes and solitarines I meane want of mens countenance and furtherance ought rather to driue them to cling more closely vnder the Lords wing who is able to make the enemies of his people their friends if their waies doe please him if not hee can vse meanes to vphold them without their helpe For either he can so muzzle them that they shall not hurt them as they would or hee can enable them with such courage and boldnes that they shall contemne their contempt and little regard their opposition or if they be such as may doe them any hurt yet the Lord can so grace them that they shall goe vnder that crosse willingly and bee rather confirmed then vnsetled in their good course thereby And let all such as would willingly bee religious saue onely for the reproch with others yea euen their owne flesh would cast vpon them let such I say labour to beleeue this and that temptation shall little trouble them Againe obserue from hence what blessing God giueth by weake meanes when men goe to worke in their simplicitie and in a good conscience which in all good attempts ought to encourage them that offer themselues willingly to the worke as the tenne thousand of the men of Zebulon and Napthali did in the Lords battailes against some hundred thousands in Siserâ—s armie that came against them In such a case where God hath set vs on worke and heartned vs let vs not be discouraged by our meanenesse which in shew of reason is indeed able to doe little which hereby I may perswade that they haue not been the greatest men of account that haue brought greatest light in the Gospel vnto men but such as are very meane in the iudgemeÌ„t of the world euen so in many other of his dealings he effecteth great matters by weake meanes See that which is noted vpon Iphtah his victorie in the eleuenth chap. and 32. verse being the same words Vpon these promisses Iphtah concludeth with an interrogation asking them wherefore they were come to fight against him As if he should haue said I saued your liues you sitting at home with ease what reason haue yee therefore thus to come against me By this we may learne that when wee should do good to all by Gods commandement it proues vs to be of a most bad disposition when we shall be found iniurious and hurtfull to the innocent as these men of Ephraim were against Iphtah and so I may say of those that doe vs hurt and no good though we liue innocent by them whereas the Heathens doe good to such as doe good to them c. The vse of this doctrine is that we so liue among men that wee may not be charged iustly nor conuicted of wronging any and yet not to rest there but to be ready to doe them good as it may stand with our calling and as we shall be able so shall wee be sure neuer to feare accusations of vnkinde and vnbrotherly dealing but if any be brought we may answere them as Iob did If mine aduersarie write a booke against me I will take it on my shoulder reade it who listeth As touching their reiecting this Apologie of Iphtah the point hath been handled before in the eleuenth chapter although this wilfulnes farre worse became them then the Heathen king of Ammon yet somwhat I will adde by so fit occasion It is like their wilfulnes troubled Iphtah not a little especially being their gouernour who was loth to haue turned the edge of the sword vpon his owne people if it could haue been auoided and besides yet could not suffer it to haue his graue and iust defence so slightly reiected But what other fruite was to be expected at their hands who came ready armed to trie the matter by force Was it like they would stand debating and reasoning long with him who came with a preiudicate and resolute minde to the contrary It is not said indeed that they gaue not eare to him but their reall refusall to hearken appeares in their proceeding to warre But yee will say in the eighth of this booke their predecessors bewraied the contrary for their wrath was appeased by the answere of Gedeon I answere Indeed being vsed like froward children and condiscended vnto that is their proud and angrie humour being pleased they gaue ouer with much adoe they had bin beasts if they had not nay doubtlesse
Indeede i confesse life is sweete and if lying be lawfull in any case it is in the case of the perill of life But it is one thing for a man to omit some dutie of the law for mercies sake to our owne life another to commit an expresse sinne against the negatiue of the law Therefore although it bee lawfull for a man to preferre his life before the doing of some dutie commanded put case it be the Sabbath daies duties yet a man may not before a Magistrate answere falsely or equiuocating-lye vnder colour of mercy in sauing his life For it is not onely the omitting of some dutie but the doing of a grosse fault herein therefore the rule is true Euill must not be done that good may come thereof And the negatiue rules of the law admit no exception except God dispense as he did with the Israelites in robbing the Aegyptians who is aboue the law And hence it followeth if lying bee a sinne that it is as well a sinne to lye in the defence of a mans life as it is to lye needlesly or to please All three the officious the vaine and the shamelesse lye are of the same cloth though not the same colour nor equall and of so deepe a dye And to vs Christians it should seeme no hard condition neither to cast our selues vpon God rather then be beholding to a lye for our life if the case should so stand Better it is not to liue then to liue with that which is worse then any death an accusing conscience As the abiured Protestants in the time of persecution can witnesse It is not the fond and foolish pretence or colour warped by the subtile braine of man which can diminish one iot of the commandement of God much lesse disanull it He that will saue his life by euill and indirect meanes shall lose it when all is done as we see these Ephramites gained not by their lye but were conuicted of it by the same tongue that made it as it were with one breath The truth is as the case stood with them they fleeing before their enemies in so bad a quarrell as this was little better was to be looked for at their hands then to lye and shift for themselues hauing brought themselues into the briars by their contention rebellion and railing before But let vs beware we bring not our selues into such streights by our sinne for we shall finde it a matter hard enough to helpe our selues in extremitie of danger and trouble which God brings vpon vs if we be not the better fenced with faith and a good conscience But the danger of the former is desperate and remedilesse as elsewhere I haue more fully declared in the Shechemites and their Captaine Gaal chap. 9. Secondly whereas the text saith of these Ephramites that they failed of the full pronouncing of the word we see that although all the Tribes spake in one language yet euen therein such a difference was that one spake not as the other for we see that these Ephramites could not pronounce as the Reubinites and the Manassites did euen as also the Greekes haue great difference and we Englishmen namely southerne and northward differ much one from another in our dialect or manner of pronouncing though we all speake one language This should teach vs that as oft as wee heare or thinke of any hurt or detriment comming thereby we should call to mind and bee humbled in our selues for the sinne of them that caused the confounding of language first the fruite whereof remaineth among vs at this day and ought iustly to humble vs for that much toyle and time is now spent in learning to vnderstand languages which might else haue been otherwise bestowed And also by strange tongues wee see how the wicked keepe many from vnderstanding the pure word of God as the Romish Prelates long haue done which could not haue been if there had been but one language and speech ouer the earth as once it was Besides with what difficultie in respect of this which I speake of doe many trauell into forraine lands to exchange their wares and commodities or to other ends and purposes For except they haue learned their languages they cannot speake to each other but by an interpreter What labour is there bestowed in the translating of the Scriptures and other writings which else might haue bin spared which when all is done commeth short of the naturall tongue and language Not to insist in the inconueniences which arise by Translations euen controuersies in religion about faith which had been in some part cut off if one and the same language bee generally embraced and they which translate best attaine not vnto that significancie of words and proprietie of meaning which the naturall language would affoord them and that without difficultie These and other like discommodities arise from this diuision of tongues although they that liue at home in their owne countrey and conuerse with such as are of the same speech with themselues doe not so much obserue them let such consider that it is Gods mercie that this confusion reacheth no further then it doth but is confined though within so large bounds as it is And againe let vs know that mens dishonouring God by their tongues by periury yea or swearing by blasphemie or cursed speaking and specially by imprecations might bring a deeper iudgement vpon them in person though the generall little trouble them euen the taking away of their speech altogether which kinde of examples neither experience of former ages nor our owne haue been wanting in although if God should smite as oft as he is prouoked there should bee no end I conclude this therefore let it bee a watchword against abusing our language lest wee prouoke as many daily doe some curse and punishment from God and bee made examples to feare others seeing other mens would not admonish vs. Lastly from hence that they slew such as could not pronounce the word we learne that as these lost their liues in returning homeward though they escaped in the battaile so when wicked men passe by one danger yet they shall fall into another For the Lord being against them they are neuer safe nor free from feare or perill of some euill to light vpon them although not by and by For which cause the Prophet Amos saith If a man flie from a Lyon a Beare shall meete him And euen so we see it to be by experience if such escape by lying friendship money and such like by the hands of men God himselfe will certainely meete with them by the pestilence or arrest them by some strange disease debt imprisonment shame or some other visitation or els the worme of conscience as a serpent shall bite them and if they haue their conscience seared as it were with an hot yron yet this plague shal take hold of them euen an hardned heart which cannot repent and so they dying for few
with Dauid against Absolom when hee himselfe withheld his beast from him at such time as he would full gladly haue gone and whereon he should ride because he was lame Another is that of the Iewes slandering our Sauiour that he said Destroy the Temple and in three dayes I will reare it againe Whereas hee said destroy this Temple meaning his body so they that hearing Christ say of his beloued disciple Iohn If I will that hee abide till I come what is that to thee c gaue it forth erroniously that hee said I will that hee abide till I come and so gathered that Iohn should not dye Concerning this soundnesse and fidelitie in reports hearing bearing and telling this I say that he must bee a man well ballanced with grace and girded with veritie as a peece of his christian furniture who lesse or more lieth not open to the diuell in this kinde who will doe much to make them that goe for professors to lose the credite of their godlinesse Was it not a goodly ornament for the old Prophet whose honour is to be true of his word to be taken in a lye both warpe and woofe making and telling Was it not a sweete nosegay to the Church thinke wee that two great and forward professors should be drawne forth and censured for lyars I meane Ananias and his wife Euen christians rake vp the common scumme and scurfe of the age they liue in and hauing heard reports doe out of a corrupt vanitie or a leaud and sinister intent altogether corrupt the truth and text thereof with glosses and comments additions and detractions of their owne making Psalm 15. this is no good signe of a man that shall dwell with God if we may collect by contraries If the Lord require that wee bee wise and beware of beleeuing euery thing lest we become reporters of an vntruth vnwillingly how shall they escape that cast each tale in their owne mould and hammer it in their owne forge ere they giue it out and when it is broched it is no more like that which they heard from another then an apple is to an oyster as the speech is Whereas the breast of each honest man should be an harbour for truth to lodge in and should be as precisely carefull to see it safely deliuered and vttered forth as of a pledge or secret pawne left him by his friend And let this worke a detestation of this Popish practise of lying and giuing foorth reports yea and coyning them oft times which they thinke will make for their vantage not onely falsely but so incredibly and shamelessely that the very hearers blush for shame thereof It hath been is and euer will bee one of the rotten pillars wherewith they stay vp their kingdome and maintaine their diuelish doctrine But here I ende THE SEVENTIE TWO SERMON ON THE XIII CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES IT appeareth that Manoah beleeued his wife and therefore hee prayed to the Lord that the man might appeare againe to them who had brought the message to his wife that they might not be left in doubt what they should doe to the childe euen as they beleeued him that it should be borne And the Lord heard his prayer and sent him againe vnto them and hereby it was that the man of God appeared the second time as in this second part of the chapter may be seene In that Manoah gaue credite to his wife as appeareth by his prayer to send him to them againe we see that there was faithfulnesse and trustinesse betwixt them in that as shee reported the message by and by that was brought vnto her so hee beleeued it at her mouth accordingly A liuely glasse for couples to looke in to direct them in this poynt how they should be true and trustie one to the other according to that which Salomon speaks of a faithfull wife Prou. 31. That her husbands heart resteth in her and a man would thinke that there had need to bee no lesse betwixt them who must liue for their whole life time together And much wearinesse and discontentment must there of necessitie bee betwixt them otherwise as they finde who respect not grace chiefely in their matches but either to satisfie their eye saying with Samson giue me her for she pleaseth me or else make them vp for wealth or begin their marriage in a worse manner then by both the former Such finde litle trustinesse one at ahothers hand as appeareth within a small time after who yet haue that which they sought and reape the fruite of their owne labours when they meete with many curses in their matches euen as God hath foretold them But of this I will adde no more here hauing so oft spoken of it And it is well to be marked that in this doubtfull case of the childes bringing vp about which they were carefull but yet knowing not what to doe in this doubt I say he therefore prayeth to the Lord for direction by the appearing againe of the Angell for he knew that God would not leaue them in suspence about such a thing as he would haue them doe Which should teach vs that in all difficulties and doubts as well as in other troubles wee should seeke to God to guide and assist vs they being matters in doing whereof we must giue proofe of a good conscience both as Iehosophat did and as the Lord commandeth in the Psalme saying Call on mee in the time of trouble c. We can skill to complaine and make our moane to euery one that wee meete with what heauy affliction haue befalne vs who yet cannot helpe vs but rather increase our sorrowes but with God to whom they should chiefely complaine and make their moane men haue no acquaintance But as it is with them in this that they bee strangers to him euen so they haue helpe and thriue accordingly Let the reader see chap. 1. 2. and often in this booke touching this argument as also the next poynt which is answerable thereto As he sought to the Lord so hee obtained that which he asked to teach that it is not in vaine to pray and as he seeing that God hauing sent to them a strange and vnusuall message which Manoah did not well vnderstand knew hee would not leaue him in suspence and feare but would make his minde knowne to them more perfectly and therefore prayed in faith in like manner we are to doe to beleeue that we shall obtaine that which we pray for He must pray in faith and wauer not saith Saint Iames and in an other place It is the prayer of faith that must saue And Saint Paul saith that we cannot call vpon him in whom we beleeue not Which I say both because that is no prayer but babling that is voyde of faith and also for that such prayer of faith euen by one much more by many being seruent obtaineth most vnlikely things at
