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
and prayer before she went to the King and went after that with great courage to him for helpe and preuailed But it is otherwise with vs for we for the most part first serue our selues what though in doing things that are lawfull and seeke our owne profit and pleasure which is our great sinne and yet that is not all but hauing so done we are also by the least occasion easily brought to omit the Lords due altogether many times as I haue said or at least to performe it slackly coldly and by halues so that it were as good vndone This appeareth to be too true in the common courses of men and many of their dealings and of theirs who are not the worst And namely in this one when we haue set an order for praying in our houses we will not perhaps as some doe omit it altogether afterwards but yet we then for the most part meete to performe this dutie to God when we haue serued our selues and filled our bellies first in which case wee be commonly oppressed with drowsinesse and sleepe which are a man would think vtterly vnmeet to accompanie Gods seruice and therfore little pleasing to him that it were farre better to dispose of a fitter time for that businesse and yet other things not to bee left vndone And wee must take heed both in this which I now speake of and all the like that we take in hand lest we giue iust suspition that we thinke any thing is good enough for the Lord. In the publike worship of God the Church hath giuen a better example that we doe our duties to God before we refresh ourselues Abrahams seruant hauing but a message of his masters to doe did so diligently follow the doing and executing of it that hee would not take his owne necessarie repast in his hunger and wearinesse till he had faithfully discharged that businesse And Iehosaphat being neerely driuen by the Moabits and Ammonits did first seeke the Lord by fasting and prayer before he would take weapon in hand And let all marke what he lost thereby or whether hee could possibly haue found the like helpe and so present as he did by all speedie following his businesse by all policie and power that hee could haue made And yet I adde this because I would lay no burthen needlesly on the conscience of any man that in necessitie which cannot be auoided a man may omit the greater dutie for the lesse if it could not else be done at all and so as opportunitie be watched and taken to doe it afterwards To conclude about this matter let this practise of Gedeon teach vs this rule to wit to giue the precedencie alway to those duties which are of best price and withall of greatest necessitie Now I call that necessitie which not only is commanded but absolutly and alwaies so that it is sinne to neglect and omit it as to watch beleeue repent c. they may not be left of and laid aside for any cause So to heare the word in season and out of season is commanded as also to doe our earthly businesse on the sixe daies yet to omit both at some time is no sin because they be commanded but for some time to be done may in some cases and at other times be dispensed with omitted but the other are euer necessarie as to be humbled for sin to beleeue in God also to loue and feare God and to be patient some other with the like duties of the first Commandements Now these are absolute duties and charged vpon vs generally and alwaies no businesse may be preferred before these whatsoeuer no delay is to be admitted no though it be vnder colour of most serious returning thereto afterward For where we take libertie to our selues in these cases God curseth vs Satan gets ground of vs and the worke for the which we lay them aside is commonly naught worth when it is done in the best manner And therefore wee see that Felix pretending that he would heare Paul againe at leisure of those things which his terrified conscience durst heare no longer for that present neuer had leisure to heare him againe at all seeing he did it not both when he ought and might For the second sort of duties as prayer in familie priuatly by our selues with the like although they are not duties of so simple necessitie that no other actions may euer hinder them yet let them who haue solemnely couenanted with the Lord to vse them and seene great cause thereof and fruite thereby beware how they winde out themselues of this course vpon vnwarranted occasions for so they shall neuer want some one or other shift to salue the matter till the breach be growne so great that a slender patch will not mend it nay griefe and slight repentance scarcely will repaire it as wee see a close and smooth lid of a frame if it warpe once is not easily brought to his leuelnes againe God shall teach wisedome in the cases of lawfull omission to such as leane not so much and so long to their owne till they haue laid themselues vnderfoote But that the chiefest duties when all things are rightly considered ought to be as I haue said preferred before other the words of our Sauiour in that patterne of prayer Matth. 6. do clearely shew where before he mentioneth any petitions tending to the good of soule or body hee commands vs to aske the things which concerne the glory of God which stands in the comming of his kingdome and doing of his will So that if it were possible that a good might aske the pardon of sinne deliuerance from euill or necessaries to this life without respect had to this that God might bee honoured in all these it were his great sinne so to doe For the very saluation of a mans soule is to be hazzarded and neglected if it might bee rather then that it should stand in comparison with this as by Moses and Pauls request for the peoples forgiuenes and conuersion may appeare Secondly in this that the Midianites banded themselues against Israel very like to haue spoiled them both of their liues goods as they had almost done before we should consider to what changes in our estate we be subiect and that is euen vnto the loosing of all the good things that God hath inriched vs with to make our liues comfortable Oh when we are in health peace abundance and well married with the feare of God accompanying them it is doubtlesse a little paradise that wee liue in as here on earth wee may looke for and in comparison of that we may see the most to enioy that we liue among and they are wise who can acknowledge it to giue God the praise by bringing foorth much fruit And yet God can affoord vs this and more too if we could vse it well and do good with it But seeing men nestle themselues vpon these vncertaine things which
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
to them because they had much prouoked them before and railed on them Therefore if any be troubled as these were with doubts especially in their conscience and bee in great straights and vnquietnesse through feare of Gods displeasure and wrath if they cannot with their owne knowledge put away their trouble of mind let them inquire of the men and brethren whom they are well perswaded off for resolution and comfort as they did who as they haue been instruments of God to pricke and wound them so are they also to helpe to ease them and they need not feare God hauing promised but that they shall find rest to their soules how impossible soeuer it seemed to them to bee so And this be said of the first verse In this next it is manifest that God gaue them an answer from the Propitiatory or Mercy-seate which they receiued by the high Priest for so hee vsed to doe and it was one of the ordinarie meanes whereby God spake to them in those daies And he did not onely so whereby they were satisfied their question being answered but he also incouraged them to goe to the worke he set them about promising them the victorie in that warre against the Canaanites saying I haue giuen their land into the hands of Iudah who shall goe before the rest in attempting the warre against them Out of the which words witnessing so gracious an answere to them from God we may clearely see that our seeking to God in our doubts and necessities is not in vaine neither is the labour lost in so doing For we are to know and be perswaded that God answereth his in their suites and demands and indeed otherwise it were a deadly discomfort and would discourage vs much from the well doing of dutie as it maketh we see the wicked at their wits end when they being in great danger can haue no helpe from God as we reade it was with Saul who when he sought to God and asked counsell of him to serue his owne turne thereby against the Philistims rather then to please him and hee answered him not hee in depth of sorrow complained and cried out saying The Lord hath forsaken mee and answereth me no more neither by Prophets nor by dreames But blessed be his name he dealeth not so with his neither let this trouble them for so they will say that although God answered this people of Israel here when they sought to him yet hee doth not so to vs now for they are to know that it is his promise to vs in all that we aske of him according to his will to grant it as well as here hee answered to them in that they asked Therefore in the Psalme he saith Call on me in the time of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me which agreeth with the words of our Sauiour vttered to all his Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shall finde So that it is certaine that euery child of God that maketh his mone and thus poureth out his complaint to him shall be heard which should not a little whet vs on and animate vs to draw neere to God wee hauing so sure a word of promise that he will draw neere to vs. For in seeking to a mortall man in our distresse though he be little aboue vs we know how readily chearefully we goe about it when we are perswaded of a good answer and when we doubt not of his kind and louing affection toward vs and on the contrarie how hardly wee are drawne to sue to one that is alienated from vs. And seeing the care thus standeth betwixt God and vs that the oftener we come to him the more welcome wee are for this is as true as the former speech seeing such are most inward with him and beloued of him as Abraham Moses and Dauid who of others repaired oftest to him and receiued most of him I say seeing it is thus betwixt God and vs how lamentable is it and to be bewailed that this is not more common for men to repaire to God who if they could marke it may easily perceiue that while they neglect to doe so they increase their trouble and get nothing But seeing I am entred vpon this matter I thinke it not amisse to shew how three sorts offend about this The common sort wholly neglect and omit prayer altogether the first thinking that though they pray not they shall speed as well and haue as good lucke for so they terme it as others shall boldly affirming that they see no good come of it they and yet in their distresse they thinke they should pray but then they hauing neither will nor skill thereto in stead thereof do curse and rage for that they are not helped and deliuered though some of them do vtter words in their passion the Lord heares them not as we read Pro. 1. For it is all one as if they vttered none And though they cannot pray to God yet they make their complaints and moane to euery man that they haue acquaintance with and that will heare them And for them to breake their minds to them that cannot helpe them when yet they would so gladly finde helpe and to passe by him in whom there is present and sure helpe to be found what folly nay what madnesse is it for to say the truth God is not sought vnto in any sort of such no not when all other shifts faile as I haue said But to speake of the second sort who being professors a forwarder sort in religion then the former these should pray and that in faith confidence and repentance with comfort as well as in desire of obtaining the things which they want with patient waiting Gods leisure but euen they seeke not to God in this manner which yet is the onely right way of praying that he teacheth vs or alloweth in vs. For prayers made to him without these properties are but a bare noise of words vaine repetitions and idle speeches which God abhorreth neither may such looke to receiue any thing as S. Iames saith Ye aske and obtaine not because ye aske amisse And when they see they receiue not the things they aske euen they as well as the other who are further off doe gather and imagin though falselie and vniustly that prayer doth no good and that it is but lost labour seeing they are not heard in theirs when they pray amisse and so they waxe more slacke and negligent therein as the other omit it altogether And the lesse maruell it is seeing euen good Christians to come to the third sort who go farre beyond both do so forget themselues ofttimes and are so deluded by the diuell that euen they omit zealous and seruent praying and fall to pray coldly deadly so many vaine deluzions and alurements stand vp in their way to vnsettle them and misty clouds of trouble to discourage them And while it is thus with
which they could not beare and not thinking he had oppressed them enough by doing so added yet more vnto them also And thus they play the parts of giants which grind the faces of the poore to whom sound reason euen the commandement of God diswading them from it is vtterly vnsauorie and crauing of pity at their hands is in vaine This is apparent in sutes and controuersies betwixt the mightie and the meane the one eating vp the other as if they were bread So such as are set in place to chase away wickednesse receiuing and deuouring gifts out of the hands of the guilty and lion-like roaring against the innocent and so sucking aduantage out of them and liuing by the sinnes of the people are very Giants and no better then Anakims All such and the like aggricuances are to be groned vnder by the godly in the eares of the Lord. And they who are deliuered from such burdens haue great cause with reioycing to praise God as the people did when they were brought back out of the captiuitie saying Our mouth was full of laughter and our tongue filled with ioy But of this enough because I haue spoken of the like point before in vers 7. Now to goe forward in the story it is said that Iudah had not rested in these destructions of the Canaanites and of many other mentioned in the booke of Ioshua but proceeded further to take Debir another citie scituated by Hebron but more of this in the next verse And in the meane season here it is to be considered how vnwearied Iudah is said to haue been in the worke of the Lord euen in procuring the destruction of his enemies the Canaanites with Ioshua while hee liued who was the chiefe guide of the rest For this diligence of theirs in going from one peece of this worke to another should be a notable incouragement to all that are seruants to God in any worke that he sets them about that they should not doe it negligently nor stand at a stay after good beginnings as though they had done sufficiently alreadie They must not repeat their labours and cumbats which are past as though they had done enough but looke to those which are to come as the Apostle teacheth in the Epistle to the Philippians And this is carefully to be regarded whether it be in performing outward duties as these men of Iuda did or inward as in resisting temptations patient bearing of afflictions and the like they should alwaies be vnwearied in the worke of the Lord. For to this end God hath promised strength by the armour of a Christian And thus it is meet for al such to grow from strength to strength and from faith to faith as God hath giuen commandement and to verifie that which is written by Salomon the righteous shineth as the light vnto the perfit day As plants when the be rooted in good ground doe burnish and spread their branches and bring foorth fruite plentifully And such must know that it is a sore discouragement to the weaker Christians when they shall see dampes and deadnesse in the ancienter professors who haue been sometimes prouokers and stirrers vp of others to the duties of godlinesse A great blemish doubtlesse it is in them who may iustly be charged to doe so For beside other inconueniences this is one that it beateth a strong conceit into the hearts of the weake that they find not that liking in Gods seruice that they are told of and promised in the word of God which they heare As if God were not to be trusted in setting forth so large offers and priuiledges therein or as though he were wearie of weldoing to his the which to affirme is rancke blasphemie They should all so know such I meane as God hath put in his service that they ought now after long continuance therein and in his house to bee as fathers to procure and seeke the good of the weaker sort of their brethren and to haue great care that none become faint by their example but therefore to shine as lights and grow daily in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Oh it is comely for others to behold and their owne glory to see that they follow the Lord stil directing and going before them as they did at any time past Like Caleb who fortie and fiue yeere after the Lord had set him about his work as one of the two who were counted more faithfull then the rest was as strong and fit for it as hee had been so many yeeres before I know it is a rare thing partly seeing few liue so long partly seeing many waxe soone wearie of well doing and either haue not meanes to set them forward or else haue no desire to vse them with that delight which once they did beside their many discouragements it is therefore I say a rare thing to see men faithfull and constant for any long time in goodnesse But so much the more commendable it is where it may bee found oh it is a good thing alwaies to be constant in a good matter I deny not but the best may easily and doe with the wise virgins begin to nod and with the Church in the Canticles fall a sleepe but therefore is it the needfuller for them to be quickned vp by Gods promises and other incouragements as where he saith To him that ouercommeth will I giue the tree of life that is euerlasting life and such like And also to quicken vp themselues as I haue said by diligent watching and feruent prayer c. that they perish not with the wicked of the world while they liue among them For they know that by faithfulnesse and constancie therein they grow at last to perseuerance and to a good end of their conflicting daies and that they must depart from many ill actions and bad companies which other make themselues merry with all But if such shal begin to think that their reward here and in the life to come wil not be answerable to the losse of their pleasure that they forgoe which reward yet is an hundreth fold more euen in this life beside happinesse afterwards let them cast their account before they begin but if they feare nothing but their owne weakenesse let them not be discouraged God will be their strength let them cast their care on him and he will care for them Thus by this which I haue said of this matter it may easily be seene that they take the right course to happinesse who with these men of Iuda hold out constantly and vnwearied in well doing notwithstanding all discouragements temptations and opposition to the contrary THE FIFTH SERMON VPON THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES VERS 12. And Caleb said he that smiteth Kirlah Sepher and taketh it euen to him will I giue Acsah my daughter to wife VERS 13. And Othniel the sonne of Kenaz Calebs younger brother
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
