worse then the thiefe who yet is odious and driuen frō habitation with men in their free dwelling houses into a loathsome prison among brutish companions For he vnlesse he be cruell also is content to take a share in his goods whom he robbeth but the cruell man is not content with a share but if his might be sutable to his mind he will haue all at one time or other that is his whom he pursueth yea he wil thrust him out of house and home yea and out of the world also before he can be satisfied Caine a little after the corrupt estate of things entred into the world was a patterne of cruel ones who when he had no cause giuen him by Abel his innocent brother of hard handling him yet because he was accepted of God and himself not did not hate him only without a cause but which was most vnnatural and monstrous in him rosevp against him and slue him Pharaoh when he had almost tyred the poore people of God who were strangers in his land with burdens and toile asmuch as they could beare yet was not satisfied therewith but made their burthen farre greater til their life was more vnwelcome then death itselfe that his crueltie might be manifest to all Haman so exceeded herein that it was too little to take the goods of Gods people from them and to hold them bondmen vnlesse hee might haue their liues also And what should I speake of Iezabel who being a woman exceeded men who were cruell also And of Rehoboams cruell handling his subiects as his storie declareth and of Iosephs brethren who consented to sell him into a far countrey whence he might neuer returne to trouble them as they hoped but further the most of them agreed to take away his life also and yet if they had killed him euen they themselues had lost their liues also in the famine that God sent afterwards they being preserued by Ioseph among all other men These might make crueltie odious to vs. But many that heare this of it desire to know what manner of thing it is that rageth after this sort and like the flaming fire deuoureth and destroyeth where it commeth Their demand is godly and I will briefly satisfie it That they may therefore cease maruelling that this fury crueltie I meane bringeth such strange effects forth they may know that it is a vile and vitious habit or custome whereby men are carried to do things both harsh and hard and that beyond all course and compasse of reason Now where men are thus set vpon their will to deale with other and are led to it without reason much more without religion there how can they chuse but to bee rigorously handled and cruellie delt with who fall into their hands Which maketh the cruell man to bee hated of all For such are barbarous and vnciuell as if they had sucked the Dragons in the desert and their hearts so bound with the sinewes of iron that they spoile them whom they pursue as raging raine and tempest rendeth the trees and destroyeth the fruites and they are no more mooued with the life of a man then if a dogge had fallen before them And therefore no maruell that Dauid hauing his choice of plagues presented to him made a present exception to his owne nature and kind fearing and knowing the crueltie of men saying let me not fall into the hands of man This the Heathen Seneca saw when he said Thou art deceiued if thou giuest credit to the lookes of those that meet thee They haue the faces of men the minds of wild beasts If he spake this of man in generall what would he haue said particularly of the cruell man with whom this speech is as common burne kill cut Poison young old men women brethren kindred as to eate their meate Whosoeuer doe but crosse them with a mistaken word or wrie countenance it is but a word and a blow with them and though they murther vpon light occasions and haue no gaine by their death they haue inough in that they take pleasure in it But whither might a man goe in this argument I will giue an instance in lower matters of this kind Hereof it is that if one neighbour bee trespassed by another in his corne or other commodities by cattell or any other way though it bee without any fault of him that hath done the trespasse the other is readie in rage and furie to seeke reuenge by laming and hurting the cattell which hee would doe to the owner like Lamech if he durst or will with spite and railing and exacting at his hands sixe times the valew of the damage and detriment that he sustained though if he annoy the other in a worse manner he yet maketh nothing of it but will shift it of This is a cruell part in things of so little valew vnto a neighbour What would hee doe thinke wee or he that is like minded to him in matters of waight and to a stranger and so much the more I may call such dealing crueltie seeing it is offered by such an one as trespasseth another time in a farre worse manner himselfe The like may be said of cruell Landlords Masters Guardians Stepmothers c. which measure not them whom they offend against by themselues For though there be diuers degrees in the many kinds of this foule vice of crueltie yet we must know that the least and lowest is vnseemely in a man and odious Indeed it is more noisome and furious if it bee accompanied with enuy therefore Salomon saith Who can stand before enuy for the enuious are obstinate and cannot bee reconciled Therefore whatsoeuer measure be offered by such it is certaine that it shall be hard inough seeing their very mercies are crueltie What remaineth then for such persons to doe to the end they may if it be possible cast of this crueltie as a most filthie and loathsome garment but this that they giue themselues no rest til it become as odious and loathsome to them as it is to other which is not hard for him to obtaine that will be perswaded to looke into the odiousnesse of it that when he hath found it he may fall downe at the Lords feete for mercie to couer the foulenesse of it and forgiue it and that being beleeued imbrace gentlenesse and mercie and kindnesse toward others in stead of rigor Like the Iaylor in the Actes who though he had vsedg reat crueltie against Paul and Silas yet when hee repented did wash their wounds most louingly which before scourging of them he had made in their bodies and set meate before them in his house most chearefully whom he had before thrust hungry into the inward prison most cruelly Also let it teach vs both to pray that wee bee not giuen ouer into the hands of vnreasonable and vnconscionable men who are as absurd as cruell in their malice As the Apostle willeth the people to pray 2. Thes 3.