while they haue thought of the vttermost that might come to them by it or when in some sudden and deep passion they haue feared some grieuous calamitie to bee comming toward them In so much as they haue made this resolution with themselues that they were vndone And yet they haue seene that God hath giuen an issue out of them and that they haue passed ouer their heads as a clowd and they haue safely escaped and waded out of them So that they haue not risen from deliberate consideration and grounded knowledge of Gods will but from feare oppressing them and too vnaduised and rash iudging and vnbeliefe and oft times hasted on by melancholy vnto the which as the best are subiect so yet they must know that grace and goodnesse are smoothered and ouerwhelmed in them when they fall deeply into these disguising of themselues and therefore that they must bee carefull daily to watch and pray in faith that no such oppressing and turbulent thoughts and vexations take hold of them euen as our Sauiour hath giuen charge saying Let not your hearts be troubled And to conclude seeing it falleth out as in this storie is manifest that good people may oft times be at this point and are also as Manoah was here being plunged into feare to doubt so dreadfully of Gods fauour toward them all may learne by this how needfull it is for them to gather and get all arguments and testimonies thereof before trials come and in the daies of peace to giue all diligence to make their calling and election sure that in their greatest need they may be quiet and confident and not doubt in time of triall One way is to endeuour to haue a good conscience alwaies both toward God and men also to be the same in secret that wee would seeme when we walke most innocently before men openly to be with many other such fruites of faith wherein the folly and senselesse blockishnesse euen of many of the better sort may bee marueiled at that they can in this so weightie a matter and of so great vse vnto them be so carelesse Let the reader looke into the sixth chapter as I haue already referred him We heard in the last verse of the great feare that oppressed Manoah for that hee had seene the Lord. Now it followeth in this verse what his wife did when he vttered his feare to her and in the next and last verse is shewed that Samson was borne When the wife of Manoah saw her husband so troubled she was better staied and therefore counselled and by reasons did perswade him so to be also Thus the Lord oft times spareth one of his children and that also in the same house when hee afflicteth another and vpholdeth one when another is cast downe which is to bee marked of vs. And this he doth as we see here in spiritual trials as well as in bodily health and visitations to the end that one may bee an helper and comfort to another And if he visit all together which is rarely seene yet he supplieth their wants some other way in giuing that grace to the parties asunder that they were wont to enioy one by the other together And although this mercie be little obserued while it is enioyed men being readie to aggrauate their crosses and amplifie them to the highest degree but blinde in seeing Gods goodnesse in his afflicting them yet such it is as might full ill be spared and when it is it causeth men to accuse themselues of vnthankfulnes which hath procured the increase and multiplying of their crosses We know addition of miserie made him who thought it a small benefit to liue as a sonne vnder his fathers wing to wish he might be entertained but in the place of a hireling To returne to the point againe this mercifull forbearance of the Lord is euen seene oftentimes in one and the same persons visitation that although he lay his hand vpon the bodie yet oft times the minde is free and the spirit is able to sustaine the bodies infirmitie Yet I spake not this as if this were a token of Gods forsaking a man when he seemeth to afflict on euery side for then the Lord driues his people to cling to himselfe when all props and crutches are remoued lest they should sinke altogether Iobs wife and himselfe were downe together as we may say children slaine cattell and substance destroyed friends and kindred alienated And this wrought no doubt strongly vpon his weakest part but if the Lord had not been on his side yea instead of all comfort by wife or others he could neither haue resisted desperate impatience euen at the hearing of the first heauie message that was brought vnto him nor much lesse haue said afterward Although he kill me I will trust in him Therefore although the Lord doe ordinarily thus measure out to his children that all sorrow comes not at once yet let none indent with the Lord that thus hee shall deale alway with him The Lord is tied to no certaintie or necessitie in temporall crosses to his best seruants saue onely to be their God alsufficient and to minister vnto them the grace which shall be sufficient Many haue fallen into such streights through infectious diseases pouertie trauaile c. that they wanted succour and comfort from the neerest vnto them Onely the Lord forsake not his being neerer to them in miserie then nature can make the neerest friends to each other But seeing the woman here though in regard of her sexe the weaker vessell was yet the stronger in faith to incourage her husband when hee fainted let vs learne that the husband may not despise his wiues counsell when God shall grace her equally or aboue him It is many mens cases to be honoured with such wiues who by their faith experience knowledge humilitie innocencie and such other good gifts of God might hardly bee wanted and are much to bee regarded But they that haue these gifts let them be farre from thinking on the other side meanely and basely of their husbands remembring who commandeth them the carriage of reuerence towards them Husbands againe must reioyce for them and not scorne to take good by them vpon a vaine conceit that their wiues will deny them supremacie or as many will say crow ouer them And yet those that want grace and be otherwise ill qualitied let them not leane much to their counsell remembring Ahab and Salomon in this sinne little differing See vers 9. and 10. of this chapter Her first reason was this and it was sound and good If God said she would haue killed vs he would not haue receiued our sacrifice But he hath receiued it And how knew she that it was accepted of God I say seeing he it was that bad her offer it therefore it was acceptable to him And againe the manner was allowable for that God had consumed the sacrifice with the flame
them yea looke what affections he worketh in such as he will bring to the certaintie and assurance of saluation the like he preserueth and nourisheth in the beleeuer for the encreasing of grace and the inabling him to his seruice in better manner He suffereth them not to sit still or take their ease till these gifts drop into their mouthes nor to be indifferent whether they attaine and come by them or no but he causeth them to giue themselues no rest till they bee satisfied from time to time with the good things that they desire And in this sense and respect it is verified which is heere said All whom God will be serued by hee will furnish them with gifts for that purpose as he did here Samson The second part of the Chapter WE haue heard in the former verse how Samson was led and strengthned by the spirit of God now it followeth to see how that grace was set aworke in him and first in going about his mariage to the which he was led by God to make it with a Philistim woman for it had otherwise been vnlawfull which being spoken of throughout this whole Chapter following I will lay foorth in this manner referring all things about it to these foure points First how he sought his wife in these 4. next verses Secondly how he went to agree with her and receiue her and what fell out by the way to the tenth verse Thirdly what was done in their meeting at the mariage which is set down in the eleuenth verse and this to the twentieth And lastly what followed the mariage feast and namely that hee paied the Philistims the apparell and linnen and how hee tooke occasion by somewhat done there to begin to vexe the Philistims and this to the end of the Chapter Concerning the first his seeking of a wife was thus Hee going to Timnah a towne of the Philistims he saw a woman there whom he liked and he desired his father and mother that she might be giuen him but they as it is no marueile seeing they feared God disliked that he should deale with one that was an Idolater Neuerthelesse hee was earnest for her they not knowing then that God had moued him to take a wife there to the end that hee might seeke an occasion thereby against the Philistims who at that time were Lords ouer Israel Now in that Samson was growne vp to yeeres fit for mariage and yet the people of Israel were still in subiection to the Philistims and lay vnder oppression by them as they were before he was borne wee may see cleerely that they were long held vnder of that calamitie And so it commeth to passe oft times that as it is long before God punisheth so it is long before he cease punishing of his children And that we may not much marueile at it we may know that he doth so first that his correction may in some measure recompence the abuse of his patience And secondly that hee may frame vs aright to his minde and liking which is hard to doe at his first afflicting of vs and long ere it be wrought in vs because of our vntowardnes For a little affliction and short doth not commonly search vs deeply nor bring vs very readily vpon our knees and therefore such great sores must haue deepe tents by longer continuance of the paine and smart Some wee reade of to haue been afflicted twelue yeeres some eighteene in the Gospell as this peoples forefathers were long vnder the Moabites and the Canaanites and sore vexed by them so famines haue bin continued three seuen and more yeeres which how vncomfortable grieuous and stinging they haue been we may easily gather by that which we sustained some few yeeres since who saw the third yeere of famine to hold and continue much more pinching and oppressing then the former two neither was it seene of the wise how a fourth yeere could haue been borne if it should haue been cast vpon vs without staruing and famishing to death of a great number of the people so sore was the want of bread To speake of particular mens calamities in which also they haue lien long it were endlesse and infinite Let the vse of this doctrine to all of vs both persons and companies be not to make full account of present or speedie riddance from any crosse by the which we are held vnder and yet not to despaire though we haue suffered long not being relieued and eased but abide patiently and pray the more feruently for God before we shall fall into extremitie will certainly come with helpe though we know not how and not tarrie More of this the reader may finde in the former Chapters as 13. 1. and others Now to proceed It is said in this second verse that Samson going downe to Timnah saw there a woman of the daughters of the Philistims whom in the next verse it is said he desired might be his wife But before I proceede further a doubt ariseth about this attempt of his whether he did well or no for this action of his being in it self against the law of God on the one side namely to take a stranger and an Idolater to wife his parents also being godly and disliking it and on the other side he himselfe being led by the spirit of God and renowned in the Epistle to the Hebrewes among the faithfull of worthie memorie these I say thus considered breeds a question how he could not onely like such a thing but go forward with it and bring it to passe and in all the time not once calling himselfe backe For though it be not to be denied but a godly person may possibly slippe into a sinne wittingly yet either he shall see his fault by and by and dislike it before he proceed to other duties saying in repentance What haue I done as some did by the lamentable example of Ananias and his wife feare or at least repent when it shall be brought to his remembrance some good time after as Dauid did But neither of these we reade to haue been done of Samson as though he had been either void of conscience which hee was not or as if God had priuiledged him in that action yea and which maketh the question and doubt the greater his parents themselues who first withstood him and disliked his attempt therein did afterward consent and his father went with him to the woman and was at his mariage feast what shall we say then hereunto I answere This thing came of the Lord that Samson might thereby haue occasion to vexe the Philistims And though the marrying with an vncircumcised woman was generally forbidden yet the Lord giuing him a personal charge so to doe who is aboue his law and not tyed to it he offended not therein As both the whole story following doth proue where we may see that God not onely brought it not against him afterward as a sinne as he