wee find it so acknowledge with admiration Gods goodnesse in that he spareth and freeth vs from such streights and not only so but also from so many great calamities and casualties as we are kept from and much more if our life bee freed from smaller afflictions also but most of all if we be loaden with his benefits Which I speake to the iust reproofe of such as hauing their part in all these yet passe ouer all blockishlie and vnthankfully but if some crosse befals them then they break out against God impatiently and brutishly Secondly make we this vse of it that seeing we are all subiect hereto and by our iust deserts bee alwaies in danger and feare to be thus abased therfore to be humbled and prepare our selues daily for them and as Iob did to looke for our change Thirdly we haue little need to trouble our selues with an ill conscience any manner of way and so to procure needles sorrow if wee be daily in danger of so great vexations And lastly set we little by the best things here they being subiect to a thousand changes but lay we vp treasure for our selues that shall neuer fade nor be taken from vs. And to them that obiect vpon this that seeing we may fall into so many and great streights what prerogatiue haue the righteous and what shall they doe liuing in such an estate as well as other I say let them trust in God and feare him that so it may be well with them as he hath promised it shall and so doing he will keepe many such calamities from them and giue them deliuerance out of many such difficulties and turne those that abide vpon them to their singular benefit and good or receiue them vnto glory when others in the meane while shall be at their wits end with the strangenesse of their plagues or which is much worse bee cast into hell This we haue to learne by occasion of the man Now of the spies The spies offered him kindnesse if he would shew them the way into the citie in that they dealt kindly with him rather then roughly and cruelly seeking such a matter at his hands they did as became them But hee being one of the cursed nations how could they ye wil aske promise him mercy for though they did so to Rahab before yet she turned to their religion and so did the Gibeonites serue them as bondmen and imbraced their religion also But no such thing can be said of this man for hee went vnto the Hittites out of the seuen cursed nations and dwelt there I answere we must interpret the lawes of God against the Canaanites and concerning the rooting them out by mitigating them with this equity that if they made peace with Israel they should not roote them out And this appeares by that which is written in Ioshua that these nations were rooted out seeing none of them saue the Gibeonites made peace with the Hebrewes And this being so teacheth all men to deale euen with the bad kindly and to be harmelesse toward them And though they be of them who haue deserued punishment as this man of the citie Bethel might by as good right haue been put to the sword as the rest in the citie vntil he yeelded himselfe yet for as much as they be in misery they are to bee pitied vnlesse their facts be horrible and beyond the course of common trespasses in which case they must be punished by authoritie accordingly for in so dealing with them there is hope that their harts may be mollified and they in time be brought to repentance whereas by rigor and rough handling of them they will questionlesse be hardened And if they fall into the Magistrates hand and must needs for their fault bee put to death it is enough that they haue that inflicted vpon them which is their due though they bee not pursued with crueltie also Ioshuas dealing with Achan who yet for his trespasse must bee put to death may be a paterne for all men to teach them to auoid crueltie and to shew kindnesse and mercie to such as bee in miserie Thus hee saith when his sinne was found out against him My sonne giue glory to the God of Israel and make thy confession to him and shew me now what thou hast done And as Ioshuas example for his louing dealing toward the offender Achan is to be highly commended so the contrary is as odious in the Preists and Iewes for when they had gotten that which they sought at Pilats hands to haue our Sauiour against all law to be condemned they were not content with that but most cruelly and despitefully handled him with mocks and taunts and all disgrace that might be But it was as good as might be looked for at their hands But while I am minding this matter of dealing kindly and mercifully with the afflicted it commeth to my remembrance among many other things iustly to be wailed how lamentable the estate of malefactors is in some places at least in this land as they are miserable throughout their whole life so especially at their death they are most of all seeing that after they be condemned that they goe to execution without any meanes to bring them to conscience of their wicked liues feare of the iudgement to come and to some knowledge and hope of eternall life whereas if it pleased those which are in authoritie some fit Minister of God might be appointed to take them in hand after they be adiudged to die I will not say what good might be done to the poore prisoners thereby But for mine owne part when I was young and able to trauell I did that dutie myselfe ofttimes in compassion of their misery and saw blessing on my labours and the word which I preached to them in that little time which they had to prepare themselues I saw it I say to be apparantly blessed of God to my great contentment and comfort and good hope of them I remember well that at sundry times that though I was but a stranger to them yet after that I had through Gods blessing brought them to see their damnable and miserable estate by means of their sin and had shewed them that euen then they were nearest mercie I was receiued of them with great liking especially after they had tasted of the glad tidings of the Gospell to quiet and comfort their heauie hearts Yea I may truly say as I did clearely see I was to them more then their owne father could haue been vnto them for the message brought vnto them And beside this that I haue said of them the like meditation vnto this I had of the estate of many people in the land who run as swiftly to hell as the other through ignorance most falsely called the mother of deuotion but rather the mother of all mischiefe and confusion also prophanenesse and other grosse sinnes though not so lyable to the law of
and kept a great part of their possessions in their hands by force So that we see that the negligence of the other tribes in suffering the forbidden nations to remaine and waxe strong caused these their brethren to be wronged and to go without their due which God had allotted them For if they had kept their enemies out they might haue been able now to helpe this tribe of Dan who if the house of Ioseph had not done more then the rest they had been left almost without habitation And by this we may see that mens sinnes doe not only redound to their owne hurt but also to the hurt of others Whereas none are hurt neither themselues by those that feare to offend God and be carefull to do their duties but they may receiue great benefit thereby But the other hurt many as well as themselues As wee see bad parents what woe they hoard vp for their vnhappy children as Ahab and the like What they do to themselues this place giues no occasion to shew directly but by consequent but how other feare the worse by them And the same may bee seene in many particulars among vs also both touching body and soule As first how many soules doth an ignorant idle or scandalous Minister destroy and cause to perish How many good people doth an vngodly Magistrate grieue discourage and make faint in good duties and flesh the vngodly as Salomon saith When the righteous are in authority the people reioyce but when the wicked beareth rule the people sigh The riotous ill company keepers and such as giue ill counsell how many doe they spoile as in the Epistle to the Corinthians we reade where it is said Euill words corrupt good manners And what discredit to the godly and to the Gospell it selfe hypocrites who professe it doe bring Saint Paul declareth speaking thus to the Iewes Thou that teachest another and teachest not thy selfe causest the name of God to bee euill spoken of so that both when the Gospell is truly preached and also practised of some yet both are ill spoken of by the wicked because of the offence that hypocrites giue And generally the wicked are the causes of mischiefe and punishment from God vpon the places where they liue causing the earth to mourne and be wearie of the inhabitants yea Gods children are of the worse for their neighbourhood not onely while they gather infection by them to their soules but they smart bodily also with them and by them oftentimes in a publike calamity which their wicked liues haue caused Further to giue briefly some instances of this also in the hurts that wicked men do to others in things of this life for it would be too long to shew it at large what doth the gamester spendthrift and the slothfull person but bring all to naught and vndoe his familie as well as bring himselfe to beggerie What doth the oppressor and the vsurer in exacting that which is agreed vpon how hardly soeuer it can be yeelded but fleece the borrower till he makes his skinne to grow to his bones for want of flesh How many cormorant-like rich men doe the like in other kindes imposing rents vpon their poore tenants which constraine them to labour for them onely in prouiding their due against their day and cannot maintaine themselues so well as seruants may and ought to be whereas God alloweth them to liue and bee well maintained by their labour And other defraud the labourer of his wages or pay what they list and yet Saint Iames saith Their cry is entred into the eares of the Lord of hosts Oh! it cannot be expressed what are the discommodities and annoiances which the sinnes of men and their wicked liues doe cause and bring vpon others as well as themselues as the the tribes heere wrought woe to their neighbors these Danites seeing all the plagues and mischiefes which are euery where to be found are to bee imputed vnto them to verifie that which is written Woe be to the world because of her iniquities And this be said of the tribe of Dan and of all the rest Now there remaineth a question to be answered and so I end the whole chapter And the question is this seeing the tribes dwelt with the Canaanites and tooke tribute of them whether it bee lawfull for a godly man to dwell and bee conuersant with the vngodly as Papists c I answere that seeing Christ kept company with the publicans and great sinners and seeing Saint Paul would not giue leaue to a beleeuing wife to depart from an vnbeleeuing husband if hee will dwell with her therefore it is not simply vnlawfull to dwell with such but if the godly be well setled in sound knowledge and strong in faith so as they be not tied to communicate with them in their false worship of God they may but yet with certaine cautions As first this that in companying with them they intendand endeauour to perswade them to sound religion and that to this end they shew themselues kinde and gentle the better to draw them on But if they be in feare and danger to be drawne themselues they ought to cut off such fellowship The second thing that they must take heede of is that they liue vnreproueably and without iust blame among them for otherwise they shall do them hurt and harden them rather then doe them the least good Thirdly they may not in the least matter vnder any colour of friendship mixe themselues with them either in their false opinions or in worshiping God no not although they should hope thereby to draw them on the easier to embrace Christ as many hypocriticall professors doe and thereby couer their voluptuousnesse couetousnesse and prophanenesse who should rather remember this that they may not do euill that good may come of it Lastly they must take heede that they seeke not their owne profit at their hands by companying with thē nor to take their pleasure in gaming play with them whereby they bewraying their weakenesse as impatience greediesse of gaine wrangling or being immoderate in spending the time therein they should set them further backe from imbracing the Gospell Therefore if these cautions be not regarded and also if wee haue no hope to win them wee must craue pardon and leaue them to God hauing no more to doe with them in that familiar manner further then of necessity which may possibly bee either on our part or on theirs as if their neede should bee great and they had no other way to bee relieued by then by vs or if our liues should be preserued by them In which case we ought to be very warie lest we be intangled by them Also we may company with them if we bee linked to them by the bond of nature as they being our parents brethren kinsfolke or in ciuill respect as being our magistrates masters c. But as for putting children to schoole with
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
altar so when we haue no word to beare vs out we runne into the lapse and offend against the expresse prohibition of the Scriptures which is Thou shalt not do thine owne will whereas that it is written we should auoide all appearance of euill It is not vnlawfull simply for a good man to bee in the company of one that is euill but this excuseth not him who obserueth no circumstances herein but shall associate himselfe with such as are of bad note in gaming drinking or haunting of suspected places as I haue said although he abuse the extraordinary fact of Hester and the example of our Sauiour or pretend as some will the good of the party But as Ehud was appointed to present the gift to the King of Moab so it is said heere hee did which wee know was a great honour and credit vnto him And he was worthie of it who did afterward aduenture so great danger with it So God alloweth to them that serue him in high places and performe great duties in Church and Common-wealth hee alloweth them much credit honour and dignitie And for the one as Princes and noble persons such as Dauid was Salomon Hezechia and Iosia with Moses Ioshua and others haue enioyed the same in respect of some that were as great as they but not as godly Euen so it is with vs For they that truly honour and fauour learning and good ministers and make much of them that feare the Lord resisting and opposing the common aduersary they are highly honoured of the Church of God and so it is also in the ministery for as the Apostle saith they that rule well are worthie of double honour If they labour painfully and faithfully in the word and goe before their flocke as good sheepheards and so rule and guide them by both and by other censures as occasion shall be offered they worthily enioy loue and reuerence with the fruit of both as credit and maintenance And good reason there is why it should be so with both for the one laboureth and watcheth directly for the peoples soules the other in their kinde and place for the maintenance of their peace liues and goods And that which I say of these I may say proportionably of meaner persons and lower places that as they doe seruice to God in their liues places and employments so are they of greater account and more set by and well worthy then other who doe not so For their care faithfulnesse and trauell for the honour of God is much and the Lord hath promised to honour them who honour him and to leaue the other without honour And so it was heere that Ehud had great honour in that he was appointed to deliuer the Present to Eglon the King of Moab And who worthier then he For beside his other many worthy acts that he did for the peoples peace and deliuerance who among them all would haue aduentured their liues for the rest Of whom it may bee said as Pharaoh said of Ioseph when he directed him how to prouide in the seuen yeeres of plenty for the seuen yeeres of famine a wise man that should bee fit for that businesse Pharaoh said to his seruants where shall wee finde a man of vnderstanding like this let him bee set ouer the land of Egypt about this worke Heere the holy Story setting this downe that Ehud presented the gift to Eglon addeth this that he was a very fat man which may seeme to be vttered to no end seeing it is neither set downe to his commendation nor to his discommendation but this is mentioned that we may see a reason of that which is in the 22. verse And as it is not commended or discommended in him so by occasion heereof this I will say that fatnesse of body is to bee thought of as a thing neither with a man nor against him in it selfe For some are more disposed thereto naturally then other though they haue both one diet and alike kinde of easie life euen as we see how one tree waxeth great and tall in the same soyle where another is both small and low as one Oke in comparison of another But where men are naturally apt thereto good keeping doth set one forward And therefore no maruell that it is so with such as liue deliciously eating and drinking and vsing other liberty at their pleasure But this may not bee spoken without vse and profit this let vs learne that such either Ministers or other as giue ouer themselues and let the bridle loose to excesse in eating drinking sleeping playing idlenesse ease and such like and get fat that way may little reioyce in it and shall wish that they had by labour in their callings and other good meanes taken themselues downe as Paul chastized his body or at least haue good testimony that they haue not growne to that point through their owne sinne therefore that prouerbe is vsed by Paul against the Cretians out of Epimenides The Cretians are alway â—â—ers euill beasts slow bellies or Epicures And their commendation shall be no greater who in the profession of the Gospell fat themselues through idlenesse sloth ease seeking and shunning labour in their callings And this of Ehuds first going to Eglon to deliuer the Present The second followeth in which he slue him Wherein we may obserue first his conueighing home of the men that came with him and brought the Present which he deliuered that they might be out of perill when he should doe that worke of God so full of difficulty and danger Secondly how he came backe againe to Eglon telling him he had a secret errand and message to him and this was to remoue the company which attended on the King from the place of his presence Thirdly when hee had obtained that hee repeated his words adding this that his message was from God that so the King might attend to it with more reuerence as hee did and in token thereof stood vp and that he might the lesse suspect any danger and Ehud might haue aduantage thereby the more easily to dispatch him Thus much is in these three verses Concerning the first of sending away the people vnto the quarries a place where stones were digged vp neare to Gilgal a city of the Israelites neare Iordan In that he followed them after the present was deliuered till they were past danger he respected many things and namely that he might bee freer from care of them as also lest their tarying still whiles he went about that worke might haue been a meanes of bewraying it and further he was loth to bring any more into danger then hee must needs All these reasons moued him to send the people away and tended to the quiet and peace of his conscience And his example herein ought to bee our instruction that wee may learne to goe about waighty matters with all possible deepe and due consideration wisedome and warinesse as Ehud heere did