benefits to them as the other did and deliuerances and chargeth them with disobedience also Out of these words wee may see it is a fit time for preaching to worke when men are inwardly stung with smart of their afflictions as it appeareth these were when the man of God was sent to preach vnto them for then mâ—n will suffer themselues more easily to be reproued for their sinnes and will cause themselues as they see cause and the word is receiued into their hearts more readily whereas they are otherwise most commonly hardned and hate to be reproued And yet further then men come prepared to our daily and ordinarie preaching it profiteth them nothing The danger is this that they are like to quench the spirit after and to dull the edge of such good beginnings of grace in them which will most certainly come to passe if they be not carefull to stirre them vp daily Men while they haue elbow roome thinke that the preacher yea God himselfe must be beholding to them for their hearing but when God hath them cooped in a narrow compasse his roddes being held ouer them then the Preacher is welcome yea sought to earnestly and God is plied with confessions and prayers We see it though with griefe and haue too great experience of it in the practise of the secure and irreligious sort who though they mind not God all the yeere long yet fall to prayer and deuotion when some great thundring lightning and tempest doth astonish them and when the likelihood of death is vpon them His word they heare daily without any great reuerence but his terrible workes seene and felt though but seldome make them hide themselues in corners for feare By whose example we see what need the Lord hath to bore eares into our soules by terror and amasing iudgements as Iob speakes chap. 33. because his word is wound about mens fingers and made but as the confused noise of many waters and as a sound beating the aire going in at one eare and out as fast at the other Let not such boast themselues as are spared except they applie themselues to the hearing of Gods voyce by the Minister who can skill to doe his message with more regard and earnestnes for either the more is behind if they belong to God and they must haue somewhat to quicken their appetite thereto and to make it sinke deeply into their hearts and worke vpon them powerfully for their good or else woe be vnto them the Lord in all likelihood hath cast them off and taketh no pleasure in them and greatly it is to be feared that when affliction shall come vpon them yet by reason of that their former vnbeliefe and contempt of instruction they shall doe them little good The thing that they should doe is this when the Lord laieth his hand vpon them let them examine themselues touching their affection to the word and how little they were moued by it in the time of their health prosperitie and so they may easily finde that their blockishnesse and carelesse or vnprofitable hearing their deadnes fulnes of stomacke and such like with earthlinesse wearinesse wandring drowzinesse c. haue caused the Lord to send such trials vpon them be they inward or outward as might grinde off their flat and blunt edge and set on a sharper and keener vpon them that with desire and meeknes they may embrace the word and finde it sauourie to their taste till it haue wrought vpon them as it ought that is euen to cast them into the mould of it And this let such know that if their afflictions tame them not nor meeken their spirits vnder the hand of God but that they fight against him as Pharao did and will not see and vse well this season which is offered them that if they be deliuered once againe out of them they may haue sound preaching in all high reuerence let them know I say that their case is wofull and desperate For as the Lord saith in the like case by his Prophet O people how shall I intreate thee or what shall I doe vnto thee So he may say vnto them for he hath no other physicke then his word mercies and chastisements If none of all them can breake the heart there is no helpe nor hope that if he should vse extraordinary courses which they are not to looke for that hee should preuaile any more with them then he did with the Priests who going against their consciences in bringing Christ to his death were no more moued with his resurrection Therefore they are wisest who put not the Lord to this extremitie but hearken to him when he speaketh and offereth them faire by the voyce of his messengers and deferre not till affliction as a second warning be sent vnto them lest then also they be found alike vnprouided and being hardned lest God should not vouchsafe them that mercie to mollifie soften them as the truth is they who tempt him so farre by presumption doe not easily recouer themselues though God doe visit them by his corrections or iudgements but rather for the most part go further from him and increase their rebellion But whether these men cried out being forced thereto by their many and sore afflictions or no this is sure that when the man of God had deliuered his message to them and had shewed them their vnthankfulnes to God for their many deliuerances and had conuicted them of their disobedience they did then crie out in token of their great griefe for their offending God as their fathers before had done Here not to repeate the same things which I noted before out of the like words vttered at Bochim this is to be marked that the Lord here sent his messenger as he did there to call the people to consideration of themselues and their doings and we see what need they had thereof All generations declare what they are and to what wrack and ruine they come who are not helped and that in due time and season with this wholesome instruction from God that the righteous smiting them they may not fall into the hands of the vngodly to be rung about by them to their vtter shame and reproch and so fall into the iawes of the diuell to be vndone without recouerie And when the Lord dealeth so graciously with any as that they may enioy this benefit of sound teaching let them beware that they harden not their hearts at the hearing of it the oftner they heare the happier it is for them but with meekenes receiue it that it may bring foorth fruite in them plentifully euen to eternall life The Prophet who was sent vnto them puts them first in minde of Gods benefits and many deliuerances from their enemies The next thing here to be considered of vs out of these words in the 8. and 9. verses beside that which we haue heard by the like occasion is this that we record
Lion to be made a dead dogge is basenesse enough Therefore we may clearely see by this that the seeking of glory as Salomon saith is no glory but the glory of such is their shame For although for a time it may hold and last yet in a short time it shall vanish and end with reproch whatsoeuer else goe with it And so it is generally in all pride and vaineglory as I noted out of Gaals example before it shall end with shame and contrarily the humble and lowly in mind shall be exalted For there can not one tittle of Gods word fall to the ground but it must be verified to the comfort of the one and the iust rewarding of the other In this verse let vs further see for the Lord would not giue him the honor to be slaine in warre what he did when he had his deaths wound doth he crie for mercy was that as it ought to haue been thought vpon And yet the most past grace will lightly desire that he may haue three words before he die for then though it be to small purpose he thinks to aske mercy but the glory that this monster had hunted after in his life-time that was all that hee regarded euen now at his wofull end as his words testifie to wit That it might not be said that a woman slew him declaring thereby that he more feared infamy then damnation The multitude of desperate wretches that die in all ages with as little hope of saluation as hee did maketh it lesse to be considered and bewailed but what is more fearefull then to thinke a man should go to hell so apparantly and as it were visibly Where wee are to obserue that such as mens thoughts and affections are in their life time such they bee commonly at their death They loued not blessing saith the Prophet and therefore it is farre from them in their need so it is said elsewhere they sought not after God neither desired acquaintance with his waies while they liued and therfore God ordinarily suffereth them not to begin to doe it at their end They remembred not their maker in the daies of their youth neither shall they haue grace to doe it at their death but as they are mercilesse so God iustly recompenceth them with iudgement without mercy in their latter yeeres And the like we reade of Saul But yet for all this is one of a thousand thinke we of such as he was perswaded to repentance in the time of his iolitie nay doth not one follow anothers course to condemnation daily and from age to age And such as haue their libertie to aske three words before they die how vse they it what come they to but euen to worse then nothing Euen as Abimelechs few words did Let it not be said that a woman slew me And so their three words are vsed as Saul vsed his at his death Draw out thy