pursuite of our desires and that either with outward resistance of vs as he did Ahab by Elias when he was going to take possession of Naboths vineyard or with inward wound of conscience as most commonly hee vseth to doe to such as haue knowledge or with hardnesse of heart which alwaies hindreth and keepeth away repentance And by occasion of Samsons iourneying out of Iuda to Timnah of the Philistims I say more particularly let such as trauaile whether within the land or beyond seas into forreine countries see that their errands are lawfull and warrantable not expresly crossing the Lords charge as that of Shemei did Salomons lest although they scape Shemei his punishment yet a worse befall them Remember Dina and Gehazi Nay see they not onely that their businesse be good but look they also that their affection be well and orderly carried thereto otherwise their seeking after noueltie curiositie vanitie I speake of them that doe so or their sinister intent any other way will marre their action of trauailing be it neuer so lawfull And as that is nourishment to one creature which is anothers bane euen so is trauaile to sundrie sorts of men though to some other it be good and profitable It is apparant that many trauellers who went out with no euill purpose yet being vnarmed against euill and not strongly resolued to depart from it haue rushed vpon the pikes tempted God cast themselues vpon streights and indangered their bodies liues consciences manifold waies I speake to such as professe to haue God the directer of their waies as for others let the dead bury the dead That is a iourney well vndertaken which a man can take in faith and sanctifie it by prayer and so commit himselfe therein to Gods protection and blessing And surely if we goe otherwise to worke wee are as able to beare meekely and patiently either disappointment ill successe or any hard accident that shall befall vs as wee are to encounter a Lion if he should meete vs. But beside these vntimely and vnseasonable trauailings abroad there are other no lesse dangerous at home or neere at hand and among the rest for example sake when the Sabbath is abused to wanton and waily gaddings to stage-playes gaming houses drinkings on which yet by Gods commandement the most lawfull common actions and ordinary businesse ought not to bee done which may bee done on other daies This is one instance of many other wicked iourneyings and trauailings on that day which are as vsuall with the ill disposed as it is ordinary among the better sort to heare the word preached or to vse any other religious exercises But although such persons haue no stoppe in their way to turne them backe neither doe meete with the opposition that Balaam did to hinder and crosse their desires yet they shall reape the wages of their iniquitie as hee did and wish they had kept at home and been free from such company with many stripes The meeting of a Lion by Samson which was as wee haue heard with the perill of his life yet was to him as God did vse it an occasion to trie declare and shew foorth Gods power and strength in him which should else haue been hidden For the spirit of the Lord stirred vp in him an extraordinary gift of might and manhood more then is to bee found in the strongest person whereby he hauing nothing in his hands did yet teare the Lion in peeces one part and member from another as if it had been a young kid or lambe By this example wee may learne that though the crosse be to vs as feareful when we see it comming toward vs as a Beare or a Lion is to meet with yet the Lord who loueth vs as hee did Samson doth vse by his quickning grace to hearten vs against it so that wee finde it to turne to our great good and benefit But let this be marked which I say that God doth by his speciall grace bring it thus to passe not that we should looke for it by extraordinary meanes though he dealt so with Samson but wee are to beleeue and waite certainly for it because he hath promised it and by the helpe thereof we shall not need to doubt but that such strength shall be granted vs as shal put away feare or at least abate and restraine it but without that help from God we shall feare and be troubled when wee doe but heare of the crosse or danger as at the sight of a lion yea and be disquieted and ouercome with the heauinesse that we haue for it as if we should meete a Beare We haue too many examples of this weaknesse and feare in Gods deare people as in the seruant of Elisha who when hee saw an armie of Aramites compassing the house cried out and said Alas master what shall wee doe So in the Disciples the like is to bee seene who through their vnbeliefe thought they had seene a spirit and were sore afraid when yet that which they feared was Iesus their Master comming toward them to comfort thē So that we of our selues indeed are most timerous euen when we haue little cause much more otherwise but yet when great afflictions oppresse vs God being with vs as I haue said we are able through his might to do great things as the Apostle saith I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ who strengtheneth me Yea so great oddes is there betweene one and the same man oppressed with feare though for a small trouble when he is taken on the sudden and with a great one when hee is prouided for it as betweene the heate of the least candle and a greatest fire He that fainted at the one when he was weake in faith escaped and ouercame the force of the other being assisted therewith as hath at large been shewed in Gedeon at one time afraid to goe and behold that campe which after hee blanckt not both to encounter and to conquer And this whole storie of the Lion all that consider may vnderstand that it tendeth directly to this end to prepare and make Samson able to beare the displeasure and enmitie of the Philistims which was afterward raised vp against him the Lord giuing him strength for that purpose and that it might minister matter for the riddle which he did after propound to them whereby they did sore prouoke him By the first learne that when God indueth men with excellent gifts betimes as he doth many he thereby declareth that hee will both double and multiply them in those persons and also vse them to serue him to singular purposes if their proceeding be not hindred by some sinister practises of theirs to stand in their way or by the diuell and his instruments subtilitie diuerting his good gifts to bad purposes This is apparent by that which God did worke in Samson in his first yeeres of discretion and when hee was yet
soules with grace here or their persons with glory hereafter except they repent which is not at commandement nor easily found of such We haue heard of Samsons wagering with the Philistims in the former verse and part of this now it followes in the latter end of it how they gaue allowance thereto and shewed their liking thereof saying vnto him Put forth thy riddle that we may heare it And this sheweth how readily wicked men turne to heare euen the godly whom otherwise they dislike and scorne when they speake pleasing things to them Euen as Ieroboam King of Israel did greatly like Elisha and spake kindlie to him when hee did that which pleased him wel in bringing the army of the king of Syria his enemie as prisoners into his chiefe Citie Samaria hoping that thereby hee might haue his will of them in putting them to the sword Oh when they fit their humour by words or deeds they will change themselues on sudden toward them and applaud them as if they were friends with them And euen so is it with them in the construing of those actions that please them such I meane as whereby they receiue benefit and fauour or aduantage for these they shall be aduanced aboue the skyes but let them therewith ioyne admonition and good counsell or so much as the mildest repoofe especially if they take themselues crossed by them in their purposes of profit pleasure or will although neuer so iustly then they are the worst that goe vpon the earth their goodnesse is remembred no more Yea and this which I say may be extended to the best Ministers who so long as the plausiblenes of their gift doth hold the bad in any admiration or affection will shew the greatest signes of taking pleasure and delight in their company But let the Minister leaue tickling of their corrupt flesh and begin to search them a little or bewray their corruptions which were hidden from them before oh then hee is bitter and irkesome to their taste and becomes their enemie for telling them the truth yea then all his former desert is vanished with commendation and all all which doe testifie too clearely that they allow not of those who are godlie either Ministers or other for their goodnesse which ought chiefely to be regarded but for other causes This must further teach the best sort to obserue themselues with the best circumspection how far they goe in humoring the wicked to wit so far only as they keepe bounds that is speake that which they may for the turning them from euill or drawing them to the liking of the best things by degrees alwaies preseruing entire their liberty in reprouing without any iust cause of blushing As for them that will not admit of such kind of dealing but like onely to be flattered let them know their stomacks are distempered and they in a dangerous case when they can take no liking of any thing but fleshly and sensuall euen as they are who will serue their turnes by flattering them Thus now of the first two things that were done at the feast we haue heard and of part of the third to wit that Samson told them he would put foorth a riddle to them and how they readily apprehended it and were willing to heare it Now therefore in the former part of this verse it is said he propounded it which was the third thing done at the marriage Out of the eater came meate and out of the strong came sweetnesse The meaning is that hony which is sweet and meate to eate came out of the body of the Lyon who is strong which I open and vtter seeing the ignorant not comparing this with the 19. verse would not else vnderstand it In this latter part of the verse it is shewed that when the Philistims had heard the riddle they toyled themselues and went about by their owne labour and wit to finde out the meaning of it but could not by their owne helpe And this is the fourth thing done at the Marriage namely how they sought to find it out how they preuailed But of this more in due place But I will first returne a little to Samson and shew how he made vse of the works of God which he considered and obserued For to his great benefit he gathereth a riddle and raised thereby a question out of the worke of God in the Lyon which was a meane to hold much euill from among them So it behoueth vs to marke things that come to passe daily which all fall out by Gods prouidence and his dealing in and by them that wee may learne wisedome thereby and take good by them For as Preachers gather similies by the things they see reade and heare to illustrate that which they vtter in their Sermons to the people so should we by Gods iudgements vpon the wicked and his blessings on them that feare him we I say should learne to profit by them and to shun the one and to get our part in the other so as all may say we haue made right vse of them in deed whereas the most part take no good by either of both nor by any other of his great works my meaning is not that the generall administration of God onely in the gouerning the creatures which he hath admirably made ought to be noted but specially the ends of the iust and vniust that to the one there is alwaies peace the other cannot no not at death giue testimonie of a good estate nor depart with hope nor encourage his companions to be like him but dieth either with a wounding yet desperate conscience or is stricken like Nabal with a dead Palsie of insensiblenesse But to proceede with this act of Samson in the latter part of this verse we see how by occasion of this riddle much euill was staied in that companie for the time which would haue been otherwise very lewdly and ill bestowed by the Philistims was now busilie taken vp about studying and searching out of the meaning of the riddle for so it is said in the text they could not in three dayes expound it And hereby we may learne that much sinne may be staied in meetings of friends neighbours at feasts and merrie makings if there bee any persons there to intend and endeuour to preuent and stop it And that is done by good and religious talke brought in if it will be admitted or of things indifferent yet tending to good ends as I haue sayd before the which once occupying and possessing them may put them out of their bad by as which I haue oft seene done in my time namely much euill to haue been hindred and put by while by some in the company better minded then the rest it hath thus been preuented carefully and wisely by christian sauoury communication and also kind vsage of them and such like good meanes And to inlarge and vrge this matter a little further of and about these
him againe in all reuerend submisse and yet cheerefull manner fitted and framed Yea so weightie a point is this of loue I speake not of frothie hot and foolish loue which is vanitie of vanities that except the heart of the man bee knit to the woman in the Lord as to one not onely religious and well qualified but also as the onely person whom he can delight in and liue within this speciall kinde of fellowship except this I say it is not the generall chusing of a good woman which will serue the turne neither shall the seuerall and mutuall offices which concerne each party be euer currantly or constantly performed much lesse the whole life and the estate of marriage blessed or comfortable Further by her weeping when she had no iust cause wee may note the subtiltie of a bad woman to complaine bitterly of that which her husband gaue her no occasion of For what though hee told her not that which hee ought not to doe must he therefore hate her and although the Philistims threatned her did that proue that he hated her I say therfore to leaue her to her selfe and such as she was let no iust cause of vnkindnesse be offered by a Christian husband and let it be well testified that he doth so and if she will then as many women doe dissemble and charge her husband vniustly and knowes that she doth so and that onely to bring him to the bent of her bow or to make her owne cause seeme tolerable and good and so seeke as she did here to draw him to inconuenience if I say she doe thus let it make all Christians wise and warie of such fetches and teach them that they in the meane while giuing them all due that belongs to them take heed that they be not ouercome of them that way or in any such case As for example if a spitefull woman will call her husbands loue into question because hee will not reuenge the falsely supposed wrongs which another hath offered her as she out of her impotent humour pretendeth Or if a proud woman will thus vpbraid her husband for not satisfying her demaunds touching costly attire or allowance of more money then his estate will admit So also if a iealous woman to iustifie her base and vncomely conceits and behauiours to her husband shall make her case good by alleaging that he is cheerefull in other womens companies though he do it with sobrietie and warinesse In all these cases let the husband see that he be innocent and then beware how he prostitute or imbondage himselfe to such of his wiues passions lest by yeelding a little he lose his libertie but yet let it be done kindly and peaceably anger and bitternes Now further in that she chargeth him that he loued her not because he tolde her not of that secret that in no equitie it concerned her to know what reason had shee so to doe But shee drew her reason from a wrong ground that is that women must know their husbands minde in al things or else they thinke they loue them not If this had been her error alone I would haue said no more of it But behold it is a fondnes and follie that possesseth many women I confesse that in things common to them and that concerne both either pertaining to soule or bodie or this present life there be a free and readie communicating of all such things betwixt them for the woman hath a right therein as well as the man but seeing there are many things of fecresie besides them which lie waightily vpon the husband but doe nothing concerne the wife yea and dangerous to bee tolde foorth and many women weake to conceale them the husband in no wisedome may impart them vnto her and yet for all that he shall not be iustly charged with want of loue But more of this in the next Chapter God willing saue one Samson withstood his wife at first by good reason namely this that he had not told it to his father nor mother whom yet he loued dearely and long she was but new marryed to him neither had he proofe of her faithfulnes wisedome and silence but otherwise his reason had not been good seeing a man may impart some things to his wife rather then to them and in denying her request he did well So we should with reasonable answers withstand vnreasonable sutes and then we shall shew ourselues well fortified by the word and sound resolution out of a good conscience when we can giue a sufficient reason of our refusall and otherwise we are as like to be drawne to sinne although we be not greatly sollicited by the importunitie of others our selues being vngrounded or vnarmed against the subtiltie and loose disposition of our owne hearts though we thinke neuer so well of our owne strength But it must be granted that the greatest danger is when beside our owne readinesse and pronesse to euill we haue prouocations also and those strong by inward temptations and outward occasions In auoyding and resisting both Ioseph hath giuen vs an example worthie our following who was neither snared nor inticed inwardly when he saw he might easily haue had such desire satisfied neither being allured with words and flattery did so much as hearken to his whorish mistresse Now as I haue spoken to men so a word I will adde to women and that is this that if they were wise they would learne to shake off the bold and shamelesse sutes of such as should dare demaund that of them which were their dishonestie reproch and vndoing namely to prostitute their chastity to any of them at their pleasures who hauing once spoyled them doe leaue them so But of the fruit of dalliance more afterward It is said here that she would not be answered so by him but was importunate with him all the rest of the seauen dayes of the feast after the first three in which they could not finde out the meaning of the riddle and so she woon and obtained at his hands at last that which she sought and so shee told it to her people and countrey men the Philistims These three things may be seene in this verse distinctly her importunate vrging of him his impotencie in being ouercome of her and her telling the exposition of the riddle to the Philistims her people And they minister seuerall instructions to vs. First by her importunate vrging of him when no reason would answer her wee may see how vnreasonable shamelesse and bold and yea vnwearyed wicked persons are in the following of their bad suites so that they will neuer giue ouer but thinke they shall preuaile by one meanes or other at the least by their importunity wee cannot doe the like nor come neere them either in seeking to further goodnes by men or in suing to God for it but a small denyall and a weake withstanding of vs by men makes vs soone weary of our honest attempts and so we