the Gospell which it had vtterly reiected how admirable a thing was it seeing it is manifest that the malitious Iewes resisted and came against him in all places but who might withstand God when he would haue it so For in that one city at Corinth he bad him go forward in preaching and faint not where he had much people adding this for encouragement thereto that none should be able to hinder it And let vs in these daies be wise by so many faire warnings It cannot be that one of Gods faithfull shall perish therefore let vs not smite at such with tongue nor hand as hee loueth hee will fight for them and curse them that curse his and they shall repent it if not too late that they went about to hurt them But of this I spake before in the former Sermon though not in the same words nor making the same vse thereof therefore thus much briefly of these verses in generall Now that it is said in this verse that Ehud when he had done this worke vpon Gods enemy came forth neither in feare nor any great haste in any disguised manner but as though hee had done nothing worthy suspition neither gaue any token of a guilty conscience but as one that had serued God in that worke It liuely setteth before our eyes the peaceable fruit of an excusing and quiet conscience Behold the like in Iael the wife of Heber who hauing slaine Sisera whereas any other doing such an act of his owne head with a murthering mind in such a matter could hardly haue auoided it but he should haue bewrayed himselfe easily and palpably as is to bee seene in Iudas betraying his master who cried out of his owne fact saying I haue sinned in betraying the innocent blood And it may teach vs how greatly the quiet and excusing conscience of the innocent and righteous man differeth from the guilty and accusing conscience of the vngodly And it agreeth with the words of the Wise man who saith The righteous is bold as a Lion but the wicked fleeth when no man pursueth him The ground of this his peace was the discharge of that duty which the Lord imposed vpon him in this extraordinary case the which otherwise had been abominable parricide And although this viperous brood of Iesuites pretend the like dispensation from their pettie god the Pope and thereupon harden their hearts and set an impudent face vpon the matter as if they had no wound or terrour of conscience yet the truth is their ground being naught the cause of this boldnesse is shamelesnesse impudency and want of conscience at all if they be not wounded Hell can onely terrifie these helhounds for God they feare not and they haue hardened their faces as it seemeth to regard no man Where we may see a double benefit that the godly reape and enioy by hauing allowance and warrant from God for the duties they doe to wit inward quietnesse of mind and strength and courage thereby to beare any outward danger or trouble if need should bee and both the contraries to pursue and take hold of the other that is an hellish minde toward God and terrour and dread though they bite it in in regard of the world or an hardened heart which is worse then both As for those which waited on the King they did foolishly they should haue cast the hardest when Ehud came forth of the parlour and haue stayed him and not haue kept out so long and haue made such delay as they did for delaies are dangerous where the matter is weighty in which they are vsed And they being thought so wise that the keeping of their Lord and master was committed to them they failed greatly and grosly in their duty and therefore they reaped the fruit thereof when after their long tarying they came in at the last and found him slaine This is that which delay breedeth in all things not in their doings onely and the more danger the greater the things are as I haue said Thus Baaâ—ah and Rechab by the negligence of the Kings officers slew him on his bed And as this teacheth euery priuate man to be diligent and warie about the duties that belong to his function and calling to preuent losse and damage so especially it commendeth vigilancie and circumspection in al such as through whose hands great matters of state and gouernment doe passe that neither by their carelesnes conniuence or other sinister respects they suffer that mischiefe to grow vpon Church and Common wealth which by their prouidence might in season be preuented ere it bee helpelesse The fit season therefore is to bee taken in earthly businesse and our common affaires as this was heere by Ehud wee must vse the opportunity reape the corne when it calleth for the sickie and strike the iron while it is hot so our market must be made while a good peniworth may be had Doe all thou hast to doe with diligence while the day lasteth the night will come wherin such workes cannot be done Remember the rich man who being in hell in torments was denied a drop of cold water because hee auoided them not while he enioyed plenty So Haman made request for his life too late And by their slacknesse and delay we may much more be warned in the weighty affaires that concerne our happines to take the fit season that is to seeke the Lord while he may bee found and not driue off from day to day but to remember our maker in the daies of our youth and to day while wee heare his voice not to harden our hearts but imbrace his message both in the Law and promises of God by faith vnto saluation The seruants that kept not Saul but slipt in great danger were accessaries as Dauid tels Abner in Sauls case though they betrayed him not euen so the carelesse delayer to get faith and repentance shall perish as he that hates to be reformed The fiue foolish Virgins knocked to be let in when the doore was shut Euen so in all particular actions of our life looke we before all other things to keepe our conscience pure and good To the like purpose much might bee said And this by occasion of the seruants delay and their astonishment when they saw how it fell out to them thereby Ehud reaped the benefit of this their delay for while they thus draue off and lost the time in which they should haue carefully attended vpon their Lord hee escaped out of their hands and wound out of all danger hee passing the quarries which it seemeth were places betwixt Gilgall of the Israelites and the Moabites which before he could get beyond he was not past danger and so comming to Seirah a place heere mentioned in the borders of Israel further off from danger he was in safety And thus wee see againe that they who are wise and speedy in their businesse doe
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
They both prepared themselues to warre we see but these went about it by Gods commandement hee in the pride of his owne heart and without God They trusted in the promise of God for victory he in his owne strength and great army They went against Gods enemies he against Gods friends yea against God himselfe Whereby we may see that it much auaileth to haue a good cause to maintaine and to haue God to goe with vs therein as many examples in Scripture testifie of the warres of godly Kings with idolaters A good cause is the defence of the Gospell and the true worship of God by a Christian Prince against such as would force him to Poperie or any other false worship by open warre also the maintaining of his owne dominion bounds or right in great and waighty matters or recouering them being vniustly detained from him A Christian Prince in these and such like cases may make warre and command his people against the enemie and so I may say of the like But to leaue this instance and to lay out this doctrine in another more familiar to the common sort it is manifest where the like is to be found among vs who are in peace to wit that we haue a good cause and our controuersies with the bad it is manifest I say that the one sort hath great encouragement by the goodnesse of his cause to follow it rather then the other who hath none at all but much against him For where all these encouragements are or the most which Barak had and of which I haue spoken they are to animate men to their duties so I will not say what successe and blessing particularly shall follow them who vse them but they shall most certainly reape great fruit thereby and abundantly one way or other and therefore good reason that such should doe the Lords worke diligently and contrariwise the other if they could bee made to consider what they goe about in following a bad matter they should neuer dare be hold to proceed as they doe to wit ås Sisera did to defend an ill cause but they would feare to goe forward and desist from their attempts Good and bad goe to worke both alike as these heere did for outward preparation but not in a like manner nor with the like minde nor to the like end And although Sisera had not wilfully in the pride of his heart gone against Israel because they were Gods people as Pharaoh did and although hee bee not properly to be charged for not consulting with God or weighin the cause in going against Gods people for alas he was an Heathen and therefore ignorant of such matters yet to speake the best that may be said of him hee trusted in chariots horses souldiers and munition thereby purposing with maine force to reduce the rebellious Israelites as hee counted them to the yoake of obedience and knew also that they were Gods people But it was indeed no wonder that he tooke this course being a cursed Canaanite such an one as he was But to leaue him and to come nearer our selues is it not admirable that among vs who are of the visible Church there should bee found some that in their enterprises life and dealings maintaine an euill cause one against the other as Barak and Sisera did for what though their actions both ciuill in religious exercises be the same and that in outward respect there appeare little or no difference in some of them yet so prophane and vnconscionable many of them are that they hold the righteous an abomination and deface as the Pharisies did Christs their best actions and will see no difference betwixt their owne and the others And to please themselues thus they say of them Tush as precise as they seeme they doe but as we they follow their trades buy sell eate drinke marrie c. and we do as they reade pray heare the word receiue the Sacrament c. what oddes therefore betwixt vs yes for why shall not two be in the field or at the mill and yet the one receiued the other forsaken and the one a reprobate the other chosen Surely as they differ in their ends so they differ in the meanes vsing that leade thereto and though they differ not in dying for the outward manner yet they differ in this that one dieth happily the other miserably and so they doe in their affections differ as in their desires hope encouragements and successes The one asketh who will shew vs any good The other prayeth O Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs for it is more to vs then all abundance And in this light both of knowledge for direction and of grace for assistance thereto The godly man walketh looking at the promise in all his lawfull attempts knowing also that the Lord who is his light to guide him will bee his defence also to vphold prosper and blesse him The other walkes in darkenesse being led by erronious opinion sense example nature and sometimes shame feare and proud confidence in himselfe and therefore goeth through many dangers smarts sorrowes whether he be crossed or whether he haue his desire Hee reeleth also and stumbleth as the Egyptians did when darkenesse did ouerspread them while the Israelites walked in safety at liberty In a word the one serueth God the other the diuell the one is cheerefull patient confident the other of a contrary minde and carriage Therefore let euery man who desireth to be approued of God iudge himselfe and as for others both such as I haue spoken of and they who doe the same actions with them though wee know not with what mind let vs conceiue the best so farre as in charity we may of them but yet let vs suspend our sentence and allowance of them till after longer triall and further knowledge of and acquaintance with them And consider yee that reade this what I say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding For in that which I haue said of the wicked incensed against the righteous their deeds being good but their owne euill consisteth a great difference betwixt a true Christian and a counterfait as to him that will lay both sorts together with good consideration shall appeare And of this Scripture heere an end THE TWENTY EIGHT SERMON ON THE FOVTRH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Vers 14. Then Debora said vnto Barak Vp for this is the day that the Lord hath deliuered Sisera into thine hand is not the Lord gone out before thee So Barak went downe from mount Tabor and tenne thousand men after him Vers 15. And the Lord destroyed Sisera and all his charets and all his host with the edge of the sword before Barak so that Sisera lighted downe of his charet and fled away on his feete Vers 16. But Barak pursued after the charets and after the host vnto Harosheth of the Gentiles and all the host of Sisera fell on the edge of the sword there was not
verse shee shewes why God should bee praised one cause was for that he had been auenged of his enemies in the behalfe of the people and for their sakes for though hee had long vsed them as executioners of wrath against his disobedient people yet now their sinne was come to the top and his peoples sin was repented of therfore their turne was come about now to be brought to punishment Another cause of their thankes for the people Zebulun and Naphtali who had willingly offered themselues to follow Barak against Sisera although hee had no authority ouer them before Both these are expressed in this verse in these words Praise ye the Lord for auenging of Israel and for the people that offered themselues willingly Heereby wee learne first that God is the reuenger of the iniuries and wrongs of his people euen as hee himselfe saith Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord yea hee will doe it in his due time and that right soone for so he saith and we had need to marke it If saith he the vnrighteous Iudge will doe right to the poore widow lest shee troubling him with oft suing vnto him should at last weary him shall not God auenge his elect which cry day and night vnto him yea though it bee long I tell you hee will auenge them quickly and recompence tribulation to them that trouble his as the Apostle speaketh Waite we therefore hee hath not forgotten himselfe but as the Wise man saith If thou seest the oppression of the poore there is a greater then the oppressor But though there might much more be said of this point to the like purpose yet who beleeueth these things according to the words of our Sauiour When the sonne of man commeth shall he finde faith on the earth teaching vs how hardly men should beleeue though hee gaue therein a fearefull watchword thereof to all that should come after which should make vs the better to looke to it so this complaint may as iustly bee made still at this day that wee are dull and slow of heart to beleeue this and such other truths as were vttered to vs by the Prophets and Apostles But that is our woe and misery for why should wee not rest quietly while the Lord takes part with vs that are his children and giues vs so faire and strong encouragement But let vs passe to the next point in this verse The other thing in this verse is this that the people should praise God for those that offered themselues readily and willingly to pursue Gods enemies which teacheth that such as doe the worke of God should goe about it willingly and cherefully For as he loueth a chearefull giuer so he doth a cheerefull doer of that which he commands and contrarily Cursed is he that doth the Lords businesse negligently It is therefore highly to bee reioyced in and God much to be praised for it where men are forward in Gods matters and where the waightier and more excellent they bee the more courage and delight men haue in the taking of them in hand Among the which I reckon the preaching of the Gospell and the profession of it with the duties of our particular callings and such like wherin to be forward cheerful as people be in hay and haruest in going to markets and faires it honoureth God highly and all such as behold it ought to praise God heartily for giuing such gifts to men as are rarely to be seene among them for they that doe so shew plainly that they looke for a reward from God when they can goe roundly and readily about businesse which other men so aukely goe about For the most part men be too forward and ready to leaud company keeping and to the sins of the time and other workes of the flesh but when they should obey the Lord or bee set about any good worke especially whereof no profit is like to redound to them they goe most aukely and vntowardly about it euen as the euill debter who is to do worke to his creditour to pay him And therefore fearefull and grieuous is the sinne of those loose liuers who if any bee forwarder and zealouser in Gods matters then other in duty doing to him ward them they mocke and discourage who yet sinne grieuously in that they be not companions with them But of this the lesse because I haue spoken of it in the former chapter Thus much of this verse Now in the next in calling Princes and great persons to harken as they doe in this verse it is to teach them to know from whence their victories and all greatnes come and to ascribe them to the Lord according to Christs words in the prayer thine O father is kingdome power and glory for euer as for them there is not the least iot of the praise thereof due to them God honours them in that he will make them his instruments therein and furnish them with any gifts to that purpose I meane to doe him seruice And yet as though they were of absolute power of themselues forgetting the Lord that aduanced them they ascribe their great acts and victories to themselues as Senacherib against Hezechia and Benhadad against Ahab yea and this they did both of them before they had got the victory and did not tarrie till they had conquered their enemies and then crow ouer them which yet had been their great sinne and prided themselues in that they had done as Nabuchadnezzar in his Babell and therefore they were put to shame both of them most worthily being themselues brought vnder in a manner fit for such braggers as would thrust the Lord out from helping them nay rather they challenged euen him and opposed themselues against him as is to be seene in the story of both And therefore in one battell Benhadad lost an hundred and seuen and twentie thousand men so that hee and his euen a few that were left with him were constrained to flie and in the other battell wherein very many of his men were slaine hee was brought to greater shame and abacement as his last refuge to wit his seruants to goe to the King of Israel with ropes about their necks to entreate for their liues And as for Senacherib the Angell of the Lord flue an hundred foure score and fiue thousand of them in one night and such successe at least in the end haue all such as are like to them Hence it is that the Scripture for the further bewraying the pride and vanity of such vseth these phrases The Lord smote Beniamin before Israel The Lord fought for Israel And againe stand still and behold the saluation of the Lord c. And among other names the Lord is called strong in battell and the Lord of hosts And surely if a sparrow fall not to the ground without his wil neither is the lot without his disposition much more doe the euents