sword and thrust me through And as that wicked man mentioned in the booke of Monuments who when he was haled violently on a bridge by his Horse into the riuer being put in minde of his three words he said thus Horse and man to the diuell A notorious adulterer there was a few yeeres agone who also had poysoned many youthes by his vncleane conuersation and lewd example and tongue he liued till he was threescore yeere old to resemble him to the sinner whom Salomon speakes of Eccles 7. neuer could hee bee brought to sauour or taste either preaching or praying which yet hee saw many zealously did round about him he might haue spend fiftie pound land by the yeere by his marriage but being visited by God in a strange manner and losing his maintenance by the death of his wife his bodie â—ore plagued with paine and diseases when he lay like a lazer in a barne for thither he was thrust through pouertie and there he died now to come to the point for the which I alleaged this example hee being moued by such as came to him when they saw in what miserie hee lay to call vpon God hee answered with fearefull oathes Is this a time to pray The which seeing he was neuer acquainted with in all his life wee see hee was farre off from it shunned and lothed it at his death by Gods righteous iudgement And as wee haue heard that it is commonly so with the vilest persons at their death as it hath been in their life so it were good wisedome for vs to seeke the Lord while he may be found in the daies of our youth lest if we should not goe about it till death it should not bee a sound turning to God but in mood and passion by violence and in feare onely gone about and who knoweth not that late repentance is dangerous And so let them reioyce and blesse God who haue made the Lord chiefe with them in their young yeeres and haue counted his seruice perfit freedome such shall not neede to feare that God will frowne vpon them and forsake them in their age or at their death but as many haue done shall reioyce most for this that they made the Gospell their solace in their life time and Gods fauour their portion and ioy and would not for all the riches of the vngodly haue done otherwise for so they should haue been then vtterly to seeke how to be saued Oh one sweete fruite of a godly life beside many other enioyed before is a most Christian and comfortable death so saith the Psalmist Marke the end of the righteous and ye shall see that the end of such a man is peace As for Abimelechs Page he was as he had been trained by him one fit to serue him onely in euill Like master like man such an one as hath many followers of which sort of hangbies few vnder such masters as themselues be few of them are I say found to come to good But both of them desperate rash murtherous and fraught with such sinnes as commonly accompanie these Yea and yet such hold vp their heads in the world for whom who seeth not but that the prison is fitter where they may be kept from doing mischiefe rather then to commit many lewd parts at libertie abroad But seeing such are past admonition taking let theÌ„ that are teachable learne to take such seruants to be neere at hand to them who may in danger giue aduice to them if need be as Naamans seruants did to the preseruing of his health rather then to be as too many are that is to say furtherers of their vtter vndoing or death And such as deserue well as Ioshuas and the seruants of Cornelius were let them I say be well incouraged and rewarded which are to be reioyced in of their masters when the other being intertained but to their owne and their masters vndoing or great detriment shall load both themselues and them with their bellies full of shame and sorrow Of this argument I spare
when he had shewed them the way into the citie they smote the citie with the edge of the sword but they let the man and all house depart VERS 26. Then the man went into the land of the Hittites and built a citie and called the name of it Luz which is the name thereof vnto this day NOw after the mentioning of the Tribe of Iuda and Beniamin and what they did it is in order set downe what the other Tribes did to wit how they suffered and did not expell the Canaanites neither And yet the house of Ioseph is exempted which comprehends the Tribe of Ephraim and Manasse together First therefore it is declared what these two ioyntly together did to vers 27. in the words of the text here set downe and then what they did seuerally to verse 30. That which is said of them ioyntly together is to their commendation that they went against Bethel which fell to their lot and the Lord with them to incourage and strengthen them so that they feared and tried which way they might most easily take it Now the name of this citie had in times past been called Luz as we reade in Genesis but Iacob as he went to Padan Aram from the wrath of his brother Esau resting there and the Lord appearing to him and comforting him called the place Bethel that is the house of the mightie God But to goe forward they that were sent about that businesse namely the Tribe of Ioseph seeing a man to come out of the citie asked of him in which part of it they might set vpon it and on which side was their going out and comming into it for thereby it appeareth that they had shut it vp for feare of Israel and that they had left but some secret way for their necessarie vse to goe out and in thereby and they promising the man largely hee shewed the way to them and they entred and slue the inhabitants and tooke it and sent the man away wel rewarded or rather as it was indeed he banished himselfe from them into another countrey and was so wealthy that hee was able to build another city and called it by that name Luz This worke of the house of Ioseph which they went about namely to take this citie Bethel which was before in the deuision of the land of Canaan giuen to them as God had inioyned them doth liuely set before our eies as in a glasse the dutie of all Gods people that is to say readily to goe about and set vpon the worke that God hath appointed them and laid vpon them yea and this is to be done whatsoeuer lets and discouragements may stand vp in the way to hinder them For hath not he commanded them And is not he able to remooue those impediments rather then they shal hinder his worke in the hands of his seruants which they beleeuing are to go forward and commit the successe to him that hath promised to bring them through all difficulties which might hold them backe For otherwise if wee looke not to God by faith but what let is in the way and be hindred thereby we shall cast the commandement of God behind our backe and do as they who obserue the wind and therfore sowe not and looke too much to the clouds and therefore reape not and so for feare of inconueniences we shal let passe necessarie duties Againe when we thriue and haue good successe we blesse God and are merry but if we be crossed we curse disguise our selues with impatience Whereas it ought to be enough to vs that God hath brought it to passe either thus or otherwise And beside the authoritie hee hath ouer vs his bountifull rewarding of vs in his seruice ought to incourage vs to adresse our selues to all such worke and not onely so but further seeing he commandeth and would haue vs doe it as it may be most for our owne ease that is willingly readily chearefully for the Lord loueth that in all his seruice as he loueth a chearefull giuer And we know for our owne parts that men go awkly and vntowardly about that work which they take in hand vnwillingly And we are all to learne of our Sauiour who hath giuen vs example herein saying that his meate and drinke was to do his Fathers will Besides we are made redeemed set here to that very end to serue the Lord in holinesse and righteousnes without feare all the daies of our life and not to please our selues how hard soeuer the worke is that is to be done of vs. And that is our life ioy and comfort no other course of walking is life but death no other is sauory or soundly ioyfull And this should bee thus in all callings and conditions as with Magistrates Ministers Husbandmen Artificers Masters of families and others who doe I denie not many things required of them by God but not one worke as another neither that ioyfully which they doe and as if it were the worke that God hath set them about for then they should doe it readily but for their bellies and in other carnall respects For why they can indeed do them no otherwise because they do not first know themselues to bee the Lords redeemed ones that so they may easily obtaine other things at his hands But I would that euen they who are so did goe about that which they doe by Gods commandement chearefully and with delight for the Lords sake then should there many excrements be cut off from the infinite actions which are done in our liues and with so much sinne remooued many plagues and annoiances should bee auoided from mens liues also But alas the most professors are not acquainted with going to worke in Gods seruice after this manner neither find any sauour in this Christian course but respect onely their owne commoditie and that they may bee without feare of want and penury and the most doe worse that is spend their precious time in idlenesse play and vaine pleasures at least and as for seeking first Gods kingdome to be vnder his gouernment and to rest on him for other things by lawfull labour and meanes vsing it is one of the hardest things for them to fasten on though God hath yet promised that such onely shall bee blessed But of this somewhat hath been said before It is further added in this verse that while the house of Ioseph went vp against Bethel the Lord was with them which seeing it is here added I will say somewhat of it though I haue spoken thereof before by another occasion Now this house of Ioseph thus going about the worke that God had commanded them is said to haue God with them in their worke for so hee had promised Which teacheth that this assurance we haue from him that if we attempt ought by his commandement he hath set his seale to it that we shall haue successe and prosper in our worke So was it said