For no man can shew to how many vnlikely dangers mens goods lie open beside those which are common and ordinary We haue heard of late that many mens commodities being brought in and so in likelihood past danger haue been in great part destroyed by vermine as mice and rats Therefore they are called vncertaine riches seeing no man hath any hold of them but one mans they are to day and another mans to morrow Besides we ought not to set our hearts on them which we cannot keepe neither thereby giue occasion to our selues to be disquieted when God by any meanes shall depriue vs of them But minde we better things and those not seene with mortall eye which shall also be witnesses that wee haue treasure laid vp for vs in heauen And when wee walke in the discharge of our callings whereby through Gods blessing we encrease our substance yet euen then regard we more the commandement enioyning vs labour then the profit and comfort we our selues in our good conscience in comming by and vsing them with Gods promise of good successe rather then by reckoning our commodities before we enioy them But of this point I haue said more elsewhere The next thing in these two verses is this which we are to make our profit by that when the Lord giueth vs opportunity and offereth vs occasion to do him seruice we should be wise to see it ready to vse it that we may so testifie our obedience both to God and men For so did Samson here The Lord would haue him set vpon the Philistims but so that he should first be prouoked by them lest if he had done it without iust occasion offered him they might not haue pursued him alone but all the land as they made much adoe for the hurt he heere did them till they knew that some of their brethren the Philistims had prouoked him and that thereupon hee sought to be reuenged on them as in vers 6. Looke more in Gedeons story Before Samson proceed any further against the Philistims to pursue them in their liues it is shewed in this verse that there was hot enquirie among them who it was that had so spoiled their commodities And they learned that it was Samson that had done it and further the reason was rendred why he did so and that was because the Timnite had taken his wife from him and giuen her to another Which when they vnderstood they went by and by and burnt her and her father with fire for they considered that they had done him great wrong and thought that he auenged himselfe on other of them for that which they had done to him In this verse by the earnest inquirie after him that had done them so great displeasure we may see that by the light of nature they did this euen as it is lawfull for vs to doe in our owne cases by the help of the Magistrate to seeke to finde out such as haue done much euill in the Common-wealth and that were troublesome But yet herein we must differ from them that as these heere did eagerly pursue the doer of wrong to themselues more then the disorder so much more wee that are further inlightened by the word of God ought to hearken after such offenders and to procure their iust punishment as we may rather for their sinne then to auenge our selues thereby As Salomon dealt with Ioab who had ioyned himselfe with Adonijah against the Lords annointed for hee commanded him to bee slaine that the blood which he had shed causelesse might be vpon his owne head And great is the sin of them that rather then they would incurre the least danger and displeasure at the hands of bad persons worthie to be cut off or sore punished doe suffer them to goe on in their wickednesse rather then to withstand and bring them foorth before authoritie to receiue their due yea rather if they can they will bee readie to excuse their fault and defend them but if a trespasse be committed against themselues there is no measure in pursuing their enemies But a fitter occasion to handle this will be offered in the 21. Chapter When the Philistims vnderstood that Samson had thus spoyled them because the Timnite had giuen his wife to his companion they went it is said here and burnt both him and his daughter and the house ouer their heads But why did they so For the Timnite was not he that hurt them No but seeing they could not come by Samson to take reuenge on him therefore they punished them who were the occasions of Samsons spoyling them though they were in no wise consenting to it nor knowing what hee did A most vnreasonable act to fall vpon them who were no way guiltie of the hurt done to them The Lord indeed did most iustly hereby reuenge that villany which they had all of them offered to Samson but this they looked not at God onely ouer-ruled their appetites that in one and the same act most iniurious in it selfe yet the Lord executed his most righteous iustice against these malefactors arming one wicked person against another and preparing a way thereby to reuenge these Philistims themselues as shal appeare afterward But here we may see the madnes and outrage that is in men For though these were Heathens and therefore might bee thought to haue none to match them in grosse wickednes among such as are baptized yet behold they who are destitute of grace among vs further then the feare of man restraineth some are let loose to as great sinnes For proofe whereof behold the dealing of those furious Iewes Acts 18. who when they could not come by Paul fell vpon Sosthenes his companion and beate him and at this day the Papists when they cannot come by the heretike himselfe as they terme him vse to draw his picture as exactly as they can and with great despite burne it in the fire shewing what they would doe to the person Not vnlike to the practise of seditious souldiers in chopping them as small as herbs to pot who oppose them in their mutinie And we see it commeth to passe sometimes that when vile men are giuen ouer to furie passion and moode he shall beare the blowes that commeth next in their way though hee was in no fault and whatsoeuer is next them be it knife dagger cudgel or whatsoeuer else whether it beate out the eye or tooth or breake arme or legge all is one with them when they be moodie euen as she-Beares that are robbed of their whelpes Nay so little are they led by sound reason that when through their owne rashnes they haue hurt themselues at a doore or fall by stumbling at a stone they curse the one and beate the other But if they sustaine damage or losse by any neighbour they are not satisfied till with the Philistims they haue their blood at least till they seeke it though the hurt done to them was against
opposition which were a double victory both ouer him and our selues See that example 2. King 6. 22. compared with the end of the 23. verse Now by this their seeking of Samson and requiring of the men of Iudah with threats and in armour to bring him bound to them as in this verse it appeared they did we see a new trouble arose against him for the faithfull and diligent performance of his dutie euen as Dauid receiued many discouragements for his well doing and namely by Saul and those many and great and before that of Eliab his brother in offering himselfe to fight against Goliah But so God hath prouided in his wise disposing of things that wee cannot bee forward in any good cause but commonly for the humbling of vs it shal cost vs trouble as either by our owne corrupt nature crossing and hindering vs seeing we are renued but in part the flesh resisteth against the spirit when we striue to doe well and to renounce euill or else by outward affliction befalling vs for the same As oftentimes ill will of men is ready to meet vs for labouring to keepe a good conscience and that many waies shewed and testified as by railing vpon vs and speaking euill of vs persecuting and other vnreasonable measure offering vnto vs because wee cannot brooke and digest the sinnes of the times that wee liue in nor walke after the bad examples of other as Saint Peter speaketh But oh little know wee or consider that by such opposition the Lord trieth what courage is in vs and whether wee were like to honour him by suffering greater things for him when we can so easily beare smaller reproches for his names sake and make them our crowne counting our selues happie that wee may suffer for well doing Moreouer this manner of our liuing and such carriage of our selues bringeth another way great reioycing For what ioy or comfort is like to that which ariseth from a good conscience which Salomon therefore compareth to the continuall feasting of the vngodly But this hath been often vrged This bee said of the first of these three things in this second part of the Chapter to wit of the Philistims comming armed against the men of Iudah to require Samson of them Now the next point followeth thereof that is to say how the men of Iudah being sore afraid of them went and bound Samson to deliuer him vnto them And this they did after they had asked of them why they came against them and they had answered to haue Samson brought bound vnto them The which they went about immediately as shall further be laid out in the 11. 12. and 13. verses But the men of Iudah demaund of them in this 10. verse why they took vp armour against them seeing they according to agreement with them submitted themselues to them and paid their tribute and had not prouoked them by rising against them vpon which condition they had promise of the Philistims that they should enioy peace and liue without feare But they answered for themselues by pleading how Samson had spoiled them who was one of them and if they would they said defend his doing then they would fight and make warre with them but if they would deliuer him bound vnto them they would depart for they would they said do vnto him as he had done vnto them They of Iudah thought they had great wrong offered them by the Philistims whiles they themselues did none to them for they did not defend Samsons fact And the Philistims thought much that they should be opposed by any of Iudah they hauing made peace with them vpon conditions and would hurt none but him they said that had hurt them By both wee learne that it is more then heathenish and a thing that reasonable men doe marueile at that peaceable and innocent people who giue themselues to leade an harmelesse life should be hurt by any and that they should not bee quiet and in safety by them with whom they liue and to whom they do no harme So saith Salomon Intend no euill against thy neighbour seeing hee doth dwell without feare by thee And they who enioy such peaceby them haue that earthly benefit that God alloweth them which how great it is who doth not know But on the contrary the vnpeaceable for the most part doe reape the fruit of their vnquiet liuing answerably For it must be granted that vnrighteous people and such as shiftingly hurt wrong others procure to themselues much hatred trouble and sorrow and the breaking out of men that way doth cause the exclamations disquiets and complaints that are in all places But God doth pay such home and requite the leaud and bad dealings of vnconscionable men oft times in this life causing them to find such measure as they offer to other From which dealing yet how farre they should be euen this teacheth that both the Philistims and they againe the men of Iudah do claime couenant keeping of the heathen Philistims and challenge them for the breach of it as being against the light of nature And how much more should Christians keepe couenants which they haue made for peace one with another howsoeuer things fall out and not breake and goe from them dishonestly when by Gods prouidence they sustaine some hurt thereby Euen as wee reade in the Psalme If thou hast sworne to thy neighbour disappoint him not though thou shouldest lose thereby Sundry are the bands which tye men otherwise lawlesse to dutie and peace The generallest is the common band of humanity Then our Baptisme profession the Communion for so we call that Sacrament and among some Matrimony consanguinity affinity friendship partnership neighbourhood yea the law or comprimize hath bound some from offering violence Here are lincks enough a man would thinke to make a cord not easie to be broken but where a boysterous and vnreasonable spirit nay brutish beareth sway what is there either holy thing or ciuill sufficient to containe men Euen as Samson did with those new ropes so doe these with such bands of loue and amitie shamelesly and at once breake all in two like flax But here an end of this Now to goe forward wee haue heard that the men of Iudah answered the Philistims that they had not risen vp against them and therefore marueiled why they came to make warre with them Whereupon ariseth a question whether they did well in yeelding so to the Philistims and in answering them so to wit that they had been subiect to them according to agreement Also whether they did well herein in offering to yeeld Samson to them And now as is said in this verse in forsaking him their countrey man and auenger nay in apprehending and binding him and so to deliuer him into their hands For God had raised him vp an helper vnto them his people against their enemies and should they be so vnthankfull as to offer him their