and hazards of warre depend vpon his prouidence being oft times matters of as great weight as the alteration of kingdomes and estates come to Now if Princes must know their victories and honour are giuen them of God then much more we inferiours ought to learne it well that we are beggers and haue nothing nay wee are worse then nought rather then that wee haue ought to glory of as it would soone appeare if we could be brought to consider aright of it euen what infection is in vs to taint and poyson all our actions or if the Lord should but thrust at vs for our euill deeds but euen as it were with his little finger Besides in this verse Debora declareth that shee will yea repeating her words that she will praise the Lord whereby it appeareth shee called Barak to it her selfe and sheweth that shee was so liuely quickened and stirred vp with the feeling of Gods goodnesse declared vnto them that she would doe that dutie if no other did For as the whole Church of God fared the better for this victory so she acknowledged her selfe a part to haue receiued great benefit thereby also and therefore as she was formost in the onset so is shee first in thankesgiuing and put not off the duty to the rest of the people but rather goes before other therein And indued so God worketh in his oft times that his seruants are so rauished with thinking vpon his louing kindnesse that they cannot bee satisfied with prayer and praise giuing to God in publike among other but they must doe it also by themselues alone as Dauid saith I will praise God in the congregation and I wil praise him in secret and they are so bent vnto it that if other should not yet they themselues as many as they can prouoke will do it as the noble man Ioshua said If al run to idolatry I and mine will serue the Lord. And if we consider it well how few weigh Gods goodnesse in publike blessings as in the late discouerie of the treason although many praise God openly for fashion and in ceremony we shall find it no more then needeth to practise this duty alone by our selues apart as we reade of the tribes oft times as well as among others else would not our Sauiour haue willed vs to goe alone euery one by himselfe into his chamber to pray as Isaac also did in the fields how little soeuer many be acquainted therewith and therefore finde the lesse benefit by the prayers and thankesgiuing which they make with others they being in great likelihood made but in hypocrisie or which others make for them Euery mans owne soule best knowes what cause hee hath of thankes better then others and accordingly let him professe it though there bee not many which will be brought to it And of Deboras first words in the song wherein shee stirred vp the Israelites to praise God and the reasons why thus much be said Vers 4. Lord when thou wentest out of Seir when thou departed out of the field of Edom the earth trembled and the heauens rained the clouds also dropped water 5. The mountaines melted before the Lord as did that Sinai before the Lord God of Israel 6. In the daies of Shamgar the son of Anath in the daies of Iael the high waies were vnoccupied and the trauellers walked through by waies 7 The townes were not inhabited they decayed I say in Israel till I Debora came vp who rose vp a mother in Israel IN the first of these two verses which also containe the beginning of their song Debora setteth downe the Lords great mercy in one example to her forefathers the people of Israel which had been shewed long before in the latter two shee maketh mention of his goodnesse toward them at that very time present In the great deliuerance mentioned in the former chapter but more particularly to speake of both and to begin with the first in the fourth and fifth verses we are to know that this story mentioned by her containeth the acts that were done by the Lord after he brought the people of Israel beyond mount Seir when Israel 38. yeeres after their going out of Egypt into the desert were come neare to the land of Canaan namely how wonderfully the Lord tooke part with his people there and ioyned himselfe vnto them against their enemies For he going with them in a pillar of fire and a cloud did terrifie their enemies the Ammorites in such wise that though the Israelites were vnexperienced in warre and strangers there and were weake and vnfit also for such worke yet their enemies could not resist them and not onely so but she saith that the Lord cast such a feare vpon them as if the earth had trembled and great stormes and tempests had been cast downe from the clouds and as if the mountaines had melted and been shaken By these allegoricall speeches she describeth the feare that was smitten into the Amorites at Israels comming neare them when the Lord brought them out of Egypt And further shee addeth to the same end that euen as mount Sinai for so it must bee vnderstood though the word like as bee not expressed at the Lords comming downe vpon it was shaken and moued so did the nations at the comming of Israel feare and were terrified And in laying out Gods kindnesse thus towards her fathers long before shewed to them as commonly this is reckoned to be one that he brought them out of Aegypt thorow the fearefull wildernesse to Canaan in many other places of the Scripture her meaning is to declare that hee shewed not this fauour now of late onely to them who liued at that time but of old and long agoe also to his people in former ages as they stood in need of his aide diuersly and that for their sakes also And if wee obserue the Scriptures which are a glasse of Gods administration and gouerning of his Church we shall see that there is little mention made of other nations of the earth or their affaires but the bent of them is wholly as it were with a streight line directed to the Churches vse and benefit as either to punish or blesse them for his people sake To this his Church all his workes of loue mercie iustice wisedome prouidence are referred for though God be the Sauiour of all yet especially of the faithfull in his Church From whence wee are to learne that God hath in all ages bin bountifull and gracious to his Church as well as now euen to our forefathers in their daies and so from age to age as it is written his mercie endureth for euer For it hath been deare to him as the spouse or bride to the Bridegrome And his loue hath been more hot then fire that cannot be quenched with much water And to this end hee hath been so affected to it that it might know that he loueth it as hee saith in Exodus If
wealthie and heads in societies that they ought to be the first in giuing good example both of praising God and in other commendable parts of Christian dutie For why The greatest haue a greater portion in Gods blessing and deliuerance then the meaner haue I meane they enioy much and haue much to lose and therefore they owe much while they enioy all in peace And secondly it is a goodly sight to behold Captaines in warre and Gouernours and Magistrates in peace and more particularly to descend lower and to come neerer the Commons Headboroughs in townes and the fathers of families to be lights in religion and holy practise to the rest and examples in the seruice of God and the inferiours to follow euen as the flocke followeth the bell-weather for they are both soone discouraged by their backwardnes and haue need of setting forward as by incouragement and good example they are easily brought to be Therefore the Lord in giuing charge to all by their families that they should remember to keepe holy the Sabbath beginneth with the gouernour thereof saying first thou shalt doe it then hee goeth forward to the sonne daughter and seruant Euen so on the contrary and much more when the greatest persons goe before the rest in ill example we see how readily they follow So wee reade that the Priests Leuites and guides of the people were the chiefe and first in taking to them and their sonnes strange wiues of the Amorites and Canaanites against the commandement of God and then many of the people followed them therein when they were returned out of the captiuitie Euen so wee might see it throughout if I should alleage many examples And so God be thanked in some sort wee see that where the chiefe men in any societie be forward in seeking knowledge and be zealous in flying euill and resisting it as their places will giue leaue and in following a good course their care and labour is not in vaine but to good purpose but where the guides of other as their Ministers masters of families and chiefe in townes are prophane lewd ill company keepers idle gamesters make-bates contentious and slanderers there yee may bee sure to finde them that are led by them and that depend vpon them to be sutable But otherwise if they see that the winde blowes against them then they hang downe the head and are nipt in the blossome and containe themselues And here see a note of difference betwixt the godly and the lewd The one with Ioshua vndertaketh for himselfe and his they will serue the Lord. The other like those Pharisies are not onely ill disposed themselues but doe also pull backe and pluck downe with them as many as they can from the best orders and companies And while men must liue with such rare is he who in such a case is a law to himselfe and can keepe his resolution rather to serue God alone then to giue ouer for want of companie But if any be better disposed then other among them they must fetch their light from other places for the most part or else bee in danger in the companie they come into to lose that little they haue and to be led into darknesse Now Debora hauing spoken of the chiefe doth by that occasion descend to name and mention the meaner sort of the armie to wit the two tribes of Naphtali and Zabulon who were willing to take that worke in hand against the Canaanites and were easily drawne to put to their helpe as appeareth chapt 4. 10. They therefore being so forward in so good a cause and thereby reaping so happie a fruite of their labour that is victorie ouer their enemies euen they I say lose not their due commendation but are brought in here by Debora as the woman in the Gospell who powred ointment on our Sauiour of whom he said this Wheresoeuer the Gospell should be preached that which she had done to him should be spoken of So the people that honoured God in this worke are praised by her which was also to their comfort Dauid saith of seafaring men that they could best speake of Gods wonders in the deepe so these being eye witnesses nay instruments and helpers forward of this deliuerance might best by experience speake of the goodnes of God therein and so no doubt did honour him for it and therfore God would honour them by regestring their memorie euen so there is nothing lost that we doe at Gods commandement and for his sake he is a plentifull paimaster and rewarder But in that both chiefe and meane were to praise God for the victorie she calleth thē to a renouncing of their owne strength or boasting of their owne arme which possibly they might haue done and to ascribe all to God as indeed she might well for what were a few of two of the meanest tribes of Zabulon and Naphtali able to doe against the entire forces and mightie armie of Iabin euen so they that are forward in Gods businesse vnlesse they grossely forget themselues they are readie to honour and praise him which cannot be without their owne comfort For these two agree well together that where there is readinesse to obey God there is the like in praising him and abasing of our selues and that also accompanied with ioy of heart And as it was heere with Debora so she sought to haue it with them and the same we see in Dauid when hee being aduised by Ahigail not to shed innocent blood he being easily perswaded by her counsell to forbeare did so and after it praised God highly and arrogated naught to himselfe for following her aduice when she had so wisely and in so good season ministred it vnto him and that wee may be sure was not without his owne reioycing Oh it well becommeth vs to bee forward in Gods matters and yet not to be proud for our so doing and there can come no worse end thereof then thankes to God who hath vsed vs as his instruments and comfort to our selues as wee may truly say who doe more thankfully and ioyfully partake the Word and Sacraments then they who haue with most profit receiued the Gospell and are most zealous welwillers to religion whereas the slothfull and they who are vntoward thereto neither finde any tast or sauour therein but are most diligent to promote ill causes they shall in stead of the prerogatiues of the other haue as they iustly deserue reproch vexation and other punishments of God euen in this life Therefore let all in humility bee carefull and ready to bee imployed in Gods busines and seruice and not to arrogate ought to themselues for that is the onely sweet life and to be desired and herein is our heauenly father glorified if we being forth much fruit In this verse she speakes vnto the rich and wealthy who for honour sake and the rule they had ouer the people did ride on costly beasts as we reade in chapter 10. 4.
man is commanded to walke in his particular calling and the duties therof For so saith the Apostle in the first epistle to the Corinthians Let euery man abide in the same vocation wherein hee was called But it followeth in the text Vers 12. Vp Debora vp arise and sing a song arise Barak and leade thy captiuity captiue thou sonne of Abinoam 13. For they that remaine haue dominion ouer the mighty of the people the Lord hath giuen me dominion ouer the strong NOw that Debora hath called all the people of Israel to thankesgiuing for the victorie in the three former verses shee stirreth vp her selfe in this twelfth verse by an elegant figure that other might bee whetted on by her example to doe the same And she calleth Barak to triumph and with a certaine pompe to make a shew of his enemies captiuity and conquest which was to the great honor of God when all might vnderstand that the Canaanites were for the most part slaine and they that remained aliue were prisoners to the Hebrues who were most like a little before to be chopped to pieces of them other of Gods enemies In the 13. verse she amplifieth the victorie by another comparison of the conquerers with those who were conquered these hauing been valiant wise and well prouided but that they ouercame them namely the Israelites were but as a remnant and yet base and contemptible This is the summe of these two verses Out of her prouoking of her selfe to praise God as if shee had been much behinde in that dutie when yet she had been commendable therein as wee haue heard and had also vrged other thereto wee may see that this hath been the manner and course of Gods people to thinke they could neuer do enough in praising God when they haue entred seriously into consideration of his goodnesse but euer thought themselues cold and backward in respect of that they ought to haue been Doubtlesse the due weighing of the cause made her stil to see more and more into Gods admirable kindnes till she was ashamed of her vnthankfulnesse But some will say all cannot be as Debora was it is well if we can be thankfull when we be prouoked by others they say and by good meanes as by the word c. To which I answere It is cleare indeed wee come behinde her in the duty but is there not enough to moue vs to be equall to her yea to excell her therein Shee is thus thankfull for the victorie wee haue no need nor cause to fight shee praiseth God for peace recouered with the hazard and danger of ten thousand men we enioy ours without putting it into question shee for bodily blessing we haue infinite to the maintenance of health and welfare then the which what could shee haue more for this present life besides many that are spirituall to season the other and yet wee come short of her in thankfulnesse neuerthelesse And that which I haue said of Debora the same we may see in Dauid Anna and others Hee in the Psalme hauing none equall to him in the performing of that duty affirming that hee would doe it three times nay seuen times a day and that hee would doe it openly in the congregation and priuately by himselfe yet as though hee had much forgot himselfe and had waxen dull and been behind other therein hee quickeneth vp himselfe to it saying O my soule praise thou the Lord and al that is within me praise his holy name Hee stirreth vp himselfe wee see to bee feruenter when yet he was very forward before Which I speake not as if both he and other Gods best seruants and most feruent did not feele oftentimes a kind of sleepy deadnesse in them to good duties and remissenesse of spirit creeping vpon them as it is certaine they doe seeing they carry that corruption about them which will oft cause a wearinesse in them of well doing for the time but they hauing a greater power of grace working in them to subdue it they gather vp and stirre themselues againe by such occasion to more earnestnesse and so finde themselues refreshed by a new meditation of their slacknesse with double courage to set vpon their duties And to that end they helpe and sharpen on themselues as Dauid and Debora did and sometime are supported by other as we see Moses his weake hands were faine to be holden vp by Aaron and Hur against Amalek By this we see a manifest difference betwixt them and the wicked who though as they say they like well of prayer and hearing and of thankesgiuing yet they professe they cannot endure nor away with such continuall seruice affirming where that is vrged that men shall neuer haue done For as they who beleeue how greatly they are beholding to God for his goodnesse do charge themselues with their vnthankfulnesse euen when they are forwarder then the most considering they are then but vnprofitable seruants so the other are ready to post it off to others as testifying thereby that they be more beholding to God then they hold themselues to be and thinke euery little to bee enough that they are to doe to God yea and that a word and away may serue the turne euen very froth it is that they offer to him a mocking no sacrifice the heart neuer enclining for it cannot to any such thing Another thing in this verse is concerning Barak and that is that hee should in a shew and with solemne pomp set out the conquest and victorie which God had giuen them ouer their enemies Which though after the victory in warre it was vsed to bee done by the Heathens ouer such as they conquered to the priding of themselues and the vttermost disgrace of them that were subdued yet this was we see spoken by the Prophetesse to the end that God might haue honour therby for one end she propounded both of his act and of her owne and that was the giuing of honour to the Lord. For the seeking of a mans owne glory is no glory but a taking it from God and a prouoking of him thereby Nay where men would thinke that it as a due desert to them yet euen there let them beware that they take it not but let vs all acknowledge Gods goodnesse with thankfulnesse for that he will vse our seruice to the honouring of his name But to flesh and pride our selues in the yoking and subduing of our enemies this were no better then the act of Adonibezek who most cruelly cut off the thumbs of the hands and feet of seuenty Kings and made them as dogs to eat bread vnder his table that hee might glorie in their extreme reproch and shame This act of triumph was common to the people of God with the Heathen but not done in so prophane and common a manner And as it hath been in war so the like in some sort we see at this day in the time of peace that tehre
shall escape better then others c. which was the errour of them who till they found the contrary would neuer be perswaded but their estate was good saying Lord Lord c. as though thereby they should haue entred into his kingdome And as this is true in the generall so is it in particulars both bodily and spirituall For though in the corrupt practise of this wicked world we see euery one is for himselfe as the prouerbe speaketh posting off the regard of the needy to others yet if we enter into the Lords sanctuary and looke what is required by his word wee shall finde it odious vnnaturall and highly displeasing in the sight of God that there is not compassion in one to another and care in one ouer another as equity and band of duty requireth that as they should warme the hearts of their brethren with relieuing them readily in their bodily necessities and dangers so should they comfort their soules likewise with holy instruction and spirituall refreshing as by good occasion and opportunity they may And as these should haue done it in warre so ought we as well in peace This dutie owe superiours either in nature age place or gifts to the inferiours to backe encourage and instruct them equals to each other to admonish comfort visit and support or restore one the other in meekenesse as there shall be cause This is not the Ministers duty alone but of others which if it were practised wee might say indeed that great is the benefit of Christian fellowship whereas now men looke vpon one another as if they knew them not and had as lieue haue their roome as their company But what other is to bee looked for while Gods ordinances whereby hee hath prouided that this duty of caring one for another shall bee nourished are contemned and set at naught But yet for all this I would not thus bee vnderstood as though men ought to breake off and leaue their lawfull callings to seeke as some say they do occasions to be doing of good by conference c. as some idle and phantasticall persons are glad to pretend such things to the end they may liue idely and be held within no bounds but yet as it may fall out when they are called more necessarily to some speciall duties of visiting one another in sicknesse or eating and drinking together for the time vpon some such waighty and iust occasion they may But otherwise they are and that with faithfulnesse and diligence to attend vpon their lawfull vocation vnlesse with their conference and good communication and such like doing of God they may do the duties of their callings also which in trauelling and iourneying together about their businesse they may And this be gathered from the reproofe of all the tribes in generall mentioned in these three verses But now let vs marke somewhat out of them more perticularly For of Reuben and Gilead it is expresly said that they neglected this duty for their owne profit and that they were more bent to the seeking of that then to lend their helpe where they owe it This was found fault withall in them euen as our Sauiour found the like fault with them who were inuited by him vnto another duty euen to the great supper as these were to fight against Gods enemies they excusing their absence for their owne priuate advantage euery one his way one had hired a farme another had bought oxen and he must euen then go trie them and another had married a wife to whom may bee added the