are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge The Lord himselfe bewaileth this brutishnes in men that like vnreasonable creatures they minde onely that which is present and before their eyes but oh saith hee that my people were wise and did consider their end For that is wisdome indeed which seeing the most doe want therefore they neuer enioy the thousand part of sweet liuing heere as they might doe Now the holy story hauing spoken of the workes which Ioshua and the people did in his life maketh mention of his death as that which followeth when all the actions of life are ended And therefore Dauid when hee was departing hence said I goe the way of all the world As wee haue therefore heard much of the actions of our life so let vs heare some what of death as the text giueth vs leaue and occasion And in that we heare that he died the seruant of the Lord as hee had long liued and had done so many worthie things in his life death and departure hence being so solemne a thing as it is we should bee much moued not onely to thinke vpon the end of all flesh but especially of our owne death and to prepare for it aboue all things and to learne to die that so wee might with him die the seruants of God Which though to a naturall man it be imposible yet the Lord maketh it tolerable yea easie and a welcome thing to all such as haue first learned to liue well heere or at least are fit to die For perseuerance in good life meeteth with a good death and ioyfully embraceth it in which respect Salomon saith that the day of death is better then the day of birth as being the entrance into life And therefore the text saith Ioshua the seruant of the Lord died noting that his death was not as the death of euery common man but a blessed death and a rest from the worke of the Lord in which hee had been faithfull in his life and therfore now looking for his reward from the Lord a bountifull paymaister death was welcome to him As it is reported of an ancient Father of the Church that being 80. yeeres old and being then to bid farewell to his friends said Thus long haue I serued the Lord and now it grieueth mee not to die for I haue a good master thereby meaning that death was far more welcome to him then life euen as that day is to a faithfull seruant wherein he is to receiue liberall wages for his long seruice then all the daies are that went before And thus S. Paul speaketh of Dauid that when he had serued his time he slept meaning that hee rested from his labours in body while his soule returned to God who gaue it And when we haue learned and fitted our selues to die then the hearing of death and the beholding it in other is a fit meane to quicken vs to the looking after it our selues and to further and confirme vs in readinesse to die well considering deepely of it and of our owne mortality with it And it much helpeth to thinke vpon the infinite thousands mentioned in the Scriptures who haue been taken hence by death and namely the rolles of Kings such as haue been more noble and memorable persons who seemed to haue an eternity heere by their dignity pompe and prerogatiues aboue other men as also among our selues more neerely to hearken after and thinke vpon the death of such as wee haue knowne or liued with oh it doth not a little helpe to cracke the pride of life in vs and to prepare for death All which in fit seasons and vpon good consideration being set before our eyes are singuler meanes to fasten this meditation vpon vs that wee also may willingly and readily giue place to death and this shall much easilier and the better bee while by our reioycing that we haue in Christ Iesus our Lord wee die daily before death doe come By meanes whereof as it is vncertaine when we see any to die among vs who shall bee next so euery one should put forward himselfe as the Apostle did in a case not vnlike being told by their master that one of them should betray him euery one asked for himselfe saying is it I master Euen so I say we ought to resolue euery one for himselfe that he may be the next that so death may the better be prouided for And let this serue by this occasion for a meditation of death His old age being an hundred and ten yeeres are reckoned as an honour to him that being so commended for his godlinesse hee liued so long To whom Moses and Caleb may bee added full of yeeres and grace Doubtlesse it is no lesse to a man seruing God so religiously so long a time For it is not an honour bestowed vpon all to become fathers and worthies in the Church for their long continuance in grace when we see the loue of so many to waxe cold and a farre greater number to bee reprochfull in their age But gray haires are a comely ornament when they are found in the way of righteousnesse For although it bee happinesse for the people of God to die betimes seeing to bee with Christ is best of all yet to liue long heere if God may be honoured by vs in our life is an high honour also another way euen by doing much good And so Dauid confessed saying If I may liue to keepe thy word for thereby God is glorified I shall count it a great bountie vnto me Which reason Dauid and Hezekiah vsed desiring life to this end saying The liuing the liuing shall praise thee Esa 38. 19. And in the Psal None can worship thee in the graue This a man would thinke should stir vp all that haue made good beginnings in Christian life to long after perseuerance therein yea though they liue vnto old age and that they may bee experienced and well seene in the waies of God that so they may declare them to others Which as it is rare and few mens cases to doe so it is their honour that doe it and their benefit who enioy it I speake this to the shame of such as doe by small occasions depart from good beginnings and in the pride of their hearts and contempt of other take conceits against their brethren who hold constantly the profession of their hope and breake off their fellowship with them directly contrary to the word of God or some other way depart from a good course so that few such doe hold out to the end in their good beginnings but lose that honour that Ioshua had who in his old age died as he had long liued to wit the seruant of the Almighty then the which title the Angels had no greater honour It is further added of Ioshua that he was buried in his owne inheritance which was
so it hath bin in former times that when mens waies haue pleased the Lord he hath caused not only their very enemies to be at one with them but also their very hearts to be intirely knit to them Yea many sillie persons so furnished with grace by God haue forced great ones to wish from their hearts for all their wealth and power that they were like to them And yet this is more that a Minister of the Gospell who is to challenge them openly that keepe not the commandements of Iesus and in his name to rebuke and threaten the workers of iniquitie though all this is of the louing and kinde Preacher done to saue their soules by turning them from their euill waies that such a Minister I say who is not only hated for his good will and counted their enemie for telling them the truth but also accused by them pursued also and not suffered to be quiet among them yet should constantly hold out his labours with a life vnoffensiue what a work of God thinke we is that in him who were like to continue so gracious a course in the middest of so many discouragements whereof I haue mentioned but a few if the Lord should not giue them faith to beleeue that of their loue to him they should feed his lambes and his sheep and that in so doing they assure themselues they shall be plentifully rewarded and to this end that he will giue them shoulders I meane courage to beare their so great a burthen These are no small things which yet God worketh among vs that we may see he regardeth vs as he did some in former times The other and last thing to be noted in this second part is of Sisera that the Lord pulled him downe and cast him from his so great honour and valiantnes For as it was a great abasement for such a Nimrod to be driuen to so great a streight as to lurke in another mans house not daring to peere foorth as the sillie bird beaten into the bush by the hawke so it was yet farre baser to fall by the