Gedeons demaund of the men of Succoth and Penuel and in this Chapter verse 6. To the question of the men of Iudah demaunding of Samson what hee meant so to prouoke the Philistims against theÌ„ by hurting them he knowing that they euen all their land were vnder them and subiect to them he answereth them As they haue done to me so haue I done to them meaning according to my charge Samson might haue been like if hee had followed carnall reason to haue fallen vpon them for that they knowing him to haue so greatly hurt their enemies and he knowing himselfe to be their Iudge and helper saw yet that he was so roughly dealt with by them for they might seeme to deale with him as the Hebrewes dealt with Moses who being oppressed by Pharao told Moses that he made them stinke in the sight of Pharao Samson I say knowing that which he did might haue bin like to haue slaine these men of Iudah for their slauish fearing of the Philistims and for their slâ—rh and dasterdlines in yeelding to them and setting themselues against him But he kindly answered them and told them gently what he had done to them and why And when they shewed him that they must binde him and carrie him to the Philistims hee rageth not against them neither hurteth them he only requires an oath of them and vpon that condition he would yeeld himselfe to them to wit that they would not kill him themselues the which he did because hee loued his countrey and would in no wise shed the blood of any of his citizens which yet hee saw hee must doe if hee should fight with them by hand-blowes Such was his loue to them that he would rather be deliuered to his enemies then that his countrey for his cause should come into danger and his faith in God was as firme and constant In whose mercie he trusting doubted not to commit himselfe to his enemies and to defend his nation from them with the perill of his life And this teacheth that we should haue regard of other as well as of our selues in so much that though we haue power in our hands to hurt them yea and though some cause be offered vs to deale hardly with them yet wee should forbeare and rather in godly wisedome passe by an offence except greater euill and inconuenience doe come thereby For alas what pleasure should we take in seeing euill fall vpon our brethren when we might haue held it from them which Iob in no wise would be brought to doe And as we should euery way haue regard of this toward our neighbour so in our families we should shew this wisedome care and loue toward them that are vnder our gouernment For the Lord sparing vs where we haue deserued hard measure at his hands nay we receiuing many and continuall blessings from God why should wee not also deale well with other So Iob gaue his seruants leaue to plead their cause and hearkened to them if they were wronged And of his neighbours hee said I was not moued with ioy when euill came vpon them that hate me neither suffered I my mouth to sinne by wishing a curse to their soule All these commendable graces in Iob are condemnations of the spitefull and malicious who glory in cruelty against other and seck to hurt and wrong them whom they should kindly regard Nature hath engrauen a loue in vs to our countrey but grace must season ripen and direct it And a shame it were for Christians to come short of Heathens in this point And yet there are memorable examples among them of such as for the procurement of their countreys good doubted not to deuote themselues to execrable deaths and offer themselues of their own accord to assured slaughter But what shall I say of this nation of ours Those Decij and Marcus Regulus shall rise vp in iudgement against many cursed vipers degenerate miscreants of this our nation who hauing some of them more bonds to obliege them to loue and loyaltie then this alone I meane fauours from Prince dignities and rewards more then for their desert yet haue attempted and taken vp armes against their owne parent and sought to shed her bowels vpon the ground some out of pretensed conscience but most out of hellish rancour discontent pride and vnthankfulnes haue raced out the image of all loue dutie or allegiance to God King Religion and Nation sorting themselues into two treacherous rankes of runnagates the one shrouding themselues as souldiers vnder forreine Popish Princes and waiting their opportunitie to doe mischiefe the other creeping into Cloysters and there taking vpon them the mark of Antichrist the Pope the deadly enemie of our Religion and State and renouncing their owne countrey and seruice thereto to the end that they may returne againe and worke the ruine thereof by their cursed policie But to leaue thâ—se and shut vp the poynt let Samson teach vs both Gouernours Ministers and people to vnite our loue to our nation and the Church of God therein by almeanes wishing her peace and procuring her welfare and pray God that they may more and more doe it whom it concerneth to roote out all aduersarie power which might threaten it As wee see Paul cannot thinke of his nation but he bursteth foorth into prayers for the saluation of it not doubting as a loyall souldier to pledge not his life onely but his soule for it And Dauid when hee beheld his people standing amazed at Goliah breaketh out thus What is this vncircumcised Philistim that he thus brayeth against God and the hoste of Israel Thus let it be with vs and not onely content our selues with that common loue that standeth in the communion of peace wealth ease pleasure and liberties for then the least discontent for the want thereof may preuaile so farre as to cause vs to forsweare all religious or ciuil interest in her that begat and nourished vs. The oath that he required of them was for the securing of him for hee thought himselfe safe if he had an oath from them that they would not kill him because then hee doubted not but that hee should breake his bands and escape the hands of the Philistims and vex them againe This his example teacheth vs to take heed how wee commit our selues into the hands of men and whom we cannot safely trust and such as are not faithfull to God except wee haue good securitie for our so doing yea though they make shewes of friendship and loue but much more when they bewray themselues to be such Neither hang we the peace of our conscience vpon men for they that haue none themselues will not tender and regard vs but put vs to our shirts Looke in the former chapter more at large hereof And here wee see that men venture their liues vpon the securitie of an oath He putteth his life into their hands when they had sworne they would not
kill him So the Gibeonites thought themselues safe when the Princes of Israel had sworne to grant them their liues and Rahab was satisfied when the Spies had promised her by an oath that they would saue her and her fathers house when they came to take Iericho the citie wherein she dwelt Such an account hath been made of an oath euen among the Heathens as hath been noted in the storie of Iphtah and the men of Gilead chapter 11 verse 11. by the like occasion Therfore most fearefull it is that such as goe for Christians breake and goe from their oath which they haue made to witnes their faithfulnes to their brethren putting their trust in them wheras their bare word ought to haue tyed them much more this condemnes such as lay vnconscionable oathes on people and vrge them to sweare to that which is in no wise to be vrged vpon them Now they did as they had said to him I meane they bound him with two new cords and brought him downe from the rock loe thus they dealt with him and deliuered him into their enemies hands Now in that they were constrained thus to bring him bound to them euen as a sheepe to the shambles and as if men should deliuer their dogges to the wolues and so must bee depriued of such a great benefit as hee had been to them almost twentie yeeres in deliuering them from the oppression of the Philistims God giuing them no commandement to assist him note wee that it falleth out many times that wee must and cannot auoide it be depriued the case so requiring of our best helpes and meanes of our health peace libertie and other commodities And God will haue vs feele the smart thereof to make vs know our selues the better And how ought this to bring vs out of loue with our speciall sinnes which are the causes hereof or of like vnquietnes and distraction in our liues And if we desire to keepe the best things wee haue to our comfort then let vs offer violence to such our sins as loosnes inconstancie hollow-heartednes wilfulnes stoutnes worldlines or to any other as they shall sit more neere vs. Touching this fruite of sinne wee haue had occasion to speake often and through this booke The men of Iudah to shew their diligence and to purge themselues from blame with the Philistims brought Samson from the rock bound vnto them in that place Lehi before mentioned nigh the borders of the Philistims and yeelding him vp so into their hands at least going about so to do for else if he had escaped before they saw him bound and before they had receiued him into their custody they might haue been thought to deale fraudulently with the Philistims and not to haue bound him I say when they brought him to them in that manner I meane fast bound they shouted with a great noise for ioy so glad they were when they had him their enemie so neere them euen in their hands and as they thought past escaping Behold heere the ioy of the wicked wherein it consisteth and how it is caused In a word when their desire is accomplished howsoeuer it bee as in the apprehending of a great enemy of theirs as heere it was with the Philistims when they had got Samson bound so in their aduancement in feasting in play vaine pleasure and such like But as for good things as the certainty of the fauour of God the assurance of eternall life other heauenly tidings of the Gospell the setting vp of the kingdome of Christ or the ouerthrow of idolatry or some great sinne finally in holding and keeping a good conscience which yet is continuall feasting they know they cannot reioyce in these Whereby a man may iudge more certainely of their estate to Godward then the Physitian may of the state of his patients disease by feeling his pulse And to speake as the truth is what resting is in such ioy how lawfull soeuer the things are in which they reioyce but a sudden sorrow may follow as greatly stinging and tormenting them or such as will at least a while after vndoubtedly take hold of them in this changeable world if no other way by losing and forgetting that which caused such reioycing And these moods and passions which are as meere extremities as the noonetide is to midnight are nothing beseeming the faithfull seruants of God but doe vtterly disguise them who haue learned to take vp their delight in the other things holy and heauenly which I haue last mentioned and such like and in their reioycings in and about these outward to bee carried alwaies in a meane and with measure And because I know that vpon that which I haue now saide it will answere these demands and questions whether it be vnlawfull to reioyce in such lawfull things as God giueth men to enioy in this life as victory ouer enemies promotion wealth and such like I answere no as I said before so as withall we desire and resolue to make right vse of them so farre as wee know how or may learne but to rest in them is vnlawfull for that were to trust in them which is idolatry Also to exceed in reioycing for hauing them is to take away our ioy from better things if we haue any or to hinder it that there may be none of which fault to be conuinced Iob in no wise could abide it I thinke it not vnfit heere though I might bring hither his owne words which doe cleerely shew that hee was a paterne of rightly enioying riches to set downe the obseruation of the right learned Father Master Beza concerning this point Hee well weighing the story of Iob and his practise this way speaketh thus of him about this thing Iob saith he lost his goods without any great griefe therfore he enioyed them when he had them without any great loue Thus wee haue heard in this second part how the Philistims preuailed thus far to the satisfying of themselues in seeking reuenge vpō Samson that they caused the mē of Iudah to bring him bound vnto them to their great reioycing Now followeth the third part of this Chapter wherein we shall see how flitting and short this their ioy was THE EIGHTIE ONE SERMON ON THE XV. CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES The third part of the Chapter Vers 14. And the spirit of the Lord came mightily vpon him and the cords that were vpon his armes became as flax that was burnt with fire and his bands loosed from off his hands 15. And hee found a new iaw bone of an Asse and put forth his hand and tooke it and slew a thousand men therewith 16. And Samson said With the iaw bone of an Asse heapes vpon heapes with the iaw bone of an Asse haue I slaine a thousand men 17. And it came to passe when he had made an end of speaking that he cast away the iaw bone out of his hand and called that place
a Musitian to heale him of a troubled conscience then to meditate of God his former mercies doth make euery new crosse more heauie to himselfe then other I confesse such haue an expetience but it is like their hope neither shall helpe them For thus they argue Such a sicknesse I recouered of therefore I looke to breake this too Loe their experience breedeth a rotten confidence in them and makes them presume of that which often they faile of and when they faile they are either like Iehoram very lions or as Nabal meere blockes The case is plaine They digge to themselues pits which will hold no water but forsake the Lord and their owne peace for a vaine conceit and as Ionah saith While they embrace lying vanities they forsake their owne mercie whereof they haue no promise And so at length that is verified of them which is written by the Prophet Though they escape a Beare yet a Lion shall deuoure them yea and often that which they least feare shall be their vndoing Now this caueat let me adde to the doctrine lest I be mistaken I say not that a Christians experience breedes hope of the selfesame outward issue and manner of deliuerance out of his trouble which hee hath before time found Neither durst the three children in the third of Daniel expresly auouch that God would worke a miracle for their deliuerie and yet they had faith neuerthelesse to beleeue that he would bring them well thorow which I speake to controle the phantastical spirits of some who affirme that the not recouerie of a disease as it might be the plague is the fruit alway of vnbelief If we could beleeue the promise say they in Psalme we should not feare that sicknesse nor dye thereof Contrariwise let vs know that the act of faith is euer carried according to the qualitie of the promise Pauls faith was not expresly carried to beleeue That the pricke in his flesh should be remoued and yet he had experience of many deliuerances but that Gods grace should bee sufficient And he beleeuing this had the fruite of his former experience because hee obtained an equiualent supplie This be said by occasion of the first prop of Samsons prayer to wit the rehearsing of Gods former goodnesse the second followeth that he was his seruant and had done his worke in that his great labour against the Philistims And by this we must know that it is a thing very materiall to be able to proue our selues Gods seruants For by what right can we else claime any place in his house otherwise then as strangers But if we be so then we doe him faithfull seruice as the Apostle saith his seruants yee are to whom ye obey yea and that wee performe ioyfully and without feare all our daies for it is not a seruice in name but perfect freedome indeed and so doing wee may claime the benefit of seruants that is protection The Angels had this title to be called the seruants of God And as he said he was his seruant so particularly he shewed that he was so in this for he said I haue not pleased my selfe nor serued mine owne humour in killing these Philistims but I did thy worke and fought thy battailes Euen so in our particular actions wee are to looke to be guided by God to proue that we are in the state of seruants and not hangbyes and then we may be able with boldnes to say we haue a good conscience in all things and where we are accused yet to be at peace else God might also discharge himselfe of his promise vnto vs. It is no small priuiledge as I haue noted elsewhere that whiles we are well occupied wee may boldly sue to God for blessing And so did Samson here For if earthly masters tye themselues to prouide sustenance for their seruants not looking that they should be troubled with the care of any thing saue their labour then with what boldnes might Samson here call vpon the Lord that he might not perish for thirst being in the heat of his worke For it might else haue turned to the dishonour of the Lord to suffer him to miscarrie for want Oh that men would trie the Lord in this and commit their waies to him in well-doing to see if he would not effect their good desires and else