third sort of hearers mentioned by our Sauiour whose sinne was of the same kind whom the cares of the world and thornes of riches choke so that the seed sowne in them brings forth no good fruit This worldly minde and sloth in men to preferre their owne profit before Gods businesse far more waighty God in no wise can abide And yet a common sinne it is and not in the worst sort of professors onely as we see in Martha who lost the best part when Christ was at her house and that by cumbring her selfe needlesly who for their owne priuate commodity neglect and passe by duties to God and their brethren and those very waighty for while they puddle for earthly pearles they forgoe the peerlesse pearle of faith and regeneration being if they could see it farre more gaineful then their best merchandise and by infinite degrees excelling them all And let vs all take heede seeing commonly it so falleth out that he who is wittingly carelesse in some duties is not very forward in other how waighty soeuer that it be not so with vs that while we aime at heauen more then some other we be not waighed downe as it were with bolts vpon our heeles to the depth of earthlinesse and so make our dwelling vnder the earth in perpetuall darknesse And this by the occasion of the sin in these two tribes bewailed by Debora speaking in her song of one of them thus for the diuision of Ruben in that he diuided himselfe from his brethren there were great thoughts of heart that is much maruelling and lamenting for his so doing Of the other thus Gilead remained beyond Iordan as if she should say euen then when their brethren were fighting with their enemies they of Gilead sat still at home whom yet the businesse concerned as much as themselues that lamented it And was not that then very lamentable And as I haue spoken of this one sinne the same may be said of the rest how much to bee bewailed they are and namely these more neere akind Euen so it is when good men to these as techinesse or conceits or any other sinister corruptions to separate men from their brethren and thereby to make them backward in helping forward the good things which otherwise might bee as in keeping the vnruly in order and within compasse or helping to bring in a sound and good ministery or any other commendable thing by their care and industry Oh how it should grieue vs when wee see them backward in any good thing who should bee forward Indeed when the diuell hath so fare wound in with men as to diuide them from their brethren they stand stifly in defence of their doing so little doth it greeue them but it pierceth the hearts of the godly in respect both of the wrong done to themselues the scandall offered to others as also because they deserue thereby that their former forwardnesse and fruits should bee called into question Demas made light of his going from Paul but hee writes mournfully of it to Timothy in this manner Demas hath forsaken me and hath imbraced that is to say hee resteth in this present world And no maruell for the truth is the better a mans properties be the more lamentable are his personall blemishes Euen as when a man comely and of very good shape in all other parts very personable of body hath a wooden leg or some other
and the manner brutish They want and would haue to defray the hard world or to bestow vpon their lusts and to maintaine themselues in pride of life but neither worke they because they thinke it is a sin to be idle nor because they looke for any other fruite of their labour saue the bringing in of the peny They see not whose commandement it is that they should labour Genes 3. therefore they goe through it with vexation discontentment distrust endlesse carking and tying God to their girdle to giue what successe they desire which if they get they take it for granted that he loueth them if not they storme To the impure all things are impure and so are their callings they doe the workes of them commonly not to shunne noysome lusts temptation and the fruites of sloth nor to serue Gods prouidence neither to sharpen and fit themselues thereby to religious exercises and to good duties nor to auoide offensiue burthening of others nor to doe good and relieue them that want c. and so to obey God in all nay to speake the truth when they are in their shops at markets in their fields they are far from setting God before their eyes much lesse doe they beleeue that God is with them there to blesse them in their worke as well as when they are occupied in duties meerely religious Sinister ends and causes doe compell the most to yeeld some obedience to Gods commandement but doubtlesse if all were now men of worth and might liue of themselues we should haue few workers As we see by their words saying Oh such a man is happie Why because he need not worke nor toyle as we doe but liue easily and enioy the world at will And by this they bewray that they could bee content to doe so too if necessitie vrged them not to doe otherwise Therefore their labour is as displeasing to God as their idlenesse in a manner as they vse it A wofull thing ans not without the curse of God vpon such as will not learne a better direction that whereas some goe about their worke in faith beleeuing that because they are Gods beloued therefore God will giue them rest blessing and successe others rise earely sit vp late drudge and droile eate the bread of care and drinke the water of affliction yet either they thriue not or at least they are as much to seeke of soule-prouision I meane grace and hope of saluation at the end of their wearisome life as at the beginning whereas it shoud haue been their first work after they came to yeeres of discretion Which should teach vs wisedome and not to giue God a short and formal pittance of seruice when we be at Church on the Sabbath but seeing that great worke is to seeke with the most therefore to giue all their diligence thereto that is to make their saluation sure that all the sixe daies we may wholly giue vp our selues to other affaires without so much as minding God or godlinesse For the Lord will haue vs serue him religiously as well in actions ciuill not religious of their owne nature as holy and this is the scope of his third Commandement which tieth the seruice of God to euery part of our liues in our common course of liuing as well as the second doth to religious duties and therefore must be extended to our particuler callings as being the greatest part of our time and wherein our liues are most taken vp But I will proceede in the next Sermon and here an end Now to proceed where I left THE THIRTIE EIGHT SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES WHile Gedeon was thus hard at worke and labouring the Angell came and spake comfortably vnto him as if he had bin praying or in the like exercise and not to terrifie him To teach vs that our businesse and works of our callings are no lets to vs frō hauing cōmunion and fellowship with God neither doe hinder his presence and comfortable being with vs. And the same may be said of our callings themselues ordained by him bee they meane and base or waightie Therefore the Lord was with Iacob in his iourney and in the way when hee was going from his brother Esaus wrath and rage And so hee made the Gospell effectuall in Lydia by Pauls preaching she being then a seller of purple and rich and not yet truly conuerted to God And the Lord blessed the two tribes in their calling and habitation saying Reioyce Zebulon in thy goings out that is in thy prosperous voiages on the seas and thou Ishachar in thy dwelling in tents meaning in thy quiet keeping at home about thy traffique and businesse And by this which I haue said let vs marke that if it be not long of our selues our lawfull callings and businesse are no hindrances of vs from the seruing of God holily and religiously as some thinke they be but that from them we may goe to prayer or the like exercise in good manner euen as wee may from these to them Although I may truly say this that for not well learning it few can ioyne these wisely and rightly together because their affections and delights are set too egerly towards that which sauers of the earth and of gaine which is the cause that measure is not commonly kept therin Dauid saying that he had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord then to dwell in the tents of the vngodly which he would not haue said if mens attendance vpon the basest worke in their lawful callings had been an hindrance to them from Gods seruice may by his words stay and comfort many weake Christians who thinke that they are much letted from the duties of godlinesse euen by the very vsing of their callings because they be not spirituall as prayer and the like exercises are But to end this let the vse of that which hath been said be thus much vnto vs that wee euer labour to be so innocent well gouerned in al our earthly businesse and workes of our calling that we may not driue the Lord from vs but haue him alwaies with vs by the spirit of truth direction and comfort as we haue heard he hath been with other and was here with Gedeon in their earthly affaires for that is the vsing of them aright and in their kinde The next thing in this verse is this that though the Lord sent his Angell to Gedeon for his owne reliefe and comfort and also the peoples yet wee see this was not done till they were brought neere to extremitie all helpe of man was past and they had no other refuge vnder God but to prouide for themselues by flying from their dwellings to saue their liues As for example Gedeon whose father was in some authoritie and therefore none of the poorest yet was at this point euen thrashing a little corne by the aide and nourishment wherof he and his might flie from the
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
Eunuch communicating with Philip who went away reioycing with sundrie others doe witnesse which should be sufficient to incourage them who suffer these sores to fester inwardly through concealing them and so to preuaile against theÌ„ through their negligence and fainting vnder them to make their cases knowne in time for if they can neither by prayer fasting hearing c. find comfort against their heauinesse resolution in their doubts strength against sinnes direction for particuler duties and the like their last refuge must be to repaire to them that can doe the part of an Ananias to Paul or this Angell to Gedeon I meane bring to mind somewhat which might speake to the heart of them and restore them to good health and comfort againe Which doubtlesse during the temptation they could not feele But the folly of men or their bashfulnes or ignorance is great who denie themselues the libertie which God alloweth them and so procure the more sorrow to themselues I speake of such as may haue resolution for seeking whereas thousands cannot who full gladly would make their benefit thereof But here it is time to make an end THE FORTIETH SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES HOW Gedeon was answered and satisfied about the signe he asked wee haue heard Now note wee further here what a blessing and reward he obtained of God for his kindnesse and curtesie he shewed to the man as he thought him to be whereby wee see how God rewardeth theÌ„ that receiue and make account of his true seruants and messengers Gedeon though he were driuen by the Midianites euen neere to famine and sore oppressed by theÌ„ so that the forgoing of a little in that time of need and extremity was more then a thousand times as much in the time of plentie yet euen then he did not withhold his liberalitie from this messenger of God And what lost he by it Nay how infinitly did he gaine So Abraham doing this dutie receiued for good men Angels of God So that poore widow yeelding her mite to the Prophet of God that is somewhat euen of the little that she had receiued great abundance for it So our Sauiour saith agreeably to this Whosoeuer shall giue vnto one of these little ones he meant such as beleeued in him and were in the sight of the world abiect to drinke but a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verely I say vnto you he shall not lose his reward But of this dutie before this I adde by way of remembrance thereof This intertainment is a part of liberalitie and a fruite of the Spirit So any refreshing of the hearts of Gods Saints is a worthie worke and shall be regarded of God I acknowledge that men must doe in this as they may continue other duties which are imposed vpon them about their own flesh and familie but yet they must not vnder that colour be cold and backward in this dutie of loue neglecting and letting passe such opportunities of doing good as are offered for vncertainties to come As for them that waste much vpon lewd companie play gaming whoring drinking they shall one day know to their cost what it is to lash out and spend the good blessings of God in such vnprofitable and hurtfull manner whereby so many members of Christ might be relieued But for the intertaining and bestowing of a good part of mens goods in such manner as I here speake of and commended as Gedeon did it is to receiue men for their mutuall good and edification and not to euill and carnal ends And therfore that Christians through selfeloue or worldlinesse should be too fast handed scantie and nigardly towards other their poore brethren it sauours of small liking or ioy they haue in their communion of Saints or fruite of their profession whatsoeuer loue to God they pretend For the practise of loue and mercie must approue our godlinesse to be sound and not frothie And yet this is apparent that many a man saueth more by his vpright and conscionable walking and feare of God the which before hee made no conscience to mispend vpon his lusts as many other doe then would well serue them to allot and applie to good vses But to returne when the Angell had thus resolued Gedeon by the signe mentioned he departed from him which cleerely sheweth to what end he came vnto him Now as it falleth out oft times to Gods seruants that the end of one trouble is the beginning of another there ariseth a new trouble to Gedeon after that he was deliuered out of the former doubt danger And in the next verse it is shewed how hee was brought out of it and in the 24. how hee giueth God thanks for it His trouble was this that he had seene an Angell of God therefore he feared hee should die And no maruell for wee shall reade in many places that the old fathers when they had seene God as he might be seene or an Angel were sore terrified and afraid that they should die So in this vnperfit speech saying I haue seene an Angell of God hee ment as we also must supplie it thus I shall die So Iacob after he awoke and perceiued the Lord to be present in the place where he lay and had dreamed that night was afraid and said The Lord was in this place and I was not aware and hauing wrastled with the Angell thinking that he had been a man maruelled that he liued So when Manoah knew that it was an Angell of the Lord that had spoken to him he said to his wife wee shall surely die seeing wee haue seene God So the people said to Moses on Mount Sinai when God came downe they were so afraid that they desired Moses that he would intreate the Lord to speake no more to them in that manner lest they should die The reason of this feare in them was sinne that made them as Adam afraid of Gods voice after he had sinned which before he reioyced aboue all things to heare And thus through the darkenesse which came of sinne they not being able to abide the light of Gods presence their consciences draue them to flie from God who is almighty and holy and pure who can abide no vncleannesse which all mortall men are full of so that euen they who were not tainted with wilfull sinning against God esteemed it is present death to haue God present As the good Prophet Esay testifierâ— saying Woe is me for I am vndone because mine eies haue seene the Lord of Hoasts And though he confessed that hee was a man of poluted lippâ—s for the neerer men come to God the lesse blemishes and smaller they see in themselues yet we know that was indued with grace But this in him and others came of their iustly troubled conscience vnsound and vnpure seeing that God of himselfe by nature is both the author of life and comfort and therefore
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
losse of our liues goods or religion but onely of our will and corrupt affections or the forgoing of some small thing for peace sake which we may lawfully yeeld vnto and we are not debters to our rebellious nature but ought to be professed enemies against the same Againe while we haue peace abroad from ciuill and forraine dissention Oh what a benefit it is as we may see by that which we reade of in the first booke of the Kings that in the daies of Salomon euery one liued safe vnder his vine and vnder his figtree As on the contrary when there is warre or persecution Oh what feare and danger is there what spoile of men and goods is there yea what hauocke of all things Therefore I must needes say vnto you that cannot loue your enemies but boile and swell one against another and to you that may liue quietly euery day in the weeke who yet scarcely do it one that you haste warre vpon your selues yea you long and groane for it or for some other plague and if the Lord would as it were winck to allure you neerer to him yee your selues tempt him to lay load on you and to such I say with griefe you cannot tell what it is to inioy peace and make vse of it Whereas if you did well consider it yee would seeke yea and insue after peace so far as ye might attaine it with holinesse and by no meanes suffer it to go from you and ye would not so yeeld to your lusts and carnal affections in fauouring nourishing and satisfying whereof ye depriue your selues of the sweete and infinite fruits of common peace But if this distemper and vnrulinesse be found in a familie betwixt husband and wife or other parts of the familie it is more to be bewailed what did I say nay monstrous Oh what good might be done in this time of peace as the Churches did find in the Acts And this should we doe if we were wise for so God commandeth As much as in you lieth haue peace with all men Yea though it cost vs somewhat as Abraham with losse procured it betwixt Lot and himselfe And if any such be vexed by strangers and disquieted by them let them consider that it is iust with God to punish them so who haue broken peace yea and despised it with neighbours kindred and wife at their owne home And in that it is said here that they laboured til they were faint and wearie we see that the earnest following of our duties will make vs oft times neglect and forget our selues and out bodily ease as they did So the woman of Samaria was so rauished with Christs sweet communication as ignorant as she was when he first met her at the well yea saucie and scornefull that for the great defire shee had to heare him she forgat her selfe and neglected the care of her bodily businesse And Abrahams seruant so minded the dutie which was enioyned him of his master that although hee had need hauing trauelled farre yet hee would not eate till he had dispatched that which he went about Thus Peter Actes 10. through the heauenly intention of his mind ouercame his hunger so that before any thing could be made readie he was in a traunce And so Paul whose watchings and fastings are in other places set downe to haue been so many did neglect his sleepe and repast at Troas through that feruency of spirit which caused him to preach till midnight and at Ephesus did vsually for three yeeres exhort them in the night as well as in the day But aboue all our Sauiour Christ who through his earnestnesse and zeale did many times as in that holy speech and communication with the woman Ioh. 4. forbeare his meate and forget to eate alleaging that he had meate to eate which they knew not of vers 34. Euen so our minds being set seriously vpon our duties as prayer reading good company the following of our calling c. we do not at all many times or very little mind other things belonging to our bodily welfare and it is our crowne so farre as we can by good occasions remember that with Gedeon we haue done so Indeed in and about play pleasure and seeking after the commodities of the world the case is cleare that too too many haue swet and doe continually forget and disguise themselues so that neither cold hunger heate or vnseasonablenesse can hold them backe or hinder them But in Gods matters as his worship and in things which tend to our owne saluation and the hunting and purging out of some speciall sinnes also in furthering and bringing on one another to faith and good duties and so seeking how to do most good to the poore members of Christ Oh how few are to bee found to doe thus who yet neither spare labour time cost or any thing else about their owne matters whereas we should bee so taken vp with Gods matters that our owne euen lawfull might bee moderated at least Thus Marie sat at the feete of Christ and through her attention to his preaching neglected the lesse necessarie work of preparing for him Now though euery example bee not a law to bind euery man to the like yet where we see it so agree with the doctrine of the word as here such examples must be our instruction and we may well gather that there is a singular affection of loue to God and ioy in his seruice where it is so which concernes vs much to follow And much more we may conclude that when men in hearing the word or prayer c. doe so wander and are so weary that euery minute is an houre vnto them and euery houre ten till al be done and some wil not endure out the whole time but depart to serue their appetite or follow their worke these we may be sure are little affected with the action since other things are predominant with them which will not giue place euen when the most religious duties are in hand The man of trade must looke to this yea the worshipfull and all estates that feare God to the end that of meere conscience they may obey God in their seuerall callings and places Thus Ioshua went all night long to helpe the Gibeonites and Gedeon was neither by hunger nor wearinesse held backe from pursuing after the Midianites The vse hereof is to warrant our selues that our greatest delight be in seruing the Lord in one part of our life as in another as in the chiefest to God so next in the particular duties of our callings painefully in euery estate and degree and faithfully and so to take our rest refreshing and recreation which yet should follow and come after these and not goe before them Gedeon being wearie and his men asketh but bread of his owne countrey men for whose peace he pursued the Midianites as well as for his own his reason was twofold