hand and at the feete of a woman Let vs learne that the Lord bringeth to naught the high and haughtie and that to their vtter shame who were so great and proud It is no strange thing in the Scriptures to finde it thus though fooles wonder at it who will learne no instruction by it The Lord casteth the mightie from their seate Witnesse Abimilech who in his desperate mood being striken on the head with a milstone by a woman called his page and bid him to runne him through lest it should be said A woman slew him And yet that which was said of him was reprochfull enough to wit that a base page slew him and agreeth well with the point in hand Thus Absolon who had stomacke to rise against his father so kinde to him was brought to a base and reprochful death very fit for such an one being thrust through by Ioabs common souldiers And Iezabel scorning God and his Prophets was according to the foretelling of the Lord made dogges meate and dung vpon the earth being throwne out of the window from her royall palace The proud and stout Iewes who railed on Peter calling him despitefully a drunken man were so terrified with their sin that they were glad to seeke to be comforted euen by him whom they had scorned And well is it with them whose pride the Lord resisteth in mercie for their good as hee did Pauls by appalling him first and then sending him to poore Ananias who being his comforter now had been a prey for him if God had not preuented it For the rest whom I haue mentioned they excepted also in the second of the Acts the other I say were resisted to their cost and vtter vndoing And so by the foolishnes of preaching as it pleaseth the world to call it and an humble submitting of themselues to his holy doctrine they that are saued must attaine but as that generation of vipers the Pharisies were glad to come to Iohns ministerie if so be they tooke any good by it Be we therefore humble and meeke they who are graced are they that finde fauour with him but as for the proud he resisteth them and setteth himselfe against them till they be confounded if they so abide and be brought to naught And therefore let the scorners and enemies taunt and mocke the simple professors of the truth like Edomites they shall one day wish they had been like them and iudge them more happie then themselues as Diues for all his superfluitie did wish that he might haue had not the estate of Lazarus which he saw no hope to attaine but the thousand part of it euen that he might dip his finger in cold water and quench his thirst which yet might not be granted him And therefore let vs but stay a while and containe our selues and wee shall see these boasters and contemners if they will needs hold on their course wee shall see them I say swept away and they shall be no more so little cause shall we see of hauing our teeth water after their dainties They are wise who can in the iolitie and prosperitie of the enemies of the Church see their ouerthrow by faith and count their florishing and bragges to be but vaine crakes And thus much be said of the second part of the Chapter THE THIRTIE FIVE SERMON ON THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES The third part of the Chapter Vers 28. The mother of Sisera looked out at a window and cried through the lattesse Why is his charet so long a comming why tarrie the wheeles of his charets c. Vers 29. Her wise Ladies answered her yea she answered her selfe with her owne words Vers 30. Haue they not gotten and they diuide the spoile euery man hath a maide or two Sisera hath a prey of diuers coloured garments a prey of sundrie colours made of needle worke on both sides for the chiefe of the spoile Vers 31. So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but they that loue him shall be as the Sunne when he ariseth in his might And the land had rest fortie yeeres IN these words is contained the third and last part of the song of Debora and so of the Chapter and hath two members in the first she bringeth in the boastings of the women that were enemies to Gods people and Siseras deare friends and derides them in the first three verses In the last member she opposeth a propheticall prayer against their boastings wishing therein to the remainder of Gods enemies destruction and to the Israelites all increase of good things and that increase she laieth out by a comparison of the Sunne from the rising to the noone tide euen such she wisheth it to be More particularly to come to the first point she saith that Siseras mother was looking
without that what welfare can there be to the soule It cannot prosper but rather decaieth as a man that is sicke of a desperate discase and growes worse and worse till vtter consumption and death it selfe doe follow Therefore it is a worke of no small weight to trie our selues whether we loue God it will quite the cost abundantly If we can once get that wee are on the thriuing hand no feare but wee shall doe well and then wee giue good proofe thereof when wee loue and desire well to the brethren when nothing is too deare for himself and where there is still an earnest thirsting after both as all things that grow haue an appetite of growth these I say with more then a common care of honouring God in the place we liue in a daily longing home with vprightnes and constancie are euidences of our loue to God that cannot deceiue And this affection be wee well assured will breake out where it is by such fruite as I haue mentioned as Iosephs did vnto his brethren To this song of Debora the holy storie addeth this that God gaue his people by and after this victorie fortie yeeres rest and quietnes A great blessing euen so we all know what a benefit any great deliuerance is out of paine sicknesse prison bondage penurie or the like miserie especially when it is for long continuance But how much more then the sweete peace of conscience that passeth vnderstanding and ioy in the holy Ghost and that for long continuance after the trouble of minde and feare of damnation which was sometime But of this also elsewhere somewhat hath been said THE THIRTIE SIXE SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Vers 1. Afterward the children of Israel committed wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and the Lord gaue them into the hands of Midian seuen yeeres Vers 2. And the hand of Midian preuailed against Israel and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them dennes in the mountaines and caues and strong holds Vers 3. When Israel had sowne then came vp the Midianites the Amalekites and they of the East and came vpon them Vers 4. And camped by them and destroyed the fruite of the earth euen till thou come vnto Azzah and left no foode for Israel neither sheepe nor oxe nor asse Vers 5. For they went vp and their cattell and came with their tents as Grashoppers in multitude so that they and their camels were without number and they came into the land to destroy it Vers 6. So was Israel exceedingly impouerished by the Midianites therefore the children of Israel cried vnto the Lord. IN this Chapter it is shewed how Israel againe prouoked the Lord by their wickednesse vers 1. And how the Lord punished them by the Midianites to vers 6. Then that they cried vnto the Lord and he reproued them to vers 11. And lastly how he called Gedeon and prepared him to deliuer them and this is to the end of the Chapter The first part of the Chapter TO begin with their sinne it appeares that they did grieuously prouoke the Lord as they had sometime before done as in the third and fourth Chapters it appeares where their punishment was likewise a long time continued vpon them But yet after the death of Debora and Barak the valiant deliuerers of them out of the hands of the Canaanites they did againe depart from the good course wherein they had liued before and fell againe to idolatrie and other sinnes This be said of their sinne as may be gathered out of the first verse and the 25. With the which to begin for our further benefit the instruction that we are to take out of from hence is this That seeing in all the stories before set downe as well as this of the punishing of Israel they begin thus The children of Israel did againe that which was euill in the sight of the Lord seeing I say it is thus we may learne that it is naturally ingrafted in the heart of man that though there bee holy affections kindled in it by some good meanes yet in time they dye and wane away and in stead of them the heart is carried againe to the euill that it most desireth And it being thus with them that haue some goodnesse and beginnings of faith in them what are all the faire shewes of hypocrites when they be at the best but a morning dew So that though men may perhaps serue God for a while in a good manner yet they are gone from it before wee be aware waxing wearie and prouoking God afresh this sicklenes and inconstancie are so deeply rooted in them and thereupon it falleth out that they are carried away by the error of the wicked and inticements of the world from a good course to be fashioned like other men though it be very grosse and absurd which they fall to A great reason hereof is this that the best are renewed but in part and much