let them not wonder that he seeme an hard master to them Now followeth the substance of his prayer and that was that he hauing imployed himselfe to glorifie Gods name might not be deliuered into the hands of the vncircumcised and hee saith further I being set by thee O Lord to iudge ouer thy people suffer me not to come into their hands and power contrary to that which thou promisedst to me till I had fulfilled thy worke So wee should be earnest with the Lord that wee may not liue nor dye to the dishonour of his name but to bee kept if it may bee from iust reproch Such requests can none make that set themselues on worke without God though they counterfeit or make great florishes as Ioab did See 2. Sam. 10. And whereas ye will obiect that he did yet fall into reprochfull euils afterward for all this his prayer the answere thereto is that he neglected the nourishing of the grace that hee did now pray in and further answere will by more fit occasion be made hereto in the next chapter therefore I will deferre it to that place When Samson had made his prayer thus in his extreame thirst the Lord as it is manifest in this verse caused water to come foorth of the hollow place of the iaw breaking out of the tooth which stood therein and so hee drunke and was reuiued And therefore he gaue a name to the thing done accordingly calling it the Fountaine of him that prayed By this that the Lord heard Samsons prayer and rather gaue him water extraordinarily then he should perish it teacheth the same to vs that rather then we shall miscarrie he will prouide for vs though we know not neither see how As he sed Eliah by the rauens and the good widow with the increase of her little oyle till it paid her debt and maintained her and hers and preserued Ionah in the fishes belly and against all likelihood brought him safe to land So God hath many waies to comfort his and vphold their estate and he is as willing as he is able to doe it and that by his extraordinarie prouidence rather then they should faile And if he see it not expedient alwaies to doe so yet he doth more for them a great deale then if he gaue them their desire for hee worketh in them contentation and other grace and sooner shall the stones of the streete bee turned into loaues of bread and the water of their wels into drinke before they shall perish euen here vnlesse he doe better things for them Cleaue wee therefore to him inseparably and
to resist when his mistrisse or rather his lust had him bound in chaines and laid vnder feet as foiled and vanquished Ah poore Samson it may be said thou wert strong enough to match Lions and thousands of men but grace stands not in the bignesse of bone and strength of armes or greatnes of stomacke thy lust and thy harlot are stronger then the Lion or mightie men Therefore let this be enough to conuict all such of folly as are of Samsons humour Tush ye must not tell them of bad company nor stealing of liberty which God denieth them they would not haue you think they haue shaken hands with the feare of God they would bee as loth to part with a good conscience as others yea it may bee answered so thought Samson he would haunt the harlots house and yet secretly keepe his goodnesse too for all that But how and where lay the strength to effect this Poore soule onely in his foolish conceit and boldnesse and indeed onely there lay the foundation of his woe For if he had felt his declining and weakenesse then had he with astonishment shaken off his louer and departed But now hee feareth nothing till all be too late and this makes him to sport and play in a matter of the greatest importance and danger Therfore to all such bold persons as say Turne me loose to any company and the strongest enemie If I be foiled laugh at me To such I say yea we shal be sure you shal be laughed at though the wise will pitie you rather but who shall giue you counsell to escape it before truly he that can perswade you to walke humbly and with feare of your owne frailty and to watch against and suspect your owne frailty and falshood of heart hee I say may keepe a mischiefe from you and hold you from venturing and dealing with such an aduersary as you know will master you But if you looke to escape danger and yet reiect this grace then know for certainty that these kinds of Merchant-venturers alwaies make shipwracke and bring in no better gaine All the grace that a man hath is little enough to quench the dart of tentation suggested which yet is but the beginning of the sinne and shalt thou adding fewell to the fire and helping the diuell forward by inward prouoking thy selfe to sinne thinke to quit thy selfe well of it in the hottest assault If God try thee his grace shall bee sufficient for thee if thou wilt tempt him and trouble thy selfe know thou hast no promise of safety or to be kept harmeles but maiest looke certainely for thy downefall as for thy owne wisedome grace is not propped vp by such pillers but shall totter and reele as an house which hath lost her foundation yea they that goe to worke thus on their owne head most assuredly with Samson shall fall and bewray their folly at last to teach them by the experience of fooles that wisdome which the word and other vnhappy men could not doe Then shall they see there was oddes betwixt keeping innocent and wilfull offending they shall finde that the strength of the one is not like the other though they were little aware of any such matter The issue of this second attempt was altogether as it was in the former for she bound him with ropes againe and had company lying ready for the purpose at hand if there had bin any worke for them to do though as yet he fell not into their hands And let this teach vs not onely to feare and suspect trechery and vnfaithfulnesse in leaud women which we know as this was such an one but generally also wherein soeuer wee haue to doe beware we that we defile not our hearts and hands in any wicked actions and practises whatsoeuer shewes and promises are giuen and offered vs. Remembring the words of our Sauiour Bee wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues and beware of men Which I doe not say as though I would teach men vncharitablenesse charity being not suspitious but to giue warning to Gods seruants to beware how wee put our selues into mens hands and trust their faithfulnesse vpon a faire word or countenance which our Sauiour willeth vs to take heed of and giues vs example also in that he would not commit himselfe to men though they speake him faire and giueth his reason thereof For he knew what was in man But while we doe thus we do not iudge of men what they are but are warie as we be counselled or what religion is in them further then we haue proofe thereof by their words and deeds and yet that we do not so finally neither but for the time onely while they lie in knowne euill or not knowne to be reformed So that neither are wee on the one side to iudge men without ground and warrant neither yet are wee on the other side to commit our selues into their hands hauing that knowledge and experience that wee haue of mens vnfaithfulnesse how common it is vpon a bare shew But heere an end for this time THE EIGHTIE FOVRE SERMON ON THE XVI CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES THe third attempting of Samson by Delilah followeth in these next two verses For shee seeing hee dealt so slightly in the matter and that he did not in good earnest forbid her to meddle any more about it but still dallied with her she tooke his deniall but in sport and therfore sets vpon him againe not despairing but that by importuning him shee might in time preuaile and ouercome him By this we may learne that if we resist finne houerly and in that so waighty a matter as this was as striking at our happinesse and deale slightly and loosely about it when all that wee can doe against it is little enough to withstand it wee can giue no further token that wee will fall into and commit the sinne it selfe and that shortly For the diuell and his wicked instruments that lie in the way to deceiue vs and to draw vs into the snare they are wise in discerning and artificial in marking how we goe to worke and how farre we hold backe from yeelding to tentations If we doe it earnestly with strength of reason resolutely to disswade our selues from the same and be feruent and constant therein we put them to their shifts to inuent arguments of greater force whereby they may be in better hope to preuaile with vs. As the diuell dealt with our Saniour according to his resolute and strong deniall in most slie and subtill manner But if we refuse the bait but faintly as Balaam did for al the shewes he made the wages of iniquity that was offered him or if we shew that we feare not the danger greatly which is like to ensue but stand strongly in our owne conceit that wee can easily withstand the sin in the vpshot and that we haue no need to be counselled about or against it as the most at
that when God hath deliuered men oft times out of danger they looke still that he should doe so neuer thinking how iustly he might haue plunged them deeply into the same long before neither weighing their owne securitie who little regarded to profit by their deliuerances past This is the exceeding blockishnes and senselesnes of men who as the Prophet saith are wise onely to doe euill but not any good They looke they should doe as they haue done in all things that like them and they will do as they haue done in all that please them But in all this what allowance haue they from God or libertie to do so Nay rather why do they not consider that God is against them in that their bad course and therefore hast out of it and they seeing the plague to hang ouer their heads why do they not hast out of it and with the good Captaine humble themselues to God as he did to Elias and craue pardon Oh! let the best of vs know that wee may not nestle our selues in any ill course though wee haue been bold with the Lord in times past that way when wee were as yet lesse experienced to tempt him farre and deceiue our selues as we haue done imagining that we shall doe as well as in former daies For in this changeable world such changes come oftest to them that change not from their euill courses and besides God will not be mocked As for the bad who crie peace their case is much worse Thus Corah perished and his companie when yet he thought that all should haue been with him still as it had been in times past And by this was Iezabel deceiued that threatned Elias should lose his head on the morrow little weighing what one day doth bring foorth but she a little after lost her life and that in a fearfull manner For why There is no peace to the vngodly saith God And thus Samson though no reprobate yet now a miserable reuolter fared who knew not that God was gone from him and looked to escape as he before had done but was disappointed and deceiued And this palpable deceiuablenes is bred in vs to dreame of God as hee did in the Psalme who said that seeing God did as it were winke at him and held his peace when he did euill therefore he was as hee himselfe and approued his bad course and would doe neither good nor euill so that there was no change of his prosperitie as he thought to bee feared And I confesse God suffereth long and in this his administration here below doth oft times let such as he meaneth to destroy goe on without stop and prosper as the oxe fatted to the slaughter whereas hee meeteth with his owne children in mercie though with smart and bitternes rather then that they should perish Howbeit neither is this course generall as appeares in the many examples of them in Scripture and experience whose sinnes haue gone before hand and where it doth hold for this life yet it faileth at death Then to be sure their course is altred The wicked man as the Prophet saith though an hundred yeere old is accursed and a day commeth whereof it shall be said It is not as yesterday Let this terrifie all vngodly ones lest God come vpon them at vnawares and alter their condition to their most intollerable vexation Let thē rather as men amazed by the terrors of God shake hands with and renounce their stale course wherein they are setled and as it were frozen And let them trie whether by vnfained humbling their soules and obtaining mercie with God they finde not that it was happie for them that euer they changed their estate For I doe them to vnderstand that there are persons who make a farre other vse of Gods sparing them then Samson did here and doe not occasion themselues to sinne more boldly still and yet to promise themselues peace as in former times And further I say that there are men to bee found I say not who may but who ought to looke for and build vpon it for certaine That it shall be well with them as at other times and so faith teacheth them to speake and they are such as haue obtained fauour with God that they might beleeue in him and in token thereof walke in his waies euen they to wom God hath giuen such an heart as to feare him and endeuour to obey him in all his Commandements they I say may assure themselues and shall finde it to goe well with them alway Marke that I say alway to day as yesterday and now as in times past And so had Samson found if hee had walked according to this rule For be it knowne to all such as haue fully purposed to cleaue vnto God without warping or falling off which he did not that it is their sinne if they doe not fully account of it and beleeue it that their soules shall be alway liking and they to be in fauour with him and blessed of him So that if men desire to haue to morrow to be like to day without change I meane any substantiall change though otherwise their faith and comfort is intended or remitted through their weaknesse let them be reuited by faith and care of obedience vnto him who is the vnchangeable al sufficient God of his elect But let them not thinke this promise entailed to them by the bare bond of their election or adoption but by their constant care to keepe both by holding fast a good conscience but if they waxe dissolute let them look that their good daies shall be changed into sorrowfull God giueth no man any certaintie of his outward estate peace health wealth friends or prosperitie much lesse granteth any man securitie in an impenitent course And lastly whereas it is said that the Lord was gone from him the meaning is this that hee had taken his strength from him and the graces which he had enioyed were so feebled darkned and drowned in him as if hee had lost them altogether and so doubtlesse he had if it could haue been A fearfull spectacle to behold such an one as he had been to wit before the most in gifts and grace to be brought to this point by his sinne as to cause the Lord who had loued and done so much for him so to leaue him in the hands of his enemies to vse him at their pleasure But what he was brought vnto I meane to what depth of miserie sorrow and shame it shall better appeare in that which followeth But yet God forsook him not finally but after he returned to him again and brought him to repentance as shall be further shewed in the end of the Chapter Now to finish this second part of it let vs consider of Samsons estate by Sauls dolefull complaint when he vsed the same words which the holy Ghost doth here of Samson namely that the Lord was departed from him