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
therefore why the Lord should fight as fast against them to driue them to repentance for their reuoltings from him as they fought against Beniamin And to teach them that they wanted meekenesse loue and discretion to temper their feruent reuenge withall that so they might doe the holy worke of God in an holy manner Therefore in such a case let men be contented nay glad if God crosse them that they may the better spie out what poysoneth their best duties and desires as pride rashnes boldnesse and learne hereby meekenesse humilitie repentance feare c. for God doth iustly suffer many discouragements to be vpon such as he did also oft times deale so with the Israelites going vp to Canaan out of Egypt Exod. 3. that they may stay their course in any euill attempts and proceed more aduisedly and commendably in their doings But it falleth out sometime as I said before that sore and great difficulties stand vp in mens way not vnlike to Gedeons wherein the Lord deales with his as if he sending them on a iourney would make heauen and earth to be against them in their trauels which is greatly to their admiration and astonishment As who would haue said that Dauid had been chosen of God to be king when yet the promise thereof was oft renued and confirmed to him seeing his discouragements were so many and strong that he met with whereas Saul came to his kingdome easily without trouble And in such cases wherein we haue so much to dismay vs yet Satan is euer at hand also to worke vpon our weakenes and to set vs much more backward especially when wee shall bee brought to thinke Gods deeds seeme contrary to his words and promise as the death of the Shunamites child which yet had bin giuen her as an vnlooked for blessing Now when it pleaseth God to trie vs by seeming to set such barres in our waies few of vs are wise inough to see or at least rightly to consider why it is thus with vs and why God suffereth things so to trouble vs but as though wee had thereby iust cause to complaine of his doing and to expostulate with him we begin to doubt how he wil make good his promise to vs and whether we may go forward in the good course in which we haue begun yea and we are impatient perhaps or much disquieted at the least if we doe not also fret and fume and so are discouraged from our good beginnings Whereby we may see our froth rather then faith which seemed before to bee good substance and feele the stinch of our vnsauourie hearts which vpon small occasion cast out such euill smelles And yet herein wee differ from Gedeon that as he was found in his discouragements and crosses to be of farre greater courage and confidence then wee so his triall was in great matters and ours but in trifles for the most part And not onely when wee bee crossed and hindred in good actions we do thus but if we haue but some one let in our way as euen in our common businesse such distemperature as I haue spoken of shall possesse vs or if we haue lost something though of small valew yea though it be but only missing and out of the way or if we be hindred by the weather which is ordinary or as oft it falleth out through our own rashnesse only as when we 〈…〉 stumble and hurt our foot against a stone what should we then bee like to do if in going about any duty we should haue so many and great lets in the way and crossings of vs as may easily meet with vs and those also as it were sent from God to resist vs It is therefore the singular and onely grace of God to inable vs to belieue and bee perswaded that hee doth oft times such things to trie vs and that we may shew foorth the grace of faith and patience that is in vs and therefore we are to hold our peace seeing he hath done it And such hinderances and crossings fall out sometimes when we are going to prayer priuately or in our familie or to the hearing of the word preached or to receiue the sacrament c. from which no wise body will say we should be withdrawne by any pretence as though wee pleased not God therein seeing euen in them some lets do rise vp in the way to hinder vs. And the like we may obserue in those discouragements which are from within our selues For example when a Minister in his course of preaching shall find ill measure at the hands of others whose good he most seeketh while they see not the purpose of God toward them as Moses did by the Israelites when he was first sent vnto them Exod. 6. or if they shall but despise Gods prouidence toward them as the Pharisees are said to haue done how thinke we is this like to worke vpon him or which is more if he shall feele within himselfe great vnfitnesse as Moses did Exod. 3. and some vnwillingnesse deadnesse drousinesse or want of assistance from God in discharge of the worke of his ministery all which are great dampings to a man who hath vsed the best meanes to furnish himselfe both with knowledge and conscience and yet euen the best sometimes haue the proofe hereof in themselues What thoughts thinke we are like to arise in him in such a case Therfore if a man looke not for these and if he be not resolued before hand that such quailings of him may fall out and also if hee be not armed against the temptations which may arise therefrom it is wonderfull how the diuell may weaken his faith and zeale and slacken his purpose of diligence in the Lords worke But on the other side if in such a case hee be able to stay himselfe by considering that such trials are vsual more or lesse to the best seruants and Ministers of God and alway haue been who haue their ebbings aswell as their flowings as Eliah Paul yea our Sauiour himselfe had strong discouragements what a singular benefit is this Much more if he hauing ouercome the first onset shall in the second place meditate of the end which the Lord hath in abasing him thus he being occupied in Gods owne worke and that is that hee may teach him humilitie yea how to flee out of himselfe and depend immediatly vpon the Lord for sufficiencie and assistance and not trust to his own wit study memory tongue or gifts which others make their onely refuge and therefore are often disappointed oh what gaine shall he reape thereby and say with Paul I am neuer fitter for Gods seruice then when I am lowest in mine owne opinion hereafter therefore if I boast I wil boast of mine owne infirmities as the Apostle speaketh in which the glory of God is most perfected and aduanced Gedeon receiuing the like discourtesie and rude answer of the men of Penuel as he had before of the men
directed afterward but contrariwise we haue much to grieue our hearts and to accuse vs therby And this I adde the rather because wee see that Gedeon ouer-shot himselfe in this who yet most worthily tempered wisedome and equitie with seueritie in the punishing of the men of Succoth and Penuel Now because few of Gods children will beleeue this therfore they see not that the most offences that they commit are abuses of good duties They dare not sin grossely and so long they think all is well but when they are about good actions they are soone ouer-shot and why They are there where they should be being so occupied they presume and suspect no danger euen as the traueller riding in a most straight path or rode hedged in on both sides so that hee cannot goe amisse But oh sillie man consider thou bearest about thee a bodie of sinne an euill heart euen in a good heart what wonder then if much euill cleaue to thy best actions when no other thing is looked at but the good when the hypocrisie ignorance boldnes pride and other corruptions thereof lieth vnseene vnpurged nay when a corrupt humour sets a man on worke to doe a good dutie that it may lurke vnder the vizor thereof as anger and malice vnder zeale and holy reuenge which is as odious as Nadab Abihu their offering Incense with strange or common fire Is not hearing prayer a good action Yet our Sauiour saith Take heede how ye heare Paul saith Watch your selues in prayer Ephes 6. For if yee looke not narrowly to your selues in these keeping your selues attentiue reuerent confident humble feruent throughout them the diuell will watch you so that as good neuer a whit as neuer the better when all is done And if this be so euen in things religious how much more in those which are indifferent For vnder this pretence That to be angrie merrie in companie to eate drinke recreate the body c. are things neither good nor euill in nature who forgets not this That these all change their nature when they come into action and cannot be indifferently done They are good or bad according to the manner of doing Therefore though anger be not euill of it selfe yet the Lord iustly challengeth Ionah saying Doest thou well to be angrie meaning so corruptly and carnally Therefore as easie a worke as men thinke it to carrie themselues aright in all these yet let them know that if in any of them they transgresse the rule either of pietie loue or sobernes the goodnesse or indifferencie of the worke shall not saue them harmelesse For instance if in their zeale they neither aime at Gods glorie nor the reformation of the partie nor the moderation of the affection their zeale is folly rage error or any thing rather then holy zeale But of this point I haue spoken in this booke often and shall speake afterward if God will Let me adde this caueat to the Ministers that in all their teaching especially in the doctrine of these duties they beware lest they teach men their libertie which they learne too soone of themselues and catch greedily from them and be large therein but slight and short in teaching the rules before named to restraine the abuse thereof rather be they short in the former and warie and large in the latter to cut off all lewd pretences As wee see Paul doth for hauing said Be angrie fearing he should haue disciples too many he straight way addeth but sinne not and this cuts the combe of the Libertine So doth the wise Preacher Eccles 11. Reioyce young man and take thy pleasure c. But know that for all this thou shalt come to iudgement Now if the best be subiect to these failings what shall be said of the worst Surely no wonder if they regard not at all whether it be good or bad they doe but runne to their obiect as the fish to the baite Or if they doe enquire then they doe it after the fact done as Salemon saith of the sacrilegious which bewraies a vile minde For if they desire to heare it be well what a prophanenes is this to desire that Gods rule were crooked so their doings be streight But if they thinke otherwise they make the Minister of God a stale and as for God himselfe they make him a God of cloutes who must take their frothie repentance and satisfaction in good part be it what and when they please but for themselues they will be on the surest hand with him first to satisfie their desire and to inquire aftewards whether they did well or no. Againe for good duties they cannot doe them well themselues being euill as for indifferent though they say Let vs alone if we know we may doe them wee will take order good enough for the manner and end For like fooles they runne into the contrarie extremitie or else into monstrous excesse in the vse of the libertie So that truly it is said of such They are set in slipperie places for they delight most of all to set their foote on the brinke of the ditch or riuer who seeth not with what danger but they loue not to walke vpon plaine ground which they might doe safely and so they slide suddenly and in the end perish remedilesly Gedeons mouing his sonne to fall vpon the two Princes was to traine him to be acquainted with pursuing ill causes and persons assoone as he grew fit for it and not to teach him from his vouth to bee cruell For that quickly pricks which will be a thorne of it selfe and needs no sharpning either this or any other sinne By this example well approued by the best rule Christians should frame their children betimes and as their yeeres will permit to discerne good from bad and beware how they vse their tongues or behaue themselues in the sight or hearing of their children euen when they are most tender seeing they are apprehensiue enough of that which is lewd and especially when their parents shall strengthen their inward pronenesse to euill by their authoritie as God willing shall better appeare after in chap. 17. 2. As for this action of his howsoeuer it may seeme crueltie to such as cannot iudge yet it was pietie and obedience to Gods commandement And youth in this age had need in all wise manner to be moued and if it may be perswaded to the embracing and following of good instruction and religious walking they being so soone possessed by ill education and companie of the sinnes of the time as neuer more in any age or memorie then in this Although the act was good that he was vrged to yet feare and modestie in him being so young was commendable for there must be time to settle youth euen in that which is good which takes not roote easily much lesse growes to bring foorth fruite especially when there is some shew and appearance of euill in it As in Gedeons
and desire of obeying God did pursue the enemies of his people intending that businesse wholly and not minding earthly profit at all behold euen that also befell him and was brought to his hands And it is as easie to see and behold at this day as it shall be alwaies found true that while Gods seruants in all conditions and degrees seeke the Lord with all their heart he prouideth other necessarie helpes for this present life which they doe not so much seeke after As Iacob when he had renued his couenant with the Lord in his iourney to Aram confesseth at his returning home how liberally God had prouided for him Oh how many may witnesse the same For why as the Lord is true of his promise so he is a plentifull rewarder of them that seeke him And as he regardeth such not meanely so hee dealeth iustly with those that are vnfaithfull and worldly minded that whereas they might seeme by their greedines and their vnwearied following their commodities with the casting of care of things heauenly to get all wealth into their hands they oft times attaine not that which they pursue and those that doe attaine it haue got but the winde in their fist euen nothing who see they cannot hold it when they most desire it And this is to teach vs contentment in a godly estate yea thankfulnes and not to haue our teeth watering after the dainties of the other A dish of greene hearbes is better in such a case then a stalled oxe Vers 22. Then the men of Israel said vnto Gedeon Raigne thou ouer vs both thou and thy sonne and thy sonnes sonne for thou hast aeliuered vs out of the hand of Midian 23. And Gedeon said vnto them I will not raigne ouer you neither shal my child raigne ouer you but the Lord shall raigne ouer you The third part of the Chapter IN this last part of the Chapter follow certaine particulars concerning Gedeon and the first that is set downe is the offering of the kingdome to Gedeon and his posteritie by the men of Israel and the reason which they render of their so doing with his refusing it in these two verses The generall act of the people was good in that they shewed themselues thankfull to him for the great deliuerance which they had obtained by him as Gods instrument out of all the oppression of the Midianites their enemies And it bindeth all to the like dutie when they haue receiued kindnesse So both kindred towne and countrey ought to shew kindnesse to him and his by whom they haue receiued some great good and benefit Thus did Pharaoh aduance Ioseph and his brethren and father for that hee had preserued his land in the famine and it was complained of that there arose another Pharaoh afterward who did not know him And Dauid remembred Ionathans kindnesse to him after he was dead in doing good to his This caused Salomon to vtter this prouerb Thine owne friend and thy fathers friend for sake thou not And so to descend to smaller kindnesse betwixt one neighbour and another this thankfulnesse ought to bee shewed that while both it and the fruit of it bee continued betwixt them there may bee peace and good will which otherwise for the most part is banished from men vnlesse it be couered with dissimulation For while the one scorneth to owe any thing to the other professing that he can liue without him and the other is backward in loue whereby he might winne his neighbor what is nourished betweene both but strangenesse suspition vncharitablenesse discord and such cursed effects and fruits thereof And now last of all in this matter if thankfulnesse bee due for outward fauours and good turnes how much more should it bee shewed for the greatest of all as when one man hath by his industrie labour and loue bin the instrument and meane of the saluation of many In which respect Paul wrote to Philemon thus I will not say though he might that thou owest to me euen thine owne selfe And so other such may say who haue receiued the like kindnesse by any of vs as to be deliuered from the wrath to come by our teaching though it little appeare by the requital of loue and kindnesse againe I meane to procure their ioy who reclaimed them by being shining lights afterward But this hath been shewed at large vers 1. before Now as I haue spoken of the generall act of the Israelites toward Gedeon which all may see to haue been commendable in that they were thankfull though not without some weakenes so yet their particular act in offering the kingdome to him as farre of from allowance in them that it was vtterly vnlawfull for it was not in their power and therefore they offered that which was not theirs as shall better appeare by Gedeons answer in the next verse We ought by this to beware that we be not liberall of another mans right and good in giuing that which belongs not to vs. As many loue for name and credit to be liberall but it shall be of stolne or which is all one of other mens goods Euen so to shew it in another kind neither may any man giue his soule to the diuell as witches and coniurers and many other though not so apparantly doe for they are bought with a price nor our bodies to be defiled for they are redeemed and made the Temples of the holy Ghost This needs no long standing vpon but by this we are taught that as their sinne is great as oppressors gripers and gamesters who inioy to their owne benefitill gotten goods and restore them not so neither ought we to receiue of any man that which is not his owne but ill come by if wee certainly know it Otherwise the receiuer is excused who in his simplicitie doth presume charitably that to be of the giuers proper goods which hee knoweth not certainly to haue been badly gotten Neither shall the simple affection of the receiuer acquite the ill conscience of the giuer whose sinne herein is double both that he hath attained his wealth vnconscionably and then plaid the part of Achan in couering his stealth what though it be vnder the faire pretence of religious and deuout liberalitie Doubtlesse if Ananias were guiltie of sacriledge for detaining to himselfe a part of that which hee had alienated from himselfe and consecrated to the Lords vse how much more they who first rob others and then feed the Lord with the spoile as Lions doe their Whelps of that which they haue ill gotten It is the cast of many caterpillars when they haue sucked and drawne the blood of others all their life like horsleaches ready to burst they will satisfie for their villany by paying the tithe or some shred of their vnrighteous Mammon to the vse of the Lord or the Church whereas this sanctifieth not the rest that is behind but maketh all their goods execrable to