corruptiō remaineth to be purged out of thē which requireth the taking vp of their thoughts and care which it is meet they should take knowledge of that so they may see that they haue worke enough and haue little cause to be idle and waxe wearie of it I meane beside many other duties of crossing and subduing the euill of their hearts especially seeing their reward is so great in so doing And yet with griefe it may be said that in all ages both persons and Churches little considering this haue fallen to this course that I now complaine of As they in the Psalme who started aside like a broken bow The people in Exodus did the like who in the absence of Moses from them but a few daies fell most shamefully to idolatrie So the people mentioned in S. Iohn who counted Iohn Baptist a burning light and for a time reioyced in him whereby yee may gather it was but for a time These with many too long to be stood vpon doe shew how soone men decline from a good course And wel it were with vs in this latter age if we looked better to our selues then they did but as well persons and families as almost whole townes wanze and waxe cold in their seruing of God who yet were sometime of the forwarder sort of professors a few God reserueth who desire to keepe their first loue to the Gospell and their brethren that they may be a seed in euery corner of the land almost to teach the generations to come if the world continue to feare the Lord aright hee hauing appointed a remnant to remaine and a Church though small vnto the worlds end Which being so teacheth the best of vs what need we haue to desire to enioy the best meanes and namely the sincere preaching of the Gospell whereby we may grow on in grace and knowledge of Christ and cleaue neerely to him considering how oft wee haue been by Gods gracious working in vs
to speake more heere being as much and a great deale more as is like to be regarded of such as I speake of Thus we haue seene the wofull end of this cursed Abimelech and of the wicked men of Shechem who had been the furtherers of him to the mischiefe that he wrought And after these troublers of the land were taken away there was peace and euery man left off from the worke that Abimelech had drawne him to and went home to his owne place where first it may be seene what stirre disquiet and trouble one vile person may make in the Church or Common-wealth the Lord so punishing the peoples sinne as partly I noted before in this chapter Absolon was but one man but how did he disquiet his father and the whole land Likewise Sheba the sonne of Bicry that raised a new commotion against Dauid and so the Prophet Elias told Ahab that he troubled all Israel And so I may say of Achan and of Kora and of many other euery of these was but one in his attempts but each of these what plagues and mischiefe wrought they by their seuerall sinnes though most of thē priuate persons to the whole state of the Church and Common-wealth of Israel If wee compare the sinnes of the whole body with the sinnes of a few wee shall finde that the sorrow which few brought vpon the whole companie came little short of the plagues which God inflicted vpon the whole when all prouoked him Although alas what speake I of particular actions Adam his sinne first brought a feareful confusion into the whole creation What wonder then if this contagion and pestilence hath euer since and still doth cause the like disorder in the places where it rangeth whose deformitie yet and the mischiefe that it workes though we see as it were with our eyes who almost is not bewitched with the painted beautie thereof But to returne when Achan Sheba Absolon were taken away behold all was whist againe and a great calme there was after so horrible tempests The whole Church is as a ship in which if there be one Ionah what tumult makes he but cast him out and the danger is ouer And as this is true of great sinners and publike offenders so it is true of more inferiour and priuate persons as of Magistrates in their precincts Headborowes in townes Masters and parents in families seeing but for the badnes of such the rest should be in peace And further by the rooting out of Abimelech let vs confesse it to bee a great benefit when such authors of mischiefe and workers of iniquitie bee taken away and therefore giue all our endeuour for the maintenance of peace and to make holy and right vse of it while we enioy it For as wee may see by these that sought peace after the death of Abimelech euen so the most that are vsed to trouble other in time waxe wearie of it In these two verses is the shutting vp the whole chapter Iothams prophecie is verified and Gods iudgement thereby declared how hee rewardeth iniquitie Of which this I say briefly seeing in some sort it hath been touched already that they who take ill matters and bad in hand shall haue smal cause to reioyce thereof in the end For their sinne will finde them out when they thinke least of it And it is most like also that looke what way they haue sinned euen the same way their sinne may be punished as here it was Stone for stone Abimelech killed his brethren vpon a stone and he is killed by a weake woman most vnlikely with a stone The like wee haue heard of Adonibezek and of Oreb and Zeeb who tooke their death where they wrought mischiefe Oh how doth God recompence into their bosome in full measure heaped vp and running ouer vnto such The which they will not foresee and so preuent vntill they smart and be past recouerie If this cannot moue any of the like sort to take warning by such watch-words in time to hate their bad course and that with detestation at least let those that haue shunned and declined from such euill waies reioyce with thanksgiuing and that vnfained for that they haue been preserued from them and that they haue chosen the good way to walke in it howsoeuer they haue had many prouocations vnto the contrary And last of al we may see here that as God reuenged the innocent blood of Gedeons sonnes so God will take part with such innocents Hurt them not therefore for the time will come when thou shalt pay deare for thy so doing of which point looke more in the former part of the historie The end of the ninth Chapter THE SIXTIE ONE SERMON ON THE TENTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Vers 1. After Abimelech there arose to deliuer Israel Tola the sonne of Puah the sonne of Dodo a man of Issachar and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim 2. And he iudged Israel three and twentie yeeres and died and was buried in Shamir 3. And after him arose Iair a Gileadite and iudged Israel twentie and two yeeres 4. And he had thirtie sonnes that rode on thirtie asse colts and they had thirtie cities which are called Hauoth-Iair vnto this day which are in the land of Gilead 5. And Iair died and was buried in Kamon THE summe of this Chapter is briefly this that the children of Israel hauing enioyed peace and libertie for a time vnder Tola and Iair fell againe afterward to Idolatrie Whereupon the Lord also did againe deliuer them into the hands of their enemies wherfore they calling vpon God were at the first sharply reproued but afterward truly repenting they obtained fauour with God and were released of their sinnes as before time By occasion whereof entrance is made into the storie of their deliuerance in the chapter following The parts of it are three The first containeth the time of their peace to verse the sixth The second a new defection and reuolt of the people from God to verse the 17. The third mentioneth the preparation that the Ammorites made against the children of Israel and the peoples and Princes meeting and comming together to consult and agree how to goe against them and this is to the end of the Chapter The first part of the Chapter GOd raised vp these two Iudges to wit Tola and Iair after the former to keepe the people in the true worship of God and in outward peace Here to speake somewhat in this first part of both these two Iudges of Israel ioyntly together and afterward somewhat seuerally this is to be noted of the former that after the ouerthrow of that cursed Abimelech the people of Israel had a long time of peace in both their daies that is 45. yeers Where note that though God iustly punisheth the sins of mē as he did theirs here yet he doth still remember his people and regard them sending them peace againe afterwards euen as