kept their hearts pure and good But further heere let vs note that our sinnes doe not onely keepe many benefits from vs but also bring many iudgements as shame pouerty sorrow bondage prison and any other misery vpon vs and beside them all they do quench the graces of God in vs as faith hope a good conscience the feare of God and the rest which men make little matter of because they see they are in little account and price in the world But to be short he that hasteth after his wicked hearts desire and will giue himselfe liberty any way which he knowes God doth not allow him though it bee not altogether so grosse and shamefull as Samsons sinne was he hasteth his owne misery as in time appeareth to himselfe and is alwaies to be seene of him that will obserue and consider it Samson was deepely drunken and therefore his vomit was the stronger One or two ierkes makes a sturdy body but to dance but when hee is stung to the quicke his stout stomacke comes downe because he sees no remedie The hardened heart cannot repent neither without this violence will it be meekned A subtil traitor Iesuite or other at first examination is as farre off as the Moone and will bee knowne of nothing but being held well to the racke hee will confesse all If there bee so much good to be done by seuerity God will vse it rather then faile of his purpose Let it teach men to try God no further then they thinke themselues well able to stand out in it and to beare his angry countenance and if by venturing too far they finde their opinion of Gods lenity confuted and themselues loden with sorrow let them rather vse the same to meeken their hearts then to cry out of their misery For great trouble commonly argueth strong rebellion and long trouble an hard heart It is a singular mercy of God to haue it tamed by the continuance of the punishment but small cause of reioycing to haue it remoued and the heart left in obstinacie The more we hasten this cure the shorter shall be our sorrow for God delights not to punish long and much together But to returne Samson be it granted that Samson needed whipping Must it therefore needs bee with a whip of so many strings and were there none meete to see execution done but they that had no measure who as the Prophet complained of the Edomites aimed at nothing lesse then the punishing of his sinne but wholly at the satisfying of their reuenge Did God bring vpon Samson the personall hatred of the Philistims for the publike good and his honour in doing his owne worke vpon the enemies of the Church and now is hee made a prey to their teeth and an obiect of their furie Oh! consider thou that obiectest while Samson simply went about God his worke God bound himselfe to shelter him from his enemies to the which end hee furnished him with extraordinary strength so it was literally verified in him One shall chase a thousand God stood to the making good of all harmes that could befall him in his owne quarrell and else Samson might iustly haue complained But hee would haue his owne worke goe forward and Gods too he had other businesse that required hotter pursuit then his masters euen wicked and leaud businesse which crossed the other and therein hee was his owne man and not Gods seruant looke what charges or damages befel him in that imployment he was himselfe to defray and stand to And so we see that as he vsed not his gift but abused it to his owne lust so God bereaued him of it and sent him among other masters to pay him his wages for his owne worke For this God tooke himselfe highly wronged and therefore hee takes Samson in hand to purpose making his worst foes the arbiters I denie not but euen herein he shewed him fauour but I speake of his physicke which procured his recouerie And if wee thinke that God is fittest to minister that which is fittest for quality let vs ascribe this to him also that can do it as wel in the quantity as he listeth In bodily diseases this is in the second place one chiefe thing for the same measure workes not vpon all The tenth of this would haue killed Peter yet lesse then this would not haue stirred Samson He had returned to his filthinesse without doubt if the restraint had not been so forcible God is mercifull and delights not in extremitie but he is iust and cannot be faced out with boldnes Now in that Samson was thus led away in paine to such base worke in so reprochfull a manner we see that withall this he was constrained to leaue and goe from his louer also to whom he was so neerely knit and for whose sake hee suffered all this woe and much more which how sore and hard it was to beare who doth not see All which hee might haue been free from and haue continued in the happie estate wherein he was before if he could but haue shaken her off and alienated his mind from her and yet now must leaue her whether he would or no and who seeth not what cause hee had and what faire warnings so to doe before Euen so obserue wee that if no perswasions will serue to draw vs from some speciall sin whether this which Samson was deluded with or any other yet that God knoweth waies enough to scare vs from it and this one among the rest that as he was wee shall be plucked from it by violence though we would not and that also as he was with shame and sorrow our bellies full and shall wish too late that we had been wiser in time So saith Salomon There was a young man among the fooles destitute of vnderstanding going toward the house of an harlot in the euening when the night began to be darke who with her subtiltie inticed him and he followed her straight waies as an oxe that goeth to the slaughter and as a foole to the stocks for correction till a dart strooke thorow his liuer as a bird hasteth to the snare not knowing that she is in danger And this is the best end that commeth of following our wicked hearts desire to the committing of sin whē by no meanes we can be reclaimed frō it And it is a great matter worth the marking which I say that when the Lord puls not the vngodly from their filthie pleasure wherein they liued and doth not restraine them it is the immediate forerunner of their finall woe But when he plucks the godly from those baites by which they are allured and indangered he dealeth kindly with them recalling them from woe to repentance and the enioying of many good things For he is wont to deny that in fauour to his children which he granteth to the wicked in wrath One point hereof we see in those two who died one death both bodily and
honoured for the great workes that he did among them not only preferred a murtherer before him and vniustly got liberty of Pilate to crucifie him being Lord of glory but also railed and spitted on him and most shamefully reuiled and mocked him in the middest of his agonies and indeed herein they resemble their father the diuell who then most insulteth when hee hath a man vnder but the Lord is alway nearest to his as he was to Ionah in their extremities Now although God for his euill doing doe iustly punish such an one yet we should be moued with some pitie toward him and not to adde vexation to such as God smiteth And therefore wee reade that the Lord afflicting Israel for their iust deserts by sending them through the long and vast wildernesse yet when the King of Edom would needes vexe them also by for bidding them passage through his coasts was displeased with him And therefore the Prophet Amos writeth thus For three transgressions of Edom and for foure I will not be intreated neither turne to him and addeth that as the reason because he did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pitie toward him And for that cause saith hee will not leaue him vnpunished The vse is to vs to beware of all crueltie and especially if it be mixed with enuie for which cause Salomon saith Anger is cruell and wrath is raging but who can stand before enuie Thus Dauid prayes against him who pursued the man whom God afflicted saying Let his daies be few and his prayer be turned into sinne because he remembred not to shew mercie but he persecuted the poore man and him that was contrite in his heart c. But these things wee reade and despise as if God would be mocked See more of this in other places of this booke and by name vpon the fourth verse of the first chapter And here consider againe notwithstanding such disguising of Samson as wee haue now heard and that he was thus brought into an high degree of shame contempt and miserie whereby it might be thought that he was no better then an abiect and castaway yet consider we I say that he was euen now reclaimed from his forementioned sinnes and reconciled to God againe as I said before and say it againe that none may mistake me in so saying and by that which I haue set downe of his repentance God sheweth how deare he was to him for all that hath been said of his fall not that he had merited by his patience in the prison forgiuenes of his sinnes but he acknowledged them there beleeued the pardon of them and as it became a godly man he repented as before hath been proued else these had turned him quite off from God This did greatly extenuate and asswage his miserie ouer it was with him before he thus turned to God So that the Lord who prouided for Ionahs body the shelter of a gourd lest the extremitie of the heate of the Sunne might haue added affliction to his disquieted minde euen hee I say did much more gratiously preuent this poore prisoner his seruant with mercie and fauour against the time that his enemies grew to the height of their malice lest it might otherwise haue been intollerable Yea and hereby the Lord animated him to beare the indignitie the more quietly because his strength was now also renewed and thereby he knew God had called this despitefull rabble together to be auenged of them Heereby let vs learne that whatsoeuer men haue been in their euill liues heretofore and howsoeuer they haue brought vpon their own heads much misery thereby yet there is much comfort to bee taken in them both by themselues and by others when they haue truly renounced and cast from them the workes of darkenesse to haue no more fellowship in them but do shelter themselues vnder Christs wing as the poore chicken vnder the hen that he may couer and remit them And this only is able to make them hold vp their heads when so many sorrowes and troubles doe otherwise oppresse them But oh then how happie and sweet is this vniting of vs to Christ by faith when we are so resolued that we may abide in his loue that wee carefully seeke to enioy and preserue it and doe wisely decline other things which doe make that benefit seeme farre lesse gainfull and beautifull vnto vs then it is It is truly said by Salomon that it is the wounded spirit which makes the trouble waighty and the spirit of a man free and cheerefull through a good conscience and supported by God which beares him vp in his affliction And howsoeuer the proofe hereof is sweetest in affliction sent vpon vs in our innocency yet it hath place also euen in crosses which are drawne vpon vs for some sinne when wee haue humbled our selues truly for them and haue not delayed to seeke reconciliation with his Maiesty for them For then a man recouereth his particular confidence in God and seeth that his affliction hauing done that for which it came shall speedily bee remoued and a supply of patience giuen the whilest to vndergoe the triall Therefore oh fooles that cause God thus to punish them but double fooles who abuse their correction and lie vnder it impenitent for these shall need no Philistims to adde sorrow vpon sorrow seeing they make their burthen double and treble by their sin aggrauated and by a conscience hardened against God Vers 26. Then Samson said to the seruant that led him by the hand Leade me that I may touch the pillers that the house standeth vpon and that I may leaue to them 27. Now the house was full of men and women and there were all the Princes of the Philistims also about the roofe were three thousand men and women that beheld while Samson played 28. Then samson called vnto the Lord and said O Lord God I pray thee think vpon me O God I beseech thee strengthen mee at this time onely that I may bee at once auenged of the Philistims for my two eyes 29. And Samson laid hold on the two middle pillers whereupon the house stood and on which it was borne vp on the one with his right and on the other with his left 30. Then said Samson Let mee lose my life with the Philistims and hee bowed him with all his might and the house fell vpon the Princes and vpon all the people that were therein So the dead which he slew at his death were moe then they which he had slaine in his life 31. Then his brethren and all the house of his father came downe and tocke him and brought him vp and buried him betweene Zorah and Eshtaol in the scpulchre of Manoah his father now he had iudged Israel twentie yeeres NOw it followeth in the end of this third part of the Chapter to consider the issue of this their dealing with Samson and that is
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
the young man was vnto him as one of his sonnes 12. And Micah consecrated the Leuite and the young man became his Priest and was in the house of Micah 13. Then said Micah Now know I that the Lord will doe me good seeing I haue a Leuite to my Priest THis second part of the Chapter sheweth that this Micah hauing brought that new and strange worshippe namely Idolatrie into his house so pleased himselfe therein that now wanting nothing to the setting of his new trade on worke but a worke man I meane a Priest now I say he tooke the opportunitie offered by a Leuite who sought a seruice and takes and entertaines him Before he was content as we heard with his son to serue for a Priest though none might be by the law but such as came of Aaron wherby we see that the law of God is little regarded where men are set to haue their owne will But now behold accordingly as hee wished there is offered him a Leuite as little to his commendation which hee much better liking as the taking of his sonne before for that businesse and him he took and therefore receiued him into his house neuer examining him nor prouing him by inquiring about him further that he might well throughly know his behauiour but makes him his Priest forthwith applauding himselfe in his successe and reioycing not a little in his supposed well doing But first in these two verses it is further shewed how Micah got him a Leuite to be his Priest in his sonnes roome and that was thus This young man Ionathan who is here described by the place where hee dwelt and the familie he was of and by his tribe for the Leuites were scattered through all their tribes in their dwellings went about to seeke a place where hee might stay himselfe hee wanting maintenance and as it fell out came in his trauell to this Micahs house and by that meanes hee staied and abode there Where first wee may see another note of the badnesse of the times which then were in that the Leuites which were appointed by God to serue in the Tabernacle and were also prouided for by him of maintenance of whom this man was one they I say many of them at least were now as appeareth by him left destitute of both So this man had neither imployment dwelling nor maintenance but went about to seeke them all By this we see when it goes ill with the Magistracie that it goes not hard with the Common-wealth onely as wee haue seene in part but with the Ministery also For when there are either none or when they be not carefull in their places to do the good they are set for the Ministerie which should bring foorth many children to God maketh his house but a barren family for some are driuen to seeke a place as this Leuite did which is a very base and vnmeete thing and vnfit for those that are to serue God in so holy a calling some come into their places by money which causeth them to be lesse regarded of the people neither do the most of them any good among them although they haue some gifts and many of them are not able for want of fitnesse to direct the people aright I meane soundly and plainly vnto true happinesse and many are offensiue by their scandalous life In stead of all these and many other abuses good gouernours will seeke for and incourage those that bee worthie onely or of good hope and prouide that they may preach and attend on their charge with cheerefulnes to the which end they are appointed by God and see that they may not go about to seeke a place as wandring persons whereas they who are best backed and incouraged doe good little enough And as the Church and Common-wealth are knit together as the soule and body into one so that they like enemies laugh and weepe fare ill and well together as two in one