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
left in the briars as Iudas was of the Priests whom he trusted in Let the reader looke backe to the fifth chapter and the 30. verse where the answere of Sisera his mother to her selfe and her wise Ladies to her is recorded and there he shall finde this point further in larged As I said they were slaine in the Temple of their I doll which they put their trust in so it was done by Abimelech who followed the matter to the purpose when he heard whither they fled This was his kindnes to the men of Shechem that made him king He promised other matters to theÌ„ vers 2. that he being their bone and their flesh be would regard them aboue all other And now we see here that all was but flatterie for to what end came all but to this that they had no greater enemie then him True it is indeed this fell out according to that which Iotham before had denounced against them to wit that fire should come out of the bramble and destroy the Cedars of Lebanon But this excuseth the fact of Abimelech no more then the counsell and purpose of God touching the deliuerance of Christ to death A good watch-word excused Iudas the traytor and the Priests and other who put him to death This is good therefore and an vse to be made of this doctrine if euer now needfull and therefore to bee heard and regarded namely that wee take heed whom we trust and giue credit vnto that is to say not such as wee haue not proued to be faithfull as the men of Shechem may teach vs who too rashly and readily trusted this deceiuer and false hearted Abimelech Our Sauiour would not commit himselfe to them that were said to beleeue in him for he knew what was in man Much lesse ought we to doe so who know there is much falsehood and doubling in them whom we trust and that they are ignorant prophane and hypocrites Therefore Salomon going as neere the marke as he could gaue this counsell about trusting of men Thine owne friend and thy fathers forsake thou not c. So that if it may be some proofe should be made of their faithfulnes and vprightnes first before we rest vpon them especially if it lie in vs to doe it And it being so necessary a gift this faithfulnes I meane the Apostle requires it in feruants the meaner sort of persons as one of the two necessary duties that should be in them the other being diligence without which they cannot doe their duties well that we may see thereby how needfull it is in all other about greater matters And as this sinceritie is rare to finde according to that which Salomon complaineth of saying Where shall one finde a faithfull man And Paul All haue not faith that is the fruite of faith which is faithfulnes and true heartednes so it should cause vs to begin with our selues and vrge our own hearts for vprightnes first and not to marueile that we finde it not in others if it be not in ourselues as that we may be trusted vpon our word and approue our selues such as we would be taken to be And then by our obseruation and experience of the good dealing that wee can finde in any more then in other thereafter let vs giue credit vnto them and yet I meane such good dealing as hath been learned by the preaching of the Gospell such as is according to knowledge And by the same vprightnes and good dealings men should bee led in chusing their companions in mariage and not to hearken to euery glosing tongue that can make faire and large promises which haue deceiued thousands and also in seeking of seruants or to haue them if it may be the children of the faithfull well and religiously brought vp and the same care should be had in chusing executors comeprimitters and such as we would put in trust To the which if it be demanded where such shall be found that they may be trusted in matters of importance I answere beside that I haue said already that euery one which will aske this question must first begin himselfe to practise sinceritie that so hee may the better complaine of the want thereof in other this I adde that some who call for it and finde it not are worthie to goe without it although I doe not hereby excuse them that are void of it and offer the contrary euill measure And they who I say are worthy to goe without it when they would full gladly finde it in those whom they deale with are such as are carping biting scoffing and accusing of them for their precisenes who labour and endeuor to keepe their consciences pure and good Too many there are in this age who cannot so soone perceiue a man or woman to withdraw themselues from the sinnes of the time and to bee afraid to offend as the common sort doe but by and by they cry out of them that they are Precisians Now they who can allow none to be vpright and conscionable in their waies and life it is no matter though they meete with such in their dealings as shew small conscience and vprightnes toward them God being iust to make others to measure out to them as they haue measured to others as Salomon saith in an other kinde Eccles 7. to teach them to know what an vpright hearted man is worth and to make much of such rather then to discourage them One example shall serue for all A cruell Landlord cries out of his vnfaithfull Tenant that he hath broken his day and it may be is runne away with his rent But who is in fault The poore Tenant that dares not appeare before his Lord to craue in differencie or the cruell Lord who hath borne him in hand that he hath let him a good peniworth whereas indeede hee hath so racked and fleeced him that he is fitter to begge reliefe then to pay his debt out of the farme hauing had nothing neere sufficient out of his owne labour to vphold himselfe As for such let them crie out of vnfaithfulnes till they be weary who will pitie them Let the dead bury the dead as our Sauiour saith they are serued as they haue deserued and let them reape as they haue sowne Further I answere let vs lament and pray against such vnfaithfulnes for that it is so common At least let vs pray that we may be free from hauing to doe with such for vnfaithfull men commonly are also vnreasonable at least that we be not beguiled by them ere we be aware as Abner and Amasa were by Ioab which except the Lord giue a man wisedome to discerne cannot alwaies bee auoided Besides where least trust hath been found by experience let men be wise to repose least trust in them For who will put precious liquors in a broken vessell hauing proued it to be vnâ—t for vse or through folly venter to dash our foot against the stone
grace and quickned them by faith to the liuely hope of glorie But I proceede to note something of these two Iudges seuerally out of the verses following To begin with Iair hee was of the halfe Tribe of Manasseh a Giliadite hauing many sonnes seeing they had many wiues in those daies his sonnes rode in token of their greatnesse and euery one of them was a Ruler ouer a Citie and therefore their father must needs be a man of great Nobilitie Now to giue some light into this it is said in the booke of Numbers that one Iair tooke many Cities of the Canaanites and they were called the Cities of Iair not that I say that the man who is here mentioned of that name was he seeing there were 300. yeeres betwixt them both but being both of one place there is little doubt but that the heere mentioned came of the family of the other and so those Cities it is most like fell and came vnto him Now from hence we learne that God choosing out of one Tribe as well as another as by those that haue been mentioned before in this story and these here may appeare to wit Tola of Issachar a poore Tribe and Iair of Manasseh very rich by this I say we may see that he would giue to none of them any cause to complaine no not the meanest as they might otherwise it is like enough haue taken occasion to doe that he had not chosen out of one Tribe as well as out of another the deliuerer and Captaine ouer the people Teaching vs by his example to be without partialitie in our dealings and iniurious to none which is a singular vertue and shewed by Salomon as a companion of his wisdome in deciding the cause betwixt the two harlots he leaned to neither but dealt indifferently with both And such indifferency we should shew in our actions through our whole course that wee might not be iustly challenged for the contrary but to practise equality in comparisons and censures and in one or other our dealings we shewing good reason if we at any time do otherwise not doing as some whose office being to professe the punishing of wicked persons will yet for fauour on the one side or spite and malice on the other not only be partiall but also extenuate the fault of the guiltie partie and charge the innocent and honest to be in greater offence then the guiltie which is the peruerting of iustice and the direct way to nourish and multiplie iniquity and this some will doe the rather if the innocent partie be zealous of the Gospell When the Lord sent Manna from heauen to feed his people he made a law against mens greedy snatching it vp one from another prouiding that he that gathered more then his fellow should part with the ouer-plus to make the portion of the other equall so that none could complaine that he was neglected in that heauenly dole Men of meane estate murmur that this abundance of the earth is so vnequally diuided by God that some haue al some neuer a whit But so to doe in that case is more equalitie then if all had alike for a difference there must euer bee in estates some rich some poore But who seeth not euen in this Gods indifferencie Know ye not brethren saith Iames that God hath called the poore of this world to be rich in faith and good works Meaning that not many rich are vouchsafed this honour and therefore in that the poore are betrusted with the Gospel which is the Treasure and Manna of heauen and receiue it willingly Matth. 11. whereas the rich haue other matters to busie themselues about are they neglected through partialitie thinke we But if any of low degree want his part in the best things also he may thanke himselfe for his abasement who will pity him who shortens himselfe of his allowance there would doubtlesse be lesse complaining among the better sort of people as for the vnruly and idle they seeke their owne sorrow if men wee so prouided for as God allotteth to them for neither should many men become poore through their leaudnesse and they that otherwise must of necessitie be so should both comfort themselues in God and be the better regarded by others through a larger contribution of his bestowed vpon them Therefore againe I say let this seemely vertue find fauour with them whom the entertainement of it might much aduantage Such as haue the rating of inferiors for publike duties giue great cause of complaining by their partialitie through friendship or dislike yea and scape themselues proportion being obserued more easily then the meane sort of people Which is grosse that men will seeke for the highest place of countenance and honor aboue others but in matter of burden and charge put the basest vnderling before themselues More particularly in that the Lord chooseth out of the poore and base Tribe of Ishaker this Tola to Iudge Israel it was to teach vs the truth of that prouerb that a mans gift makes him to sit among the mighty and aduanceth the base and the meane who ought not to be despised for want of wealth if God hath giuen them gifts How little this truth hath been regarded alwaies Salomon declareth who saith what he had obserued that a poore and wise man deliuered a citie sore assaulted by the mightie and that he did by his wisdome but none remembred this poore man And in another place he saith There is an euill that I haue seene vnder the Sun that folly is set in great excellency and the rich in wisdome and vertue set in the low place I haue seene seruants on horses princes walking as seruants on the ground This seeing hee calleth an euill hee well instructeth the children of wisedome to iustifie her wheresoeuer shee bee found howsoeuer shee bee iustled and opposed by the carnall And as the Queene of the South said to Salomon Happy are thy seruants that attend on thee and who may heare thy wisedome so because a greater then Salomon is heere wee should count it our felicitie to heare him and count their feet beautiful that bring glad tidings And to receiue such as men of God and as his Prophets what meane shew soeuer they make in our eies and to commune with them when they are dead while we reade their holy works when we cannot conuerse with their persons being taken away from vs out of this life Thus Dauid out of a mean family and Saul also though destitute of grace were excellently gifted with courage for warre and gouernment in peace so that few of the noblest doubtlesse might compare with them So that the meanelier they were descended the more admirable they were in themselues not being beholding to any predecessors for the spirit and good parts that were in them but laid the foundation of Nobilitie to their posteritie Therefore so long as the base by birth maintaine worthily
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
both a solitarie place fit for the purpose and also farre from her fathers house to weane her selfe from thence or for to auoid recourse of her friends vnto her To teach vs that there fall out times and occasions to bee solitarie euen as it is it selfe commanded vs of God and that both extraordinary as here and in priuat fasting and ordinary also for meditation and these both the one and the other we should vse to our good when we haue cause either longer or shorter time to goe apart by our selues knowing that this is a speciall action of religious worship and therefore requireth seperation from hindrances So did our Sauiour Christ for a time after much preaching and being in companie goe into some solitarie place with his Disciples as it were returning to himselfe that hee might haue more freedome for heauenly contemplation and prayer So in the time of great lamentation as the people did mourne for the death of Iosias and in the time of Zachary the Prophet whē the familie did it apart one member of it from another the husband apart and the wife apart But fondly doth Popery abuse such examples to maintaine Monasticall life and such like fancies when they were vsed in the best manner if euer well vsed but now much more when they haue brought them to such abomination as they are come vnto that it is but a couer for much and great wickednesse And this point deserueth our obseruation that she being now in heauines wisely chose the fittest exercise to set it in on worke and did not yeeld to her passion which then would haue made her loggish and vnprofitable but vsed it to a singular good end euen to fit her selfe for her death and departure In mirth and ioy how hard a thing is it to recall home our wandring senses and straying affections and retire our thoughts and mindes from rouing in euery corner of the world our wofull experience can tell vs. Sorrow hath likewise many and those grieuous annoiances attending it but that of the two the comparison being equall is the fittest trumpet to sound this retreit And as naturally it contracteth the body and the spirits so if it be taken heed vnto it bringeth the superfluous and noisome cares delights and desires of the soule into a narrower compasse And when a man is wholly at home is he not fitter for any good dutie then when hee is absent in great part from himselfe Therefore as the day of griefe is a season and opportunitie for some good dutie which at other times is to vs vnseasonable so let vs vse it accordingly that is redeeme it Solitarinesse I confesse is not fit for euery sorrower and yet it is necessarie for the better doing of this dutie I therfore distinguish of persons Such therfore as are ignorant and yet oppressed with heauinesse for that they doubt and are vncertaine of Gods fauour for their sinne and especially if they bee pressed with melancholy To these I giue this counsell that they auoide solitarinesse in their pangs of griefe and melancholike passions and giue not vantage to their enemie the diuell to finde them alone as neere as they can lest they finde his delusions and temptations the more forcible as Iudas in his perplexitie did when hee went aside from all companie But let their sorrow driue them to aske counsell and make their cases knowne to such as can aduise or comfort them The diuell was bold to assault our Sauiour himselfe in his solitarinesse But to returne and to speake of the point If a suruey were taken I doubt wee should finde few houres I speake not of weekes or moneths dedicated by the most part of Christians to this heauenly worke of vsing solitarines for meditation especially for preparation to dye to make vp their accounts against they should be called for Oh they look to liue long they are not in the case of this maide who was within two moneths of her dying day and applied them wholly to fit her for death but they are made drunke with an vnsatiable desire of liuing still and therefore tell not them of such sad vnwelcome matters But oh fooles are they not suddenly taken and as vnprouided within few daies and houres of their death as they were many yeeres before Therefore to leaue them when the Lord at any time iustly occasioneth vs to be sorrowfull and pensiue let vs beware of blockishnesse which commonly accompanieth them who in in their mirth thinke of nothing but iollitie and say wee euery one thus to our selues Now the Lord calles me home to the practise of a dutie which indeed ought to be oft in vse to meditate of my estate to vnburden my mind and soule of those manifold needlesse and noysome thoughts and affections which I haue ouerloaden my selfe a long time withall now the Lord will haue me bent to search out my errors corruptions and disorders of hart and life and going aside to ease my stomack of them confesse loath renounce and aske pardon of them Now the Lord will haue me to pray that his spirit may be restored to me in greater measure that I may returne with more libertie to his seruice and beware that I be not againe surfeited with that which now I haue vomited vp as the world pleasures vaine desires vile and loathsome lusts This is a good vse indeed of heauinesse the house of such mourning is better thē the house of feasting And to this end oh it were to be wished that damsels as well as other liuing in these daies would setforth themselues to the world not in pride boldnesse nicenesse and curiositie of fashions but in modestie grace and wisdome as this maiden here did which were another manner of spectacle then to see many golden rings in a swines snout Now whereas it is said here to fill vp the measure of her due commendation that she returned at the time set vnto her father to doe to her as hee had vowed the faithfulnesse constancie and obedience of the maid is not onely to bee commended but admired For why did shee so but to serue God therein as she was perswaded Such keeping of couenant and promise made by her when it was to the forgoing of her life doth vrge all in smaller matters much more to keepe promise and to make conscience of their word and that not only towards God but euen to men also The like we see in Paul who hauing his liberty giuen him both in his iourney towards Rome and at Rome also where hee was Nero his prisoner whereby hee might haue made many an escape and shifted for himself yet neuer attempted any such course but faithfully returned to his Captaine and to his Keeper though to the perill of his life rather then he would procure safety by breaking away by distrusting God or by vnfaithfulnesse A good cause will seeke no such shifts and our great Iesuits if there were in them that