not crie vnfainedly at the first but for the smart they felt but hauing the repulse of God and they seeing that they preuailed not thereby they did after set themselues to seeke the Lord and to repent in the truth of their hearts as is shewed afterwards and that they did not at their first seeking to him come in true repentance it appeareth by the Lords reiecting of their cries and his bidding them goe to their gods whom they had serued for helpe which hee would not haue done if they had turned to him in truth for hee is full of compassion and readie to receiue those that are of an vpright heart And by this wee may see that many men when they are in extremities confesse their sinnes to God as Saul when hee feared the losse of his kingdome and crie to him when yet it is otherwise hardly wrung from them neither doe it they sincerely and yet I will not say that they here or that all other such of whom I speake doe it in hypocrisie but this I say that in their need and hast they crie onely they consider not that God looketh for truth at their hands neither resolue afterwards to looke aboue all things to keepe their couenant with God neither therefore indeed doe so but like Ahab bow for the time as a bulrush and afterward forgetting through carelesnes and negligence what they said or promised whereas they who in truth and vnfainedly repent and turne to God looke duly and constantly to their promise that they made to him as Dauid did who said I haue sworne and will performe it to keepe thy righteous iudgements And there had need to be no lesse in them that couenant with God a man would thinke vnlesse they will boldly and grossely shew that they despise him and helpe to fill the Church with reuolters as they were that we reade of in the Psalme The vse of which I repeate not but referre the Reader to the places before mentioned Verse 11. And the Lord said vnto the children of Israel Did not I deliuer you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites and from the children of Ammon and from the Philistims 12. The Zidonians also and the Amalekites and the Maonites did oppresse you and ye cried vnto me and I saued you out of their hands 13. Yet ye haue for saken me and serued other gods wherefore I will deliuer you no more 14. Goe and crie vnto the gods which yee haue chosen let them saue you in your tribulation IN these verses it followeth what God said to them in these their cryings to him When the people had called vpon God and began as it seemed to repent God answered them indeed but sharpely and roughly as appeareth in the text whether by the high Priest or by some Prophet But why he so hardly reproued them the reason was to awake them further and to bring them to sound and constant repentance to the which they were not yet come vnto As if he should haue said to them Yee seeke to be deliuered but ye doe it to the end that ye being set at libertie may returne to your old byas againe and follow your lusts and serue strange gods But who could haue thought that you would hereafter saith the Lord to them haue reuolted from me Did you not call vpon me at other times and were heard Is this the first and when I deliuered you yet he haue forsaken me as is to bee seene this day for the marke ye stil beare of it and haue cast me behind your backs I deliuered you from the Egyptians Ammorites Ammonites and other and in stead of the thanks ye by and by forsooke me and fell to serue strange gods O horrible Thus therfore the Lord as we haue heard now casteth them in the teeth with their doings And namely with their Idols as if he should haue said yee see now what your gods as you call them are able to doe for you For if they could haue helped you I see that you would neuer haue sought to me I will not therefore deliuer you and if you seeke to them ye see they cannot Briefly to end this their state being thus laid open by the Lord before them I note or rather repeate out of the whole answere which the Lord makes them heere that it is not so easie a matter for men to deceiue him who knoweth their hearts and the guile falsehood and flattery that is in them as to beguile men who in charitie do as they ought iudge the best of them by that which they heare and see To heare some men in their good pangs either when some great blessing befalles them or when they are held vnder by some great affliction as by the feare of death and kept vpon the racke or when they haue heard some powerfull Sermon which hath searched them to the quicke or when they behold the great workes of Gods power as thunder lightning winds and tempest by sea or land or when they see Gods hand vpon other men or to be heauy vpon themselues any other way vpon such occasions I say to heare the speeches and see the behauiours of some men what words of thanksgiuing of trembling of admiration nay what confessions and prayers breake from them with earnest couenants and vowes of repentance I say to heare these things at such times would make a simple-hearted Christian crie out as amazed and not feare boldly to affirme God be glorified doubtlesse these persons are throughly changed and truly penitent and God is in them of a truth surely Saul is become a Prophet of God and thus in their simplicitie doe many iudge of such by occasion of that which they see in them and who except they bee well experienced should not say the like in that case and cursed are they that deceiue such yet thus they speake of them till they are afterward as much astonished to see the contrary in them Thus wee see they deceiue men whereas the Lord as wee may see in this example will not nor cannot bee so easily deluded by them neither wil so soone be satisfied with these their speeches but still waiteth for the truth and vprightnesse of such as vtter them and giues no credulous eare vnto them but doth more then suspect them for he calles them to further proofe of their soundnes and affection towards him and expostulateth with them for that he finds it not so with them Saul as I said fearing his kingdome confessed the sin which was laid to his charge 1. Sam. 15. But the Lord professed for all that he had reiected him chap. 16. So the people in Deuteronomy being in feare and strongly possessed thereof in all hast protested they would obey the Lord in all things which Moses should tell them from the mouth of God But the Lord smelt them and found them out presently for thus he saith to Moses This people saith
tread them downe euen to death and the slauish dastardlines of the Philistims on the other side as much to bee admired that they seemed not to striue or fight for themselues a whit wee may see how mightily God assisteth his seruants whom he setteth about his worke when he will haue all to see that it is he that bringeth it to passe and not they As in Gedeons vanquishing the Midianites that couered as grashoppers the face of the earth for multitude for he did it with a very few euen three hundred men And so he dealt with Iehosaphat For when the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir came to cast him and the people of Iudah out of Gods inheritance with a fearefull and an exceeding armie the Lord sent a messenger to them saying Feare not for all this great multitude for the battell is not yours but Gods Stand still moue not and behold the saluation of God towards you To morrow goe out against them and the Lord will be with you And to make vse of this doctrine I say that if wee haue eyes wee may see that God assisteth and helpeth his in their trouble feare and neede beyond all that mans reason can reach vnto when they depend on and trust in him yea hee brings them into danger oftentimes and straits and all to this end that his power in deliuering them may be seene in their weakenes and fighteth for them as sensibly as he did for Iehosaphat or for Dauid against Goliah Of the which truth Ionah is a liuely proofe who was receiued into the fish when he was cast into the sea preserued in the belly of it and cast vp to land by the extraordinarie prouidence of God rather then hee should be lost and forsaken Samson hauing thus slaine them hee went and abode in a place called Etham an high rocke which belonged to the tribe of Simeon in the borders of Iudah And therefore it is said in the next verse that the Philistims came and pitched in Iudah to seeke for him But before hee thus slew them as is said in the 8. verse that is to be marked which he said and is set downe in the seuenth verse that when he saw that they had burned the Timnite and his daughter seeing they were onely an occasion of their losse he said thus to those Philistims If yee haue done thus to them your neighbours and of your owne countrey who did not hurt you what would you doe to me if I should fall into your hands I will therefore be auenged of you before I cease Thus much for the cleering of these two verses Out of this verse wee may note that if men be cruell and outragious against them that were onely the occasions of their hurt though they neuer sought nor intended it how much more will they shew their fury and madnes against them who haue done the hurt and wrong vnto them This may fitly be gathered from the reasoning of Samson And so wee may well conclude and say that if wee will bee exasperated against such as doe but come in our way or were onely present where wee sustained some reproch or iniurie how much more if we light vpon him that hath done the wrong to vs will wee shew our selues vnreasonable For hee that cannot beare a little much lesse will beare a great deale Fall not we as neere as we can into the hands of such So hee that will beate the ground at which he stumbled will much more fiercely rise against him who hath cast him wilfully on the ground Further in that Samson said hee would be auenged of the Philistims before he ceased hee spake as it became him seeing God had appointed him to doe so So are all in authoritie set in place by God to be a terrour to the wicked euen as they are for the comfort of those that are good For