ship either enioy safetie or miscarrie alike so ought they to consent and accord sweetly together for the preseruation of each other The soule we see followes the temper of the body and the body is as much affected with the distemper of the soule neither of both well if either be out of frame And it is as true that seldome that Common-wealth is happy wherein the Church and Ministerie hangeth downe the head And that is partly by the prouidence of God iustly punishing the neglect of his seruice and partly by a naturall reason namely because the light of knowledge not restraining and the rule of conscience not gouerning the corrupt nature of man can not but breake square to commit all vnrighteousnesse with greedinesse although there be law and penaltie to keepe men in awe much more where Anarchie and confusion is Therefore let the Magistrate backe the Minister with authoritie and by the sword of iustice sharpen the edge of the sword of the word that it be not despised and made vnprofitable and let the Minister requite him againe in forcible perswading the conscience and working vpon the soule till hee haue brought mens thoughts into subiection to God so that they neither presume to despise authoritie nor forbeare to transgresse for terror so much as for Gods sake and conscience which is no small vantage to the Magistrate as some will themselues confesse But some will aske perhaps Why what confusion was there in this that the Leuite thus trauailed to seeke liuing and worke Indeed I thinke well there be some that thinke no otherwise of the Minister then of another tradesman who goes about the countrey to enquire for worke and they are such as thinke that a Minister should doe like Paul that is worke with his owne hands that they might be the lesse troubled to maintaine him But to leaue such Gargarites I answere to the point first this disorder there was in it that as I haue said the Leuite was not employed if he had been worthie in the priuate instructing of the people and the publike at the Alter or the like The like disorder it were that the Minister should as this Leuite goe seeke himselfe a place it is sufficient that he is willing to giue the Church an account of the gifts which God hath giuen him for her vse being demanded lawfully but a place must seeke vp him and not he it and approue welcome and entertaine him in the best manner fit for the well discharging and executing of his dutie Such as call themselues let them shift as they can Gods ordinance they haue violated if discredit discouragement or ill successe befall them the mends is in their owne hands If God had sent them he would haue seene to them But secondly there was confusion in this that the Leuite was compelled to runne about to seek reliefe although he had been setled For what a shame is it for the people if their neglect be the cause or for a Minister if prouided for
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
will Now both these did worke vpon him mightily and so wee then especially when with both our consciences can witnesse to vs that we haue cast off and purged out such sinnes wherein we liued before oh then I say we goe on roundly and readily in the duties wee take in hand And so on the contrary if we doe but crop them off by a present and slight dislike of them we shall sensibly and easily feele how awkelie and vntowardly wee goe to worke as the Israelites against the Beniamites Cap. 20. But of this point often by occasion before In blowing the trumpet to draw and call together the companie that should assist him marke who were said to follow him to the battell euen Abiezer meaning the people in his tribe and of the familie that he was of that had been so furiously bent and set against him for the ouerthrowing of Baal who also would haue had him put to death for the same which may bee maruelled at to see them so turned vnto him But the Lord no doubt changed their hearts and againe they saw no hurt fell out to Gedeon by Baal as the Barbarians to Paul by the viper which they verily looked for For many doe iudge of the professors of Gods worship according to the outward blessing and successe and especially beginners who yet in time grow to see into the matter better as they did Ioh. 4. who told the woman that though they were drawne by her to heare yet they beleeued then vpon a better ground as their owne knowledge But to returne againe If men that runne after vaine idols and all other that serue God amisse and not after his word would consider what they get thereby euen lesse then nothing and how they are deceiued in that wherein they put their trust they would seeke further and serue the Lord onely and him also according to his word with an vpright heart as knowing him to be a bountiful rewarder and pay master Yea and the godly would take more hart to themselues in Gods businesse if they considered how the Lord causeth many resisters and enemies of them and their goodnesse to turne to their practise and cleaue vnto their profession to worship at their feete and to serue God with them A worthie fruit of their innocency though it procured them but onely a good report and some generall allowance but when it draweth others to the heartie intertainment of the truth with them in the loue thereof it is much more But I noted somewhat of this point in Ioash vpon the entrance into the storie or else where The rest of the Tribes about him as Zebulon Asher and Naphtali followed him For though the Lord called Gedeon onely yet he could not alone fight against the enemies For our faith in God doth not exclude the helpe of men nor the second meanes which may lawfully and conueniently bee inioyed For Gods seruants are not led by faith to tempt God but to serue his prouidence as in wisdome they learne to doe And this is one especiall cause why God will furnish him whom hee calleth because hee giueth him grace to seeke assistance from him in all his enterprises and to serue his prouidence And so is one bound to helpe another where need requireth as the Tribes here did Gedeon Reade more of this Chap. 2. vers 3. THE FORTIE FOVRE SERMON ON THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH CHAPTERS OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES VERS 36. Then Gedeon said vnto God If thou wilt saue Israel by mine hand as thou hast said 37. Behold I put a fleece of wooll in the threshing place if the dew come on the fleece onely and it be drie vpon all the earth then shall I be sure that thou wilt saue Israel by mine hand as thou hast said 38. And so it was for he rose vp earely on the morrow and thrust the fleece together and wringed the dew out of the fleece and filled a bowle of water 39. Againe Gedeon said vnto God be not angry with me that I may speake once more let me prooue once againe I pray thee with the fleece let it now be drie onely vpon the fleece and let dew be vpon all the ground 40. And God did so that same night for it was dry vpon the fleece onely and there was dew on all the ground HOw Gedeon prepared to go to the warre against Midian we haue heard in the former 3. verses in which began the 4. point in the 4. part of the Chapter according to the diuision made in the eleuenth verse whereto wee may remember was adioyned his asking of a double signe And in these words the holy story sheweth that he being now furnished of the Lord with gifts as we haue heard and hauing gathered his army together and being gone to meete the enemies where they had pitched in these verses I say it followeth how he desired of God the first signe by the which hee might bee confirmed of and concerning the victorie The signe he asked was this that he putting a fleece of wooll on the threashing flore the dew might come on the fleece onely and it might be drie vpon all the earth Wherein he is maruelled at that for all the promise of God and confirming of him before he should doubt and aske a signe I answere vpon the due consideration of the thing that though it may be like inough that hee was not altogether void of blame yet hee did not herein tempt God as some did who asked a signe of Christs authoritie but desired onely to haue his faith confirmed thereby which would otherwise haue wauered As the man in the Gospell who beleeued and yet prayed Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe so did Gedeon Besides the Lord granted him his request without any reproouing of him which it is not like hee would haue done if Gedeon had doubted Last of all I am the rather thus perswaded because he is reckoned in the Epistle to the Hebrewes among them that were commended for their faith Herein we are to consider of our weakenesse in beleeuing by occasion of Gedeons asking a double signe and of the louing kindnesse of the Lord in pitying vs therein and bringing vs out of it euen as he yeelded to him in both For our selues this may be said that though wee beleeue Gods promise yet there ariseth naturally in vs daily and continuall weakenesse of faith partly by yeelding too much to carnal reason partly through ineuitable frailty the flesh fighting against the spirit in vs. And hereof it is that we are faine to wrastle and to be in the battell as it were and in the cumbat daily to vphold and preserue our weake faith which otherwise would soone faile and giue ouer as by experience we haue oft found in other and our selues As in the examples of Peter comming on the water to Christ Martha in raising Lazarus Dauid complaining of his sadnes and heauines of
God in the maine Neither doe all parents make conscience what they vrge but require a strict obedience without controle And they that doe make conscience yet require their due often ignorantly and would be full loth to doe it if they knew it vnlawfull as Iphtah doubtlesse would Indeed I confesse this duty lieth streightliest vpon the parent to know what to demand but the child if hee neglect is bound to performe the same which might of the other be lawfully demanded And let none thinke that by this rule the inferiour is euer a whit priuiledged no doubtlesse hee obeyeth the parent and gouernour best and most who obeyeth in the Lord vpon knowledge And in that she saith Seeing thou art reuenged of thine enemies I am well content to dye it was a speech that might well haue become the experiencedst seruants of God though vttered by a young damsell Oh let such examples be our instruction for as Paul said the same words in a like case so the Lord instructeth vs to doe the same So that wee haue cause to say and thinke it that our liues should not bee deare to vs in respect of the welfare and peace of Gods Church and people for her prosperitie should bee our desire and ioy As wee are taught by the example of that rare noble man Nehemiah more famous for grace and godlinesse then for his greatnes and aduancement who being asked of the King why his countenance was cast downe and sad he answered Oh my Lord the King why should I not bee sad when the house and citie of the sepulchers of my fathers lieth waste and the gates thereof are deuoured with fire Commendable also was the answere of Mephibosheth to Dauid when hee was safely deliuered from the rebellion of Absalom and restored againe to be the vpholder and welfare of the Church thus he said What are all my goods and substance to mee seeing my Lord the King is come home in peace And Paul shewed by his words to the Romans Chap. 9. and 10. that so earnest was his desire and prayer to God for Israel that they might be saued that he would pledge his owne saluation to purchase theirs And hee telleth King Agrippa that so as he and all that heard him that day were added as true members to increase the Church hee was content to beare the bands and hardnesse himselfe alone hee I say could haue wished that hee might haue borne all the brunt to free them from it Such loue should wee beare and not pretend to the Church of God that a great part of our ioy should bee diminished vnlesse she might ioy with vs. But we may complaine with the prouerb Euery man for himselfe but they are happiest that weepe and reioyce with her For wherein standeth our happinesse and whence haue we our chiefe cause of reioycing Haue we it not from hence that we are members of that holy Catholike Church of Christ which being his body is knit and compacted by ioynts and sinewes together and draweth from him as her head life and grace And partake wee not euen here singular fruit from this communion of Saints not only by the sweet conuersing with them whom wee are next vnto and dwell among but by the prayers of such as wee are onely present with in spirit though in place farre distant Therefore next to our communion with our Lord Iesus himselfe what sweeter meditation haue we then of our fellowship with his bodie whereunto he hath granted such singular priuiledges and which hee hath beautified with so many admirable gifts and graces in all which wee haue our parts if we haue any part in her What thinke we Is Christ diuided Is his body subiect to dismembring Can any of vs draw from the head any influence of grace if wee will be singular by our selues or separate our selues from our brethren Doth not a great part of our felicitie hereafter consist in this that we shall haue fellowship with the Saints in light euen the light of Gods and the Lambs immediate presence For these reasons let vs bee perswaded to enlarge our selues and not to bee streightned within our selues as if we neither had any part in the sorrowes or prosperitie of others For as there is a duty required of vs toward the whole body to pray for the peace of it and mourne for the grieuances thereof so especially for that part thereof whose estate is best knowne to vs and with Dauid we must say If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my tongue cleane to the roofe of my mouth and my fingers forget to play And againe For Zions sake I will not hold my peace c. till her beautie breake forth as the light and till Ierusalem be set vp the glory of the earth And this affection should bee so strong that it should ouerflow the bankes of the Church and extend it selfe to the borders and confines thereof and be earnest with God for them that are yet strangers and aliants that they may be made members of this bodie and citizens of this Citie that the Kingdome of Christ may bee stretcht out from sea to sea and he may rule farre and wide throughout the world And it will become vs aswell to entreate the Lord to pitie the many thousands of them that sit in darknesse who cannot discerne betwixt the right hand and the left as the contrary ill beseemed Ionah who was checkt for his labour And further seeing the varietie of the necessities and estates both of diuers particular Churches members of each some of them knowne to vs is manifold we must thinke this duty not easily discharged without a great measure of loue and an heart dilated therewith and well purged of selfeloue There are many that pretend this office to the Church being indeed Schismatikes and Heretikes out of a preposterous loue of a communion out of vnion But let them know the Church acknowledgeth no such bastards neither hearkneth after those that would vnder the pretence of a new deuised communaltie of their owne draw her to either a separation from her head as Papists doe or from fellowship with the body of Christ as they who terme themselues of the separation doe When Iphtahs daughter had answered her father as he had giuen her occasion she made a request to him for her selfe as in this verse is shewed saying Giue me leaue to goe to the mountaines to bewaile my virginitie I and my fellowes For it was counted a reproch in those daies to die childlesse And a solitarie place as she asked was fit for that purpose Now that she would not without leaue doe euen that which was good she sheweth clearely and we may see that much lesse would she haue done as Dinah Iacobs daughter did to range and roue idlely needlessely and dangerously Which may teach our youth and particularly the maidens of our age to learne this point of obedience of her