God heard the voyce of Manoah and the Angell of God came againe to the wife as she sate in the field but Manoah her husband was not with her 10. And the wife made haste and ranne and shewed her husband and said vnto him Behold the man hath appeared vnto me that came vnto me to day 11. And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said vnto him Art thou the man that spakest vnto the woman and he said Yea. 12. Then Manoah said Now let thy saying come to passe but how shall we order the childe and doe vnto him 13. And the Angell of the Lord said vnto Manoah The woman must beware of all that I said vnto her 14. She may eate of nothing that commeth of the vine tree she shall not drinke wine nor streng drinke nor eate any vncleane thing let her obserue all that I haue commanded her NOw it followeth how the Angell appeared the second time and that to them both to wit Manoah and his wife and that was thus She like a good wife went and told her husband that such an one some Prophet or man of God appeared to her and told her of such a thing and what she should doe but she said she answered nothing to him againe Then Manoah besought the Lord that he might come againe and hee appeared againe to the woman who immediatly went and called her husband who finding the man of God in the field asked of him both of the former message which he had brought to his wife and also what they should do to the child when it should be borne and he answered him euen as he had before said to his wife Here the woman in her telling her husband of the messenger describeth him thus The fauour of the man of God saith she that appeared to me was as an Angell of God fearefull for so the Hebrew word is translated which signifieth also wonderful and so it is like she said and meant though it be translated fearefull And to preuent all doubts and suspitions further she telleth him that neither she knew him nor from whence hee was neither did he tell her his name But this onely hee said to her that she should beare a sonne and she must abstaine from wine and eate no vncleane thing for the childe should be a Nazarite from his birth vnto his death But let vs now peruse these verses throughout more fully Touching that which she vttereth of the reuerend presence of the Angell I will not insist in it hauing elsewhere noted the substance thereof I begin with this sixth verse where first know we this that the woman by and by going to her husband simply to signifie the matter to him as soone as she receiued the message which equally concerned them both did as became a good wife For so it behoueth that married couples should communicate their mindes one to another matrimony being a societie betwixt two as if they were but one For they ought to haue their fellowship together in imparting heauenly things one with another and earthly also euen as there were both in this matter heauenly seeing the message came in the name of God and from heauen earthly seeing it was of and about a temporall comfort or blessing pertaining to this life to wit of the bearing of a sonne This example betwixt two godly couples doth commend to vs the sociable and kind agreement and liuing together in mariage that both be of one minde in good things and shew foorth their inward consent in affection by the tokens of communion in outward things concerning them both as Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebecca with many other did And as God hath commanded that it should be thus so in like manner it standeth with all sound reason that they who are so neerely linked together in cohabitation and fellowship should be neerely affected and agree together most kindly Therefore Salomon wisheth the husband to reioyce in his wife and that she should be as the louing Hinde and pleasant Roe before him And so we should see cause why mariage should bee counted a singular benefit as the Scripture calleth it Concerning the which though some couples voide of religion haue some shadow hereof seeing they agree in vpholding the familie and in gathering wealth one with the other yet they are out and in their loue is not constant but full of vnsoundnes dislikes dissimulation inconstancie and vnquietnes for they want the principall which is some true measure of the feare of God for that is the chiefe staier of debate and the nourisher of true loue betwixt them which should therefore be laid for at their first comming together or else will hardly be wrought in them after But this kinde agreement betwixt couples is so farre from the most that strangenes and wearines one of the other doth soone meete with them with other blemishes manifold which deface the beautie of mariage exceedingly And yet lest while I vrge this consent some couples should catch more libertie then I or the Lord allow them let me adde that their agreement must be in things warrantable or else they rather band themselues together against the Lord and abuse his ordinance For they are not yoked together that they may ioyne their wits wils to do mischief as Ahab and Iezabel Ananias and Saphira which is not to be helpers of each other as they come together to that end except it be to euill and to hell This I say because many couples are neuer at one but when they consent in euill then they are as close as barke and tree where they should differ and disswade each other but in good duties their mutuall affections are so farre from ioyning that they are repugnant and diuided each from other as farre as may bee By vertue of this holy concord great is the blessing and sweete is the fruite of this ordinance In all duties of the familie as education of children in all actions of Gods worship in the workes of loue to the Saints in the vse of their lawfull liberties c. with freedome of minde what ioy and contentment ariseth in this vnanimitie and amitie betweene them which otherwise is much impeached And the fruite of this accompanieth them in their inward troubles of mind and outward crosses of body and estate the one being strengthened comforted resolued and holpen by the wisedome knowledge and assistance of the other Yea surely the precious memorie of this agreement remaineth as a pledge in the bosome of the suruiuor when death hath made a breach betweene them But woe to him that is alone double woe to couples that are diuided where the one scorneth to communicate with the other and the wife chuseth any to breake her minde to rather then her husband But to returne as the woman is to bee commended for telling her husband so the more she deserueth it seeing that the partie that appeared to her
and be setled more and better daily Howbeit herein stands not our happinesse in that we are learning laboring endeuouring after but rather in that which we hold and haue learned and gotten This laieth much to the charge of such as hauing long been vnder teaching fare as if they neuer had heard after tenne twentie and more yeeres asking Oh that I were resolued of the truth Oh that I might heare the way to saluation plainly described Oh that this or that doubt feare temptation lust and corruption were remoued Why O thou sluggard what hath bin a doing all this while Hast thou not bin iogged pulled and punched out of thy snorting and dead sleepe by the Ministerie and doest thou now open thine eyes and aske why no bodie would awake thee It was thy sottishnes and lethargie not want of rousing which drowned thee in sleepe so long Therefore if thou haue care of thy soule beseech the Lord to bedew and moisten those drie clods of thy minde and soule wherein the seede of the word hath lien so long vnprofitable that at length it may take roote and fructifie And cease not till by this meanes thou be resolued and setled about and in the truth that so thou maist rest safely and not as before dangerously rest I say not from worke and exercise of thy knowledge and faith for the vse of both is to be occupied when thou hast them but from vncertaintie error doubting and distrust This point I desire the reader to compare with that I haue spoken touching Gedeon chap. 6. When Manoah was resolued that hee should haue a childe by his wife though she had been barren he asked what they should doe to the childe of which thing they no lesse doubted whereby hee still sheweth his desire of resolution in the doubts that remained and teacheth vs to be wise in making our benefit of the company and familiarity of such as are able and willing to resolue vs and pretend we not foolish bashfulnes when indeed it is but slothfulnes or lothnes to be troublesome lest by that meanes wee procure to our selues more trouble then wee can easily auoide afterward by such bashfulnes ignorance and sloth But I will not repeate any thing Now to this second demaund the Angell answereth the same that hee did to the woman But to the woman his prescription was what she should do her selfe and not what they should doe to the childe So that it seemed he answered not Manoahs doubt for when he asked what they should do to the childe the Angell answered what she should doe that was to beare the childe But it was all one in effect as if hee had spoken thus That which I said that she should obserue was that she should doe it because of the child and therefore much more he must obserue the same Againe whereas she was bidden to abstaine from that which was vncleane and that might seeme a needlesse charge seeing the law forbad all people the vse of vncleane things before that time to that it may be answered that after the Philistims had got dominion ouer the people as confusion in the Common wealth and tyrannie grew so religion among the Iewes began not a little to decay No wonder then if among other things of greater weight this one point of the ceremoniall law was broken that they fell to eate things vncleane as well as that which was cleane For it was common with the Iewes vpon diuers occasions to breake the ceremonie as appeares by that 1. Sam. 14. See the place And by this wee may learne that it ought not to seeme strange when wee see in the places of ignorance and darknesse sundrie euill customes errours and prophane practises receiued and vsed and no print nor step of Gods commandements and ordinances remaining but all worne out and forgotten Alas they are to be pitied and lamented not wondred at and scorned There are more waies to deface and race out religion then warre and forreine tyranny Blessed be God we sigh not vnder that burthen no nor yet vnder the bondage of Antichrist wee haue peace and gouernment free from a profession of Poperie Let vs pray the Lord to adde hereunto this mercie that by the free passage of the Gospell we may be also cured of that blindnesse which now possesseth many places and keepeth the people in errour superstition and all kinds of vngodlinesse Secondly in that the Angell spake the same thing to Manoah that he did to his wife before about the same matter we obserue by his example that it becommeth and is meete for Gods seruants alwaies to speake the same truth in or about any matter at one time and in one companie that they doe at and in another according to the Apostles words to the Ephesians that they should cast off lying and euery man speake the truth to his neighbour which is to the iust reproch and conuiction of them who carrie two tongues in their head as they say and are such as haue lost their credit by reporting vntruth where they come and doe hurt to other as well as bring an ill name on themselues But this I noted out of the womans report to her husband and in diuers other places By the other part of the Angels words in prescribing that the woman should abstaine from things forbidden and vncleane seeing the childe that was to be a Nazarite must be borne of her when yet the prescription was chiefly for the child we should learne this That when things which seeme lesse likely are commanded or forbidden much more those which are more apparantly so As if the seruant and childe must keepe holy the Sabbath much more the parents and master should doe so and most of all the Minister And if the appearance of euill be forbidden much more the euill it selfe And so if a smaller thing be commanded or forbidden much more a greater And this is to the iuster condemning of them that both heare this taught them and see many well gouerned christians to giue them example herein yet not onely follow them not neither the doctrine which they heare but offend in the shamefullest and foullest manner And let vs know that if the Lord in his Commandements will haue all his seruants to vnderstand by the great sinne or dutie expressed that his will is the same in all the rest of that kinde be they neuer so small and special how much more then if hee manifest his liking or disling of a lesser euill that is more secret and more doubted of or of a lesser dutie seruing to be of lesse necessitie ought we to collect that he will not hold vs guiltlesse in those euils committed or duties neglected which are more manifest as being either by the light of nature or by apparant Scripture allowed or forbidden If he will not hold him excused who is not wise to gather the lesse by the greater woe be to the carelesse who being
by inward or outward discouragings or allurings quite alter their temper and make them first to heare without delight remissely and coldly and in time with dislike and resistance as wofull experience witnesseth Touching the particular kinde of Manoahs readinesse to turne the meate into sacrifice see more in the peoples giuing to Gedeon the earings of their pray which poynt is diuers from the former Further this consuming of the sacrifice with fire by the Angell procured in such a wonderfull manner as it could bee no other then the worke of God this I say was done for the confirming of Manoah and his wife the which also was granted to Gedeon in the like case and at the prayers of Elia he did giue the like signe for the confirming of the people that Iehoua the God of Elia was the true God and Baal an idoll and his priests deceiuers of them By all which and many more such the Lord testifieth how willing he is that his poore seruants should be free from doubtings and feare which doe much distract and disquiet them For though he allow them not to looke for or depend vpon signes now as in times past yet a most sure rule he hath giuen vs in his word to goe by to the which he sendeth vs saying Search the Scriptures for they beare record of me and shew what my will is toward you And whereas it will be obiected to me that all cannot vnderstand the scriptures and therefore that may be farre enough off from resolution in doubtfull cases I answere the Lord hath taken order if hee were obeyed therein that throughout his Church there should bee preachers to reueale his minde to the hearers and to haue their abode and liue with the people to the end they may helpe to resolue their doubts as they shall arise daily in them and so helpe to stablish their faith and set them forward to the kingdome of glorie all which the poore people haue neede of And if Gods matters were regarded of men but as their owne be there would be such care to furnish all places by them whom it concerneth with fit and meete teachers choyce being made alwaies of the best first and they sought after that both the rest of them who are students in Diuinitie might be well incouraged to follow their studie and best examples and the people well prouided for thereby and so might grow to resolue themselues in many of their doubts and be helped by their teachers in the rest so as they might liue comfortably which a few attaine to of many and then it may be seene also what other people goe without of their due by wanting such teachers and they who are causes of it may repent which would bring great ioy into our streetes It is said further here that after this was done the Angell did yet wonderfully in another thing to wit that when the flame ascended from the altar toward heauen he ascended in it Manoah and his wife beholding the same that so they might know what he was who appeared to them euen the Angell of God whom they tooke to be some man of God or prophet Thus they were better confirmed about that which was said to them concerning the childe This as the former verse confirmeth vs in that we learned there namely what a care the Lord hath to ease our infirmities and to relieue vs therein which being beleeued of vs is no small refreshing and incouragement to vs. But of this poynt hath been already spoken much in the historie of Gedeon Also it is said here that Manoah and his wife when they beheld this and knew as it followeth in the next verse that he was an Angell of God they I say fell on their faces to the earth for feare as appeareth by his words to his wife afterward For we may not be ignorant of this that in those times the people were afraid at the sight of an Angell or in beholding any signes of Gods presence as in Exod. 19. we reade and Iudg. 6. so I say it was with them and so it would be with vs if we should haue the like occasions offred vs the reason is first our inherent sinne and the inborne corruption that is in vs secondly the accusation of our consciences which tell vs what wee are in and of our selues to wit most vile rebellious and disobedient the which ought to humble vs when God by such or other meanes doth as it were shew vs our face in a glasse that through our sin we be afraid whereas we should reioyce In that they did shew reuerence in such cases it was their duty so to doe and we owe the same in respect of Gods speciall presence in the congregation But as we see it was with them that in doing a good thing they passed measure in their feare and it was excessiue in them so wee may beholde thereby how hard a thing it is to auoyde corruption in our best actions But as they went too farre in one extremitie that they were too much afraid so wee goe further in the contrary for that wee come short and doe not feare the presence of God at all when we come before him in speciall manner or very little So that the reuerend behauiour of the Fathers toward God will be an accusation of vs for the contrary when yet we ought to carry our selues reuerently in all places Let the reader looke backe into the 6. chapter and 22. verse where this argument is largely handled In that it is said in this verse that the Angell hauing done that which he came for to them departed and was no more seene of them it teacheth vs the same to wit that when we haue met together before the Lord to serue him as for example in the publike vse of prayer word and Sacraments and haue religiously ended these duties then wee should depart euery one to his place considering how many and great inconueniencies doe follow idle and needlesse tarrying behinde and loyterings whereby we doe not onely forget such good instructions as we haue heard whereas while they be fresh in our remembrance we might in our returning either meditate on them or reuiue the memory of them by good company but also fall to drinking playing prating and such like behauiour as whereby wee doe much more hurt to our selues and others then we got good by our hearing The diuell hath more strings to his bow then one and therefore if he cannot draw men to neglect the meanes altogether hee will busie their heads with wandring or oppresse their bodies with sleepe but where neither of these preuaile yet sometimes he windeth in with thē so by other deludings of them that hee depriueth them of all fruite which they seemed to haue got and that as easilie as they may be brought asleepe and not least of all by occasioning forgetfulnesse of that they heare by needlesse company
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