it is a grace and no easie matter to punish sinne aright and to seeke to winne the offender And it is as great an offence for them to doe that worke of the Lord negligently as it is to fall vpon the innocent hastily and cruelly So all priuate persons and Preachers of the word especially should doe likewise to wit make that sinne odious to themselues and others as farre as lieth in them which the Magistrate is to punish and they to reproue euen as they ought to be like affected to all sin because God abhorreth it Herein saying with good Leui Who is my father I know not euen my father if hee goe about to hinder the worke of God and herein follow wee our blessed Sauiour who came to destroy the workes of the diuell But I haue oft noted this before therefore I presse it no further That which in the former verse he was said to threaten the same in this verse he is said to doe and accomplish That is to smite them with a great plague and in reprochfull maner setting as it were his feete vpon them or spurning them vnto death This if it had not been commanded by God had bin cruelty So that here we may learne to know that except we haue our charge from God to execute vpon men seuere and sharp punishment it is meere crueltie to set vpon it which wee should in no wise like much lesse delight to attempt no more then wee would be willing to haue the like offered to our selues But haue wee compassion and commiseration ouer such as are in miserie any way as we our selues would in like case desire the same This is a branch of the former often touched before That which is said of the rocke Etham here in in Iudah is to shew that he abode there till hee was after taken from thence by the men of Iudah and carried to the Philistims which was soone after Of which I know no more to be said saue onely that we may see that he did not goe to hide himselfe in a corner as though hee durst not stand to that which hee had done but being like to be apprehended he went God directing him to take that patiently which they should doe to him and to depend on him for issue though to a defenced and high place yet to an open where he was knowne to be and was easily remoued from thence when the men of Iudah came vp thither to carrie him bound to the Philistims he committing himselfe to Gods prouidence whose worke he had done For though he went thither from the Philistims yet he was euen there in a place where they gouerned So let all bee wise to doe that for which they may not bee driuen to flie for it but so answere to it and bee armed to beare that which comes vpon them for the same As it falleth out oft times that euen for that which they haue well done some instruments of the diuell or other will bee ready alwaies to molest and bring trouble vpon them for
his ministery empaireth and spendeth his strength and health can be said to be the procurer of his owne vntimely death for he hath spent his strength in his calling to which end God gaue it him And as Paul said he was ready to be bound and to die for the Lord Iesus so Samson said let me lose my life with the Philistims He runneth not rashly to death but followeth his vocation and if death come therewith vnto him he yeelds to it willingly and the rather because he had brought this necessity vpon himselfe by his owne sinne and hee could no otherwise pursue Gods enemies then with hazard of his owne life Euen as valiant souldiers who seeke not death but yet looke for no other The vse of this to vs is this that as wee should abhorre the least sinne this way yea the very speech or thought intending and seeking our owne death so yet it is our duty to walke in the estate in the which God hath set vs in such wise that we be not onely ready fit and willing to die but also if God will in our faithfull discharge of our duties meet with vs by death as hee did with the Apostles then to bee readie to yeeld to it and to remember That hee who loseth his life for Gods sake shall finde it And therefore let neither our life nor any thing we haue be thought too good for him who requires it And though all lose not their liues yet many doe forgoe other commodities which were not commendable in them if it were not for Gods cause Very Heathens when they spake according to their light saw it to be vnnaturall for men to deuoure themselues And as the souldier may not disranke himselfe or forsake his station without his Emperours permission who hath set him in his place so neither ought any to destroy his owne life and soule by wilfull death but waite the time that God hath appointed Indeed the Heathen saw not thus much that a man might not auoide apparant perill of violent death whether by an incurable disease as one of them starued himselfe to death to free himselfe from the stone or by the pursuit of their enemies This they made themselues erroneously beleeue to be magnanimity and the waiting for death in that case cowardise And like to them are many brutish people among vs who in some great distresse of mind or shame which their owne sinne hath brought vpon them bereaue themselues of their liues like Iudas and Abimelech And others being crossed but in a small matter are ready to wish themselues as deepe in the ground as they are high too And euen Christians often forget themselues and haue this pang vpon them to curse the day of their birth and to desire death I doubt not but many doe it in rashnesse for if death came and offered it selfe they would recant but howsoeuer it bee both this rashnesse and the other madnesse is vtterly vnbeseeming Christians and a token of an vnsauorie heart little seasoned with the doctrine of confidence and patience And if a wise man weigh it there is more cowardlinesse in preuenting trouble or crosses by violence then enduring them patiently And let such as the diuell hath woond in withall so farre as to worke vpon their melancholy and terrours of conscience or weaknesse of nature by such dangerous tentations as these to drowne hang stab themselues abusing the Scripture and such examples as this of Samson to that end let such I say bee fenced well against his malice by this instruction answering with our Sauiour in the like case Auoide Satan I dare not tempt the Lord my God But to returne a little to Samson It is so farre off from equitie to condemne that last act of his in losing his life with the Philistims that it was far to be preferred before his other annoying of them and euen his greatest auengings of them For he slew many more of them now at his death then he did in his life And was therein a liuely figure of our Sauiour Christ who though he destroyed the workes of the diuell in his life euen as hee came to the same end and foiled him shrewdly many waies yet at his death he triumphed ouer him led him captiue Both their acts I meane Samsons and Christs doe shew as in a glasse what we all should doe namely endeuour to doe the best good at our death which shall the better bee done if we lay for it in our life For liue well and dye better because wee ratifie and confirme all the good we did while we liued when we iustifie it at our death And this is one fruite and peece of honour that a good life receiueth that a good death followeth it Oh therefore begin wee betimes to feare God and as we are commanded remember we our maker in the daies of our youth and let it not bee tedious to vs to nourish those good beginnings that our last end may be like both or else an hundred to one that we shall haue small cause to reioyce in our end that I say no more And the like in this particular may bee said of the death of the righteous which is said of Samson yea and much more And it affoordeth no small encouragement to al such as are faithfull in the work of the Lord I meane in rooting out and destroying the enemies of their owne soules especially the corruption of their nature and the fleshly lusts which issue frō thence Their watchfulnes and diligence in suppressing them ought to be daily their prayers constant their faith in Gods almightie power to which nothing is impossible as armour ought continually to be exercised in the assaulting of their concupiscence and the fruites thereof And though they yeeld not at the first because they are strong and mightie yet hauing receiued their deadly blow at first by the death of Christ they shal decay sensibly and at death be quite abolished as the walles of Iericho fell downe the seuenth day of the compassing thereof Thus Samson dieth with the Philistims but in a most contrary and vnlike manner For they dyed in riot idolatrie crueltie and impenitencie but he in faith and as Stephen did in calling vpon the name of the Lord. So let it be well laid for and looked to that though wee must dye with the bad yet we may in no wise dye as they doe And so the outward manner of death though in paine disease and kinde of death it bee one and the same to vs and them as the Wise man saith to wit As the foole dyeth so dyeth the wise yet all that can iudge will say that wee must not measure the godlines and happy estate of men by outward things though they fall out alike to both And by this let vs beware that we feare not death with the wicked who say in token thereof we must dye but waite wee for